Showing posts with label budget. Show all posts

e.l.f. Cosmetics Nail Cube: I WON!

Hi! Today is not a nail art post I'm afraid - instead, I want to share with you the set of nail polish I recently received from e.l.f. Cosmetics, which is a fantastic range with tiny prices. Honestly, if you haven't heard of e.l.f. before, you must have been hiding under a rock! Unlike most cheap brands, e.l.f. never scrimp on quality or variety, and I am yet to be disappointed with both their makeup and nail products. Anyway, if you're a regular reader or follow Little Tip Off on Twitter or Instagram, you will probably know that I entered e.l.f.'s nail art competition a couple of weeks ago. The theme was Rock vs. Vintage, and I decided to submit some polkadot and rose nails (you can see the tutorial here). To my absolute disbelief, I won! I soon received an email from a lovely lady at e.l.f. HQ, who asked which 14 piece nail cube I would like as my prize. They have two themes - 'Jewel Tones' and 'Brights' - and I decided to opt for the latter, since you can never have too many bright nail polishes :)

The set consists of eight bright shades, two nude tones, and four sparkly polishes. I initially thought they would be displayed in a perspex box, which would have been ideal for storage, but unfortunately the packaging was just plastic and cardboard. I suppose more substantial materials would add to the price tag though (the cubes are £15.00 each). Despite the packaging, the contents did not disappoint. Each nail polish is cute and dainty, with a hexagonal shaped lid that's perfect for grip.
The brushes are small, which is to be expected with minis, and apply really smoothly. The consistency is also just right - no bleeding, and no gloopy bits! I was also really impressed with the opacity of the polishes, as they only require 2 coats (apart from 'Metallic Elegance', but that's to be expected of such a pale varnish).
You can tell that e.l.f. thought long and hard about which colours to involve in their cube. Since nudes and pinks tend to be the most popular nail colours, it's a really good idea to include four. I also like the balance of sunny shades and classic colours - 'Sunflower' and 'Mango Madness' are ideal for a fun summer manicure, while 'Skinny Jeans' and 'Smokin Hot' are perfect for an evening out. Out of the non-sparkly polishes, my firm favourites are 'Flirty Fuchsia' and 'Mint Cream'.
The sparkly varnishes are what really excited me. You can never have too many classic glitters, so it was very good of e.l.f. to include 'Gold Star' and 'Dream Maker'. Delicate glitters are also a must for every nail addict, so 'Fairy Cream' is the perfect subtle shimmer. 'Chic Confetti' is also a staple for every nail polish collection - it's reminiscent of both Models Own Hed Kandi 'Ibiza Mix' and Nicole by Opi's 'A Million Sparkles'.

I decided to swatch a couple of the polishes, and as I said before, the consistency and opacity really is impressive. The glitter polishes are a bit more watery, but to be honest I prefer this as you can just build it up to suit you. There's nothing worse than thick, gloopy glitter varnish!
Here's 'Flirty Fuchsia' and 'Mint Cream', both of which took 2 coats (although you can get away with only one). They have a lovely smooth, shiny finish.
I decided to top them with 'Chic Confetti'. This is one coat. As you can probably imagine, it would take around 3 or 4 coats to get a thick glitter effect. As with most glittery polishes, I had to place a few of the sequins with the brush.
This is 'Skinny Jeans' with a 'Metallic Elegance' accent nail, both topped with 'Fairy Cream'. I don't think I'd ever bother building up 'Fairy Cream', as it looks so lovely and subtle with one coat. I must admit, it did a take a little longer to dry than the others, but I guess the ingredients must be a bit different! The majority of the polishes dried really quickly, which is another plus.
Here's 'Smokin Hot' with a 'Dream Maker' gradient. I love the mix of large and small glitters, and I think this is very much a go-to nail varnish for a last minute manicure before a night out! 

I'm yet to try the rest of the varnishes in my e.l.f. cube, but I am sure that there'll be lots of 'nail arting' with them in the future! Which is your favourite shade? Have you ever tried e.l.f. products?
P.s. As you may have noticed, I'm trying out a new watermark. I'm not sure if I'm going to stick with it though! I love its simplicity and how it matches the colours of each manicure (inspired by One Nail To Rule Them All's watermark, which is so clean and effective), but I don't think it really 'goes' with my blog theme. Maybe I need a big blog overhaul... This will have to wait until I've finished my Dissertation though!

