Color Club Blossoming

Spring is almost here folks!  It was in the 80s here today and I actually turned on the air conditioning!  YAY!  To help pick up your spirits (or at least mine), here is a great spring release from Color Club!  (PS: I don't know why it says it was being released in October 2011 - I just got the release 2 weeks ago and the actual polishes arrived at my house late last week.)


Edit: I heard directly from Color Club and the reason that the release says October 2011 is that's when it went out to other beauty editors (think print).  This collection is intended as a Spring release for February 2012.

Introducing The New Blossoming Collection from Color Club

Rich Color Has Bloomed & Everything is Coming up Couture

October 2011 - New York, New York - Color Club, the New York based nail color company announced today the debut of Blossoming a new nail polish collection for Spring. With the beautiful budding flowers of the season as an inspiration, rich color has bloomed! Add Diamond Drops topcoat for a “morning rain-kissed” effect. Blossoming features six nail polishes -- from Hydrangea Kiss, Sweetpea and Blue-ming to Blushing Rose and Lavendarling. This new vegan, formaldehyde, toluene and DBP-free collection is sure to signal spring is in the air... or blossoming.

The Blooming Collection includes:

Hydrangea Kiss: Dusty blue-purple crème

Sweetpea: Rosy Pink crème

Blue-ming: Bright blue-green crème

Blushing Rose: Baby pink crème

Lavendarling: Dusty purple crème

Diamond Drops: Silver ice flake polish

Color Club’s Blossoming Collection will be available in February 2012. All Color Club products are made in the USA and are not tested on animals. Products are available at shopcolorclub.com.

About Color Club

A favorite of celebrity manicurists and nail color fans worldwide, Color Club is renowned for its high performance rich shades and exceptionally safe products. From the brightest neons, to glitter and French, all nail colors are vegan, formaldehyde, toluene, and DBP -free – and made in New York, NY with the best raw materials. Products are available at shopcolorclub.com.

Poshe Nails Fast Drying Base Coat

I had mentioned earlier that I was going to be doing a trial run of Poshe products on my nails and I'm starting at the beginning with their fast-drying base coat.  This base coat is said to work on both natural and artificial nails, is fast drying, non-yellowing & chip resistant.  The following pictures are from 18 February, and I've worn Poshe base coat alone or under every manicure since.

I do have to agree that this is a fast drying base coat.  I like to start with my pinkie and move to my thumb when painting my nails and by the time that I've capped the bottle, my pinkie is dry.  This is great for me, because I never seem to have a long time to do my nails.


Like my test run with Duri, my nails have been growing well and I haven't had any issues with splitting, peeling or breaking (so far!).  I was supposed to have a manicure done today, but my nail tech had to reschedule so I'll wait another week before posting my nails since I'll be having the length taken down a bit as well.


I think I'm going to start having my pedicures done with this.  Unlike my hands, my toenails are stained from wearing the same polish for up to 6 weeks straight.  I'm not 100% sure what base coat my nail tech uses on my feet, so I will be bringing this in next time I see her for a pedicure.  Do you bring your own polishes to the salon?


In my press release post of Poshe products, I had some ladies share that where Seche Vite has failed them, Poshe has redeemed itself.  You can see their website as to where to purchase their products in the US (my local Sally's has them!).  I've seen the price range from $5.50 to $7 for their base coat.


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

Pure Ice Excuse Me

Another release from Pure Ice - this one will get you looking forward to some summer sun!

"I thought I had a sign a Seal like Heidi Klum, 

Like Jay and B

Like Chris and Rih..."

 - Q-tip F/ Kanye West We Fight We Love (remix)

Hollywood's way of surrending to the reality of the worst break-ups is by the way of a sunny manicure.  Take off the wedding ring and put on the yellow nail polish just just like Seal did.  Sad to say, but it's really over.

Put some yellow in your life when you want:
- clarity for decision-making
- relief from 'burnout', panic, nervousness, exhaustion
- sharper memory and concentration skills
- protection from depression during dull weather

Excuse Me by Pure Ice is the perfect pick me up to mend heartbreak by attracting that next sweet honey bee into your life.

