OPI Soft Shades Collection 2016

Good Afternoon Beauties!

I hope you are all well?

I was recently sent the OPI Soft Shades 2016 collection, a collection consisting of six beautiful pastels nail polishes that I have been loving. I seriously have a "pinch me" moment whenever these arrive in my PO Box! I have some swatches of all six shades, and one nail art mani to share with you today.

Let me know which is your favourite shade in the comments below!

OPI Soft Shades Collection 2016.

OPI Soft Shades Collection 2016.

Negative Space Floral Mani... Design by Maria from So Nailicious.

I am always inspired by Maria and her team from So Nailcious! When I saw her post a tutorial for this manicure on her You Tube channel, I knew the OPI Soft Shades would be perfect for it! I have used all six of the shades in the collection in this manicure. 

Now, as you know, I am a complete nail art newby... so please be kind! Regardless of the finished product, I really enjoyed doing it, and just giving it a go, and that is the main thing! Nail polish is like makeup... experiment as much as you like...at the end of the day, you can wipe it all away!

I will leave a link to the So Nailicous website for you below.

OPI - I Am What I Amethyst.

I Am What I Amethyst is a beautiful periwinkle blue/lilac cream. She has a beautiful, smooth formula, and was opaque in two coats. I have found with all of these shades, that to do your first coat a little thinner, and then follow with a thicker second coat gives you the best results. Love this shade... while she is a pastel, she has a lovely luminosity!

OPI - It's A Boy!

It's A Boy was again opaque in two coats, and is a beautiful baby/sky blue cream. A gorgeous blue that looks beautiful in the spring and summer months in my opinion. Gorgeous on toes too!

OPI - One Chic Chick.

One Chic Chick had me very worried following application. She has quite a thick formula, probably the thickest formula in the whole collection, and initially sat very unevenly and streaky on my nails. I'm not sure how... but as she dried it completely self levelled, and left a perfectly smooth finish. I was shocked!! And pleased!! This creamy, yellow pastel has a lovely softness to it, making it a little more wearable than some brighter yellow shades. It still pulls the pinky/red tones out in my skin though, so probably not the most flattering on my skin tone. You can't win 'em all!

OPI - It's In The Cloud and This Cost Me a Mint.

It's In the Cloud is a beautiful soft, ever so slightly off white. She makes for a beautiful mani on her own, or would be a perfect base for nail art! This was one shade that I felt needed three coats. It wasn't bad with two, there were just some very faint streaks, and I am a bit fussy! Lovely smooth formula though!

This Cost me a Mint ( my middle finger ) has a ridiculously good formula, two easy smooth coats. She definitely has a green base, unlike some mint greens that can pull more blue on the nail. I would wear both of these shades all year round. Love.

OPI - Stop it! I'm Blushing.

Stop it, I'm Blushing is a lovely soft, warm blush pink that took three coats for full opacity. Such a pretty shade, and again wearable all year round in my opinion. These sort of shades look beautiful paired with gold or rose gold accents... 

So... did you pick a favourite shade? I Am What I Amethyst, and This Cost me a Mint are probably my favourite shades, along with It's in the Cloud.

This beautiful collection is available to purchase from Myer, David Jones and selected online retailers for an RRP of $19.95 AUD.

You can find the So Nailicious website here for daily Nail Inspiration!! There are links on the website for their Instagram and You Tube accounts too!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

Discalimer; These polishes were provided as a PR sample. This post is not sponsored. I just love nail polish! Cheers xo

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Braun Silk-Epil 9 | Review

Good Afternoon Beauties!

I hope you are well? Things have been busy here at The Beauty Vine HQ... though not particularly with beauty or blogging unfortunately! If you didn't catch a recent post on my Instagram account, I am expecting another bubba! A big surprise, but a happy surprise none the less! The first four-five months were a blur of nausea and fatigue, but other than the normal discomforts of pregnancy, all is going well! Do let me know if you'd like any pregnancy or baby related posts over the next few months, I'd be happy to chat about my experiences.

Anyway, back to chatting about beauty!

I have recently been trailing the Braun Silk-epil 9 hair removal system, and thought I would share my review with you today.

I typically vary my hair removal methods, depending on how I'm feeling at the time! I do all my own hair removal at home, because I find it more convenient, and less expensive than visiting a salon. 

