Mani Monday | Blues

This week unfortunately there won't be any outfit posts up as the weather has been a bit rubbish this weekend (and I work late during the week) so I haven't had a chance to take any, hopefully next week will return to my usual scheduling but to fill in, I'm bringing you 'Mani Monday' and in honour of spring/summer, my favourite blue polishes. 

I love wearing pale/bright blue shades on my nails - I tend to steer clear of deeper blues - as they really brighten up an outfit and are much more of a colourful colour than my go-to nudes or pinks. My all-time favourite blue shade is Essie's Lapis of Luxury, which is a dusky blue with slight grey tones to it. This one is great for any season as it isn't too neon or pastel and this is one I find myself reaching for a lot. Essie polishes in general apply early nicely and this one is no exception and I find it lasts a good week before I feel the need to touch-up or reapply. 

Next up is the brightest of the three shades and that's Model's Own Hyper Gel in Blue Glint. The formula of these polishes is great and the hyper-gel claims really are true, I still like to apply a top coat but in the case of this polish, one really isn't needed. This is a very vibrant and somewhat neon shade so it's definitely not one I'd wear in the colder months but on holiday or during summer, I find myself reaching for this one. 

Finally, what nail post would be complete without a pastel shade and my blue choice for this is  from the Rita Ora for Rimmel collection in Pillow Talk. This is a slightly shimmery (the shimmer is barely noticeable on the nails) pale blue shade that can be built up to full opacity with two to three coats. The formula of these polishes is okay, they don't wear as well as Essie but still last a few days before chipping and this shade is a great alternative to wearing a tipex-esque white polish.

February Beauty Favourites '15

Happy March everyone! I'm pretty glad to see February go as it always seems like such a filler month for me. That being said, it did fly by and we're now already on March, where has this year gone already! 

This month I've sat down with an accumulation of January/February favourites (I explain in the video my filming schedule) and I have honestly loved using each and every one of these products. I hope you enjoy the video and don't forget to let me know what your beauty favourites have been this month! 

Summer Nails Edit | Beauty

Summer came shining in (pun well and truly intended) at the weekend and I just love this time of year because it means I can break out some of my 'reserved solely for summer' nail polishes. Now I do mix up my nail colour a lot all year round but in the Autumn/Winter months darker, berry hues are what I reach for most so now summer is here, I'm finally able to reach for the bolder, almost neon shades and of course, pastels.

As mentioned, I'm really loving pastel shades at the moment as they give my nails a much softer, more girly look that is perfect for the warmer months. Two of my favourites have been from the Rita Ora for Rimmel collection in the shades Pillow Talk - a pale powder blue - and Lose Your Lingerie - a soft pearly pink. both of these shades have a slight shimmer to them in the bottle but this doesn't really translate on the nails, which I'm quite happy about. They are the perfect pastel shades in my eyes and the formula is also really great, they have a large brush for easy application and I find they become opaque after just two coats.

Sticking along the pastel lines (sort of), I've also been really enjoy the L'Oreal Color Riche nail polishes, in particular the shade Lemon Meringue, which as the name would suggest, is a pale, almost white lemon colour. This ones great if you want a more subtle n ail colour. I also really like the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine polishes as I love my nails to be as shiny as possible. The pastel shade I like is Prickly Pear, a slightly darker than pastel, lilac shade. I'm really wanting to try the new spring/summer collection though, there's so many lovely pastels. Again, these both have a wide brush and also only require two coats.

Also from Barry M, I've found myself reaching for a bolder shade, Guava, if I'm feel like pastels just aren't cutting it. I love how this applies and the shade is so bold that it really stands out. I always get so many compliments when I wear this nail polish. Last, but certainly not least, is an old favourite, Models Own Beach Party from the Hed Kandi range. This was a huge favourite of mine last year and it's back this year, it's one of those shades that unfortunately is only reserved for summer due to its neon brightness. And when I say neon, I mean get out the sunglasses, neon! The only issue I have with this polish is that it dries semi-matte so does require a good topcoat, a step that I try to avoid if I can!

So they are all my summer nail polish picks. I think I'm off to paint my nails in Beach Party now as it's a beautiful sunny day outside. What are your favourite summer nail shades? Do you go bold or pastel?

OUTFIT | TARTAN & LEATHER

jacket, top & jeans: topshop, scarf: h&m, shoes: shoezone, necklace: old, nails: models own 'dancing queen' over essie 'mint candy apple'

I've noticed tartan scarves are really becoming a trend at the moment; and I have shamefully jumped on that trend wagon after trying not to for such a long time. I just really like how they can make an outfit, like this one, a lot more interesting with a pop of colour (for want of a better phrase!). I wore the scarf with my black asymmetric t-shirt from Topshop and then my trusty leather jacket, which has to be my best buy of the year; I wear it almost everyday. 

For my nails I went with a totally not matched shade of mint green and glitter; clash much? I just really could;'t wait to try out the dancing queen polish fro the Models Own Mirrorball collection and my verdict, it is awesome! See a full review here. 

Question; are you a fan of the tartan trend? Let me know!

Emma xo

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