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. 

Day Designer Review & A Paperchase Dupe

Day Designer

I have always loved getting a new diary and am forever on the search for the perfect method way to organise my life. I've already previously mentioned my Filofax Domino and Moleskine diaries over the years. Both have acted well but with planning huge these days and instagram and pinterest filled with various options, beautifully decorated with stickers it was the Day Designer that caught my attention. I promptly added to my Christmas list and I was lucky enough to open it on Christmas Day with my mum exclaiming 'I won't tell you how much the postage cost'.

Nine months into the year I thought it was an adequate time to give my thoughts by way of a review, especially if you're thinking of adding one to your Christmas list.

My intention was to use the Day Designer as 'mission control' containing all the details of daily life as well as being my blog planner. I treated myself to the small and lightweight Smythson diary to have on the go in my handbag and decided these two diaries would work in tandem (as well as the calendar on my PC at work!) to ensure I would have organisational peace.

The first pages of your Day Designer share the story of it's creation, pages to write done your visions, a mission statement and goals for the year, principles and passions. There are areas to write your strengths and even a fancy strategic brand plan. There's even a grid to measure your goals throughout the year. 

These pages have remained blank for me. This highlights the first problem I have with such a 'specific' style of planning and that is that whilst I enjoy a plan my lifestyle lends itself more to the sporadic and flexible type. The same way I don't have a bucket list of sorts because if I want to do something I will and I'm pretty happy with where I am at it's often not easy, nor is there anything to articulate in such a formal manner.

Each month is tabbed so you can refer quickly to them but one thing I struggled with with whilst you could easily move to the month you would spend time flicking through the pages for a specific date. Obviously the spiral bound nature means you can always have the book open to that day but its still somewhat time consuming when searching through especially if you're making appointments by phone or similar.

At the beginning of each section is a two page month at a glance and then a page per day (except for weekends which I'll talk about in a moment) laid out with your schedule on one side and to do list on the other. You also have the following sections, Top Three, Due, Dollar, Dinner, Don't Forget, Download and Daily Gratitude.

It is worth saying now, especially as it will become quite clear as I continue that the Day Designer hasn't worked for me or my lifestyle. As I've said I lead a fairly spontaneous and flexible lifestyle by design and many of my plans are pretty spontaneous or subject to change at a moments notice. Whilst there are various dates that are secured in advance, I can have no plans one night and someone suggests a drink after work and I'm there. A blog event can come up with a day or twos notice, I have no children to note down school holidays or events, nor a partner to keep track of. Even my blog schedule has some spontaneity as I like to play around with it depending on day to day events. Meal planning is not something I do for this reason (I throw more food away when I plan meals for the week than buying as I need) and I didn't find use for the 'dollars' section as my finances are dealt with by direct debit on the whole.

With regards to the schedule section Monday to Friday I can be found in work therefore you can argue the whole 9 - 5pm section is irrelevant to me. Yes I might note down an opticians appointment I'm attending over lunch but my office schedule is kept there. The day also starts at 5am. I can assure you that unless there's a flight I'm due to be on there are very rarely any appointments in my day at 5am! The day also ends at 9pm and for the aforementioned reasons I find that more limiting. It's the evenings during the week where my plans tend to happen. Admittedly there's little past that 9pm mark but even running 6 - 10pm would make more sense for me.

The To Do list is sufficient but because I don't have the Day Designer with me throughout the day it would only serve its purpose for actions once I'm home. As such I was still relying on my trusty notebook with it's to do list.

Whilst my socialising and activities tend to be of a weekend day evening my weekends are often spent working on my blog or general errands about the home. For the reason the lack of To Do lists on the weekends was limiting. There is not enough space to write down appointments and things to be done. I was generally able to make it work by essentially using it as a list rather than schedule (and again the timing, who gets up at 5am on a Sunday?) but neither worked effectively.

I actually stopped using the Day Designer in April which is a shame especially as it was so costly and I can certainly see how it would be amazing for those who work from home and will have access to it daily. For this reason I'm actually thinking as I write this post I'm thinking of taking it into work with me to see how it works to manage my day in that environment.

