The Nail Polish For Every Skin Tone

If you have seen me in the past 6 weeks, chances are that you have seen me with this nail polish on. Painting your own nails does require a bit of maintenance but the result is always worth it - and when it means that you can watch Netflix whilst they dry, it's a win-win situation!

The nail polish is the Maybelline Forever Strong Gel Nail Colour in the shade '130 Rose Poudre' (£4.49/10ml). The funny thing is that I bought this shade a few years ago and finished it, but now this is just my go-to shade. 

In terms of the colour, it's a lovely dusky pink colour that also has a nude undertone, so I know it will flatter a lot of skin tones. It's one of those shades that you can wear for weeks on end without getting bored of it and also one that compliments most outfits!

In terms of the formula, I always imagine this as a liquid elastic when applying it. I find that I don't really make any mistakes - it clings to the nails but is not so quick drying that you feel like you are racing against time. It's a thin consistency that still manages to be opaque. I do find that you do need two coats to get the perfect finish though. I am a fan of the brush, which is again just that perfect medium of not being too big, nor too small and can apply the product evenly. 

Although this product says '7 days', it's more like five. Five days of your nails actually being more or less perfect before they actually do start chipping, so at '7 days' it's mostly intact but it's probably time for a refresh! 

One product that is new (to me at least) is the Maybelline Forever Strong Gel Nail colour in '25 Crystal', which is basically a clear top coat. I like this top coat, I find that it doesn't disturb the polish underneath and does give a nice finish to the nails. The nails are practically dry to touch after 30 minutes, however beware of sleeping for a few hours otherwise you will get texture on the nails which is the worst!

All in all, I really like this product, especially on my skin tone - I just find it so flattering! I would love to know more recommendations on staple nail polishes, so be sure to let me know in the comments below!

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The 7 Minute Workplace Makeup

I feel like there is a distinction between work makeup and normal makeup which is coming more and more apparent to me since I started my internship last week. Work makeup, in my opinion, is trying to look like the most alive version of you that is quick to achieve and also true to yourself. I have condensed my makeup routine so that it is done in under 7 minutes which means I can get out the door faster and I think I can make the same happen for you guys.

The first thing you need to do is figure out what is important to you - is it the base, eyes, lips or cheeks? Honestly, I think you can skip at least two of these if you are really in a rush. For me, my base and eyes are the most important things that make me feel like I am ready for the day so after cleansing I apply my NARS All Day Luminious Weightless Foundation (£32.00/30ml) and what I love about this foundation is that it's high coverage and so it acts as foundation and also concealer. I then move on to my brows (you can read my routine here), which takes me less than a minute to run some powder through it to fill in all the sparse areas.

Once that is done I like to skip the eyeshadow but still do my eyeliner with the Rimmel London Scandaleyes Waterproof Khol Liner (£3.99/1.2g) and an angled brush to smooth out the line. After that I like to curl my eyelashes and apply mascara, and the Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Waterproof  (£7.99/9ml) is the one I reach for since it's fool proof for me. Finally the last thing I do is add some lip balm before I bolt out the door and I usually reach for The Body Shop Lip Butter (£4.00/10ml).

I'm becoming a pro at my new speedy routine! I usually skip blush and lipstick because I don't think it makes that much of a difference to my overall appearance and so it's just not that important to me. I hope this might help some of you to also condense your look so that you can be out the door with time to spare!
Do you have a different look for work? I would love to know!

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Summer Nail Polishes: Collaboration with Becki!

So Summer is finally here! For me that means popping out the bright and bold nail colours that have been hiding away for the past few months. Since I have tanned skin I thought I would share with you my favourite summer nails colours that I think suit my skin colour perfectly! This post is a collaboration with Becki from Beauty and the Brunette, who is doing this post also but for fairer skinned girls, so between the two of us, we have your nails covered for before you head out into the sun and after! Becki is super nice and always has good recommendations so go check her out!

