Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Happy Chinese New Year! My nail art color theme is dedicated to this special holiday/event! Thought it would be a fun festive look which also works for the upcoming Valentine's Day! 

Polish Sighting: Sally Hansen Fuzzy Coat

Sally Hansen's textured polish display part deux is their new Fuzzy Coat. They remind me of tinsel icicles normally placed on a christmas tree, except colorful and in nail polish! But they compare it to a fuzzy yarn ball. I haven't tried this yet but I do hope they aren't prickly to the touch and do end up nice and fuzzy. The Fuzzy Coat collection comes in 8 different shades by far: Pink, Brownish Nude, Orange, Purple(?), Green, Lime Green, Blue, and Black. They run at about $8 per bottle and I found this display at Walgreens but have seen them at CVS as well. I want to say that it may be a part of their contest, if it's still going on, this might be their theme for the month of June? I'm not too sure though.

Polish Sighting: OPI Softly Spoken

What perfect way to start off the summer but by pleasing the upcoming brides-to-be's and giving them one less thing to worry about! Softly Spoken surely doesn't scream attention its subtle pinks and nudes will make any french mani or plain jane happy! This collection is completed with 12 shades, a majority being pinks than nudes. I spotted these at Ulta and they run at about $8-9 per bottle, nothing special just an ordinary OPI polish really. 

Quite frankly, I'm not too sure if this line is even knew? I can't seem to find anything about it really. I'm curious if it's a part of the Soft Shades by OPI collection. 

Polishing Sighting: Sally Hansen Limited Edition Sugar Coat

Sally Hansen is almost always the "trendsetter" of the nail company world, in my opinion at least. They're always throwing out new nail polish concepts, for instance, today's Polish Sighting is their newest textured polish. They call it Sugar Coat, I call it popcorn ceiling. (LOL) Idk, if you all know what that is but in the past apartments I've lived in while growing up I remember them have bumpy consistency and this texture is just a trigger for remembrance of that! Anyways, this is a Limited Edition line and it comes complete with 8 shades. I haven't heard much about rave about these and from what I've read or heard it's an "acquired taste". If it's not obvious yet, I'm not too crazy for it but I'll eventually give it a shot. I got to give it to Sally Hansen, they're very creative, I'm not certain that they were first with this concept but regardless even their choice of colors are bold! They've got bright hues of purple, white, red, yellow, blue, mint green, pink, and last black.

Have any of you tried these babies out? Do you get any sugar dust remains after using them?

Manicure MAYhem: Day 19

Day 19: Sinful Colors - Cotton Candy, Revlon - Cherries in the Snow, & Essie - Sole Mate 

Polish Sighting: Miss Candy Gellie Polishes

"I waant candy! I waaaant candy!" Aaron Carter wouldn't be disappointe by L'Oreal's new "Luscious Irresistable" Miss Candy limited edition collection! Pretty sure it would get his sweet tooth going by any gal sporting one or more of these 8 new gellie candy hued polishes along with nail app candy swirls!

From left to right these jellies will sure make your mouth water for some sweets! We start of with Jolly Lolly (Red), Mango Mama (Orange), Bananarama Love (Yellow), Creme de Mint (Green), Lilac Coolers (Lavender), Bubble Trouble (Pink), Berry Nice (Violet), Miss Pixie (Blue)... Did you notice what they were going for? ROYGBPLV... Well, at least, almost... excluding the pink and lilac. Heh!

L'Oreal sure doesn't disappoint with their creative limited edition lines huh? This line, just like Versailles Romance is completed with a few limited edition eye shadows and lip glosses too! 

Polish Sighting: Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color

Sally Hansen's been on a roll with their limited edition collections. Remember those magnetic nail polishes though? (I honestly feel like not many people were "attracted" by this bandwagon. Haha, get it? Yeah, okay, I know, lame. -__-;)   Well, they've made it more appealing by creating more magnetic designs and color shades. First seeing these magnetic nails, I was truly intrigued, but when I first got the chance to use it I found that it was only okay. I wasn't crazy about them, you really had to work fast before the polish dried or else the iron in the polish wouldn't be moveable by the magnet. Anyways, this nail collection is complete with 5 shades: Comic Blue, Slate Spark, Purple Magnitude, Pink Force, and Atomic Alloy. The designs are more intricate but I don't really see many people still jumping this hype. What's your thoughts on the magnetic polishes? Does it have leave a strong attraction for you that you might want to try out these limited edition ones? They priced at approximately $8-10, if I'm not mistaken.*Please excuse my blurry photo. 

