Candy Corn-Inspired Nails for Halloween!

Happy Halloween, dear readers! I had a difficult time deciding on my Halloween nails- something spooky? Cute? Glow in the dark? Traditional? Grotesque? Seriously, how do you decide these things for a holiday like Halloween?!? In the end, I decided to go with nails inspired by candy corn. I knew it was going to be a rainy and grey day here, so I wanted something bright and cheerful.

My base polish colours are Zoya Purity, OPI I Just Can't Cope-acabana, and OPI A Roll in the Hague. The glitter topper is a candy corn-inspired custom shade made by DIFFERENT dimension. I then topped my nails off with HK Girl topcoat from Glisten & Glow.

I hope you all have a wonderful Halloween! 

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!

XO!

Spellbound Nails: Black Leather Thigh Highs and Red Hot

Good morning, dear readers! I have a quick post with a few photos to share with you today. Spellbound Nails is a new-to-me brand, and I have two glitter-filled jellies I wanted to share with you. Let's check them out!

Black Leather Thigh Highs

I can honestly say this is the first time I've ever worn black leather thigh highs. Ha! I'm sure I was drawn to this particular shade because of Halloween coming up TOMORROW, and I am really loving it! I needed more jellies in my life, and this one is awesome! I used three coats and HK Girl topcoat for these photos.

Red Hot

I love jellies in all colours, but there is something about a red and gold jelly that is just sexy. Red Hot is pulling a little tomato red-orange against my olive skin tone, and I am digging it! I used three coats plus HK Girl topcoat for these photos.

You can purchase these and other beautiful Spellbound Nails polishes here. You can also follow them on Facebook for news and updates on their shop and other collections.

Have you tried Spellbound Nails? Do you have a favorite shade? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, dear readers, have a great day!

XO! 

Zoya Mattes Meet Halloween Nail Art

Good morning, dear readers! I hope you're having a great week thus far! I have another Halloween manicure I wanted to share with you, this time using the newly re-released Zoya matte shades; you can check out the individual swatches here. I've been fixated on spiders in particular for Halloween this year, so of course I had to create a spideriffic look using the mattes!

I used all six of the re-released mattes for this look and also Zoya Raven and Purity for the spider eyes. I had originally intended to keep my nails completely matte, but I decided at the last minute to add topcoat on two nails for fun contrast.

I hope you've enjoyed today's post, and hopefully it has inspired you if you are still deciding on a Halloween manicure!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!

XO!

Lacquistry Fall Colours: Swatches and Review

Happy Monday, dear readers! Only a few more days until Halloween! My family and I attended a Halloween carnival and fall festival this past weekend, and I am really looking forward to taking my toddler trick or treating this year. Rather than giving out candy, we decided to participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project. Thankfully my son doesn't have any food allergies that we know of (knock on wood!), but not all children are so fortunate. I bought a bunch of pirate temporary tattoos to hand out to the kids in the neighborhood, and I am so excited about it!

Since I am clearly in the Halloween spirit, how about some nail polish photos that are perfect for the holiday? Jenna, the proprietor and mastermind behind the indie brand Lacquistry just released her new fall and Halloween shades at her etsy shop. I've been collecting polishes from her for a few years now, so of course I had to pick up some of her new ones!

The polishes are really pretty, and look at her business card! I'm totally digging the spider web cutout for Halloween!

My polishes arrived wrapped and ready for Halloween in this festive candy corn bag.

Let's get a closer look at the colours!

Obsessed

Obsessed will leave you feeling, well, obsessed! The violet based polish contains glitters that shift from purple to aqua, and I am loving this colour! The colour is a little on the sheer side; I used two coats plus topcoat for these photos and still had a little bit of visible nail line. I personally love it like this, but you can add another coat if you would prefer a more opaque finish.

Funkin' Pickin' Punkins'

Oh look, I picked up an orange polish! Ha! I know nobody is surprised to see this one in this post! Funkin' Pickin' Punkins' is a gorgeous deep orange shade, and the golden flakes are simply amazing! It's pulling a little on the red side against my olive skin tone, but the flakes keep it from being too dark. I used two easy coats plus topcoat for these photos. This polish is densely pigmented, and you might find one coat will suffice if you tend to use thicker coats.

In Vino Veritas

Translated from Latin, In Vino Veritas means "in wine there is truth". The colour is beautiful, but I knew I had to get this particular shade since I now live in wine country. I'm not a big drinker, but I do enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail on occasion, and I am currently looking for a great locally made wine. This shade is so rich and gorgeous, and the formula was perfect! In Vino Veritas is also very pigmented, and while I did use two coats plus topcoat for these photos, I probably could have gotten away with using just one.

I really love these new colours! They are all still available for purchase at the Lacquistry Etsy shop located here.

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!

XO!

Press Release: Go Mad for Zoya and WIN!

Go Mad For Zoya & WIN*!

