Nails (16)

Left Hand.

Right Hand

These are the nails I'm wearing right now and are my first proper attempt with fake nails, as in actually wearing them. I did these on valentines day but didn't want anything to lovey-dovey valentines related because thats just not my kinda thing. I don't actually love the heart on the thumb but I really didn't see any point in redoing it. I cut and filed the nails down to size but I think they might still be a little too long for me, especially as I'm not used to long nails as they always have to be quite short for netball. Maybe it will just take a while to get used to. 

My blogging is so sporadic. I've written three posts in two days after not posting for quite a while. I'll be honest with you this is because I'm on half term from school so I have time. I had very little time to blog in the last few weeks of school leading up to this week because there were exams and coursework deadlines and I was functioning badly on very little sleep. I'm all caught up now though, I had my first lie in in something like six weeks on monday. It felt momentous turning off my 7am alarm for once because of no school or work. Sleep <3

Do you like the nails?

Nails (15) Slytherin

Models Own - Jade Stone 

Nail Art Pens - Ebay 

I didn't really know how I was going to do my nails when I chose these colours and to be honest I didn't really like how it looked at first. Then I decided to add the black in and now I really really love it. 

I adore my nail pens, although some are now a bit worse for wear. I got mine really cheaply off of eBay but they don't seem to be being sold at cheaply priced now but the prices are still really low to any high street shops. If you're not an eBay fan you can get black and white Wah x Models own nail art pens or Topshop recently released some nail pens - actual pens as well!

Anyway, with my nail pens I find that they're a bit too clear to just be applied straight onto a bare nail so I applied one coat Models Own Jade Stone just to give me a base. This makes the colour of the nail pens come out a bit more and packs a stronger punch. A lot of people apply a white coat before also to create a really strong colour - this can be done for any polish, not just the pens obviously. 

•  Models Own Jade Stone - 1 coat.
• Two coats of the green (looks blue in photo - second from left) nail pen on 3/4 of my nail
• Two coats of silver glitter polish on the remaining 1/4 of my nail ( fourth from left)
• Two coats of the green glitter pen over the 3/4 of nail coated in the non-glitter green pen. (green glitter third from left)
• One black line over where the green joins the silver

If you're a Harry Potter nerd like me then you may have already noticed that these are the slytherin house colours. When I was little I once got sorted into Slytherin on an online quiz (much to my dismay - and tears) and so played the quiz until I got Gryffindor. No shame.

Are you a fan of glitter nails?

Victoria x

Nails (13)

Beauty UK - Cafe Culture No.63 - £1.99

Barry M - Turquoise NP295 - £2.99

Both from Superdrug.

I've been wanting a nude colour for a while now and once again Beauty UK pulled it out the bag. First of all, I love the name of the polish - cafe culture. Secondly, this polish actually has a bit of shimmer in which I hadn't noticed until I looked up close so it adds a subtle shine to your nails which looks lovely. Thirdly, the price for the quality that you get is amazing. I adore Beauty UK, they're nail varnishes are such good value for money, I would definitely pay more than the £1.99 they charge. 

I absolutely love Barry M's nail varnish bottle design. I know it's been around for ages but I still think it looks quite, I don't know, classy maybe. I always think they look lovely in photographs because of the light on the glass. I chose this colour because while I have blues most of them are quite dark or pale whereas this is quite bright. I really like this colour, Barry M are always, I think, brilliant at bringing out good colours. I wouldn't normally pair it with this polish when doing the 'ring finger thing' but I thought I might as well see what it looks like and it makes it easier to show both the polished at the same time. I might add a light glitter coat to the top of the blue. As always with Barry M I find myself wanting it to be just that little bit thicker or opaquer as even with two coats on it looks a little thin in places. Maybe that is just personal preference though and hey, third times a charm. 

What do you think about Beauty UK and Barry M polishes?

Victoria x

Instant Nail Polish Remover

Pretty Quick Instant Nail Polish Remover - £2.50 (Boots - here)

My mum picked this up when she went into town the other day after we were shown a similar product at the clothes show. The idea behind this product is genius (I feel I should start a feature after my face masks post!). It makes the whole process of taking off your nail varnish, which I find annoying and tedious, very very quick. You do just what it says on the tub - dip your finger in and twist. That simple and your nail varnish is gone. You may need to dip it once more if there are little dregs of it near your cuticle but that's not really a hassle. 

