Friday, July 22, 2016

6:00 AM

China Glaze- Ravishing Dahling


     Happy Friday!!! Who's ready to get their weekend started? As I mentioned in my post on Wednesday I'm headed out for a weekend vacation with some friends, what I didn't tell you was that we are spending our time camping and tubing/canoeing down a river. With as hot as it's been here lately, I hope we all don't fry to death. The heat index here yesterday reached 117!  Can you say hot! Speaking of hot, I've got a sexy color from China Glaze to share with you today. So turn up the a/c grab a beverage of your choice sit back, relax and get ready to discover China Glaze Ravishing Dahling. 


Deep-rich-vampy-red-nail-polish-jelly-finish

    Ravishing Dahling is a glossy darkened red polish with a deliciously squishy jelly finish, and the opacity of a creme.  There just aren't enough adjectives in the English language to describe how much I love this color. Sadly that's pretty much where the good news ends. 

Rich-red-nail-polish-jelly-finish


     The formula on this one is quite tricky to work with.  The first coat went on a little patchy, and even after 2 coats you can still see some evidence of it on my nails.  When I wear this one again I will be sure to use 3 thin coats and give it a little longer to dry time between. All the photos in this post are shown as 2 coats plus top coat.


     As you can see in my macro shot I got a little messy with my paint job and ended up with some staining on my skin, and that's after 2 separate attempts at clean-up. So be careful, and go slow when applying this nail polish and I'd also suggest a good base coat to avoid any staining on your nails as well. 

     Even though the formula gave me some issues, because of the opacity I was curious to see if I could get Ravishing Dahling to work for stamping.  I've never tried this with a jelly finish before, and was a little skeptical, but I love finding regular polish to stamp so it had to be done.  And guess what? It worked!!! Well, kind of... 


    I used the promo plate I received from Cult Nails and my jumbo squishy stamper from Bundle Monster over a base of Sinful Colors Snow me White. I'm not sure if it was the squishy stamper or the jelly finish that worked against me but I had some issues. The color is uneven on my nails and the polish wanted to separate on the stamper head before I could get it on my nails. I'm going to have to attempt this again with my firm stamper to see if I have the same issues. But all in all, I think it was a successful stamping attempt. If you've got any other suggestions to try I'm all ears. Just let me know in the comments. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!






Wednesday, July 20, 2016

6:00 AM

Finger Paints - A Heart for Art


     How is everyone's week treating them so far? Mine has been a little hectic. Not only did I go back to work for summer school but I decided that I'd try to squeeze in 2 family vacations in 8 days. One heading south for the weekend with friends, and the other headed way up north for the week with family. So I've been busy packing, figuring out menus, and racing to get laundry done. By the time Friday rolls around I'm going to need these vacations! I decided that since I've got so much going on and 4 blog posts to write before I leave that I'd keep them short and simple, maybe try to keep a little sanity. With that in mind today I'll be sharing with you an older polish from Finger Paints; A Heart for Art.

     Released in 2011 I  picked A Heart for Art up from the clearance rack at Sally's around 2 years ago. Sadly I'm not sure what collection it was a part of and my searches online have come up with nothing so I'm assuming it was part of their core line. But if someone else knows the answer please let me know in the comments.

Pink-purple-frost-nail-polish

    A Heart for Art is a pale blush color with subtle shimmer. Depending on the lighting it can lean  more pink or purple. Perfect for when you want something ultra feminine on your tips. All photos are shown as 2 coats plus top coat. 

pink-purple-shimmery-nail-polish

     I found that I had great coverage during application. Which was very impressive since this bottle has been sitting unloved and separating in my helmer for 2 years! As you can see like 99% of frost finish nail polishes there are some brush strokes.  But they weren't quite as noticeable as my photos show, as you will see in my macro shot below. Just like the color the visibility of the brush strokes depended on lighting and the angle of my nails. 


     I wasn't too sure about this color when I first put it on, but it quickly grew on me. I've been wearing some unseasonable dark colors lately so I found this refreshing and just what I needed for summer. Well, that's all I've got for today, I'm off to keep getting ready for vacation. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!



Saturday, July 16, 2016

9:23 AM

MoYou London - The Arabesque collection (Press Release)


     MoYouLondon just released a new collection! This 9 plate collection contains images with some amazing patterns. Just looking at these plates gives me several manicure ideas! Let's take a look.


Hey, it's time to escape!
Our latest Arabesque Collection is all about
Moroccan mosaics and Egyptian hieroglyphics, 
all drenched in sunburnt shades.


     MoYou London Plates can be purchased in their shop. Plates are  £4.99 or about $8 U.S. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!


