Disaster Davis

Has your February been fantastic? I sure hope so. To round off this month’s blog posts I have a fancy little favourites number for you. If you haven’t already then feel free to view my ‘2015 Favourites’ and ‘January Favourites’, of course, not before the completion of reading this one!

Collection Primed & Ready – Pore Minimiser 1
I’ve only ever used two face primers before therefore please bear in mind that I’m no expert. This has definitely been my favourite of the two, however! I use this with my fingers to gently smooth over my skin and have found it to have an exceptionally silky texture of which doesn’t feel in any way clogged up, with a very light consistency. After an effortless application, this then provides an even base for other cosmetics and does as it claims by reducing the appearance of large pores. Included in the ingredients is witch hazel, of which has anti-blemish properties. This primer has a matte finish and I love how sleek the rest of my make-up application feels after using this product.

Collection Primed & Ready – Eye Primer 1
This is described as illuminating and reviving and I can indeed confirm this to be 100% correct. It lightens up the eyes whilst producing an incredibly refreshed feeling, making otherwise tired eyes then feel wide awake and ready for the day ahead. Only a very small amount of product is needed, it comes out of the tube white but of course this is nothing to be concerned with as it soaks into the skin. Shadows and other eye products apply infinitely easier when using this primer as a base and it combats any creasing, uneven product distribution and shifting of pigments.

P.S, Love Make-Up Fixing Spray
My first impressions of this can be found on ‘First Impression Reviews: P.S, Love Range’. This is an easy to use and quick spray for setting make-up in place, before this I hadn’t used a setting spray and as a result I don’t have anything to compare this to. I’ve definitely been enjoying using this, though. Although it were such a cheap price and I weren’t really expecting much it’s actually been a great investment for me. It doesn’t leave me with a clogged up feeling, it’s simple to use and does it’s job well, setting my face in place for longer periods of time. Nothing budges when I have this on, it’s great! Like I said on my first impression the taste isn’t appreciated (the product finds its way in via my lip piercing), though I’ve since got a little more used to guarding my mouth until the spray has settled.

P.S, Love Liquid Foundation Brush
If you already read about this on my post ‘Money = Shopping, Shopping = Happiness’ then you will know that I were hoping that this brush would prove to be on par with an old brush from the P.S, Love range, which has since broken in multiple places. I’m ecstatic to verify that this brush is indeed just as adored as the last one, if not more! It feels sturdier than my old one and other’s in my collection, this is definitely my go to brush for applying concealer and foundation. I can’t fault it. I’m tempted to buy more purely to avoid panic in the future when needing a new one. I’ve found this brush to be well made and the application is fine because if you know how best to apply make up, then any potential for streaking is completely avoided.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer – Fair 1
I needed a concealer as my previous one is considerably close to empty. Rather than having my usual Ivory shade in stock of the P.S, Love Under Eye Concealer, were instead ‘Tan’. This quite clearly weren’t going to work for me, therefore I needed another option. I’d heard great things before about the Lasting Perfection Concealer from the Collection brand, therefore took myself off to Boots. I got mine in the shade ‘Fair 1’ which appears to be spot on and very quickly this has become my ultimate concealer. It has an amazing medium to high coverage and is a thick product whilst somehow managing to not clog the pores or feel cakey. I always use a patting motion with my brush for this product as swiping it across the skin will require using more and risk an uneven coverage. If used correctly then barely any product is needed to eradicate any blemishes, although quick work is needed with this as it dries quickly, with a flawless matte finish.

George Silk Finish Pressed Powder – No. 02 Nude
Previously I’ve always been a Collection kinda girl for my finishing powder, not any more. I’ve actually had the George Silk Finish since last year and have recently realised how great this product is. A week or so ago, I re-purchased the Collection Pressed Powder (this made an appearance in the post ‘I Solemnly Swear that I am up to No Good’), I got this in my usual shade ‘01 Candelight’ but it seems to be so much darker than it used to be. In the winter months the George Silk Finish is definitely better matched to my skin, also I have found the Collection Pressed Powder to feel much heavier on my face than the George SF. George Silk Finish is a very soft and light product, it really does feel like silk. A light handed dusting of product will mattify and set make up adequately, whilst soaking up any excess oils.

