Feeling Green Mani

Feeling Green with OPI and Hard Candy

Happy Wednesday everyone!  Here's a super quick mani that I really liked.  I used OPI Cuckoo For This Color and Hard Candy Gummi Green.

Jawbreaker Mani

Jawbreaker Mani using Essie and Daring Digits

Happy Tuesday everyone!  I am only a few days away from finishing my big report...a little ray of hope for me :)  Today's mani I am calling a Jawbreaker mani after the off-white multi-colored candy.   I recently won this Daring Digits polish in a giveaway and felt like trying it a few nights ago.  I used three coats of Essie Absolutely Shore (a pain of a polish but worth it for the color) and used one coat of Daring Digits Mix My Matte Up.  The polish is a really cool mix of multi-colored glitter, some which have pattern on them.  I used one coat of Mix My Matte Up and then a coat of Seche Vite.  I loved the result, I think it looks just like a jawbreaker!

Watercolor Nails: Pastels

Watercolor Nails In Pastels

Hi everyone!  Happy Monday to you :)  Today I have my very first attempt at a watercolor mani.  I have to say that this mani was super easy to execute and the effect was awesome.  For those who don't know what the watercolor technique is, it involves painting your nails a base color, letting it dry, and essentially blobbing dots of various colors on the nail.  I then took a cut up plastic ziploc baggie and squished the polish dots so it created the pattern.  I did find that the most important thing was to use a topcoat in between the base color and the watercolor colors.  Without the topcoat, the base coat can come off with the plastic.

For the base coat I used two coats of Zoya Jacqueline and the watercolors are Essie Go Ginza, China Glaze Glaze Happy Go Lucky, Essie Mint Candy Apple, Essie Go Ginza, and for some gold sparkle, Zoya Kerry.

What do you think?  Would you try this technique?

Swatch Saturday: Happy Hands

Swatch Saturday: Happy Hands Flowers on the Highway

Hi everyone, I hope you all are enjoying your Saturday!  I am stuck working but I wanted to do a quick post.  Also, this morning I tried watercolor nails for the first time and will have these babies up next week.  I have to say I loved the technique...it was super easy and the results were fantastic.

For today's mani I used two coats of China Glaze Mimosa's Before Mani's and topped it with my first official indie polish....Happy Hands Flowers on the Highway.  I saw one swatch of this glitter and fell in love with it.  It is an eclectic mix of glitters to represent wildflowers and it does just that.  Glitter colors include white, lavender, yellow, black, green, and pink.  It is seriously stunning.  My favorite combination was over black which I wore a while back, but like an idiot, I accidentally took it off before I took pictures.

Take a look at this beauty....

Happy Hands Flowers on the Highway sells for $10 and you can find it here on etsy.

Simple Stamping

Simple Stamping

Happy Friday everyone!  Hopefully I will be getting back into regular length posts next week but here's another one from the archives.  I started with two coats of Nicole by OPI Am I Making Myself Claire? and then stamped with Essie Little Brown Dress.

Crystal Glass Nail Files. What are they? and what are the benefits?

In this article we hope to answer many questions nail technicians, salon owners and consumers have regarding crystal and glass nail files and their benefits.

WHAT ARE GLASS NAIL FILES? 

Glass nail files are a leading technology product in nail care, and as the name implies are manufactured from hardened and tempered crystal glass. The best quality crystal nail files arguably hail from the bohemian glass manufacturing regions of central Europe. The extremely hard nature of glass allows the abrasive filing surfaces to be uniformly roughened with an acid etch or sand blasting technique. It’s this unique manufacturing process combined with the hard crystalline material that delivers a truly effective abrasive surface that is ideal for filing, feels gentle and leaves the nail edges noticeably smoother. Crystal nail files when used regularly can help prevent common nail disorders such as nail chipping.

