NOTD: My new Favorite Purple!

Today, I'm sharing another mono-chromatic manicure.  Today's theme is purple. I recently found a purple I had been wanting for ages.  During a trip to Bed, Bath & Beyond, I found it...Color Club's Disco Dress had been on my wish list since I saw it  posted on someone's blog. This color is absolutely, drop dead, GORGEOUS!!! It doesn't lean red and it doesn't lean blue...IMO, it is the perfect royal purple. 

For this manicure, I used Color Club Disco Dress (Index, Pinkie, & Thumb), Jordana Purple Punch (Middle), and Sinful Colors Purple Gleam (Ring).

I'm wearing Gray for Diabetes Awareness...

October well known as Breast Cancer Awareness month and receives tremendous support and although I've been blessed enough not to have had any of my immediate family or friends impacted, I, also show my support. But November is Diabetes Awareness Month and this hits very close to home.

It is estimated that Diabetes affects 25.8 million people of all ages, that’s 8.3 % of the U.S. Population. It is the leading cause of kidney failure, new cases of blindness among adults, non-traumatic amputations, a major cause of heart disease and stroke. Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S. (U.S. Dept of HHS)

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS: OPI Pink of Heart 2013 Duo plus 1

For the month of October, I try to show my support for Breast Cancer Awareness by wearing pink nail polish throughout the month.  I've done this for the past few years.  This year is no different.  I've been very blessed that none of my immediate friends and family have been impacted by breast cancer. But that doesn't mean I don't help in the fight. Earlier this week, as I was posting about Breast Cancer Awareness, I e-met one of my Twitter followers.  As as fate would have it, she was scheduled to start a new round of chemotherapy on October 1st,  So I decided to dedicated my 2013 BCA manicures to "lovenailpolish3".  I'm praying her strength and healing. 

For my first manicure, I was determined to find and use the OPI 2013 Pink of Hearts duo. Fortunately, I found it at my local Ulta ($15.95 USD). This year the OPI BCA collection was made up of OPI Pink-Ing of You, a baby pink jelly and OPI More Than A Glimmer.  This collection also comes with BCA Pink Ribbon nail stickers and stick on gems. While these two polishes would have been enough, I just felt the need for another color, so I pulled from my stash a favorite pink from 2012-OPI If You Moust, You Moust (2013 Minnie Mouse Collection)

It all started with Pink...Revisiting Orly Basketcase

I have loved the Orly brand of nail polish for years. Some of my earliest blog posts were of Orly polishes.  I have often commented on how much I loved the Orly rubberized bottle tops. Orly recently redesigned their bottles again.  My nail polish collection includes just short of 90 bottles of Orly, and in my collection I have 3 generations of bottles.  Change is often not easy but after a couple uses, I have gained an appreciation for the redesigned bottle. 

Orly Polish Family Portrait

The redesigned orlybeauty.com features video tutorials, how-to tips, and insight on color and nail trends.  I have already started making my shopping list by reviewing the true-to-life color swatches. We all seen other brands' swatches that looked nothing like the actual polish.

I've always been a history buff so the company video that Orly released explaining the history of the Orly line is very interesting to me.  An isn't quite interesting that the founder's nail is Jeff Pink.  

Barielle: Smarty Pants Pink

Ever since OPI released its Pink Friday a few seasons ago, I've been loving pink cream polishes and it appears that most brands are releasing similar shades.  I recently went though my stash and found just a few similar polishes. A recent addition to my collection comes from the Barielle brand. I received today's shade, Smarty Pants Pink, as part of the Barielle Brilliant Colors collection.  I don't know what it is about this color family, it doesn't appear to be anything really special but it is certainly a shade that needs to be in our stash.  

Here, I'm wearing 2 coats to achieve true bottle color.  The formulation was smooth with no application issues.

As I mentioned above, just about every brand has at least one shade similar. Here are those in my stash. L to R: Barielle Smarty Pants Pink, SC Cotton Candy, OPI Pink Friday, Barielle Pink Flip Flops, SC Over It, SinfulShine Yours Truly.

What are some of your favorite pink creams?

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* These products were provided by the representing PR firm. These however are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by this company.

