NOTD - Next Oh So Nails Metallic Green and Barry M Croc Effects

Hello loves, how are you all? I hope you had a fab Christmas :) Mine was a bit miserable to be honest, and I'm not feeling any better about the New Year :( But at least I have some pretty nails to show you :)

This is a polish I picked up in Next in their January sale. I had some gift cards to spend from Christmas but of course the only think I could find was 2 polishes. It always goes that way though, doesn't it! Metallic Green is a green/gold/bronze duochrome and I lurve it. I haven't really jumped on the duochrome bandwagon, yes they're pretty but they don't excite me. BUT for just £1 (usually £2.50) I had to have it. My pictures show 2 fuss-free coats. For accents I thought that Barry M's croc effect shatter would look good with the green metallic, but I can't get this polish to work. Unlike normal shatter you layer it over tacky polish and it takes a good few minutes for the cracks to appear and I have tried everything, thick coats, thin coats, blobby coats, smooth coats, doing a little dance for the polish Gods. Nothing. It looks awful on me. Plus, it's like wax crayon to remove, smeary and yuck.

Like it? I'm gutted I ruined it with the crackle. Bad Barry M! Have you man aged to get the croc crackle to work for you? I'm totally meh over it :( I should have stamped instead...

Will have my NYE mani tomorrow, although I have no plans I've gone for a glittah bomb. Even though I have blue fingers atm. Non-acetone remover and blue polish don't mix.

Hx

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Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas lovely followers! I wish you a happy, healthy, peaceful and polish-filled Christmas (or whatever else you may celebrate).

Image source

If you'd like to give me a present, my address is...ahem, kidding! But I would love if you could like my facebook page! The button is in the sidebar :)

Have a fantastic time!

Hx

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I fixed it :) and my Christmas manicure

Thank you all for your comments on my last rather panicky post! I did what I said I would and spent some time just buffing and filing the excess gel off my nails and made a HUGE improvement. They're no where near perfect, but from a distance they no longer look like I'd dipped my nails in concrete and then slapped emulsion over them... They don't hurt any more, it was just for an hour or so when I woke up the morning after that they ached, but I will buy some remover and soak them off the first chance I get if they start to ache again! Anyway, thank you all :)

Moving on to the manicure I settled on for Christmas. We're spending today, tomorrow and Boxing day with Mr NN's sister and all of his family and will be staying in a hotel, so I doubt I'll get to change my manicure until boxing night at the earliest. I have packed some remover and a sparkly polish just in case of major chippage, but hopefully I wont need it. For this manicure I used China Glaze Poinsettia and Barry M Gold Foil Effects, and stamped a starry image from sDP-D07. Love it, the stamping isn't perfect (is it ever) and I missed the edges of the nail a few times since I'm not used to the length, but over all I'm happy :)

Swatch of Poinsettia and the foil effect first:

Love.

What do you think? Do they look better? I know they're not perfect buy they're tons better. I'll just keep moisturising them and hopefully I wont have done too much damage!

This is a scheduled post as I'll be on the M1 somewhere when it's posted, so have a fantastic polish-filled Christmas and I'll see you on the other side!

Hx

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I dun somefing stoopit...

Well, actually my neighbour did. We don't know each other very well, but we bumped into each other at the market a few weeks ago and she noticed my pastel rainbow nails, and told me she was going to do a course on gel nails in the new year. We talked about it for a while, me saying that I'd always shied away from acrylics because of the damage, and she said that gel nails are no way near as bad and can actually protect your nails. So I agreed for her to have a 'practice' on me and in return I would show her my stamping stuff. I think I was hoping for a nail polish friend really! Anyway, she came over Wednesday night with a calcium gel nail kit (basically it means you don't need a lamp to cure it) and pretty much destroyed my nails. I'm not kidding, they're horrific. There's gel on my cuticles, they're lumpy and bumpy and soooo fat and you can see the line where the tip is attached. I think I was expecting her to file the excess gel down once they had set but she didn't. Once they were done she painted them for me (and didn't do a very good job at that either...) and I did some peacock nails for her. Don't get me wrong, we had fun, but I really wasn't expecting the outcome to be, well, so shitty... Amy used China Glaze Jolly Holly and once she'd gone I tried to cover the travesty with W7 Gold Dazzle sponged from the tips and then a coat of ELF Golden Goddess all over the nail.

I mattefied it after wearing for a day to see if that improved it. Not so much. Pretty polish, fugly ass nails.