Just some of the High Quality Crystal Glass Nail Files Available at The Nail Art Company

There are advantages to using glass nail files. Here are some of the key benefits:

• Crystal nail files don’t wear out like traditional metal or paper based disposable files.
• Glass nail files are neither harmful to your health nor the environment.
• Crystal nail files are can be reused and are easily washed clean and sterilized.
• Glass nail files don’t corrode and become unsightly.
• Glass nail files are available in all sorts of attractive designs, some of which include Swarovski Elements, metal logos, sand blasted designs, hand painted designs and even precious metal embellished handles.
• Using crystal nail files is perceived by your clients as professional.
• Crystal glass nail files are attractive and make a great point of sale product for your salon and make a fantastic opportunity to up sell to your clients! 

ARE GLASS NAIL FILES SUITABLE FOR PROFESSIONAL & PERSONAL USE? 

Crystal glass nail files are both appropriate and convenient for professional use within the nail and beauty industry but are also ideal for personal use. Apart from their superior performance when compared with traditional nail files, glass nail files aren't porous and can therefore be sanitised and sterilized with heat, liquid sterilisers or UV lighting significantly reducing the risk of spreading bacterial or fungal nail infections.

WHAT TYPES OF NAILS ARE GLASS NAIL FILES SUITABLE? 

Glass nail files are suitable for use with both natural and artificial nails, however when filing artificial nails it is recommended that the file is dipped in water before and periodically during use.

GLASS NAIL FILE MAINTENANCE 

Maintenance of a glass nail file is really simple. To keep glass nail file clean, it is sufficient to rinse it in clean running water after each use. To clean dirtier glass nail files simply clean with a stiff brush and detergent. If you intend to use the files with more than one person then it is professional hygienic practice to sanitise and sterilised the file between each use.

GLASS NAIL FILE TYPES 

Three different sizes of glass nail files are manufactured, each of them can have either one or two grinding sides, and either both ends rounded or one end pointed and one rounded. Small sized glass nail files are a convenient supplement of handbag outfit. For ordinary usage the medium sized glass nail files are the most suitable. Large sized glass nail files are advantageous for removal of hardened skin on soles and heels. For children and for travel purposes (particularly when keeping a nail file in your hand luggage when travelling aboard an aircraft) we recommend nail files with both ends rounded, otherwise you may get your precious file confiscated. Professionals working in the nail care industry where filing is a large part of their work often prefer glass nail files with only one grinding side, because these don't harm the skin on their hands.

GLASS NAIL FILE DECORATION 

To increase the aesthetic value of glass nail files various decoration techniques such as colour application, printing, sandblasting, hand painting and engraving can be applied. Coloured glass nail files are available in eleven transparent and eleven dull shades, arbitrary combinations of colours are also practicable. If you want to attach your logo to the glass nail files, printing is the most widely used technique. The technique of sandblasting produces designs with plastic effect and with unlimited lifespan. Frequently signs of the zodiac, animal and flower designs are being sandblasted. Sandblasting is suitable for logo application as well. Hand painting is a traditional Czech way of glass decoration; glass nail files are decorated with a wide range of original motifs. Genuine fine decorations with refined details are created by the technique of engraving. 

GLASS NAIL FILE SAFETY 

In the event that your crystal nail file is damaged, it’s essential to stop use immediately to prevent any unnecessary injury. Even a slight chip will reduce the integrity of a hardened glass product and it may be susceptible to further breakage. It is necessary to avoid contact of coloured glass nail files and glass nail files with printed designs with organic compounds or temperatures above 250 °C, as it may affect the decoration. Children using glass nail files should be under adult supervision at all times. Specifically for children, we recommend glass nail files with the rounded ends.

