O.P.I Spring 2013

Euro Centrale

This Spring 2013, it seems that trending nail colours are hot pinks, bright oranges, pastel purples and baby blues. The O.P.I spring collection is not an exception to this, as their new 'Euro Centrale' range includes the new season trends, but also some of their own. Ranging from shimmery metallics to a strange un-springlike twist of some Gothic vampy shades. With 12 new colours, there will certainly be one to take your fancy. O.P.I does a huge range of colours that try to be very different and individual from other nail brands. I think this sometimes works in their favour, and other times it does not work so well as they have some very unusual colours. I also find their nail polish names outrageous, but to the point that I love to hate them!

'Suzi's hungary again'

Similar to Jessica's 'Smitten Kitten', the hot pink nail is defiantly going to be huge this spring. Fun and girly and easy to wear.

'Polka.com'

Polka.com is a chunky hexagonal, glitter  top coat, which would look great over some of the dark blues they have in the collection. Its a cool way to jazz up an outfit in the evening.

'O.P.I Eurso Euro'

This is the dark blue I would suggest with 'polka.com'. I really like this midnight blue shade. Its a cool matte style and would go with everything.

'Can't find my Czechbook'

This cool blue resembles 'Sophia' from the Jessica collection, although it has more of a grey tone. Its quite an individual to any other nail polish I have seen and think it would look cool and chic on manicured fingers.

'Hands of my Kielbasa'

Have to admit I am not a huge fan of this colour. I tend to prefer matte polish and this has a light pink/ peach shimmer. Saying that though I think it would look nice on some tanned toes, or on an older lady who wants something a bit subtle.

'Oy - another Polish Joke'

Unfortunately this is another colour I am not to keen on from the collection. Same reason as before, I'm not keen on shimmer and I find the gold colour to be a bit to yellow.

'My Vampire is Buff' 

Slipping into the vampy section now, 'My Vampire is Buff' is a creamy white colour. I'm a big fan of white polish as you can put patterns over it, do french tips, or leave it plain for quite an unsual, but cool look.

"Vant to Bite my Neck?"

This deep purple is quite a sultry shade and would also look cool with polka.com on top. Its a shade that would look nice with a pair of jeans or alternatively with a nice evening dress.

"Woman's Prague-ative"

This is a golden, copper shimmery shade, with swirls of bronzed goodness. I wouldn't wear it myself but I think it does look nice and would suit an older lady on holiday.

'My Paprika is Hotter Than Yours'

I absolutely love this colour! Although is resembles the Jessica orange shade, I think I actually prefer this one! Its so so bright, and is so eye catching. Defiantly one for my Spring collection.

'I saw...U saw...We saw...Warsaw'

This colour looks slightly different to the naked eye. As it has more of a grey teal tone to it which is really sophisticated and cool. I do actually really like this colour.

"Your such a budapest'

Finally, we have this cool purple/blue colour which resembles Jessica's Sophia. I am a sucker for this pastel shade so I can only say good things! I think it is really pretty.

*I do not own these nail colours. They belong to my workplace where I have permission to photograph and review the stock. Due to this I have not seen the colours worn.

Dead Sea Spa

I have been really excited about reviewing this brand, because I absolutely love it! I will give you a little background history on the company before I review the actual products, so you can see why I love them so much.

SO... Dead Sea Spa is a family business which started in 1998, and so is still a relatively young company. It is a company based in Goudhurst in Kent which is close to where I live, so think that could contribute as to why I have a little soft spot for it! The company also claim to be a friendly company which I can vouch for, as the representatives I have dealt with, have always been so funny and lovely, and have a real passion for the products. Dead Sea Spa products are fantastic for problematic skin such as eczema and psoriasis, as well as being a real luxury.

As you may or may not know, the dead sea lies between Israel and Jordan and is 8.6 saltier than the ocean. It attracts tourists from all over the world due to its effects on skin, as you can lie on the water as it is so dense from the salt concentration. Not only that, it is 423 meteres below sea and is therefore the lowest elevation on earth, which is why it contains all the amazing minerals that they put in their products. The Dead Sea Spa believe that the quickest way to put minerals into the body is by doing so through your skin. All the ingredients are natural so by feeding your skin these minerals, you are also helping yourself on the inside. Now the science-y bit is over, I will now tell you my top 3 dead sea spa products!

Number 3 - Cleansing wash/ soap

The cleansers are a easy to use solution for cleansing. I have also given this to my boyfriend to use, and his skin has become visibly clearer and his pores tightened. It is perfect for blackheads and other spot problems, and it is also good to note that it is a unisex brand! It smells really clean and fresh rather than flowery, and leaves skin feeling clean and revitalised! Personally, my skin feels slightly tight after use but it is nothing that my number 1 product can't help.

Number 2 - Salt Brushing

Once you have used this salt brushing, you will never use another body exfoliator. Applied to dry skin, the salt rubs away dead skin and leaves an oily layer that makes you skin feel amazing! It is like you have brand new skin. Again, the smell is fresh and spa like, and feels like a real luxury product. I should note for health and safety though, that as it is an oily product you should be careful when getting out the bath or shower, as it can be a bit slippery! Also not good to use before fake tanning as it is oil based, but otherwise, perfect!

