Gotham Polish

New OCC Lip Tar Stained Gloss in Rhythm Box and Jealous

2013-05-23T08:30:00.000-04:00

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Post contains an affiliate link. Read my disclosure policy here.

An exciting new texture option from the LIP TAR range, STAINED GLOSS combines the pigment potency of LIP TAR with a casual glossy finish that’s ready-to-wear from its first slick application to the high impact stain it leaves behind. “OCC fans have been asking to see a new take on LIP TAR that remains true to our high opacity heritage, while providing a more transparent look” says David Klasfeld, CEO and Creative Director, “We took our inspiration from art objects like stained glass windows and lighting gels. Transparent yet concentrated color that no one would dare call sheer”. LIP TAR: STAINED GLOSS can be worn alone or layered over your favorite existing shades for added depth, dimension and a glossy finish that lasts!

It's no secret - I love Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tars! Stained Gloss, the newest addition to the Lip Tar family, are now available. At The Makeup Show, I had the chance to play with the new Stained Gloss Lip Tars and received Rhythm Box as a sample on the first day. I loved the new formula so much that I bought Jealous the very next day :)

The Stained Gloss Lip Tars are similar to the original Lip Tars in the way that they are a liquid product, highly pigmented, and long wearing. Where they differ is in the finish. The Stained Gloss products are not completely opaque and instead look initially glossy. While these are described a transparent, they are far from a sheer lip gloss! Wear time was decent - I could make it to lunchtime before needing to reapply. As the gloss fades, it still leaves color behind, much like a lip stain product. The formula feels very light, isn't sticky, but is a bit drying (especially as it transforms into a stain after a few hours).

Top: Rhythm Box | Bottom: Jealous

Swatches! I applied a tiny amount of product with a small lip brush and used Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm (the peppermint one) as my "base".

Rhythm Box

Rhytham Box is the darkest Stained Gloss Lip Tar (so far) and is a cool burgundy. The color is buildable.

Jealous

In the tube (and even on the back of my hand), Jealous looks more orange. On my lips, it's a bright warm pink/almost fuchsia!

The new OCC Lip Tar Stained Gloss will be available on May 23 and retail for $18. OCC products are available at their 174 Ludlow St Flagship, online, and at Sephora and Sephora.com*.

Are you a Lip Tar fan? What do you think of the new Stained Gloss line?

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Post contains an affiliate link. Read my disclosure policy here.

Online Cirque Sale Happening NOW!

2013-05-22T08:30:00.000-04:00

Now is a great time to pick up some of the Cirque polishes on your wish list! Now through June 1st, take 40% off all items with promo code CIRQUE40 on http://www.cirquecolors.com/. Annie is also retiring three polishes - Trousseau, Potosi, and Debris - so if these were on your wish list, don't wait! If a polish is out of stock, unfortunately it doesn't seem that it will be back in stock until after the sale ends. Read all the details here.

Shopping internationally? Singapore retailer Mei Mei's Signatures is offering 25% off with code MEGA25!

Need swatches? Check out my Cirque posts here. I also have a Facebook album here.

Which polishes are you hoping to cross off your wish list?

Seriously Awesome: Pretty Jelly's The Goddess Collection Swatched Over Black

2013-05-21T18:02:00.001-04:00

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

The newest collection from Pretty Jelly magically combines two elements nail polish lovers can't get enough of: multichromatic color shift and holographic particles (check out my full review here). After seeing Sheila of Pointless Cafe layer the polishes from The Goddess Collection over black, I was so amazed that I had to see it for myself :) Check out her post here!

The Goddess Collection polishes are perfect for layering over black. They are thin but apply evenly so as long as you're careful to cover up all the black, your manicure will look seamless.

Here is one coat of Hera over Wet & Wild Black Creme.

Here is one coat of Demeter (pointer and ring) and Hestia (middle and pinky) over Wet & Wild Black Creme.

Here is one coat of Aphrodite (pointer and ring) and Artemis (middle and pinky) over Wet & Wild Black Creme.

What do you think? Do you like The Goddess Collection polishes better worn alone or layered over black?

Polishes from The Goddess Collection by Pretty Jelly retail for $12.50 (full sized - 15mL) or $5 (mini - 6mL) each and can be purchased on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/PrettyJelly. Liz writes: "All polishes are made with great care and are 3 Free and cruelty free! Glitter polishes are made with solvent resistant glitter that do not bleed. We also use stainless steel mixing balls; full size contains two, minis contains one."

For updates on new colors and collections, follow Liquid Jelly on Facebook and Twitter (@liquidjelly76).

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

Pretty Jelly: The Goddess Collection (Multichrome Holos!)

2013-05-19T14:15:00.000-04:00

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

The Goddess collection features five new multichrome holographic polishes. Inspired by the Greek goddesses, these polishes are just as mysterious and temperamental - changing quickly from one shade to another.

Opaque in 2-3 coats. I recommend applying them in thin to coats to maximize dry time. View in direct sunlight to see both the holographic and multichromatic effect. Colors shift depending on the angle the light hits your nails. The best way to see this is by looking at your nails and doing a little twirl in the sun. ;)

-Liz, creator of Pretty Jelly polishes [source]

The newest collection from Pretty Jelly magically combines two elements nail polish lovers can't get enough of: multichromatic color shift and holographic particles. After reviewing Pretty Jelly's impressive debut holographic polishes, I had a feeling these too would be amazing!

I'm not often able to sit outside and swatch polishes - one day I'll have a balcony - but with this collection, I knew I had to show them to you in the sun. With a bag packed with swatching essentials, I spent a morning outside playing with nail polish. These polishes are so awe-inducing that when seen in direct sunlight, you'll be yelling at complete strangers to come check out how awesome your nails look.*

*That statement may or may not be based on actual experiences that may or may not be my own...

While the shifting colors may be temperamental, the formula is not. On the thin side, each polish applied equally impressive. Like Liz's debut holo polishes, I did not encounter any of the formula issues that can typically plague holos such as patchiness or streaking. There's no need to use any special base coat either.

I was able to better capture the color shifting in my light box. Liz noted that the multichromatic effect is the type where the whole nail changes color depending on the way the light hits it, as opposed to the kind where you see multiple colors on your nails at the same time.

Aphrodite (Goddess of Love and Beauty)

Aphrodite is a multichrome holo with a peachy-orange base that flashes pinky-purple. The color shifts from purple-pink to orange to yellow. I only needed (2) coats for Aphrodite to be opaque.

Artemis (Goddess of the Hunt)

Artemis is a multichrome holo with a warm orange base that flashes blue. The color shifts from cyan to blue and purple. I only needed (2) coats for Artemis to be opaque.

Demeter (Goddess of the Harvest)

Demeter is a multichrome holo with an orangey-brown base that flashes green. The color shifts from green to blue to purple. I used (3) coats.

Hera (Goddess of Marriage/ Queen of gods)

Hera is a multichrome holo with a deep purple base that flashes indigo purple. The color shifts from cool icy blue-purple to a rich red-purple. I used (3) coats.

Hestia (Goddess of the Hearth)

Hestia is a multichrome holo with a peachy-orange base (like the base of Aphrodite) that flashes copper. The color shifts from copper to orange to yellow. I used (3) coats.

