Hey guys! I wanted to apologize for the recent silence. I normally post at least once a day so I got a few questions since I’ve been quiet for the past 3. Truth is, I just needed a bit of time! Hubby is on night shift this week & we don’t get to spend as much time together so it was nice to have a relaxing weekend tomorrow. I have lots of swatches, new products, & reviews coming up but tonight will be a quick post!

I have a few of the shades in this OPI mini set so I passed it up when it first came out. I wouldn’t have looked twice except these would be perfect on trips or to throw in my bag for a touch up. A few of my very favorite OPI shades are in this set so clearly I already have full sizes but these minis are great! Plus, the brushes aren’t terrible like on most minis. If you are new to OPI, looking to try some basic shades, or looking for the perfect shades for travel this is awesome!

Left to right: OPI Alpine Snow, Bubble Bath, Tickle My France-y, Kiss Me On My Tulips, Red Lights Ahead…Where?

Left to right: OPI Big Apple Red, I’m Not Really a Waitress, You Don’t Know Jacques, Vampsterdam, Lincoln Park After Dark

Like I said, this was picked up from ULTA on clearance. I can’t guarantee it will be at your local store but if it appeals to you I think it is worth checking out! Full price was $24.99 but I got it for $14.99…glad I waited!

Anyway, I’m excited to be back to blogging normalacy & to share some seriously cool stuff! What are your favorite OPI shades, especially the core shades? I’ve been picking up quite a few recently & loving them!

So I have picked up quite a few Hard Candy polishes on my own but So So Sequins was sent to me & I’m really excited to show this to you! It was sold out at my Walmart when I went to get a few. I’m absolutely in love…all that bling!

Hard Candy So So Sequin- Dense silver-y pink micro hex glitter, silver holo micro hexes, & medium fair blue hexes suspended in a clear base. Seen here in 2 medium coats on bare nails. No top coat.

For only $3.97 each & available exclusively at Walmart, this line is definitely a big hit. With uniquely fabulous glitter, glass fleck, & other combinations I’m very impressed. This glitter is a bit on the thicker side of nail polish but I personally like that because I can wear it alone or over a base. I’ve read a few bloggers saying that the glitters are thick but that doesn’t bother me. If you have issues, I recommend dabbing or adding a touch of thinner.  The holos really pop & this mixture is just lovely!

**This polish was sent in consideration of review. All opinions are my own.

When I purchased the Flower Beauty Blush & Bronzer Duo in Ready, Set, Glow! I also picked up this polish. This is such a me color so I figured I’d go with something safe for a new line. There wasn’t a huge display of varying shades but they all looked pretty wearable. They retail for around $5 & are both 3 Free & promise shiny finish. Shiny you say? I’m in.

I’m so bummed I couldn’t get this to photograph quite right. This actually looks completely blue leaning but it isn’t. It definitely has some green & is brighter. #bloggercolorissues

Flower Beauty Good Bud-Dy- A beautiful blue leaning teal. No shimmer. Shiny finish. 2 even thin coats.

I really loved the formula on this! I was afraid it was going to be too thin upon first coat but it evened out rather nicely! The color is fabulous, just as pigmented as in the bottle. Plus…no staining! It is actually brighter than my pictures suggest which tends to stain on my nails. I’m impressed. I’ll definitely be picking up some more of these polishes & hope they’re just as good. So far, 2 big hits from the Flower Beauty line. Great job Drew Barrymore, you nailed it! (har har har)

You can only purchase Flower Beauty at Walmart. For more information about Flower Beauty, see my prior review where I lay all that out. After I removed the Gelish & CND manicure I’m excited to be back to swatching! I have loads of polishes to show you so stay tuned!

Let me start out this post with I read all the Oz books & was super excited for this collection. When I first got the press release I was a bit shocked. This collection didn’t say Oz to me at all. Not only did it lean crazy neutral but there wasn’t a green in sight for either Emerald City or Theodora. I feel like the didn’t do it justice. I reviewed the Urban Decay Glinda & Theodora palettes & they were much better representations. I’m still disappointed but I did find one polish I really wanted from the beginning which is what I’ll be showing you today. I’m considering getting What Wizardry Is This? as well but for now Lights of Emerald City is what I have from this OPI collection.

OPI Lights of Emerald City- A clear base packed with shiny larger white squares & medium square iridescent glitters.

