The Best Laid Plans...

So, I am going on vacation tomorrow with my dad and my girl child and I had plans to get a few posts lined up to post in my absence.  Unfortunately, as it always happens when I get ready to go out of town, I misjudged my time and now I've simply run out of time.  :(   Also, I got a mani/pedi today (my first pedi ever!) and I really don't want to mess up my manicure (even though it's boring OPI Bubble Bath - I needed a palette cleanser).

I also forgot to post the Round-Up on Friday. Thus, I've decided to post-pone my Round-Up until some time this week (I will have my laptop with me, just not my nail supplies).  I will not have any nail polish posts until next weekend.

I hope you US girls have a great Memorial Day.  I will be checking email and twitter during the week.  I may also post vacation pics, though, and a daily review of my trip with my dad.  He's an amputee and this is his first vacation since 1995.  I was going to take my mother as well, but then my nana's health declined and, unfortunately, mom has to stay home.  Dad and Amelia are so excited.  They are two peas in a pod, so I may be in for trouble.  LOL.

Minnie Mouse Nails

Right before I was getting ready to remove Zoya Layla, I decided to play around with stamping and nail art (this has become a common occurrence for me).  This design was created using the polka-dot stamp from BundleMonster plate BM19.  I used Konad Special Polish in white for the dots.  I then added a black french and a silver glitter, using a glitter striper to hide any unevenness in my line.  To create the black french, I first stamped a french design on my nail using BundleMonster plate B39 and Konad Special Polish in Black.  I then filled in the design of the french, making it solid, using Color Club Where's the Soiree.  It's not a traditional way to create a french, but so much easier than freehanding or using french guides.  

I really wasn't even thinking of Minnie Mouse when I came up with the design.  However, once I completed it, I looked down and that's the first thing that popped in my head.  I think this design is so cute and if I wasn't ready to remove Layla, I probably would have kept it on my nails.

Zoya Layla

As I've mentioned on this blog several times, Zoya Charisma, is probably my favorite Zoya polish, and easily in my top 10 polishes of all time.  It's perfect.  I love everything about it. In fact, as soon as I got Charisma a few years ago, I immediate searched on their website for colors with similar application, color, and finish to add to my collection.  That's when I discovered that Zoya had a pink polish that was very close, in every way but color, to Charisma.  That color was Zoya Layla.  I immediately added her to my wishlist, for some reason but I kept picking other polishes whenever Zoya would offer a sale.  I guess I kept thinking "it's only a pink".  Finally, I picked it up during the most recent BOGO sale.  Unfortunately, shortly after I added her to my stash, she grew legs and walked away (LOL).  I finally found her during my recent reorganization, and given my recent attraction to bright pinks, I couldn't wait to get her on my nails...

This is 2 coats of Layla with one coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri topcoat.

Zoya's website describes Layla as "an ultra-bright hot magenta pink creme".  However, in my opinion, while it is "hot pink", it's definitely not magenta.  On me, it's most-certainly hot pink, but I also see a touch of coral.  I kept wondering if the light inside my house was playing tricks on me, so I purposefully waited to write this post until I had worn this polish in several locations, but no matter the lighting, I still see a hint of coral.  In bright light, such as at my gym, it's a little less coral, but it's still there.

I love, love, love this one.  In fact, last night while I was working out, I kept getting distracted by my pretty pink nails.  Also, if you are liking the look of the newly released neons that are hitting the market, but a little scared of wearing high-lighter pink on your nails, Layla is a good choice.  

The formula is good and I had no issues with application.  I still had thin spots at 2 coats, so on most of my nails, I added a third.  Additionally, like Charisma, Layla is almost a neon, and it does dry a bit satiny, so you will need to add a topcoat to make it shiny.  

Honestly, I love everything about this polish.  The only downside is that I now cannot get "Layla" by Eric Clapton out of my head.  :P

Zoya Layla is available at Zoya.com and Zoya's retail for $8 per bottle.  Be sure to follow them on FB and Twitter, however, as they are always running promotions.  You can also join their "Share the Love" program to earn points for free polishes, products, and dollars-off coupons.