Bourjois Blush Pot – 85 Sienne
This also made an appearance in my ‘2015 Favourites’ but I have to include it again here as I have been using it so often recently. The packaging is a very well made compact pot, complete with mirror and blush brush. This product is perfumed and smells absolutely gorgeous. The pigmentation is considerable whilst both buildable and easy to blend, ensuring the exact required result. There are no hidden sparkles, what you see is what you get and this is again, a matte finish.

Make-Up Revolution London Pressed Highlighter – Hidden Lights
Here we have a product from what is probably my favourite drugstore brand. Make-Up Revolution London have the most remarkably pigmented products, Hidden Lights is no exception to this and is of a suitable brightness. This product is a little sparkly yet still creates a stunning and natural glow! Hidden Lights were also in my post ‘Magical Make-Up Mysteries’.

Model’s Own Nail Polish – NP241 Chrome Green
For more information on this product please see my post ‘My Model’s Own Experience’, where I talk about this in a little more detail. Stylish, classy, fast drying and both a unique finish and colour, this nail polish is utterly sensational! I need ALL of the chrome finish polishes in my life, I am helplessly hypnotized.

Cuffed Leg Joggers x3
I adore these, all of them. I need more in my life in a larger variety of colours. They’re so comfortable and they all have cuffed legs which are perfect for a short thing like myself. More information can be found about all of these in the posts ‘Money = Shopping, Shopping = Happiness’ and ‘I Solemnly Swear I am up to No Good’, as can the below pyjamas.

Snuggle Pyjamas
These are the most comfortable pyjamas I have ever experienced, I could quite honestly live in them full time, they’re amazing. Most days the first thing I’ll do once I arrive home from work is to get back into these beauties! I acquired these from Primark, although if you read the original haul post then you’ll already know that!

All That Glitters – Vicky Pattison
44 Charles Street – Danielle Steel

I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books and they couldn’t have been more different. Please do saunter over to the above book review for All That Glitters and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for a review on 44 Charles Street!

Lindt Limited Edition – Strawberries and Cream
What a better way to finish this off with none other than the best chocolates I have ever sampled! Lindt are my ultimate favourite anyway, they have however even excelled themselves! I would be unable to describe these without drooling. Due to being limited edition I of course have had to stock pile these whilst still having the chance!

Let me know in the comments below if we have any of these in common! I’d love to see your own post therefore be sure to leave me a link. If you liked this then please hit the link and/or follow buttons. I can’t wait to see what madness March has in store!

With Love,
Disaster Davis x

(Original Post on WordPress) 

It’s always exciting to stumble upon a new place which you have yet to explore, especially when said place is bulging with a vast amount of cosmetics whilst having sincerely delightful staff working their magic on the place and thoroughly looking after their customers. Just to clarify, I haven’t been compensated in any way to write this post, this is simply the result of giving credit where credit is due, as the phrase goes. If you’d like to marvel in the recollection of my Model’s Own experience then please do continue reading.

Firstly, how cute is the store? It’s compact but well organised therefore making it impossible to not take a thorough look at the merchandise in it’s entirety. The range of products is incredible as there’s not only a selection of different types of nail polish (such as gels or metallics), but there’s a multitude of different colours too, from brights to pales and sparkles to speckles. Not just that, they also stock other cosmetics including gel liners and other eye products. The marvellous sales assistant there at the time were revealing to me that the eyeshadows are said to be a dupe for the Urban Decay Naked palettes whilst the wand on Model’s Own HyperEyes mascara is similar to the Benefit They’re Real wand with regard to both wands being made from plastic fibres and having a mixture of longer and shorter bristles. I’m unable to comment on the accuracy of this as I haven’t previously used Benefit products. If the comparison is correct with regards to the shadow palettes, though, then that would be one hell of an amazing dupe as the Naked Smoky palette in my eyes is unparalleled. Below are the artifacts of which I unearthed and obtained.

