February Manicures!

Apologies for the delay in this post! Evidently instead of publishing it, I just saved it as a draft...twelve days ago. At any rate, if you'd like to see the manicures I did throughout February, keep reading!

OPI Euro Centrale Comparison - Gold

This week I'm going to compare the polishes from the OPI Euro Centrale mini set to the other polishes in my collection.

The final comparison from the set is for the gold polish - OY-Another Polish Joke! I don't really like gold on my skin, so the only other gold polish I have is Goldeneye from the Bondettes mini set from the Skyfall collection. They're definitely not dupes. Goldeneye has much bigger flecks of gold and therefore has more nail that shows through the first coat or two. It's also darker.

L-R: OPI - OY-Another Polish Joke!, OPI - Goldeneye

OPI Euro Centrale Comparison - Lavender

This week I'm going to compare the polishes from the OPI Euro Centrale mini set to the other polishes in my collection.

Today I'm comparing You're Such a BudaPest! I was expecting this polish to be a match for something in my collection as well, but it's unique too! It's a bluer shade than Sally Hansen's Lacey Lilac, although they're about the same level of pastel. You're Such a BudaPest! is sort of like a pastel version of Zoya's Caitlin.

L-R: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear - Lacey Lilac, OPI - You're Such A BudaPest!, Zoya - Caitlin

OPI Euro Centrale Comparison - Pink

This week I'm going to compare the polishes from the OPI Euro Centrale mini set to the other polishes in my collection. 

First up: the pink! The slightly coral-leaning pink of Suzi's Hungary AGAIN! is not particularly unique to my collection as I find that type of shade to be particularly flattering against my skin tone. While none of these polishes are exactly the same, the OPI, Revlon, and Urban Outfitters colors are similar enough that you certainly would not need more than one of them in your collection. The China Glaze is more of a true pink than the others, although it is certainly not too far off.

L-R: Urban Outfitters - Cocktail, Revlon Top Speed - Guava, OPI - Suzi's Hungary AGAIN!, China Glaze - Sugar High

OPI Euro Centrale Mini Set

I couldn't resist the mini set from OPI's newest collection! I seem to have tackled this collection much the same way as I did Skyfall - by intending to just get the glitter, and then leaving with the mini set as well. What can I say? These colors really appealed to me! Although, I do wish this set had one of the darker blue or purple shades rather than the gold, but I'll get past it.

For more photos, swatches, and my thoughts - keep reading!

January Manicures

Another new month means another month's worth of manicures to share with you! I really enjoyed all of them this month - and I was especially into glitters! I also tried Ciate polishes for the first time, and expanded both my Butter London and OPI collections a bit - two brands I've fairly recently come to appreciate.

If you'd like to see, larger photos and names of the polishes I used will be under the cut!

December Manicures

I can't believe how quickly December went - but it's already time for another monthly manicure wrap-up!

Working two retail jobs over the Christmas season was extremely busy, so my nails stayed the same for longer than usual, and there were a few that I neglected to photograph. The week prior to Christmas, I also did silver nails and then added on little red and green Christmas lights on a string on each nail - it was super fun and easy! I just used a dotting tool for the red and green lights and a black striping polish for the cord that connected them. I'm sad I didn't get photos of it, but I could post photos of the trial run I did on my nail wheel if anyone would like to see! For Christmas day, I just red and green on alternating nails.

Now that shopping has calmed down a bit, I should have more time to make January's manicures more interesting! Especially since I've added some polishes to my collection over the past month that haven't gotten a chance to get used yet!

For larger photos of each manicure and the polishes used, keep reading!

Nail Polish Comparison - Pale Pinks

Today's installment of pink nail polish comparisons features the pale/pastel pinks of my collection!

