Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July, US girls.  :)  

This is a manicure that I have had floating around in my head for about 3 months, and I finally had a chance to do it.  :)  I just love the way it came out.  

Here's what I used...

Thumb and index finger - BB Couture Fairy Blood

Middle finger - Revlon Royal with Konad White Special Polish

Ring finger - Nails Inc Floral Street with Konad Red Special Polish

Pinky finger - Jessica Majesty Blue with Dollish Polish It's a Me Mario

Stamping plate used was BundleMonster plate BM20.  

I hope everyone in the US has a safe and happy Fourth of July, and that everyone in the rest of the world has a safe and happy Wednesday.

Jessica Cosmetics Gelato Mio! Collection Review

It seems like we have been seeing neons as the nail trend this summer, with every major brand releasing a neon collection, and like with almost all trends, I embrace it early on, and then get a little tired of it as the season wears on.  That's why when I saw the press release for Jessica's Gelato Mio! collection, it was a breath of fresh air.

Gelato Mio! is a collection of six ice cream inspired creme nail polish shades, that, while not at all neons, practically screamed summer to me...

Banana Peel - light banana-pudding yellow.  As I've mentioned several times, I have really fallen in love with yellows over the past few months, and while I think I prefer brighter yellows on my skintone, I really like Banana Peel.  And I'm not sure if you can describe a nail polish as "fluffy", but that's the word that came to mind while I was swatching and reviewing this polish.  It's so light and airy, and like all of these polishes, perfect for summer.   

Barely Blueberry - light blue.  It seems like I have been searching for the perfect sky blue for years with no luck.  Then over the last few months, I find three that I love... Julep Jessica, Deborah Lippmann Let's Hear it for the Boy, and this one.  Honestly, I would have a hard time choosing a favorite between the three, but if Juleps are out of your comfort zone because of bottle shape and expense, and the Lippmann is no longer available, then Barely Blueberry would be a fabulous option.  It's is such a pretty sky blue, and unlike some blues I've tried along these same lines, it doesn't give me red-hands.  

Lime Cooler - light, kiwi green.  Gorgeous light, yet bright green, that is pretty unique in my collection. If you are looking for a lime green that isn't too yellow, definitely check out Lime Cooler.   Sometimes, like with certain pale blues, this type of color can my skin look red or dirty, but this one doesn't.  It also had one of the thicker formulas.  

Strawberry Shake It - pale candy pink.  To me, this one is color of strawberry taffy.  Like Banana Peel, the color was almost "fluffy".  It is a gorgeous shade, but I think for me, it's almost too light to work with my skin.  It's still super pretty, and I think it would look fantastic on darker skin or tanned skin.

Surfer Boyz 'n Berry - light aqua.  This one is a great marriage of blue and green and reminds me of the color of the water in some exotically tropical locale.  It seems similar to Zoya Wednesday, but I think Wednesday has more green in it.  I love this kind of color, and Surfer Boyz 'n Berry is no exception.  It's my favorite of the collection.  It also has one of the the thicker formulas.

Tangerine Dreamz - light-toned, creamy, medium orange.  This one is the color of orange push pops.  It's also a lighter orange that works with my skintone.  Looking at it makes me want ice cream or an Orange Julius.  :P  This one is one of the brighter shades in the collection.

As you will notice, I didn't really say much about the formulas or the number of coats in my descriptions.  That's because the formulas are very similar.  The lighter colors, Banana Peel, Barely Blueberry, and Strawberry Shake It, had the thinnest and streakiest formulas, but they were still manageable and opaque in 2 coats.  The darker shades, Lime Cooler, Surfer Boyz 'n Berry, and Tangerine Dreamz, had thicker formulas and were two-coaters.  

As I said above, I think this is a perfect summer collection.  My favorites is Surfer Boyz 'n Berry, but there isn't a one of them that I don't like.  I would probably not pick up Strawberry Shake It, simply because it did look a little chalky on my, but it's still beautiful and if you have more olive in your skin, it would look super pretty.  

Jessica Gelato Mio! is currently available at Jessica Cosmetics' website.  Jessica polishes retail for $7.50 a bottle.

