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Review: Topshop Matte Nails Polish in Drink Pink

Topshop Matte Nails Polish in Drink Pink

I don’t own many matte nail polishes so I was happy to receive this for Christmas.
This is a dark pink, magenta shade from Topshop’s Matte Nails collection.
So what did I think of ‘Drink Pink’?

Swatched on my nails

Pros:
+ Easy application
+ Dried quickly
+ Colour in bottle is same on application
+ Opaque in one coat

Cons:
– Brush could be bigger

Notes:
Topshop have created a highly pigmented matte nail polish with a great finish. I’m not a fan of most of their polishes – they’re too sheer and don’t come out the same as they look in the bottle – but this one is different. Topshop recommend you use a base coat and two coats, but I actually didn’t have any base coat handy (forgetful traveller) and only did one coat. Yet the polish applied easily – although I felt the brush could have been slightly bigger – and was opaque in only one coat. The colour looked the same as the one in the bottle and dried quickly – like most matte polishes. During the drying process it gets to a point where you think it isn’t going to dry matte and may just stay shiny, but the final outcome is a wonderful matte finish with a slight sheen. I was very impressed. For £6 I will definitely be thinking about purchasing one of the other shades in the collection. Even better when they currently have a ‘2 for £9’ offer on their polishes.
You can purchase ‘Drink Pink’ at Topshop for £6.
View the other shades in the Matte Nails collection here.
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My Visit To The Cheeky Parlour

Just before Christmas I treated my friend Anna to a trip to the Cheeky parlour. I had heard of the mini beauty salon in Shoreditch and was dying to visit with a friend. Located on Redchurch St, above Aubin & Wills, the salon fits into Shoreditch perfectly. The idea behind the parlour is brilliant, offering walk-in manicures, blow outs and food. You’re handed a small paper card when you enter, and this is filled in throughout your visit. Whether you have a manicure & coffee, or a hair style & cake, it is jotted down onto your card. Now this may seem dangerous to a beauty addict, but with such great prices it’s not scary at all.

We had a manicure (only £10!), with nail art (£1.50 per nail). Now the amazing thing is, every manicure comes with a free polish! Yep, you get a 10ml pot of nail polish, in the shade you choose for your manicure. If that isn’t a bargain then I don’t know what is. So my whole manicure, with nail art, cost only £13. We ordered a couple of coffees and they were brought to us as we chatted and relaxed at the nail bar. Afterwards we retired to a comfy sofa and waited for our nails to dry, whilst we browsed the menu. I was pretty impressed with the food on offer, all of it sounded delicious and reasonably priced. We had mini red velvet cakes and chilled out, whilst drinking in our surroundings. Finally we checked out all the Cheeky products on offer, before paying.

The concept behind the Cheeky Parlour is any beauty lovers fantasy. Prices are reasonable, and the treatments offered are perfectly executed. The parlour is perfectly Shoreditch, on-trend and great for visiting with friends. All-in-all I will definitely be going again, and taking friends & family with me. I may even go for a hairstyle next time, if I have the occasion to.

You can find Cheeky Parlour on Redchurch St, Shoreditch.

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When Nail Art Becomes…Art

Nail art has only become popular in recent years and it’s still evolving. Still, you’re more likely to see polka dots, leopard print or hearts than Pablo Picasso. Nail technicians like Disco Nail & Britney Tokyo are blurring the lines between the two though. There’s one lady in particular who is the perfect example of this trend.

Susi Kenna is an art enthusiast who just so happens to also love nail art. Thankfully she also likes to share the mini works of art with others via Instagram. She has had nail artists adorn her fingers with various well known artists works, such as: Pablo Picasso, Yayoi Kusama, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Bridget Riley and many more.

As someone with a false set of nails depicting Frida Kahlo, I love it! I’ve always been an art lover, and so it’s only natural I’d love nail art. At the end of the day it’s all about expressing yourself isn’t it?

Would you wear a mini piece of art on your nails?
 
