Autumn Colours

So as Autumn is fully in swing now, I thought I would write a quick post about my current favourite colours to wear on my nails this Autumn.

Be prepared to FALL in love! (Get it? like the leaves fall....sorry bad pun.)

First up is the colour I am currently rocking. Revlon Colourstay - Longwear Nail Enamel, 11.7ml bottle. In the colour 220 Rain Forest. Its a deep bottle green colour with an iridescent pale green glitter. Its perfect for a bold statement and because of its dark tone, it'll go with a lot of outfits. I picked up this bad boy in T K Maxx for £2.99. A right steal if you ask me.

Next is a little birthday treat purchase with birthday money I had. (Sorry in advance for the messy application I was excited). Its a beautiful purple toned red. From the Rimmel London Salon Pro range, it has lycra in it which is supposed to pro-long your mani for longer wearing beautiful claws. This particular colour is 402 Urban Purple. £4.49 a bottle in Boots.

So these are just two shades I'll be loving this Autumn. Leave me a comment below with the colours you'll be rocking this season. And don't forget to head across to our Facebook Page, as we're 6 likes away from a giveaway! 

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Love L'Octaine

So the best place to find new products to try out? The magazine isle at the supermarket.

Seriously? ... SERIOUSLY. You get to read a somewhat fashionable magazine, whilst trying out a product for free. Some of the higher branded magazines have larger sample sizes and better brands included as a gift. But if you're looking for a new nail polish brand last month Orly Polish was a gift with I believe Elle magazine, and Instyle Mag were giving away free two L'Octaine Provence products, a Shampoo and a Conditioner.

So here we are. A magazine section at Tesco later. Two L'Octaine en Provence bottles in hand, and a love affair has started.

Back in April I had a 16"pony tail of hair cut off in the name of charity. Since then I've been growing out my pixie crop, and its gotten down to my shoulders. But I have struggled in keeping my hair in good condition. I always find at a certain length when my hands are running through my hair more, I find that my hair becomes more oily, and responds less well to my usual shampoos such as Pantene, Alberto Balsam, and Cien. As my hair grew I found myself washing my hair more often, which is actually bad for the hair, as it strips your hair of the natural oils in it. So I was doing my hair no justice. Its a battle. A battle for glossy tresses.

But when I saw L'Octaine en Provence I HAD to try it. For one it was free, and secondly it was with Instyle Mag which I've never read before. Perfect excuse to spend £2.50 I think.

I have used the Shampoo twice now, (I tend to only condition my hair once a week, otherwise it weighs my hair down.) It is packed full of essential oils, which I thought would only make my hair more oily. But in fact it has worked well for me. My hair feels lighter, bouncier, and more nourished than before. I think it'll also help in trying to wash my hair less.

It smells divine too, which of course is very important. It smells like pouring Ian Snows onto your head, or walking into spa and the smell you experience after a massage, with all that essential oil, and incense. Its a calming scent that feels like you're lapping your hair in luxurious liquid.

I hope this review has encouraged you to scout out the supermarkets for your next favourite product!

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Image pulled from Google Images and can be found at this link: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDL3Ljnsp2oXsenrnZJczGMG1chlhu4Zi5ezvGrJeGNhEU2hci1dGO98sD61WYo3IVtnZJb6gcXX7HTeod-Y67kbWnzUUyqKxmQA5GdP53V08FWaNYlNFLCrHZRquBJ7iDgtPnvNsOQ8Z/s1600/LOccitaneRepairShampooConditionerBellaRobotUkBeautyBlog.JPG

So... Shellac

I recently had a birthday, for which I was treated to my first ever Shellac manicure.

I have been aware of the phenomenon that is the world of Shellac Nails but had always been a little wary of the idea of a polish being on your nails for so long. Weird eh? I just thought that something that sat on the nail for so long could be really damaging, despite what I was being told by reviews and nail techs etc...

I got mine done at Centre Parcs Aqua Sana Spa, by the fabulous Kylie, she is the Nail Specialist at the Whinfell Forest Centre Parcs and is by far the most amazing person I have ever met in the Salon and Beauty industry. She is really passionate and so welcoming - she even remembered me from the year before! Her customer service is second to none and you should deffo give her a visit if you're ever near there. Last year I was there for my birthday and she gave me a bottle of sparkling wine, and a card. Literally how many people ever go that extra mile anymore?

In the short of it, she greatly inspired me to continue with this blog and look at training in nails (more about that another time.)

So back to Shellac. I chose a metallic antique gold colour, which I thought would do for my birthday and would look nice everyday after for as long as it would last. Which is has - I didn't purchase any cuticle oil - which is suggested as it helps preserve the quality of the Shellac, instead I have been rubbing my Bio-Oil into my cuticles at night and that seems to be doing the job just fine.

I have had mine on now for two weeks, and they are still great - no chips no breakage of the nail and still looking as fresh as they did when I first got them done, and I've been doing other peoples manicures since using nail polish remover and other chemicals and they've been unaffected. So very impressed.

The only downside is that my nails grow really quickly so I have perhaps about as much as 1millimetre re-growth that is showing, but I have some ideas to use black polish and do a backwards french mani to help cover the re-growth so I can keep it on for a little longer.

