» blanket print nails

07/30/2012

living-in-a-world-of-mystery asked: hi there! I was wondering if you use anything to strengthen your nails or increase the growth of them? if so, what would you recommend?

Currently, I’m using Butter London’s Horse Power Nail Fertilizer, and it’s worked wonders for me! It’s supposed to help your nails grow faster, but I find it has strengthened my nails as well. Not a single chipped nail in two months now!

Posted 9 months ago
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Say the word “Bohemian” and most people automatically think bell-bottoms and fringed vests.  Today’s Bohemian look is refined, feminine and carefree, epitomized by fashion icon Nicole Richie’s modern Bohemian look.  China Glaze gives the free-spirited look a fresh, trendy spin with its latest specialty collection, New Bohemian.

China Glaze New Bohemian will leave you mesmerized as the color shifts and moves across the nail, traveling with the light.  The chrome-like finish radiates with high shine and intense color, captivating your senses with every twist and turn.

Push the boundaries of color and fashion with the unconventional collection of six lustrous shades including:

  • Unpredictable – Multidimensional gorgeous green
  • Rare & Radiant – Extraordinarily rich gold
  • Swanky Silk – Brilliant beige with peach undertones
  • No Plain Jane – Lavish lavender-pink
  • Want My Bawdy – Sexy sapphire blue
  • Deviantly Daring – Adventurously bold peacock teal

The China Glaze New Bohemian collection will be available at fine salons and beauty supply stores nationwide in August 2012.  Individual polishes retail for $7.00 (USD) per bottle.

China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde. China Glaze nail lacquers are available through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide. For more information, visit chinaglaze.com.

These duochromes look so flashy and fun! Perfect to add some glam to your back-to-school looks. What do you think?

(Source: blanketprint)

Posted 9 months ago
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Create a gorgeous 3D nail art effect in just seconds using these Sally Hansen magnetic polishes. This unique formula has been specially developed with metallic particles to create a pattern on the nail using magnetic forces. As the magnet is held over the nail, the iron filings in the formula gravitate toward the magnet forming the pattern/design secretly hidden in the magnet for an astonishing finish!

This nail polish is available in 8 gorgeous shades:

  • Ionic Indigo
  • Red-y Response
  • Kinetic Copper
  • Silver Elements
  • Golden Conduct
  • Electric Emerald
  • Graphite Gravity
  • Polar Purple

Applies in 2 Steps:

Step 1: Apply 1 coat of base coat. Shake Magnetic Nail Color to activate. Remove overcap with magnet and set aside. Apply 1 coat of Magnetic Nail Color to all 10 nails and let dry.

Step 2: Apply a thick second coat of color to 1 nail and immediately hold the built-in magnet over the nail. Rest the guide just below the cuticle without touching the wet nail polish. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat for all 10 nails and let dry. Finish with a top coat.

You may find these stores now in drugstores nationwide.

I’m excited to try these out! I especially like that the magnet is right on the cap. I have to admit I’ve already misplaced the separate magnets that come with China Glaze and Julep’s magnetic nail polishes! =/

(Source: blanketprint)

Posted 9 months ago
14 notes · comments

07/14/2012

Color: I Eat Mainely Lobster (OPI)Retail Price: $8.50 (USD) I’m not sure if my local Ulta is the only one that’s doing a 2 for $12 OPI special, but I totally took advantage of it! They’re offering some Ulta-exclusive OPI shades, OPI shatters, and a few shades from the fall 2011 Touring America collection. I Eat Mainely Lobster is from the fall 2011 Touring America collection, but instead of holding onto this for a couple more months, I decided to review it now because I think the color is actually more fitting for summer than for fall! I Eat Mainely Lobster is a bright coral with duochrome pink and gold shimmer. Like I said, the brightness makes this perfect for summer, but I think the shimmer needs to be way more apparent. It’s so pretty, but even in the sunlight, it’s just barely there! The formula for this shade wasn’t as good as I hoped. Application is really streaky, and despite how pigmented the coral looks, I needed three coats to achieve bottle color. Still, I think it’s worth noting that the final manicure looks great! Like I said, I Eat Mainely Lobster is supposed to be a fall color (maybe that’s why the shimmer is sooo subtle), but I think it’s perfect for your tips or toes as summer winds down.

