Essie Trophy Wife

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today's manicure is just a simple nail polish, Essie Trophy Wife.  When I started it out I'd planned to stamp over Trophy Wife, but I like it so much on its own that I decided to leave it alone for today.  I might add more to it tomorrow...

Trophy Wife is a teal shimmer, and it applied very easily and is opaque in two thin coats.  I have no complaints to speak of, so I'll just show you the picture, taken outside on a cloudy day.

Essie Trophy Wife Nail Polish, Two Coats

This one's definitely a keeper.  That's just about all there is to tell you today, Dear Reader, so until next time, love and nail polish to you!

Essie Smooth Sailing and XL B

Good morning, Dear Reader!

For today I tried out Essie Smooth Sailing, one of Essie's Summer 2011 releases.  It's a really pretty kind of slate blue with a great shimmer, and it applied very well and only took two coats.  I bought this bottle at a retail store, and it's weird to have an Essie without a label on the bottom (it's on the top of the bottle), but what's weirder is that there's not a capital letter to be found on it.  It's as if it comes from Essie's e.e. cummings Collection.

I used Smooth Sailing after a chop to even my nails out again, which it's no secret I hate doing.  As has become the custom, I used a full nail pattern I couldn't normally use to perk myself up a bit and take advantage of shorter nails.  I tried to get a picture of Smooth Sailing for you alone, but I had to use artificial light and the polish looks distinctly bright blue in every single one, so they're no good - the inclusion of any one of them would just make this post confusing as to what the polish really looks like.

The pattern I used to stamp them is from Chez Delaney's plate B from the XL series, one of the plates with great big tip patterns.  I'd decided to use Konad White Pearl Special Polish for the stamping, and the reason I first stopped at this pattern was that I thought it could look like waves in water if I used it sideways.  When I looked at it sideways to evaluate that idea, I realized it's a series of S's, which sealed the deal on that choice since it would give me heavily monogrammed nails.  The pattern is the one on XL B that looks like this, only sideways...

Essie Smooth Sailing with Chez Delaney XL B

The pretty shimmer shows in the bottle, and it's not hard to see in the plain polish on the nail, which was the failed set of pictures.  So now I have wavy, monogrammed nails while I adjust to them.  You know, the big thing that I just wait out after a chop is that since the actual tips of my fingers, on the very top of them, usually never touch anything since there's normally a great big talon in the way, they're uncomfortably sensitive after a chop.  If it were purely aesthetic, it wouldn't bother me that much - otherwise they get cut off, they grow back, and any chronological set of pictures of my nails looks like a flip book of nails growing as a result, but none of that's an especially big deal.

That's just about all I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!

OPI Black Shatter & Mrs.Robinson

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today's title seems ominous to me, like the nail polish equivalent of The Devil & Tom Walker.  Don't be scared, I promise it's not!

Today I have Black Shatter over Color Club Cub Mrs. Robinson, a neon purple creme.  I went to go get a neon purple, and for some reason I remembered Essie Perky Purple as the most neon purple, and also as kind of a PITA in that neon way.  Since I'd been sorting, Perky Purple was with Color Club Mrs. Robinson, which I recall being low maintenance, and I was surprised to see they're really close.  Not exactly the same, but close enough that I'll take the one that's less effort.  I grabbed the Essie bottle when I went out to take pictures so you could see them together.

Neon Purple Nail Polish Comparison: Color Club is my pick

I applied three coats of Mrs. Robinson (I really could have used two, but I hate even a hint of translucency to my tips) and let it dry before adding the Black Shatter.  I was pleased with my results evening it out with Gelous and then a coat of Poshe to dry everything, so I went that route again.  Here's the manicure.

OPI Black Shatter over Color Club Mrs. Robinson

This was one of the most physically painful rounds of pictures I've ever taken.  I have a weirdo chronic eye condition called scleritis that started in recent years (Google if you will, but the reason I didn't give you a definition link is that there are always absolutely awful pictures that'll give you the willies really badly), and I'm wrapping up a bout with it in one eye right now.  One of the major characteristics of scleritis is that it causes incredible pain in the affected eye when it acts up, and with that comes tremendous light sensitivity.  Well, the sun came out today and since my little town is pretty much shut down from the blizzard, there's undisturbed snow as far as the eye can see, so it was the glaring reflected light everywhere and I looked like half of my face was weeping the whole time I was out.  It's my own fault - I should have considered that before choosing the single most difficult color for me to photograph, the one I'm only able to get in direct sunlight.  I just thought I'd mention that so you know why today's pictures are some of my weaker ones - it could either be a more attractive picture or color accurate, so I went for color.

Enough about that!  It's time to show you who matches today's manicure.  

