Notd: Nubar - Purple Beach

Purple Beach By Nubar, with flash

The Nail of the day today is the luxurious Purple Beach by Nubar.  It is described as a "duochrome" polish which means it has two base colours with an iridescent shimmer. The two colours in Purple Beach are a rich purple and a dark ashy green, it also has a golden shine to it.

The duochrome effect is amazing on this polish unlike some others it works in all levels of light. Plus as it has such spectrum of colours in it there is no worry about it matching your outfit.

As you can see by the two photos the colour changes in every different light and whichever angle you look at your nails.

Purple beach by Nubar with a dash of nail art

As always with nubar colours application is easy and this colour was achieved with only two coats and lasted over a week which is websitealways a plus point.

This colour is currenlty available on http://www.beautyshed.co.uk

Notd - Mega mix gel polish with orly polish and Gel FX

Mega Mix Gel Polish

Nails of the day have been created using a new product called Mega mix. It is a new gel polish which you can mix with normal polish to create any colour you can imagine.

Here I used two Orly nail polishes the pink is Choreographed chaos for the Mash up collection and the Black with Holographic glitter is Rock solid.

For the tips I used some tape and Orly Gel fx in shine.

Mega Mix is available from http://www.megamixnails.com/ and is priced at £10 plus postage.

I will update you with the longterm results.

The idea of getting to use my old polishes is amazing, so I really hope this is long lasting. 

Orly Dark Shadow Collection Press Release

 ORLY International announced today a limited-time nail color collection partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures in conjunction with the release of Tim Burton’s “Dark Shadows,” starring Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter, set to open on May 11, 2012.
“ORLY strives to deliver innovative products and trend-focused nail shades,” said Jeff Pink, President and CEO of ORLY International. “The adventurous theme of ‘Dark Shadows’ was a perfect fit with our brand and the fashion colors we created for this collection.”
The collection will include four lacquers, with names and shades that reflect the dark humor conveyed in the film.

Grave Mistake - is a Dark Red Creme
Buried Alive - is a Deep Brown Shimmer.
Mysterious Curse - is a Purple Duochrome Shimmer
Decades of Dysfunction - is a Pale Pink Creme.

After China Glaze's dip in to film tie ins with the Hunger Games collection, Orly have decided to join in it seems. I am not sure about this collection and IF  I was making a film tie in I would go for a more girly film/ fun film.
My fave out of the collection is Mysterious Curse the other colours look a bit boring. When I get my hands on them I will swatch them for you so you can get a better look.

Orly Mysterious Curse - is a Purple Duochrome Shimmer

China Glaze Hunger games Collection Luxe and Lush

China Glaze The Hunger Games Capitol Colours

With the release of the film The Hunger Games,  which is set to be one of the biggest films of the year, China Glaze has brought out its first movie tie in. The Capitol Colours. Now I had never even heard of the books before I got the info sheet from China Glaze and thought this was quite an odd idea. The links to the film seemed a bit weak and I am not sure of the colours as they are a bit drab for me. I have decided to swatch them so you can decide for yourself.

My favourite is Luxe and Lush. This colour is inspired by Katniss' interview dress and I am sure if you watch the film you will have an idea if it matches. :) Luxe and Lush is a massive chunky flakie. If you have seen Nubars 2010 its like a chunky version of that. If you like a smooth finish this is not the polish for you !!  

China glaze Luxe and Lush over Lcn Colour me Up collection

Here I have put it over LCN's Colour Me Up collection Left to right they are :

Colour me up

Some like it hot

Spice up your life

Fanappleistic

China Glaze Luxe and Lush over Rad Raspbery Nubar

Comparison of China Glaze Luxe and Lush and Nubar 2010

This colour is really hard to photograph but I hope you get the idea.

So will you be adding Luxe and Lush to your collection? And will  you be off to the Cinema to see the film?

More colours to follow :)



Orly’s Spring 2012 Collection Cool Romance

Just a quick post about the new Orly’s Spring 2012 Collection - Cool Romance is out and pays homage to some of the gentlest pastels around. We’re not talking sweet-shop pastels here, these are the slightly edgier, grungier cousins of the pastel world. Just about.

