For those of you who are less acquainted with the North, Pickering is the gateway to the North Yorkshire Moors. It’s  a quiet little town, and has retained a lot of its old English character. It’s one of those places that you’d go on a coach trip to.

It’s also home to the NYM Steam Railway, which is worth a ride on if you’re in the area: the train can take you all the way to Whitby on the coast.

I visited the Moors and Pickering an awful lot as a child, so it’s a place which holds a great deal of nostalgia for me. Before I get all misty-eyed…  let’s continue forwards!

Whilst I was expecting a day of meandering around cutsie gift-shop-type places, I was very pleasantly surprised when I stumbled across a number of great finds.

I’m a huge fan of paraphernalia, furniture and all manner of goodies from the 19th & 20th Century, so when we spotted an antiques centre (Pickering Antiques Centre) I was hopeful I may find one or two items that caught my eye.

So I was delighted when I saw that the centre was a haven, an Aladdin’s cave, a treasure trove of all things kitsch, vintage and down-right fabulous!

Whilst the centre had a lot of larger furniture-type items, it was positively bursting at the seams with knick-knacks and smaller items. There was also a good amount of clothing and definitely something for every budget and every taste.

I really loved a set of vintage chairs which had been reupholstered in materials from Cath Kidston. They combined vintage glamour with a popular modern-esk sheek.

I had a great time browsing the extensive centre. There were so many nooks and crannies filled with fabulous antiques and collectibles.

My absolute favourite find of the day was an amazingly unique silver necklace in the form of skeleton hands. Sadly, as a price of £295 it exceeded my student budget, but I can wish… and add it to my Christmas wish list… which I wanted to do with an awful lot of the items I spotted in the antiques centre!

Our next stop was at ‘Beckside Gifts, Clothing & Tea Room‘. I was a little dubious after reading the name, it seemed like three very different shops had been smushed together, but I must admit, it worked!

The tea rooms was quaint and the giftshop had so many lovely things. I plan on returning when it comes to the Christmas-shopping time of year.

My favourite find had to be 3 really unique clocks by (Michelle) Allen Designs.

They were terribly cute and quirky, and very reasonably priced too: the three clocks were priced between £35 and £48, an absolute steal! The melted ice-cream cone had to be my favourite out of the three.

That was by no means the extent of the great shops. There are plenty of boutiques (for home and clothing) and a wonderful chocolatier (note: wonderful for tastebuds but less for waistlines!).

I must admit, I had a bit of a splurge in the beautiful hand-made chocolate shop. But it was a very enjoyable splurge.

There was also more antiques shops and (for those literary types) a second-hand book shop that was absolutely packed to the rafters. ‘Yorkshire Quality Paperbacks‘ had huge amounts of every genre of fiction and non-fiction that you could think of, and I didn’t spot a book that was over £3.

Our final stop was the Flea Market. The indoor market has many stalls selling everything from Fair Trade items, to military uniforms and ceramic salt & pepper pots in the shape of guinea pigs (I kid you not).

It was nice to have a little mooch around and spot some bargains. The market also houses a large collection of vintage Whitby Jet jewellery. It’s not too cheap but it’s worth it: the pieces are stunning.

If you’re in the area I would really recommend visiting Pickering. It’s a nice place to wander around and to pick up an antique or two. It’s also a good base to start your exploration of the North Yorkshire Moors from – and everyone should give them a visit at least once: it’s the rural idyll of Yorkshire at its best. The people and the places are just what you need to reconnect withGreat Britain and all things that Britishness embodies.

Along with the ‘Neon PM Mix’ 3-pack I’d already purchased, I decided to go for the ‘Pastel pack’. I know that Pastel and Neon aren’t really the tones I should be looking at for the Autumn/Winter season but it’s nice to mix things up every now and then, especially with your nails.

The ‘Pastel Pack’ contains ‘Lime Green’, ‘Fuzzy Peach’ and ‘Feeling Blue’. I was in a peachy kind of mood so tried out ‘Fuzzy Peach’ first.

