Essence Event + International Giveaway!

Sunday, June 29, 2014
On the 22nd June I was very kindly invited to go to the launch of Essence Cosmetics in Manchester by the lovely people at FlipsidePR and I was so glad that I plucked up the courage to go as I met some amazing bloggers (namely, Caitlin from Through The Mirror, Siobhan from SiobhamEmma and Imogen from Imogen's Typewriter). I also received a massive amount of makeup to try which is very exciting to a makeup addict! 
I was greeted by the lovely people from FlipsidePR and Essence (everyone was so nice!) and I was given my own name badge - official blogger status now? There were tables set up with makeup to test out and take and also a big stand of Essence makeup that you could browse through and take as well.  We were given big bags that already had bags of products in (Essence were incredibly generous) and we could then put in other makeup! I have about 60 or more products in total from the event!

There were drinks and snacks available, some bloggers had their nails done by the Pamper Puff Girls and the designs looked amazing. There was a presentation by the Essence staff - Essence is the No.1 makeup brand in Europe and I am so glad they have finally launched in the UK. Essence will be available to buy in Wilkinson's stores across the UK and also from the Wilkinson's website at the end of July. Essence is a colourful fun company with amazing high quality products at really affordable prices and 95% of their products are made in Europe. You don't have to be a teenager to wear the colourful, playful cosmetics, anyone can. 

I was really impressed by the wide range of products, from eyeshadow palettes, nail stickers, coloured mascaras, finishing powder, CC creams to nail corrector pens, brushes, hair chalk, magnetic nail pens, blush and so much more - including an at home gel nails kit with a UV lamp which I think was priced at £19.99 which is an amazing price as most are at least £50. 

I can't wait to try the products, I have been playing around with some of them so far such as the eyeshadow quads, lipsticks, lip balms, nail polishes and palettes - they have all been amazing so far. I am very impressed with the range, quality and packaging - I think they really haven't sacrificed quality for the low price point. The event was fantastic, I am really grateful for being invited and the Essence staff were so nice and extremely generous. There is a small Essence stand in the Wilkinson's store located in the Manchester arndale (they also have a massive stand in the arndale). I would highly recommend this amazing but affordable brand, I will share my thoughts on the mountain of products I received over the next few weeks. In the meantime check out my instagram (heathernixon4) for photos from the event and photos of the products I am testing from Essence!

Now the giveaway, I am going to be giving away some mystery prizes of Essence cosmetics I received at the event. There will be five products in this giveaway that will be sent to one lucky winner. This giveaway is international but I cannot be responsible if some items are not able to be shipped or taken by customs in your country. To be in with a chance of winning you have to be following my blog via GFC and Bloglovin and also follow me on twitter. Enter via the rafflecopter below.


Pin Point Clothing Summer Picks

Thursday, June 26, 2014
This is another post in collaboration with Pin Point Clothing, today it is all about my summer picks from their website. We have just booked a cruise around the med with royal caribbean so I am definitely in the summery, holiday mood! Here are my picks!

1. Grey Tribal Print Maxi Dress (£15): How gorgeous is this maxi dress, I am usually not a big fan of maxi dresses but this one is pretty gorgeous! I love the print, it is not too in your face and I love the adjustable straps which is great if necklines are usually quite low, as they are with me. I think it would look great with black patent sandals and a statement colourful necklace!

2. Royal Blue Diamond Neck Top (£17.99): Royal blue is a perfect colour for summer as it definitely emphasises a tan! I love the simple detailing on this top as well as the draping fabric at the top which gives it a light and floating look. Paired with white ripped jean and sandals I think it would look amazing. This top also comes in red, turquoise, yellow, aqua, pink and grey - as well as sizes up to a UK 18. 

3. Bow Top & Dress (2 in 1, £18.99): The style of this dress is so cute, I love the box and crochet/lace top - I chose the taupe/grey one as one of my prom/formal dress picks, click here to see the post. I think this pretty, bright coral shade would be perfect for summer, especially against a sun kissed tan. 

4. Blue Cotton Shirt (£18.99): I love shirt dresses and I know for normal sized people it would be but I am only 4ft 10inches so this shirt at 31inches long would be dress length on me but I love that look. I love shirt dresses with a tie belt and sandals. 

What do you think of these items? What are your go to summer picks?

My First Sephora Order!

Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Ever since Sephora US began shipping to the UK back in March I think it was, I have been browsing through the site and seeing how much certain orders would cost to post but I finally ordered! I was supposed to go halves with my parents so some of the items could be birthday presents but I decided to keep them all. The thing that swayed me to order now was that some Tarte products were on sale!
Here are the items I bought, I bought some Tarte, Anastasia Beverly Hills and Sephora's own branded products. I also added samples to my basket, I didn't received one of the samples I picked but I was sent a few more to compensate I guess. The ordering process was so quick and easy, all of the charges are laid out and there were no extra/hidden charges when I made/received my order. My order arrived by DHL and it only took about four days which is amazing! 

The samples I received were really good, I picked the Glamglow Brightmud Eye Treatment (which I may be giving away in a summer giveaway shortly), the Makeup Forever HD Powder sample and because my Marc Jacobs Foundation sample didn't arrive I received a YSL mens aftershave sample, Sunday Riley Good Genes Treatment and a Tory Birch fragrance sample which I have used up and it is really nice but it doesn't last long on my skin at all!

Now onto the products, I ordered three things from Tarte - one concealer and two eyeshadow quads. Firstly, I picked up the Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer in Fair (£15.12). I have wanted this concealer for so long as I do have a couple of tiny lines under my eyes and concealer does usually get in there and make me look older but that doesn't really happen with this one and the coverage is great. Next is the Tarte Amazonian Clay Bambeautiful Eyeshadow Palette (£11.34) which is the one shown above that is open. I love the shades, the packaging and the shadows are so buttery soft and blend amazingly well. The last Tarte product is the Beauty & The Box Eyeshadow Quad in the shade 'in the buff' (£6.30) - yes, it was that cheap! The two eyeshadows quads were on sale! The shades in this one are all neutral and metallic, they blend so well and I definitely need to try more Tarte eyeshadows. This quad came with a mini Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara which a lot of american bloggers/youtubers have been loving. 

I also picked up two Sephora's own waterproof liquid eyeliners in navy and black (£3.15 each) as they were on sale and I love me some liquid liner! I have only tried the navy so far and it is not navy, it is super bright cobalt blue but it looks really nice and it is so quick/easy to use. Finally I bought the Anastasia Beverly Hills Go Brow Set in Brunette (£10.08) as I haven't tried anything from this brand and I thought this mini set would be a great way of trying a couple of products at once. I have used the mini brow pencil and I love it. The set also comes with a mini clear brow gel and mini cute tweezers. 

Overall, I love all of the products I received as well as the samples. The ordering and shipping were so quick and easy. I also found a code online that allowed me to get the Living Proof Hair Primer 15ml Sample Bottle for free. There were no hidden charges although shipping for my order was £16.75 and tax was £11.73 so I did end up spending £77.62 which is expensive! But I think it is worth it for the sale products and you cannot get these products in the UK. 

I have also signed up to be a Sephora beauty insider so when I order I collect points (I have 78 so far) and when you get to 100 points you can pick a deluxe sample and then at 250 and 500 points. And you get to use special codes for extra samples. 

Have you ordered from Sephora? What do you think of these products?


Review: Moroccan Oil Light Treatment

Monday, June 23, 2014
I have wanted to try Moroccan Oil (the genuine, original one) for ages, I have tried some hair oils but I have been disappointed in one way or another with them. I was kindly sent this hair oil treatment from Hairtrade via EtailPR, click here to check out my disclaimer. 
I have the *Moroccan Oil Light Treatment (£31.85) but you can buy a smaller 25ml bottle. The bottle came with a screw cap on and the pump separately and it was easy to change. I love the packaging and bottle of this product, it looks really luxe and expensive which makes me want to use it more! The text is easy to read, the bottle feels quite heavy and the product has an 'ultra light formula rich in anti-oxidant argan oil that instantly absorbs into hair to immediately enhance manageability, shine and deliver long term conditioning without leaving residue'. This product is aimed at people with fine or light hair, neither of which I have, but it works really well for my thick, long, coloured hair. 

The pump is really quick and easy to use, it dispenses a good amount of product each time and the oil has the most amazing scent. The oil smells musky and almost like coconut - it smell similar to the new Nuxe fragrance (which I adore!). To use, I apply one pump to my hands and then rub my hands together so there is an even distribution and work it through the mid lengths and ends of my hair. I use it on dry hair and wet hair and it works equally as well either way. On dry hair I find it works to tame frizz and smooth but on wet hair it is more detangling, frizz fighting and nourishing. 

