Monday, July 19, 2010

Anna Sui 318

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

Today I needed a bright, chipper nail polish, and I went with Anna Sui 318.  It's a very pretty red pink shimmer that's nicely rose scented, which I acquired in a recent Urban Outfitters purchase.  Urban Outfitters doesn't use the color number, which complicates things.  If I'd been thinking upon opening the shipment of these, I would have noted on the the color number on the invoice, but I did not.  In their infinite wisdom, UO shipped each polish I ordered in a separate box, so I would have been able to connect a color number to a description upon opening them.  Lesson learned - I'll do that in the future...

Back to Anna Sui 318... It was a two coater, and just screams flowers - the color, the fragrance, this is one flowery nail polish!  Here's the finished manicure.

Anna Sui 318
Anna Sui 318 Nail Polish, Two Coats

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Sunday, July 18, 2010

I'm Sew Excited, I'm Sew Excited!


I'm so scared? :-P

Lately I've re-immersed myself in crafting- sewing specifically, after a decade hiatus. :-P I mean, all last week was fabric, so I guess it's only natural that I decided to do a sewing themed nail eventually, and that day is today! On the thumb is a tomato pin cushion, complete with glass head pins, and a measuring tape winding about the nail. On the index-pinky fingers is a winding thread complete with needle on the index and spool on the pinky. :) On the middle and ring finger, I painted a few buttons to complete the effect. :)


I used Orly Snowcone as a base on all nails, then for the others I used:

Thumb:

China Glaze Salsa with American Apparel Poppy to highlight. For the green, I used CND Green Scene, then I used American Apparel Manila for the measuring tape, and American Apparel Hassid for the measure lines. For the pin heads, I used American Apparel Hassid, Zoya Jancyn, Pure Ice French Kiss, and Sally Hansen Professional Lavender Cloud.

Index:

American Apparel Factory Grey for the needle, highlighted with Sally Hansen Professional Lavender Cloud. For the edge of the measuring tape, I again used American Apparel Manila, with American Apparel Hassid for the measure marks. For the thread, I used American Apparel Rose Bowl, and shaded it with a mixture of American Apparel Manila and CND Bloodline.

Middle:

For the thread, I used American Apparel Rose Bowl, and shaded it with a mixture of American Apparel Manila and CND Bloodline. For the black button, I used American Apparel Hassid, highlighted with American Apparel Factory Grey, for the white/brown button, I used American Apparel Cotton and Essie Mink Muffs.

Ring:

For the thread, I used American Apparel Rose Bowl, and shaded it with a mixture of American Apparel Manila and CND Bloodline. For the grey button, I used American Apparel Factory Grey, shaded with American Apparel Hassid, and highlighted with American Apparel Cotton.

Pinky:

For the thread, I used American Apparel Rose Bowl, shaded it with a mixture of American Apparel Manila and CND Bloodline, and highlighted it with a mixture of American Apparel Rose Bowl and Sally Hansen Professional Lavender Cloud. For the spool, I used a mixture of American Apparel Manila and Nubar Milk Chocolate Creme.

Topped everything off with 2 coats of Seche Vite top coat.

On another note, today was the first day of Cosmoprof, and holy cow was it overwhelming!! There are SO many booths and so many things to look at!! I love love love getting to see all the products in person vs. on my computer monitor. There were companies that I was really surprised by their selection, one of which was L.A. Girl, they have a few awesome colors in their collections, they have a ton of Mattes, Metals, even a DISCO line which looks like normal (not even neon) nail polish, but glows under a blacklight! :) The ORLY Cosmic FX polishes are incredible, I haven't seen anything like them, and I can't wait to get my hands on them. (or rather, get them on my hands!!) China Glaze has a few killer collections on the horizon from what I can tell, and Vintage Vixen is SO pretty in person- I reallllly want Ingrid and Classic Camel especially!! :) I also got to check out SpaRITUAL for the first time in person, and I must say, their polishes are gorgeous, and I was given a cuticle pen to check out, so I can't wait to try that!! (and I'll be sure to review it on the review site!) Tomorrow I get to meet with someone from ZOYA, and see some of their stuff in person- I'm super stoked! :) I'll let you know what I find out- and if I can convince them to make a polish named Melissa! (Why not, most of their other polishes are names!! Plus, Melissa was a hugely popular name when I was born, and now all of us nail polish gals named Melissa out there are prime nail polish buying age! :-P)

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet

Good evening, Dear Reader!

I'd planned on leaving Lippmann Across the Universe on all day today, but this afternoon I got no less than five chips, one of them giant, in it.  That was kind of a bummer - I use SpaRitual Lacquer Lock base coat, which even works with the old chippy Chanels.  Ah, well... It gave me a chance to use Estee Lauder's Surreal Violet, so it's not all bad!

Surreal Violet is another neutral with purple shade, and a really nice one.  It's darker, has a more purple base, and a different shimmer than Essie Demure Vixen, the closest thing I can think of to it.  I used two coats of Surreal Violet, and this is it with a top coat.

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet
Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Nail Polish, Two Coats

I really like this one a lot, even though I wouldn't call it violet by a long shot.

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!