My Weekend Nails!

Hi Everyone!

I hope you have had a chance to enjoy some of the sunshine we've had over the last few days! We went to visit the Newlyweds last night for a barbecue and to see their beautiful wedding photos! We stayed out until the sun was hidden behind the houses, and then watched a lovely slide show! It was so fun to remember all of the things we did that day! And, I have to say, my sister made the MOST beautiful bride. Stunning. So jealous!! Haha!

Anyway, I actually painted my nails on Saturday morning after throwing a minor hissy fit with the nails I had been doing. I had a lovely lilac gradient pretty much finished, when I knocked a nail. Smudge.

I repaired it, and then knocked another one. Smudge.

I repaired that, and knocked the final one. Smudge. Off it came.That remains a mani for another day - perhaps when I have more time and patience!

After it all, I'm kinda glad that that did happens. I mean, they say everything happens for a reason, don't they? And in this situation, I think I had the smudgies so that I could find this beautiful combination.

This is Sally Hansen Eel Skin (my favourite grey polish!) and the stunning OPI DS Coronation (a birthday gift from the lovely Beth)! I already have a couple of mini Coronation bottles, as the full size ones seem to be discontinued, and if they had ever run out, I probably would have cried. Yes, actual tears. Beth (fairy-glam mother and granter of wishes) managed to find me a surprise full size bottle for my birthday! Is she awesome, or what?

Anyway, lets have a look!

 

These first few shots show my nails in natural lighting, which shows the beautiful pale grey base, and the almost speckled effect Coronation leaves over the top. You can also see the slightest hint of the holographic effect of the polish. Pretty!

I also needed a few shots with the flash too, just to show how gorgeous the scattered holo is in the light. I love how this switches so elegantly from being a grey mani, to one that is full of colour! A beautiful transition!

What do you think of this combination? Do you share my love of all things holo?

I know I certainly loved it enough to keep it on all weekend. The only question I have left, is what should I put on my nails now? This is a tough act to follow...

Thanks for reading,

Love Charlotte x

Max Factor - Meteorite

Hi everyone!

I'm still finding myself trawling through old photos - rather than taking new ones - so I thought I would share one of the many unblogged! I picked this up about a year ago. Yes, I know that's a looong time. I have no excuses. Except - it's a blue polish. And we all know that me and blue aren't exactly the best of buddies. But the eternal magpie in me needed it. It's shimmery. And, truth be told, it was 3 for 2 on Max Factor at the time. I needed a spare Fantasy Fire, and this was one of the others to make the shopping basket.

(I say needed, I may mean something different...)

Anyway, get ready for a shock people. I like this blue. It's beautiful. It's lovely. And it's blue!

With the flash, you can really see the holographic shimmer - multi-coloured mini glitters turn this from a basic blue foil into something much better! 

In natural light, it may not have the same dazzling effect, but it's still pretty lovely. It has a lovely smooth finish, and was easy to apply. Dry time was pretty quick too. I can't remember how many coats I used, but I don't think it was more than two.

My only gripe with these polishes is that the bottle is so tiny I find the lid a bit fiddly. I'd love to see these in a larger bottle, with a better brush. Other than that, I've been really impressed so far!

Do you have any favourite Max Factor polishes? Is this a blue you would wear too? Let me know,

Love Charlotte x

More Random Nail Spam...

Well hello there,

How are you all? I hope you're better than I am! I seem to have done something funky to my back. (Yes, I am like a walking medical issue - there is always something lol!) Alas, it means I've had to have a few pain killers now and then - and they do a really good job of making me drowsy and sleepy - so no computer time for me!

It probably has something to do with the entire week we spent having a good spring clean! I never thought of my house as messy, just a little cluttered in places. So I roped the Mr. into helping me have a good sort out. Very therapeutic! And, dare I admit, maybe my house WAS messy. (Three car's full to the local tip/recycling centre...) There's still some stuff to do - like things to eBay, things to donate to charity, and a final run to recycle an old TV. I didn't realise we had acquired so much junk! Ooops! Also, during this epic tidy-a-thon, we discovered that we've had a leaky pipe for a while, which has caused much stress, and will probably cause more before its completely resolved! Oh well...!

As a result of our hard work, there were a few casualties in the nail department. Which sucks, but at least my house makes me happier! Whilst I'm getting back into a better shape, here are a few old pictures again - as the title suggests, some random spam!

(I know, I know, but still, who doesn't like looking at nails?!)

Model's Own Jade Stone - So pretty... so very pretty...!

A bit of nail art using Angelica polishes from Primark! And yes, terrible cuticles :(

Stripes and swirls using Sinful Colors, China Glaze and Chanel

A late photo - hence the tip wear - but this is my fishtail attempt for the few days of summer we had.

