Maybelline Bleached Neons Summer 2014 LE

Oh hai friends! Many apologies for the sporadic posting as of late! I just don't know what it is about my schedule sometimes. I can go a whole month without anything crazy going on, and then the universe seems to decide to dump everything on me at once! April (running into May) has consisted of school stuff non stop, parties, brunch dates with fellow nail gals, more parties, camping trips, wedding receptions, birthdays. Oi. I don't see a free weekend in sight! I'm hoping to keep posting at least once a week, but don't get too worried if I go radio silent for a little while.

But, I do have a fun summer collection to share today! And I wanted to get these out a.s.a.p. since they are LE (limited edition) so you guys will have a chance to grab them if you like the swatches!

Please Note: Products shown were purchased by me for my personal use.

Maybelline Color Show Pink Punch (Bleached Neons Summer 2014 LE)

Pink Punch is a vivid bubble gum pink neon. The color has a slightly faded, or washed out look going with the "bleached" theme.  This is three coats on its own without a white base. The formula was pretty standard for a neon, streaky and thick. I did experience some cuticle drag in between the first and second coat. Allowing a bit more dry time between the second and third remedied the issue. Top coated with HK Girl by Glisten & Glow for a shiny finish.

Maybelline Color Show Coral Heat (Bleached Neons Summer 2014 LE)

Coral Heat is a red leaning coral neon. It looks kinda dupey for ChG Flip Flop Fantasy, but I don't have it to compare. This is three coats on its own without a white base. The formula was thicker and more difficult to work with, but not a complete loss. Thicker coats, with plenty of dry time in between make application possible. But it is still a pain! Top coated with HK Girl by Glisten & Glow for a shiny finish.

Maybelline Color Show Ultra Violet (Bleached Neons Summer 2014 LE)

Ultra Violet is a vibrant orchid purple neon. Out of all of them, this is the most neon, and captures that "bleached" look the most. This is two coats on it's own, without a white base. The formula was much more workable with a relatively easier application. Top coated with HK Girl by Glisten & Glow for a shiny finish.

Maybelline Color Show Citrus Collide (Bleached Neons Summer 2014 LE)

Citrus Collide is a pastel yellow neon. It has both the pastel and neon quality, without the chalkiness you would expect of a yellow this light. This is two coats on it's own, without a white base. As problematic as some of these are, I expected Citrus Collide to be the worst, but it actually isn't that bad. The formula is thick, but not horribly so (Pink Punch, Coral Heat and Bleached In Peach were all noticeably thicker). After a streaky first coat, a thicker second coat made it opaque. It did have some leveling issues, but top coating it smoothed everything out. I did notice that using a top coat changed the color slightly, bringing out the neon more. Top coated with HK Girl by Glisten & Glow for a shiny finish.

Maybelline Color Show Lime Accent (Bleached Neons Summer 2014 LE)

Lime Accent is a lime green neon.  It again, balances that pastel, yet neon so well. This is three coats on it's own, without a white base. Surprisingly, the formula was very thin and watery. But I was able to get full opacity with three coats, so all in all, not so bad. Top coated with HK Girl by Glisten & Glow for a shiny finish.

Maybelline Color Show Bleached In Peach (Bleached Neons Summer 2014 LE)

Bleached In Peach is a yellow toned peach neon. I am swooning for peach shaded this year, and so wanted to love this one. This is three coats on it's own, without a white base. The formula was in between Pink Punch and Coral Heat in terms of thickness and work-ability. I am hoping that a generous dose of thinner will help it some, because I can't let it go! Top coated with HK Girl by Glisten & Glow for a shiny finish.

Maybelline Color Show Dayglow Teal (Bleached Neons Summer 2014 LE)

Dayglow Turquoise is a bright blue neon. While this doesn't quite have the faded/bleached look as the previous colors, it is still bright enough to be a nice option. This is two coats on it's own, without a white base. It also boasts the best formula out of the bunch, almost a one coater. But I felt that a second coat would give it more life. Top coated with HK Girl by Glisten & Glow for a shiny finish.

