The Perfect Barbie Manicure

When it comes to painting my nails, I like them to look perfect and the second a chip occurs, I feel like I have to change the entire thing. Of all the colours I could choose from though, pinks are definitely my favourite and I've been on the hunt for the perfect Barbie pink for some time now; most are either too pastel, too dark or just not pink enough. I have however, now found the perfect Barbie-inspired manicure for me and it's from the Nicole by OPI, Carrie Underwood collection in the shade 'Color Me Country'.

I'm a huge fan of Carrie Underwood so that is what initially drew me to this polish (and a few more from the collection), but having tried it and worn it for a week now, I can start by saying that it is nothing like it appears in the bottle. It's much more of a Barbie pink, as apposed to the deeper hue it appears in the bottle - that I am happy about though! Moving onto the formula itself, as expected with anything from OPI, including it's cheaper offering of Nicole by OPI, the formula is incredibly creamy and two coats are more than enough to achieve an opaque finish.  

As for wear time, as expected, I wore this polish for a week and found that it didn't wear or chip at all, which could have been down to the polish itself or the new (and cult favourite) top coat I'm trying out, more on that soon. I'm so happy to have finally found the perfect pink shade for me, despite seeing some reviews and it looking much more peach than pink!

I believe you can pick up these polishes at Boots/Superdrug, but I actually got mine from a local beauty outlet. Have you tried any of the polishes from the Carrie Underwood Nicole by OPI collection? Let me know your favourites!

Tumblr Tuesdays

As with probably a lot of you, I find myself constantly browsing Instagram and Tumblr, lusting over makeup looks, hair styles, nails and of course fashion. I thought I'd start a little Tumblr series and as I've just booked myself in for my first acrylic nails appointment next week, I thought I'd show you some serious nail inspiration that I'm definitely going to be taking note of! Those blue Kylie Jenner nails are just fab! 

Don't forget to head over and check out my tumblr at www.salmonscrubsinseattlegrace.tumblr.com (don't ask about the username!)...

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.

Barry M Need For Speed

Another nail post, another Barry M Speedy Quick Dry polish to show you. I picked up a few shades from this range so I've been gradually trying them in between my other many shades and this one probably has to be the most unlike me colour ever. Need For Speed is a mid-toned true purple that looks absolutely stunning on the nails, though I can tell this won't be one that suits all skin tones. 

Once again this is a really great spring shade and it certainly draws attention to your nails when I wear it. Funnily enough, unlike the previous 'speedy' polish I tried, this one I actually did find dried quicker than average and it had a lot more of a glossy finish so I will disregard my previous review of 'Eat My Dust' as a one off experience. 

I think I'm going to be adding many more shades from this range to my collection soon as I just love the spring colours and the names are just fab! This is not a colour I'd usually choose but I took a chance and I happen to really love how it looks. 

Barry M Eat My Dust

I've never been a huge fan of darker blue shades (that's my mums domain) but give me a pastel duck egg blue polish and I'm all over it. Eat My Dust is part of Barry M's new Speedy quick dry polish range and it rivals some of my all-time favourite nail shades, being the most perfect cool pastel blue. It's such a fun shade for spring and one of those that you can't take your eyes off - I've had so many compliments wearing this polish! 

The only negative I have about this polish is that I didn't really find it to be all that quick drying. I applied two coats, as with all my other polishes, and it took just as long to dry as regular formulas do, with the first coat applying quite streaky. That was a slight disappointment but once applied, it doesn't chip for at least a week and that's really all that I look for. 

I've always been a fan of Barry M nail polish and while this one isn't quite what it claims to be, the shade and lasting power makes up for that in a huge way. I'll definitely be buying more colours from this range, though I think this one may have become my favourite spring polish; bold statement I know! 

Spring Nail Edit | Neutrals

And we're back with the second part to my spring nails edit. This week it's onto the neutrals, those shades you reach for when you want something simple on your nails or even if you're heading off to a spring wedding etc. These shades are some of my favourite barely there polishes and I've been reaching for them surprisingly more than I have my bright shades. 

