Summer Nails: Floral For Coral

Hey My Beauts!

I am absolutely loving this weather we have been blessed with recently, and it's got me in the nail mood! I haven't yet done any summer designs so I'm excited to show you my first summer design for 2013! I was in the mood to try something I hadn't done yet that looked super cute and reflected this wonderful weather. So as I was brainstorming ideas, I came across Floral Nails! At first I thought I'd better stay away as I cant draw to save my life! And, if I can't draw flowers on paper, how am I supposed to paint them on my nails?! But, after some investigating I learnt that floral nails are actually so easy to do. There is practically no drawing involved, and the messier it is, the better it will look! So you don't even need to worry about the "OMG, how am I going to do this with my left hand?!" catastrophe, (well if you're right hand that is). I can't believe I have never done floral nails before and I'm sure after this you will think the same! 

I done two different designs - both just as easy. I done my thumb, index and pinky nails coral, my middle nail white with coral roses and then my ring finger half and half separated with studs/gems. What I love about a floral manicure, is that you can keep simple with just an accent finger or you can go all out with every nail floral, add studs and more colours. This manicure doesn't restrict you, and I honestly believe which ever design you create, it will look great - the roses are just too cute! Also, I have noticed that a few of my previous nail art designs are more siutable for those with longer nails, however this a great and fun manicure for short nails (I actually think they look a lot cuter on shorter nails!)

What you will need:
A Base Coat

A Base Colour 
The Colour You Want Your Roses

A Opaque White

A Opaque Green

Top Coat

A Cocktail Stick 

The colours I used: 

Maybelline Colour Show - Urban Coral
I recently brought this colour and I love it! Such a rich and deep coral colour - perfect for summer! 

Ciate - Snow Virgin
 This is my go-to white! It actually came with the caviar set recently blogged about (here). It's a great pure white colour which is also very opaque.

Mac - Deep Sea

This is a great deep green colour - perfect for leaves for this particular manicure, and once again is very opaque and easy to use. 

The Pictorial

Just before we start, unfortunately, I wasn't clever enough to take pictures as I done this manicure (oopsie). But I have re-done one nail to show you step-by-step how to create this look, hence why it will look a bit different to the first picture that was shown!
(Sorry! Lesson Learnt!)

I can tell this is going to be quite hard to explain, however here is my attempt: 

Step 1: After preparing your nails, apply two coats of your chosen base colour. Using the nail polish brush, make blob-like shapes in the colour you want your roses. At the moment I have quite long nails so I had four roses on one nail, however for short nails I would recommend sticking to two roses per nail, however, ultimately it is up to you.  

Step 2: Using a cocktail stick dipped in white nail polish, create two C-shapes outlining the edges of the blobs you just created.. Try to outline different sides on each rose. 

Step 3: Add a dot in the center of the rose. Continue making C-shapes however on the inside on Step 2. For a more detailed look, the more C shapes you make the better. 
You can have them swirl into each other as well! 

Step 4: Using a cocktail stick dipped in the green, make leaves - I would say two leaves for each rose. It's easier if you slant the cocktail stick onto your nails, for a better leaf shape.  

Step 5: Highlight the leaves by repeating Step 4 in white, place the cocktail on top of the green either in the middle or on the side. 

Step 6: Secure design with a top coat! 

To re-create my ring finger, paint half your nail in white and half in the chosen colour, don't worry if the center line is not perfect - this will get covered later. On the white side, follow steps 1 through 5 - I chose to do 3 roses, if you have short nails, again I would recommend only 2. Using studs or gems in any colour or shape you prefer glue them on the center line. Apply top coat to secure your lovely design. 

So Simple & So Cute! 

The best thing about this manicure, it looks as if a lot of time and effort has gone into making the roses when if fact it's literally just blobs and lines! I think floral nails will look adorable with pastels colours such as blues/pinks/lilacs/oranges! 

I hope you liked this post, and if you recreate it make sure to tag me on twitter (@HiddenAccessory) so I can see it! 

What do you think of the floral manicure?

Reema, xoxo

Tag: How Much Does My Face Cost $$

So as promised, my new post is up today on the terrifying tag: How Much Does My Face Cost. If you read my previous post (my daily makeup routine), you would have realized that not much, hardly any of the products I use on my face are drugstore products. I guess this is the number one reason why this tag is making me worried as I know even before I start, that the amount accumulated will be a lot, and probably so much more than other bloggers! However, although this tag will probably give me a heart attack, I guess it is actually quite a good challenge as you are able to put in perspective how much your spending on make up! 

