Show Us Your Favourite...with C.S.I Beauty Blog

Hello! I'm L from Cosmetics, Shopping and Intoxication, (CSI) a blog I co-write with M. We write about everything from make up to cocktails, clothes to cakes so feel free to check us out and say hello! It took me a while to think up a favourite post, mainly because I have so many favourites that it was hard to condense them into something readable! Eventually I thought about the fact that I really do LOVE painting my nails, even filing and buffing them as I feel so much more 'done' when my nails are manicured and I find the process relaxes me after a long day or sets me up for a night out! So here is a post about my favourite nail products. My nails are one of my favourite things to do as it's so relaxing. I can do it whilst watching tv and choose to do something nude, glittery or more complicated by adding some nail art. I have a few favourites that help me out so I'm going to share them with you today! 

 1) I do love the Nails Inc files, they're durable and seem to last forever which is great as I've had mine for a good while from a manicure I had and its still going strong! My favourite block to buff and shine my nails is the one from Models Own. It starts its life looking so neon and bright which is what drew me to it initially which you can still see in the pictures but unfortunately fades a little with wear. My nails are easily buffed and feel super smooth after using this and sometimes after using the shine part I do leave my nails as they are without polish, it really is that good!  

 2) Revlon Post Trauma Nail Polish and Calcium Gel Nail Hardener. These products are my go-to polishes for base coats as the Post Trauma one actually sinks into your nails and heals some of the flaking problems. The Calcium Gel hardener helps to prevent nails from splitting and breaking off and the combination of these two products together stops the majority of nail breakages yet isn't too thick for a base coat.

   

 3) Essie nudes are very well known for being popular and it's no wonder when they have such a range! I love Sand Tropez, Fiji and Ballet Slippers. As for metallics my absolute favourite is Model's Own Champagne Gold, perfect for summer, winter, day and night, especially summer nights out on holiday! For neons there is no other colour for me apart from China Glaze, their neons actually glow on the nail and I absolutely love it! My favourites are Pool Party and Turned Up Turquoise! (shown below!)

   

 4) My favourite top coat is again by Essie. It dries really fast, leaves a smooth chip resistant coat and is really good value as it's not as expensive as the OPI or Seche Vite top coats.  

 5) Lastly I have jumped on the bandwagon of the Bourjois Magic Nail Polish remover pot. It took me a while as I just didn't believe it but eventually picked it up in a deal and couldn't believe how easy it was to remove nail polish! I'm forever carting a bag of stuff up and down the stairs when I want to do my nails whilst watching tv with my mum and this removes the need for me to bring cotton wool and risk getting remover over the leather sofa suite (eek!). Not only is it easy and pretty much risk free it doesn't smell too badly either which is a bonus! Hope you've enjoyed my 'Favourites' post. I could have gone on forever and included glitters, but I feel that's a whole other post as there's so many possibilities! Thanks to Chantele for having me and M guest post on here whilst she's busy setting up her company and moving, what a mammoth and brave task! If you liked what you've just read come and find me over on my blog, thanks for reading :)

 L xxx

@CSIBeautyBlog

Big thank you to L, I am totally off to find that nail varnish remover, sounds awesome!

Beauty - Mani of the Week

Ah here is another quick mani of the week for you. I wanted something a little festive! So Red and Green it was. Plus I found a tutorial for a cling film manicure to give a marbled effect. Although I think it looked more like a sand stone effect in the end! But I kinda like how it came out!

Green - Collection 2000, Hot Looks in Ninja from Superdrug

Red - Nails Inc in Tate from Boots.com

 To get the effect all you need is your 2 colours and 10 cling film balls, just get a strip and scrunch it up. Then apply your base coat and let it dry fully. Then apply your top colour and press the cling film ball onto it, it needs to be firm but not too firm and do it in one movement, do not dab or move it around as it will just blur instead of making a splatter type pattern. Then top coat! I used a slightly glittery one from 17.

So what are your favourite polishes for this season? I am after one of the ones with big chunks of glitter in, but haven't managed to find one I like yet, any suggestions?

Beauty - Mani of the Week

Seeing as my little Beauty Guest Post from Makeup Pixie went down so well last week I thought I could bring your a few more beauty posts. Today is a quick mani of the week. I wore it for the John Lewis Press Event. I'm not usually a pink person, but I do like a pop of pink on my nails sometimes!

 Here is the base colour I applied - Nails Inc Eccleston Mews #509

 And then I applied a smash glaze effect on top

 Collection 2000 - Nail Smash in White Smash #2

I still really like the cracked effect that was so popular this summer. Although I rather the black version I had from Barry M it dried up within a month, even though it was properly sealed. This white from Collection 2000 on the other hand has been used so many time this summer and is still perfectly fine. Shows that expensive polish is no better than cheap sometimes!

What polish are you into at the moment?