HJ Manicure - Peach Blossom Swatch

Hi all,

Today I have a quick Swatch shot of a brand that is new to me, HJ Manicure.

Here's what they say about the shade I was sent:

"Peach Blossom is a beautiful soft pastel peach shade, perfect for everyday wear. This HJ Manicure polish is long lasting, 5 FREE, easy to apply and quick drying. Apply two coats and finish with HJ Manicure Dual top & base coat, for a professional shiny finish."

Peach Blossom is a perfect peachy for nude-nails occasions.  I've actually worn this a few times since (but wasn't near a camera!) for some bridal style nails after swatching these.

HJ Manicure - Peach Blossom 2 Coats

 

This polish was really hard wearing, and basically didn't chip.  I did have some tipwear, which is to b expected from the length of my nails at the time, my employment, and for the length of time I was wearing these.

You can get your hands on these polishes from www.HJManicure.com - I would check on Thunder Storm, a gorgeous lilac-grey!


**This polish was sent to me for consideration of review**

Loop the Loop, Gold and Black Stamping

Hi all,

Sorry for being MIA so long, you know how it happens, life and all the fun stuff that prevents me sitting in front of a laptop. Also all the non-fun stuff like work, and gym!

Today I have one little piccah, from way back when (at least a few months) some really simple stamping, trying out a few new polishes.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colours: Ciaté - Loop the Loop, & an unknown Nails Inc Gold

Stamping Colour: BYS - Black Satin

Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM406

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

That's all for me, I'll try to post again next week :] Hope you're all keeping well!

Purple - 49 & W7- Mauve Suede Cheeky Stamping

Hi all, happy Wednesday yayyy. This means I have today, and interview tomorrow and then a couple of days off :D Happy days!

Today I have some simple stamping for you. I love stamping with a polish like W7 - Mauve Suede over a creme, I love the little flecks of silver shining in the stamping.

The base is a polish brand called Purple Professional, and this particular polish is shade 49, which is a very very fair lilac. I then stamped it with W7 - Mauve Suede and Cheeky plate CH44 and added a top coat.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: Purple Professional - 49

Stamping Colour: W7 - Mauve Suede

Image Plate: Cheeky CH44

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

 

Above is three thin coats. no top coat.

Hope you've all ha a good week so far :]

Matte Glitter Tape Mani

Hi all!

I can't believe It's been so long since my last post! Happy New Year! I don't have any real excuses for lack of blogging other than being a bad blogger! :( Apologies.

This is a mani from the back end of November. I wanted something quick and simple for a night out, and as I was (still am) obsessed with Nicole by OPI - A-Nise Treat I really wanted to use it in conjunction with a nudienudie creme. So I reached for another favourite, Barry M - Lychee.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: Barry M - Lychee
Base V-Moon: W7 - Night Suede

V-Moon Colour: Nicole by NOPI - A-Nise Treat

I started by painting two coats of Lychee, and then after a shower (to avoid the tape pulling up the base) I cut triangles into the tape and placed it on the nail; painting over with W7 - Night Suede. I did this to try and establish what kind of shape I would be left with so I could then go in with striping tape and NOPI - A-Nise Treat to even out the length of the triangles, and add that loooovely matte glitter.

Here's before adding the glitter and making things much more even, and this pic shows the colours better where there's light, and my hands aren't freezing as I was waiting for a Metro for 25 minutes!

iPhone pics definitely do not do this manicure justice. I really loved wearing these as they were so bold.

Hope you've all had a good start to the year :]

Pink & Orange Vertical Gradient with Stamping

Hi all, happy Friday.

Today I have some nails I did something like last July maybe?  This was the first vertical gradient I have done, which while close up you can't really tell, from a distance you can. I started with a base of 2True - Mila, which is one of their salon shine polishes, and sponged with a mixture of Mila, and Jacava - Raspberry Bavarois, then stamped with Konad White with Bundle Monster Image BM208.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colours: 2true - Mila & Jacava Raspberry Bavarois

Stamping Colour: Konad White

Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM208

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

 And here's the orange to pink gradient before stamping

And here's the base:

Hope you've all had a good week so far - I'm just happy I'm off today! Yay!

Grey Cheeky Viva Mexico Stamping

Hi all,

Quicky quick post today, though i'm making this Wednesday night, i'm shattered so early night is needed!

Today I have a really short post with some stamping. Now the laptop is back up and running and I'm editing photos I've realised I should stop relying on my iphone for taking photos!

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: Purple - Unknown Grey

Stamping Colour: W7 - Nightsuede

Image Plate: Cheeky Viva Mexico

Top coat: Rimmel - 60 seconds

Sorry again for the poop quality, here's a swatch of the polish - I can't remember the name of it though!

That's all from me for now, hope you've all had a good week so far :]

Born Pretty Hex Glitter

Hi all, Happy Sunday.

Just a little post today as I'm not feeling too grand.