So Lets Start!

I am going to calculate everything that I've used on my face today!  - which basically is what I would use most days.

Skin Care

Sanctuary Spa - Fresh Faced Purifying Wash: £7.00

Sanctuary Spa - Exfoliating Pore Refiner: £10.29

Sanctuary Spa - Pore Refining Toner: £7.00

Body Shop - Vitamin E Moisture Cream: £10.00

                           Total: £34.29

Make Up: Face

Yves Saint Laurent - Touche Eclate Radiant Touch in Original/Number 1: £25.00

Bobbi Brown - Foundation Stick in Natural Tan: £28.00

Bobbi Brown - Shimmer Brick in Bronze: £32.00

Mac - Sheertone Blush in Breath of Plum: £17.50  

(I don't even want to add this up! Ahh!) 

                             Total: £102.50 OMGG! *JawWideOpen*

Make Up: Eyes

Mac- Fluidliner in Blacktrack: £14.00

               Total: £14.00

Makeup: Lips

Benefit - Lip Stain in Posie Tint: £24.50

               Total: £24.50

Grande Total: £175.29

WOW! Although this is A LOT, to spend on make-up it wasn't actually as much as I predicted! However, I think this eye-opening challenge as made me realize that I could should cut down on some of these costs. I now believe you should figure out what products are necessary to buy at an expensive price. There are probably many drugstore products which are a lot cheaper that work just as good as some of the products I already use. For example, I definitely think I should trade in my Mac blusher, Benefit lip stain for drugstore alternatives. Although I absolutely adore my Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Bronze, I think a matt bronze would work best for me right now - from a drugstore! However, my skin care products and foundation I believe are justified as these products are what will keep your face clean and looking fresh - therefore these areas are definitely the ones where you are allowed to splurge if it's going to benefit you in the long run! As for my YSL magic wand, despite my unconditional love, I have heard that the Mac (and I think Maybelline) highlighters works just as good, which means I may actually have to consider these products instead.

Just as an added note, these products are good for me and my skin and do last me a very long time! 

So I guess in some sense, these products are worth the money! 

I hope you enjoyed reading this and I tag all of you to do this challenge and to

Twitter me or Comment below your Grande Total! 

Don't forget to comment and follow!

Reema, xoxo

Everyday Make-Up Routine ♥

Hiya my lovely dolls!

Firstly, I would like to say sorry, it feels like I haven't posted in a while! Just over a week! Ahh.. I've been somewhat busy and have been working on one post all week due to not having enough time to just sit down and do it in one go! But I finally got time today to finish off my 'Everyday Make-Up Routine' and I will be posting another one either today or tomorrow to make up for it!
Sorry again, and I hope you enjoy reading this post!

So earlier this week I was tagged by my good friend Tori from Tori Brownies (check her out here) to do the famous "How much does my face cost" tag which is currently circulating all around the blogging world! I'm having second thoughts about this as the thought of is giving me mini heart attacks - okay not really! However, despite my worries, I have agreed to take on the challenge!

However, I thought I'd tell you about my daily make up routine first, before doing the tag so you guys have a rough idea of the products I use on a daily basis and why I use them!

I would say up until last year or so, I wasn't really a makeup crazy kinda gal, I only wore a tinsy bitsty amount of concealer, eyeliner, and a little bit of blusher! However, over the year I have begun to build my make-up collection and wear more than I ever used to. I guess as we grow up, we realise the magic of makeup and try to create the best version of ourselves, and although I probably haven't reached the peak of my make-up days, I am slowly learning the tricks in makeup to look my best! 

So lets start!

My everyday look is very natural with a more dramatic eye. I keep my lips and face as natural as possible in terms of colour and the amount of make up I apply, but I then have a bolder eyeliner. I personally prefer the dewy, natural glow look rather than the matte finish. I don't wear eye shadow on a daily basis just because in the mornings I don't usually have the time or the effort to apply it. I also don't wear mascara - but lucky for me I have naturally long eyelashes!  