I love the concept of this collection. I am all over the bright/neon pastels. And I think these capture the Bleached Neon look quite well. While about half of these are problematic, they are not without hope. In some cases, polish thinner might be a viable option. My favorite, based on color and formula is Ultra Violet, but I have my fingers crossed for Bleached In Peach!

Please Note: Products shown were purchased by me for my personal use. All opinions are my own. For more info, please read my disclaimer.

Maybelline Color Show Bleached Neons are available for a limited time. Products are available at many drugstore locations, including Walgreens. Prices vary by location.

Essie Cocktails And Coconuts - Spring/Summer Color Trend

Hey everyone! After a crazy week, I was finally able to get a post written up for you guys. Today I have more Fashion Friday goodness with another Spring/Summer Color Trend polish!

Among the soft pastels and vivid brights, Pantone mixed in a couple of neutrals for this season's color palette. Sand is a perfect neutral contrast for the bright colors. Essie's Cocktails & Coconuts from the Resort Fling collection is my new favorite nude, and a fantastic "sand" shade.

Essie Cocktails & Coconuts (Resort Fling Collection 2014)

Cocktails & Coconuts is a nude cream with Essie's signature shimmer - as seen in the Summer 2013 collection. It is rather hard to capture the shimmer in the nude base digitally, but it sparkles quite nicely in person. The color is fantastic, very clean and sophisticated. It is definitely going to be my go-to nude this season. Formula was really good as well. In the past, Essie's softer shades have had problematic formulas, more often than not. But this was two easy coats!

Despite my affinity for the brighter colors, I love a good neutral. I think this is as close to perfect as a neutral can get, for me personally. And I am particularly fond of the shimmer!

The Essie Resort Fling collection, precedes the spring collection, so this polish may be a bit harder to find in stores, but it is widely available on line via Amazon and the like.

Please Note: Products shown were purchased by me for my personal use. All opinions are my own. For more info, please read my disclaimer.

Essie is available in many retail locations, including Target and Walgreens. Products retail for $8 a piece. Prices may vary.

Sunday Stamped - Pink And Gold Waves

Hi all! Hope everyone is having a great Sunday! Today's post is more of a short one, since I am off spending the day with my family. I'm still playing around with my MoYou London stamp plates and have a fun design for today's Sunday Stamped post!

Used:

O.P.I. - Hey Baby

O.P.I. - L.A.M.B.

MoYou London Sailor Collection Plate #03

The whole point of this mani was to test out the stamping abilities of L.A.M.B. As you can see, it stamps beautifully! It stamps so well, I may need to find another bottle, that way I will have one specifically for stamping. I am particularly pleased with the color combo, and tho I am not the biggest pink fan, Hey Baby is quickly becoming a fav for nail art as well. I actually think the end result looks like nail wraps! Much more so than any other stamping I have done. MoYou London stamp plates and O.P.I. are perfect together!

Well that's all for today! I'm off to go take pictures of the beautiful wild flowers blooming all over the Texas countryside! Have a great day, friends!

Spring Easter-y Nail Of The Day

Hello friends! Hope you all are having a nice and relaxing, possibly fun Saturday! I am home alone for the day - my little one is off with the grandparents for the weekend and my big one is stuck at work today. So I am spending my day with a pile of laundry, my ipad and the Doctor!

Today I have my spring easter-y nails to share. We don't really go for the holiday, so this isn't an official holiday themed post, just something I thought was pretty and fun! But since it is Easter tomorrow, my pinterest feed has been bombarded with with egg type crafts and I saw one in particular that I knew would be awesome if it were painted on my nails.