You can remove your own Shellac by soaking your nails in nail polish remover and then gently scraping away the Shellac with a cuticle pusher. But as its my first time using Shellac I want to get it removed by a professional just so I can see it be done exactly, and will be able to then know exactly the technique to use - as I wouldn't want to go ahead and remove it myself to then do it incorrectly and ruin my nails!

I have attached some photos for you - one taken day of my manicure, and the second two weeks later so you can see how its lasted.

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Passport to Colour

What better way to cure airplane anxiety than splurging on some exclusive O.P.I nail polishes from the duty free shopping during the flight!

We flew with Thompson and they offered some beautiful beauty products onboard the flight. I just wished I had taken some more funds to treat myself with last minute on the way home!

Anyhoo, I was flicking through the brochure and found these beauties from O.P.I they are super mini in size but that doesn't bother me as I think I'll use them more as a display and memoire of the trip rather than for their nail painting purposes. Having said that I will whip them out I think as my go-to travel colours in the future.

From nudes to daring reds this mini collection has a shade for every occasion. What I love also is that it gives nail art design ideas on the back of the box. Something which I adore!

image from; https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mJWK-dbdrJKw23c4EezfzVs0jw7DAkAUP9DqGdY4ht_Hxf3yCsruvGxmL5_sd2FrMyit4w3UDAL4aWIv4RgZM8GDaBT-HPSGz5KZgRNOnt0YeTJbpFEgBF9KW2Ca8IoJHjwkDOY8NW8/s1600/opi+passport+to+color.jpg

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Holiday Beauty - Holdall Makeup

So this week I am vacay-ing up with my siblings and their partners for a week. It'll be lovely and relaxed, there is nothing better than just being able to lounge around with family and laugh and giggle your week away.

So in light of me holidaying it up I thought I would share with you my favourite beauty products to take abroad or on a staycation if you are staying at home.

For the plane obviously smaller products are better so I'll be sharing my holdall favourites with you in part one and tomorrow you can find out what my favourite products for staycations are!
My little makeup bag here is from Ruby and Milly it is part of a carry case set. Its the perfect size to throw in your handbag or holdall luggage. You dont want a large amount with you just the bare essentials, especially if you are travelling longhall and need to touch up or apply before landing.So my basics include mascara, khol eyeliner, tinted lip balm, moisturiser and hand lotion, brow gel, perfume, cotton buds.

• Mascara - my current fav and the one I took abroad this summer was my Max-Factor Clump Defy by False Lash Effect. Its nice and light weight not too heavy looking on your lashes, it separates them beautifully and makes them look super long. Perfect for travelling as they look like your actual lashes just at their best! 

• Lip Products - I take a lip balm as airplane air can dry my lips out really badly, my favourite is Notabene 100% organic Pink Grapefruit Lip Balm. Its super softening and hydrating to the lips without feeling like your super aware you have anything on them! Its made from bees wax and natural oils. Its my favourite thing ever right now and has really saved my lips from cracking. I also like to carry a Maybelline Baby Lips in Peach Kiss as as well as moisturising my lips adds a little tint of brown which helps to brighten them up especially after being on a plane for hours!

• Eyeliner - I think a little brown eyeliner in the outer corners of the eye can wake any sleep deprived travellers face. Mine is from Avon Colour trend in Dark Brown.

• Brows - I like to keep my brows in check, brows really help to define your face with or without makeup. So by packing my clear mascara I can make sure every hair is in place. And help to define them without packing on product. My current one is Collection Colour Lash in #11 Clear.

• Moisturising is very important whilst on a flight as the air is really dry. If you're suseptable to dry skin I would highly recommend carrying a small travel size moisturiser to keep your face hydrated. The one I use is a hotel freebie, Eau De Rochas Creme Hydratante. As its only 12ml you can carry it on without any problems at security just remember your clear baggie!

• Perfume - for me is a must especially if you are travelling long haul. It helps you feel fresh at the end and allows you to feel you can at least approach people without feeling embarrassed about smelling. My current summer favourite which happens to be below the 100ml limit is Avon Fleur 50ml its slim designed bottle will fit in most makeup bags and its light fresh floral scent will leave you smelling fresh without being too heavy and imposing on nearby passengers.

• Cotton buds, when applying makeup on a plane it'll be just your luck that you are applying your mascara at the same time a burst of small turbulence hits. So its super handy to carry a couple around in the bottom of your makeup bag for those incidental touch ups.

• Eyeshadow - to me its not a must because if you've been travelling all day you don't want too much to have to take off at the end of the day! But a cute quad like my Avon True Colour in Emerald Cut is perfect to have if and when you may feel like it. The range of colours are perfect for brightening up your eyes a bit or adding a little drama if you're headed straight out to dinner after flying. Don't forget to pack your favourite fluffy blending brush as on a plane blending will be your best friend to blend those mistakes away. Mine is the MAC 224.

So there you have it folks my small quick guide to travel makeup! Hope this inspires you to pack light as you dont need a full face when on holiday just make sure you have your SPF products for sun protection and brighten up your look here and there with small amounts of makeup.]

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Images pulled from Google Images. 

Caring for your Claws

Here at NailsatNoon we're very conscious about keeping yourself in as tiptop condition as possible, so here are some handy tips for caring for your claws!

