A selective editorial on style
Posts tagged nails
Illamasqua Nail Varnish
01 week ago
I fell in love with Illamasqua ever since I discovered their amazing Lipstick. Illamasqua is known for their intense and very bold make-up and when I noticed their Nail Varnish collection I just had to try it.
Leave your mark with bold, rich, vibrant colors that stand out. The formula is hard wearing and chip resistant and contains individual finishes from matte to high gloss. Apply two coats for high intensity and use with Illamasqua Nail Base Coat and Illamasqua Nail Top Coat for the perfect finish. Make a statement and talk with your hands!
The advertisement at Sephora promised a “rubber look” so I was intrigued. I used two coats of the color Vice (rich magenta/satin finish) with a base coat underneath. I wasn’t impressed with the matte look, and didn’t see it as looking rubber-like, so after two days I added a top coat which made the color pop and look very lovely.
The varnish itself is thick, covers well and doesn’t chip easily. The thing is, I can get the same quality from OPI, ORLY and Nails, Inc. at a lower cost (Illamasqua is $14, the others are $9.50 or less). So in this case, I would recommend to try it before you buy and decide for yourself.
As I was researching for this post I also saw on Illamasqua’s site a Handmade Toxic Claw.
Individually crafted, each original piece is a miniature work of art that transforms your look. Designed to be worn on either thumb, customise your Toxic Claws with Illamasqua Nail Varnish for a versatile and truly unique finish. False nails will never be the same again!
Not sure what to say about this one, except it’s sure to be noticed!
China Glaze Hunger Games / Capitol Colours
13 weeks ago
Brand new colors from China Glaze, will come to stores early March just before the release of The Hunger Games. The new collection is called Capitol Colours and each polish is a representation of a certain aspect of the story. You’ll be able to find the collection at Sally Beauty Supply and ULTA Beauty.
In my case, I think Electrify and Smoke & Ashes will be perfect for my collection!
Agro
Dress Me Up
Electrify
Fast Track
Foie Gras
Harvest Moon
Hook & Line
Luxe & Lush
Mahogany Magic
Riveting
Smoke & Ashes
Stone Cold
‘Tis the Season for Glitter Polish
12 months ago
When it comes to nails, this season is all about bold colors and tons of Glitter! Release your inner tween and get your glitter on! Check out these season’s collections.
Sephora by OPI
Glimmer Wonderland Collection
Inspired by all things bright and sparkly, SEPHORA by OPI’s Glimmer Wonderland Collection captures the energy of the holiday season. These shimmering, color-rich shades are like “the instant glam you get from a sequin party dress or sparkly accessory you throw on to glam yourself up!”
The collection has the following colors: Be-Claus I Said So (clear with medium & chunky red glitter), Sugar Plum Fairies Gone Wild (clear with medium & chunky purple glitter), Don’t Be Eggnogious (clear with medium & chunky copper glitter), Good Tidings We Bling (glittery top coat), New Years Red-Solution (opaque metallic golden red), Stop Stocking Me (opaque metallic golden plum), Chest-Nuts About You (opaque pink champagne with fine glitter), Keep Me On My Mistletoes (opaque champagne gold with fine glitter), Countdown To The Kiss (opaque royal blue with medium glitter), Naughty Is The New Nice (opaque ice blue with fine silver glitter).
OPI
This collection has to do with the upcoming movie and it’s full of glitter. The one that entices me in this collection is the frog green glittery one, which would be perfect for St. Patrick’s Day in March.
The collection includes: Fresh Frog of Bel-Air (clear with green glitter), Rainbow Connection (clear with multi-colored glitter), Warm & Fozzie (warm copper), Designer De Better (metallic bronze), Gettin’ Miss Piggy With It! (red glittery), Excuse Moi! (pink glitter), Meep-Meep-Meep (deep fuschia), Animal-istic (wild red), Gone Gonzo! (blue glitter), Divine Swine (magenta glitter), Wocka Wocka (deep berry) and Pepe’s Purple Passion (best purple ever!)
Orly
Holiday Soiree
Say Oui to dramatic glamour in brilliant jewel tones with Holiday Soireé.This holiday season shimmers and sparkles with deep rich hues and a hint of naughtiness.
The collection includes: Androgynie (glittery black), Ma Cherie (red berry), Oui (glittery pink/purple), Au Champagne (glittery champagne), Le Chateu (navy blue) and Ingenue (glittery copper).
Nails, Inc
Holographic Nails
Now this is not neccesarily special for the holidays, but the pattern is so unique I decided to add them.
A duo of stunning theatrical-effect nail polishes.
The duos are: The Donmar Collection (Chelsea plum black polish, with Donmar Overglaze top coat which contains hand-cut, irregular particles in red and green), The Wyndham Collection (Kensignton teal black polish, with Wyndham Overglaze top coat which contains hand-cut, irregular clear particles) and The Old Vic Collection (patent black Black Taxi polish and The Old Vic Overglaze top coat with UV blue holographic particles)
As an update to this post….I went ahead and bought OPI’s Fresh Frog of Bel Air….I adore it!!
Nails, Inc. Top Coats
02 months ago
Thanks to the new Magnetic Nail Polish, the company Nails, Inc. grabbed my attention and it has held it since! I’ve tried two additional items from the Nails, Inc. product line: a regular top coat and a glitter top coat. Here’s what I thought of them:
Special Effects Electric Lane Holographic Glitter Top Coat
This nail polish is very unique, each brush stroke adds very fine glitter, without looking tacky or like it belongs on a tween. I noticed it tended to matte vibrant colors; but it looks just right on very light or dark polish.
