The Art of Nails

Cling On

2012-03-04T23:20:00.004-08:00

China Glaze Magnetix Cling Onis a magnetic mossy green polish. I used 2 coats for full opacity and finishedthe design with the star magnet. It reminds me of optical illusions.

Bullying Stops Here

2012-03-01T00:21:00.001-08:00

Feb 29, 2012 – Pink ShirtDay to raise awareness of what bullying does

Zoya Max/ Goldie 13

Gradient Friday: Falling Blocks

2012-02-24T15:34:00.004-08:00

For thisweek's gradient, I started off with 2 coats of OPI Fly, whichis a pretty teal cream polish. The formulation was good and it appliedsmoothly. Next, I sponged on China Glaze Kinetic Candy on the tips for a simple gradient effect. Finally, I used Wet N' Wild BlackCrème to stamp on an image from Konad m73 plate. Don't they look like falling building blocks? Lastly, I sealed this mani off with a coat of Seche Vite. I also decided to try makingearrings with my polish, and pictured below is a pair I made for my friendusing OPI Flyand OPI Black Shatter. What do you think?

You Move Me

2012-02-21T00:15:00.000-08:00

AlthoughI have been loving the magnetic polish craze, sometimes there really IS toomuch of a good thing. Therefore, when China Glaze released their new Magnetixline, the only thing I wanted to pick up was their magnet due to its designs. Obviouslythis did not turned out as planned. Being the sucker that I am, I ended up picking 2 of their polishes becausetheir colors caught my eye. YouMove Me is a very pretty metallic brown polish. Iused 2 coats of polish before applying the magnet on top. I found that thismade the design stand out more. I used the chevron magnet for this design. Stilldeciding whether or not to get these polishes? I will have one more swatch upfor you soon!

Gradient Friday : Holo

2012-02-17T14:37:00.000-08:00

Fortoday's gradient Friday, I decided to start off with A-England Saint George as mybase color. This is the second polish I picked up from their new The Legendscollection and it is absolutely gorgeous.

SaintGeorge is a stunning dark teal softscattered holographic polish and was opaque in one coat. It glided on effortlesslyand drying time was quick. I used China Glaze Kaleidoscope Him Out, a lightblue holographic polish, and sponged it on the tips for an easy gradient look.

Corset it up

2012-02-16T18:13:00.000-08:00

This isthe mani I wore on Valentine's Day. I started off with 2 coats of Sally Hansen Madame X, whichis a gorgeous deep reddish-pink color that applied flawlessly. Next, I usedColor Club Vintage Couture, a cream pink, and painted the tips in a V shape. I added blackoutlines and accented a finger with a corset using Milani BlackSketch Nail Art.

Also,thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway…the winner is..

Congratulations!Your prize should be on its way.

Hearts are Fluttering

2012-02-13T20:06:00.000-08:00

Here isanother Valentine's mani I did over the weekend! I started off with 3 coats of Color ClubReady to Wear, a pink-gold duochrome polish. I used Wet N' Wild Kaleidoscope on my tips to add some glitter. Next, I painted some heartsusing my dotting tool and Sally Hansen Madame X. Ifinished off this look with some pink jewels and a coat of Seche Vite.

Valentine's Pink Gradient

2012-02-10T01:58:00.000-08:00

Valentine'sis a holiday I enjoy immensely, not for the commercialized flowers andchocolates, but because everything is red and pink and hearts are dangling fromeverywhere! I didn't want to overload everyone with too many valentine'sdesigns, but I think it is close enough to valentine's day to show you anofficial one (if you have been paying attention, I started posting pink coloredpolish swatches/designs since Jan 26 – minus Princess Sabra, teehee...subtleeh?). I decided to pull out some pinks that I have not used/rarely used from myHelmer drawer and do a pink Valentine's Day gradient. I would consider this aglitter blending gradient as you need a bit of dry time in between each color.

I startedout with one coat of Essie BalletSlippers, which is a sheer light creampink polish. Next, on the top 2/3 of my nails, I used OPI Aphrodite's Pink Nightie, which is a medium shimmery pink. Finally, on my top third ofmy nails, I used Revlon Posh Pink, which is a shimmery bright pink polish that is quite opaque.You should now see 3 separate colors on your nails with some harsh lines, butdon't worry, the next step will blend them all away! Use a tinted pink glitterpolish and paint 2 coats of this over your nails. This will blend away allharsh lines making your nails have the soft gradient effect. I used 2 coats ofOPI And This Little Piggy... To finish off your look, paint/apply/stick on hearts on eachnail. I picked out the hearts from Nicole by OPI Love your Life andapplied them using an orange stick. Seal this manicure off with a coat of SecheVite and you are all set for a night of fun!

Today isthe last day to enter the Konad giveaway! If you add a comment with your favouriteplate, it will get sent to you as well if you win. Good luck.

Princess Sabra

2012-02-09T00:49:00.000-08:00

I ordered two of these gorgeous holographic polishes fromA-England The Legends line when I first heard about them. They arrived veryquickly and I am happy to show you the first one! A-England Princess Sabra is agorgeous mossy greenish-gold holographic polish which applied nicely. It took 2coats to be opaque. This polish is so pretty and you know I love my holos! Staytuned for swatches of Saint George.

Enter the giveaway here! 2 more days left!

Sunday Snaps

2012-02-05T22:27:00.000-08:00

24 Hr ColorTattoo Eyeshadows / Dream Bouncy Blush / Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner / TheBody Shop Chocolate Shower Cream and Butter / Nail polish Haul (China Glaze /OPI)

Reverse Glitter Gradient Friday

2012-02-03T19:06:00.000-08:00

I wanted to try a reverseglitter gradient today using 2 new polishes I received in the mail. These twopolishes are Shoppers/Walmart exclusive released by Nicole by OPI. I thinkthese polishes are perfect for Valentines Day. I used 3 thin coats of Pink.Seriously., which is a very pretty bright cream pinkpolish. It reminds me a lot OPI I'm Indi-a mood for love, but this may be a bitbrighter. Next I sponged on Fabulous is my Middle Name near the cuticles, fading up near the tips. Fabulousis my Middle Name is a gorgeous gorgeous polish. Itis a clear based polish pack full of multi-colored bar glitter and mini silverround glitter.

The second picture showsthe most accurate picture of the pink polish. The formulation for both of these was good but the barglitter needed 2 coats of Seche Vite in order for it to be smooth. I think this bar glitter polish is a must have! So pretty. Have a great weekend and enter the giveawayhere if you have not!

Polishes were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Magnetized Pink

2012-01-30T13:11:00.000-08:00

Hereare 2 coats of Claire's dark pinkmagnetic polish with the wavy magnet. You can probably get by with one coat,but I thought 2 would look better. The magnet cap is very similar to nails inc.magnet cap but this one has 2 cuticle ledges in a shape of a V. This was reallyeasy to use and the formulation of this polish is great. I love this color!Some of the brushes are kind of crappy on these polishes because they clump, soif you are allowed to check the brush before you purchase it, remember to doso!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway here!

Magnetic Gradient Friday

2012-01-28T01:07:00.000-08:00

I boughttwo new magnetic polishes today at Claire's. I decided to try if they wouldblend together well in a gradient. My thought was that since you have to putthe magnet on each finger right away for the design to show, it might meld thetwo colors together. I used a shimmery pink and ashimmery purplish blue polish for this magnetic mani. These polishes do not have names.I did a wet gradient and put the magnet immediately on top. It is supposed tobe a wavy design but the colors didn blend together as well as I wanted it to.I put a coat of Orly Twilight, a sparkly bluish silver shimmer top coat, inhopes of blending it more together. Still not what I was hoping. I might attempt this again because I reallythink in theory it should work. Hope you enjoyed this anyways!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway here!

How About a Tumble

2012-01-26T22:16:00.000-08:00

Thisgorgeous gorgeous holographic pink polish is another one of my lemmings. Ibought this a little while back from a fellow blogger. China Glaze How About a Tumble is a 3coater and applied very nicely. I attached more pictures than usual because itis so mesmerizing. If you ever see this or any polishes from this line anywhere,PICK IT UP. I promise you it's worth it!

Prosperous Year

2012-01-23T12:44:00.000-08:00

Orly Emberstone–2 coats / China Glaze Midnight Kiss / OrlyShiningStar–gold flakes

Wishing all my dear readers a happy Chinese New Year! May thisyear be full of cheer and happy moments. Click here to enter the giveaway!

Gradient Friday : Metallic

2012-01-20T01:57:00.000-08:00

For today's gradient Friday, I decided to do a metallic gradient using my Juicy Couture byDeborah Lippman nail polish set. The 3 colors in this set are so pretty andwork well together so I hope you enjoy! I started off with 2 coats of Believe, ashimmery gold-beige color, which applies nicely but would look nicer in 3 coats.Next, I used Jewel in the crown, a shimmery pewter polish, and sponged it on half my nailfocusing more heavily near the tips. Finally, Here comes the Queen, a clearbased polish with gold glitter, was sponged on at the tips. I wanted to add alittle more sparkle so I added a layer of Orly Shining Star, whichis a gold iridescent top coat.

