A Quick Primark Neon Nail Polish Review

 in the garden with

As promised, here is a quick review of the Primark Beauty nail polish set that I purchased in the week. I had been desperate to give it a try and was inspired this morning when I realised that it was so blazing hot outside! I had a spare hour, so I painted the nail wheel with the standard colours and then did a bit of basic nail art over the top to see how it came out.

The polish had quite a nice smell to it at first, not chemically like a lot of other polishes, but I soon realised that the sweet smell was covering up very heady fumes which was not nice and stuck around for quite a while. Note to self, open a window for ventilation next time.

I used two coats of polish on the nail wheels but I would recommend maybe three, as the application was a bit watery. I would also suggest using a base coat and a top coat. The finish was not at all glossy so a top coat is a must.

On the positive side, I really like the colours and each shade has a tiny hint of shimmer which makes the colours pop. It also looks really nice in the sun as well.

I didn't expect miracles for £2 for the set, but I was happy with them overall. I would never replace my precious professional products such as OPI, however I would definitely buy Primark polish again if I saw some colours that I liked, or it was getting towards the end of the month and the bank account has approaching empty.

I can't wait to try the Minx-like silver chrome false nails next! Watch this space.

DANGER Look For Nail Polish Free Of The Big 3

The Big 3 refers to the 3 toxic chemicals that you should be avoiding in nail polish:  Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Formaldehyde and Toulene.
Health and safety was a major area for study when I was learning about nails and products for my gel nail exam. I was shocked to learn that some ingredients still used in products and polish is in fact really harmful to us and out customers, for example such chemicals are linked to cancer, developmental and reproductive abnormalities and allergies.

This information made me research the lines that I was using far more thoroughly, and am pleased to report that OPI no longer use The Big 3 although like many professional brands, they once did.

It did also get me thinking about the Primark nail polish that I purchased and featured the other day, so I quickly checked the ingredients label. I was thrilled to not see any of these toxic chemicals included in this line, which proves that you are not necessarily compromising your health by purchasing bargain brands every now and then, but you should always check the label on your polish before you part with your hard-earned cash.

Here is a little information on each of the Big 3, as well as other names that they could be labelled under:

Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Used to prevent cracks and chips, and acts as a plasticiser. Found in printing inks, adhesives, sealants and grouting!

Formaldehyde

Sounds scary, especially as it has been known to cause deformities in feotuses. Not actually used in nail polish, but is used as a nail hardener in gel/acrylic nail products.

Toulene (aka methylbenzene, toluol, phenylmethane)

Used as a thinner which typically makes polish easier to apply and is a solvent which is often used in paint, petrol, shoe polish, industrial adhesive etc. Is also a volatile agent.

I don't know about you but I really don't fancy applying chemicals like that to my body, and it worried me to realise that I probably had done in the past, but late is certainly better than never, and I feel a little bit better knowing that I'm helping to spread the word to maybe just one person who wasn't aware of these dangers.

You can check the risk rating an ingredients on around 69,000 cosmetic/beauty items on the amazing EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database website http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/. It really is worth a look; a real eye opener!

If you have any questions or further information to add then please feel free to comment below. Please also send this link on to other nail polish lovers or Tweet!

Primark Nail Haul...

Who would have thought it...Primark sell nail products.

I went in today on my lunch break as I really needed to get some socks, and whilst I was standing in line waiting to be served I spotted false nails for £1 a set! And nail polish sets for just £2.

Quality is at the top of my agenda so I thought that I would test a few select items first for my Wonderlusters, report back and then buy the whole damn lot if they are any good.

I purchased a set of chrome silver false nails which look incredibly like Minx nail wraps. I also opted for a set of 4 neon colours which came in a set. I chose these as I have nothing like this and think that they would make great Katy Perry Last Friday Night 80s inspired nail art. If all goes well then I have my eye on a set which includes some uber sexy chunky copper glitter.

I haven't had a chance to test anything yet but will do this at the weekend. I was just so excited to show you my bargains.

If you have used any Primark nail products in the past then I would love to hear about your experiences.

OPI Axxium Gel Nail Overlays

I did my first set of OPI Axxium Gel Nail Overlays on my own toe nails this weekend which was challenging to say the least. It took about as long as I expected but I really hurt my back from bending down to try and see that they were done perfectly. I'm a sucker for perfection which is why I tested on myself to start with, however I think that the only way to get a flawless finish is to be brave and get a model to test it out properly.

COSMETOLOGY AND BEAUTY

Hi Jennifer from Cosmetology and Beauty - I am still waiting for your contact details so that I can send you your prize! Please leave me your email in a comment to this message and I will then contact you to arrange delivery.

Exciting New Nail Art Designs

I have been busy with more nail art and have to say that I'm quite proud of this lot. The practice is certainly paying off but as always I would love your feedback as I'm thinking of adding nail art to my treatment menu. See if you can spot the two subtle Easter themed designs. Your feedback on favourite designs would be very much appreciated!!!

MY NEW NAIL ART DESIGNS!!!

