Tutorial | How To Make Your Nails Stronger

Over the years I've always struggled with my nails because they are so fragile. It seems as soon as I got them to a length I was happy with one would break and it would start a domino affect. Before I knew it they had all broken and I was back to square one which gets very frustrating! At times my nails are so fragile they are also pretty bendy which means they are even more likely to snag and break so this year I decided enough was enough and I'd try some new ways to make them stronger and healthier. They are by no means the perfect nails but there is definitely an improvement so I thought I would share my tips with you in case any one else has been struggling with weak nails like I have!

1) Hard as Nails - I use Sally Hansen Hard as Nails weekly which has definitely helped strengthen them. I apply 1-2 coats depending on whether I am going to apply other nail polish over the top. Make sure you apply it all over your nail, including the edges and let it dry properly between coats.

2) Don't pick your nail varnish - I have a bad habit of picking my nail varnish when I am stressed and I've come to the conclusion it is making my nails weaker because I'm pretty sure it often takes off some of the nail too. This is definitely a no no when it comes to getting healthier nails!

3) Don't pick your nails - If you want strong and long nails don't pick them! It's not something I do but it's an important one to note because it will weaken your nails and make them look uneven.

4) Weekly manicures - I do a weekly manicure which at first started off to be a bit of a chore but after seeing the results week on week I actually began to look forward to it. Included in my mani I remove my nail polish, buff, file and clip my nails, reapply hard of nails and my nail polish.. done!

5) File your nails - I mention filing my nails above but I think it has really helped. My nails look so much better having a defined shape and the more you do it the easier it is. Remember to only file your nails in one direction and have one in your bag to file any snagged nails that occur while your out.

6) Apply nail polish - This is a controversial one as some people say that nail polish makes their nails break more but for me it's the opposite. I found whenever I had chips that's exactly where my nails break so now I always make sure my nails are completely covered in polish. If I get a chip during the day I make sure I touch it up or reapply the varnish to the whole nail as soon as I can and it's definitely prevented getting breaks!

Following the above has made my nails look and feel far healthier and stronger. I'm by no means an expert but these are things I've have done and what has helped me! 

What are your tips for stronger, healthier nails?

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Barry M Pink Silver Polish Review

Everyone knows I love a bit a sparkle and pink so why not combine the two in a polish? I picked up Barry M Pink Silver Polish in my most recent haul and I've worn it almost every day since.  Unlike other glitter polishes in my collection, this one is very fine so it looks subtle and pretty on the nails even when you wear it on all of them rather than just on an accent nail. I also love the pretty pink shade in this polish as it isn't so pale you could call it a pastel but at the same time it isn't bright and in your face. Without doubt Pink Silver Glitter is definitely one of my favourite polishes at the moment!

Pink Silver Glitter applies beautifully and after two coats you get a gorgeous opaque finish and after a third a flawless finish.  The staying power is also pretty good as it lasted around five days before chipping, however, when it came to removing it naturally it was a nightmare as it's a glitter polish.  I seem to remember reading a trick for removing glitter polish sometime ago but I can't remember what it was now... if you know please leave a comment below as I'd be very grateful!

Priced at only £2.99 this polish is a bargain and one I will definitely be using a lot over Spring and Summer. You can buy it in your local drugstore, such as Superdrug.

For anyone who is wondering, the other polish pictured above is Essie Hors D'Oeuvres which is a very pretty silver glitter suspended in gold liquid.

What do you think of Barry M Pink Silver Glitter?

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GOSH SS14 PRODUCT LAUNCH

Hi Guys! Last week I attended the launch of the Spring/Summer 2014 collection for GOSH cosmetics with the lovely Rachel from Beauty Queen UK so in today's post I would like to share what we got up to.

I was really looking forward to attending this event because I hadn't actually tried any GOSH product before so I was intrigued to see what they were like and of course it's always exciting when a new range is launched.  When we arrived we were greeted by our lovely hosts as well as a glass of bubbly and quickly introduced to one of the make-up artists who was giving make overs using the new products. This gave us a really great opportunity to learn more about the products whilst having our own little make-over. 

