China Glaze Black Mesh

Just like OPI Black Shatter, China Glaze has Black Mesh, a black crackle polish.  Like other shatter/crackle polishes, they do tend to get thick over time, but you can add a little bit of nail polish thinner to break up the clumps.  I decided to go over my Lighthouse from earlier.  On my ring and pinkie finger, I applied Black Mesh but was irritated at how watery the formula was.  Well, since this has been sitting on the shelf for a bit, I decided to cap it and shake the bottle and apply over my middle and index finger... MUCH better as you can see.

Watery = bad.  

Sorry the focus on this is off - not sure what happened.  So which is better?  Honestly, they both applied the same for me.  I know China Glaze Black Mesh has been hard to find in my area, but I've seen racks upon racks of OPI Black Shatter.  

China Glaze [official website] can be found online through several etailers, including my favorite Head2Toe Beauty [official website], Sally's Beauty Supply [official website] as well asTransDesign [official website].

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

China Glaze Lighthouse

Once again going with "finals" and once again, here's a yellow... the final color from the China Glaze 2011 Spring "Anchors Away" collection is Lighthouse, which was a multi-dimensional bright yellow glass speck or glass fleck.  It actually reminded me a lot of OPI Simply Smash-ing! but Lighthouse is more yellow.


I used a base coat of Seche Natural, 2 coats of polish and a top of Seche Vite.  This is a bit of a messy polish because of all the glitter stuff packed in there.  I had to do quite a bit of cleanup and still missed some in my cuticles.

You can still see a bit of VNL but it's not too bad.

I do like this color in the shade but not enough to wear it alone... more on that later.

Finally I have the indoors with flash - you can really see the VNL here.  Thankfully there was no staining with this color (something I always worry about).  Nice color but not my favorite.

China Glaze [official website] can be found online through several etailers, including my favorite Head2Toe Beauty [official website], Sally's Beauty Supply [official website] as well asTransDesign [official website].

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

OPI Red Shatter

OPI really has expanded their shatter collection and here is the simply named Red Shatter, a jelly-like shatter that was actually a part of the Glam Slam collection with Rally Pretty Pink but I decided to put it over China Glaze Midnight Kiss because it was just so holiday like to me.

See?  It's pretty!  I was happy.  I will probably try to use it over Rally Pretty Pink as well for fun, but shatter is like matte... you can use it on anything and everything pretty much.

Quick shade picture as well.  I do like that it crackled nicely.  I used one thin coat over my top coat, and then sealed with another coat of Seche Vite.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

China Glaze Midnight Kiss

I am absolutely determined to power through these stragglers from "older" collections that I've had here.  As I've said before, gold/yellow is not a favorite of mine.  Midnight Kiss is a gold shimmer and while not unique, it is a good staple color during the holidays.


I used a base coat of Seche Natural, 2 coats of Midnight Kiss and a top of Seche Vite.  Formula was pretty excellent considering it's been just sitting on a shelf for like 6 months.

I do like that this polish is multi-gold looking in the sun.  It's like the shimmer just captures the sunlight in different ways.  Or something :P

In the shade, it's quite pretty as well - more metallic looking that I originally thought it would be, but yes, still not totally unique.

Finally indoors with the flash - and that flash picks up all the shimmer.  Fun times.  Now I'm finally completing the "Tis The Season to be naught and nice" collection.  Sometimes it's hard for me to write a whole review on each color but I'm glad I do it this way because I personally appreciate each color more.  My memory is pretty awesome when it comes to things I'm interested in so I like taking even just a few extra moments with each colors.

China Glaze [official website] can be found online through several etailers, including my favorite Head2Toe Beauty [official website], Sally's Beauty Supply [official website] as well asTransDesign [official website].

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

Nfu-Oh 61

Ever since I saw this color, I have wanted it.  Nfu-Oh 61 is a silver linear holographic, much like GOSH Holographic or China Glaze OMG.  So in love!


I used the Nfu-Oh Aqua Base and 2 coats of Nfu-Oh 61.  This was my first time using the Aqua Base which is said to aid in the "sticking" of holographic polish to the nail, and I have to say that it did make a difference.  I did have to wait longer than normal for the Aqua Base to dry (probably about 2 minutes) before I could add polish.  I did not use a top coat in my pictures.

Boo clouds again!  You can see that it's amazing though, right?


Here's one silly shade picture.  I hate how the shade dulls these colors so much.

Oddly, my best pictures are here indoors.  Check it out!

Here's one indoors with the flash!

I'm absolutely in love with this color!  The bottles are super cute too.

Nfu-Oh is available for $12.50 at FabulouStreet in the US.  To find out where to find Nfu-Oh in your country, please visit their Community Page.

