Swatch Fest part two!

Yesterday I showed you swatches of by the wonderful Belinda @nailingaround, and today I have the second installment of swatches - this time from Bec @nailgunxs. Bec has also done a terrific job - she is a genius swatcher and you can see more of her work on her blog http://www.nailgunxs.com/

First up, Baby's Got The Blues. This shot is taken in indirect light. 

Here is another shot of BGTB, this time taken in direct light with some Miss Ashleigh 'Diamonds darling' added to the mani.

This is an unreleased Miss Ashleigh called Betty Confetti. We absolutely love this stark white glitter mix and will be releasing it as soon as possible - we are currently waiting on some new bottles and this little baby will be getting pumped out as soon as they arrive! This is Betty Confetti in direct sunlight.

And here it is again in indirect light. 

Below is Bec's swatch of Pin-Up Girl!

 Too Hot To Be Blue is a dusty pink that looks divine on Bec!

Below is another unreleased Miss Ashleigh - and this one is also unnamed! Feel free to email or comment any name suggestions you may have - if we pick your name then you've won yourself a free bottle once it's released!

Finishing up with one of my summer faves for the tootsies - A Pastel Experi-mint.

And of course, to take your mani from daytime to night time - a coat of Mardi Gras, bound to get any party started!

Swatch Fest

I recently trimmed my nails down to neat nubs in preparation for the start of netball season. For those of you who don't know netball, regulations state that your nails can't exceed the tip of your finger. This rule was created after someone had their eyeball gauged out during a game, oh wait, that never happened. Lucky they have this rule. Not.

I spent the majority of last season having to do a Houdini and disappear when the umpires checked our nails before the match. This year, I saved myself the hassle and lopped them off. 

You might be thinking "wow Ash, that's such a fascinating anecdote, I'm so glad you shared it. But what is the point?". The point is, rather than swatch the Miss Ashleigh collection on my shorties, I enlisted the help of two lovely Australian nail nuts to do it for me. And now I want to share those swatches with you! I will share them in two installments. 

These first swatches are by Belinda, you can find her on Instagram as @nailingaround. She is a flawless swatcher and her Instgram kicks ass, so it's no surprise that her Miss Ashleigh swatches look delicious. Yes, delicious. 

First up, Meet Me At The Candy Bar. MMATCB is a gorgeous Barbie pink. Belinda achieved this look with just two coats of MMATCB and one coat of top coat. Shop the look!

Going one step further with her MMATCB mani, Belinda added some Miss Ashleigh 'Diamonds darling' and Miss Ashleigh 'Just Bead It! Baby Pink'. Shop the look here and here. 

Below is Berry Delicious which, let's face it, looks berry delicious! Belinda achieved this look with two coats of Miss Ashleigh 'Berry Delicious' and one coat of top coat. Shop the look!

To glam it up, Belinda added one coat of Showstopper for a little glitz. Shop the look!

Belinda's swatch of The Devil Wears Nada proves why this polish is the second best kind of nude. Oh. La. La. This is three coats of TDWN and one coat of top coat. Shop the look!

Bird Of Paradise is one of my favourite summer brights, it's a neon orange-red creme that will knock your socks off. Belinda wears it below in three coats of BoP and one coat of top coat. Shop the look! 

Belinda wears BoP below in a way that hadn't crossed my mind, mattified! She achieved this look with just one coat of our Matte Hatter top coat. Shop the look!

And last but certainly not least, Lady Bug. Belinda wears it below in two coats of Lady Bug and one coat of top coat. Shop the look!

A huge thank you to Belinda for these beautiful swatches! Hope you all enjoy x

Back to basics

Have you ever said something along the lines of 'I wish I had long nails, but mine just can't grow'? *Virtual slap* Stop saying that. 

Here is a fun fact, if you want long and luscious nails you can have them. Here is a not-so-fun fact, if you are not genetically blessed with strong nails then it can be hard work. 

Allow me to let you in on a dirty little secret - I used to be a biter. Yes, it's true, I am deeply ashamed. Everything changed on my 18th birthday when my girlfriends bestowed upon me my very first OPI's. I adored them, and then I looked down at my stumpy, bitten nails and thought 'well this ain't gonna work'. The biting stopped then. Now, I am asked on a daily basis how I got such healthy nails and the answer is: I worked for them. And when I am feeling gangster, the answer is: I worked for them bitch.  

An important thing to remember is that long nails are not the same as healthy nails. And some of the loveliest nails I have seen are petites! But the healthier and stronger your nails, the easier it will be to grow them. 

This post is for everyone out there who thinks their nails "can't" grow. Like my mother, who continuously uses her nails as a gardening apparatus for digging holes and then questions why her nails always break. 

Water isn’t just good for the body, it’s good for the nails too. Keep your nails hydrated and you’ll prevent dryness  and breaking. 




Using a base coat will not only prevent your nails from turning yellow, it will also help your manicure last longer. Miss Ashleigh Base Coat $10.00 AUD. 



Keep your nails healthy with a regular cut and trim, even if you are growing them out! If you’d rather file, remember to always file in one direction, not back and forth. The back-and-forth motion will weaken the nail. 


In the garden, in the sink - wear gloves. Prolonged water exposure will soften & weaken nails. Harsh chemicals will lead to splitting and peeling. Using your nails as a spade will always have consequences. 



Not even Beyonce could make cracked, dry cuticles look good, so invest in some cuticle oil. 
Apply before bed and give the nail a little massage, it will keep cuticles soft and promote new nail growth. 




By all means, the above steps are not the only ways to help get your nails strong and healthy. But for me, they are the basics and they are certainly a good place to start!