The oil doesn't weight my hair down or make it greasy in any way - it adds some shine but it is not a greasy shine and it leaves the nice scent in my hair. I feel like this product conditions and nourishes my hair while providing smoothing and frizz taming results. I think this one bottle will not last me a long time as I am using it every other day! I think that this product is definitely worth the money and for me personally it lives up to its claims. ★★★★★, 5/5!

Have you tried this product before? Have you bought anything from Hairtrade?

Summer Jewellery With House Of Fraser

Thursday, June 19, 2014
House of Fraser is one of my favourite online shops for home ware, makeup and clothing - the House of Fraser sales are fantastic! However, I have never really looked at their jewellery until recently and I was pleasantly surprised. House of Fraser have quite a large range of more affordable jewellery! I was kindly sent two items of my choice, however this does not affect my opinion - honesty as always, check out my disclaimer, here
I picked the *Micky London Multi Lines Twisted Choker (Blue, £21). I haven't heard of this brand before but I was instantly drawn to this necklace. It looks like it was made by COS but it is cheaper. The necklace came beautifully packaged too, in a silver box and a pouch. The design is just beautiful, it looks unique but also quite simple and feminine. I adore the colour combinations of turquoise, silver, jade and grey - I think the colours look amazing together. I have paired it with a plain white tee and skinny blue jeans. It sits at a great length, it is not too heavy and it is comfortable to wear. The grey rope works so well with the necklace and makes it look more expensive in my opinion. I am definitely going to take this on holiday with me in august, it would look great with quite a few outfits I have planned, while adding a nice pop of colour and sparkle. There are now quite a few necklaces from Micky London that I have my eye on! ★★★★★, 5/5!
The second item I chose is the *Ziba Collection Emma Leather Bracelet (Cream, £8.50 - sale). Again this is a brand I haven't heard of until recently but the bracelets are gorgeous! I tend not to wear bracelets as my wrists are really thin/small so I am worried that bracelets would fall off but this one has two fastenings so you can make it smaller or a bit larger. The tighter fastening fits my small wrists really well but it isn't tight against the skin. The leather is a mink brown with gold triangles around the strap. I love the colour combination, I think it is very chic and simple. I would wear this bracelet with a tee, skinny jeans and wedges for a cute, casual, simple outfit. As with the previous item, this one also came nicely presented in a black jewellery box. The leather is so soft and it feels very comfortable on the wrist. I was so tempted by the lilac bracelet with skulls on too! ★★★★★, 5/5.

Overall, I am very impressed with the items I received with regard to the packaging, presentation, design and quality of the items, as well as the very affordable price tag! The next time I am looking for jewellery, House of Fraser will be my first stop!

What do you think of the items I picked? Have you tried any items from the brands 'Micky London' or 'Ziba'? 

Review: Sewlomax Lipstick Print Pouch

Tuesday, June 17, 2014
I was very kindly sent this makeup pouch/bag by Sewlomax (via sale servant) and I have noticed their makeup/toiletries bags on social media sites and in print too so I definitely wanted to try one of their products. Honesty as always check out my disclaimer, here
I have the *Sewlomax Cream Lipstick Pouch (£25). It was really difficult to decide between the cream and grey bags and also the glasses cases are adorable! I picked the cream version as I love the contrast in colours between the cream, black, red and gold detailing. Firstly, the presentation is just amazing, I love the box it comes in - it would make a gorgeous gift! The paper it came in is equally fantastic and I LOVE the attention to detail such as the tag and stickers. 

Now onto the pouch, I love the lipstick design on the front, I think it looks so cute and original. I adore the whole design and colour scheme! The material of the pouch feels similar to the texture of the box it comes in, it is a smooth canvas like material and the lipstick and other details are stitched onto it. The little details are adorable such as the cute bobbin on the zip, the bobbin and thread stitched onto the back of the pouch and the twine securing the tag. It feels really well made and of a high quality, from the packaging to the actual product. The zip doesn't stick, it feels well made and the bobbin is too cute!

