Gorgeous Summer Nail Shades: A Cocktail of Coral…

From hot sassy pinks to punchy peach corals, there’s nothing that says ‘summer jolly hols’ more than a wash of vibrant girly shades to paint your claws with. Stepping out of spring and into summer colours seems such a naturally fun transition from pastels to bright eye catching shades but if a cocktail of corals sounds like your kinda nail flair then check out these stunning shades for the sunshine. Best of all they’re all under £5! *woo hoo*

Rimmel 313 Salon Pro Cocktail Passion

“Up to 10 days chip resistant nail colour with gel shine finish! Including amazing shades created by Kate Moss. Includes our precision maxi brush for salon perfection! All the benefits of a professional salon manicure. Strengthening base coat, top coat and gel shine all in one. Ultra flexible Lycra formula; colour is shock proof, chip resistant and anti-fading. Long lasting for up to 10 days.”

*CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT*

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NYC Bubblegum Pink

“Feel like showing off? Get ready for Broadway beauty that lasts all day and night! Our nail polish is a treasure trove of luxurious, deep, rich colour shades for maximum drama. So glamour, these hot shades will resist any daytime or night time city life. Don’t worry about your mani, start acting like a busy New York star. This formula delivers a glossy, high-shine finish that lasts for up to 10 days”

*CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT*

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NYC Quick Dry in Greenwich Village

“At last, a manicure that moves at the speed of Manhattan. Feel the need for speed? Just paint and run. NYC’s In a New York Color Minute nail polish will bring your nails a beautiful mani from runway shows in less than 60 seconds. With its special flat brush, just dispenses the right amount of color, for perfect and ultra-fast application…even if you need to apply while heading across town in a taxi.”

*CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT*

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Avon Nailwear Pro in Seduce Me Strawberry

“Nail enamel fortified with Dura-Plus Complex and acrylic gel for strength. 12 days of lasting colour, 10 days of shine and a nick-resistant finish. 10ml”

*CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT*

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NYC Expert Last in Permanent Pink

“NYC Expert Last Nail Polish contains a unique UV Inhibitor to protect against colour fading. Also a blend of Iron and Calcium meant to give your nails a smooth, chip-resistant surface and to strengthen then by up to 50% in five days. The precision brush allows for expert application.”

*CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT*

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A Finishing Touch of Sparkle…

If (like me) you’re partial to a sprinkling of subtle bling then why not consider a glittering top coat! I recently picked up this cute little Crush On You polish in Pink Bloom 65 from Miss Sporty for only £2.99. It gives the nails a subtle hint of glistening pink sunset with the teeny blush & gold sparkle. It also makes your polish that little bit more durable… and extra sassy if you ask me 😉

*CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT*

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Are you a fan of hot pinks and bright corals? What’s your favourite shade to wear in the summer months?  Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by for a chatter! Wishing y’all a fabulous weekend 🙂

Cheerio chums…

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Nail Stamping Kit for Beginners….

Howdy chums…

Last Friday, when I uploaded my Easy Peasy Ombre Nail Art a few of you gals were keen to learn a little more about the stamping kit I used to create the look! Not being one to turn down a fun tutorial vid, I thought I’d go right ahead and get started on showing you guys just how simple & crafty this little kit is.

Of course like most things, stamping kits range from pocket friendly right up to the professional kits for nail technicians that are quite a bit more costly. I’m trying to avoid swooning over them online for too long as my hand may ‘accidentally on purpose’ slip a few into my shopping basket *sigh* But good news for those who want to try this little beauty out without spending a fortune as it’s currently available on Amazon for just under £5! Bargain right?

For those of you who really want to up the results when it comes to getting creative with your claws, you can also invest in formulated stamping polishes such as Konad or MoYou. These polishes are a little thicker in consistency than regular polish which will enable your results to stand out a whole lot more than with standard varnish. As I haven’t received my order of MoYou polishes yet I’ve run through this video using standard shades that pretty much everyone has to hand such as Barry M, Rimmel & Avon… and the results are still really pretty. Particularly the dark against light colours, which show up incredibly well.

All in all, it’s a great little kit to get you started! However for those of you who fancy taking your stamping skills even further, there’s a whole world of amazing designs and stampers out there to keep topping up your collection with. Don’t forget to show us your designs if you do decide to check it out!

