Tuesday 31 December 2013

Stained Glass Nail Art

This was my first attempt trying the stained glass technique and I'm not that impressed with the result but it was fun and I'll try it again with another design.

The base for this nail art is Color Club Gingerbread and then I've used a black polish, a white polish and a silver polish and a thin brush. I decided to go for a floral look and maybe it turned out to be water lilies or lotus flowers ;)

I did the petals first and then I framed them with the black polish but I know that other people do the other way around. I guess you can do both ways :)

I also want to wish you all a very
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thank you so much for reading my blog and an extra thank you to all of you who have taken the time to leave comments! Without you blogging wouldn't be the same!


How do you like this stained glass manicure?

Monday 30 December 2013

China Glaze Full Spectrum - swatches and review

New Years Eve is around the corner and here's an idea on what to wear on your nails tomorrow. This polish is the perfect party polish with all its glitter and shine!

Full Spectrum is surprisingly opaque. This is two coats.


GOOD TO KNOW:

Type of polish: Glitter.

Number of coats: Two.

Formula: Very good! Easy to apply even though it's a tiny bit thick.

Brush: Good! No complaints.

Top Coat: Yes. One coat of Seche Vite. Not super smooth with one coat.

Color accuracy in pictures: Accurate, but much more glittery irl! :)

Grade: 4++/5

This a beautiful glitter polish! I like the multicolored larger glitters in it but it leans a bit too much to pink to get a 5 from me ;) I will still use this polish again though :)

How do you like Full Spectrum?

Sunday 29 December 2013

Reindeer Nail Art

I've been so lazy and not done any blogging or reading any blogs the last couple of days and I soooo needed that. All the hard work before Christmas was really exhausting. Instead I've been in Linkoping visiting family and then I've done a clear out at home and even bought some new furniture :)

Today it's this years last Nail Art Sunday and I'm going our with a bang! ;) Well, at least with reindeers and trees in snow :) Lol!

The base for this nail art is a blue shimmer polish from Swedish Kicks called New Year Sky, very suitable ;) The silvery white polish is a stamping polish from Swedish Depend, #6703. The reindeer is from Bundle Monster plate BM-214 and the tree is from BM-205.

First I did the base. Then I stamped on the reindeers and trees. After that I used a sponge to do the snow on the ground and then I did the falling snow with a small dotting tool. I sealed it all with one coat of Seche Vite.


How do you like my reindeer nails?

Tuesday 24 December 2013

Best Christmas wishes with Darling Diva Little Red Corvette


In Sweden we celebrate Christmas today on Christmas Eve.
So from me to all of you, friends and followers:
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

This polish from Darling Diva screams Christmas! It's amazing with all it's glitter 
and and lovely red color! I love it! More swatches and a review here.

Monday 23 December 2013

Christmas Wrapping Paper Nails

Today on the day before Christmas many of us are wrapping our Christmas gifts to our beloved friends and family. So today I've got a very appropriate nail art for you - my interpretation of a Christmas wrapping paper :)

The base is Barry M Matte White. Then I've used Essence Gold Digger and Bundle Monster plate BM-212 to create the peacock pattern. To make this nail art a bit more christmassy I added green and red dots. The red is Barry M Blood Orange and the green is China Glaze Holly-Day.

I'm quite happy with this nail art. I like the colors but the stamping could have been better. I was in a hurry and that is never good when it comes to stamping ;)


How do you like this manicure?

Sunday 22 December 2013

(Jingle) Bells Nails

The theme for today's Nail Art Sunday is "Christmas". I decided to interpret one of my favorite christmas songs - Jingle Bells. I don't think I need to explain this interpretation ;) lol! It's quite literal.

The base is a dark green cream I bought on sale at Gina Tricot last year. It's called Forest Night. The bells are a pattern from Bundle Monster plate BM-223 and the gold/copper polish used is Essence Steel-ing the Scene. The red ribbons are made with a thin brush and Isadora Love Crush.

I think I could have done a better job but I like the idea. Hope you do too! :)


How do you like my (jingle) bells nails?
Which is your favorite xmas song?

Friday 20 December 2013

Color Club Gingerbread - swatches and review

It's time for a glitter bomb! This time it's the totally amazing holo gold glitter polish Gingerbread from Color Club's Holiday Collection 2011 Under the Mistletoe!
Last week I showed you another polish, even more amazing, from this collection - Holiday Splendor!

This is gold and holo glitter in a clear base but it only takes two coats to be opaque. Great!


GOOD TO KNOW:

Type of polish: Glitter.

