Showing posts with label NOTD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NOTD. Show all posts

Tuesday, 22 February 2011

NOTD: Models Own Juicy Jules


 
 
Three coats, plus Seche Vite. Doesn't photograph at all well with my husband's phone camera! It's lovely in real life and applied beautifully, but I think it would really pop over a dark navy blue or black shade. Will try this in the next couple of days, I think.

Sunday, 2 January 2011

NOTD: Topshop Misfit

Described by Topshop as a "violet nail polish, fast drying, extra long wear with lasting glossy finish and perfect coverage."

I love this! It was recommended in Grazia's Christmas edition but I'd already bought it - ahead of the game or just addicted to polish? Hmm...

Here are some pictures, the final one was taken with the flash on:






Saturday, 18 December 2010

NOTD: Topshop The Big Easy

I had to cut my nails short as I broke one yesterday! Woe is me! But I actually quite like them short, funnily enough. Went for a Topshop shade when painting them last night as I wanted something quick and easy to apply. I plumped for The Big Easy, which is a blueish lilac shade that's opaque after just one coat. Here it is on my short nails:



Friday, 17 December 2010

It's that time of year! 2010 favourites...

Gosh, this year seems to have flown by! Can’t believe I will have been married for a year on Monday! Madness. I thought I would do a post about my 2010 favourites before the year finishes, so, in no particular order, here goes…

1) Topshop Brighton Rock lipstick. A pinky orangey coral (!) shade with a matte finish. Only £8, this lipstick is a must-have. Looks great on its own or under a gloss, and doesn’t dry out the lips. Perfect!



2) China Glaze Riveter Rouge nail polish. A gorgeously glittery red shade. I am not usually a fan of red nail polish, but the glitter in this makes it a winner in my eyes. Applies beautifully and lasts well. The first China Glaze polish I tried, the start of my obsession…




3) Lush BIG shampoo (a rediscovery!). The Lush website says that “[Big will] give limp hair the volume it deserves, with seaweed infusion to soften hair and citrus juices for shine. After using Big, your hair will be bouncing back to life.” A perfect description. I used to use this several years ago but stopped as I thought it was getting too pricey, but decided to try it again a month or so back as my hair was looking limp and lifeless. It is expensive, but I think it is worth it. Cost per use is also low, as you only need to use a tiny amount! It also works really well with my favourite conditioner, Lush’s American Cream. 


4) Boots Botanics Rosewater toner. A product for all skin types with a beautiful rose scent. This helps to remove every last trace of make up without leaving behind a residue like other toners sometimes can. My skin is very sensitive and this is perfect for it!

 

5) Urban Decay Naked palette. In my opinion, a perfect collection of neutral shades. What more could you want? Such good value too, as you get 12 full size shades for about £25! Urban Decay says this about the palette; “THIS is how Urban Decay does neutral! Far from a group of boring beige shadows, this long, lean, seductive case is packed with TWELVE gorgeous neutrals. Shades range from delicate champagnes to dark, gritty gunmetal, and feature FIVE NEW shades with names like Darkhorse, Virgin and Buck. We've also included a range of textures: everything from glitter to shimmer to matte.”

 

6) MAC Pro Longwear foundation in NW20. Good colour match, medium coverage, easy to apply and very long-lasting, this foundation is perfect. 



7) Benefit The POREfessional primer. I will quote myself for my short review of this product; "it's a thick, pinkish brown coloured liquid that easily blends into the skin without leaving a trace of colour. It feels very soft on the skin (similar in feel to Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, actually) and smells lovely. You pat it onto the skin, and the effects are instant; pores look visibly smaller, and appear to have disappeared in some cases (although I know they have cleverly been hidden)! I have worn it alone and under make-up, and I have been pore-free for the whole day.” Amazing.


8) Topshop Parma Violet nail polish. Described by Topshop as “fast drying, extra long wear with lasting glossy wet look finish and perfect coverage.” This is a lovely pastel shade, and was the inspiration behind my blog URL so I had to mention it in my end-of-year round up!



9) Andrea Fulerton Gemstone topcoat. About which Superdrug says “enhance the look of your nail varnish colour with this beautiful jewel effect topcoat taking varnish from day to night with dazzling shiny gem like particles.” I love this over navy blue, black and dark purple shades, it gives a really unique and different effect. It also looks really good underneath a matte topcoat. 



 

10) MAC Ever Hip lipstick from the Give Me Liberty of London 2010 collection. A peachy-orange shade with a sheen. Beautiful packaging, beautiful shade, long-lasting. 



Still haven’t managed to find a moisturiser to suit my skin type, which is extremely oily on the nose, dry everywhere else and sensitive all over. Maybe in 2011?

Monday, 13 December 2010

Errr, I think I have a problem...

