Hi all! I had today's post all planned out, and then last night I tried a nail art technique that blew me away - plastic wrap manis. I followed this tutorial. However, I didn't make my plastic wrap into itty bitty tiny pieces...I used them a pretty decent size because I had to be able to hold onto it. My fingers don't always work so well.

So I had on Cult Nails Awakening and had worn it for a day, so I just decided to use that as my base. I chose Cult Nails Charming, a shimmery, airy purple, as my second polish. As with other nail art attempts, I went into it assuming it wouldn't work hahah! I was so shocked at how easy it is. And how gorgeous these two polishes ended up looking together!

With the top coat over it to make it shiny, it looks like an awesome marble floor! I could not be happier with this combination of colors or this technique! Super easy and super pretty! I could not have asked for a better outcome - which means I'm not even going to tag this one a fail!

And just for good measure, here's a glimpse at the base coat, Awakening...

**DISCLAIMER** I was not paid for this review by anyone. I either purchased these polishes myself or were given gifts as friends because I could not find the particular shade I wanted myself. I am not a professional nail tech, nor do I want to be. I'm just someone who enjoys polishing my own nails :)

I have had this polish on my wishlist for a while now, and when the recent Cult Nails sale came up with Maria's birthday, I had to snag it! It's a gorgeous creamy lemonade-esque yellow...only it's got a hint of an orange tinge to it. Three coats to smooth it out (which is great for a yellow!)
Isn't it gorgeous!? It truly is the best yellow I own, I believe. It doesn't go, or look goopy, on the nail. It was perfect application. The formula is wonderfully pigmented, and I love it! You know, if you've been a reader for a while, that I've had issues with yellow polishes. But not with this one :)

...but then I got the urge to practice my dotting :) I'm constantly practicing dotting it seems. So I picked up another Cult Nails polish, Awakening, which is a dusty dark teal and went to work...

All different sized dots! I used three different size dotting tools for practice :) I still have a little issue with dragging, and I think it's from the polish starting to thicken before I was finished.

So what do you think? The perfect yellow? Am I getting better with my dotting? :)

**DISCLAIMER**  I was not paid for this review by anyone. I either purchased these polishes myself or were given gifts as friends because I could not find the particular shade I wanted myself.  I am not a professional nail tech, nor do I want to be. I'm just someone who enjoys polishing my own nails :)

At Cosmoprof I got to see ORLY's upcoming collections up close and personal, and I am most excited about this one! It's the Fired Up Collection, which will be available in September. It's rich with deep, rich explosions of colors! From gold to red, this collection is so nice!

Pictured above are the bottles. I labeled each with the name of the polish. I am loving Rapture and Ignite the most I think! Flare is a pale gold shimmer; Flicker is a duochrome-y rust shimmer; Smolder packs a deep wine hue and shimmer; Glow is a taupe creme (which to me looks like it leans a little pink?); Ignite is a red creme; and Rapture is a chocolate brown creme.

I really like deeper colors, so most of these really speak to me. :) I got a photo of the display from Cosmoprof:

I can't wait to see these in person! The Fired Up Collection Lacquers will be available starting September 2012 for $8.50 each. ORLY Nail Lacquers and Treatment products are available at orlybeauty.com, Sally Beauty, Ulta and other purveyors of beauty throughout the U.S. and in over 100 countries worldwide.

For more information contact LaForce + Stevens or visit us online at www.orlybeauty.com. Jeff Pink founded ORLY in 1975 with a simple idea: to innovate natural nail care. By creating leading-edge products and tools designed not only to beautify, but to respond to the needs of salon professionals, ORLY’s beauty experts have redefined nail care and nail fashion. ORLY’s dynamic color palette includes over 150 Lacquer shades that are completely free of DBP, formaldehyde and toluene. As much a trendsetter as a nail care innovator, ORLY also introduced the first-ever iconic nail look: the Original French Manicure® and reinvented Lacquer application with the award-winning

I've had Deborah Lippmann I Know What Boys Like on my wishlist forever! I was finally able to snag it off Copious for, like, $1 or something recently, so I've been dying to try it! It's a beautiful fusion of purple and blue, and is excessively creamy...so much so that the layers sort of melted together as I was painting. The formula is a tad thin, so I used three coats for full coverage.

