OPI Nail Envy. Because I Had To See What All The Fuss Was About.

OPI has always been one of those brands that I've read about but never bought into the whole hype, I've 'adopted' a pink shade 'Strawberry Fields' from my sister and that's as far it went. 

Back in early September I treated myself to some gel nail extensions, I loved them but they didn't love me and wreaked havoc with my nails. After my stint with stiletto nails, my real nails were looking a little worse for wear so I lacquered up with multiple nail base coats, treatments and oils but they just weren't cutting the mustard.

I've always been intrigued by OPI Nail Envy but the £18.95 price tag (from Boots, I know you can get it cheaper online but my impatience got the better of me and I wanted that instant gratification) sounded like an awful lot. Well, my Boots Advantage Card was looking pretty healthy and had hit past the £40 mark so I thought what's a measly £19? 

I’ve been using this every other day and my nails have finally got a bit of life back in them, have stopped splitting and are edging their way over my finger tips. Hurrah!

My once strong and beautiful nails which I always got compliments on are on their way back to recovery thanks to some TLC and some pretty liberal applications of Nail Envy. The bottle that is defintely worth the buck.

Rachel xo

Lighter Days, Brighter Ways

The fingertips writing this post are devoted to their dark polish, think burgandy, wine and glossy black. I love how chic and polished a dark nail can look. However, with the lighter days heading our way I thought it's time to give myself a little Spring servicing and I have an abundance of pastels but they don't get the love they deserve. These are the colours I'll be reaching for this Spring.

Maybelline - Ceramic Blue

Maybelline - Mint for Life

Maybelline - Porcelain Pink

Barry M - Berry Ice Cream 308

Models Own - Utopia

Essie - Fiji

Essie - Sand Tropez

Barry M Gelly- Lychee

What is your favourite polish for Spring?

Rachel xo

Nail Care 101

 

First off, please excuse the images, I just snapped them quickly with my phone, my boyfriend is out and I don't know how to use his fancy DSLR. Camera virgin. 

Following my post about my favourite nail polishes I wanted to mention the nail base coat I swear by. It is the Revlon Post Trauma Nail Treatment, sounds dramatic doesn't it. 

It  'Fill Ridges, Strengthens & Restores Nails' and I love this under any nail polish because firstly it helps prevent staining from any polish and I use it in as a preventative to any nail trauma. 

Having long nails naturally I do think they are more vulnerable to breaking as they can get caught or knocked quite easily so I need all the strength I can get. 

Yesterday was the first day in a long time that I didn't paint my nails, I am trying to let them 'breath' but they look awful without any colour, like I have smoked 20 cigarettes, even though I've never smoked in my life,  so I put a coat of this on, it is a milky colour which makes my nails look better. 

Also, an obvious point to make but always carry a nail file, this has saved my nails a hundred times, where once you have snagged a nail there is the temptation to just rip it off but with a nail file you can salvage it. 

  And finally, call me crazy but I am sure that having your nails painted at all makes them stronger, even without any sort of treatment. I think that just having someting on your nails thickens them some how and forms a protective barrier. 

I am interested to try the OPI Nail Envy but at around £18 I aren't so sure. For now following my own nail regime is working swell. 

Rachel x 

My Favourite Nail Polishes

I am forever painting my nails and would even consider it to be a hobby of mine but I do find myself reaching for the same colours. I am definetly a dark nails girl but the odd lick of nude it acceptable too.This was meant to be my top 5 but I couldn't choose between some of these so this is rather just a selection of my collection to give an idea of my preferences. 

From left to right we have,  

Barry M - 47 'Black' - Quite self-explanatory, I love a good black nail, ever since I first saw it on Lauren Conrad from 'The Hills'. It looks so chic, especially on short nails, but I do have quite long nails naturally so I haven't reached for this as much in the last few months. 

Essie - 'Lady Godiva' - This is a beautiful dark red and rich brown which when applied with 2 coats looks black at a first glimpse. This is perhaps my favourite of all, and I also quite like it as after I had bought it, I only then noticed the name, Lady Godiva, which is associated with Coventry, my University city. 

Maybelline Forever Strong Pro - 'Really Rosy' - I own almost all of the Forever Strong nail polishes by Maybelline, the formula is excellent, they don't chip for about 5 days I'd say and they go on thick and opaque. I love this colour as it is a bright but dusky rose kind of colour, very pretty on your nails but still a darker hue of pink which I like a lot.

Barry M - 'Dusky Mauve' - Another Barry M polish, these can't really be beaten on price at £2.99 and I remember looking at this colour because I remember when Diet Coke bought out the offer with a free NailsInc polish and it was that gorgeous taupey grey, called London I believe? Well this colour is that lovely balance between a grey, taupe and a little hint of purple but just a darker hue overall, and as you can gather by now, I like dark colours for nails. 

Essie - 'Fiji' - This was the first ever Essie polish I purchased, and I remeber it was February 2012, I was living in Spain and I had an 'El Corte Ingles' voucher. (much like a John Lewis) I know this colour is very popular and I can see why, it is so opaque and a really pale pink. It looks lovely with tanned hands although I do find this looks better on slightly shorter nails than mine. Very pretty! 

Essie - 'Sand Tropez' - This is a light beige colour and I like to wear this when I want a neutral nail, it does need two coats to be opaque but I just love this colour and I put this on when I don't know what colour I want my nails. This also is a great base if you want to use a glitter polish on top, for that I like the Model's Own Ibiza mix. 

So there are my favourites, I am still searching for an opaque cream nail polish, I have looked at 'Cloud Nine' and 'Like Linen' by Essie online but I want to see it in person to know if it is really like. The story of my life, always on the hunt for a beauty product. 

Thanks for reading,

Rachel x