So it is really pretty right? This formula wasn’t great & I found placement a bit finicky. I really like the iridescent type glitters because they shift from gold to green to copper depending on their base. I prefer it over black but I figured I’d show it over a few brighter shades since it looks a bit more fun & that’s what I happened to be wearing.

So if I can deal with the formula goop then what’s my damage? These squares aren’t really squares…. 

Now that you can see them up close can you tell that they aren’t quite cut right? & it isn’t just a few of them either, definitely most of them. My Revlon Heavenly didn’t have this issues & I picked it up for less than half the price. Worst of all, out of the 2 glitters, the white stands out a lot more so it looks pretty apparent to me that these squares are mutants. At first I thought I got a bad bottle…but no. The PolishAholic has swatches & her white squares look the same & so does Manicurette’s swatches on her post. I’m disappointed that they clearly had an issue across the board & sent it out anyway. Again, disappointed in the Oz collection from OPI. I’ll probably still wear it but it honestly makes me angry right now so I’m putting it up for awhile.

To see what my base colors are, see my post here about the Minx nails I tried & the CND/Gelish combo I’m wearing.

From the first release I knew I wanted OPI When Monkeys Fly! which turned out to be a complete curling mess. After seeing swatched I knew I wanted OPI Lights of Emerald City & now I’m so bummed with it although the iridescent glitter is really pretty.

Have you tried this polish? What did you think of the OPI Oz Collection? Do you think it embodies the film?

When it comes to manicures, I’m usually an at home kind of gal. My nails are always chipping (I type all day & play with cosmetics which warps my polish pretty bad!) plus I’m constantly changing shades. Whether I’m swatching for the blog or popping some new nail art onto my tips I’m constantly changing things up! But sometimes…I just need a break. I’ve been swatching so much lately that my poor nails needed a break. In stepped the wonderful Stacey at the I Salon & the generous samples from Minx. Keep reading to find out my thoughts!
“Minx is for a person who loves life and enjoys standing out from the crowd. We say that ‘Minx extends fashion to your fingertips,’ and in just a few years we’ve seen Minx become a fashion necessity. Our vision is that the fashion-conscious will not feel their ensemble is complete without their Minx. Minx is such a fun and fashionable product it is hard not to fall in love with the attention you get when wearing it, and if we felt that way, we knew millions of other women would, too!”

Minx products were completely new to me before a few weeks ago & with the nail design craze I was excited to see what made them different. Minx is a professional brand (as in they are to be professionally applied) & have been popping up at fashion shows, on celebrities, & in salons across the country. I’ve tried CND at events, lots of gel polishes at home, & tons of printed nail options so of course I was all in.

Visiting Stacey at the I Salon in Omaha, Nebraska was an absolute pleasure. She was professional while still making me feel comfortable, like I was chatting like a friend. She specializes in Minx & other non-conventional manicure tools & techniques so she was a great choice! I’d had a few designs sent to her from Minx (although you would let your salon know beforehand & they’d order them under normal circumstances!) so we went about deciding what I was going to put on them!

I opted for a new design called Leah Light Superstar in Silver & then went about picking other shades to complement the design. Although many Minx designs are fully opaque this one is clear so you can choose the color beneath. It has been so dreary here that we went with some nicely bright colors (would you expect anything demure from me?) from CND & Gelish which I’ll detail below.

Purple (shown in above photos)- Gelish Star Burst
Teal- CND Hotski to Tchotchke
Blue- Gelish Ooba Ooba Blue
Orange- Gelish Orange Cream Dream
Pink- Gelish Shake It Till You Samba

Stacey applied them with a starter base, color, then topcoat which were all cured under the UV light. Then she applies & trimmed the Minx & they kind of shrink up a bit on your nails under a light. For a bit of added staying power she added another top coat & cured it. Minx nails are meant to last up to 14 days but between baking, dog grooming, general cosmetic ridiculous-ness, & typing all day I found them starting to lift at the corners after about the 5 day mark. On the 7th day I peeled the stickers off (with no damage to the nails underneath at all with the gel manicure!) & went about enjoying my plain nails. I even did some swatches of OPI Lights of Emerald City over them so you’ll be seeing those soon!

I can honestly say if I wasn’t constantly changing my nails, my mind, & my stash around that I’d wear some form of gel or shellac year round. Stacey did an awesome job & I was so happy with everything about my nails. I finally had to soak them off today after a much needed swatching break because I have so much to show you guys! I definitely want to get them put on my toes though, I don’t change them hardly ever!

