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31 Day Challenge - Day 16: Tribal Print

Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Hi Everyone!  I am actually pretty happy with the way my Tribal nails turned out.  I couldn't get a super clear pic of them, but basically the design is a tribal sun, which I painted over a sparkly Zoya color (will update when I find the name!).  I just liked the overall look of it...kinda like a sun with a fiery background.

I know a lot of people went with more Aztec-like tribal designs, but I leaned towards a tribal tattoo-like design.  I guess mine's more like a design than a print, but whateverz.  I was just happy that my nails looked decent this time!  Especially since the last couple looks were full of fail.

But I'm even more excited about the next challenge: Glitter!!!  You know I love me some glitter!!  I have so many to choose from, and a few ideas of how I want to sport them...so I will definitely be posting Day 17 soon.
Just 15 more days of the challenge remain.  I am determined to finish by the end of the year! LOL  I'm almost there...I think I can do it! =)

Anyhoo, till next time!
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31 Day Challenge - Day 15: Delicate Print

Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Hey everyone!  Man, I know...I've been gone for quite some time, considering I was posting pretty consistently for awhile.  But, I'm back today with Day 15 of that 31 Day challenge.  Now, I can assure you that you are not mistaken that it has taken me over a year to get to Day 15.  I sincerely hope to actually finish the challenge before another year passes, lol.

So here we are: Day 15 - Delicate Print.  I couldn't figure out what print I wanted to do...and I finally narrowed it down between lace and paisley.  I would've attempted paisley....except I didn't bring the right colors to do it, lol.  I basically had to do this lace print with primitive tools...well, tool, a dotting tool to be precise.  It was the smallest dot, but it still was too big for my little project.

As you can see, the lines are too thick for it to be a "delicate print".  It was supposed to be a line just bellow the smile line, then little hills on top of the line with dots on top and below.  Yes...maybe I went a little overboard with the dots, hahahah.

Here is a slightly better picture to see the lace-ness of my nails.  Basically, I have China Glaze's Shooting Stars on my tips, and then OPI's Yodel Me On My Cell for the lace pattern.  Let me say that it always looks different in my head, lol.

Next time, I'll try to hunt down a tiny brush.  I didn't have one available to me this morning, so I had to forgo the luxury. Heheh  Also, I think I'd cut down on some of the dots.  And maybe do the same design on my ring finger instead of the fishnets I attempted.  Lots of stuff to improve upon!

Hmm...so I'm thinking about doing a review of Glen Ivy Hot Springs & Day Spa soon....and of course, I need to move on to Day 16: Tribal Print.  Man, another tough one!  In case you haven't noticed, I've never done a tribal print before.  Guess I better get crackin! Hhahahah

Till Next time!
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MAC Zoom Lash Mascara Pics

Saturday, June 23, 2012
Hi Everyone! I just picked up a couple tubes of the new MAC 'Beth Ditto' Zoom Lash Mascara: Blue & Burgundy.  I absolutely love them and I plan to go back and get the Plum & Black next time I get paid, hahahah. =)

In this pic, I'm wearing the blue mascara (and in case you're wondering what else is on my eyes, tokidoki pink from the adios palette, Sephora blue metallic liner up top, and Sephora silver liner on the bottom).  I have two coats of the mascara, and I absolutely love how it makes my eyelashes look so much longer and curls without needing a curler.  I mean..you can see my lower lashes (which are normally invisible) pretty clearly in the pic (as clear as it gets, lol).  And you can actually see the blue-ness.  I always dig having colored eyelashes...

Now I'm not sure how much you can actually see the Burgundy color in the pic to the right.  Ugh, I can see my puffy eyes, hahaha.  I noticed my right one was super puffy today, but some gentle patting has helped a little.  In this pic, I'm wearing light pink, pink, and light purple on my eyelids (from the 88 shimmer palette), MAC's navy eyeliner (the mechanical kind) on the upper lid, and Victoria's Secret's purple glitter eyeliner on the lower lid.  I then added two coats of the Burgundy Zoom Lash. 

Like I said, I really like these mascaras and I've gotten loads of compliments on the blue one.  I think the Burgundy is a little more subtle and harder to notice, so no one's said anything yet.  But the day is still young...LOL.

Random notes (yes, this isn't a full review...there's loads of them out there.  This is more my personal opinion of the mascara.): It applies pretty well, and doesn't clump.  I feel like one coat isn't enough...but two makes my lashes look longer and fuller.  I don't usually wear mascara everyday (eyeliner is my absolute "won't walk out the door without" makeup), but since I've gotten these, I've really enjoyed applying it almost everyday.  Would I recommend it?  Absolutely.  I got mine at the MAC store, and they run about $15 each, which IMO is well worth the price.  I don't know the rules of how long to keep mascara, but I usually go through a tube (if I were it often) every 3-4 months.  Maybe I should stock up, in case they take these away? 

Till next time!
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31 Day Challenge - Day 14: Flowers

Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Hi Everyone! It's been such a busy week so far, but I thought I'd just do a quick post on the challenge.

I decided to do a monochromatic french manicure with flowers on my thumb and ring finger.  I think the concept was better in my head (like they all are! lol), and the execution...not so much.

I only wore this look for a few days (chipped easily without a base coat), and now my nails are bare again.

I did add a little bit of glitter along the edge of the french and a little in the center of the flower in hopes of salvaging my look.

I guess it's simple enough that altough it didn't look the way I wanted, I could live with it, lol.
Looking at the next day for the challenge, I see it will be a Delicate Print.  If anyone has seen my work, you'll know that "delicate" will be pretty tough for me.  After that is Tribal Print...and I never really do those either.  I guess this challenge also encourages us to try new things, but ...it's still like a mental thing with me, lol.  I have hope after that because I already know exactly which glitter I want to do! LOL  I heart me some glitter!
Anyhoo, I gotta get back to work...Till Next time!
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Brazilian while Pregnant?