Nail Polish – Chrome Green NP241
Okay this is unbelieveable and I have never experienced anything quite like this before in my entire existence. It leaves a gorgeous chrome effect finish which looks both classy and flawless, the result really is stunning and like nothing I’ve tried before. I adore the colour because it’s not often you find a light green knocking about but the most incredible thing about it is that it’s very close to having an instantaneous drying capability. I aren’t even embellishing this, I tested the polish out and it had completely dried in less than a minute, I even pressed down really hard on my nail in pure disbelief. I for one have never found this to happen with any nail polish, because of being an extremely impatient person this fact has not only astounded me but has lead me to fall in love with the product. I now want to go back and buy the chrome style in every colour.

Nail Polish – Pinky Brown NP120
To look at in the bottle this looks to be a gold and purple colour however it’s been appropriately named as when applied to the nail it does come out looking pinky brown instead, it’s also abundant with sparkles and again has an exceptionally classy finish. This dries slower than the chrome effect polish above, although I have noticed that where the polish lifts a little if touched, it settles down with the rest shortly after as though it hadn’t been touched at all. This too is something that I haven’t observed in a polish before and I find it to be rather impressive.

Nail Polish – Microdots NP211
This looked so exciting and unique that I simply couldn’t leave it on the shelf. With a combination of peach, dark blue, yellow, red and aqua blue polka dots, this is the perfect amalgamation of fun and fashionable in a fantastic overlay style polish. I quickly tested this over the top of ‘Chrome Green’ and found that the two actually compliment one another very well.

HyperEyes Lengthen & Curl Mascara
I’ve been wanting to try out a new mascara and with an offer currently on at Model’s Own I thought why not give it a bash. I have tested this out once and very quickly but have found it to do an immense job of lengthening my lashes whilst partitioning them at the same time. I did feel as though it were lacking a little on the volume aspect but as I say I only tested this very quickly before heading out. This will be in a face of the day post shortly so keep your eyes peeled if you’re interested in seeing how it looks, or head on over to my Instagram where you will find a preview. The length of each side is meant for use in different ways however I really didn’t have the time available to procrastinate, I’m looking forward to having a leisurely play around with this soon. If you’re looking for a mascara which doesn’t clump then this would undoubtedly be a safe bet!

I also got given two little freebies for purchasing something that day, these were a simple four use file block, for filing, smoothing, buffing and shining. I were already really happy with a metal file that I’ve owned for many years now but I do have to say that these are fantastic. They’ll definitely be getting plenty of use from me as they’re handy to pick up and use quickly whilst including every file type needed. It’s always thrilling receiving a freebie, isn’t it? There’s currently a mix of offers available in store. A nail polish alone is worth £5, the current offer is to buy three polishes for £10, this can be mixed and matched across all styles and therefore means that you’re buying two and getting one free, a solid bargain! The HyperEyes mascara retails at £7.99 but when making a purchase can be obtained instead for half of the price at £4! This isn’t bad at all and granted me further savings, totalling the healthy sum of £9!

I have to add that the lovely lady working there displayed a prodigious degree of superlative customer service of which I have never encountered and experienced. I wish I’d have got her name as she were eminently exuberant and both profoundly welcoming and attentive. Model’s Own are undeniably onto a winner with regards to hiring her. She portrayed the ideal example of what everybody working in sales should be striving to culminate.

If this post has charmed you as much as the products did for me then please do give it a like and maybe even the benefit of a follow. Do you have any Model’s Own favourites? What are your opinions of the store? As always I’d love to hear from you, why not leave me a comment – I’d love some recommendations.

With Love,
Disaster Davis x

(Original Post on WordPress)

Retail therapy is the best therapy, especially when you not only spoil yourself but also get double the treats due to having a marvelous Mom of whom gets an extreme enjoyment from further subsidising your solace. I’ve not been experiencing the best of times of recent therefore she decided that it were time for her to give me a welcome distraction in the form of the White Rose, a shopping centre located in Leeds. Of course because of this, I am now excited to share with you my treasures. Please read on to discover the delights that await.

We didn’t actually go to many places at all, H&M were genuinely appalling and therefore we bought nothing, the only other places we went to were Primark and Model’s Own, whilst of course stopping off for a KFC in between. I also popped into a local Asda store upon my return home as I had a few things to pick up for Jeremiah (my hamster) from the pet store alongside there. It were good to see that Primark had picked itself up a little again, as when I popped in there for some gift inspiration before Christmas it were seemingly nothing more than a glorified jumble sale (as were everywhere else at that point), Model’s Own has a dainty but incredibly charming shop located in the centre aisle and is a delight to browse, Asda, well it’s just Asda – my convenient way to peruse and instantly acquire some new reading material. Lets get onto the good stuff, shall we? With Primark, I’ll start off with the gift element first, then move onto my personal purchases.

