Essie - For the Twill of It

I'm not one for duo-chrome or shimmery nails, but HOT DAMN I love this polish!

[ essie - for the twill of it ]

Essie - First Timer

You try resisting the urge to buy this polish. 

End of Story.

[ essie - first timer ]

What I Wore: 3.9.13

Pretty much what I tend to wear on an everyday basis: booties, tight jeans, and an oversized top.

Top: Topshop "Burnout Drop Shoulder" Top

Jeans: Car Mar Jeggings from LF

Boots: Dolce Vita "Jax" in Cognac

(my blog post on them and an Acne Pistol Comparison post)

Necklace: Garnett Jewelry "Media Luna"

Stacked Rings: SecretCharm on Etsy

Coin Pouch: Marc by Marc Jacobs

Nails: Essie "Maximillian Strasse Her"

Essie - Steel-ing The Scene

Essie's "Steel-ing the Scene." Seriously, need I say more?!

GORGEOUS.

China Glaze - Peachy Keen

China Glaze's Peachy Keen is definitely one of my VERY favorite polishes. 

scratch that, VERY VERY VERY favorite.

You saw me gush about it in my Spring Nail Polish Picks video, so there really isn't much left to say -- Amazing color, amazing wear (10+ days), and surprisingly versatile and complimentary with all sorts of outfit colors. Only downside? Takes about 3-4 coats for a perfectly opaque finish. Deal with it!

I, 100%, stand behind the claim that this nail polish is a must have. Order it. NOW!

[ china glaze - peachy keen ]

Looking Forward to Spring Beauty - 2013

I'm ignoring the snow, painting my nails brights and pastels, and pulling out my coral cheek colors.

Spring, get here already.. please!

Curious about what I'm looking forward to in the spring, beauty wise?

The videos:

Spring Cheeks and Face

Spring Lips

Spring Eyes

Spring Nails

Essie - Sand Tropez

Essie Sand Tropez is the nude I thought I could never wear but am pleased to learn I can... and I love it.

Essie - Over the Edge

Essie's "Over the Edge" is a rich gunmetal polish, with a subtle shimmer. It's not my favorite, but it's nice. Another nice guy polish -- not a polish I run to put on, but it's harmless enough that I'll keep it around to wear if an outfit calls for it. Besides saying that its lasting power was on par with all my other well performing Essie polishes, I really have nothing more to say about it colorwise.

How boring!

A bland review for a bland..ish polish.

Lest I leave you with that sad excuse for a review, just check out how long my nails are! Peace out, short nails! When I look back on old photos of my nail polish now, I cringe at my stubby little nails. Geck! Thankfully, they are currently long and strong thanks to a better diet and various health supplements I'd been taking. Although, I am suspicious the biotin in my woman's daily and hair/skin/nails supplement may have been one of the culprits behind my perpetual chin acne (in addition to the other speculated culprits: hormones, toxin cleansing, and not drinking enough water), so hopefully my nails will stay strong now that I've stopped taking anything with biotin in it.

You know what else I'm going to stop doing now? Typing. Because this post is going nowhere, fast!

Essie - Sole Mate

And the award for longest lasting, non-gel manicure ever in the history of the world is.... drum roll please.... Sole Mate by Essie! I'm not one to get profesh manicures, but I got this one done with my mom on a family vacation in the hotel spa. Luxury, baby. And here's the kicker: it lasted over 2 weeks before chipping. Boi-oi-oi-oing!

It might have been the OPI Nail Envy she used as my base coat or perhaps the Seche Vite top coat, but this polish was on lock. I was incredibly impressed by this trifeca, perhaps enough to splurge on Nail Envy someday... but I feel like I've read stuff about Seche Vite having super harsh chemicals in it (well, worse than other normal nail products), and so I'll probably steer clear of that one. Feel free to inform me if that is not the case, as it's late at night as I write this and I am so not in the mood to google. Besides for the lasting power of the manicure, I liked the deep maroon color and it put me in the fall mood (mind you I was in sunny Half Moon Bay, CA exploring super pretty and super un-fall like beaches -- you can see how I needed the reminder that it was, in fact, fall.). All in all, A++ for lastability, A-/B+ for color likeablity, and a big fat F for my category naming.

