Adventures In Acetone

Good evening, readers! Time for the second mani of the night, this one is for the 13 Days of January challenge! Day 5 has the hardest prompt yet: Reversed Polarities. It was discussed that it meant to swap colors on objects so the grass would be blue but the sky green, etc. I decided to go with a reversed Doctor Who mani! White TARDIS? Pastel galaxy mani with black stars? GOOD CAT instead of BAD WOLF? Yes please! Any reason for a new Doctor Who mani is a good reason in my book. Let's take a look!

The base is a gorgeous new polish I grabbed while walking through Ulta over the weekend: China Glaze Wanderlust. I sponged on some pastel cremes and even mixed my own by adding white to some darker colors. I also added some shimmers and flakies like Elevation Polish Pitaraq, OPI Girls Love Diamonds, and Nubar 2010. I used OPI Alpine Snow and Roadhouse Blues for my reversed TARDIS, and the black stars are OPI Black Onyx.

What do you think of my reversed Doctor Who mani? Thanks so much for reading!

An InLinkz Link-up

Good evening, readers! For day 2 of Fairy Tales Week with The Digit-al Dozen, I was inspired by the recent Maleficent movie. It stems from the fairy tale called Sleeping Beauty, but I loved this different point of view in the classic story. I've done a purple to green gradient covered in the wall of thorns, accented with the gorgeous horns from Maleficent's head.

I started out with a white base and used a makeup sponge to gradient a DARE Colors neon green and OPI Do You Have This Color In Stock-holm? (which is much more purple than my camera is showing here). I used Sinful Colors Black on Black for the rest and topped with KBShimmer Clearly On Top.

What do you think? I wish my thorns were better but all in all it's a cool idea I've been wanting to try since I watched the movie. Thanks so much for reading! Come back tomorrow for more!

An InLinkz Link-up

Good morning, readers! Are you ready for another Fairy Tales Week mani with The Digit-al Dozen? I've gone with The Three Little Pigs this time because my 2 1/2 year old, Owen, told me he was a wolf and was going to blow the houses down over the weekend. It caught me off guard(thank you Super Why on Netflix!) and really make me laugh so of course I had to fit it into this week! I revisited my own Pig Nail Art Tutorial and incorporated the different houses for the base of each pig nail. I couldn't leave out the evil wolf, either!

I used 13 different colored OPI polishes for this look so I'll refrain from listing them all. The bottle I am holding, however, is OPI Mod About You. I used KBShimmer Clearly On Top to seal the design in, and topped it with a coat of Wet n Wild Wild Shine Matte Top Coat. (I'm undecided on this top coat right now, my Butter London and OPI matte top coats keep leaving white specks on my nails, so I switched to this one and so far so good. But it seems less matte than the others, more satin? I guess it's better than specks everywhere.)

What do you think of my Three Little Pigs nails? Thanks so much for reading! Come back later today for my 13 Days of January nail art challenge nails: Inspired By Pinterest!

An InLinkz Link-up

Good afternoon, readers! I have a second nail art look for you today. The prompt for Day 6 of the 13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge is Inspired by Pinterest. I love looking at nail art ideas on Pinterest and this is an idea I came across a few weeks ago and have been wanting to recreate ever since. Unfortunately, I have tried and cannot find the owner of this tutorial. If you know, please comment! This is a color block look and I love the color combo!

The original mani (pinned HERE) looks like tape was used because of the gorgeous crisp lines but I am too impatient for that many layers of tape so I used a nail art brush and painted the color blocks freehand! Here are the colors I used: Milani Violet Dash, Orly Frolic, Sally Hansen Thinking of Blue, and OPI Who Are You Calling Bossy?

What do you think? I really like color block nails! Thanks so much for reading!

An InLinkz Link-up

Hello, readers! I'm running a bit behind, but here is my 4th mani for Fairy Tales Week with The Digit-al Dozen! This week may have been the most challenging ever in my history of the DD, but that's why it's a challenge! This mani is inspired by the tale of the Three Billy Goats Gruff. Three brother goats want to cross a bridge to a grassy area to eat but there is a troll under the bridge. I've represented all 4 characters and the bridge in the background for my mani!

In the story, the goats cross the bridge one at a time. The first being the smallest and he told the troll that he had a bigger brother coming over and to not eat him since his brother would be tastier. The middle goat then crosses and tells him the same thing, and then finally the biggest goat crosses and he rams the troll into the water and the goats all happily get to eat the grass. (Or so, that's the story I've heard.)

