Stiletto Nails (And Mini Review on Diamond Nails in Temple City, CA)

 Hi Everyone!  So I had been stalking Pinterest and YouTube for some inspiration, and I came across the twin fads: Stiletto Nails and Duck Nails.  And by twin, I mean complete opposites! LOL  In case you aren't aware, Stiletto Nails are where your nails (usually acrylic) come to a point, and Duck Nails are where your nails (also usually acrylic) flare out at the tip.  I didn't actually get Duck Nails done (I'm already getting annoyed with Stiletto as it is!), but if you Google it or Pinterest it, you'll see what I'm talking about.  (For all you lazy people..let me google that for you...:http://lmgtfy.com/?q=duck+nails)

Anyhoo, so I was in dire need of a pedicure, so I decided to get that one on my last trip home.  I had seen that a new nail place opened up not too far from my mom's, so I decided to go take a peek (esp since they have a 20% off banner in front of the store! LOL).  I asked the lady doing my toes how much stiletto nails would cost.  She looked confused and asked me what stiletto nails were. LOL  At this point, I thought it was going to be a wash, but she said she could do it and with 20% off, it would only be $18.  Sounded good to me! I decided to go for and see how it turned out.

At first, I was very skeptical of the lady, but when I got my hand back and saw it shaped all pretty and pointy, I quickly relaxed and became confident that my nails would turn out awesome.  I was pleasantly surprised at how my nails turned out.  I think they are great and exactly what I was looking for!  My mom thinks that if I was going to do Stiletto Nails, I should've gone longer, but these are already annoying.  I couldn't imagine having nails an inch long!!  I already have issues typing....I can only foresee that I would've been locked out of my work computer/software because I kept mistyping my pw, hahaha.  So, what I'm trying to say is that these nails are as long as I can take, and they work.  Yes, I admit they probably would have looked better if they were a lot longer.  But...I'm good.  =)

My hubby seems to like these...here's the conversation we had:

Me: Let me scratch your back...I wanna test out how these nails feel.
Hubby: Uh...okay...?
Me:
Hubby: That feels pretty nice.
Me: Well, enjoy it while you can...I'm probably not going to upkeep these.
Hubby: Why not!!! I'm sure you can find a place in PHX.

Seriously, LOL.

I seriously doubt I can stand to have acrylics for too much longer...unless they were really short.  Maybe.  I dunno.  We'll see.   Hehehe

To finish my little review, I would have to say that Diamond Nails in Temple City is very big and nice.  The people there don't go for speed, they actually take the time to make your nails look right.  They aren't cheap, but they aren't too pricey either.  Take advantage of their 20% off just to see if you like their work.  I can say I'll definitely go back...I want to try their facial next time.  LOL  Anyhoo, that's pretty much all I have for the review...sorry there aren't really more details.  Let me know if you have any questions!

Till Next Time!

Disclaimer:
1. I paid for my own mani/pedi.
2. I am not affiliated with Diamond Nails.
3. No one paid me for this blog.
4. These are my honest opinions.

Ciate Chalkboard Nails Review

Hi Everyone!

Time for another review...does it seem like that's all I do these days?  Well...it's almost all I have time for.  I hardly have time to do my own nails, let alone come up with a design! LOL

Anyhoo, if you're following the scene, you'll know that Ciate came out with a Chalkboard Nail kit.  I got mine from Sephora, and it came with a Chalkboard polish and 4 Chalk Pens, along with a matte topcoat.  I tried it on one nail at the store and was super excited to buy it and try it at home.  Unfortunately, I was very disappointed.

So...what your'e supposed to do is put on 2 coats of the black Chalkboard polish and let it dry completely.  then, you can use the pens to decorate your nails however you want.  I drew hearts and mustaches (in case you couldn't tell what those were, lol).  I let that dry, and put on a layer of the matte topcoat to "seal in my design".  As pictured, it looks pretty cool, right?  I was pretty satisfied with my kit at this point.  However, the next day...I did the dishes (yes yes, again without gloves), and bam....all 10 of my nails were chipped.  I mean, i wasn't rough or anything...it was just dishes!!!  The Ciate Velvet nails did fine through multiple rounds of doing dishes!!!  But alas, this is what I ended up with:

Sooo sad and disappointed.  Looking at the way the nails chipped, I'm not sure how much gloves would have really helped.  So yes, to me the Chalkboard kit is a bummer.

