Shimmer Polish Jasmine

Well, now.  I'm finally getting back to one of the Shimmer polishes I was sent for review a few months ago!  I thought I'd pepper them over the next couple of months so you guys get a good hit when you least suspect it!  Haha!  Tonight, we're going to check out Shimmer Polish's Jasmine!  The color in the bottle kinda sorta reminded me of my favorite Jasmine, Princess Jasmine from Aladdin!

Isn't she purdy?

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Ok, ok ok.  I'll stop bothering you with gifs now and get back to the polish...

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*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.* 

Color: Clear base with teal, copper, gold, and pops of blue and red glitter.

Finish: Glitter Top Coat – glitter in a clear base to be worn as a top coat.

Bottle / Brush: Round bottle – the brush and wand are the standard width and length.  Easy to control and manipulate.

Opacity:  Glitter topcoat – not designed for full opacity.  HOWEVER, I'm pretty sure that this bad boy is dense enough to apply three coats for full opacity.  Granted, you'll have to deal with the fallout of having to scrub off three heavy coats of glitter.  So yeah, up to you...

Glitter Application:  Medium – requires the dab method, but glitters are easy to extract and spread evenly.  It only required the dab method because the base was just so densely packed with glitter.

Consistency: Thick – thick or it can be clumpy, but is easily remedied with some polish thinner.

Overall Ease of Application: Medium – applies well with minimal clumping, dragging, or balding.  Spreads well without much manipulation.

Stampability: Not designed for stamping.

Dry Time: Quick – dry to the touch without smudging in under 3 minutes.

Overall Thoughts:  Yeah, this polish was a surprise for me.  In the bottle, I wasn't sure how much I was going to like it as I'm not the type to typically go for golds, but as soon as it was on my nails it was looooove.  I can't wait to try it over a cream or white.  Here, I've worn it over Indigo Bananas Immortal Game, which is where the pink flash comes from.  Application was easy for such a densely packed glitter.  The glitter to base ratio for this is strongly in favor of the glitter over the base.  The dab method worked perfectly with just enough glitter coming off of the brush and onto the nail.  All in all, I really like this polish way more than I thought I would.  I'm starting to see a trend here!  Cindy has made me fall in love with golds and coppers, which I didn't think could ever happen!  So, hustle on over and grab yourself a bottle!

You can purchase Shimmer polishes for $12 from Cindy's Etsy store, or here are instructions for how to email her your order. Follow her on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for news and updates.

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.* 

Gold Chain Born Pretty Store Review

Remember my chain nail art tutorial? Well that's a 2D look that you can get with any two colors.

But if you want the true chain effect and you really want it to pop off your nail, then you might consider getting an actual chain to attach to your nails!

Born Pretty Store (BPS) offers several varieties of chains, and today I'm reviewing the 1.6mm gold chain for you!

This chain is 100cm long (about 40 inches), and quite small (1.6mm), running at $2.99 (and their always-free shipping). Use my coupon code, C10X31, for 10% off!

The chain comes in a teeny ziplock bag, but it doesn't come out all tangled like necklaces tend to be.

To apply it to your nails, I recommend using a dab of nail glue, at least on the ends of the chain. To place it, apply it to still-wet nails (I prefer to apply it to the top coat layer rather than the polish layer) so you can position it properly. When it has dried, to being almost tacky, carefully lift the each end with tweezers and dab a bit of nail glue. This will keep your chain in its position, but you can always use more glue if you plan on roughing up the design. And let's face it...this kind of look is begging to be roughed up a little. Rawr!

I'm obsessed with letting the chains hang off my nails in different ways like I've done for this look. It's odd, and not necessarily appropriate for all occassions, but damn...it's awesome!

The colors I used for this look included Sun of a Peach (China Glaze) and Stranger Tides (OPI) with lines of Black Onyx (also OPI). I also did some cutouts of my bare nail.

Which finger do you like the most? How would you wear chains? I've seen some fabulous designs, including Sammy's looks, Lexi's take, and Whitney's! I have another review of a silver look coming soon too.

Thanks BPS for the chains!