The pouch is really quite roomy inside and as you can see from the first photograph it can stand up on its own so it does hold a good amount of makeup. The interior of the bag is bright red to match the lipsticks on the front design. There are no inner/outer pockets but it is quite roomy inside, it does keep all of my handbag makeup essential inside it without bulging out too much and as it is not massive it stops me from taking everything and the kitchen sink with me! 

Overall, I am so happy with this makeup pouch/bag, I adore the design, colours and details! I would definitely recommend this bag and I wouldn't hesitate to buy them as presents for friends and family in the future, especially as they are presented so beautifully. I would have to rate this product, ★★★★★, 5/5!

Do you want to get 20% off Sewlomax? Here is the code they kindly gave me to hare with my readers - Sew1

What do you think of this makeup pouch? Do you have anything from Sewlomax?

Summer Glow + Sculpt Makeup For Pale Skin

Monday, June 16, 2014
I have wanted to write a post about contouring for pale skin for months but I have had so many other posts to publish instead but I am finally going to talk about my favourite highlight and sculpting products for pale skin tones which is a great on trend look for summer. Also a number of my lovely followers have asked for tutorials, so I hope to do more in the future. 

1. Conceal: I am using the Clarins Extra Comfort Foundation which is almost full coverage and it gives the most gorgeous luminous, radiant glow to the skin - it is fantastic for my dry skin. I am using the Real Techniques Buffing Brush, from the core collection to apply and blend the foundation. Remember to take the foundation onto your jaw, neck and around the ears and hairline. If you have flaky skin then dampen a foundation sponge (the Cosmopolitan one is fantastic) and press the foundation onto the skin. 

2. Under-Eye Concealing: My under eye dark circles are one of my main skin concerns, the foundation does a good job of covering them but I do need more coverage, so I am using my Nars Radiant Cream Concealer which is a recent purchase of mine and I love it! Pat under eye concealer in with finger tips so you don't pull the skin. 

3. Bronze & Contour: I have very pale skin so bronzing and contouring can look a little messy so I have been applying my bronzer which in this case is my contour, with the Real Techniques Retractable Bronzer Brush which is a duo fibre brush so it picks up less product and blends it lightly/evenly. Make sure you blend your bronzer and or contour well, you don't want the line to be very stark but there should be a contrast.  Suck in your cheeks, make the fishy face *it's super attractive* and apply the bronzer along the line created, then buff the excess bronzer onto the cheeks, temples and jaw line. I love the Benefit Hoola Bronzer and the new Chanel Healthy Glow Multi-Colour as they both give a wonderful radiance and bronzed look to the skin but they are also suitable for pale/fair skin tones. A cheaper alternative is the Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer which is an amazing drugstore buy!

4. Highlight: For me you cannot really use bronzer or contour without using a highlighter as well, the two just work well together and give a sculpted look to the face which is perfect for summer! I use the incredible TheBalm Mary Loumanizer Highlighter which is a creamy champagne highlight, great for my pale skin. Apply the highlighter to the top of the cheeks and link it up in a C shape to the brow bone (just under the arch of your brows) for a dewy, healthy glow. 

5. Final Touches: I finished my glowing and sculpted summer look with an Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeshadow Stick all over the lid (shade, Sin) and into the inner corner for extra glow and it makes the eyes look bigger and more awake. Curl the lashes and apply mascara to the top lashes only, this again creates the illusion of bigger eyes. I love this eye look as it looks so fresh and naturally pretty; it is also a quick and easy makeup for those hotter summer days. Lastly, a touch of the Korres Tinted Lipbalm (Rose) to hydrate and tint the lips a lovely pinky shade. 

There you have my glowing, sculpted summer makeup look with a few of my favourite products! Let me know if you re-create this look! This is my entry into the Fragrance Direct blogger competition - This competition is open to all bloggers, for T&Cs go to http://www.fragrancedirect.co.uk/page/competition.

Have you tried any of these products before? What do you think of my look?

Father's Day Gifts: The BlueBeards Revenge

Thursday, June 12, 2014
Father's Day in the UK is coming up (it is this sunday actually!) and I do always struggle to find things for my dad but fragrance is usually a safe bet and I find it is one thing that people don't regularly buy for themselves. The Bluebeards Revenge is a male skincare/grooming brand. The brand does not test on animals, the packaging can be recycled and they support/advertise the male cancer charity Orchid. 
I was kindly sent the *The Bluebeards Revenge Eau De Toilette (100ml natural spray, £19.99) to give to my dad, so he could test it out and I could share our thoughts. Firstly, I really like the packaging and also the brand name, it is quite masculine but simple too. The bottle is bright cobalt blue so it definitely stands out and the box can be recycled - 'remember, real men recycle'. 

