Glamorous in Celeb City

After nearly a week of having *gasp* naked nails, I am back with a polish that has quickly wormed its way into my heart. I could totally wear this polish for weeks at a time. It can be dressed up or dressed down; it's just plain amazing!!


What is this polish you ask? Well, it's Sally Hansen's Celeb City. The name speaks for itself, because I feel like a total Celeb in this color.


Celeb City is a gorgeous metallic silver, but even that doesn't describe its awesomeness. The only thing I can think to compare it to is sheet-metal or aluminum foil and even that's doesn't do it justice. I can only hope that the pictures I managed to get speak for themselves.


Ignore the short oddness of my index nail. Sadly, I managed to break it just before painting my nails and haven't had the chance to even it out yet.

Artificial Light w/Flash

Natural Light (Cloudy Sky)

Natural Light (Full Sunlight)

Here is something new I'm trying. I picked up a reading light yesterday. You know those ones that clip onto books, or in this case attaches to my ereader. It has a very white/blue light. I found that I adore what it does to these nails!

Close Up with Reader Light

There are only two cons I can see with Celeb City.


The first is the smell. If you have a sensitive sniffer this polish will likely drive you to a migraine. It has a very strong scent while using and to a lesser extent one that sticks with your nail for a while. However, it didn't really bother me. I actually kind of like the scent. Maybe it's like the smell of gasoline; some people love it while others hate it. I'll leave you to be the judge.


The other con is that you have to be so careful not to put any nicks or marks into the wet polish, because they will stand out like a blaring neon sign. I managed to put a nick in the polish of my middle finger and it was visible from a mile away. Still, it was very easy to fix. I just put another coat of polish on my nails and paid special attention to filling in the nick. Problem solved.


In all, I say this is definitely a must have for the glam addicted or the polish collectors.

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Nicki Minaj OPI Metallic for Life

I think you don't need to spend a lot of money to get a good nail varnish. OPI's prices are quite expensive, I would only buy one of their products if the nail varnish was a bit different & unusual. This limited edition one from the new Nicki Minaj collection is a beauty. Slightly reminds me of Rainbow connection. You can buy this online from Lena White for for �11. Does Metallic for Life tickle your fancy? How much do you spend on nail varnishes? x

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Blushing Purple Cows

Wow! Ten followers already? Thank you guys so much! I appreciate each and every one of you. :)


My day started early, and I�ve been on the go ever since. This means my pictures aren�t up to my usual standards since they were taken in the car. I apologize for this.


The nails themselves are my take on an early Valentine�s nail. I didn�t want to do the standard hearts so I went with an adorable blushing purple cow. I don't know why my mind immediately goes to cows on Valentine's Day ... might have something to do with the Farmville traditional cow available around this time. The cow is all hand-painted so each one is unique.

Colors Used
Sally Hansen - White On
Beauty Concepts - Unnamed Black
L.A. Colors - BCC 590
Essence - Gold Rush
Bon Bons - Unnamed Pink

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eighteen

sorry i haven't posted in a few days, i've been celebrating my 18th! 
Hope you are all okay, will be back to blogging now! xxx

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Pure Ice - Rumors

I decided to start the week off right and give my nails a little TLC after noticing some peeling at the tips when taking off my feeling purple mani. My nails spent yesterday polish free with layers of various creams slathered on them throughout the day and are feeling much better for this.


However, that TLC was nearly ruined when I opened a new bottle of white only to find it the consistancy of water. It is the only white I currently have so I thought maybe I could apply two or three very thin layers and make everything work, but I was wrong. The polish migrated off into the creases of my nail no matter how thin I made the layers. Finally, I had to give up on any designs that would focus heavily on white until I can pick up a new bottle.


So, instead of a design I'm choosing to do a simple swatch of a color from a nail polish my mom bought for me. She knows me so well!! ? It's been sitting in one of my nail polish drawers since before Christmas so I think it's finally time to give it a try. I find it such a gorgeous color and would love to see how it looks in matte or swamped with glitter. However, I decided to leave trying matte and glitter for later. I really want to just showcase the true extent of this beauty of a color.


Pure Ice Rumors is a little bit red, a little bit purple, and a whole lot of mauve�old mauve that is. I find the polish just the right consistancy for a smooth stroke. This is the consistancy with which I can cover my whole nail in two or three smooth strokes without having to go over the nail repeatedly. Also, the color goes on nearly opaque in just one coat. I'm sure some people wouldn't even think of putting on a second coat, but I prefer a truly full coverage look so I'm going for two coats. I will say I'm impressed with how quickly this polish dries given it's not marked quick dry.


