Essence "glamorous life" n°91



Smalto Essence colour & go "glamorous life" n°91
un rosso ciliegia veramente bello e particolare con dei micro micro glitter rosa/argento
non è molto coprente, per ottenere il massimo dal colore si consigliano 3 passate!

Essence "a lovely secret" n°86



Smalto Essence colour & go "a lovely secret" n°86
Lilla molto carino con dei riflessi viola/fucsia visibili al sole 
abbastanza coprente ma per ottenere il massimo dal colore si consigliano 2 passate!

The Dalek Rule This Galaxy

The Dalek Rule This Galaxy


nails nail art polish manicure mani Dalek Doctor Who Galaxy stars glitter shimmer


I mentioned on my Facebook page last week that I was doing my first galaxy nail. I also mentioned that I had to put my own spin on them. I left you all in the dark on just what kind of spin. Well, it's a Doctor Who spin. Most of you probably won't recognize the Doctor Who reference, but I hope you enjoy the nails anway. I thought of using the Tardis but I decided to go the road less traveled and do a Dalek ... or maybe just Dalek inspired since it's not a perfect replica.


nails nail art polish manicure mani Dalek Doctor Who Galaxy stars glitter shimmer


What galaxy is complete without a Dalek or two? None, I tell you, none! The Dalek nails aren't something just anyone would recognize, but it's a nice in-joke among fans. I'm just curious, how many of you recognized the nail right away or got excited when you read the title?


nails nail art polish manicure mani Dalek Doctor Who Galaxy stars glitter shimmer


Some of you may recognize this gold nail from last post's Golden Twilight nails. Not only is the color Bold Gold ... it's the same nail! I took off the Twilight Rays color but kept Bold Gold. It has held up very nicely, hasn't it? I just added the Born Pretty gold nail studs and a few layers of top coat to keep them in place. The nail studs are a great match in color for Bold Gold and make for a near perfect Dalek!


nails nail art polish manicure mani Dalek Doctor Who Galaxy stars glitter shimmer


I was utterly terrified of doing galaxy nails after hearing all the horror stories, but I think these turned out really well being my first try and all.


nails nail art polish manicure mani Dalek Doctor Who Galaxy stars glitter shimmer


I decided to use a creme black for space but stuck to shimmer polishes for the galaxies. The stars dotted on are a white creme. I also used this white for the galaxy base. The galaxies are made up of shimmer yellow, orange, and peach for the lighter shades and a deep shimmer metallic purple and a shimmer blue for the darker shades. I used a purple glitter, a blue holo glitter, a silver holo glitter, and a simple fine glitter for the stars not dotted on. It was all very shiny and glittery!

nails nail art polish manicure mani Dalek Doctor Who Galaxy stars glitter shimmer

I couldn't resist bringing out my blue/white light and seeing what they looked like under that. I think it was one of my better ideas to use only shimmer and glitter polishes.


nails nail art polish manicure mani Dalek Doctor Who Galaxy stars glitter shimmer gradient eyeshadow applicator brush sponge
Image from Alibaba.com


For those looking for simpler solution to using a sponge, whether for galaxy nails or gradients or any other nail where a sponge would come in handy, use an eyeshadow applicator. I found this worked so much better for me than any kind of sponge. Not only did I pick up a pack of 12 (60mm) applicators for cheap at my local dollar store, I had better control while using them. They are made to fit in your hand so they keep a wet mani intact while you do the opposite hand and are small enough to move around your entire nail easily. I can also use and reuse these. For these nails, I only used one side of an applicator! Not even the front and back of one side, just one side.


So, what do you guys think of galaxy nails? I know I will definitely be doing these again! 


Polish Used
LA Colors - Black
Sally Hansen - White On
Pure Ice - Unzip Me
Pure Ice - Twinkle
Revlon - Tangerine
Funky Fingers - Power Chord
China Glaze - Blue Year's Eve
L.A Girl Glitter Addict - Eutopia
Funky Fingers - Flashing Lights
Wet n Wild - Kaleidoscope
LA Colors - Glitter

Golden Twilight

Maybelline New York Color Show Bold Gold Twilight Rays black glitter shimmer nails nail art polish


Today's post puts Maybelline New York's new Color Show nail polish in the spotlight. Color Show is part of Maybelline's collection of runway colors. The Color Show collection comes in, get this, 40 new shades!! 30 hot colors and 10 statement pieces. The hot colors are mostly bright, bold neons and deep shimmer filled polishes while the statement pieces encompass crackle like polishes they call shredded, denims, and metallics. These polishes are priced to sell as well. I picked these two up for about $2.97 a bottle. I read somewhere that the top price is likely to be $3.99, but check your local shops to be sure. With the price and multitude of shades you can always have nails like a supermodel.