The first polish I want to speak is the  Lola Barcelona (€10/8ml) nail polish in the shade Rambla which is a bright orangey coral colour and it is beautiful. I was really sceptic about it first, having received it in the April Birchbox but once I had applied it I fell in love. This is one of those colours that really emphasises a tan and so is perfect for this summer. It has a gel like formula and lasts a fair few days, the drying time is fairly standard but I think this one is a must have this summer for your nails and toenails! You can purchase this here. 

If you prefer quicker drying times then the BarryM Speedy Quick Dry Nail Paint (£3.99/10ml), may be more to your liking, I have the shade Get Set Go which is a bright, slightly neon pink  colour and is suitable for any occasion. This stuff seriously dries so fast, you can finish your manicure in under 15 minutes. What I love about this is that it has a gel like finish even though it's quick drying. Also I actually really like this for my toenails. I have done a full review on this, which you can read about here! 

I love nude nail polishes in summer because it means that you can wear any colour and your nails will complement your outfit rather than clashing. The Sephora Formula X New Neutrals Nail colour (€12.90/12ml)  in the shade Brain Power is the one I currently have. It's a lovely sandy brown shade which complements my skin-tone and I just love that this is an easy to colour to wear. It's just something that you can throw on and not worry about. This doesn't stay on super long for me, it lasts around 3- 4 days before it begins to chip, it dries quite quickly though, it reminds me of the Essie nail polishes. I think investing in a neutral colour is something that will benefit you all year round. I've done a full review of this product here.

If you like long lasting nails then maybe the Maybelline Forever Strong Super Stay Gel Nail Colour (£4.49/10ml) may be more to your liking. I have the shade Surreal which is a quasi-neon purple and it's so pretty. If you want something that's bold without being too loud then this is the colour I would recommend. It's just the perfect colour that will compliment tanned skin without being too overpowering or ostentatious. It lasts more than 5 days on my nails and that's really quite the feat because my nails chip like no tomorrow. This also has a gel like finish which is super nice and glossy, however the wait time is slightly longer, however if you can bear with it your nails will last so I think it's a good compromise. I also have a full review of this product here if you would like more information on the product. I wear this polish all the time because I just think it suits me, especially if I do feel like wearing some colour! 

I just realised that all these polishes offer something different, from the shade,  the longevity and the drying time. These are honestly the colours I am going to be wearing throughout summer and I hope you check them out because they are all great :) Remember to check out Becki's post!
Have you tried any of these? What are your Summer nail recommendations?

Products I Regret Buying #2 The Make-up Edition

Hey guys :)

So since I did a 'Products I Regret Buying' for skin-care (see here) I thought it was only fair to do a make-up edition one :)

Real Techniques Powder Brush (£12.99)
I absolutely love Real Techniques brushes but I regret buying this because I don't have a use for it anymore. A year ago I had much more oilier skin so a powder brush like this was needed, it's dense so will add a lot of product which was what I needed to keep those oils at bay. Now I actually use the Real Techniques blush brush to apply my powder and I love it, it adds enough powder to stop oiliness without looking too powdery - it's the perfect brush to use when setting make-up too. If you have really oily skin and are in need of a powder brush then go for this one - I loved it a year ago but it's been a long while since I have used it and the blush brush now is perfect what my skin needs.

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Very Black (£4.99/12.5ml)

So this isn't the first time I have mentioned this mascara (see here for full review). I bought it because it was supposedly a cult favourite and regretted it instantly. I have the most puniest eyelashes ever, they are short, flat and grey so they need revamping in almost every department. Great Lash gives you great length and separation it's actually amazing for that, but it doesn't hold a curl for me so I end up with long flat lashes. I just really need more from my mascara and I like one that does it all, so if you like length, thickness and the ability to hold a curl I would head more towards The Falsies by Maybelline which honestly is amazing and I regret straying from it.

Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara (£17.50/8.5g)

Since we are on the whole mascara bandwagon, this one by Benefit I didn't get along with either, it actually acted a lot like the Maybelline Great Lash but this one but gives more of a fluttery effect which would have looked great on naturally curled eyelashes. If you have that then this would be great, it doesn't clump and adds tons of length. It just really weights down my lashes so again I end up with long flat lashes that can't be seen. Luckily I had the sample size so I didn't have to pay an extortionate amount, but if you do have thick and naturally curled eyelashes I would seriously go for this.

Bourjois Contour Clubbing Eyeliner in Purple Night (£4.99/1.2g)

I bought this last summer because I got really into coloured eyeliner and this was the only colour that I just never wore. I have no problem with the wear, texture or even the constancy of it but just finding how to wear it proved to be the most difficult. I wish I didn't buy it because it has basically been untouched for just under a year and now I'm trying to find ways to wear it which is good but I know I am doing it so I don't feel as guilty.

The Body Shop All-In-One BB Cream (£12.00/25ml)

This was another summer purchase, you know that BB trend? I wanted to jump on that bandwagon and so I bought this. I do like it but I just don't understand it. BB is supposed to stand for Beauty Balm and I actually have no idea what benefits this has for the skin at all, it doesn't even contain SPF! It doesn't specify on the website or the bottle any benefits so to me this is a tinted moisturiser and not a BB cream and that's not what I wanted. I regret buying it because I wanted something that will just help my skin on a daily basis and The Body Shop should really not advertise this as a BB cream. If you want a drug-store tinted moisturiser this is a nice one because it colour adapts and adds a bit of coverage, I would also recommend this to drier skin types because it's quite heavy on the moisturisation. I usually use it if I'm not really going out but still want something on my face - I need to use powder with it so oiler skin-types beware.

So that is all the regrets that I have! I hope you have enjoyed this two part rant, it's good for me to see what made the cut and what didn't. I hope this has also helped you guys :) Again what works for me might not work for you so I have tried to give recommendations on who they would suit more. What make-up do you regret buying? Let me know in the comments :) 

Thanks for reading, 

Anjna

DIY: Your Lips But Better

Hey guys :)

So it has been a personal mission of mine to find a lipstick which is just my lips colour but better. So far I haven't had any luck in finding something that I feel comfortable wearing on a daily basis - I would love to find something that I could whip out and apply without a mirror. So that's when I thought - why don't I just make my own lip colour. Sounds crazy but it's really easy - here is my top trick to achieving the your lips but better look.

Step 1: Lush Santa Baby Lip Tint

Step 2: Maybelline ColourSensational in 740 Coffee Craze

First you need a red lip tint - I have one from Lush called Santa Baby(£5.95/8g), It's really pigmented so I just apply a little to my lips. Then take a nude lip stick which is suitable for your skin-tone, the one I used is from the Maybelline ColourSensational line in 740 'Coffee Craze' (£6.99/3g), super affordable and really creamy. Apply the nude lipstick on the top of your red stained lips and it will mix together, forming a pink shade that complements your skin. That's it! It's so easy and works every time, if you want it to be more pink, add more lip tint, if you want it to be more nudey then apply less lip tint or add more lipstick. What I love the most about this trick is that the lip colour lasts, even after the lipstick itself has faded, the lip tint still provides the same colour and really easy to top up!

Left: Maybelline, Right: Mixed Maybelline 740 and Santa Baby

Top Left: Maybelline, Top Right: Santa Baby
Bottom: Mixed together

I think the swatches above will help you to see how much of a difference it makes to the colour of the lipstick when you mix them both together, the Maybelline Lipstick is sheer but with the lip tint, it's more of a block colour but still wearable.
If you want to find out more about the Maybelline nude lipstick I used click here. They have all shades of nudes so I'm sure you can find your match!

I hope this helps you guys! Especially if you guys have been struggling like me :) You can use any brand you want, I'm sure it will work out :) 

Thanks for reading, 

Anjna