Autumn/Winter Nails ... Deeps

Bonjour!

As we're now officially in the last month of Winter (hurray!) I thought I'd shop my nail polish stash ... can't see the weather turning any time soon so the deeper hues will be with me for a while longer ...

Shot on location in the freezing cold back garden - got to get the right ambiance ... even if my fingers felt like frostbite was setting in ...!

From left to right ...

Barry M Matte Nail Paint in Crush - love the smooth finish of this polish - great for a grungy looking change from high gloss!

Marks & Spencer Limited Collection Quick Dry Nail Polish in Storm - my newest addition, you can see my NOTD here.

Maybelline Forever Strong in Dark Denim - had this one for ages, forgotten how much I like it -should use it more often before it dries up! 

Barry M Gelly Nail Paint in Watermelon - not the easiest to apply (I find) and not the most long lasting but I love the colour - so does my daughter, she keeps pinching it from me!

Nails Inc Polish in Hanover Square - a freebie with good ol' Glamour magazine - lovely rich colour, reminds me of a shiny aubergine!

Will you be rocking the 'deeps' for a while yet or are you champing at the bit to bring out the Spring pastels?

Jen x

NOTD - M&S Limited Collection Nail Polish in Storm ...

Bonjour!

Perhaps I should have named this post 'Nail of the Stormy Day' in light of recent weather ... I don't like storms but then again I don't like bitter cold, snow and ice ... I just don't like Winter - end of!  Anyway this is the Marks & Spencer Limited Collection Quick Dry Nail Polish in Storm ... I bought it a couple of months ago ... and yes ... it's taken me all this time to get this post out ... disgraceful I know ...!

The colour comes out richer on the nail than in the bottle and is a deep grey in colour, probably one of the darkest polishes I own but very wearable - even on hands of my age! I like that's it's almost black but not black.  It calls to my inner rock-chick - although I'm sure sophisticated ladies would carry it off with great success!

Have I mentioned that I have a bit of a 'thing' for these M&S polishes? They have a good glossy finish with average wear time and they are so easy to apply with a good sized brush.  I find the consistency just right - it's more on the thin than thick side but that's preferable to a gloopy mess in my opinion.  A steal at £3.50 each and very often on offer at buy one get one half price!

So ... would you be channelling your inner rock-chick or sophisticate?  Have you tried the M&S Limited Collection Polishes yet?

Jen x

A Very Merry NOTD Christmas ...!

Bonjour!

I honestly don't know where these last few weeks have gone and can hardly believe that Christmas Eve is here again ... !  I've had this week off work and have spent the last few days in what seems like a whirlwind of food shopping, cleaning and wrapping presents ... following by the custom of falling asleep on the settee every evening ... who's with me?  Distant memories of the Christmas Eve office parties of my youth with free booze provided from 10.30am - resulting in drunken antics involving various pieces of office equipment and riding up and down in the lifts (don't ask!) ... before we all headed off to a nightclub for the afternoon hired out exclusively for ourselves to dance the day away ... some of us would then make our way home nursing a hangover before the evening had even started ... and some would stay out and just carry on (as you do!) ... those were the days!

It's nice to be able to finally sit down though (for however brief a time!) and write up a quick post to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas!  And ... couldn't let this opportunity go by without a quick festive NOTD ...

Barry M Glitterati Nail Paint - Rockstar ...

I actually had no intention of buying any new nail polishes but when I was in Boots last week (buying my Christmas present from the hubby - best way to do it sometimes!) Rockstar just called to me and that was that ...!  This is my favourite of the Glitterati collection ... the other polishes are lovely but this one has something about it which grabbed me - must be the grey theme!

It's positively jam packed with different shades of  'reasonably' sized glitter  - I'm not so bothered about the 'great big chunks' variety for myself so this is perfect for me.  I think my camera was rather dazzled so had difficulty picking up on all the individual specks but you get the idea - maybe a proper macro lens is in order!  I'm not going all out bling with my Christmas Day outfit (do I ever!) - so it'll be good to wear something a bit sparkly on my nails.  Only problem is ... with the mountain of potatoes and vege I have to peel for tomorrow's dinner I'll have to get the hubby heavily involved to avoid Rockstar glitter in the sprouts ... ahh Christmas dinner problems!