Used:

O.P.I. - Live.Love.Carnival

O.P.I. - Amazon...Amazoff

O.P.I. - I Just Can't Cope-Acabana

O.P.I. - MBSW

O.P.I. - Black Onyx

Dotting Tool

Winstonia nail art brushes

My design may be a little unorthodox, but I am so in love with the outcome! I was immediately drawn to the inspiration, everything about it is so visually pleasing and I knew it would be perfect for nail art. The folk art elements are really fascinating, and I think I could get at least three more designs from them! Yay for being inspired!

I actually entered these in an Easter themed contest on Nailpolis. If you haven't checked Nailpolis out yet, you really should! There are tons of great artists on there, as well as fun contests. I am super pleased to be a part of it, so I hope you will give it a look!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and get to spend time with people you love. I must be off, now, the Doctor is waiting!

Essie Truth Or Flare - Spring/Summer Color Trend

Hi guys and a happy Friday! I have the next installment of the Fashion Friday Color Trend series, so sorry about skipping last week. Life kinda got away from me and I didn't get a chance to write up the post. But all is well in APN land, and I have a gorgeous color to share!

Pastel blue is the quintessential spring color, in my opinion, and naturally it has a spot on the color line up this year as well. Instead of the more traditional hue, Pantone gave us "Placid Blue," a more vintage shade. Essie's spring collection, Hide & Go Chic, has the perfect polish counterpart - Truth Or Flare.

Please Note: Products shown were purchased by me for my personal use.

Essie Truth Or Flare (Hide & Go Chic Collection Spring 2014)

Truth Or Flare is a dusty light blue crelly (cream/jelly hybrid). The crelly threw me off a bit at first, I got all excited because I thought it was a true jelly after the first coat. But not in a bad way. I think the slight squishyness gives this polish a nice interesting look, as opposed to a basic cream. The color isn't my favorite, mostly because blues like this tend to give me lobster hands. Other than my personal preference, it is a fantastic polish. After a very sheer first coat, a thicker second coat covered beautifully. It dries to a delightful shine as well.

I love the vintage, yet modern, look of this polish. It is oh so hipster in that way. But I do think it captures that springy blue pastel in a fascinating way, and if you are a fan of that, then you will love this shade. Surprisingly, Essie is the only mainstream brand to offer a version of Placid Blue. But at least it is a great version!

Please Note: Products shown were purchased by me for my personal use. All opinions are my own. For more info, please read my disclaimer.

Essie is available in various locations. Products retail for $8 a piece. Prices may vary by location.

O.P.I. Don't Bossa Nova Me Around

Hey y'all! Today, I have another shade from the O.P.I. Brazil collection for spring and summer 2014. Like I have said, in previous posts, this collection has been a big hit with me, and I love just about every color. While most of them fall into the "Color Trend" category, and as such, those swatches will be posted on Fridays as part of that series. Don't Bossa Nova Me Around doesn't fit, but I still wanted to share my thoughts and review, because this is definitely a polish to get!

Please Note: Products shown were purchased by me for my personal use.

O.P.I. Don't Bossa Nova Me Around

Don't Bossa Nova Me Around is a shell pink nude cream. It is pastel without the chalkiness. The color is soft and chic, very feminine. Totally not a color that I would normally ever wear, but I find myself really drawn to this dreamy shade. Formula was stellar, with two easy coats for full coverage.

Don't Bossa Nova Me Around pretty much covers all the polish bases. It is perfect for spring, universally flattering, and a great wear-to-work color. Also, this would be my choice for a spring time bridal manicure. I can easily see it becoming part of my nail art polishes, as well. I'm kind of in love!

Have you even been surprised by a color outside of your comfort zone?

Please Note: Products shown were purchased by me for my personal use. All opinions are my own. For more info, please read my disclaimer.

O.P.I. is available at beauty stores like Ulta and Sally's. Products retail for approximately $9 a piece

Tropical Gradient with O.P.I. Brazil collection

Hi friends! Hope you all are having a fabulous week! The O.P.I. Brazil collection has quickly become my most favorite release of the season. I have about half of the collection, and intend to pick up a few more from it soon. The colors are phenomenal and have really stirred my creative energy. Today, I have a gradient using four of those colors.

