Nails of the Day: Over the Edge

Essie's Over the Edge (a dramatic metallic midnight silver)

Nails of the Day: Rose Shimmer Gradient Nails

Essie's A Cut Above and Muchi, Muchi

How To- I applied 4 coats (eek!) of muchi, muchi to my nails, allowing them to dry completely between coats. Taking A Cut Above, apply a thin coat to your entire nail and let dry. Starting in the middle of your nail, apply another coat of the luxeffect. Wait at least 10 minutes until your polish is completely dry and finish off the gradient with another layer of A Cut Above on the tips of your nails. Ta-Da!

Nails of the Day: Nude Shimmery French Manicure (Inspired by Shay Mitchell)

The moment I saw Shay Mitchell's shimmery, nude french manicure I knew I had to try it for myself! Below are the products I used and instructions to achieve this look.

Shay's Nails

My Finished Product

Essie's Beyond Cozy and Sand Tropez

How To- After allowing 3 coats of Sand Tropez to dry, apply 2 coats of Beyond Cozy with a light hand along the curve of each nail. If you find it difficult to get this neat enough (especially when using your non-dominant hand) reinforcers applied to dry nails make for an excellent guide.

Last Valentine's Day I made a Youtube video demonstrating this technique.


UPDATE!: I tweeted this post to Shay on twitter and she actually responded! I was soo excited, it made my day! Thanks Shay!

Review: Essie's Repstyle Magnetics

I just came back from Target where I was so excited to see that Essie finally came out with their own magnetic nail collection! A lot of other brands have magnetic products but this was my first experience with them. I liked how Essie's looked like they had a sort of quilted effect which is different than the other ones I've seen.

I purchased 4 of the 6 colors. First I'll get into the individual color reviews and at the end I'll give my overall review on the product and what I think of the application and all that jazz.

From L to R: sssssexy, crocadilly, snake it up, and lil' boa peep

 sssssexy "a striking, scintillating sanguine"

This metallic, shimmery red is a really gorgeous color for winter time. The finish is very shiny and perfect if you are looking for a little twist to a classic color.

crocadilly "a croc hunter green"

Out of the four I tried, I'd say this one is the most dramatic. The contrast between the two colors is the most striking. 

snake it up "a pewter pavé python"

One of my favorites out of the bunch, I'd say this one is the most subtle.  It's definitely blue but has some purple metallic sheen to it.

lil' boa peep "copperhead titanium"

This is a gorgeous copper, champagne shade with a great metallic sheen.  Again, great for the holidays. 

Price: $10.99 at Target, $11.25 from Essie

(Not all Target stores have this collection but on their website you can double check and see which nearby Target carries them.)

Review: So as I said earlier this is my first time trying magnetic polishes, keep that in mind while reading my review since I do not have anything to compare them to. I'll start by saying I think these are an excellent way to add some texture to your nails and create some visual interest that's different from anything I've seen. Usually when I see the magnetic polishes I find that the shapes they create are kind of strange but I love that these one's create a sort of "quilted" effect. The colors all looked gorgeous after one coat and I could have easily use them all on their own without the magnet and still have been satisfied. 

The polish dried really quickly and the first coat went on really evenly and smoothly. The colors are opaque and 2 coats is all you need for the desired look. As it says in the instructions (listed below) you are supposed to hold the magnet in place and as close as possible for 5 seconds. Although the effect is really cool, it was not applied to my entire nail, just the top. The sides were still the plain color which is ok but not what I was expecting. When I tired to then apply the magnetic effect to the sides of my nails it wouldn't work since the polish was already beginning to dry, kind of a let down in that respect. Each nail I tried to go faster so that I could get the entire nail but it never quite worked like it was supposed to. 

Regardless, as long as you aren't expecting your entire nail to be the snakeskin effect, I think they are a really cool way to switch up your nails!

Instructions: Start by applying 1 coat of the Essie base coat that best suits your nail needs. Then apply one coat of Essie Snakeskin Magnetic Polish. For the second coat of polish, paint one nail at a time. Immediately after polishing each nail, hold the magnet over wet polish (as close as possible without touching) for 5 seconds to reveal the snakeskin design. Seal the deal by applying one coat of your favorite Essie top coat.

What do you guys think? Have you tried these or any other magnetic nail polishes?

Nails of the Day: Red and Champagne Winter Nails

I'm totally obsessing over my new nail polishes! These are two of my favorites from Essie's Winter 2012 Collection.... The champagne polish on my ring fingers is Beyond Cozy and the gorgeous shimmery red is called Leading Lady. Both are SUPER shimmery and absolutely perfect for the upcoming season.

(I know my nails are a mess but I was just really excited!)

Also on my nails are the Kiss Full Cover Artificial Nails.. this was my first time applying fake nails in probably five years and they were super easy to use. These ones come in a pack of 100 so you're bound to find ones that'll fit your fingers. It's definitely a cool way to change up your nails especially if you're having a hard time growing out your nails.

Nails of the Day: Nude and Sparkle

If you've seen my latest haul, you probably noticed I have issues, mainly my strange compulsion to change my nail polish multiple times a day. I've mastered the art of changing polishes no matter where I am.. I think it's such a fun way to change up your look and boost your mood.  Since I posted that haul, I've picked up a few new colors and this unexpected combo has become my favorite.

Sand Tropez and Set in Stones both by ESSIE