OPI Princesses Rule! Swatches

Hey guys. You know when you're sooo excited that your nails are growing and you're super happy like this :D then your nails do something that make you feel like crap so you cut them all off? No, it's just me? That's cool. Today, I kept scratching my boyfriend unintentionally with my nails /: they were really long and of course I had them filed in a squared shape because that's my nail shape of preference. Every time I touched him he'd go "ow!" 'cause I scratched him.. his face and neck and stuff. I felt soooo bad. To make matters worse, I get home and as I hug my sister, she goes "ouch, that hurt!" and lo and behold, I had scratched her too! I felt so bad. I cut my nails after that. I'd rather be able to hug people than have long nails.

Anyways, on to why you guys read my blog. I like to go for a light color when I cut my nails because it hides the little imperfections that there are right after the cut and initial filing. When I file my nails down now, I'll be able to see the shape better and then I can wear darker colors. The light color I chose today was a shimmery light pink, OPI Princesses Rule! I love this color, it's so fairy dust-y and pretty. It is something I would have worn as a child, for sure. Here is three thin coats, with top coat.

The shimmer in this is the one that goes from a silvery white to pink to green... imagine Essie Pure Pearl-fection as a pink, and this is what you'd get. Only more opaque. It's not fully opaque though, it's sheer but not too sheer. It's great for nubs, and I imagine it would show quite a bit of VNL on longer nails. Nevertheless, it's a greaaaaat color and I love it ridiculously much.

What do you think? Do you like this color? Let me know, thanks for reading! :) 

Cuteness Overload!

Hey girlies! Today I have something adorable to show you. My little sisters love watching me do my nails and they always beg me to do theirs. I've done my 13 yr old sister's nails plenty of times, so that's not anything too cute for me (in fact, it's annoying because she's annoying because she's 13...haha). What is cute, however, is my 7 year old sister asking me to do her nails. Then picking up the bottle and modeling for me! She picked her colors and everything. I cut them, filed them, and painted them to her liking. Here's what I got:

Excuse the lack of clean up. I know I always say that I hate when people don't clean up their nails but it took a lot to just paint these nails and she was itching to go play again. This is Essie's French Affair and Nice is Nice, with some Seche. Here's two coats of each polish. I like how she did different poses and used both hands to show her polishes. Also, her thumbs are purple too. :) She's running around the house showing everyone her nails, and not touching anything. I'm so proud of her :')

What do you think? Have you converted any little ones to nail polish? Let me know! Thanks for reading! :) 

Obnoxiously Bright Manicure

Hey girls... I'm not sure how to start this anymore. My boyfriend was reading my blog the other day and making fun of me so I'm not sure what to say to not sound dumb /: he's such a jerk. I hate when people I know read my blog.. I'd much rather have people that I don't know read it. Am I weird for that? Anyways, today I have a mani to show you that I just took off. It's really bright and loud and in-your-face and I'm not entirely sure what possessed me to do my nails like that. Here is two coats of Essie Pink Parka with China Glaze Fairy Dust on all of my fingers except my ring fingers, which have OPI Servin' Up Sparkle on them. Here you go:

This picture does not show the glow-yness of this polish very well. It's so weird to see a neon in an Essie bottle, right? I'm so used to very... 'grown up' colors from Essie. I'd expect a color like this from Color Club or China Glaze, but not Essie. In fact, I'm sure Color Club and China Glaze have dupes. It's a common color, medium neon pink. The formula was...okay. Not the worst formula I've ever used but far from the best. Keep in mind that I have patience with crappy formulas so it might drive some of you up a wall what with all the bald spots and streaking. Luckily, the glitter and Seche helped it level out.

What do you think? Liking this or hating it? Let me know, thanks for reading! :) 

OPI What's with the Cattitude? Swatch

I love creme finish nail polishes. Boy oh boy do I love a nice, chic, nothing-but-awesome color finish on a nail polish. Don't get me wrong, I love all polishes: glitter, shimmer, holo, glass fleck, foil, flakie...you name it, but I love when a polish WOWs me with nothing but awesome color. That, and I love how put-together a creme polish feels. Idk, maybe I'm crazy but creme finishes are my cup of tea.