Inside the box there is a lot of information about prostate cancer and the male cancer charity Orchid which I think is fantastic! One thing I personally do not like about the packaging is the social media logos on the box, I think it makes the product look a bit cheap. Anyway, the top notes of the fragrance are as follows: Sicilian bergamot and ligurian basil, the heart notes: jasmine, black tea and water mint and finally the base notes: madagascan vanilla, sandalwood, patchouli, oakmoss and musk.

The fragrance to me smells really nice, it is masculine and musky - as most of my dads fragrances/aftershaves are but it is a bit light and refresh too, underneath all of the musky manly notes. My mum and sister also really like the fragrance as well as my dad. He would wear it as a daily fragrance - it is a bit strong so you would only need one/two sprays for the whole day so I think the 100ml bottle will last a long time! My dad tested this fragrance out and he thinks it is just right and it would be good for work (only one/two sprays). Also it is really affordable! 

The only minor problem I have with the product is some of the information, the whole 'not for girls', strong advertising they seem to have but on the whole I really like the product, as does my dad, and I think the gift sets they make look equally as fantastic for Father's Day or birthday presents. The shaving sets, especially the barber bundle kit looks like an amazing gift! Collectively we rated this fragrance, ★★★★★, 5/5. 

Have you heard of this brand before? What do you think of this mens fragrance?

April + May Beauty Buys

April + May Beauty Buys

Monday, June 09, 2014
I didn't think that my beauty buys spending was crazy but looking at the amount of new products I have bought, it is obvious that the past couple of months have been beauty central. I have bought these products throughout April and May, mostly with money from my blog sale and ebay. 

Makeup: Firstly the good stuff, cosmetics! I have bought a few things over the past couple of months that I have wanted for ages such as the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer (Vanilla, £21), Kevin Aucoin Creamy Glow Duo (Celestial highlighter and the sculpting cream, £19) and the Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick (Canvas, £23). I LOVE the Nars concealer, it is heavenly but as for the other two products, I haven't been using them - I will write a separate review post on them both. I also bought the new Bourjois One Second Waterproof Mascara (Black, £9.99) which I really like and also the Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer (£6.99) which I think is amazing! The next makeup buy is a very disappointing one, it is the Makeup Revolution Lip Lacquer in 'trying for you' - the shade is horrible on me and it is super patchy! Another Boujois product is the new stain things they have bought out in '07' which is ok but it is a bit disappointing. The final makeup purchase is a big one, it is the new Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Multi-Colour in 01 Light Harmony, I have already posted an in depth initial impressions post on it, here. Although the summary from me is that it is amazing!

Brushes: Now, everyone loves the Real Techniques brushes, myself included and when I received my £200 Very.co.uk voucher (a prize from a bourjois Facebook competition months ago) I treated myself to some backups of my RT brushes. I bought the core collection and starter sets again. I have a Real Techniques brush collection and review post soon. 

Nails & Hair: Firstly, the one hair product, the Alpecin Dandruff Killer Shampoo which I bought from amazon after Miss Makeup Magpie said it was amazing and so far I have to disagree with her, it doesn't do much of me but I will try it again. I finally received my nail dotting tools after waiting for around 3/4 weeks, they were cheap from amazon, here - I have just bought another set to give away to my amazing followers. I treated myself to one of the Nails Inc Gel Polishes in St James which is a gorgeous true cherry red (£14) and the formula/wear is very impressive. I adore nail polish remover pots, they make removing nail polish so quick and easy and usually I buy the Pretty Quik ones but I bought this pot from H&M (£2.99) as it is even better *buys more pots*. Oh and I bought one of the Rimmel Salon Pro polishes in Oh Mr Darcy (gotta love the name) and the formula/brush are fantastic. The last nail related buy is from Bourjois, it is the One Second Instant Dry Drops (£5.99) which is the most disappointing nail product ever!!

Phew, that was everything...I think! What beauty items have you bought recently? Have you tried any of these products?

