Product review: (Original) Nail Envy by OPI

Hello beautifuls!

Recently my nails have been extra brittle and weak due to the numerous amounts of nail polish I've slapped on them for the past 2 months. I naturally have brittle nails, so with the added damage to my nails I was seeking for something that would help with the breakage and strengthening them whilst still looking glossy and presentable.

OPI Nail Envy 15ml - £9.90  

I was initially contemplating on getting Dr Lewinn's Renunail System. However the price tag forced me to search elsewhere. I ended up finding out about Nail Envy, it being a nail saver and strengthening brittle, weak nails.

The instructions are simple. Apply 2 coats the first time you use it followed by 1 coat every other day for a week. The texture is much like your regularly nail polish except a tad bit gloopier, however it glides on extremely well. Although I did forget to put them on once, the results were beyond my expectation.

 I've been using this product for a week and I can't be any happier. For the price I paid, this was worth it! My nails are far from brittle now, in fact they're so unbelievably hard that no matter how much I try to bend them (I should not be doing that) they refuse to budge.

For anyone looking for a solution to weak nails, this is your holy grail. I'm pretty sure they are better ones out there (but they would be twice/thrice the price) but as of now, I'm going to be sticking to this for a while.

Review: Burt's Bees Beeswax & Banana Hand Cream

Hello fellow explorers!

Having moved to the UK, I've come to realise how affordable food in Singapore is and how much variety we have without having to burn a hole in your pocket. So instead of reviewing food (like I always do) I've decided to review on beauty products I've been stocking up on + trying out instead:)

Presenting... Burt's Bees Beeswax & Banana Hand Cream. I was on the hunt for a good hand cream seeing the weather over here can be cold and dry, which makes my skin (esp my hands) susceptible to cracking. I was browsing in Boots (UK version of Watsons in SG) and having heard good reviews about BB's lip balm, I decided to try this out.

Okay, I'm used to hand creams which produce a fruity or floral scent that leaves no sticky residue whatsoever. I don't like hand creams that leave your hands glossy and sticky. When I first used this it left a rather sticky residue that stayed on my hands for about 10mins. And in my opinion that's a looooong time for a product to absorb. BUT I decided to read the instructions on the jar and it said to use 'a small dollop' on 'cleaned, washed hands' and voila! It actually felt much better the second time I used it. It absorbed quicker than the previous time and left my hands feeling smooth and ready to conquer winter.

So, what are the pros and cons?

(+) it's especially good for colder climates where your skin cracks easily

(+) the really, really attractive packaging which partly persuaded me to buy this :)

(+) you'll only need a small dollop to work it's magic

(-) the jar, albeit adorable, is hard to screw back on after applying the hand cream

(-) the smell might take some time to get used to (doesn't exactly smell the nicest but it's not horrible either)

(-) a little steep in price (£9.99/jar, that's about SGD20 holy...)

(-) might not be the best product for hot climates as it does take some time to absorb. But using it in air-conditioned rooms should be a-okay

I'll admit this isn't the best smelling product, but it does the job. It keeps my hands smooth and prevents the edges of my fingernails from peeling which happens frequently. 

Effectiveness: 4/5

Price: 3/5 (£9.99/jar of 57g)

Best for: colder climates 

Repurchase?: if it's on sale again, sure