Dazzle Dry Global Beat Fall 2014 Collection Swatches and Review

It is Monday again, which sadly means time to head back to work, but it also means that I spent a wonderful weekend relaxing and playing with polish. I've got lots to show you in the coming days, but starting this week out with the new Dazzle Dry Global Beat collection for Fall. This collection features four lacquers ready to dance their way into your heart...

Glam Polish Snoopy the Witch!

Hi Everyone! I am super tired from working all weekend, but I've still got enough energy to show you the fun Glam Polish glitter topper named Snoopy the Witch. It is one of the Halloween Limited Edition polishes which will be available for pre-order on the 17th. Inspired by the colors of the glitter in this bewitching mix, I decided to pair it up with a matching gradient...

Select Shades of Dance Legend Rio Collection

Hi Everyone! Today I would like to show you three shades from the Dance Legend Rio collection. These neon glitter toppers add a fun twist to any manicure. They look beautiful over both light and dark colors and I think can easily be worn any time of the year. No need to hide these away when Summer ends...

Coca-Cola by OPI Collection Swatches and Review

Hi Everyone! Today I would like to share with you my swatches and review of the OPI Coca-Cola collection. I've had my little paws on this collection for quite a while now, but the darker hues scream Fall to me and I was rather reluctant to try them out during the hot Summer months. Now with occasional cooler days in the mix, it seems the perfect time to rock these beauties...

Nail Art Tutorial: Sparkly Vampire Tips

Hi Lovelies! This manicure probably didn't need a tutorial because I consider it pretty straight forward to begin with, but please correct me if I'm wrong. Would you like to see more tutorials? Less tutorials? Only for complicated techniques? I don't want to spam you with tutorials, but at the same time I'm having fun making them at the moment! :)

The tutorial goes along with a manicure that I posted yesterday inspired by the InDecisive Lacquer polish and name Sparkly Vampire. I keep thinking a vampire would love a mani like this! Or maybe it is just because the tips remind me of fangs! Who knows, but I really enjoyed wearing this and I hope you enjoy this tutorial...

Supplies used:

• Polishes: InDecisive Lacquer Sparkly Vampire, SinfulColors Black on Black
• Red hex glitter (mine is from the Born Pretty Store, part of a set. Item #3103)

Steps:

Instructions:

1. Apply desired number of coats of your red polish. Here I used 2 coats of InDecsive Lacquer Sparkly Vampire.
2. Paint a corner of the nail using black. Depending on the length of your nails and how steep you want the final point to be, start at the edge of your nail and swipe toward the center of the tip. Don't worry if the line is not perfect since you will be covering it with glitter!
• You can do this using either the polish brush or a detail brush for more control.
• Additionally try marking a dot on the side and the tip of the nail to help guide if necessary. 
3. Repeat step #2 and paint the second corner of the nail. Again don't worry about making this perfect since you will be covering it up with glitter. 
4. Apply a coat of clear polish (to adhere the glitter) and arrange the red glitter along the edge between black and red polish as shown above, to create a glitter chevron.
5. Seal with a top coat and enjoy!

Please let me know what you think of this tutorial and as always don't hesitate to ask questions!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** Polishes were provided to me for review by the manufacturer or their PR. **

** For more information please see the disclosure policy **

InDecisive Lacquer Sparkly Vampire

Happy Monday! I've had a busy weekend and sadly none of it was nail related. Luckily I do have a pretty manicure from last week to show you. I had been wearing the gorgeous InDecisive Lacquer Sparkly Vampire for a good part of last week before I decided to vamp it up a bit with glitter and black tips...

Nail Art Tutorial: Strawberries

Hi there once again! As promised, I have another tutorial to share with you today. I think I finally found my grove for making these and now I'm having way too much fun. The tutorial is for this cute strawberry nail art that I showed you in my last post. It is an intermediate tutorial and assumes that you know how to make a gradient. I will try to make a separate tutorial for gradients the next time I'm doing one. For now, I hope you enjoy this...

