Archive for the Nails Category

Nails of the Day: Orly You’re Blushing

By on April 15, 2012

From their Cool Romance Spring collection, You’re Blushing is a lovely muted lilac creme by Orly. It’s an interesting colour actually, as in some lights it looks like your standard griege, but in brighter lights the lilac really pops out making it perfect for Spring; a muted pastel that adapts to the ever changing in-between weather! The quality of Orly nail varnishes are great, I’ve applied three coats here, I could have easily gotten away with two but I smudged them a little so thought a third would even it out. And that’s the only thing I can fault about Orly, whilst they are a dream to apply, last ages on even without topcoat (I’ve gotten up to two weeks before!), it does take a little while for the colour to dry so risk of smudging, etc, is quite plausible whilst waiting.. Other than that, brilliant varnishes and very reasonably priced!The entire Cool Romance collection..
Left to right: You’re Blushing, Prelude to a Kiss, Jealous, Much?, Faint of Heart, Steel Your Heart and Artificial Sweetener.

Which is your favourite?

Lx

DISCLAIMER: PR samp

This entry is filed under Nails, Orly. | 4 Comments

Nail of the Day: Nails Inc Haymarket

By on April 11, 2012

Nails Inc Haymarket, a fresh, minty turquoise.. This isn’t strictly a Nail of the Day as I’ve had it on a few days now, so it’s actually a Nails of the Monday.. Or something. It’s pretty, has worn really well with a top coat and will probably stay looking fresh till the end of the week (I will prolly change it before then though). I find Nails Inc varnishes really vary in quality (or more, durability!) shade to shade, but this particular shade seems to be a good one that doesn’t chip within the hour.

I’ve heard mutterings of a Superdrug in Marble Arch selling ‘high street’ Essie varnishes for half the price of a standard Essie varnish, allegedly the only real difference between the two is the price..  MUST HUNT THIS DOWN.

Lx

DISCLAIMER: PR samp

This entry is filed under Nails, Nails Inc.

NOTD: Max Factor Max Effect Mini Nail Varnish in 45 Fantasy Fire!

By on March 8, 2012


Apparently, Max Factor Max Effect Mini Varnish in 45 Fantasy Fire is a much sought after shade! Sold out everywhere and going for triple the price on eBay, I was very lucky to get sent one precious sample alongside an exciting nail art kit!Unfortunately I had a bit of disaster with my nail art pen, no doubt my own fault, but the whole thing pretty much exploded in my hands! However I do have other nail pens so once I’ve hunted those out I will try again with my new fancy nail art tools. I do hope I get good at this nail art bizzo!As my nail art attempt didn’t go to plan, I’ve settled for simply wearing the varnish on its own. First off, I must state that I resolutely HATE the colour purple. In make-up, clothes, everything. So the colour issue was always going to be a prob, but I was hoping once on I would see what everyone else was going mad for. I kinda like the two-toney shimmer effect, but I think on its own it’s a bit watery. I applied three coats and felt my hands looked a little witchy when done. In future I might wear this varnish ON TOP of another dark colour, to get the pretty two-tone colour, but not such a fan of it on its own. But hey, everyone else seems to love this so I’m clearly in the minority!

I’ve also recently dug up another Max Factor Max Effect Mini Polish favourite - 25 Bright Orange!Wore this LOADS last summer, love it and the dinky mini polish size. Three/four coats gets that gorgeous vibrant orange, and it wears really well. I had applied mine on the train on Sat (as you see in the pic) and someone commented just yesterday (5 days later!) that my manicure looked nice and fresh – this is all sans top coat! So this is the shade I believe SHOULD be selling out. ;)

Which do you like best? P.S. Sorry my cuticles are a bit ratty!!

Lx

DISCLAIMER: PR samp

This entry is filed under Max Factor, Nail Varnishes, Nails. | 3 Comments

Am I Desperate Scousewife??

By on January 19, 2012

This has in no way been intentional, it must have happened in the worst form of osmosis ever,  but whilst observing a recent episode of Desperate Scousewives I realised there were a few trends that my very Londoner self has apparently embraced! Don’t panic, they’re fairly minor – no walking around the high street in a full head of rollers or anything  - but still, there’s no denying the connotations involved.

Black Short Square NailsYep, I had a phase of doing the oval recently but now I realise I like my nails short(ish) and square, and black seems to be the colour of choice. In my defence it is Winter so it’s kinda season appropriate but I guess I could mix it up a bit with a larger variant of darker colours. I think the reason I am particularly loving black nails on me so much is because I believe I have found The Perfect Black.  Prior that a black nail never looked that great on my hand, but this gorgeous deep, inky ‘Black Taxi’ from Nails Inc is the most flattering black I’ve ever tried, and now I’m a convert.

Only downside to the polish is that it chips quite quickly, as with most Nails Inc polishes, but hey, a good top coat should help remedy that..

The Scouse BrowEugh, I’m even using their self-made terminology here.. But since discovering the BEST eyebrow palette I have become an even bigger fan of the heavily defined, full brow. In fairness I had always liked that look, I have a real dislike for razor thin, over plucked eyebrows, but I don’t think I have ever been able to carry it off so well in the past as I was lacking the equipment to make it actually look good and not garish. This HD Eyebrow and Eye Palette is a God send. I started using only one shade of the palette to begin with, the taupey colour, but now I have become bolder and started mixing it in with the darkest colour to achieve a really strong, full brow.I’m not gonna lie, I love this look on me and will not be shamed into thinking otherwise.