I tried to represent the goat sizes by their horns and don't even get me started on that goofy troll. Not really sure what happened there but at least he looks creepy.

What do you think? Have you heard this fairy tale before? Thanks so much for reading!

An InLinkz Link-up

Good afternoon, readers! Here is my final mani for Fairy Tales Week with The Digit-al Dozen! This week kicked my butt but I hope you've enjoyed it. The new members of the group did a fab job! My final story inspiration is The Gingerbread Man! Do you know the tale?

A gingerbread man is baked but he jumps out of the oven and runs from the house and the little old couple that wanted to eat him. He keeps running and is chased by different animals and the old people all the way to a river. He is scared about crossing the river because he will get soggy but everyone is catching up to him and he doesn't know what to do. A sly fox shows up and tells him he will help him cross the river to safety. The fox ends up eating him.

Not the nicest story but a lot of fairy tales aren't!

What do you think? I am really happy to have finished this week's challenge. Hopefully next month's will be nicer to me! Thanks so much for reading, come back later today for the 13 Days of January Challenge: Green base.

An InLinkz Link-up

Good evening, readers! I have the 7th prompt in the 13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge for you. That means we are officially past the half way point in the challenge and I'm still here! Yahoo! The prompt today was Green Base so it kinda of left it open to anything! It has been a while since I've done a spray marble and I love how this one turned out!

I started out with 2 generous coats of OPI You Are So Outta Lime!
Once that was dry, I dabbed on a coat of Cirque Colors Au 23K Gold Leaf topper.
I filled a shot glass with room temperature water and dropped a few drops of OPI Christmas Gone Plaid on the surface of the water.
Next, I sprayed some rubbing alcohol into the shot glass a few times until I liked the design.
I dunked my finger (sometimes 2 at a time) with my nail facing down into the water just like with a watermarble.
Once I did this on all nails, I repeated those steps with OPI Green On The Runway for a sheer, color shifting layer.
KBShimmer Clearly On Top was used to seal and smooth the layers.

What do you think? I really love how abstract the designs turn out during a spray marble and I love that the gold flakes are peeking out. Thanks so much for reading! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Come back Monday for the next 13 Days of January: Artwork!

An InLinkz Link-up

Good evening, readers! Are you ready for Day 8 of the 13 Days of January challenge? The prompt is Artwork and I tried my hand at art similar to Jackson Pollock. His turn out more like drizzles of paint on canvas, but I splattered polish on my nail using a coffee stirring straw for a similar effect. This is a color combo I picked, it isn't related to any of his paintings that I know of.

This is a messy technique so I recommend taping around the nails, using peel off glue, or something like Liquid Palisade for easier cleanup!

I started out with 2 easy coats of Elevation Polish Ceram Sea.
Next, I added some blobs of OPI Black Onyx, OPI Alpine Snow, and Sinful Colors Cool Grey on my work surface (one at a time).
Then, I dipped the end of my skinny straw into a puddle of one colored polish, hovered over the nail, and blew hard on the other end to "spray" the polish onto the nail.
I repeated with the other colors until I was happy with the results.
KBShimmer Clearly On Top was used to seal it in and add shine.

What do you think of this look? Have you tried this technique before? Thanks so much for reading!

An InLinkz Link-up

Press Release

Good afternoon, readers! I have the press release on the new OPI Hawaii Collection launching next month! (I also just received my 50 Shades of Grey Collection today so expect those swatches this weekend on the blog.) These are bright and fun and I can't wait for this new collection! Take a look below!

OPI Launches Hawaii Collection Featuring Twelve New Nail Lacquer Shades for Spring/Summer 2015

Hawaii Collection by OPI brings the fresh, bright colors of its namesake islands to nails and toes forSpring/Summer 2015. This new collection features a palette ranging from muted tones of mint, peach, pink and nude to bolder hues of coral, green, purple and gold to deep tones of mauve, violet, brick red and shimmery blue.

“After the long months of winter, women are eager to embrace color – from soft pastels to bold accents to gleaming metallics,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Co-Founder & Brand Ambassador. “Caught in a perpetual state of spring, the Hawaiian islands were the ideal inspiration for this year’s seasonal collection. OPI looked toward the surf, sand and sunsets found at Hawaii’s beautiful beaches, as well as the islands’ lush greenery, tropical flowers, and colorful fish, to create 12 fresh new nail shades.

