Empties: August 2012

Last month I had so many products I used up I was actually expecting to skip a month! But I used up three things and so that was enough for a monthly empties post.

Soap and Glory - Face Soap

Got this in the Big Splendor kit for Christmas last year. I may repurchase this at some point but I would like to try out the Soap and Glory Scrub Your Nose In It first. Review of this will be coming in the next month or so.

Lush - Smitten Hand Cream

I think this is the third or forth pot I have had of this. It was discontinued a while back, if I can get this in an online sale then I will be repurchasing this. At the moment I have enough other ones to be using up but this is my favorite hand cream ever. I still agree with my review I did back in 2010. Review Here.

John Frieda - Full Repair Conditioner

Not something I will repurchase, I have now used two of these and while they are nice enough they don't match up to my holy grail, Aussie. Review Here.

Summer Nail Challenge: Mermaid

This photo doesn't do it justice! It is a fishtail sort of a nail.

Swatch: Franken - Angels Delight

This is the first ever franken I made, its a sheer baby pink colour. I made it because I was doing some sort of nail art and I needed a base colour like this and I didn't have one. 

"Necessity is the mother of invention" - As someone once said, and I totally agree with that.

Summer Nail Challenge: Glitter Sandwich

Challenge for today is a summer glitter sandwich...

Color Club - Screaming Fuchsia

Coverband - Sticks and Stones

Tutorial: Seaside Nails

This tutorial was requested by Samantha I did these nails originally as part of 'Summer 2012 Nail Challenge' and that being seaside and shells. How are they done? Its quite easy really and I think the slapdash nature of it makes for a better beach.

What will you need?

Start off with a nice beige polish base, this will make it easier for the rest of the polish to adhere to and fill in any blank spaces you might end up with. Once that is fully dry you then can use the sponge and add a little yellow / orange gradient for the sky. If you are wondering how to do a gradient check out Sammy's tutorial.

Moving on to the sponged sea. Make sure to build up a full opacity over the length of the nail.

Using the nail art pen, or a paintbrush in white polish draw a few squiggles over the sea part of the nail.

Add a couple of 'M' shapes for seagulls.

Paint on a topcoat and clean up any mess around the nails you have made, and that is it done.

Summer Nail Challenge: Flip Flops

Flip flops, why is it one always disappears?!

Review: Stamping Plate - M73

Stamping plate M73, not to be confused with Konad M7 which has musical sheet writing on.

This stamping plate is from KKcenterHk, and it came very well packaged. All bubble wrapped and in a brown envelope. Both the stamping plate and the stamper and scraper came in individual packaging which was nice.

The plate itself was not lined on the back so you do have to be careful not to accidently cut yourself as some of the edges can be sharp. There is nine different images on it five are floral and then there are some feet, cherries, a frog and a wasp.

The stamper itself is nice and soft which is great for full nail images, and of course works perfectly with the single images.

Scraper included in this set is made fully of plastic, which is good as I prefer plastic because then it doesn't scratch the image plate.



Do the images transfer?

As you can see yes they do. Only one I had a slight problem with was the bottom right flower and I think that was just my technique. And why didn't I stamp the cherries? Lets look at some nails I wore recently.

Some of the stamping leaves a little to be desired but again that is down to me not quite having mastered the art of stamping in two different colours!

The white background set the cherries off well, but I do need to try again with a different colour.

Stamping Plate - M73 - $5.05
Stamper and Scraper - $4.50

[product provided for review purposes, this doesn't effect my honest opinion]

Review: BIC - Fringe / Bangs

This review has been a long time in the coming, I seem to have forgotten about it!

I ordered this as it was cheap and looked quite full, I have a different clip in fringe which is black but is very thin and looks fake. This one on the other hand is nice and thick which gives a more realistic look.

The fringe does have a couple of colours in it which makes it look more natural. I bought it with the intention of dyeing it but the dye didn't take, so if you were to purchase a clip in fringe I recommend getting a colour to match your hair!

The style is full and quite blunt, it has longer pieces down each side to help it to blend in with your own hair.

