Just The Ticket

I am off to the theatre tonight. To keep things simple, I have gone for a natural, dewy look, nothing too overdone. I have found myself reaching for the same products all summer for makeup actually: something gold for the eyelids and something shiny on my nails. Tonight, bareMinerals Prime Time Brightening Eye Primer is my sister saviour. You can use this on its own or with shadow on top. Either way, you’ll end up with crease-free luminous lids. Then it’s a glossy sheer pink pearly nail. I love the Natural Collection polishes. They are so affordable and surprisingly long-lasting.

Finally, it’s some big fat earrings, my grandmother’s clutch, lots and lots of mascara and my theatre ticket.

Little Miss Gorgeous (Collection)

I love a good collaboration. And to be honest, makeup ones are always the best. When you can actually sense the personality of the partnership.
Now, when I first came to england, I learnt English via Enid Blyton and Mr Men books. When I found out Mr Men were diong a collaboration with Nails Inc, naturally, I got a little excited.
To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Mr Men, they are releasing some limited edition shades named after our favourite characters. Nails Inc are the perfect brand to capture the fun of Mr Men, don't you agree?
My favourite, Little Miss Naughty is a baby grape colour. But Little Miss Sunshine is a lovely, nude, peachy colour, whilst Little Miss Splendid is an irridescent turquoise. So cute, I might have to paint one nail in each colour.
Out in August 2011, priced £12 each.

Berry Polished

With the onset of summer now, I am really getting more and more into painting my nails. And I have really come to love the Leighton Denny polishes. When I went to Barcelona, they stayed put despite me going in the sea, the pool, showering three times a day and being out in the sunshine.
My new crush is Berry Nice. A sweet shade of strawberry/raspberry pink. It could almost count towards my five a day.
Leighton Denny Nail Colours, £11 each

Pale Pastels

Although I keep reading about bright colours and fashion has gone acid crazy, I am still drawn to neutral pastels for summer. These Mavala nail polishes are super cute and super natural. The ooze calm and serenity and that’s what you need in a crazy metropolis. Plus, it helps that they are so dinky you can take one or three on holiday for pre and post-beach touch ups. 

Pictured, Rose Dust, Moon Grey and Khaki Vintage. The perfect pastel trio. 

Mavala Nail Polishes are £3.95 each

Wild Nails

Following on the Autumn theme, my nails are really becoming a kaleidoscope of colour. Today, I have gone rusty with NARS's King Kong polish. Part of the new Vintage Nails collection, I love the connotation with the old-fangled beast from the 1930s. The juicy colour has just the right amount of sparkle. In other words it lives up to the glamour it eludes to.

NARS, King Kong Nail Polish, £13.00

PS: How amazing would this look with O.P.I's Bring on the Bling on top??

Blonde Nails

Inspired by the palette of the burnt-orange, golden yellow and red leaves now appearing on the ground, I have started to bring some of these colours in to my everyday beauty routine. Something that caught my eye recently is a fabulous mustard-colour Nail Varnish by Butter London called Bumster. Love the name. Love the colour.

Actually, not as yellow as it appears in the bottle, it settled more nude on the nails and I liked this understatement. I liked that you could almost be mistaken for not wearing colour at all, however, perhaps ironically, the colour is bound to catch your eye. I am calling it blonde nails and we all know blondes have more fun. 

Butter London, Bumster, £12

As a bonus, Butter London vrnishes are free of formaldehyde, toluene and DBP. So even nail varnishes can be a little more natural!

Bring on the Bling

People always talk about taking your makeup from day to night. About taking your outfit from day to night. About taking your hair from day to night. Aren't we missing something? I am going to be taking something else from day to night. My nails. THE cherry on top of the fashion cake. Nails are enjoying a huge renaisance at the moment. Jewels, wild colours, even crazier shapes and patterns, it's all a go with a nail. What's more it looks even sexier and more modern if the rest of your outfit is super minimal. 

Sophie Robson's pop-up shop at Selfridges is causing quite a stir. And why not? I have been sporting my putty-greige nails all week.

It's Friday tomorrow and I'm taking it up a notch. O.P.I's new Burlesque Collection  features the heavnely Bring On The Bling, which is a colourful explosion of glitter in a clear polish. One coat and I'm ready to go.

O.P.I Nail Colours from £9.95

Are You Made of Stone...

I am now feeling very autumnal indeed. Although we saw a glimpse of an Indian Summer, this evening is rainy and windy. The two main ingredients that together herald the official start of autumn. 

However, I am also excited to wear more stoney, pebble-brown shades on nails and lips and pack away the pastels until next year. Even on the eyes, a soft golden-brown seems more appropriate. Barielle's new Style in Argyle collection is made up of the most beautiful minky, brown and tawny shades for nails. So chic with black. I love their winter-inspired names too, such as Tight Knit and Wool You Marry Me. I am also quite taken with Rococo Nail Apparel's Brown Button Creme, which is a lovely cross between brown and burgundy-red.

Finally, nothing says Autumn quite like a statement lip. But instead of full-on block colour, I am opting for a softer stain on the lips, which looks much more modern and gives the appearance of a 'freshly bitten lip' that's so alluring. bareMinerals Parfait and Sweet Apricot are super-soft, creamy and are made from 100% natural ingredients.

What's not to get excited about?

Barielle Nail Colours, £8

Rococo Nail Apparel, £11.50

bareMinerals 100% Natural Lipcolours, £13

New Yorker (Honourary...)

Recently, I have really been paying attention to my nails. Reading a novel by a New Yorker and reading several articles about New York's powerful women, plus my all-round obsession with New York in general has led me to be much more careful about my grooming habits, but namely my nails in particular. I wonder what New York would have made of my blue, leopard-print, diamante-encrusted nails courtesy of WAH nails? Am I too sexy for New York? Or am I simply too 'badass' as WAH Nails' slogan suggests?

http://wah-nails.com/

Nail It

At the moment, I am really in to yummy creamy shades on my nails. I have been inspired by candy and Russian dolls, cute baby colours that have a little more hue, not so pale. And I have been pleasantly surprised by Revlon's offerings. SO on trend. I would almost want to have every colour in their summer collection. Meanwhile, as the weather decides to finally warm up, my nails are like little rays of sunshine.