Fur-Ocious Vocals

Sally Hansen's Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips ... $8.99

In ♥ with this fun print!!
Super easy to apply, these nail polish stickers went on smoothly and quickly. Total manicure time took about 20 minutes, although I am a newbie at this. I was never interested in purchasing these strips because a) the price is a little steep in my opinion, and b) I never found a print that I adored enough, or couldn't re-create with polishes I already own.

I was at Walgreens last night and the box was whispering at me from a distance. Flashes of my current fave color and current animal print of choice sealed the deal on the purchase. This style is called Fur-ocious Vocals and is supposed to last up to 10 days. I applied a top coat to add a little extra protection, as I have had friends say this little trick helps the wearability last longer.

The kit comes with everything you need to accomplish your designer manicure, including easy-to-follow instructions. Coupons circulate every now and then and are definitely recommended to help with the $8 to $9 price tag.
Have you tried Sally Hansen's Salon Effects Polish Strips?

China Glaze Sugar High

The last color I posted about lasted FOREVER! Seriously, no chipping at all. The con about the polish that will make me think twice about applying it again?? It DOES NOT come off easily! Holy cow ... I have heard of glitter polishes being stubborn to remove, but even with 100% pure acetone remover, it took a good 20 minutes!
After finally getting the blue glitter off, I went with China Glaze's Sugar High ... I heart this bubblegum pink color! On top, I added a coat of a pink sparkle that I got at a Ross store. The brand is by Blush, but there is no color name.

Bling Bling

Hi Girls! It's April from dot...dot...dot... - it's been a while since I have participated here on Manicure Mommas, but I am back and will be showing off my polish color each week!

Enjoy!! :o)

Nail color of the week ... Sally Hansen's Bling-tastic from their new Gem Crush line.

Base coat: Essie's Fill The Gap

3 Coats of Bling-tastic

Top Coat: Seche Vite

Indoor lighting
In the sun, indoors
~
I am LOVING this color. I needed 3 layers to coat each nail. By the 3rd time around, I found that the glitter stayed better if I tapped it on with the brush, rather than glide it across my nails. The finished results are quite smooth ... tons of aqua-blue glitter and silvery-gold pieces, too! What do you think??
~
So sorry for the iPhone pics ... I should really pull out my fancy camera to show you just how vivid and gorgeous this color actually is, but that involves a lot more process time. I am all about quick and simple these days! :o)

Marine Scene

How gorgeous is this teal polish?!? Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear in Marine Scene. I used Essie's Fill The Gap base coat, 2 coats of this polish, and topped it with Essie's Good To Go top coat. My mani took all of 10 minutes, and I got the polish at Walmart for $2!!
What are some of the fun colors you are rockin' this summer?

China Glaze Crackle

Sugar High
Fault Line Crackle
The generous peeps at China Glaze sent me these two lovelies for review. I have to admit that I have not been a fan of the crackle trend since it came out. After applying a base, 2 coats of Sugar High, a coat of the crackle glaze Fault Line, and then a top coat, I was quite impressed with the final look. For someone like myself, who loves the bright bold nail colors, this little trend is growing on me. I can't wait to try this crackle on top of some of my favorite colors!! China Glaze always seems to put a smile on my face!!

Come check out my blog, dot...dot...dot... on Tuesday, June 14th for an exciting Summer Beauty Tour launch ... you will not wanna miss this!!

Ooooh ... Sparkles!!

Doesn't this color remind you of the gorgeous waters off a tropical island?
Aaaahh ... take me away!

Base (one coat) - OPI Get Me To The Taj On Time (a creamy nude)

Glitter Goodness (2 coats) - Color Club Sexy Siren

My latest pedicure ... I love how the nail techs look at me like I am crazy sometimes. They tell me that I pick the colors that barely get used. I adore the bright colors, especially the blues. They make me smile!

Julianne

My Zoya order arrived a couple weeks ago, but being I had the Shellac on, I couldn't paint my nails until now. {Side note ... I chose to peel off the Shellac instead of going back in to the salon for the 'special removal', and it worked just fine ... no more damage than acetone would have done. And I peeled off the mani before it started lifting, after 2 weeks, because I was too anxious to try out my new Zoya colors. Ha!} Here are the indoor and outdoor shots of the mani ...

