tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1737239551632052292024-03-14T05:38:42.743-04:00Legally LacqueredAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.comBlogger160125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-52831818414221427552013-02-12T21:24:00.002-05:002013-02-12T21:24:59.558-05:00Estée Lauder Explosif<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today I've got another polish from the <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">Estée Lauder Fall 2012 collection to show you. This time I used my new macro lens to get really up close and personal with the polish. Explosif is like a golden cousin to Chaos. Explosif is a golden metallic polish packed with pink, blue and even a bit of green flakes. Just like Chaos, the formula on Explosif is awesome. I ended up using 3 coats so that the light wouldn't shine through the polish, but I could have gotten away with 2. It's not like normal people spend a lot of time holding their hands up and looking at their nails with back-lighting to check if any light shines through.</span></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iJdlnuVXW7o/URr1Nd54bXI/AAAAAAAAAdM/S0Dy59d-7lA/s1600/DSC01146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iJdlnuVXW7o/URr1Nd54bXI/AAAAAAAAAdM/S0Dy59d-7lA/s1600/DSC01146.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 coats Explosif with 1 coat Seche Vite, Artificial Light</td></tr>
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I'm really glad I could get close enough to capture the different colors in the polish.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xPgB8LDue6s/URr1M3SDg8I/AAAAAAAAAdE/pQXiQMGRvMI/s1600/DSC01123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xPgB8LDue6s/URr1M3SDg8I/AAAAAAAAAdE/pQXiQMGRvMI/s1600/DSC01123.jpg" height="640" width="418" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 coats Explosif with 1 coat Seche Vite, Artificial Light</td></tr>
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I am still loving the new camera, especially with this macro lens. Now I just have to figure out how to get this close without leaving a reflection of myself in my nails!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c0xxJxaQI_4/URr1NDj9UzI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/rWq3UQp6QZI/s1600/DSC01132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c0xxJxaQI_4/URr1NDj9UzI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/rWq3UQp6QZI/s1600/DSC01132.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 coats Explosif with 1 coat Seche Vite, Artificial Light</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 19.1796875px;">I hope everyone is enjoying Mardi Gras and the State of the Union! Very odd combination. . .</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.1796875px;">~Shbecky</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-68845021614026527072013-02-06T19:10:00.000-05:002013-02-06T19:28:59.196-05:00Estée Lauder Chaos<span style="font-family: inherit;">I've been lucky enough to get an awesome new camera thanks to the world's best boyfriend. My old camera rarely worked and had this terrible habit of shutting off every 10 photos or so. We are now the proud owners of a brand new Sony NEX-5R. The camera is smart enough to adjust to the types of pictures I want to take on the fly, but with interchangeable lenses and DSLR-like capabilities, I will be able to really learn about photography. It's also given me an extra reason to get back to posting. As I learn, hopefully I will be able to get some really great pictures of nail polish and life in general. </span><br />
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Speaking of nail polish, today I have <em style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">Estée Lauder Chaos. Chaos is from the Fall 2012 collection. I know I'm a bit behind, but what else is new. Chaos is a metallic blue/grey, packed with bright blue and gold flakes. The flakes add a whole extra dimension to this polish and I really love it. Application was flawless, which I've really come to expect from </em><em style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">Estée Lauder. After two coats, it dries to a slightly matte finish. While beautiful on its own, I added top coat so that the flakes could really be shown off. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves! </em></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QndwV7dDDNI/URLtGBev6-I/AAAAAAAAAcs/z3tH991tVAI/s1600/DSC00838.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QndwV7dDDNI/URLtGBev6-I/AAAAAAAAAcs/z3tH991tVAI/s400/DSC00838.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 coats Chaos with 1 coat Seche Vite, artificial light</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hlA5j69LuWE/URLtFv0JaGI/AAAAAAAAAck/qcSkrcF2rPg/s1600/DSC00837-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hlA5j69LuWE/URLtFv0JaGI/AAAAAAAAAck/qcSkrcF2rPg/s640/DSC00837-2.jpg" width="516" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 coats Chaos with 1 coat Seche Vite, artificial light</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-psHyJLUgiqs/URLtGL8CiOI/AAAAAAAAAcw/ZdvigXBBBJ4/s1600/DSC00837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-psHyJLUgiqs/URLtGL8CiOI/AAAAAAAAAcw/ZdvigXBBBJ4/s400/DSC00837.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 coats Chaos with 1 coat Seche Vite, artificial light</span></td></tr>
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I must say that all of the polishes in this collection are awesome. I will have another one to show you soon! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">~Shbecky</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-27788529738339261652013-01-23T23:18:00.001-05:002013-01-23T23:18:30.355-05:00The gobstopper is back/Purple eggsHey there, blogosphere! I know it's been forever since I managed to write a post. I still paint my nails....a lot. The rate at which I acquire new polishes, however, has seriously slowed. I have missed this whole thing a lot, but it just started to take time that I haven't had. Law school has this obnoxious habit of taking up all of my time and mental power. Lately I've been thinking about getting back into blogging and today I finally got the push I needed. Anyone who knows me knows that I obsessively read an insane number of blogs in Google Reader when I have a free moment. Today I was reading a post by Maegan from the awesome blog, <a href="http://www.lovemaegan.com/" target="_blank">. . . love Maegan</a>, when I noticed <a href="http://www.lovemaegan.com/2013/01/pale-nails-for-spring-2013-diy-neutral.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ThisIsMyLifeloveMaegan+%28This+is+My+Life+...love+Maegan%29" target="_blank">her tutorial today</a> was for a mani that reminds me of my <a href="http://legallylacquered.blogspot.com/2012/02/confused-gobstoppers-and-fotd.html" target="_blank">Confused Gobstopper</a> mani from way back when.<br />
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<a href="http://legallylacquered.blogspot.com/2012/02/confused-gobstoppers-and-fotd.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uaqSSUem06k/TzhtaMi4R0I/AAAAAAAAAYk/cUhiN1q_AXI/s320/DSCN3777.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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So, I did what any procrastinating 3L/nail polish fiend would do, and I painted my nails. I went a little brighter this time, and instead of 4 layers, I stuck with 3. These polishes all required 2 coats for full opacity, so I wanted to make sure it would dry during this century. I like how the colors look together, but I do wish I had layered them in a different order. My nails remind me of fried eggs with a ring of purple around the yolk. It's alright - I love fried eggs. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C9F2pWouSbc/UQCzEMhd1qI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/8S8QA2bW0EE/s1600/DSCN4693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C9F2pWouSbc/UQCzEMhd1qI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/8S8QA2bW0EE/s320/DSCN4693.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gobstopper + Seche Vite, Artificial Light</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jNQ8OuvWnmk/UQCzD-BLpQI/AAAAAAAAAcI/SzxbR-u-2Nc/s1600/DSCN4687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jNQ8OuvWnmk/UQCzD-BLpQI/AAAAAAAAAcI/SzxbR-u-2Nc/s320/DSCN4687.jpg" width="180" /></a><span id="goog_781708976"></span><span id="goog_781708977"></span>I used Pure Ice (no idea where it came from) in Superstar! for the white base. It was opaque in 2, easy-to-apply coats. It's actually a pretty awesome white. The light purple and yellow are surprisingly GAP nail polishes that I got on sale on a trip back to Pennsylvania last year. The purple is called "Lilac," and the yolk-y yellow (since yolk-y is a word now) is "Dandelion." Both had really nice formulas. It is so hard to find a nice yellow polish, so I was shocked to find such an awesome one from GAP of all places. I'll have to take shots of Lilac and Dandelion solo at some point, but a yellow that smoothly covers purple in 2 easy coats is great in my book! I did get a shot of Superstar! solo (below). Without topcoat or flash it looks like white out, but anyone who tried painting their nails with white out as a kid, like me, discovered it didn't come out nearly this evenly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G1MyHUD2i6Q/UQCzDzUoWrI/AAAAAAAAAcE/5C6kRwdeBAo/s1600/DSCN4676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G1MyHUD2i6Q/UQCzDzUoWrI/AAAAAAAAAcE/5C6kRwdeBAo/s320/DSCN4676.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 coats Pure Ice Superstar!, no topcoat, artificial light</td></tr>
