I got Shellacked!

I got a little bit excited when (action)Mags pointed out Beaut.ie's post about Creative Nail Design's new Shellac manicure the other day. I've always fancied trying gel/acrylic nails but have been put off by the fact that they ruin your own nails. According to CND, not only does Shellac not damage your nails, it actually encourages growth as it protects the nail. All while giving you 14 days worth of lovely shiny nail polish! 'I'll have me some of that', I thought, and made an appointment with Creative Nail Academy and Spa yesterday. I'm off to Paris for the weekend so the timing was perfect for a bit of a treat. Here's the result:


Isn't it lovely? I've already put it through a few tasks: scrubbing the shower clean, washing my hair and opening a can with a ring pull, and it's still perfect. In fact those photos were taken after I had done all those things.

So I'll report back in two weeks time. Underneath that polish my nails are in bits, they're constantly splitting and peeling so I'll be really interested to see if the condition improves, but it might take a few applications of Shellac for that to happen. Anyway, so far so good. If the colour lasts without chipping, I can see myself getting addicted to fortnightly manicures, especially if they expand the colour range to include some of the greys and greens I've been mostly wearing lately.

You can read more about Shellac on Creative Academy's website and on Beaut.ie's post.

Expensive Mascaras .... are they worth it? (and possibly the worst pictures ever seen in a blog)

Ok so I may in fact be the worst blogger known to mankind. Anyway I am back for you to see another one of my faults which is taking pictures. WARNING you will see some dark circles.

Anyway, in this current crappy economic crisis I am trying to save money so one of the first things I am doing is the Project 10 Pan (or 15 pan in my case ). I will be the first to admit that during the good times I could be a bit of a makeup snob. I would have a list as long as my arm of lovely high end cosmetics that I wanted to try. Since I have the smallest, tiniest eyelashes on this planet (they are kinda curly I guess I can give them that) I am always trying something to make them look amazing (never going to happen but a girl can try). One of the mascaras that had a big buzz about it on YouTube was Fresh Supernova so when I was in America last year I had to pick it up (along with a few others - eek told you I had a problem). Anyway according to themselves it has conditioning oils that moisturise the lashes and it also thickens and lengthens. Great right??? Well it was also $25.00 (but I was in one of those.... sure that's practically only €2.00 moods). So I have been using the Fresh Supernova and I really like it, it brushes out your eyelashes and separates them making them a lovely fan of eyelashes (that you can actually see.. as opposed to my natural lashes). I was very kindly given (by SileC) the Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara. Now old me would have been very much part of the "get what you pay for" club but Sexy Curves has changed my mind. If you need lengthening... and lets face it who doesn't... this is your baby. It really lengthens your lashes . It has a magic wand (yes it is magic) which has three nobbles on it.

So now for the evidence:

First picture is me with no makeup (eek I know DARK SHADOWS AND PUFFY EYES) and as you can see it doesn't actually look like I have any eyelashes at all.

Second Picture is me (looking quite mental, sorry I could do no better) wearing the Fresh Supernova mascara. As you can see it makes all my lashes fuller and much longer than they naturally are.

Third picture is is with Rimmel Sexy Curves... look at the length, they are not as full as the Fresh Supernova lashes but the length is impressive.

So I think I will not bother spending a ton of money on an expensive mascara and stick with the chemist. Do you have any amazing mascaras that you would recommend?