PHD Challenge Mani: Vampire Nails

Has anyone entered PHD's weekly challenge? The theme for this week was Vampire nails. There's a link to her blog on the left. Here is my entry:

I wanted to go for the True Blood effect here:



I tried to achieve this by using a water marble manicure. My Simple Little Pleasures has a great tutorial...there's a link to her blog on the left as well. I think she is hands down the best water marbeler out there!

The base is OPI: Quarter of a Cent-Cherry, and I marbled with Zoya Blair and WnW Black Creme. Here's what I got:



Closeup:


What do you think? Not too bad for my 1st water marble mani! I had the hardest time trying to capture the colors, my camera hates reds. You can click on each pick to enlarge it.

Thanks for looking!!

Lippmann Collection Ruby Red Slippers

So, I just got this baby in the mail the other day and I think it's one of my favorites ever. Blackened red perfection - right up my alley!


Here's a mega closeup:



This was one heavy coat over two coats of Orly Glam. I tell you, after seeing this color in person I now think I need to hunt down Across the Universe......

Thank for looking!

Dollar Tree Maybellines 4

So, today I just bought Lippmann Collection Ruby Red Slippers online. I'm so excited to get it!! Too bad it probably won't be in time for PHD's Vampire challenge. I bet it would had made a good base color! I'm still lemming Across the Universe.

I have to say, so far, it's the most expensive polish I will be soon to own....but it's red, so it's ok! LOL.


These next two are the last of the Maybelline swatches that I have done for now. The first color is called Fairy Pretty. The bottle color is a pale greenish blue shimmer color.




This is one layer over WnW Black Creme. The bottle color translates pretty accurately over the black. It's a pretty unique color, but not a favorite.



This color is Red Hot Reds. The bottle color is a super bright red with gold flecks of color mixed in:


And this is one layer over WnW Black Creme again. This is so pretty, I love how you can see the flecks of color show through.



So that's it for today, I hope you liked them :)

Thanks for looking!

OPI DS Extravagance

Wow, I just picked this up at Ulta today. It's been a lemming for a while, but I just didn't realize how pretty this color was until I wore it. It's a pinkish-purple base with holo particles. Man, in the sunlight, wow!




I think I have a new favorite color....and it's not a red!! ha ha.

Thanks for looking!!

Dollar Tree Maybellines 3

The first color on today's list is Fuchsia Flash. The bottle color is a bright pink jelly with blue iridescent glitter:


Here is one layer over WnW Black Creme. It's too sheer to wear on it's own, but you loose any bit of pink when you layer it....you just see the glitter. The glitter flashes blue and purple.

The next one here is called Imperial Red. The bottle color is a nice dark red color with gold shimmer swirls.


Here is one coat over WnW Black Creme. It's a nice blackend red and you can still see a faint gold shimmer. Very pretty!


That's all for today. I have two more already swatched, I'll probably post them tonight or tomorrow.

Thanks for looking!

Dollar Tree Maybellines 2

Here are two more of the DT Maybelline swatches I have ready. This is Bonfire. The bottle color is a bright orange-ish red color with a bit of gold shimmer:



This is one heavy coat layered over WnW Black Creme. I definitely prefer it over black. It's just too bright for me on it's own, the black mutes it somewhat and I like it so much more that way.


This color is called Red Hot. This one is interesting. The bottle color shows a very bright red color with some gold-ish particles...not glitter...kind like flecks in the color.


Now over black, it takes on a more maroon color. Notice the flecks? Very pretty! This is one layer over WnW Black Creme.


I hope you're all not bored with more popsicle stick swatches, cuz I have more to post soon :)

Thanks for looking!

Revlon: Ruby + Slipper

I'm in love with today's NOTD! I originally saw this set posted on The Nailphile. Well when I saw the red, I was of course done for! LOL. It's a combo polish set, the base color is called Ruby and the glitter top coat is called Slipper:



The base is a deep red jelly, very nice on it's own:



And the topcoat Slipper is A M A Z I N G! I love it! It's got red and sliver glitter with silver holo hex glitter. Layered over the red, it's so pretty!!


These are my first Revlon polishes and so far, I like 'em. I also picked up Galaxy. I found mine at Meijers and Rite Aid if anyone's interested.

Thanks for looking!

Dollar Tree Maybellines

So last fall I amassed a large collection of Dollar Tree Maybelline polishes. I think I wiped out three different stores! LOL. So I'd like to swatch some of my favorites for you....

