The Top 5 | Spring Nail Colours

I'm incredibly cliched when it comes to spring nail colours - give me pastles any day! I picked out my top five spring colours and as you can see... they are all lovely pastle light colours. Spring is all about pastles for me. Autumn and Winter my nails are usually donned with dark, moody tones - deep greens, navy blues (actually any blues) and blood reds. Spring hits and bam! Out come the pastle and floral tones. This is just a quick sneak peak into some of my favourite Spring colours - some obvious ones (you'll know what I mean) and some newbies...

L - R

Essie Mint Candy Apple: Models Own Banana Split: Barry M Peach Melba: Essie Bikini So Teeny: Essie Tart Deco

 

What are your Spring colours?

The Comparison | Hyper Gel v Gelly Hi-Shine

There is so much hype around gel effect nail varnishes when they launch. If you get the real thing done it lasts for a good couple of weeks, the finish is glossy and smooth, consistent and really just plain gorgeous. However, from my experience, it's not a quick process to apply or remove so I can see why we all get so excited about these. Quick with the same finish, maybe not quite so long lasting, but the idea is there.

The two I've had experience with are Models Own new offering Hyper Gel collection and Barry M's long time favourite Gelly HI-Shine Nail Paint. Both of which I love so I thought it would be interesting to do a quick comparison. 

I found the Barry M polish to be a thicker formula than the Models Own version, meaning it took less coats to create a consistent colour and coverage. Point 1 to Barry M. However, finish is highly favourable to Models Own, it's a very glossy finish that shines and is incredibly smooth to the touch. It's a very close match to the real thing. Point to Models Own. Longevity is again in favour of Models Own - it lasts a good five days without chipping whereas Barry M's version is probably 3/4 days max. Colour choice I am going more towards Barry M - they have more colours that I would definitely go for, Models Own is more limited and not quite my sort of colours. 

Overall I would still pick the Models Own version - the quality is greated for me in terms of longevity and finish. I'm hoping they will bring out more colours that are a bit more "me" but until then I am more than happy to make do with what they currently have. Models Own is £5 and Barry M is £3.99, so really not too much difference in price.

Which do you prefer?

The Review | Barry M Berry Cosmo

Nails at Christmas. This is something that is very important to me. At this moment in time I am rocking deep Christmas Tree green, however one alternative that I love is this gorgeous berry offering from Barry M. Berry Cosmo is a beautiful deep plum colour, perfect for the winter and a nice alternative to the usual Christmas reds, greens and blues.

Barry M is a great alternative to the more expensive nail brands. At £2.99 it's purse friendly for this penny skrimping time of year. It's good quality, lasts for a good few days and really is gorgeous. Although I'm not a huge fan of the thin brushes from Barry M, this has been my go to at the moment.

You can find this in most Boots & Superdrug stores. Find it online here at Boots or or pop onto the Barry M website here.

What's your festive nail this evening?

Nails | Autumn Nudes

 

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

For me autumns is all about the earth notes. All naturals and definitely full of browns. I'm one of those people that doesn't fine brown earthy tones boring, especially one nails and I full encourage all to embrace the brown and tan! Here is my top 5 autumn nudes from my collection.

1 | L'Oreal Color Riche Nails in Lady Chocolate

I bought this about two years ago on a whim when I decided I wanted chocolate nails. This is a teeny tiny pot of nail varnish, but to be honest when do you ever use up a full post? It's a thicker brush which is easier to apply and really nice, thick and creamy to apply.

2 | Barry M High Shine Gelly in Lychee

I'm a big fan of the Gelly versions of Barry M's nail paints, they are really long lasting and good quality at such a budget price. I love Lychee as it's a lovely caramel colour so a bit more subtle for the nude season and perfect as a base coat for glitter top coats.

3 | Essie in Glamour Purse

Not entierly sure if you can get this in Boots, but one of the older collections I got it off Fragrance Direct a while back now. It's a gorgeous almond type taupe. Unfortunately it has the old thin brush (ick) so not as nice and the newer colours, but still a lovely autumn shade (currently wearing it as I type)

4 | Bourjois Paris 1 Second Nail Varnish in Beige Distinction

More of a pinky nude, it's definitely the more girly of the five and one I really love. Again it's the perfect shade for a base coat for glitter/sequin top coats. These have a large brush so are super super easy to apply and a gel formula so really long lasting.

5 | Bourjois Paris 1 Second Nail Varnish in Taupe Classy

Very similar to the Essie shade it's a almond taupe but a little bit darker, more brown in it I think as well. This is incredibly long lasting. I can't fault these polish's at all. I'm not 100% sure if this shade is still available but there are some similar ones in the collection.

My favourites are probably Glamour Purse and Beige Distinction. Lychee I wear all the time as well as it's very understated so perfect for the work place.

What's your favourite autumn nude?

Life | Girls Night In or Out?

