Babyliss Pro Cordless Gas Curling Wand

Remember when I bought the BaByliss Ceramic Clampless Curling Wand? I used it twice and sold it on Ebay. I could'nt get the hang of it and as it turned out for me, wands with the clamp is much easier to use.

My girlfriend recommend this curler which she carries around in her handbag. It's about £20 from Argos. The brilliant thing about this is that it's cordless and lightweight. Makes using it so much better as you don't have to worry about fiddling about with a cable. Also you can travel with it and not have to worry about the right power adaptors.

The box says you can carry it on board a plane but I've yet to try this out. The rules are that you can't carry spare energy cells, it must have a safety cover (which this does) and you can't use it inflight.

It comes with a brush attachment but I won't be needing it. To use, just switch it on, start it up by pressing the start button a few times and you'll hear it fire up (there is a little light which indicates that it's on) and gas is softly being expelled. It takes about 30 seconds to get hot and you can clamp the end of a lock of hair and roll it up. Hold for about 6 seconds and pull it off sideways by releasing the clamp.

This cordless curler works a treat and does'nt fry my hair as badly as the clampless. I found it fast to use. The wand heats up quick and the results are good. The curler does the job and the curls last a day or two. My girlfriend has curl resistant hair and she says it falls flat after a night out. If that sounds like your hair, it's not for you.

My only complaint is that because it runs on butane filled energy cells, it emits fumes while it's on. I guess that's normal however it's not pleasant when the wand is close to your face.

However that's a small con when the benefit is convenience. I like using this curler and I'm so glad to have bought it!

Best Makeup Bargain Ever-Essence Stay All Day Eyeshadow

We were killing time in Budapest and I was browsing through a bargain bin at a pharmacy.  I found this eyeshadow in Steel The Show #03 (not pictured as I could'nt find a stock photo.)

I was a bit dubious as the pot was tacky looking. The product normally sells for 3 Euros. Steel The Show looks similar to 02 pictured.

The eyeshadow was the cheapest makeup I've ever bought because it was reduced to 99 HUF. Do you know what that is? That's 29p or 0.46 USD!

Turned out to be a great buy because the eyeshadow is excellent. It really sticks to it's promise by staying on all day. Even after a work out at the gym. The colour looks versatile and can be worn everyday as a pearly base or at night for a metallic glam look. The colour payoff is excellent, blends beautifully and my only regret was not buying more colours in the bargain bin. Doh!!!!

The product is cheap at regular prices anyway. I'm happy with the quality and it's made in Germany. I recommend these creme shadows so try them if you can!

What's your best makeup bargain ever?

Glitter Tips

Revlon Iced Mauve with Color Fever Pink Diamond

Sephora Express Drying Oil

I don't know how this works but by jove, it really works!

I bought this while I was in Paris and thought it was intriguing. An oil that makes nail polish dry faster sounds like a miraculous product. I had to try it.

The bottle comes with a dropper in the lid. The oil is scent less and doubles up as a cuticle oil. Just squeeze a drop down the nail and let it run down to the tip.

Surely after a minute or two, the nail polish feels dry. Like properly dry! I can't believe it. I'll probably paint my nails more often now that it takes less than half the time it used to. And as promised it leaves a smooth shiny finish, more than what the top coat offers alone. I love this product!

Luella Scollop Gisele Tangerine Bag

When I saw this bag, I fell in love. It was the scollop edge and flower charm. The bag came from a designer consignment store and apparently I got for a very good price (so I was told). 

However after a few days and close inspection, I suspect it may be a high quality fake. It's a nasty sinking feeling!

I don't know much about Luella bags so if anyone cares to authenticate, please let me know. I'm aware this bag a limited edition range so I really hope it's real but nonetheless, the design is very cute. 

I found a lucky penny snug in the pocket!

Crest White Strips 3D Vivid - Before and After Pics

People in the US rave about Crest Strips so I thought I'd give them a try. I've never whitened my teeth before and although the results were subtle, I could'nt expect better for a home job.

The strips were easy to use. Just peel off them off and stick on your teeth. The adhesive is sticks really well so there's no risk of them falling off. I could taste a teeny bit of bitterness from the chemicals but honestly they're virtually tasteless.

I wore them for 30 minutes. I peeled them off and rinsed out my mouth to flush away any residue.

Here are the pics. Note none of these photos are photoshopped except for resizing.

I'm happy with the results since it was easy to use and you can notice a difference with just one application. And there was no noticeable sensitivity afterwards. The strips were cheap as I bought them online for 85p each. I will buy them again!

On A Budget in USA & Buffalo Exchange

My girlfriend and I are on tight budgets on this US trip.

We're saving a bundle by eating at whole food places. It works for us because we want to eat healthy and low carb. Salads in NYC and Washington DC are delicious and it beats eating junk.

For fun my girlfriend bought a pair of hair cutting scissors and we cut our hair. It was surprisingly easy to DIY because I wanted to dust off my ends. My hair now feels much better, I hardly lost any length and saved the cost of going to the hairdresser. I will do it again! What frugal folk we are.

Shopping wise, here's what I've bought so far.

1) Ed Hardy canvas slip ons for $16 on sale at Century 21. They are super comfy and serve well with all the walking we're doing.

2) Vintage navy eelskin handbag. The leather is soft and silky. Wasn't really a thrift shop bargain in Brooklyn Heights but I couldn't resist it as a souvenir. It was $27.

3) Revlon Colorstay black retractable eyeliner. Cheaper in the US than anywhere else. ($7ish.) I thought this would be good in the humid weather but it still runs and doesn't apply as smoothly as I'd like. Hope it performs better in UK weather.

4) Suave Humectant Moisture Conditioner which is cheap and amazing. $2.69 for a big bottle. Makes dry hair feel moisturised. It contains dimethicone so I won't use it regularly.

5) Noxema Cream Cleanser. Just a small tub to see what the fuss is about. It has a herbal menthol smell and its like washing your face with shaving cream. It doesnt foam. Has a pleasant tingly feeling which dissipates when rinsed. My skin feels soft and glows. A nice cleanser but make sure to rinse with warm water otherwise a residue remains.

I've also discovered Buffalo Exchange. The staff at Washington DC are chirpy and friendly. I carried over a cheap Dorothy Perkins dress which is too warm to wear so I exchanged it for $7.25 store credit. I was pleased because I didn't like the dress anyway and used the credit to buy a BCBG mini skirt which I love.

Next time I'm going to the States, I'm bringing a bunch of clothes on a kamikaze mission to Buffalo Exchange.

One of the photos are of retro toys in Williamsburg Brooklyn. There are lots of hipsters there so vintage isn't exactly cheap but its still awesome to see the stuff.