Happy November! Fall Worthy China Glaze skittlette

I hope everyone had a great Halloween with lots of chocolate involved! I cannot believe it's NOVEMBER.  The weather is still  in the 80s on my side of the country....but it's supposed to get cooler this week (finally)!

In honor of it fall, I wanted to do a simple skittlette and finally try my OPI Glitter Off that I had been pining away for.  It has been completely M.I.A. in stores, but I finally found it on Amazon. Also, China Glaze Boundary of Memory had been sitting in my melmer untried for too long, so I had to change that!

This is China Glaze Release (thumb, index and middle), Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Ion (a Target exclusive from 2012), and China Glaze Boundary of Memory glitter (pinky).  Nothing super intricate, but I loved the color combination.  The China Glaze formulas were great...2 coats and easy to work with.  Ion was challenging, so you're not missing much if you don't have it!  The color is pretty (light warm grey) but was streaky, tough to apply evenly, and dry time was long even before I could topcoat for fear of pulling.  I don't know how it compares to China Glaze Five Rules or OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls (let me know if you do!) but they might be close!

Indoors - Release has more grey undertones

I didn't know what to expect with Glitter Off...I figured after 2 days I would see wear.  I did use topcoat since Boundary of Memory doesn't dry super shiny on its own.  Maybe the topcoat helped, because around day 5 I worried that there was some super glue mixed into my bottle since it was still going strong.  I removed it on day 6, and it was very much like peeling an eggshell; little pieces came off.  I was still happy that no remover was needed, so I call it a win!  It is very dry right now in Arizona so maybe that aided in it adhering better to my nail?  Any ideas?

Indoors low light - love Boundary of Memory!

Lastly, (but not least) THANK YOU to all our new friends who entered our first little giveaway!  We hope you stick around. :)  Congratulations to the winner, Heather, and stay tuned for more in the future!

HPB Oct. Halloween Mani Link-Up

Ready for a little Halloween mani?

This month we are linking up with Hobby Polish Bloggers, a great group of casual nail bloggers that give encouragement and guidance to other nail bloggers. It's kind of like a support group for those of us who blog just for the fun of it. As a group, we are starting a monthly link-up and this is our very first one! And appropriately, the theme is Halloween!

I decided to do an accent nail featuring what I have been referring to as "Lil' Frankie". I knew I wanted to do a mani with black but I also needed some sparkle so I used Blue-Eyed Gril Lacquer's Siren Noir on the rest of my nails. The idea for Lil' Frankie came to me since I got this neon green glow-in-the-dark polish from Rite-Aid. I knew I wanted to use it in a Halloween mani and Frankie fit the bill. I did a Google image search for Frankenstein nail art and there were tons of cute ideas! I'm sure there are even tutorials! Anyway I got the idea from those images to make his face fit my nail and just went from there. I think he turned out pretty cute too!

What will your nails be for Halloween this year? Let us know in the comments.

An InLinkz Link-up

Throwback Thursday: Sally Hansen Greige Gardens and Pure Ice Busted

This will be short and sweet because I hesitated to post this, but decided to share with you.  I was looking through pictures on my old computer trying to get organized (Ha!).  I never posted this pairing because I was really new to learning lighting and poses...but there is no denying that this is a great combination and I will be pairing these two again very soon! 
I wish I could tell you these two were still available, but sadly they are discontinued...hence my throwback!  You may very well have these in your collection already.  Otherwise, I don't think these polishes are terribly unique so you could come up with a similar perfect pair!  This is Sally Hansen Greige Gardens and Pure Ice Busted.

Sally Hansen CSM Greige Gardens leans dusty purple most of the time, but otherwise looks grey on the nail.  Pure Ice Busted is pretty much exactly what you see here, a very fine, very shiny, pinky purple shimmer in a sheer murky purple tinted base. This was 2 coats of Greige Gardens and 1 coat of Busted.

