Thursday 30 June 2011

NOTD: Isadora "Dolce Vita" with Konad



It's been ages since I used my Konad kit - I've almost forgot how to do it! I prefer the chunky patterns as they seem to go on best. This is 2 coats of "Dolce Vita" which is an ok creme but it is a bit streaky in its application, with Konad pattern in China Glaze "Emotion", which is one of the best metallic polishes ever. I slicked on a coat of FastForward top coat over the top.

I am gearing up for the 5k run on Sunday - it's in aid of Cancer Research UK. Please consider sponsoring me, here is a photo of some of my pink running gear and my race number! You can sponsor me online via JustGiving:

http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/memberssupport

Tuesday 28 June 2011

NOTD: Glitter French manicure


I really fancied something sparkly but after spending ages rubbing off the Nfu-Oh flakie polish I didn't want to do a whole-nail glitter. So I did a glitter French mani! This is Rimmel Whitening Polish with Isadora "Sparkling Ice" which is a very fine holographic glitter. I struggled to capture the sparkle here - it is insanely sparkly but it doesn't seem to translate to the camera... I will try and get a photo in sunlight tomorrow. Very fresh and light, perfect for cooling off in this weird warm humid weather we are experiencing just now...

Sponsor me!

On Sunday, I am doing the Race for Life in aid of CancerResearch UK along with my colleagues at work. I am doing it in the memory of my Auntie who passed away from cancer last year. The monies raised on the website go straight to the charity. I will post my Race for Life nails on Saturday night (the theme for Race for Life is always pink) and I will hopefully have some funny photos of us all in our costumes on Sunday!

If you would like to donate towards a very good cause (every penny counts, no donation too small!), please visit our JustGiving page:

http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/memberssupport

Sunday 26 June 2011

NOTD: Isadora "Pink Lemonade" with Nfu-Oh "49"


After breaking the vacuum cleaner while tidying the house I finally had time to put on new nail polish! I looked for the Accessorize one but it's gone missing, I think that a certain kitten may have knocked it off the table then batted it behind something...

So I did this layering instead! Hot and tropical and just what I needed after a day of rain... This is 2 coats of the Isadora whick is a hot coral pink and 2 coats of Nfu-Oh topped with FastForward top coat. It's hard to capture the beauty of this, I just love the duochrome flecks in the Nfu-Oh's!

Friday 24 June 2011

NOTD: No 7 "Golden Palms"



Yes, your suspicions are right - I did wear my funky 'French' manicure all week! And I have had sooooo many positive comments from people who wouldn't normally notice my nails. I really liked the concept but next time I will make them more abstract.

But by today it was looking a bit worse for wear so I took it off and put this on as I am stuck again in Duke Nukem Forever. I got "Golden Palms" about maybe a month ago with one of those £5 No 7 voucher you get from time to time in Boots. That means you pay £1 for a £6 polish so not bad!

I want to love "Golden Palms" but, I don't. This is 3 coats with FastForward top coat and I can still see my nails underneath... The shimmer is lovely but this puppy needs to be layered to achieve it's potential. The formula is good though, it slicks on with minimal fuss and no messy cuticles. The colour is kind of similar to Sinful "Color Scare" but with larger glittery bits. But it's not going to make it into the Hall Of Fame. That's OK though as I've got a killer Accessorize nail polish I've been meaning to show you so this gives me the excuse to change my nails again for Monday!

I also got a free b.right! skin care set from Benefit with this weeks Grazia magazine! I have been wanting to try these out since they came out but dreaded the price tag for taking a gamble. I will give this set 1 week then review it for you! How cute is the packaging though???

Anyway, I am off to track down the kitten outside as it's past his bedtime, then I will get some icecream and me and him can read my Grazia magazine together on the sofa! :)

Thursday 23 June 2011

Review: Simple Kind to Skin Moisture Boost Hydro Mist


I recently acquired a new moisturiser from my fave skin care range Simple (review to come next week), which happens to have a complementary facial spritz. As summer progresses I am getting more tanned and more dry, so I got the facial spritz as well to try! And I am glad I did!

If you've never tried a facial spritz before, all you basically do is spray it on your face and decolletage. That's it. What you should look for is a nice fine mist, with no heavy drops. Beauty geek faves are Evian or Dermatologica Multi-Active Toner. If you're into the natural thing, bottle up rose water in a spray bottle and use that!

Anyway back to the review. This has the same flat 'non-perfumed' smell that most of Simple's products do. It's not a bad thing, as the products are made for sensitive skin which usually doesn't like perfume! It mists nicely, so no big drops or anything. It says you can use it over makeup, but I wouldn't do that if you are using powder or mineral makeup. Over my foundation, which happens to be Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, it settles very nicely without disturbing any of my makeup.

It feels very soothing and cooling when you mist it on, especially if you like me sit around an air conditioned office all day. It doesn't feels sticky after it dries either. It's my new desk must-have product along with my hand cream and cuticle oil! It really does gives you that enviable dewy glow... Just lock it away at night time!

Simple Kind to Skin Moisture Boost Hydro Mist is on offer just now at Superdrug for £3.99 so get there before everyone else does!!

ALSO...