Maybelline New York Color Show Bold Gold Twilight Rays black glitter shimmer nails nail art polish


I felt myself very lucky to find these polishes in stores already. My town is usually the last to receive new products. With this in mind I immediately grabbed Twilight Rays and Bold Gold. Twilight Rays is a black polish filled with a gold glittery shimmer. I found the gold glitters nearly disappeared into the black with three coats of polish. Even in sunlight they didn't really pop like I thought they would. Nice to be sure, but not what I was expecting.


Maybelline New York Color Show Bold Gold Twilight Rays black glitter shimmer nails nail art polish


Bold Gold is a shade I have been looking for for what seems like forever. I've tried handfuls of gold polishes looking for this exact shade and texture. I'm ecstatic to finally own this color after so long. Bold Gold is a gorgeous yellow gold metallic. It has a very fine shimmer effect to it that doesn't overpower the delicate color like some other polishes. This is a perfect gold in my opinion! While Twilight Rays left me slightly disappointed, Bold Gold really stepped up.


I will say I had some major trouble getting Bold Gold to stay on my nails while painting them. The brush kept swiping the polish right off. The polish itself looked to be separating, oddly enough. When it was swiped off it left behind a watery oil with no color. I had to start over after my first attempt. I have reason to believe the polish was reacting to my base coat since I used a different base coat on my second attempt and things went smoother. There were still a few problems but no separation. A second coat of Bold Gold took care of that.


That said, Bold Gold stayed on my nails for about a week. I'm sure it would have lasted longer if I hadn't removed it myself. It had absolutely no chips and not even any wear on the tips when I took it off last night. Amazing!


Maybelline New York Color Show Bold Gold Twilight Rays black glitter shimmer nails nail art polish

Here is a close up of Twilight Rays. You can see the shimmer is actually a combination of tiny flecks of micro glitters and larger, yet still very small, hexagonal glitters.

Maybelline New York Color Show Bold Gold Twilight Rays black glitter shimmer nails nail art polish

And here is a close up of Bold Gold. You can see the shimmer really well here.


No matter what you think of the two colors I picked out of this collection you should definitely check it out for yourselves. With so many shades to be found in this collection you're sure to find a color created just for you.

French Hearts

I've given myself something of a challenge. I want to see how many ways I can spice up a simple French manicure. I will keep the standard French white as a base for these manis as an added challenge.


French tips manicure stamped hearts nail art nails


You've seen the standard French manicure in Mother's Day post, 'The Mommy Mess', and you've seen the Mother's Day design I created over those nails. Now, I bring you French Hearts. :)


French tips manicure stamped hearts nail art nails


I used my new Born Pretty image plate m56 for this design. I adore this image plate. It's a plate full of tip stamps. It's the same plate that contained the bow from my 'All Wrapped Up' nails


French tips manicure stamped hearts nail art nails


I only had one problem with stamping this design. I didn't push enough near the tip of my index nail and lost the hearts from the very tips. You can see that I went back and tried adding them. Well, I didn't line them up well enough and overlapped them slightly. I like to think I'm getting better though. The other nails are almost perfect!! Yay!


French tips manicure stamped hearts nail art nails


I used OPI Alpine Snow and Bubble Bath as the base again. The hearts are done with Wet n Wild's 'I Red a Good Book'.

How Many Can you Bold?