Rememberto enter the giveaway here and have a great Friday.

Beads and Dots

2012-01-19T00:20:00.000-08:00

It's beenawhile since I have done an elaborate design on my nails, so since I had a bitof extra time this weekend, I decided to do one. I started off with 2 coats ofChina Glaze Go Go Pink. This polish is a creamy baby pink polish that applied prettysmoothly. It is a little bit streaky so you have to be careful when applying. Next,I painted my tips using Nails Inc. DevonshireRow (a vibrant lilac) and FingerPaints Winter Sky (a shimmery turquoise). After this dried, I lined it with thecorresponding color bead from my Martha Stewart set, last used here. I finishedthis look off with some random dots applied with a dotting tool using OPI AlpineSnow. I sealed it off with a coat of Seche Vite andit has lasted 3 days already with little damage. If you haven't entered the KonadGiveaway, be sure to fill out the form here!

Giveaway Time!

2012-01-17T21:03:00.000-08:00

As promised, today's will be a giveaway post! The nice peopleover at Nail Polish Canada contacted me to host a sponsored giveaway to onelucky reader of my blog! Nail Polish Canada carries a lot of different brandsthat are hard to find in store, so be sure to check them out. I have been eying some polishes from theSoulstice Spa line. The winner of this giveaway will receive a Konad StarterKit which includes 2 image plates, 3 special stamping polishes, and the stampand scraper. Here's how to enter:

To enter you must be afollower via GoggleFriend Connect. New followers are always welcomed but your account must bemore than a month old. Giveaway will end on Feb 10^th, 2012. This giveaway is open toreaders from Canadaand the USA. There are 2 ways to get an extra entry in: one byblogging/reblogging/sideblogging about this giveaway and another entry by followingme via Twitter/Tumblr/Facebook.

As an added bonus, thewinner will automatically be entered to win $200 worth of Konad products and ifyou click here and tell me what your favourite plate is (by leaving a comment), Nail Polish Canadawill throw that into your prize as well if you win!

Hope you enjoy thisgiveaway and don’t forget to fill out the form.

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Let it Shine Shine Shine...

2012-01-16T20:16:00.000-08:00

During mywinter break, I was lucky enough to track down a polish I was hunting forliterally a month. Essie Shine of the times, from their Luxeffects collection, an awesome multicolouredflakie topcoat polish. The prettiness is hard to capture on camera. I will usethis again soon when it is sunny here! I layered this on top of Finger Paints Haute Taupe, which Ialso picked up on my trip. Haute Taupe is a pretty cream taupe color that reminded me a lot ofYou don't know Jacques!. The application was smooth and it took 2 coats to beopaque. I am looking at Shine of the Timesagain on my fingers and the pictures really don't do this polish justice. I willlayer this over another polish soon. Thanks for reading!

Hidden Targets

2012-01-14T23:17:00.001-08:00

I have so many nail stampingplates that I never have time to try all the designs out. Therefore, my goal isto try and blog one stamping design at least once every 2 weeks. Todays designused SinfulColors Last Chance,a deep forest green polish, as the base coat. The formula was a bit runny, butit seems to be the verdict for many of their polishes. The color is quitepretty and I used 3 coats to reach opacity. Next, I stamped target dots fromBM-206 on using SinfulColors Out of This World,which is a shimmery silver color. I was afraid that it would be too sheer tostamp but it turned out well. You can clearly see the design and the subtlenessof this makes it easier to wear. I sealed this mani off with a coat ofSecheVite. Exciting giveaway coming soon, so stay tuned!

Polishes were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Gradient Friday

2012-01-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

Thisgradient Friday color combination was suggested by one of my lovely readers. Iused SinfulColors MidnightBlue, a shimmery cobalt blue, as mybase color. This polish was surprisingly opaque albeit a bit watery. I used onecoat of this. Next, I used SinfulColors Daddy`s Girl, a shimmerydeep violet with fuchsia glitter, and applied this to the top half of my nail.This polish was quite sheer and watery, which was a bit disappointing becausethe color looked gorgeous in the bottle. I used 2 coats of this. I mixed alittle bit of each SinfulColors polish and used a small paintbrush to blend inthe line where the two polishes meet. I applied Claires Dazzling, a clearbased glittery fuchsia polish on the tips, to finish the look. I sealed thefinal gradient design off with a coat of Seche Vite. Have a great weekend myawesome readers!

SinfulColors polishes were sent to me forreview. All opinions are my own.

Polished Style : Chevron

2012-01-12T01:12:00.000-08:00

Ithas been awhile, with the holidays and all, but without further ado here is week2 of Polished Style. Today's feature pairs funky runway chevron nails with an everydayoutfit to make it very wearable and chic. Jen does a great job of pairingcolors, textures, and patterns with this nail design, so be sure to check outmore fashion pictures here. We used a classic navy and white color scheme forthis nail design and chose to do both a single chevron design and a layereddouble chevron design. Look below for a tutorial on how you can create thelayered double chevron look yourself at home!

Materials(from left to right) : Dr.'s Remedy Noble Navy / OPI Alpine Snow / SecheVite Top Coat / Scotch Tape / Zigzag craft scissors

Prep:Start by painting on your choice of base coat.

1.Paint your nails with your base color. I used one coat of Drs Remedy Noble Navy.

2.Peel off a piece of tape and cut along the edge using your zigzag scissor.Stick on your palm before applying it to your nail. Be sure to press down onthe edges. Paint contrasting color on top. I used OPI Alpine Snow.

3.Pull tape away from you immediately after applying the polish. The polish MUSTstill be wet in order for you to get a clean edge. Paint over with a coat of SecheVite (Very important, otherwise drying time will be long).

4.Repeat step 2 once polish is dry. Use your base color this time. Remember topull tape off immediately.

5.You now have 3 layers. Apply another coat of Seche Vite. You can stop here ifyou wish. Otherwise, onto step 6!

6.Repeat step 2 one last time. Don't forget to stick the tape on your palm beforeadhering to your nail. Finish off with a coat of Seche Vite. Your design isdone!

Formore pictures of the outfit worn with this manicure, click here. To see week 1,click here! Thanks again for reading. I hope you enjoyed this.

Tickle My Triangle

2012-01-09T21:41:00.000-08:00

This has got to be one ofthe most gorgeous pink holos I own. I could stare at it all day. China Glaze Ticklemy Triangle is a gorgeous medium pink holographicpolish. It applies super smoothly and was opaque in 2 coats. Although this isalready discontinued, many bloggers are selling them and you can also find iton ebay. If neither option suits you and your lemming for it is high, try dustyhunting! You will be surprised at what you can find sometimes. Thanks forreading. I am going back to staring at my fingers.

Gradient Friday : Ettusais

2012-01-06T11:34:00.000-08:00

I wanted to try a gradientthat is not usually in my color scheme this week. Yellow and green seem toblend well together and they are 2 new colors that a friend recently gave me soI thought this would be a good opportunity to use them. I first painted 2 coatsof Essie Moonstruck as my base. Thispolish would probably reach opacity in 3 coats but I thought 2 would sufficefor my gradient. Next, while the base polish is still tacky, I painted Ettusais9, asheer yellow sparkly polish, on the top 2/3 of my nail. Next, while it wasstill a bit wet, I painted Ettusais 15, a less sheer sparkly green with silver hexagon flakes,near the tips of my nails. I repeated step 2 and 3 once more to really blend inthe gradient. Remember to use thin coats so it does not get too thick!

In the second picture, Ipainted Ettusais 10, a sparkly bronze, nearthe cuticles to make the white less harsh. Which look do you prefer? Are thereany color combinations you would like to see for next week? Let me know! Youcan find out more about Ettusais here.

WhiteHall

2012-01-03T02:29:00.000-08:00

I was recently in Sephoraagain (surprise, surprise) and spotted this green beauty. Nails inc. Whitehallis a greenish-teal magnetic polish. The color was perfect for the holidays andis easy to match with any outfit seeing as it is a darker color. This polishapplied smoothly and there were no problems with application. As with allmagnetic polishes, you apply one coat first and let it dry. Next, you paint ona second coat, one finger at a time, and immediately place the magnet over itto make a design. I held my magnet sideways this time for a different patternas compared to this one. I really like these magnetic polishes and I wish theyhad more colors! What do you think about magnetic polishes?

Swirling around in candy cane dreams

2011-12-31T19:46:00.000-08:00

Hopeall of you polish addicts got to take some time to rest and enjoy some timewith friends and family. I know I did! As we end this year and start onto thenext, I would like to thank each of you for continuing to read my posts! It hasbeen a little over a year and I still love blogging as much, or even more, thanwhen I first started. Today's design is a water marbled candy cane mani, which Ihope you enjoy. I used Sally Hansen White On and Wet N' Wild RedRed for this mani. Have a wonderful new years.

