Valentines Nails

I decided to get in the loved up mood... and what better way than to wear your heart on your nails?!

To complete the design I used OPI "I'm Indi-a Mood for Love" on 9 fingers which is an amazing blue-toned hot pink, and Barry M white nail polish on my ring finger. For the details I used the black Wah! Nails nail pen (which I will say again is incredible!) and the white and pink nail polishes with a very small artists paint brush.

It's a very simple design, but the dots and hearts are really effective and so quick to do! I'll definitely try this again (perhaps with a mint background for spring) For the ring finger I went for a little valentines card/love letter design! All topped up with my No 7 top coat.

Happy Valentines day love birds!

N x

GlossyBox January Review

I know lots of bloggers have already reviewed the January box, but I only received mine this morning (I was excited all weekend to get this little beauty... and it still didn't come on Monday!) January's GlossyBox was later than previous months due to the Christmas holidays.

So January is a special Valentine's box! (I love the Christmas and Valentines themes!) and so came in a rather lovely hot pink box (more themes in future please GlossyBox!) and I'm definitely loving the little heart sticker.. perfect Valentines treat for us single girls!

I think there were three different boxes this month (I would have loved the hair moisturiser and Orly nail varnish, but appreciate that we all need to try different products)

In my box I received:

1. EYEKO: Skinny Eyeliner in "Midnight Blue"

It is nice to try an Eyeko product, I have always been put off by their previously cutesy looking packaging, but this new vintage look is far better. The eyeliner has a long handle to ensure that you can always hold it properly when you get down to the last part... so not good for fitting in your make up bag! Although I do think this is a good idea as I hate that you can never use that last part properly.

The colour “Midnight blue” is definitely not what I would choose for myself, as I have green eyes and so if trying coloured eyeliner I would have preferred a gold shade, or the maroon that others got in their boxes. However, as you can see the pigment is strong and maybe this would bring more depth to a smokey eye.. I will fully review when I do a make up post!

2. MURAD- Hybrids Skin Perfecting Primer- Dewy finish

This is amazing, and even though it is a small sample (only 5ml to standard size of 30ml) hopefully I'll be able to try it a few times and see whether it is worth buying it in full size. The bottle comes with a pump which is perfect as you can dispense just the right amount, and far more hygienic than a pot.

I would say the product is more like a tinted moisturiser as it does have some colour behind it, and really does give a dewy finish which works well with my olive skin (although it could be a little too tinted for pale skin). I love tinted moisturiser on days where I don't want a full face of make up this could be a great product to rival my Benefit Rebel (which I have been using for forever now!)

3. CLARINS- Extra Firming Day Cream
I wasn't too excited about this product, I tend to group Clarins with Clinique (expensive and dull!) but I have tried a few products of theirs before and liked them more than I do with Clinique. I don't have sensitive skin at all, and so I guess I will get into good skin products with age. If I do pay out for skin products it would always be Dermalogica (which I adore!)

4. CLARINS- Extra Firming Night Cream

I will try this alongside the Day cream and maybe post a review after a couple of weeks of using the samples. I am too young at 26 to really need a firming product, but it is described as an intense moisturiser, which is exactly what I need at night as I do have quite dry skin which dries out if I don't use a thick moisturiser on overnight.

5. FAB- Gentle Body Wash

I haven’t heard of FAB before, so it is nice to try a new brand. However my sheet has described that I have the body wash, but GlossyBox have actually put the Moisturiser inside. As I already have two Clarins creams in this months box I am not that impressed with another moisturiser (even if it is a body one!) GlossyBox have noted this as a perfect travel size and so I will probably save it until I take a trip, or replace it when I run out in my handbag. It is allergy tested and fragrance free so would be great for anyone that does have sensitive skin, as I know there are many fruity and scented moisturisers on the high street now.

Oh and we got a little valentines sweet too... Thank you GlossyBox! This is probably my least favourite box since I started subscribing in October, but as I have loved all of my others I am happy to wait until next month for some more exciting beauty goodies... roll on February!

N x

Leopard Nail Art

I have had acrylics on for almost 10 years now (I know, I know! I should definitely try and grow them naturally but I just love the feel of fake talons!) My friend Zoe does my acrylic, she uses no electric drills and so on the odd time I have taken them off, my nails have been in great condition thankfully!

So usually Zoe will just do my acrylics, and I then do some nail art over the top as I just get too bored looking at the same colour for a fortnight.

This is my first attempt at leopard print nail art. I have admired other peoples before and always thought it looks far too complicated! However, I was surprised at how fast I did manage to actually complete it.

So these were the varnishes I used:

L-R -

No 7 Stay Perfect top coat, Models Own "Gold Digger", Models Own Nail Art pen, Topshop "Geography Teacher"

You can do this in any colour, but it is best to keep the lightest colour as your base. I started with Topshop "Georgraphy Teacher" which is a great neutral colour that I bought last week.

I used two coats of this colour to ensure I had a strong base. I then splodged on some of the "Gold Digger" shade, in random spots and shapes to get the uneven pattern of the leopard spots to look realistic. If I were to do the design again, I would use a slightly deeper gold or stronger colour to make it easier to see the spots.

Next I used my Models Own nail art pen, you can grab this in Boots and it is an amazing nail art pen... so easy to use and really my secret weapon with this design! The varnish flows out really easily ensuring you can use it with both hands (that is always my fear with nail art... that I will have a dodgy right hand that doesn't match!) I just did some unusual shapes around some of the gold shapes (don't circle them completely) and also some additional spots and squiggles with the black.

I then just glossed over the design with top coat. No 7 is a great top coat (and cheap, which is great as I get through so many bottles of clear top coat) however I am looking to invest into some Seche Vite as I have heard such amazing reviews! I am really happy with this manicure, especially after knowing how easy it was with the nail art pen! Definitely one to do again, and I may try with light and bold coral colours next time.

Sorry for the  flashed out photos, this is my first post and the first time using my new camera! I need to find a new spot with better natural light I think!

N x

Hello!

So this is my first post... on my first ever blog!

Not completely sure where this blog will be going and where it will take me (I do feel a bit like I'm talking to myself!) but I'm hoping to review lots of new products which will be on the market in future, and discuss all the beauty techniques and make up pieces I currently use and love so much. There will be reviews, tutorials, swatches and hopefully lots of lovely comments from anyone who eventually subscribes! I also follow lots of amazing blogs which I'm sure I'll discuss, and I'm hoping to get really involved with the blogging community.

For now here's a recent photo of me on a night out (fresh from holiday with fairly minimal make up...but you will learn that I do love a tan!)

N x