Zoya Layla was purchased by me.  The above link is an affiliate link and is linked to my Share the Love account.  If you purchase/make an account using my link, I will receive points.  If you prefer not to use my affiliate link, please use the link below:

Zoya Layla

Blogger Round Up Reminder

Hi girls, I've been kind slacking in the Blogger Round Up department, haven't I?  I keep meaning to create a Round Up post, but by the time I remember it's near a Friday, and, as I want to give a week between the reminder post and the round up post, I always put it off until the next week.  I've been doing this for a month now.  :\

So, in an effort to break this cycle, I've decided to do a quick 2 day reminder and then post the latest installment of the Blogger Round Ups on this coming Friday, 5/25/2012.

If you would like to be included in the next Blogger Round Up and  you have yet to email me or respond in the previous round up post, please add your blog information in the comments section on this post.  You can also shoot me an email to roundup@apolishproblem.com.

The Blogger Round Up will be posted sometime on Friday.

Thanks!

Green Zebra!

Because I can't leave well enough alone, I decided to add a stamped design to my Barielle Date Night mani.  As I had rediscovered my China Glaze Romantiques (again, lost in my previous polish mess.  LOL), I figured I'd use one of them.  But then came the "what design? question.  I stared at my stamping plates without getting any inspiration, and then I remembered this stamped design I did a few years ago, and decided to copy myself.  :P  

 I think I may like this one even more than the inspiration (which has been a favorite of mine since I did it).  This is 2 coats of Date Night topped with ChG Cherish and Konad Special Polish in white and Konad plate m57 for the design.  I love the contrast of the foily, light green against the deep emerald of Date Night. 

Also, I know I used to say it often in the past and then stopped because I stopped stamping, but the polishes in China Glaze Romantique collection are the best polishes for stamping outside of the Konad Special Polishes.  Lately, I've used only Konad Special Polishes, as I find that regular polish has a tendency to be too thin or doesn't adhere as well to the nail.  However, the polishes in the Romantique collection are perfect for stamping, even though I really don't like them to use for a manicure.  I still see the Romantiques on China Glazes website, so they still should be readily available if you are looking for some great polishes for stamping.

All polishes in this post were purchased by me.  The above links link back to posts within this blog and are not affiliate links.  

Barielle Date Night

So, one of the side benefits of re-organizing my stash was re-discovering polishes I had previously purchased that had gotten lost in the chaos.  One of those polishes was Barielle Date Night...

(I apologize for the super-short ringer finger... once again I had a bad break and I'm having to grow it back out)

Date Night came out a few years ago, at the end of 2008, right before the green craze in nail polish  reached a fever pitch.  I remember seeing pictures of it on All Lacquered Up and I immediately fell in love.  However, as, at the time I wasn't completely comfortable wearing dark green on my nails, I didn't buy it.  Of course, that was an issue I quickly got over, but I still never got around to picking up Date Night.  

Then, a few months ago, Barielle offered a percentage-off sale (I'm thinking it was 30%) on their website.  As polishes are always B1G1 half-off at Barielle.com, I decided that would be a perfect opportunity to pick up some of their polishes.  I mainly stuck to the new colors, however, as Date Night was the only one of their previous colors that I added to my cart.  

When I got my order from Barielle, I was so taken aback by the fact that the new releases didn't match their online swatches, that I stuck Date Night in a box and promptly forgot about it.  Then, like I mentioned above, I found it during my re-organization.  As I remembered how much I liked the color, I figured it would be a good one to use as a full manicure, before I stuck it on the shelf and forgot about it again.  :P

As I was applying it, I was honestly thinking that I was going to write a fairly neutral review.  I mean, in 2012, the color isn't as unique as it was in 2008, but once I started applying it, my opinion began to change.  As you've probably guessed, Date Night is a dark green shimmer.  That much is obvious, though it's what I would consider to be on the lighter side of dark green.  However, what isn't so obvious is the super-fine micro-shimmer in a shade of green that is one or two shades lighter than the base.  Also, there are silver ribbons in the bottle, that I first thought were going to equal to a frosty mess (that is not unheard of with Barielle), but that was not the case with this one (I was pleasantly surprised).  There are brushstrokes (probably a side effect of the silver ribbons), but in this polish, they were not bothersome and, in fact, I think the brush strokes add to the luster of the finish.  

Additionally, the formula on this one was perfect.  Sometimes, Barielles can be thick or goopy, and require a ton of thinner to play nice, but this one had none of those issues.  It was almost-opaque at one coat, and I simply had to apply a second one to cover a few thin spots.  It did dry a bit matte for me, but a quick coat of top coat shined it right up.

