nail of the day

Not at all weather appropriate but hey while there's still clouds (and thunder and lightening yesterday!) I'll still be wearing black clothes and dark nails if I feel like it! Today's pick for my nails is Raspberry by Barry M. I love this dark vampy red, it's such a great polish for nights out and what I see as a 'smarter' nail colour.

As with most Barry M Nail Paints, it's really thick creamy and opaque. I used two coats but to be honest I could have gotten away with one! The only thing is that I always find this colour really difficult to paint on neatly... this may just be me haha. For my base coat I used my No7 So Smooth Base Coat (of course) and for my top coat I chose the Sally Hansen Doubly Duty Top Coat as I need to pick up another Sally Hansen Insta-Dri. Formula-wise the Double Duty Top Coat works just as well but I do miss the Insta-Dri-ing properties!

I've also seen that Barry M have released some new colours. They're not all for me but Cappuccino and Nude look gorgeous so I may have to have a little hunt for them soon...

What have you got on your nails at the moment?

xx

nail of the day

It looks a little more red here but it's a bright coral!

The weather is still as rubbish as ever so while nail-wise grey polish would probably be most appropriate, I've ignored the rain and decided to wear this gorgeous bright coral on my nails! This is Chubby Cheeks by Essie - I absolutely love it!

Formula-wise, Essie can be a little hit and miss. My first Essie polish was Better Together, a very light baby pink. I found this to be quite difficult to work with and streaky on application which was very annoying as I do love the colour. This did put me off the brand a bit, however, when I saw Essie's new diffusion line in Superdrug a few weeks ago I just had to get one and Chubby Cheeks was my pick!

The formula of Chubby Cheeks is a dream in comparison to Better Together. It paints on so easily and wasn't streaky in the slightest. The wide flat brush produced with the new diffusion range also made the polish easy to apply neatly - brilliant! My only criticism would be that the nail varnish took three coats to be fully opaque which is a little annoying as most polishes, I find, only take two. For a slightly more expensive polish surely this shouldn't be an issue...

As ever, I used my No7 So Smooth Base Coat and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat and the polish wore for a good five days before chipping which is a while for me as I usually change my nails quite a few times in a week. Also, my Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat is beginning to go a little gloopy (noooooo) so I'm going to have to repurchase it ASAP - I can't live without it! The best top coat around!

xx

nail of the day

The No7 bottle will no longer close properly :( !

No7 So Smooth Base Coat, W.I.P. Nail Polish from Urban Outfitters in Lava, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat

I bought this intriguing coloured nail varnish from Urban Outfitters on Sunday. They have such a gorgeous range of colours, many of which are a little different from others you see on the high street, but I was most drawn to Lava as the greeney bluey bronze duo chrome effect in the bottle intrigued me and reminded me of Chanel's infamous Peridot.

I have to admit that I am disappointed with this polish - the formula is so so thin and the brush is quite small which makes the polish really difficult to apply. It also chipped in only a day, even though I used my trusty No7 So Smooth Base Coat and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat. The colour has been a bit of a let down too. In normal day light it looks too much just like a shimmery green for my liking and I wish that it had more of a bronzey tone as it does in dimmer light.

There are lots more polishes from Urban Outfitters which I'd love to try - can anyone tell me if the formula of the others are so watery too?

W.I.P. Nail Polishes are £6 from Urban Outfitters and are also available online here.

xx

nail of the day

This is the very bright combination that I have on my nails at the moment! However, I've had them on since Monday now and after a night out and a few days at work, they're not looking quite this neat...

The pink is Shocking Pink by Barry M and the blue is Be Mine by Angelica. In the bottle Be Mine looks more like a mint green so although I do like the colour on my nails, I was a little disappointed that it came up more blue! I purchased the Angelica polish from the Primark at Marble Arch of all places - they had quite a few pretty colours for spring and they were only £2.50 so I bought a couple (the other is a pastel pink) so I could test the quality. It lasted about as long as my polishes usually do which is about four days but due to work my nails do usually experience quite a lot of wear and tear so that's fine for me! I think I may have to go back and get a couple more!

As usual I used by No7 Smooth Base Coat and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat.

xx

nail of the day (x 2!)

I thought it would probably just be easier if I condensed this in to one post for you today, so here is what I've had on my nails so far this week!

From Monday to Wednesday, I was wearing Models Own Pro nail varnish in Mellow Yellow, which was a gift from my boyfriend. He said he picked it because he knew pastels were in this season - good work! As I find with all Models Own nail polishes, Mellow Yellow was very thick and creamy and easy to work with. It did go on a little streaky the first coat but the second sorted that right out.

I had lots of comments on this polish actually, even from boys. I think this may be because it's a relatively unusual colour and as it's so pale it looks quite striking. The only thing I would say is that in certain totally artificial lights it looked a little as if I was wearing Tipp-Ex on my nails which isn't really a good look... However, I do love the colour and in natural light (as pictured above) it reminds me off that delicious yellow vanilla Cornish ice cream - yum! Next time I wear it I'm going to try and pair it with a brighter colour in some way as I think that will look fab too.

