Tuesday T. Bryan: nail

Showing posts with label nail. Show all posts

Friday, 26 July 2013

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer; shades 265 / 341 / 186; review + photos

"Fashion Fix for your Fingertips." - Maybelline New York

After hearing all the hype for aaages about the Maybelline Color Show nail polishes, I've finally decided to buy some. I bought three shades from Boots - there's currently a "3 for 2" deal on selected Maybelline products. ;)
I'm not exactly sure how many shades there are in the Color Show range... It says on the Maybelline "Colorwheel" that there are 40 available, however I can't find two of my shades on there (265 and 341)... Still, there are plenty to choose from, so there's something for every girl out there!
I opted for a sassy red-ish shade called "265 Wine Shimmer", and two summer-brights called "341 Orange Attack" and "186 Fuchsia Fever".

☆CLICK HERE to read my review of three more gorgeous Maybelline ColorShow shades!☆

Images: The photos to the right show each shade after 1, 2, and 3 coats. Click the image to enlarge.

265 Wine Shimmer: This was the colour I was instantly drawn to. Classic with a twist, it's right up my street. ;) It's a timeless "red wine" shade, packed with glitzy iridescent sparkles - very glamorous! I want to see this shade on every lady's fingers and toes this Autumn/Winter. It has a thin consistency which gives a translucent finish, so you'll need at least 3 coats for a totally opaque look. However, just one coat gives your nails a subtle yet very pretty colour, which could be worn all year round!
Scroll down to the end of my review to see my nails painted in "Wine Shimmer", with a little nail glitter for extra glitzy glamour!

341 Orange Attack: An orange polish is a great way to get your nails summer-ready. I think this particular shade is bang-on for the summer - it went straight on my toes for a sunshine-perfect pedicure! It's a bright, block-colour orange i.e. it's just one colour, non-metallic, free from sparkles, etc etc. The coverage is fabulous. It's so good, in fact, that you could get away with wearing just one coat! (But I'm a bit OCD, so I have to wear at least two...) It also has a wicked, sunshine-reflecting, high-shine finish.
If you want a similar shades that's a little more glittery, then click here to check out the photos in one of my previous reviews - it contains my thoughts on Avon's "Apple of his Eye"; a sparkly summer shade of orange. :)
Scroll down to near the end of this review to see my nails painted in "Orange Attack".

186 Fuchsia Fever: This one is from the "Neons" collections of Color Show polishes - a range of shades that are perfect for a striking summer manicure. I was tied on which one to get, so my partner chose this vibrant purple for me as it's his favorite colour. :)
The first thing I noticed was how amazingly quickly it dried! It took well under a minute, for sure. ;) When it dries it has a matte finish, which I personally dislike. I've never found matte nails very feminine. But don't despair, a glossy top coat cures this in a flash! I was also hacked off with how many coats you need to achieve an opaque finish. The this consistency requires 3 to 4 coats to give an opaque result, and, unlike the two shades mentioned above, you can't pull it off with just one coat. You'll have to set some time aside if you want a magnificent manicure with this stuff!

As for the wear, I got about 5 days out of this stuff before noticing any chips, peeling or fading etc etc. Bare in mind that any polish's staying-power will be effected by the condition of your nails - mine used to break and peel horrendously when I had thin tips! Click here to check out the Avon Nail Experts Gel Strength Base Coat to strengthen your nails and prolong your colour - honestly, that stuff is my manicure miracle!

I'm definitely up for purchasing some more of the Color Show shades. With all the colours available I'm spoiled for choice!

☆CLICK HERE to read my review of three more gorgeous Maybelline ColorShow shades!☆

Click here to view the Maybelline Colorwheel, where you can view the Color Show Nail Lacquer shades, view suggested tips and ideas about what to wear with each polish, share your favorite polish via social media sites, and purchase the Color Show shades.

Image - below: My freshly-painted nails! Like my summery shade? It's "341 Orange Attack" by Maybelline Color Show.

Image - below: My nails in "265 Wine Shimmer". I've added some extra detail by apply Avon Colour Trend Glitter Glam Nail Glitter in "Black Bling" to my ring finger. Click here for my review!