Color: I Eat Mainely Lobster (OPI)
Retail Price: $8.50 (USD)

I’m not sure if my local Ulta is the only one that’s doing a 2 for $12 OPI special, but I totally took advantage of it! They’re offering some Ulta-exclusive OPI shades, OPI shatters, and a few shades from the fall 2011 Touring America collection. I Eat Mainely Lobster is from the fall 2011 Touring America collection, but instead of holding onto this for a couple more months, I decided to review it now because I think the color is actually more fitting for summer than for fall!

I Eat Mainely Lobster is a bright coral with duochrome pink and gold shimmer. Like I said, the brightness makes this perfect for summer, but I think the shimmer needs to be way more apparent. It’s so pretty, but even in the sunlight, it’s just barely there!

The formula for this shade wasn’t as good as I hoped. Application is really streaky, and despite how pigmented the coral looks, I needed three coats to achieve bottle color. Still, I think it’s worth noting that the final manicure looks great!

Like I said, I Eat Mainely Lobster is supposed to be a fall color (maybe that’s why the shimmer is sooo subtle), but I think it’s perfect for your tips or toes as summer winds down.

Posted 10 months ago
19 notes · comments

07/13/2012

Color: Splish Splash (China Glaze)Retail Price: $7.00 (USD) This shade is from China Glaze’s summer 2012 Summer Neons collection. It is a bright blue shimmer, although I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as a neon because I don’t think it’s bright enough. The formula for this shade is adequate, although slightly streaky during application. It also took a little longer to dry than other shades in this collection (not sure if that’s specific to every bottle of Splish Splash or if I just got a wonky bottle). Regardless of my minor issues with Splish Splash, it’s still fairly easy to apply, and I needed two coats to achieve bottle color. Like I said, I wouldn’t really say Splish Splash is a neon blue, but it definitely fits its name. It makes me think of the pool, which makes me think of summer, so even though it’s not a neon, it definitely belongs in a summer collection. Disclosure: Product sample provided by China Glaze. 

Color: Splish Splash (China Glaze)
Retail Price: $7.00 (USD)

This shade is from China Glaze’s summer 2012 Summer Neons collection. It is a bright blue shimmer, although I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as a neon because I don’t think it’s bright enough.

The formula for this shade is adequate, although slightly streaky during application. It also took a little longer to dry than other shades in this collection (not sure if that’s specific to every bottle of Splish Splash or if I just got a wonky bottle). Regardless of my minor issues with Splish Splash, it’s still fairly easy to apply, and I needed two coats to achieve bottle color.

Like I said, I wouldn’t really say Splish Splash is a neon blue, but it definitely fits its name. It makes me think of the pool, which makes me think of summer, so even though it’s not a neon, it definitely belongs in a summer collection.

Disclosure: Product sample provided by China Glaze. 

Posted 10 months ago
20 notes · comments

07/12/2012

Color: Love’s A Beach (China Glaze)Retail Price: $7.00 (USD) This shade is from China Glaze’s summer 2012 Summer Neons collection. It is a neon pink with fuchsia shimmer. The shimmer is fairly subtle, but it sparkles quite brilliantly when the sun hits your nails just right! The formula for Love’s A Beach was pleasantly surprising. I’m used to neon nail polishes requiring several coats to achieve full opacity, and some even dry matte; however, this shade is fairly pigmented and saturated, dries glossy, and has a consistency similar to China Glaze cremes. My guess is the great formula is due to the shimmer. In the photo above, I am wearing two coats of Love’s A Beach. I think this is yet another bright nail polish wonderful for summer pedicures, but its pigmented, saturated nature makes it ideal for nail art as well! Disclosure: Product sample provided by China Glaze.

