Moan-A-Chrome

Yesterday I was yet again struck down by lurgies but instead of bowing down I totally retail therapied my way out of it. Just as my debit card was breathing a sigh of relief I trotted past the Nails Inc counter at House of Fraser Bluewater where they were doing a new service called the Guest Manicure which is a different form of Nail Art every week/month depending for £15.

The girl who did my nails was amazing, super talented, and really nice. She got half way through doing my left hand before admitting that this was the first one she'd had to do which was a little worrying - but I was super pleased with the results.
Not sure it's going to last a long time as the tips are already showing signs of wear though.

nails nails nails

Had a bit of a slump in the old nail art a while back, work is really taking it out of me and hadn't really had time to do a lot.

Anyways, that said, it deffo picked up and i started getting a lot more adventurous so here's the latest

Giles Deacon Nails using all Model's Own Products, Bubblegum and Feeling Blue, I've said before how overrated i think Model's Own Polishes are, they chip superbly quickly, they bubble and are expensive for the quality. Despite that I got a few in their recent sale, as they probably are worth the 50% off price and the colours are amazing, but i think there's much better, cheaper brands on the high street.

Cath Kidston Nails, using Eyeko's Vintage Polish, really like the combo of polka dots and flowers but these are a bit girlie for me!

My MasterPiece! I love Van Gogh's Starry Night and one rainy saturday, I set about putting it on my nails. I wish i had a better picture of this as there was so so much detail in it and i used a combo of acrylic paints and Beauty UK Electric blue for the base. I used actual paint brushes to do all the intricate work and i was so happy with how it turned out. I talked about there being better polishes on the high street than Model's Own and the Beauty UK ones definitely impressed me, it was the first time I'd used their polishes and it stayed on without chipping for a week with no top coat (i was scared of smudging it) and it only cost about 2 quid.

And finally the fairly standard leopard print, using one of the 17 polishes that came free in their nail bar gift bag

cosmonaut

Just a quick one on Eyeko's Cosmic Nail Polish. I've been loving all the galaxy nails going around so was super excited to use Eyeko's cosmic shade. I'm an Eyeko ambassador and you can use my code to get money off and i think they are genuinely a good make up brand, the only thing lacking is that they don't have that many products.

The colour is a lot more black than it looks in the bottle but i love all the red flecks in it and it is a super lovely shade.

But, being me, i was a bit bored of it by the next day and wanted to give it a bit more impact so i sponged on some other colours, purple and green i think (using a simple cosmetics sponge) and then dabbed on some big glitter.

I think they came out amazeballs but my litmus test of the work reaction was a bit like 'oh that's pretty' rather than the usual 'OHMYGOD YOUR NAILS!' Psh. whatevs!

good things strawberry polish

I've never had amazingly good skin, but i think it's not bad at all, I still get a few spots now and then even though i'm pretty sure way back in the day Mizz magazine told me i'd have grown out of that by the time i was 19. Well, 4 years later and they're still wrong with a capital W. One of the problems i have with my skin is that because I'm so pale, if i'm the slightest bit tired by whole face gets a kind of grey tinge and if i'm hot I become a red tomato etc etc. and as I'm constantly knackered, I've never been able to find a product that makes my skin look less dull, no matter how many 'brightening' or 'illuminating' products have graced my make up bag/bathroom cupboard.

I really wasn't expecting a lot when i bought Good Things Strawberry Polish, which promises to "lift away dead skin cells along with dirt and impurities and leave your skin feeling extra fresh and smooth."

But I found that after using it to take off my make up at night, my skin did look a lot fresher and the mini breakout I'd been having was drastically better, and completely gone after using this two nights in a row. My skin had a much more even tone and I've found that since using it I haven't been wearing as much foundation which is always good! It has Strawberry seeds and Jojoba beads (not a clue what that is...) as the exfoliating bits which are nice and gentle, as I normal find anything that says exfoliating on it too harsh for my skin and completely drying.

It says to only use it 2-3 times a week but I've been using it nightly and loving it, you only need a small bit so it will last ages and for only £4.99 it's performed way better than other products that will remain nameless (ahem Clinique) that cost 3 times as much.

this is getting silly

Was just sat here like a dope thinking about how rubbish i am at updating this blog and realising that i could actually just update, felt like a bit of a plum...

Model's Own Blooboo - so so so disappointed with this, I find that in general model's own polishes bubble a bit but this was totally smooth (and dry) when i went to bed and when i got up for work 2/3rds of my nails had gone all lumpy and bobbly. This is one of my favourite colours that i have but it looks terrible. I got 17's Heartbeat as a replacement cos the colours pretty close and i find the 17 polishes to be really good quality.

17 - Mini Skirt (definitely my favourite polish at the mo, it gives such a good base to do designs on and lasts pretty well too)

Again 17 - Mini Skirt. I love these little panda guys and how all their faces have different expressions, had two evil pandas on my other hand!

Model's Own Beth's Blue, no lumps! Was going to have these flowery nails all over for my boyfriend's brother's wedding but as my dress had big flower print too decided to just go for plain (boring)

Did these little skull heads watching The Good Wife yesterday morning and went a little overboard! Polish is, you guessed it, 17's miniskirt.

All the designs (i think) have been done using my nail star pens except the skulls which i did with my wah nails pen

various inspirations came from looking on tumblr, especially http://fuckyeahnailart.tumblr.com/

Urgh! been well rubbish lately, just feel like i never have any time to do anything at the moment, anyways! this never meant to be a nail art blog but i've been really not feeling anything in the shops at the moment. There's loads of clothes that i like but nothing that i really want to buy so ive just been spending cash on make up and nail polish so the nail art follows!

Here's my most recent nails...

Love this colour blocking so much, 17 Miami and Pinking Shear. The Miami looks really coral in this photo but it's bright pink, so essex!

17 Knockout Red + Nail Art pens, crappy photo... Got loads of love for these at work though

Favourites! Elf Coral and nail art pens. Love these so much, they even got me out of a super awkward moment in Lakeside Body Shop where i had to go through 3 groupons to find one that worked and then had to pay a quid in coppers. Felt like such a tramp but the girl was so nice and was gushing over my nails...

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Mon Dieu Mondrian.

So this week i've been off work sick with labrynthitis (i know i think its amazing) which means i'm fine as long as i don't try moving. So i've basically spent all week in bed except for a few jaunts out to see if i'd get seasick and have to go to bed again.

Anyways, I'm well and truly ready for summer, I normally hate summer as it means exams, hayfever, sunburn and sweaty trains but for the first time since i was 14 i at least don't have exams to worry about this year.

My mate Nancy and I are heading off to Greece in July to laze on the beach and drink Ouzo and to celebrate i picked up this little bikini set in Primarni for 3 shiny pounds, can't wait to wear it out in the sun!

I love all the sail boats and palm trees on it. Also my Beach sign from Whitstable!

Even though I finished decorating my room in November, i'm still trying to organise all my crap and finding something to put all my nail polish/make up that i only use occasionally is a massive part of that cos it takes up so much space and cos i've lived in 4 different places in the last 4 years, none of my stuff is in the same place, so I found this amazing trunk in TK Maxx and it is in fact full of nail polish. Ohhh well!

Trunk TK Maxx £19.99

Obviously being off sick has meant i've had loads of time to do my nails, I finally took the ice cream polish off today and it was still totally chip free since tuesday. I don't think the same will be said for my Mondrian inspired nails though!

17 Lasting Fix in Mini Skirt and the other colours from my nail star pens

Hopefully be back at work on Monday, I should feel better and not have to take the tablets by then, they make me superly dopey which isn't massively good when you deal with finance all day!