My Top Nail Polishes for Spring/ Summer 2012.

I realise I am a bit late on the bandwagon with this post with us being half way in to Spring already, but better late than never, right? This post has been a long time coming, I have been planning it for over a month now and wanted it to be my first YouTube video, but due to some technical issues the YouTube videos are going to have to wait :( Anyway, these are the polishes I have been reaching for the most since the beginning of April, I have picked out a nice mix of pastels, brights and glitters... I hope you like them!

 My favourite polishes for Spring/ Summer 2012!

 Barry M: Mint Green

I'm not so much a fan of the formula of this polish; it takes around three coats for it to become opaque, but the colour is so pretty! I've been a fan of mint green on the nails since it became quite popular this time last year.

 O.P.I: Play The Peonies (Nice Stems Collection)

This is my favourite nail polish of the bunch right now. I love this colour if I am after something a little more sophisticated. It is a really pretty pearly off-white/ pale pink shade. I always think of weddings when I apply it, the shade is so subtle and I think it would look lovely on a bride :)

 Models Own: Hedonist (Hedkandi Collection)

 This is definitely the most daring nail polish I own and it is more of a toe colour for me than a finger nail colour. It is a bright neon coral colour which leans more pink in some lights and orange in others. It also has a matte finish which I love, although it might not be for everybody. This can easily be fixed with a glossy top coat though :)

 Urban Decay: Hot Mess (first and third fingers)*

O.P.I: Be a Dahlia, Won't You? (second and forth fingers)

I thought I would include these shades together as they are so similar and the O.P.I polish is probably a lot easier to get hold of. Hot Mess is a gorgeous raspberry pink jelly polish with finely milled glitter running through it. It seriously looks gorgeous in the sunlight. I have been on a quest to find a dupe for it as it is extremely hard to get hold of, and although Be a Dahlia, Won't You is a couple of shades lighter, it'll do for now!

 MUA: U ROK (Love Hearts Collection)

Blue is a colour I find difficult to pull off on my skin tone, but cornflower blues such as this one are perfect, and this MUA polish is such good value for money!

 Maybelline Forever Strong: Lilac Charm

Lilac is another colour I find hard to pull off; they usually lean too pink for my skin tone. I love this one though, it has a slight greyish-blue undertone which makes it cool enough to look flattering on me, and I love the glossy finish it has, even without a top coat.

 Models Own: Ibiza Mix (Hedkandi Collection)

This is the ultimate glitter polish of the year, in my opinion! This photo definitely doesn't do it justice but it has the most gorgeous mix of orange, gold, green, blue and pink glitter particles and looks lovely over nearly any colour (photographed over Lilac Charm).

What are your favourite shades for S/S 2012?

*DISCLAIMER: Starred item was part of a giveaway prize.

Week in Instagrams #13

Quite a heavy Instagram post this week, I found myself just snapping pictures of random things. Despite that, I haven't really been up to that much, I went for a mooch around town and charity shopping earlier in the week, and as I haven't had a night out for a while I decided to venture in to town with some old school friends for drinks last night :)

1. This made me laugh when I got it. I doubt my mum would appreciate a Words With Friends game for Mother's Day.

2. These curtains aren't great for mornings when I want a lie-in as the sun shines straight through them :(

3. Checked out the new Essie stand in my locals Boots! 

4. My new blog design done by the lovely Felicity.

5. A Montagne Jeunesse Travel Pamper Pack to try out. A review will be up in the next week :)

6. Got way too excited when this fell through my letter box. Too cute!

7. Bacon and Cheese stuffed mushrooms.

8. My ombre/dip-dye nails :) See my post on them here.

9. Fell in love with this Lipsy maxi dress in a charity shop for only £7 but didn't pick it up because I didn't know if/when I would wear it. Definitely regretting leaving it there!

10. Hit 800 followers this week, so happy! Thanks everybody :D

11. Smoked kipper and rice for dinner.

12. This is good stuff!

13. Tried the new Magnums. So good but very sickly!

14. Chicken and cheese pitta with fruit juice for breakfast :)

15. My lip saviours at the moment.

16. My night out last night resulted in me randomly purchasing a photo keyring. I don't even know two of the people on it.

