Polished - August & September

Is it wrong that I am super excited to show you my latest nail polish favorites? 

Its been ages since the last nail related blogpost but I know you didn't think I haven't been hoarding polishes in the mean time. Of course I have. Its a problem or a gift whichever way you want to look at it. I prefer to believe its normal to keep buying more and more polishes.

I wish it felt a bit more like autumn here so I would feel like whipping out more of my burgundys and maroons. Instead we are still in high +30c so maybe next month.

First one that has been on my nails a lot in past weeks is this bright purple Essie Sittin' Pretty (Link). You can find this vivid lavender in Essie Neons 2014 collection. Its not an everyday goes with everything shade for me as I do feel I have to take it into account when choosing an outfit. That said I still like it! Perfect change for all of reds and pastels I normally gravitate towards.

Oh did I say I like pastels? Now this is actually really a problem..because I picked up PiCture pOlish Sky and was soo soo soooo excited. OMG what an unusual and pretty pastel blue! What a great choice you have made Laura! Came home, painted my nails immediately only to realize that it is pretty much EXACTLY the same as Barry M Huckleberry which I of course already own. I swear it looked different in the store!! Well I have come to terms with it now, I bought something I already had just in a different bottle.What else is new..but its pretty right?

Another shade I have in 20 different variations is this type of purple/pink but I got a new one anyway. I think this would be the autumn shade of this selection. Sephora Formula X in Riotous (Link)- a dark magneta if I must describe it somehow. I have to say even with my normal base and top coat this baby stays chip free for 5 days on me. Which kind of makes me love the new Formula X line. This is my favorite work appropriate shade for the past weeks.

I have been holding back to get the Formula X The System but I might cave soon.

Everyone keeps praising so my curiosity is peaked. Have you tried it? Is it worth it?
Whats your current nail polish loves?

Polished / June

Whats your favorite beauty items?

 I always get the most excited if I have a new lipstick or a nail polish post ready to share. However I have am trying to put a stop to my excessive nail polish hording. The wake up call was when I arrived home with two new O.P.I polishes only to realize I already owned both of them. So I try to be more selective of what I buy and actually choose colors I end up using ( I know that sounds like the only sensible way to do it but I promise that was not always the case with me).

Laura walks into Sephora and notices a dark blue or a bright green nail polish. Laura swoons over a pretty bottle and is determined she will start wearing those colors from now on. Laura buys not one but both of the nail polishes. Laura returns home and keeps using only pastels and reds/pinks.

True story.

Anyway let get to the good stuff- the polishes that ruled my June.

 Essie / Watermelon- hands down prettiest summer shade from my polish collection. The first word that comes to my mind when describing it is juicy. Its a mix of raspberry pink and red and must be the hardest color to photograph as of date. It either comes off too red or too pink and I couldn't get it to show its true deliciousness. So I urge you to go check it out at the counter next time. Application is a breeze but the staying power is so-so. I think it chips faster than my other Essie polishes. Since I adore the color I dont mind the shorter wear time that much but its something to note. 

 Barry M / Rose Hip- I have said this before but Barry M Gelly formula is freakin fantastic! Staying power is totally there, the price is great and their pastels are by far the easiest formula to work with. We all know these kind of white based pastel pinks can be a pain to apply (I am talking to you Essie Fiji!!) but Rose Hip is opaque in two coats. Minimal effort for a high gloss smooth finish and such a great soft girly shade.

Rimmel Salon Pro / Hip Hop- Even just looking at it on this photo makes me smile. Isn't it pretty? Its from the Kate Moss collection and I only picked it up last week. I had seen it on some bloggers and made a mental note but never bought it. Mainly cause Rimmel stand is not something I remember to check while on my Boots rounds. I did however check it while grocery shopping at Spinney's ( milk, bread, veggies and nail polish..my kind of grocery list). How did I not know that Rimmel polishes have such a awesome formula? Its almost gel like, high shine and easy to apply and we are talking serious staying power like 6 days straight was a breeze. And the shade.. the bright, tan enhancing, orange toned red that just screams summer. I cant wait to see what other shades Salon Pro has as I am seriously impressed with the formula.

I am pretty sure this summers rotation will be mainly Watermelon and Hip Hop.

Before I forget there is one more nail related buy that I will from now on never be without.

Bourjois Instant Dry Nail Drops have become my best friend. The nails are dry in minutes and the oil is moisturizing for the cuticles. It doesn't break the bank and it works what more can you want.

Whats your summer polish? Are you the girl who rocks a bright shade or do you prefer to stay pretty in pastels?

Polished / For the Love of Essie

Its been ages since I wrote about nail polishes and that only like one of my favorite subjects. 

