NOTD - Vamp by Leighton Denny

Now months ago when I ordered my BBBBeautyBox Number 3 my eagle eyes spotted this mini polish in the luxury sample zone of LatestinBeauty. I have seen this brand at numerous trade shows and have their colour charts but had never came round to owning one. This is also after watching many hours of him painting nails on QVC, I have even resisted temptation.

The polish is what you expect from a pro, easy to paint on, leaving an even and level finish. The brush holds enough of the lacquer so it paints on well without overloading. It took two thin coats to get the correct coating here and dries in a reasonable time. I would be confident to pick Beth up if she was crying after a few minutes of painting.

RRP £11.00 for 12ml of varnish. I have my eye on Hollywood collection's emerald green, Click Click Flash Flash.

NOTD - Rouge Louboutin by Chirstian Louboutin Nail Colour #BeauteLouboutin

Sales assistants, this is what happens when you leave a sample bottle unattended with a few beauty bloggers around. It the #SummerLondonMeet where the group of us was perusing Selfridges that the preview display was spotted. As the sales assistant went on her sales objective, I snuck to one side and painted my blank nails in Rouge Louboutin rather than the assistants paint them. I need to feel how it works for me as I'm not going to have someone around to paint them for me.

The bottle is inspired by his Ballerina Shoe from his collection and is visually stunning, would look perfect on a pinterest designed dressing table, but not for my nail varnish tray in my make up tool kit. I actually like the long handle and didn't have too many problems using it. The brush however is a different story, it has a small brush that doesn't fan out, this makes it harder to distribute the polish evenly over the nail. It does even out when it dries when you do finally get the whole nail covered.

I did paint this on a blank nail with no base/top coat so this will affect the result of wear which was half a day. I will say the formulation is thick (which is useful trying to apply with a small brush), I smudge it about 5 minutes after application thinking it would be dry by then, my mobile still have nail varnish marks from where I was wrong.

 Is it worth the £36 price tag? No, not at all, there are other ranges that do perfectly brilliant matt pillowbox red varnishes, with a quick dry time and have far better brushes. This is for the ladies who lunch that can afford the shoes and would probably like the idea of having the polish to match, but then isn't these the people who have the time/money to have a manicure/pedicure as often as I have cups of tea? I'm scratching my head for who is this really for - the nail lovers will love the packaging but hate the polish and the people who admire the brand from afar but can't afford the shoes, will also think a few times about the price tag.

At the moment there is only the Rouge in range but there will be other colours being added, but seeing the range there is nothing that really, "Wows" me. This is one range I'm very happy to leave on the shelf and put the money towards owning a pair of the shoes, so that's 12 bottles of Louboutin Varnish for So Kate Suede heels I need to save.

NOTD B.Makeup Nail Varnish in Seafoam*

My Mint Candy Apple has finally departed me and I need something to to fill its minty hole for the Summer. I had always been a fan of B.Skincare so when I offered a chance to try some of the make up range I was very eager.

This was included in what I received and instantly thought it would fill that minty hole left behind. Side by side Seafoam is a tiny bit bluer but that's if you look really hard and make yourself go cross eyed. Formula wise, I did two coats on the picture above but felt I could of easily done a third coat coat to get it more solid and brighter if I wanted. It does go on smoothly and found it levelled well when drying which dries quickly.

Seafoam will set you back £4.99 exclusively at Superdrug. I have my eye on Matador (A deepish Matt red) and Woodland (A deep green) for my AW varnish update.

* Seasfoam was given for my consideration, all the views are my own

NOTD - Essie Spin The Bottle

This is the varnish I received in the #BBBBeautyBox Number 3 I think from reading other blogs that I was one of rare lucky ones to get the more neutral polish. Not that I don't love a bright, I have many, but with me having little time to varnish my nails, neutral polishes last longer and hide chips easier.

Being an Essie varnish you can expect the high  quality, easily to paint on, smooths out, dries quick and lasts a while. It even pasts the hot water test, as I am constantly washing bottles in hot water. I love this colour, such a milky caffe latte nude and is perfect all year round even though it is from the Spring 2014 collection.

Oh and a quick note: There is a BBBBeautyBox 4 in the works, start saving now!

NOTD - Superdrugs Limited Edition Barry M Nail Paints

Looking out the window I see Summer has actually arrived for the two weeks of the year it exists in the UK, this prompts a quick rush to bring out all the bright polishes and quickly get them on before it all disappears again.