I hope you have all had a lovely week! :)

(Guest Post) Review: Montagne Jeunesse Shine Control Mask.

This is the last review in my series of Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes range reviews. As it is the Shine Control mask and I do not have oily skin, I decided to pass the mask on to another blogger who would be more suited to it. Say hello to the lovely Nadia from Dressing Table Delights, who kindly offered to review this mask for me; make sure you check out her blog! :)

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes range*

Firstly, here is what Montagne Jeunesse say about their new range:

Are you having a skin problem? Do you need help? Do you always ask yourself ‘which mask shall I use for my Oily/Dry/Spot Prone/Blackheads or T-Zone Skin? Fear not our NEW Skin Hero Range has landed and are raring & ready to fight for your right to clear, healthy skin the natural way; it’s your weekly essential for healthy, gorgeous, problem free skin.

These are the products in the range:

• De-clog Pores nose strips (Read review)*
• Break Out Mask (Read review)*
• Shine Control*
• Dry Skin Mask (Read review)*
• T-Zone Peel Off (Read review)*

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes Shine Control Mask*

The 'Shine Off' masque, part of the Montagne Jeunesse new Skin Heroes range, claims to 'balance the skin' which is great for me as my t-zone area is extremely oily whereas the rest of my face is relatively normal - not too dry or oily. So I was interested to see if this would banish my excess oil and balanced the rest of my skin out to create an even base.

These new masks have two steps; the mask which is used first, and a moisturiser for afterwards. 

The mask: the consistency of this was great - not too thick or thin! It was so easy to apply a thin, even layer all over the face. The mask is a tan 'skin' colour and dries to a cream/white colour so you easily see when it is fully dried and the smell was weird - subltle hints of 'fruit' with a clay mask smell - not pleasant nor too bad. It says to it on for 15-20minutes which was exactly how long I left it on for and it was completely dry (I used less than half a packet which was plenty!). As it was drying it felt extremely tight, like i couldn't even move my mouth without it cracking tight, I personally don't mind that feeling but if you do then this probably isn't for you. Once dried it was fairly easily to remove with a cloth and warm water. My skin didn't feel tight or dry once removed, it felt more 'plump' and as it claims.. oil free! 

The moisturiser: I used less than half of this too as I found it to be extremely thick and moisturising. Despite it's thickness it was easy to rub in and absorbed really quickly leaving me with hydrated yet matte skin at the same time (why can't all moisturisers be like this?). Half the packet was more than enough to moisturise my whole face and neck without feeling greasy.

For the next few hours my face was pretty much oil free, but after about 3 hours the oil started seeping back - much better than if I didn't use it though! I think this mask would be great for a quick fix before an event or something where you really need to keep shine at bay! The moisturiser actually made a great base for makeup and my skin overall felt much smoother. Overall, this is really nice for some pre-party pampering and there's enough product for two - bargain!

The Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes range is now available in ASDA stores, and they are a steal at just £1.49 per sachet. You can also purchase Montagne Jeunesse skin care products online at their website, postage only costs £0.50p, or is completely free if you spend just £7.50! And as a bonus, all of their products are suitable for vegetarians and they look to use natural ingredients to give your skin the TLC it needs!

Are you a fan of Montagne Jeunesse? What is your favourite product?
 -Nadia

*PR Sample.

Haul: New Look, Matalan, Internacionale, Dorothy Perkins & Superdrug

Somebody please take my purse off me and don't let me spend any more money?! I have no self control when it comes to mid-season sales and student discount. These are just a few things I have picked up over the past week.

 Tan Mid Wedge Shoes: New Look £17.99
I love these shoes! I really like that they are not quite a flatform, but not a full-on wedge either. They're so easy to walk in and are perfect for the day time. In an ideal world I would also have a black pair, but I must be sensible!

 Pastel Stripe Jumper: Internacionale £22.99 £12.00
I spotted this in the Internacionale sale whilst having a quick mooch around town on Monday, but didn't buy it at first, but this was one of those items that you get home and can't stop thinking about how much you want it. I don't actually own a proper jumper, and the pastel colours on this make it perfect for the more chilly Spring days. I went back yesterday to see if it was still there, and it was, so I snapped it up!