Barielle Date Night is available at Barielle.com.  You can also find Barielle numerous places online, like Transdesign.  On their website, their are $8 each, but $6 if you buy in multiples of two (with the half-off BOGO).  They are $3.60 at Transdesign, but then again, shipping is much more from there.  

I purchased Date Night myself from Barielle's website.  The above links are not affiliate links.

Nail Polish Storage

For years, I kept my nail polish in increasingly bigger Sterlite storage containers.  Finally, when I had topped out a 5-drawer rolling rack and cussed under my breath every time I looked for a polish, I decided I had to think of another solution.  

I envied the wall-mounted storage racks, but sadly, my "polish room" is a corner in my bedroom and I just don't have the space to dedicate to the wall mounted racks.  That's when I realized that a short, narrow bookshelf would work perfectly in my space.  I went to Target to look at possible solutions and unfortunately, the bookshelves were just too deep and tall for my purposes.  That's when I saw the CD/Media cases.  

Target had a B1G1-half-off sale on homegoods that week, so I snatched up the remaining two and begged my husband to put them together for me.  I thought I would organize all of my polishes that weekend.  Then I had the bright idea to catalog all of my polishes at the same time.  So, my weekend project turned in to 2 months of off-and-on work.  

Yesterday, I'd had enough of my make-up/polish area looking like a bomb hit it, so I decided to finish my project once and for all.  This afternoon, I finally got all of my polishes in the media towers, organized by brand...

Whew!  I love the look of this.  It's easier to find the polish in this configuration that in the rolling drawer containers.  

It's still not finished.  I still need to create a new spreadsheet (my old one is horribly out of date) and I still want to organize the polish within each brand from light to dark, but this is a start.  :P

If you are interested in the media towers, you can find them at Target or on Target's website for $24.99.

Deborah Lippmann Some Enchanted Evening

Some Enchanted Evening is the second polish I received in my GMA Steals and Deals order.  I'd been lemming this one since it came out a few years ago, but I never got around to paying full-price for it, despite my love of Deborah Lippmann's hex glitter polishes.  Once I saw it at half-price, however, I had to make it mine.  :)

Deborah Lippmann's website describes this one as being a salmon pink glitter, but in my opinion, it's not exactly salmon.  When I think of "salmon pink", I think of a color that leans a bit more orange than this glitter.  To me, this is a true rose-pink glitter.  I knew I wanted this polish based on swatches, but in person, it is it even prettier than it looks online.  It is so light and pretty and girly that I wanted to pair it with a base equally as pretty.  As I was still feeling inspired by yesterday's sponged gradient post, I decided to give that same application a try for today's manicure.

For the base, I used 3 coats of Color Club Coastal Creme, a true cream creme polish, and I sponged Jessica Cosmetics Flirtation over top.  To create the gradient, I used a plastic sheet (a sheet protector -BIG thank to the Nailsaurus for that fantastic idea - and a round makeup sponge).  First, I mixed Coastal Cream and Flirtation on my plastic sheet and then applied that over my nail using the sponge.  I then sponged only Flirtation on the tips of my nails, making sure to apply it a little thicker as I got to my tips (hence, the gradient).  Once it was dried and sealed with topcoat, I then applied one coat of Some Enchanted Evening and another coat of topcoat.

This one is super pretty in real life, and I'm a little afraid it's just not translating well in pictures.   Nonetheless, I think I may be addicted to sponged gradients.  It's the new glitter tips.  LOL.  :P

If you are interested in any of the polishes used for this manicure, you can purchase Some Enchanted Evening at just about any website that sells Deborah Lippmann polishes.  Retail is $18.  Jessica Flirtation is now available on Jessica's website for $7.50.  Coastal Creme came out several years ago with Color Club's Yacht Club collection and it appears to now be discontinued.  However, you can still find it online in the $4-6 range.

I purchased Some Enchanted Evening through GMA's Steals and Deals event.  Jessica Flirtation was sent to me for review.  Coastal Creme was also purchased by me.  The above links are not affiliate links.

X Out Inspired Nail Art Project

Recently, I received an email from Gunthy-Renker's PR regarding a nail art project they are hosting for one of their brands, X Out.  X Out is a acne medication specifically for teens, created by the founders of Proactiv.

