NOTDs from Nailbarone

After a successful time shopping for all manners of lovely stuff such as Culpeper soaps, exclusive cat toys and luxurious knitting yarn from Noro in York, we arrived at walk-in nail bar Nailbarone on Swinegate. After amusing ourselves for about ten minutes watching the 'assembly line' style nail service and perving on the shelves of OPI, Essie and China Glaze polishes on sale, it was time for our shape and polish. I chose the dark dusty seafoam green beauty "Going Incognito" and my pal Rachy went for the blood-red killer creme "Up's".

After washing our hands, the hands were smothered with luxuries hand cream and any old nail polish was removed. The nails were then shaped by filing. After that a coat of Nailtiques base coat went on, then the coats of polish was meticulously applied (no clean-up required!!) and it was sealed with a generous slick of Seche Vite top coat. We love these manis! I fell for "Going Incognito" so badly, I came home with a bottle for my stash...

In a sort of assembly line up to six clients was serviced at the same time by 3 nail technicians! I was very impressed with the super-neat and speedy service, and for less than £10 per person! We have been admiring our super-shiny nails while having a home-made curry and playing "Residen Evil" on the Wii with red wine! :) And tomorrow we are off to IKEA! Woohoo! But now I have to drink my coffee and cuddle Rachy's white kitty and watch some TV before bed!

Knitting on the train...

As the train has been mega-busy, I have knitted away squeezed up in a corner so I've not got very fast and the tension is all off... But it passes the time...

Cute story!

Usually Aberdeen does not have a lot of good stories in the press, but this story of a robin and a supermarket is just that - a feel good story! :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-12276087

I am off to York for the weekend and it looks like it may be walk-in manicure day tomorrow while shopping so stay tuned :D

NOTD: Isadora "Pink Cadillac"

Feeling a not better but still very tired. So I chose a pink polish - or so I thought! In indoor light its grey-lilac, in this photo slightly mauve-pink and in outdoor light pink??

This is 2 sloppy costs with top coat (too tired to tidy it up). Kind of stringy formula but it had a kind of self levelling quality. I would love it if Isadora decided to break into the UK market, if only for online sales...

Anyway I'm off again, busy installing drivers onto my resurrected desktop pc... :)

Hey guys...

..check out LACQUERLAINE'S BEST OF 2010! It's a roll of the most glorious polishes of the past year and it certainly cheered me up :D

Comparison: Nails Inc "Denim" and "Hanover Square"

Please find above bottle comparisons for these polishes - they are indeed dupes.... Oh I really wish I'd gone for "Heather Grey" instead!

NOTD: Nails Inc Diet Coke Exclusive "Denim"

Sorry I've not been around lately, I came down with a stomach bug last Wednesday and I am still signed off sick as it has not improved... Very run down and waiting for test results to come back. Ugh... Anyway, onto today's story - when I went to Boots to get some more rehydration salts on Tuesday I spotted this years Diet Coke limited edition Nails Inc polishes, a free bottle with purchase of 2 Diet Coke 500ml! If you're quick you there may still be some polishes left!

I chose this one, but in hindsight I should've gone for the "Heather Grey", as they will probably be sold out by the time I get back there and "Denim" may be a little bit too close to the old, now discontinued Nails Inc "Hanover Square" of which I have 2 bottles... I will do some comparisons in daylight tomorrow.

This, I kid you not, is 1 coat with NO top coat. I am not joking. The formula on this is AMAZING!!! Just what I needed right now. That, and those juicy blueberries in the background. Now if I could only get my hands on "Heather Grey". I have a feeling it will be a lighter version of Essie "Angora Cardi", one of my top ten faves of all time. For the nostalgic of us, here is my top pick from the Diet Coke exclusives last year - "London".

Guest NOTD!

My old pal The Evil Beech sent me her new nails, so here they are :)

NOTD: Rimmel Play Fast "Mouthy"

I'm sorry I've been absent, I have a terrible case of gastroenteritis, cause so far unknown. I had to get up and do something today so I made a sugary cup of very weak tea then repainted my nails...

As you know I have a thing for Rimmels... This is a nice and juicy tangerine. 3 coats, it's quite sheer. It has cheered me up a bit but I now need a nap...

NOTD: 17 "Toasted almond"

I got a gift set of twelve 17s from my dear colleagues at work :) this is one if the sheers, a rosy lilac shimmer - v nice for a sheer! This is two coats and Megashine top coat.

Birthday NOTD: Rimmel Play Fast "Camouflage"

So it's my birthday once again and I ain't getting any younger so to cheer myself up I put on "Camouflage" to go with my new green knitted dress I got myself half price in the January sales :)

Once my nails dry I'm off to fancy lunch with my man and hoping the kitten doesn't trash the place while we are out!

The Supersuckers!!

Sometimes all you need in life is ear-bleeding rock n roll!

Here's to the "greatest mother****ing rock n roll band in the world"!!  :D

NOTD: Isadora "Shocking Lilac"

I've had this for a while but I believe I've never worn it. In some lights the bottle shows a cool green duochrome but none of that on the nail :( this is 3 coats, it's a bit thin and sheer.

It's an ok polish, nothing special apart from the duochrome in the  bottle. Just a less vibrant version of China Glaze "Coconut Kiss". I guess I could layer a sheer sparkly green over it?..

NOTD: GOSH "Holographic"

I've got to say this is the best holo I've ever seen, some say its even better than the mythical Chanel holo...
This is two careful coats with no top coat - it can get streaky with bald patches if you go ovet same area twice and top coat scatters the holo effect.
I'm sorry I'm still posting with my phone, my camera is still on strike. Hoping to have it sorted soon!

NOTD: Boots 17 "Bolt from the blue"

My goodness this is the rubbishest  polish formula I've encountered in a while :( It's certainly quick-dry, it dries before you can paint it on... It's so thick and stringy, it sort of tacks to and removes the layer underneath even if said layer is dry. And it's streakier than a cheap spray tan... This is 3 arduous coats, and it's still streaky in places.

"Nil point", Boots 17... In fact I may even todd this in the bin I'm so annoyed with it.

REVIEW: Weleda Skin Food

Having some problems with my camera, so hope you don't mind me using the Weleda stock photo for this review COPYRIGHT Weleda 2010

The snow we've had recently has been really bad for my skin. I have been using Weleda's Calendula Weather Protection Cream but the darn tube head has broken and the waxy liquid was everywhere in my toiletries holder... I decanted it into a glass jar and it is still my go-to for harsh cold windy trips out in the countryside, but Skin Food is my new love for protecting the skin in the cold every day!



I love the richness of the cream! Just what I need right now. It is soothing and almost cooling on the skin and has that Weleda fresh smell of natural ingredients. I have started using it on my cuticles too during the day as they are just a disaster area at the moment...



It does leave a slight oily feeling on your skin but it absorbs away after a few minutes. It is definitely the cream for my winter skin. I have been using the Swiss Apple serum underneath it at night, and my skin is looking very soft and glowy - a major difference from a week ago :)



I wouldn't recommend using this if you are pregnant or have super-sensitive skin as it contains essential oils.