If you haven't heard already, Zoya Polish exchange is back for Earth Day! Zoya is helping you do a little spring cleaning with the return of the Earth Day Zoya Nail Polish Exchange* for 2013. Clean out your nail polish wardrobe and get rid of old nail polish that may not be BIG 5 FREE (Free of Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Toluene, DBP and Camphor) and exchange it for a greener alternative - long lasting, award winning, healthy Zoya Nail Polish bottles!

From April 19, 2013 - April 26, 2013 (11:59PM EST), exchange your old, unwanted nail color for toxin-free ZOYA Nail Polish for only $4 per bottle plus shipping and handling fees. Rest assured - ZOYA will properly dispose of your old polish.

Here's all you need to do:

1.  Go to www.zoya.com and pick out the polishes you would like (excludes all Zoya PixieDust™ Collection shades) and add them to your cart. You must select at least 6 bottles and no more than 24 bottles of polish (Salon accounts minimum 12 maximum 48 bottles).

2. Apply the code (copy and paste for best results): ZOYAEARTH2013

3. Your order value will be adjusted to reflect a 50% discount (we use these funds to properly dispose of the old nail polish).

4. SUBMIT your order!

Once you get your order, here's where the exchanging happens:

1.  Ship back the equivalent number of bottles you received to the return address below (ie. If you ordered 6 bottles of Zoya – you would send us 6 NON-ZOYA polishes). Please check with your carrier on the proper way to ship nail polish.
2.  Include a copy of your order.

To clarify the exchange: You do not have to send us the exact amount of bottles that you are ordering. You can send any quantity up to that amount. You can also donate. If you decide you don't want to do either, it's ok "Offer is not contingent on customer returning polish" we will still love you and will send the Zoya polishes... we'll just send you on a guilt trip for a while!

Ship Your Old Nail Polish To:
Art of Beauty, Inc.
c/o Polish Exchange
5060 Taylor Rd, Unit D
Cleveland, Ohio, 44128, USA

Once we receive your polish, we do the rest! It’s that simple!

IMPORTANT!
The bottles you send in cannot be Zoya, Qtica or Nocti polishes (but they can be any other brand). We are using the honor code here folks! We want to make sure you get your Zoya Nail Polish! We send you the polish first then you send your old polish back to us! If you do choose to send us your old polish we promise to properly dispose of it according to EPA guidelines. This offer is only good for 1 week so hurry – Don’t Wait!

*Offer valid online at www.zoya.com only. Offer expires on 4/26/2012 at 11:59PM EST. Continental US ONLY. Not valid with any other codes, coupons or promotions. Shipping and handling fees apply. Consumer accounts must exchange a minimum of 6 polishes with a 24 bottle maximum. Salon accounts must exchange at least 12 with a maximum of 48 bottles. Polish can be from any brand EXCEPT Zoya, Qtica or Nocti and can be exchanged for in-stock .5oz Zoya Nail Polish. Excludes all Zoya PixieDust™ Collection shades. Offer is not contingent on customer returning polish. Zoya Exchange code is unique and non-transferable. One code per account. Art of Beauty is not responsible for incorrect addresses, credit card entry errors or errors associated with declined credit cards. Please allow standard time for processing and shipping, however if volume is higher than expected please allow up to 6 weeks for shipping and processing. Art of Beauty, Inc. reserves the right to remove any polish that is out of stock from your order. You will not be charged for this polish. Backordered polish is not included in this promotion.

If you're a BIG Avon Nailwear Pro fan, I have an exciting sneak peek from their newest summer release called, Forbidden Fruits. It's a collection of six, fresh & fruity colors with a glistening, glass-pearl finish as Avon describes.

Along with Forbidden Fruits, I couldn't resist sharing another fabulous collection from Avon, Petal Impressions. There's also six new colors in this spring collection with a subtle sparkle-pearl finish.   

Since I haven't been able to officially review Forbidden Fruits or Petal Impressions, I hope you don't mind quick swatches on nail wheels and a brief description for each color. The flu knocked me down hard for an astonishing 8 weeks (no joke!) and right now I'm still trying to recover fully.

Here we go!

Forbidden Fruits Summer 2013 Collection 

Honeydew Dazzle - is a pastel mint green with bright green glass-fleck glitter.

Divine Lime - is a lime green/chartreuse with bright green glass fleck glitter.

Grape Goodness - is a magenta/fuchsia purple with bright pink/gold duochrome glitter. In the bottle you can see the gold duochrome, but it's not visible on the nail.

Mandarin Magic - is an orange with gold glass flecked glitter.

Seduce Me Strawberry - is a hot coral pink with bright pink/gold duochrome glitter. Just like Grape Goddess, you can see the gold duochrome in the bottle but not on the nail.

Apple Of His Eye - is a red orange with gold shimmer. It's more of a harvest orange compared to the swatch above. Love this color!   

