Christmas Nails with BornPrettyStore

Christmas surprises are just the best!

I came home to a surprise package from BornPrettyStore. It was full of Christmas cheer with stamping plates and nail water decals.

Fun Fact: This is my first time using water decals! They're so easy and they give you a great design without the hassle.

I painted two coats of Motives Nail Lacquer - Red Stiletto and let them dry completely. When using water decals you simply cut them out, let them float on a water surface for one minute and slide the decal off the paper. You have about one minute to place it, orient it, and work out any air bubbles before it dries. Finish it off with a top coat and you're all done!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

LiveLovePolish Review

LiveLovePolish is an online store that carries some of your favorite brands such as China Glaze, Models Own, Floss Gloss, NCLA, and Seche.

Seche Vite may be one of your favorite polish top coats, but did you know they have a whole line of beautiful colors?

I received Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat and Seche Coral, a hot pink creme, from LiveLovePolish.

As a nail artist who specializes in hand painting, cremes are my favorite! They make beautiful bases for art. I am sick of the freezing weather we've been having so I decided to brighten up my day a bit.

These hand painted daisies complement Coral beautifully!

Seche's formula is wonderfully smooth and incredibly easy to apply. I did notice that Coral dried a bit darker than the vibrant shade seen in the bottle. Not a huge problem when the formula is so lovely!

Check out LiveLovePolish! Which brand do they carry that is on your favorites list?

31 Day Nail Challenge: Day 1

Welcome to my second round of the 31 Day Nail Challenge! I will be completing this challenge over the next couple of months. 

Day 1: Red Nails

For these nails I had to break out my Louboutin Rouge! I was inspired by the bottle to create a red to black fade.  On each nail I used a freehand brush to create negative space.

Each nail has it's own unique shape for a mix and match.

Which nail is your favorite? 

myNCLA Nail Wraps

NCLA has just launched a new app called myNCLA. On the app you can upload pictures from your library or take a picture in app. Anything you can take a photo of, myNCLA will print as nail wraps! 

I wanted to go for a bit of an artsy route so I used an image I took at The Color Run. 

This was taken right after we completed The Color Run. If you haven't ran The Color Run I highly suggest it!

After the nail wraps are printed they'll be shipped to you in this folder along with a file to trim off the excess nail wrap. 

NCLA suggests using a glossy top coat as a base before applying your wraps but, for extra strength I added a base coat. The wraps have a sticky side and are actually paper based. After applying the wraps with the size that fits best, seal everything in with a top coat and you're good to go. 

Each custom nail wrap sheet is printed with your name in the center!

The wraps on my nails look fantastic. It's a look that can't be replicated if I was doing these freehand. Yes, there are splatter nails but when you get up close you can actually see where each spot fades a bit into the shirt.

Have you downloaded the myNCLA app? What would you put on a set of custom nail wraps if you could choose?

Aladdin Nail Art as a Tribute to Robin Williams

My uncle Bruce was a producer in Hollywood. One of his first big movies was Mrs. Doubtfire where he and Robin Williams grew to become friends.

When my Uncle passed away in 2012 the Williams family was kind enough to send a gorgeous flower arrangement and their condolences to the ceremony.

I hope that they are surrounded by the same support and comfort during this difficult time as they offered us.

Last night I created these Disney Aladdin nails as a tribute to the late, great, Robbin Williams. 

Shark Week Nail Art!

Happy Shark Week!

I've whipped up a little something just for the occasion.

I used a blue gradient with Essie Aruba Blue, Essie Butler Please, and OPI Can't Find My Czechbook and then hand painted the Shark Week logo and the shark itself. Everything is topped off with a Matte Top Coat from Julep.

How are you celebrating Shark Week?

ModCloth Nail Klub Dresses Challenge

I have been a ModCloth lover since my very first order back in 2010.  Currently half of my wardrobe is from them. Their whimsical, quirky, romantic style is me to a T.  If I could wear dresses every day of my life I would! When I saw some posts by ModCloth's Nail Klub being created based of some of their fabulous frocks I knew I had to jump in.

I went through a lot of summer dresses to find one that I thought would be perfect to pull a nail design from. When I saw the Graceful Greenery Dress in Dog Park it was calling to me!

The print of this dress, by Bernie Dexter, is a beautiful crimson with vintage cartoon doggies everywhere. Upon further digging of this unique print I found out that it is by Tammis Keefe who worked in the Disney studios and was one of the first women back in the 40's and 50's to become well known and attributed to her commercial artwork. You can see her signature on parts of the dress. She produced around 400 designs for handkerchiefs and dishtowels all featuring her unique style during some of my favorite eras.  

I went right to emulating the design on the dress by recreating some of the pooches featured.

For the base I used Essie Snap Happy which, by the way is one of my absolute favorite formulas ever. For the detail I hand painted white outlines of the dogs from poodles, to dachshunds to chihuahuas and then added accents of brown, grey and black for the details. Finishing the design off with a matte top coat from Butter London helped give these nails a cloth like appearance. 

