Swatch: Essie Set in Stones

Another one from Essie's LuxEffects!  Here's Set in Stones, a silver sister to A Cut Above.  Here is is over a black base.

This is just perfect for New Years!!

Blue and Purple Stamping

I got the new Bundle Monster plates a few weeks ago and just now got around to trying them out.  They look great, and I love the new wider designs.

Here is a simple design using Sally Hansen Pronto Purple over Essie's Borrowed & Blue, with Revlon Metallic on the accent nail.  Got all that???

Products used:

Essie Borrowed & Blue

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Pronto Purple

Revlon Metallic

Bundle Monster plate BM 201

OPI Russian Navy Suede

I got Russian Navy Suede on clearance from Ulta back in April, but this is my first time using it.  It is awesome!  With no top coat, it looks a lot like denim.  It's a really lovely color.

See the pretty twinkles?  

Products used:

OPI Russian Navy Suede

Revlon Metallic

Bundle Monster plate BM10

Mini Haul- Swatches, Picture Heavy (Revlon Metallic, Sally Hanson Crackle, Shimmer and Bright Blue!)

I went to Target yesterday and came home with this cute little mini haul!

Sally Hansen Angel Wings, Sally Hansen Crackle in Fuchsia Shock,

Revlon Top Speed in Metallic, and Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Blue Me Away!

I wanted to try one of the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure polishes, because I've been eyeing them for ages but have never gotten one.  At my local Fred Meyer, they are like two dollars more than they were at Target!  So I'm glad I waited.  Anyway, this color is called Angel Wings.  It's this lovely sheer with shimmery pink.  First I swatched it alone.  It's really pretty, but super sheer... not that I expected anything else.  So then I tried it on top of black, white, grey and pink.  I LOVED it on top of the black!  The pink shimmer was so pretty and quite more obvious than the other colors.  

Angel Wings- two coats

Angel Wings- three coats on thumb, on black, white, grey, pink

The next thing that caught my eye was the Sally Hansen Crackle collection.  There were literally only three bottles left!  Two pinks and I think a white maybe.  My fiance, Scott, was the one who said "Oooo look at this!"  Really, he was the one that convinced me to get it, but don't tell him that.  I thought that the pink would look really great over a bright electric blue, which is great because in the display beneath the crackle I found Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Blue Me Away!  It was perfect!  And so cheap.  So I grabbed those two bottles and went on my way.  

I really love Blue Me Away.  It'a a bright, happy color perfect for the dreary summer we are having here in Portland right now.  Here it is with two coats.  Don't mind the crinkles on the middle finger, that always happens when I polish before bed :)

So then I put Fuchsia Shock on top.  I was a little disappointed that this turned out kind of purple on top of the blue.  I was hoping it would be as pink as it is in the bottle, but I still really really love this look.  I'm a little bit surprised, because I kind of really dislike the way that color crackles look!  But I love this!  It reminds me of cotton candy.  I used one thick layer of Fuchsia Shock on top of Blue Me Away! and used Seche Vite as a top coat.  Also, FYI, the brush for Sally Hansen's crackle is not the best.  It was really difficult to get a thick layer.  I way more prefer the brushes she uses for her Xtreme Wear and Insta-Dri, that thick flat brush, as opposed to this one, which was really thin and round.  Oh well, it still works!

While crouching down to grab the bottle of Blue Me Away!, my eye tripped over the Revlon collection (beauty sections in the store are like that, aren't they?  A domino effect of desire) and lingered on a few different bottles.  I picked up and set down three colors before settling on Metallic.  I'm a sucker for a great metallic color!  I tried it alone, and then decided to test it's Konadability (this is a word, promise).  I really wasn't expecting it to work with the stamps, but insert foot into mouth!  It's totally awesome for stamps!  Which means I have to go back and get the gold/copper one that I was fondling.

Perfect Konadability!

So there you have it.  I'm really excited to try Fuchsia Shock on top of Metallic!  I think that will be a really fun look.  

Spring Break Goes Out With A.... POP! of Color

Well my spring break is coming to a close, and starting Monday I'm back to being a semi-professional (the kids at my school LOVE checking out my nails but I don't fell comfortable when meeting with parents and other professionals), so I figured I'd go out with some brights!  I've seen a lot of pink and yellow color combos lately (Nail Addicts Anon, Nail Polish Art Addiction, Nailside) so that was my first thought.

I like this quite a bit, I think.  It feels a little bit like a circus tent, which is fine by me!  It seems so cheerful.

Products used:
ELF Summer Ready Collection: Fuchsia
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri: Lightening, Silver Sweep
Bundle monster plates BM20 and BM05