Category: OPI

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Favorite Fall and Winter pretty nail essentials.

 

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I never meant to take such a big break from blogging, but life kind of got in the way. While I still was painting my nails and posting to my Instagram, getting the energy to blog was another thing. However, I’m really going to take some time to get back into the swing of things again, and catch up on blogging.

Since the weather is now officially starting to feel much chiller, I thought I would share my Fall and Winter essentials. I don’t know about you but between the chilly days and working in retail my hands can get in rough shape. There for, I have a bevvy of products I used to just to keep ahead of rough looking cuticles and dry, dry skin.

Now, I’m sure everyone has there own routine and products that work for them. These are just the ones I use, and I like (at the moment). Things are always changing, and I’m always discovering new and awesome products that I fall in love with.

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These are my on-the-go purse essentials:

Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream, Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream, and Hand Cream.

I discovered Burt’s Bees Cuticle Cream last winter, and it seriously saved my cuticles during a seriously harsh winter. Not only does it smell amazing, but it makes you cuticles feel amazing and keeps them soft. Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream is actually one of my favorite products for everything–I used it not just on my hands and cuticles, but as a lip balm as it infuses everything with a serious splash of moisture. It’s great and if you’ve never tried it, you must! And finally my last purse essential is hand cream. I usually carry at least two or three different hand creams on me at all times. Above is OPI Avojuice, which smells so good, and feels so good!

 

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My at-home essentials:

Vaseline Healthy Hand and Nail, Avoplex Cuticle Oil to Go, Witchcraft Cuticle Oil.

When it comes to my favorite at home products, I have a few I use nightly. Vaseline Healthy Hand and Nail is my all time favorite hand cream ever. (I also keep a small bottle of it in my purse as well, and a bottle at work). I’ve been using it for over a year, and I love how soft it leaves my hands. It’s also improved my nail health a lot in the time I’ve been using it. My nails definitely feel stronger. Next is my Avoplex Cuticle Oil to Go which I purchased from my local Chatters after hearing good reviews online. It smells so good–I’m not sure exactly what the smell is, but it’s fruity and fresh and I love it. I apply it and my Witchcraft Cuticle Oil every night before bed, and I find I’ve had a lot less issues with hang nails or dry cuticles since I started using both together.

 

 

So these are just a couple of my favorites. I know everyone has there favorites, and I am always up for new product suggestions so if you have any that you adore, let me know! (I’ve been hearing good things about Bliss Kiss Simply Pure Cuticle & Nail Oil, so I think that is going to be one of my next purchases.)

 

Have a great day lovelies!

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Fall floral.

First off, I apologize for being MIA the last week. Not only have I had an extremely hectic week at work, but I got struck down with the cold from hell. So while I’ve still been trying to paint my nails, I haven’t had the energy for blogging at all! I’m going to try and make up for that this week though!

 

I did this manicure I couple weeks ago, before fall officially hit but the weather was definitely Fall-like. I had pulled out my beloved Cashmere Bathrobe by Essie, and decided I wanted to do a pretty design with it. But what? I hadn’t done a floral in a while so I thought why not! Floral doesn’t just have to be for Spring/Summer 😉

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The polishes I used for this manicure were:

  • Essie Cashmere Bathrobe.
  • OPI I Snow You Love Me.
  • Bourjois Paris 1965 Le Rouge fidele
  • Bourjois Paris 1938 Mais Oui!
  • Bourjois Paris 1913 Cendres de Roses
  • ACO by Ardene Green Peace
  • Sinful Colors Strapped.
  • Nutra Nail Quick Dry Top Coat.

 

These turned out so well, and I had so much fun wearing these that I kept them on for almost 3 days. Who says that floral can’t be worn for fall as well. 😉

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A Blast from the past with Saran Wrap Nails.

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Do you ever try a new nail art technique, really like it, and then just never try it again–instead falling back on them same old designs? No? Just me then….

