My Nail Polish collection!

For this month's 2014 Blogger Challenge post, we have to write about something to do with nails and as I wrote a review of my favourite polish yesterday (well done Jess...very clever planning there...), I've decided to show you the rest of my collection!

Apart from lipsticks, nail polishes are my weakness and I own too many in my mum's eyes. As far as I'm concerned, they're all gorgeous and wearable colours that I will use over and over again when the occasion arises and they're all as necessary as each other!

From the top pink going clockwise: The Girls are Out, Naughty Nautical, Bahama Mama, Chinchilly,
Orange, It's Obvious, Tea and Crumpets, Mademoiselle, Ballet Slippers, To Buy or Not to Buy,
Mojito Madness, Muchi Muchi, Tart Deco, Turquoise et Caicos, Aruba Blue.

My most collected brand of  polish is Essie, of which I own 14. I got 6 from Fragrance Direct for Christmas at £1.99 each and the rest have been bought at Boots over the last year or so. The 3 for 2 offer they have has saved me a pretty penny in that time! The colour range available is gorgeous and I always get so confused when trying to cut down the colours I want to buy to three because I love nearly all of them! The quality of these polishes is second to none and they're easily my favourite in all areas. The consistency is amazing, colours great, application brilliant and it always looks professional as the colours are strong as opaque. Add a base/top coat and you have a long lasting set of gorgeous nails! 

The rest of my collection!
See below pictures for names.

Left to right: Prickly Pear, Blue Moon, Mint Green, Berry Ice Cream, Pomegranate.

I also have 5 Barry M colours, 2 of which are part of the Gelly range. Even though a lot of people swear by these, I don't like them as much. They have a really good colour range and the polishes are pretty, but I find that they chip really easily and the Gelly colours aren't actually that shiny once dry. I don't dislike them and if I looked I would still probably find a pretty colour and want to buy it, but compared to Essie, they just don't hold up to the same standard. 

Left to right: Double Decker Red, Tangy Tangerine, Diamond Dust,
Block Your Green, Marshmallow Heaven.

I also own 5 Rimmel polishes - 4 from the I heart lasting finish range and 1 from the precious stones range. I've only used one of these and I really liked it. Again, they chipped quite easily but I have a feeling that as I haven't used base or top coats with any but Essie, I'll need to test this theory again sometime soon and then see how they last! I've also used the precious stones polish as an accent nail and I thought it was really good! 

Left to right: Cosmic Crush, Black Cherry, Red Robin, Topaz.

As they are only £1.99 each, I bought 4 Natural Collection polishes which, for their price, aren't too bad! There is a limited range of colours but the two I have are pretty and chip in the same amount of time as the Barry M or Rimmel even though they are about double the price of the Natural Collection polishes!

Left: Miami.
Right: Peacock.

I also own two 17 polishes but I don't remember the last time I wore either of them! I really love the green colour, I actually accidentally bought it for a second time once because I didn't remember owning it! Luckily Boots gave me my money back!

Left to right: Vivid Violet, Pink Grapefruit, Elixir, Tangy.

In a box on my set of drawers, I found 4 No7 polishes, all of which apart from the orange one I don't remember buying as they're quite old! I think the burgundy shade was a present from someone but again, I'm not really sure.

Marilyn.

My only Jessica nail polish was a present from my parents for Christmas a few years back (as a joke because of the name I think!) and I only opened it a few months ago! It's really high quality and would have lasted longer with a base/top coat but the colour is gorgeous and it applied nicely - I definitely want to find more colours! It also has such a pretty name!

No name.

I bought this NYC polish years and years ago for a party and I haven't used it for about 4 years...I should probably throw this one out! I think I ended up just using it as a polish to do polka dots with when I was in year 9 or so as it was difficult to remove so I didn't coat my whole nail in it. I remember that it was also quite gloopy when I used it so it really should head to the bin...

Big Apple Red.

I got this free with Glamour magazine a while back and I love it. It's a Nails Inc/Kate Spade collab and you all know my obsession with Kate Spade so I had to pick one up! I'm quite sad that I didn't also get the silver one too because it was really pretty and they're also really good quality! Very shiny and bright! I might have to see if all Nails Inc polishes are the same!

All in One

Since I bought it a little while back, this All in One base/top coat has been my holy grail. It goes on smoothly and thinly, dries in an instant and produces the most amazing shine when used as a top coat. It also doubles up as a nail strengthener so it's pretty good! Last time I used it, I managed to peel my nail polish off instead of having to use nail polish remover which is also great because the chemicals in the remover didn't get to undo all of the good work the base had done! My current nails have been going almost a week with this on and they still haven't chipped so I think it speaks for itself!

