S is for Shellac

Winter pedicures present a footwear problem even for the most dedicated and I have been known to leave the salon in flip flops when there is snow on the ground. I invest in manicures and pedicures all year round and  barely recognise my own nails if they're naked. I've been able to ignore things like acrylic and gel because my nails don't need a lot of help .. they just grow .. scarily long if I let them.

And then came the day in the depths of January when the outfit of choice included boots even though boots and newly polished toes just don't mix. That's when I was persuaded to try Shellac. Shellac promises 14 day wear, mirror finish, zero dry time and no nail damage. And boy does it deliver. My manicure lasted three weeks and my toes were unchipped for an amazing nine weeks. It almost became an experiment to see how long it would last but the polish was growing out rather than wearing off. It's super shiny too.


Removing Shellac is not as straightforward as ordinary polish so either let the salon do it or stock up on acetone!. It takes about 10 minutes to soak off and the recommended method involves pieces of cotton pad, soaked in acetone, secured in place with strips of foil. Not impossible to do yourself but slightly fiddly and not conducive to multitasking. 


That's the only downside though and if your winter feet are about to be slipped into sandals any day soon it could be the answer to your prayers.

Shellac manicure in Wildfire one week after application

Can't live without ... NUDE Skincare

I've never been madly into natural products preferring to focus on results from all things beauty. But the NUDE Skincare range caught my eye when testers for the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible gave its Replenishing Night Oil their highest ever score. Having been a Beauty Bible tester myself  I knew this was no mean feat.


So I gave the Replenishing Night Oil a whirl and I've never looked back. I was slightly nervous about an oil, despite having dry, sensitive skin. Somehow I imagined it might be very greasy. But it's not. It smells gorgeous and is very easily absorbed. Applied at night the difference is noticeable the very next morning when my skin looks smoother, plumper and better hydrated. A huge improvement on the downright scary look that creeps in some mornings.


Never one to limit myself to just one purchase I'm a convert to the Advanced Cellular Renewal Serum too. Again it's easily absorbed and the texture is perfect under moisturiser. After two or three weeks of use I've noticed my skin looks clearer and more refined.

Essential to life for beautysoup

I'm no expert in bio available technologies and other product ingredients but the NUDE range is free from Parabens, sulphates, PEGs, TEAs, DEAs, Propylene Glycol, Phthalates, GMOs, Mineral Oils and Silicones .. and that has to be a good thing.