Wacky Laki

Black and White Challenge Day 4 - White Base with Color

2012-03-10T08:17:00.000-08:00

It is time of another Black & White Challenge. For day 4, the challenge is to create a manicure with a white base and some color accent. Inspiration for this was in the form a bracelet given to me a while ago by a friend. I really like the symbols and flowers on it as well as how beautiful the blue looks against the white. I started out with Wet 'n Wild French White Creme and stamped the round symbols using Sinful Colors Midnight Blue and Bundle Monster plate BM-224. When stamped the blue is lighter than I would have liked, but not too bad. I then added the flowers using Midnight Blue, white acrylic paint, and a dotting tool...

I would love to know what you think of this manicure and where do you get your inspiration?

NOTE: This is a scheduled post. I appreciate all your comments and will respond as soon as I return from my trip! Thank you in advance for commenting :D

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Sinful Colors Nirvana

2012-03-09T08:09:00.000-08:00

I think it is no secret that I like brown polishes. Sinful Colors Nirvana is certainly not an exception. A lovely mushroom taupe with a great name (although I honestly don't see the connection... someone enlighten me please). This polish has a great cream formula that provides full coverage in two coats. Love the milkiness in the color. These swatches are with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Sinful Colors Collection: main line Color Name/Number: Nirvana, 949 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

What do you think of brown polishes? Do you have any guesses at why they would name it Nirvana?

NOTE: This is a scheduled post. I appreciate all your comments and will respond as soon as I return from my trip! Thank you in advance for commenting :D

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Sinful Colors Seaweed

2012-03-08T08:27:00.000-08:00

I have another Sinful Colors swatch for you today. This is Seaweed from the Adventure Island collection. I believe it was officially declared a due to OPI Stranger Tide by those that have both. I don't own the OPI polish to compare, so I can't comment further. It is a pale dusty khaki color, that I fell in love with. The formula on this is great. Two coats for full smooth coverage. Swatches are with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Sinful Colors Collection: Adventure Island Color Name/Number: Seaweek, 5162 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

What are you thoughts on the dusty pale polishes like this?

NOTE: This is a scheduled post. I appreciate all your comments and will respond as soon as I return from my trip! Thank you in advance for commenting :D

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Black and White Challenge Day 3 - Black Base with Color

2012-03-07T08:16:00.000-08:00

Day three of the Black & White Challenge is a manicure with a black base and some color. I once again started with Wet 'n Wild Black Creme, but instead of adding the color on top, I added it underneath the nail. For this I used two coats of Sinful Colors Sugar Sugar. This type of manicure is becoming know as Louboutin Nails due to the original inspiration being Louboutin shoes with a red sole. I think this is such a great way to add something special to the manicure. It will probably go unnoticed by others, but you know it is there, so it is kind of like sexy lingerie for your nails... :D

This seems to be a popular pose to show off the manicure, so I thought I'd give it a try as well... :)

And here are the shoes that inspired it all. I got this photo from here. Interestingly enough, according to that website it says that Mr. Louboutin originally painted the bottom of a shoe using red nail polish while he was bored. I guess it has come back full circle now...

source

Have you tried Louboutin Nails before?
I love it, just need to have long enough nails and remember that clean up and removal requires some extra effort...

NOTE: This is a scheduled post. I appreciate all your comments and will respond as soon as I return from my trip! Thank you in advance for commenting :D

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Sinful Colors Timbleberry

2012-03-06T08:44:00.000-08:00

Sinful Colors Timbleberry was a difficult color to photograph. It gave me a the case of red lobster hands, but the polish color is accurate. It is a pretty pinkish coral cream. I was surprised by how bright this polish is. It looks a bit more muted in the bottle than what comes out on the nails. I believe it is one of the colors in the main line. This is two coats with a top coat. Application was good with great coverage...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Sinful Colors Collection: main line Color Name/Number: Timbleberry, 108 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

I would love to know what you think of this color! :)

NOTE: This is a scheduled post. I appreciate all your comments and will respond as soon as I return from my trip! Thank you in advance for commenting :D

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Sinful Colors Slate

2012-03-05T08:32:00.000-08:00

Sinful Color Slate from the Destination America collection is a soft gray with a silver shimmer. The shimmer is very fine and it perfectly compliments the gray. The formula is good, easy to work with, two coats for full coverage and no visible nail line. Swatches are with a top coat...

A close-up of the shimmer...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Sinful Colors Collection: Destination America Color Name/Number: Slate, 1055 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

I would love to know what you think of this! Are you a fan of gray polishes? :)

NOTE: This is a scheduled post. I appreciate all your comments and will respond as soon as I return from my trip! Thank you in advance for commenting :D

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Black and White Challenge Day 2 - White on Black

2012-03-04T10:13:00.000-08:00

Today is day two of the Black and White Challenge, which means a white on black manicure. I started out with two coats of Wet 'n Wild Black Creme. Then I painted the white sloped tip with white acrylic paint and added the leaves in black and white acrylic paint as well. I meant for it to be more black than white, but it looks almost 50/50. It reminds me of a skirt I used to have that had the same curved angle (without the leaves)...

A new swatch of Wet 'n Wild Black Creme. This is my favorite black that I have used so far. It is opaque in one coat, cheap, and works well for stamping. What more could you ask? However, even though it is opaque in one coat, I used two here because I find it covers the nail ridges better...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Wet 'n Wild Collection: main line Color Name/Number: Black Creme, 424A Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

I would love to know what you think of this manicure!

NOTE: This is a scheduled post. I appreciate all your comments and will respond as soon as I return from my trip! Thank you in advance for commenting :D

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Sunday Stamping: Plate Ending in 4

2012-03-04T08:12:00.000-08:00

I managed to sneak in a manicure for this week's Sunday Stamping Challenge for the facebook group Adventures in Stamping. This week the challenge was to create a manicure using a stamping plate ending in 4. I chose to use Bundle Monster plate BM-224.

The base of the manicure is an un-named Color Club polish. A vampy deep plum color with a nice shimmer. I will have swatches of it up soon. I stamped using a Sally Hansen Color Quick pen in Chrome Rose. I got it from Carolina's giveaway a while back. I'm still going through all the fun stuff she sent me and discovering new gems all the time. This was my first attempt at stamping with the Quick Color pens and all I can say is that it is amazing to stamp with. I wish they would bottle this stuff up, I'd stock up for sure! For some reason I have a fear of the pens drying out. To accent some of the stamped flowers, I added a small yellow rhinestone on each nail...

I would love to know what you think of this. Have you stamped with the Color Quick pens before?

NOTE: This is a scheduled post. I appreciate all your comments and will respond as soon as I return from my trip! Thank you in advance for commenting :D

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Hawaiian Sunset

2012-03-03T07:51:00.000-08:00

This is an exciting post for me because it means that tomorrow I will be heading off on my vacation to Hawaii. I will be sneaking away with my mom for some much needed rest and relaxation as we leave our boys to fend for themselves. To mark the occasion, I created a Hawaiian Sunset manicure. I've seen ones like this before and have always wanted to try it...

I started out with two coats of Color Club Almost Famous (yellow) and sponged towards the base of the nail with Color Club Warhol (neon pink). These are both from the Color Club POPtastic collection and happen to be the same colors used in the flames manicure a few months ago. On top of Warhol, at the base of the nail, I sponged Sinful Colors Let's Talk, a pretty metallic purple. The tip was then sponged with Wet 'n Wild Black Creme.

The palm tree was stamped using Wet 'n Wild Black Creme and Shany plate SC19. Since the stamped palm tree is just an outline and I wanted it fully shaded, I filled in the shape with a small detail brush and black acrylic paint. I love how this turned out. I'm hoping to see a sunset just like this...

Here was the image that I used for inspirations. I found it here. Such an amazing sunset...

Source

I would love to know what you think of this!

Also, just to let you know, I have prepared swatches and some nail art for the time that I will be gone. I do not plan on having internet access, so I will respond to any comments left when I return! :D

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Sinful Colors Amethyst

2012-03-02T07:59:00.000-08:00

First, I would like to say that I'm so flattered by the response to yesterday's black and white manicure. Thank you so much for all the lovely comments, they mean so much to me. I actually feel somewhat bad following it up with just a swatch and no nail art. At least the color is lovely so I hope it is not too much of a disappointment :)

Sinful Colors Amethyst is a beautiful purple that lives up to it's amethyst name. It is slightly more purple in real life than the photos show, but the blue always likes to come out stronger than it is. The formula on this is great. Two coats for full coverage and no problems with application at all. Swatches are with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Sinful Colors Collection: Main Line (also rereleased in Go Plaid collection) Color Name/Number: Amethyst, 978 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

I would love to know what you think of this!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Black and White Challenge Day 1 - Black on White

2012-03-01T08:25:00.000-08:00

The first challenge in the Black and White Challenge is to create a black on white manicure. I started out with three coats of Wet 'n Wild French White Creme for the white. It is the only white polish that I own (and use all the time). It makes me think of when I first started this blog almost a year ago, since French White Creme was the first polish I ever blogged about.

For the black, I used black acrylic paint and added dots using different sized dotting tool. I started with a small flower at the base of the nail and added dots in two semicircles around it and continued from there. I really like how this manicured turned out. I'm starting to appreciate the dotting tool more and more...

I thought I would throw in swatches of Wet 'n Wild French White Creme just for fun, since it has been almost a year since the last swatch. French White Creme is a pure white. The formula is good, two coats for opacity, although I always add a third coat to even out the coverage. Does anyone else remember the days when a solid white manicure like this was popular or is it just me? :)

Swatch Details
	Brand: Wet 'n Wild Collection: Main Line Color Name/Number: French White Creme, 449C Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: No Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

I hope you like my black on white manicure! I would love to know what you think about it. :)

If this looks fun and you would like to join the challenge, take a look on Mateja's blog Purple Glitters for more information.

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Black and White Challenge

2012-02-29T08:33:00.000-08:00

I will be participating in a Black & White Challenge that was created by two fellow bloggers, Dolores of Colorful Bottle and Mateja of Purple Glitters. Dolores sent me a sweet invitation to join and I just couldn't resist. There are 10 challenges which are described in the image below and a challenge manicure is posted every 3 days starting March 1st.

I'm really excited to start the challenge tomorrow and see who else is participating. If this looks interesting to you, don't hesitate to join! Check out Colorful Bottle and Purple Glitters for more information.

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Tutorial Tuesday: Freehand Flowers

2012-02-28T08:14:00.000-08:00

When I posted this manicure earlier this month, I received lots sweet comments along with a few requests for a tutorial. Before starting the tutorial, I must preface it by saying that I freehanded each flower using a tiny brush and it took much longer than it should have. Since then I realized there is a much easier way to get the same result, so this is how I would make this manicure if I were to do it again...