Isn't it a gorgeous color? I'll admit it's a teensy bit dull on its own having none of the shimmer of Zoya polish or the shiny brightness of China Glaze, but the color is great IMO. Give it some flash with a stamped design, a bit of sparkle, or some bling and you'll have nails that really pop!

Artificial Light

Natural Light

Here it is in natural light after stamping with Wet n' Wild Metallica. I'm still not 100% on the stamping wagon. My stamper gives me no end of trouble. I'm quick and efficient when working and I keep the pressure consistant across the nail but half the stamp is nearly always left behind. I'm not sure how people get such clear and whole designs, but I bow to their expertise! Still, even with only half the design on the nail it is eye-catching. I'm 50/50 and will continue to use the stamper until I make up my mind. :)

Artificial Light Stamped

Natural Light Close Up

So, what do you think? Is it totally one of your faves too?

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week in pictures #08

Bit of a cosmetic clear out this week, no idea how much liz earle stuff i've been hoarding. Doing some beauty illustrations as I haven't posted any in a while. Denim Blue by Mavala. Some new products from avene which i still need to try out. Hasn't it been frosty lately, had to whip out the hand warmer. Death my chilli con carne. Taking photo of me wearing a brightening serum for the blog but I can't stand pictures of my face!


I've gone for a bit of an update/week in photo's. I've seemed to gain some new followers, hello! And I think it's nice to get to know the blogger & not just post review after review after review. 


Also after a year of searching, I've got a job! So so happy, good for you guys as it's mean there will be some hauls coming up. I've just purchased a lot of make up online so will post that on here when it arrives. I feel like I have to tell you guys if I purchase any beauty products!


I'm up against blogs with 10,000+ followers in the Marie Claire blog awards, eek! I'm extremely surprised i made it onto the longlist & I think it would be cool if the least well known blog got into the finals! If you wanted to, you can vote here. 


How was everyone's weekend? x

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Feeling Purple

I went to bed last night with the polish laid out for a pattern inspired nail design. However, I woke up today feeling ... purple. Instead of going for my fallback of matte purple I decided to attempt my first gradient.


How hard could this possibly be, I asked myself? I've watched videos and read blogs about this topic before. It seems pretty impossible to screw this design up.


I should know better by now than to ask what could possibly go wrong. My feeling purple day has left me feeling pretty blue.


I instantly picked up my new sponge and began dabbing the color on. Everything was going great. I was a bit disappointed that my two dark purples were hard to differentiate, but that was okay. There was enough of a color difference along the entire nail to make up for that. I let it dry a bit before I went to work with an old clear polish. The colors started their typical watercolor effect, as they always do when I use a sponge, but that was what I was going for this time. Great, right? Except that not all the color was blending and not all the color was staying on the nail. The color was picking up in places leaving the light base purple where there should be dark. Other places just weren't blending. It was like a train wreck. I couldn't look away, and I certainly couldn't stop once I had already begun. I finished up and decided to add some sparkle to the tips with a purple/blue glitter. Maybe this would act as a disguise. Well, it didn't ... but the glitter made me feel better.


Overall, this wasn't a complete disaster. I'm just such a drama queen perfectionist if I don't reign myself back that to see such a splotchy, streaked design leaves me cringing slightly. That said, most people in everyday life don't look at my nails through a microscope. The gradient effect is in full force and looks stunning from far away. However, my perfectionism makes me all the more determined to perfect my gradient making abilities so that the design looks just as stunning under a microscope.

I welcome hints, tips, ideas, and requests. I can't promise to do every request, but I'll certainly try my best. All I ask is that you be polite. :)


Polishes Used

• Sally Hansen Double Duty
• Sally Hansen nailgrowth Miracle in Loyal Lavender
• L.A. Colors Color Craze unnamed purple (BCC 590)
• Revlon in No Shrinking Violet
• Sally Hansen in Deeply Violet
• L.A. Colors Color Craze unnamed glitter (BCC 582)

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Oooh have you seen those...Shizzle Lips?