I have no idea how many of these are actually still being sold because as I've said, some are quite old and I don't even remember where I got them from!
Hope you guys enjoyed this, it made me realise how many polishes I have!
Jess xx

Challenge post four.
Challenge post three. (with links to two and one!)

Discoveries.

With all of the technology we have available to us now, we assume that we've found most of the ancient material that has survived since Roman and Greek times. This is why I was so excited to read about a brand new discovery - a poem by the Greek female love poet Sappho which hasn't been read aloud since roughly 300 AD (according to here - an alternative translation is also available at the bottom of the post)! 

A translation by Tom Payne, available here:

Still, you keep on twittering that Charaxos

comes, his boat full. That kind of thing I reckon

Zeus and his fellow gods know; and you mustn’t

make the assumption;

Rather, command me, let me be an envoy

praying intensely to the throne of Hera

who could lead him, he and his boat arriving

here, my Charaxos,

Finding me safely; let us then divert all

other concerns on to the lesser spirits;

after all, after hurricanes the clear skies

rapidly follow;

And the ones whose fate the Olympian ruler

wants to transform from troubles into better –

they are much blessed, they go about rejoicing

in their good fortune.

As for me, if Larichos reaches manhood,

[if he could manage to be rich and leisured,]

he would give me, so heavy-hearted, such a

swift liberation.

Another translation is available here. 

It's almost the entire poem which is surprising, usually only small fragments are found and only one complete poem of Sappho has survived! As a Classics student, I got so excited - it's hard to imagine people living that long ago so to find more pieces that were written and performed so long ago is incredible! 
There is also another poem that was discovered (both given to an Oxford Classics fellow together) which is only fragmented so it's an incredible discovery (a little on that here)!

If you want to read the full article with a little historical background and explanation, click here.

Jess xx

The Body Shop Colour Crush Lipsticks in Damson in Distress 240 review

I passed my driving theory test yesterday so to celebrate, I met up with a friend in Reading! To treat and congratulate myself, I bought a colour crush lipstick from The Body Shop as I'd heard a lot of good things about them on various websites and in magazines. 

The colour I chose was Damson in Distress which is a gorgeous purple/berry colour. I've never bought a purple lipstick before but this one suits me really well I think so I'm really happy that I chose it! I've been looking for a darker lipstick that isn't red for a while and this one fits the bill perfectly!

The packaging is really simple but pretty and the lids co-ordinate with the colour group they belong to (pinks, reds or browns) which I think it quite a cool way of separating and identifying colours!

The colour is actually darker than this and more purple but my bathroom lights are really bright and always seem to take away some of the colour of my swatches which is annoying! The lipstick is really soft and moisturising and lasts for ages, over 3 hours when I tested it! I love the colour and despite it being quite bright and different, it seems to go with everything which could make it a daring every day colour! I can't wait to wear it out properly (not just testing it) and see how it really does though, so far I'm loving it and it will become one of my favourites I think!

The name isn't actually on the lipstick, only on the website, but the number is displayed by the lips at the top! 

This was £10 and can also be found on The Body Shop website. The swatches they show there are actually quite accurate compared to most websites (looking at you, Boots...) so it's quite easy to choose colours, but just for safety's sake, it's still worth checking them out in store to make sure the colour suits you as £10 is quite a lot for just a lipstick. 

I also love these as they're cruelty free, and with such great quality, I will most likely be buying another of these eventually - there are 23 more colours to choose from!

Jess xx

Essay motivation trip!

I actually love going to places by myself. You can go where you want, spend as long or as little time as you want in each place and go home when you feel like it.

Yesterday I went to Guildford for a mini shopping trip to get some sweets for motivation to write my English essay that I planned yesterday morning and Friday. Even though it's fun, I really shouldn't be allowed in the American sweet shop by myself.

Best sweets ever!

As it's nearing Halloween, I couldn't resist having a look at what goodies they had, and I wasn't disappointed. They had Candy Corn (one of my all time favourites) and some things called Mellocremes which are made by the same company and taste quite similar but are different Halloween shapes like pumpkins and cats! No one else in my family likes them which means they're all for me! 

I also had to get some of my usuals and I've found out that Jolly Rancher do a Passion mix with all flavours I like which makes me happy. There's even a Peach flavour which is the best thing ever! Berries Sour Patch Kids are also amazing - the flavours are the best; I'm a berry and citrus girl so these packets are the best things! I also really don't like Watermelon so I successfully avoided it in both packets!

These should last me a good long while as I don't want to open them all at once or waste them by eating tonnes at a time!

If you've never tried these, find somewhere that does them and BUY THEM. I know I have an unhealthy addiction, especially for a Diabetic, but I love them so so much.

Jess xx

Petite Anglaise.

