When two unloved shades collide

I’m not normally one for glittery nails, or Katy Perry if I’m honest, but when OPI launched their Katy Perry range earlier this year, my head turned. I couldn’t decide between Teenage Dream – the baby pink glitter ball shade or Last Friday Night – the bright blue glitter fantastic shade. So I opted for the full collection in the form of the OPI mini nail lacquers, which included The One That Got Away and Not Like the Movies. I do love OPI minis!

They’re a great way to try new shades. The 3.75ml bottles may be mini, but they’re very handy and in reality I rarely use a full bottle of nail polish, at least not before it’s all dried up or turned into sticky syrup. I’ve had these a while now but I was so disappointed by them I didn’t bother breaking my neck to blog about them. The two stand-out, glittery shades did not live up to my expectations. I wanted them to look exactly like they do in the bottle, unfortunately it’d take about five coats and maybe not even then! The colour is far too translucent, it’s more like a glitter top coat!

This is last Friday Night by itself – more like a wet Wednesday!

Until I teamed it with another unloved shade in my collection… I picked up this Nails Inc Electric Teal polish free with Instyle magazine a couple months ago. To say it’s unloved is perhaps too strong but it’s not really MY colour.

Although put the two together and……

I applied 2 coats of the Nails Inc and one top coat of the OPI and Voille! The slight blue  pigmentation in Last Friday Night turned the dull teal into a gorgeous two tone peakcock shade and of course the sparkle makes it really burst! I love it, now I need to find a perfect partner for teenage dream.

Bargain Beauty Buys

With the summer sales in full swing I’ve traipsed around the shops and trawled through hundreds of online pages  to bring you some of the best beauty bargains out there .

Marks and Spencer

Not one of my regular beauty haunts, I must admit but whilst browsing in the home department I wondered along (like a moth to a flame) to the beauty sale. Stock was limited but there’s some bargains to be had – this is what I picked up

Lazy Spa – Shape up contouring gel Was £6 now £1.50

This all over intensive body contouring gel contains CellActive® – Shape and witch hazel. Combined with massage, these active ingredients help to firm, tone and reduce the appearance of cellulite. With a beach holiday coming up, it’s got to be worth a go.

Busy But Beautiful Body Shimmer BalmWas £5 now £1.50

Give your skin a subtle luminescence with this sexy scented body balm. I was more attracted to the tin, which you can re-use as a great make-up brush holder or a stylish case for all your beautiful cosmetics, but the balm itself is a lovely highlighter type balm for the body and smells divine.

ASOS

A lot of people don’t realise that ASOS stocks beauty treats, as well as fashion faves. Their ever expanding beauty department includes brands such as GHD, Nails Inc, Illamasqua and Soap and Glory.

There’s some great bargains to be had in their summer sale, here are my top pics…

Nails Inc SS11 Collection Was £25.00 NOW £16.25

Featuring four on-trend colours, ideal for creating this season’s colour-clash nails. Including Wellington Square, a pastel peach inspired by the coral tones at Fendi, Hampstead, a subtle biscuit beige, Queensgate Terrace, a soft cornflower blue and Brook Street, a vivid pinky coral. Inspired by the catwalks and this season’s on-trend colours, they are ideal for creating fashion-forward looks.

Soap & Glory ‘Clear Here’ Oil Control Daily Moisture Lotion 50ml Was £8.20 NOW £4.75

Oil control daily moisture lotion by Soap & Glory. Designed to smooth and protect then skin whilst helping to minimize pore, prevent spots and control shine.

Cheap Smells

Another of my go to online beauty shops – great for cult favourites at discount prices including YSL Touche Eclat and Elizabeth Arden Eight hour cream

I also spotted…

Elizabeth Arden – Color Intrigue Gel Eyeliner and Brush with a whopping 81%off WAS £26 NOW £4.95 Available in Ocean Teal and Brown

Lancome Colour Design Eye shadows from £5.95

Topshop

I picked up a set of 3 lip polishes for just £5 in store – fabulously glossy and available in 3 great colours.

Don’t worry if there’s nothing left in your nearest Topshop, there’s still a few online beauty bargains like Gel EyeLiners, various colours WAS £8, NOW £2

Happy Summer Sales!

Magazine Freebies GALORE

I do love a good magazine. I’d say I’m a habitual glossy mag buyer, even if  I don’t have time to  read them, I still can’t resist tearing them off the shelves. That said I’ve been a little better recently, weaning myself off the weekly’s and sticking mainly to my top monthly’s (Glamour, Instyle and Elle).