This is Maybelline Express Finish in Lava Red; one of my favorites out of the bunch and once you see this baby layered over black you'll know why! The bottle color is a bright almost pinkish red with golden swirls.



But when layered over black (one coat over WnW Black Creme), it comes alive. You can click the image to enlarge. The flecks in it flash gold and red, it's amazing. It reminds me of fall leaves :) I'm a sucker for a good deep red color!!



The 2nd swatch is another Express Finish (gold cap) called Spirited Sparkle. The bottle color is a light pink glittery base with larger purple glitter particles.


Here it is layered over black (1 coat over WnW Black Creme). It has large purple square glitter with silver micro glitter in the base. Very pretty.



Hope you liked them! I have a ton more Maybellines that I'll be swatching soon.

PHD: Born 2 be Wild and Milani: Hi-Tech

Today's mani was inspired by the cover of the book The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I just bought it today and am only about 20 pages into it, so I can't comment on the story, but I loved the greens on the cover. So summery! I used PHD: Born 2 be Wild (2 coats) with one layer of Milani Hi-Tech over it.

Closeup:



Here is an angle shot. I didn't really capture the holo very well :(


and both next to each other:



Thanks for looking!

A few random NOTDs

Today is July 11th, which mean's it 7-11 and free Slurpee day!

I just have a couple random swatches. The first color is China Glaze Orange Marmalade. I used two coats and still have VNL....yuck! I hate that! I'm sure if I added another coat, it would be ok though....just didn't have the time when I put it on.



This is a berry red colored holo glitter franken (1 coat) topped with Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure (1 coat):



And the last one is Clair's Moodie in Confident / Peaceful. I used two coats, but it never changed colors for me even when I used the cold water trick....still a pretty color on it's own.

Stash Picks

So, I decided to post some picks of my current stash. Right now, I'm using racks, but I'm feeling the Helmer / Melmer calling. I love the racks because I like to be able to look at my collection, but I don't have the room to add more....and I'm outgrowing them fast! If I do get a Helmer, I always could display my favorites and rotate them from time to time....Does anyone have a Helmer? What do you think of it?


Here are all four (you can click each pick for a closeup):


Rack #1: China Glaze, OPI, Nichole by OPI, Zoya, Nubar, Color Club, Missani/Studio M and Diamond Cosmetics:



Rack #2: SH Opals, Milani, SH Prisms, PHD, Bloom, Mbe Cosmetics, Ulta, Pure Ice, Revlon Dark Pleasures, Orly, Sinful Colors, Loreal Star Magnets, Lancome, Toma, SH Rockstar Pink, Nina Ultra Pro, Borghese, Clare's Moodies and LA Colors:


Rack #3: Sally Hansen, Colorama Flakies, SH Hidden Treasure, Nfu Oh, Cover Girl, Tropical Manicure, random colors, Chelsea, Jade, random colors, NDB, Del Sol, Wet and Wild, Sally Hansen, Stevie Nicks pin :), SH Insta Dri, Avon and Random colors for frankening:




Rack #4: Maybelline Aluminums, Maybelline Blackened, Halloween polishes, Maybelline Mattes, Maybelline Express Finish, Instant Artificials, Art Deco stripers and random top and base coats:


Here are some frankens, Konad, Ballz, and glitters and foils:

China Glaze Awakening!!!

WOW, I just saw these on Getcha Nails Did and I had to post about them. This is China Glazes 2010 Halloween collection and I'm in love with all three colors. Check out the swatches China Glaze posted on Twitter:

Mummy May I, described as "Vampy, wine colored purple with flecks of hot pink glitter!" :

Ick A Body (my favorite) "A dark green base chocked full of orange glitter! ":

Zombie Zest "A mossy green shade with gold flecks of micro glitter! ":


Here is a closeup of all three (click to enlarge):



I love them and can't wait to pick 'em up!!!

Del Sol Color Changing Polishes pt 2

Here are the last two Del Sol colors I picked up. This one is called Calypso and besides Ruby Slipper, it's the 2nd most noticeable changer in the group.

It's a light frosty pink indoors and outside it changes into a kick butt purple. I'm not a lover of pinks, but the purple side of it rocks!

And last, but not least is Rockstar:


Indoors, it's a blue glitter and outdoors, it turns into a teal glitter. In person, the color definitely changes, but it's not as dramatic as the others.



Here another look at all four, left to right: Ruby Slipper; Calypso; Rockstar; Superhero. The top is indoors and bottom outdoors:


Random cruise pick, just for fun: