Friday, June 28, 2013

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NOTD: Avon Serene

Avon Serene
2 coats

I purchased this shade this spring from Avon's Spring collection called Zenergy.

I had some serious trouble with this shade. I did a mani with it a few weeks ago and got terrible bubbles. I tried again today and had to re-do several fingers due to bubbles again. It's also a color that gives me Lobster Hands. I just don't think it's very flattering with my skintone.

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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

NOTD: OPI Dim Sum Plum topped with Cover Girl City Lights

OPI Dim Sum Plum (2 coats)
topped with Cover Girl City Lights (1 coat)


Cover Girl City Lights is a mani fixer! Saturday night I planned a mani using OPI Dim Sum Plum (an untried from a few years ago) but I think I've got a bad bottle of NYC Grand Central Station because when I applied GCS as a topcoat, the mani went bad. All of the sudden, there were brush strokes and bubble galore.

But I remembered that a nice holo glitter can cure most any issue, so I slapped it on there and was so happy with the result.

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Monday, June 24, 2013

NOTD: Essie Ole Caliente

Essie Ole Caliente
2 coats

Ole Caliente is from Essie's Spring 2012 collection, Navigate Her. I didn't realize I hadn't swatched it yet and I am totally on a red/coral kick so I knew I needed to wear this one.

Mr. Sasha was a big fan of this one, and I really liked it too. As usual with Essie, application was super-easy and I got great even coverage.

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Friday, June 21, 2013

NOTD: Revlon Top Speed Hearts of Gold FX

 
Essie Sunday Funday (3 coats)
topped with
Revlon Top Speed Hearts of Gold FX (2 coats)
 
 

shade pic
 
Hearts of Gold FX is a clear base with small gold glitter and larger holo pieces of heart glitter.
 
Just like my opinion of Celestial FX, I do not like Heart of Gold FX.
 
It's also so pretty in the bottle. But it also is very watery and again I had to absolutely go on a fishing expedition to get that lone large glitter on each finger. A second coat did not help at all. Such a disappointment.
 

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Thursday, June 20, 2013

NOTD: Essie Sunday Funday

Essie Sunday Funday
3 coats
 
Sunday Funday is from Essie's Summer 2013 collection and I recently purchased it at Walgreens. It's a pretty coral with a gorgeous shimmer that looks almost flakie like.
 
I found the formula to be somewhat streaky, and although I've seen several blogger say they just needed two coats, I needed 3 to get good coverage.
 
I think this would make a gorgeous pedi color too.

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Wednesday, June 19, 2013

NOTD: Revlon Top Speed in Celestial FX

Revlon Top Speed in Celestial FX (2 coats)
over SinfulColors SinfulShine in Picante

Celestial FX is a clear base with small silver holo glitter and larger holo pieces of diamond, moon, and star glitter.
 
I do not like Celestial FX.
 
At all.
 
In the bottle it's so pretty! But it is very watery and I had to absolutely go on a fishing expedition to get that lone large glitter on each finger. A second coat did not help at all. Such a disappointment.
 
 

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Tuesday, June 18, 2013

NOTD: JENsations Flower Power

 
JENsations Flower Power
2 coats over Sally Hansen Linen
 
Jen, who custom blends her polish and sells it on Etsy, contacted me about swatching a few of her shades and I was excited to give them a try. I thought that Sally Hansen Linen would be a great base for Flower Power  and it was.

Flower Power was a bit thick. I ended up doing two coats of it to try to get better glitter coverage. I did fish a few of the flower glitter out of the neck of the bottle and placed them where I wanted them- I wanted to have at least one on each finger. I topped it with a coat of Gelous before I added NYC Grand Central Station, and it smoothed it out nicely.

JENsations polish sells for $8 and is available on Etsy. Shipping starts at $3, and is $0.85 when purchased with another item.
 
Disclosure: Both polishes featured in this post were provided for review purposes.


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Monday, June 17, 2013

NOTD: SinfulColors SinfulShine in Picante

SinfulColors SinfulShine in Picante

Last week I had a Walgreens giftcard burning a hole in my pocket, and I decided to pick up one of the new SinfulColors SinfulShine shades. I thought Picante was a perfect summer shade.
 
Available exclusively at Walgreens for $2.99 for a limited time, the SinfulShine line with Gel Tech™ provides opulent rich color and superb shine.

Picante was a dream to apply. Two coats gave perfect coverage, although Picante *is* a bit of a jelly and I did have a bit of visible nail line.

This picture was taken on Sunday afternoon, after I painted my nails on Saturday night. I'm writing this post on Monday morning and my mani still looks perfect. I'm pretty impressed.

Have you tried any shades from the SinfulShine line?