I have continued to use my Smythson diary successfully although I have just switched back to my old Louis Vuitton mini agenda to give that an airing so I'll have a comparison post of those coming up soon.

Paperchase 2016 Diary

I won't be replacing the Day Designer in 2016 but I have found a dupe of sorts that I am hoping will work better for me. Whilst swooning over notebooks and diaries in Paperchase last week I spotted this black and white striped 2016 diary which looked familar.

With a day to a page format which I prefer this gives me more space and freedom to combine scheduling and to do lists. The times running from 9 - 6pm still aren't ideal for me but they're not too restrictive for me to ignore them and I might source some stickers to cover them up. On the subject of stickers having this diary many months before we enter 2016 I'm hoping it'll also allow me to plan ahead and maybe decorate a little, dates like birthdays and pay days to add a little bit of fun to it's appearance.

Again the weekends are still split in two which is frustrating but as this diary was only £10 and I know that proper intense planning isn't for me I'm hoping it'll be a less costly and more practical way of planning my day. Another plus is it's lighter weight than the Day Designer so if I were interested in carrying it around with me it's more possible.

I certainly think that as a 'business' planner the Day Designer would be fantastic. If I were an at home blogger I could certainly see the potential or you are running a busy home. For these reasons and because I'm keen to make use of the Day Designer for the remainder of the year I'm planning to bring it into the office and see how it fares in that scenario - stay tuned for an update.

What are your thoughts on planners and how do you organise your day?

Feel Rejunvenated with Radox

Whilst we haven't always had the sunshine that Summer promises we've certainly had some hot and humid conditions to contend with recently. Living in a ground floor flat I'm unable to keep windows open overnight so it's inevitable that come morning I wake up a little hot and sticky and welcoming diving into the shower.

Joining me for my morning shower is 'Feel Rejunvenated'* from the new Radox Cream range just the thing to help make me feel energised for the day ahead. Orange Oil and Vitamin make for a delicious combination that I've been pairing with Soap & Glory's Limited Edition Orangasm body polish.

I'm used to using a gel rather than a cream but I really enjoyed a little morning luxury from a cream. The Radox Cream range offers something for everyone whether you want to 'Feel Romantic' with orchid and blueberry, 'Feel Pampered' after a long day with Shea Butter & Ginger or 'Feel Calm' with Jojoba Oil and Camomile - what a line up and for less than £1 in more stores.

Have you tried a shower cream before?

*The post contains press samples

Klorane Laboratories The Power of Plants

On appearance Klorane looks like one of those brands you'll find on the shelves of a fancy pharmacy overseas and this is no surprise due to it's French origins. Founded in 1966 by a pharmacist with a passion for botany who began creating a range of shampoos containing plant active ingredients, hence the Klorane tagline 'The Power of Plants'. The Klorane passion for plants and nature is clear moments you step into their website and there is all many of information about the plant actives they use and how they are effective. They even plot out the path from plant to beauty - it's an interesting read. 

I was sent a couple of products from their range to try first up a shampoo and condition from the Dry Hair Mango range*. Specifically for those with very dry or damaged hair the addition of mango butter ensures that your hair will be nourished and begin to repair. Free from silicons and parabens the delicious smelling shampoo will smooth hair cuticles protect hair from dehydration. Paired with the conditioner from the same range and you have a wonderful combination to leave hair soft and shiny.

My hair is more greasy than dry but I've found that this duo worked wonders on my hair and it's been a pairing I've reached frequently with pleasing results.

The product I was more skeptical of was the Nettle Sebo-Regulating Shampoo*. I love my Batiste and Collab dry shampoos so would this significantly pricier option be worth the money. Seboregulating properties absorb excess sebum in your hair so that it will appear clean and fresh and allow you to skip daily washing. I make no secret that I wash my hair daily. I find it'd take me longer to restyle with dry shampoos and the like that washing and drying does but at the weekends I can allow things to slide a little. That is when I would test out the Dry Shampoo from Klorane and was actually pretty pleased. I still would be too lazy often to style if heading out for something fancy but to make myself look presentable and not feel dirty this worked really well. I was even more impressed as I fully expected to have criticisms around the white powder on my dark hair but no, even that didn't pose a problem. 