This was only meant to be a quick post and I've waffled on for England so apologies if you're still with me!  I've only managed a handful of posts during December and am actually 'champing at the bit' to get back to a regular blogging routine. Plus ... I have a tonne of products to review and am running out of storage space ... my friend at work pointed out that I have a problem! (Thanks Amy!)

What will you be wearing on your nails this Christmas? Will there be any glitter in your sprouts? And once again Merry Christmas to all!


Jen x

Autumn/Winter Nails ... Neutrals

Bonjour!

I don't know about you but when it comes to nail polish I try to hang onto my Summer brights for as long as possible and since we were lucky enough to have that bit of Indian Summer not too long ago they stuck around for that bit longer than usual!  I tend to ease myself into the new season gradually (and somewhat reluctantly since I'm a proper 'Summer lover'!) moving onto neutral polishes,  and eventually the deeps!  Of course, you can obviously wear whatever the hell you want on your nails throughout any season and depending on your mood but this is just how I tend to roll ... generally!

So here's what I've picked out from my current stash - different depths here but I consider all these to be in the 'neutral zone' ...

From left to right...

Nails Inc - Basil Street
Maybelline Forever Strong - Taupe Couture
Leighton Denny - Supermodel
Barry M Matte Nail Paint - Mocha
M&S Limited Collection Nail Polish - Putty

And here they are on ... as always a rushed paint job (on a Sunday and I had to get a chicken in the oven shortly after - as you do!) ... but you get the general picture ...

Basil Street is the palest and reminds me of Baileys Irish Cream - usually need three coats with this one.  Haven't used Taupe Couture for ages and it's a deeper shade than I remembered but still has that flat brown/neutral vibe.  Supermodel is quite new and one of the thinnest polishes  I've tried but very easy to apply.  Mocha is unfortunately the least long lasting but I still love the matte effect.  Putty is my newest edition (you can see my NOTD here).

Must invest in a couple of those 'nail wheel' contraptions I know some of you use for these types of posts - would certainly make things easier when there's a Sunday dinner to cook!

What are your favourite Autumn nail polishes?  Do you cross over with neutrals or dip straight into the deeps?

Jen x

NOTD - M&S Limited Collection Nail Polish in Putty

Bonjour ...

I've not done a NOTD for a while now - actually haven't bought a new nail polish for a while ... I was trying to 'shop my stash' but this all changed last week when I popped into M&S to pick up some edible goodies (as you do!) and then all of a sudden found myself in the beauty department - which is on a totally different floor ... how this happened I have no idea! The Limited Collection Quick Dry Nail Polishes (which are only £3.50 anyway) were on offer at buy one get one half price - after this discovery it all went downhill ... or uphill whichever way you look at it ... I'm waffling again aren't I...?

This is one of shades I picked up ...Marks & Spencer Limited Collection Nail Polish in Putty ...

No idea why I don't own more of the Limited Collection Nail Polishes as I have a bit of a soft spot for them - I find them really quick and easy to apply - the brush is user-friendly and the formula just the right consistency.  It's opaque in two coats, has a good glossy finish and is touch dry in a jiffy.  They also last quite well on with a decent base and top coat which is always a bonus!  Putty comes out with a richer purple hue than I expected from the bottle but has a touch of grey mixed in which gives it that bit more of a flat/neutral vibe which I really like - a good Autumn nail colour!

Have you tried the M&S Limited Collection Nail Polishes? Will you be buying any new Autumn nail colours?


Jen x

NOTD - Rimmel Salon Pro by Kate Nail Polish in Nymph

Bonjour!

The Rimmel Salon Pro Nail Polish in Nymph is one of ten shades that Kate Moss apparently had a hand in 'creating'. It ended up in my basket when I recently went to Boots to pick up my new specs as it had £1 off making it £3.49 ...

