BEAUTY: On Being the Girl With the Chipped Nails

Hands up - I know nothing about beauty, or how to do pretty nail art or what's even a decent top coat these days. I'm the first to admit it doesn't interest me in the slightest.

In the early days of this blog nail varnishes sometimes had a passing mention - I think there's even some individual posts if you care to big deep. Fast forward to today and I don't have that need or the desire for make up or even really splashing out on fancy nail varnishes depending on the in colors for the season. I'm pretty low maintenance, don't get me wrong I like to look ok but I'm more than happy to go the store without a face of make up on - working from home, I go without make up most day. Coating my face in make up doesn't boost my confidence, it makes me feel like I'm hiding from myself even more than normal. This is why you'll rarely, if ever see me talking of my own free will about beauty on Dear Ms Leigh, in fact I rarely read about beauty on any blog. It's just not my thing - each to their own and all.

Then it comes to nails. Rooting in old, damp, dark, dusty basements to sorting through kitchen cupboards and piles of old boxes every week, well that does nothing for your nails I tell you. Gone at the days of having nails that were long, or smooth, or nice. But it goes with my job. Root through a box of vinyl and there'll be a chip and well it gets worse from there. To be honest, it doesn't bother me much, yeah I'm one of those people with chipped varnish. And I don't care but I will spare you from having to see them.

To limit this post being rather negative and not knowing anything really about what's hot in the world of nail varnish, I do feel comfy talking about new uses for vintage things in everyday life, so we'll go with that. 

Me and acrylic storage don't go well - my plastic drawers for my stock are well hidden under vintage doilies and table cloths, so when it comes to storing my nail varnishes, the ones I have on hand - at least the ones I reach out to the most in any given month are, surprise surprise, displayed in something vintage. Acrylic nail varnish holders and containers may work well for some, but they would never work, nor would they ever fit in with everything else we have and use. So vintage it is. Granted i'm not overly sure about the original purpose of the holder - it may well be a dish, a holder or even an ash tray - but with a good clean it works well for my uses, it sits on one of my stock drawers, piled with varnishes I've considered, used but never lasted long enough from the previous couple of weeks. 

Where does beauty fit in your life? What crazy things do you turn to for storage?

 This post is the #5 in the 2014bloggerchallenge - yes I missed 4 because I have no interest in high end items

Sally Hansen Salon Effects

Sally Hansen Salon Effects; Retails at $9.99 [Full size]

I am a girl who loves her nails being done and I've always been intrigued by the idea of using wraps especially when they state that they have no drying time. I've seen them everywhere - from drug stores to the supermarket but I've never had the chance to try them - until now when a pack was supplied in my Influenster Spring VoxBox.

The Sally Hansen Salon Effects claim last up to ten days so they would be perfect if your going on holiday and don't have to worry about your nails or just perfect for the summertime! Everything you need [16 foil wraps - mine was in the Rock Star shade, nail file and stick] is inside the pack which is really welcome and very handy. I found the instructions to be very helpful, care and easy to follow especially for a first timer like myself when it comes to the Salon Effects strips.

The Salon Effect strips come in a really handy box with everything you'll need.

Nevertheless I didn't have much luck with this product although admittedly it was the first time of trying nail wraps. The first problem I had is that I apparently have tiny sized fingers so a lot of the nail foils were too big so not only did I have to file the wraps down around the tip of the nail but also along the side and then carefully try and pull the access off. Nevertheless the straight forward filing the wraps down to size around the tip was pretty straight forward.

 My nails straight after application of the nail wraps.

However within a couple of hours I'd noticed them the first signs of chipping to the tips - with the wraps being similar to a glitter pattern it wasn't too noticeable but if they had been a straight forward plain colour then I'd of been very disappointed. They claim to withstand up to 10 days of wear, sadly mine didn't make it past three. It's not as if I do a lot of manual work with my hands, although I do a lot of typing, washing up and general cleaning and crafts. Perhaps using a strong top coat of nail varnish after application may help in the future.

I can see why they appeal and their range of shades are impressive - they have 40 in total. But in future I'd rather stick with traditional nail polishes especially because of the price. $9.99 for one use is a little expensive in my view especially when I can get a full bottle of OPI for far cheaper!

Have you ever used Sally Hansen's Salon Effects or foil wraps similar? What have you're experiences being like?

disclaimer - this product was provided complementary by Influenster for my review regardless all thoughts and images are my own.

