January Love List

Welcome to the first love list of 2016 ! Can I be the first to say thank goodness January has come to a close? This past month has been so drawn out and I am so glad to say that we are already onto chapter 2 of 2016: February! To end this month on a good note, today’s post is my monthly love list. I’ve been loving quite a few of things this month and am very excited to share them with you. Without further rambling, enjoy!

Favourite food?

Sunshine muffins have definitely been at the top of my most-eaten list this past month (not that I make lists like that - that would be weird). These are very healthy, very yummy muffins that are perfect for on-the-go breakfasts or boosts of energy throughout the day. You can find any recipe that suits you online, but mine are gluten, dairy and sugar free. One of my favourite guilt-free snacks!

Favourite film/programme?

I started a series early this month with a friend and was hooked from the very beginning; Jane the Virgin! The plot is brilliantly thought out and the connections that link all the characters together are honestly mind-boggling, and plus, Gina Rodriguez is brilliant. This show has the perfect mix of romance, comedy (laugh out loud stuff) and even a bit of mystery, perfect for someone who loves a good ol’ chick flick. It’s like watching a never ending girls night in film, because there’s always another episode ready on Netflix! I seriously, seriously, recommend it for anyone who has a soft spot for romance (or gorgeous actors…).

Favourite item of clothing?

Early on this month I was browsing the sales aisle of Zadig & Voltaire, a gorgeous (and very expensive) brand. I have to say that it was very dangerous stuff - break the bank dangerous - despite the impressive deals they had to offer. The item I have bravely invested in, using every penny of my Christmas money, is a beautiful grey, black and red cashmere jumper. The neckline and cuffs are a bright red and the wide horizontal stripes are grey and black. Sorry to tempt you all - I’m pretty sure it’s gone with the sales! This is perfect for winter as it’s incredibly cozy and very stylish, if I say so myself.

Favourite moment?

Midway through this month was the birthday of one of my very close friends. With the help of her sister and a few friends, we organized a surprise birthday dinner for her. We all arrived at the restaurant 15 minutes before she did, and I am so relieved to say she didn’t suspect a thing! It was brilliant fun - who doesn’t love a surprise party? We chatted and laughed and had an amazing time. If you’ve got a friends birthday coming up and want to do something special, this is the way to do it.

Favourite beauty/skincare products?

Winter hits me hard, especially January, so I needed a product that could brighten my very purple, very dark under eye bags on early mornings. Broke after buying that gorgeous jumper, I was left to rummage through my mum’s belongings and snatched up a classic brightener/concealer (or just brightening concealer?); Yves Saint Laurent’s Touche Éclat in shade 02, Ivory Radiance. This is perfect for defeating saggy, tired eyes in the morning and is great at masking any signs of lack of sleep. Check out how I used it here.

Favourite song?

I discovered a new single this month that I actually find really catchy. You may or may not have heard of Izzy Bizu, but her single White Tiger has been playing nonstop in my head since I saw her one day on TV. Her actual album isn’t out until around June I’m pretty sure, but I’m a fan of this single and am looking forward as to what’s next.

Favourite way to spend my time?

I’m almost ashamed to say that I have spent nearly every second of my free time binge watching Jane the Virgin. Can you tell I love it? For all the reasons above, I love to sit down and can easily watch four episodes in a row. No shame!

Favourite drink?

No surprise here; my favourite drink this month was, of course, tea, or more specifically; Pukka Refresh. I am a huge fan of Pukka tea, and this flavour was new to my (very large and growing) collection. This has notes of organic peppermint leaf, sweet fennel seed and rose; perfect to feel calm, renewed and refreshed.

Random favourite?

My random favourite this month is actually a perfume. This is the Burberry Body Eau de Toilette, a Christmas present that I was overjoyed to receive to say the least. This is a lovely day-to-day fragrance that includes fruity and floral notes and warm base notes. See the website for a full description - I’m crap at those - but trust me when I say it’s gorgeous and one to get your hands on!

What have you been loving this month - and aren’t you glad January is behind us?!

Niamh x

7 Habits To Reduce Stress

I am an easily stressed person. If I’ve got a work overload or a pressing deadline I will naturally start to worry and stress about everything that’s on my plate. Sometimes it can all just get a bit too much. As much of a stressor as I can be, I have found that slipping into simple, healthy habits makes each day go by a little smoother. To battle stress, I’ve put together 7 habits to get into to reduce stress. I personally find these have helped me massively, both in reducing my stress and generally making me a happier person.