• Diet and what you are putting into your bodies can really affect the quality of your nails and hair! Iron and calcium rich foods can help make nails strong and healthy. For those of you that get white dots on your nails that can be a sign of a lack of calcium in your diet so having cereal for your brekky or adding a little cheese or yoghurt into your diet could really make a difference. For those of you who find that your nails break easily or are very weak so you struggle to grow them long. Add some iron into your diet, lots of pulses and beans are packed full of iron, so by adding some kidney beans to your chilli one night or having spinach in your side salad could really help. It'll also do wonders for you hair and can help add shine to your locks!

• Great hand moisturizer can do wonders, especially for those of you who find your hands in and out of washing up bowls all day long! I would highly reccommend CND hand cream, it is the company that supplies stock to nail bars and salons. It also is great in that it doesn't leave your hands feeling greasy and oily afterwards you hands just feel soft without that grimy slippery consistency left behind. You also need hardly anything to make an impact. Also staying away from ebrasive surfaces can make a difference. So using gloves to wash up so you aren't always holding that scowerer will make a huge difference to those dry and cracked hands.

http://odspaboutiquestorage.blob.core.windows.net/57592d905e7a4671ad496299d4c2780c/Images/Products3004-1000x1000-124346.jpg

• Cutical care is massive for me, if you are prone to your cuticals splitting and you getting them standing on end around the edge of your nail, you need some cutical gel in your life. Just rub it into your cuticals it'll make them soft and will help any dead cutical come off which will stop them from breaking and ripping.

• When filing your nails its really important if you have weaker nails to file in the same direction i.e left to right, to stop excess breakage and snags. You'll get a cleaner line and you'll help to keep those nails long for longer!

If you're not too keen on nail polish every day and want your nails to look healthy naked. Simply get yourself a buffing block and buff those nails. Then finish with the side to shine your nails and you'll be amazed at the results! Buffing is a great thing to do prior to applying your base coat too as it creates some friction for the polish to stick to and I find it helps to keep my polish on for longer!
Happy painting and make sure to find me else where for more updates!

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Become A Nail Art Artist

By no means do I consider myself a nail art artist, just simply someone who enjoys painting nails and experimenting with nail art. Its all about having fun with me. Its never been so easily accessible and affordable to be experimenting yourself.

Ebay is crammed full of super cheap options for you to get your hands on. Nail Art wheels are a must for anyone, as it allows you to practice design on a wheel of false nails, that way you save your nails from a lot of unnecessary potential damage from applying nail polish on and off again. Wheels allow you to display all your best designs in one place so when impressing friends with what you've learnt, you can show them options before painting their nails! Its a cost effective way of designing too, as it saves you all those cotton pads and nail polish remover. You can get hundreds for a couple of quid. They do often come from Hong Kong though so you will have to be patient in waiting for your delivery. But for all the pennies you save, it really is worth while.

For any budding nail art artist, dotting tools are the way forward. They are easy to use and allows you to do many simple but impressive looking designs. You can pick them up from eBay or do as I did and go to your local arts and crafts shop, and pick up some embossing tools. You can pick them up relatively cheaply and you will probably get better quality than the cheapest found online. Basically just a wooden handled tool with a metal ball on the end, allows you to dot the polish onto the nail to create design. Either leave the dots alone, and let them stand by themselves or use multiple dots connected together to create lines and designs. Its a good place to start and nothing looks cuter than perfectly executed than a spotted mani!

Design made with dotting tools! 

Nail art pens are the next step if you're feeling adventurous. Again pick them up from eBay for pennies each. I would reccommend to save money if you already have a relatively varied collection of colours in your nail polish collection, start off with just a black and white nail art pen. You wont be spending alot and also they go with every colour in your collection so you know any design you do will go with the base colour! Go for a pen that has a striper brush - basically a very narrow long brush that allows for thin stripe like strokes, and also a metal nibbed needle point pen, it will be like writing with a needle point pen but with polish! You can't go wrong with these pens, but just be wary to wipe down the edge of the bottle when using the brush as I have found that you can get dried polish there that makes it near impossible to then open your bottle, not what you want when in the middle of a mani!

For those of you who are daring and excited by sparkles. You can accessorize any mani with little gems and crystals to accentuate your design. Find bags and tubs full of various pearls, crystals, and acrylic shapes on eBay to add to your nail art design. From butterflies to pieces of fruit, you can find any 3D shape you desire to brighten up your look. Some are harder to apply. For simple flat backed crystals and pearls a quick bit of clear polish on the back will seal the gem onto the nail, but for acrylic shapes of fruit for example you'll need some nail glue. You can pick up some decent stuff cheaply from Body Care and other beauty outlets. Make sure you have some pretty heavy duty nail polish remover as if you want to remove the gems at all you'll need to fill the lid of your nail polish remover bottle with liquid and dunk your nail in, let it soak for about 20 seconds and you can peel off the gem. Make sure you wash your hands well after removing all the desired polish as you don't want all that alcohol and chemicals to sit upon your skin.

So there you have a few tips to getting started. Have fun shopping, make sure if you're buying any glue or polish remover that you are purchasing it from a store you recognise, I wouldnt reccommend getting brands you've never heard of from eBay as its going on your skin and nails you want it to be from somewhere you trust.

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Nail Polish to Save Your Life

I knew nail polish was pretty savvy stuff. And I knew it had a way to make you feel nice an' all but this is just incredible.

4 College students at North Carolina State University have possibly invented the most incredible nail polish yet! They all are studying Material Sciences and Engineering, and between them have engineered a nail polish that can detect date rape drugs. Something which could save so many women  (and men) from traumas that getting your drink spiked could lead to.

