Showing posts with label Nails. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nails. Show all posts

Monday, 27 May 2013

Models Own Pukka Purple

For any girl that works in an office or spends her days at the mercy of a keyboard, you'll be familiar with chipped nails and repainting two or three times a week. This is me, and every third night or so, I'll curl up into bed all ready to turn out the light, and then realise that my nails need a fresh lick of polish. I love Essie and Nails Inc for their pigmentation, as anything that speeds up the process (one coat that looks great?) is a winner with me. However, Models Own are my absolute go to brand for affordable polishes, and their extensive range of beautiful colours always manages to catch my eye when walking into Boots.


Pukka Purple is nothing new to the market, it's part of their neon collection that came out earlier this year. It's just a gorgeous, gorgeous colour, so I thought it was about time I grabbed the camera and wrote up a blog post on it. It dries matte, and you only really need one coat then a good top coat afterwards to keep your talons in check. I don't personally like the matte look, so I use a glossy top coat to make my nails patent again.

In general, Models Own is a brilliant brand, and ticks all the boxes of a drugstore brand that you need in your life. Affordable - check, Diverse range - check, pretty colours - check, good quality - check. A few other favourites that spring to mind are Utopia, Blueberry Muffin and Green Tea, so be sure to check those out too!

Do you own any Models Own polishes? Which is your fave? 
xxx

Saturday, 25 May 2013

Summer nails!


Today the sun decided to peek out from behind those pesky dark grey clouds and put a smile on everyone's faces! For once it actually felt like May and not mid-winter. With summer well and truly on it's way, I'm in the middle of decluttering my wardrobe and eBaying gilets, heavy jackets and generally anything that I haven't worn in the last six months. Part of this summer overhaul includes my nails, and I'm keen to start wearing brighter and bolder colours to brighten up my days!

& Other Stories Twill Blue is a gorgeous royal blue shade, not dissimilar to Nails Inc Baker Street. Despite the formula not being amazing (we're talking chips on the second day), the colour is enough to make me love it and for £5 who's complaining? On the other hand, I have always found Jack Wills nail polishes to be amazing quality, and Butter Yellow is a beautiful bright and summery colour. I love how the two clash but "go" so well together, what do you think?


ONE COAT


TWO COATS

xxx

Saturday, 18 May 2013

Nails on Sunday - Mint Green Confetti

Last Saturday I finally purchased L'Oreal's famous "Confetti" topcoat and a beautiful shale green colour from Topshop. Today's "Nails on Sunday" post combines both of these polishes, and is perfect for brightening up these overcast cloudy days with a bit of spring freshness.


I love both polishes very much, but when combined together I think they're gorgeous! Very unique yet "polished" - excuse the pun - and a wearable look for work, university etc.

What do you think?
xxx

Thursday, 16 May 2013

Loving O.P.I...

It's the worst kept secret in the blogger world; Essie nail polishes are reduced to £1.99 on Fragrance Direct's website. Whilst everyone is rushing to grab a few bottles before they're gone, did you realise that O.P.I is also reduced to £3.99? 

I discovered this the other day and immediately started googling swatches for each other colours, before dropping "Don't Mess With OPI" and "I Brake For Manicures" into my basket. After arriving promptly in second class post, these two babies have been fast tracked into the "must blog about" pile.


I tried both out immediately using my nail wheels, and as expected, love both colours. The pigmentation is very good on the brown "I Brake For Manicures" but two coats is imperative to achieve the desired Green finish with "Don't Mess With OPI". 

What do you think of the colours I chose? Do you love O.P.I too?
xxx

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Maybelline Color Show Nails

During my usual Boots spree this Saturday, my eyes were drawn to the Maybelline counter. Five brilliant new shade of "speckled" nail polish had been released, and were now taking pride of place at the top of the nails section. I picked up 198 Shooting Stars, a gorgeous deep blue and 200 Rainforest Canopy.