• You’re Blushing: Muted Lilac Crème
• Prelude to a Kiss: Pastel Pink Crème
• Jealous, Much?: Pastel Mint
• Faint of Heart: Soft Grey Crème
• Steel Your Heart: Charcoal Shimmer
• Artificial Sweetener: Dusty Rose Shimmer

They are available at the new price of £5.15 plus vat but they have also made a cute little gift pack with a chain mail esque bag for £12.99

NOTD - China Glaze Summer Neon Collection 2012

China Glaze Summer Neon Collection 2012

Nails of the day are the China Glaze collection Summer Neons. It will not be in the UK until March, but here is a sneak preview of the colours. As many of you already know, neon is the hottest thing around for the spring 2012 season so this is a great collection to get your nails on trend. 

 

As you may have guessed they are super neon and most of the polishes have a shimmery finish. The colours are really rich and some you could get away with one coat! I would always finish them with a nice topcoat and Orly's Polishield is still my favourite.

 

 

China Glaze Summer Neon Collection 2012

 

1, PINK PLUMERIA

2, FLIRTY TANKINI

3, SURFIN' FOR BOYS

4, ORANGE YOU HOT?

5, SUN-KISSED

6, I'M WITH THE LIFEGUARD

7, SPLISH SPLASH

8, RIDE THE WAVES

9, UNDER THE BOARDWALK

10, BEACH CRUISE-R

11, HANG-TEN TOES

12, LOVE'S A BEACH

 

 

My Favourite out of the Summer Neons Collection is Under the boardwalk. Which is your Favourite??

 

 

 

NOTD - Chinese new year nails Freehand

Chinese New Year Nails

Nails of the day today are a set I created for a Chinese New Year competion. I did not win the competion, but I have had some nice comments about my nails so it has given me the confidence to enter more.

To create this look I used Sexy red by Nubar as the base colour. Then using Orly's Instant Nail artist I carefully painted the nail art details.

I think the little lady with the fan was very cute, if I do say so myself!
What nail competions have you entered? What theme nails would you like to see?

NOTD - Aztec Style Nail Art with Video

Nail of the day - Aztec Nails.

I was asked on instagram if I could do some tribal/aztec style nails so this is my effort

I took lots of photos and made this quick video tutorial hope you like it and let me know if you try it out xx

NOTD - Tape Mani in Purple Panic and Petunia Sparkles

Tape Mani with China Glaze and Nubar

Nail of the day is my new addiction Tape manicures. As you see from my picture I went a bit mad. I did try lots of different types  The idea is using cellotape to mask off parts of the nail creating cool patterns and crisps lines.

I started with a base colour of China Glaze Purple panic, which to be honest is a bright pink rather than purple. Then I applied the cellotape which I had cut into little strips which was actually the hard bit. I then sponged on the Nubar petunia sparkles which is an amazing purple glitter polish. I think sponging it on its better than painting over it as it not as thick

Nubar Petunia Sparkle

final look 

 How will you wear your Tape mani? share your photos with me xx

Orly Christmas Holiday Soiree 2011

Orly's 2011 Christmas collection was delivered last Friday and I have just got round to doing the swatches and images. The collection is called Holiday Soiree and has a french theme each polish comes with a cute mini file.


I had to translate 2 of the names  Androgynie which means unisex ( which I already knew but thought it must have a differnet meaning in frech as it is an odd name )  and Ingenue which means innocent.   


Here is a list of the collection:


Androgynie: a quite sheer black with glitters and mini hexagon chunks. Au Champagne: pearly champagne
Ingenue: magenta with gold glitter that’s on the sheer side.
Le Chateux: intense petrol green
Ma Cherie: a creamy and sexy red
Oui: deep purple with gold glitters that provides a quite sheer coverage


My favourite colours in this collection are Oui and Androgynie. Although  think Androgyie is a dupe of  Topshops Gypsy Night. I will do a comparison when I get chance.

Which colours will you be buying?