After washing and moisturising my face, I use Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Radiant Touch under my eyes to brighten up the area. This product is absolutely Amazing! Every good thing that you've probably heard about it - is true! I use the original number 1, which is suitable for everyone regardless of your skin tones, this product is made to adapt and work the exact same on everyone. It seriously is the perfect highlighter! I use the product for any dark areas which I may have (such as under the eyes) and any high points on my face (such as my cheekbones). This product is very lightweight  yet has excellent coverage. There are so many ways to this magic wand! 

 I then use Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick. For me, I don't like liquid foundations, I personally feel that liquid foundations are too thick which makes me feel uncomfortable and feel as if my skin can't breath. So I prefer to have a lightweight foundation which still has good coverage and gives me a dewy finish. The award-winning foundation stick from Bobby Brown is the perfect match for me! It covers any blemishes I may have, gives me a even tone and due to it's creamy texture gives me a glow. I apply the foundation in Natural Tan all over my face, apart from the area under my eyes (this is because I want to keep that are as light as possible)  using the Bobby Brown flat foundation brush. Despite me being Indian, my skin tone is so pale! My family all literally call me a ghost! So this colour for me is perfect as it gives me a subtle tanned look without looking orange! To enhance the tanned, glowing look and minimize my ghostly complexion I use Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Bronze to add depth and warmth. I use it on my cheekbones and a small amount on the temples of my head and on my jawline - This is a shimmer based bronze and therefore only use a small amount on these areas. (However, I am definitely on the search for a good matte bronzer to contour with so if you any recommendations please let me know!)

I then move on to my eyeliner, for an everyday look I prefer to do have a cat-eye or flicked eyeliner. Some people may think this is too much for an everyday look, but I love my eyeliner and could honestly not live without my flick! A good eyeliner for me is essential! So when I was on the hunt, I had two main priorities - number one, one that does not move during the day and number two, one which is the darkest black! The answer for me is the Mac Fluidline Gel Eyeliner in Blacktrack. I have to embarrassingly admit that the other day I did fall asleep without taking my make up off! *shyface* Yes I admit to breaking the number one makeup rule! But I know I'm not the only one - we've all done it at least once in our make-up lifetime! Especially after a night out when all you want to do is curl up in bed and sleep! So, although a very bad habit which I did very much regret the next day, I did learn a very valuable lesson - This eyeliner no matter what does not budge! I woke up and my eyeliner looked the exact same as when I just applied it! (Hopefully, that's saying a lot about the product and not about how I apply my eyeliner!). Although the eyeliner could be a denser black, with a gel liner there is that charcoal effect - However, the charcoal black for me is still very dark which I can settle for. One more plus! It's so easy to apply and literally just glides across your eyelid! 

Next are my cheeks! I have recently been using two products which I switch from, depending on what I'm wearing or what I'm feeling. So I either use the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Rose which is a very girl pink and gives a great shine to enhance that 'not-so natural glow' finish, or I use Mac Sheertone Blush in Breath of Plum which is a darker pink/plum colour. 

I have a massive problem with wearing lipsticks! I ALWAYS lick my lips! Which means my lipsticks do not actually last a long time on my lips - such an annoying habit as I love lipsticks. But I always feel that my lips are dry - even when they're not. I'll even put Vaseline on top of my lipsticks to prevent them drying out but I'll still end up somehow licking away my lipstick! The saying "old habits die hard " is the perfect one for this case! However, despite the rivalry with my habit my go-to lip colours are either a coral or natural pink. I use either Estee Lauder Signature in Portofino Coral which I would usually cover with Vaseline or Benefit Lip Stain/Tint  in PosieTint which is great, as it is a lip stain it's perfect for my never-ending lip habit by staying on much longer than a lipstick. To line my lips I use Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipliner in Energized which is a 'citrus coral' colour. This lipliner is perfect for me as it can be used for both the lip products I use on a daily basis.  

Hope you enjoyed reading my daily makeup routine for right now.

Stay tuned for the 'how much does my face cost tag!'

Don't forget to comment and follow! :) 

Reema xoxo

My Love For Ciaté ♥

Hey Lovely Beauts,

I Absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Ciaté! 

And if you don't, I guarantee once you check out their products, you will! 

The five reasons why I love Ciaté:

1. I'm such a girly girl.. and I love anything with bows, butterflies or hearts! Ciaté ticks this box with their incredibly cute packaging and bowed bottles! If I had to design my own nail polish bottles, they would definitely look like these!  