Is it just me or are these similar to Illamasqua I'mperfection? I tried them out and despite not being hugely pigmented, I love them! You definitely need at least two coats, but for £2.99, who's complaining?!


ONE COAT


TWO COATS


I really like the way Maybelline have mixed muted black shapes with white ones, it gives the polish depth and is something new instead of standard glitter finishes.

What do you think? Have you tried any of the Color Show nail polishes?
xxx

Tuesday, 16 April 2013

Tuesday Reviewsday - Essie Bikini So Teeny

Last Wednesday, for the first time ever, I purchased an Essie nail polish. Not just one though, five, after I found them on Fragrance Direct's website for the crazily bargainous price of one pound and ninety-nine pence. Hannah, who loves painting her nails and nail art, has never owned an Essie polish before? Indeed, this was my first purchase. I'm not sure why I have never bought into this brand before, but I have been satisfied with my Models Own, Nails Inc and Barry M and never felt the need to further explore the realm of the nail polish market. However, when I saw this offer, I jumped in head first and bought five new colours to try out.

Bikini So Teeny is more than likely a shade that you, your sister, your friend or a blogger you read already owns. A cult classic, if you will. This lilacy blue shade is very pretty, and perfect for Spring, so without further ado... here are my thoughts.

The brushes in Essie nail polishes are wider than normal, which is great for painting as you can cover your whole nail in one stripe. Seriously, it expands over the whole base of your nail and glides evenly along to leave a perfect coat with one stroke. The only other nail polishes I have ever used that do this are the Rimmel  London Lasting Finish polishes, with a specially designed "fatter" brush.

So, 20 strokes later (two coats on each nail), I had a full set of pastel talons. Another pleasant surprise from Essie was what I call the "setting time". This is how long it takes for the nail polish to dry and set on your nail, before you can touch them properly without fear of smudging or taking off the top shine. Drying and setting are very different things, and as a victim to painting my nails just before I go to sleep, I need them to set quickly to avoid nasty chips and creases on the polish when I wake up. Essie satsifies this need, so I am looking forward to continuing my relationship with them.


Overall thoughts? A great nail polish, chip free for three days and a beautiful colour which for once, I haven't already got a crazily similar version of. 

xxx

Sunday, 14 April 2013

Nails on Sunday - Essie Haul

Today's "Nails on Sunday" post is taking a different form. Instead of posting a tutorial for a nail art design as I usually do, I wanted to share with you all the five new loves in my life - my new Essie nail polishes.


I'm assuming the type of girls that read my blog are pretty similar to me, so Essie certainly won't be a new brand to you. But, this offer might be. Fragrance Direct are currently selling Essie polishes at £1.99.. yes, you read that right, £1.99 on their website, reduced from £7.99. When I first saw this I couldn't quite believe my eyes, and naturally snapped up the deal immediately.

I bought five colours, and am loving every single one of them. I'll upload some Instagram shots throughout the week of actual swatches on my nails, but for now, here's the gorgeous colours I went for (including the blogger must have - 'Bikini So Teeny'.


Cascade Cool - a beautiful light bubblegum pink
Mojito Madness - a vibrant but not too shocking green
All Tied Up - sort of rose gold coloured, with a golden shimmer running through it
Off The Shoulder - a deeper, brighter pink than Cascade Cool
Bikini So Teeny - a beautiful pastel blue with a shimmer running through it

I think my favourite one has to be Mojito Madness, as the colour is so bright and beautiful. This week's Tuesday Reviewsday will be on the polishes, so make sure you check back if you have never used Essie before.

Which is your favourite?

xxx

Sunday, 7 April 2013

Nails on Sunday - Nails Inc Magnetic Polish

This week I decided to try out a magnetic nail polish instead of the usual nail art design with pens and different colours. I have a few magnetic nail polishes, mainly Barry M but I haven't really used any of them. I decided to try London Town by Nails Inc, purely because I love the formula of Nails Inc polishes - they dry and set quickly, they don't chip for a few days and generally their colours are super pigmented so you don't need more than two coats.


