Giveaway: Gosh Holographic Nail Polish

As far as I know the Holographic nail polish by Gosh has been discontinued for quite a while now but I was lucky enough to find two bottles in the discount section of my local Superdrug. It's such a bitch to apply, I needed 3 coats and it still ended up patchy but it's so pretty it's worth the effort. It has a matte finish but when the light hits it erupts into a rainbow (not literally ;)) It was really hard to take a decent photo of this with the sun playing peekaboo but I did my best. Scrangie has better photos here. I paid £2.50 each but I've seen these sell on ebay for £20+ which is cray cray considering there are loads of holo polishes out there.

I don't need two bottles of this so I'm giving one away. As it was in the "bargain bin" I can't guarantee that it hasn't been opened or tested and there is a sticky label residue on the bottle, but apart from that it's perfectly fine! This giveaway is open to all readers and you can enter by filling in the Rafflecopter form below :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A little trip to TK Maxx

As I finished work earlier than usual I decided to swing by TK Maxx, specifically on the look out for some SLS free shampoos. I had a Brazilian blow dry on Friday and have to switch shampoo as the sulphates in my normal shampoo will break down the keratin and it won't last for the 3 month it's supposed to. My hair is SO greasy right now and tomorrow is day 4 so I'm going to run home after work and gleefully jump into the shower. Lank greasy curtains begone!

My sister uses Naked shampoo which is SLS free but it made my hair really dry and I had read that Tigi have SLS free shampoos which are meant to be good. There were quite a few of those large pump bottles of Tigi superstar shampoo but I bought a normal sized tube of Some Like It Hot which is heat & humidity resistant as well as sulphate free. It smells nice and I hope it works well. The shampoo section had so many great buys. There was Frederic Fekkai Shea butter shampoo for £6.99, Bumble and Bumble Creme de coco shampoo for £9.99 and lots of mini sets of MOP for £4.99.

I also found some Essie sets! A cool pale blue, a creamy salmon pink and the only one with the label still attached, 'Jam N Jelly' an iridescent fuchsia. All for a bargain sum of £9.99. The makeup section wasn't too impressive but I found this Stila bronzer for £3.99.

It's rare to find things you like or that are unopened in TK Maxx but when you do, it's brilliant. Have you found anything good recently? Also can anyone recommend a SLS free conditioner? I didn't manage to find one today.

Spring NOTD

The weather this weekend has been glorious and everyone seems to be in a good mood because of it. I would have liked to have gone out for the day but the trains are closed for engineering work and I can't be faffed with rail replacement buses so I'm currently enjoying the sunshine from my sister's bedroom with a large cup of tea and a biscuit (or two).




I decided to paint my nails in keeping with the weather and to me, nothing screams "Spring" more than pastels. My favourite two colours Barry M Mint Green and Berry Ice Cream go so well together, don't you think?

What are you wearing on your nails at the moment? Hope everyone else has had a good weekend xx

Nail dilemmas

Wedding prep stress has finally caught up with me hence the lack of posts and because it's Ramadan, I just don't have the energy or will to blog when I get home from work. I wanted to post this about two weeks ago but haven't had the chance!

With the "big day" (*scoff*) about 6 weeks away I'm more worried about little things like how I want my nails. I haven't been blessed with the most delicate/feminine hands, mine are fat and stubby! I also have very small nail beds and even when I grow them out they look irregular and just not picture perfect.



I bought some falsies from Boots to see how they'd look and even though they were extra short, I had to file them down like a mother so they wouldn't look ridiculous. They're not as natural looking as I'd like them to be which bugs me but the length gives the appearance of elongated fingers. Also I'm stumped about what colour they should be. I don't like french tips so I was veering towards a natural-ish pink but it's hard to find one that looks good for my skin tone. Nearly all of the nude or pale pink polishes which are marketed as suitable for a wedding are way too light or pastelly for me.



I found this set of O.P.I minis in TKMaxx and "Pinking of You" was a bit too bright so I layered Ciate's "My Fair Lady" which came free with Marie Claire and the end result was as above. I'm not totally won over but this is the best I've come up with yet. I'm sorely tempted to rock some glitter nails or a bright pink but will this look tacky in the photos and will I regret it 20 years down the line? Decisions, decisions........

