Kiss Nails review

I have been a lover of acrylic nails for the last 8 years or so. Having my nails done fills me with confidence, makes me feel more girly and allows me to amuse myself by tapping my nails on a hard surface, annoying everyone around. They look pretty and they feel fresh - perfect for feeling pampered. The whole "stick on" nails have always been around in the shops, I just always thought they're obviously not very good, other wise nail bars wouldn't exist. However a habit like this can become expensive and when in a busy job, some months you just don't have time to pop to the salon. So now I've finally tried it the DIY way and here's what I thought... 

Where to buy: Kiss | Superdrug

Kiss are an American based brand from New York who produce nails, lashes, cosmetics and more! They also have a few different ranges as well, such as the imPress range which - like the Kiss range- is home to some absolutely beautiful designs! Nail's come in a variety of styles and shapes and there really is something for everyone! 

On first impressions, these nails look professional. The packaging is smart yet stylish and gives you all the information you need. The style and the length are clear to see meaning you'll never waste your money picking up the wrong set (unless you're realllllly not paying attention, of course) and you can clearly see what it is you're buying. I also like the fact it indicates how many nails are included! I always just assumed you got a pack of 10 nails, hoping they'd fit on your actual nails.  

On the back of the packaging, states a few facts about the product as well as directions for use. It's only about 4 steps and it's really easy to follow - and only took me around 7 minutes from start to finish! 

the sides of the packet are quite simple. 1 side clearly states the fact your nails will last up too 7 days, as well as everything included in the pack. The other side, just says a few words about how they fit and are a flexible product. 

The nails themselves, are really sturdy! I thought they'd be a bit flimsy and a bit of a con (if I'm honest), but that was just me being snobby and naive about my usually pretty, perfect salon acrylics. Each has a numbered tip to make it easy to work out which nails fit to your actual nails and how to match them up on both hands. Once they're stuck on, the tabs simply bend downwards and then back up to break them off. Sooo easy!

So lets talk about application.. I've already said it enough, but it really is so easy. First simply wipe your nails over with nail polish remover. Next match up the appropriate size nails to your real nails, lay them all out in order so its not a big faff about when the glues involved. Next, one by one, apply your nails. Apply glue to both the acrylic nail and your own nail, line up and press them on. The pack recommends you hold them down for 5 seconds and then they should be stuck - 5 seconds is long enough, which I didn't think it would be! Repeat with each nail, break off the number tags and you're fresh new claws are applied and ready to be photographed for Instagram. 

When on, these nails do look flawless, and they do basically look like they've been done in the shop. They seem just as strong. Lining them up could be a pain - probably if you're just silly like me - I did end up lining 2 of mine up wonky, but you couldn't tell until I deliberately pointed it out on Snapchat. 

Note - this glue is incredibly strong. I got some on my finger, I stuck 2 fingers together, I got them apart and then stupidly brushed past some kitchen roll... Yeah, the kitchen roll stuck to my finger and I couldn't get it off! I spent the evening with a small piece of dried kitchen roll stuck to my finger! It looked very stupid, and I think I only managed to get it off that night because I thought to bite at it! Oops. 

*Photo edited to clearly show size/shape of packaging, all packaging is in fact clear.

The pack does state that these nails are a "7 day wear" product, however mine didn't last 7 days, I did lose 2 on day 2 and the rest were all off by day 5. However, I am very heavy handed and my salon acrylics never last as long as anyone else's! They're great for a short term fix or even just for an event, but remember, the glue is strong! So if you are only popping them on for an event, you could have a battle to take them off that night. I also had a bit of an experiment and these nails are also paint-able. So if for instance you needed a quick fix but wanted Burgundy nails, you can always pop a lick of paint on before applying. Overall, I'm super impressed with these, for a product that I can pick up from my local Superdrug, for a bargain price, what's to complain about?!

They're perfect stocking fillers for Christmas time as well! 

Thank you to the lovely team at Alex Silver PR for sending these nails out to me! I'd have never thought I'd be this imPressed! They're going to save me lots of stress during months I don't have time for the nail bar or want to give my own nails some TLC! Don't forget to follow Kiss Products on Twitter and Instagram for the quickest updates about new products! 

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Have you read: Too Faced Cat Eyes palette review  | 10 things all girls can relate too | What I'm burning in October!

What I'm burning in October! | Yankee Candle review

I love fruity scents in Summer, but I 100% prefer the autumn/winter candle scene. Now that the leaves are falling off the tree's and the air is getting colder we can finally say goodbye to the sweet strawberries and sweet pea scented candles and hello to candy canes, toasted marshmallows and gingerbread! 

Where to buy: Amazon | Debenhams | Yankee Candle

Weather you buy your candles from Tesco, Asda, Primark or Yankee Candle, each brand has such a library of scents available these days it can get a bit over whelming! I personally, am such a candle collector, of course, I have my preferences when it comes to which brands etc, but, if its in front of me, and it smells good, I'm going to buy it. Now my Summer Scoop candle has gone into the cupboard for the rest of the year, lets look at what my bedroom smells like now.. Oh and get ready to view some bad quality photos.. It's dark in the evenings now! 

Fireside Treats - Can I just say, the picture on the label of this candle sold it to me. Why is it that as a child, TV show's filled our minds with images of American best friend's sitting round campfires, toasting marshmallows and singing to a guitar? Is it just me who's childhood didn't include such an experience? I know we tried to roast marshmallows at Brownies one Thursday night but all that silly Owl woman did was burn them. Anyway... This candle is perfect, it's sweet but not sickly but something in there also reminds me of a woody/fire-y smell as well - I guess that's the whole "toasted" side of things as in toasted marshmallow. It's fragrance is really strong, filling a room for hours after being blown out. A lot of people burn this all year round/during the summer but for me, its more an autumnal scent. Bring the outdoors, inside and relax to a warm home-y scent. Also, this burns like a dream. For me, I can't stand if a candle doesn't burn evenly. Burning for around 3-4 hours left me with a completely even pool of wax on the top of it. 

Black Cherry - Black Cherries are one of my favourite fruits. I always laugh about the first time I tried one and had no idea they contained stones, I think I'm quite lucky I didn't break any teeth that afternoon! For many, this is a total summer scent but I find that after a few hours this just reminds me of a soft winter smell. That said, I do see it as the kind of candle you can burn all year round and it won't seem out of place. It's not a super fresh smelling candle, its more like warmed cherries, almost like a cherry jam and isn't too sweet. Every now and then you'll also get a woft of Vanilla which is nice. Again, its a candle that burns evenly and you don't end up with melted wax here there and everywhere which is always a winner for me. 

Red Apple Wreath - I've actually owned this for about 4 years but only really "discovered" it last winter. It's not my favourite smell, and I feel it was a lot more "spicey"/"cinnamon-y" then I thought it would, but you do get used to it. I'd hoped it would smell a bit fresher then it does, but I suppose that's me still thinking with my summer head on. The cinamon notes in this mean I wouldn't burn it in the spring or summer. Although I don't find the scent to be 149022% amazing, it is really strong. This will leave your room smelling for about a day after, for that reason alone I don't burn this is a confined room e.g. a bedroom. I tend to have this in a hall way or in the lounge. If you're not sure on the smell I'd definitely recommend picking up a few wax melts first, or a votive so you can make your mind up, because as we all know, a candle that you dislike the smell of can often seem quite expensive. Unfortunately this doesn't burn completely evenly like the others and the wax has dipped quite a bit in the centre. In short, I don't burn this because I enjoy it, I've been burning this because It's strong in scent and i'd rather have a scented room then a boring one. 

What candles are you burning through Autumn 2016?! I'd love if you'd let me know in the comments below! 

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Have you read: Shadow Switch Dry Brush Cleaner review | Too Faced Cat Eyes palette review  | 10 things all girls can relate too 

Shadow Switch Dry Brush Cleaner | review

Makeup brushes... Where do I start? They are the simple tools that get us through our daily glam routines but keeping them clean can often be quite a chore. Personally. I try to clean the majority of my brushes on a weekly basis. OK who am I kidding? It's more like every 2 weeks but... I do however spot clean my eye brushes as I go just to make sure I'm not mixing anything up, getting funky colours coming through or just generally putting anything unhygienic near my eyes. If you're the same, this may be just the product you've been searching for... 

Luckily, I was given the opportunity from the guys at Dee&Co to test the Shadow Switch Dry Brush Cleaner from Beauty Essentials and I can honestly say, this is what's been missing from my life! You're going to seriously notice the time you've saved by using this as apposed to spot cleaning. Plus it's packaging is primarily pink, what more could you want? 

where to buy: Amazon

The product itself is just held in a small tin which you could even take with you on the go - it weighs nothing! It's so simple, but I can't crack how it really works! Really, this is just a rough, odourless sponge in a tin on first glance.  However, it works like magic... All excess powder and colour on your brush is removed which means you're no longer going to be using 50 different ones every time you get your glam on. 

All you've gotta do is gently swipe your brushes over it and you're going to be really surprised. Your brush is going to come out 100% clean and ready for a new colour and you'll be able to see the excess on the sponge, so you know it's done the job just right. I don't know how it does such a great job considering its bone dry, but it does. I've used this little gem around 5 times now and I am super impressed. Say goodbye to the days you'd wash all you're eye brushes 1 by 1 over and over again and patiently wait 2 years for them to dry before using them again - now they're dry instantly! 

I think the only downside a lot of people may find with this is the fact you're meant to replace the sponge insert around every 2 months. However  this is actually quite a standard procedure to many beauty buff's... Your Beauty Blender is supposed to be changed every 1-3 months, and the Shadow Switch Dry Brush Cleaner is a third of the price of the original Beauty Blender! The Shadow Switch is amazingly only £5.99 plus free delivery over on Amazon. Come on, who doesn't love free delivery? This product will also be available at Sephora soon! You should clean your Shadow Switch now and then though, which is super easy. Just clean it with warm-ish water, let dry and then get using again! 

I've not really spoken about the packaging of this product as it's currently in the process of being re-vamped, but the finished product should look like this: 

I love that new brush font, this finished packaging is slaying the game. Thank you to the lovely team at Dee&Co and everyone at Beauty Essentials for sending me out this amazing new must have! It's saved me time, effort and stress! Don't forget to follow Beauty Essentials on Twitter and Instagram for the quickest updates about new products! 

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Bloglovin' for more!

Have you read: Too Faced Cat Eyes palette review  | 10 things all girls can relate too | The lipsticks I've been loving over the last few weeks