Monday, August 31, 2015

Zoya Flair Collection for Fall 2015 plus a Polish Exchange Promotion!

Happy Monday, dear readers! I hope you have been having a wonderful start to a new week! For today's blog post, I wanted to share the new Zoya Flair collection with you. These jewel-toned liquid metal shades are fantastic for the rapidly approaching fall season, and you're going to want to grab these! Let's check them out!

Aggie
Gold holo flip liquid metal with bronze micro glitter. Sheer enough for layering with 1 coat or fully opaque in 3 coats!

I decided to swatch this alone for this blog post, and I have yet to layer it over another polish. Aggie is THE shade of think of for fall, and it is a stunner! I used three easy coats for this swatch photo.

Cinnamon
Classic bronze liquid metal, originally designed for Zang Toi NYFW Fall/Winter 2015

I love when polishes designed for fashion week are included in collections for the rest of us to enjoy! Cinnamon is a gorgeous spiced brown hue, and the formula was flawless. I applied two coats for this photo.

Ember
Deep, fiery red liquid metal with enough blue to be wearable for all skin tones.

This polish is on fire! I've recently developed a newfound love of red polishes, and Ember is definitely one hot red every red-lover needs! The formula is fantastic, and I used two easy coats for this photo.

Estelle
Blue on blue liquid metal with a blackened base.

Estelle is a gorgeous blue, and this shade will work well for fall and then for winter. Maybe it's because I've overheated a few times too many this summer, but I'm oddly looking forward to winter right now. You can bet this baby will be on my nails a lot then! The formula was easy to work with, and I used two coats for this photo.

Giada
Purple liquid metal with a hint of fuchsia pearl.

This purple is fabulous! I love the rich deep shade, but the fuchsia flashes really set Giada over the top for me. I don't wear a lot of purple polish, but this is certainly one worth owning! I had no issues with this polish, and I used two coats here.

Tris
Blackened, brushed nickel liquid metal.

This is probably going to sound crazy given all the stunning jewel colours in this collection, but Tris is my personal favorite from it. It is a complex shade that can easily pull one direction or another depending on lighting and your skintone. I definitely see myself wearing Tris a lot this fall! I have no issues to report on the formula although it was a little on the sheerer side. I used three coats for opacity for this swatch photo.

The Flair collection is currently available for purchase at Zoya.com as well as at other Zoya retailers. Each bottle retails for $9.

If you're looking to purchase any of these or other Zoya shades, you are in luck! Zoya is currently running a nail polish exchange promotion in which customers can buy a minimum of 6 bottles (up to a maximum of 24 bottles) and save 50% by using the discount code HAPPY. You can then send in your toxic non-Zoya polishes, and they will dispose of them for you. The details on the nail polish exchange can be found here. You've got until September 12th to take advantage of the exchange!

What do you think of the Flair collection? Will you be picking up any shades as part of the exchange? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!
XO!





Wednesday, August 26, 2015

National Dog Day Nail Art

Good evening, dear readers! It has been a rough week thus far here in the Jedi household. I have been having a difficult recovery from my C section a month ago, and after spending most of Tuesday and part of today in doctor offices, I'm going to have to surgery again soon to have my gallbladder removed. I'm not particularly thrilled about it, but if it means I'm no longer going to be in pain, sign me up! I'm exhausted after yesterday and today's gallbladder attacks, but after missing writing up my Turtle Tuesday post yesterday, I really wanted to get a post up today.

Today is National Dog Day! I created a nail art look earlier, and I felt today was the best day to share it in honor of our furry friends. Let's check it out!
I had so much fun creating this manicure! It's not something I probably would have thought to do normally, but it was a lot of fun to do!
I used transfer foils from Born Pretty Store for my base to get this fun flashy look. There were some areas that did not transfer well for me (you can see the bare spots on my nails), but I still liked it even like this. I then used bone herringbone vinyls from Up Your Nail- Disturbed Vinyls with Zoya Genesis for this awesome bone pattern.
I used Girly Bits Cosmetics Squirrel Sample #2 and the same transfer foils I used on the other nails for this colourful look.

Did you have dog-inspired nails for National Dog Day? What did you do? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time dear readers, have a wonderful night!
XO!




Monday, August 24, 2015

Literary Lacquers: The Ultimate Answer LE aka Happy 42nd Birthday, Amy!


Good evening, dear readers, and happy Monday! Today's blog post is in honor of Amy, the creative darling behind the indie brand Literary Lacquers. Today is her 42nd birthday, and to celebrate, she has created a polish with the most appropriate inspiration, The Ultimate Answer.
The Ultimate Answer was inspired by The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. The number 42 is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything, and I couldn't think of a more perfect inspiration for Amy's 42nd birthday,
The Ultimate Answer is a peacock green polish with light linear holo pigment and packed with silver holo microglitter and subtle tiny silver holo stars.
The formula of The Ultimate Answer was flawless- not too thick or thin, and the small glitters spread nicely over my nails. The stars are intended to be subtle, so I only got a few stars as I painted my nails. I used three thin coats plus top coat for these swatch photos.