Liz has done it again and created another stunning holographic collection, this time with the added bonus of multichromatic magic. I have nothing but great things to say about Pretty Jelly polishes and highly recommend them!

Polishes from The Goddess Collection by Pretty Jelly retail for $12.50 (full sized - 15mL) or $5 (mini - 6mL) each and can be purchased on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/PrettyJelly. International customers will be able to purchase The Goddess Collection soon from http://meimeisignatures.com/. Liz writes: "All polishes are made with great care and are 3 Free and cruelty free! Glitter polishes are made with solvent resistant glitter that do not bleed. We also use stainless steel mixing balls; full size contains two, minis contains one."

For updates on new colors and collections, follow Liquid Jelly on Facebook and Twitter (@liquidjelly76).

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

Weekend Shopping: OPI's LE "Sandy Hook Green", Pre-Order Cult Nails' Latest Collection, What's New from Cirque, and more!

2013-05-17T18:32:00.001-04:00

Happy weekend to you! Do you have anything fun planned? I'm looking forward to sleeping late and might actually attempt to plan a little trip for my birthday in June...

Lots of fun nail polish news this week!

Take a sneak peek of Cirque's new collection.

OPI created a limited edition polish called "Sandy Hook Green" to help support Sandy Hook Promise.

Shop the new butter LONDON Lippy Shimmer lip glosses.

Pre-order Cult Nails' latest collection Dance All Night.

This new polish* from Nails Inc is sure to fulfill your deepest emerald nail polish desires.

...and speaking of Nails Inc, did you know they make a mint green* leather effect polish?

Get inspired with these nail polish arts & crafts.

Thanks to Sarah/Chalkboard Nails, my device's background is now Cirque XX. Get your own glitter macro background here.

Thoughts about Layla's new-ish gel effect polishes*?

What's on your weekend shopping list?

*Post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

The Makeup Show NYC - Pictures!

2013-05-16T20:41:00.004-04:00

Earlier this month I attended The Makeup Show right here in NYC! I met some amazing people, saw many great products, and connected with fellow NYC beauty bloggers :) I have lots of pictures to show you!

Director of Artistry for The Makeup Show James Vincent kicked off the weekend and shared some new products with us. Here he is talking about OCC's new Lip Tar Stained Gloss - I've got two of them to show you and I think you're going to looove them ;)

Sunday, the first day of the show, was busy. I learned after that with nearly 7,000 attendees, it was a record breaking year for The Makeup Show.

On both days, there were presentations and seminars taking place around the event space. Here is founder and Creative Director of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics David Klasfeld speaking to an attentive audience.

It was fun to browse the many aisles of products - there were over 85 exhibitors! I was really excited to see Layla nail polishes (the only place in NYC that carries a wide variety is Ulta) and I was not disappointed. There were polishes from just about every line on display. Hopefully Layla will expand to more retailers around the city :)

Inglot had a huge booth and I spent some time playing with the O2M "breathable" polishes. I adore the vivid bright reds.

How excellent are these glitters from Violet Voss?

If you weren't stimulated enough by being surrounded by the thousands of products and various seminars, also happening at the same time makeup artists were at work creating impressive transformations. I'd just be walking around and... oh hey, the lady next to me is getting her eyebrows airbrushed blue.

A giant canvas met you as you entered and exited the Metropolitan Pavilion where attendees answered the question "What does The Makeup Show mean to you?". I took this picture as I departed The Makeup Show on the final day, and after a weekend of visual stimulation, thought it a fitting last impression of the show :)

I still have lots of products to tell you about :) The next stop for The Makeup Show is Chicago (June 9-10)!

Sneak Peek: New Collection from Cirque! (Updated 5/23)

2013-05-14T18:00:00.001-04:00

New York City's own independent (and handmade!) nail polish brand Cirque is a name well known not only by nail polish fans on the interwebs, but the brand can also be found at local markets around the city occasionally. When I read on Cirque's Facebook page that Annie would be at Artists & Fleas in Brooklyn with a sneak peek of her new collection, I knew I had to check it out! I know you would have stopped by too if you could, so I snapped some pictures to share with you :)

The pink and blue ones are holographic!!!
Updated 5/23 with names, L-R: Vesuvius, Sanguine, Helios, Erda, Bejeweled, and Queen Majesty

Updated 5/23 with names, L-R, over black: Iris, Magic Hour, Lullaby, Electric Circus, Kaleidoscope, and Le Invader

While there's no date set yet, the new and yet to be named Cirque collection is expected to be released early this summer! Keep up with the latest from Cirque on Facebook and shop online at http://www.cirquecolors.com/. Which new Cirque polishes are you most looking forward to?

Update: The collection is called "The Arcus Collection"!!! Read more here: http://www.cirquecolors.com/introducing-the-arcus-collection/

Zoya Stunning Summer 2013 Nail Polish Collection

2013-05-12T18:54:00.003-04:00

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. *This post contains an affiliate link. Read my disclosure policy here.

Are you excited about summer? The six carefree and bright creamy/slightly jelly polishes in Zoya's Stunning summer collection will ease you into summer-mode and can definitely help get your toes flip flop ready!

Four of the polishes (Darcy, Thandie, Micky, and Yana) have a subtle trace of shimmer. You can see it in the bottle but on the nail it's hardly noticeable. For reference, Jacqueline from the spring collection has the same elusive shimmer.

The formula of the Stunning polishes has a (difficult to describe) 'crelly'-ness about it: these aren't jelly polishes, but they aren't exactly true creams either. While these polishes achieve opacity in 2-3 coats, around the edges, the color blends into the nail like a jelly instead of having a sharp line. The consistency is thin but not watery and easy to control.

Darcy

Darcy is a vivid dandelion yellow. The first coat is a bit sheer and honestly looks pretty sickly, but hang in there - it gets better! Two coats almost brings Darcy to full opacity but I still saw some streaks so I did a third. I don't have any yellow cream polishes remotely close to Darcy and I really enjoyed wearing this bright and sunny polish.

Thandie

Thandie is a creamsicle melony-orange. What a fun summer color! You can see a trace of shimmer in Thandie if you look closely (but your friends probably won't notice it). I used three coats for full coverage.

Micky

Micky is a bright - borderline neon - pink that leans slightly more warm than cool. I used three thin coats. This is quite the preppy pink :)

Yana

Yana is a deeper pink than Micky and also is so bright, it's almost neon. Yana has excellent pigmentation (best of the bunch) and I only needed two coats. This would make a great pedicure polish :)

Rocky

Rocky is a muted sky blue. The formula was great - I only needed (2) coats. This shade of blue photographed much more vivid so I adjusted the saturation and brightness to make it look more like the color does in real life.

Josie

Josie is a slightly muted dusty green. If Josie had a touch more blue, she'd cross over into Essie Turquoise & Caicos' territory (if that makes sense). Honestly I wasn't crazy about this color at first, but the longer I wore it, the more it grew on me :) The formula is highly pigmented and I only needed two coats.

The Zoya Stunning collection is a true "collection" of colors. While you may not feel compelled to buy all six, these playful summer brights are perfect for filling in the gaps in your nail polish rainbow!