Orly Polish is available from http://www.idealhairandbeauty.com

Notd - Nubar Chic Collection

When I was shown images of the Nubar Chic collection back in July I was not blown away they all looked very safe colours and I expected a snoozefest. It is also hard to imagine winter colours when your surrounded by summer neons and pastels. But when I saw the polishes in real life I was pleasantly surprised. My favourite colour in the collection is definitely Elegant Indigo its a dark blue with purple/blue micro glitters!! Imagine Purple Rain but better. I also love the creamy teal of Stylish Peacock. The only colour that I would not want myself is the Beguiling Carmine, red is not a polish colour I crave and it doesn't really suit my skin tone  On a whole it's is a really nice rich and creamy collection and I think "Chic" is an apdt name for it. Here is the press release discription:

"This season Nubar brings you eight new and enticing, fashion forward colors of our premium carcinogen and cruelty free lacquer with the Polished Chic Collection. Offering contemporary colors perfect for work, casual daytime wear or even a night out, every woman can look to Nubar's Polished Chic Collection to update her look. "

Nubar Chic Collection

Always free of DBP (phthlate), formaldehyde and toluene, the nail lacquers included in Nubar's Polished Chic Collection are (from left to right):

• Beguiling Carmine: a brick red creme.
• Elegant Indigo: a sparkling, blackened blue.
• Vogue Vert: a contemporary, light green creme.
• Stylish Peacock: a perfect teal creme.
• Edgy Umber: a deep brown creme.
• Mod Aqua: a light turquoise creme
• Classic Camel: an updated buff creme.
• Faded Putty: a modern, pale putty creme.

What do you think of this collection and which ones will you be buying?

Nubar polishes are available from http://www.idealhairandbeauty.com  or http://www.beautyshed.co.uk xx

My Blue Nail Polish Swatches

I decided to show you my colour collections and as it was announced that Blue is going to be the Autumn colour of choice it seemed like the best place to start.

Now in my blue collection up to now I have 18 shades.

1, Navy Blue -Nubar
2, Little drummer boy- China Glaze 
3, No name -China Glaze

Navy Blue, Little Drummer Boy, No Name

4, Indian Ocean - China Glaze

5, Meteor Shower - China Glaze 

6, Blk Bila Bong - China Glaze

Indian Ocean, Meteor Shower,Blk Bila Bong

7, Drinkin' My Blues Away - China Glaze

8, Tempest - China Glaze

9, DV8 - China Glaze

Drinkin my blues away, Tempest, DV8

10, Indigo Illusion - Nubar 

11, Calypso Breeze - Orly
12, Sapphire Silk - Orly

Indigo illusion, Calypso Breeze, Sapphire Silk

13, It's Up to Blue - Orly

14, No Name (Beauty & the beach) China Glaze
15, Aqua Baby -China Glaze

It's Up To Blue, No name(beauty & the beach) Aqua

16, Absolute - Nubar


17, Bohemian Blue - China Glaze

18, For Audrey - China Glaze

Absolute, Bohemian Blue, For Audrey

As you can see there doe seem to be a lot of China Glaze in my Blue collection and to be honest my favorite shade is........

DV8 by China Glaze I love it's super holo finish. It has been discontinued so if you see it snap it up :)
Which is your favorite and how big is your blue collection? Let me know what you think by leaving me a comment.Plus do not forget to enter my giveaway 

New China Glaze Crackle Metals Collection.

Set your summer style to “sizzle” with China Glaze’s new Crackle Glaze Metals collection. 
With the pioneering crackle technology, China Glaze takes the beauty phenomenon to the next level with this second-generation polish that pairs the edgy innovation of crackle with the elegant beauty of metals.

  Create dramatically different looks with just one sweep of China Glaze Crackle Glaze Metals. Layer over different base colors to create bold styles. 
Use a lighter coat to create a fine crackle, a thicker coat for a deep shatter effect. 
The China Glaze Crackle Glaze Metals collection features six, limited edition sparkling metallic colors including:

Cracked Medallion Bold bronze

Haute Metal Pale pink

Latticed Lilac Soft lavender

Oxidized Aqua Deep aquamarine blue

Platinum Pieces Shimmering silver

Tarnished Gold Warm, honeyed hue

Notd -Nubar Gelicure blue hydrangea plus Wah nail style nail art.