Festive Cheer

2011-12-24T00:00:00.001-08:00

Here is todays gradientFriday. Sorry it is a bit late, but things have been pretty busy here withChristmas just around the corner! I did a simple layer gradient using ChinaGlaze Ring in the Red. I topped it off withChina Glaze Snow Globe (my new addiction!) to give it a more festive look. 2more days until Christmas! I am so excited!

Festive decorations

2011-12-21T16:41:00.000-08:00

Forthis festive design, I used 3 medium coats of SpaRitual Illume,which is a blurple cream polish. The formulation for this was quite runny andhard to work with, which was disappointing because it is such a pretty color.You should probably use 4 coats if you want it to be opaque or wait longer inbetween coats as the formulation is quite sheer. I was too impatient so I onlyused 3 and waited not very long in between coats. Next, I used China Glaze Harmonyto stamp on a design using my BM plate. This design reminds me a lot of theshiny decoration balls you hang on Christmas trees and I really liked it. Harmonystamps wonderfully and I sealed my mani off with a coat of Seche Vite.

Hopethe holidays are treating you well!

Glittery Snowflakes

2011-12-19T20:11:00.000-08:00

There is less than a week until Christmas day so I am going totry and fit in as many festive designs as possible. I wanted to do somethingglittery and fun with snowflakes so I decided to try for some glitter tips. Iused some bright light blue fine glitter that I bought fromMichaels for this look. I painted my tips with clear polish and then dippedeach nail into the glitter. I lightly brushed the glitter with a fan brush toget rid of the excess. Next, I layered on China Glaze Snow Globe to give it a falling snow kind of look. I used OPI Catch me in Your Neton my pinky as an accent finger. To finish off my look, I stamped on snowflakesusing BM plates. I sealed it all off with a coat of Seche Vite for some extrashine.

Now if it will really snow here, it would be perfect…what wouldyour perfect Christmas look like polish addicts?

China Glaze Eye Candy

2011-12-18T00:45:00.000-08:00

Fromleft to right: Love Marilyn/ Marry a Millionaire / MaterialGirl / Some like it haute/ Lorelei's Tiara

Missingfrom nail wheel: Blonde Bombshell

LoveMarilyn: Red glitter polish with red fine glitterand small silver hexagonal glitter

Marrya Millionaire: fine lightpurple glitter polish mixed with gold, green, and light purple tinsel glitter

MaterialGirl: pink glitter polish with pink fine and hexagonal glitter

Some like it haute:Dark blue glitter polish with blue fine glitter and holographic hexagonalglitter

Lorelei'sTiara: Silver glitter polish with silver fine glitter and bluehexagonal glitter

Theformulation on these China Glaze polishes were great. It only took 2 coats foreach of them to be fully opaque and the glitter was quite dense. These aresuper festive and I am happy to add them to my collection! I have already usedthem for gradient designs here and here. If you are a glitter lover, I wouldpick up this set. My favourites from this set are MaterialGirl and Lorelei's Tiara.

Polishes were sent to mefor review. All opinions are my own.

Festive Green Gradient Friday

2011-12-16T14:46:00.000-08:00

Theholidays are near, so I decided to try a festive green gradient Friday. I usedone coat of Nubar Earth as my base color. It is a pretty shimmery teal green with tealsparkles and applied well. Next, I sponged on Essence Lime up! on mytips. Finally, I blended this manicure together using China Glaze He's going in circles, whichis a light green holographic polish. I added some dots on the tips using Wet n' Wild Red Red and Sally Hansen White On. I stamped 2 festive bows on usingfauxnad plate m59.

Hope thisstarts off your holidays with a smile!

Polished Style: Studded

2011-12-15T14:49:00.000-08:00

Iam very excited to announce a new feature on my blog in which I will becollaborating with my friend Jen from herwaisechoice. She runs a very stylishfashion blog and her outfits are always styled impeccably. This feature willshow you the pieces the manicure was inspired by, how the nail design can be worn in reallife, and tutorials on how to create it yourself! I hope you will enjoy thisfeature as we are having lots of fun doing this! As all of you polish addicts know, your manicure is a great way to accessorize your outfit, so we are happy that we will hopefully be able to give you some ideas to do this.

Fromleft to right: OPI Black Onyx /Martha Steward microbeads in Florentine gold / Borghese Base & Top Coat

Thelook is pretty simple yet stunning. Here is a step by step tutorial.

Prep:Start off by painting your fingers with a black base coat. I used 2 coats ofOPI Onyx.

1. Choose an accent finger. Use a top coat(preferably not quick drying) and brush a thin layer on top.

2. While the polish isstill wet, use tweezers (or an orange stick with a bit of clear polish at theend) and place the microbeads in a straight line down the middle of the nail.

3. Once you have yourmiddle line in place, you can add either 1 or 2 lines on each side, dependingon your preference. Alternate the beads and place each new bead beside butbetween two other beads. If you do this line by line, you will get the bestresult!

Seal this all off with atop coat and you are done! Easy right?

Hope you enjoyed week 1 ofPolished Style. There will be more to come in the near future! For moreclothing pairing options and everything fashion related, visit my friend Jen!Any suggestions for future posts are always welcomed.

Dark Brown Sparkle

2011-12-13T19:41:00.000-08:00

Here are some swatches for the base color I used from lastFriday’s gradient. Glitter Gal Dark Brown Sparkle is astunning chocolate brown holographic polish that applied very smoothly. It wasopaque in 2 coats and adding a top coat doesn’t diminish the awesomeness. Thisis the first Glitter Gal polish I have tried, and I am happy to say it won’t bethe last. This polish is just amazing.

PS – something exciting will be unveiled Thursday! Stay tuned.

Polish was sent to me forreview. All opinions are my own.

Cozy Gradient Friday

2011-12-09T12:24:00.001-08:00

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire….
Those lyrics were stuck in my head this week because Christmas songs areplaying everywhere. This inspired me to make a warm, cozy, chestnut coloredgradient for this Friday, so I hope you like it. I started off with 2 coats of GlitterGal Dark Brown Sparkle which is a chocolate holographic brown polish. Next, I spongedon Revlon Gold Coin which is a foil gold polish. Lastly, I dabbed on China Glaze Cheers to You on thetips. I blended this in using a coat of China Glaze SnowGlobe and sealed it off with CND Super Shiney.

Keep warmeveryone!

The Wyndham Collection

2011-12-06T12:48:00.001-08:00

Here is the 2^ndnails inc. special effects overglaze polish set that I picked up from Sephora.This one is called The Wyndham Collection. The base color it comes with is adark green black polish called Kensington.It applied smoothly and was opaque in 2 coats. The effect polish for this setis obviously called The Wyndham.This effect is a green-blue flakie polish and is oh-so-pretty. I had moresuccess, a few day later, capturing the blue flakies in the sun. I used 2 coatsfor the flakies and I liked how it looked. Overall these nails inc. setspleased me as it helped me add some flakies to my collection. Would you pickany of these sets up?

Gradient Friday Recap

2011-12-02T16:11:00.001-08:00

The Donmar Collection

2011-11-30T22:21:00.001-08:00

Nails Inc. recently cameout with some awesome special effects sets, so I stalked my local Sephora untilthey got them in. This set is called The Donmar Collection. The base color itcomes with is called Chelsea, which is a reddish plum blackthat was opaque in 2 coats and applied very smoothly. The effects is called thedonmar, hence the name. The donmaris a reddish-green bronze flakie topcoat and it is gorgeous. It is mesmerizing to look at in the sun. I do not own aflakie polish so I was excited to pick this one up. I only used one coat ofthis, but you can definitely use more if you want to build the effect up! Whatare your thoughts on this set?

Lady of the Lake

2011-11-28T14:33:00.001-08:00

This polish is one of my favourite purple holos of all time. A-EnglandLady of the Lake is a gorgeous mediumpurple holographic polish that applied extremely smoothly. It was opaque in 2coats and the dry time was great. With Christmas coming up, this would be aperfect stocking stuffer or mini present! They offer free shipping worldwideand their site is found here.

Perplex Passion Gradient

2011-11-25T01:01:00.001-08:00

Here is another purple gradient Friday to start off the weekend!For my US readers, Happy Thanksgiving! I started out with 2 coats of Dr.'sRemedy Passion. This is a purplish red shimmer that will probably take 3 coatsto be opaque, but since I was doing a gradient, I left it at 2. Formulation wasnice and smooth and better than the other shimmer polishes that I tried fromtheir summer collection. Next, I sponged on Revlon Perplex on ¾ ofthe nail. Following that, I sponged on China Glaze Harmony on thetop third of the nail although it is not very noticeable in the pictures. Ifinished this gradient look with some glitter using China Glaze Marry aMillionaire. This polish is packed with fine light purple glitter as a basethen mixed with gold, green, and light purple tinsel glitter. I topped thismanicure off with a coat of Seche Vite for added shine. Hope you enjoyed andthanks for dropping by.