Thursday, June 14, 2012
Hi Everyone!  This particular blog is for those of you who might be interested in getting a Brazilian Wax while you're pregnant.  **Warning: This blog may contain some graphic terms, and my not be for the faint of heart. =)  I will not be posting any pictures of a Brazilian wax or anything, but I'm sure you can either picture it on your own or use your imagination.  (Note, yes, poor dear, I put my new Minnie Mouse Ears on the baby and snapped a picture...he doesn't even know what's going on!)

Sooo...let's get into some background.  Before I found out I was pregnant with this little guy, I would get a Brazilian Wax (further dubbed Brazilian) every...maybe 2-3 months for at least 5 years.  In case you don't know what a Brazilian is, it is where you get your pubic hair removed...with wax (I usually just get rid of all the hair, but some people like to put in shapes and stuff).  Before you ask, YES it hurts.  However, I can assure you that it hurts a lot less now, than it did the first few times I had it done.  In fact, if I'm not lazy, I can actually give myself a Brazilian.  I have tried all sorts of waxes, and I prefer the ones that use the strips to remove.  The girl I normally go to uses both the wax that uses strips to remove (for the top part) and the wax that dries and can be removed without strips (for the sensitive areas).  Of course, at home, it's easier to just stick to one, and plus...I'm lazy.

Moving on to the goodz.  When I found out I was pregnant, I stopped getting Brazilians.  I started to do research, and found that I'm not the only one to question whether it hurts the baby or not.  I couldn't bring myself to ask my mom or my OB, so I just relied on what friends said and the internet said.  I had friends that were worried about the trauma it could cause to my body and stress out the baby...plus, one said "who cares what you look like down there!"  The internet gave mixed reviews...some women get it done and say it hurts more, and some said they would never do it while pregnant because it could hurt the baby.  I also didn't want to have a huge hairy bush when I gave birth.  I started getting addicted to watching childbirth videos...and I was thinking how awful it looked to have a huge head come out with a hairy pubic area.  Yes, I'm THAT vain. =/ Hahhaha

At around 5 months, I was getting ready to be a bridesmaid in San Diego.  I figured, since we're staying at a hotel, maybe we would be getting some pool time in...SOOoo, why not? Let's get a Brazilian and see what happens.  I would hate to not go to the pool because I was embarrassed of body hair.  And I would also hate to shave down there, because I feel the hair would come out coarser.  So, I made an appointment with the Waxing Queen, and warned her that I was almost 5 months pregnant.  She asked if I was sure that I wanted to do it, and I said kind of, lol.  I decided that as long as I didn't stress about it, the baby would be okay. =)

Let me tell you, it REALLY HURT.  It hurt worse than the first time!!  It hurt like nobody's business.  And I didn't want to stop 1/2 way through...so....I let her finish.  But I did tell her that it hurt, lol.  Normally, I'm pretty stoic...but I couldn't help myself from wincing in pain.  (There were other women in the waiting room, so I didn't want to actually scream or anything, lol.)  And that really opened up my eyes...I guess when you're pregnant, you are a lot more sensitive (in more ways than one! LOL).  BUT, I decided that although it hurt, I would do it again...but only once more.  I just wanted to get another Brazilian right before I gave birth.  That meant I would have 4 months to get ready for the pain, hehehe.  (Note, after all this pain...we didn't visit the pool.  BOOOOOO!)

When I got to around 8 months pregnant, I was busy with being a bridesmaid again (hahah, yes, crazy!) and my baby shower and stuff.  And before I knew it, it was getting close the the due date.  I had too many things to prepare for the baby coming, and I had getting a Brazilian at the back of my mind.  I was thinking I should get it done close to my due date so that I wouldn't have too much regrowth when he came.  I had just made an appointment when....yes, my water broke. JEEZ.  The baby was over a week early!!  So, needless to say, I had to cancel that appointment, lol.  While in labor, it was decided that I would need an emergency c-section...so they had to actually shave off my pubic hair.  I was...annoyed, lol.  But, at this point, it was too late, lol. IF I ever get pregnant again, you can be sure that I'll have my Brazilian at least 3 weeks before my due date, esp since I'm pretty sure I'll be having another c-section.  But that's a big IF.

Post-pregnancy, I had to wait for my c-section scar to heal.  I waited a little over 3 months before I made another appointment with the Waxing Queen.  She was very gentle, and worked around my scar.  And it still hurt more than normal, but not as bad as when I was pregnant.  All the times I had it done after that was about back to normal.  Even to the point where I could do it on myself again.

Moral of the story? I don't think a Brazilian affects the baby...but it sure hurts a lot if your pregnant or just gave birth.  To me, it's worth it, but if you don't have a high pain tolerance...maybe this isn't for you.  I suppose, you can always give it a shot and stop if it hurts too much.  I was just too vain, hahaha.  Mind over matter! =)

Hope y'all found this blog informative!

Would you or wouldn't you? Did you or didn't you?

Till next time!
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31 Day Challenge - Day 13: Animal Print (Fail!)

Saturday, June 9, 2012
Hi Everyone!  So yes, as the title suggests, I tried to do an animal print, and failed. Go me!

So...I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I'm not a big animal print kinda person.  I've probably only done animal print nails once. Or twice. I don't really own animal print clothes...but admitedly, I <3 animal print bags.  Not just any animal print: Snake Print.  In hindsight, I should've just done snake print nails.  Instead, you have this sad look to my left.

So what I did was use O.P.I.'s I Don't Give a Rotterdam as a base color, and used my Art Club Nail Art Lacquer in Black to do the design.  What is it, you might ask?  It was supposed to be a Koala face.  I thought w/ some eyes and a long tear-shaped nose, it would be totally recognizeable.  Sadly, that is not the case.  I would need cute fluffly ears, and a little baby koala in the pouch.  So yes, it's a fail.  Seriously, I have no idea what I was thinking!  If it was a challenge that I liked, I might be tempted to do it again, but since it's Animal Print, I'm going to write this off as a fail and move on.  Someday...if I am so inspired...I will post a better animal print.  I have an idea for a snake print one that I want to try out...my last snake print idea did NOT work out.  At all.  Bleh...

