Burgundy Barry M Swirls

Hey everyone! I've spent all day Christmas shopping and I'm absolutely exhausted. I always forget how tiring shopping is but I cant wait to fall asleep after 8+ hours of wandering around. And I've still not got everything I need. I'm trying to be organised this year and also avoid the crowds, so I think I'll be doing the rest online. Anyway, today's nails are quite Christmassy, burgundy and gold is always a favourite of mine at this time of year. I was in the process of reviewing the Barry M Autumn/Winter 2015 Speedy Quick Dry collection* (review soon - just need to edit the photos!) and I couldn't help but create some nail art with Sprint Finish*

Tutorial: Summer Boho Nail Art for Barry M

Hey everyone! Today I have a step-by-step tutorial to show you. It's been such a long time since I posted one and the other day I was asked on Instagram whether I still post them and I decided it was time to start posting the tutorials I recently created for Barry M. I wasn't really sure where I was going with these I just decided to experiment and I ended up with this boho-ish design. I wasn't sure whether I liked it or not, but having not looked at it for a while I think I do!

I used the recent Speedy nail polish collection for these, plus Cotton* from the spring Gelly collection.. I never got around to posting my full review of them due to exams etc, which I still feel guilty about. But I'm doing my best to try and stay on top of reviews nowadays so I think you'll be seeing more in the future. However, these polishes really impressed me, they have a wide brush that Barry M hadn't used before spring this year and it really helps with application. They're super fast drying and there's quite a few colours across the two releases (spring, and summer) which means you've got plenty to choose from! They sell for £3.99 so if I were you I'd pop down to your local Boots/Superdrug and give them a go if you haven't already.

Gelish Cinderella Hearts

Hey everyone! I have some more belated valentine's day nail art for you today. I was in the process of swatching the Gelish Cinderella Collection* and I just couldn't resist adding some nail art using the new Barry M Quick Dry shades*. (All of which I'm hoping to have finished swatching ASAP). Then I couldn't decide on a colour for the hearts so I just went with a variety. These ended up being the nails that I was wearing on valentines day itself, and I think they're sufficiently girly enough! 

 

Glitter stars and Beauty Narcotix spray review

Hey everyone! Today I have a simple glitter design to show you, along with a review of a new quick dry spray. First off I'll tell you about the nails and then I'll tell you more about the spray. 

I didn't really have any inspiration for these nails, I just bought Barry M - Rose Quartz and I really want to use it, so I thought I'd test it out in two different ways, and then I had the idea to put white acrylic paint stars over the top, which I actually really like the look of. The base for this is China Glaze - Liquid Leather and Models Own - Utopia, topped off with 2 coats of Seche Vite. 

Next, I'd like to review this spray sent to me by the lovely Angela at Beauty Narcotix

As you can possibly see from the photo below, it's a very large bottle, I'd say around the size of a big hair spray bottle, and it is actually very similar to hair spray in application. To use the spray you apply it to each coat, which I thought would be a bit of a nuisance but it's quick and really helpful for slow-drying polishes in between coats (and I chose two very slow drying colours for this). 

It definitely works, but the best part for me is the smell, I wouldn't even care if it didn't work because it smells so damn good! Even my mum, renown for hating the smell of everything 'unnatural', said it smelt nice. I've used a few quick dry sprays before and they all smelt like hair spray too, but this is quite a fruity/flowery smell, it's hard to describe. 

Nevertheless, is does work, and it smells nice, so I got two bonuses in one bottle. It also leaves your nails really shiny, and if you're brave enough you could probably go without top coat.

The one negative I would say about this product is the price, at £17 a bottle it's definitely not available for repurchase on my student budget, but if you dont use much each time and so I'm sure I'm definitely going to get some use out of it, and in that sense it is indeed worth the money. You can purchase it here

What do you think? Both of the nails and of quick-dry spray as a concept? Let me know in the comments

Alice