Water decals on mint ~ Born Pretty Store review

Hey my dear people! Lots of stuff going on here, but today I had some time to finally do this review of the second product Born Pretty Store so kindly sent me and that I have shown it to you before. I think the store has done some changes with the page and it looks much more organised now to me, so that is great for the customer as well. If you are planning to do some shopping there (their nail art section is insanely vast and has basically everything), you can use my code to get 10% discount on your buy: SSL91! 

About the product of today's post: they are called 4pcs Nail Water Decals Stickers Black Stripe Ripple Triangle Moon Star Round (item ID: 5631) and are currently on sale for only 2,99$! They have 4 different sets of different patterns, I have chosen the sheet with patterns D196 to D199.

And quite honestly, I did not expect these to work. When I got them, I saw just how big they were and knew there was no chance getting them on my extremely short nails, I did not feel like trimming them and ruining the pattern, but they looked so wide and long I was like ... who can put this on their nails?? So I waited for my nails to get long (I need to do a post about my holy grail of saviours for nails) and figured it is time to try it somehow. I trimmed it a bit, because the shape of the start of the decal is completely useless in my opinion and then tried it, following the instructions.

The instructions are the same on every water decal, it was the same on butterflies.

As I started to put on the decals, I saw that my nails are still too short for the entire decal and that I have not trimmed it enough, they were too wide. I already saw a disaster waiting for a nail polish remover, but then I put the TC on and tried to remove the decal around the nail with a wooden stick. And it worked! Apparently top coat kind of melts the decal on the edges and so it is actually very easy to shape the decal according to your nail lenght. So all of the sudden this was by far the easiest nail art I have done in ages. The pattern is not complete, but I do not mind this, it looks like I have my nails covered in lace and everything is awesome when covered in lace. :)

This is after trimming, and on my longest nail. Your nails have to be REALLY long for these decals.

For all other advice, please check the Butterflies post, they are the same, just add the TC advice to it. :) My pictures are the best I could do in the Bratislava weather. I need to get my lightbox here from Ljubljana, I think I will need it. I am currently wearing Catrice Mint Me Up, that contains gold shimmer and it looks amazing with the water decal, I wish I could capture it.

I adore the final result, it looks awesome, I will definitively purchase these when I use them up. Plus, they take basically no time off you, they are perfect for those who are too impatient or not skilled enough for the stamping or freehand nail art. Love them! 

Here is my coupon again, if you want to buy the decals, I totally recommend them. :)

Have you ever tried the water decals? Did you like them?

Thank you for reading and commenting!

*Product sent for reviewing purposes, you can read my disclosure here.

How to Choose the Right Nail Polish Color (guest post)

Hey guys! I have a guest post for you today, the theme is How to pick the right nail colour. Honestly, I have had tons of troubles, picking a colour, many many times, since the choice in my stash is pretty big. First world problem, eh? ;)

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How to Choose the Right Nail Polish Color

With the multitude of hues, shades, finishes and textures available at, and for your fingertips, choosing any one color, let alone one that suits your style can be daunting. I've spent far too many hours staring at the wall of nail lacquers, overwhelmed and unable to decide. With a little help, you can make the best choice for your nails in less time, so you get out of the cosmetics aisle and on to bigger and brighter things.

Detox Your Nails
Before you pick your polish, consider which nail lacquers contain a ton of scary and toxic chemicals that pose major health risks over time. While healthier options are not always readily available, when you can, try and buy brands that are free of formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate (also known as DBP). Nontoxic brands are easy to find, even at your local drug store. Additionally, acetone, the nasty smelling ingredient in polish removers can cause respiratory problems and eye irritation. Non-acetone products are usually located beside acetone versions. Non-acetone products require a little more work, but your lungs will thank you!

Balancing Act
Whether you have a special event or are spending a day at work, you can make a chic statement by counter balancing the palate of your manicure with your outfit. Match a bright ensemble with neutral nails or a subdued one with a candy color. A classic example that easily transitions from day to night: pairing your black suit or little black dress with bright, super glossy nails will give you a stunning but subtle pop of color. You can pair your accessories to match, if you're feeling ambitious.

Monochrome Moxie
Although some experts and fashionistas advise against all over color coordination, there are occasions where matchy-matchy is the smart choice. Be perfectly paired by choosing a polish in the same color family, a shade darker or lighter than your outfit. The slight difference will create depth, while making you look entirely put together.

Go for Gold
Metallic shades add instant market value to your manicure, and because of the variety of metals to choose from, it's easy to find one that suits your skin tone. Consult your jewelry box to decide which sparkle makes you dazzle. If you tend to wear primarily silver, gold or even copper, stick with those tones on your nails, as they tend to be the most flattering for your skin. If you like sterling silver and turquoise, get funky and paint one nail to match that beautiful sea-toned stone.

