The Review | Cocktail Bling

It's been a good while since I've done a proper nail varnish review. I've been very remiss with my nails lately, I've just been a bit too busy really to do much with them. However, I sat myself down the  other day and fell back in love with a specific colour that I think is ideal moving into autumn.

The Review | Matching Lips to Nails #2

About two years ago I did a post all about matching my lips to my nails, I used a raspberry pink for both and I loved the look, hello colour. Summer has come back around so I thought I'd do the same, especially as these pretty beauties not only match, but they're the same colour...

The Favourites | Top 10 Summer Nails

It's been a good old while since I've done any type of nails post. I just haven't had the inclination or inspiration to do much with mine, but since the sun has come out I am definitely back to loving nail colours! I do love a good summer nail.

The Video Post | Top 10 Under 10: Make Up

Today's video I talk about my top 10 make up products, all under £10 and available from either Boots or Superdrug. I love drugstore products and I love that you can get some amazing quality for minimum price. I am absolutely loving making videos at the moment so let me know if you like watching them and any you'd like me to do! Click here to watch this video and don't forget to subscribe!

What are you favourite products for under £10?

The Beauty Post | SEVENTEEN Gel Colour

I do love a little drug store magical purchase. I bought one of these to go in a Christmas game and ended up winning it myself. After trying it out I was utterly amazing at the quality of this budget product, so I went out and got two more colours...

Let me introduce SEVENTEEN Gel Colour's in (t-b) Backcurrent Bomb, Mocha-tini and Azure Amore. At just £3.99 each (or 2 for £6 in Boots as we speak) these little gel colours are, I think, the best drug store gel formulations I've tried so far. They have wide brushes which make it 10x easier to apply. they dry quickly. and the colours are instantly opaque so you only really need two coats (and your trusty top coat). I've had many compliments about how shiny my nails are and also how long lasting these are. They tend to last for about 10 days before you see any significant wear and tear which is incredible to me.

I adore these. I'm finding it hard to pick a favourite colour - Backcurrent Bomb is perfect for our current winter weather, however Azure Amore instantly cheers me up when I'm wearing it. There is quite a wide range of colours to choose from with these - ranging from the autumn/winter to spring/summer spectrum. I'm highly impressed and SEVENTEEN are crawling up my list of favourite drug store brands...

What's your favourite drug store gel formula?

The Mani | Trialling White Nails

These seem to be EVERYWHERE at the moment. Honestly, I was holding off as it reminded me of when I used to put tippex on my nails at school. But you know, I thought I would give it a whirl! It wasn't something I was 100% confident doing it but you know, everyone else seemed to like it so why not!

I'm loving the Rimmel nail polishes at the moment so I picked up Rita Ora's White Hot Love. It only took two coats to this really opaque white colour. I was worried about how sheer white could be but this was so thick it really didn't need too many coats. For the first few hours I was quite conscious about them, but they definitely grew on me and I got so many compliments! Even from guys...

I was very surprised at how white and clean these stayed as well. For me white is usually dirty so quickly but these stayed white and in tact for a week which is very impressive. I'm still not 100% about white nails, but I'm glad I tried it and I would wear it again.

What nail trends should I try next?

The Mani | Topshop Speckle Nails

TOPSHOP WHITE SPECKLE NAILS IN DANCING IN THE DARK & EVERYBODY GET UP £6

The Topshop next to where I work is evil. They keep things on the till that tempt me - my poor poor bank account. These were one of those purchases, what could I do? I was buying a top with the EXACT same colours in it so - you know. Whoops. 

I don't have any speckle polishes so these were definitely a novelty and the colours are beautiful. Dancing in the Dark looks like a pale grey, but it definitely has some nude tones to it which makes it that tab different and versatile. Everybody Get Up is a summer pale lilac, not mu usual colour but very pretty. I find that the white speckles are really easy to apply - you do need a couple of coats to get a good amount of colour but it is still quite sheer. Longevity wise after five days I've seen no chipping (apart from where I had a bendy nail) so I'm thoroughly impressed. I do find the formula a little thin which is a downside, but I do love the colours and the difference in pattern.

Have you ever tried speckle nails?

The Mani | Rimmel Breakfast in Bed

RIMMEL 60 SECONDS RITA ORA NAIL POLISH IN BREAKFAST IN BED

Oh my, let's just all sigh at the prettiness of this shade. IT'S SO PRETTYYYYYYY. Moving on... I picked this up on a total whim in my local Sainsbury's where I was supposed to be buying food for our trip to the Forest of Dean... Whoops. It was something like £2 reduced so I couldn't not - it just called to me.

So, Rita Ora has done a little collection for Rimmel which includes nails and lip crayons - this is my first from either collection and I am super impressed by the range of colours. The names are incredibly sexual (Orgasm, Blindfold Me Blue, Lose Your Lingerie etc) so they don't really have anything to do with the colours. I did have a bit of a chat with the guy doing my tattoo about the name of this I must admit. Anywho... I was so impressed by the quality of this polish. I've not used any of their 60 second stuff before so I'm so mad at myself cause I've been missing out big time. It's a big thick brush and the solution is really nice and thick so you get amazing colour with just one coat. I applied a second literally just for continiuity sake, and just to make sure it was all even but to be honest you really don't need to.