Marry a Millionaire andPassion were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Autumn Allure

2011-11-21T13:55:00.001-08:00

Dr.'s Remedy enriched nail polish has, in my opinion, some perfectfall shades in this mini collection. I have said before that they create great basiccream polish shades and these did not disappoint.

First up is Balance, a vibrant raspberry redpolish, which took 2 medium coats to be opaque. The formulation for this onewas a bit on the watery side but it was very minor. I stamped over this withColor Club Hot like Lava .

Next up is Deep Red, a burgundy wine red,which also took 2 coats to be opaque. Formulation was good on this one andalthough it says it is supposed to dry matte, I did not notice the matte effect.This reminds me of cranberries!

Wrapping up this collection is Navy, a dark blue cream polish. It wont win points for creativity inthe name, but this is a basic solid navy that everyone should have in theircollection. It came to my attention recently that I do not own any dark cream bluessans glitter, so this fit perfectly in my collection (I totally thought OPI Russian Navy didnot contain shimmer). Formulation was great on this one and you can get by with1 thick coat, but I did 2 for the picture.

This collection impressed me more than I thought it would interms of color as they truly do remind me of fall. Although these colors arenot completely original, they are still good basics to pick up if you do nothave any in your collection! Dr.'s Remedy enriched nail polish is a 3 free brand andretails for $17 at their website. However, they have a black Friday and cyberMonday sale coming up this week which allows you to try their polish for $14and free shipping! You can also look for more info on their facebook andtwitter page.

Polishes were sent to mefor review. All opinions are my own.

Foiled

2011-11-20T22:01:00.001-08:00

ColorClubFoiled Collection

The formulationon these was good considering they are foil polishes. It took 2 coats for theseto be opaque and I'm pretty certain they'll stamp nicely.

From leftto right: Lumin-icecent / Foil Me Once / Hot like Lava / Cold Metal / Perfect Mol-ten / Antiquated

Winter Gradient

2011-11-18T12:43:00.001-08:00

To celebrate the firstsnow fall of winter here, I did a snow inspired gradient Friday! The firstflakes of snow paired with listening to Christmas music was definitely aperfect evening. I first painted half my nails with China Glaze Lorelei'sTiara. It is a silver fine glitter based polish with medium blue hexagonalglitter. This was more opaque I thought which was exciting. Next, I used ChinaGlaze SomeLike It Haute on my tips while the other color wasstill wet and blended it in. Some Like It Hauteis a silver and black fine glitter based polish with medium holographichexagonal glitter. This is quite mesmerizing. Finally, I finished this gradientlook with 2 coats of CND Effect SapphireSparkle to blend all the colors in. A coatof Seche Vite finished off this look and added more shine.

Both of the China Glazepolishes are from their new Eye Candy line and I love them! Lorelei'sTiara reminds me so much of winter. Have a warm and cozy day!

China Glaze polishes were sent to me for review. All opinionsare my own.

Follow me on Glitter

2011-11-14T21:39:00.001-08:00

Here is the last color I have from the Nicole by OPI KardashianKollection. Follow me on Glitter is a blackbased sparkle polish with red, green, blue, gold, magenta and silver hexagonalglitter and silver fine glitter. This was surprisingly opaque and only took 2coats for this result. It dries on the matte side, souse a topcoat for shine! For easier removal, you can use 2 coats of base coat oropt to use one thin coat of black polish underneath. The glitter will be mucheasier to remove. Those are the four colors I have from this collection. I didnot expect to like all of them, but I do! They have a wide range of colors fromthis collection, so everyone can find a color they enjoy. I would say KhloeHad a Lam-Lam is a must have for me since it is the perfect teal shade. Doyou have any must haves from this collection? Let me know! (Sorry for the blue fingers! Ihad just swatched Listen to Your Momager! and it left a bit of a stain.)

Polish was sent to me forreview. All opinions are my own.

Hard Kourt Momager

2011-11-12T20:58:00.001-08:00

Here are two more colorsfrom Nicole by OPI Kardashian Kolors Collection. Up first is Hard Kourt Fashionista.This is a dark chocolate brown cream polish that was opaque in 2 coats but wasa little bit streaky. It will probably even out in 3 coats, but I did not havetime to add another.

Next is Listento Your Momager!, which is a royal bluewith lighter blue shimmer. This color was surprisingly pretty and was opaque in2 coats. One more color to go! Stay tuned.

Polishes were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Let Us Remember...

2011-11-11T12:05:00.001-08:00

Colors used: OPI Skull & Glossbones / Loreal Resist & Shine #155 / OPI Steady as She Rose / WetN' Wild Red Red / Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen Black /Seche Vite Top Coat - Gradient Friday

Khloe Had a Little Lam-Lam

2011-11-08T14:29:00.000-08:00

Khloe Had a Little Lam-Lamis a beautiful dark teal cream polish that applied smoothly and was opaque in 2coats. This is one of the many colors from Nicole by OPI Kardashian Kolors line. I lovethis color so much as I find this to be the perfect fall colored polish! Aftera day, I added leopard spots on using all of OPI Pirates of the Caribbeancollection and lining it with Sally Hansen nail art pen in black. More shadesfrom the Kardashian Kolor line to come!

Polish was sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Sunday Snaps

2011-11-06T01:43:00.000-07:00

Nail Mail / New Abstract Necklace / Nails Inc. Donmar Collection

Shades of Pink

2011-11-04T16:30:00.000-07:00

PinkGradient Friday (or ombre) from dark to light: ZoyaValentina / Zoya Max / SkinFood VL001 / Essie Castaway / Essence Sweet as Candy

Candy Mani

2011-11-02T20:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a candy mani Iattempted recently after looking at the OPI facebook tutorial. The firstpicture is of the finished design and I really like it since it reminds me ofhard sugar candy. The steps are really simple and this layering process isfaster than you think. I photo documented the simple steps.

First, you start off witha base coat similar in shade to the sorbet polish you will layer on after. Iused OPI I'm Indi-a Mood For Love,one of my favourite cream pinks. Next, you put on a layer of sparkle polish. Iused OPI Spark de Triomphe. Finally, youlayer on a sorbet polish, which is similar to a jelly, which gives it the candylook. I used OPI Too Hot Pink to Hold 'Em, a red toned pink polish.

I really like this lookand am already thinking of new colors to try out!

Spooky Night

2011-10-31T15:03:00.000-07:00

Here is my design for today. I used OPI Hes My Boo on my thumb, index, and pinky. Next, I layered Wet N Wild Tangled in my Web on top. Tangled in my Web is a clear suspended polish with black hexagonal glitter.

On my middle finger I used OPI I only Date Werewolves as my base and drew a white circle using Konad White Polish. I used Sally Hansen Nail Art pen in Black to draw a jack-o-lantern face.

On my ring finger I used OPI Zom-body To Love, a glow in the dark polish, as my base and painted on the chevron tip using OPI I only Date Werewolves. I added a nail decal spider to finish off this look.

Have a safe and happy night everyone! Chocolates...here I come!

Behind Closed Doors

2011-10-30T21:09:00.000-07:00

Here is another simple but stunning Halloween manicure! I really like how this looks. I started off with one coat of Sally Hansen Black Out. Next, I layered on 2 coats of Wet N' Wild Behind Closed Doors, which is a red base polish with hexagonal and fine glitter. This polish is another one from their On the Prowl collection and the formulation was okay. You need to roll this polish a couple of times before you use it, otherwise the red hexagonal glitters don't end up on the brush. Thanks for reading!

Halloween Gradient

2011-10-28T16:39:00.000-07:00

Here is my first Halloween nail design! I used 2 colors from Wet N' Wild On the Prowl collection. I also included some swatch pictures of each color as well. I used 2 medium coats for each polish and each covered quite well. The brushes are meh, and I do not really like them, but for 2.99 I can't really complain. The colors are GORGEOUS. Cougar Attack is a brown based polish with copper shimmer. Ready to Pounce is a dark vampy purple with magenta shimmer. I almost passed on this one like I passed on Jungle Fever and Ink Well, but am so glad that I didn't. This one is a beauty.

I used Ready to Pounce as my base coat and sponged on Cougar Attack on the tips. Finally, I used Konad White to stamp on a pumpkin and a bat. More designs to come!

Magnetic Purple Magic

2011-10-25T18:48:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to show you this nails inc. magnetic polish! I have been waiting for this polish ever since I first saw the promo pictures. This gorgeous dark magnetic polish is called houses of parliament. To apply magnetic polish you first have to put on one coat and let it dry. Next, you will have to polish each finger one at a time. Put on a second thicker coat and IMMEDIATELY put the magnet on top of it. Hold this for 10 secs. Lift up the magnet and put on a top coat. Repeat for the rest of the fingers. Remember that you will have to do each finger individually when the polish is still wet.

I love the application of this polish and the design of the bottle. This polish comes with the magnet and the cap is removable for ease of use. There is also a cuticle ledge on the cap so it makes it easier for you to hover the magnet on top of your finger without touching the polish itself. The effect of this polish is super mesmerizing and I would definitely recommend for you to pick one up!

