Review: Butter London 'Knackered'

Butter London has always been a brand that I have had my eye on, even back when it was only sold in the U.S and I envied the shades I saw featured in countless American NOTDs. So when I spied a Butter London stand in my local Boots, I couldn't resist picking up one of the most unique shades they have to offer. Knackered was the obvious first choice for me, as any iridescent, chameleon-like shade that surprises me with a different colour when the lighting changes has my name written all over it.

This choice definitely didn’t disappoint, with the colours visible ranging from silver to teal to lilac, always with pretty micro glitter running through. The only single negative to this is how difficult it was to photograph! However, the effect is beautiful and has a galaxy look about it, with the tiny glitter particles and metallic shine.

The application of this polish is a dream, with a chunky brush meaning effortless nail painting. The only slight drawback is that around 3 coats are needed for full opacity, however, because of the streak free application, this takes no time at all and is definitely worth it. To create a more dramatic look, Knackered can be used as an iridescent topcoat over darker polishes, however, for the summer months, I love the look of a sheer iridescent hue.

Do you own any Butter London polishes that I should add to my wish list?

Favourite Summer Scents

Perfume is, for me, a luxury limited to Birthday and Christmas presents because of the extravagant price tags they come with. However, it is the rarity of owning a new perfume that makes them one of my favourite things to lust after and consequently make me incapable of walking through a beauty hall without spraying myself with so many that I can longer differentiate between them (we’ve all been there).

Out of my small collection, I find that I reach for different perfumes according to the season, and in summer, I tend to reach for girly, yet sophisticated scents that aren't too overpowering. Chanel’s ‘Chance’ in ‘Eau Fraiche’ and Stella McCartney’s classic ‘Stella’ certainly fit the category of light, yet feminine.

‘Chance Eau Fraiche’ by Chanel: This delicate green perfume is the perfect refreshing scent on a hot summers day as the name 'Eau Fraiche' would suggest. I am no fragrance expert, however, I can detect the topnotes described by Chanel as lemon and cedar, and the basenotes of amber and patchouli. When first spritzed, the scent is rather sharp and citrus-y, however, when it has been sat on the skin for a few hours, the more woody basenotes really begin to come through. For this reason, this perfume is perfect for a summers day, as by the time evening comes around, the fragrance has more of a demure and heady feel. This perfume is around the £55 mark for 50ml, so definitely one for a Birthday list or a student loan day splurge.

‘Stella’ by Stella McCartney: The first thing that attracted me to this perfume (after the hundreds of blogposts I’d read) was the bottle design. These little 30ml bottles are known for their pretty prints, which are updated annually with new themes and motifs. As well as looking eye-catching on my dressing table, the perfume within the quirky packaging is my idea of the most beautiful summer scent. The fragrance is a blend of florals, with topnotes of rose, mandarin and peony and with basenotes of amber. It is the amber and the mandarin tones that set this perfume apart from any other simple floral scent as a sophisticated and multi layered fragrance. This perfume is fairly priced at £40 for 30ml, and is a great choice to throw into the handbag for those long summer days out.

What are your favourite summer scents?