WHERE CAN I PURCHASE A GOOD QUALITY CRYSTAL GLASS NAIL FILE

The Nail Art Company stocks a range of 6 designs each decorated with genuine Swarovski Crystals. Choose from Crystal Wave, Crystal Comet, Crystal Bubbles, Crystal Rain, Crystal Bows & Crystal Roses. Each of these types is available in 8 different colors. A range of gift presentation and hard nail file cases to protect your glass nail file are also available. We also supply the trade with glass nail files and we stock a range of attractive point of sale acrylic display stands for glass files. Please contact our sales team with your details of your requirements.

Blue and Purple Chevron (plus a cat!)

Bright Spring Chevron

Happy Thursday everyone!  Just a short post for me today :)  I can't stand the thought of not putting up a blog post but as I'm writing this my brain is fried from work.  So to make up for this....I included a cute cat pic haha

I created this blue and purple chevron a while ago and absolutely loved it!  I started with a blue polish, Julep Robin and then stamped with OPI Plugged-in Plum.

And as promised....a picture of my cat Immie....in a duvet.  She put herself in there like that :)

Essie Go Ginza: Swatches and Nail Art

Essie Go Ginza: A Review

Wednesday...half way through the week.  In my case, I want it to slow down so I have more time to work.  Hopefully everyone is doing well.  Essie Go Ginza is from the Spring 2013 Madison Ave-Hue collection.  Originally I picked up the blues in this collection but I needed to exchange an Essie polish at Ulta so I chose Go Ginza.  Boy am I glad I did!  

Essie Go Ginza is described as a soft cherry blossom pink.  I find this color to be more of a pale lilac color.  The formula was good and I used two easy coats for the photos below.  I didn't use a top or base coat.  I am obsessed with this color.  I love lilacs and this is like getting to wear them on my fingers.  I just couldn't stop staring at it.  The picture on the left is a little bit bluer (this one was hard to photograph, and the color on the right is more accurate).

I wore the color plain for a day and then couldn't help but add some tiny flowers to it with Hard Candy Crush on Lava and Essie Nothing Else Metals.

Zoya Summer 2013 Nail Art

Zoya Nail Art featuring Pixiedust, Stunning, and Irresistible Collections

Hi all, happy Tuesday!  Today's post will be short of words but not short on summer color :)  I've been obsessed with these three collections since I received them from Zoya and I keep creating easy nail art with them.  Here are a few of the looks I've created.

 

Sprinkle Nails:

I found this look on pinterest and knew that I needed to recreate it.  I loved it!  I started with two easy coats of Zoya Rocky, used a bobby pin for the long sprinkles with Zoya Darcy, Josie, Yana, and Thandie.  I also used the bobby pin and OPI My Boyfriend Scales walls for the white circular sprinkles.

 

Diagonal Mani:

 

This mani was subtle but oh so girly!  I started with two coats of Zoya Tinsley and used painters tape to create a diagonal stripe with Zoya Miranda.  

 

Foil Mani:

 

I started with two coats of Zoya Rocky and dabbed the brushes on top with the following polishes...Zoya Amy, Kerry, Bobbi, and Hazel.  This was so easy to do but I think the outcome was really flashy and pretty.

 

Striped Mani:

This last mani was another easy one.  I love the contrast between the cream polishes and the pixiedust.  I used two coats of Zoya Yana, and layered one stripe of Zoya Miranda and one stripe of Zoya Liberty.

Will you be picking up any of Zoya's new polishes?  I think they are so versatile.

*Disclaimer: Polishes sent for review*

Zoya Irresistible Collection Swatches

Zoya Irresistible Summer 2013: Swatches and Review

*Disclaimer-Polishes sent for review*

Another Monday post!  For this post I have swatches and my review for the Zoya Irresistible Collection.  This collection is the counterpart to the six cream polishes which you can find here.  This collection features six metallic foil polishes in a rainbow of bright colors.

I will explain now that all of the polishes had similar formulas.  They were all on the thinner side but did not flood my cuticles or give me any trouble.  The first coat showed visible nail line but this was remedied with a slightly thicker second coat.  I used two coats for all of the swatches with no base or top coat.  Dry time was average.

