I don't normally buy beauty products before reading at least a couple of reviews first, but when I was looking through the shelves of dm during my stay in Berlin, there was a stand of nail polishes that immediately caught my attention. The selection of shades was impressive and so were the prices, with €1,25 or €2,25 per bottle.

I have to admit, I don't keep up with the lastest European releases anymore since moving to London, so I had no idea about 'trend IT UP', dm's own, new-ish beauty brand. I'll definitely be paying attention to it now, though. My first experience was great and more than exceeded my expectations. 

I ended up purchasing two nail polishes. They had quite a lot of different effects and finishes available, but me being me, I went for the classic - shiny - and the shades I always gravitate towards during this time of the year. A lovely lavender grey, number 070 from the Double Volume & Shine range, and a deep burgundy stunner, 110 from the N°1 line.

'070' comes in an 11 ml large bottle with a considerably wide brush, which I personally love, while '110' comes in a 6 ml version, with a slighty thinner but still great brush. I have nothing bad to say with regards to consistency, application or wear. Both of them are creamy and neither too liquidy nor too goopy. They apply evenly, require two coats and last for three or four days on my nails before they start chipping. That is with my number one bae, the Seche Vite Dry Fast Topcoat, which I always apply on top. 

I'm so impressed with them I have already decided to pick up a few more shades when I go home to Slovenia for the holidays. Man, I love a good nail polish that doesn't break the bank! Don't you? If you've tried any trend IT UP products yourself and you feel like I might like them as well, PLEASE leave me suggestions below. I already have my to-buy list right in front of me, ready to be written on. 

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat was the product everyone blogged about back in the days, and I still remember the moment I first laid my hands on it, back in 2012. It was love at first try and we have been inseparable ever since. But while I do love the fact that it dries the nail polish underneath in seconds and makes my mani super shiny, it has one annoying flaw. The formula thickens up after a while and becomes not so great to work with.

Here's where Seche Restore comes into play. A few drops of this nail polish thinner turn the top coat  (or any other nail polish, for that matter) back to its normal consistency and it's awesome. I just wish it didn't take me such a long time to buy it. I would help me save so many bottles of nail polish and so much money! 

For a change I managed to not throw away the products I've used up recently, which means that I have an empties video for you! If you're not familiar with the concept, it's just me giving you quick, but very accurate reviews of products I ran out of.

Meet the nail polish I've been wearing for one month straight. I don't know what's happening with me. I used to be all about changing my nail colour every couple of days, but lately I've been sticking to just a few of my faves. My last month's obsession was China Glaze's In A Lilly Bit.

The gorgeous light pastel pink shade with a lilac undertone was perfect for spring and brought some very much needed colour to my monochrome outfits. The formula of the nail polish is consistent with the rest of China Glaze's offerings. It is fairly liquidy and requires two to three coats. I'm still waiting for China Glaze to make the brush wider, as I think it would be a lot easier to apply their nail polishes, but while I'm waiting for them to make that happen, I'm happily using Seche Vite's Dry Fast Top Coat, which manages to conceal all mishaps and makes my nails look super glossy! 

For the past few years, there has been an explosion of different nail polish finishes. Companies keep coming out with new, innovative twist be it sand, matte, leather, magnetic, gel... we have it all. Believe it or not, I haven't tried a whole lot of them. Of course, I couldn't avoid the matte craze when it was the cool new thing on the market a few years ago, but being disappointed with the result, the numerous releases to follow just didn't particularly excite me. Apart from the cracking nail polish. Oh, those were the days! 

When I first saw this Latex Matt number from Essence, I thought it was just another matte nail polish with a fancy new name, but I might have been wrong. It does seem matte when you first start applying it, but once it dries, it definitely doesn't look like a regular matte nail polish. I wouldn't necessarily say it looks like latex, but it sure looks like my shiny black faux leather jacket from Primark. And guess what? I like it. It doesn't accentuate my nail ridges and looks kinda chic. I just wish it wouldn't start chipping after a day. 

How are you feeling about the effect nail polishes? Which ones have you tried and loved? Or hated for that matter. I would love to hear your thoughts! 

