Video: Konad snowflake nail art tutorial

As I write this the sunshine is cracking the pavements here in the UK so I am aware that today's post is somewhat out of season. However, there are no rules in blogging or beauty, right?

In the middle of summer I bring to you a snowflake stamping manicure.

I am terrible at art of any kind so when I give myself a manicure I need a bit of a helping hand when it comes to nail art. That's why I have been such a fan of the Konad stamping system for several years now. 

The snowflakes are just one design on the M59 while the nail polishes are Beth's Blue by Models Own and For Audrey by China Glaze. 

So while everyone else is rocking their neon colours at the moment there is little old me in the corner using snowflakes.

Here is my video on how I created this manicure.

                           

Colour Chrome Body Tattoos: Models Own

 Wow, I haven’t seen or used temporary tattoos since I was about 13.

So when a press release about these new metallic tattoos from High Street shop Models Own landed in my inbox I was a little shocked.

Models Own said “Perfect for no-fuss glam on the beach of at a festival.” Ok, I agree for a festival, but for the beach? In my opinion, getting all glammed up for a day at the beach is a no, no. I was brought up next to the coast so perhaps I have taken the beach for granted. However, the thought of using these, or any makeup for that matter, on a hot summer’s day at the beach makes me cringe a little.

These are available on the Models Own website for £4.99.

I have to say there is a good selection of designs included in each packet and the price means they won’t break the bank.

I would say these definitely have a place for a festival or fancy dress.

What do you think of the latest product release from Models Own?

Colour Chrome by Models Own - new nail polish release

Similar to all fashion and makeup trends nail polish trends are coming full circle. Chrome nail polish was very popular many years ago with Sally Hansen bringing out some stunning colours. However, the chrome polishes didn't seem to be a popular finish with a lot of people, I find older formulas tend to leave streaky brush strokes.

I have high hopes for the latest collection by one of my fav high street brands, Models Own.

On January 29th Models Own will be releasing their Colour Chrome collection during their oneline sale. They will then be stocking their range in their UK Bottleshops from February 7th and Superdrug stores across the country on February 11th.

The collection consists of 10 metallic shades including Indigo, Mauve, Cerise, Rose, Pink, Gold, Silver, Olive, Green and Blue.

There is no denying that these new polishes look amazing, but come on Models Own, I think these items deserved more interesting names.

For any nail art fans, whether you use Konad or another stamping brand, chrome polishes work really well.

All the Colour Chrome polishes will cost £4.99.

Models Own: vampy autumn Hypergel polishes

I have always loved products from the high street brand Models Own.

From nail polishes to eyeshadows and lipsticks to mascaras, this budget beauty brand has it all, in my opinion.

Recently the company launched several new autumn gel nail polishes.

Images: Models Own

Their Hypergel polishes boast a look and feel of gel nails without having pop your hands under a UV lamp.

The vampy shades include Brunette Red, Pitch Purple, Inky Blue, Raven Red and Ebony Green.

Each of these polishes costs £7.99 which is an absolute bargain if you ask me.

These polishes are out in shops now as well as via http://www.modelsownit.com/

Which colours are catching your eye?

The Sweet Shop Collection - Scented nail polish - new from Models Own

Models Own is hands down one of my best loved high street makeup brands. Their latest nail polish collection is just another reason why. 

The purse-friendly brand has released a new collection of nail polishes inspired by the sweets we loved during our childhoods.

The Sweet Shop collection is a scented nail polish collection which consists of Pear Drops, Fizzy Cola Bottles, Rhubarb and Custard, Liquorice Allsorts and Gumballs.

Pear Drops is a bright coral shade, Fizzy Cola Bottles is a neutral beige-brown, Rhubarb and Custard is a dark red shade, Liquorice Allsorts is a simple opaque black and Gumballs is a hot pink shade.

Once dry each polish smells like their names.

Each polish will cost £5 and the collection launches from the Models Own website on Friday, July 25.

Bottleshops in the UK will stock the new collection on Saturday, July 26 and Superdrug will sell them in stores across the country on July 30.

What do you think of this latest collection?

I love the look of the Gumballs polish!

Polish For Tans - New nail polish by Models Own

Summer is just around the corner which means all my fav brands will be busting out bright and funky colours. I do not normally follow trends, I love bright colours, especially for nail polish, all year round. However, if you only wear bright colours in the warmer months then you need to check our this new collection from Models Own.

Polish For Tans is one of their latest nail polish lines and is their first line designed to enhance and compliment a tan. The range consists of five shades to highlight a summer glow.