Zoya nail polishes retail for $8.00 and the Stunning Summer 2013 collection is available online* now. In New York City, Zoya can be purchased at several locations including Gideon's Drugs (1385 Broadway, corner of 38th St) and Ulta in the Rego Park Center. See the full list of retailers here.

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. *This post contains an affiliate link. Read my disclosure policy here.

5 Easy Manicure Ideas for the Best Graduation Nails Ever!

2013-05-08T20:55:00.003-04:00

*Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

If you're graduating from high school, college, university, or anywhere, congrats! Soon you'll be busy shaking hands, accepting a diploma, and the proudly taking tons of pictures holding it, so there's no better day to wear your school's colors on your nails. If you're going to support a loved one graduating, you too could wear their colors on your nails to celebrate!

Here are 5 easy manicures to inspire you to create the best graduation manicure ever. Each manicure uses just two nail polishes so you'll easily be able to customize the colors for your own school to create a fabulous graduation day manicure.

The Glitter Gradient (shown in Columbia University's colors)

Why not accept your diploma with some sparkle? The glitter gradient is one of my go-to looks when I want to have an impressive looking manicure but am short on time. To create this look, take an (unused!) eye shadow applicator - you know, the one that comes in most drugstore eye shadows with two triangular-ish spongy ends? Tap the sponge tip against your nail polish brush so that the sponge tip picks up some glitter. Don't drench your sponge in polish. Starting at the tip of your nail, dab the glitter on and move back toward your cuticle. You can go as far as you want - the glitter should thin out as you go. If you didn't get enough glitter on your sponge the first time, go back and add some more to your tips. Keep playing around until you're happy with how it looks!

Cream: Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Mousseline | Periwinkle Blue Glitter: Cirque Ophelia*

The Funky French (shown in Ohio State University's colors)

Use a pigmented polish to free-hand a wide French tip. Rest your arm on a flat surface (like a table) as you paint to steady your hand. Slightly roll the finger (the one that's being painted) as the brush moves across it to create a natural curve.

Red: Zoya Rekha* | Silver: Zoya Trixie*

Keep reading to see three more graduation manicure ideas...

Polka Dots (shown in Syracuse University's colors)

OK, I embellished this manicure and used a 3rd color... but it would still look great with two colors ;) Using a dotting tool (I used the end of a bobby pin), add dots in various shapes and sizes. If you're feeling daring, add a third color ;) If you've never tried a dotted manicure before, test out your dotting skills on paper first to get the feel for how much polish to use.

Navy: China Glaze First Mate | Orange: Zoya Thandie* | White: Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Hard As Wraps White Tip

The Accent Nail (shown in Notre Dame's colors)

It doesn't get much easier than this! Paint one or two nails on each hand a different colors than the rest. This is such an easy way to wear two different polishes and I predict you will get many compliments on this accent nail manicure on graduation day!

Navy: Zoya Natty* | Gold: Zoya Ziv*

The Rhinestone Manicure (shown in NYU's colors)

Rhinestones are powerful little tools! They take seconds to apply yet really take your manicure to another (sparkly) level. Add rhinestones on all nails or just a couple. Add one on each nail or cover your nails in them! I applied these little stones with a drop of Seche Vite Top Coat.

White: Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Hard As Wraps White Tip | Rhinestones: Bundle Monster*

I'd love to hear what you're planning to wear on your nails for graduation! Don't forget to practice that critical hand shake/diploma grab ;)

*Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

Weekend Shopping: The Makeup Show, NARS ♥ New York, Lancôme's Aquatic Summer Collection, and More!

2013-05-03T18:03:00.000-04:00

I'm excited for the weekend because... The Makeup Show is here! It's my first time so I'll be taking in as much as I possibly can and sharing with you along the way - look for updates from me on Twitter and Instagram (user name: Gotham Polish).

Among the many great companies in attendance this year, I definitely want to see Inglot, Layla, MAC, Makeup For Ever, NARS, OCC, and Stila. Thank goodness there's an app to keep track of everything ;)

In other shopping news...

I'm in love with Lancôme's Aquatic Summer Collection! Simply Aqua, Ultramarine Green, Aqua Bleu and Plunge Pool are the most dreamy turquoise and azure colors.*

NEED: the limited edition NARS ♥ New York Set

Save the date!!! Marc Jacobs Beauty will launch on August 9th.

Now through May 4th, take 20% off your order from http://www.butterlondon.com with the code MUMS13.

Serum No 5 launched on Harlow & Co TODAY! Need some polishes for your wish list? Check out my swatches here and here!

Fun fact: one of new nail polish Chrome Girl's creators Jaime Boreneaz is the wife of ~~Angel~~ David Boreneaz.

I love the idea of this signature necklace. Now if only I had a cool signature...

And this is entirely off topic, but so awesome and gross at the same time that you need to see it: magnetic putty.

*Post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Where to Find Chanel Nail Polish in New York City

2013-05-01T18:59:00.000-04:00

My entire Chanel nail polish collection - not so huge, but I love each one!

Chanel nail polishes are some of the most expensive nail polishes you'll find. But there is something so fabulously indulgent about the simple square box the and the iconic logo on the cap that can make even the most frugal gal hand of $27 for a bottle of nail polish. Colors like Taboo, Azuré, and Bel-Argus sure make it hard to walk away from a Chanel counter empty handed!

Chanel nail polishes are available at the following locations in New York City:

Barneys
660 Madison Ave

Bloomingdale's
1000 3rd Ave (between 59th St & 60th St)
504 Broadway (Soho - between Broome St & Spring St)

Chanel
139 Spring St (Soho - between Wooster St & Greene St)
15 E 57th St (between Park Ave & 5th Ave)

Henri Bendel
712 5th Ave (between 55th St & 56th St)

Lord & Taylor
424 5th Ave (between 38th St & 39th St)

Macy's
151 W 34th St

Saks Fifth Avenue
611 5th Ave (between 49th St & 50th St)

Shopping online? I recommend Nordstrom* for free shipping.

*Last updated 05/01/13

Where to Shop Map
What is this all about? Introducing the Where to Shop by Brand Guide.

*Post contains an affiliate link. Read my disclosure policy here.

Weekend Shopping: butter LONDON's Royal Baby Polish, Last Day of Zoya's Earth Day Exchange, Deborah Lippmann's Newest Mermaid Polishes, and more!

2013-04-26T18:23:00.001-04:00

Happy weekend everyone! Do you have anything fun planned? It's the last weekend of the Tribeca Film Festival so we're hoping to catch a couple ~~movies~~ films. The cherry blossom festival "Sakura Matsuri" is also happening tomorrow and Sunday at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

As usual... there are lots of new things to talk about this weekend :)

We probably should have seen this coming - butter LONDON has released a new limited edition polish to honor the royal baby! Pitter Patter is "an opaque aubergine shimmer" and available now online.

It's the final day of Zoya's Earth Day Nail Polish Exchange*.

FIVE new multichrome holographic polishes from Pretty Jelly are available now on Etsy.

Now there's a polish for every kind of mermaid thanks to Deborah Lippmann's newest collection*.

Clinique has launched a new line of nail polish* that is designed for gals (and guys!) with sensitive skin and eyes.