Petal Impressions Spring 2013 Collection 

Forget Me Not Blue - is a medium blue with bright turquoise shimmer.

Blue Water Lilies - is a gorgeous periwinkle blue with golden shimmer.

Garden Green - is a medium, kind of murky green with bright green shimmer.

Inspired Iris - looks more lavender in the bottle, but applies much sheerer to a cool pinkish purple with blue shimmer.

Sweet Pea Dreams - is actually hard to pin point the exact color of this peachy neutral. It's a peachy/beige/nude with gold shimmer. And I'd even say this might come close to matching certain skin tones. It's definitely the odd duckling.

Painted Peony - is a pink toned peach with golden shimmer. It falls along the same line as Nars Orgasm or Peach Sparkle, although I haven't compared them side by side.

In other Avon news, I have a tidbit of thrilling information for my holographic lovers. Launching with Campaign 12 is a new summer collection called, Celestial Summer Color Collection, which features 10 cosmic nail colors with a holographic pearl finish ($3.49 debut price).

Now judging by the promo image, which we know it can be a little misleading, looks like a subtle effect, possibly similar to the Tronica Collection?

What do you think of the new Spring and Summer shades? Have you tried any of the new colors yet? 

Full Disclosure: The following product(s) featured in this post was purchased by Steph's Closet.

Hopefully everyone is having a great day and a fabulous start to 2013! I've been super busy the last three weeks getting the Store fully functioning -- make sure you stop by and check it out! I finally have that task completed, so you should start seeing more frequent posts.

Today I'm sharing an American Flag nail art design that I've been meaning to post since I uploaded the picture back in July of 2011 -- now talk about fashionably late!! This creation was inspired by Sinful's "Show Your Colors" Fourth of July display (click here to check out the display pic via Nouveau Cheap).

The one thing I love about this design besides the fact its incredibly easy and super cute, you can wear it on so many holidays -- Memorial, Veteran's, 4th of July, Labor, President's, Election and so many more!

Supplies I used: Nubar base and top coat, Wet n Wild Writings on the Wall (red), Milani White Canvas (nail art striper), Sinful Nail Art Striper in Blue (shimmery blue) and a dotting tool.  

Step 1:  After applying a base coat, start with any cherry red creme. Paint 2-3 coats or until opacity is achieved. Let completely dry.  

Step 2  is perhaps the most challenging step of the entire design. Using Nail Art Polish or a striper paint brush dipped in white paint and draw horizontal stripes from cuticle to free edge. Let dry.

TIP  If your lines aren't perfect, no worries -  cleanup is a sinch! Just take the opposite color, in this case it's Wet n Wild Writings on the Wall (the red), and use the same method as we did to create the stripes to correct them. Voilà, nearly perfect!

Step 3:  Using a shimmery or navy blue polish and paint your nail tip straight across. If your polish isn't very opaque, you can always paint a white line first so it won't bleed through (like mine did). Let dry.

Step 4:  If you have mad skills and would like to freehand mini stars or possibly use a Konad stamping plate, it would look fantastic instead of dots! But, I took the easy road out and used my favorite dotting tool to create white polka dots. You can also line the dots straight across like the original design.

Let dry and add a final glossy top coat.

This is by far one of my favorite patriotic nail art designs, and it looks much cuter in person like most nail art! If you're not into the whole nail art thing, this would also be perfect for an accent nail.

What do you think of this Flag design? Is it something you would attempt in the future? If you do, please give me a shout out - I would love to see!

Hey everyone! Boy, let me tell you how much I've missed you guys! Well, to make a long story short, back in the spring I suffered from a lower back injury and pretty much everything came to a complete stop because it was so painful. The good news is, I am totally recovered and ready to get back to what I truly love. 

Of course there is a HUGE drawback with being gone so long, my backlog of polishes "to be swatched" is never ending and it seriously makes me nauseous just thinking about it. Quite honestly, that is exactly why I took so long returning. But, I have to take the bull by the horns and stop procrastinating. So, on a temporary basis I will be swatching on a plastic nail wheel. I'm not exactly thrilled about this because I'm not a big fan of nail wheels, but it works for the time being.

Let's start with two new polishes from CoverGirl's Outlast Stay Brilliant line. When this small collection originally launched a couple months ago, I completely passed it up and didn't look back. The colors really didn’t capture my attention; certainly nothing ground breaking for the relaunch. But, that’s all about to change with the new additions for 2013. At Walgreens, I stumbled across several new shades that included Timeless Rubies and Midnight Magic - gorgeous shimmer flecks! Yes, finally!

Timeless Rubies - is a reddish pink glass flecked shimmer with a slight gold duochrome. I'd say it's more of deep rosy pink than ruby red. But then again, it also seems red in different lighting. It has that metallic foil-esque look like most glass flecked finishes do, and covers perfectly with only two coats. Definitely a winner!

