Rainbow-licious Nails with ILNP Mega!

I've finally attempted stamping with multiple colors... and I am in love! I foresee a lot of different color combinations in my future with this technique. For my first attempt I wanted something bright and summery, and rainbow-licious. Is that a word? Hehehe. :)
 I started with a base of ILNP Mega. I used three coats. I then put a small strip of  Mundo de Unas: Neon Green, Turquoise, Purple, Fuchsia on my stamping plate. I scraped sideways and all the colors blended really nicely. I stamped with Winstonia Store third generation plate: W310, (the upper left image). I sealed everything with Seche Vita topcoat. What do you all think? I honestly can't stop staring at my nails this week. I love them! 
I'm also still crushing over my new work space. I love it! I can confirm the top is acetone resistant... I may have knocked a polish over and had to clean it up. If you haven't read my blog about my new space, check it out here. 
Have you tried stamping with multiple colors?
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Island Fun Collection from @ZoyaNailPolish

✯ PR Sample ✯

Happy Memorial Day! Today I'm sharing the Zoya Island Fun Collection. This is my favorite collection out of the two summer collections. These creams are so bright and vibrant!
Please click below to read the rest of this review.

Camouflage Nails with Zoya Jace.

✯ PR Sample ✯

Happy Memorial Day! I was up doing some late night nail art. Zoya Jace from the new Island Fun collection, gave me the idea to attempt some camouflage nails. :)

I started with 2 coats of Zoya Spencer for my base. Then using a dotting tool and a nail art brush, I dabbed on Zoya Jace, Nyssa, and Emilia. I used Seche Vite topcoat, and then decided to make everything matte with NYC Color: Matte Me Crazy topcoat. Not bad for a first attempt I suppose.
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Zoya Island Fun Cloud Manicure

✯ PR Sample ✯

I'll have a complete swatch review of the Zoya Island Fun collection soon, but for now I wanted to share a cloud manicure I created with four of the Island Fun creams. These four creams are my favorite out of the Island Fun collection.
Left to Right: Zoya Serenity, Nana, Talia, Cecilia.

I started with two coats of Zoya Serenity, and then layered each of the other colors to create a cloud manicure. I used Seche Vite topcoat.

Have you tried any of the colors from the Zoya Island Fun collection yet? 
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My own little space!

Well, hi there! No, I didn't fall off the face the earth. I'm sorry for the longer than usual blog break. My nails are finally starting to grow long enough where I feel comfortable taking photos, and overall I just needed a little break.

I'm off from work until Wednesday for Memorial Day, whoo! I have to work on some reviews to share with you guys. I will have the Zoya Island Fun, and Paradise Sun collection on the blog soon. I also have 6 new summer colors from SinfulColors to share with you as well. I will be super swatch busy this weekend!

I'm also excited because I finally have my own nail space! :-) I've never shared any posts about where I do my nails, because well, it was my dining room table. My very cluttered dining room table, lol. :-p I've wanted a table/desk to do my nails at for awhile. I've been eyeing this portable manicure table on Amazon for months. I watched the price drop from $100 down to $70, and I finally decided to order it. Free shipping! And- it arrived in 2 days! I set up my new space in the corner of our bedroom. My helmer fit perfectly beside it, the helmer is maybe inch to half an inch shorter than the table.
I store my light tent on top (or remove when I'm swatching), and underneath I have a basket for my clamp lamps, and boxes for other nail things. That mini cookie sheet there I use when I'm stamping, I put paper in it and stamp away while not worrying about making a huge mess.
The best part about this table is there was absolutely no assembly required. I only had to take it out of the box, the storage bag, remove the foam and bubble wrap, and set it up. The table itself is sturdier and more well made then I expected. It has wheels so you can move it around, and it easily folds up to store again if you need too. It also has a small plastic drawer underneath that I am storing some nail necessities in.

There's also a wrist cushion- for doing someone else's nails, but I decided to put that in the corner of my table to keep things from falling down where the table curves against the corner of the wall, and it also works to prop up my Ottlite and other things. ;-)

I ordered myself an upholstered folding chair to go along with my table, but that hasn't arrived yet. The chair I ordered also had free shipping. I may get a more comfortable chair eventually, but this was all I could afford right now.

I'm super excited to finally have a permanent and functional place to do my nails, take swatch photos, or use my laptop to write blog posts. I'm also looking forward to getting back to blogging and sharing with you all again, I've definitely missed it. Have a great Memorial Day weekend!