1. Wake up early every morning

This may not be such a good thing to start with, but the benefits are endless. Mornings can often be an unnecessary stress trigger: time is always of the essence, you’ve forgotten this, have you remembered that? Instead, wake up early every morning so you have more time to potter around the house and get things done at your own pace. There’s no morning rush, you can actually take your time and complete tasks without looking at your watch to see how late you’ll be.

2. Meditate

I’m a big advocate of meditation. I find that it’s such an easy way to instantly de-stress and feel calmer. Although I love to use the Calm app, meditation is as simple as finding a quiet space to sit down and focus on yourself. Notice your posture, your breathing, or even, if it helps, on an object in the room. This can be as short as 2 minutes or as long at 30 minutes, but it clears your mind straight away. Try do this every day for a few minutes, like 2 minutes before bed or when you get up each morning.

3. Establish routines

Stress can often be triggered by having lots to do and not knowing where or when to start. By establishing routines, you’re getting into the flow of your day. Have a morning, evening and work routine so you know how your day will pan out. You’ll have a clear vision of what you need to get done and in what order, whether it’s your skincare routine or feeding the dog. This reduces the stress that comes hand in hand with rushing around the house trying to everything all at once.

4. Go for forest walks

Nature is an instant stress relief that sits right on your doorstep. Simple go outside for a long walk once a week to clear your mind and just be. There’s no hustle and bustle of the city, no car horns beeping away, no traffic jams, just you and nature. I find this one of the most effective ways to reduce stress. Just remember to wrap up warm!

5. Journal

At first, this can sound a bit silly. What am I, twelve? But seriously speaking, this has scientifically proven benefits on emotional well being (here I am, going all geeky on you). Every night before I go to bed, I write 2 or 3 sentences in my Every Day 5 year journal. This is a gorgeous variation on the One Line A Day diary (and looks even better on my bedside table). I love to write about what made me happy that day, what made me proud, or what I’m looking forward to. Get something heavy off of your chest, too, as keeping something locked up isn’t good for you. This is part of my evening routine, a part that helps me end my day on a happy note.

6. Drink green tea

This is another habit that leans towards the more scientific side of things. Like journaling, green tea has endless benefits to the mind. It has soothing qualities that help to relieve stress and anxiety. Drink one cup of this every morning to get a caffeine boost (a much healthier alternative to coffee) and start the day off on a stress-free, calm, and healthy note.

7. Go to bed early

Lack of sleep is a huge stress trigger. As much as you think staying up all night finishing that project is helping, it’s not. By hitting the hay early, your body has more time to recover from you day of hard work. If I haven’t slept enough, it will hit me hard the next day. It makes me grumpy and stressful, so the more sleep I get the better. Enough sleep impacts how you feel mentally and physically the next day, so I recommend getting at least 7 hours a night.

If you fall into any of these habits, let me know how you get on. What are your tips on reducing stress?

Niamh x

My MAC Neutral Eyes Collection

Although I rarely wear makeup, when I do it is very neutral and minimal. I love warm, neutral eye shadows that brighten or soften my eyelids, or creating some definition in my eyebrows and lashes with a pencil or mascara. One of my favourite brands for this is MAC, a makeup favourite among probably every single beauty fanatic out there.

Quite recently I popped unexpectedly into my local MAC, knowing I was looking for a neutral, perhaps brown, eye shadow. The lady at the counter was extremely helpful - although she introduced me to some very tempting products that held quite a pricey tag. But, knowing me, I would have had major buyer’s guilt had I not bought, well, all of it. So I did. It was quite a small haul (small products-wise, not price-wise!!), and instead of such a small haul I thought I would share with you all my entire MAC collection of neutral eyes, from eyelids to lashes to brows to brushes.

Lashes

I own one MAC mascara that I have mentioned before (check here); the Mineralize Multi-Effect Lash in Charged Black. This is a lovely mascara that adds volume and curl. It separates the lashes nicely and clings onto each lash individually for a fluttery, butterfly-lash look. I’m never a wearer of clumping mascaras, so this one hit the jackpot for me.

Brows

This next brow pencil was part of my mini MAC haul last week. The lady in the shop showed me my shade and as soon as it was applied my jaw dropped. This is MAC’s Eyebrow Pencil in Lingering; a very light brown. My eyebrows are very blonde, and this colour is a perfect match for both my eyebrows and my hair colour. I have yet to review this as I have only got this very recently, but if first impressions are anything to go by then this is a winner in my books!

