Pinkginger's A Thing of Beauty

BB Couture Sea of Cortez

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 23:19:00 +0000

This is another "oldie but goodie", purchased during my first year of nail blogging. I don't remember where I first saw it, but when I did, I was like, "Whoa!"

(In other words, totally inarticulate)

Sea Of Cortez is a beautiful cerulean blue jelly, packed with iridescent glitter. Actually, if I were to count them, I would say the majority of polishes in my BB Couture stash are glitter. (I'm secretly a magpie)

Sea of Cortez is a classic, and if you love the colour blue, you really need to get your hands on this!

Like Venice Party, the glitter dries a little gritty, but the payoff is worth it.

I used 3 coats in these photos, but two also looks great.

two photos are with flash, an two are without. (See if you can guess because I have no idea)

Happy Thursday!

Ginger-OK, Zoya Remove is my favourite nail polish remover. HANDS DOWN!!!

Playlist of The Week: Popular on The Internet

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 18:20:00 +0000

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I haven't done one of these in a while, so I wanted to make it something good/annoying. So, without further delay, here is a list of songs that became popular on the internet...just because.

I hope you'll all still like me tomorrow :P

Gangnam Style-PSY (Could not not include this one! My grammar is awesome)
Call Me Maybe-Carly Rae Jepsen
Harlem Shake-Baauer (Truth be told, I thought this song was only 30 seconds long)
I Knew You Were A Goat When You Walked In-Taylor Swift (parody) (Hilarity!)
Teach Me How To Dougie-Cali Swag District (There's a dance too)
Friday-Rebecca Black (How dare you besmirch my favourite day of the week? How dare you!)
Thrift Shop:-Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (feat. Wanz) (This one is one of my favourites, actually)

OK...that's enough.

Happy Saturday!

Ginger

BB Couture Venice Party

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 23:13:00 +0000

...And I'm back! (Again)
With all of these disappearances and reappearances, I'm beginning to feel like a soap-opera character. (Do they still have those? Soap operas, I mean) I was supposed to post last week, but my most recent photos were deleted from my computer (still can't figure out that one), and I was so frustrated that I called the whole thing off altogether.
I found the memory stick they were on, so after much debate--and soul/stash searching--I'm going to be blogging regularly again. (Yay?)

Today's swatch is a re-post of a manicure I did during my very first year of blogging. (I'm not linking because, lazy) I was new to the scene, and had no idea what an indie brand was. (Back then, I wore OPI exclusively) I don't remember how I was introduced to BB Couture, but once I discovered them, I was hooked.

3 coats, lightbox, no topcoat

with flash

...I think this one is also with flash, but I don't remember.

Venice Party is one of my favourites by them. It is an iridescent glitter, complemented by a light-indigo base. My previous swatches don't do it justice, but these ones come pretty close.

I love this colour. The polish itself is of a nice consistency and dries slightly gritty, but it can be smoothed out with a topcoat.
As far as I know, Venice Party is still available for purchase at overallbeauty.com, and it retails for $10.95.

Happy Tuesday!
Ginger-Speaking of which, I haven't purchased any BB Couture in ages! That must be rectified.

My Winter Hands Survival Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:54:00 +0000

Hello All!

I feel as though this blog is mostly me apologizing for not posting enough. But I have two good reasons for not posting any nail photos. 1. I'm saving money and looking at swatches of nail polish is not helpful, and 2. My hands look like crap.

Most of you will say, "That's okay, we don't mind." But, I, as a blog reader do not like to enlarge photos to see hangnails, blisters, and torn cuticles, no matter how pretty the nail polish is. That's the look I'm currently rocking because I live in Canada, and no matter how well I take care of my hands, the cold weather makes them revert to their default setting: dry and cracked.

Fortunately, I have three 'holy grail' products that have worked wonders. My hands aren't as bad as they used to be since I've made these a staple in my make up bag.

#1. Burts Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream I didn't think I'd love any cream as much as Lush's Lemony Flutter, but I was dead wrong. This stuff is amazing, and it keeps my dry cuticles under control.

#2. L'Occitane Shea Butter in Vineyard Rose

Not only does this make my hands soft, but it smells nice too. I think this particular version has been discontinued, but there's also an 8ML honey scented version that retails on the website for $10.00.