Orange/Coral Series Finale: Orly Glided Coral and Sinful Colors Clementine

Today I have the last two in my Orange/Coral series. That's not to say there won't be others in the future because I still have several more in my Orange/Coral drawer.  But I have enjoyed sharing some of my untried polishes with you. With sandal weather quickly arriving (or if you live in a warmer climate, already here) we really need to start looking at those beautiful Spring/Summer polish shades.  

First, is Orly Gilded Coral from the Spring 2011 Precious collection. I would like to thank G. of NouveauCheap for reminding me that I even had this polish. She mentioned it a couple weeks ago on Instagram and that made me add it to this mini-series.  Orly Gilded Coral is a rosey-pink coral with a gold shimmer. When this collection was first introduced, I will admit, I wasn't impressed with this polish, but it grew on me and as it became part of the core collection I was able to purchase it at Sally Beauty. This is 2 coats and with that I had no visible nail lines, and that was surprising to me. From looking at the bottle, I would have thought it was more sheer. The overall application was great-not too thick or too runny.

Lastly, is a bright creme-sicle orange cream. This is Sinful Colors Clementine. Surprisingly, I really didn't have anything else like this orange in my collection.  I don't know that it was part of a certain collection release but I found it at Walgreens. The application was almost a one-coater, but as I do with most of my polishes, I applied 2 coats. 

So that's it for my Orange/Coral series. What are some of your favorite orange and coral polishes? I could always use more, LOL!

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* FTC: These products were bought with my own money, unless otherwise noted. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by any of these companies. This is not a sponsored post.

Like a Florida Sunset...Orly Terracotta & Nina Pro Evening Sun

I have really been enjoying revisiting my orange & coral untried polishes. Today, I have two more. The first is from one of my favorite brands, Orly. This is Orly Terracotta.  It's a coral crelly-cream/jelly with a red undertone. For some reason, it brings to mine lobsters whenever I see it-"a lobster coral red." I have always loved Orlys cream polishes and this one is no different. The application was easy and was fully opaque with 2 coats. While this is an older shade, I have seen it in CVS and Sally Beauty. Terracotta is a "safe color" for someone just stepping into the coral range.

This next polish is one I have owned for years, but again for whatever reason just never wore it. It's so old the bottle has changed since I made this purchase. This is Nina Pro Evening Sun, available exclusively at Sally Beauty.  This is a gorgeous burnt orange with a golden shimmer.  The golden shimmer in the polish is a great complementary color for the gold/yellow undertone my complexion. In this picture I'm wearing 2 coats, but to have no visible nail line (VNL), I would suggest at least 3 coats. As I mentioned, while this is an older polish and the brand has changed its bottle, the color is still available.  

Nina Pro Evening Sun is perfectly named; on my nails and in the bottle, it reminds me of a beach sunset.

Since I won't be vacationing anytime soon, I will be living vicariously through my nail polishes. What are some of your favorite vacation polish shades?

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* FTC: These products were bought with my own money, unless otherwise noted. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by any of these companies. This is not a sponsored post.

Harvesting Some More Oranges: Pure Ice Twinkle & Wet n Wild Club Tropicana

Yesterday I started a mini-series on some of my favorite oranges, corals, and peachy nail polishes. I've been loving these colors lately and have been trying to go through my untrieds.  One thing for certain, I have love all the polishes I have acquired in the past. Not a dud in the bunch yet. 

Today I have two more. Let's start with an apricot-peach with a golden shimmer. I purchased Pure Ice Twinkle from Walmart at least 2-3 years ago. The golden micro shimmer just adds something to this polish and it complements any tanned skin, thereby making it perfect for Spring & Summer manicures and pedicures. This is 2 coats and I had no issues with the application. As I mentioned, I purchased this Pure Ice polish from Walmart and the MSRP is $1.97-very budget friendly.

This next polish is one I have also have for at least 2 years. Wet n Wild Club Havana, a dusty orange cream. It was one of the first Megalast polishes I purchased from Walgreens when Wet N Wild first redesigned the Megalast polish line. Notice the "New" label. I don't know why I was hesitant to wear more shades from this brand. I love the colors, the formula and even the brush. Not to mention, the price is very budget friendly at $1.99. Wet n Wild Club Havana, in particular was a bit streaky, but with a little care, application wasn't a big issue.  