Undercover Color will detect drugs such as GHB, Rohphynol and Xanax. All you'd have to do is simply pop on your special polish whilst getting ready for your night out, and each time you order a drink before consuming it, lower your finger into the drink and stir it around, if you nail polish changes colour don't drink it.

My mind boggles at the amount of incidents that could be saved from this polish. I just hope that it takes off!

"Our goal is to invent technologies that empower women to protect themselves from this heinous and quietly pervasive crime."

*All info paraphrased and quotes from http://aplus.com/a/these-4-college-students-have-invented-nail-polish-that-detects-date-rape-drugs

* Images taken from the above address also. 

Yankee Candle-Doo

Okay so aside from my obsession with nail polish and makeup in general, I have a mild obsession over Yankee Candles.

Their glass packaging, their presentation, the range in colours, the scents, Oh the scents, and their great value for money! (they actually burn for the suggested time and much longer!)

Clintons are currently offering 50% off certain scents ranges. Like Beach Flowers and Fluffy Towels, ranges include tea lights, small, medium, and large glass candles and sample sizes that will fit into candle holders offering you a taste of that scent. They also are currently offering in Clintons buy one get 50% off 2nd for other scents. Perfect for getting in some early Christmas Present shopping!
I have since last Christmas treated myself to a quite a few, and still have two large Candles that I still am burning from then!

** Since writing this post, the offer at Clintons has since ended. Sorry mistake on my part due to writing the post days before uploading**

Scents that I have been enjoying are: Pink Sands - a gorgeous fresh scent that reminds me of walking into Lush, Baby Powder - clean soft baby like smell, Clean Cotton - fresh, airy and light scent, Fluffy Towels - reminds me of fresh hotel laundry, and towel robes you get at hotel spas, Black Cherry - a full somewhat heavier scent that reminds me of cherry drops, Cranberry Ice - a strong scent of cranberries with a fresh note to it, Pink Dragon Fruit  - now I have no idea what it smells like but its fresh, flowery, fruity, and just my favourite!

The only downside to Yankee Candles I find - for the larger candles that is - is the cost, they are slightly pricey for a candle but if you catch them on offer it makes all the difference. Also you have to be careful of 'tunnelling' your candles. You know when you burn a candle but blow it out before its burned through an entire layer of wax? Well you can wax that you've missed from burning around the edge and you cause a tunnel - which means you waste money as you could have burnt it. Especially as you've spent what might be considered 'pricey' amount on a Yankee you dont want to then waste some. So make sure you burn them for long enough - even if it takes hours, so you can get your monies worth!

As always happy shopping and enjoy your products. Where fire is concerned please practice safe fire use, making sure you keep open flames away from soft furnishings and children. Until next time....

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Poundland Prizes

People are always shocked when I say I bought beauty items from Poundland. It doesn't exactly scream beauty delight now does it? But there is lots to be said for looking where others may not think to look.

Poundland often near the face wipes and other beauty related items, have in little zip lock baggies got makeup and cosmetics from brands we recognise in Boots and Superdrug hanging up in various collections for £1 each. Yes seriously, a £1!

I have in the past bought lots of beautiful items from here and been very happy with my purchases. However don't be alarmed if the label is slightly wonky or is written in a foreign language such as french. I think the reason Poundland is allowed to sell such items is due to the fact that to me they look like factory seconds. Meaning something is slightly off i.e the label being wonky, a plastic bottle instead of glass, the label being in french. Any minor infractions that would make the companies not deem them suitable for purchase in their normal outlets. But to me, I see nothing wrong with the products themselves just their packaging, and as our mothers taught us 'dont judge a book by its cover'.

I have happily purchased many forms of eyeshadow before, but my latest purchase was of L'Oreal Paris Infalliable eyeshadow. I have already got one of these that I bought from boots, but wanted to see how Poundland compared. The packaging is in a much lighter container and the labels were in french. But the consistency and quality of the eyeshadow inside I found to be much of a muchness.
I know that some people will naturally refrain from thinking of buying their beauty items in a discount store like Poundland, but its definitely worth a look from time to time as you never know what bargains you may stumble across. I once got 3 bottles of Collection 2000 Air Whipped Foundation for £1! So keep an eye out for ways to save those pennies.

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Magnetic Force

Okay so these polishes have been around for a while but I've only just discovered them - I say discovered a beautiful friend of mine treated me to a bottle and I've been enjoying playing with it this evening.

Barry M the beautiful company that it is, has a range of Magnetic Polishes. The basic science is that magnetic pigments within the polish react to a handy Magnetic on your lid, that when hovered above the polish as it dries, draws those pigments into a pattern for your amusement.

I found it worked best and easiest with a thick quick one coat, and immediately popping the magnet over it, using the handy little curve to rest against my finger just behind my cuticle. It worked so well and dried quickly. Pop on a top coat to seal it all in and wow your friends with this cool mani!

My polish pictured here is Magnetic Burgundy.

Find them in Boots and Superdrug!


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Maybelline Baby Lips - Electro!

So as some of you may know I was obsessed with the Maybelline Baby Lips as they hit America and the wait for them to come to the UK was agonising for me. My sister kindly informed me the other week of a new range of Baby Lips much to my amazement (I didn't believe her at first) there they were Baby Lips Electro just sat in my Superdrug. A lack of funds lately has meant even browsing Superdrug and Boots has been banned from my life.

