Super handy

I may be small but I pack a mean punch

I don't know about you but, my god, removing nail polish can be boring. BoooooORING!! Even the thought of having to do it makes me yawn.

So imagine my DELIGHT when I discovered Pretty Quik Instant Nail Polish Remover.

It was the day before I was traveling to Spain on holiday and I was in Beauty Travel Prep mode. I knew I didn't want to take my full size nail varnish remover with me but couldn't be bothered to decant it into a smaller bottle (although this is a great thing to do. The smaller the bottle the better. You know those teeny bottles of shampoo and shower gel you get at hotels? Keep em! They come in super handy when traveling).

I'd always been sceptical of 'Quickies' and pots of sponge-soaked nail varnish remover thinking they would just dry out leaving me having to resort to my nail varnish remover after all. But this little pot does exactly what it says on the outside and I'm even continuing to use it several weeks after my holiday.

How it works:
- simply dip your finger into wet pink sponge and twist (be careful not to tip the pot upside-down as its quite liquid at the bottom. I discovered this whilst twisting rather animatedly).

Why it works:
- its principle ingredient is acetone (acetone nail varnishes being the most effective at removing nail varnish. You can buy non-acetone removers but I find they take longer to work). Warning: Acetone will strip your nails of their natural moisture if left on the nail so be sure to wash your hands immediately after using and apply a generous splurge of hand cream or nail oil.
- the sponge saturates the entire nail dissolving nail varnish quickly and easily, even when wearing multiple layers e.g. base coat, 2x coats of colour and top coat.

Where to buy:
Boots (£2.79) and Superdrug (£2.99)

Not for toes:
Clever ol' me thought I would try removing the nail varnish on my toes(!) with the pot. Hahahahhahahaha. Don't do it. Unless you've got super long toes (you weirdo) you won't be able to dip them low enough to wet them.

Do you have a favourite nail product? A nail oil or cuticle cream? I'd love to know.

NAILS!! (Part One)

If you have an Instagram or Twitter account and happen to follow me (sorry!) then you'll know I have a slight (ahem) obsession with nails.

In fact, my housemate Sally said just the other day "Have you painted your nails...again?". Oh yes.

I thought it high time I shared some of my top nail tips, including:
- how I store the 36 nail varnishes I own (how did that happen??)
- my favourite shades
- my secret weapon for salon-quality nails
- how I care for my nails
- my thoughts on gel / Shellac / Bio Sculpture
- my little black book of the best nail bars in London

(To avoid this post becoming the new War and Peace I've split it into 2 parts).


NAILS: PART ONE

Nail varnish storage

What I use:

• 1x shoe box
• 1x GlossyBox box (these make amazing storage boxes for makeup, photos, greetings cards. Love them!)
• Some tissue paper (optional. I used the paper that came in the shoe box)

My favourite shades

Below are some of the shades in my collection that I think are utterly amazing and that I return to time and time again.

1. Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat
2. Butter London in 'Kerfuffle'
3. Color Club in 'Jackie O' 
4. OPI in 'Big Apple Red'
5. Sinful in 'Adultress' 
6. Nails Inc 'Porchester Square'

1. Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat (from £7) - not really a 'shade' as it's a top coat but I'm gonna mention it anyway. I've already blogged about this award-winning nail product and never tire telling people about it. It is, quite simply, the fastest way to get salon-quality nails and takes mere minutes to dry.

Basically, I wish I had shares in the company.

2. Butter London in 'Kerfuffle' (£12) - a birthday present from my sis last year (thanks G-nôme!). Absolutely love the colour (a pale, creamy coral) and the name (great word, non?). It's also one of a handful of shades which I think works well on both long and short nails.

Do my nails look neon in this? Er, just a tad :)

3. Color Club in 'Jackie O' (only £2.50! Buy here) - #OMG. I discovered this spell-binding neon earlier this summer whilst treating myself to a mani-pedi at one of my top secret nail salons (see Part Two for My Little Black Book of London Nail Bars). People were literally stopping me in the street. After some hunting I found a UK company (tnbl.co.uk) who sell the Color Club range at utterly amazing prices. Color Club varnishes deliver a consistently creamy finish to rival that of OPI or Essie. (Tip: buy 2-3 shades so you make the most of the postage).

4. OPI in 'Big Apple Red' (currently just £7.17 on Amazon!) I paid £12 in Liberty :( - I have a real soft spot for this shade. I was out in Australia (Melbourne) in January visiting my family and trying to heal a broken heart. A local salon had a mani-pedi offer on so I decided some pampering was most definitely in order (nothing like a good mani-pedi to perk a girl up and make her feel just that little bit brighter). A very close second to this particular shade of red would be Nails Inc's 'Victoria & Albert' which I adore.

