NOTD - CG Cracked Concrete

China Glaze Cracked Concrete is a mid toned grey crackle. I used it over Essie Nice is Nice, I like the combo of the pastel with the grey and I bought this particular polish with the intention of using it over the pastel shades that are everywhere this summer. I'm not sure that I like the way it has cracked, I think I need to use a thinner coat, I still haven't quite got the hang of this yet! I think I would like the look more if I could see more of the lavender showing through, it's not a look I will wear for long, I imagine I'll get bored after a day or so. 

xoxo

OPI Pirates Of The Caribbean Collection

OPI's most recent collection is a collaboration with the lastest Pirates Of The Caribbean film, On Stranger Tides. I first head about the pairing of the two back in February when OPI held a bloggers day in London and pictures started to pop up online later that day. I was beyond excited! I loved the shades of the collection and I adore the films! The film was released in the UK this week and so was the nail varnish collection.

The colours in the collection were not what we were expecting but I think they fit the theme perfectly. Murky dusky pastel colours I think are appropriate for the Caribbean Pirate theme. Having seen the film last night I think they fit in well with the scenery and images from the movie itself.

L-R Skull And Glossbones, Stranger Tides, Mermaids Tears, Planks A Lot, Sparrow Me The Drama.

Skull and Glossbones is a slightly green tinged grey. It looks like a mouldy skull that has been left below deck of the Black Pearl! I love the shade, the hint of green makes it stand out from other greys out there but it still looks classy and sophisticated. Two coats will do the job.

Stranger Tides carries the name of the film and is really gorgeous! An interesting shade its very unusual and it reminds me of an avocado! I can't explain it very well but this colour seems the fit the feel of the film perfectly. I have nothing like it it my stash and I just love it! 

Mermaids Tears is a soft dusky turquoise pastel. I think this will be the most popular colour from the collection and I completely understand why.... its gorgeous! Although similar in tone to other jadey greens, Mermaids Tears has a sort of cloudy effect. The mermaids in the film itself are no brightly coloured Disney mermaids, they are dark characters that live in the depths of the ocean, this colour is reflected in the their tails and is totally appropriate.

Planks A Lot is a foggy purple shade. With definite tones of lilac in the colour, its a very pretty shade. I am always drawn to these colours in the bottle but I find I don't wear them very often. I like this colour a lot and it fits in well with the pastel polishes that are massive this summer.

Sparrow Me The Drama is adorned with our favourite pirates name although I'm not sure this is a colour he would wear himself! It is a murky rose that feels very vintage, it's bright yet dusty. This is the colour I chose to wear when I saw the film and I really enjoyed wearing it. 

There are two more polishes that complete the set, Steady As She Rose and Silver Shatter. I felt the rose wasn't really my colour and I'm still only dabbling in a the crackle craze, although I have heard the silver is very sparkly and paired with the other colours in the collection.

As a collection I love the whole vibe of it, I feel the pastel hues are completely appropriate for the Pirates theme. As for the film itself? I loved it, it was such good fun and on par with the first film, I love the flirting between Jack Sparrow and Penelope Cruz's character Angelica! Go and see it!!

xoxo

Nails Inc Sunshine Collection

This five piece set features all of Nails Inc's newest colours for the summer all of which are bang on trend for this season. Featuring pastels and a bright coral I had to have this set!

L-R Albert Place, Hyde Park Gate, Sumner Place, Wellington Square and Blandford Street

Albert Place is a pastel cornflower blue, completely unique in my collection. I love this shade, it's a delightful colour to wear, it makes me smile! The formula on this one is great, it could be one coater if you are slow, the picture is two coats. 

Hyde Park Gate is a bright, well, green I suppose. I have found it very hard to find the right descriptive colour for this shade and again it's very unique in my collection. I really love it!!The picture is washed out, this lovely is extremely bright. There is no getting away from it, this is most definitely a three coater. The first coat is thin then the following coats can drag if you aren't careful. Pastel shades are notoriously difficult to work with. 

Sumner Place is a light primrose yellow. This polish has to be three coats, unfortunately it applies rather streaky however the polish is thin so if you are careful you could maybe pass with two. Yellows are known for being difficult anyway but make that a pastel yellow and you are making it twice as hard! This type of yellow shade suits my skintone and I love the hue. When I first received this polish I was convinced it was exactly the same as a polish I've recently posted about, Spitalfields.

Spitalfields came in a pastel collection from a couple of summers ago and I thought Nails Inc were being sneaky and re-releasing the colour under a new name. When I applied Spitalfields to my index finger, it's more chalky, Sumner Place is slightly more yellow.

Spitalfields is on the right of the picture. You can just make out the difference! There's no way you need both, but if you like the shade Sumner Place is extremely close. I prefer the colour of the new one but the application is so much better on it's predecessor.