There's another new indie nail polish brand to fall in love with! Check out Me.Lissa Custom Blended Nail Lacquer on Etsy.

Dig out your black light: Illamasqua's new Paranormal UV nail polish collection will be available on April 30th.

Did you hear about the guy who stole 102 bottles of nail polish from a CVS?

And more importantly... has anyone seen Essence at a Walgreens in NYC yet?

*Post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

butter LONDON Summer Holiday Collection: Poole, Bit Faker, and Sunbaker

2013-04-25T18:57:00.002-04:00

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. *This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

"Fashionistas and designers alike are embracing texture clashes. The Summer Holiday collection includes trending textures, perfect for mixing and matching." -Katie Hughes, Global Colour Ambassador

The nail polishes in butter LONDON's Summer Holiday collection so perfectly capture the feeling of summer through colors that are sure to evoke memories of Junes, Julys, and Augusts of years past. Of the three polishes I have to share with you, there's a swimming pool blue, a sparkly campfire embers brown, and metallic burnt orange like the low, late-afternoon, hot August sun. Ah is is summer yet?

Poole

A robin’s egg blue crème inspired by this seaside resort town in high summer.

Poole is a Tiffany blue cream polish. The formula is thin yet very opaque. Do be careful of "pooling" with Poole and apply thin coats. Two thin coats was all I needed for an opaque manicure = win! This color blue is certainly not unique - China Glaze For Audrey is terribly close. Upon very close inspection, Poole is slightly dustier/greyer than For Audrey. I was never crazy about the formula of For Audrey though, so I'm happy with Poole because I love wearing this color!

Bit Faker

A full coverage bronze glitter that was inspired by the tan from a can.

Bit Faker is a mix of copper, gold, and tiny black glitter. How incredible is this polish - I am so in love! Doesn't it remind you of a campfire? I wasn't sure what to expect formula-wise, but wow this is a densely packed glitter. I only needed (2) coats for full coverage. Bit Faker feels thick and gritty so have your favorite glitter smoothing top coat ready (I used Gelous and Seche Vite).

Using an eyeshadow sponge applicator, I added Bit Faker over Poole to create this glitter gradient effect. Because the glitter in Bit Faker is so dense, it is the perfect polish for this look.

Sunbaker

This rust orange shimmer is named for a sun slave whose skin had taken an odd and unnatural tone.

Sunbaker is a metallic burnt orange with shimmery flecks. It has a great formula and I didn't see any streaking, which is impressive for a metallic polish. I only needed (2) thin coats. This color reminds me of summer afternoons at the beach when the water turns orange as the sun sets <3

Also in the Summer Holiday collection are the polishes Bobby Dazzler (opaque silver chrome), Champers (rose gold shimmer), and Marbs (yellow-gold).

Do these colors bring back any summer memories for you?

butter LONDON polishes retail for $15. In New York City, my favorite retailers of butter LONDON products are C.O. Bigelow, Ricky's, and Henri Bendel. Here is a list of retailers in New York City that carry butter LONDON nail polish. Buy online at butterlondon.com, Nordstrom*, and Zappos*.

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. *This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

DIY Rhinestone Chain Bracelet, Cirque Never Nude, and new Madewell Boots

2013-04-21T18:06:00.001-04:00

After seeing this rhinestone chain bracelet on one of my favorite blogs buy now, blog later, I was absolutely delighted when DIY and style guru Aimee of Swellmayde posted a similar DIY version here. It was very easy to put together - I think finding just the right sew-on rhinestone was the most challenging part! Not that I didn't enjoy browsing through a handful of stores in the garment district ;)

Isn't it fabulous? I love how the rhinestone lights up and throws around different colors like a prism. My watch is in need of a new battery so this bracelet has earned a semi-permanent place on my left wrist until I get around to replacing it. Thanks Aimee for sharing this great DIY!

I had to pair this bracelet with an equally awesome polish and chose Cirque's nude holo Never Nude*.

Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac* in sand | Pants: H&M | Jacket: Andrew Marc | beaded bracelet: Chan Luu

Also want to show you these - my big spring purchase (so far...) has been these booties from Madewell (link*). I had been eyeing them for a while and finally got them during a sale. So glad I did!

Did you add any new items to your wardrobe this spring, either DIY or from the store?

*Cirque Never Nude was provided for review. This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Zoya Summer PixieDust Textured Nail Polishes - Swatches & Reviews

2013-04-18T18:31:00.003-04:00

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy& here.

Just in time for summer 2013 from Zoya: "The color experts at Zoya went back to the lab and created six more beautiful, long-wearing textured, matte and sparkling Zoya PixieDust Colors!" These newest PixieDust polishes are brighter and bolder than the original colors and three of the six introduce a new metallic sparkle element.

If you're new to PixieDust polishes, here's what Zoya suggests with regards to application:

IMPORTANT PixieDust Application Information - Do not use a base coat or top coat. Apply 1-3 (for full coverage) thin coats of polish. Allow product to dry down completely matte in between layers for full textured effect. The PixieDust textured formula may take up to 10 minutes to dry completely matte. Once dry, the textured finish is long lasting, matte and ultra-glittery! [source*]

Destiny

Destiny is a bright melony-coral with golden sparkle that makes this polish look like it's actually glowing. Destiny incorporates the new metallic sparkle and wow, is it awesome! You can see these golden flecks clinging to the side of the bottle and in real life they are much more visible on the nail. Two thin coats was all I needed for full coverage. This color really seems to be the "it" color to have in textured polish this summer - I do think it needs to be acknowledged that OPI Jinx and Jesse's Girl Sugar Rush are terribly close and possibly dupes. Carol of Colores de Carol compared the three here.

Beatrix

Beatrix is a summery tangerine with the golden metallic sparkle. This polish is going to look even better once I get some color on my pale fingers! If you look closely, you'll see there is some color variation in the orange and the textured finish really enhances this. You may have seen me posing endearingly on Instagram holding a Cheeto while wearing Beatrix... yep I went there. Now that you won't be able to get the Cheeto reference out of your head, let me assure you that this is the classiest representation of a Cheeto as a nail polish. I wore (3) coats for full coverage.

Solange

Solange is so bright and sunny! This brilliant golden yellow polish is also infused with golden metallic sparkle ("the new stuff"). In real life, this polish looks even more electric as it reflects any kind of light (even in low light). I only needed (2) coats for full coverage.

Miranda

Miranda is a rose pink with silvery pink shimmer. She's not neon and not pastel, but also not overly saturated. While not the brightest color of the bunch, Miranda complemented my skin tone quite nicely. This one was almost opaque in (2) coats, but I used (3).

Stevie

Stevie is a pastel purple with the same silver shimmer the original PixieDust collection introduced. Stevie is lovely but as part of this summer collection I wish she was a tad more saturated. I used (3) coats for full opacity.

Liberty

Liberty is a bold cerulean blue with blue sparkle. This polish is pure magic. I think what makes me love Liberty so much is also why I adore Chyna - the sparkle matches the base color. Liberty only needed (2) coats but took a little longer to Pixie-ify on me for some reason. I was expecting a big Smurfy mess with removal, but luckily it wasn't bad at all. Bonus - this is going to make such an excellent pedicure color.

