Nails 2 - Rimmel Grey Matter

Ignore my cuticles, ew.

Hiya, I thought I would show you the shade I'm currently sporting on my talons as it's one of my faves. It was proving a nightmare to photograph, the photo of my nails really isn't doing it justice. It's a lovely creamy grey polish with a slightly evident blue undertone, I think this is a really sophisticated colour and is of course very season appropriate, it tends to look a little lighter or darker depending on the light but it's just as nice either way. I really enjoy using these Rimmel polishes due to the wide, flat brush, I find it fits the nail perfectly and makes application so quick and easy, it does pick up a lot of product so you have to make sure you wipe off the excess. Super thin nail polish brushes really are a pet hate of mine! The formula of this is really nice, I did apply 2 coats and it's very opaque, it was topped off with Sally Hansen insta-dri (which is starting to go gloopy on me, *sad face*) but it did seem like it was beginning to dry as I was applying my top coat. Rimmel 60 second nail polishes can be bought for £3.69 at Boots, Superdrug and some supermarkets.

Have you tried any polishes from this range? Love,

Rachael xx

My thoughts: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat

Hello, today I would like to introduce you to a product that really has made painting my nails a doddle. Meet my life saver. It totally sounds like I'm over exaggerating, but I'm a girl and I honestly don't know how I managed when this product was non existent in my beautiful nail polish drawer. I used to spend long hours perfecting my nails and waiting for them to dry, of course most of the time boredom would strike and I would never fail to smudge them, messing them up and getting annoyed at myself. Before this beauty of a product my nails would take what seemed like forever to dry. Even ages after I had finished painting them, when I thought they were dry they would often deceive me and end up smudging, oh the joys. However, this product has definitely made me fall back in love with painting my nails!

So, the reason that this has ended up in my possession is due to other bloggers having a good natter about it, I instantly knew it was something I needed in my life. It's quite widely available which is fab so you can all get your hands on it, I have seen it in the usual, Boots and Superdrug (cheapest I have found online: £4.99) but also on Feel Unique and I have spotted Sally Hansen products filling racks in Asda and Sainsburys. The actual polish is clear and quite runny but it's nothing that makes it a pain to use, in fact I think it's a benefit of this product as it means no tackiness to mess up your coloured polish and it glides on like a dream, I don't tend to wipe too much off the brush so I get a thick-ish coat as I do think if there wasn't much product on the brush it would end up dragging on the nail, smudging the colour. The brush is nice and quite flat so the whole nail can be easily covered within seconds. I don't think the product makes a huge difference in terms of chipping to be honest, it's just the drying effect that amazes me! It also leaves your nails really glossy. I apply it pretty much as the brilliant minded people behind the product instruct me to do and my nails really are dry to the touch after about 30 seconds. It's amazing. I can go about my day as usual without any smudging to worry about, oh how I love you Sally Hansen. Now I know that I will always have time to prettify my nails as it takes me no time at all compared to the silly amount of time I used to spend blowing my nails, whacking the hair dryer on them, running them under cold water and getting frustrated as I avoided touching anything with the fear of smudging. Another brownie point goes to this bottle of goodness as it contains UV filters which prevent fading and yellowing caused by sunlight. Overall, this is so worth it, I 100% recommend it for those who are a hater of waiting for their nails to dry, I mean who isn't? Even though I use quite a bit it has lasted me ages and I'm only almost half way through so it is definitely worth the pennies and I will repurchase!

I hope you have enjoyed this post and I hope you have a great weekend. I have just finished my work experience at a primary school, I loved all of the kids and totally enjoyed it, I really didn't want to leave! On Sunday I'm off to Alton Towers with Lee so I'm looking forward to that, I have to say I am rather nervous about that fact that it is just me and Lee having to find our way around trains, a hotel and stuff. Feeling all grown up! Hopefully we will make it and won't end up at the opposite end of the country haha.

Thank you for reading. Love, 

Rachael xx

Nails 1 - Rimmel Green With Envy

Artificial light, no flash. Natural light (outdoors), no flash.

More dim artificial light, no flash. Both natural light (not outdoors), no flash.

Some random base coat, Rimmel 60 seconds nail polish in Green with Envy, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat

I was having a bit rummage in my nail polish draw (just out of curiosity, nail polish or nail varnish?) and decided to count them, because that is what my life has come too, 97 was the result if your wondering, including top coats etc. It lead me to discovering some hidden gems that have been rather neglected, this being one of them. The recent sun and blue skies we were pleasantly greeted with, unfortunately accompanied by cold winds, lead me to think of summer and wish we could fast forward a few month to light nights, beaches and barbecues resulting in me opting for this colour reminding me of the ocean in a hot sunny place, although the choice of name is disappointingly not very summer associated and the current weather has sadly turned into grey windiness.

This is 2 coats of Rimmel 60 seconds nail polish in 819 Green with Envy, used with a cheapy base coat and topped off with Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat. This is such a beautiful metallic blue-green with very fine glitter which is only evident in certain lights. Unfortunately the colour is showing more blue in most pictures, however, the one photo with creepy yellow looking hands is much more reminiscent of the real thing. I love these polishes, mostly due to the brush, you do have to wipe off the excess as it tends to pick up a lot of product, however, i'm usually super clumsy when it comes to painting my nails and don't often do a very good job but the wide, flat brush makes application effortless. I prefer to do 2 strokes and then the whole nail is covered without much mess at all, 2 coats provides a super opaque finish and the formula of this polish is perfect, not too runny, not too thick. 

This polish lasted 3 days before the major chipping began.

I hope you enjoyed my first nail of the day. Thanks for reading. Love, 

Rachael xx