So there you have it, two products I am all over right now with some questionable (unintentional!) trend heritage!

Lx

DISCLAIMER: PR samps

This entry is filed under HD Brows, Nails, Nails Inc and tagged , . | 3 Comments

Ciaté Colour SMASH in Black

By on November 25, 2011

Ciaté’s foray into the crackle polish, what do you think?Ever since the launch of nails wraps and magnetic nails I personally am all over (as in, bored now) of crackle. However out of the two types of crackle I’ve tried, the second being this (the first was Barry M’s), Ciaté version is definitely the stronger contender. The crackle, or Smash, as Ciaté call it, is really light once it dries and very easy to apply. For me, the trick was a nice thick layer, two swipes (one left, one right, meeting in the middle) and then a second wait before the polish separates like thiiiiis. I like the matte texture so I skip top coat.

FYI, I’ve teamed it here with Ciaté Gold Digga which I think accompanies it really well. Please excuse all my gross stubby [too] short nails! I had a breaker that was almost a bleeder and the rest had to go. Was no saving it!

Back to the polish.. If crackle is your thing, this is a much better version than the high street Barry M ones. However it is far pricier, double the price at £9, but you are paying for the quality and it really shows. Despite in general not enjoying the crackle effect so much anymore, I think this one is very wearable without looking garish and actually rather pretty. I think it also quite suits my short, stubby nails. :)

Also available in White and Silver.

What are you guys thinkin’?

Lx

DISCLAMER: PR samp

This entry is filed under Ciaté, Nail Varnishes, Nails and tagged . | 1 Comment

Nails Inc Magnetic Polish!

By on October 7, 2011

There have been a ton of magnetic nail polish launches recently that I was actually pretty close to swerving this one by Nails Inc tonight, however I am so glad I didn’t as this was the first time I actually sat down and got my nails painted using the magnetic polish and.. WOW. Check them out.Actually couldn’t love them more! Admittedly this has been applied with an experienced hand (i.e. not mine) but it looked pretty simple as I was observing the manicurist at work. From appearances, once your nails have been painted you simply roll the magnet over the magnetic nail varnish in the direction you want the pattern (obviously not touching the varnish), and voila! Pretty magnetic design.Of the three magnetic colours launching  the shade I picked was Houses of Parliament, the other two shades are a silver (Trafalgar Square) and a gold (Big Ben). Not only are the colours all lush, but £1 of the £13 varnish will directly go to The Prince’s Trust charity.

Can’t vouch at all for lasting power, ease of use, et cetera et cetera et cetera, but it looks amazing and I’m besotted with them! The vampy purple colour actually really goes with my scary goth long nails (I did not intend for them to get that long! Will cut them next week, promise!). Here’s a quick snap I took on the way home with my rubbish camera phone.. The colour looks really gorgeous and inky here.

As I mentioned there are so many magnetic nail varnishes out at the moment, and I still need to test them (including this one) properly and will do so in one large comparative post, however just wanted to get this one up as thought my nails looked so purdy!

HUMONGOUS big thanks to Sheenie from Just Nice Things for taking these pics for me. Life saver.

Lx

This entry is filed under Nails, Nails Inc and tagged . | 1 Comment

Neon Nails by Bourjois!

By on June 11, 2011

Dear High Street. Thank you for finally catching up. That is all.

SNB10691

I love neon nails, a bright is great and all but it just doesn’t have the same edge a neon does. A few summers back I lived in my orange neon by Jessica; the week it came out I went from salon to salon hunting it down, eventually finding it and the rest of the neon limited edition collection. As much as I adore that particular polish quality and shade, it’s a shame that I had to spend an entire afternoon tracking it down, and couldn’t just pop into my local Boots or Superdrug and buy a decent high street take on the neon trend.

Well, it’s only taken about 6 years for neon to come back in fashion for the high street (or as far as I know, Bourjois only thus far) to catch up with what the public really, really want.

The latest offerings from Bourjois So Laque Ultra Shine Nail Laquers range..

SNB10684 
L-R: Orange Creation, Magenta Show, Violet Couture, Jaune Trendy, Lime Catwalk and Bleu Model.

I am aware that not every colour from the new shades are real neons, some are just gorgeous brights.. But the pink (Magenta Show), green (Lime Catwalk) and orange (Orange Creation) are definitely in the neon family, the orange being the most truest.

SNB10693 

SNB10696

SNB10697
Magenta Show (cuticles need doing, I know)

Thank you Sarah from I Hear Cosmetics for showing me your nails so I could copy them (as I had warned!) and Bourjois for sending the samples to complete the copying.

These So Laque varnishes by Bourjois are priced at £5.99 and I think they’re currently on three for two at Superdrug!

So, what do you think? I predict it’s definitely gonna be an orange summer again for me..

Lx

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This entry is filed under Bourjois, Nail Varnishes, Nails. | 8 Comments

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