Eye Shadows & Kohl Liner

Of my entire MAC eyes collection, I own the most eyeshadows. My first ever eye shadow from MAC was Grain; a golden beige with a slight icy shimmer. I find this a beautiful shade to sweep over the eyelids for a natural, brightening shimmer to waken the eyes, perfect for a minimal makeup day. Another one of my recent purchases is MAC’s Enchanted Eve Eyes palette in Warm. This includes 6 warm, neutral shades. Seasonal Spirit is a warm, yellow tan; Moodmaker is a rich, oak brown; Sax Appeal, a soft taupe brown; Bewitchin’ is a warm chestnut brown; Charcoal Brown is a mute taupe brown, and finally; Retrospeck, a beached blonde. There is something for everyone in this palette, both matte, satin and shimmer shadows. Next up is my Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Bountiful Brown. This is a beautiful liner; a brown with a bronze metallic edge. I love to wear this on its own or paired with a mascara for a minimal but put-together look with an edge.

Eye Brushes

My final category is eye brushes. I have a very minimal MAC brush collection; simply two brushes to be exact. My first brush, MAC’s 239 Eye Shader Brush, is a basic brush for sweeping shadow onto the lids. It is incredibly soft and picks up product beautifully. It really is versatile, it doesn’t do a half bad job of blending and shading and you can easily build product onto the lid. It has a tapered, rounded edge which is precise to apply with. My second brush is so new I haven’t even tried it out yet; my MAC 217 Blending Brush. I bought this alongside my MAC palette recently, by recommendation of the lady at the counter. It has an oval shape and densely packed fibres; perfect for blending into the crease. It’s also super soft, as I assume all MAC brushes are. Hopefully I’ll be back with more to say about this one, but first impressions were a success!

What are your favourite MAC eye products? Recommend them to me!

Niamh x

5 Perks Of Winter

I doubt I’m the only person who feels January is going by at a snail’s pace. This month has been so, well...dull. The sky has been dark and grey and represents exactly how I feel most of the time; under the weather. January is such a nothingness month, no excitement of any sort, just the apprehension of going back to school or work. I wake up every morning to a pitch black room despite my curtains being open, wishing light was flooding through my windows. In a nutshell, January is crap.

But, just like the jingle that is more often than not stuck in my head, always look on the bright side of life! To help us endure such harsh times (am I being dramatic?), I’ve put together a list of 5 perks of winter, almost like pick-me-ups, that I hope will help you get by your treacherous winters day.

1. Endless cups of tea

If you’re an avid tea drinker, you’ll know that in winter there is no such thing as going a little overboard on the amount of tea you consume in a day. It’s cold outside, it’s cold inside, and my heart and hands need warming up. I love almost every tea that exists, and there’s nothing more satisfying in winter than wrapping my hands around a steaming cuppa and sipping delightfully as I savour every drop of delicious warmth.

2. Guilt-Free binge watching

Only people with superpowers have the ability to get work done when they don’t want to. I, unfortunately, do not have those particular superpowers, and find myself binge watching Netflix or YouTube all the time. But, hey, I don’t care, and nor should you! Like I’ve already said, it’s cold outside and work can wait. According to the unwritten rules of January, you’re supposed to spend your time cheering yourself up with a good ol’ episode of Friends. *Hint: Binging is best paired with that cup of tea you’ve just made.

3. Post-Christmas sales shopping

Going out to the shops to rummage through the sales racks in a necessity in January. Plus, the deals are incredible, so it’s just more of a reason than normal to crack out the bills and spend, spend, spend. And, since you’ve received all that money at Christmas, you might as well spend it while you can still get a good deal! At any time of year I love to shop until I drop, but it’s especially enjoyable with a 50% off stuck to the tag of that jumper I’ve coveted for months.

4. You-Time is abundant

As I mentioned in my previous post, January leaves a lot of time to self-care and you-time. This means lots of baths, pamper time and time to relax and de-stress. Run a soothing bubble bath and pop on a face mask to feel clean, alive and very well pampered. This can take as long as you want, or equally, just as short. Light a few candles and relax; you’ve got nowhere to be and nothing to do. This time is for you.

5. Being cozy is a priority

And I repeat: being cozy is a priority. I walk around the house in a pair of fuzzy socks and the fluffiest pair of pyjamas I own all the time - no shame! I love snuggling up with a blanket and getting lost in a brilliant book, or sitting by the fire and letting the warmth radiate off of my face. There’s no reason to leave to house and brace the cold, so why do it?

