Nails Inc.'s Magnetic Polish (Quick) Review

Hi Everyone!! TGIF!  It's been such a hectic week for me, and I'm only thrilled to be leaving work early to beat the rush to the beautiful city of San Francisco.  =)

Since I'm on vacay this wekend, I have no intentions of following any daily challenges (not that I've been doing them daily anyway, hehe).  I decided to try out Nails Inc.'s new Magnetic polish to sport for the weekend.

As you can see from the pic above, it's got this cool wavy effect (color shown: Houses of Parliament).  I can tell you that it looks beter in real life, but you get the general idea from the pic.

How it works:
Step 1: Apply a base coat to clean (oil-free) nails.

Step 2: Apply one coat of the Magnetic Polish to each nail and let it completely dry.

Step 3: One nail at a time, put a *generous* amount of the Magnetic Polish and hold the magnet (top of the cap) closely to the nail WITHOUT actually touching the nail.  This producses the wavy effect.  Repeat for all 10 nails and let dry.

Step 4: Apply a top coat.

My Thoughts:
First off, I'm not particularly sure this is worht $16 a bottle (@ Sephora).  Mind you, I still bought it and paid for it, but it's more because I really wanted to try it out.

It's a pretty cool concept, and I give kudos to whoever came up with this funky idea.  It creates a cool design that's very subtle, yet interesting. 

After many attempts, I figured out that you really needed to apply a LOT of nail polish when you're going to do the magnetic swirl.  If you put a thin coat, you won't see the design as clearly (if at all).

There's a little plastic piece near the magnet on the cap, that allows you to rest it on your cuticle.  This makes it easier, but it's still tricky to not touch your nails.  I accidentally hit two nails with the magnet. =/ But those were in the beginning...once I got the hang of it, I didn't hit my nails anymore, lol.

The polish itself is easy to apply, but seems to thicken quickly.  Must be quick on your feet to apply quickly and to get the magnet applied (probably another r

Overall:
I think the concept is cool, but I'm not so thrilled about the price.  I also wonder if it's the good kind of iron in the polish (ones that make it harder for your nails to break, hehe).  Would I recommend it? Sure, if you have the money...but I don't think this is worthy of a splurge if you're on a tight budget (like me!).


Well, I hope everyone has an awesome weekend!  I do plan to get out Yellow sometime soon..maybe on Monday.  Keeping up manicures daily is hard, so I might have to do it twice a week or something...we'll see. =)  Maybe not...cuz that would make the challenge last 15 weeks, hahaha.  I'll have to just play it out by ear. Anyhoo..

Till next time!!

Disclaimer:
1. I bought this product with my own money. No one gave me anything for free.
2. No one has paid me to write this blog.
3. I am not affiliated with any of the companies of the products I have used.
4. These are my honest opinions.

Day 2 - Orange

Hey everyone!  Hope you gals had a fantastic weekend.  Of course I'm falling behind already with the challenge, but I'll do what i can. =)

To the left, we have a very beautiful orange.  It's from Orly, and I picked it up from Ulta.  I don't have the name, but I'll try to update when I do. =)

Anyhoo, it's a pretty orange base with a golden sparkle to it.  The picture doesn't do it justice!!

Since I'm taking the polish off just about every day (or every other day), I haven't taken the time to do a design.  Later on patterns will be coming, so I'm not too worried.

Tomorrow is Yellow, but I left my new yellow polish at home (staying at my mom's ).  Plus I'm going to SF this weekend...not sure how much time I'll have to change polishes, but I'll try, lol.

At least this is motivating me to post more often, which is what EmeraldSparkled said as well, hahahaha. =) I just saw her yellow post...

Anyhoo, till next time! (Hopefully tomorrow!)

31 Day Challenge - Day 1: Red

Hi Everyone!!  I know it's been longer than expected, but I'm making a conscious effort to keep up as best as I can with work/baby/sleep, lol.

So, if you follow other nail blogs, you might have noticed a 31 Day Manicure Challenge.  I actually saw it on EmeraldSparkled's blog, and I decided to give it a go.  I believe she's on Day 3 or so,  and I know there are others up to Day 18 or so, so far, lol.  Although I will *try* to do one mani per day, we all know that isn't always possible.