Supplies:
- Base color nail polish (I used Zoya Kendal)
- Acrylic paint (or nail polish) in white, lavender and purple. Alternatively you can use just white and purple and mix the two colors to get an intermediate.
- Accent color (acrylic paint or nail polish) - I used Sinful Colors Flower Girl which is a nail art polish.
- Brushes - one small accent brush and one larger to paint the white
- Dotting Tools in various sizes

Step 1:
- Apply base coat and desired number of coats of polish and allow to dry completely (this it two coats of Zoya Kendal)
- Using white acrylic paint (or nail polish) outline a curve covering slightly less than half the nail
- Fill in the area with white paint or polish.
NOTE: I prefer acrylic paint for this step because it dries quickly.

Step 2:
- Using a medium size dotting tool and the darker color (purple) make 5 dots in a flower shape.
- Add a dot in the middle of the flower to fill in the shape.
- Using different size dotting tools add desired number of flowers.

Step 3:
- With a slightly smaller dotting tool, place a lavender or white dot on top of each existing purple dot in the flowers.
- There should be some purple showing along the edge of the new dot.
- Fill in the center of the flower using the lavender or white color.
- Repeat this for all the flowers.

Step 4:
- Using a small detail brush and the darker color, add a few lines from the "petals" to the center of the flower
- Add small curls and leaves using the detail brush

Step 5:
- Place a dot of accent color in the center of each flower
- Add a top coat to seal everything in and you are done!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and I would love to know what you think of it!
Let me know if you try it!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Barielle Unraveled Rust Gets Rusty...

2012-02-27T08:23:00.000-08:00

The last polish from the Barielle Argyle in Style collection that I played with was Unraveled Rust. I loved the rich dark chocolate brown, but it really didn't make think of rust, so I decided to change that. After googing images of rust, I found one that I loved and used it as my inspiration. To get the look I used a combination of sponging, dry brush, and even crackle. It seemed as though I threw every polish I own into the mix. Probably couldn't do it again even if I tried. In the process, I discovered that I don't have quite the right turquoise blue to really make it pop, however I still love how it turned out....

This is the inspiration image, which I found here. I love the colors in this. Really wish I had the right blue to make it stand out. Guess there is always room on the wish list for more colors...

Polishes Used:
Maybelline - Summer Spice
LA Colors - Current

Essie - Braziliant
Color Club - Almost Famous

Barielle - Unraveled Rust

China Glase Crackle - Crushed Candy
LA Colors - Sea Siren

Avon - Gleaming Gold

I hope you like this manicure and I would love to know what you think of it!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Sunday Stamping Challenge: 3 Colors

2012-02-26T08:08:00.000-08:00

It is crazy how fast time flies, but it is once again time for another Sunday Stamping challenge in the Facebook group Adventures in Stamping. This week the challenge was to create a manicure using three colors. I toyed with the idea of layering stamped images. For example a full background stamp in one color and then a smaller stamp on top in another, but I digress...

I chose to do something I have been wanting to try for a while. This technique involves dragging multiple colors over the stamping image at once to allow them to mix directly on the stamping plate. It took a few tries to get a nice combination and figure out how to get the colors to mix nicely, but I love the result. I started out with two coats of Wet 'n Wild French White Creme. For the stamping I used two Color Club polishes, Cold Metal and Lumin-Icecent from the Foiled collection. I just love them for stamping. The image is from Red Angel plate RA-109

I hope you liked my take on today's challenge. If you are interested in stamping, I encourage you to join the group Adventures in Stamping...

I'd love to know what you think of this. Have you tried this technique before?

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Barielle Wool You Marry Me? Gets Stamped

2012-02-25T08:36:00.000-08:00

In keeping with the theme of manicures inspired by the color name, Barielle Wool You Marry Me? provided a few options. Since a marriage manicure didn't seem appealing, I focused on the wool part of the name. Wool made me think of sheep and sheep made think of little curls. To be fair, I must confess that I first tried drawing little sheep and failed miserably (my bf will attest to that), so I settled on just the curls. The curls were stamped using Sally Hansen Celeb City and Bundle Monster plate BM-201. The tips were added using tape and Celeb City. I think the silver really brought out the red in Wool You Marry Me?...

I would love to know what you thoughts are on this...

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Barielle Tight Knit with Pure Ice Stamping

2012-02-24T08:18:00.000-08:00

Barielle Tight Knit inspired me with the name, so I had to find a stamping image to match. The closest that I have is a lacy pattern from the Bundle Monster plate BM-210. It reminds me of a cable knit sweater. I stamped the pattern using a Pure Ice gold 313CP to create the subtle print. I think the gold perfectly compliments this shade of brown. It was a bit difficult to get the pattern centered on my nail, but I still like the result. Just wish someone would invent a clear stamper so I can see where the heck the pattern is going...

I'd love to know what you think of this!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Barielle Cashmere or Loose Me with Essie Braziliant in Argyle

2012-02-23T08:21:00.000-08:00

I mentioned yesterday that in addition to swatching the Barielle Style in Argyle collection I also messed around with some nail art that I will show you over the next few days. For this manicure, I was inspired by the collection's name and decided to try the argyle pattern on my nails.

I started out with Barielle Cashmere or Loose Me which I paired up with Essie Braziliant in an argyle pattern. Green lines were added using acrylic paint. It looked a bit bland so I topped the whole thing off with Essie Pure Pearlfection. I can't quite decide which version I like best, so I will show you both and hopefully you can tell me what you think. This is topped with the luxeffects polish...

This is what it looked like before I added Essie Pure Pearlfection...

I would love to know what you think. Which version do you like better (if at all)...

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Barielle Browns from the Argyle in Style Collection

2012-02-22T07:54:00.000-08:00

I realized that I own five out of six of the brown polishes from the Barielle Style in Argyle collection released in Fall 2010. I'm missing Aura Angora which I didn't buy when it was still in stores and now I regret it. The one thing that always baffles me is that they look the same in the bottle, so it was time to swatch them so I could tell them apart...

Cashmere or Loose Me
A creamy milk chocolate brown with a hidden copper shimmer. The shimmer is very faint, but it was a pleasant surprise since it is not visible in the bottle. Formula on this was nice, two coats for full coverage. It reminds me a bit of OPI Wooden Shoe Like to Know? from the spring Holland collection. Although it is bit lighter and not as much shimmer. Swatches are with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Barielle Collection: Style in Argyle, Fall 2010 Color Name/Number: Cashmere or Loose Me, 5097 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

Tight Knit
A chocolate brown cream. The formula on this was very smooth. Two coats for full coverage. It is probably my favorite of the browns in this collection. Looked like I dipped my nails into melted chocolate. This is with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Barielle Collection: Style in Argyle, Fall 2010 Color Name/Number: Tight Knit, 5098 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

Unraveled Rust
A dark brown cream. This also had a great formula. Two coat for full coverage. I'm not sure where the "rust" part of the name comes from, but regardless, this color is a winner for me. I like that it is very dark without crossing over into black. Swatches are with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Barielle Collection: Style in Argyle, Fall 2010 Color Name/Number: Unraveled Rust, 5100 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

Wool You Marry Me?
A reddish brown cream. I would almost call it darkened brick brown. Great formula as the polishes above. Two coats with a top coat here...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Barielle Collection: Style in Argyle, Fall 2010 Color Name/Number: Wool You Marry Me?, 5101 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

Cowl of the Wild
A swampy greenish brown. I'm not a fan of this color as in some light it can look dirty milk brown and in another light the green tint shows up. The formula on this is thinner than the rest and when I applied the first coat, no good thoughts came to mind. I applied two coats plus a top coat for these swatches. A third coat probably would have been good since I could see bald spots when taking photos that I didn't see before...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Barielle Collection: Style in Argyle, Fall 2010 Color Name/Number: Cowl of the Wild, 5102 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

Overall I'm really impressed with this collection. I didn't think it was possible to make a whole line of just brown polishes and still have them look so different. My favorite two are Tight Knit and Unraveled Rust.

I did make nail art with these as I was wearing them throughout the past week and I will show you what I came up with over the next few days. I hope you will enjoy it.

Have you tried any of these? What do you think of them?

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Tutorial Tuesday: Clean Up...

2012-02-21T08:19:00.000-08:00

I have been debating whether I should make a clean up tutorial or not for a while now since there are other tutorials out there that describe this method. In fact, it was not too long ago that I was learning from such tutorials. Recently I received a sweet email request from a reader asking to see how I clean up my manicures and I could not resist. Hopefully this will be useful and show a few tricks I have picked up along the way.

Supplies:

100% Pure acetone - Even though for removing nail polish I use my acetone with glycerin mix, for clean up I prefer to use pure acetone. This is what works best for me, but this technique will work with other nail polish removers, if you are not an acetone fan.
Eyeliner brush - I have tried different brushes for clean up and find that the shape and flexibility of this type of brush works best for me. However, I suggest experimenting with different brushes to find one that works best for you.
Contact lens case - Any small, airtight container should work. I happen to have lots of contact lens cases around, so I dedicated one to manicures. This allows me to reuse the acetone for multiple manicures. I just keep adding pure acetone when it runs low and I like that I don't have to waste it after each clean up because it has a cap. The right side of my contact case has acetone and the left side has water. I use the water to rinse the acetone off the brush after using it. This helps extend the life of the brush.
Cuticle Pen - This is my favorite way to moisturize the cuticles after pure acetone. I use the Elf Nourishing Cuticle Pen that I get for $1 at Target. It has a stiff tip that allows me to apply the oil while the polish might not be completely dry yet without ruining the manicure.

A closer look at the brushes. All of these are inexpensive eyeliner brushes and all work equally well. I like the eyeliner brushes because they are flat and easily fit the contour of the nail.

Top - This is a Wal-Mart store brand brush. It is inexpensive, but the bristles fall out extremely quickly (quicker than any other brush I've used). I bought a few at once so I have a new one to show here, but I rarely use this brush now.
Middle - An Essence brush. This brush works very well and so far has held up perfectly to acetone.
Bottom - This is a Target store brand brush. It is my most used and abused brush. I love it and used it for this tutorial...

Start:
- Apply a base coat and desired number of coats of nail polish
- Note: I go through the clean up steps prior to adding a top coat, but you can choose to apply a top coat before the clean up. I find that cleaning up before the top coat works better for me for two reasons. One, while I'm doing the clean up, the nail polish has time to dry and the topcoat doesn't bubble as much as it does over fresh polish. Two, the top coat is more stubborn to remove so it makes the clean up process longer.

Step 1:
- Pour some acetone into a small container (it is slightly pink in the photos from a previous manicure).
- Dip the brush into acetone
- Run the brush along the side of the container to get rid of excess acetone. This helps ensure that the cuticles don't get flooded with acetone and ruin the manicure.

