I found this shade in particular applied sooo nicely. Two coats, no bubbles, like a sort of wham bam thank you mam but in a more desireable context. I approve.








I couldn't decide which pictures to add and which to leave out (I'm exprimenting with a new nail polish swatching technique, which is photographing them outside my window, lol) so this is a rather pic heavy post.





These dry down to a semi-satin, but still with some shine to it - again, typical of a neon finish but not quite. They're just bright enough to be bang on trend for summer, but not too bright as to alienate less daring nail polish wearers. The swatches that you're seeing have had a layer of topcoat applied to it though, as I wanted to see it shiny!



As you can see, my Mum and I are collecting our tokens...are you? The value of these polishes is pretty damn intense, if you're in the UK I'd be surprised if you missed out!

I'm kinda notorious for being a not very trendy person. I:

still don't own a matte top coat
don't like Adele's music
have only recently decided to expand my pastels collection
don't own a pair of Uggs, real or otherwise. (and don't plan to, because they're fugly)
only bought my first crackle polish a couple of weeks ago.don't own any lipsticks in bullets that aren't brown.
etc.

But seeing as this is going to be a long and hopefully fruitful summer, I thought I'd have a go especially as it's summer, and the trend this year (isn't it the same every year? idk) is for bright, colourful nails. Here are my personail picks for this summer, style shamelessly borrowed from the lovely 25fLONDON:










Thumb: Nails Inc for Diet Coke (one of their ever frequent collaborations <3 helps us poor students afford their polish which is great because I'm sure many of you are aware that I'm a diehard fan) 'Milan'
Index Finger: Barry M 'Cyan Blue'
Middle Finger: Essie 'Bermuda Shorts'
Ring Finger: ASOS Paints 'Lily'
Little Finger: ASOS Paints 'Olivia'

'Milan' is a bright, true red, which is a staple pedicure shade in the summer. Pity that there are least photos of it, because it was really hard to get my whole hand in the shot with the glass, lol.
'Cyan Blue' is bordering on neon, but it's still an unconventional shade to nail muggles and pretty appropriate for the summer, in my opinion.
I love love LOVE 'Bermuda Shorts', as I'm sure you've already heard judging by my review on it, but this is a very bright fuschia-pink and again, a great pedicure shade.
'Lily' is a twist on the mint green love in that's been going on for far too long now. It appears darker in the some of the photos because of the (lack of) lighting (it was like two in the morning) but it's a neon, turquoise-teal colour. Pretty unique!
'Olivia' is the orange on my little finger, it's quite bright but not actually neon or anything. It's more understated and would be interesting as an accent colour in a mani of Barry M's Cyan Blue, or something.


Fabulous Magazine (comes inside the News Of The World on a Sunday) are offering two free Nails Inc polishes when you collect three tokens and take them to a participating Tesco store. I have some information from the press release here:

This summer Fabulous are keeping Britain’s nails sizzling by giving away two free Nails Inc. polishes worth an incredible £22. Created especially for Fabulous, the shades – called Atomic and OMP! (that’s Oh My Pink!) – are sure to be this season’s hottest shades!

To bag the two free nail varnishes, readers need to cut out and collect three of the tokens printed over the next four weeks in Fabulous, starting this Sunday (19^th June). They then need to take these to participating Tesco stores from 3^rd July to redeem.  Plus, they can treat themselves to a half-price manicure for £14 (usually £28) at any participating Nails Inc salon.

This summer is proving increasingly tempting. My bank account is in a perpetual state of emptiness because of the great magazine freebies (Fabulous as well as Glamour/Benetint and Harpers Bazaar/Leighton Denny) and the new collections (MUA, BeautyUK, Sleek with the Mediterean/Carribean/Oh So Special) so yeah, trying to get Bill Gates to adopt me right now.



What Nails Inc promo polishes have you picked up, if any? I went STRAIGHT to Boots and bought two Dove polishes on the day that the promotion started. Coincidentally, I'd just finished my Dove roll on that morning...no foul play involved. Anyway, in the morning, my Mum and I went for a walk and then drove into town to the rather large Boots. Went to the deoderant section, and the special stand was displayed, replete with poster, but...no polishes. Wtf. So we (and another older lady who just happened to be standing with us) complained, and then at first the woman said she had some in stock, went to check, wasted about fifteen minutes and then came back and said they hadn't had a delivery yet. I was like, that's false advertising then. Why put the stand up if you haven't actually got any? Urgh. So we went into the next town and managed to acquire one 'Copabana' each. The other colour wasn't really my thing.
I know they're also doing something with Malibu (the drink) and a bar, and I like the colours, but I'd never get served so there's no point even trying. So yeah, anyone else planning on taking advantage?