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Polish Sighting: Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Limited Edition

Sally Hansen is always at the top of their game and with a variety of different lines, they've got a handful of new polishes collections out. Aside from their "Under the Sea Collection" for the Complete Salon Manicure, they didn't forget about their Diamond Strength line, a limited edition set complete with 8 different hues to complete it. Almost on the opposite spectrum of the Under the Sea, this covers the pastel hype of Spring. Up top is a photo of 7 of the 8 polishes, starting with (left to right) Opulent Opal, Diamond Jubilee, Fancy Diamond, Brilliant Cut, Sparkling Jewel, Flawless Pink (missing from photo), Gold Setting, and Rock'n Wedding. 

So if you want a more sophisticated or sheer finish, most of the Diamond Strength polishes come with shimmer and are pretty strong polishes. This line is more pastels and focused on the classy or mature styled individuals.

Polish Sighting: Nicole OPI

Selena Gomez surely is on the bright hype, you guys seen Spring Breakers yet? Even their movie theme consisted of bright colors some just like the ones you could find in her Nicole by OPI edition. The cream finishes of her edition are as seen above, complete with 7 shades. But her whole actual Nicole by OPI line is a total of 14, not pictured are the sparkly glitter polishes. 

The 7 shades in the photo are (top center) Scarlett, (middle row) Spring Break, Hit the Lights, Naturally, (bottom row exclude the blue) Lovesong, Selena and Pretty in Plum. I found these at a CVS for approximately $8 a pop. I know I'm pretty late on this one, I rarely go into a CVS since I work at a Walgreens but when I get the chance I make sure to see what nail goodies they may have. 

Fancy Friday: Water Lily Inspiration

You will need dabbers (make up wedge) and a variety of nail art brushes, specially thin and short detail brushes, as well as a fan brush. Also, this design required a larger variety of polishes, so I'm going to break it down into two parts. So, for part one, the necessities you will need to recreate this nail tutorial are: 

• Base Coat - OPI Nail Envy

Always start off with a base coat to protect your nails and avoid your nail beds from being drastically stained by the colors. Some polishes are specific to your nail needs too, for instance, my base coat now is specifically for peeling and brittle nails. 

• The Pond - Sally Hansen In-Digo Blue, China Glaze Caribbean Blue & Flyin' High

Start off with the usual one coat of your base color, a royal blue, in this case In-Digo Blue. Go back with a make up sponge and dab a second (or maybe even third) layer all over your base; this will reduce the shine of the polish and slightly give it more texture/dimension. You will continue this technique with the following colors. Taking a dabber with some Caribbean Blue, randomly distribute throughout your nails. (Imagine them as one canvas.) Repeat this step with Flyin' High which can overlap the previous if desired. This technique will give the appearance of depth to your pond, so dab as much as you'd like.  

• The Lilypads - Sinful Colors Mint Apple, China Glaze For Audrey or Re-Fresh Mint, Wet N Wild Wild Shine Caribbean Frost

Next, you will create the Lilypads and you'll do so by grabbing three different shades of green. Taking a small amount of Mint Apple, Caribbean Frost, and For Audrey or Re-Fresh Mint, you'll mix the three together (but not completely) with a detail brush and you that new color as your lilypad. Now, using the detail brush, create evenly distribued lilypads throughout your nails. Gently create small lines, just make sure to control the amount of polish you use and the thickness. You can go back to any of the three polishes (unmixed part) to touch up and/or add color to the lilypads. This will make them appear more realistic leaves. Out of the three, it is most important to take the darkest shade, Caribbean Frost, and make sure to add a bit of outline to the bottom of the lilypad. 

• Creating Dimension - Zoya Adina

To create some dimension for a more realistic appearance, take a sheer multicolor polish like Adina and with a fan brush lightly fan it across your so-far painted nails. This will add some different colors to the pond that appear like reflections of the sunlight or other flowers that may be being reflected onto the pond. 

• The Lilies - Maybelline Firefly, Essie Blanc, Color Club Psychedelic Scene

Now, for your actual lilies, take a sheer pink, like Firefly, and place a small amount with your thin detail brush above your lilypads. This will act as a background for your lilies, so that the harsh blues won't be too drastic. Once you've finished, using a thin detail brush (don't pack the brush, using a small amount would be best) take your white, Blanc, and create curved strokes above the lilypads and over the sheer pink. Make sure they all end at the center of the lilypad and are thinned outwards. Then, using a detail brush again, place a small dot of Psychedelic Scene, your yellow, in the middle of your lilypad, on top of your white strokes. This will act as the center of your flower.

