NOTD: OPI Nail Lacquer in Dutch Tulips

OPI is just one of those brands that I've always stared at longingly before moving on to the cheaper nail polishes. Though they have an incredible colour range and amazing reputation, I just couldn't justify spending $20 on them! Priceline started selling them for $10 and even then I was still a bit funny about paying that much for a nail polish, but when I got my first ever job on Monday I decided to buy myself a celebratory polish in the most gorgeous colour, Dutch Tulips.

I actually wasn't going to post this because I am so unhappy with the way that the photos turned out (it makes a cool toned polish seemed orange based!) but I was just so excited about the fact that I owned an OPI polish I couldn't resist! So here are some photos - if you consider buying the polish then check out other photos on google first!

So far I've been super impressed with the quality of this beauty, but it is still early days.

What do you guys think about OPI polishes? Worth the money?

Seeing Red - My pick of the Red Lipstick

Valentines Day is coming up, which means absolutely nothing to me, however all the red hearts and merchandise around the place means that I start to pull out my red lipsticks. I actually love wearing red lipstick (something I would never have said a couple of years ago!) so I thought I'd share my favourites with you!

When it comes to red lipsticks, I own all different kinds. Orange toned, deep oxblood, opaque, sheer, glossy, matte...you name it, I have it. Unlike my nude lipsticks, I don't have that one red that I always turn to, in fact, all of the ones in this post get their fair share of love!

First up are the orange toned lipsticks, the ones typically described as having 'warm undertones' that unfortunately, at times, can make your teeth look a little yellow.

The Essence lipstick in Red Carpet was my first ever red lipstick and I still think it is such a bargain. It costs around $4 and it is such good quality. It's got good pigmentation and is really moisturising with a glossy finish. I cannot recommend this lipstick enough!

Then we have one of my more recent purchases, an Australis lipstick (that I managed to snap up for $3!) in the shade Make a Wish. This is my most orange toned red, so much so that it could probably slip into the orange lipstick category it's so in the middle! I really love this one and have found the quality of the product to be excellent so far.

Last is a Revlon Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon, the most sheer lipstick of the lot. I love this one for a swipe of colour that is super glossy and feels so good on the lips. 

Then we have the true reds, those that can neither be described as warm nor cool toned. The first of these that I have is an Arbonne lipstick in Strawberry, undoubtedly my favourite red shade shown in this post. This is the most pigmented, intense colour lipstick that I own, it seriously steals the show. I actually haven't worn this terribly often because it is so opaque but I should because it's just stunning.

Then I have one of the Revlon Colour Stay Ultimate Suede lipsticks in the number 095. I was surprised that this lipstick is on the more sheer side, as evident in the swatches on my arm, but it still has great colour and looks beautiful. This is more on the matte side but is by no means completely matte. 

Last but definitely not least are the cool toned reds, or in my case, those a lot deeper in shade. I never used to appreciate darker reds because I found them to be quite intimidating but I really got into them last year and can't imagine life without them,

My absolutely favourite is Rimmel London's stunning lipstick in number 107. This is not a lipstick that is a secret in the beauty world, it's very, very well known and for good reason, it's incredible. A deep red with purple undertones, it's absolutely gorgeous.

Then we have one of the Revlon Kissable Balm Stains which I love, in the shade Adore. This is a deeper red with hints of brown, however it is still really beautiful and flattering. This is a very minty smelling lipstick which makes it stand out from all of the rest!

It is clear that red lipsticks are a favourite in my books, and I hope they are in yours too. I used to be so frightened of them but there are so many out there to play around with it's quite easy to find one that you're comfortable with.

Have you been wearing any red lipsticks lately? 

L-R: Essence Red Carpet, Revlon Wild Watermelon, Australis Make a Wish,
Rimmel 107, Revlon 095, Arbonne Strawberry, Revlon Adore

Bourjois Colour Burst Glossy Finish Lipstick in Peach on the Beach

Once again I am upholding my tradition of purchasing a product months (even years) after it's taken over the world. I don't care, I get there eventually.

And once again, I have found myself smitten with a product you've all let fall to the back of your makeup drawers because this was cool years ago. I am here to remind you to get this magical little product back out again!

Bourjois is a brand that I've not given a real chance in the past because it is so much more expensive than its other counterparts (like Maybelline and Face of Australia). I do have two of their blushes which, admittedly, are pretty darn great, but I just can't justify forking out twenty bucks for a blush. You may as well go the whole hog and get one from MAC or NARS if you're going to do that.

Anyway, when their Colour Burst Glossy balms arrived in stores, people went crazy for them, and in particular the somewhat strangely named shade, Peach on the beach.

I was, at that stage, already convinced that it was the greatest shade in the world and that my makeup collection would forever be incomplete until the day I placed this little beauty upon my dresser. I wasn't wrong, my god this shade is beautiful.

I won't bore you with another recount of the packaging because I've gone on and on about how wonderful it is in the million other reviews I've done on lip crayons. I will say though that these are identical to the Revlon kissable balm stains.

The product itself is actually quite different to any other lip crayon I've tried. It is so creamy and smooth, almost too much in fact because at room temperature you are at risk of breaking the whole tip off completely, it is just that soft. Because of this, it also means that the application is quite thick and it can look like a thick layer of paint on your lips. In saying that, if you're careful to limit your application, it is juicy, glossy perfection.

The peachy pink shade is just ideal for everyday wear because it looks relatively natural whilst still pretty and flattering. Though there really never was a gap beforehand, I feel like this balm filled a 'natural lip kind of day' gap in my life!

One problem that I do have with this is that it accentuates any dry patches on the lips unlike anything I've ever seen! I have to be extra sure to exfoliate my lips before application because otherwise it just looks like hell. It does mean that to wear this well it requires a little bit of fiddling around, but seriously, it's so worth it.

If you are in need of want a stunning everyday kind of shade then you can't go past this beauty. I would highly recommend it!