REDUCED! Mystery Grab Bags Available!

May 20, 2015, 2:15 pm

≫ Next: Alter Ego for ICC Fundraiser and Raffle!

≪ Previous: ICC Fundraiser and Indie Raffle to Support Equality Now!

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Just a quick note, I reduced the price of my mystery grab bags in hopes of making some space in my Alex storage unit--I'm running out of room! Help a girl out!

***3 MYSTERY GRAB BAGS AVAILABLE!!*** 

(US Addresses only--mules welcome)

16 total polishes included in each bag:

~ 11-12 Full Sized polishes [5-4 are Indie brands, 7 are drugstore variety] 

~ 4-5 Mini Indie Polishes.

$30 Shipped with tracking. ONLY 3 AVAILABLE and these go quickly, so email me at adventuresinacetone@live.com if you are interested! xoxo

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Alter Ego for ICC Fundraiser and Raffle!

May 22, 2015, 6:24 am

≫ Next: Swatch Saturday: Madam Glam Soak Off Gel Polish

≪ Previous: REDUCED! Mystery Grab Bags Available!

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Good morning, readers! Have you donated and entered into our Indie Coalition for a Cause raffle and fundraiser to support Equality Now? Alter Ego Nail Enamels has contributed three polishes to the prize packs and I want to show them to you a little more in depth than in the original post earlier this week. Let's take a look!

As I've said before in my many review posts of Alter Ego Nail Enamels, Cynthia uses a unique base and therefore all of her polishes dry to a matte finish. I'm showing all three polishes below in their natural state and then with added topcoat so you can see the different options. She recently changed the base formula a bit and I am happy to report that the polishes are thinner than before and I haven't had to thin them at all before use. 

Alter Ego Can't Hide

A bright pink with mini silver glitter.

I'm showing three easy coats below with and without top coat.

This shade is exclusive to the ICC Fundraiser and is perfect for summer! Adding top coat makes it so squishy and fun.

 (Above: natural matte state. Below: with added top coat)

Alter Ego Girly Girl

A shimmery, girly pink.

I'm showing three coats below with and without top coat. I love the shimmer in this!

 (Above: natural matte state. Below: with added top coat)

Alter Ego Vintner

A clear based glitter topper with purple, pink, and green glitter of various sizes.

I'm showing one coat over Girly Girl below with and without top coat.

The glitter spread easily and without dabbing or placement. It would look great over a variety of color bases.

 (Above: natural matte state. Below: with added top coat.)

Aren't these Alter Ego Nail Enamels gorgeous? All 3 are part of the prize packs you can win in the Indie Coalition for a Cause raffle and fundraiser to support Equality Now. While Can't Hide is exclusive to the raffle, Girly Girl and Vintner are still available to purchase directly from Alter Ego if you don't win the raffle. 

Don't forget to check out the fundraiser, it ends at midnight tonight so get those entries in! There are a ton of gorgeous indie polishes available and you will be supporting a great cause. Thank you so much for reading!

Raffle:  http://www.adventuresinacetone.com/2015/05/icc-fundraiser-and-indie-raffle-to.html

Alter Ego Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlterEgoNailEnamel?fref=ts

Alter Ego Shop: http://alteregonailenamels.bigcartel.com

*The polishes in this post were sent for me to review with my honest opinion. 

Swatch Saturday: Madam Glam Soak Off Gel Polish

May 23, 2015, 9:44 am

≫ Next: Swatch Sunday: OPI Brights Collection 2015

≪ Previous: Alter Ego for ICC Fundraiser and Raffle!

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Affiliate Link

Good afternoon, readers! For this week's Swatch Saturday post, I have 4 soak off gel polishes by Madam Glam. I've previously reviewed Madam Glam Honeydewso I urge you to visit that post if you haven't before--it has step by step instructions and photos on how to apply soak off gel polish. These 4 polishes were applied using a 12W LED lamp to cure each polish layer, including the gel base and gel top coats(not shown). Gel polish cannot dry without a UV light, so please keep that in mind before you purchase any. You can purchase a light from Madam Glam or on Amazon. These can be worn for a couple of weeks without chips so they definitely have advantages over regular polish. Let's check out the 4 colors I picked to review below.

Madam Glam California Love

A sparkling turquoise gel polish with added small glitter.

I'm showing three thin coats below with the base and top coat. 

This is such a gorgeous gel polish and a nice option if you don't prefer cremes. I've actually had this on my toes for 3 weeks and it is still shiny and sparkly.

Madam Glam Not Just You And Me

A jewel toned, pearly shimmery magenta. The blue shimmer gives it a purple tone.

I'm showing two coats below with base and top coat.

I love the different colored shimmer in this shade. It wasn't as purple as I was expecting, but the blue shimmer pulls it toward the purple spectrum a bit. Very girly!

Madam Glam Light Lilac

Lilac creme gel polish.

I'm showing three thin coats below with base and top coat.

You may get away with only two coats, but I prefer thinner coats with gel polish. Gorgeous purple!

Madam Glam Perfect White

White creme gel polish.

I'm showing three thin coats below with the base and top coat.

The formula on this was thicker than the others so I wiped a lot off of the brush and painted three thin coats for complete coverage. I'm wearing this as my full mani right now and plan to add some fun neon nail art on top today! It makes a great base for nail art.

What do you think of these four soak off gel polish colors by Madam Glam? Which is your favorite? I love them all and I can't wait to try more. There are currently 74 gel polish color options on the Madam Glam site, plus 12 Chameleon thermal gel colors. Wear them alone or in nail art, like I did two weeks ago! 