Step 2:
- Place the brush at the base of the nail
- Sweep the brush along the cuticle toward the tip to remove the excess polish
- Rinse the brush in acetone
- Repeat the sweeping motion with the brush if needed until all of the excess polish is removed

Step 3:
- Starting at the base again, run the brush along the other side of the nail (I turn my nails to face me so that the the brush is never blocking my view of the nail)
- Rinse the brush and repeat as necessary until the cuticles are clean

Step 4:
- Apply a top coat (if not already applied)
- Using a cuticle oil pen, run along the nail in a similar sweeping motion as with the brush in Steps 2-3

Done!
- Allow the nails to dry and enjoy!

I hope found this tutorial useful. Please let me know what you think of it!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Sinful Colors Easy Going and Sunday Stamping Challenge

2012-02-19T13:38:00.000-08:00

It is time again for the weekly Sunday Stamping Challenge in the Facebook group Adventures in Stamping. I have been feeling sick the past few days, barely motivating myself enough to go to work and I really didn't think I would be participating in this week's challenge. I woke up (just a few hours ago) feeling a little bit better and decided to attempt something for the challenge before I have to leave for work. This week the challenge was to make a manicure using a stamping plate ending in 3. I chose one of the generic plates I got from Ebay numbered M63.

I started out with Sinful Colors Easy Going. The name seems to really match my mood at the moment. I stamped using Borghese Mezzanotte Blue and a flower image from the plate M63. Mezzanotte Blue is a very pigmented dark navy blue. In a full manicure it is so dark that most of the time it looks black, but it was perfect for stamping. To the center of the flower I added a small (2mm) pink rhinestone.

Sinful Colors Easy Going is a very light pink cream. It is almost white with just a hint of pink. The formula on this was great, opaque in two coats. The brush, however, was very stiff and left scratch marks in the polish. I have a feeling this is just a problem with the bottle that I have, since I don't usually have problems with Sinful Colors brushes. I applied three coats to even everything out and that worked just fine. This is with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Sinful Colors Collection: Main Line Color Name/Number: Easy Going, 300 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

I hope you like my last minute attempt at the stamping challenge. I'd love to know what you think!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Guest Post on ChitChatNails

2012-02-18T10:53:00.000-08:00

Today my water marble manicure is a featured guest post for Marta of ChitChatNails, while she is away in Poland. Head on over to ChitChatNails to check out the full details...

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Acetone with Glycerin Remover Update

2012-02-17T07:50:00.000-08:00

I wanted to make a followup post to the acetone with glycerin mixture that I posted about a while ago. A few people who tried it, commented that it was a bit too oily and while the oiliness didn't bother me too much, there is always room to improve. When I ran out, I decided to slightly rework the formula. In addition, this time around I had the infamous Zoya Remove+ to compare to. Looking at the Remove+ formula which contains: Acetone, Water, Glycerine, Fragrance, and color I knew the ingredients are right and it was just a matter of proportions.

For my second attempt, I started out with acetone and added glycerin in little by little until I could see a separation between the two liquids forming at the bottom. Then I added bottled water a little bit at a time until there was no longer a separation. This resulted in a much smaller glycerin to acetone ratio.

The new mixture is a lot less oily, while still very moisturizing and not as harsh as pure acetone. It feels a lot more like Remove+, but without the strong fragrance which gives me a headache. Below is the old (empty) bottle on the left and the new bottle on the right.

Here is a quick tutorial on how you can make this yourself...
1. Start with any amount of acetone you want
2. Add glycerin in small amounts and shake/mix to incorporate. Repeat this until the glycerin no longer completely dissolves in the acetone (see last photo)
3. Using distilled, purified, or bottled water add a little bit at a time and shake to mix. Repeat this until you no longer see a separation between acetone and glycerin. Water helps the glycerin dissolve in the acetone completely.
4. All done, time to test it out! :)

Here is what it should look like at step 2 when the glycerin and acetone no longer mix. You can see the separation of the two in the corner of the bottle. It is very slight when adding glycerin in small amounts so just keep checking the bottom...

That's all there is to it! No measuring required and it is really simple once you try...

I would love to know if you try this and what you think about it!

For more info on the chemistry behind this take a look at this blog post from loodie loodie loodie who my inspiration came from...

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Borghese Sonata Berry C with Pure Ice Oh Baby!

2012-02-16T08:32:00.000-08:00

I'm not feeling well today, so I will keep it short and show you a manicure from a while back. This is Borghese Sonata Berry C topped with Pure Ice Oh Baby!. Oh Baby! is a sheer base with a color shifting shimmer. The shimmer changes from green to blue to purple/magenta depending on the angle that it is viewed at. It is a fun and quick way to spice up a solid color. I'm loving all the "effect" polishes lately...

In it's own Borghese Sonata Berry C is a deep berry red polish with a jelly finish. I used three coats to get nice even coverage. It is not original in my collection, but I do tend to like these colors so I end up with lots of them. Application was good, I love the wide brush in these polishes. This is with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Borghese Collection: main line Color Name/Number: Sonata Berry C, B255 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

What do you think of the "effect" polishes that are so popular lately?

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Bling It On for Valentines Day

2012-02-15T07:51:00.000-08:00

I wanted to show you the manicure I wore on Valentines Day. To be honest my boyfriend and I have never been big on celebrating the holiday and in the 12 years we've been together, we have never actually gone out on Valentines Day. Although he does usually get me flowers and there was a gorgeous pink orchid waiting for me when I got home from work. With that in mind, I really wasn't planning on doing a themed manicure, but about an hour before having to leave for work, inspirations struck and I had to go with it.

For the manicure I used Sally Hansen Salon Effects in Bling It On which I got from Carolina's giveaway. The Bling It On nail polish strips are composed of sparkly pink and yellow glitter. As always the photos don't capture just how much "bling" these nail polish strips have. The best part of all is that they are really smooth. I've never had such a smooth glitter manicure before. Application was really easy and once again I'm very impressed with these.

For the heart accent I used a heart shaped punch that I got from Michael's for $1 a long, long time ago. I applied the heart cutout using the same technique as the nail polish strips...

For the thumb I applied the polish strip with the heart cut out rather than applying the heart. Interestingly the polish strips are a bit sheer, which is not noticeable when placed over an unpainted nail, but it did darken the color when placed over black polish...

Here is a bit of the aftermath of punching leftover nail strips. Sadly the nail polish strips dry out and are not useable once they are out of package for a while, but they were fun to punch!

The manicure was quite fun and I got lots of comments at work. One lady even asked to touch my nails after I told her they were the nail polish strips. That's definitely a 1st for me...

I should mention that removal of these was a pain in the behind, the same as any dense glitter polish. I guess that's what I get for being lazy and not using the foil method.

I'd love to know what you think! Have you tried anything fun with these strips before?

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Zoya Feel Collection Recap

2012-02-14T08:10:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be nice to do a recap of the Zoya Feel collection and the nail art that went with it. On individual swatches a few of the colors look similar so it is good to see them all side by side for comparison (at least I think so).

The collection delivers on it's promise of full coverage neutrals. Each one only took two coats to provide even color and completely cover the nail line. Application was great and consistent on all of them. I was really impressed with the color range from baby blue down to the tan, especially considering just how similar they look in the bottles. My boyfriend was convinced it was six bottles of the same color/shade.

You can click on any of the photos below to be taken to the original post for the full details...

Zoya Kristen - a periwinkle blue cream

Zoya Carey - a dove gray with a hint of lavender

Zoya Megan - a pale lavender with a hit of blue

Zoya Kendal - a soft lavender cream

Zoya Kennedy - a beige cream

Zoya Avery - a tan cream

What did you think of this collection?
Which are you favorites?

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Zoya Avery in Polka Dots...

2012-02-13T08:03:00.000-08:00

Avery is the last polish in the Zoya Feel collection. It was the one I worried about the most thinking that it wouldn't go well with my skin tone, but I was wrong. It looks lovely. As I was painting my nails, I stumbled across a picture of this polka dot dress on pinterest and it was instant inspiration, so I just went with it.

For the manicure I started out with Zoya Avery as my base, taped it off with scotch tape and added the tips using Wet 'n Wild Black Creme. The dots were done using a dotting tool and the same Black Creme from Wet 'n Wild. I originally intended to have the dots over the whole nail, but I liked the look of it on just half...

Zoya Avery on her own is a a soft beige cream. Full coverage in two coats and application was great just like the rest of the polishes in this collection. This it two coats plus a top coat in these swatches...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Zoya Collection: Fell, Winter 2011 Color Name/Number: Avery Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

I'd love to know what you think of this. Do you like nails inspired by fashion? I'm thinking it would make a fun series :)

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Avon Wicked Malice + Sunday Stamping Challenge

2012-02-12T08:34:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it is time for another Sunday Stamping Challenge in the facebook group Adventures in Stamping. This week the challenge was to create a Valentines Day mani. Since I have been wearing lots of pastels lately, I chose a dark, vampy base of Avon Wicked Malice. I stamped using Color Club Hot Like Lava from the Foiled collection and Red Angel stamping plate RA-114. I like that it is subtle, simple and not overly girly...

On it's own Avon Wicked Malice was a bit of a disappointment. The color in the bottle has an incredible dark red shimmer in a nearly black base. You can clearly see it in the bottle on any of the photos. The sad part is that it didn't transfer to the nail. Yes, the polish is still a beautiful dark, vampy color, but without this red shimmer, it lacked that special something for me. For the most part the polish looked dark berry to nearly black. Only in direct sunlight or under the lamp was the shimmer visible on the nail. Otherwise application was very good. Two coats for full coverage. With a top coat in these photos...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Avon Collection: Main line Color Name/Number: Wicked Malice, N409 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

I would love to know what you think!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

11 Questions Tag...

2012-02-11T08:46:00.000-08:00

I was tagged for the 11 Questions tag by two lovely bloggers: Kirsten of Geeky Owl and Theodora of Red Hair and Black Nail Polish. Thanks ladies for thinking of me! :)

The rules:

- Post 11 things about yourself

- Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post

- Create 11 new questions for the people you tag!

- Choose 11 people to tag, link them on your post, and tell them about it

Since I was tagged twice and there are two sets of questions to answer, I will skip the facts section and get right to the questions...

Questions from Theodora of Red Hair and Black Nail Polish:
1. What are your other hobbies, besides nail polish and doing your nails?
I have a ton of other hobbies, but no time for them. Jewelry making, candle carving, cake decorating... oh the list goes on. Here are some samples, I've posted these before so sorry to all who have seen these :)

2. What is your favorite nail polish color?
I tend to wear dark purple/plum a lot

3. What or who started your nail polish addiction/ obsession?
It was back in 2008 when I lived in NY with my aunt for 2 months. We went to get our nails done and I asked for a deep vampy burgundy and the lady suggested a plum instead. I think it was a Zoya, but I have been on the hunt for that color ever since...

4. What nail polish trend do you love/hate?
I love the flakie trend! None that I really hate.

5. Do you also paint the nails of others, like friends/family?
I've done by mom's nails and my cousin's as well, but I don't do it often...

6. Where do you buy most of your nail polish?
I mostly buy from Ulta, Walgreens and Ross. Just depends on what I'm looking for...

