Did you miss out on winning a prize in my last giveaway? Well I have another opportunity for you to win, and this prize is even more awesome.

Mont Bleu - creators of simply THE BEST crystal glass nails files, is sponsoring a range of nail bloggers with a set of crystal nail files for various giveaways. I've made entry really easy, you only need to follow Mont Bleu on Facebook to get your entry. I'm not going to make you follow anything of mine, but I do want you to make me smile, so check out the details below.

I'm a huge fan of these nail files and I have purchased additional glass files from Design Glasswear by Mont Blue that I have used as gifts for family (and as spares for me). I accidentally dropped by original blue crystal file off my table onto the tiled floor.  It landed point tip down and a small bit broke of the very tip.  The file still works perfectly, except that tip is very sharp.  So I've put that one away as my emergency file and pulled out a new one that I purchased is a set of 6.

Here is the set of nail files that you can win.  There are three file sizes.  I keep the small one in my handbag for any snag nails while I'm out.  I use the middle sized one almost every night before painting my nails and I keep the big foot one in the bathroom and use it on any rough patches on my feet after a shower.  You can check out my previous review of the small and middle sized files here and I've got a look at the large file and some other Mont Blue products here.

I ended up doing some nail art inspired by these glass files.  I totally forgot to take photos of these before work this morning, so these ones taken in my office will just have to do.  

I did a gradient using Picture Polish Bright White, Wisteria, China Glaze That's Shore Bright and Picture Polish Violet Femme.  The holo glitter is Kester Black Milky Way and the Swarovski crystals were randomly placed on my two middle nails. I think they match the files perfectly.

A few day's before Christmas I received a totally unexpected package from Mont Bleu in the Czech Republic.  I was completely blown away by the package they sent me to wish me Happy Holidays and I was so inspired by the package that I created some inspired by nail art.

I took inspiration for the large foot file that has a pink gradient on it and various pink coloured Swarovski crystals.  I created a gradient using Picture Polish Fairy Floss, Candy and Mad Magenta. I then used a silver foil polish and mixed a little bit of Mad Magenta into it to create various colours of pink foil.  I then used a dotting tool to do gradient coloured dots up my nail in the reverse direction to the gradient.

I then proceeded to take photos of my nails with all the different products that Mont Blue had sent.  So lets take a look at them all.

Large Foot file. Just as fantastic as their smaller regular nail files. This is a much larger file designed to file away that dry skin on your feet. See that holo sticker on the file, that's how you know you have the genuine product!

Metal mirror compact encrusted with pink Swarovski crystals.

Shamballa Bracelet with Swarovski crystals

Bag hanger - I love this so much. I was always hooking the strap of my handbag over my leg when I go to restaurants, but now I hang this on the edge of the table and hook my bag on. When not in use, the hook part neatly wraps around the top creating a neat little circle that slips into your bag.

Hair Brush encrusted with Swarovski Crystals - I actually wrapped this up for my daughter for Christmas. It is the perfect brush for her. It has both longer plastic bristles and shorter natural boar bristles.

Ring featuring cube shaped Swarovski crystals.

Earrings - matching design to the ring featuring cube shaped Swarovski crystals.

I love how the whole package was colour coordinated.  I don't think I would ever have chosen a pink set, instead I would have defaulted to type and chosen cool blues and greens, but I actually can't believe how much I love the pinks.

I still use the Mont Bleu glass nail file that I was provided for review six months ago. You can see my review here. If you are in the market for a great quality glass nail file, then I highly recommend the Mont Blue files. Mine is still as perfect as it was the day I got it, and I really do use it every single day.

All these products are available from the Mont Blue site direct from Prague!

Products provided as a gift.

I recently got the opportunity to review some Mont Bleu products.  I had already read some excellent reviews of their products, so I was super excited to try them for myself.

Here is some info about Mont Bleu. Based in the Czech Republic, they are one of the worlds leading suppliers of glass nail files. Their glass nail files are made of high quality Czech glass and are decorated with patterns or with Swarovski crystals. 

 

When my hubby and I were traveling Europe, I remember fondly the time we spent in Prague.  If you have ever been there I'm sure your memories are just as great as ours.  I have numerous gorgeous crystal items that we bought there and took home, such as our crystal grapes, Swarovski panther and kitten family.