First up in the neutrals edit are two Rita Ora for Rimmel polishes in the shades Lose Your Lingerie and Rain Rain Go Away. My go-to of the two has to be the newest addition and that's Rain Rain Go Away as it is the perfect mauve nude that I feel will suit so many different skin tones as it has a grey hint to it. I actually have this on my nails currently and it has lasted a week so far without any chips so it's a great one! Lose Your Lingerie is the perfect pale pink shade that has the tiniest hint of shimmer but nothing that is really noticeable on the nails. This also applies well and lasts a long time - this would be great for occasions like weddings or prom etc. 

Another from Rimmel is Mary Mary Quite Contrary and this is from the standard polish line and is a barely-there lilac shade. I love how subtle this one is and it's perfect for everyday wear if you don't want to go bold and bright. I'm not normally one for garish lilac/purple shades but this one is so feminine and is definitely one of my favourites.

Next up is L'Oreal's Lemon Meringue and this is such a fresh pastel shade and really follows the current not-quite-white nail trend that seems to be appearing right now. These polishes apply probably the best of the lot and the staying power is great, the only downside is that this usually requires three coats for me to be happy with the opacity as it can end up looking slightly streaky otherwise. Not a huge blow but something to consider. 

Finally there's my least favourite of the bunch but one that will most definitely work for a lot of you out there. It's from the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine range in 'Lychee' and it is a really brown nude that just clashes with my skin tone horribly. The formula however is great, as expected fro Barry M, and I'm a huge fan of the hi-shine appearance so it gets plus points in that department for sure. 

Well there you have my spring neutrals nail edit. Don't forget to check out last weeks edit if you're more of a brights girl as I give you a run down through all the rainbow coloured shades I love! 

Don't forget to let me know your favourite spring nail shades! 

Spring Nail Edit | Brights

The clocks have gone forward, the sun is shining and the UK seems to be experiencing the first hints of Spring. Now with a new season comes a whole array of new nail polish shades to break out of the dark depths of my cupboard and for me, it's often a decision between bright and neutral shades, with pastels usually coming somewhere in between the two. I thought I'd put together two little edits of my favourite spring nail shades covering bights and neutrals and everything in between! 

First up this week is the brights edit and I've tried to pick something to cover every colour give or take, some being my absolute staples and others being ones that I wear occasionally. Lets start with the newbies to my collection and they are the new Rita Ora for Rimmel shades in Port-a-loo-blue and Glaston-berry. I love the names of all these polishes and you probably guessed, they are all festival inspired. There is a great mix of bolds, neutrals and darks in the collection but I chose these two as they are perfect spring shades in my opinion. The formula is great, two coats and you're good to go, and they seem to last a good while before showing any signs of chipping. 

Next are from my old favourite brand, Barry M and they are part of the Gelly Hi Shine collection and for me, these work great and require no topcoat, which is a bonus for me, anything to cut down the time it takes! The shade Prickly Pear is the perfect mid-pastel lilac that can be build up to be a bold and this is one of my go-to shades during spring. Key Lime is one that in the bottle and swatches I love but against my skin tone it just doesn't work. I do however think this one would be great with a super pale or dark skin tone but unfortunately I seem to sit in between the two.

If you follow me on Instagram then you may have seen that I had the ever popular Ciate advent calendar on the lead up to Christmas and one of the more unexpected shades I got was Big Yellow Taxi, ironically in the tiniest bottle ever! This is your typical sunshine yellow shade and so would work perfectly as a spring/summer transitional shade. The formula is great and after two coats it is opaque enough for me. I would recommend Ciate if you're looking to splurge slightly more on your nails. 

Finally we have one of my favourites of the bunch and that's Lovie Dovie by Essie. I'm definitely a pink nails kind of girl (let me know if you want to see a pink edit) and this shade is just the perfect barbie pink bright. I absolutely love the formula of all Essie polishes and they last an unbelievably long time before chipping. I have several shades but this is up there with my all-time favourites. 

