Candy Sprinkles Envy Wraps Bling

Nail wraps are imho one of the best innovations in the last few years. They make even the most complicated of designs so simple and fast to achieve without fuss, fumes or frustration. As much as I love the idea of the Ciate Caviar nails (I am still on the waiting list for a set) I dread the spillage that will undoubtedly ensue when my shaky hands finally get hold of all those little beads.

I was therefore very much excited to see that Elegant Touch have released their own textured nail stickers - the new Envy Wraps Bling in Candy Sprinkles. These work just like any other nail wrap, but the little multi coloured gems are 3D, which makes them all sorts of sparkly!

Having just painted my nails the day before these landed on my doorstep I was too impatient to wait and decided to try them straight away. The base of the wraps is clear so you can apply them on your bare nail or on top of any coloured polish. You don’t need any heat with these so they were super quick to apply and lasted for about 3 days before the edges started fraying and peeling off.

I can genuinely say that I got so many compliments on my little Candy Sprinkles ‘feature’ nails over the next few days and most people were shocked that these were wraps as they thought I had painstakingly applied the gems individually.

Envy Wraps Bling can be purchased here for £6.99. Other designs in the range include silver droplets, leopard and zebra prints. 

Are you a fan of nail wraps? What do you think of the new textured nail wraps? Will you be checking out the new Envy Wraps Bling range? xxx

YSL La Laque Couture - Rose Futuriste

Yves Saint Laurent's latest nail collection La Laque Couture contains 30 timeless shades created to represent the couture legacy and the contemporary creations of the House of Saint Laurent. The range of shades is really impressive with muted pinks, neons, metallics and even some illusive taupes - a little something for everyone. I was immediately drawn to these when seeing the ad campaign... not least because of those amazing shoes!

I was kindly sent three shades to try out. Nothing brings excitement to the office like the arrival of a little YSL package. All the bottles look so luxurious in their glamorous gold packaging and luckily the product inside has never been a disappointment.

(Without flash)

 

(With flash)

The two pinks above are pretty similar, but after much thought (I'm deep like that lol) I finally decided on the cooler pink of the two No. 11 Rose Futuriste to paint my talons. The first thing I noticed is the amazing brush. Now, I am no heart surgeon and my hands are a little more than shaky, especially when working on small areas, but application with this brush was so quick and easy. The bristles are quite sturdy, while the brush is wide and flat with a curved edge, which means you can create the perfect shape at the cuticle and smoothly cover the whole nail in polish in one or two strokes. Come to think of it I think this is my favourite brush of any brands I have used!

The polish itself was deeply pigmented and pretty much opaque in one coat. It dried pretty quickly with a high gloss finish. I always use Seche Vite as a topcoat, a 'control' in all my nail polish experiments if you will ;).

I absolutely adore this colour. Bright pink has been the perfect antidote to the recent weather!

YSL La Laque Couture polishes retail at £18 and can be purchased online from Selfridges here.

Have you tried any of the new YSL Couture polishes? Which are your favourite shades? Were you equally impressed with the brush? xxx

Chi Yu and Well Well Well

A few weeks ago I was kindly invited to attend an event at the Chi Yu Wellness centre to hear all about their latest nutritional products from Well Well Well and test out a few of their most popular treatments.

If you were wondering where the name of this spa comes from “chi yu” actually means ‘healing’ in Japanese. ‘Shizen chiyu ryoku’ means the body’s self-healing ability.  The centre is very much targeted at improving your state of physical well being using a mix of modern western and traditional Japanese methods, which are reflected in the spa’s contemporary, yet classic Japanese interiors. The are five treatment rooms (including a double treatment room), which are individually themed to reflect the ethos of chi yu and provide a tranquil environment. Chi Yu also incorporates a wellbeing boutique, where you can purchase a selection of skin care, teas, supplements, candles and other luxury home & travel accessories.

Chi Yu’s extensive range of treatments includes acupuncture, oriental & holistic aromatherapy, craniosacral therapy, pre & post natal care, holistic beauty, reflexology and a selection of different massage therapies.

I was lucky enough to try out mini versions of two of the treatments. I was first treated to 20 mins of reflexology with LED light therapy. This involved my therapist Mami working on my feet, while I relaxed with a rather futuristic looking red light mask on, which promotes healing in the skin, as well as having anti-ageing benefits. I had never had reflexology before so I was a little apprehensive of having my feet so thoroughly looked at firstly, because I am quite ticklish, and secondly because I have very strange, highly arched feet that cause me pain on pretty much a daily basis. Luckily, my fears were gone the second I lay down and Mami began the treatment. She massaged different points on my feet (she was firm, but there was no pain or discomfort) and explained how these relate to different areas of the body. As I had spent the weeks prior to this hunched over my books revising every spare minute she immediately noticed the tension in my back and shoulders, as well as significant discomfort in my neck. She then massaged these ‘crunchy’, knotted areas and by the end of the treatment, not only did my feet feel thoroughly cared for, but some of the ache in my neck and shoulders also began to disappear!