Lately when it comes to organising a night out I just cannot be dealing with it. Money wise I just cannot justify – but it seems I’m not the only one! A survey of 2000 UK women by Ladbrokes Bingo showed that 69% of women asked preferred to stay in with the girls instead of going out. I, for one, would definitely agree. The last couple of times I’ve gone out it’s just ended in some sort of drama, or it’s just too expensive. Drink prices and entry fees are going up and I can’t afford it.

So instead I tend to have a night in with the girls. Ladbrokes Bingo survey showed that activities included on a night in includes watching films, pampering/spa treatments and takeaways. Well I can definitely recommend all three – so here are my top five tips for a fab night in with the girls!

1.       Stick to the classics. This includes cookie dough ice cream, chick flicks, pajamas and sleeping bags. These are classics for a reason.

2.       Don’t get expensive pampering bits for your spa session. You’re not there for actual results – just the fun. So grab some masks from Montagne Jeunesse, nail polishes from Barry M and use make up you already have.

3.       Dominoes is a must – and they always have a deal on. Currently they have a £20 deal which gets your two medium pizzas, potato wedges, garlic bread and a bottle of Coke – it’s a bargain and yummy yum yum!

4.       Go Disney – you cannot go wrong with a Disney classic. I cannot count the amount of times I’ve had a night in with a good Disney film, singing along. Or even a Disney soundtrack – many a time we’ve been dancing around the room to a classic Disney song (usually I just Can’t Wait to be King from the Lion King) with a glass of wine in hand.

5.       Wine – don’t get the expensive stuff. There will always be a nice bottle on offer (usually in Sainsburys). My personal favourite is Gray Fox Rose which is usually £5 in Sainsburys.

I do love a great girls night in - you honestly can't beat it and it seems most of the UK is of that mind as well!

Do you prefer a night in or out?

*This post is written in association with Ladbrokes Bingo

Nails | Top Three Spring Shades

I'm a person who loves it when their nails are all painted, suited and booted. I love new colours and I love different shades. This spring I've been keeping to a fairy pastel based palette and these three are definitely my top three.

Models Own Upotia £5
Thanks to Lily I have hunted this down and finally bought it. It's different to what I thought it would be, its a very pale lilac, paler than the photo lets on, and is a gorgeous subtle shade. Long wearing and great as a base when you want to add a sequin top coat.

Barry M Lychee £3.99
A favourite in the blogging world and has become one of my most worn. A "foundation" shade, if you like, which again is great as a top coat base or just a lazy shade. Really long lasting as part of their gelly range.

Essie Maximillian Strasse Her £7.99
Silly name aside, this is a gorgeous pale duck egg-ish blue that screams IM SO PRETTY I COULD DIE! Definitely my favourite. Again, lasts for ages and honestly I am just in love with this shade. it is one of my absolute faves and I will live and die in it.

Pastels are a great shade for spring and summer, and with "foundation" nails setting the way for the next couple of months, these pale shades are definitely in style. Also - look I have a nail wheel yay! About bloody time and I love it. All swatches are just one coat and are without any top/base coat.

What's your top spring shades?

Outfit | Wearing a Conscious

cardigan: topshop | dress: H&M Conscious Collection | Earrings: Forever 21 | Nails: Barry M Lychee

Hello summer-ish outfit. I bought this cute, gorgeous little dress when I went to Cardiff over Easter weekend. It was a very very reasonable £12.99 and I just love the pattern across the top. I managed to convince myself that by buying it I was helping the world. So off I went to buy it. It's very light so perfect for summer, but it's working at the moment as it has a slip attached to the skirt of the dress so it's not too airy which is nice. This old Topshop cardigan adds a great pop of colour.

I've used another new buy from Cardiff on my nails, Barry M Lychee - part of their Gelly collection it's such a great "foundation" shade for the nails and happens to match this dress perfect. Happy times!

H&M have some great pieces in their Conscious collection at the moment and it's so hard to pick some pieces. I love that they have Vanessa Paradis (former Mrs Johnny Depp) modelling the collection as well, such a gorgeous model - hoping I look like her when i'm her age!!!

What items from the Conscious collection are you coveting?

Nails | Barry M Gelly Watermelon

BARRY M GELLY HI SHINE NAIL PAINT IN WATERMELON £3.99 

My favourite budget nail varnish brand is definitely Barry M, I would go as far to say it is my favourite make up brand of all time if it wasn't for Essie - they are on a par I think. So when they bought out a Gelly version of their nail paints I was desperate to try them. But I put it off again and again, because I am a stupid girl! Stupid stupid Lisa!

Anyway, I finally saw sense and popped off to Superdrug where they had 2 for £6 and I picked up this gorgeous shade Watermelon and Satsuma, a bright orangey red polish (review to come!) This is a dark green that is literally the same shade as the outside of a watermelon (hence the name).

As usual it is the thin brush, but it's really easy to apply and dries really quickly. One coat was enough but I always do two anyway. It's also incredibly shiny, hence the hi shine name. Plus, it literally lasts for days. This photo was taken on a Wednesday when it had already been on for four days and look - no chips and still super shiny! Can't wait to use more of their gelly paints!

