*NEW* Barry M: Autumn/Winter Silk Collection

Hey peeps!

I have gone a little Barry M crazy in the last few days and managed to buy all their new Autumn/Winter collections... Silks, Aquariums and Glitteratis, got the lot! So expect a few swatch posts over the coming few days LOL! First up I'm going to share the stunning new silks, so much nicer than the Spring/Summer shades and AMAZING with topcoat...

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This is the gorgeous Poppy, a pinkish-red polish with a shimmer of magenta/bright red. Two coats with no coat or undies hahaha!

Below is this same polish coming alive with a topcoat...

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Now for Forest, a deep teal base with blue shimmer. This one took three coats for full tip coverage and again no coat or undies :)

Below, with topcoat - Transformed!

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Last up is Orchid, a gorgeous deep purple with bright purple shimmery goodness. This also took three coats and wouldn't have gone amiss with a fourth but same deal on the rest of application.

Again, below with topcoat... Stunning!

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The formula of the red seemed much superior to the other two for some reason, but overall I was happy to do the required number of coats because the result is so worth it. Being silks, they also dried in super-fast time so no time waiting between coats... And what a difference a topcoat makes!

Barry M: Poppy, Forest, Orchid, Showgirl Volumising Mascara

I picked these ones up in Superdrug where if you spend £7.00 on Barry M beauty you receive a free volumising or lengthening mascara! Perfect for me because my Lash Vegas (which I loved) just ran out!

Rebecca x

Pick N Mix Challenge: Two Colour Gradient/Teal

Morning folks, Monday has arrived again! 

This week I was looking forward to it though because this fabby new challenge is starting... Crumpet's Nail Tarts are taking part in a 52 Week Pick N Mix Challenge. 

Each week for the next year we have two different themes set... It's a pick n mix challenge because we can choose to do two mani's - one for each of the themes, or combine the themes into one mani which is what I have done this week. Fun and flexible!

This simple mani has a base of two coats of navy. I then used a shimmer teal from the Color Club 'Take Wing' collection to brush on two coats from half way down to the tips. Once that had dried, I used an almost dry brush to dab a light shimmer on to the remaining nail. I then sponged on a very light spatter of gold shimmer before finishing with topcoat.

I actually love this mani, sometimes I guess less can be more. The navy together with the shimmer teal and the lil hint of gold is most pretty, especially for a dark colour lover like me :) Neither of these polishes had even had an outing in the last year or two I've had them... clearly as they are so nice, I just have too much polish LOL!

Maybelline Colorshow: Marinho, Color Club: Metamorphosis, Models Own: Bora Bora, Color Club: Topcoat, Jewellery Sponge

Rebecca x

An InLinkz Link-up

Saturday Swatch: *NEW* Models Own Diamond Luxe Collection

Hello lovelies!

I have been MIA this past week due to an awful tummy bug, unfortunately I'm still suffering but I am able to keep enough food and drink down to allow a couple of hours of activity at a time... Obviously the first thing on my to-do list was to paint my neglected, naked nails!... And luckily, my Models Own nail mail arrived just in time to play :)

As soon as I saw the previews of these beauts, I was in polish love! Now I've tried these, I might just have to complete the set; they are simply perfect...

First up is Oval Plum, a sumptuous magenta/purple polish with the diamond dust providing a red-ish shimmer with lots of depth. Two coats with topcoat.

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This is the lovely Pear Purple, a delicate mauve polish with a pretty golden shimmer. Again this one took two coats and topcoat.

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This is Radiant Pink and radiant is right! I real 'pow' hot pink polish with a pearly pink/white shimmer which just shines through! This one took three coats and topcoat.

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Now for my favourite Asscher Blue, a light and bright blue base with stunning turquoise diamond dust shimmer. LOVE! Two coats with topcoat.

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Last up, and for me least is Princess Pink. A soft baby pink with pearly pink/white shimmer and although pretty, just not the right shade for me. This one took three coats with topcoat.

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So which is your favourite? I adore the Asscher Blue but it was a close call with Radiant Pink and Pear Purple... The Princess Pink, though lovely, was not my kinda pink once on and I think I've been spoiled by PP Grace which is PERFECT. 

Altogether though this is a gorgeous collection of polish and the diamond dust shimmer is divine! I wasn't expecting it to be as good on the nail as it had looked in pictures or the bottle but I was not disappointed at all, stunning. Lovely smooth, quick drying formula but they does require a topcoat as it dried a little dull like some jellies.

Rebecca x

Nail Polish Sale!

I am finally at the nail polish hoarding point of needing my first destash! There are a selection of indies, high-end and drug-store polishes; all are reasonably priced and almost all are unused or swatched on just one hand. Open to the UK only. Please check it out over on Pinterest HERE!

 Thanks lovelies! 

Rebecca x

Tri Polish Challenge: Lilac, Teal, Grey/Silver

Bit late with this one ooops! I've been having a nice relaxing time over the last week, giving my nails and my blogger brain a rest :) Lots of lovely things lined up over the next few weeks though!

I love this month's colour combination and decided to mix them all together in a water spotted look. I've water spotted in one colour over another before, but not two over another! I'm going to call it double bubble...

I started with two coats of the new grey from Barry M. I then dropped several blobs of the lilac or teal polish into a tub of luke warm water. Once it had spread on the surface I sprayed with an alcohol gel/water mix to create the holes in the floating layer. Next, I dipped in my finger nail side down into the layer, removed and repeated with the other colour in another tub. I topcoated and had a bit of clean-up to do afterwards but I love this method.

