Princess Polish

Holographic Houndstooth with Sinful Colors and Colors by Llarowe

2016-02-08T10:03:00.003-08:00

Hello, everyone! I hope you had a great Super Bowl Sunday!

I've really become a huge fan of stamping as of late and have been finding myself experimenting with a lot of different finishes and patterns. This is a fairly simple one that I wore to work last week, which everyone seemed to love.

This look was created by stamping the houndstooth pattern from the BP L-006 plate by Born Pretty in Sinful Colors Black on Black over Colors by Llarowe Chillin' in Paradise. It wasn't too overly sparkly and had a nice muted look when indoors, but a nice pop outside!

Zoya Stamped Paisley Flowers

2015-11-03T04:05:00.002-08:00

Hello, everyone!

As you may have noticed on Facebook, I've finally gotten the hang of stamping now that I've found my ideal stamper, the Creative Shop Stamper! So now, I'm a stamp-a-holic!

Today's look features an early plate from when I purchased the Salon Express kit, which basically was an epic fail. However, the plates were still decent quality and featured replicas of Konad plates. This was one of those plates, so I'm not sure what the corresponding Konad plate is. If anyone knows, please comment and I'll update this post.

My favorite color is purple, so I wanted to do something monochromatic for work this week. I wound up using Zoya Julie as the base and Zoya Belinda for the design. I think I would have liked the design to be a bit darker, but I really attribute that more to the thinness of the lines in the pattern, rather than the polish itself.

What do you think of this color and design combo?

Everyone at the office went crazy over it this morning!

Swatch and Review: Elemis Pro Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm (Pink Ediion)

2015-10-30T06:16:00.000-07:00

Greetings, all! Today's post is a little different than normal because not only will you read the insights of Princess Polish, but Queen Polish (aka: my mom) will be chiming in, as well!

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness, Elemis has released a special pink edition of their Pro Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm. According to Elemis, this product helps skin glow and is a hybrid moisturizer packed with vitamins to protect, hydrate, and add radiance, allowing you to look and feel good at the same time. They also suggest using it as a primer.

I put it to a one-week wear test, mainly using it as a primer, but occasionally as a moisturizer after washing my face at night.

The balm was packaged in what's billed as a pink tablet case, but also functions rather nicely as a makeup kit!

The tube IS rather small (no smaller than the average tube of foundation), but you're only using a pea-sized amount at a time, so a little goes an exceptionally long way.

That is roughly the amount I used each time I applied the Flash Balm to my face. It isn't as thin as my regular primer, but I found that while it's definitely thicker, it isn't greasy. I do feel like it gets better coverage.

At 25, anti-aging isn't much of an issue for me, but I can say that we're at the season where dry skin is becoming a problem here in the northeast. Not only did this keep my skin hydrated, but over the course of a week, my makeup lasted longer than usual.

I also was good and sick with a bad cold at the start of this past weekend and dabbing a little bit on my nose kept the skin from flaking like it does when I sneeze a lot or blow my nose. A tad gross I know (sorry!), but nobody wants to look like their nose is shedding at work!

Queen Polish's take: Mom has always used a tinted moisturizer for as long as I can remember, so this was applied underneath. She LOVED IT. It was nice and thick for her and she found that her skin didn't dry out by 2pm. Plus, her skin still looked fresh and hydrated when she took off her makeup at the end of the day.

Elemis Pro Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm is part of Elemis's £10,000 donation to Breast Cancer Care, a registered charity in England, Wales, and Scotland. The price is £60 via Elemis.com for UK sales or $50 in the US via Dermstore.com (where you can currently use the code OCT20 for 20% off your purchase!).

Will you be picking up this awesome product?

What's in My Travel Bag

2015-10-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

For a beauty blogger, narrowing down what I bring on vacation to just the essentials is a chore. After all, I have over ten deep drawers full of polish, blushes, foundations, and other bath and body products.

When I went to London, the struggle was real. I was going to be spending many days in another country and while I was certain that if I was missing anything, one of their drug stores would have me covered, I didn't want to have to go hunting down any stores or figuring out which brands were comparable. Plus, the exchange rate from USD to GBP is not favorable, so I wanted to avoid spending money unnecessarily. (AKA: have more money to bring back British cosmetics!)

So here is everything I packed below:

The Hawaii lotion, Pantene root boster bottle, dry shampoo, and face wipes were packed in a gallon bag in my suitcase on their own. However, everything else fit into my Victoria's Secret double-sided cosmetics case.

So what exactly did I bring?

Let's break it down!