May Beauty Favourites

Saturday, June 07, 2014
I haven't created beauty favourites post in a while, If i don't have a favourites post then I show my favourites on Twitter (ofbeautyand). My favourites for May include a mixture of fragrance, nail polish remover, makeup - including three lip products and two bronzers!
Makeup: April and May have been busy makeup months, I have received some new products to try and also I have bought quite a lot...oops! Firstly, lips, I have been loving the Revlon Lip Butter in 'Pink Truffle' through out April and May, as well as the Loreal Glamshine stain thing in 'Lolita' and the MAC Lipstick in 'Hug Me' which I won in Kirsty's blog giveaway.  Only one eyeshadow favourite which is the Nars Belissimma duo and I recently bought the Nars Radiance Creamy Concealer in 'Vanilla' which is fantastic!

Now, the past couple of month beauty-wise has all been about bronzers, I splurged and bought the new Chanel Healthy Glow Multi-Colour in '01 Light Harmony' which is a highlighter, bronzer and blush in one compact, click here to see my initial impressions post on this product. I have also been loving a much cheaper bronzer, the Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer - such an amazing bargain! I have been entering the Benefit #howdoyouhoola competition on Instagram and it has made me dig out my Hoola bronzer, I think I love it even more now than when I bought it. 

Nails & Tools: The first makeup tool I have been loving this month is the nanshy Flat Top Foundation Brush which I won in one of their Twitter giveaways - it is amazing at applying and blending liquid foundation. Also this month I have changed from my usual Pretty Quik Nail Polish Remover Pot to the H&M version (£2.99) and it is so much better which is impressive as it is acetone free. 

Extras: The last few products are little extras that don't really have a category. The first product is the famous Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm Pot which I have been using for month and months, it is like a mask for the lips. The Elemis Quiet Time Pulse Point Gel has been a lifesaver the past month, I was kindly sent it by Elemis and it has been part of my nightly routine ever since. The last May favourites product is a fragrance, it is the Yves Rocher L'eau Moment de Bonheur EDT which is so refreshing, light and summer! 

There are my May beauty favourites! What were your favourite products for the month of May? 

Review: Pauls Boutique iPad Mini Case

Thursday, June 05, 2014
I was very kindly sent this iPad mini case to review from Venom Communications but the brand is Paul's Boutique. I have only had a couple of cases for my iPad mini, a super cheap one and the Kujali one (which is amazing!). However, I wanted to try one that was a bit more summery and bright and oh boy did I get it!
I have the *Paul's Boutique iPad Mini Case by Venom Communications (£29.99). Firstly, can we have a moments silence for this case and packaging, it is so luminous and colourful, I love it! The presentation/packaging of the case is fantastic, I think it would make a lovely gift - and delivery was very very quick. I love the bright pink and metallic blue fake croc skin effect on the straps, I think it looks amazing especially on the patent shiny black background of the case itself. I adore the look of the case, it is perfect for summer! The case is shiny so I think it would be easy to wipe clean and it is thin/small so it would be great for travelling and keeping in your bag. 

The case holds my iPad mini in place with two elasticated straps on each corner which hold it in place really really well, I don't think my iPad mini will be falling out of it ever! The only problem with the straps/fastening is that the straps on the top right corner press the volume buttons downs which isn't great so I had to keep the straps off that corner and behind my iPad which then obstructed the camera view slightly - again this isn't great but I can work with it like this. Although even with only three corners held down, my iPad mini was so secure in the case, it doesn't budge! But when typing the straps on the bottom two corner do block the keyboard slightly but you can still type. 

There is a hole in the back of the case for the camera which is great so you don't have to take your iPad mini out of the case to take a photo. The lining inside is super soft so it won't damage the screen in any way and it is bright red - I love the bright, almost neon colours of this case. The case holds the iPad mini vertically so you cannot strand it horizontally as I can with my Kujali case.

Overall, I adore the packaging, presentation and the almost neon colours of this case - it looks perfect for summer! The hole for the camera is great along with the super soft interior and wipe clean case surface. The case holds my iPad mini so securely, I don't have to worry about it at all. However the straps are not ideal as they push down the volume buttons and obscure the camera view and keyboard slightly - if the iPad was held in by a plastic frame and the case could stand horizontally on a table then it would be just perfect! ★★★☆☆, 3.5 out of 5 stars from me. 

Have you tried this iPad mini case? What do you think of the design?