The idea behind the project is to create an nail art look inspired by X Out's packaging and manifesto.  For every participating blogger in this project, Gunthy-Renker will donate $200 to Pacer's National Bullying Prevention Center.  As soon as I read that, I was more than happy to participate.  <3

To assist with the idea process, X Out sent out a a PR image of their packaging for X Out, as well as their "manifesto"...

When I first saw the PR images, my mind immediately thought of a literal translation to take the letter "X" and words from their packaging, and put them on my  nails.  The only problem is that I kind of stink at freehand nail art and I really don't have any proper supplies for freehand art (my kids steal my brushes).  Thus, I realized I needed to think more outside of the box.

So I re-read the "manifesto" and remembered just what it was like to be a teenager.  I'm 37, which to teens may seem old, but honestly, I feel like I was just there (guess my parents really weren't as ancient as I made them out to be.  :P).  I remembered being pulled in a thousand directions, all-the-while trying to be somewhat cool and get my resume college-ready at the same time.  Now that I have a mortgage and kids and I'm 20 years out of high school, it all seems somewhat simpler than life now, but I definitely remember high school being a stressful time.  I also remember it being fun and a little (lot) crazy.

So I took all of that in to consideration and this is what I came up with...

Using the colors in X Out's packaging and "manifesto", I used Zoya Malia and Zoya Yummy to create a gradient as the base.  This is 2 coats of Malia with 2 coats of Yummy sponged over top.  I then used Konad Special Polish in black to stamp the "stars and arrows" design from BundleMonster plate BM20 over the gradient.  I then added one coat of Deborah Bring on the Bling over the stamp to add a bit of sparkle.  

I really, really loved the final product on this and it has spawned tons of other ideas in my head.  It also got me compliments from the drive-thru girl at Burger King (it makes my day when people ask to see my nails).  :)  

I hope you girls love this one as much as I do.  If you are interested in more information on X Out, please check out their website.  For more information on the Pacer's National Anti-Bullying Prevention center, please click on the link above.  

X Out packaging and manifesto images were provided by Gunthy-Renker's PR.  The links within this post are not affiliate links.

Deborah Lippmann Sugar Daddy

This is 3 coats of Sugar Daddy with one coat of Nubar Diamont topcoat.

Recently, Deborah Lippmann offered 6 nail polishes at 50% through Good Morning America's Steals and Deals.  The 6 polishes were understated shades to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the royal wedding.  Two of them were pale, sheer pinks, and two of them I had already, so I had to pass on those, but I was sure to pick up Some Enchanted Evening and Sugar Daddy.  With shipping, which was admittedly high, I still spent less than the cost of 2 Lippmann polishes at full-retail.  I think I paid around $23 for both.  As I was lemming both polishes, I considered it a bargain.  

Sugar Daddy is one of the new mirrored chromes being offered by Deborah Lippmann.  It is a rose/champagne gold chrome with a green flash (you can see the green the best in the bottle in the second picture).  The finish on this one is extremely shiny and very reflective.  Given how pretty this one was, I am definitely going to get the other two, Private Dancer and Swagga Like Us.

I did have a small issue with brushstrokes, but you can combat that by going slow and in one direction.  Don't make any "half-strokes", either.  Instead, have all your strokes going from the base of your nail to the tip of your nail.  You will still have brushstrokes (just the nature of the beast, really), but they will just look like part of the finish and not take away from the shiny.  :)  Also, be sure that your nails are clean when you apply this one.  Any fibers or bumps will stick out like a sore thumb with this finish, and there is no way to cover them with topcoat.  You either have to live with them, or re-do the nail (only did that about 3 times.  :P)

Brushstroke issues aside, this is still a gorgeous polish.  I did think it was going to be more rose-gold than champagne, and have a tad stronger green flash, but those are small issues.  It's still really, really pretty.

Sugar Daddy is available on Deborah Lippmann's website, though recently the mirrored chrome polishes have become available at other outlets, such as Neiman Marcus and What She Buys.  Retail price is $18 a bottle.

Deborah Lippmann Sugar Daddy was purchased by me during the GMA Steals and Deals event.  The above links are not affiliate links.