Buy here

Mattése Elite Desfiles de Samba

I told you about the Mattése Elite Carnaval Collection a few weeks ago, but now I actually have one of these neons for you!  Desfiles de Samba is a neon lime green that wants to photograph blue, but I color corrected for you to get back to true color.  I used a base of Poshe and 3 coats of polish.  Normally neons dry matte but this one didn't really do that so I didn't use a top coat.

Here it is in the sun - look at that shine!  You can also see a bit of VNL on the pinkie, but I didn't really notice it much while wearing this manicure.

In the indirect sun though, you can see more of the VNL on all nails.  

Here in the shade, there's not much difference - just nice, shiny, pretty green.  It almost reminds me of a glow in the dark polish but it doesn't glow in the dark.

Indoors with the flash - well that's not so lovely.  The camera doesn't want to focus too well because of the neon properties of the polish but it does do well!  There will be a lot of neons coming out this summer but I haven't seen this shade of green yet, so this is a keeper for me!


Mattése Elite Carnaval Nail Polish retails for $5.99 and is available for purchase exclusively at Ricky’s NYC store locations and at www.RickysNYC.com

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

CND Daily Nail 2.15.12 Biker Chick Nails at The Blonds

I was really excited to see this CND posting - it was Kristina Saindon (is it same as Estabrooks?) who did my Shellac manicure last summer!  Please enjoy the following release from CND!  (Okay, seriously, is this the same person?  I don't even know anymore.)

CND Daily Nail 2.15.12

Biker Chick Nails at The Blonds

February 15, 2012- Tonight's Daily Nail is the one you all have been waiting for - your seasonal nailgasm. Take a breath, and grab a glass of wine while we take you to a manicure moment with The Blonds.


At The Blonds, CND's Kristina Estabrooks and her team spent 130 hours hand detailing biker babe manicures. No nail set was alike - crystals, glitter, leather, Phillipe Blond faces, crushed glass shards and acid washed denim designs were just a few of the styles to grace the runway.

At Milly, CND's Candice Manacchio created a "Navy Nail" with two coats of CND Colour Midnight Sapphire. This manicure accessorized hyper femme layered jackets, voluminous mini skirts and pops of pink, yellow and cobalt blue.

To read Jan Arnold's daily backstage blog, please visit cnd.com. Track @CNDWorld during Fashion Week, on Facebook, Pinterest and on YouTube.

OPI Pink Shatter

For Valentine's Day, I thought about doing a kind of pink on pink manicure, but in the end, it just didn't really work out for me.  Even though it was only 2 weeks ago, I don't even remember what I did for my manicure - time flies when you're stressed, hah!  Anyway, I had a couple of combinations in mind, and this was one of them...  using my CND Muddy Rose manicure, I added one layer of OPI Pink Shatter, a translucent shatter that still allows some of the underlying polish to show through (as opposed to being opaque).

Pink Shatter dries matte, so I added CND Air Dry only to my middle & ring fingers.  I'll have a detailed picture coming up.

You can barely tell this is a pink on pink manicure at first glance, which is what I was going for, but in the end, I just didn't love it.

Here you can see the difference between the top coat vs the matte.  The top coat brings out a subtle shimmer to the Shatter, where the other side just appears dry.  In fact, it reminds me a little of muscle tissue, like if someone split open your leg.  Hey, if The Daily Nail can do zit nails, maybe I can do "raw meat nails"  :p

Trying to get a picture indoors with the flash just wasn't working so my pictures today (in order) are sun, indirect sun, close up and this is the shade.  Now I've had nothing but ick weather lately, but there was one day of sun, and that's when I tested this manicure.  I WANT SPRING TO BE HERE.  Minus the mosquitoes, heat, humidity, tall grass growing...


Anyway, I found my bottle of OPI Pink Shatter on sale for $6 at Ulta on a back rack, but most OPI bottles do still run at around $8.50.

OPI [Website] [Facebook] [Twitter] is available 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.  

