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.

The Nail Boutique (Temple City, CA) Review

Hi everyone!  Viola!  My February post!  Shocking, yes, I know. (Can you tell I've been watching Finding Nemo much?  I think it's around 50 times and counting....blame the kid, lol.)  And for all you normal people who don't get the silly reference - HIyeeee!  This month has totally flown by.  I have a review for y'all, but it mostly applies to those living in/near the SGV (aka San Gabriel Valley or the 626).  Picture on the left shows my manicure after 2 weeks.  Sorry I don't have a fresh one!

My best friend took me out on a girl's day for my bday.  I chose the place, The Nail Boutique (http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-nail-boutique-temple-city-2#query:nail%20boutique), because I had never been there, and it was within 5 miles of my parents' house.  (Please don't stalk them, lol.)

Originally we had planned to just get a manicure or maybe a mani/pedi, but their employees talked us into getting a gel manicure.  It was $25, which I thought was very reasonable.  They had a bunch of colors from CND (Shellac) and Gelish, and possibly one that looks like Gelish, but is probably called Daisy or something.

I never got my manicurist's name, shame on me!  But she was quiet efficient.  She actually soaked my nails in soapy water, like a regular manicure.  I had never had a gel manicure with that, so I thought it was a little strange......but....the end result is undeniable.  My manicure lasted 3, yes THREE, weeks.  Of course there was a smidge of wear and tear the tips and that ugly nail growth, but I was lazy testing to see how long the manicure lasted.  So backing up, she soaked my hand in soapy water while she cut the other one down and removed polish.  Then she soaked the other hand while she filed and cut down the cuticles.  After that, she did a quick massage, and put on the cuticle oil.  She wiped each nail with alcohol, and then lightly buffed the tops.  I noticed she used the Gelish PH Bond, but the Shellac Base Coat.  Between each coat, she would have me cure my nails under a UV lamp.  She put 2 coats of the Shellac color, and one coat of Water Field (a Gelish glitter), before adding a top coat (Shellac again).  The whole process took about 45 minutes, and it was well worth it.

I've never had a gel manicure stay on my nails so long!  I think it is the soaking in soapy water, or possibly the Shellac Base Coat.  I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised that manicure was still going strong after 2 weeks.  It was still there after 3 weeks on my left hand, but a few nails had chipped on my right hand.  Finally, the growth was just killing me, so I removed the polish.

Soo...yes, I would recommend The Nail Boutique to those of you in the 626, or maybe even if you visit the 626.  I am considering checking out a place in Arcadia, for some Japanese nails.  I don't really want to go acrylic, but they look soooo good.  Especially smothered in little resin Hello Kitties and My Melodies. LOL  Maybe I'll get them done up for a friend's wedding in April.  =)

Anyhoo, I hope this review helped some of you out there!

Till Next Time!

Disclaimer:
My friend paid for my manicure, but is not affiliated with The Nail Boutique or its employees.  I am also not affiliated with them.  It was only after the manicure lasted so long that I decided to do a review.  The Nail Boutique did not pay me to write this review, and these are my honest opinions!!

Gelish Magneto Review

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.

Kat Von D - Everlasting Love Liquid Lipstick Review

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.