So, love it or hate it? Perhap this polish is your... sole mate...? ;)

Essie - Good as Gold

Essie recently released a metallic range of polishes and naturally, I made a bit of an impulse splurge at the drug store... and then promptly walked out feeling guilty and mad at myself for paying full price (imagine a Gollum vs. Sméagol moment in the parking lot of RiteAid. My precious!). Just buy your polish on Amazon, damnit, it's much cheaper!

Good as Gold is a pretty gold (duh) metallic, but I'm not sure it's right for my coloring. Despite some difficulties in achieving an even application, it wore well.. as per usual with Essie polishes. Unfortunately, I just never liked how it looked against my cool toned skin. I honestly wish there was some sort of invention or dial on our bodies where we could change our skin colors each day (and before you say it, I don't mean tanning beds!) because I'd honestly like to change up my skin color as much as I change my polish and my lipstick. Having said that, I think this would look BALLER on really dark or super tanned skin -- you win this time, ladies! Until I get a skin machine that will let me look like Grace Jones, I think I'm just going to keep this around as a tip color for more colored tip looks. In truth, I don't think I'll ever wear this alone on my nails again, so join me in remembrance of my $8. RIP $8. I should have listened to Sméagol.

[ in direct sunlight ]

OPI - Chapel of Love

I'll just say what you're thinking: What the hell am I doing wearing this bright pink color in the dead of fall? Well... I, being the lazy sort, didn't want to get my ass off the couch during a particularly heated Hurricane Sandy Homeland marathon (Carrie. drives. me. nuts.) and asked Ryan, who was on his way upstairs, to bring down any random polish from my drawer so I could paint my nails. He came back down a few minutes later looking especially proud and explained he had just found me a really good "fall/halloween color." He handed OPI's Chapel of Love over and I spent a good 5 seconds staring blankly, thinking this kid has to be fucking with me because this is the least fall/halloween-ish color I've ever seen. Our whole relationship flashed before my eyes and I decided he's either 1). totally stupid or 2). night blind because turns out he thought it was orange (in the dark, mind you). Whatever! I put it on and continued to watch Carrie's cringeworthy Brody stalking. SAULLL!!!

Now this color just really isn't for me. Throughout my "beauty journey" I've become more discerning -- I used to say, "F*$% it! I'll wear any color on my nails," and now, I say, "F%$& pink! I just don't love it." Sigh, I guess that's what people must mean when they talk about finding yourself... ;) Facts of the matter are that it simply doesn't look good with my skin color (my hands get quite red when cold or hot) and it tends to clash any and all of my outfits. I often find myself cringing when I look down at my nails when wearing this. It wore alright and everything was fine with it as a polish; but I think I'm just over pink nail polish (though I still have some love for bright/neon fuchsias I think?). Funny enough, I was actually highly complimented by one of the girls I was at the bar with over this color, so the next time I see her she will be happy to see a little present in my hands for her. Tis the season.

Essie - Power Clutch

Essie's Power Clutch was a neglected polish -- purchased months ago and sadly collecting dust in the mess that I call my nail polish drawer. Essentially, it's a nice guy polish... one you always overlook until you realize your mistake. So here is where I apologize for always calling this polish to talk about how awful the other polishes were to me and always going for the brightest football playing polish with great hair and muscle tone... or something like that... yeah.... bygones. With the weather chilling, I am slowly shifting towards wearing dark and dreary colors and I find myself being unsatisfied with any outfit that isn't at least 75% black. The same stands for my nails and the last thing I want right now are bright, poppy nails. Gimme deep purples, bloody reds, and neutral tones please!

I really fell in love with this polish in the week (yup, no chips for a week!) that I wore it. The lasting power was impressive and the color, as well -- it adapted to any outfit I wore. Gotta love a chameleon polish. I especially loved how it changed colors depending on the lighting -- a deep, army/cement green in bright light and almost black in a low light. I recommend it, Chelsea approved!

Have you tried this polish?

