Valentines Nails featuring Ted Baker…

As much as I repeatedly fall head over heels in love with soft muted neutrals, for me there’s nothing quite like a splash of sparkle to really catch the eyes of any admirer. Of course quite a few of my regular readers will be aware of just how much I was gushing over the stunning Ted Baker beauty box in Mondays post: Ted Baker Brilliance of Beauty Box Set. Apart from a treasure trove full of gorgeous rose gold & crisp white cosmetic goodies, there was two very pretty nails polishes included in the set as well. Being slightly uhhhbsessed with tinted talons at the moment I couldn’t wait to give these gorgeous shades a test drive myself…

However, as Valentines days is almost upon us I really wanted to go for a chic yet signature look – and what better way to achieve this than a wash of Ted Baker soft latte with a single glitzy ‘feature nail’ to mark such a loved up occasion? Naturally, a bold and vibrant red sprang to mind as I began imagining how gorgeous the contrast would be between an eye catching pillar box red and the soft muted grey tones of the latte.

For the main colour I used the Ted Baker on all my nails apart from the opposing ring fingers. Did it apply well? Hmm, I have to say on initial application it seemed a little too streaky for my liking as it was very thin in consistency, however the second coat really helped to bulk up the impact of the colour. The only thing I wasn’t consistently impressed with was the brush *sigh* For such a reputable brand it just seemed so cheap and difficult to work with. There was no resistance in the nylon bristles and if I didn’t know better I would have assumed it was more along the lines of a cheaper range. Having said that even some of my most inexpensive varnishes have great brushes, so why can’t Ted Baker step up to the mark? As a coveted brand with a cult following of label lovers I’m pretty surprised that the only thing to really let down this polish was the brush – something that really does make one heck of a difference when it comes to applying a smooth layer of polish.

Anyways, forgetting about the brush… the dried (two coat) finish of the polish is beautiful and with a extra strong top coat could easily last well up to (or beyond) a week, so pretty much above average in terms of lifespan. As for me, I rebelled and choose to live dangerously without the protection of a top coat, just to see how long I could get without any chips or wear. Disappointingly, I only managed to reach day 3 before signs of stress started to show. However once I finally succumbed to reapplying with a top coat, I’m now well into day 6 and it still looks pretty darn fresh!

As for my ‘feature nail; I couldn’t think of a better duo than this gorgeous pair of hotties. Its the Max Factor Nailfinity & NYC Crystal Couture in Ruby Queen. For this look I only used one coat of the Max Factor as a base and built the rest up with two gloriously glittery coats of the sparkliest red polish I could dig out of my collection. The Crystal Couture really lifts the nail and makes it look like a miniature match of those gorgeous little ruby slippers that Dorothy wore from Wizard of Oz. It’s vibrant, vivacious and oh-so-perfect for Valentines don’t you think gals?

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How do you like the final result? Personally I’m loving the soft muted shade with a vibrant pop of ruby red. It’s super eye catching and the perfect finger accessory for a fun Valentines mani look! Speaking of which, wishing every one of you a wonderful weekend filled with love… regardless of whether you’re married, single or just ready to mingle. Make it a fabulous one ladies ❤

What’s your favourite polish colours for Valentines? Have you got an awesome look you’d like to share? What’s your plans for the coming weekend? Whatever your thought I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by to say a quick hello 🙂

Cheerio chums…

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