Orly Darkest Shadow Swatch- Smoky Collection Fall 2014

Today I have a polish from the Orly Smoky Collection (Fall 2014) called Darkest Shadow.    Same disclosure as the last one, pictures do NO justice for this polish.  I don't know why it was so hard to photograph but in real life it is gorgeous! 

China Glaze Don't Let The Dead Bite

Today starts the first week of (hopefully) many Halloween themed manis :) First up I have "Blood Splatter Nails".  For this I used China Glaze Don't Let the Dead Bite from the Apocalypse of Color Collection, along with China Glaze Red Satin for the accents. 

Outdoor shade, no flash

 

CG Don't Let the Dead Bite is a totally unique polish in my collection.  It is a sheer, nude jelly base with all different size red glitter.  The overall effect comes off as blood splatter, or sort of a brain type matter.  I used 3 thin coats, but could have gotten away with 2 thicker coats. 

LEFT: Shade, no flash RIGHT: Shade, Flash

I am also trying a new base and top coat, the base is Orly Bonder which I've heard great things about.  The topcoat I'm trying is Seche Ultra V UV Topcoat, which is a bit...different?  As I read in other reviews, it has an odd smell to me like very strong polish with a pepper hint as well.  It cured under a UV light but took 3 thin coats to get the same smooth coating as 2 coats of Seche Vite.  However after it fully cured it seems more gel like and is very shiny.  I am testing it by wearing the Seche Vite on my left (Cinderella) hand and the Seche Ultra V on my right (swatch) hand.

 LEFT: Shade, no flash RIGHT: Shade, Flash

LEFT: Design Macro-Shade, Flash RIGHT: Swatch Macro-Shade, Flash

 Shade, no flash

 Shade, no flash

Shade, Flash

 Bottle Shots- LEFT: Shade, Flash RIGHT: Shade, no flash

 Brush Shots- LEFT: Shade, Flash RIGHT: Shade, no flash

Close-Ups-  LEFT: Swatch, flash MIDDLE: Thumb, No Flash RIGHT: Design, Shade, no flash

TOPCOAT COMPARISON- LEFT: Seche Vite, flash RIGHT: Seche Ultra V, Flash

TOPCOAT COMPARISON- LEFT: Seche Vite, no flash RIGHT: Seche Ultra V, no flash

COLORS USED:
Base Color: China Glaze Don't Let the Dead Bite
Red Accent: China Glaze Red Satin

Coats: 3

Formula: great on all

Color: great on all

Base Coat: Orly Bonder

Top Coat: Seche Vite/ Seche Ultra V


China Glaze
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Fifth Anniversary Nails

Today's mani is themed for my anniversary, based on our wedding tattoos.  My husband & I usually celebrate (little celebrations) both our wedding & dating anniversaries, the wedding one is today (5 years) and our dating one is in October (8 years).

 On our wedding day

Mani & tattoos = after the jump :)

Spoiled Ants In My Pants

Today I have a surprise polish win.  I grabbed this on a whim at CVS and LOVE it!

This is Spoiled Ants in My Pants, with an accent of China Glaze Ruby Pumps.

Feather Nails- Halloween Costume Mani

Hi Y'all!  Today I have feather manis to show you, and this is the first time I've ever done these (literally, I practiced once on one nail first and that's it lol).  I got the idea from this post at Syl and Sam.  This post will include mine and my friends manis, mine turquoise and her's red.  We are both dressing as Native American Indians for Halloween and these are to go with our costumes.

Outdoor, Sunlight 

More pictures after the jump!

Wonder Beauty Products SuperChic Lacquer Moonshine Merlot

Today I have Wonder Beauty Products SuperChic Lacquer "Moonshine Merlot".  This is described on the Wonder Beauty page as "Super glistening burgundy wine crelly-chrome base embellished with bronze dust, burnt orange and iridescent glitter effects".  I would add that it also has gold glitters, in addition to the bronze. 

I layered one coat of Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Save the Date and 2 coats SuperChic Lacquer Moonshine Merlot.  The formula and glitter payoff was great, opaque in 2-3 coats but I chose to layer it for a quicker mani and to waste less of the good stuff.  This is a perfect fall color, the glitters reminds me of falling leaves or bonfire embers.

 Indoor, Evening, Flash

  Outdoor, Evening, Natural Light

Duri Night Before Christmas

Today's mani was actually done before a funeral, because I needed something more appropriate than neon ombre

This is 2 coats Duri Night Before Christmas and an accent of Zoya Storm.

July 4th Mani

 **SO SORRY, THIS WAS SCHEDULED TO POST JULY 5TH AND DIDN'T :( ***

Simple mani (I know I know, that's all I've done lately) Accent is 1 coat China Glaze Ruby Pumps over 1 coat CG Red Satin, other nails are 2 coats Spellbound Nails Peppermint Pinwheels, over 1 coat Zoya Song.  Sally Hansen Instadri Topcoat.