Supplies Used:

• Nicole by OPI Leapink for Joy, The Coral of the Story, Shaved Nice and Lay it on the Lime
• Cosmetic wedge
• Small nail art brush

Steps:

Instructions:

1. Start out by painting your nails using the the lightest of the two pink shades. Nicole by OPI Leapink for Joy is shown here
2. Apply the two pink polishes directly onto a cosmetic wedge and tap on the nail to create a gradient. Shown here using Nicole by OPI Leapink for Joy and The Coral of the Story.
• Note: you can skip steps #2 and #3 if desired to avoid making a gradient. If you are unfamiliar with making gradients, but want to try it, you can take a look at this tutorial which explains gradients in a bit more detail. 
3. Using a q-tip or brush dipped in acetone clean up the cuticles (you can save this step until the end if desired).
4. Apply a coat of glitter polish. Shown here with Nicole by OPI Shaved Nice
5. Using a small nail art brush and green polish draw the strawberry calyx (crown) on the nail half-moon. Don't worry about making it perfect since strawberries aren't perfect either. I used Nicole by OPI Lay it on the Lime for this manicure
6. Using the same detail brush and green polish, randomly dot strawberry 'seeds' on the nail
7. Seal with a top coat and enjoy!

I will leave you with this adorable turtle vs strawberry photo because I just couldn't resist including it here. I stumbled on it while trying to look up for the proper name of the strawberry crown. It is the calyx! My motto for the day is live, learn and find adorable photos in the process...

(source)

As always, I would love to know what you think of this tutorial and don't hesitate to ask questions if something is not clear!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** Polishes were provided to me for review by the manufacturer or their PR. **

** For more information please see the disclosure policy **

Seize the Summer Strawberries

Hi Everyone! Have I mentioned already that I'm not ready to part with Summer yet? Well I'm not and although I'm looking forward to the Fall colors and nail art, I'm going to stretch the Summer shades out as long as I can. This is a manicure that I created while reviewing the Nicole by OPI Seize the Summer beauties. I wanted to see if I can combine the four of them into a fun and fruity summer manicure. Initially I thought of watermelons, but I since I've done that already, these strawberries came to be...

InDecisive Lacquer Jawbreaker

Hi Everyone! Today I would like to show you the adorable InDecisive Lacquer beauty named Jawbreaker and some nail art that I created with it. I wanted to play off the fun neon colors within Jawbreaker so I pulled each one out into a triangle accent. This is my subtle way of begging summer to stick around a little bit longer. Does it really have to go so soon?

Jonesy Lou Lacquer New Beat and Spittin Shade

Hi Lovelies! I had hoped to show these beauties to you Monday morning and here we are Friday afternoon by the time I finally got a chance to sort photos and show you two beauties by Jonesy Lou Lacquer. This is a new to me indie brand and I was excited to try a few shades from the lineup. The two lacquers I'm showing today were just released on Monday (hence why I wanted to time my post for that day, but life and work just got in the way). So without further delay, here are New Beat and Spittin Shade...

New Beat
A hot pink jelly with gold and orange microglitter that glows under black light! On it's own, it is rather sheer and for that reason I chose to layer it over a white base. I also figured the white base would make the neon pop. I think it can just as easily be layered over a similar pink cream. The formula was very nice, not too thick. I didn't have any issues with it dragging or balding. Very easy application. This is two coats of New Beat over one coat of white plus a top coat. Hot!...

Nicole by OPI Seize the Summer (Summer 2014)

With Fall lacquers on the horizon, gorgeous as they are, I find myself dragging my feet and still not ready to let go of Summer yet. To prolong the sunny feeling this season has instilled in me, allow me to show you some bright and happy shades from the Nicole by OPI Seize the Summer release...

Ruby Wing Sweet Fantasy Collection Review

Hi Everyone! Well here we are half way through summer and I'm just now showing you a Spring collection that I've had my hands on since February. It is true, I might be the worst blogger ever, but let me plead my case before you make up your mind. You see, the collection is Sweet Fantasy by Ruby Wing which means all of these beauties are solar active and require sunshine to swatch. I happen to live in Seattle which sees sunshine in February somewhere between never and never ever (OK, maybe I exaggerate, but it is not a lot). I kept putting off the swatching for sunny days that never came and then there was my long vacation so here we are. In the middle of July, I'm finally getting to show these beauties off...

