CND – The Art Vandal Collection.

It’s true what they say; once you’ve had CND shellac, you won’t go back. The brand pride themselves on creating high quality formulas which provide vibrant, long-lasting colour, without damaging nails. 
 

I’ve been a huge fan of the “Vinylux” (weekly polish) range from CND for ages now so when I was invited to attend the launch of their “Art Vandal” collection, I was delighted to oblige. On arrival at the event, we were treated to some bubbly, sweet treats and a manicure using any shade from the new range (either shellac or Vinylux) – absolute bliss! 
 
Opting for the the shellac formula, I picked the shade “Digi-Teal, an electric blue from the new collection. My manicurist, the fabulous Susan from Rinn Neimhe Beauty Salon, Co. Leitrim took wonderful care of me. She explained that my nails were weak and damaged, due to winter weather and stressed the importance of the regular use of hand cream and cuticle oil – something I had never bothered with before. 

    
After one week of wear, I have to say that I am in absolute awe of the CND polish. There’s not a single chip in sight and most surprisingly, my nails appear to be stronger than usual. I’m delighted with the colour of the polish, as well as the cute glittering and foil detailing which can be added to any CND formula. 

  
I can’t wait to try the rest of the shades from the “Art Vandal Collection” – who doesn’t love a splash of colour in spring? 

  

Stay tuned for reviews and pictures from the Vinylux version of the collection. In the meantime, tell me – have you ever tried CND shellac? Or, do you have a favourite brand of your own? 

Rouge X 

Essence ‘The Gel’ Nail Polish Review.

As I’ve told you millions of times at this stage, I recently abandoned my much loved acrylic nails in favour of a healthy, natural look. Therefore, I have taken to painting my nails at home and this has involved trying and testing a multitude of formulas and brands. One of my favourites so far has been Essence’s ‘The Gel’ nail polish. The budget friendly brand have released 46 new shades which promise the salon ‘gel effect’, without the need for UV light.

The colour range is really impressive and the formula is highly pigmented. Two coats and you’ll be laughing! I’ve tried a few of the shades which I will detail below and have gotten 3-4 days ‘chip-free’ wear from each colour without a base or top coat. This is great considering that I work with a computer keyboard all day long! Essence have developed a base and top coat for ‘The Gel’ nail polishes so I would imagine that by applying these, you can extend wear time.

  

‘Black is Back’.

  
‘Serendipity’.

  
‘Wonderfuel’.

  
‘Prince Charming’.

What do you think of the colours? Ooh, and I haven’t even mentioned the best part yet! Each bottle retails at just €1.79. BARGAIN!

Will you be purchasing?

Rouge x

Get The Festival Look.

As a few of you will already know, I made a trip to Longitude festival in Marlay Park at the weekend. Hozier, you were fantastic – I have no objection if you would like to serenade me in the near future. 

Many of you have been asking about my festival look via Twitter so I’m here to share the details. Unable to pull off any sort of hipster chic, I opted for a casual jeans look. I’m madly in love with my Salsa Denim jeans which I purchased in Brown Thomas. They’re designed to slim and define the thigh and bum area, perfect for anyone who is a little body concious. You can explore similar styles here. I paired my jeans with a simple top, a chic sun hat and some Hunter Boots which are admittedly very expensive but extremely comfortable! 

  
Many of you will have noticed that I love my neutral eyeshadow / red lipstick combo but this weekend, I decided to try something a little different. Sleek sent me some gorgeous palettes to play with and I couldn’t resist a pop of colour! 

  
 
How pretty are these babies? I used a combination of ‘Arabian Nights’ and ‘Del Mar Volume II’ to create the perfect festival look. 

I began my look using the ‘Del Mar’ palette. I used the neutral, yet shimmery shades of ‘Loco’ and ‘Pearl’ as base shadow. Then, I applied a dusting of the lilac purple shade ‘Puro’ to the inner corner of the lids. Next, I opened up the treasure trove that is ‘Arabian Nights’, using the electric blue shade ‘Simbad’s Seas’ and ‘Aladdin’s Lamp’ to add definition in the crease and outer corner of the eye. I also used the rusted bronze of ‘Aladdin’s Lamp’ to line my lower lashes. 
  
I loved these shadows. They’re really highly pigmented and easy to blend. The best part? They’re a steal at just €10.49 each. The only problem is that both palettes are limited edition, so I suggest visiting your local stockist before they sell out! 

  

I completed my look with a little gel liner, a splash of neutral lipstick and some generic diamanté jewels. 

What do you think? As always, keep me updated if you try any of the products!

Rouge x 

Flormar Nailspiration – New Brand Launches in Ireland.

News just in announces that make-up brand, Flormar, are due to arrive on Irish shores within the next few weeks – cosmetic addicts countrywide rejoice! I’ve been hearing great things about the brand which is majorly popular in other European countries so, I expect that the Irish ladies will love it. Affordable, yet fabulous – the brand offers fun and fresh cosmetics that won’t break the bank. Flormar started out as a nail polish manufacturer in Milan way back in 1970, so we expect their polish to be picture perfect. Here’s a sneak preview courtesy of Rachel Dalton Communications:

  
First up, we have the neutral shade ‘Purr Cat’. Neutral nail polish is perfect for girls on the go – it matches absolutely everything. I wore this formula for a total of three days, chip-free, before swiftly removing it to try another colour.