“Printed, flowing fabrics dominated spring runways, with patterns and graphics in both bold and muted hues. Warm, ethereal neutrals in shades of rose, peach and mint added a soft, feminine note,” continues Weiss-Fischmann. “That’s Hula-rious!, a pastel mint green from the Hawaii Collection, was seen at Charlotte Ronson’s Spring/Summer 2015 New York Fashion Week show; this shade was used to create a cutout half moon manicure that complemented the designer’s youthful presentation.”

Hawaii Collection by OPI includes the following shades in both nail lacquer and GelColor formulas:

That’s Hula-rious!

This pastel mint green makes me dance with joy!

My Gecko Does Tricks

Being bright and pearly green is just one of its talents.

Do You Take Lei Away?

On second thought, I can’t wait – I need this creamy nude now!

Is Mai Tai Crooked?

Get it straight – this fruity orange crème is fabulous!

Go with the Lava Flow

You can feel the heat shimmering off this golden red.

Aloha from OPI

Let’s give a warm island hello to this bright creamy coral!

Suzi Shops & Island Hops

A light and happy pink that’s the perfect traveling companion.

Just Lanai-ing Around

This dark, creamy mauve says “hang loose!” in style.

Hello Hawaii Ya?

In this gorgeous, dusky purple, I’m doing just fine.

This Color’s Making Waves

This shimmery, lagoon blue has got heads turning.

Lost My Bikini In Molokini

With this reef-inspired purple, what’s one bikini more or less?

Pineapples Have Peelings Too!

The heart of the matter lies in this gold shimmer with colorful sparkle.

Hawaii nail lacquer shades each feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Hawaii Collection by OPI will be available in both nail lacquer and GelColor formulas beginning February 4, 2015. Nail lacquers will retail for $9.50 ($11.50 CAN) each at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Chatters, Dillard’s, Regis, ULTA and ulta.com. GelColor is an in-salon, professional service only. Prices depend on the salon and range from $28 - $38 for a manicure and $35 - $45 for a pedicure.

OPI is guaranteed only when purchased through authorized professional beauty outlets and prestige stores, not from a drugstore, supermarket, mass outlet or other unauthorized source. For more information, please call Tractenberg & Co. 212.929.7979. Follow OPI on Twitter and Instagram @OPI_PRODUCTS and go to Facebook to become a fan!

ABOUT OPI

As the world leader in the professional nail care industry, 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 formula, 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 over 200 shades. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items, including nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics.

Good evening, readers! I have a rainbow manicure today to share with you for the 13 Days of January challenge! This geometric design is currently my phone wallpaper from Erin Condren and I knew I wanted to try nail art inspired by it. With so many fun colors, the Rainbow prompt was the perfect time! I used striping tape and 10 creme polishes to create this look.

I started out with 2 coats of OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls and let dry.
I added one coat of quick dry top coat to speed up this process before moving on.
Once the base was dry for a while, I used about 10 pieces of striping tape on each nail. I started out with diagonal in one direction, then diagonal in the opposite crossing over, and finally the horizontal pieces cutting the diamonds into triangles.
I used a dotting tool and filled in the triangles to mimic the wallpaper using these 9 colors: OPI In My Back Pocket, OPI Rumple's Wiggin', OPI Good Grief!, OPI Sorry I'm Fizzy Today, China Glaze Too Yacht To Handle, Barry M Guava, KBShimmer Let's Not Coral, KBShimmer Stonewashed, and KBShimmer Radiant Orchid(bottle shown).
I then peeled off the tape layer by layer until I had triangles on a white base.
I sealed the design in with 2 coats of KBShimmer Clearly On Top.

Here's a bonus shot with my phone so you can see my inspiration! This took like 2 hours for a full mani but it was so worth it, I never want to take it off!

What do you think? Thanks so much for reading! Check out what the other ladies did below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Press Release

Hello, readers! I have another press release to share with you from OPI. This is for their new Infinite Shine Gel Effects line. 30 new colors, plus a base and top coat that should give you the shine and wear of gels without curing from a light. Take a look at the info I received below!

OPI Launches a Revolution in Nail Color with NEW Infinite Shine Gel Effects Lacquer System

“Shine that lasts until removed!”

OPI, the leader in nail color innovation, announces the release of Infinite Shine Gel Effects Lacquer System, offering the rich color, intense shine and lasting wear of gels – without the need for LED-light curing or soak-off removal. Available in 30 new shades (plus Primer base coat and Gloss top coat), Infinite Shine utilizes a three-step system to deliver a high-shine classic crème finish for nails that lasts up to 10 days.