I was just being extra good and did not buy any new polishes for well over a month. And all the old favorites you have already seen. So June rolled around and I figured I have been a goody-goody long enough lets just get shopping. Sephora in City Walk mall stocks Essie and..well I went there to "check it out' (read: with a mindset of "buy everything"). So didn't exactly ease myself into nail-polish shopping as not one but three polishes just felt NECESSARY. I will say it right now- these might just be my TOP 3 current favorites.

Lets get to it shall we. First up is this beauuutiful pastel that I had been eyeing on different blogs- Lilacism. It has more of a grey undertone than my other purple pastels and it feels much more work appropriate than a pastel green or blue. I absolutely love this shade! I know I say this about every new pastel polish I get my hands on but this one is my favorite. For now.

Next up is what I think might be the most perfect nude ever - Topless&Barefoot. I dont buy many nude shades as its easy to get it wrong and I never wear it later. In the bottle they all look so similar but on the nails they often don't compliment the skin tone and make the hands look a bit drab. They are either too brownish or the shade is too cold but this one is everything a nude should be. Its subtle creamy pinkish nude that makes your hands look great and nails look healthy. How perfect a nude looks on your nails has everything to do with your skin tone and Topless&Barefoot is an all around winner in my book!

And then we come to The Perfect Red- Fishnet Stockings. This is a polish I have owned and loved before and I missed having it in my collection again. Its just one of those reds that will instantly make you feel like a lady. Here' s a fun fact for you- It is apparently one of the favorite nail polishes of Dita Von Tees. If anyone knows a classic feminine red nail that's her right? Its not too blue undertone and I think it would look great on any skin tone because you know..its perfect ( oh did I say that word in this post already?)

I am wearing 2 coats of polish + Essie Good to Go topcoat on all the photos. Essie polishes are super easy to apply and they stay looking good on me around 4-5 days which I consider a pretty good deal.

Oh and here is a picture of Zulu for no reason other than I think she is so pretty.

Whats your favorite Essie polishes at the moment? Do I absolutely NEED to get some more shades?

Gradient Pastel Nails

 

I have great love for painted nails and enjoy hording nail polishes but I'm not particulary into nail art. Gradient nails however have been on my mind for ages and I today I gave it a go. 

I admit I need to practice some more so the gradient part would be smoother but overall I am happy how it turned out. I might try to do this again with some other color options.

So for this you need:

- two polishes you want to use + base and top coat

- a toothpick 

- some aluminum foil

- a small piece of makeup sponge

- q-tips and nail polish remover

1. You start by painting your nails with the color you want to have as a base. Mine here is BarryM Gelly in Sugar Apple.

2. Now put a bit of the base polish and the polish you want to create the gradients with on the foil. Mix them a bit with the toothpick. I chose to use Barry M Berry.

3. Cut a small piece out of your sponge and dip it into the color. Then slowly start applying it onto your nails. Obviously having a light hand in the middle on the nail and concentrating more of your gradient color to the tip.

 

There is no way to keep this looking clean so dont worry too much when the polish gets on your cuticles. You can just have a quick clean with the q-tip later.

4. After a minute or so just apply a good layer of topcoat and you are all set. Seriously it is that easy!

What other color combo would work nice for this? I'm thinking pastel pink to golden would always look nice. Or maybe light pink to dark?

Have you tried this before?

Strawberry Bubblegum

Its been too long since we spoke about nail polish. 

This O.P.I shade is a relatively new addition in my stash and matches well with the current theme I have going on.. its called " Get everything pastel!". Pastel shoes- get them! Skirts-get them as well! Pastel pink nail polish - get all of them!

Mod About You makes me stop every little while and just stare down at my nails. Its like Strawberry bubblegum Barbie nails and I would have never guessed that's my thing..well apparently Im a Barbie. Go figure!

Its a fantastic pastel polish as you really get a streak free coverage in two coats. Its white based so makes the nails stand out and seem bright and clean. Gosh I love this polish!

Mate was a tremendous help as always. I mean look at that face!!

Whats your favorite pastel nail polishes at the moment? I need more..

Polished / third edition/

It is time to show you my most used nail polishes for the month of March. 

I am not entirely sure what happened here because 3 out of 4 are purple shades and I just cant get enough of them lately. I cant remember ever being that into lavender hues but thats all I wore for the past few weeks.

On the left we have Barry M Berry 308 - a pretty pastel shade. You might already know my love for the Barry M polishes and this one is just as great. Goes on like a dream and stays chip free.  More purple/pink than blue and looks lovely with white summer dresses.

Next lets talk about the Nstyle Vamp-ire. Super dark almost black beauty that looks amazing on short nails. This kind of shades I have always been into. The dark and moody purples are my favorite kind of dark polish. I dont own any black polish actually all of them have a deep purplish undertone.

Moving on to the third purple offering which is O.P.I. You're Such A Budapest. More blue undertones and the usual high quality of O.P.I.

