Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Lacquer Link Love


Tuli shows us some super sweet and very pretty manicure ideas in honour of the Passover holiday.

Konadomania gives us some animal magic with a ggggggreat OPI Dim Sum Plum konadicure.

Check out Naive Nails modeling an all time classic China Glaze - such a QT!

Brooke traveled from Hong Kong to Japan for her latest manicure! Check out her Konad design with OPI Red My Fortune Cookie and KOH Black Stars.

Warning – if you click here, you will create a new lemming with this amazing mermaid shimmer shown by Perfect10 Beauty. She also brings news on a bargain matte topcoat.

Evil Angel does Cute! Check here to see her brilliant Cute As Hell Konad extravaganza!

The Swatchaholic keeps us craving softer shades with some amazing shots of Illamasqua's new pastel collection.

Cucumpear shows off some striking nail art with a cool mix of gloss on matte.

Head on over to Polish on Digital Paper to remember your childhood with the cutest Care Bear themed nail art.

Moncoinamoua gets her hands on the ones everyone’s been waiting for. Click here to see her amazing swatches of OPI’s new Shrek collection, and be prepared to fall accidentally in love with them.

You’re the one that I want! Helen shows off her Pink Lady credentials with a fab fuschia from Models Own.

Sasha shows off her BFF Best Boyfriend over at Manicure Mommas.


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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

China Glaze Poolside Skittles

left to right- all China Glaze from the Poolside Collection
Sun Worshiper (orange)
Towel Boy Toy (blue)
Yellow Polka Dot Bikini (yellow)
Pool Party (pink)
Kiwi Cool-Ada (green)

All are four coats over one coat of China Glaze White on White, topped with Seche Vite.

I haven't worked with neons much, but I had good luck with a few and not so good luck with others.

One thing to note: These dry super fast, which is really nice, especially when you are having to do 4 coats!

I got good coverage and nice color from the blue, pink, and green, but wasn't happy with the result with the orange and yellow. The latter were quite streaky and I wasn't even sure that a 5th coat would take care of it, so I didn't try.

I think these will make great pedi colors and can see myself sporting the the blue, pink, and green (and also Flip Flop Fantasy, which I have actually already done a pedi with) all summer.

Disclosure: This polish collection was provided to Sasha by China Glaze for review purposes.

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Monday, March 29, 2010

NOTD: Essie Petal Pink


Essie Petal Pink


Today I am wearing another shade from the new Essie Wedding Collection.

Petal Pink is what I wanted OPI Bubble Bath to be- a sheer, almost even, baby pink. For some reason Bubble Bath doesn't suit me, but I think Petal Pink does. I do see some streakiness, but that's to be expected with a polish this sheer.

This is three coats with a top coat of Seche Vite. I did notice some shrinkage on the tips- I painted them last night and took the picture today, and you can already see some tip wear and I certainly haven't done anything to warrant tip wear.

Stay tuned for more shades from the Wedding Collection.

Disclosure: This polish was provided to Sasha by Essie for review purposes.


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Friday, March 26, 2010

NOTD: Essie Show Me the Ring

Essie Show Me the Ring

Today I am wearing another shade from the new Essie Wedding Collection.

Show Me the Ring is gorgeous! It's a light shimmery gold that is very wedding or work-appropriate. This is two coats with a top coat of Seche Vite.

Stay tuned for more shades from the Wedding Collection.
Disclosure: This polish was provided to Sasha by Essie for review purposes.

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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

NOTD: Essie BFF Best Boyfriend


Essie BFF Best Boyfriend

If you are looking for a neutral shade for your wedding, or you work in a very conservative office setting, Essie's new Wedding Collection is for you! Over the next week, I'll be showing you swatches of all the shades.

Today I am wearing BFF Best Boyfriend, which is a mouthful! I did three thin coat and was pleased with the result. It's certainly not opaque, but the coverage is nice and even, although there is a visible nail line.

Topped with Seche Vite, this dried quite quickly.

Stayed tuned for more of the Essie Wedding Collection.
Disclosure: This polish was provided to Sasha by Essie for review purposes.

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Upcoming Swatches: Essie Wedding Collection


I was lucky enough to receive the Essie Wedding Collection for review purposes and am excited to show it to you. Stay tuned for a pic of BFF Best Boyfriend later today. It's almost a Mannequin Hand contender for my skin tone.

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TOTD: China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy



China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy

What a great pedi color! This is from the new Poolside collection. I had no application problems- this is only 2 coats and I think the coverage is great- no streaks or bald spots at all.

I am ready for spring/summer now!


Disclosure: This polish was provided to Sasha by China Glaze.


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Monday, March 22, 2010

Dear Sephora,

I need to know when these shades will be available and what the collection is called! You snuck them in on your website under the Modern Flowers collection, but there's been no announcement, at least not that I've seen. I need to know the details!

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Friday, March 19, 2010

NOTD: Finger Paints Decked With Dazzle



Finger Paints Decked With Dazzle

Finally some sun! This is an outside shot and really represents the true color. It's very pretty. And at two coats, I'm very happy!

I ran across some of the Revlon ColorStay topcoat at Big Lots, and I know a lot of people use this under their Seche Vite, so I gave that a try. I must say, I see no shrinkage and no tip wear on day 3, so I'm pretty impressed. The picture above was taken on day 2.

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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

NOTD: Sephora by OPI Iris I Was Thinner



Sephora by OPI Iris I Was Thinner
(and yes, I wish I was)

A three coater, outside, but no sun. This pic is pretty close to the actual color.

I love it! So springy, and I even got a "Love your nail polish" comment at bible study last night. Typically I shun three coaters, but I didn't mind so much. One coat of Seche Vite and it dried quickly, just as a two coater would.