By Wednesday night, although my nails were still looking fine minus a little inevitable tip wear, I wanted a change. I love how easy it is to simply change your nail varnish and the difference that this can make to outfits. I work quite a few days a week and I have to wear the same dress every shift as it's my current uniform, so playing around with my nails, hair and make up can make me feel as if I look completely different. I decided to go for Barry M Nail Paint in Berry Ice Cream with Barry M's Hologram glitter over the top.

These nails look like a six year old girls dream. They're so tacky and over the top but that's what I like about them haha! I put two coats of Berry Ice Cream on and I originally intended to leave it at that as it's such a pretty colour. I then spotted Hologram which I'd completely forgotten I had so added two coats of that on top and voila - nails that Barbie would be proud of!

As for base and top coats, both times I used No7 So Smooth Base Coat and then my Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat. Such a fab combination that make my nails super shiny and my nail polish last for ages! (I'll stop there though as I know how much I constantly ramble on about these two lovelies...)

What have you got on your nails at the moment? I have so much nail varnish but can ALWAYS be tempted to get more...

xx

nail of the day (and a quick review of sally hansen top coats!)

Just a quick post to show you what I currently have on my nails. The nail varnish was actually one of my presents from my little brother, so thank you very much Archie! (Will he ever read this blog, considering it's mostly about beauty? I don't think so...)

The colour is Barry M Peach Melba which is such a pretty pastel peach shade. It's perfect for this time of year and looks so subtle and natural. As with most pastel shades, it did go on a little streaky at first. I used two coats, but next time I think I'll add a third, as there are a couple of places where if you look very carefully, it's not totally opaque. I also think this would make a really pretty base for something like a gold or bronze glitter!

As usual, I used my No7 So Smooth Base Coat, which is honestly such a great base coat. In the past I've had a lot of problems with my nails getting stained from painting them too much and this not only prevents this but really helps your nail varnish to last a lot longer. Brilliant!

For the second time now, I used my new Sally Hansen Double Duty Strengthening Base and Top Coat to finish off my nails. When comparing it to my trusty Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat, I wouldn't say there was any difference between them in regards to how effectively they make your nail polish last. I find that Sally Hansen top coats really do make your nails last so much longer without chipping, even if you are using a poorer quality varnish, and both also give your nails a gorgeous glossy finish. However, I do prefer the fast drying properties of the Insta-Dri Top Coat, as you paint on a thin layer after waiting two minutes for your polish to dry slightly, and very quickly your nails are totally dry and so you don't have to worry about smudging them or leaving little dents anywhere.

No7 So Smooth Base Coat (£7.00)

Barry M Nail Paint in Peach Melba (£2.99)

Sally Hansen Double Duty Strengthening Base and Top Coat (£5.25)

(For reference, the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat is £5.99, and all prices are from Boots - remember the 3 for 2! Eek, too tempting!)

xx

nail of the day

The weather outside is becoming ever more dull and soggy so I painted my nails a nice spring-like colour, so I could at least attempt to pretend that the sun is shining!

'Blooboo' by Models Own was actually picked by my boyfriend, and a fab choice it was too. It's the perfect shade of light pastel blue. It did go on a bit streaky at first, which can be a problem sometimes with lighter coloured nail polishes, but after two coats it was fully opaque. I love the formula of Models Own nail varnishes, I always find them to be so thick and creamy and easy to work with. Some of their polishes only need one coat! (I also always think that they smell different to other nail varnishes... just me?)

I think 'Blooboo' would look lovely too with a silver glitter over the top or with a different coloured polish on the ring finger. The nail varnish I showed the other day, Maybelline Express Finish Nail Colour in 'Turquoise Lagoon', would be great for this.

Whereas I usually use my trusty No7 Base Coat and Sally Hansen quick drying top coat, I had a bit of a change today. Instead I used the Sally Hansen Double Duty Strengthening Base and Top Coat for both under and over 'Blooboo'. This is the first time that I've used it so I'll keep you updated on how well it keeps my polish from chipping but I do love the high shine finish that it gives. However, I must say that the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat does do this too and I missed how quickly it makes my nail varnish dry.

Models Own 'Blooboo' was £5.00 and the Sally Hansen Double Duty Strengthening Base and Top Coat was £5.25, both from Boots.

xx

nail of the day

Hello :)

I just had to show off this nail polish - the colour is INCREDIBLE! You may have already seen this in my last post, and here it is on my nails! It's Maybelline Express Finish Nail Colour in 'Turquoise Lagoon'. Such a brilliant colour while the weather's a bit warmer :) I also think it will look fab on my toes when I'm on holiday.