Last Summer I tried out the saran wrap technique for nails, and really liked how it looked. Then completely forgot about that cool technique. The other day I was trying to think of something different I could do on my nails when it hit me! Saran Wrap Nails! I’d already painted my nails using Essie’s We’re in this Together. So I grab a dark pink (Bourjois Paris 2013 Bon Anniversaire), painted over the lighter pink, then dabbed with pieces of a plastic bag I had around. And tada! Pretty saran wrap nails. I applied top coat, then finished them off with some glitters from OPI’s I Snow You Love Me (which I’m actually obsessed with) and then applied Seche Vite to seal everything in. Quick and pretty nail art!

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Seriously, why have I not done saran wrap nails in over a year?! What a travesty!  It’s such a neat look!

Also, I’ll apologize for the poor lighting in my pictures–I took them out the back door of work, on a particularly cloudy day so the lighting ended up really funky.

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Embracing the Abstract accent nails.

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The other day, while starting to do my nails, I wasn’t sure what exactly to do. I wanted to create some kind of accent nail, and so I just started doodling and ended up with these. Totally random and abstract. But considering I had  no real plan going in, the end result actually looks like maybe I planned these all along. They were so fun I actually ended up wearing them for two whole days–which is a big accomplishment for me.

The polishes I used for this manicure were:

  • Essence Beauty Beats Collection Baby Ooh Ooh.
  • OPI I Snow you Love Me.
  • OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls.
  • Sinful Colors Hip to be Square.
  • Sinful Colors Cold Leather.
  • China Glaze What a Pansy.
  • Art Club Striping Polish in Paisley Paradise.
  • Stripe Rite Striping Polish in White.
  • Seche Vite Top Coat.

 

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So what do you think of these abstract nails? They were fun to wear for my fabulous adventure around the city with my favorite gay boyfriend. And even though it was full on summer heat, I still had to get myself a Pumpkin Spice Latte because they are officially back! Pretty nails, fabulous company, and a delicious drink. What more could a girl ask for? =)

 

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Rose-y bridesmaid nails.

 

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So my sister came over the other day for me to do her nails for a wedding she is in this weekend. She was telling me how all the other bridesmaids had gotten their nails professionally done, and she was bummed because she just couldn’t afford to do that. I didn’t want her to feel left out, so I told her she should come over because I wanted to make them pretty for her! =) So while the boyfriend distracted my nephew, I got her to sit down, and came up with some gorgeous nails for her to rock. She told me the wedding colors were rose pink, white, and black so I brain stormed for a while and figured that roses would be the most perfect bridesmaid nails. =)

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The polishes I used for this manicure were:

  • Icing Beach Barbie — thumb and middle finger.
  • Bourjois Cendres de Roses — pointer and pinky fingers base color (and roses).
  • Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Grey Area — pointer and pinky fingers polka dots.
  • OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls — ring finger base color.
  • Bourjois Le Rouge fidele — roses.
  • Bourjois Mais Oui! — roses.
  • Mariposa shimmery pink — roses.
  • ACO by Ardene Green Peace — leaves.
  • ACO by Ardene Techno Green — leaves
  • LA Colors Palm Tree — leaves.
  • Seche Vite Quick Dry top coat.

 

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I thought the end result turned out really pretty. It just so happened I had a dusty rose pink (Bourjois Cendres de Roses) that perfectly matched the pink in the wedding colors! I went with dark grey polka dots, instead of black, just because I thought it would be a little more subtle–and would compliment the rose color. My sister was really excited for her nails, which made me so happy. =) I also lent her my Icing Beach Barbie so she could paint her toes sparkly to match, since they have opened toe shoes. So she’ll look pretty from head to toe. =)

 

So what do you think of this rose and polka dot manicure? Do you ever do other people’s nails? I’m still not 100% used to doing them, but it is fun playing around on someone else–even if she has the tiniest little nails compared to my own.