A girl and her love of nail polish

Archive for September, 2012

30 Day Challenge Day 11 – Dots: OPI Berlin There Done That

I think technically Day 11 of the 30 Day Challenge is supposed to be polka dots, but I just did gradient dots and realized it a little too late. I actually like it quite a bit, so I hope you do too even though it’s not quite what was called for. I’m simultaneously doing 30 Days of Untrieds, so I fit a few new polishes in as well.

Gradient Dot Manicure: OPI Berlin There Done That with Sinful Colors Ruby Ruby

This mani includes three polishes:

  • OPI Berlin There Done That (untried)
  • Sinful Colors Ruby Ruby (untried)
  • Orly Rage

Gradient Dot Manicure: OPI Berlin There Done That with Sinful Colors Ruby Ruby

I started with two coats of OPI Berlin There Done That, a taupe creme, on everything but my ring finger, which has two coats of Sinful Colors Ruby Ruby, a bright red jelly-leaning polish.

For the dots, I used the head of a straight pin to do the large dots, starting with Orly Rage, a rose gold foil. I layered over that with large dots in the opposite color of the base nail, and then added some smaller dots with a small dotting tool down the nail to create a gradient effect. Then I want back and added some base-color dots inside the large “opposite dots,” i.e. added red dots to taupe dots, taupe dots to red dots.

Gradient Dot Manicure: OPI Berlin There Done That with Sinful Colors Ruby Ruby

I overlapped the dots a bit and also made sure some hung over the tips. My inspiration came from this gradient dot manicure from Chalkboard Nails. I finished everything off with a coat of Poshe fast-dry top coat.

Gradient Dot Manicure: OPI Berlin There Done That with Sinful Colors Ruby Ruby

Shade

I was a little sad to have to take this one off to move onto the next challenge!

30-Day Challenge, 30 Days of Untrieds

Please visit some of the other bloggers that are participating in the 30 Day Challenge this month. I know we will need a lot of encouragement to get through! Click here to see them:



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30-Day Challenge, NOTD

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30 Day Challenge Day 10 – Gradient: Cult Nails Untamed with Zoya Lotus

It’s day 10 of the 30 Day Challenge, which means I’ve survived one-third of it. Woo hoo for me. Today’s theme is gradients.

Since I haven’t done this kind of gradient before, I tried to keep it simple. For the gradient, I used two colors, Zoya Lotus and Cult Nails Untamed. The latter satisfied the 30 Days of Untrieds challenge I’m doing simultaneously with this one. I also added China Glaze Luxe And Lush, a layering polish with holographic flakies, to make it a little more interesting.

Gradient manicure: Cult Nails Untamed with Zoya Lotus and China Glaze Luxe And Lush

I started with two coats of Cult Nails Untamed as the base, then a coat of Poshe fast dry top coat. I let it dry completely before starting the gradient. Untamed is a medium pink sheer-ish polish with a fine shimmer. Zoya Lotus is an amethyst purple with a stronger pink/gold shimmer (click to see it on it’s own).

Gradient manicure: Cult Nails Untamed with Zoya Lotus and China Glaze Luxe And Lush

I know there are several different techniques for doing gradients; I used a makeup sponge and brushed the polish directly onto it, then dabbed it onto my nail. I dampened the sponge a little with water before I started so it wouldn’t absorb quite as much polish … not sure if it made a difference or not. I put the darker color on first and then the lighter one, making sure they overlapped some in the middle. As I dabbed the sponge on my nail, I moved it back and forth a little, tip to base, to make sure I got Zoya Lotus where I wanted it, and also to help with the blend a bit.

Gradient manicure: Cult Nails Untamed with Zoya Lotus and China Glaze Luxe And Lush

I added another layer of Poshe, then one coat of China Glaze Luxe And Lush, followed by one coat of Gelous since the flakies are chunky in the CG, and finally another coat of Poshe.

Gradient manicure: Cult Nails Untamed with Zoya Lotus and China Glaze Luxe And Lush

I wasn’t able to achieve as much of the blend in the middle as I wanted, so perhaps this technique wasn’t the best for that. It also might have been my polish choices: the Cult Nails Untamed was sheer and light in color, so it didn’t blend into the Zoya as much is get absorbed into it.

Still, I’m glad to have my first sponge gradient under my belt. Any tips you can share would be greatly appreciated.

30-Day Challenge, 30 Days of Untrieds

Please visit some of the other bloggers that are participating in the 30 Day Challenge this month. I know we will need a lot of encouragement to get through! Click here to see them:



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30-Day Challenge, Indies, NOTD

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Restock Radar: Week Of Sept. 10

Here’s a look at some of the indie nail polish restocks scheduled for this week. Check back every Monday to see what’s coming up.