Julep Nessa

Hi everyone.  I hope you all had a great weekend.  I apologize for the short hiatus on my part.  I got a little busy this weekend, and I just didn't have anything drafted.  Plus, I kinda experienced a bit of manicure block.  I've still got it today, sadly.  So, I grabbed a polish that had been sitting on my desk for a few weeks.  This is Julep Nessa...

I received Julep Nessa in my last Maven box, and when I first saw it in the email, I was immediately intrigued.  It seemed so unique to me, and in real life, it is unique.  It's a daffodil-yellow, foil metallic, which is something that is not duplicated in my collection.  However, as unique as it is, it is also as equally difficult to use.  

I wanted to really like this polish.  I really did.  The formula had a little issue with brushstrokes, but that's to be expected with this type of finish.  The main issue I had with this polish was the brush.  Given their short-ish hand and long stem, Julep brushes are naturally a little harder to use than a traditional brush.  Unfortunately, the brush I had in my bottle of Nessa with more difficult than any Julep I've used to date. It flared out and was much like a mop.  So I had a hard time applying to polish neatly on my nail and I also had an issue with drag.  Perhaps I just had a wonky brush, though I have read a few other reviews of this polish, and see that several other girls had the same issue.  

I was able to reach opacity in 3 coats and if the brush wasn't so hard to use, I may be more positive about this one, because the color is really pretty, but application was just so crazy difficult that in my opinion, this one is a pass until Julep fixes the brush issue with this one.

Julep polishes are available on their website, and also at Sephora, though this polish is not listed on Sephora.com.  Juleps retail for $14.  

Julep Nessa was in my May Maven box.  I do have a Maven referral link, but the above link does not link to my account.  It is not an affiliate link.

OPI A Good Man-darin is Hard to Find

This is 3 coats of OPI A Good Man-darin is Hard to Find, a bright, red-based orange creme, and one coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri topcoat.

I have swatched this polish in the past, when I reviewed the collection, but I have never actually worn it as a manicure.  Honestly, I was never really taken with the color, as when I swatched it, I didn't really like it with my skintone. 

However, I was taking my youngest nephew out for his birthday on Saturday, and I needed a bright orange-ish polish to go with the outfit I had in mind.  A Good Man-darin... came immediately to mind.  And after applying it, I must say that my first impression was not the right one.  I loved this polish with my skin-tone.  Yes, it's an orange (which sometimes doesn't look so great with my pink skin), but this one worked, probably because of the red in the base. At any rate, it's a fantastic color and I can really see me wearing more of it this summer.

The formula on this one was good, better than good actually.  I had no issues with application, but I did need 3 coats to reach fully opacity.  Though, if you wore a sticky base coat (which admittedly, I stubbornly refuse to wear) you could probably get this one opaque in 2 coats.

A Good Man-darin is Hard to Find is from OPI's spring 2010 Hong Kong Collection (I apologize for previously stating 2011... my years are starting to run together :P), and per OPI's website, it is still in their line-up.  OPI polishes retail for $8.50 a bottle.

OPI A Good Man-darin is Hard to Find was sent to me for review

Orly Beach Cruiser

As soon as I saw pictures of Orly's new neon collection, , I knew I needed it.  However, I also knew that day-glow orange and yellow wouldn't look all that great on my skintone, so I opted just to purchase one of the retina-burning neons in the collection, Beach Cruiser...

Orly Beach Cruiser is a bright, neon pink polish (the color in the top picture is the most accurate).  Like most neons, it dries to a non-shiny finish.  I know that it's most commonly said that neons dry to a matte finish, but, in my experience, the finish on this one was more rubbery than matte.  Nonetheless, a quick coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri topcoat made it shiny.  

I love, love, love this color.  It looks just like pink highlighters and makes my eyes hurt in the best possible way.  LOL.  

Although, I wasn't completely in love with the formula.  It flowed rather nicely, but it took me 4 coats to reach total opacity.  I'm sure if I wore a basecoat or if I applied Beach Cruiser over a white polish, it wouldn't take quite as many coats, but as I didn't do either of those things, I still had a couple of thin patches at 3 coats, so I had to do a thin fourth coat on most of my nails.

However, it did dry quickly and I didn't have any of the issues that come with applying multiple coats.  Just be sure to wait an extra minute or two between coats, so it does't drag.