Friday, July 15, 2016

6:00 AM

Put Up Your Dupes - Orly Beautiful Disaster vs. China Glaze Flying Dragon


     It's time once again for another comparison post! I just love these kinds of posts, don't you?  This time around I'll be comparing Orly Beautiful Disaster to China Glaze Flying Dragon. Both polishes are a beautiful, red-violet color often referred to as a deep tone of rosy magenta. This similarity is what caught my eye and made me wonder just how close these nail polishes really are.

     


    When comparing Beautiful Disaster and Flying Dragon in the bottle you can tell that these two are very close. Beautiful Disaster is a darker shade and leans more purple. But as we all know what you see isn't always what you get. Some nail polishes dry darker or take on a different undertone.At this point, I'm not convinced one way or the other if these are dupes or not. I had to investigate further.... I had to see them on my nails.



     Well, there's no denying it, they are much closer on the nail but these two polishes are not dupes. I used 2 coats plus top coat for this comparison. Beautiful Disaster shown on my pinky and middle finger dries to a shimmery high gloss finish. Flying Dragon shown on my ring and pointer finger dries to a matte finish. The addition of a top coat brought out some shimmer which I wasn't expecting from a neon polish and, made the colors appear to be closer than they really are.

     I decided that in order to do this post correctly I needed to show what the polishes looked like without top coat. See what I mean when I say the top coat made them appear closer than they really are.


      

     The application process was surprisingly similar. Like most neons, Flying Dragon was a bit streaky on the first coat but built up nicely with the second. As I mentioned in my previous post, Beautiful Disaster also had some streaks and patchiness with the first coat, builds up nicely after applying the second but like a true shimmer finish has a few brush strokes. 



     Final verdict: while these polishes have similar undertones, they are not dupes. The colors are similar shades of red-violet but the finish is what really separates these two. Which one would I buy? Both! The differences are enough that there's room in any nail polish collection for each one. And the price points are pretty much the same for each brand. My question for you is, if you could only have one which one would you choose? 

     That's it for this segment of Put Up Your Dupes. I'm off to look at my collection for more possible dupes. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

6:00 AM

A New Nail Line from Swarovski Crystals


     I missed a week of blog posts! Not a good thing to do when you're just getting back into blogging. I feel horrible about it but I have a pretty good excuse for being radio silent for a week.... We had a small tornado touchdown 6 miles away from my house last Tuesday. Now thankfully everyone here is alright and there was no real damage. But it did leave me without power and several trees down in my yard. So I've been busy running a chainsaw, yes I am that kind of girl, and picking up branches, garbage and getting my yard in shape. Now that that's over with I can get back to my otherwise regularly busy life.  So onto the nail polish posts!
 
     Did you happen to see the teaser I posted to Instagram a few days ago? Well if you did happen to catch it, you may have noticed the uber textured accent nail. Not sure what I'm talking about?  Shame on you for not following me on Instagram. Only kidding. For those of you who missed it, here's the picture again.

Nail-Art-3D-Crystals


     OK, now that we're all on the same page I wanted to tell you that that isn't just any regular texture. It's a super blinged out nail thanks to the new CrystalPixie from Swarovski. Tiny little gems that pack a ton of sparkle. I'll show you the full manicure a little later on in the post so be sure to stick around for that.

     Today as you might have guessed my post is all about a new line of nail art products from Swarovski. "Swarovski is the premium brand for the finest crystal embellishments since 1895. It is recognized for its innovative excellence and its collaborations with top-class designers. Now you can  experience the beauty of Swarovski crystals on your nails with a sparkling manicure." I was sent 4 packages of items to review. 2 Motif's containing a variety of Swarovski crystals and metallic shapes and 2 sets of CrystalPixie's in Black and White.


crystal-nail-art-from-Swarovski

 
     For my first look, I used the neutral colored Trends Motif and tried to recreate one of the looks on the packaging. My attempt was only semi-successful because I started off placing my first gem in the wrong place which threw everything off. What's the best thing to do in that situation? Go big and cover the entire nail in gems!

3d-nail-art-swarovski-crystals

      My base color is Song of Summer from Sinful Colors, a pistachio green shade that I think is fun for summer.  Can you tell which design from the packaging I was going for? I know not very creative on my part, but I wanted to feature multiple gems on one nail and that's out of my usual comfort zone and I was feeling a bit lost. 

3d-nail-art-accent-nail

     
      You might notice I had a little trouble with the silver metallic squares sitting flat on my nail in some places. I have a very large C curve to my nails which caused the ones on the side to stick up but if you have a smaller C curve it shouldn't be an issue. Also placing the squares closer to the center of the nail will prevent this from happening. 


     There was a little trick to getting the crystals off since they kept wanting to stick to their paper backing. I found that by using my dotting tool to slide them off worked the best. Also because I opted to not top coat this manicure the gems removed easily and I am able to reuse them for another look!