                                      

Left to right - Dotted Cross, Chunky Leopard, Zebra Heart, Candy Swirl.

Left to right - Mini Eggs, Tribal and Eggy Eggy Eggy

Left to right - Crystal Sunshine, Double Love, Glamo Camo, Lava Dots

Left to right - Turquoise Glitter Overload, Zebra and Gold, Retro Dots, Gobstopper

                                      

Left to right - Aqua Camo with Glitter, Crysta Sunshine, Gold Glitter Tips

                                      

          

Laptop FAIL

Just thought that I should update everyone to say that unfortunately I spilt Vimto all over my laptop last night so it's going to be quite difficult for me to post much text over the next few days. I can still post lots of lovely pictures thanks to my wonderful new iPhone and hopefully the laptop will dry and and decide to start working again. In the meantime I have my work laptop to type on, but I can't upload pictures to it for security reasons so I guess that it's  going to be one or the other.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with covering their pride and joy with a drink? If so, please tell me that everything will be ok as I really don't want to pay out for a new one, especially as I have just booked a very expensive fortnight in Florida!

Not having access to my blog until this evening has almost killed me, but I just wanted to say a massive thank you to all of my viewers and extra followers over the last 24 hours. For some reason I have had double the amount of visitors today which is amazing. I have been working on some new nail art creations and bought some more nail products and tools online this weekend, so I will have lots to chat about soon.

L xx

FOLLOW MY MUMMY ON TWITTER

My first official Instagram pic of my 2 year old son T.

I am finally entering into the 21st Century! Yes we are 12 years into it, but yesterday I got myself an iPhone which I was very excited about. Mr Wonderlust and I had been arguing over who gets to have the laptop, so I figured that a Smartphone would be the way forward as not only do I get to check Twitter and upload to Blogger but also the only mobile that I have is a very basic and ancient work issued mobile.

I have also joined the amazing Instagram which I'm hoping will allow me to take some fabulous pictures of forthcoming nail work and inspiration.

If you are on Twitter then please follow me @Wonderlustnail. I put extra posts and pictures on there which don't appear on Blogger. If you aren't on Twitter then you definitely should sign up, you don't know what you're missing out on.

The Nails On The Bus...Leopard Print False Nails from Star By Julien Macdonald

I was on my way home from work this evening and popped into Debenhams Taunton on my way home as I wanted to pick up a new nail polish to try out this weekend. I couldn't really find anything that I really liked but then I came across a stand of sale items and look what I found for just £4 (reduced from £8):

I picked up these false nails as I have been biting again recently, bad I know, but I have lost my nail tech tools and am waiting for more to arrive from my online order. These seemed like the perfect weekend cover up and I absolutely love the large gold and black leopard print design. I applied them on the bus, which wasn't all that easy because although they come pre-glued, they all stuck together in the box. I applied them really quickly, probably within 10 minutes, but they really don't stick that well. They did make me feel instantly better as they look so fantastic but I think that I am going to have to use proper nail glue if they are going to last any decent amount of time.

Please let me know what you think as I am thinking about recreating the design in my own nail art!

Vast Improvement

I am really keen to improve my nail art technique as soon as I can and I have to say that I feel far more confident after my most recent attempt. I still don't have the right tools (I'm relying on artists acrylic brushes) but I found that I had a steadier hand and better ideas due to the forward planning that I did. The ideas are all still a bit random but I would really like to hear your feedback (positive and negative). Also if you have any requests then I would be more than happy to give those a go. I'm game for anything, so the stranger the better.

Right to left - Love Hearts, Peace, Zombie, Face, Watermelon, Lightning Bolt, 
Brotherhood of Valor BHV Clan Tag Logo (www.brotherhoodofvalor.com), 
Tiny Dots, Pink Cupcake, Big Apple.

Right to left -Bling Diamond with Sparkles, Love Hearts, Peace, Zombie, 

Face, Watermelon, Lightning Bolt.

Right to left -Bling Diamond with Sparkles, Love Hearts, Peace, Zombie.

Tiny Dots, Pink Cupcake, Big Apple, Blue Bling Tips. 

My First Attempt At Nail Art

I have never really had a go at nail art before. The places that do it near to where I live look really dated, and whilst you can see the amount of work and skill that is required I have never really appreciated it much before. That was until I discovered the world of nail blogging and found some very talented artists! There is one lady from Washington USA called Ami Vega who I contacted via Twitter (@AmiVNails) and she is amazing. Not only is she really skilled but she has some really modern, cool designs so she sort of inspired me to give it a try. To see more examples of her work visit her website at http://elsalonsito.com/

Now please remember that the pictures below are of my very first attempt and I was just playing around really. I didn't really have a plan of what I was going to paint, so some look really amateurish (i.e. the strawberry which looks a bit like an aubergine/eggplant to the Americans).

Ladybug, Hot Pink Leopard, Big Love 

Monet Style Flowers

Matte Moustache for Movember

Dabs of Colour

Accidental Sperm and Egg Fertility Nails - started off as black dots which ran, but hey I went with it!