While this is very time saving, I have found a couple of things I'm not completely happy with but they're quite minor. The first is the smell - please note - the one I linked you to at the top is the acetone free one, mine is not acetone free - it is very very strong. I found it very over powering, more so than the nail varnish pads I'm used to but that is to be expected as this is liquid remover into sponge but never the less I still found it noticeably strong. Therefore I definitely suggest trying to find the acetone free one, I will be doing this in the future. The second thing is that on the nails I left in quite long or dipped again after my nail varnish going wrong it has left some white-ish patches. It's hardly noticeable and all painted over now. As this is the first of these products I've owned I don't know if it is because of the product or if this is to be expected with acetone maybe? If anyone can shed some light, please feel free!

Overall however, I do really like this product and am definitely going to carry on using it and try some others on the market. It really does reduce the time, and mess of remover pads/cotton wool. I can put up with the smell for the ease and speed of the result but as I said, I'm definitely going to get an acetone free one next time. 

Above is a short video of the product in action - I will say that it is much easier with two hands so one can hold the pot still but as mine was busy holding the camera I had to make do!

Also - just a tip. Look to see if you have any cuts/scratches on your fingers before dipping! (sense the tone of regret).

Have you tried this or something similar?

Victoria x

nails (10)

Barry M - Instant Nail Effects Gold.

The purple colour nail varnish was part of a set that I recieved as a present, it is a Colour Works nail varnish but doesn't have a colour name or code so that's really all the information I have about that one. The gold Barry M is £3.99 and I really like it in this design. It's the classic background colour (purple here) and then put the cellotape across the nail and paint your top colour (gold here) to create this. 

I put my Avon nail experts gloss coat top coat on after taking this and it really is very glossy (obvs). That is my favourite top coat (and the only one I have right now) but it's running out and I can't see it in the Avon catalogue or website so I'm assuming it's been discontinued. 

Have you ever used the cellotape technique?

Victoria x

Nails (8) Halloween.

I did some Halloween nails, the classic dripping blood - although my red nail varnish is on its very last (probably injured) leg so it was really sticky and gloopy. Then I did some slime of course.

The second lot were just a bit of a mix really. I think the scars look quite cool going off of one side. I also love the ghost and the gravestone. The black kind of splatter was meant to be a bat.. yep go and take a second look and you probably still wont be able to see the resemblance. It didn't go well, it does remind me of a butterfly I drew in year eight art that my teacher said was crap and looked as though it had gone through a shredder. That was a good lesson.

Anyway, what do you think? 

Victoria x

p.s. i know this is the second nails post in a row but ima bit keen.

Nails (6)

Both with flash.

These were my nails for the majority of last week. 

Ignore the white bit on the red nail - that was an experiment that didn't go well, ignore the red nails all together in fact. 

I had two metallic colours. Both hands required some layering of colours to get this effect. 

Top: I put on two or so coats of Collection 2000 Hot Looks #25 on. This colour is a kind of gun metal (little bit like the models own one) with perhaps a bit more of a silver sheen to it. Then I put a silver glitter coat over it which was part of my 24 2-way pens off of eBay.

Bottom: I started with Missguided's Missfit which is a black with gold in. I didn't really like this colour compared to the one Collection 2000 i'd used on the other hand but didn't want to take it all off. I decided to layer a purple glitter nail varnish over it. It was also part of the 24pc set.

These came about while I was trying to do space/galactic nails (did.not.work) but I think they give a hint of space, no? Especially with a flash.

What do you think?
Victoria x

Nails (5)

Silver and Blue - nail art pen set via ebay. 

White - Natural Collection 

Yes that is anti bacterial hand gel.

I love this glittery blue, the colour is really vibrant and stands out. I've got a bad habit of chipping away at my nail varnish lately, I think out of boredom and so they always need re-painting or re-doing completely, it can't be good for my nails!

Victoria x

Nails (4)

Firstly, I just want to say I  hope everyone is safe!

I stumbled across DIY Nails tumblr last week and have been inspired. There are some beauts of nails over there. I've also been attempting the tutorials. I think it's safe to say some went better than others. Today I tried the water marbling one. I'll write what i did in very basic terms because it is explained on DIY nails tumblr better than I will be able to and with better photos (while marbling). 