I know I've promised some reviews, and I do plan to get to them in the near future.  Hopefully I get at least one Halloween look out too this year! =)


Here's to Day 1 - Red!  I decided to with my favorite red polish: OPI's I'm Not Really a Waitress.  I'm sorry it's a plain boring manicure, but as soon as I got two coats on, I was rushing after TnT, lol.  Gotta dig up some oj polish for tomorrow, hehe.

If you do decided to do the challenge, leave a comment!  I'd love to see pics or even a comment letting me know that someone was inspired as well, lol.

Till next time!

Podrunner Intervals

Hi Everyone!  I know, I'm terrible...been so behind on blogging.  I need to post a blog on Minx and Get Nailed, and my Lasix.  Grrr...they're on my To-Do list, hehe.

Anyhoo, I just wanted to let y'all know that I'm NOT dead.  Just semi-MIA. =)  I've actually picked up crocheting again, and actually have had a couple custom orders.  So between baby, crocheting, baking, reading, and watching Star India, I haven't had much time to blog, hahaha.  And, sad to say, I've let my nails grow into a disarray.  They keep breaking, but I can see where the new nail growth is healthier.  I think I need about 3 more weeks to grow out whatever bad stuff I did to my nails, and then finally, they'll stop breaking.

In the meantime, I've also started running.  A lot of my friends run (5ks, 10ks, 1/2 marathons, and marathons).  I'm like the red-headed step child who absolutely HATES running.  However, it's the most easily accessible exercise I can get right now.  I go to the park after the baby falls asleep (around 10:30pm or so) and I've been doing Podrunner Intervals (I downloaded this from iTunes, but I think you can get it from their website.  Just google it, hehe).  I'm doing the Level 1, which is based on the Couch to 5k template.  Currently, I'm on Week 4, and it is kicking my butt.  I live for the moment when I hear the sound that the last interval is over. Hahahah.  In theory, 6 weeks from now, I'll be able to run a 5k.  The cool thing about it is that the music is pretty motivating.  The bad thing is that the beat gets on my nerves after a while.  It's that round dance/euphoric trance beat.  I'm more of the happy hardcore type, lol.  Well, that and stuff like Darude/ATB/Tiesto/Christopher Lawrence/etc etc.  Basically, mainstream trance.  Ah wellz...like I said, the mixes for Podrunner are pretty motivating, so I guess it's okay.

Blah...I'm just blabbing in this post.  Sorry guys!  There's no review or anything,

Till next time!

Bioken Antiruff Review

Hi Everyone! I hope you're all doing well. =)  I know I usually put something more blog related as my first pic, but unfortunately, I don't really have any pics for this one! LOL  So here's a cute picture of my hubby and little baby (who is now 8 months!!).

Anyhoo, I know in my last post I mentioned I will be reviewing my whole LASIK experience soon.  I'm still not ready yet...I'm still healing and I have my next check up in 2 weeks.  Sooo....that will be on hold for a little bit.  In the meantime, I wanted to review this product I just happened to come across while browsing the web.

This product is called Anitruff, created by Bioken (picture copied from ShearUp.com's website).  As you might be able to tell by the name, it's a product designed to get rid of dandruff.  Now I know it's kinda an eww topic, but I thought I might share this review in case there are any persons with a similar problem that might be looking for a product to try.

So here's my scalp story: I have mild dandruff that never seems to completely go away.  It's worse in the winter, and much better during the summer.  Anyhoo, I didn't take any "before" pics, so I didn't bother with any "after" pics.

