NOTW: Sally Hansen Brisk Blue & Tuxedo

Hey all, sorry I've been MIA for a while, but I've been sick (again...ugh!) and haven't felt up to doing my nails. I was feeling adventurous, and decided to try and replicate Zooey Deschanel's tuxedo mani.

This mani started as just 2 coats of Salley Hansen Insta-Dri in Brisk Blue. So pretty, but, it started peeling the next day. Instead of starting over completely, I patched what I could, and cleaned up the worst nails (only one on each hand). On those nails, I used OPI Alpine Snow as a base, and Sinful Colors Black on Black to create the tuxedo.

I'm pleased with how this turned out, considering I'm crap at free-hand drawing, and had to do the entire thing with a toothpick. I'll definitely have to do this again.

NOTW: Sally Hansen Angel Wings

This week, for once, I actually wanted to wear something a bit more subtle. I decided to try out Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Angel Wings.

This is 3 thin coats over base, and topped with Seche Vite. This polish is a gorgeous pearl shimmer that flashes pink in the light (unfortunately I couldn't capture it on my camera). This was fairly sheer. After 3 coats the nail line was still very visible but, strangely, I was okay with that.

Well, that's it for now. Til next time!

Color Club Almost Famous + Sally Hansen Fuschia Shock

I've really been loving the hot pink and yellow combo lately, so I had to break out the pink crackle.



This was 2 coats of Color Club Almost Famous, 1 coat of Sally Hansen Fuschia Shock crackle overcoat, and finished with a coat of Seche Vite. I absolutely love the color combo, it might be my all time favorite.

4th of July Mani

Happy 4th of July to those in the US! I decided to go all out with this mani (well, all out for me...lol)



I started alternating red (Sally Hansen Hard as Nails in Cherry Red) and blue (Sally Hansen HD in Blu over Morbid Black). Then, I used Sinful Colors striping polish in Bad Chick to make the "stars" and stripes. Then, I decided it wasn't "bling-y" enough, and added a coat of NYC White Lights Glitter on top before finishing with Poshe. Whew!

This is the first time I've really attempted any kind of nail art (other than tape manis), and I definitely need practice, but it's not too bad for the first time.

And now I'm all ready to see the fireworks tonight. Have fun y'all!

Rainbow Manicure

In honor of New York State's Senate approving same-sex marriagelast night, I did a quick rainbow manicure.

Sorry for the less-than-stellar picture. A couple nails on my left hand smudged, which meant I had to take pics of my right hand. Impossible, I tell you!

In terms of polishes, I used Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Cherry Red (red), Sinful Colors Great Wall (orange), Color Club Almost Famous (yellow), OPI What's with the Cattitude? (blue), and Zoya Mira (purple). I wish I had used a darker blue, but I don't have a creme blue any darker than Cattitude. I did 2 coats of each, except for the yellow which took 3 to even it out, and topped with Seche Vite.

That's all for now. Til next time!

NOTW: Zoya Phoebe

For this week, I decided to try out Zoya Phoebe, from their Mod Matte collection.

Phoebe is a gorgeously bright electric blue, that I can't stop staring at. I did 2 coats over a basecoat, and topped it with Seche Vite. The top coat really brings out the shimmer. Then, I added Sally Hansen's white crackle, Snow Blast, on my ring finger as an accent.

I really love how this turned out. I can't believe it took me so long to try out Phoebe, it's such a pretty color. And I got tons of compliments when I went to the store.

Unfortunately, I decided that the day after doing my nails is a good time to start scrubbing down the kitchen cabinets....without gloves. Needless to say, this manicure is wrecked. Bummer.

In other news, I recently started up a music blog, Records Spinning. Check it out if you're interested, and let me know what you think!

Til next time!

Sally Hansen Crackle Overcoat: Antiqued Gold

I was getting kind of bored with Essie Coat Azure, so I broke out my new gold crackle to it.


This was 1 coat of Antiqued Gold over my previous manicure. This isn't the best crackle out there, but the color is nice. Its a light gold, almost champagne color, which goes great with the blue.