I am in love with this polish! The base colour has just the slightest hint of blue, and I love the surprise of the flash from the stars as the light hits them at just the right angle. It is a fabulous celebration polish!
The Ultimate Answer will be sold at the Literary Lacquers etsy shop located here for one weekend only. It will be available for purchase from August 28th through August 30th. That is this upcoming weekend! The bottles will be numbered. You don't want to miss out on this beauty!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful evening!
XO!





Saturday, August 22, 2015

Zoya Focus Collection for Fall 2015


Happy Saturday, dear readers! I hope you have had a wonderful week and currently enjoying the weekend! For today's blog post, I wanted to share some quick swatches of the new Zoya Focus collection. Let's check them out!

Charli
Dusty taupe cream that has a hint of green, but is still a perfect neutral

Charli is my favorite shade from this collection. It's between taupe and olive green, and it was love at first stroke. I wasn't sure at first how I would feel about it, butI can guarantee Charli will be getting a lot of love this season! Charli is densely pigmented, and I only needed one coat for opacity as shown here. The formula was superb and easy to work with as well!

Desiree
Classic sable brown cream that has just enough gray to keep it cool in tone

I feel like I have dipped my nails in one of those chocolate fountains with this polish! It is so warm and inviting, and it may even convert non-brown lovers into a fan. The formula was fantastic for this polish, and I used one coat for this photo. Of course I probably should have added a second coat since my camera picked up a couple thinner spots that I couldn't see with the naked eye.

Hannah
Clear, classic red cream with a balanced (neutral) undertone

Hannah is a gorgeous red cream, and I love that it is a neutral rather than being too warm or cool. It is a beautiful bright red, and I had no issues to report with the formula. I used two coats for this photo.

Janel
Deep red cream that has a warm undertone

Zoya kept up with the red theme by adding a darker red to the collection with Janel. I personally prefer my reds to be a little deeper, and Janel is more to my personal taste. This is the colour I envision being on my nails when I sitting my the fire staying warm while it snows outside. Let's just leave out that I don't like the snow, but if I DID, I would be wearing Janel in that scenario. I used two easy coats for this photo.

Lidia
Rich eggplant cream that has a blackened purple base and just a hint of red to make it more wearable for all skin tones

What a beautiful purple! I've actually been thinking about these darker purples recently and have been wanting one for on my nails. I'd love a matching lipstick as well so if you have suggestions, please let me know! As for Lidia, the colour is stunning, and I used two coats for these photos. Unlike the rest of this collection, I did find the formula to be rather thin, and I had a little bit of cuticle flooding. I still think this colour is worth having, but you may need to work a little slower than usual to prevent flooding.

Sia
True, royal blue cream

I just love this shade of blue! It's rich and vibrant, and I need more of this colour in my life! I had no issues to report with the formula, and I used two coat for this photo. It is very pigmented, so if you tend to use slightly thicker coats, you might find that you only need one coat for opacity. Zoya does warn to use a good quality base coat with this shade in particular as it may cause staining. I didn't have any staining issues with it, but I did want to make you aware that it is a potential stainer.

I love the variety of shades in the new Focus collection! Whether you prefer jewel tones or neutrals, or if you're like me and need ALL THE COLOURS, the Focus collection has a cream shade for you!

The Focus collection is currently available for purchase at Zoya.com. Each colour retails for $9.

Which colours are your favorites? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, have a wonderful day!
XO!

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Turtle Tuesday with Elevation and Pahlish

Good morning, dear readers! It's that time again- I've got another Turtle Tuesday manicure to share with you- that's now two weeks in a row! Check it out!
I decided to keep the nail art very minimal so I could really appreciate the complexity of the base nail polish colours. I used Elevation Polish Yeti's Healing Vibes and Pahlish Billy Bones for my base shades.
I added these adorable sea turtle tattoos from Sinful Colors nail tattoo sheets in Ink Out Loud and Rad-A-Tat. These tattoo sheets were released last summer, and I have no idea if you can find them any longer or not.

I love this manicure! It's definitely a simple design and super easy to do, but I couldn't let the turtle nail art take away from the gorgeous polishes!


I hope you've enjoyed today's Turtle Tuesday post! Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!
XO!





Monday, August 17, 2015

Ellagee: All Summer Long Collection Highlights and Loose Large Glitters

Happy Monday, dear readers! I am so glad to see the start of another week, especially since it is supposed to be far cooler than the hot weekend we just had here in Northern Cali. According to my phone, it got to 108 yesterday! I thought we left the desert behind when we moved here, but this summer has made me question that. It's still supposed to be quite warm this week, but thankfully we're not expecting to be in the triple digits.

