Polished Beauty Blog

I've Moved!

2010-07-04T19:11:00.002-05:00

Dear Reader,

I've decided to move my blog to a new spot...and I've got a new name! Polished Beauty Blog is now Nailicious! Everything's there from this blog, all the old posts, etc...so check it out. Feel free to follow me, update your blogroll and stay tuned for better things to come! Click the link below or allow this blog to redirect you in 30 seconds.

www.nailiciousblog.blogspot.com

Thanks for your support! I appreciate all the followers and the nail blogging community ♥

XOXO

Cover Girl Smoky Shadow Blast-Onyx Smoke

2010-07-02T08:00:00.006-05:00

This is the last part of my Cover Girl Smoky Shadow Blast mini series and I saved my favorite , Glamorous, for last. This shadow combo I used today is Onyx Smoke. The lid color is a pearly, silver color and the crease color is silver. I used my own ELF liquid liner in black and one coat of Cover Girl Lash Blast Volumizing mascara in Very Black.

I like this look a lot and I've enjoyed experimenting with the Cover Girl Smoky Shadow Blasts this week. After testing out Cover Girl Products, I've come up with a list of pros and cons.

Pros:

Very ease to use
Convenient
Inexpensive
Volumizing mascara is definitely a winner
Liquid liner is smudge-proof and long lasting

Cons:

Eyeshadow creases/fades very quickly
No staying power especially for oily skin

So are you going to try out Smoky Shadow Blast eyeshadows? Not interested? Let me know!

PS-Be sure to enter my CG Wal-Mart Gift Card giveaway!

This post contains a Cover Girl Smoky Eye kit sent for review and gift card giveaway by Cover Girl through Blog Spark. For more information about my disclosure policy, please read this post.

What Fall 2010 collection are you most looking forward to?

2010-06-30T08:37:00.000-05:00

Lacquerized has rounded up the info about most of the Fall 2010 collections in one awesome post. There's a lot of great collections to look forward to, but my question to you is:

Which Fall 2010 collection has you most excited?

Leave me a comment and let me know! I'll go first and tell you mines. I am most looking forward to...Orly Cosmic FX!

Cover Girl Smoky Shadow Blast- Tempest Blue

2010-06-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

Today is part two in my Cover Girl Shadow Blast miniseries. I've got a "Bold" look for you today. The Tempest Blue shadow duo is not for the faint of heart. This bright blue smoky eye combo is bold alright. Against my dark skin, the lid color looks really pale...almost white. The crease color is a darker blue that I like. I uploaded a video on YT showing me applying the eyeshadow:

This is my second YT video by the way, so be easy. ;-) Sorry its so dark, I couldn't get my lighting the way I wanted it and I fiddled around with it for at least 30 minutes!

Alright, we've got one more part to go. Then I'll sum up what I like about these eyeshadows in a pro and con list. Don't forget the Cover Girl Wal-Mart giveaway, check the link at the top of my blog!

This post contains a Cover Girl Smoky Eye kit ,product image/information and gift card sent for review and giveaway by Cover Girl through Blog Spark. For more information about my disclosure policy, please read this post.

Cover Girl Giveaway!!

2010-06-28T18:11:00.001-05:00

This week I will be posting 3 Smoky Shadow Blast looks from Cover Girl. If you like what you see or want to get your hands on some Smoky Shadow Blasts, you're in luck! I'm giving away a $20 gift card to Wal-Mart in my Smoky Eye competition!

The rules are easy! Here are the way to enter:

At the end of this week, leave a comment on this post telling me which Smoky Eye look you liked, the best: Natural, Glam or Bold. Be sure to leave your e-mail address!
If you're a makeup newbie to makeup master, show me a picture of your smoky eye shadow look. Leave a comment on this post w/ email address.
Become a follower of this blog! Leave a comment with your e-mail address.
Follow me on Twitter! Leave a comment with your Twitter username.
Tell me your favorite Cover Girl product. Leave me a comment on this post w/ e-mail address.
Blog about my giveaway! Leave me a link to your post in the comments.

The contest starts today June 28th through midnight CST July 5th! Good luck!

This post contains a gift card given to me for a contest by Cover Girl through Blog Spark. For more information about my disclosure policy, please read this post.

Cover Girl Smoky Shadow Blast Review

2010-06-28T17:36:00.009-05:00

Alright ladies, I am certifiably nail polish obsessed and I will admit it. Ever since I started getting into polish I've began to explore the world of color and makeup. One look that I've envied is the smoky eye. Its a pretty hot look but so far has been pretty elusive to this makeup newbie. Well, enter Cover Girl smoky shadow blast eyeshadows! Getting the look is supposed to be easy with these products:

I tried the "Natural" look with Shadow Blast duo in Bronze Fire, Line Exact liquid liner in Brown and Lash Blast volume mascara in Brown. These are the swatches of the lid color, crease color and liner, L to R:

I own plenty of gold/bronze type of eyeshadow, but I was still excited to try this smoky look.

The results:

Review:

I'm a brown girl, so this look was definitely "natural". The colors blended in right with my skin, especially the crease color. It gives me a nice every day look. I wore this combo on Friday and I found that the shadows definitely crease without a primer. I don't own any eyeshadow primer at the moment and this eyeshadow made me wish I did. I may not be a makeup expert, but I know that this eyeshadow creased faster than any other eyeshadow I own! I'm not a fan of volumizing mascara, I prefer lengthening mascaras but this one I like. I'm a Maybelline mascara girl, but this Lash Blast mascara has got me wanting to try the other Lash Blast products because the rich brown color payoff and the somewhat volume it gave to my not so thick lashes. The Line Exact liner? I'm in love, that liner definitely has staying power. All day long staying power and it still washes off easily with soap and water. Cover Girl may be on to something with their Blast mascaras and Line Exact liners. Stay tuned this week to see two more Smoky Shadow Blast looks...

This post contains a Cover Girl Smoky Eye kit and product image/information sent for review by Cover Girl through Blog Spark. For more information about my disclosure policy, please read this post.

China Glaze Custom Kicks Polka Dot Mani

2010-06-28T15:40:00.000-05:00

Here's a recent manicure I did with CG's Custom Kicks from their Kicks Collection. It is a really gorgeous vibrant blue with golden shimmer, but what else do you expect from CG? They are my favorite nail polish company for blues and greens. This is one coat of Custom Kicks, its really opaque! I added polka dots just to do a little something different.

Rainbow Tiger Striped Nails!

2010-06-18T15:37:00.054-05:00

Let me say that Twitter is awesome; if you aren't there, then you should be! The exchange of ideas on there is constant and you can really find some cool people on there. I follow China Glaze on Twitter and they tweeted about a Tumblr that showcases pretty nails. That's where I got this manicure idea from Artsy RN. She's a pretty cool girl who does some really cute nail designs. Though its not specifically a nail blog, she posts about nails a lot, so I would check it out if you want inspiration.

Here are the supplies I used:

L to R:

Sally Hansen Blue Me Away
Essie Pansy
Zoya Creamy
Wet n Wild French White Creme
Seche Vite topcoat
Art Deco Nail Art Polish in Black
Makeup sponge

Artsy RN made a YouTube video tutorial which I used as my guide:

The Results!

As you can see, sponging your nails can get a little messy. So this is what they looked like before clean up:

This is Day 2. Getting a little tip wear, but I think it held up well considering the fact that I was moving. The white polish is a cheap, chip-tastic polish so when I do this again I want to use another white polish.

I used my go to topcoat Seche Vite and it kind of smeared the black stripes a bit. Next time I will use a different topcoat. Also you can reuse your makeup sponges just by cutting the used tip off.

China Glaze Pool Party + Sun Worshiper

2010-06-16T14:45:00.000-05:00

You've seen the greatness that is the CG Poolside collection. I knew these colors were neon, but until saw them on my hands I didn't realize how scorching they were!

Pool Party was an instant favorite. An intensely hot pink made for summertime pedicures. This is two coats over white. It gets no complaints from me.

Sun Worshiper is a bright orange attention grabber. I described it to someone as bright highway vest neon orange because that's what it reminds me of. I had a hard time using this one, but it may be attributed to the white polish I used underneath. I switched from the Wet n Wild polish I was using to a white Nailene polish I had laying around. The Nailene polish had a horrible brush and was so thick! Not that white polishes are notorious to work with anyway... That plus the fact that Sun Worshiper liked to pool around my cuticles made for a application nightmare! Even so, that wasn't enough to keep me away from this color, its just so unique to my stash.

By the way, China Glaze won some of the ALU Superlatives in the Class of 2010! Which ones? Check it right here.

This post contains a sample product sent for review. For more information about my disclosure policy, please read this post.

Finger Paints You Hue!

2010-06-13T22:07:00.001-05:00

It's safe to say that Finger Paints loves to play on their name with all the "Hue" shades. Well I've got another one: You Hue!

You Hue! is a warm pink shade with golden shimmer. This is two coats, but its actually pretty opaque in one. Finger Paints are sold at Sally Beauty Supply. You can check them out at www.fingerpaints.com. On the website, they actually have information about collections. There's a collection called Heavenly Miracles, a limited edition set of blues, that according to the website are $1.99? They might be worth checking out in Sally Stores...

Petites Figi

2010-06-10T12:29:00.000-05:00

I didn't plan on falling in love with Petites Figi...it just happened. I went to visit my parents for a couple of days (2-3) and ended up staying a over a week! I thought I'd packed my nail polish box and when I went looking for it, it was nowhere to be found. Needless to say, naked nails were driving me crazy! My mom and I went to Wal-Mart for a non-nail polish related trip but I wandered over there anyway. I'm glad I did, because I found Figi. Actually, I think Petites has stepped their game up because they had a couple of interesting shades, and depending on which Wal-Mart you visit, they range from $1.50-2.00. Not bad! So enough talk, lets get to the pictures!

Bottle Shot: Figi is blue/teal shimmer.

This is two coats + topcoat. The first time I wore this color on the aforementioned trip, I had no base coat or top coat. I just applied two coats of this color. Desperate times call for desperate measures okay? :-) I didn't see a chip for two days! To me, that's kind of amazing with no base coat or top coat.

Sinful Colors Mint Apple + China Glaze Medallion

2010-06-08T17:03:00.001-05:00

I've had CG's Medallion for a while and haven't used it very much. It is an amazing gold glitter that (if you're brave enough) can look great own its own after a couple of coats or simply layered over any polish. While looking through my stash I rediscovered it and decided to pair it over Mint Apple for today's manicure.

On it's own Medallion can make your nails feel a little bumpy/rough but that's nothing I couldn't fix with my favorite topcoat Seche Vite.

Maybelline Twinkle Twinkle

2010-06-05T23:32:00.000-05:00

Yes, I would love to own Essie Starry Starry Night. So when I spotted Twinkle Twinkle today at Dollar Tree (isn't it funny how you find something when you're not looking?) I picked it up without hesitation. Sure, its not an exact dupe, but its the closest I am to owing something like SSN.

Twinkle Twinkle is really pretty in the bottle, but on the nail the glitter is very fine and way less dense. This is two coats + Seche.

Zoya Sparkle Collection Summer 2010

2010-06-03T21:37:00.001-05:00

Zoya's Sparkle collection is definitely a winner. I'm sure most of you have seen the collection before but I wanted to show the colors against a darker skin tone. With these glitter metallic shades there's something for everyone! All of these swatches are two coats.

Gilda

The pink addict in me loves Gilda. This hot pink is a stunner. Its bright, flashy and perfect for summer.

Nidhi

Remember how I said there was something in this collection for everyone? Maybe Nidhi would look better on that person. Its not that she isn't gorgeous but if you've read my blog long enough you know about my aversion to reds. This rich red polish is the most opaque of the bunch.