Wellington Square is a girly subtle peach. I adore it! It's a very fresh colour and a shade I have never worn before. It almost blends in to my fingers but not quite. It is more peach than it is orange and therefore completely on its own in my vast collection! I have yet to purchase Illamasqa's Purity but I imagine they are similar. 

Blandford Street is a vivd coral. This polish is dazzling, it's so bright. Perfect for the summer and for tanned days. I have it on my toes now and its the perfect shade for summer holidays, I wish my toes were in the sand! Two coats give you the more intense colour but one would suffice. The colour itself I'm sure is not unique but it's the luminosity of the shade that makes it stand out.

I bought these polishes as a set from QVC for £25.75 which makes them amazing value as Nails Inc polishes sell for £11 each elsewhere. If you don't like the whole set these colours are available individually, I have seen Albert Place and Wellington Square at Boots, Sumner Place and Hyde Park Gate are available on the Nails Inc site and I believe Blandford Street will be released on the site soon.

xoxo

New Arm Candy!

I am a very lucky girl! My Dad treated me to a new handbag that I have lusted after for ages! I was saving up for it myself but I received a lovely text from him at the weekend telling me it was on its way!!

It arrived today!

It's from a brand I have loved for a while, Tabitha. I have a few of their handbags now and my most used bag is one of theirs, although I can't remember the name of it, I got it in a sale when they used to sell their £300 bags for £50!! They don't do this anymore I might add!

Anyway, it's a gorgeous colour and although some may feel the studs are a little over the top, I love them! I think it will contrast nicely with my more girly fashion style. I was hoping it was going to be a vibrant bright yellow but it's a little more muted but still more interesting to me than a black bag. Which incidentally this style does come in a classic black and grey. Fearne Cotton has been spotted toting the black version.

My Mum was also treated to a new bag which I am seriously coveting! She went for the Tabitha Studded Stardust.

It's so soft and the handles are amazingly comfortable, its not too big or heavy unlike mine which is quite heavy before I've even put anything in it!! I love the more subtle studs, complete opposite to my bold ones!

Since my Mum lives abroad she said I can use her bag until I see her in July! She may have to fight me for it!!

My bag came from spoiledbrat.co.uk and has now gone into the sale, and the green Stardust is from the Tabitha website.

xoxo

P.S Sorry if you follow me on Twitter, I know I've been banging on about this all weekend!! xx

NOTD - Ding Dong The Bells Are Gonna Chime!

With the royal wedding happening on Friday and inspired by FleurDeForce's YouTube tutorial on this manicure, I am celebrating using my favourite accessory, nail varnish!

I used Jessica Majesty Blue, of course the name is perfect, for the main colour then I striped the Union Jack using the white WAH and Models Own nail art pen and Nails Inc Aspen.

I wanted it to have some sparkle and I knew glitter would be extremely difficult to work with! It was hard enough with out adding glitter to the mix! I have to say from a distance it looks good but the perfectionist in me isn't happy with the wobbly lines on the flag. 

Majesty Blue is such a gorgeous colour! I actually couldn't decide between blues and lined up many for the task. I matched the sparkly-ness of the blue with an equally sparkly Aspen but I also needed a colour that was opaque in one swipe, no room for second coats here! The opacity of the white nail art pen was a problem for me, I needed a second coat and that made it look a little messy however I'm not sure I could have done it without the very fine tip of the art brush.

Are you planning a royal wedding manicure?

xoxo

Etsy Jewellery +

I recently treated myself to some new bling!

I really love the jewels that Lorraine, TheCurrentCustom wears and sells, however they are a little out of my price range despite them being amazing!

I love big chunky bangles and rings but I also love very simple classic jewellery too. I really wanted to get myself a gold necklace, something that is completely lacking in my jewellery box.

I chose this very simple gold disc necklace. It has a slight hammered texture to it which just gives it a little detail. I love the length and that it sits just in between my collar bones. It's gold fill as opposed to solid gold which is available but obviously it was much more expensive. I absolutely adore it!

I also chose a couple of bracelets. I really love dainty bracelets and again I wanted a gold one as have my silver bangle that I got for my birthday last year.

I just thought these were both really cute. I love the delicate peace sign, always a good ethos to promote and of course I was drawn in like a magpie to the sparkly crystals on the evil eye. Evil eye bracelets have become very fashionable recently with celebs like Kim Kardashian sporting one. As well as being trendy I like to think its watching over me too!

I bought these from Classic Designs on Etsy a seller I was initially linked to through Lollipop26 as this is where she purchased her sideways cross necklace. I love many more items in her store and with postage being so reasonable I know I'll be purchasing again. It particular the Circle De Soleil necklace. 

xoxo

NOTD - Neutral Leopard Print

Now you know I love a bit of a leopard print nail and I have been experimenting with different colours. So I tried a less blinged out version with my newest polish purchase, Essie's Sand Tropez.

