Nails: Little Hearts

I've said it once and I'll say it again, I don't do nail art!! But my sister was visiting last week and asked me to do her nails, and I couldn't resist popping a little heart on her ring finger.

The main colour I used was In Style Coral from Nails Inc which I don't think is available anymore. The beige base colour on her ring finger was Essie's 'Sand Tropez'- one of my all time faves. With a bit of help of some cotton buds soaked in nail varnish remover and a steady hand I managed to whip out two little hearts pretty quickly. Perhaps not the neatest of jobs, but maybe not bad for a first timer ;-)

We used a Nails Inc basecoat and topped the final mani with my trusty Sally Hansen MegaShine. 

Thanks for reading,

E.

My Nail Varnish Storage

I have been meaning to blog about my nail varnish storage for moooonths. I recently realised that I manage to leave a trail of nail varnishes behind me. I knew I had a lot but it wasn't until I sat down and counted them all that I had the sickening realisation that I owned just a few short of 100 nail polishes. No girl, needs 100 nail polishes. Not even the nail bars I used to frequent had 100 nail polishes! Always keen for a mini spring clean (my makeup drawers are calling me- they're in one hell of a state) I thought I had better sort through my varnishes as there is no way that I wear all of them or will ever want to wear some of them again.

Above you can see the before, during, and after pictures. I streamlined my collection and put lots aside to go on to new homes, be put in the bin, or to be sent to Give and Makeup. These included the majority of my Barry M, all of my 17 (they chip too quickly), prehistoric MUA, gooey GOSH and Rimmel, plus excess coral varnishes from Nails Inc. (I had 6 corals. All the same. Girl got problems)

The storage:
The shelves are from the Ribba range that you can buy from Ikea for around the £5-£8 mark. I bought these shelves a year ago when I was shopping with my mum and instantly knew they were perfect for nail varnishes. 
I didn't put too much thought into how I would organise the ones that made the cut, I just sorted them by brand. Top shelf, front row I put my Illamasqua beauties, O.P.I, No.7, Nars, Dior, Rococo, Jessica, China Glaze and Orly. Behind the front row I put some odd glitter polishes and unbranded ones, and some nail wraps.
Second shelf I put my Essie's, Models Own, L'oreal Colour Riche, GOSH (including the original Holographic polish which I couldn't bring myself to get rid of), and all of the mini Ciate from my advent calendar. Behind these I popped any spare base and top coats and the one Barry M the made the final line up ('Mushroom' incase you were wondering.)

Already I feel a little more organised and have made it my aim to sort one section out each week. Now my nail stash is sorted I fear it may be time to move onto lip products..I dread to think how many of them I own! Would you be interested in seeing more spring clean/storage posts?

Midweek Post: Crescent Moon Mani

I think it has been a little while since I posted my Midweek Post. I do try and post every Wednesday, but as you all know sometimes life just gets in the way! I am not one for nail art per se, but I love the crescent moon manicures that have been flying around since they were first spotted on the runways in 2011 sported by the models at Vena Cava. Since then we've seen it on celebs such as Dita Von Teese and as I had some free time this morning I thought I would give it a whirl. 

I knew I fancied a dark nail polish as I have been wearing Illamasqua's 'Whack' the last few days and while it's been a lovely bright contrast against the icy backdrop of the recent weather I felt the need to go back to near- black. I chose Essie's 'Stylenomics' which is a very, very deep green and was released in the autumn collection of the same title. 

After applying base coat and letting them dry I cut a semi circle shape out of a piece of sellotape and popped it on top, painting the rest of my nail with Stylenomics. I made sure to wait a little more time than I normally do to let these dry, I am a real impatient nail painter but knew I didn't want to mess this up by whipping the sellotape off too quickly and leaving uneven smudges behind. Two layers of top coat later et voila! All in all it took me about an hour but it wasn't as laborious as I had first expected it to be. Making do with sellotape I don't think I did too a bad job (all the online tutorials I read and watched were using stationary circular paper binders as their guide, but I didn't have any of those to hand.) I wanted to leave the cuticle end my natural nail but there is the option to have it coloured you would just need to alter the process slightly.

A nice twist on my normal painted nail. Have you ever done a crescent moon manicure?

12 Products of 2012.

Happy new year everyone! It was so hard choosing only 12 products as there were so many favourites this year, but limiting myself was a good idea or you lot would have been subject to a blog post of mammoth proportions. Hope you are all enjoying January so far. It's a funny month isn't it? I'm still living and eating as if it were a week ago, for lunch I polished off yet another cheese plate. Talk about denial...