Make your Mood
Feeling playful? Paint your nails in rainbow colors − a different color for each nail. Vampy and brooding? Try out a rich dark purple, deep red, chocolate brown or go all the way with daring blacks. Dark colors can make a powerful statement, but are best suited for short, very neat nails. Conversely, if you are feeling blue, pick out a sunny orange or yellow shade to chase away the rain cloud hanging over your head.

Ultimately, choosing the right nail color should be fun. Don't over think it! Be bold, and play around a bit. If you have time, take yourself on a date to the drugstore and sample the shades. Choose a few you know work well with your style and take a chance on one crazy color. Mix and match until you find what's best for your palate and skin tone. Follow these simple tips and your nails will be the envy of the salon.

Mimi Foster owns her own salon and loves to write articles on fashion, shopping, technology, and earning her project management degree online.

Butterflies on nails pt. 1 ~ Born Pretty Store review

Hey guys. This review is long overdue. So let's get this show on the road. Born Pretty Store, as you all know, has all sorts of great products for all kinds of occasion, but I still think their offer in nail polish and nail art exceeds expectations, they have everything! In my latest review I got water decals as well, I chose the pattern of butterflies [4pcs Nail Water Decals Stickers Colorful Butterfly Flower Fruit, item ID: 5625], just because I prefer them over fruit and large flowers. 

You get one sheet of butterflies, divided in four squares, that indicate different sets or kinds of butterflies. They are different sizes as well. And well, that is basically it, you cut the butterflies you want on your mani, put them into water, wait a couple of seconds and put the butterfly on the nail. Never forget to peel off the protective layer of plastic, because that will ruin your water decal, it will not stick to the nail. Yes, I learned that the hard way, I just forgot all about it. 

 

Some observations:

• The water decals are extremely easy to use. It takes like 30 seconds for the entire procedure.
• It is best to use tweezers to pick up the decal after it separates from the paper.
• Do not soak it for too long, if the butterfly floats from the paper entirely it is very hard to save it, since it scrolls up or around tweezers. 
• The decals are not bothered by fast drying top coat, they do not wrinkle at all. In fact, I think the decal somewhat protects the polish so the mani lasts longer.
• The large butterflies are really big, with my short nails they were basically too big for me to use them, so they can be used either on very wide nail or a long one. 
• The foil of water decal is not just on the butterfly picture, keep that in mind, if you have shorter nails and trim the edges around the butterfly. 
• The base colours should not be too dark or intense, or the butterflies will darken into a black shape. I like that, actually, but if you want to preserve the colours of butterflies, keep that in mind as well.

My first mani with them:

So yeah. I really liked this mani, I think it was cute. If you want to buy the water decals, they are on sale right now: click! Also, here is my code for 10% off at your purchase:

Thank you for reading and commenting!


*Product sent for reviewing purposes, you can read my disclosure here.

First slovene fantasy & sci-fi convention Na meji nevidnega!

Hello guys! This is a post about an event I am really excited about, I'm going home to Ljubljana just to visit it. And my costume is nearly done as well. :) To all my girls in Slovenia and perhaps even in neighbour countries that love fantasy and science fiction: it will be an awesome one day event, I hope I'll see you all there! Na meji nevidnega will happen on 28th September, which is exactly two weeks from today! 

Živjo! Tokrat tudi v slovenščini, saj gre za konvencijo v Ljubljani, kar pomeni, da bo verjetno zanimala predvsem slovenski del bralcev mojega koščka interneta. :) Gre za dogodek, ki ga že komaj čakam, slovensko konvencijo fantazije in znanstvene fantastike, Na meji nevidnega, odvil se bo v soboto, 28. septembra, začel se bo ob 10h. Vse je lepo vidno tudi na plakatku:

Here is a link to the facebook page: [NA MEJI NEVIDNEGA], you can get all the information there, plus the official site: NAMEJINEVIDNEGA.SI, a neat page with all the needed information, including ways to get to the place where the convention will occur. It will happen in Ljubljana, in Dance studio Bolero on Dunajska 49, on the page you can find information on buses stopping nearby and also on parking space available nearby. 

Njihova FB stran: [NA MEJI NEVIDNEGA] in njihova uradna stran: NAMEJINEVIDNEGA.SI, kjer lahko dobite vse željene informacije. Za neljubljančane bo dobrodošel zavihek Kje?, kjer so nanizani tudi avtobusi, ki peljejo v neposredno bližino plesne šole Bolero, pa informacije o parkiriščih v neposredni bližini in pa tudi zemljevidek za tiste, ki se nameravate pripeljati. Plesni studio Bolero sicer najdete na Dunajski cest 49, to je čisto zraven Astre, za Bežigradom. 