#3. Vaseline I figured I'd add an inexpensive classic. Since my skin is very dry, any lotion I have to use has to be as really thick and creamy. I prefer Vaseline (my favourites are Baby Powder and Cocoa Butter) because the emollient effects last longer. (Plus, it keeps away the "ash". It's a brown girl thing)

That's all I have for now. Happy Wednesday!

Ginger-Illamasqua has the best customer service. That is all.

Drugstore Fabulousness:Maybelline Downtown Brown

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 14:46:00 +0000

How typical of me to feature a Limited Edition Fall nail colour in the middle of winter! Anyway, unlike most nail polish lovers, I love the colour brown. I love most shades of it, particularly when they're unique. Maybelline Downtown Brown definitely fits the bill.

3 coats, SV topcoat, CND Stickey basecoat

It's a chocolate brown with a green iridescent shift. In the bottle, it shifts to purple, but that doesn't translate to the nail. I don't mind though because the colour is gorgeous enough on its own.

I don't know if this shade is still available in your neck of the woods, but I definitely saw it in the drugstore a few weeks ago. If you like brown, this one is a nice addition to your collection.

Happy Tuesday!

Ginger

I'm Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 15:47:00 +0000

Hello All!

Is anyone actually still out there?

Anyway, if you are out there, thank you for sticking around. I have had a lot of time to sit and think, and I have decided to continue posting. I started this blog to practice writing, and to share my love of nail polish. That goal hasn't changed. I still love nail polish, though I have limited the amount I buy significantly. This is just a teaser post to show you what you can expect.

New-To-Me Brand: Butter London. (love them!)

Sloane Ranger, Posh Bird, Fishwife, and Scuppered

Hits No Olimpo Dionisio-One of my favourite purchases last year. A gorgeous holographic purple.

Color Club First Looks topped with OPI Goldeneye.

Just so you know, I am a failure at nail art. I can stamp, but that's about it. Also? I'm not detailed about formula descriptions. The best I can do is come up with interesting names for common colours. (Puce, anyone?) I like to post playlists and the occasional video because I like music. A lot. This won't be the best blog you will ever read, but it will be sassy and long-winded. But those of you who have been reading for a while know this all to well.

Thank you again,

Ginger

Champagne Wishes and Caviar Dreams:High End Nail Polish

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 11:59:00 +0000

Hello All,

I apologize, yet again for my prolonged absence. Life got in the way of blogging. I hope to be back in the swing of things soon, but to start, here's a manicure I wore several weeks ago.

If you had told me 4 years ago that I would be glad to drop $20 on a single bottle of nail polish, I would have told you that you were crazy. As it turns out, not only am I glad to spend $20 or more on quality nail polish, but I'm willing to do it often. That is what you would call progress. Or insanity. Either way, I'm happy to splurge occasionally on colours I really like.
Nail polish isn't as expensive as shoes or handbags so I can spend without hating myself for it. Besides, I hate shoe shopping, and I'm more into huge "Nana-sized" tote bags. Yay.
Anyway, one of my favourite splurges was Rescue Beauty Lounge's Catherine H., named for Catherine Howard, the ill-fated fifth wife of King Henry VIII, who was beheaded for committing treason and adultery.

The shade itself is a beautiful Wedgewood blue with lots of multicoloured shimmer. While some may balk at the price, I believe that we really do get what we pay for as the formula is perfect and opaque in just one coat. (I used two for the manicure)

lightbox

I missed out on purchasing the Tudor collection the first time around, but once they became available, I purchased the entire collection. Catherine H. is still available for purchase on Rescue Beauty Lounge's site, but Anne (another favourite) is sold out.

List of The Week:Hurricane Playlist

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 21:41:00 +0000

Here are a bunch of random songs that are either about the wind, or hurricanes. I hope all of you who are in hurricane Sandy's path are safe and sound. I'm sending good vibes your way :)

Waiting For The Hurricane-Chris de Burgh
Mr. Hurricane-Beast
The Wind-Zac Brown Band
Wind of Change-The Scorpions
Hurricane-Theory of a Deadman
Rock You Like A Hurricane-Scorpions (Seriously, what's with these guys and songs about wind?)
Hurricane-Bob Dylan (This is actually about boxer Ruben "The Hurricane" Carter, but its title fits the overall theme)
Blowing in the Wind-Joan Baez (A classic)
Hurricane-30 Seconds To Mars (WHAT.THE.EFF?!)
The Wind-Mariah Carey (From her second album Emotions)

Have a great day!

