Happy Valentine's Day & Glitter Gal - Type O

Happy Valentine's Day! I know this holiday can be both loved and hated, but I personally think it's wonderful. It could possibly be because my sister sent me a Valentine's voice mail this morning of her singing "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz. It made my day :o)

On the other hand, Chief loves red nail polish, so I figured I'd put on a new one that I just got a couple days ago: Glitter Gal Type O.

Glitter Gal - Type O

This is my first Glitter Gal of the 3D Sparkle Type (I have a couple of the linear holos), and it is so awesome! The sparkle in this one is hard to describe. It sort of reminds me of the Milani holos with the "fleck" or "shard" type of holo particles (not the smooth linear or the glitter type). It's also a warm cherry red, which I love over the more common cool-toned reds. Just like A England Saint George, this holo seems to add more depth that in-your-face sparkle, giving it a kind of 3D appearance (just like it's name!)

What are you wearing for Valentine's Day?


Remember to enter my 500 Follower SensatioNail Starter Kit giveaway if you haven't already!

A England - Saint George

I know everybody and their dog has swatches of this already, but I can't help it.  It's truly amazing and has jumped into my favorite polishes of all time.

A England - Saint George

This is the perfect rich teal with a subtle holo effect in low lighting.  Even in the sun, the holo creates more depth than sparkle so it's not over the top at all.  Also, it's a one-coater (but I did two out of habit). Too beautiful for words. *swoon*


Remember to enter my 500 Follower SensatioNail Starter Kit giveaway if you haven't already!

Groupon: Cute studded leather bracelets!

I don't normally share stuff like this, but I was just captivated by these really cute leather bracelets.

They're normally $70 each, but available on Groupon for the moment here (or by clicking the picture). I got the black with silver studs but I'm considering getting the tan with gold as well!



Remember to enter my 500 Follower SensatioNail Starter Kit giveaway if you haven't already!

500 Follower Giveaway - SensatioNail Starter Kit + Extra Color - CLOSED

My last giveaway went really well, so I was super excited to put up one for 500 followers (which I hit sometime on Wednesday night)!

I have had such success with SensatioNail that I decided a while back that I wanted to give away a Starter Kit for those who might like to try soak off gels, so here it is!

The winner will receive a SensatioNail Starter Kit with either Scarlet Red or Raspberry Wine, and one extra color from the choices below.  The names for the colors can be seen on the SensatioNail website.  I have found both Starter Kits and all the colors available in my local Wal-Mart and CVS so I shouldn't have a problem finding them for the winner.

Here is a swatch of Taupe Tulips.  It's a nice slightly greyed nude color and makes great underwear for jelly or sheer polishes!  So far I've found the colors to be pretty accurate to those presented on their website and boxes.

If you'd like to read my full review of SensatioNail or see a swatch of Scarlet Red, you can check it out here.

All entries from the giveaway must be entered using the rafflecopter widget below.  No tweets, shares, or blog posts will be counted unless a link is provided in the widget.

Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

SensatioNail Starter Kit Review

Recently, Nailene came out with a new DIY at-home soak off gel system called SensatioNail. I was hesitant to try it, but the $50 price tag for the entire starter kit (including lamp) won me over in the end and I decided to give it a shot.

The SensatioNail website advertises "2 weeks of dazzling, damage-proof wear," and "super gloss shine, no dry time" which are what you'd expect from a soak off gel, but the kicker here is "professional salon quality nails at home." I've been wanting to try soak of gels for a while, but I don't like going to salons because of the cost, and also because I don't quite trust others with my nails. I know that Shellac and Gelish have been available on Transdesign.com, but the expensive lamps and all the equipment are still such an investment! Like I said, it was really the $50 price tag that convinced me to try SensatioNail.

Here is a picture of the starter kit and all that it includes:

SensatioNail Starter Kit

The starter kit includes everything you need to do a complete gel manicure (actually, it says enough for 10 manicures): a Pro3060 LED lamp, primer, cleanser, clear base/top coat, color coat (Scarlet Red or Raspberry Wine), lint free wipes, buffer file, and orange stick.

A note on the lamp:  it's wonderful.  It is small enough that I feel like I could take it with me if I was going on vacation, and because it's an LED lamp instead of a UV fluorescent lamp, it cures gel polishes in half the time or less.