Now if you've guessed Midnight Magic looks awfully familiar, then you hit the nail on the head! She has many friends that's very similar  - OPI On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Sinful Colors Winter Wonderland and Zoya Fei Fei. Not particularly unique, but it's such a fantastic color; I never get tired of seeing it!

CoverGirl Nail Gloss (.37 oz) retails around $4.99 and higher depending on the store. The new colors should be surfacing now or when the Spring 2013 cosmetic resets go into effect.

"CONGRATULATIONS NCAA CHAMPS!!" If you're a native from Kentucky or just a long-time fan, you know this is an exciting win for us Kentuckians!! After a phenomenal season this year, I wanted to get decked out in blue and white with an easy paw print manicure.

Whether you're a sports fan or not - this is great for any animal lover, and like most of my nail art entries on Steph's Closet, its SIMPLE! And that's exactly what I aim for. If it isn't simple, then I honestly don't have time. Plus, I'm always thinking about that non dominate hand!

Supplies/Tools used: Nubar Blueberry Nail Polish for base color, White Acrylic Paint for dots and a Bobby Pin. I usually grab my handy dotting tool for the dots, but I wanted something larger like the tip of a Bobby Pin. It ended up working out perfectly for this particular design.

There's two ways you can create the base paw - just a standard dot (like I did above), or a triangular shape (like the picture tutorial below), which is more realistic compared to an actual animal print. Either way, both options are super easy, no-brainers.

Begin by dipping the bobby pin end into paint/polish and off you go! Just remember you have full control on how big or little your dots are by the amount of paint/polish used on the bobby pin. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!   

Simple, Cute and Easy.

What do you think of my paw print design? Are there any Kentucky fans out there? Hope you have a fabulous weekend! 

SPARK YOUR SUMMER STYLE!

China Glaze® Introduces Four New Crackle Glitter Polishes for May 2012 

Los Angeles, CA – (March 2012):  Sparkle all summer long with China Glaze®’s new Crackle Glitters collection.  Once again taking crackle technology to the next level, this third-generation polish pairs the edgy innovation of crackling nail lacquer with glamorous glitters.  The China Glaze® Crackle Glitters features four shimmering shades including:

Luminous Lavender - Luscious Light Purple, Jade-d - Radiant Bright Green, Glam-More - Bold Fuchsia and Gleam Me Up - Bright Sky Blue.

Create glamorously different looks with just one sweep of China Glaze® Crackle Glitters.  Layer over different base colors to create bold styles.  Use a lighter coat to create a fine crackle, a thicker coat for a deep shatter effect.  Brush sideways or on an angle to create different looks.  As versatile and edgy as China Glaze®’s biggest celebrity fans (Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Nicole Ritchie and Kelly Osbourne, to name a few), China Glaze® Crackle Glitters add a spark(le) to one of the hottest nail art trends!

The China Glaze® Crackle Glitters collection will be available as open stock colors and four-piece counter display.  Individual polishes retail for $9 MSRP and will be available at fine salons and beauty supply stores nationwide in May 2012.

China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde. China Glaze nail lacquers are available through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide. For more information, visit: http://www.chinaglaze.com/ or follow China Glaze on Facebook and Twitter: http://twitter.com/ChinaGlaze.

Are you excited about the new Crackle Glitters or are you totally over crackle polish? 

March 23, 2012 - ORLY International announced today a limited-time nail color collection partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures in conjunction with the release of Tim Burton’s “Dark Shadows,” starring Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter, set to open on May 11, 2012.  

“ORLY strives to deliver innovative products and trend-focused nail shades,” said Jeff Pink, President and CEO of ORLY International. “The adventurous theme of ‘Dark Shadows’ was a perfect fit with our brand and the fashion colors we created for this collection.”  

The collection will include four lacquers, with names and shades that reflect the dark humor conveyed in the film.

In support of the limited-time collection, ORLY will launch a “Dark Shadows” sweepstakes on their Facebook page April 1 – May 12, 2012 where the winner will receive a private screening at a movie theater near the their home for up to 50 guests.

Check out bottle shots and color descriptions below.

Decades of Dysfunction - is a Pale Pink Creme.

Mysterious Curse - is a Purple Duochrome Shimmer. Could this be a possible Royal Velvet dupe?

Grave Mistake - is a Dark Red Creme.

Buried Alive - is a Deep Brown Shimmer.

All ORLY Nail Lacquers are free of DBP, Toluene and all traces of Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde Resin. 

The ORLY Color Collection inspired by the movie, Dark Shadows will be available in May 2012 for $8.50 each at orlybeauty.com and Sally Beauty and Ulta.

About Dark Shadows 

Director Tim Burton brings the cult classic series “Dark Shadows” to the big screen in a gothic comedy featuring an all-star cast. 

