Nude Nail Polishes

I have always found it incredibly hard to find Nude Nail polishes I like and I am not sure why. Most times, they just look too grey and very unflattering on my complexion but I recently found a few nail polishes that I enjoy. There are all from the drug store and are very affordable. The term Nude all depends on your skin tone and sometimes, your undertone. I find that it all also depends on your preference. Anything that has a pinkish brown hue to it always looks really flattering against my complexion and that’s what I always go for in nail polishes or lipsticks.

Essence “The Nudes” Nail Polish (03 I'm Lost in You)

I just stumbled upon this lovely nail polish by chance in the Wilko near my office. I have always seen it on the stand/counter but never bothered checking. I had some time on my hands a few weeks back and I was really impressed with the Essence “The Nudes” range. They had lipsticks and nail polishes within the range for almost every skin tone you can think of beginning from very pale to very dark. It’s really worth checking out if you are near a Wilko that stocks Essence or any Essence Stand. The 03-I'm Lost in You is definitely the closest and most flattering nude on my skin tone and I love wearing this. It is a beautiful nude brownish pink shade which almost looks like a dusty pink shade. It applies really beautifully and I prefer to use one coat for a subtle wash of colour on my nails. It still looks amazing with a second coat and the colour does not change.  It lasts pretty well; I would say about 3-4 days which is not too bad for a very affordable nail polish. It lasts slightly longer if you use a good top coat like Seche Vite. I also bought the pink shade which is called 7-Hope for Love. It's so pretty and I think it would suit anyone who has a lighter complexion than mine or if you just like soft pink nail polishes.

Maybelline Forever Strong Pro Nail Polish (Sable Rose)//Link

How I love this Maybelline Nail Polish! I think it was the first “nude” nail polish I ever tried that restored my faith in finding the perfect nude shade for my complexion.  It is a lovely deep brownish shade with slight hints of pink. It definitely has more brown hues to it than rose pink hues but it still looks very flattering. It applies like a dream even if you are an amateur nail polish painter like I was (I still am sometimes). One coat is really opaque but looks very natural like you just had a manicure. It lasts for a longer time than the Essence version and it looks glossier even without a top coat.

Sinful Colors Professsional Nail Polish  (Nirvana 949)

This is a slightly darker shade and I was instantly drawn to it because I knew it would go well with my complexion. I think this shade would suit anyone who is slightly darker than me. It is a true dark brown shades with slight hues of grey. The grey makes it look darker but it does not interfere with its “nude” colour at all (I hope that makes sense). I love wearing this when I can’t be bothered because it just makes my nails look neat. It is easy to apply and quite opaque as you would expect from a dark brown shade like this one. I actually got this from Poundland for £1 and it’s such an amazing bargain. The lasting power is good and I guess it all depends on how you take care of your nails. I would say it last for about 5 days with a good top coat before it starts chipping

Collection Field Day Nail Polish (Heather)//Link

I am sure you would say this is not an actual nude colour and I totally agree but I love it. It’s a neutral grey shade that looks amazing on anyone. It reminds me of Barry M Almond but it’s quite different on my nails. The one thing that impressed me with this nail polish is the lasting power. It is truly incredible with or without a top coat. It’s very easy to apply and I can’t think of anything bad about it. I mentioned this in my April Favourites and it was pretty much the nail polish I reached for throughout April before I found these other Nude nail polishes

Overall Thoughts

I am really pleased I now have a couple of Nude nail polishes I can reach for. I think Nude nails always look so classy, elegant and professional. I even prefer them during Spring because Spring reminds me of everything fresh and classy. I have my eyes on a few shades like the OPI Dulce de Leche and I know it would suit me. That’s all folks!! What are your favourite nude nail polishes?
*Affiliate links used, read my full disclaimer here