Shizzle lips are basically lip foils. I was kindly sent some and I couldn't wait to test these out. Each pack contains lip foil, glue and a set of instructions. First Impressions, I wasn't impressed by the packaging. I think for the price your paying (�19) you would expect it to come in a nice box or for the packaging to be of a better quality. 

When it comes to application practice definitely is key. The glue has quite a strong smell to it & it felt very wrong putting glue on my lips! It took me a while to get the hang of it, the foil wouldn't stick to my lips leaving a patchy effect.  You can see all me first attempts below. You recieve 1.5 meters of foil which will give you 10 -20 applications according to Shizzle Lips. 

 

I love the idea of Shizzle Lips, I think they would be perfect for fancy dress parties, Halloween, New Year or just if your brave enough to wear them. If you can master the art of applying them the effect is great. They have a wide selection of colours as you can see in the picture above. I do think they are a bit overpriced for what you get but they have good staying power and were fun to test out! They are available to buy here.Would you try Shizzle Lips or have you tried any similar products?


If your not familiar with this 'Oooh have you seen those...' post, here's a bit more about it. It's a feature I do each month on a beauty product that is either new, unusual  or interesting! I love doing these sort of posts as I'm always interested in seeing what new products are launching. I have some really cool products coming up in this feature!

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How to have a successful beauty blog

I know, who am I to give you blogging tips? But since my Shout interview I've had a lot of emails from girls wanting to start their own blog. So, as promised I've wrote some hints & tips that have helped me over the past year. 


How to get more blog followers
Remember, everyone starts with 0 followers. So keep calm and carry on blogging. Readers want to see good blog posts before they start following. Keep your GFC follow button in a easy to find position. Alternatively if you don't have many follows - hide it. So people aren't put off following you. Don't compare the number of followers you have to other bloggers, you don't know how they got their's or how long it took them. Maybe they follow back everyone that follows them? I hate to say it but there is no magic way to gain more followers, don't let it get to you; it's just a number. Maybe some of your followers don't have a google account & your blog is saved to their favourites? That's what I did at first! Twitter has definitely helped me to get more readers. 


Also, just because you have a few followers it doesn't mean you have a bad blog. It's just undiscovered. 


Twitter & Facebook
These are two of the most popular social networking sites that can help you to expand your blog. My followers have doubled since getting twitter - it is a must have! It also allows you to join in with discussions. #bbloggers is a special beauty blogger hashtag. If you search this on twitter or include it in a status more people will see it. Make sure you post photo's on these accounts, people always respond well! Update regularly, interact with your followers and don't moan all the time - easy!


How to get more page views


Comment
propably one of the easiest wasys to get more pages views is to comment on other similar blogs. Most bloggers will return the favour & may even fall in love with your whilst they stop by.


Add the 'Link Within' Widget
I've recently just got this, but it's a great way of new and old readers to discover your other blog posts more easily. You can see it at the bottom of each post. Just click the link if you want to add it to your blog. http://www.linkwithin.com/learn?ref=widget

Images
I prefer blogs that take there own photo's rather then copying & pasting images they've found online. Did you know if you rename your photo, it appears in image searches more easily. For example a photo called - 'DS34905' can be changed to what the image is, 'Revlon Lipstick Swatch'. As a result more page views!

Join Bloglovin
I find gaining followers on here can be a bit slow, but it does bring in more pages views. Worth joining as it's another space on the internet people can discover your blog & follow you. 


Blogging Inspiration


It can be difficult thinking of something to write about. Being a blogger you go through different phases. Sometimes you want to blog everyday & have loads to write about. Other days, you haven't the foggiest what to post & can't get the motivation to blog. Maybe some of you reading can relate to this! If you lose your blogging mojo here are some tips on how to get it back! Read a magazine that includes information about your blog topic, visit bloglovin to see what post's are popular and look through some of your favourite blogs to see what post's they did a year ago.


Under Pressure
So you've read tons of posts about the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser or the new Sleek Eyeshadow palette - this doesn't mean you have to go out and buy it, swatch it, take photos, review it... Just because people are blogging about these products doesn't mean you need to! Also, blog when you want and when you have time too. Some people blog daily (how do you do it?!) but for most of us, blogging is our hobby and we have to fit it around our busy lives. 


Best Time and Day to Blog
If your with Blogger, there may be similar settings on other platforms, you can view you stats over days, hours, weeks and months. If you've been blogging for a while you will be able to notice a pattern. You will be able to see what day & time you get the most views. This information might help you decide what days to post on. I think on mine popular times are 7 & 8pm. 