Hope you enjoyed! What makes January more bearable for you?

Niamh x

Current Body Care Medley

As dreadful as January can be, it is a month that leaves lots of time open to self care. And by self care, I mean time to pamper. My skin is always very dry, and especially cracked in winter, and I hate the feeling of it. Luckily, I was all set to give my skin some TLC after Christmas, as my drawers were loaded with products to use (although I have included some old but gold products, too). I’ve put together a bunch of my recent favourite body care products that I use on a daily to weekly basis. Enjoy!

As much as I wish I took more baths, I find I rarely have the time. Showers are quick and easy hop-in-hop-out ways to get clean, so this is usually what I opt for. Before hopping into the shower, I like to lather on Lush’s Rub Rub Rub, an exfoliating sea salt scrub that happens to be a peculiar blue colour.. I’ll rub it off in the shower and it gets rid of all the dead skin cells. I love this scrub a ton, so I’m excited to try out more of Lush’s products! If I’m not washing my hair, I’ll only use Cowshed’s Wild Cow shower gel and I’m done.

I often have 2 choices for body lotions/butters. My first choice is another Cowshed product, this time their body lotion in the scent Horny Cow. A couple of my friends didn’t particularly like the smell but I find it delicious. The bottle says that the scent is created with rose absolute, patchouli and cinnamon. I love it, but I have to warn you, it depends on the person. My second choice is The Body Shop’s Coconut Body Butter. Ahhh, this is delicious. If you’re a fan of coconuts and soft, hydrated skin, this is the product for you! This butter feels amazing to lather on and the smell...so coconutty I want to eat it!

Onto my hands. Because my hands get really dry and cracked during winter, I always need to have a hand-cream savior in every bag I own, just in case. My current one is a common favourite among those with dry skin, and it is my L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream for dry skin. This feels so luxurious to put on and it doesn’t have an overpowering scent. It leaves my hands hydrated for a surprisingly long amount of time, so I rarely need to apply more than twice or three times a day.

Now to my face. Generally, I’m not a big face mask person. If you saw my post on skincare, you’ll know I have incredibly sensitive skin. So, because of that, many masks often leave my face feeling irritated and red. However, one I’ve found that works a treat is Caudalie’s Instant Detox Face Mask. I usually leave this on for 10 minutes until it dries, then wash off with a damp facecloth. It makes my skin feel so purified and clean, and like the tube says, my pores are ‘deeply cleansed and minimized’. Finally, because if my body is dry it means my lips are dry as well, I use a classic tub of Carmex. This stuff is brilliant, it heals my chapped and broken lips and moisturizes them, too. It is quite heavy, but for lips that dry out quickly it is fine for everyday wear, but I tend to go very OTT before bed. For some reason, I can never get to sleep with dry lips, and Carmex is the longest lasting lip balm I have found. A perfect match!

Last but not least, a calming, serene body spray from Rituals; their Chakra Water. I like to spray this on my pillow before I go to sleep and on my body when I want to relax and wind down. It is really calming and smells amazing, of Indian Rose and Himalayan Honey. The scent is so calming it acts as an instant stress relief.

Hope you enjoyed! What are your body care necessities?

Niamh x

Healthy American Blueberry Pancakes

I’m quite a morning person on the weekends. I like to get up and potter around the house; make myself some breakfast and check my Bloglovin feed. This morning I was feeling especially creative (and hungry), and decided to try out a new recipe; delicious and very healthy american blueberry pancakes. It was quick, easy, and a brilliant start to a Sunday morning. I loved them so much I thought I’d share the recipe with you so you can recreate them.

These are incredibly easy to make; simply 3 ingredients with an optional 4th. I like to add maple syrup on the side, but I have to say it doesn’t need it; the banana and blueberries compliment each other brilliantly. Pair this with a cup of tea, and it’s a perfect way to start the day. This recipe makes a decent 3 pancakes (I used an egg ring to keep them in place, this helps make them small but thick), which I find is a perfect portion size for one person.

