Favourite Neutral Nail Colours

Whilst I loved my bright nails on my holiday I'm enjoying the other extreme and testing out various nude or beige options which are particularly suited to wearing stiletto nails over the weekend. I've rounded up a few of my favourite shades to share with you today.

No nail polish round up would be complete without Barry M and the shades I'm enjoying are Lychee and Rose Hip from the Gelly collection and PitStop from the Speedy Quick Dry range. Clearly Rosehip is the ringer in this collection and it's more a milky pink compared to the others but I've been enjoying it in this grouping so I thought I'd share. Lychee is perhaps my preference over PitStop which leans more towards the grey tones of beige.

Lychee is in face very similar to Nails Inc Coleville* so you have a choice whatever your budget. These are what I'd call the traditional nudes, if you want that mannequin nail look then this is where to head.

For something more statement, and one to pop against bright Summer colours then Models Own Hype Gel in Grey Storm* is a great pick. This was my first time trying Models Own nail colours and I wasn't disappointed. All these shades require at least three coats, more due to the condition of my nails than a need for opacity from the products. If your nails are ridged or in bad condition then a darker shade such as this will be more forgiving.

Finally is a shade for those who perhaps can't wear colour at work or want something very neutral. EverGlaze Cash-Merely There* is a shade that will not forgive bad nails although you might feel comfortable wearing a lighter shade that's one up from a clear polish. It's also a great alternative for those who might not like the tippex white french manicure tips.

What are your favourite neutral nail colours or do you prefer a little colour?

*this post contains press samples and affiliate links

April 2016 | Beauty Favourites

It's a very make up heavy favourites post today as I  reverted to something of a lazy make up routine the past month and all these items tick the box for that. First up I'll start with some products you may recognise from my Superdrug Haul.

Bourjois Radiance Reveal Concealer is making waves in the beauty community and I jumped straight on that bandwagon and can say that for me the hype is deserved. I've never been one to just conceal and go but on weekends when I'm even less inclined to wear make up but want to make something of an event I've been sweeping this on, adding some Chanel Les Beiges Powder and I'm good to go. It doesn't crease under the eyes, far outweighing others I've tried and lasts all day. Another plus is it looks far more higher end and is less messy than other offerings in my collection.

The Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipstick in Devotion has been a big hit, as has the formula of this product. I did return to Superdrug to look at other shades but none sparked any excitement as Devotion did so I left empty handed and stuck with this favourite. A subtle shade of pink but not too subtle that it looks like I haven't bothered at all it goes with almost every outfit. The slightly chalky feeling texture goes on like silk and dries down without drying lips out so I'm crying for lip balm later. I can reapply throughout the day without fear of cracked lips although this is certainly a longer lasting product compared to others. It's definitely worth checking out if there's a shade that you like.

Next is L'Oreal's Brow Artist Plumper which has quickly replaced my former love of the Maybelline BrowDrama. With a much more sensible, smaller brush this is far easier to brush my brows out and fill in any gaps very quickly. It dries quickly and is far hardier against my annoying habit of stroking my eyebrows and definitely requires more effort to displace and ruin my efforts.

Carrying on my lazy make up theme I've been reaching for the Seventeen Mono Eyeshadow in Rose Quartz on a daily basis with my Zoeva 227 Definer Brush* for a quick eye make up look. Again I've never been a one lid colour and go kind of girl, even with my simple eye make up routines I'd always add something into the crease, outer corners and some sort of liner, until now. The Zoeva 227 is a worthy contender for Mac's famous 217 of which I have many but it's the 227 I've reached for. Blending out Rose Quartz on my lids and some mascara I'm happy enough with my make up to be seen in the office. The Mono Eyeshadows are compact, pigmented and last a day in the office which often is all I'm looking for.

As I continue my make up declutter I've pulled out Covergirl Blush in Pretty Peach that has been sitting in the draw for ages following a US Beauty Haul.  Hailed as a dupe for Mac Melba Blush it's become a firm favourite if not for the cheap and unpleasant packaging. I've been reaching for this a lot as the sun shines and it gives a nice soft glow.

Painting my nails is a chore I don't enjoy and I'm always torn between painting with normal polish multiple times or wearing gels and having the chore of removing to reapply. First world problems of course but I've settled on painting for nails as it feels like an easier process at times. Another Covergirl product and this is the red polish they brought out in their Star Wars range. It's your standard shade of red but applies nicely, if the brush is a little small for my liking. I get a good few days out of this before any wear starts to show.