Primark

Cuffed Joggers – Burgundy
£6
These joggers are so comfortable it’s unreal, they have an elasticated waist of course and are the perfect fit with ample space to feel comfortable and relaxed. They have a pocket at either side which aren’t very deep but are great for warming up your hands if like me, you’re a bit of a ditz who forgets to take her gloves out with her. The cuffed bottoms are essential for me as I’m rather short and find it hard to unearth clothing in the adequate length. They aren’t overly thick but the material suitably maintains warmth regardless. These will be worn almost 90% of my waking hours for certain.

Cuffed Joggers – Charcoal
£8
Again these have a pocket located at either side of the hips, these are very much like the above pair although are made from a thinner material which proves to be more airy. These are also cuffed at the bottom and have an elastic waist complete with a drawstring tie. Whilst the burgundy pair are plain, these however have detail to the outer edge of the left leg which says “Los Angeles * Super Girls Academy *” and has the word “League” printed vertically underneath. Being a tad obsessed with anything related to America, I had to have these too and you can never have enough lounge wear, especially when I’m increasing my fitness and activity levels.

Thick Leggings – Burgundy & Black
£5 Each
Heaven, simply heaven. These leggings are so thick and warm it’s unreal. They have a fluffy lining inside providing extra comfort and warmth. These are absolutely perfect for the cold winter days and being leggings they have the added potential to be dressed up or down depending on preference. At £5 each I believe this to be a bargain for these as they’re genuinely faultless. There are more colours available however I preferred these. The burgundy is very purple based, I would have actually just described them as a plum purple.

Snuggle Pyjamas
Now £3, were £8
These are an absolute steal for the price! I’m seriously lacking on long length nightwear, consequently, seeing these I would have been a fool to have walked away. They are so thick, snuggly and warm it’s unbelievable. I can’t wait to curl up in these on the sofa, with a good book and a brew. The detailing is coral hearts on a charcoal grey background, the long sleeved top buttons up and includes a small pocket over the left breast area whilst the bottoms are a simple elasticated waist.

Elephant Cup
£2
I have a rather odd enthusiasm for cups, of which has rubbed off onto me from my Mom. We should both be on a ban really as there’s actually nowhere else left for us to store our growing cup collections. I also have an intense infatuation with elephants, I love all animals and have always adored elephants but since my Granny passed in 2006 a full on fixation then materialised for me as elephants were always ‘her thing’. Cups and elephants, well had my Mom not bought me this then I’d have been adding it to my own basket. This were an absolute must have for me. The cup itself is stylish and simple with a white background and a black tribal print elephant pictured around the cup getting smaller with each one. It has a large handle and is a fantastic size for a medium to larger drink. I’d say that I’ll adore using this for hot chocolates but lets be honest, I’ll use this for anything possible! A little added information, it’s both microwave and dishwasher safe, wahoo!

Crew Tee
£3
A simple crew tee in burgundy with writing across it in white saying “I left my <3 in the city”, it’s simple, affordable and I like it.

Trainer Socks – Pack of 5
£2.50
Again due to my attraction to anything American I opted specifically for these socks, of which all have stars and stripes in various patterns made up of the three colours, red, white and blue. It had to be done. These actually have a rather cuddly quality to them as opposed to some socks which can feel quite rigid.

Socks – Pack of 5
£3
In need of more socks Mom encouraged me to pick up some more, there weren’t a huge amount of choice in the standard length ones (or any for that matter) and I picked up the set I felt were the nicest, as they were all a little boring or had foul colours and patterns. This pack has stripey socks and one pair with polka dots, they’re pretty simple and are navy with either grey or pink included.

Brazilian Brief – Hot Pink
£1.70
Yes I am showing you my underwear – I have done this in a post before and it’s nothing to be ashamed of or hide. First up is a pair of dazzling bright pink Brazilian briefs. They feel like pure silk and have a lace trim. I had to have these purely for the texture.