For today's post, I chose OPI What's with the Cattitude? from their Shrek collection. I love this polish. I love how it looks, I love the finish, I love everything about it...except the formula, which isn't as bad as others have made it out to be. Yes, it took three coats for full coverage. Yes, it was streaky as hell on the first coat. Yes, it had a few bald spots on the second coat. But I mean, come on. All we have to do is wait a few minutes between coats and know how to apply it. I mentioned how I apply pastels (and all hard to apply polishes, for that matter) here. It takes a little bit more effort but what's the big deal? If the polish is nice, I'm willing to put in the extra work. Below is three coats of WwtC and some Seche:

It's this awesome, faded denim blue polish that looks dusty and bright at the same time. I haven't been able to stop staring at my hands since I put this polish on. Maybe I'm biased because of my odd infatuation with creme polishes, but this is awesome if you ask me. I have a similar polish to this, Color Club Factory Girl, but that's what I call a PITA formula, but I can work with it. Funny, I lack patience in many areas but when it comes to polish, I have all the patience in the world :)

What do you girls think? Do you love cremes too? How about this color? Let me know, thanks for reading! :D 

Deborah Lippmann Ruby Red Slippers Dupe

I love nail polish. I think that that's pretty obvious. I'm also a broke college student. That makes it difficult for me to afford all the polishes I want. I will spend money on an expensive bottle of nail polish if I think it's worth it. That's why I bought my two Deborah Lippmanns. When I got them, they were unique. I got Happy Birthday when it came out, and it really is superior to the other rainbow glitters I've tried since. I also have Across the Universe, and before the Essence dupe, I hadn't heard of a dupe of it. I love that one as well. There's a few that I really REALLY want (Glitter in the Air, I'm looking at you) but I can't buy yet because, as I said, I'm a broke college student.

Of course, I love when I find a dupe. Notice I said find and not hear about, because I heard about Revlon Whimsical last month and have been searching for it to no avail since, so I'm not loving that right now. ANYWAYS, for Christmas, I sent my boyfriend some links to some polishes I wanted. I know that sounds bad but there were only 3 I asked for, I swear! And they were inexpensive. One of them was Dark Glitter by NYX, in their new little Lippmann-esque bottles. He claimed to have had picked it out himself but I know I sent him the link. I'll just let him win that though ;)

I love this polish, even though I have mixed feelings about them stealing Lippmann's bottle shape... really, duping the polish is one thing, but duping the bottles too? I'm not sure I like that. Anyways, I didn't want to layer it over a plain black creme, so I pulled out a polish that's similar to it, sans the hex glitter. Yep, I layered it over China Glaze Lubu Heels. Here's two coats of Lubu Heels with one coat of Dark Glitter, topped with Seche.

Sorry for the slightly blurry pictures -_- I didn't even notice they were blurry until right now. Sorry. Anyways, here it looks like the polish is not opaque, but irl it definitely is. Lubu Heels was opaque in those two coats so of course the overall manicure was opaque. I like this polish a lot. It's the look of a Lippmann without the price tag. It's a great dupe of the polish, imo. If you like how Ruby Red Slippers looks but are hating how much it costs, I definitely recommend this polish. My boyfriend got it from Cherry Culture.

What do you think? Do you have Ruby Red Slippers? How does this compare? Bear in mind, this is only one coat of Dark Glitter. Let me know, thanks for reading! :) 

Accidental Awesomeness.

Hey girlies! Don't you love when you accidentally do something awesome? I accidentally did an awesome manicure last night when I went to take off my nail polish, Color Club Revvvolution, and although I took it right off, I took pictures because I wanted to show you. Here's what I did:

I did a holo glitter gradient! I used OPI Servin' Up Sparkle, China Glaze Fairy Dust, and a polish I made using Fairy Dust and some NYX loose holo glitter. I love how this came out! It's aweeeesome! I want to do this over a creme finish next time because a) I love cremes and b) it would show the gradient better. Either way, I love this manicure.

What do you think? Is it awesome or is it awesome? Let me know, thanks for reading! :D 

China Glaze Secret Peri-wink-le Swatch

Hey girls! So today I have a polish that did not make it on my nails, which is why you're seeing pictures of my right hand. My middle finger on my left hand got smeared horribly without me noticing it, so I took pictures of my right hand to at least have something to show you guys. It's China Glaze's Secret Peri-wink-le. That name kills me, those hyphens are so annoying. The color, however, is great. A nice, periwinkle blue with a creme finish. I love creme finishes :) Here is two coats:

It's so awkward taking pictures of my right hand! Anyways, the formula on this was...thin and watery. It wanted to pool in my cuticles but I didn't let it. It's a shame that I had to take this off, I really like the color. I want to do some nail art with it, and I probably will soon :)

What do you think? Do you have this color? Do you like it? Let me know, thanks for reading! :D 

LA Girls Glitter Addict Uninhibited Swatches & a Question.