Ginger-Last week I wore RBL's Poppy for 3 days in a row. Loves it!

I Haven't Posted For This Entire Month! (In other news, RBL's Cuprum is beautiful!)

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 23:44:00 +0000

It has been far too long since I've posted anything on this blog. What was supposed to be a short hiatus ended up taking longer than I expected.

Don't get me wrong--I am still a die-hard nail polish fanatic, I just lost the will to blog about it. I used to love "swatching", and I would often take one day to do all of them at once. Now I get tired just thinking about it, and when I do take pictures, I end up disliking most of them and refusing to publish them. On the other hand, I miss the dialogue I had with you, the readers of this blog. I felt really guilty whenever I failed to post something, yet I couldn't bring myself to do it because I knew I'd be posting due to obligation rather than a sincere desire to share my new finds with you.

You all deserve better.

I think the distance is exactly what I needed to get my "groove" back. During my break I still read blogs, I just didn't add comments. (For what it's worth, nail polish blogging has come a long way since I started in 2009, and I am proud to be among your ranks!) I didn't start this blog to get sample collections from companies. I am mediocre at nail art, and I technically don't do 'reviews' of the nail polish. My goal since the beginning was to share my collection--in picture form--with other nail polish lovers. Everything that has happened since then is a bonus. I guess what I'm trying to say is...thank you. I don't post as often as most bloggers, but when I do, I want it to be something that I am proud to sign my (nick)name to.

Anyway,

Here are some old photos of a mani I did this summer using Cuprum from the Rescue Beauty Lounge Fan Collection. It's a vibrant metallic blue with copper glitter flecks. These photos were in my "reject" pile, but for the life of me, I can't remember what I didn't like about them.

indoors no flash (light box)

indirect sun

in lowlight to show the copper flakes

Cuprum is the only colour from the Fan Collection that is still available on the Rescue Beauty Lounge website. If you love blue, this one is definitely a keeper!

Hugs,

Ginger

Saturday Spam: The Colours I Wanted To Wear

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 20:37:00 +0000

Hello again!

Part two of my Saturday Spam features the colours that I wanted to wear, but didn't because I fell asleep before painting my nails. (Lazy.)

Revlon Posh

Coats: 3

Thoughts: Posh is just stunning! It's a lively Kelly green creme that was surprisingly easy to apply. It would have complemented the shirt I wore on Wednesday, but I grabbed a pink nail polish instead. (That picture was just too ugly to post.)

BB Couture Black Widow

Coats:2

Thoughts: A deep vampy purple with glitter. I've never seen the movie from which this polish gets its name, but it is perfect. I'll wear it another day. (Also, The formula is excellent.)

China Glaze Kalahari Kiss
Coats: 2
Thoughts: I don't normally like yellow nail polish, but this one is pretty. I like the fact that it isn't obnoxiously bright. The formula is thick but good.

Dandy Nails You Set My Soul Alight

Coats: 3

Thoughts: I admit that I bought my very first "indie" polish because of the name. While I was browsing the website, I came across this beauty and thought "What song is that from?" The answer: "Supermassive Black Hole" by Muse. Since I like the song, I felt as though I should buy the nail polish too. It doesn't hurt that You Set My Soul Alight is a black jelly with pink, blue, purple, and silver holographic glitter. This is definitely my favourite--even though I didn't wear it.

I hope you're having a wonderful day :)

Stay tuned for part 3! (Hint: It's a mess!)

Ginger

Saturday Spam:What I Wore This Week

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 13:38:00 +0000

Hello All!

Due to my prolonged absence during the week I am going to be posting 3 times today. All of them will be spam, and all of them will feature short descriptions of the colour, the formula, and whether or not I liked it. It's going to be fun.

Models Own 25 Karat Gold

Worn:Thursday

Coats: 2

Thoughts: I loved this colour. First of all, it's GOLD! (All caps) It's more of a frosty shimmer, but I will always overlook frosty nail polish if I really like the colour. I love gold. I liked this manicure in spite of the fact that I nicked my pinky in between coats and didn't have time to fix it. As a bonus, I received quite a few compliments when I wore it.

Essie Midnight Cami

Worn: Saturday

Coats:2

Thoughts: I've been meaning to wear this one for a while. It's a beautiful twilight blue (according to Essie's website) plus it's shimmery. I really like wearing shimmery jewel tones in the fall. I liked the formula, but the brush was too thin for my big fat nails.