Lace Brief – Dark Red
£1
This has been described as a thong, the reason for this is unknown to me as it quite clearly isn’t a thong and is actually, a standard brief/knicker. These are a dark red colour with a burgundy tint to them and have a small white bow at the front.

Thong – Leopard Print
£1
Primark managed to market this one correctly as it is indeed a thong, in leopard print with a black lace trimmed band. Stylish and sexy for the price of only a quid! The print has been placed over the top of the lace which gives these a unique and intricate look.

Thong – Pack of 3
£3
You can’t go wrong with a pack of three really, these are mesh and again have a lace trimmed band. There’s a white pair, a black pair and the final one is black but the lace trim is in leopard print, including a small pink bow detail at the top.

Thong – Pack of 3
£2.50
Another pack of three, these instead have a spaghetti band and include stripey pink and white with a small mint green bow, mint green with a small lilac bow and finally a lilac patterned pair with pink and white, including a small turquoise bow. They’re simple and pretty.

Cut Out Boot Heels – Tan
£16
I fell in love with these and continue to fall deeper and deeper in love every time I witness their pure beauty. They are boot style, suede effect heels with cut outs in the form of flowers. There’s a zip at the back and they lace up at the front offering the opportunity to create a perfect and snug fit, this is amazing for me as I have rather chunky feet. The tan colour and suede effect means they wouldn’t look out of place by being used day to day with casual outfits to give a more dressed up look when attending less formal events or destinations. The heel is approximately 4.5 inch. I can see these getting used frequently.

Bikini Top
£6
A simple black halter neck bikini top which ties at both the neck and the back, it has a crochet detail at the front and slight padding inside. For me, this means the difference between losing my breasts underneath the bottom of the item, as they have a mind of their own and will do whatever they please if I don’t have adequate support beneath them. When I tried this on I found it to be comfortable and is a great buy for the price.

Bikini Brief
£2
I did want the matching bikini shorts for my top but unfortunately none were left in my size, or any of the standard bikini briefs matching the bikini top, either. I settled for these instead which were only £2 and are completely plain. They have simple ties at either side and surprisingly have quite a soft and pleasing texture.

Necklace
£2
I really like this necklace and simply had to purchase it, it’s so different from anything I have already and will look amazing with a night time outfit whilst still remaining understated. I like it because I feel it isn’t too much or too large and overbearing as some can be. It has dangly straight chunks in copper, gold and silver which are separated by tiny little silver coloured balls. It has a snake chain and the silver coloured chunks have a water drop style pattern on them. This will go with almost any outfit and I’d say is well worth it’s incredibly affordable price.

P.S, Love Make-Up Fixing Spray
£2
I have yet to try a fixing spray and didn’t want to buy something extortionately priced to potentially find that I don’t like it or that it doesn’t work well for me. Noticing this in Primark I figured why not sample it, now is as good of a time as any. It doesn’t seem to have a scent and is said to be suitable for all skin types, is oil free and won’t clog pores. I’m yet to try this but if anybody would like a review when I have done then please let me know. This is a 75ml can which I feel will provide me with many uses.

P.S, Love Your Nails Fast Dry Spray
£0.80
I’m incredibly impatient with most things but even more so when it comes to waiting for my nails to dry. I always end up smudging them somehow or getting other things printed onto them, it has become exceedingly monotonous, therefore when I saw this peeking at me I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try it. I’m one of those people who also seems to forget to do my nails every time without fail and will have to do them last minute just before heading out. I’m hoping this will offer me at least a little hope for battling the mad last minute nail drying rush. Apparently this leaves a glossy finish, we shall see!

Nail Polish – Melba
£0.80
It’s nice to see that Primark have started putting a number on or naming their different shades of nail polish! This will make it infinitely easier when writing about different shades or remembering specific polishes I’d like to use when I come to painting my nails. Melba is a lovely peachy colour and I’m excited to use this in the future alongside the above fast dry spray. I’m always impressed with the polish sizes from the P.S, Love range, the 80p polishes in the rectangular bottles always have a great amount of product in for a total steal!

Nail Polish – 88
£0.80
This doesn’t have a name however does have a number located at the bottom of the bottle. Although rather hard to see, it is there and can be used for identification purposes all the same which is fantastic. This is a really nice gunmetal grey colour which looks so unusual and different to any other polish colour that I own, I’m impatient to test this.