I've been very bad at keeping up with my trends and beauty items lately so was completely unaware of this new range, so for all I know they are BRAND new but they may well have been in stores for a while now, especially as when I discovered them I purchased some of the last stock they had in store.
These new colours are beautiful and definitely pack a little more punch than the last range. They are still balmy and super moisturising to your lips with a sheer coat of colour to make your lips look lively and luscious. However I have found the formula to feel more buttery than the last range. The original Baby Lips had very much the consistency of lip balm, just your bog standard smooth feeling lip balm, the Electro range feels more buttery along the lines of Revlon Lip Butters but much more light weight. It slips and slides on the lips and frankly feels delish! They are less kiss proof than the original range - so expect sticky lip stains on your drinking glasses, but perhaps this is down to the different consistency? But the feel whilst you wear it, to me is much more luxurious.

All I know is that I'm in love, and with them currently on Buy One get 2nd Half Price in Superdrug I would use that as a good excuse to get trying some. The colours are fab too, great for living out these last days of summer, and bringing you into Autumn.

As always happy shopping and enjoy exploring this product as much as I did.

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Youtube

So for those of you who may know, I've taken the Nails at Noon love over to Youtube and so far have uploaded TWO makeup tutorials. Hopefully next week I will upload a nail tutorial for you so you can see JUST how to re-create some of my nail looks!

For those of you who love FROZEN I have done an Ice Queen makeup look and for summer a simple rosy cheek look! So I hope you follow me over there and enjoy watching the videos. I would really appreciate some feedback so make sure you leave me a comment tell me you've come from the blog, and share the advice of what nail art look you'd like to see first!

Thanks guys and I'll write you soon!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDR5_vwF98NZmJ-nfTtYeRw/featured

Thank You Ciate!

God bless Ciate and Marie Claire.

For with this months Issue of Marie Claire, you can get your hands on a mini Nail Art set from Ciate!

A mini bottle of polish and a mini bottle of nail caviar, to get all creative and nail-art-y with. There are 6 colour palettes to choose from and for £2.25 for the magazine it is a STEAL. I don't ordinarily buy in Marie Claire, but saw the Ciate polish and ripped that magazine so fast off of the shelf that muscles were pulled!

The 6 variations ordinarily would set you back a 60 squid. So its a super bargain! Ciate have been growing in popularity lately for their beautifully chic packaging and elegant choices in colours. Plus their nail caviar has become somewhat famous!

So why are you still reading this post? You should be out getting your hands on a Marie Claire and your mittens on that polish!

I try to keep an eye out for bargains such as these, so enjoy buying multiple copies of the same magazine! I say keep the polish for yourself and give a friend the magazine to read.

Image pulled from Google Images.

Macbook Mad

Are you one of those people glued to some sort of screen all day long?

Well here is the PERFECT beauty accessory for you.

A mini teenie tiny Macbook Pro compact mirror. That way you won't get anxiety about leaving your precious laptop, as you can take it everywhere you go AND fix you makeup with it.

HOW PERFECT!

Came across this find on Amazon - to shop for it follow the link.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Macbook-Notebook-Cosmetic-Compact-KingOfHearts/dp/B007TPFA2C/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1402411704&sr=1-1&keywords=Mac

FREE Bobbi Brown Kajal Eyeliner

YES FREE.

Okay so every now and again I google FREE STUFF - just out of curiosity if anything as in the past I've gotten some cute things by just filling out a survey.

Through that google search I stumbled across this gorgeous website. 'What's in My Handbag' - A site that has beauty experts telling and sharing of new products they like etc... Also it gives you a chance to sign up FOR FREE and receive products to test and try out.

Which frankly I think is great! Because it encourages bloggers to sign up - share their URL and they send you products to try and because it encourages bloggers to use it, they get that product reviewed and those reviews out on the internet for all to read.

You don't have to be a blogger to sign up - and sign up is completely free. I am so far very impressed with the site, and can't wait to receive my Bobbi Brown (first ever Bobbi Brown product) in the post soon to try out and review!

Once signed up you have your very own 'Beauty Cabinet' which is a place where you can store your 'haves' and 'wants' whilst surfing through the site and reading about products - you can click on the products you are lusting after and those that you already possess. This allows you to share your Beauty Cabinet with friends so if they are longing to know what products you use they can find them there, and find comments and reviews from people who have tried and tested the products themselves.

I've got a special little link here that if you click on will take you to get your very own free Bobbi Brown eyeliner.

So what are you waiting for - sign up and get FREE THINGS!

https://www.whatsinmyhandbag.com/r/8c9d

If you are interested in where I found the link in the first place check out this archive website for links to free stuff and giveaways etc...

http://www.freestuff.co.uk

Health Tips // 2 - Water Based Foods

Water based foods you say? 

Yes tomatoes, cucumbers and raw bell peppers. They are all packed FULL of water, so if you are trying to lose weight try adding these foods into your diet on a bigger scale. 

~ BUT HOW DOES THIS HELP ME LOSE WEIGHT?

• Water based foods because of the large content of water within them fill you up more. Its especially important that you eat them in their raw state, thus retaining all the water - if you start frying those Peppers then you'll heat up the water and evaporate it all - therefor taking away their benefit. 