In the year 1752, Joshua and Naomi Collins, with young son Barnabas, set sail from England to start a new life in America.  Two decades later Barnabas is the master of Collinwood Manor—rich, powerful and an inveterate playboy…until he makes the grave mistake of breaking the heart of Angelique Bouchard, who dooms him to a fate worse than death: turning him into a vampire, and then burying him alive.  Two centuries pass before Barnabas is freed from his tomb and emerges into the very changed world of 1972.  He returns to Collinwood Manor to find that his once-grand estate has fallen into ruin and the dysfunctional remnants of the Collins family have fared little better, each harboring their own dark secrets. 

“Dark Shadows” stars Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Jonny Lee Miller, Chloe Grace Moretz, Bella Heathcote and Gulliver McGrath.   

Burton directed the film from a screenplay by Seth Grahame-Smith, story by John August and Grahame-Smith, based on the television series created by Dan Curtis.  The producers are Richard D. Zanuck Graham King, Johnny Depp, Christi Dembrowski, and David Kennedy, with Chris Lebenzon, Tim Headington and Bruce Berman serving as executive producers. 

A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, an Infinitum Nihil/GK Films/Zanuck Company production, a Tim Burton film.  Opening on May 11, 2012, “Dark Shadows” will be distributed worldwide in theatres and IMAX by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures. www.darkshadowsthemovie.com.

What do you think about the Dark Shadows color collection? Are you excited to see the movie?

Product: Red Capret Manicure, LED Gel Polish Professional Kit

Price: $80.00

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: RedCarpetManicure.com, Ulta, Ulta.com, Drugstore.com, Meijer and Fred Meyer

Red Carpet Manicure is the first of its kind in the retail market bringing the professional salon experience to the masses. With 36 different shades and a portable or professional LED light, consumers now have an affordable, easy way to have beautiful gel nails within minutes that last for weeks!

What is it?  Red Carpet Manicure is a do-it-yourself system comparable to Professional Salon Services like CND Shellac or OPI Axxium Soak-off Gel Nails. The outcome is similar to acrylic enhancements, except its safe and non damaging to your natural nails. The best part is, with just a few application pointers, anyone can do it at home for a fraction of the cost verses a salon visit!

The Gel Polish Pro Kit includes everything you need to get started:  Prep Max Adhesion Sanitizer, Structure Gel Base Coat, Brilliance Gel Top Coat, Red Carpet Reddy LED Nail Color, Purify Pre & Post Cleanser, Erase Nail Polish Remover, Revitalize Cuticle Oil and Professional LED Light.

Since application is a pretty lengthy process the first time around, I would suggest reading the instructions carefully and watching Red Carpet Maicure's How To Video Tutorial before getting started. Additionally, here are some tips I've gathered up based on my own personal experience.

Application Tips:

• Make time. My first manicure took roughly between 40-50 minutes, but once I got familiar with the system, my time was cut down by half. I'd also recommend testing out one nail first before you rush into a full blown manicure. 
• The most important advice I can give; apply in thin coats - it can make or break the longevity of your manicure.
• Always clean up mistakes on the skin and under the nail as you go - before each cure. If you don't, the polish will harden and make next to impossible to clean up without ruining the application.
• Always wrap the free edge or tip throughout each step.
• Avoid touching the surface of the nail until the final step of curing. It will have a sticky texture, which is completely normal and expected. Just be careful with too much hands on; you could possibly leave imprints or smudges.   
• Paint as close to the cuticle as possible without leaving any large gaps because nail growth will start to show after time. 

Red Carpet Reddy is the only color included in the Professional Kit, and it's a glossy cherry red creme that goes on smoothly in two or three coats. I used three coats in the swatches since my nail tips are heavily pigmented and tend to show my visible nail line.

Wear time Results:  With regular nail polish I'm lucky to get five days of wear, and that's stretching it quite a bit. So I was beyond amazed that it lasted a whole two weeks without budging. The only thing I noticed after week two - the color started to wear off my tips and it lost its glossy luster just a tad.

Pros

• If applied correctly in thin layers, you'll have a long lasting, 2-3 week manicure with no chips or smudges.
• The same results at-home as a CND Shellac Manicure or any other gel services at the salon for a fraction of the cost. 
• Perfect for vacations, weddings, or any other event(s) when you don't have time to keep up with your manicure.
• Even though UV Gel Lamps are known to give off very minimal UV exposure, the fact of the matter, its still UV. So, it's safe to know the RCM Pro LED light does not emit any kind of UV rays. And most likely, you won't ever have to replace the LED lights. UV replacement lights tend to cost around $3-$5 per 9W bulb. Whenever in doubt about UV/LED usage, just make sure you use a SPF hand cream.
• Non damaging and Non staining to your natural nails.
• Great for thin and brittle nails, but not necessarily recommended for damaged nail beds.

