Failsafe Spring Nail Polishes

I'm not the kind of person who's really into wearing the nail polish colours of the season, I never have been, but something about Spring just has me reaching for the pastels. Is it the fact I can now see bright blue sky, or that I'm surrounded by daffodils or that winter has been so dark and dreary that I'll use any means possible to brighten my mood? Could be all of the above. Probably is all of the above.

I love a good neon clash during the summer months (Pow Green from Maybelline Color Show is one of my favourites) but as I pack away my long sleeve winter tees and thick dark plaid cotton shirts and start to welcome back my light tanks and nude ballet pumps, my finger nails kinda wanna join in the party.

I also find that if I've been wearing a lot of dark colours painted on in thick coats, my nails really begin to suffer. Because of this, I always make sure to use a nourishing treatment to help them get back into shape before applying a few layers of a lighter colour to really help bring them back to life. Flaky nails? No thank you. If, like me, you've been wearing nail polish continually for over three years, you'll know what I'm talking about...

Here are my Spring favourites:

1. NAILS INC - FLORAL STREET
   The strong consistency means you don't need to apply twelve coats to cover your nail.


2. BY THE FACE - GALACTIC GIRL
   A subtle light grey for when you're feeling more 'April showers'.


3. BY THE FACE - LIGHT BLUE
   The blue I always come back to.


4. BARRY M - SUGAR APPLE
   A hi-shine gel paint sure to brighten up any day of the week.


5. L'OREAL PARIS COLOR RICHE - NOUVELLE VAGUE
   A mix of white, grey, blue and lavendar makes it perfect for this time of year.


6. LOLA - BALLERINA PINK
   My favourite nude. Effortless and chic. If I do say so myself.


7. BARRY M - ROSE HIP
   The lightest blush pink.


8. ESTÉE LAUDER - TEMPTING MELON
   Because what's Spring without a hint of peach?

~ Eleanor xo

What's in my travel bag

Guess who's finally going on their hollibobs! God I hate that word, but it sounds more joyful than 'holiday' so it seemed appropriate.

Finally, six months (and countless breakdowns over university workloads) after we headed to EasyJet.com, two of my best gal pals and I are off to the distantly sunny land of Albufeira in Portugal for a whole seven days.

It's going to be pretty strange taking my summer wardrobe for a spin, seeing as it remains largely unworn for the majority of the year. Floral tank tops and teeny tiny shorts will be donned, bikini's tied with bows and flip flops slipped onto feet with brightly coloured toenails. Cocktails will be sipped, ice creams devoured and hair bleached blonder by our distant friend, the sun.

Having not seen much of the sun since my last holiday, almost a year ago, my luggage will largely consist of sun cream, after sun and sunburn pain relief - oh Garnier, where would I be without you? I like to keep things relatively simple and let my skin 'breathe', if you will, while I'm on holiday. Vitamin D is really good for you so I try and ensure my beauty and skincare is kept light and easy - whilst obviously keeping my skin protected with the help of trusty SPF 30. See below for what I'm chucking in my suitcase.

-- FOR KEEPING THE SKIN, FACE AND BODY SPRUCED AND BEAUT --

• Garnier Ambre Solaire Suncream: Easy to apply, no white marks and a smell that always reminds me of summer.
• Dior Expert Travel Studio (& So Eco Brushes): All of my favourite make up in one handy palette.
• Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes & Simple Spotless Skin Rapid Action
• Sure Crystal Invisible - Pure
• Vaseline Essential Moisture: Being out in the sun all day almost guarantees dry skin, but by applying this each day, my skin keeps hydrated and feels happier.
• Garnier Caffeine Eye Roll-On: I just really like how refreshing this feels under my eyes - just don't accidentally get it in your eye... that shit hurts.
• Miss Dior - Eau Fraîche‎: I'm obsessed with this perfume and having it in a handy handbag size means I don't have to try and ensure a full size glass bottle gets to my destination in one piece.
• Johnson's Lipcare - Classic: Another problem with sun exposure - dry lips. Johnson's has always got my back and this lip balm flavour is, unlike some lip balms *cough* Vaseline *cough*, not revolting.
• Hairbrush & Hairbands
• The Body Shop - Seaweed Matifying Day Cream: I love this stuff - I'm not so sure if it's as matifying as it says, but it smells amazing, feels really nice on my skin and doesn't irritate it.
• Garnier Ambre Solaire After Sun: My saviour, always and forever. Never leave home (in the summer) without it.
• Toothbrush & Colgate Toothpaste