Each polish(base coat, top coat, or color) retails for $19.95 each. However, I have a 30% off coupon code for my readers! Use code YGEL30OFF.

Thanks so much for reading!

Madam Glam Links

Site: http://madamglam.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madamglam

*The polishes in this post were sent for me to review with my honest opinion.

*There is an affiliate link in this post. I will be compensated if you click through and make a purchase.

Swatch Sunday: OPI Brights Collection 2015

May 24, 2015, 4:00 am

≫ Next: Swatch Saturday: Elevation Polish Street Graffiti Collection!

≪ Previous: Swatch Saturday: Madam Glam Soak Off Gel Polish

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Good morning, readers! Are you in the mood for more bright colors? 'Tis the season. I have the 9 polish OPI Brights Collection 2015 for you today. There are 6 new colors and 3 popular colors rereleased from last year's neon collection. You will find comparisons of the original neons(2014) and these new brights in this post as well! Let's take a look.

We will begin with the 6 new shades:

OPI Can't Hear Myself Pink!

Shimmering metallic pink.

I'm showing three coats below without top coat.

The shimmer is gorgeous, it shifts to gold out of the direct light.

OPI I Sea You Wear OPI

Iridescent metallic blue.

I'm showing three thin coats without top coat below.

Another gorgeous shade, the shimmer shifts to purple out of direct light.

OPI I STOP For Red

Scorching hot read crelly.

I'm showing three squishy coats below without top coat.

The "cremes" in this collection are all very squishy and shiny, but more opaque than jellies. Gorgeous red!

OPI My Car Has Navy-gation

Deep navy blue crelly.

I'm showing two squishy coats below without top coat.

Bold and fun! There is slight visible nail line at 2 coats. No staining upon removal.

OPI On Pinks & Needles

Hot pink matte hex glitters in a clear base.

I'm showing one coat over I STOP For Red with top coat.

There was slight glitter placement needed on the bigger pieces but it was nicely dense and didn't need more than one coat.

OPI The Berry Thought of You

Delectable purple toned pink crelly.

I'm showing two squishy coats below without top coat.

The next three are re-released colors that originally appeared in last summer's neon collection. The formulas are different and the colors are slightly off as well. The biggest change in this year's new formula is that they don't dry to a neon satin/matte finish. They are shiny without top coat and therefor a lot easier to apply. Let's take a look and compare to last years so you can decide which you prefer.

OPI Down To The Core-al

Brilliant coral with shimmer.

I'm showing three coats below without top coat.

In comparison:

• 2014 OPI Neons: satin/matte finish, slightly brighter, three coats shown and it's uneven.
• 2015 OPI Brights: shiny finish, easy to apply formula, only two coats needed.

OPI Hotter Than You Pink

Hot pink with blue shimmer.

I'm showing three coats below without top coat.

There is still slight visible nail line at three coats. 

In comparison:

• 2014 OPI Neons: satin/matte finish, brighter, uneven formula, three coats.
• 2015 OPI Brights: shiny finish, easy to work with formula, three coats.

OPI Life Gave Me Lemons

Citrusy lemon-lime crelly.

I'm showing three coats below without top coat.

In comparison:

• 2014 OPI Neons: brighter, three coats, finish is slightly less shiny than new but not satin.
• 2015 OPI Brights: three coats, shinier finish, easy formula.

If you made it this far, thank you! What did you think of the OPI Brights Collection 2015? I like that they have improved the formulas on the re-released colors, even if that means they aren't as bright as before. This collection as a whole is typical OPI style with more than half of the colors in the pink/red/coral range but I like the variety and the additional blues and citron green. Which are your favorites? Thanks so much for reading!

WHERE TO FIND THEM: Discover the collection NOW at ULTA, ULTA.com, and select professional salons.

ABOUT OPI
As the number one salon brand worldwide, OPI is committed to providing high-quality products and services to both salons and their customers, along with a focus on industry safety and innovation. Known for its exceptional formulas, fashionable colors, and iconic names, OPI’s heavily-pigmented lacquers are super rich, long-lasting and chip-resistant – offering an affordable luxury to consumers. OPI Nail Lacquer is available in more than 200 shades. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items including OPI GelColor, which is available in more than 150 shades that match the iconic OPI colors that are known and loved, nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics. OPI is guaranteed only when purchased through authorized professional beauty outlets and prestige stores, not from a drugstore, supermarket, or mass outlet, or other unauthorized source. To learn more about OPI visit www.OPI.com. 

*The polishes in this post were sent for me to review with my honest opinion.

Swatch Saturday: Elevation Polish Street Graffiti Collection!

May 30, 2015, 2:39 pm

≫ Next: Floral Half-Moons with Zoya Eden!

≪ Previous: Swatch Sunday: OPI Brights Collection 2015

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Good afternoon, readers! I have some really exciting news to share with you. I'm officially part of the Elevation Polish "blogger team!" I am so honored to be added onboard, Elevation Polish has been one of my favorite brands for a long time. So YAY and thank you Lulu! To kick it off, I have the new Elevation Polish Street Graffiti Collection for June to share with you now--plus a favorite SBP-turned-core polish, When the Cherry Met the Spoon, that will also be available. Let's take a look!

There are a lot of different things going on in this collection! Holos, shimmers, chrome flakes, even a matte finish! I'm going to show all polishes both in my light box and in the direct sunlight to show off different aspects of each polish. Get ready for a ton of pictures!

