Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Holiday crunch!!

Hello everyone! I apologize for not updating my blog over the past few weeks. With the holidays and going on vacation I haven't had much time to update. I hope to be a little more consistent for 2010 as I have drawers full of polish bottles calling out to be used!! Hope you all have a safe and happy new year!!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

I'm BACK!! Borghese Festivo Fuchsia!!

Howdy manicure maniacs!! I'm finally back from my little trip to Memphis, TN! And, YES, I went to Graceland!! It's been a long time desire to visit Graceland and it was definitely one of the highlights of my trip!! My mani while I was away was MAC Vin Goth but...I did not take a picture of it! It was very nice though and since I didn't take a picture I guess I'll have to wear it again-darn!!

For today's semi-holiday themed color I chose Borghese Festivo Fuchsia! This was my 1st time using a Borghese and I have to say...I loved it! The brush fit my nail bed perfectly and it applied so smooth and even in 2 coats!!


The finish on this is like a mix between a foil and a micro glitter. It is completely smooth and not bumpy or gritty at all. I could have gotten away with 1 coat but did 2 to be sure there were no bald spots or uneveness. This also has a bit of lit from within glowiness to it as well. I love it!


Thanks for coming back to check me out! I will try not to be away as long next time I go on vacation!!

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

OPI Don't Toy With Me!

Good evening manicure maniacs! This may be my last post for a few days as I am going to Memphis, TN for a little birthday getaway!! I will be returning on Monday so I hope to be back to posting on Tuesday.
This evening I have one of my favorites from last year's OPI holiday collection. This is Don't Toy With Me!



This is a gorgeous magenta with tons of shimmery, glittery goodness in it! This is another on of those glitters that OPI does so well in my opinion. The glitter particles are thin and flat and have a glass fleck quality to them.



This was taken during the middle of the day with the sun up and shining bright! You can really see the fleckiness in this picture. I am not really a "pink" kind of girl but I love this one! It's dark enough that it I still feel like me!

Hope you all have a great weekend and wish me luck in finding some polish to bring home from Memphis!!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Nicole: Faux Fir

Hello and good evening manicure maniacs!! This evening I have a gorgeous green for you. It took me awhile to get up the nerve to wear green nail polish but after a few green mani's a few years ago it has become one of my top 3 color choices!
This green is from the '09 Nicole holiday collection which also includes Bah Plum-Bug!, a silver + holo glitter and a gold + holo glitter.



This is 2 coats in direct sun. I was very hard on my hands before taking this photo so the mani looks a little worn. And I accidentally used my Seche Vite bottle which is reserved for the toes...it's a bit thicker and bubbles if I'm not careful.



I would classify this as a frost but it's not one of those gross, grandma hands making frosts! This has a nice glowy quality to it and a little bit of micro shimmery bits if you look real good. Again, this formula was very nice and the brush helped me apply it where I wanted it.

Hope you are all having a great week! I am getting ready to go to Memphis, TN on Thursday for my hubby & my birthdays! I am also (hopefully!) going to be able to meet up with a fellow MUA'er whom I've had the pleasure of swapping with several times. It's always nice to communicate with her through our swap process so it should be fun to meet in person! Hopefully we can do a little dusty hunting together because she has found me some amazing treasures in her neck of the woods!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Nicole Bah Plum-Bug!

Good morning manicure maniacs (I don't know why, but I love saying that...I say it in my head with a game show announcer's voice!!) I have had a very long but fun weekend and am now back to buisness =P

For today's "holiday" manicure I used a newer one from the '09 Nicole holiday collection. This is Bah Plum-Bug!



This mani was done on Thursday night but I was not able to get decent pictures until today because it's been partially cloudy lately. This is 2 coats and got 1 coat of Barielle Mani Extender on Friday. I am amazed at the wear I got out of this. Absolutely no chips and hardly visible tip wear! The last time I used a Nicole, it chipped within 12 hours so I was ready for Bah Plum-Bug! to chip within a day.

Here are a few more shots just because I really like this color!


It's a slightly dusty purple with barely noticible shimmer. I still can't figure out if the shimmer is purple or magenta. I loved the formula on this and the brush was very good as it allowed me to put the polish exactly where I wanted it. The Nicole brushes remind me of old formula OPI. Here is a close up of the bottle so you can see some of the shimmer.


I am definitely looking forward to trying the green from this collection in hopes I have another good experience with it. Thanks for checking in on me today and hope you all have a great start to you week!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

OPI A Ruby For Rudolph

Good evening manicure maniacs! I've found this is the only time I can find to put up my new posts...it really sucks having a full time job which takes up 8+ hours of my day!! I KID, I KID!!! I am thankful to have a good job which allows to me to keep my home and a safe place to store my stash!!!
Today I have an OPI from last year's holiday collection...at least I think it's from last year if IIRC! This is A Ruby For Rudolph.



3 thin coats in direct bright sun. This was a PITA to try to photograph so I settled on this shot. It is a nice ruby red, shimmery base with an almost jelly texture and tons of thin micro glitter. I'm not sure what the color of the glitter is...come to think of it, it may fit into the glass fleck category. Whatever it is, it's gorgeous! OPI really knows how to do this kind of finish right in my opinion! (Think this years Smitten With Mittens and the ULTA exclusive Visions of Sugarplum)

Thanks for checking in on me this evening! So far, I have found I am able to make a little time each night to do a post. Most of the NOTD's you are seeing are swatches but they are done using my full mani ritual (base, ridge filler, color and quick dry TC) so I can show you the best repensentation of how it would look in real life! Stay tuned for more holiday colors!!!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Duri Night Before Christmas

Hello manicure maniacs! Here is another sparkling stunner in my holiday favorites run! This is from a brand called Duri and the name is Night Before Christmas. I was planning on saving this for the 24th but I couldn't resist!



This is 2 coats in direct sunlight. I only have a few Duri's but I have had a good experience with them in general. This one applied smooth and took 2 coats to be even.



Here is a closer shot to show the glittery details. The glitter in this is gold and a bit chunky but was completely smooth once I put a coat of Seche Vite. Perfect holiday polish with a perfect holiday name!!