Looking at the bottle, I was anticipating a relatively dark orange shade, bordering on a beige/nude tone: perfect for the upcoming camel-colour trend. I applied my usual basecoat (Rimmel London’s ‘Pro Superwear Ultra Shine Topcoat’) and then two coats of ‘Fuzzy Peach’. I topped it off with another coat of the Rimmel Topcoat.

The finished look was a lot brighter than I’d expected. I think it looks quite a bit more muted and pastel in the bottle, when in reality it’s very bright, bordering on neon. I still loved the shade and I think it will go well with the camel-trend: it’ll just make your nails pop a bit more.

As with the other Models Own nail varnishes, the colour lasts and it doesn’t chip easily.

Once again I’m very impressed with Models Own, but an important thing to remember is not to judge a book by its cover: the colour will always look different on your nail then it does in the bottle, but in this case it looks even better when painted on!

Because of the number of new nail products I’ve purchased lately, I haven’t had chance to try the other two colours in the pack… but when I do, this will be the place to find out what I think!

The wand I speak of (you may need to take a deep breath to get this one out) is the ‘New Smoky Eye Effect Eyeshadow’. Personally I think there’s an ‘eye’ too many in the title, but lets not dwell on it, afterall there’s much more to a product than the name.

What does it claim to do? Well, like with the name, Max Factor appear to have gone for an unabridged description:

‘Ever struggled to get that professional perfect smoky eye effect? Well New Smoky Eye Effect Eyeshadow could be the answer to your prayers. A foolproof new tool that shades, blends and defines your eyes for this season’s sultriest, sexiest looks.’

I’ll be the first to admit that whilst I adore all things make-up, I’m not the best at applying it. I was really quite excited to try out this new product, as it seemed a good tool for getting the smoky eye look which is not only really in, but one of my favourite looks.

The ‘wand’, as I affectionately call it, contains two deliciously soft eyeshadow sticks. You use the shadow labelled ‘Step One’ to apply colour, and then move on to ‘Step Two’ to define. There’s a light and bright colour for using all over the eyelid (Step One)…

Step One

…and then a darker colour to define and blend to make that smoky look (Step Two).

So I thought I’d give this a go. I chose the stick which contains a blue and a brownish-mauve (called ‘Indigo Mist’). I applied the blue ‘Step One’. The colour was fantastic. Really bright and really bold.

A terrible shot of the blue ‘Step One’ *cringe*

I found the sticks are really easy to apply, the colour glides on effortlessly. I wasn’t quite as impressed with Step Two (the brown/mauve colour). Blending them together did create a fab smoky look, but it wasn’t very intense. I had to reapply both to get a good solid colour.

Overall I adored the product. I really loved the finished look. It was beautifully smoky and easy to make it an intense colour (for a night out) or just a gentle smoky effect (perfect for daytime). I’d love to try some of the other shades the stick comes in, and I will definitely be trying other items in the Max Effect range.

This definitely gave me a quick and easy way to create a pretty Ooh La La look, using one handy stick, which is a big plus as it takes up less room in my already overflowing make-up bag!! Try it, I’m sure you’ll love it!

If you haven’t heard of E.L.F (Eyeslipsface) then you’ve most definitely been living under a rock. E.L.F offers an extensive range of truly fantastic products at prices you just won’t believe. I kid you not, many products on their website are a mere £1.50! And best of all, E.L.F offer everything you could ever need when it comes to make-up, including a great range of nail varnishes and every make-up brush under the sun.

Their service is quick and easy. Packages arrive super fast and they even offer a service whereby you get sent a text/SMS message when your package has been shipped to you! E.L.F ship their goods in a nice little box package, which means they always arrive safe and sound. You couldn’t ask for more!