Number 1  - Rich Moisturiser

This moisturiser is my savior. I suffer from slight eczema and a real dryness around my nose in winter, and have real trouble finding products that aren't too thick, but give me optimum moisture. Within a week of using this moisturiser, it had completely cleared up, and I haven't bought another moisturiser since. It is a fresh smelling moisturiser which also doubles up as a great makeup base as well. It absorbs really quickly and leaves your skin with a smooth primer finish. I would recommend this to everyone, and it is also only around £7.00 so really affordable!

The brand has won tons of awards and celebrities like Caprice and Victoria Beckham have praised the products! Not only are these products fantastic, they are so unbelievably affordable! You will have trouble finding something in their brand for more than £30.00. They have a solution for every skin type, and also have a hair care range as well. I will be reviewing more products from this range at a later date! If you like the sound of Dead Sea Spa, or want to have a look into some of their spas, then here is their website

http://www.findershealth.com/

*I was given these products to test by the company, as I was fully trained on their brand and products.

Jessica - Spring 2013 collection

Apologies for doing three nail posts in a row but when I got to work this morning, the new Jessica Spring 2013 collection was waiting so I had to share! (please forgive my peeling nails in the swatches, I am on the road to using some treatments and will blog about those at a later date!)

The Spring collection is called 'It's a Girl Thing' and has the intention of being "fresh, flirty and fun". All the colours are very light and slightly shimmery, and are very girly, pretty colours.

Alia - Sun-Kissed Beauty

This vibrant orange colour screams out to be worn on a warm sunny day. It is bold and bright and would look great painted on toes in a nice pair of sandels.

Sophia - True Blue

This cool blue colour reminds me of a clear blue summer's sky, and I think is my favourite from the collection. It is a versatile colour for both day and night and I think it looks very on trend and chic.

Amira - Smitten Kitten

Smitten Kitten is a fun and playful hot pink. Would look great on the beach and adds an energetic flash of colour. I think this needs to be worn on a hot summer's day.

Nadia - Sterling Queen

Sterling queen is advertised as the older ladies choice of colour for a fun summer look. It is sophisticated but adds a touch of sparkle to both day wear and night wear.

Ava - New Kid in Town

This pastel purple colour is youthful and sweet. It is a more laid back violet colour which would look great on a summer's evening. I must say my picture does not do the colour justice!

Alexis - Ruby Empress

This colour is a bit of a chameleon, in some lights it looks pink, in others deep red, and it also looks coral as well. One of the deeper more sexy colours, it is a great alternative from your standard red polish.

*I do not own these nail colours. They belong to my workplace where I have permission to photograph and review the stock. Due to this I have not seen the colours worn.

Mavala

A few weeks ago, I told you I had been doing a course for the Swiss nail company Mavala in order to become a professional manicurist. It was hard work but I enjoyed every second and I found out last week I passed my exam and am now a professional nail technician :)

Sporting my Mavala T shirt

As you can imagine, I have been working very closely with all of their products, and thought I would share some of my favourite products with you, and how to use them so you can get the full benefit of them. So here are my top 3 Mavala products!

In third place I have the Lightening scrub mask.

 This is perfect for nails that have been subjected to lots of nail polish and no base coat, causing them to be discoloured and yellow. The scrub comes with a cute little nail brush, which you use on the nail to exfoliate the surface. To be used weekly, the scrub contains diatomaceous earth which are tiny shells of microscopic seaweed, which gently exfoliate the nail plate, and cuticles. It also contains lemon extract which brightens up the nail leaving it smooth, strong and bright.

In second place is Nailactan and Mava-flex (2 products, similar job)

Like your face, nails need moisture to remain flexible and strong. Nailactan does just this, as it feeds the nail plate all the amino acids and keratin that make up the nail, and lets them look healthy and nourished. Like a facial moisturiser, Nailactan should be used daily, and works best on bare nails, although it can penetrate through enamel. Alternatively,  Mava-flex works like a facial serum, and goes down to the deeper layers of the nail. A new step in the Mavala manicures is to apply Mava-flex before applying nail colour which may seem strange as it is an oily substance. However the nail drinks up the serum in seconds and with a quick wipe of a tissue you would never have known it was there, so you can continue applying your base coat and colour. Mava-flex is great before applying nail colour as it keeps the nail nourished while is has the colour on.

First place..... Oil Seal Dryer

Oil seal dryer is a fantastic little invention which is applied gently after the top coat, to leave nails touch dry in a few seconds. It REALLY does work and you can also use it quite liberally as the oil moisturises the cuticles whilst its there. A must for anyone who has no time to sit and wait for nails to dry!

Whilst I'm here, I also thought I'd show you the array of colours Mavala have to offer. They have every colour in every kind of shade!

I am certainly not done using these products so look out in the future for some more posts on Mavala!

Valentine nails

Here are my valentines day nails! I used the nails inc 'brompton place" pink and models own nail pens. They're simple and I think they look really cute. I got the little hearts as a gift so not sure where they are from in afraid!