Askruk46

Mattifying Mania!

Good morningggg! This post may cause a few 'Déjà Vu' moments for my readers, because the photos involved have already appeared individually on my Instagram, Tumblr and/or Facebook page. However, I've decided to dedicate a whole post to my new obsession... Essie 'Matte About You'! I had no idea I'd fall this much in love with a top coat, but I have. I've fallen hard.
I ordered it from Superdrug online, and took advantage of the 3-for-2 offer that was on at that moment in time. You can see what else I bought in this post! Anyway, I opted for Essie's offering to the matte-effect phenomenon because I've read so many good reviews, plus the price (about £8) was reasonable. I could have gone for a cheaper brand, but I know that Essie has never let me down! I'm also not wiling to venture beyond the £8 mark, so Seche, OPI and Nails Inc. (apart from the miniatures) are out of bounds I'm afraid...

This first manicure was inspired by none other than a pair of pants! I was sitting on the sofa trying to think up design ideas, and then when I spotted the cherry-patterned knickers hanging off the airer, my decision was made. Oh, and contrary to my initial statement about this source of inspiration, they are NOT my boyfriend's pants. It was a joke...
I used W7 black as a base, then added white cherries with pale pink highlights (I used Models Own 'Pastel Pink'). Then I added red cherries using Models Own 'Soda Pop Pink' with red and white lowlights and highlights. For the storks I used Models Own 'Jade Stone' with No. 7 'Totally Teal' for details. Once dry, I added a coat of Essie 'Matte About You'. It completely pulls together this funky manicure, and makes it even more cute!
Here I used the matte top coat over Models Own 'Utopia', which is a beautiful pale mauve/grey shade. Adding 'Matte About You' makes it even more delicate, almost porcelain-like, and it's the perfect manicure if you fancy something low key yet gorgeous.
This manicure clearly shows the effect of Essie 'Matte About You'. I started out with 3 coats of Models Own 'Bare Beauty', and once dry I mattified! Because Essie products, both the polish and the brushes, are such high quality, you only need to use one coat and it applies really smoothly. If you haven't yet ventured into the world of mattified manicures, then I wholeheartedly recommend Essie 'Matte About You'. Have you used this product before? If not, what's your favourite matte top coat?

Ooooh and before I go, make sure you check out my other platforms for Little Tip Off. The Facebook page can be found HERE and the Tumblr blog HERE. You can also find me on Instagram and Twitter - search for littletipoff and @amykilv, respectively :)

Askruk46

Boots Haul!

Okay, okay, I know I've been rubbish recently... The past few days have been dedicated to essays, so I've hardly had time to think about my nails. However, since I'm ahead of schedule with my deadlines, I decided to give myself a little break today. It was a lovely coincidence when I checked my bank balance and found I had money (the last week of the month is always a painful, poor one, so when the 30th hits I am in my element!) so I had a little splurge...

I've never tried L'Oreal nail products before, partly because of the price tag, but also because the colours are always pretty standard. But today in Boots I spotted a few gorgeous bottles, and when I noticed the 3 for 2 stickers all over the stand, I knew I had to take the plunge and try them out! I opted for shades 602 'Perle de Jade', 204 'Boudoir Rose' and 104 'Macaron Noisette', which are all gorgeous and creamy and girly. The pale jade colour also totally matches the top I'm wearing today, which I took as a definite sign to buy buy buy! I also bought my favourite Maxfactor mascara and powder, and since there was a 'Buy 1 Get 1 Half Price' offer on this brand, my total spend came to around £20 (rather than the £35-ish it would have been).
The nail polishes are from L'Oreal's Colour Riche collection, and according to the website the 'built-in top coat LiquiGel Technology offers easy application, even coverage and lasting glossy shine. The patented brush technology gives extra precision. The flat brush holds the formula,  so colour is applied to nails easily.'* I can safely say that is very accurate advertising, as each colour was easy to apply and the brushes made for a neat and tidy finish. They're also very even and glossy, and I especially like the subtle gold shimmer throughout 'Macaron Noisette'. Only time will tell if they're long lasting, but so far the quality is fantastic so I doubt there'll be much chipping or peeling. 
Looking online, I've noticed lots of bargain retailers selling the Color Riche varnishes for around the £1.50 area, however the shades are quite limited. I'm normally a devout online shopper but sometimes it's nice to go to actual shops and have a proper browse, try out products and compare colours. Plus I got my Boots points which is an added bonus :)
I'm planning on funking up this manicure later tonight or tomorrow, and should hopefully post a decent tutorial in the near future... Once these darn deadlines are out of the way I will be back to my regular blogging self, I promise!
*www.lorealparis.co.uk