Be still my beating heart - Essie Jamaica Me Crazy. Insta-Love with this one! Oh yes!

I loved this wrapping paper - I used it for pass the parcel for my sister's hen party. It's so cute! And so, I had to do a mani inspired by it!

Finally, a terrible photo, but it shows the pink shimmer in the blue. Sinful Colors Cinderella and Pinky Glitter. <3

What do you think of the mani's and polishes? Any of your favourites in here? And where do you get inspiration from? Anything stranger than wrapping paper?

Let me know!

See you soon,

Love Charlotte x

Random Nail Spam!

Hi Everyone!

As you can see, I have the *most* imaginative title for this post...! So very creative... not!

Anyway, if you're still here (and have forgiven me for the terrible title), I'm just going to share some of my favourite mani's from the last couple of months!

Mavala Toulouse with Layla Mercury Twilight fade.

Max Factor Meteorite - a blue to swoon for!

ELF Dark Navy - I love the shimmer running through this!

ELF Dark Navy with Look Beauty Nail Pop in Sequin Effect - this pair was MADE for each other!

Sinful Colors Cha Cha Red with Maybelline Flash Cosmic - so simple and pretty!

H+M Lolita polish with China Glaze White on White - a mixed up gradient mani!

There are a few more pictures to sort through, so I'll be back soon with a few more. Then, I guess we'll see!

Thanks for reading,

Love Charlotte x

Peek-A-Boo...

Hello there.... remember me?

I'm the absent blogger, the one who hasn't posted in over two months. Crazy. In fact, I feel as though I should almost turn over the 'blogger' status to the correct authorities. The fact is, I've been thinking about blogging a lot. Just not actually doing any. My reason? *shrugs*

I've had a few bad nail breaks - that always puts me off.

I've had my baby sister's wedding - wow! It was a bit busy for me, but wow! (Hi Mrs. Downey!!)

I've had my birthday, a hen party, busy times at work, a few bouts of illness and stress, and other things I probably can't remember now. Yes, it has been that long...!

The thing is, I've just had very little inspiration for my nails.I've still been painting them of course, and if you follow my instagram, you'll have seen them from time to time! I've also been toying with the idea of changing the name of my blog, but I'm not quite there yet.It may not even happen, but you know how it is...

Either way, I'm trying to find the time to sort out the things in my life that I have been putting off. Like the de-clutter session I will be having with the hubby next week. And general organisation of things that should have been done a long time ago. (I've finally gotten some more of my wedding photos printed and framed. Yes, it's been 21 months since my wedding, but...I have no buts. I am a terrible procrastinator. I put things off. I have finally made my first eBay sale, 15 months after I planned to sell those particular items. See what I mean?

Sorry to prattle on with my mundane life, but I wanted you to know that I haven't forgotten about my blog, or about you! My readers. In fact, its you that has brought me back here.

Thanks for sticking around during my absence - I will try and get some nail pics posted soon, even just some spam of the last two months of polishings!

See you soon,

Love Charlotte x

PS - wish me luck with the de-clutter - it starts on Saturday with the attic... *cue dramatic music*
I will be finally ridding the house of the leftover MiL junk that she still hasn't reclaimed after three and a half years!

I. Can't. Wait.

One day, I will achieve TIDY!!! Yay!

Ciaté MMM - Headliner

Hi Everyone,


We're almost through my Ciaté Adventure, and to keep me going, I'm showing you one of my favourites from this month - Headliner!!

It's a bright turquoise, which leans a little more to the blue side. And I loved wearing this. It cheered me up after having a rather bad nail break. I'm not a fan of my nails when they're short.

Anyway, here it is in all of its loveliness!

 

What do you think of Headliner? I absolutely loved the colour. Loved it! It was so bright, and well pigmented. A perfect pick me up, to get through the grey skies and miserable weather. And you just know that this is going to look awesome with a tan!

What do you think? Let me know!

Love Charlotte x

Ciaté MMM - Mistress

Hi Everyone,

Another quick Ciaté polish for you today, this time - a sexy little Mistress.

This was a polish I loved wearing - there is something hard to resist about a simple glossy red nail! It's the type of red that can be rather sexy, and also dressed down for a more festive twist - which is what I did with it!

This is definitely making the list of my favourite red polishes!! It's just right :)

 

I turned this into a more festive mani with China Glaze's White on White, and a dotting tool. This was the first day I would have broken my 'tradition' of a different mani each day, as I really loved it. I say would have, as a nasty nail break meant that I had to take the polish off to assess the damage. It wasn't pretty. They're just about getting back to normal, in February. I have been mourning my lovely long and strong nails since the 9th of December. /sigh

Do you have a favourite red polish? 

Let me know,

Love Charlotte x