Meet Julianne! When I ordered this polish, I liked it because it looked like it had a touch of blue in this deep purple shade. Upon application, there is indeed flecs of blue in it. For such a glittery polish, it went on pretty smooth and layered fine ... I used a base, 2 coats of Julianne, and a topcoat. The mani lasted a few days before the tips began chipping. My only gripe was that it didn't have enough shine. I am not into matte polishes, and while this one is not a matte, the lack of shine reminded me of one.

Did you take advantage of the Zoya Facebook special? Can't go wrong with 3 FREE polishes!! Which ones did you order and are you lovin' or hating them?

Shellac Review

Hi Girls! I blogged today about the Shellac Manicure ... the polish that sets as a gel. Come visit me over at dot...dot...dot... to see my review!!
♥
April

Favorite for Fall

{Indoor}

{Outdoor}

I know it has been posted before, but I adore OPI's Lincoln Park At Midnight. A rich and classic color for this season.

♥

{I painted two coats above and used Wet N Wild's Fast Dry top coat.}

For the pirates ...

I rocked these two Sinful Colors for Halloween ... they went great with my pirate costume! While I myself am not into gold (or mustard-looking) polish, I got some great compliments on the color combo. Sinful Colors in Oledia with gold glitter top-coat (Paris, I believe is the name??).

Off and on and off again ...

I am getting to be a pro at removing acrylic nails, fo' sho'! I got a new job a few months back and was bummed that my natural nails (that I had kept up beautifully for 4 months) weren't holding up to some of my job duties. Ripping and tearing and splitting ... so frustrating and painful when they would peel from below the fingertip line. Bandaids weren't cutting it to protect them from further damage, so I put the solar nails back on.

And now they are off again.

I missed being able to paint my nails each week and the cost for upkeep was getting ridiculous (especially when the acrylic wasn't lasting as long as it should have).
So here is my quick tutorial to help you remove the acrylic without damaging your natural nails to much further:

You will need the following supplies (I purchased these at a local beauty supply store that is open to the public, costing a total of $21 for everything) ... nail clippers, 100% Acetone Remover, multiple nail file blocks in various levels of coarseness, cuticle oil, and a ridge filler (preferably one that also strengthens)

• Cut off any remaining tips and shorten nails to desired length with nail clippers.


• With a very coarse nail block (I used a medium), sand over the tops of your nails to remove any sealants or top coats.


• Soak your nails for about a minute in a bowl of 100% Acetone.

• The first layer of acrylic will start to get gummy ... scrape this layer off (I used my thumb nails to do this - you could also use a wood cuticle stick)


• Soak again and repeat for several more layers.


• Here's how I keep my nails from being absolutely ruined ... leave a thin layer of acrylic on your nails!!


• Take your coarse file block and sand over the tops of your nails to smooth ... then use your finer sanding block ... then your finest block to buff your nails to a naturally smooth surface.


• Your cuticles and fingertips will be very dry from the acetone treatment. Apply your cuticle oil and massage into skin. Push back cuticles at this time if needed.


• Wash your hands with soap and warm water, cleaning your nail surfaces thoroughly.


• Buff nails again if needed and be sure you don't have any snags.


• Apply one to two coats of the ridge filler as your base, and paint nails with desired color. Ridge fillers tend to be a natural color, so you can even get away with using just the filler and a top coat for shine.
  

This process took me about 20 minutes (without painting a color). Each time I give myself a manicure, I will continue to buff off the remaining acrylic until it is gone. This keeps a protective (but very thin) layer of strength over my nails until they have had time to strengthen on their own.

Relapse

Okay girls ... I am slightly embarrassed. I had a very brief moment of weakness after I got a new job a few months ago and I put solar nails back on.
Now I am taking them off again.
I know - what in the world was I thinking?!? I was having so many issues with my natural (and weak) nails breaking and tearing while doing what my job duties required, and I wanted reinforcement. I am so over all the maintenance (and cost!!) of the solar nails, so I went to the local beauty supply store and got the necessary products to remove the acrylic once again. I will post a step-by-step guide within the next 2 days on how I removed my nails with as little damage as possible. Stay tuned!!
In the meantime ... how gorgeous are the colors that Sasha and Smoochiefrog have been posting?!? I am loving the Orly Out Of This World, Essie's Aruba Blue, and Sally Hansen HD in DVD colors!!! The SpaRitual colors are so amazing for this fall and winter seasons and Zoya's Valerie is absolutely stunning!!
xoxo,
April

Not Impressed.