Enough about me, let's move onto the product!  I ordered Antiruff from ShearUp.com (as of today, I just checked and it's actually $34.95 instead of the $39.99).  Antiruff is a "Dandruff Toner".  According to the directions, you apply this directly to your scalp once or twice a day, and massage it for 3 minutes.  They also recommend that you use it right after you shampoo your hair.  The very first time I used it, I had just towel-dried my hair.  I tried pumping some onto my fingers to spread through my scalp, but I found that pumping it directly on the scalp worked a lot better (which is what they recommended, if only I read the directions thoroughly  LOL).  Right after i applied the toner, I could feel my scalp tingle.  It is definitely NOT a burning sensation...more like a cool minty feeling.  After massaging for 3 minutes, I left my hair/scalp alone and went on with my day.  I can say that my scalp tingled for about 25 minutes.  I noticed right away that my scalp wasn't itchy (yes, I'm plagued with that damn itchy scalp!).  I reapplied Antiruff that night, and saw a noticeable difference the next day.  Normally, after I wake up the day after I wash my hair, I begin to get some flakes...and even more the next day, which is the day I wash my hair again.  I applied it twice on the second day, and noticed on the third day that my scalp still had very little flakes.

After about a week of using it twice a day, my scalp felt great...it hardly ever itched and you really couldn't see any flakes.  I was pretty surprised the product worked so well and so fast.  At this point, I decided to cut down to once a day, and my scalp still maintained its great condition.

So...after about another week, I started to get lazy...only using it about 3 times a week.  I noticed that my scalp would get itchy after 2 days or so of not using the product.  I don't think I noticed any flakes during this time, but the itchy scalp still bugged me!

After about a month of using the product, I left it at my mom's, and kept forgetting to bring it home.  So...I actually stopped using it for 2 weeks.  After the first week, my scalp was super itchy again, and although I didn't have as much flakes as before, I did notice that I was getting them again.  After the second week, my scalp was not quite where it was when I started, but getting pretty close.  So I decided to get back to using the product.  The instant I used it again, it was like instant relief for the itchiness.  I decided to just use it every other day, right after I wash my hair, and that system seems to work for me.  I've also been lazy in not massaging it in for 3 minutes.  I just work it into my scalp and let it be. =)

Some answers to questions you might have: The product has a light minty/tea tree oil smell.  It has a water-like consistency, and is clear.  When you apply it, it does "wet" your hair and may feel a little oily at first, but it dries up pretty quickly and your hair returns to normal within 15 minutes.  Would I recommend this product?  Hellz yeah...although I do want to test it out longer to see the long-term effects.

Pros: It works. It doesn't smell bad (though that's subjective...).  It WORKS! Lol One bottle goes a long way (After 2 months, I still have more than 1/2 the bottle left.).  Oh yeah, it really does work! =)

Cons: It's kinda pricey...$39.99 is the regular price.  You have to keep using it for continued effects.  The smell can be a little strong to some people with a sensitive nose.

I hope this review helped...I know it's a weird topic and all, and I'm a little out of my comfort zone.  But hopefully some of you found the info useful. =)  If you've used this product, let me know how your experience was!

Things I will blog about soon: my LASIK, and MINX!  I've ordered some and can't wait to try them out!

Till next time!

Disclaimer:
1. I bought the product I reviewed.
2. No one has paid me or compensated me for this video or blog.
3. I am not affiliated with any of the companies of the products I used.
4. These are my honest opinions.

Pikachu Nails @ Anime Expo

 Hi Everyone!  I know it's been awhile since my last post, but I do have stuff to blog about soon. =)  I Just wanted to share a quick look I did for Anime Expo for the 4th of July weekend here in LA.

It kinda goes with a whole Pokemon theme...

My mom made my darling a little Pikachu outfit...so I made him a Pikachu amigurumi...and then decided to do this look on my nails, just to complete the theme.  No, I did not dress up as a trainer...I didn't really have time to put anything together...maybe next year. LOL  I already have votes for Squirtle next >.<.

Recently, I've been taking a break from nail art and stuff...I've been making these crochet amigurumis like this Pikachu.  I've made quite a few...and they are quite time consuming.  **Update 4/13/2012 - To give some creditz where they are due, here's the pattern I used for this Pikachu: http://freeamigurumipatterns.blogspot.com/2009/06/pokemon-pikachu-how-cute.html . =)

I basically have to squeeze in time when the baby is napping or when someone else is keeping an eye on the baby.

Now, I'm kinda taking a break from that to just relax (and job hunt!).


And here's a look at TnT:

Isn't he the cutest?!?

