Paint splatters, huh?
Hmm…
The paint splatter packaging for Urban Decay’s new summer nail kit gave me an idea this afternoon. More details to follow, but here are some pics and white paper swatches for now.
Nails
The Dolce & Gabbana Bouquet Collection Nail Lacquers Sure Look Pretty in Pastel
There’s something very soothing about these six new Dolce & Gabbana Nail Lacquers from the limited edition Bouquet Collection, isn’t there? How they look all pastel and springy, like a row of Jordan Almonds, Easter eggs or frosted mini-cupcakes…
Yum.
I’m wearing three coats in the swatches below (because they looked a little streaky after two).
Rose Petal
Lemon
Mint
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My St. Patrick’s Day Multi-Colored Manicure in Different Shades of Green
Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day, and that means two things: 1) that today is St. Patrick’s Day Eve, and 2) that I get to be Irish tomorrow, thanks to El Hub and the Irish Proximity Effect. He says that because he’s one quarter Irish, I get to be part Irish by proximity for 24 hours.
And I plan to put that time to good use. 🙂
For some folks, St. Patty’s Day means beer, and lots of it. Me? I use my Irish By Association card as a free pass to eat as much fried food as I can.
Like fish and chips.
Oh, I love fish and chips… The precious little basket they come in, dousing them with vinegar and salt, and that first crunchy bite of melt-in-your-mouth batter and flaky fish…
I’m sorry, where was I?
Oh, yeah! St. Patrick’s Day. Almost as much as the food, I also like to see folks getting green in the spirit of the day (please leave me a link to your look!), and I usually try to add a little something green to my beauty routine. This year, it’s with a multi-colored manicure in different shades of green.
I actually didn’t start out planning to do something with more than one shade, but when I sat down with a few polishes, thinking I’d pick one right then, I couldn’t decide.
So I used all three — Dolce & Gabbana’s Mint ($20), Sonia Kashuk’s Making Waves ($9.99) and China Glaze Ray-Diant ($8).
The China Glaze Prismatic Collection: Your Nails, Now in 3D
BAM! A single ray of white light streams through a prism and explodes into a rainbow of colors on your nails.
That’s the idea behind these new Prismatic polishes from China Glaze. The limited edition launch of six eye-catching glittery nail polishes ($8 each) really improved my spirits this afternoon. The gloomy, gray sky looming over the Bay Area felt like a big wet blanket on my mood.
It was bringing me down… But then I started swatching. 🙂
Ray-Diant
Filled with glitter and holographic particles, these glimmering multi-colored metallics almost look like they’re hopping off my nails! — like they’re 3D powered, which is kinda cool.
As usual, China Glaze formulated the entire line, which bursts into professional beauty supply stores and salons in April, without DBP, toluene and formaldehyde.
In all of these swatches, I’m wearing two layers…
Polarized
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Sonia Kashuk Packs a Wallop With the New Powerful Punch Mini Nail Colour Set
Last night I had a bright idea (if I do say so myself). I was on my way to the checkout stand at Target with some emergency bananas and dental floss in my little basket when I said to myself, “Self, let’s take a quick look at the beauty aisle.”
As soon as I turned the corner, one of the first things I spotted was Sonia Kashuk’s new A Powerful Punch Mini Nail Colour Set ($9.99), and whoops! — it accidentally fell into my basket. 🙂
The limited edition set, new for spring 2012, comes with four petite polishes — three brights and one neutral — all of them with creamy finishes.
Here are some swatches from this afternoon. For each of these, I used two coats…
Making Waves
Tutti Fruitti
Ooh La La
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Milani High Speed Fast Dry Nail Lacquer Turbocharges Drying Time With Eight Creamy Colors
Milani asks, would you rather wait an hour for your nails to dry, or just wait 60 seconds?
The drugstore brand’s new line of One Coat High Speed Fast Dry Nail Lacquers ($4.99 each) promises to save lacquer lovers time and money with eight rich, quick-drying colors and a creamy formula built to look beautiful after a single coat.
And that’s just I’m wearing in each of these swatches — one creamy coat.
Fast Fuchsia
Jiffy Orange
Violet Dash
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These New L’Oreal Spring Nail Colors Make It Hip to Be Riche
Sometimes, nothin’ beats playing with nail polish, especially when you’re having a less-than-idilic day.
You know how it goes… Some days are just better than others, and today was not one of my better days. Couldn’t write to save my life, but things did start looking up when I started seeing L’Oreal’s Nail Color Riche line on my nails ($5.99 each, available now in dozens of shades).
You know what they say — when all else fails, swatch. 🙂
Here are pics of a baker’s dozen of them, a sampling of 13 of the new spring shades in the Color Riche line. Of these, Safari Chic is probably my fave (I’m wearing it on my toes right now), but dark blue After Hours, metallic teal VIP Status and He Red My Mind are serious contenders.
I’m wearing three coats here, which seems to be the sweet spot, at least for me. A few of the lighter colors apply a little streaky.
Other than that, I like the formula. It’s a little thick, and still very smooth, and after almost two weeks on my toes (with a base and top coat), Safari Chic looks as good as new.
After Hours
Grecian Goddess
Safari Chic
Haute Couture Red
He Red My Mind
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I’m Still Fawning Over the Paul & Joe Kitten Collection, Today With a Twist on an Ombrè Manicure
The other day, I sat down to do some nail swatching and tried to remember the last time I wore the same shade of nail polish on all 10 of my fingers or toes.
I totally drew a blank.
A month ago…? Or was it further back than that?
Lately, I’ve just been really into multi-colored manis, two-tone nails, glitter layers and ombrè effects. Now, when I wear the same color on every fingertip, I feel like I’m kickin’ it old school. 🙂
Today I planned to paint my nails with one of the three new Nail Enamels from the limited edition Paul & Joe Kitten Collection, but then the fickle ombrè bug attacked…
Four fingertips later, I was applying the second color. A few after that, I was applying the third.
See how they go from darkest to lightest from my left hand to my right? Just a different take on ombrè nails. Those shades are hot pink Manekineko, rosy pink Kitten Claws and peachy beige Tigress ($14 each).
Nail Enamels in Kitten Claws, Tigress and Manekineko