Jessica Gelato Mio! collection was sent to me for review.  The above link links to Jessica Cosmetic's website and is not an affiliate link.

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.

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.

Jessica Heavy Petal Collection Review

A couple of weeks ago, Jessica Cosmetics posted this collection on their Facebook page.  Maybe I was in a Spring-y mood or maybe I was intrigued by all the pink and purple, but I thought it looked so pretty.  As luck would have it, when my doorbell rang a few hours later, it was my UPS man bringing these little goodies.

Born 2 Pansy - pale lavender with iridescent shimmer.  The shimmer in this one was so pretty.  Along with it's sister, Rolling Rose, I thought these 2 were the prettiest in the bottle.  I was a little scared that it was going to be super-sheer, but it the formula on it was very nice.  It was opaque in 3 coats.  

Dazed Dahlia - Berry pink.  This one is the only creme in the collection, and while it's not unique, it is a pretty color with a great formula.  I also liked it very much with my skintone.  It was opaque in 2 coats, though it was almost a one-coater.  

Geranium Gypsy - light, silvery purple frost.  Le sigh (and not in a good way.  LOL).  When I saw this one in the bottle, I was really hoping that it was a foil and not a frost.  Sadly, I was wrong.  The color is so pretty, and I think it may be dupish for Lippmann Purple Rain (another frosty mess that I blog-sold, so I can't compare).  I really wanted to like it.  I love the color and if it wasn't so brushstokey, it wouldn't be so bad, because the frost does have a foily finish to it.  But, as hard as I tried, I couldn't combat the strokes.  3 coats.

Hotter than Hibiscus - bright, Barbie pink frost.  Like her sister, Geranium Gypsy, I was hoping in my heart of hearts that this wouldn't be a frosty mess, but no dice.  Again, the color is nice, but the finish just isn't good.  While Hotter than Hibiscus is less frosty than Geranium Gypsy, it doesn't have a foily-ish finish like Geranium Gypsy.  3 coats.  

Rolling Rose - pale pink with iridescent shimmer.  This one is practically identical to Born 2 Pansy, only it's a pale pink and not a lavender.  I was very happy with this one because an opaque, shimmery, pale pink is one of those colors that I am still trying to find my perfect shade.  This one comes very close.  The formula was great.  3 coats.  

Witchy Wisteria - purple with copper shimmer.  In the bottle this one is so pretty, and on the nail, it didn't disappoint.  I've heard that this one is dupey to Zoya Tru, but I don't have that one to compare.  That said, in my collection, it is pretty unique.  To my eye, this one has a faint smokiness as well.  The formula was great.  2 coats.  

Now that I've had a chance to review them in person, I am both impressed and unimpressed with this collection.  The shimmers, Born 2 Pansy, Rolling Rose, and Witchy Wisteria are made of win.  Each one is fantastic and each one is unique (unless of course you have Zoya Tru, then Witchy Wisteria isn't unique).  Dazed Dahlia is a great color and if you are looking for a pink-based berry red, then you couldn't go wrong with this one because the formula is perfect.  The frosts, Geranium Gypsy and Hotter than Hibiscus, are where the collection falls short.  I was hoping for foils and instead, they are frosts.  I just don't think frosts really work on anyone, so I would say pass on these two (though now I'm wondering about how they'd work with a Konad).

This collection is available on Jessica Cosmetics' website and they retail for $7.50 a bottle.

These were sent to me for review

Jessica Muse Collection

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to try the new Muse collection from Jessica cosmetics.  This is a beautiful collection and with all the fall collections lately, I am so happy that it's less than a month away.  This one, in particular, really makes me want to break out the sweaters and jeans.

Intrigue – Greige (grey + beige) creme.  This one seems like it has some lavender in the base and it's slightly smoky.  Honestly, I don't have many of these kinds of colors, so I really don't have anything to direct-compare it to.  I did compare it to the other taupes in my collection and among that small group, it's totally unique.  This one would be a good work-safe color that will work on almost any skin tone.  Compared to the others in this collection, the formula was a bit on the thin side, but nothing too hard to work with. Pic is 3 coats.