L-R: Revlon Colorstay - Cafe Pink, OPI - Pink Friday, China Glaze - Something Sweet, Revlon - Flirt

Cafe Pink and Pink Friday are very similar. I haven't actually worn a full manicure of either yet, so I can't say how they wear yet! Flirt is definitely the thinnest formula, but it's not actually that sheer! It is also the most purple of the four, but it fit into this bunch the best.

Nail Polish Comparison - Yellow-Greens

L-R (in all photos) : China Glaze Electric Pineapple, OPI Did It On 'Em, Sinful Colors Innocent

Once again, none of these are dupes for each other, but they're all very similar. Innocent is more green whereas the others have more yellow to them, and the OPI is a bit more vibrant, although certainly a very similar shade, to the China Glaze.

The Sinful Colors is a bit more opaque in one coat than the other two, but none of them take many coats to get even and opaque coverage. They're all a pretty nice formula to work with as well. I love fun, bright colors like these and would definitely recommend having one of them in your collection! They're great as accent nails or in nail art if you're not sure about wearing an entire manicure with a color like these, too.

September Manicures

These are becoming my favorite posts to put together! It's fun to see all the colors I used throughout the month. I was definitely in fall mode this month! Although For Audrey is always a favorite & I suspect it'll make an appearance most months.

1. Butter London Aston
2. Essie Your Hut Or Mine
3. Finger Paints Go Van Gogh!, OPI Swimsuit...Nailed it!
4. Sonia Kashuk Two Cent
5. Butter London Wallis
6. China Glaze For Audrey
7. Zoya Shawn, China Glaze Zombie Zest
8. Sally Hansen Insta Dri Whirlwind White, Wet n Wild Through the Grapevine, Revlon Impulsive
9. Butter London The Old Bill
10. L'Oreal Spice Things Up
11. Zoya Caitlin
12. Wet n Wild Wet Cement, OPI The World Is Not Enough
13. China Glaze For Audrey, Milani HD, Milani Gems, Essie Set in Stones, China Glaze Fairy Dust (I did a more specific post on just this manicure here.)

OPI Skyfall Collection

As a nail polish lover, I'm kind of embarrassed to say I did not know this collection existed until I saw it in the Merle Norman store at the mall I work in this week! It's a beautiful collection with a lot of really interesting shades, inspired by and celebrating both the upcoming Skyfall movie and 50 years of 007.

I could tell The Bondettes mini set would be awesome, but it was very difficult to choose which large bottle to get! I've been loving doing accent nails with chunky glitter lately, and this one's color combination was one I hadn't seen yet, so I went for it.

Here I have The Bondettes mini set, both in its box and just the polishes, and The Living Daylights glitter.

For swatches, keep reading!

Current Favorite Products

For the first time ever I've decided to put together a favorites post! It's not really monthly favorites, since not all of this was acquired in the previous month. It does include things I've gotten over the summer - nothing that's been a favorite for a very long time or that I've previously repurchased. 

If you want to know anything about any of these products, just ask! Some of them I have already done blog posts about, and others I'm planning to do soon.

Nail polishes: OPI - Metallic 4 Life, Essie - Set in Stones, Lights, Milani - White on the Spot
Foundation: Neutrogena Shine Control foundation
Blushes: Jordana - Tawny Beige, Cargo - Key Largo
Powder Eyeshadows: L'Oreal Infallible - Endless Sea, Glistening Garnet, Golden Emerald, Cargo - Tahiti quad, Jordana - A Classic (this is the top left shade in the palette that says Covergirl)
Cream Eyeshadow - Milani Shadow Eyez - Champagne Toast
Perfume: Marc Jacobs - Oh Lola!
Lip products: Revlon Kissable Balm Stain - Smitten, MAC lipstick - Impassioned
Other products: Up & Up blotting sheets, Covergirl custom compacts (I found these at a dollar store, and each contained some pans of lipstick which I did not keep. I like these for storing singles as they have clear lids unlike the ELF palettes)
Brushes: Sonia Kashuk - Synthetic Flat Top Multipurpose Brush, Large Crease Brush

Nail Polish Collection & Swatches - Essie, OPI, Sephora by OPI, Orly

Daily Manicures in November - Week One Photos

Since I acquired a ridiculous amount of nail polishes over the past month or two, I decided I would paint my nails every day during the month of November, specifically in an attempt to try out a lot of colors I haven't used yet. Rather than posting every day, I decided to do a summary at the end of each week. There isn't too much I'll be able to review on any polishes since I'm only wearing each one for a day, so I probably won't say much unless it has a particularly difficult formula or something to that effect.

