Essie Mint Candy Apple

Essie: Cute As A Button

I am utterly obsessed with corals and pinky peachy tones at the minute; I think they just capture summer on your nails! This has lead me to own quite an excessive number of aforementioned polishes so I'm slowly trying to work my way through them and do a bit of a comparison. 

This is my first try of Essie nail varnish, and I was so excited to try it after reading so much on beauty blogs and hearing my idols such as Tanya Burr and Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter rave about them! Tanya inspired me to go for Cute As A Button as it just looks so gorgeous on her! 

As you can see from the pictures I went a little bit overboard on the coral yesterday, but Cute As A Button matched my skirt PERFECTLY so it had to be done! 

I used Sally Hansen Double Duty as my base coat and top coat (available at boots) because  I think a base coat is essential when you paint your nails regularly and with bright or dark colours...nobody wants to look like they've been smoking 40 a day! I applied two coats to my toe nails and didn't bother with a top coat (I rarely do on my toes) and the result is a gorgeous milky peach tone which I adore.  The addition of a third coat and a top coat added extra vibrancy and depth and the result is lovely.  I did wake up with sheet marks on my nails this morning though which is very irritating as I painted my nails hours before bed, but maybe I rushed into putting the top coat on?! 

I think the photos make it seem more orangey/red than it does in real life, but the photos were taken on my iPhone I'm afraid so not a lot I can do.

The consistency of this nail varnish is lovely, and I am really looking forward to trying out some other shades from Essie. 

Essie is now available from Boots and Superdrug and I would highly recommend Essie as a brand if the other shades are as luxurious as Cute As A Button.

I think that this polish is pretty comparable to Pink Flamingo (blog post about it here) from Barry M, and at £2.99 a pop it is a cheaper alternative (Essie is retailing at £7.99). 

Have you tried out any Essie polishes? Which is your favourite shade? And what is your all time favourite coral?

I hope you're all having a great day

xxx

the maxi skirt is from Fat Face, and I love it! 

Make Do and Mend - Revamped Nail of the Day!

My Nails Inc. New York hot pink manicure (blog post on it here) was looking a bit tired the other day, but I really couldn't be bothered to take it all off, then repaint them so I decided to just do a bit of a make do and mend jobby instead! I simply slapped another coat of New York over the top to cover any chips (my nails are seriously weak so my nail varnish chips after a day or two regardless of the quality!) and I then got a pin and my trusty Revlon White on White and simply blobbed four or five white dots diagonally over my nail...simples!! When I do things with my right hand (my wrong hand if you get me) I'm a bit like an infant troll might be with regard to my command over objects - such as pins with white paint -  but I was surprisingly impressed with my attempt! I then popped a slick of top coat to seal the deal and hey presto they looked good as new (but better!) and provided me with a couple of days of fun nail art!!   Simple but very effective! I think I might start doing this more often as it is so much easier than starting all over again, and I am so up for the simple life! 

What do you do to get the most out of your manicure? Or are you just not as lazy as me?

xxx

NOTD: New York

This is a beautiful vibrant and opaque fuchsia/hot pink nail varnish by Nails Inc. it is the shade 150 New York and I adore it. It isn't shimmery but the high shine makes it look bright and really 'polished'.  I got this nail varnish two years ago during the time Nails Inc and Diet Coke hooked up, and despite being well loved in that time the consistency has not changed and it is still a joy to use. I find it wears well and looks so smooth and luscious on my nails, it also dries pretty quickly which I think is really important in a nail varnish because who has time to sit around for hours?! 

I get a lot of compliments on this colour, which nail varnish gets you the most attention? 

xxx

NOTD: Blue Moon & Shocker

I utterly adore this shade of blue, Barry M 317 Blue Moon, it is the perfect washed out sky blue if that makes any sense.  I think it's a really fresh colour and it's given my nails a bit of a pep even in this slightly gloomy weather. My one gripe about this shade it how long it takes to get a decent coverage. I did five, yes thats right five, coats of this and to be honest I'm still not entirely satisfied with the finish but I thought six was just absurd and I refused to do it!! The application is very watery, and although it does glide on nicely it's like you're applying a wash to your nails rather than a colour. And to be honest I don't think I'll often have the time to apply this nail varnish on a regular basis (which is probably why I hardly ever wear it!)

This picture makes it look as though it has a bit of an iridescent shimmer but this doesn't transfer to the nails so maybe that's just the result of the glass bottle.

For my base coat and my top coat I used Sally Hansen Double Duty which claims to be a strengthening Base and Top coat, I don't know if it really does strengthen but it has such a lovely brush that I don't care. 

