Ulta-mate swirly mani

When Ulta has a 2 for 1 sale, I have to check out the polishes!  I picked up Chic Peek, a metallic brown with a micro glitter.  Ulta polishes are usually really good, this was one coat, I believe.  I don't think I have anything like it in my enormous polish stash. 

I'm the girl with doodles in the margins of all her notes.. and now I have a new place to doodle.  First I played with white:

Then some black with Ulta Little Black Dress.  This was a thicker polish, and though it has some silver shimmer in the bottle, it doesn't really transfer to the nail.  I won't use it for nail art again, but it would be fine as a nail color.

And, finally, for a little sparkle, Ulta Material Girl.  Now you can see the glitter in that polish.  Kick it up a notch!

The right hand is a ...little.... bit messier.  ha.  I'll never get better if I don't practice, though, right?

Do you like Ulta polishes?  Seems like I've picked up several black polishes that promise silver glitter but don't deliver.  Is there one you've found that you like?

Blue flowers on bronze - inspired by Robin Moses

Usually when I do a version of a Robin Moses design, I change up the colors or do something different.   This time, I tried to copy her a little more closely.  The challenge for me was finding nail polishes that mimicked her acrylic paints and mixing skills. 

I started with Revlon Varnished.  This may have skyrocketed into my top 10 fave polishes.  I don't have anything that looks like this burnished bronze.  It's sort of ugly in the bottle, but I loved it on my nails.  And even though it's metallic, it applied wonderfully, with only a little evidence of brush strokes. 

I painted the flowers first in Revlon ColorStay Blue Slate and then with NYSummer Hot Sky Blue for a jelly texture.

The vines are painted with China Glaze Brownstone.

My first time applying microbeads to a manicure!  Wow, it wasn't easy - they stick together, bunch up... I may need to pick up some of the Embellie Jellie she uses if I want to add more 3-D art to my nails. After I got them on and topcoated, they did stay on, and even though they were from the Dollar Store, they didn't bleed.  I was pretty impressed. 

For all that work, though, the only time I could stop running my fingers over the texture was when I fell asleep.  My fingertips were actually a little sore from my constantly running them over the nails!  Eventually, I did loosen some of the beads.  One nail had the polish come off in one sheet because I'd played with it so much!  I really am a little kid...

Right hand:

 Have you tried 3-D nail art yet?  Do you like it?

I would like some sauce with that. Nail Sauce!

I have two polishes from Nail Sauce by Felifel to show you today. 

Abalone shell probably didn't need undies, but I think iridescent polishes look great over a dark base.  This is Deborah Lippman Don't Tell Mama.  In my head, this polish is called Don't Tell Mama (the Babysitter's Dead)  I never even saw the 80s movie of a similar name.

Really, though, you should tell Mama that this isn't black.  It's really a very dark teal, but I couldn't get my camera to see that.

I love how Abalone Shell really looks like it's namesake over a dark color.  It's not flat by any means, and glows with the light.

The next Nail Sauce didn't need undies.  Apparently, I should have bought OPI Mad as a Hatter, because I keep buying Indies that play off of the name and idea.  I think Later Hater falls into that category.  It's gorgeous!

I love a nice, smooth, microglitter application that covers the whole nail and shines like a million jewels.  I couldn't even tell you what colors are in there, but I think it reads as a taupe.  A very blingy taupe.

These are two well-made Indie polishes that I enjoyed wearing.  If you'd like to check out Nail Sauce, you can find her Etsy shop HERE.  What's your fave Nail Sauce?