Hey girlies :) Today I have a polish that I have been wanting to show you for...ever! Since Christmas, that is. It's one of the many polishes my amazing boyfriend got me :) It's LA Girls Glitter Addict Uninhibited. I loooooved this when I first saw swatches. Hello, black hex + micro glitter? Sign me up, please! I had been lemming after it for ages, and it certainly did not disappoint. It's so edgy and cool. I mean, it doesn't even sparkle. I feel badass wearing it. Here is one coat over yesterday's mani, Essie Peach Daiquiri: 

I love it, it's not even super glossy. It dries to a satin finish, which just adds to the effect in my opinion. I'm definitely smitten with this polish :)

Also, I included two pictures because those were the first two I took... It may not seem like much to anyone but I think I've gotten soooo much better at taking pictures of my manicures! I used to take literally 20 pictures, usually more, until I was satisfied. Now I usually get a good picture the first time. Any feedback on this? If you don't think I've improved, please tell me! I really want to be the best blogger I can be for you guys, I mean if you're taking the time to read what I have to say, I'd like to post worthy pictures for you. Please, any suggestions/comments/feedback? Even the negative ones, I appreciate everything you have to say. :)

What do you think? Do you love this or hate this? Also, let me know your opinions on my pictures, please! Thanks so much for reading, I really do appreciate the time you guys take to read and comment on my blog. It makes me feel special, like someone cares about what I have to say. :) 

Essie Peach Daiquiri Swatches

Hey girlies! Today I have one of the first ever Essie polishes I ever bought. It's called Peach Daiquiri and it's a really pretty coral. I want to call this a peach because of the name, but it really is coral. A bright, cheery coral. It's a crelly, but more on the creme side. It has an amaaazing formula. No streaks! I know Essie is well known and such, but the formula on Essies are really inconsistent... some of them are amazing whereas others cause more frustration than anything. This is definitely a hit formula-wise. The color isn't all that unique but it's a great formula. I did two coats with some Seche:

See what I mean about it being more coral than peach? Also, it's not neon as my swatches make it seem, but it is really bright. I'm loving this right now. Maybe it's because I'm generally in a good mood. The semester starts on Friday which I'm excited about because being in this house is honestly my own personal corner of hell. I also plan on moving out soon which is great because like I said, I'm currently in hell. So I've been in a pretty good mood because I have things to look forward to. :)

What do you think? Do you like this? Let me know, thanks for reading! :D 

China Glaze Westside Warrior Swatches

I know what you're thinking. "This is the second polish from China Glaze's FALL collection that she's posted in the same week. Hello, does she not realize that it's January?!" Well, I'm not one to follow the whole 'you can only wear certain colors during certain times of the year' thing. I've been known to wear my Color Club neons in winter, so why is a 'fall' polish any different? This is Westside Warrior, by China Glaze. It is a dark hunter-ish, military green. It is perfection. I love this polish. I've always loved creme finishes but this is amazing. The formula was spot on. It went on perfectly in two coats, and had I been more careful with application, one would have been enough. It's so chic and edgy and I love it. It's super shiny, too. I wish all my polishes had this awesome formula. Seriously, China Glaze is amazing. Lookie here:

This was taken in natural lighting, and it's what it looks like outside and in well lit areas. In my house, however, it looks darker because we have crappy lighting.

Here's one indoors with flash. Look at how shiiiiiiny it is! I love this polish <3

What do you think? Are you rocking any 'non-winter' colors in winter? Do you like this one? Let me know, thanks for reading! :D 

Color Club Fashion Addict Swatches!

Hey girlies! So I was in a polish rut and didn't feel like painting my nails unless it was a dark polish... but I'm over it now! I got out of my rut after failing at putting on Essie Sexy Divide...twice. Damn sexy color but shitty application... tooooooo runny. So I saw Fashion Addict, which I bought two bottles of recently at Bed Bath and Beyond while on a hunt for Revlon's Whimsical, which I didn't find ): Here is two coats of this lovely, light purple linear holo polish with Seche:

Sorry for the excessive pictures but I love this polish :) Admittedly, the holo effect isn't as strong as I like, but I do like it. It's holo even indoors, which I definitely appreciate. It's very pretty and the wear is great for a holo. Bear in mind that holos do tend to chip much more quickly than regular polishes, so 'great wear' for a holo is anything more than 36 hours. So far it's been about 50 hours and they're still in great shape. Also, top coat does not dull the holo effect! I love it :D

What do you think? Do you own this? Are you in love with holos like me? Let me know, thanks for reading! :D 

China Glaze Loft-y Ambitions

Hey girlies! Today I have a color from China Glaze's Metro Collection for Fall 2011. I loved the Downtown set of this collection. I still do love it. Loft-y Ambitions is a nice, burgundy color with silver shimmer. It's very pretty and very...vampy? My pictures show it lighter than it actually is but that's because they were in the sunlight when I took them.../sigh, I shouldn't have done that buuut here you go:

My camera focused on the bottle and not my nails -__- but at least you see the shimmer here. I love it, it's pretty and dark and shimmery. :)

What do you think? What was your favorite from the Metro collection? Let me know, thanks for reading! :) 

OPI Grape...Set...Match Swatches!

