Summer Nail Picks by Kirsty from KIMAMELY BEAUTY | GUEST POST

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Hello! Today we have a guest post from the lovely Kirstie from KimamelyBeauty.com and we're talking all things Summer nails! She has picked out very pretty colours, and I'm sure you'll love hearing all about it! Love, Puja x

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Summer 2015 Inspiration Board | LIFE

Hello!

 Okay, I'm going to be completely honest with you and say this inspiration board was a bit of a nightmare to create. I think it's to do with the fact that my brain has been so wired for exams in the last few weeks that it's kind of gone "Creativity? What the heck is that?". Although it may not have the same effect as the Spring Inspiration Board that was previously published (pretty summer-y too, if ya ask me! ;) ), it's something, and I hope you like it!

source (clockwise from top left) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Summer screams all things pretty. I'm talking pretty flowers, pretty dresses and pretty fruit! There are a million and one DIY's for summer on Pinterest and a range of pastel colours for your nails just waiting to be painted on. It's a time to wind down, enjoy the sun and also at the back of your mind be wondering how the time of 2015 has flown by so fast that we're already past half way point?

Yesterday, being the official first day of summer and the longest day of the year, it may just have finally hit us that 2015 will soon be over. So make the most of it! :)

What are your favourite things about summer?

Fuchsia with a bit of Glitter | MANICURE MONDAY

Hello!

"a lovely shade that screams 'ME'"

Spring is well and truly upon us, and if you caught a glimpse of the Spring Nail Colour Picks, and had a little look at the Spring Inspiration Board, you'd know this colour is definitely a go-to Spring shade. Oh, and what better way to spice it up than with a bit of glitter, ey? :)

The combination is one of those, you know, the ones that you do not want to get rid of, even if it's chipping from left, right and centre? Yep, one of those! You can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be wearing this shade, if not the combo, again sometime this season.

"what better way to spice it up than with a bit of glitter, ey? :)"

In all honesty, I was going for the gold glitter, but as I only had a candle lit and the lamp on in my room (you know, to create a nice atmosphere and all), I blindly picked out the silver glitter instead. However, I loved the way it looked - everything happens for a reason, right?! 

All in all, the fuchsia is a lovely shade that screams 'ME'. Shame it was a limited edition, though! Nonetheless, I'll enjoy it while it lasts!

Tell me, if you were to pick one 'ME' shade, what would it be? 

Spring 2015 Nail Picks | BEAUTY

Hello!

"the colours I picked haven't 'gone-all-out', but there's a nice range that I think truly represents me"

It feels like forever since we've bought out the pastels, and now the time has come. The first day of Spring has sprung (ha!) so you can feel free to whip out those shades you put away about 6 months ago. Having said that, it is totally fine to wear whatever shade you want to in the autumn and winter - so if you were rocking pastels in the mist of November, GO YOU! :)

"the grey may still dominate"

Although it's Spring, the weather hasn't been wanting to change too much in London. Well, it did for about 3 days, and then went back to grey clouds. Maybe it's the weather that doesn't let the little nail-colour freak inside of me not want to pick out all the pastel shades, or maybe I'm just saving them for the summer. Either way, the colours I picked haven't 'gone-all-out', but there's a nice range that I think truly represents me.

From Left to Right:
Barry M Watermelon
Barry M Kiwi
Barry M Limited Edition 030
Barry M Cappuccino 
Barry M Aqua Glitter
Ciaté Pocket Money

"choosing the colours that make you feel comfortable"

As you can tell, there's a lot of Barry M going on here! With great formulas, an ever-growing shade range and their incredible price - where can one go wrong?

In the end, it's all about choosing the colours that make you feel comfortable. To me, these are the ones. I'll leave them lined up on the shelf near my nail polish box, so I can just pick and go! Having still being obsessed with grey's, I have a feeling it may be the most used this season, but I shall keep you updated!

"It feels like forever since we've bought out the pastels, and now the time has come."

