Happy Halloween!

This will actually be my third Halloween manicure, which is pretty good going for someone who doesn't really care either way for the holiday.

My first was well over a month ago, and it wasn't intended to be Halloween inspired, the colours just happened to come out that way.

The second, I attempted at the weekend, and it was a disaster. The colours were great and the concept was cute, it just did not work out at all. So, I thought I'd try again today.

I used a lime green from Claire's Accessories (it really annoys me that they don't have names), a Model's Own nail art pen in black and a cheap white nail polish. And here's what I came up with:

I originally intended for it to be a take on Frankenstein's monster, but I think he ended up looking more like a ghoul or zombie. Either way, I actually really like this manicure. It's the first time I've used the nail art pen, I've only ever used a dotting tool to do really basic designs before, so I'm quite happy with the outcome.

Have you done a special manicure for Halloween?

First attempt at a tape manicure

It’s by no means perfect, but not bad for a first try. IIf nothing else, I certainly worked out what I need to do differently when I try it again.

Next time I’ll definitely have a colour for the base coat, rather than a neutral.

Used:
Boots Natural Collection - Peach Manicure
Accessorize - Goddess
Claire’s sparkly top coat
Sally Hansen Double Duty top coat

Note to self: Impatience ruins cute nails

I wanted something quite neutral but fun at the same time, so I decided to use Barry M's black and Peach Melba to create dots of opposing colours on each hand, then added a matte top coat.

I would have really loved this manicure if I'd have had more patience. I didn't let the dots dry completely before applying the top coat, and some of them streaked a bit.

17 - Fury & Barry M - Black

In the bottle, Fury looks like it could be a cheap dupe for Chanel’s Peridot. In reality, it’s a much richer gold with no hint of green.

It’s a beautiful colour, but a terrible, thick formulation which I found gathered at the end of my nails. So I got a dotting tool and painted a row of dots along the edge.

It didn’t turn out like I’d hoped. Mainly because for reasons unknown, I was shaking like a leaf. But it’s a half decent manicure that I’ll probably keep on for a few days.


Edit:

I took this photo the following day, and as you can see, it has this weird grainy finish that I’ve never seen before. I emailed Boots, who make 17 products, and they assured me this isn’t a problem in general, I must have been unlucky enough to pick up a dud bottle.

Has anyone else had, or heard of this problem?

17 Magnetized nail polish

A while ago, I watched a video posted on YouTube by Boots. It featured their upcoming Magnetized nail polish, and I immediately knew I would be buying it as soon as it was released. You can see the video here.

The polish is available in purple, green, blue and gunmetal grey.  As I already have a lot of purples and greens, and had purchased a similar grey colour earlier in the day, I decided to go for the blue.

It's a really nice shimmery blue, with a hint of purple, and it's actually a colour I would choose even if it wasn't a special one.

The bottle comes with a detachable lid on top of the screw lid with the brush. On top of the detachable part is a magnet, which is where the magic comes in.

For the most effective results, I found it best to apply one thin coat and allow it to completely dry. Then, apply a much thicker coat, and while the polish is still wet, hover the magnet over the nail for around 10 seconds. You have to be careful not to let the magnet touch the polish, but there is a little arc that you rest on your finger to help prevent this.

When finished, you get an amazing instant nail art effect. The magnet causes the polish to get darker in certain areas, making a wave pattern. It also changes direction depending on how you hold the magnet, so you can easily achieve a contrasting effect on each nail.

The formula of the polish is very thick and somewhat gloopy, but I suppose it's necessary to create the best effect possible. 

The lovely blue colour creates an effect akin to ocean waves, and to really appreciate the beauty of it, you need to move your nails around under the light. As far as quick and easily achieved nail art goes, this is my favourite of all I have tried. It's incredibly simple, anyone can do it themselves at home, and at £6 a bottle, it's also really affordable.

Lush bath ballistic - Sakura

There are few things in life I enjoy more than the smell of a Lush shop. It’s a special kind of fragrance - the unique mix of all their products. Most of which, I love the smell of. Some I’m not so keen on. But they all mix together into a wonderful ball of wonderfulness.

Sakura is one of my favourite fragrances of all time. It contains mimosa, gardenia and jasmine, as well as orange flower and lemon oil, giving the product an undertone of a citrus fragrance. 

This is one of Lush’s bigger bath bombs at 200g - about the size of a tennis ball, and hence one of the more expensive at £3.25. Seems quite expensive for a one bath product, I know. But their bath bombs are a lovely treat - I normally use one a week when I’m indulging in some ‘me’ time. 

I bought this last weekend, before I had decided to create this blog, and figured I might as well do a review on it. Then I realised it doesn’t really do much in the bath, other than smell nice. Nevertheless, it’s still one of my favourite products, and the lack of colour, glitter etc might actually appeal to some people.

The ballistic itself is really pretty. A white base with flecks of pink and a turquoise blue. There’s also a patch of pink and blue sea salt at one end. 

Despite it’s size, Sakura is really quick to fizz and dissolve away. I suppose the lack of hidden surprises means that there is nothing to slow it down. In the water, it fizzes white and lets off a bit of a creamy foam that feels nice in the water - not at all oily. There’s nothing specific in Sakura to moisturise your skin, but I always feel that bit cleaner and softer when I use a bath ballistic. 

Overall, I would definitely recommend this product, especially if you’re not a fan of overly coloured and/or glittery bath products.

Manicure Monday: Princess Nails - 17 Lilac Storm and OPI Teenage Dream

It's my first ever proper post, and I'm cheating already. I know I said I wasn't really going to feature the more expensive nail polish brands, but I was given an OPI mini as a gift, so it still falls into my under £10 category.

This manicure is the exact opposite of what I normally wear. Baby pink is really not my thing. Normally, I wear darker colours, though more and more brights and pastels have been sneaking into my collection.

I bought Lilac Storm from 17 when Boots had a special offer on. Despite the name, and how it looks in the bottle under some lights, it is definitely very pink. It looked like it had a really nice shimmer in the bottle, so I thought I'd give it a try. It sat in amongst my other pinks for quite some time, and I had intended to use it for a water marble manicure. But then I looked at Teenage Dream, and thought they would go perfectly together.

The formula of Lilac Storm is awful. It's very sheer, and after three coats it was somewhat streaky. If I wasn't planning to add Teenage Dream on top, I probably would have given up on it, and used something else instead. But, I persevered, and once I added a coat of Teenage Dream, the streaks were unnoticeable.

By the time I was finished, I felt like a 90s prom dress. Baby pink is definitely not my thing, but I have to admit, even I don't hate it. Who can resist sparkles?