Trace Face Philes "Because I Can" Giveaway!

 Traci at The Trace Face Philes is having another giveaway!! She is kind of amazing!! There are 8 different prizes to win!!! The giveaway ends on Friday, Sept 23rd,  enter now!! 

Here is a picture of all of the prizes! Go look at her individual prize pictures to see what you can win!

Sally Hansen: Hot Wired

My apologies for my lack of posting. We were hit pretty bad due to Hurricane Irene, not as bad as other areas though. My thoughts and prayers do go out to those who have been affected by Hurricane Irene.

A few days ago, I was in CVS and came across Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail strip in Halloween designs. I got the green ones thinking they were Frankenstein stitching. When I came home, I was disappointed to see that they were supposed to be barbed wiring. Plus they were $10.99!!!! Are you kidding me?


Anyways:

I didn't even have these on for more than 24 hours and I already had tip wear.

It began to pull away from the sides.

I so badly want to love these. But the price deters me the most. 

They are great if you need to do a manicure but do not have time to paint your nails then wait for them to dry.

I would recommend getting them but only if you have CVS extra bucks or something.

xoxo

OPI: Reflection

Reflection is part of the designer series (DS). It's hot pink with a goldish duochrome (?) and holo.

What?! Did I describe that correctly??

It's so pretty. It was completely opaque with one coat but I did two coats because it left more even.

Gosh, I really make no sense!!!

I honestly love this color! Everyone needs it if they can find it.

I am not sure how easily available it is.

XoXoXo

OPI: Significant Other Color

Significant Other Color  is a pinkish-lavender duochrome that flashes green/ yellow. Does that make any sense at all? Honestly, I am the worst at describing nail polish colors!!

This is 4 coats with no top coat.

Sorry for the blurry picture, I just wanted to show the shimmer. It's not the best picture and I apologize.

But honestly, it was really hard to photograph this color!

I need lighting tips from other bloggers.

Any tips??

I have wrinkly fingers!

But I am not sure if I like this color for my skin tone.

I am going to try layering it over black!

XoXoXo

Maybelline: Go-Getter Green

Maybelline Go-Getter Green is a LE shade. It came out with their Summer 2011 The Bright Side collection.
It's a lime green jelly with yellow undertones.  I was hesitant to get it when I first saw it but I don't have anything like it in my collection.

I'm happy I picked up this color. None of the other shades in the collection appealed to me. 

I am unsure if they are still being sold in stores or not.

Comparison: Fowl Play vs. Merry MIdnight

OPI Merry Midnight came out with the Holiday Wishes collection in 2009. Merry Midnight is a dark grape purple with red flake glitter, and blue and purple micro-glitter

Orly Fowl Play came out with the Fall Birds of Feather 2011 Collection. Fowl Play is rumored to be a dupe for Merry Midnight.

A close of up of Orly Fowl Play. Gorgeous! This should be the staple polish of Fall!

They look very very similar. Owning Fowl Plight might kill the lemming of owning Merry Midnight for a few people. 
Fowl Play is a bit more opaque than Merry Midnight. Both have a darkened purple/plummy base that is sheer and buildable, with lots of multi-colored flakes. Though Fowl Play has a darker base.


Both are worth having. They are so gorgeous! <3


xoxox

Del Sol: Beach Bum

Prior to my cousin going away to college, we have never heard of Del Sol. One of her roommates told her about it and showed her two Del Sol polishes she owned.

We were walking around the Pru (Prudential Center) and came across one of the carts and lo and behold it sold Del Sol!!

Del Sol sells color changing polishes. Once exposed to sunlight or black light, the color in the bottle will change to the color advertised on the front.

My cousin bought Beach Bum (I bought another that I will post later).

The color inside of the bottle is the color that goes on your nails.

Once exposed to sunlight, artificial light doesn't work, it's supposed to change to the color of the hibiscus

on the front.

 This is 4 coats of Beach Bum. My nail line is still very visible, which bothered me.

It's a peachy jelly base. Boring.

So I stuck my hand into the sunlight and got this:

The color looks nothing like the color on the bottle.

My nail line is even more visible!!

It turned a weird gray color.

