Yearly Archives: 2011

Barry M Blue Moon

May 4, 2011 9 Comments

Just wanted to quickly apologise for the amount of photos of this one but seriously, it deserves it! 😀
Hopefully you can catch a glimpse of the shimmer in the bottle in this one. Click to enlarge.
Maybe? The shimmer is a little darker than this, just a touch.
Out in the garden being harassed by Arthur my duck.
See the shimmer? Or not…?
Again this is one where the camera doesn’t do it justice, it is a little less bright and blue-tack-like in real life, it’s a very pretty and delicate powdery blue. This is 3 coats.
Colour-wise, this suits my skin a lot better than I expected, I am a little bit tanned on the hands (not that you’d notice from this flipping camera..) which I think helps. It’s a gorgeous powder blue with a slightly darker iridescent blue shimmer hidden deep within it.
This polish applies quite sheer, which in all honesty I prefer for this shade because it adds to the delicate-ness of it. You can almost see the effect of one coat on my index finger right by the cuticle where I chewed it off like an idiot… don’t ask why, I do strange things when my mind is elsewhere, anyway, I did a third coat after that. I can almost see it as a wedding polish, which is why I finally understand why Essie’s Borrowed & Blue was released as a wedding polish.
The iridescent shimmer doesn’t really translate visibly onto the nail, but, especially in the sunlight, it creates a very pretty effect of shiny-ness, kind of shimmery, kind of not (I’m not doing well here am I), but it is certainly beautiful. Having said that it’s not overly noticeable either so it’s a case of whether you wear it for you or for others to notice. You can see the shimmer very slightly if you’re looking hard.
You are feeling very sleepy… you must buy this nail polish…
As I said, this is three coats, it’s quite a sheer polish but very buildable. It took an average Barry M amount of time to dry and as usual I woke up with a few sheet marks but the third coat sorted that out. It also dries extra glossy due to the reflective shimmer.
I really do love this polish, it’s very pretty and flattering and worth the £2.99, considering other similar polishes coughEyekoModelsOwncough are £5 each. I still loved it at 2 coats which was mostly opaque, a little uneven to the bold eye but I’m not so fussed for everyday wear.
Verdict: BUY IT 🙂
I’ve gone back to being more waffley than ever now, I really ought to kick the habit but if you think this is bad, you should see me in real life!
Anyways, I hope all is well with all of you and that my (not so-) subliminal messaging has worked and you will now buy this polish because really, it deserves it 🙂 Another reason to buy it is that Barry M are currently on offer of 3 for 2 in Boots, and 2 for £4.99 in Superdrug 🙂
Hats off to Barry M, despite the long-as-ever-dry-time 😛
Emma xxx
Disclaimer: Everything mentioned in this blog post was either bought by myself with my own money, or given to me as a gift from friends/relatives. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Updated Nail Polish Collection

May 3, 2011 21 Comments

This isn’t a showing off post, au contrare, I wish I had more – lol.

I thought that maybe for the benefit of you all I would put up some photos of my current collection, and say for example you want to see a picture of a particular polish I happen to own you can let me know in the comments box. I will also link pictures I have already taken when I name the polishes, if that makes any sense. Basically click the blue words if you want to see the pics.

Grouped by brand.

Here is my storage, I managed to find a large shoebox which will fit perfectly for the next 20 or so polishes, then I suppose I’ll have to move on to bigger and better boxes.
So this is going to seem like a tiny collection to certain among you who will no doubt have about ten times the amount that I do 😛 Believe you me I plan on expanding my collection for ever and always to the extent that income allows. Haha.

Left-Right: Gosh 60 Lambada, Rio Nail Art Pen Red, Collection 2000 Hot Looks 29 Big Hair, No.7 Stay Perfect 93 Salsa, Rimmel London 60 Seconds 300 Movie Star, Illamasqua Scarab, Chit Chat Sweet Maple.

Left-Right: BeautyUK 33 Coral Surprise, Barry M 136, Rimmel London I , Rio Nail Art Pen Yellow, Barry M 307 Lemon Ice Cream.

Left-Right: Chit Chat Seamoss, Barry M 304 Mint Green, GOSH 548 Green Hawaii, Barry M 290 Spring Green, Rio Nail Art Pen Green, GOSH 564 Golden Dragon, Rimmel London I

Left-Right: Marks & Spencer Duck Egg (EM), Barry M 317 Blue Moon, Revlon 044 Blue Lagoon, Barry M 295 Pure Turquoise, Boots 17 Fast Finish Catwalk Couture, Marks & Spencer Bright Aqua (M2), Essie Lapis of Luxury, Barbara Daly Denim, GOSH Special Edition 001 Lavender Love.

