LA Colors Color Craze - Power Outage

I was wondering around Westfield and found heaps of LA Colors nail polish at Beauty Base. They were only 99p each! In Australia they are $3 or less in the cheapo stores.

This is Power Outage from the Color Craze range. The colours are stunning! Check them out if you want fun nails that pop.

This is my first LA Colors polish and I'm impressed with the quality. The bottle and it's brush is similar to OPI. It applies smoothly and two coats gets it opaque. I LOVE IT!

The colour is hard to capture on camera. In real life it's more magenta than red (as seen in these pics). Power Outage is a vivid jelly polish. There is a hint of glitter that's barely visible where it shines.

It's a mystery colour that looks deep red but up close it's jewel magenta.

I think I've found my signature polish! *Happy dance*

Triple 5 Soul Wool Pleated Miniskirt

Another post with gratuitous posing. (Hopefully I'll find something constructive to do with my free time.)

I confess to breaking my spending ban today. Tried on this skirt "for fun" at the thrift shop and sternly reminded myself no more spending. So the skirt went back on the rack.

I went home but rushed back 30 mins later to buy it. The skirt was stuck in my head. It was like a compulsive disorder!

By then the shop had closed for the day. I knocked on the door because I could see staff inside. Then shamelessly through the glass, I pleaded for them to let me buy the skirt.

It would have been fine if they told me to come back tomorrow. I appreciate that they're volunteers and it was past closing time. The saleslady took pity on me and opened the door. I grabbed the skirt, gave her £6 and quickly left the store.

My spending ban is not working!!! I really hope I get a job soon.

The Body Shop White Musk Perfume OIl

If you grew up in an isolated country town like I did, you might have regarded The Body Shop as a luxury. I rarely travelled as a teenager so obtaining their products was a treat.

I remember when The Body Shop covered a niche. It offered delicious-smelling effective face and body care. The products were simply packaged with a social conscious.

Nowadays it's socially conscious marketing is fiercer than ever. My guess is to avoid appearing as mainstream as the other brands of Loreal.

I miss the old Body Shop. It feels pretentious now. I even miss the basic logo emblazoned on every label.

Despite all changes, my love for the White Musk range stays strong. I adore the colour of the soap and how it smells clean and sexy at the same time. White Musk is serene and uncomplicated. It's my dreamy "home" scent.

I bought the perfume oil as opposed to the EDT. It does'nt contain alcohol and it's concentrated so one dab lasts for hours. I can't speak for all perfume oils, but this one smells true from application to the last remnant of scent.

I wish The Body Shop would reintroduce their larger range of perfume oils. I loved testing them in the store and mixing my own concoctions! Does anyone else remember doing this?

Missy Em Goes YouTube!!!

This is my first YouTube video - filmed unrehearsed and on the fly. Sorry for the choppy editing!

Hope you enjoy the snippet of the real me. (And my cluttered living room.)

:)

Op Shop Haul - LUX, Pied A Terre, Dune and M&S Autograph

It's week 5 of unemployment and I'm officially on a spending ban.

The problem is, I can't help taking a look when I pass an thrift store. In London, there are heaps of them. I even live around the corner from one!

Yesterday I found this purple LUX (from Urban Outfitters) batwing wool knit for £7. It's tagged as medium so I told myself to put it down and walk away. I went home and came back 20 minutes later because I could'nt stop thinking about it!

It was originally intended to be a lounging-around-at-home top. In the photo above, I'm wearing it over a IRO slip dress with a Longchamp belt and Dune kitten heels.

On the return visit, these Dune heels had made it to the rack. They were £8 so I rationalised that I needed a comfy pair of work heels. (Eventually.)

Today I found an oversized clutch from M&S Autograph. It's in brand new condition and the leather smells intoxicating. I just want to smell it all day!

The clutch is mushroom grey with purple stitching. It's main feature is the intricate "fortune teller origami" design on the front.