Even though the formula wasn't perfect, I still adore this one.  It would look amazing with a summer tan, but I also love this with my pale, I-hate-the-sun skin.  

I don't see the collection listed yet on Orly's website, though, they are readily available online, and I have read that some people have also found them at brick and mortar beauty supply stores.  I purchased mine on eBay.  Orly's retail for $8.50 a bottle, but can be found for cheaper.

Orly Beach Cruiser was purchased by me.  The above links go directly to Orly's website and to the eBay listing where I purchased this polish, respectively.  They are not affiliate links.

Duri Angels and Demons

Last year, Duri released a 6 polish collection inspired by the movie "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo".  I think most of the polishes in the collection may have been repromotes, but they were new to me, so I was pretty excited.  

I loved the look of the collection and I couldn't wait to review it.  Now, part of that is probably because of the movie and the fact that Daniel Craig is my Hollywood boyfriend (:P), but also it just looked like a gorgeous collection.  Unfortunately, my life continued it's pattern of topsy-turvy and I just never got around to swatching the entire collection.

However, I am now trying to post single polish posts of polishes I wasn't able to review last year.  Today, I have for you another of the polishes in this fantastic collection, Angels and Demons...

I chose this polish because, as you may notice, I chopped my nails WAY down, and then I had a break on my pinky (isn't that always the way), and I had to go even shorter.  :\  So, I figured a darker polish was in order.  

When I put it on, I was a little surprised, though it was a good suprise.  Maybe I didn't stare at the bottle hard enough before I applied it, but for some reason, I thought this was going to be a charcoal grey base loaded with silver glitter.  It's not.  It's a gunmetal-grey foil metallic.  

I love this polish.  I had no issues with formula or application.  In fact, it applied like a dream and was completely opaque in 2 coats.  I also used a coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri quick-dry topcoat.

I really like Duri polishes.  I find them to be fun, inexpensive polishes and they have a wide range of colors and finishes.  You can purchase Duri polishes directly from their website and they retail for $5.  

Angels and Demons was sent to me for review.  The above link directly links to the polish pictured and is not an affiliate link.

Jessica Bliss is This! Bridal Collection Review

Today, I have for you Jessica's 2012 Bridal Collection for review.  This collection consists of three polishes that, per Jessica's press release, are designed to complement the Big Day.  

Desire - is a dusty, medium-toned, red creme.  2 coats.  I think this would be the perfect red for someone, like a bride, that wanted to wear a red polish and yet didn't feel entirely comfortable with fire engine/tomato/hooker red on her fingertips.  My mom, who only wears neutrals, would love this color.   Also, I found it to be really flattering with my skin tone.  I did have a little issue with the formula as it was a little stringy, but it was easy enough to control.  I did have to be careful not to apply the coats too thick, as that made the stringing worse.  2 coats.

Flirtation - light, tea rose pink creme.  No, this color isn't unique, but it's still really pretty.  I love this one.  Love.  There is just something about it that is so light and girly.  Flirtation is the perfect name for this polish.  I can totally see this as a wedding day color.  For me, this one had the best formula in the collection.  It flowed on the nail very nicely and I was able to reach opacity in 2 coats, which is something I love in a light pink.

Love Story - light, yellow-based peach creme with a jelly-ish finish.  Love Story is my least favorite of this collection, simply because the yellow in the base of this polish didn't work with my skin tone.  Although, if you have darker skin or olive-toned skin I think this one would look beautiful.  The formula was the thinnest of the collection and it took me 3 coats to reach opacity.  

Now, I realize that these colors are not incredibly original.  But, normally, when you think of a bridal collection, you think of pale white-pink cremes or French manicure shades, so I like that this collection is a little outside of the box in that regard.  Also, these appear to be dupes of Chanel's Spring 2012 colors, April, May, and June.  I know sometimes dupes get a bad-rap, but I frankly love it when someone dupes a $26 Chanel.  :P  Plus, aside from Love Story not working with my skintone, they are all super pretty, and sometimes, being "just pretty" is good.  :)

Jessica polishes are available at Jessica Cosmetics' website.  However, I just checked and they aren't currently available.  The press release states they will be available starting April 2012, so they should be available soon.  

Jessica Bliss is This! collection was sent to me for review.  The above link is not an affiliate link.

Revlon Cherries in the Snow

This is 2 coats of Revlon Cherries in the Snow with one coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri topcoat.  

