Welcome to 2015 :)

 

Hello Everyone! I'm Back after a VERY LONG absence :) I hope everyone had a good festive season and enjoyed with all your family and friends, and I wish everyone a good start to a new year, let's all hope this year brings good things to everyone!

I have been super busy with crafting during the last three months and that kept me away from here. This year I plan to make up for my absence and one of my resolutions is to keep this blog uptodate no matter what! My first target is to keep the weekly manicure on and I have changed it's date from Tuesday to the Weekend, so anytime between friday and sunday a manicure post shall come up every week :)  More sections will follow, but everyting depends on how good I manage my time. For the time being, I want to stick to the weekly manicure :)

On with the show and for this week I have prepared a very festive manicure. It matches the winter season well and for those who are already looking for carnival inspiration and plan to do something princessy, today's look is perfect. Without further ado, let the characters below welcome you to today's Frozen Manicure :)

So for this manicure you will need the following products:

• Bornprettystore Holographic polish in blue
• Bornprettystore Water transfers - snowflakes
• Golden Rose Glitter polish in turqoise
• Any top coat of your choice - I am using one by Debby Play

The first thing that needs to be done is to clean the nails. This will ensure that the polish lasts long and applies well.  You may apply a coat of clear polish or base coat to protect your nails, but I can assure you that these particular polishes do not stain the nails.

As soon as you are sure that your base coat is completely dry, apply three coats of the holo polish to all your nails except the ring fingers. Make sure that all your nails are completely dry before applying the next coat. This will help prevent any mishaps.  Apply three coats of Golden rose glitter to the ring fingers.  Here is how it should look:

 It already looks great and can be left like this if you wish :) Just clean the overspills :P  I took this photo in indoor lighting and that's the reason why the holographic is not showing off it's best.  If you look at it in the sunlight it will shine in all the colours of the rainbow. It also shows well in a spotlit place (such as a lift)

The tray at the back is a small chinese sauce holder which I got from Lidl and is filled with water in order to float the transfers.  Don't forget to remove the protective film before you float them.

Next up you will need a small shallow plate and some water in order to float your snowflakes.  After floating the transfers, pick them up gently, I use my own fingers but you can use a pair of tweezers.  Place the snow flakes on the holographic nails in any pattern that you wish, tap them lightly with a tissue to remove excess water, then either wait for them to dry or else use a hair drier to be quicker.  Once all the water has been removed and the transfers aren't moving around on your nails, apply a coat of top coat or clear polish.

This is the final look:

We have been missing sunlight this week so I couldn't shoot a good photo to show off the holos in all its power but you can see a little flicker in the photo above.

I hope you like this week's Frozen inspired manicure :) Let me know what you think in the comments :)

If you wish to get hold of the holographic polish and the transfer decals you can visit Born Pretty Store by clicking here. They have an extensive variety of products to choose from and they are very affordable :)

That's all for today and I will talk to you again next week for another Weekend Manicure :)

Saranghae
Pauline

Weekly Manicure :) Rei and Sailor Mars

Today I am going to show you two manicures pertaining to the Sailor Moon Series. Actually one of the manicures lays the groundwork for the second one which is slightly more flashy.  This week I was inspired by The Saint Mary Fireworks at Mqabba and then I later noticed that I could combine the same manicure to Sailor Mars (fire is an essential element in both cases) and Rei.

A little about Saint Mary Fireworks Factory Mqabba

Basically this is the best fireworks factory that we have in Malta. This year the only other factory that impressed me as much, or maybe a little less, was the Lourdes Fireworks Factory of Qrendi. Mqabba and Qrendi are neighbors with only a small stretch of street dividing them and are eternal rivals when it comes to fireworks. Anyways, the SM Factory (nothing to do with SMTown) has won several titles both nationally and internationally, and they annually present a show at the Mqabba Bypass on the eve of the 15th August which is a public holiday dedicated to the Assumption of Saint Mary and the arrival of a Convoy during the last war which saved the country.  People refer to the feast as the Convoy of Saint Mary because it is a general belief that Saint Mary interceeded (miracle) to aid the convoy to make it to our harbour on the day that the Maltese dedicate to her.  My general history may be a little lacking. Anyway I will post a video cortousy of  HipHopFroggyProduction who uploaded it on youtube, for you to enjoy!

