Textured Neutral Ombre

Since I'm getting my mani motivation back but I'm still creatively blocked, I thought I should "cleanse my palate" so to speak with a nice neutral mani.  However, I couldn't just go creme, I had to go sand.  I mean it is beach weather outside.

From pinky to pointer is OPI Solitaire, Zoya Godiva, OPI Honey Rider, and OPI What Wizardry is This?.

On my thumb is Zoya Dahlia...still one of my favorite textured polishes to date.  I don't have much to say on their formulas or anything.  You can read my post on the Zoya PixieDusts HERE and my post for OPI What Wizardry is This? HERE.  I promise I'm not being lazy by linking you to old posts.  I just feel as though you can get all the info from there.

With OPI Solitaire, I am keeping that to myself as well.  lol Only because I am reswatching the Bond Girls collection (I hated my first swatches) and then when I am satisfied I will post the whole collection here.  I know you all may be tired of seeing them on other blogs right now anyway.

Oh and speaking of textured polish, who else is SUPER DUPER excited about the Fall 2013 Zoya PixieDusts?  I am freaking out.  If you haven't seen a press release on the other blogs, just keep looking.  I'll give you a little peek though.

Eeeeeeee!!

imPRESS Press-On Nails Update - Day 3

**I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Influenster**

Here we are back for and update on the imPRESS Press-On nails.  If you need to get up to speed about my initial thoughts, you can view my review from day 1 HERE.  A wrap-up will be featured at the end of each post with some repeated info but also some new info so don't forget to read that. (:

So here they are on just day 3 and already there is so much tip wear.  I figured that wearing these to work would definitely ravage them, but they were already pretty f'ed just from one shower and lots of typing.  After work they looked even worse since I work in retail.  I'm always hitting and scratching my nails on zippers, hardware, mannequins, etc.

This is my thumb nail after just the 2 days of wear.  The design isn't just rubbing off either.  It is straight up peeling off in tiny chunks and strips.  This is also bad for me because I have a bad habit of picking at things so all I want to do is peel it off.  I'm really trying to resist the urge.  AAAHHHH!

I'm not sure how I missed this, but another thing to note is how they don't exactly fit my nails.  As you can see they taper in a bit at the end, but my natural nails get wider as they get longer.  This isn't something that is going to bug me for a day or two but if you plan on wearing these for the entire week, it may be a slight issue.  Mainly because I've had so many people commenting on these in the past 2 days and saying that the nail salon didn't do them correctly.  Yes.  Many people thought they were acrylics.  lol

So remember when I said my natural nail was shorter than the adhesive so they were getting dirty?  Well here they are and this is after a shower.  My black towel fuzz stuck to every bit of it and I'm sure there is still dirt from work under there.  It's pretty gross.  I tried to clean them with a cotton swap and alcohol and that only worked to a certain extent.  They still aren't clean looking.

I wasn't really impressed with these to begin with, but now I really just can't wait for them to come off.  If real polish on my natural nails had this much tip wear, I would have already changed my mani.  I feel like if I had paid for these (which I didn't), I would feel like I wasted my money.  For sake of the rest of the review, I'm going to experiment.  I'm going to apply a top coat to my left hand and leave my right hand exposed to the elements.  If I could figure out a way to extend the design wear time, they might actually be worth trying again for times you might be in a hurry or for those who aren't comfortable with DIY nail art yet.

Review Wrap-Up - Day 3
Price: $ - $5.99-$7.99 depending on where you purchase them but now I'm not so sure that's worth it.
Variety: As far as I've seen, there are a lot of different designs and even solid colors.  For those that may be hesitant about trying DIY nail art, these are great.  You can view a gallery of other designs HERE.
Application:  super easy; only a few minor issues with the protective plastic backing.
Quality: Feedback from readers and nail lovers suggest they look cheap.  The design isn't lasting near as long as I would have thought.
Wear:  As far as the actual press-on goes (no the design), I think they will be stuck to my nails for the week as advertised.  I have felt them shifting a bit though.  Like the adhesive isn't dry or something.  There will be more updates to come.

imPRESS Press-On Nails Review - Day 1

**I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Influenster**

I am officially back!  I really wanted to do something with real polish on my nails, but I was already drawing a blank (I know right?!) so when I saw that I had received these imPRESS press-on nails in my Spring Vox Box from Influenster, I knew I had to do a review.  I don't do them very often and I quite enjoy them.

If you don't know what Influenster, check it out at the link above.  Basically you get fun free stuff just for participating in small surveys about yourself/your interests.  This time I got these press-on nails.  Unfortunately you don't get to choose the designs you get so I'm stuck with these.  This design is cute for someone else (they remind me of Kayla Shevonne), but it's not something I would ever create on my own mainly because I HATE zebra print.  No offense to those that do, but I just don't.  Sorry.  I just don't like it on me at all. (:

Obviously the first step was to pick out the ones that fit your natural nails the best.  The pack comes with 24 nails (so 12 different sizes) for you to work with.  I was really surprised at how well the shape of the press-on blended with my natural nail shape.  If you've ever used fake nails, you know that's usually not the case.  They are also really flexible so if you have super curved nails, they should still be fine.  When I pressed down, all of the air bubbles came right out.