The process is pretty simple:

1. Clean nails of all nail polish and debris with acetone, then wipe off with cleanser and lint-free wipe
2. Apply primer around edges of nail (cuticle edges and free edge)
3. Apply one THIN coat of clear base/top coat and cure for 30 secs (until the beep) in the LED lamp
4. Apply one THIN coat of color gel and cure for 60 sec (until light turns off).  Repeat for a second coat
5. Apply one THIN coat of clear base/top coat and cure for 30 sec
6. Wipe off the tacky layer that's left after curing final coat with cleanser and lint-free wipe

While it's really simple and easy, it does take some time to do a full manicure.  On myself (I can't paint my other hand while one is curing in the lamp), it takes me a good half hour to finish the whole thing.  But the results are pretty spectacular!

SensatioNail - Scarlet Red

This was my first time ever trying a gel manicure, and I was pretty pleased with the results.  However, there is a slight learning curve.

Tips for Application:

• I found it easiest to do my nails in twos because the gel sometimes runs into my cuticles while I'm doing my other nails because it stays in fluid gel form until it's cured in the lamp.  It's possible to do all four fingers on a hand at a time if you work quickly and/or do thin enough coats so that it doesn't run.  Thumbs are best done separately from fingers (but both thumbs can cure at the same time).
• If you get any gel on your cuticles, make sure to wipe it off with the orange stick (I found a brush and acetone to work as well) before curing.  If any is stuck to your cuticles it can cause lifting and decrease the wear time of the manicure.
• If you apply too thick of a coat, over time (while doing the rest of your nails before curing) it will run all over into your cuticles.  At this point I think it's easiest to wipe off the entire product with the wipes and cleanser and start over on that nail.  Remember that it will not dry AT ALL until it's cured in the lamp.
• Applying primer is essential (I learned the hard way), but removal is easier if you only apply it around the edges of your nail (including the free edge!).

The removal is very important as well.  If you try and peel the product off without soaking it in acetone correctly (the instructions say 15 min), it can cause damage to your natural nails (I learned this the hard way as well).  After buffing off the shine, I find it easiest to put bits of cotton soaked in acetone on each nail and wrap them in foil to keep the acetone from evaporating.  After soaking for several minutes, you can just "push" the product off with the orange stick or cuticle pusher.

Besides the two starter kit colors (which are also available in full size), there are ten other colors in their current line that retail for $10 each:

Overall, I'm pretty impressed with the system!  I like to change my polish every other day or so, so it's not perfect for my lifestyle, but it will be great for those who want a manicure to last for a week or longer.

Pros:

• No dry time - enough said
• Super shine that lasts for longer than quick dry top coats like Seche Vite
• Some added strength but not bulky feeling at all
• Not just reds and pinks - we get some interesting colors, too!
• Pretty easy to apply once you get the hang of it
• Only $50 for the whole system including an LED lamp!!
• Mini LED lamp is compact AND cures very quickly
• Manicures last 1-2 weeks easily

Cons:

• Manicures last 1-2 weeks...  I get bored with a color and like to change my polish about every other day
• Removal is more time intensive and more difficult than traditional nail polish
• Could be even more interesting colors (green!) and maybe some glitter.  Also, some French tip colors (white and sheer pink)
• Little bit of a learning curve to get the right thickness so it doesn't spill into cuticles
• Limited colors in the Starter Kit - I would have skipped the red and pink and started with one of the blues or purples

SensatioNail Starter Kit and colors are available at Wal-Mart and CVS, but their list of retailers may be expanding.  For more product info, you can visit the SensatioNail website.

 Stay tuned for my upcoming 500 follower giveaway!  I'll be giving away a SensatioNail Starter Kit as well as an extra color of the winner's choice!

As a side note:  I've tested Red Carpet Manicure gel polish (from Ulta) and Harmony Gelish and both APPEAR to cure correctly in the Pro3060 lamp.  I'm NOT a professional or licensed tech, so I cannot say for sure whether the systems are ACUALLY compatible or whether they can be used in conjunction with each other. 

Black and White Jelly Sandwich

This is my first time trying out a jelly sandwich, and I really liked it!

Essie Marshmallow and Claire's Black/Silver Holo glitter

This was made in five layers alternating between Marshmallow and the Claire's glitter. The multiple layers of glitter create varying shades of grey which is a pretty cool pattern. The overall effect reminds me of stones in concrete or the little color-blindness tests (except in black and white... which doesn't really make sense, haha).