David Lee Roth

If you think about it, neon purple isn't a color a lot of people wear, but anyone who was a fan of good ol' Diamond Dave during the era when Van Halen became Van Hagar will remember this album cover.

David Lee Roth: Enamored with Bright Colors?

If I can't rely on the man on that album cover to appear in photos wearing neon purple and black together, I can't rely on anything!

In including DLR today, I certainly don't mean to classify him with hair bands of the '80's.  The fact is, he has a long track record of success that proves he's talented.  When his first solo album came out, I saw his live show to promote it, and he's a heck of a showman, and his success makes sense to me.  That being said, he really embraced the whole '80's over-the-top way of doing things wholeheartedly.  I know there are quite a few younger readers who probably don't have memory of this time, so I thought I'd show you a poster that was on my sister's bedroom wall then.  Here, you can see much of DLR's appeal was more in what he didn't wear.

Wow.

That was before the regrettable process of transformation...

I Don't Like Where This Is Going

Now Diamond Dave is everybody's Great Uncle Dave, and it's really, really not the same at all.  However, I think we can still take a few lessons away from these pictures: martial arts do a body good, everybody ages, and even if you're wearing spandex pants you can always find a place to stash your spare sweat socks.  It's all about learning.

So that's today's manicure and a corresponding picture from the '80's.  This work week's theme has evolved into an interpretation of the '80's through OPI Black Shatter, a far narrower and more specific theme than I ever would have consciously chosen, but it seems to be working out alright.  I think it would be fun to do another theme for next Monday through Friday, but I don't have any ideas that seem this silly.  If you have suggestions you think would be entertaining, please let me know!  If I get a few good ones, I'll put them to a vote over the weekend and go with the winner.

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader,  until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!

Essie Ruby Slippers Giveaway

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I recently had the good fortune of running into Essie Ruby Slippers and Essie Glass Slippers, and I got them yesterday.  I was really thrilled to find them because I had and really loved Ruby Slippers, but it got lost, and since it's hard to find I figured I'd never see it again.  But then I came across it, and while I was at it, I got an extra to give to you.  I'll tell you more about that part at the end.

Essie Ruby Slippers is a red glitter in red polish, but it's an exceptionally good rendition of it. Definitely top two of red glitters for me, and only top two because I'm afraid to commit to a favorite.  In two coats, it's totally opaque, even, and loaded with varying shades of red and a bit of orange-ish glitter.  It does use up a lot of top coat though.  I applied it late yesterday, hoping to catch the last of the sunlight for a picture (no such luck), and I used two coats of Poshe on it.  Several hours later, it was bumpy again, so I added one coat of Konad top coat because it's the thickest thing I have, and another of Poshe.  Now it's smooth.

Essie Ruby Slippers Nail Polish, Two Coats

Here's a closer view of the glitter:

Essie Ruby Slippers Nail Polish, Close Up

See how nicely the different colors of glitter show through?  It seems like the base is the perfect opacity for coverage without hiding the glitter, which is a rarity.  This is one fabulous polish.

So, I was telling you I picked up an extra to give to you... I thought it would be a nice Valentine's Day thing to get.  I figured we'd just go the usual route, a random drawing open to everyone with the only restriction being one entry per person - no other rules.  In the entry form, you don't need to use your real name, and the names on the entries won't show up here.  The only reason your email address would ever be used is to notify you that you've won, and I'll be taking entries for two weeks.  I think that's everything - I'm not great at remembering the detail stuff.  Here's the entry form, so have at it and good luck!

That's it for today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Essie Pink Parka & Konad m56

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

Today I was in the mood for pink, and I'm desperately weary of Winter already, so I used Essie Pink Parka, a retina-searing pink creme (consider that your warning about the picture of it!).  It's a good neon pink, opaque in two coats and even in three for me (which means if I were more careful, two might be good).

I thought Pink Parka could use a little Konad, so I used my ol' favorite tip pattern from plate m56 with Konad White Pearl Special Polish.  The patterns a little shorter than I'd prefer, but I guess they all can't work out just right... Anyhow, now I have a nice pink Summer manicure.

Essie Pink Parka Nail Polish, Three Coats with Konad m56 in Konad White Pearl

I told you it was retina searing!  You should have seen me when I came in from taking pictures - it looked like I was weeping, my eyes were watering so much from looking at this in bright light.  One nice thing you can see here is that the White Pearl didn't smudge at all, and I didn't allow any wait time between stamping the last nail and applying top coat to the first.

That's it for today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Essie Smokin' Hot

Good morning, Dear Reader!

This morning I tried out Essie Smokin' Hot from the Winter 2010 release, and I really like it a lot.  My first impression of it is that it's what I think Chanel Paradoxal would look like as a creme.  Smokin' Hot is a similar brown taupe with a little purple mixed in, and the color is really interesting.  It's really well pigmented, and two thin coats were all I needed.