Askruk46

Tyin' the Knot! with a Sweet Talker

My parcel from Direct Cosmetics has finally arrived, along with a few other things... I really need to stop all of this online shopping. The postman even pointed out that after handing over my packages, his bag was a lot lighter! Along with my treats from my new favourite cosmetics retailer, I got a long awaited copy of a book for my diss., and some business cards that I ordered from Vista Print. 
At £2.99 for a bundle of 100 (p&p was about £4 if I recall correctly), and with an extremely professional look and feel, they're really good value. I love the black, purple and gold colour scheme, and I decided to keep it nice and simple with a title, brief description and contact details. I can't wait to start handing them out to my friends/family/random unsuspecting strangers who look like they might be interested in nail art. 

Along with Jeane Phillipe Apothecary Wild Honey Exfoliating Body Scrub (99p),  and Sally Hansen Petite Nail Nipper (£2.99), I got a couple of new nail polishes from Direct Cosmetics. I was disappointed to find that they'd sold out of the other varnish I ordered, which was a Sally Hansen No Chip 10 Day Colour in 'Reliable Beige', but whoever packed my order left a nice little note on the invoice to explain the situation and assure me that a refund was on its way. I'm really glad that it was the beige polish that had sold out rather than the my other two colours, because the moment I set eyes on them I knew life without them would be a terrible thing! They are both absolutely gorgeous, and even though I didn't realise upon ordering them, they complement perfectly and look like they were made to be together.
I've suddenly become obsessed with blue, and this is a beautiful little addition to my growing collection. I was worried that it was a bit too similar to Models Own 'Blueberry Muffin', but upon application I realised it's actually a purer blue, while 'Bluberry Muffin' has more purple tones. It's funny when you compare colours which initially look identical, and then discover they are poles apart! Essie 'Sweet Talker' is a gorgeous sky blue with a fine shimmer throughout, and it applies really smoothly and evenly. I've always loved Essie because their brushes are broad and soft, and the consistency and quality of their varnishes mean they're easy to apply and long lasting. However, I tend to be put off by the price tags (I'm a bargain hunter, after all), so when I found that Direct Cosmetics sell Essie polishes for an amazing £2.99, I couldn't resist!
This Sally Hansen polish was even more of a bargain. At 99p (yes, 99p!), 'Tyin' the Knot!' is Diamond Strength and chip resistant, and is a lovely shimmery grey. I immediately fell in love with it when I noticed the little 'diamond' on the bottle - so cute! Since I'm a magpie, I think I'm going to have invest in the rest of the Sally Hansen Diamond Strength collection, even if it's just to gaze at the pretty gems. The brush is much narrower than Essie polishes, but it still applied nicely and only took 2 coats for a clean finish.
I love how these colours look together, and when I have a bit more time (I'm supposed to be concentrating on uni work for the next few days, d'ohhh) I think I'm going to spend a good long while creating a funky manicure. I'm thinking bases in this order, and maybe an accent nail with a swirly pattern? I might even add a few gems...

Askruk46

Nail Mail!