Source; 1

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Review: Mavala That’s My Colour Nail Polish Set

Mavala That’s My Colour Nail Polish Set*

Mavala recently brought something very special to the beauty industry.
They decided to take inspiration from the fans and asked them to create 3 colours!
They did this by getting them to take photos of surfaces, materials etc. that would make great colours.
Thousands of people entered and finally the 3 finalists were chosen and their colours were created:
Argentum & Iridescence swatched

Pros:
+ Opaque in one coat
+ Good application
+ Easy to remove
+ Good consistency

Cons:
– Only lasted a couple of days

Notes:
Mavala is probably my favourite nail polish brand as they’re affordable and good quality. It only ever takes one coat to get an opaque finish with their polishes and these are no different. They’re also lovely polishes to apply as the consistency is good, as is the quality of the brush. Yet I feel that Mavala missed the mark ever so slightly. The colours are lovely, but I don’t think Argentum & Iridescence do justice to the items that were chosen by the finalists. That said, Hearth is a great replica. These polishes look great but they only lasted a couple of days on my nails, and that’s with a base and top coat. I’d like to try them out again but with maybe a different top coat, so hopefully they would last longer. 
Mavala’s That’s My Colour set is available at John Lewis.
Currently sold out online.
bloomzy /

Photo Diary: Hot Dogs, Street Art, W♥C & Polaroids

Looking at these photos makes me so happy. I’ve been having so much fun lately, and I’m so glad to share it on here. I went home to Norwich for a couple of days to sort some stuff out and see family. Whilst I was there I really started to feel like it really was going to be Christmas soon. I brought out my Nuxe travel set and fell in love with practically every item inside of it. I also brought out an old polish that felt slightly seasonal and got tons of compliments. I’ve been experimenting with layering shirts & sweaters at work, thanks to the recently chilling weather. I also popped along to the launch of the Drop Dead Winter Collection in their Soho store. That meant I got to bring a plus-one so Laura and I finally got to meet up – love her! My friend in Japan sent me some of the new W♥C items that have just come out. It really took me back to my time living in Tokyo and made me miss everyone so much. This weekend I also took a walk around Shoreditch and caught up with Anna over cake and coffee. I’ve really sucked at keeping in touch with friends lately (due to work), so I’m trying to remedy it. Also food. There was lots of food. Always with the food.

You can follow me on Instagram: @bloomzy

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Beauty Wishlist: Holiday Glam

Beauty Wishlist

One brilliant thing about Christmas coming to the shops are the ‘holiday specials’.
Beauty products aren’t left out either, with gift sets and new products galore.
I know some people dislike the hundreds of travel size make-up and skincare sets.
I love them though as it means I can try out new items at a usually bargain price.
Of course I also love being able to indulge in full size products too, especially palettes.
I made a very glamorous wish list of some of the items I hope to pick up this Christmas.
I suppose if I’m lucky enough I may even get some in my stocking – if I’m a good girl that is.
What do I really really want?
The other products in my list are just bonuses compared to the two above.
I need a new pair of GHDs and the jewel collection is gorgeous (and useful)!
Earl Grey & Cucumber are two amazing scents and these are lovely together.
I also love Jo Malone fragrances and I actually wear them most days.
Any of the products in my list would be lovely to add to my ever growing beauty collection.
I longingly browsed the Selfridges beauty department to find these for myself.

Source: 1
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Review: Elle Macpherson The Body Nail Wraps

Elle Macpherson The Body Nail Wraps by Homedics*

Nail wraps are nothing new but recently I’ve seen a sudden resurgence.
I’m not surprised as they’re an ‘easy’ and simple way to get a great nail look.
I decided to test out a new range of wraps by Elle Macpherson for Homedics.
Poorly Applied wraps

Pros:
+ Great effect
+ Easy to remove
+ Lasts longer than polish
+ Love the gold & silver options
+ Wraps come with a variety of sizes

Cons:
– Difficult to apply perfectly
– Not keen on the pink wraps

Notes:
I knew straightaway that I would have trouble applying these.
I’m not the best with nail wraps and these weren’t any different to others I’d used.
I loved the final look of the wraps and that they came in a variety of sizes (and with a free nail file to help apply them), but I found it difficult to get a perfect crease-free application. I did manage to do it on my first application on my little finger, but didn’t seem to have much luck with the remaining ones. One of the tips given in the instructions is to use a hair dryer to help sort out the creases after you have first applied them. I didn’t have time to try this but I think I will next time, as I imagine it would help. The gold and silver wraps are gorgeous and look amazing on – robot chic, anyone? The glittery pink isn’t for me though. I need more practise with these but overall I was quite happy with them.
You can purchase Elle Macpherson’s nail wraps at Homedics for £9.99 each