Hidden Blossom

Hey! I know I have been hiding but I started a new job and have been crazy busy with training. *whew*

So I thought I would do a quickie post because:

A) I want to let you know I am alive
B) I am tired (why I must be brief)
C) I still love to post for you!

This is a mani I did for myself earlier this week:

Barielle - Blossom + Sally Hansen - Hidden Treasure

To spice it up I added Essie - Matte About You

Miss you all! I'll be back on track soon.
:c)

New Brand Alert: Confetti

I am always on the lookout for new polishes or interesting nail products when I am out and about. I always looking out for you guys! I was very pleased to stumble upon and display in CVS of a new brand: Confetti. Overall the whole line looked a bit boring (I mean "safe") but they did throw in some interesting shades for us junkies, including a green! And they retail for just $1.99 a bottle! So I grabbed a couple.

Moonstruck - I showed you this one last week for my Chanel - Paradoxal dupe. It's that cool, edgy, gray-taupe-purple color we love so much! Great shade and great formula.

Centerstage - This is a bright, glowing purple. It's on the red/magenta side and shimmers flecks of blue. Great formula. Two coats.

Bombshell Blue - Awesome, shimmery, glowy, cornflower blue. Very eye-catching. This is my favorite type of blue polish color. My only complaint is that the formula is thin and needed 3 coats.

My Favorite Martian - The star of the show! This is a very shimmery, olive green. This also needs 3 coats like Blue Bombshell and the brush was a little wonky. It reminded me of Sinful Colors - Show Me The Way so I did a comparison:

They are actually pretty different. The similarities are shimmery olive, needs three coats, and $1.99 price tag. But on the nail they are obviously different. My Favorite Martian builds to a more saturated color and is more green while Show Me The Way is more yellow. Show me the way has a great glass-fleck that is lost in this picture in the bright sun.

What do you think?
:c)
Have a great Friday!!

Misa - What I Like About You PR pics - Fall 2010

Sometimes it's easy to know just what you want, but you'll immediately know what you need when you lay your eyes on the Misa Cosmetics What I Like About You Collection, six new shades for fall that plumb the depths of color intensity. You've explored the dark side of romance with the Poisoned Passion Collection; now fall in love with the ecstasy that love can provide through these dare-you-to-look-away glimmering hues. Just like a dubbing affair, these colors will spark inexplicable emotions and near-obsessive thoughts. Go ahead - indulge your deepest desires!

Fall 2010: What I Like About You Collection

Quirky Smile: Something about his lilted smile lets you know he's interested... and this shimmering Prussian blue is no less attention-grabbing. However, this rich shade invites you into deeper territory-what's lurking beneath? In this case, you'll discover a polish that evokes stormy skies and churning seas, a perfect metaphor for love's mixed emotions.

Spinning Out of Control: Sometimes you just can't control yourself - and you wouldn't have it any other way. Embrace that euphoric feeling with a brooding cobalt blue-violet that says, "Don't stop this merry-go-round; I'm enjoying the ride!"

Like It Like That: You can't avoid feeling upbeat when a relationship is going just right, or when gazing at nails that are the perfect shade. Just try to block this candy apple green out of your mind; when you like it like that, why deny yourself the pleasure?

It's You!: Searching for the perfect mate is like searching for the perfect nail polish shade: When you find it, you know right away. Like a perfect-match partner, this multilayered iridescent hue offers the best of both worlds: a smoldering forest green shot through with copper ribbons that glimmer and twinkle perfectly in candlelight.

Perfect Kiss: Don't blush! When you recognize a good moment, grab what's yours: the perfect kiss. A well-planted smooch can provide material for days of daydreaming, and this vibrant fuchsia is equally fantasy-inspiring. An eye-catching color like this one will have any man's lips quivering uncontrollably.

When U Say My Name: Chances are, your man has plenty to say, but nothing is sweeter than when he whispers your name while in a sweet embrace. Blissfully sink into the moment while donning this sultry rust, and don't be afraid to demand, "Say it again!"

(MAKE SURE TO CLICK FOR THE HUGE BOTTLE PIC!)

I am so excited about this collection. It totally reminded me of the Poisoned Passion Collection because it just all looked so intense and like every color is going to be a winner.

Quick Dose of Nail Humor

Photo Courtesy of College Humor

Nubar Venitian Glass Fall 2010

I hate to tell you guys, but the days are getting shorter. It may be hard to believe. I know I don't considering it is 90 degrees outside right now, but trust me! The days of Fall are coming and Nubar's newest collection is making me wish it would come faster! ...Only for polish... I really love summer

Inspired by traditional Venetian Glass, Nubar's Venetian Glass Collection captures the brilliant colors and flawless craftsmanship of the ancient, traditional handmade glass of Venice. With vivid hues, a strong glass-flecked shimmer, and rich color saturation, these shades are as memorable as their inspiration.

