Dopper Water Bottles for my GIVEAWAY / A mini shopping haul from my Christmas shopping trip on Wednesday / Homemade Tempura Vegetables with noodles and sweet chilli dip / Miggley and Mog in their cuddle pouch / New nail varnish from Asda, which I reviewed and swatched here / Kisses with Mog the Rat / Snibston Discovery Museum in Coalville, where my fiancé and I spent the day on Friday / My new leather look leggings with heeled Dr Martens / Dad’s new Crested Gecko, Ylno Tixe.  He’s lovely!

If you’d like to follow me on Instagram and see more of my photos, my username is bewitchery_.  Please comment on this post with your usernames too as I’m always looking for new accounts to follow, especially fashion and beauty ones!

Naomi x

I’m happy to announce that George’s varnish completely lives up to the rave reviews.  The brush is narrow, but it’s fairly long and the decently-sized lid makes it easy to control the application.  The varnish applies smoothly, and gives amazing coverage even in one coat, but as always I applied two coats for a flawless finish.  As you’d expect of a quick dry varnish, it dries incredibly quickly, and a day later it is still free of any smudges, dents, chips or scratches.  It looks like it’s going to last a lot longer, too!

Here’s how it looks on the nails…

‘Boom’ is a gorgeous, bold shade that really catches the eye.  The pigmentation of the varnish is incredible, and the colour has a real depth to it.  I’ve always liked blues, but seem to be lacking in blue varnishes, so this is a great addition to my collection.

For such a budget range the quality of George’s quick dry nail varnish is very high, and if you’re a fan of nail products I recommend you try them if you can, especially as they’re currently only £1.  I’ll definitely be going back to Asda to buy more!  I spotted a lovely pink shade that I’ll be picking up next time.

Have you ever tried any varnishes from this range?  What do you think of them?

Naomi x

Jacava are a 100% British brand who are vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, and never test on animals.  They also boast the first 8-free polishes in the world (yes, that’s right, EIGHT-free), as they don’t contain Formaldehyde, Camphor, Toluene, DBP, Cellophane, Phthalates, Parabens or animal ingredients.  So, right from word go, they’re a brand I’m happy to support, and luckily their products match up to their good name!

Top Coat with UV Inhibitors and Blueberry Muffin

Jacava’s packaging is simple but sleek, and the long, slim lids that their polishes come with are easy to grip which makes application effortless.

The polish itself has a silky smooth formula which gives surprisingly opaque coverage in one coat, but I like to apply two coats for a bolder, more intense colour.  Perhaps the most stand-out aspect of Jacava’s polishes for me is how quickly it dries.  It’s literally dry to the touch within a minute, and after five minutes it’s good to go.  I even got my two pet rats out to play just after painting my nails, and they didn’t smudge at all.  Just one word of advice.  In my experience the top coat isn’t suitable as a base coat, and will make the polish peel off extremely easily.  It stays put for a long time without a base coat, though, and looks gorgeously glossy with the top coat for an all round perfect manicure.  Jacava’s website also states that the top coat’s UV Inhibitors keep white nail polish white for longer, which is a nice feature that I’ve never seen before, so worth investing in if you regularly wear pale shades.

Blueberry Muffin has a lovely creme finish, but is more of a pinky purple than a blue purple.  Sort of a soft and dusky dark lilac.  It’s an absolutely beautiful shade which reminds me of spring flowers and lightning skies all at once.  I love it.

Click image for a closer look!

Jacava’s range features eighteen beautiful shades and several different finishes, including creme, metallic, shimmer and glitter.  Every polish contains 22-carat gold for a nourishing, luxurious formula, and they cost just £14.50 each.  I personally have my eye on Blackberry Fool, Marrakesh Nights, Midnight’s Secrets and Chillax!  To view the full Jacava range click here, or find them on Feel Unique.

Which shade do you like best?

Naomi x

*These two nail polishes were sent to me by Jacava London for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

Before entering the competition I had never heard of Bad Apple Cosmetics, but according to their Twitter account their products are all made in England and free from nasty chemicals, and they are apparently the first site in the world who will put any picture you send them onto nail wraps!

Since receiving my prize I have tried and tested all three varnishes, and I must say I am rather impressed.  When I first saw them I immediately liked the little apple-shaped bottles, and the Bad Apple logo is pretty cool too.  Each varnish comes with a wide brush which is easy to grip due to the large lid, which means it applies smoothly without any streaks.  The varnish itself has a creamy consistency, but it is fairly sheer so two or three coats are needed for a completely opaque look.  It also dries to the touch very quickly, within a minute or two, so you can create a beautiful smudge-free manicure in no time at all.