Left-Right: Boots 17 Fast Finish Peacock, Collection 2000 Hot Looks 37 Bongo Beat, Accessorize Illusions 39 Mermaid, Barbara Daly Aqua Shimmer, Illamasqua Viridian.

Left-Right: Barry M 294 Cyan Blue, Barry M 297 Blue Glitter, Nails Inc x Diet Coke Denim, Rio Nail Art Pen Blue, Marks & Spencer Lagoon (RC), 2true Shade 14, Nails Inc Chandos Place, Barry M 292 Navy.

Left-Right: BeautyUK 51 Smokey Lilac, Nails Inc. x Diet Coke Heather Grey, Natural Collection Lunar Haze, Barry M 308 Berry Ice Cream, GOSH 571 Wild Lilac, Collection 2000 Hot Looks 42 Teeny Bikini, Barry M 161 Vivid Purple, Barry M 312 Indigo.

Left-Right: Maybelline Forever Strong Pro 76 French Manicure, Barry M 264 Pink Iridescent, Rimmel London 60 Seconds 210 Ethereal, Accessorize 9 Fudge, MaxFactor Nailfinity 882 Angel Nails, L’Oreal Paris Resist & Shine 103, Barry M 309 Strawberry Ice Cream.

Left-Right: Rio Nail Art Pen Pink, No.7 Stay Perfect Milan, Barry M 305 Pink Flamingo, Boots 17 Lasting Finish Pink Grapefruit, Revlon 040 Fuchsia Fever, Unknown Pink from Argos Pretty Pink Makeup Palette, No.7 Speed Dry 41 Cherry Tang, NYC in a New York Color Minute 224B Times Square.

Left-Right: Accessorize Illusions 35 Pink Spice, Nails Inc. Chester Place, L’Oreal Resist & Shine Titanium 603, OPI DS Jewel, Barry M 165, Nails Inc. Petticoat Lane, No.7 Stay Perfect 105 Damson Dream, Marks & Spencer Aubergine (EP), Nails Inc. Victoria.

Left-Right: Barry M 310 Mushroom, Nails Inc. Battersea Power Station, Boots 17 Lasting Finish Toasted Almond, Accessorize 48 Magical Mocha, Unknown Gold from Argos Pretty Pink Makeup Palette.

Left-Right: Rio Nail Art Pen Silver, Accessorize 45 Dove, Rimmel London 60 Seconds 805 Grey Matter, Models Own Smash Up Silver, Chit Chat Starshine, Rimmel London I GOSH 549 Holographic, BeautyUK 50 Slate, No.7 Stay Perfect 62 Night Silver.

Left-Right: NYC Long Wearing 105 Starry Silver Glitter, Max Factor Nailfinity 133 Extra Frost, Rio Nail Art Pen White, Rio Nail Art Pen Black, Rimmel London I Barry M 311 Nail Effects Black, Models Own Smash Up Black.

Left-Right: Nails Inc. A+E Base Coat, Rimmel London Stronger Double Duty Base Coat, Barry M 3-in-1 Base Coat Top Coat  & Nail Hardener, Sally Hansen Nail Shine Miracle Top Coat, Rimmel London Lycra Pro Matte Finish Top Coat.
So once again if you didn’t read at the top 😛 comment if there’s any of these you’d like to see before you buy, as such, or even if you feel my pictures don’t show you what you want to see 🙂 I will also strive to update this every time I post pictures of each colour as and when.
Emma xxx

Disclaimer: Everything mentioned in this blog post was either bought by myself with my own money, or won in competitions, or given to me as a gift from friends/relatives. All opinions expressed here are my own.

NYC 224B Times Square

May 1, 2011 3 Comments

Bottle comparison against 2 pinks (17 Pink Grapefruit and Barry M Strawberry Ice Cream), a cerise (No.7 Cherry Tang) and a coral (BeautyUK Coral Surprise), to show you how it leans to a pinky coral colour, not quite orange-toned enough for true coral.
And again, not quite pink, not quite coral.
All hail the mighty polish, this one is fab and cheap to boot. I wasn’t particularly looking for this polish, but I’ve been in the mood for this sort of colour ever since the sun came out 🙂 I have only tried the NYC Starry Silver Glitter polish from NYC so wasn’t totally sure what to expect, but for £2.59 I could not complain!
The polish was opaque in two coats, although out of habit I added a second, which I regretted when I woke up this morning with a couple of sheet marks, and as a result what you are seeing is actually 3 coats. However, the polish is very pigmented, and applies beautifully. Think Barry M opacity and consistency. The polish is dry to the touch in a couple of minutes, which is why I really like it. I adore Barry M but some of them just take YEARS to dry, so this is a dream. The finish is glossy and the colour is gorgeous, I’m not going to push the boat out so far as to say it’s unique but for the price, it certainly has few rivals 🙂
Hope you are all okily dokily, I went on a little shopping spree yesterday and managed to pick up Barry M’s new polish, Blue Moon, I am desperate to try it but want longer nails for when I post photos as I feel it deserves maximum limelight 🙂 Also got 3 more mystery Barry M polishes (ones you will have seen before, no doubt).
Just off to take pics of my collection 🙂
Emma xxx
Disclaimer: Everything mentioned in this blog post was either bought by myself with my own money, or given to me as a gift from friends/relatives. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Revlon 040 Fuchsia Fever