I've seen this floating around the blogger community lately and decided to try my hand at it. I'm just happy it doesn't require much typing since I'm in the middle of working on the nails for one of next week's posts—so excited about this design. Until then, enjoy what I managed to bold and then try it yourself. :)


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band 
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland 

8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis 
10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightening storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty 
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb 

26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run (in a friendly game and it was total luck. I can still miss more than I actually hit.)
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person (I was too young to remember it very well)
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing 
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt 
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (Can't wait for vacation this year so I can do this again)
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie 
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (Does this count if the business was an epic failure?)
58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (He's sitting on my dresser right now)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt 
73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle 
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book 
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox 
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo (I have 2 of them and plan to get many more)

94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake 
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee (I've been stung by many a bee but the most memorable was definitely the one I stepped on. OUCH!)

Cult Nails Captivated


Ensimmäinen Cult Nails lakkakokeiluni: ihana oranssiglitterjelly Captivated :p Huomasin swatchatessa, että lakka on todella läpikuultava, niin laitoin alle kerroksen valkoista Orly Pointe Blanche lakkaa. Tässä ylimmässä kuvassa siis valkoisen lakan päällä kaksi kerrosta glitterjellyä. Captivated näyttää pullossa ihan oransilta, mutta oikeasti läpikuultava pohja on persikkaisen vaaleanpunainen ja vasta kerrostamalla, ja kultaisena kiiltävien glitterien avulla, se saa pullossa näkyvän oranssin sävynsä. Lakka  on tosi paksua ja kiisselimäistä, mutta mielestäni helposti hallittavaa. Pullossa muuten lukee DBD, Formaldehyde, Toluene and Champor free. Kamferi on ilmeisesti myrkyllistä ainetta, suun kautta nautittuna vaarallista ja joillekin voi aiheuttaa allergiaa tai jotain tälläistä. Yritin etsiä tietoa tästä, mutta vaikuttaa vähän siltä, että tuo champor free hypetys on kynsilakoissa vähän turhaa.  Silloin kun on raskaana kannattaa tosin vältellä mahdollismman paljon kaikkia myrkkyjä, joten on hyvä että tälläisiäkin lakkoja on :) Ruoka-aineissa kyllä ymmärrettävää ja kannattaakin välttää... Onko teillä enemmän  tietoa tästä aineesta?

Kuvassa yksi kerros Captivated lakkaa vasemmalla yksistään ja oikealla valkoisen lakan päällä.


Lisäsin vielä ohuen kolmannen kerroksen Captivated lakkaa ja leimasin pehmeällä stampperilla kukkakuvioita Konadin M66 laatasta (jonka olen saanut Cesars Shopista). Tuo kyseinen kukkakuvio on leimauskuvioksi, ja varsinkin Konadin kuvioksi, todella iso ja sainkin jokaisesta kynnestä kivasti vähän erilaisen leimailemalla aina vähän eri kohdan kuviosta. Vähän ongelmaa tosin oli, kun jotkut kuvion oksat näyttivät kynsillä vain joltain epämääräisiltä viivoilta, jos leimasi sellaisen kohdan, missä oksat eivät "haaraudu" mitenkään :p Onneksi lakkauksen kokonaisuudesta kuitenkin tajuaa mistä on kyse.

Kokeilin näiden neljän lakkakerroksen päälle Cult Nailsin omaa kehuttua pikakuivattavaa Wicked Fastia, mutta ainakaan tätä paksua lakkakerrosta se ei kyennyt kuivattamaan nopeasti (vaikka omaa saman merkkista lakkaa olikin!) :( Odottelin joku vähän päälle viitisen minuuttia, ja kun senkin jälkeen kynnet tuntuivat koskettaessa ihan tahmaisilta ja pehmeiltä, luovutin ja vetäisin päälle Seche Viteä. Ajattelin kuitenkin antaa Wicked Fastille vielä  mahdollisuuden ja kokeilla sitä jossain vaiheessa creme ja metallisten lakkojen kanssa, jos vaikka toimisi paremmin. Viisi minuuttia ei kuulosta pitkältä ajalta, mutta kun on tottunut, että pikakuivattava tekee ainakin heti sellaisen sileän pinnan, jota voi koskettaa ilman lakkauksen tahriintumista, vaikka ei täysin kuivattaisikaan lakkausta... Onko joku muu koittanut tätä Wicked Fastiä ja millaisin kokemuksin?


Orly Pointe Blanche, Cult Nails Captivated, Konad Special Polish White, Konad M66 kuvalaatta