One of my favourite things about Bad Apple’s varnishes is that they last a very long time.  I didn’t apply a top coat over any of the shades, and I wore each one for around four days before removing it, and signs of wear were minimal.  At the worst I had a small chip on one or two nails, and that was all.

Here’s a closer look at each varnish… (Excuse the short nails – they were all breaking so I decided to cut them off and start again!)

Misty

Misty is a stunning dark slate grey which has an intense glossy shine.  It’s a very unusual grey due to its azure undertone, but it’s really versatile as it’s neutral enough to go with anything.

Anna

Anna is a bright bubblegum pink with a shiny creme finish.  This is my favourite of the three shades and the one I will wear the most, I imagine.  I love how pretty and girly it is.

Akane

True to its name, Akane is a brilliant red, which has a Gothic feel to it due to its deep colouring, and like the other two varnishes it also has a lovely shine.  This is a classic varnish which is perfect for a glamorous evening look.  Simply beautiful.

Bad Apple’s varnishes cost £9.95 each, which considering their quality is well worth it and I’d be happy to pay that for them.  In fact, I hope to add to my collection in the not too distant future!  You can view the full range of Bad Apple products here, and you can also follow the company on Twitter.

Which of these shades do you like best?

Naomi x

Barry M’s Gelly varnish has a thick but creamy consistency, which applies extremely smoothly with no streakiness.  However, if you have too much varnish on the brush it can apply a bit too thickly, so its best to apply as thin a coat as possible and build up from there.  I made the mistake of applying fairly thick coats at first so the coverage was instantly completely opaque, but I applied a thinner second coat over the top for good measure.  As with all Barry M Nail Paints, the Gelly dries to the touch rather quickly.  I put this on not long before I went to bed, but I didn’t wake up with fabric imprints on my nails, which is always a good sign with me!

Greenberry is an extremely beautiful greeny turquoise shade, and is delicately bright.  It’s almost a pastel neon if that makes sense!  It has a creme finish, and of course, an intense shine which you can almost see your reflection in.  In my experience, it’s quite rare for a creme varnish to have such a shiny appearance, so it definitely lives up to its name.  It doesn’t even need a top coat!

This Nail Paint lasts really well too.  I first applied Greenberry on Sunday, without a top coat, and didn’t remove it until yesterday, and after four days of wear chipping was minimal.  There were a few nicks at the ends of my nails on my right hand where I caught them on the zip of my bag, but other than that the varnish still looked as bright, shiny and smooth as it did when I first applied it – just like a gel manicure!

Overall, I am suitably impressed with Barry M’s Gelly Nail Paint as it looks great and lasts long, and to top it off Greenberry is a gorgeous colour.  The Gellies cost £3.99 each in Boots and Superdrug, which is £1.00 more than most Barry M’s varnishes, but its well worth it for that extra shine and staying power.

Have you ever tried a Barry M Gelly?  What did you think?

Naomi x

Before Beetle Wings I had never tried a Miss Sporty varnish before, and I must say I am very impressed with the formula.  It has a smooth, creamy consistency which applies evenly, and gives opaque coverage in two coats, and it dries quickly too.  In the time it takes to paint ten nails the varnish is dry to the touch and ready for the next coat, so there’s no waiting around for ages in between coats!  Also, the brush is lovely and wide and covers the nail in one sweep, which lessens streakiness, but I do find the lid a bit too small to grip easily, which can make application tricky.

Beetle Wings is a classic duochrome shade, combining gilded green and copper brown, and the colours alter fluidly according to the light.  The green is actually the more dominant colour in the mix, but for some reason the brown shows up more in pictures.  Though I haven’t used Chanel Peridot myself, Beetle Wings looks like quite a decent dupe from what I can tell.  It’s also reminiscent of Models Own Golden Green, which I do have, although Beetle Wings is slightly more tinged with orange.

The varnish has a stunning metallic shimmer finish which looks incredible in sunlight, and stops the colour ever looking dull, but unfortunately it does show up any imperfections quite a bit.

Here is how the varnish looks on the nail…  Excuse the messy edges!

Isn’t it pretty?

One of the best things about this varnish is how long it lasts.  After three days and no top coat, Beetle Wings still looks excellent on most of my nails, although it has chipped slightly on a couple.  I imagine it would last even longer with a top coat though, which is great is you want a manicure that lasts!

Overall, I really like this varnish.  The colour and finish are incredibly pretty, and the formula and lasting power exceed what I’d expect of a budget range.  If you like metallics, duochromes and affordable dupes then this is definitely for you.  Miss Sporty Metal Flip varnishes are available from Superdrug and come in three shades.  Look out for my review of Aurora Borealis, coming soon!

