Loving: Nude Nails

Nude nails make me feel a bit bare, but recently I have been adding a sheer coat of glitter over the top and I love the speckled egg effect it achieves. It just adds a little something extra to an otherwise plain nail while still being versatile.

Nude nails go with everrrrrything. There's something very classic and chic about a nude nail and although it's appropriate for work, the glitter makes it fun and wearable in social situations as well.

The polishes I used are all by Revlon and the quality of each one is excellent. I haven't been using a base coat recently but I don't think it makes a huge amount of difference when using pale colours.

The nude base I use is Bare Bones. The consistency is nice and thin and I apply two coats to before moving onto the glitter topping.

In the bottle, Whimsical looks like a murky, pale teal colour, but when painted onto the nail it is beautifully translucent. The chunks of blue and rose glitter are of various sizes and show up generously on any base colour you choose — in the spring I can see a 'mini egg' inspired nail done with Whimsical and a pastel coloured base. 

I love the colours in this polish and think it pairs so well with Bare Bones. I apply just one coat of Whimsical but if you want more glitter, add another layer or two.

All of Revlon's nail varnishes dry relatively quickly, so by the time you have finished painting them it will be time to apply the top coat which does exactly what it says on the bottle. It's super fast drying and it works a treat in preventing chips. Again, the formula is thin which surprised me as a lot of top coats can be quite thick and gloopy. I prefer this consistency, however, as it spreads evenly and doesn't drag or smudge the polishes underneath.

Best of all, Revlon's nail varnishes do not peel. When I get anxious or bored I pick off my nail varnish and there are some polishes that have no problem in peeling straight off, leaving my nails rough and ruined underneath. Thankfully, these polishes stay put until I use nail varnish remover — and, unlike some glitter polishes, Whimsical won't make your cotton wool drag over your nails *shudder*

My nails aren't the strongest or in the best condition but I really like painting them anyway, and I am in looove with this look. What do you think? Are you a fan of nude nails?

£1 Primark Fashion Nails

This is weird. I cannot stop admiring my nails. Even stranger, I am writing a blog post about them. But seriously, check them out. I am not usually a fan of stars - or fake nails for that matter - but I love these. And the best part is that they were just £1. £1! Well done, Primark.

As always with Primark, these 'fashion nails' were a needle in a haystack. I must have been in a patient and determined mood the day I picked these up because the amount of other - quite frankly hideous - fake nails I sifted through before I found these was quite overwhelming. (Some 'L.O.V.E' and 'H.A.T.E' nails were among such gems...)

The 24 nails come neatly packaged with a little tube of glue which is super strong - I got it all over my fingers, but a dab of nail varnish remover sorted it no problem. The important thing is that it secures the nails in place.

In terms of size, I found ten among the twenty-four that fit my nails perfectly. I wasn't keen on the length but I had a nail file to hand, and after I had applied them I filed them right down to a size I liked.

The last time I tried fake nails was when I was twelve with my friend Philippa in the summer holidays. We went to an all girls grammar school where things like make up and nail varnish were strictly prohibited so we went a little 'crazy' at the end of year seven. We were a little too into the french manicure and bought the most 'natural' set from Boots. Thankfully we went through that phase nice and early! Since then I have never paid much attention to my nails. I try to take good care of them but they are quite weak and bendy and usually break once they get to a certain length.

As you can see I filed them down to a fairly natural length. I am not used to having long nails so I wanted them to be a comfortable length so that I could carry on doing everything I usually do.

For £1 I am extremely impressed by these fake nails. I was expecting them to come with self-adhesive strips on the back of them but the glue is very strong and they feel sturdy and secure. I am not expecting them to last too long, but for a party or a night out these are excellent. I don't have a very steady hand so drawing this design on my real nails is out of the question. They aren't likely to go with your every day outfit anyway, so for a day or two these fake nails are a bargain.

What do you think? I still can't get over the price of these and am tempted to go and buy some more!

Rings and Things

Recently I've been wearing lots of rings. Ever since my Grandpa gave me this beautiful white gold infinity ring for my 21st Birthday I have been keen to decorate the rest of my fingers. Well, maybe not all of them. I don't want to look like Jacqueline Wilson, as much as I loved her when I was little. 

 

My ring was custom made at RJ Spicer in Cheltenham and I absolutely love it. 

I love the trend of wearing a ring above the knuckle, but it wasn't until last week that I saw them in the shops and bought a few for myself to wear. The twisted band midi ring is my favourite and it was from Urban Outfitters. I like to wear it either on my index finger or my middle finger, but it fits on my little finger, too. The other three rings are from Forever 21. 

I love The Bohemian Collective's above the knuckle rings, especially the rose gold ones, but if you're on a budget like me, Urban Outfitters and Forever 21 do some really cool ones for a fraction of the price.

I have also been trying to take better care of my nails so that they look nicer when I wear my rings. At the moment I am wearing: OPI Nail Envy (which, by the way has been a life safer for my weak and bendy nails), Chanel Paradoxal and Revlon top coat.

Are you a fan of above the knuckle rings?