OPI Chillin' Like A Villain Nail Polish

I picked up OPI's Chillin' Like A Villain nail polish recently. I liked the nude colour and thought it would be great for summer, especially with a tan.

I have a quite a stash of pale pink nail polishes but this is different. It is a pale nude peach in fact it reminds me of the colour of ballet shoes. It is really pretty and quite unusual.

I used 3 coats and the colour built nicely and was not streaky. This particularly impressed me as most of my other pale opaque colours tend to apply unevenly. To maximise wear time and give a really glossy finish I used my Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat (reviewed HERE). I also love Insta-Dri because it makes my nails touch dry in 30 seconds - yes really!

OPI's Chillin' Like A Villain is part of a Muppets Most Wanted collection. The other colours in the collection are chunky glitters, pale pink, pearly white, metallic blue and a pretty duochrome mauve and gold (you can see swatches of the full collection over at the The PolishAholic).

I have no idea how the choice of colour range corresponds to the film - but I do love the film and have just bought the dvd - for my son of course....

I bought OPI's Chillin' Like A Villain at Sally for £11.50, but they don't have it online. You can find it cheaper on Amazon though at £8.98 HERE or £10.40 for mini versions of the whole collection HERE.

Just in case you haven't seen the film yet, I will leave you with my favourite song from the soundtrack which just really makes me laugh!

Maybelline Color Show Crystallize Nail Polish: Rose Chic

I don't normally go in for textured nail polishes. I like them to look smooth and glossy. But my colleague at work came in one wearing one of these Maybelline Color Show Crystallize nail polishes and it caught my eye.

The Crystallize polishes come in 6 colours Light Up (silver), Rose Chic (nude), Silver Touch (lilac), Green Depth (green), Red Excess (deep red that looks bronze on the nails) and Nearly Black (black with pink & blue glitter). I chose the shade Rose Chic which is a pretty nude with rose-gold glitter.

Revlon Parfumerie - scented nail polish review

I first heard that Revlon were launching the Parfumerie Nail Polishes a few months ago. At first I was baffled by the idea of scented nail polish, but I then I knew that I would have to try it.

I bought 4 different shades based on colours I liked but also based on the scent of each. In the shop there were handy little scratch and sniff leaflets with the display so you can sample the different scents. It is worth pointing out that the scent really appears once the polish is starting to dry - otherwise it still largely smells of nail polish. This means you can't just open the bottle in the shop and smell it to see if you like it.

Summer nails: OPI Where did Suzi's Man-Go?

OPI: Where did Suzi's Man-Go?

I was lucky enough to be invited to a special charity nails event the other night. A friend is fund raising for charity and hosted a wine and nails evening - I didn't have to be asked twice! It was a real treat for me to have my nails done professionally and for once I have immaculately applied nail polish.

Rita Ora for Rimmel - Lose Your Lingerie nail polish review

Rita Ora for Rimmel: Lose Your Lingerie nail polish

I bought this nail polish a couple of weeks ago. I had heard that Rita Ora had done a collaboration with Rimmel and I really liked the look of this pale baby pink nail polish called Lose your Lingerie.

I have always found Rimmel nail polishes to be great products - they apply well, last on the nails and of course are very purse friendly! So I had no qualms about giving this one a go.

MAC Monday: MAC Chroma Copper Cobra Nail Polish

MAC Chroma Copper Cobra Nail Polish

I don't know whether 'vintage' make up is a thing or not, but this week's MAC Monday choice is definitely vintage! I mentioned this nail polish a few weeks ago during the weekly #30sbloggers Twitter chat (Sundays 9pm UK time), so I just had to review it soon. Not only that, but this nail polish was my first ever MAC purchase!

I bought the MAC Chroma Copper Cobra nail polish on a trip to London back in October 2000.... yes 2000 (I did say vintage!). To put in context how ancient this is - I was visiting the Millenium Dome when it was still an exhibition and not the O2 Arena as you know it now. I went with some friends and part of our adventure was a little shopping trip to Harvey Nichols. Desperate to buy something, I found myself on my first ever visit to a MAC counter - and it was this nail polish that caught my eye.