KleanColor Peacock-a-boo
Worn:Monday
Coats:3
Thoughts:I like this colour because it reminds me of the suede version of Russian Navy. It's a violet blue foil with lots of silver shimmer. The formula was okay. It didn't dry quickly, and I'm impatient, so that isn't a good thing. The colour makes up for the time it took to dry.

HITS Zeus (No Olimpo Collection)
Worn:Friday
Coats:2
Thoughts: This was the star of the week! Not only is it a holographic charcoal grey, but it applied well in just two coats, and it wore like iron. I wore it to work and it made it through an entire shift without chipping or scraping off. Zeus also receives bonus points for having a wonderful brush.

can you tell I took this picture in a different location? *sigh*

Happy Saturday!

(I wore Soulstics Spa Troy on Sunday but I already posted it)

Post Two to follow.

Ginger

Soulstice Spa Troy

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 23:29:00 +0000

Soulstice Spa is a new-to-me brand that I discovered on the Nail Polish Canada website. The fact that it is both vegan and cruelty-free definitely appealed to me. I love my nail polish, but I'm a little wary of continually exposing myself to older, more toxic formulas, and I usually wear a mask when I paint my nails with my old-school shades.

3 coats indoors no flash

with flash

I chose Troy (named for the Ancient Greek city that is now part of modern-day Turkey) because it combines two of my favourite things, holographic sparkle, and grey nail polish. It's not a linear holo, like OPI My Private Jet, or Color Club Revvvolution, but it's a beautiful shade nonetheless. The formula holds up quite well--especially when you consider the fact that it doesn't have many of the chemicals that bond the lacquer to the nail.

I wore this colour for a few days last week, and it held up surprisingly well while I was at work. I have to admit I don't usually expect much from "indies"--or vegan polish, for that matter--but Soulstice Spa really impressed me. I will definitely purchase more from Soulstice Spa in the future.

In other news, I just scored Essie Viva La Vespa for--get this--a reasonable price! I was stunned to see it priced so close to what I would pay for a regular Essie (they're kind of steep here) so I bought it immediately. I am kind of anxious to see what it looks like in person.

Anyway, that's about all I have for today.
Have a good one :)
Ginger-I've given up on Starry Starry Night completely. Sometimes you just have to learn to let go. :P

China Glaze Beauty Within

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 21:59:00 +0000

Hello All!

Once again, I apologize for my absence. (I seem to be doing that a lot lately)

I've been so busy with real life that I keep forgetting to update this blog.

That will change.

China Glaze Beauty Within is one of 12 shades offered as a part of the United In Purpose collection. (For Breast Cancer Awareness)

It is a vibrant, almost-neon, creme that dries to a matte eggshell finish. When I purchased it I had no idea what to expect because there were no swatches of it. I took a risk and purchased it--along with United, a pink multicoloured glitter.

This is one of those instances where taking a risk pays off; Beauty Within is a must-have for anyone who loves bright pink. The formula is great. It dries quickly, and I only had to use two coats to make it opaque. Actually, rather than swatching this, I wore it for nearly an entire week. It's such a great colour, and best of all, I don't have anything else quite like it. (And I have a lot of pink!)

indoors ambient light

I can't wait to see what the rest of the collection looks like.

Have an amazing Sunday!
Ginger-I didn't buy any nail polish on my last trip to the drugstore. My self restraint is getting better :)

NOTD: KleanColor Chunky Holo Scarlet

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 19:12:00 +0000

Hello All!

Today I'd like to show you one okay-ish picture of one of Kleancolor's Chunky Holos in Scarlet. I bought several of them last year (I think I even published the pathetic-looking haul photos) but I have only worn one or two. Last year, I promised myself that I wouldn't buy any more nail polish until I already "shopped my stash" for unworn treasures. I failed miserably. Oh well, I guess I should try again--and stick to it.

Scarlet is a vibrant red jelly with gold and iridescent glitter. I would necessarily classify this as a holo--actually, there's technically nothing holographic about it. But, has beautiful iridescent/duochrome glitter and that definitely makes up for the mislabeling.

This mani is 3 coats. There's still visible nail line, but it's a jelly base, so I'm not picky about it. Since I love the colour red, this is perfect for me. :)

Happy Saturday!
Ginger-I'm just going to pretend that I didn't buy more nail polish this morning.