The Born Pretty store contacted me maybe some time back in July and sent me a few items to try out, the first I've shown was the flocking powder, here. I was kind of putting off using these glitters, because after obsessing over manicures that covered the nail entirely with different colours, I wanted to do something epic. But It came to 9pm one Sunday evening and I realised I had naked nails, and that would mean naked nails for work so I did something really quick.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: Zoya - Carey

Glitters: Born Pretty Store Hex Glitters

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

This kind of thing is actually something I used to do way back in the day when I was about 13, I used to do glitter flowers on every nail, but the hex glitter was much smaller than this.

And here are the colours I used, Pink, Aqua, and a pretty pale gold.

If you're interested in anything from the Born Pretty Store, don't forget to use my coupon code DS5X31 for 10% off your order.

*These were sent to me for consideration of review*

NOPI Selena Gomez - Hit The Lights & Spring Break Stamping

Hiiii all, it's Friday!

I've got some very pretty polishes to show yo today, and more to come!

Recently I got sent quite a few polishes to try from the new Selena Gomez line for Nicole by OPI, and I immediately went for this stunning beauty Hit The Lights. It is by far the nicest yellow I own, it's mega happy and bright, and the formula is great too, three thin coats is perfect.  Nicole by OPI can be found at Superdrug stores and retail at £7.99.

After a day of wearing this on it's own I decided to do a rushed stamp job before work, and while I'm not really thrilled about the turn out, I love the combination, and from afar a quick glance you can see a pretty orange.

It was horrible and overcast when I first used Hit The Lights, and gain when I stamped, so trust this is  beauty!

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: NOPI - Hit the Lights

Stamped Colour: NOPI - Spring Break

Image Plate: Cheeky - Viva Mexico

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

Crazy bright bottle of joy below!

And some swatches of Spring Break:

Please excuse the corpse hands!

The coverage was slightly better on Spring Break, using the usual two coats, where as with Hit the Lights I used a slightly thicker two. I'm really loving the polishes from this collection so far. Especially Hit The Lights!

*These polishes were sent for consideration of review*

Autumn Nails - We Stamp On Sundays

Happy Sunday everyone, I'm finally doing another Sunday challenge!

I'm in desperate need of some lazing and watching something chick-flicky so I'll just get on with showing the photos.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colours: Zoya - Carey & Essie Glamour Purse

Stamped Colour: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri - Bronze Ablaze
Image Plate: Dashica Big SpD-A

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

In the shade

Pretty shimmer coming through

And Here's what I used:

Well that's all from me, gonna get a blanket and stick on a film!

Nailtopia Shining Stars Review

Hi my lovelies, happy Sunday! I'm not working tomrorow so I actually mean that :P

Today I have a little review of Nailtopia Shining Stars which, I will be honest, are my favourites from the bunch I got sent which you can see here.

When I started this mani I decided that I wasn't going to use stickers on all the nails, just three on each hand (middle, ring and thumb). I personally love the look, but my mum wasn't so keen!

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: Models Own - Peach Sherbet

Glitter: Sinful Colors - Paris

Stickers: Nailtopia Shining Stars

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

It was honestly one of the hardest things ever trying to capture the glitter on these stars as they're so sparkly, the texture of them is a little bit like fabric so you get a real depth to the glitter too.

I decided to try and cut these so I didn't have a massive gap on the sides of my nails etc, and it worked out perfectly, they were really easy to cut, and it didn't damage the stickers at all.

See what I mean about fabric-like? It gives the glitter such a great pay off.

Peach Sherbet had actually been on my buy list for quite some time. When it comes to a few different colours I'm mega fussy about the particular shade, I have plenty of peaches in my stash, but this is perfect for this type of look, and I just love Models Own cremes!

Hope you've all had a good weekend so far. I've spent most of mine being gloomy, but I'm off to see The 1975 later so I'm sure that will perk me up!

*Nail stickers were sent to me for consideration of review*

Zoya - Carey & Strawberry Stamping

Hi all.

Another Monday has rolled around! I am still mega behind on everything, but I have came to accept that I'm never going to be able to blog like I used to when I didn't work; and had no social life! Sad times, but imma just keep doing what I can :]

Today I'm showing you some stamping, and some swatches of my very very first Zoya. I was sent two lovely zoya polishes from Nail Care Club to review, and Carey is the first one I tried.

I was really impressed with the dry time on Carey, and opacity, but the formula was really thin so it didn't really feel smooth enough before stamping. First impressions of Zoya though - love the bottle, loved the cap, and I really loved the brush.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: Zoya - Carey

Stamp Colour: Jacava - Passion

Image Place: Cheeky CH42

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

I have to say I've already tried the other polish sent to me, Solange, and i'm totally in love with the matt glitter.

Hope you've all had a good weekend!

*Polishes were sent for consideration of review*

Nailtopia Nail Stickers

Hi all, happy Monday.