I used my trusty Models Own nail art pen for the black detail and Nails Inc Cadogan Square for the brown spots. 

I'm really happy with it and I'm sure I'll be doing this again soon!!

Whaddya think?!

xoxo

Pick 'N' Mix Polishes!

These will be the polishes I'll be reaching for over the coming months.

I love the pastels and the primary colours! It looks like a bag of sweets to me!

Pictured are,

Nails Inc - Spitalfields

Nails Inc - Carnaby Street

Nails Inc - Portobello Market

China Glaze - Peachy Keen

Essie - Haute As Hello

Essie - Tart Deco

Jessica -Enchantress

OPI - Hot and Spicy

OPI - On The Same Paige

OPI - Y'all Come Back Ya Hear

Nails Inc - Brook Street

Nails Inc - Hollywood

Essie - Nice is Nice

Essie - Sand Tropez

Essie - Mint Candy Apple

Nails Inc - Portobello Road

H&M - U Must Have This

China Glaze - First Mate

MAC - Spirit Of Truth

Nails Inc - Grosvenor Green

Essie - Pretty Edgy

I made a little video if you'd like to hear me babble on about the colours!

What are you wearing this spring?

xoxo

NOTD - Nails Inc Spitalfields

A polish that had previously gone un-loved in my collection has now become a firm fave for this spring and summer!

Spitalfields is a gorgeous pastel yellow that makes me dream of delicate flowers and sunny days! Purchased a couple of years ago in a four piece Pastel Collection, I dismissed this colour as one that my fair skin would not suit however it compliments me perfectly.

 Although I 'm sure this would be quite difficult to get hold of now, Nails Inc have just brought out a Rainbow Collection with a colour that looks very similar and of course China Glaze Lemon Fizz would be a possible dupe.

xoxo

Nails Inc - Fabulous Trio

If you are a fan of Nails Inc it is a good idea to subscribe to their newsletter or follow them on Facebook or Twitter because they often have some amazing deals usually on a Friday that they will let you know about through one of these means.

I took advantage of one of their most recent offers, the Fabulous Trio for £10, an amazing price as normally each polish is £11. Now value I suppose is subjective because I wouldn't necessarily have bought these polishes individually. 

Eagle Street is a rosey biege. Initially I was disappointed with this colour but as I wore it I grew to love it. It's still part of the taupey nudey family that I love but this one has a pink tone to it making it different from the rest of my collection.

Henrietta Street is a classic raspberry red. It's more pink toned than a traditional red, I love it! Very classy!

The star of the show, Chalk Farm. It's an amazing lilac with blue undertones. It looks more like a cornflower in the picture but it has more lilac tones to it. I felt the trio was worth it for this one polish, totally unique in my collection. I absolutely love it!

xoxo

NOTD - H&M U Must Have This

A stunning bright turquoise. I am totally hypnotized by this colour! Its bright and beautiful! I have nothing else like it. Its the perfect colour for summer, it reminds me of tropical holidays, beaches and bikinis!

xoxo

MAC Wonder Woman Collection

DC Comics Amazonian heroine, Wonder Woman recently swooped down upon MAC counters across the world in a bid to beautify all super heroes that encounter the collection.

The collection features limited edition packaging and products, some possessing Amazonian features similar to Wonder Woman herself.

I really love the packing with the comic style images. The nail varnish and the lipstick have a plain red box inside the outer packaging.

The products themselves all have the Wonder Woman and MAC logos emblazoned upon the red and blue casing.

I purchased two blushers, Mighty Aphrodite, left and Amazon Princess, right. Spirit Of Truth nail polish and Marquise'd lipstick.

Mighty Aphrodite was the first sellout of the collection, two thirds of this extra large blusher is a very pretty golden peach with the remaining third being a more coral toned colour. I can understand why everyone wanted to get their hands on this one, I love wearing it, the swatch is awful on my hand there! It is very flattering on my cheeks, it makes me feel sunkissed and glowy. The look is very subtle and one I will be reaching for a lot.

The second blusher in the collection is Amazon Princess. The larger section is a bold blue based pink and the smaller section is a plummy tone. It's not as wild as pictures would have you believe, I can easily wear this colour even with my fair skin. I tend to reach for the main colour and have yet to use the darker complimentary shade, this may be better for contouring for a night out.

One of two polishes in the collection Spirit Of Truth is a striking blue shade. To be honest I chose the blue over the red, Obey Me, as I thought it looked better in the packaging! The polish itself is excellent, one coat would have sufficed however I did two just to be sure! 

On closer inspection it is very similar to China Glaze First Mate. If we are splitting hairs First Mate is the teeniest bit duskier with Spirit Of Truth being a hint brighter.

Hardly anything in it!

