Models Own Artstix Nail Polish Duo in 'Jade Flakes'

First of all, let me apologise for the lack of posts recently. University is starting to wind down so i'm finishing off final assignments and ensuring everything is done for when I eventually move back home for the summer. As well as this, i've suffered from quite bad skin due to stress these past few weeks, so i've refrained from taking photos as i'm just not feeling really comfortable with the way i'm looking right now. But anyway, pity party over!

As a student (And as a girl in general), I love a bargain. What I also love are products that provide combinations, making it a full-proof way of ensuring you get it right every time. The Artstix Nail Polish Duo from Models Own is one of those products! They've jumped on the 'double-ended polish' bandwagon, which sees a base coat paired with either a polish with a nail-art brush or a nail effect top coat.

'Jade Flakes' is just one of eight combinations from Models Own, but with the inclusion of 'Snowflakes' from the Wonderland Collection it quickly became a must-have.

(I am well aware that my nail painting skills are not great!)

For £6 this product is ideal for someone looking to explore new shades without breaking the bank, as fullsized bottles of these two polishes alone cost £5 each. However, when using a glitter top coat its easy to end up using a lot of product just trying to get the desired effect seen on the bottle. With its large flakes, I ended up having to use three coats on each nail, resulting in a quarter of the bottle being used in one application. The top coat also has an extremely thick consistency, meaning that because of the layering (And I tried to thin it as much as possible without losing the flakes) it began to chip straight away and created bubbles on the surface of the nail which ruined the overall effect!

Overall it's a gorgeous combination and I had no problems with the application or the coverage of the 'Jade Stone' polish. However, the inclusion of the top coat meant that the polish latest just over 24 hours. I'm open to trying different Artstix as every one is different, however I feel i'm more likely to just use the base coat in the future as the top coat is extremely disappointing.

You can purchase Artstix Nail Polish Duos from your local Boots, or online here for £6.

Guest Post: Peter Pan Collar Nails by Charlotte Daisy Lewis!

Nail art can be a fun and original way to join in with the latest trends - Peter pan collars have been very popular this summer and I have seen them every where, on the most stylish celebs, and now, on my nails! I am really pleased with the overall effect and think it looks pretty cute. So here's hows to do it:

 

 Paint your nails with a good base coat to protect them (I use China Glaze). Allow to dry.
Then, with white varnish (Natural Collection), paint the top part of your nails leaving a sort-of semi-circle clear at the cuticle. Repeat on all nails, or on just one hand if you want to re-create the black/white contrasting look I have. Allow to dry.
Using black nail varnish (Rimmel) and a very small paint brush create a line down the middle of the nail (excluding the semi-circle) and a sort-of 'm' shape on top of the white and paint the rest of the nail, this should leave a little white collar under the plain semi-circle (this is going to look like skin, so the neck above the collar). Repeat. Allow to dry.

For the little buttons I used a gold polish (OPI) and a dotting tool (the head of a pin will do) and carefully placed three very small dots under each 'collar'. Repeat and allow to dry. Cover all nails with a decent top coat (China Glaze). If you want to create the contrasting look just use these same instructions but with black for the collar instead of white etc.

And you're done!  

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 There you have it, a super-easy design that you can recreate in any colour combination - although the classic white and black is a must-do for trying it out first time. I've never really thought of doing guest posts, but seeing Charlotte's (We call her Chaz!) amazing nail art designs, I knew I just had to get her to do something for Sophie Says! Hopefully she'll be back to do some more guest posts, but if you want to keep track of her latest designs, you can follow her Facebook page - trust me, you need to see what this girl can come up with!

Follow Charlotte Daisy Lewis Nail Art on Facebook HERE!