Today I'm showing you some gorgeous nail stickers that Nailtopia kindly sent me. She sent me three different styles of stickers, and my favourites are still to come.

These were really easy to use, and the gold really really pops. Click here to buy the nail stickers i'm showing today.

In this picture you can clearly see the ridge of the sticker, but to the human eye you can't tell at all. The texture of the gold parts looks like metal and they almost glitter.

Thats all from me today, I shall be back with some stamping soon :]

Jacava - Passion Swatches

Hi all, quick swatch/review today.

Jacava kindly sent me a four gorgeous polishes a couple of months back, these included Passion, Crimson Crush, Candy Floss & Raspberry Bavarois. All of which are gorgeous shades, with some being a little more sheer than the others.

Passion, which I'm showing you today is the most opaque of the bunch, closely followed by Raspberry Bavarois.

Below is two coats

Jacava - Passion

So as you can see two coats is perfect. The dry time on this is great, and as you can see it's so shiny. I've also tried stamping with this polish, and it's fantastic.

*Polish was sent for consideration of review*

Barry M - Bright Purple & Flakie Layering

Hi all.

It's Saturday! Woop! Small post from me today as I still have to unpack from when I got back on Monday!

Today we have the combination of Barry M - Bright Purple & Essence Nail Colour 3 - City That Never Sleeps. It's a pretty combination but nothing that made me stare at my nails for more than a few minutes.  Ever since I did this combination, layering tends to be the sort of thing I do if I don't have time to decide on an image to stamp. I don't think I'll ever get sick of flakies, especially when they're in a tinted base, as then the combinations are truly endless.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Barry M - Bright Purple
Flakies: Essence - Nail Colour 3 - City That Never Sleeps

Blurry last pick but you can see the kind of frost the flakies give to this. I thought I would have some swatch shots somewhere of Bright Purple but I don't!

Hope you all have a good Saturday, and I shall be back tomorrow for Adventures In Stamping - If I don't have too much tequila tonight ;)

Orange to Green Gradient & The Polish Bar Satellite Glitter

Happy Saturday!

This is a scheduled post as I'll be chilling with my family for the next week and a bit.

Another odd combination today, but I got it in my head that an orange to green gradient would look awesome. It didn't, it looked like I had carrot fingers, the only saving grace was the glitter. I think the Polish Bar - Satellite is literally so amazing it could even save carrot fingers!

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colours: Kiko - Melon - 356, Cutex - Sweet Pea

Glitter: The Polish Bar - Satellite

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

I was wanting to stamp over this combination but I'd had a busy week at work and didn't get the chance to until they had already chipped.

Burnt Orange, Silver & Black Dogtooth

Hi all

Bit of an odd combo today, after doing these nails that I loves so, so much, I wanted to do another version, and basically everything went a little bit funny :P

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colours: W7 - Silver Suede & Cliché - Desserto

Stamping Colour: BYS - Black Satin

Image Plate: Konad M63

Glitter: H&M - Silver Frost

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails 

I started with two coats of Silver Suede, stamped with BYS black satin, taped half of it off and did a coat of Cliché - Desserto, after that was dry I added a stripe of glitter and a top coat.

I definitely preferred my original purple green combination, so these only lasted two days on me before I was picking at them.

Favourite Colour Combo - We Stamp On Sundays

Hi all, hope you've all had a good weekend.

I've not really done much productive blog-wise recently but I've spent the day trying to organise some stuff together so I'm feeling a little less chaotic, but glad i'm off tomorrow too heh.

This week's challenge in the Facebook group Adventures In Stamping called for a manicure with favourite colour combo. So I opted for Aqua and Purple, these two polishes in particular are favourites of mine seperately, so when I used them together on a manicure I did for Amy a few months back I was eager to try them together again.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colours: Color Club - Blue-Ming & Beauty UK - Jelly Bean

Stamp Colour: BYS - Black Satin

Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM 211

Top Coat: Sally Hansen  Advanced Hard As Nails

And here's the base.

If my nails had been a little bit longer I think I would have been able to make the purple more intense.

Time to have a relaxing Sunday night, I'll be back in the next couple of days with some swatches.

Bright Gradient & Golden Bolts

Hi again my pretties!

I hope you're all well, today I have a mani I did about a month back now, the sun had just started coming out and it made me really fancy sporting a pink toned gradient.

I would try and make out like I didn't want to do the gradient super-smooth and seamless, but the truth is I did these in bad lighting, and pretty much was falling asleep. That being said, I do love what a bit of stamping hides!

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colours: W7 - Pink, P2 - Passion, Models Own - Raspberry Crush

Stamping Colour: Barry M - Gold Foil

Image Plate: Cheeky CH48

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard as Nails

And here's a shot of the base:

Hope you're all having a good Tuesday. I'll be at work when this posts, then afterwards I'll be on my way to see Man Of Steel. Henry Cavill in a tight fitting Superman get up; uh yes please!