Face

This is pretty much my core collection of cosmetics. I love my Make Up Forever HD foundation with my Beauty Blender sponge and have been using Clinique Dramatically Different Lotion since I was 13. I don't think I'll ever give it up.

My blush and bronzer are from Physician's Formula, while my eyeshadow is Wet n Wild. Of course, I can't forget my Maybelline Great Lash either.

Some odds and ends include my Philosophy Peppermint Bark lip gloss, Clean and Clear face wash, and my Blistex Medicated Lip Balm, which is the absolute best if you have dry, chapped, or sunburnt lips. Seriously. Mine have been gone in 24 hours with this stuff!

Also, my Simple Radiance makeup remover and face wash wipes are the find of the last year, which I discovered after visiting Caravan Stylist Studio prior to New York Comic Con. They take off ALL of my makeup, but don't dry out my skin in the slightest. I couldn't survive without these!

Lastly, the ELF Mist and Set Spray totally keeps my makeup fresh and in tact all day long, rain or shine, heat or cold. Can't leave home without it!

Lips

My five go-to lipsticks: L'Oreal Colour Riche in Zoe's Red (for Zoe Saldana) and Blake's Red (for Blake Lively), MAC Hot Tahiti (my all-time favorite!), Zoya Mackenzie, and Maybelline Whisper Who Wore it Red-er.

Nails

I took some common odds and ends in the form of a nail file, buffer, glue, and powder. Also, the Cutex Remover Pads (made of felt) worked fast and diligently, even on my holographic glitter polish with the Essie Watercolor Silks on top.

I also packed the Zoya Naked Manicure System, the special manicure swabs, and a mini bottle of Out the Door Top Coat. It's not my favorite top coat, but it's effective and the only one I could find in a mini size that I approved of.

So there you have it! Everything that was in my makeup case on vacation, which is double-sided. Really, it was the best purchase I've made in a long while from the Victoria's Secret Outlet. HIGHLY recommended!

Anything you consider to be an essential when you travel? What would YOU take on vacation?

Swatch and Review: Zoya Naked Manicure System

2015-07-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

Long time, no see, everyone! I'm ten days away from taking the NY and NJ Bar Exams (AHHHH!), so hopefully, I'll have more time to get back to swatching and my nail art once that stupid test is over!

In other news, as you may have seen on Facebook, I received the Zoya Naked Manicure System a little under a month ago. Since then, I have been testing the various shades of the collection, as well as the wear of both matte and glossy looks.

Here is what Zoya says about the Naked Manicure System: "The Naked Manicure System is a simple, highly effective system that gives clients instant, gorgeous natural looking nails. It also provides the intense therapeutic, long term benefits for stronger, healthier nails."

Because of what was posted on their website, I approached product testing with three goals in mind:

1) How natural does it look?
2) How long does it last?
3) Does it make my nails stronger or healthier?

Sometimes, from all the swatching, my nails can be a little yellow and I have issues with ridges. I'm also going to be starting a new job in the fall and I wanted a few more professional-looking options that I could wear every day and know they're appropriate for both day and night work events.

You can also layer different Perfector shades to get a more customized color based on your skin tone and condition of your nails, as demonstrated below:

I'm happy to report that I've now gotten the whole collection swatched and tested for wear!

How Natural Does it Look (The Perfector Shades):

Below, you'll find a comparison between my natural nail, the satin (matte) look, and the glossy look.

First up is Pink Perfector, which is what comes in the Women's Starter Kit, along with the Naked Base, Satin Seal, and White Tip Perfector bottles.

I really like how the color evened out the shade of my nails to look a little healthier, while brightening the tip. For my fair skin, this would be the best perfector shade to use in order to achieve a look that gives the impression my nails are naked (satin finish) or that I put on a top coat to keep them shiny looking (glossy).

For example, if I were a waitress whose workplace prohibits the wear of nail polish, I would feel comfortable wearing Pink Perfector topped with Satin Seal because my supervisors would never know the difference. THAT is how natural it looks.

Also... did you notice my ridges are gone??!? I DID!

Next up is Buff Perfector! Considering this shade is better for peachier, warmer toned skin, I honestly didn't think this would look good on me, but I liked it even MORE than Pink Perfector! Buff Perfector really brightens up my nails and gives me both a great satin naked look, but a sleek glossy look that borders on a French Manicure.

Here is Nude Perfector, which is meant for those with beige nail beds. This shade was a bit too warm for my skin type, but if your nail beds are beige, this is going to make for a very natural, classy look for you!

Even though it didn't work as well as Buff Perfector with my skin tone, it still looked great.