I really like Busted because it just glows on the nail...at least against Greige Gardens.  My only issue with these polishes is the dry time is so slow...as in sheet marks the next morning slow.  I have other Complete Salon Manicure polishes that don't have such a dry time issue, but a quick dry topcoat is recommended for this one.

Thanks for stopping by and your support on our Facebook and Twitter too.  Don't forget to enter our very first giveaway so you can win Prosecco and other goodies!

~ Hayley ~

Our very first GIVEAWAY!!

We admit we are a bit belated on this giveaway celebrating 100 Facebook followers, but better late than never, right? To celebrate we are giving away a little goodie bag filled with the following:

Yep, you can enter to win your very own Sinful Shine Prosecco as swatched by Hayley in this post! Also included are Sinful Colors 24karat, the e.l.f. concealer brush and cuticle pen, a pretty Bath & Body Works nail file, and some yummy salted caramels.

Enter in the Rafflecopter below. Sorry but this one is US only. We just aren't comfortable shipping internationally at this time. But if you can give us a US address to ship to, go ahead and enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sinful Colors Prosecco - Part 1

I have been happily wearing the same polish color for 2 weeks straight.  What?!?  

Yes, and it's this one!

It took awhile to post, because the very first day I wasn't sure the color looked good with my skin tone.  Then it grew on me, and then changed how I wore it, which will make more sense later.  I'm sure you have seen a swatch or two of Sinful Shine Prosecco.  Prosecco is a limited edition stunner by Sinful Colors and has been disappearing quickly.  It is part of the Fall 2014 Shining Bright Off The Runway collection, and I purchased mine at Walgreens.  I heard a rumor Sinful is bringing this back in an upcoming collection, so keep your eyes out.  I hope that is true because I need a back up of this one...and hopefully one to share in a future giveaway!!

The first time I tried Prosecco I used 3 coats, but I noticed 2 coats had this lovely sheerness that looked more gold taupe than the grey taupe with the 3rd coat.  Both are beautiful, but I am drawn to this way, thus the second wearing so I could show you!  Two coats makes the nail line just barely visible in some lighting, but most of the time it's not.  I  decided to make this a part 1 so I can do a comparison later with 3 coats and with a matte topcoat.  I officially am in love with it, and think it will work with lots of skin tones.

These photos are all 2 coats only and no top coat.  The formula is absolutely perfect and dry time was not bad at all. The glass flecks that Sinful Colors put in this shade are magical and I hope we see more polishes from them that are like this!  The glass flecks have slight color shift in the sun from gold to green and orange.

Indoors

I'm so smitten with this polish, especially for it being a nude color.  This is absolutely office appropriate and perfect for fall.  For only $1.99 you definitely need this one in your collection (and wear time was fantastic!)  I love wearing this with white and navy blue.  I would love to know what you think about Prosecco.  Have you worn it yet?  Let me know! :)

*This song is playing as I write this: New York by Blind Pilot.... I need to make a note because it is a pretty chill song!  :)  Good job, Pandora!

Endless Summer Extend-a-Mani

Hopefully you have seen my first "Endless Summer" post where I used Cult Nails Intriguing. I decided after looking at it for a day that I wanted to brighten it up a bit. So I tried my hand at stamping! This was my very first attempt and I don't think it went too bad. Now I have this desire to collect all of the buy a few more plates so that I can do some more nail art!

Outside, Full Sun

Indoors, natural light

For this, I stamped a lovely leopard print on my middle finger and jazzed up my ring finger by changing the polish to match the stamp. For this I used Essie's Tart Deco. I have to say that while this is a bright polish, I love the color for summer and especially the beach. My poor bottle needs a little thinner though since the formula was thick and a bit streaky. It didn't self-level very well either. Admittedly it has been sitting in a drawer unused for a year, so it makes sense that it needs a little TLC. You can really see the unevenness in the picture above.