Super Facialist by Una Brennan- Tea Flower range (£7.99 and £12.99)- I posted about two products form this range just a few days ago, I only bought these in November but they transformed my skin in such a noticeable way- less spots, clearer pores. Whats makes this duo even better in my opinion is that you can buy both for £20. Superb skincare on a budget!

Avene Very High Protection Emulsion SPF 50+ (£15)- This saved my skin in the summer sun. It absorbs quickly leaving behind minimal white residue, protects all day without reapplication and is reasonably priced, gentle enough to use on the face- it didn't cause me any disturbances and I know it'll be a summer 2013 handbag staple too. 

LUSH 'Twilight' Shower Gel (£4.25++)- I didn't think I would fall in love with this as much as I have but it is definitely my favourite shower gel of 2012. An aromatherapic blend of lavendar and malt, it has been lovely to use at night after a long day or night shift. If nothing else, it makes me feel calm, relaxed and clean. Shame that it is limited edition.

Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Touche Eclat (£28)- I think this has to be my favourite foundation of 2012- and I have road tested quite a few. Glowing finish, buildable coverage. It is trustworthy and lasts a surprisingly long timewithout primer considering it is a radiant foundation- they normally slide right off my t-zone! Get a sample first though, YSL products are high in chemicals and this foundation didn't agree with everyones skin (it doesn't affect mine though.)

Collection 'Lasting Perfection' Concealer (£4.19)- Another product that I would struggle to be without now. Good quality, medium-high coverage concealer for around the £4-5 mark. Easy to use, blendable and fairly long lasting.

Bobbi Brown Brighening Face Powder (£40)- I pondered over whether to include this as I do find it a bit too pink, but the formula of this is perfect. So Bobbi Brown if you're reading this- please release more shades in this!! See a full review by clicking here.

MAC Lipglass (£13.50-£17)- This was the year of the MAC Lipglass. After trying one I have now accumulated a few. I love that they are so pigmented and long lasting. This is probably a controversial favourite- I'm sure many people would hate their stickiness.

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain (£22.50)- Super glossy, super long lasting and soft on the lips. This product has paved the way for innovative lip products and have defintiely filled a void. The lasting power of something that feels like a lipgloss is astonishing. I love the vivid shade range and I think every girl needs one of these in their lives.

Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner (£17)- I've got this in 01 Black an 02 Sepia Ink and both are in regular rotation in my makeup bag. Gel eyeliner is a great multi use product- it can be used on the eyelids for a winged look, underneath and smudged for a sultry look, on the waterline for a long lasting definition. The list goes on! Both these shades are fabuously pigmented and last the majority of the day without showing many signs of fade or wear and tear. I have found that Black is better at fighting wear and tear than Sepia Ink. Worth the price tag.

Batiste Dry Shampoo (£2.99)- This is literally a life saver. I don't know how I would have got through this year without Batiste in my life! It's not too expensive and good at what it does, and there's lots of variables to choose from should you want a different scent or one formulated for brunette hair etc. The best dry shampoo that I have tried so far and would always recommend it.

Essie Nail Varnish (£7.99)- If I had to choose a shade I would be town between my beloved 'Sand Tropez' or 'Stylenomics' both were reapplied so many times and I never got bored of them. I love my whole Essie collection, they're definitely one of my favourite brands of 2012, so glad that they launched in Boots and Superdrug.

Sally Hansen MegaShine Topcoat (£6.39)- Quick drying, super super shiny top coat. Need I say more? (Not pictured.)

What am I searching for in 2013?

 The perfect serum/face oil (preferably natural)

The perfect night cream

The perfect brow filler

The perfect mascara

The perfect lip liner

What are your top products of 2012? Do you have a favourite brand this year?

Midweek Post: Essie 'Stylenomics'

Essie Nail Varnish in 'Stylenomics', £7.99 for 13.5ml.

Essie 'Stylenomics'- one coat. Sally Hansen Megashine topcoat- one coat.

Similarly to 'Head Mistress' which I reviewed here, 'Stylenomics' is part of the limited edition Autumn collection from Essie which is available in Boots stores in the UK. It's probably no secret by now how much I love Essie- the wide brush, quick drying formulas, amazing colour range and milky consistency. The only negative factor I can think of is that sometimes they chip too quickly. 'Stylenomics' is opaque in one coat, which cuts manicure time in half. This is the only Essie shade I own that is really dark, so I cannot comment for all of them, but the consistency of this felt thicker and more like a gel, which is probably the reason it only needed one coat instead of two or three.
I would describe the colour as a green infused black. In some lights, or to an untrained eye this varnish probably does look black, but it's certainly got a murky, moss green pigment that makes it so stunning and autumnal, and I hope that this comes across in the photos. I couldn't find any 'dupes' for it on any of the other makeup stands in Boots, so you'd probably have to go high end if you wanted a colour like this, which in turn completely takes the point out of a 'dupe' as they'll be no cheaper.