Anyhoo...back to the nails!

What I used:
Nail Star: Yellow
Nail Star: Black
Nail Star: White
Red Circle Rhinestones
Red Heart Rhinestones
Seche Recondition (Base Coat)
Seche Vite (Top Coat)

What I Did:
Step 1: Base Coat
Step 2: Created a French Tip on every nail (except ring finger) using Nail Star: Yellow (Brush Tip). On the ring finger, I covered the whole nail.
Step 3: Second coat of Nail Star: Yellow.
Step 4: Using Nail Star: Black (Pen tip), I made little black dots along the smile line. On the ring finger, I made a Pikachu face: Two dots for eyes, and a little wide "W" for the mouth.
Step 5: Using Nail Star: White (Pen tip), I added two dots to the corner of the eyes.
Step 6: Top Coat
Step 7: On ring finger, I added Red Circle rhinestones as Pikachu's cheeks.  This is optional...you can get the same look using a red polish and a dotting tool.  On the thumb, I added a Red Heart rhinestone.

I haven't used regular nail polish in a while.  I actually threw a one coat of a purple polish from Zoya to shoot a crochet video, and removed that for this look.  Of course, after being spoiled by Gelish, I was quite disappointed when it started chipping after 3 days. =(  It's one week later, and I actually have 3 perfect nails on my left hand...with just the minimum of wear and tear at the tips.  Maybe I was just too hard on them?

It feels nice to do a cutesy design again, lol.  What's my favorite Pokemon?  Well, I have a tattoo of a Luxray, but my new favorite is a Snivy, lol.  Or maybe a Petilil?  Must collect them all! Hahahah

In the future, I do have two reviews planned.  One for my LASIK.  Yes, I got Lasik <3! And one for a hair treatment. =) Stay tuned!

Till Next Time!

Random Gelish Manicures

Hi Everyone!  It's been a couple weeks since my last post, so I thought I'd just do a quick look at some of the Gelish manicures I've done. =)

This pic the left is just a simple glittery tip.  The base color is Desert Sands and the tip color is Night Shimmer.  To achieve this look, I used two coats of Desert Sands, then used a sponge to dab on Night Shimmer on the tips.  I concentrated more at the edge of the tip, so it had a faded effect.

I had a couple bumps because I didn't remove my last Gelish manicure properly, and didn't notice until the I had already cured a layer of the Desert Sands.  *sigh*  Shame on me for being lazy!!

This next manicure is one I did on my mom.  I had found a video on YouTube and tried to follow her design.  Unfortunately, I don't have the link, but I'm sure it's easy to find if you search for Gelish Design or something (it's a 5 or more part series of videos).  Basically, after the Foundation coat, I put Vegas Nights all over the nail and cured.  Then Good Gossip on just the tip and cured.  After, I put a dark purple (don't have the name right now, sorry!  Will try to update) over the whole nail.  Before curing, I used an orange stick to draw out the swirls on one hand, and flowers on the other.  I let that cure, and put on a top coat.  In the end, I wish I chose more contrasting colors, but I think they turned out decent for a first try.

Next time, I'll try to have a design in front of me, versus just winging it. LOL

This next design was done on my Aunt from SF.  It's the same concept, but instead, I put a neutral colored base over the whole nail, and only did the design on the tip.  Under the pink, I had Vegas Nights.  Then I covered it up with Go Girl.  I used an orange stick to put in the lines so the glitter underneath would show.  Unfortunately, it was kinda too light to see.  But my aunt didn't want anything too flashy anyway. =)  On the pinky, you can see a couple darker pink glitter...it's because I added a coat of Tumberline Violet to the tip and tried to arrange the glitter so it would peep through.

This last design was done on another Aunt.  She's not really allowed to wear nail polish at work, so I try to keep her nails more subtle.  But I needed to make this stand out a tinsy bit, because she was going to a wedding, so I came up with this color combination.

The base color is Forever Beauty, and the tips are High Bridge.  Just like my own manicure, I applied High Bridge with a sponge.

I think (hope) it's not overly noticeable! LOL


I had one more design, but for some reason I can't find the pictures for them!  Grrr...I think it was on my phone and I recently just got a new one.  I'll hunt for it....