Pick your's up here, and don't forget to use the coupon code for 10% off.

 

These products were sent to me by Born Pretty Store. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

Zoya Nail Polish - Fall Collections!

Zoya Nail Polish Fall Collections featuring Pointless Cafe & Sassy Paints

Pointless Cafe has some gorgeous swatches using the Zoya Satins Collections and also had some macro shots with Zoya Nail Polish in Maria Luisa. Check out the rest of the swatches and more colors from the collection here!

Look at those sparkling Zoya PixieDust comparisons! Sassy Paints shows us some of the different colors from each collection side by side! Want to see what else she compared? See it here!

To see all of the new Zoya Nail Polish Fall 2013 collections, visit our website.

ZOYA IS THE NEW COLOR OF FASHION!
www.zoya.com

Another Cult Cosmetics Kit...Shiny Double Accent!

I've had an amazing time creating videos on my new YouTube channel!

It's been an experience, trying out the different techniques to create and edit a movie. I'm pretty happy with the results, and I hope you've had a chance to see them. It's been a little awkward listening to my voice playback, but what're you gonna do?

My latest video is a tutorial for one of my most popular looks, the Shiny Double Accent, available at Cult Cosmetics.

Like the other Cult Cosmetics kits, this one includes everything you need to get the look. The gold glitter, the stunning blue, and the easy striping tape is all together.

You can pick up the kit at CultCosmetics.com for 10% off with the code NAILEDIT.

And, for your viewing pleasure, you can listen and watch me design the look for you! Be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel too!

Rainbow Honey Glittering Rapture

It's going to be a quick one tonight, guys.  As I've mentioned a few times, we're moving!  This weekend!  My house isn't packed!  Yay!!  Wait, not yay.  CRAP!  Gah!  Tonight we're going to take a look at Rainbow Honey Glittering Rapture from their holiday collection, which is still available on their site.  Follow Dee and the gang on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for news and updates.

*I was not financially compensated for this post.  All items in this review were purchased by me for my own use.  The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*

Color: Clear base with gold and red hexes and irregularly shaped glitters.

Finish: Glitter Top Coat – glitter in a clear base to be worn as a top coat.

Bottle / Brush: Squat round mini bottles (i.e. Rainbow Honey or Jindie) – the cap is a little awkward to hold because it’s so round but also pretty short.  The wand and brush are short, but application is easy.  I haven’t made it to the bottom of one of these bottles yet, but I do have concerns that the brush won’t be able to scrape up all of the goodness once it gets to the dregs of the bottle.

Opacity: Glitter topcoat – not designed for full opacity.

Glitter Application: Medium – requires the dab method, but spreads evenly.

Consistency: Medium – applies easily with the dab method and doesn’t flood the cuticles.  Unlike many of my other RH polishes, Glittering Rapture has amazing consistency.  It wasn't so thick that I had to add a teaspoon of thinner to make it workable.

Overall Ease of Application: Easy – applies well without pooling, dragging, streaking, or balding.  Spreads evenly and smoothly.

Stampability: Not designed for stamping.

Dry Time: Quick – dry to the touch without smudging in under 3 minutes.  This could be unrealistic, though, as I put this over a Gelish mani, which was already dry.

Overall Thoughts: I'm really pleased with this polish.  It's very sparkly and catches the eye.  I really like the shimmer and the effect that the irregularly shaped glitters give to this polish.  It has more depth than a straight up clear topcoat, which is great in my book.  I only wore it over red, but I imagine that it would look great over a multitude of colors.  If you like the way this guy looks, they're still in stock at Rainbow Honey's store!

Do you have any Rainbow Honeys?  Which is your favorite?

Color Society - Ruby Wing Color Changing Polish - Pink & Gold

Click the icon to visit the Color Society page.

Ah sunshine! It brings flowers, Vitamin D, chirping birds and now, color changing polish!

Ruby Wing polishes are unique, in that they change colors. However, unlike the temperature-dependent polishes that you regularly see (that change when you stick your hand under cold water), the Ruby Wing collections require real sunlight to change. How does it work?

MAGIC!

Not really. It's super secret technology, called SolarActive® technology.