“Infinite Shine was developed to meet consumer demand for a nail lacquer with a gel-like finish that also boasts the exceptional formula, on-trend colors and iconic names for which OPI is best known,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Co-Founder & Brand Ambassador. “Infinite Shine shades are applied and removed like traditional lacquer, but they provide the high-shine and long-wear typically reserved for gel formulas, for shine that lasts until you take it off!”

Infinite Shine includes a full range of fashion-forward shades ranging from neutrals to bright reds, oranges and pinks to dark gray, blue and black hues: Pretty Pink Perseveres, From Here to Eternity, She Went On and On and On, Girl Without Limits, Running with the In-finite Crowd, Endurance Race to the Finish, No Stopping Me Now, Unrepentantly Red, Unequivocally Crimson, Relentless Ruby, In Pursuit of Purple, Grapely Admired, Can’t Be Beet!, Raisin’ the Bar, We’re in the Black, Get Ryd-of-thym Blues, Indignantly Indigo, To Infinity & Blue-yond, Withstands the Test of Thyme, To the Finish Lime!, Maintaining My Sand-ity, Tanacious Spirit, Brains & Bronze, Set in Stone, Never Give Up!, Strong Coal-ition, Steel Waters Run Deep, Staying Neutral, It Never Ends and You Can Count on It.

Infinite Shine is applied via a three-step system; first, apply Infinite Shine Primer (Step 1) to prevent staining and increase lacquer durability. Next, select one of 30 shades (Step 2) and paint two thin, even coats for richly-pigmented, vivid color. Finally, finish with Infinite Shine Gloss (Step 3), which features a state-of-the-art gel polymer formula that cures in natural light. Product can be removed easily with Expert Touch Nail Lacquer Remover; no soaking is required.

Infinite Shine products feature a proprietary formula and each bottle includes OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. OPI Infinite Shine Gel Effects Lacquer System will be available March, 2015, at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, beautybrands.com, Chatters, Dillard’s, Regis, ULTA and ulta.com for $12.50 ($14.95 CAN) suggested retail for each nail lacquer.

OPI is guaranteed only when purchased through authorized professional beauty outlets and prestige stores, not from a drugstore, supermarket, mass outlet or other unauthorized source.

For more information, please call Tractenberg & Co. 212.929.7979. Follow OPI on Twitter and Instagram @OPI_PRODUCTS and go to Facebook to become a fan!

ABOUT OPI

As the world leader in the professional nail care industry, 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 formula, 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 over 200 shades. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items, including nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics.

Press Sample

Good afternoon, readers! It's time for the next nail art mani in the 13 Days of January nail art challenge! This is my least favorite prompt for the month and you will see why. We are supposed to do a Blobbicure and I just don't like them. No offense to anyone that does beautiful ones out there, but this is my 3rd try and I just can't get into them. However, I didn't want to fail at the challenge so I'm posting this anyway.

Not familiar with the term blobbicure? Basically, you paint on your base color and while it is still wet, you blob other colors onto the wet base and they kind of meld together. I wanted to try out some of the new OPI Fifty Shades of Grey Collection (swatch post coming tomorrow!) for this and I think adding in 2 colored dots didn't allow enough "melding." I added the stamping to try to make it a little better in the end but I still don't like it.

I started out with one coat of OPI Cement The Deal on all of my nails and let dry.
Then, one nail at a time, I painted a decent 2nd coat.
While the base was still wet, I added blobs of OPI Dark Side Of The Mood and OPI Romantically Involved.
Once those were dry, I stamped a fishnet pattern using OPI My Silk Tie.
Wet n Wild Matte Top Coat was used to finish the design.

What do you think? Pretty lame, it's okay, you can tell me. It definitely looked better with the added stamping. Thanks so much for reading. Come back tomorrow for a full swatch review of the OPI Fifty Shades of Grey Collection.

*The polishes used in this mani were sent as a press sample for review with my honest opinion.

An InLinkz Link-up

Press Sample

Good morning, readers! It feels like it's been a long time since I've had a Swatch Saturday post. I just went back in the archive and don't see any since November! Well, that's okay, I have a ton of new collections that just arrived this week so you will be getting a lot in the next month. For this post, we have the 6-polish OPI Fifty Shades of Grey Collection. Based on the book and upcoming movie (which I haven't read so I have no input on that subject), this collection is mostly grey colors with a sexy red thrown in there. I am a huge fan of grey polish so this collection is super exciting to me. Let's take a look!

Almost every polish in this collection had a thinner formula and needed three coats to full coverage.

OPI Cement the Deal

I'd sign anything to get my hands on this stony, cool gray.

I'm showing three coats below with no top coat.

OPI Embrace the Gray

Let this chic, moody gray creme become one with you.