BBC Roundup 8/19

• Making Up the Midwest reviews Maybelline's The Mega Plush Volum' Express Mascara - her new favorite!
• Add trendy colors you covet, to your lashes.Until the end of August only, Maybelline New York Great Lash Mascara is being offered in FOUR Limited Edition shades - Go Go Green, Blink of Blue, Totally Teal and Pop of Purple. The Advice Sisters check them out, and report!
• Enter BeautyTidbits giveaway to win a cool ULINX Magnetic Charm Bracelet.
• Retrodiva doesn't allow any heat to touch her hair for 30 days. Find out what she used to tame all that frizz at Retrodiva's Beauty.
• The Stepford Witch reviews The Body Shop Extra Virgin Minerals Cream Foundation - read on to find out what she loves and doesn't love about this product.
• Emily, from Emily Hudspeth hair design and makeup artist has seen great results from Viviscal Hair Repair. Emily has been using this supplement for about 6 weeks and is seeing incredible results. Its almost time for another haircut and she just cut off about 8 inches!
• Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom tries Cover Band Sticks 'n Stones over a few different bases.
• There are affordable and fabulous new beauty products at CVS. Here are two of my favorites!
• Laura at My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog tries out products that hold the secrets to Geisha-like skin!
• Hand-made and based in Scotland, Scottish Beauty Blog catches up with makeup artist Ana Cruzalegui, the lady behind amazing false eyelash brand WE ARE FAUX.
• Lola from Lola's Secret Beauty Blog has Determined that My Weightless Eye Cream is one of the Best Beauty Secrets that Everyone Needs to Know about!
• Phyrra loves the gorgeous Fall 2012 Beauty Trends this year. Which ones are your favorite?
• So you cried a river last night and you have to go to work (or school) today. TheFabZilla shares tricks on how to hide signs of over-crying, a.k.a Makeup after a Breakup.
• Miss L from Beauty by Miss L reviewed eco-friendly Derma E makeup remover this week, which is now one of her new favorite makeup remover.
• BeautyJudy stopped by the Orly booth at Cosmoprof North America last month and saw lots of nail BLING!
• The Lacquered Lady shows off OPI Danke-Shiny Red from the new Germany collection and goes on a dupe search. Will there be a perfect polish match?
• Everyone needs eyeshadow primer! Sheila from Painted Ladies shows you why in the latest Breaking Down Beauty.
• Midnight Manicures is giving away Sea Lore Nail Polishes from the Triton's Daughters Collection. Tell us which one is your favorite and enter to win!
• The NARS Joie de Vivre palette is all kinds of awesome. Cosmetics Aficionado has drool worthy photos and a full review.
• Butter London's Autumn/Winter 2012 nail polish collection is out! Check out a preview from Christina at Curls N Pearls - what's your favorite shade?
• Addicted to "monthly" members-only beauty sample subscriptions? Pammy Blogs Beauty sure is! Just for a change, she tries out JustFab: a monthly boutique shopping site for cute and trendy shoes, handbags, and accessories. Cute stuff for a great price!
• Mama Fashionista loves Julep so much she wants to give you a code so you can try it out for A PENNY! Plus she's giving away an introductory box!
• Beauty Info Zone has another great giveaway. This time you can win 4 fab goodies from Miracle Skin Transformer.
• Hello Dollface tests some great new shampoos and ends up with bigger, blonder, softer hair. Check out the best new haircare here!
• Always a fan of neutral wash of color, the Beauty Professor is thrilled to have discovered Beauty Is Life's matte eye shadow in Camel!
• While still enjoying summer till it winds down and fall fast approaching, Mimi's Mani's shares some Zoya love with Kimber from this summer's Surf collection.
• Polarbelle shows you what blogging was like before blogs...doing it Caveman Style!
• Still lemming Unicorn Pee? Nidia at Lit From Within shows you a few dupes from some Indie polish makers that might just do the trick.
• Stephanie Louise-All Things Beautiful FINALLY duped her beloved MAC shadow in Humid...with a low cost option! Click for swatches & comparison!
• Clarisonic has just released a new Acne Cleansing Set. For more information, and a chance to win your own, head over to Blushing Basics.

Stamping Sunday - Can't Wait Until Fall

I was really excited about this challenge! I love Fall colors, especially nail polish colors.  When I put them on, though, I realized that I'm not ready to let go of Spring-like pastels or Summer brights!

Revlon Colorstay French Roast is a beautiful brown, but it has a lovely sparkle in the bottle that really didn't translate to the nail.  I tried to blur this pix to catch some of the sparkle better, but it just wasn't happening. 