Looking at these pictures makes me die a little bit inside. What do you think, have I ruined my nails? They were aching when I woke up the morning after she did them, but they're not so bad now. I'm really loving the length though, which makes me think I should stop being so tight and go get them done professionally, seeing as mine will not improve. When I take this mess off tonight I'm going to file them down a bit myself, see if I can make them a bit smoother for my Christmas Day manicure. Which I haven't yet decided on. I was going to use a set of foils I have, but over these lumpy bumpy claws it'd look hideous so I think I'll try stamping them...that's if I don't go insane from looking at them like this and chop my fingers off or something...

Any miracle cures out there? How can I sort this out? Besides removing them completely, which I don't have time for until after Christmas... HALP!

Hx

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Ruby Pumps with bells on...

...literally! I stamped some jingle bells ontop of my Ruby Pumps manicure with Barry M Gold Foil Effects, and then added W7 Gold Dazzle to the tips with an almost dry brush. Suitably blinged for a toddlers Christmas party tomorrow I think!

\double stamping FTW

Hx

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China Glaze Ruby Pumps *drool*

Today I was in a rush, my snowman mani was fading fast and as we still don't heating and I'm spending my evenings layered under twentyeleven billion blankets I couldn't do them last night like I usually do. So that meant either doing them this morning with the kids around *shudder* or going out with naked nails *double shudder*. So I chose a festive colour that I knew was easy to apply and slapped it on with a coat of Seche so the nose wiping and shoe lace tying wouldn't ruin them. I think this is my favourite red ever, it's so sparkly and has so much depth. Here I used 2 coats and the colour really came alive with the second. If my nails were longer (they're shorties again :( but I haz a plan...) I would have applied a third. It's a lovely polish to apply, does exactly what you tell it to and looks perfect. It even water marbles well. Definitely one of my top polishes. I think China Glaze is my favourite brand (Shhh don't tell Barry M) and I *may* have just ordered 6 more... (Shh don't tell Mr NN...) My pictures do it no justice, but believe me it's purdy. Had lots of compliments at fat club this morning :)

I'm going to bling this up a bit later, providing it doesn't chip. Stamping or OPI Gold Shatter (from my Boudoir Prive/Joliebox)? Help me decide?!

Hx

By the way, see the ickle facebook and twitter buttons to the left? Click 'em!

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Let it snow!

Actually, don't. My heating is broken and it is 0 degrees outside. Fun times. I so didn't want to get out of bed this morning, but the boys had different plans. 5.30am wake up call? Oh go on then! I am so tempted to drag the TV upstairs and spend the day under the covers in bed it is unreal! BUT I have to clean so that someone can actually get through the door to fix the heating...anyway, onto the nails!

I saw someone use white shatter over a pale blue base a long time ago and thought it looked snowy and knew I wanted it for Christmas at some point. I added a little snowman accent nail and I adore this manicure. It just came out perfect for me! Nail art that isn't a fail? YAY! The base colour is Barry M Blue Moon, which is a lovely colour. The shimmer you see in the bottle doesn't show on the nail but it does have this ethereal, luminescence about it that is so pretty. 3 coats and it wasn't quite opaque, though I was shattering on it so I didn't mind, and another coat would have gotten it. Plus, it's a jelly so it's lovely and squishy. The white shatter is by W7 (I love their shatters, this one has gone gloopy but it still cracks so well with thick or thin coats). The snowman was done with a dotting tool and Wet n Wild French White, Wet n Wild Black Creme for the coal, Nails Inc Beaumont Place for the scarf and Maybelline Orange Couture for the carrot nose. Cute?! I think so! All topped with Seche Vite which is getting a little gloopy, and it made the scarf bleed a little, but it kinda makes it look like a warm fuzzy scarf. I could do with a warm fuzzy scarf right now....ahem, pics!

Shimmer in the bottle. Yum.

Right hand, with thicker coats of shatter.

Blue Moon is apparently a dupe to something from Chanel, and Barry M also duped Chanel Paradoxal  with Dusky Mauve. So, Mr M, when are you gonna get working on Peridot, huh?

Only a few more days until the fat man comes, and so many Christmas nails to do! Plus wrapping, baking, cleaning, and packing since we're going away for a few days. Maybe I don't need heating after all, I'll be so busy I wont feel the cold! Hot water might be a wee problem though...

How are your Christmas nails coming along? Have you got Frosty the Snowman in your head now too? If not, here's a little ear worm for you :)

Hx

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Ho ho ho!

Santa nails inspired by the beautiful grace at OooooohPretty. I did mine a little different to hers, using MeMeMe Pin Up as the base, then using a big dotting tool and Wet n Wild french white to make a fluffy looking border to the jacket. Then I used Wet n Wild Black cream and a small brush for the belt, and Barry M Gold Foil and a small dotting tool to make the buckle.

Cute!

