A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

So far, all the Ciates I’ve tried are consistent in formulation.  They’re thick but not quite gloopy and they dry like lightning.  If I knew how to thin nail polish down… I probably would with these.

If you’re quick enough, application is great!  It dries to a smooth glossy finish and lasts like the Duracell Bunny.

Plastic Fantastic is a great shade… it’s not mind-achingly beautiful, but it’s a solid mauvey pink which is sensible enough to be completely work safe.

Recommended.

So, I’m not a big glitter fan.  I’m really not.  I don’t mind how it looks (as long as it’s not rainbow coloured)… but the thought of the removal process makes me want to stick forks in my eyes.

Barielle sent me a couple of shades for review, and I may have physically shuddered in a glitter-induced repulsion when I saw this one.

I mean look…. it’s chunky!

However, the polish itself is a beautiful mid-toned blue, infact it’s quite an unusual combination… I’ve never seen blue and copper combined like this in a polish.  Website describes it as gold, but it’s definitely a more rose gold/coppery colour.

I am *so* on a blue kick since that George beauty.  And this Barielle shade is doing nothing to quench those flames!  B-e-a-utiful!

I don’t like the rough feeling that glitter polishes leave and despite a top coat… my mani still felt bumpy but there’s no denying the blue/copper combination works.

I’ve waited ’till removal before writing up this post, and removal was just as horrible as I had anticipated… in the end, I poured some polish remover into the cap of the bottle and soaked each finger individually before I developed RSI from all the wiping.

These Barielle’s are probably some of the longest-wearing polishes I’ve used.  6 days in with this one and I have absolutely no tip wear.  Application was fine, with no issues at all.  I don’t know if glitter polishes tend to have more or less issue with application than normal?  But this was good.

Are you a fan of glitters?  Any removal tips for me? Liking this one?

I’m supposed to be chopping my nails off in my 6 weekly “prune” but I want to enjoy them being long for just a while longer.

Anyway, here’s another from the Barielle Shade’s range…

Make it a Latte is a very pretty warm-toned brown with shimmer.  Perfect for Autumn.  When I saw it in the bottle I was very hesitant as to how this would turn out on my cool-toned skin, but it works surprisingly well.

You’ll also be pleased to hear that the above is one coat.  Yes ladies and err ladies, we have a genuine one-coat wonder in our midst!  You can see on the side of my thumbnail where I didn’t apply *so* carefully and it’s a little patchy, but elsewhere (where I took a little more time) it’s perfect!

Application was fine with no issues and drying time was average.  Wear has been really good with barely any tip wear at all.

Barielle Shades are available to buy direct from Barielle

Ok, ok, I’m sorry… I never normally post 2 NOTD’s in such quick succession, let alone back to back!

But I physically couldn’t wait to show you guys this one.

You already know how impressed I was with my first George at Asda polish experience… Raincloud, that smooth pale grey remember?

Well check this bobby dazzler out…

I can’t stop looking at my nails, truly.

This is the most perfect blue I’ve ever seen.

It’s called Indigo Dazzle and really is rather exquisite.

Application was a bit frustrating, it didn’t dry that quickly (unlike Raincloud) and when I applied the first coat it was a hot streaky mess as it tried to drag the polish off my nail as fast as I could lay it down.

I think the trick to this one is to appy a thin 1st coat to get the best base of colour that you can, then just go back and be fairly heavy handed with the 2nd coat (whilst trying to avoid bubbling from applying too thickly).  Considering I was much more heavy handed with the 2nd coat I only got 1 bubble which is pretty damn good for a £1 polish.

However, application issues aside… this colour does something to me.

It’s a true blue… no purple or green reflects allowed and it literally glows from within.  I’m so excited to have found these, it makes the weekly food shop *so* much more interesting!

George at Asda Nail polishes, can be found (unsurpisingly) at Asda, they’re currently priced at £1 a bottle and there were a staggering number of shades to choose from when I last looked.

Do you like?

Yano when you’re shopping… and it’s been an el-crappo experience… your money is burning a hole in your pocket but you just can’t find *anything* to commit to… everything is… for want of a better (or even actual) word… meh.

I had one of those days in town.. lots of nice money practically setting my pants alight and nothing that caught my eye enough to extinguish them.  Until I popped into Superdrug and sidled up to the Sleek stand.

I prodded at the blushers… meh.

I eyeballed the lipsticks…. meh meh.

Just as I was about to leave, frown intact – I cast my eyes downwards and caught sight of the nail polishes.  Nail polishes? I didn’t even know Sleek did nails?  Well, obviously I haven’t emerged from that rock of mine enough… cos there they were all lined up like beacons of salvation ready to save me from a shit shopping trip.

I picked up two shades: Royalty (Blackened Red Shimmer) and Poison Ivy (Blackened Green Shimmer) but got the guilts at the checkouts thinking of all those polishes sat at home still untouched and left Poison Ivy at the counter.

Anyway, how do I like Royalty?  I like it a lot!

It is absolutely packed with subtle shimmer – beautiful!

Application? It could be a one-coater if you were a little more careful with application than me.  The above photo shows two coats with no top coat (I’m so lazy about top coats).

It dries fast, perhaps a tiny bit too fast for slowcoaches like me… but as soon as I picked up the pace, I had no problems with application.

This is such a Christmassy shade, I can’t wait to check out the others available!

Nailed Nail Polish by Sleek is available from most Superdrugs.

Pudsey is an iconic figure associated with BBC’s Children in Need and Jessica Nails have released a limited edition collection of bear-shaped bottles timed to appear alongside this year’s campaign.

Each bottle sold will raise £2 for the BBC Children in Need Appeal.