Here is it on my nails:

Last up the brand new Barry M offering that I added to my collection on a whim. Its the 320 golden shade from their Foil Effects collection. I have not bought a metallic polish in ages but somehow it stood out to me at Boots and now I kind of love it. It feels very different from my usual choices and a nice change to all the pastels and reds I tend to wear. Its super opaque and even thou the first coat looks very steaky the second one makes it all better.

At the moment I am back to my old favorite mani which is pastel pink and gold tips. This time I used Essie Ballet Slippers for the pink and Ciate Antique Brooch for the glitter.

I have a few different polishes I use to create the same look but I wanted to test out which of them stays chip free the longest. I'm off to our Sri Lanka vacation end of next week and would like to paint my nails something fuss free before leaving. The glitter tips usually make the mani much more resistant so this look might be a winner.

Whats your favorite polish shade for a beach vacation?

Get with the program

Now Im going to tell you something and you have to promise to still be my friend after that..
I have never owned any kind of make up primer in my life *insert shocked face*
Not for foundation, not for eyes etc..

March is work wise manic (we are talking 13h work days every weekend of the month) and the weather is heating up so the eye makeup I put on in the morning was never there anymore around lunch time. That finally got me wondering..

 I honestly have no freakin clue why I was under the impression that I should not be using an eyeshadow primer. Why? Its not like I hadn't heard of them. Its not like I don't go to Sephora every other day. Its not like I don't put eyeshadow on every morning.

So as I grew tired of rubbing off streaky eyeshadow at my short lunch break during another outdoor event.. I finally got the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. This was put on ultimate test right away because this weekend I was doing super long days at Taste of Dubai festival. All outdoor, a lot of running around and sweating.

The results make me even more annoyed with myself. You probably know this already unless you have been living under the same primer related rock as me..but primers make a huge difference!! I mean huge! Like 13h later the eyeshadow is still blended and still there and everything is well in my world. I truly could not believe it, not one little streaky crease on my lids. I am never not using eye primer again. Its my new best friend!





As always I got sidetracked by the O.P.I stand and picked up a lovely bluish lavender polish. I love choosing a O.P.I polish and then checking out the name. The names almost make me want to buy the polish even more. So You' re Such A Budapest came home with me and I shall include it in a nail post asap. Its very lovely!

In anticipation of the crazy 3 days I had this weekend I went out and bought 3 new dresses. Cause a girl can do anything in a new dress right! I really cant wait to show them to you but will have to wait til husband and his camera return from a work trip tomorrow. So whats the soonest you can ask a guy who has done a total of 23h flying to come outside and take my outfit picture? 20min?

Anyway I'm wildly interested in this whole primer thing and want to buy a foundation primer next. Can you give me suggestions on good ones?

Polished /second edition/

I was really really looking forward for this month to end just so I can do another recap of my favourite nail polishes.

If I was still living in Europe this selection would be so different. Cold and dark weather always makes me reach for the dark and moody polishes. In Dubai however it such lovely sunny days and reading about all the make up spring releases makes me want to wear head to toe pastels and have colourful nails to go with it. It also makes me want to buy way too many new products.. and Im rubbish and fighting the urge to shop. Hence there is a pile of makeup and haircare products I want to tell you about soon.

But onto the polishes that got the most use this month:

✓  Barry M Raspberry- well this one got its own blogpost so no wonder its on the list. Totally perfect berry shade that I have gotten many compliment on.

✓  American Apparel Neon Violet- on oldie but goodie that is starting to dry up and that makes me sad. Its such a vibrate flattering neon violet and I need to get my hands on another bottle of this soon. This one screams summer!  Isnt it such a gorgeous shade?

✓ Nailstation Menthe- lovely light green pastel. I have wrote about Nailstation polishes before and I especially like their pastel ones.

✓ Isadora Summer Red- for work events I tend to always go with red polish and this bright fiery red was my pick this month. Im not overly crazy about Isadora polishes the staying power is not amazing but I do like this shade.

With an imaginary drum roll (cause nail polishes totally deserve drum rolls right!) let me present this months superstar..and the winner of Best Newcomer.

 piCture polish Coral Reef

I kept reading about piCture pOlish and was more than tempted to give it a go. So on a work related trip to Dubai Mall I just had to pass their stand in Bloomingdales and pick up a few shades. I had to make it quick as I was there to do other errands so the first one to stand out for me was Coral Reef.

It is such a beauty.. a mix of pastel and neon almost. Its not blindingly bright but certainly doesnt go unnoticed and polish quality is amazing. There shall be many more piCture pOlishes in my collection thats for sure. You can check out my Instagram to see the other pretty pastel that made the cut this time.

Just for fun I painted a golden accent nail with H&M Wawawoom.

So thats it on nail polish from my side. There is a brand new pleated ASOS midi skirt that needs to be taken for a stroll in the park now. Outfit post to follow for sure!

