Tag: Orly
I’m a Mermaid!
Since I am going to be in the water all day at Schlitterbahn tomorrow, I wanted mermaid nails. For this, I grabbed an old favorite. I’ve had Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure “Mermaid’s Tale” forever…long before I started this blog. Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve ever worn it alone on my nails. (This is the closest I’ve been.)
“Mermaid’s Tale” did not disappoint. Full coverage glitter in just two coats! I started with Orly Bonder…and I had to give up on Dream Polish Gem Glam and go back to the “HK Girl”. It dries so much faster and doesn’t pick up color. My bottle is nearly empty, so it was a struggle to get it on my nails. Immediately afterwards, I had a panic attack and ordered two more bottles.
“Mermaid’s Tale” matches my “Teal Toes” – Julep “Marion”. I don’t remember what base coat I used, but I do remember that I used Sally Hansen Diamond Flash for the top coat. That bottle is also almost empty. ARGHHHHHHHH!
I’m pretty sure that Julep “Marion” is one of the first Julep polishes that I got –Ā I think it was in the November 2013 Diamond Mystery Box. That seems like a million years (and polishes) ago…
Jah-Kwell-In
I have a friend named “Jacqueline” and sometimes she gets called “Jah-Kwell-In”. Hooked on Phonics, for real.
When I was picking my Julep Box for this month, I picked Julep “Jacqueline” first. Julep describes it as bright grenadine shimmer. I think my eyes must be off, because I thought it was orange. It’s not so much orange, but definitely an orange-leaning red, with a pink undertone. I wasn’t sure I would like it, but once the color was on me – I loved it. Of course, I would have picked it it anyway, because…Jah-Kwell-In.
This is two coats with Orly Bonder and Dream Polish Gem Glam. The polish didn’t mesh well with the Gem Glam – it seemed to dry quickly, but SURPRISE! I smooshed the edges opening a goddamn envelope. I’m going to try it again in a few weeks with a different base and top coat.
JAH-KWELL-IN! I think I need to spend some time with Jah-Kwell-In.
Sea Cadet
I’ve been taking biotin over a year, but the last bottle I bought was high dose and I really have noticed a difference in my nails. I finally just cut them all to nubbins – they hadn’t been breaking like they used to. When I cut them, I filed them with my new Delush Crystal Nail file. What used to take me forever with an emery board, took a matter of minutes. Not only was this file faster, it didn’t change the shape I had cut – it just made the edges as smooth as marble. I LOVE it.
I decided to try out two of my newest polishes on my new nubbins. I started with Funky Fingers “Space Cadet”, a solar polish that’s a creamy light turquoise in the shade and morphs into a sickly pale green in the sunlight.
To jazz up the polish, I topped it with Funky Fingers “Broken Sea Glass” – opalescent white, light pink, bright green and purple hex glitter in a clear base. It would really look a lot better over a white or pale blue polish. (I’m thinking Sinful Colors “Tokyo Pearl” or “Cinderella”.)
This is Orly Bonder, 2 coats of “Space Cadet”, one coat of “Broken Sea Glass”, and Dream Polish Gem Glam.
My nails look like toothpaste. Really expensive toothpaste.
Xmas in June
I received the last package from my online shopping binge yesterday – my Delushies!
I couldn’t pass up the chance to get my hands on a few soon-to-be discontinued shades – “Forever Young” ($3.00) – a beautiful creamy white base with iridescent shimmer and floating red hearts, and “Sugar Plum Surprise” ($2.50) – plum jelly filled with an array of holographic navy, pink, green glitters accented by gold dots.
I also took this opportunity to get a Crystal Glass Nail File – they are supposed to be the absolute BEST. For the first time ever, I am actually looking forward to cutting my nails!
I couldn’t wait – I had to try “Sugar Plum Surprise” immediately.
This is two coats on top of Orly Bonder. There was plenty of glitter – I didn’t have to work to get it out of the bottle. For the top coat, I used Dream Polish Gem Glam. I prefer a thicker top coat over glitter or maybe I should have done 2 coats?
Addiction Perfection
I have a pile of a couple dozen polishes that I haven’t tried yet, so I grabbed Urban Decay “Addiction”. It reminds me of the dark green ink on a new dollar bill.
After Orly Bonder, I did two quick coats of “Addiction”. I was super excited to try Dream Polish Gem Glam Top Coat. It’s quite different than “HK Girl”. It’s thinner and doesn’t smell like epoxy. I actually ordered a scented variety – “Lily Flower”. The scent was almost overpowering last night, but it’s very faint today. It dries a tad slower, but it’s still quick drying. It’s not as smooth as glass and a tad less shiny, but it photographs beautifully. Being slightly less shiny is better, since it lets the polish’s beauty speak for itself. I want to try it over a few different polishes before I declare it the perfect top coat, but I’m really excited that it’s “5 free” – I don’t want to get finger cancer!
