Essie Alligator Purse, Essie Nutcracker Sweet and Boots 17 Sphinx and Kinetics Coral Reef

And this is the muted version with a random FlorMar. I think I prefer this.

I'm sure you get the idea. Sellotape. All this gubbins went on top of the Boots 17 Bared. No need to remove it.


Not sure if I've worn Alligator before. I rather like it but I did spend the entire evening attempting to clear my brain of the irritating and repetitive strains of the rhyme so I may not be able to bring myself to use it again.  Stop with the music, I say!

Jenni

Barry M Nail Effects in Pink, Diamond Cosmetics Rubies & Diamonds + Bourjois Une Seconde

 

I got myself in 57 kinds of trouble with this. I tried to manufacture a stencil from a paper label. Nah. Ended up with red splodges on a couple of nails and had to stage a rescue operation.

Hey, it's bright. It's alright. 

 Jenni

Boots 17 Supreme Shine Bared

 

Turns out you can see the sparkle on the nail. Hurrah! 2 coats. Maybe 3. I really like this. Not an awful lot you can say about it other than that. Hardly a head-turner....But a decent-enough polish. Admittedly I've now sellotaped it into oblivion but it's very likeable. If it were a person it would be...Princess Anne.

So, who's planning to feature any or all of the following?

A a bridal-type mani

B a patriotic mani

C a "Will you shut up about the bleedin' wedding?" mani

I'm thinking B or C. Not sure yet. Maybe both.

Jenni

Pink Wednesday - er, NOT - 2true Fast Dry Shade 1

 

I'm not a Pink Wednesday-er. Got nothing against it. Just hate committing to things. No way I could guarantee always to wear pink on a particular day.

2 coats of lusciousness. This is my 3rd 2true polish. OMG these are fabulous. So glossy and highly-pigmented. I never trust "quick dry" claims and put them to the test by prodding at my nails but I think it probably IS fairly quick to dry. These are lush!

There are 9 shades in this range. I now have 6 and even though the remaining 3 are not unusual colours I'm going to get them because the texture/finish is so good.

Choose one shop. Superdrug or Boots?

Jenni

Small haul...looking rather boringly beige....

Just because...

This is Bared. Hope that sparkle translates to the nail. Or there'll be tears before bedtime.

• Contradiction 30ml. I love this.
• IsaDora Apricot - a Swedish (?) brand, new to me, probably very sheer, I shall let you know
• Boots 17 Bared
• Astor Mattitude - SPF 22 - 22? I thought SPFs came in multiples of 5. What's with 22? Bonkers. Hope this works because my skin's as greasy as bacon. Nice.
• Barry M Nail Effects- the pink one is meant to be popular, but not in my crappy little town
• Boots 17 Sphinx - I am already regretting this as it's too cool and (frankly) boring
• Mavala Nail Polish Remover - Boots only had 3 bottles of polish remover in the entire SHOP! Is this to make us buy the expensive brands? Well, I'm a sucker. This WAS expensive but it is more effective than the cheapo stuff I habitually buy.
• And a Hard Skin Remover because I dropped my beloved pumice stone and shattered it

Off to paint my naked nails. I'm on twitter now so I'm busier than ever. So many competitions! So little time!

A bientot
Jenni

Tips with 2true shade 1

A partial remediation of an abysmal effort at French tips. Not so much "French" as the back end of some downtown rundown colonial French outpost in the middle of nowhere. Algeria? In the spirit of PC I would now like to apologise to all Algerians everywhere. They're probably a bit too busy right now to spend any time agonising over my lame (and utterly uninformed) insults however so I just may get away with it.

 

I was due for a fail. I estimate my success rate at about 25% maximum. How could I get this so badly wrong? It's only sellotape! Just too much of a rush. But I didn't even get it straight. MUST DO BETTER.

Should only people with immaculate nails and perfect application techniques publish their photos to the net? Is it a discourtesy to readers (if any) to display photos of dodgy manis?

To conclude:
What is the relative importance to you of pictures and text? I'd say a ratio of 4P:7T whereby I'll gladly accept less than superlative pictures if the text entertains and informs. (Sounds like the mission statement of the BBC).

Jenni

beauty uk Frozen Kingdom

This is BYOOOOOOOTIFUL.

 

This is 2 sloppy coats. Or 3 more careful ones. Ivory with a definite golden warmth. So flattering. SO pretty. But not in a girlie way. Obviously. I love China Glaze White Cap and this is no dupe. This is........way better! Hurrah.

Kate, I don't know what you'll be wearing on your nails next week but this is brilliant. And better still - it's made in the UK! Not that mealy-mouthed designed in the UK and made in China. Who do we think we are? We can design stuff because we're all arty-farty artistic but we can't manufacture stuff because that's far too plebeian. No. Manufacturing should be valued - as should service industries and child-minding. Feel free to add your own undervalued profession.

Furthermore it's (back to the nail polish) £1.99 from Superdrug. The bottle is tiny, 'tis true. However larger bottles are available online from the beauty uk website and there's a discount code. More will be revealed when I receive my mini-haul.

I am such a snob sometimes but 2true and beauty uk have rubbed my nose in my snobbery good and proper this last week. Shame on me.

Cosmetic snobbery?

• A snob? Moi? Quelle idee!
• I do have a penchant for high-end, yes
• I take products on their merits, I don't consider myself a label-freak
• Confirmed bargain-hunter on the whole
• Pay mega-pounds for a fancy name? I think NOT

Jenni

Sellotape mani with beauty uk Frozen Kingdom (my current fave)

 

For once something that works! The accent nail is Nubar 2010. Remember when Hidden Treasure was all over the shop? Now it's crackle. What next? 

What would you like to see next in the nailiverse?

I'd say: a polish that really DOES dry within a minute.

Oh, and stencils. I know they exist but not much of a range. I'm too useless to do Konad. I need something simpler.

Jenni

2true Fast Dry Shade 4

Flippin' heck. ANOTHER great polish from Superdrug. 3 for a fiver. 2 easy, quality coats. As easy as an easy-thing in Easytown. There are 9 polishes in this range. I now have 6. Simplicity itself.

It seems a bit brighter irl which made me think of China Glaze Electric Pineapple (which I do not have) but after checking the blogs I can see at once that this is far less yellow. I am to colour-matching what Gordon Brown is to stand-up comedy.

Jenni

The wrong day for a "St George" mani...

 

It's better than it looks. Honestly. It would be better with a top coat but I actually quite like the textured effect. And although you'd expect it to flake off - it doesn't. Curious.

Jenni