Glitter: Above and Below

 Hello, Fireflies!

Happy Independence Day to my USA readers! Happy Saturday to everyone else..  I actually don't have a patriotic mani for you today, but if you're missing the stars and stripes, check out my Wonder Woman mani I did last month!

Today's manis - yes, TWO - are showcasing two of the many ways I use glitter!

Sunday Stamping - Purple(ish) and Orange (ok, gold)

Hello, Fireflies!

It's time again for Sunday Stamping! Today's challenge is purple and orange.  I was out of town part of the week, and had to reach into the vault.. and had nothing exactly purple and orange.  But I think I got pretty close with this pretty purple duochrome and gold stamping.

Sad Monsters

 Hello, Fireflies!

This month's NCC prompt is books.  I used to read a lot.  All the time.  You know what killed it for me?  College.  I actually read textbooks and articles, and somehow, through 4 years of undergraduate, and some years of graduate work, I no longer read for fun.

So, I was fumbling around for this first mani.  Not sure if I should go back to the many bookshelves we have and find an old book of mine, or one of my husband's many books.

I was wearing this polish, Lacquerhead Polish Ashlyn, a deep brown, bordering on plum holo.  And, I thought to myself, Self, I should do something based on this polish.

And, so I did.  I found this book cover art for Sad Monsters, and decided to give it a try.

First, I stamped with Maybelline Bold Gold and Dashika Big SdP-A, and tried to hi-light with a yellow nail art pen.

Then I drew in the eyes, mouth, and teeth of the sad monster on my ring finger.

He's a sad, sad monster.

Bottle shot:  Lacquerhead Polish Ashlyn, Maybelline Bold Gold, and nail art stripers in black and white. I used a yellow nail art pen, too, but I guess it didn't want to be photographed?  Not sure how I missed that..

When you're looking for inspiration, where do you look first?  Pinterest?  Google? Your workspace? Nature?

An InLinkz Link-up

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?

Stamped Scary Skulls

Hello, Fireflies!

Today's Adventures In Stamping challenge is to get ready for Halloween with something spooky or scary!  I saw this stamp from Cisi & Sisi 11 plate, and I knew I had to try it.

I started off with Milani Black Swift, which is quickly becoming a favorite black.  It's one-coat shiny awesomeness.

I love how gold and silver look stamped over black, so I alternated Essie No Place Like Chrome and Maybelline Bold Gold.

I couldn't fit more than one skull per finger, so I tried to get one clear part of the stamp on each finger. That upturned profile skull on the middle finger gave me so much trouble! It must have known, somehow, what finger it was on.

Bottle shot:  Milani Black Swift, Maybelline Bold Gold, and Essie No Place Like Chrome.

Are you getting out the black polish for a Halloween mani?  What's your favorite black?

Getting Wild with makeup and nails with the Wet 'n Wild Fall LE Collection

Hello, Fireflies!

When the new LE Fall Wet 'n Wild collection came out, and people started posting comparisons to the UD Naked 3 palette, I knew I wanted to try them.  Don't get me wrong, I have the original Naked palette, and it's a great palette.  But I wanted to see if these rose-toned neutrals were worth another $50, or if I'd be okay with the two $4 Wet 'n Wild palettes.

I actually really like these palettes! Wet 'n Wild definitely has both hits and misses with their eye shadows, but I think these are a hit.  Here's a closer look at the eye look I did with the Wet 'n Wild Melrose at Night palette.

I am always up for a dark berry lip, and I love the new matte Bordeaux Boulevard.  I am also a sucker for the rubbery black packaging on these LE lippies, too, but the formula was fantastic. 

Um...I know I used a foundation, but it didn't seem to make it into the picture.  I've been using powder foundation this summer, for the most part, so it's either Ageless Derma Pressed Mineral Foundation, or the It Cosmetics one.  Also, I used mascara.  Was I drunk when I put this together?  Where's the mascara?

I'm hard pressed to use anything other than my Cover FX stable of primers, though.  I haven't found a foundation they won't work with, and I love that they are skincare as well as makeup.  The blemish primer is proving especially useful these days, and because the eye primer is also a treatment, I put it over my lid and under my eye, as well.

I finally gave away that Physician's Formula brow definer.  The design just bummed me out.  I hated having to replace the cap whenever I wanted to switch to the brush.  I'm much happier with my Too Faced Bulletproof Brows.

The blush, Maybelline Mineral Power in Fresh Plum, is one I've had for a while, and thought it complimented the eyeshadows well. 

