Easy Paris NEON Orange

Another polish from my recent Spain haul today, and this time it's back to neon, as I said in my previous post about holiday nails I ended up with a bit of a neon theme going while I was away.  Today's is a gorgeous, in your face orange, a proper neon polish!

I love how this one looked SO much, in the right light it really seemed to glow like it was lit up from inside and it was super, super bright.

Initially I wasn't too sure about trying the Easy Paris neon polishes I bought while I was away as I almost always apply neon shades over a white base to make them properly pop, I didn't have a decent base with me but I decided to give the orange a go anyway, just to see how it turned out.

I ended up using 3 coats of polish on and the colour was totally opaque which is great for a neon, especially one so bright.  In certain lights, when it wasn't glowing like a glow stick, the polish seemed to take on a juicy, jelly sort of appearance.

In bright, direct sunlight it's almost like a cream!

It really is a chameleon of a colour, but my favourite has to be when it really glows and looks super neon bright.  A couple of times when I looked at my nails I thought I'd painted around my cuticles too but it was actually just the glowy reflection of the colour making it look that way.

I don't have a huge amount more to say about this polish; it was super cheap, it applies well and I adore the colour of it, I can't wait to wear it again.

A couple of final sandy beach shots, since I was on holiday. ;)

Kiko Quick Dry 834 Golden Tiffany

I have a new Kiko Quick Dry Nail Lacquer to show you today, part of the most recent Kiko haul. 

I only just looked up the name as I was writing up this post, which is Golden Tiffany, and it made me laugh because when I was speaking to my mum about the colour I said it was the perfect Tiffany blue shade but with gold all through it, so it seems like Kiko and I are on the same wavelength. :)

The polish applied pretty well (I always struggle a bit in the heat with polish so I think it'll apply VERY well when I am back home in Scotland using it) and it did dry nice and fast.  I've never found Kiko to be particularly slow drying anyway but who is going to complain at it drying even faster than usual, certainly not me!

I got a bit carried away taking photos as the golden tones peeking out from the blue were so pretty in the sun.  It's so much easier to get good pictures when there is sunshine and lots of bright daylight, unlike back home where almost all my photos are taken indoors.

Overall I'm pretty impressed with the new Quick Dry range although I struggled a bit to choose colours, many of them are very similar to the regular range and I didn't want to double up when I already find the regular range so good.  Hopefully Kiko will release more colours in the future though.

The new, round bottle will take a bit of getting used to for me, it just doesn't feel like Kiko but it's pretty and easy to hold and work with and the brush is great; wide and flat and easy to use, so all in I am pretty happy with my first trial of the new polish range.

Holiday Nails

I was quite short of time before I flew out to Spain so I didn't get the chance to do anything fancy and holiday themed with my nails, like I did last time, instead I just decided to go with something bright and summery that seemed holiday-ish to me, my choice was a very bright neon yellow polish I bought on a previous trip to Spain.

 

 

I started off with two coats of Sinful Snow White as a base and then added the yellow over the top, these pictures are 2 coats of yellow.

 

It's a cheapy brand (bottle picture and details HERE) that I got in one of the China Bazaar shops in Spain so I'm pretty impressed with how bright it turned out and how well it applied.  In fact it was what made me pick up some more neons when I was out there this time, you can see them HERE.

 

It looks very messy around my cuticles in the macro shots here but I don't think it looked quite so messy in person, in fact it got me quite a few compliments, and got me spotted by a blog reader in the airport too which is definitely a first. :))

 

I really liked how this bright neon looked in the sunshine and it started a bit of a trend off for the week I was away, stay tuned to see more neon holiday polishes coming up soon.

Holiday Haul!

This post should really have appeared yesterday but nevermind... I'm back and as usual I didn't return empty handed. :)  I was very good this time though and only bought a few choice bits.

First up a trip to Kiko, no Spain visit is complete without one.  I picked up 5 polishes from the regular collection (on the right here), none of them are new shades I am just filling gaps in my collection now. :)  I'm hoping the french manicure polish, second from the right, might be the perfect cream I have been hunting for. *fingers crossed*

Kiko also have a new range of quick drying nail polish so obviously I had to pick up a couple of them to try out, here is a close up of the ones I chose.

Then, because they were on offer, I picked up another couple of base coats

Next up my polish from various China Bazaar shops, there seem to be hundreds of them in the area my parents live and they stock all manner of things including cheap nail polish.  These bottles were all under a euro each.