Monday, September 10
1pmET
TRELLY’s M.I.S.C. Polish (On Etsy)
Notables: Halloween collection, including Trick or Trelly (black hearts, white and black bars, orange hex and black and white micro glitter in a clear base) and Spiked Witches’ Brew (turquoise, yellow, black and white glitter in clear base)

3pmET
STARRY EARTH (On Etsy)
Notables: launch of the Halloween Collection, including Spooky Eye Ball (glow-in-the-dark milky white base with matte red hex and shred glitter plus black bar glitter), Jack-o-Fright (black jelly with black and orange micro glitter with small orange hex glitter) and Candy Corn (yellow, white and orange small hex glitter plus yellow micro glitter in a clear base)

Wednesday, September 12
7pmET
DANDY NAILS (On Etsy)
Notables: full restock, including limited edition Halloween Trio

8pmET
ONCE UPON A POLISH (On Etsy)
Notables: Glitter Droppings  – billed as a mystery polish, it’s made from leftover glitter so no two bottles are exactly alike

Friday, September 14
between 10amET and 1pmET (On Big Cartel)
CANDY LACQUER
Notables: restock, and maybe the launch of a new My Little Ponies line? The line includes Fluttershy (pink and yellow glitter plus pink holographic butterfly glitter in a clear base) and Twilight Sparkle (purple and pink matte glitter in a clear base)

time not specified
XOXO Nails (On Etsy)
Notables: Launching 15 new glitter polishes

Saturday, September 15
5pmET
HAPPY HANDS (On Etsy)
Notables: I Just Blue Myself (blue hex and square glitter in a clear base — note new disclaimer on possible glitter bleed)

time not specified
SABAN (On Etsy)
Notables: Fall collection of franken polishes

And Keep An Eye Out For …
THE POLISH BAR is planning the launch of a new late summer collection and a new Halloween collection sometime this week on Etsy .

The ever-controversial LYNNDERELLA will be stocking Halloween nail polish shades on EBay sometime this week.

If you know of any planned restocks coming in the future, please let me know at polishgroupie@gmail.com Thanks for stopping by!

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Indies

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30 Day Challenge Day 9 – Rainbow: Laser Tape Nail Art

For Day 9’s rainbow theme, I tried a laser tape manicure. I actually had to use Google to find out what this type of manicure was called, but it’s pretty basic: lay down a base color, apply striping tape to the nail, paint over it with another color, remove the tape to expose the underlying color.

Rainbow Laser Tape Manicure

The lines didn’t come out as cleanly as I had hoped. On some it seemed I waited too long to remove the tape; others seemed like it was too soon. It depends more on the consistency of the top color. If it’s a runny color you need to wait longer; if it dries faster, remove sooner before it sets too much.

Rainbow Laser Tape Nail Art

Since I’m doing 30 Days of Untrieds simultaneously with the 30 Day Challenge, I was able to work a few untrieds into the mix as well.

Here are the polishes used in this manicure:

Pinkie
base: Zoya Jolene
top: Ulta Steppin Out (untried)

Ring
base: Zoya Jancyn
top: China Glaze Riveting

Middle
base: Sinful Colors Let’s Meet mixed with NYC French White Tip
top: Sinful Colors Let’s Meet

Index
base: Sinful Colors Exotic Green
top: Sinful Colors Last Chance

Thumb
base: Zoya Robyn
top: Nails Inc Baker Street (untried)

I used three coats of all of the base colors except the blue nail,which is two coats. The top colors are all one coat except the blue nail, which is two coats. I topped everything off with one coat of Poshe fast-dry top coat.

Rainbow Laser Tape Nail Art

Not sure rainbow nail art is my thing, but I did like the idea of this one, if not totally in love with the execution.

Are you a fan of rainbow nails?

30-Day Challenge, 30 Days of Untrieds

Please visit some of the other bloggers that are participating in the 30 Day Challenge this month. I know we will need a lot of encouragement to get through! Click here to see them:



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30-Day Challenge, NOTD

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30 Day Challenge Day 8 – Metallic: Layla Magneffect Purple Galaxy

It’s metallic day in the 30 Day Challenge, so today I’m showing you Layla Magneffect magnetic nail polish in Purple Galaxy. This was my first time using it, so it fits the bill for 30 Days of Untrieds too.

Layla Magneffect Purple Galaxy

I picked this up with my Ulta Rewards last month had have been anxious to compare it to Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color, which I recently tried.

I used one coat of Loreal Jet-Set in Nightlife as a base to reduce the amount of the Layla Magneffect I would need to use (at $15.50 a bottle, it’s not cheap). Loreal Nightlife is a grape purple shimmer polish that’s similar in shade to Purple Galaxy.

Next I applied a thick coat of Layla Magneffect Purple Galaxy to one nail and held the magnet as close to the nail as possible for about 10 seconds. The directions say to do it for 5 seconds, but just wanted to be on the safe side. I finished it with one coat of Poshe fast-dry top coat.

Layla Magneffect Purple Galaxy

The magnet is attached to the top of the the brush handle so you just turn it upside down to use. The magnet creates a straight line pattern,and there’s a line across the magnet to show you the direction of the pattern. So if you want vertical lines instead of horizontal or you want them at a diagonal across your nails, just turn the magnet accordingly before you use it.

