DIY: HOLOGRAPHIC TOPCOAT for $2.49 WOW! (not spectraflair)

It's the time of year where you can crack out the crazy wigs, slap on the crazy makeup and even dress like a slut with no judgmental looks - HALLOWEEN.

With Halloween's arrival I cannot help but raid my local Walgreens/CVS (UK equivalent of Superdrug/Boots) for the latest crazy colored cosmetics: glitter, nail polish, lipstick, fake blood - I love it all!

One of the fab nail gals I follow on Instagram found a great glitter at Walgreens which does not bleed or change in topcoat. Naturally I was intrigued, and later she posted some great pictures of this holographic glitter. So off to Walgreens I went, and indeed, for $2.49 I found this amazing glitter. 

I rushed home and added the glitter to a new Color Club top coat I had in my stash. And voila it was great!!!

Now for those of you doing this at home, I have a few notes for you:
1. This glitter falls. It's fine but heavy, it isn't in suspension base, it's in a topcoat for don't be alarm when it sinks to the bottom.
2. I advise you use mixing balls, 2 of them in the bottle. It will assist in rigorously shaking up the sunken glitter. Mixing balls can be used from old polish bottles, or 2 small ball bearings.
3. Add as little or much of the powder as you like, but keep in mind that the more you put in the fuller the coverage and more likely it is to get clumpy. It's better to lean to the lighter side and just use 2 coats on a nail, than make the polish super overloaded with glitter.

PRODUCT: Fantasy Makers Confetti, Net wt. 5.4g, color 12500 Glitz
Found at: Walgreens (in Florida for sure)
Fantasy Makers is owned by Wet'n'Wild, so this should be found at stores where this brand is carried.
Other places it could be: CVS, Rite Aid, Halloween Stores, some grocery stores.

So I added it as an accent to my middle finger, this was two coats.

J x

DIY: How-To Make Your Own Nail Polish Hair Bows!

Yours truly rocking my first homemade nail polish hair bow!

Made this one for my friend's 2 year old niece, went well with her
Minnie Mouse Birthday theme!

Today I have a "HOW-TO" posting for you, I am very excited to share this with you, it is super simple and super fun! Enjoy!

What you will need:
Bobby Pins (Any particular hair clip that you like, I use pins)
Hot Glue Gun
Ribbon
Glass pebbles
Nailpolish
Top Coat

Part I: Polishing Your Pebbles
I got my pebbles from the dollar store, they're the type that people put in vases for decoration. Its important to get the clear ones with the flat bottom. Choose the polishes you want to use to paint your pebbles. REMEMBER: Paint polishes is the opposite of doing nails i.e: glitter first, then color polish second, then top coat. If you put the color on first the glitter won't show through, keep this in mind.

Paint each layer of your pebble, get creative with it, let each layer have time to dry in between, then put a good coat of Top Coat to seal it. (I like to do 2 coats of Top Coat, with plenty of drying time in between!)

Part II: Making your bow
Now there are thousands of blog tutorials and YouTube videos for many, many different bow designs, so go for it, get creative and try your hand at a variety of bows! I used a simple tuxedo style bow and a double bow, and I used my hot glue gun to make them, although if you're handy enough you could just sew them.

Part III: Connecting the parts!
I then used the hot glue gun to glue my pebble in the center of my bow. Allowed this to cool, and then glued the back of the bow to the bobby pin. Be careful because the pin is thin and the hot glue can easily burn your fingers at this point. Allow this to cool.

Voila! You now have your nail polish hair bow! 
Get Creative and Have Fun!!
Peace&Love
J x

Review: Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara

Sorry I've been MIA again. I have some up coming posts in mind though, having trouble getting all the parts of my camera together since I moved, but anyhow, will be posting more soon!

So I was in need of a new mascara since my Lorac is on its way out. I thought I would give a quick, reasonably priced drugstore brand a go. I used to be a fan of Maybeline Colossal Volume mascara, but figured this time I would give another brand a try. 

I picked up the Covergirl Lash Blast at a local closeout store for only $1.50, brand new in packaging etc. I had seen some good YouTube reviews so figure I would give it a whirl. The pics below will show the before and after.