Cons

• The initial cost for the system is more expensive - but then again, all it takes is 2-3 visits to the salon and you'll have it paid for.
• It takes longer than your average manicure (40-45 min at first), but requires NO dry time whatsoever.
• Application may require a little practice to achieve thin, even coverage - which is the key for a lasting manicure.
• Not your standard removal - takes approximately 10 minutes with acetone, cotton pads and foil.

Final Thoughts - I've had a blast playing around with the system the last four weeks, and I think it's an exceptional product once you get the application process down. It may seem like a lot of steps up front, but once you get the hang of it, time is cut in half from 45 minutes down to 25 minutes with no drying time or babysitting your manicure.

What do you guys think of Gel Nails? Has anyone tried the Red Carpet System yet? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Full Disclosure: The following product(s) was provided to Steph's Closet by the Manufacturer or PR company for consideration. 

Summer 2012 is going to be a super stylish season for nails with the latest offering of nail polish collections, Beach and Surf, from the new color of fashion, Zoya! This new splash of color, designed by the Zoya color experts, is kissed by sea and sand translating beautifully onto the nail in the famous, full-coverage Zoya formula.

Dive into the creamy shades of the Zoya Beach Collection or the shimmering sea foils of the Zoya Surf Collection. The choice is yours – this color palette is sure to be a splash!

Zoya BEACH Collection - Reagan (ZP614) - deep cerise pink cream, Lara (ZP615) - vivid cerise pink cream, Shelby (ZP616) - soft pinky pink cream, Arizona (ZP617) - soft coral orange cream, Tracie (ZP618) - sea grass metallic and Wednesday (ZP619) - soft aqua cream.

Zoya SURF Collection - Rory (ZP620) - lotus pink foil metallic, Carly (ZP621) - thalia purple foil metallic, Kimber (ZP622) - magenta pink foil metallic, Myrta (ZP623) - coral orange foil metallic, Meg (ZP624) - mermaid green foil metallic and Zuza (ZP625) - aquamarine foil metallic.

The Zoya BEACH and SURF collection was designed and inspired by resort runways and tropical get-a-ways.

BEACH and SURF by Zoya Nail Polish will be available April 1, 2012 (USA) at www.zoya.com. Suggested Retail Price is $8.00 per 0.5 fl.oz. bottle.   

Take a sneak peek of Reagan & Carly and Lara & Kimber courtesy of Zoya. Are you guys excited about Zoya's new Beach and Surf Collection?

A happy belated Saint Patrick's Day to you! Hope you're having a wonderful start to the week! I didn't officially plan on posting my Paddy's Day Manicure since it's three days after the fact, but, I thought it be a perfect fit for the first day of Spring (or shall I say summer - it's blazing hot)!

Since I was extremely short on time like always, I chose to stay in my comfort zone with a simple and cute polka dot manicure - maybe not as creative as my plaid design last year, but certainly fun! You can never go wrong with polka dots, in my opinion!

Supplies used: OPI Did It On 'Em from the Nicki Minaj Collection, Sinful Exotic Green and a dotting tool for polka dots.    

What do you think of my polka dot design? Did everyone have a great Paddy's Day? What did you end up wearing - anything special? Have a wonderful day!

Nubar's Jellybeans Spring 2012 Collection features eight new and exciting high-gloss shades, and while I'm still in the process of getting them swatched and reviewed, I wanted to share this gorgeous blue with you.

Blueberry - is a vibrant blue creme with a squishy, jelly-like finish. I really adore the texture. It's not as opaque as a creme, but not as sheer as a jelly - the end result, a half-breed with buildable, shiny color!

Since it has a translucent quality (like most jellies tend to do), the sun is picking up my visible nail line (VNL) in the photos. But I can assure you, it's not that noticeable in real life at all!

Are you ready for some polka dots?!

White Polka Dots - is a fine holographic glitter and small hexagonal glitter in a clear base over Blueberry. Best for use over a base color.

White & Black Polka Dots - one coat of each over Blueberry. I really love this salt n pepper combination. It's so versatile and looks fabulous over any color!

The Polka Dot Collection is now available at Nubar.com and retails for $20.00, which includes my favorite top coat, Diamont. The Jellybeans Collection should be available very, very soon. 

What do you think of Nubar Blueberry? How do you feel about these hybrid type textures? Stay tuned for my official review on Jellybeans and Polka Dots!

Full Disclosure: The following product(s) was provided to Steph's Closet by the Manufacturer or PR company for consideration.

In the midst of all the new and exciting products launching this year, I stumbled upon an interesting find from Milani's Texture Display at Meijer this past week. Sure, it might look like your usual collection of already permanent colors (with the exception of Red Jewels FX). But upon further inspection, I spotted a new version of Red Sparkle that's quite different!

Just a quick note before we move on to swatches. I can't confirm if this is actually a "new version" or just a big manufacture OOOPS, which I've seen happen in the past (ahem, Milani's High Speed Collection).

Let's check out Red Sparkle!