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Monday, March 15, 2010

Walkin' on the wild side ...


... well, just a little bit! I have started liking zebra print, but only in small doses. I thought I'd be brave and try out these fun tips. I am actually lovin' them ... I had dark pink acrylic put on as the back fill and clear acrylic put over the tips so they would stand out better (the dark pink would have added a sheer pink to the design).



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Friday, March 12, 2010

Lacquer Link Love 3-12-10



Brooke took a tour of Hong Kong and has the polish swatches to prove it! Check out all the colors from OPI's newest collection and see which ones she loves the most at Babbling Brooke.

Tuli opened up a virtual polish market to facilitate polish swaps at Tuli's Nails! Check it out and sign up - someone may just be trading that polish you've been looking everywhere for.

Landa went totally holographic at Bright Lights, Big Color - and it only cost her $2!

Rija of Polishing the Nails has some Pistachio ice cream nails. Who would have thought a Laguna Lagoon would be so beautifully minty?

Check out how OPI's hottest new shade, Jade is the New Black, stacks up against a few other greens at Prim and Polished!

The Dutch Nail Blog swatched some scandalous polishes from Cheeky Monkey Cosmetics. Check out her great Konad and see just why these polishes are called 'Cheeky'!

Purple looks great with purple, especially on GildedAngel's nails! Pop over to Naive Nails to see her lovely Konad.

A taupe is a taupe is a taupe, right? Not so fast! Look at how a variety of taupes stack up against each other at The Swatchaholic. Which one is your favorite?

Are you loving Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland? Check out Therese's great Alice in Wonderland mani at Nail Design, and learn how to do it yourself with her tutorial!

Nail'd and Polish'd has some gorgeous pops of spring color from Ulta's polish collection. What's your favorite shade?

Get a taste of OPI's delicious Hong Kong collection at Manicure Mommas, and check out how gorgeous they look matte!

Take a walk down glittery Canal Street with Helen at Just Nice Things.

Did you love the Oscars? Relive the glamour and excitement with Niki's awesome manicure, representing each movie on one nail. Wow!

How does Nars Purple Rain stack up against China Glaze Let's Groove? Check out My Guilty Pleasure's comparison, and decide if the $21 price tag is worth it for the Nars!

And now.....Giveaways!!!


Check out...


Rija is giving away 6 gorgeous glittery polishes in celebration of her birthday. Check it out before March 21!

Win two polishes from the OPI Hong Kong collection at Manicure Mommas! Enter before March 22!

European readers, enter to win some Konad and China Glaze to get you polishing this spring at The Dutch Nail Blog! Enter before March 21.

Enter to win a boatload of goodies, including OPI polishes from the Hong Kong collection at Bright Lights, Big Color! Enter before March 19!

Babbling Brooke has teamed up with Designer Blogs to give away a blog makeover. Enter to win before March 27!


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Monday, March 8, 2010

NOTD: Finger Paints Icy Iris

Finger Paints Icy Iris topped with Seche Vite

This is one of the gorgeous Finger Paints Holiday 2009 polishes that Brooke gave me right before the holidays at our beer-and-wing night, and I must say her swatches are so much more representative of the actual color than mine- so go see hers too!

I was a little worried about this color after the first coat because it was very uneven. I didn't need to worry, though, because a second coat fixed it nicely and I didn't even need a third.

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Friday, March 5, 2010

Lacquer Link Love Roundup 3-5-10

Tuli's Nails shares her festivities during Purim with us and creates a colorful manicure that's perfect for the celebration.

Chromatic Misadventures brings us a host of Models Own swatches this week in an array of colors

Phresh Mentality found a little inspiration in Rihanna's Rude Boy video for the phresh design she's brought us this week.

Have nail issues or questions you'd like to discuss with a nail specialist? Well get your questions ready because polishSWATCHES is starting a new blog series called "Nail Talk"... with celebrity manicurist Tashina, from Poochiez Nail Studio in Atlanta. Submit your questions by using the contact form at the top of the blog page.

Polishg the Nails shows off Adore from China Glaze. Have you ever seen this color from the 2009 Romantique collection?

Naive Nails channels the orient to bring us a a very pretty konadicure she's called the Jaded Tiger.

The Swatchaholic was able to get her hands on the Essence Cute as Hell collection and brings us some wonderful swatches of all the pretty pastel colors.

Travel with Euridice is sharing a Color Club Color that you absolutely have to get your hands on this spring. Or should I say on your hands?! :)

Polish Galore is showing off some hologram goodness. Hint: This color is sure to have you LOL. ;)

Manicure Mommas shed a little light on the new fun and quirky polish brand called Cheeky Monkey.

and Polish Freak is showing off a color that has set the polish world on fire.

Helen's Nice Things wants you to know they have a brand spanking new site AND a new web address at.... Just Nice Things! So have a visit and change your blogrolls accordingly from http://www.helensheenie.wordpress.com/ to http://www.just-nice-things.co.uk/

And now.....Giveaways!!!

Check out...

The Konadomania Giveaway in honor of her gaining 100 blog followers

and

The Chromatic Misadventures Giveaway in honor of her gaining 300 blog followers

Congratulations Ladies!!!


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NOTD: Nubar Vital (Matte) w/ Seche Vite


Nubar Vital (Matte) w/ Seche Vite

Oh, this mani was a big FAIL. I may have a rogue bottle of Nubar- the brush is almost fan-shaped and I had the worst time getting a good paint job with it. Mattes can be hard anyway, since they dry so fast, but this was impossible. After two coats, it looked terrible.

I added a coat of Seche Vite to try to salvage it, and it did help a little, but I still didn't love it.

Anyone have better luck than me with the Nubar mattes?

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