MiMi

Mimi is eye-catching color.You cant go wrong with a deep royal purple like this. It kind of reminds me of Hot Topic's Iridescent Purple:

The difference is that the Hot Topic polish has blue shimmer in it.

Alegra

(Please excuse the mess that is my cuticles)

Alegra is like Gilda's older sister that still has it. A pink not quite as bright as Gilda and a little more subdued, but still a gorgeous fuchsia.

Charla

My 2nd favorite polish from this collection and a must have. Charla is a blue green paradise on your nails. I haven't read one bad review about this color.

Ivanka

The best polish in the whole collection. The most head turning, envious green metallic foil ever! Even for this pink lover, Ivanka made a believer out of me. It is hands down the best green I've ever seen and I am so glad to own it!

Want another reason to love these? The Sparkle polishes are also super easy to remove! You get the look of glitter without the hassle of removing it. I made my first (quick) blog video showing the easy removal of MiMi.

Zoya's Polish Exchange is still going on through June 30th. That means you can dump some of your not so favorite shades for these lovelies. Check Zoya's website for more info!

This post contains a sample product sent for review. For more information about my disclosure policy, please read this post.

Heel to Toe Invigorating Foaming Foot Soak Review

2010-06-02T11:02:00.000-05:00

I hate doing my own pedicures. I don't mind doing my own nails, but for some reason when it comes to dealing with my own feet, its a task I'm much less enthusiastic about. As a transitioning grad student/real world job having chica, I don't have the money to drop on a pedicure. However, I still want my home sessions to feel a little special. I picked this foot soak up at Sally Beauty Supply for a mere .42 cents because of my Beauty Club Card. If you shop at Sallys and don't have one, you should get it! When you buy the card for $5, you get a $5 gift certificate to use the next month. Thats how I was able to get this $5.39 regularly priced foot soak for just a little change.Okay, on to the review!

Product information:

Prepares feet for pedicure by conditioning and cleansing
Revitalizes and refreshes
Softens and conditions
Helps kill foot odor
Soothes and relaxes hot, tired feet
Infused with Botanical Extracts, Tea Tree Oil, Sea Salts and Aloe Vera Gel

My experience: I have a huge bowl that I reserve for pedicures, so I pulled that out and poured a small amount of the gel in. When I get the water to a warm temperature I can handle, I put my feet in. After soaking them for about 15 minutes, I dry my feet off to feel the results. The foot soak did soothe and relax my feet and they do feel a little softer. My skin is soft enough to use my pedicure file and my cuticles are easily pushed back. I was also pleasantly surprised when I began to file my toenails, because my feet did actually smell clean and slightly minty! It really is a great deodorizer. Overall, I would recommend this product to anyone who does DIY pedicures. It adds to your normal routine to make it feel a little more luxurious, even if you're at home!

Wet n Wild Caribbean Frost

2010-06-01T13:32:00.000-05:00

In an effort to build up the number of green polishes I own, I decided to get Wet n Wild Caribbean Frost. You see ever since I've laid eyes on Zoya Ivanka (which I will post about later),I suddenly got what the big deal was about greens. News flash: Green nail polishes are gorgeous! I can honestly say I had never met a green polish I liked. However, Caribbean Frost is a lovely green in its own right. You be the judge, check it out:

Two coats + Seche Vite

Aren't you green with envy? Come on! I had to say it! I don't get to post about greens often enough. :-)

Cover Girl Bronzed Beauty

2010-05-24T13:19:00.000-05:00

On my seemingly never ending search for a gold polish that looks good on my hands, I bought Cover Girl Bronzed Beauty. Unfortunately it is the ugliest color I've bought since Petites Pink Crush and I hate it. It looks like a olive and dirty penny had a ugly love child on my nails.

Cover Girl, there's nothing beautiful about this Bronze Beauty. I don't know who this would look good on.

Sally Hansen Lacquer Shine in Spark

2010-05-21T16:33:00.000-05:00

This is the polish I got at the CVS Beauty Sale. I love this color, I really do. It looked really purple in the store, but on my nails it looks blue.

What I don't like about this manicure is the shrinkage I got, the very next day. I did two coats + Seche and it looks like I've had this polish on for at least 3-4 days! I'll even be brave and show it to you.

Yeah...that's pretty bad for the day right after you painted your nails. I just wont use Seche with this color? Well, I hope you make it to the sale to pick up some SH Lacquer shines. Let me know what you get!

China Glaze Black Diamond

2010-05-19T10:49:00.000-05:00

This is the other polish I won in Landa's Bright Lights Big Color contest. Black Diamond is a shimmer and is a part of China Glaze's core line.

Cover Girl Shine Blast Lip Gloss Review

2010-05-18T17:08:00.001-05:00

I received my Bzz Agent kit last week with my Cover Girl samples and wanted to do a review of the Shine Blast lip gloss. By the way, if you're a blogger and you're not signed up with Bzz Agent, then what are you waiting for? This is my second sample I've received from them and I really like the website. Check it out!

On to the review. I picked Shine Blast lip gloss in Radiate, pictured below:

Radiate is a very pretty shimmery pink. According to Cover Girl, these Shine Blast lip glosses give you 4x more noticeable shine. Well they're right about that, its shiny alright. However, that gorgeous color is nowhere to be found when applied to the lips. It ends up going on pretty sheer...I'd say clear. Here it is on my hand.

The lip gloss did smell fantastic though; it had a nice fruity smell, like watermelons. It wasn't sticky either which is a plus. However I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for a gloss to give your lips some color. I'll throw it in my purse for quick touch ups, but its not a must have product.

Its Back! CVS Beauty Sale

2010-05-16T22:21:00.000-05:00

I love deals on beauty products as much as the next girl, so when I read on Nouveau Cheap that the CVS Beauty Sale was back I rushed over on Sunday afternoon to check it out. For all you polish addicts out there, select Sally Hansen polishes are on sale, including these gorgeous Lacquer Shines that Scrangie posted about a while ago (I'm talking 2008).

I just picked up two things on this trip:

Sally Hansen Lacquer Shine polish in Spark $1.62

Loreal HIP Shocking Shadow Pigments in Beckoning $2.99

I will defintely be posting the SH polish, but I wanted to show you quick pictures of the HIP Shadow Pigment. This is my first HIP product and when they say High Intensity Pigments, they werent joking. This is the most pigmented eyeshadow I own to date! I kind of want to make nail polish with it...

The included brush:

On my hand:

On my eye, I quickly applied with the included brush:

This is the result with the quick swipe of the brush and minimal product. Wow! Now I want to go back and pick up one of those HIP lip glosses that were 75% off...

Go and check out the CVS Beauty Sale, let me know what deals you find!

Birthday + Graduation Manicure

2010-05-16T21:03:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday, May 15th, I turned 22 and graduated from college on the same day! I was contemplating what to with my nails for the longest (among other things). Earlier in the week I picked up Cover Girl City Lights and decided to layer it over black polish for the big day. The results were stunning, in my humble opinion. As I sat with the other graduates I couldn't stop staring at my nails under those bright lights, haha!

I typically find Cover Girl polishes kind of boring, and I have another one to show you, but this one is beautiful! City lights is a topcoat designed to be layered over colors to create your own look and I think it looks best over darker colors. You're in luck if you like it because CG polishes are everywhere so this one should be inexpensive and not hard to find. I got my bottle for .77 cents + tax because of a coupon I had.

China Glaze Recycle

2010-05-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the contest on the fabulous Bright Lights Big Color blog I am the proud new owner of two wonderful China Glaze polishes. The one I'm showing today is China Glaze Recycle, an oldie but a goodie. Before I got into nail polish like I am now, I never would have entertained the thought of a gray nail polish. Now, I will accept a gray polish with open arms!

Recycle is a medium gray creme from the China Glaze Spring 2008 Ecollection, which by the way gave us the beautiful blue Shower Together and the gorgeous spring green Tree Hugger.

On to the pictures!

Shown here are two coats of Recycle + Seche Vite. These pictures were taken in about day 3 of the manicure, but the polish is holding up well. What can I say that CG that hasnt already been said? Application was a breeze, the polish flowed onto the nail like butter, dried quickly and is holding up nicely. While this polish is nothing new, I am glad to be able to add it to my collection!

Coming Soon: Cover Girl Smoky Shadow Blast Review

2010-04-29T23:49:00.000-05:00

I know you've seen these at the stores or ads for them lately...

Since I first noticed them I've been curious and I'm really glad to get the opportunity to give you my take on them. I think makeup can be intimidating and the easier it is to use, the better. Since I am just getting into the fabulous (yet slightly addictive) world of makeup, I'm excited to try a product that makes the smokey eye achievable for even beginners! Stay tuned to see my review. Until then, check out Cover Girl's website to see more color combos or create your own look using Cover Girl Blast collection products!

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Uptemo Plum

2010-04-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

Indoors + Flash (above)

Outdoors + no flash

I know SH Insta-Dri polishes are not new, but I had read so many negative reviews on the brush that I just kind of shifted them down on my want list. I mean I saw them when I went into the stores, but if another polish or collection caught my eye, then they would get priority. However that changed when I saw Uptempo Plum on clearance for 2.24 and I figured why not?

Why did I wait so long to try these?! I LOVE THIS BRUSH!! I may be the odd one out, but this brush is perfect to me. I guess it has to do with my nail bed/shape, but it covers the nail almost completely with the first stroke. Love! Plus, the polish dries fast! What more could I want? I am so excited about SH Insta-Dri polish now. I want to go to the store and buy them all! Dont change a thing about these Sally Hansen, okay?

PBB Link Love: 7 Pedicure Polish and Sandal Style Combos to Consider This Spring

2010-04-27T18:52:00.000-05:00

Glamour magazine happens to me one of my favorite magazines and I got this blog post in my e-mail. Spring is here and summer is just around the corner and you know what that means...pedicure season is in full effect! Check this link to see more cute pedi-sandal combos like this:

(Image taken from Glamour.com)

7 Pedicure Polish and Sandal Style Combos to Consider this Spring

Spotted: Maybelline Salsa Sun Limited Edition Nail Polish Summer 2010

2010-04-26T14:47:00.003-05:00

Woah, that title is a mouthful.

Okay, so I headed to Walgreens today, for a non nail/beauty related purchase and I spotted this display. I am interested in these colors. I hope Walgreens has a sale soon so I can get them for a deal! Maybelline means business when they say limited edition, so keep your eyes peeled for these if you want them. Sorry for the crappy Blackberry pictures, but you know the deal! I was being a blogger-ninja quickly taking pictures hopping the cosmetic associate didnt give me the crazy eye! :-)

What do you think about the Salsa Sun collection?

PS: There's also a correlating makeup collection, with a "unique" (not sure if I like it or not) looking green that I am kicking myself for forgetting to take pictures of!

EDIT: There is a picture of the makeup display over at Steph's Closet! Check out that funky looking green...

Borghese Hydrati-Nail Moisture Treatment

2010-04-26T09:00:00.002-05:00

Lately my nails have been really dry so when I spotted this in Ross, I decided to give it a try. I think this product is discontinued, so in my search for more information on the web, I found it for sale on Beauty Ticket so here's a little info from them:

Mineral rich moisturizer with multi-vitamins restores essential hydration to nails. Helps increase strength and flexibility, so nails bounce back with healthy resilience. Delivers a smoother, more flawless nail surface for beautiful manicures and pedicures.

Olive Leaf Extract, Safflower Oil, Acqua Di Vita® complex and Vitamin E deeply nourish and condition growing nails. Formulated with Micronized Gemstones of Amethyst, Citrine, Tourmaline, Rubiosa and Aquamarine to add brilliance. (.04 oz)

Okay, so its a base coat. Believe it or not, this info was not on the packaging. I didn't know how I should use it, but I figured it out reading that. So I will use it as my base coat for a while and let you know if I see a difference in a later post.