Essie Smokin' Hot Nail Polish, Two Coats

That was short, but it's only 6:22 am so I have little else to tell you...  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Essie Going Incognito

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I just got some (most) of Essie's Winter 2010 Collection this week, and I have Going Incognito to show to you today.  It's the green creme in the collection.  It's a really nice polish - a well pigmented two coater that's easy to control. It's roughly the same tone as Pretty Edgy but Going Incognito is a bluer shade of green.

Essie Going Incognito Nail Polish for Winter 2010, Two Coats

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Konad Plate M44

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I've been Konading more in recent days, and have pictures of a couple of Konadicures for you today.  Both use Konad plate m44, a tip pattern, for the stamping.

First up is two coats of SpaRitual Shoot for the Stars stamped with woven tip pattern in Konad white.

Konad Plate M44 over SpaRitual Shoot for the Stars Nail Polish

The other I'm wearing today, and I had to use artificial light.  It's three coats of Essie Pretty Edgy with the inverse basket weave tip pattern from M44 in Konad Blue.  

Konad Plate M44 over Essie Pretty Edgy Nail Polish

Those are my recent Konadicures with plate M44.  I have a bunch of stuff to swatch for you, but lately I've just been so tickled by Konad that swatching waits...

That's all for today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

I'm Mad About Matte About You

I finally got my swap package yesterday and after trying on the mood polishes, I tried out the Essie Matte About You over BYS Glittering Purple and decided to wear it all day. I love the effect, it was totally worth the wait!! Thanks, Emily.

Exciting News

My Swap package arrived from Canada thanks to the lovely Emily over at Nail Junkie. It was sooo exciting. I've been waiting over two weeks for it to arrive so it was great fun finally getting to open it!!

Left to Right

Claire's Mood - Peaceful/Confident

Essie - Matte About You

Claire's Mood - Flirty/Shy

Here are the mood colours on the nail. Peaceful/Confident is good match for the Rimmel Sky High that I mentioned I saw and wanted yesterday.

(No Top Coat)

 

Thanks Emily!

Essie Fall 2010 Minis

Good evening, Dear Reader!

I'm back sooner than I expected, this time with swatches of the Essie Fall 2010 minis, the set of four that are a Nordstrom exclusive.

In using these, I realized that I'm reasonably certain I've never used Essie minis before.  I usually dislike the teeny brush on minis, bit these were a normal Essie brush on a shorter stem, so not bad at all.  All four shades, all cremes, were good in two coats and are great Fall colors.

Merino Cool is a greige with a touch of purple to it.

Essie Merino Cool Nail Polish for Fall 2010, Two Coats

Sew Psyched is a pale sage green very similar to RBL Diddy Mow.

Essie Sew Psyched Nail Polish for Fall 2010, Two Coats

Little Brown Dress reminds me of Lippmann Maneater.

Essie Little Brown Dress Nail Polish for Fall 2010, Two Coats

Limited Addiction is a deep but still vivid red jelly.

Essie Limited Addiction Nail Polish for Fall 2010, Two Coats

That's all I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!  

Essie Petal Pink & Konad Rhinestone Glam Decals

Good morning, Dear Reader!

For today's Nails of the Day I was in the mood for the rarely seen sheer, and I used two coats of Essie Petal Pink.  It needed a little something, and I didn't feel like Konading, so I added the pink Konad Rhinestone Glam decals to it, mostly to cover up my nail lines.  I waited until Petal Pink was totally dry to apply the decals, and after applying them, I sealed them with a coat of Diamont.  I find they're surprisingly durable this way.

Essie Petal Pink, Two Coats & Pink Konad Rhinestone Glam Decals

That's my pink Nails of the Day, and just about all I have for you today.  Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!  

Essie Knockout Pout & Konad M45

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today I just have my Nails of the Day, Essie Knockout Pout with a pattern from Konad plate M45.  I used two coats of Knockout Pout, added top coat and let it dry for a bit, then stamped it with the criss-cross tip pattern from plate M45 using Konad Black Pearl Special Polish.

Essie Knockout Pout Nail Polish, Two Coats, and Konad M45 in Konad Black Pearl

That's it for today.  Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!  

Essie Summer 2010

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

I have something good for you today: Essie sent me samples of their Summer 2010 Collection, and I have swatches for you.  Well, five swatches and one manicure.

All six shades applied very well, not streaky or hard to apply at all.  They're well saturated, and the only one I used three coats of was the one described as sheer, all the others are two-coaters.  The variety of color in the collection is really good, and there are some seriously good colors here.

Demure Vixen is the only shimmer in the collection, a kind of pinkish taupe.

