NOTD: Dr.'s REMEDY ESSENTIAL Emerald

Dr.'s REMEDY ESSENTIAL Emerald

from their Jolly and Joy Collection

Description: A take on the classic tree-and-plant-inspired gem of a shade, with delicate glimmer and unparalleled amounts of glamour.

I had just one last shade left to swatch in this collection- now I'm done! That's at least that's one thing I completed in 2011!

This shade applied like a dream- 1 coat was almost opaque, but it did need a second to completely even it out. So pretty.

Dr.'s REMEDY is a line of doctor-inspired cosmetics that is dedicated to using clean, hypoallergenic ingredients. The birth-child of two New York-based podiatrists, Dr. Adam Cirlincione and Dr. William Spielfogel, Dr.'s REMEDY proves quintessentially-perfect for any person looking to better the condition of her skin and nails. Dr.'s REMEDY is sold exclusively at www.remedynails.com or by calling 877-323-NAIL.

Other places to follow Dr.'s Remedy:
https://www.facebook.com/Remedynails
http://twitter.com/#!/remedynails

Disclosure: The polish swatched above was provided for review purposes.

NOTD: China Glaze Glittering Garland

China Glaze Glittering Garland

When I started nail blogging, green was still an off-limits color for me. I am not sure why, but I just didn't think I could wear it. But now that I have relaxed a little, I realize I LOVE green nail polish. Isn't this gorgeous? The above swatch is two coats.

NOTD: Dr.'s REMEDY SERENE Silver Glitter

Dr.'s REMEDY SERENE Silver Glitter

from their Jolly and Joy Collection

Description: A season sizzler like no other; shine, chic, totally unique in the metallic scene.

Look at all those gorgeous glittering colors hiding in that silver! I see red, green, blue, pink- it's just an amazing polish.

Dr.'s REMEDY is a line of doctor-inspired cosmetics that is dedicated to using clean, hypoallergenic ingredients. The birth-child of two New York-based podiatrists, Dr. Adam Cirlincione and Dr. William Spielfogel, Dr.'s REMEDY proves quintessentially-perfect for any person looking to better the condition of her skin and nails. Dr.'s REMEDY is sold exclusively at www.remedynails.com or by calling 877-323-NAIL.

Other places to follow Dr.'s Remedy:
https://www.facebook.com/Remedynails
http://twitter.com/#!/remedynails

Disclosure: The polish swatched above was provided for review purposes.

NOTD: Nicole by OPI All Reindeer Go to Heaven topped with Extra Snowflakes Please

Last month I picked up the Nicole by OPI Merry Must Have Minis at Target for about $10, and I am absolutely loving this set. It contains four shades: All Reindeer Go To Heaven, Extra Snowflakes Please, Miss Claus' Night Out, and How Rude-olph!

I was excited to see that Extra Snowflakes Please is a dupe for my beloved Cover Girl City Lights.

Nicole by OPI All Reindeer Go to Heaven

topped with Extra Snowflakes Please

and look at those gorgeous multi-colored glitters in low light with a flash!

Hope you have had a happy holiday season!

NOTD: China Glaze Ring in the Red

China Glaze Poinsettia (2 coats)

topped with

China Glaze Ring in the Red (1 coat)

I thought this was a pretty combo! From pictures I'd seen, I knew that Ring in the Red wasn't

full-coverage, so I did a base coat with Poinsettia, which is gorgeous on it's own.

NOTD: Stila Kitten

Stila Kitten

from the Delicate Set (top set in the pic below)

Kitten (third from left on top) is described as "nude base with gold and silver pearl"

I have to admit I was a little underwhelmed with this shade. As a lover of the Kitten eyeshadow, I was hoping to love this as well. The main thing I love about the eyeshadow is the glow- it has a beautiful shimmering quality, and that's something they didn't follow through with for the nail polish.

To me, the base was a bit murky, and that kept the glitter from sparkling. While it *is* pretty, it's just not what I thought Kitten nail polish would be.

Hope to find time to try some of the other shades soon and let you know what I think.

Have you tried the Stila nail polish yet?

NOTD: Dr.'s REMEDY RESOLUTION Red Glitter

Dr.'s REMEDY RESOLUTION Red Glitter

from their JOLLY and JOY collection

I have to admit when I read the name and swatched it, I thought "Red glitter? This is quite pink...."

Their press release described the shade as a red-meets-copper spin that's sequin-look-alike laden with high-shine and sparkle.

And I actually think that's pretty accurate. Application was great- super coverage in two coats, and it dried super-fast.