Bittersweet – Medium-toned, yellow brown with golden shimmer.  Jessica describes this color as milk chocolate, and honestly, I think that description is a bit off.  There's far too much yellow in it to be a milk chocolate brown, IMO.  So why the description is off- the-money, the color is dead-on awesome.  In addition to the yellow and brown, there's also a hint of olive green.  It’s a beautiful color, and I can't even thing of any dupes. The formula on this was perfect. It flowed nicely on my nails. Pic is 2 coats.

Victorian Crush – True army green. I think this is probably my top pick of this collection. If you were to look up “army green” in a color dictionary, you would find this color. Like I mentioned in my Victorian Crush/RBL No More War comp from a few days ago, this color, isn’t as yellow, murky, or dirty as NMW. So if you have NMW, you can definitely pick up VC and not feel like you are getting a dupe. OTOH, if you are jonesing for NMW and want an inexpensive fix, Victorian Crush might just fill the bill. Personally, I like it better than NMW. Pic is 2 coats and the formula was perfect.

Scarlet – is a bright (and by bright, I mean BRIGHT) red crème. Because of the brightness and high shine, you’d think this one would be more of a summer red, but there is a certain warmth to it that makes it appropriate for a fall/winter collection, IMO. This one really reminds me of Zoya Kristi, though I’m pretty sure Scarlet is a tad brighter. This will make a gorgeous color for the holidays and I’m already plotting wearing it with a black or chocolate brown sweater. This one had the same great formula, but it did take 3 coats to reach opacity.

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Crimson Reflections – is one I kind of waffled on. I think I typed my description at least 4 times. In some lights, this looked like a straight-up burgundy crème, and yet in other lights, it looked like a brown-based, deep berry crème. I think if you are a fan of berry crèmes, you will love this one. Formula was great. Pic is 2 coats, though I probably could have used a third (I see a few thin spots as I type this review).

Majesty Blue – Shimmering blue with lighter blue shimmer. Okay, girls... you know me and shimmery blues, and while this one is lovely and I will definitely wear it, there was a faint frostiness in this one that, IMO, missed the mark (just a bit, it's still a beautiful color).  However, the shimmer in this one is very nice.  Of all the polishes in this collection, this one was the thickest in formula, but nothing unmanageable.  Pic is 2 coats.

All in all, I think this is amazing collection for fall/winter.  Victorian Crush is a winner, as are Bittersweet and Scarlet.  Though, there isn't a single one that I don't like.  Jessica polishes are $7.50 available on their website.

These were sent to me for review

Jessica Critical Care and Nourish Nail Treatments

In my box, along with Jessica Muse (which is coming shortly, I promise), were 2 nail treatments.  I was excited to try them, but also a little apprehensive because I think nail treatments are a little iffy to review... one person's holy grail is the other person's it-peeled-my-nails-and-I'll-never-use-it-again.  That said, I really like these 2 products...

I am using both Critical Care and Nourish in this picture.

Critical Care is a nail stregthener and it specifically mentions on the bottle that it's "intensive care for soft nails", and boy howdy... do I have soft nails.  They have healed from the acrylics/glue-on damage, but there's still some long-term effects and weak nails is the main culprit.  According to Jessica's website, Critical Care  "sets a new standard for boosting growth and strength of severely weakened nails that just won’t grow. Using our exclusive Protein KSW® fortified with calcium and intense strengtheners, penetrates the nail and increases keratinization, creating a protective barrier to allow for maximum growth."
I've been using Critical Care now for about 2 weeks and I've really noticed a difference in the hardness of my nails.  I also feel that my nails seem to be growing faster.  So, in my experience, does this product do what it says it will do?  Absolutely. 

Now, I know in the past, I mention that I loved Dermelect and I still love Dermelect, as I feel it single-handedly helped me overcome my nail disaster last year.  I also know that the Dermelect Nail System has been making the rounds on the blogs and is a blogger favorite, so it's definitely good stuff.  However, I find myself reaching for Critical Care more and more.  I find that my body chemistry + Dermelect + some brands of nail polish just don't play nice.  I have to be very selective with what brands I use with the Dermelect products.  I'm not finding that to be the case with Jessica Critical Care.  One coat of Critical Care and about 3-5 minutes is all it takes for me to be ready to polish my nails. 

