Jamberry Strips: Mo Mo

jamberry nails


Today I have something fun for you!!  I received these Jamberry Strips to review from Shea at OMG Wait What Polish Is That.  I got a series of designs from her and eventually you will see them all!! This is the one I was most excited to get though!  They came as a little sample pack:

 

Check out all those fun designs!! I love that for the most part, these aren't anything that you'd be able to easily freehand.  Some other brands make cool designs but I'm always left thinking, "I could do that myself" so with these I feel like it's more warranted! I have another review of the older version of these strips coming up but I found those difficult to work with so I wanted to start with these ones. They have a new formula and it shows so if you've tried them in the past and had issues applying them, let me assure you that they are now 100% fool proof!  They aren't like other polish strips either.  You do need to apply heat (I used a blow dryer) to them for a few seconds.  I had better luck with placing it loosely on my nail and then applying the heat directly at my finger and smoothing.  It took roughly a minute to apply to both my accent nails and my nails are mid length so these CAN be used on two nails if your nails aren't super long! I didn't size these like I should have so you can see that the sample for this size was a bit too small for my nail and I finished the design with some polish. It's slightly noticeable in the picture and barely noticeable in person!



Aren't they super? I paired these mustaches up with some Lime Crime Polish in Milky Ways. There are lots of other designs to choose from so don't forget to visit her store or her Facebook page to see what's available and snag some for yourself!! :)



These Jamberry wraps were provided to me for my honest review. I have not been compensated in any way for my opinion.

Google Reader and other options...

blogger affected


So it's no secret by now that Google is shutting down their beloved Reader program.  A lot of people are getting very worried about that and about what it will mean for us bloggers and for those of you who enjoy reading the blogs.  I don't normally address things like this on here but I want all of you to have the right information going forward so that you can make educated decisions for yourselves and for your blogs.  So here we go....

Google Reader IS most likely being shut down. There are several petitions in play which may or may not save it but as of now they are moving forward with the cancellation of service.  What does this mean for all of you?  As readers, you're going to be affected the most.  With the Google Reader service, you were able to use your Google+ account or a GFC account to simply click and follow a blog. Later, when you want to view your blogs they're neatly lined up on your Reader page.  I want to be clear that Google is NOT shutting down the GFC or Google+ following capability. You will still be able to click to follow users this way.  If you have a blog, you will be able to find those blogs you follow via those options on your blogger home page, located here: http://www.blogger.com/home.  They are at the bottom under "Reading List".  You will notice that they can be viewed in a Tumblr style (with picture previews) or you may choose a certain blog from the list on the left side. This means, if you HAVE A BLOG, anything you follow via the GFC or Google+ option will be unaffected by this cancellation.  You can still keep your GFC followers and you can still read all the blogs you follow this way.  So...what if you aren't a blogger?

There are a few other options you can take.  If you really love the Reader style, you can try out Feedly.  Not only will Feedly allow you to read blogs in a very similar manner as the Reader but it will also import all the blogs you already read. It allows you to read via the web or a mobile app and it also allows you to choose favorites, just like the Reader. The best part about this service is that you don't have to do anything to use it. It's completely free and all you have to do is log into Google Reader and sync the feed. It's one button and Feedly does all the work. No fiddling with RSS or .xhml files. It will import all your blogs for you.  Feedly is my option of choice at the moment, simply because I like the style of the Reader better than the style of the Blogger Read List.  You can also sign up for a blogger account. They are free and will allow you to follow your GFC blogs on the Read List.  My blog allows you the option of Bloglovin' which is another great option for some people. As well you may choose to follow some blogs via email if they have the option. Myself, I follow a lot of blogs so email is not an option for me! 

So the moral? If you are a blogger, you are UNAFFECTED by this change (with the exception of blogs you follow via RSS. Blogs not followed under your GFC will no longer be readable. Visit your home page to determine what might need to be moved to another service).  If you are a reader you have LOTS of options available to you to continue reading blogs. :)  

Happy reading everyone!! :)

butter LONDON Torch

butter london


Today I have a gorgeous new polish to show you! This is from butter LONDON and it's called Torch.  Torch is a limited edition Nordstrom exclusive and it's REALLY stunning.  It's a great Spring color because it's bright and happy and it also has this really pretty shimmer to it.  Indoors and in low lights it looks like this.  A bright, cheerful orange.  This is two coats and it's pretty opaque but it could probably do with one more for good measure.  Outdoors and under the lights is when it really comes alive though....



Look at that gorgeous gold shimmer! I'm really in love with this one and I'm generally not a big orange fan!  It's only out for a limited time so don't miss out on it!!