First I painted a top coat onto my nails, to smoothen out the finish and prevent the Bronze coloured London Town from staining my nails surface.


Usually I would show you a photo of my nails painted all in one colour, before starting on the art, but with magnetic nail polishes, you have to place the magnet over the nail immediately after painting it, whilst the polish is still wet. (Please excuse my chipped right hand, I have a weird method where I do each hand from start to finish before starting the other!)


In my opinion, the magnet is too small, as you can see that it hasn't really covered my whole thumb nail which leaves it looking unfinished and different to the rest. I also find the whole process pretty difficult, and it's a bit of a juggling act trying to paint the nail and them immediately put the nail polish brush back into the bottle and pick up the magnet whilst the nail is still wet. It's very fiddly and I kept having to apply another coat of nail polish as I didn't get to the nail in time and it would not magnetize.

Have you tried magnetic nail polishes before? Did you have better luck than me?

xxx

Sunday, 31 March 2013

Nails on Sunday - Easter Inspired!

Just a quick post for today as I'm off to enjoy the Easter festivities in the form of working my way through a copious amount of gigantic chocolate Easter eggs!


Today's nail art was inspired by classic pastel coloured eggs, with an aztec-y print all over. To create this look I used Barry M Blue Moon, MUA 24 Lilac and my Black Models Own Nail Art Pen. Despite being only £1 (!),  I am pleasantly surprised at the formula of the MUA nail polish. This was the first product I have ever tried from MUA, and the nail polish is so pigmented you only need one coat to acheive the desired colour, compared to my three coats of Barry M Blue Moon. 

Firstly, I painted my nails in alternate Blue and Lilac colours. I used Nails Inc Basil Street as a base coat before painting one coat of MUA Lilac and three coats of Barry M Blue Moon.


I then carefully drew a zig-zag line across each nail with the Black Models Own Nail Art Pen, before filling in smaller dots and making it into a pattern over each nail. Finally I finished with my usual Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Topcoat to smoothen out the finish and protect the design from chipping.


Hope everyone is having a good Easter Sunday and bank holiday weekend!
xxx

Sunday, 24 March 2013

Nails on Sunday - Colour Block Ombré Nails!

This week I decided to channel some of the colour blocking I have seen at fashion shows recently onto my nails, but with my own little twist. Instead of using pastels, I went for bright Blue fading into Green, ombré style if you will.


For this look I used:

Nails Inc Basil Street
Topshop Green Room
& Other Stories Twill Blue
Models Own 6 in 1 nail buffer
Tesco Baby Sponge


I started off by painting one coat of Nails Inc Basil Street. I'm not sure why I use a colour as a base instead of a dedicated base coat, I just always have and I find it works really well as it's quite thick so smoothens out any bumps easily.


I then painted two coats of my new polish I picked up in & Other Stories this week, Twill Blue. I have to say I don't think the formula of this nail polish is the best I've ever tried. It came out really thin and streaky to start with then as I started to dip it back in, the brush picked up way too much polish and it applied really thick. The brush is handy though, it's very similar to the Rimmel 60 Second nail polish, a curved shape that allows you to easily cover the nail in three stripes.


To achieve an ombré style finish, I used a sponge to apply one coat of Topshop Green Room to the tips of my nails. This came out really thin as I hoped, and then I painted the ends with the brush. Using a sponge helps to create a transition effect, so that the nail does not go straight from Blue into Green. I think a makeup sponge would be ideal for this as they're smaller, but sadly I couldn't find any in Tesco yesterday when I purchased this one.


(Please excuse the messy bits around my nails, I can't find a cotton bud to remove them with!)

What do you think? If you have any ideas for new looks I should try out, please leave a comment below!
xxx
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