Longevity wise this has lasted a good four days without chipping yet so I'm super impressed. For just under £4 usually this is a seriously good quality little polish and I will definitely be picking up some more shades from this range. 

Which colour would you pick from this range?

The Mani | Essie Truth or Flare

Let's face it, when a new Essie collection makes its way into my local Boots it's not long until I'm down there taking my pick. This year I only picked the one up as I was a little meh about the others - don't get me wrong they are beaut - but I thought they just reminded me a lot of other shades they have.

Truth or Flare called to me with its grey blue tones. I love Maximillian Strasse Her (which I believe is from a previous collection) and I think this is a slightly darker toned version. Even though its in their Spring collection I think it's such a versatile shade it can work all year around. It's not your typical spring shade (floral pigments) and I love that about it. For me it's a very sea colour. 

Formula-wise it's your usual Essie goodness or long lasting an chip resistant. No complaints here! This colour does need about three coats as its a touch sheer on first application but it's all good. It ends up as a beautiful blue.

What's your pick from the new Essie collection?

The Video | April Favourites

Shock horror - it's a video! It's been we'll over a year since my last video offering. Recently I've been getting so into those on YouTube and I really wanna join the fun! So, excusing the crap editing and natural lighting, I hope you like! Please subscribe if you like and let me know if you have any requests! Click here to watch it and don't forget to subscribe and give it a thumbs up!!

What's your April favourites?

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 Mani | ModelsOwn Scented Pastels

MODELS OWN SCENTED PASTELS COLLECTION, L-R APPLE PIE, BANANA SPLIT, BLUEBERRY MUFFIN, STRAWBERRY TART AND GRAPE JUICE. £5 EACH

Not only did I grab myself some of Models Own's new HyperGel collection (and currently coveting more) I also picked up a box set of their scented pastels collection. I love these colours and with Spring on it's way I thought I would prepare myself - cause you know, it's not like I have any pastels in my collection as it is (all lies!).

In terms of the scented part - there is a very subtle smell to each when applied, heavily masked by the usual nail paint smell. However, scratch the top of the lids and you get the full scent. To be honest, the scent isn't what I bought these for so I'm not too bothered about the scent not being more obvious. The consistency of these is the same usual quality of Models Own polishes. The colours are pale so you do need around three coats for an even, consistent colour. I cannot wait to wear Banana Split in the summer, I love yellow nails when it's sunny! Apple Pie is also a really good dupe for Essie's Mint Candy Apple. 

I love these colours, they just make me happy with their pretty pastel goodness - bring it on Spring, I am ready for you!

What spring shades are you looking forward to wearing?

The Mani | Models Own HyperGel

L - R: Cerise Shine, Cornflower Cream, Naked Glow, Coral Glaze, Turqoise Gloss. £5  each

These have been making the rounds lately. Models Own are a nail brand that everyone seems to rave about all the time. I've always been a bit underwhelmed to be honest. I love Utopia, but otherwise what I've got I've not been too in love with. However, I do love a good "gel nail" gimick so when they had their 50% off I had to snap some up. I also got the pastel collection but they are for another day...

So, the hyper gel collection is a bit like the Barry M Hi Shine Gel collection - you get the gellish affect without the UV light and all the hassle. Well, you know me, I'm lazy as so anything that takes hassle away is my baby!. In terms of colour choice I wasn't too blown away - I'd love to see some more pastels for summer and darker tones for autumn. The 5 I got were the best of what I would use. My favourite is definitely Cornflower Cream - you know me I love my blues. They only need a couple of coats, the colour is really vivid and they finish with a gorgeous smooth shine to them. They feel like gellish nails which is great.

Longevity is great also - I've had mine on for four days and no chipping - and I work with copiers so they are usually hacked to bits by now. I'm thoroughly impressed and will definitely want to pick some more of these up (if they bring out more colours). I would highly recommend!

What gel nails would you recommend?

The Mani | Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

Not going to lie, todays post was originally meant to feature the Naked 3 Palette and some looks from it, however, my camera was annoying me and didn't take the kinds of pictures I wanted - so I had to make a quick substitute and settled on a Mani post. I picked this up at the weekend and had to post about it ASAP. This is bloody incredible. Excuse my French.

Now, I'm not really one for top coats as I think it just prolongs the entire process of nail painting - so I tend to avoid if I can. However, I've seen this EVERYWHERE on the blogosphere so when I spotted it in my local Boots it ended up in my basket. Funny how that happens eh?

I wanted to try it asap, so I popped on some new polish, then coated this on the top. Within a matter of seconds it was dry. Not even joking/exaggerating. I kept touching my nail like "what the.." It really did surprise/impress me. I don't know the science or anything behind it, all I know is this has changed the way I paint my nails forever. Couple of coats of polish, slick of Seche Vite and out the door I go! Absolute bloody miracle.

Okay, I am in major gush mode so I apologise. Either way I would highly recommend this to anyone who needs a top coat. At £9 it is a tad pricey for a top coat (I didn't look at the price when I bought it opps) but it does the job so I don't mind paying it. You can get it from Boots here or obviously in your local store.