I couldn't leave it alone tho :/ haha I sat there staring at my nails, and I swear I heard them scream "Put stripes on me! White, orange and teal would be lovely!" I couldn't resist the call, and I picked up my It's So Easy Stripe Rite stripers and set to work. It didn't turn out exactly like I thought, but what ever does? I need a steadier hand to do stripes, I think...

My stripes sort of swoop in places, but I shall keep practicing! It takes a little bit more practice. I really like the Stripe Rite polishes and brushes. It's just up to me to practice enough to be able to use them properly. They will be an excellent nail art tool once I get the hang of them ... so expect more posts featuring nail art stuff from It's So Easy!

DISCLAIMER: Some products used in this post were provided to me by the company for consideration. This blog is written and edited by me, and the opinions are not influenced in any way and are not compensated. Please read this post for more information.

Have you heard that Seche, the company behind everyone's (everyone's but mine!) miracle quick dry top coat is making nail colors? They sure are! I got to see them when I went to Cosmoprof, and the colors are gorgeous! Seche's FB page broke the news a few days ago, so I figured it was time to share my pics with you!

Here's the full display! As you can see, there's a wide range of colors for their kick-off! Some pinks, some reds, some darker colors, lighter ones...just a good array for a first launch!

And here's a close-up of one of the rows...
They looks stunning! I'm gonna err on the side of caution with these polishes for me. I have issues with Seche Vite. It shrinks something fierce on me! Not every time, but a majority of the time. However, I would be willing to make an exception for something like this...

Ok, you all know me and orange. Orange and I are likes peas and carrots. I haven't met an orange polish I haven't liked. And this Nicka K New York polish is no exception! At Cosmoprof I was afforded the opportunity to meet with the Nicka K people...and they are super nice and helpful! I have several items from them, actually, to review (a few I'm super excited about!), so let's kick this off with the polish :)

NY135 is a bright, vibrant orange creme. No shock that I chose this color, right? It's beautiful...but I could be biased. I love all the oranges! :)
It'a not neon...it's a really creamy orange. I wish I had the right words to describe it! Possibly tangerine? haha Formula-wise it was pretty easy to put on. No streaking or goopiness. I can't wait to try more of these polishes :) Of course, I'll still on a Sticks 'n Stones kick. So, yes, I had to top this with Sticks n Stones :)
I think Sticks n Stones looks great over orange! I haven't had a color it didn't look good, over, tho...

DISCLAIMER: Some products used in this post were provided to me by the company for consideration. This blog is written and edited by me, and the opinions are not influenced in any way and are not compensated. Please read this post for more information.

I don't normally do posts after I make huge purchases, or hauls, or anything like that; but today was different. I went to Rite Aid! So what, right? Well, they have their Halloween stuff out!!! Glow-in-the-dark pumpkins, Fantasy Makers vampy looks and nail art galore!

So yeah, I got a little excited...

Nail appliques!! Halloween-themed nail stickers :) I bought more than a few of those ;)

Glow-in-the-dark polishes with blinking caps! How cool is that? 

Hair color and colored mascara. I think the girl in the display looks a little like Emma Stone...and I thought her hair looked neat :)
 Black light pumpkins! (I thought I took a pic of the GITD pumpkin display, but I can't seem to find it!) Also in that display are pans of makeup paint and dual-ended polishes. Right next to them is a display for WnW Fantasy Makers eye shadow pallettes! I actually think they look super cool. If I hadn't already had way too much in my basket, I would have grabbed one or two :)

And a few small displays from a company called Healy's! They had two different Halloween nail art kits, and two different nail jelly-sticker things...

...so I know you're all probly wondering what I bought, right?

Who knows...some of this might just be for a giveaway :)

Remember a while back when my son wanted me to put Spider-man's face on my nails? Well, today, I'm bringing you the base polish for that nail art! It's called Evil Queen, and it's by Cult Nails - a brand that I have officially fallen in love with.