First up is Zoya Kerry, a yellow gold foil metallic.  This was a little bit more of a yellowy gold and seemed to be a big cooler toned as opposed to most warm toned golds.  Very pretty, I could see this being perfect for a party!

Next up is Zoya Tinsley, a rose gold metallic foil.  I thought this description was spot on.  It reminded me of rose gold in a bottle and had golden foil undertones.  This was the first one that I tried because of how pretty it was :)

Next up is Zoya Bobbi, a hot magenta pink metallic foil.  Spot on again!   This one had silvery foil undertones and was very pretty on.  I've already used it for some nail art. 

Below is my surprise favorite, Zoya Amy, a red orange foil metallic.  I normally don't like oranges but there is something about this one that I love.  I think it is how vibrant it shows up on the nail, a perfect summer color!  This one also has gold foil undertones but I found it surprisingly wearable on my cool skintone.  

Next up is Zoya Hazel, described by Zoya as a blue green foil metallic.  This one seemed like a dusty blue to me and had silver foil undertones.  It actually reminded me of the color of a foil wrapped Easter chocolate.  I wouldn't really consider this a summer color, I think it would be perfect for spring and fall though.

Last up is Zoya Rikki, a fern green metallic foil.  This polish also had silver foil undertones.  I had the same issue with the color on this one, too much like a foil Easter chocolate.  I think it would work better for spring, although the color is still really pretty.

 

Overall, these polishes all had a great formula and applied very easily.  I think some of the colors were best suited for other seasons but my surprise favorites were Amy, Bobbi, and Tinsley.  

What do you think of these metallic foils?  Will you be picking up any?  Don't forget about Zoya's Earth Day promo where you can pick up these polishes for half off ($4).  You can see my post about it here.

*Disclaimer: Polishes sent for review in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Bambi Inspried Nails

Source: here!

Disney Nail Art Challenge: Bambi

Monday again everyone!  Another busy week for me.  I got a four day extension on my massive project so I will be stress free hopefully starting next Saturday.  Now for the fun part....the nails!  Today's Disney Nail Art Challenge was Bambi.  I think I've only seen Bambi once, and it must have been when I was really young because I don't really remember anything about it.  The one thing I do remember, besides that Bambi was a deer, was Flower the skunk and the surrounding of pastel flowers.

Here is my take on Flower:

I started with two coats of Zoya Bobbi and then did a stripe with the nail brush with Essie Licorice.  I did the white stripe with OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls with a bobby pin.  After this was dry, I made the rounded flowers using a bobby pin and Zoya Kate, Zoya Blu, China Glaze Mimosa's Before Mani's, Essie Go Ginza (my new favorite polish), and China Glaze Happy Go Lucky.

I really loved the outcome and didn't want to take it off!

Earth Day 2013

Earth Day Nails!

Happy Sunday everyone :)  I know it isn't officially Earth Day until tomorrow but I loved this mani so much that I wanted to post it today.  I love how this mani came out so I hope you do too!
 

I started out with two easy coats of Zoya Rocky and layered over the following polishes: Zoya Josie, Zoya Rikki, OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls, and stamped with OPI Eurso Euro.  I used my Winstonia stamping plates for the "earth day" words and various animals.

So what do you think?  Did I do Earth Day justice?  :)

Neutral Ombre and Shiny Stamping

My Neutral Ombre

Happy Saturday everyone!  I hope you have some fantastic plans.  I will be working all weekend but working from home is always better in my opinion :)  Mostly because I can wear yoga pants and I usually have a cat hanging out with me.  

Today I have my take on an ombre manicure.  I haven't tried a gradient with a makeup sponge but instead, I used the polish brushes and just tried to blend each color with one another.  To finish, I did some metallic stamping to complete the look.

