Nails Inc Unicorn Duo

How this Nails Inc launch slipped under my radar for so long I will not know.

With unicorns, mermaids and all things mythical being the top summer trend, Nail Inc were well and truly onto a winner when they launched this Unicorn duo a little while back.

I first saw these colours on a couple of girls I worked with at the department store. I stood there awe struck and went over to the Nail Inc counter and bought them straight away. The duo costs an amazing £15, which is such a bargain when you can usually expect to pay the same price for one gel polish from Nails Inc.

So here are some swatches of these beautiful polishes.

Dream Dust

The first polish is called 'Dream Dust' and it is a really fine glitter with a rose gold look. This is the sort of glitter that comes off easily which is a plus as I can't bare taking off glitter polish.

This is really long lasting and looks amazing on. In some lights it does have an iridescent purple/blue shimmer. It is perfect for summer.

Rainbow Wishes

Next is 'Rainbow Wishes' which is a pearlescent blue/ purple shimmer.

This again, looks amazing when it catches the light, and I think I will use this polish in a few nail art ideas I have coming up. This is the perfect Mermaid polish.

And the look of the polishes when paired together? I used 'Rainbow Wishes' on top of the glitter as it is slightly thinner consistency, and this was the finished result.

I think we can all agree that these are super dreamy?!

Leighton Denny Autumn/Winter 2013 The Temptation Collection

The summer is officially over and now all the Autumn/Winter collections are coming into season. From the nail collections I've seen so far, shimmery metallics and pearl finish is the trend this season. I am not usually a fan of pearl or shimmer, but some of the colours I've seen have been an exception.

The Leighton Denny advertisement features its pale purple colour 'Lilac Lust' clutching some dark beads. The collection has the feel of Christmas parties and glamour.

 'Lilac Lust' looks matte in the advertisment. It actually has a very subtle silver shimmer. It's quite a simple pretty colour.

'Mutual Attraction' is a light brown colour with a silver shimmer. I'm not a huge fan of this colour, but think it would like for someone who likes subtle nails.

'Hypnotic' is one of my favourite colours. It is a blue/teal shimmer that looks like an oil spill. As I said I don't like shimmer colours, but this is one I would make an exception for!

 'Attention Seeker' reminds me slightly of the Leighton Denny colour 'Best Seller' which is a similar deep berry colour with silver glitter. 'Attention Seeker' has more gold tones to it.

'Tempt Me' is another one of the colours I quite like. This deep purple has interesting tones of gold and green, again, giving it that oil look.

'Statement Maker' is probably my least favourite colour. The silver glitter overpowers the Emerald base colour that is meant to be huge this season.

What do you think of this collection? What sorts of colours do you want to see this season?

June Glossy Box

Organic Surge Conditioner

Since working on a predominantly natural beauty department, I have become more in the know about some of the ingredients that are put into our skin and hair care that shock me! I'm starting to sound like a bit of a hippy, but a lot of things we take for granted in high street brands are actually really harmful to us, and I've been making more of an effort to avoid these products. Things such as engine oils and the like go into our hair products, which you would never dream of putting on your head otherwise. Working near brands like Aveda and Liz Earle have made me more interested in natural haircare, so I was so happy when I got my Organic Surge natural conditioner, as it stears clear from all the nasty things that are put into our haircare. I had never heard of the brand and I love this conditioner, and will definitely be buying the matching shampoo and a new conditioner when I finish. It smells of grapefruit and makes your hair feels really clean and detangled. Really happy with this product, especially as it was a full size!

MonuSpa Hand cream

I don't tend to use handcream in the summer but this one is nice and lightweight and very citrusy smelling. I personally find the smell a little bit too overpowering, but it sinks into the skin quickly so you can get on with your day. It is also good for nails and cuticles and a nice size to tuck into your handbag.

Figs & Rouge Lip Balm

I wouldn't strictly call this a lip balm as the consistancy and look of it is more like a lip gloss. I don't usually like the feel of gloss on the lips as I find it too sticky but this one does not feel sticky and leaves a healthy shine to the lips. This is another product that is 100% natural and I love that!

Gosh Growth Mascara

Gosh is a brand I saw in Superdrug a few years back and thought it looked like a good makeup brand. I had never tried it up until now and I must say I was very impressed. This growth mascara feels really nice on the ashes and makes them look long and thick but not clumpy. It also has a growth formula in it so your lashes will grow longer and look thicker when your wearing it. Pretty impressive stuff.

MeMeMe Nail Polish

Finally we have my MeMeMe nail polish called 'Pensive'. At first I thought it was a standard pastel green colour, fit for summer. This polish is actually quite a striking and explainable colour when its on the nails. Its kind of pastel green/ baby blue/ aqua. Whatever it is, I love it, and have had many compliments whilst wearing it! These polishes are usually £5.00 so fairly highstreet.