You can find SinfulColors online here:
Twitter: @SinfulColorsNP
Facebook: Sinfulcolors Professional

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Saturday, June 15, 2013

NOTD: Sally Hansen Smooth & Perfect Color + Care in Linen

NOTD: Sally Hansen Smooth & Perfect Color + Care in Linen


This mani is 3 coats of color topped with NYC Grand Central Station. The shades in this line retail for about $5.50. This is a great palate-cleanser and is so soft and pretty.

THINK: Let your nails breathe
WHAT IT IS: Creamy color and porcelain-smooth perfection in one beautiful polish. The latest trend to hit your fingertips. Nearly naked, barely-there color with plenty of shine. The ultimate in understated elegance, sheer shades and healthy even shine work for every occasion. That’s why Sally Hansen created a chic collection of nude nail polishes that marries the two, Smooth and Perfect Color + Care, the ultimate fusion of perfecting polish and beautifying care. 

Designed to hide ridges and imperfections, the uniquely breathable formula promotes stronger, healthier looking nails with a patented technology that allows for up to 20% more oxygen to reach the nail. The result? Ridges and imperfections are virtually erased and nails are left looking smooth, shiny and porcelain perfect

Disclosure: This polish was provided to me for review purposes.

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Friday, June 14, 2013

Swatches of Sephora by OPI On-Sale Shades

I thought I'd go through my past posts and show pics of all the on-sale Sephora by OPI shades that I have worn. You can tell some of these pics are really old- and terrible! So sorry about that, but maybe you'll see a color you can't live without.

All individual shades are half-price ($4.50). This is a fabulous deal! Note also that ebates is giving back 8% from Sephora purchases right now.

My last post shows the shades in the Metro Too Chic collection- the mini set is on sale for just $12 and I definitely recommend getting it, or at least a regular size bottle of Metro Too Chic.

 212-Sephora

A Color That Can't Be Tamed 

Caliente Coral 

Caught With My Khakis Down 

Chest-Nuts About You 

Designer Fig Leaf

Domestic Goddess

Eve-y On The Eyes

Frankly I Don't Give A-Dam

Happy Earth Day To Me

Havana Dreams

How Many Carats?

I Don't Bite

I'm With Brad

Iris I Was Thinner

It's Totally Karma

Leaf Him At The Altar

Meet For Drinks

Metro Chic

Once A Cheetah, Always A Cheetah

Queen of Everything

 Read My Palm

Teal We Meet Again

That's My Fuschia Husband!


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Sephora Discontinuing the OPI for Sephora Line

Not sure if you have heard, but Sephora will no longer be carrying the Sephora by OPI (or OPI by Sephora, as it's listed in their alphabetical drop-down).

My undertanding is that they will be expanding their Sephora X line.

I am disappointed because I've been a big fan of the Sephora by OPI line....... a big fan!

The somewhat good new is that they are having a sale on the line- quite a few sets and all individual shades are half-price ($4.50). This is a fabulous deal! Note also that ebates is giving back 8% from Sephora purchases right now.

One thing I'd definitely recommend is getting the Metro Too Chic set- it's currently half-price ($12!). If you don't get the set, you at least NEED to purchased an individual bottle of Metro Too Chic- it's absolutely gorgeous!

Here are swatches of the Metro Too Chic mini set. I really like this set- I think Metro Too Chic and Arose Beyond Shimmer are stand-outs.

Sephora by OPI Metro Too Chic set

Left to right:
Pale is the New Tan
Arose Beyond Shimmer
Metro Too Chic
Keys to My Hybrid
Nifty Shade of Grey
Tweet You Later!