Way Too Many Pictures of Zoya Ki

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 20:06:00 +0000

Hello All!

Today's mani features a colour that has been on the radar of nail polish aficionados--especially ones who love duo chrome--for a few years now.

Zoya Ki has been in my stash for nearly 4 years, but I have only worn it a few times.

Shameful.

What I love most about this shade is how versatile it is.

I store it with my purple nail polish, but it could also sit comfortably with green and grey. I took dozens of pictures of Ki in an effort to capture how beautiful it is.

These ones are the best.

lightbox with a different camera setting

lightbox

another lightbox photo

with flash

I used 3 coats for this manicure because the first two were a little thin for my liking. I really like Zoya's formula and brush. Ki is only a four on Zoya's intensity scale, so it will probably need the 3 coats, but it's a must for anyone who likes strong duochrome/multichrome nail polish.

In other news, the Paralympics have started! I'm glad that our Olympic TV carrier has decided to air some of the events on certain channels. Sure, they're often on at odd times, and none of the events are on the main channel, but this is definitely a step in the right direction. I just wish they'd take bigger steps.

Happy Friday!

Ginger-Apparently, I am big a fan of neutrals this month, because 5 out of the 7 shades I purchased were either black/grey, or taupe.

Old School: Revlon Color Illusion Magical

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 00:58:00 +0000

So most of Olympic-mania has died down. The Olympians have either transitioned back to their normal lives, or are still making their rounds through the talk-show circuit, trying to "strike-while-the-iron-is-hot" (whatever that means).

Meanwhile, I'm left with an abundance of new Olympic tidbits (a gold medal winning swimmer admitted to performing an illegal move during the breaststroke final, but he wasn't caught at the time so he gets to keep his medal. A shot-putter from Belarus was stripped of her gold medal for doping, and Ryan Lochte may or may not have peed in the pool). I guess I'll have to wait until 2014 to pull them all out. Or I can subtly insert a few "fun" facts in each post just so I can stop annoying my friends and relatives with them.

Anyway,

Today's mani is one I wore a few weeks ago. Revlon's Color Illusion was a line of duochromes released around the mid 90s (if memory serves me correctly) I only bought a few, and this one is definitely my favourite.

Magical is a turquoise shimmer with a pink shift. You cannot see the pink in this photo but it is definitely there. This polish is about 15 years old, so it is definitely thinner and less manageable than I'd like it to be. However, the beautiful colour more than makes up for it.

3 coats, CND Stickey basecoat, no top coat.

In other news, I have reached two milestones; My blog has been up and running for 3 years, and I've hit over 100000 pageviews. Both are a huge deal for me because I didn't even expect to have followers when I started out. I am beyond amazed that I've kept this going so long, and that is thanks to all of you who still read it.

Thank you for your support :)

Happy Sunday!

Ginger-Purchased my first Butter London over the weekend. I have to say, I'm a fan.

I'm Gonna Drag This out For As Long As I Can...

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 18:41:00 +0000

So there.

More random facts about the Olympics:

The first black marathon winner was Ethiopian, Abebe Bikila, who won at the Rome games in 1960. Interesting side note: he ran for 2:15:16.2 barefoot.
Larissa Latynina (USSR/Ukraine) held the record for most Olympic medals won by an individual for 48 years, that is, until her record was surpassed by USA swimmer Michael Phelps. However, Latynina still holds the record for most individual medals with 14.
Sprinter Stanislawa Walasiewicz (Poland)(also known as Stella Walsh) won the 100 metre sprint at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. It was rumoured at the time that Walsh was a man, but it was later revealed that she was actually intersex.

Today's mani has been on my nails for the past 3 days. I used 3 coats of Glitter Gal Light As A Feather (a white linear holo) and 2 coats of Wet 'N' Wild Spontaneous Combustion, (silver,gold, blue, and green hexagonal glitter in a clear base). These two complement each other quite well and I can see myself wearing this combo again.

In other news, I am slowly getting over the void the Olympics has left by watching highlights online and following the athletes on twitter.

I am a nerd.

Have a great day!

Ginger-I had to resist the urge to buy more nail polish, but you all are not making it easy.

List Of The Week:The Olympics Are Over

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 15:45:00 +0000

Hello!
I have recovered from my Olympics hangover quite well...although, I have made up for it by watching late-night talk shows and just about all of the popular (American) athletes have done at least one or two. Since I'm still in an "Olympic" frame of mind, I've put together this random Olympic-sized playlist to tide me over for another 4 years. Well see how that goes.