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Press Release: SUMMER 2015 FROM SINFULCOLORS




SUMMER 2015 FROM SINFULCOLORS
This summer, SinfulColors transports you across the globe with an on-trend collection of 29 hues that reflect the vibrant and eclectic chaos from around the world.  The fusion of saturated cream shades and dazzling neon appliqués channel the pulsating energy of a summer evening.  The offbeat blend of spicy reds, oranges and cooling blues are perfectly paired with henna appliqués and foil tips.  Juicy purples and pinks complement new matte glitter toppers that add a fashion-forward flair while graffiti-inspired splatter glitter topcoats capture the diverse and rebellious vibe of street art.

Let these 29 vibrant shades, 6 glitter topcoats and 5 appliqués from SinfulColors express your individuality this summer with an electrifying mani to remember:


PINATA BLAST GLITTERS

Baila Baila: Clear based peach & royal blue confetti flecks  
Fierce Fiesta: Multi-hued red, pink & yellow confetti          
Mamasita: Indigo splashed with ruby & white glitter

GRAFFITI BOMB GLITTERS

Color Tag: Rich navy with pastel glitter    
Paste-erd: Night-sky navy with periwinkle glitter                                      
Writing On The Wall: Shimmery black with ruby flakes

HENNA APPLIQUES

Foiled AgainLustrous rose gold appliques                                   
Henna I DoTribal-inspired delicate appliques 


NEON APPLIQUES

Hot Tips: Pop-art pink and vibrant purple appliques                        
Neon Splat: A graffiti-style blend of electric neon appliques
Swirl: Color-blocked bright yellow, pink & violet appliques


PRICE/AVAILABILITY:
$1.99 each, nail polish and appliques, at Walgreens and other mass retailers for Summer 2015.

Press Release: @ZoyaNailPolish Island Fun, & Paradise Sun!

✯ Press Release ✯



Introducing two new Zoya Nail Polish collections for Summer 2015, Island Fun & Paradise SunAll in the Big5Free* formula Zoya is famous for.
ISLAND FUN (creams)
Ready for an island vacation, these playful creams embody a tropical getaway! They are strong in color to balance the brilliance of the summer sun, with a flawless cream formula.

• Jace (ZP796) - Modern tropical green in a full coverage and densely pigmented cream formula. A green that is more muted than lime and surprisingly wearable!
• Cecilia (ZP797) - Classic teal in a full coverage and densely pigmented cream formula.
• Talia (ZP798) - True turquoise in full coverage and densely pigmented cream formula.
• Serenity (ZP799) - Summer purple in a full coverage and densely pigmented cream formula. Reminiscent of beautiful blooming irises, a harbinger of summer!
• Nana (ZP800) - Deep summer fuchsia in a full coverage and densely pigmented cream formula.
• Demetria (ZP801) - A vibrant poppy red in a full coverage and densely pigmented cream formula.


PARADISE SUN (metallics)
Fully saturated with a gorgeous micronized metallic sheen, these shimmering beauties are much like sunshine sparkling on water. Meant to be used as an independent color, these shades feature a full-coverage, densely pigmented formula.

• Genesis (ZP790) - Crystalline white with a micronized metallic pearl finish. Designed to look like micro-fine diamond dust!
• Selene (ZP791) - True teal with a micronized metallic pearl finish. A unique shade with an aqua fleck that resembles deeper
layers of ocean water.
• Oceane (ZP792) - True turquoise with a micronized metallic pearl finish that reflects the clearest blue ocean waters.
• Isa (ZP793) - Deep blue-based purple with a micronized metallic pearl finish and an aqua flash that embodies the beauty of exotic island flowers.
• Mae (ZP794) - Warm magenta pink with a micronized metallic pearl finish, reminiscent of vibrant Mediterranean flowers.
• Aphrodite (ZP795) - Vibrant summer red with a micronized pearl metallic finish and multi-hued flash that brings it to life.

AVAILABLE 05/05/15!ZOYA IS THE HEALTHY COLOR OF FASHION!
$(US) Available in top salons, spas and on zoya.com
____
MORE BIG NEWS…
Watch LIVE as Zoya Nail Polish debuts the NEW Summer 2015 Collections – Island Fun & Paradise Sun on Periscope!
Join us on Friday May 1st at 12:30pm EST to meet the collection and talk with Zoya Creative Director, Rebecca Isa, on how the new shades blend with summer cosmetic and fashion trends. If you don’t have a Periscope account already, don’t forget to get it set up now!
Broadcast Time: 12:30pm EST
Follow Zoya on Periscope: @ZoyaNailPolish

*BIG5FREE, TOXIN FREE: Zoya Nail Polish Formula contains no formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, dibutyl phthalate, toluene or camphor.

Zoya Earth Day Polish Exchange 2015!


ZOYA EARTH DAY NAIL POLISH EXCHANGE 2015 – STARTS TUESDAY - APRIL 21, 2015!