In my original PixieDust review, I wrote about removal, the tight-ripping myth, and the textured trend - if you have questions about PixieDust, check it out, but of course feel free to leave your questions in the comments!

I'm so impressed with the PixieDust 2.0 collection and the new metallic sparkle used in Beatrix, Destiny, and Solange. Now that we're heading into the second wave of textured nail polish collections, how are you feeling about this trend?

Zoya PixieDust nail polishes retail for $9.00 and the collection is available online*. In New York City, Zoya can be purchased at several locations including Gideon's Drugs (1385 Broadway, corner of 38th St) and Ulta in the Rego Park Center. The PixieDust polishes should be in stock soon. See the full list of retailers here.

*Product(s) in this post were provided for review. This post contain an affiliate link. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Send Your Nails on a Beach Vacation with Essie "In the Cab-Ana"

2013-04-16T19:26:00.001-04:00

Magen's Bay, Saint Thomas

Maybe I just have too much nail polish, but lately I feel like I already have polishes that look like dupes of the "newest" colors from Essie. And oddly enough, they are usually by Essie. From the Resort 2013 collection, I felt that Olé Caliente was close enough so I could pass on Come Here! I also have Turquoise & Caicos so I skipped First Timer (I'm probably wrong about that). But there was one color in Essie's Resort 2013 that I simply had to have (and probably because I don't already have Where's My Chauffeur): In the Cab-Ana!

In the Cab-Ana is an electric aqua blue cream. This color is so intense that it's almost neon. Think Caribbean water blue - erm, one of the many shades of Caribbean water ;) The formula was OK for Essie... unfortunately, that means bad by any other standards. It was thick, goopy, and if I wasn't careful, I ended up with streaks. The polish flowed off the brush way too thick but when I tried to apply less, I ended up with streaks. I've found that the quality of Essie polishes has been too inconsistent so unless I can't live without the color (aka this blue), I will pass. The pigmentation, however, was quite good.

Despite the bad formula, this polish wore incredibly well. Three days after applying In the Cab-Ana I had just the slightest tip wear - I actually had to inspect my tips to find it. I took it off just because I was ready for a new color! I used Nail Girls Super Base base coat for the first time (which I received for review - read my full disclosure policy here), I wonder if that contributed to the great wear time?

Bad formula aside, In the Cab-Ana will probably make my list of favorite colors of 2013.

Essie polishes can be easily located around NYC (shopping map) for around $8. I usually find the latest collections at Ricky's and Bed Bath & Beyond. Online, Essie can be purchased at Nordstrom for free shipping - link!*

*Post contain an affiliate link. Read my disclosure policy here.

Indie Glitter Goodness from New Nail Polish Brand "Sparkle Factor Lacquer"

2013-04-14T18:12:00.000-04:00

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

I'm so excited to share six of the many sparkly polishes from new indie nail polish brand Sparkle Factor Lacquer with you today! While you may be stumbling over saying the name out loud - try it! - these glitters are so much fun and sure to add a lot of sparkle to your nails.

Creator Betsy assigns each of her polishes with "The Sparkle Factor" and "The Glitter Intensity". "The Sparkle Factor" indicates, well, how sparkly the polish is and "The Glitter Intensity" rates the opacity.

I'll talk about the individuals formulas below, but like many glitter polishes, these dried gritty. I am not wearing a top coat in theses swatches but recommend using Gelous or your favorite glitter smoothing top coat.

Spotted

There is so much awesome happening in Spotted! Shapes I could "spot" are purple and blue holographic hexagons and squares, small purple, silver, and blue holographic bar glitters, black square matte glitter, and tiny holographic glitter. Phew! All pieces came out easily, however, I found that they had a tendency to clump up on the brush. I think this have happened because the base coat was a little thick but I was able to spread the pieces out easily over my nail. One coat gives a good amount of pieces, but I used (2) to fill in some places that were lacking sparkle. I'm wearing Spotted over Essie In the Cab-Ana.

Sparkle Factor: 4
Glitter Intensity: 4

Whimsical

Whimsical is a combination of purple, blue, and silver holographic hexagons and squares and tiny purple glitter. This is a really great mix of glitter shapes and colors! Whimsical applies very dense but quite evenly - I only needed to do a little bit of rearranging on my nails to push the pieces to the edges. Below I am wearing (1) coat over Wet & Wild Black Creme.

Sparkle Factor: 2
Glitter Intensity: 4

Neon Lights

Neon Lights is so perfectly named! Instead of trying to identify all the pieces myself, I'll give you Betsy's description: contains matte neon green, neon hot pink, neon orange fibers, neon yellow, neon blue, and silver hologram glitters. I had to do a little digging to get the pieces out, but it wasn't too tough. I think the little bottles would benefit from a ball though, to get the glitter away from the sides. I'm wearing (2) coats of Neon Lights over Wet & Wild Black Creme. I noticed that Neon Lights is sold out at the moment, but I saw two other neons (Pistol Packing Pink and Skyler) that look like great alternatives in the meantime.

Sparkle Factor: 3
Glitter Intensity: 3

Sparkly Exterior

Sparkly Exterior is amazing. There are so many pieces in here - lavender and silver holographic squares and hexagons, smaller blue hexagons, and small black matte glitter. Sparkly Exterior has the best base coat formula of the Sparkle Factor Lacquers I tried and all pieces came out easily. Below I'm wearing one coat over Wet & Wild Black Creme. Doesn't this look galactic?

According to the Etsy description, Sparkly Exterior is Betsy's first and favorite homemade lacquer thus far :)

Sparkle Factor: 5
Glitter Intensity: 4

Purple Haze

Purple glitter lovers this one is for you! Purple Haze contains (18) different shapes and sizes of glitter in fuchsia, purple, gunmetal, lavender, grape, eggplant, plum, and black. My eye can pick out hexagons, squares, and small bar shapes. These pieces are suspended in a purple jelly base. This polish has a great formula and applied very evenly. Below I'm wearing one coat of Purple Haze of Wet & Wild Black Creme.

Sparkle Factor: 2
Glitter Intensity: 4

Twisted

Twisted is made up of silver, orange, black and blue squares, purple hexagons, and small holographic silver glitter. I'm wearing (1) coat of Twisted over OCC Wasabi. All pieces came out well however the clear base felt a little thick. Isn't this a fun combo of colors?

Sparkle Factor: 4
Glitter Intensity: 4

It's clear that Betsy has put a lot of sparkly love into these polishes and the Sparkle Factor Lacquer line! I think she has a great eye for color and shape combinations. If you crave unique indie-style glitters, there are dozens to choose from.

Sparkle Factor Lacquer polishes retail for between $10 - $10.50 for full sized bottles (15ml) and $5 - $5.50 for mini bottles (5ml) and are available on Etsy - link! In case you're looking for a very specific glitter, Betsy also has a listing for a custom polish for $12. Follow Sparkle Factor Lacquer on Facebook for all the latest.

Oh - and I'd love to know what silly words came out of your mouth when you tried to say "Sparkle Factor Lacquer" the first time (mine were "Sparkle Flacker Lacktor"!)

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

Weekend Shopping: Estée Lauder "Mad Men" Nail Polish, Fix Beauty Bar, the Latest from NARS, Yves Saint Laurent, and Ciaté, and More!