So I found myself on the E.L.F website. I’d been lusting after their nail polish in ‘Mint Cream’ (shade #00618)  for a while. I also wanted to get a nail varnish in a light but classy colour for everyday wear when I’m studying hard. I found that ‘Nude’ (shade #80530) fitted the bill perfectly. I wanted to try out some new shades of eye shadow. My Benefit eye shadows are starting to be somewhat depleted so I wanted to try another brand. I opted for the ‘Duo Eye Shadow Cream’, and bought it in ‘Eggplant’ (#7109), ‘Butter Pecan’ (#7101) and ‘Mocha Swirl’ (#7103). I also purchased a ‘Brightening Eye Color’ palette in ‘Punk Funk’ (#2015).

I was also very interested in the ‘All Over Color Stick’. It’s (as you might think) a stick of colour which can be applied to eyes, lips, cheeks… all over really! I thought it seemed a handy thing to have. Why take an eyeshadow, blusher and lipstick out with you when you can take one stick that does all of the above? I ordered one in ‘Lilac Petal’ (#3103).

With all those colourful eye shadows winging their way to me, I decided to go for a ‘Brightening Eye Liner’ pencil in ‘Gilded’ (#1006). To complete my order, I treat myself to a ‘Candy Shop Lip Tin’: a small tin of lipgloss. I spent ages looking through the various colours (each with it’s own flavour/fragrance) and finally decided on ‘Crazed Coconut’ (#4401), a white gloss with coconut flavour.

So, to recap, I purchased: 3 cream eye shadow duos, 1 eye shadow palette, 1 color stick, 2 nail polishes, 1 eye liner pencil and a lip gloss tin. That’s 9 make-up products. Total price, including delivery? A mere £16.45.

You really can’t complain about that. It’s perfect for a student budget and a great way of trying out new looks without breaking the bank. I can’t recommend E.L.F enough. Their service and products are amazing. Boy do they live up to their slogan: where beauty meets value.

Nails Inc. ‘Motcomb Street’

‘Motcomb Street’ is a deep, dark navy blue. It’s not so dark that you’d be mistaken for wearing black, but it has a real sultry look that you get from the darker hues. It went on well, wasn’t too watery or too thick and 2 coats left a good strong, streak-free colour. As usual, I finished it off with a coat of Rimmel London Pro Super Wear ‘Ultra Shine’ Topcoat.

This may be my first trial of a Nails Inc. nail polish, but it certainly won’t be the last. It’s also my first time buying from ‘Laura’s Cosmetics’ – an Ebay store where you can find top brand nail varnishes (OPI, Nails Inc., etc) at bargain prices. It’s a must for all budget-concious students.

You can visit ‘Laura’s Cosmetics’ at http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Lauras-Cosmetics?_rdc=1 and you can visit Nails Inc. at http://www.nailsinc.com

- CK

P.S – You can find out more about the real ‘Motcomb Street’ at http://www.londontown.com/LondonStreets/motcomb_street_b7e.html

If that type of thing tickles your fancy! There’s also the http://www.motcombstreetparty.co.uk/ if you’re interested!

So when the 3 luscious shades arrived on my doorstep I was faced with a terrible dilemma… which shade did I try out first?! Inspired by the particularly garish neon pink underwear I was wearing (no lie), I decided to try ‘Pink Sorbet’.

The nail varnish is the perfect consistency, not too gloopy and not too watery. It goes on like a dream and 2 coats gives a solid colour without streaks. I finished it off with a coat of Rimmel London Pro Super Wear ‘Ultra Shine’ Topcoat.

The colour is very definitely neon pink. It’s a bold shade, and it’ll get your nails noticed: but for all the right reasons. I can’t wait to use it to brighten my mood in the darkest depth of winter. You can’t help but smile when you’re rocking nails that bright and beautiful.

I’ve been sporting the ‘Pink Sorbet’ all week and there are no chips at all to report. Sadly that means  I’ve not had a need to try either of the other two colours (‘Lemon Sherbet’ and ‘Lime Light’) yet. But when I do, photographs will follow.