~ HOW DO I INTRODUCE THEM INTO MY DIET?

• Add some tomatoes or cucumber into you Lunch time sandwich, or introduce them into a side salad. Or as a snack cut up some Peppers or Cucumber into sticks and munch on them when you're feeling peckish! 

Health Tips // 1 - Lemons.

Thought I would start a new series called 'Health Tips'. All beauty related - of course. 

My first Health Tip is super easy to incorporate into your week. All you need is LEMONS. 

Lemons you say? Yes Lemons, they have so many benefits health and beauty wise. So if you have a couple lying around you might be inspired to try something new. I did some research and wanted to share it with you. 

LEMONS ARE A NATURAL DIURETIC.

• Lemons have properties that make them a natural diuretic. Which basically means it will flush your body of excess water, and toxins. If you suffer from bloating and are struggling to shift that excess water. Squeeze a little lemon juice into your fruit juice in the morning. If you're feeling extra zesty pop a slice of lemon as well into your glass. Because it helps shift the water, you may find yourself making a few extra stops to the bathroom, but that just means that its working. I find that doing this a couple of times a week, especially around weigh day can help shift that water!

ACNE NO MORE.

• Lemons packed full of citric acid, which has been shown to help with Acne. Vitamin C within Lemons helps to create a glowing healthy complexion, and the Alkaline within the lemons helps to beat the bacteria found within Acne. 
• You can either drink your lemon juice like suggested above, or make some homemade skin products to help your Acne. Make a gentle exfoliant by using lemon juice and putting some soft sugar (soft brown is best). The lemon juice on the Acne may create a burning sensation slightly, but it won't last long and the soft sugar will gently exfoliate the skin. Do stray away from coarse sugar as it may irritate the skin. 
• If you want an even simpler solution - simply apply a little lemon juice directly onto your Acne and allow to soak in over night. Just like the toothpaste theory, it'll help dry out the spots and as mentioned before the Alkaline within the lemons will help eliminate the bacteria and help to stop the Acne from developing. 

RELIEVE YOUR STRESS.

• As says beliefnet.com Lemons have the power to help sooth stress, anxiety, fatigue, and just generally help you feel fresh and powered up. So buy in those lemon scented candles, those lemon essential oils, and fill your house and living space with lemon scents and see if you feel more up beat! 

COLD SORE, NO MORE. 

• Suffer from Cold Sores? Well mix together some warm water and lemon juice and swirl in your mouth, like the Acne solution it may create a slight burning sensation upon contact but it shouldn't last. Repeat twice a day. 

SO LONG STING. 

• This point is perfect for Summer, if you get insect bites simply apply some drops of lemon juice to said bite and it should help reduce redness and soreness. Also the scent of lemons will help to keep other niggling insects away. 

I hope this helps! And you learnt something new

so start raiding your fridge and reap the benefits

of this powerful fruit! 

Cute and Camoflauged

I take my inspiration for nail art from a whole variety of places - one of them is fashion, and whilst surfing through google for something that would catch my eye and make a nice Nail Art design I stumbled onto this image...

Usually Im not a fan of camp as I don't think its that dynamic, but seeing it in this colour palette made me fall in love. The colours both contrast and compliment. So I decided to have a go at recreating this print but for Nails. 

To create this look I used the following colours: 

BASE COLOUR: Sinful Colours in 24/7 (Matte Finish)

CAMO SPLODGES: E.L.F in Yellow, BarryM Nail Paint in Pure Turquoise, L.A Colours Art Deco in Black. 

1. Apply the pink base colour all over the nail using two coats for a good coverage.
2. Then going from light to dark apply your splodge colours by using the brush in a  stippling motion creating camo style patterns. Continue this step with all the other colours. Making sure to leave space for the pink to still be seen.
3. Seal in with a protective top coat. 

If you re-create this look please send me a photo via my Facebook page ...

https://www.facebook.com/pages/NailsatNoon/577277732386439

NAIL POLISH GIVEAWAY - Facebook

Sooo...

Instead of bombarding my Facebook friends with all my nail related updates, I thought it would make sense to start a Facebook page for NailsatNoon that way all you lovely readers have somewhere to follow when new posts are coming. And have somewhere to discuss things easily.

Also I plan to hopefully get some tutorials going on Youtube so you can learn how to re-create some of my looks.

In the spirit of giving back to you wonderful people, I thought I would do a giveaway - a chance for you to win all the Polishes used in my MOST viewed post - 'Purple Passion'. Its £18 worth of polishes. And you could WIN THEM ALL!

How exciting.

So all you have to do is head over to my Facebook page, LIKE the page, and comment on the giveaway Status. Once I reach 100 likes then I will announce a winner! :)

Goodluck and get Liking!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/NailsatNoon/577277732386439

Summer Shades

With the current influx of sunshine and heat we've been having, I thought I would do a post about the best shades to rock this Summer. Whether its neons for poolside, or pretty pastels. I'll cover it all here in this post. So keep reading for some colour infused inspiration.

You might want to tighten the purse strings because if you're anything like me, you'll want to head straight out and get them... ALL.

I thought to make it fun and easy I would group them into colour groups. So if you're looking for the perfect summer *insert colour* you can see a range from various different brands and price brackets to suit your summer polish needs. 

