The One With My Nail Revolution

 



Ciate Paint Pots

 

One of my beauty bug bears is nail varnish, yes nail varnish. That seemingly harmless bottle of colourful liquid is my mortal beauty enemy.

I'm not opposed to nail varnish in itself, far from it. I enjoy selecting the colour which most reflects my mood that day, I enjoy the process and ritual of applying the nail varnish from base coat to top layer. I enjoy having joyful, colourful nails which can brighten up my mood, I'd even go so far as to say that having painted nails makes me feel sexy in a way which make-up or clothes can't. Nail varnish is also a great alternative way to add a pop of colour to an outfit. With the recent explosion of nail art, nails have never looked so good.

So, I hear you say what is it that offends me so, which makes me wish, at times, that nail varnish had never been invented. Its this - the way that you can leave your nails to dry for an eternity and they still smudge, the way they chip moments after that final stroke has been applied,the way that however careful you are you can never achieve that smooth finish on all ten nails. Maybe its just me, maybe I am incapable of simply applying nail varnish, maybe I'm missing the gene that all other girls have which allow them to achieve flawless looking nails themselves at home. I have suffered from nail varnish woes for twenty four years, I am fed up of the endless cycle of disappointment when I look down at my nails. I don't have the time, or money to keep visiting salons to get manicures and quite frankly I don't have the inclination. Is it too much to ask that I cant achieve a salon finish in the comfort of my own home? Ive tried many a nail varnish, many a product which all hold magical claims - fast drying, chip resistant, lasts so many days but alas to no avail. Ive thought many a times, I'm cursed.

So, this seems all doom and gloom right?Wrong - Ive finally found a miracle in nail varnish form. What, I hear you exclaim is this wonder varnish, its Ciate. Yes, Ciate (appropriately the company is nicknamed the 'nail innovators of our time.')

I'd been oblivious to Ciate until I bought a magazine which came with a free bottle of Ciate. To be quite honest with you I wasn't holding out much hope for it, but tried it for the hell of it and I'm glad I did, its revolutionised my nail varnish regime. This by far is the best nail varnish Ive ever tried, its easy to apply, gives a smooth finish, comes in a range of beautiful colours and lasts far longer than other nails (I'm reluctant to say chip resistant, even though it pretty much is) Its my go to nail varnish and even though I do try other brands I always find myself coming back to Ciate. I currently own only own one bottle of Ciate, I would love to own more but at £9 a bottle I simply can't justify spending that much money on lots of nail varnish. Although I do deem the price to be a bit on the more expensive side I would fully recommend it, I do believe the quality of the finish justifies the higher price tag and that you won't want to go back to another brand.

The One With Patterned Tights

For so long now I've stuck to boring, plain, black tights. I've been too afraid to mix it up, to indulge in patterns and colours for fear of looking stupid or of standing out too much in a crowd. I've always been anxious about wearing colours, I've always shied away things from which I think of as nice purely on the basis that their a shade or two brighter than my comfort zone.

I've decided to break this pattern, and my first step in breaking this barrier is through the medium of tights. Although I love thick, wollen, black tights I have decided that patterned tights are the way forward and can be used to jazz up an outfit instead of accessories and introduce colour to outfits.

Seeing as I'm so afraid of colour or change I decided to play it safe at first and settled on a tan pair of heart patterned tights. Whilst tan is hardly bright or colourful it's different to what I would normally chose. I love that they're so in contrast to what id normally go for. I have an eye for cute things and the heart pattern really appeals to the soft, girly side of me. I really adore the pattern it's cute and adds a great touch to an outfit.

I picked my pair up in Marks and Spencer, they have a fantastic tights range from practical black to bold and beautiful patterns. Marks and Spencer is on my go-to list for hosiery and lingerie. The underwear is so beautiful and stunning, especially their collaboration with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. They were a lot of tights I lusted after and are now firmly on my most wanted list.

I am so glad I chose these tights, they make me feel girly and positive and it's one step closer to not being afraid of wearing different things.

It may seem silly but these tights are helping me to change after years of anxiety and body dsymorphia. Its all about trying to conquer my fears one small step at a time and patterned, tan tights are just the beginning.

