Thursday 26 April 2012

Can't Go Wrong With A Bit O' Crackle!

Good evening nailoholics! <3
Thought I would post a lil' something on a swatch I did earlier this week involving gradient colours and Barry M Black Crackle (ooooOooo!) Technical indeed. Well, actually, not really. Gradient nails are super easy to try out! All you need is an ordinary sponge and the colours you want to blend into each other - that's it.
I'm dedicating this post to one of my friends Charlotte, because she originally inspired me with the idea of trying out gradient nails :) (Check out her blog, it's brilliant!) I saw her with her awesome maroon and gold gradient nails at school and thought... yes. This is for me!

Here is when the amazing Barry M Crackle came into mind, as I hadn't used it for so long.
I mean, come on, you just can't go wrong with it!
So simple and effective.



So basically, just gather 3 colours to blend.
Put the bottom and lightest (usually) colour on your nail first.
Allow to dry and then apply slightly darker colour onto a sponge and dab onto the nail, fading out and blending the colours.
Do the same with the darkest colour on the tip of the nail - once its dry apply your Barry M crackle (or whichever make you have!) and don't forget to apply a top coat for longer lasting nails :)



Let me know what you think! Enjoy x

Sunday 22 April 2012

Tuxedo Nails: Inspired By Zooey Deschanel

First of all, I HAVE to start off by expressing my love for Zooey Deschanel and her new comedy TV series: New Girl! I can't even begin to explain how many giggles it gives me and is such a good use of half an hour with your girlies, a comfy sofa and some munchies! (CHOCOLATE<3!) If you haven't laid your eyes upon this brilliant show then DO IT NOW! GO AND SEARCH ON YOUTUBE! :)
It's about a girl named Jess who has just moved into an apartment with 3 guys she randomly spoke to on the internet (Don't try this at home kids; stranger danger EXISTS!) after a break up with her dumb arse boyfriend and it explores all the little problems they get themselves into.
Reasons for watching:
* It makes you laugh, even when you're down :)
* Zooey Deschanel is awesomely cooky! And hot D:
* Her dress sense is so cool
* The theme tune is awesome
* I told you to watch it!
* You must see Schmitt - best character in the world!

Anyways, so yes, this Tuxedo Nail Swatch that I tried out was inspired by the one and only Zooey Deschanel, it wasn't the easiest but wasn't the hardest either - do-able!
Also, I must mention that it was also inspired by one of my closest friends - Emiliana :) <3
She tried it out first and I absolutely loved it!
I love the fact that Zooey cracked out an elegant dress to the Golden Globes and customised her nails in a cute yet sophisticated way - very 'her' !





So, there is my little response to it, I changed it up a bit and made the Tuxedo's more square-like - I guess because my nails aren't so round and they're a bit longer. I used both Barry M Matt White and Barry M Black, then of course, applied a top coat - make sure you apply a base coat too, otherwise your nails will be stained temporarily! :(
Also, if you get the nail varnish on your skin, because it's actually a little tricky to get the hang of, then just dip a cotton bud into nail varnish remover and wipe around the edges.
For the blog stalkers (who I love!) visit my post on Cutex Nail Varnish Remover to clue yourself up on a good remover.

Thanks for reading & drop me a comment to let me know what you think! x






Saturday 14 April 2012

Nail Foil Wraps!

Hey guys! I recently noticed that nail wraps seem to be the new 'in' product when it comes to nails and nail art. They're pretty noticeable when you roam around in shops like Topshop and River Island (But they're seriously overpriced!) So I thought I would give 'em a go and search far and wide into the realms of Ebay to find a bargain. Now when I say I found a bargain... I really did!

Picking from a selection, I decided on - S004, S005 & S029 to use on me and my mum. They're £1.99 each (!) and you can get one free if you buy 2.
























The only criticism I had was that they're pretty tricky to put on, though it was my first time. They don't come out perfect but they probably would after practice. Also the packet says that they come off after washing your hands a few times with soapy water which I'm not too keen about - otherwise they don't last long, so what's the point? Though all nail wraps are pretty much like that...
However I do like the look of them and once I had applied the Silver ones, they looked quite unusual :)

Here's a few steps on how to apply them:
1. Make sure your nails are clean, cut to a length of your choice and cuticles are pushed back. File them to make the ends smooth and even.
2. Use a buffer file on the tops and ends of the nail to remove any natural oil that may prevent the wrap from sticking, dust and bits of dirt.












3. Measure your finger next to the chosen wrap and peal it off using your index finger and thumb to put in place. Push it down and smooth out the wrap, getting rid of any folds, bubbles, etc. The wraps do stretch so you don't miss out any bits and can cover the nail fully if need be.
4. Cut off the excess with scissors or stretch it over the end and file it off with the sharper side of the file.
5. You can smooth the nail wrap out more with a cuticle pusher and smoother if you wish!
(There are about 16 pieces in the pack so if you get it wrong you can peal it off and replace, it just might be a bit tricky...)

Here's the link for Ebay:

So drop me a comment and let me know how it goes? :)

Over & Out x

Tuesday 10 April 2012

Cutex: Nail Polish Remover

Cutex Moisture Guard Nail Polish Remover
£2.15 - Superdrug

Thought I would try a new brand of remover the other day and purchased Cutex make. I think it's awesome! And it does what it says on the bottle. I really ought to keep my nails is good and healthy condition but I study A Levels (my excuse for everything...) and sometimes I slack unfortunately... :(
So anyway, the first time I used it I really noticed the difference from any other remover I had been using. My nails felt smoother (hence the moisture guard) and it did actually clean the all polish off really quickly.
Totally recommend! MUST BUY!

Comes in all different types to target specific nails:
- Strengthening Nail Polish Remover
- Nourishing Nail Polish Remover

Here is the link to the superdrug products:

Friday 6 April 2012