Mimosa Dupe: Leighton Denny Double Up Duo - Brick Road and Bon Bon

Today's guest post is by the lovely Lou from Lou Lou Muses, who has managed to find a dupe for the much coveted Chanel Mimosa nail varnish:

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few years then you might be aware that the release of a new Chanel makeup collection, and in particular the limited edition nail polishes, inspires a frenzy amongst a large number of beauty addicts. Recent releases include Black Pearl, Paradoxal, Nouvelle Vague and Particuliere. I am always intrigued as to what colours Chanel will release each season, and I'll admit that some have created more of an impression on me than others. Whilst Nouvelle Vague left me cold, I love Particuliere which I purchased as a birthday treat to myself. Until the day I can get my hands on a Chanel 2.55 bag, nail polish and fragrance are the only Chanel items my budget will allow for.

This season's release was Mimosa - a buttercup yellow polish which looks like sunshine poured into a bottle. Although I loved this when I saw it on a number of blogs e.g. A Girl, A Style (one of my favourite blogs), I knew I wouldn't spend £16 on it even if it did have the iconic logo on it. But I still wanted to try the look as it's very different to what I usually wear. Luckily, on a trip to TKMaxx I spotted a Mimosa dupe (of sorts). As I noted in a post recently, there are some good beauty bargains to be had in TK Maxx at the moment. The subject of this post is the Leighton Denny Double Up Duo which was retailing for £9.99 instead of £22. I'd never tried any Leighton Denny polishes, so wanted to try this out. The set contains a solid yellow shade called 'Brick Road' and a very subtle pale lemon shade called 'Bon Bon'.

I first tried the 'Brick Road' on its own. I wasn't very impressed with the application of this polish, as it didn't give very good coverage. I needed 3 coats to ensure full coverage and to avoid streaks. I also found the yellow to be quite flat and it wasn't quite Mimosa-like enough for me.

Not wanting to waste the set I tried the 'Bon Bon'. As soon as I put this on, I knew it wasn't for me. It's very pretty, and has a slight shimmer to it, but it's definitely too pale for me. On the plus side, this did seem to apply better than 'Brick Road'.

At this point, my beauty bargain didn't seem quite such a good buy. But then my friend Sarah invited me to her birthday 'Yellow Picnic of Dreams'. As the name suggests, everyone had to take along yellow food and to wear something yellow. In the absence of anything yellow in my wardrobe, I had to make do with yellow nails. As I hadn't been overly pleased with either shade, I decided to combine the two: 2 coats of 'Brick Road' topped with 2 coats of 'Bon Bon'. This was about to be consigned to my box of 'beauty purchases I regret' but thanks to combining the two shades, it's been saved! Although it's not like any other shades I've got in my collection (of which there are quite a few!) I really like it! It might not be the real thing, but it's Mimosa-like enough for me! When it catches my eye it makes me feel Summery, even if outside it is grey and gloomy. Whilst this isn’t going to be a lifelong love affair I definitely think it’s worth a Summer fling!

Thanks so much Lou for sharing your Chanel Mimosa dupe.
Click here if you'd like to read more of her blogposts.

Guest post: Summer skin survival kit

First to guest post this week, is Lisa from It is all about creativity, who has written mini reviews of her favourite skincare products for the summer:

As its nearly the end of June I thought It would be the perfect time to show you my favourite summer products and items that would keep you looking perfect and pristine in the hot weather.

Firstly the biggest mistake I find I do is wear a high coverage foundation on hot days and then I become very hot and it just falls off and I look a very patchy mess. My advice is to invest in a good tinted moisturiser, for now my all time favourite is Benefit's You Rebel lite. It is simply perfect because it creates a light coverage which with a small layer of concealer can create a glowing summer base. I apply this with a duo fibre or F80 fro sigma as then it creates a light-medium coverage.


My recent purchase of ELF HD powder is already one of my favourite products. It is a finely milled powder that feels incredibly silky to the touch. With just a sweep of this product it makes the skin look matte, and keeps foundation and rest of your makeup looking fresh. You can apply this over any blush or foundation or possibly eye makeup if you’re careful as it applies translucent.

I've found Witch Skincare's primer is perfect as it helps to heal blemishes, and AVON Magix primer is great as well as it provides an extremely matte base which again will be helpful to those with oily skins as it will reduce the shine of a tinted moisturiser.


This is a recent purchase of mine I love this cleanser and it is definitely making my skin look better. It seems to make my skin feel soft, look evenly textured and is perfect at removing makeup and daily grime.


So that’s my summer skincare kit, I really like all of these products, I hope you enjoyed my posts and I’d love it if you checked out my blog.


Thanks for the guest post Lisa. Click here

if you'd like to read more posts on her blog.

Guest post: Festival Favourites!

Today's guest post is from Kelly (Hair advice and all things nice), who has some hair styling tips to keep you looking festival fabulous this summer:Link

That time of year is fast approaching, and rather than shoving your hair under a hat and not attempting to do anything too adventurous get festival fabulous!

Glastonbury is the next biggie, and I’m really jealous of all you lucky ladies and gents going, here are a few handy tips to keep you looking great rather than a state.

