Category: Nails

 
+

Noir Mi Amor

[ipic id=”884876655861700688″ link=”1″ float=”left” size=”220″ current=”live”]

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

[ipic id=”883375922221947127″ link=”1″ float=”right” size=”220″ current=”live”]

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

[ipic id=”882762599306631941″ link=”1″ float=”left” size=”220″ current=”live”]

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

[ipic id=”877895335486954221″ link=”1″ float=”left” size=”220″ current=”live”]

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…

+

A Unicorn in Lederhosen

[ipic id=”876450797190912452″ link=”1″ float=”left” size=”220″ current=”live”]

I ended up with this fantastic “Unicorn in Lederhosen” ornament at Chinese Christmas last year…AKA White Elephant for everyone else. (It’s not racist since we ARE Chinese?) Anyway, my cousin Kate knew I would absolutely steal this from anyone who picked it, but I got lucky and picked it first.

This is a glitter gradient with Funky Fingers “Triple Dog Dare Ya” over Nanacoco “Illusionist”. “Illusionist” was a bit thin, so I used two coats. I am in lust with the fuchsia and blue glitters in “Triple Dog Dare Ya”. I need to make it a permanent part of my glitter rotation.

For some odd reason, the tips started chipping immediately – even with the Sinful Colors Base Coat and Sally Hansen Diamond Flash. Next time, I’ll use Orly Bonder with the Nanacoco.

+

December Beauty Box 5 – Merry & Bright

[ipic id=”875629110413236577″ link=”1″ float=”left” size=”220″ current=”live”]

I got my Beauty Box 5 and Ipsy bag on Saturday, but as you can tell, I’m getting a little backed up in hoard…

This month’s theme is “Merry & Bright”. This is a very odd box. Inside: Jaqua “Pink Champagne” Hand Creme with Meadowfoam Seed Oil (What the fuck is meadowfoam? It kind of smells like diaper ointment…); Absolute! New York Nail Polish Remover Pads in “Lavender” (I tried it last night and after some furious rubbing, I got all the polish and glitter off one nail. There is NO WAY one pad will work on all 10 nails. It’s non-acetone and smells like freshly poured asphalt, NOT lavender); Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Mostiurizer (I’ve heard good things about Juice Beauty – excited); Nanacoco Nail Polish in “Emerald” (So pretty); and Lucky Brand “Lucky Number 6” (a spicy, oriental scent that reminds me of B&BW “Japanese Cherry Blossom”).

No makeup. What????

+

Barbie Bride

[ipic id=”874294188264135023″ link=”1″ float=”right” size=”220″ current=”live”]

Forget the Ugly Christmas Sweater – now I feel like a beautiful Barbie Bride!

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure “Sweet Talker” is a pale, pale pink.(I got it in my Allure Beauty Box a few days ago!) It’s a thin, milky polish and was still streaky after the second coat. I might have been able to get a smooth finish after three coats, but since I knew I was gonna put Julep “Chatoya” over it, I didn’t bother. (It will be relegated to the “undercoat only” pile.) Julep’s site describes “Chatoya” as a bright platinum glitter top coat, but upon close inspection, it’s a mix of silver and rose gold glitter – and absolutely stunning. Again, I used the Sinful Colors Base Coat and Sally Hansen Diamond Flash, which is quickly becoming my go-to combination.

Although I didn’t have it in mind when I picked this nail polish combination, it perfectly matches my vintage Barbie Bride ornament, which also adorned my wedding cake oh-so-long-ago. (Poor Ken is hidden behind my hand.) I can’t wait to show off more of my Xmas ornaments…

+

Ugly Christmas Sweater

[ipic id=”872790641018149299″ link=”1″ float=”left” size=”220″ current=”live”]

Behold…the nail polish version of the Ugly Christmas Sweater.

My husband does NOT like this at AT ALL. All he would say is that it’s “not pretty” – which is just him being nice. It’s beautifully hideous if you ask me…

After Sinful Colors Base Coat, I used just a single coat of Sinful Colors “Sugar Sugar” and a thick, goopy coat of Funky Fingers “Fra-Gee-Lay”. Sally Hansen Diamond Flash smoothed down the goopy, stacked glitter. My husband said it felt like modeling clay after it dried – smooth, but rippled.

Isn’t that cupcake ornament cute? My mother-in-law gave it to me a few years ago. I just wanna lick it!