NOTD: GOSH Mouse Grey

I won this mini polish in a giveaway by Beautylicious Love and it's been on my nails since I received it almost a week ago. Actually surprised at how much I like this considering it's grey, the total opposite of the pinks and corals I usually favour. Application was lovely and smooth and it was chip free for 3 or 4 days (without a topcoat). I can't find these on Superdrug's awful website or even the GOSH one but apparently they come in 20 limited edition colours and are available now (£2.99 for 5ml). Don't know how this compares to GOSH's regular line of nail polish but I was impressed.

Been feeling rather uninspired lately which is why I haven't been blogging much but hope to rectify that soon. Hope you're all well xx

NOTD: Two toned orange and pink nails

I felt like deviating from my usual pink nails and went for something different.

I used two coats of Barry M's Pink Flamingo as a base and added a diagonal stripe of Rimmel's Apricot Punch with the help of scotch tape as a guide. Pink Flamingo is a neon pink and the brightest one I own. Opaque in two coats and great consistency so no complaints from me. Apricot Punch could be one of my favourite colour polishes if it wasn't part of the fruity scent range. The colour is great but the apricot scent lasts for ages, even with a top coat and it was starting to annoy me.

Despite this one niggle, I like how it turned out even if the edges are a bit wobbly. Didn't realise orange and pink go so well together!

NOTD: Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday

Yeh baby! Finally got my hands on this after so freaking long. Costing £16, it's the most I've ever spent on a nail polish and probably the only time I ever will. Move over Chanel, your polishes are pretty but they chip and fade like a mofo. I wish I could afford to pay £14 a pop for the standard Deborah Lippmann polishes because they swatch like a dream. Most have a jelly like finish which I love.

Anyway, if you don't like glitter polishes then you're probably recoiling in disgust right now because this is like a multicoloured disco ball exploded on your nails. I love the chunky glitter particles and don't think I've seen anything else like it.

My cuticles and skin around my fingers are awful, I apologise. These photos show about three coats and it's a bit patchy but I prefer that way. I found that you have to "place" the glitter on the second coat rather than just brushing it on. Haven't got a clue about how long it lasts yet because I only bought this 2 hours ago.

It's still in stock on the HoF website but who knows how long that will last so get it whilst you can if you want it.

Barry M Nail Paint in 'Yellow'

So with the release of Chanel's Mimosa, it seems that the new colour for summer is yellow and I'm glad because I LOVE bright nails and there's nothing brighter than the colour of the sun.

I'm sure there are many dupes out there but I went for the easiest yellow I could find - good old realiable Barry M.

I'm keeping my finger nails bare at the moment as they're peeling like crazy. No one wants to see someone else's feet so hopefully my sandal encased ones won't offend too much. This banana coloured polish needs to be applied on a smooth nail bed otherwise you'll need at least four coats like I did, because any ridges/imperfections will show up.

Despite being a 4 coater to become fully opaque, I can't wait to rock this colour on my finger nails.

Will you be following the yellow trend this summer?

NOTD - I got WAH'd!

WAH'd? Or is it WAH-ed? Anyway my NOTD is courtesy of WAH nails, something I've wanted to get done for a while. I actually got these done for free at the WAH pop up nail bar at the Barbican, where there were many events going on this weekend.

There were a select few designs to choose from including the popular leopard print but I wanted something I had never tried before so opted for polka dot pow nails. It took roughly 15 minutes and I looooove them. I can't allow myself £20+ manis on a regular basis but for special occasions I am definitely going back!

NOTD: Barry M in Mint Green

I have to say that Barry M is my favourite nail polish brand for bringing out affordable and quality polishes in a wide range of colours. Absolutely loving this mint green at the moment, something I never thought would happen but I like the contrast against my skintone. I think it would look even better come summer!

NOTD: American Apparel in Rouge

Remember when I said I went on a nail polish spree? Well these are American Apparel polishes I came home with. I know they've been around for a while but I forgot they existed until Becky from Style and the City posted about one colour in particular.