It's time to talk some trash. Literally. I haven't filmed an empties video in over a year, because I always forget to save empty packaging, but I've been trying really hard not to throw things away during the past few months, so today I'm finally able to review some of my recently used up products. By the way, this video could easily be titled 'My Holy Grails'. I'm mentioning tons of them! 

Do you remember me talking about the new nail polishes from Essence's The Pastels range a few weeks ago? Today I have two more bottled goodies to show you! They belong to the other recent range of theirs called The Nudes. 

Unlike The Pastels nail polishes, which are matte, these have a creamy, glossy finish - my fave! '07 Hope for Love' is a darker pink shade. It applies like a dream, requires two coats and has an average staying power. The only problem is that it doesn't look best with my skintone, so I might be passing this one on to someone else. 

'05 Pure Soul', on the other hand, is here to stay. A light pink nude with a suble, barely visible irridescent shimmer will definitely be repacing my beloved Essie Fiji, which I have sadly just ran out of. Thankfully, there was no streakiness going on when I was applyin it, but it did require two to three coats. You should also know that it is not completely opaque. Even after three coats, my nail tips were still slightly visible, but since it is a classy, almost french mani type of a nude shade, it personally doesn't bother me. Have you tried any of The Nudes yourself? Are there any other shades I should check out?

I think it's safe to say spring finally arrived to London and I have no complaints whatsoever. There's no such thing as too much sunshine. Am I right, ladies? But you know what else I love about spring? The fact that pastel shades are everywhere. Unfortunatelly, all my cute pastel spring clothes had to stay back home when I moved to London thanks to zero luggage space, but I did manage to squeeze in a few pastel nail polishes. The ones I'll be talking about today aren't the ones that I brought with me, but they are pastel! 

Essence recently came out with quite a few new nail polish shades, and I got lucky enough to try some out. Today I have two nail polishes from 'The Pastels' range to share with you - 'So Lucky', which is the green one, and a lovely peachy shade called 'I'm So Fluffy'. Both of them have a very unique, shimmery matte finish, which requires three coats for full opacity. As most matte nail polishes, they dry super quickly and have an average, a few days long staying power. I myself am more of a creamy, glossy kind of gal, but if you're looking to add a few unique matte shades to your collection, these are definitely the ones to check out. Or you can just throw a glossy top coat over them and voila! Now, where's my Seche Vite?

Let me finally introduce you to the nail polish I've been wearing for literally one month straight. Not because I would be so obsessed with the colour - although I do really like it - but because I always forgot to take photos of my mani before the nail polish started chipping off. I would love to blame it on the polish, but unfortunatelly it was just me and my forgetfullness. Or laziness. However, last weekend I finally managed to take some photos, which means I can finally share my thoughts on it! It's been time.

Nails Inc.'s Marylebone Mews came as a freebie in December's Glamour UK Magazine, and I couldn't have been more excited about it. When I moved to England, there was only a certain amount of nail polishes I was able to take with me and a light taupe shade unfortunatelly didn't come with me. Why, I have no idea, since this is one of my favourite shades and a very wearable one as well. Anyway, the shade was not the only exciting part for me. I've never tried Nails Inc. nail polishes before and you know how I am when it comes to testing out new products...Much excitment! 

This particular polish definitely impressed me and left me wanting more. It applies evenly, requires two coats, lasts without chipping for a few days and is just a lovely all-arounder. The only thing I'm missing is a big fat brush. It's normal sized, which most people don't have a problem with and neither do I, but I always prefer the likes of Essie, Essence and Sally Hansen. 

So, who's tried Nails Inc. before? What do you think about their nail polishes? Should I check out any particular shades next time I have some money laying around?

In my book, no Christmas is complete without a festive shade on my nails. I only have two requirements: red and glitter. The nail polish I've been wearing this season combines both in one bottle. And guess what? The quality doesn't disappoint either. 

'Rhubarb and Custard' is the first Models Own polish I've tried and also the first scented nail polish that touched the surface of my nails. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. If you're a fan of sparkle yourself, but don't enjoy the dreadful process of removing chunky glitter from your nails, this might be the nail polish you've been looking for. With its almost jelly-like consistency, it nicely distributes tiny slivery glitters between the red base and makes your nails look festive in a nice, subtle way, without making you pull out your hair once it's time for the shade to say goodbye.

