Manolo Blognik

I had mentioned before  that I did not fully enjoy a China Glaze top coat (love their base coat though). So why I decided to buy another is anyone's guess. Maybe the name fooled me? Patent Leather Top Coat. Sounded too cool not to get, right? Like the last one, it did it's job but it takes way to long to dry so I end up with imprints. No good.

Disclaimer: I am not a huge fan of any of these stick on polishes to begin with. Now that we got that out of the way. Essie is one of the worst I have tried. Sally Hanson is #1, those are basically fool proof. Hard. But I feel like they are easy to fix. O.P.I was ok and then wayyy at the bottom you will find Essie. I gave them a fair chance. I tried more than once. Sally Hanson feels more like putting nail polish on, Essie is like actually putting a sticker on your nail. Trying to fit it to your nail that isn't exactly like their cutout (whose is!?) was so hard. I left the house with them on, less than satisfied, only to find they lifted and got sooo gross throughout the day. Thankfully, they sent out free samples so I didn't have to purchase them :).

I have stayed away from doing the ombre thing on my nails, because it seems like I could create a huge mess trying to mix colours with white or black. So when I received this, I was very excited to try out this trend with minimal risk. I had never really used Orly before, no specific, conscious reason. But was pleasantly surprised to find the colours are great, easily applied and dries fairly fast. Here are the results: Absolutely love! And I am now an Orly fan and have bought more of their polishes since!

This is honestly all my dreams come true. Essie Good to Go! Fast drying top coat. No, seriously. For some reason, I am a person that needs to apply 3 coats of polish for anything to look halfway decent and it takes forever to dry. So by the final coat I am dyyyying to be done. This top coat means I am good to go sooner than before (see what I did there). I will toot its horn up and down. For a great top coat and way to get on with your life after parking you rear for far to long to do your nails - definitely invest in Essie's Good to Go! the fasted drying top coat. ever.

My mother is a saint and sent me these in a care package: China Glaze- Strong Adhesion Base Coat I obviously has heard of base coats before but never really bought into them and usually that layer is reserved for my Witchcraft Nail Hardener. Well I made room for this and am amazed! The  China Glaze- Strong Adhesion Base Coat,  is crazy good. You can feel that is it, like, sticky. But not...ya know? I am also convinced that it takes less coats of polish after. I just used a really light pink last night and got way better coverage then I usually do. China Glaze- No-Chip Top Coat I don't have much to say about this one. The China Glaze No-Chip Top Coat does it's job for sure, but didn't wow me. Check my next post for the top coat I opt for.

Louboutin Nails! The black is by Sally Hansen in the Insta-Dry collection and the red is Monsooner or Later from OPI I love this one with the messy hearts. Dark blue is Blazing Blue from Sally Hansen's Insta-Dry as well and the teal is from OPI's line for Sephora in Teal We Meet Again.  Orange Sorbet from Joe Fresh, then I painted the accent nail with a base coat of Pedal to the Metal from Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure, went over it twice with Jo is in The House from HandM and once with Set in Stones by Essie from their Luxeffects line. Deep purples and Oxblood are all the rage this season. I loved this colour so much I left it on for 4 days! That is a record for me (This picture was taken day 4). The colour is Manicurist of Seville by OPI I am so super excited about this one. It is a ombre set from Quo by Orly, obviously in pinks. It came in a care package from my mom! (Yes, I chopped off my nails last night. It was getting hard to ty...

 I love this look because it takes the edge of a sparkley mani. So first I put on the green sparkly polish, then 2 coats of the nude colour. Just diagonal strokes, then smooth it out with vertical strokes. Then of course leave an accent nail if you would like. Base: Simply Smashing Nude Now

December 1st is when I get obnoxiously happy! This includes new holiday nails everyday! Simply Smashing Santa Nails! OPI Dutch Tulips Updated! Joe Fresh polish in Cobalt then white and Art Deco's sparkle Essie's Aruba Blue Love this one so much I may keep it on a couple of days ;)

I have been using this product off and on for years! My mom introduced it to me probably when I first started painting my nails, then stopped doing them, then moved out and forgot about this great product. But for the past 3 years I have been a hardcore fanatic. I paint my nails almost everyday, and you can bet that this nail hardener is the first thing I put on. I have converted so many friends to it and they now swear by it. It does go on clear, do not let the murky colour fool you.

Confession: I have a not so secret obsession with the Kardashians. Khloe is my favourite. So I was super stoked with I heard they were coming out with a nail polish line with Nicole by O.P.I. Look at the one called Khloe had a little Lam-Lam. How cute! I know I am a grown educated woman, but let me have my fun!

Sally Hanson Frutti Petutie - pictures do not do it justice! So bright and cute. Perfect for summer. Wear a cute white dress and have this POP. Essie - Fiji Just gorge

I should have shared this with you ages ago! When I was on my way back from Dallas for the Superbowl weekend (I know right!?) I had a 7 hour layover in Seattle UGHHH. So perfect opportunity for a manicure at Butter London. Now I am not a huge fan of manicures just because I cannot stand to have the same polish on for more than a day, two is pushing it. But when I spend a chunk of change to get my nails done, to make it worth it I feel as though I should keep it on for a long time, right? But I would not particularly recommend Butter London just because they do a dry manicure, which boils down to its really only a polish change but their are going to charge you for a manicure. Sure, fine, whatever I am on vacay! Anyway, to the point, the manicurist did the weirdest thing I have ever seen. The first stroke she took with the brush was horizontally along the end/tips of my nail! Being the nail OCD person that I am I had to investigate this technique myself...

Easter Nails! These are my sister's hands. Base coat is Summer Peach  by American Apparel. The dots consist of  Essie's Mint Candy Apple and Tarte Deco, Joe Fresh's Faded Violet and finally Yellow 3  from Urban Outfitters. Accent nail, of course. Silver is Pedal to the Metal by Sally Hanson Salon  and the green is Jade is the New Black  by O.P.I I have had this colour for years - Charisma by Zoya. This one is very easy to apply and dries super fast with a matte finish. I did put a top coat on because it chips very fast. Which it did anyway the next day. The base coat is Commander in Chic by Sally Hansen Salon and over top is O.P.I's Black Shatter  from the Katy Perry Collection. When I first got this months ago it was really good and now it is goopy and applies thick and now you see is shiny and looks tacky. I have been told that there is a pharmacy brand that has a lot of colours and applies better, I will check it out! This is Tarte Deco ...