They can be a bit hit and miss quality wise but I always like to grab a few and see what they are like, I've had some really good polishes from the various ones I've visited and at such a tiny outlay it seems rude not to.

These were a particularly cool find, they remind me so much of the nail polishes from Illamasqua's recent I'mPerfect range but at a teensy 5% of the cost.

Stay tuned to see which ones I tested out first and for pictures of all my holiday nails (which are shamefully few and far between as I was VERY lazy and hardly changed my polish at all).

Boodles Textile Yarn

I recently picked up some Textile Yarn from Hobbycraft (who currently have all their yarn and wool on a 3 for 2 deal), the brand is Boodles by Avec.  I've been wanting to try textile yarn for a while now so I could make a chunky cat basket / bed for James but it's proved quite difficult to track down and expensive. 

I've got a few ideas pinned on my Crochet board on Pinterest so when someone told me that Hobbycraft not only sold it but sold it at a decent price AND it was on offer I had to check it out.  Here's what I chose:

The yarn doesn't come in specific colours instead there are broad shade categories, the two greens are from the green selection and the grey is from the black / white which means that you basically have to just work with what they have in stock and if you run out of a colour you probably won't be able to pick up more too easily. 

The yarn is made from cuts offs from the textile manufacturing industry so the colour of the yarn depends on what's being produced at the time which is why the shades vary so much and aren't guaranteed.  It's definitely a case of grab what you can while you can. :)

I've settled on this pattern from the zen of making's blog as it seems pretty easy to follow.  So far I haven't gotten too far, mostly because this stuff is super hard to work with.

I'm really having to wrestle with the yarn and hook so it's a bit of a slow process at the moment, hopefully I'll get used to it and the process will speed up as I go along.  I do think it's worth the initial struggle though as I love how it's worked up so far.  I'm using a 10mm hook as suggested on the yarns packaging.

I also picked up some Paton's Fab Big Super Chunky yarn while it was on 3 for 2, I'm looking forward to making a super chunky blanket with this yarn so stay tuned for updates on that too.

L'Oreal Skin Perfection Velvety Toner

Today's post is about the third, and final, L'Oreal product I've purchased recently.  I've already posted about the cleansing oil and the micellar water and today I have the Velvety Toner!  You can see it on L'Oreal's site HERE. 

 

I didn't really need a new toner but the range was all on special offer and the idea of a velvety toner appealed so I decided to pick it up, here's what L'Oreal have to day about it:

 

L'Oréal Paris Skin Perfection Velvety Toner, specifically formulated for sensitive skin.The toner, infused with softening actives, removes impurities and leaves the skin toned, silky smooth. No dryness or discomfort. Hypo-allergenic. No Alcohol. Dermatologically tested.

 

First up, I LOVE the scent of this product, to me it smells sort of apple-y although it may not be apple scented on purpose, whatever it smells of is delicious which is something I really rate in skin care products, I can't be bothered with unscented things, I want skin care to smell lovely and pleasant and make me want to smear it all over my face and this product definitely does!

 

The toner applies nicely and has a definitely silky feel to it as you glide it on to your skin, it almost feels like it has some sort of moisturisers included in it which slide all over you face as you apply it.

 

It left my skin feeling nice; soft and clean and there was a hint of the velvety finish that the name suggests.  I'm not totally sure how I feel about the toner yet, although I am enjoying using it and it isn't doing anything bad to my skin I'm not sure if it feels astringent enough for me. 

 

I like my toners to feel quite zingy and fresh as if they are taking off the very last of my make up and whatever product I used to clean my face and leaving it a totally blank canvas.  This toner definitely feels like you're left with something on your skin, I would imagine for sensitive skin it's great as it does leave you feeling like you have a protective layer on your face.

 

Overall I'm happy to keep using it, not least because I LOVE how it smells but I'm not sure it would be a repurchase for me as I prefer my toners to feel a little more refreshing and clearing than this one does but it seems like it would be a great product for dry or sensitive skin,

Barry M - Mint Green

Another on the pastel theme today; Barry M Mint Green.

 

This is two coats and a top coat.  Mint Green is a lovely muted green shade.

 

It has an almost gelly look on the nail, although it's not too sheer it seems to have an almost squishy look which I really like, very pretty! 