One little pup wasn't included on the print of the dress. It's Winston the spokes-pug, ModCloths mascot! Can you spot him peeking up on my middle nail?

New to ModCloth? It's an amazing online store that carries vintage, vintage inspired and indie clothing and accessories. Get $15 off your first order of $50 or more when you sign up for a new account here. 

Christian Louboutin Beaute - Rouge Nail Polish

I don't own my own pair of Louboutins but, just like every other girl in the world I'd kill for a pair. That's probably why Christian Louboutin decided to launch his very own beauty collection starting with nail polish that can also double as a weapon.

News dropped about Christian Louboutin's Beaute nail polish collection on 7/23. You can preorder through Saks Fifth Avenue for the release of Rouge on 8/6 but, if you were lucky enough to be near the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store in NYC you could go there and pick up a bottle of Rouge early. You can also pick Rouge up at any of the Louboutin boutiques. 

I ran on my lunch break and snagged a bottle.

Each bottle is housed in a hand-made, patent leather like, red and black box. One side has a raised Louboutin signature.

These bottles are huge with an 8" handle. It takes 22 weeks to make each polish as the 16-faceted glass bottle is finished with a hand-held flame and the box is hand crafted.

The glass bottle itself has a black to clear ombre allowing you to peek through to see the polish color on top.

For $50 a bottle, the bottle just can't be pretty, the formula should rock as well. Louboutin states that this long-wearing, chip resistant formula is highly pigmented with luxe, glossy color and UV protection to keep the color true. Two coats should give the effect of 20 layers of traditional lacquer, with a brilliant shine. Rouge is the same pigment of red used on the soles of Louboutin shoes.

Indoor Lighting

Beauty brands say lots of things about their products but this is the first time I feel like something has lived up to the hype.

Rouge is violently beautiful. One coat is full coverage. Yes, it's a one coater! I used two coats because why not. The super long brush handle is heavy making it easy to control. Polish only went where I wanted it. The glossiness of this varnish is highly reflective without a topcoat (I didn't use one). 

Natural Lighting

As August approaches I can't wait to find out more information about the other 30 shades coming out. It looks like Rouge is the star of the collection with the other polish shades having slightly smaller, different colored handles and clear bottles instead of black ombre.

I can justify spending $50 on a bottle of polish since I'm a nail artist but would you take the plunge?

Happy Fourth of July!

Dermelect was kind enough to send me some red, white and blue polish in preparation for the 4th of July!

Dermelect is a skincare line that has released the first anti-aging peptide infused nail laquer! I received  Red-iculous, Opulence and Phenom.

Dermelect is running a giveaway when you upload your patriotic nails with the hashtag #nailMe. You could win the entire 'ME' lacquer collection!

I created my look by layering Opulence on the bottom, splitting the nail in half with straight stripes from Nail Vinyls and painting half the nail blue with Phenom and the other half with red Red-iculous stripes. Finally, I topped them off with silver nail vinyl stars using Julep Empire.

What are you wearing on your nails for America's birthday?

Color Club Poptastic Collection 2014

It's officially summer! You know what that means in polishland, neons! Color Clubs got some great new additions to their Poptastic collection.

This year there are six shade of neons, all in the shimmer family. Three of the shades have a warm golden shimmer while the other three have a cooler purple. Keep in mind that neons are notoriously difficult to photograph. I tried to get the swatches as close to accurate as possible but, they may be a bit off. Each bottle retails for $8.

Kapow!

Kapow! is a neon pink with a purple shimmer that cools the shade down a bit. Formula on this is great! It's a two coater. 

Peace, Love & Polish

Where Kapow! is cooled down somewhat because of it's purple shimmer Peace, Love & Polish warms up with a bright golden shimmer. Another stellar formula and two coater!

Foxy Mama

Foxy Mama is a hot orange full of golden shimmer. I will be wearing this ALL summer!

Not-So-Mellow-Yellow

Not-So-Yellow-Mellow is such a difficult shade to catch. This is a classic highlighter yellow. There are some green shades here but that doesn't translate in real life at all. It's all yellow all the time! The yellow shimmer is a bit harder to pick up than it is in Foxy Mama but it's there. This shade was a bit thinner than the other formulas and took three coats for full coverage.

Bell Bottom Babe

Bell Bottom Babe applied very thinly with one coat and grew to opacity with three. The purple shimmer in this is heavy handed! Even though this one took three coats I really love this shade of blue! 

Right On

Right On is a neon purple with a deeper violet shimmer. This pretty purple was a two coater and I highly recommend!

I wanted to show how amazingly these shades went together so I created a blended six shade gradient! My fingers are radioactively bright! I used a white base to make the neons pop but honestly, most of the shades didn't even need it.

Which is your favorite neon from Color Clubs new Poptastic additions? 

June Beauty Box 5 2014

Who doesn't need a fifth beauty box subscription each month? This month I"m giving Beauty Box 5 a try! This box is what I've come to expect from subscription services and offers five items a month ranging between foil samples to full size products. Beauty Box 5 is $12 a month or $8.25 a month with a yearly subscription.

