Nailene Review

Two things I want to say before I tell you about this product.
1- I got sent these products to review, this does not alter my opinion and I would never accept anything to review that I didn't feel was 100% something I would use/wear/write about on my blog anyway!
2-Sorry for the Ombre color of my hands, I dabbled with some gradual tanner before I took these photo and well...It got darker as i took them!Ha!


On to the good stuff....
For reference, or if you just like fun/useless facts about my life, here is my brief history with false nails.
When I was younger, i think it probably started when i was about 12 I was obsessed about false nails.
I used to always beg my mum to take me to Asda (basically Wal-Mart for non-Uk'ers) every other week so I could pick out some new nails for myself.  I used to always use the Elegant Touch nails that came with the crazy glue (strong is not even the word). 
I have always had (thankfully) good nails, they are strong and grow really quick, so that was never why i wanted to wear the false nails, i just always thought they were fun.
I also dabbled with acrylic nails, i got a kit from Rio one Christmas and it showed you how to apply them your self, let's just say four hours and a bowl of acetone nail polish remover later me and the acrylics just didn't mix!
I have never had false nails of any kind put on professionally, I have had only one professional manicure in my whole life, can you believe that!!!


Even though by about 15 years old I had exhausted all false nail options and was by that point into doing nail art on my own nails, i always longed to try them again, I can't help it, seriously its like an addiction!
So when i was sent these Nailene nails and Nailene Adhesive Tabs I couldn't wait to get stuck in.

Basically instead of glue these adhesive tabs that have been a major hit in America are little pieces of acetone free/glue free bits of sticky-ness in the shape of your nail.

You choose which ever one fits your nails shape (there isn't too much difference in size, I wouldn't think anyone would have a problem with them not fitting) stick it on your nail and choose a false nail of your choice to stick over it.

I was so impressed by these tabs, as someone who over the years has had many incidents with nail glue.  I have bonded my fingers together with the glue(and yes i do mean all four fingers, i wasn't that stupid to stick my thumbs together! Duh! Ha!), which seriously people under estimate how painful that is, and  I've had to actually file, with a nail file the hardened glue off my fingertips as it just wouldn't budge for days. 

These are so quick, i had all the tabs on my nails in under three Min's (i.e- in the Ad Break of The Real Housewives of New York) you can easily do this by yourself and you wouldn't need someone else 's help for your second hand which sometimes happens with the glue. 
The nails bonded with the tabs instantly and stuck really tight, you have to watch for air bubbles but that's the same with any stick on nails i suppose. 
I had actually years ago used a similar tab glue thing to sick my nails on and they were awful all my nails starting pinging off the minute i put any pressure on them.
These are much much stronger and still haven't came off, what i would say though is, if you are used to using the glue, you may feel like these aren't as strong.

I also tried out the False nails from Nailene, these were great, standard false nails,  I really like the fact that you got a lot of sizes to choose from and they all fitted my nails perfect, I used to always dislike it when nails were far too big and hung over my cuticle, which thankfully didn't happen with these!

I didn't file these down as i just wanted to try them as they were first but I think when i use them again i will definitely paint over them a snazzy colour, which is fine to do as they take on nail polish great.

As I knew i was doing this review i wanted to check if the tabs/nails where as easy to remove as the pack said.  And they were.  Truthfully, they took the same amount of time to take off as they did to put back on, which you can do again and again as the tabs stay sticky for ages.
You don't peel them off but push down on the bottom of your nail and then slide them up your nail, simple as that. 

As now having tried both normal nail glue and these tabs I would definitely recommend the Tabs, not only are they quick and really really gentle on your nails but they are so easy to put on and off something that was my big bugbear with the glue when i used to use it.
I would say though if you want your nails to stay on for longer than five days i would definitely stick to your nail glue as there is no doubt that it is the stronger of the two and will stay on longer.

You can buy the Nailene Tabs for £2.49 (you get two sets in a pack)
And you can buy the nails I'm wearing from Nailene for £4.49 (Each pack contains 24 nails)
Both are available from Boots, Superdrug, Tesco and Asda.

What do you think, will you be trying the nail tabs, or do you already use them?
I would love to know!