The masterminds behind the convention are working on it under official society KUD Šmaug and I am immensely proud to be able to say I know them and think of them as my dear friends, they are wonderful people and as far as I know, they will prepare a convention that will kick.ass!

Organizatorji konvencije Na Meji Nevidnega so KUD Šmaug in res mi je v ponos, da lahko rečem, da jih poznam tudi osebno in ravno zato, ker poznam oba mastermind-a za konvencijo, vem, da bo ta naravnost fantastična in na takem nivoju, da se ga ne bi sramovali niti stari mački kakšnih ogromnih ameriških konvencij. :) 

My costume will represent Ulmiel, the way I imagined her and I am really happy I finally found the excuse to make the costume. So if you are planning to visit the convention, let me know, we can meet! Or you can look for the weirdest sea creature there, that will probably be me. ;) I hope I'll see you there!

Na konvenciji bom oblečena v Ulmiel, tako kot sem si jo zamislila. Tako da če se nameravaš oglasiti, mi sporoči na email, se lahko srečamo. Lahko pa pocukaš za rokav čudaško morsko bitje na sami konvenciji, je velika možnost, da bom to jaz. ;) V vsakem primeru upam, da se vidimo tam, zabavno bo!

PS: Vstopnine ni!!! 

Bratislava: chapter 2 ~ Coffee and books

When I first read in the guide that Bratislava has a very long tradition of coffee shops and that people of Bratislava like to spend their entire afternoons simply sitting in a cafe, chatting, my first thought was: my people! I am a big coffee fan, which means I love to drink it, but I am also a spoiled coffee drinker, I hate bad coffee and I believe good coffee places are somewhat rare in every city. Say what you will, coffee is not simply coffee, it can be heavenly or it can be brown water with aftertaste of burned coffee grain which is, needless to say, disgusting to me. As my regular coffee place in Ljubljana spoils me endlessly when it comes to coffee, I needed to find a good coffee place in Bratislava ASAP. Me and my flatmate went discovering a bit in the last few days and I am most happy to report, that the coffee/bookshop duet I found on my first day of wandering around Old Town, works with a great coffee and service. 

Consequently it is very full and it is somewhat hard to get a table. But we were lucky today, after our visit of Bratislava castle (I shall write about it soon), we got what will probably be my favourite little space in the world, provided that I am lucky enough to get it again. ;) I took a quick shot of it, like a big fat tourist, I could not resist. 

 

 It's placed in a corner (which works perfectly for introvert such as myself ;)) and it is this big soft cozy armchair, where you can read or observe the busy street of Obchodna. 

Before I forget the obvious: we are talking about Martinus.sk bookshop and Shtoor coffee shop. Martinus has excellent choice of books in English department (and an awesome one in Slovak, naturally, they have a gorgeous edition of Slovak Hobbit that I'm definitively going to buy), I bought a set of Pullman's His Dark Materials and already have 3 others on WL. I think prices are decent as well. They have special editions of Silmarillion and LOTR (first around 70 € and the second around 120 €), in boxes and in velvet and gorgeous design, I totally want to have them. Not that I can afford them, but they look amazing. I'll rather stick to the rest of the bookstore, being very affordable. ;) 

As for the Shtoor coffee shop, it is not the only one, they have two more in Bratislava and according to the internet, it is quite popular and well known. They have their own coffee blend, called 1843, and it is seriously good coffee. It is Ethiopian and also fair trade. They have these great menus, where they tell their story and about the coffee. They also offer food (ah-mazingly good chicken sandwich with roasted tomatoes, and the cakes looked absolutely gorgeous), it is really good and classy, but also a bit too pricey for my wallet to eat there regularly. They offer smoothies of different flavours and Slovak wine and all in all anyone can get something right for themselves there. I do recommend the coffee though, it is really good.

source: foursquare.com

So yeah ... you sit there, reading a book you just bought (or brought with you), sipping this amazing coffee while people are popping up randomly to play a tune or two on the piano. Sounds like a slice of heaven to me.

source: martinus.sk

And now for the best part for me? Remember I told you Shtoor has more than one coffee shop in Bratislava? One of them is three minutes of walk away from my faculty. Oh yeah!

Have a nice day tomorrow, thank you for reading!