Sunday Snaps

2011-10-23T21:31:00.000-07:00

New way to organize my scarves / Polishes from Wet N' Wild On the Prowl collection / Loreal Carbon Black Lineur Intense

Foil Gradient Dots

2011-10-21T11:23:00.000-07:00

For today's gradient Friday, I wanted to use some colors from ColorClub Foiled set that I recently picked up at Winners. I started out with nails inc. Victoria which is a burgundy red jelly color. The formulation on this was a bit watery compared to the other polishes I have tried from this brand, but it smooth out nicely after I applied a second coat. I think this color is quite nice for fall.

Next, I used Color Club Perfect Mol-ten, Antiquated, and Hot like Lava to make my gradient dots. I used my dotting tool and started off with the darkest color moving towards the lightest color. I sealed this all off with a coat of Seche Vite and was happy with how it turned out. Have a great weekend my lovely readers!

Nails inc. polish was sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Short leopard tips

2011-10-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

Here is another fun and cute short nail design. I did a neutral colored leopard print French tip on my nails to trick my nails into thinking that they have some time off from nail polish. First I used nails inc. Porchester square, mushroom taupe cream, to freehand some French tips. Next, I used OPI You don't know Jacques!, taupe cream, and dabbed on random sized spots all inside the French tip. Finally, I used Sally Hansen nail art pen in Black to outline some of the sides around the spots to make it look like a leopard spot. I added a bit of gold using Sally Hansen nail art pen near the smile line. I sealed this off with a coat of Seche Vite and voila! Done.

I am enjoying doing short nail art designs more than I though, would you like to see more? Thanks for dropping by.

Nicole by OPI Holiday Glitters Part 2

2011-10-17T00:13:00.001-07:00

Here is part 2 of Nicole by OPI Holiday Glitters. First up is Orna-Ment for Each Other, which is a glittery red color filled with gold and green fine glitter. This one reminds me lots of Christmas! This took 2 coats for full coverage. Isn't this pretty?

Last, but not least, is Snow-Man of my Dreams, which is a glittery blue packed with rainbow colored fine glitter. It reminds me of Christmas parties and New Year celebrations. Super festive. The formulation was a bit sheerer for this color but still quite opaque, this took 3 to achieve full coverage.

Although this collection is quite small, I think they made some winners. My must have for this collection would have to be Glitter in my Stocking as red and gold are so great together and I have yet to see anything like it! However, if you are making a wish list for Christmas, I would definitely put all 4 on this list! Polish Addicts, which ones were your favourite?

Polishes were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Nicole by OPI Holiday Glitters Part 1

2011-10-16T00:33:00.000-07:00

I am super excited to show you part 1 of 2 of Nicole by OPI Holiday Glitter 2011 collection. Here are the swatches. First up is My Sleigh's in the Shop which is a pretty darker magenta glitter polish filled with pink, silver, and purple fine glitter. I swear I took 100 pictures but could not for the life of me capture the real color. These are the closest I could get them to because the camera really picks up on the pink glitter. In real life, this polish is a bit more purple in color. Following this is Glitter in my Stocking, which is a gold glitter polish filled with gold and red fine glitter. This one was very pretty and I very much appreciated the pop of red.

Both these polish applied wonderfully and full coverage was achieved in 2 coats. I added a coat of Seche Vite to finish off both looks. These are great to wear to any Christmas gathering! I cannot wait. Stay tuned for part 2 of this collection.

Polishes were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Fitzroy Square Gradient

2011-10-15T00:16:00.000-07:00

Today's gradient Friday is a bit late, so I apologize. Hopefully it is still Friday somewhere in the world? Life has been pretty hectic lately, so time has been tight. This week I did a simple glittery gradient using Nails inc. Fitzroy square, a glittery polish with coarse and fine blue glitter and some fine green glitter.

For this gradient, I just split the top half of my nail into four parts, and kept adding another coat to create the gradient effect. This polish applied really nicely and I enjoyed using it. The formulation was nice and the glitter is just so pretty! I am definitely using this over other colors soon! This is part of nails.inc special effects line, so it is meant to be layered, but can stand alone by itself as well I find. Cheers!

Polish was sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Pretty in Papaya

2011-10-12T23:08:00.000-07:00

Here is the first of my short nail designs. I used 2 coats of Revlon Scented polish Pretty in Papaya, a very pretty papaya orange cream which applied very well. It smells really nice too, fruity and fresh. The picture shows two coats with no top coat (sorry, I smudged it a bit). Next, I wanted to do a simple design on top with my dotting tools. I used OPI Mummy Knows Best for my white dots. I dotted different sizes along the side of my nail. Hope you enjoyed!

For the Metro Gal...

2011-10-11T13:32:00.000-07:00

Recently, there was a deal for a mani and pedi near me, so I thought I would go since my heels are still quite dry from Hawaii. The massage, scrubs, and moisturizing treatments were good but the polish application left a bit to be desired. Also, due to this visit, my nails have become nubbins. So please bear with me as I swatch with nail wheels and think of cute short nail designs!

Here are some quick swatches some colors from China Glaze Metro line. The formulations on these were good, and all four required 3 coats to be opaque. From left to right: Urban Night (a pretty reddish purple cream, reminds me a bit of eggplant) / Midtown Magic (brownish black with red, gold, and green shimmer) / CG in the City (clear base with purplish hue and multicoloured glitter) / Skyscraper (medium blue with blue and silver glitter)

For a look at another CG Metro color, click here. I love this one the most!

Bold runway gradient

2011-10-07T15:49:00.000-07:00

For today's gradient Friday, I decided to recreate a runway nail look I saw. I used 2 coats of Sally Hansen Blue me Away!, a bright cream blue as my base coat. Next, I gently sponged on Sally Hansen Black Out near the base of my nails, creating a bold gradient look. What do you all think?

Happy early Thanksgiving to all my Canadian readers. Enjoy the long weekend!

Reverse Chevron

2011-10-05T12:55:00.000-07:00

Today I am going to show you a cute and fun reverse chevron design I did to match my raspberry pink trousers. I used 2 coats of Julep Miranda, a pretty seafoam green cream, as my base coat. The application was smooth and it dried well although it did dent a bit when I was taking photos (pinky). Next I used a piece of scotch tape and turned it so it looked like a triangle. I stuck this on my palm first (to get rid of some stickiness) and then applied this on the bottom of my nail. Finally, I put on 2 coats of Zoya Sachi, a gorgeous dark pink, to finish off my look. The application was super smooth and this color is very opaque. I topped this manicure off with a coat of Seche Vite.

I think the design is so cute and adds such a nice pop of color to your outfit!

Spookettes and more

2011-10-05T00:04:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick look at my medium size-ish haul today. I picked up the mini Halloween set of OPI (love the glow in the dark!), 2 polishes I was eyeing from China Glaze Let it Snow collection, and some CND polishes that caught my eye today. I also did some quick swatches!

From L to R: CND Plum Truffle & Effect / OPI Zom-Body to Love / OPI I Only Date Werewolves / OPI Hes My Boo / CG Ring In the Red / OPI Mummy Knows Best with CG Snowglobe (my favourite Christmas polish thus far!) layered on top

Products I'm Using...

2011-10-03T19:49:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I wrote about some makeup. Here is a couple that I have recently tried:

Mary Kay hand cream is a nice peach scented hand cream that feels nice and moisturizes quite well. It absorbs into the skin quickly and I really like this! You can buy this here.

EOS lip balm smooth sphere in summer fruit and EOS everyday hand lotion are products that I am super happy I tried. I am always looking for moisturizing lip balms and hand creams, and really, who can ever have enough? The lip balm smells delicious and applies oh-so-smooth, while the hand cream smells nice and absorbs great. These babies switch bags with me every day.

Dr'.s Remedy Enriched Instant Cover is a concealer made for the body that is advertised to cover tattoos and spidery veins. I was intrigued to try this and went for the medium skin tone shade. I do not have any tattoos, but spidery veins and blemishes I do have, so I tried this out. This product has great coverage and it is also buildable. It truly does cover up almost anything! The only bad part is the applicator. It comes in a squeeze bottle with a sponge applicator tip. I found it hard to squeeze the product out from the sponge and therefore opted to take off the sponge and only use it for blending. Although it is not recommended for the face, I did try some on my face and it worked. You can buy this on their website and inquire more on their Facebook page.

What are some makeup products you have tried recently? Anything that you would buy again?