What sits on my dresser

I've seen a couple of these posts around bloggerville and I thought I'd let you be nosy at my own. When I got down to thinking about it, my dresser is one of the places in our apartment which I get to fill with all my own things, filled with some of my favourite vintage goodies and items that are very meaningful to me.

As you can see my dresser isn't a dresser as such. It's a make do one till we spy a nice vintage one. Until then I'm making do with an old computer desk which actually works rather well due to the top shelf which allows me to lay out my nail varnishes and the storage on the bottom lets me hide away travel and camera things. 

On the top shelf as I've mentioned I line up all my nail varnishes. With only owning 20 or so they don't take up much room and having them out I can see what colours I own. There's a candle [far left] that Joe's gran made us for little wedding favours, they have a love hearts on the side and she wrote our names and the date on the tag. We have so many left over but they mean too much to use. I also have a photograph of us on our wedding day and some compacts which I swap around with those in the living room. [Compacts photographed; Marhil with butterflies, Marhill with flowers, green Rex compact, tapestry Kigu compact and a Bourjois Evening in Paris - some of which I haven't got around to blogging about oops].

While I'm not a huge perfume girl, I adore the ones I own. I mostly wear Marc Jacob's Daisy and Chanel's Chance. For a change I wear 4711 which although is an old scent I love how fresh and light it is. It's excellent for cooling you down on a warm day by lightly babbling it on your wrists. I also have a Donna Kahn fragrance which I was given in a bridal shower present which is a lovely soft scent.

This is another of those instances of Joe buying me a surprise present. Looking around the gift shop of the Field Museum in Chicago I fell in love with this wooden, hand painted fair trade box to store my jewellery in but in my saving money mode I walked away from it. I left Joe buying presents for friends and I wandered off to another section. Leaving the museum he handed me the bag and there it was!

Everything on the main part of the "dresser" sits on a green cotton doiley which I brought with me from the UK as it was my grans. To keep my rings that I take off, hair ties and bobbin pins I found this glass lid bowl from the dollar store - total bargain and fits the vintage feel. I also keep my vintage perfume atomizer [shown behind the bowl] that Joe brought for me it's made of gorgeous cut glass and in an amazing condition. At the back I have two cards used as love letters when we were in our long distance relationship. I pulled them out and keep them on display because I love their pictures - a love bird and a vintage photo of London's Picadilly. I aim to get them framed one day.

While I keep my make up in the bathroom [huge mirror and better lighting] I keep my hair and body products in the bedroom. My Palmers tube came with me across the ocean [so glad you can get it over here] and I'm a sucker for TRESemme. I also stand up some of the music sheets I brought last year from Pickering's flea market - this one of High Society in particular is my favourite, I love the film, the stars and the colours of the sheet. Another thing I need to get framed! 

Aside from my vintage powder compacts obsession I do take fancy to pretty vintage brushes - I currently have the three that Joe has brought for me over the years and they sit nicely on the dresser too. They are something else to look out for when we're rummaging through old shops.

What do you keep on your dresser? Are you minimalist or cluttered? 

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On a side note i've been featured twice this week on two amazing blogs this week so make sure to check them out. My blog interview over at Life of a Sweetaholic and my photograph post over on Bex's website Futures. Check out both these ladies blog - they really are great reads!

When life turns you glum just sing soft kitty

Some people even though they are thousands of miles away still effect my mood. Especially when you just want people to be happy for you. I must be the daughter people dread having, the one that runs away because she wants to be happy and because she is in love. Not to blame them but perhaps if we'd of had a better relationship years ago things might have never turned out this way, yet belittling and feeling constantly small, in the wrong, and the digging wears you down after a while. So yeah, me and the parents aren't getting along at all, their silence is deafening, because I'm applying for residency in America. Meh.

If I hadn't actually grown so much in strength and confidence over the past couple of months perhaps I'd of ran back home by now seeking forgiveness. But I'm not. And I won't. Everyday I go to bed with the love of my life. I live with my best friend. He makes me tick, laugh, giggle, cry with laughter when he wrestles me down for tickles. We text each other System of a Down lyrics. Watch countless Big Bang Theory episodes and I sing Sheldon's Soft Kitty. I let him get me into Transformer Toys, we drive around countless Toys R Us Stores but I go on about compacts and my blog. We aren't rich, but we're rich with love. We have a place of our own. Two gorgeous kitties. We have each other. I'm never giving this man up to return to a mother who spites me.