Elevation Polish Melbourne

Medium blue with gold, green, blue, silver micro shimmer, and very light holographic pigment.

I'm showing two coats below with top coat. However, I almost got away with ONE COAT. It is so gorgeously pigmented and applies beautifully. Bonus: I had no staining, which is usually an issue with such pigmented blues. YAY!

 (Above: light box. Below: sunlight)

Elevation Polish NYC

Matte/rubber black with silver micro shimmer.

I'm showing two coats below with and without top coat. This is gorgeous matte and glossy, but I prefer it in it's natural matte state. I had no application issues, which is nice from a matte finish polish.

 (Above: light box. Below: sunlight)

With a coat of glossy top coat:

 (Above: light box. Below: sunlight)

Elevation Polish LA

White crelly/jelly with soft silver pearl shimmer.

I'm showing three coats below with top coat. As with all whites, apply with care for the least amount of patchiness. I love that this is a jelly-type formula. It adds a softness that a creme doesn't have and makes it more wearable.

 (Above: light box. Below: sunlight)

Elevation Polish Paris

Prune/purple medium density holographic.

I'm showing two coats below with top coat. With my pale skin, this reads quite dark on me. However, it's gorgeously vampy. 

 (Above: light box. Below: sunlight)

Elevation Polish East London

Blend of Ultra Chrome flake shimmer and holographic pigment in a clear base. 

I'm showing one coat below with top coat over both NYC and LA. The flakes lie flat and the base is thick enough that there aren't indents in the surface of the finish before top coat. I am so in love with this topper! It looks fabulous over all colors, I am currently wearing it over Iceberg Lake as I type this (future post) and photos don't come close to doing it justice. Inside, the ultra chrome flakes look fabulous while the holo comes out to play in the sun.

 (Above: light box. Below: sunlight)

Also releasing in June is When the Cherry Met the Spoon! It was originally a Small Batch Prototype in February and I am so glad Lulu has added it to her core line. It is stunning! I do not have the original SBP, but Ida Nails It has a comparison HERE so check it out! 

Elevation Polish When the Cherry Met the Spoon

Berry red with sparse holographic pigment, ultra chrome flakes, and charcoal flake shimmer.

I'm showing two gorgeous coats below with top coat.

I had no issues with application and can't get over the way the flakes seem to glow from within this polish.

 (Above: light box. Below: sunlight)

What do you think of the new Elevation Polish Street Graffiti Collection and When the Cherry Met the Spoon? Which are your favorites? I can see myself wearing LA and NYC as bases for nail art, and I've already mentioned that I want to wear East London over everything. When the Cherry Met the Spoon is glorious and Paris is a winner for summer outdoor fun. A fun fact, I live just outside of Melbourne, Florida, so I can pretend Melbourne is for my town instead of Australia, right? I don't think I can find any of this collection that I won't be grabbing to wear again so Lulu knocked it out of the park this month!

When the Cherry Met the Spoon and the Street Graffiti Collection will launch on June 7th, 2015 at 9PM Central. Don't forget that the AHF Charity Polish called Yeti's Healing Vibesto help with the Nepal earthquakes is still available on the Elevation Polish site and will be for at least 2 more months. $10 from each polish goes straight to the American Himalayan Foundation. I'll share swatches on that soon!

Thanks so much for reading!

Elevation Polish Links:

Shop: http://elevationpolish.bigcartel.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elevationnailpolish

Instagram: @elevationpolish 

*The polishes in this post were sent for me to review with my honest opinion. 

Floral Half-Moons with Zoya Eden!

April 10, 2015, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: The Digit-al Dozen DOES Childhood, Day 1: Power Rangers!

≪ Previous: Swatch Saturday: Elevation Polish Street Graffiti Collection!

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Good morning, readers! I have a fun mani for you today that I created for the Zoya Spring Nail Art Challenge! I love half-moon manis, especially if the half moon is some form of nail art. For this look, my half-moons are simple florals that complement the pink base (Zoya Eden from the spring 2015 Delight Collection). Although this would work well on all nail lengths, I think it really shines on shorter nails by bringing the attention to the cuticle instead of the nail tip. Continue reading below for a complete tutorial on how you can recreate this easy spring look.

Here is what the full mani looks like:

Zoya Eden is such a fun pink and I really enjoyed using it as the base instead of the flower color for a change.

Let's get started!

Polishes used: Zoyas- Marley, Wednesday, Eden, Hudson, Satin Seal Top Coat (optional).

Tools used: Striper brush (Pure Color No.10), detail brush (Pure Color Glamor No. 1), small dotting tool. You can certainly get away with one nail art brush for this design, I just prefer using different ones for different tasks.

Step 1) Paint the entire nail with 2-3 coats of Zoya Eden and let dry.

Step 2) Using your striper brush and Zoya Marley, paint a half moon shape at your cuticle line and fill in. (note: you can use french tip guides/half moon guide stickers for this if you aren't comfortable painting this free handed.) 

Step 3) Use the same striper brush and Zoya Wednesday to do an outline of the half moon.

Step 4) Use the detail brush and Zoya Wednesday to make 3 flower petal half circles and fill them in. It's okay if they are a little uneven, the top coat will smooth it out in the end. 

Step 5) Take the small dotting tool and dip it into a puddle of Zoya Hudson on your work surface. Add random dots to the center of the flower.