First up GREENS: 

From Left to Right: 

Essie - Mojito Madness (beautiful apply green - £8.00)

Maybelline Colour Show - Green With Envy (minty blue green -  £2.99)

L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche - Pistachio Drage (super pastel mint green - £4.99)

BarryM Gelly Hi-Shine - Greenberry (beautiful teal shade - £3.99)

E.L.F - Mint Cream (perfect mint choc chip ice-cream shade £2.50)

Secondly BLUES:

From Left to Right:

17 Lasting Fix - Mint Choc Chip (blue toned mint - £2.99)

Perfect Hollographic - Blue ( imagine holographic with a blue tone to it)

BarryM Nail Paint - Pure Turquoise (pefect teal/turquoise colour - £2.99)

BarryM Gelly Hi-Shine - Blueberry (sky blue but super shiny - £3.99)

Thirdly YELLOWS: 

From Left to Right: 

17 Lasting Fix - Sherbert Lemon (pastel lemon - £2.99)

Sinful Colours - This Is It (super small gold glitter - £1.99)

Maybelline Colour Show - Electric Yellow (yolky yellow - £2.99)

Next ORANGES: 

From Left to Right 

Essie - Orange Its Obvious (bright orange without being neon - £8.00)

BarryM Gelly Hi-Shine - Mango (mid tone orange - £3.99)

China Glaze - Orange Knockout (SUPER neon orange matte finish - £4.38)

Next PINKS: 

From Left to Right: 

BarryM Nail Paint - Bright Pink (Barbie pink shade - £2.99)

BarryM Nail Paint - Fuchsia (mid pink with red undertones - £2.99)

Sinful Colours - 24/7 (NEON matte finish Barbie pink - £1.99)

Lush Laquer - Haywire (pastel pink with chunky neon glitter - $6.00)

Essie - Tour de Finance (iridescent mid pink - £8.00)

Next CORALS: 

From Left to Right: 

Maybelline Colour Show - Urban Coral (red toned pink coral - £2.99)

L'Oreal Paris Resist and Shine - 455 (Iridescent pink coral - discontinued I believe)

E.L.F - Mango Madness (Orange toned peach coral - £2.50)

Natural Collection - Antique Coral (perfect iridescent coral £1.99)

Next PURPLES/LILACS: 

From Left to Right: 

17 Lasting Fix - Parma Violet (pink toned violet - £2.99)

L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche - Nouvelle Vague (SUPER pastel lilac - £4.99) 

BarryM Gelly Hi-Shine - Prickly Pear (glossy lilac - £3.99)

So, there you have it, a colour wheel of summer shades, hope this post is useful and gives you some polish inspiration for the summer, and what colours and shades you can access on the hughstreet. Most of these polishes I bought whilst on offers or for the more higher-end brands such as China Glaze which is imported and Essie I bought off eBay but the prices listed are the prices you would find in store. 

Maybelline Colour Tattoos

Okay so I may be slow to hit the bandwagon with this one again, but frankly I always wait till the hype has gone down to test things for myself because after all it might just be that - hype. So my theory is if you wait and then that product is still getting good reviews than you hit it up!

One of those hype products that people generally still seem to adore, are the Maybelline Colour Tattoos - The high streets answer to M.A.C Paint Pots. They are cream eyeshadows in a darling little glass pot that pack a lot of punch in terms of pigment and longevity.

Once they are in place they sure as heck are going to stay there. The formula is really creamy and velvety, it genuinely feels soo smooth and sultry on the skin. Sometimes I find that with pressed powder eyeshadow in order to get the level of bold colour you wanted you sometimes have to really pack it on, which makes you very aware of the fact that you have a whole pile of coloured powder shoved onto your precious little eyelids. Whereas the Colour Tattoos one quick slick and thats all you'll need, you definitely get your moneys worth as a little goes such a long way.

They are versatile too, you can blend them out, or even blend them together with pressed powdered eyeshadow. So you can get the cool contrast of textures going which makes for a really dynamic smokey eye. And because of the cream/ gel formulation you can even double it up as eyeliner!

With the regular promotions Boots and Superdrug always seem to have on, you can also bag yourself a cheeky extra one with 3 for 2 that is currently on at Boots. So for £8 you can get 3 instead of having to fork out £12 for them. Something I like to use as justification when spending quite a bit on makeup. Plus it racks up those Boots points which you can use when money is tight but you 'MUST have' that item.

So overall I cannot complain about the Maybelline Colour Tattoos they're metallic colours are to die for, and blend soooo nicely together for a coppery bronzed eye, and at £4 a pop they are relatively cheap, and they last crazy amounts of time so that £4 goes a long long way. Definitely worth picking up a couple to try.

If you are trying new products my advice is to always go for the 'safer' colour. One that you wear everyday that way you know that you'll get wear out of it, even if its not your fav at least its in a wearable shade you can still use. Rather than getting a gregarious in your face bold colour that you may only use once in a blue moon - might become a waste of money if the product isn't for you.

So I would recommend popping along to Boots or Superdrug and picking up a couple whilst on offer!

Colours: left to right

65 -Pink Gold, 35 On and On Bronze

(I do also have Eternal Gold, but typical me, couldn't find it)

O.P.I Kardashian Kolor

So for all of you who's guilty pleasure is O.P.I or The Kardashians, then this post is for you.

If you want to find great beauty and nail bargains search for cosmetic wholesalers who do bulk packages for discounted prices.