All in all, another Essie colour that I adore. I think this is my new favourite; it's mysterious, chic and powerful.

NOTD: Deep Autumn Red.

Essie Nail Varnish 'Head Mistress, £7.99 for 13.5ml.

Two coats of 'Head Mistress' with Sally Hansen MegaShine topcoat.

 Hello everyone! How are you all this Friday night?

Just a quick post to show you what colour I have been loving on my nails this week. It's an Essie shade called 'Head Mistress' and while I am not a fan of the name, I am a fan of the colour. I love classic red, on nails and lips but I did notice that my collection was missing a shimmer-free deep red. Obviously a necessity, I popped into Boots and soon sorted that situation!
Like many others I gravitate towards deep, rich shades as soon as Autumn hits. This colour deepens with every coat, and so far on the second day it remains chip free (which is pretty good going for Essie) 

I'm now after a British racing green kinda colour if anyone can recommend one

What are you wearing on your nails right now?

(Also- please excuse a couple of bitten nails in the above picture. Sadface.)

You are GOLD! (leaf)

Rococo Nail Apparel in '#7676 Gold Leaf', (about £25) for 14ml.

Rococo are a premium, luxury nail polish brand, and this shade #7676 is a glossy top coat that contains real 24k gold leaf. I'll be honest and say that this has been in my 'to review' pile for about 6 months now, and I think I have finally found it's perfect partner- Essie's 'Sand Tropez'.
I mentioned here about how I have gone back to nudes recently, and whilst I do enjoy a glitter topcoat as much as the next girl, most of the time I'll wear a plain nail colour.

The formula of the polish is quick drying, you don't have to wait around too long for it to set before you slap on your shiny topcoat and it does add a different, extra dimension to a nail look.
However, I do feel I should warn you of its potency! The smell is unbelievably strong during application, but this does disappear when it dries. As with many decorative topcoats (glitter, confetti) the finish is irregular so be prepared that one nail may end up more coated than another, also some of the flakes don't sit flat and may stick up here and there. This can be avoided with a firm push down of the brush and another topcoat, though.

I do love the finish of Sand Tropez with Roccoco on top, I think it looks expensive and that they are a match made in heaven, what do you think? Would a gold leaf topcoat be a welcome addition to your nail polish collection?

Nail Varnish; The off-whites.

While everyone around me seems to be reaching for intense bold blues and pastel pinks, corals and orange, bright sea green and canary yellow nail polish, something within me has rebelled completely and is choosing the off-whites almost everytime. You know, those colours that would look like white nail polish (tippex) if it wasn't for their subtle injection of colour. I'm loving the nude & the subdude on my nails at the moment. I'll wear a bright colour for a day then strip it off to replace it with a neutral off- white.

These are the three colours I've been reaching for most lately:

Models Own 'Utopia' (£5)

This is a very easy to wear colour that is white with a pink lilac hue running through it. The warm lilac takes the edge off the stark white and makes it a joy to wear that will suit almost anyone.

Essie 'Fiji' (£7.99)

This was one of my buys from the new stand of the diffusion line in Marble Arch Superdrug a while ago. The way they're displayed would make it so easy to come away with 5 or 6 but I refrained and got two! They apply like a dream and although seem to be prone to chipping a bit easier than others I've used, they seem to last better the more coats you apply. This one is the most white of the lot, but has a lovely baby pink accent to it, again this softens the bright white and makes it more wearable and unique.

Essie 'Sand Tropez' (£7.99)

This was the second of the buys and I've worn this the most over the last couple of months (seen in my May favourites video). It's sophisticated and neutral, perfect for any outfit and any makeup look. It coordinates well and is flattering against the skin. I suppose it's an off beige, but the pastel element to it means its got that 'off white' feel to it too. I keep reaching for it, it's my favourite polish of 2012 so far, well done Essie!

What are your favourite colours at the moment?

NOTD: Essie 'Mint Candy Apple'

Essie Nail Varnish in 'Mint Candy Apple', £7.99 for 13.5ml.

Perfect for my current pastel- crave, 'Mint Candy Apple' fills one of the voids in my nail varnish collection, and I don't have many gaps or voids considering I own about 65 polishes. Excessive? Regular green nails don't do it for me but the injection of white into this colour to create pastel just does, slightly on the toothpaste-y side to look at but I like it, I like it a lot! Pictured above with two coats using Sally Hansen MegaShine topcoat.