I'm showing three coats below with no top coat.

OPI Dark Side of the Mood

This brooding, stormy charcoal is dangerously gorgeous.

I'm showing three coats below with no top coat.

OPI Romantically Involved

I'm in a deep relationship with this luscious creme red.

I'm showing three coats below with no top coat.

OPI My Silk Tie

This silky, gleaming silver has got me all tied up.

I'm showing two coats below with no top coat.

This has a frosty finish with visible brushstrokes and reminds me of a silver version of OPI Rollin' in the Cashmere.

OPI Shine For Me

This shimmering silver with subtle blue sparkle really turns me on!

This is three coats below with no top coat.

This could be a topper or it builds up to be worn alone as you can see.

What do you think of this collection? Which are your favorites? I love all 4 cremes and am happy to have more grays in my collection. These are available now! Thanks so much for reading!

Each nail lacquer shade features OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. The collection will be available beginning January 2015 for a limited time only. Nail lacquers will retail for $9.50 ($11.50 CAN) each at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Chatters, Dillard’s, Regis, ULTA and ulta.com.

OPI is guaranteed only when purchased through authorized professional beauty outlets and prestige stores, not from a drugstore, supermarket, mass outlet or other unauthorized source. For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter and Instagram @OPI_PRODUCTS and go to Facebook to become a fan!

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

Press Sample

Good morning, readers! I have an exciting new swatch post for you this morning! Zoya just released the new Naturel Satins Collection and I have them for you today! Everyone was waiting to see what this new finish would look like on these neutral cremes as soon as the press release was out. Well, they are here so let's take a look!

The satin finish is different than I was expecting. It's not shiny, but also not matte. After posting a macro comparison (which I'll add at the end of this post), I asked on Instagram and Facebook how to describe the finish. I had a lot of responses like "mottled, eggshell, concrete, bedroom wall texture, vinyl, rubber, grainy, and finely pebbled leather."Thank you all for your input! It is definitely an odd-to-describe polish finish. Zoya is calling them, "ultra-wearable, low-sheen, chic satin finish," and I can't disagree with that.

As with any special finish polish, I recommend letting the first coat dry completely before adding the second so you can see the special texture/finish. They dry pretty quickly, though, so don't be worried that you will have to wait as long as with the Pixie Dusts before you can add the second coat.

Most were fine with 2 coats, but 3 thin coats could be needed if you apply less generous coats than I do. Of course I didn't add top coat to these so you can see their natural satin finish.

Zoya Rowan

Creamy suede taupe with the exclusive Zoya Satin finish.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

Zoya Leah

Lavender tinged taupe with the exclusive Zoya Satin finish.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

Zoya Brittany

Rose mauve creme with the exclusive Zoya Satin finish.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

Zoya Ana

Light toasted almond with the exclusive Zoya Satin finish.

I'm showing three coats below without top coat.

Zoya Tove

Misty slate grey with the exclusive Zoya Satin finish.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

Zoya Sage

Mossy sage green with the exclusive Zoya Satin finish.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

The low-sheen finish of these Zoya Naturel Satins is somewhere between shiny and matte. Below, you can see where I've swiped one coat of shiny top coat on the left 1/3 of the nail, one coat of matte top coat on the right 1/3 of the nail, and left the middle as the natural Satin finish. I hope this is more helpful to see the finish than my full hand photos above.

There you have them! What are your thoughts on this new collection? How about the new Satin finish? Which are your favorites? I really like this entire collection! My favorites are Rowan, Leah, and Tove but I know I'll be wearing them all! Neutrals are so great to have in a collection and you can add any kind of topcoat if you aren't a fan of the satin finish as well.

These are available now! Thanks so much for reading! Have a fabulous Sunday.

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

WANT MORE?

COMING SOON - Zoya Satin Seal Topcoat!

Turn any color into an elegant Satin finish beauty with just one coat!

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

Good afternoon, readers! The 11th prompt for the 13 Days of January challenge is Complement and Contrast. I have no love for complementary colors. There, I said it. I decided to go for more of a contrast using a neutral base and bright colors in this mani. Zoya Rowan from the new Naturel Satins Collectionis a gorgeous taupe with a low-sheen finish and I knew it would work perfectly as the base in this mani!

I used 2 coats of Rowan and let dry. Then, I used my smallest dotting tool to alternate polka dots using China Glaze Neon & On & On and China Glaze Too Yacht To Handle. I decided to skip the top coat on this one, I am really enjoying the finish of the base as well as the slight bumpiness of the dots.

