'Ard As Nails Tindledale Collection Review

Hi everyone!
It's been a while since I've last blogged. My YouTube channel kind of took over and my blog got left behind... but iMovie isn't working and I really wanted to get a review up so what better way to get back into blogging!

Today I have three stunning 'Ard As Nails polishes to show you. 'Ard As Nails is a relatively new UK 5 free indie brand. They are created by the owner of Soap Dodger, and I'm so happy she decided to brand out into nail polish. This has quickly become one of my favourite new indie brands! They have some of the best creme polishes ever, as well as some gorgeous holos and colour shifting polishes.

The three polishes I have to show you today are from the Tindledale collection. The first polish is a stunning raspberry scattered holographic polish called Plum Crumble At Kitty's Cafe.

For the swatch I used 2 coats plus topcoat. It was almost fully opaque in just 1 coat, and if you're in a rush you can definitely get away with just 1 coat, but the second coat slightly deepened up the colour and completely covered my nail line.

It dries a little dull, like most holos do, so I did apply a topcoat to make it nice and glossy.

The formula was incredibly easy to work with. For being such an opaque polish, the formula was very smooth and just the right consistency.

The second polish is this silver linear holographic called Twinkling Night Over The Village Green.

This is a slightly more charcoal silver than most other silver holos, which is a nice change in my collection.

The linear holo isn't quite as strong as others in dull lighting, but as soon as the sun (or my phone's torch..) hits it it comes alive.

For the swatch I used 3 coats. It was a little on the thin side as was a little sheer. It built up really nicely though and the coats dried very quickly.

It was fully opaque in 3 coats. Again I used a topcoat for the swatch photos as holos do tend to dry a little dull.

I was amazed by how beautiful this is at its full potential. STUNNING!

The last polish is Honeysuckle Bliss in the Lane. This is a yellowy golden flakie polish.

This really reminds me of OPI Goldeneye, but this is slightly more yellow toned. It's the same concept though.

I used 3 coats for full opacity, although this is a polish that could also be sponged on for full opacity.

The coats dried very quickly so it wasn't an issue having to apply 3 coats. It's a very dense flakie so although you could use it as a topper, I would recommend wearing it on its own.

This was so stunning in real life, it's so reflective and just shines off your nails, which is definitely something I need with this depressing grey weather in the UK! It's like sunshine on your nails!

Those are the 3 'Ard As Nails polishes I have to show you. I am in love with them, like ALL the other 'Ard As Nails polishes I own!

As soon as iMovie decides to start working again I'll upload the video and link it here, but this blog post will have to do for now!

Let me know which one of these polishes is your favourite! Have you tried 'Ard As Nails?

xx Elaine

Dark Metal Lacquer Autumn 2015 Swatch & Review

Today I have probably my favourite collection ever to show you. Yes that's a big statement... I feel like I get more and more excited about nail polish. But seriously... just wait. This collection is pretty epic.

I have the Autumn 2015 collection from Dark Metal Lacquer!

I have reviewed for them before and I loved the polishes so when Kam told me she had some more polishes she needed swatched.... I wasn't going to say no!

This collection consists of 6 polishes. Two linear holographics, 1 flakie in a dark brown base and 3 flakies in a clear base. The polishes retail for £6.50 for a 11ml sized bottle. You can also buy the whole set for £36 or just the 3 flakies for £17.50.

As always, I have LIVE SWATCHES of these on my YouTube channel!

First up is Benighted.

This is a deep navy linear holographic polish. It's not too in your face, a little deeper and muted than a traditional navy. It the perfect Autumn shade and I love that it'll be blue no matter what lighting your in.

I used 2 coats for the swatch. It was almost fully opaque in just 1 coat and you could easily get away with just doing the 1. The second coat does deepen up the colour.

The formula is incredibly easy to worth with, very smooth, not streaky, dries quick. Perfect!

Next up is Black Rose Immortal.

This is a dark plum linear holographic polish.

This is quite similar to the previous purple holo that I reviewed, but this is much more muted and has a hint of berry.