Well there you have my spring brights nail edit. As mentioned, I love to wear a mix of brights and neutrals throughout spring so if you're more of a neutrals kind of person, next week I'll have another edit up running through my picks. 

Don't forget to let me know your favourite spring nail shades! 

Throw On Your Ciate Party Shoes

During this time of year I'm definitely more attracted to dark red and plum tones as well as glitter, especially when it comes to nail polish; I suppose I'm like a magpie at Christmas! This particular polish by Ciate is my current glitter of choice - this is the only time you'll find me reaching for gold anything over silver but for Christmas you just have to. It is a fine gold and iridescent glitter that looks incredible layered over a dark polish like Essie's 'Bordeaux' or Nails Inc 'Kensington High Street'. I always get compliments when I wear these combinations and it's nice to be able to bring out the glitter during the autumn/winter months as summer for me is more about the brights and neons. 

Do you rock glitter polish around christmas time? Which ifavourite shade? 

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?

Essie Dupe? | MUA Pistachio Ice Cream

Essie 'Mint Candy Apple - £7.99 & MUA 'Pistachio Ice Cream' - £1

For me MUA has always been very hit or miss, especially when it comes to the nail polishes which usually I hate. That being said, I was walking round Superdrug last week and came across a new line of polishes they have released which could honestly at a glance be dupes for Essie! So much so that dupe may not be the correct word, copies, would be more appropriate. If Essie brought out a mini version of their polishes it would basically be what MUA has done; how they got away with this I'll never know. So here we have two identically packaged products, one smaller, but for a mere £1 and one for around £7.99, surely go for the £1 one right?! 

Nooo! Step away from the MUA stand, turn around, and head right back to Essie immediately! I only own two Essie nail polishes and for the sake of this post I'll compare Essie's 'Mint Candy Apple', with the new MUA polish in 'Pistachio Ice Cream' as they hold a striking resemblance in the bottle and even on the nails. I will say though that Mint Candy Apple is slightly darker looking and less white, like Pistachio Ice Cream. 

One huge reason why I dislike the MUA polishes is for the application. When Essie released their diffusion line in Boots they brought out the larger brush, which in my opinion makes application so much easier and, especially with lighter colours, less streaky. MUA however, have opted for a super thin brush meaning I found it really difficult to get a smooth look and I also had to apply several coats as apposed to the two coats for Essie, which is always a drag! 

One final thing, Essie polishes usually last on my nails a good four or five days before any significant chipping appears, whereas the MUA polish only lasted around two days before it started to wear and then chip off. Not good MUA, not good at all! 

Now I'm not saying don't try the MUA polishes, I'd recommend you try them out purely to see if you like the shades and then you can invest in the Essie one if you do. That way you don't waste £7.99 on a colour you wont ever wear and you might even really like the MUA dupe, these are just my thoughts! 

Have you tried the Essie 'dupes' by MUA? What are your thoughts? 

Emma xo

follow me on TWITTER and instagram at iamemmawilde

OUTFIT | RACING GREEN & NEON

jumper: topshop, skirt: redherring, boots: ebay (topshop), bracelet: pandora, nails: barry m 'racing green'

Words cannot express how difficult it is to take outfit photos in this terrible daylight we are having! Hopefully over Christmas the lighting in my photos will be better as I'll be at home, may even try some outside shots. Anyway, this is the outfit I wore today, I love this neon yellow jumper, and as with yesterday's outfit, it has stud detailing which I love. I paired it with this 'wet-look' skirt from Redherring which is somewhere I never usually buy from, but I saw this and knew I had to have it. It's just something a bit different to the usual black skater skirt. I also wore my black faux fur coat too but it didn't photograph well at all today! 

Today has been a mentally exhausting day, it started with a shorthand exam that I felt went quite well which is good, then I had a mock exam and then a two hour lecture on media law. I don't think I have concentrated as much I have today in a long time. Phew! Tomorrow should be a quiet day though, just one class and then packing to go home on Thursday! Eeeeek! 

Emma xo

follow me on TWITTER and instagram at iamemmawilde

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

follow me on TWITTER and instagram at iamemmawilde