This is a shade of red I call candy apple red...which is even more fitting with the polish being called Evil Queen! It's bright and vibrant, and this polish is super shiny! The formula is lovely. Completely flawless in two coats.
It's beautiful! Such an in-your-face color. It really stands out! I have a lot of reds, and this one ranks at the top of the list :) You can purchase this - and any of the Cult Nails polishes at the online shop. Several of the polishes from Cult Nails will be discontinued when they are sold out on the site. Price is $10 - better stock up today!

**DISCLAIMER**  I was not paid for this review by anyone. I either purchased these polishes myself or were given gifts as friends because I could not find the particular shade I wanted myself.  I am not a professional nail tech, nor do I want to be. I'm just someone who enjoys polishing my own nails :)

I'd heard about this nail art technique where you put real newsprint on your nails, and it appears to be super easy! Well, it is sort of easy, but it was be a total waste of time if you do something dumb like I did.

For newsprint nails, you take a base of a light color (I used Wet n Wild Spoiled Correction Tape), and once it's dry, dip your nail in alcohol and lay a piece of newspaper, with print, on top of your nail. The image transfers!
With practice, this could be a really neat, quick and easy nail art for me! But the dumb thing I did? I learned to not top coat it...
I was so mad!!!!!! *sigh* I shall try it again.

**DISCLAIMER**  I was not paid for this review by anyone. I either purchased these polishes myself or were given gifts as friends because I could not find the particular shade I wanted myself.  I am not a professional nail tech, nor do I want to be. I'm just someone who enjoys polishing my own nails :)

• Clarisonic has just released a new Acne Cleansing Set. For more information, and a chance to win your own, head over to Blushing Basics.
• NARS re-launched their Eyeliner Stylo line with new colors and formula. The Stepford Witch reviews and swatches these for you!
• Retrodiva's Beauty checks out Neutrogena's new Shine Control primer, foundation, and powder. See if it really does keep the shine at bay.
• Cosmetically Challenged has chosen her favorites from the China Glaze Bohemian Collection. Did any of your faves' make the cut?
• Alison of the Advice Sisters wants to tell you why she's in love with Dimitri James (not actually the MAN, whom she's never met, but definitely his SKINN Cosmetics). The Perfect Palette is your perfect travel companion.
• Destany at Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom thought she was losing her mind recently when she forgot the Deborah Lippmann True Blood nail polish she was wearing was scented...
• Emily Hudspeth is Bringing the Beauty to You! Getting great deals and having great hair are 2 things that most girls love. See these great L'Oreal products that Emily scored and how she liked them.
• Do you wear makeup to the gym? BeautyTidbits shares her opinion on troweling on cosmetics before a workout session.
• Connie from Mimi's Mani's shares the anti-aging benefits and her love for Dalton Cosmetics.
• Making Up the Midwest found the perfect yellow nail polish just in time for the transition to fall!
• Stephanie Louise- All Things Beautiful swatches the 4 new shades from the Maybelline 24 Hour Color Tattoo line for fall...which are must-haves?
• Discover an arsenal of beauty goodies that will keep your look bullet proof and that travel well! Mama Fashionista shares her tools for Beauty On The Go!
• Who doesn't love a good beauty bargain? Christina from Curls N Pearls shares her latest makeup counter savings discovery.
• Grab the men in your house! LuminousLacquer's fiance shares his thoughts on August's BirchBox Man!
• TheFabZilla discovers an eye makeup remover that's natural, paraben-free and cruelty- free from an organic food store. Find out if it's a yay or nay.
• The Beauty Professor took the recently-released Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation on vacation...read all about her pleasant surprise!
• Glitter.Gloss.Garbage is giving away two Eclos Anti-aging skincare sets!
• BeautyJudy swatches and reviews the summer collection of a new, fashion-based nail polish brand, LVX.
• Rie from Nails and Noms would like to introduce you to Takko Lacquer, a new indie polish brand that has a gorgeous range of shimmer, jelly, and duochrome polishes!
• Lipgloss Break and Alberto VO5 are giving away a huge hair care prize package. Enter to win!
• Make Up For Ever hits the spot with their lasting lip colors, Aqua Rouge. Beauty Info Zone has two of the these beauties to share with you.
• Blushing Noir swatches the new Make Up For Ever Aqua Rouge to prove that a hot red lip CAN last all day!
• Scottish Beauty Blog caught up with amazing Ana Cruzalegui and her team backstage at this year's Edinburgh International Fashion Festival and what a makeup extravaganza it was!
• Fall calls for dark, rich hues! See how Phyrra used Manic Panic Voodoo Blue & Purple Haze to change her hair for Fall.
• Ro's Raving about Fevour Cosmetics, a new mineral cruelty free cosmetics line.
• Lola from Lola's Secret Beauty Blog has found THE Holy Grail face oil- Sponge Ladi Avokanto is heavenly, Cruelty-Free, and a healthy must-have miracle worker in a bottle!
• Oh So Lacquered tries her first Sephora by OPI polish and is completely obsessed with this turquoise glitterfest!
• Sheila from Painted Ladies takes you on a tour of the mascaras featured on the blog recently. Which mascara is the best?
• Is your hair dry and unruly? Then the new Smooth Lock line from Redken might just be for you. Pammy Blogs Beauty tames her long, dry, highlighted locks with this great new line!
• Laura from My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog swoons over the holo sparkles in an Island Girl nail polish.
• Starting blogging but don't know what you should do? Cosmetics Aficionado shows you 5 blogging changes you can make today.
• Ashley from Peek & Ponder shares a frosty purple eye makeup look and shows each step it took to create it.
• Have you tried Pomegranate nail lacquer yet? Nidia at Lit from Within does her interpretation of the 'claw' nail art with Blue Screen of Death and Cyberspace.
• Miss L from Beauty by Miss L reviewed Institut Arnaud Youthful Radiance Day Cream SPF5 that is for women in the age of 25-35 who wish to fight against the first signs of ageing.
• Polarbelle finds a vacation in a palette with the NYX Be Free Palette; nearly everything you need in one box.
  