For today's blog post, I wanted to embrace the neon trend we've been seeing all summer. It still feels like summer to me, and having young children that are not in school yet probably helps. I have three of the All Summer Long collection glitter toppers released by Ellagee to share with you in addition to the new loose glitters that are now available for purchase. Let's check them out!

Sea Dancers over
Glam Polish Ko Olina and Zoya Ali
I am smitten with this glitter topper! The neon glitter combination is so pretty, and I love the rainbow flashes from the silver holographic dolphin glitters found in this polish. The glitters dispersed quite nicely across my nails, and I did not have to dig whatsoever for these dolphins. What you see on my nails is how many my brush picked up with each dip in the polish. I dabbed on about a coat of polish over the base shades and topped my nails off with topcoat for these photos.
I wanted even MORE dolphins, so I used the larger dolphin glitters to add to this manicure. I decided to lay them out in the Pisces-esque head-to-tail pattern on my accent nail. One thing to note about these glitters is that they prefer to stay very flat. This was actually quite surprising because the glitters themselves are quite thin- thinner than most other glitters I have every encountered, and yet they still resisted conforming to the curvature of my nails. They are super cute though, so if you do have C-curved nails, plan to work slowly and to hold down the glitters individually for at least 10 seconds on each edge to keep them from popping back up.

Bubble Up over
LynBDesigns Millicent and Sweet Heart Polish Stoked
I absolutely LOVE circular glitters, and this particular polish feels so feminine with all the pink and purple glitters. I opted to stick with pink and purple for my base shades to stick with the girly feel in addition to making the green and blue pop just a little bit more. The glitters came out of the bottle very easily, including the larger rounds, and they spread nicely over my nails. I dabbed on about a coat on each nail and topped my nails off with top coat.
I thought about saving this manicure for a Turtle Tuesday post, but it seemed wrong to not include this with the rest of the looks I created for today's post. The turtle glitters weren't as problematic about curving around my nail beds, likely because I put them in a slightly flatter area in addition to being a smaller, more compact shape to begin with. They are adorable, and I have a feeling they will be used quite a bit!

Melon Balls over
Zoya Heidi and Purity
While I love all three Ellagee shades I've shared today, Melon Balls in the neon glitter topper I think of when it is summer. Melon Balls is citrus is a bottle! This glitter combination is so bright and vibrant, and hey look, it's a collection of the round glitters that I love! I dabbed on about a coat of this glitter topper over my base before adding top coat. Like the other polishes I shared already, the glitters dispersed easily over my nails.
I was so excited to create the accent nail for this particular manicure, but the execution was just sad. I love the music note shape, but these glitters were definitely not the easiest to work with and hold down in place. I stamped piano keys from stamping plate BM-207 by Bundle Monster before adding top coat and then placing the glitters. Because I had to hold down the glitters rather than just gently place them, the piano keys ended up getting distorted between the combination of top coat and pressure. I was not rushing by any means to create this look, but I think it would have worked out better if I let the top coat harden and then used either a second coat or nail glue to apply the glitters. I really wish this turned out prettier, but I thought you would appreciate the extra tips I've learned from my failures on how to make these loose glitters work for you.

These and the remaining toppers from the All Summer Long collection are available for purchase from Ellagee here. In addition to these three, there are other fun toppers in the collection with some adorable shaped glitters added to the mix to choose from! 

The larger loose glitters can be purchased from Ellagee here. You will receive a small bag containing a teaspoon of your chosen glitter shape in assorted colours. 

You're going to want to follow Ellagee on Facebook here for shop announcements and photos (check out her newly released Dragon collection while you're there!). 











Press Release: China Glaze The Great Outdoors

BE ONE WITH NATURE

The Colour Adventure Continues with China Glaze® Fall Collection
#CGTheGreatOutdoors
#CampChinaGlaze

Deadlines to meet. Trains to catch. Speeding cars. Loud sirens. In the hustle and bustle of today’s fast paced world, it is easy to lose sight of the true beauty that surrounds us. It can be a challenge to slow down and appreciate the wondrous world all around. This fall, China Glaze® encourages you to do just that with its The Great Outdoors collection. Continuing on its 2015 Colour Adventure, China Glaze® explores the vast tones and textures of the wilderness. These 12 new nature-inspired shades inspire you to ground yourself, even if for just a moment, and appreciate the treasures of the great outdoors that shimmer, sparkle and wow.