I recommend shellac & gel manicures to everyone already but I am really happy to have learned more about Minx. Although I don’t think it is as long wearing they have some amazing patterns & statement designs. Everything from holiday to mirrored metallics to fun patterns. Whether you’re a nail tech looking to amp up your salon with something new or a customer looking for special occasion or seriously fun nails, Minx could definitely be for you!

A huge thanks to Minx for allowing me to try out their design & of course Stacey for applying them & manicuring my poor nails for me! You can visit the Minx website to learn more & if you happen to be looking for a great manicure in the Omaha area, check out Stacey & contact her through her facebook page or her blog!

**Minx designs & manicure were provided in hopes of review. All opinions are my own. This is not a sponsored post.

I’m really enjoying these new texture polishes but this one ranks up in my favorites. While some won’t like this at all I find it completely different from anything I own. Why? Because it looks like burning volcanic rock on my nails. Embers & blackened coal. It is quite a stunning site! I’ve also swatched the OPI Liquid Sand polish in Can’t Let Go & the Zoya Pixie Dust Collection which are also texture polishes.

OPI Liquid Sand in Stay the Night- A black base with faded red/pink small glitters. They remain shiny so they are visible. This has a “Liquid Sand” finish which means it dries matte, textured, & glittery.

I bought this at ULTA after trying out one of my minis in an OPI set. I adored the fire ember effect & it is just too much fun. I think it is just so different from any of the other texture polishes so it is a bit special. I’d love to see a line for textured seasons or elements!

What do you think of this polish? Are you loving or leaving the nail polishes coming out lately with texture finishes?

This has taken me forever to get up & I do apologize. These are absolutely me glitters because they are a bit wild & have black pieces in them. I had some issues picking which colors I needed (because I could have easily bought them all) & ended up with 3 shades. I really wish there had been a black & white one offered to make up for the disaster from the China Glaze Cirque collection.
Each glitter is comprised of black & one other color. The black pieces are micro hexes, small hexes, medium hexes, large, hexes, & extra large hexes along with longer bar glitter that is thin which I usually call wispies. For the color pieces we have micro hexes, small hexes, & medium hexes. All are suspended in a clear base.

China Glaze Graffiti Glitter- The emerald shade totally drew me to this shade & it said “buy me now!” so of course I listened like the total psycho I am. Seen here over China Glaze Def Defying.

China Glaze Bling It On- The color in this particular shade is what I usually call washed jeans. It is a mix between blue & purple. Seen here over Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Raspberry Race.

China Glaze Glitz ‘N Pieces- I felt like this was the awesome basic shade I needed & I’ll probably use most because the main shade is silver. Seen here over China Glaze Hanging in the Balance.

These are still floating around some of my local Sally stores but I know you can pick these up online as well. What do you think of these shades? What are your favorites?

Zoya has done it again. They’ve made my nails so happy & my creative side beam. Textured, matte, & gloriously sparkling I am one satisfied girl. I haven’t been in a super creative mood lately so the new texture wave is just in time. These are my favorite shimmering option so far because they just have the perfect application, texture, & wear. I’ve gotten about 4 days of wear without chipping which is a big deal without any top coat. What are my favorites from the Zoya Pixie Dust Collection & how do they look on the nail? Keep reading to find out!
 Zoya PixieDust Nail Polish Collection

Infused with magic and wonder! The latest “must-have” nail polish finish – textured, matte and sparkling! This newly developed formula is sure to captivate with a magical sparkle and sugary finish like no other. The color experts at Zoya have created six, long-wearing stunners for the introduction of this enchanting look.
 
IMPORTANT PixieDust Application Information –  Do not use a base coat or top coat. Apply 1-3 (for full coverage) thin coats of polish. Allow product to dry down completely matte in between layers for full textured effect. The PixieDust textured formula may take up to 10 minutes to dry completely matte. Once dry, the textured finish is long lasting, matte and ultra-glittery!

In case you missed it, don’t put top coat on these! That totally ruins the texture. I’m not quite sure why you can’t use a base coat, I’m assuming it has something to do with its ability to grip to the nail? All of the shades swatched below are 2 coats. I was told to expect longer dry time but honestly I found it pretty average. After all, you aren’t adding a fast dry top coat so it will be a bit longer for me in general.