It's comparably priced with Dermelect treatments as well.  Both Dermelect Launchpad and Makeover Ridgefiller are $18 and Jessica Critical Care is $17.  It's not a ridgefiller, however, so if you were looking for a direct Dermelect comparison, it would be Launchpad.  If you have deep ridges, you may find that you need an additional ridgefiller.  You can find Jessica Critical Care on their website (click the link above as I had to do a search to find it). 

I was also sent Jessica Nourish Therapeutic Cuticle Formula.  My cuticles and I have a complicated relationship.  They flake, they get hang nails, and no matter how much I baby them, they still aren't always camera ready (a fact, I am sure, you all are well aware of.  LOL).  Because I'm never satisfied with my cuticles, I'm always picking up one thing or another to help with them, whether it be oil, creme, lotion, or another kind of treatment.  So, I was skeptical of Nourish, to be honest.  According to Jessica's website, Nourish is "an all-time classic cuticle therapy, this pure blend of antioxidant vitamins and healing agents provides instant hydration and continuous moisture to nourish and soothe cuticles and nails. It feeds the matrix of the nail as it’s massaged in to stimulate circulation and growth." 

I've been using it now for the same amount of time as Critical Care, 2 weeks, and I'm finding that I'm getting less flaking and hang nails.  The first thing I noticed about Nourish is the scent, a soft floral.  Sometimes, cuticle treatments can smell a little strong.  For example, I know Mango Mend is a little too sickeningly sweet for some people.  That's not the case with Nourish.  Seriously... this stuff smells like it should be from Crabtree & Evelyn.  It's that nice.  It also has a very nice consistency.  It may seem a bit greasy when you first apply it, but it's aborbed quickly in to the skin.  The only downside is I think it may be a tad expensive, at $12.50, for the amount you get, but it only takes a small amount, so the tube will probably last a long time.  Nourish is available at Jessica's website (click above for link). 

Do I recommend these products?  Yes.  I find them both to be great products, that, IMO, do what they say they are going to do.  If you have weak, soft, and/or hard-to-grow nails, and/or problem cuticles, I encourage you to try both of these.

These were sent to me for review

Comp: Jessica Victorian Crush vs. RBL NMW

Just think of this post as a sign of things to come.  I haven't had a chance to finish the entire Jessica Muse collection, so I figured I'd post this, as I haven't seen a comparison post anywhere and I was dang curious myself.

RBL No More War on index and ring fingers, Victorian Crush on middle and pinky fingers

When I first saw this collection reviewed on Vampy Varnish, Kelly mentioned that Victorian Crush and RBL No More War were NOT dupes.  I believed her.  LOL.  But being from Missouri (not really) and Missouri being the Show Me State (really), I figured I'd swatch them side-by-side to see just how similar/not similar they really are.

Well, they are both in the olive/army green family, but within that family, they are actually much different.  NMW is a true olive green.  It's dirty, and murky, and it makes me want a martini every time I see it.  Victorian Crush, OTOH, is more of an army green.  It's also much clearer than NMW.  Army green, in and of itself has a sort of innate murkiness, but aside from that, it's a pretty straight-up color, especially when compared to the swampy, oliveyness that is NMW.

I lemmed NMW for months.  As soon as the 1/2 off RBL sale was over last year, I immediately regretted not purchasing it.  Like an answer to my NP prayers, Ji brought it, along with Scrangie, back out of retirement.  So, I bought it.  Paid 25 bucks for it after shipping, only to get it and realize that it's just too much for my pink skin.  It really brings out the redness.  Don't get me wrong, I love the color and will probably wear it more in the winter, but I'm pretty sure that NMW, like stinky cheese, is an acquired taste. 

Victorian Crush, however, is different.  Sure, it's a green, but if you like greens or if you are curious about greens, VC is much more approachable.  Plus, the price is more friendly as well.  Jessica retails for $7.50, whereas RBLs are $18 with $7.50 shipping.

EDIT: I had the price wrong on the Jessica.  They are $7.50 retail.  I also linked to VV's post about this collection.  :)