The One With The Quotes

Today on twitter Black Dog Tribe,an online community set up by Ruby Wax for those affected by mental illness, wanted to find out what peoples favourite inspirational quotes or sayings were.

My favourite quote, and one which has helped me a lot during the last six months is this:

"nothing ever goes away until it teaches us what we need to know."

I believe that things that happen for a reason, that they happen to teach us things and that from each negative event there are positives to be taken. I've learnt that from the heartbreak and despair of mental illness there are positives to be gained, that you can learn new things and that good things can come even from the blackest of times. Instead of looking at the negative I've learnt to look for the positives even if at the time there might not seem like any.

I do think that quotes and sayings can help. I have a collection of quotes and sayings which I read and refer back to. For me its a coping mechanism and at times when I'm anxious, down, struggling to cope I can read them and they help give me a glimmer of hope and a positive perspective. It might not be everyones cup of tea but they do help me and help me to break through my negative, anxiety ridden thoughts.

What are your favourite quotes/sayings?

The One With The Sunday Stroll

There's nothing like a Sunday stroll to work up an appetite for a Sunday roast so that's exactly what I did yesterday. I've been lucky enough to have the weekend off and theres nothing like a good walk to clear your head and escape the stresses of every day life. I'm lucky enough to live in Devon which has some amazing countryside and scenery, I never really appreciated the countryside until  I left for five years and then came back. There's something magical about nature and the countryside, Im so glad I get to witness it everyday.

moss

flower

abandoned birds nest

essential footwear

snowdrops

lone tree

branches



red berries


 

How did you spend your Sunday?

The One With Simple

If you suffer from dermatitis or eczema or any other skin condition you'll know just how painful and frustrating it can be.

I've been suffering from dermatitis now for a couple of years, I always had skin which was prone to dry conditions but out of the blue my condition flared up and I have been left with skin which is sensitive, fragile and dry.

The worst affected area for me are my hands. They are constantly dry, cracked, painful and itchy. I always have broken areas of skin which itch and bleed and are generally really sore. It being the winter doesn't help as the cold makes my skin crack even more. I also work for the NHS and the constant hand-washing leaves my skin so sore and red. The worst thing is using the alcohol gel, it stings and is so painful if it comes into contact with scratches or cuts or broken areas. Working in a hospital also means wearing gloves which make my hands sweaty which in turn makes them itch more and leaves my hands covered in rashes. I tried using latex free gloves but I still had some trouble.

I'm forever getting told off my parents for scratching my skin but it's the only brief relief I can get. I've tried a number of creams and lotions but they don't seem to work or they irritate my skin further.

The other day though my mum gave me a bottle of Simple Derma Intensive Relief cream to try.
Simple Derma is designed specifically for very dry and sensitive skin, especially skin which is prone to eczema and dermatitis. Made with natural plant oils and no perfume or colour, it aims to soothe the skin and lock in moisture. Locking in moisture not only hydrates skin, it allows the skin to restore it's natural moisture levels so that it can protect skin and prevent any further moisture loss occurring. By protecting the skin by locking moisture in Simple Derma is able to keep harmful allergens and irritants out and therefore it is able to maintain and restore your skins health.

Using natural plant oils is a healthy and irritant free way to protect and soothe the skin. Simple Derma uses Natural Aquaxyl which is used to moisturise and restore the skin and Canola Oil which is used to replenish and protect.

The cream is easy to apply and absorbs quickly into the skin without leaving any greasy or sticky residue. It leaves the skin feeling soft and soothes any itching almost instantaneously, which is a huge plus point. I have definitely noticed the benefits and the difference it has made to my skin after only a couple of applications and i shall definitely make sure I take some to work with me so that i can regularly apply some throughout my shift.

For maximum results apply the cream liberally and regularly, up to four times a day. This cream cannot only be used on the hands, it can also be used on the body and is gentle enough for the face.

I shall definitely continue to use this cream, and Simples philosophy of only using natural ingredients and not perfumes or colorants or harsh chemicals appeals to me. Its important to know my skin is being cared for and retailing at £3.79 it's an inexpensive way to protect and buries your skin without breaking the bank.

Do you use Simple products?