OPI - Brisbane Bronze

OPI's Brisbane Bronze is one of my favorite nail colors. It looks quite awful (in my opinion) in the first image below, but thankfully you can see its beauty in the second image. It's a gorgeous rusty/bronze/copper color and wears very well, as most OPI polishes do. I love a shiny metallic polish and this one is a go-to in both the summer and fall for me.

Color Club x Birchbox - Put a Pin in it

I didn't get this Color Club x Birchbox collab polish in my September Birchbox, but I used some of my handy Birchbox points to nab it after I saw it in various box videos. It's not as rose gold as I thought it would turn out, but is nevertheless very pretty and the light pink shimmer goes well with my skin tone. I only noticed chips around the tops of my most used fingers after a few days wear, but I simply clipped my nails and it was like having a fresh polish job! Does anyone else do that? My lazy girl tip to making your manicure last longer. Hm... what else to say.... ah yes, it was very easy to apply -- believe it or not, this is just one coat!

Ever since I started eating healthier, taking supplements, and drinkin' green juice every morning my nails have been CRAZY strong and growing incredibly fast. I don't even like to keep my nails long, but I've been growing them out more of curiosity than anything. While they look nice, they are really annoying -- it's harder to type on my iPhone and computer, foundation I'm trying to get out of sample pots gets stuck under them (eckkk!), I feel paranoid they are going to break, etc... On the other hand, my dog seems to be enjoying get scratched by them. Sorry Dex, I'm cutting em!

How do you wear your nails -- long.. short.. fake?

OPI - Just Spotted the Lizard

One of my latest polish purchases was OPI's Just Spotted the Lizard, from the recent Spiderman collection. I finagled it for free from Bloom.com using their reward system (as discussed in this haul video), but I would have gladly paid full price for it. It's gorgeous, easy to apply, and remained steadfast on my nails for over a week. Apparently it's an exact dupe for Chanel's Peridot, minus the excessive price tag and chipping issues. I had no clue about that when I bought it, so what a happy coincidence. I really wanted Peridot, but just can't rationalize polishes more expensive than Butter LONDON's $14 price point. Even an excessive, obsessive shopper like myself has limits. If you missed out on Chanel, can't afford it, or just want a really fun nail color... I couldn't recommend this one enough.

Incoco Nail Strips

Apparently I forgot to post this back in May, when I first wore these. Blogger fail. Forgive me?! Bygones (said like Richard Fish from Ally McBeal). Glad we're past that, onto the nails! So these Incoco nail strips came to me via my September 2011 Birchbox and then sat ignored for months in the back of my nail drawer. Fast forward to May 24th, 2012. A day Ryan, my poor boyfriend and housemate, will never forget... The day I came home with 2 tiny kittens that needed around the clock attention and love. The day he and Dexter were ousted from sharing the numero uno spot in my heart. And according to him, the day I became an insane cat lady (yeah right, been one all my life. sukka.). The kittens have just now gone back to P.A.W.S. to be adopted out, but I'm afraid Ryan's resentment at my taking over the house with kitty scratches and litter box smells is here to say.

Fearing that the kittens would get sick from polish and knowing that any paint job I attempted was bound to be ruined (since they needed feeding and cleaning every two hours -- hardly enough time to ensure everything is dried and perfect), I decided to try out nail strips for the very first time. I encourage you to read instructions carefully! I didn't understand how to do it at first and ended up wasting product (luckily they gave extra strips and one nail strip could cover two of my short nails). I missed the memo that you need to peel something off both sides, so I was pointlessly trying to stick something that wasn't sticky to my nails. I actually threw them onto my bed in frustration and walked out of the room, thinking how dumb and unsticky nail strips were. I take it all back. I apologize Incoco. You go, Incoco.

I went back in for a second try and discovered my mistake... and just how awesome nail strips are. Within seconds I had all ten nails covered, completely dry and indestructible. In the end they lasted about two weeks and I couldn't recommend them enough. Perfect for taking on vacations or applying before you leave. The only downside is the price. Isn't that always the downside of everything? I love this purse, the only downside? Well, it costs money. Damnit! Could have sworn that was a free one... maybe next time... They cost about the same as a nice bottle of polish, but you only get one wear out of em. Even I can do the math on the cost per wear on that one. So while that can be off putting to some, I still think they are worth it if you going someplace where you need your nails to last a long time or you are short on space in your liquids carry on bag. TSA has no respect for my extensive beauty regimen.

