e.l.f. Black

I still haven't splurged on another bottle of CND Blackjack, which is my absolute favorite one coat black creme so today I decided to check out my bottle of e.l.f. Black, that I purchased last year off their website during a sale.  At only $1 a bottle and with constant sales including a lot of free shipping with orders of x amount (right now it's with orders over $25), this is definitely a much cheaper alternative.  But does it work as well?  I also have to mention that the bottles are slightly smaller at only 0.35 oz instead of a China Glaze bottle at 0.50 oz.


I used a base coat of Seche Natural, ONE COAT of Black and a top of Seche Vite.  I do hate that the bottle top is rectangular so it never lines up properly with the bottle.

In the sun it looks a little streaky.  If I was wearing this as its own color (and not a base for something else) I'd probably use at least 2 coats. 

In the shade however, the color looks more opaque.  As I said, I'm mainly just using this as a base for other colors (sheer ones, glitter or shatters) so it works well for me.

Indoors with the flash and again you can see that the pinkie is a little streaky but really, for a dollar?  I'm not really complaining.  Currently this and many of their other colors are sold out, but they might be restocking soon?


You can purchase e.l.f. on their website.  You can like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, be their friend on MySpace and subscribe to their YouTube videos.

Nicole by OPI Make U Smile

Another from the One Less Lonely Girl collection is Make U Smile, a silver mini glitter with larger silver glitter pieces in a clear base.  This is best worn over another color but I didn't know that the first time.  The larger glitter doesn't like being picked up well by the brush so this is three coats on each nail.  My base black is e.l.f. Black (one coat).

I really wish the larger silver glitter would pick up more.  Here's a semi-sun (mostly cloudly) pictures.

Haha please ignore the yellow near my index finger... that's mustard.  :] (yum)

Not much else to say here.  I would pass on this color just because it's hard to pick up the large silver pieces. Not my cup of tea.  Removal was easy because it's such a sparse glitter.


Nicole by OPI is available beginning at ULTA, Meijer, Harmon, HEB, Sears, Wal-Mart and more for around $8 a bottle.  For more information, visit their website, follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter or become a Facebook fan.

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 Tarnished Gold

Moving on down the line with more crackle polish - here is Tarnished Gold from the Metallic Crackles that China Glaze is coming out with this summer.  I decided to try it over my existing Nicole by OPI "One Time Lime" manicure.  I was going for kind of an antique jade - Egyptian like look and I really think these two colors hit it home for me.

This color cracked pretty well for me with just one thin coat.  I like how on the middle finger, it's more broken up and the rings finger is more in shards.

This was an accidental indirect sun picture but I think it looks really lovely as well - the green really peeks out beautifully.

In the shade the gold tends to reflect more light off other items and I almost feel like I have red lobster hands but I think it's just the lighting.  

And finally indoors with the flash and you can see how foil-y this polish is.  Definitely a fan of gold crackle which is odd since I'm not a fan of gold polish.

China Glaze can be found online through several etailers, including my favorite Head2Toe Beauty, Sally's Beauty Supply, and TransDesign.

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

Nicole by OPI One Time Lime

Continuing with the One Less Lonely Girl additions is One Time Lime, a vibrant lime that's "worth your time."  I must say, it's definitely a bright green - not a neon, but close to it.  I found this formula to be a lot better.  I used a base of OPI Natural Nail, 2 coats of One Time Lime and a top of OPI Top Coat.

I think I need to just bite the bullet for the OPI Ridge Filler because do I ever hate my ridges.  Disregard the ridges and check out how smooth this color really is.

In the shade you can see a bit of streakiness in my index finger again.  I paint my nails from pinkie to index, so I don't know what my problem is.

Okay, now here's the weird thing.  Check out how many bald spots you see indoors with the flash?  Almost every nail!  But it photographs (and wears) so well otherwise...  It's like putting your hotel room under a blacklight or something.


So my take on this polish?  It's definitely a bright lime green (without being neon) but you may have to put on several coats for full opacity.