Well, I hope you enjoyed this post on different looks I've done with Gelish.  Hopefully, I'll be able to try out more designs on my guinea pigs LOL.

Till next time!

Disclaimer:
1. All the products were given to me as a gift from ShearUp.com.
2. No one is paying me for this blog.
3. No one has asked me to do this blog.
4. These are my honest opinions.

Quick Update on D Spot Salon

While posting (and stalking!) on Facebook, I saw an ad for.....D Spot Salon!  They're apparently having a deal right now where you can get a Gel Manicure for $20 (normally $35).  Just thought I'd pass this along to anyone in the LA area that's interested in trying it out. =)  The deal is on Lifebooker Loot.  And FYI, I'm not getting anything for this post or if you buy the deal...just randomly saw it and thought it was a good deal, lol.  Be warned: this deal is only good until Friday!

If you have any questions about D Spot Salon, don't hesitate to leave a comment. =)

Gelish Manicure + Review on 6G LED Lamp

Hey Everyone!

I know I know, I've been gone forever....shame on me, blah blah, lol.  But I'm happy to report that my little one is about 6 months, and isn't quite so needy anymore.  He actually takes some time to play by himself now, yay!  So, hopefully that means more time for blogging and videos!  One can dream, right?

Anyhoo, I collaborated with a good friend of mine, who's a licensed cosmetologist, to create a video on the application of Gelish Polish.

ShearUp.com was nice enough to provide us with all the Gelish Products.  Please note that they are not compensating me for this blog or the video I created.  The thing I loved the most was the LED Lamp.  This lamp retails for $329.99 (I think...), and it is frickin' awesome.  It really does cure the gel in seconds!  More on that in a bit.

Here's the video:

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obm6XGtN-SI

What We Used:
Buffer (sorry, don't know the grit!)
Gelish PH Bond
Gelish Foundation Gel
Gelish Jet Set
Gelish Top Seal
Rubbing Alcohol
Gelish 6G LED Lamp

I know we could've fast-forwarded through all the curing and stuff, but I just wanted to show the entire manicure, in one cut, in real-time.  Just to give you a sense of what it's really like. =)  Sorry for the weird editing at the end!

Note: Cure times based on Gelish's LED Lamp.

Manicurist:
Denise
"D" Spot Salon
684 S. La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(626) 695-6837
www.dspotsalon.com

I think she normally charges $35 for a Gelish manicure. =)

It was fun shooting the video with her, and I feel like I benefited from watching a professional apply Gelish.  Apparently my manicures on my mom and friends look very amateurish compared to hers.  But, then again...she IS a professional! LOL I definitely intend to try out her methods the next time I give someone a Gelish manicure.  (Please note, I only give them to my mom and a few select friends/family...and I do it for free, hehe.)  Things to do: Keep coats thin, cap the edges, make sure your whole hand is in the lamp. =)

Now, onto the mini-review.  I got this Gelish 6G LED Lamp, and I am totally enjoying it.  I've only used regular UV Lamps before this, so I'm afraid I don't have much to compare it to.

Basically it's just large enough for one hand or foot to fit inside.  The stand makes it tricky to put in your foot.  With the basic UV lamp, you could just put your foot on the floor and slowly slide it in.  With this, I kept it on the stand, so you had to slowly finesse your foot in.  I didn't think about it at the time, but I guess removing the stand was a smarter idea, lol.  Hindsight is 20/20?

There are three buttons on the back: 10 seconds, 20 seconds, & 30 seconds.  Since this is made for the Gelish system, these are the only times you'll need.  10 seconds for the foundation gel, 30 seconds for each coat of polish, and 20 seconds for the top seal.  And yes, it really does cure in those times (as seen on the video)!

Soooo....the good stuff: it cures your gels quickly and it's easy to use.  The bad stuff: it costs $329.99.  Now, as a layuser, I doubt I would spend the money on this when a regular UV lamp does the same for $55.  It just does it slower....But, maybe if I were a professional, I would be more inclined to buy it.  I think it would be pretty handy in a salon setting.  You can easily finish one hand in 8 minutes, then work on the other hand with out worrying about the first hand hitting anything.