Outside, Full Sun

Macro shot of the stamped finger

Almost forgot to say that I used a Konad stamper and stamping plate that I received last Christmas (yes, it has taken me this long to muster the courage to stamp!) I'm not sure it has a number but it was in a mini set that had a picture of Santa on it.

Have you ever tried stamping? What are your favorite plates and designs? Please let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

~Jackie~

Endless Summer - Cult Nails Intriguing

This week I've been attempting to relax and extend my summer a bit at the beach. I've had a few polishes in my untried pile that I decided to bring along. I'm all for Fall, but in truth I'm sad to see Summer go. I love the feeling of freedom that it brings and also the beautiful bright colors. Up first for the week is Cult Nails Intriguing. Though this shade isn't too bright I think it is perfect for the beach and also as a transition color.

Direct Sunlight

Intriguing is a soft scattered holo that is a bit on the sheer side. I used three coats for these pictures and topped it with Above the Curve's 5-free Quick-Dry Topcoat. I'd say this shade is a dusty blue leaning periwinkle.
 

Close-up, Direct Sun

Direct Sun

Macro on the nail, Direct Sun

This was from their Casual Elegance collection that was released in April this year and was limited edition. I really hate to post something that is hard to find, but this turned out to be a lovely shade. I'm sure with a bit of searching you could find this for sale or swap.

I know I mentioned this is a nice transition color. Do you wear colors that are seasonal or do you go with whatever you are feeling? Let us know in a comment!

Thanks for reading!

~Jackie~

Budget Beauty: Ulta Lav-ish

I have a polish that may not be your first thought when you stop by Ulta, and it's probably not on your short list either.  I'll just say purple taupe with copper shimmer...and maybe that will peak your interest.  Or how about I just show you what Ulta Lav-ish looks like?

Direct sunlight

This is in Ulta's core collection and has been for years.  It's a pretty unique combination for a mainstream polish, and perfect for fall!  The best part is that you can often find it for only $2.00!  I love Lav-ish because outside it heavily leans lavender, and inside it's definitely taupe but not too brown...

 

Indoors- it's more taupe

 

This was 3 thin coats, but you might be able to get away with 2 if you're careful.  The formula levels well, but takes a longer time to dry than I would like.  I waited (about an hour) and took these pictures without a topcoat, because the last time I wore it I used Out The Door and felt like the shimmer got lost somehow.  Does anyone else have that happen with a clear topcoat or have a different experience with OTD?  I just love shimmers, so I'll be looking for a topcoat that makes them stand out!

Thanks so much for reading! ♥
~ Hayley

Oh Shift!! China Glaze Choo Choo Choose You

This is one I am sure you've seen on every blog, (including this one!)  Of course, this is Choo-Choo Choose You by China Glaze.  I saw this while I was out looking for The Giver polishes and my Sally's had the All Aboard collection out early. I saw this in all it's deep purple and shimmery glory and that was it. You can see the strongest purple in the bottle, but it gets even better from there...

Bottle shot, mostly :)

Like this rose, bronze and greenish gold shimmer

Indoors

Or this shift from purple to amber to green. Hello.

Outside

This is two coats and no topcoat.  I noticed in some photos a sheer patch on my ring finger, it doesn't show up in all of them and it's not visible in person.  So, maybe I'll try 3 coats next time. Also, this whole week has been completely overcast, rainy and not sunny!  It's been so wonderful, but I had a tough time capturing good sunlight pics.

Choo-Choo Choose You is absolutely the stand out color in all the fall collections, in my opinion!  If you have not picked it up, you need to try and track it down.  If you have it and haven't worn it yet, then go try it! :)

~ Hayley ~

 *This pretty polish was purchased by me

LynB Designs - Am I Ginger?

Let's have a moment of pure honesty reader. When I saw this polish I needed it not for the color, but for the name. Frankly the color scared me. Which is why I have waited this long to put it on my fingers. Am I glad I did! This is such a great shade for Fall. And it's a holo. So glad I finally put it on!