Pumpkin orange is the most Fall-like color I can think of, and what is more Fall than a harvest moon?  I used Kleancolor Metallic Orange to stamp crescent moons all over my nails.

I love a subtle stamp, but this may be a little too subtle.  the moon has a filigree pattern, so sometimes it just looks like a shiny hot mess.

Effects that are present in the bottle, but don't transfer to the nail are some of the biggest disappointments in my polish-loving relationship.  Is there a polish you were so in love with in the bottle, but couldn't get that special shimmer or effect on your nails?

Indie bling

I'd like to show you some Indie polishes I recently bought.  I haven't really jumped on the 'milky white' glitter train before now, but I love this one by Sparkles By Julie.  This is Water Lily, a shimmery white base with pastel glitters.  No undies.

I painted a few flowers with Nails, Inc Baker Street just for fun.  Really, though, this polish needs no embellishment, and I likely won't do that next time.

I love fall colors.  Unfortunately, here in Florida, we don't get much of a fall season, so I'm just going to wear these whenever I want.  I started with this lovely bronze from Cos Bar, which was sold at Target briefly.  I ordered it online and got one of their summer beauty bags with my purchase, which was pretty cool.  This is a lovely bronze, applied nicely, and I loved the color.

It seemed a natural match to pair it with Lush Lacquer Cheetalicious.  Truthfully, though, I don't think it needed undies - look at that coverage!  I love this look.

Who doesn't love a matte glitter?  Actually, this one I think looks better sparkly, but you gotta try it once, right?

The last Indie for today is over a green base.  I started with Borghese Menta, which was a little too sheer for my liking, so I layered it with NYC Big Money Frost.  I know, I know, it's a frost.  I like them.

Darling Diva Polish makes some of my fave Indie creations.  I wasn't wowed by this one, but it's still pretty.  Hubby thought it reminded him of leprechauns.  I wasn't feeling the dragon vibe, I guess.  It would probably look better over a different color.

Right hand:

Any of these your style?  The subtle white, coppery bling, or dragon scales?

Hap-Hap-Happy Hands! Greetings From Florida Collection

A newer Indie to the scene, and a welcome addition to my mind, is Happy Hands Nail Polish.  I met Kristi, the owner, at an event in Orlando, and she was as nice as I think her polishes are.

My fave is Afternoon Thunderstorms.

A black and grey glitter in a grey base, it really evokes the sudden change of sky that accompanies these fast and furious storms.  

For fun, I added Avon Illusion over the top.  I really liked the pink shimmer it gave the polish, and the softer look, like a jelly sandwich. 

The Swamp is a nickname for the University of Florida football stadium, home of the Gators.  Their colors, are, as you may have guessed, Blue and Orange!

I don't have any allegiance to the Gators, or to University of Central Florida, (though I went there for a year) as I am a Virginia Tech Hokie!  But this is still a fun polish for orange lovers.  I got a kick out of the huge hex glitter that came out on my pinkie.  I wasn't expecting it at all!

I didn't think that Springs would need undies, but it was so beautiful, that I didn't want to waste a drop, so I layered it over Sally Hansen Barely Blue Bell, a beautiful seafoam/mint blue so popular this season.

Blue Springs State Park is a well-known location for manatee-watching, as they usually spend the winters in the warmer spring water.  It's a beautiful place, and this is a gorgeous polish.  I love the larger holo/gold hexes mixed with the micro white glitter.

I wanted to try the last polish over two different undies.  The yellow is L'oreal Tweet Me, a bright yellow with a shimmer, and the blue is from the new Brit collection by L'oreal, Notting Hill Blues.

If you drive through Florida in the spring, there are all sorts of flowers blooming on the sides of the roads.  They may be weeds, but they are still quite pretty.  Flowers on the Highway evokes that blur of wildflowers you see from your speeding car.  So many different colors and shapes of glitters, just like wildflowers.

I can't wait for the next Happy Hands collection!  You can find her polishes at her Etsy store here, her blog here, and her Facebook page here.