Finally I'm throwing a skincare item in which has become a big hit as we hit hayfever season. I've recently been testing some products from F.O.Y and the stand out for me at the moment is the Revitalising Eye Gel*. This is very much a gel and I think I need to start keeping in the fridge for some extra cooling properties to soothe my itchy eyes. The packging is rather luxe for an eye cream and whilst it's not the ideal travel companion it's nice sitting atop my dressing table.

What have you been loving this month?

*this post contains press samples

Art Deco Arctic Collection Review

It's Spring and I'm fully aware that I should be sharing products from Art Deco like their Field of Flowers Blush or their new bronzing collection but it's rather grey and wet in London today so it seems almost appropriate.

The Arctic Collection from ArtDeco was released for Winter 2015 and I was lucky enough to receive products from there range and as there are still some available and my sister in law is still raving about the range I thought it was worth a post.

Starting with getting the blurb out of the way, ArtDeco is Germany's no.1 selling make up brand and it's slowly making waves in the UK and deservedly so. The Arctic Collection drew its inspiration from the arctics ice crystals, auroras and glacial landscapes. To me if feels and looks like it's a grown up Frozen make up line so if you're looking to channel your inner Queen Elsa then look no further.

Diving straight into the range with four nail colours. I've used ArtDeco nail lacquers before and these are all pearly, icy shades which I would not really be drawn to wearing. My SIL on the other hand loves them and has even found layering on darker shades create some wonderful effects so they're worth experimenting with.

Shade 04, Couture Crushed Ice* is a pearlescent, shimmery shade, as is 08 Couture Frozen Land* but in a silver tone. If you're into a nude nail with a pink overtone then the milkier coloured 608 Couture Pearl* or 955 Couture Ice Flower* might be for you and one I'm going to return to using these as I do like a nude nail when wearing falsies.

ArtDeco nail lacquers are great in opacity, even in these lighter shades, although not so forgiving on natural nails which have damage such as ridges etc. I'm using a top coat from ArtDeco at the moment which is working well and worth trying out.

The stars of the range for me are undoubtedly the Arctic Beauty Blush* and Highlighter*. Perhaps understandably so I was using the Highlighter incorrectly at first and explains why I was a little disappointed. I assumed it was for the face and lets be honest, grey does not work well as a highlighter, certainly on my skin, although interestingly the pink worked well if I could angle my brush appropriately. In fact this highlighter is in fact eyeshadow and I can totally see how this would work and I will be diving back into my pile to use it as such.

The blush on the other is simply a blush and is right up my street by way of colours. I do enjoy a blusher that has a mix of tones to swirl your brush in and liven up the face. The sun may be attempting to show its face but I'm still demonstrating the paler skin of winter so will take all the help I can get.

Moving onto the Arctic Beauty Lipsticks* which on first glance I thought were going to be a little dated for me and perhaps ageing but aside from 103 Cool Coral* which is in fact a pale shimmery shade better suited for the younger make up lovers amongst us but both 101 Cool Orchid* and 105 Cool Peach* (I must say the names don't match the colour you're seeing in my opinion) have remained to hand and are creamy texture which feel comfortable in the hand and are ideal for a natural look.

Similarly the Arctic Beauty Glam Stars Lipglosses*, which of course work well alongside the aforementioned lipsticks are a bit hit and miss shade wise for me. 31 Frozen Orchid is a perfect accompaniment to nudes when you want a little depth or worn alone if your preference. 35 Frozen Flower is a very pale, milky shade with the shimmer evident across all the range. It can be worn over lipsticks but along it's not something I'm a fan of. Again my younger friends might be more inclined.

The final products to share from the collection are where we get into full on glitter and sparkle territory. I'm not a fan but again my sister in law is wearing these constantly. As usual when I commented on her eye makeup whilst in Florida she responded 'it's the make up you gave me' (I was lucky enough to receive duplicates of the range).

