Sunday 17 February 2013

Blue Slate

Todays post was going to be a Sunday Kitchen Post, but I am currently in bed with what feels like flu :( but the blog will go on!

I hauled this polish a year ago when the Revlon Colorstays first came to the UK, I also picked up the top and base coat. I couldn't have been too impressed with them as I haven't reached for them ever since, but I do find myself admiring Blue Slate, its probably my love of blue polishes ;)






Saturday 16 February 2013

My Favourite Spring Polishes!

The weathers changed (at last) and the days are starting to get longer here in the UK and we have started to see our first glimpses of sun! which has started to make me think about all the fun spring polishes I want to wear over the coming days!




As you can tell from the swatches, I much prefer creme finish polishes for spring, no glitter or shimmer necessary! so lets jump in!

Frist up is First Mate by China Glaze, CG isn't a brand I normally gravitate towards. I have the classics e.g.. Ruby Pumps and For Audrey but most releases from this brand I can skip, the formula doesn't tend to wear as well as OPI or Essie for me, so I would rather invest in those. First Mate was released with the Anchors Away Collection in Spring 2011 and I instantly fell in love with this royal blue verging on navy. Its the perfect mix of the two, and my favourite formula, add  in a nautical theme and Im there!

Borrowed and Blue screams Spring/Summer to me! I wore this polish the whole time I was in Rome back in 2011 and it looks fantastic with a tan! this is the ultimate soft powder blue.

Kiko 339 (Cornflower) is a great alternative to Essie Lapis of Luxury, although I wouldn't be without it in my collection! Cornflower is a little bit more of a true blue than LoL. But its great to have a back up colour. Kiko have so many "dupes" for Essie, if you have a chance to try this brand I highly recommend them, who doesn't love a cheaper alternative?

Shifting to lilacs now, here I have chosen Rumples Wiggin' from the OPI Shrek Forever After Collection, Kiko 330 (Lilac) and Planks a Lot from Pirates of The Carribbean. Lilac has alwayes been one of my favourite colours to wear on my nails, its girly without being pink. I can see myself wearing lots of these types of shades this year. I'm even thinking I may need to do a lilac ombre manicure... watch this space.

From the lilacs we shift into the pinks, not being a pink girly it takes a lot to make me like a pink polish, this is no7 Stay perfect LE shade in Sugar which was released a couple of years ago I believe. This makes me think of seaside rock and the colour reminds me of Essie French Affair, if I can get hold of that polish I will let you know how they compare

For a bright pink I have chosen Barry M GNP 8 Grapefruit. A HOT pink, I picked this one for the high shine finish. I am in LOVE with these Gelly polishes!!



Next is a coral/peachy/orange colour, I think this is the colour I am thinking of when I say I'm looking for a coral polish, I have gone wrong so many times looking for a true coral (like Shoot out at the OK Coral) This is Tarte Deco, but a good alternative is Kiko  358 (peach Rose). I am thinking Van d'go maybe better suited to me ... I will keep you posted :)

I only have two yellows in my collection, and Barry M is defiantly my fav of the two, Lemon Ice Cream is yellow enough to POP but not too yellow to look like pee. Perfect!?

and finally, my favourite colour group - Turquoise and greens!

Kiko 345, a minty green, this fills the void where Essie Mint Candy Apple should be. That will probalby be my net purchase.


Another Kiko polish now (wow I really love Kiko huh)? 389 is the truest turquoise polish I own. I have seen so many blogs compare this to Barry M Mint Green or Essie Turquoise and Caikos, and in turn China Glaze for Audrey to Barry M MG and TaC to Mermaids Tears so heres a comparison swatch, as you can see they are all totally different, which means I can warrant owning them all! hehe!



Lastly we have a newby to my collection, Barry M GNP Greenberry, need I say anymore? love, Love, LOVE!

Which are your favourite polishes for Spring?






What are you most looking forward to for Spring?

Friday 15 February 2013

Lovie Dovie

For today's manicure I was looking for a soft, delicate grey, and this polish is perfect! this is Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Dorien Grey, another Poundland purchase. 