On my toes I have used Rimmel in the colour 270 Shocker and I am going to make a bold claim and declare this as my favourite nail varnish.  I say this because I think it is the shade I have used and repurchased the most out of my entire nail varnish collection.  I usually only wear this on my toes and it just looks so gorgeous, it's such a bright shimmery fuchsia that it just makes it permanently look like summer for your toes which I love even in the depths of winter!! I went through a stage of panic buying a few bottles at a time because sometimes it wasn't in stock but I hope to god that they never discontinue this colour otherwise I might cry. It goes on so well and in two coats looks bold and even and glossy and it lasts for weeks on my toes. Can you tell I'm a bit obsessed?! 

What is your favourite ever nail varnish? 

x

NOTD: Tropical Temptation

                               Left - Without Flash. Right - With Flash                                     

Another perfect spring/summer colour that I'm embracing despite the torrential rain! This vibrant reddish-pink coral is a gorgeous bright, that really does look lovely with a tan (I'm delving into my memory here!).

With Flash on. Sally Hansen Mega Shine Top Coat.

It takes a bit of work to get a bold, streak free finish - after the first two coats it really does look like it's never going to come good, but persevere with a third and a top coat and it will!  


I'm sorry because I don't think that any of these photos do the colour justice, I think it's got a more creamy peach finish to it that is visible here (the first photo is closest to it I'd say).

What colours do you reach for when you need a bit of a pick me up? 

xxx

The Red Lip

I think it is safe to say that the red lip is a bit of a classic.  It's sexy, it's sophisticated, it's empowering but in all honesty, I think it's bloody scary to wear. Whenever I want to wear the red lip look I always seem to find a reason it would be better off not bothering, such as; my lips aren't smooth enough to pull it off, I won't have the chance to touch it up and it'll look crap within hours, it won't go with what I'm wearing.  But whenever I pluck up the courage I think it's well worth it, it does make me feel more confident (I think!).  I'm not a massive fan of the shape of my lips, they aren't a uniform colour or smooth around the edges and they are always dry, but is that enough to stop me from going for red...like hell it is!! 

 As they come 

 Lined and filled in with Max Factor Colour Elixir Lip Liner in Number 10 Red Rush

Then painted (is that what you call colouring in your lips?) with Rimmel Lasting Finish By Kate, in shade 01. With a coat of Max Factor Lipfinity Top Coat.

I know Max Factor say not to use the top coat with other colours, but I need a bit of gloss on my lips as otherwise the dryness really shows through, so you know what Max Factor can just thank their lucky stars I've chosen them as my top coat brand of choice!! 

Despite saying that it makes me feel more confident, I just walked past my brother with this lipstick on and he thought I looked disgusting, and asked if it was a joke or would I seriously wear that out...bye bye 'it's ok I can pull this off' confidence!! 

What do you think of the red lip? Am I the only one who's scared of it sometimes? 

xxx

My First Try of Mii Cosmetics

I was so excited when the gorgeous lady who does my waxing (who doesn't love the woman who can do that for you?) text me to say she was getting Mii Cosmetics for the salon, and today was the day that I got to play with them!! 


I got to try the Illuminating Face Base SPF 15, and I'm shade 03. It really is a gorgeous lightweight foundation, that gives more long lasting coverage than a tinted moisturiser but it's still really sheer (I could still see my freckles but I felt comfortable in it, which I think is a good sign).  I know it says it's illuminating, and I'm never so sure about those claims because I sometimes look plain old shiny not nice and glowing, but this truly did make me glow, and it's not until you see it in sunlight that you really get the true effect.  In fact I was meeting my dad in town just after I'd had this applied and without knowing I'd had my make up done he told me I was positively sparkling from half way down the street.  I felt sparkly too, all healthy and nice looking!! I was really gutted that they didn't have my shade in, but I am going to make sure I get my hands on some before summer because I think it'll be a summertime essential! 

Pink Flamingo

I am officially addicted to nail varnish. I will willingly admit that I have far too many shades of pink that are not different enough to warrant having so many of them, know this as I might it doesn't seem to stop me from wanting (and buying) more more more!!  I literally think I have a problem, sometimes I wont even look as I pick them up and throw them in my basket like a crazed nail polish junkie! 


Funnily enough though, since I started doing manicures in my course and therefore have to practice, I don't really like painting my nails any more.  I used to paint my nails all the time and now I really have to force myself! It's a bit like when I did English A Level I guess and I suddenly seemed to lose the ability to read even though the books were novels I would have ordinarily wanted to read!


I love this Barry M shade, 305 Pink Flamingo, it's just really fun, bright and girly.  I love it in summer and I think it really enhances your tan and even though I only have a tiny bit of colour at the moment (it's only April I guess!) it made my tan seem nicer somehow! 

Listening to - Under The Driftwood Tree, If Only If 

Reading - The Girl on the Cliff by Lucinda Riley