Bright Tropical Print Blouse: Matalan £16.00
This is probably the brightest item of clothing I have ever owned in my life! I've been trying to brighten up my wardobe a little for Summer and this certainly does it! I can't wait until we get a bit of sun so I can wear it out, it's really loose and flowy with a dipped hem and slits in the sleeves, which I love.

 Collar Necklace: £10.00 £1.00
Triangle Ring: £5.00 £1.00
(Both Dorothy Perkins)

I featured some Dorothy Perkins jewellery bargains in my last haul, and couldn't resist going back to pick up a couple more things. Absolute bargains!

 Barry M Mint Green, Barry M Matt White: £2.99 each
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in Medium: £4.19
(All Superdrug)

I love mint green nail polishes and I have been needing a new one, so I opted for the cheap and cheerful Barry M. This is now my third repurchase of the wonderful Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer and I still love it as much as I did the first time I bought it! As Superdrug currently have a 3 for 2 offer across all cosmetics, I picked up another Barry M polish in Matt White as I didn't have a white polish and I think it is a staple colour to have in your collection.

I think a spending ban is in order!

Wednesday Wishlist #13

I seem to have unintentionally gone by a girly, frilly, floral theme this week; there are just so many pretty cream and pastel pieces out on the high street at the moment!

1. Cream Floral Blouse £16.00

Matalan have got it so right this Spring! I don't think this photo does it justice, but I spotted this blouse in store today and it is really pretty and would look lovely tucked in to a pair of plain shorts or jeans.

2. Black Aztec Print Leggings £18.00

I really like leggings that have a little bit of detail on them to make them look a bit more interesting, and this pastel aztec pattern is really on trend right now.

3. Chiffon Floral Print Dipped Hem Dress £20.00

I really don't need another dress but how gorgeous is this? This is another Matalan piece that I saw when I popped in there today. I think it would look lovely on a sunny day paired with a denim jacket.

4. Crochet Shorts £25.99

I've wanted a pair of crochet shorts for a while now and I loved this scalloped Zara pair. They also have a black pair that I quite like, although I think they give a competely different feel.

5. Skinny Silk Scarf £8.00

This is such a simple accessory but I think it would look really cute worn like a pussy bow under the collar of a sheer blouse :)

I hope you like my picks! Are you loving all the pastel prints at the moment?

How To: Ombre/ Dip Dye Nails

The dip dye effect is everywhere on the high street and cat walks this Spring/ Summer, and now the trend has moved on to nail art. I saw Francis over at francisdodson try this and instantly wanted to give it a go. It is a little tricky at first and takes a bit of practice to get it right, but I love the finished look.

What you will need:

 -Between 3-5 gradient nail polishes

- A triangular make-up sponge

 L-R: MUA Love Hearts Nail Polish in LOVE U 24/7, Maybelline Forever Strong Pro in Lilac Charm, Barry M White

Step-by-Step

1. Prep by dipping the sponge in a glass of water and then squeezing out the excess so that it is left damp. This stops the nail polish from just soaking in to the sponge. I also recommend you paint your nails with your palest shade; this will give the polishes something to adhere to and help the colours show up better.

2. Take your damp sponge and paint stripes of each shade next to each other going from light to dark. Paint on a couple of layers of each so that it doesn't dry up too fast or soak in to the sponge.

3. Do a couple of test dabs on a piece of paper so you can see what the effect will look like. Place the sponge nail polish side down and dab it a few times in the same spot so that the colours blend in to each other.

4. Once you are happy, recoat the sponge with more nail polish and do the same thing again on your nails. It may take a lot of layering and reapplying of the nail polish to get all of your nails done.

5. You're nearly done! Now you should be left with ombre nails but also an ombre mess around the tips of your fingers. Take a cotton bud/ Q-tip with some nail polish remover on it and just tidy up the edges.

6. Wait for your nails to dry for a little bit and then apply a top coat. This will protect your design and blend the polishes in to each other further.

Voila! You have dip-dye effect nails that are perfect for Summer! Don't give up if it doesn't work for you the first time, it can take a bit of practice, it certainly took me a few attempts to get it right!

What do you think of this look? Have you tried it?