So here they are on my nails.  They are okay I guess.  I'm really not crazy about them at all.  I think the color of the nude part isn't working right with my skin tone.  The package says 'Fast and Easy, Apply in Minutes", but there was a little more to it than that.  The plastic backing over the adhesive was so difficult to remove.  No bueno!  Once I had about 3 of them already on, I couldn't maneuver to get the other plastic backings off so I had to use my teeth.  All the tweezers did was stretch and tear it.  /:

Aside from the design, I think the length looks kind of nice on my hands eventhough they are longer than I'm used to.  It is kind of creating a problem for me to do my everyday tasks like laundry and going to the bathroom.  lol This photo was taken immediately after application so it looks clean, but actually there was one small issue.  My natural nails don't cover the adhesive completely so now I have fuzz and dirt all stuck to it and it's making under my nails look dirty.  Ew!

I don't feel like with press on nails, you should have to do too much work because they are supposed to be convenient and easy right?  Well as you can see some of them have this little piece that sticks out (from where they were cut off their mold thingy) and so I ended up having to file that part off of 6 out of the 10 nails I'm wearing.  Filing plastic is not fun.

Review Wrap-Up - Day 1
Price: $ - $5.99-$7.99 depending on where you purchase them.
Variety: As far as I've seen, there are a lot of different designs and even solid colors.  For those that may be hesitant about trying DIY nail art, these are great.  You can view a gallery of other designs HERE.
Application:  super easy; only a few minor issues with the protective plastic backing.
Quality: At first they seem flimsy, but really they are just flexible so they can form to your nails.  The design doesn't look like it's something that will rub or peel off but only time will tell.
Wear:  This is just day 1 and so far so good.  They feel like they are really on there.  There will be more updates to come.

Stay tuned for more updates on the imPRESS press on nails. (:

Guest Post for Nail Polish Creations/Life In Color

Hey Everyone!

I think my small blogging hiatus is over.  I still don't feel completely motivated, but I really want to get back into it and polish my poor naked nubbins.  They have been bare since my last post.  I'm not sure what's keeping me from wanting to paint my nails, but I haven't bought any new polish in quite a while.  I don't want to keep adding to a collection that I'm not even using at the moment.  I have a few new manis planned out in my head that I definitely want to try.  I'm also waiting on a small shipment of goodies to come in so that I can create some new looks from there as well.  Stick with me.

For my first mani back, I actually created an ombre/holo gradient for someone else.  hahaha!  So head on over to Nail Polish Creations and see my guest post.  I'll give you a peek.

I also did a fun corset mani on May 13th (that I completely forgot to post about) for Gosia of Life In Color!

See ya! (:

Rainbow Gradient?! Yes, Please!

Yes you read it right!  I have a full on rainbow on my nails tonight.  I have been wanting to do a vertical gradient for awhile but I didn't just want to do the same colors on each nail so I decided to use them all.  I mean, why not?!  Rainbows are fun!

Here it is!  It's super bright and I love it.  I think it's so fun and quirky...like me!  I don't really think I need to explain how I did it seeing as how almost everyone knows how to create a gradient by now.  I didn't do the sponge method though.  I just did it using the polish brushes.

As you can see some of the colors didn't blend as well as I had hoped like neon green and teal blue on my middle finger, but whatever!  You can't tell me that it looks bad.  lol  I did this entire mani over a white base if you were wondering how they all got so bright.  I had too since three of them are jellies.

Are you ready for the list of polishes I used?  It's long.  There are ten of them.  The reason for there being ten is that I used all these same polishes on my toes (which you will see below so if you don't like feet then don't read any further than the polish list) for an ombrè pedicure. 

WHAT I USED:
Orly Oh Cabana Boy - pink
popBeauty Ablaze - neon orange
OPI Y'all Come Back Ya Hear? - orange
Spoiled Did I Dye It Too Blonde? - yellow
China Glaze I'm With the Lifeguard - lighter neon green
China Glaze Kiwi Cool-ada - darker neon green
butterLONDON Slapper - teal
China Glaze Blue Sparrow - blue
China Glaze Creative Fantasy - darker purple
China Glaze Señorita Bonita  - lighter purple

Next is my pedi pic...look away if you aren't a foot person (who really is a foot person though).  I promise they aren't bad.  (:

Thanks for checking in tonight.  I had so much fun doing this mani and you better believe I'm going to stamp over this.  lol

Leopard Print and Gradient Mani

Hey Guys!  I'm back from the dead.  lol No actually I'm finally moved in and unpacked in my new place.  We had issues with our internet when we moved in as well so we were bored out or our minds for 5 days.  I also broke most of my nails when we were moving the furniture and all so now that my nubs are a little more grown out, I knew I could finally make some manis happen.

I was going through my stash trying to find a fun color to wear that I haven't worn in a long time so I chose essence Choose Me.  Perfect name, right?!  Since my Melmer drawers are in such disarray from the car ride over (all the bottles tipped over and are all mixed up now), this little guy made his way up to the front of the drawer and so he was "The Chosen One".

So here it is...the finished product!  I thought I would mix it up and do some leopard print and a gradient.  On my ring and middle fingers I used China Glaze Four Leaf Clover and OPI Designer...de Better! to create the leopard print.

On my pinky, pointer, and thumb I used Designer...de Better! to create the gradient.  I didn't use a sponge like I normally would because I really didn't feel like making a mess tonight and also being covered in silver shimmer.  I just did it using the brush which I haven't done in a super long time.  I forgot how much I liked that effect.

I love how the whole mani sparkles and is super shiny.  My favorites are the ones that blind you in a good way.  lol

Well I am so happy to be back blogging and to be all settled in my place.  There shall be lots of fun manis coming soon.  Night!!