This may be giving away my age a little ( not that I hide it! ), but I remember very clearly when the very first at-home epilator was released onto the market. It was an electronic, rotating coil that would spin rapidly, grabbing the hairs and wrenching them out by the roots... I have some very funny memories of my mum and I in the bathroom wincing and ouching our way through the experience!

Thankfully, times have changed, and the new technology which has developed over the last 20 years means that we now have much more efficient, and less painful gadgets to help us!

The Braun Silk-epil 9 has impressed me from my first use, and not only gives you an effective, relatively painless epilation, but offers an interchangeable head, giving you the option of an electric shaver, and trimmer as well. It really does function as an all-in-one system, and I have been loving it.

BRAUN Silk-epil 9

BRAUN Silk-epil 9

The Braun Silk-epil 9 boasts several design innovations, including a 40% wider head, and micro grip tweezer technology with wider, deeper and longer tweezers to increase the overall performance. The head also pivots, allowing closer contact with the skin, and it delivers a high frequency massage system that delivers pulsating vibrations to ensure a more comfortable experience.

Visibility is enhanced by the Smartlight, which will automatically shine whenever the device is in use. I have not used an epilator with an light before, and I can tell you it makes a huge difference! Those pesky little hairs will not stand a chance!

The Braun Silk-epil 9 comes with a shaving attachment, and changing the heads is quick and easy. The shaving head also fits the trimming attachment, which I find perfect for my bikini line.

The Braun Silk-epil 9 is, without a doubt, the most comfortable epilator I have ever used. It is comfortable to hold, glides easily over the contours of my legs with its pivoting head, and I feel very little discomfort, if any. Having said that, if you allow the hairs to get quite long, you will feel a little more discomfort on initial use. The trick is to not let them get too long in between sessions ( note to self Lou you lazy girl ). Braun recommends an ideal hair length of 2-5mm.

Once fully charged, I have managed to complete 3 separate sessions of hair removal on my legs before needing to recharge the device. You also have the option of plugging the unit into the mains power if the battery does happen to run low.

I typically find that the slower of the two speeds, speed 1 works well for me, I will turn it up to speed 2 if I have any areas that might be particularly stubborn, or if I just want to be quicker! I keep the area of skin I am working on taut to enable good contact at all times.
Worthy of note, I have also used the Braun Silk-epil 9 on my teenage daughter, who finds it a lot more comfortable than having me wax her legs... and we all know how dramatic and emotional teenage girls can sometimes be ( in the nicest possible way of course ).

I have not tried epilation in the shower as yet, mostly due to my pregnant belly being in the way. I generally find it easier to use whilst sitting down, however with the Braun Silk-epil 9, using it in the shower is certainly an option for you if you wish.

I combat any pesky ingrown hairs with regular, gentle exfoliation, using an exfoliating mitt in the shower. One of the best tips I have received over the years in regards to ingrown hairs, is to make sure you keep your skin well moisturised. If your skin is dry, it is much harder for the hair to emerge through the skin... keeping it soft and supple is the way to go. I hope you will notice a huge improvement like I did, when I combined the exfoliation with a good slathering of moisturiser every day. I know this is often a bit of a chore, especially as we are coming into the winter months here in Australia. I have a little trick to share with you... keep a body oil, or body butter in the shower. Your skin is warm and receptive, and the oils will naturally repel the water, meaning it will adhere to your skin and won't be washed down the drain. Apply your oil just before you hop out, and then pat your skin gently to dry. I might do a post soon which includes some of my favourite body oils, if that would be of interest to you?

Overall I have not a bad word to say about the Braun Silk-epil 9. It has slotted into my beauty routine like it has always been there. I have absolutely no hesitation in warmly recommending it to you, whether you are a seasoned, epilating goddess, or a slightly apprehensive beginner.

The Braun Silk-epil 9 is available to purchase from Harvey Norman, Myer and Shaver Shop, and is priced from $249.99 RRP. You can visit Braun's website here for more information.





Thanks so much for stopping by!



Blessings,



Lou xo

Dsiclaimer: The Braun Silk-epil 9 was kindly provided for review. My thoughts, experiences and recommendations are always my own, regardless of purchase or PR sample. Cheers xo

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