Are you "MAD" for Zoya?! Now's your chance to bring the color of your dreams to life! Step inside our virtual color labooooooratory (muahahaha) to experiment with color and finishes to "mix" your very own shade. The Zoya color animator offers various pieces and parts (finishes, opacity and hues) to play with - feel free to use the description section to elaborate on your masterpiece. Give your creation a name, submit it, and there's a chance we will bring it to life!

NOW - Thursday, October 31st (10:00am ET) Piece together your creation for a chance to have it custom created just for you! The highest voted shade will win, so don’t forget to share your creation with your friends and family after it's been submitted!

http://www.zoya.com/content/category/Halloween_Color_Lab_2014

How It Works:

1. Go CRAZY! (You know we are) Create a custom shade using the Zoya Polish Animator
2. Name your creation and describe any additional elements you would add to the polish.
3. Submit (and don't forget to share!) your custom shade for a chance to bring it to life! Have more than one color you’re mad about? Create as many as you'd like!
4. One winner will be selected on October 31, 2014 at 9am EST

*Terms and Conditions
Purchase not necessary to enter. Valid Art of Beauty account required in order to participate. Enter NOW through 10/31/14 (9:00am ET). One winner will be selected and contacted by 5pm ET 10/31/14. Please allow up to two weeks for production of custom shades. Winning shades will be created based on Zoya's Creative Director's interpretation of the description and cannot be returned, exchanged or duplicated at a later date.

Press Release: China Glaze Twinkle Collection

SPRINKLE SOME TWINKLE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

  

‘Tis the season for gathering with friends and loved ones, and dreaming of the future. This holiday season China Glaze® introduces Twinkle, a collection of shades that perfectly capture the spirit of the season, sparkles in the night sky created by glowing lights, the softness of fresh snowfall and visions of the new year. With 11 new shades and one special effects top coat, China Glaze® Twinkle collection also features nail art kits and gift sets perfect for gifting the manicure addict in your life.

China Glaze® Twinkle features 11 new polishes and one effects top coat:  

·       I’d Melt For You: Icy silver chrome

·       Meet Me Under the Stars: Holographic glitter in a black base

·       Dancing & Prancing: Multi-color glitter

·       Tip Your Hat: Classic red crème

·       Pine-ing for Glitter: Forest green glitter

·       December to Remember: Dark blue iridescent shimmer

·       Out Like a Light: Dark grey crème

·       No Peeking!: Rich eggplant shimmer

·       Define Good…: Sultry cranberry shimmer

·       De-Light: Gold and holographic staple glitter

·       Feeling Twinkly: Dark blue glitter

·       Chillin’ with My Snow-mies: Multi-sized white snowflake overlay

The China Glaze® Twinkle collection also features seasonally-inspired gift sets including:

·       Glow in the Snow: De-Light, Out Like a Light, and Meet Me Under the Stars with a mini LED flashlight (MSRP $22.50)

·       Bringing in the Season: Define Good…, Dancing & Prancing, and No Peeking! with a bright purple pouch (MSRP $22.50)

·       Reflect on the Season: Chillin’ with My Snow-mies, Out Like a Light, and Tip Your Hat with a compact mirror in a bright red sleeve (MSRP $22.50)

·       ‘Tis the Season: Mini bottles of Define Good…, De-Light, Pine-ing For Glitter, and Feeling Twinkly (MSRP $20.00)

·       Time to be Freezin’: Mini bottles of Tip Your Hat, No Peeking!, I’d Melt for You, and Chillin’ with My Snow-mies (MSRP $20.00)

There is no better time of the year for nail art than the holidays and this season, China Glaze® makes creating the most festive designs a cinch with five Twinkle Nail Art Kits including:

·       Lights in a Tangle: Create holiday lights using De-Light, Define Good…, Pine-ing for Glitter, and Snow (core shade) with nail design thread (MSRP $30.00)

·       Trim the Tree: Decorate your nails with Christmas trees using Define Good…, December to Remember, and Paper Chasing (core shade) with nail design striping tape (MSRP $22.50)

·       Clause for Celebration: Accent your manicure with Santa’s hat using Tip Your Hat, Meet Me Under the Stars, and Chillin’ with My Snow-mies with nail design gems (MSRP $22.50)

·       Candy Can Can-Can: I’d Melt For You, Tip Your Hat, and Snow (core shade) with nail design striping tape (MSRP $22.50)

·       Sprinkle Some Twinkle: Half-moons and French tips glisten using Dancing & Prancing and No Peeking! with nail design guides (MSRP $15.00)

Make this holiday one to remember with the China Glaze® Twinkle collection, available in November 2014 at fine beauty supply stores and salons nationwide including Sally Beauty and Ulta (individual shades MSRP $7.50).

For more information, please visit www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze on Facebook (@ChinaGlaze), Instagram (@ChinaGlazeOfficial), Twitter (@ChinaGlaze) and Pinterest (pinterest.com/chinaglaze). #ChinaGlazeTwinkle.