Glitzology Country Girl- LONG REVIEW

This was a special mani for me, because it was for my son's 1st birthday party :)

We had a farm themed party and I knew I wouldn't have time for animal nail art, so when I found this john deere themed polish on Glitzology's site I knew I had to have it!  They were having a 50% off sale so I got this polish and a Cupcake scented cuticle oil (it smells like heaven).

I used the 3 Minute Artificials as my base, then 2 coats Barielle Lily of the Valley, 2 coats Ulta Sun-Sational for accent nails, then ONE coat Country Girl, followed by 2 coats of Gelous topcoat.

Julie G Gumdrop Textures

Today I have half of the Jesse Girl Julie G Gumdrop collection for y'all :) There are 6 polishes total in this collection, today I used the 3 warm shimmer texture shades.  

The 3 warm shades are closest to the texture of the Zoya Pixiedust polishes, with the texture being a smoother shimmery glitter in the same shade as the base color.  The 3 cool shades have a texture closer to the OPI Liquid sands, with a silver, chunkier glitter texture.

I want to mention real quick the amazing customer service experience I had with this company.  I ordered during the pre-order sale, and was unclear on the shipping time frame.  When I hadn't received the set, I contacted Jesse's Girl customer service and it turns out that my order was marked as shipped but never sent out.  Cathy in customer service apologized and sent out a person set to me and had it in my mailbox in one day.  How is that for above & beyond customer service?!

Hot Cinnamon, Sugar Rush, Tangerine Dream, Crushed Candy, Blueberry Fizz, Rock Candy

 Hot Cinnamon, Sugar Rush, Tangerine Dream

Crushed Candy, Blueberry Fizz, Rock Candy 

Shade-Camera

 Shade-Camera

Shade-Phone Pic

 Shade-Phone Pic

This is Julie G Hot Cinnamon (Red), Sugar Rush (Coral-ish) & Tangerine Dream (Orange).  I used striping tape to make the diagonal stripes on my accent.  This is two coats of each color, no top coat.  If I had to pick a favorite out of this collection, it's Sugar Rush!  I have been staring at this color all night :)

Jesses Girl Facebook

Jesse's Girl Website

*** Y'all please take a minute to also check out my jewelry page, the tab is at the top of the page, Contact me if you'd like to purchase one, and thanks for looking***

Spellbound Nail Giveaway Package

Hi Y'all!  Today I have a prize package I won from Spellbound Nails in her giveaway.  Without further ado, here are the awesome goodies!

All the goodies!

Caviar Nail Kit

Wallet, Lotion, Lip Gloss & Nail Polish

 Plum Out of Chocolate & Peppermint Pinwheels

from her Candy Coated Collection.

 

Plum Out of Chocolate & Peppermint Pinwheels

from her Candy Coated Collection.

Close Up of Plum Out of Chocolate

Close Up of Peppermint Pinwheels

I LOVE everything I got, I've swatched the polishes on a nail wheel and the formula is wonderful.  I switched to the wallet as soon as I received it, I've been wearing the lip gloss constantly and the lotion stays in my purse.  The only thing I haven't used yet is the caviar bead set because I haven't had anywhere to wear it yet!

Scallop Mani & Haul Pics

Today I tried a design I've never done before, scallops :) This is a tape mani, but I used painter's tape instead of my usual scotch tape. I've got to say, I liked this a LOT better!

Natural light, Cloudy, Shows the orange flash

I started with a base coat of Orly Rock It, an awesome reddish fuchsia jelly base, with tons of red and golden orange shimmer, however that orange flash doesn't translate well on the nail.  Then I used craft scissors to cut the painter's tape in a scallop pattern, added Pure Ice Silver Mercedes (which Pure Ice is changing the name to Silver Star, per their site), then I added Wet N Wild Ebony Hates Chris.  I went back and added dots to my ring fingers with the smallest dotting tool.  I had a little bit of smearing with my topcoat from not floating the brush, but overall I'm happy with it!

The scissors I used

This is one coat of all polishes & one coat top coat :)  As far as application issues the only real problem I had was Ebony Hates Chris, i hate the brush, it's really stiff so it either leaves brush strokes & bald spots or it's really thick.  Silver Mercedes applies fine as long as you don't go back over anywhere as (like most metallics I've worn) it pulls.  Rock It was great, this is one moderate coat and it was fully opaque. 

Left: Nautral Light, Cloudy  

Right: Flash

Now for the haul pics I got in today :)

I ordered a Barielle polish earlier this week for 20% off with free shipping, so that puts it around 57% off.  The rest are from Bloom during their 70% off closeout sale.

 All together

 Left: Barielle Lily of the Valley

Center: Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Grass Slipper

Right: Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle Forbidden Fudge

 Left: POP Beauty Magenta Muse

Center: Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Rose Amore 

Right: Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Peach Pave

 Left:Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Ruby Sequin 

Right: Comparison in the new one & my old bottle from 8+ years ago

And here are swatches of all of them, in order as I've shown them (minus Ruby Sequin)

*** Y'all please take a minute to also check out my jewelry page, the tab is at the top of the page, Contact me if you'd like to purchase one, and Thanks for looking :)