Essie Demure Vixen Nail Polish, Two Coats

Miss Matched is the one described as sheer, and at three coats it's sort of a semi-sheer creme.

Essie Miss Matched Nail Polish, Three Coats

From here, the colors are much more intense.  Vermillionaire is a really vivid red orange creme.

Essie Vermillionaire Nail Polish, Two Coats

Pretty Edgy is a medium green creme.

Essie Pretty Edgy Nail Polish, Two Coats

Knockout Pout is a great hot pink creme, much lighter than most hot pinks.

Essie Knockout Pout Nail Polish, Two Coats

Finally, Haute as Hello is the one I'm wearing, and the picture is with top coat.  It's kind of a cross between coral and cantaloupe, and it's a creme.

Essie Haute as Hello Nail Polish, Two Coats

That, Dear Reader, is Essie's Summer 2010 Collection, and I'm really, really happy with them.  They're great colors, apply well, and are two-coaters, so I really can't ask for more.

That's it for today.  Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!  

Layered Nail Polish

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I've been on a kick of layering nail polish to make it sparkle lately, and I have some picture from the last week or so to show you.

First up is Nails Inc Hollywood from The Hills Collection, two coats, to which I added two coats of China Glaze Wireless Holographic Top Coat and one coat of Northern Lights Silver.  I used both holo top coats because the hina Glaze is more dense, but the glitter in the Northern Lights reflects more colors.  The sun washed out the colors on this one - I should have taken a picture in the shade as well.

Nails Inc Hollywood Nail Polish Topped with Wireless and Northern Lights Top Coats

With that one, it's a lot of polish, but the Nails Inc has a very good dry time, and both Wireless and Northern Lights dry very quickly, so it did not require a lot of time protecting it from dings.

The other two manicures are glitter manis.  The first is layered for practical reasons: to aid in removal and to conserve the glitter polish.  That's one coat of Essie Mesmerize with one coat of OPI Absolutely Alice.  I found that with a coat of regular polish under Absolutely Alice, I did not need a sand blaster to remove the glitter.  The other bonus is that is conserves the OPI.

OPI Absolutely Alice Nail Polish over Essie Mesmerize, One Coat Each

The last one is from Saturday, a Sally Beauty Supply super value bonus buy of a clearanced FingerPaints from the last seasonal collection.  It's Floatin' an a Cloud, a really cool but sheer glitter, two coats layered over two coats of China Glaze Secret Periwinkle.  Having leatned my lesson on the Hollywood holographic manicure, I took a picture of this one in the sun and in the shade.

FingerPaints Floatin' on a Cloud Nail Polish over China GlazeSecret Perwinkle in Sun

FingerPaints Floatin on a Cloud Nail Polish over China Glaze Secret Periwinkle in Shade

For this one, I let the Secret Periwinkle dry before I added the FingerPaints so I wouldn't be waiting forever for it to dry.  I'm really pleased with Floatin' on a Cloud, and think it will work over a lot of colors.

That's it for this morning, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Essie Splash of Grenadine & Konad M79

Good evening, Dear Reader!

It turned out that Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Midnight in NY was a complete failure for me.  As I'm sure you could tell from my last post, I wasn't thrilled with it.  I decided to fix it up a little with Chanel Illusion D'Or.  I added one coat and another coat of top coat.

Chanel Illusion D'Or over Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Midnight in NY

That was sufficient for me, and I would have been happy with it, but a full hour after adding to it I took a nice Sunday nap, and woke up with the polish smudged all the way down several nails.  It would seem the formulas are not friends...

Rather than spend the rest of my day with squishy, smudgy nail polish, I changed it, and I'm thrilled to bits over the replacement which is why I'm showing it to you now.  I'll likely have to go into The Vault for something to show you tomorrow, I like this one so much - I want to keep it for at least a day.  As the title tells you, it's Essie Splash of Grenadine from The Resort Collection, which took two coats for a perfectly even, opaque, super glossy finish, to which I added a pattern from Konad plate M79.  I used the dotted net pattern in Konad Blue Pearl Special Polish (or Pearl Blue, whatever...), and added tips from plate M19.

Essie Splash of Grenadine, Two Coats, and Konad M79 and M19 in Konad Blue Pearl 

How fun is my new mani???  Since Splash of Grenadine is between pink and purple, I thought the blue would bring out the purple, and this is my other favorite Konad Special Polish, along with Psyche Pink.  Both were introduced with the Coraline Konad plates, and the two are far and away my favorites because they're glowy and striking.  I love many Konad polishes and likely use Black and White the most, but these two are my top picks, so I'm happy when I get to use one of them.

That's my new manicure and all I have for you today.  Fortunately, I have some stuff in The Vault to show you tomorrow, so until then, love and nail polish to you!