Have you tried this little miracle product?

The Mani | Nails Inc Bling It On

As you can see I got a bit funky and fun with come glitter the other day. I got this set in my stocking for Christmas, it's a Nails Inc set called "Bling it On". It comes with Baker Street which is this absolutely GORGEOUS cobalt blue. You also get a little pot of glitter, brush and tray to use (not pictured).

So the idea is this - you pour your glitter into said tray, then paint one nail. Whilst wet roll your nail is said glitter until fully coated. Pat with your finger to ensure it stays on and let it dry. I decided to go for a more low key look and just do the feature nail like this. 

It was very messy - even with the tray, glitter was literally everywhere. For the hour afterwards everything I touched had at least one little spec left on it so it's worth remembering if you want to try this out. 

If you don't want to pay out for Nails Inc then I can see how easy this could be to do on a budget. Literally all you need is some glitter and a little tray to pop it in. Head down to your craft store and voila. It's such an easy nail art trend.

These are actually in the sale on Beauty Bay at the moment, reduced from £18 to £10.80, you can get my one here. I definitely want to get a couple more of these kits, especially the feather one here. 

I'd love to see if you give it a go with your own bits and pieces. Just pop it on my twitter for me!

Also - I need to say a HUGE happy birthday to my bestie Amber. She's as old as me today (mwaha) and I love her to pieces so I hope she has an amazing day. Happy Birthday Mambie!!

How would you wear your bling?

The Best of 2013 | Nails

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

I've getting getting a little bit more creative with my nails this year and I've gotten some gorgeous shades to play with. It was actually a bit ridiculously hard to pick my top 5 from the whole year - kind of like picking out 5 needles in a hay stack - but hey, I found 5 needles...! Click on each number to see my full reviews.

I've not actually reviewed number 1 yet - so basically it is L'Oreal Nail Colour in Black Diamond. It's part of their Christmas selection so hopefully you can still get it.

What's your top nail products of 2013?

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?

The Comparison | Boots v Bourjois Nail Polish Remover

When Bourjois released their Magic Nail Varnish Remover the entire blogging world went a bit crazy for it. Myself included - you can see my initial review here. Personally I loved it, raved about it and recommend to all of my friends and family. It really is a great little product and I've repurchased a few times since. However, when I went into a small Boots store the other day to get another one they didn't have it, just this little Boots number. If I'm honest I didn't read the bottle properly. I saw "Nail" and "Remover" and just assumed it was the same thing. However it was an artificial nail remover, but works amazingly as a nail varnish remover as well.

The main difference is the inside of the pot. The Bourjois version has a foam inside soaked in remover. You pop your finger in, swish it around and out your finger pops. The Boots version has soft plastic spikes pointing inward with a pool of remover. Again, put your finger in for a couple of seconds and the rub around the spokes and voila, all gone. Both work great a varnish remover. The Bourjois version is easier for transport, with the Boots one I'm worried the liquid will come out. However, the Bourjois foam holds darker colours which then goes onto your own finger. 

One big plus I've found with Boots version comes when taking off glitter nail varnish and top coats. The Bourjois version isn't the best, which I'm sure most people will tell you. However the Boots version is amazing. Th e spokes really help to dislodge the glitter from the nail and comes off within seconds.

As you can see! It really dislodges the glitter and is perfect for it. I would say the liquid is a lot harsher than the Bourjois one, but you can pop your own remover inside when this is used up/dirty. You can get both from Boots, the Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover for £4.99 and Boots Perfect Finish Artificial Nail Remover for £3 I believe. I haven't been able to find it online but it was in the section of the false nails in Boots so if you look there you should find it.

Which would you choose?

Nails | Essie Lux Collection

 

ESSIE WINTER LUX NAIL COLLECTION IN A CUT ABOVE, PURE PEARLFECTION & STROKE OF BRILLIANCE

Happy December everyone! Who can believe we are here already? How quick has 2013 gone? I'm quite excited as I cannot wait to do my 2013 favourites at the end of the month, and I have a few days off over Christmas this year so I cannot wait. Now... back to the post!

For my birthday I was very kindly gifted three gorgeous pieces from the new Essie Lux Collection - a little winter exclusive full of glitter, sequined top coats. Gorgeous and perfect for the Christmas party season. So let's take a look at them in more detail...

A Cut Above ---

A gorgeous metallic pink top coat, filled with different sized glitter that adds a very cute dimension. Perfect over a dark grey for a seriously cute girly look with edge or a deep berry.

Pure Pearlfection ---

I had to pop this over a dark colour to really show you. It's a really pretty iridescent white, pearl colour (hence the name) and is perfect on its own for a touch of sheen or over another colour.

Stroke of Brilliance ---

The same as A Cut Above, but the most perfect beautiful blues, a mix of different sizes adds dimension and I personally love the colours. Perfect over a deep navy blue or a pearly white.

These are definitely my favourites out of the entire collection, there are five in total but these are my picks. As will all Essie nail polishes they are really long lasting and good quality. 

What's your pick from the Lux Collection?