Top Coats, Etc

Seche Vita, OPI, Barielle...I can't say I prefer one over the other.  I have found that the stickier/thickier a top coat is, usually means a.) it takes longer to dry and b.) generally lasts longer.

Top coats among those brands seem to be equals in my experience, but two things that are not:

OPI Drip Dry Drops (read my rave here)

Sally Hansen strengthening coat (read my rave here, that stuff is strong)

Essie Sew Psyched - still obsessed

Essie Sew Psyched

Despite all my recommendations to friends of the latest and greatest nail polish offerings, I have been pretty into classic colors myself.

However, if you are looking for THE color of the fall, it appears to be Chanel Khaki Vert--a military green/gray.  Trendy!

If you, like me, do not want to pay that much for a trendy nail color, and certainly don't want to be a wait list, try Essie Sew Psyched.

Try it here.  $6.70 including shipping.

Projects

This is a little of what I've been up to.

The pattern is from Etsy, the Magnum Capelet.

Featuring Orgasm blush by NARS in the first picture, and OPI Miami Beet nail polish in the second.

Nail Haul

I love getting $5 off Ulta coupons every month in my InStyle magazine.  Seriously, I paid $5 for a year subscription through Amazon.


I love using these coupons once or twice a year to get three nail polishes.  Ulta has "buy two, get one free" on OPI, Essie and China Glaze.  With my coupon, I get three nail polishes for $11.  Amazing, right?

I love Essie's new Resort Collection.  See it here.

I got these ones and already LOVE the Playa del Platinum.  I have it on currently.

Trendy Nails

So I had a coupon for Ulta for $5 off.  I went today and they had "Buy Two, Get One Free" on Essie and OPI polishes.  The Essie deal also included a free matte top coat. I also am torn between the two brands constantly.  OPI has better trendy shades, but it's a thicker texture.  I love the thinness of Essie.  Nail polish stays on much better if you do two thin coats.  Their polishes make it easy to do that.

I have been resisting the matte trend since early summer. I myself love perfectly painted GLOSSY nails.  I finally gave in with the free top coat.

So I got all of this for $11.

I have to admit that I am rethinking the Mint Candy Apple (middle.)  It is crazy trendy right now.  I know I seem like I am trendy, but I am definitely not.  I like to keep up with knowing what they are, but I tend to mostly stick with classics or things that at least feel like me.

I used it with the matte top coat. It DOES NOT feel like me.

What do you think??  I think my grandma is going to be appalled.

It's Here

Finally, an Essie version of the uber popular Chanel Jade is here!!!

I want it.  But currently have been TOTALLY exhausted!!  I have so many things I want to write about, but all my energy has been spent chasing around a 3 year old boy, and getting a bit of a workout.  Also, seeing my wonderful man every single weekend, and getting all the details together for the big Marine Corps Ball coming up next weekend.  Black halter gown, check.  Red lipstick, check.  Generic Spanx, check.  Jewelry, check.

Fall Nails

Sorry to only be giving out very pricey new trend options, but I can't resist passing on the info about these two new shade.

MAC "For Fun"
$12

Photo from vampyvarnish.com

Chanel Jade

$25

Pewter Nails

I'm really lusting after a charcoal or pewter nail.  A few options:

Essie Steel-in the Scene









Revlon Steel-Her Heart

I'm Baaaack

I had a fab trip...super relaxing and a time to not worry about makeup or skin products. I actually could only take carry on luggage to Greece, so very few liquids and clothes. It was really good for me. I'm generally a pretty light packer...except for vast quantities of toiletries. This way, I had to be super low maintenance.

And since I'm not working this month either, I don't wear any makeup most days. Ah, bliss.

However, I did notice some really cute trends over there, and great LOW MAI hair ideas. And gained a huge appreciation for the Greeks and their lack of body consciousness issues. Everyone was just so confident with their flaws. I loved it.

I totally forgot to post these before I left. Here's how I did my toes for the trip:
I used Essie "Jazz", my absolute favorite taupe. It is my current love for my toes and very hot this season.

I actually got three Essie nail polishes last month at Ulta for $11! How, you ask? Well, they were having "buy two, get one free" and I had a $5 coupon. Steal.

Secret to Taking Off Dark Nail Polish

I hate taking off dark nail polish. It almost deters me from actually painting my nails dark. I got my nails done recently in a super dark purple/burgundy. I dreaded taking it off, but then came across this instructional guide for taking it off...and it worked!!!

Secret to Taking Off Dark Nail Polish

This picture does not do the color justice. It looks way more hot pink and less watermelon in real life. I got a manicure (the second worst mani I've ever received, by the way) and loved this bright, bright pink.

It is similar to OPI by Sephora in Arm Candy.

Nude Nails

So, nude is a hot color this spring. Anything from nude snakeskin to nude lips to nude nails. Two nude things I wanted to embrace are nude pumps (which I've wanted for a while for work) and nude nails.

I happened to be at a beauty supply store that had 50% off of everything, and got a nude polish. Here are the pics. I don't recommend the Nicole by OPI. This is the only polish from that line I've gotten and I'm disappointed with the quality.

I have mixed feelings about the color. On one hand, I feel like it's very matronly. On the other, in my mind I know that it's edgy and forward...but it's not the most exciting shade.

I took these pics where I spent most of the weekend--OUTSIDE!!

