Jewels of the Nail

I think this has got to be one of my favourite nail looks for yonks. I was particularly drawn to this Forever 21 polish because it looked exactly like American Apparel's Galaxy, (which I was eager to get my mitts on), but at a fraction of the price ($2.80!). It's an oversized multi-coloured glitter polish. I bought this in Vegas, so I'm not sure if they stock it in this country. I've never tried anything from the Forever 21 cosmetics range, Love & Beauty, and I almost missed this if it wasn't for my sister. But looking on the American site, they have such a wide array of colours that definitely look like worth checking out, and for 3 bucks you can't really go wrong!

I really didn't want to detract from the awesomeness of this polish, so I paired it with Maybelline's Rose Poudre, a pinky nude. I had to pat it on, as opposed to paint, just to get the glitter where I wanted it to be, and I must say I love the effect. When I move my fingers around really fast, (because I do this on a regular basis?!) they look like disco balls, and several people have mistake them for diamantés.

I like that this polish has a quick drying time, and that they lie flat and there is no rough texture upon drying. I don't really mind that I had to pat it on, it's not time consuming at all, and the finish far outweighs that fact. The only thing that I hate, but can only be expected with glitter polishes, is the removal! This was a b**** to take off! I couldn't be bothered to sit their with foil and cotton wool on all my fingers, and instead half peeled half scrubbed it off with my fingers. By my guesstimations, it took longer to remove than put on!

I haven't tried AA's Galaxy, but if you are on the lookout for it, I would definitely recommend the Forever 21 version, as it looks pretty much the same to my naked eye.

What do you think of the finished look? Is it something you'd go for, or do you prefer a more natural look?

Wynn-ing and Dining

Photos taken by Priyanka Rattan

In Las Vegas, the hotels themselves are as much of a tourist attraction as the casinos and clubs. We headed out to the Wynn, a 'premier resort', for dinner one evening, and I have to say it was a very beautiful hotel indeed. The decor throughout the lobby, ground floor and casino was so classy and chic; beige with red accents.

We ate at Sinatra, and I think it was the best meal we had during the entire holiday. It was slightly on the expensive side, but we were in Vegas, it would simply have been rude not to! After our meal we loitered around the hotel taking pictures everywhere we possibly could. We were almost sad to leave! If When I go back I think I would definitely want to stay at the Wynn.

Back to our hotel for a quick outfit change (into my Lady Gaga-esque dress) and we headed over to Tryst at Encore, Wynn's sister resort, to get the rest of our night going... bottoms up!

Sheer Bliss

Dress - Forever 21
Jacket - H&M
Wedges - Steve Madden
Necklace - Topshop
Sunglasses - Topshop

I picked up this maxi dress from Forever 21 when I was in Las Vegas. At first glance I thought it was a plain t-shirt dress, but on closer examination I saw that it in fact had a sheer skirt. I love anything sheer, it's very sexy in a less is more kinda way. It's uber comfortable and as it's plain black, I can style it differently every time I wear it. The weather has been a bit hit and miss lately, so I wore this monochrome tweed cropped jacket over the top.

What do you think of maxi dresses?

Pinky fingers

How hot is this pink? (Geddit?!) Like a magpie and shiny things, my eyes seem naturally attracted to bright colours. I saw this colour, Collide by Illamasqua, when I was browsing the shelves of Sephora during my Las Vegas vacation. It found it's way into my basket faster than you can say mine (along with a few other things, but we'll save those for another time.)

I've never worn an Illamasqua polish before, but I can say I was very pleased with the application. The polish itself is kinda runny, but in a good way. The brush size is perfect for a neat finish, and the colour payoff is fabulous. It looks just as good on my nails as it does in the bottle. I only picked up a slight tan while I was out there, but I can imagine this to look amazing on tanned skin. Definitely a good purchase!

In terms of my blogging, I have been slacking immensely, but I promise to change my ways!

Holiday blues

So I've been back for almost a week now, and I must say I am feeling extremely depressed! Coming home from 40 degrees sunshine and cloudless skies to cold and rain is not how life should be right now! It is JUNE after all! I've swapped my bikinis and flip flops for a coat and boots. I absolutely hate wearing boots, and it disgusts me that I have to wear them at this time of the year. Not to mention I won't have an opportunity to wear any of the new shoes I bought on my trip anytime soon...

Weather rant aside, I have been suffering from a long bout of jet lag. By the time I get home I don't want to do anything but curl up in a ball and sleep. But alas, I need to kick myself back in to gear.

On a much brighter note, Las Vegas was absolutely fantastic! The weather was amazing, the people were very nice, and we had ourselves a brilliant time. Here is a sneaky (censored) peak at what I got up to in Las Vegas, the city of sin.

The Venetian - Gambling - Gondola ride - Inside the Wynn - Peacocks - Sinatra restaurant - nom nom nom - cheese - neon! - aztec - shiny shoes - Paris - Lady Gaga dress - outside inside - cheers! - palm trees on the strip

Bag Lady

How cute is this quilted monochrome rucksack? I picked it up in Primark, and thought it would be perfect to take on the plane, rather than a handbag. I can also use it over there when I'm out and about during the day. I'm not a rucksack person at all, but this one is quite chic.

I like to carry some essentials with me in my handbag, so that they are within easy reach. I always remove my make-up once I get onto the plane, and moisturise my skin with some heavy duty cream, as my skin tends to get very dry on flights, especially long haul. I've also packed my Caudalie Beauty Elixir to freshen up every so often, my L'Occitane Moisturising Lip Balm to banish chapped lips, and some self-explanatory hand sanitiser.

Anyone who knows me well will know that I get cold very easily, so I also pack a pair of socks to keep my tootsies nice and warm. Other essentials include my Kindle (I am the true definition of a book worm), ipod, camera and my cute little neck pillow, aka George. I'm pretty sure it's for kids, but I don't care :-) it's very comfortable and supportive.

What do you pack in your handbag for a flight?

All I need in this life of sin...

...is me and my girlfriends! I am so excited (and tired) as I type, I can barely contain myself. After months of anticipation, tomorrow I am jetting off to Las Vegas for my cousin's hen party - or should I say bachelorette!

I've been pretty slack on the blogging front lately, but I've been trying to organise myself for this trip, which doesn't leave much energy for anything else. I've never been good at packing; I can never seem to decide what to take and what to leave, and I always end up taking everything but the kitchen sink, 'just in case'! But fear not, I shall be back with a blogging vengeance on my return from Sin City, armed with plenty of pictures and stories and make-up goodies. As excited as I am for the crazy parties, I cannot wait to hit the drugstores and malls for some beauty bits!

Now while I don't mind sharing the make-up bits, the rest will have to remain a mystery. You know what they say...what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas! Totally awesome...

See you in a week!