Sally Hansen Crackle Overcoat

Usually my CVS is the last place to get any new polishes, but when I stopped there today, they actually had the new Sally Hansen crackle polishes. Yay!!! Since they were buy 1 get 1 half off, I got two to try out.

I got white, Snow Blast, and pink, Fuchsia Shock.






I did quick swatches of them over Sinful Colors Nail Junkie (which hasn't chipped after 4 days!!), no top coat. These polishes work better with thicker coats; the thicker the coat, the larger and more noticeable the cracks (like with the pink). If it's too thin, it doesn't really crackle, just goes on as a film over the polish (you can see it most in the white on my pinky finger).

The formula is nice. Not as thick as the OPI shatters, and easy to work with. I'm already planning my next trip to the store to pick up some more of these...the gold one is calling to me ;)

Til next time, loves!

Let's Go Mets!!

So, my friend, her mom, and I are going to a Mets game tomorrow, and taking a tour around Citi Field. I originally wasn't going to do anything special with my nails, but decided at around 10 that I should do something to show my team spirit (even though they suck...). Its not fancy, but it gets the job done.
On all nails except my ring finger, I did 1 coat of Morbid (Hot Topic) Black over basecoat. Then, I put one coat of Sally Hansen Blu. On my ring finger, I did 2 coats of Sinful Colors Great Wall. I topped it all with Poshe.


By itself, Blu is nothing special; really sheer and not that great looking. But, over black, it practically glows. I always get tons of compliments on my nails when I wear it.

NOTW: St. Patty's Day!!!

I love St. Patty's Day. And not just for the excuse to get wasted. So, in honor of my Irish heritage, I decided to go with a crazy green manicure this week.

I admit, this is a bit over the top (at least for me), but St Patty's Day only comes once a year. I went through my stash and picked four different greens for this manicure. I used Color Club Twiggie on my thumb (which the camera flash totally washed it out, it's much brighter in person). Index is OPI Here Today...Aragon Tomorrow. Middle is Sally Hansen HD Hi-Def. And my pinky is OPI WHo the Shrek are You? I did 2 coats each, and finished with Seche Vite (except for Hi-Def, which doesn't want to cooperate).

On my ring finger, I did a water marble using all four colors. I really wanted to include Revlon Minted into the water marble, but that polish doesn't work with marbling. I put a drop into the water, and it sunk straight to the bottom :( bummer.

Happy (early) St. Patty's Day everyone!

NOTW: Sally Hansen Sonic Bloom & Water Marble

I want it to be spring so bad. I want the snow to go away, I want to put away the winter coats, I want to break out the flip flops. All I can do at the moment, however, is break out the bright colored nail polish.

I haven't done a water marble in a while, so I decided to do a pink and yellow marble on my accent nail. It didn't come out exactly like I had imaginied, but its still cute and springy!

I did one coat of Sonic Bloom, which is more of a hot pink than the photo shows, on all nails except the accent nail. I did the water marble with Sonic Bloom and Color Club Almost Famous, a great yellow. Unfortunately, apparently when these two meet, it makes the yellow somewhat orange. Oh well, it still came out cute.

NOTW: Valentine's Day

I wanted to do something not too over the top of Valentine's Day. I ended up with a glittery red manicure for the week.

I did 2 coats of Sally Hansen X-Treme Wear Cherry Red over SH Double Duty. I could have gotten away with 1 coat, but I wanted it to be darker. Then I layered one coat of NYC White Lights Glitter over that. I finished it up with 1 coat of NYC Shiny Top Coat and then 1 coat of Seche Vite.

Happy (early) Valentine's Day!!

NOTW: Go Pack!

I needed to salvage what was left of the failed smiley manicure, so I decided to use scotch tape to create a Packers themed manicure. Can't wait until Sunday!!!

Sorry for the blurriness, this one did not want to be photographed. 2 coats of Color Club Almost Famous. Then scotch tape and 3 thin coats of Sally Hansen HD Hi-Def on my ring finger. And one coat of Seche Vite to finish everything off. I was worried that the green was going to bleed since that polish is crazy thin, but it came out looking awesome.

I'm definitely going to be using scotch tape many more times in the future!