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Enough rambling. I'll try to pop in on a regular basis with nail polish updates and posts. Maybe even a tutorial? Thanks to everyone out there who still follows Legally Lacquered!<br />
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~ShbeckyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-29856724379369557252012-05-01T11:39:00.000-04:002012-05-01T11:40:52.666-04:00Exam Week Cheer: NailVenturous Sunny Floam!Hey guys! I'm sorry for the lack of posts lately, but it's that time of the semester again where every second you procrastinated catches up to you - yup, exam time. I sort of went MIA before then, because my nails started snapping. I wouldn't even say breaking. They have been generally strong and all of a sudden I am getting cracks that go at least half way across the middle of a random nail. They are all currently at least normal length (knock on wood). Anyway, I was one of the lucky folks who managed to snag a bottle of NailVenturous Sunny Floam during the split second the shop was open. I missed the big NinjaPolish sale because I was too distracted, or focused I guess, on school.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UwFaXYFrbn8/T5__JgLMUcI/AAAAAAAAAaI/pQMUj5lNVEE/s1600/DSCN4092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UwFaXYFrbn8/T5__JgLMUcI/AAAAAAAAAaI/pQMUj5lNVEE/s400/DSCN4092.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunny Floam over RBL IKB, Gelous topcoat, natural light</td></tr>
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Sunny Floam is equally as awesome looking in the same way that it's predecessor was. I LOVE non-sparkly glitter polishes. I think they need a new name for this genre of polishes. Glitter definitely sparkles and this does not. Hoe about dense speckled polishes? This contains almost neon yellow and bright blue, densely packed, tiny speckles. I didn't realize how densely suspended the speckles were, so I treated it more like Hungry Asian's Sneeze Breeze (see more about that <a href="http://legallylacquered.blogspot.com/2011/05/hungry-asian-strawberry-watermelon-kiwi.html" target="_blank">here</a>). I was also eager to try RBL IKB:2012, which came during my hiatus. IKB is not quite what I expected and I will swatch that after exams end this Friday with more explanation. I probably could have skipped it, or I should have used a closer matched color. It was a little too hard for me to get Sunny Floam neatly out to the edges of IKB. I guess I know for next time. To get a relatively even application, I had to tap the second coat over the first where it was most sparse. If you want to get total coverage you will need 3 coats I suspect. The good news is the polish is so fantastic looking that in real life you don't really notice the areas that aren't perfectly covered. I used a coat of Gelous to protect the mani, but Sunny Floam sucked it all up. I keep running my finger over my nails when I'm bored. I do need to make a disclaimer. My skin is not that orange! I wanted to make the nail most color accurate and I am not talented enough with photo editing to only fix the "off" areas.<br />
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In closing I have a quick question for you. I took pictures out on my deck, where I get indirect sun. The pictures are so much better, but I don't have any white-washed area to take pictures in front of. Instead, I used the safari themed pillow I have out there. Does that bother you? I know a lot of bloggers are very insistent that backgrounds be white. Let me know your thoughts!<br />
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Sunny Floam is available for purchase through the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Nailventurous" target="_blank">NailVenturous Etsy shop</a>. She's "on vacation" for a while, but you can sign up for notifications. RBL IKB:2012 is unfortunately sold out at the moment, but I have seen it on evil-bay. I'd recommend checking back on the <a href="http://www.rescuebeauty.com/nail-polish/ikb-2012-fan.html" target="_blank">site</a> if you are interested, because the polishes are expensive to begin with ($20). <br />
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~Shbecky<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-39751851602023147892012-05-01T11:37:00.000-04:002012-05-01T11:37:28.259-04:00The Hungry Asian: Strawberry, Watermelon, Kiwi and Sneeze BreezeOne of my favorite nail bloggers, <a href="http://www.thehungryasian.com/">The Hungry Asian</a>, recently held a sale of some of her awesome frankens. I had been coveting Sneeze Breeze since I began following her blog and I sat at my computer hitting refresh as her sale began. I didn't know how many people were similarly after her polishes so I wanted to make sure I was the first one on there! I ended up getting 4 polishes for myself, and picking up another for SonyT. SonyT will be posting her review of the polish she grabbed soon. Kae (The Hungry Asian) managed to get the order shipped out by the next morning and I had them within two days. She included a cute little note and my lovely polishes packed nice and securely.<br />
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I won't waste time reviewing the bottle or brush. She is getting them from a distributor and they are average in quality. I had no qualms with them. Since these are frankens, I was expecting the worst in terms of application. However, for the most part, these polishes were super smooth and easy to apply! Anyways, here are some swatches!<br />
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<u><b>Kiwi</b></u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uXZmDsuCWWs/Tcso8JVF90I/AAAAAAAAADk/6E_LndKr39Y/s1600/DSCN0376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uXZmDsuCWWs/Tcso8JVF90I/AAAAAAAAADk/6E_LndKr39Y/s640/DSCN0376.jpg" width="360" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 coats Kiwi + 1 coat Seche Vite, artificial light</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7OBsvj_BtsA/TcsqOLlVdcI/AAAAAAAAADo/1l9TC3HYK_k/s1600/DSCN0377.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7OBsvj_BtsA/TcsqOLlVdcI/AAAAAAAAADo/1l9TC3HYK_k/s200/DSCN0377.jpg" width="112" /></a></div>
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It really looks like the inside of a kiwi! I probably said that 20 times the day I wore this as a full mani. Kiwi is a "kiwi" green jelly-creme hybrid with fine black speckles. According to the sale descriptions this is made from 3-Free bases. This was a little goofy in application, as it was hard to keep enough polish on the brush to get smooth strokes. Honestly, it's not even annoying, because this polish is adorable. <br />
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<u><b>Watermelon</b></u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjuAlaYZKrQ/TcsqiJaF8VI/AAAAAAAAADs/VdhG-LZjZFg/s1600/DSCN0389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjuAlaYZKrQ/TcsqiJaF8VI/AAAAAAAAADs/VdhG-LZjZFg/s640/DSCN0389.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 coats Watermelon + 1 coat Seche Vite, artificial light</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QGLki0E_VkQ/TcsqkyrwsVI/AAAAAAAAADw/s-ByBlXSvxk/s1600/DSCN0396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QGLki0E_VkQ/TcsqkyrwsVI/AAAAAAAAADw/s-ByBlXSvxk/s400/DSCN0396.JPG" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">close up of the glitter</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XLumphALNRU/TcsqpgE1yuI/AAAAAAAAAD4/NL_qAaTrmOg/s1600/DSCN0391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XLumphALNRU/TcsqpgE1yuI/AAAAAAAAAD4/NL_qAaTrmOg/s400/DSCN0391.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
Watermelon, true to its name, is a "watermelon"-toned pink jelly-creme hybrid with fine green glitter (see last image for proof that it's really green). This polish applied easily and was opaque in 2 coats. I failed to capture the green coloring of the glitter, but it is obviously green IRL. This polish is also made up of 3-free polishes! This is definitely a great summer mani or pedi color, and I expect to go reaching for it pretty frequently.<br />
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<u><b>Strawberry</b></u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M3tdX7dXWMs/TcssbwY7FGI/AAAAAAAAAD8/asGjE09L46c/s1600/DSCN0405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M3tdX7dXWMs/TcssbwY7FGI/AAAAAAAAAD8/asGjE09L46c/s640/DSCN0405.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 coats Strawberry + 1 coat Seche Vite, artificial light</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OM6AJkLew2k/Tcssc3NMKUI/AAAAAAAAAEA/PdGTvE1_wE4/s1600/DSCN0414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OM6AJkLew2k/Tcssc3NMKUI/AAAAAAAAAEA/PdGTvE1_wE4/s400/DSCN0414.JPG" width="363" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strawberry Close Up</td></tr>
