Empties: June 2012

So this month I actually put all of my empties in a bag rather than take a photo then chuck. Someone asked me if I ever actually used up my nail polishes seeing as I have so many, and the answer is yes I do fully use them.

Lush: Its Raining Men Shower Gel - This smells amazing. If you know Lush then its the fragrance of Honey I Washed The Kids, if not it is a honey sweet scent but not that nasty honey smell. You have to smell this, makes me smile when I use it which is always a good thing.
That's Mint Shower Gel - Got this in a set for Christmas so not sure where it is from. Did its job and smelt ever so slightly of mint, that mint smell you get from Original Source but not quite 100%.
Lush: Christmas Eve - Nice enough and makes so many bubbles.
Fabulous Mascara x2 - I got these free with something a while back. One I used up, the other one I hadn't even opened and then when I finally did it was dried up. So glad I hadn't paid for something which wrecked itself.
Sally Hansen: Cuticle Cream - Sticky and not worth it. I did a review of this here.
Sally Hansen: Insta Dri Top Coat - This I love, have repurchased many times. It is perfect for quickly drying nail polishes, doesn't smudge nail art or stamping.
Miss Sporty: 150 - Nice bright red, nothing I don't have dupes of.
Collection 2000: 28 Hip Hop - Very vibrant orange, luckily I have a dupe in the form of Color Club and ELF.
MUA: Shade 18 (beige) - Nice for a quid. I have an ELF dupe which is nice and a lot less streaky.

Summer Nail Challenge: Water Marble

At the end of the second month of this nail challenge we were given the chance to trial water marbelling. Something I haven't tried successfully before! This time almost worked I think, very messy though!

Swatch: W7 - Salt N Pepper

I originally only wanted to get this polish but as you have already seen I ended up getting all three!

Finish: A glitter polish in a off white base, glitter is in standard shape and is black

Opacity: Two coats

Brush Type: Wide and flat.

Anything Else? Unless you like a bumpy finish you will need two coats of top coat. This also dries really quickly.

This is a possible dupe for Nails Inc. Sugar House Lane

How Much? 15ml for £1.99

I am sure you can get this at NailPolishDirect for £2.45

Summer Nail Challenge: Under the Stars

Thought I would add a twist by making the night sky a different colour to the black / navy.

Review: Nail Guides

I think by now most people will be aware of the French nail tip guides, they do make doing a French tip so much more easier than trying to freehand it. So when I spotted these different shaped guides I couldn't help but try them out.

In the pack you get three different shaped tip guides

I really like to use these for french tips as while I might be able to freehand do them with my dominant hand there is no way I can with my left hand!

(excuse the tip wear, I almost forgot to photograph this)

As you can see this one seemed to work really well

Not sure as to what I would describe this shape as but it didn't work too well. perhaps I had some residue left on my nails and so the stickers didn't stick properly

Using the more traditional french style guides

Using the french guides to create a ruffian nail, a nice twist on the traditional look

Yes there is a slight learning curve with the more angular guides, even if you mess up you can remove them and reposition them. Very cheap and gives a bit of a different twist on things.

66p - 3 packs of guides

BuyInCoins

52 Week Nail Challenge: Stripes

Inspired by stripes

This is the 39th week of the challenge and I am all caught up. Don't forget to click the link above to see all of the designs I have came up with in previous weeks.

Summer Nail Challenge: Blue, Aqua and Green

Base Polishes:

Miss Sporty - Raindrop 470

Miss Sporty - 320

Collection 2000 - Electric Dreams 56

Stamping Polish: W7 - Black

Stamping Plate: BM208

Summer Nail Challenge: Wimbledon

I don't care for tennis, but as this was for the challenge I went ahead and created this. The pinky finger is supposed to be a scoreboard.

Base Polish: 17 - Peacock

Review: CCS Heel Balm

[Apologies for the mangled photo, I forgot to take one before I cut it up]

Product Description

"CCS Heel Balm is clinically proven to effectively control the most severe cases of rough, dry skin and cracked heels. Containing 25% Urea, the body's natural moisturiser, it breaks down hard skin and helps repair and relieve, leaving feet smooth and skin supple.