7. Stamping or freehand Nail Art - what's your favorite?
I can't choose just one. I love and do both :)

8. Would you ever give up your entire collection of nail polish? :D
For a good cause I would. I don't think I have any nail polishes I couldn't live without or find a replacement for. I'm not into chasing hard to find polishes.

9. Where would you like to live? And why?
I would love to live somewhere warm by the beach, where life moves a little slower and people are not quite as stressed...

10. What's your best feature?
Um, my nails?

11. What's your biggest dream?
To live by the beach.. see number 9 above ;)

Questions from Kirsten of Geeky Owl:
1. How many nail polishes do you own?
On last count I had around 450, but don't quote me on that :)

2. If you could meet anyone alive or dead who would it be?
I would love to meet my grandma who passed away before I was born.

3. Your guilty pleasure?
Spoonfuls of sweetened condensed milk. Yum!

4. What is your favorite film?
Heartbreakers and Dirty Dancing. I've seen both way more times than I should admit :)

5. Favorite music group as a kid?
Backstreet Boys. Brings back such fun memories...

6. Favorite animal?
Lately I've been fascinated with pandas :)

7. Coke or Pepsi?
I don't drink pop very often, probably couldn't even taste the difference, but I do love the Coke polar bears...

8. If you could have accent in the world what would it be?
I'll keep mine... slight and non-distinct. Most people have a hard time guessing that I am from Russia :)

9. Phobias?
Spiders... ugh!

10. How often do you change your nails?
Usually daily, if I'm feeling lazy then I'll have the same mani for 2 or 3 days tops.

11. Your favorite quote?
Excuses are like butts, everyone has one and they all stink.

I think most people have already been tagged with this, so I will leave it as an open invitation for anyone who wants to answer these questions. Let me know if you choose to do this so I can come read your answers :D

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Zoya Kennedy in Lace

2012-02-10T07:58:00.000-08:00

I have been seeing a lot of lace manicures around and have really been wanting to give it a try. Zoya Kennedy was perfect for the occasion. Since I don't have any lace stamps, I went the freehand route. Starting out with Zoya Kennedy, I added a black stripe and lace details using black acrylic paint. This definitely gave me practice with detail painting and made me realize just how much more practice I need...

On her own Zoya Kennedy is a lovely beige cream. Full coverage and great application in two coats. The formula does not disappoint. Swatches are with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Zoya Collection: Feel, Winter 2011 Color Name/Number: Kennedy, ZP595 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

As always, I'd love to know what you think! :)

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

A very lucky day!

2012-02-10T01:11:00.002-08:00

I honestly don't know how I got so lucky, but won another giveaway. This time from the lovely Kristin of The Manicured Monkey. She is a fellow member of the Adventures in Stamping group that I'm part of and I have been following her blog for a long time. You have probably seen her blog by now, but if not then make sure to check it out.

Her giveaway had four incredible prizes and I didn't know which one I had won until I opened my package to find the entire luxeffects line from Essie, two Sally Hansen Salon Effects, Seche Vite, and an Elf eyeshadow palette...

Thank you so much Kristin! I'm still in shock :)

My other shock of the day was to wake up this morning and find out that Wacky Laki was featured by Kayla on her blog Nails by Kayla Shevonne! I never expected it and I'm so honored that she thought I was good enough to feature. Thank you Kayla! She mentioned that someone recommended me to her, so whoever you are... thank you too! :)

Also, welcome to everyone who stopped by here thanks to Kayla and the 40 people who decided they liked this blog enough to follow it!

Thank you so much Kristin and Kayla, you ladies made my day! :)

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Zoya Kendal with Freehand Flowers

2012-02-09T08:43:00.000-08:00

This is Zoya Kendal and what could possibly be my favorite manicure (of mine) to date. I had an inspiration image for this, but I can't find it right now so if I stubble across it again I will update this post. I started out with Zoya Kendal for the base and added a wide white stripe along the side using Wet 'n Wild French White Creme. Then, using acrylic paint in white and two different shades of purple I added the flowers. Flower centers are using Sinful Color Nail Art in Flower Girl. It reminds me of a china pattern...

Zoya Kendal is another sweet full coverage cream. This one is a pale lavender with great application. Two coats plus a top coat for these swatches. Not much more I can say here, just lovely...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Zoya Collection: Feel, Winter 2011 Color Name/Number: Kendal, ZP594 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

I'd love to know what you think!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Zoya Megan Funky French

2012-02-08T08:16:00.000-08:00

Zoya Megan is the third pastel in a lovely winter collection from Zoya. It felt very girly and dainty to me and I needed something light after the gray of yesterday. I stamped using Wet 'n Wild French White Creme and a french tip stamp from Bundle Monster plate BM-220. Since my nails are not long enough for the stamp to be used in the proper direction (plenty long for me), I flipped the image and stamped the line of the stamp along the tip. The stamping turned out very pale, but I like the subtle aspect of it in this case. I added a funky slanted white french tip along the line of the stamp using French White Creme...

Zoya Megan is a pale lavender cream. It is full coverage in two easy coats. I had no problems with applications. Loving the formula and the coverage on these creams so far. This is two coats plus a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Zoya Collection: Feel, Winter 2011 Color Name/Number: Megan, ZP593 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

What do you think of subtle stamping?
I'd love to know what you think!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Zoya Carey in a Gradient with Kelly

2012-02-07T08:25:00.000-08:00

Next up in the Zoya Feel collection is Carey. It reminds me of a lighter version of Kelly which I go bonkers for every time. With all my polishes I still keep reaching for Kelly every time. I thought it would be fun to pair Carey up with Kelly in a gradient.

I started out with Carey as the base and using a faux sea foam sponge I sponged on Kelly. It looks ashy and dirty and I love it... :)

Here is Zoya Carey on her own. A dusty pale gray cream with just a hint of lavender. Application was great. Full coverage as promised in two easy coats. Swatches here are with a top coat. Not much to say about it, just perfect...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Zoya Collection: Feel, Winter 2011 Color Name/Number: Carey, ZP592 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

Have you tried any polishes from the Zoya Feel collection?
I'd love to know what you think of this mani...

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Zoya Kristen in a Winter Wonderland

2012-02-06T08:45:00.000-08:00

I figured I better post this before winter is over and this is no longer relevant. I got to play with the Zoya Feel collection that I won in a giveaway from Fab Fatale. This is actually from about three weeks ago when it snowed in Seattle and everything was a winter wonderland. Driving conditions were awful, but the view outside my window was gorgeous and I was inspired to create a wintery scene on my nails.

I started out with Zoya Kristen as the base and free handed the trees and snow scene using Wet 'n Wild French White Cream. Then, I added a few highlights and snowflakes/dots using Sinful Colors Out of This World. I like how these turned out, in particular the tall tree on the ring finger :)

On it's own Zoya Kristen is a beautiful periwinkle blue cream. It applied easily in two coats. Just the perfect pastel. I actually like this color a lot for spring. Swatches are with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Zoya Collection: Feel, Winter 2011 Color Name/Number: Kristen, ZP591 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

I'd love to know what you think of this!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Zoya Ibiza and Sunday Stamping Challenge

2012-02-05T12:21:00.000-08:00

It is time for another Stamping Sunday challenge in the facebook group Adventures in Acetone. Which by the way, if you are interested in stamping you should definitely check out. This week the challenge was blue and you really don't have to twist my arm or give me extra excuses to wear a dark vampy blue. I usually mange to do that on my own rather frequently.

This time I chose Zoya Ibiza which has been sitting untried for way to long. I stamped it with roses from the Red Angel plate RA-116 using Color Club Lumin-Icecent. Lumin-Icecent is a baby blue foil from the Color Club Foiled collection that was released in the fall of last year. I have yet to swatch the collection, but I love the foils for stamping. I like how this turned out. I think it would be a great alternative to a traditional pink/red mani for Valentines day. A little colder and not so in your face girly :)

On her own, Zoya Ibiza is a blackened navy blue with a blue shimmer. The shimmer was more visible in the bottle than on the nail and best seen with direct light or in the sun. Application was great. This is practically a one coater, but I did use two coats plus a top coat for the swatches...

A close up of the shimmer...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Zoya Collection: Dare Color Name/Number: Ibiza, ZP491 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

Playing with this polish just reminds me how nervous I was when ordering it from Zoya last April. At the time, I had never worn a dark blue like this before and was afraid I'd try it and hate it... now I love it. Question is, what else am I too scared to try that I would end up loving?

I'd love to know what you think of this! :)

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Pure Ice - Winter Crackle & Ice Duo - Silver Glitter with Teal Crackle

2012-02-04T08:28:00.000-08:00

I have another Crackle & Ice Duo from Pure Ice to share with you today. This set contains a silver glitter (number 537CP) and a teal crackle named Strike a Pose. The crackle is a metallic bright blue teal. I can honestly say I have nothing like it in my collection. It is a bit sheer and allows the glitter shine through. It was easy to apply and the crackle very consistent. The photos can't accurately capture just how sparkly this manicure really is. I'm at a loss for words as I keep staring at my nails :D

Swatch Details
	Brand: Pure Ice Collection: Winter Crackle & Ice Duo: Silver Glitter & Teal Crackle Color Name/Number: Strike a Pose, 576CP (over 537CP) Number of coats: 1 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) Contains Camphor

By itself 537CP (I wish they would name it), is a dense silver glitter. It provides almost full nail coverage by three coats. The only problem I ran into with this polish is that is has a very strong chemical smell. I was quite surprised since none of the other Pure Ice polishes have bothered me before. If you are sensitive to strong smells then you have been warned. These swatches are three coats plus a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Pure Ice Collection: Winter Crackle & Ice Duo: Silver Glitter & Teal Crackle Color Name/Number: Beware, 537CP Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) Contains Camphor

UPDATE: Thanks to the information from a lovely reader, the glitter polish actually has a name of Beware.

I know everyone is over the crackles, but I'm quite impressed with the ones I have tried from Pure Ice. The combos go so well together and this metallic teal crackle is a stunner. I'm just thinking of how it would look over a dark polish... hmm! If you missed my previous two reviews, check out the Gold Glitter with Black Crackle and Gold with Red Crackle.

I love your feedback, so let me know what you think :)

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** These polishes were provided to me for review by the manufacturer or their PR. For more information please see the disclosure policy **

OPI - Holland - Part 2

2012-02-03T08:22:00.000-08:00

Today I have the second half of the Holland collection from OPI to share with you. You can find the first half here, if you missed it. These should be available for purchase on the 8th of this month. Since there is lots to show, I'll get to it... :)

Kiss Me On My Tulips
A pretty pink cream that I would best describe as Barbie pink. I used three coats plus a top coat in these swatches. Application was very good as usual. I was fascinated (and this is probably just me) that the first coat dried darker and with a frosty finish, but the following coats were lighter and shiny. Anyone else pay attention to useless stuff like that? :)

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Holland, Spring 2012 Color Name/Number: Kiss Me On My Tulips, NL H59 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Pedal Faster Suzi!
A pretty lavender pink with a silver and pink shimmer. The shimmer in this one is larger and almost resembles tiny flakes. It starts out very sheer, but does build up nicely. I used three coats and could only slightly see the nail line. These swatches are with a top coat...