Pros:

It's a cute idea

Easy to do lots of designs with the pens

Cons:

It's not cheap ($25ish)

It chips easily

At this point, I threw in the towel...but if anyone else has tried it with better results, please comment!  I'm sure my experience isn't shared by everyone...or this kit would have totally flopped.  I think I also had high expectations after my experience with the Velvet nails kit.  

Currently I took the plunge and am now sporting some stiletto nails!  Yes, I know I hardly ever do acrylics...but I couldn't resist.  And now, as I suffer through typing w/ these claws, I'm okay with it...only because I didn't get them as long as I should have.  I think proper stiletto nails should be at least an inch past the nailbed.  Mine are more like 1/2 an inch.  I'll have another post coming up soon, and I'll have pics and another review, lol. =)  And don't think I forgot about the Flash n Go.  I have an embarrassing before pic, and a good after pic. =)  So many reviews, so little time!

Anyhoo, till next time!!

Disclaimer:
1. I bought the Ciate Chalkboard Nail kit with my own money.
2. I am not affiliated with Ciate or Sephora.
3. I was not paid to write this blog.
4. These are my honest opinions.

Where did April Go? - Ciate Velvet Nails Review

No seriously, where did April go?  I guess with all the moving and travelling, time just flew.  I can't believe we're in May, and I'm ready to make a post about stuff I've been doing the last few weeks.

This pic on the left is just a random manicure I did.  I used Zoya's Evvie as a base, and just used striping polishes to make a weird plaid effect.  I didn't really have a plan, so it's not as cool as I'd like, but I did have fun.  What's that on my ring finger you ask?  A Totoro...no really, that's what it's supposed to be, lol.  So...what I did was striped two stripes across the nail in Black, and then one stripe in white down the nail and one stripe in silver glitter.  Now....if I had a plan, I would've alternated the black stripes with the ones going down, so that it had a cool layered effect.  Ahhh, hindsight.  LOL  I still like the Totoro though. Hahahha.  I'm sure I got it from someone's nail video, but I did these so long ago, I can't remember who's.  You know I'm usually pretty good about where I get my ideas from...so...yeah.  If you know where this came from, just leave it in the comments below. =)

NYC was so much fun!  I went there for a friend's wedding and decided to dress my nails up a little bit.  I didn't realize this pic was blurry, but it's the only one I have!!!  So here, I properly alternated the stripes so that it has a cool layered feel to it.  Here, I used Zoya's Reagan as the base.  I just used Reagan on the tips in a Chevron pattern, and then completely covered the ring finger.  Then I used a Silver Glitter Striper to make an X along the edge of the Chevron.  Then I used the White Striper to draw another X a little highter than my silver X.  I think it turned out pretty cool and fancy for a wedding. =)  YES, these stripers were new...that's why I wanted to use them for everything!!

And finally to the review!!  I'm not sure if you can see the velvet on the nails in the pic to the left.  They are really hard to take a picture of, but I can tell you that you can totally feel them on the nails.  Let's back up to the beginning.  So last month, Sephora had their 15% off coupon circulated.  Usually, this is the time I buy all sorts of stuff that I want, but didn't want to pay full price on (like tools and stuff).  I ended buying a cartridge for my Flash n Go (I know I promised a review on this too! It is coming, I swear!) and the Ciate Velvet Nails in the Berry Poncho color.  I know they look all magenta-ish in the pic, but it's the flash that makes the colors all wonky.  Anyhoo, I was very excited to get this, and I'm fairly happy with the results.

The kit costs $19 and comes with a bottle of polish, a container of crushed velvet, and a small brush.  After some trial and error, I was able to get the results show.  I think my next time trying it out, I will be able to have much better results.

Following the instructions, they don't mention a base coat, but I used one anyway. Then you are supposed to put on one coat of the polish on all the nails.  When you start applying the 2nd coat, you only want to do one nail at a time.  You apply the 2nd coat, sprinkle on some crushed velvet, and then tap it onto your nail, and use the brush to gently remove the excess.

Where I ran into problems was the "sprinkling" part.  I could not get a nice layer of crushed velvet on my nails before the polish started drying.  Instead, I took off the entire cap of the container and (more or less) poured the crushed velvet on.  This was SUPER messy...the velvet seriously got EVERYWHERE.  I don't have any recommendations at this point on how to keep this procedure neat (besides just trying to get the crushed velvet through the holes!).  I hate wasting product, but I ended up vacuuming most of the mess away.  I tried my best to recapture all the crushed velvet I could, but, like I said, it was EVERYWHERE.