What do you think? Are you a fan of pairing neutrals with neons? In case you didn't notice, I'm considering going back to a white backdrop in my light box. I had a hard time with my last swatch post (my skin looks different in nearly each photo) and I think my camera keeps the colors more balanced with a white backdrop. What are your thoughts?

Thanks so much for reading!

An InLinkz Link-up

Press Sample

Good evening, readers! I'm playing catch up in the 13 Days of January challenge so I can post the final mani tomorrow as planned. For Day 12, we are supposed to recreate one of our old manis. Well, I recently received the new Milani Fierce Foil Collection and I decided to recreate one of my favorite Milani creme manicures with the new foils! You can find my original design HERE-- a half moon dotticure. Today's version is a lot more sparkly, but it's also not as defined because the colors aren't as solid as the original cremes.

Let's take a look at this new collection! They are filled with gold and metallic flecks and I can't wait to do a full swatch post for you on these soon. I am really impressed with the collection!

Milanis: Sardinia, Milan, Florence, Venice, Rome, and Capri.

I started out with 2 coats of Milani Sardinia.
Then, I used a small dotting tool to create a half moon shape using Milan.
I repeated the dots moving toward the tips in the order shown above.
I used one coat of KBShimmer Clearly On Top top coat to seal in the design.

What do you think of my new take on an old mani? How are you feeling about these Milani Fierce Foils? I should have a full swatch post up for you in a week or 2 so check back for that! These are available now in stores but are LE so grab them now if you see them. They are also available on the Milani website below for $3.99 each.

Milani Cosmetics Website

Milani Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Milani

Thanks so much for reading!

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

An InLinkz Link-up

Press Sample

Good afternoon, readers! I have the final 13 Days of January challenge mani for today! It is the last day of January so I am really proud that I was able to complete this challenge before it ended! Woohoo! The prompt was Something You've Never Tried Before, so I'm using the brand new Zoya Delight Collection and a ikat ruffle nail art design. I am just so excited about this new collection, it is so perfect for Spring! Three cremes and three shimmers, and they all look gorgeous together in one mani!

Let's take a peek at the new polishes for the Zoya Delight Collection! I'll try to have my swatches up in the next week or so!

Zoya Daisy, Eden, Rayne, Tiana, Leslie, and Lillian.

I started with 3 thin coats of Zoya Daisy as my base. Once it was dry, I took a thin nail art brush and did short lines horizontally across the nail to make ikat stripes with each color shown above. I found it was easier to do the shimmery colors first and the cremes on top slightly overlapping because they were more opaque. One coat of KBShimmer Clearly On Top was used as a top coat.

What do you think? Are you excited for this new collection by Zoya? I am super happy with it and can't wait to swatch them all for you this week. Thanks so much for reading! I hope you've enjoyed the 13 Days of January Challenge. I did, but I'm glad it's over and I can do whatever I'm in the mood for.

Zoya Delight Collection

AVAILABLE 02/02/15!

ZOYA IS THE HEALTHY COLOR OF FASHION!

$9 (US)

Available in top salons, spas and on zoya.com

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

An InLinkz Link-up

Press Sample

Good evening, readers! I have 2 gorgeous polishes to share with you tonight that will be available tomorrow by Silly Bee's Chickadees. They are Chloe's Quince and Glitter For Good. Let's take a look and learn a bit more about the Winter 2015 Glitter for Good non-profit recipient: Hogar Cristiano de Puntarenas, an all-girls orphanage in Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Before I show you the polishes in depth, let's hear a bit more about Glitter for Good and this new recipient. This is what Melissa had to say:

"Introducing the Winter 2015 Glitter for Good nonprofit recipient-- Hogar Cristiano de Puntarenas, an all-girls orphanage in Puntarenas, Costa Rica. During the months of January, February, and March, $1 from every bottle of Silly Bee's polish sold will go directly to support the home.

Hogar Cristiano, which means "Christian Home", was founded in 1918 by Father Daniel Carmona. Its mission is "to provide adequate training for at-risk children and adolescents; to help develop the skills necessary to enable them as adults to integrate successfully into society." Currently, the home is run by the Sisters of the Assumption and 6 local "aunts" who help maintain the home. More than 70 girls from newborns to 17 years call Hogar Cristiano their home.

The organization receives 40% of its funding from the Costa Rican government which includes a monetary allotment per child to cover basic needs. However, the majority of the funds required to run the orphanage come from private organizations and individuals.