Mauve Perfector is billed by Zoya as a "deeper tone" meant for those with darker nail beds. This was a very wearable shade for me too, but I liked Buff Perfector more for my skin tone.

This is Lavender Perfector, which is meant to neutralize discoloration and add a cooler base to any of the other shades. I wore it alone here just so you can see the effect that it had on my natural nails. While as a satin/matte look, it skews a bit too blue to look natural, I found that when Glossy Seal was applied, it looks almost identical to the French Manicures I see coming out of most nail salons that use a cooler base (think: Essie Marshmallow) rather than a pinker base (think: Essie Ballet Slippers).

So even though it is meant to be corrective, it actually works really nicely when glossy. I'd definitely (and did) wear it out on its own.

How Long Does it Last?

I'm happy to report that I was able to wear the complete manicure for seven days with minimal wear. I really only had minor tip wear that I usually see on Day 2 or 3 from a regular polish, so the fact that I could go a whole week without seeing chippage was a MAJOR plus for me.

How nice would it be to paint your nails on a Sunday night and know that you could get a whole week at the office, PLUS drinks on a Friday after work, a Saturday out with friends, and maybe a Sunday BBQ out of a mani?

Not only would it be stellar, but it IS possible with the Zoya Naked Manicure system! Huzzah!

Does it make my nails stronger or healthier?

Definitely. Not only did I notice my nails looked a more healthy, even color, but in the 25 days I've been wearing these perfector shades, I haven't broken a single nail. Not a ding, not a chip, not a crack, Nothing.

And trust me, I've had plenty of incidents where I thought "Shoot, there goes my nice even nails!" Yet, I looked down and they looked as good and even and swatch-worthy as ever. It has been a miracle.

A Few Tips on Application:

Firstly, make sure your nails are clean and dry before applying.

Second, the order of application is as follows: Naked Base, Perfector Shade, White Tip Perfector, Satin Seal, and Glossy Seal. Even if you intend to wear the look shiny, you still MUST apply Satin Seal before Glossy Seal.

However, if you only want a matte finish, there is no need to apply Glossy Seal.

If you're using Lavender Perfector as a corrective color, apply it between the Naked Base and the other Perfector shade of your choosing.

Last, but not least: roll your Satin Seal bottle between your hands for at least 20 seconds, as directed in the instructions booklet. If you don't, your nails will not have the matte and naked look you're trying to achieve. If you look closely, you'll see a little cloudiness in the bottle after a few rolls between your hands, so this isn't a ridiculous premise. You do need to get the bottle mixed up.

So is it worth purchasing?

In short? Absolutely. The great thing about the Zoya Naked Manicure System is that it fulfills a lot of needs all at once in that it strengthens your nails while providing you with options for both a natural and polished look. You could even wear them with the Satin Seal during the day and have the option of applying the Glossy Seal at night to give it a little more oomph for a dinner or night out.

I know that many of you have workplace restrictions on nail polish, whether it be colors or wearing any at all, so this collection was definitely something I wanted to test out for those of you out there looking for options. These also can be used to achieve a natural, but still classy look for those of you without polish restrictions at work or for any occasion at all, really.

The only downside to the Naked Manicure System is that it has a little bit longer of a dry time than the average polish. However, they are compatible with the Zoya Fast Drops (aka: Step 5 of the Color Lock System), which took care of that problem for me. Even if you don't have the drops, I honestly think the longer dry time is worth it.

Where to Buy The Naked Manicure System:

The Zoya Naked Manicure System is available exclusively through Zoya's Website. You can buy it in one of three sets or in individual pieces. Individual Perfector shades are $10 per bottle, with the topcoats and bases $12 per bottle.

The Women's Starter Kit includes the Naked Base, Pink Perfector, White Tip Perfector, and Satin Seal Topcoat for $25.

The Professional Starter Kit includes the full system for $96, but you can piece it together by purchasing the Women's Starter Kit and adding on the missing pieces.

My recommendation is that you purchase the Women's Starter Kit, regardless of which perfector shade you think is the best for your skin tone. Just the Naked Base, White Tip Perfector, and Satin Seal cost $34 if purchased individually, so even if you DON'T use the Pink Perfector, you're still getting the other 3 for $25 at a savings of $9.

Then of course, you can add on your choice of Perfector for $10 and Glossy Seal for $12 if you like the glossy look.

You can also purchase the Men's Starter Kit with the Naked Base, Buff Perfector, and Satin Seal for $22. However, for women, I think the White Tip Perfector is CRITICAL to the satin or glossy look, so I don't recommend that. It's only another $3 for the White Tip Perfector, so it's WELL worth the extra cost.