2013-04-12T18:31:00.000-04:00

Storm King Mountain seen from Breakneck Ridge - it's a really excellent trail about an hour and a half north of the city

Happy Friday and happy weekend to you all! This week was challenging (to put it mildly), but it feels like spring in NYC at last and I'm looking forward to spending many upcoming weekends outside.

There are lots of new things to talk about this weekend :)

The Estée Lauder "Mad Men" nail polish is so cute! But the reviews* aren't so great...

Pierre Hardy + NARS = shoe-inspired nail polish collection

Yves Saint Laurent has created tie-dye nail polish.

...and Ciaté created a chalkboard manicure kit.

Swatches of Rescue Beauty Lounge's latest collection "Emoting Me" have hit the internet! See them here, here, here, here, and here.

From Walmart to Bergdorfs, Essie nail polish is probably the only product you'll find sold at both.

Can you believe this polish is being discontinued?

Thought Manicube was cool? Fix Beauty Bar brings manicures and blowouts to your office.

What's on your weekend shopping list?

*Post contain an affiliate link. Read my disclosure policy here.

Here's why you need to stop what you're doing and buy Nfu Oh 51 right now

2013-04-11T14:12:00.000-04:00

This just in from FabulouStreet, US retailer of Nfu Oh products:

We have got confirmation from Nfu Oh headquarter that Opal Glitter Series (Flakies #37-60) has been discontinued. The current series will be replace by a new set of colors. Nfu Oh has yet to confirm the replacement color or if any current color will remain in the future product line. We will keep everyone updated as soon as we can.

Here's what they have left:

Remain in stock: Nfu Oh #: 37, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 51, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59
Discontinued with no stock: Nfu Oh #: 38, 49, 50, 52, 60

WHOA what now?! Nfu Oh flakies are being discontinued??? The bright side to this is that a.) FabulouStreet has some left still and b.) hopefully the new colors will be just as amazing.

I had intended on posting a more comprehensive review of Nfu Oh 51 showing you what it looks like layered over every color imaginable, but with this news, I didn't want to delay sharing this beautiful polish with you. If you fall in love with it, you can still buy if before it sells out :)

Nfu Oh 51 is a multi-chrome flaky polish in a purple jelly base. The flakies are medium sized and flash every color between purple to orange to green. There is shimmer throughout with the same multi-chrome color shift. 51 is easy to apply - you can wear it alone (3-4 coats for full opacity) or layer it over another polish.

In the photos below, I am wearing (1) coat of Nfu Oh 51 over Zoya Valerie.

Nfu Oh Opal Glitter Series (aka the flakies) retail for $12.50 each - link! What is left in stock has been reduced to $11.25. Follow FabulouStreet on Facebook and Twitter for updates and new product information.

What are you waiting for :)

OCC "Sci-Fi Lullabies" Lip Tar Swatches

2013-04-09T21:57:00.000-04:00

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

Introducing OCC's 'Sci-Fi Lullabies', our newest colour collection for Spring 2013! Spring has always been a time for transformation, and this season we explore the dichotomy between two realities: what is truth and what is fantasy. Showcased alongside Ready-To-Wear shades are fantasias of Couture Colors designed to transport you to your idyllic makeup designation. Make on-lookers question if you are human...or more human than human!.

When Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics opened it's Ludlow Street flagship, I was giddy with excitement to finally buy my first Lip Tar :) If you haven't tried them yet, Lip Tars are super-saturated liquid lip products that pack a ton of color with just the smallest amount of product and last for hours. OCC recently launched the Sci-Fi Lullabies collection and expanded their Lip Tar line with six new colors! While I don't often stray from nail polish here on Gotham Polish, I think these are fabulous and wanted to share them with you - please be kind, these are my first "lip swatches" ;)

I applied a tiny amount of product with a small lip brush and used Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm (the peppermint one) as my "base".

Pris

Pris looks like a chalky nude in the tube. On the lips, it's not 100% opaque so a little bit of your natural lip color shows through. There is a touch a sparkle in Pris - it's not glitter, it looks more like metallic flecks of silver. I'm really excited about using Pris to blend with other Lip Tars!

Zhora

Zhora is a peachy melon. This one is more opaque than Pris but I wouldn't call it full coverage. This isn't an "everyday" kind of color for me, but it's still very wearable.

Annika

Annika is a good, solid melon color. Annika does not have any of the shimmery flecks in it and goes on amazingly smooth. This one has the best coverage! I've been wearing Annika to work recently :)

Lovecraft

Hey there, cool toned hot pink! Lovecraft is awesome and has the same metallic flecks as Pris. I've been mixing Lovecraft with Pris to make it more wearable for work. Simply love this one!

Batty

Batty is a metallic black Lip Tar. It's not 100% opaque but is still very unforgiving to apply - be sure to color inside the lines with this one! Batty has metallic flecks, but for some reason they separated in the tube so I didn't get many on my lips. Batty felt a little thinner than the others and bled a little around the edges of my lips (or maybe I just noticed it because it's so dark!) While I probably won't be wearing Batty alone any time soon, it's great to use to darken another Lip Tar.

OCC Lip Tars retail for $18 and are available at their 174 Ludlow St Flagship, online, and at Sephora.

Have you tried OCC's Lip Tars? Do you have any application tips?

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

New Summery Polishes from étoile: "Greenwich St. Soirée" Collection

2013-04-07T17:02:00.002-04:00

Refreshing cocktails, cobblestones cafes, cheerfully colored accessories - these are just a few of the things that make spring so sweet. Inspired by New York City's West Village, our latest collection, Greenwich St. Soirée, includes Fizzy Cucumber, a fresh mint green, and Pink Panache, a bold hot pink. Both infused with our signature ingredient: genuine diamond dust.

While the West Village is possibly the most confusing neighborhood in Manhattan to navigate, in the summer, it's one of the best places to get lost. Unique shops, adorable brownstones, and tasty treats can be found on each street (and are sometimes hard to find again!) Inspired by the West Village, the newest polishes from étoile are both summery and sugary sweet - perfect to wear for days of careless wandering.

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

Fizzy Cucumber

Fizzy Cucumber is a pastel mint green nail polish with diamonds in it. Do you need to know anything else? ;) I think this may be my favorite étoile polish to date. The diamond dust shimmer is really visible and in this polish it reminds me of the flecks in a glow in the dark polish. I used (3) coats for full opacity. This hue of mint green ~~kind of~~ totally reminds me of toothpaste. PS - isn't Fizzy Cucumber a fantastic name?

Pink Panache

Pink Panache is a very "pink" pink with cool undertones. This polish has a FANTASTIC formula and intense pigmentation. Pink Panache is just about a one coater but I used 2.

étoile polishes retail for $18, but you can purchase Fizzy Cucumber and Pink Panache together for $26. étoile polishes are formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) free, and made in the USA. Shop online: http://www.etoilepolish.com/

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

Weekend Shopping: butter LONDON's Summer Polishes, Pre-Order Cult Nails' Spring Collection, Bloomingdale's Friends & Family Sale, and more!