NYC Greenwich Village

2010-04-25T20:42:00.000-05:00

Heres one of the polishes I picked up at CVS last week, for a grand total of a dollar. Greenwich Village is a simple pink creme.

I have a little tipwear, I think this picture is after two or three days. But look, it matches the wallet clutch my lovely grandmother got me this past Christmas. I love her! :-)

Annoucement!

2010-04-24T01:25:00.000-05:00

Okay, guys I have a non-nail polish related announcement that I'm really excited to share! I got accepted into grad school! I'm so happy. My dreams are becoming closer in reach! The news came at a really good time too. I've got two weeks until I finish my requirements to graduate and I was feeling down to the wire. I mean stress level off the meters! Now that I know I can get accepted into grad school, perhaps I can do whatever else I set out to achieve! Anything is possible?!

Look what a dollar can get you at CVS!

2010-04-19T14:34:00.000-05:00

L to R: NYC Greenwich Village, Times Square

This week at CVS all NYC & Rimmel cosmetics are BOGO free which is great news for polish enthusiasts and makeup lovers alike! To save even more head over to www.redplum.com to print two great coupons. There's one for $1 off any NYC cosmetic product and one for $1 off any Rimmel product. So let me give you an example of potential savings on nail polish!

NYC Cosmetics

Two NYC in a New York Color Minute polishes @ $1.99 apiece

BOGO Free sale at CVS brings your total to $1.99 for both

Use $1 off Red Plum coupon and your grand total is .99 cents + tax!

Rimmel Cosmetics

Two Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Enamel polishes @ 3.99 apiece

BOGO Free sale at CVS brings your total to $3.99 for both

Use $1 off Red Plum coupon and your grand total is $2.99 + tax!

I just picked up those two NYC polishes and they're not terribly unique but they will make great pedicure colors. Not that I needed them, but I love a great sale!

So, now that I've told you about these great deals, go out and shop! Let me know what you picked up!

I Tried It: Zebra Striped Nails!

2010-04-18T14:59:00.001-05:00

Lately I've been seeing zebra striped nails a lot, so I took to YouTube to find out how to get the look. Using this video tutorial I did my own Zebra nails. I was pleased with my results and it was fairly easy to do!

Here are my supplies:

L to R: Sally Hansen Celeb City, LA Colors Art Deco nail art polish in Black, Orly Sec N Dry, Zoya Armor.

Note about Orly Sec n Dry: I only used this topcoat on 2 nails because I noticed it was making the black polish I used to make my stripes smear, even though I waited 15 minutes for it to dry! Not sure why, but I switched to Zoya Armor as my topcoat.

The final look:

Super shiny silver! I really like SH Celeb City.

Right Hand

For my first try, these are not bad! The thing I like about zebra striped nails is that each nail is not exactly the same. You don't have to be perfect with placing the stripes and ultimately they look better when both hands are done. This look is not that time consuming either. I just did two coats of Celeb City, let that dry and then went to work on the stripes. It only added about an additional 10 mins to my regular routine.

Do you like animal print nails? Want to try it? Been there, done that? Let me know!

Spotted: Tone Hand & Nail Soap

2010-04-16T22:53:00.000-05:00

So I'm wandering around Target today (looking at a ton of stuff I didn't really need!) when I spotted this hand soap. A lot of hand soaps dry out your hands and can be rough on your nails and cuticles. This by soap by Tone actually claims to nourish hands and cuticles! That would be a feat if this soap actually did what it says. Sure, I've used a lot of "moisturizing" hand soaps, but after the 2nd or 3rd time my hands are dried out as usual. I'm interested to see if this soap delivers! I might pick it up on another trip to Target or if you've tried it definitely let me know about it!

NK Nail Enamel: Sugar Candy

2010-04-10T13:51:00.000-05:00

I tweeted about being in the mood for long nails on Friday, so this weekend I'm wearing fake nails. I love options! The next decision to make was what color to polish them. I originally decided on a teal color and then did one coat. By the second coat I had decided it was too much for my longer nails. Have I already became accustomed to boring work place colors already? Nooooo!! Well, here's the polish I settled on:

4 coats + Orly Sec n Dry topcoat

The shade is so 90s! It reminds me of when I was younger and a polish named Cotton Candy was all the rage. I wore only that nail polish for one summer straight. Ah, memories.

NK polish is not a well known brand, but I have spotted it in several (non-chain) beauty stores. Usually these cost $1. I found their website and a it shows they have a good color range, with some pretty interesting shades. If you can find these, I would grab one (or two). If you're interested in this color but cant find it, you're in luck because this might also be a dupe for China Glaze Rainbow spotted on Bella in the City. I don't have Rainbow to compare, but looking at the pictures they look very similar.

One Bath and Body Lip Balm Review

2010-04-08T23:31:00.002-05:00

I received the my One Lip Balm in the mail the other day! I was so excited to get it because I wasn't even expecting it! Take a look:

The nice note and packaging!

Ingredients

I got this lip balm in the mail as a result of completing a survey they had on their website. I first learned about One Bath and Body products in this post from Nouveau Cheap. Its a natural line of products hitting the shelves at Target soon. Looks interesting. I really like this lip balm. Its very moisturizing. I checked my mail late in the afternoon after I got off of work. I applied this lip balm shortly after and then before bedtime I washed my face. My lips didn't even feel dried out! They still felt and looked moisturized. Another thing I liked about this product is that a little goes a long way. You don't need to apply a lot of lip balm to achieve results so even though this is 0.36 oz, I feel like it could last a while. Finally, the smell is great. I picked coco-coconut and think it smells fabulous. Not overwhelmingly strong either and that's a good thing in my book. I wear enough scented products and my lip balm doesn't need to compete.

Another bonus: They are in Carrollton, TX! Yay for Texas!

Check out www.onebathandbody.com for more information about their natural products and eco-friendly packaging.

Spotted: Nina Ultra Pro Hard Candies Collection

2010-04-01T18:53:00.000-06:00

I was in Sally's Beauty Supply and I spotted this on the shelves:

I apologize for the crappy Blackberry picture, but I just wanted to show you the collection. I know you cant see in the picture, but I think all of these had shimmer in them, they aren't just cremes. This collection isn't anything we've never seen before, but they are fun spring/summer colors. Right now ALL nail polish is buy 2 get 1 free at Sally's. Usually their promotions are month long so maybe you can get a deal and snatch a couple of these up if you're interested!

Wet n Wild Candy-licious

2010-03-23T17:21:00.001-06:00

This pink creme is nothing to write home about BUT I got it because

The name of it is Candy-licious! Too cute! Plus, it does remind me of candy.
I like the bottle shape of these new Wet n Wild polishes: short, round, cute.
I was running low on one of my favorite pink cremes, OPI I'm India Mood for Love. Although this isnt a dupe, its a great polish for just $1.19!
It puts me in a happy spring mood.

On to the pictures!

Indoors (above)

Outdoors (Sun, no flash)

There's a couple of things I didn't like about this polish. The brush is weird & short. The shortness doesn't bother me though, the brush itself does because the hairs/bristles (whatever you call them) are bad. If you don't let the polish completely dry, that brush will mess up the layer of polish beneath. I dont feel like it spreads the polish around completely across the nail because its not wide enough.

Also, you'll notice in the pictures that I have a bit of tip wear because I had a very busy filing day at work today. I only did this manicure Monday night and my first full day of wear was today (Tuesday)! I don't know if it was the rigorous filing (lol) or the formula that caused the chipping. I'll see how it holds up a few more days maybe.

Ulta Salon Formula Nail Lacquer: Plum Perfect

2010-03-19T10:10:00.000-06:00

Ulta is having a sale on their brand of cosmetics and their polishes are $2 right now! It looks like they have a "summer collection" out but the only thing I noticed that said that was the sign next to the polishes in-store. The reason I say this is apart of a "collection" is because the colors are all bright and are in different bottles from the old Ulta polishes. If you use this link you can see the other polishes down at the bottom of the color options. These shades must be popular on sale because I was only able to grab Plum Perfect and I really would have liked to get Tutu cute (lilac purple) and Blue Streak (bright blue).

So here's Plum Perfect:

Indoors (above)

Outdoors-Sun shot

Outdoors-Shade Shot

This is my first Ulta polish and I must say I wasn't disappointed. The formula is not bad; its not too thick and dries quickly. Plum Perfect could have been opaque in one coat, but I did two here. The brush was fine too, wasn't bushy or have any wild stray hairs. I hate when a color is fabulous, but the brush makes application a nightmare. (Ahem, Maybelline Minty.) The only thing I regret is not being able to get my hands on the other fun shades that I wanted!

Nina Ultra Pro In a Tiff

2010-03-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

I've had In a Tiff for a while now, I won it in a contest from http://polishmayhem.blogspot.com
and I love it.

You've seen this before and you know all about Tiffany's trademark color. Gorgeous blue, what more can I say? Slight shimmer running through it that is really pretty. I can only say that I own two Nina polishes, but I really want more of them because the two colors I own are fabulous.

Deal: Physicans Formula BOGO Free

2010-03-16T16:43:00.000-06:00

Are you a Physicans Formula fan? If you register with their website through either of these links http://instantrewards.physiciansformula.com/ or http://www.facebook.com/PhysiciansFormula they will instantly send you a BOGO free coupon to use at Target in your e-mail. The coupon is good for any full size Physicians Formula product. I'm interested in these gel eyeliners reviewed on Nouveau Cheap.

They are also drawing winners for a $50 Target gift card daily and every 30 days for a $500 Target gift card, so good luck! I've already signed up. *Fingers crossed*

Sinful Colors Mint Apple + Comparison

2010-03-14T18:09:00.001-06:00

By now, you've all seen the gorgeousness that is Mint Apple. I have been at Walgreens a couple of times and put it in my cart and then didn't purchase it because I wasn't sure if I wanted it. Then, this Friday on a trip to Walgreens, I decided I wanted it once and for all. I scanned the display eagerly but I didn't see it anywhere. "Thats what I get for waiting", I thought to myself and walked off to browse other displays. Before I checked out, I decided to look for Mint Apple one more time and I found the last one! It was hidden behind 3 of some other color I cant remember the name of. I grabbed it up and went the cashier and wouldn't you know, it rang up for half off! Mint Apple, you and I were meant to be.

I thought that Mint Apple and Sephora by OPI Ocean Love Potion were in the same color family, so I decided to compare them. Now the obvious difference between these two polishes is that Mint Apple has a slight shimmer to it and Ocean Love Potion is a creme.

Without further ado, here are the comparison pics:

Ocean Love Potion is darker shade than Mint Apple. The other difference between these two is the polish formula. Ocean Love Potion has a thick consistency and Mint Apple is way thinner. With both of these colors, I used two coats and no topcoat. I am definitely loving the mint trend for spring/summer.

California Mango-Mango Miracle Cuticle Remover

2010-03-13T19:09:00.001-06:00

My cuticles and I haven't been friends in a long time. They've never looked the way I wanted them to and I figured they were going to be a lost cause until I either found a miracle product or visited the professionals. I tried and reviewed Sally Hansen Problem Cuticle Remover but after a while I stopped using it because I felt like it wasn't giving me the results I wanted. While shopping in Sally's Beauty Supply, I spotted California Mango's Mango Miracle Cuticle Remover. Miracle, you say? Well lets see if you can work one with these cuticles. At $2.79 I figured why not? Earlier that day, I had also picked up a 69 cent cuticle pusher from Walgreens.

The thing I probably disliked the most about cuticle work during my manicure was using orange sticks to push my cuticles back. I'm almost always out of them more often than not. This sturdy rubber cuticle pusher can be cleaned and used time after time.