I received Nicka K New York Nail Polish, Coconut Water Shampoo and Conditioner, Vitabath Shower Gel, GlamNatural Mascara and Eslor's Introductory Collection.

Vitabath Cupcake Couture Body Was in Dreamy Pink Frosting

This little travel sized body wash smells like I just walked into a bakery. Who doesn't want to smell like a bakery? I'll tell you who, no one. 

GlamNatural Mascara in Black

GlamNatural is not a brand I'm familiar with but, I can always use more mascara.  Did you know that mascara expires after only three months? As the name may have clued you in, GlamNatural is a green cosmetic company that uses all natural ingredients.

Coconut Water Weightless Hydration Shampoo and Conditioner

I really dislike getting little throw away packets in subscription boxes which is probably why Ipsy continues to be my favorite. Beauty Box 5 seems to include at least a couple in each box. I want something I can use more than once. I don't really feel I can get a good idea of a product and what it's all about with only a few uses. 

Eslor Introductory Collection

This little packet contains four separate foils. There is a Soothing Refiner & Cleanser, Soothing Cream, Replenishing Cream and Comforting Mask. Again, I'm a little disappointed in the tiny little samples but, I'll give them a try and see what I think.

Nicka K New York Nail Polish in Lavender

Nicka K New York has some really great polish. I recently received quite a few from them to review from the brand and I've been really impressed! Lavender is a perfect shade for spring.

Overall, I think this will be my only try with Beauty Box 5. Typically I like to give each subscription service a three month try but, after seeing this box I have a feeling it's just not really for me.  I don't feel that I received a great value from this box with the included foil samples. Many of the products were bath items which I'm not interested in. I much prefer makeup products or tools. BeautyBox5 does offers a personalization quiz but, based off of other's boxes I've only seen different shades or scents of the same product and no variation in the products themselves. 

What do you think? Would you be interested in trying Beauty Box 5?

June Wantable Beauty Box 2014

Wantable is a high end subscription box with three options to choose from monthly: intimates, beauty or accessories. Wantable was kind enough to provide me a beauty box to review here!

Wantables beauty box is $36 a month with a subscription or $40 for a one time order. Wantable has a pretty varied quiz to provide you with the items that they know you'll want. You can even exclude options that you know you won't use. 

This month I received  a Liberty Republic Spellbound Nail Lacquer, Gleam by Melanie Mills Body Highlighter, Mirabella Eye Definer, a 'Tini Beauty Lipstick and an Ofra  Brow Pencil. 

Gleam by Melanie Mills Body Highlighter: $30 

As much as I don't want it to be, it's practically summer. Autumn is my kind of season so I suppose I'm looking forward to summer so it can be over already. Gleam Body Radiance Highlighter has potent anti-aging ingredients, hydrating ingredients and skin perfecting ingredients. This little lotion will give your skin the appearance of a healthy glow. It is a pigmented makeup that helps diminish the appearance of small stretchmarks and varicose veins leaving you looking like smooth velvet perfection.  Maybe summer won't be so bad this season. ;)

'Tini Beauty Straight Up Color Lipstick in Pink Champagne: $18

I've tried 'Tini Beauty's nail lacquers but, this is the first experience I've had with their other products. Pink Champagne is a peachy pink brimming with gold shimmer. Application was fine but, I feel Pink Champagne is a little juvenile for me. The shade is intensely glittery. Before heading to work I decided it was just a little too much and wiped it away...and wiped it away....and wiped it away. I don't know what they use in this stuff to bond it together but, I"m starting to think that it's superglue. This glitter will not come off! It actually ended up spreading all around my mouth and now I look like I've been dining on unicorn meat. I think I'll be skipping this one.

Ofra Universal Eyebrow Eyeliner: $10

I've been very into taking care of my brows lately. It really changes your whole face for a more intense focal point on your face.  I've been testing different products to see what kind of mediums and brands I like. So far I've been using Whitening Lightnings Brow Bar in light which includes two powder shades and a tinted wax. Ofra's Eyebrow Eyeliner is a waxy brunette shade that is perfect for me. If you only need a pencil to fill in this is a great option. However, I need some kind of finishing wax or gel to hold my brows in place as well. 

Mirabella Eye Definer above, Ofra Universal Eyebrow Pencil Below

Mirabella Eye Definer in Bronze: $19

This little eye definer can be used on your lid as a shadow or as a metallic liner (metallic's are in this summer). The metallic sheen is gentle enough on this that I'd feel comfortable wearing it to work. Added bonus, this shade is absolutely amazing to make blue eyes like mine pop!

Liberty Republic Spellbound Nail in Talisman: $14

I haven't had the privileged of trying Spellbound Nail Lacquer before but, I am so glad I did! This metallic gold formula was perfection! I want more!

Overall, I got an amazing value of just over $90 and I loved almost everything in my box! You can check out a Wantable box for yourself here. What was your favorite item from the June Wantable Beauty Box?