Naomi x

Layla isn’t a brand that I’m familiar with, but according to their website they are based in Milan, Italy, and sell a wide range of make up as well as nail products.

This varnish has a fairly thick consistency, but it comes with a decent brush so applies easily and evenly, and despite the glittery look dries smooth to the touch.  However, it does take a little while to dry, and if you attempt to apply the second coat whilst the first is still sticky it can cause some streaking, so it’s best to be patient with application if you want to achieve neat coverage!  It only takes two coats to create an opaque finish, which is always my test of a good quality varnish, and this one passes.

In the bottle, Ultra Violet looks a dusky purple colour with an undertone of grey, but on the nails it looks slightly paler.  However, once you’re in the right light the hologram effect really comes alive, and it’s impressively strong!  The hologram looks 3D and shines a rainbow of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink and purple in both natural and indoor light, and at the same time the glitter shimmers beautifully underneath.  It’s difficult to put into words just how stunning this varnish is, so here are a few pictures of it in different lights to give you an idea…

No hologram effect.

Hologram effect without flash.

(It actually looks a lot more colourful than this in reality but it was difficult to capture on camera.)

Hologram effect with flash.

I have been wearing Ultra Violet for three days now, with a top coat, and it has lasted really well.  The ends have started to chip today so I will probably remove the varnish soon, but other than that the coverage still looks neat and vibrant.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Layla Hologram Effect Nail Polish as it is excellent quality and the hologram effect is powerful and very, very pretty.  A lot better than the Boots 17 hologram varnish I’ve seen in reviews!  The colour is a bit more interesting than the typical silver hologram too.  If you’d like to try this range for yourself, it may be difficult to locate in shops, but Ultra Violet is available on Amazon here, and you can find other shades here.

Do you like the look of this varnish?

Naomi x

Illamasqua nail varnish usually retails for £13.50, but Velocity cost me just £5 in the sale, which is obviously a massive saving.  I love Illamasqua for several reasons – they’re British, they’re cruelty-free, they challenge conventions, their packaging is chic and, importantly, their products are amazing quality, and this varnish is no different.

Velocity is a very beautiful shade with a bit of an edge, which oozes individuality and class.  Illamasqua’s website describes it as a dusky grey-purple which is spot on, and it looks fantastic no matter what level of light you’re in.  In natural light it looks the colour of vibrant purple heather, with a tinge of grey which stops it being overly bright, and indoors it has a deep plum look to it, which is equally as gorgeous.  The varnish also has a glossy finish which gives incredible, eye-catching shine.

The varnish itself has a lovely creamy consistency, which when paired with Illamasqua’s quality varnish brush allows for smooth, easy coverage.  It’s also very highly pigmented and gives full coverage with only one coat, but I applied two for a more intense look.  The varnish dries quickly too…  I was playing Balderdash with my family about ten minutes after painting my nails with Velocity, and I didn’t suffer any smudges or dents!

I’m also really impressed with how long this has lasted so far.  For some reason, I didn’t apply a top coat over the top, and after three days the varnish is still wearing well.  One nail on my left hand has chipped a bit, but the rest look almost as good as new!

Here is how Velocity looks on the nails, in natural light, after two coats…

I really can’t put into words how much I love this varnish!  The colour is stunning and you can really tell when using it that it’s a good quality product.  I would happily pay full-price for Illamasqua nail varnish, so I feel very lucky that I managed to get this little gem for only £5.  If you want to follow in my footsteps, it’s actually still available in the sale here, but be quick because I think the sale ends soon!

Which Illamasqua nail varnish shade is your favourite?

Naomi x

Bling It On Leather is available in Black or Tan (which is the shade I have), and the set contains a 10ml bottle of Leather Effect polish, four skull embellishments, a 3g bottle of nail glue and a cuticle stick – everything you need to create gorgeous, stand-out nails!

The nail polish shade in the tan set is called Soho Mews, and is a lovely caramel brown colour, tinged with orange.  The polish itself is very creamy and highly pigmented, and I found it only took one coat to achieve an opaque, even finish.  However, I applied two coats as the instructions suggest.  Getting the leather look is very simple, as the polish does all the work for you.  Like a crackle varnish, Leather Effect goes on glossy, and before your eyes it develops a leathery textured, matte finish in just seconds.  Once the effect has formed, the polish is also completely dry, which is really quite impressive.

If you wanted to dress the Leather Look down for work or day wear you could stop there, but the set also contains four skulls which would be perfect for an evening look.  The skull embellishments are made of a gold coloured metal and are studded with tiny crystal gems.  They’re actually surprisingly detailed and beautiful for a nail embellishment, and give the leather effect a glamorous yet rocky edge.  The instructions say to pick the skulls up with tweezers, before applying a small amount of the glue to the corners and centre of the skull before placing it on to your chosen nail.  If you’re careful, you won’t make a mess with the glue, and the skull will stay put.  If you’re extra careful, you can remove the skull before taking the varnish off and use it again!

