China Glaze Highlight of My Summer

Hello everybody! Today I have China Glaze Highlight of my Summer to share with you. Now I've heard horror stories about the formula of this polish, as well as most of the other cremes in the Sun Sational Summer collection. Buttttt, I caved because the color was so gorgeous. I figured I can always try and work with it.

The trick to working with the formula is NOT to go over spots on the nails more than once and to do slightly thicker coats. Otherwise it will gloop and get gross and be a hot mess if you keep brushing over and over. If things get patchy, just wait until your first coat is dry and reapply another coat. I managed to get it opaque in 3 coats. Not the best, but workable.

What really made my manicure flawless was my HK Girl Topcoat by Glisten & Glow. I have heard rave reviews from countless bloggers about this topcoat and never bought it. Let me just tell you, this is my new holy grail topcoat. Goodbye Seche Vite (which I stopped using ages ago anyway), and goodbye Sally Hansen Insta-Dri. Hellooooo HK Girl :)

With my old topcoats after awhile they get bubbles in them or cause shrinkage or cause streaks. HK Girl made my nails super glossy and like glass haha no bubbles at all.

HK Girl topcoat is available at glistenandglow.bigcartel.com  for $6.95 plus shipping
I also got Highlight of my Summer from the same site for $5.00 plus shipping

Overall, the color was worth the work, and with the help of HK Girl, I have a fabulous summer manicure :)

-Liz

Color Club Angel Kiss from Halo Hues

It's been awhile since I've posted (hides in corner). Today I have Color Club Angel Kiss to share with you. I've been lusting after the Halo Hues collection for awhile and finally broke down and ordered myself one (along with a Catwoman comic, When in Rome) after a crap-tastic day at work. All I have to say is WOW. If unicorns, mermaids and fairies conspired to make a nail polish, this would be it. It is a gorgeous turquoise-light blue holo. One of the most intense holos I own. I literally cannot stop staring at my nails. When my boyfriend saw my nails his reaction was " O.O THAT NAIL POLISH IS MAGIC"

Here are some photos.

in the skylight in the house

indoors natural light

in my car haha

I will probably be picking up more shades from Halo Hues, what are your favorites from the collection?

Liz

OPI Sweet Heart

Hi all, today I have something a little out of the ordinary for my usually crazy colored nails, A NUDE. I've been getting more into the look of nude polishes lately. To me they are clean, fresh and extremeley chic looking, and can easily be spiced up with a glitter accent nail. This is OPI Sweet Heart, a pink-toned light peachy nude. I used three thicker coats and four on some others. This was very easy to apply and great smooth formula, so putting on an extra coat or two on top of the normal two wasn't that much of a deal breaker for me. A very classic color that I will definitely use time and time again for when I need muted nails. What are some of your favorite nude/neutral polishes? :)
-Liz

A England Tristam

So A England had an anniversary sale, and I could not resist the free shipping and every individual polish being on sale. This is Tristam, a gorgeous navy blue holo. This color instantly makes me think "A Whole New World" from Aladdin. Shining, shimmering, splendid!....*Disney dork moment* The holo is very fine and subtle, but I love it nonetheless. Opaque in two coats and with a topcoat, my nails look like glass they're so glossy. Definitely a new favorite. 

-Liz

A England Percival

I am not a red person. At all. Other than this one I probably own two reds total in my collection of 200+ polishes. Red is classic, but it tends to give me lobster hands (not a good look). Much like lipstick, every gal has to find her signature red, and I found mine. Percival glows on the nails. It's so glossy it looks like ribbon candy. I love the cherry red, I feel it compliments my skintone. This is my new go-to red. Opaque in two coats, although you could probably get away with one. Smooth application, gorgeous color. 

-Liz

Illamasqua Noble

Ahhhh yes, my precious blues. I adore blue, any shade, anytime. This was no exception. This was a US limited edition Illamasqua color from Sephora.com and I fell in love. I know I say I stare at my nails a lot, but I'm serious this time when I say, I could NOT stop looking. Such a stunning, bright, almost neon, robin's egg blue, and super glossy in two coats. In comparison to Zoya Robyn, this one is a bit brighter and I prefer the formula over the Zoya. Also Robyn has given me terrible staining which is stopped me from using it. Luckily though, I have this to take its place. 

-Liz

OPI Mod About You with OPI Pink Yet Lavender

So I'm not a fan of pink, or of Mariah Carey *hides from tomatoes being virtually thrown at me*, but I loved this combo. For 2013 I wanted to venture out of my color comfort zone and go for something I would normally avoid like the plague...BABY PINK. I loved the softness of the color and I love chunky glitter. If anyone watches Grav3yardgirl on Youtube, insert her chunky glitter topcoat face of joy.

-Liz

Birthday Nails- For Audrey and Spark de Triomphe

So my birthday was New Year's Day and I wanted to do something kinda snazzy for my 21st. So I went with an old favorite and added some sparkle to it. China Glaze For Audrey with OPI Spark de Triomphe gradient. I got so many compliments while wearing this, and it seriously made me so happy everytime I looked at my nails. I'm like a seagull, I love shiny and sparkles haha.

Thanks for reading!-

Liz

It's been awhile... 2012 Wrap-Up

Hi guys, it's been SOOOO long since I last posted a manicure *sad face.* This post is going to be photo heavy as it will be just pictures of the rest of my 2012 manicures since my last post. You'll probably see a pattern in my love of purples and blues ;) 2013, is going to be a great nail year, I can feel it. BUY ALL TEH POLISH.

Julep -Anne

Lime Crime- Lavendairy

nude triangle mani- base color is Orly- Decades of Dysfunction, Triangle colors from L to R then thumb: Color Club- Twiggie, China Glaze Peachy Keen, China Glaze Dance Baby, Illamasqua Jo'mina, and China Glaze Bahamian Escape

Lime Crime Lavendairy with OPI Mad as a Hatter accent

A England- Avalon

Essie- Where's My Chauffeur?

Alice in Wonderland inspired

OPI- I Vant to be A-Lone Star

OPI- Ski Teal We Drop

POP Beauty- Ultraviolet

Illamasqua- Nomad

Illamasqua- Cameo

Illamasqua Jo'mina with Models Own Purple Haze

NerdLacquer- All of Time and Space 

Fun story about this one. My boyfriend bought me this and three other NerdLacquer's last valentine's day (before I knew they were so coveted in the Indie Polish world). Everytime I ask him what I should paint my nails, he would declare "ALL OF TIME AND SPACE!" I never got around to it until about November haha. 

OPI- Fly

The only thing related to Nicki Minaj I like. 

Fly with Butter London Henley Regatta accent

Mint- Original Mint

OPI Roadhouse Blues with Orly Halley's Comet gradient

Well hopefully someone's made it this far...many more manicure posts to come! I have a lot of catching up to do :) Take care!

Liz