Revlon Moon Candy

Another product I bought absolutely ages ago is the Revlon Moon Candy collection. I saw the lovely Emma Stone modelling their new nail art duos in a magazine and rushed out to buy some. 

picture taken beautyloversnotes.blogspot.com

For £7.99 each, I couldn't afford the whole collection so I just bought my favourite three, (from top to bottom) Galactic, Eclipse and Satellite. Sound like a new Twilight Saga don't they?

On reflection I wish I bought some colours that differed a little more, but oh well! I read some reviews that the top coat with the flakes in, tended to smudge the underneath coat if you applied it too soon. I didn't have this problem at all. I applied two coats of the base coat, and by the time I finished that, I went and put the top coat straight on and had no problems. A lot of reviews have also said that that it looks untidy and messy. I think that if you just do one coat of the top coat, it will look slightly random and untidy. I again, applied two coats of the top coat, and used strategic coats to make sure the flakes were evenly distributed. Personally, I don't think the look is messy. The ultra dark base coats help the flakes shine out more to create a more dramatic contrast.

Galactic

Galactic has a dark blue base coat that is lifted by the light blue flakes. I think this one is my favourite of the three I bought.

Eclipse

The Eclipse duo has a very deep purple which is very pretty. The flakes on this were a little disappointing as they didn't show up very much, but nevertheless, it is a more subtle look which looks good reflecting under lights.

Satellite

This is the most dramatic look of the three I have. The base colour is a very dark red with brown hues. It is a very dark berry colour. The bright gold flakes create a real contrast to the nail colour.

To smooth out the nails after the flakes, I used one clear coat of Leighton Denny 'One for all' and finally used Mavala oil seal drier to make it touch dry, and to moisturise cuticles.

May Glossy Box

Once again I have gotten behind with my Glossy Box reviews, and what reminded me to do this one was my burnt nose as I remebered I had a sun cream in my May Glossy Box (the nose is doing ok now). So this is all the way back from May and it was the Glossy Box 2 year birthday so it was quite a special one!

'Headline Colours' nail polish

The shade I received in my Glossy Box was a shade called 'Twisted Silk', which is a off white pinky shade. I wasn't sure when it was in the bottle but now it's on I do quite like it as a subtle cool colour. It took me FOREVER to get the lid off! It was really really stuck but once I managed to get it off, the first coat was a bit stripey but after the second coat it evened itself out. The polish is free of toxins which is good for my post Glastonbury detox I am currently undergoing, and it has UV absorbents for staying power which is good now its getting sunny (hurrah). A full size pot is £9 which is quite a lot for a new  brand, but they appear to have a large range of colours which I like in a brand!

La Roche Posay SPF 50

How I wish I remebered this when I went to Glastonbury! This sun cream has been around for 30 years and is recommened by dermatologists. It has a gel formula which is similar to the 'Ultra Sun' Cream I took away with me, which means it is absorbed quickly leaving no white marks. I also saw this in my Marie Claire magazine a few weeks ago recommended as a summer holiday essential.

Stone Beauty Body Lotion

This body lotion is from an up and coming brand based in London. It is free from nasties like sulphates and parabens and has hydrating coconut oil and shea butter. It has all the boxes ticked in my eyes when it comes to a product, but I just didn't like it. The lemon scent was way too strong for my liking, and the tiny lid made it really hard for me to get the stuff out. I'm not a huge fan of the label either as I think it looks quite cheap. A full size of this is £10.00 which isn't bad but I probably won't be investing in it!

Jelly Pong Pong

After receiving a Jelly Pong Pong lip crayon in a Glossy Box a few months ago, I was absolutely ecstatic to see I had received another one of their products in the form of their mascara. The 'Fairy Lashes' mascara had a cute box and the wand was a nice shape. I don't like to slate products, and always try to look for a nice way to put it if I don't like something, but I absolutely hated this! It did nothing for my lashes and half way through my day at work, I actually had to take it off because it felt so horrible! The texture was really elasticy which is usually a good thing in a mascara, as it shows flexibility, but this stuff was literally like rubber. I tend to play with my lashes a lot, especially if they have lumps of mascara attached. When I tired to pull out a lump of mascara the stuff would string out for about 2cm which I think is just weird! It felt really horrible of my lashes so I just had to take it off. I won't use this mascara ever again which is a shame. I won't write off Jelly Pong Pong as I loved their lip crayon so much, but I will avoid this mascara like the plaque!

Glossy Box Nail Files

These are the first Glossy Box own products I have received. These cute little nail files are handbag size and disposable so once they're worn you can break of another one. I found them a little too harsh on my nails and a bit too sandy.

Beautiful Movements Primer

This product absolutely saved this box for me. I didn't really like a lot of the products but this one redeemed it. Unfortunately, I finished the pot and forgot to take a picture of it before I threw it away, but it was just a little sample sized pot with a clear gel like substance inside so your not missing anything aesthetically! 'Beautiful Movements Cosmetics' formerly known as BM cosmetics is actually founded by Kimberly Wyatt from the Pussy Cat Dolls. This primer was absolutely amazing and I'm really sad it was such a small pot! It made your skin feel like silk and was the perfect base for makeup.You can also mix it with foundation, blush or eye shadows to get an air brush effect. I really love this product and for £20 for 20g it is something I would consider investing in!