I used 2 coats for the swatch.

This had that same amazing formula. It applied really beautifully and smooth and it was almost opaque in just 1 coat. I did apply a second coat to deepen up the colour.

Next up is Harvest.

This is so uniquely beautiful. This is a multicoloured colour shifting flakie in a deep dark brown jelly base. The base is so dark it's almost black.

I used 2 coats for the swatch. It is fully opaque, however I reckon a third coat would really deepen up the base.

It looks like this has the same flakies as the next polish.

Ok.. now get ready for 1048987598 photos. I was kind of in love.

You really want to see all these polishes in action, photos really don't do them justice!!

This is Nectar.

This is the most amazing multicoloured colour shifting flakie I've ever seen!

It goes from this vibrant pink fuchsia to a yellow gold, but there is also green and purple and a hint of blue. Seriously. A-Ma-Zing.

I applied one coat over a deep dark plum creme. The photos below, where it's fully opaque, I sponged the flakies onto my nail - like doing a gradient, but then just flakies.

Just look at the flakie goodness.

Next up is Hope Leaves.

Aarrrgghh This is so amazing too!

This is another flakie that goes from red/fuschia to a yellowy gold.

I used 1 coat over black, but I also sponged it onto my nail.

The last flakie is Patterns In The Ivy.

This isn't quite as colour shifting as the others, but it's still very unique.

When you're looking at it from the front you see green and silvery pink flakies, but as you tilt your hand it turns purple. You'll see the shift best in the video.

I applied 1 coat over a deep navy base.

So that's the Autumn 2015 collection from Dark Metal Lacquer. I obviously love the holos, but the highlight of this collection are the three flakies!

They are such incredibly densely packed that you could probably get them opaque on their own rather than sponging it on.

I love them layered, but just LOOK how gorgeous they are sponged on. Such an incredible effect. My all time favourite is Nectar. I literally couldn't stop taking photos.

These polishes are available right now! So check out Dark Metal Lacquers shop!

xx Elaine

CM Handmade UK Halloween 2015 Swatch & Review

Hi everyone! Autumn has officially begun so it's time for all the new (amazing!) Autumn and Halloween collections!! I used to not really participate with seasonal nail polish, but this year I've been obsessed with pastels in the spring, then pastel neons, then full on in your face neons and now it's time for some deeper reds and cobalt blues.

Today I have the Halloween collection from CM Handmade UK! I have reviewed for them a few times before, to check out all my other blog posts click here! CM Handmade UK is a relatively new UK based indie nail polish brand run by 2 sisters. Alongside their nail polishes they also sell crafts, ornaments, wax melts and more. The Halloween collection has to be my favourite collection they've launched. It literally just screams Halloween! It consists of 3 crelly cremes, 1 holo and a glitter topper. They're available to buy in a set for only £10 plus postage!!

As always, I have LIVE SWATCHES of these on my YouTube channel!

First up is Frankenstein.

This is a bright slime green. Maybe I'm thinking slime because it's a halloween collection...

It's incredibly bright!

I used 2 coats for the swatch.

It's a bit more a crelly formula, right in between a creme and a jelly. It applies beautifully. It's not streaky but there is a slight visible nail line so definitely needs second coat. The second coat really brightens up the green.

It dries to a glossy finish, I didn't apply topcoat for the swatch.

Next is Pumpkin.

This is a fiery red orange. It's definitely an orange with a lot of red tones.

This is another crelly polish. It has that gorgeous squishy feel to it.

I applied 2 coats for the swatch.

The first coat is almost fully opaque, literally the best formula ever. There is a slight visible nail line so I did require a second coat.

It dries to a glossy finish.

This is Witches Brew.

This is a very vibrant blue based purple.

It was a little bit more sheer than the previous 2 polishes but built up in 3 coats.

My bottle had a few unresolved pieces of pigment leaving it with a slight gritty finish. This didn't affect how the polish applied but I'd recommend applying a topcoat. It dries to a little bit of a dull finish so I'd recommend adding one anyway!