I haven't seen the lamp from the starter kit, so I'm not sure how it compares.

So yeah...just some final thoughts: Do I love my lamp?  Hellz yeah....Would I recommend it?  Um, only if you can afford it, or just really want it, lol, or work at a salon. =)

Here are some pics of recent Gel manicures:

Gelish:
This is one coat of Bella's Vampire & one coat of Vegas Nights.  One coat of Bella's Vampire seems a little on the thin side....it shows how uneven my application is.  I've worn two coats of Bella's Vampire, and it definitely hides my flaws. =)

Gelac:
This is a French mani I did using IBD's Gelac in Pink & White.  Their formula is actually thinner than Gelish, so it definitely felt more like a polish.  However, my white turned into cottage cheese, and it's only been....2 months?  Not a happy camper about that.  Price-wise, it's about $13 a bottle (versus Gelish's $17)...

Gelac:
This is the same manicure as above, however, I added some Konad lace to it.  I can't remember which plate I used, so I'll update when I can. =)  I basically did a top seal, then the stamp, then another top seal.  This lasted for a nice long while...

**UPDATE: Check out my new Gelish Magneto Blog!

ShearUp.com is offering my readers a 10% discount if you use the Promo Code: PRINCESSTEA
(Please note that I don't receive anything if you use this promo code, it is strictly for your benefit.)

Disclaimer:
1. All the Gelish products in the video were provided by ShearUp.com as a gift. All other tools/products in the video are property of "D" Spot Salon.  Anything else mentioned on the blog has been purchased by me (or someone in my family).
2. No one has paid me or compensated me for this video or blog.
3. I am not affiliated with any of the companies of the products I used.
4. These are my honest opinions.

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone enjoyed their New Year!  I spent a quiet night at home....made dinner with friends and family, then watched the ball drop on TV.  Unfortunately, we had to watch MTV and the whole Snookie ball drop, but I did get to "join in" the whole world record fist pumping thing! Hahaha, my hubby made fun of me and refused to join in.

So to catch y'all up on why I haven't had the chance to post (besides that whole baby thing, lol):  my ceiling collapsed on my bed!!  It took them 3 weeks to fix it, and now we're just waiting for a bed before we can move back in. In the meantime, we're living at my parents' house.  My mother-in-law just opened a restaurant, so she's super busy....and I don't have as much help with the baby anymore.  I haven't had any polish on my nails since Christmas (was going to do something for NYE, but didn't have spare time!), so I'm itching to do something. Most likely I'll do another Gelish mani because I don't have to worry about it chipping for 2 weeks.  Quite mommy-friendly, huh?  LOL

I've gotten some new subscribers and followers since my last post, which makes me feel really happy! =)  Thanks for joining the Juicy Side! Hehehe....it's pretty cool to know that some of the reviews and info on my blog is helpful to people out there when making a purchase.  If you have any questions, e-mail works better: princess.tea@gmail.com , versus writing a comment. For some reason, blogger isn't sending me a notice when I have  new comment, so I've been really bad about responding!  I'm not doing it on purpose...I like to reply within 1-2 days!  The only reason I noticed was because I decided to print out my blog and I've gone through all my old blog posts since 2009.  I can't wait until I get my blog-book printed!  I think it'll be fun to have...and show people. =)  I'm a nerd, what can I say!

Well, some things I plan on posting in the near future:  Latisse update, perhaps a new Gelish mani post, maybe a scrapbook post on the baby (I've finished a whole 3 pages, go me!), and I've been dying to do a Konad post.  Can you believe I've had Konad since it first came out, and I haven't done a post on it?  LOL  Hopefully soon to change in the next month.  Although I'm not working yet, I've begun applying for jobs, I have clients I've found on my own, and watching a baby is a 24 hour job.  One of my NY Resolutions is to post as much as I can this year.  I think last year I wanted to do it weekly....but this year I want to be more realistic.  If I can post twice a month, I'll be happy. =)

Anyhoo, check back soon!  Till next time!