Beauty: spring nails

We've all been there. Chapped, worn out hands with stubby fingernails fingernails that have been battled by the elements all winter. By the time Spring arrives I'm feeling a little ashamed at the state they're in. The long dark evenings means they're often the least of my priorities and one of the last things I make sure I do when I'm rushing around the house in the evening. Covered by gloves, I neglect them because they're not often on show. But now I'm paying the price. They are in urgent need of TLC. So what tips do I suggest?

1. Invest in a decent hand cream
I can't stress this enough. As someone who suffers from very dry skin, I get through so much hand cream during the colder months. I honestly believe that it's worth investing - you really get what you pay for. After being persuaded by Hannah in Liberty I invested in the Khiels Ultimate Strength Hand Salve. What a good investment it was. It's pretty pricey at £18.50 but it does wonders.  You only need a little so I think it's going to last a long time.

2. Shiny shiny nails
I love the gel effect nails but I don't like the price of £30 of having them done at the beauty salon. So I picked up this Sally Hansen Gel Shine on a Boots binge one morning before work. It's lethal having a decent boots next to my office... It helps to give me the same super shiny effort at home and helps to keep my polish in place. It takes a good few days before it starts to chip which is a revelation when they usually chip within the hour.

3. Buffer away
This buffer tool can be picked up from Boots for a couple of quid. They're a great tool to help keep your nails in tip top shape. Especially if you're prone to biting them every now and again. Not that I would ever do such a disgusting habit...

4, Pretty pastels
I love a good pastel once the weather starts to warm out and my favourite brand is OPI. They always have such a great selection of colours. I managed to pick these two up for a couple of quid from a beauty sale at work.  I just think pastel shades look so spring like and can really brighten up your outfit. Crawfishin' for a compliment is the pretty peachy orange shade and Got myself into a Jam-balaya is the dusty barbie pink shade.

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A few favourites #5

1. The Hairy Dieters cookbook
I'm trying my hardest to eat healthily or at least 80% of the time. We all need a burger binge once in a lifetime right? So I've been digging around in my extensive cookbook collection and come across an old favourites. I adore The Hairy Bikers - I think I might have nearly all of their books. This one is a little gem. Every recipe I've tried has been amazing and they all feel indulgent despite shaving off a few calories from the original. It's amazing how a few changes can completely reduce the calorie content without having to compromise on taste.

2. Schwarzkopf Got2b Rise 'n' Shine Volume and Shine Hairspray*
I'm always a little heavy handed with hairspray - gotta help it stick right? - so look out for one that has a strong hold but doesn't make my hair feel rock solid. I've found just the right one thanks to Got2b. This beauty helps to stop any stray hairs coming out of place, gives it a much needed shine and boasts it's volume. The lazy girl in me loves a multi-tasker. It's easy to brush out and my hair doesn't feel heavy or sticky.

3. Urbanears Plattan headphones
My headphones suddenly packed up halfway through my commute to the city so I need of some decent quality ones sharpish. I'd spotted these in various colours on the tube so hunted around until I realised what they were. Urbanears is a Scandinavian brands and are famous for their rainbow colours. They're comfortable to wear, easy to adjust and have brilliant sound quality.

4. Next postcard clutch bag 
My darling mother treated me to this clutch in the Next sale just before I went to Barcelona. I have such a soft spot for a novelty clutch and this one ticks all the boxes. Such a conversation starter!

5. Models Own Chrome effect nail polishes*
Since I've been trying really hard to stop biting my nails, I've been smothering them in nail polish a few times a week. I've found if they look pretty, I tend to leave them alone. I picked up these polishes a few months ago from my old job and they look great on. So shiny! The gold and silver are already earmarked for the festive season.

6. Gallo Family Vineyards Spritz Raspberry and Lime & Pineapple and Passionfruit*
I do love a good glass of wine as anyone who knows me will confirm but sometimes it's nice to have something a little lighter and more refreshing. That's where these tasty concoctions came in. TV presenter Laura Whitemore is the face of the brand so you know you're going to be in good hands when you crack open a bottle. All the cool kids are drinking them!

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This week i'm loving - Vibrant red nail polish

Knockout - c/o Liz Earle

There's one colour nail polish I come back to time and time again. Red. I like my red polish to be very bright and vibrant - it needs to make a statement. Many nail polishes fall short but I think i've found a keeper in this Liz Earle beauty. With orange undertones, it really is a bright pillarbox red. The best kind of red! I find I need to apply two coats for it to make the maximum impact.