These are rather special as they are Limited Edition and can't be purchased, spend £6 or more in Superdrug until 1st July and one of these will be yours to take home. There is two colours a frosted bright pink called Promenade and ocean blue called Seaside.

I was more draw to the pink as I haven't got anything like it in my collection. I painted it on, easy application and two coats are perfect. I had more problems with Seaside, it goes on more sheer, so you need to build up more layers up to at least 4. The wear time is reasonable, considering I have my hands in hot water several times, it last 3 days before a slight chip happened.

Note: Many thanks to Hubby to got roped in to be my photographer for this (so blame him).

NOTD - Essie's Bikini So Teeny

Who remembers when this was the varnish to wear in the Summer of 2012? Who remembers struggling to get hold it? Me too. Fast forward a few months later and I find it on Fragrance Direct for £1.99, so this and a few other were added to my collection.

Inspired by the ocean and crystal blue skies it was the top selling polish of the 2012 Summer season and one of Essie's top 5 top selling colours. The cornflower blue has a sightliest of subtle shimmers, it screams of Summer time. It also up to Essie's high standard of polish for formulation and wear. I have one slight grumble, it start to separate a lot quicker than other ones I've had before whether this was because of storage or the nature of the colour, I don't know.

Is now part of permanent range RRP £7.99

NOTD - Boots No.7 Totally Teal

Teal is huge again for Spring/Summer for this year. I had OPI's AmazON AmazOFF on my New Mum's Wishlist, it only made sense when I had a voucher for their £3 off Boots No.7 to see if I could spot any dupes. It's not a faultless dupe, the OPI seems a brighter teal while is more blackened.

The formulation is a thick consistancy, you would get away with one coat but two coats gives a more even colour. Dry is reasonable you can paint a full set and it'll be already dry for the next coat. The wear time is also a highlight, with the amount of times I out my hands in hot water, it lasted 4 days before it started chipping badly.

I am a big fan of the No.7 varnishes for many years, they colours are always on trend and they are starting to rival some of the bigger names in varnish (I have a Chanel dupe you will love, trust me). I am finding, and just not only the varnish, that Boots prices are starting to get rather expensive for a own brand range. A Boots varnish is £6/7 which now matched Essie's price range but not colour range. They've also got stingy on the vouchers two, by cutting the make up discount to £3 when it used to be £5.

NOTD - Model's Own HyperGel Naked Glow

You might reconise this from my New Mum Wish List as one of the four varnishes I wanted for Spring/Summer update, as it went live I went out and brought it the very next day.

This is part of the new Hypergel range, a gel like finish with lotus oil, they say they are high pigmentation to provide a salon finish for £5. The fomrulation I found really thick, this does need to be built up in thin layers, but once dry does have that glossy finihs without the topcoat.

Wearwise I have had this on for three days with my hands in/out of hot water cleaning baby bottles and apart from a small chip on the thumb where I knocked it has survived. I instantly loved the colour as being so pale trying to find a milky enough nude has always been a challange, it has the right tone of colour and yellow base to match my skin tone.

Model's Own can be brought in most chemists or their website for £5 - My recommendations is to invest in the pastels of Lilax Sheen, Cornflower Gleam and Pink Vaneer.for Spring

NOTD - Pink to Make The Boys Wink

Inspired, of course, by my little girl, this is a mixture of two polishes for a pale pink fench style manicure.

After base coat of OPI Nail Envy in Matt, I applied one coat of Essie's Sugar Daddy for a nude pink finish, on the tips is one coat of OPI's Make Him Mine Liquid Sand (Christmas 2013 collection) dabbed onto the tips. All sealed with a top coat of Sechi Vite.

Very simple, but very effective.

NOTD - Nails Inc. Victoria

Love the vampness of this polish, makes me feel all Pulp Fiction and want to start jiving in a burger bar.

With having to shorten my nails before labour I wanted a colour that looked classic and glamourous (even though at the time I didn't feel it), as well as something I can wear with my PJ's as well as anything I decided to get dressed in.

You will need to coats to get an even layer and it lasted on me for about 5 days until the edges started to fade. As it is a cream finish the removal is easy, but you will need a base coat to stop it staining the nails.

The classic is available from Nails Inc website RRP £11.00 but is available in 3 for £22 mix and match offer currently running.