Step 6) Add top coat. I haven't tested the new Zoya Satin Seal top coat for smearing yet, so I'm showing one coat of a thick quick dry top coat (KBShimmer Clearly On Top) plus one coat of Zoya Satin Seal Top Coat to take away some of the shine. Generally speaking, any matte effect top coats that I've tried have smeared nail art so I didn't bother trying with this one. I recommend a thick coat without the brush bristles touching the design, but more like hovering over the surface gently spreading the bead of top coat over the nail.

What are your thoughts on this design? It is simple and fun, and I think perfect for spring! If you aren't comfortable with free hand petals, you can definitely just do a line of dots with a larger dotting tool around the half moon shape for a similar effect. 

Thanks so much for reading and I really hope you try my design! If you do, I would love for you to tag me on Instagram and Twitter or share on my Facebook Page! Have a great weekend!

The Digit-al Dozen DOES Childhood, Day 1: Power Rangers!

April 13, 2015, 9:57 am

≫ Next: Winstonia Third Generation Stamping Image Plate Set Review!

≪ Previous: Floral Half-Moons with Zoya Eden!

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Good morning, readers! It's time for this month's Digit-al Dozen nail art week! The theme is Childhood and I can't wait to see the versatile manis from the group this week. This is such a fun theme and it can go so many different ways--from things reminding us of our own childhoods, things that remind us of our own children, things that are just child-like in general, etc.

My first mani is inspired by a tv show that has been around for YEARS, with many different series themes. It's the Power Rangers! It debuted in 1993 and you can find 20+ seasons on Netflix today. My kids, Hailey (6.5) and Owen (2.5) are obsessed with them. They pick Power Rangers more often than any other show during their tv time--and their favorite series is Power Rangers Samurai. 

I've recreated the 5 main Samurai Power Ranger helmets on my nails for today's look.

In case you aren't familiar with the show, or this specific series of Power Ranger, here is a stock photo of their favorite Power Rangers:

(source: http://powerrangersfanon.wikia.com/wiki/File:Power_Rangers_Time_Samurai.jpg)

Here are the polishes used for this design:

• Thumb: Zoya Eden.
• Index: OPI Jade is the New Black
• Middle: OPI Coca-Cola Red
• Ring: Elevation Polish Lake of the Isles
• Pinky: OPI I Just Can't Cope-acabana

I used Rica Whiteout and Blackout for the details and my Pure Color Glamor #1 nail art brush (which is my current favorite!!). KBShimmer Clearly On Top was the top coat used.

What do you think of these? Are you a fan of any Power Rangers series? Which is your favorite? Thanks so much for reading! Come back tomorrow for the next Childhood Week mani with The Digit-al Dozen.

Take a peek at what the other ladies did for Day 1 below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Winstonia Third Generation Stamping Image Plate Set Review!

June 3, 2015, 1:46 pm

≫ Next: Press Release: OPI Nail Envy Strength In Color

≪ Previous: The Digit-al Dozen DOES Childhood, Day 1: Power Rangers!

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Good afternoon, readers! It's been quiet around here on Adventures In Acetone lately, have you noticed? School is out for the summer AND my little Owen (almost 3 years old) has had a stomach bug for a few days. However, he is feeling a little better today so I have some time to share the newest set of stamping plates from Winstonia. There are 20 plates and most of them are full plate designs where there aren't spaces between the images. Let's take a closer look below at each plate, plus a couple of manis I've worn since the plates arrived at my house.

Before I show you the plates, I wanted to touch base on a few things in general with the set. As you can see below, the 20 plate set comes in this little box. My other stamp plates are just thrown into a basket in my storage so having these in a box was really helpful. 

Each stamp plate comes with a blue protective film over the images. Before use, peel it up and discard. Also, they all have a permanent paper backing and smooth edges.

The plates are etched very well and I didn't notice any issues with use. They are 2.7 inches in diameter and as you will notice, they aren't the typical rectangular full nail images. Most take up 1/4 of the circle allowing for use with wider and longer nail beds, as well as the option to turn and reposition the image from nail to nail.

Time for a closer look at each plate!

Winstonia W301 

Winstonia W302 

Winstonia W303 

Winstonia W304 

Winstonia W305 

Winstonia W306 

Winstonia W307 

Winstonia W308 

Winstonia W309 

Winstonia W310 

Winstonia W311 

Winstonia W312

Winstonia W313 

Winstonia W314 

Winstonia W315 

Winstonia W316 

Winstonia W317 

Winstonia W318 

Winstonia W319 

Winstonia W320 

There are tons of different images to play around with in this set, I've only begun to try them out. Below are some manis using these Winstonia Third Generation Stamping Plates.

I've already shown you a manicure using the Tri-Arrow Tessellation image from plate W305 HERE.

I loved the swirly floral image from plate W311 and was inspired to use it in the mani below.

• I started out with a white base and then randomly applied the following China Glaze Electric Nights colors to a makeup sponge and pressed onto the nail: Home Sweet House Music, Glow With the Flow, Treble Maker, DJ Blue My Mind, Violet-Vibes, Daisy Know My Name?, and Red-y To Rave. 
• Once the base was dry,  I used Sinful Colors Black on Black and my Creative Shop Stamper to stamp the floral image from Winstonia Plate W311 onto the nails. 
• KBShimmer Clearly On Top was used to seal it all in.

The large flower image from plate W312 also called my name as soon as I opened the box. I turned the stamper before applying it to each nail so they aren't all the same.

•  I started out with two coats of Elevation Polish Iceberg Lake and topped it with one coat of Elevation Polish East London.
• Once dry, I used Elevation Polish Kilauea and my Creative Shop Stamper to stamp the flower from Winstonia Plate W312.
• I used a small detail brush to fill in the inner petals with Elevation Polish Grand Teton Sunset.
• KBShimmer Clearly On Top was used to seal it all in and add shine.