The Round Up

I hope that my review of all the shades were helpful! Let me know if you'd like to see any of the combinations of Perfector shades layered together and if there's interest, I'll put together a post with the swatches of the different combos!

What are your thoughts on the Zoya Naked Manicure System?

DEAL ALERT: Full Zoya Naked Manicure System for $77 (Reg: $96)

2015-06-15T17:48:00.001-07:00

Like many of you, I've found myself intrigued by the following from Zoya:

According to Zoya, the system will:

The only downside to the system thus far has been the price. The full kit and caboodle consists of five colors, one white tip shade, two different top coats, and a base coat for a total of $96.

They also offer one color (Pink Perfecter), the white tip, the base coat, and satin top coat for $25 as a set.

Yet, when I started to do the math, I quickly realized something didn't add up.

And I was right.

As I previously mentioned, the price of the full starter kit with a stand for the nine bottles is $96.

But then this happened:

However, it turns out, you can merely purchase the Women's Starter Kit and add on the Mauve, Lavender, Nude, and Buff Perfecters... and get the collection and all the free gifts that Zoya has to offer for $77.

The only thing you don't seem to get is the little stand meant for salon display, which I don't think is quite worth the $19 upcharge. Information on application, blending, etc. is available on the NakedManicure.com website, as well, so it isn't exclusive to the kit.

So if you've been eying the full collection, or even just a few, the best bet is to buy the Women's Starter Kit for $25 (since just the base coat and satin top coat alone are $12 each) and then individually purchase any other shades you might want.

Just picked up the full set for $77 myself, so expect a full review in the future. As someone who sometimes likes to go "naked" (when it comes to my nails... get your minds out of the gutter!), I'm interested to see how these look and function.

Thoughts on this interesting discovery?

An Update!

2015-06-15T17:34:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! I'm sorry that I've been absent for the better part of the past two months or so. As many of you know, I started this blog as a senior in college and continued it through law school. I'm very happy to say that I graduated in May and am now preparing to take the NY and NJ state bar exams. Consequently, my free time is at a minimum.

However, I will try to continue to post at least once a week from here out.

That being said, if anyone would like to write a guest post for this blog, please contact me at PrincessPolishBlog@gmail.com. I have plenty of room for those posts, as I don't take the exams until July 28-30th.

Thanks for sticking with me and keeping up with me on Instagram!

xoxo

Easter Chevrons

2015-04-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter, my lovelies!

For my Easter nails, I used two different sized Chevron nail vinyls over a base of OPI Skull and Glossbones, plus Colors by Llarowe Good Fortune and Smooth Criminal.

I really loved how this came out. It's sparkly and pretty and very springy!

Nail Rehab: Get Your Nails in Shape for Spring!

2015-03-23T07:27:00.002-07:00

With temperatures FINALLY starting to break the fifties in New York City and grass FINALLY visible again, it's official: spring is upon us!

So now that your fingers won't be tucked away in gloves, it's time to get them back into shape to be on display. (Plus, you'll be well ahead of the game by the time summer comes around!)

There are three major steps I recommend to fix up your nails:

1) Clean Those Cuticles!

I have always struggled to have healthy-looking cuticles. My nail beds always looked gorgeously clean and smooth when I left the nail salon after a manicure, but two days later, it was a disaster.

To keep your cuticles in check, I recommend two products: Blue Cross Cuticle Remover and a cuticle pusher.

Blue Cross is, hands down, the BEST cuticle removing product I've ever used. It softens the cuticles so that it's easy to push back and I'm never afraid that it's harming my actual nail. Plus, it's price just can't be beat. It's a mere $6.16 for a 6oz bottle, which I bought back in October and have STILL yet to run out of!

I do recommend ordering a little dropper bottle like this one for a little over $2 because it will make using the product a lot easier, since it's just a flip cap bottle and can get a bit messy otherwise.

For the cuticle pusher, you need something with the little shovel end like this one from MASH for $1.79.

Smooth, neat cuticles for less than $10? Count me in!

2) Moisturize... moisturize... moisturize!

I have more lotion and body butter in my house than I know what to do with. Same goes for cuticle oil and balm. However, not all lotions, butters, oils, and balms were created equal.

Your run-of-the-mill travel size lotion will suffice just to keep in your purse for use throughout the day. I favor the Bath and Body Works mini hand creams personally, but anything that works for you will do.

For an every day balm, I love using Beejuvenate. You can see my original review of the product here. It's $8.50 for a pretty sizable container that I doubt you'll go through for a long while yet. I'm still working on mine and have barely scratched the surface. It's light, comes in 14 pleasant and light scents, and doesn't leave a waxy residue behind. Plus, it's SPF 15!