I was actually back on Sunday/Saturday, but was far too knackered to post, and school is seriously arsewhipping me at the moment so I couldn't post on Monday, either - sorry.

I recieved the freebies from that The Sun Buzz promotion today, actually. I did send off for two (no, I'm not being greedy, I was going to add it to an upcoming Barry M giveaway prize pack!) but I only got one. I figured it would happen, to be honest, as they usually only let you claim one for these things, don't they? Even though I purchased two copies. And I don't read the Sun. *shudder*. Still, it's a pretty decent offer, isn't it? Only one token to collect, and you get £9 worth of Barry M products for the cost of one paper! I think it was about 80p? 60p? Can't quite remember. It was cheap! The magazine inside was worth a read, but the actual newspaper...no. Just no.

A rather craptastic photograph. Sorry guys, I'll retake them if I have an in depth look at the products.

I bought the copies of the paper on Saturday. My Mum came back from the airport having purchased two copies (at the airport, naturally) - but oddly, they were lacking the magazine inside - which was the part that I needed! I then made a mad rush to the local newsagents and bought two more, which did have the magazine inside, cut out the tokens, and then gave one to my Mum who was going up to town to get herself a new pair of shoes. I kept the other as I had an orchestra rehearsal at school (on a flipping Sunday, call ourselves a Catholic school) the next day. I reasoned that I could quickly pop into the Superdrug there, exchange the token and pick up a couple of makeup items while I was there.

Unfortunately, I went down there to find that all the stock had vanished within the first hour - on Saturday. My Mum reported the same thing. So we'd have to send it to the Sun Buzz offices (at our own cost) to redeem the tokens. Great.
I do feel like the Sun Buzz should have seen it coming. It's a one day thing (as in, you don't have to go and collect all the tokens over x number of weeks) and it's a very popular newspaper - many women and men read it, and were likely to take the offer up. Therefore, they should have, or the people in charge of that decision should have manufactured and distributed more sets so that readers wouldn't then have to send it off at their own expense.

I'm probably just being ungrateful though. The products do look really nice. I know that the lipgloss will never suit me, so I've put that away for a giveaway/swap/love package use, but I think the nail polish colour is rather unique and everyone loves a black eyeliner.

EDIT: Today, I recieved the second package - so the Sun Buzz are honouring all tokens, and it's been added to the giveaway prize ;)
Did any of you guys take up this offer? Did you manage to get it instore or did you have to send off for it?

I'm hoping some of you will remember, not too long ago I told you all about the Free Nails Inc polish with the December issue of Glamour? Well, I picked one up myself and found the little gem that is Nails Inc Jermyn Steet.

 This went on really well and was opaque in two coats. I'm still eager to try out Barry M Nail Paint in "Mushroom" because that looks like a really dark brown and I felt this was quite cool on my skintone. Still, I like it. It's a cool nude.
 No bubbles. It didn't last particularly long without a topcoat though, only a day before it began chipping. Which sucks. If I'd paid £10 a bottle for this, which is the RRP if I remember correctly, I'd be fuming. I shouldn't have to wear a topcoat, dammit :P I haven't tried it with one yet, though, so perhaps I'll update this when I have.
 It dried really quickly as well, which is always a plus since I ran out of my fast drying topcoat. Boo, Sally Hansen. Way to go cloudy and gloopy halfway down the bottle. Thanks for that.
The real plus of this polish, in my opinion, is in the removal. It genuinely melts off the fingernail when you apply removal to it. No rubbing, no effort of any kind involved, just wipe and you're ready to go. Makes my life so much easier. A+
Did anyone else pick up a copy of Glamour this month? Let us know if you did!

For my UK readers:

The December issue of Glamour (£2) is giving away a Nails Inc polish in a choice of four different colours! I bought "Jermyn Street". It's a pretty good deal because they're usually like £11 each or something dumb like that.

 I was so excited I totally ignored the fact that Charlotte Church was on the cover and just ripped the bottle off the cover lol :P
Sorry Charlotte. Not interesting enough. Look at that huge yellow banner!

So I was at the Body Shop a couple of days ago. Well, not at, really. We were walking past the Body Shop in the shopping centre actually. Anyway, a nice lady holding a body shop bag offers these little tubs of sample body creams to us and says we should take them away and try them...hey, who passes up a freebie?

Isn't it dinky? Everybody, together now: awwww!

Smells divine, as well. Haven't had a chance to use it properly yet but it seems nice and thick.
There's about enough for a couple of uses. Anyone else found this?