Monday Blues...

Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend! Although the title of this post may suggest otherwise, I've had a lovely chilled out day :) 

I went into town last week with the intention of buying a new pastel nail varnish and ended up buying a dark blue jumper and nail varnish instead :')

Jumper: £12 Primark

I adore this! I'm not usually a huge fan of wearing so much blue, but I can definitely make an exception for this jumper. It also comes in an alternative colour scheme - reds and oranges I think! For only £12 you can't go wrong really!

Nail Varnish: £1.99 Miss Sporty

When I bought this colour I really wasn't sure how keen on it I actually was, I didn't particularly have high hopes for it, due to the price. Oh how I was wrong! I don't think these polishes come in a huge range of colours, but I will definitely be investing in any more colours that catch my eye.

Nail Varnish: £2.99 Barry M - Pink Iridescent

This is my my favourite nail varnish at the moment. I've been wearing it over the top of every shade I've worn for the last few months. Needless to say it's almost run out and I was gutted they no longer had it in stock on the Barry M website! Though I've just checked and it's listed again! Doesn't everything look better with a splash of glitter...

Nail Varnish: £2.99 Barry M - All In One Basecoat, Topcoat and Hardener

Nail Varnish: around £4.10 Maybelline - Protecting Top Coat

I never used to bother painting my nails often, as it seemed they would ALWAYS chip after a few days. I most certainly underestimated the power of the base and topcoat. Above are the two polishes I currently own. The Maybelline polish I was not impressed with. It was expensive and the brush doesn't go to the bottom of the bottle, so it is impossible to get the last bit out. The Barry M topcoat is so much better and has a runnier consistency, making it easier to apply and I expect it to last so much longer!

I now do my nails once a week and it isn't a quick job - usually taking over 2 hours from start to finish (!) As I rarely experiment in the makeup department I use my nails to try out different shades and patterns.

My Tips For A Lasting Manicure

- Good base and top coat.

- Always apply a thin, even layer of polish first before applying the second coat.

- Make sure each layer is properly dry before painting over.

-To finish I always apply the topcoat and put a small line horizontally across the end of the nail to seal it completely.

My nails usually last around 7 days, and I've had this Miss Sporty on for a week and a half now and it's still going strong!! 

What are everyone else's tips for long lasting nails!?

xo