Zoya Stamped Paisley Flowers

Hello, everyone!

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

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

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

What do you think of this color and design combo?

Everyone at the office went crazy over it this morning!

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

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

According to Zoya, the system will:

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

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

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

And I was right.

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

But then this happened:

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

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

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

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

Thoughts on this interesting discovery?

Parks and Recreation Sunflower Painting Nail Art

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

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

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

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

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

Swatch and Review: Colors by Llarowe Beam Me Up Scotty

I hope that Monday is treating you all well!

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

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

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

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

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

Are you ready to be beamed aboard the Enterprise?

NJ Pet Expo and 101 Dalmatians Nail Art

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Valentine's Day, everybody!

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

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

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

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

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

Would you wear this non-traditional mani?

Swatch and Review: Colors by Llarowe Dirty Diana

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

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

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

Swatch and Review: Milani Spotlight White

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

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

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

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

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

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

Swatch and Review: Layla Ocean Rush

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

Check out Layla Ocean Rush!

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

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

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

Up Your Nail and Holo Nail Art

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

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

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

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

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

Zoya Loredana with Studs

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

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

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

Will you try the mixed metallic look anytime soon?

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

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

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

Beginner Level: Polka Dots!

ANNOUNCING: Zoya Delight

ZOYA DELIGHT
Get ready for mouth-watering spring delights from Zoya! Inspired by the soft and airy colors of the season, Zoya Delight serves up three cheerful creams and three turquoise flash metallics for an updated, flirty way to wear pastels! All in the full-coverage, long-wearing, Big5Free* formula Zoya Nail Polish is famous for.

·            ZP772/Rayne: Dewy, spring blue with an energizing turquoise metallic flash.

·        ZP773/Lillian: Faded aquamarine with a glossy cream finish.

·            ZP774/Tiana: Palette-cleansing ‘pistachio gelato’ green in a glossy cream finish.

·        ZP775/Daisy: Refreshing ‘lemon merengue’ yellow with a turquoise metallic flash.

·            ZP776/Leslie: Soft spring lavender with a turquoise metallic flash.

·        ZP777/Eden: Classic spring flower pink in a glossy cream finish.

**BIG5FREE: Zoya Professional Nail Lacquer formula contains no formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, dibutyl phthalate, toluene or camphor.

AVAILABLE 02/02/15!

ZOYA IS THE HEALTHY COLOR OF FASHION!

$9 (US)

Available in top salons, spas and on zoya.com

I'm definitely looking forward to such a bright pink in Eden, but also the metallic turquoise flash found in Rayne, Daisy, and Leslie! What are your thoughts on this upcoming collection?

Swatch and Review: L'Oreal Masked Affair

TGIF! And in honor of the weekend, I have a VERY exciting swatch to share with you today. It appears that there is now officially a linear holographic polish that is available at drug stores and other national retailers!

And it comes from a very surprising source: L'Oreal!

Masked Affair was released as part of the Dark Sides of Grey Colour Riche collection, which I assume is in honor of the novel "50 Shades of Gray." But whatever the reason, I am incredibly excited that they did!

L'Oreal 701 Masked Affair is a silver linear holo with pinkish undertones.  I used three coats to achieve full opacity, but this dried INCREDIBLY quickly. I honestly could have gone about my day after fifteen minutes and not even remotely dinged it up.

The above photo was taken indoors without a top coat. Please continue to scroll for more indoor photos, a photo with top coat, and an outdoor shot.

Zoya Negative Space Nail Art

Hello, everyone! I hope that you all had a lovely holiday and are enjoying the final giveaway in the 31 Days of Giveaways series, which features a Coach Wristlet and a Pixie Dust set!

Today, I have my first negative space nail art to show you. I experimented with some nail vinyls to achieve this look and I'm pretty happy with how it came out!

 

I decided to go with matte shades for this look, so I used Zoya Veruschka and Savita.

A helpful tip for using nail vinyls: peel them off in the direction of the design. So for here, I peeled up a little, then down a little, following the zig zag. It helped me achieve much cleaner lines on this hand.

What do you think of my negative space zig zags? Is this something you'd like to try for yourself?

Until next time!

31 Days of Giveaways - Day 28: Sensationail, Illamasqua, and the Mystery Indie Duo

A jam-packed day 28 is here! If you haven't read about the giveaway and the rules, click here.

Check out the fantastic trio of prizes after the jump!

Milani Candy Cane Nails

Happy Friday, everybody!

With Christmas officially less than a week away, I figured it was high time for some Christmas nail art! So with a little help from the straight nail vinyls from NailVinyls.com and a pair of Milani Color Statement shades, I whipped up some candy cane nails!

For this manicure, I used Milani Iconic Red and Spotlight White.

Here are a few helpful tips if you want to recreate this look:

1. Paint the white for your base color and apply the red over the nail vinyls. I made the mistake of painting red as my base and it was a lot of work getting the white opaque. So save yourself the hassle and don't do it!

2. When using nail vinyl lines or striping tape, paint in the direction of the pieces. I achieved FAR cleaner lines when I applied the polish on a diagonal than when I just applied the polish in a vertical line from bottom to top.

3. Wait at least 20 minutes for the polish to dry before applying a top coat. I know that seems like a long time and the Milani Quick Dry top coat is amazing, but your colors WILL smear if you don't wait at least that long. Seriously. Hold out as long as you can. Nothing is more aggravating than having beautiful stripes and screwing it up after such hard work.

Feel free to post your Candy Cane nails to the Princess Polish Facebook page to show them off!

Hanukkah Dreidel Nail Art

Hanukkah begins tonight at sun down, so I thought it would be appropriate to kick off the eight craaaaazy nights with a little ode to the dreidel.

The dreidel frustrated me to no end as a child because I was highly unskilled at getting it to spin and always seemed to lose to my dad. Oh well.

At the least, painting them was more fun than having all of my chocolate coins stolen.

For this manicure, I used navy, teal, red, yellow, lime, and white acrylic paint over Zoya Blu. Blu has been lingering in my polish drawer for so long now and I had forgotten how much I adored her.


A very happy Hanukkah to those of you who celebrate and please keep posted for more Hanukkah nail art, as well as upcoming Christmas manicures, as well!

31 Days of Giveaways - Day 4: Holiday Indie Trio

Welcome to Day 4! If you haven't read about the giveaway and the rules, click here.

Day 4's giveaway prize is a holiday indie trio! R. Hobby Cosmetics Peppermint Shatter (shredded white and red glitter topper), Vivid Lacquer Theoretically Nude (a nude crelly with pink shimmer), and Philly Loves Lacquer Mummers Parade (a magenta jelly base with dark pink diamond, purple and blue hex, orange bar, and fine pink, orange, and purple glitters) are up for grabs!

Fill out the Rafflecopter widget below to enter! And check back tomorrow for the reveal of the Sephora prize!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Swatch and Review: Milani Color Statement Skittle Nails

Good evening to you all and a very happy weekend!

Over the course of the past few months, I've been doing a lot of nail art with my new Milani Color Statement polishes. I've used blues and reds and greens and sheers... but there are so many more shades in the collection. So to keep this post relatively short and sweet, while having all the colors in a single post, I decided to skittle swatch the polishes. However, I kept them in color groups for easy viewing.

All polish names are listed from index to pinky finger and have two coats applied.