GIRLY GIRL - BARBIE PINK + GLITTER

Hola!

I know I might seem like a lazy bum for not posting the whole week, I actually did this mani on (last) monday but the post was left in the back burner because I just couldn't be arsed to edit the pictures I took. To be honest that is the part that takes me the most time when it comes to post, download/edit/upload pictures.

I got rid off the Godzilla mani and just wanted to get something simple to wear all week. I was going thru my boxes looking for a bright pink and found Kleancolor Barbie Pink which I had for couple of months but never used. Not too much of a big fan of pinks really, I have to be in certain mood for them or used them with something else to avoid the risk of looking "too girly". So here I am, couldn't get girlier than BARBIE PINK and GLITTER .

I also got Maybelline Pretty in Polka from last haul and was itching to try it. I liked the result, sort of punk rock chick vibe thanks to the black and white glitter, kinda gives the effect of splatter (and no mess yaaay!!) and just add a bit of color (just some more) with a coat of Kleancolor Disco Ball.

Barbie Pink is a bright pink, on the neon side, it dries matte though so a top coat is needed to bring out the brightness. It is highly pigmented so 1 coat did it for me but 2 coats needed for full opacity specially if wearing it on it's own. Formula is not so thick and dries rather quick in comparison with other KC.

Pretty in Polka is a black hex mini and white medium hex glitter top coat in a purple jelly. It looks more opaque in the bottle, wouldn't wear on it's own as it takes about 4-5 coats for full opacity. The glitter load is dense so you guarantee a good payload on every dip of the brush, 1 coat on mine, 2 or 3 for a more saturated look.

Disco Ball ahhh, love the name. This is a aqua and fuchsia mini glitter on clear base and it does scream FIESTA!! I have had this one for ages and never used it, why?!!! is so pretty and colorful and it adds the right finish for the "come on hurt my eyes" bright pink.

I loved this mani, specially because is super easy and the toppers can be used in a immense variety of color combinations.

What I used:

Kleancolor Barbie Pink (base, 1 coat)

Maybelline Pretty in Polka (b/w glitter topper)

Kleancolor Disco Ball (glitter topper)

See you soon, will try not to be so lazy on here.

INSPIRED BY- GODZILLA!

Hola Chicas!!

So last night we went to the cinema for a double date night with our beloved cousins and watched Godzilla. The film was ok-ish really but it was the first time in 3 months since we went to the cinema so it was kinda of a big deal for us.

I was a big fan of the original Godzilla films and the Godzilla and Godzuki cartoons when I was a kid but I knew this one was a lot different.

I left good old Godzilla inspire me for this mani and I really liked the result, but looking at the pictures make no justice because as much as I tried couldn't capture the details.

What I used:

• Kleancolor Jazz Olive (base, 1 coat)
• Kleancolor Metallic Green (for 1st layer of stamping)
• Kleancolor Concrete Gray (2nd stamping layer)
• Kleancolor Chunky Holo Teal (glitter top coat)
• Winstonia plate W101 for the scales pattern

I started off with 1 coat f Jazz Olive, just one because I don't care if it chips I will be taking off tomorrow. Actually my right index and middle finger already chipped.

Jazz Olive

Then I tried to stamp with Metallic Green but there was no contrast and it was very hard to distinguish the design so I used Concrete Gray but did on top of the Metallic Green, just because I wanted to see how much contrast it gave and ended up liking the double stamp a lot because the metallic green underneath gave depth to the finish.

Here's with the double stamping but like I said, this picture doesn't capture any detail.

For topping I gave 2 coats of Chunky Holo Teal, the copper mini glitter in it adds dimension to the finish, such a shame my pictures are dreadful because in real life they do look like scales, very realistic.

What you think?

I hope you liked despite the crappy pics. Nos vemos!!

RETAIL TERAPHY HAUL - OFF THE NAIL RUT

Hola Amigas,

Well I finally got off the nail rut I was and went to get some supplies from Sally's, they had a buy 3 get 1 free on China Glaze but it turned out there was a catch (there's always one) the polishes that were part of the promotion were regular shades, nothing called me really but I found another display at the bottom shelf at one side of the store that was like 30% and 40% so I dug there. Literally, I was lying on the floor I have noticed they have no care whatsoever in the way they display some products neither none of the 4 shops clerks was very eager to help even thou it was clear I was spending quite a bit. Even when I asked about a particular collection they were puzzled and not bothered at all and I find this in a lot of Sally shops, their in store costumer service is rubbish to say the least.

Ok, end of the rant... I left the shop with some serious damage to my finances but hey! it was my belated Mother's Day gift.

I snagged 6 China Glaze polishes, 2 of them from the Crinkled Chrome Collection. I sort of swatched them while I was stuck in traffic (yes, I was that irresponsible!! Waiting nearly 20 minutes for my lights gave enough time to paint my nails, 1 coat thou) and I have to say, what a huge disappointment they are. I mean, is not terrible but I was expecting something more WOW! you know? They're just chromed polishes with loads of micro and bar glitter, the finish didn't seem "crinkled" to me, maybe after building up the layers you can attain the effect but overall they are bleh! I'm just glad I did not buy as soon as they came out and the fact that I got them on sale is not too bad but I don't see myself wearing them that often.

So, here they are Crush, Crush Baby and Iron Out the Details from the China Glaze's Crinkled Chrome Collection.

Left, Crush Crush Baby. Right, Iron Out the Details

Next are China Glaze's Grafitti Glitter and Mosaic Madness from the Glitz-Bitz 'n Pieces Collection.

Mosaic Madness is a blue medium and small hex glitter with some black thrown in. I'm a sucker for blues and I will be wearing this one loads.