What are your thoughts on theseWinstonia Third Generation Stamping Image Plates? I am really happy with their quality and variety of images. I'm sure there will be many posts to come using these in the future. 

The Winstonia Third Generation Stamping Image Plates Set retails for $15.95 at the shop below.

I also have a special 10% OFF COUPON CODEfor my readers! Enter ACETONE during checkout. (Expires on July 31st, 2015)

Thank you so much for reading!

Winstonia Store Links

Website/shop: http://winstonia.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WinstoniaStore

Twitter: https://twitter.com/winstonia_store

*The products in this post were sent for me to review with my honest opinion. 

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Press Release: OPI Nail Envy Strength In Color

June 3, 2015, 3:00 pm

≫ Next: Stone Nail Art with Elevation Polish Grand Teton Sunset

≪ Previous: Winstonia Third Generation Stamping Image Plate Set Review!

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Good evening, readers! I just got word that OPI is releasing a small collection of colored Nail Envy polishes. So you will get the nail treatments included in the colored polish! Take a peek at the press release from OPI below and tell me your thoughts!

INTRODUCING NAIL ENVY “STRENGTH IN COLOR”

IDEA: Strengthening treatment plus coveted color in one   WHAT IT IS: The fortifying power of OPI’s Original Nail Envy Nail Strengthener is now combined with softly tinted color in four gorgeous OPI shades. The trusted formula you love—from the world’s number one salon brand, OPI—has added delicate, subtle color for the very first time. Infused with hydrolyzed wheat protein and calcium, the new Nail Envy “Strength in Color” delivers maximum strengthening aid to transform weak, brittle, damaged nails into stronger, longer, harder nails shining with bold, true-to-bottle color.   Inspired by of-the-moment creamsicle hued and pink quartz spring runway looks, this first-of-its-kind collection includes classic OPI favorite shades like Hawaiian Orchid, Samoan Sand, and Bubble Bath, plus a Nail Envy-only exclusive offering, Pink to Envy. Simply apply this innovative two-in-one nail strengthener plus color lacquer directly onto nails to add some much needed muscle to your manicure.Four iconic OPI SoftShades are now formulated with the strength and nutrients of Nail Envy. NEW Nail Envy “Strength in Color” ($17.95 US retail, $22.50 CAN retail): Hawaiian Orchid: A tropical pink with hints of light purple Samoan Sand: A warm beige-pink Bubble Bath: A sweet candy pink Pink to Envy: A Nail Envy exclusive shade in sheer light pink ABOUT OPI As the number one salon brand worldwide, OPI is committed to providing high-quality products and services to both salons and their customers, along with a focus on industry safety and innovation. Known for its exceptional formulas, fashionable colors, and iconic names, OPI’s heavily-pigmented lacquers are super rich, long-lasting and chip-resistant – offering an affordable luxury to consumers. OPI Nail Lacquer is available in more than 200 shades. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items including OPI GelColor, which is available in more than 150 shades that match the iconic OPI colors that are known and loved, nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics. OPI is guaranteed only when purchased through authorized professional beauty outlets and prestige stores, not from a drugstore, supermarket, or mass outlet, or other unauthorized source. To learn more about OPI visit www.OPI.com.  *This press release was written and sent to me directly from OPI PR.

Stone Nail Art with Elevation Polish Grand Teton Sunset

June 4, 2015, 5:29 am

≫ Next: Summer Gradient with Cirque Colors!

≪ Previous: Press Release: OPI Nail Envy Strength In Color

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Good morning, readers! I have a fun mani to share with you that I wore last week. @Stylish_mom on Instagram posted a tutorial for "Stone Nail Design" using acrylic paint and silver flakes and I just had to try it right away! I've been wanting to try the watercolor technique with acrylic paint ever since I bought some but haven't gotten around to it until now. My base color is Elevation Polish Grand Teton Sunset so I'm not sure how much this looks like a stone in real life--but I sure loved wearing it.

• I started out with two coats of Elevation Polish Grand Teton Sunset and let dry. This has built in top coat and is a bit more purple than my photos are showing. Look at how different the final nail color is compared to the bottle--adding my own top coat at the end made it darker. 
• Once that was dry, I used white and black acrylic paints thinned down with water to make veins in the stone. While they were still wet, I went back in with a dry nail art brush and soaked up the paint so only the outlines were staying on the nail. 
• After I was happy with the white and black, I painted random sections of the nails with Elevation Polish Pitaraq, Elevation Polish East London, and OPI Pure (white gold flake topper). These different shimmers and flakes added interest that you may see in actual stone. 
• I used one coat of KBShimmer Clearly On Top to seal everything in.

What do you think of this look? I wish my camera wasn't pulling so far blue on this mani, it was definitely purple in person. Thanks so much for reading!

Summer Gradient with Cirque Colors!

June 5, 2015, 2:26 pm

≫ Next: Swatch Saturday: Zoya Island Fun Collection

≪ Previous: Stone Nail Art with Elevation Polish Grand Teton Sunset

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Good afternoon, readers! I have a simple mani to share with you using two Cirque Colors polishes I recently purchased from Nordstrom. Vigo and Sunset Park are both squishy crellies so it took a lot of sponging to get them opaque enough for a gradient but I loved the color combination. I could have stamped or done other nail art over top, but I ended up leaving it alone.