The Glam Vintage Shimmer Cream* and Glam Stars Liquid Eye Liner* are fun products but not onces I can make work for me. The Shimmer Cream can be used across the body or simply on the eyes and it's wet texture makes it ideal to pat over matte shades to add some depth although it's a little too chunky for my liking. The ship has sailed where glittery eye liners are concerned but I did enjoy having a play around with it as a liner or adding a touch of sparkle to my lashes. 

And lastly a product I loved and whilst unlikely to use again, I'm rather taken with the beautiful packaging is the Arctic Beauty Dust*. Make no mistake one pump from this and you'll be sparkling so it's certainly fun for any parties or perhaps children would love a dusting of this in their hair.

Are you a fan of glitter and sparkle?

*this post contains press samples

Sensationail Nail Starter Kit Review

Sensationail Nail Starter Kit*

I've happily jumped on any nail trend there is from acrylics to fibre glass nails  - is anyone else old enough to remember them? Currently it's all about gel nails whether you're a fan of Gelish, Biosculpture or simply rely on a top coat that gives the appearance of a professional manicure. But what if you want the professional gel manicure but have neither time nor money to visit your local salon? Sensationail have the answer.

Sensationail is the number 1 selling home gel nail system in the US and after just one use I can totally see why and have am already hooked. I was recently sent a Sensationail Nail Starter Kit* to try but for one reason and another it had languished in the testing drawer as I'd decided I needed to devote a significant portion of time to test it. How wrong was I. This is the quickest, simplest kit to use and is no less time consuming than a regular nail polish paint job.

Each kit contains a gel cleanser, primer, base/top coat, your colour and a Pro 3060 LED Lamp. I received the french manicure kit but acknowledging my nails wouldn't look their best with a french manicure I treated myself to the colour Scarlett Red. 

First you prepare the nails by filing and lightly buffing the nail with the enclosed nail file. Next use the lint-free wipes (also enclosed) to clean the nails with your gel cleanser. Apply the base coat and cure under the lamp for 30 seconds for each hand. Follow this with two coats of your colour, curing for 60 seconds at each coat and finish with a layer of the top coat, curing as instructed. Finally wipe the nails with the gel cleanser and you're done. Yes it really is that simple. 

Simple though it was I did learn a few lessons from this first attempt at my own gel manicure. Firstly the LED lamp will work/light for 60 seconds at a time. As such if you're doing a 30 second cure I would advise painting both hands and then swapping over at the 30 second beep. I appreciate the additional 30 seconds saved won't make too much difference but it will mean you're not 'wasting' the lamp being on without use. 

Secondly the most important thing I'll stress, and please don't ignore the instructions like I did, do cap the nail by running the brush along the nail tip. I didn't do this and whilst it hasn't made any dramatic difference there is wear that wouldn't be there had I done this and it also allowed my nails to exposed to snagging. Likewise make sure you cover the whole nail, the same as with a regular polish if a corner is 'free' it'll be more than likely to chip or break. 

Other than these 'user errors' I have no complaints whatsoever and have subsequently sang the kits praises to anyone that will listen. You can take a look at my Sensationails (see what I did there!) over here. 

By now I'm sure you're all saying well this sounds great, how much? The Sensationail Nail Starter Kit costs you £69.99 which I appreciate sounds pricey but when you remember a salon gel manicure will cost you anywhere from £20 upward and the Sensationail Nail Starter Kit will provide up to 10 uses you're looking at approx £5 per manicure. It doesn't sound too bad when you work it out does it?

And when your equipment runs out? You just pick up any one of the kits available. Personally I will replace the primer and top coat but the cleanser is really just nail polisher remover and we all have a stash of orange sticks, nail files and the like don't we. And of course there's an array of nail colours to choose from, priced at £15 whatever mood you're in.

This is the perfect product to put on your Christmas list or make use of your Boots Advantage Card points if you can't wait till payday. If you're a gel nails fan you won't be disappointed. I'm a week in with my manicure and apart from the wear mentioned at the tips, the manicure still looks good as new. It's unheard of for me to spend a Sunday not thinking of repainting my nails.

The only downside? At some point I'm going to have to remove them and no one likes that job do they.

Have you tried an at home gel manicure kit before or does this tempt you?

*This post contains press samples. 

Nail HQ Base & Gel Top Coat Review

Nail HQ

I would be lying if I said that I didn't have my nail care favourites as you saw in my recent nail kit post but that doesn't mean I'm against trying other brands. Also having such favourites means I'm able to pit them against one another to see if they will sway my allegiance.

