Snails for your Nails!

I have no little people, but I am a mummy of three fur-kids whom most of you now know are my cats. Child issue aside, I was asked if I would like to try some nail polishes designed for little princesses called Snails, which stands for Safe Nails, a French-made chemical-free brand of kids nail polish.

Snails was started when Jeanette Sklivanou, a mum of two, scoured the market for safe non-toxic nail polish to add colour to the imaginative play of her little ones. She quickly found that such a product just didn't exist — so she created SNAILS**.

A brief description

"SNAILS Kids nail polish is unlike any other you will find. You’ll delight in our simple natural nail polish formula which is optimally safe and child-friendly. Our revolutionary patented formula contains just three main ingredients: water, acrylic polymer and non-toxic colorants and is paraben free. This sets us apart from other products. The toxic trio of Dibutyle Phythalate (DBP), Toluene and Formaldehyde dominate many children’s nail polishes currently on the market. Such chemicals are banned in Europe due to their links with cancer, birth defects and other illness. So you will not find a trace of these harmful substances in SNAILS. Just pure ingredients that are kind and gentle on little nails".

Some of the highlights of this brand:

• Revolutionary formula — containing just water, acrylic polymer and non-toxic colorants, SNAILS is safe in its simplicity. 
• Totally water soluble — SNAILS washes off easily with simple soap and water, making harsh solvent-based toxic remover a thing of the past.
• Environmentally friendly — from biodegradable packaging and lead-free bottles, to a strict no animal testing policy. 
• Hypoallergenic — SNAILS is chemical, Paraben and toxin free, so little nails are kept safe and sound and splendidly coloured.
• Vivacious colour choices — every SNAILS polish delivers glorious high-quality gloss and a deliciously gentle fragrance.

Here are the products:

These polishes come in a cute little bottle with a white lid and a pretty little bow to match the shade of polish, almost like a childrens version of Ciate in many ways.  The polish itself is smooth and is really easy to apply, more so than some of my adult brands, a few of whom could learn a thing or two here!

The two shades:

• Raspberry Pie - Glossy purple. Wear purple when you want to encourage fantasy, mystery and imagination
• Gingerbread - A hot, sun kissed orange shade, summer sunset in a bottle!

Raspberry pie I absolutely love, it would fit in perfectly with the whole pantone of the year "radiant orchid" theme.  Once applied it dries in just over a minute, which is perfect for little ones because I know they are not going to sit and wait much longer.  Last-ability is also quite impressive, I managed to wear mine all day without too much wear and tear but when it came to removing it properly there was no need to nail polish remover, I simply used soap and water and rubbed each nail and the polish came off and there was no staining to my fingernails and no trace of colour left on my nail.

Available from safe-nails.com polishes are €8 each, the site also shows all the countries they are for sale.

What are your thoughts on washable nail polish?

Winter Clothing Essentials for Men and Women

There’s definitely a chill in the air at the moment, isn’t there? And with the cold front set to stay for the next few months at least, it’s time to rummage through your wardrobe and check that you have everything you’re going to need to keep yourself warm and toasty throughout the cold spell. If you need to top up your winter clothing, now is the time to do it so that you can be sure that you’ll be snug through Christmas and beyond.

For the Girls

You’re bound to need some knitwear. Whether it’s a couple of chunky cardigans or a lovely thick jumper that you can snuggle up in when it’s nippy, you can find some superb knitwear from George at ASDA that will leave you toasty without breaking the bank.

Make sure you have a good pair of winter boots, too. While it’s tempting to pick up a cheaper pair, it may be worth investing in some that will last. Boots with a good grip will ensure that even in ice and snow, you won’t come a cropper, while fur-lined boots can help to keep the little piggies warm. Invest in a good quality pair that will suit all outfits (think blacks, greys or browns) and you won’t have to replace them next year!

Some of my recent purchases

Warm and woolly accessories will help to keep extremities toasty – a nice chunky hat, gloves and scarf or snood will help to keep the chilly bite at bay. Ear muffs are also super cute and handy to have! A thick winter coat is also an essential piece of clothing that everyone should invest in – don’t worry about replacing this every year, a good coat can last for ages!

For the Guys

A decent selection of jumpers and hoodies would be perfect – ones that you can throw on over a t-shirt underneath your winter jacket as an extra layer. Christmas prints are all the rage at the moment, with festive jumpers making their way into plenty of wardrobes already.

Fancy jumping on the bandwagon? Onesies aren’t just for the ladies, you know! Take a look at some of the superb onesies available at ASDA for the guys too – you’ll be amazed at how snug and warm they are; perfect for a Sunday on the sofa.

Similarly to the girls, hats, gloves and scarves are essential if you’re planning on going outside (which, inevitably, you’ll have to!) – simple colours would do the trick because they go with anything. A decent coat would also be ideal – if you’d prefer to have one coat that’s multipurpose, take a look at the ones found at in ski shops and outdoor pursuit stores. Many of these have zip up fleeces on the inside that can be used separately, while the waterproof outer would be perfect on a dull, rainy day.

My scarves and gloves and from Asda

Wrap up warm and keep the cold at bay with a capsule winter wardrobe to be proud of – you don’t have to spend a fortune to update your clothing essentials, either!

Do you ever buy anything from Asda?  

Do you like the selection of clothes from George?