How to remove glitter nail polish! (Fuss-free)

As a nail polish lover, I have to admit glitter nail polish is the bane of my existence. It looks lovely for a day or two, but when it starts chipping, glitter can look a bit scruffy and can scratch you if you haven't applied your top coat properly. So I tend to remove glitter nail polish after two or three days, but then comes the next problem: how do you remove glitter polish without damaging your nails?

Some of my glitter nail polishes.

I did this post a while ago about removing glitter with the tinfoil method. However, I have to admit I don't like this method too much, it's pretty time consuming and it can damage your nails, which is why I have a fuss-free method here for you, that DOESN'T involve peeling your nail polish (that is even worse for your nails, and can take layers of the nail and make them brittle!)

What you'll need:

1. 4-6 Cotton disks
2. Acetone nail polish remover
3. A sink (or any hard surface that you don't mind getting dirty with nail polish/remover)

How to do it:

• Take a cotton disk and soak it with nail polish remover (I recommend acetone, because I've never tried an acetone-free remover.)
• Rest your finger (one by one) on a sink for support. 
• Press (with the opposite hand) the disk onto the nail and start taking off the top coat layer until it feels scratchy. 
• Keep pressing and scrubbing with the disk until the glitter is gone. 
• Always use a cotton disk or two to clean up left overs that might still be found on your nails and hands (glitter goes EVERYWHERE!)

You're probably thinking this is quite straightforward, but the thing is that without the support of the hard surface, your hands alone wouldn't be able to take the glitter off (at least not for a LONG time, and as I said, I want my method to be quite quick!)

I hope you liked this :) 

Please comment below if you did, and maybe any other nail polish removing recommendations! 

P.S. Put some hand cream on after removing your nail polish! It's the best way to ensure your hands don't dry out. Some hand cream recommendations:

Body Shop Spa Wisdom Afrique; Avène Cold Cream (Hand cream)

Quick post review: Seche Vite

I'm pretty sure you've all heard about Seche Vite already, but in case you haven't, Seche Vite is THE BEST* fast drying top coat! I was trying to finish my previous top coat, and when I finally did,

I just knew I needed to purchase this ASAP! 

It's 10,40€, which is not the worst price ever, but I've seen cheaper. It's completely worth it though! (I bought it via BeautyBay, because there's free shipping. Yay!)

I've always painted my nails at night and then expected them to be dry by the time I went to sleep. When I went to bed though, they still weren't dry enough and there were bed sheet marks all over them! Never mind other kind of fast drying top coats, because they didn't work for me!

However, when I received Seche Vite I just was amazed. You have to be careful with how much product goes on the brush, as sometimes it can come out a bit thick. A thin layer after my nail polish of choice, and a minute or two later I have dry shiny nails, that DON'T budge no matter how much of a klutz I am. (Doesn't it happen to you that whenever you've just painted your nails, you just tend to bang your freshly painted nails on things? EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.)

A bit of nail art using Seche Vite (from my Instagram):

What is your top coat of choice? Have you ever tried Seche Vite?

(*The review given is completely my personal opinion 

and I've purchased this product with my own money!)

I'm alive!

Proof that I'm well and alive

(Yup, that's me in the purple dress by the way!)

I have to apologize for the hiatus I took on this blog. 

I just wasn't motivated and I didn't do half of the things I wanted to. I've been in a very bad place (psychologically and emotionally speaking) for more than 6 months, but right now I'm starting to feel better, and wanting to try so many new things!

Since the last time I posted (April 11th!) I've started getting into skincare, although I won't be spending lots of money on the products I purchase. I don't know if you know this about me, but I'm a full-time student at uni, and I don't have the budget to buy high end products (except once every blue moon, and it tends to be make up!) I love my nail polishes, lipsticks, and... anything really. 

The idea is posting once a week, as a start, and increase the number of posts gradually. Because blogging is not my job, but my hobby, I will ALWAYS give you my honest opinion. And also, swatches! Good quality swatches, hopefully. 

I'd also love to know that I can talk here about other things that aren't makeup/skincare related. I want this to feel more like my blog, which didn't feel like before. 

I hope you guys help me out, and comment when you like or dislike (constructive criticism, please!) what I'm posting.

Watch out, ebay shoppers! - China Glaze "Flip Flop Fantasy" copycat

Hi lovelies,

it's been a long time since I've posted anything on here. Mainly, because life has been complicated and has gotten in the way of blogging. I don't want to make any excuses, but I haven't been able to concentrate on posting anything or even buying lots of makeup. 

However, I have been buying lots of nail polishes on eBay, especially those brands that we can't get here like China Glaze. And I don't know if I'm very mistaken, but I think, at some point, I bought China Glaze's "Flip Flop Fantasy", but I got a copycat (I think). 

If any of you owns this nail polish, please tell me if this picture resembles the real colour of the nail polish, because I must admit it doesn't look ANYTHING AT ALL like the swatches I've seen online.

I can't for the life of me remember what was the username of the person I bought it to on eBay, and my purchase history has been mysteriously erased! I haven't had problems with any other nail polish, in case you're wondering, and I've ordered China Glaze polishes on there a million times before. 

THAT is what is weirding me out! 

Exhibit A:

Taken by myself, under artificial lighting.

It was very difficult to photograph due to the fact that it's a neon. It even looks good in this picture, but I assure you, it clashes terribly with my skin. It has SLIGHT tinge of pink, but it's orange and white mostly. And it's weird: nothing ever clashes with my skin, because I'm the palest person out there! 

And these are the reasons why I think I have a poor copy of this nail polish.

Exhibit B:

"Borrowed" from: My Finds Online

See? It's supposed to have a lot more pink, and a slight orange tone about it. When you look at both pictures, you might think... hey, they look really similar! I assure you, in reality it looks like some bad imitation of this colour. VERY BAD. 

But then, it photographed quite pink, so that's why I'm thinking probably the colour is meant to be like this? However, seeing that it's one of China Glaze's most coveted colours, I cannot imagine anyone loving the colour I'm wearing on my nails right now.

Exhibit C:

"Borrowed" from: My Nook of Randomness

More pink in this picture too!

I'm taking a leap of faith and I'm ordering another one (not from eBay, though) and hoping the one I get is completely different from the one I already have. (Fingers crossed!)

Does anyone own or has tried "Flip Flop Fantasy" by China Glaze? What did you think about it? 

Love,

Maria.

UPDATE: I've read a couple of blog posts that talk about the same thing happening to them with CG's Flip Flop Fantasy. Apparently, they created a second batch of FFF and it's way more orange than the original pinky coral one that most of us see when looking for online swatches.

Read all about it HERE!