Nude Inspiration

Hi Everyone,

It seems like everywhere I look, nail bloggers are telling me that nude nails are going to be the next big thing.

I am slowly warming to nude nails - they're classy and elegant, grown up and very work friendly. And, there are a lot more shades available now to avoid running the risk of mannequin hands!

I saw this tutorial over at Polish You Pretty, and decided that this was a lovely, seasonal spin on the nude trend!

Alas, my attempt was obviously not as good as theirs, but I'm pretty happy with it all the same!

 

The nude base is 2true Shade 11 - one of their tall, skinny polishes, which are very good considering they are only £1.99 each! I used two different shades of red. Well, technically three, but two of them (Revlon Vixen and Bourjois Very Vernis in Cerise Noire)  turned out to be practically identical! Doh! The other one I used was China Glaze Ruby Pumps! I was desperate to get a bit of glitter in there somehow!

Although patience is a virtue, I guess I'm not always virtuous... As you can see, I applied my top coat just a little too soon and we had a bit of a smear on a dot or two, but despite that, I'm very happy with how this turned out! Especially on my little short nails!

How will you be wearing the nude trend? Playing it straight, or with your own little flair? Let me know, I'd love to see your manis!

Love Charlotte x

Paint It Black?

Hi Everyone,

Today I am not actually referring to the Rolling Stones song, but to the choice of polish colour... Black.

To me, black polish makes me think of the Goth Kids in South Park...

... who don't even seem to be wearing any polish, but still black polish seems to shout Goth to me. Especially if it's chipped.  Not that there is anything wrong with that of course, it just isn't me. Although, I'm loving the purple lipstick and black eyeliner combo the girl goth is working!

Also, I have this whole thing where certain dark colours make my fingers look fat, and I won't wear them out of the house! But sometimes, we do need a bit of black polish in our lives, and the right black polish can make all the difference.

My black polish of choice is Bourjois' Noir de Chine from their So Laque range.

 

It's a very glossy black polish, that dries relatively quickly and only requires two coats. It dries to a very even finish, which is beautifully shiny. On it's own, this is far more glam than goth, and it can also be an excellent base for any nail art or sparkly top coat! You may remember my Summer Flames nail art offering, where I used this as a base.

I've actually had this in my stash for quite some time now, and whilst the formula on my bottle is pretty good, I hear reports that this range has taken a turn for the worse. I hope that this isn't true, as I will need to be on the look out for a new glossy black, that won't break the bank! Do you have any issues with the 'new' So Laque formula? 

Either way, seeing as the nights are drawing in, and the weather is going from bad to grim, I think that a bit of black polish is in order, don't you? Even if it's just to see what combinations I can come up with!

What about you? Do you rock black polish? And do you have a favourite?

Let me know!

Love Charlotte x

Summer Flames

Hi Everyone,

Seeing as everyone in the UK, and pretty much everyone else on the planet Twitter has been talking about the Olympic Opening Ceremony - and more specifically the lighting of the Torch, I had flames in mind when painting my nails for last night's outing.

We were off out for a meal to celebrate my Brother's birthday, and of course, the nail polish fiend in the family had to do something with her claws!

For my flame inspired mani, I started with a black glossy base. I used Bourjois Ultra Shine Noir de Chine. Although not typical flame-esque colours, I am a complete sucker for purples and bright pinks. I used OPI's Pamplona Purple, and Leighton Denny's Plush Pink. How's about that for alliteration - Pamplona Purple Plush Pink?!

I started with a few blobs of the purple on the tip of my nail, and using a pin, I dragged it up in varying swirls and flicks. I left it to dry slightly and then added the pink in the same manner. I sealed it with a top coat, and I was done!

This is my first time doing a manicure with pins. Whilst not ah-may-zing, I was happy with my finished result! I love the colour combination, and the flame effect is so cool!

Either way, I hope you like it! Have you done a mani like this before? I would love to see any pictures of yours!

Love Charlotte x

Latte Macchiato Nails

Hi Everyone!

Whilst in work the other day, we were rooting through some carrier bags and found some scraps of material the factory had used to tie the bags together. One of the scraps was a nude colour, and the other was black. Myself and a couple of girls I work with (hi girls *waves*) were saying how nice the colours were when combined. I said that they would be awesome for a manicure, and the challenge was born.

I used a Claire's Accessories polish called Toffee, and Bourjois' So Laque in Noir de Chine, as well as my Claire's Black nail art pen.

This is what I came up with!!

I wasn't exactly sure of what I was going to come up with - I painted the base colours on, and then added the various stripes! I was pretty happy with my result, except for the fact that my topcoat nommed the top of the polish!

Jo - my coffee guru friend came up with the name Latte Macchiato for this one, and I think it suits it pretty damn well! Thanks Jo!!

What do you think - did I come up with a suitable mani for the challenge?

Now, where did I put my coffee...?!

Love Charlotte x