Friday Finds

Bonjour my lovelies, and welcome to the very first 'Friday Finds', a new series of posts in which I will be sharing with you the random treats that I have stumbled upon each week.

This week, Etsy takes the stage.

Candle Tart Melts - Hand Crafted Soy Wax Bakery Candles,

Pookaberrys

How cute are these little cupcake candles? They look good enough to eat, and would be a fantastic addition to anyone's dressing table, or vanity, if you are in America.

Snowcap Mountain Nail Polish,

f4polishes

Speaks for itself really. I can't get enough of glitter polishes at the moment, and this bad boy needs to get on my nails now. This seller has a gorgeous selection of unique, colourful, glittertastic creations, so I highly recommend you pay them a visit if you are bored of always having the same polishes as everyone else.

Hand Crafted Artisan Solid Perfumes, 

JOANSGARDENS

I'm not normally one for solid perfumes, but the pretty vintage-inspired packaging won me over. Plus, they come in a vast array of scents (below), with Jasmine, Gardenia and Honeysuckle top of my list.

-Jasmine

-Lily of the Valley

-Magnolia

-Lavender

-Honeysuckle

-Lilac

-Tuberose

-Gardenia

-Snow Drops

-Amber Musk

If you are like me, and you enjoy a good old potter and a rummage around the interwebs, then Etsy is highly recommended by moi. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Etsy describes itself as the 'world's handmade marketplace', and is a treasure trove of handcrafted goodies and bespoke treats. You can find some amazingly kitsch bits and bobs and one-offs, from ceramics and jewellery to furniture and vintage quilts, and it is unlikely that you'll bump into anyone in the street who has the same thing as you.

Hope you enjoyed the first 'Friday Finds'!  If you like what you see then do go ahead and click on the links below each picture.

Have a lovely weekend!

xx

Mohda Nail Polishes and Dupes!

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you've all got that Friday Feeling - I know I have. This week has been really hectic and tiring, so I am all for having a couple of days of down time. I think I've got a bit of a cold coming on, too, which is definitely not my favourite, but at least I've got some time to snuggle up at home with endless cups of tea and write a few blog posts!

The topic of today's post is my new favourite nail polish line, from Brazilian brand Mohda. Now, before you say anything, I do know that these are difficult to get hold of in the UK (I'm not sure about the US/Oz etc.), and for that reason, I have hunted down the best dupes of my favourite shades for you, so while they might not be the cheapest polishes around, you  too can play with these gorgeous hues. In the meantime, I will be keeping my eyes open for any UK suppliers and will let you know the very second I find one!

So, a bit of background for you on this fantastic brand. Mohda has been producing polishes since 2008, does not test on animals, and make it their mission to release a constant stream of new, innovative shades. 

All together, there are thirteen different lines available, including Frosted, Color and Gloss, Creamy, Creamy Look, Glitter, Lights, Lights Holographic, Pearly, Transparent , Treatment, Crackle Polish, Flecked and HD.

All Mohda's polishes are fast drying and contain Nutri-Active calcium to keep nails strong and healthy.

I can't get enough of the Hi-Definition line, and my favourite polish of all is definitely the Hi Definition Multichrome in North Pole. It is a gorgeous, gorgeous multi-tonal metallic green, so it looks different in different lights. It is really similar to Topshop's Hidden Treasure, which had had my eye on for ages before I tried Mohda. It's also a pretty good dupe for Chanel's Le Vernis in Peridot, which is handy given that Chanel varnishes come in at around £15 ($26 on their US site)! I wouldn't go as far as saying it was exactly the same, but it's a pretty good substitute.

I have been wearing this shade along with Topshop's Ice Crush, which is a pretty clear polish with silver holographic chunks in it) on my ring fingers.

Mohda Hi-Definition Multichrome in North Pole

Topshop Hidden Treasure

Chanel Le Vernis in Peridot (531)

The second shade I am currently loving is another Hi-Definition shade, this time called 'Glass'

Here it is, in all it's glory..