Healthy American Blueberry Pancake Recipe

Ingredients: (serves 1 person, 3 pancakes)

1 peeled banana

2 eggs

As many blueberries as you fancy

Chia seeds (optional)

To start, peel the banana and toss it into a food blender/processor. I like to use my NutriBullet, it’s fast and efficient. Crack the eggs into the processor as well and blend until the mixture has a thick consistency. If you plan on adding chia seeds, do it after you have blended the banana and eggs and stir them in. To thicken the mixture, leave it to set for just 1 or 2 minutes before pouring it into the pan. In the pan, I recommend using egg rings, they’re sized perfectly to these american-style pancakes. Pour the mixture into the pan, making sure it’s on it’s lowest temperature, and drop in as many blueberries as you fancy (I like to go OTT, the more the better!) Once the bottom is ready, flip the pancakes and lightly brown the opposing side.

Et voilà! Deliciously healthy blueberry pancakes. Hope you recreate them!

Niamh x

How To Stay Organised This Year

Ah, organisation, such a tricky thing to master yet so satisfying once you do. Who doesn’t love a new planner or some good old labels? Many people struggle to stay on top of things, and coming into the new year I have seen lots of resolutions reading ‘be more organized’. If this is the case for you, as good as your intentions may be, it can be really daunting to look at a shelf full of random crap or a binder with who-knows-what inside and feel like you have to sort everything out right away. Where do you start? I’ve gathered a few of my best tips to help you get the knack of basic organisation. Let’s get started !

1. Write to-do lists

The classics to-do list. Careful - this does not mean write everything that you could possibly do in a day and expect it to happen, because it won’t. Prioritise, prioritise, prioritise! Write a simple to-do list with 5 and 5 tasks maximum to complete daily. This makes it more realistic; were you really going to do all those 15 things you wrote down? Probably not, but you got the most important stuff out of the way. And hey, it feels good to check everything off of your to-do list, like you’ve just achieved a mini-goal.

2. Get a planner - and stick to it !

I do love a planner, and I’m afraid to say that I have been guilty of buying and never using them in the past. But, once you’ve got into the swing of things, it’s so easy to keep it up. I recommend getting 2 planners; a small one to pop in your bag that you can take anywhere with you and one large to sit on your desk to jot things down in. Also, can I stress enough how important a pretty planner is? It’s no fun to fill in a plain, boring planner, but surprisingly exciting to write things in a colourful one. Onto what to write in a planner: due dates, important events and to-do lists. A planner with a notes section as well as schedules are great, as you always have a place to scribble down any thoughts that come to you if you don’t have a separate notebook to hand or prefer paper to tech. Always keep a pen with you - just in case!

3. Create a clutter-conquering system

More onto the clutter side of things, create a system to store random stuff that doesn’t seem to fit in. Remove clutter. Be honest with yourself; are ever actually going to use that travel Scrabble set the uncle you’ve never met before sent you last Christmas? If it’s not meaningful, sentimental, or useful on a regular basis, toss it. Organize the rest of your bits and bobs in any sort of organizational bin, shelves or drawer that will work with your available space. Then, label it all, such as ‘Tech’, ‘Travel’, ‘Notebooks’, etc., so you know what is where. Store anything into a labelled box that falls into that specific category.

4. Break work into small chunks

I hope I’m not the only one who is terrified of starting massive projects? It can be really off-putting to look at a huge due date and not know when or where to start. The worst thing you can do is plan to get it over in one go - this rarely works. Break it into manageable chunks that work around your schedule. Maybe do a little every day or every week, but it’s so helpful to set a start and finish time for different chunks of work. This also lowers the chance of you being distracted. Often the reason of procrastinating is because you’re putting off something that scares you, so the smaller the chunks of work are, the less frightening they are, too. I like routine; ‘I will work on this project every day for 30 minutes, starting at 3:00pm’. Also, take breaks, but no more than 5 minutes. Grab a cuppa, scroll through your Instagram feed, read your favourite blog ;) Don’t work your brain too hard!

5. Stay happy

Yep, staying happy is a way of staying on top of things. If you’re stressed or sad, or are feeling any negative emotions at all, you’re going to start lazing about and not wanting to do anything but munch on chocolate and watch movies. Take up a hobby, go for a run, bake a cake, read a good book, go for lunch with friends, do anything to keep you smiling and ready for whatever the day will bring. Be confident; walk with your shoulders back and smile at people at the bus stop. Spread your positivity! Trust me, the better you feel about yourself the more up to completing tasks you will be. If you need help learning to love yourself, I’ve got a post here to help you out.

What do you do to stay organized this year?

Niamh x

Minimal Makeup #1

As much as I love reading about it and shopping for it, I don’t actually wear a lot of makeup on a daily basis. Most of the time, if I’m honest, I’m happy to walk out of the house quite literally bare faced and not feel self conscious at all. I’m very lucky and have obedient, clear skin that is free of spots and blemishes.