    The Swarovski motif kits are available in 3 styles. The Classic, the Neutrals, and the Trends collections with 3 options in each collection for a total of 9 kits to choose from. With each package containing 48 Swarovski crystals and metallic shapes. That's a lot of nail art look possibilities if you mix and match. 

     Now about that manicure I mentioned at the beginning of this post... turns out I was able to create a 4th of July manicure after all!

4th-of-july-3d-nail-art

    This look was perfect for the holiday because my ring finger sparkled more than the fireworks did. Sadly my pictures do not do this manicure justice. Like all sparkly things, it's was very hard to capture on film.

     
4th-of-july-nail-art-3d


     For this look, I used China Glaze Cranberry Splash and Drip Drop Prototype #517. The accent nail has a thin coat of Sally Hansen white on and then covered in the Cute Mood CrystalPixie. "CrystalPixie is Swarovski's newest innovation, just for nails! Be it for an everyday occasion or a special event, CrystalPixie brings unmatched Swarovski brilliance to your hands. It is easy, fun and limitless."  Just a word of advice, be sure to have a container under your hand to catch the crystals as you pour them over your nail. You won't want to lose a single one after you see them sparkle. 



     "Swarovski crystals are at the forefront of the crystallized nail super-trend, turning nails into a canvas for self-expression, as well as a stylish accessory both on and off the catwalk." Swarovski supports ongoing education through the Crystal Culture Educational Program developed and administered by Swarovski Authorized Instructors Gina Silvestro and Viv Simmonds at www.crystalculture.co Visiting the Sparkling Nails section on YouTube.com/createyourstyletv  will give you access to videos on the application of Swarovski crystal and Swarovski CrystalPixie. 

     To keep up with all the latest news or get inspiration ideas from Swarovski be sure to check out createyourstyle.com , pinterest.com/createyourstyle or facebook.com/createyourstyle . Want to purchase these sparkly gems for yourself? They can be found at your local Sally Beauty Supply or purchased online at Sallybeauty.com.  Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing! 











Friday, July 1, 2016

6:00 AM

Ninja Polish - Divinity (Enigma Collection)


     Happy Friday!! And not just any Friday, but a holiday weekend Friday for those of us that Celebrate the 4th of July.  Whos ready for a nail polish post from me? It feels like forever since I've written about nail polish, and I might be a bit rusty so bear with me. It would have been pretty good planning on my part if I kicked things off with a 4th of July manicure but that would have required me having my act together and lately that isn't happening. Instead, you'll have to settle for the jaw-dropping awesomeness that is Ninja Polish Divinity.

     Divinity is just one of the polishes available from the Enigma collection which unfortunately is currently out of stock. I actually received mine in a swap package a few months back. It's my one and only polish from Ninja Polish. but it certainly won't be my last.

     Trying to describe this polish is a bit tricky for me because every time I look at it I see something new. At first glance of the bottle you see a sparkle red polish, but once on the nail, you see so much more. The multi-chrome polish shift from red, to green, to orange and yellow. I even caught a glimpse of purple leaning magenta flashes at one point.

Mulit-chrome-nail-polish-red


      The application on this one is a bit fussy if you're not used to sheer at first polishes. If you're going for even coverage on the first coat chances are you'll end up with some dragging. It's best to use multiple thin coats and let the beauty build. I have to admit that on the first coat I was a little nervous because the polish was so sheer and very purple leaning magenta. Which was a gorgeous color but I was looking forward to the gorgeous red I saw in the bottle. Turns out I had nothing to fear. Divinity builds up nicely and I reached full opacity and the red color I wanted after 2 coats.  Depending on how thinly you apply your polish you may need a 3rd coat.

Multi-chrome-nail-polish-Divinity-from-Ninja-Polish
Photo was taken under incandescent lights

    
color-shifting-nail-polish
Photo was taken in full Sun

     I should know after all these years to not expect what I see in the bottle to be what I see on the nail. Indie Makers are getting so good at mixing all the different pigments and glitters to create unique and interesting nail polishes.

color-shifting-nail-polish
Photo was taken under incandescent light

color-shifting-nail-polish
Photo was taken in full sun

       As if this polish isn't rich enough on its own, I had to add a stamped accent nail. I decided on something simple but rich looking to go along with the decadent feel of Divinity.

Color-shifting-nail-polish-with-accent-nail


     I used Milani Black Swift and Bundle Monster plate bm-309 for my finished look. What do you think? I enjoyed wearing Divinity so much that I wore it as a pedicure too. One of the few times that my toes matched my nails. And I can't forget the quick and simple dotticure I did using Divinity as an accent.

     I hope you enjoyed my first post back. It was a little rough going in places I know, but I'll get better as I write more posts.  Of course it doesn't help that I wrote my notes for this post almost 6 months ago and to be honest they weren't very good notes. Let me know in the comments what your must have Ninja Polish is whether you own it or it's on your wish list. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!


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