Saturday, August 25, 2012

Deborah Lippmann Some Enchanted Evening over Essie Marathin

Over the next few days, I plan to swatch Essie's Yogaga collection, but in the meantime, today, I have for you one of the polishes from that collection, Marathin.  I loved it on it's own, but me being me, I had to add glitter to it...


I used 2 coats of Marathin, a medium-toned, tea rose creme, and topped that with a gradient of Some Enchanted Evening.  

The formula on Marathin was perfect.  I was able to reach opacity in 2 coats over a coat of CND Stickey (I'm trying hard to get back in the habit of using base coats).  

Essie Marathin is available at essie.com and Deborah Lippmann Some Enchanted Evening can be purchased at deborahlippmann.com.  


Marathin was sent to me for review.  Some Enchanted Evening was purchased by me.  Links within this post link to sites to purchase polishes shown and are not affiliate links. 


Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Essie Long Stem Roses


I have such an affinity for rose-red polishes, and Long Stem Roses is no exception.  It's a bright pink-based red loaded with fine silver shimmer.  When I first saw this one in the bottle, I was afraid that the silver ribbons were going to translate into frostiness, but that is totally not the case.  On the nail, the shimmer is very subtle.  There is a tad bit of pearl to the finish, but it's very wearable.  

The formula was perfect, and I was able to reach opacity in 2 coats.  It does suck up topcoat a little bit, so you may need to apply an extra coat of topcoat (in my picture, I used 2 coats of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri).  


Long Stem Roses had been in Essie's line up for awhile (it was one of my first Essie lemmings that I never actually filled until recently), but it looks like it's since been discontinued.  However, it is still available online at Beauty Stop Online.  


Long Stem Roses was sent to me by Beauty Stop Online.  Links within this post link to Beauty Stop Online and are not affiliate links.  


Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Orly Rock-It

Hi everyone, first off, I want to apologize for being so MIA lately.  My kiddos started school last week, and like it is every year, it's harder for me to adjust to the new schedule than it is for them.  LOL.

Anyway, in my effort to be back to a regular blogging scheduled, today, I have for you another polish that I received from Beauty Stop Online for review, Orly Rock-It...


Orly Rock-It is from last year's Mineral FX collection and it's a deep magenta metallic shimmer with an orange duochrome flash.  It's really, really pretty and reminds me of the shimmer metallics from OPI's Burlesque collection from Holiday 2010.  

The formula was okay, though it was a bit thin, and when I had to apply it with my non-dominant hand, I had a problem with it flooding my cuticle.  It took 3 coats to completely reach opacity, but because it was a little thin, the 3 coats dried rather quickly.  It does dry a bit matte, so you will need to use a topcoat to bring back the shine.  

All in all, I love this polish.  In fact, I am wearing this as I type this and I can't stop looking at my hands.  LOL.

Orly Rock-It has been discontinued, but it's still readily available at online stores, including Beauty Stop Online


Orly Rock-It was sent to me for review.  Links within this post link to Beauty Stop Online and are not affiliate links.   

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Essie Dive Bar


Essie Dive Bar is a deep, blackened teal shimmer and as summer is winding to a close (it's still hot as all get out, maybe I just feel like that because my kiddos started school today.  LOL), it's one of those colors that I will happily reach for when I'm in the mood for fall shades.  I absolutely love this color, and I especially love the way it appears to deepen around the edges of my nails.  The formula on Dive Bar was great and I was able to reach opacity in 2 coats.  

Dive Bar first hit shelves back in 2010 as part of Essie's retail launch, but it was also re-released last year as part of a collection.  You can find this color, as well as many other recently-released Essie polishes through Beauty Stop Online.  Dive Bar was one of those colors that I had wanted when it came out, but then it got pushed to the back of my wishlist like many, many other colors.  And as much as I love finally filling a long-time, HTF lemming, it's also nice to add those "easy-to-find, but not brand-new" polishes to your stash.  