Today's quick Nail of the day is a Wah Nails style leopard print.
I started off with a base of Nubars Gelicure Blue Hydrangea. I then used the new orly instant nail artist acrylic nail paints and a dotter to add splotches to the nail.Then again using the dotting tool I drew unconnected semi circles around the dots, plus a few commas and dashes.

I finally added a top coat.
As it was my first go at this style I only did my thumb and in a moment of madness I did it to my right thumb, so I had to do the art with my weak left hand. Saying that I think it came out great and when I get 10 minutes I am going to do my other nails :)

Orly Instant Artist Nail Stripers are available from www.idealhairandbeauty.com for £3.18 plus p+p

New China Glaze Metro Collection.

Metro Collection has twelve polishes; two are  glitters, three are shimmers and seven are cremes. China Glaze’s Metro collection will be available in July 2011. But will have my talons on it this Friday !
I will post swatches asap so you can all get a look at the new shades.
Shades are:

• Skyscraper Navy Blue Glitter
• CG In the City Silver Grey Glitter
• Urban Night Plum Purple Cream
• Traffic Jam Mageneta Cream
• City Siren Red Berries Cream
• Loft-y Ambitions Raspberry Shimmer
• Brown Stone Red Brick Cream
• Midtown Magic Purple Shimmer
• Street Chic Greige Cream
• Concrete Catwalk Anthracite Cream
• Westside Warrior Moss green Cream
• Trendsetter Mustard Green Shimmer

NOTD- Nubar Honeysuckle.



Nubar Honey Suckle



Nail of the day today is from Nubar spring garden collection. It is the deep pink Honeysuckle.  I think it is one of my favourites from the collection as I am a fan of bright hot colours. If you look at the colour swatches in Nubars advert then it looks a little more subdued and coral. As you can see by my photos it has a bit more pow about it.



with flash

As with all Nubar colours I only had to use two coats to get a bottle perfect colour. Then I acheived a high gloss finish with their Diamont Topcoat.


Nubar Spring Garden Collection

Spring has finally sprung and its time to update your nail polish collections. Gone are the greys and the plums and in are creamy pastels!

The first spring collection I have got my hands on is the The Nubar Spring Garden Collection. It consists of 8 pastels.

Pink Lily – vibrant pink creme Earthen – subdued earthen grey creme Baby Sprout – soft pastel green Blue Hydrangea – muted pastel blue White Peony – ivory creme Yellow Primrose – delicate pale yellow Purple Aster – dusty pastel purple Honeysuckle – cheerful pink/ coral.

All of the colours seem to have a very light shimmer to them, this is not a glitzy glitter but a soft sheen that works well with the pastel tones.

I decided to do a little nail art and maybe I will add a couple of bows so they look like easter eggs? Here is a list of the colours I used:

1 . Blue Hydrangea

2.  Purple Aster

3.  Earthen

4.  Baby Sprout

5.  Pink lily

This is a 2 / 3 coat polish and the first coat looks a little thin but sorts itself out by the 2nd coat.

The Nubar Spring collection is available from http://www.idealhairandbeauty.com/ for £4.38 and the whole Nubar collection is available from http://www.beautyshed.co.uk/ .

NOTD China Glaze Crackle Glaze - Black Mesh

China Glaze Black Mesh over Orly's Green with envy 

Today Nail of the day is inspired by St Patricks day. It is the 4th visit to the China Glaze Crackle Glaze collection and it is the backbone of all polish collections and stable of all fashions - Black or in this case Black Mesh

As you can see by the first picture this crackle glaze over Orly polish gives a nice wide cracked effect which shows just the right amount of base colour. As always the crackle glaze has a slightly matt finish but as the Orly is so shiny I have not applied a topcoat.

Anyway I hope everyone has a great St Patricks Day! 

xxx  

Orly - Green with Envy

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