This is one of the two books I picked up at the last car boot sale I ventured to with Mark a month or so ago and I'm oh so glad that I did because I love it. I decided that it would be a good read for the train journey to/from college on Friday as I tend to sit alone (after a busy week, train relaxation and alone time is actually rather enjoyable!) so I grabbed it and shoved it in my bag as I ran out of the door. I'm so happy I did. 

This book is a memoir of an English blogger (actual name of the blog is petite Anglaise) who lives in France. I'm only 32 pages in but I'm hooked. Catherine's writing style is so easy to read and quite funny at points, it's really very hard to put down which I can see as being a problem! I can see it being my go-to book for my daily train journeys, except for when I'm lacking in space due to the copious amounts of books I have to carry for my lessons each Monday (you'd be surprised at how much you have to carry for only three lessons...). It's also a hardback so it's rather awkward to fit in my bag. It does mean that it doesn't have the risk of being ripped to shreds by my constant taking items in and out of my bag though. 

I'm really excited to finish reading it and hopefully I'll get some spare time to continue it! 

Jess xx

Barry M gelly - Pomegranate

I love those days where you don't go out anywhere and just relax. Today, all I've done is get into my comfy lounge trousers and captain america jumper then watched TV (old re runs of Nickelodeon shows anyone?).
My nails have been boring for the last three weeks or so with all of my travelling making it impossible for me to have a spare minute to sit down and paint them and the fact that I just spent a week digging doesn't really give me any opportunity to have a nice nail colour and keep it on for too long! I'm happy that I've been able to just take an hour or so out and paint them today, they always look so much nicer with a fresh coat of colour on them! The colour I used was part of the Barry M gelly hi shine range in the colour Pomegranate which is a darker but bright pinky-red. I also have Prickly Pear from this range which is a really cute lilac colour. Barry M do the nicest range of colours and for quite a cheap price (£3.99 for the gelly paints, £2.99 for the regulars), I was pleasantly surprised! The brush is the perfect width and the colour went on really well without any problems! For someone who usually has to re-do at least one nail, this is pretty impressive! After only one coat, the colour on my nails looks like the bottle colour which I've never had before! It dried really quickly and is so shiny too but you would expect that from a range that call the line 'gelly hi-shine'!

How pretty is this colour?! I think I have a new love

I'm going out tomorrow and Friday so I'll report back for how it fares later on! I'm impressed so far though, it's been on for a good few hours now and it looks perfect!
Jess xx

Life is Art.

"I think everything in life is art. What you do. How you dress, how you love someone, and how you talk. Your smile and your personality. What you believe in, and all your dreams. The way you drink your tea. How you decorate your home. Or party. Your grocery list. The food you make. How your writing looks. And the way you feel. Life is art. - Anonymous.

Sweet obsession

As I'm diabetic, it's probably not so good that I have a major sweet obsession. We went to John Lewis today and me and my brother were let loose in the sweet section...it was a really bad idea because we got quite a few!

Big bag of 'retro' sweets! 

Jelly beans! 

These are only a few of the sweets we got but they're probably my favourites.
I haven't had any of the sweets in the bag for ages but love hearts and candy necklaces are the best sweets ever so this pack makes me happy!
I also haven't had proper jelly beans for a really long time so this makes me very happy. I love the booklet you get with it because it gives you really cool combinations and flavours to make! My favourite flavours are probably lemon, orange, cherry, blueberry, lemon & lime and grape!
Jess xx

Kate Spade

As I said in a previous blog, I've had a bit of an obsession with Kate Spade for just under a year or so. I find their designs so cute and quirky but still sophisticated which I completely love. The bright colours and pretty designs and patterns for their clothes, bags and accessories are just amazing!
I've been wanting to see one of their shops since I saw pictures on The College Prepster's blog and I finally got to! It was only a little shop in Covent Garden, London but it was so amazing and lived up to the expectations that the American shops set!
The layout and displays reflected the brand's cute quirkiness perfectly, I wish I could have bought the whole shop!

I really want something similar in my house/apartment when I move out!

The window displays were amazing! I love all of the outfits! 

The light of the camera actually flashes!

The little popcorn tub is actually a bag!! I love the movies so this is an amazing line at the moment! 

I love the bird cages!

Book stacking always looks so awesome and the colour of the bag is my favourite! 

This is just by the stairs and the changing rooms, so simple but so cute! 

I will definitely be revisiting this shop when I have more money so I can buy some of their amazing stuff!
Jess xx

Books vs. Kindles

I always found this such a funny argument that comes up all the time. I own both and don't see why people have to have either one or the other! They're both great and I wouldn't want to have to choose between them!