Number of coats: Two.

Formula: Very good! A bit thick but still easy to apply!

Brush: N/a. I got a sample from a friend so I don't have the original brush.

Top Coat: Yes, one coat of Seche Vite. Still a tiny bit rough after one coat.

Color accuracy in pictures: Accurate. Of course much more beautiful live! ;)

Grade: 5++/5

This polish is so festive! It makes me happy and I recommend it for all you glitter lovers! It's still available.

How do you like Gingerbread?

Thursday 19 December 2013

Barry M Lady - swatches and review

There is no snow right now were I live :( so with a wish for a white xmas I want to show you a white textured polish from Barry M today. This is Lady.

This beauty is unfortunately a bit weakly pigmented so I recommend it over a white polish. I had to do four coats to get it opaque. However, the result was super pretty so it was worth it :)


GOOD TO KNOW:

Type of polish: Textured.

Number of coats: Four.

Formula: Good! Very easy to apply! BUT weakly pigmented and slow drying time for the last coats.

Brush: Very good! No complaints!

Top Coat: No.

Color accuracy in pictures: Accurate. 

Grade: 3/5

I love the glimmer of this polish and the hints of gold that appears in some lighting! It's such a shame it needs so many coats to be opaque and that the last coats dry so slowly. However, if you layer it over a white polish you can get around those faults and then you've got a gem! :)

How do you like Lady?

Wednesday 18 December 2013

Essie Vested Interest - swatches and review

Today it's Green Wednesday and I've got an Essie polish for you! This is Vested Interest from Essie's autumn collection 2013 For the Twill of It.

It's a dark dusky sage green grey and I think it's so beautiful! Sometimes less really is more ;)


GOOD TO KNOW:

Type of polish: Cream.

Number of coats: Two.

Formula: Very good! No complaints at all!

Brush: Ok. A bit thin for my likening but ok.

Top Coat: Yes.

Color accuracy in pictures: Accurate. It darkens a bit when it dries on the nails compared how it looks in the bottle.

Grade: 4/5

I love green and I love grey polishes so this mix of the two of them is just stunning to me! However, it's "only" a cream so no top mark this time even though a cream of course can get a 5!

How do you like Vested Interest?

Tuesday 17 December 2013

Nail Polish Haul December

I'm so happy and fortunate to have such great friends who give me the most amazing polishes! This month I've got two xmas parcels and one belated birthday parcel! :D

The first one is from my dear friend Christine from Polished Marvels! She sent me a stunning topper from Dance Legend and my first Cult's ever! :D AND 350 grams of Swiss chocolate! Yummy! :P Thank you so much pet!! <3

Dance Legend #605
Cult Nails Midnight Mist
Cult Nails Masquerade
Cult Nails Ms. Conduct

The second one is from another dear friend, Natalia from Polished Polyglot! She sent me a xmas inspired parcel filled with polishes not available to me here in Sweden! It'll be so fun to try new brands! Grazie mille cara!! <3

Essence Run, Run Rudolf!
Moda #161
Astor #66
Moda #183

The last, but not least, is a late birthday gift from my fantastic friend Goldie! She gave me my first thermal polish ever (I showed you swatches yesterday) and my very first own Lime Crime! And then she had made me bunch of samples of old and new favorites! Thank you so very much sweetie!! <3

Illamasqua Serenity
Lime Crime Pastelchio
F.U.N Lacquer Icy Snow
Color Club Gingerbread
China Glaze It's Alive
 Did you see anything you liked?
Which one/ones would you like to see swatched first?

Monday 16 December 2013

F.U.N Lacquer Icy Snow - swatches and review

For today's Blue Monday I've got a fun color changing thermal polish for you! This was given to me as a birthday gift from my great friend Goldie. Thank you so much darling!!! <3

I had so much fun wearing this polish! I kept rinsing my hands in cold and hot water and after explaining the deal to other people they could easy spot if my hands were either cold or warm :)

This polish is not only fun but also beautiful! My favorite is the deep blue version packed with turquoise shimmer. That is when it's cold and mind you, my hands are almost always cold this time of the year ;)

Icy Snow is part of FUN Lacquer's Christmas 2013 Collection and it's 3-free. F.U.N stands for Fabulously Unique Nail :)

The cold version
The warm version


GOOD TO KNOW:

Type of polish: Thermal.

Number of coats: Two.

Formula: Very good! A tiny bit thin perhaps but ok.

Brush: Good - but maybe bit short.

Top Coat: Yes, one coat of Seche Vite. 