2. They create the best inventions for nail art, and there are so many to pick from! They are always ahead of the game, and I love how creative they get. Their appropriately named Wow Kits include, Caviar Nails, Velvet Nails & Chalkboard Nails to name a few. Even though the kits are more on the expensive side, it is guaranteed your nails will look amazing! ..In my opinion it's definitely worth it!  

3. The third reason why I adore Ciaté, is for their stunning colours! They have such a range of colours from subtle nudes to extreme bolds such as blues and greens. They also follow what's in the season so if there is a particular colour on trend, your nails will not be left out! They also have a huge variety of effects - shimmer, glitter, matte, sheer, porcelain, pearlised and more! Ciaté's huge range of colours, effects and wow kits mean there is something for everyone!
I'm not the only one who thinks their colours are stunning - they have a big celebrity following including Rihanna, Kate Moss, Blake Lively and Nicola Roberts to name a few. 

4. Number 4 is short and sweet: Ciaté's prices for their nail polishes are only £9 a bottle! This is an incredible price if you compare them to high street brands, such as Maybelline which can cost up to £5. 

5. My last but most important reason why I love Ciaté is for the quality of their polishes. Their nail polishes are easy to apply, leaving a smooth, professional finish which will last for days! Just as a bonus; their bottles are a good size with a fair amount of lacquer in each bottle.

____________________________          x           ♥          x          _____________________________

The first product which I got from Ciaté was from the Ciaté Caviar collection; Mother of Pearl. The box contains clear micro-pearls, the snow virgin white polish, a small filter so you can tidy up after every use and not loose any precious pearls and an instruction guide on how to apply and take care of your caviar manicure! Overall, the caviar set is super easy to apply and look soooo good!

I couldn't even count the amount of compliments I received when I was wearing this, if I tried!  The only upsetting thing about this product is that it doesn't last very long. The box says it lasts up to 48 hours, which is roughly correct, depending how much care you take when washing your hands or when your having a shower! Check out below my Caviar nails:

Ciate, Caviar Pearl, Mother of Pearl

Revlon, Charming

After using Mother of Pearl, I recently purchased Black Pearls, which is a combination of black and electric blue pearls and I can not wait to try it out! There are so many designs you can achieve with the pearls and they all look amazing! I'm definitely a Ciaté fan and have officially started my collection - I truly want all of their products! 

Stay tuned for more Ciaté Nails!

What do you think of caviar nails?

What's your favourite Ciaté product?

Shop here for incredible Ciaté products!

Reema, xoxo

Shoe Inspired Nails #1: Christian Louboutin Manicure & Tutorial

Hey Dolls, 

I don't know about you but I am a sucker for shoes, especially when it comes to Christian Louboutin! His shoes are by far to die for.. okay not literally but they are amazing! And as you all should know by now.. I am obsessed with nails. So what's better than combining your two loves? Whoever came up with this concept is a complete genius! For a while now I have been seeing Louboutin inspired nails everywhere! They were first seen by Adele at the Grammy's and now they are all over my Instagram!

I have been dying to try this look, but my nails were not long enough.. But now they are, Woo!.. So, yesterday I was super excited to try these beauts out! For today's post I'm going to explain how I done the Louboutin manicure, step by step because everyone needs to try it! I also ran into a problem, so I hope that if any of you have tried or are going to try this manicure out (which I highly recommend ) and u run into the same problem, that this will help you! I based my Christian Louboutin nails on the classic Bianca Patent Black shoes. 

What you will need:

1. A base coat

2. A good opaque, black nail polish

3. A good opaque white nail polish

4. A deep yet bright red nail polish
5. A super glossy top coat
6. Cotton Bud/Brush/Cocktail Stick
7. Nail Polish Remover

Why the white?

When I did these the first time, I painted the red polish on the inside of my nails first, with two coats and then applied the black as normal to my nails. This didn't work for me as the black darkened the red on the other side.. which then obviously didn't resemble the famous red sole as it was incredibly dark. There are two ways in which you can avoid this happening. You can either buy or use a red which is two to three shades lighter than the sole, in which case the black will darken it so it will become a similar shade to the shoe. However, I presume it would be difficult to estimate a red three shades lighter. So, you can do what I did and coat the back of your nails white first, this will give you a good base to work on and will not allow the black to affect the red.