After browsing and swatching the other products on offer we headed over to the nail area where we both had a manicure.  After taking some deliberation I decided to have a manicure with Frosted Plum which is a gorgeous deep, matte plum with specs of gold and red glitter. I've had this polish on my nails all week and a lot of people have commented on how lovely it is so this one is definitely a winner!

The GOSH Cosmetics Spring and Summer collection is full of bright and playful colours which I was very impressed with.  The collection includes eight very pigmented lipsticks in a range of colours so whether you're into nudes or brights there is something for everyone.  During my make-over they applied 'Yours Forever' which a bright red which I really like because it is a true red rather than being orange toned.  It left my lips with a beautiful shine, felt very comfortable to wear and surprisingly it stayed in place all evening.. very impressive! These lipsticks also include vitamin E and oils to protect the lips and keep them nourished.  

The new collection also includes eight lip lacquers which are a hybrid between a lipstick/stain and lip gloss. This is definitely a product you could wear on it's own or over a lipstick to give it a more glossy finish and the range includes highly pigmented colours as well as more sheer shades.  The lip laquers are enriched with vitamin E and Argan oil too so they don't dry out your lips which is great because these are products you would wear for many hours at a time.  I had the red shade 'Hot Lips' over the top of my lipstick and it finished off the look really one.  Anyone who likes to add a beautiful shine to their lips should definitely check these out.

The stand out products for me in the GOSH SS14 collection are the Forever Eyeshadow Sticks. All of the colours in this collection (eight in total) are stunning and easy to wear and I love the metallic finish they have. The formula is extremely creamy and soft so they are very easy to blend but when you stop working with the product they settle and are very long lasting. I had swatches of these eyeshadows on my hand all evening and they didn't smudge at all. In fact, it took quite a lot of effort to get them off when I got in, however, the product was removed easily from my eyes using make-up remover. These eyshadows are definitely a must see!

Next in the collection is an assortment of five nail lacquers which are all packed full of glitter but have a matte finish.  I'm not normally a fan of textured polishes but I really like these ones because they have the pretty glitter running throughout them. My favourite in the collection is Frosted Plum quickly followed by Frosted Rose.

Last but not least is a very unique product called Prime 'N Set. This is a fine white powder which can can used to set your make-up as well as a primer too. I love the idea of a two in one product and I'm really interested to see how this works and give it a try as it's so different from anything I have used before. Prime 'N Set is also said to minimise pores, fine lines, redness and imperfections

I will be doing a detailed review on each of the products from the SS14 collection so if you're interested in finding out more about them watch this space!

What do you think of the GOSH SS14 collection?

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ESSIE HORS D'OEUVRES NAIL POLISH REVIEW

Today's post will be a short and sweet review of a super sparkly nail polish by Essie called Hors D'Oeuvres.  This polish is beautiful and I just couldn't resist buying it on my last shopping trip as well as some other glitters which also featured in my most recent haul post.

Hors D'Oeuvres is an assortment of iridescent large silver glitter suspended in a light gold liquid which very pretty layered over a different polish or built up as an accent nail.  When I last wore this polish I teamed it with Essie Maximillian Strasse Her which is a lovely duck egg blue shade and this glitter worked perfectly as an accent nail which broke up the colour. I have also seen it teamed with nude shades such as Barry M Lychee, pink, like Essie Not Just A Pretty Face and deeper shades added only the tips which also looks very nice! One of my favourite combinations is Essie Midnight Cami with Hors D'Oeuvres painted lightly on the tips.. it's very pretty!

This polish is very versatile and the formula is perfect so you can get a light coverage with one layer or an opaque finish with three.  This polish isn't as long lasting as some I have tried but I did have it on for four days before there were any signs of chipping. Naturally being a glitter this polish is also very hard to remove with normal nail remover unless you have a little patience!