Glowing Flag with Serum N°5 What a Blast!

Happy Independence Day to all my US readers!

I will be working this evening and once again missing the fireworks this year, so it was hard for me to think about manicure ideas for the holiday. Quite frankly, I thought I might skip it all together this year until I put on Serum N°5 What a Blast and got inspired. While most of my glow in the dark nail art in the past has been centered around Halloween, how awesome does a glow in the dark flag sound for the 4th? I can turn out the lights and wiggle my fingers and make my own light show...

Wonderous Leopard...

I hope you are all still entertained by my archive of manis while I'm taking some time off. I created this manicure when reviewing the OPI Mariah Carey Holiday collection. I swear this lacquer was inspired by one of her dresses (see my original post for a pic), but the black glitters against the nude shade left me thinking of leopard spots...

OPI Muppets Most Wanted Collection Swatches and Review...

Hi Everyone! Today I have for you my swatches and review of the OPI Muppets Most Wanted collection. The collection was inspired by the Disney film with the same name which released a few months ago. Although I have not seen the movie and when I think of The Muppets, I picture brighter shades than this collection contains, I have to say I love these lighter shades!

Zoya Awaken and Monet Swatches and Review!

I'm finally back to swatching post my nail break and I would like to start out by showing you the Zoya Awaken Spring collection and a special topper named Monet. The Awaken collection includes six shades which are perfect for the season and remind me of Easter candy shades that invade the stores this time of year...

OPI Glitter Off

Hi! Today I would like to share with you my review of the OPI Glitter Off base coat for natural nails. This peel off base coat allows you to enjoy beautiful glitter manicures without the pain of having to remove them with endless rubbing or using the foil method.

First to show how it works...

Steps:

Instructions:

1. Apply a thin coat of OPI Glitter Off base coat
2. Allow the base coat to completely dry. It will turn a clear matte.
3. Pile on the glitter!! Shown here is OPI You Pink Too Much (layered over OPI I São Paulo Over There)
   
   Enjoy your mani!!
   
4. When you are ready to remove your manicure, take a soft cuticle pusher and gently slide it along the edge of the polish until it starts to lift
5. Continue to push the polish off the nail with the cuticle pusher
6. Remove any remaining polish with a bit of acetone and you are ready for your next mani!

The base coat applies easily and the most difficult part about using it is waiting for it to dry. Removal is quick and painless. I wore my manicure for 24 hours and it lasted through a shower and multiple hand washing without peeling off on it's own. I cannot say with certainty how long it will last. Obviously if you pick at your manicures it will not last. When left alone, I think it can easily be worn for days with no issues. It is perfect for a special occasion to enjoy the sparkle, glitz and glamour and save yourself the hassle of removal. For that reason, I rarely wear glitter without a peel-off base coat!

I couldn't help but think back to my self-made school glue peel off base coat when trying this. The OPI base coat is a bit thinner and therefore is easier to apply, but if I thinned out my school glue base coat with a few drops of water, I'm not sure I would be able to tell them apart...

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** Polish was provided to me for review by the manufacturer or their PR. **

** For more information please see the disclosure policy **

OPI Spotlight on Glitter Collection Swatches and Review.

Good morning everyone! Today I would like to share with you swatches of the OPI Spotlight on Glitter collection which features six sparkly toppers released earlier this year. I swatches these glitter bombs over shades from the OPI Brazil collection. Four of the shades appear to be re-released from previous collections so if you missed them the first time around, now would be a great time to snag them. All are a fun and unique way to add lots of sparkle to your manicure!...

Nicole by OPI Be Awesome Glitter Placement

Hi Lovies! Today I would like to show you a manicure that I created last month while swatching the Nicole by OPI 2014 lacquers. The diamond glitter in Be Awesome is fun when brushed/dabbed on in a random pattern, but like so many others, I couldn't resist picking out the glitter from this lacquer and doing some arranging...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all my lovely readers who celebrate the holiday! I'm not Irish and have no plans to go out and celebrate, but that doesn't mean I won't use this as an excuse to wear my greens. I was short on time yesterday so I created this simple and fun manicure to wear today. Honestly this is all in an effort to avoid getting pinched! ;)