Aptly named Knockout, this polish features avocado and borage oils to help strengthen your nails. I don't know about you but I find when i'm sporting coloured fingernails for a long period of time, my nails are very brittle and flaky by the time it comes off. So i'm very pleased this polish helping my nails in the long run.

It does promise to last chip free for up to 12 days but i'm afraid this doesn't hold true for me. I tend to get around 4 days before it starts to look scruffy. This is still nothing short of a miracle for me though. I work at a computer everyday and find my polishes are lucky if they last a few hours so I was very pleaased with 4 days! At £7.50 a bottle, I really do think they offer great value for money and will be purchasing more in the future.

Have you tried the nail polish range from Liz Earle? They have some very pretty colours!

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This week i'm loving: Barry M Matte Nail Polishes

Barry M Espresso and Mocha c/o

Nail polish is my vice. It's my favourite type of make up to buy and it's slightly embarrassing to admit how many bottles I own. Barry M is one of my favourite brands for budget polish. They're always at the forefront of trends and constantly bring out new collections and colours. The price point is amazing and I always find the wear to be quite long lasting. Plus the fact they're often on offer is a winner.

I must admit black isn't normally a colour I opt for but was pleasantly surprised. The matte finish makes it look sophisticated and ties nicely in with the monochrome theme that rears it's head every a/w. I think the matte finish helps to stop it from looking too harsh. It is a tad streaky after the first coat so I'd recommend a second coat to make it on the opaque side. It dries pretty quickly which is always a plus. Anyone get frustrated when they paint their nails for a night out and by the time they get in the taxi it's smudged all over the place?!

I love a good nude on my nails. I always think it looks so classy and perfect for a special occasion. This shade is my favourite out of the two. Once again the first coat does come out streaky so a second coat is a must but as it does dry quickly it isn't a hardship. The polish goes on nice and smoothly without any bubbles. There is nothing worse than lumpy polish! I'm looking forward to treating myself to the other colours in the range

The polishes hit Superdrug on 25th September so write that date in your diary!

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This Week I'm Loving - Summer Nail Polishes

L-R: Nails Inc for InStyle, OPI Strawberry Margarita, Barry M Peach Melba, Kelly Brook for New Look c/o, Essie Fear or Desire c/o beauty drawer at work.

I hold my hands up and admit i'm a nail polish addict. I love buying them and my favourite thing to do on a Sunday night is to paint my nails and toenails to match. In the summer I prefer A LOT of colour, Pastels, brights, matte you name it, i'll have it on my nails. Here's a selection of what I've been painting my nails since the sun has put it's hat on.

I'm an avid nails inc fan and always pick them up when they're being given away as a free gift with magazines. TK Maxx is a great bet if you want to stock up - they often do four polishes for £12.99. The pretty lilac colour caught my eye immediately and it looks gorgeous with a tan. It's quite sheer and you do need two-three coats to make it looks decent so it's not one you apply in a hurry.

OPI is my all time favourite nail brand. I love the great selection of colours - you name it and they'll have it! This one was brought from a blog sale and it's came out for the summer time and time again. The bright vivd colour really stands out and it always get compliments.

In my opinion, Barry M is one of the best value nail polish brands out there. They always apply brilliantly and they have a great range of colours. Plus they're always bringing out new shades. I picked this up after reading about it non-stop on various blogs and it's the perfect pastel for the summer. It does take a few coats to get it opaque but it looks great on. It's a pretty neutral colour so it goes with anything.

I recieved a few Kelly Brook nail polishes in my goodie bag when I went along to the New Look press day and didn't really hold out much hope. But it's one of the long lasted nail polishes in my collection. It takes forever to get the tinest chip and is a dream to apply. For only £2.99 they're well worth picking up.

Finally do I really need to say anything about Essie? I made a beeline for this in the beauty drawer immediately. Orange is my favourite toe colour in the summer and this is the perfect vivid shade. It stands out in sandals which is what the most important thing is right?!

What colours do you like for the summer?

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This week i'm loving - Seche Vite

I finally caved into blogger hype a few months ago and purchased Seche Viteon from Amazon. I don't know what I seem to do but i'm lucky is my nail polish remains chip free for more than a day. More often then not it chips within a few hours. I blame working on a competer all day for ruining it! At first I couldn't get on with it and didn't find it made much difference. But then Sarah suggested I use a thin coat rather than the thick one I plastered on. It worked a treat and now my polish lasts for around 3-4 days which is amazing! I find it works best on Barry M and OPI. No 7 still isn't really that good unfortuately.

Have you been converted to Seche Vite?

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