Here's that challenge:

So...Flowers is next.  Hmm...my Summer Flower mani is pretty popular...I should try to make a new version of it. =)

Till Next Time!

Disclaimer:
1. Every product I used for this blog was paid for with my own money.
2. I am not affiliated with any of the companies who's products I used.
3. I am not being paid for this blog.
4. These are my honest opinions.
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Gelish Magneto Review

Monday, June 4, 2012
Hi Everyone!  I had to run to TWO Sally's on Friday, but I am happy to report that I was finally able to get a couple bottles of the Gelish Magneto polish: Inseparable Forces (Blue) & Electric Metal Lover (Red).  Sounds a little patriotic, hahahah.  I also grabbed a pack of the 3 magnets (wavy, straight, and star).

Let me tell you, when I first looked at the bottles, I was kinda disappointed.  I was paying as much as a regular full-sized bottle, but only getting a mini-bottle that would do about 10 manis (a normal full-size does closer to 40).  Second of all, everywhere else online had the kit (which was what I was expecting) that included a full-sized bottle plus a matching non-gel bottle of magnetic nail polish (and a magnet).  I mean...if I didn't pick up the extra magnets, I wouldn't have gotten any at all!  So...first impression, not the greatest.

I decided to test this on my mom's nails first (poor guinea pig!).  I tried all 3 of the magnets on Electric Metal Lover, and had mixed results.  I wish I took a pic of her nails, and I'll update if I do. =)  But as far as I can tell, the wavy lines and straight lines are the best of the bunch.  The star just didn't work for us, and my guess is because our nails were too short/small.  But anyhoo, let's go with the steps first.

1.  Push cuticles back and shape your nails.
2.  Lightly buff the top of your nail, just to get rid of the shine.
3.  Clean nails with alcohol (or nail cleaner).
4.  Apply PhBond.
5.  Apply foundation gel then cure. (Try to get this layer on as THIN as possible!)
6.  Using a clean brush or lint-free wipe, get rid of tackiness.
7.  Apply one coat of magneto polish and cure (for 30s if using an LED lamp, 2 min if using a regular UV lamp.)
8.  Apply 2nd coat of magneto (don't cure yet!) to one nail.
9.  Hold magnet above the nail, as close as you can get without touching.  NailHarmony recommends 5 seconds, but I feel that 10 seconds is more appropriate.  The lines are more distinct and hold the shape better.  It is very important that you put on a coat of polish and use the magnet right away for each nail. Try to hold the magnet as steady as you can!
10.  Repeat for the rest of the hand.
11. Cure for 30s if using an LED lamp and 2 min if using a regular UV lamp.
12.  Apply top finish then cure.
13. Use alcohol on a lint-free wipe to get rid of tacky layer.
14. Admire your handiwork!

Now, you can cure after each nail for the 2nd coat of the magneto polish, but I didn't find that was necessary.  This is a relatively quick process, and you can easily finish one hand without worrying that the magnetic-ness will separate (did that make sense?).

On my right hand, I did a little bit of experimenting (left hand is completely the Inseparable Forces for both coats).  For the first coat of magneto, I used Electric Metal Lover on every finger except my ring finger which is Inseparable Forces.  After curing that, I used Electric Metal Lover for the second coat on every nail except my middle finger which is Inseparable Forces.  So, a quick recap would be that the experiments were on my ring finger - Blue base and Red 2nd coat and my middle finger - Red base and Blue 2nd coat.  I absolutely love how my middle finger turned out.

My pointer finger looks funky because I didn't hold the magnet over the nail long enough and I tried to fix it by replacing the magnet over the nail for a longer period of time.  This did not work...so I guess there is a time limit as to how long you have to use the magnet for before it doesn't work right.  Hence, why I said it was important to do each nail individually and quickly. Another important tip is to hold the magnet as steady as you can.  To achieve this to the best of my abilities, I rested my hand flat on a table, and then lightly rested the tip of the magnet on my cuticle area.  I found with this method, I was able to remain fairly steady for 10seconds.

My thumb looks a little funky because I didn't stick the finger in all the way and the nail didn't cure properly...and when I swiped the top coat, everything just smudge.  I didn't really have time to fix it, so I just left it for now (well, I re-did the top coat, but that's just about it).  I'm getting lazy in my old age, what can I say? Heheheh

Here's a closer look at my middle finger and ring finger.  Sorry my camera shots have been kinda blurry.  I think I will invest in a better camera soon enough...but for now, we'll have to suffer through these shots.  I'm not sure if you can see it, but the middle finger has a hint of red underneath, and I really like how that turned out.  The ring finger's purple hue has been a hit at the housewarming party on Saturday. =)  (Excuse my poor sentence structure, but you know what I mean!)  You can also see a better look at the non-waviness of my pointer finger.  You can kinda see lines, but it's mostly smooth.

Kk, to the break down:

Pros:

  • The wavy and straight lines look awesome...if you want a quick, funky nail, this is a nice route.  
  • I've worn this all weekend, and no chipping.  I'm pretty sure I won't see any for at least another week or so.  I think it's awesome Gelish was able to figure out how to combine their system with look of a magnetic polish!
  • Colors on the bottle is pretty accurate.

Cons:

  • Price - definitely paid more than a regular bottle of Gelish or Magnetic Polish, but I think that was my bad.  I've seen the kit with both for $19.95, which I feel is reasonable.
  • Slight learning curve - took me a few tries on my mom's nails to get the hang of it, and even then I messed up 2 nails. =)  Eventually, your nails will come out great!
  • The polish I got did NOT come with magnets...had to purchase them separately.  And even then, the star magnet did not work as well as I would have liked.  I'll try to do another post with just the designs.  If you get the kit, it comes with one magnet.
Would I recommend?  Of course!  Everyone I know that uses Gelish is super excited about the Magneto, and I don't think they will be disappointed...unless they didn't buy the right thing, like me. LOL  I'm not disappointed in the polish itself, so I'll try not to let me hold that against them! =)  I suppose it was my fault in buying it at Sallys instead of where I normally buy it. =/ Woe is me.  Overall, this product does exactly what I expected to, and that's what matters to me.