It was a little sheer, this is three coats, but it is such a pretty colour. Not as dark as Barry M np 293 or Boots no7 Grey Matter and pairs wonderfully with the next polish I'm going to show you.

Pirouette my Whistle is quickly becoming my glitter polish of choice, I think I will have to purchase a back up!







What is your favourite colour to pair PmW with?

Thursday 14 February 2013

Valentines Manicures: Here are My favourites

Happy Valentines Day everyone! I hope you are celebrating today with your special someone.

Here are a selection of my favourite Valentines Manicures from over the past three years! let me know which one is your favourite in the comments :)


My Naked Valentines (LINK)




Tuxedo Nail Art (LINK)



Love Lifts Us Up Where We Belong (LINK)




Valentines POP Art! (LINK)



Heart Gradient (LINK)




Roses are Red (LINK)




Tiffanys and Roses (LINK)

Wednesday 13 February 2013

Velentines Manicure: POP art! featuring NEW Barry M Gellys Green Berry + Dragon

I was so excited to see these in my local Superdrug as they never seem to get the Barry M collections until weeks after there are released. I was so excited I just snapped up the two I wanted to try first;  Dragon and Green Berry.









Dragon GNP 11 is the perfect Barbie, hot pink with subtle shimmer, so subtle I didn't even notice it until I got the polishes home and was about to paint my nails. The application of these is a little tricky, Barry M claims that they are one coaters, but I don't think that is the best way. The swatches you see here are all 3 thin coats, which gives a nice smooth, non-gloopy opaque finish.


GNP 11 Dragon







GNP 12 Green Berry





There are four new additions to the Barry M Gelly family, Dragon (pink), Lychee (nude beige), Papaya (orange), and Green Berry (green), and are available in Superdrug now!

Have you tried Barry M Gellys? which colour is your favourite?

xoxo

Tuesday 12 February 2013

Valentines Manicures: So Romantic



Today's nail polish colour is OPI Isn't it Romantic from the 2009 Fairytale Brides: Softshades collection. It is a very sheer pink (this it 4 coats!) with a completely unique green flash. But this polish alone isn't Valentines themed enough. So I added 2 coats of Nothin' Mouse 'bout It. I was so disappointed with this polish, I bout it for the heart confetti, but it's so hard to apply. You really have to pick the hearts out and place them on the nail, applying like a normal polish just doesn't work (see photo below), although it does leave a pretty glitter top coat.







Monday 11 February 2013

Valentines Manicures: Lace Hearts

Today's manicure was inspired by MissJenFabulous on Youtube.




Polishes I used:
OPI Parlez-vous OPI? (link)
OPI Alpine Snow (swatch)
OPI Dim Sum Plum (swatch)



Parlez Vous OPI? from the French collection, one of my all time faces, and one of my first ever bottles of OPI <3 p="">








Sunday 10 February 2013

Valentines Manicure: Roses are Red


Today's post is the last in the Valentine Nail Art Challenge and is inspired by fellow participant. 

I knew instantly when I saw Sugar Coated Nail's post that I would be choosing this manicure! I first saw it on OPI's Facebook and it was this manicure that introduced me to the challenge.
It is beautiful and well executed, I'm not sure I have done it justice. Please everyone go check out Sugar Coated Nail's blog for more amazing nail art like this!

I decided to opt for a lilac base colour, this is Rumples Wiggin' from  OPI's Shrek Forever After Collection, one of my favourite all time collections <3 p="">






Polishes Used:
OPI Rumples Wiggin' (swatch)
OPI Jade is the New Black, (swatch)
OPI Gargantuan Green Grape, (swatch)
OPI Dim Sum Plum, (swatch)
OPI Sparrow Me The Drama, (swatch)
OPI Steady as She Rose, (swatch)



Saturday 9 February 2013

Valentines Manicures: Ombre or Gradient.

Ombres are a bit of a Valentines tradition for me, heres my 2011 and 2012 versions...





This year I wanted to try and do something a little different, keeping with the Valentines theme I went with a pink heart gradient. The colours I'm using are all from Barry M. I <3 barry="" m.="">




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