Have you tried a nail stamping kit yet? What’s your favourite brand of stamping polish? Have you any great tips for nail stamping novices? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by and say a quick hello! Don’t forget, you can *Click Here* to subscribe to the Confetti & Curves YouTube channel so you never miss a future upload *Yippeeeeee* 😀

Cheerio chums…

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FREE Ciate London Nail Polish…

For me one of life’s great little pleasures is browsing an array of glossy magazines in my local book store, taking my time to pensively decide which is accompanying me home to enjoy an evening of curling up on the couch together with the obligatory cup of tea (and maybe a kit kat… or two) *ahh hemm*

However this month, my luck was well and truly in when it came to choosing a glossy as one of my favourite magazines, Instyle, are giving away a free bottle of Ciate London Nail Polish worth £9 with every copy of this months mag (March edition)

As you can imagine my eyes widened as I browsed the colours available, literally chewing on my lip from being unable to pick… would it be really weird if I went back and bought a few more copies to build my collection of Ciate polishes? 😉  Between a subtle icy-lilac-nude, an eye catching vibrant red, soft cool blue and a striking purple, my choice wasn’t easy to say to the least, however I (finally) settled on the colour that made my little heart pitter-patter the most… Iced Frappe. And oh my goodness, what a sweet little treat it is.

Firstly, I assume we’re all in agreement that the Ciate packaging is theeeee prettiest in all the land, yep? The cute little bow, the elegant long neck of the brush *happy sigh* It’s sophisticated, chic and oh so feminine in a classy yet sassy kinda way. I’m imaging a little row of these cuties lined along my polish shelf *swoon* And of course after last weeks pricey & disappointing nail polish find (*click here* to check out THAT post) my nails were certainly crying out for a treat to make up for the lack of love they were feeling. So how did Iced Frappe stack up?

Well considering that it’s worth £9 a bottle, my expectations were high – and I’m delighted to say it didn’t disappoint. Although the mixture was a little thinner of consistency than I initially expected, I was pleasantly surprised at the excellent coverage. It applied on the nail really well and levelled out to avoid any nasty looking streaks or patches.

The drying time was pretty much on par with that of most other polishes, and it really wasn’t long before my nails were covered in two glorious coats of Ciate London Iced Frappe – and looking absolutely gorgeous for it I must add. Of course to keep the polish lasting as long as possible I’ll be adding a top coat… although I’m not too heavy handed, I type ALOT every day so with my digits dancing over the keys for hours on end it’s easy to wear out even the toughest of polishes. Ahh the perils of office work *sigh*

Ultimately I have high hopes for the longevity of this polish, but considering that it was free with Instyle Magazine it’s given me a great chance to check out a brand I’ve been eyeing for quite a while. So if you’re out and about this weekend, check out the shelves of your local store (UK) where they should hopefully have the beautiful range of colours to choose from… if you want to be really thrify, Tesco are selling the magazine at an exclusive price of £2.50! Yep, a magazine & £9 bottle of Ciate poilish for that price – you’d be mad to miss out! Go go go… before the shelves run dry ladies 😉

Have you tried Ciate London Nail Polishes yet? What’s your favourite brand of polish at the moment? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do be sure to say a quick hello!

Cheerio chums…

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Glamming it up with Glitzy Grey’s…

Grey has to be one of my favourite staple shades! It’s the complimentary tone that blends in perfectly with just about any other colour – from pastel pink to deep rich damson. Of course when it dawned on me that my nail polish collection was missing this essential shade I had to put right to my wrongs and treat my collection to a bottle of ‘Moon’ by Rimmel’s Salon Pro range.

Considering that I’m a huge fan of their renowned Urban Purple *swoon* I really wasn’t expecting to be disappointed by the formula or consistency, however with Moon there seemed to be a very slightly runnier texture. Thankfully, the end result was a beautiful glossy grey, though it did take a few coats to get there – be warned gals, if you don’t have a UV lamp you could be in for a long wait as this is most definitely not the quickest drying formula. However after wafting my hands around for ten minutes between layers, and catching up with a few of my fav You-Tubers (yes Kaily Baute your channel was well and truly stalked for half an hour!) my nails were finally dry enough to admire the final result: Voila…

At £4.49 it’s certainly a pocket friendly price tag for a good quality drugstore polish. If you’re on the hunt for a great staple grey with undertones of blue then I’d definitely recommend checking this shade out. It’s a definite thumbs up from me!