• I started out with three squishy coats of Sunset Park and let dry.
• Then, I applied Liquid Palisade around the outside of the nails to help with cleanup.
• I used a triangular makeup sponge and painted stripes side by side of each Vigo and Sunset Park on the sponge.
• I pressed the sponge onto the nail over and over again to blend the colors.
• I repeated this many times per nail until the colors were opaque enough.
• I used tweezers to peel up the LP and excess polish from the skin.
• KBShimmer Clearly On Top was used to seal the mani and add shine.

Sometimes simple is best. Thank you so much for reading, have a great weekend!

Swatch Saturday: Zoya Island Fun Collection

June 6, 2015, 6:20 am

≫ Next: Press Release: OPI Coca Cola Icons of Happiness Collection

≪ Previous: Summer Gradient with Cirque Colors!

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Good morning, readers! Zoya released their Island Fun and Paradise Sun Collections last month for Summer and I'll be showing you both this weekend! Today, the Zoya Island Fun Collection: Ready for an island vacation, these playful creams embody a tropical getaway! They are strong in color to balance the brilliance of the summer sun, with a flawless cream formula. A few weeks ago, I showed you nail art using these cremes--they work really well in nail art because they are bold and opaque. Let's take a look at full swatches!

Zoya Demetria

A vibrant poppy red in a full coverage and densely pigmented creme formula.

I'm showing two squishy, yet opaque, coats below without top coat. There is slight VNL at two coats but I was happy enough with the coverage to not add a third. 

Zoya Nana

Deep summer fuchsia in a full coverage and densely pigmented creme formula.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat. Again, there is just barely VNL at two coats.

Zoya Serenity

Summer purple in a full coverage and densely pigmented creme formula.

I'm showing two easy coats below without top coat.

This color is showing too blue from my photos, it's definitely a purple in person. Very lovely!

Zoya Talia

True turquoise in a full coverage and densely pigmented creme formula.

I'm showing two opaque coats below without top coat.

This is also showing a tad more blue-toned in my lightbox than it is in person.

This is definitely densely pigmented--so much so that my nails, skin around the nails, and fingertips on the other hand were stained during removal even with a base coat. I recommend having some baking soda to make a paste and scrub the stained areas after removal. The color is really gorgeous but you definitely needed a warning.

Zoya Cecilia

Classic teal in a full coverage and densely packed creme formula.

I'm showing two squishy, yet opaque, coats below without top coat.

As with Talia, this caused some staining issues upon removal. Not as bad as Talia, but I still had to scrub a bit with baking soda to remove the stains.

Zoya Jace

Modern tropical green in a full coverage and densely pigmented creme formula.

I'm showing three coats below without top coat.

This was the thinnest of the collection so a third coat was definitely needed to cover VNL.

What do you think of the creme side of the Zoya Summer Collections? Zoya Island Fun polishes are available now for $9 each in top salons, spas, and at Zoya.com! 

Thanks so much for reading!

*The polishes in this post were sent for me to review with my honest opinion. 

Press Release: OPI Coca Cola Icons of Happiness Collection

June 6, 2015, 7:37 am

≫ Next: Swatch Sunday: Zoya Paradise Sun Collection

≪ Previous: Swatch Saturday: Zoya Island Fun Collection

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Press Release

I've just received word that OPI has partnered up with Coca-Cola again to re-release 6 of the previous  Coca-Cola Collection shades as well as 2 new shades to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of their glass bottle. Take a look at the info from OPI below and don't forget to tell me your thoughts.

OPI & COCA-COLA CELEBRATE 100 YEARS OF THE COCA-COLA BOTTLE WITH THE ICONS OF HAPPINESS COLLECTION WHAT THEY ARE: A limited edition collection of nail lacquers and GelColor in honor of the Coca-Cola bottle’s century anniversary.  In 1915, The Glass Root Company designed the now classic contoured glass Coca-Cola bottle in Terre Haute, Indiana. One hundred years later, this unique bottle has become one of the most globally revered packages ever created. To celebrate this milestone, OPI created an exclusive Icons of Happiness nail color collection, featuring two new shades and six classic colors that pay homage to the bottle’s bold color and signature style. OPI – the world’s number one nail salon brand – is also no stranger to iconic bottles. Along with the Coca-Cola bottle, the OPI bottle’s matte black handle and distinctive silhouette make it one of the world’s most recognizable nail lacquer bottles. Now, enjoy the essence of one legendary image alongside another, with the new OPI and Coca-Cola Summer Collection.

The Summer Collection includes: Eight on-trend shades to deliver flawless, long-lasting color inspired by the iconic drink.  Shades include: • You’re So Vain-illa, a sweet, creamy nude • Visions of Georgia Green (NEW), a sparkling green inspired by the classic Coca-Cola bottle • Centennial Silver (NEW), a shimmering pewter • Coca-Cola Red, the iconic red that’s always in style • My Signature is “DC,” a glimmering silver • Sorry I’m Fizzy Today, a smooth and creamy pink • Get Cherried Away, an over-the-top black cherry • A Grape Affair, a deep, dark purple. Nail Lacquers ($9.50 SRP $11.50 CAN) and GelColor by OPI ($14.95 salon, $18.95 CAN salon) WHERE TO FIND IT: Discover the collection at select professional salons and on HSN, June 2015. For more information about the 100th Anniversary of the Coca-Cola Bottle this year, please visit: www.cocacolacompany.com ABOUT OPI As the number one salon brand worldwide, OPI is committed to providing high-quality products and services to both salons and their customers, along with a focus on industry safety and innovation. Known for its exceptional formulas, fashionable colors, and iconic names, OPI’s heavily-pigmented lacquers are super rich, long-lasting and chip-resistant – offering an affordable luxury to consumers. OPI Nail Lacquer is available in more than 200 shades. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items including OPI GelColor, which is available in more than 150 shades that match the iconic OPI colors that are known and loved, nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics. OPI is guaranteed only when purchased through authorized professional beauty outlets and prestige stores, not from a drugstore, supermarket, or mass outlet, or other unauthorized source. To learn more about OPI visit www.OPI.com.