Anyhoo, I hope this review was helpful, even if I kept jumping from topic to topic.  I obviously don't organize my thoughts before I start blogging, hahaha.  But I like it this way...and I hope you do to.

Till next time!

Disclaimer:
1. I bought every product I used in this blog.
2. I am not affiliated with any of the companies who's products I used.
3. I did not get paid for this review.
4. These are my honest opinions.
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Kat Von D - Everlasting Love Liquid Lipstick Review

Friday, June 1, 2012
Hi Everyone! So I decided to start off with a review of Kat Von D's Everlasting Love Liquid Lipstick (in Berlin).  I have used it a couple of times, and I think it's a pretty good product.  Check out Exhibit A (aka the photo on the left), this is one hour after I had applied the lipstick. 

Let me back up, first of all, this is a lip product that's supposed to stay on your lips and not everything your lips touch.  If your SO is anything like my hubby, I'm not allowed to kiss him if I've got a lipful of gloss or lipstick or anything.  Until now (insert dramatic music here).  I've tried a few lip products that claim it won't "kiss off", but none of them had worked for me.  They either kissed off, or made my lips so dry, it would peel off.  Thiis product does neither, so I consider it a star!

When you first apply the product to your lips, it glides on smoothly, and the applicator is small enough to get into the corners of your lips easily (without creating a big fat mess!).  Next, I kept my mouth ajar for about 3 minutes (you probably don't need to do it THAT long, but it's not like the product feels dry or anything, so it's hard to tell when it sets!).  I gently tested out my lips with my fingers and was happy to see that there was no lipstick on them. I let them set (with my mouth closed this time! hehehe) while I made lunch for the day, and probably all the way to work (in LA traffic...so 45 minutes?).  When I got settled into work, I took a quick pic, so I could show you how it looked after the first hour.

Check out Exhibit B (the pic on the right).  This pic was taken approximately 4 hours after application.  Notice that it still looks the same.  Lips didn't feel dry at all (not necessarily moisterized either, though).  During this time, I had some breakfast (toast and a Diet Coke - breakfast of champions) and a snack (little container full of cheerios).  Glad to see that nothing came off on my drink. =)

Next we have Exhibit C (this pic on the left).  I know I don't have the best quality pics of this, but I think you can see that some of the lipstick has peeled off.  At this point, I had worn the liquid lipstick for over 8 hours.  For the most part, I think this product did what I needed for the day: stay on my lips and not things I kiss/drink, and not make my lips feel super dry.  When I gently blotted my lips with a napkin, there was no smudging or transferrence to the napkin.  However, I noticed that when I blew my nose, I unintentionally rubbed my lips a little, and a little bit of the lipstick came off.

I guess you'll just have to be mindful that you ARE wearing lipstick, although you don't need to reapply it ever 2 seconds. =)

Pros: Long-Lasting (almost 8 hours! - pretty darn good for a lipstick!); Pretty Color, Doesn't dry out lips

Cons: A little pricey ($19 @ Sephora for a small tube), only available (atm) in 6 colors.

Would I recommend?  Of course...I haven't really found anything that works as well as this.  I'm tempted to try the look in the ad, where you paint the top lip red and the bottom lip pink.  If you use a regular lipstick, this wouldn't work out too well, because it would just smudge over each other.  However, with this liquid lipstick, I think it could work out nicely.  I'll post a pic if I try it out.  A friend told me it's weird to have two color lips like that...hehehe.

Till next time!

Disclaimer:
1. I bought all the products I'm using/reviewing.
2. I am not affiliated with the companies of the products I'm using.
3. No one has paid me for this blog/review.
4. These are my honest opinions.
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Things to Come

Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Hi Everyone!  I just wanted to give y'all an update.  I was doing SOOOO well, with tons of posts...and then I broke 4 nails. =(  I had decidec to give my nails a break and let them be completely bare for a few days.  And then it happened: one nail broke; and then another; and then another...

My nails are so weak, I think I need to keep at least a moisterizing base coat on them, even if I'm not weaing polish to keep their strength up.  I've already decided on how I wanted to do my animal print nails, and I think I can still pull them off because my ring finger on my left hand is still nice and long.  Well, technically both ring fingers are long, so I guess I should stop giving excuses and just get it done. =) I plan to do it in a couple days...the baby stole the bottle of polish I had picked out and hid it.  I'm on the hunt, but I do have a backup color if I can't find it.  So yes, more of the challenge coming soon! =)

On another note, today, one of my best friends commented on how she only has 100 blog posts, even though she's been blogging for two years.  I told her "That's awesome! That's about once a week!"  After settling into work, I checked my blogger account, and bam...I only have 84 (85 now!) posts, and I've been blogging since the end of 2009.  Mind you, I did have that baby, so I feel I'm allowed to be short! LOL  One of my NYE's resolutions was to blog more, and I think I'm doing a pretty good job of that so far.  I know I'm not blogging every week like I had envisioned, but I did have a small chunk of time where I blogged twice a week. Har har, yes...it's like that. =)

Upcoming Posts:
31 Day Challenge - Day 13: Animal Print
Kat Von D's Lip Paint Review (it's pretty awesome!)
The long awaited Gelish Magneto Review! (can't wait to pick up a bottle on Friday!)
Did I ever talk about LASIK?
Getting back on Latisse
Silk'n Flash n Go (noticable difference after just one month)
Random Thoughts on Getting a Brazillian while Pregnant (tee hee...yes, 2 years later...)

Not in any particular order, mind you.  And of course, I plan to continue the challenge. =) 

So there you have, a quick update!

Till Next Time!
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31 Day Challenge - Day 12: Stripes & Review of Nail Foils

Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Hey Everyone!  OMG, I finally did stripes!  I've been trying to decide for-like-eva(!) on what type of design I wanted.  In the end, I thought I would just get these nail stickers (for lack of better term), and test them out.

Soo...the last time I was at the store (when I got all those awesome OPIs), I passed by these nail stickers on the way out.  They kind of reminded me of the Sally Hansens stuff, so I thought I would try them out.  UGH, they suck.  Like really hard.  Let me explain...