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Strawberry is a "strawberry" pinkish-red jelly with black speckles. I was expecting this to be one that I liked, but I love this way more than I expected. It was the easiest of the 4 to apply and as a bonus is also 3-free. This is a little dark for me to wear as a summer mani, but is perfect for a night out or a day-at-the-pool pedi. <br />
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<u><b>Sneeze Breeze</b></u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tSgRoQMT0DA/Tcst3h1rN9I/AAAAAAAAAEE/QCKwldztQTc/s1600/DSCN0427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tSgRoQMT0DA/Tcst3h1rN9I/AAAAAAAAAEE/QCKwldztQTc/s640/DSCN0427.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 coats Sneeze Breeze over 2 coats ChG Liquid Leather, artificial light</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6-hC4MWTCSs/Tcst5o30rmI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/1iCPU3QL-I0/s1600/DSCN0441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6-hC4MWTCSs/Tcst5o30rmI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/1iCPU3QL-I0/s320/DSCN0441.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black AND Blue speckles</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Last, but certainly not least, is Sneeze Breeze. It's a clear jelly with densely packed, fine black and bright blue speckles. The base is thick, but not unmanageably so, and I believe this is also 3-free. I wore this as a mani without top-coat, as it dries smooth without one. This polish looks great over white or black bases, and probably over other colors that I haven't had a chance to try yet. Here I layered it over China Glaze Liquid Leather. It's almost a brown but looks totally black in 2 coats. This has the effect of hiding the blue speckles, but I am obsessed with the result. This polish was <b>totally</b> worth the wait.<br />
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As a final note, I know that at least a large portion of Kae's proceeds go to Red Cross efforts in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. So if anyone is having trouble justifying the purchase of any more polish, you can justify it as a donation to a great charitable cause!<br />
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Thanks Kae! I love your blog and my new polishes!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">-Shbecky</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-83459214675545177532012-04-01T23:56:00.001-04:002012-04-01T23:56:27.703-04:00Now this is what I call sorbet! Sally Hansen Smooth & Perfect Sorbet and SeaHey guys! Long time, no blog? I have been painting my nails and I have been taking pictures . . . sometimes, but for some reason the time slot I set to actually edit pictures and write a post just turns into me looking for inspiration for my next manicure and the occasional bout of binge shopping. I need this posting sesh right about now, because I have a final take-home exam due on Tuesday AND the final draft of my journal draft due Thursday night. Usually I'd at least pretend to budget my time and work on one in advance, but I really only had a week between receiving my exam and the due date, and didn't receive comments on my note to get going on my draft until the night before that. I'll get it done, cuz that's how I roll, but I'd rather be watching some fun tv, enjoying the weather, shopping, painting my nails and - wait - did I mention shopping? <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sally Hansen Sorbet and Sea (3 coats), topcoat, artificial light</td></tr>
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Anyway, if you can remember a few weeks ago, I was obsessing over the coral and mint trend. It has quickly gone from hard to find, to EVERYWHERE I look. Even Sally Hansen got in on things with her new Smooth & Perfect collection which contains 8 lovely pastel shades. One of our lovely readers recommended these and I was actually already wearing the exact shade she mentioned! Great minds think alike. I'm pretty sure they are 4 Free but that list of ingredients is mighty long. I didn't read anything about these when I bought them, or even realize that they were new, but I did notice that they have a very unique texture. They are definitely some sort of jelly/creme hybrid. I've used that in the past to describe Zoya and Essie polishes, but this description seems even more true with these. I think it's pretty funny that the coral shade is called "sorbet." Does anyone remember the OPI Texas collection releasing the sorbet finish, which was actually just a straight up juicy jelly finish? I think the name sorbet should refer to this squooshy pastel-ness. According to the <a href="http://sallyhansen.com/products/nails/nail-color/smooth-perfect-color-care" target="_blank">Sally Hansen site</a> this is some new technology that allows more oxygen to your nail that it might "breathe" better. Whatever it is, I like it a lot. <br />
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For this mani I used Sorbet, a light coral, for the majority of the mani and then did an accent nail with the pastel mint green color, Sea. The formula on each was great and I really like the flat rounded brush that they include. It takes 3 coats for opacity and they dry to a satin finish (even though I've seen some say it dried shiny?). I used a coat of So Wet topcoat over these and liked the semi-gloss finish I ended up with. <br />
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Hope you all had a nice weekend! Good luck with Monday!<br />
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~ShbeckyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-37550224054430093182012-03-13T21:17:00.001-04:002012-03-13T21:17:27.277-04:00Layla Ultra Violet HolographicHey everyone! I hope you enjoyed hearing from SonyT again! We were on Spring Break last week and I was back home in Philadelphia helping to help my mom out with my much younger sister who has been struggling with her health lately. We did remarkably little painting of nails compared to my typical visits, and I have barely any internet connection in my bedroom, so I just didn't bother trying to put together any posts. I am not too upset that I am back in classes again because the weather is INSANELY nice. It was nearly 80 today here in DC and I spent my break out on the law school deck "working" (and staring at the crazy holo nails I am about to show you). The weather even cheered me up enough to start working out again. I started P90x yesterday and holy cow am I sore. I hope you all have gotten a taste of spring/summer as well. Back to nail polish now I swear. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z0Bx1TWQA2A/T1_w_EuHbyI/AAAAAAAAAZk/el7PsEzXrws/s1600/DSCN3989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z0Bx1TWQA2A/T1_w_EuHbyI/AAAAAAAAAZk/el7PsEzXrws/s400/DSCN3989.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 coats Layla Ultra Violet, no topcoat, natural light</td></tr>
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I have been seeing a lot of the Layla Holographics swatches floating around lately and I was so impressed that I had to have one. All the posts said they were available on Aveyou.com, but I could not for the life of me figure out how to get them that way. They seem to be waiting for a release date still, which is odd. I finally found these on evil-bay and this gem was waiting for me when I got back from Philly. I have always wanted a brand to make a holo line that was formulated more like GOSH holographic than the glitter gal polishes. Don't get me wrong, I love the glitter gal polishes, but they aren't the same level of intense linear holo as GOSH. Layla has finally filled the void! Ultra Violet is a pinkish violet linear holo. If you grab these make sure you grab the buffer that they direct you to use first in place of a base coat. Though I am not convinced that it did anything, you should at least know before you buy that they direct you to use it. This actually applied very smoothly. I didn't have the dragging issues that GOSH and NFU Oh are plagued by. You definitely need 3 coats for opacity. It dries super fast, and doesn't want a topcoat ruining the holo effect. If you can believe it, this baby is actually even more holo in person. My deck still doesn't have direct sun so this is just a shade shot. Not bad though! Sadly these chalky holos still come off super fast. I applied this last night and had to touch up my mani this morning before snapping a pic. The good news is that this is gorgeous and it is self evening. If you need to touch up the tips you can simply blot some on the tips of your nails only and it will blend in perfectly. Win! I seriously love this holo and have already put in an order for a few more. <br />
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I hope you like it!<br />
