3 Autumn Nail Favourites

Today I wanted to share a few of my favourite nail polish colours for Autumn! I’ve spoken on here many times about my love of the colder months, so I’m happy to be sharing some darker shades with you. I find these shades always look good with a high gloss overcoat- my favourite one is from Nails Inc.

Rimmel 60 Seconds Super Shine Nail Polish in ‘335 Gimme Some of That’, £2.99: I wrote about this nail polish a couple of weeks ago, as part of my 3 Recent Beauty Buys. This is a lovely deep pink shade, that looks really classy- which is something that I often struggle to find when it comes to pink nail polish! It’s not like any of the colours in my collection and it often looks different in different lights, sometimes it has brighter hints of red and others more plum.

Rimmel 60 Seconds Super Shine Nail Polish in ‘310 Double Decker Red’, £2.99: It’s clear to say that I have been LOVING Rimmel nail polish recently and I struggle to go into Boots without picking up a new shade right now! They’re such a great price and I love the formula, it often lasts for AT LEAST 5 days on me which makes it perfect to wear for the week. This is more of a true red, its a little deeper though which makes it the perfect transitional shade for these early Autumn days.

Barry M Hi Shine Gelly Nail Paint in ‘Ginger’, £3.99: I actually featured this one in my Autumn nail favourites from last year and it’s really stood the test of time! I really love this unique shade that has a rusty red, burnt orange kind of colour to it. It basically matches the Autumn leaves! This formula has long been a favourite of mine, with its built in glossy finish, this is definitely a winner.

Amy

3 Spring Nail Polish Favourites

Today I wanted to share 3 of my favourite Spring nail polishes… although I’m sure you had guessed that already! I love painting my nails, and although I’m no expert, these ones that I’m sharing are solid favourites of mine that I have been using for at least a few months. Spring is probably my favourite season for nail painting because I LOVE all the pastel shades! One of my earlier posts is this one Basic Girls Guide to: Nails which I thought might be useful if you want to improve on your nail polish applying skills before delving into these beauties….

Nails Inc. London 45 Second Top Coat, £15.00: Technically, you might think I’m cheating a little by including a clear top coat BUT I’ve been looking for somewhere to write a little more about this recently AND its perfect for glossy fresh Spring nails. I got this for Christmas in a set with a matching base coat, but this one that I have really fallen for. It really does help my nail colour set into place really quickly and leaves them with a professional looking shine. I’ve had people say to me that they thought I had shellac on… which is a pretty big compliment in the nail world haha! The brush applicator is a great shape, making it easy to get that clean looking finish and it doesn’t set with lots of little bubbles which is something I have found with gloopy top coats. It isn’t TOO thick, it’s just the right consistency to give your nails a boost and to lock in that colour. I know its expensive, and I’ve never tried any Nails Inc. colours before, but after trying MANY drugstore ones I feel like this product genuinely justifies the price. It really will transform the way way you think about painting you nails and makes any nail colour look its best self.

Barry M High Shine Nail Paint in Prickly Pear, £3.99: This is just one of my favourite nail colours for anytime of the year but I feel like Spring is really when everyone gets into a bit of lilac. I’m SOOO happy that lilac is finally getting its time to shine when it comes to nail colour, fashion and even shoes! I really love the Barry M Gelly formula because it is long-lasting and has a good shiny finish. This really is a ‘true lilac’ shade, which you might think looks a bit young or tacky, but I think this one is just muted slightly to make it look stylish and give a cute pastel pop of colour.

Barry M High Shine Nail Paint in Acai Smoothie, £3.99: Alright, I know I should have found another formula but honestly about 97% of my nail polish collection are Barry M Gelly’s. They’re a really reasonable brand and one of their best things is that they are cruelty-free, which I am really trying to actively support! I have just always really liked the finish and the colours are really strong, you don’t need lots of layers and they don’t streak. This colour is the one that I have on my nails probably the most regularly because it is a muted pinky, purple and for some reason really matches my skin tone… not ideal, but its fine. It’s a very forgiving polish, so if you go a little wrong, you cannot really tell. You know some days you just want to stick on a nail polish and not worry about it? This is definitely my go-to .