Color: Love’s A Beach (China Glaze)
Retail Price: $7.00 (USD)

This shade is from China Glaze’s summer 2012 Summer Neons collection. It is a neon pink with fuchsia shimmer. The shimmer is fairly subtle, but it sparkles quite brilliantly when the sun hits your nails just right!

The formula for Love’s A Beach was pleasantly surprising. I’m used to neon nail polishes requiring several coats to achieve full opacity, and some even dry matte; however, this shade is fairly pigmented and saturated, dries glossy, and has a consistency similar to China Glaze cremes. My guess is the great formula is due to the shimmer. In the photo above, I am wearing two coats of Love’s A Beach.

I think this is yet another bright nail polish wonderful for summer pedicures, but its pigmented, saturated nature makes it ideal for nail art as well!

Disclosure: Product sample provided by China Glaze.

Posted 10 months ago
27 notes · comments

07/04/2012

Colors: Chancer (Butter London), Kate (Julep), Spring Gentian (Priti NYC), Diamond Geezer (Butter London) Happy 4th of July to the Americans out there! :) I’m glad part of my celebrating for today was to do some nail art. In the middle of painting my nails, I realized this is the first nail art I’ve done since going on hiatus to finish my M.A. thesis in March! =/ I swear on my Seche Vite I won’t let another three months go by before I do nail art again! Anyway, the majority of this manicure is pretty simple to achieve because it’s mostly just straight lines and dots. If you have them, you can use stripers to create the stripes in this manicure, but I actually just used a couple craft store paintbrushes since I find it’s easier to control them and because it doesn’t limit me only to my stripers! And you can use a dotting tool to create the dots, but I actually used a toothpick since I was in my kitchen while I painted my nails this morning. The hardest shape to create is the star on my index finger. A lot of Independence Day manicures I’ve seen feature glitter stars, but I don’t have any! Still, I love stars, so I decided to freehand a star on my nail. My suggestion is to first paint your whole nail blue. Once that’s dry, use a toothpick to dot on the five points of your star, and then use your striper or paintbrush to create the star. If yours ends up looking funky, wait for the white to completely dry, and then use your blue nail polish to go over the white in order to “erase” parts of the white you don’t need anymore (I ended up needing to do this a couple times). If your nail looks a little bumpy at the end of it all, using a heavy-duty top coat like Seche Vite at the end of your manicure will make everything appear smooth again. If yall have any questions about the manicure, ask in the comments or leave me a note in my ask box. Thanks for reading! :)

Colors: Chancer (Butter London), Kate (Julep), Spring Gentian (Priti NYC), Diamond Geezer (Butter London)

Happy 4th of July to the Americans out there! :) I’m glad part of my celebrating for today was to do some nail art. In the middle of painting my nails, I realized this is the first nail art I’ve done since going on hiatus to finish my M.A. thesis in March! =/ I swear on my Seche Vite I won’t let another three months go by before I do nail art again!

Anyway, the majority of this manicure is pretty simple to achieve because it’s mostly just straight lines and dots. If you have them, you can use stripers to create the stripes in this manicure, but I actually just used a couple craft store paintbrushes since I find it’s easier to control them and because it doesn’t limit me only to my stripers! And you can use a dotting tool to create the dots, but I actually used a toothpick since I was in my kitchen while I painted my nails this morning.

The hardest shape to create is the star on my index finger. A lot of Independence Day manicures I’ve seen feature glitter stars, but I don’t have any! Still, I love stars, so I decided to freehand a star on my nail. My suggestion is to first paint your whole nail blue. Once that’s dry, use a toothpick to dot on the five points of your star, and then use your striper or paintbrush to create the star. If yours ends up looking funky, wait for the white to completely dry, and then use your blue nail polish to go over the white in order to “erase” parts of the white you don’t need anymore (I ended up needing to do this a couple times). If your nail looks a little bumpy at the end of it all, using a heavy-duty top coat like Seche Vite at the end of your manicure will make everything appear smooth again.

If yall have any questions about the manicure, ask in the comments or leave me a note in my ask box. Thanks for reading! :)

Posted 10 months ago
770 notes · comments

07/03/2012

(Click photos to enlarge them.)

