A muted, fall design

Today's nail is something more simple, something less flashy than I usually wear. (I know, I know, but I don't ALWAYS wear super-bright neon glitter and spangles!) I was thinking of fall- sweaters, falling leaves, and the general feeling I get around the holidays.

This was a very simple design to do. I started out by mentally dividing the nail into two diagonal sections. I painted the bottom half in Zoya Noot, a deep rich grey creme color that I absolutely love. Then I painted the top section with Zoya Rekha, a deep burgundy creme. Both colors are from the Zoya Designer Collection for fall 2012.

I loved the two colors side-by-side, but I wanted to accent where they came together. To do this, I painted Jessica Wing It in connected swooshes across the join. Jessica Wing It is a lovely incredibly muted creme color from the Awakening Collection that accented the two base colors beautifully.

I liked the nail at that point, but felt it needed something else. At that point I reached for Zoya Elisa, a bright metallic red from the Diva Collection that really pops against the dark creme base colors. Unfortunately, this was the hardest thing to capture! My camera did not like the combination, so the photos I'm showing are the best I got from two sessions! Ah well... it happens.

I finished everything off with a coat of ProFX quick dry topcoat. My bottle is starting to get goopy, and thinning it isn't working so well. I think it's about time for a new bottle. Still, it's lasted nicely!

I'm really liking this combination of colors. I may have to wear something similar to this on my own nails soon!

What do you think? Would you wear this? Leave me a comment, tell me what you'd change on this one.

Polishes were provided by the brands for consideration.

See my disclosure statement for more information.

China Glaze Eye Candy Collection- Winter 2011

Nothing excites me like glitter. I don't know why... maybe I was glitter-deprived as a child. Whatever the reason, I now find myself drawn to glitter like a magpie, clucking to myself over the pretty sparklies as I fight the urge to hoard them.

Unfortunately for me (or is that fortunately?), the Winter 2011 China Glaze collection Eye Candy has my inner magpie in a tizzy! These six shades of multiple-sized glitters will have you covered for almost any holiday event you could have. Ranging from a deep graphite with holographic glitter to vibrant red, this bunch is for those who love the bling!

The only thing I'm not so sure about is the bar glitter. Yes, once again those hairy little things are infesting glitter polishes everywhere. Hopefully since they're mixed into other forms of glitter it won't be quite so... hairy-looking this time? We'll see...

Check out what the folks at China Glaze have to say about this collection.

Forget diamonds!  This winter China Glaze introduces a nail industry first: utilizing 3-D glitters in its new “Eye Candy” collection.  Inspired by Marilyn Monroe and her timeless allure, this innovative new glitter technology provides a knock-your-eyes-out, super sparkly effect to your manicure.   Multi-sized and differently shaped glitter particles are cleverly combined to create a sexy, super decadent, 3-D finish in six bright, eye-popping shades.  Whether you prefer gleaming gold or glamorous smoky grey, China Glaze’s “Eye Candy” collection adds a dazzling finish to your holiday look with a glimmer that is sure to catch everyone’s eye!  Colors in this collection include:

·        Love Marilyn: Vivacious Red with Shimmering Silver Particles
·        Blonde Bombshell: Glistening Multidimensional Gold Flecks
·        Lorelei’s Tiara: Sterling Silver Infused with Blue Sprinkles
·        Material Girl: Posh pink with Holographic Bubblegum Glitter
·        Some Like It Haute: Graphite Gray with Holographic Glitter
·        Marry A Millionaire: Alluring Amethyst with Multi-tonal Fibers

The China Glaze “Eye Candy” collection will be available in an amazing 3-D 12-piece counter display and as open stock colors.  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 or follow China Glaze on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ChinaGlaze

Do you think you'll be picking up this collection? I have to admit, I'm strongly tempted... Leave me a comment and let me know!

Images and information were provided by the manufacturer for consideration.

See my disclosure statement for more information.

Misted Paths: An Experiment in Monochrome

OMFGPonies, I feel SO accomplished! I know, I know, it's just a video, but I've figured out how to combine my photos, animated tutorials, and video footage into cute videos for YouTube! That makes me super happy, and also means I'll be doing lots more video soon! But let me get to the good stuff...

What you're looking at is Wet and Wild's Grey's Anatomy. Have I mentioned I love this polish? It's got such an understated glow to it that only shows up in certain circumstances. I could write for ages about this polish, but that's a post for another day!

However, for this design I put on three or four coats of Grey's Anatomy so that it would be opaque. Then I used topcoat to adhere black rhinestones onto the nail in swirly patterns. For some reason, this made me think of cobblestone paths that twisted away in a morning's mist.

Also, these rhinestones came from Viva la Nails. I love them, and find myself reaching for them often. They're perfect for making eyes- add a big dot of white polish and then drop one of these tiny stones into place, and you've suddenly got an eye with a LOT of character!

Yea, I read WAY too much fantasy. Don't judge, 'k?

My favorite part of this, though, would have to be the video that my husband helped me put together. Granted, I could sit here and fiddle with it for another week or two but I wanted to just get it posted so I can move on to other videos. So, let me share with you my new intro and outtro, as well as my first YouTube tutorial!

 

Let me know what you think about this design. Would you wear it? Is it just a bit too much? Is it not nearly enough? Talk to me!

Til next time!

Rhinestones were provided by Viva la Nails for consideration.

See my disclosure statement for more information.

Deborah Lippmann Fall 2011 Polishes

Oh my stars, Deborah Lippmann has done it again. I just got an email about the DL Fall 2011 collection, and wow, it's a keeper! Seriously, just look at these photos...

First, there's the regular colors: richly pigmented polishes that definitely have fall written all over them! I can almost smell the crisp autumn air already! This includes a special polish done in collaboration with fashion designer Narciso Rodriguez.

Click the above image to see it full size!

The press release had this to say about the fall polishes:

Fall
Billionaire: moody hunter green (creme)
Brick House: shimmering rust (shimmer)
Single Ladies: flirtatious red (creme)
Stormy Weather: an edgy granite (crème) is a collaboration with fashion designer Narciso Rodriguez.

PRICE: $16 (each)

WHERE TO FIND IT: Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and online at www.deborahlippmann.com

Then there's the glitter collection, and may I just say WOW! I am seriously drooling to get these on my fingers! How delicious are these?

You really want to click this to see those glitters more closely!

You see it, right? Are these AMAZING or what?! I cannot wait. I absolutely cannot wait!! Forget You was plucked straight out of my dreams! This is the Nordstrom Anniversary Set, and I'm almost holding my breath for these!

Nordstrom Anniversary Set

Happy Birthday: a party in a bottle (glitter)

Forget You: party all night (glitter)

Candy Shop: bubblegum pink (glitter)

PRICE: $42 (set)

WHERE TO FIND IT: Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and online at www.deborahlippmann.com

Oh yea, this one's definitely a keeper! Look for swatches as soon as I can put them up! And be sure to check back tomorrow when I'll be showing my fourth of July designs! They're cute as a button- you won't want to miss these!

Deborah Lippmann polishes rock my stripey socks!

See my disclosure statement for more information.

Doctor's Remedy Enriched Polishes

When people find out I'm a beauty blogger, they tend to ask questions. How do you get started, how do you figure out what to write about, how do people know to find your blog... there are a lot of questions. But the one I seem to get most often is about my nails. People are convinced nail polish is bad for your nails, and maybe even bad for your health!

You can imagine how excited I got when I learned about Dr.'s Remedy Enriched Nail Polish: a nail polish line made by doctors! It's not only free of the typical nasties (DBT, toluene, and formaldehyde) but it's also enriched with natural ingredients to help make your nails stronger and healthier! I know, it's crazy!


OK, they're doctors, but what do they know about color? Are we going to be stuck with the same old traditional colors that everyone has? I have a serious color addiction! Enriched is nice, but if it's just nudes and pinks, I'd definitely have to pass...

Thankfully, as you can see, there are lots of absolutely gorgeous shades- pinks and mauves, of course, and reds to die for, but also some really fun edgy colors like heather grey, royal blue, and stunning violet! I feel comfortable saying there's something for everyone here!

So, my next question was about the quality of the polishes: how well do they wear, how pigmented are they, etc. Happily I wasn't disappointed at all. I tried three polishes, and they were all absolutely wonderful. If you were to apply a single thicker coat, they would all be one coaters! Instead, I put on two thin coats for each of these photos.

First off is Heather Grey. Honestly, this color doesn't work at all with my skin tone, but that's the only complaint I have. It's beautifully pigmented and applies like an absolute dream. This is that gorgeous cement color that's so popular at the moment.

Then I tried the Dark Brown. Omg, this color is utterly delicious! When I first saw this color, I wasn't quite sure how I felt about it. but WOW did that change once I put it on! This deep rich chocolate color can look almost violet in some lights, or almost black in others. So freaking gorgeous!!

And finally, I got to try Ruby Red, an absolutely stunning shimmery red that makes me want to dance! This red is, like the others, super-pigmented and easy to apply. I imagine wearing this under a layer of ruby-red glitter, as if I were wearing Dorothy's ruby slippers on my nails.

Also, when I say that? It's good. I have my own ruby slippers I wear every chance I get. I think everyone should have a pair of ruby slippers!!