The colour I'm wearing today is Rouge, a dark and dusky rose which is very Autumnal. This is (a messy) two coats but I actually prefer one coat as it looks lighter and prettier in my opinion.

They're £7 each or three for £17 and I could have easily bought 10 bottles. There are so many nice colours and it was really hard to choose just three. Temptalia has swatches of pretty much the whole collection here and here. I defy anyone to have a look and not want at least two or three!

NOTD: H&M Hello Kitty in Turquoise

The other day I went on a nail polish spree and came home with 5 new bottles. I only went in for one but I just couldn't help myself, which always seems to be the case. This what I am wearing on my nails today.

This bottle caught my eye whilst browsing H&M and I wasn't too sure if their Hello Kitty branded polishes were any good but I loved the bright colour.

It's definitely a two coater and really does need a top coat to make it glossy. The consistency of the polish isn't brilliant and I wasn't expecting much for £1.99, but the brush? Frigging awful! Worst brush ever - it's thin and the bristles are stuck together making the polish drag and the application VERY frustrating. Arghh!

Steer clear if you're ever tempted. The colour is lovely but turquoise polishes can be found in any brand.

Beauty on a budget: The many uses of Almond oil

A few months ago I bought this bottle of sweet almond oil with the intention of creating my own makeup remover. Sadly this turned out to be a big fat fail as I couldn't get the correct quantities of water and oil. Instead of chucking it, I decided to use it as a hair conditioner.

It's much heavier than coconut oil so a little goes a long way. Mostly on my ends and a little massaged into my roots. I leave it in for at least an hour and wash out throroughly. It makes my hair look glossier than it's usual dull state.

There's many other uses but here are my preferred ways:

On my skin: Instead of using body lotion, I use almond oil after I shower. Almond oil is often one of the main ingredients in body butters because it's a rich source of Vitamin E and a good emollient. It's especially good on rough areas such as elbows, knees and feet. I don't slather myself in it, I rub a pea sized amount between my hands then apply - it isn't greasy at all. It doesn't have a strong scent and I can only smell it if I sniff from the bottle - a faint sweet nutty scent. Body oils are usually really expensive but this does the same job for a fraction of the price. My bottle was only £1.50 from Waitrose.

Conditioning my eyelashes: I wear waterproof mascara everyday which isn't too kind to my lashes. I rub almond oil into my lashes and along the lashline to condition them.

Conditioning my nails and cuticles: Similarly, constant nail polish wear makes my nails dry and brittle. I use almond oil to try and repair the damage. It's also great at softening up ragged cuticles.

All in all, a big thumbs up for almond oil. It's inexpensive, multifunctional and 100% natural.

Nail Rock Nail Wraps

I love the look of Minx nails but as is the story with most things, I can't really afford them. Then I read about these nail wraps on BritishBeautyBlogger which seemed like a good and affordable substitute.

I bought mine for £6.50 from Topshop but you can also get them on Asos. I originally wanted leopard printed ones but they didn't have any so settled for these plain silver wraps.



Application is simple - place the wrap on your finger nail, apply heat from a hairdryer to activate the glue, press down firmly and file off the excess. However it's so fiddly and time consuming. It took me a good 30minutes to do one hand and I managed to burn my cuticles with the heat from my hairdryer :(



I have to say I'm a bit disappointed with the outcome. My thumb, forefinger and middle finger came out so crap and I couldn't smooth out the wrinkles. I think this is because my nail beds are more curved on these fingers than on my ring and little finger which came out great. That's what I'm telling myself anyway!

They didn't last long, about two days? The edges became flappy and I ended up peeling them off because they were irritating me so much. I won't be repurchasing these because they're too much hassle for me. But for special occasions they would be great.

NOTD: Barry M Limited Edition 030

Sorry for two nail polish related posts in a row but I found this Barry M polish today and I had to apply it as soon as I got home. I actually went into Boots to see if I could find their new Instant Nail Effects polish but also spied this beauty. I can't find it on the website but the sticker says "Boots Limited Edition 030" so perhaps you can only buy it there? Anyway I got both for a fiver (don't know how long this offer lasts).