Essie Dive Bar was provided to me for review by Beauty Stop Online.  The included link links to Essie polishes on Beauty Stop Online's website and is not an affiliate link.  

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Feather Nails



I've always loved the look of feather nails, but I just do not have the patience to freehand a feather, or, even moreso, use a real feather.  So, when I saw this design in my new SHANY plates, I knew I had to give it a try.  To complete this look, I...

1. Painted my nails a base color of Nails Inc Black Taxi.
2. Using China Glaze Adore, I stamped the plume design from SHANY plate SH24
3. Applied a coat of topcoat on my ring finger and applied 3 2mm light blue rhinestones to the design on my ring finger.
4. Sealed in the rhinestones and the stamped design on the rest of my fingers using Sally Hansen Insta-Dri.

I know I've said it a thousand times, but outside of the specific stamping polishes, the China Glaze Romantiques (like Adore) are absolutely perfect for stamping.  I don't think they are in China Glaze's regular line-up, but they still are available.  I got mine, years ago, from Victoria's Nail Supply, but you can find them all over the internet.  


Nails Inc Black Taxi was provided for review.  Other products within this post were purchased by me.  The included link is not an affiliate link.



Thursday, August 2, 2012

Zoya Song and Ivanka Gradient Mani

I couple of days ago, I saw this picture on Zoya's Facebook Page...

Image from Zoya Russia's Facebook Page
Turns out it was a share from Zoya Russia's Facebook Page.  I immediately fell in love with the colors and as I had both Song and Ivanka, I decided to do a gradient manicure with those colors.  Here's what I came up with...


This is 2 coats of Song with 2 coats of Ivanka on my tips.  I did one coat from about the middle of my nail up and then a second coat closer to my free edge.  

Also, I know with creme polishes, to create a gradient, you have to use a makeup sponge and make sure that you get just the right airbrushed effect.  However, with shimmer polishes, they are a bit more forgiving.  I was able to achieve this with only the brushes that came with the polishes.  So, if you are wanting to create a gradient look and can't find your sponges (like me) or simply don't want to be bothered with a bunch of extra steps, then a sparkly gradient may just want you are looking for. 

I hope you love this look as much as I do.  I can't wait to try it with a few other of Zoya's shimmer metallics.


Ivanka was purchased by me.  Song was sent to me for review.  Links within this post go to Zoya Russia's Facebook Page and Zoya's Facebook Page and are not affiliate links.  Credit for the first image within this post goes to Zoya Russia.  




Wednesday, August 1, 2012

KBShimmer Newsprint


This is 2 coats of Newsprint over 2 coats of Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather.  

When I first saw the polishes on KBShimmer's website, Newsprint was the first one I was drawn to.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to pick it up in my first order, as Christy said she had an issue with the red bar glitter and was waiting on a replacement.  However, as soon as I saw that it had been restocked, I placed another order before I'd even received my first on.  I wanted it that much.  

Newsprint is one of the more unique indie glitters in my collection and it's easily one of my favorites.  It's a mix of red, white, black, and silver glitters in all sorts of shapes and sizes suspended in a dark grey base.  There are bars, hexes, sqaures, and microglitter.  In fact, on KBShimmer's product page for this polish, it states that 14 glitters went in to this polish.  

I had no issues with application or formula on this.  The glitters easily came out of the bottle and were dispersed well on the nail.  I think you could possibly reach opacity with this polish, but to keep from adding so many layers on my nails, which can lead to goopy-ness, I chose to layer it over Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather.  

KBShimmer polishes are available on their website, and sell for $8.50 a bottle.  Please note that if you are international, KBShimmer only sells directly to US customers.  If you are outside of the US, you will need to purchase their polishes from their stockist, Harlow & Co.  KBShimmer polishes from Harlow & Co sell for $9 a bottle.  Currently Harlow & Co is out of stock on all KBShimmer polishes, but I read that there should be a restock this weekend.  


Newsprint was purchased by me.  All links within this post are not affiliate links.