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Being a bit of a magpie, it would’ve been sacrilege to stop at just a simple grey… c’mon ladies you all know how much I adore a bit of bling 😉 So seeing as our own moon had been a bit of a heavenly celebrity this past week I couldn’t resist the temptation to add a cosmic sprinkle of glitter with yet another fabulous polish by the Collection Bedazzled range in the shade Razzle Dazzle.

Available from Boots for a mere £2.99, this sparkle encrusted top coat is a guaranteed eye catcher. Okay, it’s usually more of a Christmas polish for me but I couldn’t resist the temptation to glam up my new grey nails.

I must admit, like most glitter polishes it’s renowned as a bit of a pain in the derrière to remove, however I often find that very gently filing the top layer first before soaking my nails in polish remover helps dramatically! As long as you’re prepared to put the effort in you’ll most definitely reap the bedazzling benefits of this sassy polish. It’s affordable, long lasting, glitzy and adds that little bit of glam to liven up any nail colour.

What’s your thoughts on grey polishes? Do you have any in your collection & if so what’s your favourite?

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend! As always, don’t forget to say a quick hello in the comments below, we do love a good chatter here on Confetti & Curves 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Keeping Up With Karen…

Happy Sunday Chummies…

It’s been a horrendously busy week here for me, so to recharge my zapped-out batteries I’ve done absolutely nothing this weekend other than procrastinate, drink tea & write… it’s been delicious in every sense. It’s also given me an unusual opportunity to catch up on things I rarely get a chance to do; such as revelling in a YouTube marathon, organising my nail polish collection & tackling those little jobs around the house that never-ever seem to get done! Have you done anything exciting this weekend or like myself has it been laid back & lovely?

Anyway for those of you who fancy a quick catch up, here’s a little recap of what’s been happening over the last few days here on Confetti & Curves…

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The Make-Up Menu: Perfectly Plum 

Who doesn’t love a good smothering of plum coloured cosmetic goodies this time of year? If you’re as mad about beautiful berry tones & plum shades as I am then take a peek at this assortment of fall fancies

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Behind The Blog featuring So Dora

This weeks Behind The Blog kicks of with the gorgeous Dora from So Dora… a sassy beauty, fashion & lifestyle blog that’s simply packed full of fun filled features and pretty postings. She’s super friendly and a hugely talented blogger, so if you haven’t done so already get yourself over and say a big hello! She’s adorable 🙂

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My Make-Up Empties 

My little basket of potential ‘Stash or Trash’ items is under intense scrutiny as I prepare to show you guys the good, the bad & the ugly of what I’ve been using over this past few weeks!!

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Behind The Blog featuring Organic By Nerve

Yet another fabulously talented blogger to grace the sofa of sassiness this week as I’m joined by the beautiful Corinne for a quick behind the scenes chat of her incredible little corner of the interweb! Packed full of awesome features & must read musings, Corinnes blog is a must-read virtual haven… Ps: Be sure to check out her 22 Beauty Hacks Everyone Should Know post – it is fantastic!!

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Fizzy Berry Nails

I finish the week by sharing one of my favourite polish combos of the season! If your idea of the perfect autumnal nail is a deep blackcurrant colour topped with a sprinkling of eye catching glitter then you’ll love this polish partnership!

As always, thank y’all so very much for the abundance of support, comments, re-tweets, shares, likes & just darn right loveliness. You lot really are an awesome bunch. Do feel free to pop a favourite link from your blog in the comments below for the rest of us to check out otherwise don’t forget to say a quick hello!

Cheerio Chums…

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Fizzy Berry Nails…

I seem to be going through a bit of a polish infatuation at the moment. Updating my collection with fabulous fusions of pretty seasonal shades and glittering top coats is what’s really exciting me for fall. I literally go weak at the knees for anything sparkly and this week I have yet another little polish partnership that I’ve fallen madly in love with. Check it out gals, are you swooning as much as I am over it?
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I should begin by mentioning that like any deep coloured polish I started by applying a clear base coat to help prevent staining. Once dried it was time to break out the fun stuff! This week I’ve opted for shade no. 14 Blackberry  from Collection 7 Day Wear Range.