Reflecting Skin
It’s glittery, but not. It’s…breathtaking, like skin that reflects pure light.
I decided to do a new version of my old naked rhinestone suit manicure. After Orly Bonder, I used RUFFIAN “Sahara” as my skintone – just one coat. A thick coat of essie Luxeffects “Set in Stones” and then finished off with Zoya Matte Velvet Topcoat. Just four quick coats and dry within minutes. The perfect “before bedtime” manicure!
Salmon Clamdiggers
So Old Navy was having a ridiculous Memorial Day sale – the whole store was on sale and I ended up going twice, knocking out a little of next year’s School Shopping…although mostly shopping for myself. I’d been coveting The Pixie Ankle Pants for while, although on my 6’1 frame, they’re more like what my mother would have called “Clamdiggers” on me.
I’d tried them on several times, but never saw the right color and fit…until now. I came across a pair with a salmon pattern and fell in love. I don’t know why – I’ve never particularly cared for the color, but they were just so…funky. I tried them on and they were like magic pants. I grabbed a salmon colored cardigan (grandma sweater) and white tank top to match…and I saw a Real Housewife staring back at me. I finally have something to wear while skipping out of PTA meetings to go smoke behind the elementary school! Wouldn’t you know, my husband said they’re HIDEOUS.
Of course, I had the perfect polishes to match – Julep “Nan” for my toes and Jenna Hipp “CrĆØme de Cantaloupe”.
I went back to Orly Bonder for the base coat. “CrĆØme the Cantaloupe” was streaky as hell on the first coat and started to worry, but the second coat smoothed out perfectly. My “HK Girl” is getting low and hard to get out of the bottle, but I got it on there – only a few uses left.
That color though…it is NOT for my skin tone. It’s like an electric cantaloupe!
New Car Smell
I’ve tried scented fingernail polish a few times and had never been particularly impressed with the results. The ones I’ve tried either flat out did not smell at all or had a faint scent that quickly faded. Not so with Revlon Parfumerie “Italian Leather”. That shit has an odor you can smell several feet away. Do you understand the horror of being able smell my own hands while they’re down at my sides???
It wouldn’t be so horrifying if the polish emitted a pleasant smell. “Italian Leather” is not a pleasant smell – it is a chemical-laden leather and plastic smell – not unlike that “new car smell”. Even with a thick layer of lotion on my hands, I couldn’t stop smelling it as I fell asleep last night. Luckily, it fades in time. It’s been about 24 hours and I can now only smell it if I intentionally sniff my fingertips, although I pick up the odd whiff every now and then.
I used it with Orly Bonder. The formula was a good consistency – good coverage in two coats. I did get a lot of tip wear within 24 hours, but that is to be expected without a top coat. The color is doo doo brown with a subtle shimmer – it looks like I have been playing with my fudge machine. The staying power of the scent makes me want to try more Revlon Parfumerie polishes, but I’ll use more care in choosing the scents…
Rose Tart
Jenna Hipp “Rose Tart” is exactly the same color as the Knockout Roses along my back fence. It’s a creamy pink with a touch of red. As a matter of fact, when my husband first saw it, he said, “Bloody.” He thought it was blood red. I’d be concerned, but we constantly argue about colors.
I am quite impressed by the Jenna Hipp formula. It went on smoothly, with almost one coat coverage. I started with Orly Bonder and then painted 2 coats of “Rose Tart”, just to be sure. I topped with “HK Girl” and although I got 1-2 bubbles, it was mostly trouble free.
I am looking forward to trying the rest of the colors…
We are Living in a Material World
…and I am a Material Girl. I was totally bananas for Madonna in the 80s. Of all the accessories that I had as a kid, I wish I still had my ‘Boy Toy’ belt. Yeah, I was probably 7 or 8 at the time, singing “Like a Virgin”, wearing that ‘Boy Toy’ belt…pretty normal, I’d say.
This is Ulta “Material Girl”, a deep plum microglitter that shifts to fuchsia. (This isn’t the color I would expect for Material Girl – I would have expected a pink satin, like Madonna’s dress in the video?) I know I have enough fuchsia nail polish to paint the Astrodome, but I can’t NOT buy them. BUY ALL THE FUCHSIA!!!
I used Orly Bonder as the base coat, but I didn’t use a top coat – I can’t resist the fine, gritty texture. I find myself unconsciously stroking my fingernails throughout the day. I wonder if I look like a psycho?