Red Sparkle - is a red glitter in a clear base with tiny gold pieces of hexagon glitter. The consistency is heavier and chunky, much like Color Club's Mistletoe Collection. And it's definitely not a one coater; three coats for full coverage leaving just a few splotchy areas on the nail.   

Of course, I wouldn't forget a comparison! There are two main differences here. The new version has large, chunky glitter - not as dense as the original, and it also has a punch of gold hexagon glitter.

Overall - Even though I like the added touch of gold hexagon glitter, I actually prefer the old version better, because, in my opinion, the new version goes against the grain of their nearly "one coat" formula.

Which Red Sparkle do you like? Have you seen this version is stores yet? Milani has a lot of new additions coming to the Jewel FX and One Coat Glitter line, keep a look out!

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! I really wanted to post this Candy Cane Tutorial last week, but as you can see, it clearly didn't happen (I do sincerely apologize for that)! The good news, not only is this a super cute design for Christmas and Holidays, it looks great with any two colors all season long! Try black and gold or silver and black for New Year's Eve!  

Supplies I used: Nubar Sensual Red (red base color), Kiss Nail Art Paint in White (white stripes), Sinful Nail Art in Be My Valentine (matching red for correcting), Martha Stewart Sugar Cube glitter or any iridescent top coat for finishing.

If you don't own nail art polish, you can always purchase a striper paint brush from any craft store to use with your existing color collection.   

Step 1:  After applying a base coat, start with a red base color or any color of your choice. Let dry.

Step 2:  Using the nail art paint in white, draw a set of thin diagonal lines in the center of your nail like shown in above. Don't worry if your stripes aren't picture perfect! We'll be giving them a quick fix in Step 4.

Tips: If you have trouble drawing a straight line, try rotating your finger while holding the brush steady. Also, instead of a double line pattern, try mixing it up with thicker stripes and single lines!

Step 3:  Continue with the second set of lines leaving a nice gap in between each set. Remember, try to follow the same horizontal pattern for a more even and uniform look.

Step 4:  After you completed the third set of lines, let dry.

There's a simple way to fix your stripes without destroying the entire design. Just take the opposite color, in this case the red polish, and fill in the areas you want corrected. Or - and this is how I personally like to do it, take the red striper polish and make a clean sweep where it needs to be corrected.

Tip: If using both red and white polish to correct the stripes, be sure they are completely dry. You don't want the red and white mixing to pink!

Step 5 (optional):  At this point you can apply a top coat and be done, or if you really want to bring this candy cane design to life, add some iridescent glitter or a sugar-like top coat to give that sparkly effect.

What do you think of my Candy Cane Nails? Is this something you would try in the future?

This Holiday, the Sequins and Shine Collection brings us two limited edition colors to the Nailwear Pro Line from Avon. Gleaming Gold (not shown) - a metallic gold and Violetta Sparkle - a deep sparkling purple.

Are you ready to take a look at Sequined Turquoise and Violetta Sparkle?

Sequined Turquoise is part of the Total Glamour Holiday Set ($19.00), which includes a collection for eyes, lips, and nails bundled into a black holographic evening bag. Unfortunately this color is not sold alone, but hopefully that will change soon. Pretty please Avon!

Hands down, Sequined Turquoise is clearly the Rock Star and honestly one of the best colors I've seen from Avon to date (that's why it's such a tragedy this isn't perm!). It's a gorgeous blue-green jelly packed with glittering silver glass flecks.  

Looking at the bottle, I thought Sequined Turquoise was going to be "another" Charla, Catch Me In Your Net or Halley's Comet dupe (among the million others). As you can see, it's definitely not another one of those shades - thank goodness! It's much deeper and leans towards a green/teal. But not as green as perhaps Iceberg Lotus, Utopia or Shimmering Sea. Just the perfect balance between green and blue!

Click Here to check out how this compares to other similar shades from the Photo Gallery.   

Violetta is one of my favorite colors from the Matte line - except it falls flat without a glossy top coat, so I'm happy they've brought it back in a sparkle version.

Violetta Sparkle is a deep purple jelly with gold glass flaky shimmer. It does apply thin and squishy like Sequined Turquoise, but builds up nicely with 2-3 layers. I actually prefer this in two coats opposed to three (if that's possible!). It's not nearly as deep or blackened and you can still see some purple in it.

Overall, both Violetta Sparkle and Sequined Turquoise are total wins in my book! The only true disadvantages are the thin formula and ultra limited edition status of Sequined Turquoise. Average wear time usually runs me 3- 5 days with base coat and top coat, although I haven't tested these particular shades.

The holiday shades are available online for a limited time only and retails for $5.00/ea (currently on sale for $2.99/ea). What do you think of Violetta Sparkle and Sequined Turquoise? I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween!! After my beloved cat, Luv, passed away last month I decided to take a long break to recover and I'm happy to be back just time to celebrate one of my favorite holidays, Halloween!