Colors: America (Julep), Chelsea (Julep), and Kate (Julep)
Retail Price: $14.00 (USD) per bottle

Julep boxed up quite a lot of awesome for their July boxes. They’ve released some colorful new glitters that are perfect to add sparkle to your July, and they’ve also presented their spin on the matching nail and lip color trend. If I’m not mistaken, I believe this is Julep’s very first venture into lip colors, and my very first review of a lip product! Lots of excitement in this post, so I hope you’ll keep reading for my review of my Julep Maven Bombshell box for July!

America: This is a special glitter Julep included in all of the American Julep Maven boxes this month in honor of the 4th of July (Canadians received O Canada!). It is a mix of small red glitter, large blue glitter, and silver stars all suspended in a clear base. I was most excited for this glitter because of the silver stars (I love stars!), so I was really disappointed to discover there actually aren’t that many stars in this (I had to fish out the ones that made it onto my nails). Also, I think I just got a bad bottle because this is what the inside of my bottle looked like when I opened it (yuck…). So, my bottle was thick and gunky (fairly certain my bottle is a fluke, considering my bottle of Chelsea [see below for review] was just fine), which made the application process terrible, unfortunately. I’m wearing two coats of America in the photo above, and after some top coat, I managed to make it look okay, despite the formula. In any case, this combination of glitters is really unique, and certainly ideal for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, or any day you’re feeling particularly patriotic! 

Chelsea: This nail polish is a mix of violet, purple, and silver multi-dimensional glitter all suspended in a clear base. The formula for this is great, although I wish the glitter was a little more dense. Julep nail polish bottles suggest only two coats of each nail color is needed for a manicure, but if I’m only going to have glitter on my nails, I want full coverage! So, I’d recommend layering this over a solid color because two coats on a naked nail (as seen in my swatch photo) just doesn’t cut it for me. Julep’s nail art suggestion for this month is completing a Chelsea manicure with French tips in Kate (see below for review). I’m not so sure about this look, but then again, I appreciate its uniqueness since I would’ve done glitter tips on a creme manicure instead of the other way around. Always good to try new things! :)

Kate: This shade is a soft white pearl. It has a gorgeous, subtle shimmer in the bottle and also appears slightly grayed out, but on the nail, the shimmer sort of disappears and the nail color is a very bright white. For me, the difference between bottle color and nail color is fine because I like the brightness of the white. The formula for this is a little on the thin side, but I don’t mind since it’s still very easy to create a smooth, clean manicure. Overall, I think this would be a good nail polish to pick up since white is a staple for any nail polish stash and because the pearly shimmer makes Kate stand apart from other white nail polishes.

Zinnia: Julep created this odorless, tasteless (well, it tastes sort of like Vaseline, but I call that “tasteless”), long-wearing lip gloss to pair with Chelsea. It is a violet-plum lip gloss with subtle shimmer. Usually, when I wear lip color, I choose shades that are somewhat close to my natural lip color (Revlon lip butters in Pink Truffle and Berry Smoothie are my go-to colors right now), so when I first took out the lip gloss wand, I was a teensy bit startled with just how purple Zinnia is! But once you spread it on your lips, the color sort of thins out. As you can see in the photo of my lips, Zinnia only looks slightly darker/pinker than my natural lip color. So, if you’re into natural lip colors, this lip gloss might be for you! And even if you’re not, I think it would be great to wear over a saturated purple lipstick. My favorite thing about wearing Zinnia is that it doesn’t feel super sticky like some lip glosses do, so it’s easy to forget you’re even wearing it. Another cool thing about Julep lip glosses is the wands aren’t actually wands; the tip where the lip gloss gathers is actually a brush! I love this because it makes applying the lip gloss to your lips really easy to control. But despite all the reasons I’m digging Zinnia, I’m not entirely sure the Zinnia/Chelsea combo follows the matching nail/lip color trend since once Zinnia is on my lips, it’s not really the same color as Chelsea anymore. Perhaps Julep’s doing a creative spin on the trend because Zinnia is obviously still in the same color family as Chelsea. Regardless, I rather like this lip gloss!