Check out Vakkerlakk's Yatzy Manicure! How cute! I grew up playing Yatzy on rainy days inside the summer cottage during school holidays and I still take it out if I am unhappy :)

Monday 20 June 2011

NOTD: Funky French Manicure




Today I got my pass mark for the drawing course at university I did so I was very happy and hence I needed a happy manicure! In order of appearance from my thumb to my pinkie are:

THUMB: GOSH 'Wild Lilac' with Nails Inc 'Miami Purple'
INDEX: Rimmel LycraPRO 'Urban Princess' with Rimmel 60sec 'Funtime Fuschia'
MIDDLE: Rimmel LycraPRO 'Aqua Cool' with Isadora 'Miami Blue'
RING: Rimmel LycraPRO 'Peppermint' with Rimmel Lasting Finish 'Misty Jade'
PINKIE: Rimmel Lasting Finish Fruities 'Lemon Drop' with Rimmel Lasting Finish 'Sunshine'

I really like the way it turned out even though it looks miles better a bit further away!

Updated NOTD


I posted this on Saturday or so I thought but it seems to have mysteriously disappeared. Anyway, I made a little love heart in GOSH Turqoise Nail Glitter on my ring finger :) It is very sparkly but it was really hard to capture it with the camera! It's actually still looking great today on Monday morning after a Sunday of gardening!

Friday 17 June 2011

NOTD: GOSH "Pool Party"


After snagging the glitter tips on my kittens fur one too many times I decided to put top coat on it. DO NOT PUT TOP COAT ON GOSH NAIL GLITTER... It went almost black and very dull with no sparkle left :(

I will totally do another GOSH Nail Glitter manicure because of the sparkle just not on the tips, it just snags on your clothes all the time. In fact have something in mind for this manicure for tonight, so stay tuned...

Anyway this is a polish I've had for a while but not tried, so I thought it was about time. It's similar to No7 "Totally Teal" , and also Nails Inc "Electric Teal", but not as dark. Nails Inc "Hanover Square" and "Denim" are also similar but "Pool Party" is not as navy. It's rather nice and has that opaque, supersmooth GOSH formula I love. This is 2 coats with China Glaze FastForward top coat.

Now all I need is some of that turquoise nail glitter....

Thursday 16 June 2011

GOSH Nail Glitter

I had a lot of tip wear so I but the glitter on the tips only. I did as it says on the box:

1) Put clear polish where you want glitter to be.
2) Dip the nail in glitter pot.
3) Brush off excesses back into pot.

I haven't added top coat yet but the scratchy glitter is attracting fluff from everywhere so I may have to put one on...

Ooooh ...


I spy with my little blue eye something beginning with s...

You're right - sparkly! I scored these babies at Superdrug at lunchtime, I can't wait to add the mega-hot fuschia (although it claims to be ruby red??) glitter onto my current manicure. I may go for a 'tips-only' thing... We shall see! :)

These are £3.99 in Superdrug, in store now, supposedly there are 10 shades but I was too excited to count...

Wednesday 15 June 2011

NOTD: Nivea Beaute "Rosa Fuschia"

Burning hot fuschia this evening! :) Just really needed something super bright. This is ONE coat with Fast Forward top coat! Woohoo!

I'm not sure if Nivea still do their makeup range in Sweden; this polish is a good 8urs old or more. Very nice formula though but its bound to be full of nasty chemicals now banned in EU! O_o

Tuesday 14 June 2011

World Blood Donor Day

Just dropping in to say today is World Blood Donor Day. If you live in Scotland and is fit and healthy, please consider giving blood today to save thousands of lives every year - please register at the Governments' Scotblood website today.

I personally donate both blood for transfusions as well as for platelet therapy. It can be slighly uncomfortable for about 30 minutes every two months or so, but in that time with no effort you will save someone's life. My blood type is one of the rarest in the world, so if you have a rare type or the universally useable O type, it is even more important to consider giving blood!

I will be showing you my best red manicure tonight to celebrate all the people all over the world who donate blood!

Sunday 12 June 2011

NOTD: Primark Beauty "Chrome Caramel"

This is my first polish for a week, I just never felt like polish after taking off the Shellac. I am stuck on an impossible boss in Duke Nukem Forever, so decided to put this on while contemplating a strategy... This isn't a fantastic polish, it has lots of streaks but this is only 1 coat. It will do for tomorrrow! Its supposedly UV reactive as well, but I don't go to a lot of rave parties these says so I can't verify that for you! :)

Friday 10 June 2011

Please hold...

"It's time to kick ass and chew bubblegum..

..and I'm all outta gum..."

Friday 3 June 2011

Shellac update


So this is Day 11 of my gorgeous green Shellac mani, and there is only one scuff on the middle finger - the thing on my index finger is my computer screen reflecting off the still glass-like surface! I am very pleased with this particular Shellac manicure, it is so 'me' and has again lasted so well through my busy life. However, you will be glad to know, I am not ready to give up regular polish just yet! I will probably remove this before next week as I am dying for a bit of variety...

The hand cream I am holding is Jensens Naturals Extra Softening, which while it doesn't smell as yummy as their Ultra-Hydrating Hand Cream, is still very nice. The only problem I have with it is that as it contains Shea Butter, it slips right off your hand if you put a blob on as the Shea Butter melts in an instant when put onto your warm hands. But it does soften scaly fingers ( and I have 10 of them) and seems to last until you wash your hands again. I will probably go back to the Ultra-Hydrating one after I finish this as I am seriously addicted to the smell of it... 8-)

Wednesday 1 June 2011

New stuff...



I went into Debenhams at lunchtime for no particular reason and there I happened upon a new stand of these polishes from Filthy/Gorgeous! I spotted a dark green creme that I may 'need' called "Slush", but the price of £9 means I will be waiting until they do one of their sale events. I did however get a wee brochure telling me more about them!

Anyone know anything about these polishes they wish to share? :)