Dr.'s REMEDY is a line of doctor-inspired cosmetics that is dedicated to using clean, hypoallergenic ingredients. The birth-child of two New York-based podiatrists, Dr. Adam Cirlincione and Dr. William Spielfogel, Dr.'s REMEDY proves quintessentially-perfect for any person looking to better the condition of her skin and nails. Dr.'s REMEDY is sold exclusively at www.remedynails.com or by calling 877-323-NAIL.

Disclosure: The polish swatched above was provided for review purposes.

Dr.'s Remedy PASSION Purple w/ Cover Girl City Lights

Dr.'s Remedy PASSION Purple

topped with Cover Girl City Lights

After my success last time I used City Lights over blue, I had to try it again. And I really like it over purple too!

Disclosure: The Dr's Remedy polish was sent to me for review purposes. The Cover Girl polish was purchased by me.

Swatch: Dr.'s Remedy PASSION Purple

Dr.'s Remedy PASSION Purple

from their JOLLY and JOY collection

How pretty is this?

It's described as: a bombshell-boysenberry with subtle silver meshed throughout

Dr.'s Remedy is having a great Black Friday to Cyber Monday sale.... buy any polish for only $14 (regular price is $17) and get free shipping. Offer begins at 5 am on 11/25 and expires on 11/28 at 11:59 pm.

Dr.'s REMEDY is a line of doctor-inspired cosmetics that is dedicated to using clean, hypoallergenic ingredients. The birth-child of two New York-based podiatrists, Dr. Adam Cirlincione and Dr. William Spielfogel, Dr.'s REMEDY proves quintessentially-perfect for any person looking to better the condition of her skin and nails. Dr.'s REMEDY is sold exclusively at www.remedynails.com or by calling 877-323-NAIL.

Disclosure: The polish swatched above was provided for review purposes.

Swatches: Dr.'s Remedy Fall 2011

I can't believe it's already the week of Thanksgiving! I have been hoping for a nice sunny day to photograph the Fall Dr.'s Remedy line, but I just had a bit of time this weekend, so I did single-finger shots.

Fall 2011 will be fierce: leaves will change, for sure, and temps will follow suit. But the real news relates to the hues of this season. Indeed, we're revolutionarily-ready to welcome a crisper, cleaner, clearer collection of colors, kudos to Dr.'s REMEDY insight and excitement over autumn. These hues celebrate the season that screams renewal: a rich bordeaux; a modern burgundy; a navy-meets-royal blue. We welcome you to invite your nails to dance in Dr.'s REMEDY FALL FEVER 2011.

Left to right: BALANCE Brick, DEFENSE Deep Red, NOBEL Navy

NOBEL Navy: A sea-at-dusk shade that reflects light and brings dimension to tips and toes alike


This swatch is two coats. It covered really nicely, but since it was a bit thin, it had a tendency to pool around the cuticles. Since the shade is so dark, cleanup was a bit tough and you can see I had a bit of trouble getting a clean clean-up line. It's a great shade though and I'll definitely be doing a full mani, and taking my time and working to keep it out of the cuticle area.

DEFENSE Deep Red: A rich bordeaux with a mystifying matte finish

The above swatch is three coats, and I had a difficult time with this one. It was extremely thin, and it ran like crazy. Clean-up did not go well. It also did not seem to dry as matte as I expected it would.

BALANCE Brick: A modern maroon with body and balance

This shade was the best of the bunch- covered great in two coats, and was a bit thicker so I didn't have any migrating problems.

Dr.'s REMEDY is a line of doctor-inspired cosmetics that is dedicated to using clean, hypo-allergenic ingredients. The birth-child of two New York-based podiatrists, Dr. Adam Cirlincione and Dr. William Spielfogel, Dr.'s REMEDY proves quintessentially-perfect for any person looking to better the condition of her skin and nails; their Enriched Nail Polish is the first-ever nail polish on the market approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association. Dr.'s REMEDY is sold online at www.remedynails.com or by calling 1-877-323-NAIL.

Dr's. Remedy is on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Remedynails) as well as Twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/remedynails).

NOTD: China Glaze Poinsettia & Sephora by OPI Be-Claus I Said So

China Glaze Poinsettia

The above swatch is 2 coats and this is a pretty coral red cream. I do have to tell you that I painted my nails about 9 pm and topped 2 coats of color with Seche Vite, and then went to bed about 10. When I woke up this morning I had a bit of sheet marks, which never happens to me. I went ahead and used one coat of the Color Stay topcoat to even the finish out before this pic.