Now, for the oil I recommend two products. The first is Darphin Revitalizing Oil. which is admittedly a bit of a splurge at $50. However, it can be used on your face, body, or hair and one pump from the bottle gives you a dime-sized amount that goes a very long way.

The second is the KB Shimmer cuticle oil pen. I loved mine so much (I bought Raspberry Vanilla and Lemongrass) that I only have one left because I was waxing poetic about them to my mom, who stole one from my purse and never returned it. Hehe. I used to keep one in my purse and one in my bedroom. At $6, these are a great little tool to keep those cuticles looking fresh! (Photo credit: KBShimmer because

3) Get Growing!

This next item is HANDS DOWN, the biggest key to my healthy, long, and strong nails!

Trind's Perfect Cuticle and Nail System is my absolutely favorite product of all-time. For the reason why, look no further than my before and after:

The bottom photo was taken twelve days after I started to use the system. No photoshop, no nothing.

While it's a bit steep at $50, there is nothing on the market that is nearly as effective at rehabbing your nails and keeping them healthy. If you purchase it on SkinStore.com, you can usually find a 20% coupon floating around with free shipping. I've had this for over a year and STILL have not finished the bottle.

Be sure to follow these three easy steps and get your nails in shape!

Barielle Gentle Breeze Watercolor Water Marble

2015-03-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

I haven't done a water marble in what seems like FOREVER, so I decided when I received the Barielle Gentle Breeze collection for spring 2015, I would have to give it a shot!

According to Barielle, the Spring collection "reflects the soft, gentle, eclectic hues of this most welcome and delightful season." It is definitely atypical of other brands' spring collections, but that's not really a bad thing.

Under the Sea - A rich, sea scuba blue shimmer

Champagne and Bubbles - A creamy tangerine

Pink Parasol - A creamy strawberry ice

Gray Sky - A rich, creamy glacier gray

Heaven Sent - A soft creamy aquamarine

Prior to starting the water marbling process, I painted on two coats of Under the Sea as the base.

I initially didn't intend for this to have a very soft, watercolor look, but a few of these shades (Champagne and Bubbles, Under the Sea, and Heaven Sent) are on the sheerer side.

I really loved how this came out, even though the colors bled together. It actually made a pretty watercolor effect!

I am TOTALLY in love with this water marble. I wore it for a full week before I managed to take it off!

The Gentle Breeze collection is available from Barielle as a set for $25 USD.

What do you think of this watercolor look?

Disclaimer: The product(s) in this post were provided to me by the manufacturer or their PR company for consideration. For more information please visit my Disclaimer page.

Parks and Recreation Sunflower Painting Nail Art

2015-02-24T07:58:00.002-08:00

Tonight is the final episode of Parks and Recreation, a show I started watching two years ago and fell in LOVE with. In honor of the series finale, I am following the trend set by Emily over at The Lacquerologist and showing my love for Ben, Leslie, and the rest of the Parks and Rec crew with my nail art!

One of my hands down favorite episodes is actually a two-partner in which Ben and Leslie get married. The final shot of them after they actually tie the knot is them in front of their favorite painting in the building:

So I tried to do a little take on sunflowers of my own, incorporating the golden tones, as well as the purplish flowers that pepper the painting, as well.

I used acrylic paints for this flowers in yellow, peach, and orange, as well as purple. The base is Colors by Llarowe Beam Me Up Scotty.

If you're a Parks and Rec fan, are you as devastated by the end of the series as I am?

Swatch and Review: Colors by Llarowe Beam Me Up Scotty

2015-02-23T19:07:00.000-08:00

I hope that Monday is treating you all well!

I'm unfortunately STILL sick and can't take virtually any sort of medication post-surgery. *Sighs heavily* I hate this weather.

What I don't hate, however, are holo polishes and Star Trek. In fact, when I found out that Colors by Llarowe named a polish Beam Me Up Scotty, I knew I just had to have it!

(In case you've forgotten, I totally fangirled over Karl Urban, who plays Leonard "Bones" McCoy in the reboot movies, at NY Comic Con)

Beam Me Up Scotty is an icy blue linear holo polish, with tiny flecks of turquoise glitter sprinkled throughout. The glitter was a bit of a surprise, but I really like the extra pop it adds!

All Colors by Llarowe polishes are available at Llarowe.com for between $6 and $12 dollars. (The holos tend to run on the higher end of the price range).

Are you ready to be beamed aboard the Enterprise?