Glass Nail File

When I got my wonderful birthday pedicure at the day spa (the experienced that launched my passion for the wonderful OPI Drip Dry drops), I encountered a glass nail file for the first time. Now, I really want one of my own. I usually buy the Sephora nail file with four options of grittiness, but now I want this one. It's supposed to be very long lasting too.

Sephora, $8

Paintin' the Nails

So I've been really not paying attention to beauty tips or products this week. With Lent beginning, I was feeling very contemplative. Hey, I'm allowed my moments, right?? Also, my health hasn't been great for two weeks, and I'm making some job changes. Big week!

This weekend, I did get a chance to paint my 2 year old niece's fingernails in a French manicure. This was a toughie. She was so enamored by the process that she would forget to hold her free hand still, and kept messing up the same two nails.

Here are our nails. Hers were inspired by just the idea of it being super cute on her little hands:

And mine are a cheapie Sally Hansen brick red that I have loved for a couple of years. It looks especially good under the amazing OPI Drip Dry drops. I have been inspired by all the red nails on The City lately.

Speaking of The City (which I watch every week and then berate myself for wasting 30 minutes of my life on), I love Whitney's use of bronzer. I myself am a big fan of bronzer as a year-round makeup staple. Apparently Whitney feels the same. She used it consistently on the apples of her cheeks. Love it!

Observe below:

Mix Your Own Nail Colors

Glamour has a fun little article on mixing your own nail polish.

I loved that. What I'm not loving is the obsession with two nail trends: minxing (the foil look) and painting on a half moon of white on the bottom of the nail--as seen in the above picture. I guess I'm just not that fashion forward.

Check on DIY nail color mixing.

Nail Secret

So, I had the most amazing pedicure of my life at a spa last November (part of a spa birthday gift.) That polish also stayed on for FIVE WEEKS, people. That is not the norm for me. I wear heels every workday, and I could not believe it. I mean, I am a huge fan of my normal topcoat that I have written about on here, so couldn't figure out the secret.

It finally occurred to me that it was the OPI Drip Dry drops she used.

I finally bought them last Friday and used them on my toes (a fun OPI bronze from the Australia collection.) Not only did the polish dry so quickly that I could put on Uggs within five minutes, but the jojoba oil is so moisturizing.

Get it!!!

I'll see if this lasts five weeks!

Pale Gray Polish

I'm still loving OPI You Don't Know Jacques, but Rescue Beauty Lounge in Stormy was the original gray that inspired me back last spring. Now, OPI's new Holiday line has a great gray (cheaper than Rescue Beauty, but also including a little shimmer...not usually my thing.) I need to see it in person before I endorse it completely!

OPI Sheer Your Toys

I still love the Rescue Beauty Lounge colors in Stormy and Concrete Jungle, but not sure I'm up for paying $18 for nail polish! I have a hard enough time with full priced OPI. I usually can find it at a beauty supply store for half off.

Concrete Jungle, Stormy

Harmless, Shallow Fun

I know I've talked a bit about my sickness (Chronic Fatigue) that I have battled for the last almost three years. For ten months after I first got the crazy strong virus that caused this whole mess, I didn't work. About six of those months, I could barely get out of bed. Taking a shower consumed an entire day's energy. Not to depress everyone, because I'm SO much better than that now, but getting my nails done was the highlight of my world. The experience of a mani/pedi then wasn't the best part, because even going to a nail salon was so exhausting. It was more because I didn't have the strength to do my own, like I did before I got sick. It brought me such a shallow sense of pleasure to look down, while in bed, and see my freshly painted nails. It somehow made me feel like a normal person, and gave an illusion of control and achievement.

Well, I got my first pedicure at a day spa on Saturday. Let me just say that it was SO different than a regular nail salon. The whole experience was amazing. Everything was better--the foot and leg massage, the smells of lotions and scrubs, the careful application of a mask, the incredibly accurate painting and glossing...

I went for the OPI French collection "Parlez Vous OPI?", a current fave of mine. A twist on lavendar, somehow edgier because of its smokiness.




But, I took a break from OPI "You Don't Know Jacques" that I have written about a couple of times, and as my nails have been growing back, went with one of my favorite pinks--OPI "Pinking of You."

You Don't Know Jacques!

I finally got myself to the beauty supply store after work one day this week and picked up OPI "You Don't Know Jacques" from the French Collection. I am obsessed with this color. It is truly unlike any other color I have seen. It is taupe/gray/brown...I can't figure out which most of all.

All I pretty much have to show for my weekend is painting my fingernails in this, and French on my toes (edgy fingers, classic/cliche toes.) Other than that, the old health issues flaring up again. I have spent most of my time in bed reading "Emma" for my Jane Austen book club. I haven't read the book in years, so keep picturing scenes from the Gwyneth Paltrow movie as I read it.

Nail Obsessed

All day, in between moments of working, I was obsessed with getting two polishes from OPI's fall French Collection. First, the You Don't Know Jacques! I wrote about last week. Second, Parlez Vous Opi? I haven't seen it in person yet, but I've read it described as "smoky violet." Sounds amazing. Last winter, I dreamed of a matte dove gray...and this looks like a more mainstream version of that. I can't wait to see it!

And, click on the link thru the picture above to see a great deal on OPI polishes, almost half off!