As for how it sits, well with the clip you can decide where it sits on your head. If you have it near to the hairline then you can sweep it to the side for a side swept look, or further back for a more blunt fringe sitting on the eyebrows.

Just cover up where it meets with a hairband or a head scarf. I would have loved to have shown a photo of me wearing it but it seems to have gone walk about with a certain someone with the same colour hair as the fringe!

£1.96 - Buy In Coins

Summer Nail Challenge: BBQ

Burgers, chicken legs, burgers and beers.

Summer Nail Challenge: Orange and Green

Not sure if the rule is orange and green should never be seen, or maybe its something else? Anyhow this is what I came up with today. Wonder if these are cabbages...

Base: ELF - Fire Coral
Stamping Polish: Kleancolor - Metallic Green
Stamping Plate: Bundle Monster 323

Summer Nail Challenge: Candyfloss

Colorclub - Poptastic!
Cotton wool balls

Comparison: Gosh Holographic V's Gosh Holographic Hero

So the question of the moment seems to be, why can't I find the re-release of GOSH holographic? Shortly followed by is it a exact copy of the previous GOSH Holographic?

Panic not, I managed to find a single bottle of the new polish and along with the old version thought it would be useful to do a comparison of the two.

Picture heavy post as you would expect, so do click to see more. All photos are clickable to get a closer look.

Bottle comparison shot

 

Bottles look relatively similar, both containing 8ml

Summer Nail Challenge: Surfin' USA

The surfer looks like a lemming, anyone else remember the game 'Lemmings'?

52 Week Challenge: Inspired by Artwork

This nail art is completely inspired by pointillism and I was thinking of doing something Van Gogh but I got a request recently to do some nail art incorporating poppies, and this is what happened...

Nails: Monkey See, Monkey Do - Mondrian

These Mondrian nails are inspired by GretalRabbitWrites and some nail art she did for the 52 week challenge which I am also taking part in. My inspired by artwork nails post will be coming soon.

Barry M - Matt White

Models Own - True Blue

Eyeko - Saucy Polish

Collection 2000 - Sherbet Lemon

Models Own - Nail Art Pen in Black

Montagne Jeunesse: Summer Skin

The stereotype of the British is we often talk about the weather. I suppose that is because it has been known for us to have all four seasons in one day, where as some countries barely get seasons and they can almost rely on the weather. My point is even though the UK hasn't really had a summer this year we do need to look after our skin. 

Besides who is going to complain about having stunning, glowy skin?!

"Let your skin glow all summer long with Montagne Jeunesse face masques, your weekly essential for gorgeous skin. Packed with natural ingredients and zero nasties, a weekly masque from Montagne Jeunesse works wonders for your complexion"

In order to get good looking skin for around £4 Montagne Jeunesse recommend using one face mask a week for one month in the following order:

1) Blemish Mud - targets problem areas for a clear, clean complexion

2) Cooling Cucumber Peel Off Masque - removes dead skin to revive your complexion

3) Iced Crystal Masque - cleanse and tone skin, remove impurities and hydrate the skin 

4) Very Berry - clear troubled skin, and avoid premature ageing

I  most looking forward to week three, cleansed, toned and moisturised skin. Sounds like everything you could ever want for really gorgeous summer skin. Besides you can easily stick a couple of masks in your basket while shopping online at asda.com / tesco.com / morrisons while doing your boring food shop!

Vegetarian-approved, made from natural ingredients and paraben-free. Montagne Jeunesse is proud of its uncompromising natural credentials and ethos for 'Conservation of Energy, Protection of Animals and the Environment'

Montagne Jeunesse face masques (from £1.09 RRP) are available nationwide or online at montagnejeunesse.com / Tesco / Asda / Morrinsons / New Look / Superdrug

And yes of course I will be reviewing these, infact I already have reviewed Very Berry and Blemish Mud.


[product provided for review purposes, this doesn't effect my honest opinion]

Summer Nail Challenge: Bumblebee

So not happy with these, clearly I am having problems thinking at the moment because what bee's have a blue nest... ugh!