NJ Pet Expo and 101 Dalmatians Nail Art

2015-02-21T13:02:00.000-08:00

Two weekends ago was the New Jersey Pet Expo and I attended for the second time. Last year, I had just adopted Pebbles (read all about her story here) the week before, so I stocked up on some goodies for her.

This go around, we now have Dakota, Pebbles, and Brynn (who we permanently adopted last March), so I stocked up on some toys, treats, and a couple of new collars. Those collars are so pretty... I'm sure I'll be using them as inspiration for some manicures

So in honor of Pet Expo, I did a little 101 Dalmatians nail art!

I used Revlon Gold Coin, Milani Spotlight White, Zoya Breezi, Zoya Rehka, and Zoya Raven to make this nail art, along with gray striping paint.

This was extremely labor-intensive, but I'm happy with how it came out. What do you think?

Valentine's Day and Anti-Valentine's Day Nail Art

2015-02-14T07:34:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day, everybody!

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), I'm still recovering from both my surgery and the flu, so I can't stomach any chocolate or other candy. However, that doesn't mean I can't celebrate the holiday with a little sparkle!

When I asked over on the Princess Polish Facebook page what you all wanted to see from my Valentine's Day manicure this year, it seemed lots of you wanted something non-traditional, possibly holographic. So I came up with something that could be both in celebration or opposition of the holiday, depending on how you look at it!

The base color is Colors by Llarowe Dirty Diana with Sinful Colors Black on Black on top.

I thought that the slash of magenta could be something sassy and fierce for a night out with a special someone, but also could be anti-Valentine's Day because it reminds me of a broken heart.

I was really happy to rock this look at least for a day around school and work. Unfortunately, being sick meant I basically was the only one who got to stare at it this week. But oh well! Now you all can see it too!

Would you wear this non-traditional mani?

Swatch and Review: Colors by Llarowe Dirty Diana

2015-02-09T06:28:00.000-08:00

Here's some swatches of a lemming I squashed last week when I picked it up in a swap. This shade comes from the Michael Jackson Collection from Colors by Llarowe and it's absolutely stunning!

Dirty Diana is a magenta linear holo that is honestly one of the most vivid holo polishes I have ever seen!

Dirty Diana is currently in stock over at Llarowe for $12! Scoop it up while you can!

Swatch and Review: Milani Spotlight White

2015-02-06T20:27:00.002-08:00

Okay, I get it. You're probably wondering why the heck I'm dedicating an entire post to a plain white nail polish. I don't blame you. I'd have probably thought the same.

But you see, white nail polish isn't as simple as it should be. I'll admit to trying at least 20 different brands and shades. They're either too runny and streaky or so thick and gloopy that they never dry. So to find the perfect white polish is a pretty big accomplishment.

And guess what? I did. For only $3.99.

Milani Spotlight White is shown here with two coats and no top coat. It's entirely opaque and streak free, but didn't take hours to dry. It's the PERFECT base for neons or nail art. Really, I LOVE it.

And at $3.99 at your local CVS or other retailer, it's a steal.

Spotlight White is my go-to... what's yours?

Review: Beejuvenate Body Balm

2015-02-05T16:48:00.000-08:00

I have a new body product in today's post called Beejuvenate! Beejuvenate is an all natural skin balm made from beeswax and a variety of other natural ingredients. There is no alcohol in these products, which makes them even more gentle on skin!

Beejuvenate was founded by a pair of beekeeping brothers in Utah who are doing their part to combat the decrease in the bee population, while also creating skin care products for people with a variety of skin issues, including eczema.

As you can see, two ounces of the balm still goes a VERY long way! This container is huge!

Here you can see all of the ingredients:

I was sent citrus blast for review and it has a light, pleasant fruity smell. It's not too overwhelming, so people who are sensitive to fragrance.

However, there are a TON of other scents ranging from fruity to sweet to earthy to unscented.

The balm was a waxy texture that's reminiscent of chapstick. I applied a light pressure to swipe some onto my fingertips.

One thing I loved about this balm right off the bat is that it's not very oily. My skin absorbed it very quickly, but unlike Lush Lemony Flutter or Burt's Bees Cuticle Balm, I wasn't left with a slippery residue. However, it was still very hydrating.

Another upside is that it doesn't make your skin look slick and oily either. For me, that's a MAJOR plus when it comes to swatching. I don't want my nails and cuticles to look dry in photos, but I don't want them to look like I dipped them in a vat of oil either!

Overall, this is a product I HIGHLY recommend! It's incredibly affordable at $8.50 for a 2oz jar, which contains a LOT of product and I think it'll last me a very long time. It also comes in more scents than I can list!

