Sally Hansen Review

Ok so I have a bit of Sally Hansen addiction! These are the ones I've bought recently:

 A couple of weeks ago (6 to be exact) my nails were at the hyponychium (informally known as the "quick") so I decided to go on a nail-growing mission and now my tips are 5 mm long! Everyone thinks they're fake, which is great. Here's how I did it:


1. Shape* (file nails in one direction from each side of the nail towards the centre to prevent splitting)
2. Cuticles (soak and push back when moist with cuticle stick)
3. Apply nail growth formula or base coat
4. Apply two coats of nail polish (I like red** it looks great on short nails and hides any imperfections so I'm not tempted to fiddle with them whilst they're growing + they look pretty so it's an incentive to keep at it)
5. Add top coat and then cuticle oil*
6. Get some 'nailspiration' pics and keep them on your desktop, these were mine:

Ok, who's looking at the nails anyway.

KEEP AWAY FROM THE MOUTH! Think: "... long and pointy, long and pointy, long and pointy!" 

*I carry an emery board and cuticle oil with me so that when I'm tempted to bite I use the board and not my teeth to fix the snag + I rub cuticle oil in now and then. It's almost like chewing gum instead of smoking. Sounds gross but those who bite will understand!
**This step is essential


Here are my (real) nails at the moment (view and weep):

Now I just have to give them a bit more of an oval, pointy shape and voila!

pictures: vogue and sally hansen

Dreaming Of Beautiful Skin

*By the way: you can get Acnevelle from Skin Renewal clinics. I go to the one in Parkhurst. It takes at least 8 weeks to see improvements though...

Beauty Review: REN & Clarins Masks

After an intense week back at medschool I could tell my skin was in need of some definite TLC! Being product obsessed I was given truck loads (not really but a substantial amount) of lotions and potions as Christmas gifts. So last night I tried two new products and without a word of a lie I woke up this morning feeling like a new woman! My skin was literally glowing! Didn't even need to wear foundation... Yes, these were that good!

REN Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask:

This little bottle of gold juice is designed to renew the complexion by removing dead skin cells (I was glowing, not shining - key difference), reduce the appearance of fine lines (which I don't have yet but prevention is better than cure, right?) and dramatically improve skin tone (my skin appeared more even, less blochy) whilst getting rid of blackheads and blemishes (not one in sight)!

I love it! Don't think I'll ever use another mask! 

Clarins Skin Smoothing Eye Mask:

I love eye creams but a mask is extra luxurious, this one contains:


- Serrated Palmetto: decongests, prevents swelling.

- Wild Rose: drains, prevents puffiness.

- Rice Starch: absorbent, promotes a matte appearance.

- Chicory extract: smoothing, energizing.

- Apricot: moisturizing.

- Rose Water Concentrate: softening  

I once read an interview with some high-end magazine editor (think it was French Vogue, not too sure) who in her forties was praised for her lack of crow's feet. She blamed the early use of undereye cream & had bought her first bottle at 21! You can imagine reading that at the tender and easily influenced age of 19 how eye-cream crazy I went! Upon every visit to the chemist I would attempt to slip eye lotions into my mom's shopping basket & she would in turn promptly put them back on the shelf. The nagging eventually paid off because I got one for my 20th birthday and have been hooked ever since. If it makes any differnce only time will tell - watch this space...

*Note: My great skin could be due to the 3 week beach holiday, morning runs, drinking lots of water and eating way too many berries but the mask really was great & pepped up my skin the whole day.

Holiday tips from the experts

I thought I would share some great tips straight from the experts Target Beauty - JK Jemma Kidd from LaForce Stevens on Vimeo.
Target Beauty - NP Set Holiday 2010 from LaForce Stevens on Vimeo.
Target Beauty - Pixi Holiday 2010 from LaForce Stevens on Vimeo.
Target Beauty - Umberto Holiday 2010 from LaForce Stevens on Vimeo.
And now I have to run to Target to ummm....pick up some.....uh tape...

TOP 10 EYEBROW MISTAKES

And with no further ado - my first post! A big HELLO to all of my new friends at Black Nail Polish & Lip Gloss! My name is Joey Healy and I am a NYC based editorial makeup artist and eyebrow specialist. Like most of you, I’ve been a smitten reader of BNP&LG since its bloggy birth in mid-2009. There is frankly no other site that explores the unconventional, eclectic ART of beauty like the one you

Mirror Mirror on the wall....

who decides who is the prettiest of them all?
For a lot of reasons this question has popped into my mind again and then after a conversation on TwitterI decided that the nails can wait until tomorrow I want to explore this.
Where did your view of beauty come from? Do you know?Where did your view of ugly, fat, weird, skinny, too tall, too short come from?Is this what beauty looks like?
or is it