I feel like I should be strutting my stuff in a retro disco with nails like this: and that’s a nice feeling to have.

- CK

P.S – the ‘Pink Sorbet’ nail varnish almost exactly matches my pink underwear… I’m just too cool for school :-p

This Autumn/Winter is about dark nails. Greys, dark purples, dark blues: they all give your mitts a classic elegance and (luckily) just happen to be suitable colours for the office. Now would be a good time to let your coral nail polish go into hibernation.

The Nails Inc. colours for the Autumn/Winter 2010 season are beautifully dark and simple. They’ll go great with your LBD (Little Black Dress). Fashion inspiration this season is from a variety of sources: from the fabulous patterns imitating those from the Native Americans, to 1950s chic. There’s something for everyone this coming season.

This autumn/winter season will be one of dark and sultry make-up. Smudgy, smoky eyes and lips that make your face ‘pop’. Your make-up must have for the season has to be a good red lipstick, for dramatic and fiery lips. My favourite combo is ‘Benetint’ (from Benefit Cosmetics) and MAC’s original lipstick in ‘Russian Red’.

‘Benetint’ is a fantastic lip stain, which provides long lasting colour and makes a great base. It comes in a lighter colour (‘Posietint’) but to get the sexy rouge of the season, you’ll want the full power of the original ‘Benetint’. If MAC’s ‘Russian Red’ is a bit too intense for you, MAC has a full range of reds in every hue imaginable: you’ll find the perfect shade for you.

Fashiontrendsetter.com thinks that the buzz words for the Autumn/Winter 2010 collections are ‘warmth, comfort, caring, reassuring and thoughtfulness’. I must admit, I love the feeling of wrapping up warm – but most certainly with style – throughout the Autumn/Winter season. And let’s not forget, the colder weather provides us with an oh-so-perfect excuse for extended coffee breaks (to warm us up of course), snuggling with a hot water bottle or relaxing under a heap of cosy blankets. Bliss! You’ll forget everything you hate about the dark nights and cold mornings in no time!

Oh, and if you’re wondering, I answered my friend’s question by saying “We have to endure winter to make sure we appreciate the summer that little bit more.”

- CK

Of course, it left me looking at a collection severely lacking. I had reds and pinks covered pretty well, as well as greens, oranges and plenty of glittery shades, but blues, neons, pastels and browns were now absent from my collection. Naturally this wouldn’t do.

I began my search for some replacements. I visited my usual favourite sites for nail polish: E.L.F (Eyeslipsface) and Models own, but sadly neither site had a dark blue/navy polish that really caught my eye, and I do like wearing darker colours in the winter. I sent out an SOS to my friends, appealing for any recommendations of where I could find a nice new navy polish.

Felicity came up trumps and told me about a fantastic dark navy shade (‘Motcomb Street’) by Nails Inc. I visited the Nails Inc. site but the colour I craved was no longer listed. I experienced that awful moment of deflation: not recommended! Then it suddenly dawned on me to visit Ebay and take a look for the polish there.

I entered the brand and colour name into the search box and immediately found a new bottle for sale. After hastily snapping up the gorgeous navy shade, I noticed that the seller had an Ebay shop packed full of top nail varnish brands at greatly reduced prices.

‘Laura’s Cosmetics’ is currently on Ebay selling nail varnishes from the likes of OPI, Nails Inc and Clinique. She has a huge collection of colours for sale, all are new bottles and even better there’s free P&P to UK addresses. I’ve booked the store and will certainly be buying from her again soon. The service was fantastic and I’m so pleased with the product which was almost half of the RRP.

Laura’s Ebay store was a lovely little gem to discover on a sleepy Sunday. It’s definitely going to be my first stop when I’m looking for nail varnish in future… and the amazing prices means that my friends are likely to be getting nail varnish in their Christmas stockings!

You can visit Laura’s Ebay store at: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Lauras-Cosmetics?_rdc=1

- CK