Review- Jamberry Nail Wraps

Hello sweet people!  

Whilst I don't consider myself to be much of a beauty blogger, I always enjoy the opportunity to try out new fashion and beauty products and share my thoughts and opinions with your lovely selves. Along that line of thought, I was recently approached by a friend on Facebook and offered to try something that was completely new to me - the nail wrap.

Whilst I'm not really one for nail maintenance (my current student budget does not allow for manicures!) I have always loved nail art and bright polishes. I feel that when my nails are in check they can compliment an outfit and help me feel more "together", which is never a bad thing!

Unbeknown to me, nail wraps have been a big hit with beauty bloggers and internet aficionados for a good while now, and there are literally hundreds of brands, designs and shapes to choose from.  

So what is Jamberry?

Jamberry nail wraps were created by three sisters as a simple do-it-yourself alternative to expensive trips to the nail salon, featuring plain and patterned wraps made with durable materials that bond to your natural nail. They're also gluten-free, latex-free and vegan friendly, making them a great animal-friendly product. With over 300 designs to choose from, you can be spoilt for choice and are able to mix and match designs to create a fun and unique manicure. 

How do you apply them? 

All the tips and tricks you'll need for application are in the following video. It's not the best quality but it's straight to the point and shows you all that you'll need for a quick and easy application using only a hairdryer, nail scissors, a nail file and your wraps. I followed these steps meticulously and overall i'm really pleased with how my Jamberry manicure came out. I also followed the tips and tricks in the image below which helped the longevity of my nails (at the time of writing I've had my wraps on for three days with no signs of wear or tear yet!) 

   

The advice I would give for a Jamberry rookie such as myself is not to be afraid to use extra heat. Once the wrap has been applied and pressed, hold the nail back under the heater for an extra 5-10 seconds just to ensure that it'll stick. The last thing you want is your new manicure to lift and bubble. According to other reviews I've read, the wraps are most likely to lift after the first 2 hours of application, so try your best not to touch or fiddle with them straight after applying (a mean feat for a fidget such as myself!)

What did I make of the wraps? 

Following the instructions from the application video above as well as the "Jam tips for the rookie" information, I found the application process to be fairly straightforward. Whilst it is considerably more faff to apply a full manicure than it is to open a pot of 60 second nail polish, the end result is pretty and unique- something not to be sniffed at!   

My nails turned out beautifully 

As I was sent a sample of the wraps they only came in limited sizes, therefor I wasn't able to cover my thumb or pinky finger with the wraps I was given. I have been assured however that when you purchase a sheet of wraps from Jamberry there is a much broader range of sizes to choose from, enough to to fit most nail shapes. One full sheet of wraps will set you back £15, although one sheet will provide you with enough wraps for four full manicures working out at a meagre £3.75 per full set of nails. According to their website, Jamberry wraps will last for up to two weeks with the correct application making for an economical purchase if you're someone who is into nail art and funky manicures.

Realistically, I won't be using Jamberry nail wraps every two weeks. However, if I have a special occasion such as a party or wedding i'd definitely invest the time and effort into giving myself a nail wrap manicure. I'm a big fan of the wide variety of prints and colours the wraps come in and could easily see myself mixing and matching designs to co-ordinate to a fun outfit. 

What do you think of nail wrap manicures? Let me know!

Until next time sweet cheetahs, 

Lovelustloves x0

**The products within this post were sent to me for free, however as always all opinions and thoughts are completely my own**

What beauty means to me....

Hello lovely people,

A short while ago, I wrote about being involved in a very exciting upcoming project with the wonderful Leyah Shanks - and that is the exact topic of this blog post!

For those who don't know, Leyah is a body positive ambassador, founder of online blog The Body Confidence Revolution and occasional writer for both the Huffington Post and Curva Magazine. She challenges traditional views and stereotypes of beauty, gender and mental health through her tireless pioneering and online activism. In short, she's a pretty amazing lady!

I was fortunate enough to be approached by Leyah recently to collaborate on a fascinating project on a topic that is very dear to the both of us; What beauty means to me. The "what beauty means to me" project is a collection of multi-media works that disseminate the topic of "beauty" and question what is considered to be beautiful and how we can turn this notion on its head. 

At its core, the project highlights just how diverse and varied people's interpretations of beauty really are. It's so much more than simply an aesthetic or how someone looks - beauty comes in all shapes, forms and sizes. Beauty is in the good that we do for other people. Beauty is having the best of intentions. Beauty is not a binary.  

Below is a short film that Leyah directed and produced and I just so happen to feature in. For those that know me you'll recognise that little Scottish twang at the beginning of the video as my voice also!



As another element of the "what beauty means to me" project, Leyah also asked me to collaborate to record a podcast with her, speaking more in depth about this issue. For this part of the project, Leyah and I both reached out to our online followers and asked them the following question: What does beauty mean to you? 

We then chose our favourite responses and spoke about them in greater detail, picking up on the themes raised. Now would be a great time to shout out to my wonderful instagram followers who submitted amazing responses - @bryoneycook @lou.mclou @flippabird - thank you all so much! Your insights to this question were so thoughtful and well received. 

You can listen to our podcast here, and below I've written a little insight into what my personal interpretation of beauty really means.

What does beauty mean to me? 

I used to believe that I could never be beautiful. To me, beauty was unattainable - an impossible standard reserved only for those with the most symmetrical faces, the flattest stomachs, the most flawless skin. As a teen I did little else other than compare myself with my friends and peers, never quite matching up to how beautiful they were. I relegated myself to the fact that whilst I may not be beautiful, I could be many other things. I could be smart, I could be funny, loud, confident and most importantly; I could do good in the world. 

Through years of self-discovery, education and some of the most wonderfully exciting life opportunities this belief eventually began to melt away. I learned that beauty isn't as simple as how you look, it encompasses so much more. Beauty can be found anywhere, in anything. Beauty isn't about having an ample bosom, full lips or a sun-kissed tan - beauty is personal and limitless. 

My actions and beliefs that make me a good person also make me a beautiful person, the two are not separate entities but a combined force that drive me each day to succeed and achieve my goals.  

The idea that beauty is a binary, derived only from what we see in the mainstream media is harmful and needs to end. Beauty at it's very core is subjective; what one person may believe to be beautiful may not match that of someone else. We cannot spend our lives attempting to attain the impossible standard - we need desperately to stand up and realise the beauty that we all possess, the beauty that surrounds us each day. 

To me, beauty is an abstract concept, it can't be defined simply with words. Beauty is an entity all on its own. What I can say about beauty however is that it's something that everyone possesses. It's in the things we do, the things we say and the way we are. I am beautiful- and you are too. 

Until next time darlings, 

Lovelustloves x0