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat Review

For a while now, I reserve painting my nails for days when I have ample time to paint them and wait for them to get dry. I rarely succeed because I always manage to smudge them in the drying process either because I have to scratch my head or do something which I should have done way before painting them. The whole process just ticks me off so I just chilled for a bit with the nail painting shenanigan. I realised that all I needed was a good top coat which was long lasting and fast drying because that would mean my nail polish would not get chipped within a few days and the chances of getting them smudged mid-dry would be less. I have tried so many top coats including high end, mid-range and drug store brands but none beats the Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat which I just recently tried. I know this top coat has been raved about in the blogosphere for a few years now and I can understand why. It’s an absolute game changer and it gives the best results to my nail polish/varnish and ticks all the boxes: Glossy nails (yes), no chipping (yes), Fast drying (yes) and I can’t get enough of it. All I do is paint my nails with my nail polish of choice (I am currently loving Barry M Nail Polish in Bright Red) and I add one coat of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat and I am done. It dries within seconds (ok just a little less than a minute) and I am good to go.  For £9, I don’t think it is too expensive especially for the quality you get and you get 14 ml which would last a pretty long time.  It’s definitely one to try if you have not. See you in my next post...x

JACAVA Nail Polish Discount Code

Hi My Lovelies,
I hope you have all been having an amazing time these season with the Christmas holidays and festive season. Boxing day sales are on and I guess they would continue till January when the best sales are on.  I have got a discount code for Jacava London Nail Polishes. I have reviewed the Jacava London Marrakesh Nights and Top Coat earlier this year and I think they are really amazing!! You can check out the review here.



I have my own discount code which is "201315FSL" which gives you a whooping 15% discount off their range of single nail polishes only excluding the nail polish sets which have already been discounted. They are also offering Free delivery in the UK which I think is amazing!! So grab them while you can as the code is only valid till 31st December 2013. Happy Shopping and see you in my next post. You can purchase them directly from the Jacava Website, Amazon and FeelUnique.

*I am not affiliated to Jacava London Nail Polish and I do not get any compensation when you use these codes*

Lancome Vernis in Love Nail Polish- Rose Bonheur and Rouge Valentine

Hi My Lovelies,
I hope you are all having a nice week so far. Mine has been okay and I am trying to get used to the annoying weather here in London at the minute. If you read my previous post on the Lancome Gel Eclat Cleanser which i reviewed yesterday, I mentioned i received the cleanser and other goodies as a result of some Lancome purchases. 







I purchased some new nail polish shades from Lancome which were launched in August of this year and i really like the two shades i chose namely: Rose Bonheur and Rouge Valentine. It's no hidden secret that Lancome Nail polishes tickle my fancy every single time and they are one of my favourite nail polishes becasue they are fade resistant and high gloss shine nail polishes and of course, they have very pretty shades. If you want to find out about my Lancome Vernis in Love nail Polish collection, check out my post here where i give you a low down of my growing collection. Now to this purchase, let's get started...



Lancome Vernis in Love Rouge Valentine 147M £12.50
The Rouge Valentine a shade nearest and closest to my heart (no pun intended). I think this was launched last year in Mid 2012 and it is a permanent shade in the Lancome Vernis in Love collection. I would describe it as a safe vintage red colour (some describe it as a brick red colour as well) which would suit anyone especially if you don't really want to wear the classic red but you still want to have that red touch on your nails. it's a really classy colour because it exudes that vintage vibe which i find really endearing. As expected from Lancome's Vernis in Love collection, the application is really easy with its lovely wide nail brush which prevents streaking. The formula itself is really consistent and allows you paint your nails effortlessly to a nice high gloss finish which is long lasting depending on how you handle your nails. I find that mine last for about 3-4 days but I always change my nail polishes every time so i am not one to wear mine even for a week. Life is too short for that :-). This is fast becoming one of my new favourite nail polishes from the Lancome Vernis in Love Collection.



Lancome Vernis in Love Rose Bonheur 345B £12.50
To be honest, I am not really a pink girl for no reason. I liked pink a lot when I was younger but I have since been swayed by other richer jewel toned colours like purple, emerald and burnt orange. However, I was intrigued by the Lancome's Rose Bonheur and i decided to try it out; I was not disappointed at all. I would describe it as a Bubble gum warm pink shade which is actually not too girlish at all. In fact, it can be classy in its own right..you know the classy with that slight tinge of playfulness..that's what this nail polish brings to the table. I really like this shade and that's what i am wearing at the minute..i know, I know it should be a summer colour but hey!! wear what you want anytime, anywhere :-)). With this nail polish, you can honestly get away with only one coat as it is heavily pigmented and it has a lovely finish. I really, really like it and i did not expect to at all!!