Whilst bored last night, I decided to swatch all of my nail polishes so that it would be easier to pick a colour each time I wanted to paint my nails (err, every day then...). I think I must be slightly obsessed, as all I can think about now is buying more colours so that I can have a completed plate... Here are some (poor quality, as ever) pictures. Sorry about the smudging, I intend to sort this out ASAP!




55 different polishes on here, and that's without my many base coats and top coats! Eek. Can anyone beat me? Please?!

Monday, 6 December 2010

NOTD: ASOS Ciate Alexa and Andrea Fulerton Gemstone Topcoat

FIRSTLY - apologies for the hideous spaces between the text and pictures in this post, and the fact that the photos aren't aligned. I CANNOT sort it out! I blame Blogger.

Inspired by the lovely Kirsty at The Leopard Anchor, I decided to try my Andrea Fulerton Gemstone Topcoat over a dark navy shade, in my case ASOS Ciate Alexa. I am pretty sure that she actually used GOSH Rainbow in her NOTD, but I bought the Andrea Fulerton Gemstone shade as I couldn't find the GOSH colour anywhere and had heard that Gemstone was a pretty good dupe. You can find her post here. I haven't put a matte topcoat on yet as I am a little bit in love with the shininess! May pop the matte on tomorrow, depending on how I feel. As ever, photos are rubbish but give you some idea of the effect. I love it! Apologies for not tidying up my nails. 
    

   

    


Also, should I press "confirm" on my Topshop order?

Wednesday, 17 November 2010

NOTD: OPI Let Me Entertain You (Burlesque Collection)

I fell in love with OPI's Burlesque Collection as soon as I saw it online. A collection of gorgeous glitters and shimmery sheens, what's not to love? I ordered a few from the US (eBay is your friend) and Let Me Entertain You was the first to arrive, so naturally it was the first to be used. It is a beautiful pink shade with very fine fucshia glitter running throughout. It looked great after one coat, but I put a second on just to ensure the coverage was even. I love OPI polishes as they apply so easily and the layer always seems so even no matter how cack-handed you application. It was very difficult to get a good picture of this and mine certainly do it no justice, but here goes;
Taken in natural light - daytime
Taken in artificial light - evening
Taken in natural light - daytime
Beautiful! I am now very excited about receiving my next shades from the collection. Here is a picture of the full range, taken from Angel's Beauty Supply, an American site with a huge range of OPI shades;
Top row, left to right: Simmer & Shimmer, Show It & Glow It, Sparkle-icious, Let Me Entertain You, Ali’s Big Break, Tease-Y Does It.
Bottom row, left to right: Bring On The Bling, Glow Up Already, Extra-Va-Ganza, Rising Star, Take The Stage, The Show Must Go On. 
I have ordered Sparkle-icious (hoping it will be similar to my precious OPI Mad As A Hatter, although I know it is a bit brighter), Bring On The Bling and Simmer & Shimmer, but I would be quite happy with any of them, to be honest...

Thursday, 11 November 2010

NOTD: Me Me Me Proud

I've been looking for a khaki nail varnish for a while now, so was pleased when I found this one in Superdrug for the princely sum of £4.50. It is made by Me Me Me (a brand I haven't tried before) and the shade is "83 Proud". First impressions weren't that great, to be honest. The brush was awful - far too thick and ungainly for my skinny nails - and the first coat was patchy and pale. But then something fabulous happened; on application of the second coat, the pale and yellowy shade was transformed into a fabulously shiny khaki hue with no streaks at all. Here are two pictures; please excuse the dink on my index finger, I have since touched this up!




Me Me Me had quite a few interesting colours on their stand in Worcester Superdrug, and I will definitely be trying more. I'd rate this at 3.5/5, it would have been more but the brush really is terrible and the shade is slightly yellower on the nails than it is in the bottle. Fine, but not quite what I was after!

Sunday, 7 November 2010

NOTD: Nails Inc Savile Row

Like every other nail polish addict in the country, I was excited to hear that Glamour magazine was giving away a free bottle of Nails Inc nail polish with its December issue. I am not really a fan of Nails Inc, but I am a sucker for free things, even if it means I have to buy a magazine I normally avoid! I picked up Savile Row, as I already have similar shades to the other three polishes and thought it looked like a nice shade in the bottle. Just put it on now and, as is often the case with Nails Inc polishes, I am pretty disappointed. The polish is thick and gloopy, making it tricky to apply. The finish is uneven. It also refused to dry, so I have already taken it off.

The colour is really lovely, but that is the only redeeming feature. I'm glad I didn't pay the full price...

Here's a picture, which actually shows how gloopy and uneven the polish is;

It doesn't look like I took much care and attention applying it, does it?! But I promise I did!

 All in all, not impressed. Definitely not going to buy more copies of the magazine to get the other colours.