Like this deal, 2 sets of O.P.I Mini Collections by Nicole by O.P.I Kardashian Kolor - 'Sophisticuties' and 'Celebitties'.

Both sets for £8.00 which is a STEAL.

So if this has tickled your senses, check out the link below!

http://www.5starcosmetics.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=5062

Feel Like A Mermaid!

So Barry M (my all time fav highstreet Nail Polish) has brought out a beautiful, Aquarium collection. With two tone polishes, and perfect glitter polish!

The tones of teals, blues, golds, pinks are just to perfect for words. If you're looking for a cool alternative this Spring for your nails, check out the Aquarium collection.

I treated myself to two polishes from the collection, as I couldn't resist the 3 for 2 offer currently on Barry M cosmetics in Superdrug. (slaps wrist) I just cannot resist a good bargain.

The little fish-like scale design on the neck of the bottle adds a cute little detail to the collection. I picked these two colours, a two tone teal/silver Nail Paint and a similar coloured Glitter polish. 

Layer these two on top of each other, and start feeling like a Mermaid. 

Colours from left to right :

Aquarium - Pacific, Aquarium - Mermaid. 

To shop the Aquarium collection online follow the link below: 

http://www.barrym.com/products/latest-products/aquarium-nail-effects.html

Purple Passion

So purple and I have had a long standing love affair. Its so beautiful and its been my favourite colour since I can remember!

So as and ode to this love, I decided to pull out my Purple Polishes and play around.

Using a mixture of Barry M and L'Oreal shades, I layered Purples, Fushcias and Blues to create this look.

Here's how :

Simply grab the darkest shade, here I use Barry M Nail Paint in Indigo, apply two coats as your base. Wait till completely dry. For the design on the top you'll need a scrap piece of paper to hand. Grab the next lightest tone - we're working from dark to light with our colours. Take out the brush, brush off the majority of the polish onto the scrap piece of paper, and then brush what little is left onto the nail, being artistic in your placement.

Continue this process until you have used all the colours you wish, and apply a protective top coat to seal it all in.

The colours I used are:
Barry M Nail Paint in - Indigo 312, Fuchsia 302, Pure Turquoise 295, and Gelly Hi Shine in Prickly Pear 311
L'Oreal in Nouvelle / Vague 851

This design would look awesome in O.P.I's new Brazilian collection which is perfect for Summer!

Hope you have fun re-creating this look, and re-creating it in different colour schemes.

Mermaid Magic

Inspired by the new Aquatics range by Barry M I decided to have a go at creating a mermaid look nail art design myself.

Simply grab a mid blue colour as a base - here I use Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in Blueberry add a triangle of minty teal green from the cuticle with the end of the triangle stopping mid nail. Here I used Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in Greenberry then add a golden shimmer preferably with iridescent glitter chunks in the polish like my Maybelline Colour Show Brocades in Knitted Gold.

Add the glitter polish until the blue and green look faded together and the design looks cohesive. And enjoy your Mermaid style nails!

Barry M - Lip Paint Review

Barry M are known for their bold colour choices, and their range of Paint - whether it be for your lips or nails. They have great colours at great prices.

I found these few Barry M Lip Paints via my Ebay expeditions and paid a pound or so less than you would in store, but only because I'm a cheap skate and if I can avoid paying full price I will find a way! 

The colours I went for are very bold and I realise not everyone's taste but I think there is at least one shade here that will catch each of your eyes. They are £4.49 from Superdrug and Boots that carry Barry M in store. There is usually a lovely selection of various colours. I like these as they are great for spring and summer and perfect for those who dare to wear a bright lip. 

Unfortunately I do not have the shade names, neither do I have the numbers as mine have worn with wear and tear. But I do believe the bright pink and the orange are still carried in store, but I'm not too certain on the berry shade and the glitter pink. 

As you can see from the swatches the colour pigmentation carries well from Lipstick to skin, and hold for hours well without need for re-application. 

The berry is a rich tone plumy-red, its perfect for a bold daytime and an easy going nighttime wear lipstick. I think this would carry well across skin tones and would suit most people as its an easy to wear colour. Its bold without being too far gone that it would be too bright for some people to carry off. 

The bright pink isn't shown justice in the swatch, it is NEON its perfect for rocking with a tan in Summer and bringing those beach vibes to your makeup look. I am obsessed with this shade but struggle to find occasions at the moment with the weather as it is to wear it, but can't wait for the sun to come and for me to start rocking this bad boy of a Pink again. 

The glitter pink is a more subtle shade, the actual pigmentation isn't that powerful, it is mostly a clear lipstick with a slight sheen of colour and then glitter. It's perfect to add a sparkle for that party do you're attending at work, or if you're into fun makeup! Its very light on the lips and the glitter doesn't get everywhere either! 

And lastly the orange! This is also a bright colour, but less in your face than the pink,  a much more wearable alternative I think. It is easy to wear, although I wouldn't suggest that people with paler complexion that myself try it as I think it might make you look a little paler/ill. I struggle to wear it unless I have some colour as it can wash me out a little, and I consider myself to have fair/porcelain type tone to my complexion. But all the same it is a gorgeous shade and I think those with darker, more tan complexions would look stunning in this! 

So next time you are in the Barry M section of your drugstore make sure you check out the pigments of the Lip Paints as they are beautiful.