But it really does seem magical! The colors all look one way when you're indoors. Then, as if by some sorcery, they instantly begin to transform as soon as you're in the sunlight. It happens quickly too, with full effect in direct sunlight seen in under one minute.

I was really impressed with the transformation. Let's take a look. Disclaimer: I am taking pictures of the same bottles in the indoor and outdoor shots. I have not switched bottles. Like I said...magic!

Indoor

Indoor

First up is Poppy. I use two coats for this swatch, which was surprising since it's a neon pink! But then...stick it in the sun and...

Outdoor

Outdoor

It goes to a dark, vampy deep magenta. WHAT?! I think the coolest effect is when one side is more exposed than the other, and you get the most perfect gradient look. Too bad you can't lock that in as it's happening!

The bottle colors as they mixed were pretty rad too.

 To complement this pink, Color Society sent along an awesome gold, Sunflower. 

Indoor

Indoor

Indoors, you can see that's it's a bit of a soft, yellow gold. The mix of glitter is amazing too. I used two regular coats to get the level of glitter in this swatch. Now moving outdoors...

Outdoor

Outdoor

It goes copper! Not quite full copper, but copper-gold. And it's soooooo shiny! (See the reflection of the polish on my pinky reflecting off my ring finger?)

Now what happens when you pair them together? I just did a simple stripe down the center of each nail, to watch it go from pop princess party mani, to sultry and rich mani.

Indoor

Outdoor

My first experience with solar polish was awesome. This stuff surprised me, and I want to wear it in the wild to experience it in real life! Awesome work Ruby Wings, and thank you for the polishes Color Society!

Interested in applying to be part of the Color Society? Fill out the application here to apply!

These products were sent to me by Color Society. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

Cartwright's Blouse

I'm back! And I missed sharing things with all the readers.

For example, did you know that I'm shamefully running out of room for polishes as my collection grows larger and more colorful? Did you also know that I'm looking for a new pad for the summer? That means that my ever-growing collection will soon have a desk to live on, and an area to be stored in.

I've seen so many beautiful polish rooms, and so many great ideas for storage and organization of polish. Do you have a clever solution to your lacque-clutter? Tell me about it, I'd love to hear!

Tonight's look was inspired by an outfit I saw Karen Cartwright wear during a beautiful performance on "Smash" (a television show in the U.S.) Her red skirt had a gold embellished belt, and her blouse was a white silk number with black polka dots. It's almost a literal translation!

The colors I used include Peterhof Palace and Carmen (Zoya), and Alpine Snow and Black Onyx (OPI).

Gold Romance

The colors in tonight's manicure just seem very romantic. I'm sad I didn't do a floral pattern with them, but really mesmerized by the gold.

I guess you could call this...Goldfinger.

Each nail, with the exception of the middle one, has hand-placed glitter from BornPrettyStore.com. The colors I used include My Vampire is Buff and Sparrow Me the Drama from OPI, Fade Into Hue from China Glaze, Blue My Mind from H&M, Goldie from Zoya, and two layers of Five Golden Rings from My Nail Graffiti.

It's so delicate, and getting in the spirit of the upcoming green and gold holiday! I'm excited to get that manicure together to share soon as well.

Angled Onyx

Quick post as I get ready to go out!

An angled french, with a base of the light and delicate You Callin' Me a Lyre? (OPI). Freehanded Black Onyx (OPI) tips create a cool effect on my nails, and that's all accented with some gold striping tape.

Kind of love this look, and I wish I could gush about it further, but I've gotta go! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Born Pretty Store Matte Top Coat Review

Do you have a matte top coat?

Do you want a matte top coat?

Do you know where to find a matte top coat?

Well, here's one from Born Pretty Store you will enjoy! It does exactly what you think...it turns the mani into a matte mani. It's pretty great. Nothing special, but I don't think any matte top coat would be. It works, dries quickly, and you can get it for under $5 (plus 10% off with the code C10X31).

Here's the mani I did with the matte top coat:

And here is the same mani with a shiny top coat:

See the difference? I really like the effect on glitter and shimmers! I used Bending Over Backward from China Glaze as the base, and Set the Stage from Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear.


