Monday, June 29, 2015

6:00 AM

Patriotic French Tip Manicure


     I hope everyone had a good weekend! I had a few posts lined up for this week and then I realized that 4th of July is this weekend. Where or where does the time go lately? I decided that I would dedicate this week to different Patriotic nail art looks. That meant that I had to scramble to get this first one done but I love how it turned out! 

4th-of-july-nail-art
      


 
      I went for a twist on the typical French Manicure for this look. I almost wish I would have saved this look for last so I could wear it on the 4th. But it was simple enough to do so I can always recreate it.

     I started out with a layer of China Glaze Heaven and then free handed the "V" shape with Finger Paints Paper Mache. Once that was dry I taped off half of the "v" and used China Glaze Man Hunt to create the background for my stars. Which were also done with Paper Mache. 

Patriotic-nail-art

     To get my stripes a reached for my handy striping tape and taped off the edge of the blue, along with the edge of the white and then across the white. I really wanted to make sure my lines were crisp. For the red I used China Glaze Seeing Red which was part of the LE Giver Collection released last summer. 


     What do you think of this patriotic look? I'll have another one to share with you on Wednesday. I just have to come up with it first! =)  Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!




Friday, June 26, 2015

6:00 AM

Put Up Your Dupes - Sally Hansen Celeb City vs Zoya Trixie


     I'm back from my camping vacation and happy to announce that my nails survived! Sadly the polish I was wearing did not. Now it's time to get back to the business of blogging and I decided to start things off with the ever popular dupes post. Earlier this month I shared with you my Silver Nail Polish Stamping comparison post where I hinted at finding a few dupes. I have one of those to share with you today. 


    
      Looking at Zoya Trixie and Sally Hansen Celeb City in the bottle there really isn't much of a difference. Unless you count bottle shape but who really does that? The liquid inside is what really matters and they look like dupes to me. But sometimes looks can be deceiving so let's see what these two look like on the nail.


     Hmmm looks like a dupe to me! I actually had to refer to my notes when editing this photo because I couldn't tell which polish was on each nail.  I see the same finish, the same silver tone, the same amount of sparkle and the same minimal brushstrokes.  The only differences I found was in the application and the results may shock you.

      As far as application goes I had better control with Celeb City. My bottle of Trixie had a thinner formula than I remembered or expect from Zoya. Both bottles are about 3 years old and are stored in my helmer so I don't think age or storage played a factor. 


     Both polishes are fully opaque in 2 coats and like I mentioned in my stamping post they both work great for stamping. In my humble opinion, these two polishes are definitely dupes. But if you could only have one which one would you choose? The budget-friendly Celeb City which costs around $3.50 and can be found in mass retailers or the Salon style Zoya Trixie that costs $9 and can be found at select retailers or Zoya.com?  Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!





Wednesday, June 17, 2015

6:00 AM

Vertical Rainbow Gradient


     As some of you may know I have been on a year-long no buy. And for the most part, I have been successful, 6 months without buying a single nail polish, nail art item, or stamping plate. I was feeling pretty darn good and was sure I would be able to last the year. That was until I saw the School's Out for Summer collection from Above the Curve. 

 Pool Parties & Barbecues, Scary Stories by the Fire, Are We There Yet?, Summer Camp Blues and Stop That (ice cream) Truck!
     Once I started to see photos of these I knew my resolve was lost. And before I even bought them I had this manicure in mind.


     The original idea was for this to be done just on the tips but as you may have noticed my pointer finger had a minor break. So I improvised and did a sort of half moon instead. 

     I used french tip guides to mark off my nails and added a layer of Finger Paints Paper Mache as undies and a layer of top coat. Even though I knew better I left the guides in place while I did the gradient. I knew I would never get a new set lined up correctly and wanted to avoid that thin white line that I ended up with anyway. Some of the polish came up with the guides when I removed them causing that issue. I tried to fix it with clean up but it wasn't going so well so I left it. 


     As much as that line bothers me I don't think it ruined the manicure.  And I'm not really sure how to avoid it in the future. Maybe if I try using the Crystalline Nail Veil since it has such a fine brush. What would you do to avoid this? 