Visible improvement of skin softness, appearance and heel condition within 3 days.

Smooth, soft skin with decreased heel dryness in 7 days.

Lanolin Free.

Dermatologically Tested.

With Vitamin E"

My thoughts

Does it meet its own claims?

I wouldn't describe my feet as being the most severe rough, dry and cracked heels but after a winter in socks and boots they were after some TLC before being summer ready.

After applying to clean feet and wearing socks overnight I found that my feet were soft and tights friendly. None of that dreaded clicking noise you sometimes get with rough feet. This was after one application, amazing results which meant I didn't have to apply 3 - 7 times to see if it hit that claim. I half wish I had dried and cracked heels to test this out to see if it did work in 3 days! 

Lanolin

I don't not use lanolin products, as it is a by-product of animals rather than coming from an animal itself, (Being wax from the sebaceous glands of sheep). I prefer not to as the thought of using it does make my skin crawl a bit. And so this not having lanolin is wonderful!

The key active ingredient of a heel balm would be urea which 'eats' away at the dried, dead bits of skin.

Recommend?

From the great results I got in one application I would recommend this product to anyone with rough / dry / cracked feet. The worse they are the better this product works.

10 / 10

£5.08 - 75g

Amazon

I also recently reviewed another heel balm: Soap and Glory Heel Genius

Swatch: W7 - Lava Flow

As with the W7 Mosaic polish, I didn't think I would like this but seeing as I was buying one for a present for someone I so ended up with this as a early birthday gift, what I like about them is the way the glitter is layered.


Finish: A glitter polish in a off white base, glitter is in standard shape and is red and black.

Opacity: Two coats

Brush Type: Wide and flat.
Anything Else? Unless you like a bumpy finish you will need two coats of top coat and it dries quickly

How Much? 15ml for £1.99

Two coats without top coat, quite gritty

 

Two coats with top coat

nailpolishdirect.com now sells these polishes for £2.45

Summer Nail Challenge: Picnic

This was the challenge of today, I am hoping to get across that this is a picnic blanket. Which from what I hear is a vital part of going on a traditional picnic.

52 Week Challenge: Inspired By Technology

Microchip circuit board nails

Summer Nail Challenge: Jungle

As I am doing the summer 2012 nail challenge this is my attempt for today. Challenge for today was to do a jungle or parrot nails, which took me forever!

Swatch: W7 - Mosaic

I didn't think I would like this polish but seeing as I was buying one for a present for someone I couldn't help but get my doe eyes on and so ended up with this as a early birthday gift.


Finish: A glitter polish in a light blue base, glitter is in standard shape and is navy, green and gold.

Opacity: Two coats

Brush Type: Wide and flat.Anything Else? Unless you like a bumpy finish you will need two coats of top coat.


This is a possible dupe for Nails Inc. Pudding Lane

How Much? 15ml for £1.99

Two coats without top coat, quite gritty

Two coats of topcoat

Summer Nail Challenge: Ice Cream

Originally the challenge was an ice cream sundae, however I ended up doing a quick ice cream look in the form of neopolitan! Which I imagine could be used in a sundae, never had one myself to be fair!

NYX - Purple Ink

W7 - Polar Bare

ELF - Smoky Brown

Summer Nail Challenge: Balloons

Challenge today was to do something to do with balloons or kites. I was initially thinking of children's balloons but after asking the other half what he thought he came up with an air balloon, which I didn't even think of!

Barry M - Blueberry Ice Cream
Barry M - Matt White
Stamping Plate: M79

Storage: Make Up Wardrobe

It seems like months since I last did a storage sunday post! I had been looking for a way of storing my make up for a while, I did have some plastic draws but they were over flowing and I had a lot of clutter on my 'lady table'. I saw some advertised on QVC america on YouTube and that gave me some inspiration to make my own Make Up Wardrobe. Especially seeing the price they were charging for it!

It's about 30cm tall and doesn't usually look so botched up. I blame the flash!

That sits on my draws and fits in a lots of things, you open up the top flap and the doors and this is what I have inside...

 And yes that would be nail art striping tape!

What do you think, any good or a bit too Blue Peter style?