China Glaze Poinsettia
topped with Sephora by OPI Be-Claus I Said So

But I wasn't too concerned, because I already planned on using another of the glitter toppers from Sephora by OPI's Glimmer Wonderland collection. This one is described as clear with medium and chunky red glitter, and I'd say that's about right.

Note that you definitely need to use a regular topcoat after these glitter toppers, because they dry a bit matte. After apply a coat of SV, I took the above pic. I really like it!

GDA on Stila Nail Polish- Plus Free Shipping

Stila is offering both of their new nail polish sets for $24. AND if you use code SFCGGDY3ET , you will get free shipping on EVERYTHING, no minimum! Hell of a deal.

Also, Stila participates in Ebates, so you can also get 6% back if you start there. Ebates is also offering a great holiday referral special- if you have 5 friends sign up through your referral link. you'll get $75! So even if you already are signed up, remember to pass on to your friends about Ebates for their holiday shopping.

Disclosure: This post contains a referral link for Ebates. However, those signing up under my link will also get a sign-up bonus from Ebates (typically $5-10).

NOTD: Sephora by OPI Countdown to the Kiss plus bonus

Sephora by OPI Countdown to the Kiss

from the Glimmer Wonderland Collection

Oh, it was a blustery day yesterday! Absolutely no sun, ugly cloudy, and rainy. Absolutely no chance for a good outside pic. Such a shame because this was quite a pretty shade! It's an opaque royal blue with medium glitter that is a bit lighter blue.

I had some time last night before bed, and one of my nails broke a bit so I spent some time filing them down. Then I decided to try topping it with a Cover Girl sparkle topcoat that I picked up a few years ago, but hadn't had a chance to try.

Sephora by OPI Countdown to the Kiss

topped with Cover Girl City Lights

WOW! Isn't that pretty in the sun? This may be my new favorite topper. I can't stop staring at my nails! I added two coats of the CG sparkle topcoat and then topped it with SV.

NOTD: Nicole by OPI Orna-ment For Each Other

Nicole by OPI Orna-ment For Each Other

This is a new glitter that came out this holiday season, and it's really pretty- it's a clear base with mostly red glitter, but enough gold glitter to give it a gorgeous look. The glitter is dense enough that the above swatch is just two coats. The first coat you're thinking, whoa- this is going to four coats! But the second coat really evens it up nicely.

HOWEVER, this was chip-tastic on me. I used two coats topped with Seche Vite, and after one shower I had a giant chip on one finger. I left it alone, and by the end of the day, I had chips on about 7 fingers. So it might be nice for a special occasion, like a holiday party, but I don't think it's hearty enough to wear as a 3-4 day mani.

NOTD: Sephora by OPI Chestnuts About You topped with Don't Be Eggnog-ious

Sephora by OPI Chestnuts About You

topped with Don't Be Eggnog-ious

both from the Glimmer Wonderland Collection

I am REALLY liking this! After trying this today, I totally think the three glitters were meant to be used as toppers.

Don't Be Eggnog-ious is described as clear with medium and chunky copper glitter

NOTD: Sephora by OPI Chestnuts About You

Sephora by OPI Chestnuts About You

from the Glimmer Wonderland Collection

Described as opaque pink champagne with fine glitter

The above swatch is two coats, and this is another gorgeous foil. I've got a presentation at work this morning, so I had to keep my mani work-appropriate, but I plan on topping this with Don't Be Eggnog-ious (copper glitter topcoat from the collection) later today and taking a pic.

Info on China Glaze Eye Candy Collection

Yesterday I got a press release on a new China Glaze collection called "Eye Candy".

Forget diamonds! This winter China Glaze introduces a nail industry first: utilizing 3-D glitters in its new “Eye Candy” collection. Inspired by Marilyn Monroe and her timeless allure, this innovative new glitter technology provides a knock-your-eyes-out, super sparkly effect to your manicure. Multi-sized and differently shaped glitter particles are cleverly combined to create a sexy, super decadent, 3-D finish in six bright, eye-popping shades. Whether you prefer gleaming gold or glamorous smoky grey, China Glaze’s “Eye Candy” collection adds a dazzling finish to your holiday look with a glimmer that is sure to catch everyone’s eye! Colors in this collection include:

· Love Marilyn: Vivacious Red with Shimmering Silver Particles
· Blonde Bombshell: Glistening Multidimensional Gold Flecks
· Lorelei’s Tiara: Sterling Silver Infused with Blue Sprinkles
· Material Girl: Posh pink with Holographic Bubblegum Glitter
· Some Like It Haute: Graphite Gray with Holographic Glitter
· Marry A Millionaire: Alluring Amethyst with Multi-tonal Fibers

These looks really pretty! The press release did not give a release date, but I hope to find these soon.