Pale is the New Tan
3 coats

Arose Beyond Shimmer
2 coats


Metro Too Chic
3 coats

Keys to My Hybrid
2 coats


Nifty Shade of Grey
3 coats


Tweet You Later!
3 coats

The other shades currently in stock and on sale are:
212-Sephora
A Color That Can't Be Tamed
Add a Cherry on Top
Already Famous
Arm Candy
Bare To Be Different
Beauty Junkie
Break A Leg-Warmer!
Bright As A Feather
BYO Boy
Cab Fare
Caliente Coral
Casanova Is So Into Me
Caught With My Khakis Down
Charge It!
Chest-Nuts About You
Cover Me In Petals
Curve-aceous
Dance Til Fawn
Dark Room
Dear Diary…
Designer Fig Leaf
Domestic Goddess
Eve-y On The Eyes
Fancy Schmancy
Fiercely Fabulous
Frankly I Don't Give A-Dam
Give Peach A Chance
Go My Own Way
Happy Earth Day To Me
Havana Dreams
Henna-Thing Is Possible
Hi Def
Hippo To Be Square
How Cute Is That?
How Many Carats?
I Don't Bite
I Gotta Blush On You
I Need Space
I Only Shop Vintage
I Think I Cayenne
IM Beauty
I'm So Sari!
I'm With Brad
In The Shadows
Iris I Was Thinner
Is She For Reel?
It's All About Me
It's Bouquet With Me
It's Totally Karma
Just A Little Dangerous
Justa' Pinch of Glitter
Keep Me On My Mistletoe
Keys To My Hybrid?
Leaf Him At The Altar
Leotard Optional
Let's Plie
Looks Like Rain Dear
Meet For Drinks
Mermaid To Order
Metro Chic
Metro Too Chic
Ms. Can't Be Wrong
Neutral Beauty
Never Enough Shoes
Nonfat Soy Half Caff
Ocean Love Potion
On Stage
Once A Cheetah, Always A Cheetah
Queen of Everything
Read My Palm
Ruby Without A Cause
S-Age Is Just A Number
Screen Test
Seriously, It's A Naan-Issue
Set the Mood
Shiny Dancer
Skinny Jeans
Social Climber
Sorry… Calendar's Full
Studs & Stilettos
Teal We Meet Again
Techno Girl
That's My Fuschia Husband!
The Way Tutu His Heart
Thyme For A Mani
Under My Trench Coat
Violet's Just Get Married
Wardrobe Change
What A Broad
What Aura Gonna Where?
What Film Noir You In?
What's a Tire Jack?
What's Your Sign?
White Hot
Why Yellow There…

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Wednesday, June 12, 2013

NOTD: OPI Too Hot Pink to Hold 'Em

OPI Too Hot Pink to Hold 'Em
(2 coats)
from the Texas Collection
 
I was working on my polish collection spreadsheet and realized I never swatched this one! Half of the Texas collection, which came out in Spring 2011, were jellies (OPI called them "sorbets") and I purchased Big Hair... Big NailsGuy Meets Gal-veston and Too Hot Pink to Hold 'Em. I love love love these and couldn't believe I had missed wearing this one.
 
With just 2 coats, there is a bit of visible nail line, but with the popularity of jellies these days, I'm not as bothered by it as I was in the past. I really like the sheer look right now.
 

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Tuesday, June 11, 2013

NOTD: Hard Candy Sweet Tooth

Hard Candy Sweet Tooth
3 coats

macro shot

After I wore nails inc. Sweets Way last week I remembered that there was a possible dupe made by Hard Candy in their Candy Sprinkles line. It was amazingly close!

However, the price is a bit different. Hard Candy retails exclusively at Walmart for $3.97 for .26 ounces. Nails inc. can be purchased from Sephora for $9.50 for .33 ounces.

I used 2 coats of Nails Inc. while I needed 3 coats of Hard Candy to get the same look.

Another difference I noted was that the Hard Candy version dried smoother- I only needed a topcoat of NYC Grand Central Station to smooth it out. With the Nails Inc. version I added a coat of Gelous before my topcoat.

One more thing: these tend to be pretty chip-tastic on me and I had quite a few chips on the second day. Still love the effect- the layered glitter sandwich look you get by doing multiple coats is so cool.

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Monday, June 10, 2013

NOTD: China Glaze Keep Calm, Paint On

China Glaze Keep Calm, Paint On
2 coats
from the Spring 2013 Avant Garden collection
 
I was afraid this shade would give me Lobster Hands, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. There's a really pretty shimmer in there that looks really neat in the sun.
 
 

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Saturday, June 8, 2013

NOTD: nails inc. Sweets Way

NOTD: nails inc. Special Effects Sprinkles Nail Polish in Sweets Way
2 coats
(listed as "Sweets Away" on the Sephora website)

Sweets Way macro shot
white with pastel blue, pink, and silver sprinkles

Today I've got the last of the four shades from the nails inc. Special Effects Sprinkles collection. I am not sure why I waited to long to wear this one- it's very pretty. I continue to be impressed with the coverage you can get from just 2 coats in this collection.

It was a bit bumpy so I added a coat of Gelous before I did my topcoat and it smoothed it out well.

Details
 
Brand/Name:  nails inc. Special Effects Sprinkles Nail Polish in Topping Lane

Number of coats in pic/topcoat?: 2 coats color topped with 1 coat of Gelous and 1 coat of NYC Grand Central Station
 
Price: $9.50
 
Purchased from:  www.sephora.com
 
Collection: Topping Lane is part of the Special Effects Sprinkles Nail Polish collection, released in Summer 2012, along with Sugar House Lane (pastel grey with monocrome sprinkles), Puddling Lane (teal with navy and gold sprinkles), and Topping Lane (pink with cerise, silver and purple sprinkles)

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