    These colors are so fun and bright. I almost feel like this manicure doesn't do them justice. I plan on doing a review of each color once I get back from vacation.  (Which I am actually on as you read this.) And if my nails survive, I've cut them down some but I fear it might not be enough. I will be completely unplugged for the next week while I'm camping in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area with my kids. My blog and page will be pretty darn quiet until next Wednesday. I wanted to give you all a heads up in case you noticed my silence or were looking for the next post. 

    Before I sign off for the week let me leave you with one last photo of this manicure. I had to get at least one sun shot to share. Or at least as close to a sun shot as I could get between rain storms. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!






Monday, June 15, 2015

6:00 AM

Can't We All Just Get Along!


     Today's post is going to be very different form anything I've post before. There is no pretty polish to share with you, there is no giveaway. Just something I need to get off my chest and I am going to apologize right now because I'm a little heated and might not be able to bite my tongue. There is a thread going on in a group right now that has pushed me to the edge. In fact I seriously considered deleting my blog and fb because I'm just that frustrated. 

    For the last 3 years I have immersed myself in the nail polish community. I have learned a lot from everyone I have encountered. Some of what I've learned is what to do and some of it has been what not to do. And honestly this post might be one of those what not to do things. But I cant just ignore this anymore. 

      I have always tried to keep a positive attitude, my page and blog have been 100% drama free. ( I have all of you to thank for that!) But lately it seems like this wonderful community that I have fallen in love with has turned into an us against them situation. It's bloggers against makers. Makers against bloggers, Instagrammers vs bloggers and it needs to stop!

    Why are we against each other? And why do we lump people into these labels? I understand that there are a few bad seeds out there but that's true in every single aspect of life. Why are we letting these few ruin things? 

     So there's a new maker out there who has unrealistic ideas about how they want their polish reviewed. If your not comfortable with it just don't work with them. Or start a conversation with them about what you will and wont do and see if you can come to a compromise. They  might be thinking it doesn't hurt to ask, or they might just not know any better. There is no need to start some long "maker bashing" thread in a group your in about it. I mean really what is the point? And I'm not talking about the threads where your asking for advice on how to handle a situation you're not comfortable with. I'm talking about the "OMG do you believe the nerve of maker xyz actually charging for samples? types of threads.

    Or say there's a new blogger out there who really doesn't know how to go about starting relationships with makers. What is solved by the maker posting about how annoyed they are with "beggers" or their perfect requirements from swatchers? I'm sure makers get requests for samples all day every day and I too would get annoyed. But isn't it more professional to have a standard  e-mail pointing them to a blogger request form? All the requirements are usually listed and the one's who don't make the cut can be weeded out. 

     And yes I agree that swatchers and blogger are totally different. One is more photo driven meant for quick browsing and the other is more indept and informative. Why should we be judged on how we choose to share our love of nail polish and nail art? Neither one is better than the other. One option just happens to work out for that person better than the other. We all love polish, we all love painting our nails and sharing it so why is there so much judgement being thrown around? 

     This whole bloggers need to do what maker want and makers need to do what bloggers want will never get us anywhere.  Everyone of us is unique and brings something different to the table. But thats's what makes blogging so great, there's room for everybody! If you don't like something either remove yourself from the situation or see if a productive conversation can be started. 


     I hear all the time that this community has changed a lot in the last 3 years and I completely agree. There are a million blogs out there, there are more makers than I can keep up with. There's plenty to go around for everyone. Don't like how someone does business? Move on to the next one. Don't like the way someone takes photographs? Move on. There are a few rules that be to be followed  yes but for the most part blogging is a personal thing and should be different for each of us. Running a small business is also personal and needs to be somewhat unique. Who wants to be able to buy the exact same thing from every shop? All the negativity is tearing this community apart. Not a single one of us is perfect so why are we pointing out each others flaws? Is it jealously, insecurity, or the need to feel validated?