Beejuvenate also offers lip balms (which are equally as hydrating) and hand creams in the same variety of scents.

I highly recommend this as a more affordable, but equally awesome alternative to LUSH Lemony Flutter and Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream. Lemony Flutter costs $14.95 for 1.5 oz and has a gritty residue that makes me feel gross for at least 30 minutes after applying, while the Burt's Bees costs $10 for 0.6 oz and has packaging that is difficult to work with.

You can purchase all Beejuvenate products online, directly from HQ in Utah!

So what do you all think? Are you ready to abandon your body balms and hop on board the Beejuvenate Bandwagon?

Disclaimer: The product(s) in this post were provided to me by the manufacturer or their PR company for consideration. For more information please visit my Disclaimer page.

Milani Fierce Foil Nail Lacquer Snowflake Nail Art

2015-02-02T17:09:00.001-08:00

While swatching the brand new Milani Fierce Foil collection, I found my snowflake nail vinyls and thought that the colors would lend themselves nicely to a little winter nail art.

For this look, I used Milani Venice and Rome:

Milani Venice is a cobalt blue metallic polish that I used for the snowflakes and Milani Rome is a metallic orchid that I used as the base.

I really liked how wintery these came out with the combination of colors, but also the metallic shimmer. It's still colorful, but icy in a way. I really loved it.

And even though these are metallic, I had no issues with staining or removal. These came off really easily.

Stay tuned for a full review of the entire Milani Fierce Foil Nail Lacquer collection later this week! In the meantime, you can find these two shades at your local CVS for $3.99. But act fast! These are limited edition!

Disclaimer: The product(s) in this post were provided to me by the manufacturer or their PR company for consideration. For more information please visit my Disclaimer page.

Seahawks Blue and Green Nail Art

2015-02-01T10:31:00.000-08:00

Last night on Facebook, I asked whether everyone was rooting for the Seahawks or the Patriots and the results were overwhelming. It seemed like most people were on the Russell Wilson train!

I, too, am rooting for the Seattle Seahawks, so I decided to do a little nail art with a few of the holo polishes I recently received in a swap.

I used Milani Spotlight White for the base with Colors by Llarowe Bronco Blue (ironic, I know) and Young Grasshoppa.

All of these were made using nail vinyls from Up Your Nail. The thumb and ring finger were with vinyls, the other three were made using their nail guides. The only one I struggled with a little was the teardrop guide, but I figured it out a little better after a redo.

Please let me know what you think of my Super Bowl nail art and feel free to post your nail art to my Facebook page. I'll be sharing some of my favorites throughout the game!

Swatch and Review: Jade Mystic Gold

2015-01-30T12:59:00.000-08:00

TGIF! And to celebrate, I wanted a little sparkle on my nails. So what better choice than a little linear holo in what I affectionately call Command Gold (after Star Trek)!?!

Jade Mystic Gold is a gold linear holo polish. The above is with three coats, but you can still see some visible nail line. It's just as visible in person as in the photo. Here, it has a marigold sort of tint indoors, but you can see below that it has a much truer gold look in sunlight.

I actually wore Mystic Gold last weekend when, as many of you saw on Facebook, I underwent surgery. I was only allowed to wear nail polish if they could still see my nails underneath and I thought this was a good compromise. The doctors and nurses LOVED it, actually. It was kind of funny.

I have a bunch of different Jade polishes in my stash, though this is the first one I've swatched. Jade is a Brazilian company that makes a ton of different finishes, but my favorite are the holos in the Holografica collection. They're also reasonably priced at a price of $7-$8, which is right on par with a lot of salon brands.

The only downside is that you can't purchase them in stores, but can purchase them from stockists such as Llarowe. (Link will take you to the Jade Holograficas collection). I know that Llarowe offers free shipping on orders over $50, so with six or seven polishes, you'll get them shipped for free.

What do you think of Mystic Gold? Would you like to see other Jade holos on the blog?

Swatch and Review: Emily de Molly Oceanic Forces

2015-01-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

This was a polish that was a lemming of mine for an exceptionally long time. I don't own a lot of indie brands, but this was the first I ever saw use the big circle glitter and I fell in love.

Check out Emily de Molly Oceanic Forces!

Oceanic Forces is a dark teal jelly base with silver holo and hex glitter. The above is with three coats.

The goods: This color is stunning. The depth of the jelly is breathtaking and there are plenty of silver circles to go around.

The bads: The circular glitter took a long time to fish out, the polish took even longer to dry, and last, it turned my nails yellow. YELLOW. And I use basecoat!