Not sure if this code still works, but on my card it says "BCS09" gets you 10% off nail polish appliques on their site.

Have you ever tried nail strips? What's your favorite brand? Least favorite?

Color Club - Blue-Ming

Inspired by something I saw on Pinterest, I decided to use one of my latest Birchbox goodies, a deluxe sample of Blue-Ming by Color Club, on the tips of my nails. The tip color is similar to a previous post, though I only have clear polish as the base this time around. It's a fun, bright color that I know I would like to use all over my nails, in addition to just using it for tips. It lasted for days and days without chips in this style, so I gather it would last for about a week on my full nails? Here's a tip tip: When doing this on your nails, I like to hold the brush in place and roll my finger. It's much easier to get a somewhat even line this way, rather than trying to move the brush with your finger remaining stationary. I also suggest getting a very opaque, rich formula when doing this because you need to have coverage with just one sweep of the nail. The times where I did not get an opaque finish with one sweep meant I had to go over it again and this usually resulted in larger tips than intended. Having said that, this polish wasn't fully opaque in one sweep, but the amazing color made up for it. I LOVE IT!

My boyfriend says it looks like I just scraped a bar of soap with my nails... what do boys know anyways?!

 

Have you tried this? Love it? Hate it?

Colored Tips with Essie - Master Plan and Zoya - Bevin

I've posted about Essie's Master Plan and Zoya's Bevin in the past, but never together! I love the look of colored tips (both bright and dark) at the end of neutral nails. Exhibit A. My favorite way to top off a chipping polish -- or one you are just bored of looking at -- is to add a simple tip on the end... so quick and easy. Now, isn't that a great tip ;) get it.. get it..? God damn, I love puns. I don't tape off my nails; though it's probably best to. Instead, I just place the brush on one side of my nail, hold it steady, and roll my finger. It works pretty well and only takes a few minutes, but you always run the risk of applying too large (or too small) of a tip. Just the tip, guys... just the tip. Next, I want to try out a clear base with a neon color. Which tip combos are your tried and true favorites?

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear - Sun Kissed and Konad Nail Stamping

I was pretty bored recently (surprise, surprise... funemployment) and decided to bust out my Konad stamping tools. I had never used them before, so I opted for a very discreet combo -- hot pink on an orange base. I picked out my Konad m57 plate for a leopard print design and watched a few tutorials on YouTube to refresh my memory. It was relatively easy -- I'll post a "how to" eventually... I just have to get better at it first. I was happy with the end result, as it is very subtle, and will definitely do this again in various color combos. Obviously, it's not a perfect application. I made the mistake of applying my top coat before the pink stamping polish was totally dry on my ring finger nail, so don't make that mistake and lose your whole design!

Despite this Sally Hansen polish being really cheap, it wears quite well and I've had about 5 chip-free days so far. I definitely think I can say that it is one of my favorite orange polishes that I own! Not too shabby for a polish I got in a sale for about 99 cents!

Essie - School of Hard Rocks

The latest polish to grace my nails is Essie School of Hard Rocks, a dusty blue/green (according to my limited adjectives and poor explaining capabilities) or a "midnight malachite" (according to Essie's website) for those of you who might know what the hell that means. Duh, Malachite is a copper carbonate hydroxide mineral, with the formula Cu2CO3(OH
)2. Thanks Wikipedia. I wore this gorgeous shade for almost 2 weeks (and it wasn't pretty by the end of it all; but I was busy, sue me!!) It lasted very well in the beginning stages (up to the 5 days - 1 week marker) and I really loved the color and easy application.

This is definitely a shade I will continue to wear multiple times throughout the coming months as it was a nice statement color that also blended well into other outfits on the days when I didn't feel like having such bold, attention grabbing nails (I can't count the number of times my nails have been painted some awesome color for one particular outfit but then have clashed horribly with any other normal, plain outfit I wanted to wear. Talk about a nailmare. Am I right, guys?!). Two very prettily polished thumbs up for School of Hard Rocks!