So, when I saw these suckers, I thought they would be all polish-like (like the Sally Hansens ones), but they weren't.  They were all stiff...perhaps I should've melted them w/ a heat gun, but I decided to follow the instructions on the back of the package.  So the basic instructions were:

Step 1: Manicure your nails.
Step 2: Lightly buff your nails.
Step 3. Choose the sticker that fits closest to your nail size.
Step 4: Stick it on and press firmly.
Step 5: Cut off excess.
Step 6: Continue to press firmly to get out all the creases
Step 7: File off excess using a downward motion.
Step 8: Apply Top Coat.

I think the biggest issue was that the stickers weren't sticky enough.  They creased and wouldn't stay flattened, no matter how hard I pressed.  It looks okay-ish, but I was so annoyed with it I decided to remove it.  My hair kept getting caught up near the cuticle area, the feeling wasn't that smooth, and all the creases just bothered me.  I didn't throw a top coat on it, but at this point, I doubt it would've made a difference.

Would I recommend? NNNOOOO! Absolutely not.  I can't even think of an instance where I would...

Here's the challenge:

Next up is Animal Print.  I'm not a big animal print gal...I prefer other patterns.  But I think I have an idea of what I want to do for this challenge...stay tuned!

Till Next Time!

Disclaimer:
1. I did not receive any products I used for free.  It was paid for with my own money.
2. No one asked me to review this product, or create a video/blog about it.
3. I am not affilated with any of the companies who's products I used.
4. These are my honest opinions.
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Kaviar Mani

Sunday, May 13, 2012
Hi Everyone! Yes yes, I know...I have that 31 Day Challenge hanging over my head....but I couldn't help it.  I've been craving to try this since I got my weekly email from Sephora.  No...this is not the Ciate Caviar Manicure Kit.  This is just some plain old (okay, like an FX) polish, and some microbeads I had bought a couple years back.  In fact, I've used them in my Summer Flower mani.  Of course, I didn't cover the entire nail, but still...microbeads are not a new thing in the nail world.  It's just now been made mainstream!  And, as with all other random nail fads, I wanted to check it out. =)

So...I've been hounding my local Sephora, and they haven't gotten the Ciate kit in...they're telling me it will be next week, but we'll see.  Online, it shows that they're the only local store to have it in stock!  Don't you get the feeling that the employees are hiding them for themselves...?  Just a suspicion, hnahaha.

Anyhoo, so in the meantime, I decided to bust out my old microbeads.  I think the whole set of 8 colors was maybe $5 or $6.  Obviously this is significantly less than the Ciate version, but (judging from the picture) you get more beads with Ciate?  I guess I'll find out when I eventually get it...if I get it...I'm sure I want it...must justify....nevermind.  I'll argue with myself later, lol.

Okay, so, here in these pics, I'm wearing Orly's Out of this World (an FX polish).  It's a purple-ish green-ish base with purple shimmer. I think it's a pretty cool color, although not entirely work appropriate!  But then again, that hasn't stopped me...I shall desist only when asked.  =)

I don't even remember where I got my beads from, but it came with a bunch of colors.  Basically I just put on 3 coats of Out of this World to make sure the beads have something to stick to, then dropped and pressed on the blue beads.  After I put away the blue beads, I added purple beads to give it another dimension.

The main problem I faced was that the nail polish dried too quickly to get all the beads stuck on well.  I would have to keep adding more beads to the nail and push them in (like 4-5 beads @ a time after the main bunch).  After, getting all the beads on, my next problem was with the top coat.  I used Seche Vite.  On my left hand, I glopped it on, to make sure the beads would stick.  However, it looks kinda weird.  I know the pic is semi-blurry, but you can see how the beads almost look like their in a gel or something?  Where as the pic above, you can clearly see each bead.  Yeah...which was the look I was going for...

So on my right hand I just used a thin layer of top coat, and was able to get the look I wanted...however, beads are falling out at an alarming rate.  I'm missing more than 11...which isn't too noticeable from a normal glancing distance, but annoying to me, because I can see where they're missing.  Grrr...

So....basically I'm planning to try the Ciate kit, and compare to this cheaper method.  Supposedly the Ciate base color is a more sticky formula, that you can really stick the beads to.  Hopefully they'll have it in stock at Sephora later this week...and maybe w/ a tester?  I would prefer to try before I buy...hahaha.

I still need to get stripes out...bah! Lol

Till next time!

Disclaimer:
1. I bought every product I'm showing by myself (nothing was sent to me for free).
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.
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O.P.I. Shatter Polish (and Significant Other Color) Review

Friday, May 11, 2012
Hi Everyone! I hope you've all be enjoying my sudden wave of posts.  I know that I haven't posted this much since 2009 (crazy to think that I've been doing this for so long!), and I've really enjoyed it.  On the days I don't work overtime, I feel a nice amount of relaxation from doing my nails.  I probably won't be able to keep changing my nails so often, but I'll try to keep the posts coming. =)  So, I'm taking a short break from the challenge to give you this review. Hehehe, but don't worry, I'll be back working on Stripes soon enough!

Anyhoo, I got a chance to use Significan Other Color, which is a light pink, shimmery polish, along with Pink Shatter (both from O.P.I.). 

I actually a good amount of pics, although not all of them are the clearest.  As a total sidebar, I just wanted to let you know that the MyTouch 4G slide (with a boasted 8mpx camera) was what I had been using to take all these pics recently.  At first, the pics I took were amazingly clear.  And then, for some reason, the quality started deteriorating.  And also, it wouldn't focus on the right spots - for instance, I would try to focus in the middle of the screen, but it would focus on the outsides.  STUPID THING!  I was getting so frustrated!!!  But anyhoo, my contract is up in a couple weeks, and I will be getting the Samsung Galaxy S2.  Its camera is supposed to be good...and I guess you all will get the chance to see it for yourselves. =)  Kk, back to the review....

