Friday 10 August 2012

Nail Polish/ Cuticle Gap Look

Recently, I've seen some looks where there is a gap between the polish and the cuticle which I have really liked. I decided to try it myself and was really pleased with the result.  Initially, it was a bit awkward but it is easier than I thought it would be. A major advantage of this look is that the cuticles look tidier and  there doesn't tend to be as much (or any, if you are careful) nail polish trapped around the edges. 


First Attempt: 



Base Coat
Illamasqua 'Poke'
Models Own 'Indian Ocean'
17 Glitter Top Coat


Base Coat
Barry M Gray
Rimmel Matte Top Coat


Base Coat
Barry M Cyan
Collection 2000 White
NYC Red
Barry M Blue Glitter
Top Coat

Friday 3 August 2012

A England

I have been meaning to order some a-england polishes for a while now but never got round to it, so when they had some of their polishes on sale for £5 (usually £9), I knew I had to get a couple. I ordered Tristam (a dark blue) and Lady of the Lake (a purple colour), both of which have a slight holographic glitter running through them. 

                                       

They arrived only yesterday so I haven't tested their longevity yet, however, they did survive housework and typing without chipping; one nail did chip when I dropped a hot tray on it but even then the damage was surprisingly minimal.

The polishes applied really well, even just one coat it was quite opaque and even- if applied carefully you could get away with just one coat:


 With two coats the polish is just gorgeous, really thick and smooth with a glossy finish. In direct sunlight and under bright artificial lighting the holographic effect* really shows up. At full price it is good value for money (£5 was just incredible) and there is currently free first class postage (would have been great if it hadn't been delivered 9 days after it was sent, thanks Royal Mail). I will definitely be buying more of their polishes (love the "Legends" collection) in future.

A England polishes are cruelty free and do not contain DBP, Formaldehyde or Toulene.


* This is not a holographic polish, it is much more subtle than the GOSH Holographic or the Layla holographic polishes.