Like every other Barry M polish, it's a two coat job (but one would be okay too). I'm hoping this will last because I loooove the vibrant glossy colour and I really think it suits my skintone.



At first I thought it was too similar to Blueberry Ice Cream, which it appears to be judging by the bottle. However I compared swatches along with Revlon's Plum Seduction and you can see the results for yourself - it's between a plum and lilac colour.

oh Barry M, you never fail to disappoint with your nail paints.

Who needs Seche Vite when you have Barry M?

I have never tried the much raved about Seche Vite topcoat nor do I feel the need to since my Barry M 3 in 1 basecoat, topcoat & nail hardner is so brilliant. Remember my leopard print nails I did last week? Well today is day 8 and there is minimal tip wear and not a chip in sight.



See? Amazing I tell you!

My rubbish attempt at gradient nails

Whilst looking through the fuckyeahprettynails tumblr I came across these amazing gradient nails! I never knew it was possibile to do this before so was pretty impressed.

source: pamheega

I wanted to have a stab at it myself and turned to youtube to see what I could find. There are lots of tutorials on gradient/two tone nails but I went along with the techniques as seen in this one.

I used Barry M's "Berry Ice cream" as my base coat and Collection 2000's "Dynasty" and George by Asda's "Streamer" as the two top coat colours. I didn't have a makeup sponge so I used a washing up one that I cut up.

This is how it turned out - splodgey and without a gradient, which is because the sponge I used was coarse. I am going to buy some cheapo makeup sponges (which are much smoother) and will post my second attempt in the near future. Now where's my nail polish remover.......

NOTD: Nails Inc in London

This is the colour I picked from the Nails Inc and Diet Coke promotion running at Boots and I really don't think I can pull it off. I only chose this shade as I own nothing like it and I've already got too many pinks and red as it is. It's being promoted as a nude but to me it's mushroomy and sometimes I think it looks like a muddy lilac - I'm crap at describing colours, sorry!

Yay or Nay? I'm veering towards nay.....

p.s  I only applied one shoddy coat as I'm holding out for Barry M's Berry Ice Cream but it's sold out everywhere!

Another lovely find from TK Maxx

I popped into my local TK Maxx this afternoon to get some new gym gear and whilst waiting to pay, I found this set of mini Essie polishes.

I have been longing to try Essie but can't afford to shell out £8.95 per bottle. However, this set has four mini 5ml bottles for the grand total of £9.99 (RRP15.95). A great way to try four different Essie polishes without breaking the bank! 

The other set on sale was Magnifique French, but I opted for Mega Mini Jewels.

The colours from left to right are: Really Red, Pink Glove Service, Vanity Fairest and Marshmellow. 

I can't wait to try that vibrant red out - expect some Essie NOTD's very soon!

Also if you're a fan of Nails Inc, they had sets on sale for £12.99.

It can hit and miss most times, but I love finding a TK Maxx bargain!

Misa Nail Lacquers

When I was studying at LCF, I was based at the glamourous(!) Hackney campus on Mare St and across the road was a nail beauty supply store. I can't be sure but I swear they used to sell OPI, but as I was never interested in nail polishes I never went to check it out. Last week I got my hair cut nearby and decided to pay a visit. There are mostly wholesale products but the back wall of the shop has a very large display of Misa nail polishes. I had never heard of the brand before but they looked great and I figured why not?

I chose 2 colours (which I can't remember the name of, I'm sorry!) and a non yellowing base/top coat called Breakneck.

I like that the glass bottle is chunky and the lid is the same as OPI's. You also get the same amount of polish as OPI - 15ml, but at a fraction of the price. These were £2.50 each!

I've been wearing this lovely nude mauve colour for the past week and so far it's been great. It hasn't faded or chipped and I love the glossy finish. I will definitely go back for more but I don't think I would purchase the base/top coat because it peels off so easily (or maybe it was old stock - who knows?).

But if you are ever in East London (it's a short bus ride from Bethnal Green station), it would be worthwhile to check this shop out.

USA Nails & Beauty Supply.
235 Mare St
London E8. 3NS