This is Zoya Vespa, I thought I’d show my nails before clean up. You can see the texture ridges & they’re a lot like fine sugar/sand. They aren’t awkward shades to wear though, they don’t grip or snap at all. You can see a few specs of glitter on my fingers pre-cleaning so you can see it isn’t shimmer powder but actual glitter! Add a top coat & it becomes a regular polish with a shiny finish. It is like having two polishes in one!
 

Zoya Vespa-  A matte, sparkling, sugar textured pale green with silver fine glitter.
I love this one so much! I am a sucker for greens, probably because it is absolutely unnatural for the nails. This is so soft which makes it that much more wearable if textures have you a bit wary.
 

Zoya Chyna- A matte, sparkling, sugar textured rich red with red fine glitter.
This is the only shade that doesn’t have silver shimmer…& it is spectacular! This has me inspired to keep an eye out for more combinations, can you imagine a purple & aqua or a red & black? Ah! This one is absolutely gorgeous & shimmers a bit more I think than the others. Gorgeous with a top coat too!
 

Zoya Dahlia- A matte, sparkling, sugar textured black with silver fine glitter.
It is a glittery black, you know I love it! This isn’t an intense black because it is mattified but it definitely is edgy looking.  I love this so much! I actually wore this one for the longest amount of time.

Zoya NYX- A matte, sparkling, sugar textured pale periwinkle blue with silver fine glitter.
This screams dainty & spring. I think periwinkle was the perfect shade for this collection because it is definitely a shade perfect for the upcoming season. Plus, it looks super feminine then with the texture it looks really interesting.
 

Zoya London- A matte, sparkling, sugar textured grey with silver fine glitter.
I love greys, especially grey with silver. They make me happy. I wear grey year round because its awesome so this will get a lot of use.
 

Zoya Godiva-  A matte, sparkling, sugar textured nude beige with silver fine glitter.
I honestly thought this was going to be the only shade I disliked so of course AI absolutely love it. Its so light that it blends into my skintone a bit but warmer. This is the perfect work shade if you want something different or if nudes just aren’t interesting enough for you. It is glorious & I had serious issues taking it off because I liked it that much.

You can purchase these shades from Zoya’s website & also spot them at your local ULTA store. In case you missed my Summer 2013 announcement about the new Pixie Dust shades from Zoya you should really check that out! I’m beside myself with excitement!  

What do you think of the new texture trend? Which shade is your favorite?  

**Polishes provided in consideration of review. All opinions are my own. 

I absolutely love getting post requests & this one hit my inbox last week while I was swatching my new Julie G from Jesse’s Girl polishes! She wishes to remain anonymous but requested a baby shower nail art tutorial that was super basic & easy. & cheap, really cheap! She wanted to use products she already had. So here’s what I came up with!

I used 4 different techniques that are all nail art but none of them require buying anything new unless you don’t have tape or a cosmetic sponge laying around. I decided to give 4 easy options so you can do all 4 or just pick one!

All 3 of these polishes were reviewed last week & the shades are Cabana Boy, Shoe-A-Holic, & White Orchid. You can sub in other polishes obviously but try to use something a bit more opaque. You can also sub in yellow & green (mystery baby shower!) if you don’t like this combo. I used Out the Door as my top coat.

Pointer: This is an easy watercolor type nail. The base is white then you dot on the pink & blue with a toothpick or dotting tool. Swirl the shades together & fill in any gaps you don’t want to see. Super easy.

Middle: Use the white base & create dots either from the base of your nail or the tip depending on which is easier for you.

Ring: Start with a white base. You’ll need a cosmetics sponge & tweezers. Rip off very small pieces of a cosmetic sponge & either paint with the pink or blue or dip into it. Use the tweezers to grip the small piece of sponge for more control. I like to start with the pink because it is a bit lighter & leave gaps then fill in with the blue.

Pinkie: Start with a white base. Cut small angled piece of tape then apply those to completely dry nails. Fill in the gaps between the tape varying shades. Remove tape carefully.

Well that’s it! I hope you really enjoy this little idea & find something you can use! What do you think? What are your favorite basic techniques for nail art?

I am so excited about this line!!!!!My nickname is Stevi so that purple is SCREAMING my purple-loving name! What shade are you most excited to get your hands on? Ah! Hurry up April!