2013-04-05T18:00:00.005-04:00

Happy Friday! What are you up to this weekend? Tomorrow my boyfriend is running in the Scotland Run in Central Park and then we want to see Jurassic Park in 3D! We both remember when it came out but weren't allowed to see it in the theater because we were too young (even though some of our friends totally got to see it!!!)

There is lots to shop for this weekend :)

It may be cold still, but looking at butter LONDON's new summer collection has me craving the sun and sand!

Cult Nails' spring collection "In The Garden" is available for pre-sale at the special price of $40 for the set now through April 7th.

Remember these colorful holos by Liz aka Liquid Jelly? Liz has added even more holographic polishes to her Pretty Jelly line and they are available on her Etsy now! I've never seen a grey holo like Dream Cloud before.

Ricky's has added PATRICIA nail lacquer to it's ever-growing offering of nail polishes.

It's time for Bloomingdale's Friends & Family Sale! While cosmetics aren't included, it's a great time to pick up some items on your wishlist. I've got my eye on this watch :)

INGLOT expands Nail Enamels and adds 10 new spring pastel colors to their already extensive line of over 240 shades.

What's on your weekend shopping list?

Post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Review and Wear Test: Incoco Nail Polish Appliquès

2013-04-04T21:54:00.000-04:00

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

Say goodbye to liquid nail polish – no more drying time, smudges, or streaks! Incoco nail polish strips provide a perfect manicure in minutes. The strips are made of real nail polish, and each strip includes base, color, and top coats. Apply Incoco anywhere, any time! [source]

I recently received Incoco Nail Polish Appliquès to try out! You may have seen a preview of this sparkly snake manicure on Instagram ;) I wore my Incoco manicure for (7) days and want to tell you all about the application, wear, and removal.

Incoco Nail Polish Appliquès and directions are packaged in a thin sleeve. While using an emery board is part of the application process, there isn't one included. There are (16) nail stickers in various sizes.

Application

Note: These are my thoughts about application. I encourage you to follow the directions that come with Incoco!

The first step (after making sure your nails are clean) is to find the right size appliquè for your nail. The individual appliquès hang off a strip so it's easy to hold them up to your nail and find the best size before removing the backing. I realized about half way through my manicure that the stickers have two different shapes: one on each end. The stickers tear away easily, however, if you want to use the shape on the side that is attached, be careful not to tear it. The shapes are very similar - one side is tapered and the other is not. I actually mixed and matched (simply out of not knowing better) and it really didn't make a big difference to me, but it's nice to have the option. I was surprised at how long these strips are, but again, it's because you can apply them either way.

When you find the right strip, remove the clear backing and stick it on your nail, then file off the excess. The stickers are very thin and nicely fit around the curve of your nail. A few of the strips didn't adhere as well and there were edges that just didn't want to stay stuck on - the adhesive was possibly compromised by handling. Consequently, these "weak spots" if you will ended up showing the most wear as the days went by.

In addition to the directions that come in the package, the Incoco website is a great resource for more information. I read that "When you open the package, the strips are about 95% dry – which makes them flexible and repositionable. They need 15 to 30 minutes to completely set to your nails" [source]. How about that!

Repeat on all nails, and you're done! No base or top coat needed. I LOVE this glittery snake skin pattern, btw :)

Keep reading to see how my Incoco manicure held up (including a rare look at my right hand!!!), how they came off, and my final thoughts...

Wear Test

On my left (non-dominant) hand, things were going remarkably well through day 5! On day 6, a big chunk came off my index finger that remained unchanged through day 7. I mentioned above that a few of the edges just didn't want to stay stuck on. The chunk that came off was from a piece that didn't adhere well to begin with.

Here's what my manicure looked like on day 7 - except for the piece missing from my index finger, it doesn't look too bad at all!

While all was well with my left hand, there was a bit of a different story happening on my right hand and I felt I needed to include it in my review. I'm sorry but I am not very coordinated photographing my right hand ;)

On day 2, pieces flaked off from the spots on my nails the strips didn't adhere well to. Because I had applied the strips on my right hand with my non-dominant hand, I'm not entirely certain that it wasn't my motor skills that had failed as opposed to compromised adhesive...

On the night of day 6, a piece on my right pinkie got stuck in my hair and most of it came off - all in one chunk!

It seems that if the appliquè doesn't adhere well initially, be it due to handling them too much or a speck of lotion residue on your nail, those are the spots that were most vulnerable to chipping. The appliquès that adhered well really held on until I took this manicure off! Speaking of removal...

Removal

Incoco Nail Polish Appliquès come off with a regular nail polish remover (I used an acetone remover). For a glitter manicure, removal was much easier than I expected. The ease of removal falls between that of a glitter and of a normal cream polish. My nails were not damaged underneath.

Some Advice:

Try to limit touching the adhesive side of the strips. I found it interesting that the instructions said that the strips could be stretched to fit your nails because I would suggest not touching them more than you need to!
I used a soft cuticle pusher tool to smooth out the edges.
Be careful of wrinkles when pressing down. The strips aren't particularly wrinkle-prone, but it's possible.
I was careful to really seal the edges before filing them off.
File the tip off the strip off clean. Don't file it most of the way and pull the rest off off - you will distort the image.
Don't rush through the application. Taking the time to match up the right size, carefully filing the edges off, and applying the straight = no wrinkles will lead to not only a better looking manicure, but a longer wearing one.
Keep a small trash can near by to toss the excess materials
Resist the urge to peel and pick at the edges. If you're a polish picker, these may not last very long for you :)
Even though they are "no dry time", because they are made of nail polish, they need 15 to 30 minutes to completely set to your nails.

What I Love:

Two options for nail shapes!
I love the tear-away each nail feature, it's easy to hold the sticker up and find the right size.
Didn't damage my nails.
Wear time was very impressive.
Incoco Nail Polish Appliquès come in great patterns!
Great for if you're somewhere you want to do nail polish discretely - maybe in your dorm room? In a hotel before a wedding?
No base coat or top coat needed.
The busy pattern conceals tip wear better than a solid sticker.

What I Didn't Love:

Some of the edges didn't adhere well and I wasn't crazy that after a day of wear, my right hand was chipping. But I'm not entirely sure this was from my "first time" using this product/poor non-dominant hand application skills.
Incoco Nail Polish Appliquès are not widely available for purchase in stores: they are available online http://www.incoco.com/MainShop.aspx or in these nail bars.
As filing off the edges is part of the application process, I wish an emery board was included.
This might not be an issue for everyone, but I needed an extra couple thinner width stickers. I remedied this by trimming down two.

Have you tried Incoco?

Incoco Nail Polish Appliquès retail for $7.99 and are available online http://www.incoco.com/MainShop.aspx or in these nail bars.

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

Review and Wear Test: Kiss "Nail Dress"

2013-04-02T18:54:00.003-04:00

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

I shared a bit about Kiss Nail Dress here, and today I want to tell you all about the application, wear, and removal! If you're not familiar with Nail Dress, quickly: they are nail stickers that apply easily, last about a week, and you peel them off when you're done - seriously, no remover needed. I thoroughly documented my first time for you :)

Inside the box are (22) nail shaped strips in a variety of sizes and a double-sided emery board. The directions say that the black side (blue?) of the emery board is for jeweled patterns and the pink side is for fashion strips, aka non-jeweled patterns.