The second treatment I was treated to was a neck and shoulder massage using heated bamboo sticks. This was great for relieving tension in sore muscles.

After my treatments I was taken upstairs to meet the founders of Well Well Well, who provide a range of healthy supplements sold at Chi Yu, as well as their own website. Their three most popular products are the Acai, Black Rice Bran and Krill Oil.

Black Rice (£21.95) is a Chinese delicacy full of antioxidants, vitamin E and fibre. It's the only bran on the market full of essential fatty acids and anti ageing antioxidants that help maintain healthy hair, skin and nails. To get all these benefits you just need to add one to three teaspoons of this amazing superfood to protein shakes, yogurt, cereal and juices.

I am sure most of you have heard of the Brazillian superfood Acai, which has gained cult status in recent years. Well Well Well’s Acai (£19.95) has 10 times the antioxidant capacity of grapes, 30 times the antioxidant capacity of red wine and double the antioxidant power of a serving of blueberries! It is packed full of anthocyanins (a potent antioxidant) that helps maintain cell integrity keeping skin resilient, supple and youthful looking. This supplement turns everything purple, but the taste is nowhere near as strong as its colour.

Krill Oil (£23.95) improves skin elasticity, reduces arthritis and inflammation, protects against UV damage, relieves PMS and it can help with muscle repair and even lower cholesterol. The best part is that it doesn’t taste like fish so can easily be taken every day with your breakfast.

I have been trying these supplements out over the last few weeks and have found them so easy to incorporate into my daily diet. A sprinkle here and there is all it takes to get beautiful, glowing skin and makes sure that your body is just as healthy on the inside as it is on the outside!

To see Chi Yu's full list of therapies and to book your treatment please visit their website here. To learn healthy recipes or purchase Well Well Well superfoods please visit their website here. 

Have you ever been to the lovely Chi Yu spa or tried any of Well Well Well's food supplements? Do you currently take any supplements? xxx

OOTN: K Middy

If you can't beat them, join them! That's always my philosophy when visiting the glamorous capital of the north - Liverpool.

So for a bank holiday night out I knew that big hair and heels would be a must! I chose this lace overlay bubble dress from Zara (as worn by Kate Middleton), which I was able to track down, despite it's instant sell out in the UK, while I was shopping in Hong Kong.

The wedges are from All Saints, which I had packed to wear with another dress, but given the freezing weather I had to pair them with black tights and hope that in the dark no one would notice the dreaded open toe shoe/ tights combo. Shhhh... I don't think anyone saw...

The makeup was a fail safe brown smokey eye, lashes and pale lip. To show off the deep v in the back I pulled my hair into a low side ponytail, which was super easy to style and made sure that the volume stayed put all night. 

 

I hope you are all having a fabulous bank holiday weekend! xxx

Inspiration: Neom Organic Reed Diffuser

I have a very sensitive nose. Perhaps it has evolved to compensate for my poor sight, but I don't always view it as an evolutionary benefit when living in a city that isn't particularly fragrant. Therefore, when at home I try to take refuge in a space filled with delectable scents. I always have a candle burning in my living room and am an avid Febreeze purchaser. However, this does not always mix well with my abundant allergies! Candles are amazing as they can make a room feel alive with light and scent, but sometimes you may want a subtle, clean aroma with no sooty remnants. I have come to absolutely adore Neom's organic reed diffusers for just that!

The Violet, Chamomile and Cedarwood scent from Neom is called Inspiration, and aptly so. This mix of pure essential oils with 80% certified organic ingredients and 20% natural ingredients releases a light, fresh fragrance that is soothing and calming, while being uplifting and energizing. 

I have always struggled with having a candle in the bedroom (not least because if left unattended it can tarnish a perfectly white wall... oops), but also because the last thing you want is smoke in the room that you sleep in. This reed diffuser has been sitting on my side table for a few weeks and it has made the whole room smell absolutely heavenly. I have had no problems with my allergies and am happy to see that the level of oils has not decreased rapidly, so I can enjoy the scent for weeks to come!


Other fragrances in the range include Complete Bliss, Real Luxury and Refresh and after being sent Inspiration to review I will definitely be purchasing another as a gift or a treat! 


Neom reed diffusers are £32 and can be found on their website here.

Are you a fan of home fragrances? Have you ever purchased a reed diffuser? What are your favourite scents? xxx