    Who fucking cares what someone else is doing! It's really doesn't effect you, unless you react to it. And that says more about you than them.  I say just be you and don't worry about everyone else. If someone is doing something shady people will notice all on their own, without some big witch hunt. If someone is doing something illegal report it to the appropriate source. This us against them thing is pointless. I just want to paint my nails and share the experience with people who love it as much as I do. 


Friday, June 12, 2015

6:00 AM

Mentality - Dyad


     Raise your hand if you're happy it's Friday!!! Did I miss a few? How about if you'll be binge-watching season 3 of Orange is the New Black on Netflix? I wish I had been thinking ahead and done an OITNB manicure for today but to be honest my mind is in packing mode for vacation. I guess you could call that a blogger fail of sorts. Instead, I'll be showing you Dyad from Mentality

Dyad- Mentality-nail-polish
Dyad plus top coat

     Dyad is a grey-blue scattered holographic nail polish that shifts from gold to yellow to green. On the website, it lists this polish as drying to a glossy finish but mine dried more semi-matte than glossy.  Although it was hard to capture on film thanks to the holographic sparkles. 

Dyad-nail-polish-no-top-coat-from-Mentality
Dyad no top coat
Dyad no top coat

     The application was a breeze and very opaque on the first coat. The one disappointment I had was the brushstrokes in the finish. I was able to hide most of them with a good top coat. All photos are shown with 2 coats of Dyad.


     Now I have to admit that I ordered this because it was part of the stamping polishes from Mentality but I forgot about that when I finally got around to using it. I thought I was being clever when I thought to stamp with it after seeing how opaque it was. I didn't expect results like this though.


     Are you impressed? I was! Not only was I able to get all the little "feathers" in this design, but I got a lot of color and sparkle too! Oh, and did you notice the placement of the image? Ding ding ding we have a winner! Well, at least that's how I felt when this manicure was all said and done. Placement of the image has been my stamping nemesis for the last 3 years. It's always a nerve-wracking battle that I lose, but not this time.

     Want to know my secret? I put the stamper on its side at the base of my cuticle, lined up the image and then tipped it down onto the nail. In the past, I have tried to line it up along the side of my nail and rolled the stamper across. What a difference technique makes! Please let me know in the comments if you'd like me to make a video of how I did this. I know sometimes seeing it makes it a lot easier to understand.



     The base color I used for this is Provence from Revlon and the image is from plate B97 by NNail. Unfortunately after 15 minutes of searching, I was unable to find NNail's site so it seems they have gone out of business.  Dyad, however,  is still available for purchase! A 5 oz bottle will set you back a cool $7.75. Not bad for a polish that has so many uses.  Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing! 


      
     


Wednesday, June 10, 2015

6:00 AM

Silver Nail Polish Stamping Comparison


     Happy Humpday everyone! How's your week going so far? My kids keep telling me that they have run out of things to do and are constantly bored. I guess we are in for a long summer. While I brainstorm ideas to keep them entertained why don't you take a look at today's blog post. I've compared 4 popular silver nail polishes to see how well they work for stamping. The polishes I tested are Sally Hansen Silver Sweep (Insta-dry line), Zoya Trixie, Essie No Place Like Chrome, and Sally Hansen Celeb City (X-treme wear line). Just how well do these silver polish staples work for stamping? Let's take a look.


     Using L'Oreal After Hours as my base I set to work, choosing an image that had some larger spaces as well as some intricate designs from Konad plate M51.  As you can see all 4 polishes worked very well, but they have 2 different finishes. No Place Like Chrome and Silver Sweep have more of a chrome look to them, while Celeb City and Trixie have a shimmery finish. For this particular image, I like the delicate sparkly look of Trixie and Celeb City. But there is something to be said about the bolder look of No Place Like Chrome and Silver Sweep.


     While working on this post I think I may have found 2 sets of dupes, but I will get more into that in another post. So make sure you come back! 

     Id say depending on the look you're going for its users choice as far as which one to reach for. Generally, the Sally Hansen polishes are a bit more budget-friendly, and easier to get your hands on. But those seem to be the only real differences when it comes to these 3 brands.  I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!