I hadn't tried a nail polish from the Maybelline Express range before but found it really easy to work with and it's fully opaque after two coats. As usual I used my trusty No7 So Smooth Base Coat and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat. I've had it on for a few days now and there is no signs of wear, not even a little bit of tip wear yay!

It's actually quite a bit more green than this :(

I'll definitely be picking up another colour from this range!

Maybelline Express Finish in 'Turquoise Lagoon' was £4.09 from Superdrug.

xx

nail of the day

Hello!

Here's a little peek at what I currently have on my nails! It's not a particularly spring-like combination but oh well...

I'm wearing an ELF Nail Polish in 'Mod Mauve' on eight of my fingers, then I have Avon Speed Dry+ Nail Enamel in 'Rose Amour' on my ring fingers! The truth is, I couldn't actually decide which shade I wanted to wear so I decided to go for both. As they're quite similar colours I think this is a subtle way to add a bit of interest to your nails as at first glance you don't notice that my ring fingers are metallic.

This is the first time that I've worn the ELF varnish and so far I love it! It reminds me of the OPI polish 'I'm Suzi and I'm a Chocoholic' but with more brown. I can't tell you how hard wearing it is as I only painted my nails yesterday but so far I can't even see any tip wear. As for the Avon polish, I've worn it once before and found that it really doesn't last very long, although that time I didn't use a top coat. I'm hoping that with my Sally Hansen top coat I'll get a bit of a longer wear out of it, but as I change my nail varnish every couple of days it doesn't bother me too much :)

No7 So Smooth Base Coat (£7.00)

ELF Nail Polish in 'Mod Mauve' (£1.50)

Avon Speed Dry+ Nail Enamel in 'Rose Amour (£2.99)

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat (£5.99)

I hope you're all enjoying our little bit of sun and I'd also love to hear what you have on your nails (I'm very nosey!)

xx

nail of the day

Hello again!

I thought I'd show you what I have on my nails at the moment :) I absolutely love the look of bright red nails but I very rarely paint them red. However, when I do it reminds me how sophisticated it can make you feel! They make me want to put on a breton top and capri pants and eat brie and pretend to be be all elegant and chic... just me?

The red I used is a Barry M nail varnish in 'Bright Red', and I also used my No7 'So Smooth' base coat and Sally Hansen 'Insta-Dri' top coat, which are my go-to base and top coat currently. While we're on the subject, I truly do recommend trying the Sally Hansen top coat if you haven't tried it as it not only makes your polish last so much longer but also dries your nails very quickly! You put it on and they're dry in thirty seconds so it's great if you're in a rush or just plain impatient hurrah!

In the picture above, I also included one of my nail files which I love! I've had it for a while and in a pack you get two with a lovely peacock print on and a carry case so that when you throw it in your handbag it won't scratch things. Just thought I'd share that with you haha! I'm not really sure why I like them quite as much as I do... I tried to find them on the website but it doesn't look like they're necessarily available any more :( I picked them up in Bristol last summer and I think it was about £2.50 for a pack :)

Hope you're all fab!

xx

nail of the day

Just a very quick post today as I've been at uni this morning and now I have to rush off to work - hurry hurry!

I LOVE THIS COLOUR!

Not the best painted nails ever but you get the idea...

I'd never usually buy a polish from Natural Collection, however when I saw this colour I couldn't resist (not that I ever really try to restrain myself)! It's called 'Maple' and I think the name is appropriately scrumptious! For me it's the perfect rose gold.

However, there is a but... As you'd probably expect, the quality is so poor. I like to change my nail varnish a couple of times a week as I get bored of having the same colour, so as I'm not too bothered usually about my nails being very long wearing I sometimes skip a base coat and top coat. However with this nail varnish I have to use a base and top coat even to make it last just a couple of days. On the other hand, I suppose for £1.79 I shouldn't really moan too much!

Base Coat - No7 So Smooth

Nail Polish - Natural Collection 'Maple'

Top Coat - Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip

Tomorrow I'll hopefully have a more exciting post for you!

xx

nail of the day

On Saturday I added this little beauty to my already large collection of nail varnish. It's such a lovely nude shade, not too grey or beige and with a hint of  mauve-y pink. Very classic and sophisticated as the name 'Darling' would suggest!

Not quite sure why my knuckles look like I've suffered a tanning disaster...

The brand - 'L.A. Girl' - is not one that I've heard of before but at £1.99 I couldn't see a reason not to try it! The brush was a decent size, making the nail easy to paint, and the polish was a nice smooth consistency. I used Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri over the top as I always do, to speed up the drying time (impatience...) and prevent my nails from chipping :)

I picked up this nail polish from Beauty Base in the Westfield at Stratford and if you haven't been I definitely recommend having a look as it's absolutely fab for cheapy nail varnishes and discounted perfume. I've also been to one in Westfield White City but by the looks of the website there's only a few more branches, all of which are in the London area, although you can order online.

xx