Add it to your bare nails and they will look amazing, it gives a very clean look, subtle but also gets them noticed. One or two coats are just right, but a third coat brings out the holographic effect a lot more. Even though this polish is a top coat I don’t like the glitter’s rough feel, so I add a clear top coat to smooth it out.
This is a perfect polish for the Holiday Season. Right now I’m using it on top of a snowflake design and it looks amazing, very professional.
There are several reasons why this is my new favorite top coat. The main one is their claim that the polish dries in 45 seconds, I used a timer to check for myself and I found it’s completely true. In some cases it completely dries out in 30 seconds, I haven’t used my polish fast-drying spray in weeks!
Another reason I prefer this top coat is that I noticed it helps me “set” my nail art, making the design smoother, as well as very glossy and chip resistant. Using quality nail polish will make your nails look like they’re professionally “done” even if you did it yourself in your pajamas while watching TV.
Magnetic Polish by Nails, Inc
13 months ago
I have to hand it to Sephora, they did a good job building up the excitment for Nails, Inc new product, the Magnetic Polish.
I first saw the introduction video from the Sephora YouTube Channel and after that I started hounding the store with calls and popping in the store every time I was nearby. Finally the product arrived and I got it!
Right now the following two colors are available for purchase
Trafalgar Square (chrome)
Houses of Parliament (purple)
And the new color, soon to be available, Whitehall Teal (teal)
The whole excitement is because this is something new in nail polish, and the name says it all, it’s Magnetic, it uses a special magnet in order to create a ripple 3D type effect on the nails that cannot be replicated with a brush. This is really the easiest way to do nail art by yourself; no need of extra tools or even a steady hand. Just apply one coat, let it dry, apply a second coat, use the magnet and see the magic in seconds!
This video explains a little more how to apply it:
When applied with a base and top coat, the polish will remain without chipping for at least 5 days if not more. One thing is for sure, now that Nails, Inc is in my radar I’ll be trying their other polish and will tell you the results, one I’m particularly interested in is the Kensington Caviar Top Coat. And finally here’s a pic of my nails taken with my favorite model.
Fall 2011 Nail Polish Colors
35 months ago
This season’s colors are all about bold jeweled tones, all inspired by fashion, designers and determined to make your nails pop, no matter the length, these colors will get them (and you) noticed.
OPI
Designer Series Collection
Ultimate Glamour. Extraordinary Brilliance.
DS Temptation, DS Bold, DS Radiance, DS Extravangance
DS Magic, DS Mystery, DS Reserve, DS Reflection
DS Opulence, DS Classic, DS Glow, DS Top Coat
Sephora by OPI
Garden of Good & Evil Collection
Inspired by the rich jewel-tones, exotic feather accessories, and cascading silk gowns featured on fall runways, SEPHORA by OPI’s Garden of Good & Evil collection is as high fashion and extravagant as the trends that inspired them.
Designer Fig Leaf (metallic olive green), My Personal Serpent (dark teal), What’s Your Poison (glittery cranberry red), Eve-y On the Eyes (metallic grape), Sin-cerely Violet (metallic lilac), Frankly I Don’t Give A-Dam (light gray), Tempted by Teal (metallic teal)
Orly
Birds of a Feather
Take flight with ORLY’s Birds of a Feather color collection. A rich collection of shimmering iridescents and deep cremes reminiscent of a beautiful flock of bird feathers.
Fowl Play, Lucky Duck, Nite Owl, Peachy Parrot, Sea Gurl, Sweet Peacock
Nails, Inc. London
Colour Collection – Autumn
A set of four professionally formulated, catwalk-inspired nail colors.
Charing Cross (classic red), Fenchurch Street (warm caramel), Paddington (dark smoky gray), St. Pancras (burgundy wine)
OPI: I Love DKMS
46 months ago
I had another post ready for this week, but I just read an article on Vogue and wanted to shared it with our Style Bust readers. An article called “The Fighter” on the August 2011 edition of Vogue.
From the article I learned that Katharina Harf’s mother was diagnosed with acute leukemia when Katharina was thirteen. The family got working and within a year recruited 68,000 people who got swabbed looking for a donor match. Even though Harf’s mother passed away, she still continues the efforts by being the co-founder and executive vice-president of DKMS Americas. DKMS is the German acronym for German Marrow Donor Center, which is the largest bone marrow donor center in the world.
The way to become a donor is by visiting DKMS Americas site, you register and get do-it-yourself cheek swab kit. You will collect your own sample and send it for the lab for tissue typing. It is very difficult to match donors, maybe you will be called to donate, maybe you won’t but by registering and getting swabbed you may be potentially saving a life.
To honor and further the cause, OPI has come out with I Love DKMS, a limited edition nail polish duo in cherry red and shimmery, sheer white at $8.50. Proceeds will benefit DKMS’s efforts to register new donors. This polish is available in select Ulta locations, but I wasn’t able to find the color online or through the OPI website, so if you find a location drop us a comment!
More OPI Shatter and Nail Art
06 months ago
Not long ago I posted about OPI’s Shatter nail polish (OPI: Black Shatter for Katy Perry and Serena Williams), the cool thing about this type of nail polish is that it shatters as it dries creating a very unique look. It was great, but only came in black; not anymore, OPI is now offering six new colors that Shatter and give you the coolest look.
Another great thing for your nails created by OPI for Sephora is Nail Art by Sophy Robson. It gives you a step-by-step guide and videos on how to create the coolest nail styles. All the materials you need to create the looks can be purchased at Sephora.
After checking out the looks and the how-to videos I was so excited I just had to try them, so using the nail polishes I already have in my collection I re-created Wild Giraffe and Punk Cheetah. Of course they don’t look as great as the do on the pictures, but I liked them. I used my cat as background for my nails.
The Nail Art Guide is very easy to follow and now I’m looking forward on trying the Cherry Blossom look.