April 30, 2011 2 Comments

Trust me, it’s not as glossy as it looks.
Here is Revlon Fuchsia Fever – a bright, Barbie pink. I’m cursing myself for ever succumbing to the 2 for £8 offer on all Revlon polishes in Boots, because both the polishes I bought turned out to be utter disasters. I’ll tell you more about Blue Lagoon when I next decide to torture my nails with it.
Fuchsia Fever was the lesser of the two disasters, and I suppose it would have been lovely had it not have been for the pooling around my cuticles (hence the mess – it irritated me all day and I couldn’t stop picking at it!) and the awful sheet marks. In fairness – I suppose – I did only leave about 30 mins between applying the second coat and going to sleep but even so.
Otherwise, the polish is dry to the touch fairly quickly and has a lovely finish (apart from the pooling). The formula is very runny, but still pigmented if you get me. The brush is tiny, very thin, which made it a little difficult to ensure and even application, particular if you have wider nail beds like mine.
Overall I’m not impressed, given that Revlon polishes are usually £6.49 ish in Boots, which to me is fairly steep considering you can get polishes with much better formula and dry-time for half the price. Also I’ve never felt that Revlon have produced many unique colours, unlike Max Factor, who for that reason I would justify spending that amount on a pain of a polish, but this colour must have one million and one identical siblings.
Sad day for Revlon 🙁
Hope you are all well, I went on a bit of a shopping splurge today and also managed to get my Andy to wear eyeshadow for all of 5 minutes this morning! To be fair I did do one eye purple and one green, I can kind of understand his misgivings.
I’m considering doing another post on my entire collection because, well, I have exactly 99 polishes now and 7 more somewhere in the post (an ongoing nightmare – Royal Mail are fast becoming my least favourite people) would any of you be interested in it? I was thinking that then you could ask me if you wanted to see pics of any particular polish I haven’t already done, and it would give me an idea of what you guys like to see 🙂 Let me know! 😀
Emma xxx

Disclaimer: Everything mentioned in this blog post was either bought by myself with my own money, or given to me as a gift from friends/relatives. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Barry M 307 Lemon Ice Cream Nail Paint

April 28, 2011 2 Comments

I am definitely in two minds about this polish. I’ve certainly never seen a custard-coloured lemon ice cream and I wouldn’t consider it pastelly enough to be called a pastel, it’s just too bright. It is a bit of a head turner though.  I’d never normally buy a yellow polish because I’ve always thought it would look too odd. I have to say I don’t love it, but equally I don’t hate it (which I usually would) and I just don’t know why not.
Anyway, as with most yellow polishes this was a streaky application nightmare, you are seeing 3 coats and I still had some VNL. However don’t be put off because the VNL is only for the beady-eyed. The formula was typical Barry M, glided on beautifully, slick as a penguin 🙂 but when it came to dry-time I wasn’t blown away. However, perfect glossy finish and no need for a topcoat. If you’re willing to put up with a long dry-time and streaky application then go for it, I definitely think that a fourth coat would have perfected it. My only issue (as you can see) was pooling around the cuticles which annoyed me so much I was checking at them all day, hence some of the raggedy edges.
However, perfect for spicing up a dull outfit, or matching/complimenting a cute springy summery outfit. I’ve heard through the proverbial grapevine that yellow polish is meant to be in this summer (although I’m not mad-keen about it), but I may push the boat out for a bright bright yellow. Who knows.
Look out for 3 Nails Inc. freebies in the May issue of InStyle magazine, there is apparently an orange, a teal and a fawn colour up for grabs, one in each magazine 🙂 (info from Fee at Makeup Savvy) go go go! Hope you’re all well,
Emma xxx
Disclaimer: Everything mentioned in this blog post was either bought by myself with my own money, or given to me as a gift from friends/relatives. All opinions expressed here are my own.