L'Oreal Skin Perfection Miracle Cleansing Oil

I posted yesterday about the micellar water from this range which I had wanted to try out after reading reviews, while I was in Superdrug looking for it I also came across the cleansing oil from the same range.  I've read a fair bit about cleansing oils and used to wash my face using olive oil - a good few years ago - so I'm not adverse to the idea of using oil to wash you face although I've never tried an official facial oil so I decide to give this one a try. 

 

You can see it on L'Oreal's site HERE and here's what L'Oreal have to say about it:

L'Oréal Paris Skin Perfection 15 Second Miracle Cleansing Oil, high performance cleansing for all skin types. Instantly dissolves even waterproof make-up, skin feels perfectly clean with a non-greasy finish. The oil formula helps to re-balance skin's natural oil production for healthy-looking skin. Dermatologically tested.

 

I really like the facial oil, despite the fact I don't think it's ideal for removing eye make up as L'Oreal suggests - I'd still do that before washing my face with a seperate eye make up remover or micellar water.  You only need a couple of pumps of product to thoroughly coat the whole face and it applies smoothly and smells rather delicious. 

 

If you're not used to using an oil on your face it can feel a little odd but stick with it, once you've massaged it in you add water and the oil turns into a milky sort of solution which you can then wash off so your skin isn't left feeling oily at all, all the oil seems to melt away with the addition of water.

 

I found this stuff great for removing the make up on my face, it really does seem to melt it off and it left my face feeling clean and smooth without being at all greasy.  It might seem counter intuitive to apply oil to your skin, especially if you're like me and have quite oily skin to begin with, but in reality it's a lovely way to take off your make up and wash your face.

Kiko 339

 

I was feeling the urge for something pastel today so I chose Kiko 339, a gorgeous pale blue shade.

 

 

I really love this polish, it's such a pretty soft blue and as you can see it goes perfectly with casual denim for an every day manicure!

 

These pictures are two coats and a top coat and as with almost all Kiko creams it applies beautifully!

L'Oreal Skin Perfection Purifying Micellar Water

I have a couple of micellar waters which I use regularly and like; the Boots No7 one which I stock up on when I have vouchers and the one I regularly pick up in Spain.  I like both of them and I find them fantastic for taking off my eye make up, so when I heard that L'Oreal were bringing out a new one and it was on special at Superdrug (under £2.50 in the introductory offer) I had to try it out.

 

Here's what L'Oreal have to say about it:

 

L'Oréal Paris Skin Perfection Purifying Micellar Water, high performance cleansing for sensitive skin. Used by make-up artists, the 'micellar' solution swiftly removes all traces of make-up and acts like a purifying magnet on skin's surface to capture and draw out excess oil and impurities. So gentle, skin feels soothed and toned. Hypo-allergenic. No Alcohol. Dermatologically tested.

 

You can see it on their site HERE.

 

 

I've used it a few times now and while I don't find it mind-blowingly wonderful I do like it, and at less than £2.50 in the introductory offer it's a fantastic deal.  It easily removes even very stubborn, waterproof eye make up without any scrubbing.  It really seems to cut through the make up and sweep it easily off my face

 

It doesn't seem to have much of a scent to it at all and it does feel super gentle on my skin and definitely takes off make up with ease without drying out my skin or making it feel sensitive.

 

If you haven't tried a micellar water then the L'Oreal one could be a good place to start, while the Boots version sometimes feels a little stingy on my eyes this one didn't at all and it made removing even heavy eyeliner and mascara a breeze; it's gentle yet effective which, for a sensitive skin care product, is just what you look for.

 

Look out for more products from the Skin Perfect range over the next few days.

Rainbow Ripple Progress

Just a few quick progress pictures of my current rainbow ripple blanket.

 

I'm really enjoying this pattern and I love the way it's turning out, I'm not 100% sure of the colour combinations but since it was mainly started as a way to use up my leftover yarn I think it's looking not too bad, although I should probably have thought out my rainbow effect a bit better. 

 

The grey strip near the bottom on the picture above is probably going to be the half way point so when it's finished I think it'll be a nice cot sized blanket or suitable for a small person in some form.

Nelly Polish - Beeny

Yesterday's post about Nelly Polish included some back ground information and pictures of Looe, today I have another polish from The Fungooms range to show you, this time Beeny.  Beeny is a pale dusky blue shade packed with large and small orange glitter pieces.