Rimmel say you can get up to 10 days of chip resistant colour ... you know what I'm going to say don't you? Yep ... I didn't get 10 days (I mean 10 days ... in my dreams!) but I got 3 days (with top and base coat) - which is good for me.  I can cope with 3 days.  The brush is wide and flat with slightly tapered sides (apparently it's a 'maxi' brush) but is easy enough to use (although maybe the stem could be a tad longer but maybe that's me being picky!) - the polish needs two coats (in this colour anyway), dries in standard time and has a lovely high shine to it.  I do love this colour - it reminds me of one of those lagoon type things you see in those balmy hot places!

So - yes ... I think I'll be after some other colours from this range of polishes - they're a good price and last fairly well on. I do want to make a dent in my existing nail polish collection though (that's me being sensible) so may well hold off until Autumn - I have my eye on Punk Rock which will be a perfect Autumn/Winter colour!  But let's not wish the time away - I want to experience Summer first!

Have you tried any Rimmel Salon Pro polishes? What's your most 'long lasting' nail polish?

Jen x

Nails Inc with June Instyle ...!

Bonjour!

I have been so very good with magazine freebies lately ... 'pfft' I hear you say .. no really I have! And ... even when I realised that Nails Inc had teamed up with Instyle for their June issue I still hesitated - until I spotted a Sainsburys voucher on the kitchen side for £2 off an Instyle magazine ... after that it was a proper no brainer ... !

There are three colours available as below ... after much indecision I went for the pink ... Sugarloaf Sunset!

Ignoring the fact that my hand looks really weird in this pic -what a gorgeous pop of vivid pink!  I love it and can see Sugarloaf  Sunset getting plenty of usage over the coming months. Am trying it out with my new Nails Inc Kensington Caviar Top and Base Coat so will report back in due course. Unfortunately, or fortunately (whichever way you look at it) I've also heard that Instyle mag is selling for £2.50 in Tesco - the question is will I be able to resist popping in to pick up another colour?

Can you resist a magazine freebie?  Which of these Nails Inc shades is your favourite?

Jen x

Shopping My Stash - Spring Nails ...!

Bonjour!

I've decided not to buy any new nail polish this Spring and just 'shop my stash' - I've fished out my 'Springiest' looking polishes to use ... pity the weather wasn't at it's 'Springiest' on the day I took these pics! Cheery little blighters aren't they?

This was one of those days when I'd done a load of housework (don't you just love those days!) and decided to do a quick paint job (it's always a quick paint job!) - in order to take these photos whilst the sun was still out ... unfortunately the sun went in just as I stepped outside ... typical! So here are the polishes with their original glossy finishes ...

I decided to complicate matters further/delay my return to household chores by having a bash with my No7 matte topcoat ... reminds me of those sweetie necklace type things from my youth!

After all this frivolity I then had to dash down to Sainsburys with multi coloured nails - just on the one hand mind - I didn't have time to do the other (!) - if anyone noticed they'd have thought I was off my trolley (absolutely no pun intended there - it just popped out - said the mistress to the bishop! I should stop this right now!). And now I can't decide on glossy or matte - I'm indecisive at the best of times!

Which do you prefer - glossy or matte? What polishes are you wearing this Springtime? Are you 'shopping' any of your stashes?

Jen x

NOTD - Deborah Lippmann - Spring Buds ...!

Bonjour!

This is the second of the polishes recently sent to me from Lookfantastic ... Spring Buds by celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann ... here it is mingling with some Spring blossom ...!

I should point out that tiny droplets of rain may be evident in the above pic - it was one of those silly weather days and I was desperately trying to get this snapped before the heavens opened!  Anyway ... this is one of the polishes available from the Deborah Lippmann 'Spring Reveries' Collection - six of the softest 'very springlike' pastel shades which are easy on the eye - both in the lovely Art Deco type bottle and out of it!  'Spring Buds' is a creamy, pistachio green colour - a fresh and clean and glossy look which is ideal for this time of year!  The consistency was actually a lot thinner than I was expecting with quite a small brush but once you get used to this it's easy enough for a novice like myself to apply.  You do need two decent (or three not so decent I imagine) coats - I've used two in the above pic.  Wear wise (you know what I'm going to say here I bet!) it lasted just short of two days with topcoat but it did wear pretty evenly on the ends which may make it easier to touch up?