R is for Razzle Dazzle...

abc challenge


It's time for another letter in the A,B,C Challenge!! Toady the letter is "R".  I had a lot of choices for today but I ultimately decided to go with this GORGEOUS Deborah Lippmann called Razzle Dazzle.  This was a Christmas gift from my husband and I haven't really gotten around to wearing it yet.  It's a stunning magenta jelly with glitters.  It looks really mulch-dimensional on the nails and it's super duper sparkly! This is two coats and it's completely opaque but it still has a squishy quality about it which I love! What do you think?

Don't forget to check out what Emma and Kerrie had for the letter "R"!

Kiss Me I'm Irish...

color club


Well ladies and gents, it's St. Patrick's Day!!  I can't believe it's here already. Time really has been flying hasn't it?  Anyway I've done a few different designs over the years for St. Patrick's and this year I wanted to go a little more simple but still incorporate all the important things! Gold, rainbows, green and shamrocks!  So here is my simple design. :) For the ring finger I layered two different gold polishes to make it a little more visually interesting and for the pinky finger I wanted to do a sort of rainbow in the sky look so I sponged blue over a white base and then added the rainbow over the top.  I hope you enjoy them! Do you have big plans for today?




Colors used:
Zoya: Apple, Logan, Purity, Sharon, Yummy, Pippa and Ziv
Essince: Don't Feed the Tiger
Color Club: Twiggie, Chelsea Girl, and Pucci-licious
Essie Too Too Hot

The Geeky Owl...

DDGeek


Well we have arrived at the final day of Geek Week with the Digital Dozen.  I'm super sad to see this week go. I loved sharing all my geekiness with you all!  For today, I'm paying tribute to the creator of Geek Week, Miss Geeky Owl herself!  These are my little geeky owl nails. :)  I actually love owls so this was a super fun one for me to do.  I also love Kirsten, of the Geeky Owl and I'm happy to give her a little love on my blog today. :) If you haven't already, please check out her blog! It's really great and she's a fellow owl lover and geek!  Thanks for following along with this week's challenge.  Stay tuned for next months theme. It's going to be WILD. ;P



Colors Used:
Lime Crime:
 Crema de Limon, Once in A Blue Mousse, Lavendairy, Parfait Day, Milky Ways and Peaches <3 Creme
Models Own Nail Art Pen in Black

Q is for Queen Vic

abc challenge


It's time for the letter "Q" in the ABC challenge! I can't believe how fast these seem to be going by!  This one was an easy choice for me because it's the only polish I own with the letter "Q" at the front! How does that happen? lol...it's a gorgeous color anyway. A rich wine shade that leans a little pinkish in certain lights. In my entire collection I don't own a single other polish of this color.  This is two coats and like most of my butter London's, it's flawless even without any topcoat. I don't get into pinks and reds much but this one is a keeper for sure!  

Do you have Queen Vic? Do you have any polishes that start with the letter "Q"?

Don't forget to check out Emma and Kerrie's blogs today for more Q polish!

One life ends, another begins

avatar

Here is my original design for today's Geek Week challenge with the Digital Dozen!  These are a little abstract but I thought they came out pretty nice.  They're meant to represent Avatar!  I resisted seeing this film for SO long because of all the hype surrounding it.  When I finally did see it I was blown away.  I loved it!  I'm very into environmental things and even though this is touted as a Fern Gully for adults (which by the way, I also love!) I felt it was very well done.  It's definitely got a message but it doesn't feel like they're throwing it at you. The movie has a great plot behind the message.  Or in front of it maybe!  Anyway these nails are meant to represent the Na'vi.  They have golden eyes, hence the golden base and then their skin is this really pretty blue but sort of shifty in the light. It also has blue stripes and then there are little luminescent spots on their faces.  The nails were so much prettier in person, they really looked like a foil they were so shiny and sparkly!  I hope I did them some justice! Don't forget to check out the other ladies designs for today!






Colors Used:
Orly Hayley's Comet
OPI Goldeneye
Models Own Champagne
Funky Fingers Teal Scales

I amar prestar aen....

Barry M

...han mathon ne nen. Han mathon ne chae. A han noston ned 'wilith. 

