Nails inc Neon nail polish REVIEW!

I was sent the new Nails inc collection last week and have been enjoying wearing a mix of Great Eastern Street and Claridge Gardens. Does anyone else check their Nails inc polish before setting out? As personally I like to feature at least one street I'll be passing on my nails. Just kidding but it's a good concept isn't it? Forget 'The knowledge' [London cabbie's street knowledge test] and build a Nails inc collection! OK that joke has worn rather thin now. But the point is, rather like Mavala who name their polishes after world cities, Nails inc name their polishes after London streets and attractions. It's rather charming and luckily the quality is good enough to not be an insult to Anglophiles.

This collection, I ♥ Neons, consists of 3 shades and a neon activator. I'm not 100% convinced that the neon activator is any different to a white base coat but the shades are:

Neon Activator Mini (£8) 5ml [this is the only size available] - a white base coat
Golden Lane Stay Bright Neon nail polish - neon highlighter yellow
Claridge Gardens Stay Bright Neon nail polish - neon highlighter pink
Great Eastern Street Stay Bright Neon nail polish - neon highlighter coral

The set available (£19) consists of 3 x 5ml bottles and in addition to the neon activator it contains the pink and coral shades. The yellow is only available as a single full size 14ml (£15)

In my opinion the weakest shades are the yellow and the white. Both can be somewhat streaky but especially the base Neon Activator. The good news is, once the jelly-like polishes go on they seem to mask the streakiness. You will need a high shine top coat as these dry very matte. Personally I find the pink and coral are more wearable against my skintone; the promo images use a dark skintone to showcase the yellow. These have lasted very well and lost none of the vibrancy and they have not chipped either. I used a Mavala base coat and Seche Vite top coat.

I was also sent an adorable slogan bag (£12) "I'm outdoorsy... I drink my Prosecco on the patio". Although I instantly think of city wide boys at The Long Bar slurring for a Pross-eh-Oh, I appreciate the sentiment! I love the style of this bag, it reminds me of Anya Hindmarch or Rebecca Minkoff et al slogans and stickers. The inside is a soft pink. It's well made and looks designer and expensive.

My current manicure - No flash - I like the way the orange and pink are closely related, I think it gives a very cool effect and I'm hoping to set a trend...!

An interesting manicure - using the yellow as an accent! May try this...

 

Above: No flash

Above: With flash (and against my fluro stitch top!)

 With flash - yup, it's NEON

Streaky...

Work in progress: featuring Tweezerman nippers and Mavala nail file

Nails inc  neon collection is available here

*This is not an affiliate link; post not sponsored; items sent by Nails inc for review.*

I must say these colours on my nails are so joyful and they are not neon enough to feel unpleasantly out of my comfort zone!

Illamasqua Theatre of the Nameless is out now... more hauling

I promised that as soon as Illamasqua released this collection I would be right back for Berber pigment. This evening I passed by the Beak St flagship store for its 1 Year anniversary, and thought I'd quickly share what Berber looks like worn sedately.






I also picked up a BACKUP of Beguile as I have used it every day since I got it, as a face highlighter. It is surprisingly subtle and I swear every time I wear it, cars stop to let me go by and people generally seem to appreciate my "natural" glow. Seriously a beautiful pigment and very unique. The makeup artist used it here as an inner eye highlight.

I also snatched up Raindrops nail polish for a fiver. I really like it! It's a dove grey with sparkle.



(By the way I am wearing Havoc Precision ink liner as well.
*Sorry for the rushed pics but you get the idea...)

Illamasqua Theatre of the Nameless - Review and Swatches!

I think I always say, "This is the best Collection yet!" but seriously - this is great stuff!!! Illamasqua's previous collection, Toxic Nature, had some real standouts (e.g I still wear 'Delirium' on a regular basis) but somehow there was not the real punch of grim darkness that Illamasqua do so well. This time, there is no compromise: Illamasqua give us the perfection of murky, dark sparkle. Exciting shades and a really expansive mix; a very balanced collection. There are - Two new blushers; three new lipglosses (one, a rosy pink called 'Belladona' is an online exclusive); a new mascara - sorry, Masquara - three new pigments; two new cream pigments; a new lipstick; two false eyelashes, and four new nail polishes!