With over 300 shades rooted in a healthy philosophy, it’s no surprise that Zoya is committed to helping you green your beauty routine! That’s why each year we give you the opportunity to exchange any old nail polish bottles that you may have laying around your house collecting dust, or that are not BIG5FREE* formulas, for brand new toxin-free** Zoya Nail Polish shades. You can rest assured that your unwanted polishes will be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. Helping the earth is easy… all you have to do to get started is pick out your NEW Zoya colors at zoya.com, follow the instructions below and checkout. Let us do the rest!

How the ZOYA EARTH DAY NAIL POLISH EXCHANGE works
...


1.     Visit www.zoya.com and add a minimum of 6 bottles of Zoya Nail Polish (no more than 24 bottles) to your cart. Minimum 12, maximum 48 for professional accounts.
 
2.     Apply Code: EARTHLUV and a 50% credit will be added to your exchange order - free shipping included!
 
3.     Complete checkout and you're all set! If you need further instructions (including info for our professional program) on sending back your unwanted polish click HERE.

The exchange runs on the honor system, which means you are not obligated to send in your unwanted polish - we assume you're going to do the right thing! Many people donate the polish to a local cause instead, which we fully support. If you choose to send back your polishes, please check with your carrier of choice for shipping guidelines and restrictions for nail polish. For full promotion terms & conditions and instructions on how to send in your polish, click HERE.

USE CODE: EARTHLUV
Offer valid 4/21/15 - 4/28/15 (11:59pm EST)

* **BIG5FREE, TOXIN FREE: Zoya Nail Polish Formula contains no formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, dibutyl phthalate, toluene or camphor.

Sad sad nails...

I changed nail nail shapes a few months ago from square to round. And, for awhile my nails were growing like weeds and super strong. Then over the past month or so suddenly my nails started peeling again, which hasn't happened in awhile. :( I broke three nails last weekend, and two this week. My cuticles have also seemed like they want to peel for no reason despite my almost religious use of cuticle oil and butters, and the occasional mani bomb every other week. Blah.... needless to say I am not feeling the nail thing right now....

I'm not sure what has caused the current peeling. Maybe the transition to round tips freaked them out, or the weather changing, or the fact I hadn't used any nail treatment in months and months, (besides, my Orly Bonder base coat). I also know a few weeks ago I used a peel off glitter base coat, which ended up leaving white marks on the top of three different nails. So maybe I damaged my nail beds somehow with that. It was Glitter-a-peel, and I've used it in the past with no issues... maybe it's just a combination of things. :(

I ordered some more OPI Nail Envy since my last bottle pretty much dried up with what little was left. Decided to try the sensitive and peeling formula this time. Has anyone used that one? Hopefully it helps. I have used Nail Envy in the past, on and off and it always seemed to make the peeling go away and make my nails stronger. So hopefully it helps.


My nails actually look a bit better here, two weeks ago. This was when they had already started peeling... and after I trimmed them down after a few breaks.

These are my nails currently, and while it might not look that bad to some of you, they look icky to me. I guess they just need some TLC and a little rest. :(

I have a lot of things I want to share on the blog. But I'm giving myself a week or two weeks off to get my nails back into shape. I also finally picked up the Winstonia Store third generation stamp plates. :)


I am planning on having another giveaway soon. I already have some things set aside. *wink* So, in the meantime while I take a week or 2 off from the blog, follow me on Instagram and Facebook. I still post occasional nail of the day photos, things that don't usually make the blog, even though they are usually just cell phone photos. I also post my nail mail hauls, favorite products, etc. 

And, if you have any nail care tips that have helped you when you're nails peeled- let me know in the comments. I would love to hear them. 

Ocean Bubbles Gradient.

I've been wanting to do some beachy ocean looking nails for a little while with my Bundle Monster stamping plate BM-505.

I started with two coats of Doctor Lacquer True Compassion. (A gorgeous light cornflower blue holographic thermal polish when warm). Then I sponged Chaos & Crocodiles Sleeper Cell, on the tips of my nails. I stamped in Konad white, and topped everything off with Seche Vite topcoat. The gradient effect with the two blue polishes reminds me of the ocean.

You can view my Chaos & Crocodile swatches from the Secret Agent Collection here.

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Tieks Inspired Nails!

I was inspired to do some nails in the colors of my new Tieks Ballet Flats. :) I used OPI Can't Find My Czechbook, and Zoya Matte Velvet in Loredana. I also used striping tape to make the diagonal lines. I really love how they turned out, the colors go so well together, and I love the shiny/matte look of them.
You can read my review on my new Tieks flats here. 
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