From left to right we have Bikini, Sun Hat, Beach Bag, Flip Flop and Shades. One thing is for sure, Models Own are coming up with some great polish names at the moment. As with all their polishes, these will cost £5 and are available in their Bottleshops. They will be out from April 9 in Superdrug and from April 16 in Boots. 

I am loving the look of Sun Hat, such a gorgeous bubblegum pink shade, reckon that would look great with a black crackle polish over the top or a black zebra print Konad stamp.

Speckled Eggs - New from Models Own

Models Own have released another nail polish collection. They have brought out several polish collections recently which is brilliant and what's more the price is still purse friendly. What more could you ask for.

Their latest offering is the Speckled Eggs collection which features five pastel shades. Each polish contains black flecks similar to a speckled egg. (Clever huh?) Dove is a pink shade, Duck is a cornflower blue shade, Goose is a light yellow, Magpie is a mint green and Swan is a lilac shade.

Each polish will cost £5 and will launch in all Models Own Bottleshops from March 8. They will ready to buy on the website from March 12 as well as in Superdrug shops. Boots will stock the Speckled Eggs collection from March 19.

What do you think of their latest range? 

HyperGel polishes - a new varnish by Models Own

Models Own have done it again and are bringing out a new range of gorgeous polishes.

They are due to launch their latest HyperGel polishes in February and are hoping to hold a pre-launch sale.

There will be ten new colours in the collection and all contain lotus flower oil (I am not sure what this adds to the polish but I haven’t come across it with other brands before)

The polishes will dry to a super glossy gel finish – I imagine these to be a similar finish to a Shellac manicure.

Models Own will only host their pre-launch sale if they reach 250,000 likes on Facebook.

Each polish will cost £5 when they hit the shops – Hypergel will launch in UK Bottleshops on Saturday, February 8 and online the following day.

Boots stores across the country will stock the polishes from Wednesday, February 19 while Superdrug will stock then from Wednesday, March 12. 

Which ones have you got your eyes on? 

Newspaper Print Nails

I have seen lots of  videos and blog posts on newspaper print nails and since I work as a reporter on a local newspaper I had to give this a try.

The method to create this manicure was surprisingly simple. I painted my nails with one coat of Beth's Blue by Models Own and waited for it to dry.

Beth's Blue is good to go in one coat which is great for this manicure if you want something unique and fast.

Then I poured some rubbing alcohol into a glass ramekin dish and cut small sections out of a newspaper. I dunked my finger (one at a time) into  the solution then firmly press a paper cutting onto the nail.

Leave for around 30 seconds, I like to keep pressure on the paper, keeping it flat to the nail. I found it helped the ink transfer to the nail better.

Do this for all then digits and finish with a top coat - I used Seche Vite.

NEW NAIL POLISH: Velvet Goth - Models Own

Models Own have done it again.

They have released a new nail polish range called Velvet Goth - five shades with a unique finish.

Left to right we have: Valerian, Amethyst, Obsidian, Sardonyx and Absinthe.

Each bottle cap is colour matched in velvet - attention to detail which I love - I don't think any other high street brand has come out with this before.

Velvet Goth will be launched in all Model's Own bottle shops across the country on August 24 and online on September 2.

The rest of us can get our hands on the collection in Boots stores from September 25.

(Bottleshops are in Westfield London, Westfield Stratford and Bluewater.)

SPLASH - New flakies from Models Own

Models Own have done it again and announced they are bringing out yet another nail polish collection.

The SPLASH collection looks like a flakie range, this is what Models Own have to say: "A completely unique glide-on glitter in gleaming jewel shades."

Each polish has five rough cut glitters called Aqua Splash, Pink Paradise, Red Sea, Golden Shores and Mermaid Tears.

These can be worn alone or layered over another varnish.

They will be £5 each and will be launched from the company's Westfield Bottleshop on Saturday, May 11. From May 13 the collection will be online and in Boots stores across the country from May 15.

Fruit Pastel Collection - Scented Nail Polish by Models Owen

One of my favourite makeup brands, Models Own, have been on fire releasing new nail polish collections recently.

Image - screen grab from Models Own

Their latest offering is called the Fruit Pastel Collection and consists of five (you guessed it) pastel shades which are scented.

In my experience of scented nail polish, their smell only emits once the polish is dry.

What makes the Models Own scented polishes different is the company has included a scratch and sniff sticker on the lid. 

The polishes in the collection, which will be released in Boots stores across the UK from March 22, will be Strawberry Tart, Apple Pie, Banana Split, Blueberry Muffin and Grape Juice.