The formula requires standard two coats for opacity, leaves no streaks behind and makes sure your nails are chip-free for at least a couple of days. As for the scent goes, the polish truly does smell like the sour candy you can see on the cap. And while I have to admit that I don't see much point in scented nail polish, I still think it's kind of cool. In case you're wondering, the scent lingered on my nails for two days, even when I applied my Seche Vite top coat over it. 

What are your thoughts on scented nail polish? Yay or nay? Have you tried any yourself? I don't think I'll be the first in line once new scented releases come out, but I'll definitely be picking up some more Models Own nail polishes, scented or not. 

My friend and a fellow blogger Laura put up a photo of an awesome minimalistic manicure on her Instagram a few days ago, and I fell in love with it right away. As you do, a few hours later, I was already copying her. For the base, I used Orly's 'Kiss the Bride', a nail polish I've been wearing all summer long. It's usually reserved for my toes, but recently I've been wearing it on my fingernails as well, since all my nails broke and it seems like nude is the only shade that looks ok on me right now. It actually reminds me a lot of Essie's Fiji, which is similar in colour and consistency. You need two to three coats to get it completely opaque and it also lasts for a decent amount of time before it starts chipping. The only thing that annoys me is the brush, because it's on the thinner side. I prefer the likes of Essie, Sally Hansen and Essence. Speaking of Essence, the black nail polish I used to make the dots is called 'Black is Back'. How are you feeling about this mani?

I have a love hate relationship with neon nail polish shades. I love them, but they don't love me back. Most of them just don't go with my skintone, so I've been trying to find a way to wear them anyways, and I think I found it in the form of a 'neon splash' manicure. I just love how fun it looks as well! If you're interested in how I achieved the look, check out the video below.  

Today I'm reviewing another Makeup Revolution product that has some great potential, but fails miserably. 'Never Enough' nail polish is of an amazing quality considering it only costs one pound. The consistency is just right, it's opaque after two coats, dries extremely quickly and stays chip-less for about two to three days. But there's one huge problem. The brush. It is terrible. It's so rough that it leaves stripes on your nails when you're applying the polish, and let me tell you, it doesn't look good. It really is such a shame, because otherwise, the nail polish would have been wonderful. Have you tried any Makeup Revolution nail polishes yourself? Did you have a similar experience?

It's summer and I love nail polish, so it's only appropriate for me to share my favourite shades for the summer of 2014 with you! I think I got pretty much every summer nail trend covered, minus the neons. They just don't float my boat. I mean, I like them on others, but not on me. My skintone decided not to be firends with them, so I'm pretty much screwed until the rest of my life. Yay! On another note, do you know who loves nail polish even more than me? My fellow blogger Tatjana, who is also sharing her faves on her blog. Check out the post here! 

P.S. You can see the names of all the nail polishes I mentioned along with shoppable links here in the 'show more' section. 

I used to have a lot of fun with nail art until I completely abandoned it a year ago. But I think it's time to go back to the roots, and start being creative again! Nail art takes patience and skills, which I don't necessarily have a lot of; having said that, there are tons of cute and easy ideas out there even for us clumsy types. Today's tutorial is one of them. I think the mani is perfect for the summer. How about you? Also, let me know if you would like to see more nail tutorials from me in the future. I'll be more than happy to film them if you're interested.

Hi there! Do you still remember me? I've been a bit MIA from the blogging/youtube world for the past few weeks, but fear not, I'm back. I'm back with a NOTD post that I haven't posted in what it seems like ages. I've recently been gravitating towards the same old shades or have not been wearing nail polish at all - I know, shocker! - so NOTD posts had to take a backseat. However, my sister's recent purchase broke my streak. China Glaze's Too Yacht to Handle caught my attention right away (turquoise, *cough cough*). The shade is stunning and perfect for the summer time, but keep in mind that the above photograph is misleading. My camera failed to capture the right undertone, so I suggest you to check out this photo I posted on my Instagram for the true representation. Think less bright and light. Ok, you all know about how much I love the colour, but what about the formula? I have to admit, I'm not the biggest fan. It goes on a little sheer and streaky. Seche Vite's Dry Fast Top Coat manages to conceal most mistakes, but I still find a few streaks peeking from the bottom. And the fact that China Glaze nail polishes don't have the biggest brush is not helping the situation. Oh well, what can I say. Essie, Essence and Sally Hansen spoiled the heck out of me, haha. I still love the shade, though. :)