The California Mango cuticle remover and the cuticle pusher have proved to be a winning team! I've never been so pleased with my cuticles! The directions on the bottle say to drop small amount in the center of the cuticle and wait about one minute. The remover works by gently loosening the cuticle tissue for push back and removal. I wait one minute and I use my rubber cuticle pusher and the process is a cinch. As an added bonus. the cuticle remover has a light fruity scent that is not annoyingly cheap smelling and overwhelming. I like that. I would definitely repurchase again. If you're in Sally's check it out!

Freebie Alert!

2010-03-12T16:54:00.000-06:00

Do you have a student ID? (If you don't, still keep reading) For a limited time it can get you a freebie at Bath and Body Works! I just got this offer in my e-mail and wanted to pass it on:

(this is just a picture, there's a link below)

Use this link to print the coupon ---> http://bit.ly/aULAoE
I knew that college was good for something! ;-)

Don't have a student ID? You can still get the lip gloss online. Just use the code STUDENT at checkout.The offer is good through March 21, 2010.

Happy Shopping!

Sally Hansen Gunmetal

2010-03-12T08:00:00.001-06:00

Sally Hansen Gunmetal is a beautiful polish. But thats not why I got this. I got it because it was called Gunmetal. In my head the conversation would go something like this.

Random person: Thats a nice color you have on your nails. What is it?
Me: *low voice* hisses, Gunmetallllll...
Random person: Surprised face :-O Oh, okay...

No?
Okay, so the conversation wouldnt go like that. Oh well. I just wanted to let you know that this color kicks butt and its called Gunmetal.

Happy Friday!

Updates! I know I've been M.I.A...

2010-03-11T19:11:00.001-06:00

First off, if you're reading this, Hi!! Thanks for supporting/keeping up with Polished Beauty Blog!I havent posted in a while, but its because I've been a really busy bee! This is my last semester as an undergrad (I'll graduate on my 22nd birthday, May 15th!) and I 've been working an internship with a wonderful HIV/AIDS agency. Its only been 8 weeks, but I feel as if working there is really increasing my awareness of the cause and helping me grow as a person. You'll see in the top right hand corner, I've a added a banner from www.nineandhalfminutes.org, a wonderful resource for learning more about HIV and AIDS. If you havent been tested, you can enter in your US zipcode and learn where testing facilites are. Since starting my internship, I've gotten tested and let me tell you; its quick and painless! No blood involved and in 20 minutes I had my results. My particular agency offers free testing so check and see if there's free testing in your area! Okay, I'm getting off my soapbox. For now... :-)

Okay, so I'm going to update you guys on some news and what you can expect in the following weeks from Polished Beauty Blog.

I'm very happy about something. Whats that you say? I noticed that I have 101 followers! Wow, I'm amazed that so many people are interested in my corner of the web! Thank you for your support. I really appreciate it. When I graduate and get a nice job, you guys will have the the opportunity to enter in a giveaway because I want to celebrate! Think of it as an I.O.U. ;-)

Next up, I recently received a blog award from Recessionista of Nouveau Cheap! Since discovering her website I've quickly grown to love and adore this blog. I've bookmarked it because she finds some of the best beauty drugstore deals ever! If youre looking for a drugstore product review before you purchase something, chances are she has it on her blog. At least this is always the case for me! Her reviews are well written and thorough. Love this blog. Thanks for the award and even stopping by my blog!

Upcoming posts: I've recently discovered my new favorite cuticle remover! I purchased California Mango-Mango Miracle Cuticle Remover from Sallys along with a 69 cent cuticle pusher from Walgreens and I have been in love ever since.

Sally Hansen Gunmetal was recently added to my stash. I'm just gonna admit it right now, I bought it simply for the name. I do love the color though. I just wore it all weekend last weekend and I don't want to see it for a while, but you guys will get to see it!

China Glaze Medallion. Fabulous gold glitter I got at Sally's when I happened to stop by one weekend and discovered there were having an additional 50% off sale on clearance items. Can you believe I had the hardest time figuring out what to layer it over? You'll see what I decided soon!

Whew, I think that's everything. I know I haven't been posting a lot but a lot of stuff has been happening in my personal life in addition to the things I just told you about. This has just been a very busy semester! I cant wait until its all over and I can rest. I apologize if I haven't been very active in the Nail Blog Network or commenting on your blog. I do try and go through all the blogs on my dashboard in the mornings though. I'm just continually playing catch up. One day, I'll get it together though.

Maybelline Minty

2010-03-02T08:00:00.002-06:00

Maybelline Minty is the latest from Maybelline and their limited edition Something Sweet collection. Minty is capitalizing on the mint green and pastel nail trends this spring. I've been wanting to try a mint green shade and this is my first polish of that color!

I love this shade, I really do. However the brush is terrible! It made application a nightmare. Hence, the polish around my cuticles. :-(

This is three thick coats because with the first coat, I realized thin layers was not going to cut it. The first layer was thin and streaky. I think the formula on this polish is weird. Call me crazy, but I'm still interested in the other polishes from the collection. I haven't heard bad things about their brushes, just this color in particular. If you're having trouble finding these at your local drugstore, check out Albertsons! Thats where I found this polish. Alberstons is having a sale on Maybelline polishes and they are $3.21 but there is also a dollar off coupon on the display so that brings the total to $2.21!

Do you want any polishes from Maybelline's Something Sweet collection?

China Glaze The Ten Man

2010-03-01T08:00:00.001-06:00

The Ten Man is from China Glaze's Wizard of Ooh Ahz collection released late last year. I didnt even want any polishes from that collection and happended to pick this up at Sallys on clearance without realizing it was from that collection! Its a bit on the the sheer side, but buildable with layers. Thats not even what I dont like about it though. I dont like that its not shiny, even with my super shiny Poshe topcoat and I think that has something to do with its frosty finish. So distract from the lack of shine, I did a little nail art on this manicure. I just used my black Art Deco nail art polish to add some stripes and polka dots and now I can live with it.

See how sheer it can be?

Now that I've whipped out some China Glaze and done some nail art, maybe I can get ideas for the Nail Blog Network contest?

LA Girl Allure

2010-02-27T16:47:00.000-06:00

Today we got lots of sun and semi-warm temperatures in Texas! So I decided to pull out a nice summer color for a matching manicure and pedicure. Fortunately, I will be sparing you the pedicure pictures, because I dont like pictures of feet. I own a lot of pink polishes, but this one is different. LA Girl Allure is a hot pink with beautiful golden shimmer running through it. Looks like its glowing in the bottle! I couldnt get a good picture of it of the bottle, but you can see the shimmer on the nails.

Outdoors (above)

Indoors

This is two coats + Poshe topcoat. It dries matte like a neon, but thats nothing that a topcoat cant handle.

Random Polishes in a Pretty Box!

2010-02-14T13:45:00.000-06:00

These polishes have no name, really no brand but you know what? I'm a sucker for cute packaging! Plus, I immediately liked the peach, yellow and purple so I took it home with me. Lets see if the polishes were worth it.

When I got home, I thought I had dupes for the purple and blue already in my collection. See:

I dont know if you can tell in this picture, but the new shades are slightly lighter than the Sally Hansen Blue Me Away and Zoya Malia.

So we have some winners in the bunch and some losers. First off, the brushes in these polishes are definelty LOSERS! They were wild and bushy and when I went back over my polish, it kept taking it off in spots. I hate that about these otherwise good colors. Drying time was fast, so complaints on that one. Lets see the winners!

*The Good*

Peach

Dark pink

Light Pink

*The Not So Good*

Blue: This would have been a good polish except for the fine black particles dispersed through this polish. No, I don't think it was intentional.

Light purple: What is with the streaking? Do you see that discoloration?

*The Bad & The Ugly*

Should I even show you this polish? Its that terrible. But on my behalf, those brushes were wide and out of control. I could not stop this from pooling around my cuticles and getting onto my skin. So here it is folks, the worst yellow swatch you've ever seen.

Yellow: *Cringes* This hurts my eyes. I love the color, but the brush really messed it up for me. I'm thinking about using another brush or emptying this into another bottle just because I want to try and get some use out of it.

So there, you have it. What happens when you try nail polishes from God knows where. At least some of them are salvageable.

Sally Hansen Deep Purple + Santee Purple Sparkle

2010-02-11T13:27:00.000-06:00

I actually have had SH Deep Purple for a while and cant believe I ever debated on getting it. "No, you have too many purple polishes, you can pass on this one." Thats what I said to myself everytime I saw it in the store. Then finally, I broke down and got it. This past weekend, I picked up the Santee polish for a dollar and it gave me the perfect reason to dig SH Deep Purple out! I think I picked up the Santee polish because in the store it reminded me of OPI Mad as a Hatter. Yeah, thats a long shot because when I got home, I realized it was glitter in clear base and was way less dense that MAAH. Oh well, its a win/win situation anyway.

Did you see the blue shimmer in Deep purple? Amazing, I tell ya.

Polish Bloggers Network: Lacquer Link Love 2/5/10

2010-02-05T07:34:00.000-06:00

Polishing the Nails showcases 3 new nail polishes in the cutest little bottles, in shades that are perfect for Spring.

Naive Nails shows off her Mannequin Hands using OPI's gorgeous shade Dulce de Leche. Trust me, these are not your typical mannequin hands!

Check out swatches of OPI Hong Kong's Meet Me On A Star Ferry from polishSWATCHES and dare to fall in love with this shade.

Travels with Euridice gives us a wonderful BB Couture comparison between Cap Haitian and OPI's Do You Lilac it. I think that she may have found a dupe ladies, what do you think?!

Polish Freak is glad she changed her mind and went back to grab Essie's Lilacism and now she's sharing it with the world! Beautiful color.

Cucumpear gives a go at a Gradient Glitter Mannicure and it leaves me thinking of the cosmic and stars. You definitely have to check out this glittery manicure that will remind of the twinkling stars.

Mannicure Mammas has found a new love and it just so happens to be OPI's Shim-Merry Chic. Have you seen it?

and now it's time for the Network Giveaways announcement...

Look who's having a celebration party!!! Join in on all the fun by participating in 52 Flavors Blogaversary Giveaway.

Tuli's Nails is hosting a romantic Valentine's Day Giveaway on her site and if you haven't had the chance to enter you really must do so. The goodies are extra sweet without the calories.

Can you name a dupe for this polish?! If so, leave your answer for your chance to win your choice of color from OPI's Hong Kong collection.

and Polish Freak is having another China Glaze Up & Away giveaway in lieu of her reaching 200 followers.

Taupe Polish: Hit or Miss?

2010-02-03T20:36:00.001-06:00

It doesnt matter if youre a polish addict, style watcher, trendsetter or whatever you proclaim yourself to be, you've probably seen this (or hopeful dupes) popping up on nails everywhere:

Now when I first saw this polish, I said to myself, "Eh, looks like dirt." Seriously. Taupe is not the first color family I run to when shopping for nail polish. However, despite my reservations for this color, its been flying off the shelves, seen on red carpets and runways and is now trickling down to the masses.

For what its worth, I decided to try the taupe trend. No, I didnt pick up this Chanel polish, so sorry to disappoint you if you were looking for yet another swatch of that color. I picked up its cheap, older sister that was obviously before her time, Maybelline Touch of Taupe. I found this at Dollar Tree! Obviously, I was not about to plunk down the cash for a trend I was just wanting to try for kicks.

This picture (above) is indoors + flash. It looks really light here.

I think this is a more color accurate representation of how it really looks in most indoor lighting situations.

So what do I think about taupe polishes after trying one? I think its a huge MISS! I don't like this trend at all because I really hate this color against my skin tone. This chica is brown enough, I don't need brown nails! Now if this is your thing, by all means, feel free to taupe it up! But me? I wont be following this trend.