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

Algenist's Firming & Lifting Line

Although I don't talk about it enough, I really have started taking better care of my skin.  I'm only 28, but I know that I already have some signs of aging around my eyes.  Please enjoy the following releases from Algenist - and check them out now at Sephora!  There's a lot of information here, but it's totally worth it!


Algenist’s latest skincare innovation (hitting Sephora this month): Firming & Lifting.


The line is truly a must-have for women looking to strengthen their skin and reduce the effects of aging and gravity. Skin looks firm, toned and sculpted in 10 days!


How it works:
In addition to key ingredient, Alguronic Acid (algae-compound with the ability to protect and regenerate skin), the Firming & Lifting line incorporates proteins and peptides to restore and repair skin.

Firming & Lifting Cream ($94): Ultra firming and restructuring cream to lift and tighten while reinforcing skin structure


Ingredients: Alguronic Acid and ProPeptide3, Avocado Oil, Phytosterols, and Olive Fruit Oil


This ultra firming and restructuring cream immediately lifts and tightens the skin by leveraging the power of Alguronic Acid and ProPeptide3: a never-before-seen anti-aging complex introduced through Algenist’s new Firming & Lifting line.


By uniting Alguronic Acid with ProPeptide3 (a combination of three active peptides and three active proteins), this anti-aging complex increases collagen synthesis by up to 209%, increases proteoglycan synthesis by up to 155% and prevents loss of firmness by 44%. Together these ingredients boost production of skin's key structural proteins: elastin, collagen, and proteoglycans. As it strengthens skin's structure, this advanced formula reduces the effects of aging and gravity on the skin so that the complexion appears immediately firm, toned and sculpted.


Proteins and peptides (protein building blocks) are essential structural components of the skin, responsible for the structure, regulation and function of skin cells. The deterioration of these essential structure proteins affect the skin’s ability to restructure and repair itself, leading to a visible loss of firmness and elasticity.


The Firming & Lifting Cream's unique formula helps strengthen skin's structure to redefine facial contours, leaving skin smooth, sculpted and lifted. Avocado Oil, Phytosterols, and Olive Fruit Oil moisturize and nourish the skin


Directions for use:
Apply to entire face and neck twice daily.

Firming & Lifting Eye Gel ($68): Lightweight Eye gel to rebuild density while firming & lifting delicate skin around the eyes


Ingredients: Alguronic Acid and ProPeptide3, Alfalfa Seed Extract, Lupine Protein, Caffeine, and Chamomile


This lightweight eye gel rebuilds density while firming and lifting delicate skin around the eyes by leveraging the power of Alguronic Acid and ProPeptide3: a never-before-seen anti-aging complex introduced through Algenist’s new Firming & Lifting line.


By uniting Alguronic Acid with ProPeptide3 (a combination of three active peptides and three active proteins), this anti-aging complex increases collagen synthesis by up to 209%, increases proteoglycan synthesis by up to 155% and prevents loss of firmness by 44%. Together these ingredients boost production of skin's key structural proteins: elastin, collagen, and proteoglycans. As it strengthens skin's structure, this advanced formula reduces the effects of aging and gravity on the skin so that the complexion appears immediately firm, toned and sculpted.


Proteins and peptides (protein building blocks) are essential structural components of the skin, responsible for the structure, regulation and function of skin cells. The deterioration of these essential structure proteins affect the skin’s ability to restructure and repair itself, leading to a visible loss of firmness and elasticity.


The unique formula smoothes eye contours, revealing a revitalized, recharged and youthful appearance. Alfalfa Seed Extract, Lupine Protein, Caffeine, and Chamomile reduce puffiness and soothe skin around the eyes.


Directions for use:
Apply to the eye area twice daily

Firming & Lifting Intensive Mask ($52): Refreshing gel mask to firm, tone & sculpt facial contours


Ingredients: Alguronic Acid and ProPeptide3, Jojoba, Green Tea, and Vitamin E


This unique gel mask immediately restores skin elasticity, structure and suppleness by leveraging the power of Alguronic Acid and ProPeptide3: a never-before-seen anti-aging complex introduced through Algenist’s new Firming & Lifting line.