The clutch had two price tags, £3.99 and £4.99. The sales lady kindly let me have it for the cheaper price.

As I was leaving the store, a random ankle boot caught my eye. It was from Pied A Terre and had the softest broken-in leather. I normally consider it to be a cardinal sin for Asians to wear brown (let alone, with black) but when I tried these on, I was hooked.

The boot did'nt have a price tag so the sales lady quoted £4.99. I found the other boot on different shoe rack and bought them.

It was'nt until I got home, I realised the other boot had the price tag. It was marked £6.99. Yay, an even better bargain!

OPI Maine-iac Mauve

This is bizarre. Is Maine-iac Mauve purple or brown?

Maine-iac Mauve is a discontinued OPI colour. I bought it because the swatch appeared to be mauve with golden shimmer as on the right. However in natural light, it's frosted cocoa with no shimmer.

The colour is neutral so I'd wear it if I can't choose a colour. I think it's understated and complex. I'm looking at in on my nails now and it's plummy taupe. This is a colour with mystery...I like it!!!

Luscious Leather Wedge Boots

Stupid feet! Why oh why is it so hard to find shoes my size?

I'm a size 6 Aus, which is 3 in the UK. It's the smallest adult size and sometimes they can still be too big.

I was in a Camden op shop today and found these funky wedge boots with the lushest leather. Buttery soft leather inside and out. They had recently been Topied (protected soles) so the condition was amazing.

Would have bought them in a jiff because they were only £8.50. After trying to convince myself that I fit into them, I realised I was kidding myself. The boots were a size too big. But oh my goodness, the leather was so glossy and divine!

I took this picture in the changeroom with my iphone. I'm obsessed. Should I go back and rescue them? Perhaps I could stuff the toes with newpaper. Heh heh!

How To Machine Wash A Wool Coat

It IS possible to machine wash a wool coat. There I said it.

I have an interview tomorrow and could'nt find suitable wool coat to wear over my suit. Looked through the shops in town and everything's too long for me.

So I bought this Tu Chuzy (not the Bondi store, but a UK label) wool coat from the Op shop. It was £18 but the saleslady let me have it for £16.

The coat is 68% wool, feels beautifully soft and has a funnel neck. (Good for huddling into when it's freezing.) Oh yes, and it fits too!

Since the dry cleaners could'nt clean it in time for my interview, I took a risk and machine washed it.

Now you're not supposed to machine wash wool coats because they can crumple, shrink, pill and the lining can go out of whack.

But it was a cheap coat and I really wanted it clean. I threw it in the machine by itself and put it through the wool cycle. The water MUST be cold or tepid. Any warmer and you'll shrink the coat.

Did'nt have wool detergent so I used shampoo. I put too much in and suds flowed out of the machine! If you use shampoo, remember that it creates more foam than laundry detergent.

I kept a mop handy to sop up the overflow and poured in extra cold water to dilute the shampoo-water down. After the cycle finished, I had a fresh smelling clean coat!

I hung it straight away above a heater to dry. There was no shrinkage or crumples so I'm pleased with the results!

Disclaimer: Not recommended for wool coats with a very high wool content and if in doubt, definitely dry clean it. Don't even try it if it has pleats or special detailing.

Eyeko 3-In-1 Highlighter Cream

My shopping habits are spinning out of control. Especially for someone who is unemployed. Currently I'm fighting the urge to buy more MAC and NYX cosmetics.

A few days ago I ordered from ASOS and placed a second order today.

I also signed up to their Premier program for £24.95 which means free next-day delivery for a year with no minimum spend. (I need to order 13 times to breakeven.)

The first ASOS parcel arrived today.

In pursuit of a dewy and luminous complexion, I ordered the Eyeko cream. It was out of stock on the Eyeko site for more than a week (atleast since I started looking) so I had to get it from ASOS.