The Color Workshop "Orange Shimmer"

2010-02-02T20:22:00.000-06:00

I've never heard of The Color Workshop until I got this from a coworker at my old job. I tried to google "The Color Workshop nail polish" and really didn't get much from it. I see that they sell makeup as well and you could find it on Ebay or Walmart.com, but that's all I got. This polish had no label. So I just decided to call it Orange Shimmer because that's what it looks like to me.

Indoors

Looks a little red here, but I promise its orange.

Outdoors

This was three coats + Zoya Armor. It really is a nice little polish, but sorry I cant even tell you where to get it!

Savvy Totally Teal

2010-02-01T09:57:00.000-06:00

Bottle Picture-Isn't it pretty?

I have a confession to make. I don't own a teal polish, this is my first one! I cant believe that I don't have this color in my collection, so glad I'm I picked this up at Sally's Beauty Supply. They had a dollar off coupon on the display, so it was 2.99 with my Beauty Club card (yay for savings!).

How it looks most of the time, indoors (above)

A little brighter, with flash

In addition to being my first teal,this was also my first Savvy polish and I must say I do like it. The polish wasn't too thick or thin, didn't pool around my cuticles and dried fast. Really, that's all I ask of my polish. I think I will be trying more of Savvy polishes in the future. They had some interesting colors, you can check those shades out here . Unfortunately, this is another polish that I've only seen at Sally's. If you know of anywhere else to get, let me know! Other than that, are you liking Totally Teal? Any other teal recommendations you have for me? I can tell this is a color I can get into!

Nina Ultra Pro Purple-Xing

2010-01-30T16:00:00.001-06:00

I posted a picture of this bottle on Twitter and asked people to guess what it was, and of course they got it! Purple-xing is a pretty popular polish but I am just now getting my hands on it, so you'll have to excuse me but I just fell in love with this purple polish. Look at that glitter! Come on!

This is only the second Nina Ultra Pro polish I own, which is a shame because I really do think they have some interesting colors. This applied like a dream, I mean really, the formula was just perfect. This is only two coats of polish, and I think if I layered one coat over a dark color it would look just as great.The only drawback is that even with a coat of Poshe, the finish still wasn't smooth. I don't know how it would have turned out with Seche Vite though. If you are a purple lover, glitter freak, or polish collector you NEED this color. It doesn't matter if you already own a purple glitter, get this one. Trust me, you wont regret it!

Nina Ultra Pro polishes are currently on sale for $3.29 at Sally's Beauty Supply. Unfortunately, that's the only place I've ever seen Nina polishes.

Do you already own Purple-xing? I'm sure a lot of nail polish fanatics already have it!

Polish Blogger Network: Lacquer Link Love 1/29/10

2010-01-29T07:43:00.000-06:00

A few fellow bloggers help Babbling Brooke come up with a Konad of the Day that's a dazzler.

Lavender lady bugs in silver spacesuits, Naive Nails shares her very cute, but accidental mani.

Bright Lights Big Color brings out the Vampy Varnish as she shows off the stunning OPI Blackberry Chutney.

Blogger Euridice continues with her Rescue Beauty Lounge binge posts and shares a limited edition polish we lacquer fiends love.

To help those of you who might be taking advantage of Models Own's special 72 hour sale and in celebration of the fact they now ship internationally, Helen's Nice Things has decided to compile some of her personal Model Own Swatches, for reference and your polish viewing pleasure.

Cucumpear shares with us her "applicious" mani that will surely leave you thinking about a Golden Delicious apple.

Polish Galore shows a shade I've deemed her new lucky polish and a few personal highlights as well.

Manicure Mommas has received her first Diamond Cosmetics package and shares with you the 8 new editions to her collection.

Polish Up breaks out a diamond dust polish and shows just how diamonds sparkle in the light and Chromatic Misadventures continues her "Week in Red" and shares with us different shades of this classic hue.

And now,

on to the Network Giveaways....

Tuli's Nails is having a fabulous V-Day giveaway for all her fabulous followers, so be sure to check her blog for the details!

Also, Babbling Brooke is having a contest to thank all of her wonderful followers and has tons of goodies she plans to share as well!

Blast from the Past :OPI Sonora Sunset

2010-01-28T08:12:00.001-06:00

Indoors (above)

Outdoor/Sunlight shot

This is two coats + Poshe topcoat.

This is an old OPI I found when I was volunteering in a thrift store sometime last year. Sonora Sunset is from OPI's 1998 Painted Desert collection! I was so excited to find a old OPI so I took it home without second thought. When I got it home, it was thick and clumpy and I thought to myself "What am I gonna do with this?" That's when I found my brand new, unused bottle of Poshe Polish Reviver (because I'd never had a reason to use it before). Polish Reviver, according to the bottle "revives thickened polish to its original viscosity, enhancing the flow for a smooth, professional looking application." I dropped a couple of drops of that stuff into this polish and voila! It was was smooth and gathering nicely on the brush! I was able to revive this polish and do a whole manicure, just as if I had opened a fresh new bottle of nail polish.I am absolutely in love with the possibilities now that I have my Poshe Polish Reviver!

China Glaze Vermillion

2010-01-26T22:59:00.000-06:00

Sun shot

So much to love about this polish. Sigh. Too bad I don't like reds, but honestly this is the best red polish I own. For a girl that doesn't like red nail polish, I sure do feel like I have a lot of it! The formula is AMAZING. This stuff glides on like butter and is opaque in one coat, but I did two for this manicure. Vermillion is apart of China Glaze's core line and they describe it as a creme, but honestly I think it kind of has a jelly consistency. If you a red lover or are looking for a perfect red polish, I suggest you pick this one up!

NYC Polyester Pink Creme

2010-01-26T12:00:00.003-06:00

I was browsing around Target and picked this up along with NYC Skin Tight Denim because it was 94 cents! Plus it really is a nice pastel pink. However, application had some issues. The consistency is thick but runny. Does that make sense? It seemed to like to pool around my cuticles (which I am very angry at right now) and I don't like that. I believe this is 4 coats + Poshe topcoat.

China Glaze Skate Night

2010-01-25T09:00:00.003-06:00

I'm just now getting around to posting picture of this craptastic manicure. I love China Glaze, I really do. However this polish chipped so fast on me! I believe Skate Night is from their Retro Diva collection, which had some real gems in it. However, Skate Night just didn't do it for me. You know, I was on the fence about this color to begin with because its a little red to me. Oh well, my mom loves it. I might let her have it.

This is two coats + Poshe topcoat.

Nailene French Tip Pen Review

2010-01-24T17:32:00.000-06:00

I was sent a bag of goodies to review from Nailene late last year and this French Tip Pen sat in the to be tried pile for a while. Now that I have an internship, I cant have wild and crazy colors on my nails anymore. Boooo! (Yeah, I know.) So I found this last weekend and decided to give it a try. Here is what I used for my manicure:

L to R: Essie Pink is the Link, Nailene French Tip Pen, Nailene top coat (wait, I actually didnt use that, it just came with the pen), Poshe Super Fast Drying Topcoat

When I opened the pen, it looked like a felt tip marker. Seriously. That must be why the packaging says "mistake proof". Really, this thing is so easy to use.

So the packaging says pearl white. I'm assuming they mean silver. Thats what it looked like on my nails. I used Pink is the Link as a base color just to even out my nail color and then 3 "coats" of the pen to make my tip. I dont think this pen uses regular nail polish, but more on that later. The consistency is a bit thin and it dries so FAST. Here is the manicure I did, and I also added a nail sticker just to spice it up a bit.

Now this is the first day of the manicure. I was totally in love with this pen. By day two, I began to notice chips and major tip wear. I attribute this to the "polish" in the pen, like I mentioned earlier I dont think its actual nail polish.

This is my only problem with the pen. Although, if I wanted to solve that problem, I probably could just carry around the pen and do touch ups. Application is easy and it dries fast. The packaging says for tips and toes, so maybe it would last longer on the toes? If you like french manicures and want to do one in a hurry, this would be the thing for you.

For more information on nailene visit thier website at www.nailene.com or follow them on Twitter.

Santee Vikini Green

2010-01-23T18:17:00.000-06:00

Yes, you read that right. The label on this polish say Vikini Green. What the heck that means, I have no clue. But lets move on, shall we? :-)

Here's something you rarely see from me; a green polish. I found this in my stash and figured, why not? Its the weekend. Since I have a internship now, uh I don't think I could get away with this at work.

A little brighter with flash outside

This is three coats + Orly Sec n Dry. The brushes on these Santee polishes are a wide and a little bushy in my opinion. Just when I need when applying a color like this. *rolls eyes* Other than that, this is a great little nail polish for one dollar, no?

Poshe Cuticle Care Review

2010-01-14T15:08:00.004-06:00

This is only one of two products I've ever tried from Poshe, the first being their Super Fast Drying Topcoat, which is fabulous. The one thing I would have to say that I like about it versus Seche Vite is that it stays shiny longer. I mean, even after 2 or 3 days, my manicures still look shiny. Okay, enough about the topcoat, on to the Cuticle Cream review!

Product description taken from the website:

Promotes Healthy, Smooth, Beautiful Cuticles

A unique blend of (AHA) Alpha Hydroxy Acids & botanicals specially formulated to exfoliate and hydrate problem cuticles and surrounding tissues.

Contains Alpha Hydroxy Acids & Botanicals 7% AHA
Both types - Glycolic & Stearic acids
Accelerates The Natural Exfoliation
Hydrates & Moisturizes Cuticles
Contains Antioxidants
To Promote Natural Healing
Refats The Lipids Of The Nail Plate
Refats the Lipids Of The Skin
Prevents Hangnails
Light, Water-based Formulation For Faster Absorption
Won't Cause Lifting
Won't Dull Polish Shine
Visible results within 1 week, with daily use

source

Whats the bottom line?

Well I haven't been using this stuff daily, just when I feel my cuticles are extra dry from constant hand washing and acetone. When I use it, my cuticles and the surrounding skin around my nails does feels instantly softer. I like the smell; its a light fruity smell, not too overpowering. Also I love the applicator tip, its great for precision application. Its skinny enough to trace a line of product right around my cuticles. I usually use CND's Solar Oil for my cuticles, but the advantage of Pose Cuticle Care is that it is a cream and I can take it with me and rub it in. There's no messy oil cleanup and I don't have to watch what I touch with my hands like after I use Solar Oil. Overall, this product is a winner for me.

NYC Skin Tight Denim

2010-01-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

I've actually been wanting this color for a while. Actually at first, I thought that I didn't need it because I have OPI Blue My Mind and thought NYC Skin Tight Denim was similar. I originally spotted it on Deez Nails and Ive been in love ever since. Without further ado (read: before I get to blabbing about how awesome this polish is) here is NYC Skin Tight Denim.

As Carrie from Sex and the City would say, "Hello, lover!" This gorgeous dark blue polish is worth every penny, and it only took 94 of them to get this. NYC Skin Tight Denim, is a deep dark blue that is opaque in ONE COAT. Seriously, I could have done one coat and been done. However, for this manicure I did two + Poshe topcoat, just out of habit I suppose. There's a lot of blackened blues out there, but this my friend, is not one of them. This blue is just about as dark as it gets I believe, before it starts looking black. So that means in any lighting, I still looks blue. I got a fresh bottle of base coat, so this was gliding on like a dream. It also dried fast, by the time I got done with my last nail, the first nail I painted was finished. The only thing I don't like about this polish is that it has that weird smell that all my dark blue polishes have. I don't know whats up with that.

Bottom line, NYC Skin Tight Denim is a winner!