Swatch Sunday: Zoya Paradise Sun Collection

June 7, 2015, 4:00 am

≫ Next: The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fandom, Day 1: Divergent!

≪ Previous: Press Release: OPI Coca Cola Icons of Happiness Collection

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Good morning, readers! Yesterday, I showed you the creme half of the new Zoyas for Summer 2015,  The Island Fun Collection. Today, I have their shimmery metallic counterparts: The Paradise Sun Collection. Fully saturated with a gorgeous micronized metallic sheen, these shimmering beauties are much like sunshine sparkling on water. Meant to be used as an independent color, these shades feature a full-coverage, densely pigmented formula. Let's take a look!

Zoya Aphrodite

Vibrant summer red with a micronized pearl metallic finish and multi-hued flash that brings it to life.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

The base is squishy and the flakes glow from within it! It is my favorite of the collection.

Zoya Mae

Warm magenta pink with a micronized metallic pearl finish, reminiscent of vibrant Mediterranean flowers.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat. So pretty for summer!

Zoya Isa

Deep blue-based purple with a micronized metallic pearl finish and an aqua flash that embodies the beauty of exotic island flowers.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat. The flakes seem to shift colors at different angles to the light, you can see this in the edges of my nail in the macro shot below!

Zoya Oceane

True turquoise with a micronized metallic pearl finish that reflects the clearest blue ocean waters. 

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

I did have some staining issues upon removal with this one so be careful and keep some baking soda on hand to scrub with a little water.

Zoya Selene

True teal with a micronized metallic pearl finish. A unique shade with an aqua fleck that resembles deeper layers of ocean water.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

Another with slight staining issues so be careful upon removal. Check out the color shifting flakes in my macro shot!

Zoya Genesis

Crystalline white with a micronized metallic pearl finish. Designed to look like micro-fine diamond dust!

I'm showing four coats below without top coat. There were still uneven spots at 3 coats so a forth was added to help. Beautiful base for nail art, though.

What are your thoughts on the Zoya Paradise Sun Collection? I love Aphrodite and know it will be a great pedi color for the summer. However, in all--I prefer the creme Island Fun Collection more than these metallics. It's all about personal preference so I'd love to hear yours below! Thanks so much for reading!

They are available now!

ZOYA IS THE HEALTHY COLOR OF FASHION!

$9 (US)
Available in top salons, spas and on zoya.com

*The polishes in this post were sent for me to review with my honest opinion.

The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fandom, Day 1: Divergent!

June 9, 2015, 9:22 am

≫ Next: The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fandom, Day 2: Harry Potter!

≪ Previous: Swatch Sunday: Zoya Paradise Sun Collection

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Good morning, readers! It's Fandom Week with The Digit-al Dozen and I'm so excited!! Yesterday was Day 1, but we took the boat out for a family day so you will probably get Day 1 and Day 2 today from me to make up for it. The first mani for the week is inspired by one of my favorite book and movie series: Divergent by Veronica Roth. In the futuristic, dystopian Chicago set story, the people are divided into 5  factions based on their personalities. I've recreated the symbols for each faction on my nails for this mani!

•  Thumb: Amity (the peaceful)-I started out with two coats of OPI I Just Can't Cope-acabana. I then used a small piece of sponge and dabbed a circle with OPI Coca-Cola Red. The colors that Amity wear for clothing are red and yellow. The tree symbol was painted with black acrylic paint and a small detail brush.
• Index: Dauntless (the brave)- Dauntless wear black so I painted two coats of Sinful Colors Black on Black for the base. I used grey acrylic paint and black acrylic paint for their flame symbol.
• Middle: Candor (the honest)- Candor wear only black and white. I started with two coats of Sinful Colors Snow Me White. The scale symbol was painted on with black acrylic paint.
• Ring: Abnegation (the selfless)- Abnegation wear gray so my base is two coats of Sinful Colors Cool Gray. The hand details were done with black acrylic paint.
• Pinky: Erudite (the intelligent)- The main clothing color for Erudite is blue. My base is two coats of OPI Ogre-the-Top Blue. I used black acrylic paint for the eye symbol.
• Every nail was topped with KBShimmer Clearly On Top.

What do you think of this mani? Are you familiar with the Divergent series? Did you recognize the symbols before I explained them? Thanks so much for reading! Come back later to see Day 2 of Fandom Week with The Digit-al Dozen!

Check out what the other ladies chose for their day one below!

An InLinkz Link-up

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The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fandom, Day 2: Harry Potter!

June 9, 2015, 3:34 pm

≫ Next: The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fandom, Day 3: House of Cards

≪ Previous: The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fandom, Day 1: Divergent!

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Good evening, readers! As promised earlier, I have Day 2 of Fandom Week with The Digit-al Dozen. YAY for getting caught up to the rest of the girls. I am a big Harry Potter Fan. I loved the books and I've seen the movies more times than I can count. One of my favorite characters in the series was Dobby, the house elf. Hopefully this is not a spoiler, but at the end of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry helps set Dobby free from the Malfoy family. That's what I'm portraying in this mani.