Priced at only £1.99 this is such pocket friendly polish & boasting a 7 day wear it should last a little longer than a standard varnish. After trying it out by itself (2 coats with no glitter top coat) I only managed to get 4 full days before I noticed any chipping… maybe I’m just a ferocious typer who causes havoc to her dressed up digits?!However thankfully after applying my sparkly top coats it lasted much longer… but we’ll get to that in a minute!

The formula of the Collection polish is actually quite a nice consistency, it’s not too runny however with being such a deep colour it needs at least two coats to banish any streaks or patches. Naturally, the more costs applied the darker the result. Fear not though ladies, for in natural daylight (and after a good day’s wear) the colour settles quite a bit and becomes a beautiful rich berry tone that is super pretty and a distinctively rich-plum shade.

*Click here to visit Superdrug for more info on this product range*
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When I spotted this glittery little glass ball of goodness in shade 889 Amethyst Dust from Miss Sporty,  I knew it would be the perfect complimentary top coat to adding some sassiness to my Collection Blackberry colour. The consistency of this polish is actually quite runny however the plus side being that it dries relatively quickly. You will need to build up quite a few layers to really pack a punch with this glitter. I opted for 3 layers which might seems a lot but the results are incredible & it lasts a good 7-10 days providing you maintain it well – for £1.99 it’s well worth the pocket money. I find using a really good nail & hand cream daily helps to prolong the lifespan and keep my nails looking glossy and bright!

*Click here to visit Superdrug for more info on this product range*

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Overall this perfect partnership of polishes will set you back under £5 for a sparkly fall look that lasts all week long. Not a bad investment, eh ladies?

Don’t forget to check out last weeks post: Fall Inspired Rose Gold Nails especially if glittery golds & coppers are what makes your little heart flutter! Yet another stunning combo 🙂

Do you have favourite polish at the moment? What are your thoughts on my Fizzy Berry nails? As always don’t forget to say a quick hello in the comments below. Have a great weekend y’all!

Cheerio Chums…

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This post is not sponsored, nor does it contain affiliate links – all views expressed are my own.

 

Tried & Tested: Avon Stardust Nail Polish

Product:

Avon Stardust Nail Enamel in Crystalized Pink & Polished Plum (10ml)

Where I purchased it & cost:

I purchased both these polishes from the December 2014 Avon catalogue given to me by my local Sales Representative!

The Stardust Polishes retail for £6 each – you can purchase any of the seven shades directly from the Avon Website

Manufacturer Description/Unique selling points:

Excerpt from Avon website: ‘Give a matte finish with opalescent glitter in different sizes for a unique 3D effect.’

Packaging:

I must admit, the packaging of these polishes reeled me in every bit as much as the pretty colours… this trendy little bottle certainly doesn’t disappoint on looks ladies! Its sassy diamond cut design oozes opulence for such a pocket friendly price tag.

Furthermore, when my goodies prompty arrived both 10ml bottles came neatly packaged in their very own branded boxes – another brownie point to making them feel that little bit more luxurious than a drug store nail enamel purchase.

Top marks for presentation Avon!

Pros:

The Crystalized Pink is most definitely going to impress if (like me) you’re a huge fan of soft blush tones. It’s subtle shade has a delicate hint of sparkle and thankfully looks pretty darn close to what I expected it to be… shopping from a catalogue always makes me a tad wary if the product will actually look like its gorgeous printed pictures!

The polish applies well and dries surprisingly quickly – so you’re not waving or wafting your hands around in mid air for too long! However like most polishes it distinctively needs a second coat to really clarify the colour… unless you’re lightly glamming-up a pretty pastel pink base coat.

As for longevity, I got a good 4 days without noticing any chips with the Crystalized Pink shade. I must say I was mightily impressed with it compared with a few other nail enamels I’ve tried for double the price yet show signs of strain after the first day.

Great packaging, price & colour!

Avon Stardust Crystalized Pink!

Cons:

Unfortunately the Polished Plum was an entirely different story from it’s colour counterpart. This shade looked almost unrecognisable on the nail compared to the picture in the Avon brochure, so much so that I had to dig out the brochure to confirm I’d actually ordered the correct one.