A close up to see the shimmer...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Holland, Spring 2012 Color Name/Number: Pedal Faster Suzi!, NL H60 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Red Light Ahead...Where?
This is a cross between a cream and a jelly. I don't see too much red in it, as the name would suggest. I would classify it as a coral orange. It is not nearly as neon as the last two photos would suggest, but it is a bright color. Great for spring. I used three coats plus a top coat for this one...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Holland, Spring 2012 Color Name/Number: Red Light Ahead...Where?, NL H61 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Thanks a Windmillion
A sea foam green cream. Application was perfect, only two coats for full coverage. I have such a weakness for these colors...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Holland, Spring 2012 Color Name/Number: Thanks a Windmillion, NL H62 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Vampsterdam
A deep plum shimmer. The polish certainly lives up to it's vampy name. The formula was very thin and runny, not what I expected. I'm not sure if it is just my bottle like that. It took three coats to build up to full coverage Swatches are with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Holland, Spring 2012 Color Name/Number: Vampsterdam, NL H63 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Wooden Shoe Like to Know?
A milk chocolate brown with a reddish copper shimmer. Application was great, two coats for full coverage. I have been leaning toward brown polishes lately so this was right on target. I wore it as a full mani to work and loved it!

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Holland, Spring 2012 Color Name/Number: Wooden Shoe Like to Know?, NL H64 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Will you be getting any of the colors from this collection?
I'd love to know what you think of them so don't be shy :)

For more information you can visit www.opi.com.
Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** These polishes were provided to me for review by the manufacturer or their PR. For more information please see the disclosure policy **

My Entry into the Be My Valentine Nail Art Contest

2012-02-01T22:30:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching and while my boyfriend and I have chosen to mostly ignore it for the past 12 years, I do enjoy all the pink, the hearts, and the flowers. I decided it would be fun to enter the "Be My Valentine Nail Art Contest" held by Lacquered Me on Facebook. This is my entry into the contest. Please check out all the entries and if you like like mine, take a minute to vote for it!!! :D

For the manicure I started out with two coats of Zoya Stephanie and sponged over it using Korres Watermelon. A polish I got quite a while ago in a giveaway from Cel's Deconails. It has been on my "to try" list for quite a while and I thought it would be perfect for the occasion. The hearts I free handed using Wet 'n Wild French White Creme and a dotting tool. It makes me think of Minnie Mouse :)

Korres Watermelon on it's own is a pink raspberry jelly. It has a bit more raspberry or watermelon (for the lack of a better term) tint to it than what comes across in the photos. It starts out sheer, but does build up opacity. I used three coats plus a top coat in these swatches. You can still slightly see the nail line. I think this polish would be perfect for a glitter sandwich...

This was taken with the flash and turned out to be the most color accurate image. The color in the bottle here is closest to true to life...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Korres Color Name/Number: Watermelon, 19 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor, Silicone, Xylene, Acetone

I'd love to know what you think of this manicure or the polish!
If you like it and you can, then please vote for it... or vote for whoever you like. :)

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

OPI - Holland - Part 1

2012-02-01T07:58:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to show you the first half of the new OPI Holland collection which is set to release next week. The collection has such a great mix of colors and finishes that I am having a hard time picking favorites. I'll just get on with the swatches and let you decide for yourself, just make sure to let me know what you think! :)

A Roll in the Hague
This is a bright orange cream. It is bright, but not neon bright. Covered well in two coats and was shiny enough that I didn't use a top coat. Application was very good. During cleanup, the polish removed easily, but flooded my cuticles with yellow. You can see it on my ring and pinkie fingers in these photos. I've never had this happen before. I didn't seem to stain my nails though (any more than they already are :D), but just in case, I would suggest a good base coat with this.

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Holland, Spring 2012 Color Name/Number: A Roll in the Hague, NL H53 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: No Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Did You 'Ear About Van Gogh?
A pale taupe with a hint of gray. OPI describes it as bisque and I would have to agree. Application was great, two coats for full coverage. No top coat on this one, it was shiny enough on it's own. Love the look of this...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Holland, Spring 2012 Color Name/Number: Did You 'Ear About Van Gogh?, NL H54 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: No Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Dutch'ya Just Love OPI?
A plum purple with a coppery shimmer. The shimmer is best seen in the sun and is pretty subtle indoors, but definitely still there. Such a gorgeous shimmer. I used two coats for full coverage and added a top coat on this one...

A closer look at the shimmer...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Holland, Spring 2012 Color Name/Number: Dutch'ya Just Love OPI?, NL H55 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Gouda Gouda Two Shoes
A dark salmon color with a copper shimmer. The shimmer in this one is very subtle, but does give it a nice touch. I used two coats for full coverage and application was great. These are with a top coat...

The shimmer...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Holland, Spring 2012 Color Name/Number: Gouda Gouda Two Shoes, NL H56 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

I Don't Give A Rotterdam!
A light periwinkle blue with a strong silver shimmer. The shimmer particles themselves are larger and almost look like tiny flakes up close. I applied two coats, but probably should have used three. When the light was directly behind, I could see through some spots. Nothing an extra coat couldn't fix. The color is just gorgeous....

I bit of close up to see the shimmer...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Holland, Spring 2012 Color Name/Number: I Don't Give A Rotterdam!, NL H57 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

I Have a Herring Problem
This is a darker, slightly more blue version of the above. It was also a bit thicker and covered well in two coats. The shimmer in this more of a champagne gold giving it a warmer feeling. Another gorgeous polish in this collection...

A close up...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Holland, Spring 2012 Color Name/Number: I Have a Herring Problem, NL H58 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

I Don't Give A Rotterdam! vs. I Have a Herring Problem
Just for fun, a comparison of the two blue shimmers side by side so you can see the difference. I Have a Herring Problem is on the index and ring fingers and I Don't Give A Rotterdam! is on the middle and pinkie fingers...

A closer look... I Don't Give A Rotterdam! on the left and I Have a Herring Problem on the right...

I'd love know what you think of these!

For more information you can visit www.opi.com.
Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** These polishes were provided to me for review by the manufacturer or their PR. For more information please see the disclosure policy **

Peackock inspired by OPI Nicki Minaj Collection

2012-01-31T07:57:00.000-08:00

As I was playing with the fun polishes of the Nicki Minaj collection, I couldn't help but think they would be perfect for a peacock manicure. Somehow I managed to use every single color from the collection. I started out with Metallic 4 Life as a base and added a little pink heart using Pink Friday. Then, alternating Fly and Did It On 'Em I added the "barbs". Next followed the Supper Bass Shatter in the middle of the pink heart and down the center of the feather. I topped the whole thing off with a few touches of Save Me using a detail brush and covered the whole thing with two layers of top coat.

I think the colors are perfect for a peacock manicure, I'm just not sure I'm pleased with my execution of it. It looks better from a distance and I definitely need more practice. Here is what I ended up with...

I'd love to know what you think!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

OPI - Nicki Minaj Collection - Swatches & Review

2012-01-30T07:57:00.000-08:00

Today I have swatches of the OPI Nicki Minaj collection that I have been playing with over the weekend. The collection contains three creams, two glitters and a shatter. It is a fun collection so take a look at the photos (be warned, there are a lot of them) and let me know what you think :)

Did It On 'Em
This is a chartreuse cream which kind of caught me off guard. I did not expect to like the color as much as I did. I have no idea how, but it made my nails appear narrower and longer. You won't hear me complaining about it... Application was good. I used three coats plus a top coat for the full even coverage in these photos...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Nicki Minaj Color Name/Number: Did It On 'Em, NL N13 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Fly
A beautiful teal cream. This one applied thin with the first coat, but did build up very nicely. Make sure to use a nice base coat with this one as it did stain my nails blue (I was lazy and skipped the base coat... lesson learned). The photos below are three coats plus a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Nicki Minaj Color Name/Number: Fly, NL N14 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Pink Friday
A sweet pink cream. This one was a bit thicker than the other creams and therefore only required two coats for full coverage. Definitely a shade I would reach for if I needed something quick, clean and work friendly. Didn't expect to find such a shade in a Nicki Minaj inspired collection, but I like it. This it two coats with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Nicki Minaj Color Name/Number: Pink Friday, NL N16 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Metallic 4 Life
A black jelly base with small square and larger hex silver glitter. I love this one. The silver makes a nice pop against the black. It had full nail coverage at two coats, but I applied three just to get more glittery goodness. These are with one layer of top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Nicki Minaj Color Name/Number: Metallic 4 Life, NL N15 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Save Me
This glitter consists of small silver glitter in addition to blue and holographic bar glitter. I am not sure how many coats of this it would take to get full coverage, but I did not try it on its own. I consider this a layering glitter. The holographic glitter was hard to capture in the photos although it was not at all shy in real life. You can see it best in the bottle of these swatches. I applied one coat plus a top coat over all three creams in the collection...

Over Did It On 'Em...

Over Fly...

Over Pink Friday...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Nicki Minaj Color Name/Number: Save Me, NL N17 (over Pink Friday) Number of coats: 1 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Super Bass Shatter
A purple shatter which as far as I'm concerned works well over any color in the collection. My favorite combo though was with Did It On 'Em. I like the contrast in this case. What makes this shatter special is that it is not a cream, but a strong purple shimmer instead. I applied one coat of shatter over the above cream with Save Me combinations...

Over Did It On 'Em plus Save Me...

Over Fly plus Save Me...

Over Pink Friday plus Save Me...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Nicki Minaj Color Name/Number: Super Bass Shatter, NL N18 (over Did It On 'Em) Number of coats: 1 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

I would love to know what you think of this collection!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** These polishes were provided to me for review by the manufacturer or their PR. For more information please see the disclosure policy**

Sunday Stamping Challenge + Zoya Stephanie

2012-01-29T07:46:00.000-08:00

It is a good thing that I'm stubborn because otherwise I would have given up on this manicure about five takes ago. It was just one of those days when everything falls, acetone spills, the tape rips off the layers underneath, and just when you redid the problem nail(s) for the 3rd time and it is as good as it will get given the circumstances you bump it into something. Ugh! However, I'm glad that I didn't give up because I actually like what I came up with for this week's Sunday Stamping Challenge. The challenge was simply to make a manicure using any stamping plate that ends in 7. The hardest part is having too many choices :)

For the manicure I started out with a coat of Zoya Stephanie then added french tips using Wet 'n Wild French White Creme and topped it off with a second coat of Stephanie. The flowers were stamped using Color Club Hot Like Lava and Ebay plate m07. Flower centers were added using Sally Hansen Celeb City. I had originally intended for the bottom branch to lie along the tip of the nail, but since I stamped lopsided, I added a slanted tip using Hot Like Lava to accentuate the slope. Let's just pretend that I intended it the whole time because I like it so much more with the foil tips than as just a plain french mani...