Matte Black with Silver French Tip and Matte Glitter in a Peach Base.

Leopard Print in Various Colours and Pink with Coral Glitter Streaks.

Eye Eye, Glitter Bug, Half Nail Dots and Sash Dots.

Matte Strawberry (or Eggplant/Aubergine) and Modern Dots.

I Glitter The Fool

A while back I featured a post where I made some Frankenpolish using Nails Inc Warwick Avenue. On the same day I also had a play around with glitter and the various polishes that I have in my ever expanding collection. The result? More bling than Mr T! 

New York Fashion Week Fall 2012 collections features similar designs.


I would love feedback on which are your favourites!!!

The middle nail, the one to the right of it and the third down from that one has been created using my Frankpolish that was featured in an earlier post.

Carmine Beauty Box Goodies...Including a Nail Surprise!!!

I signed up to the monthly Carmine Beauty Box recently and was thrilled when my first box arrived today! The subscription basically means that you will receive a mixture of 5-6 sample, luxury sample and full size products each month for £9  plus postage, although my first box only cost £7.50 plus postage.

The box was really well packaged in an outer box. I opened this and was pleasantly surprised to receive a beautiful quality Carmine box inside which I can use for storing makeup and other items. I excitedly lifted the lid to find yet more lovely wrapping and a bow - I'm going to like getting this little gift package every month!

On top there was a card which provided details of all of the goodies inside, which also gave more detailed information on their uses and the various products available in the ranges. I squealed with delight as soon as I realised that my box included a full sized Andrea Fullerton Nail Polish!!!


I delved further and this is what I found...

Andrea Fullerton Nail Polish in Paris

Japonesque Smudger Brush

Yardley London Peony Perfume Sample 

Myface Cosmetics Blingtone Eyeshadow in Sp"ice"cy

Diego Dalla Palma The Lipstick Shade '33'

White Glo Professional Choice Whitening Toothpaste 

I was impressed that there were two full sized items (the nail polish and the eye shadow) and out of all of the products I'm glad that these were in full sizes. The smudger brush was quite small however this is fine as it fits nicely into a makeup bag and is large enough to get a good grip on. I did laugh to myself when I saw the size of the lipstick as it is very small, but this is fine as the colour is too orange for me anyway*. The small Yardley perfume sample was also only half full (or half empty whichever way you view life hehe) but it smelt of old ladies anyway, so again I wasn't really disappointed. I haven't tried the toothpaste yet but I am keen to as I drink lots of tea and coffee and I would like to get rid of the stains that these cause.

Now to the star of the show...the nail polish is an absolutely beautiful colour and I will certainly be featuring this in an upcoming post, but Andrea Fullerton is a renowned Celebrity Manicurist to the likes of Kylie, Penelope Cruz and Mischa Barton so I'm thinking that the quality won't be a problem!

Update: I have just tried the lipstick on and not only does it look great, which I wasn't expecting as it isn't a colour that I would normally go for, but my 'letterbox mouth' as my husband calls it (thin top lip to you and I) felt instantly plumped up. I thought that I was having some sort of strange reaction to the product, but I read the leaflet and it is actually meant to do this. It also has anti-aging properties which is fab as I stress over getting old every day now. The consistency of the lipstick is very creamy and moisturising so I take my negative comments back!

L xxx

We Have a Winner....

Thank you so much for entering my first giveaway. I am pleased to announce that we have a winner.....drumroll...COSMETOLOGY AND BEAUTY from Ontario! Well done, I will be in touch to get your delivery details later on today. Pictures of the draw by my Wonderlustette on her birthday can be found below.

Birthday nails - OPI Nicki Minaj, Rimmel, Claire's Accessories and OPI Shatter

Doing the draw the good old fashioned way!

I'm very keen to get my next giveaway up and running as soon as possible, so details of the next bigger and better giveaway will be up in the next few days. You can get up to the minute updates and bonus posts on Twitter, so please follow me @Wonderlustnails.


L xxxx

GIVEAWAY TARGET REACHED!!!!

We've managed to not only reach, but exceed the target of 20 followers!!!! I did promise 1 in 20 odds on the draw so only the first 20 followers will be entered into this particular draw, however everyone will be entered into the next Giveaway which will take place when I reach 40 followers. The prizes will keep getting better as the number of followers increases, so make sure that you keep checking back to Wonderlustnails.


The draw will take place on Saturday and all names will be written on to paper and picked out of a hat, bowl or similar basin-shaped object by my glamorous 'birthday girl' assistant who is going to be 8 years old on Saturday. Comical pictures will be included and the winner will be announced on Saturday evening (bear in mind that I'm in the UK!). I will then message the lucky one privately with my email address so that you can send me your address details. There is absolutely no cost involved whatsoever and I will post the package out as quickly as I can.


Thank you so much for taking part and supporting my newbie nail blog. I really appreciate you taking the time to look at my site, and if you would like me to support you by looking at your own blogs then just ask. Chances are I have looked already, but I am always happy to help.


GOOD LUCK


L xxx