Monday, June 8, 2015

8:09 AM

Madam Glam - Found the One


     Good Monday Morning to you! I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. Today I am rounding up my trio of posts featuring Madam Glam polishes. I saved my favorite one for last, Found the One. 

Photo was taken in incandescent lighting

     Found the one is a dark vampy red polish with a jelly finish. The application was good, with the first coat applying a little uneven. Everything smoothed out after 2 and dried to a super glossy finish.

Photo was taken in natural light

     While not a traditional red I still think Found the One gives my nails a classic look. And I love how the red color comes out in the sunshine. 

Photo was taken in incandescent lighting

Photo was taken in natural light
     I tried out a little nail art and am pretty happy with the results. I just wish the studs I used matched the gold polish a little better. 


     For the stamping, I used Messy Mansion plate MM18 and Essie Good as Gold.  The studs I picked up from Dollar Nail Art. Which if you haven't checked that site out I highly recommend that you do. You'll find a ton of nail art supplies, very reasonably priced. The only downfall is that there is a minimum purchase of $25. 

     If you're thinking about picking this polish up for yourself follow this link  http://madamglam.com/?utm_source=yt-lust 
and used code YT30 for 30% off your entire order.  Don't forget to check out my previous posts
featuring Disco Ball, Ibiza, and Paradise Fiesta. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing! 

Friday, June 5, 2015

11:16 AM

Madam Glam - Disco Ball


      This morning started off with a bang. I got a free donut for National Donut day, A free soda thanks to a rewards program, it's the kids last day of school, and I'm officially on vacation until mid-July. The only thing that would make this day better was if the sun would come out and take away the chill in the air. But since I can't have a sparkling sun I went for the next best thing, sparkly nails! 

     Madam Glam Disco Ball is a sparkly polish containing Aqua blue chunky glitters with a clear base. And let me tell you it is packed full of glitter.

Disco-Ball-Nail-polish-from-Madam-Glam

     The application was pretty great with this one. Shown here is 1 coat over 2 coats of Pure Ice Black Rage.  The consistency of the clear base is perfect, allowing for a lot of glitter in each coat. No fishing or placing! 


     When I first looked at this polish in the bottle I thought I saw some curling glitters and was slightly disappointed. Thankfully I was wrong. What I thought was a curl was actually the light reflecting off the glitter, and causing shadows on the edges. Each and every glitter lays smoothly on the nail. And it's not top coat hungry either. 1 layer of top coat was all I needed for a smooth finish.


     Madam Glam polishes are all 5 free and cruelty-free, which not only makes them safer for you but also our 4 legged friends. These polishes can only be purchased online at madamglam.com but they do ship all over the world. Along with regular nail polish, they also offer gel polish and other make-up. As a special bonus, they have offered a discount code just for my readers. If you'd like to make a purchase just follow this link  http://madamglam.com/?utm_source=yt-lust and enter code YT30OFF  for 30% off your entire order. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!


8:52 AM

Girly Bits - Julia a collaboration for a cause


     As someone who works with special need children I can tell you that this post is near and dear to my heart. Every day I am amazed by the accomplishments and determination that these children show me. The children I work with happen to be visually impaired. Many of them also have other health issues like autism. Even the simplest task, like making a sandwich has it's challenges for these kids. Yet every day I see them making strides and facing these challenges head on.   Every student I have had the pleasure of working with has amazed me and touched my heart in some small way. 

     So when a maker decides to get involved I cant help but stand behind them and give them as much support as I can. And Pam over at Girly Bits is doing just that. 

let me introduce you to Andrew Banar...
...a 24 year old that was recently named one of Canada's 2015 Down Syndrome Heroes. Andrew was born with Down Syndrome and has been challenged with many of the associated health issues. But that does not stop Andrew!

Together with his mom Karen Pickle, Andrew founded Group Hug Apparel, originally a t-shirt company featuring his hand drawn designs. His goal was to raise a little money so that he could go to college. His "little" company has grown in the last seven years to include totes, aprons, hoodies and baby onesies.
Andrew has also used his company as a way to give back. He donates a portion of his sales from various community festivals and events to a number of local charities. To date, Andrew has donated over $35,000 to such charities as W.E. Care For Kids, the Children’s Health Foundation at the London Sick Kids Hospital and many more.