There were some snags with my July Bombshell box (namely the America formula and the denseness of the glitter in Chelsea), but overall, I really do like this box and the cohesiveness of all the Julep Maven boxes this month. It was perfect for Julep to whip out glitters for July, and even better that every single box—no matter the style profile—received the America glitter. Also, I appreciate Julep’s spin on the matching nail/lip color trend, and was pleasantly surprised with how much I ended up liking Zinnia (I generally don’t like lip glosses).

After how much I loved last month’s box as well, I can’t even imagine what Julep will surprise us with next month! I’m most curious about what other kinds of cosmetics they might add to their arsenal of beauty products.

What do you like or dislike about Julep branching out beyond nail colors? Sound off in the comments or leave me a note in my ask box!

Want your very own Julep Maven boxes every month? Check out the bottom of this entry to learn how you can get your first box containing over $60.00 (USD) of products for only $5.00 (USD).

Disclosure: Product samples provided by Julep.

Posted 10 months ago
3 notes · comments

07/02/2012

(Click photos to enlarge them.)

Collection: Heavy Petal (Jessica Cosmetics)
Retail Price: $7.50 (USD) per bottle

This is the spring 2012 collection from Jessica Cosmetics. It contains three pinks and three purples, which makes it rather adorable at first glance, but I think the “petal to the metal” theme in the nail polish names makes these shades cool enough for a rocker chic manicure as well. Read on for my thoughts on this collection!

Dazed Dahlia: This shade is a bright berry creme that leans slightly toward fuchsia. It seems somewhat ordinary, but the formula for Dazed Dahlia sets it apart. Application is practically effortless, and it was opaque in only one coat! As lovely as this is on nails, personally, I think it’s even better on toes during the summertime.

Witchy Wisteria: This shade is a dark plum creme with subtle reddish orange shimmer that really helps it to fit in with the “rocker” theme in this collection. The formula for Witchy Wisteria is great; it’s very pigmented, and is opaque in two coats (although this was almost a one-coater). I absolutely love how this sparkles in the sun, so again, I think this one’s even better for the summer season.

Hotter Than Hibiscus: This shade is a silvery pink frost. Honestly, I’m not crazy about frosts because the application process is generally a nightmare due to streakiness. However, I was somewhat pleasantly surprised because the streakiness wasn’t too bad for this shade. The formula was rather good since, compared with other frosts, it was easier to create a smooth manicure with Hotter Than Hibiscus. In the photo above, I am wearing two coats of nail polish.

Geranium Gypsy: This shade is a silvery lilac frost. Unlike Hotter Than Hibiscus, the formula for this shade confirms all the reasons I typically dislike frosts. Application is really streaky (you can see my brush strokes quite well in the photo above)! And although the formula is a bit too thin for my taste, I needed two coats of nail polish to achieve bottle color. In any case, if you like frosts, this shade (or Hotter Than Hibiscus) would be a great staple for you because the pastel-ness fits in with spring, but I think the gleam from the frost makes it a cool (or frosty?) touch for summer or winter, too!

Rolling Rose: This shade is a light, almost white baby pink with blue shimmer. It’s no secret that I dislike pastels, but I feel as though the fact that it looks almost white makes me like Rolling Rose a bit more than I anticipated! Color me pleasantly surprised. :) Regardless, the formula for this nail polish is a little on the thick side, which made application slightly tedious. I am wearing three coats of nail polish in the photo above. Looking for a dupe or a similar shade that you’re more likely to find in your local beauty store? Try Kim-pletely in Love (Nicole by OPI), which is included in the Kardashian Kolor “Celeb-bitties” Nicole by OPI mini pack!

Born 2 Pansy: This shade is a pastel lilac with blue shimmer; it’s basically the lilac version of Rolling Rose. I’m disappointed that the shimmer doesn’t really show up (not even in the sun), which just makes it way too similar to all the other pastel purple cremes that come out every spring. Like Rolling Rose, the formula for Born 2 Pansy was a little on the thick side as well, and I needed three coats to achieve bottle color. Looking for a dupe? Check out To Buy Or Not To Buy (Essie).

