Cutex Color Quick Nail Polish - Crushed Cranberries

I found this Cutex from Ebay which is a dead ringer for Rimmel's Funky Diva, one of my favorite colours. The only difference is the consistency as Cutex is runnier and takes less time to dry. The bottle says One Coat Formula but I think you really need two to get it completley opaque. Like with most fast dry nail polishes, it has a slight matt finish. It does'nt really matter as I put on top coat. I think it's a good go-to nail polish if in a hurry.

How To Do A Fishtail Plait

I was on YouTube and stumbled onto a Head To Toe (awesome blog) video explaining how to do a fishtail plait.

These days the most stylish my hair gets is in a ponytail. It was refreshing to do something a little different with my hair. And I was surprised to learn how easy it is to do a fishtail plait.

Its basically these two steps repeated:

1) Holding your hair into 2 equal sections, take a minor lock of hair from the rear of one section and pass it to the other by gathering it over.

2) from the rear of this other section, pass it onto the first, gathering it in also.

Keep repeating these steps until you run out of hair, tightening along the way and securing with a hair band.

You can loosen or pull out some hair afterwards to create that messy hair look. It's easy peasy, otherwise check YouTube for a tutorial.

For some reason my first attempt looks like a normal plait but its definitely not!

Cutex Huckleberry Nail Polish

As you can seen with the "tide line", this nail polish is thin and it's probably the reason why I went off Cutex many moons ago. I still wonder the real reason why this brand stopped selling polish. The original tapered long white tops brings back many fond memories. As a child they were highly prized even though they were bought from the supermarket.

This color is retro and every time I wear it, I think what an unconventional color it is. Probably it's the only deep blue I can wear without looking like a witch.

Coach Cross Body Bag (Vintage?)

Can anyone ID this Coach? Atleast I think it's a real Coach-the leather looks right and it has an embossed inside label with serial number. I got it from the charity shop for £14.

It's leather is lush and super soft. This cute bag is mighty handy to use. I love cross body bags!

Regaine Foam - So Far

In short, it's easier to apply because there are no drips however even a tiny bit gives me awful dandruff. My scalp (where it's applied) is so dry it's flaking off! I think the side effects of Rogaine are from the minoxidil and not glycol propylene.

However it is making more baby hairs so it's hard for me to stop using it. Now I only put a touch on every few days. I have a strong suspicion that it's giving me premature forehead wrinkles. So more wrinkles or more hair???

How To Control Raging Excema

Winter has caused my excema to flare up and I've given up on non-steroid creams. None I've tried can tame the angry patches on my forearms and calves. (Interesting how excema forms symmetrically on both axises of the body).

My excema is getting so bad that I'm scratching like a madwoman. Its unsightly, uncomfortable and infuriating!

So without resorting to cortisone creams, I've learned a practically magic trick to keep the itchiness at bay and calm the affected areas. For me it really works and it even temporarily cures my excema after a few days.

So I'll let you in on my secret. I stick skin tape directly over the affected areas (cleaned and dried). The tape is porous, gentle and provides a protective barrier against irritants and dryness. The effect is immediate and soothing. I can go to the gym, shower with it on and take it off after a few days or when it starts to look manky.

There's no urge to itch and when the tape comes off, my skin is calm and soft. Its like normal skin again! The tape does an even better job than steroid creams because I don't need to apply anything while the tape is on.

And because it's winter, my arms and legs are covered so no one is to know. Well, except when I'm working out at the gym but the tape gives the impression of sporting battle wounds :)

Give it a try if you feel like excema's ravaging your life. Let me know if this works for you!

Bargain Of The Day: Vintage Lamp

I stumbled on to a yard sale this morning and bought this lamp for £1!

80s Tetris Nail Art Wraps Water Sticker Decals

I went to a party where I had to wear something from the 80s so I bought these Tetris water stickers from Ebay. How "rad" are they?

They were a bit fiddly to put on. First I applied the nail polish and allowed it to dry. Then I cut out the blocks (individually as I have small nails) and soaked the pieces in water. They absorb water completely in 30 seconds so it's really easy to take off the paper backing with a tweezers. 

I laid the blocks where I wanted them to go one nail at a time and blotted away excess water with a tissue. The decals stuck really well. When all nails were done, I applied a top coat. And voila, Tetris nails!