Nail HQ are a brand that can you can find on the high street and your local Tesco and there's nothing more I love than a brand I can find in the supermarket. How easy is it to justify or forget the cost of a beauty product when it's lost the for bread and toilet roll.

Using cutting edge ingredients such as Hydrolyzed Collage and formulations which are traditionally associated with hair and skincare such as Argan Oil and Keratin they are certainly a brand worth exploring.

I was sent Nail HQ Gel Top Coat* and Base Coat* to try in my manicure regime and I was pleased with both. Base coats won't really excite me as I tend to put my pressure on top coats to perform but recently whilst testing other products I realised how much of a difference the right base can make.

Nail HQ Base Coat is specifically to assist nail polish adhering to your nails with a sticky cushioned finish. And help adhere it does. As a frequent red nail polish wearer I'm also keen to pay attention to base coats preventing staining to my natural nail and the NQ base coat creates a barrier to do this.

Everyone wants to have glossy gel like nails without the requirement of UV lamps or more importantly the effort of removing them and Nail HQ have just the thing with their Gel Top Coat. A formulation to provide the required glossy finish from optical brighteners. Sealing in your colour this top coat works well against chipping the most important factor for me and I find that unlike Seche Vite or my favourite EyeCandy Top Coat this is not a formula that thickens as time goes on, thus extending its life.

Whilst the price point of Nail HQ products at approx £5.99 is comparable to the EyeCandy Duo the difference is that you can purchase the products individually. Naturally this appeals to me as it avoids you having to buy a set when you only want one or the other product.

Have you spotted Nail HQ in your local supermarket?

*This post contains affiliate links and PR Samples

Nailbox Subscription Service

Nailbox Subscription Service*

If beauty boxes have never made you want to sign up to the subscription service because you're more of a nail lover than nailbox* might be just the thing for you. Launched in April and following the usual format  of these services, every month you will receive a box of five nail items delivered directly to your chosen location. These five items will be comprised of three or four nail polishes and one or two nail tools or treatments from as little as £13.50 per month (depending on your subscription choice). 

Each box is a surprise and will contain on trend colours. You will never receive the same products twice so there should be something new for your to try each month. Also unlike other subscription services your items arrive in regular cardboard boxes to ensure that the money you pay is put towards products rather than packaging.

I received the June nailbox which contained three nail polishes from Essie, Tanya Burr and Nails Inc. Also included was blogger favourite Seche Vite Top Coat and Elegant Touch Cuticle Nippers. The value of this box is approx £45 so you're certainly getting value for money. So you might have a pair of cuticle nippers at home but I'm pleased I've received a second set as I can pop a pair into my make up bag in the office, something I've been meaning to do for some time. 

If were to express concern it might be that for example April's box contained a nail file and I'm loyal to my Leighton Denny crystal file so this might remain unused. That said the April nailbox contained four nail polishes so still proved value for money - and who doesn't need a spare nail file?

Back to the contents of this months nailbox  and I'm very keen to try the nail polish from Tanya Burr as this will be my first opportunity too try something from the range and whilst I've not been overawed by Seche Vite in the past I will be more than happy to give it another chance. Sometimes the beauty of these services is your pushed out of your comfort zone to try something new or give a product another chance. The orange might not necessarily be a colour I would choose for myself but I can't deny it's perfect for the time of year.

Unfortunately this is a UK only service but if you're keen to sign up I think it's well worth it. July's nailbox has the theme 'Tropical Treats' so I can't wait to see what is delivered to my door.

Furthermore if you are a subscriber to nailbox you are entitled 15% off every order at nailpolish.co.uk   

*PR Sample 

BruzZ - The Hygienic Nail Brush

Bruzz Hygienic Nail Brush*

I have a new addition to my nail kit and it's not the sexiest of products but it's one of value, BruzZ, the Hygienic Nail Brush*. Invented by a beauty therapist for quicker, easier and more hygienic nail cleaning this is a quirky little product I've made part of my regime.

I must confess until this point I had never really used a nail brush nor even owned one. Of course I clean my hands regularly and have cleaned under nails with an orange stick and similar I've never really  tackled them properly. Ridiculous when you think of how much dirt and bacteria fingernails can harbour.