I had the pleasure of meeting with the Miss Professional Nail people at Cosmoprof...they make Sation nail polish. Their Cosmoprof booth was one of my favorite stops! I am in love with their collection selection and their eye-catching displays! And I have to say, I was allowed (along with the girls with me) a sneak peek at the NailStock collection - which hadn't come out yet at the time of Cosmoprof! But it's time now!

When Creative Director Staci Dao wanted to celebrate indie expression and universal
creativity, she quickly looked to Woodstock as the gold standard of boho-bonding events.
Isn't that just the most adorable promo photo!? I love it! It really lends a creative hand to the spirit of the collection - a colorful tribute to peace, love and artistic diversity. I think Sation knocked it out of the park with this one. The colors are vibrant and lovely...and I can't wait to get my hands on them!

Rich, earthy neutrals and vibrant, unconventional hues offer something for everyone. The woodsy environment and rainy, mud-splattered moments represent the offbeat nature of Woodstock’s legendary impact. Let hand-painted harmony take center stage and embrace your grooviest self, with nails to tie-dye for. Nailstock will be available at your local beauty supply and online in September.

I think I'm most looking forward to Front Row Flasher and Dance with the Drummer. What about you guys?


All Miss products are free of DBP (dibutyl phthalate) formaldehyde and toluene.

Hello out there! So today I'm really branching out. You're about to see my eye.  My eye is just as self conscious about this as my lips were yesterday. But it has to be shown to give you an idea just how the Milani Instant Eye Makeup Remover works! And it works well...

I don't wear a lot of makeup...mostly eyeliner and mascara. I'm trying to change that, wear more makeup. Regardless, I was still in need of a remover that I could use, even with my minimal makeup wear. My problem was always the sensitivity of my eyes. They water at the drop of a hat, so you could imagine what happens when something gets in my eyes. I'd resigned myself to crying everytime I go to take my eye makeup off hahaha This remover is silicone, oil and fragrance free and also removes waterproof  and long-wearing makeup without tugging or pulling.