Nails Inc Gel Effect: Porchester Square

Nails Inc Gel Effect Porchester Square Nail Polish

 I haven't got many Nails Inc nail polishes. They are at the pricier end of the spectrum after all. But I was shopping yesterday and really loved the look of the Nails Inc Gel Effect in the shade Porchester Square.

I had heard of the shade before because Anna from Vivianna Does Make Up often cites it as her all time favourite polish. It is a greyish nude shade, which is the perfect mix of grey, taupe and a hint of lilac. I'm a sucker for this colour - I even chose a similar shade of Farrow and Ball paint to paint my front door!

Sally Hansen Insta Dri Top Coat

Let's be honest - I have two small children and frankly finding time to paint my nails is tough.

When I do manage it, inevitably something needs doing before my nails have dried properly and sure enough the polish smears or chips. I started painting them before I went to bed, only to wake up with the imprint of the duvet cover in my polish. Frustrating!!

Then I read blogger's reviews about fast drying top coats. There was mention of one called Seche Vite (£9.95 for 14ml HERE). It sounded good, but expensive. But on the downside reviews also suggested it contained some undesirable chemicals and the bottle tended to go gloopy half way through. So I kept looking.

Then I came across Sally Hansen Insta Dri Top Coat (£5.05 for 13.3ml HERE). I'd never used a Sally Hansen product before (well except maybe nail polish remover) but I knew it was brand that was just about nails. Reviews were good, it was half the price of Seche Vite so I thought I would give it a go.

The formula is an acrylic polymer which dries the nail polish in 30 seconds. It has a UV filter and keeps colours true with no yellowing or fading. The top coat also gives a really good shine and smooth glossy finish to your nails, which I love!

I'm no chemist so I don't know exactly how it works, but I recall reading somewhere that the formula soaks through the layers of polish and 'sets' them. It does what it claims and it is certainly impressive! You just apply your polish as normal and after your last coat wait 2 minutes and apply the Insta Dri Top Coat over the top.

It is a thick clear formula which applies well and seems to level out by itself giving a good coverage. It really does set the nail in 30 seconds so you don't end up with dents or finger prints if you accidentally touch something. I would say that whilst it sets the top layer quickly the underneath layers take longer to dry. Don't go expecting to do manual work after 30 seconds with no repercussions - you can still slide the polish off of your nail if you aren't careful.

Insta Dri has completey revolutionised my nail polish routine. Sadly it won't take care of my children for me whilst I pamper myself. But it means I can grab 10 minutes before I go to bed to paint my nails and not worry about imprinting the weave of my duvet into my nails. It also great for your toe nails - no more hours of cold winter feet waiting to put your socks back on, or sitting still so you don't scuff the polish as you rush around.

I'm on my second bottle and I will admit the first bottle did get quite gloopy about half way through so I had to abandon it and buy another. But at half the price of Seche Vite I really didn't mind.

If my time pressured nail painting sounds familiar or you are just impatient then Sally Hansen Insta Dri Top Coat is the one for you! I've found it at Feelunique HERE a little cheaper than it is in Boots.

Have you tried Sally Hansen Insta Dri? How do you think it compares to Seche Vite? If you have any other tips for speedy nails then send them my way!!

Max Factor: The Face Gift Box

Last week I went Christmas shopping with my mum. Whilst swinging through the make up aisles in Boots we noticed that Max Factor were giving away a free gift if you spent over £15 on their products. Lucky old me! Mum wanted a couple of things and I was the lucky recipient of the gift box.

Inside there are 3 products and some discount vouchers for £3 off of the Whipped Creme Foundation. Vouchers are all well and good but it is the products that are the real draw, as only too often the voucher remains unused and dog-eared in a corner of my wallet.

The free gifts were 3 full sized products for eyes, lips and nails. There was a Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara in black/brown, a Max Factor Lipfinity Lip Colour in 340 - Essential Natural and a Max Factor Glossfinity Nail Polish in Cobalt Blue.

I was especially pleased with these items as I have been wearing Lipfinity Lip Colour for years and have been trying to chose a more natural colour so I hoped this could be it! Likewise I have been using a different Max Factor mascara for a while which has been amazing and so I was keen to give this one a try. As for the nails, well I have an ever expanding, rammed drawer of nail polishes in all colours. But blue is not a real favourite nail colour of mine. However I will give it a whirl to see what the formula and application is like. (Right now I'm still sporting my silver glitter nails that I posted about the other day. The manicure is still going strong on its 5th day and I'm not ready to surrender it just yet.)