Image - below: Here is a photo of my nails after 3 days wear. There are no noticeable signs of wear at all. This stuff is pretty hard wearing, and so is the Avon Colour Trend Nail Glitter! (Click here for my review.)

© Tuesday T. Bryan Photography
DO NOT USE IMAGES WITHOUT PERMISSION. Copyrighted material

By Tuesday T. Bryan.

Sunday, 21 July 2013

☆Avon Nail Experts Gel Strength Base Coat - Review + photos of my manicure miracle product!!!☆

Source:
http://avonshop.co.uk/

I've been saying for a while now that I'll publish a review of Avon Nail Experts Gel Strength Base Coat (a great product, but why did they have to give it such a long name?). When looking through my blog's private statistics I can see that a lot of people are searching for an honest review of this popular nail polish, so here it is!
From my experience of this product, I actually think Avon are understating this stuff's power. It has absolutely worked wonders on my nails. I can't stress how thankful I am from it!

Avon say...
"Treat your nails to an at-home manicure without the beauty parlour price! Sheer pink-toned gel makes nails 92.5% stronger and gives them a shiny finish." - http://avonshop.co.uk/

Let's jump back to 4 months ago... me and my partner spend a week in the freezing cold extra-long winter of 2012/13 "fixing" my car's body work and some stuff under the bonnet (you'll be surprised what you can achieve with WD40, Duct Tape, and industrial-strength super glue).

My nails were already in poor condition, and all the chemicals, hands-on work, cold weather, and extra hand washing made my nails deteriorate dramatically. Click the photo to the right to see how poor my nail condition was for yourself! It was impossible for my nails to grow - they were so weak that whenever the slightest length was achieved they would break almost instantly. Thin, brittle, dry and peeling, something had to be done!

Previously I would have donned the OPI Original Nail Envy or No7 So Strong, but I fancied something new, so I bought a bottle of Gel Strength Base Coat from Avon. Dramatic as it may sound, it turned out to be one of the best beauty-related decisions I've ever made.

When I first used this product I would apply 2 coats, then I would remove and re-apply it when I noticed signs of wear. While my nails were in such bad condition I wore Gel Strength alone, I didn't want to draw any unwanted attention to my nails while they looked so unhealthy! The photo to the right shows my nails after the first application of Gel Strength - just by giving them a good was and a glossy shine, they already look healthier! As my nail condition began to quickly improve, I would wear 1 coat rather than 2, and wear a nice shade of polish on top. :)
Personal tip: I always wash and dry my hands thoroughly after using nail polish remover - those chemicals can't be good for your nails, and polish won't apply or dry well on wet/damp nails!

Here are the great results I noticed...
1. Overall nail condition improved dramatically in a short time frame. Check out the photo to the right to see how my had improved after just 6 weeks - immaculate!
2. Nails have grown more rapidly and improved strength has prevented breaking.
3. The nail surface appears smoother - this product could benefit those with uneven nail surface problems.
4. Wear it alone for instantly improved nail condition and an attractive glossy shine.
5. Prolongs the wear of any nail polish applied on top; Before I started using Gel Strength, any polish I wore would chip and peel within days of application, particularly around the tips and cuticles. Sometimes I wouldn't even get a days' wear out of it! But when I'm wearing this product under my polish the wear is improved dramatically. Colour seems to form a stronger bond to the Gel Strength than it does to the bare nail surface or other to base coats I've used. It makes your polish ultra-hard-wearing! This strong "bond" also makes it an excellent glue for nail decors and gemstones.

Image - right: In this photo I have been wearing this polish for 6 days, yet there are barely any signs of wear. The polish shown is Avon Nailwear Pro+ in "Blue Water Lilies".

I literally have no complaints about this stuff whatsoever. I have worn this it daily since I first applied it. I use it on my toes to prolong my pedicure now, too! The results I got from this product rival that of OPI Original Nail Envy and No7 So Strong, yet it's only a fraction of the price, so it's definitely worth a whirl! Not only are my nails in fantastic condition, but due to this stuff's ability to make any colour extra-hard-wearing, I no longer have to worry about manicure touch ups! I couldn't be without it. Thank you, Avon, for saving my nails!