Amy

Favourite Autumn Nail Additions

I absolutely LOVE it when brands make seasonal additions to their collections and this one from Barry M is definitely a BIG hit with me. For Autumn, they have added four shades to their Gelly Hi Shine range. There is 4 in total and I’ve picked up 3 of them. Basically, I am completely in love with them and I have never painted my nails so regularly. I felt like they were so gorgeous they deserved their own little ‘shoutout’ review post. This isn’t something I typically do, but when I was planning a ‘Favourite Autumn Nail Polishes’ post I realised I was just naming this range!

The three I have purchased are pictured below, there is also a shade called ‘Spearmint’ that is like a blue-toned green. On the left we have ‘Rhubarb’ that I featured in my recent monthly favourites because it is the PER-FECT Autumn plum and it was the first one I picked up. The middle one is called ‘Ginger’ and despite the bright lighting in the photo, it  appears slightly more burnt orange in real life rather than poppy red. The final one I have is called ‘Nutmeg’, a lovely classy nude shade that isn’t actually too brown or too transparent- something I typically struggle with nude shades.

In terms of the formula, the Gelly range has to be one of my favourites out there. I love a high-shine finish and these do not disappoint. I’ll be honest though I do use a top coat, just to lock in the colour, but these would be perfectly fine without one because the gloss comes from within the colour. I find that because the Gelly formula doesn’t really require a base coat because it is slightly thicker than a typical polish, so it has the power to smooth your nail as you paint- the brush with this also helps for a professional application. As I mentioned in my October Favourites 2018 with the ‘Rhubarb’ shade, they actually seem slightly longer lasting than some of the older shades I have. They are very strong shades, even the paler ‘Almond’ one, as you can get a vivid colour easily within two coats.

Hopefully you have enjoyed this little ‘bonus’ post. This release was so spontaneous I couldn’t wait until a break in my blogging schedule to share it with you! I was so surprised when I found these shades from Barry M because they usually are great for the very bright, classic colours like in summer when you want a bright pink, red or blue. I tend to look elsewhere when I’m looking for slightly more sophisticated, unique and mature shades, which is exactly what these are- the types of shade I usually only find when I’m getting gel nails done professionally.

After that big ramble, TO SUMMARISE: LOVE THESE, perfect for the season and I will effectively be alternating between these until Spring. I’m sure you’ll want to do the same!

Amy

5 Favourite Summer Nail Polishes

I really hope you are enjoying the GORGEOUS weather at the moment! I have loved having time away from the screen and just taking some time for the great outdoors… whilst keeping up with Love Island of course. I thought I would just share a shorter post today with 5 of my favourite Summer nail polishes. Summer is the main time of the year that I focus on having my  nails looking cute! They have the potential to really make an outfit pop in the summer and they look even better with a tan- or a little bit of redness… ugh. Most of these have been my favourites for years, so they are fully tried and tested.

The number one brand I turn to for summer nails is Barry M, particularly their gelly collection, which is where 3 of my top 5 summer polishes come from. The range is perfect for summer because of the extremely glossy finish, which is a great alternative to shellac or other gel nail products. It is long lasting, a top coat isn’t necessary to add shine and does not chip easily, which is a problem I have found with many glossy nail polishes. My main tip for this range is to stick to applying very thin layers of the colour, as it is easy to be too heavy-handed with them. The colours are extremely opaque, which is great, but can make for messy application if you’re a bit shaky! Try reading my Basic Girls Guide to: Nails where I discuss the ‘3 Stripe Rule’, so stick to that, and apply thin layers and this range will not disappoint! If you’re looking for a bright summer coral shade then my favourite one is Barry M’s Hi Shine Gelly Nail Polish in Passion Fruit (£3.99). It can be difficult to find the right red shade for the summer, but this coral bright red is PERFECT. It will literally last months on your toes and pops a tan like crazy, so is perfect for summer holidays. Some days I prefer a classic barbie pink, so my favourite for that is Barry M’s Gelly Hi Shine Nail Polish in Pink Punch (£3.99). It is a perfect pink shade and a colour that will never go out of fashion- so definitely worth having in your nail collection. My final favourite from this range is Barry M’s Gelly Hi Shine Nail Polish in Prickly Pear (£3.99), a lilac shade. This is not a stereotypical summer colour but I have been LOVING it recently. I find that the lilac goes really nicely with my summer clothes and I just absolutely LOVE it. Lilac is definitely ‘in’ this summer and it is one of my favourite colours so this nail polish was always going to be a hit with me. It is not streaky and is vibrant, which is usually the problem with pastel nail polish!