Today you all get a bonus mani!! I had way too many designs for Geek Week with the Digital Dozen so in an effort to fully round out my geek-ism I decided to keep this one in and just have one extra.  :)  These are obviously from The Lord of the Rings.  I read these books, saw the films and well...rinse and repeat.  I even read the entire book catalogue beginning with The Silmarillion, which incidentally, was my favorite since it's mostly about Elves!  My geekism of The Lord of the Rings goes so far as that I know all ten different dialects of Elvish (including sub dialects within the major accepted ones) and can write in Quenya and Tengwar.  Yeah. That bad.  I think the Elves are my favorite part of the movie and it's fitting in a way that I've chosen to do The One Ring for that reason.  The writing on the ring is known as Black Speech and it is the only pure example of Black Speech there is.  While it was intended as the official speech of Mordor it never actually caught on and the Orcs and men of Mordor used Westron to communicate (although a very mutilated form of it) as did men that came to Mordor later. The Nazgûl, the Olog-hai, and several of Sauron's major lieutenants and officers did learn and use the Black Speec, however.  At any rate...putting my heavily useless knowledge to the side! I hope you enjoy these nails!  There is one more day of Geek Week left and don't forget to check out what the other ladies came up with!





 
Colors Used: 
OPI Goldeneye
Barry M Gold Foil
Models Own Black Nail Art Pen
Seche Vite 

Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

captain picard


For today's Geek Week nails I wanted to go a little more abstract!  I'm a little disappointed in how the ring finger turned out for this.  The emblem on the uniforms is meant to be a gold rimmed silver but the contrast just didn't really work for this mani.  Still, I love all of it together! If you haven't figured it out yet, it's Star Trek!! These are representative of the uniforms from The Next Generation version of the television show.  There were three uniform colors: red, blue and gold.  In general, red is indicative of commanders and helm crew, blue is indicative of medical staff and science personnel and gold indicates a security, engineer or operations crew member. There were of course, exceptions to this like in the case of Deanna Troi who wore purple a lot and various other colors.  Then there are gold pips on their collars which are admiral insignia.  I started with the idea of doing specific pip numbers to represent cast members (like the red with four pip's for Captain Picard) but as the seasons went on many of the crew earned more pips so it seemed a lost cause!  Anyway I hope you enjoyed the design! Don't forget to check out what the other ladies came up with for day three!


Colors Used: 
Color Club Chelsea Girl
Essence Kiss On Top of the Rock
Nails Inc Hampstead Gardens
Zoya Raven

A Long Time Ago...

clone trooper


It's day two of the Digital Dozen's Geek Week and today I've chosen to do something which I'm sure you'll all recognize!! Star Wars!!  I actually never watched these films growing up.  My parents were not very into them and I never really caught the bug.  It wasn't until the new ones released in the theater that I ever really got into them and, honestly, the only reason I wanted to see those was...well...OK TWO reasons: Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor. *swoon*  I'm still more into the new than the old (I know, I'm totally backwards!) but I wanted to do something that sort of encompassed all of them!  So here are some simple little Storm Troopers and a Darth Vader.  Let's be honest, no Star Wars mani would be complete without the most evil of all evil villains!  Don't forget to check out what the other ladies have come up with for Geek Week today!!


 

Colors Used:
Zoya Purity and Raven 
Models Own Nail Art Pen in Black
 LA Colors Nail Art Pen in Silver

The Digital Dozen does...Geeky!!

atoms

This week the Digital Dozen ladies have chosen to do "geeky" as a theme. I'm very excited about this because, well let's face it I know I'm a geek.  I'm probably also a big nerd because I always loved school and learning and I spout off ridiculous knowledge at people all the time.  :P  I had a million ideas for this week but since there are only five challenge days I tried to do some designs that I feel sort of round out my geek-ism and also semi-reflect my favorite geeky things! So I'm staring off today with something a little more nerd than geek leaning: Chemistry.  I LOVE LOVE LOVED Chemistry in school and at one point thought about making a career out of it but then I decided I wanted to go for something more people involved.  I intended to go a little more normal with this and do H2O, otherwise known as water on my nails. However, while I was executing it I had a major distraction and ended up making HO2.  Which incidentally, is Hydroperoxyl.  Never heard of it? Well let me enlighten you!

Hydroperoxyl is what you get when you remove a hydrogen atom from hydrogen peroxide or by pronating the superoxide ion. Hydroperoxyl exists in our atmosphere and is, sadly, what is responsible for the destruction of ozone in the stratosphere. It is very reactive and acts as a "cleanser" of the atmosphere by degrading certain organic pollutants. The chemistry of hydroperoxyl is of considerable geochemical importance for this reason. Yay for destructive nails.  Lol...but hey, we all learned a lesson today didn't we?

Don't forget to check out what the other ladies have come up with for the first day of Geek Week!