After a few coats it was still surprisingly dull. My eyes strained to pick up any sign of shimmer whatsoever and as a result the product looked and felt like I’d somehow coated a rough lumpy sand-textured base coat in a matte purple polish. However, wanting to give it a fair chance I kept it on for as long as I could visibly stick it… 48 hours later I was reaching for my nail polish remover & cotton pads. Unfortunately it had chipped rather noticeably and just looked utterly dismal compared to the Crystalized Pink polish I’d wore previously.

Oddly enough, as deep wintery tones are something I magnetise towards, Polished Plum was the colour I was chomping at the bit to try! I was really disheartened by the finish as it looks incredibly beautiful in the bottle and on the advertising – such a shame Avon! *sob*

Avon Stardust Polished Plum!

Re-purchase/Recommend?

The Polished Plum was unfortunately too much of a disappointment to recommend, however I’d be happy to suggest the Crystalized Pink to those who prefer a subtle textured effect sparkle than all-over finger tip bling. I must admit, I doubt I’d repurchase at a later date but it hasn’t put me off trying the other range of Avon polish goodies!

Verdict:

It’s undeniable they’re beautifully presented polishes that are affordable for almost all purse strings, unfortunately though the polish itself is a bit of a let-down in comparison to the catalogue advertising & photography – especially in the darker shades. Okay, I’ll admit to being a bit of a magpie when it comes to sparkly polishes, but I was expecting a bit more ‘oomf’ that unfortunately didn’t materialise once painted on the nail.

Overall score – 6/10

Have you tried any of the Avon nail enamels recently?

Whatever your thoughts do feel free to leave your feedback in the comments below – as always thanks for reading!

Cheerio Chums…

 

Bada Bling… Gorgeous Glitter Nails

I gotta admit I do love a little sprinkle of sparkle over the nails especially come this time of year when the dark nights are closing in and the twinkle of tea light candles and street lights make everything feel that little bit more festive.

Considering I don’t own a huge selection of sparkly varnish top coats, I’ve had my eye on a few delectable looking dazzlers lately including Sally Hanson’s Gem Crush Polish in the shade Razzle Dazzler, with its soft pink sparkly tones. Ooooh it’s beautiful *swoon* Quite a few times I’ve spotted this little beauty whilst browsing the aisles of Superdrug and for some unknown reason I haven’t yet taken the plunge… that will change during my next trip as my nails are currently crying out for it.

 Twit Twoo *wolf whistle NOT owl* … how pretty is Sally Hansens Razzle Dazzler?

I’m also tempted by a few of the other shades too… aren’t they gorgeous?

Another glorious little sparkler I found browsing through the online pages of House of Fraser is Alexa Sparkle by Nails Inc. This would undoubtedly look stunning over a few of my rich autumnal shades I’ve recently resurrected from the depths of my varnish collection. How delicious would this be over a rich plum polish? I’ll get back to you with the results, but it’s certainly on my seasonal wish list!

However Bedazzled by Collection is what I’m really into at the moment. I picked this up last year after spotting my sister wearing a similar sparkly shade on her nails and I instantly fell in love. I will say, after a few wears I got a tad fed up of the nightmare trying to remove it, those little glitter bits really stick hard so expect you’ll to break out the big guns (a nail file) during a change-over!  Thankfully it’s worth the hassle as it looks gorgeous on, currently I’m wearing it over collections milkshake which is quite a muted peachy /nude colour however it has looked every bit as impressive over pretty much every colour I’ve wore it with, ranging from deep glossy blacks to baby pinks and mint greens. It just adds that little bit of twinkle and is a steal for under a fiver from Superdrug… ooo err!

Lastly, one of my sparkler base coat top-picks is Rimmel Salon Pro in urban purple. Although my camera’s picking it up as a reddy tone in the bottom pic, it’s actually more of a raspberry/maroon purple – it’s one of those impossible one’s to properly describe with sounding a bit weird. Anyway, it covers incredibly well, looks fantastic, is pretty long lasting with a good top coat & the rather chunky flecks of glitter from the Collection Bedazzled layered on top transform it into a perfect party nail. If you’re into a rich, glossy nails I’d highly recommend you try Rimmel’s Salon Pro range, they really are beautiful colours that transform your fingers into ten dazzling digits… and look every bit as professional as a well manicured gel!

Just a few of the dazzling nail polish picks I’ll be wearing over the next few weeks… Oooer!