And why is it that polishes dry faster when we need it to stay wetter longer?  LOL  Maybe I'm just slow.  Once I had done a few fingers, I kinda got the hang of it.  Try to gently pat the crushed velvet all over the nail.  I noticed I had less on the border of my nail bed.  And once you are done with all the nails, that's it.  You don't need to apply a top coat (that would defeat the purpose, lol).

Hmm, so the manicure lasted about 4 days pretty nicely.  Then the tips started wearing thin and the velvet didn't have the same furriness as the first day.  You can still feel that there is texture on the nail, but it definitely does not feel like velvet on the 7th day.  The fact that I can still sport this manicure on the 7th day is pretty cool.  Like I said, just some wear and tear at the tips, which is natural.  I'm actually surprised the texture lasted this long, with all the times I've washed my hands or showered or washed dishes (yes, I know...I should wear gloves!).  I remember being very skeptical the first time I washed my hands after the manicure.  I was very gentle about it, and wiped my hands dry gently as well.  I was happy to note that my nails felt exactly how they did before I washed my hands.  I think I was extra gentle only the first couple of days...and then it was normal handwashing from then on.  I would treat this manicure as any other manicure...regular handwashing, but maybe a little extra gentle when dishwashing.  And no angry typing, lol.

I absolutely loved the feel of the nails.  I showed it off to everyone I could, and they felt impressed (I think?) LOL.  At first I was thinking this would be a fun going-out manicure, but the fact that it lasted a few days makes me rethink that.  I think it's a fun every day sorta manicure. =)  And I'm sure your co-workers and classmates and friends will enjoy feeling it too.  Hahahha

So, onto the break down:
Pros: Feels awesome, stays on for a few days, and relativity easy to apply.
Cons: $19 may be a little pricey, it's messy to apply, and the colors are limited (2 atm).

If you've tried this, let me know what you think!  I plan to do a small post really soon about my new haircut. =)

Till next time!

Disclaimer:
1. I bought all the products mentioned in this blog with my own money.
2. I am not affiliated with any of the companies of products mentioned in this blog.
3. No one paid me to write this blog.
4. These are my honest opinions.

CutePolish's Evanora (from Oz) Nails

Hey everyone!  I'll give you a second to recover from shock.  LOL  Yes, another post.  It's been awhile since I was able to churn out a blog 3 weeks in a row!  Maybe it's because I'm procrastinating packing, and finding other things to keep me busy.  Like YT videos and nail art.

So I was just chillin, watching my subscriptions on YouTube, when I came across CutePolish's Evanora Nails.  A long, long time ago, I had a blog post about her 1-up nails (http://miniteababy.blogspot.com/search/label/1Up%20Mushroom).  And then not too long ago, I had a blog post when I tried out her Angry Bird nails (http://miniteababy.blogspot.com/2012/04/31-day-challenge-day-6-violetpurple.html) on my mom.  I got tons of compliments when I had the 1-up nails, so I've tried to at least keep up with watching her tutorials.

I had watched Oz during opening weekend and really liked it.  Mr. Juicy did not like it at all.  He called it "predictable"...and I told him "Duh...we've seen the sequel."  Hahaha  But one thing that I did notice throughout the entire move was Evanora's nails.  I'm glad CutePolish felt the same!  Here's a link to her video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCch2-j21aw

As you can see in the video, she uses a very pale pink as the background color, keeping truer to the look in the film.  I decided to try a bolder effect by using Zoya's Kimber as a background color.  And then, just to be different, I tried doing a white triangle on my ring finger with black/silver stripes.  On my right hand, I tried a simpler look with just the Kimber in the background and a blue glitter on my ring finger.  I tried a white stripe in the blue glitter, but I did not like the way it looked so I went over it when the blue glitter polish again.  You can kinda see the white in this pic, but I think it actually has a cool effect and I left it as is (I swear, totally not laziness!).

In case you wanted a quick summary of recreating this look:

Step 1: Base Coat (I used Seche's Recondition)

Step 2: Two coats of your Background Color (I used Zoya's Kimber, CutePolish used a Pale Pink)

Step 3: Using striping polish, draw triangles. (I used black, white, and blue glitter.  CutePolish recommends making dots of where you want the points of the triangle to be so that you can make sure the triangles are centered.)

Step 4: Using a glitter striping polish, draw lines down the inside of your triangles.  (I used a silver for the main fingers, and then a black w/ silver glitter striping polish on my ring finger.)