I have regularly had manicures and nail treatments in salons but you'll never see a nail brush in the salon as they're pretty impossible to sanitise properly and can be very harsh. Beauty therapist Emma Myers decided to set about creating something that she could use on her clients.

The first difference between the BruzZ and your standard nail brush is that the bristles are self contained and will clean the top, underside and tip of your nail in one quick action. The bristles are even contain vanilla extract for a luxurious touch.

Squeeze liquid soap into the centre of the BruzZ and this is all that's needed for cleaning your nails. Due to it's ball design all the liquid is self contained meaning that airborne germs and bacteria will not get in nor will your bathroom be covered in soapy spray.

For those of us that wear gel and acrylic nails and certainly wouldn't want to risk damaging them, the BruzZ even works on them and is gentle enough to not cause any lifting.

Once finished simply remove the bristles and clean - you can even pop them in the dishwasher.

I one for one have made cleaning my nails part of my nail regime, have you?

*PR Sample

My Nail Kit

Whilst I had a visit from Heaven & Gel last night so my nails would withstand my trip to Ibiza as a general rule I am relying on my own skills as a manicurist. Today I thought I'd talk through 'my nail kit' and the products I reach for at home.

Formula X Delete Nail Polish Remover
The first and most obvious step is of course nail polish remover. I'm fairly fickle about my nail polish remover choices and the Formula X Delete was picked up in Las Vegas last year when I needed to tend to chipped nails - not the most exciting of Sephora purchases. I can't deny that I was drawn to the pump bottle and will certainly be refilling this when the time comes. The lock system works surprisingly well and I managed to transport it to Dubai without any spillages last month.

Next I would step in with my Leighton Denny Crystal Nail File which I have spoke enough about for you to get the picture. I love it, wouldn't use anything else and it is always by my side.

Emjoi MICRO Nail Electric Nail Polisher*
My latest nail gadget is the Emjoi Micro Nail Electric Polisher. Firstly this will not magically polish your nails with colour (when will this be invented though I ask myself?) but specifically the condition of your nails. I'm not a lover of nail care and painting my nails always feels like such a commitment of time. Buffing and polishing nails seems such a faff especially when I'm only going to cover them with a bright polish. That said we all know that nails have ridges and none more so than mine so they do benefit from a buff and polish. The mjoi Micro Nail Electric Polisher does this in a matter of seconds. Literally, it says to do it no more than that or you will damage your nails.

Of course using such a gadget might be reminiscent of those nail salons with the drills but this is a very different beast and you are in control a. Smooth rollers rotate and ridges are smoothed instantly and the Shine Rollers polish up a treat it's almost a shame to add colour.

If you're after saving time during your manicure process you can find the electric nail polisher with £10 off at Boots right now.

Cuticle Nippers and Nails Inc Vitamin E Cuticle Oil Pen
I hate my cuticles, if only my nails grew as fast as they seem to. The plus side is I have something of a love affair with my cuticle nippers. There's nothing more satisfy than nipping away at them and leaving a clean base for my nail polish. To treat them I swipe some of Nails Inc's Cuticle Oil Pen which is handy compared to the typical bottles you see. It's obviously nourishing them too well at the rate they seem to grow.

MICRO CELL Nail Repair*
I have be raving about Micro Cell to anyone who will listen for sometime. One of Germany's top selling nail brands it's new to the UK market and so far seems to be under the radar. I came across it at a press event and listened intently to the press spiel thinking how amazing can it be. Well the answer is pretty amazing.

Micro Cell has been developed for those of us with soft and brittle nails. Designed to recover protein molecules on the outer layer of the nails it helps strengthen and protect your nails. I used to suffer from splitting of my nails which has been non existent since applying Micro Cell.

As with most products of it's type Micro Cell should be applied and removed and reapplied daily to set the process in action. You are able to paint colour on top but should still follow the daily removal process. I admit I'm not always as good at doing this but it's more frequent than it ever has been and still seems to be working well for me.

eyeCANDY Top Coat*
I never truly got the Seche Vite hype, nor found it was any better for adding longevity to my nail colour. I put this down to me but since using the eyeCANDY Top Coat I can say it wasn't and I was just using the wrong product for my nails. Another brand that is little heard but easily found in your local supermarket this is an amazing product. It does everything that Seche Vite will do and more. My full review of the eyeCANDY Top Coat is here.

