Mont Bleu: Glassware

 Sent for Review

*waves lazily* Such a perfect weather for sleeping in today! The light drizzle, the cool breeze... zzzz..
So why am I up on a lazy Sunday? Well, a close friend of mine recently introduced me to World of Warcraft and gifted me with a copy of the game (yea she is awesome!!). Since I am going for a call break later this week, I figured I should start prep-ing by downloading the game and readying myself. This is my first MMORPG so I guess I need to do some homework as well heh. Hopefully I won't be a complete fumbling fool when I start playing. ;P

Anyway, while waiting for the download and installation to be done, I have some goodies from Mont Bleu to share with you today!

I stumbled upon Mont Bleu through various nail blogs that I frequent and fell in love with their beautifully decorated glass nail files. Yup! Mont Bleu Ltd Company is one of the world leading suppliers of glass nail files. Their glass nail files are made of high quality Czech glass; they are decorated by patterns, or by Swarovski crystals. Not only that, they also provide a whole range of products adorned with sparkly crystals! *turns into a magpie* Take a look!

Mont Bleu Glass Nail Files - regular and travel-sized.
I am not sure if I have ever talked about my manicure routine (it is definitely on my to-blog list but I don't think I've ever sat down to work on it >.< ) but one of my essential manicure tools is a glass nail file. They are generally of a medium-fine grit - enough to take down length without damaging your nails. I prefer glass files to the usual ones because they are built to last and don't have to be replaced - a thorough wash and quick dry makes it all ready to be used again. As such, the regular sized glass nail file is the only product that I requested to try when Mont Bleu first contacted me.

Prior to this, I had been using my trusty OPI glass file since.... way back in 2011. I was actually very happy with it until these Mont Bleu files came along and blew it out of the water. Not only are these files prettily adorned, they are surprisingly quick to take down length. That is a life-saver especially for impatient folks like me. <3

Mont Bleu Glass Foot File.
All reservations I had about my feet breaking the glass file melted away when I saw this file. It looks sturdy, feels sturdy and is sturdy. It has a coarse side and a smoother side. The coarse side is, well, coarser than the glass nail files but not too rough on the feet either. The finer side smooths everything thereafter. I love how smooth my feet feels after some filing. Definitely a keeper.

Mont Bleu Tweezer.
Tweezers are almost indispensable in my life. Apart from having one to shape my brows, I also have some tweezers lying around to pick up random things like studs/rhinestones for nail art or as a replacement for my fingers when my nails are still wet. As with most tweezers, this pair of tweezer from Mont Bleu is nicely slanted at the tips for easy shaping. It has a fairly good grip. Plus, I really like the brushed metal finish and the crystals - simple but very chic-looking.

Mont Bleu Metal Compact Mirror.
Another beautifully designed product from Mont Bleu. This is made from extremely reflective metal which I love but, unfortunately, unforgiving of the fingerprints too.

Mont Bleu Earrings.
It is not very obvious from my picture but these are quite sparkly in the sun. By now, you should know I have a soft spot for things like that - simple, elegant and sparkly. ;)

All in all, I am very impressed by these Mont Bleu products. In particular, I would highly recommend their glass files. You can take a look at the full range of Mont Bleu products here. Mont Bleu delivers its products internationally so happy shopping! ;)



**Products were provided for our honest review. Please see our disclosure policy for more information.**

essence: Spring / Summer 2013

Sent for Review

Happy Sunday everyone! ^_^

I'm feeling particular exuberant today because the air in Singapore has cleared up somewhat in the last two days! The past week had been absolutely horrible. Fires raging in Sumatra caused a huge haze in Singapore with the PSI readings hitting the hazardous range for the first time in years. I have been shuffling to and fro work with a mask because the haze (oh the burning smell!) was giving me a tremendous headache. So I am really relieved that we have some brief respite over the weekends - finally some remotely breathable air! Of course, it would be even better if the government could declare a stop work order next week... yea, I've been told that I am too optimistic :(

Anyway, back to the polishes!

essence Singapore has recently brought in some new shades for spring and summer and they have most generously sent them over for me to share with you. I don't have much to say except that these colors are simply perfect springy/summery shades! Take a look:

Ice, Ice Baby! 4 thin coats.
A squishy off-white jelly that is slightly tinged beige. A little streaky on the first 2 coats but evens out to a perfect glossy finish. It didn't really need the top coat but I top-coated it anyway to speed up the drying process.

Peach & Cream. 3 thin coats.
A soft peach puff with slight pearly shimmer. The pearl finish is not that obvious on the nails after 2 coats so that's a big plus for me - I am not really a fan of that finish. I did not think the color was very flattering on my skin tone under some lighting but I wore it for a few days anyway because it went well with my new turquoise phone casing! :P

That's What I Mint! 3 thin coats.
A soft pastel mint with very very slight green shimmer (that is clearly not visible on the nails). You know my obsession with blue-greens - this was instantly my favorite. Of course, I wore it for a few days because it matches my phone casing too! ;) It is a tad lighter than China Glaze's For Audrey and they will make a good ombré manicure - I just need to find 3 more shades of turquoise / mint... See! That's why I need more shades of this color in my life. *nods solemnly*

Hello Marshmallow! 3 thin coats.
A delicate lilac with sprinkles of red and blue shimmer. The shimmers are not that visible on the nails but you can catch a few glimpse of the elusive shimmer where the light hits the nails. It is significantly less similar to China Glaze's Light As Air than I'd thought - more purple and brighter.

