Category Archives: beauty look

This week’s nail art challenge with @NailArtistMartha was to create a look using Nails Inc’s Queensgate Gardens Floral Polish. It’s not a polish that I would ever pick up – it looks headache-inducingly complicated with its matte glitter and its flower pieces – but I really like the finished effect. You wouldn’t probably catch me parading about with daisies stuck to my nails, but I’d definitely work that pale blue matte glitter if I could master the application technique! (Martha said that it’s actually relatively easy to create the “fade”; just keep adding product to the free edge of the nail and it will build up naturally into that sprayed-on effect.) I imagine that you have to go digging to get those flower pieces, as they’re all mixed up with the glitter and the clear polish inside the bottle, and you’d probably want a little pair of tweezers to position the daisies if you were the pedantic kind. It’s quite difficult to remove the polish, apparently, so you’ll need to really soak the cotton wool pads in acetone and be quite patient.

Martha applied Queensgate Gardens over Nails Inc’s Latex Polish in Portobello Road, below. I think that this more-than-matte finish is amazing and I love the pale pink shade. They look like plastic doll fingernails! Totally OTT, totally Vegas! Martha has applied it to falsies to show the full-on effect but I think that it would look great on shorter, natural nails. I shall give it a try and let you know. Martha said that it dries very quickly, so you have to be fast with your application to get the perfectly smooth finish that she’s achieved. And you definitely need two coats, so again, apply carefully because the polish is quite thick. (This all spells trouble for my untrained, clumsy hands.)

I’m not sure whether the Latex finish will be permanent – I hope so. I think it’s a really unusual look, almost cartoon-like. For the moment, you can find Latex Effect here and Queensgate Gardens here. There are other shades available, but I think that these would be my pick of the bunch. Thank you once again to the lovely Martha – you can find her on Facebook here and on Instagram here if you’d like to ask any questions. And please, if you have any looks you’d like to see, fire away with your suggestions. We could do some more in-depth step-by-steps; I for one would love to know how to paint the perfect dark nail and also how to trim my cuticles!

Find more nail looks here

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Two makeup posts in a row? What is happening to me? Well, funnily enough, my new years resolution was to buy less skincare and more makeup instead – a real challenge 😉

I was recently introduced to the Ere Perez makeup range thanks to Naturisimo now stocking it, and they kindly sent me over a couple of pieces to try. With a mid-range price point (ranging from £13-£24) Ere Perez isn’t going to break the bank but it has a cost that means you’re hopefully getting something that’s high quality. I was sent a highlighter, mascara and powder blush, and after wearing them a few times I’ve got the low-down on what you need asap, and what you don’t.

Starting with my favourite, the Versatile Vanilla Highlighter in the shade Falling Star (£17), this creamy highlighter was an instant winner for me, as you can see, it’s rose gold! A possible dupe for the RMS Master Mixer? It’s quite difficult to describe the colour is real life, I did try very hard to photograph it but I wasn’t happy with the outcome, the colour is a pinky golden silver, it’s warm toned but when it catches the light it does glimmer a little silvery. Very, very pretty. The formula is easy to use, it’s very creamy and has a great pigment payoff when tapped onto cheekbones, browbone and cupids bow, etc.

The Natural Almond Oil Mascara (£16.50) is a simple, black mascara. It isn’t going to knock your socks off with incredible length and volume but it does give the pretty, natural lash effect. It’s best quality is that it doesn’t smudge or flake at all, it’s long wearing and doesn’t irritate – you can’t even tell it’s there to be honest. It does clump the lashes together a little, especially if you apply more than one coat but a quick brush through can sort that.

They also have a volumising waterproof formula that sounds interesting, which perhaps would be better if you’re looking for something with more wow-factor.

Lastly we have the Pure Rice Powder Blush (£20) in the shade My Blush, a neutral colour described as “a neutral soft tan”. I’ve been using this as a bronzer to warm up my complexion more than a blush, though it also looks nice dusted on the cheeks, too. This isn’t the most pigmented blusher but actually that makes it perfect for me, it’s hard to be heavy handed here and end up looking more tango-luxe than tan. I use a fluffy brush to apply the powder wherever the sun would naturally hit and hel-lo have I just got back off of holiday? I actually look alive! Is this what bronzer is always like? Because if so I should apply it way more often.

All in all, I am quite impressed with Ere Perez, they have a lovely natural approach to makeup, nothing in your face, no bright colours, it’s all about perfecting and enhancing your already beautiful self. The plastic packaging is slightly flimsy and bulky, but because it’s all white it redeems itself by looking a little more luxe than it is.

TL;DR? Get that highlighter in your basket immediately.

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