Saturday, June 28, 2014

Sunny Day Nails using Maybelline Bleached Neons

Good morning/afternoon!  I'm watching the very exciting Brazil vs. Chile World Cup game and getting ready for my husbands 20 year reunion today!  Wow we are old!  So I thought I'd share my mani for the events today - a day time BBQ then a meet up at a local bar.  I picked up some of the Maybelline Bleached Neons because they looked so lovely!  Well they are lovely!  Very fun, pastel yet bright colors that remind me of old, sun-washed photographs from the 70's.  I'm sure there's an Instagram filter named for that look.  Anyways, let's take a look at what I did!


You know I love coral, peach and yellow shades, especially during the summer months.  So it was no surprise that I picked up  Maybelline Bleached In Peach, Citrus Collide and Coral Heat (as well as Lime Accent but I didn't use that for this mani).  I actually started with 2 coats of OPI Alpine Snow on my middle and ring nails.  I then sponged a triple gradient using (from nail cuticle to nail tip) Citrus Collide, Bleached In Peach and Coral Heat.  I sponged 2 or 3 layers on and had great color payoff over the white base.  I had initially tried to sponge them on their own but they were not building up well at all.  I blinded up these nails with 2 coats of essence Space Queen, a very pale peach tinted polish full of holo and iridescent micro glitters.  I then used 3 coats of Bleached In Peach on my thumb, index and pinky nails.  Bleached In Peach is actually my favorite of the 3 colors I used because it is so unique and pretty.  It's reading more orange than peach in my photos so be sure to check the shade pics - they are more color accurate.  I found the formula and application to both be fine for a pastel (which is usually chalky and difficult to work with).  These did dry matte so I used topcoat to gloss them up. 






 *shade pictures to show accurate color*


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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Smitten Polish Summer 2014 Collection

Good morning friends!  I hope you are excited because I sure am!  I have an amazing post for you today, packed full of gorgeous holo micro glitter and linear holos and TONS of pictures.  I even have some comparisons for you.  I'm a major fangirl when it comes to Smitten Polish and the Summer 2014 collection is so amazing I think Noelie really outdid herself.  The Summer Collection consists of 8 polishes, as I mentioned - in micro glitter and holo finishes.  It will be available this Sunday, 6/29.  Time to be announced so keep an eye on the Smitten Facebook page!  I know you are eager to see the pictures so I won't bother with my usual banter and I'm going to jump right in to the pictures!  Here we go!

*PRESS SAMPLE*


This micro glitter beauty is This Is My Tiara!  I have tried many a micro glitter polish and the ones in this collection stand a head above the rest.  The grade of the micro glitter is so fine and sparkly, it's very easy to work with and covers amazingly well!  You can wear This Is My Tiara! alone in a few coats or 1 layer over a base coat.  This Is My Tiara! is a silver holo micro glitter that is super sparkly and blingy.  Formula and application were both amazing.  I used 3 coats alone for full coverage and essence gel-look topcoat for shine (on their own the micro glitters dry a bit matte).  











Jellyfish Rave, a purple hycainith tinted base packed with holo micro glitter, is simply gorgeous!  This color is unique and just like Tiara, super sparkly!  I am really loving this micro glitter, it's fantastic.  Formula and application of Jellyfish Rave were both wonderful.  I used 3 coats of Jellyfish Rave and 1 layer of essence gel-look top coat for shine.







*this is the most color accurate picture of Jellyfish Rave*




Another amazing micro glitter, Seahorse Rodeo (how cute are these names?).  This is a holo micro glitter in a soft turquoise tinted base.  This color is perfect for the summer tips!  Just like the last 2 micro glitters, Seahorse Rodeo was beyond blingy.  Formula and application were both amazing.  I used 3 coats of Seahorse Rodeo and 1 layer of essence gel-look topcoat for shine.












Her Name Was Rose is a holo micro glitter in a pink-rose tinted base.  I love this color because as you know I love anything that captures those rosy shades of pink, red, peach, etc...  Her Name Was Rose did not disappoint in color or formula!  Formula and application were both fabulous, the holo sparkle was very lovely in this polish.  The color was very rich and saturated in this polish.  I used 2 coats of Her Name Was Rose and 1 layer of essence gel-look topcoat for shine.












The last of the micro glitters, The Oncoming Storm.  Wow!  This bright cobalt blue base packed with holo micro glitter is stunning!  I loved the color, it might actually be my favorite of the micro glitters in this collection.  Formula and application were both amazing. The Oncoming Storm was the most richly pigmented and opaque color of the micro glitters.  I could have gotten away with 1 coat, but for pictures (and OCD) I used 2.  I finished with 1 layer of essence gel-look topcoat for shine.












Moving on to the holos...this is Girl Sprouts.  This grassy green linear holo is a stunna!  If you need a green holo to add to your collection this is definitely one to pick up.  The formula was sheer on the first coat but as you can see from the pictures it built up beautifully.  Application was perfect.  I used 3 coats of  Girl Sprouts and no topcoat.  













My heart belongs to yellow holo - forever!  Nuclear Sunshine is like nothing I own.  It's a bright neon yellow linear holo with the slightest touch of green undertone.  It actually looks like sparkly highlighter on my nails!  Nuclear Sunshine is pretty darn amazing.  Application and formula were both fabulous.  I used 3 coats of Nuclear Sunshine and no topcoat.













Ok, if I loved Nuclear Sunshine then I am over the moon smitten with Safety Dance.  Safety Dance is a neon peach (yes I said NEON PEACH!) linear holo and it's all kinds of amazing!  Honestly, this is the Best.  Polish.  Ever.  Look at the amazing holo flame!  So much yummy pink and orange.  The formula and application on Safety Dance were both fabulous.  I used 3 coats of Safety Dance and no topcoat.  






*shade*





How about a few comparisons?  This is Glacial Springs on my middle and pinky nails and Seahorse Rodeo on my index and ring.  Glacial Springs is more teal with a larger grade micro glitter.  Both are sparkly and beautiful!  But if I had to pick one I'd go with Seahorse Rodeo because I love the softer color and the amazing new micro glitter that Noelie used for it.  



This picture shows Girl Sprouts on my index and ring nails compared to Electric Lime on my middle and pinky nails.  Please don't ask me to pick one because they are both amazing, and I actually love the way they look together!  Electric Lime is a brighter and lighter shade - a neon, while Girl Sprouts is more of a natural shade of green.  If I had to choose, I'd choose both!



One last comparison - this is Nuclear Sunshine on my index and ring nails compared to Sunny Side Up on my middle and pinky nails.  I love that you can see how different these yellows are, and both are gorgeous.  Sunny Side Up is a golden yellow while Nuclear Sunshine is a neon yellow with the slightest bit of green.  Again, both of these shades are amazing and I think they are both worth owning.  


Just for fun here's a neon skittle mani I did to show off some of the neon Smittens!  They are all so bright and fun!  I love how they all looked together and hope Noelie can come up with some more neon shades to add to her holo collection!  Thumb to pinky is: Himalayan Blue Poppy, Safety Dance, Nuclear Sunshine, Electric Lime & Jamaican Sunset



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