Nicole by OPI is available beginning at ULTA, Meijer, Harmon, HEB, Sears, Wal-Mart and more for around $8 a bottle.  For more information, visit their website, follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter or become a Facebook fan.


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

Nicole by OPI My Lifesaver

Going back a step to the Nicole by OPI One Less Lonely Girl additions, which was the line inspired by Justin Bieber songs, today I have My Lifesaver "a soft mint green" creme.  There is definitely a lot more blue in this than green, but compared to something like Baby Blue (also in this collection), it's definitely more green.


I used a base coat of OPI Natural Nail, 2 coats of My Lifesaver and a top of OPI Top Coat.  I found this polish to be more on the streaky side.

In the sun, it's not nearly as streaky looking and you can see it's more mint colored than the bottle picture looks.

In the shade, you can see the bald spots on the index finger and the thinness in the pinkie fingers.

Indoors with the flash shows again how the index finger is streaky.


I'm iffy on this color.  I never got into the whole mint crazy last year, despite owning several mint colors.  I think green in general is still my "yikes" color for nails but I'm easing into it!

Nicole by OPI is available beginning at ULTA, Meijer, Harmon, HEB, Sears, Wal-Mart and more for around $8 a bottle.  For more information, visit their website, follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter or become a Facebook fan.

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 Oxidized Aqua

So I'm sitting there, looking at the awesomeness that is Senorita Bonita, and I think the only thing that could make it better would be a blue (my two favorite colors) so I decided to test out the new Metallic Crackle from China Glaze Oxidized Aqua.  I put down one coat of Oxidized Aqua and topped it with a coat of Seche Vite.

Look how pretty this cracked!  And then all the purple peeking through?  Love!

A bit better view of it all in the shade - the foil metallic in this crackle really reflects a lot of light.

Indirect sun here - and very pretty.  I'm a big fan of blue and purple.

Finally indoors with the flash - very rich and very me.  :]

China Glaze can be found online through several etailers, including my favorite Head2Toe Beauty, Sally's Beauty Supply, and TransDesign.

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

LCN Sale

I have the 8 LCN magnetic polishes to show (as soon as I get some sun up in here!) but if you can't wait to try it out yourself, check out this sale!


STARTING JUNE 22ND, LCN IS OFFERING FREE SHIPPING ON ANY ORDER PLACED FROM NOW UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH!

The first day of Summer is dark and gloomy here in New England but it's bright and cheerful for your wallet!

Call or email your orders so you can try some of our BRAND NEW products like;

X-Tame, light-cured polish starter set: $195.95
One-Component Resin Crystal Clear: $88.95
Magnetic Polish Set: $57.95
Bonder NEW: $47.95
Base Bond: $39.95
Crackle Polish Set: $32
Polish Seal (Light-curing top coat): $8.95


LCN USA can be purchased through their website.  You can also subscribe to their YouTube, like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

Milani High Speed Dry One Coat Formula

Please enjoy the following press release from Milani:

MILANI NAILS IT

Milani presents its hottest and brightest shades that complement every summer glow

July Limited Edition Summer Products

STOP! Wardrobe change? No problem, create a gallery of nail looks with Milani’s New Limited Edition High Speed Fast Dry One Coat Formula Nail Lacquer – fast and luxurious, to get you on the GO – their new flat brush for fast and flawless application that dries in 60 seconds. For an additional pop of color use Milani’s High Speed Fast Dry One Coat Formula Nail Lacquers for extreme shine and electrifying nails.  These high voltage bright pigments are available in eight high fashion shades and great for the summer season!

 Available Shades: Purple Rush, Instantaneous Blue, Racy Green, Fast Fuchsia, Jiffy Orange, Violet Dash, Yellow Whiz, & Hot Pink Frenzy.

  

Limited Edition Items available ONLY the month of July at select CVS drug stores.