Eyeko cream comes in a generously sized pink tub with Manga themed packaging. It was £4.90 from ASOS. The product has a moussey texture and is pink pearl coloured. (Hard to see in the above but it's quite pearlescent.)

The cream contains dimethicone so it feels silky and makes a good primer. It's hailed to be a moisturiser, highlighter and eyecream in one. Because it spreads like a gel and dries quickly, I don't think it's moisturising although it certainly highlights and brightens. It can be applied under the eyes, along brow bones, cheekbones and the nose.

I mixed a dab into my moisturiser and my skin glows! The photo on the below left was taken indoors with natural lighting and on the right was taken with tungsten. The dewyness is more noticeable with artificial light.

Please don't mind the strange facial expressions. I did'nt wear foundation or concealer in either pics and they were'nt touched up.

I love this highlighter. So far it's the best product I've used from Eyeko. It illuminates and improves the appearance of my complexion without looking fake or excessively shiny. It does'nt feel like I'm wearing makeup either.

Can't imagine leaving the house without it on. Why did'nt I discover this cream earlier?

Sportsgirl Grey Nail Polish - Storm

To match the dreary skies of London, I wore grey nail polish for the first time today.

Was tres pleased with Sportsgirl's Storm. It actually looks neutral. I'd have no problems wearing it to a job interview.

The first coat was pale and it looked like I was putting on correction fluid. With most pastels, it goes on streaky but as long as you keep the brush loaded, it will be evenly opaque by the second coat. Storm is a creme with a subtle difference. It can barely be seen but surely enough, there is a smidge of frost.

I love this creamy grey because it doesn't look dirty. It even appears lilac in cloudy light.

As for the formulation, it applies thicker than most polishes. It dries fast and will probably turn gluggy over time. Still it's not bad for a polish which cost less than $4 AUD!

Parachute Coconut Oil For Hair - A Conclusion

Just a follow up on my experience with coconut oil as a hair treatment.

I proudly announce that coconut oil has dramatically improved my dry damaged hair!

While I don't think it made my hair grow any faster or thicker than normal, I don't have frizzies anymore. Even a male-friend asked what I did to it because it's not as "fluffy" as it used to be.

Thanks to coconut oil, my hair is on the mend. I can even see that the mid lengths are blacker and thicker than the ends. A year ago a hairdresser thought I had bleached it when in fact it was damaged from GHD use and swimming at the beach.

Initially I used the coconut oil as a deep conditioning treatment but now that I live in London, it solidifies in the colder climate. Walking about the house with waxy hair is not pleasant!

I now use it on dry hair after I've washed it like a serum. This is a quicker method of conditioning and it weighs down the flyaways. Works really well with my hair blowdried straight, or naturally dried curly. In fact, curls form well with the coconut oil because they are glossy and more defined.

For long hair, use between half to a teaspoon of coconut oil. (I use a full teaspoon.) Spread it across your hands and around your fingers. Then evenly distribute it by smoothing it through your hair, starting from the ends. It looks a bit oily at first but my hair DRINKS it up. That's how dry it is. My hair gets softer and sleeker for days until I wash it again.

It can also be used as a body lotion, hand treatment and cuticle oil. It moisturises like nothing I've tried before and absorbs quickly. I love it!

I highly recommend coconut oil. Go try it, girls! It's cheap, smells yummy, has heaps of uses and it's 100% natural.

Rimmel Lasting Finish - Exotica

I bought this nail polish from the last time I was living in London. Exotica was a vibrant metallic red. (Sorry I'm no good at describing reds to great detail.) What made it extra special was the glimmer of gold dust mixed through it. So pretty!

You can hardly notice the gold except for a tiny hint in the shine.

Rimmel is really cheap in the UK. I think this was £2.5o?

The only downside was contrary to the name - it's does not have a lasting finish. I wore this a day before I had a job interview and it was already chipped by then. I had done some housework but it was'nt too rough on my nails. Fail!!!