Laura Elizabeth xo: nailpolish

Wednesday, 2 March 2016

GIVEAWAY - Sensationail Polish to Gel Kit x Ciate Nail Polish

In honour of my 22nd birthday this Friday, I am giving away the Sensationail Polish to Gel Kit all about it here worth £49.99, as well as two Ciate nail polishes worth £9.

The entry details are below, and the winner will be announced Thursday 31st March!

Good Luck!

Sensationail Polish To Gel Kit

There are many do it yourself home kits available out there for creating salon perfect nails but I was unaware of any polish to gel transformer kits, until I was introduced to this one. Sensationail's kit turns any nail polish into a long-lasting gel with a shiny and non sticky, smudge free finish and is very new in the UK to purchase.

The kit is priced at £49.99, (new in at Boots this month currently £34.99) and includes everything you need to turn your regular polish into a gel; gel cleanser, gel primer, polish to gel, lint-free wipes, mixing pot, double sided nail buffer, manicure stick, LED lamp, USB and mains adaptor.

There are two ways of using the kit to create a gel polish:

Mixing Method: mix equal parts polish 2 gel and your own polish in the mixing pot and then paint this onto your nails and cure in the LED lamp for 30 seconds and repeat this 2/3 times. Then follow this by sealing in the colour and painting the tips of your nails and curing again for 15 seconds. Then wipe your nails with the cleanser and you're ready to go!

Gel Top Coat Method: Paint your nails with your favourite nail polish and let it dry properly. Apply a thin layer of polish to gel and cure for 15 seconds. Wipe with the cleaner and there you go!

I have used both methods and find that both give great results. The kit claims that nails will last up to ten days, and I have found that after about four to five days my nails have only just started to chip. When removing I found that soaking my nails was

easier than rubbing the polish off with a cotton pad. However, one time I used the kit I found that the polish peeled off in one piece, and although there was no damage to the nail underneath I would rather the polish was removed correctly without peeling. I find that this kit works really well with the correct nail polish so definitely test it out with different polishes to see what works best and furthermore make sure to use a thin layer of the polish to gel as instructed to achieve the best results.

Everything you need is available in the kit, but once you have used the products Sensationail provide refill packs so you don't have to go back to a salon and pay to have your nails done each time. I completely recommend this kit as it provides you with gel,

shiny, smooth, smudge free nails achievable from the comfort of your own home!

Find the kit here and visit the Sensationail website: http://www.sensationail.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SensatioNailUK

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensatioNailUK

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensationailgel/?hl=en

Models Own Festival Collection - Lipsticks and Polishes

Earlier in the year Models Own released a festival collection including polishes, lipsticks, face paint and colourful hairspray, perfect for the summer and for wearing to any of the festivals taking place around the country.

Each lipstick is incredibly pigmented and long lasting with some having more of matte finish than others, and so it's important that your lips are moisturised and in top condition before applying them. The range consists of super bright, red, pink and orange shades, and so they are perfect for summer, or for applying to a minimal make up look at a festival.

From left to right:

Sunrise - A vibrant orange shade which can also be sheered out so its not so in your face. My favourite colour to wear in the summer and paired with a gorgeous glowing highlighter to the cheeks it's creates a beautiful summer goddess look.

Daisy Chain - The most difficult shade to wear in my opinion as it's very light, and on my pale skin it completely washes me out! Despite that, after applying fake tan, and bronzing up my face I can get away with wearing this shade. The most matte out of them all, so make sure to moisturise!

Gone Glamping - The most intense pink in the collection, a slightly nicer formula than daisy chain as it is not quite as matte. This shade is a bright fuchsia pink with a blue undertone.

Main Stage - This is a slightly darker bright pink, it reminds me of 'Girl About Town' by Mac.

Headliner - This is a glossier finish, and a bit more sheer but still a bright red shade that I've enjoyed wearing with winged eyeliner.

I've used each shade of these polishes on either my fingernails or my toenails and I have received compliments on every shade I've worn. They are bright, long lasting and you only really need one coat and you're ready to go! I also find that these polishes dry fairly quickly which is something I like in my nail polishes as I get bored easily waiting for them to dry! These glide on nicely, however they don't have the flat brush that many polishes are now using.

From left to right:
Blue Skies - This is a very rich, bright, cyan blue, when dry and after one/two coats you have the exact colour shown on the bottle. A fun summer colour.
Pink Wellies - Is the perfect mix of a bright neon pink and barbie pink, it's very girly and I achieved perfectly painted nails with just one coat.
Colour Explosion - This polish looks great over every colour in the collection - it's a glitter topper. It has iridescent glitter and pastel matte glitters, and with this polish you will definitely need a few coats.
Green Fields - This is a very grassy green, and I have never been a fan of green nails in the past but I loved wearing this colour! It is slightly more sheer than the others and so I used three coats.
Purple Bandana - My personal favourite of the lot, it is a bright orchid shade and I achieved a perfect finish with just one coat. It is bright and stands out, and is like no other polish I own.

Overall the festival range from Models Own is a great collection, I look forward to what they bring out next!

