London Adventures: Models Own Bottleshop x Westfield Mall - GangStarr Girl : GangStarr Girl

London Adventures: Models Own Bottleshop x Westfield Mall

[ 3 ] November 13, 2013 |

Model's Own Bottleshop, Westfield London

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s a shop shaped like a giant bottle of nail polish.

I couldn’t resist.

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I wanted to do what that little girl was doing but anyway…

I really like Models Own  nail polish and have been lurking the brand for a few years. They ship to the United States but ordering online vs. visiting the actual bottleshop in person does not compare.  It’s a refreshing an exhilarating experience for polish fiends and makeup junkies in general. Models Own has bottleshops placed throughout the UK but the one I checked out was located in London’s Westfield Mall. I got giddy when I saw the shiny hot pink beacon sparkling just a short distance away from TopShop, and couldn’t resist its gravitational pull.

I checked out the brand’s array of nail polish and other cosmetics but for me, the polish was the main attraction. As small as the place was, it still felt like another world. There was a table set up where staffers were giving women manicures and other makeup services and speaking of the staffers, they were generally very helpful. I met a young British woman who became my bottleshop BFF. She noticed the look of awe on my face and deduced that I wasn’t from around those parts. My accent eventually gave it away, of course, and once she found out that I was from the US she made sure to school me on what the brand had to offer so that I came back home informed.

The best thing is that they often have deals like five bottles of polish for £20 (online deals pop up too), which roughly translated to about $25 at the time (currency subject to fluctuation). Said British woman started asking me tons of questions about NYC and Chicago and mentioned that she wanted to move to the United States. She may get her chance if Models Own makes its way across the pond. There were plans for a bottleshop to spring up in San Francisco but it hasn’t happened yet because of high shipping costs (the person who wanted to launch it said the prices didn’t really make sense in terms of profit).

I’m still hoping for the best. Check out the goods, including what I purchased:

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Models Own teamed up with another London nail staple, Wah Nails to create art pens (the boxes with the eyeballs on them). More on Wah Nails coming soon.

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Pretty rainbows, makeup brushes and nail appliques.

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They have eyes, lips and face covered too. No pun intended.

 

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Ready for fall.

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And I walked away with…

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The fist four bottles in the top box are from the Models Own Fruit Pastels collection while the last bottle (top, far right) is a glitter polish  good for overlaying on pastels, which said bottleshop BFF recommended. The polishes in the Fruit Pastels line are all scratch n’ sniff scents inspired by fruit. You get a free nail buffer with a purchase of a set of five polishes. I gave the top set to my nine-year-old niece, who has been a nail polish junkie since age two. I think I started that lol.

The boxes on the bottom include Sardonyx, a burgundy (far left) from their fall Velvet Goth collection, grape and blueberry muffin (scratch n’ sniff), Disco Heaven from the Hed Kandi collection, Indian Ocean from the Beetle Juice collection, a peacock green (I can’t remember the name as it’s not associated with a collection but I’ll swatch it at some point on Instagram), and in the next box is a pink art pen that has stripping and dotting tools built in and Ibiza from the Hed Kanid collection. Ibiza is probably my favorite. I can’t want to try it out.

In related London news, I had to get the obligatory shot with the London eye behind me…

 

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And, my mom and I couldn’t resist crossing Abbey Road and getting photographed in action!

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I’m out for now but what do you think of Models Own? Is this a brand you’ll start checking for? How about a trip to London in your future?

*All photos (minus Abbey Road) shot with iPhone 5.

 

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Category: Nails, Travel

About the Author ()

Starrene Rhett Rocque is a recovering journalist who often fantasizes about becoming a shotgun-toting B-movie heroine.

Comments (3)

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  1. AfroBanger says:

    Nice shots!

    I’ve never heard of Models Own, but I am now interested in the brand, thanks to you Starr!

    I definitely want to go to London. I want some authentic fish and chips!

    • GangStarrGirl says:

      You know, fish and chips is the one thing I should have had but didn’t. Well, I had a “chip” that I stole off my mom’s plate but it was just ok. The Indian food there is bomb though lol.

    • AfroBanger says:

      Ooooh, I’ll have to remember that whenever I’m able to go to London. I’ve gotta get more Indian cuisine in my life!

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