So yesterday morning, having de-cluttered and reorganised my nail varnishes and tools, I decided to treat myself to a lovely little Models Own order. Anyone who's read my previous post will know that I opted for 'Blueberry Muffin', 'Peach Sherbet', 'Pastel Pink', 'Gold Finger', and a clear 3-in-1 coat. All of this came to £20, as purchasing 5 colours = £7 discount. Amazingly P&P is free, which is always an added bonus! My confirmation email from Models Own stated that they'd rush my order to me as soon as possible, but of course customers in the UK should expect to wait up to 10 business days (understandable, with free delivery and all). Anyway, with all of this in mind, I could not believe my ears when I heard the rustling of the postman this morning...
I don't think there is a single person on this planet that wouldn't consider this excellent customer service. My nail mail was literally in my hands within 24 hours of ordering... Crazy! I absolutely love the colours too, and I kind of wish I'd parted with another £20 and ordered five more.
'Pastel Pink' is pretty similar to a shade that I already own, 'Sheer Pink' by W7 (look at this post for the colour). However, the quality of Models Own is always leaps and bounds ahead. This finish only took 2 coats, and even without a decent top coat, I know this will last for ages with hardly any chipping or peeling.
'Peach Sherbet' is a couple of shades lighter than another favourite of mine, 'Fuzzy Peach' (look at the orange shade in this tutorial for the colour). I think these colours will complement one another really well, and I can't wait to create a peach orientated design!
'Blueberry Muffin' is a beautiful delicate blue. It reminds me of classic Chinese blue and white porcelain, and so I am inspired to try a design along these lines in the future. Using a good white base, and another favourite Models Own shade 'Feeling Blue', I think this would make a gorgeous manicure.
Finally, 'Gold Finger' is a lovely gold glitter varnish. This would look lovely over the top of any base - I'm thinking Rimmel's 'Pompous' for a really rich, luxurious manicure, since they are the colours of wealth after all! Once again, it only took 2 coats to achieve this finish, once again demonstrating the quality of Models Own products. 

I'm also going to use this post to sing the praises of Direct Cosmetics, who I placed an order with yesterday as well (these sprees are once-every-few-months happenings, before anyone jumps to conclusions about me being rich/a shopaholic... Although admittedly I am the latter). I've only just discovered this website and I absolutely love it. There are so many discount products to choose from, including brilliant brands like Elizabeth Arden and Stila. Along with some makeup - a pack of five Maybelline 'Moisture Extreme' lipsticks, some Maybelline foundation, an Elizabeth Arden mascara, Rimmel concealer and Sally Hansen loose powder - I also chose a cute Burberry-esque nail file by Pinkee's (79p), Sally Hansen 'Cuticle & Nail Finisher' (£1.99) and Sally Hansen 'Age Correct Strength Dry & Brittle Nail Care' (£1.29). 
I didn't even realise the last product came as a two pack... Even better! I spend so much time painting my nails that I decided it was time to start taking proper care of them, and I can't wait to get my cuticles neat and tidy. The whole order came to about £24.00 inc. P&P, but the majority of this cost was due to the makeup, and so if I had simply stuck to nail products I would have been looking at an order equaling £9.02 (that's with £4.95 postage). I know I say it all the time, but nail art is the cheapest addiction ever, and I recommend both Direct Cosmetics and Models Own to any deal-loving nail artist who wants great quality for bargain prices!

Askruk46

Easter Nails (and the rest...)

Wow... The past few days have been incredibly busy. I've been backwards and forwards across the North of the country (I seem to spend my whole life on the M62), and so my nails have a been a little bit neglected. But I've finally managed to sit down and dedicate some time to creating Easter nails, which I've been mentally planning for a good few weeks!
I've seen so many Easter designs recently, from Easter eggs to Spring flowers to bunny rabbits. I always wanted to create a chick, as I knew it would look incredibly cute and would be pretty easy to paint. I took inspiration from a variety of Easter cards and gifts, and decided to keep it as simple as possible (because less is always more!)

The equipment:

Models Own 'Jade Stone'
Fearne 'Cotton Candy'
Models Own 'Feeling Blue'
Models Own 'Fuzzy Peach'
Fearne 'Lemon Drizzle'
Rimmel 'Rose Libertine'
NYC 'Pinstripe White'
Barry M 'Grey'
Models Own white nail art pen
Large dotting tool
Small dotting tool
A fine paintbrush
Clear top coat
As usual, I started off with clean, filed nails and applied 2 coats of each base colour. I stuck to a pastel palette, and opted for pale green, pale purple, sky blue, pink and lemon yellow. 
Once dry, I added the basic design to my thumb. This consisted of a large circle for the chick's head, a smaller oval for its body, and little leaf shaped wings. I used one of my brand new nail art paintbrushes, which I am in love with already!
It took about 3 coats to achieve a bright yellow colour over the top of the green, and once this was dry, I used my grey Barry M varnish to outline. I thought black would be too harsh against the pastel shades, and so grey was a good decision. I added legs, feet (claws?) and some spiky hair, and then used Models Own 'Fuzzy Peach' to add a tiny triangular beak. Once this was dry, I outlined in the grey as well, and add dots for eyes.