The subtlety of these three colours is really pleasing to the eye, almost looks like a sort of camo pattern too! I am in love with this new gelly from Bazza, I'm a total grey-phile at heart and I'm quite partial to a nice cup of traditional Indian chai too; we were clearly made for each other haha!

Barry M: Chai, Guava, Prickly Pear; Color Club: Topcoat; Alcohol Gel/Water Mix in Spray Bottle and Yoghurt Pot

Rebecca x

An InLinkz Link-up

BNB Colour Me Crazy: Pastel

The British Nail Bloggers are going pastel this week, I lurrrve a pastel mani! I decided I would combine the theme with some floral water transfers from She Sells Sea Shells that I have been dying to play with and if you follow me on twitter/facebook/instagram you'll know I loved them so much when they arrived, that I placed a second order straight away lol!

I started with a base of two coats of pastel blue, one of my favourites in my vast selection! I then used the standard method of cutting out the transfer, placing it in water for several seconds and then slipping off the backing before placing on the nail with tweezers. I complimented the gold glitter highlights in these tranfers with a gold accent nail; one coat of gold foil polish and two of gold glitter/flakey polish. Finished off with a topcoat.

I adore this mani! I love the baby blue, the florals and the little birdy, and the splash of gold. The transfers are top quality, very easy to use with no lifting or bubbling. Very impressed and so glad I invested in a second lot of goodies!

These decals are called Beatrice's Garden (£1.50) and are just lovely. I have another couple of garden varieties to try so look out for future posts; and don't forget to swing by She Sells Sea Shells for your own nail art haul for very reasonable prices!!

Barry M: Huckleberry ,Gold Foil, Treasure Chest; Color Club: Topcoat; She Sells Sea Shells: Water Decals

Rebecca x

An InLinkz Link-up

Saturday Swatch: Femme Fatale

Hello, hello! 

Today I have a mighty pretty indie to show you! Femme Fatale polishes are AMAZE, this one is my favourite and my first :) lol! Edge of the Cosmos is a stunning purple jelly bursting with fine holo particles and holo shapes (stars, crescent moons, hexes etc). I kept the accent nail simple to let this polish sing; though I'm not sure the camera on my Galaxy S3 was quite up to the task, even with the macro!

This is three thin coats of Edge of the Cosmos with topcoat, no undies hahaha... The accent nail is just one coat of the Bazza Gelly with topcoat, into which I set the three gold star studs.

How beaut is that?! It is just like looking into a galaxy or star cluster out there in space... Magical! I do wish my camera was a bit better though; I must practice my galaxy nail art for when I next wanna use it!

Femme Fatale: Edge of the Cosmos, Barry M: Purple Grape, Color Club: Topcoat, Cheeky Nail Art Studs

Rebecca x

BNB Colour Me Crazy: Neon

This week's theme is neon... Once again I had something in mind, but this time it didn't turn out quite as well as I'd hoped :( Ah well we live and learn, and I thought I'd share it anyway. I am pleased with the glitter tips and the negative space part, it's the black outline that I think was just that bit too much. I also decided to have a practice run at a pictorial (below) as I'm hoping to include much more of them in future nail art posts!

I started by doing two dabbed coats of glitter to the tips, followed by topcoat and then left to dry thoroughly. Next I used a dotting tool and five neon colours to dot on the hearts. Once they were completely dry I used a black nail art pen to outline them and topcoated again. That's it!

As I say I'm pleased with the idea of the glitter tips and negative space, but the hearts need some work lol! Still it's pretty cute and a bit different for me; I'm looking forward to trying it again with a different design to the hearts, maybe some florals?!

And this is my simple, practice pictorial. I think it says what it needs to but would love any feedback! If anyone gives it a try I'd love to see your efforts, you might do better than me hahaha...

Models Own: Blizzard, Sun Hat, Bikini, Flip Flop, Shades, Beach Bag, Barry M: Black Nail Art Pen, Color Club: Topcoat, Dotting Tool

Rebecca x

An InLinkz Link-up

Fingerfood Theme Buffet: Negative Space

I can definitely feel my nail mojo coming back! When I saw this prompt in the Fingerfood's theme buffet, I instantly knew exactly what I wanted to do and it included using some recent nail mail from the very lovely Nail Doodles! I do so love a negative space manicure!

I started by using some curved nail vinyls to mark off the top section of the nails. Then I painted two coats of white and while it was still tacky, I removed the vinyls. Next was the transfers; I cut out the desired design, removed the protective film and placed face down on the nail firmly. I then popped my finger into water for 10 seconds and slipped off the remaining paper layer from the surface and repeated. After all the designs were in place I topcoated and finally added the silver glitter stripe.

These designs are super cute, I love them! This method of transfer was new to me in the nail world though; normally you would soak, remove the paper layer and then place that side down on the nail. This method was a little more difficult because in placing the designs face down, it's difficult to see exactly what you're doing and I did find some water got under the design affecting parts of the sticky; I think next time rather than dipping my finger in the water, I would soak the backing with a wet cotton ball. Luckily any issues were rectified under the topcoat.

Models Own Hypergel: White Light, LA Colors: Silver Glitter Striper, Color Club: Topcoat, She Sells Sea Shells Vinys, Nail Doodles Transfers

Check out the Nail Doodles Etsy store sale HERE.

Rebecca x

An InLinkz Link-up