Now, it could be that the polish reacted poorly to the basecoat, which was the OPI Glitter Base. I didn't care to try again with another, but would be interested to hear if you've had similar or different results with other basecoats!

Emily de Molly is available via the brand website for Australian residents or at seven different stockists, which cover the US, Canada, and Europe, and ship worldwide! Prices vary based on retailer.

Swatch and Review: Layla Ocean Rush

2015-01-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

Here's some holo for this hump day! I'm finally up to doing some swatching again, so while I build up some new posts, check out one of my favorite holos to date!

Check out Layla Ocean Rush!

The above is an indoor shot with three coats. I love how quickly this polish dries. It was ready to go at around 10 minutes, which was fantastic dry time for me!

And here is the same, but outdoor. Ocean Rush truly is a stunner!

I haven't seen Layla Holographic polishes in stores in a few years, but these are still floating around on Amazon.

Up Your Nail and Holo Nail Art

2015-01-26T08:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Saturday! Today is my first new post since I've gotten home from the hospital and I'm really glad to say that I'm starting to feel leaps and bounds better than my first day after surgery. My pain is minimal and I'm sleeping through the night, plus most of my nausea is completely gone! Woo hoo!

This post features two of my favorite things: holographic polishes and nail vinyls.

The nail vinyls used to make this manicure were fancy chevrons from Up Your Nail. Up Your Nail is pretty much my go-to store for the vinyls because their prices are ridiculously awesome. These chevrons came in my mystery bag but are 100 vinyls for $2.50. I haven't seen anyone else's prices come remotely close to that!

To achieve this look, I used three coats of Layla Ocean Rush as my base with one coat of a-England Tristam on top. I like the look of the scattered holo on top of the linear holo, though I'm interested to see how this would have turned out with two linears.

What's your verdict on this color combo and pattern? Have you tried Up Your Nail?

Zoya Loredana with Studs

2015-01-07T08:26:00.004-08:00

Hello, everyone! I just picked up some awesome clearance stuff while at Ulta, including backups of the Zoya MatteVelvet Collection and a nail wheel of studs. Both were on clearance for 50% off!

I thought it would be kind of cool to play with the matte silver metallic look of Zoya Loredana with the shiny gold metallic pop of the square studs.

The above is with three coats of Loredana. In order to make the studs stick (because they're concave), I had to apply top coat to my ring finger before applying the studs. After I felt the top coat was dry and the studs were secure, I went back over the polish with a matte top coat. I honestly wouldn't notice the difference.

Will you try the mixed metallic look anytime soon?

How to Spruce Up a Boring Mani with Simple Nail Art!

2015-01-06T16:34:00.005-08:00

I don't know about you, but even if my manicure lasts for DAYS, I find myself bored by the third day of rocking the same color, no matter how pretty it is. So here, I have for you some very simple ways of jazzing up your manicure without having to change polish. This also works for adding a little something extra when the weekend rolls around.

I have broken down the techniques from beginner to intermediate to advanced to expert, but one thing is for certain: no matter what your skill level is, you'll always be able to show off some fantastic fingers!

Beginner Level: Polka Dots!

This is pretty much the easiest way on the planet to do nail art. I use dotting tools of varying sizes, but you can still do dots if you have a toothpick or a bobby pin on hand.

You can go monochromatic like above...

Or vary the colors with metallics over white or jewel tones over neutrals!

You can even do dots of all different sizes and in lines to play with geometry.

Or my personal favorite...

Use dots of top coat over a matte base for a dewy effect!

Intermediate Level: Stripes!

I know that free-handing stripes can seem daunting at first, but with a little practice, it will become second nature. Don't worry about them being perfect. Truthfully, unless you're taking photos in macro, nobody ever notices.

I recommend starting with a nail art striping polish (like Stripe Rite or Art Club) before you graduate to a striping paintbrush.

The little double corner stripes are very easy to start off with because they don't require a lot of movement of the brush. It's also a nice little pop that isn't too overboard for the workplace because of its subtlety.

A vertical stripe of glitter adds a nice sparkle for the weekend!

When you're comfortable with straight lines, try some curved ones next!

And then try out varying thicknesses of your stripes!

Advanced Level: Transformation!

Use a sheer or jelly glitter polish to build up a gradient without sponges.

Use crumpled up saran wrap dipped in nail polish to make a cool, swirling effect on your nails.

Expert Level: Mixing Techniques!

Use a cosmetic sponge to create a gradient and paint in details with a nail art brush.

Use stripes and gradients to create dragon scales.