I received two glass nail files.  A regular full sized one and a mini one.  The full size one has clear and blue Swarovski crystals on a clear glass file. The mini has shades of purple Swarovski crystals on a purple coloured glass file.

The crystals are adhered to the file very cleanly. There is no sign of any glue oozing out from beneath a crystal, nor is there bubbles or gaps behind any of the crystals.  The finish is very professional - and apart from anything else, super pretty.

Here is a comparison of the full sized Mont Bleu file against my current glass nail file. My current file is a QVS brand that I got a Priceline.

The Mont Bleu file has a much sharper end on it, and the grit is so much better.  I always thought my glass file was pretty good, but having used the Mont Blue, I've realized how smooth my glass file has become.  The QVS is still a good file, but I've been using it for two years and the tip on the end is almost smooth. 

I've had to be very careful using the Mont Blue file because it will take off a lot more length if I file away at the same speed I usually did with my old file.  I know there girls out there that hate filing their nails, whether it be the chalkboard feeling or the smell.  If you are one of those, then I highly recommend these files, because you will really be filing for a much shorter period of time.

The other thing I love about the Mont Bleu is the fact that it has the crystals on it. Not because they just look pretty (although that helps), but because I can now see my file.  I can't tell you the number of times I've lost my glass file because I couldn't see it!

The mini file works just as well and is the perfect size for my handbag.  That's where it now lives!

As I'm showing you a new glass file, I thought I would do a quick write up about how I file my nails.  Firstly let me say, I'm not a nail tech and I know I do not file my nails the way you are suppose to, eg in only one direction at a time.  But this is how I file my nails and it works perfectly fine for me.

I like to file my nails into a square finish at the tip, therefore I use the glass file to go back and forth across the nail tip.  I never file the sides of my nails, although I will smooth out the corners so they are not too stabby if I were to rub my eyes. I always try to file my nails with polish on too, this is because I have different length nail beds, and if I filed each nail so that the length of the free edge was the same, then one nail would be very short compared to the others.

After filing the tips straight across, I find I have rough bits beneath and above the nail.  I remove those by gently running my file under my nail like this.

I smooth the rough bits on the top edge by gently filing down at this angle.

The Mont Blue scissors are super sharp and this pair features a flower made out of Swarovski crystals.  I never use scissors to actually cut my nails, I always file. But I do use scissors like these to cut hang nails at the side of my nails.  Yeah, I know that you are not suppose to cut your cuticles etc but sometimes you just have to grab a pair of scissors to snip off one of the pesky little buggers that hurt like hell.  I love that these scissors are very sharp right at the tip, which makes it much easier to just cut what you want without butchering up your entire finger.

Mont Blue tweezers.  This are in fact eyebrow tweezers, which I should most definitely use with my magnifying mirror and attack my brows (before my brows plural become the dreaded brow singular - the mono-brow).  Ok, that's not true, I'm not a sasquatch, but my brows are in need of attention.  

I've already used these tweezers heaps of times, and not once on my brows.  I've used these when doing various nail art, specifically I been doing a fair bit with water decals, and these have been perfect.  The point is angled and it comes to a very tight and smooth closure when you pinch them, making them perfect for holding extra file items such as wet water decals.

Again I've found the Swarovski crystals to be more than just pretty. In this instance, they provide a nice bit of texture on the sides to grip the tweezers with.

This next product is not nail related, but is is stunning.  This is a compact mirror, decorated in a swirl pattern with clear and charcoal coloured Swarovski crystals.  It's just stunning.  This one is also now in my handbag, protected in it's little box.

Lastly, another non nail related product, but I thought I would share it anyway, a pair of multichromatic crystal earrings.  These shift in nearly every colour of the rainbow, blues, yellows, pinks, reds.  It makes me want a multichrome polish that does the same colour shift!

Mont Blue nail files and other accessories are available from Design Glassware by Mont Bleu. Regular and mini glass files start at €4 and crystal ones at €10.

How many of you already use a Mont Blue file?  I'd love to know how well they last - something I will only be able to comment on in a year or two. Although they do say on their website they have a lifetime filing surface.

Products provided for review.