I love the darker, more saturated Heavy Petal shades, yet as the shades get lighter, the less I like them! So, my favorites are Dazed Dahlia and Witchy Wisteria, and even though I don’t like frosts, I’m willing to give a nod of approval to Hotter Than Hibiscus because it’s not as streaky as most frosts I’ve experienced. Another great thing about the darker shades in this collection is I think they’ll transition effortlessly into the fall, too.

In essence, I have mixed feelings about this collection, but I suppose that might be because there is something for everyone here. That’s pretty close to a win/win, right? You be the judge!

Disclosure: Product samples provided by Jessica Cosmetics.

Posted 10 months ago
15 notes · comments

07/01/2012

Color: Sure Shot (Essie)Retail Price: $8.00 (USD) This shade is from Essie’s 2012 Resort collection. It is a dark pink-fuchsia shimmer that appears slightly frosty, too. The formula for this shade was a little thicker than I expected, but luckily, it didn’t really impact application. Other than that, Sure Shot is very pigmented and saturated, and applies smoothly; it was opaque in an easy two coats. However, you should note that it will stain your nails if you forget to use a base coat! I know Sure Shot belongs in a spring/summer collection, but I tend to like jewel tone shades during the fall, so this would be great to pick up if you spot it in stores! Disclosure: Product sample provided by Essie.

Color: Sure Shot (Essie)
Retail Price: $8.00 (USD)

This shade is from Essie’s 2012 Resort collection. It is a dark pink-fuchsia shimmer that appears slightly frosty, too.

The formula for this shade was a little thicker than I expected, but luckily, it didn’t really impact application. Other than that, Sure Shot is very pigmented and saturated, and applies smoothly; it was opaque in an easy two coats. However, you should note that it will stain your nails if you forget to use a base coat!

I know Sure Shot belongs in a spring/summer collection, but I tend to like jewel tone shades during the fall, so this would be great to pick up if you spot it in stores!

Disclosure: Product sample provided by Essie.

Posted 10 months ago
13 notes · comments

06/30/2012

Color: Vagabondage (M∙A∙C)Retail Price: $15.00 (USD) This shade is from the summer 2012 M∙A∙C Beth Ditto collection, and it’s described as a mid-tone lavender creme. Honestly, I’m not too crazy about this shade, but it’s mostly due to personal preference; I think the shade looks super awkward against my skin tone. Regardless, I do think this is an edgy color for summer, and can we talk about how fun the name Vagabondage is?! ;) Sadly, much like Life and Beth (M∙A∙C), Vagabondage also suffers from a thin formula that makes the application process a streaky nightmare. In the photo above, I am wearing four coats of nail polish (and I think the brightness of this shade is all that kept me from needing five coats like with Life and Beth). As far as I know, the average creme should be pleasantly opaque in two coats, right? Maybe three. But four coats for a creme finish is so not on! M∙A∙C carries some of my favorite cosmetics and nail polishes, so I’ve never really had any reason to complain about them; however, there’s always an exception to the rule. M∙A∙C totally missed the mark with the Beth Ditto nail lacquers. The colors are unique and/or edgy for a summer collection, but the formulas completely ruin it for me! I still love you, M∙A∙C…just bring your A-game next collection. Disclosure: Product sample provided by M∙A∙C.

Color: Vagabondage (M∙A∙C)
Retail Price: $15.00 (USD)

This shade is from the summer 2012 M∙A∙C Beth Ditto collection, and it’s described as a mid-tone lavender creme. Honestly, I’m not too crazy about this shade, but it’s mostly due to personal preference; I think the shade looks super awkward against my skin tone. Regardless, I do think this is an edgy color for summer, and can we talk about how fun the name Vagabondage is?! ;)

Sadly, much like Life and Beth (M∙A∙C), Vagabondage also suffers from a thin formula that makes the application process a streaky nightmare. In the photo above, I am wearing four coats of nail polish (and I think the brightness of this shade is all that kept me from needing five coats like with Life and Beth). As far as I know, the average creme should be pleasantly opaque in two coats, right? Maybe three. But four coats for a creme finish is so not on!