So, there's my little blurb on my latest Lancome Vernis in Love Collection purchases. if you are interested in purchasing anything from Lancome, this is the time as they have amazing goodies and freebies with every purchase in Debenhams and House of Fraser. If i remember any other places, I would update you all. Thanks for reading and see you in my next post...toodles..x

Jacava London Nail Polish Review (Marrakesh Nights and Top Coat)

Hi My Lovelies,
I am pretty sure you had a wonderful weekend. I am very excited that Christmas is coming soon which means a lot of festive times but many changes for me. I was recently contacted by Jacava London to see if i was willing to review their luxury nail polish. I decided to check out the brand and their products and I was super impressed so i agreed to review their nail polish and patiently waited for it to arrive which it did in a very short time...I was very surprised (and pleased if i may add) when i opened the package to find two nail polishes because i chose only one. I was sent the Jacava London Marrakesh Nights(*) and the Jacava London UV Inhibitor Top Coat(*)..Let's get into the nitty gritty shall we? 

P.S. This is going to be a long post so grab your favourite drink. I went a little bit crazy with the pictures because it was such a beautiful day for photos so pardonnez-moi, s'il vous plait?

          

Background
I had never heard about the brand before i was contacted but when i went online i read many good reviews I was curious to try them out. According to their website, Jacava London are a quintessentially British Nail Polish brand which is designed in London and made in the UK. The Jacava Nail polishes are a luxury brand as seen with their impressive ingredients list making them the world's first "8-free" nail polish brand out there. Their nourishing formula helps the nails stay stronger and grow longer. I totally raised my eye brows at this claim but it is definitely true because their formula excludes the toxic ingredients which damage the nails so this is definitely one nail polish to look out for if you totally want to care for your nails. They have a wide selection of shades which i think is a very good range to choose from no matter what your taste is and what season it is, there is always one for you to choose from

Shade Chosen- Marrakesh Nights and 
The amazing thing with Jacava London is their inclusion of an online selector hand tool which can help you see how the nail polish looks like in real life (even if you are not ready to buy yet; it's fun playing with it..heheheh). I think this is really amazing because you can adjust the skin tone and nail length so it is universal and you definitely have an idea of how the nail polish would look against your skin tone and that's what helped me narrow down my choice. It was a hard choice for me to select just one shade but I settled on the Marrakesh Nights because i knew it would look flattering on my skin tone and it did not disappoint me at all, if anything, it surpassed my expectations. I would describe the Marrakesh Nights as a rich jewel tone aubergine-purple shade which has light speckles of gold dust in it. It is such a pretty colour and the pictures i took did no justice to it at all but there are all below. As stated earlier, they also sent me the Jacava London UV Inhibitor Top coat which IS the BEST top coat i have ever used..Trust me on that. It can instantly transform any nail polish to an instant high gloss long lasting nail colour. It feeds off light/sunshine in the most beautiful way ever. 

Packaging

I must say I am quite intrigued by the design of the bottle. It reminds me of some vintage nail polish my mum had some years ago and i loved playing with them-when she allowed me :-) so the Jacava Nail Polish design brings back some sweet memories. It comes in nicely rounded sturdy bottle with its wand housed in a gold colored pointed tip which is quite long. The design really makes it stand out among my other nail polishes and looks rather pretty.

With Indoor Lighting

With outside light (one coat)

With outside light (two coat)

Ingredients

This has to be the reason why i totally love this nail polish. You may or may not have heard of "8-free nail polishes" but i am more than happy to share. The Jacava London Nail polishes has an impressive ingredient list that excludes 8 naughty ingredients which are not very good for your nails and they are DBP, Toluene, Formaldehyde, Paraben, Camphor, Cellophane,Phthalates and No Animal Ingredients. According to the Jacava London website, they are the world's first "8-Free" non-toxic nail polishes out there. Many nail polishes do not bother about the ingredients included in the formula list at all but Jacava London seem to have that at the very heart of their nail polish. I really like that they have taken their time to formulate the nail polish with an excellent quality while excluding these ingredients. The icing of the cake is their inclusion of 22-carat gold to the formula of each bottle of nail polish which lends it its high gloss and long lasting shine on the nails. For all you vegetarians and vegans, you will be pleased to know that none of the ingredients have been tested on animals and no animal ingredients are used. Isn't that just amazing?