Moving on... I decided to combine this manicure to Rei Hino from Sailor Moon because the base colour is deep blood red, and red is actually the girl's colour, plus it is also reminiscent of fire.  The second phase of the manicure is dedicated to Sailor Mars because it is a little more elaborate and features an item from her fuku as you shall see.

Products used:

Lioele Nail Hardener as Base and Top Coat

Yesny Nail polish in red (bought locally)

Nail Waterdecals in Silver stars from BornPrettyStore

Direct links to nearly all the products I use in my manicures are found on my Favorite Nail Products Page!


 

Phase 1:

This lays down the ground work for the completed manicure and basically consists of applying the base coat and then 1 coat of red polish. I applied only one rather thick coat and since the polish I used is not exactly one of the top listers in good quality I had to do my nails twice to get it right!  When you buy cheap stuff, you only get cheap results :(

                                                      Phase 2:

This stage consists of applying the nail water decals. I chose a design from my silver stars in mirror image and applied one on each ring finger. It is rather easy to apply these decals, all you have to do is cut out the design you want from your sheet with small sharp scissors, remove the protective plastic and soak them in water for like a minute, then gently slide it off the back card (thick paper) and place it on your nail. Don't forget to dip your nail in water before placing the decal. Remove any creases, tap the excess water with a piece of kitchen towel and apply top coat.  I always apply two coats to be on the safe side :)

Nail Polish isn't perfect! It required 2 full days to dry completely and it started melting away at the tips!

If you like these decals, visit BornPrettyStore and check them out. They have a very huge selection of decals or stickers and they are well priced as well :) Plus since you are my esteemed followers I am glad to bring to you a special code which you can use on all products found at this amazing store at 10% cheaper!

And that's the matching makeup look :) Lighting may be a bit off (self -taken)

I hope you guys love this manicure and let me know what you think in the comments below! If you want a tutorial of the matching makeup look just let me know :)

Till next post,

saranghae :)

Pauline

Manicure Time Again!

Hello Everyone!!  Sorry for the delay in posting this manicure, I needed to prepare a special one for a special 50 year wedding anniversary :)  Today I will also share with you a mini tutorial on how to apply water decal nail art :)

The product list for this manicure are as follows:

• Lioele Nail Hardener
• Born Pretty Holographic Polish in 4 - Pink
• Born Pretty Holographic Polish in 7 - Silver
• Nail art water transfers in Pattern g110

All Products are linked in the newly updated Favorite Nail Products Page, which you can access from the tabs above :)

So on to the process:

Step 1 as always consists of preparing the nails with a coat of nail hardener :)

Step 2 apply the first coat of pink polish to nearly all your nails, except the ring fingers which will be done in 

           silver

Step 3 after allowing the polishes enough time to dry, apply a second coat 

Step 4 same as above and on to a 3rd coat.

Step 5 apply a top coat with the nail hardener to all the pink nails but leave the silver ones out!

 

The colours glitter in all the colours of  the prism in strong light or direct sunlight :)

We are almost done :)

Step 6 consists of applying the flower transfer to the ring finger (which I will further explain below)

Step 7 apply a top coat with nail hardener to the silver nails

And the result is:

This shot wasn't taken in the sun so the polishes are not glittering but the flower really stands out :)

Here is a little tutorial on how to apply water decals:

You will need a bowl with some water, a tiny sharp pair of scirrors, a pair of tweezers, a cotton disk, a kitchen towel, a hair drier and finally the decals themselves.

1. Choose the pattern you want and cut it out carefully from your sheet.

2. Remove the plastic film that covers the top of the decal gently. This is easy.

3. Place the decal in the bowl of water, instructions say 20 seconds, I left them a little longer.

4. Dampen up the cotton disk with water from your bowl and put a layer of water on your chosen nail.

5. Pick up the decal from the water and slide it off the back paper. Do this really gently so as not to tear it 

    up.

6. Place the decal on your chosen nail being carefull not to allow creases to form.

7. Using the kitchen towel, blot it gently to remove excess water. At this point the decal can move around on

    your nail so be extra careful.