Leighton Denny Miracle Mist*
Finally with have another one of the products where I ask does it actually work or do I just think it does? Having just mentioned amazing fast drying top coats and often using nail polishes with similar claims does the Leighton Denny Miracle Mist do the trick? Honestly I can't say definitively but I do know that I am using it as part of my routine and as far as my amateur eye can see, or touch it appears to.

What tools do you keep in your nail kits?

*Press samples

Seche Vite Topcoat - Am I fan?

Seche Vite Topcoat link

Before beauty blogging Seche Vite top coat had completely escaped me. This was no surprise as I was an acrylic nail wearer so such things were not needed. As soon as those acrylic's were removed I suddenly realised the importance of such a product in my kit especially one spoke so highly of as Seche Vite is.

Unfortunately for me I was a little underwhelmed especially after the initial euphoria of finding it for a mere $5 in Sally's, Las Vegas whilst waiting for a taxi I poked my head in for a nose round.

Personally for me I found that it didn't seem to make my nail polish last any longer than normal. And now I see it has no comparison to eyeCandy's top coat which I blogged about here. If I have anything to speak about Seche Vite highly it's that it certainly evens out any bad paint jobs which I'm prone to doing as I often rush nail painting but otherwise it was just a bit of a let down.

I've also now entered the stage where my bottle has started to thicken and become a little to messy to use up. I could buy the thinner but I'm just not that bothered enough to make the effort to make this bottle last a little longer.

So whilst Seche Vite may be winner of many awards and the holy grail of many a blogger, for me it just doesn't hit the spot. What about you?

Barry M Spring Shades

Barry M Gelly Nails link

There was much discussion between my friend and I last week as we debated whether I would have my gel nails applied before my holiday. Yes I know oh to have 'my problems'.

Firstly my nails are in pretty good shape at the moment thanks to a new nail strengthener I'm using along with the eyeCandy top coat and to have gel nails applied will weaken them and undo all my good work.

Secondly my trip is nine days in some pretty intense heat and will the gel last? I get between one and two weeks out of gel nails depending on whether they're Biosculpture or Gelish and how well I look after them in that time.

Thirdly what one colour could I commit to for the full week? The biggest worry of all!

So you can see what a dilemma I had on my hands. As my friend and I discussed the pro's and cons she finally out with what made the decision easier. When she had visited Dubai the heat had left to them lifting earlier than usual although she was particularly dramatic and used the term 'melting' which led me to visions of me on my sun lounger with puddles of gel nail polish around me.

As I was already conscious I may have had to go through the hassle of removing the gels towards the end of my holiday and applying nail varnish till my return home, the fear of 'melting' and finally my issues with colour commitment I decided that I would go with taking a few nail colours with me and changing at whim.

Happy with my vision of my sitting on the hotel balcony with a martini whilst I paint my nails to match one of the many outfits I've brought for the trip it also meant I could do some shopping because obviously I needed to by some appropriate shades.

My first purchase was from Barry M and the colours I chose were Rosehip and Sugar Apple. Perfect for the current season at home and I imagine will look lovely with the tan I plan on cultivating whilst away.

Whilst I like Sugar Apple and it was my favourite on purchase it's actually Rosehip that has stood out for me. I don't 'do' nude nails very well and this has the right balance of being neutral enough to go with most things but with enough punch that I feel I have a colour on my nails.

We all know how good Barry M nails so they are a perfect choice for taking on holiday as I will not worry about them chipping and application is a breeze. I'm thinking this might be the colour I start with for my trip but having picked up another three nail colours last weekend that could be subject to change.

What would be your go to holiday colour?

Gelish Manicure

Gelish Manicure link

Whilst I am a fan of Biosculpture Manicures it was something of a relief when my friend Laura started up Heaven & Gel offering Gelish manicures from the comfort of my own home. My weekends are often spent on blogging or catching up with friends and I can't bear visiting salons for manicures of any nature as I find the whole process so boring. Now I can sit in my own front room, tv on and catching up with a friend whilst ending up with a wonderful gel manicure.

Whilst my gel manicure love started with Biosculpture and at first I found that Gelish lifted quicker on me than Biosculptures would, largely due to aforementioned laziness to visit the salon I have had more Gelish manicures from Heaven & Gel and very pleased with the results.

