Nail of the Day With Nail Rock Wrap Review...

Hey there!

Sorry for the sparse postings recently... been too busy trying to get some surprise goodies together for my Giveaway!

Anyways, here's just a quicky about my Nail of The Day and a mini-review of Nail Rock nail wraps.

So I've tried my hand at the nail-wrap trend and I can honestly say that I don't think I'll be trying this again in a hurry. What a palaver! I'm not sure whether this is down to the brand or just down to the fact that nail wraps don't really work for me, but I was sorely disappointed with the effect of applying this Nail Rock black-and-white stripy pattern to my nails. I obviously only put it on my accent ring-finger nail, and this alone took me about five minutes per nail and essentially just looked and felt like I'd stuck a sticker on. Very cheap looking and tacky, and I felt it was peeling off from the tip of my nail after just an hour of jabbing away at my laptop keys which was very annoying after all the effort I'd gone to.

To apply the wraps, I prepared my nails first by using some nail varnish remover on a cotton pad to clear away the remnants of any old polish and also any dirt or grime that maybe have invisibly stuck to my nail and would have made it even harder for the wrap to adhere. Once I'd done that, I buffed my nails to make them shinier and create a more even surface as suggested on numerous online pages regarding the application of this kind of nail art. Now it was time for the wrap. Peeling the sticker from the backing paper I placed the square shaped edge against my nail bed as suggested, leaving a tiny bit of space between my cuticle and it, in order to prevent peeling. I stretched it across the nail (as directed by Nail Rock) so that I wouldn't get any air bubbles under the wrap and folded it over the end of my nail. I actually even tucked it under my nail all around for the next part, which is where I think the nail wraps failed me. I began to file off the surplus wrap which was really hard work. I actually hate filing my nails anyway (I'm weird... I much prefer clipping them into shape!) so I didn't enjoy this bit, and I had to do this for quite a while so as to prevent any damage to the nail, the wrap and my sanity.

Anyways, once I'd done it and the end had peeled off I thought, 'Huh, so that's it?' Looking at my nail I was seriously unimpressed. I mean, it looked almost perfect, but I hated the design and the plastic-y appearance of the wrap too. Nonetheless, I painted my clear coat over the top, did the other nail and was finished. Unfortunately, like I said, I may as well not have bothered with any of that as the nail wrap was beginning to peel from the tip of my nail shortly after.

Basically, I didn't like the effect, I didn't like the application and I didn't like the longevity of the product. I'm glad this came in the terrible GlossyBox forced on my sister at The Clothes Show or I would have been seriously disappointed if I'd paid for it and had the same experience.

And yet, this is just my personal opinion and I know that some people love wraps. Perhaps I was applying them wrong, my nails are rubbish or I'm just an idiot, but either way I can't see myself purchasing a pack of nail wraps in the future. I think they're just glorified stickers, like you get when you're a child but they call them 'wraps' to make them sound more adult. However, if you would like to buy some wraps like these, you can click through to Nail Rock and find that similar products retail at about £6.65.

I'm a huge fan of Topshop nail polishes and this colour is no exception. I received this colour as a Christmas gift and I think it was released with three other colours just for the season so it's no longer available in store. Plus, because it's just a mini and I've lost the box I don't remember what the shade is called :( It's a kind of deep-grey, deep-khaki colour and it's lovely! Similar gift sets from Topshop Nails retail at about £12 for three minis. Bargain.

What do you think about nail wraps? Was I applying them wrong? Does anyone else prefer hand-done nail art to these sticker-type things?

Thanks for reading and enter the Giveaway!

Love
gabriellasofia
x

Haute Future Haute Haul... The Clothes Show Part 2: Models Own...

So here is Part 2 of the epic haul I managed to secure for myself at The Clothes Show on Sunday! As I say in the video, I've only ever used Models Own nail varnish before but I really wanted to try some other things in their range so I'm glad I was able to get ALL OF THIS for an absolute bargain £10... Let's see how much it's all worth eh?