Dr'.s Remedy Enriched Instant Cover was provided to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Sunday Snaps

2011-10-02T16:42:00.000-07:00

A quick snap of some colourful and fun Fall trends:
Polishes in Cobalt, Gold, Purple / H&M Hair Ring / Red, Orange, Emerald Polishes
Topshop Raspberry pink trousers / Madison quilted chevron satchel / Grey, Mustard, Nude polishes
Orange adjustable belt / pretty long necklaces / pink helmer drawer – dotted = blogged

Faux Gradient

2011-09-30T16:43:00.001-07:00

For today's gradient Friday, I am going to show you a super easy way to do your nails to LOOK like a gradient. If you do not have time to spend on sponging/mixing, this will be the perfect way for you to put on a gradient manicure. I used Claires MOOD Color Changing polish in earthy/happy, a bright neon green and lime colored polish. The formulation on this was acceptable and it took 3 thin coats to be opaque. The brush left something to be desired as it left some streaks that was easily hidden after another coat.

Now this is how you get your gradient effect, apply it to your nails and wait. Your polish will change to a darker green (happy) near the tips of your fingers, leaving you a nice looking gradient with half the work. This polish is actually heat activated and dries matte. Therefore if you want it shiny, please remember to add a top coat. Hope this helps someone out there who wants a gradient with less hassle.

Ladybug party

2011-09-28T01:03:00.000-07:00

I was invited to a cute ladybug themed party recently, so I thought it was only suiting that I did a mani to match! I used Zoya Carmen (swatch seen here) as my base coat and then used Milani Nail Art in Black to draw my ladybugs. I used Sally Hansen Nail Art pens in white to add the dots. I thought my thumb looked a little bare, so I added a leaf using Milani Nail Art Green Sketch and Black.

I took some pictures of the party favors and cupcake decorations. They are all homemade! Arent they adorable? Thanks so much for reading. It has been a crazy week.

Nails Inc. Gradient

2011-09-23T12:05:00.000-07:00

Today's gradient Friday is done using all Nails Inc. products to celebrate their release into Canada at select Sephoras. I used 2 coats of Jermyn Street, a pretty cream greyish beige polish with a hint of rose pink. The formulation was great and it applied very smoothly.

Next, I sponged on Porchester Square, a creamy muted mushroom taupe polish, on my tips. Finally, I stamped on a stripe design using Fauxnad m69 with The Thames, which is a creamy concrete grey polish.

I really like this neutral colors for the fall and I am glad I picked this beauties up! What Nails Inc. colors are your favourites? I would love to know!

OPI Rainbow Connection

2011-09-21T23:05:00.001-07:00

Here is the last polish I have from the Muppets inspired OPI collection, Rainbow Connection. This is truly the definition of glitter bomb in a bottle. Rainbow Connection is a clear based polish with multicoloured (orange, silver, bright blue, magenta, and grass green) coarse glitter and various sizes of multicoloured hexagonal glitter. I used 3 coats in my pictures to make it somewhat opaque. Formulation was smooth but the placement of hexagonal glitter is really random and you might want to brush slower to deposit more. Next I decided to layer this polish over various colors (Index: Gosh Silver; Middle: Nails Inc. Taxi Cab; Ring and Pinky: Pepe's Purple Passion.) Finally, I decided to layer polishes on top of Rainbow Connection (Index: Sinful Colors Scandal; Middle: OPI Dating a Royal; Ring: Color Club Total Mystery).

My favourite that I have tried out of this collection is definitely Excuse Moi!. Rainbow Connection is a fun glitter if you do not have anything similar and the rest of the collection is fun too. I am overall quite happy with this OPI collection.

This collection is going to released November 2011. Keep your eyes open!

Polish sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

OPI Gone Gonzo!

2011-09-19T21:18:00.001-07:00

Next up from the Muppets inspired OPI line is Gone Gonzo!, an aqua blue micro glitter polish. The formulation on Gone Gonzo! is very similar to Divine Swine. This polish also has silver hexagonal coarse glitter and took 3 coats to be opaque. Aside from the color, everything about these two polishes is the same (same consistency, same formulation, and same finish). I used it by itself on my index and ring finger. Then I tried layering it over different shades of blue. On my thumb, I layered it over Essie Mesmerize. Next, on my middle finger over Color Club Otherwordly and finally on my pinky over Sally Hansen Blue Me Away!.

I liked it best over the darker shade of blue, Essie Mesmerize. What are your thoughts polish addicts?

Polish was sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

PS- You may have noticed that you are no longer able to right click on my page. This is due to the fact that someone is stealing my posts and putting them on their own blog : ( Sorry for any inconvenience, but I work hard on these posts.

Excuse Moi!

2011-09-18T15:33:00.000-07:00

Today I will be showing you another polish from OPI inspired by Disney's Muppet collection. This gorgeous dark glittery pink is called Excuse Moi! The formulation on this was smooth and this polish was a lot more opaque than Divine Swine. I needed 2 normal coats to achieve opacity and the color is fabulous. This polish is full of multicoloured coarse glitter and bright pink fine glitter. The effect just blows me away. I used this polish on its own for my index and ring finger and tried layering it over a red (Color Club Velvet Rope) on my thumb, middle, and pinky finger. The addition red base coat does not really add much to the effect but it does make the removal process a bit easier. I would definitely wear this by itself, whereas OPI Divine Swine I would choose to wear it layered. 2 more polishes from this collection to show you soon! So far, so pretty...

Polish was sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

OPI Holiday Lacquers inspired by The Muppets

2011-09-17T14:11:00.000-07:00

Hi Polish Addicts! I am so excited to show you some colors from OPI upcoming holiday collection inspired by Disney's Muppets movie. First up is Pepe's Purple Passion swatch, which is a very pretty deep purple polish with a red tint and reddish purple sparkles. It applied beautifully and was opaque in 2 coats.

Next up is OPI Divine Swine. This is a stunning magenta polish with magenta glitter and silver hexagonal sequin. I layered this on top of Pepe's Purple Passion on my index and ring finger. Picture 3 will show you how Divine Swine looks when more coats are added. On my thumb, I applied one coat of Divine Swine; on my pinky I applied 2 coats, and finally on my middle finger I applied 3 coats which is really close to being opaque.

In my final picture, I finished off the thumb and pinky so that they were 3 coated and topped this all off with Seche Vite for a smooth finish. I love these polishes and I can see myself wearing them a lot this Christmas!

Stay tuned for 3 more polish from this OPI Muppets inspired holiday line! Swatches of OPI Rainbow Connection, Gone Gonzo!, and Excuse Moi will be up soon!

PS - A tip for removing glitter polishes is to apply either a thin layer of top coat/cuticle oil and press down with a cotton pad with nail polish remover before it dries. Hold onto it for around 5 seconds and then wipe off!

Polishes were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Urban-Night Gradient

2011-09-16T16:26:00.000-07:00

Colors used: China Glaze Urban-Night (2coats), Nails Inc. Black Taxi (sent for review)

Pink Blush Diamond

2011-09-14T23:01:00.000-07:00

Hurray! I finally got my hands on a Sally Hansen Nail Prism! I have read so much about them so I wanted to try them out for myself. Sally Hansen Nail Prism Pink Blush Diamond is a soft pink holographic polish that was opaque in 3 medium coats. The formulation was quite smooth and the dry time was decent. This reminded me of OPI DS Reserve but a tad bit lighter. This is quite nice and I am glad to add it to my collection. I am just adding the finishing touches on the giveaway. I promise it will be up by the end of this week!

Rainbow Split

2011-09-12T15:51:00.000-07:00

It has been super sunny this past week so I decided to do a pretty rainbow manicure. I used Color Club Velvet Rope, Color Club You got Soul-ar, OPI Lemonade Stand by your Man, Color Club Glitter Envy, Color Club Otherworldly, amd Color Club Secret Agent. I topped this all off with Color Club Starry Temptress Topcoat.

Formulation on all of these was quite good and most of them are from Color Club Starry Temptress line. Thanks for dropping by polish addicts!

Basic Gradient

2011-09-09T12:50:00.001-07:00

Today I am going to show you a basic but still pretty gradient. All you need is one color, preferable a polish that is more on the sheer side with a bit of sparkle. I used Canmake 37, a pretty medium sparkle jelly pink. First, you paint one layer on and let it dry. Next, you paint another layer on but only on the top 2/3 of your nail. Finally, paint your 3^rd layer on the top 1/3 of your nail and you will have a really nice gradient. The more parts you split you nail into, the smoother the look of your gradient. Keep in mind however that it will also result in more layers! I used 4 layers in mine and topped it off with Seche Vite. Hope you enjoyed.

It's ShowTime

2011-09-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

Nothing says showtime like silver holographic polish. It is just plain mesmerizing. I bought this Sally Hansen Showtime off Polish Obsessed and I am so glad I did! Sally Hansen Showtime is a gorgeous linear silver holographic polish. It is a bit on the thin side, so it needed 4 thin coats to be opaque.

How does it compare to China Glaze OMG? See for yourself. I used OMG on my index and ring finger. The amount of holo just does not compare. How did China Glaze make their old formulation so holo-y? I love it. Please bring it backkkk. If any polish addicts out there has an extra bottle of any of the old China Glaze Kaleidoscope and OMG line and they are willing to part with it, let me know. For now, I will stare at my Showtime nails.