HPB Halloween LinkUp: Stamping Plus Glow-in-the-Dark Halloween Nail Art

Good morning, dear readers, and happy Saturday! I'm excited to be sharing today's post with you, not only because there is Halloween nail art, but because this post gets to be part of something much larger than myself. I am part of a Facebook group called Hobby Polish Bloggers, and this group has been a wonderful source of support and advice for its members. While I'm sure I usually seem so together here (HAHAHAHA!), they've helped keep me going when I feel like I've hit the wall. The group is going to be doing monthly linkups, starting with this one for Halloween, and while I'm not sure if I'll be able to participate in every one, they will be popping up here from time to time. Not only is this post about Halloween nail art, it is about a sense of community I am honored to be part of. Without further ado, here is my nail art for the Halloween theme and the other bloggers that are part of my blogging family.

I started out with a white creme base (sorry, my bottle was unlabeled!) and topped it off with Ghoulish Glow by China Glaze. I then stamped several images on my fingers using Bundle Monster plate BM-H07 with China Glaze Scandalous Shenanigans, Chins Glaze Immortal, and NYC Pumpkin. I also used the spiderweb NailVinyls as a stencil (it's actually a decal but I wanted to experiment) and the NailVinyls spider and black scaredy cat decals. I then topped my nails off with HK Girl topcoat from Glisten & Glow.

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!

XO!

China Glaze Apocalypse of Colour Swatches and Review

Press Sample

Happy Friday, dear readers! I hope you have had a wonderful week and have fun weekend plans ahead of you. As for me, I'm looking forward to some early Halloween festivities with my family! I feel like I've really gotten into the Halloween spirit the past few days, and I can't wait! To keep the Halloween momentum going, I wanted to share with you the new China Glaze Apocalypse of Colour Collection with you today. This collection includes five new shimmer and glitter polishes in addition to a re-released glow-in-the-dark topcoat. Let's check them out!

But Of Corpse

But Of Corpse is my favorite shade from the collection; it is the perfect shade for your zombie or monster themed nails! I had no application issues with it, and I found that it dried really quickly. The finish is matte and slightly textured, but you can easily add top coat to help smooth it out and give a little shine. I applied two coats for the top photo and added a layer of topcoat for the closeup photo.

Rest in Pieces

Over China Glaze Desert Sun

I always look forward to see what China Glaze is releasing for Halloween because they always come up with the best names for the collection. I am digging the name of this glitter topper, and the combination is simple but cute for the holiday. The clear base boasts glitters in various shapes and sizes of black and golden glitters, and I adore how it looks with this base shade. I did find the formula of this topper to be very thin, so be careful to not flood your cuticles. I tried to remove some of the excess base from the brush prior to dabbing the glitters on my nails. The glitters spread out nicely for me, and the thin bar glitters were easy to work with as well. I then topped my nails off with topcoat for these photos.

I Love Your Guts

I Love Your Guts is the pink-leaning version of But Of Corpse. It also dried quickly for me with the same matte slightly textured finish. I didn't have any problems with the formula for this one either, but I do recommend working quickly due to the fast dry time. I used two coats for the top photo and added topcoat for the closeup photo above.

Getting to Gnaw You

I've really been loving black-based glitter polishes, and I am glad to see one in this collection. The warm brown glitters make Getting to Gnaw You a great shade not only for Halloween, but for the fall season in general. It is very densely packed with glitters so it made application a little tricky for me, but it still turned out nice with a little bit of patience. I used three coats plus topcoat for these photos.

Don't Let the Dead Bite

I have mixed feelings about the overall look of Don't Let the Dead Bite. I'm not a fan of the combination of the pinkish nude base with the red glitters, but it does look like something that works for Halloween. Unfortunately, my bottle of Don't Let the Dead Bite was really thick and gloopy, and I could not get it to apply nicely for me. The glitters did not want to break up easily for me, and I had a bit of patchiness with the first two coats. A third coat hid the bald spots, but it did leave my nails looking a little on the lumpy side. I also used topcoat to make my nails smooth overall, but it didn't help to conceal the lumpiness of the colour beneath it.

Ghoulish Glow

Over White Base

Ghoulish Glow is (obviously) the glow-in-the-dark topcoat; China Glaze has been rereleasing this shade with the Halloween collections over the past few years. It is very sheer on its own, so you will want to layer it; the glow is much more obvious if you layer over white or a very pale colour. I used a stark white here, and as you can probably tell, it does give a slight yellow tint to whatever is underneath it. To get a little extra glow, I used two coats of Ghoulish Glow. To help make it glow, I charged my nails for about a minute under a black light. The formula is a little on the thin side, but it is still easy to work with. I topped my nails off with topcoat, and as you can see, I still was able to see the glow effect.

The Apocalypse of Colour Collection is now available for purchase from various retail locations; prices vary by location. Pick up your favorites before they're gone!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!

XO!

Disclaimer:  The products reviewed above were provided to me for my honest and unbiased opinion. All thoughts stated are entirely my own and are based on my use of said products.  I love receiving feedback from my readers, and any comments left here are the express opinions and/or property of the individual authors. I reserve the right to remove any comments that I find to be harmful, unnecessary, or not constructive for other readers.