NOTD - Berry Ice Cream by Barry M

I have been looking forward to wearing this polish ever since I decided to do my A to Z nail project.  It is one of my all time favourites so I couldn't wait to wear it.  Of course the downside is once I take it off I won't be wearing it again until I conclude my project (insert sad face here!).

The colour of this polish is a beautiful pastel creamy purple/pink colour.  Such a lovely spring like colour.  It cheers me up no end on this dull cold January day to see a Spring colour on my nails.  I think Spring is probably my favourite season as it brings all the promise of Summer.  Every year I hope we have a hot summer and every year I am disappointed, but the next Spring I am full of that promise again!

The only downside to this polish is that I think it does look better on tanned hands rather than pasty pale ones like mine!

The formulation of this polish is great, it applies so easily and dries quickly.  Barry M polishes are so cheap as well, no wonder they rank amongst my favourite nail polish brands.  This polish definitely gets an A+ from me!

Next up is Betty Blues from No. 7.
Until then,
Lealea x

Top 3 Favourites - Dark Pinks

My final nail wheel is dark pinks.  The darkest ones are almost purples but still more pinky than purple which is why I put them on this wheel.  There are 15 polishes altogether on this wheel ranging from the lightest (Rose Truffle by No. 7) to the darkest (Victoria by Nails Inc).

1. Aubergine by Marks and Spencer
My newly discovered favourite.  I fell in love with this colour recently after I wore for the first time and didn't want to take if off again.  Its just an amazing red/brown/purple colour with a metallic sheen (metallic again surprise surprise!).

2. Chambord by Nails Inc
I was bought this nail polish for Christmas a couple of years ago.  It was a collaboration between Nails Inc and Chambord (a black cherry liquor).  The colour in the bottle is just amazing.  It does not translate as well on your nails and this is the reason why its only second on my list and not in the top spot.

3. Cranberry Zest by Rimmel
Part of their I Love Fruities collection this polish has a definite fruity smell when you apply it and for a couple of days afterwards.  It has a lovely cream finish.

Are you inspired by any of my favourites?

Lealea x

Top 3 Favourites - Medium Pinks

These colours are amazing shocking pink colours, really eye catching and very Barbie like.  I have 10 colours in this range and they are all very similar with only subtle differences between them.  The lightest on this wheel is Pink Flamingo by Barry M and the darkest is Trick by George.

My top three favourites are:
1. Hot Pink by George
An amazing metallic pink colour (can you tell by now I like metallic finishes?).  A really beautiful colour.

2. Shocker by Rimmel
This was from the 60 Seconds range from a few years ago.  An amazing bright pink.

3. Jammy by No. 7
This polish is amazing on your toes, I wore this for weeks over the summer and did not want to take if off.

Would you are wear these pinks?

Lealea x

NNR (Not Nail Related!) - Carmine Beauty Box - January 2012

In a complete break from nail related items I wanted to blog about my new Carmine Beauty Box that arrived today.  If you don't know what a Beauty Box is basically its a subscription service where you pay a set amount and every month a new box arrives at your door.  In this box are five deluxe samples of make up and beauty related items that you may not have tried before (or heard of!).  The idea is for you to try out new products and new companies and then maybe you might want to try more of their products or spread the word about them.

The concept of the Beauty Box has been around for nearly a year now and there are various companies that do it (to varying degrees of cost).  The Carmine Beauty Box has only been around for a few months so is a relative newcomer to the market.  I have been impressed with the few boxes I have seen and at £12.95 a month it seems like a good deal.

This is what the box looks like when it first arrives.

Opened up you get a black box full of goodies

 Inside:

Unwrapped:

The goodies:

The products in January's box are:

• Wild Rose 24 hour Moisturising & Brightening Cream from Korres
• Eldora False Eyelashes
• Radiance Face Oil by Balance Me
• Himalayan Pink Salt from Westlab
• Fat Eye Stick from Eyeko in Satin Taupe

I am most excited about the Fat Eye Stick.  Its a beautiful colour and seems to be so versatile to be used as an all over lid colour or as a liner.  To buy this is £10 so this product alone almost covers the cost of the box.