There are a couple of other favourites of mine that aren’t Barry M Gelly- crazy, I know. One of those is Maybelline’s Forever Strong Gel in 130 Rose Poudre Nail Polish (£4.49). It is a more subtle nude which is perfect for Spring or Summer, and is a great subtler shade for school or college. They have a couple of good nude shades in this collection, something I find that Barry M doesn’t really do very well. This particular one is my favourite because of it’s pinky tone which makes it a good match for my skin- I love this one for a classy look. My final favourite summer nail polish is Essie’s 44 Bahama Mama (£7.99), one of their most popular shades, but definitely not a typical summer shade. It is actually quite a plum-my purple, more autumn/ winter, but I have really enjoyed wearing this on my toes in summer sometimes! Especially towards the end when I’m looking for some transition shades into Autumn. It is also really nice wearing this on my toes then the lilac on my hands… I know, I’ve thought too much into this. Honestly, I don’t believe Essie is really worth the money but this particular shade I have got my use out of. Many of the Essie shades I have tried have been quite prone to chips, but this is my favourite one and it is a shade I haven’t seen in many other brands.

Hopefully you have found some nail inspo from this post- I LOVE a good nail polish, as I’m sure you can tell! I love discovering new nail polishes so leave your recommendations below. It is so lovely just painting your nails in the garden in the sun with an ice-cream… until it all inevitably smudges haha!

Amy

Holiday Essentials

Hello,

Today I am continuing with the holiday theme, following on from my Travel Make-Up Bag which went up earlier this week, with 5 of the essential things for going on holiday! Sometimes when you’re getting ready to go away it can be a bit overwhelming trying to remember EVERYTHING you’ll need, so these are just a few products that you might have forgotten about and are real staples for me on my own trips. I haven’t included any make-up bits but have gone for a couple of general beauty essentials and some miscellaneous bits… I don’t know if I’ve ever used that word before! ANYWAY, here they are:

• Lee Stafford Dehumidifier Spray, £5.99: Now I haven’t given this a proper go yet because I go on holiday later in August BUT I have been using in the English ‘summer’ weather which I don’t think counts as a true test. BUT, if it does what it says it does… which is essentially prevent your hair doubling in size due to humidity then it will not just become a holiday essential but a LIFE essential. I have high hopes and will report back, but worth looking into for holiday’s if you are prone to frizzy and uncontrollable hair in the heat.
• Nail Polish, the one you’re wearing: I decided not to write about nail polish in my travel make-up bag but I do think it’s a holiday essential! Even if you get a gel polish I would definitely suggest taking a polish that is similar to the one you’re wearing incase you get any chips. I hate it when my nails chip on holiday and it makes me want to peel it all off, BUT if I have the original colour I can fix it which always looks 10x prettier than having it all over the place. For holiday nails I would say to go for something with a high shine and staying power such as Barry M’s Gelly Collection or their Coconut Infusion range. I would go for a bright pop of colour, definitely on your toes, like Barry M’s Gelly Polishes in ‘Pink Punch’ or ‘Passionfruit’.
• Shaving Foam and Body Butter: Lots of people tend to remember their shower gel, shampoo and conditioner but sometimes on holiday our bodies need a bit more care. The constant shaving is a bit inconvenient on holiday but if you can use the right products then it can be done a bit less frequently. I would recommend Lush’s D’Fluff Shaving Soap for £5.95 to get a smooth shave that I think lasts a bit longer… I have no idea why? I just have found that, especially under my arms, since using this I have a smoother shave for longer so it is PERFECT for holidays. My favourite body butter is The Body Shop’s Almond Milk and Honey for £6 because it is designed for sensitive skin so it really moisturises after shaving, but if you have another favourite I’m sure they all provide similar results. These little extras definitely work well together to help maintain a lovely smooth finish and are now holiday essentials for me!
• First Aid: This is such an easy one to forget, but can be one of the most crucial things when you’re out there! Obviously you know what kind of tablets or anything you need BUT there is so much more you might need. I’m thinking blister plasters, bite spray and aftersun. ALL the aftersun will be needed if you’re as sunburnt-prone as me. I would say that ‘First Aid’ covers some cleanliness bits too like tissues and hand sanitiser… ALL of these are definitely ESSENTIAL when you’re going on holiday because who know what you’ll encounter!
• Books: Now depending on your trip, books might not be absolutely crucial like if you’re backpacking or interrailing. If you’re having one of my favourite kinds of holiday though which is very focused on relaxing then you’ll need a book. One of the best things about holidays is the time you have to do the things  you wish you did at home like spending time with your family, walking and reading ACTUAL books not just BuzzFeed articles about the latest bestsellers… which I’m guilty of doing from September through to May. I’ve already posted some YA Summer Reading Recommendations but will be posting a couple more book related posts throughout the month.