Anyway, I'm off to be because I have the standard Christmas flu and actually can barely move my head. Breathing though your nose is totally optional anyway, right? Or at least I will be going to bed once this Barry M Croc Effect crackle does it's thang...

Hx

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Let the Christmas nails commence!

Three posts in one day? Why Monsieur you are spoiling us! Ahem. Anyway, here is my first Christmas manicure this year, and it was a really simple one, but it got lots of compliments. I used a pretty shimmery blue from a Beauty Uk gift set and dabbed on Barry M Silver Glitter (I spent £6 on Barry M in Boots and got it free - it says Limited Edition, but really it's just been repackaged with a holo cap, I'm sure its exactly the same as their usual silver glitter) half way down the nail.

The next day, partly because I didn't want to take it off and partly because I want to do at least one snow flake manicure I stamped some silver snowflakes with BM14 and added a pale blue rhinestone to the middle.

Sorry about the tipwear, I only remembered to take the pics after doing the washing up...

Chipped thumbs are chipped...

This is such a pretty blue. I don't have many blues, and off the top of my head this is the only one I have that is shimmery, and not cream or glitter. And it's soo pretty. I wore it on my toes for a long time when I first got it :)

Another bonus of this polish is that it doesn't stain! No smurf nails here I shall have you know! How do I know it doesn't stain, you ask? Well I have already replaced it with another Christmassy design :) Until tomorrow,

Hx

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Fancy a Deborah Lippmann polish (+ more beauty goodies) for under £13?

Do I hear a "Hell yeah!"? Well get your polished paws over to www.glossybox.co.uk and sign up for their December beauty box and you'll get Deborah Lippmann Razzle Dazzle (which retails for £16), plus a bunch of other goodies for the grand pirce of £10 plus £2.95 P&P. This is UK only I'm afraid. You have until the 19th December to order so go go go!

Take a look at the Glossybox blog to see what else you'll get!

This is not a sponsored post, I am not affiliated to Glossybox in anyway and was not paid to write about this, I just thought it was a good deal and wanted to share!

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I'm a Blog in Bloom!

Morning!

I'll be posting my first Christmassy manicure later on, but just wanted to direct you to a guest post I wrote for Lily at Beauty's Bad Habit as part of her Blogs in Bloom series. Check out some fimo nail art and a bit of a ramble by moi!

Hx

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MUA 12 days of Christmas Giveaway

Hello!

Can you believe there are only 12 days until the big man in red is coming? My son is so excited, and the only thing he's asked Father Christmas for is a drum. It's going to be fun in my house in the new year! Anyway, eagle eyed readers may have spotted a new badge in my sidebar, if you click it it will take you to British brand MUA's blog, where they're holding a contest each day between now and Christmas eve. Every day their head make-up artist Karla is going to create a make-up look based on the 12 days of Christmas, and every day you can win all of the products she's used for that look. Sounds good to me!

I absolutely LOVE MUA products, they're great quality and so affordable - just £1 for their core range and their pro range is between £1.50-£8. I'm particularly in lurve with the eyeshadows - I now have 5 of their palettes (although my much hyped Heaven and Earth palette has been dropped more than once and is looking a bit sorry for itself...) and quite a few of their individual shades too. Fantastic quality, pretty colours and brilliant every day basics. Their black Kohl eye liner is fantastic and I couldn't be without the pressed powder.

Here's my MUA look for the day - you can pretty much guarantee that if I'm wearing make-up at least one item will be MUA! For this look I used Pressed Powder Shade 1, Glamour Days Eyeshadow Palette, Black Waterproof Mascara and Lipstick Shade 11.

Clearly I look like a twit, but it was the best I could do with a one year old climbing my leg...

So, head over to MUA's blog and check out the 12 days of Christmas comp, which will be up later today! And look out for a Nail Newbie MUA giveaway in the New Year! Lots of MUA goodies up for grabs :)
EDIT: The first look is up now, and it's a nail one so go and take a look!

Hx

PS Have you liked my facebook page yet?

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31 day challenge - day 31! Recreate your favourite challenge

It's over1 I did the 31 day challenge (in 42 days, but we'll ignore that...) and finished today by recreating my favourite manicure, which was my rainbow design from day 9. I used pastel colours this time, instead of brights and I love the look, so I'm happy not to have to take it off right away! The colours I used, over a base of white, were:

Red: Barbara Daly Think Pink

Orange: barry M Peach Melba

Yellow: Barry M Yellow

Green: Barry M Mint Green

Blue: Barry M Blueberry Ice Cream

Indigo:  Beauty Uk no name from Wild Child gift set

Violet: Barry M Berry Ice Cream

Topped with Collection 2000 Sparkle Top Coat and 17 Glitter Top Coat.