Grafitti Glitter is green hex with black bar glitter also see myself wearing a lot.

Left, Mosaic Madness. Right, Grafitti Glitter

Now I saved the best for last... I think the true gems of this spree are Ruby Wing polishes, these were not on sale so here's where my dineros went. If you haven't heard of Ruby Wing they are color changing nail polishes.

I got Electric Firefly which is a lime green that changed to coral when outdoors (so it says on the label, still have to swatch them) and Meadow a silvery shimmer, very loaded highly pigmented that changed into some lilac-mauve shade outdoors. I have to properly swatched them both and show you. Didn't do it yesterday as I was working on my Godzilla nails, more on that next post!

Also got a Color Club nude staple shade Poetic Hues, nothing interesting there, just got it because I need a good nude to work with as a base colors and that and another China Glaze, Passion for Petals that I loved at first sight but after swatching it looks like  Kleancolor dupe for Red Alert that I already have and Tarnished Gold from the Crackle Glaze Collection.

Left, Ruby Wing in Electric Firefly and right, Meadow

Left, Tarnished Gold. Right, Passion for Petals

I just noticed that on this pic below you can see the Crinkled Chromes, not in detail thou.

Color Club in Poetic Hues

So that is all for this haul, I will be taking some time to play and swatch with them and show you what came up.

See you next post for the Godzilla mani!

IN A RUT

Hola Amigas,

 

I haven't post anything this week, in fact I have been wearing no polish at all this week. I'm in some kinda nail rut at the moment. Been feeling really tired and got absolutely loaded in work that I can't be bothered to sit down and pick a polish from the pile and get to it. But I felt the mood lifting up quite a bit last night and will be home early-ish today and I can't wait to get my nails done and ready for the weekend.

 

I'm making a quick pit stop at Sally Beauty to see what I can snatch on China Glaze, Sally's got a May's promo buy 2 get 1 free CG polishes and I have some in mind, will see if I can get at least 3 :) 

 

I'm so looking forward for this weekend, will be our first cinema date in 3 months! plan to watch Godzilla in 3D wiiiii!!! Saying that I'm blind as a badger and can't really tell between 3D, digital, HD or any rubbish like that, they all look the same to me to be honest. Anyway, will be fun to go out for dinner and movie, just adults for a change.

 

 

Any plans to get you exited this weekend?

 

I will post whatever I come up with tonight, so until then.

 

ENJOY!!!

BOOK INSPIRED - THE NIGHT CIRCUS

Hola Chicas!

One of my other passions is reading, I can just lose myself in a book and forget about the real world. Yesterday I finished reading "The Night Circus" from author Erin Morgenstern and I was left longing for the world I just waved goodbye. I was fascinated by the aesthetics described by the author, the magic and fantasy world that the Circus creates inside it.

Before I can continue, I have to say that I'm not well pleased with the result, I had something quite different in mind, the idea is basically the same it just didn't worked out very well in the end but it was worth the try.

The Night Circus is a very special circus, it is called Le Cirque des Rêves, it arrives without warning and only opens at midnight. Everything inside it is black and white, the only other color that ever pops in is red. There is a group of circus followers called "The Reveurs" and they identify themselves from other patrons by wearing a red scarf.

With that in mind I grabbed silver, black and red polish (and glitter) to work it.

What I used:

• Kleancolor Silver (base 2 coats) Now, I said it should be white but I didn't like how it looked so I changed to silver as this shade pretty much looked like shimmery white anyway.
• Star Gazer Black. Made the stripes with this using a nail art brush.
• Kleancolor Red for stamping the stars with Winstonia Plate W107
• Loose red glitter for accent nails.

In the end the stars looked barely there over the stripes and the whole thing looks like a jail suit. Not very nice. That is my problem with b/w combos. But I learned from this experience and I will keep playing around with the idea, I added the glitter for some pop and texture and I liked that, will have to develop further. This mani is going to be wiped off tonight and I will bring you something new sometime over the weekend.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AND HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!

FLOWER FIELD

Hola hola!!

Just after finishing with my friends manis I got down to my own, it's been a while since I wanted to try some elaborate flower design, I always swoon every time I see them but never got the guts to try and do it, and I have to say that for it to be my 1st attempt, I'm really really pleased.

Don't get overwhelmed by the amount of colors I used, it all works out together and is not that time consuming once you get the hang of it, I would say that most of time is spent waiting for the layers to dry.

What I used:

• Kleancolors Green Grass (2 coats)
• Kleancolors Sangria Burst (Roses)
• Kleancolors Berry Burst (Roses)
• Kleancolors Cobalt (Roses)
• Kleancolor Pastel Yellow (Petals)
• Kleancolors Love for Pudding (Petals)
• Kleancolor Peppermint Breeze (Petals)
• Nail Art Brush
• Dotting Tool

What I did:

• Start with 2 coats of your base color, Green Grass for mine, but you can use any color you want. Let it dry completely.
• With the dotting tool, paint random dots of the colors that will be the base of the flowers. Try to make them in different sizes. My colors: Berry Burst, Cobalt and Sangria Burst. Let dry.
• With the nail art brush start painting the petals with a lighter hue of the colors you used for your flower dots. Try curved strokes around the dots, like you were drawing a disconnected circle, 2 strokes on the outside and 1 on the inside will do. It is a lot easier than it seems, even for me and I'm not good at all doing free hand.
• Finish with top coat.

The same can be done with acrylic paint for a less loaded finish and will dry faster. I was actually really surprised with the wear I got for this one, it lasted almost a week, it was chip free but the edges started to wear off and finally had to take it off as I was doing another design to wear with my bridesmaid dress for my friend's wedding, otherwise it could have gone for the full 7 days.

Hope you try this design!