Klorane products can be found at Feel Unique and Essentual and whilst I'm less likely to repurchase than I would if they were available on the high street I'd certainly seek them out when placing an online order.

Are you a plant fan and does the Klorane range interest you?

*This post contains press samples

Morning Time Saving Tips

I'm not a morning person. And I don't mean the type who needs four cups of coffee before their brain is functioning. I mean the type that just does not want to get out of bed and loves the snooze button. For that reason I need to have a pretty quick morning regime to ensure I'm out the door and on the train before work sends out a search party. Today I thought I'd share some of the tips I have when I'm rushing out the door and I'm short on time.

Body lotion is probably the first step I'd skip if I was short of time but with the current introduction of spray moisturisers I don't have to. Vaseline have recently reformulated their Spray Moisturiser and I've been using them as part of my morning routine - even when I have time to spare. It'll be no surprise that Cocoa Radiant* is my favourite, the scent is delicious. Aloe Soothe* is perfect for applying if you've hastily shaved your legs (and works amazingly if you're really short for time and need to 'dry' shave) and Essential Healing* is a good old rounder so whatever your preference there is certainly something for everyone in the Vaseline Spray Moisturiser range. I'm sure it doesn't need saying but you simple spray, rub and go. It absorbs quickly enough to put on clothes seconds afterward and doesn't leave any greasy residue. Even as I'm writing this post I'm spraying them on arms and legs to familarise myself and am still able to type without fingers sliding off the keyboard. My only criticism is that my enthusiastic spraying does seem to use them up quite quickly.

Many of you I'm sure are lucky enough to goes days without washing your hair, I'm not so lucky and will where possible always wash my hair through traditional methods during the week. At weekends if I'm simply pottering about at home or running errands I do try and give hair a break and reach for the dry shampoo instead. Battling against my usual Batiste and Collab is TRESemme Instant Refresh Cleansing Dry Shampoo*. I really love the smell of this dry shampoo and that's surprising as it's not something I usually notice or factor in when purchasing or reviewing even but this has a fruity scent I enjoy. I was ready to be extremely critical and see powder in my hair but there was none to be found. I'm definitely happy having this in my line up.

If the reason for your late start is lack of sleep them may I suggest Rimmel Scandaleyes Eye Pencil in Nude*. This is one of my holy grail products and I gave a little jump for joy when I received this as I've managed to lose mine and hadn't managed to replace yet. White eyeliners are too stark for me but this nude liner manages to give the appearance of eight hours sleep even when I've had much less. Add some mascara and you're good to go.

I'm a fan of putting my make up on whilst travelling into work by train. Frowned on by some but for me it's essential for those precious extra minutes in bed. Whilst I'm not against getting out a big blusher brush on the train cream blush is much less likely to get glares from your fellow commuters. The Nars Multiples* are perfect for this job and I much prefer the shade Orgasm in cream form than it's powder original. It has enough of a shimmer to save time on highlighters and leave skin look fresh but no excessive sparkle that the powder left me with. You can use the Nars Multiples on your lips and eyes, the former I found too drying but quite liked the subtle tone on my eyelids. Not something for every day but in a pinch works a treat.

Finally we turn to nails. An important date, meeting or event and you need to paint your nails? Typically I would turn to a stash of press on nails in a pinch but as happened to me last week sometimes that stash can run out. Thankfully many brands have brought ranges such as Barry M's Quick Dry*. I have the shade Pit Stop which is a perfect grey nude which will work for any occasion. I put my door keys and train pass on the side, paint my nails and then walk out the door.  By the time I'm sitting on the train my nails touch dry and I can begin scrolling through my Twitter feed.

There you have some of my time saving tips, what are yours?

*This post contains press samples