Nailspiration...

I thought I'd pop a super quick post about a set of nails I did today... 

I used Models own Naked Glow from their new hyper gel range. I love the shine of these polishes, especially with a top coat on top. 

For the detailing I used my favourite acrylic paints by Crystal nails... 

Just a quick Nailspiration post..

LOVE b X

Nails: Rounded vs Square

Being a busy little nail technician working within a salon and freelancing, I see so many clients with differing tastes and styles they prefer. 

Whether it's a nice super shiny gel manicure, or lovely long extensions, a typical day for me consists of all sorts of weird and wonderful things.

The only thing that seems to have stayed the same is people's views and opinions on nail shapes (I say opinions, a lot of people have very strong opinions when it comes to this) 

I love giving my clients something a little bit different, and suggesting a different nail shape is one of my favourites, believe it or not you would think some times, these things could be a life or death situation for some people! (Along with nail polish colour, it's a nightmare) 

My personal preference when it comes to nails is a nice short, smart, square manicure. I think it always looks neat, tidy, well maintained and smart.

As for extensions I have to admit I'm a round girl...

Before I started doing nails, I would always have long square nails, but these days are long gone, and once I tried a more oval rounded shape, I'v never ever looked back.

I'v also found this to be the case with so many of my clients. 

I think a lot of this is down to the media and celebrities also, I rarely see longer squares nails these days. There's so many more possibilities with a more rounder shape, not to mention how much sleeker and elegant it makes your hands and fingers look. 

Ok, so it's clear I'm a little bit biased on this subject. What do you think?

Maybe next time you have your nails done ask your technician for something a little bit different, and test it out, you never no, you might be surprised :)

I'v popped a few pictures of my favourite sets of nails I'v done recently. Let me no :) 

Short, bright and rounded acrylic extensions? 

Short, square manicure on natural nails, one of my ultimate faves... Who doesn't love a New York skyline? 

Longer, rounded acrylic extensions...

And I just threw these in because they really are pretty extreme...

I wouldn't recommend these to anyone who isn't used to this length of nail, there pretty hardcore! 

I hope you enjoy my designs, and they can give you a bit of nailspiration :)

LOVE b X

Pregnant mumma's favourite treats...

Being heavily pregnant it's every woman's worse fear to wake up and find the dreaded stretch marks! Sadly genetic (or so I'm told) unfortunately there isn't a lot us poor girls can do about it.....

Or is there? 

I have a 3 year old son, and considering he was a pretty big baby, and I gained pretty much half my body weight (please don't think I'm exaggerating) I seem to have gotten off pretty lightly on the old 'love line' front.... I generally put this down to the copious amounts of bio-oil that I lathered myself in at generally every opportunity I could.

Naturally of course, when I fell pregnant this time, stretch marks again were a concern to me, don't get me wrong, I am possibly one of THE proudest mumma's you might ever come across, my body has created a miracle twice now, and I wear my love lines with pride.... 

However I will still continue to use whatever method possible to reduce the risk of looking like a tiger in my bikini.....

 Sadly if stretch marks are in fact genetic, I'm in for a tough time. (I'm not sure my mother will ever forgive me for the damage I caused her skin... Sorry mum.)

So at a recent trip to the spa, courtesy of my lovely fiancé, the beautician giving me my body massage recommended the oil that she had used to help prevent stretch marks during my pregnancy...

Immediately my little ears pricked up and I reckon she probably could have sold me anything at that moment in time... 

I walked away with the most incredible smelling oil I think I have ever come across... 

It is by Aromatherapy Associates, and is a Renewing Rose massage and body Oil, for Rejuvenating and Softening. (I copied that off the front) 

It honestly is one of the best oils I have come across, it doesn't leave you with that sticky, oily, greasy feeling that some oils can, it seems to just be gently absorbed into your skin hassle free.

Not to mention the gorgeous smell that seems to just relax me the instant I smell it! Maybe it just takes me back to having a massage, but it's delicious all the same... 

At £40 for 100ml it is on the costly side, however I have been using it now 3-4 times a week, and using a generous amount each time, and it doesn't really seem to be going down much, which I would say was pretty good going.

Furthermore, touch wood *jumps up and reaches for the nearest pine* I haven't seemed to have developed any pesky new lines as of yet....... 

So whether your a deliciously pregnant mumma, or just a delicious human being who fancies a little treat, I would highly recommend this product.

It says on the back once opened use within 6 months......

6 months??!! I want this little bottle of joy forever!!! ❤️

Spider season.

Iv spent my Sunday evening (and most of the afternoon) creating a birthday cake for my little boy who is 3 tomorrow. 

He is so obsessed with spiderman it's crazy, so I had a great idea to MAKE a spiderman cake.

I think being pregnant, and the whole nesting thing is getting to me a bit, I'm sure I could have just popped to the shops and bought a lovely pre-made spiderman cake, hassle free...... 

But hey, where's the fun and challenge in that?! 

So instead, I made the cake.

It could have turned out worse if I'm honest. (It also could have been better, but the less said about that the better) 

Anyway, enough of cake baking, let's get to the point...

I thought I would share with you a set of my ultimate favourite nails that I created, yet again for the spider crazed 3 year old, who absolutely adored them, and I won serious cool mum points! 

I give you spiderman man nails...

I hand painted these and they took around an hour to complete. 

At first I wasn't to convinced they were that striking..... I was soon proved wrong when I walked out the door. 

Apparently everyone loves a bit of spiderman! 

For the red background I used OPI big apple red, the blue background was created by using crystal nails acrylic paint and by using crystal nails one stroke brush. 

The detailing again was from crystal nails paint, using there Barbara detailing brush. 

I highly recommend their products for nail art, there so easy to use, and the paints come in a huge range of colours! 

For all you nail art addicts (like myself) I'm going to start posting a few simple nail tutorials, to show how I create some of my favourite designs...

Stay tuned. 

LOVE b X

I think I'v nailed it....

In more ways than one actually...

Not only do I feel like a techno genius, figuring this whole blogging business out, well, I say whole blogging business, I'm not really sure what I'm doing still, but hey, it seems to be working so far....

I'v also been cracking on with a few sets of nails for the shoot I am working on this week. (Providing baby hasn't arrived by Thursday)

The theme is optical illusions, easier said than done when it comes to nail art, but I think I may have come up with a few winning designs. 

I'm slightly obsessed with negative space at the moment, so have included this a lot in the designs. 

I'v also been asked to work with a grey and coral colour scheme, I struggled at first, but after clearing I was allowed to use a bit of black too, my designs started to come to life... 

These are just a couple of the sets I'v made, I'm keeping the others a secret for now, but I can't wait to see them in action, I think they could be pretty special :) 

Let me no what you think...

LOVE b X

ok.... first things first.

I am so new to all of this...

But being heavily pregnant, and playing the waiting game, i thought it better to spend my time doing something slightly more productive than eating cake, and getting obsessed with bleaching the house.

So here I am.....

Blogging about my favourite treats...
Pregnancy treats, beauty treats, and being a self confessed nail addict (and fully qualified nail tech too) my favourite nail treats...

so here goes...

LOVE b X