You will have no doubt seen my various gelish manicures over on Instagram of varying colours and I find that they last up to 2 weeks and often it's colour boredom setting in before a need to remove them (I still haven't found a less boring way to remove gels fyi!).

If you do live in the Essex area and are looking for an at home gel manicure do give my friend Laura at Heaven & Gel a call, she has some fantastic bright neons ready for Summer.

Morgan Taylor Cinderella Nail Polish Collection

Morgan Taylor Party at the Palace* link
Morgan Taylor Best Ball Gown Ever* link

If you missed out on the Mac Cinderella Collection last week then I might have just the thing today to make up for your disappointment. Mac isn't the only brand capitalising on Disney's latest live action fairytale, Cinderella, so too is Morgan Taylor. 

Morgan Taylor are bringing you six shades inspired by the movie and I have two to talk about today. Party at the Palace* is a gorgeous aqua with an iridescent shimmer running through it. I'm not a fan of glitter polishes as you know but this shimmer suits me quite well and feels slightly more grown up whilst channelling my inner Disney Princess. 

Best Ball Gown Ever* is a pale blue, again with a similar shimmer to it and of course it's certainly modelled on that beautiful dress Cinders Fairy Godmother conjures up. Again whilst I'm not usually a fan of the more pastel colours I found these very wearable and perfect as we transition to Spring.

This is the first time I've used a polish by Morgan Taylor and managed 4 days with only minor chips starting to show. Despite their sheerness the opacity is there and I enjoyed wearing a pastel that caught the light without my feeling too girlie as glitter would do. I'm afraid the swatches below will not do the colours justice but do take my word for it.

Now I have my nails ready for Prince Charming it's just waiting for it's cinema release.

Will you be going to watch Cinderella next week?

*PR Sample

Leighton Denny Crystal Nail File | An Update

Leighton Denny Crystal Nail File link

I first reviewed the Leighton Denny in September 2013 and over a year on and with it winning the 'best nail file in the InStyle Beauty Awards I thought it was worth mentioning again. 

I was a fan of the file back in 2013 and the fandom remains in 2015. This is as essential in my handbag as my iPhone and debit card are. When I happen to have used it at home and it's not in my bag I can't bear using a traditional emery board.

With the traditional emery board I find I end up filing the length of the nail away as I struggle to neaten things up but the Leighton Denny neatly turns your nail to dust and with one swipe acts quickly to deal with any damage and as it helps to seal with end of the nail it prevents splitting which is something I suffer from less now than I did back in 2013.

A year on my nail file is still in perfect condition and working just as efficiently as ever so aids my thrifty theme for 2015. I'm very tempted to buy the larger size to keep at home and avoid leaving it out of my handbag by mistake and causing the trauma of discovering it's not there!

Since purchasing myself both my mum and I have made this our staple gift for friends and family and if you haven't tried this for yourself I would recommend you do. Ultimately this update is merely repeating what I said before or more like reiterating that this was a worthy purchase and my opinions still stand. 

Collection Work The Colour Nail Polish

Collection Work The Colour Nail Polish* link

I'll hold my hands up and admit Collection would not be a make up range I would have given a second look were it not for attending an event with them last year. I was blown away by the products I tried which you can read about in this post. Of course every blogger loves the Collection Concealor, including myself but one of my favourite products from their range is the Work The Colour nail polishes.

Each colour is available for £1.99 which is a great price and then when you add in Boots various offers of 3 for 2 of current two for £3 they're one of the cheapest nail products around. But are they any good? In short yes. They're opaque after two coats and depending on your top coat of choice will certainly last a good 2 - 3 days. I appreciate many others say or like their nail polish to last weeks but it's only recently I'm getting long wear out of my nail polish due to my recent top coat addition you can read about here. 

Where I particularly favour this range is for trying trend colours or simply slightly out there ones. I pretty much stick around the pink or red nail colours as my staple but every so often there's a desire or outfit that calls for something a little jazzier and that's where I visit the Collection stand. 

Of course the products I'm showcasing today are the pinks in my stash, Babydoll Pink which I'm thinking of reaching for as Spring approaches, Pink Cadillac and a recent favourite Tropical Pink - I think this would look fantastic with a tan don't you agree. 

Have you tried this affordable nail polish range, what did you make of it?