Berry Metals

Forlan BB Cream and Cover FX Blemish Concealer are Press Samples.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

Today's look is very, very berry! I love this color, and all the metallic shininess I have in this look for both my makeup and nails, and I hope you enjoy it, too.

It's a Bright, Blingy Summer!

Hello, Fireflies!

Did Bananarama have it right all those years ago?  Is it a cruel, cruel summer?  It's definitely a sparkly one, given my mani for today's Sunday Stamping challenge - "cool, cool summer."

Days of Wine..and Rum.. and Hibiscus?

Hello, Fireflies!

It's still May, and I'm still working on our May Flowers challenge!  Today's mani is inspired by booze.

Dottin' Love Is In The Air!

Hello, Fireflies!

It's time for another Challenge Your Nail Art challenge. This one runs through 2/15, and is all about love, love, love.

Well, today, I want to share with you one of the nail art techniques that I love, not only for how pretty it looks, and the many variations you can create, but also because anybody can do it:  The Dotticure.

Blue Jungle Wallpaper

 Hello, Fireflies!

For the last installment of this month's wallpaper challenge, I went all out with this gradient, glittered, stamped mani.

Stamped Swirly Chrome

Hello, Fireflies!

Today's stamping challenge was to use a plate that ended in '0'.  Easy enough.  I tried revisiting a technique I haven't tried in a while... and I think I need more practice with my chrome stamping polishes!

NYE Nude Nails

Hello, Fireflies!

Happy NYE! Whether you're going out and partying, or bringing in the New Year with the TV, you can still have fabulous nails, right?  For me, the trend was nude, with a little (or a lot) of bling!  I reached into the vault to bring up some looks you might want to try to ring in your 2015.

Never Boring Nude NYE Nails

 Hello, Fireflies!

Today's AIS challenge is New Years' Nails.  I didn't have much time to prepare these, since I was traveling all day from visiting my family for Christmas, so I started with what I already had on - Azature Diamond Opal. 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Fireflies, to all who celebrate!

And to those who don't, happy Thursday!

I love doing nails for my friends, and I had the opportunity to do some Christmas/Winter-themed ones for them this year:

Stamping Snowflakes

Hello, Fireflies!

Today's Adventures In Stamping challenge was about Christmas.  I thought it would be fun to take one "holiday" - Friday the 13th - and turn it into another one!

There's Nothing More Beautiful Than A Great Smile! #TartarScraperkit

Product provided for review.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

I always say that the best makeup is your smile, and taking care of your teeth can help you feel good about it!  Now, I'm not a dentist, and I don't play one on TV, but I think this Dental Tartar Scraper and Remover Set By Majestic Bombay can really help make your teeth look and feel their best!

Reviva Labs Nasolabial Fold + Multi-Peptide Cream - a Great Cream With A Weird Name #RevivaLabs

Product Provided For Review.  All Opinions Are My Own.

Hello, Fireflies!

I'm learning the lingo of skincare.  I can say, "hyaluronic acid" three times, fast.  I am realizing the benefits of Niacinamide, and Retinols, and have tried more plant oils than you can shake a stick at.

So, when I was asked if I wanted to try Reviva Labs new Nasolabial Fold + Multi-Peptide Cream, my first response was, "Naso-what?" Maybe, yours was too.  I'm glad I can now pronounce it and I'm really glad I tried it, because now I have a fighting chance against those stubborn deep wrinkles around my nose (naso) and lips (labial)!

Knight Fight

 Hello, Fireflies!

Today's Sunday Stamping challenge was to use white and gold.  I started with Orly Platinum, a frosty white with a pearlescent finish.  Took 3 coats for complete opacity, but I kinda quite like the result. 

I'm an Ice Queen, baby (With the top let back and the sunshine shining.../Kid Rock)

Because of the colors, and possibly because I just finished watching the Life/Death season of Face Off culminate in a battle of good and evil knights, I picked the Fairy Tale Collection (03) from MoYou London that depicts an epic battle between a knight and a dragon.

These colors were so hard to photograph!  I have the knight's steed on my thumb, the knight's fighting lightning bolts on my index, the dragon's fire on my middle finger, and the dragon's head and tail on my ring and pinky fingers.

Of course, I used Maybelline Bold Gold as my stamping polish.  Cracked open a new bottle! Ah, what a glorious feeling, right? Like popping a bottle of champagne.

I usually prefer one stamp versus a vignette like this, but I couldn't resist the story.

So, who do you think wins?

Jack O'Lanterns

Hello, Fireflies!

I got a little ambitious with my nail art today.  Every now and again, I think I can do something... well, let's just say that I need a little more practice with this one!

I was inspired by these awesome Jack O'Lanterns from Kayla Shevonne.  I started with a sparkly black background.  I love KB Shimmer Stark Raven Mad.  It's the blackest black holo ever.

I started painting the faces in with white, and then used yellow, yellow-orange, and then pumpkin orange to fill in the white.

They look like Clown O'Lanterns. LOL.

Bottle shot:  KB Shimmer Stark Raven Mad, Orly Hook Up, China Glaze Metro Pollen-tin, Urban Decay Bang, and a white striper.

Ok, maybe next year, I'll go as a Clown O'Lantern.  Start a trend!

An InLinkz Link-up

I see you, kitteh

Hello, Fireflies!

Today's nail art came about because someone asked in a nail group if anyone could do this cat tutorial.  I tried.  It was hard.  I think a lot of the cats kinda look like the rabbit mask from Donny Darko.

I found this cat eye nail art from Kayla Shevonne, and I thought it would go well with the cats, and make this more Halloween-y!  I think they're my fave part of the mani. I like how the dot of Joss Desert Sunset glitter makes the eyes shine!