The final verdict? I have no idea if these polishes are any healthier for your nails than the ones at your local big box store, but they're really gorgeous and I love them lots!! They're perfect for painting your nails, for doing nail art, for mixing and blending... they're just perfect!

Also, don't forget to tune in next week, because I've got a treat for you! Next week is animal print week, a full week of gorgeous nail art inspired by animal prints! Zebra, tiger, leopard, cheetah... if you like the animal prints, you'll love these!

Til next time!

Polishes provided by the manufacturer for consideration.

See my disclosure statement for more information.

China Glaze Cracked Concrete and Couture Cupcakes: What I Did On My Saturday Night

Oh my dog, I had an absolutely wonderful Saturday night! First off, I finally seem to be reaching the end of my might-be-mono/glandular fever episode. This has made me absolutely euphoric. There just aren't enough words to describe how wonderful this is!

Then a couple of days ago I got a wonderful surprise in the mail- I got three China Glaze crackle polishes to review! This is wonderful, because as much as I wanted to experiment with these (and as excited as I've been about them) I've been on a no-buy with no end in sight. Getting these means I get to play with them and then share the finished results with you! I'm so happy with the three colors I received- Cracked Concrete (grey), Broken Hearted (pink), and Lightning Bolt (white). There's so much potential with these!!

For the look shown here, I first did a quick coat of Sally Hansen Color Quick Fast Dry Nail Color Pen in Silver Chrome. I love silver, so I thought this would make a fab base for Cracked Concrete.

Applying the crackle polish was so much fun! I'm going to need to experiment with it a bit more, but it seems like the amount of polish you apply affect the type of crackling you get. Thinner coats seem to give more crackling with almost feathery-looking cracks, while thicker coats end up with big chunky cracks. At least, so it seemed with my brief experience!

And of course, being the magpie I am I wasn't able to leave this alone. I applied a coat of topcoat of course (China Glaze Fast Forward, how I love you!), but later on that day I added a coat of Love My Nails Dazzling. Unfortunately, while Dazzling did give a bit of sparkle to the look, it also seems to have made the crackle less obvious. Ah well, live and learn, yes?

Still, the best part of my evening came after my manicure. My husband decided to take me and our son out for a bit of adventure! (Ok, we were jeans shopping at the mall for our son, but I was out of the house for the first time in what feels like AGES... humor me here!) We parked in front of the bookstore at the local mall, and as we were walking to the mall my husband made a detour to the most adorable little cupcake shop!

I'd wanted to visit Cupcake Couture ever since I'd noticed it was open, but it seems like every time we're there, the shop had already closed for the night. Saturday was perfect timing, though, because not only was the shop open but they were having buy two get one free special! How perfect is that- three of us, so one of us got a free cupcake!

I was absolutely amazed at the choices. I've seen all the special flavors you can get, but you're usually stuck with the usual same-old same-old here. But Cupcake Couture really did go above and beyond with their flavors. Although I have to admit- even with all the amazing choices, I still stuck with my favorite red velvet. I'm so uncreative!

Now, let me make this clear: cupcakes are a big deal to me. I absolutely love them, but I'm picky. I don't want your typical cupcake with a splodge of frosting smeared on top. To me, a cupcake should be an experience- it should be beautiful to look at (or cute, or adorable, or whatever... but special to look at), it should be moist and tasty. What's the point of going to a cupcake shop if I'm going to get the same old thing I can get from home? I want it to be special!

Honey, these cupcakes more than met my expectations! The shop was very sweet, with a gorgeous display of the various cupcakes. The design of the cupcakes was wonderful. I wish I'd gotten a shot of all the cakes with their little decorations. It truly was a visual feast. Unboxing the cupcakes made me giggle in excitement, and I couldn't wait to start nibbling.

Once I did, well... let's just say I was a happy girl. My cupcake was dense, extremely rich, with a creamy frosting that was crusted on the outside a bit. Absolutely perfect frosting, and while I'd prefer the cake to be a touch moister, they were end-of-the-day cupcakes that were on sale. I imagine that probably had a bit to do with it. Still, they were top-notch cupcakes that took me back to my childhood, or maybe back to the childhood I wish I'd had- you know, filled with awesome cupcakes!

They didn't last all that long. All too soon we were left with a scattering of crumbs and a few sad little wrappers. But let me tell you... the happy feelings lingered for quite some time!

If you're in the Baton Rouge area, I would absolutely recommend visiting Cupcake Couture. You can eat in the shop or you can step outside to eat in the open air at the tables outside Borders. If you do happen to stop by, tell them you read about them here!

Polishes were provided by the manufacturers for consideration.

See my disclosure statement for more information.