As most of the colours on the runways for SS15 were bare/nude nails, it'd be wrong not to include Ciaté Pocket Money. Nonetheless, the grey may still dominate for me. It's not ALL about the trends now, is it?! :D

Tell me, what shade do you think will be on your nails a lot this Spring? 

Spring Inspiration Board

Hello!

"it's about time we appreciate everything Spring brings us!"

Now that March is past the half-way point, we can agree it's beginning to feel a lot more like Spring. Although Spring screams EXAM TIME, it doesn't mean we can't enjoy the beautiful weather, the gorgeous flowers and of course, the festival of Easter (hello, Easter Eggs!).

Putting together a seasonal inspiration board is so much fun, and as you seemed to enjoy the last one, why not gather a few things to really get you in the mood for this season... Season's Greetings! 

(PS. Feel free to Pin on Pinterest)

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
"beautiful weather, the gorgeous flowers and of course, the festival of Easter" 

It's all about the pastel shades, and brighter colours as we lean towards the warmer season. Having really beginning to notice the ravishing sunsets, it's about time we appreciate everything Spring brings us!
My favourite thing about Spring? The chance to wear Spring nail colours.
HINT: New post all about nails coming to a blog near you! 

What's your favourite thing about Spring? Is it possibly your favourite season?

Blue With Sparkles: Manicure Monday

Hello!

"this shade is super forgiving, and works all year round, despite the name on the bottle."

When comes a day off, comes a day to paint your nails. In the mist of February, with rain sometimes pouring like nobody's business, and other times you feeling so close to summer you can (literally) feel the sun on your skin, it's hard to decide what colour to wear on your nails. Fear not, this shade is super forgiving, and works all year round, despite the name on the bottle.

 I think naming the gel polish collection after a fruit is a trend, seeing as they also did it for the other blue shade I have from this line, see this post here. The formulation of the line is lovely, and 2 coats gives the ideal opaque finish.

Compared to the Rimmel Pro Polish's, the brush on this polish is a lot more narrow, and I'm a huge fan of the wide brushes. None-the-less, as you continue to paint your nails, the brush becomes wider and moves more freely, allowing better application.

Now it had been a while since I put on an accent nail, but having not had used this glitter topcoat in a while, I feel like it needed to go for a run. Having said that, the polish is beginning to get gloopy, yet, I'm sticking with it for now, and hopefully it still works for me next time! Who says that accent nail trend is going out of style?

As for the base and top coat, the No 7 ones, mentioned in this post, are the ones I used. My favourite thing about them is that they dry very quickly. I've always had that issue where I get prints, out of nowhere, on my nails before the polish dries - yet the No 7 top coat prevents this as they're dry before I have time to destroy them! Did I mention it's super quick drying? Well, it deserved to be said twice!

What's your in-between-seasons go to shade?

No 7 Base + Top Coat, First Impressions : POTW

Hello!

"Popping into Boots and realising they had the buy one get one half price thing going on...I'd go for the No 7"

One thing I learnt from writing this post: taking pictures of clear things is very difficult. Okay, now that that's out there, let's move on. 

"I'm a sucker for the labelling and I am hoping it works wonders"

No 7 is not such a bad brand. Well, it's actually quite a good brand and when realising my go-to Barry M top coat was literally on it's last legs, with it taking much longer than it should to coat one nail with the clear shade, it was time to invest in a new one. Popping into Boots and realising they had the buy one get one half price thing going on, with a £3 off voucher, I thought I'd go for the No 7. 

"the wide brush is what sold it for me."

The fact that there's two different formulas for the base and top coat confuses me a little. What is the actual difference? I have no idea. However, I'm a sucker for the labelling and I am hoping it works wonders. In particular, the wide brush is what sold it for me. If you saw this post, you'd know how much easier it is to apply nail polish with this type of brush.
Who would've thought the size of the brush would drastically change your manicure routine?

LINKS:
No 7 Top Coat : Amazon, Boots
No 7 Base Coat : Amazon, Boots


What's your all time favourite top/base coats?

Red Everywhere, a Fresh Room & a Special Snowman: BerryWeekly

Hello!