I hope you enjoyed it! You'll see post #2 later on today.

After Party

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 16:17:00 +0000

3 coats of Orly After Party is the obvious choice.

It's over! *sadface*
To be honest with you I wasn't as interested in these Olympics as I was during the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I did watch obsessively, but my overall attitude toward the summer Olympics is usually "meh", until the fun events start. (And no matter how often they air it on TV I will never be interested in volleyball--beach or otherwise.) However, London is one of my favourite cities in the world (nice people, nice shops, nice restaurants...really! plus, tons of history. Tons.) and I am so happy their third time hosting the Olympics was such a success.
And how about the performance of team GB? Brilliant!
I'm a lot better at the summer sports, but I enjoy watching the winter Olympics more because damn near everything is more difficult when you add snow and ice to the equation.
Anyway, that was one heck of an after party wasn't it? Between the Spice Girls, Emeli Sandè, Take That, and the parade of supermodels wearing UK designer wear, my inner geek was having a blast. I even sang along with Eric Idle (a national treasure in my humble opinion) Even though my lack of interest was reflected in the number of posts I did about it, there were a lot of things I really liked about these Olympics.

I liked the amount of teamwork I saw. The Japanese women's soccer team were so gracious in defeat, I thought they'd won for a second.

I liked the fact that McKayla Maroney wasn't even going to attempt a smile when she was awarded the silver medal for the vault. I admire that kind of honesty.

I loved the fact that Oscar Pistorius was allowed to participate.

I loved that the closing ceremonies began with 80s pop. I love 80s pop.

I loved hearing "Waterloo Sunset".

I loved that they ended with Muse ("Survival" is by far the most melodic and angry-sounding official theme song I have ever heard...and I love it!)

and the Who (Baba O' Riley. Classic.)

And Fatboy Slim on a giant octopus? Random, but I liked that too.

Also? Annie Lennox is still as lovely as ever.

My favourite part was seeing the Canadian team wearing 'too-cool-for-school' jean jackets. Or as we like to call them, blazers.

So yeah, the closing ceremonies were great. I don't really know what to do with my time now that it's over. Fortunately, I have two years to prepare for Sochi. You won't be able to shut me up then!

It's been fun,
Ginger-I like Russell Brand, but not singing, and definitely not singing into a megaphone.

My Favourite Athletes

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 17:43:00 +0000

In no particular order:

Clara Hughes (Canada) She overcame a troubled past to become one of only a smattering of people to win Olympic medals in both the summer and winter games, including a gold medal in long-track speed-skating in Torino in 2006. She didn't win a medal in London, but she remains one of the most decorated athletes in Canadian history.

Usain Bolt (Jamaica) The undisputed fastest man in the world. He has character, confidence, and I'm still amazed at how relaxed he looks before races.

Oscar Pistorius-South Africa The fact that he's even at these Olympics is a testament to his strength as a runner. He has placed himself among the greatest Olympians of all time with strength and humility.

Michael Phelps (USA) He has won more Olympic medals than anyone else. He gives back to his community, and he doesn't go around bragging about how great he is--even though he has reason to. I like him.

Kirani James (Grenada) A 19 year-old who, after winning his heat in the semi-finals, switched race bibs with last place finisher, South African runner, Oscar Pistorius. When asked by reporters why he made such a humble gesture, he told them that he was "honoured to be in a race with [Pistorius]." Plus, after he won the 800m, he took the time to shake the hands of all the men he raced against. Excellent sportsmanship.

Mark Oldershaw (Canada) Mark is the fifth Oldershaw man to make it to the Olympics, (his grandfather paddled at the second London Games) and after winning bronze on Wednesday, he's the first one to win a medal. His reaction at the finish line was a joy to watch.

Gabby Douglas (USA) After becoming the first African-American woman to win the individual all-around, Gabby took the time to give God the credit. That's wonderful.

Today's mani is Orly Out Of This World, a purple shimmer with slight duochrome, because you have to be an 'out-of-this-world' type of athlete to even make it to the Olympics.

It's All Relative

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 00:17:00 +0000

I've heard it said that there are six degrees of separation between us and every single person on earth. While I personally believe that six steps is a bit of an exaggeration, these Olympians serve to prove this theory.