Hey girlies! So today I have a super quick post because I have stuff to do but I couldn't NOT post my manicure because well, that wouldn't be very blogger-ish of me, now would it? Haha, here I have two coats of Grape...Set...Match from the Serena Williams collaboration with OPI. This is the only polish that I bought with its partner that came in the set, Servin' Up Sparkle... the other color I have from their collaboration is Spark de Triomphe which I bought alone. Anyways, here's a medium purple shimmer foil with duochrome shimmer. The shimmer shifts from red to blue. Here are two pictures to show the shift:

What do you think? Do you like Grape...Set...Match? I have mixed feelings about it but I think that's because I'm digging vampy dark colors lately and this is too light for my likes right now. Let me know what you think, thanks for reading! :D 

Essie Dive Bar on Steroids

Hey girlies! So remember how I was disappointed in Dive Bar's lack of duochrome? I fixed it and now it's as duochromey as it looks in the bottle. Let me shut up and show you:

My camera SUCKS at capturing the shift so I had to take the flash off which of course made the picture horrible. /sigh, I need a new camera. Anyways, I put my 'green to purple' topcoat on and this stuff is AWESOME! I have my red to green one that I swear is the the same pigment they put in Clarins 230... But I'll save that for another post. I also have a gold to green one... these babies are awesome.

What do you think? Do you think Dive Bar looks better with or without my 'steroids'? Let me know, thanks for reading! :D 

Essie Dive Bar Swatches

Hey girlies :) Today I have an Essie retail exclusive shade, Dive Bar. I have mixed feelings about Essie going retail. I mean, it's great to be able to get Essie wherever I am but seriously, a high end polish in CVS? I don't know, maybe I'm a snob for it but I'm not comfortable with the idea of finding Essies at a drugstore. It kinda...waters down the brand, idk. Anyways, enough of my rambling and onto Dive Bar. I bought this shade because it looked AMAZING in the bottle. A darkened teal shimmer with a strong purple and green multichrome shift? Sign me up. I was excited until I got it on my nails. It's SO disappointing on the nail! That's why it's been sitting in my melmer getting no attention since the day I got it. I brought it out today because I had to file my nails down to nubbin size after a break, and I wanted a dark shimmer to hold me over until my two free Zoyas got here. (I picked Ki and Indigo, by the way!) Here are two coats of Dive Bar, followed by some Seche.

See that awesome purple in the bottle? It barely translates on the nail. I'm not sure if the purple shift is actually there or if it's my wishful thinking that makes me see it. Also, the application was so...annoying. As much as I love Essie, the formula on her polishes are a pain in the ass sometimes. I mean, this was thick yet watery at the same time! Trying to do 'thin' coats ended up in bald spots EVERYWHERE. I did one thin coat that looked HORRIBLE, then a thick coat to even everything out. I think it could have used a third coat but I didn't have the patience today. In any case, the color is nice, just not what I expected at all. I want some more duochrome polishes, damn it! Also, how are you guys digging my nubs this time around? I actually don't mind them this time. They're actually kinda...cute? Idk.

What do you think of Dive Bar? Do you have it? Were you disappointed too? Let me know, thanks for reading! :D 

In another life, I would make you stay... The One That Got Away Swatches

Hey girlies! I hope you guys are having a great start to the new year. I sadly can't say that about myself. I've been really...depressed lately. I hate it. I can't stop myself from being sad... but enough of my ranting, I know you guys don't want to hear it. I have swatches of a nail polish named after one of my favorite songs atm. This is OPI's The One That Got Away from their collaboration with Katy Perry. Old, I know, but I loved that collection :) Did you guys hear that she's getting divorced? I guess Russell Brand is the other one that got away...haha, bad joke, I know but I had to. Enough rambling. Here's two coats, plus top coat, of course.

I told myself that I need to stop posting 42563463 pictures when I do my posts but I couldn't help but keep it to just one for this polish, it's such a color shifter! It goes from this nice deep wine to a really bright magenta depending on the lighting. And look at the shimmer! It's gorgeous! The formula was great, too. The first coat was kind of sheer but not at all streaky, and it covered perfectly on the second coat. I love this polish :)

What do you think? Do you like The One That Got Away? What was your favorite shade from the Katy Perry collection? Let me know! Thanks for reading! :D