Category: Nails
Lael & The Zoya Color Lock System
Since I was off on New Year’s Day, I had time to relax and try out the full Zoya Color Lock System, which I received in Zoya’s Cyber Monday Mystery Bag.
I started with Zoya Anchor Base Coat. It quickly dries absolutely clear and smooth. I then tried out 2 coats of Zoya “Lael” – described by Zoya as a deep, saturated red-toned plum purple with a shiny creme finish. It’s not quite as dark as Julep “Padma” or “Logan”, but it’s pretty dark. It’s shiny on its own, but once I added a coat of Zoya Armor Top Coat, it was almost a mirror finish. I did NOT try the Zoya Fast Drops – even though Armor isn’t a fast dry, I felt like it dried really fast. After 30 minutes, I unloaded and loaded the dishwasher and scrubbed some dishes and they were still flawless. Unfortunately though, I managed to get some sheet impressions and slight dents in my nails while sleeping last night. *sigh*
I also did my toes. My toenails were getting so long that they were hurting my feet! I cut em back and painted away. My toes will be the real test of how well the Color Lock System holds up…
New Year’s Eve Fireworks
My son demanded that I do fireworks on my nails for New Year’s Eve. I couldn’t leave him disappointed.
After Sinful Colors Base Coat, I started with 2 coats of Sinful Colors “Starry Night” for the night sky. I made the fireworks with a few quick swipes with one of my dotting tools. I chose my shimmeriest shimmer polishes for the fireworks: Nicole by OPI “On A Gilt Trip” (this one has been seeing a lot of action lately), Zoya “Bobbi”, Julep “Dahlia”, Zoya “Cassedy” and Julep “Tin Man”. Sally Hansen Diamond Flash made my nails super shiny.
Logan was very proud of my nails and was sure to tell everyone last night that he was my inspiration. Love that kid!
She’s Dead – Wrapped in Plastic
Here it is – the first of the Twin Peaks polishes.
This is Hare Polish “Wrapped in Plastic”. The base is a translucent blue, the color of Laura Palmer’s skin. Inside the polish are white, aqua and iridescent gold glitter. The polish is a bit thick. I could have gone for a sheerer look and used one coat, but I had to go for two coats, so it got really thick around the edges. I got a few chips in less than 24 hours, but I was sloppy with the top coat, so it might not be the polish’s fault. I think it would also look fantastic with a matte top coat.
As usual, Orly Bonder on bottom and Sally Hansen Diamond Flash on top.
See the first collection HERE…and OMG, they just came out with a second Twin Peaks Collection HERE. I NEEEEED the Garmonbozia!
Xmas Present Round-up
I had a beauty-tastic Xmas!
My sister knows how much I love Betsey Johnson, so she got me a HUGE Betsey makeup bag with flowers and skulls. Inside the bag was an ionika paddle brush and a My Beauty Spot Perfect Eyebrow Design kit. I wonder if my husband will let me use the eyebrow set on him?
My BFF outdid herself this year. She got me the “Welcome to Twin Peaks” Set from Hare Polish. I had no idea this even existed!
The polishes are “The Owls are not What They Seem”, “Wrapped in Plastic”, “The Knockouts of the Double R”, “Damn Fine Coffee” & “The Red Room”.
I’ll be wearing one…or all of them – when we go to the Twin Peaks Festival next year!
Not only is my BFF enabling me, but now she’s enabling Lily. She gave Lily the OPI Coca Cola 10-pack of Style, which has 8 mini bottles of polish (“Coca-Cola Red”, “Today I Accomplished Zero”, “My Signature is DC”, “You’re So Vain-illa”, “Sorry I’m Fizzy Today”, “Get Cherried Away”, “Green on the Runway” & “A Grape Affair”), plus Nail Envy nail strengthener and Top Coat.
I asked her if I could borrow them and she said, “No – you have enough of your own polish.”
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Noir Mi Amor
This is THE best PixieDust from Zoya – “Noir” Ultra PixieDust.
Zoya describes it as deep, vampy plum textured PixieDust with red Mega Hex particles…but I say it’s FUCHSIA.