5. Sinful in 'Adultress' (£4.41 here) - I was given this nail varnish by a beauty therapist a couple of years ago who was doing manicures at a friend's hen. I think it's utterly amazing and used it very recently on a shoot for Rigby and Peller. Again, unbelievable value and feels luxe. It's my go-to shade in the Autumn/Winter and to wear it feels just like its namesake :)

Image credit: cilucia.blogspot.com

6. Nails Inc 'Porchester Square' (£11 approx) - 'Greige'. What a great word. There are countless copies of this shade but very few are capable of matching Nails Inc's unique lilac/beige/grey shade. (Btw, I wonder which came first... Chanel's 'Particulière' - a slightly darker/warmer greige - or 'Porchester Square'? Let me know if you know!).

According to Vivianadoesmakeup.com Barry M's 'Almond' is a fantastic dupe of 'Porchester Square' and only £3.99. Perfect excuse to try a 'greige' if you haven't already done so.

Seche Vite and Mini Me (5ml). The Mini Me comes away with me on holiday.

My (not so) secret weapon

My sister (not G-nôme, another one...Kels) introduced me to this two years ago and it has completely taken the hassle out of painting my nails. I. Love. It.

Having tried countless other top coats including OPI, Nails Inc, Sally Hansen and Essie, for me, Seche Vite's award-winning formula is unparalleled (let me know if you disagree!)

Simply place one coat over any nail vanish - even a cheapo brand - and it will give your nails a high-shine, gel effect that lasts for up to 7 days. It also 'does exactly what it says on the tin', drying nails in record time. (Click here to read my 'hand washing' anecdote).

Tip: Seche Vite can get quite gloopy/bubbly if you apply too thick a coat so try and paint it on thinly.

NAILS!! Part Two will be posted in a day or two...

xx

Top of the Top Coats

Dark and stormy

I hear what you're thinking...
a) who has time to do an at home three-stage manicure?
b) I've got a really shaky left hand
c) I barely manage a swipe of mascara, let alone two coats and a top coat??

That may (all) be true. But can I just share a teeny weeny secret with you?

There is a top coat that is, in my humble opinion, the Ferrari of Top Coats. If you haven't yet heard of this product then I feel honoured to be introducing it to you. It's certainly saved me hundreds of £'s in manicures over the years.

(By the way, see that photo above? They're my nails 6 days after I painted them. Yes Sir).

Tell me more...
- It's readily available in the UK (£9 in Boots, £11.50 at Liberty, and £10.95 at John Lewis. You can also easily buy it online from Amazon. Prices start at £4).
- It lasts 10+ manicures
- Your nails are completely dry within 5 minutes (max), regardless of how quickly you just applied your second coat of colour.

In fact, I once accidentally did some hand washing having just applied Seche Vite and to my complete surprise my nails were just fine!

Now surely that's the ultimate test...

Shellac Nails

This week, I had the pleasure of being given a complimentary Shellac* manicure with Perfect 10 Mobile Beauty.

Founded by award-winning beautician and entrepreneur Claire Aggarwal, Perfect 10 Mobile Beauty brings salon-quality beauty treatments - massage, waxing, nails - into the home (click here for their treatment list and prices).

Claire carried out the treatment herself and was quick, precise and professional. I chose a sophisticated, pale-pink colour, knowing I would probably tire of something too dark or too bright.

During the treatment, Claire explained "Shellac isn't as abrasive as Gelish, which is another type of UV nail gel. The main difference is that Gelish manicures can last 3-4 weeks, whereas Shellac manicures will only last up to 14 days." 

I had a Gelish manicure for my sister's wedding last September and whilst I was completely wowed by the results (a stunning French manicure which remained chip-free for a whole 3 1/2 weeks!) my nails were definitely weaker and more prone to breakages once the manicure had been removed (this could be because the nails have to be buffed prior to Gelish application - whereas they don't with Shellac - or perhaps because I removed the Gelish myself using an acetone nail varnish remover and a file. Always best to pay for removal to limit damage to your nails).

A Shellac manicure with Perfect 10 Mobile Beauty costs £38.50. I had mine done in my office in Covent Garden (a nice way to break up the working day!) but will definitely be booking a home Shellac manicure and pedicure from Perfect 10 before my next holiday!

Playing around with OPI Shatter - looks fab over gold

As a makeup artist, I love experimenting with nail colours and effects. Here are a few of my own manicures from recent months...

The iconic Illamasqua nail

Candy Pink French - a more youthful version of the classic French

Whichever colour you choose, be sure to apply a coat of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat**. You will not be disappointed.

* A Shellac manicure 'uses a UV light and specially developed polish technology to stay on your nails for at least 14 days. The polish/gel does not chip, scratch, or smudge.' - source: Shellac Nails CND
** See my previous blog post: "5 Beauty Products I would find it very hard to live without"