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ShbeckyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-45897029080457965162012-03-09T14:14:00.004-05:002012-03-09T14:32:05.764-05:00NYX Algae NOTD<div style="text-align: center;"><span ><u><br /></u></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><u><br /></u></span></div>Look at me..... posting again!! Two in a row =) <div><br /></div><div>Today, I just wanted to quickly post my NOTD. I am rocking a NYX Girls polish. Oddly enough, the name of the polish is not on the bottle. But I am pretty sure it is Algae. This polish is a mossy slash seaweed green that leans a little blue. It is a slightly creamy jelly with a little squishy-ness going on (which I love). The first coat of this polish concerned me a bit, but after the second coat, all was well. Although, after looking through the photos I took, I think I could stand to add a third coat to get solid coverage.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FBH_YDtBD4M/T1pab4IhVeI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/FsXfaH-bUgU/s1600/algae%2B1.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FBH_YDtBD4M/T1pab4IhVeI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/FsXfaH-bUgU/s320/algae%2B1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717982111871358434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">1 coat orly bonder + 2 coats NYX algae + 1 coat seche vite</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uth7JrQJ47Y/T1pacfu9IGI/AAAAAAAAAJc/VR69nZ1Z2AY/s1600/algae%2B2.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uth7JrQJ47Y/T1pacfu9IGI/AAAAAAAAAJc/VR69nZ1Z2AY/s320/algae%2B2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717982122501546082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">bottle shot.... see?? NO NAME! </div><div><br /></div><div>Overall, good application and pretty and fairly unique green! I am a happy camper... and now have to go do some real law school work. EEK!</div><div><br /></div><div>Hope you all have a fabulous Friday and enjoy your weekend,</div><div>Sony T</div>SonyThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00688272634698626813noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-29839259696027970362012-03-04T18:25:00.003-05:002012-03-04T18:45:16.490-05:00Julep Anne & Hungry Asian Mumbling<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left; ">Hello world!! Man... it has been AGES since I have posted on here. Luckily, Shbecky's dedication to Legally Lacquered (and her polish addiction) has kept the blog afloat.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Just yesterday though, I got a couple of polish shipments in the mail and had to post my NOTD. I have been hearing great things about Julep Anne for so long now - highly pigmented vibrant purple. It is about time that I snagged my own bottle. I did note, from other bloggers, that the formula on this polish was not great. Boy were they right. My first coat of Anne was a complete disaster. The polish was thick and clumpy. I had high hopes that the second coat would even it out - especially since I added some thinner to the polish - but I was wrong. It was still a thick, uneven mess. The color is certainly brilliant, but I couldn't leave the disaster on my nails. It would drive me nuts!! So I added Hungry Asian's Mumbling - a decadent mix of gold and silver holographic hex glitter in small, medium and large. When I tell you that Mumbling is to die for, I mean it. We all have those polishes that are literally show stoppers. You can't help but stare at your own nails every time the light hits them. Mumbling is that polish. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9LS4_Q3fgYE/T1P8TG634qI/AAAAAAAAAI4/ozx7dT0xKFs/s1600/IMG_0357.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9LS4_Q3fgYE/T1P8TG634qI/AAAAAAAAAI4/ozx7dT0xKFs/s320/IMG_0357.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716189757268550306" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span >1 coat Orly Bonder + 2 coats Julep Anne + 1 coat Seche Vite + 1 coat Hungry Asian Mumbling + 1 coats Seche Vite</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6rY4_iYV-0/T1P8Tjr6njI/AAAAAAAAAJE/COSyzt3HCBA/s1600/IMG_0355.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6rY4_iYV-0/T1P8Tjr6njI/AAAAAAAAAJE/COSyzt3HCBA/s320/IMG_0355.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716189764990443058" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span >Blurry picture that does NOT do the holo-ness of Mumbling justice!</span></div><div><br /></div><div>I SO wish I had a picture of my mani for you before I added the Mumbling so you could see the Julep Anne disaster. The color is really brilliant, so I can't blame you for snagging a bottle. I just expected more from a polish that is on the pricey end. And I know everyone has their personal take on Julep bottles but I have to admit - not a fan. Because the brush is submerged in the bottle, you have to wipe off access every time you dip it in. Not to mention, you can't really set this bottle on the table while you paint your nails (at least I can't cause I don't trust myself not to knock it down). Makes the whole process a struggle. I bought a couple of other Juleps during my binge - so hopefully they won't be a disappointment formula wise. With regards to Mumbling - loved the bottle and the brush just as much as the polish itself. OBSESSED!</div><div><br /></div><div>You can buy Julep from their <a href="http://www.julep.com/">website</a> and Kae from Hungry Asian sells her fabulous handmade polishes on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheHungryAsian?ref=top_trail">Etsy</a>. She is also just an incredibly sweet girl and loves what she does - which is always a plus in my book.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anywhoooo I am off to work on my note (aka. ginormous paper) for my journal. Not a fun process, as you can imagine. Especially when I am on Spring Break! Hope you all enjoyed your weekends and I hope to be a bit more regular with the blogging =) </div><div><br /></div><div>Peace, love, and polish galoreee</div><div>Sony T</div><div><br /></div>SonyThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00688272634698626813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-74713185687064741322012-03-02T13:38:00.001-05:002012-03-02T13:38:24.172-05:00The New Black: HorizonHey guys! Sorry for the hiatus. It actually was really not my intention to disappear, but I have been man-down with the flu all week. I'm heading to Philly with the bf tonight and we're going to stop at a doctor to make sure I don't have something that antibiotics could help with. I'm feeling more alive now, but my throat is ON FIRE. Today's mani breaks from the coral and mints that I had collected to show you, but I had been wanting to show one of these to you all ever since I stumbled upon them. This is one of The New Black's ombre mani kits. They seem to be popping up with more and more vendors, but I grabbed these from <a href="http://beauty.com./">Beauty.com.</a> The kits are meant for lazy people like me, and people who don't have a big enough collection (not m) or the patience to match p the appropriate colors for a good ombre mani. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The New Black: Horizon with topcoat, artificial light.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I have to say I am a bit disappointed. The polishes are nice and all, but they could match so much better. The darkest color is really pretty. It's a navy blue creme with royal blue shimmer. Then there is a blue/purple frost. The third is a lighter, washed out version of the same polish. The fourth is periwinkle leaning blue pastel creme polish. It's actually a one-coater. The last polish should be a lighter blue pastel, but it's actually just a white creme. I really think the polishes should be matching in finish or at least evenly split. It's weird how there are 2 cremes, 2 frosts and a creme with shimmer. They should at least be spread out in finish instead of right next to each other. The way they have it sort of defeats the purpose. I could always come up with random finish, different leaning blues to do an ombre mani, but the finishes or base colors would be slightly off. The formulas were kind of "meh." Nothing fantastic, but nothing terrible. I also purchased the pink version of this and that might be better. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-17151430460524567982012-02-21T16:00:00.000-05:002012-02-21T16:00:04.893-05:00Mint and Coral Trend Week: BTOUCH Teal PalaceAs I mentioned yesterday I am big on this new trend of coral and mint. I've decided to make a week f it and show you the polishes from my stash that are on point. This is BTOUCH Teal Palace. I have only ever seen this brand in nail salons and it is possible that they are made custom for salons. Anyways if you check out a few salons in your area I bet you can find them. Teal Palace is a bright mint green creme that borders on pastel. It has the formula issues of a pastel. The first coat is patchy and streaky, but it evens out on the second coat. I think this is a bit brighter than this Spring's mint green, but I like it all the same. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3TEONbl8uSc/T0LRpQz1UzI/AAAAAAAAAZE/Mby3IrJSmwU/s1600/DSCN3885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3TEONbl8uSc/T0LRpQz1UzI/AAAAAAAAAZE/Mby3IrJSmwU/s400/DSCN3885.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 coats Sea Palace, no topcoat, artificial light</td></tr>