Picture courtesy of Google

Chanel Coloured Mascara

Excuse these new random posts I'm doing showing off the latest ad campaigns in the makeup world. These adverts are really quite inviting and I'm using my blog as a kind of pin board, to show you what I am interested in, and my kind of inspirations that I want to try out. The latest one I have found myself staring at, is the new Chanel advert, picturing their new coloured mascaras. Coloured mascara is by no means modern or the latest thing, but I really love how the eye shadows mirror the mascara, creating a really cool summery look. Similarly to the Mac campaign, matching nail colour to eye makeup, is a big thumbs up for from me!

*pictures courtesy of google

Matchy matchy

Bit of a random post this one but i just wanted to share! The new mac ad campaign is something that really captures me every time i see it. I think its because it it is really simple, but really cool and edgy, with striking colours matching nails to eye shadow. This is a trend I have seen occurring in magazines, and one that is easy to achieve. If you don't feel as bold with your eye shadow, try matching your nails to your lipstick.

Illamasqua Duck Egg Polish

Illamasqua is a relatively new brand that has become huge in just three short years. A friend told me about the brand a while ago and I have been obsessed ever since. The brand is almost paranormal, and quite experimental. The thing that really captured me was this very nail polish. It has been advertised EVERYWHERE, and has won some awards as it is such a different polish. The duck egg style is from their 'Imperfection' range which experiments with some really ugly concepets and makes them beautiful. This polish is just a simple pastel purple with fine black sand and chunks of black glitter. It does not come out as your average glitter polish though. Just one coat of this and you have a really individual look which I am in love with. The polish comes in a few more colours and is priced at £14.50. They are not the cheapest polishes on the highstreet but I really recommend they are one to have in your collection!

Here is the Illamasqua website.

http://www.illamasqua.com/shop/collections/imperfection/

Neon VS Pastel

This summer, neon is the trend of the moment. It stormed London fashion week and it is now an essential. Pastels have always been a summer favorite, and are a subtle way to make your hands look pretty and sun kissed for summer.

Models Own have done both ranges, and I want to know which YOU will be wearing this summer??

Neon is a very bold way to get yourself noticed, but as I said before, it is the trend of the summer. The Models Own range of polishes are bold, bright, and beautiful. The green and yellow colours are definitely the  colours you'd have to be brave with. the purple is actually not too in your face and quite pretty, and the pink and orange are both pretty toxic, but I absolutely LOVE them all. I probably wouldn't wear them all together, but I think individually you would make just as much as an impact.

The Models Own pastel collection are really somthing special. Not only are they really pretty bright pastel shades, they are also SCENTED! You may ask why you would want scented nail polish, and quite honestly I don't really know why, but if you can, then you may as well! The scents are subtle and actually do smell of what they're meant too. They are not overpowering so you won't feel sick every time you waft your hand past your face. I think the fruit pastel range is really cool and I also LOVE these too.

So please comment and let me know which is YOUR favourite and why!

*I bought these nail varnishes myself

Dior

Dior have a wonderful new range of lip glosses and nail colours! The whole range aims to be seductive yet summery and the light pink, reds, and orange shades really pack a punch. 

The glosses are long lasting and non sticky and have a strong colour. If you have a preference on glosses then you can be sure to find one you like as there are strong coloured glosses, pearly or shimmery effects. The high shine makes them really brighten up an outfit and there is certainly plenty of choice. The light reflecting particles make your lips a statement, and they also have a plumping effect. They also come in lipsticks too if you prefer a denser colour with a more matte finish.

The new nail colours also reflect the playfuness and brightness of the glosses. With each nail colour adopting a shade from bright red to pretty pinks, any nail paint will go with any gloss, and they have a fantastic little testing device on their website where you can pick and choose which gloss and nail paint to try together, to give you a better look at how versatile the collection is. Each nail colour is priced at £15.

Click here to have a go yourself

Princess is on trend with all the new pink shades coming out for summer. With more of a paleness, it is one of the more subtle colours but is slight shimmer adds to the 'princess' feel.

'Spring Ball' is a pretty coral colour with peachy tones, and again it has a slight shimmer to make it more girly.

'Diablotine' is a smouldering pink colour dabbling with red shades. This is more of a bold colour.

'Delice' is right on trend with the orange toned nails that is storming the nail trend this Spring. Again, it is a more subtle orange but it will still make your hands and feet look sun kissed and glowing.

Another exciting addition to the Dior collection is the gel coat top coat. Leaving your manicure with a gel effect finish, the coat leaves a high shine and smooth effect that lasts for days. It's flexible and protects the nails with a professional finish. It's rumored to be better than some of the exclusive nail companies gel top coat so this is definitely worth  purchase at £18.

*I do not own these products. I have permission at my place of work to take pictures of stock