One more thing before I go. Come join me on Facebook..we can totally hang out and stuff! ( Link )

Barry M- Raspberry

Today's post will be a short one but its extremely important to tell you that you must go and buy Barry M- Raspberry nail polish. Make it your Valentines gift for yourself!

Its my new favorite berry toned polish and I just cant get enough of it. We are talking the perfect balance of red and purple berry tones and you get a great even coverage with two light coats. Best part- its a bargain!

I have had BarryM nail polishes before and always found their quality to way surpass the price. The formula is great- not too thin and streaky and not overly thick either. They dont have a huge color selection but there are some great pastels as well as basic red, black etc. Actually that statement is wrong. In UK they have a huge color selection but Dubai Boots doesn't stock very many options. Which is fine cause otherwise I would have to buy so many more.

I have been wearing it for a while and just dont feel like switching to something else. Its too perfect of a color! But as you know from a previous post I did buy 4 new polishes so I give Raspberry a few more days and then we see how the new glitters preform.

In other news. I cant wait to go on a romantic dinner with the husband tomorrow evening. I have a feeling its going to be a lovely one. Do you have any plans for the V day?

The One Where Laura Goes to Buy Eye Makeup Remover

I'm not entirely sure who am I trying to fool when just before entering the mall I tell myself I will only buy what I really need- a makeup remover. Cause thats what I did yesterday.

However the taxi driver dropped me off at the other side of the mall. I had aimed for the main entrance which is a small walk to Boots and out again. He dropped me at the other end which is smack next to Sephora and a whole walk through the mall to get to Boots. So I blame this one on the taxi driver (thank you thank you thank you Mr.)

My safari through the mall went a little like this.. first stop Sephora.. buying two new polishes.. deciding quickly the initial plan sucks..changing the plan from buying makeup remover to shopping for new stuff..following through with the new plan immaculately.


This is what I got:

      Cat is not from the mall. Those can be found on the streets of Dubai and they are awesome. Zulu approved all the  items..especially the ones that roll and can be pushed off the dresser. Those ones are the best!

I am extremely exited to try the new polishes and bust out some nail posts soon but my favorite buy is  The Body Shop Vitamine E Overnight Serum-in-oil and Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream. Give me a few weeks and I will review it for sure.

And now to the gem of this little mall trip. The Clarins foundation both Laura and Simone raved about was on top of my wishlist for weeks and weeks. I have no idea why I waited so long to get it. I used it this morning and I can already see what these ladies are talking about. Its pretty amazing stuff. Will give it a few weeks but it might be "how have I ever lived without you" kind of story here.

Oh yeah.. I did get the makeup remover as well but it was soo boring compared to the other purchases I forgot to even add it to the pictures.

Polished /first edition/

We have previously established I like painting my nails.

I am the weirdo who feels utterly devastated if a nail polish chips and I cant take it all off RIGHT THIS SECOND. I do understand other people will probably not notice but it doesn't matter. I notice and I feel uncomfortable if my nails are not perfect.. yes Im sure there is some underlying issues here but lets move on.

I like changing the nail polish often which is also the reason I have never gotten gelish or anything else that makes me commit to a color for longer than a few days. Thirdly I just like buying nail polishes and cant justify it if I dont use them often.

So this brings me to todays post of my January favorites. These are the ones I have reached for most often last few weeks:

It pretty much goes between dark and pastel for me constantly no matter the season. There is however always one red I will use as I just love the look of a properly maintained, short and round red nails. This months fav of the darks was O.P.I. Give me Moor! (on the left). This is proper dark polish with purple undertone. O.P.I. is easily my favorite polish brand and I especially love all their dark colors. 

The red that I reached for the most in January was a fairly new O.P.I buy in Malaga Wine. A dark classic wintery red that just make me feel like such a lady. Well any red polish does that dont you agree? I feel like I should act more grown up whenever I have red polish on..

My favorite pastel combo was the same shown on my first ever blogpost. The Nailstation-Fashion Reaction and my new much loved addition Bourjois-Vampire Vanity

I will leave you with my most recent manicure. I dont do much nail art besides playing around with some glitter polish or painting a different color accent nail but to celebrate the upcoming Valentines Day I figured a tiny little heart was in order.

On my nails:

✓ Essie First Base base coat

✓ one coat of Essie Ballet Slippers followed with a coat of Essie Hi Maintenance (this combo is a b*tch to apply at first and can come off streaky but becomes much easier once you get the hang of it). It is the combo I wore at my wedding so I practiced a lot.

✓ drew the heart with BarryM Raspberry

✓ finished it off with my favorite top coat O.P.I RapiDry

I know thats a whole lot of talk about nail polishes. Lets wrap this up.
My ASOS order should arrive any day now so there shall be outfits posts for sure.

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