For the base polish, I've grabbed my go-to brand for Harry Potter polishes: Paint Box Polish. This is three coats of Little Bit Different, inspired by Luna Lovegood. This sparky, color shifting polish was a great fit for Dobby! I painted Dobby and the words with acrylic paint. After KBShimmer Clearly On Top, I added a coat of Wet n Wild Matte Top Coat. 

What do you think of Dobby? Are you a Harry Potter fan? Thank you so much for reading! Come back tomorrow for Day 3 of Fandom Week with The Digit-al Dozen!

Unfortunately, this polish was an LE is no longer available by Paint Box Polish. Take a peek at her other Harry Potter inspired polishes (as well as her Dragons Are A Girl's Best Friend Collection) at the shop link below. 

Paint Box Polish Links

Shop: http://paintboxpolish.bigcartel.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaintBoxPolish

Instagram: https://instagram.com/paintboxpolish

An InLinkz Link-up

The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fandom, Day 3: House of Cards

June 10, 2015, 5:28 pm

≫ Next: The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fandom, Day 4: The Hunger Games

≪ Previous: The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fandom, Day 2: Harry Potter!

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Good evening, readers! I have the third mani for Fandom Week with The Digit-al Dozen to share with you tonight. I've done a lot of nail art in the past inspired by favorite books, movies, tv shows, etc, so this week is a bit harder than I expected it to be. I'm trying to branch out into things for inspiration I haven't already done before. One of the newest shows (in the past few months) that the hubby and I have binge watched on Netflix is House of Cards. This is a political drama and I am still wondering why it was able to draw me in and want to watch as many episodes in a sitting as we could. I'm more of a fantasy genre fan--give me some vampires, super heroes, witches, etc, and I will most likely love the show. I guess it just has something special about it. Today, I've recreated the logo of the show title on my nails.

I started with a base color of OPI Who Are You Calling Bossy?!? and sponged on OPI Dark Side of the Mood and OPI Embrace the Grey to add a little more depth instead of a solid color base. Acrylic paint was used to paint the logo and title. I used KBShimmer Clearly On Top to seal it in.

What do you think? Are you a House of Cards fan? I love that they release the entire season at once on Netflix, but then we have to wait a year before the next season arrives. Thanks so much for reading! Come back tomorrow for Day 4 of Fandom Week!

What did the other ladies do for Day 3? Check them out below.

An InLinkz Link-up

The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fandom, Day 4: The Hunger Games

June 11, 2015, 6:45 pm

≫ Next: The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fandom, Day 5: Doctor Who!

≪ Previous: The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fandom, Day 3: House of Cards

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Good evening, readers! It's Day 4 of Fandom Week with The Digit-al Dozen and I have a simple mani today representing a favorite book and movie series: The Hunger Games. The three books have similar symbols on the covers so I went for simple silhouettes to represent the books! These books blew me away (even if the third isn't a favorite) and they've done a really nice job with the movies, too.

• Index: two coats of OPI Black Onyx and China Glaze Passion for the mocking jay detail.
• Middle: two coats of OPI Orange You Going To The Game? and details with OPI How Great Is Your Dane? and Nicole by OPI Better After Dark.
• Ring: two coats of Barry M Blueberry and details with Sinful Colors Cool Gray and OPI No Room For The Blues.
• Pinky: two coats of OPI Black Onyx.
• KBShimmer Clearly On Top was used as top coat.

What do you think? I'm a little underwhelmed because I tried to keep them very simple but to me they look unfinished without the extra details. I am glad I was able to represent each book and hopefully you recognize these a bit if you have read them as well. Thanks so much for reading! Come back tomorrow for the final day of Fandom Week!

The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fandom, Day 5: Doctor Who!

June 12, 2015, 7:00 am

≪ Previous: The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fandom, Day 4: The Hunger Games

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Good morning, readers! It's time for the final post of Fandom Week with The Digit-al Dozen. I had to bring it back to my favorite fandom for nail art: Doctor Who! This is a tribute to last season with Peter Capaldi as the 12th doctor--with a nod to the episode called Flatline where to T.A.R.D.I.S. was shrinking with him inside of it. I am so anxious for the new season to start!

 I originally got the idea for this cartoon Capaldi when a friend posted this talking plush from BBC:

(source: http://www.bbcshop.com/doctor-who/doctor-who-12th-doctor-talking-plush/invt/dw01557?utm_source=Awin&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=Buyat)

They flattened his features enough that I knew it would be easy to recreate as nail art! The ring finger is an image from Flatline where the Doctor is stuck inside of the shrinking T.A.R.D.I.S. and needs to move it out of the way so he sticks his hand out and crawls with his fingers. See the gif below:

(source: http://www.cultbox.co.uk/features/lists/funniest-doctor-who-sight-gags-in-flatline)

My base is two coats of Elevation Polish NYC from the recent Street Graffiti Collection. I used acrylic paints for Capaldi and the T.A.R.D.I.S. nails. The galaxy nails were randomly sponged with the following Elevation Polishes: Yeti Hugs: Feel So Close, Melbourne, Sunset Among The Palms, East London, and Yeti's Healing Vibes. I used KBShimmer Clearly On Top as top coat.

What do you think? I am really proud of how these turned out and feel good ending this week on a strong note. Thanks so much for reading this week. Have an awesome weekend!