The reason why we bought this color was because we loved the color it changed to.

I wouldn't recommend Del Sol Beach Bum to anyone. It's boring and will take many coats to appear opaque.

For $10, it's totally not worth it.

China Glaze- Skyscraper

Skyscraper was released with the fall 2011 China Glaze Metro Collection

This polish was a pain in my ass to photograph!! I took around 115 photographs! I wanted to seriously throw my camera out the window.

Skyscraper is a translucent blue-violet color jelly base with lots of silver glitter. It was opaque in two coats. I topped it off with China Glaze Fast Forward top coat.

This was the only color that caught my eye from the collection.

But now that I think back on it.. I really need Trendsetter!

I can't stop staring at Skycraper. I love seeing the bits of violet micro glitter shimmer in the light!

I suggest everyone get this color from the collection.

Upcoming Collection: OPI Celebrates Disney’s “The Muppets” with Holiday Lacquers

This holiday season, OPI pays homage to America’s favorite Muppet friends as they hit the big screen in Disney’s The Muppets.  With an all-star cast including Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Kermit, Miss Piggy and the entire Muppet crew, the family comedy opens in theaters nationwide on November 23, 2011. 

Inspired by the film’s namesake lively and colorful characters, OPI launches twelve limited-edition Nail Lacquers for Holiday 2011. “OPI is so excited to work with Disney to celebrate this long-awaited movie release,” said Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director.  “Not only do The Muppets characters inspire fun, bright and joyful colors, the fashionable Miss Piggy lends her name to three high-shine pink-based hues, ranging from bold red flecked with silver to a multi-dimensional strawberry shade.”

This line features six shimmery reds and neutrals, as well as six glitter-packed shades, including:

Animal-istic
This wild bright red cannot be tamed!
Meep-Meep-Meep

Missing out on this fuchsia would make you weep, weep, weep!
Wocka Wocka!
The popular deep berry makes everything fun and merry!
Pepe’s Purple Passion
This deep, decadent shade is the best purple ever, okay!

Designer, de Better! 
And this light metallic bronze is ready for the runway.

Warm & Fozzie
A feel-good shade of metallic copper.
Rainbow Connection
The rainbow glitter of your dreams.
Excuse Moi! 
Ahem! This pink glitter has something to say!
Gone Gonzo!
The aqua-blue glitter is taking over the world!
Fresh Frog of Bel Air
A glitter that prefers the greener things in life.
Divine Swine
The finest, most fabulous magenta glitter ever. 
Gettin’ Miss Piggy With It!
Red glittery fun for everyone!

Lacquer packed with micas and sparkle gives a 3-dimensional textured look that makes nails look like jewelry. With shades ranging from textured glitters in rainbow, red, green and blue to softer shimmers in copper and bronze metallic hues, these twelve colors provide the perfect accessory for the holiday season.

As with all OPI nail lacquers, these shades inspired by Disney’s The Muppets contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application.

This limited edition promotion will be available beginning November 2011 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for  $8.50 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer.

For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

I AM SO EXCITED.. I SERIOUSLY CANNOT WAIT. I WILL BE GETTING EVERYTHIGN FROM THIS COLLECTION!!! /fangirl

Geek Week: Wingardium Leviosa

Day 5: Harry Potter

Today is the last day of Geek Week. I've had a lot of fun doing a themed week. Especially one that I actually fell through with each day.
My cousin gave me the idea to do Harry Potter themed. Harry Potter has been a huge part of her life, since she was 8 or 9. Harry Potter is such an amazing series! I can't believe it's over.
Anywho, here's the nail art.

Thumb: Deathly Hallows
Pointer: Gryffindor
Middle: Slytherin
Ring: Ravenclaw
Pinky: Hufflepuff

A lot of people were confused about the house colors. In the movies, Ravenclaw is portrayed as being blue and gray/silver. In the books, Ravenclaw's colors are blue and bronze. I chose to go with the book colors.

Here's a better look at the house colors:

On to what I used! It was a lot of polish!

