Happy Friday!

happy friday!

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{all photos by me}

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Head to Toe

These were in-theory First Date shoes; in-practice, they're death-by-heels/crippling implements that need a little wearing in around the house first. But I love them. (from Zara)


Inspired by Jessie, & with a heavily focussed mind & steady determination of hand (oh, & a few tissues for erasing errors), I incorporated half-moons into my manicure, choosing these 2 blues. Barry M was great for such artistry given that it's not a brand to make superfast drying polishes - my advice? work quickly, & wipe off errors with a tissue as you go. Apparently chemists sell stickers for such stencilry; maybe next time I'll give that a go..


(my "&" iphone case is from play.com)

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{all photos by me}

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Product Love

 

Bourjois Disco Glitter; Rebalancing Conditioner ~Spa Rituals by Umberto Giannini//


Coral by Barry M, with Bourjois Disco Glitter//


Cristal Eau de Chambre, by Bahoma London//

{all photos by me}

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On Beauty

The Beauty Lounge, just off Carnaby Street, is the cutest salon. Decked out old-Hollywood style, duck-egg baby-blue walls, pink & cream cushions, 1940s movie stars framed on the wall. The entryway/parlour is an unusual utilisation of space: walking through the door places you immediately in a small, almost fairytale like nook beneath a staircase, but with room for Louis XV1 chairs, padded dressing room stools & row upon row of colourful nail polishes.

Sipping a cup of green tea, staff were friendly & encouraging (particularly as this was the first time either myself or my sister had been for a manicure!) We picked our colours - I went for an Essie coral/hot orange shade & my sister chose a light cappuccino colour. We were told that hot-air dryers weren't used because they can tend to make the nail more brittle underneath. Unfortunately, we weren't advised on quite how long we should stay resting, waiting for the polish to dry - 10 minutes out the salon, both of us had a few smudged nails. I'm quite willing to suggest however that it was our inexperience at this: maybe we shouldn't have rushed so wholeheartedly into eating cream tea!

Having never experienced a manicure, I enjoyed having a whole universe of colours & shades from which to choose what captured my mood. The polish was painted immaculately, & I particularly loved the shaping of my nails, a rounded square cut. We're not the only ones to enjoy their pampering: Sienna Miller has frequented, & next week, the Harry Potter cast are pencilled in for their appointments. Next time, I'll plan ahead with some spare time to do nothing, or very little, the hour following the appointment. I'm also quite keen to get a pedicure: a pre-holiday/post-exam/mid-summer treatment worth indulging in.

{all photos by me}

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Colour Me Pretty

Guess which colour I used to paint my nails?

All of them!

Tips to note:
~ If using different brands, some colours may need a different number of coats to reach the same level of intensity. I used 3 coats for the yellow, 2 coats for the remainder, & a top coat on all.
~ Match the colours, nail for nail on each hand, so that it looks neater.

Disclaimer: I may or may not have been inspired by Caggie from Made in Chelsea. Remember, this is a forum where we don't judge ;)

{all photos by me}

Ne·on/ˈnēän (noun)

in Coral & Mint Green, by Barry M.
Did someone say colour-block? Yes, please!

{photo by me}