What if no one reads my blog?
A lot of people share this worry, but it's not the end of the world if no one reads you blog! People will find your blog and read it, if they don't they probably weren't cool enough anyway.


At the end of the day it's just blogging, don't take it to seriously and don't let it take over your personal life!


This is everything I can think of right now, but i'm sure i'll learn more & there are a few things I've missed out but i will update this & please ask any questions below. Also, I'd love to hear any of your tips. Hope you found this helpful! x


*WOAH THERE, Make Me Up has been long listed  in the Marie Claire Blog & Twitter Awards. You beautiful people. You can vote for me in the 'Beauty Blog of the year' bit here (only if you want to!). I thought they had put my blog in by mistake at first, don't worry I checked!*

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Red Flowering Trees

I did a design similar to this last year for Mother's Day using a Japanese cherry blossom tree, but I didn't want to redo the same design. With this in mind, I decided to try my hand at some new techniques and color combinations.


This is only the second time I've tried sponging color onto a nail. I can't seem to keep the speckled look once I add the top coat, even if I allow the color to dry completely. It all blends together in the end. While this gives a pretty, slightly watercolor look, it's not usually what I'm going for. Thankfully, I was very pleased when the colors blended on these nails. Overall, I really like them and am happy to share them.

A word of warning to those wishing to try sponging�don't use a cheap sponge. I have little bits of the sponge I used stuck in the polish.


Polish Used
* Sally Hansen Double Duty as Base Coat
* Wet & Wild Tickled Pink
* Sally Hansen Chocolate Creme
* China Glaze Poinsetta
* New York Color Lincoln Center
* Revlon Quick Dry Top Coat
* The light gray is a self-mixed combo of Pure Ice Super Star!, New York Color Sidewalkers, and Sally Hansen Wet Cement.

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First Post!

This is so exciting! My first post. Having a nail blog is something I have been contemplating for a while, and I finally feel able to begin.


I love doing my nails and others nails ... and fake nails. Nothing makes me happier than to see a flash of color or an adorable design as I go through my daily routine. I'm hoping this blog will help me share that happiness with people who aren't family and friends. :)


You'll see a little of everything around here. I dabble a little in nearly everything, and my nails are painted 24/7. Whether it's a simple paint and go, a stamped design, or nail art that sometimes takes me all day to complete you'll see it here. So stick around and see what pops up.


Just a warning before we kick this post off right. I hardly ever cut my nails. I'm always in one attempt or another to grow them out. They don't cooperate most of the time. What this means is that my nails are almost always in varying lengths and things might get quite ragged at times before they grow back in enough for shaping. I know this is a major peeve for some people ... so, you have been warned. :)


So, I say we kick this post off with a color swatch since this is my current mani. I bought more than a few polish collections and samplers in the after Christmas sales, and I finally got around to trying one. This is Orly's Star Spangled (two coats, no top coat), and it is certainly shaping up to be one of my favorites. I told my mom I feel like I'm wearing Dorothy's ruby slippers on my nails. Great color!!

 By no means am I clean when putting on polish. :) Star Spangled is a wonderful shade of red. I've said it once, and I'll say it again: I feel like I'm wearing Dorothy's red slippers.

 A look at the side. This is a must have color for the red and glitter fanatics.

What color swatch is complete without a close up view of the glitter? These nails really sparkle in the sun but are just as great in a room with little light.

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My Love for Burt

I'd never tried any Burts Bee's product before I was kindly sent these products for reviewing. As a beauty product lover, my favourite thing is to try out new brands and discover products that really work. But even more, I love sharing my experiences with you guys!

I was sent some skincare items from their 'Cotton Extract' Range. It is developed for people with sensitive skin. My skin type is normal to combination & I didn't know before hand what products I was going to try out - so I can't comment if these will irritate sensitive skin, sorry!

Sensitive Facial Cleanser �9.99

I don't know why, But I've always loved Burt's Bees packaging. I like the simplistic look of their Cotton Extract products. I think it would appeal to both men & women. This cleanser is to be used like a face wash. However it doesn't foam; instead it has a thick creamy formula and it's soap free. You apply it onto damp skin and massage it in until all traces of make up & dirt have been removed. After using a wet flannel to take off the cleanser my skin felt soft, clean and without any redness or irritation. It says it's fragrence free but there is a slight scent to it which I can't describe! Would you recommend? If your looking for a soap free cleanser, this may be the one for you! 