• Creating More Dimension & Depth - Sally Hansen Insta Dri In-Digo Blue mixed w/Black, Maybelline Firefly

Once you've completed your flowers, go back to focusing on your pond and adding more dimension of depth. You can do so by taking a small amount of your base color, In-Digo Blue and mixing it with Black, then use a detail brush to add this to the edges of your nails, randomly either at the tips or near the cuticles, just don't overdo it. Since you've added darkness, you also should add more brightness too, and you can do that by using your sheer pink, Firefly. Like what you just did, with a detail brush, randomly brush on the sheer pink but this time closer to the center of your nails and between the flowers. Doing this makes the nail design appear more like a painting than just a regular nail polish design. 

• Top Coat & Dry Drops - Seche Vite & OPI Drip Dry Drops

Once you've completed the prior steps and are content with your results, add your favorite top coat and as I always optionally encourage, some Dry Drops to seal in your newly created art work! & voila! Your very own water lily inspired nail design! :) 

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Polish Sighting: Essie Spring 2013 Collection

Essie's never failed to stay as chic as can be especially with their Limited Edition Spring 2013 Collection; Madison Ave-Hue is complete with the six shades pictured above (except the pastel green). From left to right, Bond with Whomever has a more lilac finish, Madison Ave-Hue is any girls' favorite fuchsia, Avenue Maintain is surely a pop of blue, Go Ginza is a more pastel pink also the softest shade of the bunch, (skip the light mint) and Maximillian Strasse Her (on the far right) is a greyish green shade. The missing shade of collection would be Hip-Anema which is the brightest color of the bunch with a bright red orange finish, just right for this Spring trend (no wonder it's sold out!). They're surely beautiful shades and will not fail the Essie Loyals out there! Get yours while you still can! 

Fancy Fridays: The Universe at My Fingertips

What you'll need, also have a make up wedge cut into small pieces, also have a tweezer and precision q-tips on hand. As for the nail polish selection, it doesn't have to be the same exact ones: 

• A Base Coat - Sally Hansen Hard As Nails

Start off with a base coat to protect your nails. Whatever you prefer or have should work just as fine. 

• A Dark Color Base - OPI My Private Jet

Then, add your first layer of your dark color base. For me, it'll be My Private Jet. Once it dries, add a second layer to get a darker hue. Let it sit for a bit. *If you don't have a polish like this, an alternative would be to grab a very fine glitter polish and lightly put one coat.

• Q-Tip, Tweezer & Dabbers 

While you wait for it to dry, you can choose to clean off the excess nail polish with a precision q-tip. Once that's complete, use your tweezer to grab your dabber (small pieces of the make up wedge) and dab away. You'll need multiple ones for your different accent colors. If you'd like, you can prep your accent colors by having a few drops on a piece of paper to quicker access to the polish.

• First Accent Color - China Glaze Solar Power

For my first accent color, I started off with the brightest and boldest color, Solar Power. Start off by just lightly dabbing on different parts of your nail. No need for perfection, just what intensity, shape, and size you prefer. *Make sure to imagine all your fingers as one canvas. 

• Second Accent Color - China Glaze Snow

As my second accent color, I chose white, Snow. It'll blend out some of the intensity of Solar Power and allow lighter colors to show up more. *You don't need a lot of polish on your dabbers, a little goes a long way. It's more on controlling your dabbing. If you start to notice it drying or removing color (this does happen, don't freak out) just add a little more color and let it dry. 

• Third Accent Color - Maybelline Firefly 

The third accent color I chose was a more opaque one, Firefly. Once again, just like Snow, it's opaqueness gives more control on the color outcome. Not only will it appear brighter over the white but it'll blend into the dark background. Be a little bit more generous with these types of finishes. Let it set for a little bit. *Remember, you can choose as many colors as you'd like. Have fun with it. 

• Glitter Finish - China Glaze Techno 

Having a glitter finish like Techno will give your nail design more dimension, the different sizes of the glitter will be your interpretation of the "Stars" and/or "Planets" in your "Universe". *Now if you have a plain dark background, having a glitter finish will make your nail more lively. So don't be shy, you can finish it off with a bang, as much as you'd like, just space it out. 

• A Top Coat - Seche Vite 

Finally once you're content with the outcome. Place top coat on your finished product!

-FIN-