Used:

O.P.I. - MBSW (as a base)

O.P.I. - Live. Love. Carnival

O.P.I. - Where Did Suzi's Man-Go

O.P.I. - I Just Can't Cope-Acabana

O.P.I. - Amazon...Amazoff

Make up sponge

I have only ever managed a gradient with two colors, and never over a white base, so the is a big first for me! I happen to think it is the prettiest gradient I have ever pulled off. It reminds me of a rainbow snow cone, even! The colors blended impeccably and I just can't got ever how awesome it looks! 

And, naturally, I had to put a black and white glitter topper over it. It is definitely one of my favorite things to do with a colorful gradient. I'm not sure why, but the two just works so well together!

Pipedream Polish She's A Thriller (discontinued)

I'm terribly sorry for showing a polish that is discontinues, but there are loads of great black and white glitter toppers available from Indie makers and mainstream. Maybelline's Clearly Spotted is an awesome choice.

So I'm fairly confident that I will be using the Brazil collection for nail art for a long time. The colors are rich and vibrant - totally my thing, and the formulas are stellar. O.P.I. makes a killer cream for sure. I'm thinking floral next!

Scofflaw Nail Varnish Wraith Pinned To The Mist

Hey everyone! So if you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen a post with one of my new favorite Indie polishes, Scofflaw Nail Varnish. I bought Wraith Pinned To The Mist from a stash sale from a friend of mine and fell head over heels in polish love! Now I need all the Scofflaws!

Please Note: Products were purchased by me for my personal use.

Scofflaw Nail Varnish - Wraith Pinned To The Mist

Wraith Pinned To The Mist is an aqua blue cream with bright blue shimmer, as well as violet, green and gold micro glitter and gold micro flakies. Holy. Shit. Dude. I love this like whoa. It is just too beautiful for words! Fantastic formula, opaque in two smooth coats. Sigh. This is indie perfection.

(Macro)

I just can't gush enough about how much I love this polish, as well as Chromasaurus Hex. Unfortunately, the Scofflaw shop is out of stock at the moment so I can't buy up all the pretties. But rest assured, that when the next restock happens, I will have more Scofflaw polishes to share!

Please Note: Products shown were purchased by me for my personal use. All opinions are my own. For more info, please read my disclaimer.

Scofflaw Nail Varnish is available on line. Products retail for $9 a piece. Follow Scofflaw on Facebook and Instagram for restock updates.

Rainbow Honey Mystery Bag

Hey everyone! So today, I have a super fun post to share! Mystery bags are becoming rather popular among Indie brands, and I decided to give one a try. Rainbow Honey is an Indie polish that has been around for a couple of years (they are celebrating their 2 yr this month!) and have jumped on the mystery bag train. I haven't tried Rainbow Honey before and thought this would be an exciting way to do so.

Please Note: Products shown were purchased by me for my personal use.

So this is a big post with lots of pictures, but I wanted to show you all how awesome the mystery bag is. The rad folks at Rainbow Honey really put a lot of time and love into these things. Yet one more reason why Indies rock!

Adorable packaging!

All the Rainbow Honey goodies!

Nice little card with all the details.

Rainbow Honey minis - All The Stars and The Soirée 

Nail Honey samples, cuticle oil and lotion. Lavendula perfume oil sample.

Rainbow Honey All The Stars over China Glaze What A Pansy

All The Stars is a glitter topper with bright and pastel star glitters, tiny pastel circle and square glitters with violet shimmer. How cute is this topper?! Totes adorable. I usually don't go for shape glitters (except circle) but I love this! I think it would be really fun for glitter placement too. The glitter was really easy to get out and spread pretty evenly. I did have to dig around to get specific colored stars, but that was for the sake of product photography. It's definitely a great polish!

Rainbow Honey The Soirée over O.P.I. Hey Baby

The Soirée is a glitter topper with blue, teal, gold and silver hex glitters with blue and silver shimmer. This one is a prototype for a future collection. How cool is that? Again, this isn't something I would normally pick out for myself, but I seriously love it! Especially over Hey Baby. Frickin gorgeous, kids. I really hope this makes it to the collection, cause it is definitely worth getting! Formula was perfect. Smooth application of glitter, no clumping or dabbing. This is one coat!

The lotion is great, and absorbs quickly. It also smells realllllly good! Kinda hard to describe, tho. I can't comment on the oil, since I don't usually use cuticle oils - they make my skin peel. But I gave it to a friend and she loves it!

The whole package is fantastic, and worth way more than the $10 I paid. Not to mention the mystery part. It's kinda fun getting surprises! Good news too! Rainbow Honey is now offering the mystery bags in two sizes - small and large. And now you can sign up to receive them monthly! This is such a great idea, and I couldn't be happier to have this as my first Rainbow Honey experience!

Please Note: Products shown were purchased by me for my personal use. All opinions are my own. For more info, please read my disclaimer.

Rainbow Honey Mystery Bags are available on line. Bags retail for $10 for small and $25 for large. Subscriptions are available.

Dandelion Nail Of The Day

Hey guys and gals!! How is your weekend going? I think we may have some rain today, which is awesome and I don't mind one bit. My veggie garden has a ton of new little sprouts popping up and could use a good soak! We also have dandelions all over the place and while My husband hates them because they are "weeds," the girlie and I are quite fond of the puff balls. 

I have wanted to do Dandelion nails for as long as I can remember. But I was always a little worried I lacked the skill or the right inspiration for the design I wanted to create. Then I saw a fabric swatch at the craft store by my house and it was perfect. Dreamy and soft, everything a dandelion should be. 

Used:

Sally Hansen CSM - Resurrection

O.P.I. - Don't Bossa Nova Me Around

Dotting Tool

Winstonia nail art brushes

Can I just say how much I love these?!?! Everything is just so awesome. I love the colors together, and I love how the dandelion puffs turned out. Sigh... It is so nice when something translates perfectly from your head to your canvas. While the colors don't quite match with my inspiration, I really am pleased with the two together. 

While I may not be one to do complicate floral designs, I do appreciate them. But simple is my aesthetic. And I think I do my best work when I stick to that idea. 

So what is your favorite floral motif? Have you tried to replicate it for nail art

China Glaze What A Pansy - Spring/Summer Color Trend

Hey friends! Happy Friday! My posting schedule kinda got away from me this week, and I wasn't able to get this up as early as I wanted. But better late than never!

Continuing with the Pantone spring and summer color palettes, today I have What A Pansy from the China Glaze spring collection, City Flourish. What A Pansy is the Violet Tulip shade from the palette, and offers a nice contrast to the color of the year, Radiant Orchid.

Please Note: Products shown were purchased by me for my personal use.

China Glaze What A Pansy (City Flourish Collection Spring 2014)

What A Pansy is a dusty purple crelly with strong blue undertones. In some lightings, it pulls a lot more blue than purple. I usually grab more red based purples than blue based, but that is a taste preference. As a result, this is a unique purple in my collection. Formula was okay, not fantastic. I had some dragging issues on the first coat, creating a patchy look. After letting it dry completely, a thicker second coat gave full coverage. I do so love the slight squishyness of the crelly formula. 

While What A Pansy isn't a pastel, it has a slightly faded look that I think will translate very nicely into a spring wardrobe. I like the unique color, and it is a nice alternative to the Radiant Orchid shades that are abundant right now.

So are you a Violet Pansy kind of person, or a Radiant Orchid?

Please Note: Products shown were purchased by me for my personal use. All opinions are my own. For more info, please read my disclaimer.

China Glaze is available at most beauty stores, including Sally's and Ulta, and on line at Transdesign. Prices vary by location.