Don't even think about stealing these!

The (22) strips are spread over (3) sheets. The backing is clear, semi-firm plastic.

Application

Note: These are my thoughts about application. I encourage you to follow the directions that come with Nail Dress!

The first step (after making sure your nails are clean) is to find the right size nail strip for your nail. Finding the right size may take you some time but don't rush this step. The clear plastic backing makes it easy to hold them up to your nails and find the right size before removing them. I wish the backing was slightly less stiff so you could bend it a little more around your nail.

Now that you found the right size, using scissors, cut that individual strip away from the rest. I did this because I could then cut the strip down in size before peeling the strip off and can save the French tip side for another manicure.

Remove the strip from the backing. They come off easily. The strips are flexible plastic and thin - but not in the awful-stick-to-itself-like-saran-wrap way. The feeling is more like a Colorform. A thin, tiny, nail-shaped Colorform.

Line up the strip on your nail, press down (avoid wrinkles), and file off the edge. You can use an orange stick or something similar to press the edges on well.

Repeat on all nails, and you're done! How cute is this floral pattern, btw?

Keep reading to see how Nail Dress held up, how they came off, and my final thoughts...

Wear Test

Nail Dress held up so much better than I expected. Because they stuck on with adhesive, I was concerned they would slide off in hot water, but this was not an issue. After (72) hours, the tips started to come unstuck. Visually, you can't really see this because the busy pattern masks the irregularity. While the wear wasn't visibly noticeable, I felt it when I was washing my hair - my hair got underneath the sticker and they also got snagged in my sweater and on a delicate scarf.

After (4) days, while Nail Dress looked OK, the pulling at my scarf and sweater became irritating. I even snagged them when tying my shoes! I decided it was time for them to come off :)

These photos were taken after (4) days of wear:

Removal

Nail Dress is different from other nail stickers I've tried because to remove them, you just peel them off. Seriously. Removal was SO easy - just slide your nail under an edge and pull gently. Nail Dress comes off in one piece. I had some sticky residue left that I was able to ball up and roll off with the pad of my finger. You will want to remove Nail Dress with a garbage pail close by :)

My nails had become very dehydrated under the stickers for (4) days. Two of my nails were so dry that they actually peeled when I removed the stickers. I think this is why greater than (10) days of wear is not recommended - keep in mind this happened with my nails (4) days, and my nails are not prone to peeling. Now would be a great time to soak your finger tips in oil!

Some Advice:

File the tip off the strip off clean. Don't file it most of the way and pull the rest off off - you will distort the image.
Keep in mind there are (2) of each size. If you remember which you use on which finger, it will make finding the sizes for your other hand easier.
Be careful of wrinkles when pressing down. The strips aren't particularly wrinkle-prone, but it's possible.
Keep a small trash can near by to toss the excess nail strips and the plastic strips - the clear plastic back pieces will get lost on whatever surface you're working on :)
Cut away one nail at a time so you can cut off the French tip custom each nail.
And don't cut off all the French tips at once from the clear backing - your nails are different sizes!
Keep your box to put the French tips in for next time.
Resist the urge to peel and pick at the edges - this will help Nail Dress last longer.

What I Love:

There's no weird smell!
No base coat or top coat needed.
The rounded edge was shaped perfectly for my cuticles.
The patterns are adorable!
The printing is very clear - no pixels visible.
They are done when they are done = no drying time!
The double useage (full vs French tips) is a great idea, although this might not work for ladies with longer nails.
The stickers peel off the backing very easily.
The stickers are a nice thickness. There's no chance of them folding up on themselves before you get them to your nail.
The pattern conceals tip wear better than a solid sticker.
Nail Dress comes with a small nail file = win!
Nail Dress is easy to find in stores (where to buy).

What I Didn't Love:

I wish the tips were numbered or lettered so I can easily remember what size sticker I used on what nail to reference the next time I use Nail Dress. Most of the time spent during application was finding the right size sticker!
The plastic backing is stiff so it's a little tricky to curl it around your nail to find the right size.
I didn't like that pieces of my nails peeled off when I removed the strips. Again, my nails are not prone to peeling, so this was a surprise.
I wasn't crazy about how the fraying edges would get stuck in my hair/clothes.

Have you tried Nail Dress?

Nail Dress retails for $6.99 and is available nationwide at retailers including CVS, Duane Reade, and Walgreens (see more: where to buy).

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

"Lemony Flutter"-Effect Hair Products

2013-04-01T18:29:00.001-04:00

This may not come as a surprise to you, but Lush's Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter was my "gateway" product to developing a nail polish ~~obsession~~ hobby. If you've tried Lemony Flutter, you probably know exactly what I mean! Because my cuticles were looking better, I became motivated to keep my nails and fingers looking nice. Then I started actually liking the way nail polish looked on my nails, I bought more, etc, etc, etc, and now I blog about it. During NYFW, two of the many lovely people I met were Christopher Box - aka the Hair Extension Geek - and Jennifer Edwards of easihair pro (they make tape extensions). Christopher is also the brand ambassador for easihair pro and he was kind enough to give me samples of their new product to try out. In short, they're giving me the "Lemony Flutter" effect with my hair - now that it's looking and feeling nicer, I want to take better care of it. No, I don't have plans of becoming a hair blogger, but I do want to tell you about these products ;)

These products - easihair Heat Treat + Shine and easihair pro Leave-In Conditioner - were developed to address the needs of long, color treated hair-like hair extensions and have been years in the making to get just right. Now, my hair is neither color treated nor extension-ified, but I was assured these products work just as well with natural hair. What's my hair like? I have long, fine hair - and a lot of it. It's not prone to dryness nor is it heavily damaged. It's straight but will get a little wavy if air dry. It's because I don't really have problems with it that I haven't explored more hair products.

easihair Heat Treat + Shine

easihair Heat Treat + Shine is a versatile product great for long hair. It is designed to help protect hair from heat damage and adds shine. I didn't really find that it added much shine to my hair, but it did make my hair feel really soft. It's a thin liquid (looks just like water) so it's doesn't weigh my hair down or leave it feeling "product-y". The scent is quite strong smelling - I found it a bit artificially fruity and sweet. If you love it, you'll love it. If you don't, well, it doesn't hang around after drying your hair.

easihair pro Leave-In Conditioner

The Leave-In Conditioner has the same scent as the Heat Treat + Shine, it's just not as strong. This product also makes my hair super soft and also works well as a detangler. The consistency is that of a conditioner, but it doesn't feel thick in my hair. If you have hair extensions, this product is designed to help keep them looking shiny and healthy (I don't have extensions so I can't confirm).

I'm not as well versed in hair lingo as I am in nail polish, so I'll conclude by saying that after about a month of using both products, my hair feels really great :) You'll notice results after the first time using them. Read more about hair treatments for dry hair on the easihair pro blog. Now I am motivated to take better care of my hair! Do you have any "Lemony Flutter"-Effect hair products?

easihair Heat Treat + Shine retails for $24.95. I couldn't find the retail price of easihair pro Leave-In Conditioner online. These products are sold in hair extension salons.

Product(s) in this post were provided for review. Read my disclosure policy here.

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"Lemony Flutter"-Effect Hair Products