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Definitely still not what I'm looking for for the mint/coral nail art I want to do, but a good spring color for sure. Enjoy!<br />
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~ShbeckyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-42942167411913245592012-02-20T15:30:00.000-05:002012-02-20T16:24:17.730-05:00Spring Coral and Mint!Hey guys! Hope at least some of you have today off like me! The bf actually stayed home today as well. He has been remarkably tolerant of my lazy monday and has sat by while I swatched my heart out. I wanted to do some funky nail art inspired by the spring mint and coral trend that is EVERYWHERE. I can't find jeans in coral or mint that I love yet, so I decided to stalk polyvore to come up with some mani inspiration and show you all what I meant. I am new to polyvore, so I haven't mastered fancy organization, but I think you all will get the drift. I haven't done the mani yet, but I have been doing swatches of all the colors I can find in my stash that are on trend. With the hundreds of polishes in my study I am SHOCKED by how few of these colors I own. Excuse to shop? I think so. Hush - don't tell the bf ;)<br />
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/spring_coral_mint/set?.embedder=3416337&.svc=blogger&id=44143737"><img alt="Spring Coral and Mint!" border="0" height="400" src="http://embed.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/cid/44143737/id/KSEPPcbeSqyMgYrcrtk-7w/size/y.jpg" title="Spring Coral and Mint!" width="400" /></a><small> </small><br />
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/spring_coral_mint/set?.embedder=3416337&amp;.svc=blogger&amp;id=44143737">Spring Coral and Mint!</a> </small></div>
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Anyone else on polyvore? I need some people to follow! So far my most on trend mint seems to be Essie Navigate Her. Even that is a bit too pistachio to be right on trend. What do you guys think are the best polishes for this trend?<br />
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~ShbeckyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-9494836270915520542012-02-14T23:40:00.001-05:002012-02-14T23:41:57.775-05:00Valentine's cut-off "Hearts" and FOTDHappy Valentine's Day! It really sucks that Valentine's Day is during the week, but I took the opportunity to make it feel special anyways. I tried to do some hearts on my nails and at least a few people could tell what I was going for. For this I did a base of 2 coats of Essie Navigate Her. Navigate Her is a pastel lime creme polish. Make sure you let the first coat dry all the way, because it is easy to mess up to first coat. The first coat is super patchy but it looks lovely after the second coat.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IR0eunbdQQ4/Tzs18MLW9sI/AAAAAAAAAY0/tpDSahBqyt4/s1600/DSCN3811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IR0eunbdQQ4/Tzs18MLW9sI/AAAAAAAAAY0/tpDSahBqyt4/s400/DSCN3811.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut off hearts! artificial light</td></tr>
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I used China Glaze Millennium for the base heart shape because it does a great job of disguising the imperfections in real life. I topped it off with OCC Grandma, which really is that perfect classic pinkish red creme. It didn't turn out perfect, but I am satisfied for a holiday mani! I actually reallllly loved my makeup today, so you guys get to see that again. I know I have no expertise, but it's definitely becoming a new hobby.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lagWxxQuxxQ/Tzs2yZeZolI/AAAAAAAAAY8/uf7TpE2ZDNI/s1600/DSCN3821.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lagWxxQuxxQ/Tzs2yZeZolI/AAAAAAAAAY8/uf7TpE2ZDNI/s640/DSCN3821.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valentine's FOTD</td></tr>
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I hope you all had a lovely day and got to spend it with someone special (Even if that means family or friends!)<br />
~ShbeckyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-5800276835496517142012-02-12T21:10:00.000-05:002012-02-12T21:10:00.645-05:00Confused Gobstoppers and a FOTDHey everyone! I hope you have all had a nice weekend and that you are somewhere a bit warmer than here. Tonight I have one of those manicures that looks better in real life than in a photograph, but I think you will still be able to appreciate it. I still stuck with my blue/green colors because I haven't been able to get enough of them. This design was actually inspired by the everlasting gobstopper mani (found <a href="http://polishyoupretty.com/2012/02/09/nail-art-tutorial-everlasting-gobstopper/" target="_blank">here</a>). However, I hadn't looked at it for a few hours and I never read the tutorial part, so I ended up with something a fair bit different looking, but fun all the same. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uaqSSUem06k/TzhtaMi4R0I/AAAAAAAAAYk/cUhiN1q_AXI/s1600/DSCN3777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uaqSSUem06k/TzhtaMi4R0I/AAAAAAAAAYk/cUhiN1q_AXI/s400/DSCN3777.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quasi-gobstopper mani + topcoat in artificial light</td></tr>
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For this I started with a coat of China Glaze Millennium, which is way more reflective in real life. Millennium is an amazing silver/chrome polish that doesn't show any brush strokes. Then I did my best to add a coat of OPI Suzi Says Feng Shui without ruining the shape. I added one more coat of Millennium after that. The inside of the mani and last coat of polish is Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Echo. This one was a bit harder for me and ended up a little uneven. The good thing here though was that Millennium is so reflective that it completely distracts from any of the imperfections that show up in the photo. I really like how this turned out even though it isn't want I had planned on. Other people couldn't believe that I had painted it myself and I even had strangers grabbing my hands randomly to ask where I had it done! I might try it with Valentine's colors tomorrow.<br />
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On another note, I have another FOTD to share and wont bore with how I did it unless someone is curious. I just thought this look was fun and converted easily from part of a put together daytime look to a fun night out look! Sorry that my hair was still wet, but I let it dry naturally and it rarely ever is dry when I run out the door.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MJy0COXOQyM/TzhwTOrYbII/AAAAAAAAAYs/yJTxsZ5uKKM/s1600/DSCN3799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MJy0COXOQyM/TzhwTOrYbII/AAAAAAAAAYs/yJTxsZ5uKKM/s400/DSCN3799.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FOTD</td></tr>
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Enjoy!<br />
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~ShbeckyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-42101745363095838922012-02-07T14:06:00.001-05:002012-02-07T14:06:40.639-05:00Nicole by OPI Khloe Had A Little Lam-LamHey everyone! I hope you are all having a nice week so far. I wanted to show you my most recent mani really quickly before I head off to school for a terror of an evening at school. Class until 8 pm followed by a meeting for the journal I'm on. OY! I don't own a lot of Nicole by OPI polishes. I'm not really sure why. When the Kardashians released their collection I gave the swatches online a quick glance and forgot about them entirely. Then I saw some swatches recently that got me started with a new obsession. I love Khloe Had A Little Lam-Lam. The name is so sweet, and as little as I follow the Kardashians I think Khloe and Lamar are a pretty sweet couple. The color also fits in nicely with my latest obsession with blue/green colors. This is a very dark green leaning teal creme. It is opaque in 2 smooth coats and dries to a glossy finish. The polish is 4 Free and very pigmented.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a8Q4li8DBqk/TzF0nACWfoI/AAAAAAAAAYc/LAqVVzKppnU/s1600/DSCN3738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a8Q4li8DBqk/TzF0nACWfoI/AAAAAAAAAYc/LAqVVzKppnU/s400/DSCN3738.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 coats of Khloe with So Wet topcoat, artificial light</td></tr>
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I am including pictures with varying lighting so you can get a better feel for the color. It's definitely one of those polish that almost looks black and makes you take a second look to figure out what the color really is.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XC3g5_pZeIY/TzF0PEyauNI/AAAAAAAAAYM/zDQ0ICqhtKI/s1600/DSCN3752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XC3g5_pZeIY/TzF0PEyauNI/AAAAAAAAAYM/zDQ0ICqhtKI/s400/DSCN3752.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Combo artificial and natural lighting</td></tr>
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My only qualm with this is I hate the Nicole by OPI bottles. They are so awkward in my hand and the grip is a bit slick.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xJm-M84W1cE/TzF0UXGIpSI/AAAAAAAAAYU/TXpQ4MziU2g/s1600/DSCN3750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xJm-M84W1cE/TzF0UXGIpSI/AAAAAAAAAYU/TXpQ4MziU2g/s400/DSCN3750.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">natural light - sorry for the pool in the background! </td></tr>