1. Olympic gold medalist Bruce Jenner (Montreal 1976 Decathlon--that's 10 sports y'all!) Is the father of reality stars Brandon, Brody, Kendall and Kylie Jenner (from the shows Princes of Malibu, The Hills, and Keeping Up With The Kardashians) and the step-father to Kourtney, Kim, Khloe, and Rob Kardashian.

2. John (Jack) Kelly (Rower, who won 3 golds in Antwerp1920, and Paris 1924) is the father of bronze medal-winning rower,John Kelly Jr (Melbourne 1956) , and actress-turned-princess, Grace Kelly.

3. Gold medalist Al Joyner (triple jump, Los Angeles 1984) is the older brother of heptathlete and long-jumper, Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1984, '88,'92, and '96) and the husband of the late Florence Griffith-Joyner, (Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter in 1988, and silver medalist in 1984)

4. Gold medal winning gymnasts, Bart Conner and Nadia Comaneci have been married since 1996.

5. Donna de Varona (1960 Rome 400 metre Individual Medley swim, and 4x400 medley relay) is the older sister of actress/director Joanna Kerns, who is best known for playing Maggie Seaver on Growing Pains)

There are literally hundreds more, but this is all my brain can think of right now :)

Today's mani is Milani Gold Dust, a muted gold with sparse multi-coloured glitter particles.

This is 3 coats.

Happy Sunday!

Ginger-In the time it's taken me to write this, Usain Bolt can run the entire length of the track. Phenomenal.

My Favourite Non-Marquee Olympic Sports

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 15:12:00 +0000

You've all heard the expression, "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride." Well, the sports I'm about to feature are the "bridesmaids" of the summer Olympics. Admittedly, I invest my full-attention to the sports I truly love (athletics, swimming, gymnastics, and rowing)

But the following sports are just as entertaining--in spite of the fact that few of them make it to TV.

1. Table Tennis (AKA Ping Pong, especially when played in your cousin's basement)-Finally! An Olympic sport that I can do! Mind you, I suck at table tennis, but it's one of the more accessible ones to watch.

2.Shooting-I'm pretty sure the shooting events are filmed, but they never make it to air. Too bad. I prefer to see men and women shooting at targets rather than people.

3.Badminton-Who knew that the genteel sport of badminton had the potential to be so scandalous? This holdover from 8th grade gym class is faster and more difficult than it appears to be.

4.Triple Jump-It's not as daring as the pole vault, not as visually impressive as the long jump, and it is mostly ignored and relegated to the "it's-2am-and-what-am-I-watching?" time-slot, but it is still great to watch...if you can wake up early enough.

5.Water Polo-Thank God this sport is gaining in popularity! I love watching water polo for 3 main reasons: 1. The men are always gorgeous ,2. They're also really tall, and 3.Oh yeah, the game itself is fast-paced and exciting.

Today's mani is BB Couture Blind Love. It's a green-toned gold foil that is just beautiful. (Formula and application are perfect) This is 2 coats.

Happy Saturday!

Ginger-Motto for the USA swim team: Win ALL the medals!

Stone Cold

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 03:02:00 +0000

2 coats

2 coats with topcoat

Olympic officials insist that the Olympics, at their core, are more about sport than they are about politics. If that's true, than why do athletes compete as representatives of their countries? If the games were really about sport, the athletes would compete as individuals rather than nations. Today's post is going to focus on an historic event that changed the image of the Olympic Games forever.
In 1968, at the Olympic games in Mexico City, Tommie Smith, Australian runner Peter Norman, and John Carlos placed first, second, and third in the 200 metre sprint final. During the medal ceremony, Smith and Carlos each raised a black-gloved fist as the "Star-Spangled Banner" played to symbolize the power and unity of the black race. Norman wore an Olympic Project For Human Rights (OPHR) badge, joining the Americans in their protest. The IOC demanded that that the US Olympic committee ban Smith and Carlos from future track events (the relay was to follow) and expel them from Mexico, claiming that the Olympic games were no place for politics. (Ha!)
Upon arriving back home, Smith and Carlos were greeted with a chilly reception, while receiving support for their cause internationally. When Norman was asked why he was supportive of the Americans, Norman responded that he "Supported human rights." Norman was reprimanded by Olympic officials in Australia, and not only was he banned from participating in future games, the entire Australian track team was as well. All three men ended up losing something. Norman lost his career in track, both Smith and Carlos lost spouses, and they never really regained their reputations as athletes. But they also reminded all of us how important it is to take a stand, even if what you believe is unpopular at the time. In the end, maintaining their integrity proved more important to these men than the medals they won.