Here's the bottle. In the first photo is the remover in it's natural state. It separates, as shown in the second photo...but the third photo shows what it looks like after it's tossed around haha The remover works after it's shaken and activated

So, let's test it, shall we? Here's where I started...
On my eyes are Wet n Wild Color Icon eye palette in Knock on Wood, an Avon eyeliner pencil in black and Wet n Wild MegaVolume Mascara in Very Black. See? My eye makeup is mostly pretty simple. So now, I shook up the remover bottle and dabbed a little bit on a cottonball...
I wasn't looking in a mirror when I used the remover hahah! I know, I know, I should have. But that's the ONLY reason I used two cottonballs. I could have gotten away with only using one. The main thing you need to know about this remover is that it leaves a film, not too bad...but I guess that depends on how much of the remover you put on your cottonball or pad. Once you've sufficiently cleaned the area, rinse your eyes with cold water...

That's it! I'm sold! haha Absolutely nothing is left behind, and as you can see by the top photo, my eye is not irritated in the slightest...and that photo was taken right after I rinsed my eye with cold water. You can purchase this remover here on Milani's website. The price is only $5.99! That's a pretty cheap price for this miracle in a bottle. I am extremely happy with the end result :)

DISCLAIMER: Some products used in this post were provided to me by the company for consideration. This blog is written and edited by me, and the opinions are not influenced in any way and are not compensated. Please read this post for more information.

Happy Thursday!!! It is happy isn't it? :) Well today, I have two bright and cheerful lipsticks to show you. Both are reddish, and both are by Wet n Wild! Let me just start by saying that I am still learning the ropes of being out of my comfort zone and showing off my lips. I don't think I have good lips hahah I've never been one much for a lot of make-up, but I do enjoy pretty things! So stick with me as I learn the ins and outs of putting my face on my blog. Eyes will be next...but I wanna get the lip stuff down to a science first!

First up is Red Velvet, from the Megalast line. It's a bright cherry red. I don't know how often I would wear this lipstick, but with the right coordinating make-up, it could really bring a look together :) I used the color at about a medium. Two swipes on my top and bottom lips. It could be so much brighter if you wanted. The consistency is fairly creamy and didn't end up feeling dry at all as I was wearing it.



The other one I have for you today is a MegaShield lip color called Salsa Lessons. I'm not going to lie, I really bought it because I liked the name. haha It's not as bright red as Red Velvet, in fact, it's more orange-toned. Again, I used this at about a medium. Two swipes across each lip. The thing I hated most about this lipstick? The packaging! Holy moley, that is some adhesive they use. The tube looks beat up, but it's really just the crap left from the tape.



And there you have it :) My still self-conscious lips. I bet you had absolutely no idea your lips could be self-conscious, did you? Well, mine are!! I think they get nervous before a photo shoot. See the natural down-turn at the corners? They are trying to hide their true feelings by covering them with a touch of emo ;) hahahah

**DISCLAIMER**  I was not paid for this review by anyone. I either purchased these polishes myself or were given gifts as friends because I could not find the particular shade I wanted myself.  I am not a professional nail tech, nor do I want to be. I'm just someone who enjoys polishing my own nails :)

I had the pleasure of visiting a wonderful booth at Cosmoprof. The booth was in the Spotlight Beauty section, and housed the polish line for LACC, or La Couleur Couture.

Fashion-forward, sophisticated, and urban-edgy, La Couleur Couture provides a magnificent rainbow of high-shine hues to match. Our unique base coat formula ensures the longest lasting protection for your nails, while our top coat offers unmatched diamond-like shine. Our nail wear is ever-changing, as unique as the present moment, and as trendy as the future can be.

That's a description from the LACC website. I had the pleasure of meeting Farima, the driving force behind the polish line, and she is so very passionate about her product!
She shared with us her reasons behind starting a nail polish line - first and foremost being providing the safest products for all, but not dipping into the water-based field. She said water-based polishes hadn't worked well for her in the past, and she looked into other alternatives. She also shared a passion for children, and wanted to stress how safe these polishes are for children and expectant mothers.
What she got was a chemical-free, UV inhibitor enhanced polish that is Big 3 free and super pigmented. Look at all the colors! The colors are named after years...not just numbers :) There is also a base coat and top coat to go along with the wide array of colors!

These polishes will be launched next month at an event in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The polish is made in New York. They are priced at $16 per bottle, and there will be an online store coming soon to purchase these! Farima noted that each polish is made, by her, with love.