You can see the Deborah Lippmann range available from Lookfantastic here - between £16/£18 a bottle it's a bit on the pricey side  - although there are some gorgeous colours and finishes - see what you think!

Have you tried any of the Deborah Lippman polishes?

Jen x

NOTD - Nailtiques Protein Nail Lacquer in Maui...

Bonjour!

I was recently sent a couple of nail polishes to try from Lookfantastic ... here's the first NOTD - step up the Nailtiques Nail Lacquer with Protein in Maui...!

A little info directly from the Lookfantastic website ...

"Nailtiques have revolutionised natural nail care by pioneering a nail colour which strengthens nails. Nailtiques Nail Lacquer With Protein in Maui is a sizzling hot coral pink shade enriched with the award-winning benefits of the Nailtiques protein blend." source

I have only used the nail polish itself and - as I understand - it works in conjunction with the Nailtiques protein treatments, I therefore can't speak for it's strengthening properties. I have to say though - what a gorgeous pop of colour!  It's been grand to wear a 'sizzling hot coral' for a change - so vibrant and cheerful on a grey day (and we all know we've not seen the back of grey days yet!).  It has a good glossy finish - the above pic. was taken without any topcoat (on one of the aforementioned grey days!).  Easy to apply - with a decent brush and drying time was pretty standard.  It was opaque (enough for me anyway) in two coats - if you're a bit more particular about your level of 'opaqueness' you could easily apply a third coat.  Wear wise it lasted my usual 2 days once I had applied my topcoat.

You can see the full range of  Nailtiques Nail Lacquers (including current offers) over at Lookfantastic here.  I like the fact that they're based on well known 'worldwide' locations and I'm liking the look of 'Rio' myself!

Have you used any products from the Nailtiques range? Which 'worldwide location' would you choose?

Jen x

NOTD - Barry M Matte Nail Paint in Crush

Bonjour!

I've been intrigued by the Barry M Matte Nail Paints for a while now but faffed around (true to character) picking 'em up and putting 'em back (as you do) and mulling over the problem of a topcoat etc  before I bit the bullet the other week when they were on offer in Boots. I ended up with a couple of the Mattes and this one is 'Crush' ...

*Note the collaboration shot just above with sleeping pooch!*

I haven't used a matte polish before but this was easy enough to apply. I needed two coats as just the one was streaky. Drying time was about average without my usual super-quick dry (but obviously glossy) topcoat.   Unfortunately it didn't last too well once on - just over a day before some wear on the ends - but my hands are constantly in and out of water when I'm at home. My young friend at work said it lasted approx. two days for her before she had to go over her nails again with another coat to patch things up. Neither of us used a topcoat. I found it very easy to remove, however, if that's any consolation! ;)

Regarding the finish, if we were talking Dulux I'd say it's more of a  'soft sheen' rather than 'flat matt'. The colour of a good red grape with a smooth leathered look to it (reminds me of those dark red Dr Martens I'm still lusting over!) there's a slight edgy vibe going on don't you think?

So ... despite the 'not so good' wear time I am quite taken with this polish - it has a different look to it which appeals to me and is reasonably priced at £3.99 (mine were £3 each on offer) . Going 'topcoatless' is not a practical option though so I've bought a matte topcoat this weekend which I'll be trying out shortly. Will keep you posted.

Have you tried the Barry M Matte Nail Paint? What did you think?

Jen x

Party Nails Are Go ...!

Bonjour!

Party season is in full swing and Christmas is just round the corner (slight panic as I type that!) so thought I'd share a few polishes I'll be favouring over the festive period. After all - if a girl wants to bling up her nails what better time ...?

Here are my picks left to right ...

Barry M Textured Nail Paint in Duchess
17 Fast Finish Nail Polish in Navy Glint
Seche Nail Lacquer in Iconic
Beauty UK Glam Nails in Gun Metal
Elf Nail Polish in Chic Confetti

I  had to move to the window to take the pic below as the light was fading fast and ended up waking someone up who had been fast asleep in his chair - sorry pooch!