Here's Significan Other Color with 2 coats.  If I was going to wear this color without the shatter/crackle on top, I would definitely use another coat.  Although it's hard to tell from the pic, every finger has 2 coats, except the middle finger has 3.  Can you see the difference?  It's a little more opaque and more even.  Another O.P.I. polish that needs three coats from the haul!!! LOL  I suppose it's not a big deal...like I said, 2 coats works for the most part.  I just like having a more even look.

As for the Pink Shatter, I actually like it alot!!  Okay, so this pic on the right is how it turned out on my left hand.  The crackle is pretty gross, right?  Well...this is because I used a very thin application.  I was just testing to see how it would turn out...and (obviously) it turned out badly!  Once again, it looks like I just did a bad job of putting on polish, hahahaha.  This makes me want to go back and re-try the China Glaze one that's been giving me issues.  I'll prolly go with a really thick application and see how it works.  At this point, I believe that this pink crackles better than China Glaze's pink, but China Glaze's black crackles better than this Pink Shatter.  I will try more tests and confirm, hehehe.

Moving on to my right hand.  I did a semi-thick coat on my thumb, and progressively got thicker towards my pinky.  I definitely think this is the "trick" to this polish.  Just lay it on thick enough that you can apply polish to the whole nail with it starting to separate (crackle).  Also, try to swipe only once per part of your nail...sections where I overlapped didn't crackle as nicely.

All in all, I think it was a nice crackle polish to work with.  Once I got the "trick" down, it seemd to work pretty well.  As always, with crackle polishes, make sure your base color is COMPLETELY dry.  I absolutely love this bold pink color (similar to Essie's Watermelon!) and I'm glad a part of the proceeds with to help fight breast cancer.  As for price, I paid $4.50, so I think it's totally worth it.  However, I know the regular price of O.P.I. is around $8-$10, and I would really have to put more thought into it if I had to pay full price.  I think I would get this anyway, because I like the color and it shatters nicely.

I didn't test how it worked/looked if you swipe the the crackle polish from side to side or diagonal.  I guess I'll have to do it sometime, to see how it turns out.  I've seen XSparkage do that in a video (I might look up the link to to post here), and the polish crackles in differen directions.  I think it's kinda cool, although (for some strange reason) I just like the classic verticle cracklet best.

I'll probably be working on the next challenge soon.  I have an idea or two...I think...LOL.  Anyhoo, till next time!

Disclaimer:

1. I bought every product I'm showing by myself (nothing was sent to me for free).
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.
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31 Day Challenge - Day 11: Polka Dots + O.P.I. Haul

Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Hi Everyone!  I have started on the second range of the challenge - Patterns.  I kinda don't do polka dots well, so I decided to go with polka rings? Lol...Just a random design I wanted to try out with the new polishes I just got. =)

Sorry this pic is kinda funky and you can't see the design THAT great.  Basically, I put on two coats of O.P.I.'s I Don't Give a Rotterdam, and then drew dots on my tips with O.P.I.'s Yodel Me On My Cell, and then put dots of I Don't Give a Rotterdam in the middle of those dots.  That way the have a ring-like effect. =)  I used my biggest dotting tool, but I think (if I ever attempt this look again), I will use the next size down.  I mean, my nails aren't that long, so I don't have the real estate for big giant dots, hahah.

Here's the challenge:

Next up is Stripes.  I don't know what I'm going to do, but I'll try to have something up in the next few days.  Can you believe I've actually been consistently posting?!?  Hopefully I can keep this up (or at least once a week up) for a while. 

Now on to the Haul!  So I finally had a little bit of extra pocket money, and decided to update my nail polish stash.  Normally, I don't buy too much O.P.I. mainly because it's pretty pricey.  However, I got a pretty good deal on the 6 bottles I got ($4.50 each), so I decided to limit my purchases to O.P.I. =)  There wasn't too much new China Glaze or Orly polishes available that I was interested in.  The store had quite a limited selection for those...I think I'll have to go to the other local nail supply store to pick up the new collection items, if I want them.  But....I'm limiting myself to one more nail polish splurge, and it's kinda price ($25!!!), so I probably won't be buying anything else for my stash...for a short while. =) I miss the days when I could just go buy whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted...it's hard growing up! LOL  Damn these bills and responsibilities!

Okie, so here are the six polishes I got (mostly from the Holland collection) from left to right:  Yodel Me On My Cell, Pedal Faster Suzi!, I Don't Give a Rotterdam, Lucerne-Tainly Look Marvelous (get it? har har), Significant Other Color, and Pink Shatter.

So far, I've tried I Don't Give a Rotterdam, Yodel Me On My Cell, and Lucerne-Tainly Look Marvelous (on my mom).  I can't wait to try the Pink Shatter, and compare it to the China Glaze ones. =)

For I Don't Give a Rotterdam, I used 2 coats for a semi-even coverage.  If I wasn't planning on doing a design, I probably would've used 3 coats for a more even coverage.  The coats are pretty thin, so I guess it's not a biggie to use 3...just more than I'm used to.  Like I've mentioned in the past, I prefer 2 coats. =)  For Yodel Me On My Cell, I only used it to make dots, so I can't really comment too much about the polish.

As for Lucerne-Tainly Look Marvelous, I used 2 coats for a pretty even coverage.  It's kinda sheer, though, so a 3rd coat might make it a little more opaque.  I think it looked pretty with just 2 coats, and I plan to get a swatch out.  I didn't do any designs or anything this time for my mom...just a basic mani.  Maybe when this project is over and I have more free time...

Overall, I enjoyed using O.P.I.  The brushes are a lot thicker than I'm used to (with Essie, especially), so it only took a few swips to get full coverage.  However, the colors I've used in this batch have all felt pretty thin/sheer.  I'll let you know how the rest of the colors work out.

Till next time!!

Disclaimer:
1. I bought every product I'm showing by myself (nothing was sent to me for free).
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.
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31 Day Challenge - Day 10: Gradient

Sunday, May 6, 2012
Hi Everyone! Wow, I'm officially 1/3 of the way through this challenge.  I'm going to give myself a small pat on the back...could've been bigger if I was really able to keep up with doing this everyday.  I've read some blogs where the author has found it pretty frustrating...which I can totally identify with.  Once again, I'm not thrilled with how my mani turned out.