China Glaze Flying Dragon
OPI Catch Me In Your Net

OPI Catch Me In Your Net
A pretty blue-green, sparkly color.

China Glaze Flying Dragon

Purple with blue glitter

Here are the indoor/outdoor shots of the colors I picked out at my latest salon trip. I am a big fan of China Glaze. I love the consistency, the pigments in their colors, and the long-lasting wear-ability. This color, Flying Dragon, was a disappointment! It went on really thin, and just didn't awe me. In fact, I had the tech paint 3 coats on my toes!

OPI's Catch Me In Your Net was pretty, but I think I would have loved it on my toes better. The blue-green color is pretty and has some sparkle to it, but I didn't like it on my hands. Plus, the color chipped the very next day.

red, white, and BLUE

China Glaze Frostbite and China Glaze Fairy Dust (the pretty glitter topcoat on my mani) ... I must say, I am LOVING this fun and vibrant blue. The girls at the salon raved about this color, so I had to try it out. I will be buying a bottle for my collection.

Happy 4th of July ... have a safe and wonderful holiday!!

xoxo,

April @ dot...dot...dot...

Diamond Strength

Since my last post, I am proud to say that I no longer have the acrylic overlays and am rockin' my own natural nails! Yay!! That doesn't mean I am not missing my solar tips though. Ha ha! I am getting used to having to do my own nails each week, and also trying to take it easy on them being they no longer have the artificial strength they are used to!
The ridges in my nails are growing out and are about 1/4 from my cuticle line. I found an amazing filler by Essie called Fill The Gap. It gives my nails an even surface to paint by filling the ridges. It also works as a nice base coat.

This week, I used Fill The Gap as a base and filler, Sally Hansen's Diamond Strength No Chip Nail Color in Lavender Marquis, then topped it off with Wet N Wild's Mega Last Quick Dry/Ultra Gloss Top Coat. The nail color really is "no chip" - I didn't have any issues with it and it looked great at the end of the week. The top coat is AMAZING! It sets the polish nicely, dries quickly and adds a gorgeous shine. Plus, it is cheap ... under $2!

Girly Summer Swap @ dot...dot...dot...

Hey Girls! I am hosting my very first swap over on my blog. If you wanna play along with us, please come take a peek and sign-up! Have a wonderful weekend!!

<center><a href="http://aprilbaker23.blogspot.com/2010/05/girly-summer-swap-dotdotdot.html"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/abaker23/summerswap_Page_0.jpg" /></a></center>

Here we go again ...

I had my tips taken off ... again. But this time, we did an overlay (which is just a fancy way of saying we left a thin layer of acrylic over the top of my nails). This is keeping them from splitting and tearing while they are in the grow-out phase. Although, I am not quite sure what the difference is having an overlay vs. tips - I still need to have them filled either way. Sigh. The woes of desiring strong nails. Ha ha!
So with the colorful tips being gone, I wanted to keep a natural look with a little girly sparkle. Please forgive me as I totally forgot to check the color name. I will totally look that up next time I am in.

I also got a pedicure while I was there ... tis the season, right? Yay for flip flop weather! I (unintentionally) matched my toe color to my BlackBerry when I mixed 2 colors. OPI's Plugged-In Plum (bottom coat) and China Glaze's Anklets of Amethyst (top coat) created this shimmery color. Sometimes the nail techs look at me like I am crazy, but I have found some pretty great color combos!

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).

Where my girls at?

I am hosting a fabulous Girly Giveaway over on my blog ... come take a peek and see the gorgeous polish color that is included! xoxo

Au Natural

Well, not quite. These are a pearl white tip with Cotton Candy topcoat. I needed to go neutral for a little while ... I love colored tips, but was getting bored with them. The Cotton Candy added just a bit of color, and I like that it muted the tips a bit.

Happy Friday!

xoxo,

April