The ultra-cute bear shaped bottles are available in 4 colours:

~ Bazaar – A delectable deep cherry red
~ Midnight Moonlight – A deep midnight blue with a subtle shimmer
~ Pharaoh – A stunning hot pink
~ Notorious – Decadent chocolate brown with a hint of shimmer

I’m partial to a bit of “midnight blue shimmer” and if I can indulge whilst supporting a very worthwhile cause, even better!

These retail at £8.95 each and can be purchased online from LookFantastic

You can also follow Jessica Nails on Twitter

I’m *nearly* over the whole matte top coat thing… a couple more mani’s then I’ll be able to move on.

This is Barielle’s Shades range in “Grape Escape” – It’s gorgeous.  It’s actually better glossy… but well, I’m a mattifying sheep.

Application is smooth – this is 2 coats.  No issues to speak of, perhaps a touch slow drying… but nothing a quick-dry top coat doesn’t fix.

Desperate to check out some more colours… looks like they have a lovely A/W collection out at the moment.  Let me introduce you…

Putt-E-On-Me – Classic clay

Blackened Bleu – Black with turquoise glitter

Lava Rock – Black with red pearl swirl

I don’t even like glitter and I’m salivating at the thought of the black/turquoise one!

L-R: Putt-E-On-Me, Blackened-Bleu, Lava Rock.

Check out the range at Barielle

Yeah, it’s green… I don’t “do” green, but when I was getting my hair cut I saw the salon were offering two bottles for £10 and I didn’t want any more reds/pinks.

After 4 coats (yes, 4) I surveyed my new fungal fingers and sighed.  I don’t “do” green.  It was time for bed, so I resigned myself to the fact that I’d be wearing it the next day (of which I spent the majority hiding my nails).

It’s a very yellow green, like a muted chartreuse…it applies nicely and dries fairly quickly.  As I noted, it takes 4 coats to achieve opacity and dries with a glossy semi-sparkly finish.

The following evening I didn’t have time for a full mani, so in the hope of toning it down a little, I applied a coat of Nail Tek Foundation II to give it a matte finish.  The photo shows the mani after mattifying.

Nail Tek Foundation II works really well as a matte top coat, although I find that it definitely needs a squirt of quick-dry spray ontop as I had difficulty keeping it smudge free.

Do you wear greens?  What are your favourites? And do you say “ohpee” or O.P.I? (I’m sure I’ve asked that before)

Continuing with the nail theme today…

My first Ciate!

I (like many others) am in love with the packaging…

Look at that gorgeous little bow, such a simple but instantly recognisable addition.  Whoever came up with that idea at Ciate deserves to be on far more money than everyone else.

However, one of my bows on another bottle has come undone and I CAN’T DO IT UP AGAIN!  This shouldn’t frustrate me.  At the age of 28, wife of 1, mother to 1 and regular tax filer I should be able to rise above this… BUT I CAN’T!

Someone with more dexterity than me come round my house and do my bow up for me please, it’s making the bottle look sad and ugly.

Anyway… look at this shade, a lovely metallic purple-blue combination – stunning!

Application was ok… not the best as it’s quite a thick formula and dries very quickly (both a blessing and a curse – are all Ciate’s like that?)

Once applied though (2 coats) – this stuff just lasts and lasts… I’m on day 5 now with minimal tip wear.  Very good!

Do you have any favourite Ciate shades?

Now that I have discovered a complete adoration for grey nail polishes, I’ve got my beady eye on Mavala’s upcoming release.

The City Greys Collection is a great trio of no-fuss cool toned greys.

From L-R: Berlin, New York and Minsk

I’m thinking edgy, I’m thinking sophisticated… I’m thinking possible first attempt at Ombre Nails.

Hope they’re lovely and glossy and not semi-matte like the last collection.

After a bit of googling, I came up with this image – pretty no?

They’re due to be released early November so not long to wait!  Any upcoming polish collections setting your heart a-flutter?

A quick heads up. This has just landed in my inbox…

Click the image to be taken to the offer!

There’s some really nice colours included no?  I’m loving Savoy Court!

I took advantage of the last offer and am hoping to get my hands on some HQHair goodies today, so will be grudgingly resisting the latest Nails Inc. temptation!

How about you?

Would an aspiring makeup snob venture into Asda on a Friday night on the hunt for a grey polish she saw whilst doing last weeks food shop? I think not… I’m slipping.

However, I’m pleased I did – because I’ve found a little gem!

This is a lovely pale grey aptly named “Raincloud” that is perhaps just a ‘teeny’ bit blue toned.  Application isn’t the smoothest, it dries VERY quickly… even as you’re applying.  I’d recommend not trying to be too precise with this.  Get a big blob on the brush and attempt to cover the nail in 3/4 strokes max, any more strokes than this and the polish will start dragging.  However, for some strange reason… the formula is *really* forgiving… many times I applied this unevenly and the formula seems to even itself out across the nail.  I also didn’t experience any bubbling as it dried which is a common problem for me with thicker polishes.

Drying time (as I said) is very quick – the above shows 3 coats, and I reckon I had the full manicure done and dry in about 25 minutes.  The finish is high gloss and I’ve had tons of positive comments about the shade.

I wore this mani up to London on Saturday for the Aussie Event and whilst in Space NK both SA’s were coo-ing over my hands… I couldn’t quite tell if they were horrified or delighted when I told them where I’d bought the polish.

The polishes are currently on offer at £1 for a 5ml bottle in Asda… yep, £1.

Here’s my other bargain purchase (picture taken with flash).. I don’t like this one so much, it’s more chalky and could have done with a top coat, but still a great buy if you like blues!