  
Next up, we have a matte formula in the the shade ‘White Board’. Personally, I think I’m a little too pale to rock white nail polish but I imagine that this one would be gorgeous with a summer tan. After 2 – 3 coats, this polish retained a really strong pigmentation.

  
Finally, we have my favourite. This one is Flormar’s quick drying formula in the shade ‘Bright Coral’. Anyone who knows me will know that I am obsessed with all shades of red – it is definitely my power colour. ‘Bright Coral’ is eye-catching, bright and really funky. I will be wearing this one all week!

  
Excuse the very short and weakened state of my nails, they’re suffering post acrylic extensions at the moment.

One little note about this product that must be made is that you should be careful and cover surfaces when applying the polish. Although the brush is really easy to use for an even application, it does allow for ‘dripping’ so, mind the furniture.

I’ve heard through the grapevine that Carla Jackson, sister of the fabulous Suzanne, will be brand ambassador for Flormar when it does arrive in Ireland and if I can achieve her fabulous contour with the products, I will be buying them by the bucket-load.

What do you think?

Rouge x

CND Vinylux Weekly Polish – Review.

As many of you will already know, I recently had my acrylic nail extensions removed. Although I loved them dearly, my natural nails were squealing for mercy. Acrylic extensions often weaken nails and cause them to split and become damaged so I’m giving mine a little time to repair. However, this doesn’t mean I am willing to go without nail polish – not even for a single day!

I’ve always had a bit of a love/hate relationship with nail polish. I love the freshly manicured look but I hate chipped polish more than I hate the sound of fingernails on a chalk board. It looks messy and unprofessional but, that’s where CND Vinylux Weekly Polish steps in to save the day. I was introduced to the brand in my local salon and admittedly scoffed at the idea of long lasting nail polish which doesn’t require UV light to dry. Boy, was I wrong.

I’ve had my nail polish on for over 7 days and even in their weakened state, my nails don’t possess a single chip as of yet. I chose the colour ‘Cake Pop’ which is a pretty powdered pink – perfect for summer. The polish doesn’t require a base or top coat according to the manufacturers but my salon did apply a top coat, to be on the safe side. The formula takes approximately 8-10 minutes to dry completely and the best part is, it can be removed using regular nail polish remover – no more pesky acetone soaked foils.

Irish supplier Dolledup.ie stock CND weekly polish at €11.95 per unit. ‘Cake Pop’ can be found here. Let me know if you try it.

Nailspiration of the Week

Anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis will know that I’m a huge fan of Irish blogger Suzanne Jackson and subsequently, in love with her SOSU nail polish range. 

The formula of these ‘gel effect’ nail polishes is chip resistant and in my experience lasts at least 4 days without damage. This is great considering I work in an office, using a keyboard all day! 

 

This week, I purchased the polish in the shade “Boss Bitch” (this name is perfection) and used in during a girly night in. I simply applied an undercoat, two coats of colour and a top coat. Then, I applied the shade “All That Glitters” over the ring finger for a glitzy effect. 

 

I love these colours, really bright and summery.  Note that it takes approx ten minutes for this gel polish to dry and take the opportunity to chill out and relax – no smudging! 

SOSU by Suzanne Jackson retails at €7.99 and is available in Penneys and pharmacies nationwide.

What do you think? 

Rouge x

Nailspiration of the Week.

I’ve been getting some great feedback about my nail art posts recently so when I got my nails done today, I couldn’t wait to share my new look with you. I adore Essie nail polish – it’s affordable, long lasting, highly-pigmented and super chic. This week, I’ve chosen Essie’s beautiful coral nail polish ‘Silken Cord’. It’s a bright, fun summer colour which should help cheer me up as exams loom in the near future.

I have added to the tropical nail vibe by coating one nail in a generic glitter polish. I love a bit of sparkle and this is subtle enough for working hours too.

Rouge x

A Woman is Helpless Only While Her Nail Polish is Drying.

Earlier this week I picked up a few products at my local Boots and found an absolute gem. I’m a big fan of perfectly manicured nails and so purchased a few new nail polishes. My favourite of the bunch is Barry M’s ‘Gelly Hi-Shine’ polish in ‘Prickly Pear’ (€5.99).

I’m currently wearing acrylic nails but change the colour every few days. I’ve had this polish and a generic gold glitter polish on for 48 hrs with a Barry M topcoat and there isn’t a chip in sight.

It’s a beautiful colour for summer – the picture shows two coats on each nail. It was my first time trying Barry M but I’ll definitely be back for more! Available here (Buy 1 get the 2nd Free offer on publishing this review):

http://www.boots.ie/en/Barry-M-Gelly-High-Shine-Nail-Paint_1281299/

Rouge x