All these products can be purchased at www.modelsownit.com;

Powder Eye Shadow - £5
Duo Eye Shadow - £5
Glitter Eye Pencil - £5
Kohl Eyeliner Pencil - £5
Lip Gloss - £5
Nail Polish - £5
Face Paint - £5
Nail Buffer - £5
Make Up Bag - Unavailable, but I guess it would be about £5!

So in total, the goodie bag I spent £10 on is worth about £75!!! Amazing!

Look out for my Clothes Show Haul Part 3, which includes some random miscellaneous freebies that I picked up and concludes my spending at the event.

Please take the time to check out my other sites... I have a Twitter, a Facebook AND a blog too and there will be a giveaway soon where you'll need to be following at least one of these to be able to be entered so don't forget to his follow, like and subscribe!

Please follow me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/hautefuture

Subscribe to my Youtube channel where I post hauls, tutorials, outfits of the day and WAY more:

http://www.youtube.com/user/HauteFuture?feature=watch

Also check out my facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/HauteFuture/149057205180776

Please rate, like, follow, comment and subscribe and I promise there will be loads of beauty, fashion, lifestyle, culture and gossip material going up on here each week :)

Thanks for watching, guys and I'll see you soon!

Love

gabriellasofia x

Review - Sally Hansen Nail Growth Miracle in Bold Buff

Hi there!

So today I'm blogging about my new favourite nail product around and let me tell you, it will save your nails! Haha, big promise, but I have every belief that this product is (as it's name would suggest) a miracle for nails. Sally Hansen's Nailgrowth Miracle in Bold Buff is a creamy nude-coloured, french pink shade which is really pretty and shines like the light of the sun. Seriously, it's such a nice formula, I've had people comment on how healthy my nails look and questions like, 'Wow, how do you keep your nails in such good shape?'

What is the product claim? Well, that's the sad thing... Sally Hansen is a brand which is constantly developing and evolving, so despite only buying this from www.boots.com about three months ago, the colour seems to have been discontinued in order to make space for the next best thing! That 'thing' being a gold-bottled clear polish by the same name. I even can't get Bold Buff on the Sally Hansen website, which is a shame really as I'm pretty addicted to it. Anyways, I assume the claim for the gold bottle is the same of that for the pink colour, so here goes...

'Salon Strength Treatment 30% longer-looking nails in 5 days!

You'll get stronger, harder, yet flexible nails which grow longer.'

And it's as simple as that. I totally 100% agree with the product claim. I tend to directly apply two coats to a newly buffed nail then apply a new coat every day. There is no need for a base coat whatsoever, it's great! After just four days, I saw that the part of nail at the base (near my cuticle) had about a millimeter of unpainted nail and I couldn't understand it. That's until I realized that my nail was about a millimeter further past the tip of my finger than four days earlier. No joke, my nails had grown a millimeter or so in four days.

Now, don't get me wrong, I know that our nails grown every day. However, I've never noticed it like that before. Even when I'm wearing darker polishes, I've never seen the growth from nail bed before. This colour doesn't really chip, and I swear to God if it wasn't for the fact that once I have a thick enough coating of polish I have this apparent obligation to peel it off (so satisfying) then I'm sure I would have a nice thick covering still intact even now, a week and a half later!

As well as the fantastic treatment the formula provides, the colour is oh-so-feminine and makes my hands look like those of a classy Hollywood movie star.

Ten out of ten for Nailgrowth Miracle and I think every girl looking for healthy nails with a shiny polish should invest considering you are effectively getting a salon treatment at home! It costs £9.65 on www.boots.com and is totally worth the money.

Love

gabriellasofia

x

Review - BarryM Instant Nail Effects in Black Magic (311)

Hey guys,

So a couple of months ago I finally managed to get hold of a little pot of genius courtesy of BarryM during a Boots online haul. I bought this product in preparation for my Moulin Rouge-themed birthday night out in Birmingham, in order to get the 'amazing effects' not usually attainable without shelling out for a professional manicurist, layered over the top of Topshop's Bad Habit blood-red nail color.

The product retails at £3.99 in the UK and I can honestly say that it is worth every penny... even if it does take a little getting used to.

When I initially received this product in the post, I wanted to try it immediately so I unscrewed the top and used the narrow brush to begin painting the black directly onto my bare nails. Now, those of you out there who have made this same mistake will know exactly what I am going to say, so if this means you, I apologize in advance for telling what you already know; this is not how the product works.