Stay Warm

The temperature has dropped so low here today.

There is always things that make you aware that winter is coming aren't there?

That icy chill in the air that appeared today and to be honest there is nothing that signals the nearing of Winter more to me than the X Factor starting!

I was wrapped up in a lovely big knit today trying (and failing) to stay warm so when i saw this editorial i thought it was perfect for today.

I think its such a stunning simple shoot, and the knitwear just looks epic!

Hanna Waehmer by Stefan Heinrichs

Vogue Germany

September 2011

Sunday Show and Tell

I'm under their Spell

I've sat here trying to write and re-write something that could explain and justify my love for this collection.
And to be honest i dont think I'm ever going to be able to sum up what i think about it in words here.  I've decided that this collection had rendered me word-less.  Not an easy feat. 
Its too pretty, too beautiful, the styling is too perfect and its too 'me' to try and tell you what i think about it.
If you can decipher the meaning behind this jumble of words I hope you come to the conclusion that I really love it and want every piece in this collection and will have all those rings adorning my fingers at some point in my life.
And if you can't work it out then look at the pictures and whatever you think about it i think that too, because i know you love it!

Spell
S/S 2012 Castaway Collection
Model: Teresa Oman
Photographer: Beck Rocchi
Styling/Art Direction/Post: Lizzy & Spell from Spell
Buy everything from them HERE
Check out their blog too, its fit to burst with all the inspiration on it.

$100 Shopbop Gift Card Giveaway

The title says it all really.
I am hosting another Shopbop giveaway as a massive Thank You to all my lovely readers for being so awesome and for sticking by and still reading Is This Real life?


If you don't know about Shopbop already then you should definitely check them out they have so many brands under their online shop roof.  They have Acne, Halston, Lauren Merkin bags, Anya Hindmarch, Zambos & Siega, Levi's to LNA and even Ugg's.  I'm pretty sure you will be able to find something you love on there!

So, The important bit, how to enter...
1.  You can be from anywhere in the world to enter the giveaway (apart from Pennsylvania)

2.  The giveaway will close on 5th September.

3.  To enter all you have to do is leave a comment on this post an make sure you are following my blog, you can find the little box on my sidebar that you need to follow or you can use blog lovin'.

4.  If you don't have your email address on your blog or don't have a blog.  Please leave your email in your comment so i can contact you if you win!

5.  If you want to be entered into the giveaway twice and give yourself a better chance of winning then follow me on Twitter HERE and tweet about the giveaway, when i see your tweet i will add your name in the giveaway again.

So, I hope you all like the giveaway, I was sure it is a store you would all love and be able to find something that you want in it!
Oh and follow Shopbop on Twitter HERE too, they always tweet about all the new goodies coming into the store!

From red to Orange

 I was bored with all my nail polish colours, I feel like i have worn them all so much lately and wanted to change it up a little.
I decided i wanted to use some of my pink colours and came up with this.  The first two are actually different shades and brands of red, one is more deep and the other is more tomato-y even though they look pretty alike in the picture.  I added the tan colour at the end to break it up a little and give it a contrast although already 4 people have asked me today why i didn't paint my pinky nails....!
The last picture is the shades of what colours I used in case you want to check them out.

On another note, I wondered if some of you could help me out a little.  Specifically people who own a Big Cartel shop.  I am pretty bad at the technically side of things HTML, CSS etc and i am currently in the process of setting up a Big Cartel shop (I will fill you in on the news soon, VERY exciting!!!) and i am kinda stuck on how to make it look pretty, i see so many lovely one's out there but i have no clue how to do it and would love to hear from you how you did it or if you paid a designer to do it for you, do you have any recommendations of peeps who aren't too pricey?
Drop me a comment or an email here- isthisreallife@hotmail.co.uk and let me know, i would love to get some Big Cartel shaped advice from you!!!
X

Sunday Show and Tell

Simple

Simple jumper but just really pretty
Buy it HERE

Lily Love's You

So, I know i don't really mention too much about where I live on here, other than it's a sparkly city (see sidebar!) I am a bit of a scardy cat when it comes to putting all my info online, put it down to watching too much Newsround when i was wee,

But sometimes i can't help but want to promote local talent and a prime example of this is the lovely LilyLoveLock.