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I only get shade on my deck this time of year, but it is really lovely outside in the natural lighting. On a random note - when I was in CVS yesterday I saw a HUGE display for Nicole by OPI being set up. It had no polish in it yet, but the top featured the Kardashian colors!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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~ShbeckyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-31972830844040291422012-02-03T20:24:00.001-05:002012-02-03T20:24:34.518-05:00Revlon Colorstay in Blue Slate with HITs Poseidon AccentHappy Friday! I hope you all had a nice week. We had some seriously incredible weather here for a few days. Sunny skies, near 70 degrees in FEBRUARY! I struggle sometimes with the bad, dark and cool weather so it was nice to roll down the windows on my car and oogle some holo manis. I sported HITS Demeter for most of the time and somehow managed not to grab a photo. Fail. Anywho, now I am rocking one of the new Revlon Colorstay polishes with a holo accent. Blue Slate is a gorgeous slate grey/blue creme. It really has the perfect name.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2M3EDV2jPa4/TyyGovOm0xI/AAAAAAAAAYE/rHINYgTstK4/s1600/DSCN3728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2M3EDV2jPa4/TyyGovOm0xI/AAAAAAAAAYE/rHINYgTstK4/s400/DSCN3728.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 coats Blue Slate + Poseidon Accent Nail and So Wet topcoat, artificial light</td></tr>
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This new line of Revlon polishes is supposed to be durable like a gel mani. Unfortunately I already have some chips on Day 2, but I still really love the color. The formula was really fantastic. In fact I probably could have left it at one coat. It is extremely pigmented. I must tell you, though, that I HATE the brush. It's on a long stem, but has a tiny little flat brush that isn't even as wide as the stem. With such a pigmented polish it is very difficult to use this brush. If the formula wasn't incredible and the color was not so stunning, I would have purged this without second thought. Maybe I'll rebottle it? <br />
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I set out initially to just have a plain Blue Slate mani. When I put the bottle back down on the table it was sitting next to HITS Poseidon and I realized they had similar undertones. I couldn't resist painting a coat over it. This was just one smooth coat with flawless application as usual. The HITS No Olimpo polishes are a force to be reckoned with in the holographic realm and have yet to disappoint me. They are not an American brand, but <a href="http://shop.llarowe.com/HITS-No-Olimpo-Collection_c7.htm" target="_blank">Llarowe</a> stocks them regularly!<br />
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Anyone else hate the new Revlon brushes?<br />
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~Shbecky<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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</tbody></table>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-53575686465081805562012-01-30T15:59:00.002-05:002012-01-30T15:59:42.086-05:00HITS Specialita No Olimpo ApoloHey guys! In case no one has noticed, I'm on a blue kick these days. You all have likely seen this gorgeous polish around the blogosphere, but I am showing it you again because I LOVE it. HITS is a Brazilian brand, but you can get it from the lovely Leah Ann at <a href="http://shop.llarowe.com/main.sc" target="_blank">Llarowe</a>. I've got a bunch of these polishes, and each one impresses more than the last. I have had this on for 3 days already in these pictures. Other than the slightest tipwear on my middle finger, this has held up insanely well. Apolo is a deep blue linear holo. The formula is incredibly smooth and is opaque in 2 coats. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tplZgjlavyE/TycAe3UwUxI/AAAAAAAAAXw/H-5LZ_v6Skc/s1600/DSCN3704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tplZgjlavyE/TycAe3UwUxI/AAAAAAAAAXw/H-5LZ_v6Skc/s400/DSCN3704.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 coats Apolo + So Wet topcoat, artificial light</td></tr>
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I had a slight issue with this bottle. There were some clumps in the polish that ended up on my nail. Fortunately they aren't visible over the holo. Note that unlike many of the chalkier holos (like GOSH or NFU Ohs) these hold up their holo-ness even with a topcoat!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sFbvOn_FRdM/TycAlHz0YeI/AAAAAAAAAX4/n61XC5Hhe7w/s1600/DSCN3706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sFbvOn_FRdM/TycAlHz0YeI/AAAAAAAAAX4/n61XC5Hhe7w/s400/DSCN3706.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 coats Apolo + So Wet topcoat, indirect artificial light</td></tr>
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I've included two pictures in different lighting so you can see how strong the holo is! <br />
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~ShbeckyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-71875114667987333462012-01-26T17:25:00.001-05:002012-01-26T17:25:31.445-05:00L'Oreal Colour Riche Jet Set to Paris and Club PriveHey there chickadees! I hope you have had a lovely week. We had a few nice days, but the weather has gotten a bit gross again. I'm crossing my fingers that the rain holds off tonight because I'm heading out with my lovely girl Nicole. Before I get to the polish aspect of today's post I want to take a second to express myself on a polish-related issue that seems to be occurring on the interwebs. I promise there is a great polish to be seen below! As some may have gathered, I am a big fan of the online shop <a href="http://shop.llarowe.com/" target="_blank">Llarowe</a>. I began purchasing polish from Leah Ann when she was getting her start on Ebay and her business has since sprouted into an independent shop featuring international and indie polish brands that are either impossible to get or shipping costs so much that you can't begin to justify it. She recently started holding sales for Lynnderella's incredible franken polishes. She is now moving massive amounts of polish and does it all because she is a polish lover like us and wants to make it easier for us to get our hands on these polishes. This week she was trying to set up an email order system that would allow the most people to get the polishes they wanted without having to stalk the site obsessively (we've all done it). When she ran into technical difficulties it seems that some customers began bombarding her with complaints as well as mean and angry messages. I know not many of you will read this, but for those who do you need to be more respectful and behave like polite adults. This woman works her butt off to make life easier for us and none of us has any right to complain You may be frustrated but rather than complain and make hurtful comments, be patient or see how difficult it is to get these polishes without someone like Leah Ann. Part of what drew me into the polish blogosphere was the awesome and kind people I encountered. Let's try to keep the community a positive place to be and show our appreciation to those who deserve it so much! We love you Leah Ann! OK I'm done now.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kW-fmEV-2rY/TyHSd2sRFgI/AAAAAAAAAXo/WgF8oMDRV7Y/s1600/DSCN3695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kW-fmEV-2rY/TyHSd2sRFgI/AAAAAAAAAXo/WgF8oMDRV7Y/s400/DSCN3695.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 coats Jet Set to Paris with an accent nail of Club Prive + So Wet topcoat, artificial light</td></tr>
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Time for polish! I finally found the L'Oreal Colour Riche shade that I kept checking for at CVS. Target had tons! Jet Set to Paris is featured in one of the displays at CVS and I wanted it so badly. While I was there Club Prive also caught my eye so I grabbed it too. I couldn't wait to try both of them, so I settled for an accent nail. This new line of L'Oreal polishes advertises that it lasts 10 days BUT you have to use their base and top coat. No way I am wearing a polish for 10 days and buying the base and top coat. I could buy 2 more colors with that money! I've done some digging and I am pretty sure these are 4 Free. Jet Set to Paris is a dusty medium blue creme that almost looks like a blurple. The formula is a dream and this was opaque in 2 effortless coats. Club Prive is a mint creme that I want to call a pastel. The polish is a bit patchy on the first coat, which is typical of a pastel. However, this evens out on the second coat far easier than most pastel polishes. This was only 2 coats! I really love both polishes and would highly recommend them! While I can't speak for the long-lasting claims, these are high shine, no hassle polishes. Check it out guys!<br />