What I realized with various experiments is that your base color doesn't need to be a jelly at all.  I found that using a medium pink creme then a layer of glitter, then a layer of white, it created a neat light pink with white and grey speckles.  Very pretty!  So now I want to try some with various glitters and base colors.  I really like the effect that white puts over the glitter!

Any ideas for jelly sandwiches that you'd like to see me try?

Mia Secret Tints over Lady Luck

Awhile ago I got some AWESOME polishes from Another Bottle of Polish called Mia Secret Tints. These are seriously awesome. In addition to the five colors (Red, Yellow, Blue, Ocean, and Purple) that it comes in, I was able to franken a couple more: Green, Teal, and Maroon. I've tried them over silver glitter before, and they were pretty cool, but this time I figured I'd try them over Lady Luck to see the effect they'd give over a color.

Mia Secret Tints (over Sally Hansen Lady Luck)

 I think my favorites are the Red, Teal, and Purple, although Green has kinda of a cool effect too!  They look kind of like jellies over the glitter, but I don't think you'd be able to get most of them opaque on their own.  Plus the consistency of them is pretty thin.

Aren't these fun?? I really like them a lot! I've only tried them over glitter so far, but I've been trying to think of other manicures to try them on. Any suggestions?

Edit: I forgot to add that I got these directly from Another Bottle of Polish's blog sale.  I'm not sure how many she has access to, but it's possible you can get some from her.

Sally Hansen Gems Crush - Lady Luck

Here is another polish from the Sally Hansen Gems Crush line: Lady Luck. It is a rich magenta micro glitter with some larger holo hex glitter and is opaque in two coats (though I put it over a matching base color for the photos because I like the depth and slightly easier removal with a base color).

Sally Hansen - Lady Luck

I put this on the other night after having done my nails twice during the day (after swatching in the morning), and it was one of those days where everything just goes wrong. My first polish that day got tipwear and dents from my crazy dog and the second had bubbles galore, so finally I resorted to my "go to" favorite: glitter! So it saved my night as far as nails go.


Now is probably a good time to address my stance on the "photo editing" subject as well. I DO edit my photos:

First of all, I adjust saturation and white balance because let's face it, I'm not the best photographer and I don't have expensive/extensive equipment. I use a regular Canon SD1000 that I got for my birthday years ago and it works pretty well, but not perfectly. I also use natural light, so it's always changing and my camera's white balance can't always keep up.

Secondly, I retouch photos to get rid of lint, hang nails, random polish or glitter bits and other unsightly little things. But this is usually pretty minor and for the most part, my nails look just about exactly like the photos show. I won't take out important things like bubbles if the polish has a bad formula, but I'll take out dents and such if it was my own doing and not due to a problem with the polish.

Thirdly, I recently tried using Photoshop and have been able to better "color correct" pictures to how the polish appears in person. The reasoning is this: I'm interested in portraying what the ACTUAL polish looks like, NOT how it photographs. I will only color correct to make it as close as humanly possible to what it really looks like in real life. I will NOT enhance a photograph to make the polish look lighter/darker/more vibrant (or in any other way "better" or "worse") than it does on my fingers. For instance, my camera will not pick up purples well at all. However, I will edit the photo to bring the purple to a more authentic shade and hue that better represents the polish itself.

Overall, my position is this: I am never trying to make a polish look "better" in any way.  I only edit as much as necessary to show it as accurately and truly as I possibly can.

How do you feel about photo editing?  It is inappropriate or necessary?

My picks from Zoya Feel and True Collections

I wasn't all too excited about the Feel or the True & Flecked collections (so many flakies everywhere!), but when Zoya had their "Get two bottles, just pay shipping" deal, I figured I'd try a few of them that looked interesting.

Zoya - Avery

Avery is ALMOST the perfect nude for me, but it's slightly lighter and pinker than my skin (doesn't really show in the picture).  I guess I have kind of funny hands, because my fingertips are more pink than the rest of my fingers and hand which is much more of an olive tone.  Oh well.  Avery is pretty, but for some reason I have trouble with Zoya cremes.  They tend to be very opaque, but kind of dry out as I'm applying it, so it ends up looking a little "lumpy" in the end.  Top coat usually fixes it, though.

Zoya - Kendal

Kendal is a really soft dusty purple that leans warmer than other pastel purples I own (like Essie Lilacism), so I actually really love this one.  The cooler blues make my hands look "dirty," so I usually avoid them.  I'm certainly going to wear this for Easter (even though I don't really celebrate Easter much... I just like coloring eggs with my family!).

