I bought a set of four hand gels from the Body Shop recently and am currently working through the Mango fragranced gel.
First impressions
The gel is very easy to use and I keep mine on my desk at work. I like that this gives a fruity burst and helps eliminate germs on the hand.
Bottle style
The bottle has a flip top lid and it is easy to squeeze out a small dot, you really do not need to use a lot to get a proper application.
In use
It feels very cold and wet for around 5 seconds then totally dries only leaving the scent behind.
Beware
If you have any cuts and bruises on your hands this gel will find them and they will sting as with all alcohol based cleansing gels.
What is it?
This is a way of cleaning your hands without rinsing in water. It does not replace soap and water which is the best way to wash hands but it does provide a solution if you are unable to get to a sink.
Price and availability
This bottle of mango came in a set of four little bottles each sized 60 ml and different fragrances. I know I also have coconut. The set was bought from a Body Shop Outlet Store and was around five pounds. I have seen the coconut style ones for sale on the Fragrance Direct website for as little as 99p per bottle. The retail price for a single 60 ml bottle is £2.50 on the Body Shop website but they do usually have offers on so you will probably find a discount code to get it a bit cheaper.
My thoughts
I try to use this to reduce the germs and colds i get from work (I blame the air conditioner) and from the kids. I still get ill even though I use this stuff but maybe not so much as I would do if I did not use it. I like the fruity scent of this bottle and it is not at all sticky on the hands once dry. It is also not drying on the skin as some gel cleansers can be.
Final word
I find this gel to be really gentle on the skin and it makes my hands smell lovely. I will definitely be back for more!
My thoughts on Nailtiques nail polish remover...
I think I have tried every nail polish remover on the market by now! I have to say that some are better than others, and some don't work at all! Some are really cheap but you have to question whether they are effective and place that over the price paid.
The discovery
I got a mini bottle of the Nailtiques acetone free nail polish remover in a mini kit from the Look Fantastic website recently. The set was so good I bought it twice in fact! It was a good introduction to the brand which I now look out for online as I liked all three items in the kit.
In use
The bottle was around 30 ml although you get a larger bottle if you just buy it on its own. I use this remover with cotton pads although I have since discovered some lint free removers on Amazon that work far better, use less remover liquid and do not leave any residue fluff on the nail. I drench a pad then wipe away from the nail to avoid rubbing polish in to the nail bed and getting it on my skin and cuticles.
Price
It is easy to find this product online. A 173ml bottle is £5.53 on Beauty Bay. Looking around it is widely available and priced between £4 and £6. I paid £8 for my mini which also came with a nail oil and a mystery polish.
My thoughts
I did use a lot of this remover in one sitting, too much really but I didn't want to scrub, I just wanted the polish to slide off the nail easily. I didn't really mind using a lot but it meant my little bottle only lasted for a couple of manicures.
Handy for travel
The smaller bottles are pretty useful when travelling so I will probably buy another pack with them in as I like the mystery polish you get in the pack plus a nail oil too.
Final word
I would buy this again in the midst of a bigger order but would not seek it out individually as it works well but so do other products that are a little cheaper. I would be happy to receive it in a set again though and the little bottles are great for removing polish on the move.
Konad nail stamping set
Konad branded items were the first polishes and stampers I bought when I first got in to nail art and specifically stamping. This set, I bought from Amazon a few years ago and it got me in to the stamping using the plates I bought.
What?
Perhaps I am confusing you already, let me take a small step back. Stamping on to nails is a very effective nail art but it requires a few supplies namely: etched plates, stamping pads, scrapers and special polish. You use these together to stamp a design on to the nail.
This set
This set is a double ended stamper and scraper. It is handy because sometimes you only want to stamp a single image (like a leaf) on to the end in which case you'd use the small end. Or alternatively a full pattern on to the whole nail so you would use the large end. You use the scraper on the plate to remove excess polish from your image before picking up the design on to the padded stamper.
In use
This is a simple kit to use, with the help of some YouTube videos I managed to get it working. They are easy to clean up with a bit of normal nail polish remover and some cotton wool pads.
Availability and price
You can still pick up the sets for just under £10 on Amazon although I bought mine a few years ago.