Avon Nail Experts Gel Strength Base Coat is available online at http://avonshop.co.uk/ or from your Avon Representative.

© Tuesday T. Bryan Photography
DO NOT USE IMAGES WITHOUT PERMISSION. Copyrighted material

By Tuesday T. Bryan.

Sunday, 14 July 2013

☆No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour x2 + free No7 Beauty Bag; review + photos☆

When I went to Boots the other day I saw this offer on and I couldn't resist it; buy 2 No7 products and get a free Beauty Bag, worth £30. I've always loved No7 with a passion, and this deal was a dream!!! So, I bought myself (or rather, my partner bought me) 2 Stay Perfect Nail Colours and claimed my free goodies.

Rather than just reviewing the nail polishes I want to share my thoughts on the Beauty Bag - a nice cosmetics bag filled with 5 trial-size summer products (eyeshadow, lip gloss, mascara, tinted moisturiser, primer). They're all available to buy as full-size products, too.

I'm mad about No7, so I can feel good results coming on...

Let's start off with my 2 chosen shades of Stay Perfect Nail Colour. It was love at first sight when I laid eyes on a new shade called "Paradise Love". I was torn between 3 polishes for me second choice, but I finally decided on "Jammy" as I thought my polish collection could do with a new hot pink for the summer. :)

Paradise Love is a soft yet captivating shimmery sky blue shade, packed full of blue glitter and silver sparkles. I fell in love with how pleasantly unique the colour is, it's like no shade I've seen before. It's fun and imaginative, yet still perfectly sophisticated - a great polish for any occasion! The bottle says it has an "ultra-gloss" finish, but really it's pearlescent when dry. The photos show the polish with and without my Rimmel Ultra Shine Top Coat.

Jammy is a bright, nearly-neon, metallic hot pink. It's fun, flirty and girly, and has a high-shine glossy finish. It's bang on for an eye-catching summer manicure or pedicure, perfect for those long days on the beach lounging in the sunshine - as you can see by the photo, I opted for the sexy shade on my toes. A must-have shade for the summer!!!

No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour is quick-drying and has great staying-power. I'd recommend their hard-wearing formula to everyone, especially ladies with a tight schedule who can't be doing with constant polish touch-ups. I always use Avon Nail Experts Gel Strength Base Coat to further prolong the colour.

No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour is available for £6.00 from Boots stores or online at http://www.boots.com/.
Click here to view No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour on the Boots website.

Let's move on the the Beauty Bag. I always get excited about the No7 deals, they're defiantly worth taking advantage of!!! I will write my notes about each product and give you links and prices of the full-size products individually.

If you get these products in the deal, they'll come in a handy cosmetics bag. It's mainly transparent which is practical for seeing what's where, it's plastic which is easy to wipe clean, and it's colourful so it looks fab. :)

No7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow in Pale Pink - I have a fair amount of this eyeshadow now, it's great stuff! The shade included in the Beauty Bag is called Pale Pink (I have to point out how annoying it was having to look up the shade online - it wasn't written on the product, or in store, or on the Beauty Bag contents list - God knows why). It's a pale opalescent "shell" pink, although it looks like a lilac shade in the compact. It's very delicate and feminine, great for subtlety shimmery summer eyes.
I do like the shade a lot, all though it's not one I'd

usually go for and I don't think I'll really wear it as I always wear neutral earthy tones. It has a cashmere-soft velvety texture, and great-staying power with no signs of creasing.

No7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow is available for £7.00 from Boots stores or online at http://www.boots.com/.
Click here to view No7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow on the Boots website.

No7 High Shine Lip Gloss in Coral Kiss - It's amazing how many people forget to care for their skin in the sun, let alone their lips!!! This gorgeous gloss contains SPF15 and has a moisture-rich consistency, so "collagen boosting" for a "voluptuous smoothing shine", and contains "vitamins that protect and care".
you'll be protected from the rays and dry lips. I love this highly-pigmented nude/pink shade with just a touch of shimmer, a winner for subtle summer lips. It's moisturising formula and high-shine finish leaves your lips looking fabulous and kissably soft!!! No7 say it's

No7 High Shine Lip Gloss is available for £8.50 from Boots stores or online at http://www.boots.com/.
Click here to view No7 High Shine Lip Gloss on the Boots website.