Cherries in the Snow is a bright reddish pink creme.  I've seen it also described as a cherry red, but in my opinion, it's most definitely a pink... a very red-based pink, but a pink, nonetheless.  At any rate, it's a fantastic color.  If you ask me, it's one of the hidden gems in the drugstore cosmetics department.  

Cherries in the Snow has been around almost as long as Revlon itself, and I know that some of you have probably had this, and/or the matching lipstick, in your makeup collection for years.  Myself, I purchased my first bottle of this in early 2002.  I remember the time so clearly because that's when Tim was working out of town in Ohio.  One Friday, when he was on his way home, I went by Walgreen's to kill some time before he got back in town and happened to see this color in Revlon's nail polish display.  I had owned the lipstick color years before and was instantly intrigued by the color in polish form.   So, I got it, but once I tried to use it, I was reminded why I was never a fan of Revlon's formula.  I remember it being hard to use, so I don't think I ever used it again, and probably discarded it when we moved from our old apartment.

However, that said, I always remember being in love with the color, and I think over the years, I've probably purchased this particular polish probably 2 additional times.  This last bottle (the one pictured) has been in my collection since before I started blogging.  I remember buying it in Florida when the twins and I went on vacation with my inlaws.  That time as well, I remember being unhappy with the formula right after I got it.  That is the main reason I didn't and still don't purchase many Revlons.  

Well, 3+ years later, and quite a bit of nail polishing experience under my belt and I've learned how to make it work for me.  Thin coats and a thinner quick-dry topcoat, seem to make it play nice.  It's still not a perfect application, and you do kind of need to baby it, but if a color is amazing, and this one is, I can deal with a problematic formula.  

I think this color would look great on every skintone.  If you are more olive-toned, it may be a truer cherry-red for you, rather than the bright red/pink you see on me, but, nevertheless, it would still be gorgeous.  

Cherries in the Snow is in Revlon's current line-up, and I honestly can't see this one going away.  :P This color is available at major big boxes and drugstores, and everywhere you find Revlon cosmetics.  You can also purchase it online both at Drugstore.com and at Walmart.com.  

I purchased Cherries in the Snow myself.  The above links are not affiliate links. 

Zoya Izzy and Zoya Kissy

Last year, Zoya introduced Gems and Jewels, a small collection of 6 polishes made up of 3 metallic shimmers and 3 corresponding bar glitter topcoats.  When I received them for review, it was during the time where I was unable to blog, so I never got around to swatching them and reviewing them.

However, as I am showing you untried pinks during this week, I figured I would show you the pink duo in this collection, Zoya Izzy and Zoya Kissy...

This is Zoya Izzy, a bright pink metallic shimmer, by herself.  

The 2 pictures above show 2 coats of Zoya Kissy, a dense glitter topcoat with fine pink bar glitter, pink microglitter, and holo bar glitter, in a clear base, over 2 coats of Zoya Izzy. 

I love this one.  The application on both of these was perfect.  I had no glitter drag with Kissy, which was a big plus.  I know these were released during holiday 2011, but I think Izzy, either with Kissy or alone, would be perfect for a summer pedicure.

Zoya Izzy and Zoya Kissy are still available on Zoya's website*.  Zoya polishes retail for $8 a bottle.  

Zoya Izzy and Zoya Kissy were sent to me for review.  *The above link to Zoya's website is an affiliate link, which is linked to my Zoya Share the Love account.  If you prefer not to use my affiliate link, please use the link below, which is not an affiliate link:

Zoya Gems and Jewels

OPI Excuse Moi!

Today, I have for you a polish from OPI's 2011 holiday Muppets collection, which unfortunately, I never got around to reviewing.  

This is OPI Excuse Moi!...

This is 3 coats of OPI Excuse Moi with 2 coats of Nubar Diamont topcoat.  

Excuse Moi! was one of the stand-outs of the Muppets collection, in my opinion.  It's a warm pink semi-sheer base packed with glitter in about 500 colors.  ;)  Actually, I am seeing pink, purple, silver, yellow, and green, and there may be a few I am missing (you can get a good idea of the colors of glitter from my pinky nail in the second picture).  The base is sheer, but buildable, and the coverage on the glitter on this was exceptional.  You didn't have to go fishing in the bottle, which was very nice.  