  • Keep it simple – remember you are in a field and electricity is reserved for VIP’s only. Use Goody Spin Pins (I wrote about them on my blog) to create simple bun styles that takes minutes.
(photos from asos.com)

  • Accessorize! – Use anything you fancy to dress your hair up, flowers, scarves, even jewellery, an old necklace looks great weaved through plaits.
  • Avoid products – this might sound a bit of a bizarre one, but avoid weighing your hair (and bag!) down by using too much product when styling your hair. It’ll help keep your hair fresher for longer and avoid it getting too greasy. There is of course one product that is a must for festivals. Dry shampoo. Grab a mini tin to travel light.
  • Plait & Twist – just before you rest your head on your blow up pillow surrounded by thousands of other revellers plait your hair or twist and secure with a hairband. You’ll wake up with festival ready locks.
So if you are going to a festival these year, have fun, stay safe and most of all - give good hair!

Thanks so much for the styling tips Kelly, and if you'd like
more hair advice, don't forget to check out her lovely blog here.

Guest post- Happy nails

Hello everyone, my name is Kathleen and I am a photography and fashion blogger. When Fei tweeted that she was looking for guest bloggers, I jumped at the chance to guest blog on such a wonderful beauty blog! With this in mind, I'm gonna take you through my biggest beauty obsession - nail varnish!

In this post I will show you the two colours and brands I'm loving most at the mo!

First up we have the Rimmel 60 second "sky high" - a nail varnish that is fresh, funky and playful! Its turquoise colour is perfect for these gloomy days and hey - every time I look at my fingers, it makes me smile! :) My only fault is that it takes 2-3 layers for it to be prettyful on your nails, so when you’re in a hurry, this particular brand may not be best for a quick paint. It is long lasting though and definitely worth the price.

Secondly, we have this cute peachy coral Essence nail varnish "What do you Think?". The big seller for me here was the price! Essence have a great range of nail varnishes in so many colours and because they are so cheap, I always buy two or three! This particular nail varnish is real easy to apply and looks so cute with all my daily outfits. Again another colour to make you smile and it's real funky for the festival season! My only fault would be that it chips quite easily but hey, the colour is so gorgeous on, I can't really complain! :)

So there you have it lovelies, my top two nail varnishes for the summer months! I hope you enjoyed my guest post as much as I enjoyed writing it and a big thanks to Fei for giving me this opportunity! :) I'd love for you to check out my fashion blog "Squidgy's Fashion Corner" and my photography blog "Squidgy Moments" :) You will also find me on Twitter.

Thanks so much for reading my post and I look forward to networking with you! :) Kathleen xoxo

Thanks so much for the guest post Kathleen!

Guest post: Bare Escentuals –New Buxom Sheer Lip gloss – ‘Debbie’

Hi ladies, hope you're all well! As I'm still revising for my exams, I've got a few guest posts lined up for this week, and first to share her love for a Bare Escentuals lipgloss is the lovely Holly from Holly's Secret:

I’m love with this new lip gloss. It’s a perfect, everyday wearable shade, which I believe could suit just about any skin tone. I have the Bare Escentuals Buxom sheer lip gloss in the shade ‘Debbie’ (I think its FAB that it has a proper name, only wish it was called Holly! :)). Which is a coral pink sheer shade, that has a hint of sparkle. Coral colours are ideal for us brunettes!

The Buxom lip glosses are enriched with minerals, antioxidants and vitamins (A and E), which leave your lips feeling oh so soft and smooth. This range of lip glosses supposedly help your lips to look plumper and fuller, great for those of us without Angelina Jolies genes. I would say I did notice a slight difference in volume and the sparkly, iridescence in the product gives your lips a lovely glossy finish, without looking too over done.

When I first applied it I was a little surprised at the slight tingly/cooling sensation that comes from the menthol in the formula, but now I can’t get enough of it! I love the way it feels on my lips and it’s not in any way uncomfortable. It also smells and tastes fantastic, a slight chocolate fragrance similar to some of the Barry M glosses. However, just like the Barry M glosses the scent doesn't last very long.

It’s very easy to apply and stays on well, I just have to remember not to lick my lips :)!

The slight problems that I have with this product, is that it’s quite pricy for a lip gloss (£18). On the other hand, you do get a lot of the product and a little goes a long way. To apply the lip gloss I use a lip brush instead, as I sometimes find that when I use the applicator, it applies a little too much of the product onto my lips. It does have a slight sticky texture but its nothing like the Mac lip glasses (I cannot stand those).

Overall I really, really like this lip gloss, and to be honest I don't mind paying that bit more for a mineral based cosmetic. I definitely think it's a great investment as I find that it goes well with a lot of different looks, I get a lot of use out of it.

There are also 3 other sheer colours in the range: Leslie, Samantha and Tonya, all priced at £18 each.

Let me know if you’ve tried out any of the other colours :) and what you think of them.

Thanks so much for the guest review Holly, and if you
haven't already done so,
check out her beauty blog here.

Update - a little revision break

Just a quick post to say that I'll be taking a short break until the end of my exams.

Unfortunately with exams less than 3 weeks away, I really need to focus on revision but rest assured I'll be back with plenty of reviews, hauls and swatches - I'm counting down the days already!

In the mean time, check out my 'getting to know you' interview on the lovely Em's blog. I'm also going to extend my Sleek make up giveaway until the 26th June, so click here if you wish to enter :)

Good luck if you've also got exams and see you all soon! x
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