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~Shbecky<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-57705549704687030772012-01-24T13:43:00.003-05:002012-01-24T13:44:18.688-05:00Loreal VIP StatusHey guys! Is it really only Tuesday? UGH! This week is full of random deadlines for me and I suspect the week will only get slower and slower feeling. Yesterday the weather was terrible with rain and near freezing temperatures. To cheer up I stopped by CVS on my way back from class, because Miss Natalie from <a href="http://www.missnattysbeautydiary.com/" target="_blank">Miss Natty's Beauty Diary</a> was kind enough to tell us that all Milani products were 75% off! When I got there the products weren't marked at all, but when I checked out everything was dirt cheap! Nothing like a good sale to perk you up. While I was there I swung by the Loreal polish stand to see if they had a dusty teal polish that is always sold out. No such luck, but I did grab this polish, VIP Status.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-psmfivrH3Xc/Tx77mjuIHVI/AAAAAAAAAXY/MDkV93FCGpg/s1600/DSCN3679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-psmfivrH3Xc/Tx77mjuIHVI/AAAAAAAAAXY/MDkV93FCGpg/s400/DSCN3679.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 coats Loreal VIP Status, So Wet topcoat, artificial light</td></tr>
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In the bottle, this looked like it was going to be a duochrome. In the picture you can see the purple showing up a bit. On the nail not so much. VIP Status is a gunmetal grey creme that has frosty finish. It isn't streaky like most frosts, but it isn't super frosty either. I can't find any details about the brand being 3 Free, but I can't imagine a big name like Loreal wouldn't be. The formula on this is excellent. It seemed to be opaque in one coat, but I added a second to make sure light wouldn't shine through in the daylight. It's definitely a wintery color. Today the weather is beautiful and sunny and I wish I had something a bit brighter on my nails. Maybe I'll spruce it up with a flakey??<br />
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I'll update with what I do!<br />
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~ShbeckyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-47158154784832649432012-01-20T16:06:00.001-05:002012-01-20T16:06:06.064-05:00On A Roll: Glitter Gal Silver and 10 to Midnight w/ a side of failed stripingHappy Friday! Now that I have no class Fridays AND no work I am really appreciating 3 day weekends. I have TONS of work to do, but would much rather blog. I even cleaned my apartment to procrastinate. Oh well, at least I am doing something. As you saw yesterday, some chips in my mani provoked me to paint my nails AGAIN. I was looking at my pinterest (follow me <a href="http://pinterest.com/shbecky/" target="_blank">here</a>) where I post some of my favorite manis, and was reminded of a look that I did for my sisters and cousin this past <a href="http://legallylacquered.blogspot.com/2011/08/sistercousin-nail-art-ventures.html" target="_blank">summer</a>. I then realized that I never did it for myself. I didn't want to copy the Butter London Wallis/RGB Slate combo I did before because I am always inclined to use something I haven't posted before.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nYytCiGJqL0/TxnS4UlybPI/AAAAAAAAAWw/sF1VIKBrFk4/s1600/DSCN3651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nYytCiGJqL0/TxnS4UlybPI/AAAAAAAAAWw/sF1VIKBrFk4/s400/DSCN3651.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glitter Gal Silver/10 to Midnight w/ Orly striping and Posh topcoat, artificial light</td></tr>
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I settled on Glitter Gal Silver and 10 to Midnight. Silver is a silver linear holographic polish. It's a bit weaker than Gosh Holographic and Nfu Oh 61, but I like having something a little more subtle to wear when I'm not trying to throw my crazy nails in people's faces. I needed 3 coats for opacity purposes, but it dries really quickly and is easy formula-wise. I used Silver all over the nail and then free-handed the top half of each nail with Glitter Gal's newest linear holo, 10 to Midnight. 10 to Midnight is a charcoal linear holo. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W-9bZjQSX4s/TxnUp1jzUZI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/o5_z7mmXZpE/s1600/DSCN3656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W-9bZjQSX4s/TxnUp1jzUZI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/o5_z7mmXZpE/s400/DSCN3656.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to get some rainbow!</td></tr>
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Though you can't see it much in these photos (the sun is nowhere to be found), this bears a striking resemblance to OPI My Private Jet in all of its original formula glory. The linear holo effect may even be stronger in 10 to Midnight. For all of the people who aren't as luck as I am to have the original My Private Jet, you should DEFINITELY grab this from <a href="http://shop.llarowe.com/Glitter-Gal-3D-Holographic-Nail-Polish_c2.htm" target="_blank">Llarowe</a>. She restocks frequently and is my absolute favorite polish vendor to buy from! The formula on this was flawless as well, and it only took one layer to get solid color!<br />
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I wish I had left the striping out :( . It ended up being an obnoxious disaster. I think I need to replace my Orly nail art polishes. I could not for the life of me get solid lines in one coat, which I never had issues with in the past with these exact nail art polishes. I ended up having to go over my lines more than once which led to uneven lines. To top it off my So Wet topcoat kept smudging the black even 20 minutes later. It took a few rounds of fixing it to realize it was an issue with that particular topcoat. I switched to Poshe and had no more issues with the black dragging. I still love how this looks from afar, but up close.....meh. What are your favorite striping polishes?<br />
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Anyone else love Llarowe as much as I do??<br />
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Happy Weekend!<br />
~ShbeckyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-60413667314961919452012-01-19T16:31:00.001-05:002012-01-19T16:31:54.744-05:00OPI Pink Friday, Super Bass Shatter and Save MeHey guys! Today I have some more of the Nicki Minaj for OPI collection to show you. I apologize in advance for the chips, but a bit of dish-washing and cooking this morning was enough to leave me with a few chips. For this mani I used two coats of Pink Friday as a base. Then for an accent nail I used one coat of Save Me topped with Super Bass Shatter. I like all the polishes in this mani, but I don't really care for the accent nail combined with Pink Friday.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ubskvoPqxlo/TxiLdpUFHtI/AAAAAAAAAWo/6oCZOZb13Xg/s1600/DSCN3646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ubskvoPqxlo/TxiLdpUFHtI/AAAAAAAAAWo/6oCZOZb13Xg/s400/DSCN3646.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 coats Pink Friday, Save Me and Super Bass Shatter Accent Nail + Poshe topcoat, artificial light</td></tr>
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Pink Friday is pastel creme version of a bubble gum pink. I really like it. It's 4 Free and doesn't have the patchiness issues that most pastel polishes have. The formula is pretty spot on and just as smooth as Fly was. I can't really tell you much about Save Me yet, but it is a clear top coat with holographic shimmer and also has a lot of holographic bar glitter. The jelly dries matte and leaves the glitter very rough, but nothing a good topcoat can't fix. As for Super Bass Shatter, it is a maroon shatter pretty similar in formula to the other OPI shatters. It's a bit like the blue and turquoise shatters and has a fine matching shimmer mixed into it. I can't wait to try it with a base that contrasts a bit more loudly! A few final notes - so far the collection seems chip-prone. My Electric Beat mani didn't chip for at least 4+ days. Fly and Pink Friday didn't make it a full 24 hours, even with careful tip-wrapping. I have polish ADD and like an excuse to switch up my nails, but I know some <i>normal</i> people like to keep their manis in tact for a few days! Also, Fly left some pretty intense stains even with a reliable base coat. I still love it though!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-85976507606849088732012-01-17T13:45:00.000-05:002012-01-17T13:45:58.116-05:00OPI Fly and Laquistry A Friggin CircusHey guys! I hope you all got yesterday off like I did! Of course I barely made a dent in my chores and didn't get much school work done, but I did try! This weekend up in Boston was incredible. My lovely youngest cousin, Hannah, did a fabulous job at her Bat-Mitzvah and threw an awesome party afterwards. My family is big on dancing at family events and things got pretty silly at times. It was also beyond incredible to see my buddy Kate from college. I am terrible at staying in touch with long distance friends and we don't talk nearly enough considering how much I love her. Fortunately every time we see each other it's like no time has passed. Before I head of to school I thought I'd share the mani I did late last night. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vApy26n1dO8/TxXAD75HP8I/AAAAAAAAAWU/7MLyoVi2uSo/s1600/DSCN3634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vApy26n1dO8/TxXAD75HP8I/AAAAAAAAAWU/7MLyoVi2uSo/s400/DSCN3634.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 coats OPI Fly, Lacqustry A Friggin Circus accent, Poshe topcoat, artificial light</td></tr>