Laura Elizabeth xo

July Favourites

Many of the products I have been enjoying using in July were the same products I was enjoying in June, so there aren't many items to talk about in my July favourites, however these items I have been reaching for continuously during July and I would like to share them with you.

Rose Gold Aviator Sunglasses - Primark

This year Primark have a great range of gorgeous sunglasses and I own a pair in nearly every colour, apart from rose gold, so when I spotted these I couldn't resist! Cheap, pretty and they do the job!

'Purple Bandana' Festival Collection Nail Polish - Models Own

Just one of five colours in this collection, Purple Bandana gives a bright orchid shade and I only need one coat!

Fan Shape Make Up Brush - Ebay

Perfect for applying highlighter, ebay sell many great quality make up brushes for affordable prices, this one is soft and picks up just the right amount of product.

'Golden Lights' Vivid Baked Highlighter - Make Up Revolution

I don't need to go on about how great this brand is and this product is one of my favourites in their make up range. Golden lights is an opal gold highlighter and gives a small golden shimmer to the cheeks without making you look glittery. A little goes a long way as this product is very pigmented! At £3 its a steal.

'Vanilla' Creamy Concealer - Nars

Covers up any imperfections and dark circles perfectly, blends well, and this product also has a great colour range.

What products have you been loving during July? Also, where has the past month gone?!

Laura Elizabeth xo

My Top Summer Nail Polishes

I still find painting my nails sort of a chore, it's safe to say I don't particularly enjoy the task; I either get impatient waiting for them to dry, think to myself why on earth did I pick this colour once it's on my nails, or I end up smudging them because I get an itch or I need to move - why does this always happen?!

However, I still buy way more polish than I need and get excited whenever brands bring out a range of new colours or finishes. Despite not particularly enjoying the task of painting them, I still do it, and enjoy picking out a shade suitable to an upcoming event or a season of the year to match an outfit or to make me feel happy. I love wearing bright colours on my fingers and toes in the summer, and wearing a pair of pretty sandals to show them off, or accessorise with some sparkly rings and bracelets to really accentuate my hands.

In this post I share with you my favourite shades that will make you feel totally summery for this season. There are a range of neon, bright, pale, shimmery, matte and even scented shades so there are plenty to choose from.

Barry M 'Eat My Dust' - Speedy Quick Dry

This is a gorgeous pale blue colour and as the name suggests it dries quickly to achieve perfectly coated nails efficiently. It has a flat brush to cover more of the nail with one coat and I find after two coats my nails are full of the colour and aren't streaky or sheer. Little to no clean up is needed after because of the style of the brush and this is something I really look for in a polish as we've already established my dislike for the task of painting my nails. I find one coats dries after about 60 seconds and I have touch dry nails within five minutes after using this polish.

Maybelline New York 'Pink in the Park' - Super Stay 7 Days

Without a top coat this polish lasted four days on my nails before it chipped or started flaking. You can get an even finish quickly due to the flat brush as more polish can be distributed onto the nails. This a bubblegum pink shade that looks great with a tan, but is perfect for any skin tone.

Sinful Colours 'Snow Me White'

When my nails are well manicured I like wearing a white shade and for £1.99 Sinful Colours offers a great polish. It's not streaky or watery and opaque with just two coats. It is a little thick but for the inexpensive price it does the job.

Rimmel London 'Goddess' - Salon Pro Kate Moss

This polish also has a flat wide brush to distribute a lot of polish onto the nail. I found it was quite sheer after one coat, but after about two or three coats there was a good amount of polish on my nails. The polish has a gel shine finish and I found that it didn't chip until about five days wearing it.

Barry M 'Guava' - Gelly Hi Shine

This polish has a very glossy gel like finish and is rich in colour with just one coat. It is a gorgeous turquoise blue colour and is bright and perfect for summer.

Barry M 'Mediterranean' - Aquarium Collection

This a mix of a pink and copper to create a shiny colour that looks beautiful in the sun.

Models Own 'Banana Split' - Fruit Pastel Collection

This polish is from a range of different scented shades from models own which are made up of creamy, pastel shades. Each has a different fruit scent and comes with retro scratch and sniff stickers on the lid. Pale colours tend to be fairly sheer but this polish can be easily built up with two to three coats.

Models Own 'Beach Hut' - Polish For Tans Collection

New this year, this is the first of three in this post from this collection. This colour is a super bright, neon and attention grabbing orange.

Models Own 'Cocktail Hour' - Polish For Tans Collection

Definitely the brightest in this collection, this polish is a neon coral and I love wearing it with a lipstick I own which is an exact colour match!

Models Own 'Malibu Pink' Polish For Tans Collection

This is a bright, easter egg, barbie pink and would compliment any summer outfit. Two coats for this collection works best I find.

Let me know what your favourite shades are!

Laura Elizabeth xo

Models Own Polish For Tans Collection

I recently won Models Own Facebook competition to receive the new colours in the nail polish collection 'Polish For Tans.' The collection is designed to compliment and enhance your tan and highlight the glow of your skin. The colours are perfect for any beach babes and the names for each polish are very fitting and super cute.