I have swatched Zoya Stephanie before, but that was on my little shortie nails, so here are some fresh swatches. This is three coats plus a top coat. Application was good, but not perfect. I kept getting bald spots that did eventually even out by the third coat. The color is lovely, a sheer peachy pink. Perfect for a french mani or on it's own since it covers nicely by three coats.

I love wearing sheers like this by themselves quite a bit. In fact, before I started blogging I used to wear sheers all spring/summer and dark colors fall/winter. Just take a look at my first Zoya haul back in May of last year... oh how different that order would be now... :D

Swatch Details
	Brand: Zoya Collection: Spa Essentials Color Name/Number: Stephanie, ZP364 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) and Camphor

Have you noticed your taste in nail polish change over time?

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

More Awards...

2012-01-28T11:43:00.000-08:00

I got tagged with two more awards this past week. I'm so flattered that they picked me. Hopefully you guys are not sick of reading about me :)

First is the One Lovely Blog Award from Minnie of Mini Nail Blog. I have been following her for quite a while and she does some amazing nail art, so make sure to check her blog out. Thank you so much Minnie!

The rules:

1) Link back to the person who awarded you.

2) Tell seven random things about yourself.

3) Award this to 15 other blogs

The Randomness:

1. I keep every greeting card I get. Makes me smile when I look back at them.

2. I'm neat and organized at work (clutter drives me crazy), but my desk at home is a complete mess...

3. My favorite show right now is Rules of Engagement. So funny!

4. I have about 450 nail polishes and running out of room to store them. Never thought I could accumulate so much in one year :)

5. I don't like dim lights or when it is dusky outside. I'm usually the first to turn lights on...

6. I share my birthday with my nephew and love it. He was born on my 25th and we have been blowing out our birthday candles together every year since then :)

7. I'm bad at small talk and have a hard time coming up with random things to talk about (or about me) ;)

The second award is the I Love Your Blog Award from Kirsten of Geeky Owl. Her blog I just discovered through being tagged, but it is really cute, so make sure to check it out as well. Thank you very much Kirsten!

The rules:

1) Link back to the person who awarded you.

2) Answer the questions

3) Award other blogs

The Questions:

1. What is your favorite fashion magazine?
None. I have not subscribed to any fashion magazines in ages, but I do look at Glamour & Allure websites occasionally :)

2. Who is your favorite singer/band?
There are no favorites... only ones I like and ones I don't like. I can pretty much listen to Rob Thomas or Nickelback all day long... Their voices are mesmerizing :)

3. Who is your favorite YouTube guru?
Again, I can't just settle on one...
Tartofraises Nail Art and Robin Moses Nail Art are both just amazing!!

4. What is your favorite makeup product?
Chapstick!

5. Where would you like to live?
I live in the US :)

UPDATE: I miss read the question and answered "where do you live?" Sigh! Blame it on lack of sleep...
I would like to live somewhere warm and beachy... the Greek Islands look nice :)

6. What is your favorite film?
Dirty Dancing, have seen it soooo many times :)

7. How many pairs of shoes do you own?
At least 50... lots of boots and sandals. Funny thing is 99% of the time I'm wearing my Dansko clogs. They are the only thing I can wear to work that won't kill my feet. :)

8. What is your favorite color?
No favorites, I like black/gray/brown for what I wear a lot. In terms of nail polish color I'm still only discovering the possibilities...

The Tag (for both awards):

I am Definitely Addicted...

Polish Amor

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Pure Ice - Winter Crackle & Ice Duo - Gold Glitter & Black

2012-01-27T08:05:00.000-08:00

Today I have another Pure Ice Crackle & Ice Duo set to share with you. This one contains a gold glitter numbered 582CP and a black crackle named Strobe Light. This was my first time layering a crackle over a glitter and I love it. As always, just imagine this 100 times more sparkly in real life. I just keep wiggling my fingers and staring at the sparkle. Strobe Light crackled quickly and evenly. I had no problems with application at all.

Swatch Details
	Brand: Pure Ice Collection: Winter Crackle & Ice Duo: Gold Glitter & Black Color Name/Number: Strobe Light, 567CP (Over 582CP) Number of coats: 1 (Over 2 coats 582CP) Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) Contains Camphor

On it's own the gold glitter is very pretty as well. The glitter is comprised of small mostly gold, but also some copper particles. It is very dense and covers well. Two coats for full coverage with no visible nail line. Can easily be worn on it's own. I topped it off with two layers of top coat to get a smooth finish...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Pure Ice Collection: Winter Crackle & Ice Duo: Gold Glitter & Black Color Name/Number: 582CP Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes - 2 coats Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) Contains Camphor

Have you tried crackles over glitter? What do you think of this combination?

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** These polishes were provided to me for review by the manufacturer or their PR. For more information please see the disclosure policy **

Golden Globes Inspiration + Sinful Colors Tokyo Pearl

2012-01-26T08:22:00.000-08:00

I didn't actually watch the golden globes, but I did see photos of the beautiful dresses online and couldn't help but be inspired. One of them was the elegant dress worn by Angelina Jolie. I wanted to recreate the sharp bright red triangle against a pale pearly backdrop for the manicure.

To achieve this I used Sinful Colors Tokyo Pearl, then taped off the nails and added the accent using Wet 'n Wild Caught Red Handed. The red bled from under the tape in a few spots, but overall I'm really pleased with how these turned out...

On it's own Tokyo Pearl is a white pearl frost. It starts out very sheer, but does build up nicely. I applied three coats and the nail line was only barely visible. My problem with these types of polishes (and this was no exception) is not their sheerness, but the streaking. It is not forgiving to imperfect application and shows every flaw. In addition dry time even with a fast drying top coat was painfully slow. I waited an hour before applying the tape and still had problems. It was cute for a manicure, but not a polish I would reach for if I needed something quick.

Swatch Details
	Brand: Sinful Colors Collection: Main Line Color Name/Number: Tokyo Pearl, 112 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

As always, let me know what you think!
Did you watch the Golden Globes or get inspired by any of the dresses? :)

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Gifts from Australia...

2012-01-26T01:47:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I won a giveaway from Miranda of Mirannie's Nails sponsored by piCture pOlish. I got to choose three shades and this time I chose Denim, Festival and Tiffany. They arrived a few days ago and they are all so beautiful! I will have swatches of them soon. It was one of my New Year's resolutions (in an attempt to decrease endless polish buying) that any polish that enters this household starting Jan 1st must be tried/swatched within 30 days or it goes back to where it came from... we'll see how that goes :D

Another big thanks Miranda for hosting the wonderful giveaway! Check out her blog at Mirannie's Nails.

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Pure Ice Year of the Dragon Crackle & Ice Duo

2012-01-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

Today I have one more Year of the Dragon manicure to share with you. This one comes courtesy of Bari Cosmetics who kindly sent me these two polishes for review. Unlike my previous manicure, this one is a more traditional color scheme for Chinese New Year. It reminds me of beautiful lanterns with light shining through.

For the manicure I started out with the gold, which sadly does not have a name, only the number (313CP) on the bottom. In all the communication I received it is simply referred to as Gold. I topped the gold off with a layer of Show Stopper, a bright red jelly crackle. I had no problems with application. The crackle was very consistent. I love that it is a jelly and allows the gold to shine through.

When it came to the symbol to stamp, I had a hard time picking one out since there are so many plates with Chinese symbols and I have no idea what they mean. I enlisted the help of a friend to explain the meanings of them until I finally settled on the symbol from Bundle Monster plate BM-221. She translated it to means lucky, fortunate in life and so much more. So here is to a wonderful Year of the Dragon...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Pure Ice Collection: Year of the Dragon 2012, Crackle & Ice Duo Color Name/Number: Show Stopper, 569CP Number of coats: 1 (over 3 coats 313CP) Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) Contains Camphor

Here are the swatches of the gold on it's own. It is a bright yellow gold foil with some shimmer qualities. Streaking was minimal with careful application and because it is so shiny you can't see any of them in the photos regardless. I used three coats to get full coverage. Photos are with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Pure Ice Collection: Year of the Dragon 2012, Crackle & Ice Duo Color Name/Number: 313CP Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) Contains Camphor

Let me know what you think!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** These polishes were provided to me for review by the manufacturer or their PR. For more information please see the disclosure policy **

Happy Year of the Dragon!

2012-01-24T08:02:00.000-08:00

My bf's mom made this adorable little dragon that she gave us to welcome the Year of the Dragon. It is the cutest little thing and I instantly wanted to match a manicure it. Sadly, my computer decided to be stubborn and I couldn't get this posted yesterday for the 1st day of the year. My bf spent the day reinstalling the whole system and all the programs, but now I'm back to show you this cute little guy...

For the manicure I used Sinful Colors Unicorn which was just a touch darker than the little guy, but the closet color I have. Then, I and added a little ruffle design to the side of the nail using Sparitual Delight, to match the dragon's ruffle "spine". It is such a sweet color combination. Makes me think of spring :)

Just a few shots of Sinful Colors Unicorn on it's own. I've swatched it before, but let's just say I shudder when I look at those photos... so I a fresh set of swatches was in order. Unicorn is a pastel yellow cream. It is one of the only yellows that I can really wear. It took three coats to even out the color and get full coverage. The only problem with this polish is that it stains the nails yellow, but I learned that lesson last time so I had a nice base coat underneath and it seemed to help. This is three coats with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Sinful Colors Collection: Main Line Color Name/Number: Unicorn, 953 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

And for a bonus photo, here is the little one with his matching polishes....

Thanks for looking and Happy Year of the Dragon!
Anutka :)

Borghese Plumaggio Purple and Sunday Stamping - Stars

2012-01-22T12:14:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the 3rd edition of Sunday Stamping. Today's challenge was stars. I'm hoping this qualifies because there is some, but not a lot of stamping here. I started out with a blue polish from Borghese named Plumaggio Purple. The reason I call it blue is because that's all I saw on my nails. The purple was mostly left in the bottle. Over the blue, I lightly sponged Sinful Colors Out of This World. Then I added the large stars which were hand made decals using Sally Hansen Celeb City. An annoying process which turned out to be cute, but a pain in the butt to do. I'm wishing I had the Essence stamping plate used by Jane of Nailside here. Sigh! I would make this so much easier. Now for the actual stamping part I added small stars from a plate named m08 that I ordered from Ebay.

Here is the result... I love how it turned out (except for a few air bubbles under the decals)...