-- IN SHOWER ESSENTIALS --

• Aussie Miracle Shine Shampoo & Conditioner: I'm not so sure this really provides the results it claims, but I'm half way through the bottles and I didn't really want to pack new, full containers.
• The White Company Bath & Shower Gel: The perfect travel size and it smells heavenly!
• Neutrogena Spot Stress Control: Because no one wants a breakout while they're on holiday.
• St Ives Apricot Scrub: I only just started using this but I really like it so far; the scent isn't all that strong which is slightly disappointing, but I really like having a face scrub that is gentle enough to use everyday, leaving my skin feeling clean and nourished.
• Venus Satin Care Shaving Gel: Because nothing accompanies beautifully tanned skin quite like silky smooth legs.

-- TECH, ENTERTAINMENT & HAND LUGGAGE NECESSITIES --

• Marie Claire & Glamour Magazines
• Headphones & gadget chargers (plus numerous European adapters)
• A good book... or three: This holiday I'm planning on delving into 'The Sun in Her Eyes' by Paige Toon, 'Five Days Left' by Julie Lawson Timmer and 'Still Alice' by Lisa Genova.
• Ray Ban Wayfarers: In classic black and Ice Pop Strawberry.
• Eye Mask (this one was a gift and it's part of the 'Hotel Collection' from Zara Home. Similar here)
• Notepad & Pen: Who knows when inspiration will strike!
• iPad: For games, films and anything else you could want when you're feeling anti-social.

Obviously, I haven't forgotten the most essential items of all: passport, boarding pass and euros - but they're being kept under lock and key by my parents because clearly they don't trust me. God knows why...

See you soon, amigos!

~ Eleanor xo

This week's paint: Berrylicious

After having discovered the brand nearly three years ago in a drugstore in Spain, I have loved every single thing about Lola nail polishes... except for their tendency to chip pretty much as soon as the final coat has dried. I've had this colour on for just over two days and it's yet to chip (even after a crazy day running around London, hopping on and off tube trains left, right and centre!), so I know I'm now living on borrowed time, but I hope I'll be able to enjoy complete nail coverage for at least a few hours more. I'll let you know how that works out.

The fact that these polishes chip so quickly is kind of upsetting (it sounds lame, I know) because honestly, this line of polishes simply cannot be matched; the name choices, the variety and beauty of the colours, the packaging, the formula, everything makes it a total winner - making it more than worthy of its £8 price tag (it costs less in Spain though, bummer!).

The size of the brush makes the polish so easy to apply and if you're like me, a twenty year old who is still unable to apply nail varnish neatly and instead gets it everywhere, this brush really helps to keep it on just your fingernail, meaning you can paint without worry - super handy!

The formula is also so great that you only really need one coat. I usually apply two out of habit, as well as the fact that I like my colour to really hold, but you can definitely get away with less if you're in a hurry.

Berrylicious isn't exactly the most summery of colour choices; I know, I'm so rebellious (plus, I can never be sure if it really is summer in Britain, you know what I'm talking about) but I really love how striking this colour is and I feel like it works for any occasion, and c'mon, who can resist anything with 'ultra shine' in the title?

You can buy 'Berrylicious' and shop the entire Lola Make Up range at M&S and online here!

~ Eleanor xo