So, I chose my colors (the scented Eternal and Essie's Watermelon), and then I decided to do a gradient on each nail.  Unfortunately, I didn't have the makeup sponges I normally use for this, so I thought I'd try with a different one.  TOTALLY didn't work.  The sponge I used was too dense...so it litterally looks like i just did a bad french mani job.  UGH!!!  And of course, now that I'm working, I don't have the time to just do it over. 

Here's the Challenge:


As a side note, I've been wearing these looks to work.  Now, I wouldn't wear these looks to court....and I don't really think they look "professional", but what harm is there?  I'm not meeting any clients (except my own private ones, and seriously, they don't care that my nails look funky), and I do my work well.  No one's said anything, so Imma keep at it.  Randomly, I bought a pair of work slacks yesterday...but now that I look at them in the office, they kinda look like jeans....I wonder if someone will reprimand me, hahaha.
Day 11 is going to be Polka Dots....I think I'll have to choose some more colors....

Till next time!

Disclaimer:
1. I bought every product I'm showing by myself (nothing was sent to me for free).
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.
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31 Day Challenge - Day 9: Rainbow

Thursday, May 3, 2012
Hey Everyone! I'm back for Day 9 of the challenge.  To your left I have a rainbow on each nail, and to the bottom, I have just one color on each nail.

I'm not sure which I like better...On one hand (literally, har har) I have rainbows that look drawn by a child, and on the other hand, I have a funky manicure (which I kinda made weird with those butterfly decals).  *Sigh*  I feel that Rainbow Day is Full of Fail Day.  I will be happy to proceed to the next challenge (Gradient) ASAP!!

If you're interested in what colors/polishes I used: Left Pic is all Nail Star (over China Glaze: White).  Right Pic is (Pink) Eternal Scented, (Orange) Orly's Pumpkin Punch, (Yellow) Nina Ultra Pro: Solar Flare, (Green) China Glaze: Turned Up Turquoise Neon, (Purple) Finger Paint.

I got the butterfly decals at a local nail supply store. Admittedly they apply pretty easily, and seem to stay on okay, but now that I've tried them a couple times, I think they just look weird, hahaha.  Kinda like, "what's that on your nail?!?"

I've decided on how I want to do my Gradient look, but haven't chosen colors for it yet.  I will definitely get that out to you soon!

Here's the Challenge:

Till next time!

Disclaimer:
1. I bought every product I'm showing by myself (nothing was sent to me for free).
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.
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31 Day Challenge - Day 8: Metallic

Monday, April 30, 2012
Hey everyone! Day 8! Wow...I had such a hassle with this look. I know I'm reusing the crackle, but I didn't have the polish I originally had planned.

Anyhoo, so these are the colors I used:
Pink Base Color: Essie's Watermelon
Black Base Color: Orly's Goth
Metallic Crackle: China Glaze's Latticed Lilac

I'm not sure if I've reviewed Essie's Watermelon before.  I absolutely love it!  The color goes on wonderfully, and has a pretty good look with just one coat.  I usually add a second coat just to even out the bald spots (although they aren't that noticeable).  In this look that I'm wearing, I have 2 coats on my thumb, and one coat on the rest of my nails.  I don't think you can even tell...Also, Essie's brushes are a little on the skinny side, but it does the job. =)  Essie's polishes aren't too cheap...usually around $7 a bottle.  However, I feel like Essie is a little inconsistent.  You'd have an awesome coverage, awesome non-chipping polish (like Watermelon), but you also get ones that chip easily (like that Minty one).  I would definitely recommend this color, but I'm not sure if I would recommend Essie as a brand in general.

Orly's Goth is also a pretty cool color.  It's a nice black polish with silver glitter.  I don't really have too much to say about it.  It needs two coats to get a good, opaque coverage.  It seems to take longer to dry than other polishes.  It's pretty, and it works for this purpose. 

If you read my Day 5: Blue post, you might remember that I was complaining about the China Glaze Crackle polish in pink metallic.  I have found out that I have a pale purple (not pink), and I am still complaining about it.  Maybe I still haven't figured out the trick to the crackling part yet....I've tried laying it on thinly, and that seems to work TERRIBLY.  I only tried it because other people who have reviewed it claim the crackle effect works better when you apply a thin layer.  Not for me.  I actually think it works better when you apply a thicker layer, HOWEVER, you have to apply it quickly and evenly.  I think my problem comes when I'm swiping my third swipe (I usually do one stripe down the middle, one to the left, and one to the right) I accidently go over my first stripe.  Then that creates a non-crackling area.  Did that make sense?  Maybe in simpler terms, if you go over the same area more than once, it doesn't crackle.  At least for me.  Let me know if you have had different experiences!  I think I will give this polish one more chance.  Probably not for any more challenges, but for just a regular day sometime in the future. =)

I also wanted to let you guys know I bought a Silk'n Flash & Go, which I am using right now.  I think in a few more weeks, I will post a review on it, just so I have some definitive idea of how well it works. Hehehe

I have a couple ideas for the next challenge, Rainbow, so I'll try to get that out to you soon!
(The Challenge:)

Till next time!

Disclaimer:
1. I bought every product I'm showing by myself (nothing was sent to me for free).
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.
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31 Day Challenge - Day 7: Black & White

Thursday, April 26, 2012
Hi Everyone! I have my Day 7 look here for you.  I did  Black & White flames...inspired by The Hunger Games.  Yes, I know...Katniss didn't have anything to do with black or white, but I just chose colors that fit the challenge. =)

The colors I used are Orly's Liquid Vinyl (the black) and Orly's Orly Platinum (the white).  I also have Essie's Happily Ever After as the nudish base color.  Basically I put a few drops of the polish on the tips of my nails, then used a pushpin to drag it up to make the flames.  After I finished with the black, I let it completely dry before doing the same with the white.  I think it turned out pretty cute for a first attempt. =)

Hmm...if I were to use colors truly inspired by the Hunger Games and Katniss, I think I would've chosen a shimmery red and a golden-orange color instead.  I've seen this look done with 3 colors, and that looks pretty cool too.