I believe they will cost £5 like all their polishes (apart from the pro line)

If you live near Westfield London, you can grab these from Models Own Bottleshop from March 9. They will also be available on www.modelsownit.com from March 20.

Nail Varnish Displays

I went into town with mum yesterday and noticed some pretty fully stacked nail polish displays in Boots, which, on a Saturday afternoon, is quite a surprise. I haven't bought or done any nail art in a while, I need to get back into it.

 

Onto the displays: Maxfactor, Revlon, Rimmel, Models Own.

 

 

Rimmel's Metal Rush polishes seem to be duochrome, once my nails have grown back to an acceptable length I must try them out.




 

Models Own - Mirrorball Collection

I spotted Models Own are releasing another new line of nail polishes soon. I have to say, they have been on a role with new lines recently. This latest offering is called the Mirrorball Collection. Take a look:

 

 

Picture Source

 

These five new polishes will cost £5 and will be hitting the shops at Westfield Shopping Centre, Sheperds Bush on September 6, on the Models Own wesbite on September 10 and in Boots stores across the UK on October 3. The boxset of all five will cost £20.

 

Which of these takes your fancy? The names are Disco Inferno which is the gold polish, Hot Stuff is a mixture of pink and gold, Freak Out is the mix of blue and purple, Dancing Queen is the emerald green, blue and gold, Boogie Nights is the multicoloured mixture of purple, pink and blue.

 

At least these have more interesting names than their Beetlejuice Collection polishes. I love the look of Boogie Nights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dotting Away

I haven't been blogging much recently, I am trying to get settled into my new role at work (same company, new role!) I finally have a week off (first week off since before Christmas) so I will be catching up on blogging.

My nails have not been in the best condition lately, hence why they are so short, but I am trying to get back into a routine with them now and start looking after them properly again.

Here I used Punki Pink by Nina Ultra Pro, one of my fav neon pinks with Models Own in Lilac Dream and a medium sized dotting tool.

The sun has finally come out in Devon, so I shall be taking advantage on my week off and catching up on sunbathing on the beach.

I also hope to get back into a routine with blogging :-)

Bright Eyes Burning Like Fire

I haven't done an eye make up post in a while so here we go! This is a look I have been wearing to work recently:

Using my usual base of Maxfactor Smokey Eye Effects (white end) all of the lid then using Models Own loose pigment in Bright Turquoise on the inner corner and Barry M loose pigment in Mushroom on the outer corner and blending in the middle.

Then using this mascara from Maybelline, Illegal Length

Ooooh look at that!

I hadn't painted my nails with these two polishes for a little while, I was looking through my collection to see what I fancied and these two jumped out at me. Barry M in Mint Green and Models Own in Pink Lady.

On their own I feel the green looks odd, I think because the pink is so shimmery and the green is a creme. I did end up putting a glitter top coat over this and that looked much better, however I forgot to take photos! Bad blogger.

I am loving Pink Lady, the shimmer is just stunning, the purple/blue ish tint is why I love it so much. I think this would be a great summer colour.

What are your fav summer polishes?

Half n Half with blue and gold

I did another scotch tape half and half manicure recently, I tend to sway towards this diagonal scotch tape mani more often than Konad at the moment.

Here I used Models Own in 25 Carat Gold and Bell Bottom Blues from Myface Cosmetics followed by dotting with Andrea Fulerton's Dot and Flick tool.

What is your fav go to manicure design?

Sainsburys sells flakie nail polish

While out shopping in Sainsburys recently I stumbled upon a nail polish brand called Eye Candy London. I don't think I have come across this line before but I saw they had a flakie polish so I snapped that up.

This particular polish cost £6, they did have some duochrome polishes too, I might pick those up another time, but they did remind me a lot of Models Own Beetlejuice polishes. I layered two coats of this flakie top coat over two coats of Models Own polish Peacock.

I do like the look of the flakie topcoat, however, I felt it took a bit of work to get it looking good. The clear base is quite thick and the flakies within it are sparse. The particles are thick and rough, not like Nubar 2010 or Gosh Rainbow, the two flakies I love to layer. Even SV top coat didn't feel like it smoothed the flakie top coat out.

Models Own Peacock before the top coat:

Ibiza Mix - Glittery Goodness

I got my hands on Ibiza Mix from Models Own from Boots, I will let the pictures do the talking right now.

From the promo pictures I thought the base would be black but it isn't, it's a clear base with a ton of different sized multi coloured glitter particles. I decided to layer it over two Barry M polishes, Mint Green and Berry Ice Cream.

I adore this glitter polish, these pictures were taken with just one coat! I don't think any of my other glitter polishes have such good coverage in one coat.