Tag: Fingernails

 
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She’s Gonna Kill Me, Oh Celeste

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Julep “Celeste” lives up to it’s name – it’s a real Timebomb. She’s gonna kill me and I don’t mean softly.

Julep describes “Celeste” as cosmic gray iridescent glitter, but it comes across as really dense purple/green flakies. It’s absolutely celestial., like looking into a faraway galaxy.

After starting with Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat, I did two coats of “Celeste”, which was tricky – it’s super goopy. As long as you keep the brush from getting gooped up, it applies smoothly. “HK Girl” finished the job.

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Queen of Hearts

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FINALLY! I can get the fucking glitter out of the bottle! Thank you, Funky Fingers “Queen of Hearts”.

Seriously, it only took a bit of brush swirling to fill the brush with hearts. I had to do a fair bit of dabbing and dragging to get them flat on my nail, but at least I could get them out of the bottle. Funky Fingers does NOT skimp on the glitter. “Queen of Hearts” is a clear base with black, white and red (several different shades of red – so one of them is sure to match whatever you’ve got) hearts. SO many hearts.

Starting with Sinful Colors Base Coat, I used Sinful Colors “Black on Black” and “Under 18” – two coats each. After two coats, the hearts seemed to “sink in” and are not totally flat, but I think it looks kind of cool. A coat of “HK Girl” smoothed it a bit, but I can still feel the edges of the hearts.

So…Valentine’s Day s tomorrow…2 more days until 50% off candy!

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Starfish Kisses

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Countdown to February 15th – the REAL holiday – when all the candy is 50% off.

I started with Sinful Colors Base Coat and then two coats of Sinful Colors “Starfish”. (“Starfish” is the EXACT color of Spongebob’s best friend, Patrick Star!) I topped with Sinful Colors “Love Sprinkles” – different sizes of white and light pink with white hearts. Again, I was a fishing fool, trying to get those hearts out of the bottle. Dammit Sinful Colors, make it easier to get that shit out of the bottle! I closed with “HK Girl”.

I bet you’re wondering what “Starfish Kisses” are…I’ll never tell…but if you look on my window sill, you’ll find some…

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Go Broncos?

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Obviously, the Broncos won because of my nails. Obviously.

I was happy to have a reason to use my “Horses” Jamberry Wraps – so I chose orange and blue to go with them. The orange is Julep “Mariska” and the blue is Sinful Colors “Endless Blue”. To jazz them up, I used essie Luxeffects “Set in Stones” and “Summit of Style” – but honestly, I can’t tell which is which. I used Sinful Colors Base Coat and “HK Girl” to start and finish my nails.

 

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Birthday Nails

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I was agonizing over what polish I should pick for my [40th!] birthday nails…until I got this month’s Julep box…then I knew.

Julep “Rosie” is charcoal grey with magenta glitter…and I LOVE it. It’s reminiscent of Zoya “Noir”, but in a smooth glitter formula. After Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat, I laid down two coats of “Rosie”. On the first coat, I noticed immediate shrinkage around the edges of my nails. Sigh. I made sure and coated the tips well on the second coat, but the polish still drew away from the edges of my fingernails, leaving a sliver of white fingernail at each tip. Le sigh. I sealed it with “HK Girl” and hoped for the best.

I had a very pleasant [40th!] birthday…work was low key, got my Tieks, had a lovely raw ribeye with the family, and didn’t find any new wrinkles or have hot flashes. Life is rosy…er, Rosie.

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Black Gold

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Black gold…Texas tea…

I was afraid this combination would look trashy, but it turned out fairly classy. After Sinful Colors Base Coat, I painted two coats of Maybelline Color Show “Twilight Rays” on each nail. “Twilight Rays” is black with a strong gold shimmer. I thought it would be more subtle, but it is really striking. I used essie Luxeffects “Summit of Style” to accent my thumb and ringfinger – I got it on clearance at HEB yesterday for $4.22! This is just one coat of “Summit of Style” – I think I could get full coverage in two, maybe three coats. I sealed the deal with “HK Girl”.

It’s funny how essie “Set in Stones” is blindingly blingy, yet “Summit of Style” is more understated – more like gold jewelry instead of diamonds. My luxeffects collection is almost complete…

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Midnight Jewels

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Maybelline ColorShow “Midnight Blue” is an inky dark blue. At a glance, it appears black, but it’s blue enough that I was able to photograph the blue easily. When I bought it a few weeks ago, I was thinking that it was a jelly and I would get sheer coverage. I was wrong, it’s a creme – full coverage in two coats.

To jazz it up, I added Sally Hansen “Family Jewels” on my thumb and ring finger. “HK Girl” sealed the deal.

I wasn’t sure what to use for the base coat, so I just used the usual – Sinful Colors Base Coat. I’m definitely expecting stained nails after taking it off though. The price of beauty…

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The Vegas Challenge

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So…my dear skeptical husband didn’t think I’d be able to last 5 days in Las Vegas without painting my nails. That sounded like a challenge to me!

I’ll admit, I cheated a little bit. I was careful to choose very light polishes that would wear well…but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t have had a freak slot machine accident that mangled a nail. I started with Sinful Colors Base Coat and then a single coat of RUFFIAN “Sahara”. I then sparkled up with THREE coats of Nicole by OPI “Pick of the Glitter”. THREE. I was hoping for fuller coverage, but it’s not bad. I’m still gonna need a chainsaw to get it off. I finished up with “HK Girl”.

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Just in case, though…I took “Pick of the Glitter” with me, in case I needed a touch-up.

Turns out, I didn’t need any touch-ups. Although there is major edge wear – there were no major chips. Actually, the new growth and my cuticles look worse than the tips.

Toodles, I’m going to go look for my chainsaw…

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On Thursdays…

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…we also wear pink.

I had intended to post these nails yesterday, under the cute title, “On Wednesdays, We Wear Pink” – but my hosting service decided that Wednesday evening was a really good time for maintenance, so we also wear pink on Thursdays now. Deal with it, loser.

This is Sinful Colors “Zest of Times”. It’s a very sheer, jelly pink. A Barbie pink. I kind of wish it was more opaque, but if wishes were horses…

I started with Sinful Colors Base Coat, two coats of “Zest of Times” and then “HK Girl”. Three or four coats probably would have given me the opacity I was looking for, but ain’t nobody got time fo’ dat.

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I Got Trouble

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It’s a thrill when you you open up the mailbox to find a package you’ve been waiting for…but it’s even MORE of a thrill when you open it up and find a package you weren’t expecting.

I was tickled to receive an envelope from my friend (and most frequent commenter), Luci, sent me nail mail! She had a few polishes that were not getting the proper love at home, so she sent them to come live with me! She sent 2 Deborah Lippmann polishes – “Fashionably Late” and “Ya Got Trouble”, I’m guessing from the 15th Anniversary Set “I’ve Gotta Be Me”.

Which one to try first???

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“Ya Got Trouble” was a no brainer. It is a beautiful multichrome that shifts from brown to gold to greenish to purplish. I love how all Lippmann polishes are named after songs. “Ya Got Trouble” is from The Music Man.

I started with Orly Bonder and then painted two coats. The first coat was a bit streaky, but the second one gave full coverage. Finally, “HK Girl” to seal it.

It’s been 24 hours and no major chips…although I have a bit of edge wear on my left hand. It’s not tragic – I can wear this color at least one more day, maybe even two.