8. Apply 1 coat of top coat and dry it off using the hair drier.  I used the nail hardener for this step and held 

    my hands in front of a fan. It is summer here so I try to avoid heating elements :P

 

I chose two mirrored flowers since I was putting one on each hand :)

You are now ready to show off your nail art :) To be on the safe side I suggest you apply a second coat of top coat :)

I hope this post was worth the wait and you try out water decals :) I have my favorites featured on the Favorite Nail Products Page if you want to check them out! You can also visit www.BornPrettyStore.com for a vast selection of nail art!  Let me know if this tutorial was helpful in the comments below and don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin :)

Till next post,

Bye Bye

Pauline

Pupa Milk Therapy Nourishing Moisturizer S.O.S. - Mini Review .... and more!

Hello Again! Today I am going to do a mini review of a moisturizer by Pupa - Milk Therapy Nourishing Moisturizer S.O.S.  I had been given this sample by a friend a long time ago and decided to finally give it a try :) You will have to look for it in your local perfumeries or else a wide search on the internet might get you to it.  I only found it on one Italian website and they are saying that it is out of stock!

 

My sample pouch is  not large, but I have been using it for a week now and I think there is still enough left for another week. I only apply it once every morning (I am not a big cream fan so the less the better for me)

My Experience:

This cream is supposed to nourish and moisturize dry skin, in fact it says that is it suitable for dry and dehydrated skin. I do feel my skin a little lighter and smoother but it is not exactly hydrated.  The cream is absorbed by the skin rather fast so application is quick, and it immediately feels fresh with a subtle smell of coconut.  Personally I love coconut smell, and I simply enjoy how when the wind blows in my face I smell the coconut of the moisturizer all day! For me the scent is not overwhelming, however, some people tend to find it rather irritating so this may be pose a little problem, since I do not know whether the people surrounding me like it or not. There is always the thought that someone will smell the coconut and think that I took a shower in it, at the back of my mind when I wear this cream!  The smooth feeling lasts all day but the cooling effect is rather a momentary experience. It does not feel like clogging the skin either, although sometimes I do feel my cheeks pulling a little.  It also helps my blusher stay on longer too, which is a bonus.

Overall Rating:

Pros:

• Refreshing and cooling effect is enjoyable
• Easily absorbed by the skin and doesn't feel tacky - fast application
• Little amount needed to cover all the face 
• Leaves a smooth skin

Cons:

• Coconut smell might not be to everyone's liking
• Hydration and Nourishment are not exactly felt. Skin may pull at times.
• Difficult to find online and probably hard to find in stores as well.
• Italian brand so can be slightly pricey!

 

So all in all I think that this product deserves a 3 Diamond Rating.  I will not be buying the full product because apart from the fact that it is hard to come by, I still have a stack of moisturizers and day creams to try out and this one I think that is not exactly the perfect one for me.  I will finish off the sample pouch though as I like  the smooth feeling and the coconut breeze :)

A Little Update :)

This week I decided to finally purchase a present FROM ME TO ME for being such a good girl and save up on my motor insurance :) I hopped into the W2Beauty online store and got myself all of SHINee's Be My Princess Minime perfumes!!!! I wasn't sure which one to buy and then I stumbled on an offer which said that I could have all 5 for the price of 4 and forgot all about the choosing part :) I also had a $5 coupon that I earned on sign up so I ended saving a further $5 on the whole deal which is super :)

Here is the link to the product page and if you want your $5 sign-up coupon insert this code: 2862205  when registering your account and you will be able to use it immediately :)

As if that wasn't enough, I checked out he Born Pretty Store and got myself some Holographic Nail Polish and Nail Art water stickers and embossed ones too.  As soon as I get them I will post a full haul here with pictures and links and then you are sure to see some manicures using these goodies :)  I should be receiving a parcel from another store with some Etude House polishes as well which means more manicure ideas :)

Thanks again for reading and don't forget to follow using Bloglovin whose icon is on the top right corner of this page! GFC will soon be off so it is better to migrate all your blogs.

Annyeonghigyeseyo!
Pauline