Swatch and Review: Zoya Naked Manicure System

Long time, no see, everyone! I'm ten days away from taking the NY and NJ Bar Exams (AHHHH!), so hopefully, I'll have more time to get back to swatching and my nail art once that stupid test is over!

In other news, as you may have seen on Facebook, I received the Zoya Naked Manicure System a little under a month ago. Since then, I have been testing the various shades of the collection, as well as the wear of both matte and glossy looks.

Here is what Zoya says about the Naked Manicure System: "The Naked Manicure System is a simple, highly effective system that gives clients instant, gorgeous natural looking nails. It also provides the intense therapeutic, long term benefits for stronger, healthier nails."

Because of what was posted on their website, I approached product testing with three goals in mind:

1) How natural does it look?
2) How long does it last?
3) Does it make my nails stronger or healthier?

Sometimes, from all the swatching, my nails can be a little yellow and I have issues with ridges. I'm also going to be starting a new job in the fall and I wanted a few more professional-looking options that I could wear every day and know they're appropriate for both day and night work events.

You can also layer different Perfector shades to get a more customized color based on your skin tone and condition of your nails, as demonstrated below:

I'm happy to report that I've now gotten the whole collection swatched and tested for wear!

How Natural Does it Look (The Perfector Shades):

Below, you'll find a comparison between my natural nail, the satin (matte) look, and the glossy look.

Swatch and Review: Milani Sheer Nail Art

Happy Thursday, everyone! It's almost the weekend!

Today, I have some quick nail art to show you! Normally, I don't do your typical French manicure with white and sheer shades. But when I was provided the Milani Color Statement collection for review, I knew I had to put my own spin on the Classic French Manicure.

To achieve this update French, I used three coats of Milani Lady-like Sheer for the base color with two coats of Milani Frenchie Sheer to paint on the French tip. Then I used black acrylic paint to make the flower petals, the arches, and the dots, the latter using a dotting tool. Of course, I used two rhinestones, as well.

I was surprised at how well Frenchie Sheer built up. The Lady-like Sheer was a little streaky at first, but with three coats, I got it under control.

The new Milani Color Statement line is now available at CVS stores for just $3.99 or from Milani’s website HERE at just $3.99 each.

Keep an eye out for more swatches of the Color Statement polish collection!

Disclaimer: The product(s) in this post were provided to me by the manufacturer or their PR company for consideration. For more information please visit my Disclaimer page.

Get the NYFW Look: Jin Soon for Tess Giberson

Runway Inspiration:

Tess Giberson Fall/Winter 2014 collection is based on the transference of classic rugged American sportswear into contemporary, effortless, luxurious style. Manicurist Jin Soon Choi used this same idea and created a modern interpretation of the classic French manicure.

Jin Soon Nail Products Used:

• Dark gray/metallic black nail polish
• JINsoon Kookie White
• JINsoon Top Gloss
• JINsoon Power Coat 

Get the look:

1. File and clean nails, removing all traces of polish.
2. Apply JINsoon Power Coat base coat.
3. Next, apply two coats of dark gray/metallic black nail polish (the shade Jin used from her upcoming JINsoon Fall/Winter 2014 Tess Giberson Collection), let dry.
4. At the tip of the nail, apply a thin arc of JINsoon Kookie White.
5. Finish by applying a single coat of JINsoon Top Gloss.

Get the NYFW Look: Essie for Rebecca Minkoff

Runway Inspiration:

Taking inspiration from classic menswear, Rebecca Minkoff’s Fall/Winter 2014 collection infused tailored silhouettes with soft, feminine pieces.  To complement the collection, Michelle Saunders for essie put a bold, modern twist on a classic French manicure.   

Essie Nail Products Used:

• First Base Base Coat
• Bahama Mama
• Midnight Cami
• Good to Go Top Coat

Get the look:

1. Apply First Base Base Coat to clean, filed nails.
2. Once the base coat dries, apply two coats of Bahama Mama.
3. Using Midnight Cami, brush on a neat arc across the edge of the nail and let dry.
4. Finish off the look with one coat of Good to Go Top Coat.

Falling Forward Challenge: Day 1 - Neons

Good morning, polishaholics! Today, I'm beginning the Falling Forward Nail Art Challenge and am very excited. This is my first nail art challenge!

As you can see above, today's theme is neons!

I'm not a big fan of neons, so I had to do something that I would be willing to rock on a daily basis.

I went with a pale green base in Julep Courteney and used It's So Easy Stripe Rite paints in neon colors to make a stringy French manicure.

I really like how it turned out. The stripes remind me a bit of ocean ripples. And the muted green of Julep Courteney makes it a little less in-your-face.

Before we bid farewell, to summer neons, be sure to check out the posts of my fellow bloggers who are undertaking the challenge!