 Bottle shot:  Orly Hook Up, Joss Desert Sunset, and Wet 'n Wild Black Creme.

Ever go as a cat for Halloween?  My husband and I went as Rottweilers once.  Someone asked if we were aliens. 

Googly Mummies

Hello, Fireflies!

I love Halloween nail art, and I hope you enjoy the bounty of it I have for you over the next couple of weeks. 

This is an easy one, pumped up with a little craft store magic.  I got the idea from Pinterest.  I couldn't figure out who did the original artwork.

I started with a nude polish from Bonita - bought in a collection at Ross, so of course it has no name.  I then took Orly Point Blanche and made these stripes to look like my nail was wrapped loosely.

On some of the nails I made large black dots next, and some I didn't.  One could also just paint a black stripe, as well.

Perfect opportunity to use my 2mm googly eyes! Silly mummies.

Eyeballs literally just rolling around in their heads..

Bottle shot:  Bonita nude (unknown name), Orly Point Blanche, and Milani Black Swift.

Did you ever dress up like a Mummy on the cheap and just wrap yourself in toilet paper?

Orange Windows.. or beetle wings?

Hello, Fireflies!

I have been having computer problems alllll day long, and I haven't been able to get a post up! So, here at literally the 11th hour, is a little bit of pseudo-Halloween nail art for you!

I got the idea from a NOTD post over at Nailblog.net, only she used a pastel color, and I went more Halloween with a bright orange, played by Urban Decay Bang.

I took advantage of the sale where they had a bunch of polishes for $5 - and I almost didn't get Bang, but I needed just a few more dollars to get free shipping.  Boy, am I glad I got it, because you'll see it in almost all of my Halloween nail art this year! It's a great bright pumpkin orange.

After painting all my nails with Milani Black Swift, I painted a V-gap with the Orly Point Blanche.  It's designed for French tips, so the brush is a little smaller, which is good for nail art!  I painted Bang over the white, and then capped the tips off with more of the Black Swift.

Bottle shot:  Milani Black Swift, Orly Point Blanche, and Urban Decay Bang.  Love the skulls on the top of Urban Decay bottles! So appropriate for Halloween manis.

I have a whole bunch of Halloween-y nail arts coming up for you in the following days leading up to the big day!  Are you a fan of Halloween?

Mangled Spider? Nailed it!

Hello, Fireflies!

I absolutely love the gorgeous acrylic designs on Bianca Fredrich's Facebook page, and I picked one to inspire me for today's Tri-polish Challenge.  Unfortunately, it didn't come out so much like I wanted, and looks more like I mangled a spider and then drowned it in glitter.

I suppose there are worst ways to go.

I started this look with Sally Hansen Salon I Lilac You.  Yes, I Lilac You very much!

Orly Sparkling Garbage is still my 'if I had to pick one polish to take to a desert island' polish.  I love it, and it goes with so many things.  It's just stunning.  These pictures don't do it justice.

Here's where the malfunction starts.  First of all, there's just not enough contrast with the silver.

Second of all..

Yeah, Jackie doesn't know what to make of it, either.

Bottle shot:  Sally Hansen Salon I Lilac You, Orly Sparkling Garbage, and a silver striper.

Have you ever had a Jackie Chan makeup moment?

Red Keyhole

Hello, Fireflies!

Welcome to another TRI-Polish Tuesday, where I can't follow rules and only use two colors.  If it helps, I did use rhinestones, though.

I was inspired by a nail art from Sloteazzy, though hers is more structured.  I started with Sally Hansen Barracuda, a lovely baby blue creme.

I really like the uniqueness of Orly FX Milky Way.  I love milky glitters anyway, but the blue with the pops of red and accents of white is just so different.

Using tape, I made the 'keyhole' with OPI Over and Over A-Gwen, and then topped it with a red pearl rhinestone.

To make this more wearable, you could always just use a dotting tool for the red pearl.  I can't keep those things on very long, myself, but they're fun for a look.

Bottle shot:  Sally Hansen Barracuda, Orly FX Milky Way, OPI Over And Over A-Gwen.

Without the glitter, I doubt I would have thought to put that baby blue together with that tomato red.  What's your favorite unexpected color combination?

An InLinkz Link-up

Blue Glittersplosion!

Hello, Fireflies!

Time for another round of Undies and Glitter!  Today's polishes are some kind of blue.. mostly.

First up, Different Dimension Dewing It Right and Rainbow Polish Summer Storm.  I love blue and grey together.  Notice the water theme here?

Gorgeous though it is, OPI Amazon..Amazoff is a bit of a stainer on me.  I did a couple of accent nails with Shimmer Polish Cristina, which could build to opacity, as many of Shimmer's microglitter polishes do, if you like.

A while back, I did a post about trying to recreate a pinned look that claimed to have been made with OPI Cuckoo For This Color and Essie Shine of The Times.  When I did it, I couldn't make it look like the picture.  Imagine my delight when this combination actually looked like it!  I give you OPI Amazon..Amazoff and Color Club Galactic Garden!

I loved the sparkle that Finger Paints You Yacht To Know Better had in the bottle, but it's so subtle on the nail.  So I added Finger Paints Sparkle In The Sky.  I didn't realize that it's a texture and completely opaque on its own! Instead of boosting Yacht, it obliterated it.  Still pretty, though.

I love dusty colors like Rescue Beauty Lounge 360.  I'm not sure I did it any favors by putting a matte flakie over it like Orly Green Flakie Topcoat.

My heart still sings over the combination of Amazon..Amazoff and Galactic Garden.  Any fave glitter combos for you?