Shoreditch Shimmer

2011-09-06T22:11:00.000-07:00

I was super excited when I heard that Nails inc. was going to start selling their collection at Sephora. I kept waiting for it to come in and finally I got my hands on some. Nails inc. Shoreditch is a gorgeous gorgeous jelly pink polish that was opaque in 2 coats. You can probably get by with one, but you know how I like to have at least 2. Formulation was smooth and the brush was easier to handle than I thought. I had heard not so great reviews about the brush, but it applied pretty well. I love love love this color. Can you see the gloss on the finish? This is WITHOUT topcoat. Amazing.

I also got Nails inc. electric lane holographic top coat and layered that on top of this. How can anyone pass up a holo top coat? I definitely can't. You can see the radiant holo glitter working its magic. I am quite please with this too although I wish the holo would blend with the base color more...maybe I can try applying it wet next time.

On another note, I finally reached 200 followers! It’s been a little bit over a year and I cannot express how grateful I am to have you guys reading my blog. Thanks so much! Giveaway details will be up shortly just so I can say thank you to all you wonderful people.

Fall Gradient Friday

2011-09-02T18:59:00.000-07:00

To welcome the start of September, I have chosen to do a more earthy toned gradient. I started off with 2 coats of OPI You don't know Jacques!, a gorgeous taupey brown color that everyone should have in their collection. Next I mixed a bit of OPI You don't know Jacques! and SpaRitual Mystic together for my middle gradient color. This is a great trick to finding the perfect middle gradient shade for the perfect blend! Finally, I completed my gradient by sponging on SpaRitual Mystic, a light beige color, on my tips and then topped it off with CND Super Shiney.

I really like this gradient because it’s basic and simple but still has a bit of style. Hope you are enjoying the start of this Labour Day weekend Polish Addicts!

PS – I am holding onto Julep Hand Scrub in one of my pictures, it makes my hands really smooth!

Hot Summer Shades

2011-09-01T16:36:00.001-07:00

Although summer is coming to an end, these polishes that I am about to show you will definitely bring back some fond memories. Dr.'s Remedy enriched nail polish is a doctor-formulated polish brand that is 3 Free and also contains enriched ingredients to strengthen your nails. It is said to contain tea tree oil, vitamin C & E (which helps make stronger nails), and wheat protein (to increase shine). Their summer line is packed full of fun bright colors. Now onto the swatches!

First up is Nurture Nude Pink, a sheer peachy pink shimmer that took 4 thin coats to be somewhat opaque. This formulation was not my favourite as I found this to be quite runny and the pink shimmer is not seen that much on the nail.

Next is Lovely Lavender, a pretty lavender purple that was smooth and opaque in one coat. You know I love my purples! Win.

Following this is Tranquil Tangerine, a shimmery bright orange color. The formulation on this was average and it took 3 coats to be opaque.

Glee Gold is up next and this formulation is very similar to the pink. It was a bit less runny but still a little runny and sheer. This took 4 thin coats to be opaque. I tried layering over a black to see if it would pop, but it does not seem to bring out the color at all.

Lastly, my favourite out of the whole collection is Bold Baby Blue. It is a pretty shimmery blue that took 2 coats to be opaque and the color was oh-so-pretty. I am not even a blue polish type of girl and I really like this.

Overall, their collection was okay and Tranquil Tangerine is quite unique in its bright shimmery orange color. I still like Dr.'s Remedy cream colors more than their shimmers and I find the formulation much better. You can purchase their polishes on the website here and like their Facebook page here.

Polishes were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

A look back at gradients

2011-08-26T06:51:00.000-07:00

A look back at some of my past favourite gradients! I hope you enjoy. I am on a brief vacation and will not be posting this week. Have a great one!

Black is Golden

2011-08-23T21:43:00.001-07:00

Here is a quick swatch of China Glaze Tarnished Gold again, this time over one coat of Wet n Wild Black Cream. The result looks a lot better. Win.

Dandelion Gradient

2011-08-19T16:48:00.001-07:00

Today's gradient Friday is inspired by a dandelion mani I saw on pininterest. I hope you all enjoy!

I used H&M Bella's Choice as my base coat. It is a turquoise blue that has a thicker formula, so you have to be careful when applying to avoid streaks. However, if you use a thick coat, you only need 1 coat for it to be opaque.

Next, I sponged on Misa Dirty, Sexy, Money on the top half of my nail (Swatch and review can be found here.) Lastly, I sponged on nails inc. Electric Teal, a creamy greenish teale color, which was available exclusively for instyle magazine back in June/July.

I drew on my dandelions using Milani Nail Art Brush in black and Sally Hansen White Out with a tiny paintbrush. 3 more GFC followers until giveaway!!

Pink of Hearts

2011-08-17T17:18:00.001-07:00

As promised, here is the awaited swatch of OPI Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts. This limited edition nail lacquer is OPI first pink shatter and each comes with a pink ribbon tag to call attention to breast cancer awareness. OPI will be donating $5000 Rethink Breast Cancer in Canada.

I started off with 3 coats of OPI Canberra’t Without You, a sheer nude color with shimmer. Even after 3 coats it was not completely opaque, but I thought it would be fine as I would be layering pink shatter over it. Next, after I waited for the polish to be dry, I used OPI Pink Shatter on top. I was pleasantly surprised by this formulation. It was a lot more workable and glided on smoother than any of the other OPI Shatters. OPI Pink Shatter is a bright metallic pink crackle, and they really nailed down the formulation. I really love this color and love how this helps raise awareness to breast cancer. This will be available for sale in the months of September and October. See if you can snag yourself a bottle!

OPI Pink Shatter was sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Crackle and Glitter

2011-08-15T19:45:00.000-07:00

When I heard about Milani's One Coat Glitter line, I was very intrigued. Glitter usually takes 3-4 coats to be opaque given the nature of the size of the sparkles and the lack of opacity. Milani Red Sparkle, is a glittery red polish that is packed with glitter. In the first picture, I used a medium coat of the polish, and it covers quite well. However, I still think that it would look better with another coat so the second pictures shows you the polish with 2 coats of polish and a coat of Milani Top Coat. Milani has done really well with what it has promised as one coat of this glitter polish does allow you to get by. It has good opacity and the formulation applied well. The dry time was decent and removal was normal compared to other glitter polishes. I would personally apply two coats just because I think it looks better.

I wanted to try China Glaze metallic nail crackle on top and alternated 2 different colors. On my thumb, middle, and pinky finger is China Glaze Tarnished Gold, a metallic gold crackle. On my index and ring finger is China Glaze Cracked Medallion, a metallic bronze crackle. Although the colors may look similar, Cracked Medallion is noticeably darker and more on the copper side. I think adding these metallic crackles on glitter nail polish are a bit overkill and I will try it on a solid color polish next time. It did allow me to test out the formulation and the crackle effect of these polishes though, and I am a big fan. Like the rest of China Glazes crackle line, I love the way these polishes crackle and I am so glad they were able to transfer the same formulation in the metallic crackle line.

Thanks for reading polish addicts, giveaway coming soon!

Subtle shimmer gradient

2011-08-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

Today's gradient Friday features 2 Zoya products I received with my purchase of Zoya Carmen, seen here. I used 2 coats of Zoya Ivanka, a bright shimmery green, as my base coat. Application was smooth, and it was easy to control the brush. Next, I sponged on Zoya Charla, a medium shimmery turquoise, on the top half of my nail to create a subtle gradient. I waited for it to dry then sponged on another coat. Finally, I topped it off with ColorClub Starry Temptress topcoat for addition glitter.

Below are pictures of the gradient in my light box, with flash in my room and a swatch of Zoya Ivanka.

New OPI DS

2011-08-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

Polish Addicts, you have no idea how giddy I got when I received these babies in the mail. I will spare you all the details and show you the pictures instead and let you decide your giddy level for yourself.

These two new OPI shades will be joining their DS series this upcoming fall. For my review on their other colors in their DS line, click here, here, and here.

OPI DS Bold is up first. It is a shimmery red packed, and I mean PACKED, with red, silver and pink glitter. This polish leans a little towards pink than red but still very pretty. OPI DS Temptation is a medium purple which is packed with blue, purple, and silver glitter. The pictures do not do this polish justice. My camera keeps picking up on the blue tones way more than the purple. I tried to photograph the bottle instead to give you a more accurate color. It is a brighter purple in person.

Formulation on both of these polishes was good. The glitter is evenly distributed on the nail with their famous ProWide Brush. Both of these polishes require 3 medium coats for the effect to really stand out and be opaque. I used thinner coats when applying Bold and ended up with a little bit of VNL. The dry time was quick so I was happy. Removal was surprisingly hassle-free. The glitter was much easier to remove than most other polishes and it did not stick onto your skin as much. I was pleasantly surprised as I was expecting a small battle.