NOTD: Sephora by OPI Naughty is the New Nice

Sephora by OPI Naughty is the New Nice

Well, well, well! We have a name for the Sephora by OPI holiday collection.

Glimmer Wonderland!

I had seen that phrase used labeling their special mini sets for Christmas, but also wondered if that name had anything to do with the 10 shades I had purchased before the collection had its own page.

At any rate, I think Naughty is the New Nice is so pretty! The above swatch is 2 coats and covered wonderfully. It's described as opaque ice blue with fine silver glitter and I think that's quite an appropriate description. This is actually probably my favorite of the four I have tried so far from this collection.

NOTD: Sephora by OPI Sugar Plum Fairies Gone Wild

Sephora by OPI Sugar Plum Fairies Gone Wild

from the Glimmer Wonderland collection

The above swatch is two coats pf SPFGW. After trying it on it's own, I personally think it needs to be used on top of a base color- this would probably look fabulous over Stop Stocking Me!

It's really eye-catching and a glitter-bomb. Quite hungry as well- I just used one coat of Seche Vite and it was pretty bumpy.

Sephora by OPI Stop Stocking Me! (better pic)

Sephora by OPI Stop Stocking Me!

from the Glimmer Wonderland collection

I just HAD to get a better pic of this beauty.... I actually wore this for almost 4 days, I loved it so much!

NOTD: Sephora by OPI Stock Stocking Me!

Sephora by OPI Stock Stocking Me!

from the Glimmer Wonderland collection

(and yes, I'm holding a different colored bottle! I forgot to grab the purple for the pic)

There is no sun today so an overcast shot is all I've got. But this shade is gorgeous! It was almost a 1-coater, but I went ahead and did two to make sure I had even coverage.

NOTD: Sephora by OPI New Year's Red-solution

Sephora by OPI New Year's Red-solution

from the Glimmer Wonderland collection

Pretty... the gold veining in the bottle is, of course, not visible on the nail, but it's pretty, nonetheless.

Two coats, and absolutely no shrinkage with SV. Slight tip wear- I shuffle paper for a living you know!

Sephora by OPI Holiday Collection: Bottle Pics

Today I got my Sephora order, and I couldn't rip it open fast enough! I am so excited about this collection- they are GORGEOUS!

L to R

Keep Me on My Mistletoes

Chestnuts About You

Don't Be Eggnog-ious

Sugar Plum Fairies Gone Wild

Stop Stocking Me!

Naughty is the New Nice

New Year's Red-solution

Countdown to the Kiss

Good Tidings We Bling!

Be-Claus I Said So

Can't wait to swatch them!

NOTD: OPI Warm & Fozzie

OPI Warm & Fozzie

My sister in law had this on the other night and texted me a pic. I was so excited to see how good it looked, and also dying because I hadn't gotten my Muppets mini set I'd ordered online. It arrived last night and I was so excited to try it.

And.... I love it! By the way, I never get tired of pics with mini bottles... faux giant hands crack me up!

Warm & Fozzie was named for Fozzie Bear and is a warm bronze. There are red and gold shimmering glitter, and in some light you even catch some green. I did three coats to minimize the visible nail line. I am over the top in love with this color- such a great fall shade!

NOTD: Sally Hansen Nail Polish Strips in Ghoulie Girl

Sally Hansen Nail Polish Strips in Ghoulie Girl

I have had two really good experiences using Sally Hansen Nail Polish Strips. But this round did not go as well...... I can't put my finger on it (pun!) but they just didn't apply as easily and I also had trouble getting the edges to stay down.

It was quite a downer, because the design was adorable!

Vintage Stila Nail Polish

Last week I got an email from Stila that they would be launching a nail polish collection. I've seen quite a few bloggers post about these new polishes.

What people may not know is that this isn't Stila's first foray into nail polish. In my collection, I have two bottles of Stila Nail Shimmer, most likely from the late-90s.

Stila Nail Shimmer in isis (left) and hebe (right)

This is a terrible picture, but here's a NOTD pic I did back in June of 2009 wearing Stila hebe.

Today I have on isis and will get a pic once the sun comes out. Surprisingly, the polish has done well over time and didn't even need any thinner to perform well.

NOTD: Revlon Carbonite

Revlon Carbonite

This was Revlon's answer to Chanel Graphite. I love that Revlon has been doing affordable versions of hip shades.