When Peter Norman died in 2006, both Smith and Carlos gave eulogies at his funeral, and served as pall-bearers.

I chose to wear Stone Cold by China Glaze because no matter what your political bent, you'd have to be heartless to deprive an athlete of their moment of glory simply because they don't support your political agenda.

I'll be more light-hearted tomorrow.
Ginger-I love all of the patriotic manicures I'm seeing. Keep up the great work :)

Rob the Jewelry Store and Tell 'Em Make Me A Grill

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 17:19:00 +0000

Wearing custom grills (or grillz if you prefer) used to be the domain of rappers and pro athletes. But, thanks to a swimmer named Ryan Lochte, Olympians can also sport them with pride. When I first heard he wore them, my first thought was, "A swimmer? I can see someone like Flavor Flav wearing grills, but they're kinda lame on a swimmer." (Add snooty voice)

Well, thankfully, Lochte has the skills--not to mention the looks, to support all the swagger.

I apologize for my rush to judgment.

To tie in nicely with the theme, I decided to wear Lucy Diamond by Quirius.

It's a kick-butt vibrant blue with subtle shimmer. It isn't as light as this in real life, so I included a photo of a shade of blue that's closer.

This is 3 coats in overcast light.

this is what it actually looks like.

Aside from Olympians wearing diamond grills, I have also seen gold shoes (on runner Michael Johnson at the 1996 Atlanta games) patriotic blue nails, (on Swedish skip Anette Norberg at the 2010 Vancouver games), and even though they rarely ever wear anything outlandish, each time the pros of the USA basketball team step anywhere, they are cloaked in swagger. Respect.

Happy Sunday, sports fans!

Ginger-Now I have the song "Grillz" stuck in my head. Yay.

Off-Topic (Sort of): Opening Ceremonies

noreply@blogger.com (Pink Ginger) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 23:28:00 +0000

Hello All! I don't have any nail polish today because, surprise, I was watching the Olympics all day.
I also watched the opening ceremonies and was awed by the spectacle of it all.
The Brits did a great job. :)

I think our shared history is the reason we Canadians understand the British so well. Last night during the opening ceremonies, my phone blew up with all sorts of affirmative texts. (Sample: "Isn't this great!", "So Touching!", "Beautiful!")
A few hours later, when the Americans got to watch, all I heard was, "WTF?", "I don't get it.", "This is bad". I, on the other hand, loved every artfully directed minute of it. (Even the odd Sgt. Pepper parade. At that point, even I was saying 'what the eff', but it worked. In a very weird way.) I thought the dancing nurses were adorable. I'm a sucker for choreographed routines, and I was doubly impressed that the dancers were in fact, real nurses. I enjoyed seeing reclusive/normal author J.K. Rowling reading Peter Pan. And the parade of villains? Great.
There's nothing quite like seeing a giant Voldemort getting beaten down by a hoard of Mary Poppinses. (plural)
My favourite parts (other than the parade of nations, the tribute to the victims of 7/7, and the 4 decades of UK music) were the unexpected cameo by the Queen, and seeing Rowan Atkinson (a.k.a. Mr Bean) totally overshadowing the British Philharmonic Orchestra and "Chariots of Fire". And Paul McCartney.
And David Beckham looking dashing while on a boat was also a plus.
(Also, Dizzee Rascal killed! )

I've watched every Olympics since 1988, and I can honestly say I didn't see anything "glitchy" happen. In 1988 in Seoul, a dove was burnt to death after flying a little too close to the cauldron (which serves to prove my assertion that doves are just white pigeons). At the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, one of the "legs"of the cauldron didn't come out properly, and in 2008, Bejiing was criticized for all the lipsyncing. Still, the opening ceremonies are my favourite part of every Olympics. At that moment everyone is equal. Each athlete has earned--or fought--for the right to be there, and they are all winners. In the 17 days that follow, many of them will leave London without a medal. Some will be heavily favoured only to leave in disappointment, and someone unexpected will shock everyone by rising to the occasion at the perfect time.
That's what I love about the Olympics, and that's what I love about life; you never really know what to expect, but the journey--no matter what the outcome--is worthwhile.

Happy Saturday!
Ginger-I want a pair of those boots the Czech team were sporting. They are nice!