Marquise'd is a pinky nude with gold shimmer. I believe this is from a previous collection. Its a very flattering everyday lipstick.  I thought this was going to be "the one" my perfect nude lippie, I like it but I only feel ok about it! I like the gold barrel and it has a red star on it which must have twisted around.

Unfortunately there was a casualty in this quest for super human beauty,

My original Amazon Princess was defeated by the postal system, not even Wonder Woman herself could save this one! MAC customer services were excellent and replaced it immediately. 

Overall I'm pleased with Mighty Aphrodite and Marquise'd, two products I'm sure I'll use all summer.

Did you get anything from this collection?

xoxo

A Leopard Can Change It's Spots

I played around a little bit last night after looking through some amazing pictures on The Illustrated Nail. Now usually I am really only a fan of a traditional leopard but I thought the coloured ones looked pretty cool! So I gave it a go!

I call this my "summer leopard" I just love the combination of the blue and coral. I used Nails Inc Portobello Road and Essie Haute As Hello. I used the Models Own Black nail art pen to do the black bits.

I've had many compliments today which surprised me as I thought people would question what on earth I was wearing! 

I'm keen to try out new colour combinations and I may try this out on my toes for flip flop wearing weather!

xoxo

Jessica Runway Style Collection

Jessica is a brand I like to keep my eye on, I have loved some of their polishes recently and was keen to see their new spring 2011 collection. The Runway Style collection is their latest offering.

I purchased three from the six piece collection, Coquette, Enchantress and Alluring Creature.

Coquette is a light grey shade with an amazing pink iridescence running through. Although you can't see it in the picture, it really makes the polish stand out from the crowd. I expected the polish to be a little deeper in colour however I was so captivated by the pink shimmer It changed my initial disappointment.

This is THE perfect colour for the summer. Enchantress is a true coral shade, not too orange or pink, it sits right in between. I have it on my toes now and it is GORGE! This is my favourite of the three.

Alluring Creature has me on the fence. On the one hand its a very pretty nude pink with lilac undertones and very on trend right now, on the other hand it does nothing for me. It took three coats to get this look and I'm not sure I love it enough to put the work in. It's probably something to do with my skin tone, maybe a darker skin tone or a more tanned complexion would make this colour stand out a little more.

I completely recommended Enchantress from this collection, I like the other two but I could probably live without them. All three had excellent application as I have found with all Jessica polishes so far. I purchased these from justnails.co.uk. They were £6.95 each.

xoxo

NOTD - OPI Black Shatter and Nails Inc Kingly Street

In a payday tiz I caved in and bought OPI Black Shatter, it was fresh out on the shelves in John Lewis and I couldn't help myself! 

I immediately pictured the black crackle over the top of a metallic silver and Nails Inc's Kingly stepped up. The silver glitter bomb was part of a Nails Inc Christmas quad released a year or so ago.

I loved the combo of the sparkly silver under the black and it was very eye catching. I received many compliments at work and was asked many questions about how to achieve the look!

Kingly Street took three coats to be truly opaque and unfortunately it was rather brittle and I lost the polish from my thumb after two days. This could have been due to one of two reasons, either the polish was too thick or because I was using a different base coat as I have run out of the amazing CND Stickey.

As for application Black Shatter was very easy to use, you don't have to worry about being neat as the polish shrinks to achieve the look, as a result any mess is tidied up! As I found with the CG Crackles it dries VERY quickly and you must work fast. 

The problem I have always had with the black colour is that I feel it is quite limited with the combination of base colours. I don't want to put black with anything just because "black goes with everything".

Still, I'm glad I bought it and I am excited to try new colour pairings.

xoxo

FOTD and OOTD!!

I had a really late morning today, well you could say I didn't see the morning at all today! So I decided to play about with some make-up and remembered that I have yet to wear my newest MAC Fluidline, Siahi.

Released with the Mickey Contractor collection in January this eyeliner sold out very quickly and its easy to see why! It's a gorgeous teal blue.

I'm wearing,

♥ MAC Studio Fix foundation compact

♥ MAC MSF Natural in Medium

♥ Bobbi Brown Peony Blush

♥MAC Viva Glam Lady GaGa

♥MAC Fluidline Siahi

♥ YSL Faux Cils Mascara in Black

♥MAC Retrospeck eyeshadow

♥MAC Deep Truth eyeshadow

I love the eyeliner, I was unsure when I first bought it as I looove strong black eyeliner but I think for summer this will be a great alternative for a sunny day off!

Same for my outfit for today, it was a little cold to be wearing this really, it is still February after all! Come the spring I shall be living in this!

I'm wearing,

♥ White tunic shirt from Monsoon

♥ Blue leggings from Monsoon

♥ Red skinny belt from Accessorize

♥ Scarf form Zara

♥ Boots from Faith

I've never worn something so short with leggings but I think I can pull it off now! My legs don't feel so fat! 

Hurrah!

xoxo