Saturday, 6 November 2010

NOTD: Topshop Gypsy Night & Topshop Matte Topcoat

I have been trying to get my hands on Topshop's Gypsy Night polish for months now, so I was very pleased to find it in Oxford Topshop yesterday. As soon as I got in, I removed my China Glaze Midnight Mission (even though it was still perfect...) and put this on. It is GORGEOUS shade; gold, bronze, green and red glitter flecks in a thinnish black base. It needed two coats for the black to be opaque, but I am used to putting two coats of polish on so this didn't bother me. I then decided to add a matte topcoat as I really like matte shimmer effects. Unfortunately I forgot to take a before picture, but here are a few shots of Gypsy Night and the matte topcoat;



I love it! The pictures really don't show just how lovely it is. 

Both polishes cost £5 and can be bought from the Topshop website.

I really like the Topshop nail polishes as they are cheap, come in a variety of unique colours, apply easily and last for days on the nails. I just wish they were available in my local store!

Wednesday, 3 November 2010

NOTD: China Glaze Midnight Mission

Used the final shade of my China Glaze Vintage Vixen set this evening, and I really think I saved the best 'til last. It's a glorious navy blue shade packed with tiny flecks of silver glitter, which shines beautifully on the nails. The glitter is very subtle, and the polish is all the better for it. Usual China Glaze - perfect in two coats, glides on easily. Two pictures, first with flash, second without;


As I said a few days ago, this collection was my first foray into the world of China Glaze. After using these shades and being so impressed with the quality of all of them, I think I can safely say that it won't be my last. Better send a nice letter to my bank manager, then...

Sunday, 31 October 2010

NOTD: China Glaze Emerald Fitzgerald

Second shade in the Vintage Vixen set I recently blogged about. Beautiful shimmery emerald shade, again easy to apply and perfect in two coats.

Here are two pictures, first taken with a flash and second taken without one;


I definitely need more China Glaze in my life!

Tuesday, 26 October 2010

NOTD: China Glaze Riveter Rouge

I was lucky enough to get my hands on a set of mini polishes from the China Glaze Vintage Vixen collection, thanks to a friend who shares my love of all things nail-related. The set arrived this morning, and the shades all look beautiful. The one that stood out to me the most as a "must try NOW" shade was Riveter Rouge, so I have just applied it now. This is the first time I've tried a China Glaze polish and I must say I am very impressed; easy application, beautiful colour and perfect in two coats. Here are a couple of pictures;
Just how gorgeous is that? 

I need to get more China Glaze polishes! Zombie Zest is top of my list, such a gorgeous and unique shade.

Monday, 18 October 2010

NOTD: Misguided Splash (free with Cosmopolitan magazine)

I love getting free nail polishes with magazines, especially when I haven't tried the brand before as it gives me chance to try out something new without having to worry about wasting money on something that doesn't work for me. Only trouble with this particular polish is that I had to buy Cosmopolitan magazine to get it. What a load of utter tripe, full of rubbish about getting your man to love you and finding out what men really think. I think my OH wondered what was up with me because of the many audible scoffs coming from the bathroom when I read this in my Saturday night bath. Anyway, back to the polish. I'd never heard of this brand before, but I really liked the colour in the bottle and wasn't disappointed with it on my nails. It's a black base packed with bronze glitter and it is absolutely gorgeous. One coat was enough for great coverage, but I can't comment on staying power as it's only been on for 12 hours. No chips yet, though. 

Here it is on my nails;

I really like it, hope it lasts.

NOTD: Essie Bermuda Shorts

I wore this last week. Took two coats to get a decent colour, and it needed a topcoat as it had a strange finish (not quite a gloss, not quite matte) but it was worth the effort. It's a gorgeous pinky purple shade and I had so many compliments. It lasted three days without chipping, which is great for me; as a teacher I have a pretty hands-on job so any polish that lasts longer than two days is a winner with me.

Here's a picture, taken after three days so please excuse chipped ends;


Highly recommended! And such a bargain at £2.50 in the ASOS sale.

NOTD: Nails Inc Basil Street

I had an interview last week (didn't get the job, boohoo) and had to choose a work-appropriate colour for it. I knew this would be tricky, but after looking through my collection I found a Nails Inc polish I got free with a magazine a couple of years ago. I'm not a huge fan of Nails Inc as I find the polishes to be streaky and tricky to apply, but thought I'd give it a go as the last polish I bought (well, got free) from them was actually pretty good. This one went on very easily, and took three coats to get a decent colour. It's a very natural blush colour, and really suited my skintone. It lasted about 12 hours before chipping, so I wouldn't buy it at full price.

Here's a picture;


How much do I need to get myself a new camera?!

NOTD: Eyeko Rain

So I mentioned in my last post (or last but one, can't remember) that I bought a few nail polishes in the ASOS sale recently, and Eyeko Rain was one of them. I wore this last week. Lovely colour, but application was tricky and staying power was poor. It only lasted two days. Here's a (bad) picture;
I don't know if I'll buy any more Eyeko polishes to be honest, although they do have some unique colours and are very cheap. Hmmm.
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