NYC Times Square Tangerine

2010-01-02T19:17:00.003-06:00

The first post of 2010! I've been waiting on 2010 for quite some time. This May I will graduate from college and I cant wait. Then I can finally get a full time job to feed my polish, makeup and clothing addition. I can also get the Toyota Yaris I've had my broke undergrad eyes on. :-) While celebrating the New Year shopping at Target I decided pick up this orange creme from NYC. I don't have many orange polishes and at 94 cents I thought, "why not"? I've been avoiding oranges because they can be super bright and not so great against my skin tone. NYC Times Square Tangerine is a medium orange creme, indoors it looks darker and outdoors it looks brighter. The pictures are 3 coats + Poshe topcoat. I probably could have done 2, but I could still slightly see my nail line and 3 coats is just a habit to me.

So here it is, NYC Times Square Tangerine:

Outdoor + No Flash

Looks a little red to me, so of course this wont stay up long. This is the 2nd day of the manicure and I can already see some tip wear. :-( Hey, it was only .94 cents so no biggie. Also,

Happy New Year!
May 2010 be filled with love, laughter and good times.

Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil Winner!!!

2009-12-27T22:22:00.002-06:00

Thanks for all who visited and entered to win my Tropical Traditions giveaway! There were 24 entries in total, including all the entries on Twitter. So I counted them up, alternating between the comments on this post and the tweets and used Random.org to pick the winner.

Entry #2, a tweet from kandiedkeondra is the winner! Congratulations! Send me an e-mail with your name, mailing address and email address.
Thanks again to Tropical Traditions for sponsoring the giveaway and thanks for reading/subscribing to Polished Beauty Blog!

My Salon Tools Giveaway Winner Announced!

2009-12-22T17:28:00.002-06:00

Well, there were only two entries in this giveaway! One entry on Twitter and one comment on the post. So I went to Random.org to pick a winner out of the two. The number generator gave me the number 2, so ArtsyAndi you are the winner! Send an email to lachelle AT polishedbeautyblog.com to claim your prize.

Reminder: I still have a Tropical Traditions coconut oil giveaway so find out more information and enter to win here.

Sinful Frenzy + OPI Blue My Mind

2009-12-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

I'll admit, I've never been big on layering polish, especially glitter polishes. I'm like either the polish has it or it doesn't. However,lately I've been picking up some Sinful glitters that make me think otherwise. Frenzy is gorgeous all by itself:

I decided to layer it over one of my favorite blue polishes ever, OPI's Blue My Mind and I was pleased with the results.

Under my lamp + flash

Indoor + flash

With this manicure, I tried Posh Super Fast Drying Topcoat for the first time. I'd always wanted to try it but I had a bottle of Seche Vite and I had no need to get it. Finally, my SV has gotten impossibly low (and thick) so I decided to try Poshe. It dries just as quickly as SV and very glossy. It also smoothed this glitter polish so my manicure was very smooth to the touch. I have no complaints...I'm just glad that topcoats like Seche Vite and Poshe exist because I cant wait forever for my nails to dry. I don't know how I polished before without them!

Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil Review+ Giveaway!!

2009-12-20T21:30:00.000-06:00

Coconut oil is not just for cooking; you can use it for your hair! You'd only have to do a quick search of the Internet to find many coconut oil "recipes" for the hair. Two of my favorite hair sites, Long Hair Care Forum & The Anti-Hair Slave both boast the benefits of using coconut on hair. Here is more info from OrganicFacts.net:

"Coconut oil is one of the best natural nutrition for hair. It helps in healthy growth of hair providing them a shinny complexion. Regular massage of the head with coconut oil ensures that your scalp is free of dandruff, lice, and lice eggs, even if your scalp is dry. Coconut oil is extensively used in the Indian sub-continent for hair care. It is an excellent conditioner and helps in the re-growth of damaged hair. It also provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair. It is therefore used as hair care oil and used in manufacturing various conditioners, and dandruff relief creams. Coconut oil is normally applied topically for hair care."
source

So I figured I would try it out on my own hair. I currently switch back and forth between going natural (no longer getting a relaxer) and then giving up and simply "stretching" the time between my next relaxer. Regardless of what phase I'm in, I have new growth that needs special care. My new growth gets drier than the rest of my hair so I figured coconut oil could help me maintain it better and give it some moisture.

I've been using the coconut oil two ways.

Applying it daily to dry hair.
Applying it to my freshly shampooed hair, then mixing with conditioner. Put on a shower cap and let sit for 30 to 60 mins.

Both methods have been giving me good results but in different ways. For immediate results, option number 1 is the way to go. Immediately my hair was shiner and felt smoother. Coconut oil is a great daily moisturizer for hair in my opinion because it does not weigh my hair down. My hair is light and moves unlike when I use heavy hair grease or pomades.

Option number 2 is a great way to deep condition your hair and can be done with or without heat. Although coconut oil usually liquefies at temperatures above 78 degrees, I like to warm it in the microwave for less than 30 seconds. The warm oil feels great on my head and scalp. Then I put on my conditioner and shower cap. When its time to rinse my hair, it feels amazingly soft! After I blow dry my hair, it looks noticeably shinier than when I don't use coconut oil.

Coconut oil is amazing. Its natural and doesn't have any harmful ingredients that you cant pronounce. Its a great choice as far as money goes because you can buy a jar of coconut oil and it lasts a while. You can take some of it and put it in a spray bottle for your hair and then use the rest to cook with if you'd like.

So now that you've heard about coconut oil, wouldn't you like to try some? Tropical Traditions has offered to send one lucky reader some of their virgin coconut oil!

How to enter:

Leave a comment on this post with your e-mail address.
Subscribe to Tropical Traditions newsletter and let me know you did in a comment on this post
Send me a tweet on Twitter that says "I want to win the Tropical Traditions coconut oil giveaway!

This contest will end on midnight CST December 26th. Good Luck!

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

My Salon Tools Giveaway!!!

2009-12-17T17:16:00.002-06:00

The holidays are here and gift giving mood is in full swing! Need some last minute gifts or gift ideas? Maybe you want to give yourself a Christmas gift, I know am planning my MAC shopping trip for after the holidays. Well, My Salon Tools has offered to give one lucky Polished Beauty Blog reader a $25 gift certificate to use!

My Salon Tools is one of the newest eCommerce retailers specializing in professional-grade salon tools. Including hair straighteners, shears, blow dryers, and cosmetology school supplies.

They have just marked down their entire inventory of Kamisori shears for the Winter season, so start shopping and saving today!

There are two ways to enter:

Become a follower of my blog and leave me a comment on this post telling me what you want salon tool you want most at My Salon Tools.
Follow me on Twitter and reply to me saying "I want to win the @mysalontools giveaway!"

This contest will end at noon (12:00pm) CST on December 22, 2009. I will announce the winner on either Dec.22 or Dec 23. Good Luck!

Sephora by OPI Ocean Love Potion

2009-12-16T21:44:00.003-06:00

So this is my first Sephora by OPI polish and I am very happy with it. I love the long handle and the bottle shape. It looks so much NOT like an OPI polish and I like that about it for some reason. I picked Ocean Love Potion, from the Mermaid in the Shade collection, because I have nothing like it in my stash. Of course, I could have picked the infamous 212, but this cheery blue called my name from the swatch lineup. Actually they have a pretty decent range of colors in the Sephora by OPI collection which you can check out here.

I thought this would be the perfect polish to make me feel better about my new shorties. I had to cut & file my nails down after taking off my falsies, so I'm back to my natural nails. This is two coats because this was pretty opaque and topped with Seche Vite.

American Apparel Nail Polish Launch

2009-12-16T15:33:00.005-06:00

I got some information in my e-mail today about American Apparel's new nail polish line. Here are some pictures:

Taken directly from the press release:

American Apparel Nail Lacquer is priced at $6 per bottle and is available in a 3-pack for $15. It will be sold at American Apparel stores worldwide as well as online. The nail polish is DBP, toluene and formaldehyde-free. The full color palette, ingredients and photographs can be found in the American Apparel web store.

Looking at the first picture, I am most interested in that mint green (Office) and that gray next to it (Factory Gray) on the top row. I found out from the press release that "Office -- was matched to the color of an accounting notepad found on the seventh floor of American Apparel's headquarters. Factory Grey is the actual shade used to paint all floors of the company's manufacturing operations." I think that's pretty cool, so I want to get my hands one some of these. source

If you're interested, you can check out swatches or order these on American Apparel's website.

Sinful Pinky Glitter + Orly Passion Fruit

2009-12-14T21:31:00.005-06:00

I bought four Sinful polishes because they were BOGO free this weekend! Unfortunately they are no longer having this sale, but they are always at my local stores 2 for $3. Here is the first one I tried out, Pinky Glitter, on top of Orly Passion Fruit. This is only one coat of Pinky Glitter so the glitter is kind of subtle.

With Orly Passion Fruit:

In other news, I've ordered my first Sephora by OPI polish! I cant wait until it gets here to show you guys. Plus I have 3 samples waiting on me in that order + a YSL mascara sample! I'm really starting to like that store and that is only my first Sephora order...can you believe it?

Zoya Hot Lips Review

2009-12-10T17:55:00.005-06:00

At the beginning of November, when Zoya did their Hot Lips Promo (In case you didn't know about this promo, it pays to follow Zoya on Twitter!) I took advantage of the deal and got three of the lip gloss that I had been wanting to try. Although I took note of this event and made a mental note to order, but I almost forgot really close to the deadline. So, I ended up picking three very quickly and was almost disappointed when they came to my house looking all alike.

L to R: Kiss Kiss, Starlet, Sweet Tart

One of the main reasons I wanted to do a review on these was that when I was searching for swatches, I couldn't find any on brown girl skin. :-( One of the problems I have when buying lip gloss is wondering if the color will actually show up on my lips. So first, here is a picture of them swatched on my arm:

Same order, L to R: Kiss Kiss, Starlet, Sweet Tart
They actually look the same in the tube kind of, but different on the skin. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the color showed up on my brown skin, so go Zoya for making these glossy lip balms that actually show up well on all skin types!

Here's my favorite of the bunch, Kiss Kiss, on my lips:

The consistency of these are really thick which is great in my book. They are really moisturizing in my opinion, since its been really cold here in Texas lately (yes, I said that) and my lips haven't been feeling dry since I keep one of these in my bag.
Another thing that I ended up loving was that they are applied using the ball at the end of the tube. I wasn't too fond of that at first, but since I use them on the go a lot, its convenient for application when I'm not near a mirror.
I thought they were really small at first but its okay because a little goes a long way with this product.
One thing that I didn't like, and this may just be my personal experience, is that on my favorite one, Kiss Kiss, the tube split open right under the cap. It is a slit going halfway around the opening so when I squeeze the tube, the product oozes out of that slit as well as the ball tip. I have to be careful about either not squeezing too hard or using that product that comes out of the slit.

Overall, I felt these were great. They moisturize and give your lips nice color and really isn't that what all great glosses and balms do? Well these do and they are a good buy. You can check out more swatches or order them here.

P.S. Did you notice this is my first non-nail related review? You're welcome to leave any feedback in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Disclosure Statement

2009-12-06T21:42:00.004-06:00

This policy is valid from 06 December 2009

Here's my disclosure statement. I will be putting a link to this post somewhere on my blog!
**EDIT: You can find this link for future reference right under the About Me section, above the followers box**
_______________________________________________________________
This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact lachelle AT polishedbeautyblog.com.

This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

The compensation received will never influence the content, topics or posts made in this blog. All advertising is in the form of advertisements generated by a third party ad network. Those advertisements will be identified as paid advertisements.

The owner(s) of this blog may be compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners. If we claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider.

This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

Recent Manicures

2009-12-06T20:33:00.006-06:00

I just wanted to show you what I've been doing with my nails lately. As a college student, I dont have the money to buy every new collection that comes out so I have to come up with inventive ways to be happy with the polish I currently own. Lately, I've been doing my manicures weekly. (gasp!) because I've been so busy with school this semester and I just haven't had time to do my usual 2-3 polish changes a week. One thing I've found that helps me keep a chip-free manicure all week is fake nails. I've been using Nailene nails, here's a picture I twittered of them:

My polish never chips on fake nails and I can play around with the length. With the ones pictured above I actually don't clip them because they come to a perfect manageable length, but when I want longer nails, I usually use some Kiss nails.