Here's the Challenge:
I have some ideas of what I want the next couple looks to look like, but I don't have them ready to go yet.  Hopefully you guys won't have to wait long for the next post! I'm workin' on it! =)

Till next time!

Disclaimer:

1. I bought every product I'm showing by myself (nothing was sent to me for free).
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.
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31 Day Challenge - Day 6: Violet/Purple

Monday, April 23, 2012
Hi Everyone!  I have officially made it to DaY 6 of the 31 Day Challenge.  Who knew it would take me forever to do six days of posts!

Anyhoo, I have a cute treat for you, ANGRY BIRDS!!!  Yes, yes, I know there's no purple angry bird, but this is an Angry Laker Bird!  And go team, they won the last 2 games while I was sporting this look!

I got this look from a video post from CutePolish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e0hewa7iY0

I actually a more "Angry Pig" lover, but I thought this look was really nice and a fitting look for my Purple look. I've gotten a couple nice compliments on them, but it's kinda hard for random people to really see what I have on my ring finger, lol.

The purple I used is Nina's Purple X-ing.  It actually chipped really easily, so I'm not too impressed with the polish.  And yes, if you look closely, my eyes are blue...I didn't have my black accessible to me at the time, so I improvised by using a dark blue.

Sooo yeah...I have my Day 7 look ready to go, so you won't be waiting too long for the next post! =)

Here's the challenge:
I see alot of work cut out for me! LOL

Till next time!
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31 Day Challenge - Day 5: Blue

Friday, April 20, 2012
Hi everyone!  Woot, another post, sent in a timely manner.  Don't I feel on a roll...I think I got to this point last time too, but I am determined to keep it up this year! (Even if I'm starting 4 months into it...hahhaah)

For the challenge, I have this summertime Zoya color called "Breezi", and some Hot Topic polish in a sparkly purple color on my ring finger, all topped with China Glaze's silver crackle polish.

I guess I could take this opportunity to do a mini-review on China Glaze's crackle polish line.  I bought almost every color at Nail Warehouse Supply (they had a special that was buy 2 get one free).  So I bought the white, silver, and pink metallic.  I had already bought the black a week before.  I have tested all 4 colors on a variety of polishes (and am banging my head wondering why I didn't take pics of them!!!).

Here are my thoughts:
1.  You need to put the crackle coat on only after your base color has completely dried.  I had one nail that was kinda wet, and the crackle polish totally did not work out too well.

2.  All the colors seem to have a similar crackling amount, although it looks like Black crackles the best.  Direction of crackle is dependent on which direction you apply the polish.  Also, I find that having a little more on your brush works better, but some people say a very thin coat works the best.  You're going to want to play around with this to find what works for you.

3.  The black works best on light color polishes, especially a metallic silver.  I think that combination just looks the best, in general.  The silver, white, and metallic pink work best on darker colors.  As you can see in my challenge pic, the dark purple just seems to have a better contrast.  I actually had tried the metallic pink over a ballerina pale pink, and it just looked like I did a bad job of applying the polish,  You had to look up close and personal to tell that it was a crackle polish!

4.  I would definitely wear a top coat with this.  The crackle polish is almost matte, and I think it would chip off easily if you don't protect it with a top coat.  This mani lasted me about a week with minimal wear & tear.  Unfortunately the hot topic polish chipped after 4 days (the Zoya lasted a week, lol).

5.  These are relatively inexpensive (I got mine for $5 a bottle...and that one free one, lol).  I'm not sure how much they charge elsewhere, but I doubt it will be more than $8 each.  It's a fun and easy way to give your nails some texture without actually needing to do some tedious nail art (which I miss having the time for!).

6.  Would I recommend it?  OF COURSE!  I absolutely enjoyed wear these polishes, and I got lots of compliments at work (yes even now, a year after crackle has made it back in, hahahah).

I will try to get out some pictures of the different colors and stuff, so you can see what I'm talking about.

Till next time!
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31 Day Challenge - Day 4: Green

Monday, April 16, 2012
Hey everyone!  Finally a post that's not 6 months apart from the last one! LOL

Here is the green polish I chose for the challenge.  It's China Glaze's Mistletoe Kisses.  It's a very pretty color that I don't get to wear too often (because it's not deemed "work appropriate" hahaah).

I know the pic is blurry, and the color seems a little different from others, but I believe it's because I'm only wearing one coat, and maybe my lighting is weird.  Overall, I really like this color and I would wear it again. =)



I will be posting Day 5 soon enough, and hopefully I'll have something set up for Day 6 soon! =)

Till next time!
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31 Day Challenge - Day 3: Yellow

Thursday, April 12, 2012
OMG, where did the time go?  I just checked my poor, neglected blog, and what do I see? I haven't updated it since my vacay in OCTOBER.  Geez, just shoot me, lol.  So here's a beautiful yellow, that I took a picture of MONTHS ago.  It's from Orly, and there isn't a name on my bottle, unfortunately.  I got the tiny mini bottle from Ulta, and figured it would be a cool color for the challenge.

I can't remember much about the polish except that I didn't like it too much, hahaha.  This is what I get for procrastinating my blog.  As some semi-excuses: first I had to prep for my son's first bday, then Thanksgiving came around (sister-in-law wanted to cook turkey......though that didn't work out cuz our oven broke!), after that the holidays which had all these plans attached, my birthday (which was spent @ Disneyland! Hehe), Valentine's Day (aka my anni), a Vegas trip, and then I started working.  So it wasn't like I was just sitting around on my bum, watching the baby...at least the whole time, haahaha.  But I do apologize for being so inconsistent.  I will *try* to do better, and I have a few ideas on future blogs. =)

Here's the challenge...since I'm sure you've all fogotten about it by now! LOL
So sad...this is just Day 3, haahahah. The good thing is that I have Day 4 and 5 almost ready to go...

Till next time!