I used one of those 4-way nail files/buffer/smoother/shiner just to give my nails some extra tlc. 

What I used: Clear base coat. White, pink, yellow, orange nail varnish. Vaseline. Hairpin. Takeaway box. Water. Tissues and Newspaper (essential - it's messy)   

base coat

White coat. Not the neatest, started off using an old nail varnish which was almost empty and sticky. Not great. Then put vaseline around your nails but not on them to stop the nail varnish sticking to your skin. Makes it so much easier to get off. Amazing tip!

I used warm water as recommended on DIY nails and then put drops of the nail varnishes in. This needs to be really quick and so I wouldn't recommend 3 polishes unless you have a help or 3 hands. Marble them with the hair pin (unfolded). There is this kind of case or layer or whatever that is made so you have to get rid of that a  few times too, with the hair pin. 

Dip your nail into a bit where the paint is. Told you it was messy.

Afterwards..

My right hand didn't go as well. The water had gotten cold and it didn't marble as well, I found anyway. 

The ones that didn't go well I just cleaned and put a coral colour on and then gold glittered this tips.

ta da. 

It didn't turn out amazingly but practice makes perfect.

My mum and I have started to keep our nail varnish in the fridge. We heard it helps them 'keep' longer somewhere. Is that true or are we just keeping them chilled for the laughs?

Victoria x

Nails (3)

Another mismatch style. I love this. I have seen so many people with multi coloured nails this week. Love that!

Coral Surprise - Beauty UK

Blue Moon - Beauty UK

I am not a neat nail painter as you can probably see. I also don't wipe off the nail varnish that goes around the edges because I just end up smudging the nail, I find it usually washes off after a few hand washes. 

Victoria xx

I cant think of a title

(..at least i'm honest!)

Via; Me. on our D of E practice. 

Hope you are all having a lovely long easter weekend. I spent yesterday with some of the family who came to ours and we sat outside all day and talked broken up only by a big Sunday meal. 

I'm back at school tomorrow. It was genuinely one of my first thoughts waking up. Oh well, it's a three day week and then my birthday is the may bank holiday (may 2nd!). 

  

I've got my eye on these Barry M nail varnishes. The one on the left is Peach Melba, that even sounds nice! The one on the right is called Blue Moon. The Peach Melba would prioritize I have to say. These are both the new ones out. 

Victoria xo 

p.s. still trying to think of a new blog name!

I'll never cut it as a manicurist..

Hello my lovelies. This is my first proper post in a while, revision/exams etcetera, all of which will be explained/moaned about in my next post. But for now, nail varnish.

First things first. I need to apologise for the quality of the photos/nail painting

Sorry, It's blurred. ha.

All from SuperDrug on 3 for 2 (which is on all cosmetics). They might still have this deal going, I'm not too sure. I bought these three last Saturday and have been dying to show you them.

From Left:

Accessorize in Truffle - £4.00

Beauty Uk in Smokey Lilac - £2.99ish? (I've lost the reciept)

Collection 2000 Lasting Colour in Green with Envy - £? (see brackets above)

(See what I mean about the quality of my nail painting?)

I chose this nail polish as a replacement for the Barry M mushroom quest that seems endless. I'm glad I bought this instead of waiting around longingly for mushroom to get back in stock. It goes on really well, dries relatively fast and looks lovely. So my dad said it looked like I dipped my fingers in mud.. but what does he know. I like it, that's what matters.

Ha, look at the second nail from the left. I didn't paint the whole nail and I can still see my old nail varnish. I really do have some serious skill..

This is a really nice calm neutral colour for me. It's not too noticeable, I suppose it's kind of one step up from a clear coat. It's like nude lips but on nails. It's the best way I can describe it in such a sleep deprived state. Easy to put on and dries quite nicely too.

This little gem was my mothers choice. She wanted something Christmas-y.

The picture doesn't really do this justice, at all. It's kind of a metallic green but does have the talent of bringing festive thoughts to you every time you look at your hand.

I was SO amazed when I first used this. The brush is so wide. I almost managed to do my whole thumb in one sweep. Pretty amazing if you ask me..

Hope you've had a good week?

Check back soon as I'm going to write a bit of a catch up post next. Like literally gonna start it when I click publish..

Love Victoria xo