P.S, Love Liquid Foundation Brush
£1.50
The current foundation brush I use is a P.S, Love one and I have been very happy with it so far, after owning it for roughly two years now it’s incredibly dirty (despite the fact it gets cleaned), it’s excessively shedding fibers and the heel has broken away from the handle, as well as the handle already having been broken for some time now. I do have another foundation brush in my LyDia brush set however I feel it’s too soft for my liking and leaves my foundation extremely streaky, whereas I’ve found my P.S, Love brush to be a little more solid, either that or there’s more fibers packed into the ferrule (this is the part which holds the fibers together) giving the impression of more stable bristles. Either way I figured I’d pick up a new brush from Primark to see if I’ll love this as much as my old one. The design and style has changed, whilst my old brush were made of a wooden handle with a plastic ferrule and heel, this one seems to be made from a plastic handle with a metal ferrule/heel. I have yet to take this out of the packaging, however the bristles seem to be really soft, alas we shall see.

P.S, Love Liquid Foundation – Ivory
£2.50
I’ve been wanting to try out new foundation for some time now and I’d also like a cheaper product to wear whilst at work. Seeing this for only £2.50 I thought I might as well give it a whirl. I’ll be sure to do a review on this in the future but I have yet to try it. This is a semi-matte medium coverage which is said to be oil free and containing vitamin E. This sounds pretty good, I wonder if it will live up to it’s description. It’s also said to be moisturising and it does actually smell slightly fragranced in the same way that many hand and face creams do. There weren’t much choice in the means of colours, I got Ivory which were the lightest shade but I feel the darker shade would have been far too dark for me, there’s no middle level with this.

P.S, Love Blush & Highlighter Duo – Pink Rose
£2.50
Now this little find really interested me. I’m not usually one for any type of cream based products but I’ve been wanting to get out of my comfort zone a little and try a range of cosmetics. Being in a stick it strikes me that this would prove to be rather easy to use and is a good size to pop into a handbag also. Doing a quick swatch of this I’ve found the product to be really pigmented, the blush is a very bright pink and the highlighter is an incredibly pretty pale pink that shimmers. I’m excited to try this product out properly, also it doesn’t feel like it will be greasy as I first thought it would be.

P.S, Love Metallic Eyeshadow Cream
Now £1, were £2
As I say I’m not normally a fan of cream cosmetics products however due to wanting to branch out I decided to pop this into my basket with the other items. At only £1 it would be silly to not try it out after all and this is a really pretty, purple based, shimmery dark taupe colour. When swatching this onto the back of my hand it doesn’t appear immensely pigmented although I’m choosing to hold my judgement until I test it out accordingly. There’s something so satisfying about screwing the lid of a cosmetics pot on and off, I’m not entirely sure why this is.

P.S, Love Liquid Eye Liner – Black
£1
This product is 4ml and contains vitamin E which is an antioxidant, of which with regards to the skin, works to reduce the effects of aging and wrinkles. I’ve been using this liner for a good couple of years now as I find it really easy to apply and it lasts a long time even with almost daily use. To read my reasons for why this is my eye liner of choice please head on over to read my post ‘Running Dry’, of course, once you have finished reading this one.

Model’s Own
I had an absolute blast in this store and picked up some bits and bats for myself whilst browsing. The customer service were the best I have experienced and the store itself is a thorough delight, it’s so unique and quirky. I will be sharing my fascinating finds with you however you will have to keep an eye out for Thursday’s post, when I will be detailing my Model’s Own experience as a whole.

Asda
Of course, books! Doesn’t this always happen? The hardback ‘All Wrapped Up’ were £6 and the other two were in the current 2 for £7 deal.

All Wrapped Up (Geek Girl Special) – Holly Smale
The It Girl *Team Awkward* – Katy Birchall
Strictly Between Us – Jane Fallon

This post were such fun for me to write and I hope that the same can be said for reading it. Have you read the above books or experimented with the cosmetics? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to pop back soon for a post on my Model’s Own experience, another of which I’m enthusiastic to write.

With Love,
Disaster Davis x

(Original Post on WordPress)