Arencia - ORANGE! This is a glowing, bold orange. It reminds me of my fave: Sinful Colors - Courtney Orange, but glass-flecked instead of shimmer. Really, really hot. This could pass for a summer shade, but it did remind me of pumpkin patches when I put it on.

Bronzo - This is a more mellow shade than Arencia. It is a sort of toned-down, slightly burnt orange, copper color. Very Fall. It does look a lot like the A Perfect "10" shade I posted.

Caramello - This is a very deep, bold gold that looks just like it's name: caramel. It's like glass-flecked caramel sauce with a bit of a foil finish. This feels very dramatic, and antique-y. I really like this shade.

Oro - Whoa! This is a very, very bold, yellow gold. This is serious, attention getting shade. It reminds me of Zoya - Goldie, but on steroids. This was my first official mani from this collection.

Rosso - This is a red glass-fleck and although I would normally say "it's red, move on," I really like this red! It is very shimmery and pretty and I will definitely wear it.

Vino - Ooh. So sexy! This burgundy is the deepest of the bunch, but not too dark. It can be appreciated for it's color and I love the way it has glints of purple.

Verde - THE STAR OF THE SHOW! I love this! It's probably a given that this would be the fave of this collection. It's a blue sided, evergreen tree green with loads of gold glass-fleck shimmer. I have it on now and it's mesmerizing. I don't have Zoya - Edyta to compare, but they appear to be the about the same. I also hear that's true from a favorite, trusted blogger.

Vaso - The oddball. I love it for that reason. I mean really, where does a light lavender fit into this collection? It is very pretty though. I was worried prior to trying it that I wouldn't like it because it has this weird frosty look. Do you see it? Instead of looking like a super shimmer, glass-fleck like the rest of the bunch, the white shimmer in it makes it look sort of... crinkled? It's a strange effect, but I still like it on my nails.

The formula on these is fantastic. If you do really thin coats you'll have to do three, but a thin to medium coat will give you two-coat coverage for every shade. This are all very well pigmented, have an easy to control formula (I didn't have to do any clean-up for any of these swatches) and they all have a serious glass-fleck to even almost a foil finish. These are probably even better in person. I did the best I could to get good, clear swatches in strong sun but even then I couldn't capture all the beauty. This is a top-notch collection. I was slightly miffed at the 5 colors all in the red/gold/orange family, but they all are different, and they all capture the essence of Fall along with Vino and Verde so it makes a great Fall collection. And I am assuming since this is based on ancient Venetian glass making, this were the prominent shades used in that time, so it makes a lot of sense that those are the colors in this collection.

What do you think about Venetian Glass?
This collection is available now at www.bynubar.com. It retails for $7.49 a bottle or $49.95 for the eight piece set. Also, for a limited time, if you order the 8 piece set you get a bottle of Nubar Diamont Top Coat (which is a great top coat) and Foundation Base Coat free.

-Have a great weekend!
-Elaine
:c)

Disclosure: The products featured in this post were furnished to me by the manufacturer or PR company for review. For more information please visit my disclosure policy.

China Glaze Fall Promotions

Find Strength in the Power of Pink

China Glaze Nail Lacquer Gets the Gloves Ready to Join in the

Fight Against Breast Cancer

Los Angeles, Calif. (July 2010) – Join China Glaze Nail Lacquer this October in the battle against breast cancer, one nail at a time! The professional line of nail lacquers brings on the fight with three powerful pinks. Inspired by the women who fight everyday and those that support them in their battle, these fabulous shades are sure to help you defeat the toughest opponents with style and class. China Glaze representative Rachel Schafer voiced that “in an industry dominated by women, for women, it is important that we strive to work together towards finding a cure.”

The three colors in “Fight Like A Woman” include:

• Encouragement – A baby pink shimmer that brings on the cheer
• Endurance – Power through the punches with this raspberry shimmer
• Empowerment – Stand up tall with this cotton-candy crème on your nails

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an agency of the World Health Organization dedicated to the science of cancer and promoting international collaboration in cancer research.

The “Fight Like A Woman” Collection will be available at professional beauty supply stores and select salons this September. Availability will be very limited internationally.