Nail Files Reality Show

A reality series about nails?  Yeah, count me in.  The fact that it's the same creator of Jersey Shore?  I might even get my other friends to watch!


Please enjoy the following press release from TV Guide.

TV GUIDE NETWORK'S ORIGINAL REALITY SERIES "NAIL FILES" TO PREMIERE ON TUESDAY, JUNE 21 AT 10:00 P.M. ET/PT

Network Launches Nationwide Mobile Spa Tour to Introduce

New Series to Cable Affiliates and TV Viewers

LOS ANGELES (May 9, 2011) – In celebration of TV Guide Network’s ongoing evolution and the premiere of its new original reality series “Nail Files,” the Network will launch an 11-city branded mobile spa tour for its affiliates and viewers around the country.  The tour, which is TV Guide Network’s largest integrated marketing campaign of its kind to date, will kick-off this Saturday, May 14 at North Point Mall in Alpharetta, Georgia.  In addition, TV Guide Network also announced that “Nail Files” will debut on Tuesday, June 21 with the premiere episode at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT followed by the second episode at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.  New episodes of the weekly series will premiere every Tuesday night at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.  Highlights of the series will be available on video-on-demand starting on Thursday, May 19 and the full-length episodes will be available after premiere.

“Launching a multi-market mobile spa tour will bring the excitement of the Hollywood salon experience and the energy of our new ‘Nail Files’ series to our distribution partners and viewers nationwide,” said Friday Abernethy, Executive Vice President, Affiliate Sales and Marketing, TV Guide Network.  “The tour will highlight TV Guide Network’s fresh new attitude for both TV fans and affiliates. They’ll get a sneak peek of our new show, receive complimentary salon treatments, and in select markets, meet the star of ‘Nail Files’ Katie Cazorla.”

The “Nail Files” mobile spa tour will re-create the salon experience of the celebrity “mani-pedi” hot spot “The Painted Nail,” which is owned and operated by Katie Cazorla, a 33-year-old budding entrepreneur who is the star of TV Guide Network’s new series.  The interior of the tour bus will feature soothing lavender walls, overstuffed chairs and shabby chic decor just like the salon to give viewers a true taste of “The Painted Nail” experience.  Viewers will receive complimentary manicures featuring Katie’s exclusive line of nail polish while watching clips of the show.

The mobile spa will stop at the cities listed below.  For an updated tour schedule with times, dates and specific locations, visit (http://www.facebook.com/pages/TV-Guide-Network/112469248837686)

• Atlanta: Saturday, May 14
• Charlotte: Wednesday, May 18
• Washington D.C.: Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 21
• Boston: Wednesday, May 25
• Philadelphia: Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29
• Cleveland: Saturday, June 4
• New York: Monday, June 13, Tuesday, June 14, and Wednesday, June 15
• Los Angeles: Tuesday, June 21, Wednesday, June 22, and Thursday, June 23
• Las Vegas: Saturday, June 25 and Sunday, June 26
• Phoenix: Wednesday, June 29
• Houston: Sunday, July 3 and Monday, July 4

From the creators of “Jersey Shore,” “Nail Files” on TV Guide Network follows Katie Cazorla, a young blonde bombshell who owns Hollywood’s fastest growing celebrity-filled nail salon while juggling her relationship with Walter Afanasieff, a Grammy® award-winning music legend who’s written and produced hits for Mariah Carey, Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion and is 20 years her senior.  The series follows high-spirited and energetic Katie as she aspires to take The Painted Nail to the next level.  With the support of Walter and her ever-present best friend Amy, Katie hosts gifting suites at the Sundance Film Festival and The Oscars®, walks the red carpet at the Grammys® Awards, launches her Spring line of polishes, and handles her celebrity clients all while placating her trouble-making staff.  Katie’s life may seem glamorous, but keeping all the balls in the air without stumbling is a daily challenge.

About TV Guide Network

TV Guide Network is the true entertainment insider and the only network that celebrates Hollywood, its stars and the shows that fans adore.  Committed to buzz-worthy, breakout programming and a rich, multi-platform viewing experience, TV Guide Network is seen in more than 80 million homes nationwide and online at TVGuide.com, a one-stop fan destination reaching more than 23 million unique users per month.  TV Guide Network is home to some of America’s fan-favorite series including “The Hills,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm," “Weeds” and “Ugly Betty.”  The network also takes fans behind-the-scenes of Hollywood with original programming that delivers the latest news on entertainment and pop culture, as well as live coverage of the industry’s biggest events such as the Red Carpet at the Academy Awards® and Primetime Emmy® Awards.  TV Guide Network, TVGuide.com and the TV Guide brand are owned by Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), the leading next-generation studio, which produces the award-winning series “Mad Men” and “Weeds” and co-produces the acclaimed “Nurse Jackie,” and One Equity Partners, the private equity arm of JPMorgan Chase. 

