Hello Holo :)

What? Another nail post. Yes. I really need to mix things up a bit before this blog turns into a nail polish blog but I am trying to get back into the habit of updating my blog more frequently and nail polish is the only thing I can stick my teeth into at the moment. I hope the little beauty I have to share with you will make up for it.





Hot from the Boots oven, this is 'Silver' 17's take on the holographic trend. About time the high street gave Gosh Holographic a little bit of competition. The Silver Holo is much more subtle that the legendary holographic from Gosh, recently renamed 'one night only'.It also doesn't quite have the 'metallic wave' effect which you find on your typical holographic craft paper, but it still just as hypnotising.

   

  




Like the Gosh Holo, you just can't quite comprehend what's on your fingers, the effect is just so magical. Application was far more superior than the Gosh Holo: effortless, smooth, with the added bonus of being fast drying.
   







You need this in your life.









The end.


what: 'Silver' Holo Nail Polish from Boots 17 Cosmetics
where: erm, Boots.
how much: £2.99 or £3.99 (I don't remember)
bought by me

A big wave to my blogging friends Claire (Eyelining Obsessions) and Liz (Cappuccino Lace) for joining me tonight for a #bloggingdate.

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Red Carpet is Hard Work

Imagine a cute little bottle of red nail polish, tiny enough to fit into the tiniest of handbag, ready to whip out at any occasions, on the go, packed with a vibrant punch of colour to give you red carpet glam nails in one coat. Well, if this is what you're after, you might want to give Max Factor Red Carpet Glam nail polish a miss. The colour is undeniably cute, its orangey red shade is a breath of fresh air from all the blue toned red nail polishes I own and its application was easy.





But there is one problem: it's sheer, extremely sheer and you would need extreme amounts of patience to achieve full opacity wearing it on its own. I cheated and applied too coats of this over my trusty nude polish and I got the result I wanted.











You can still have fun with this polish and still apply it on the go, and make the most of its ultra portable size but to enjoy it, you'll have to remember to pack your favourite opaque-in-one-coat nude polish. Who said that red carpet glamour was going to be achieved in an instant anyway?





what: Max Factor Nail Polish in colour 'Red Carpet Glam'
how much: £3.99
where: Superdrug, Boots and everywhere really
disclaimer: this polish was offered for review purposes

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Cappuccinos, Moon Dust and Fantasy Fire Nails {notds}

I should really spread out my nail polish posts, add a bit of variety but I am  too excited a-gain and I am dying to tell you about my latest nail polish  acquisitions. I didn't plan to buy a nail polish for a long time. A giant tidy up  over Christmas made me come to terms with my nail polish collection and see the  madness of it all. I didn't plan even less to buy a Max Effect mini polishes from  Max Factor. My first experience with a mini polish from Max Factor was absolutely diabolical, and cloudy blue is probably the worst polish I have ever played with.






But when I saw the little firecracker of 'Fire Fantasy' on Benebelle.com, it was  love at first sight and I couldn't rest until I, too, get my hands on it. Both  Superdrug and Boots had a 3 for 2 offer on Max Factor products about 2 weeks ago,  so I decided to treat myself with 3 mini polishes. I'll spare you the details of  how tricky it was to find a shop which had at the same time the 3 shades I  wanted. In the manner of 3 for 2, I would like to show you three manicures today.






First of all, this is Cappuccino. No hint of creamy brown beige coffee shade here,  this polish, to me, looks like a dirty grey purple and I absolutely love it.  Application was to my biggest disbelief very easy and I achieved opacity in 2  coats.








Now, this is Moon Dust, a very sheer polish which reminded of 'Not like the  movies' from OPI but without the green drama. This is very much a layering polish  really, and it would be in your best interest to treat it as that, as you will  have completely emptied the contents of this teeny weeny bottle if you were  trying to achieve opacity with Moon Dust alone. So I layered it over just one  coat of Cappuccino and the result really impressed me.








And now, ladies and gentlemen, the object of my latest obsession, this is Fantasy  Fire. I have no idea when this polish was first released, probably ages ago, as  Helen Nice Things suggested that people have been trying to find dupes for that  colour for years. Fantasy Fire reminded me straight away of my first time with a  holographic nail polish (read my review here if you're bored), not for the result  but for the emotions it provoked in me. It basically took my heart and did what  it wanted with it. Let's have a look at the bottle: Yes, this is the same bottle. 





Now try to imagine having all these shades at once on your fingers as you move them in the light: absolutely out of this world. Could this polish qualify as a polychrome? I don't know but what I do know is that I've never experienced anything like it. The richness of the red inside the purple is a like a firework burning on my fingers. Even just looking at the bottle, it feels like it contains a firework ready to pop, like a jack-in-the- box. Absolutely mesmerising!     



      





Again, like Moon Dust, this polish is very much a layering polish. If you were trying to achieve full opacity with Fantasy Fire, you would need about 7 coats which, I am sure you would agree wouldn't be the best use of your time and money (£3.99 for such a tiny bottle). However what is a major drawback could also be an advantage. Think of the limitless colour combinations Fantasy Fire could give you. I have wished to layer my fantasy fire over Cappuccino but I can't wait to try it over other colours. If you haven't guessed it by now, I am absolutely head over the heels about Fantasy Fire and it has not become one of my most special polishes.




  


What: Max Factor Max Effect Mini Polishes
How much: £3.99 a bottle
Where: Anywhere around the world which sells Max Factor. Be warned as Fantasy  Fire has become quite a sought after shade.

Do you own any Max Effect mini polishes? Please let me know in the comments below. I’d love to see your photos, if you have posted some xx

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Crackle Polishes go technicolor: Blessing or overdose? Radioactive Lizard NOTD

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Apparently crackle polishes first started their appearance years ago and what we noticed in England, when Barry M released their record breaking 'paint effects' black top coat last October was a revival of the trend. Revival or not, it took the blogosphere by a storm, and I was one of many who didn't even such a effect could be achieved with a nail polish. I have no idea how the contraction works and makes the polish, snap, pop and crackle (to reuse dottie k's expression) but I have to confess it's quite fascinating watching it doing its thing.






When I first wore 'Barry M' paint effects at work, the first thing my colleagues asked was if 'they' did it in other colours. Well, now 'they' do. Models Owen firmly embraced the trend with both arms and are about to unleash their 'Smash up' range, 8 colour additions to the crackle trend, with also a black version thrown in for good measure. The range is very enticing: bright colours, funky bottle lid design and cool name.









You'll be able to get your talons on them, at £6 each from April 6th online at http://www.modelsownit.com/ (thank you Drew692 for info on release date) and in selected Boots Stores later on in the month of April.


The polishes not being available yet, I obviously couldn't try them on. So here's a little manicure done with beautyuk yellow peril (see it worn on its own here) with a thick coat of Barry M paint effects on top. I prefer my crackle to be big and chunky so I like to apply a generous coat of it.










Have you joined the crackle bangwagon yet? Will you be 'smashing it'?


credit: big kiss to debbie aka @drew692 and her cool tumbrl beautyblog for letting me use her pictures.

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