College Polished
Tall Girl in Heels
Nail Polish Anonymous
Peace Love Lacquer
DIY Polish
XO, Noelle
Galactic Lacquer
Princess Polish
Munchy's Nails
Pishposh and Polish
Beyond Beauty Lounge
Beauty Dish
Jilltastic Nail Design

Have a great rest of your Monday!
Princess Polish

Princess Nails

Sorry for being MIA for a while... I've been prepping for law school at the end of this month. It's scary, terrifying, and exciting all at the same time. But right now, I'm trying to enjoy what time I have left of the summer!

I wore these nails a few weeks ago after experimenting post-manicure at a nail salon. The only problem is that I can't remember the name of the base color! It was a really pretty pale pink Essie with a subtle reddish-pink shimmer. Though, I do know the color I used on the tips. It's a color I made for one of my sister's friends recently, called Princess Polish Flora!

 

I used Stripe Rite in a rainbow glitter, dotting tools, a little white polish, and a circular rhinestone for the flower. This was just a fun and girly way to wear my nails for a little while. I liked it a lot.

So what do you think, everyone? Can you name that polish?

Princess Polish

Hump Day Holo: a-England Lady of the Lake and Sally Hansen Lapis Amethyst

Good morning, everyone! I'm bringing back Hump Day Holo with a special combination that I have come to adore!

I combined a-England Lady of the Lake with Sally Hansen Lapis Amethyst to create a stunning, funky purple French manicure that I'm in love with.

Check it out:

 

I LOVED this combination of the pearl duochrome that is SH Lapis Amethyst and the bright holo pop of a-England Lady of the Lake. This was actually pretty easy to accomplish too! 

I apologize for the bubbles on my index finger... didn't realize my top coat had gotten to that point until it was too late!

Blurred sparkle shot!

So what do you think about this combo? Do you adore it as much as I do?

Princess Polish

Swatch and Review: L'Oreal Sweet Nothings

Hello, everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend!

When I first saw this polish in the store, I was on the search for a base color similar to Essie Marshmallow for a french. Granted, it was two years ago and long before this blog began, also meaning my knowledge of other brands extended only as far as my local Harmons.

So I chose a L'Oreal I thought was pretty similar for about $3, rather than the price tag of Essie Marshmallow.

While the name is adorable, I only wish the polish was as nice. It's not so much the shade itself, as the application. It was streaky with three coats and no matter what I did, just would not even itself out. Not even Seche Vite could accomplish that task. I got it to look decent enough for a photo, but not to the point that I'd wear it outside.

L'Oreal is available at most drug stores, including Walgreens, Rite Aid, and CVS, as well as at select Target and Ulta locations. For more information, check out LorealParisUSA.com.

So it was a polish fail. But just wait until tomorrow... when I show you how I made lemons out of lemonade with this polish. HINT: It involves a lot of glitter!

And remember to please keep sharing on the Cosmetics for a Cure Raffle! I'm a little over halfway to my goal of $500 raised, and we're only $45 away from activating the soon-to-be released Orly Dark Shadows Collection as a prize! All money goes to the American Cancer Society!

Until later!
Princess Polish

Easter Mani Day 4: Funky Flower French

Welcome to day FOUR of the Easter mani series! Today's color is pink!

As it happens, the colors I picked out of my new nail polish holder were both Zoya. That seems to happen more and more often these days, though the odds are pretty high. I think I'm up to over 50 Zoyas at this point. Though, who knows?

I wound up picking out Zoya Audrey, which I find myself liking more and more with each wear. She's definitely a "my nails but better" look that I've grown to love. The best part about her is that she hides my secret shame: BAD gaps from the need for a fill! Now, I'm not in need of a fill at the moment, nor do I currently have gels. But in a pinch, the girl will help you out!

Then I used Areej for the tips, with Snow White dot flowers and Trixie for the centers! This is exactly what I wore on my birthday yesterday. It's funky, but it's a very sleek look that fits the in-between of Spring/Summer we're going through now.

You can really use any color combo for this type of french, but I thought a nude color was best for the base to tone it down a bit.

If you try this out sometime... I want to see!

Remember to email me your Easter manis for a chance to win a prize and stay tuned for more posts today!

Thanks again for all the birthday love!
Princess Polish

OPI In the Spot-light Pink

I went to my local salon for a manicure a few days ago so that my nails would get the TLC they needed before the Maroon 5 concert. (Which was AMAZING, by the way.) I had planned on doing this really awesome gradient manicure that faded from deep maroon to a medium pink color. Needing a base color to ensure complete coverage, I decided to go with a really pale pink that would be easy to build on and chose OPI In the Spot-Light Pink from the Femme de Cirque collection.

But a funny thing happened shortly after I returned home…

I fell in love with the color.



As you may have figured out by now, I love cheery, sparkly polishes or dark, vampy hues. But rarely do I wear pastels, let alone those of the "barely-there" variety.

In fact, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this is the first time I've worn this kind of natural-looking shade that I can recall.

There is something very classy about this color, even in its sheerness. It's glossy without a top coat, but with one, it's a true stunner.

If you're in need of a polish for a french manicure, I'd highly recommend In the Spot-light Pink. It's a great neutral tone without a streaky application.