While that might get me down, plenty of things at the moment are making me happy not forgetting our kitties and that today is pancake day;

From top left clockwise: System of a Down songs remind me of when me and Joe sing along in the car together to them. Tea dresses - what I wore when we went for afternoon tea [dress and belt from New Look, Cardi - H&M, tights - Primark, Shoes - Famous Footwear, necklace - Forever 21. Sewing transfer of butterflies, dragonflies and flowers - my next sewing project might even attempt some embroidery. Nicole by OPI - Green up your act nail varnish which I'm wearing at the moment brought from clearance for only $3.48 in Target. Sparkly Roskstar Pink by Sally Hansen [yesterdays treat]. Joe's application to be registered as a Social Worker in the UK.

Joe got word a couple of weeks ago that they are reconfiguration the application for registration to be a social worker within the UK if your from overseas. Originally in December 2010 he failed the application but he got a letter declaring he would now be successful. Sunday was spent refiling the papers. I see it has our back up plan if I can't get residency here in the USA. I could never live anywhere near home because of all the above parent reasons. We'd need to make a fresh start. So where we settle down is still up for grabs.

But sometimes that unknowing make it so much more fun and enjoy your pancakes if your having any!

A date with China Glaze

You might think I believe America doesn't have nail varnishes [or lacquer as they call it] with the amounts I'm buying and emigrating with. Nail varnish has become a bit of an addiction lately, after going months without wearing any I now can't go without wearing it, but I will admit to being a bit behind the crowd when it comes to brands and having the top fashionable shades. Going to London was always the perfect excuse to top up, last time it was in buying three Models Own this time I thought I'd expand into China Glaze after working out where Sally's was along Shaftsbury Avenue. From the swatches I did in my hotel room into my note book you can see the three colours [avalanche, fifth avenue and black diamond] which are all China Glaze and the [mushroom] Model's Own. With both these brands I love the huge size bottle your getting [14ml] and the application for both is easy and buys well and fairly quick.

First I've tried China Glaze's Avalanche varnish which is a highly metallic purple silver shade. At Sally's they had China Glaze on 3 for 2 so it was the perfect excuse to test out a range of their products, additionally it comes in huge 14ml bottles so your getting a lot for your money. It applies easily and thickly [I was thinking it was like liquid gold when I was painting my nails] although a second coat finishes it off nicely the thick handle for the brush helps a lot due to it fitting nicely into the hand. Additionally I was nicely surprised how well and quickly it dried, you can see the brush strokes a little - perhaps because of the metallic edge but that might be done to my application rather then the product [who knows?!]. Nevertheless it's really shiny even before applying the top coat. I'm already eyeing up the fifth avenue colour as a potential colour for the wedding day - I think it matches some of the flowers on the dress!

I did really want to buy some OPI varnishes but I couldn't justify one at their price on top of having these four sadly.
 
What varnishes are you currently craving and adoring? What are peoples experiences with magnetic varnishes - really want to have a go with them but i've heard mixed reviews.

LIFE: Sunday Snaps - London Edition

A Sunday wouldn't be a Sunday without my photographs really so I thought i'd take the opportunity to put up some of my London photographs from my trip there last week. Compared to my normal snap happy attitude I really didn't take that many photographs (I even took my old camera!) I guess I was too busy with hitting Oxford Street and my date with the Embassy. I did treat myself to lots of yummy food; Yo Sushi for tea, a trip to The Diner in Soho for some Philly Steak [would highly recommend] and popping into The Primrose Bakery in Convent Garden. The latter was to get a super yummy lemon cupcake, I loved how it came with it's own paper doily it's those little added extras that impress me. When I went to London in August I popped into Lola's in Selfridge's, yet I think Primrose have the edge on yumminess!

One of the fun parts was getting to go shopping, working in York I get bored of seeing the same old and small shops so it was nice having that proper feeling of shopping in a city especially having a wander around Primark no matter how crazy that place always is. I totally splashed out on nail varnish getting some Models Own - spending the last bit of my money on my boots card and getting 3 for 2 on China Glaze in Sallys. I had to grab the American vibe by popping into Forever 21, I do really like that shop, some of the clothes are hit and miss but they are top on jewellery, luckily there's one near Joe so I can't wait to properly check it out.