Here are a couple of bottle shots, just for fun. These were taken outside and it was cloudy at the time so the holo-y goodness isn't showing here.

 

Am I Ginger is an orangish-red jelly with linear holographic tendencies. The jelly makes this polish all squishy and great and the holo, well I think you know how I feel about holos. 

For those of you not familiar with the reference, the name is taken from the Doctor's desire to be ginger. Still hasn't happened. Poor Doctor. I feel your pain. I love red hair too.

Source

Got it here

I can't help myself when it comes to Doctor Who references. I'm addicted. Sorry, not sorry. Anyway, more on this ginger polish. Geronimo!

The following photos show 3 thin coats (though I think 2 would probably suffice) topped with Above the Curve's 5-free Quick Dry Topcoat. The sun peeked out from the clouds just long enough to catch the holo!

 

 

Want Am I Ginger for your own? Check out LynBDesigns store on etsy.

 

So what do you think? Perfect for fall, right? (Not that I would limit my use to only fall with this stunner!) Do you own any colors that you are afraid to try on? Have you ever been wary of a certain shade but once you tried it you were in love? 

Let us know in the comments! 

~Jackie~

 


*Disclaimer: All polishes in the post were purchased by me. Links are provided for your convenience (not affiliate).

Forget Me Not: OPI Thanks a Windmillion

The OPI Nordic collection is all the rage right now, but I wanted to remind you all of another OPI that would also be great as a transition color into fall. This is OPI Thanks a Windmillion from the Holland collection.  I am so ready for fall, football, scarves and pumpkin everything! Side note: I am burning a new Bath & Body Works candle right now called Tailgate...and I am OBSESSED with the scent!  If you're a fan of their candles I would highly recommend checking it out! Anyway back to this lovely polish...

OPI's Holland collection is a few years old, so that's why I'm titling this as a 'forget me not'.  The formula for Thanks a Windmillion is perfect and this is 2 easy coats. I wanted to make a glitter sandwich but until I get a hold of a bottle of Glitter Off, I am hesitating using a chunky glitter.  I decided to at least try it matted, so these photos are all with one coat of Essence Soft Touch matte topcoat.  So, it's not the most intricate look but still super pretty!

Shade

I love the dustiness that Thanks a Windmillion has; it's very greyed looking in indoor light.  Really almost a sage color, but with just enough blue in it for me to still classify it as a borderline seafoam.  I would grab this, if you can still find it in store...OPI had transitioned this into their core collection.  Otherwise, I imagine it would be fairly easy to find on Amazon. 

I hope you all are enjoying fall where you are!  Thanks for stopping by :)

~Hayley

*All polishes and items in this post were purchased by me.

Indie Spotlight: Cirque Vaudeville

Hello again!  I really meant to post this before Labor Day...so consider this my last gasp of summer before I jump completely into fall!  It's still hot and sunny on my side of the country anyway! Today I have Vaudeville by Cirque to show you.  While it's not a typical fall color, it is really pretty...

Sunlight

Shade - to show the iridescence

Shade

Sunlight

I would best describe Vaudeville as a muted lavender with gold and iridescent shimmer.  The formula was great, just a little thin, so this is 3 thin coats with no topcoat.  Removal was pretty easy since the shimmer is more micro-flakies rather than micro-glitter.  I don't have too many indies (yet!!) but this has been one of my favorite indies that I own.  My bottle of Vaudeville is about 2 years old and is still really consistent!  I was pleased that the color and formula stayed as it was supposed to this entire time.

Indoors - low light

Indoors - normal light

I just love gold shimmer!!!!

If you're interested in seeing what other beautiful polishes Annie has created, I have linked the Cirque website above. (They're 3-free and contain essential oils!)  As always, please let me know if you have any comments or questions!  I hope you have a great week!  See you soon :)
~ Hayley

*All polishes in this post were purchased by me. Links are provided for your convenience.