I hear rumor that there are several new Wet n Wild Megalast polishes being released this Spring/Summer, so I am excited to see what the future shades look like. Have you spotted any of the newer Wet n Wild Megalast polishes yet? NouveauCheap posted earlier this year about the 40+ new shades set to be release and I can wait to see them in person.

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* FTC: These products were bought with my own money, unless otherwise noted. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by any of these companies. This is not a sponsored post.

Salon Perfect: Sweet Melon, Pink Mystique, & a reminder...

Today's manicures are from a brand I have blogged about recently. Today I am sharing with you two more from the Salon Perfect brand. I really wanted to share these with you because my most recent blog post on Salon Perfect was about a giveaway. So I wanted to allow you another look at some of the Salon Perfect polishes.  These are two more that I purchased during the Walmart trip I discussed in my April 24th post.

First, I have Salon Perfect Sweet Melon. That name is a good fit. Sweet Melon is a pinky-melon cream-jelly-"Crelly", as my nail blogger friend, Rhonda of Nails Beautiqued has coined this finish.  I was able to obtain a fully opaque application with 2 coats. The formulation was smooth and had an almost self-leveling ability. This is a great summer color without being too bold.

Next, I have Salon Perfect Pink Mystique.  As I have mentioned in a previous post, many of the Salon Perfect nail lacquers are very similar to the China Glaze nail lacquers. Well Salon Perfect Pink Mystique is very similar to China Glaze Strawberry Fields. This polish is a berry pink with a gold glass flecks. I love this shade and definitely say that if you missed out on Strawberry Fields, get this one.  Here I'm showing it with 2 coats, but probably should have went for 3.

Finally, as a reminder, I'm hosting a Salon Perfect Giveaway (ending 5/12/2013 at 12:00AM EST). One person will win these 8 bottles of Salon Perfect Nail Lacquer.  I chose 8 shades that were very similar to popular China Glaze shades.  If you missed out on my blog post explaining the details to the giveaway and how to enter, please click HERE.

Again, I thank my PR contact for Salon Perfect for providing the polishes for the giveaway.  

Salon Perfect is a Walmart exclusive brand so be certain to take a look the next time you are in your local Walmart. These are some really great polishes and I look forward to adding others to my collection.

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* FTC: These products were bought with my own money. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by any of these companies. This is not a sponsored post.

REVIEW: Pixi Beauty: The Look of Summer 2013

Today I would like to share with you a brand I have seen in Target, but its just recently that I have tried any of their products.  Today I would like to share with you the new Summer 2013 Pixi Beauty Nail Colors. I received these polishes to review.  With Memorial Day less than 30 days away, its time that we start getting our Summer polishes ready.  It won't be long before the sandals will be our daily footwear. So what will be your pedicure polishes for the season?

Pixie Beauty has given us three great shades that will compliment any tanned skin tone.  First, there is Fluoro Flamingo, it is a bright bubblegum pink cream. I would say that this is just short of neon.  The first coat was a bit streaky but with a second, coat application as smooth.  

Fluoro Flamingo-Bright flamingo pink

Next, is Summer Sunset. When I first saw this shade I didn't realize that it has a golden shimmer. Summer Sunset is a beautiful orangey-coral.  This is probably my favorite of the collection and will certainly be one of my go-to pedicure polishes.  Application was easy and the color was intense with two coats.

Summer Sunset-Pink-orange coral with golden shimmer

Lastly, in this collection is Wakeup Wisteria, a mid-tone lilac creamy-jelly, or as a fellow nail blogger calls this finish, a "crelly".  Of the three, I believe that the application of Wakeup Wisteria was the smoothest. It was almost what I would call "self leveling". I hope to find other shades with this finish.

Wakeup Wisteria-Cool medium lilac

Pixi Beauty is a brand that prides itself with the mission to "make women look like themselves, only better."  While the Pixi Beauty Nail Colors also claims, "Super smooth application with a chip-resistant finish and built-in UV protection to prevent polish discoloration."

Their nail colors are 3-Free (Toluene, Formaldehyde and DBP free.) The Pixi Beauty product line is available online at www.pixibeauty.com and www.target.com, as well as in Target Stores nationwide.