But, like many, some days I wake up in the morning and may face looks dead. It’s at times like these that I don’t really have a choice but to wake my skin up a bit with more than just moisturizer. On my minimal makeup days, I like to opt for 3 products; a concealer, mascara and lipgloss.

After my moisturizer, I’ll pop on some concealer. To wake up my under eyes, I like to use my YSL Touche Eclat in shade 2. This magic pen conceals and brightens the bags under my eyes - perfect for erasing tiredness. It can also be used around the nose and above your Cupid’s bow to highlight. Sometimes, this is the only product I wear, although I do switch this up with Benefit’s Fake Up under eye concealer in Light. That also works a treat and is extremely hydrating, a winning factor for my dry skin.

Then, eyes brightened, I move onto opening them up a bit. To do this, I use my MAC Mineralize Multi-Effect Lash mascara in Charged Black . This gives a nice, natural lift to the lashes and separates them as well. To top off my very minimal makeup look, I’ll glide some lip gloss onto my lips. I have several ‘au natural’ lip products in my selection to choose from, but for this look I’ve picked Benefit’s Dandelion plumping lip gloss; a nice, natural shine to the lips.

And that’s my makeup done! What are your minimal makeup products?

Niamh x

20 Weekends Away In Europe

I love to travel. I’ve visited and lived in so many amazing places in my life; Costa Rica, South Africa, Thailand, the list goes on. Despite having visited all these incredible places that are far away from my little home in Europe, I tend to find that my favourite places to go are nearby. This is why I love Europe - and especially Belgium - because I can literally hop on a train and go to London, Amsterdam, anywhere close, and stay for 2 nights for the weekend.

So, I’ve put together a challenge for you. This year, my goal is to visit all of these 20 places, some for the first time and some I’ve visited many times before. I hope you bring on the challenge and do it with me. Here’s a list of 20 places I believe you’ve got to visit if you live in Europe or are visiting it for the first time.

1. Amsterdam - Netherlands

2. London - Great Britain

3. Paris - France

4. Madrid - Spain

5. Rome - Italy

6. Dublin - Ireland

7. Venice - Italy

8. Edinburgh - Scotland

9. Prague - Czech Republic

10. Athens - Greece

11. Istanbul - Turkey

12. Barcelona - Spain

13. Berlin - Germany

14. Lisbon - Portugal

15. Vienna - Italy

16. Zurich - Switzerland

17. Stockholm - Sweden

18. Budapest - Hungary

19. Cologne - Germany

20. Brussels - Belgium

Have you visited any of these cities before? Is it part of your New Year’s Resolutions to travel?

Niamh x

The Nail Power Trio

I have never been good with my nails….ever. I used to be a chronic nail biter (thank God I grew out of that), but all my attempts at painting my nails a gorgeous, seasonal colour fail miserably. Every. Single. Time. My main problem is that since I’m right handed and can’t control my left hand at all, when I try to paint my right nails with my left hand, nail polish ends up around my finger instead of on the nail...

If you are like me and cannot paint your nails to save your life, then I have found the answer to all your prayers! Recently, in Madrid airport, I picked up an OPI 3-step Infinite Shine kit. In a two-pack, I bought step 1 & 3; the base coat and top coat, and picked up the colour (step 2) separately. I bought the nudey pink you see in the picture, a grey and dark red (very sorry - don’t know the names!!).

I sat down with my three nail polishes and got stuck in. And, prepare yourself….I did it! (OK fine, I had to clean up my cuticles a little with an ear swab, but it was a 95% success). I started with a very thin coat of the primer, just like the instructions say. Tip: this means thin, not goopy but thin enough because I can’t be bothered (I learnt the hard way). Wait two minutes, then move on to your lacquer, of which you need 2 thin coats, waiting 2 minutes in between each. This bit can be quite messy if you’re anything like myself, so always have ear swabs and remover at the ready! Finally, apply the gloss in a thin coat. The best bit? It dries like a dream! Within 5 minutes I was picking things up and holding things without smudging my newly painted nails.

Now, almost a week on, not a chip anywhere. This stuff works a treat and has solved my disgusting nail problem. And no, this is not a sponsored post, I just love the trio a ton! Have a look through OPI’s colour selection here.

Do you struggle with your nails or go to a nail salon ?

Niamh x