Today I have a fun post that consists of Candy Corn Nails along with Pumpkin Nail Polishes from Blue Cross Beauty that can be found at Rite Aid or Meijer stores. With Candy Corn being one of the most popular candies sold during Halloween, it was only fitting to sport a White, Orange and Yellow Candy Corn Manicure with a gradient twist.

Gradient Nail Art is actually super easy once you've mastered the technique of blending layers with a sponge. And it works with about any nail polish - not just sheer or jelly finishes. I plan on dedicating an entire post on gradients very soon, but here is a super quick tutorial until then. 

What I used: Wet n Wild Mad-Styles (white), Wet n Wild Scratchiti (orange), Wet n Wild Art Crime (yellow) and a sponge (any makeup, paint or nail art sponge will work).

There are many ways to accomplish a multiple layered look. You can freehand it or use tape or nail guides. I personally just painted my whole nail white, then orange, then yellow. Just make sure the polish you use is opaque.

Before you start sponging, make sure the nail is completely dry or else you'll encounter bald spots. The main goal here is to cover up the lines of each color. Start sponging in a blotting motion using the white or orange color (your preference). And if you over sponge like I did above, just take the orange and repeat. It's a cinch to cover up mistakes. Continue this process until you're satisfied.

Finish with a top coat and it's that easy! Are you ready for Pumpkin Polishes?!

Blue Glitter - A mixture of blue, gold and pink glitter in a clear base.

Green Glitter - A mixture of green and gold glitter in a semi sheer tinted green base.

Purple Glitter - A mixture of pink and blue glitter in a semil sheer purple/pink base.

Multi Glitter - A multi colored glitter in a clear base over Dior Rock Coat.

Silver Glitter - A silver glitter in a clear base with black hexagon pieces over gray.

Blue Glitter - A blue glitter in an opaque blue base color. 

Purple Iridescent Glitter - An iridescent flakie in a purple jelly base, same as Claire's.

Orange Glitter - An opaque orange glitter with silver hexagon pieces.

Black Glitter - An opaque black glitter with silver hexagon pieces.

Pink Glitter - A pink glitter in a clear base with sliver hexagon pieces.

What do you think of my gradient Candy Corn Manicure? Did you wear anything special? Hope you had a safe and wonderful Halloween!

This season, Nubar brings you eight new and enticing fashion forward colors of our premium carcinogen and cruelty free nail lacquer with the Polished Chic Collection. Offering contemporary colors perfect for work, casual daytime wear, and even a night out, every woman can look to Nubar's Polished Chic Collection to update her look.

See more product photos and color descriptions below! 

Always free of DBP (phthalate), formaldehyde, and toluene, the nail lacquers included in Nubar's Polished Chic Collection are: 

Classic Camel - an updated buff creme, Faded Putty - a modern pale putty crème, Edgy Umber - a deep brown crème, Beguiling Carmine - a brick red crème, Vogue Vert - a contemporary light green crème, Mod Aqua - a light turquoise crème, Stylish Peacock - a perfect teal crème, Elegant Indigo - a sparkling blackened blue.

Are you ready for a sneak peek?

Here are some quick swatches of the Polished Chic Collection. I should have a full review along with additional photos soon.

Are you feeling the Polished Chic Collection? What are your favorite colors?

Full Disclosure: The following product(s) was provided to Steph's Closet by the Manufacturer or PR company for consideration. 

Happy Monday! Did everyone have a fabulous weekend? For the last couple weeks I've been terribly sick with a case of the summer flu, but I'm starting to feel much better now. Thank you for all your emails and get well wishes, it really helped me through!  

Let's start off today with a fresh new color from Nina Ultra Pro called, Glamrock. It's a super blingy,  silver glitter suspended in a deep gray-charcoal base with silver glitter and small silver hexagon pieces floating throughout. The formula was chunky and on the thick side, but trust me, it's totally worth it!

Are you ready for a comparison?

Glamrock does indeed have a close sibling - and it's a good one too! Ever since Nicole's Nickel was released this past Spring at Target, I've worn it countless times. I absolutely adore it! So, if you missed out on this target exclusive, now's your chance to grab at almost half the cost.

There's only once small difference between the two. Nicole's Nickel has a lighter base color while Glamrock is a deeper, almost charcoal base with better color payoff. What's not to love? Great price, Great coverage?!

Nina Ultra Pro in Glamrock is available at Sally Beauty and retails for $4.49/ea or $3.79 if you're a Beauty Club Card Holder.

What do you think of Glamrock? Have you picked up any new colors from Nina Ultra Pro? Have a wonderful night! 

We can always count on our friends at Revlon to bring us the hottest shade of the season for a fraction of the cost. After the huge success of Perplex and Black Envy, Carbonite makes its grand entrance into fall with the Grit & Grandeur Collection. Will it live up to our expectations?