Zoya - Bevin

I know I love dusty olive greens, so I figured I'd try a dusty teal (most of the teals in my collection are super bright).  It's quite nice and actually goes well with Avery and Kendal, even though they are in different collections.  I hear it's similar to OPI Mermaid Tears, but it's a bit more dusty, so I chose the Zoya.  This one was easier to apply but maybe not quite as opaque on the first coat.  Two coats and it was perfect!

Zoya - Tru

Tru was my instant favorite from the True collection when I first saw swatches.  I love red grape purples, and the gold shimmer looked so beautiful!  I always thought it looked more vibrant in pictures, but I think it's shown close to Lotus, which is a very greyed-out dusty lavender.  You can see a little bit of a bald spot on my pinky at two coats, so maybe waiting in between coats is a good idea to avoid cuticle drag.

Overall I'm really happy with my picks from these two collections.  I can actually see myself wearing all of these.  Also, I love Zoya as a company.  They have super helpful customer service and offer many promos and deals for their customers and facebook fans!  I think I have pretty much every Zoya color I want (I have a LOT), but they keep coming out with new awesome colors so I keep ordering more!  All of these are available on Zoya's website for $8 each.

As a side note... For some reason lately I'm not satisfied with anything on my nails unless it's really attention-grabbing.  Since I don't do much nail art, that usually means glitter.  Every time I put on a shimmer or creme I'm bored with it within a few hours and have to either add glitter or take it off and put something more "interesting" on.  It's kinda frustrating...

You Mix Cosmetics Magnetic Polishes

These are amazing.  Every single one, I kept thinking "I'll just put this on for now and swatch the rest later."

Sham Rocks (with chevron magnet)

I wanted to try this one with the chevron magnet to try and make it look like leaves. It does a bit, and I love it. Such a beautiful fern green with amazing depth with the magnet. I think this is my favorite on my nails and probably the one I'll actually wear first.

Now, when Sasha (Nihrida) first posted a magnetic polish without a magnet design I thought it was crazy! Why would you do this?! Well, I can totally understand it now. When the color is gorgeous enough to be worn on its own, then sometimes there's no need for the magnetic "frills." So I decided to show these at one coat (before I put on the second coat and used the magnet on them).

Sham Rocks (no magnet)

Sham Rocks is a pretty subdued green shimmer. Very beautiful on its own.

Blurple (with diagonal magnet lined up straight)

This one is really neat because it shows two colors with the magnet effect. The magnetic shimmer is lavender and the magnet brings out navy blue. It doesn't really seem to have the "depth" of the one-color magnetic polishes, but it still so awesome.

Blurple (no magnet)

This one is not quite a one-coater (you can see bald the bald spots), and it only shows the lavender without the magnet.

Teal Abyss (with diagonal magnet)

This one frustrated me in photographs. It's more green than the picture shows. It's a true vibrant, rich turquoise/teal with amazing dept when it's magnetized. Very stunning!

Teal Abyss (no magnet)

This is one that I would definitely wear alone if I was looking for a plain teal shimmer. I don't have anything else like it. It applies nicely in just one coat, too!

Toasted (star magnet)

This is the one I was most thrilled about when I tried them on swatch sticks. The glitter is so amazing in this one, but you have to see it in person to understand. Also, I'm not sure why it appears slightly green in my photo. It's really more of a tan shimmer with brown jelly highlights from the magnet and gold micro glitter throughout. It's incredibly sparkly. On my nails I had trouble applying the star design. It's hard to center it AND get it close enough without touching the nail. So it took a couple of tries on some of them, but it came out nicely in the end.

Toasted (no magnet)

On it's own, Toasted looks a bit dull (although the gold sparkle livens it up a little). The problem is the brushstrokes. This one for some reason just didn't look nice and smooth like the others.


These are available on You Mix Cosmetics and are $8 each. The magnets they offer are sold separately and are $3 (awesome price in my opinion!). I didn't bother to buy the horizontal one because you can actually see the lines on the diagonal one and it's pretty easy to just rotate it and line it up yourself to get vertical or horizontal lines. The magnets are nice and large enough to cover a whole nail very easily.

Overall, I'm extremely impressed and am already planning my next order! I love the glitter in Toasted because it's not gritty and hangs so perfectly in the magnetic designs, so I want to try more of those!