AWAKEN YOUR HALLOWEEN SPIRITS WITH GLAMOURISHLY GOULISH NAILS

China Glaze Introduces Three Limited Edition Halloween Polishes

Los Angeles, CA – (July 2010): Sink your claws into these three ghoulish glitters from China Glaze, perfect for a night of fright! Uniquely alluring and unlike any other Halloween colors before them, this collection is sure to entice. Colors in the promotion include:

• Zombie Zest: A mossy green shade with gold flecks of micro glitter.
• Ick-A-Body: A dark green base chock full of orange glitter
• Mummy May I: Vampy, wine colored purple with flecks of hot pink glitter.

The 18 piece display will be available at Sally’s Beauty Supply Stores only and the 4 piece with free Fast Forward Top Coat will be available at all other beauty and nail supply outlets, stores and e-tailers.

A Perfect "10"

Hello all! I was perusing nail polish at Wal-Mart yet again and I took a peek at a brand that I am pretty sure has been around for a while, but that I don't own. It is called A Perfect "10", and although most of the colors were pretty boring to me, I did find two that caught my enough to snag.

Here they are: Bittersweet and Crush

Bittersweet - This is a sheer, but super shimmery, light, spearmint green. The formula is outrageously thin. I had to do 4 coats, but I suspected that it would look awesome layered over a black or dark green so I had to see if I was correct>>>

I was!

Crush - This is a super shimmery, burnt orange color. It reminds me of the new Venetian Glass collection from Nubar (Which I have swatched for you!) This one is much more pigmented than Bittersweet and I was able to do 2 coats.

I believe these retailed for about $1.99. But it was a little while ago and now I am second guessing that. But whatever they cost it was cheap.

What do you think? Have any A Perfect "10" polishes?
-Elaine
:c)

Chanel - Paradoxal....ish

Have you all been nervously pacing wondering if it is a good idea to drop $23 for the new Fall shade from Chanel: Paradoxal? A lot of us are. It is beautiful, but.... $23? It's a hard pill to swallow. I can't help thinking there has to be a way to get the gray-taupe-purple shade with the violet shimmer look for less either by frankening (mixing different polishes together) or layering.

Then I had a polish revalation. A "lacqualation", if you will. I picked up a polish from CVS last week from a new line called "Confetti". The shade is called "Moonstruck" and it is that hard to peg taupey, grayish, purple, just like Paradoxal. Next I had to get some purple shimmer in there. I recently acquired a cool, gleaming violet shimmer in a clear base. It's Orly - Love Each Other. Then I threw that on top.

Looking at my creation I am sure it is probably a lot lighter than Paradoxal, but that is okay. I love this!

What do you think? Are you getting Paradoxal? Or are you looking for a cheaper option to get the look?
:cD
-Elaine

Gold and Diamonds

Hello!

So I think I am just too cute. Look what I came up with using an Orly Foil FX shade, Rage:

So what I did: I started with Rage which is this incredible, shimmery, molten metal, foil, rose gold. Then I stamped "twinkles" and diamonds with black polish and Konad plate M14. "Big deal, Laine. What is so damn cute about that?" WELL!! This is what. I added prismatic glitter to the diamonds with Cover Girl - City Lights top coat and that made the diamonds look like they are twinkling! CUTE!

(Blurred to show the holographicness)

What do you think?

:cD
-Elaine

Lohan Nails

So Lindsay Lohan is going to jail. I am not here to talk about that in any way, shape or form. What I am here to talk about, however, is her nails in court the other day. They were brought to our attention because apparently they had profanity written on them. Observe:

Photo courtesy of Perez Hilton

I am not here to talk about the profanity though, either. What I am here to talk about is the colorful, airbrushed design she had on! I decided I wanted to take a stab at a recreation and this is what I came up with:

Interested in how I did it? It was mostly a matter of sponging, which I have never done, and it turns out, it's not that hard! Here is what I did:

1) I painted all my nails with a white cream to start.

2) Next, I took one of the three colors I was going to sponge with and started sponging! Which color you start with isn't really important. I just started with pink by chance.

3) Continue sponging with the other two colors. I intentionally did all nails different. Some have more orange, more pink or more blue, and all have the colored spots arranged differently.

4) Next, I stamped white flowers with Konad plate M65 on all nails.

5) Lastly, I applied topcoat and cleaned up my messy fingers with remover and an orange stick wrapped in cotton.

There are several different sponges that you could use but I used a cosmetic wedge to accomplish my sponging.

The shades I used: Diamond Cosmetics - Tranquility, China Glaze - Sugar High, KleanColor - Mango

Side by side, how do you think I did?

Have a fantastic Friday!
-Elaine
:c)

Zoya Skittles

Here is a cute mani I did with some sparkly Zoyas I have:

This is Zoya Mimi, Gilda, Charla, Sienna and Ivanka, all 3 coats.

How was everyones' holiday?!
-Elaine
:c)