Which colours do you love?

NOTD: Denim and Rose Quartz

PRODUCTS USED: BARRY M NAIL PAINT IN DENIM & ROSE QUARTZ GLITTER £2.99 EACH

I mentioned this blue nail varnish is my Best of 2012 Nails post and I realised when I put it on this week that I STILL haven't reviewed it for you guys. I had already put some glitter over the top so I thought I would just combine it all for a NOTD post!

So let's start with Denim. It's a 'denim' blue colour, with very sutble glitter running through it to give the effect of jeans. I fell in love with it because it's glue and glittery - but not too glittery so it's perfect for everyday wear.
My lovely Grandma bought me Rose Quartz Glitter for my birthday in November - ahead of the glitter top coat trend my Grandma! - and I love it. It's a pain in the bottom to remove, but its a mix of small and large sequins and glitter to create a mixed affect, and as the name suggests it's a very pale pink so again, subtle.

I'm not a huge nail art person - mainly cause I'm so lazy I can't be bothered - but I saw a post with just the glitter top coat at the base of the nail so I thought I would try that out, with a mix of full nail as well on my ring finger. Unfortuantely my little finger decided it wanted a full coat as well opps!

Overall, I really like this cute look. It's great for everyday and as with all Barry M nail paints they last for ages, dry really quickly and the pigmentation on Denim is fab. This is two coats, but you can get away with just the one!

What do you think of my lazy girl nail art? What Barry M paints should I pick up?

Best of 2012... Nails

I love painting my nails, and this year my collections seems to have tripled in size! Especially since I've discovered Essie!

Essie Stylnomics (not yet reviewed)
Part of their Autumn collection, it's a deep black/green and I love it. It's probably my most worn Essie and has been the perfect winter colour as well/

Models Own 3 in 1
Top coat, base coat and nail strengthener. Not so much on top coat or strengthener, but I love it as a base coat. It holds it and even lengthens the life of Chanel varnishs - magic!

Barry M Denim (not yet reviewed)
I'm a lover of blue, and this I fell completely in love with. Perhaps my most worn colour of 2012 it has a very subtle sparkle to it and is the perfect blue to go with most of my wardrobe.

Essie Mojito Madness
My first Essie, and one of my favourites. I just LOVE the colour. It was part of their summer collection and it's definitely a summer shade, can't wait to pop this back on it a couple of months!

Bourjois 1 Second Nail Varnish Remover
Reviewed everywhere...! It really is magic for removing varnish from hands, not so much feet (don't try it at home, it goes everywhere).

What did your nails look like in 2012?

Green Geometrics

dress: topshop  |  belt: mums  |  shoes:  new look  |  bracelet: lola rose  |  ring: accessorize  |  nails: Barry M 

This is what I have broken my shopping ban for. This gorgeous geometric dress. It's so completely different to anything I own. I tried it on it Cardiff a few weeks go but put it aside to buy a different dress and my gorgeous purple jeans. However it kept niggling at the back of my head! So, I gave in and I'm so glad I did.

It's the perfect mix of aztec and geometric and can be dressed up or dressed down. This is all dressed up for a night out for dinner and drinks, teamed with classic black heels and black accessories. It doesn't need much added on thanks to its patterns and colours! It's so flattering as well, clinched waist hello!

You might have noticed as well, my hair is a tad darker! I decided to pop some brown in it after watching series upon series of Gossip Girl and falling back in love with Blair's beautiful locks! Hence the curls too which are courtesy of my new, lovely Enrapture Encode Totem Styler.

I definitely want to do a post on dressing this down as well, maybe how to wear it in the autumn for a casual day out! Will keep you updated :) definite new favourite buy!

How would you style this dress? What do you think of my new brunette locks!

Barry M Magnetic Nails

I was having a bit of a down day at work the other day and seeing as I usually buy my lunch at Boots I thought I'd cheer myself up with a new nail varnish.

As a Barry M fan I headed straight for their counter and was pleasantly surprised to see their new Magnetic nail varnish so thought "why not" - give it a go!

I chose Burgandy as I thought it was such a nice colour and different to the others in the magnetic range I found in my local Boots.

You're meant to pop your base coat on first (which I will admit I never do) and then do your first coat.

Leave the first coat to dry, don't magnetise this.

Then apply your second coat, and straight after doing it on each nail hover the magnet on lip over for 5 seconds and wait for the magic to work :)

What I really like about it is it's 3D effect. Not sure you can really see it in the pictures, but when you look down on it it does look like it should have a raised texture, buts it's smooth smooth smooth!

I can't wait to try other colours, am wondering if the other colours have different patterns at all? 

I tried moving the magnet around on one of the nails but was still the same pattern as when holding it still.

Really like this, love the colour and just love how different the effect is and also how EASY it was to use. 

4 days later and its still there, no chips so quality is good as well :) happy lisa!

I have had SO many compliments about my nails since as well and people asking me how I did it - thanks Barry M!

Have you tried any of the metallic range? What's your favourite?