This week sees the organisation and move getting into full swing, at least that is the plan. First stop getting some things posted out to the boy - things like books and little bits and pieces and then into the more boring but practical stuff like sorting my banking out - where to start with that i'm not really sure. But more excitedly - only two weeks left at work and a date for the wedding!

Nail whitening - denture tablets verses lemon juice

So this is the case of the denture tablet verses lemon juice. When I posted last Sunday about having somewhat stained nails due to my constant nail varnish abuse I was stuck by the two ideas people were giving. That of plain old lemon freshly squeezed juice and denture tablet. Two simple things both of which are cheap and easy to get hold of. I couldn't escape a little experiment to see which was the most effective at restoring my finger nails to their former glory.

My finger nails before hand - the left hand was typical of the staining on both right and left which you can see starts midway into the whites of my nails, not sure if the picture demonstrates it but my nails were very dry.

So what you need is pretty simple most of which you might have around your house or you can get hold of really cheaply at your local supermarket or market. The fresh lemon can be replace with enough tablespoons of bottled lemon juice whereas the denture tablets are Tesco's own brand.

I used one hand for each of the products, the left for the freshly squeezed lemon juice and the right for the denture tablets. Squeezing the lemon juice into one bowl and filling it up with tepid water [reading up on the Internet some websites recommend water, some don't, some say hot, some say cold], the denture tablet was left to fully dissolve in tepid water. I filled the bowls up so there was enough to cover all my nails before placing each hand [although separately to be able to take some photographs] into the mixtures for ten minutes each. After using either of the products make sure you wash your hands thoroughly after and use plenty of hand cream afterwards.

The results;

With regards to the lemon juice, there was little improvement. One word of warning I wouldn't recommend using this is you have some cuts [however small on your fingers] because they get a little sore! There was some improvement with the colouring, however it was only slight with considerable yellowing still on the upper part of my nails. This is especially so in comparison to the results via the denture tablets. Although they aren't super white and there is a presence of some markings left, there was a greater whitening compared to the lemon juice.

You shouldn't expect miracles with either product but if your fancying something that's easy and cheap then I wouldn't recommend giving it a go, especially the denture tablets, I could see them being very effective if perhaps leaving your fingers in the bowl for an extra five or so minutes.

Cherry Red

Sundays often turn slightly into my version of pampering and beauty days. First they often become home hair dying days. I think the John Fredia Deep Cherry Red might just well be the third colour of hair dye this year alone. I get jumpy and bored with the same colour. I thought it would be more redder then it's turned out - in fact its gone rather dark but heys too experimenting. I often get stuck  between trying to be more vintage and being more rocky in style - i'm currently refinding my love for the darker side of music so i'm following that flow at the moment it seems. I've spent the morning listening to Evanescence for some odd reason. Those were the days!

My nails have got to the point were i'm constantly having to repaint them because of their pure natural state. They are too stained and chipped not to be painted sadly. They've gone into an orange pinky colour - i'm sure that's not right. I managed to bag some Model Own's varnishes in London - for some reason i can't find them in York [only the Pro range - unless i'm totally blind]. They were on three for two in Oxford St Boots so I managed to bag Feeling Blue, Lilac Dreams and Grey Day [pictured] i've been going between the three colours for the past couple of weeks and i'm totally in love. They apply brilliantly, are really colourful with two coats and stand up to the hell I put them through at work. I want my visa interview just to go and grab some more!

Speaking of visa's nothings really occurring at the moment. Stuck in silly paperwork silence. It's three weeks on Tuesday that I sent off my forms and i'm still waiting for a flipping interview date. I should of expected this but it's just frustrating. Nothing can be booked or planned till we have an idea when I might possibly, could just, maybe be moving. 

Plus today is mine and the boy's second anniversary, I don't think we could have ever imagined our relationship would have ever turned out as strong; as successfully or as strong as it has. He's totally changed my world, how I see myself, how I see life. I love him so incredibly much. Gushy I know!

MUA nail quake

I'm still rather attached to the nail effects trend that's going around - perhaps somewhat obsessed and I'll eye in on all the other brands that are bringing out versions too - even to the point of noticing New Look having a version. While being in Superdrug time-wasting on my lunch I noticed that MUA have additionally launched a version. I could rave around MUA nail varnishes for ages - I couldn't recommend them higher - a brand who's "normal" varnishes come in at a mere £1 yet lasted a whole week on application. Which is outstanding for any brand especially with the hell I put them through at work. 