Color accuracy in pictures: Accurate, but it's so hard to capture all the color shifts! This polish needs to be experienced live! :D

Grade: 5/5

This is my first thermal polish and I like the idea of thermal polishes a lot! I couldn't stop staring at my nails to see what color they were! I like the colors of this one and I'll probably get more thermal polishes soon :D

How do you like Icy Snow?
Do you like thermal polishes?

Sunday 15 December 2013

Polkagris Nails (Candy Rock Nails)

Polkagris (internationally sometimes called candy rock) is a Swedish candy invented in the Swedish town of Gränna in 1859. It's a hard type of candy and it taste peppermint. Polka is a traditional dance and the rumor has it that people used to call candy for gris in those days.

In Sweden polkagrisar is often associated with Christmas, so for this Nail Art Sunday I give you - polkagris nails!

The base is MAC Obey Me and then I've used striping tape to create the lines while adding Barry M Matte White. After the tape was removed I added a top coat.

I'm pleased with the result actually! This type of nail art look good at short nails and they look so real I want to eat them ;)

Source

How do you like my polkagris nails?
Do you like polkagrisar?

Saturday 14 December 2013

MAC Obey Me - swatches and review

After a veeeeery long work week I finally have a couple of days off. Next week will be even crazier though - but fun too.

Today it's time for a fantastic bright red polish from MAC. This is Obey Me from MAC's Wonder Woman Collection released spring 2011.


GOOD TO KNOW:

Type of polish: Cream.

Number of coats: Two.

Formula: Good. A tiny bit runny though.

Brush: Excellent. No complaints.

Top Coat: No. 

Color accuracy in pictures: Accurate. First picture most accurate.

Grade: 4/5

This is a classic red polish. Elegant and vampy. Due to the runny formula I can only give it a 4.

How do you like Obey Me?

Wednesday 11 December 2013

Color Club Holiday Splendor - swatches and review

I am in the middle of a crazy busy time now being a florist just before Christmas... but I just couldn't resist showing you this golden oldie for today's Green Wednesday. It's so amazingly beautiful I just keep staring on my nails! Lots and lots of prismatic glitters in an emerald green jelly base!

Holiday Splendor was released for the holidays of 2011 with the Beyond the Mistletoe Collection. This is my favorite polish from that collection! Prepare to be amazed! :)


GOOD TO KNOW:

Type of polish: Glitter.

Number of coats: Two.

Formula: A bit thick but surprisingly easy to apply.

Brush: Very good! No complaints.

Top Coat: Yes, one coat of Seche Vite. Surprisingly smooth after just one coat of SV. Not super smooth but smooth and it's NOT a top coat eater.

Color accuracy in pictures: Accurate, but so much more stunning live!!

Grade: 5++++++++++/5

I love this polish! I could wear this every day! It's totally amazing!! And with the new peel off base coats that are now available the removal is a walk in the park ;)

How do you like Holiday Splendor?

Sunday 8 December 2013

Vintage Clematis Nails - swatches

The theme for today's Nail Art Sunday is "Vintage". I decided to try to capture the feeling of a gold embroidered thick dark red velvet fabric or wallpaper.

I used Cabernet from By K and stamped on a flower pattern with Bundle Monster plate BM-221 and a gold polish from Essence called Steel-ing the Scene.

As a florist I'm so happy that the gold pattern actually are Clematis flowers :) I love those delicate, usually purple, flowers growing towards the sun.


How do you like my vintage manicure?

Friday 6 December 2013

Darling Diva Polish When Doves Cry - swatches and review

One of my favorite songs by Prince is "When Doves Cry".  So when I found out that Darling Diva had released a Prince collection this polish was my obvious choice. It's also light grey, contains tiny silver glitters and it's a holo! It basically tics all my boxes!

I also got Little Red Corvette from this collection. See swatches of that beauty here.


GOOD TO KNOW:

Type of polish: Holo/glitter.

Number of coats: Four… but so worth it :)

Formula: Nice formula. A bit thin but not runny.

Brush: Nice brush. No major complaints.

Top Coat: Yes, one coat of Seche Vite otherwise it dries a bit matte.

Color accuracy in pictures: Accurate, but as always with holo and glitter polishes - much more beautiful live!

Grade: 4+++/5

This is a stunning beauty! I love grey, glitter and holo so all together - wow! The only reason I don't give it a 5 is because of the thin formula. Four coats is a bit heavy for me.

I also used this polish as a base for one of my halloween manicures. See swatches here.

How do you like When Doves Cry?