So,to do something different to my manicures, I've been painting one nail a different color from the rest of the nails. Like an accent wall, ha! See...

Claire's Black and Sally Hansen Celeb City

Also with Sally Hansen Deep Purple and SH Celeb City:
A note about that polish I'm holding in the last picture, Nailene Acrylic Strong Protecting Topcoat. I underestimated that topcoat. To my surprise it dried very quickly and glossy. You can never have too many quick drying topcoats in my opinion.

So what do you think about painting one nail a different color? Would you try it?

Upcoming posts on this blog:

I'm going to try and post my review of the Zoya Hot Lips glosses I ordered when they were doing their Twitter promo.
A review of coconut oil I'm going to use on my hair.
My experience with my first MAC foundation

Now I know these are not nail related posts, but I fully embrace all things beauty so I want to try and branch out for a little. Keep reading and we'll see how that goes!

LA Girl Rockstar | Punk

2009-11-22T21:13:00.005-06:00

I'm on the fence about this one. I think its just because I thought it was purple in the dimly lit store I bought it in. There's a dusty old grocery store in my town that still has price stickers on everything but is a hidden gem filled with OPI, Orly, China Glaze, LA Girl polishes and all kinds of nail treatments. So I put up with the less than ideal lighting conditions. Now Punk is a gorgeous color for what its worth, I just expected a purple. So here it is...

With flash indoors:

It looks different here:

Punk is a blue polish packed with blue and purple glitter. It took three coats to achieve the color in the bottle. I want to try other colors from this line, a lot of them are really unique looking. You can check out the rest of the colors at Cherry Culture where they are on sale for $2.80!

Nailene Goodies! Review...

2009-11-15T23:24:00.008-06:00

So I was sent some products to review from Nailene and look what a pretty bag they came in:
The contents inside the bag:

So I'm pretty excited about these products, but especially the Couture nails (style 71165). They have black zebra tips and they are really cute. However, the first set of nails I tried was French finish, the third box from the left (style 77484).

Here they are individually:
Lets start with what I love about these nails.

There's 36 nails in 18 sizes, that means you, yes you should be able to find nails that fit!
On the back of the box, it says they are designed "flex to fit" either flat nails or high arched nails.
The pinkish tint to the nails didn't even look weird against my skin tone

With that said, on to the pictures!

Above: The nails on my pink DayMinder. Yes I plan my life in pink. Or I like to think so.

I think these nails look great! The whole process took me less than 30 minutes and I've noticed that I can get a week's wear from Nailene nails. Overall, I think they are one the best at home nail kits you can buy. They get an A from me. You can find out more about Nailene at their website. Do you wear fake nails? Ever tried Nailene nails? Let me know!

I'll be posting the other nail kits pictured above later so check back later if you'd like to see them!

Hard Candy Polish Shopping Tip

2009-10-23T16:19:00.004-05:00

If you didn't already know, Hard Candy is back in the nail polish business! I cant wait to get my hands on them, especially this baby:
However, I haven't seen them at my local Wal-Mart! I don't know if you've had success at your local store, but there is a solution! You can order them online at Wal-Mart's website and the good news is that they are just 97 cents to ship!

Hope this helps anyone where these are hard to find. Happy Shopping!

Nailene Deluxe Salon Acrylic Kit Review: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

2009-10-22T19:00:00.013-05:00

I did it folks. I tried acrylic nails. The pictures that I am going to show you are of my second attempt. The first time I tried the kit was this past Saturday and let me tell you, that was not pretty. I figured out what I didn't like about the kit and what I could improve the next go around. Now this second attempt is still not perfect, but I promise you its better than the first time. You don't want to see that, trust me. *shudders* On with the review!

First, let me show you the kit.

This is how it looks all nice and new in the packaging. You can find it any almost any drugstore, Wal-Mart, Target or online places like Amazon.
Here is my kit, opened and the additional tools I bought. I will explain later why I bought the extra stuff.

Contents: Clear acrylic powder, acrylic liquid, ultra quick nail glue, primer, buffing block, nail file (not pictured), dappen dish, manicure stick.

The back of the kit where you can store nails:
It came with 20 clear tips and 20 white tips.

The additional tools I bought:

L to R: Oversize nail cutter for acrylic nails, flat acrylic brush, extra white nails tips.
I thought it was really hard to clip those long acrylic nail tips with regular fingernail clippers,so I had to get the oversized ones like you see in the salon. It made the process so much easier the second time around because it eliminated trying to cut the nail in a straight line and excessive filing. You still have to file your nails with the oversize clippers but not as much. When I used the regular sized fingernail clippers on the nails, my nails looked like a crooked picket fence, no lie! I also bought another nail brush because I thought that the brush that was included was small, so the new one was bigger, flatter and wider. I thought that helped with application of the acrylic. Not pictured was nail glue I used because the glue in the kit was horrible. When the nails weren't busy sticking to my skin, they were coming off my natural nails.

Okay on to the nails. Here's the finished product. Again, not perfect! Left hand:

Right hand:
Can you tell that this hand's nails are a little shorter?

Side view:
Blurry pic of both hands:

My overall experience with this kit was good. Once I figured out what I needed to change, the application went smoother. Once thing I do highly recommend is those oversize nail clippers, they shaved 30 minutes off of the total application time, it went from a two hour ordeal to a hour and a half. I must say though, expect to to spend some time buffing your nails once you finish applying the acrylic. Some of my nails I applied a bit too much acrylic and it takes some time to buff out the uneven lumps, although I didn't get them smooth as I would have liked it. The truth was I was little tired so I just decided they would do. Also, I found that Seche Vite doesn't work as well on these nails as my natural nails, it didn't give me the shine that I wanted so I used Zoya Armour. There were some really good, detailed instructions included in the kit that I think would help anyone who is a beginner (like me) that wouldn't know what to do.

Bottom line,I would recommend this kit. It gets a thumbs up from me! Anyone else ever try to do their own acrylics? Or do you want to try your hand at acrylics but haven't? Let me know!

My attempt at a gradient manicure

2009-10-20T08:00:00.001-05:00

Notice, the key word in the title of this post, attempt. This was much better in my head, but not so great in translation. I like the new color I made though. Here are the colors I used:

Zoya Malia as the base, China Glaze Grape Juice as the second coat, Sinful Colors Purple Diamond as the third coat.

The manicure:

I think I'll try gradient manicures again, but with other colors. Pink and blue come to mind...

____________________________________________________________

** A NOTE ABOUT COMMENTS LEFT ON MY BLOG*

I've been really busy with school and projects lately so I may be slow to responding. However, I DO appreciate all the comments you've left! Thanks for stopping by!

Santee Sky Blue

2009-10-02T08:17:00.003-05:00

Sunlight

Indoors

Another day, another Santee polish. Now I normally don't go for pearl/metallic finishes on my polishes because I don't like the streaky appearance they give. However, this blue was just so pretty to me I had to get it. I keep wanting to call it Ice Blue instead of Sky Blue and I don't know why. This is four coats + Seche Vite! Why four coats? Well I could have stopped at two, but it was still too pale for me, so I did three. However, I hit my nail on the table and made a dent in my polish. So there goes the fourth coat. In the end, I like the depth that four coats gives this polish color. It dried pretty quickly. I still don't think I care for this type of polish though.

Santee Black Hole

2009-09-29T13:29:00.002-05:00

Here's a polish I picked up a beauty supply store. It was a buck and I figured it was worth it! I thought it was a good chance to try out a color I wouldn't normally pick, being that it is brown. How did it work out? Well let's see...

It's a nice medium brown with golden shimmer. That being said, I have no idea why the name of this polish is black hole. Black? Not hardly. In fact, in these pictures it looks a little red to me. Go figure. This was three coats. This is my first time using Santee polishes and I think they are good quality for a dollar. This one required three coats to get to the opacity that I like but that's not a big deal. It also dried fairly quickly. I have two more Santee polishes to show you, so stay tuned to check them out!

Essie Pink Parka

2009-09-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here is the other polish I received from my Twitter friend, RebeccaKaz! How did she know that I loved pink? Hot, neon, retina burning pink? Hmm, is it that obvious? I honestly squealed when I got this out of my mailbox!

This is three coats of Essie Pink Parka from their Fall 09 collection + Seche Vite. It dried quickly and matte because its a neon. I used three coats because it was kind of thin, but those three coats were absolutely worth it! I love that they released this for a fall collection, because I promise you I will be wearing this even in the dead of winter. Finally, someone gets it! I knew I loved Essie for a reason.

CND Colour Effects

2009-09-21T16:19:00.004-05:00

While browsing around CND's website to check out their new release, Colour Effects, I found out that you can request/win a sample. Just visit their website by clicking this link to request yours. The offer is open to residents only in the United States and there will be 1,500 lucky winners who will receive a bottle of Colour! You will have to fill out a short questionnaire to enter.

While you're on the website be sure to play with their demo of the color effects! Also check out Mary's post at Body and Soul Beauty about the effects she made.What do you guys think about this new concept? At first, I didn't get what the deal was, but after seeing the possibilities I'm sold!

*Picture taken from http://fashionindie.com/get-yourself-800-new-shades-from-cnd/

Essie Matte About You + My Favorite Purples

2009-09-20T14:43:00.009-05:00

One of my lovely friends on Twitter, RebeccaKaz, sent me Essie Matte About You topcoat! So this post is possible because of her! Thanks again! I love Essie's Matte About You, I mean its a great solution to the matte nail trend. You can use it to make any nail polish you already own matte. It has a smooth velvet texture when it dries. There's nothing I don't love about this topcoat! So while looking through my stash, wondering what to try it out on first, I came across Sinful Colors Daddy's Girl. I also gathered 3 more of my favorite purples to try out. Here they are:

L to R: Zoya Hope, China Glaze Grape Juice, Hot Topic Iridescent Purple, Sinful Colors Daddy's Girl

The before picture: 2 coats of each polish with no topcoat:
L to R: Daddy's Girl, Iridescent Purple, Grape Juice, Hope

These polishes are already so gorgeous, lets see them with Essie Matte About You.

I love all of these polishes with the matte topcoat! But guess which ones are my favorite?

Zoya Hope + Matte About You. Isn't this a great purple to matte? I didn't cover all the polish with topcoat though,so a little glossy polish still remains by my cuticle. Besides that, I love this!

I saved the best for last. Hot Topic Iridescent Purple is already gorgeous. With the matte topcoat, I think it becomes even more dramatic. I love it. I'm going to do a whole manicure with this one and the Essie topcoat. You can see the purple and blue shimmer in it as well.

I'm sold on Essie Matte About You. That's coming from someone who didn't like the matte trend at first! Did you love these purples with a matte topcoat? I did!

LA Girl Matte Polish Contest Winner!

2009-09-18T12:20:00.003-05:00

Today, we have a winner for the LA Girl Matte Polish contest!

Uneautre!

I will be sending you an email soon so I can get your mailing address. Thanks for all those who entered my contest! I hope to have more giveaways so keep reading Polished Beauty Blog!

Have a great weekend everyone!

LA Girl Matte Giveaway!!!

2009-09-13T00:00:00.002-05:00

After overwhelming response to my poll about this giveaway (11 responses, lol) I have decided to go through with it. Thanks to all who voted! My first giveaway and this makes me happy! Plus, I haven't seen these LA Girl Mattes anywhere. I even checked their website; nothing. I picked three polishes to give away; I know I said four, but things change.