The colours I used:

Black Nail Polish: OPI, Onyx 

My all time favourite black. It's not messy like other black, it's opaque even with one coat and is super glossy!

White Nail Polish: Ciate, Snow Virgin 

I love this brand so much! They always have the most amazing products- I literally want ALL of them!

Red Nail Polish: Kiko, 238 Matha Red 

I also love this brand. When you walk into the Kiko Cosmetics store, it's like a kid in a candy store! They literally stock every product in every colour! Also, they are super cheap! What's not to love?!

The red is the most crucial part for this look, if the red you have chosen does not resemble the sole of the shoes, then the whole manicure will not be as effective. If you want an exact match, rumor has it that Christian Louboutin himself based his trademark sole on the nail lacquer Revlon, Red. I did want to go buy Revlon, Red however I couldn't wait any longer! So I chose a red I already had from my nail collection, which actually is a pretty close match.

The Tutorial 

1. Prep your nails - remove any nail lacquer, buff and file them to your desired shape. I prefer to have oval to pointy nails for this particular look, but if you prefer square nails than opt for that instead.

2. Apply your base coat to all nails, including the backs of your nails. When painting the back, you want to make sure you have as little nail polish on the brush as possible and keep all layers very thin.

3. Start to paint the backs of your nails white, apply two coats if necessary. You want to make sure that the white is opaque enough so the black will not show through, yet you need to be sure that the layers are thin.  I like to start with the backs of the nails, as this is the messiest part and you don't have to wait for them dry in order to paint the front.

4. Once the whites are completely dry, paint the backs of your nails in red. Again using little paint as possible on your brush. Wait for this to completely dry and add a second coat if needed.

5. Painting the backs of your nails can become very messy. So use either a cotton bud or synthetic brush soaked in nail varnish remover and carefully remove any excess paint. I used a combination of both a cotton bud and a brush. If you don't have a brush and the cotton bud is too thick, try using a cocktail stick for a more precise tool.

6. Paint the fronts of your nails in black. Wait to dry, and then apply a second coat as normal. 

7. Apply top coat to all your nails, including the red backs.

And voila! You are finished and have beautiful Christian Louboutin inspired nails! The only downside of this manicure is that it can be very messy. Saying that, I absolutely love this whole concept and can not wait to try it out with other colours and effects. I really want to try nude nails with a really sparkly glitter on the insides of the nails - that would look amazing! 

What do you think of the Louboutin manicure?

What colours do you think would look good?

Reema, xoxo

Let's Play Catch-Up

Hey Dolls,

As mentioned, I have been doing nail art for about a year or so.. just to clarify, I am not a professional nail artist and I have never taken any lessons, I purely just enjoy doing my nails. I probably change my nails every week, which gives me the opportunity to try out different ideas, and experiment with new products or colours.. for me, doing my nails is fun, challenging and relaxing (and I can sometimes spend A LOT of time on them). During the last year, I have taken pictures a few of my favourites, check them out:

1. Love Nails: Kolor, Perky

2. Marbled Nails: MAC, Deep Sea & BarryM, Foil Effect (Gold)

3. Studded Nails: Rimmel Pro, Fierce Cherry. I used the Nails Inc. Bling it on Rebel Kit for the studs

4. Deep Purple Glitter Gradient: Maybelline, Extreme Blackcurrent & Accessorize, Gold Dust

5. Leather Nails: Nails Inc. Shoreditch Lane (Leather Effect)

6. Glitter Gradient Clear: Accessorize, Gold Dust

I believe nails are the understated accessory.. they can either be a statement to an outfit through a bold colour choice or complicated design or can be very simplistic and subtle.. both are equally important and effective to an outfit.

Which is your favourite? 

If you want to know how to do any of these designs, comment below for pictorials (: 

Reema, xoxo

First Post!

Hey Dolls!

After much deliberation and everyone close to me nagging me to do a blog, I have finally decided to sit down and make it! So here it is..

The Hidden Accessory! For a while now, almost a year or so I have been getting adventurous with my nail designs and have increasingly become addicted to this art! I love to find new colours, follow the season trends and test myself to be more creative. Nails are the hidden accessory! Therefore, I have decided to create this blog to share my love for nails along with beauty and fashion. 

I hope you enjoy my blog and follow me on my journey in the blogging world!

Reema, xoxo