Thumbs

Base Color: Maybelline Classic Black

Deathly Hallows Symbol: White Acrylic Paint

Pointer-Gryffindor

Base Color: China Glaze Phat Santa

Image Plate: BM20

Stamp Color: China Glaze 2030

Middle-Slytherin

Base Color: Sinful Colors San Francisco

Image Plate: BM20

Stamp Color: China Glaze Millennium

Ring-Ravenclaw

Base Color: China Glaze First Mate

Image Plate: BM20

Stamp Color: Sally Hansen Bronze Ablaze

Pinky-Hufflepuff

Base Color: Sally Hansen Lightening

Image Plate: BM20

Stamp Color: Konad Black

All topped with a coat of Seche Vite!

I wish Essence nail polish were more accessible in the States :(

Geek Week: Caught In A Web

Geek Week

Day 4: Spiderman

Half freehand half stamps!!
I must say, I am getting more comfortable with doing freehand nail art. My hand is getting sturdier. I do admit, when I have to do it with my left hand, I want to throw in the towel. It tires me a lot. Odd, I know haha.

Spiderman's eyes came out a lot better on my right hand but I didn't photograph it. His eyes look very special here hahaha
I've been drawing a lot of influence from other amazing nail bloggers.
Does anyone has any tip/advice on freehand nail art?

Thumb, Middle, Pinky fingers

Base Color: MAC Naughty Nautical

Image Plate: Chez Delaney A37 (Spiderweb and Spider)

Stamp Color: Konad White for Spiderweb

               Konad Black for Spider

Pointer, Ring Fingers

Base Color: OPI Vodka & Caviar 

Spiderweb: Black Acrylic Paint and Kiss Black Striper

Spiderman Eyes: White Acrylic Paint and Kiss White Striper 

Geek Week: Who are you gonna call?

Sorry for the horrible quality picture but my camera battery was dead and I was on my way out the door.

Day 3: Ghostbusters

Honestly, I am so sorry for the shit quality and partial picture of my nails. 

Base Color: Sally Hansen Whirlwind White

Stamp Color: China Glaze Hey Sailor

Ghostbusters image: Chez Delaney D25

Fishnet image: Konad M57

So, my fingers look like they belong to a corpse. They are super wrinkly! 

Anyways!!!

XoXoXo

Geek Week: Riddle Me This

Geek Week
Day 2: The Riddler

So, doing freehand nail art is so difficult! There are some ladies that make it look so easy! But practice makes perfect.
I've been suffering from blinding headaches, so doing nail art has been hard since I can't focus. But I am still going to try and keep up with it.

Base Color: Maybelline Go Getter Green
Question Marks- Purple and Black Acrylic paint

Geek Week: Batman + Harley Quinn nails

I meant to post this yesterday.. But then I went to Michaels and got distracted by their Halloween goodness.
This week, I will be doing thing pertaining to geekiness. I am a huge geek myself. I play Dungeons and Dragons, video games, read comics etc. SO what better way to honor it than with nail art.

This is my first time trying freehand nail art.

Day 1: Batman and Harley Quinn

My middle fingers were Batman and the rest were Harley Quinn

Middle finger:
Base Color: Sally Hansen Lightening
Image Plate: Chez Delaney D25
Stamp Color: Konad Black

Rest of the hand:
Base color: Sally Hansen Sonic Boom
Design Color: Black Acrylic Paint
Accent Color: China Glaze Cheers To You

OPI: Jade Is The New Black

So I've had this in the nail collection for a bit now and it wasn't until recently that I wore it :x

Jade Is The New Black is an amazing color. Honestly, I don't  think I have seen a dupe for this at all.

It's a dusty, faded very blue based green color.

Ugh I love it. I regret putting it to the side for a while.

So I used Poshe top coat and I hate it!!!!!

Look at the ring finger, it's scuffed.

What top coat scuffs?! Urgh I was so angry that it ruined my beautiful manicure!

Cracked!

So despite my very very sporadic updates, I still do my nails every day. Haha I just haven't has time to take pictures or upload them. So my apologies. I invest a lot of time and money into my obsession so I want to share it all with you. 

Base color: Sally Hansen Instant Iris
Shatter: China Glaze Fault Line

Base color: Opi Catch Me In Your Net
Stamp color: Konad White
Image Plate: Konad M27
Additonal: Kiss Rhinestones