Here's a collage of all of my nails from the challenge :)

Now, onto some Christmas manis!

Hx

PS The Nail Newbie is now on Facebook - click here to like me!

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31 day challenge - day 30 inspired by a tutorial

I decided to use a tutorial from the blog that got me interested in nail art again, and of course it had to be the awesome Colette at My Simple Little Pleasures. The undisputed queen of water marbling! I didn't do a water marble here, but a drag marble. Here is Colette's tutorial:




And my version:

I used Nails Inc Belgrave Place and my Essence gold striper, before swirling it with a cocktail stick. It's a mess sorry, I couldn't find my cleanup brush (I am such a sucky blogger, sorry!) but you get the idea. I was a bit meh about it, I need better contrasting colours I think, and maybe a shimmer base coat rather than a cream.

Tomorrow is the last day of the challenge! I'm kind of glad, but kind of not! It's odd! If it wasn't Christmas I think I would struggle with manicure ideas for a while, but I have plenty of seasonal manicures in my head!

Hx

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31 Day Challenge - day 29 inspired by the supernatural

*Queue X-files music*

Actually, I had another fail...BUT it wasn't my fault this time! I decided to use a Claires Mood Polish that I bought from a blog sale, but it didn't work :( I used Lonely/Loved, which should be a teal/light blue that changes according to heat. But NOTHING I do to this polish will make it change. Hands in freezer, nothing. Hands in oven, nothing. Maybe it's an old bottle and the whatever particles inside have worn out. Maybe my nails are too short. Maybe NAIL POLISH HATES ME!1! /emo

I thought whatever jiggery pokery is inside the polish would be appropriate for supernatural nails. It's MAJIK, obviously! But it didn't work so I stuck an alien sticker on my ring fingers. Lame, I know, sorry!

Pretty still, and super sheer! This was 4 coats!

Never mind, onwards and upwards! Only two days left and then it's time to break out the Christmas nails!

Tomorrow is inspired by a tutorial and I am going to spend the evening looking through a load :) Bliss!

Hx

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31 Day Challenge - Day 28, inspired by a flag

Woah! Day 28 - it's almost over! Whoop!

*Composes self* Anyway, just a quick post today, because my inspired by a flag nails ended up looking like a 5 year old did them. I painted all my nails with a white base, added Collection 2000 Sparkle Top Coat to make it look less like tippex, then added different St Georges crosses on each finger to make the English flag, since my surname is England! On the little finger I used striper tape, ring finger was rhinestones, middle finger Barry M Bright Red, index Barry M Red Glitter and thumb W7 Eathquake red. FAIL! I only did one hand and only kept it on for the day because I didn't have the energy to change it.

Oh well, you live you learn!

Tomorrow is inspired by the supernatural...er....halp!

Hx

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31 Day Challenge - day 27 Inspired by artwork

I decided to stamp again and recreate Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe Pop Art Image. The plate I used is Fab IV by FabUrNails Shop. The base colours are 2 coats each of (pinkie to index) Beauty Uk Yellow Peril, Models Own Pink Blush, 17 Lasting Fix Mint Choc Chip and Miss Sporty Clubbing Colours 344. I stamped with Metallic lilac, silver and metallic blue stamping polishes from FabUrNails and Miss Sporty Clubbing Colours 320 on the ring finger. On the thumb I used Yellow Peril again and topped it with W7 Earthquake red.

The plate was so easy to use and there are a lot of fun patterns! Can't wait to use it again :) The Middle pattern would look great in silver over black.

Tomorrow is inspired by a flag. I'll give you a clue - my surname is England... ;)

Hx

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31 Day Challenge - Day 26 inspired by a pattern

For my pattern nails I chose this chequered design from one of the SDP plates I won in Sarah-Louise's giveaway (seriously I would have struggled with this challenge without winning this!). The base colour is No 7 Violetta and I stamped with Barry M Lilac Foil Effects on all but the ring finger, which I used the gold one for. They both stamped well, but something strange happened when I added the topcoat. First I'll show you with no top coat...

This is my right hand so it's a bit messier but you can see the polishes stamped ok and looked like the colour they were meant to! Then I added topcoat (Seche) and this happened...

 It's like the base colour 'leaked' through or something? You can't tell the accent nail is gold at all, and the other nails are a lot more muted too.

 Has this ever happened to you? What did I do wrong? I'm tempted to blame the base colour since it's the first time I've experienced it (and I don't like No 7 polishes - they're overpriced and a bit rubbish so  it can be my scapegoat).

Still a pretty manicure though! Tomorrow, nails inspired by artwork and more stamping!

Hx

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