"feel like such a grinch saying that... but it's the truth"

Another Friday, another week over! It's been a pretty relaxing week, recovering from the first week back to college and just taking it a step back. You may have seen these images on my Instagram... well not ALL of them, there must be some special ones reserved specifically for the blog, right?

"great for this time of year where it feels like everything is just piling up"

More than a fortnight past 2014 meant it was about time the Christmas decor had to come down. To be honest, there came a point when I was sick of Christmas decor in the room... I feel like such a grinch saying that... but it's the truth, and that's that!

Instantly, my room felt more 'fresh'. Not 'fresh' in the context Will.I.Am uses it in (btw, anyone keep up with The Voice?), but the more airy, spring-is-coming, kind of fresh! So, from that day, there was a little less red to be seen in my life.

How cute is this notebook? Little birdies hold connotations of freedom, relief and nature... okay, I really bought it because it's the most gorgeous colour! Debriefing yourself is a good way to wind down - great for this time of year where it feels like everything is just piling up!

"this nail paint makes life so much easier...See more in Wednesday's post HERE"

Did I say there was a little less red in my life? Well, I take that back. Shortly after taking down the christmas decor, I decided to paint my nails. The colour I went for? Red! I haven't really painted my nails in a while but this nail paint makes life so much easier. It has a wide brush so a coat is done in a matter of seconds! See more in Wednesday's post HERE. Oh, and so far, no chips! Yay!

"It's the little things in life! :)"

A special photo not shown to the instagrammers: I present you: Snowy.. the snowman! He is the little pattern on my PJ bottoms (which I'm wearing right now, actually), and guess what? The nails matched his scarf! It was meant to be! It's the little things in life! :)

I hope you have a super fun weekend, full with the little things that make you smile!
Tell me, how do you wind down from a stressful day?

Rimmel by Kate - MARS: POTW

Hello!

"Here's to another Red!"

Although the ultimate red nail season is gone, bye-bye autumn, in all honestly, Red is a colour that will last all year round. It's a classic, a staple in every girls nail collection and one that will never go old.

The good thing about the Rimmel Salon Pro range is the brush. The width is large and makes it a lot quicker, and easier to apply the colour. It's the same brush as the one I've talked about in this post, and seriously, the overall effect is great. Who wouldn't want a fabulous manicure in a matter of minutes?

"Who wouldn't want a fabulous manicure in a matter of minutes?"

So, is it just another red added to the collection or something special? Well, I haven't yet tried it out but when I do, you might just see it on Instagram!

Here's to another Red!

Do you have a favourite red polish?

Christmas Inspiration Board

Hello!

"They say a picture is worth a 1,000 words, well here's 12, 000 for you! "

Sometimes it's nice to get a little push in the right direction - this is exactly what inspiration boards are for! Now that it's Christmas in 27 days, the push is needed now more than ever! 

"it's Christmas in 27 days"

From decor, nail colours, socks, chestnuts and snow... it's all in here. They say a picture is worth a 1,000 words, well here's 12, 000 for you! 

What makes you most excited for Christmas? 

source: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12

Autumn Inspiration Board

Hello! 

"it is OFFICIALLY Fall.. even though we've been on about it for a while now on BBXO!"

As of last Monday, it is OFFICIALLY Fall.. even though we've been on about it for a while now on BBXO! We can finally feel the air being crisper when we woke up in the morning, with the sun rising at a later time everyday and the days getting shorter - yep, it's autumn!

Having never been one for Pinterest boards, believe me I've tried but never kept it up for long, this is a different way of doing the same thing. So, here's for fall inspiration:

"finally feel the air being crisper when we woke up in the morning"

Things that spring to mind: Fuzzy Socks, Hot Drinks, Roasted Chestnuts, Grey/Darker Nail Shades, Candles, Acorns, PUMPKINS! :D

What springs to your mind when you think of Fall? 

CHANEL Fall 2014 Nail Collection

Hello!

"hello to darker, deeper and neutral shades"

I feel like a broken record when I say this but autumn is literally around the corner now, meaning bye-bye to neon, pastel and bright nails and hello to darker, deeper and neutral shades. 