This was almost identical in formula to OPI's suede polish. It dried crazy-quick and with an almost matte finish. I went ahead and did two coats, although I probably could have gotten away with one the coverage was so good. I topped it with Seche Vite to make it more shiny. I wore this for almost 4 days before I started to get any chips.

Gelish Info

Back in August Polish Insomniac posted about at-home gel nails, something I had been thinking about trying, but just hadn't gotten around to. At that time, Sally's was running a special on the Gelish mini UV light and the Gelish starter kit, so I went for it. I am SO glad I did!



Here's my first try at a full mani- this is two coats of Harmony Gelish Star Burst. I actually purchased Star Burst on Amazon because it seemed to be the cheapest option for full-sized bottles.

Here's what comes in the starter set.

And this is the light. I read all the reviews on this light and it seemed like a great way to go to begin.

A few tips:

1. One thing I read was that even though the light uses batteries, it is better to use a power adapter because the strength of the light goes down as the batteries go down. But if you use a power adapter, the strength of the light is constant and it works much better. So that's what I've been doing- we have tons of power adapters lying around from toys, so I just grabbed one of those and just plug it in each time I use it.

2. It's not really necessary to use the Gelish Cleanse.... once I run out of the starter bottle, I'll use the higher percentage Alcohol and it will work just fine- I think it's 90%. You just don't want to buy the 70% Alcohol because it won't work as well.

3. I use an old t-shirt for my lint-free cloth to wipe the cleanse across my nails- you do it twice- once before you start, and then at the end to remove the sticky residue that remains after curing.

Have you tried at-home gel nails? I am having fun! I do have to say I practiced a bit using it to mend tears before I tried a full mani. I followed Loodie Loodie Loodie's tips for using gel polish to mend a tear.

My first Gelish mani!

Harmony Gelish in Starburst (2 coats)

This is the first full Gelish mani I have done. I'll post details later on the products I got and what I think about DIY gel polish manis- the short version is I really like it!

NOTD: Deborah Lippmann Superstar

Deborah Lippmann Superstar

This is from the 2008 Holiday collection, but I thought it was pretty perfect for the Halloween season too!

The above swatch is two coats, and is still quite bumpy after a thick coat of Seche Vite. Next time I'll probably try a coat of Gelous before I apply SV.

But it's quite a stunner.... don't you think?

Fun With Crackle

Yesterday I played around a bit with the mani I was about to take off- Revlon Craving Coral.

Revlon Craving Coral topped with

China Glaze Crackle Glaze in Lightning Bolt

Revlon Craving Coral topped with

China Glaze Crackle Glaze in Tarnished Gold

(side note: I have never taken swatch pics of my right hand before... it was quite an adventure! Is there another way to do it other than holding the camera upside down and pressing the shutter with your thumb?)

Disclosure: The China Glaze Crackle Glaze shades were sent to me for review purposes. The Revlon shade was purchased by me.

NOTD: Wet n Wild Fast Dry Hannah Pinktana

Wet n Wild Fast Dry Hannah Pinktana

(click pic to enlarge)

I left this pic big and focused on only one nail so you could see the multicolored shimmers better... it's actually a very pretty polish.

Coats 1 and 2 left me with many doubts... I was really not liking this shade at all. But a third coat made it much better and then seeing it in the sun totally changed my mind- I love it!

Do you agree?

NOTD: Milani Spellbinding

Milani Spellbinding

It's October! Halloween time! I remembered this weekend that back in 2009 I purchased several shades from Milani's Black Magic collection. However, going thru my archives, it looks like I only swatched Whimsical.

So last night I chose Spellbinding, a black jelly loaded with red glitter. The above swatch is three coats and it's so pretty.

Swatches: Sephora by OPI Manhattan Minis Part 2

Today I have the other three swatches from the new Sephora by OPI Manhattan Minis collection. You can see Part 1 here. These shades are only available in this mini collection and I purchased them for $22.

I'm on the List

This is a dark forest green that covered great in two coats. It was a little hard to clean up- you can see where I got a bit on my cuticle on my pointer finger, and I couldn't completely get the polish off- it sort of stained.

Removal was fine though- once I dipped my finger in my scrubby tub, it all came off easily.

Say It Ain't So-ho

This is a pretty red cream. It's not all that unique, but a nice addition to the collection. A bit of VNL was visible with two coats, but I wasn't bothered enough to try a third coat.



Stand by Your Man-hatten

Love this shimmery burgundy. Such a great fall shade! Two coats was perfect coverage.