Swatch: Wet n Wild's Forbidden Love

This color is that defined my high school years. I wore it almost every day of my senior year and this polish even makes an appearance in my graduating picture--you know, the one where you hold up your diploma and act all excited? Yeah, that awkward one. But alas, I grew weary of this color after abusing it for so long... and it didn't help that OPI released the South Beach collection (and I fell in love with "Done Out in Deco") right about at that same time. So, I put it away and it sat in the darkness of my cabinet for a few years until today, when I decided to bring it back!

Wet n Wild's Forbidden Love is a sheer, creamy, super light peach. It's perfect for Spring and it's a nice flesh tone. Did I mention that it was only 99 cents when I bought it? I say "when I bought it" because I bought this bottle years ago and I haven't really kept up with Wet n Wild since. Anyways, 99 cents is an awesome deal!

While I love the color and what it looks like when it's on, it did take 3 coats to get fairly decent coverage, and even then you can still see the nail line. It also takes FOREVER to dry. As I write this, it's been like 8 hours since I've applied Seche Vite top coat, and I'm still not convinced that the polish is stable. I think it's shifting underneath the dry Seche. Another downfall: it lasts unchipped, like, a day maximum. It's really a shame because I'm crazy about the color and jelly-like look.

Newspaper Nails - Version 2 (B&W Comics)

Newspapers seem to be successful in the nail world. My first newspaper mani has continually dominated the top spot in my "Popular Posts" column on the right. Here's a different and more colorful method to get newspaper print on your nails. Also, I'm trying out the rounded nail shape as Nonie Creme (Butter London's nail goddess) has officially declared that square nails are out!

The purple base is China Glaze's Light as Air (2 coats) and I used the comics section instead of an article, so there are images and different fonts.

How-To:

1) Paint your nails any fairly light color and let dry completely

2) Dip your nail in rubbing alcohol so that the whole nail is wet

3) Take a strip of newspaper and place it on your nail

4) Hold for about 30 seconds (longer is better if you can) without moving it

5) Peel off the newspaper

Tips:

-The print will come out backwards, so keep that in mind

-It helps to cut the strip in roughly the shape of your cuticle

You're done! This technique is so easy to do. I can't wait to try it with color comics!

Purple Ruffian

OPI's Pamplona Purple (Espana collection) (dark)
OPI's Rumple's Wiggin (Shrek collection) (light)

Peacock & Spring Leopard

Here's my attempt at hand painted feathers and a spring leopard:

Each hand has a different leopard distribution. The right hand's feather was damaged and repaired with top coat, so that's why it looks a little funny.

Light blue base: OPI's What's With the Cattitude? (Shrek collection)
Green feather center & leopard spots: OPI's Fiercely Fiona (Shrek collection)
Purple feather middle: OPI's Pamplona Purple (Espana Collection)
Feather arms & inner center: CM Nail Art's Navy Blue & Gold Diamond (glitter)
Feather arms & leopard spots: Flexbrush's water-based white

Non-Traditional St. Paddy's Day Mani

One of my favorite things in the world is subtle, detailed-oriented theming. I don't like the obvious because it often goes into tacky territory, so naturally I did a non-obvious St. Patrick's Day mani using green but omitting the shamrocks and leprechauns.

Orly's Halley's Comet (Cosmic FX collection) & OPI's Black Shatter

Halley's Comet is a mermaid green that's packed with glitter. Under certain lights it's amazing. Its major drawback is that it chips really easily.

I still can't get my Black Shatter to shatter the way I want. My left ring finger was as close as I could get, but I'm still not satisfied. Who would have thought that a shatter polish would need practice?

Trend Alert: V-Gap

According to Refinery 29, the V-Gap may just be the newest nail trend.

Here's my attempt using China Glaze's Happy Go Lucky (Up & Away collection) as a base and OPI's Pamplona Purple on top. This color combination looks very sci-fi!

I just freehanded it. I couldn't think of any other way really. I also think this would be easier if you have short nails. That way there's less of a chance for wobbly edges since you won't have as far to go.

Review: Sally Hansen Salon Effects in "Cut It Out"

I am loving this new foray by manufacturers into dry polish patterns! Incoco and Nail Rock have both expanded their lines with more patterns recently. Sally Hansen jumped in the game from almost nowhere and now has 3 dry polish options (color, glitter, patterns).

I picked out the Cut It Out pattern (black and white floral doodles) from my local CVS for $10.74 (that includes tax). Yes, the price is a little steep for what's supposed to be a one time use product, but in the end I found it to be worth it. They're just that bold and cool looking.

They're super easy to apply--it's just like the Incoco strips. The SH strips come in packs of 16 (2 sealed packs of 8 each, and each individual strip is fairly long with two different curved ends for two cuticle sizes) with a cuticle stick and a buffer/file. Since I've had some experience with dry polish I was able to save the excess filed off of one nail and use it on another nail. That way I ended up with an unopened pack of 8 to use again later.

In the end, these lasted a week before I removed them. They most definitely could have lasted longer.

Overall, these are wicked awesome! I did add a top coat to give it more of a shine and to cover up the ever-so-slight and rare wrinkles. These are the thickness that I wish Nail Rock wraps would be. Thick enough to be sturdy, yet thin enough to stretch and work with. The only thing I would recommend in applying these is to not use the included file to remove the excess strip if you have short nails. Using it is too hard to file downward, perpendicular to the nail. I used my regular metal file because it gave me more control and precision, especially close to the skin.

Nude & Burgundy Ruffian

OPI's Give Me Moor! (burgundy, 1 really heavy coat) and Tickle My France-y (nude, 2 coats)

Tutorial located at my original Ruffian post.

Bam! Comic Book Mani! Pow!

I've been on a superhero kick lately. MAC's Wonder Woman line's got me all jazzed up, there's been some Avengers casting news, and I tore through two series of the British show Misfits in about a week (it's about teens with superpowers so it's relevant in case you didn't know). Naturally, when I first saw Zoya's Mimi I knew it was destined for some superhero-ness of its own since it's a perfect comic book purple.

Zoya's Mimi (2 coats, no topcoat for picture taking purposes)
Flexbrush's water-based black and white (freehanded)