Below pic taken in the evening with lights on ... you'll have to excuse the state of my cuticles but I had just completed  a marathon of potato and vege peeling for dinner! Blogging and 'mum' duties do not always go hand in hand!

17 Navy Glint and Beauty UK Gun Metal are from last year - you can see NOTD posts here and here. I received Seche Iconic in a beauty box last year and gave it to my mum but she's let me have it back for the moment! Elf Chic Confetti (would look great over another colour - can't wait to try that out) and Barry M Duchess  are a couple of sparklies I bought recently as I was getting into the Christmas spirit ...

Can't decide which to use for Christmas Day? Which is your favourite? What will you be wearing on your nails?

Jen x

NOTD - MUA Moody Mink!

Bonjour!

I picked this up MUA polish in Moody Mink a couple of weeks ago from Superdrug ... my daughter chose the colour - so well done my girl!

A dusky, muted, mauvey colour which fits in really well as an Autumn polish. My daughter wanted to use it but when she saw it on my nails declared that it was a bit 'grey' - in other words she thinks it's a bit too 'grown up' for her - fine by me, I can keep it all to myself!  I applied my Sally Hansen topcoat here - so that's giving it some extra shine - just so you know!

This is the first MUA polish I've bought since the bottle has been re-designed with the 'new and improved' brush and all.  In the past I have found the brush quite difficult to handle within the old chunky square lid. As a complete contrast, this was pleasantly easy to apply - so they've obviously sorted it!  MUA polishes don't seem to last that long on me and yes the bottle is tiny but it's only £1 for Pete's sake! (Who is Pete anyway?).  So - next time I'm in Superdrug I may well pick a few more shades up. Why not?

Have you tried the new MUA polishes recently? What did you think?


Jen x

NOTD - Sinful Colors - Sweet Nothing

Bonjour!

I spotted Sinful Colors (over from the USA) in Boots a while ago and was immediately drawn to the vast array of colours and finishes - creams, pearls, glitter, shimmer and mattes (that enough for you or what!). I walked away and then returned a week or so later (must have been mad).  A couple of the colours I'd originally had my eye on had sold out but not this one ... there was one bottle left in the stand ... it was meant to be...!

Sinful Colors - Sweet Nothing...

I found the polish went on easily - brush and consistency wise, it was opaque with two coats and dried fairly quickly.  My nails had chipped on the ends after just short of two days (with topcoat) so pretty standard for me (sigh). I will continue in my quest for the most bulletproof topcoat for us Mums.

Let me just say though that the above pic shows probably one of the messiest paint-jobs in the history of mankind, not because of the polish but due to the fact that a) I hadn't had time to prep my nails/cuticles and b) I was trying to do three things at once - rushing to get ready to go out, get the kids dinner on and get these photos taken - yes folks - that's how I roll...! Anyway - try to imagine this gorgeous colour on a more worthy set of nails. I mean it's got a proper 'Blue Lagoon' vibe don't you think - you just want to take a dip in it!

I will be returning to the Sinful Colors stand in Boots this weekend (and hope they've replenished their stock!) There are just too many colours and finishes to try out and at £1.99 a pop (even less at the moment as Boots have buy one get one half price on) the temptation is too great. If you haven't seen the range take a look here - bet there's something for everyone within this lot!

So tell me - have you 'Sinned' yet? Which is your favourite colour/finish?

Jen x

Friday Night Nails - Illamasqua Style!

Bonjour!

Don't know about you but I'm not really a fan of these dark days with minimal daylight and need a bit of  'winter brightness' now and then whether it be lips, nails, clothes etc.  Went out last friday evening with my 'work-mates' so what better to reach for than Illamasqua Collide from the Illamasqua Mystery Box which I recently won!

By the time I had finished painting my nails the light was starting to fail and I had to move nearer the window to photograph - so apologies for all the reflection.  I love the colour (I have a couple of coats on) - it has a sort of vinyl effect and is brighter and more neon than is depicted in these photos but in a totally wearable way (even at my age!) and every time I look at my nails the colour cheers me up!