This is Theatre of the Nameless, the new collection which looks to Germany in the 1920s for inspiration, with Weimar period icons such as Anita Berber, the doomed flame haired scandalously androgynous actress, to the Boot girls who colour co-ordinated their shoelaces to their talents. This dubious source was quickly forgotten as David Horne, the talented and charming artistic brain behind it all (as handpicked by Alex Box) exclaimed as he sprinkled a load of Pure pigment 'Beguile' in the air and all over his lovely dark suit jacket, "I just thought it was hilarious how they colour coded their boots like that." Indeed, seen in the abstract, it is quirky and translates well into the range of rubber finish ("like candle wax") nail polishes. There's 'Taint' (stone brown) 'Kink' (bottle green) 'Vice' (deep cerise) and 'Faux Pas' (blue violet - as seen on my nails below.) Check out the competition to win these HERE (Hurry - competition ends on Sunday 4th!)

The new Precision Ink in 'Havoc' is described by Illamasqua thus: "Havoc lets you scrawl hidden messages across your naked flesh, to be discovered at midnight by your secret lover." (So excuse me if this post is rushed.) As yet at the time of writing I can only attest to its powers as an eyeliner. I wore it all day today, through an unexpected heat wave and a great workout at the gym, and this held up as excellently, as expected. Previous incarnations have been brilliant, and this is actually my favourite so far. It is aubergine but very dark, only a glint of aubergine - too much red purple makes my eyes look very tired. I highly recommend it and it was on my wishlist, so when I saw I'd been given one I couldn't believe my luck!







'Havoc' lined below, contrast it with my top black liquid line.

The Pure Pigments are truly captivating, I have come to realise that Illamasqua pigments are very distinctive and not similar to MAC at all, they are much finer (they do not 'ball up') and they almost remind me of a MAC Reflects pigment but with a heavy pigmented base. I received 'Beguile' and at first, seeing its unapologetic glittery sparkle, I mentally relegated it to 'strictly for inner eye only.' But in the interests of fair experimentation I tried it as a face highlighter. David Horne described it as having a wet, water look to it. But his jacket said disco frenzy. However, on the face I am shocked to report that the glitter is so very fine that it really does take on a wet shine. Wet shine is so hard to achieve with a dry pigment! And unlike 'Static' this eschews a purple duochrome for a green glint.







My only reservation is, seeing the state of my other Illamasqua pigments, how to keep it neat? (does anyone have any tips? My pigment always flies out when I open them.) The other Pure Pigment, 'Berber' is a brilliant - again, David Horne's words: "Rust shot through with Absinth." It's a deep brick red but with very noticeable lime green sparkle. Although red is usually so hard to look good in, I think the green will really help make this a flattering yet showstopping shade. The depth of colour is magnificent. Then there is 'Zeitgeist', a black pigment with tons of sparkle. It is like a true black version of 'Android' (another fave.)

The Cream pigments are 'Androgen', a slightly reddened coral which works equally as a beard cover up or a blusher; and 'Depravity' which I wore today and LOVED. Purple is my favourite colour, and this is my favourite version of purple. Purple eyes can be very old fashioned, especially lilac, but this is a vibrant pinky purple that is very young. I wore it with no base and it faded to a pinker shade, which I still adored, and it didn't crease much at all. I have found that some of Illamasqua's Cream pigments crease very quickly (e.g 'Dab') but others, like 'Delirium' and now 'Depravity' last fairly well even without a base. I will in future probably wear 'Depravity' over a primer to keep it looking its best though. I am even going to break my 'no-matchy' rule and wear this with magenta purple tomorrow.









'Depravity' above, after fading for about 5 hours to a more pink hue

The blushers reminded me of NARS Sin and Oasis or Orgasm. They are both shimmer blushers, 'Ambition' is a neutal tone but very shimmery; 'Morale' was a very attractive wine shade with just the right shine to it. The packaging looks especially good as that big pinched square compact. The new lipglosses are 'Facade', which is like a liquid version of 'Hollow' pigment; 'Violate' which is supposedly in their sheer range but goes on a wonderful deep green sparkle, just the right side of brave. The two eyelashes are 'Grandeur', a sumptuous black flicked design; and 'Weimar', of which only 500 have been made (and this is the only L.E item in the collection.) The Weimar lashes are black and extravagant, with red tips which almost glow in the light. Very daring yet also very wearable. Aside from the dark purple blue lipstick 'Kontrol', everything seems very wearable - and yet still subversive. This is exactly Illamasaqua's forte.