Bratislava: chapter 1 ~ First impression

Hey my people! How are you doing? So, something new to the blog, not so much nail polish/beauty related. As some of you know, I started my student exchange experience this month and moved to Bratislava. Hopefully I shall stay here until February and I decided I'll keep writing about it on this blog (and consequently in English). For those of you who are not interested in this spectre of my blog (although my travelling label has been well visited :)), you can skip the posts that start with Bratislava. I will of course post some beauty stuff here and there as well, I have a review coming up and a guest post regarding nail polish as well, so it won't be just Bratislava from now on. And for those, that are interested only in my Erasmus posts, again, I shall label them with Bratislava and put them into chapters. :) 

So yeah. What to write. :) At this moment, I am still regarding this as holidays, I do not think I will consider it a few months experience until I start with the classes and get everything in order regarding documentations and such. It is my first time in Bratislava, I visited Slovakia before, but the east and some of the north, I also wrote about it on the blog. I live in a flat that is great, also on a very good location (at least I find it so) and have a great flatmate, a very lovely girl. So far I am loving it. I walked through the Old Town of Bratislava (called Staré mesto) and it is lovely, I love old city centers. I haven't gone to any sightseeing per se, I have time for that, I just wanted to see how far it is everything if I walk. Bratislava is not a very big city, but it is larger than Ljubljana. For the first time in my life, I am interested in geography, comparing cities and such, so here are some numbers, if you care to know:

Bratislava: approx. 368 km2, population:  432 800;

Ljubljana: weird enough, I got two numbers: 164 and 275 m2, I have no idea what's up with that. Perhaps 164 is like the main part of Ljubljana, while 275 are the border parts as well or something. Population 282 990.

So I moved to a bigger city, that still justifies its nickname of Little Big City. :) I like the fact that, if you like to walk, you can still get to a lot of places on foot, but they also have a good public transportation system (buses, trams, trolleybuses), so I do not think moving around should be a problem. I will also learn Slovak language, which I find as a mixture of Slovene, other Balkan languages with an extra pinch of something, to make it Slovak. :) Most of the time it sounds really familiar and I can guess often what the contents are, but sometimes the words differ completely. For instance: thank you in Slovene: hvala, Croatish/Bosnian/Sebrish: hvala, Slovak: d'akujem; yes in Slovene: da, C/B/S: da, in Slovak: ano; but town in Slovene: mesto; the expression I always use on Balkan: grad (I know there is more than one and it probably differs from country to country) and in Slovak: mesto. Of course there is much more, but it is more of a feeling than actual knowledge from my part. :)

Location of Bratislava is known to be really perfect, right in the centre of Europe, around the corner from Vienna (approx. 60 km separate them, making them the closest two capitals in Europe), close to Czech Republic (which I love as well) and all in all makes a perfect start of any journey. I will travel mostly around Slovakia, at least I plan to do so, but the closeness of Vienna and all the concerts and other events happening there will probably come in handy as well. :) 

Ok, I am writing too much, again. How about some pictures? First, I needed to take a photo of this accident, internet child as I am. This is how my packing started, with a broken mini O.P.I. Since this is Sanugine I wasn't particularly happy about it, but hey, what can you do. 

And now for some pictures of my first walk around Bratislava, Old Town. Mind you, I am not a professional photographer, actually I am not a very good amateur in photography neither and my battery pocket keeps opening up on the camera so I am not really prone to taking photos everywhere I go, since I want to smash the camera on the floor half of the time. :) But still, a couple of photos I took on my first tour. :)

 Comenius University, where I will study.

 Šafarikovo Namestie, a park right across the University. I find the fountain particularly cute due to the expression of the boy holding the goose. :D

 We have the right to know what really happened in ROSWELL FORTYSEVEEEEN! (Actually called SNP (Slovenského národného povstania) or Novy most, often also UFO, for obvious reasons. But they can't fool me, I know what's going on here.)

 Danube river

 Slovak National Gallery has an open pavilion of some sort during the Summer (until end of September), I love the coffee stand on the left, and the fact that you can drink it a cosy beach chair. There are many games and activities you can do here too, I say a painting board in the corner as well. Lovely. 

 My first real crush in Bratislava is probably Hviezdoslavovo namestie. I love it. I will probably write more about it. Lovely square.

 Eh, it's such a bad picture, I have to find a better position for taking photos of this thing, I want to capture the expressions of gargoyles. Yeah, the things sticking out of the tower? Those are gargoyles.

 This is close to the Bratislava Castle. I haven't visited the castle yet, I'm planing to this week. 

Another street that really made a good first impression is Obchodna street. They have a bookshop there with coffee shop inside. So you go there and read books while you drink coffee. Heaven! When I was there a girl was playing live music on the piano, and I just caught Nothing Else Matters, piano version. Wonderful. I can see myself going there on regular basis, although Bratislava is full of coffee shops, so my search is not done yet. ;) 

I think this will be enough for the first chapter. :) Let me know what do you think of the idea. :)

Thank you for reading and commenting!