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I recently acquired the new Nikki Minaj for OPI collection and was instantly drawn to Fly, a medium teal creme polish. It's 4 Free like all new OPIs, and applied like a dream in 2 smooth coats. Obviously my ring finger is sporting a different look. I used 1.5 coats of Laquistry's A Friggin Circus. A Friggin Circus is a dark blue jelly base packed with large rainbow hex glitter. You can get this gem on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Lacquistry?ref=ss_profile">Etsy</a>! The base in this is SUPER thick. We're talking borderline putty here. I think that must be the only way to suspend so much large glitter. It needs a while to dry, but the glitter goes on pretty densely and evenly, so as long as you aim right with the first coat, you don't need to "sculpt" it much (if that makes any sense at all). I think it gives a pretty awesome look for an accent nail and will be using it again to spice up my manis!<br />
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On an unrelated note, I have been thinking about doing Face of The Day (FOTD) posts. My nail blog obsession has leaked into the makeup realm. I am no pro, but I am certainly learning a lot and having fun. Maybe this is weird...especially since I am notoriously awkward in pics. Thoughts? I am including today's look as a sample (if even one person likes it, I will post what I used later)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UdQbGJ5S_6E/TxXBHMMDslI/AAAAAAAAAWc/g13vKEaqS98/s1600/DSCN3614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UdQbGJ5S_6E/TxXBHMMDslI/AAAAAAAAAWc/g13vKEaqS98/s320/DSCN3614.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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No teasing.<br />
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~ ShbeckyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-14994985886031291322012-01-12T23:26:00.004-05:002012-01-17T13:26:15.468-05:00China Glaze Electric BeatI'mmmm baaackkk! I officially have one full week of classes under my belt. It feels pretty good! The bf and I are headed to Boston tomorrow for a family event and to see one of my buddies from college. I hate flying, but I can't wait. Tonight I have a polish from China Glaze's spring collection "Electropop." This is Electric Beat. This polish reminds me of a the sky on a perfectly clear day. It's a dusty light blue creme that looks grey and purple in different lighting. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fgMV4lZAvMg/Tw-vD32mSUI/AAAAAAAAAWM/esdHiYOdELI/s1600/DSCN3583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fgMV4lZAvMg/Tw-vD32mSUI/AAAAAAAAAWM/esdHiYOdELI/s400/DSCN3583.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 coats Electric Beat + So Wet top coat, artificial light</td></tr>
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This had a great formula. At first I thought it was too thick and it seemed to go on a bit unevenly. However, this polish is self-evening. It's almost like a holo polish. No matter what you do to this it seems to fix itself. It also stayed really nicely in place on the nail with no dripping. In the picture it loos a little bit matted. It isn't so obvious IRL, but this is from a new top coat I tried. It was called "So Wet." I will refrain from making any jokes. It actually dries well and after 24 hrs it seems to be holding up well. I do like the finish I think! I normally use Poshe or Seche Vite, but both were sold out at Sally's so I improvised. Has anyone else tried this top coat before??<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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ShbeckyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-69306881806116578642012-01-10T23:33:00.000-05:002012-01-10T23:33:34.771-05:00Butter London: Black KnightYAY! Another post and it hasn't been 3 months since my last! The semester has officially kicked off and I've had each of my new classes at least once. So far, so good. I've opted to take one class credit/no credit and I think I stand a better chance at succeeding this semester. Even without blogging I did not do as well as I would have hope last semester. I've decided to be optimistic/altruistic about this and see it as an opportunity to prove myself. I've got nowhere to go but up, so here goes nothing. <br />
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I know you few straggling followers don't sign on to read my legal chronicles, so here is some polish for you all! Tonight I have Butter London Black Knight that was released as part of their winter collection. It is a highly pigmented black creme polish packed with fine glitter in red, blue and pink. Upon closer inspection there may be some ultra fine silver glitter hiding as well. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WUpnyfjUXUw/Tw0O-hJve-I/AAAAAAAAAWE/fLu_aijcZE8/s1600/DSCN3575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WUpnyfjUXUw/Tw0O-hJve-I/AAAAAAAAAWE/fLu_aijcZE8/s400/DSCN3575.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 coats Black Night + 1 coat Poshe top coat, artificial light</td></tr>
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Formula-wise I found this pretty thick (almost goopy) but still easy to apply. I think the density of the black pigment and glitter causes this. However, it may not have been so thick initially. I used this once before and don't remember it being so glue-like. Regardless, it didn't bother me. Like all Butter London polishes, this is 3 Free and comes in the signature bottle. Besides how unique and pretty this polish is, the only other thing worth noting is that this is a topcoat eater. You can kind of tell from the picture, but the finish is bumpy. If you wanted to add more coats of topcoat you may have a smoother result, but the finish didn't bother me so I left it. In fact, I actually like touching the surface of the polish in class. <br />
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This polish is still available form a variety of vendors including <a href="http://www.zappos.com/">Zappos</a> and Amazon.<br />
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Did anyone else find this polish thick?? Are any of you back to school?<br />
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<3<br />
ShbeckyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173723955163205229.post-12337959133775471642012-01-05T18:51:00.000-05:002012-01-06T11:28:31.855-05:00Remember when I was a blogger?Honestly I am not certain whether anyone will even see this at this point. I have been MIA without explanation since September. Oy. Each semester I pretend that school will not suck the life out of me, but as soon as classes hit and I remember that I am painfully slow at completing my assignments the happy little parts of my life slowly disappear. I am relatively certain that the same goes for Sonia. She was far more studious this past semester. I admit that I took on too much. I had a lot of random stuff on my plate that I wasn't getting credit for. Next semester, however, I have simplified things. I am taking fewer credits, and not interning. Recently I have been asked by a ton of random people why I am not blogging anymore, and enough people suggested that I start again that I started to think about how happy this once made me. So - here goes nothing. I won't be blogging every day. I have no idea how often I will post and won't make any promises this time. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p4yi_L1BjRw/TwYz3HOLIkI/AAAAAAAAAV8/eZOAc9RFqLw/s1600/DSCN3562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p4yi_L1BjRw/TwYz3HOLIkI/AAAAAAAAAV8/eZOAc9RFqLw/s400/DSCN3562.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 coats Admiral Perry, no top coat, artificial light</td></tr>
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To restart things off right, I have the other polish I got back at Duane Reade in NYC. This polish actually remained in its box until a few days ago. Admiral Perry by Nailtini is a deep blue creme polish. It's so dark that it is almost a navy, but as you can seen from this picture in the light it looks way too light. Admiral Perry is a limited edition polish by Janie Bryant. I can't figure out if these are 3 Free of 4 Free, but honestly I would <b>guess</b> they are. This was almost opaque in one coat, but I gave it 2 for good measure. It went on smoothly though you wouldn't know it from these pictures. My nails are in miserable shape due to a momentary lapse in judgment that lead to a gel manicure. My nails insist on tearing in painfully low down places (see my middle finger). Just know that the polish is not at fault. I have had this on for 3 days with no chips and will need to get some more of these! Until next time - whenever that may be.<br />
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-ShbeckyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16953760447671986485noreply@blogger.com2