I am least excited about the bath salt.  I don't normally take baths (I do wash honest!) as I prefer showers.  But I am willing to give it a try and see what its like.  To buy this is £2.85 for 500g and the sample I have is 100g so its really only worth around £0.60.

The other prices of the products if I bought them would be:

Wild Rose 24 hour Moisturising & Brightening Cream from Korres - this is £19 for 40ml and the sample I have is 10ml so is worth £4.75.

Eldora False Eyelashes - these synthetic and are worth £3.90.  I've never worn false lashes and I'm not sure when I would ever get the chance.  But now I have a pair just in case I ever should need them!

Radiance Face Oil by Balance Me - this is the most expensive item - it would be £30 for 30ml and the sample I have is 5ml so would cost £6.

Overall the cost of all the items in the box would be around £25 and I paid £12.95 so not bad.  I am looking forward to trying everything - not sure I will purchase the full size version of these products even if I liked them, but its fun to try new things.  I was slightly disappointed only to get one item of makeup as I prefer make up items to skin products but we'll see what comes in the next box.

Do you subscribe to a Beauty Box?

I'll be back with a NOTD soon!
Until then,
Lealea x

NOTD - Beach Melba by Ciate

Todays nail polish is a very light nude colour.  I think it would be a perfect colour to wear as part of a French Manicure, very much like a "your nails but better" colour.  It does not work by itself however which is how I am wearing it today. 

I put on three coats of this polish hoping it would hide the whites of my nails but it didn't, they just look like really dirty white tips! 

I find the formula of Ciate polishes a bit hit and miss.  Sometimes they are a bit thick and gloopy.  This one was not though and applied really easily and even with three coats it dried really quickly with no smudging (unlike Basil Street by Nails Inc).

I am torn between leaving this on for a couple of days or taking it off later (after only 24 hours).  If I had done a full French Manicure I would definitely leave it on.  I am eager to wear the next polish (my all time favourite Berry Ice Cream by Barry M) but I have a ton of cleaning to do tomorrow and I don't want to put that on and ruin it.  If only I had a Cleaner, I wouldn't have to think of these things!!

Until next time,
Lealea x

Top 3 Favourites - Light Pinks

I have that many different pink colours I had to split them onto three different colour wheels - light pinks, medium pinks and dark pinks.

I have nine colours which I thought fell into the light pink category from the very light (Pinky Pure by No. 7) to the very bright (Bright Pink by Barry M).

I think light pinks are to be worn when you are feeling very girly and very flirty.

My top three favourites are:

1. Admire by China Glaze
From their Romantica collection this is one of my all time favourite pinks.  It is an amazing metallic pink colour and one of those where you can't stop staring at your nails when wearing it.

2. Pink Underground by China Glaze
A lovely creamy light pink colour, perfect for summer days when you are feeling like a girly girl.

3. Bright Pink by Barry M
This polish truly is what is says on the tin - it is defintely bright pink.  One of the first Barry M colours I ever bought and the one which started my Barry M love.

Are you a girly girl?  Do you love light pinks?

Lealea x

NOTD - Basil Street by Nails Inc

I got this polish free with a magazine.  I have a few Nails Inc polishes and they were either all free with magazines, free with deodorants or bought for me.  At £11 a bottle, the price is too high for me to buy for myself when you can get some great polishes for much cheaper. 

I find the quality of Nails Inc polishes are ok, but not £11 worth of amazing.  This polish I found to be rather thick to apply and two hours after applying it and a quick dry top coat, I still managed to smudge it.  That usually happens when I have applied too thick a coat and it takes an age to dry.

The colour of this polish is somewhat boring I find.  I would liken it to a very milky cappuccino colour, quite dull toned really.  I went to a business meeting wearing it and it was perfect for that environment, I don't think my bright  Back to the Fuschia would have been appropriate there.

I think the best word to describe this polish would be "meh".  Do you like it?  Would you wear it?

Next up is Beach Melba from Ciate.

Until then,
Lealea x