By uniting Alguronic Acid with ProPeptide3 (a combination of three active peptides and three active proteins), this anti-aging complex increases collagen synthesis by up to 209%, increases proteoglycan synthesis by up to 155% and prevents loss of firmness by 44%. Together these ingredients boost production of skin's key structural proteins: elastin, collagen, and proteoglycans. As it strengthens skin's structure, this advanced formula reduces the effects of aging and gravity on the skin so that the complexion appears immediately firm, toned and sculpted.


Proteins and peptides (protein building blocks) are essential structural components of the skin, responsible for the structure, regulation and function of skin cells. The deterioration of these essential structure proteins affect the skin’s ability to restructure and repair itself, leading to a visible loss of firmness and elasticity.


The rich formula immediately tightens and firms leaving skin toned and lifted. Jojoba, Green Tea and Vitamin E moisturize, hydrate and strengthen skin.


Directions for use:
Apply an even layer to clean, dry skin, avoiding the eyes. Leave on for 10 minutes and then remove using warm water or a warm, wet face cloth. Apply once or twice weekly, as desired.


The Firming & Lifting line is:

• Suitable for all skin types
• Dermatologist tested
• Non-comedogenic
• Ophthalmologist tested
• Hypoallergenic
• Non-irritating
• Not tested on animals

All Algenist products are formulated without:

• Parabens
• Sulfates
• Synthetic dyes
• Phthalates
• GMOs
• Triclosan

FingerPaints Motley

2012 is the year of the magnetics and the flakies!  I was so excited when FingerPaints announced their flakies collection and was able to purchase all 5 thanks to the lovely ladies of Sally's Beauty Supply's Twitter.  I wasn't sure which one I wanted to try first, so I just grabbed and that's how Motley came to be my first swatched.  I used a base coat of Duri Rejuvacote, then FingerPaints Black Expressionist, then one coat of Motley on my index and ring fingers, and two coats of Motley on my middle and pinkie fingers.  I topped it with CND Air Dry.

Motley has a green and a blue flakie in a slight yellow base.  I talked to a nail tech who said the suspension base that the flakie is floating in has to be used over a darker color because of the yellow in the base, otherwise it can make the base color (black in this instance) look off.  Does that make any sense?  It did when she showed me over a light blue and it made the blue looks weirdest green.  Anyway.


While 1 coat does do wonders, I prefer 2 coats.  2 coats on my middle finger, 1 coat on the ring finger.

See what I mean?

In the shade, you can really see how pretty this is - reminds me of fish food - the colorful stuff, not the round brown pellet stuff.  

Seriously, indoors with the flash just makes this look blah.  Almost glow in the dark though, haha.  Not a good look for flakies - indirect sun/shade is the best way to see these pretties.  If you can still find them in Sally's, go get them!  They are limited edition.


FingerPaints [Website] [Facebook] [Twitter] [Blog] can be found in Sally's Beauty Supplies stores and online for $4.99 USD each.

Adele Shines at the Grammy's in Ciaté

Did you watch the Grammy's?  I'll admit, this year I passed.  I just didn't feel any pull to it like I have in years past.  However, there was lot of buzz about Adele's debut comeback, and she rocked some awesome nails to boot!  Please enjoy the following release from Ciaté!  (You may click the images to see them larger)

FingerPaints Black Expressionism

While purchasing the 5 FingerPaint flakies, I also got suckered into getting FingerPaints Black Expressionism, a black creme that dries matte.  Oh yes, matte.  Almost rubbery?  I used a base of Duri Rejuvacote, 2 coats of polish and no top coat.  I wished that had been a one coat black, but it really needed 2 coats to be fully opaque.

Now, the rubber/plastic/matte finish isn't as apparent here, but just give me a moment.  You can't see much because it is black with a black bottle, but yes opaque creme.

Now can you see the texture of this polish?  Kinda rubbery!  I'm calling it plastic, officially.  Anywho - nice creme base but I wish it was more of a one coat black.

Finally indoors with the flash - note how shiny this polish is without a top coat!  That part did make me happy.  :]


FingerPaints [Website] [Facebook] [Twitter] [Blog] can be found in Sally's Beauty Supplies stores and online for $4.99 USD each.