My thoughts
I have moved on from this style stamper and scraper now for a few reasons. I have a giant pad that picks up a bigger design and I find it a lot easier to use especially with the picture plates which have a whole image on them rather than the individual nail patterns as my nails are quite long so the stampers in this set are not really big enough if I want a full design on my nails. You can also buy clear stampers which help with placement of the design on the nail and with this one it's a bit of guess work!
Final word
For the money, it's OK but most will prefer the clear stampers if they want to be more precise. Some stampers don't pick up the design and I did get this one to work properly so that definitely goes in their favour!
Pictures
These were all done using this stamping set in 2015 but I have moved on a bit now and use a bigger stamp which copes better with my longer nails!
In the quest for long, strong nails, the purchase of all nail oils and cuticle products has become an endless venture for me. I do like to keep these little bottles of oil all over the place so when I spotted the Poundland range of makeup and beauty items also make an oil it went straight in the basket.
What is it?
Nail oil helps to keep nails flexible and the nail bed healthy which is important in the growth pattern of the nail. It also keeps skin around the nails and the cuticle nice and supple and less likely to turn in to a hangnail which is then tempting to pick or nibble at!
Description
The packaging on this make up gallery nail oil is pretty simple with a clear glass round bottle and the product visible inside. In the lid is a built in brush as with nail polishes and you unscrew it to use it.
In use
This is the simplest product ever to use. You just dip in the brush and apply liberally on and around the nail, then massage in to the nail bed well to keep the cuticles nice. You can use this as many times as you like in a day and I like to reapply a few times and then I have other similar products by my bed for the night time nourishment.
Price
Just a pound from the shop with the same name! (Poundland).
My thoughts
This product works just fine and has no nasty smell to it which is good. My only observation is that it is a little runny when compared to the thicker oil in my Sally Hansen nail oil which also sits on my desk - almost empty. This bottle will last ages and this is even with regular use. I would definitely buy another to replace it when I am finished as you can't go wrong at that price. I don't think that it really matters that this is a bit more runny than the more expensive cuticle oils.
Final word
I like this product a lot for the price paid it definitely fits in to the budget beauty category but why pay more when this does the trick quite well? This is always available when I have visited the store and I think a lot of people will not be bothered to buy it or use it as they see no need for it in their lives but for me it is essential and if you like to take care of your nails it helps with the drying nature of remover and restores moisture to the nail.
The photo is of my nails to show it does promote growth.
This is da Bomb!
I do like Benefit make up although it can be a bit expensive I like to try out most of their lines. I got a blusher set just before Christmas that had a lot of their blushes and bronzers included, with the SugarBomb blush also in this set.
Gravitation
What was interesting is that this is the one I go for most often out of all the choices of blush. All the colours are wearable but I think I gravitate towards SugarBomb as it's a multi tasking speedy item.
What is it?
Four complementing shades of rose, shimmering pink, soft plum and sumptuous peach blend together perfectly to give cheeks a natural looking bright but soft look.
In use
I use a small blusher brush so as not to overwhelm the pan and push the powder in to another area. I find it blends in to the skin well and adds a rosy touch with not too much sparkle on the skin. I was doubtful in the beginning that the four shades would be complementary and work together but actually, they do if you swirl your brush around them. It is impossible to pick up just one shade with the style of brush you need to use, although the Boots web page suggests "for an extra candy pop of color, apply your favorite of the four shades to the apples of our cheeks..." perhaps this is easier with the full sized product.
My thoughts
I did wonder whether this blusher was four of the other products jumbled in to one pan but it seems that this is not the case and that they are actually unique shades in their own right to make up the SugarBomb pan. I think it'd be quite cool to have a product made of four existing shades. I would say this is a speedy blush as it does a bit of everything at once, rather than a painstaking contour although I can use my Hoola that is also in the same palette to do the little bit of contour to aid the look of cheekbones (due to total lack of cheekbones lol).
Price and availability
At Boots, this retails for £23.50 and you get 12g of product. Lots of department stores and online shops sell the Benefit brand and at the moment this product is pretty easy to get hold of.
Final word
I do think this set was great value for money when you look at the unit price of the SugarBomb on its own but then you do get more grammes for your money if you buy it individually. I like the choice of the palette but have to say that the SugarBomb product is my favourite when rushing in the morning. I will review the other shades in the coming days and weeks and try not to keep saying "this one is my favourite..." lol.
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