This product was sent to me by Born Pretty Store. The review is based entirely on my experience with the product and was in no way influenced by anyone.

A Rich Experiment

Zoya's little black box with three lovely little bottles has been staring me down every time I sit on the couch. Tonight, I finally decided to confront it.

 The result is a pearly pink golden beauty of a manicure!

I used Heavenly (Savina) as a base, and painted on a lovely light layer of Electrical Storm (Sation) over it. Then I topped it with the golden Gilty from Zoya.

I used some different lighting to capture all the beautiful colors, but those are still my hands!

Shiny Double Accent

I feel like I'm somehow rooting for a football team that's playing with these nails.

Then again, I also just feel happy because there's so much shiny to the whole manicure. Shiiiny!

I may cause a fire if I dance around...

Source: http://www.gifbin.com/983103

You're being blinded by I'm Not Lion and Man Hunt. Pretty huh?

Dysfunctional RV

Last night's manicure showed you one of the Sation Nailstock colors, but it definitely didn't glorify it. I had to give RV There Yet? another try tonight, with some complementary colors and accents to really help it pop.

Isn't it gorgeous? That almost antique jade color works perfectly with the ill pink color of Decades of Dysfunction (ORLY) and the gold striping tape. I love the way the colors and the design makes my fingers look. Elegant but definitely not ordinary.

Have I convinced you to get your Nailstock collection yet? I think I have, but for those who aren't sure, check out the Nailstock supply at the Miss Professional Nail store for all the colors you're missing out on.

I've also added this manicure to a contest hosted by Birchbox. If you have a moment, I'd love your vote! Click here to be taken to the entry on Facebook.

Blog Crush: heartNAT & pshiiit

I have a few schoolgirl crushes on the ladies of the lacquer. My man would not be happy to hear about the dates I've dreamed of with some of these girls. Oh the polish we would share...the designs we would make...

I've combined the forces of inspiration behind from two polish crushes to create this shocking pink manicure (Flip Flop Fantasy from China Glaze, Goldie from Zoya and Sashay My Way from ORLY.)

The design's lifted almost directly from heartNAT's most recent manicure. After I took the pictures and uploaded them, I wasn't getting the same beautiful shine she had, so I decided to apply a filter or two, drawing from the overwhelming popular styles of pshiiit. Her pictures are adored by everyone, and obviously I didn't hit that target in quite the same way with my difference in lighting and background choice, but I liked this softer effect nonetheless.

The bows are just for femininity. I was certain that hot pink and gold wouldn't be nearly enough girly bling flair. Definitely needed bows.

Inspiration comes from everywhere, but it's commonly found among fellow bloggers. Just today, Salla at OMG! Polish 'em! drew inspiration from one of my posts for her own geometric jewel.

Sometimes the butterflies in my stomach when a lady crush's post makes its way into my feed won't be silenced, so I need to lay them down by just showing some love where I click 'Love'.

Electric Feel

This week will prove to be sparse for Nailed It posts, so I apologize for that. The schedule holds two concerts, a double-header kickball game and some visiting friends. Nail polish has no choice but to take a backseat. I've set up my VCR to record my bottles' favorite shows so they don't get lonely while I'm away. The automatic feeder is set to dispense every twelve hours so they don't go hungry. I've also put a few extra blankets out in case the weather gets cold and the bottles start to clatter as they shiver.

No, not really.

I will be busy though, so here's a manicure that may have to tide you over until the weekend or beginning of next week. Both polishes are China Glaze: Flip Flop Fantasy and I Herd That. I added the chevrons with Black (Color Madric). Gotta love the trigger pistol accent!

Again, I'm so sorry that I'll be missing in acetone-action for a bit, but I promise I'll be having fun, and there are good things to come!

Goldie Had a Little Lam-Lam

Hnnnnnngh! I worship this color! It's Khloe Had a Little Lam-Lam, and not only did I nab this Nicole by OPI at an uber-discount, I instantly knew what I wanted to do with it. I gave striping tape another try (last time it failed almost immediately) and I'm so glad I did! Enjoy!