In the instructions booklet provided with all Instant Nail Effects products by BarryM, it clearly advises that the user 'Paint nails with chosen colour' before 'Applying a single coat' [of the product] and being sure not to 'overlap'. I, on the other hand, thought incorrectly that I knew better than to read and follow instructions and practically poured two coats of this product onto my naked talons, which resulted in a rather gloopy, matte-black color which did not provide the graffiti effect promised by the photographs attached to the pot. Lesson learned.

On my next nail, I made the effort to use a color beneath this time, in the form of BarryM's Nail Pain in Coral 294 (this color arrived in the same haul although it was not as it appeared on the website... despite its tell-tale name the photograph led me to believe that this was more of a red than an orange... I kept the color nonetheless and have since found it to be perfect for spring!) I used an old clear base coat which I've had knocking around my room for quite some time before painting the coral color onto my nails twice. Next was the moment of truth. I realized that I would have to do my nail in two strips as the brush is so narrow that it wouldn't be able to be simply applied in one swift stroke, so I began the first. This time I noticed quite home quickly the product dried into the Aztec-style print I was initially expecting. Whilst painting on the second strip, I noted the importance that the amount of product you use is in terms of getting the most professional look. Initially I assumed that as with most good nail colors one single dip in the pot would be sufficient for coating a whole nail. However, due to the composition of the formula used in order to make the overall effect possible, the remaining product on the brush after the first strip was painted was not enough. I applied more product to the brush which then ended up being too much, meaning that the effect was not as noticeable and took longer to dry.

So like I said, this product needs a lot of practice, but once its done and you have the technique under control, this item will become a night-out staple!

The best thing is that it looks good over the top of almost any bright color, adding a hint of rock-girl chic to your look in minutes without you having to go the whole hog and wander round with nails which look like they've been dragged down a sooty fireplace before being dunked in a greasy oil slick in the company of a goth-happy Taylor Momsen. People WILL stop you in the club to ask who did your nails. Even the guys couldn't conceal how impressed they were when I explained that I had done them myself! Another fantastic element to Instant Nail Effects is that along with being affordable and a little going a long way, I found that BarryM exceeded my expectations with regards to durability. I washed dishes, cleaned bathrooms and collected glasses for three days before the product even began to look worn. It didn't begin to chip until day five, and when it did I noticed that the color underneath had too stood the test of time, protected by the almost-impenetrable Nail Effects paint. However, I also found that when it was time to be removed, the formula swiped off as easy as... well, I can't even think of a suitable metaphor which would do justice to the way in which this product slipped off with ease leaving not so much of a hint of the color behind, a feat which many a dark nail color strive to achieve yet rarely do.

Of course, there are always areas where a product could do better, so I guess I had better mention them too. When the effect had dried and I had worn it for a day or so, I kind of got bored of the matte-ness. I eventually had to paint on a top coat in order to brighten my nails which resulted in them catching the eyes of even more kind complement-donors! Another problem I found which was only a minor set-back once I had mastered the art of the No Overlap Two Strip Technique (as I now fondly call it). However, I can't help but think it might make things a million times easier for the manufacturers to produce a brush which was wide enough to cover the nail in one stroke... this would also prevent the need to double-dip the brush then deal with the Product Amount Dilemma (it's a little scary how this product has crept into the daily trials and tribulations of my life...)

I'm sure that there are those of you out there who will be aware that BarryM are not the only cosmetic brand out there exploring DIY nail art in the effortless guise of a clever nail polish. OPI's Limited Edition Katy Perry Black Shatter which retails at £10.50 on www.asos.com and Covergirl's Crackle which has recently been discontinued but initially was sold at a similar price boast equal effects but at a higher price, so why the hell bother when BarryM Instant Nail Effects is just as good?

I have spoken. And with a brand new trio of available colors including Pink Fizz, Blue Print and White Frost all £3.99 available at www.barrym.com and all good retailers, what more could an unqualified nail-art enthusiast ask for?

Try it out and let me know how it goes

Catch you later

gabriellasofia