Nov. 1st: Revlon - Fierce (one coat!! that's all it takes!)

Nov. 2nd: Orly - Green with Envy (a very thin formula - first image is one coat, 2nd has three) with Wet n Wild Cost is No Issue (from the Ice Baby collection) on the accent nail

Nov. 3rd: Sinful Colors - What's Your Name with OPI Turqoise Shatter

Nov. 4th: China Glaze - Poinsettia (from Holiday 2011 collection)

Nov. 5th: Urban Outfitters - Cocktail

Nov. 6th: Sinful Colors - Love nails (this formula isn't thin, just really sheer. one coat on top, two on the bottom)

Halloween Nail Polish

 L-R: (unnamed neon orange) from L.A. Colors Color Craze Extreme Brights collection, Wet n Wild 9.0.2.1.Orange, Maybelline Orange Blazes




Wet n Wild Black Creme, Finger Paints Where Art Renoir?, Milani Silver Dazzle




China Glaze's Halloween polishes from last year - Mummy May I, Zombie Zest, Ick-A-Bod-Y

China Glaze Ick-A-Bod-Y over the L.A. Colors neon orange and the Milani Silver Dazzle




L: China Glaze Cracked Concrete over Finger Paints Where Art Renoir?
R: OPI Black Shatter over Wet n Wild 9.0.2.1.Orange



L: China Glaze Cracked Concrete over Zombie Zest
R: Black Shatter over Finger Paints Original Orange

Nails of the Day: Pink with White Crackle

Original manicure - Revlon nail polish in Oh My Magenta.
It's hard to tell but there is a very subtle blue undertone in the glitter.








After a day or two I got bored of it, but couldn't be bothered to take it off and start over, so I decided to do a crackle. I tried a few different ones on a swatch wheel to decide.
L-R: China Glaze - Crushed Candy, China Glaze - Lightning Bolt, OPI - Black Shatter
(I think China Glaze is better than OPI! Look at that crackle as an example!)



In the end I liked the white the best, although I would wear all three.

Sorry I got a little lazy and didn't clean up my nails at all before taking a picture!

Spring Nail Haul and Swatches

These are the nail polishes I've gotten over the past few months!

L-R: Sally Hansen - Lacey Lilac, Sinful Colors - Soul Mate, Maybelline - Timely Turquoise

Top, L-R: China Glaze - Electric Pineapple* (Island Escape Collection), China Glaze - For Audrey, China Glaze - Dorothy Who?, Finger Paints - Laugh My Art Off, Sinful Colors - Hazard, Maybelline Orange Blazes (LE)
Bottom, L-R: Revlon Matte Suede - Powder Puff, Revlon - Frankly Scarlet, OPI - Black Shatter, Urban Outfitters - Afterhours

*There are two swatches of Electric Pineapple because I could NOT get it to photograph as it looks in real life! The real color is more of a combination of the two swatches.

Nails of the Day: OPI Black Shatter and Urban Outfitters Afterhours

Okay, I am obsessed with this insane holographic glitter polish I came across at Urban Outfitters this week! It is AMAZING! I was so happy it looks as cool on the nails as it does in the bottle. I also finally got the OPI Black Shatter this week, so I decided to try them together. I really like the effect!

The Urban Outfitters nail polish was $5 for .5oz, and OPI Black Shatter was (I think) $8.50 on drugstore.com.