I'm back!

I'm back, after a long hiatus!

This is the first post on the blog in over 6 months and it is really just a quick post to thanks for all the people who have continued to follow the blog in the time I’ve been away. Originally, I didn’t intend to take such a long break from the blog but unfortunately it really was a necessary break. Sometimes when you’re trying to juggle a lot of balls you need to drop one in order to be able to maintain the rest. Unfortunately, Never too Broke for Beauty doesn’t pay my bills (in fact it costs me quite a lot of pennies!) and so I had to put it to one side for a little while. However I’m back now and I’m hoping to start posting soon!

Now when I say I’ve been away from blogging, I mean completely away. I haven’t checked the blog  or my email, I haven’t been on Twitter and I haven’t really kept up to date with many of  the blogs out there. Therefore, I’m going to spend a few days checking my emails and de-spamming the blog. The amount of spam is actually horrendous! If anyone is interested in porn or male grooming products just check the comments at the end of most of the posts and follow the links. On one post I have 130 spam comments! So, bear with me while I give the blog  an overhaul and I’ll start posting very soon! A few of the upcoming posts include a review of my new favourite nail polish, a review of the VO5 Give Me Texture spray and a piece about my morning at Urban Oasis Spa in Manchester.

Right, I’m now going to tackle the spam randomly left all over the blog. If you have a blog or blog post that you would like to recommend as I’ve been away for the last 6 months feel free to leave a comment at the end of this post. However, if it is a blog about porn or male grooming I’m not interested!

Illamasqua Nail Varnish Review

A review of Illamasqua's gorgeous nail varnish in Snap

Illamasqua nail polish in Snap

Now I may be beauty blogger but when it comes to keeping my nail polish up to date I'm not the best, in fact my best friend (Hi Becca!)  is constantly having a moan at me for having chipped nails! I like to pretend I'm very rock and roll and can pull of the chipped varnish look but in reality I just don't have the time to keep on top of them. However, I do love a new nail varnish and the most recent addition to my nail varnish family is Illamasqua's varnish in Snap.

Illamasqua are a brand I read a lot about on other beauty blogs and have been wanting to try for a while, but the price tag has always put me off. However, a little while ago they had a sale and I snapped up a few items including this nail varnish! (See what I did there, snapped up snap?! Us beauty bloggers really are laugh a minute.) Anyway, yes I bought myself a nail polish that retails at a whopping £13.50! I should point out that I bought this polish pre-£10 challenge and I think I actually paid £7 for it in the sale.

Illamasqua nailpolish in Snap - gorgeous

I've always wondered if higher end items are worth the price tag and often suspected that they aren't, however when it comes to Illamasqua varnish it is definitely worth splashing out on. I love this varnish for many reasons; firstly I love it because it is super convenient for us busy types who don't have enough time to spend on the upkeep of our manicures as we would like. I found the Illamsqua nail varnish in snap to be very pigmented and gives pretty much full coverage in one coat. I do add a second coat just to make it more durable but if you're in a rush one coat definitively does the trick. 

Secondly, it is very quick drying. It is marketed as hard wearing and durable, so the fact that it is fast drying as well is a bonus. Thirdly, it is very durable, which is great for someone like me who barely has time to sleep during the week. I painted my nails on Sunday evening and they stayed chip free until Tuesday and remained pretty decent until the Thursday, which I think is rather good going! 

Illamasqua nail polish ticks a lot of boxes; its durable, pigmented and very fast drying. Normally here is where I'd offer a few negatives but I only have more positives when it comes to this varnish. What I really love is how kind it is to the nails. My nails often became dry and brittle if I wear polish regularly but I found this varnish to be very kind on the nails. Being a little bit strapped for time I didn't apply a base coat and despite snap being quite a dark shade it did not stain at all. 

I love Illamasqua'a nail varnish and snap has quickly became my new favourite shade. The only negative I have is the slightly steep price tag, I'll never be able to afford my wedding if I keep buying Illamasqua polishes! However, I have been a good girl this year so perhaps Santa will be generous and pick me up a shade or two! 

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October £10 Challenge Update

Happy Halloween everyone! I absolutely love hallowed and tonight I'm spending my evening watching some (not too) scary films and hoping we get a few trick or treaters calling round! With Halloween comes the end of the month and the end of October's £10 challenge and I am pleased to announce that i stayed well in budget and only spent £4.62!!

I have to admit I am very pleased with myself! I mainly just bought essentials this month as I've got loads of makeup to keep me going anyway.

How I soent my £4.62:

63p on a hairspray and dry shampoo. I used a £2.50 Club Card voucher to go towards this.

£1.99 on a St Ives face scrub from Home Bargains

£1.00 on some face wipes from Primark and £1.00 on deodorant from Home Bargains:

Has this inspired any of you to take up the £10 challenge? It is a great way to save a bit of money and to use up some of your existing products. Never mind Halloween the £10 challenge is super scary for beauty bloggers! Are you brave enough to take up the challenge? 

Happy Halloween!