 

For the color gradient I used OPI My Vampire Is Buff, Essie Play Del Platinum, OPI Glamour Game, Essie Penny Talk, Essie Mamba, and China Glaze Desert Sun.  I stamped with Essie No Place Like Chrome.

So what do you think?  Would you rock this look?

Autism Awareness Ribbons

Autism Ribbons Manicure

Just a quick little post before our friends arrive at our house :)  Happy Friday, yay!  Today I have my Ribbons manicure for Autism Awareness.

I had higher hopes for this mani, but I think my thumb came out well haha.  I used Zoya Liberty, Essie Licorice, Essie Butler Please, Essie In The Cab-ana, OPI Red Lights Ahead Where?, and China Glaze Happy Go Lucky.

Check out these other fabulous blogs:

Alicia from Makeup and Nails, Not War

ChiChi from I’m Just Me... ChiChi

Cordia from Seriously Swatched

Erin from Paint Those Piggies!

Jessica from Nail Polish Anonymous

Jillian from Jilltastic Nail Design

Kelly from Peace Love Lacquer

Laura from Little Laura Loves

Lisa from Glittery Fingers & Sparkling Toes

Nicole from Dipped in Lacquer

Paulina from Paulina’s Passions

Rachael from Rachos Nail Love

Roxana from Beautylicious

Tina from Light of the Moon Nails

Zoya Earth Day Deal

Announcing the 2013 Zoya Nail Polish Exchange*

Hooray for Earth Day! Once again, Zoya is helping you do a little spring cleaning with the return of the Earth Day Zoya Nail Polish Exchange* for 2013. Clean out your nail polish wardrobe and get rid of old nail polish that may not be BIG5FREE (Free of Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Toluene, DBP and Camphor) and exchange it for a greener alternative - long lasting, award winning, healthy Zoya Nail Polish bottles!

Now's the perfect time to make the switch to an eco-chic beauty routine! From April 19, 2013 - April 26, 2013 (11:59PM EST), exchange your old, unwanted nail color for toxin-free ZOYA Nail Polish for only $4 per bottle plus shipping and handling fees. Rest assured - ZOYA will properly dispose of your old polish. 

Here's all you need to do!

1.  Go to www.zoya.comand pick out the polishes you would like (excludes all Zoya PixieDust™ Collection shades) and add them to your cart. You must select at least 6 bottles and no more than 24 bottles of polish (Salon accounts minimum 12 maximum 48 bottles.)

2. Apply the code (copy and paste for best results):
ZOYAEARTH2013

3. Your order value will be adjusted to reflect a 50% discount (we use these funds to properly dispose of the old nail polish).

4. SUBMIT your order!

Then Zoya will ship out your NEW polish! HOORAY! This is how your order should look like...

Once you get your order
Here's where the exchanging* happens...

1.     Ship back the equivalent number of bottles you received to the return address below (ie. If you ordered 6 bottles of Zoya – you would send us 6 NON-ZOYA polishes). Please check with your carrier on the proper way to ship nail polish.

2.     Include a copy of your order. 

To clarify the exchange: You do not have to send us the exact amount of bottles that you are ordering. You can send any quantity up to that amount. You can also donate. If you decide you don't want to do either, it's ok "Offer is not contingent on customer returning polish" we will still love you and will send the Zoya polishes... we'll just send you on a guilt trip for a while :)

 Ship Your Old Nail Polish To:

Art of Beauty, Inc.
c/o Polish Exchange
5060 Taylor Rd, Unit D
Cleveland, Ohio, 44128, USA

Once we receive your polish, we do the rest! It’s that simple!

IMPORTANT!
The bottles you send in cannot be Zoya, Qtica or Nocti polishes (but they can be any other brand). We are using the honor code here folks! We want to make sure you get your Zoya Nail Polish! We send you the polish first then you send your old polish back to us! If you do choose to send us your old polish we promise to properly dispose of it according to EPA guidelines. This offer is only good for 1 week so hurry – Don’t Wait!