All that, of course, goes out of the window in the summer months when our wonderful magazines are throwing freebies at us.  We’ve all been there, in the airport stockpiling canvas bags, sunglasses, lotions and potions. Clearly I don’t need much of an incentive to buy a mag, so stick a free REISS top on the front and I’m sold….

Yep, you heard me, buy July’s edition of Elle Magazine (in shops now £3.80) with the super-hot Rosie Huntington-Whiteley on the cover and receive a free limited edition Reiss vest top. Designed exclusively by Garance Doré with 4 colours to choose from. I picked up the beige.

 

Of course it’s made on the cheap and it’s quite thin but it’s not a bad effort and will look great layered under or over another top. It is however quite small, beware they market these tops as one size fits all but I’d say this is an 8.

Here’s just some of my magazine loot I’ve picked up in the last year…

 

As the freebie season is upon us, keep your eyes peeled on the news stands, here are some worth watching out for.

Jemma Kidd Lipglosses with Red

This one’s already out and flying off the shelves fast. Red Magazine (Cat Deeley on the front) are giving away full size Jemma Kidd glosses, worth £14, available in three colours a coral, light pink and a red.

Benefit Make up in Glamour

Watch out for Glamour magazine, out  June 9th for some free benefit  High Beam, Benetint and Posietint. Beware, unlike previous Glamour/Benefit collaborations, these are not full size products. The free samples are Approx. 4 mls, around a third of the regular size. Still, not a bad deal considering they retail between £18.50 and £23.50 for 12-13mls.

Body Shop gift voucher with Instyle

Pick up July’s edition of Instyle magazine for a free £5 Body Shop voucher. Out June 9th.

Also this month you can pick up a free full size Inika Mineral Eye liner or Inika Mineral Eyeshadow with Marie Claire Magazine and an £11 Leighton Denny Nail Polish with Harpers Bazaar magazine (£4.20).

Cue a rush to the newsagents.

SUMMER NAILS: Current Top 5

I’ve been having a serious sort out lately (once you start you just can’t stop) and I discovered all sorts of things I forgot I had, love it when that happens! Anyway, I had a good rumage through my nail polishes and selected my top 5 summer nails…

Kindly modelled by my (reluctant) little sister…

No7 Stay Perfect – Very Petal

This is a hot pink, perfect for fingers and toes, very summery. I think No7 polishes are pretty good quality – one or two coats does the job.

Nails Inc – Shoreditch

One of my all time favourite shades. A bold, hot pink that’s incredibly glossy. Similar to the No7 one but a touch more barbie pink. 2 coats with an under and over coat works a treat and lasts ages.

Barry M – Limted Edition Shade 105

The pinky/lilac shade has the WOW factor. So eye catching – it screams summer. The thin, non-glupey consistency makes it a dream to apply….Great value at £2.99. Read full review here.

Nails Inc – Bruton Street

Looks similar to Barry M’s in the pictures but it’s a more milky, beige lilac. Great for everyday sophistication.

Nails Inc – Candy Orange

A break from my traditional pinks and Lilacs, I’m loving this candy orange. Very on trend, summery and came free with this months’ Instyle magazine, yet another reason to love.

Hardly a professional paint job I know, but she’s 12 and CAN’T sit still

HOT DEAL: Half price Nails Inc set

This Deal’s too good not to share…

Right now at Debenhams bag 6 Smokin Hot Nails Inc polishes for just £25, that’s just over £4 per bottle. The set includes 6 full size, gorgeous and on trend colours – both BRIGHT and NEUTRAL. Great as a gift, but even better to keep for yourself.

I’m not sure how long this offer is valid for so be quick, before I buy them all up 🙂

Something for the weekend

Mad about Mad Men? Then you’ll LOVE Nails Inc’s newest collection.

Never one to miss a trick, Nail’s Inc have launched a Mad Men inspired collection to coincide with the launch of Mad Men season four on DVD. The limited edition nail polishes, consisting of…

Madison Avenue – a chic forest green

Westchester – a glossy dark red

Brooklyn – a stylish chalky beige,

All inspired by Betty, Joan and Peggy – the shows leading style sirens. The collection oozes 50s glamour and are the perfect accessory to Spring/Summer’s retro fashions. All you need now is your very own Donald Draper.

Betty, Joan and Peggy, which are you?

Available in Nails Inc stockist nationwide £11 each