No7 Extreme Length Waterproof Mascara in Black - All ladies know that a waterproof mascara is a
summer must-have. If you haven't got one in your make up bag yet then look no further! I've always been a massive fan of the No7 mascaras, and I actually already own the Extreme Length Mascara, but it's the full-size non-waterproof version. This product has fabulous all-day wear, come rain or shine. The plastic brush with multi-length bristles perfectly coats each lash, lengthening and separating them fabulously. One coat does a great job, but it layers up without clumping or flaking. The photos show my lashes after one coat and after two. As you can see, two coats gives a super-glamorous result with fantastic volume and drama - my preferred look. ;)

No7 Extreme Length Waterproof Mascara is available for £12.50 from Boots stores or online at http://www.boots.com/.
Click here to view No7 Extreme Length Waterproof Mascara on the Boots website.

No7 Triple Protection Tinted Moisturiser in Fair/Medium - This is another summer must-have!!! Heavy make up looks dreadful in the heat, so swap it for a tinted moisturiser, a super-light foundation, or a BB Cream. Sun exposure can be very damaging to the skin, and also speeds up the aging process. Absolutely make sure your chosen summer foundation product contains an SPF, but don't rely on the sunscreen in your make up alone to keep your face protected from the rays. This No7 Tinted Moisturiser contains SPF15 and has 5-Star UVA protection. It's suitable for all skin types, too. I thought the fair/medium shade would be too dark for my freckled porcelain skin tone, but it blends and adapts effortlessly. It gave my skin a glorious natural dewy glow, and toned-down imperfections. No7 say: "Light diffusing tinted moisturiser delivers all day hydration and protection".

No7 Triple Protection Tinted Moisturiser is available for £11.50 from Boots stores or online at http://www.boots.com/.
Click here to view No7 Triple Protection Tinted Moisturiser on the Boots website.

No7 Airbrush Away Primer - We all must have heard the hype about primers by now. I already owned a couple before getting this one, but I knew this one would give the best results (although my Avon MagiX Face Perfector comes in at a close second). Without a doubt, using a primer will give you make up a better base to be applied to. When using this one I noticed that my pores appears minimised, imperfections such as uneven skin tone seemed to fade, and it gave my face a matte finish, which gives a great "blank canvas" for your foundation. No7 say: "Magic away signs of aging with this clever primer, containing light diffusing particles, to make you look younger instantly, by putting fine lines and wrinkles into soft focus."

No7 Airbrush Away Primer is available for £19.50 from Boots stores or online at http://www.boots.com/.
Click here to view No7 Airbrush Away Primer on the Boots website.

Below: Here's a photo of me wearing the 5 Beauty Bag products mentioned above - nothing more, nothing less!!! I've cropped it to only partially show my face as I didn't apply make up to both eyes.

© Tuesday T. Bryan Photography
DO NOT USE IMAGES WITHOUT PERMISSION. Copyrighted material

By Tuesday T. Bryan.

Image - below: The shade I've chosen for my toes here is No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in "Paradise Love". It's always a good idea to stay barefoot or wear open-toed sandals for as long as possible (ideally an hour minimum) after your toe nails have been painted. My cute owl sandals are from Mel Shoes (http://www.melshoes.com).

Wednesday, 2 January 2013

Avon Nailwear Pro+; "Berry Shimmer" & "Orchid Splash"; reviews + photos

I hope you all had a killer New Year!

My first review of 2013 is of two nail polishes; Avon Nailwear Pro+ in "Berry Shimmer" & "Orchid Splash". I bought these shades a while back and I've been meaning to review them ever since...better late than never!

The images below show the polishes after one coat, and after two coats and a top coat. Click the images to see them in enlarged and in better quality; you will defiantly need to do this to see the opacity of the different shades!