I hope you enjoyed reading about a few of my holiday essentials and that you will hopefully remember to include some of these bits in your suitcases! Comment below your number one essential for going on holiday, I’d love to see if you think I’ve missed something important… other than like passports and boarding passes obviously! There will be another holiday related post going live Friday at 10am, so see you then.

Amy

Basic Girls Guide to: Nails

Hello,

I hope you’re enjoying the sunshine! If you’ve read some of my previous blog posts you would have seen that I am quite into keeping my nails looking POPPING. Having your nails looking chic really draws your outfit together and helps you feel more professional… well it does for me! Today I just wanted to cover a range of nail areas including advantages and disadvantages of nail treatments available at the salon, how to get professional looking nails at home AND discussing my favourite nail polishes.

Salon Nails:

• Acrylics: Acrylic nails allow you to extend your nails and then finish with a french manicure or a regular nail polish. The advantages are that all your nails look even, you can have different shapes, they last for around 2/3 weeks (sometimes longer!) AND you can continue to get in-fills, which is cheaper than a new set each time. This does take longer than other gel treatments like Shellac, they can look a bit old when they start to grow out and are difficult to remove yourself, without damaging your nail bed.
• Gel: This can be a great alternative to acrylics if you already like the shape of your natural nails. Salons offer a wide range of different gel formulas, one of the most common (and the one I’ve used the most!) is CND Shellac. The positives behind choosing gel nail polish include the high-shine finish, it lasts for about 3 weeks, is easier to peel off yourself, it grows out more subtly than acrylics and does not take as long! However, they can use UV lights which if used repeatedly can dry out your hands, the colour range can be more limited and if you’re very hands-on or if it gets very warm it can peel off.

Professional looking nails at home:

• 3 Stripe Rule: I am NOT an expert, obviously, but recently my nail painting skills have improved a lot! Since I’ve stopped relying on the salon for my nail care needs I’ve now decided to improve myself. SO I googled a lot of different ways to paint nails accurately and I think the 3 stripe rule is the best way. This is simply paint one central stripe down your nails then one either side. Try and keep a gap between the paint and the edge of the nail the whole way round.
• Vivid Colour and a High-Shine Topcoat: Layer the coloured polish until you get a deep colour, usually it takes 2-3 coats. Having an opaque colour makes it seem more professional, especially if it is even too. Then you need a really shiny gel top coat to lock in the colour and protect it. My favourite one is Barry M’s Plumpy Topcoat which is only £2.99 and doesn’t leave air bubbles.

Favourite Nail Polish:

All my favourite nail polishes are from Barry M because they has SO many different colours, formulas and are ALWAYS on offer so it is easy to pick them up. My favourite formula is the Gelly one with Blueberry, Acai Berry and Damson being some of my go to shades. The Coconut Infusion and Sunset Nails are definitely worth a try too for some long-lasting colour and they each cater to different shades. Barry M is always coming out with seasonal shades and formulas whilst adding to the original lines, sometimes they do limited edition paints too but I haven’t given many a go!

I hope this was helpful and has given you some ideas to help develop your nail painting skills! Don’t worry about getting it all around your nails, it will always wash off AND give it time to try. I still get frustrated sometimes when painting nails but when you get it right, it is SO satisfying!