I cannot wait to get myself 'Berber' to add to my collection.

Theatre of the Nameless is out now online, and launches across counters globally on 8th September.


-Full Product details and Prices -

Nail Varnish, £13.50

• Taint (Stone Brown)
• Kink (Bottle Green)
• Vice (Deep Cerise)
• Faux Pas (Blue Violet)

Cream Pigment, matte £17.00

• Androgen(Coral)
• Depravity (Magenta)

Masquara £15.00

• Raven (Midnight Black)
  

Pure Pigment, metallic £15.50

• Zeitgeist (Dark Shimmer)
• Beguile (Light Shimmer)
• Berber (Auburn Shimmer)

Precision Ink, £17.00

• Havoc (Aubergine)

False Eye Lashes, £16.00

The Theatre of the Nameless brings two new lashes to our extensive handmade range of styles and colours – the fluttering, tapered extravagance of the aptly named Grandeur and the thick, long, luxurious Blackened Auburn Weimar.

Shimmer Blusher, £16.50

• Ambition (Neutral)
• Morale (Rosed Flush)

Intense Lipgloss, £13.00

• Façade (Grey Pink)

Sheer Lipgloss, £13.00

• Violate (Dark Green Shimmer)

Lipstick, £15.50

• Kontrol (Blue Violet)

~Thank you to Illamasqua for a wonderful preview evening, not to mention the delicious Weimar cocktail!

Green nails are now sophisticated...

Tom Pecheux has done it again. Estee Lauder have a brilliant new collection out, and as their mastermind explains, "My inspiration for this collection comes from the creative reflections found in modern architecture, in the phenomenal modern buildings that are like pieces of art. The buildings never, ever look the same colour because they are reflecting what is around them. It is the same idea with this collection, you are wearing the same makeup, but you never end up looking the same way."

Indeed! This is Green nails, but not as you know it. This green is murky, old gold. A colour which captures a sheen or a tint at every turn. At times khaki, at times brown, at times burnished gold...



It's the new limited edition nail polish called "Metallic Sage" for their upcoming "Modern Mercury" Autumn 2011 collection - available online from 1st August. (£14.)

I could not wait to take off my nail polish and apply this instead - and I really do believe that Estee Lauder have one of the best formulas. Once you apply, it literally will last and last. e.g I love Chanel's polish colours, but they chip almost instantly - so they are now banished. These nails will not lose their lustre until I remove the polish. I love that!

I attended the Preview event so I have some of the makeup to test out too. With names like Black Chrome, Modern Mercury, Nude Velvet... you can tell instantly that there'll be plenty of desirable shades! There is also a fresh take on the Sensuous perfume range, Sensuous Nude. I'll review the perfume and makeup separately once I have put them through their paces. I'll leave you with the official group shot for now:



I'm excited to update you so watch this space for more info shortly....!

Estee Lauder?!

As if further evidence were needed that Estee Lauder is not just for your granny...



These are just some of the amazing, vibrant polishes Estee Lauder currently have on counter. I say "currently on counter", but sadly in fact most of these are sold out. And - grit your teeth - Limited Edition.

I had my eye on the disability sign blue and the racing green /"Harrods" green, and of course that delicious blue toned purple, the exact colour of my handbag - but sadly all gone. I did luckily manage to get the very sophisticated "Sizzling Taupe", a shade that reminded me of Illamasqua's "Bacterium". I had been meaning to buy the Illamasqua one for so long but that means a trip to Selfridges, and their Beauty Hall has become a place I dread - a very unpleasant shopping environment these days. So, this is the next best thing.

Estee Lauder polishes are a pleasure to use - instantly glossy, and they last for days on end without chipping. My Eyeko £3.50 "Cosmic" polish is so beautiful - black which glints holographic in the sunlight - but even with trusty Seche Vite as armour, it chips within 3 days. So, somewhat balking at £14 for a small polish (it used to be £12.50, only £1.50 less, but that just sounds so much more digestable than "£14" does!) I now have this - and it is very beautiful:

It reminds me of a minky blonde perfect hair colour. It's a brushed gold taupe. Less iridescent than the Illamasqua one, but still eyecatching in an underhand way.

I am hoping Barry M will quench my need for a true, creamy blue. Sometimes a high end polish can be less high maintenance than a cheapie though.