Layla Magneffect Purple Galaxy

The polish went on very smoothly, but I did have a little trouble with the magnet. On one nail the pattern didn’t show very well the first time, so I did another coat and tried again. Turned out better the second time.

The magnet wasn’t able to cover my full thumb; perhaps the curvature was too much but the pattern just didn’t show up on one side of my nail, even after I tried it a second time. Next time I’ll try rotating my nail as it’s under the magnet to see if that helps.

Layla Magneffect Purple Galaxy

I do like this polish quite a bit; the color is deep and rich, very eye-catching. I’d be curious to try it with different magnet patterns. I thought this one was a little harder to use than the magnet that comes with Sally Hansen Magnetics. Sally Hansen includes the magnet as part of a separate cap that goes over the top of the bottle, so it’s not attached to the brush. I like that better: no worries that the polish will run or drip down the brush as you turn it over to get to the magnet. Sally Hansen also has added a small lip to the magnet cap that rests against your finger and acts as a guide. It makes it easier to hold the magnet steady and shows you how far away to hold it for best results.

What’s your take on magnetic polish? Have you found one that’s easy to use?

30-Day Challenge, 30 Days of Untrieds

Please visit some of the other bloggers that are participating in the 30 Day Challenge this month. I know we will need a lot of encouragement to get through! Click here to see them:



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30-Day Challenge, Swatches

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30 Day Challenge Day 7 – Black & White: Dice With A-England Morgan Le Fay

I almost didn’t make it through Day 7 of the 30 Day Challenge without having to buy another bottle of nail polish (*the horror!*). It wasn’t the theme of black & white that was the problem; it’s the fact that I’m simultaneously doing 30 Days of Untrieds.

I only have one bottle of black polish, which I’ve already used, so if I couldn’t come up with a suitable untried white, I would have no choice but to go buy something new.

Luckily (unluckily?), I was saved by A-England, which also happens to be the brand I featured yesterday for the violet day of the 30-day challenge. Loving this brand, so easy to apply, and beautiful!

Dice Manicure With A-England Morgan Le Fay

This manicure includes: two coats of NYC French White Tip under two coats of A-England Morgan Le Fay (untried), with Orly Liquid Vinyl. I finished it with one coat of Poshe fast-dry top coat. I liked the shimmer that A-England Morgan Le Fay brought to the table. There’s more going on here than if I had used a basic white creme.

Dice Manicure With A-England Morgan Le Fay

The dice theme is pretty easy, which is good for me since I am not that comfortable with dotting tools yet. I actually used the head of a pin as my dotting tool, and it worked pretty well for me. I didn’t get them totally uniform in size, but I’m working on it. The Daily Varnish has a great post on DIY dotting tools, if you want to check it out.

Here’s a quick iPhone photo of what I did with my left hand … too complicated to take a one-handed photo with my other camera!

Dice nail art with A-England Morgan Le Fay

Have you used any household items as dotting tools? Let me know what you’ve had success with.

30-Day Challenge, 30 Days of Untrieds

Please visit some of the other bloggers that are participating in the 30 Day Challenge this month. I know we will need a lot of encouragement to get through! Click here to see them:



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30-Day Challenge, Indies, NOTD, Swatches

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30 Day Challenge Day 6 – Violet: A-England Elaine With Stamping

As soon as I looked over the requirements for the 30 Day Challenge I knew right away what polish I would be featuring on Day 6 when we got to violet: A-England Elaine. I’m simultaneously doing 30 Days of Untrieds, this covers both challenges.

I got A-England Elaine (untried) along with three other polishes from the company’s The Mythicals line in July when the company offered its mega-sale, and I’ve been dying to try it ever since. It is described by the company as a “smoky violet amethyst.” Yum.

A-England Elaine With Sonia Kashuk Smoke And Mirrors

I’ve read a lot of blogs that sing the praises of A-England and its incredible formula. I’m happy to say that these reports are NOT greatly exaggerated. Elaine is a beautiful polish that goes on very easily with a high-gloss finish.

This is two coats of A-England Elaine. No topcoat, and look at that shine!

A-England Elaine With Sonia Kashuk Smoke And Mirrors

Perhaps I should have left Elaine to her own devices, but I wanted to add some stamping to this mani. I recently bought the Salon Express kit off of Amazon for about $5, which I would recommend as a great starter kit for anyone that is curious about nail stamping but doesn’t want to devote a big budget to it out of the gate.

A-England Elaine With Sonia Kashuk Smoke And Mirrors

I’m still working on getting the stamping technique down, and I don’t yet own any stamping polishes. This is Sonia Kashuk Smoke And Mirrors, a shiny metallic silver polish. I used a larger tri-heart design on my ring finger and then a small heart on my index finger. Then I tried to freehand hearts on my middle finger and pinkie.

Not the greatest results, but I wanted to give it a go. After all, I’m no shrinking violet. 🙂

30-Day Challenge, 30 Days of Untrieds

Please visit some of the other bloggers that are participating in the 30 Day Challenge this month. I know we will need a lot of encouragement to get through! Click here to see them:



Category:

30-Day Challenge, Indies, NOTD, Swatches

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