The brush is a fat rubber end with rather short variated spikes. The spikes are spaced out much further than with an ordinary brush. It can get over loaded with product, so it is one that you have to kind of wipe as you pull it out of the bottle. Also one down side to this is there are no spikes at the end of the head, which is what I usually use to get those super tiny bottom eyelashes in the inner corner, so improvisation is necessary if you are like me!

This is just primer (Urban Decay Potion), base shadow (Sephora Peach) 

and liquid liner (Elf Black)

I have a particular way of applying mascara which always helps to get that very wide, "each-lash-covered" look. I put the directions on the pic, but for those of you would can't see it well enough, this is the idea - apply the wand to lashes when the eye is fully open, roll the wand as you close the eye. For a wand that loads up with product like this one, I try to wiggle the wand as I roll it to ensure that the product is evenly distributed between the lashes, so as not to get clumps. Hope this helps!!!

So this would be the finished product, very long lashes but super natural looking. This is definitely a lengthening mascara rather than a volumizer. If you are looking for the falsies look, try a Maybelline volumizing mascara, particularly those with a full brush.

Overall I really like the product. It does have the ability to clump if you allow too much product on the brush, but the formula is great. As far as lasting, I can go the whole day without any flaking with this, so it appears pretty stay-proof. Getting it off is not a problem either, it certainly removes easily enough with water, or a low pH makeup remover (I use the gentle chamomile remover from The Body Shop).

Hope you enjoyed my review, please post any questions below!
Love&Peace
J x

Anti-redness Make-up Secrets!!!

Yes I am one of those wonderful people who suffer with redness. I have super sensitive skin an have been through a few rough sunburns which haven't helped. So as I share in the constant annoyance with countless others who can't seem to calm or cover the redness without caking on gallons of foundation, I feel compelled to share my successful secrets!


I have met others who have used corrective green tones and just haven't applied it right therefore look like they are walking around with seasickness lol. For years the thought of looking green faced baffled me and made me not try that route. Eventually I came across L'Oreal Studio Secrets Anti-redness Primer and thought I'd give it a go. I did and I got results.


The key to this product is the application. It does not need to be this like foundation and it should not be applied all over the face, just where the redness is. I have taken some pictures of how I apply this in hopes that it will give some guidance.


Pros of this product:
I like the consistency. It is fairly thin, spreads far and certainly dulls out the redness.


Cons of this product:
It has some brightening tones in it which means it may interfere with your foundation coverage if you like a super matte look.

So I apply it to my fingers then dot it over my red areas....

I like to rub the dots in, you will immediately see that the green tones down the redness, and then apply your foundation. I use Covergirl NatureLuxe, it isn't a full coverage, but if definitely works well for me, particularly with this primer.

I hope that this has helped someone, because redness can cause such frustration and self-esteem issues, hopefully finding products that help will increase your confidence and give you the healthy glow you desire!!!

HOW -TO Do Diamond Jubilee Nails With A Summer Twist!!!!

In honour of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II's 60 years of reign, we celebrate her Diamond Jubilee!

So although I would do anything to be there in my home country celebrating and waving flags, I have to celebrate from afar. So I start here with my nails...

I switched out the navy blue and red on the Union Jack for baby blue and hot pink!

Items Used

Sinful Colors - Cinderella - this is a gorrrrrrgeous blue with pink hued flecks, just drop dead gorg.

White and Pink stripers

Top Coat

(simple huh!)

How-To

1. Ok so to do this I suggest you have everything you need ready. 
2. Paint your base color - whatever it may be (don't be afraid to switch it up!)
3. Then paint a fairly thin white "X" across the nail. Let it dry.
4. Take your red/pink and paint a thinner line within the white one. Let it dry COMPLETELY!
5. Get your white again and make a thick cross "+" through your current "X" (this will be roughly double the thickness of your white "X" lines) Seriously let it dry, it tends to be thicker and takes longer than the first lines you did.
6. Finally, take your pink/red again and paint a cross "+" within your white one, making sure to leave a white border of the white "+"
7. Let dry fully and add top coat, if you add a TC too early it will drag your design and mess it up (lesson learned!)

To all wonderful Brits, I hope you have a fabulous holiday weekend, and have a drink for me!!!!

x

Salon Express Nail Art Stamping Kit