I have tried the UD setting spray, this mist from Pur, and the ELF setting spray.  I like them all, but the Urban Decay sprayer beats them all, hands down.  The Pur spraying mechanism just douses me, which wastes product and is annoying because I can't put my glasses back on until my face is dry.  So, for now, I'm back to using the UD spray full-time, and I'll refill the bottle with something else when its done.

I also did a nail look to go with the outfit I'm wearing.  I started with Echo Dark from this same LE collection.  It's a dark navy jelly matte.  What? yeah.

I did random brushstrokes with Revlon Spirit and another color from this LE collection, Careful, it's Vine-tage. a matte grape.

To better match the pattern on the shirt, I used Mentality Eeny and Pueen 13 plate to stamp this floral pattern.

And, here's the final result!

The whole look, sorta:

Have you picked up anything from this collection?  What do you think?

Booty Call

Ahoy, Fireflies!

Today, I'll be allowin' ye to see a bit of my booty - my Pirate Booty, that is!

I started with Cirque Chainmail, a glittery silver that actually photographed flatter than it really is.  It's not super-sparkly, but it does have some sparkle to it.

This Cheeky 49 plate was made for this challenge! Lots o' pirate stamps.  I chose the little treasure chest, and stamped with Maybelline Bold Gold.

I sponged on some Wet 'n Wild Black Creme to make it easier to see the gold, stamped the chests, and then added the glitter over some topcoat.

Don'tcha be tryin' to steal my Pirate gold, now! It's fool's gold, anyhow.

Bottle shot: Cirque Chainmail, Maybelline Bold Gold, and Wet 'n Wild Black Creme.

What would you like to find in a treasure chest?

Jupiter Ascending.. and on Fire!

Hello, Fireflies!

When Purminerals put out this set for the movie Jupiter Ascending, I hadn't even heard of the movie.  I just thought the kit was cute.  So, I put together a look to show you - and some nails I think would go with it.

The eyeshadow palette has 6 colors, but I was mostly intrigued by Jupiter and Caine.  Good thing, too, because the other shades (except Night Sky) are very light. Majesty and Destiny were a little harder, too, and difficult to get much color from.

The other two things that came in the kit were the black liquid Outer Space Precision liner, and the light pink, iridescent Galaxy Lipgloss.  The liner is gorgeous, deep black.  The lippie has great packaging with a mirror on the side and an applicator that lights up when you remove it from the base.  The color is so light on me, though.  I may try layering it, though.

This classic neutral look really pops with that eyeliner! I believe I did use Destiny and Majesty for the lid, and they did show up a little better on my eye over primer than on my arm.  I'm pretty sure I used Night Sky as a transition and Caine to deepen the outer V.

My eyes were irritated from the day before. You should have seen what I looked like *before* makeup! haha.

I wish I had written down what I used to make the rest of this look! Bad blogger.  I did use the Purminerals Galaxy lipgloss.  And I had just done my hair with the Kimble Beauty hair masque! Feels like a no-makeup makeup look almost!

I paired this simple, light makeup look with a juicy raspberry and gold nail art inspired by @naildecor.  I started with Cirque Colors Arcane Fire, a raspberry pink with flecks.

I used a striper brush to apply Maybelline Bold Gold.

I had two sizes of gold glitter pieces from Dollar store finds.  I put the larger piece in the center, and flanked it with smaller gold hexes. 

Very sunflower/sunburst-y!

Bottle shot:  Cirque Colors Arcane Fire, Maybelline Bold Gold

The only thing I know about the Jupiter Ascending movie is that it stars Channing Tatum.  Does this makeup set make you Channing all over your Tatum? What about the nail art?

Global Tiger Day

Hello, Fireflies!

Today's stamping challenge was to pay homage to Global Tiger Day.  Who doesn't love a tiger? Besides the tigers' food, I guess.

I started with Wet 'n Wild Black Creme and accents of Cult Nails Ignite, a black jelly with silver sparkles.

Over the black, I layered SpaRitual Invention, a shimmer infused with recyled glass.  I had hoped it would look more bronze, but instead it took on a green cast.  Still cool.

I used Maybelline Bold Gold and Anna's Nail Art plate W219 for the tigers.

I got these tiger water decals from KKCenterHK.  I also used them in this look HERE.

My camera had a hard time with the sparklies.  I really loved the combination of the water decals with the stamps.  The stamps look like tiger constellations over the sparkly background!

I used a black striper on my pinky to make the tiger stripes.  That green/gold shimmer is very jungle cat!

Bottle shot:  Cult Nails Ignite, Wet 'n Wild Black, SpaRitual Invention, Maybelline Bold Gold, and a black nail art striper.

Are you celebrating Global Tiger Day?