I've been rummaging through my sister's nail polish collection the other day in hopes of discovering some new gems, and China Glaze's Sugar High turned out to be exactly what I'd been looking for. Fun, bright shade perfect for the warmer months ahead of us. In the bottle, it looks a little bit lighter and softer, but when you put it one the nails, the shade turns into a hot pink goodness with a bit of a coral undertone. This nail polish must be one of the oldest in my sister's collection, because there's hardly any of it left, but it still performs perfectly. I applied two coats for an even opaque cream finish, and chipping doesn't seem to be a problem either. Me likey. Do you have any similar shades in your collection?

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I'm still picking my nail wear from the blue spectrum, but this time, I went for a shade that is more me. Turquoise is a colour that I wear most often on my nails, however, I've never owned such a deep shade before. My other ones are either pastel or bright. Well, technically speaking, this isn't even my nail polish. I brought it back from California as a present for my sister, but the truth is, we share our nail polishes, so I consider it mine as well, tehe. 

Essie is always spot on with the consistency of their nail polishes and 'Naughty Nautical' is no exception. It is not to thin and not too thick, it applies evenly, requires two coats for full opacity and stays chip free for almost a week. A+ for the quality! The shade itself is fabulous as well. Not only does it look exactly the same on the nails as it does in the bottle, but it also has a twist to it. Tiny little silver glitters! I myself am a big fan of the cream finish and am always sceptical about shimmer when it comes to nail polishes, but this shade won me over completely. It just looks right. Especially when the light hits it! It kind of reminds me of the glittering turquoise sea... Ahh, who wants to take me to the Maldives?

For a person who is convinced that blue nail polish doesn't suit her, I have far too many of them. A few months ago, I went through the so called blue period. Whenever I saw a blue nail polish shade, it landed in my shopping cart. But when it actually came to me wearing them, well, let's just say that it never happened. There were always other shades that won me over, so my blues have been patiently sitting on the shelf, waiting for me to start feeling sorry for them. About a month ago, it finally happened. I put them in line and started wearing them, one by one. Unfortunatelly, I'm still not feeling most of the shades - pastels are of course an exception - but if we overlook my 'blue nail polish doesn't suit me' idea, they are far too pretty on their own to not share them with you. I'm sure at least some of them will catch your attention. 

The first 'blue' I have to show to you is Essence's 'If I Were a Boy'. I took the advantage of today's sunny weather and snapped some photos of it outside with my new camera. Yay for spring! Anyway, back to the nail polish. I have to say, I was very impressed with the formula. I only needed one thick coat to get it opaque, but I ended up putting on two. Why did I think that was necessary? I have no idea. I guess I did it out of habit. Luckily, the mani looked good even with two coats. There was no streakiness in sight, even though the application might seem a bit wonky when you take a close look at the photo. I swear, it's not this nail polish's fault. Blame it on the crappy old top coat I've splattered on top. I regretted the deision right away, but at that point, it was too late to fix the mess... 

Since I don't know what else to say about this nail polish other than it's great, I shall end this post here. Let me know how you like the shade and if you feel a bit weird wearing certain nail polish colours on your nails as well. Oh, and one more thing! Would you mabye be interested in me doing a blog sale? I'll be moving all my make-up into another room in about a month (more on that later), and I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity for me to go through my beauty stash and give the products that don't get the love that they deserve from me a new home. 

I first saw this nail polish on Maja's blog, and it was love at first sight. I'm usually not attracted to purple shades, but for some reason, Warm & Toasty Turtleneck caught my attention. Maybe it's because the shade is sort of muted and has a taupy undertone? I don't know. There's definitely a twist to it and I like it. I don't think I need to mention how awesome the formula is, because we all know by now how OBSESSED I am with Essie. But just in case you don't have a clue what I'm talking about, I'll quickly sum it up. The formula is awesome. Oh, you want a more detailed description? Ok, it isn't streaky, becomes opaque with two coats and stays on for ages. I've had mine on for five days and there's not a single chip in sight. Gotta love Essie!

P.S. The ring is from my online shop Destination Pretty. You can get it here. :)