I think I will get a lot of use out of this polish and I would definitely recommend you checking it out if you are into glitters.  Personally, I don't think the picture does this polish justice as it doesn't seem to pick up particularly well.

You can buy Essie Hors D'Oeuvres from Superdrug for £10.99 which is more expensive than the majority of polishes Essie polishes and for me verging on the expensive side but it is lovely.

What do you think of this sparkly polish?

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SPRING NAIL POLISHES FEAT ESSIE AND BARRY M

Hello Beauties! It's the run up to Spring, the weather is cold but the flowers are starting to spring up, the sun is shining and the sky is a beautiful pastel blue.  This wonderful weather is the inspiration for today's blog post and features some gorgeous polishes that are perfect for the Spring.

Barry M Lychee // Link

Lychee is part the of gelly range which I love because it is long lasting and leaves a beautiful shine on my nails. This is also a very neutral shade so it goes with a whole host of outfits for both the day and evening.  Personally, I find this to be the perfect nude shade as it isn't too dark or light.

Essie Not Just a Pretty Face // Link

Out of the selection of polishes featured in the most this is definitely my most worn as it is a pretty pink pastel shade that goes with a lot of outfits.  I love that it gives your nails a subtle hint of colour without being too in your face.

Essie Go Ginza // Link

This was a shade from the Spring collection last year and it is a very pretty lilac shade which has pink undertones.  This polish looks lovely on its own or when teamed with a pretty accent nail and it is a colour I'm going to try and wear more this year.

Essie Bikini So Teeny // Link

I've never been a big fan of blue nail polishes but Bikini So Teeny is a really pretty blue that I added to my collection last year and love it.

Essie Maximillian Strasse Her // Link

This is an unusual shade but it makes a refreshing change from your typical pastel colours in Spring.  This is a pretty duck egg blue colour with a slight green/grey tone which looks very pretty on it's own or when teamed with a silver glitter accent nail. I wore this combination to a wedding yesterday and lots of people commented on my nails. Maximillian Strasse Her was part of the Spring Collection last year.

What do you think of my picks?

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Essie Sexy Divide Review

Today's post features yet another Essie polish I have been loving over the past few months as it has such a deep, rich colour.  Sexy Divide by Essie is a gorgeous dark purple and has to been perfect to wear over the Winter months.  It is such a pretty colour because at first it seems very dark but if you look closely you can see a lighter tone of purple running through it as well as a sparkle which makes this colour more interesting and easier to wear.

The formula of Sexy Divide is pretty thick so you can achieve good coverage with just one coat but with two you get a flawless finish.  Team this with a good base and top coat and your nails will be looking gorgeous for at least five days!

The other polishes featured in the post is Midnight Cami and Born With Whomever which are both by Essie.

If you want to try Essie Sexy Divide you can buy it from Superdrug for £7.99.

What do you think of Essie Sexy Divide?

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Essie Midnight Cami Review

Today's review is on my favourite nail polish at the moment, Midnight Cami by Essie.  It is a very dark navy blue which can look almost black in some lights but likewise sometimes you can see an electric blue streak running through this polish.  It is unlike me to choose a shade such as this because I usually stick to berry and pink tones but for some reason I've wanted to wear a dark blue varnish for a while and as soon as I spotted this shade at an event a few months ago I knew it was perfect.

Midnight Cami has a very thick formula, possibly the thickest I've come across when using shades from the Essie brand but it isn't gloopy and the thickness doesn't increase the drying time.  Instead, you are left with a flawless finish after just one coat and your nails are completely dry within a couple of minutes.  

I love this polish, it looks gorgeous on it's own or when teamed with a sparkly polish on an accent nail but it is a must to use base coat with it as it will stain your nails without. The finish isn't matte as their is a subtle shimmer but it isn't as obvious on the nails as it is in the bottle.

Midnight Cami is available from Beauty Bay for £7.82.