High Speed Fast Dry One Coat Formula Nail Lacquer, Retail, $3.99

‘LIKE’ MILANI COSMETICS ON FACEBOOK OR FOLLOW US ON TWITTER!

China Glaze Senorita Bonita

The finale in the Island Escape Summer 2011 Collection from China Glaze is Senorita Bonita - a "passionate purple shimmer with pink micro glitter."  Except, this isn't really microglitter like China Glaze Mummy May I but rather it's flakies!


I used a base coat of Seche Natural, 2 coats of Senorita Bonita and a top coat of Seche Vite.  Formula was super smooth.

In the sun, the flakes are hiding - trust me.

In the shade - FLAKIES!  Such a lovely color - I want China Glaze to make a lot more of these, and even make big flakes so you can see them in the sun too.  Love love love.

Indoors with the flash - you can see a bit of VNL near the cuticles, but probably 3 thin coats of polish would take that part away.


This is definitely stick around this summer for my nails - I absolutely love this shade of purple, and the fact that it's not a neon.

China Glaze can be found online through several etailers, including my favorite Head2Toe Beauty, Sally's Beauty Supply, and TransDesign.

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

Nail Files "Sundance is a Big Deal" Breakdown

Image from TV Guide Network's Facebook Page

Continuing with the crazy driver from the last episode, Katie demands to have the car pulled over and when the replacement driver shows up, turns out their original driver isn't crazy... he's in a diabetic coma.  LOVELY.  One granola bar and several apologies later, and the incident has been cast aside.  At this point, they have missed their flight to Sundance, and Katie is frantically calling the airlines.  Surprise!  She gets on the last plane (of course!). 


Back in the shop, Nichole is living it up with the other nail techs - wine, music, dancing, party!  She also tries to get the answering machine to work...  Oh those tricky answering machines!


Back to Katie and Amy, in the snow, in Utah, and here's some good news - the room they booked (I think it's the one they booked?) is awesome.  It even has a hot tub!  Katie starts getting her displays ready for the plethora of celebrities she's been expecting but instead it's more like the random locals.  Ralina, Katie's publicist swears that Toby Maguire is around but Katie's not seeing anyone that would have a page on IMDB.  Clearly upset (and probably several thousands of dollars in the hole at this point), Amy and Katie jump in the hot tub.


Later, Haley Duff tweeted about naming a polish with her sister for Katie and it's been RTed over 3000 times already.  Ralina who?  The power of Twitter strikes again.


One commercial break later, and Katie is back in the arms of her beloved and ready to get back to work.  She arrives and Too $hort walks in (rapper) and Katie ends up rapping it up about boobs while making her booty clap there on the floor.


For half a second, I thought Tabatha Coffey was going to walk in and bust Katie's butt.


Back to Katie's home life and Walter has been nominated for a Grammy for his work on Kenny G's album. On top of her husband's success, it also means that Katie is going to the Grammys!  On her way to see Ralina, Katie calls the salon to hear that the number is disconnected.  A call to Becky shows that Becky was "waiting on authorization from Katie to pay the bill."  Really Becky?  I mean, don't you think you need to get authorization before the deadline so you don't get disconnected?


Ralina and Katie are not seeing eye to eye about Sundance.  Ralina thinks that everything went great, and Katie felt like it was a waste of time and money.  While they are sitting there talking, Katie gets two great text messages... "The power is out."  "The water is off."  Guess what?  Bills weren't paid.  Again.


Katie lets Becky off the hook for this $5,000 "mistake" of not paying bills only to get a nasty surprise when Becky texts Katie to see if they can talk.  When Katie decides to just call real quick, Becky quits.  (By the way, Katie has a lovely accent nail of silver with her other nails being blue.)  Outside, Katie breaks down again to Walter and like her Superman, he reassures her once again that things will be okay.


Up next week: It's Walter's big night at the Grammys and Katie isn't ready.  Girl needs a mani!  (Oh, and a new custom created dress.  Holla.)


Nail Files airs on the TV Guide Network Tuesdays at 10/9c.