Step 5: Top Coat (I used Seche Vite)

And you're done!!  I think it was fairly simple to do, and my nails look pretty cool.  It's almost like having claws w/o actually having claws, hahaha.  Such evil nails *insert evil laugh*.  So why was Theodora surprised?!?  Oh, um...spoiler alert?  Hahaha, sorry...I hope I didn't ruin the movie for ya if you haven't watched it yet!


As a sidebar, I also wanted to show you my St Patty's day look (which was full of fail):

This look was inspired by (okay, I was actually trying to dupe, but I totally didn't have the right polishes/supplies) Meliney's St. Patrick's Day Clover Tutorial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm6RStqQs0s).  At the time, I didn't have my white striping polish, so I muddled through w/ a thin brush and Zoya's Envy (the dark green).  It didn't work out so well..I am soooo out of practice!  But have no fear, I will *try* to have more nail art when I move.  The lighter green is Zoya's Tangy.  And I just threw on some green heart rhinestones.  Maybe I should've put 3-4 on a nail to make a fake clover.  Meliney does that on her ring finger in the tutorial.

I wasn't thrilled w/ my results for St Patty's day, but it was cute enough for me to sport.  I was very happy to remove my polish yesterday and to do my new look.  If I attempt to do this look again for next year, I will make sure to have all the necessary tools on hand!

Anyhoo, again, I'm filled with uncertainty of when my next post will be, but I am on a pretty good roll, so who knows? =)

Till next time!!


Disclaimer:
1. I bought all of the products I used in this post myself.
2. I am not affiliated with any of the companies of the products I used.
3. I was not paid to do this post.
4. These are my honest opinions.

31 Day Challenge - Day 16: Tribal Print

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!

31 Day Challenge - Day 15: Delicate Print

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!

31 Day Challenge - Day 14: Flowers

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!

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

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.

31 Day Challenge - Day 12: Stripes & Review of Nail Foils

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.

Kaviar Mani

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.

31 Day Challenge - Day 11: Polka Dots + O.P.I. Haul

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.

31 Day Challenge - Day 9: Rainbow

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.

31 Day Challenge - Day 6: Violet/Purple

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!

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.

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.

Gelish Plus Regular Polish

Hey Everyone!  I finally had a chance to do my nails properly!  This is my first polished look since I gave birth a month ago.

So I decided to test out what would happen if you used the Gelish base coat and top coat with regular polish in between.  This is the look I decided to go with...it's a nice wintery manicure. =)

You might have noticed, I filed my nails a little differently...instead of the square edge, I've decided to go with a more rounded look.  I'm just testing this out to see if I like it.  So far, I'm not crazy about how it looks, but it actually feels more comfortable and easy to manage than the square manicure.

Anyhoo, back to the polish!  First off, I used the PH bond, then put on a thin layer of the foundation gel.  After curing, I put on one coat of Orly's Winter Wonderland over the entire nail.  After letting this dry, I sponged on Orly's Royal Navy to the tips, adding an extra layer at the very tip to create a fade.  It's kinda hard to see in the pic, but it's there! =)  After, I used a clear top coat to adhere a light blue rhinestone to each nail (using just a drop where I wanted to place the rhinestone).  I let this dry, then put a thin layer of the Gelish top coat over the whole nail and cured it.  When it was done curing, I used alcohol to wipe off the tacky layer, and then added more of the top coat to just cover the rhinestone and cured it again.  Then I wiped off the nails one last time.

I wanted to see if this manicure would stay the 2 weeks like a full Gelish manicure would.  However, I already chipped 2 nails within 24 hours.  It was worth a try, though!   The chips are small, and I'm going to see how long this manicure lasts.  Well, see if it lasts until I get bored, anyway, lol.  I'll keep y'all posted!

In the meantime, I have a couple pics to update my Latisse use:

This is after 2 weeks of use.  I thought my lashes looked thicker, but my mom said I was imagining things.  LOL

This pic to the right was taken after 3 weeks of use.  I think my lashes definitely look thicker in this pic! My left lashes look thicker than my right lashes.  I can't really tell a difference in the length yet, but I'm not too worried.  Most people start to see a change around 6 weeks in.....so I guess I'm half way there? Hehehe


I also picked up a tube of Kat Von D's Painted Love Lipstick in Lovecraft.  I haven't actually tried it yet...I was in a rush in the store and just knew I liked the color.  Will post pics when I can!

Anyhoo, gotta run...hubby wants to sleep and is annoyed with my typing! Till next time!