Once I was happy with my chick, I focused on my other fingers. I was contemplating designing complex Easter eggs, but eventually settled for simple polka dots and stripes. Using my dotting tools I added large and small dots to my index and ring finger, and then used the striping brush of my Models Own white nail art pen to draw vertical and horizontal stripes on my middle and little finger. As always, when all of my nails were completely dry, I added a top coat :)

So there we have my Easter nails! I'm so pleased with the final product, and I really hope they last over Easter weekend (I'm pretty certain they will, as Models Own nail varnishes are brilliant quality and never seem to chip or peel away!)

Ooooh, just before I go, I want to show you a couple of new purchases! They were waiting for me when I got home today...


I think the total cost of these was about £5, and that's including P&P. I cannot express how much I adore Amazon for their nail arty treats! The paint brushes are lovely - they're chubbier than normal brushes and so easier to grip, and the bristles are soft yet sturdy. I can't wait to use my new sequins and beads either, it'll be a nice change from gems which have always been my go-to for added sparkle!

Oh and one more thing... I feel slightly guilty for not dedicating a whole post to these nails, but they were done in a rush and therefore I don't have a tutorial. Plus, they're pretty basic in comparison to some of my other designs.

My brand new black and white midi-dress inspired these. I used W7 'Purple' as my main colour, and then for my accent nail I added an abstract pattern using my Models Own black nail art pen over NYC 'Pinstripe White'. These nails only lived for one night, but next time I wear my dress I will definitely do them again!

So I think I've finally covered everything. If I don't check in again over the weekend, Happy Easter! I cannot wait to feast on chocolate all Sunday long... This Lent has been a painful one!

Askruk46

Nail Varnish On A Budget

I keep seeing so many brilliant offers for nail varnish, but unfortunately the majority are all US based, and don't ship internationally :( I noticed an amazing offer at ulta.com, where a lot of polishes are only $2 and there's a $3.50 discount when you spend $10 or over. Converted to GBP, that's about £1.30 for the varnishes and more than £2 off your order, amazing! However I soon realised that it's only US shipping, so my bubble was well and truly burst.

I was so excited about the prospect of bargain nail varnishes that I began hunting down sales and voucher codes. My go-to site is Models Own, because they do fantastic nail varnish deals (buy 3 save £3, and buy 5 save £7). That means you can pick up five colours for £18, rather than pay £5-£6 each in shops. HOWEVER, I was in the mood for even more of a bargain, and more of a choice (Models Own colours are lovely, but I feel a little bit limited).

That's when I discovered Nail Polish Direct. Straight away I noticed the 'FREE DELIVERY ON ALL UK ORDERS!' on the homepage, which is always a bonus. I joined the Facebook group via the same page, as I know that offers and voucher codes are often advertised there. And I was in luck - they've just got the China Glaze Texture Collection in stock, and for the launch they're offering customers 10% of orders.

Although I didn't purchase anything from that collection, the voucher code was still valid for other items :) So I had a quick browse through, picking up any of the colours that I've been wanting for a while (a lime green, a pale grey, and a candy coloured pink). Obviously, with such cheap prices, I ended up grabbing a few more than I expected...

Although the quality of W7 isn't amazing, my clear top coats always ensure that chipping and peeling is avoided. These four were all £1.95 each - it would be rude to ignore such a deal!









I also picked up 3 Rimmel nail varnishes. I've always loved Rimmel, as it's so quick drying and chip resistant. These were slightly more expensive at £2.95... Still a bargain though!







As any mathematician would tell you, (£1.95 x 4) + (£2.95 x 3) = £16.65, which is brilliant in itself for an order of seven nail varnishes. However, the 10% discount meant that my total was only £14.99, and along with the free delivery, this was definitely an amazing purchase!

It's a shame that a lot of the US deals don't ship internationally, but with sites like Models Own and Nail Polish Direct, you can still pick up bargains. Nail art is such a cheap addiction!

*Images accessed via the NPD website: www.nailpolishdirect.co.uk

Askruk46

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)