I first came accross the uber talented Domonique on twitter (where else right?)

and she has just launched her store on ASOS Marketplace.

The lookbook is full of quirky sweet images of the clothes like the one's above.

When i saw this playsuit i just knew I had to blog about it,

Playsuit+Stars+Stripes= LOVE

You can buy this little beauty for £28 HERE

What do you think, are you a new fan of LilyLoveLock too?

What's In My Bag?

I can't believe this is the first time I have ever done a

'Whats In My Bag' post.

I have always loved having a peek inside people's bags and what their handbags look like.

So here's mine...

1.  Water

2.  Random Magazine, I always have one in my bag, you never know when you are going to have to sit around and wait on someone/something, so i think its always important to be prepared for such events!

3.  My bag, In the second picture too.  From ASOS a while ago

4. Book -The Miracle of Mindfullness, such a great book and again like the magazine i always have one in my bag. Normally one like this rather than a story book as non-fiction is easier to pick up and put down.

5.  Cath Kidston Purse

6.  Anti-bacterial gel-I carry about two in every bag, i think these are, like the best inventions, ever!

7.  Ray Bans

8.  Mentos, because who doesn't love a chewy fruity sweet, huh?

9.  Vera Wang- Princess Perfume

10.  Ipod with pretty pink headphones

11.  My kindle and its lovely leather pink case. I am officially obsessed by this thing amazing! Although i only have this in my bag for longer journeys for short ones i just have the actual paper book in my bag i.e Number 4!

Oh and i always have a black Kohl eyeliner, Mac lipgloss in a candy pink and Kiehls lip balm in my bag ALWAYS!

So, what is your must have in your handbag?

Sunday Show and Tell

Some people just can't help but be cool, right?

Cool seems too much of a cliched word to use to describe them but you know what I mean.

Gillian Zinser is one of those people.

Not only does she have effortless style but it seems her house is pretty darn epic too!

It's all in the details, huh?

Photographed by The Coveteur for Elle

Feather Hair

Dear Regal Rose

Thank You for making beautiful things,

Really this is pretty perfect.

That's all.

Emma

X

The Brows

 

I don't know about you but there is always parts of the make up routine that i miss out, you know the parts that you should do but never really have time for when your running out the door. 

The things like primer, you know it will hold your makeup on longer but really that extra 2mins of finding it in your makeup bag and waiting for it to dry in so you can put your foundation on, just sometimes doesn't feel worth it, right?
But most of all its the 'Eyebrows' that i neglect or should i say 'used' to forgot.  I have heard every make up artist in the world going on about them being the 'key to shaping your face' and every magazine swear that it will 'revolutionse' your make up but i have to be honest i was pretty skeptical.
But once i started to fill in my eyebrows and make them a feature rather than just have them 'floating' on my face i have never looked back, honestly if you don't fill them in you should totally consider it.
Some things that i have found to be a myth that may help....

1.  You will end up looking like a drag queen- Honestly, yes the first few times you try, you properly will go a little darker/thicker than intended but i practised when i got my brow powder before i wore it out and by the time i was using it for real it was fine.
2.  It takes ages to put it on- The biggest myth that i have found.  I do my eyebrows in under a minute, honestly that's how quick it is.  Once you have been doing it for a little while you will automatically know how much you need to use to get the look you like and it will then take no time at all!

I currently use Smashbox's Brow powder and The Body Shops clear mascara over my eyebrows to set them and i would really really recommend both products but recently i have been reading about the make up artist Anastasia Soare and her beauty line Anastasia Beverly Hills (Her eyebrow kit is the one in the picture above!)  She is The eyebrow queen.  She basically does all of Hollywood's eyebrows and manages to do that whole amazing structured-brow-without-looking-stuck-on-look.  She has a whole collection that i have discovered that looks amazing.  Even though her brow kits are obviously her biggest sellers she has an epic looking bronzer that i just need to try and some perfect looking eyeshadows too.

I really feel like Anastasia is my next port of call on my eyebrow journey!

Have any of you tried anything from her line before, what do you think of it, i would love to know?

Hairspiration - Blonde

Hopes and Dreams in the shade of Sunshine