M∙A∙C carries some of my favorite cosmetics and nail polishes, so I’ve never really had any reason to complain about them; however, there’s always an exception to the rule. M∙A∙C totally missed the mark with the Beth Ditto nail lacquers. The colors are unique and/or edgy for a summer collection, but the formulas completely ruin it for me!

I still love you, M∙A∙C…just bring your A-game next collection.

Disclosure: Product sample provided by M∙A∙C.

Posted 10 months ago
10 notes · comments

06/29/2012

Color: Life and Beth (M∙A∙C)Retail Price: $15.00 (USD) This shade is from the summer 2012 M∙A∙C Beth Ditto collection, and it’s described as a milky peach creme. The “milky” trait makes me view this as a pastel, so at first, I thought it’d be more fitting in a spring collection, but then again, I suppose the brightness of the peach makes it fit in a summer collection as well. Unfortunately, I didn’t like the formula for this at all! Not only is the color for this shade milky, but so is the formula! It is way too thin, and application is insanely streaky. In the photo above, I am wearing five coats of nail polish! Ridiculous. I considered I might’ve just received a bad bottle of Life and Beth for review, but I looked up other bloggers’ reviews/swatches, and it seems my review echoes the general consensus for this formula. Though the streakiness in Life and Beth evens out as you pile on layers of this shade (perhaps its only semi-redeeming quality), that’s not enough to make up for the disappointing formula. I wasn’t expecting to like this color, but I actually did end up liking it after swatching. Sadly, I would discourage anyone from purchasing Life and Beth, due to the formula. I expect more, M∙A∙C! Disclosure: Product sample provided by M∙A∙C.

Color: Life and Beth (M∙A∙C)
Retail Price: $15.00 (USD)

This shade is from the summer 2012 M∙A∙C Beth Ditto collection, and it’s described as a milky peach creme. The “milky” trait makes me view this as a pastel, so at first, I thought it’d be more fitting in a spring collection, but then again, I suppose the brightness of the peach makes it fit in a summer collection as well.

Unfortunately, I didn’t like the formula for this at all! Not only is the color for this shade milky, but so is the formula! It is way too thin, and application is insanely streaky. In the photo above, I am wearing five coats of nail polish! Ridiculous. I considered I might’ve just received a bad bottle of Life and Beth for review, but I looked up other bloggers’ reviews/swatches, and it seems my review echoes the general consensus for this formula.

Though the streakiness in Life and Beth evens out as you pile on layers of this shade (perhaps its only semi-redeeming quality), that’s not enough to make up for the disappointing formula. I wasn’t expecting to like this color, but I actually did end up liking it after swatching. Sadly, I would discourage anyone from purchasing Life and Beth, due to the formula. I expect more, M∙A∙C!

Disclosure: Product sample provided by M∙A∙C.

Posted 10 months ago
14 notes · comments

06/27/2012

Color: Mandy (Julep)Retail Price: $14.00 (USD) This shade is a deep coral-pink with a creme finish. I actually used it in my Valentine’s Day manicure, but for the summertime, I think Mandy is perfect for a poolside pedicure (but, as you can see, it’s a wonderful manicure color, too). It looks somewhat similar to Rose (Julep), but Rose is actually a more saturated red color, whereas Mandy is more pinkish. The formula for this shade is really amazing, and the consistency of the nail polish makes application effortless. Mandy is super pigmented and is almost a one-coater, but you’ll definitely need that second coat to properly achieve bottle color. Want to become a Julep Maven so you can receive beauty products every month specifically catered to your personal style profile? For a limited time, you can use promo code MAVENINTRO at Julep.com to receive a Julep Maven intro box for only ONE PENNY! That’s a steal if I ever saw one! :) Disclosure: Product sample provided by Julep.