They've named the effects "nail quake" and comes in a range of six colours each retailing at £2.99. With colours featuring jet black to rosy pink to purple, each I chose the Shattered Ice shade - a shiny silvery. I've found it a lot less gooey [if that's the right term] then other versions of similar products, it was therefore a lot easier to apply. The brush is a lot thinner too - which some may see as a cheap thing - but it actually aids the application process - limiting the chances of overlapping and letting you add a thin little line down the side. The affect occurs just like the others but it occurs is a more linear way and in larger groupings - a look which is very impressive and does make a good statement.

Shattered Ice MUA Nail quake over No 17 Royal Indigo.

What's everyone else's experiences with MUA?

Clipped black

I have a slight addiction - that being Barry M instant nail effects. I blogged [here] about treating myself and buying the blue version, but after seeing other peoples attempts I had to return and buy the black the other week. For some odd reason the black seems to look and apply better - maybe its just my eyes. Perhaps because its dark it makes more of a statement especially against lighter colours. I do love the blue version, but the blacks caught my eye a little more and got me back into being bothered to paint and redo my nails. I can't do too much at work because I wear a dull uniform that isn't of my making and or choice so having random weird nails is the only thing I can do to personalise myself from the sea of others.

Superdrug is fast becoming my shop of choice and I gave in and got myself one of those Superdrug beauty cards - even though I work for the rival high street brand I do buy a lot from there - they seem to have decent offers on the hair products I use and offer much more reasonable priced make up. What is brilliant about their beauty card is that you can do part payment with points and cash although I think you have to spend your points in lots of £1 (100 points). Ended up slightly splashing out and buying Superdrugs own brand Natural Shampoo for coloured hair which smells utterly lush and leaves my hair really soft and shiney - which is outstanding when you only pay £1.20 odd for it. I also decided to try some £1 MUA pale green nail varnish and Bourjois Health Mix foundation.

Spent this afternoon finishing off another book and watching Jane Eyre on some ITV freeview channel while it pours down. Today's my only day off for the week and it's back to hell tomorrow but with my mother around you can't be lazy for long. I feel like doing a huge ranting post sometime soon about the delights of still living at home when your 24 - there's not many delights for sure. Anywaaaays ... 

What other brands and or colours of nail effects would people recommend?

Barry M instant nail effects

Instant nail effects - taken a day and a half after been first applied.

I am  rather behind the band wagon so much that its left the next town and run off with a banshee. I'm wandering along in the tumble-weed. Half the problem is that me and nail varnish don't get on too well - I love it just dispensing tablets during the day job doesn't, clips and cracks can be pretty much spontaneous. Don't get me wrong I love painting my nails when i'm on holiday and I can enjoy having it on, but I gave into the flow and thought sod it i'm trying the nail effects after seeing so many reviews here on blogger. 

Currently Barry M have four instant effect colours - black, white, pink and blue. Normally I love Barry M - it's cheap, its cheerful, it lasts pretty well and it's full of a variety of colours. Yet i was a like a child in a sweet shop debating which colour would be the best - with the majority of my nail varnishes dark in colour it was a little tricky but I guess half the "thing" about these effect nail varnishes is making them clash and stand out. All in all I went for the blue - can't really go too wrong.

First I went with a base coat of Beauty Uk Glam Nails in Soft Lilac - another cheap and cheerful brand (you see the trend hint hint) two coats and its sorted. After leaving it to dry I added this effects lark - I hadn't used it before so I had no idea what to except - it says not to overlap coats but I found that a little tricky and possibly is why it didn't come out so well, also it has a bit of a funny smell - not the traditional nail varnish smell at all. Its weird watching how a coat of nail varnish crackles and gathers into lines. I finished it off with a layer of Rimmel Wear Maxx in clear as a top coat - just an extra barrier from the lines chipping off.

I will admit, it did take me a while to get either my head around it and come to like it. First I started thinking "oh it just looks like I don't bother with my nails" but the more you see it and the more you have it the better it appears. I love that its a bit trashy.  I'll have to play around with the colours I use as the base coat, but over all it lasts well, the colour stays and it goes on easy - once you get the hang of applying it.

What beauty products have been rocking your boat lately?