Floral Nails

A couple of weeks ago I was having a flick through Instagram and saw this picture, posted by llymlrs, of gorgeous floral nails. I immediately decided to try and re-create the look for myself.

I began with the Sally Hansen Doubly Duty Strengthening Base & Top Coat, (£5.25, Boots) as always. Then proceeded to apply two coats of Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint in Light Blue, (£3.99, Superdrug).

When the nails were fully dried, I then made a rounded cross shape using the Essie Nail Polish in Fiji, (£7.99, Superdrug). You could use the brush itself to do this, like I did, or use a cocktail stick if you find that easier. I chose to create 4, larger flowers per nail, but this is optional depending on what sort of look you're going for.

 

For the next step I used the Barry M Nail Paint in Lemon Ice Cream, (£2.99, Superdrug). This is just done by placing a dot in the middle of the shape you've just created. The first shape should be relatively dry, but I found that it gives quite a nice effect when the two flower colours blend into each other a bit, rather than having sharp lines. Again this is optional, depending on how you want your nails to look.

 

 

To finish off I used the Sally Hanson Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat (£5.99, Boots). Since I began using this combination of base and top coat, I have noticed a significant difference in how long my nail colour lasts. My nails used to last 2-3 days max, and now they last up to 6 days depending on what I'm doing. Definitely worth investing in for anyone who has trouble with their nail varnish chipping.

 

 

 I used a combination of colours similar to those used by llymlrs, but any could be used. I might try this design using pinks, purples and oranges to switch it up a bit. I love these patterned nails, sometimes I feel a block colour needs a switch up. Creating your own designs allows you to use materials you already have, and saves you having to specially invest in and 'faff' around with nails wraps. This may seem long winded but this was my first attempt and it took a maximum of 20 minutes.

Good Luck!

A

xx

BzzAgent: E45 Campaign

So, I was recently sent the new E45 body lotion to try out. I've used the original before and wasn't overly impressed. In my kit I was given 2 full size samples, 10 samples to hand out and a booklet with all the information I needed.

On the E45 website, the Nourish & Restore lotion is described as 'Specially enriched with natural oils and Vitamin B3, making it a fantastic gentle skin care product for mature skin. It nourishes and helps restore supple, softer and noticeably glowing skin in just three weeks. Its unique formula is enriched with naturally derived lipid and glycerine that work with your skin to replenish lost hydration and then build and maintain it throughout the day. E45 Nourish and Restore body lotion is light weight and quickly absorbed, non-greasy, hypoallergenic and lightly fragranced, making it perfect for normal to dry skin, and it is even a good sensitive skin moisturiser.'

My skin type is normal-dry, and can be quite sensitive. When I noticed that the new lotion was scented I was unsure about how my skin would react. However, the slight scent is designed to not irritate delicate skin, which means this lotion is perfect for people with skin like mine, who can't usually enjoy using scented products.

The lotion itself is the same texture as the original has always been, soft and silky on the skin. It also absorbed really well, I don't like lotions to stick on the skin and create almost a barrier. But lotions which sink in quickly are often not moisturising enough. This lotion was somewhere inbetween, it wasn't sticky but it still felt like it was doing something.

After a week of use, morning and night applications, I was surprised how much my skin has changed. I definitely noticed a significant improvement to the appearance and overall condition of my skin. It is definitely worth investing in, especially for those with dry, hard to please skin.

At Boots the 400ml lotion is priced at £5.49, reasonable for the results it provides. The people at E45 are currently giving away free samples, so if you fancy a try click here to receive yours.

A

xx