Colors used: 
Zoya Purity
Models Own Nail Art Pen in Black
Essence Kiss On Top of A Rock
Color Club Chelsea Girl

P is for Private Dancer...

abc challenge

It's time for the letter "P" for my ABC Challenge!  This one was a no brainer for me.  My husband got it for me for Christmas and I'm just NOW getting around to wearing it.  I was skeptical of it at first....purple isn't always my cup of tea.  But this polish IS. STUNNING.  The shift in it is VERY obvious and really super cool.  It changes in different lights and has a really neat kind of metallic sheen to it.  The above picture was taken in natural light. It's sort of a deep purple with a pinkish lean to it although you can see some grey-ish green creeping along the edges too.  Now let's see how it looks in artificial light, shall we?



Check out that bronze/green shift!  It's a very unique polish and unlike anything else I have in my stash!  Do you have Private Dancer?  

Don't forget to check out what Emma and Kerrie have for the letter "P"!

You can't have it both ways...

caviar


...or can you?  So it's no secret that the hot new trend in the polish world is texture.  With flocked, sandy, caviar and leather effect nails popping up everywhere, it's difficult not to notice.  While I love trends like crackle and spotted and now texture, I also hate that they're just that; trends.  We all end up buying tons and tons of these and let's face it: those 15 bottles of crackle polish you bought last year are just sitting in a drawer now getting zero use. Who wants last years trend on this years nails? I've tried to find new and exciting ways to use these effects polishes but this go round I thought it might be more prudent to find ways to get in on the trend without shelling out a lot of cash.  So here's a little experiment I did for you. :)  Above you see a combination of both Models Own Coral Reef and Zoya Godiva.  I chose Godiva for this experiment because she is a neutral color and therefore seemed the least likely to interfere with the color of the Coral Reef.  On the index, middle, and pinky finger I used two coats of the Coral Reef followed by one coat of Godiva on all nails but the middle, and two coats of Godiva on the middle finger.  As you can see, there is no texture.  On top of a flat polish Godiva simply looks like a gold glitter.  A pretty one, but a flat one.  So then I decided to turn the tables. On my ring finger we have two coats of Godiva (allowed to fully dry) and then a single coat of Coral Reef.  Bingo. Now we have a flat color with a textured look. This is similar to the look of the Milani's, Barry M's, and Nails Inc textures which have no glitter, but rather, a flat tone effect.  Here's a close-up comparison:



Again on the left here we have two coats of Coral Reef topped with two coats of Godiva. I'm guessing this is why they tell you not to use a base coat because it just looks like glitter on my polish. It was not raised in any way.  On the right we have two coats of Godiva followed by one coat of Coral Reef.  See how it's textured but the color is there?  Now you can turn any polish into a textured polish without ruining your bottle by mixing it or shelling out for a million different colors of polish! Magic!  If any of you try this with different colors, I'd love to see the results!!

All Layered Up...

layer


Today I have a quick post for you!  After I bought the first four colors from the Zoya Pixie Dust collection, I started to see them layering up the colors and I decided to go ahead with the other two!  This is the first layering combo I tried and it's one coat of Zoya  Dahlia and two thickish coats of Zoya Nyx.  It makes a gorgeous navy shade!  I really can't wait to play around with layering these up more and I have a really cool layering post coming up for you that will show you how to make the  most of these polishes!!  Have you tried layering the Pixies?

What Wizardry Is This?

avant garde


Well I visited my local beauty store today in search of some new pretties for my collection.  I came up sadly short handed. The China Glaze Avant Garde collection display was full. No surprise there. It's basically your standard creme Spring colors with some shimmer haphazardly thrown in.  Then there were a few of the OPI Euro Centrale collection leftover. I keep eying It's My Prague-ative but I just don't see myself really wearing it.  All in all the new collections have been really underwhelming for me.  Then I turned a corner and caught the OPI Oz The Great and Powerful collection. Most of the display was wiped out which is lame. I really wanted the glitters but upon finding that they still had the swatch panel I have to say I was really let down again. When Monkey's Fly, the glitter I had my eye on is basically just large hexes and the other two: Lights of Emerald City and Which is Witch, are really pretty overplayed as well. I may still grab Lights of Emerald City when it's back in. Square glitters are hard to find. Anyway as I was getting ready to leave empty handed I spotted this gem.  It's called What Wizardry is This and it's a new Liquid Sand polish. It. Is. Stunning. It reminds me of a deeper toned Warm & Fozzie.  It has SO many gorgeous sparkles and it's just amazing on my nails. It almost looks like sparkly stone.  It's MUCH prettier in my opinion than the previous liquid sands and I love that it doesn't have larger glitter chunks in it which ruin the effect somewhat. This is two coats and it's absolutely flawless. It could be one of my favorite polishes of the year!  I feel like this one is really a must have!

Do you have any polishes from the OZ The Great and Powerful collection? Witch (teehee) is your favorite?

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