Berry Shimmer;
I saw some photos of people sporting this shade and instantly wanted it. It's a dusky pink shade packed light-reflecting shimmer, resulting in a warm opalescent hue which I love. It's a beautiful colour for both day and night!
The consistency is quite thin; as I was applying the first coat I was worried that the colour would be spoiled by how translucent it was, but luckily it still became opaque after just two coats. This polish is fairly glossy anyway, but a clear top coat makes it look better still and really sets off that light-reflecting glitter.
The only thing that disappointed me with this product is how quickly it began to peel - I'd only had it on for two days when peeling began to show. I took it off on day three when the peeling got worse, but over those three days I did notice it didn't chip for me. So, good chip resistance and bad peeling resistance.
This isn't actually going to stop me wearing this colour as I usually change my nail polish every few days anyway, but the peeling will be really irritating for some!

Orchid Splash; This shade is a glitter-free, super glossy, pastel lilac colour; it really reminds me of the summer time! It's very pretty and "girly". It's quite bright, but not too bright for those a little shy of "loud colours".
Like "Berry Shimmer" this polish has quite a thin consistency, but unlike "Berry Shimmer", this shade is still very slightly patchy after two coats. This doesn't really bother me as it's barely noticeable, but if you're a complete perfectionist you'll probably want to give it that extra coat. Again, this polish has a glossy finish, but a top coat makes it better still.
Moving onto the wear, there wasn't any sign of peeling for the four days I wore this shade, however I did notice some minor chips around the cuticles and tips, especially on the thinner areas of my nails. Still, this shade is much more hard-wearing than "Berry Shimmer", great for those long summer days!

Avon Nailwear Pro+ is available for £6.00 from your Avon representative.

© Tuesday T. Bryan Photography
DO NOT USE IMAGES WITHOUT PERMISSION. Copyrighted material

By Tuesday T. Bryan.

Monday, 31 December 2012

2 True Nail Polish; shades 02, 5, 41; reviews + photos

I was doing some Christmas shopping in Bristol City Center a few weeks ago. Whenever I go shopping I buy a hell of a lot more for myself than for anyone else, and I know I'm not alone. Clothes, make up, food, drink - I'll have it all.
Anyway, one thing I was after was a gold glitter nail polish top coat. I'm pretty fussy when it comes to cosmetics; I looked in Debenhams, Harvey Nicks, Boots, Superdrug, etc etc, and couldn't find "the perfect polish". However, I did come see a shade in Superdrug from a dirt cheap brand called "2 True". I've actually never bought anything from them before (I don't really think I even knew they existed), but "Shade 5" from the Crystal Nail Polish collection caught my eye. The 2 True cosmetics were all in a 3 for £5 deal, so I bought "Shade No 02" and "Shade No 41" from the Glossy Wear collection, too.
The photo below on the left shows my nails after one, two and three coats, and at the bottom is a larger photo of my nails after three coats (no top coat).

Shade No 2: This one is from the Glossy Wear collection. In the bottle this shade looks pretty immaculate, it's a glittery opalescent pearly white colour, but on the nails it's really translucent which is disappointing. The photos to the right show my nails after one, two and three coats. Some of you will be happy with the results, but I still wasn't satisfied with it after three coats. I like really do like this iridescent shade, but it doesn't deliver enough impact for me. It would probably look great after a fourth coat, but four (or more) coats is too much hassle for me. I have only actually used this polish once (for the photo to the right), so I can't report how good the wear is, but the bottle says "up to 5 days wear" so I wouldn't expect anything too impressive!

Shade 5: This is the one that caught my eye in Superdrug. It's from the 2 True Crystal Nail Polish collection. It's such an immense colour. It's fully made up of gold, bronze and pink glitter, so as you can imagine it's quite translucent, but after a few coats it's stunning and almost completely opaque. It really is an epic party shade! It dries really quickly which is great. It's pretty hard wearing for a cheap polish, too - I was wearing three coats and two top coats, and it lasted 4 days before any chips or peeling appeared.
There are 6 shades in the Crystal collection, and I'm planning to get the red, purple and pink next, they look gorgeous.
If you're a lover of glittery polishes, you won't be disappointed.