Books
I love the smell and feel of books. There's just something about opening a new book and getting that fresh page smell. The sound of pages turning is also great. I could spend hours in bookshops and I actually ended up using up nearly the whole hour I had in between the train I missed and the next one just browsing the local Waterstones the other day.
The smell of old books is also amazing. I don't even know what it is but the browning pages and musty smell is so nice.
The downside to books is that they are so expensive! However, trawling through sale shelves and secondhand bookshops always produces some hidden gems! Some of my favourite books were found in an amazing secondhand bookshop in Northumberland!

Kindles
The most obvious difference: Kindles are one size and can store thousands of books without changing shape which makes them so much easier to carry around and fit into bags.
The books are cheaper on the kindle and the one I have doesn't have a lighted screen so it's literally an electronic book which is really nice! It's also a really handy feature that you can download a sample of any book then once you've read it, you can buy the book fully!
I also think they're really handy because it is connected to your amazon account and 3G so if you want to buy a book, you can search for it on the kindle shop and download it there and then, then read it straight away without having to go to a shop and buy it, or ordering it and having to wait for days on end for a book you want to read then.
The downsides are that it isn't the real book so you don't get the feel or smell of pages. I also find the more recent versions of kindles that are trying to be cheaper iPads because that isn't what kindles are for! They were designed to be a device that you could store and read books from, not play games! I think the lighting is a good idea but the rest of it is pointless. It defeats the whole point of it being a reading device!

I love them both and they're both good, just at different times and in different situations! I tend to carry them both around in my bag because I tend to have multiple books on the go, normally one actual book and at least one book on my kindle! I don't have a preference particularly but I like having my favourite books in book form; it's just nice to be able to have them there physically.
Tell me your thoughts!
Jess xx

The people may be gone, but memories are forever.

I decided to go through my old facebook conversations today, and I was amazed at how many people I'd lost contact with!
It's funny how you look back through and you can see different stages of your life because of the people you spoke to and the conversations you had with them, I'm also amazed that I was friends with some of the people I used to talk to! If you see them and me now, you'd also wonder, trust me...
But yeah, even though I was quite sad remembering some of the memories that came back when I saw the people's names (and quite glad that some aren't in my life anymore frankly), I still appreciate the people who were in my life before, because they've ultimately shaped me to be who I am today!
Sure, some memories are good, others are bad. Others make you question your mental state at the time! But everything you do shapes and influences you, and that includes people, so appreciate friends while you  can, learn from mistakes and don't be scared to let go, because in the end, all of these things will help you to become a better you. Try not to look back on memories with sadness that they've passed, but with fondness that they happened. Things only happen once so enjoy them while they last! And take lots of pictures while you're at it so you'll be able to look back on everything later on!
Just make sure you appreciate everyone around you and tell them because they won't be there forever, and you'll regret it once they're gone.
Live, Laugh, Love people!
Jess xx

Lions and Llamas!

Over the last month or so, I've been watching a couple of YouTubers called Dan (Danisnotonfire) and Phil (AmazingPhil). They are so so funny, I must have watched over 30 videos just since last weekend, I think I've found a new obsession and love :3 they live in london as well and they're so so weird, but amazing too :') I assume most of you have seen their videos because they're awesome, but if you haven't:
Dan's YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/user/danisnotonfire
Phil's YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/user/AmazingPhil

On another equally awesome note, I"M SEEING THE HOBBIT TOMORROW! I'm so so excited, it's one of the few times I've been invited to do something with my college friends so I'm happy! But I have to finish off a lot of work before I go :( Classics work, my english coursework essay plan, a practice paper for biology and some other questions for biology. I basically have to re-read the Odyssey, Hamlet and Macbeth, and go through an entire term's worth of biology work .___. It's going to be murder but SO WORTH IT!! :D

Gotta go finish that now so talk later!
Jess xx

So I'll spend all night looking into your eyes because I want to remember them if I ever fall blind...

This is currently my favourite song ever.
Lewis Watson is amazing, he has an amazing voice (very Ed Sheeran-esque) and he's pretty x3
The title for this blog is from my favourite song by him, called Bones
I swear, if someone ever sang this to me, I'd just fall in love instantly, it's such a gorgeous song with amazingly sweet lyrics :3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pl9Jkq060s <---- Lewis Watson - Bones
I lovelovelove him :3 Check it out pleaaase!

On another note, Hudson Taylor's new EP, Cinematic Lifestyle came out yesterday!! THE SONGS ARE AMAZING. BUY IT!!! I love these guys so much, they seem so lovely too, have the funniest videos as well ^^
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndnXlY_H55c <--- Hudson Taylor - Cinematic Lifestyle
Harry and Alfie are just ugh. I love them :D plus Alfie is dating Gabrielle Aplin (John Lewis christmas advert singer :D) so even more of a reason to love (or hate) him!

I'm off to do more biology homework .___.
Note to self: Don't miss another day off college, there's way too much work involved in catching up.... .___.
Jess xx