Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Very Casual Elegance

Inspiration:  Color

Products: Cult Nails Intriguing, Casual Elegance, and Winter's Light

Thoughts: I was lucky enough to win Cult Nails's Casual Elegance collection from Refined and Polished and  Polish Obsession (both excellent blogs).  These colors are beautiful and don't quite look like my picture.  Intriguing is actually a periwinkle holo, no a steely teal like it looks in the pic.  While the polishes were very nice - Casual Elegance even covered in one coat - this mani was actually a fail.  I had a cute design on my ring finger using Casual Elegance and Intriguing, but Winter's Light - which when I tested it went on sheerer on my nail wheel - completely covered it up.  Oh well, Winter's Light is definitely my favorite color in this collection.

Friday, May 23, 2014

Flotsam and Jetsam

Inspiration:  Flotsam and Jetsam on page 113 of the May/June 2014 issue of Nail It!

Products: Essie Bobbing for Baubles, Indie Polish Joni, Art Club Nail Art Duo White, Color Club Look Book, and Finger Paints Wild for Art

Thoughts: The current issue of Nail It has a some nautical themed ideas, including some tutorials.  I skipped the last step (which was to outline in black), but I think these turned out cute.  I do need a better gold striper, though.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Green and Purple

Inspiration:  Color

Products: Color Club Wild Cactus, Ruffian Delirium

Thoughts: Been wearing a lot of green lately, so thought I would put some on my nails.  And this purple (which always look different every time I try to photograph it)?  Totally my favorite color.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Sweet Stars


Inspiration:  May 2014 Rainbow Honey Mini Mystery Box

Products: Rainbow Honey Waves and Petit Four

Thoughts: I cannot decide which of these two polishes I like better.  I knew I would love Waves for its color and its shimmer, but I am not the biggest yellow fan so I was surprised how much I loved Petit Four when I put it on.  I am definitely going to have to check out the rest of the sweets collection when it comes out!  The rest of the box was also awesome and included a third polish - Neon Blossom, which immediately went on my toes - lip balm in Enter Lime!, and a mini rollerball and soap in Summer Juice.
And here are my toes: 

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Pitch Pink

Inspiration:  Color

Products: Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Rosy Outlook, Art Club Nail Art Duo Black

Thoughts: I have got to say that I totally understand why Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure was a Birchbox Find.  I got excellent coverage in just one coat, it dries fast, and it has built in top coat and base coat.  Also, I had the absolute easiest time applying this color (hated the brush the first time I used a Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure color, but that was a glitter).  As you have probably figured out, I suck at cleaning the polish off my skin after painting, but what you see in the picture is exactly what my nails looked liked after painting - that's how nicely this brush worked.  The pink was a pretty color, but it pops even more with the black side french, which was also ridiculously easy with the Art Club Nail Art Duo's awesome striper brush.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Radiant Orchid

Inspiration:  Color

Products: Julep Rae, OPI Sheer Tint Don't Violet Me Down, foil in Radiant Orchid

Thoughts: Pantone has definitely picked a winner this year for its color of the year.  Radiant Orchid is a beautiful color, especially for spring.  I tried to do radiant lines with the foil, but it did not work.  But the foil is very pretty anyway - in person it looks like a purple oil slick.




Friday, May 2, 2014

Spring Mod Triple Finish Toes

Inspiration:  Taped Crusaders - Mod Triple Finish on page 92 of the May/June 2014 issue of Nail It!

Products: Julep Francis, Marjorie, and Bea

Thoughts: I got these colors in the Julep April Secret Store (this was Secret Surprise #2).  I then saw the tutorial for doing a mod mani with hole reinforcers (already love them for moon manis), so I decided to use this colors for something more sunny and springy than classy (I mean, they my toes after all).  I like how they turned out.