The final look you get with the leather polish and skulls is one of beauty.  If, like me, you do everything in your power to keep your newly painted nails glossy and smudge-free, the Leather Effect may take some getting used to, but it really does look like leather and the colour is stunning!  Here are two swatch photos to show you how fabulous this look is.

Without skull, to show the Leather Effect.

With skull.

The only downside to the Leather Effect is that it soon chips.  To keep the matte finish I didn’t apply a top coat, and within 24 hours the varnish had chipped.  However, if you change your varnish regularly this shouldn’t be much of an issue, and if you’re wearing it for a night out then chances are you’ll be removing it within a day anyway.

If you like the look of Nails Inc Bling It On Leather & Skulls, you can order it now for £19 (with FREE worldwide delivery) from LookFantastic, in the classy shade of black – a worthy investment for fans of chic nails and current trends!  LookFantastic also stock many other nail brands, including O.P.I, Essie and Butter London.  To view their full range, visit here!

Naomi x

*This Nails Inc Bling It On Leather & Skulls set was sent to me by lookfantastic.com for review purposes.  All opinions expressed in this post are honest and my own.*

Are you ready for Christmas yet?  I am!  This month has gone really quickly, and I have now opened all 24 doors of my Ciate Mini Mani Month advent calendar.  This week has been my favourite week of all – Ciate really did save the best until last in my eyes!  Here are the final six minis in all their glory… (All pictures are clickable for a closer look.)

Day 19 – Cookies and Cream

I’m sure I’ve said many times before that I’m not really a fan of nude shades, but I have made an exception for this one.  Cookies and Cream is a creamy nude beige colour, and it looks so clean and sophisticated on the nail.  The above photo shows two coats of varnish, and as you can see the coverage isn’t completely opaque, but three coats would do it.  A gorgeous neutral shade, perfect for the office!

Day 20 – Magic Carpet

Magic Carpet is the second exclusive shade to the Mini Mani Month, and it is one of my absolute favourites in the whole calendar.  The varnish is a beautiful dark magenta, and it is made up of large and micro glitter flecks.  It took three coats of Magic Carpet over two coats of Cookies and Cream to achieve the above look, which is rather a lot of varnish, and in all honesty it didn’t take to my nails very well.  The glitter didn’t dry that quickly, and it seemed to melt the colour underneath slightly so it peeled off.  I think I’ll use this as a thinner top coat in the future, or just wait a lot longer for it to dry.

Day 21 – Fade to Greige

I absolutely adore Fade to Greige.  It is a very dark grey with a violet undertone, which I think would compliment any colour.  The formula is lovely and creamy too, so it is a pleasure to apply and dries very quickly.  Another classy, sophisticated shade, perfect for versatile every day wear.

Day 22 – Sundance Caviar Pearls

Unfortunately, I haven’t had time to try these Sundance Caviar Pearls yet, but I imagine they’ll have the same easy application and lasting power of the other pearls in the calendar.  Sundance is made up of yellowy gold and bright blue beads, with a few flecks of gold glitter scattered throughout.  I must say, I am a caviar manicure convert after trying Ciate’s Mini pots, but this shade is probably my least favourite of the four in the calendar.

Day 23 – Mojito and Day 24 – Enchanted Rose

The last two days of the Mini Mani Month featured two Christmassy shades – green and red.  Day 23 gave me Mojito, a creamy lime green which forms the base of my holly nail art!  It applies like a dream and even, opaque coverage takes just two coats.  Mojito is actually a lot less fluorescent than it looks in the photo, which is a positive thing in my opinion as there is definitely such a thing as being too bright!

Today’s shade, the final shade in the box, was the third exclusive shade – Enchanted Rose – a beautiful red glitter varnish.  Enchanted Rose forms the berries of my holly nail art, and it has a very sparkly finish, perfect for Christmas day.  Unlike some glitters, it isn’t overly sheer, so it wouldn’t take much to build up a bold, bright glitter look.  Another winner!

And to finish, here is a picture of two coats of Day 6 shade, Angel Wings, which I didn’t have time to swatch in Part 1…

Overall, I have been extremely pleased with the Ciate Mini Mani Month.  The range of colours and finishes in the set is fantastic, and it was definitely worth every penny.  I will be using all of these a lot in the future, I imagine!  I’m looking forward to trying some more nail art designs with them.

That’s it from me for today…  I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas day tomorrow, full of love and laughter!

Naomi x

PS. Here are Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of my Ciate Mini Mani Month Round-Up, as well as my introductory post!