Andrew spends a good part of his spare time working on his "Andrew's Helping Sick Kids One T-shirt At A Time Campaign" where he sends new teddy bears and Group Hug Apparel t-shirts (or onesies depending upon how tiny his recipient is!) to kids around the world who are sick in the hospital or going through treatment for an illness. Andrew sends his love and support in a personal letter with each package to keep them brave and strong. Say it together "Awe...!"
He also asks others to pay it forward every year for his birthday with his #bethereasonsomeonesmilesday. He sends out a request to all friends and family to celebrate his birthday with a random act of kindness for the day.

And the sweetness doesn't stop there!

Andrew is always looking for the perfect shade of pink polish for his girlfriend...
...so he decided to partner with me to create a custom shade inspired by her.

I am extremely proud to introduce our collaboration…Julia. A bright bubble gum, hot neon pink shimmery polish with light microglitter, silver flakes and a smidge of holographic sparkle. Super girly!
Julia is available for pre-order starting NOW! 

$3.00 from the sale of each bottle will go toward Andrew's Helping Sick Kids One T-Shirt At A Time Campaign.

Orders containing Julia will be shipped beginning the week of June 22nd.

Check out this behind the scene shot of Andrew helping to create the first batch of Julia. If Andrew had more time on his hands I'd be hiring him! (You can see more pictures of our day HERE!)
What about college you ask? Did Andrew go?

YES HE DID! He proudly graduated from the St. Clair College Life Skills Program in June of 2014.
There is so much more that I could share about this awesome young man! I feel like I have barely touched on all of the great things he has accomplished! Take a moment and check out a short documentary on Andrew's story HERE.

Please be sure you check out his website Group Hug Apparel, and don't forget to follow him (and his many adventures) on FacebookTwitter (@grouphugapparel) andInstagram (@grouphugapparel).

Happy shopping!
Pam
Girly Bits Cosmetics
www.girlybitscosmetics.com
P.S. If you are local to Kingsville, Ontario Canada there is a celebration dinner being planned in Andrew's honour for Friday, June 19th starting at 5pm atColasanti's Tropical Gardens. Tickets can be purchased online HERE on the Group Hug Apparel site or locally at Beachcomber Hot Tubs Kingsville (149 Lansdowne Ave. Kingsville, ON 519-733-8826) or at ShopEco (378 Devonshire Rd. Windsor, ON 519-256-0220)

Don't live in or around Kingsville but still want to donate? Donations can be made in $20 increments by purchasing an event ticket on the Group Hug Apparel site. Please add the note DONATION ONLY upon checkout. For donations in other denominations, please contact Karen (Andrew's mom) directly.
Girly Bits Cosmetics is a Canadian company that has been handcrafting quality nail polish since 2011 in a dazzling array of colours and finishes. As a brand dedicated to providing cruelty free, on-trend and unique products, Girly Bits Cosmetics is well known for outstanding customer service, charitable donations and custom nail polishes dedicated to lost loved ones. Available at 9 on-line retailers around the globe, and a growing number of brick and mortar stores, you can be sure to easily find the season’s hottest new shades, as well as timeless customer favourites.

For more information visit us at www.girlybitscosmetics.com or contact us directly at info@girlybitspolish.com.

Girly Bits Cosmetics can be found on a variety of social media outlets. Be sure to Follow Us!

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Thursday, June 4, 2015

8:56 AM

MoYou London - The Tropical Collection Part 2 (Press Release)


     MoYou London has really outdone itself this time, and just in time for summer too. Here is your sneak peek at 10 that's right I said 10 new plates in the Tropical Collection. 

ALOHA,
 

Get your passport ready!
You’re about to escape to far-flung getaways with Coral
and her 
10 NEW tropical plates. 


Have a sun-soaked day,
The MoYou-London Team

   MoYou plates can be purchased in their shop. As mentioned above these plates will be available Friday June 5th.   Plates are £4.99 each or about $8 US. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!

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