Lipfinity Lip Colour in 340 Essential Natural

My favourite of the 3 is undoubtedly the Lipfinity Lip Colour. I'm sure the girl in store mentioned that this shade 340 - Essential Natural was a limited edition, in which case I am really pleased I snagged this gift box. 

If you aren't familiar with the Lipfinity Lip Colour, it comes in two parts - a liquid colour with a wand applicator, which dries matte and a twist-up clear balm stick. You apply the clear balm over the colour base once it has dried. You can also reapply the clear balm throughout the day to add shine and moisture.

Max Factor Lipfinity in 340 - Essential Natural

You have to hand it to them, they couldn't have chosen a more apt name if they'd tried. It is a long wearing lipstick that is for sure. If you don't believe me - just swatch it in store, let it dry then try your best to scrub it away... I promise you, once dry this stuff really does not budge. That said, you really want to be careful with your application as smudge from this isn't something you can quickly rectify as you dash out of the door.

I have seen negative reviews of Lipfinity online and it seems to be a bit of a marmite product. I love it because there is a huge range of colours to choose from, it needs one application a day, it survives food & drink and even a whole night's sleep. I have literally used tube after tube of this stuff over the years.

However, some cautionary notes. The trick for success rests with the application. You need clean dry lips - no primer, no balm and no foundation. You must apply the colour base in an even layer that isn't too thick. Work quickly before it dries and whatever you do don't be tempted go back and apply a second layer. If you do it will go lumpy and flaky and horrible. Trust me - I once witnessed a friend wrestle with this reapplying several layers in a bright red shade and it wasn't pretty.

I will do a post on all the shades I have soon, but I have found the darker colours have better lasting power. I will admit that over time the colour flakes, but you can reapply the clear balm to help with this. Frankly if one colour application at breakfast time is still visible at bedtime I can withstand a little flaking.

Max Factor Lipfinity: Results over time after 1 application at 7am

To demonstrate it I did a little test throughout the day. I applied it 7am and ate and drank as normal throughout the day. I think I only bothered to reapply the balm once during the day but by 11pm you can still see the colour albeit a bit flaky, but for 16 hours wear that is not bad at all. Obviously unless someone is peering really closely at your mouth the flaking wouldn't really be noticeable. It just depends whether this bothers you or not.

False Lash Effect Mascara in Black/Brown

I will say from the off that I like this mascara but I don't love it. Recently I have been singing the praises of the Max Factor Clump Defy Mascara which I think gives much more of a false lash effect than this one.

To start with I do usually prefer to use a black mascara rather than brown. My colouring is fair with blond hair and blue eyes, so theoretically I am more suited to brown. Oddly I prefer a brown eyeliner but my mascara is always black. My lashes are naturally quite dark though so perhaps that helps me carry it off.

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara wand

The wand of the False Lash Effect mascara is quite chunky. I always find these messier to apply as the risk of smudging up your eyelid is greater and this was no exception. You can see from the pictures below, the mascara gave a nice natural look. But it is nowhere near the impact that I have easily achieved with other mascaras. Whether it is the wand, the formula or the application I don't know. Lily Pebbles recently wrote a great series of Mascara Workshop posts which discussed all of these factors - take a look and see what you think.

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara in Black/Brown

Glossfinity Nail Polish in Cobalt Blue

Glossfinity promises glossy nails for 7 days and if its staying power is anything like Lipfinity then this will be a good find. I haven't tested it yet but in this post, Really Ree tested a different shade and confirmed impressive lasting power throughout the 7 days. I will keep you posted when I decide to dip a toe (or a finger) into the world of blue nails.

All in, Max Factor's The Face Gift Box is a great freebie. The lip and eye products are quite subtle to contrast against the bold nails and if you are interested in the Whipped Creme Foundation you can make use of the £3 off vouchers.  It is a pleasant surprise to get a wearable lip colour in a free gift. I have a collection of dodgy pinks and frosted lipsticks from free gifts which will never see the light of day.

You can get your hands on this free gift when you spend £15 or more on Max Factor products at Boots here for a limited time only.

What do you think? Have you tried this box or are there any other great free gifts floating around at the moment?