Carbonite is described as pewter gray with a metallic/foil texture. The formula is what truly fascinates me. It's like liquid metal with a smooth lead finish. Not super sparkly or reflective like a true metallic, but it still falls in the same category. And what's even better than that? It's opaque, and I'm talking about a one coater! Ok, maybe two if you're like me! 

Let's check out how it compares to Chanel's Graphite.

One difference I spotted right off the bat, Carbonite is missing the abundance of gold glass flecked glitter that makes Graphite a rare gem. Not a huge deal; you can re-create a similar look using a gold effects top coat (like CND Gold Sparkle or ChG White Cap). Also, the base color of Carbonite is lighter towards a pewter whereas Graphite has more of a deep silver/gray.

Overall  Even though these aren't dead on dupes, I love the smooth liquid metal of Carbonite. The formula and application was next to perfection. And best of all, it's a budget friendly alternative to Chanel Graphite!

Carbonite is available for a limited time only and retails for $4.99/ea (0.5 oz). What do you think of Revlon's latest dupe attempt? Which brand do you prefer?

Happy Sunday! Hope everyone is keeping cool and surviving this bloody heat wave. For the last couple weeks I've been preoccupied beta testing a new "compare" feature in the Photo Gallery that I'm excited to share - but more on that later, for now let's move on to a new color from Sally Hansen's Nailgrowth Miracle line called, Creamy Olive.     

Eight new shades are included in the Nailgrowth Miracle Summer Display: Lush Lavender -Lavender Purple, Polished Pearl - Nude/Beige Shimmer, Creamy Olive - Green Khaki, Perfect Peach - Orange/Peach Shimmer, Desert Clay - Dusty Pink, Radiant Red - Cranberry Red, Plum Parfait - Deep Purple Plum and Chocolate Creme - Dark Brown.

Creamy Olive is a murky, light sage green creme. It has a greyed-out neutral feel to it depending on the lighting you're in. Sometimes it's green, other times it's a khaki/nude. It's a great neutral for cool or warm skin tones if you're into funky colors.

Formula, Application, Brush. First, let's talk about the brush shape. Let it be known, I am not a fan of the wide, tapered brush that most brands are converting to nowadays. It's similar to the Complete Salon Manicure style. And since my nail beds are small, I find myself using more of the inward tip of the brush when applying. It's great for larger nail beds, just not for me. Besides the brush factor, formula was slightly thin with nice coverage in two coats.

Are you ready for comparisons?

We've got dupes and lots of them! Between Creamy Olive, Stranger Tides and Seaweed, it was next to impossible to distinguish the difference, so I'd say they're exact. Da Bush does look greener in my swatch, but that may be from an addition coat due to the finicky formula. Still, I think it might be just a hair more green if anything at all.

Creamy Olive is now available at stores where Sally Hansen is available and retails for $5.49/ea for .45/oz. What do you think of Creamy Olive? Is this your kind of color? Have you tried any colors from the Nailgrowth Miracle line? 

Instead of a traditional Red, White and Blue patriotic design for Independence Day, I wanted to post a fun, summer manicure inspired by my favorite fruit and Smuckers Strawberry Watermelon Press on Nails I spotted at Target a few months ago. As soon as I saw this super cute nail art design, I thought to myself "hey, now this is something I can do!" Easy Breezy!   

Supplies I used: Wet n Wild Writings on the Wall (red), Wet n Wild Art Crime (yellow), Wet n Wild Undercover Graffiti (light green), Finger Paints Go Van Gogh! (dark green), Base & Top Coat, fine detailed paint brush and a dotting tool.

Check out my step by step tutorial below.

Step 1: After applying a base coat, choose any cherry red nail polish for your base color. If you don't have a red, try a strawberry or bubble gum pink for a strawberries 'n creme design. Paint two coats or until opaque. Let dry.     

Step 2: It's time to build the leaves. Using a dark green color and a fine detailed brush, paint a fancy "A" shape without the line across like shown above.

Step 3: Continue to fill in your leaves with the dark green on the edge by your cuticle.

Step 4: This is when the light green comes into play. Take your fine detailed brush and light green nail polish and start outlining the edges of the leaves.

Just remember not to cover up the dark green completely. We want to add random highlights to give the illusion of real leaves. 

Step 5: Now it's time for the easy part, polka dots! You can substitute the yellow dots for white ones just like the original design or if you're using a pink base. Using a dotting tool, tooth pick or fine detailed brush start dotting with white or yellow paint.

Note: I'm always in the mind frame of working with polka dots in a diagonal pattern, but you can place them anywhere on the nail. In fact, they'd probably look better if they were random or sporadic!

Step 6: Before adding a top coat, make sure you let your nails dry for at least 10-15 minutes. If you apply it too early, the design may smear and blend your colors together and we certainly don't want that! 

What do you think of my Strawberry Nails? Is this something you could do easily? Did everyone have a fabulous holiday weekend? Did you wear anything special? Have a great Tuesday!