Here is the prize all together:

The colors individually:

Matte Orange. Doesn't it look like orange sherbet?

Matte Pink. I couldn't do a giveaway without giving away my favorite color!

Matte Alpine Green. I just thought this would be a cool green to give away. Reminds me of an old chalkboard.

How to enter: Leave your name and e-mail address in the contest form below! Tell me which one of these colors you like the best. That's it. :-) The contest will end this Friday, September 18th at midnight. Only open to those in the US. Sorry, but I cant afford international shipping just yet.

Thanks for reading Polished Beauty Blog! Good Luck!

Would you be interested in a matte nail polish giveaway?

2009-09-07T19:47:00.004-05:00

Hey guys, I saw a LA Girl Matte nail polish display today at the drugstore that was absolutely fabulous! Look:

Now I know some people were sick of the matte trend (raises hand) but these colors have totally shifted my interest! These are not the normal colors I've been seeing from every other collection. Look there's a sherberty-orange on the bottom row! So if you have been interested in matte polish and havent gotten your hands on any yet, a giveaway might be the perfect opportunity. Or if you want to see some new shades that havent been "mattified" then this would be good as well. I would pick 4 shades from this collection to give away. ----> Please take the time to vote in the poll on the right hand side under the about me section and let me know if this giveaway would be worth doing!

If this is not a giveaway you would be interested in leave me some comments on what you would like to see. Thanks for your input!

TJ Maxx and Albertsons Goodies

2009-09-07T14:49:00.007-05:00

It's Labor Day for us here in the US! What does that mean for me? A free day from school and work and I'm going to use it to the best of my ability. Shopping! Here are some things I have picked up or spotted last week and the goodies I got today.

First, I tweeted about Albertsons having the Wet n Wild Color Craze collection for $1.49! I even took a picture on the BlackBerry to prove it! Don't sleep on Albertson's. They always have something unexpected,( hello, CND Solar oil? ) or things on clearance in the makeup aisle.

I also picked up Sally Hansen Disco Ball there too:

Sparkly goodness! It was $2.24 I believe.

Last, but not least today I took a trip to TJ Maxx and I found Essie and Barielle goodies! Both for under 9 dollars! I'm on a college student budget so this was right up my alley! I wanted to hug the store associates!

Both of these were 3.99 apiece! They also had Barielle basecoats and topcoats there but the Growth Activator was what I was most interested in so I got that. The Essie kit has a mini crystal nail file! How great is that?! It also includes Pink is the Link nail color and Sensitivity base coat. This set was in support of breast cancer awareness and it came out in 08.

Also while I was at TJ Maxx I spotted Rescue Beauty Lounge bath and spa products! Follow the link to see which ones I'm talking about! At TJ Maxx ranged from $3.99 to $12.99 in price, which is a huge discount because their regular prices start at $20.00! I personally did not like the smells so I didn't pick any up but I'm interested in the quality of the products since they are from RBL.

So are you going to scour the aisle at TJ Maxx and Alberstons now? If you do, let me know what you find!

Sally Hansen Violet Sparks

2009-09-05T21:35:00.004-05:00

This is a polish given to me by one of my coworkers :-) Its a polish from Sally Hansen's old Xtreme Wear line and it is a light purple, lavender shimmer. It is pretty sheer, this is three coats + Zoya Armour but I can still see my nail line. On another note, I chopped my nails down again. They were all different lengths; however my index finger is filed funny now that I look at it. LOL

Revlon Runway Collection Nails in Starlet

2009-08-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

I was sent a box of the Revlon Runway collection nails to try and I decided to show you my favorite design first! This is Starlet (91102) and I think these are pretty cool, they add a little glitter twist to a plain french manicure. If you want to see an even cooler twist to these nails check out this, she's amazing! Here's the manicure I did using these nails:

What I liked about these nails is that they were long enough to cover my own nails with the exception of my thumb. This is actually the length I want my natural nails to attain, so its a little inspiration.
The nails come with a buffer and a manicure stick! Two things I cant have enough of because I'm constantly doing my nails! The buffer is so that you can prepare your natural nails for the fake nails. Manicure stick is for cleaning excess glue.
These nails are tinted light pink so they are supposed to match your own nail bed more closely...I dont think it did for me.
There are 24 nails in this box,so you can find sizes to match your own nails, which is great! Have a big thumbnail? Tiny pinky nail? Chances are there's a nail in there for you!

Overall, I there are more things I like than dislike about these nails. The thing I dont like the most? Removal. You have to soak these babies in pure acetone to get them to dissolve. So when you're ready to remove these, find a great movie or your favorite TV show and a bowl to put your acetone in. Then sit down and enjoy soaking your nails because youre going to be there for a while!

You can find these at CVS for under 7 bucks.

The Last of My Orly Once Upon A Time Swatches

2009-08-27T17:03:00.008-05:00

Remember when I said earlier that I won 4 of the Orly Fall 09 collection polishes from the wonderful Mary at Body and Soul ? Well I finally got around to getting those other 3 polishes swatched. Blame it on my camera! The batteries died...

Prince Charming was the one I was most excited about, I don't own anything like it. Ironically, it was the last polish from the collection that I tried. I think the sheerness of the polish scared me off. I put one coat on my thumb and the polish was sheer and runny! So I put it back up until I felt like facing it. The end result? Pictures first, opinion second.

Hmm. I don't love this on me. In certain lighting, like the first picture, I can like it. However, I cant constantly be in that particular lighting all day so I just can live with this on all day. I have nothing bad to say about the color; its edgy, out of the box, different, whatever you prefer. It just doesn't work on me. This is three coats + Orly Sec n Dry topcoat. I didn't like the thin, runny consistency of this polish.

Happily Ever After:

Haha, the name reminds me of the song by Case. Anyway, if I dont see this polish for a while, I will be Happily Ever After. I wore it for 3 days last week, starting Friday, and I never wear polish that long. Unless I absolutely love it of course. I took a trip home and I thought I could deal with this on my nails all weekend. Um, no. I have nothing agaisnt the color, its my first berry color! It even has very subtle shimmer in it. This is only two coats, thats all you need, this is nice and opaque shade. I used the Orly Sec n Dry topcoat.

I cannot figure out where the pictures of Poison Apple went! I promise I had them, I cant find them on my computer and definitely not on my camera. Hmm. If you want to see a swatch of it, check out Brittany's at Clumps of Mascara.

Thanks again Mary, for these wonderful polishes!

Essie Pansy

2009-08-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today's manicure is Essie Pansy, which they describe a "tropical, hot pink for splendid days in the sun". Put simply, its a medium pink creme and I cant resist a pink creme! I just did a little nail art on my ring finger with my LA Colors Art Deco nail polishes. This three coats + Seche Vite. I could have done with two coats, but three was just my personal preference.

I know a lot of nail bloggers don't like Essie because they play it safe with their colors, but when I'm looking for a nice pink, I know I can find one with them. I think their polishes also make some of the best french manicures. To each their own I guess, I still heart Essie.

Orly Pixie Dust

2009-08-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is one of the four polishes I won from the Orly Once Upon a Time collection thanks to Mary at Body and Soul. In the package she also included a very pretty thank you note! How nice of her! I never thought I would like a gray polish but this gorgeous shimmer has made me think otherwise. In some lights, I even think it looks a little blue! It took three coats to get to the bottle color. Here's the bottle in the sun:

I love that rubber cap, it makes it so much easier to grip while applying polish.

Now on to the polish on my nails:

A note about my index finger: This fingernail is infamous for having splits so I tried out these nail bandages I got from Sally Beauty supply. I don't think I filed it down good enough to make the surface smooth. So I will give that a try again. Anything to not have to cut my nails! I hate when they get to a length I like, then some of them split.

I will try and do the other three polishes I got in one post so that way I do not draw out a collection that most of you have already seen!

Zoya Hope

2009-08-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

Another great polish from Zoya! Here's what their website describes it as: Magenta lavender metallic with metallic shimmer finish.
Woah! And I was just going to say its a gorgeous deep purple shimmer but their description sounds so much better. This is two coats + Zoya Armour topcoat. I could have honestly been fine with one coat because that's all it took to get the bottle color. This is tied with Malia for my favorite Zoya purple. What's your favorite Zoya purple?

Essie Peach Daquiri

2009-08-15T19:47:00.005-05:00

Today's manicure is one I gave to my mother! I painted her nails better than I paint my own, lucky her. I gave her the star treatment since she came up to visit me and I missed her :-) I filed and buffed her nails and massaged her hands with CND Solar Manicure. She likes coral colors, so Essie Peach Daquiri was right up her alley.

This is two coats + Seche Vite. The formula on this was very good, went on smooth. I told her she would be good to go and she wouldn't have to sit around waiting on her nails dry with the Seche Vite. I think she's a believer now! On her ring finger, I added a little nail art and she liked it. I don't think it was my best work but she liked it so I'm going to go with it!

You'll have to come see me next week for another Manicure, mom!

I Took the Plunge...Matte Nail Polish!

2009-08-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

I said I'd never do it. However, I couldn't resist ordering one of the Zoya mattes when they had their Zoya 5000 offer. I picked Dovima, a black shimmer, with the intent of putting a topcoat on it. I've seen this polish with a topcoat and I think it's better that way. Also, I felt I wouldn't be making an informed decision to dislike mattes if I'd never tried it. So here it is:

I don't like it! Mattes just don't do it for me. But that bottle does. It's frosted, like the polish is suspended in ice. The polish is very smooth to the touch, Matte Velvet is the perfect name for it. Here it is with Zoya Armour:

If I ever buy another matte, it will be a color that I just want to slap a topcoat on. But I don't know why I would do that when there are plenty of gorgeous cremes I have yet to get!

Zoya Ali

2009-08-11T09:44:00.007-05:00

Ali, the way you make me feel...to steal a page out of MJ's book :-)
A lot of nail polish bloggers have their favorite color; for some its green, some blue or for others it may be purple. But me? I've loved pink since before I started blogging. Even with all the wonderful colors I've discovered since getting into nail polish, pink is still my first love. Nothing lifts my spirits like a hot pink manicure.

I used a Zoya trinity: the base coat Anchor, Ali and topcoat Armour. Color Lock! This manicure isn't going anywhere! Here it is, the beautiful Ali, in all it's Zoya glory:

I tried to promise myself I wouldn't order another pink from Zoya, but I couldn't resist. I love pink cremes! The formula on Zoya polishes is amazing! This went on smooth and dried quickly and matte since its a neon. Immediately I thought to myself. "How does this stand up to my China Glaze Shocking Pink?" Well, Ali takes it up a notch! It's even brighter!

A picture of me holding both with Ali on my nails:

I'll still be wearing this in the fall! I don't care how many vampies come out, this one will be year around for me. Who says I have to follow the rules?

Lady in Red Nails

2009-08-10T17:51:00.004-05:00

Here's what inspired me to do "Lady in Red" nails. I say inspired me, because I didn't do the exact same nails, but a version of them. I wanted to do the original but last night I could not find white nail polish. It was too late to go to the store too. How does that even happen?! Check out the hotness:

This nail design is enough to make me overcome my aversion to red nail polish! Well, just for this manicure. I love this color theme, I want to do my living room in these colors. I digress...

Anyway, I made some changes to my manicure. Like I said, I didn't have the white polish so I couldn't do the white tip in Step 1. Also, I'm kicking myself for not getting rhinestones so I couldn't put them on, like in Step 3. Instead I used a dotting tool to make red dots in the grid squares and it didn't come out as well as I pictured it. I only did the design on two of my fingers on each hand and it suits me just fine. This design on every finger might have been too much for me. Okay, so here's the final result:

The polishes I used were:

Claire's Black (no name on the polish)
OPI Himalayan Hideaway
LA Colors Art Deco polish in white
Stripe Rite polish, silver glitter
Seche Vite