Formula

As stated earlier, the inclusion of the gold makes it one of the glossiest nail polishes i have used. To be honest, especially with this shade, you can get away with just one coat. The formula feels light on application and its color pay off is excellent.I did not experience any streaking despite my poor nail painting skills..hehehhe so i think the formula is really on top of their game.

With Just one Coat

With Two coats

Application

To be honest, I can't say this is one of the easiest nail polishes to apply especially if you find it hard, like me, to paint your right hand nails with your left hand. I really like the wand because it is quite long and reaches the bottom of the bottle so you get your money's worth. i think it would have been amazing if the nail brush was a little wider. I am pretty sure many nail experts will love this brush because it is quite precise and allows you(once you can handle narrow tips) get the corners of your nails with little mess. All in all, i got a hang of using it easily after a while..yahh to me!!

Wear Time

Once you apply the top coat, it gives it an extra reinforcing to last longer than an average nail polish. For me, i love to switch up my nail polishes ever so often because i get bored. With the Jacava London, i found that it lasted for about 3 days-ish and there is a chance it could last longer if i stopped washing my hands and washing plates a lot. I guess it has the potential of lasting longer.








Comparison with other Purple/Plum/Aubergine Nail Polish
So, I decided to compare with some other nail polishes i had already in my stock. Standing next to all the others, the Jacava Nail Polish really stands out packaging wise because its packaging is different and taller than the others. It does look quite etheral and beautiful with its golden coloured wand/tip. In terms of colour payoff, it really looks very similar to the Lancome Vernis in Love Midnight Rose but the difference is the gold shimmer which is lightly speckled in the Jacava London and that totally makes it stand out from the others.

Cost

This is the moment we are all waiting for.. Jacava London is a luxury brand so it is not particularly purse friendly. It retails for £14.50 which is slightly more expensive than Lancome and a few other high end nail polishes. I know it sounds like a lot of money to be spending on a nail polish but looking at the ingredients list and colour pay off, you can be rest assured that it is definitely preventing any nail damage due to it being 8-free, therefore it can be viewed as a good treat :-). With Christmas around the corner, I see myself treating myself to a few shades i have spied on their website.You can purchase Jacava London from the Jacava London Website, FeelUnique and Amazon. You can also find this is in your local nail salon if they are on trend or have decided to upgrade their stock*wink*

Pros

1. It has very beautiful shades to choose from which flatters many skin tones

2. It is one of the first 8/free nail polishes which excludes potential nail damaging ingredients from its formula

3. The colour pay off is fantastic and looks very flattering

4. Due to their addition of gold to its formula, it has a brilliant long lasting gloss and shine

5. You get a good amount of nail polish 12 ml worth of nail polish which is almost twice of many other nail polishes.

6. Its nail brush almost touches the bottom of the bottle so you get as much product as you want- minimal waste.
7. The Jacava London website is really user friendly especially with their hand tool which helps you see how the nail polishes look in real life.

Cons

1. It is quite an expensive nail polish.

2. Removing it may be a bit difficult because it is very pigmented which can be a pro as well.

3. Nail brush may be a little difficult for beginners.




Verdict
I know it is an expensive treat but it is one nail polish i would definitely repurchase because i am quite impressed with the formula, colour payoff and the amazing ingredient list. It is not maybe an everyday brand for me but it will be one for a special occasion and event or maybe when i just want to pamper myself...Who knows if they will be having a Christmas sale? the good thing is you can urge a loved one to get you Jacava London Christmas Gift Card which is on sale now on their website so you can have some well-deserved guilt-free shopping...I know i would be dropping hints to someone very very soon...:-))



I hope you enjoyed this post and apologies for the many many pictures. I went a little bit crazy and the ray of sunshine was not helping matters at all. It was such a beautiful day and i could not resist. Small secret: I took over 35 pictures but i really hard to narrow them down...I find it really hard to delete my pictures....:-( ...i don't know why but i am sure and I hope you do not mind...See you in my next post..toodles...

*I was kindly sent this to review but as always all opinions are mine and I have not been compensated or swayed to write this article. All opinions shared are based on my experience...