Rose Quartz Nail Varnish by Barry M

Rose Quartz with There She Rose by OPI

I had spotted this polish on different peoples blog and always though it was pretty but it wasn't until I saw it on Fee's Blog Makeup Savvy that I was convinced that I had to hunt it down. It is a mixture of small rose gold glitter with fine hologram glitter in a clear base.
Fee had put hers over a nude/white polish while I put mine over a rose tone (OPI's There She Rose), it did look beautiful but to me the glitter seemed to blend in with the polish. The is when I turned to Nail's Inc. Porchester Road

I prefer this as the finer parts of the glitter seem to show more on this slightly darker colour but still in the nude genre. Trying to take it was no longer than any other glitter polish, just a lot of patience and acetone but it well worth getting as it is just beautiful.

Available at all high street chemists/online RRP £2.99

Nails Inc Couture Varnish using Hyda Park Corner

I honestly love this prize, not only is it from one of my blogger heroes, Jane from British Beauty Blog but I also had the huge task of creating a bestoke Nails Inc varnish for myself using the current line up of colours.

Nails Inc Couture would make a great for someone who loves thrie polish. You start with choosing the lids to go on top, from diamonte to pearls, then to the polish to go inside. The polish took the longest to pick as I had to throughly research each colour to make sure that I hadn't already had it as well as something I would wear (Thank you to google and the hundreds of swatch images I spent two hours pouring over!). You then write what you like to have written on the bottom of bottle instead of the shade name, as well as what stickers you are decorating the box in.

I themed mine around a keep sake for me on the birth of Minilemming. I had the idea of something that was really 'me' but gave a huge nod towards that changes that are coming. The varnish colour is Hyde Park Corner, a lilac/heather toned grey with a dark sparkle grey cap. It is named, "Baby Gray, January 2014" and decorated in yummy mummt stickers.

It is normally £20, compared to £11 for a 'normal' Nails Inc varnish and it is purely as a one of kind gift for a beauty junkie. I had a huge amount of fun putting this together and it does really mean a lot to me already, a fushion of Mum and Bubba.

NOTD - OPI Designer Series in Lapis

When initially saw this is I wanted it, the goldilocks of blues (not too dark, not too light) I was instantly drawn to it enough for it to feature in my AW Wishlist. I then went onto buy it at Olympia Beauty when I saw the swatches they had on stand.

OPI Designer Series is a collection of polishes are a step up from they normal collection, they are holographic or full of fine glitter. The two they launced for AW12 is this one and Pewter (a mix of black/grey), what I didn't realise until I painted them on was they dry completely semi matt, the above picture taken with no top coat.

It went from being something I though was beautiful to something that was challenging Essie's For The Twill of It as my number one AW13 varnish to wear. The wear time is good, was still chip free when I took it off a week later and removal was very easy for a glitter polish.

The Designer Series is more expensive than the main line - RRP is £16.75 compared to RRP £11.50 but for the simple WOW factor it's worth that little bit more investment.

NOTD - OPI's Silent Stars Go By (Mariah Carey Xmas Collection)

This is one of the mini's that are in the box set that is currently in my giveaway (finishes this weekend!).

It is one of the Liquid Sand formulations, it has more of a grittier texture than a 'normal' glitter polish. It does dry out more smoother and has a matt finish. You are to wear it without a top coat and it took all of my will not to do, it is however worth it.

Silent Stars Go By does catch the light and really glitters, which is perfect for the Christmas period. I wore this champagne toned colour to work as it is smart enough to wear but has that little bit of glamour to it.

I know exactly what you are thinking - What is removal like? For something that is filled with glitter, it was surprisingly easy to remove with acetone soaked pads held then rubbed, I would say to take off all 10 nails took about 10 minutes with. I had visions of me being locked in the bathroom for at least half an hour and the husband banging on the door.

I wasn't overcome when the original Liquid Sands came out, but I must admit I'm glad I gave them a try as they have surprised me.

NOTD - Essie's For The Twill of It

This has been on my wish list since I first saw the swatches on the Essie Twitter. It is a mixture of green/pink duo chrome in a dark grey base with a metallic finish. I got my bottle last weekend at Olympia Beauty so I have the professional formulation but I have noticed a difference between this and the diffusion line on the high street.

You cannot rush the painting as it can show brush streaks so I find it easier to take it slow with thin coats of polish (this was done in two coats). It is however worth it, my instagram feed went berserk with hearts when I uploaded it and my work colleagues where asking when and where they can buy it from. I personally have not stopped staring at it's multi-tonal beautifulness since I've put it on.