Color: Mandy (Julep)
Retail Price: $14.00 (USD)

This shade is a deep coral-pink with a creme finish. I actually used it in my Valentine’s Day manicure, but for the summertime, I think Mandy is perfect for a poolside pedicure (but, as you can see, it’s a wonderful manicure color, too). It looks somewhat similar to Rose (Julep), but Rose is actually a more saturated red color, whereas Mandy is more pinkish.

The formula for this shade is really amazing, and the consistency of the nail polish makes application effortless. Mandy is super pigmented and is almost a one-coater, but you’ll definitely need that second coat to properly achieve bottle color.

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Disclosure: Product sample provided by Julep.

Posted 10 months ago
17 notes · comments

06/26/2012

Color: Ride the Waves (China Glaze)Retail Price: $7.00 (USD) This shade is from China Glaze’s summer 2012 Summer Neons collection. Just looking at the bottle, I was sure it would be a super pigmented, saturated creme (China Glaze does those so well!), but it’s actually a sheer royal blue jelly. The formula for Ride the Waves is really great to work with, but I find this to be true with most jelly nail polishes. It’s so easy to create a clean manicure, and after the first coat, every layer afterward practically melts onto where it should be on your nail (that’s the best way I can explain it!). In the photo above, I am wearing three coats of nail polish, but for a less pigmented and more sheer final look, you can certainly get away with two coats. Some people don’t like it when a nail polish might leave some visible nail line, but because a jelly nail polish is supposed to do that, I don’t really mind. My favorite thing about Ride the Waves is that it’s really lightweight (whether you’re wearing two or three coats) and is great for creating jelly sandwiches! Disclosure: Product sample provided by China Glaze.

Color: Ride the Waves (China Glaze)
Retail Price: $7.00 (USD)

This shade is from China Glaze’s summer 2012 Summer Neons collection. Just looking at the bottle, I was sure it would be a super pigmented, saturated creme (China Glaze does those so well!), but it’s actually a sheer royal blue jelly.

The formula for Ride the Waves is really great to work with, but I find this to be true with most jelly nail polishes. It’s so easy to create a clean manicure, and after the first coat, every layer afterward practically melts onto where it should be on your nail (that’s the best way I can explain it!). In the photo above, I am wearing three coats of nail polish, but for a less pigmented and more sheer final look, you can certainly get away with two coats.

Some people don’t like it when a nail polish might leave some visible nail line, but because a jelly nail polish is supposed to do that, I don’t really mind. My favorite thing about Ride the Waves is that it’s really lightweight (whether you’re wearing two or three coats) and is great for creating jelly sandwiches!

Disclosure: Product sample provided by China Glaze.

Posted 10 months ago
28 notes · comments

06/25/2012

China Glaze nail lacquer invites you to take an exotic expedition with its Fall 2012 collection, On Safari.  Be captivated by the earthy tones, rich plums and celestial sparkles that make up this adventurous assortment of polishes, featuring 10 rich crèmes and 2 glitters including:

  • Kalahari Kiss - Light sand brown
  • I’m Not Lion - Glistening gold and multi-color glitter
  • Call of the Wild - Beautiful chocolate brown-dark cherry blend
  • Adventure Red-y - Vivid red
  • Desert Sun - Delicious caramel
  • I Herd That - Brilliant copper glitter
  • Man Hunt - Bold cobalt blue
  • Exotic Encounters - Lush green crème with blue undertones
  • Elephant Walk - Cool graphite grey
  • Jungle Queen - Smoky violet
  • Purr-fect Plum - Bold burgundy
  • Prey Tell - Daringly dark red

The China Glaze On Safari collection will be available at fine salons and beauty supply stores nationwide in July 2012.  Individual polishes retail for $7.00 (USD) per bottle.

China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde. China Glaze nail lacquers are available through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide. For more information, visit chinaglaze.com.

Seems so bizarre that a fall collection is coming out in July 2012, right in the middle of the prime of summer, but I am way excited for all these shades—especially the cremes! Which ones are you most excited for?

(Source: blanketprint)

Posted 11 months ago
11 notes · comments
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