And now for Plumaggio Purple on it's own. In the bottle, it is a dark blue with a strong purple shimmer. You can clearly see the purple in the first photo, but only in the bottle. It decided to stay there and not show up on my nails. I wish this was one of those "but trust me, it is there in real life" cases, but nope, what you see is what you get. Otherwise application was good and I do like the extra wide Borghese brush. Two coats plus a top coat in these swatches...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Borghese Collection: Main line Color Name/Number: B350 Plumaggio Purple Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP

I'd love to know what you think of the color or the final mani!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Cute Blog Award

2012-01-21T08:10:00.000-08:00

I got tagged with the Cute Blog Award by Amanda of Amandalandish. Isn't that just the cutest little owl? Thank you so much Amanda! :)

The Rules

- Link back to the person who awarded you

- Answer award questions

- Share something you haven't shared about yourself on your blog

- Award as many blogs you think are worthy of this award

- Make sure to let those you award know you did so

The Questions

What is your go to makeup product?

A touch of cover-up and some eye shadow (yes, usually just one, nothing fancy here) is all that I use.

What was your favorite fashion trend of 2011?

I'm not the most fashion forward person, so I'll tell you what my favorite polish trend was. That would be foils. I love the look of metal on my nails, but without the annoying streaks or see-throughness (yes, I'm making up words) of other metallic polishes. And as an added bonus they are perfect for stamping.

What is your favorite dessert?

Pretty much anything with duche de leche or sweetened condensed milk. I love that stuff... oh and making your own dulche de leche from sweetened condensed milk can't be beat! Brings back childhood memories for me.

Favorite color?

Plum and lately deep navy blue on my nails. Black/grey in terms of clothes I like to wear. I think half of my closet is black and grey :)

What is your middle name?

Nice try! Although nothing exciting, it is my father's first name with a special ending per Russian traditions... ;)

What was the last song you listened to?

All Your Life by The Band Perry. Loving that song right now!

Cats or Dogs?

Both, but I'm allergic so neither :P

The Share

I have recently become obsessed with Pinterest. That site is addicting. I love seeing what people pin and getting inspired. Pinning things myself has helped me go through the links I was saving. Now I can just visually see them, so much more appealing than bookmarks or text files. It is perfect!

The Tag

If you are reading this, you have a blog and have not been tagged yet then... tag, you're it!
Let me know if you accept the tag so I can come read all the juicy details about you :)

Thanks for looking!

Anutka :)

Zoya Gems & Jewels Recap...

2012-01-20T08:37:00.000-08:00

Maybe I shouldn't call this a recap since I'm about to show three new manicures, but I did use the same polishes, so hopefully you'll let is slide ;). These manicures were inspired by a mermaid manicure done by Marta of ChitChat Nails. I just fell in love with it and had to try it. Since the Zoya's Gems & Jewels polishes were all still sitting on my desk, I thought it would be fun to try them. I think they turned out pretty cute although I wish I would have sponged the glitter on rather than using a brush...

Zoya Holly & Rina
For the base I used two coats of Zoya Stephanie, a great sheer that I love to use for french manis. Then I stamped over it with Holly using Bundle Monster plate BM-208. The same plate that I used in my original Holly/Rina manicure. I panted the tips with Rina, which for some reason is the hardest of the glitters for me to work with. I couldn't get a nice thin layer of it. Next time, it will be sponged on for sure. You can see swatches of Holly & Rina here (in case you missed them a few days ago). It makes me think of a sports field. If I ever need grass for nail art, this would be a good place to start...

Zoya Izzy & Kissy
Next up is the pink version of the mani. Again, I started out with two coats of Zoya Stephanie. I stamped with Izzy using Bundle Monster plate BM-209, same as for the original Izzy/Kissy mani. See how they all tie together? Tips were painted on using Kissy, the most holographic of the three glitters. Everything was topped off with a thick top coat to tame the glitter. You can see swatches of both of these polishes on their own here. This one turned out so sweet...

Zoya Noel & Twila
And I saved the best for last because again the Noel/Twila combo turned out to be my favorite. You can see swatches of each of them here. For this mani, I started out with surprise, surprise two coats of Zoya Stephanie. Stamping was done using Noel and Red Angel plate RA-108. Tips were then added using Twila. Everything was topped of with a nice layer of top coat and voila... :)

I think the metallic/foil properties of the Holly, Izzy and Noel made them great for stamping. I'm really pleased with the result. I hope you like it!

As a note of warning, when using these bar glitters for tips or a full mani, make sure there are no bars sticking out on edge of the nails... they are sharp little things :D

Let me know what you think :)

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Zoya Noel & Twila

2012-01-19T07:40:00.000-08:00

The last two polishes in Zoya's Gems & Jewels collection turned out to be my favorite. I'm certainly loving these so let me show you Zoya's Noel, Twila, and some stamping...

Noel
A a cool blue foil made up of blue and silver particles. Great application and coverage. I can't stop staring at this one. This is two coats plus a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Zoya Collection: Gems & Jewels (Holiday 2011) Color Name/Number: Noel, ZP581 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

Twila (over Noel)
A dense blue glitter with both small blue particles and larger blue/holographic bar glitter. The holographic effect decided to hide from the camera, but it is visible when on the nail and certainly in the bottle. This is two coats of Twila over Noel from above...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Zoya Collection: Gems & Jewels (Holiday 2011) Color Name/Number: Twila, ZP580 (over 2 coats Noel, ZP581) Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

Like the others, this manicure couldn't escape my stamper. I used Wet 'n Wild Black Creme and Red Angel plate RA-108. The little piece of pattern missing from the middle finger is driving me nuts, but I still like the manicure over all. Hope you do to! :)

Let me know what you think about it!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Zoya Izzy & Kissy

2012-01-18T08:22:00.000-08:00

Today I have for you the next two polishes from Zoya's Gems & Jewels collection. They are named Izzy and Kissy. How cute is that? I'd love to be on Zoya's name picking committee. What a fun job that must be! Well, without further adieu, here are Zoya Izzy, Kissy, and some stamping...

Izzy
A pink polish with pink and silver shimmer and some foil/metallic properties. Great formula and application. Full coverage in two coats. Swatches with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Zoya Collection: Gems & Jewels (Holiday 2011) Color Name/Number: Izzy, ZP579 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

Kissy (over Izzy)
Another complex glitter from Zoya. This one is made up of small red and pink glitter as well as purple and holographic bar glitter. This one contains the most holographic bar glitter out of the three glitter shades in this collection. A very unique polish indeed! This is two coats of Kissy (plus a top coat) over two coats of Izzy from above.

Swatch Details
	Brand: Zoya Collection: Gems & Jewels (Holiday 2011) Color Name/Number: Kissy, ZP578 (over 2 coats Izzy, ZP579) Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

I decided to stamp this one with another lacy pattern. I think it is really pretty how the glitter peaks through all the holes. It gives the manicure some depth. For this stamping I used Bundle Monster plate BM-209 and Wet 'n Wild Black Creme.

Let me know what you think of the polishes or stamping!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Zoya Holly & Rina

2012-01-17T10:13:00.000-08:00

I couldn't wait to try the Zoya Gems & Jewels collection when they came in the mail. The glitters in particular are so unique in my collection that I had to test them out. This is Zoya Holly and Rina. Lot's of photos, so I'll get on with the show :)

Holly
A rich holiday green with green shimmer. It has a hit of a metallic aspect to it, very pretty. Application was great, two coats for full coverage. This is two coats with a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Zoya Collection: Gems & Jewels (Holliday 2011) Color Name/Number: Holly, ZP577 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

Rina (over Holly)
A complex glitter consisting of as far as I can see small green glitter, green bar glitter, and holographic bar glitter that flashes blue. It was difficult to capture the holographic and blue flashes with the camera but they are certainly there. You can see one in the bottle that decided to be photogenic. It looked like pine needles on my nails. Very interesting. Click the photos to zoom in for a closer look. This is two coats plus a top coat of Rina over the above two coats of Holly...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Zoya Collection: Gems & Jewels (Holiday 2011) Color Name/Number: Rina, ZP576 (over 2 coats of Holly, ZP577) Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Camphor

I thought it would be fun to stamp this with a pattern so I used Wet 'n Wild Black Creme and Bundle Monster plate BM-208.

Let me know what you think! Have you tried bar glitter before?

More from this collection tomorrow...

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Sunday Stamping: Under the Sea

2012-01-15T09:45:00.000-08:00

I decided to participate again in a group Sunday Stamping challenge. The theme of this one was Under the Sea. I chose to go with a mermaid look. I started out with two coats of Sinful Colors Rise and Shine and sponged over it with similar blue/green shades including Essence Underwater, LA Colors Sea Siren and a no name LA Colors metallic blue. You can click on the links to see full swatches of each of those colors. Over the sponging, I stamped using Sally Hansen Celeb City and Red Angel plate RA-111. For an accent on the ring finger, I used Wet 'n Wild Black Creme and a mermaid stamp from a plate numbered M72 that I got from Ebay.

As I was processing the photos to post them here, I got the sudden urge to add black french tips to the manicure, so I used Wet 'n Wild Black Creme and did just that. Can't really decide which version I like better, so I'd love to know what you think!! Yes or no on the tips? :D

So here it is before the french tips...

And here it is with the french tips...

Which version do you like?

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Sinful Colors - Rise and Shine

2012-01-15T06:50:00.000-08:00

I've got just a quick swatch for right now before I show the nail art that covered most of this up. Sinful Colors Rise and Shine is a beautiful turquoise green with a green and silver shimmer. The color is a bit more green in real life than what comes through in the photos. The shimmer in this polish took me by surprise. I could see faint shimmer in the bottle, but thought it would be mostly lost on the nail. Instead, on the nails the shimmer was brighter and more defined. I'm in love with this color, however I think it falls into the "colors I love, but can't pull off" category for me. Maybe I just need to get used to it? :)

The formula was very easy to work with. Before adding the top coat, the polish dries with a satin finish. I applied two coats plus a top coat for these photos. The nail line was not visible after two coats in real life, but I can see a bit of it here...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Sinful Colors Collection: Adventure Island Color Name/Number: Rise and Shine, 940 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

What do you think of this color? Are there colors that you love, but can't pull off?

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Zoya Beauties...

2012-01-15T00:45:00.000-08:00

Back in December, Glamour Magazine ran a sweepstakes for a chance to win Zoya Gems & Jewels nail polishes. I recently found out that I was one of the lucky winners and these beauties arrived in the mail just a few days ago! And, as though the polishes were not enough, Zoya threw in a bottle of Remove+!

I couldn't resist trying Remove+ already and it worked like a charm. Did a perfect job of removing a dark polish without a big mess and left the cuticles in great shape. The only thing I didn't like was the flowery scent. I'm not the biggest fan of the Lavender scent and it was a bit overpowering for me.

I cannot wait to try the polishes, they are so pretty and my 1st bar glitter ones... expect swatches soon :)

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Ulta Recap...

2012-01-14T07:41:00.000-08:00

Now that I have swatched my last Ulta polish, I thought it would be fun to do a recap of them. I have been very impressed with the consistent quality of these and will definitely be getting more in the future. I already have some on my wish list...

You can click on any of the images to go to the original post...