Daily Moisturizing Cream �14.99

Again, I really like the packaing & the way the product is dispensed. This is to be used in the morning after cleansing. The moisterizer is light but takes a while to absorb into the skin. Would you recommend? Well it keep my skin moisterized thoughtout the day!

Sensitive Night Cream �14.99

I'm a big fan of night creams, I feel they really work & improve the skin. This one from Burt's Bees is quite thin & leaves my skin feeling soft in the morning. it contains Rice Extract to moisturise and Aloe to soothe. I love the glass jar it comes in. Would you recoomend? Yes, I enjoy using this night cream but I personally would prefer it to be thicker.  

Sensitive Eye cream

The area around my eyes can get a bit sensitive at times. This eye cream has a nice creamy formula and hydrates the skin under my eyes. When i got this product into my eyes, it did sting a little! When applied it does feel really nice. Would I recommend? Well, it did sting my eyes which I didn't expect from a sensitive eye cream, so if your more careful then me you night like this.

Mango & Orange Body Butter �12.99

A body Butter is a lot richer then a body moisterizer. They are great for the winter months or if you suffer from dry skin. It contains mango butter and sweet orange oil making it smell delish. Would you reccomend? Yes, I am in LOVE with this body butter. It's my favourite product out of them all.

Hasn't it been winding this week in the UK?! I've been thinking recently where I see my blog going in 2012. This year I want more exciting content, more illustrations & maybe a few contraversal posts... Do you like Burt's Bees? Hope your all enjoying the new year so far x

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favourite beauty products of 2011

happy new year to all my beautiful followers and readers. I asked on twitter what post you would like to see & a reader (thanks islay!) suggested my favourite beauty products of 2011. So here they are, a bit of a mixture of skincare and make up. I don't really invest in my haircare products. **Another product I forgot to add is sudocreme. All this unhealthy eating has caused my skin to breakout & sudocreme has been an absolute life saver!

Kim Kardashion Perfume I'm not normally a fan of celeb products. I just assume there not very good & just another way to make money. But I am in love with Kim K's debut fragrance. Next time you see this I urge you to give it a sniff! It contains Mandarin, Pink Jasmine & Vanilla Orchid.

Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser - this product was all over blogs earlier in the year, including mine & I love it! It is expensive retailing at around �13. This year I'm on the hunt for a cheaper alternative!

Burt's Bees mango and orange Sugar Scrub  - This is a lovely body scrub, one the best I've tried. This year I've promised my self I will exfoliate weekly. This scrub smells beautiful and leaves my skin super soft.

Collection 2000 Cream Puff in Angle Delight - Collection 2000 has really gone up in my books this year. Their cream puffs are revolutionary. I hope they bring out some more shades soon.

Frontcover lipstick in Pink Papaya - a really nice peachy colour. This came in their airkiss collection, so unfortunately once I've ran out I've ran out forever as it came in a collection.

Kiehls creme de corps - another new discovery this year & I love it! My favourite body moisteriser, a cheaper much loved would be soap & glory's righteous butter.

Collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer - this is a great highstreet concealer, I'll use it over another concealer just to add the finishing touch. Shame the font rubs off!

Superdrug Essential Cleanser - I use this to take of my make up and In the morning if I do'nt have time to wash my face. Absoulte steal at 99p.

Revlon ColourStay Foundation - my mum introduced me to this last year & since then I have brought 3 bottles. Love the coverage, finish & packaging. 

Revlon Compact Photoready foundation - at first I didn't like this, but now I love it. It is a must have before any photo is taken of me. Reviewed it here.

LP Skin Therapy night cream - I can't even explain why this is my favourite night cream but my skin seems to love it.

Super by Dr.Nicholas Perricone Sun kissed Tinted Moisturiser - this moisturiser really does tint your skin, it gives a natural healthy glow. The coverage is low so I like to layer it on top of my foundation. It doesn't look cakey in the slightest. My skin is left tanned & luminous, may have to do a separate post on this!

Hope you are all well & wishing you a good twentytwelve. Any new years resolutions? What have been your fav products of 2011?  

This year I want to travel, exercise more, spend more time with friends, have a job, make this blog brilliant and find a nice - preferably rich boyfriend. Is that too much to ask for?

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