Unplug and reconnect with nature with The Great Outdoors shades:

·       S’More Fun: Adventurous lemon lime crème
·       Gone Glamping: Gold to green duo chrome
·       Take a Hike: Rich mossy green crème  
·       Let’s Dew It: Multi dimensional blue gray glitter
·       Sleeping Under the Stars: Dark blue with stardust shimmer
·       Pondering: Deep amethyst duo chrome
·       Check Out the Silver Fox: Metallic gunmetal gray
·       Change Your Altitude: Pebble greige crème
·       Wood You Wanna?: Rich brown burgundy metallic
·       My Lodge or Yours?: Natural mauve crème
·       Cabin Fever: Pink to copper dup chrome
·       Free Bear Hugs: Deep black red crème

In addition to open stock colours, China Glaze®The Great Outdoors also includes two kits, the Wood You Wanna? 6-piece set and Happy Campers 6-piece Micro Mini Kit.






China Glaze® is also offering a nail design kit, On the Hunt Camo Mani Design Kit, which includes three shades from the collection and a black Stripe Rite liner to create a camouflage nail design to make sure your nails do anything but blend in to the background.


China Glaze® The Great Outdoors will be available in August 2015 at Ulta and Sally Beauty Supply, as well as fine salons.  MSRP $7.50 for individual shades. 

For more information, please visit www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze® on Facebook (@ChinaGlazeOfficial), Instagram (@ChinaGlazeOfficial), Twitter (@ChinaGlaze) and Pinterest (pinterest.com/chinaglaze).


Friday, August 14, 2015

Flashback Friday: Galaxy Nails

Good morning, dear readers, and happy Friday! I hope you have had a wonderful week and are looking forward to fun weekend plans! As for myself, I am eager to get in a nap or two since my husband will be home from work to help out around the house. That lovely advice of "sleep when the baby sleeps" is fantastic when you've had your first baby, but it is definitely not an option when you've got a toddler running havoc on the house at the same time. At least I have plenty of time to prepare payback for the teenage years. Bwahahahaha!

Because the addition of another baby is a big change for me and my family, I've found myself reminiscing about the long, long ago (as my husband and I affectionately refer to as the time before kids), and I decided to carry that over into my blog today in a Flashback Friday post. I started blogging over three and a half years ago, and my very first post was featuring galaxy nail art. Check it out!
I cannot help but laugh when I look at this picture! I had decided to participate in a nail art contest, and the theme was art inspired by your coffee mug. Apparently I decided I needed to either go big or go home in my selection of starting my blog off with creating a galaxy. This was actually my very first attempt at any nail art! I love galaxy nails because they are practically impossible to mess up and they just look fantastic. Here's a funny little tidbit about this picture: I could not figure out how to pose with the mug and hold the camera; my husband had to take my very first blog photo for me. While he may not be involved with my blog, he certainly has been supportive since day 1, and this photo is proof of that! Here is the link to the original post although I left out all information on how-to and what colours I used.

Because I love galaxy nails so much, I ended up featuring them once again on my blog about a year ago. The final nail art look ended up looking a little different than my first attempt, but I love them both for their own reasons. My nails certainly have grown (and broke a few times) during this time, and I am happy to report I did eventually figure out how to hold a camera and photograph my nails at the same time. Haha! The details can be found on my original post here.

Thank you for joining me in today's Flashback Friday post! I really enjoyed going back to where I started, and I may have to do a similar post in the future! I may even need to do galaxy nails again! ;)

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!
XO!

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Turtle Tuesday with Literary Lacquers and MoYou London

Good morning, dear readers, and happy Tuesday! If you've been following me for awhile, I'm sure you've noticed I've been incorporating nail art into my blog a lot recently. I don't often have a lot of time so I am generally limited to fairly quick designs, and occasionally I just cannot decide how I want to paint my nails. After a post this summer when I featured Literary Lacquers Salt and Sweetness with my awesome turtle charm, I decided I really needed to have a Turtle Tuesday post. To celebrate my love of sea turtles, I decided that I would have a Turtle Tuesday post every Tuesday this month. Let's just pretend I didn't miss last Tuesday. I *might* have been a little busy and sleep deprived with a newborn then, lol! Rather than me continue to ramble on like a crazy person, let's get to my first Turtle Tuesday!
To start off my nail art look, I used Stranger Miracles by Literary Lacquers. I originally chose this shade because it was inspired by the sea turtle. It was created as part of the August 2014 "Sea Wonders" themed Holo Grail Box. Here we are in August a whole year later! I'm going to pretend it was intentional and not an accident that it worked out so perfectly. ;)
I then added a "spotted" layer of Zoya Purity by putting a drop on top of water as if I were water marbeling, spritzing alcohol onto the polish, and then dipping my nails into the polish. I then used Zoya Willa on different sea turtle patterns found on the MoYou London Explorer plate #16.
The Zoya white layer ended up a little thicker than I originally wanted, but I really dig this final look!

I hope you have enjoyed my first Turtle Tuesday post! I'll have another one up next week!

Until next time, have a wonderful day!
XO!





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