Keep an eye out in Boots stores as it will fly out of the store once in stock (£7.99)

 

NOTD - Moss Behaving by Cheeky

Cheeky are the younger sister of Cowshed, they will be launching in 25 prestige Superdrug stores at the end of October. They still keep the core of Cowshed's philophy of simple and natural products, but are more accessible and fun for people who cannot get the Cowshed Spa. They will offer treatments for the person who wants to keep maintained but want it now.

As well as cheerful range of products they are also bringing out 21 nail paints that will retail for £7 each or if you are lucky enough to get to Superdrug store can have a file and paint for £12 as well as take the colour home with you.

The range has a vast array of colours but the one I was really intrigued by was Moss Behaving, just screamed AW trend but was completely different to the berry tones the other were wearing. I had a file and buff as well as a paint which was not only quick but technically perfect. My manicurist was passionate about her work and I couldn't fault her.

The colour itself I found took on different colours, in the warm light of indoors it went a deep green, but once it was outside into the white light of day, it went to this beautiful blue/green. I have had this on for 5 days now and it still going strong, even with showering and constantly typing.

NOTD: & Other Stories Blue Twill

I am a little bit smitten with & Other Stories, the store is crisp white and clear, the clothes are beautiful but feel they won't fit my fuller frame. It was the beauty area that I spent the most time in, clearly laid out, their own range of cosmetics has cause a bit of a storm since launching, and I had heard rumours that Blue Twill was a dupe for Nails Inc. Baker Street (but half the price at £5).

The colour is bright, stupidily bright, but it was love straight away, it was a good solid colour in two coats. The brush fans out perfectly and had no problems in applying it, as well as dried fast. The wear time is good, I got a good four days before the tiniest little chip on the edge. I loved it so much I took it off and refreshed it soon after.

Bad Apple's Almata Nail Varnish

I got this months ago at the #BbloggersXmas Event from Bad Apple Cosmetics. I have worn this a few times by now and have liked the colours, the formula is the right consistency and goes nearly solid within 2 coats. For me its the duo chrome colour that's inspired by TVR cars (which speaks to my inner petrol head). I got given what I think is the more wearable colour, dark bronze/grey with pink/purple shimmer. The wearing time is good as well, there was very small chips after 5 days (I refresh the top coat as recommended every other day).

I now want to increase my collection with the other duo chromes Arlington and Arkansas. You can buy them from www.badapplecosmetics.com for £9.95.

The top photo is with flash and the bottom is in daylight.

It Started With OPI - My Current Collection

Many years ago when I first started training to be a natural nail technician, I was introduced to OPI. OPI actually stands for Odontorium Products Inc, as it started as a small dental company. It wasn't unitl  Suzi Weiss-Fischmann was OPI's Vice Chairman and Artistic Director of the company that it expanded into the nail industry with acrylic enhancements. This soon took over the dental side and OPI was born.

I like OPI for the performance of the varnish, it lasts well and the range of colours is mixed. They also match the colours not only in the varnish but now in the gel varnish range. Their Nail Envy treatment is still on of the best for making nails more stronger.

I must admit I can't even remember my first bottle of OPI, but I know it was from a mass purchase at the trade show, Professional Beauty. It was also the brand I wore when I got married (Blush pink called Makes Men Blush), and most of the time the brand I get the most excited at new launches.

L-R: Past,Present and Fuchsia, Makes Me Blush, I Don't Give A Rotterdam Swatch Here, Gold Shatter and Wocka Wocka

 

Makes Men Blush

Wocka Wocka

Thanks to my brothers girlfriend, my latest addition is the brilliant The Bondettes from the recent Skyfall Collection

L-R: On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Goldeneye, Die Another Day, Live And Let Die

 

NOTD: Essie Ballet Slippers and Beyond Cosy Accent Nail

While I put the finishing touches to my final assignment, this the lastest nails I am wearing.

I wanted to wear something that was feminine and delicate after wearing cherry red nail varnish (OPI's Wocka Wocka for The Muppets Collection) for a week. I also had Beyond Cosy from Christmas that I hadn't worn yet. I am now deeply in love with the twinkling delight that is Beyond Cosy, next to the delicated sheer pink of Ballet Slippers it's beautiful.

In the next few days my assignment will be sent off for assessment and hopefully with the next week I shall get a email to tell me the result of my BTEC.

This is when normal services will resume and my husband get his wife back rather than a make up obsessed fiend or so he likes to think .......