Instead of starting with a naked nail, I started with a coat of Orly Bonder. It didn’t do shit, because after a round of pots & pans, I have significant edge wear on my right hand. Oh well, I was going to repaint tomorrow anyway.
C’est la vie.
Xmas Tree Nail Art
Finally! I finally ventured into the world of nail art…
I decided to start with simple Xmas trees. After Orly Bonder, I started with one coat of Nicole by OPI “On a Gilt Trip”. I then used my largest dotting tool to create trees with Julep “Priscilla” – Emerald for May. I used a smaller dotting tool to create ornaments with Julep “Oscar” and Funky Fingers “Red Ryder”. I painted a thin layer of Sally Hansen Diamond Flash over JUST the trees to maintain the matte finish of “On a Gilt Trip”.
It didn’t take nearly as long as I thought it would…just 30 minutes or so. They’re not perfect, but they’re pretty darn cute if I do say so myself.
A Julep Gift…for Myself
A few weeks ago, Julep was doing daily specials and one day, they had a gift box with any three polishes for $19.99. That’s a great deal…but the 30% off coupon code in my last Julep Box made it even better – $13.99 for 3 polishes.
I got “Serena” – Sapphire for September, “Julie” – Pink Tourmaline for October, and “Joni” – Citrine for November.
I am trying to finish off the Birthstone Collection, but the site is totally sold out of “Savannah” – Topaz for December. I hope it comes back soon…
Snowpocalypse Nails
I’m back! I spent a few days over at my sister’s house, while she she was giving birth to a little Xmas Elf.
I originally intended this to just be a background for some Xmas Tree nail art…I had ambitious intentions…but alas, I ran out of time on Sunday night. After Orly Bonder, I did 2 coats of Sinful Colors “Cinderella”, one coat of Funky Fingers “Elsa” (There are snowflakes in “Elsa”, but I didn’t manage to get a single one out of the bottle) and one coat of Sally Hansen Diamond Flash.
I was still hoping to add some nail art on top of it…until I busted the nail on my middle finger last night. FUUUUUDGE!
Merry Xmas to Me: Part Deux
Ostensibly, I only went to Ulta yesterday to pick up one thing. Zoya recently announced that they are retiring ALL of their Pixie Dusts. Even though they are BOGO on their site right now, I didn’t feel like buying enough ($55) to qualify for free shipping. So I figured I could use my $5 off $10 coupon to make my own BOGO. The only Pixie Dust I really HAD to have was Zoya “Noir” – a black and fuchsia mix.
But then I remembered that my sister has been repeatedly recommending the Freeman Beauty “Black Sugar & Charcoal” Mask/Scrub. Wouldn’t you know that they’re BOGO right now? So I also picked up the “Dead Sea Minerals” Clay Mask. But as I was walking around, I was the Ultra Chi Holiday Display…
I made an executive decision to put my husband out of his misery and complete his Xmas shopping for him. Normally listed at $149.95, the Holiday Ultra Chi Tourmaline Flat Irons were $99.95. With another 20% off coupon, that’s $79.96. I know the holiday irons will go on sale after Xmas for $79.95 anyway, so why not buy it now? I also had a $10 rebate debit card from buying heartworm pills – thanks Dottie!
They even had one that perfectly matches my car! The box says Magenta, but whatever. It also came with a free Rose Gold carrying case. Nice.
I didn’t even bother wrapping it – I brought it to my BFF’s last night and had Loo show me how to use it. I looked like Donna from “That 70s Show”. It made my hair straight, so I guess it worked!
Flamingo Bestie Nails
My bestie and I have so much in common…growing up in the same shit town…a deep-seated hatred of the human race in general…a passion for makeup, fingernail polish…and flamingos.
During our last lunchdate at Fuckrudder’s, she presented me with a bottle of Sinful Colors “Unwrap Me” – black and red/pink.whatever glitter. It wasn’t even a Christmas present – it was just because! I decided to try it over 2 coats of Sinful Colors “Forget Now”, which is quickly becoming my go-to pink. The pink/red/whatever glitter is almost exactly the same shade as “Forget Now”, so it catches the light “just so”.
Again, Sinful Colors Base Coat and Sally Hansen Diamond Flash.
As for the metal flamingo ornament, I think I bought it at Target several years ago? It’s huge and I love it…