Paint the Town and Glitterati Mini Sets

Ulta Devious Stamped with Ulta High Roller

Ulta Army of 1 with Prestige

Ulta Ruby Slipper Dressed Up

Ulta High Roller Stamped

Ulta Wild Night with Sally Hansen Celeb City

Ulta Chocolate Kiss

Ulta Lilac Chrome and After Party

Ulta Casual Mauve with After Party

Ulta Chic Peek Polar Bears

Love My Blackberry

Ulta Green with Envy Stamped with LA Colors Current

Ulta Smoke Screen with Ludurana Relampago

Ulta Femme Fatale stamped with Essence Enchanted Fairy

Ulta What a Maroon and OPI Rainbow Connection Sandwich

Ulta Blue For You

I hope you enjoy this recap of the recent Ulta polishes...

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Ulta Blue For You

2012-01-13T08:39:00.000-08:00

This is the final Ulta polish in my current collection and it is yet another blue. In the bottle it appears very similar to Love My Blackberry that I wore just a few days ago. Both are a blue purple that photograph blue. However, even those they looked similar in the bottle, Blue For You was actually blue on the nails, while Love My Blackberry was purple.

I added some free hand art using Sally Hansen Celeb city, a dense metallic silver glitter. I think I was aiming for flowers, but got snowy pine cones instead. I like them regardless. Can never get enough of the blue with silver combo...

UPDATE: I finally located the tutorial from Tartofraises that inspired this manicure. You can find it here.

Blue For You is a dark navy blue with a blue shimmer. In the bottle it has a strong purple shimmer, which didn't translate on the nail at all. Application was decent, although I had a hard time getting it to wrap around the tips. This is two coats plus a top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Ulta Line: Professional Color Name/Number: Blue For You Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

I realize I have one too many dark navy blues in my collection. Note to self, stop buying them! :)
Is there a color you gravitate towards buying every time?

Thank for looking!
Anutka :)

Ulta What a Maroon and OPI Rainbow Connection Sandwich

2012-01-12T08:37:00.000-08:00

Today I have for you my 1st ever glitter jelly sandwich. I have seen quite a few of them, but have never tried one myself. As I was applying a third coat of Ulta's What a Maroon and thinking how sheer it was, it dawned on me that I should try the sandwich technique. For the glitter I used one coat of OPI Rainbow Connection which I got in Carolina's giveaway. It is by far the most glittery polish that I own. I'm quite pleased with the result, although next time I'll try to be "neater" with the glitter :)

Here is one coat of OPI's Rainbow Connection over three coats of Ulta's What a Maroon (before I added the final coat of What a Maroon).

What a Maroon on it's own, aside from having a creative name, is a deep red jelly. The formula is easy to work with and applied well. The polish is as I mentioned already very sheer. This is three coat plus a top coat and the nail line is still visible.

Swatch Details
	Brand: Ulta Line: Professional Color Name/Number: What a Maroon Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Have you tried glitter sandwiches before? What do you think of them? I know I'm late to the party :)

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Ulta Femme Fatale stamped with Essence Enchanted Fairy

2012-01-11T08:24:00.000-08:00

Only in the nail polish world do the words Femme Fatale and Enchanged Fairy go in the same sentence or in this case manicure. All I can say is that on my nails the two were getting along nicely, despite my rushed stamping job. I ended up making a nice dent on my index while trying to stamp quickly before running off to work. Luckily it was not as noticeable in real life as it is in these photos.

For the manicure I started out with Ulta's Femme Fatale and stamped with Essence's Enchanted Fairy, a sweet lilac shimmer. I think it stands out quite nicely against the dark background. For the stamp I used Red Angel plate RA-102. I'm still experimenting with these stamps, but I think I'm getting the hang of them.

On it's own, Femme Fatale is a dark burgundy maroon color with a reddish coppery shimmer. It applied well with full coverage in two coats. No pulling or bald spots and wrapped around the tips nicely. It may not be the most original color, but I do love a good dark polish :)

Swatch Details
	Brand: Ulta Collection: Salon Formula Color Name/Number: Femme Fatale Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Let me know what you think about this! :)

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Tutorial Tuesday: Silver Tips

2012-01-10T07:45:00.000-08:00

I had a few questions about how I did the tips for my Chanukah manicure back in December, so I promised a tutorial. Just to set the record straight, I did not freehand the lines, although I wish I was good enough to do that :D. I hope this tutorial helps those of you who wanted to try it.

	Supplies: - Base and accent polishes of choice. I used Ulta Wild Night for the base and Sally Hansen Celeb City for the tips - Striping tape in any color (I bought mine on ebay, just search "striping tape" if interested) - Scotch tape or painter's tape - Scissors
	Step 1: - Apply desired number of coats of your base color - Allow polish to dry completely!
	Step 2: - Once the polish is dry, apply a piece of striping tape a desired distance from the tip.
	Step 3: - Place a piece of scotch or painter's tape a desired distance from the striping tape.
	Step 4: - Paint the tip of the nail with the accent polish, making sure to cover all tape free areas of the nail
	Step 5: - Carefully remove the scotch tape NOTE: Do not wait for the polish to dry, remove the tape right away.
	Step 6: - Remove the striping tape to reveal the double lines - Add a top coat and you are done! NOTE: when doing a full manicure, paint and un-tape one nail at a time. Doing multiple nails at a time will increase the chance that the polish starts to set and the tape will not come off cleanly.

I hope you enjoyed this quick tutorial. I would love to hear your thoughts or questions about it or if you try it! Also, let me know what you like/don't like about the tutorial so I can improve for next time :D

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Ulta Smoke Screen with Ludurana Relampago

2012-01-09T08:35:00.000-08:00

I am loving the current flakie trend and I hope it sticks around for a while, although I have a feeling I will be a fan of it regardless if it is "in" or not. For this manicure I finally got into playing with the polishes from my Brazilian swap. I started out with two coats of Ulta Smoke Screen and then added two coats of Ludurana Relampago, which I got in the swap. According to my wonderful swap partner, Relampago means lightning. So pretty! Relampago is a dark gray jelly base with green, red and blue flakes. The flakies colorshift depending on the angle. I couldn't stop ~~examining~~ staring at them. Red shifts to orange and then yellow at the most extreme. Green shifts to blue. I wore this for three days and still did not want to take it off. These photos just don't do justice to the pretty flakes...

The base of the manicure was Ulta's Smoke Screen. It is smoky gray creme that is just perfection. Application and formula were great. Two coats for full opacity and coverage. It was not until I put it on that I realized this may be an exact dupe for Zoya's Kelly which is still one of my favorite polishes. That may have contributed to my reluctance to take it off. In the bottles Smoke Screen and Kelly look identical and I will compare them in a swatch at some point.

Swatch Details
	Brand: Ulta Line: Salon Formula Color Name/Number: Smoke Screen Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

What do you think of the new flakie trend? Love it? Hate it? Don't care either way?

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Ulta Green with Envy Stamped with LA Colors Current

2012-01-08T08:19:00.000-08:00

I joined a stamping group on Facebook and thought it would be fun participate in the Sunday Stamping challenge there. Today the challenge is green, so guess what... a green manicure it is. I started out with two coats of Ulta's Green with Envy and stamped with LA Colors Current. I'm pretty sure that I broke every stamping rule in the book with this, but that's just the rebel that I am. Not only did I stamp with a lighter color, but I also stamped a shimmer over a shimmer. Good thing there is no such thing as the stamping police :). I really like the subtle stamping effect of this combination.

For the stamping I used the Red Angel stamp RA-104. You might remember that I had trouble using the RA plates and even thought that mine were defective and warped. Thanks to everyone's comments and support on this issue, I believe that most people have slightly warped plates and it should not interfere with the stamping quality. So, I took a deep breath, watched a quick video on getting a good image (shared by Carolina on Facebook), and tried again. Luckily something clicked for me and the image transferred perfectly. I'm so excited!

And here it is...

On it's own, Ulta's Green with Envy is a blacked forest green with a green shimmer. Application with this was okay, but not perfect. It took two coats for full coverage, but did have a tendency to leave bare spots, so it really needed a light touch to avoid dragging. Also, no matter how hard I tried, I could not get this polish to warp around my tips. I love the color, but the formula left something to be desired.

Swatch Details
	Brand: Ulta Line: Professional Color Name/Number: Green with Envy Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the color and the stamping. Do you have stamping rules you follow/break?

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Ulta - Love My Blackberry

2012-01-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

My boyfriend said this is the best purple polish that I own. Yes, he said purple! No, he is not color blind, my camera is. If you cross your eyes and squint a little (I'm just kidding, please don't) you can see some of the purple in the bottle. The camera refused to capture the purple, but it does show just how slick and shiny this polish is. In the bottle and on the nails it appears as a purple base with a blue/purple shimmer. A truly stunning color that I chose to wear by itself with no stamping, sponging, or nail art. This is two coats plus a top coat...

Any tips on caputring purple with the camera? I don't think I'm the only one with this problem :D

Swatch Details
	Brand: Ulta Line: Salon Formula Color Name/Number: Love My Blackberry Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Ulta - Chic Peek Polar Bears

2012-01-05T08:32:00.000-08:00

Hopefully it is not too late in the season for a polar bear manicure. As soon as I saw the Coca-Cola cap featuring their signature polar bear, I knew it had to be a mani. How adorable is that polar bear peeking out on the cap? For the base I used a beautiful color named Chic Peek from Ulta and then "attempted" to stamp it with silver snowflakes. Most of the snowflake pattern did not transfer, so to cover up the bald spots/mess that I made, I painted the polar bears using white and black acrylic paint. I think they turned out pretty cute. What do you think?

Ulta's Chic Peek is one of those complex colors that I just can't figure out how to categorize. It is a dense micro glitter composed of silver and brown metallic particles. I hesitate to call it a foil as the glitter is not fine enough to be classified as such. Regardless of how you classify it, it is a gorgeous color even when worn alone. This is two coats plus a top coat. Application was great as I've come to expect from Ulta polishes...

How do you classify these polishes?

Swatch Details
	Brand: Ulta Line: Salon Formula Color Name/Number: Chic Peek Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Ulta Casual Mauve

2012-01-04T07:55:00.000-08:00

Leaving the fun and bright New Years flames behind is this back to work safe brown. For the manicure I started out with two coats of Ulta Casual Mauve. For a little sparkle, I sponged with Ulta After Party. To be completely honest this was mostly because it was still on my desk from last ~~year's~~ week's manicure. The red glitter in After Party completely disappeared against the brown and all that was visible was the silver. A bit disappointing, but now I know. Also, the sponging left my cuticles covered in glitter which was extremely frustrating to try to remove. Remind me to be more careful next time...

Below is Casual Mauve by itself. I don't see to much mauve in it, more of an earthy brown. The formula on this creme is great. No problems with application. I used two coats plus a top coat here....

I definitely liked this one more in person than I do on the photos. It is nice to try something different occasionally...

Swatch Details
	Brand: Ulta Line: Salon Formula Color Name/Number: Casual Mauve Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)