Flashy Pumpkin. 2 thin coats.
An eye-searing tangerine orange. It is so bright that I would even call it neon. Super summery but definitely not for the faint-hearted. Formula for this was exceptionally good. It is very pigmented and I suspect you can get away with one thick coat.

Prom-berry. 2 thin coats.
An intoxicatingly rich vampy purple with very subtle red and blue shimmers. The shimmers are not obvious on the nails but they give the nails a slight glowy look when the nails catch the light.

Miss Universe. 1 coat over black.
A sheer black base filled with intense sparkly blue and green microflakies.   It is very sheer and will need about three to four coats for full coverage on its own. Very similar to Zoya's Kotori except that it has that extra oomph from the bright green sparkles. Needless to say, I am head over heels in love with this too.






Overall, I am extremely happy with the new colors. The colors, brush and formula do not disappoint. As always, the pastels are slightly streakier than the other colors but they even out fairly nicely on the third coat so I have no complaints there. Plus, at only S$2.90 each, they are a steal - definitely one of my favorite affordable brands.

So, which colors caught your eye? :D

essence cosmetics is currently available at these Watsons stores: Ngee Ann City, City Square Mall, Causeway Point, Lucky Plaza, Plaza Singapura, Bugis Junction, Sun Plaza, JEM, JCube, Parkway Parade, IMM, Lot 1, Anchor Point, Rivervale Mall, Park Lane, Bedok Central, Beautyworld Centre and SMU.

NCLA Nail Wraps: Aqua

 Sent for Review

Oh hello weekends! I know I ought to be perkier than this but I am completely exhausted after an informal chill-out session with my colleagues at my boss' place last night - the official event was named "primer on wine and cheese tasting" but it was much more fun than having a lecture of sorts and I really enjoyed myself there. Don't worry, I didn't indulge in too much alcohol (I can't really drink!) and didn't make a fool of myself in front of my bosses (I think).

Anyway, a quick post before I KO for the day. As promised here's a swatch of the second nail wrap design that I've picked from Nail Polish Canada:

Aqua (2 coats of top coat).
A simple but beautiful color-blocking design. I have been meaning to do a color-block like this since forever but I never got around to doing it because I dread fumbling with the tape - I suspect I spend more time untangling myself from the roll of tape than creating the design on my nails. Oh wells.

For details about the application of these NCLA nail wraps, head over and check out my previous post here.

There are many more pretty designs available on Nail Polish Canada here.

So what do you think of these nail wraps? What are your experiences with them?

NCLA Nail Wraps: Reflect Yourself

Sent for Review

A while ago, Nail Polish Canada started to carry the popular NCLA nail wraps in their store and contacted me to do a review. After starting working, I hardly had the time to do nail art so you can imagine my joy and excitement at having the chance to wear fancy nails after so long! There are several gorgeous designs available at NPC and it took me a long time to decide on two designs.

This is the first design that I've picked:

Reflect Yourself.
A beautiful mosaic design that makes me feel like my nails are encrusted with jewels.

Application is very simple. The official instructions are:

1. Clean your nails with nail polish remover.
2. Apply a coat of clear nail polish - let dry.*
3. Choose the right size for each nail and peel from the sheet by the flap (the tab).
4. Apply the round side against the cuticle. Wrap can be removed and stretched to fit.
5. Once in position, firmly flatten the wrap starting from the cuticle. 
6. Use the nail file to file away the excess in a downward motion.
7. Apply another coat of clear polish for seal and shine.
8. Removal: simply peel them off your nails. 

*I definitely recommend applying a coat of clear polish before any application. This will help to protect your nails when you remove the wraps. The nail wraps are quite adhesive because, well, they are meant to stick onto the nails firmly. While this is good, it may peel off the top layer of your nails if you apply the wraps directly onto your bare nail. I applied a coat of base coat and a coat of top coat (a little too much? lol!) before using the nail wraps and the wraps only took off small pieces of the top coat without damaging my nails.

I am pleasantly surprised to find the smaller nail wraps nicely sized for my nails. I could apply most of them directly without any trimming. For the ones that are slightly larger, I trimmed them slightly with a pair of scissors before peeling them from the sheet and applying them on my nails.

The wraps are thin and very easy to apply. While I did not have to stretch them because my nails are relatively flat, I did notice that the wraps are very flexible and it should be able to stretch to fit curvier nails without any trouble as well. 

Unlike the other nail wrap that I've tried previously, the NCLA nail wraps do not disintegrate with a top coat (thankfully!). I put two coats of top coat over the wraps to give them a mega-shine.

Each nail wrap kit is US$16 and comes with 44 wraps of different sizes (printed on 2 sheets) and one nail file. Quite value for money if you ask me. There are enough wraps to use for at least 4 manicures - more if you do not discard the excess from the larger wraps. Of course, it is also good as a quick and easy accent nail to spice up a manicure:

OPI DS Extravagance with Reflect Yourself on accent

You can see the range of designs available at Nail Polish Canada here. The nail wraps ship free within Canada (and the US?) - no minimum purchase required!

Stay tuned for the second design that I've picked! It's a beauty too <3

What do you think of the NCLA nail wraps? Have you tried them before?




*Product provided for our honest review. Please see our disclosure policy for more information.*