Have you tried any of the Pixi Beauty Nail Colors? Which are your favorites?

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* This product was sent to me for review consideration by either the manufacturer or the PR firm representing the manufacturer. These however are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by this company.

Orly Hope and Freedom Fest 2013 - Elation Generation & Coachella Dweller

The Orly Hope and Freedom Fest Collection came out earlier this year. It has 6 great Spring shades.  From this collection I purchased 2-Elation Generation and Coachella Dweller.

Orly Elation Generation was the first from the collection that I knew I had to own.  It is a sheer pretty pink jelly with holographic micro glitters.  Although, it has a jelly finish, I was able to get a fully opaque finish with just 2 coats. 

I really wish Orly would release more polishes like Elation Generation.  This and the recent Miss Conduct are two very pretty shades that I love to have in my collection.  I would love to see the same finish in some of the jewel tones, like sapphire navy, emerald green and amethyst purple.

The other polish I purchased from the Hope and Freedom Fest Collection is Coachella Dweller.  It is a pale foam green cream. 

It was a bit streaky with the first coat but after applying the 2nd coat it was smooth. As pictured, I am wearing 2 coats.  

These 2 shades along with the other 4 from the collection should still be available at your local retailers. I know I still want to get the yellow from this collection.  Have you purchased any from this collection yet, and if so, which ones?

Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* FTC: These products were bought with my own money. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by any of these companies. This is not a sponsored post.

Just Keep Swimming...Some of the Sally Hansen Under The Sea Collection Swatches

I had been looking for the Sally Hansen Under The Sea Collection since late last year. So you can imagine my excitement when I finally found it at my local Walgreens and to make it even better, there was a pad of $2 coupons attached to the display.  There were 4 coupons left and the nail polish addict in me took over...LOL!  I used those 4 coupons to buy the following polishes:

Blue My Mind - pictured with 2 coats

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure - Blue My Mind is a Bright, Royal, Cobalt, Electric, Blue, Shimmer. Are those enough adjectives, LOL! This is just an "In Your Face" Blue. My love for blue polishes has been no secret. I went through my stash and found that I own several very close polishes, but I just can't pass of a gorgeous blue.

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When I first heard of Sally Hansen's Under The Sea Collection, the first polish that I was determined to own was Mermaid's Tale. There were claims that it was a duplicate of Deborah Lippmann's Across The Universe. So when I saw the display, it was the first polish I put in my shopping cart.  

Pictured with 1 coat of base and 2 coats of Mermaid's Tale

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure - Mermaid's Tale is a deep, blue, jelly, base with green and teal hexagonal and micro glitters. This polish is very versatile depending on the base used.  I tried to show some variety. Index Finger: WnW French White, Middle Finger: SH Blue My Mind, Ring Finger: SH Water Cooler, and Pinkie: SH Black and Blue.

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The next blue I picked up was Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Water Color. It is a medium, sky blue cream with a slight teal undertone. It's about one shade lighter than Orly Blue Collar.

Pictured with 2 Coats-be sure to wear a base coat. This shade stains.

It is just difficult for me to pass up blue polishes.  With Sally Hansen's Water Color, I took a few minutes to decide. I wanted it but didn't need it. I already had several polishes very close, but I just couldn't leave it in the store.

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Lastly from this collection is one of my favorite finishes, a duochrome.  This is  Sally Hansen Black and Blue.  I had a difficult time capturing its beauty in a photo, but there is a visible duochrome quality. The bottle color is just gorgeous.

Pictured with 2 coats.

Sally Hansen Black & Blue is a very pretty deep navy, teal, purple, green duochrome.  Originally before seeing it in person, I thought it was close to OPI Glacier Bay Blue, but it is more teal where OPI GBB is more navy.  This is a definite must have from the collection, but pretty much all of the collection are must haves...

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Well those are all I have purchased from this collection so far. I still want the foam mint green shade. So don't be surprised to see that in a future post. 

Have you purchased any of the shades from the collection yet and if so which did you get? Also, if you bought Mermaid's Tale, what bases are you planning to use?

 Grace, Peace, & Blessings.

* FTC: These products were bought with my own money, unless otherwise noted. These are my honest opinions. I am not employed by nor was I paid by any of these companies. This is not a sponsored post.