Shade No 41: I'm a lover of red nail polish, so I thought I'd give this one a try. It's a bright glossy shimmery red, a very "girly" shade from the Glossy Wear collection. I like the colour, but it just isn't dramatic enough for me, it doesn't have enough depth. It takes three coats to get this polish opaque which isn't too bad, but it's a pain if you're in a hurry, and it's not very quick drying, either. Anyway, unlike "Shade No 02", I have given this one a chance to test out it's staying power. I didn't notice any major chipping for about three days, but it did start to peel quite quickly, which I suspect is mainly due to the amount of coats you have to apply to get it opaque - I was wearing a base coat, three coats of this polish, and two top coats (I imagine "Shade No 2" has similar wear).

2 True nail polishes are available for £1.99 from Superdrug.

© Tuesday T. Bryan Photography
DO NOT USE IMAGES WITHOUT PERMISSION. Copyrighted material

By Tuesday T. Bryan.

Sunday, 16 December 2012

M&S Limited Collection nail polish in "Jewel" - review + photos

I've always loved M&S's make up. It's great quality and the shades are just fab. Usually I use make up from the Autograph range, but I saw this nail polish from the Limited Collection range and instantly fell in love...

Source: Google Images

First things first, the shade. This one is called "Jewel". I'd say it's a sort-of burgundy, but it's impossible to pin it to one colour because of how it changes in different lighting. In the photos I've used my camera's flash, but in another light it's a purple/red tone. It's packed with light-reflecting shimmer, which is excellent for the party season. In the image to the right I've added a silver star-shaped nail decor, and I've used 2 coats of Rimmel London's Precious Stones polish in "Diamond Dust" on my ring finger, and 2 coats of my No7 strengthening top coat.

This polish has a nice consistency. You only need 2 coats for it to be perfectly opaque, which is how I think nail polish should be. It dries quickly, too - I found that when you've finished doing the first coat on all your nails, you can start you second coat straight away. It seems pretty hard wearing, and with a top coat it stayed completely chip-free for 3 days. In fact, I've been wearing it for 6 days now, and I haven't had to touch up my left hand once, but I have had some small chips on my right. Not bad for cheap nail polish...

Image - right: Rimmel Precious Stones in "Diamond Dust".

I will defiantly be getting some more shades from the Limited Collection rage. The nail polishes are currently sold at £3.50 each from M&S.
Rimmel London Precious Stones nail polish is available for around £4.00 from drugstores, supermarkets and online.

© Tuesday T. Bryan Photography
DO NOT USE IMAGES WITHOUT PERMISSION. Copyrighted material

By Tuesday T. Bryan.

Friday, 7 December 2012

Avon Speed Dry+ Nail Enamel in "Rebel Rose" - review + photos

My first review is of a new nail polish on the market, Avon Speed Dry+ in "Rebel Rose."

I love this shade. It's a chic magenta which is lovely and vibrant, but not too bright to try out if you're not one for bright colours (although I do love them myself). It's completely matte and comes out exactly the same shade as it looks in the bottle, although in the image my nails are ever-so-slightly shimmery as I used "Avon Nail Experts 24k Gold Strength" polish as a top coat.

The polish is the perfect consistency; it's not so thin that you have to apply a ridiculous number of coats, but it's not so thick that it never dries. I found that it was flawlessly opaque after 2 coats.

As the name "Speed Dry+" suggests, it's a quick drying polish which is always a good point. No one likes waiting for their nails to dry! I've rocked this beauty twice so far, and I used the second application as an opportunity to try out "Avon Nail Experts Liquid Freeze Quick Dry" spray, which is brilliant stuff, but I'll save that for another review as it deserves one of it's own.

It did begin to chip slightly on the tips and around the cuticles after a few days of wear. This doesn't really bother me as I don't mind touching-up my nails now and then, and I change my nail polish every few days anyway. However, if you wear your polish for longer than I do then be prepared to keep the bottle in your handbag to deal with any unwanted chips!

Overall, I think this is a great nail polish in a stunning colour. And at £6 a bottle, you can't go wrong!

© Tuesday T. Bryan Photography
DO NOT USE IMAGES WITHOUT PERMISSION. Copyrighted material

By Tuesday T. Bryan.

Tuesday T. Bryan