Mohda Hi-Definition in Glass

As you can see, it's a beautiful shimmering Magenta, not dissimilar to Essie's 'Sure Shot'. I only purchased it today and am already wearing it on my nails, admiring it every time it catches the light! Just gorgeous.

Essie Sure Shot

I really do think it's a shame that these varnishes are not readily available in the UK. In Brazil, they are a steal at around £1! That is, with the exception with the Multichromes, about £4.

However, if you do like the look of these shades then you know where you can find something very similar! If you would be like me to review any of the other Mohda shades then please let me know in the comments box.

What's your favourite nail polish?

 I hope you are all able to get out and enjoy the sunshine this weekend, if it sticks around!

xx

Nails Of The Day!

I just wanted to quickly show you the look I have been enjoying on my nails for the past few days before I take off the polish and do them a different colour, but unfortunately, my camera is still up the spout, so I have had to find pictures to illustrate what I went for online. So, picture credits for this particular post must go to http://oxentechique.blogspot.com.br/2011/10/verniz-poodlegemssamba-juliana.html, and I do hope she doesn't mind. I want to make a point of saying that this would not be my normal approach, I just really wanted to show you how my nails are at the moment, and this was the only way to do so!

So, for this look, I used Brazilian brand Risque's nail polish in 'Poodle'. It's a lovely pastel lilac colour, but I have to say that I was slightly disappointed after application, as though smooth and fast drying, it had appeared to have some subtle shimmer in the bottle, which didn't transfer to the nails.

The second polish I used is this pretty glitter one, which is 'Gems', by Milani. Actually, I did it slightly differently and only applied the glitter to my ring finger nails, but I couldn't find a more accurate photo for you!

Milani nail lacquers are available from their website, but you can also find them quite easily on Ebay. For a choice of their gorgeous glitter polishes, as well as some other brands like Kleancolor and NYX Girls, visit Joy's Cosmetics ebay store. Joy is a top-rated seller.

Unfortunately, I can't find a supplier of Risque in the UK for you ( I picked mine up in Brazil), but I will keep my eyes peeled and let you know if the polishes become available.

Milani Glitter Polishes (£2.75 - £2.90) in Gems, Gold, Silver, Fuchsia, Lavender, Teal, Hot Pink and Red.

Hope everyone is over the Monday blues and having a lovely evening!

xx

Risque Penelope Charmosa Nail Polish

Risque is one of the most popular brands of nail varnish in Brazil, and one I was already familiar with from previous visits to the country.

But when the new Penelope Charmosa range caught my eye this time around, I just couldn't resist the gorgeous pastel shades, so I bought three of the colours shown above. Nail varnishes are extremely cheap in Brazil, at around 70p per bottle, so it didn't break the bank!

These polishes are available online at http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brazilian-Risque-Nail-Varnish-Blitz-/130556816668 for around £1.50 each.

'Bonequinha Charmosa' (Charming Doll)

'Armadilha Tropical' (Tropical Trap)

'Apuros em Miami' (Trouble in Miami)

The Risque polishes have a lovely, smooth texture, so they go onto the nails nice and easily, but you do have to be a bit careful as they are quite liquid.  They are relatively quick-drying and give an even coverage and colour, but are also quite sheer, with Trouble in Miami and Charming Doll requiring three coats to achieve opacity. Tropical Trap fares slightly better, as with two coats, I was satisfied. All colours have a slightly glossy finish, but applying a top coat makes the most of them and shows them to their best advantage.

Charming Doll is a lovely lemon-sorbet, pale pastel yellow and looks great with a tan, as do Trouble in Miami, which is an pale orange-coral, and Tropical Trap, a green-toned pastel blue.

These colours will be on my nails throughout spring and summer, and are just what I was looking for to update my collection. They are a great substitute for the gorgeous pastels at Illamasqua, but a fraction of the price.

Which polishes are going to be on your nails throughout the sunshine months?

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend.

xx