FingerPaints Groovy Green

This weather is so up and down.  First it's rainy and cloudy, then it's sunny and hot.  And of course when it's sunny and hot, I don't have time to swatch.  ^_^


Today's post is Groovy Green from the Summer 2011 FingerPaints collection.  It's a pearly finished, light green - almost like the plastic grass you've seen in Easter baskets.  I had high hopes for this color.  I used a base of Seche Natural, 2 coats of polish and a top of Seche Vite.  Sadly, the formula was pretty gummy for me, and worse, it did not play nice with Seche Vite at ALL.

Boo clouds.  You can see that my Seche Vite totally pulled up the polish on my index finger and it also smeared the other nails.

Indoors with flash - you can really see the damage on my index finger now, and also a bit on the pinkie.  I'm just not the biggest fan.  I was really scared about staining but none occurred thankfully.


FingerPaints can be found in Sally's Beauty Supplies stores and online for $4.99 USD each.  They are a Sally's Beauty Supply exclusive brand, so you can follow Sally's on Twitter and like them on Facebook as well as follow their blog.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

INM OutTheDoor Northern Lights Silver

Last time I was at Tony Nail, I saw this little gem sitting on a counter, so naturally I grabbed it.  (OOH SHINY!)  The brand is INM and you've probably seen their "OutTheDoor" top coat (which I personally haven't used), but this is Northern Lights collection which has both "silver" and "gold".  Both are a hologram top coat, a lot like China Glaze Fairy Dust, but all the particles are at the bottom of the bottle.  As you can see from the above picture, you are supposed to "Shake It Up!"

Pre-shake.

Shaken!


I decided to try this over FingerPaints "Give Pink A Chance" to have a kind of 80s throwback look but it didn't quite achieve the look I had in my mind.

This is just one coat of Northern Lights and I'm thinking maybe I should have used 2?  It was pretty sparkly in person, but it really doesn't show up as well in the pictures.

And here in the shade you can start to see some of the rainbow glitter showing up.  Still lovely especially for only $2.95.  ^_^

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

Barielle Cowl of the Wild

I seemed to have lost 2 things... my sun, and my nails.  Boo nubbins.


Barielle Fall 2010 Collection "Style in Argyle" lost steam for me because of all the browns, and Cowl of the Wild was their mushroom taupe creme.  As you can see, my bottle has started to turn orange?!  I rolled and shook my bottle in vain trying to get the colors to remix, but it was to no avail.  I even added extra ballz (BB pellets) to see if that would help.  Nada.  I think this is just a weird color.  I was searching other blogger's posts about this color and it seems that it looks different on every single blog.  Go figure.


I used a base of Seche Natural, 3 coats of polish and a top of Seche Vite.  The formula was fine.

Here's a cloudy picture since the sun has been playing peek a boo for days now.  It's kind of a dirty olive green type color?  Kinda interesting - mostly weird for me.

Indoors with the flash - more of the brown shows through but it's still just kind of a muddy color for me.  After having a baby in diapers, this is not my most favorite color to see, especially not on my nails!  ^_^

Barielle retails for $8/bottle.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

deborah lippmann Girls Just Want To Have Fun

Today I have 1/2 of the deborah lippmann 2011 summer releases - Girls Just Want To Have Fun, and you better start singing with me.  :)  This is a really pretty melon coral creme that's almost squishy like a jelly/sorbet.


I used a base of Seche Natural, 3 coats of GJWTHF and a top of Seche Vite.  Formula started sheer but was buildable with 3 coats.  I did have to magenta and yellow color correct my photos because this photographs so orange, but I tried to get it as close to real-life color (melon-coral) as possible.

I must say, I do like my nail shape - I forgot how much I paid for my manicure, but it was nice to be pampered for a bit.

I especially love this color in the shade.  Look how intense it is!  The color is a bit darker than Jesse's Girl JulieG, but it kind of the same wavelength.

Then I hit my hand on the door and smudged my middle finger - sorry friends.  This is indoors with flash.


Okay, so did you see any pictures of the holiday 2011 polish from deborah lippmann that was being called "Jessica Rabbit"??  (Snip-it from Allure magazine) It popped up in mid February during fashion week and I literally dreamed about it yesterday, and naturally, tweeted about it.  I saw this later in my replies.

Yeah, drool.  Can't wait.  Check out the sole good picture on Allure's article linked up there.  It's like China Glaze Ruby Pumps on steroids.


deborah lippmann [official website] sells for $18 a bottle.  You can also Like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.