The glitter topper is called Trick Or Treat and it's adorable!!

I'm definitely not a huge glitter topper fan, and I've always stayed well away from anything skulls but these are just the cutest little holographic glitter skulls!!

This polish has green, purple, black and fiery orange hex glitter - matching all the polishes in this collection. It also has larger orange hexes and holographic skulls.

I had to do a little fishing for the larger glitters, but it wasn't anything more than other glitter toppers.

The great thing about this topper is is that it would look good over any of the polishes in this collection!

The last polish.... is amazing!!!

This is Vampire Bat and it's a black holographic polish.

I have had the biggest holo obsession lately and I  think black holos are my newest obsession.

This has quite a large holo micro glitter.. if that makes sense? It looks like silver glitter in dull lighting, although you can see a hint of rainbow. Once you get in the sun/flash or the right lighting it just blows up!

I'm obsessed.

I used 2 coats for the swatch. It's almost fully opaque in 1 coat, although a second coat really deepens up the colour. It dries to a bit of a dull finish so I would recommend adding a topcoat.

That's it for the CM Handmade UK Halloween 2015 collection! All polishes are available right now! Check out their etsy shop for all their other products!

xx Elaine

Charming Tale Haul Swatch & Review

Today I have a haul to show you!  Leanne, @LeasNails on Instagram, recently launched her own indie brand called Charming Tale polish and I'm obsessed. She sent me one nail polish to review before her launch, check it out here!, and I purchased 6 minis. Leanne has created 2 collections, The Fairy Godmother collection and Fairest Of Them All collection, as well as some nail care items.

As always, I have live swatches of all of these polishes on my YouTube channel!

I'll start off with the Fairy Godmother collection!

This is Flora a slightly pink toned red.

Anyone that knows me, knows that I'm obsessed with reds.

Flora has the most amazing formula. It is a little bit on the thick side, which I love, but because of that it only required ONE coat.

I just used 1 coat for the swatch and no topcoat. It's perfection in a bottle.

The second polish from the collection, which is unfortunately not available anymore, is Fauna.

This is a Shrek green. It's a weird colour to describe, it's quite a yellowy chartreuse but definitely still olive green. You know?

Anyway, it's a gorgeous polish. Definitely not something I'd usually go for, but still very pretty.

I used 2 coats for the swatch and no topcoat.

The first coat was slightly streaky and not fully opaque, but the second coat covered everything up.

The third creme in this collection is Merryweather.

This is a bright medium blue.

This was another ONE coater!

The formula was the same as Flora, it was a little thicker, but super easy to work with, and was opaque in just 1 coat.

Again, I didn't use a topcoat.

The last polish in this collection is called Fairy Dust and it's a silver holographic glitter polish with some very fine silver shimmer.

I used 3 coats for the swatch.

It's a very dense glitter and it was very easy to apply. It has a very full coverage on the first coat so I wouldn't recommend using this as a topper.

The silver shimmer really helps build up the opacity and makes it different from other silver holographic glitters.

The next few polishes are from the Fairest Of Them All collection.

This first polish is Mistress Of All Evil.

This is the polish I previously reviewed on my blog so I won't go into much detail.

I used 2 coats for the swatch and no topcoat.

It's beautiful!

The newest polish to Charming Tales is The Huntsman, and this has been added in the second restock.

This is a dark blue base filled with silver shimmer.

I used 2 coats for the swatch.

It was a little sheer on the first coat and there was a definite visible nail line. The second coat really deepened up the colour and covered up any VNL.

The last polish I have to show you today is Magic Mirror and this is a gold holographic glitter.

I used 2 coats for the swatch. I had a bit of a weird brush so it was picking up too much nail polish. I would recommend doing 3 thinner coats rather than 2 thick ones.

This is a gorgeous glitter and it looked very bling on the nails. Again it was very dense so I wouldn't recommend using it as a topper.







Those are all my Charming Tale polishes, I think they're all great quality and it's an amazing start for such a new indie brand.

Check out Charming Tale on Instagram for more info and swatches!