I learned about the home through one of my very favorite friends, Misty, and her mom, Geni. Geni supports Hogar Cristiano by hosting fundraising events as a member of ACRUA-Houston, Amigas de Costa Rica Unidas Ayudan. This Christmas, I traveled to Costa Rica to attend Misty's daughter Chloe's quinceañera celebration at Geni's home.

Chloe is a fun, kind and thoughtful young lady who loves girly stuff, glitter, nail polish and kids! It is in her honor that I chose Hogar Cristiano as the next Glitter for Good nonprofit and created a nail polish in one of her quinceañera colors.

As always, thank you for supporting the Silly Bee's Chickadees mission: to bring joy to our customers with fun and unique products while giving back to the community."

How awesome is that? $1 from any Silly Bee's Chickadees polish sold in January, February, and March will go directly to the orphanage! I just love how Melissa is always trying to give back.

Are you ready to see the pretty polishes?

Silly Bee's Chickadees Chloe's Quince

A teal crelly with gold flecks.

I'm showing two coats below with top coat.

This polish applied easily and the flecks dispersed well onto the nail during application. Such a pretty color combo!

Silly Bee's Chickadees Glitter For Good

A glitter topper, golden flecks in a clear base.

I'm showing only one coat below over OPI That's Hot! Pink with top coat.

The flecks spread nicely and flat on the nail before top coat. It would look great over any base color, I wanted to go with a Valentine's Day look idea!

What are your thoughts on these two polishes by Silly Bee's Chickadees? I just love that a portion of each polish sale goes toward Hogar Cristiano de Puntarenas because it is so important to give back when you can. This is a perfect opportunity, buy pretty polish and know that $1 from each polish goes toward a good cause. (Any polish sold, not just the two I am showing today.)

These are available tomorrow at the Silly Bee's Chickadees Easy shop below. Don't forget about my Jacki's Who-ville Christmas-- it is still available in the shop! Thanks so much for reading!

Silly Bee's Chickadees Links

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/sillybeeschickadees

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

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

Press Sample

Good morning, readers! I have part of the new KBShimmer Spring 2015 Collection to share with you today! They release on February 6th-- 12 new seasonal and holiday inspired colors, plus new nail vinyls. I have 7 of the new polishes to show you, and I plan on sharing some nail art later this week using the new vinyls. Let's take a look!

"Say goodbye to winter's dark hues, embrace sunny skies and open toe shoes. There's nothing better than the first signs of spring and all the joy that it brings! Our Spring 2015 Collection is inspired by sun-kissed days and lush gardens blooming, the Easter season, and Pantone's 2015 Spring Color, Aquamarine," says KBShimmer owner Christy Rose. "What better way to celebrate that Spring has sprung than with creamy pastels, metallic glitters, and a touch of sparkle and shine?"

KBShimmer I'm So Sweet Pea

The palest of purple bases sets off an explosion of glitters in pink, mint, purple, and turquoise.

I'm showing three coats with top coat below.

This has a thin, easy to use formula.

KBShimmer Cool Hand Cuke

This pale minty green polish is loaded with pastel glitters in circles, triangles, stars, and hexes. A touch of holographic sparkle completes this pastel polish.

I'm showing three coats below with top coat.

This also has a thin, easy to work with formula.

KBShimmer Funky Cold Patina

Like a long forgotten ancient copper statue turned blue green in color, this polish features a cool turquoise green base, with pops of metallic copper, blue, and purple.

I'm showing two coats below with top coat.

This formula was a little thicker than the other glitters but more opaque. I love this color combo!

KBShimmer Blush Money

Based on the 2015 Pantone Color, Strawberry Ice, this peachy-rose colored polish shows off gold shimmer indoors and a linear holographic rainbow shines while outside.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat. I love the added shimmer to the color.

(above: lightbox. below: outdoors)

KBShimmer Thistle Be The Day

A pale pinkish purple that shines in the sun with a linear holographic rainbow.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

(above: lightbox. below: outdoors)

KBShimmer Ins and Sprouts

Like a new bud popping through the soil, this pale green citron colored polish is alive with linear holographic shine.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

(above: lightbox. below: outdoors)

KBShimmer Blue-d Lines

Pale blue in color, this cool toned polish shines with linear holographic sparkle.

I'm showing two coats below without top coat.

(above: lightbox. below: outdoors)

There are 5 more polishes being released so check out these full collection posts over at The Lacquerologist and Cosmetic Sanctuary.