"Saying bye-bye to neon shades won't be that bad"

Chanel released their new Fall 2014 collection with these three shades, two of which are lighter neutrals and one a navy blue. The neutrals are great additions to any collection as they could easily pass off as summer shades, yet this range has been said to be streaky. They say you'll need a good 3 coats to get a solid good colour on your nails.

Saying bye-bye to neon shades won't be that bad, as the deeper, darker and neutral shades are more my cup of tea! Which do you prefer: neons or darker shades? 

*Images from Chanel.com

Manicure Monday: Mint Sparkles

Hello!

"you've basically seen everything before - yet this time, it's completely different."

If you were ANYWHERE in the last few weeks, you would have read this. If you read that, you would recognise something on here today. You may recognise another something if you saw this post and hence meaning you've basically seen everything before - yet this time, it's completely different.

"can we agree that the overall finish is pretty?"

Well, after all that, can we agree that the overall finish is pretty? At first, the mint shade, called Kiwi, was thought to be uber lovely by itself as a perfect summer shade but when choosing a colour to go with my outfit I wore to a wedding last week (can you tell with the henna tattoo?!?!), this one was a perfect match and to make it more wedding-y, I added some sparkle! 

Overall, that's my mani Monday - what's yours? 

Mani Monday... purchase - Barry M Gelly Kiwi

Hello! 

"Many brands are releasing the gel manicure"

A slightly different type of Mani Monday for you... This time a haul/purchase! Nevertheless, I'm sure it'll soon be featured as a proper Mani Monday sometime soon! 

"a mint colour was needed in my collection"

Many brands are releasing the gel manicure type of polished and I reel that Barry M were one of the first. The 'Gelly' line has been out for at least a year now as I had owned the 'Watermelon' and 'Blood. Orange' last summer and they are lovely, but not very bright, hence a mint colour was needed in my collection! 

"kiwis are meant to be green whereas this is more of a mint shade"

The one thing that can be confusing is the names to the colours, for example, the shade 'watermelon' does not look like the colour of a watermelon! And kiwis are meant to be green whereas this is more of a mint shade! It's a bit confusing but I guess it's all fun anyway! Let's be honest, the name doesn't REALLY matter yet the OPI names are very funny and make me want to buy them even more - but it doesn't really matter!

Have you tried Gel finish nail polishes yet?

Manicure Monday: Pastels are Back - Ice Cream Purple

Hello!

What is THE biggest trend for Summer pretty much every year?

Yep it's Pastels. That means there are pastel bags, pastel clothes and.... inevitably pastel nails! 

Pastels are said to make one look tanner and more summer ready! The most popular pastels would probably be the pastel pinks and whites - you know what I mean if you read this post. 

I was going for a pastel pink but opted for a pastel PURPLE this time round and I love it! It's slightly different yet also in the same pastel family.

This particular shade is Barry M Nail Paint in Ice Cream Purple - I've always loved Barry M for their quality and for this shade I needed 2 coats for an opaque finish.

What's on your favourite Pastel shade?

Mani Inspiration: Summer Edition

Hello! 

As I have nothing special on my nails yet, it was time for some nail inspiration - Summer Edition, of course! ;)

Knowing from the last Manicure Monday on BBXO, you'd realise I love Coral. Oh, and I love Gold. So, you guessed it: I love this mani! It is so girly yet summer-y and.. perfect! The accent nail was totally a thing a while a go but I feel it's still trendy enough to pull off without looking 'so last year'! 

Who said Navy is for the Winter? Well it is, but it's also for the summer! Working the Navy with the White makes it appropriate for this season. The all-different nails add dimension to the nails and they look pretty together.

Representing Pastels - there's no better colour group than Pastels for this season - show off your tan and make you feel like the Sun is officially here to stay!

Image Source: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4

Lilac is also a lovely colour that is undermentioned. It rarely is a huge topic of interest yet would work wonderfully as a mani.

What's your favourite Mani for Summer?