The polish went on really easily (nice brush I thought!) and dried quickly - which was a good job as I had to commence the mammoth task of getting ready for the night out and making myself look human!

It's now Sunday and I'm sporting a bit of wear on the ends of my nails - but I decided to cook a chicken curry last night (which incurred much chopping/peeling/handwashing etc) as I was feeling a bit rough throughout Saturday (more from lack of sleep than booze I should point out) - so I can't complain!

You can check out the full range of Illamasqua Nail Varnishes here - the range looks amazing!

Have you tried any nail polishes from Illamasqua? What do you use for 'winter brightness'?

Jen x

NOTD - NYC - High Line Green

Bonjour!

Green is my favourite colour. Reminds me of fresh herbs - coriander, basil, parsley, mint - (can you tell I love my food?). So when I spotted this polish in Superdrug at £1.79 I had to have it!  In a New York Colour Minute Quick Dry Nail Polish in High Line Green.

Just the one coat (without topcoat) 

So - this polish promises 'a manicure that moves at the speed of Manhattan' and is described by the NYC website as a one coat formula that dries in less than 60 seconds.

Tried this out as a 'one-coater' at the weekend (with my usual base/top coat) and it did actually last pretty well before chipping - about two days - that may sound pretty rubbish to you lot but for a busy mum with all the cleaning, hands in soapy water, chopping, peeling, cooking (I tend to cook a lot over the weekend!) it's not too bad. I did find that the formula is slightly too thick for the brush, which is a bit too pliable and bendy (in my humble opinion) and it took a while to dry (being such a thick consistency I guess) but for £1.79 I can't complain.

Initially I did wonder whether this colour may be a tad 'out there' for a girl of my advanced years....what the hell - I love it, it's rich, glossy and a great Autumn colour I think. (Not sure my mum likes it though - she said the colour was hurting her eyes - sorry Mum!)

You can check out the colours available at Superdrug from their online store here or directly from the New York Colour website here.

What do you think of 'High Line Green'?  Have you tried out any of the NYC Quick Dry range?

Jen x

Jessica Phenomen Oil - Review

Bonjour!

This bottle of Jessica Phenomen Oil was included in the price of a manicure a couple of months ago at my local salon, as the product is worth around £9.00, (for this size of 7.4ml)  I thought this a pretty good deal. I'm not one to get my nails done on a regular basis, so I decided on this occasion to treat myself!

It was a pretty standard grey summer's day when I took these shots so apologies for the darkish images!

I've always been pretty bad with my cuticle and nail area, my nails are pretty hard but are prone to vertical ridges which can end up splitting on particular nails and my cuticles get dried out and flaky with all the handwashing etc (which you can no doubt see on some of my nail shots!).  It's something I meant to address but never got round to - what with all the daily/weekly madness that goes on in typical family life!

You'll be aware that Jessica Nailcare products are widely used in salons around the UK, they must therefore know their stuff when it comes to nails - right? Their website states -

Phenomen Oil is a healing and rehydrating cuticle oil to heal and nourish dry cuticles and promote strong nail growth.

I used this on and off before going on holiday but once I returned, decided to give it a good go.  As you can see, the product comes in a small bottle with a dropper tip so it's really easy to use and you only need the tiniest amount. One drop per hand, massaged into nails and cuticles, so I can imagine this bottle lasting for ages. The key ingredients include Sweet Almond Oil, Rice Oil, Jojoba and Vitamin E.  The smell reminds me of the Almond Essence my mum sometimes uses in her cakes!

So, for me, this product has certainly made a difference (should have done this years ago!).  My cuticles aren't perfect but as a busy mum with hands constantly in and out of water and cleaning products etc it's the best they've been in a while and my nails feel stronger and haven't as yet split.

This is something I would definitely consider re-purchasing in the future, however, I won't have to worry about this for a good while yet!

Full information directly from the Jessica Website can be found here.

What's your favourite product for manky nails/cuticles?

Jen x