There are new Nail Vinyls releasing on Friday as well! Come back this week for some nail art ideas using them, but here are the stock images of the sheets for you until then:

Spring Nail Vinyl Sheet:

Spiral Vinyl’s: three different style spirals and swirls in two sizes, 64 pieces per sheet:

Thick/thin connected lines: Extra-long for long nails, 32 pieces per sheet:

What do you think? Which polishes are you looking forward to the most? The polishes will retail for $8.75 each and the nail vinyls will be $5 each sheet. These are available on Friday, February 6th, 2015 at their website: www.kbshimmer.com. For sales outside the U.S., visit www.harlowandco.org. Thanks so much for reading!

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

Press Sample

Good morning, readers! I am really excited about the different Spring 2015 nail vinyls that KBShimmer is releasing this Friday. Did you catch my swatch post of part of the collection this weekend? Go check it out if you haven't, I have photos of the 3 different sheets of nail vinyls as well. Of the three different vinyl sheets, I was most excited to try the swirl designs! There are three different kinds of swirls, with 2 different sizes of each kind on the sheet (64 swirls per sheet).

I was still wearing my final 13 Days of January challenge mani this morning but I had tip wear and was ready to take it off. Then, I realized the swirl nail vinyls would provide a perfect "extend-a-mani" solution (thanks to Sheila at Pointless Cafe for that great term) and the base could look really neat peeking through a black top color. Turns out, it worked just like I had hoped!

As I said above, I had on a mani for the whole weekend before applying these vinyls so I didn't have to wait for my topcoat to dry like I would with a mani I just painted. Definitely make sure you use quick dry top coat and still wait at least 30 minutes before applying vinyls.
I used a cotton square and rubbing alcohol to wipe anything from my nails so please excuse the very dry skin below. I wanted good adhesion of the vinyl to the nail to prevent any leaking below the vinyl and messing up the design.
Then, I grabbed some vinyls from the sheet using my tweezers and placed them on the nails, pressing down firmly:
Index: bigger of the solid thickness swirl.
Middle: three of the smaller swirls with the long tails hanging off of the nail.
Ring: the bigger swirl with the long tail.
Pinky: the smaller of the swirls that change thickness.

After firmly pressing the vinyls down, one nail at a time I added a coat of a black creme.
While still wet, I used my tweezers to carefully peel up the vinyl(s) on that nail.
Then, I moved onto the next nail repeating the same 2 steps above.
Once each nail was done, I used my cleanup brush and acetone to clean up the polish I got on the cuticles and any place I messed up the design. (this happened on some of the ones that hang off the nail because it pulled up quickly off of the nail and bumped the design).
I didn't add top coat but you definitely could if you wanted a level nail.

What do you think about these swirls? Which nail is your favorite? I really love that we get 3 different kinds of swirls to choose from, my favorite is probably the kind of swirl on my pinky nail. I had no issues with using the vinyls, no breaking while pulling up so YAY!

These nail vinyl sheets are releasing this Friday February 6, 2015 for $5 a sheet (64 swirls on one sheet) at their website: www.kbshimmer.com. For sales outside the U.S., visit www.harlowandco.org. Thanks so much for reading!

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

13 Days Of January, Day 5: Reversed Polarities! (Reversed Doctor Who Nail Art)

The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fairy Tales, Day 2: Maleficent Nail Art!

The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fairy Tales, Day 3: The Three Little Pigs!

13 Days Of January, Day 6: Inspired By Pinterest! (Color Block Nail Art)

The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fairy Tales, Day 4: Three Billy Goats Gruff!

The Digit-al Dozen DOES Fairy Tales, Day 5: Gingerbread Man!

13 Days Of January, Day 7: Green Base (Spray Marble Nail Art)

13 Days Of January, Day 8: Artwork (Splatter Nail Art)

Press Release: OPI Hawaii Collection!

13 Days Of January, Day 9: Rainbow (Geometric Tape Mani)

Press Release: OPI Infinite Shine Gel Effects Lacquer System

13 Days Of January, Day 10: Blobbicure (OPI Fifty Shades Of Grey Nail Art)

Swatch Saturday: OPI Fifty Shades of Grey Collection!

Swatch Sunday: Zoya Naturel Satins Collection!

13 Days Of January, Day 11: Complement and Contrast (Dotticure)

13 Days Of January, Day 12: Re-create One of Your Old Manis (Milani Fierce Foil Half Moon Dotticure)

13 Days of January, Day 13: Something You've Never Tried Before (Zoya Delight Collection Nail Art!)

Swatch Saturday: Silly Bee's Chickadees Chloe's Quince and Glitter for Good!

Swatch Sunday: KBShimmer Spring 2015 (Partial)

KBShimmer Swirl Nail Vinyl Review!