Beeny came ready made so there was no mixing or clear varnish required, I just had to apply the polish.  I decided to try it without a base coat to see how opaque it was, these pictures show 4 coats and I would say it's pretty much opaque at that. 

You could certainly use a base colour to lessen the number of coats required but then you wouldn't get the lovely 3D layered aspect of the glitters that you do with more coats.

As with Looe, Benny applied really nicely, it goes on smoothly and dries fairly fast.  It dries to a slightly matte finish but a quick coat of top coat brings it up to the shiny finish you see in the photos.

I love the colour combination, the pale grey blue is beautifully complimented by the orange glitter with just enough sparkle and glitter to make it interesting without being a total in your face glitter.

The glitter lies beautifully flat and it's easy to get an even finish, even with 4 coats it didn't get clumpy or drag as I applied it.

 Yet again I am very impressed with Nelly Polish, although I didn't get to do the cool mixing part with this colour (some may says it's just more work but personally I loved it!) it applied beautifully, looked great and the quality of the varnish really impressed me.

Beeny, and Looe and the rest of the collection, can be bought (in it's three forms) on Etsy or the Nelly Polish website. Sachets (Nelly Mixture!) are £4, dried polish in a bottle to mix yourself (this is how I got Looe) is £5 and a bottle of pre-mixed polish is £6.50 (the pre-mixed polish is for UK delivery only). Go and check them out!

Nelly Polish (The World's First Dried Nail Polish) Looe

I'm a bit of a sucker for an new concept when it comes to nail polish, a true marketing man's dream anything new and different I like to try out, so imagine my excitement when I was offered the opportunity to try out The World's First Dried Nail Polish!  Dried nail polish?  What?!  Allow me to explain...
 

With new rules and regulations coming in regarding what can and can't be posted within the UK, and to outside the UK, Indie polish makers have been struggling a bit, the new rules make it pretty much impossible to make and deliver regular nail polish without rather a lot of hoop jumping and in some cases (shipping outwith the UK for example) it's pretty much impossible. 
 

So Hilary of Nelly Polish decided to work out a way around the rules, what she came up with is dehydrated nail polish; all the pigment, glitter and suspension agent to make a lovely bottle of polish but with none of the problems of sending solvents or flammable liquids through the post, sounds like a winning idea to me!
 

Hilary sent me two bottles, Looe and Beeny which are part of The Fungooms Collection.  Today I am going to show you Looe which in dried form in a Nelly Polish Bottle, ready for me to add my own clear varnish (it's the bottle on the left here).

I decide to use a bottle of Stay Perfect top coat by No7 to mix up the polish powder, it's a fast drying top coat so I was hoping that it would mix well and become a fast drying nail polish too...

The mixing stage was really easy, I just poured in some of the clear varnish, gave it a good shake and then topped up with the rest of the bottle of clear varnish and shook again, as simple as that!

Looe ends up a bright grass green sort of shade with large pink glitter and small pink and gold glitter, to me the pink shows more red but regardless it's very pretty.  It's quite an unusual colour combination but it works really well.  It reminds me of flowers in a field.

Application was great, I used it over a base coat of a similar green colour but I'm pretty sure 3 coats would have had it opaque anyway.  I ended up using 3 coats here to achieve the look you see and there is no hint of the base colour showing through.  The polish was surprisingly smooth and easy to apply, I'll admit I was expecting lumps or for it to be thick and clumpy but it wasn't at all, it applied beautifully.  Some of the pictures show slight tip wear but that is all me rather than the polish, I was a bit too keen to get on with other stuff and seem to have managed to wear the tips down a bit. :(

The added bonus of using the quick drying No7 top coat was that the polish did dry really fast too, there's another bonus to choosing your own base polish right there!

I am SO impressed with this polish, as excited as I was about the concept I admit I had my reservations about how well it would work in reality but my scepticism was totally unfounded, it works brilliantly!  Hilary has clearly done her research and the powder to polish concept seems like an ideal way around the issues with shipping polish abroad and a less expensive way to purchase Indie polish for people like me who tend to have quite a lot of clear polish lying around.

The polish can be bought (in it's three forms) on Etsy or the Nelly Polish website.  Sachets (Nelly Mixture!) are £4, dried polish in a bottle to mix yourself (this is how I got Looe) is £5 and a bottle of pre-mixed polish is £6.50 (the pre-mixed polish is for UK delivery only).  Go and check them out!

And come back tomorrow for a closer look at Beeny too!