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Sally Hanson Hard as Nails Review

Unfortunately, my nails are very weak so they are prone to breaking and chipping easily so I am always on the look out for new products that may help.  It is really frustrating because I find it easy to let my nails grow to a length I love but it's never long until one breaks and then I'm left with an uneven manicure which isn't a good look.  This ends up annoying me so much I often just cut down all my nails so they match which means I rarely get to keep the beautiful nails I long to have.

Today's review is on a nail product by Sally Hanson which sounds perfect for what I need.  It is said to contain a nylon formula full of silk proteins to help strengthen and protect nails against chipping, splitting and breaking and the super strong and smooth coating reinforces the nail surface edge and tip.  This is quite some claim and something which excited me!

I've been using Hard as Nails on and off for around a year or possibly longer but sadly not because the product has been working for me.  I haven't noticed any difference in the strength of my nails no matter how many coats of this polish I use at one time which is disappointing.  I do, however, love the shine it gives so i have continues to use it as a simple clear nail varnish for times when I want something no rush and simple.  I have also been known to use it as a base coat when mine has run out or got lost.

You can buy Sally Hanson Hard as Nails from Boots for £4.75.

What product would you recommend for strengthening nails?

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OPI Nail Lacquer in Gouda Gouda Two Shoes Review

I'm a big lover of neutral toned nail polishes simply because they transfer from day to evening perfectly and go with a multitude of outfits.  Other shades in my collection are a lot more beige toned rather than this pretty warm terracotta pink shade from OPI so this is a really great alternative for a slightly darker look.  In the bottle it has a pretty gold shimmer which I find to be a little misleading as once applied to the nails you can't see this at all.

OPI Gouda Gouda Two Shoes has a nice formulation which after two coats provides a flawless finish.  The drying time is also pretty quick which is great because after a few minutes you are good to go.  It is a colour I wear often and it looks beautiful when teamed with glitters if you want to jazz is up a little.

You buy buy OPI Gouda Gouda Two Shoes from HQ Hair for £8.63.

What do you think of this shade? 

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OPI Vamsterdam Review

I have been loving rich, dark nail polish shades this month and one which I adore is Vamsterdam by OPI.  It doesn't look like a particularly exciting shade in the bottle, more of a muddy purple which a slight shimmer but when applied on the nails I think it looks stunning.

Vamsterdam was part of the Spring 2012 Holland Collection which seems like an odd choice for that time of year because personally I find it suits the Autumn/Winter months better due to the dark tone of this shade.  The colour, once applied is a gorgeous deep plum which a subtle silver frost running through it. It looks gorgeous with day or evening looks and people always comment on how pretty it looks when I'm wearing it.  

The formulation of Vamsterdam is a little on the thin side but with two coats you can achieve a flawless finish which stays chip free for a few days when paired with a good base and top coat.

This nail polish pops up on Ebay and Fragrance Direct occasionally so if you're interested in trying it keep and eye out for it.  The other nail polish featured in this blog post is another by OPI and is called Diva in Geneva.

What do you think of this shade?

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Barry M Red Glitter Nail Polish Review

Today's post features a stunning nail polish from Barry M called 'Red Glitter' which is perfect for the festive season.  Last year this was the polish I wore over the Christmas period and it will definitely be the one I am wearing again this year.  

Being a glitter, this polish is a really versatile shade.  It can be used on it's own, as an accent nail or paired with a simple red polish.  I think I am going to do the latter this year. I plan to use a simple red all over my nails and then add a little extra glam and sparkle using 'Red Glitter' on my accent nail.

The formulation of Red Glitter is made up of lots of tiny red specs of glitter suspended in a transparent liquid.  It is reasonably thick so you can build up a dense looking glitter on your nails pretty quickly and after 2-3 coats you have a flawless finish.  Once paired with a base and top coat this polish stays in place for around a week without any chips so is perfect to wear over Christmas and New Year.  I also find the deep red to be the perfect shade.  It isn't too dark yet isn't too bright either.

You can buy Barry M Red Glitter from Superdrug for the bargain price of £2.99.

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