Because of the uniqueness of the glitter in the base, this one actually reminds me of one of the indie glitter polishes that are so popular, and impossible to get your hands on, nowadays.  It's super-pretty, very girly, and makes me think of cupcakes with sprinkles.  :)  

It does dry very textured, so you will need a thick coat of topcoat, probably two, to even things out. I used Diamont, but any of the thicker, quick-dry coats will work.  It also dries very quickly.  I had nails that were dry before I even applied the topcoat.  If you own OPI's glitters from the Absolutely Alice collection or from the fall 2010 holiday Burlesque collection, this one is very similar in formula.  It's probably even more wearable because it has a colored base, and you don't have to apply the glitter as thick in order to completely cover your nail.  

In case you are interested in picking this one up, I checked on OPI's website, and it looks like Excuse Moi! is still available.  OPIs retail for $8.50 a bottle.

Excuse Moi! was sent to me for review

Julep Carrie

This is two coats of Julep Carrie, a light pink creme.  

Now, normally, I rave about Julep's formula.  Unfortunately, I simply can't do that with this one.  I was able to strong-arm this polish into working for me, but for the most part, she was a bit unruly.  It was one of those formulas that was runny and yet thick all at the same time, so I really had to watch where I put my strokes.  I was able to make it work, but it wasn't one of those "mindless" applications, if you know what I mean.

That said, I adore the color.  It's just a beautiful shade of light pink.  It's definitely noticeable while not being bright pink, and it doesn't fade away like a baby pink. I really do love it.  I just wish the formula wasn't so temperamental.  

Julep Carrie is available on Julep's website.  Recently, Julep polishes have become available at Sephora.com, but I just checked and it looks like Carrie is not in Julep's line-up on Sephora.  

Julep polishes retail for $14, but if you are a Julep Maven, you save 20% and receive free shipping.

I received Julep Carrie in my January Julep Maven box

Press Release - China Glaze Summer Neons

Normally, I've gotten in to the practice of not posting press releases.  It's not that I don't want to share the releases I receive with my readers, it's just that by the time, I write the post and edit the pics, a million other blogs have done the same, and frankly, 100 people telling you the same thing at the same time, is a little ridiculous.  :P 

That said, I couldn't let this China Glaze press release hit my email in-box without sharing it with you.  Recently, I have become a little nuts over neons.  I'm dying for Essie's new Poppy-Razzi collection and Deborah Lippmann's Girls Run the World.  So when I received this release for China Glaze's new collection of twelve new neons, well... I had to share it...

Heat Up Your Summer with China Glaze® Summer Collection

Los Angeles, CA – (March 2012):  The sun has nothing on you this summer!  Rival its brightness and heat with China Glaze® Summer 2012 collection,Summer Neons.  Featuring 12 new sizzling shades perfect for surf, sand and nightlife, the all new hot hues in China Glaze® Summer Neons include:

·         Pink Plumeria: Light pink with gold shimmer

·         Under the Boardwalk: Fluorescent raspberry

·         Splish Splash: Bright sky blue shimmer

·         Love’s A Beach: Sizzling hot pink

·         Hang-Ten Toes: Bubblegum neon with iridescent purple shimmer

·         Beach Cruise-r: Glimmering fuchsia grape

·         Orange You Hot?: Bright orange with attention-grabbing gold glimmer

·         Surfin’ For Boys: Glistening bright coral

·         Flirty Tankini: Shimmery strawberry smoothie pink

·         Ride the Waves: Dark ocean blue

·         I’m With the Lifeguard: Glimmering lime green

·         Sun-Kissed: Hot highlighter yellow

Also available 8-piece box collection featuring Under The Boardwalk, Ride The Waves, I’m With The Lifeguard, Sun-Kissed, Orange You Hot?, Surfin’ For Boys, Flirty Tankini and Pink Plumeria.

(Megan talking here... lookit at the plumerias on the package.  So pretty)

China Glaze® Summer Neons will be available as open stock colors and 12-piece counter display.  Individual polishes retail for $7 MSRP and the 8-piece box set retails for $56.  China Glaze® Summer Neons will be available at fine salons and beauty supply stores nationwide in June 2012.

China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde. China Glaze nail lacquers are available through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide. For more information, visit: www.chinaglaze.com.

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All images provided by China Glaze's PR.