*Offer valid online at www.zoya.com only. Offer expires on 4/26/2012 at 11:59PM EST. Continental US ONLY. Not valid with any other codes, coupons or promotions. Shipping and handling fees apply. Consumer accounts must exchange a minimum of 6 polishes with a 24 bottle maximum. Salon accounts must exchange at least 12 with a maximum of 48 bottles. Polish can be from any brand EXCEPT Zoya, Qtica or Nocti and can be exchanged for in-stock .5oz Zoya Nail Polish. Excludes all Zoya PixieDust™ Collection shades. Offer is not contingent on customer returning polish. Zoya Exchange code is unique and non-transferable. One code per account. Art of Beauty is not responsible for incorrect addresses, credit card entry errors or errors associated with declined credit cards. Please allow standard time for processing and shipping, however if volume is higher than expected please allow up to 6 weeks for shipping and processing. Art of Beauty, Inc. reserves the right to remove any polish that is out of stock from your order. You will not be charged for this polish. Backordered polish is not included in this promotion.

So what do you think?  Will you be taking advantage of this fantastic deal?  I know I am!

Zoya Stunning Collection

Zoya Summer 2013: Stunning Collection

*Disclaimer-Polishes sent for review*

Let me just get this out of the way...these polishes really are Stunning!  Happy Thursday everyone, one day closer to Friday is always fine with me.  Today I have swatches and a review of the Zoya Summer 2013 Stunning Collection.  This collection consists of six cream polishes.  Formulas varied by polish and will be described below.  Take a look at these pretties...

First up is Zoya Darcy, a sunny yellow cream.  I used three coats for the photos, no topcoat.  The formula was good for a yellow, slightly thick, but nothing unmanageable.  I really liked this color, so sunny and bright.  I think it would look extra pretty with a tan, for which my skin is the opposite of :)

  

The next color is Zoya Thandie, which is described by Zoya as a citrus orange cream.  I don't normally like orange, but to me this is a juicy cantaloupe color.   I really enjoyed this color because it is a cool toned orange, which works well with my cool skin tone.  I used two easy coats below, with no topcoat.  Formula was fantastic, no problems.

 

Third is Zoya Micky, described by Zoya as an amazing coral cream.  I didn't think that this polish was a coral color, I considered it much more pink, almost like a light watermelon color.  The formula was a bit tricky, it was on the thin side, and I ended up using three coats below.  Although this polish was thin, it didn't flood my cuticles and I didn't find it unmanageable.  Definitely worth it for the color.

 

Fourth is Zoya Yana, which Zoya describes as a Geranium pink cream.  I consider this color a very pink leaning medium red...if that makes any sense.  It reminded me of the color of a red Starburst, which are my favorite flavor.  I don't usually pick reds to wear, but I ended up really loving this color.  The tone was cool which I really liked.  Formula was fantastic, two easy coats below.

 

Next up is Zoya Rocky, a serene blue cream.  Loved this one!  Formula was wonderful again, two easy coats with no problems whatsoever.  This blue has a dusty quality that I really liked, but it is still bright and fun for summer.  This color reminded me of a calm ocean.  

 

Last up is Zoya Josie, a grassy green cream.  This polish is exactly that, grassy green with a slightly dusty quality to it.  This polish had a classic Zoya formula which was excellent.  I used two easy coats for this polish.

 

Honestly, I loved every color in this collection.  I am a huge fan of gorgeous, glossy cream polishes and Zoya delivered with all six.  While the formulas on Darcy and Micky with a tiny bit difficult, the color payoff and glassy finish was well worth it.  I can see using these colors with a lot of nail art throughout the spring and summer.  If I had to pick my favorites, I would pick Darcy, Thandie, and Yana.  Another great collection from Zoya.

These polishes retail for $8 and can be found at Zoya.com.

*Disclaimer: Polishes sent for review in exchange for my honest opinion.*