Some may ask how these 2 polishes compare to the other DS polishes and I would have to tell you that you really are not comparing the same thing. These polishes are not holographic polishes but glitter polishes. They will not have a smooth finish compared to others in the series as the glitter leaves it a bit bumpy, but nothing a top coat will not fix. Compared to other glitter polishes however, these ones are definitely more opaque than most. The closest polishes I have in my stash that are similar to DS Temptation are Sally Hansen Rockstar Pink and Sephora by OPI Too Good For Me. However, neither of these are even close to dupes with both being more on the reddish-purple side.

If OPIs goal was to add two new colors with intense shimmer and unique texture to their DS line, they have done exactly that. These two new polishes are fun, sparkly and glittery. Both are a great addition to my collection.

Stay tune for a review of OPI Pink Shatter, their annual polish which helps raise awareness for breast cancer.

Polishes were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

A Bolt of Glitz

2011-08-08T23:09:00.001-07:00

Right before my vacation, some nail packages arrived for me, so here are some of the colors! Milani Bolting Blue describes this color quite well. It is a shimmery royal blue color which applied quite smoothly and was opaque in 2 medium coats. I really liked how this color looked both in the sun and the shadows, so I took a picture displaying that.

Next, on my index and ring fingers, I layered on Milani Jewel FX in Gold. The sequins in this formula just blow me away. It distributes nicely on the nail and it saves me time from having to put sequins on myself individually. Doesn't this look pretty? It's also available in silver and multicolor, which looks like a lot of fun.

On my thumb, middle, and pinky finger, I used China Glaze Platinum Pieces, a silver metallic crackle, and applied a nice even layer on top. There is just no contest for me. China Glaze makes one of the best, if not THE best, crackle polish. This metallic crackle is no different and I love the big chucks and easy application.

Finally, I topped all my fingers off with Milani Top Coats, which gives it a nice shine and the dry time on this was quick as well.

All products in this post was sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Hawaiian Holographic Gradient

2011-08-05T11:29:00.002-07:00

I am back from Hawaii with an inspired gradient for all of you! The trip was great and I took so many photos. Hopefully I can translate some of my gorgeous photos into nail art for you all. This one is inspired by the colors on the side during the middle phase of sunrise which I got to enjoy in Haleakala National Park at 10000 feet elevation.

I used Milani 3D Holographic Cyberspace as my base coat. This took 2 medium coats to be opaque but the formulation was smooth. Next I painted Milani 3D Holographic Digital on the top half of my nail and used Wet N Wild Clear Nail Protector to blend it in. I picked up both of these nail polishes in Hawaii as I do not have anything from the 3D Holographic line from Milani.

Finally, for the design, I stamped on a Hawaiian flower using BM16 on my ring finger with Wet N Wild Black Crème. On the rest of the fingers, I painted palm tree leaves using Milani Nail Art in Black Sketch 703. This has to be one of the best nail art brushes I have used thus far. The polish did not overload the brush, it was easy to handle and it painted nice crisp lines. I love this!

Hope you got to enjoy some sun as well Polish Addicts, wherever you all are!

Milani Nail Art Black Sketch was sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Dusty Archives

2011-07-31T09:45:00.000-07:00

Here is an old picture I pulled out from the archives displaying a simple tip design. I took this even before I started a blog, so please excuse the quality. I used Anna Sui 600 as my base coat. The opacity isn't bad and the formulation is smooth. I just love the smell of their nail polish as they are all lightly scented with a rose fragrance. I finished this design off by painting a white diagonal strip across the top of my nail and lining it with a purple nail art pen. I added a blue jewel on my thumb for extra embellishment.

Wet Summer Gradient Tutorial

2011-07-29T08:54:00.000-07:00

For today's gradient Friday, here is a tutorial on how to do last week's gradient.

Prep: Choose 2 or 3 similar shade colors, one sparkle top, clear nail polish/top coat

1. Paint your nails using your lightest shade polish. I used 2 coats of SkinFood OR004. Let dry.

2. Using your darker shade polish, paint a thick line near the top of your finger.

3. IMMEDIATELY, take your top coat and brush downwards lightly towards the lighter shade. Brush all the way down to where you want it.

4. Repeat step 3, if you want to add another color. Paint a much thinner line this time, very close to your fingertips.Do not worry if it looks a bit lumpy. The finish product will not be.

5. Add your sparkly top coat for a more blended look. Apply a top coat and you are now done! Your nails should now be smooth.

Hope this helped!

Nail Mail

2011-07-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

Today is a quick post of some nail mail I received from Milani. They sent me a polish from each of their lines and small nail pens as well. They are so generous. I can't wait to try them. Thank you!!!

Inspired Art

2011-07-25T03:21:00.001-07:00

As some of my readers have guessed, I will be travelling to Hawaii for the next week. Not to panic though, as I have queued up some blog post to keep you all occupied.

First up is a nail design I tried, inspired by a nail pamphlet I received from Sephora. I used SkinFood OR004, a creamy yellow with a hint of orange, as my base coat. The formula is a bit on the thick side but 2 coats fixed most of the streaking. Next, I used BM 215 to stamp on a giraffe design using Dr.'s Remedy, Desire Dark Brown. Formulation on this is excellent and so is the opacity when used to stamp. Finally, I taped off the bottom and the top of my nails, and used China Glaze Westside Warrior, a dark khaki green, to paint the middle of my nails. I love this color and the formulation is great as well.

Hope you enjoyed!

Wet Summer Gradient

2011-07-22T01:35:00.000-07:00

Today's gradient Friday features a wet gradient technique that I have not tried before. This technique requires the use of a clear nail polish to blend polishes together when they are still wet. How quick and how light you use the clear polish to blend the colors will result in how your gradient effect will look. For this gradient, I used Color Club Almost Famous ('Ive been using this color lots lately!), OPI Orange you glad its summer?, and Orly Ole. I blended each color in using Wet N' Wild clear nail protector for this summery gradient look. Finally, my ring finger was topped off with a flower nail sticker for a fun accent. I will be taking a vacation next week and this gradient gives you a hint to where I will be going. Any polish addicts want to venture a guess to where my destination will be?

Carmen Blasted

2011-07-19T00:27:00.000-07:00

I am lacking reds in my collection, so when I saw Zoya Carmen, I knew I had to have it. I got it during the promo where if you bought anything, you would get Zoya Charla and Ivanka free, so how can a girl resist? My lovely aunt from the states brought it up for me and I finally got to try it out for the first time. Zoya Carmen is a gorgeous glossy cream red that applied smoothly and was opaque in two coats. I really like this red and I am glad I got it. After a day, I decided to put on Sephora by OPI Electric Blue Blasted, their version of shatter, on top, and I liked the color blocking combination.

From all the shatter/crackle I have tried so far, if you are a big crackle lover like me, this is what I would say – China Glaze, Sephora by OPI, OPI. I have yet to try Color Club and Nicole by OPI, so we will see how those compare once I get my hands on them.

Hope you are all enjoying some sunny days!

Gold and Red Gradient

2011-07-15T15:59:00.001-07:00

Today's gradient Friday reminds me of Wonder Woman a bit, although it wasn't intended to. I used a dollar store gold glitter on the top 2 thirds of my nails and used China Glaze Ruby Pumps on the top third of my nails. I blended it together with Wet N' Wild Clear nail protector and then sprinkled some gold hexagonal glitter on top. I finished this look off with a coat of Seche Vite (sorry for the cuticle mess, I took these pictures pre-cleanup).

As always, Im open to any gradient color suggestions! So drop me a comment!

OPI Shatter Day

2011-07-13T22:40:00.000-07:00

In honor of OPIs first nail shatter day, I decided to try something new with my shatter. I had seen a similar design when I was browsing, and decided to attempt it myself. I used 2 coats of Essie Mesmerize as my base coat. It is a very pretty dark cream blue that applied quite smoothly. I decided to accent my fingers with shatter so I taped it off and used Sally Hansen White On to make a white triangle. Afterwards, I taped it again and added OPI Turquoise Shatter on top. I sealed it all off with Seche Vite. Happy Shatter Day!

A Golden Find

2011-07-12T22:14:00.001-07:00

Revlon Gold Coin is aptly named because the color is exactly that. It is a stunning gold metallic polish with a base of silver. The formulation was smooth and the polish was opaque in 2 coats. I really liked the color, but I thought I could make it pop more by adding a design to it. I used Wet N' Wild Black with an image from BM 224. Removal of the polish was a little bit of a hassle as it tends to live a bit of silvery glitter behind, but still the color is totally worth a little extra removal effort.

Stamping Gradient

2011-07-08T10:55:00.001-07:00

Today for gradient Friday, I decided to do something different and make a gradient using my Bundle Monster plate design. I used 2 coats of Color Club Almost Famous as my base coat. Next on the design I chose I painted stripes of each color onto the plate. I started off with the lightest color, SkinFood PK004, a creamy light pink. Next in the middle of the design, I striped another line using Konad Special Pink Polish. Finally, to close off my stamping gradient, I used Wet N' Wild Red Red. After all the polish was on, I scraped off the excess starting from the darkest to the lightest polish and stamped it on. Voila! There you have it. Hope you enjoyed. I used BM-215 plate.