Nude is the new black...

So I'm usually totally against plain boring nails but as spring is now in session I thought it was time to try something new!

I'm totally into nude/pastel shades right now and thought I would spread the love to my nails.

I chose a beautifully subtle nude shade from China Glaze called Faith and I'm happy to say it did not disappoint!

2 coats gave a gorgeous natural look and made my nails look super healthy too. I also so added a coat of clear topcoat for that added shine!

I think it's safe to say I may have been converted to plain nails after all ..for now anyway!

Thanks for reading xx

For anyone that wants to purchase this colour I bought it on eBay for £4.95 just search China Glaze 'Faith'

OOTD | Weekend Chic

Weekends for most of us mean chilling, shopping and last minute plans with friends, but how do you plan an outfit for unknown plans?

Now that spring is making an appearance and those cold, dark days are a thing of the past us girls can finally break open our spring wardrobes with a mix of pastel and nude shades and a hint of monochrome.

For my spring weekend look I have chosen a casual monochrome look that can be dressed up or down – especially handy for last minute plans.

Jeans are a staple of any wardrobe, are versatile and can be dressed up or down to suit an occasion. I chose Miss Selfridge high waisted acid wash jeans for this look.

Cami tops are also extremely versatile and are perfect for a ‘last minute’ outfit. I actually own about 15 different cami’s in a range of colours because I just love how adaptable they are, whether wearing with jeans for an everyday look or with a pencil skirt and strappy heels for a sophisticated evening look.

Blazers are great for a slightly dressy everyday style or a day-to-night look. They make a great alternative to a coat or cardigan and are perfect for spring days and summer evenings when it gets a tad chilly.
As for shoes a may be a little biased here – I have a boots obsession so all I tend to wear is boots as I have so many pairs I can always find a pair to match my outfits. I would definitely recommend investing in some cute boots for spring.

Accessories can make or break an outfit. No accessories can make an outfit look plain and lacking personality and too many can make an outfit look like it’s been in a bitch fight with Claire’s Accessories (although don’t get me wrong Claire’s Accessories has some cute stuff!) I added a classic monochrome checked scarf to my outfit to compliment the black cami and white blazer as well as my fav Michael Kors rose gold watch and a large black handbag to keep my essentials (basically everything but the kitchen sink) in.

So there you have it – my take on a classic weekend ensemble!

Jeans: Miss Selfridge acid wash high waisted jeans £40
Cami Top: Boohoo £15
Blazer: Definitions for Very £35
Boots: Primark £18
Scarf: Primark £6
Bag: River Island £45

Have a great weekend dolls! <3

How to get the perfect tan

Being an Essex girl I love to be tanned even in the Autumn/Winter months but getting that beautiful bronze skin is easier said than done especially when you live in cold, rainy England.

Us English girls cursed with ghosty complexions have to find alternative ways of catch a tan when sunning it up on the beach isn't an option.

There are various ways one can achieve the bronzed babe look from sunbeds and fake tan to more extreme ways such as melanin injections.

Sunbeds and injections carry with them a whole host of dangerous side effects from risks of skin cancer to possible infection - anyone who truly cared for their skin would run for the hills if offered either of these.

So what about fake tan? There are what seems like 1000s of fake tanning products available on the high street, in beauty salons and online these days ranging from rub on wash off gels, creams and wipes and gradual tan moisturisers to professional spray tans. Choosing fake tan can be a bit of a maze, especially for a tanning novice.

What will give the best results and won't cost the earth? Everyone's opinion is different but trying a few different inexpensive products that take your fancy is a good place to start.

Spray tans are also a great way to achieve a holiday glow when done properly but can become a bank breaker if you're having them done often like I do. At £15-£25 a pop for a few days of looking like a goddess the costs start to stack up.

After debating buying a pricey spray tanning machine and all of the equipment myself I stumbled across what I would describe as a god send.

A fake tan off the high street with the effects of a spray tan ..is this even possible? Apparently so!

I was shopping Primarks new PS beauty range in search of some new spring nail colours and a big pink bottle (I love pink!) caught my eye ..Cocoa Brown by Marissa Carter. I had heard good things about this tanning range so decided to give it a go ..at £6 what did I have to loose?
I have been through hundreds of tanning products and spray tan brands and this is by far the best I have ever used!

It is applied as a mousse (use a tanning mitt to avoid tango hands) use a small amount of mousse for each section of your body eg feet, lower leg, thigh etc etc and ensure you have rubbed all tan in properly and evenly to avoid and streaks or pale patches, if need be get someone to check for you if you have missed any areas then leave for 1-3 hours and voilà! Fresh off the beach tan ready for your night out! For a light glow leave on for an hour then shower off and pat dry gently with a towel. For a deep tan I would suggest leaving it on over night and washing it off in the morning just like you would do with a spray tan - only do this if you like a medium/dark tan!

No more orange streaky messes here!

Cocoa Brown by Marissa Carter - £6 Primark

How to: Easy Mermaid Ombré Nails

First I must apologise for neglecting my blog and breaking my new years resolution to post more often! I have been super busy with everything including celebrating my 22nd birthday ..old I know!

Anyway, as you may know having pretty nails is a must for me and I'm always looking for new things to try out - this time I've braved ombre nails!

Ombre nails are easier than you may think, all you really need is a flat, small sponge, 2-3 different colour nail varnishes, a clear top coat and nail varnish remover for if things get messy. I chose to use a triangle make up sponge (the cheap ones you can get from Superdrug). The pink shade is China Glaze Something Sweet, the lilac shade is China Glaze In A Lily Bit and the blue is from Primark's P.S beauty range. I also added OPI Significant Other Colour mixed with a little bit of clear topcoat to give the nails a mermaid-y shimmer as I love anything mermaid related!

So to create these ombre mermaid nails make sure your nails are free of any other nail varnish and are clean and dry. Apply a clear base coat followed by a coat of Something Sweet over the whole nail to brighten the other colours when applied as it is the lightest colour.
Brush a small amount of each colour onto the sponge (as shown in the picture) and quickly dab across each nail until the paint will no longer transfer as it is dry, wait for this layer to partially dry and repeat the process of painting a strip of each colour onto the sponge and dab onto each nail until the desired colour is reached. Once you are totally happy with the colour add a little topcoat to give your nails a bit of protection and some extra shine! Alternatively you can also use a matte topcoat for a bold,chalky effect.

When dabbing the colour onto each nail ensure you don't put to much pressure on to the sponge, as if the paint is still wet it may remove paint that is already on the nail. Also make sure your not dabbing the same part of the sponge on to the same part of the nail each time as the nail may look more stripy than gradient . Obviously the ombre technique takes a bit of perfecting with trial and error to perfect, but experimenting is part of the fun.

Creating ombre nails can be a little messy when using a sponge, to get to the very edge of each nail you are bound to get some paint on your fingers, this can easily be removed with a cotton bud and nail varnish remover for a flawless finish.

There are so many colour combinations that can be used for ombre designs, the possibilities really are endless.

I hope this has given you guys a little help with creating your own ombre styles!

China Glaze Something Sweet & In A Lily Bit: Both £5.75 from eBay
PS Blue Nail Paint: £1 from Primark
OPI Significant Other Colour: £6 from a wholesaler but can be found on eBay and Amazon