Polished: How To Remove Glitter Nail Polish

I love glitter nail polish. It is sparkly and fun and statement-making and just so nice to look at while I type all day. I do not love removing said glitter nail polish. I usually apply 2-3 coats to get maximum sparkle impact, but then am stuck scrubbing and scraping it off when I decide it is time for a new manicure. Personally, I do not think it is right to spend more time removing nail polish than it took to apply it in the first place.

Enter my glitter fairy godmother at a nearby beauty store. I had a bottle of Deborah Lippmann Bad Romance in my hand – it is a gorgeous color, but I was complaining about what a pain it is to remove glitter nail polish.

She suggested placing a nail-polish remover soaked cotton ball on the polished nail, wrapping the tip of your finger and cotton ball in aluminum foil, waiting a few minutes, and the glitter would come right off.

I was skeptical but intrigued. After Google-ing “nail polish remover + aluminum foil interactions” and deciding that this method would not make my fingers fall off, I gave it a try.

HOLY CRAP, did it work. I made myself little alien fingers, waited about 5 minutes, and voila! The nail polish came almost completely off, and the leftover edges came off after another swipe. I am beyond excited to have a foolproof way to remove my most glittery polish!

-Alyssa

Polished: Nails Inc. Fitzroy Square 3D Glitter

Hello, readers!

My name is Alyssa, and I am lucky enough to be one of Daneen’s coworkers. As you may have noticed, I like a good manicure (looky here and here).

Since Daneen literally has her hands full with one-year-old Westley, I get the chance to bring you the latest nail news.

Recently, a batch of nails inc. colors came into the office, and I was immediately taken with nails inc. Fitzroy Square 3D glitter, which is described as clear with green glitter and chunky teal glitter. Swoon. Though I work in a business casual office, envelope-pushing nail polish is acceptable, so I knew this was my next manicure.

I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of glitter that this polish contains. Most glitter nail polish has a few flecks with mostly clear, but this was saturated, which was great. Here is what three coats looks like...

This polish is definitely not for the faint of heart, but I got a lot of compliments on it. I absolutely recommend this polish for anyone looking for a little sparkle!

nails inc. is available at Sephora, for $9.50 a bottle.

-Alyssa

Revlon Crazy Shine Nail Buffer

My natural nails, sans polish, are so dull that I'm kind of embarassed to go without polish. So when I saw Revlon's new Crazy Shine Nail Buffer at my local CVS, I snatched it up. And, let me tell you...the name is accurate. Crazy accurate, in fact. My iPhone photo above doesn't do the shine justice.

The double sided buffer smoothes and evens out the nail surface - creating an outrageous, mirror-like finish. The tool promises to create 400% more shine than bare nails. To be honest, I couldn't tell you the difference between a 100% and 400% increase in shine, but I will say that it looks like I'm wearing a clear topcoat on my nails. And this was achieved in about three minutes (all 10 nails) - no drying time necessary. What I also love is that you can use the white side on polished nails - to restore shine when your mani is looking a lil murky.

Revlon Crazy Shine Nail Buffer retails for $3.99 - but right now it's on sale at CVS for $2.99.

Kardashian Kolors: Nicole by OPI’s Holiday 2011 Collection

Photo credit: OPI/Michael Simon

Nicole by OPI is teaming up with the Kardashian/Jenner family for Kardashian Kolors, a collection of 14 new nail lacquer shades inspired by these six small screen stars. Kris Jenner and her five daughters – Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian and Kylie and Kendall Jenner – are known for their head-to-toe unique style, which now includes nails.

"We are so excited to work with everyone’s favorite TV family – the Kardashians – to share a diverse collection of fashion-forward shades," said Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Nicole by OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. "With lacquers ranging from high-shine and sparkly hues to neutral taupe and pinkish coral, Kardashian Kolors offers the perfect accessory for every woman – from teens to moms and everyone in between."



Kardashian Kolors includes:

 

 

 It's All About the Glam

Shimmering-white glitz for the glamorous gal!

Kim-pletely in Love

Finally! The pink of her dreams has arrived.

All Kendall-ed Up

Powder your nose and get some pink on those toes!

Wear Something Spar-Kylie

Glitter-ly the prettiest pink ever!

Sealed with a Kris

Handle with care: This klassy red is top-of-the-line!

Rainbow in the S-Kylie

Girls just wanna have…glitter in every color!

Disco Dolls

Glittery gold glam gone wild!

Kendall on the Katwalk

A head-turning blue-green with a "sparkling" personality!

Listen to your Momager!

If you don't, you’ll never see this fabulous blue again!

Follow Me on Glitter

A glittery deep gray that always has something to say!

My Empire...My Rules

This take-charge taupe is always on-trend.

Khloé Had a Little Lam-Lam

A deep dark emerald worth falling for.

Hard Kourt Fashionista

This delicious deep brown is the chicest hue in town!

Kourt is Red-y for a Pedi

And this captivating coral looks "fab" on everyone!

At the Kardashian Kolors launch on July 11 in NYC, Khloe and Kourtney showed off their signature shades: Khloé Had a Little Lam-Lam and Kourt is Red-y for a Pedi (photo above).

Kardashian Kolors will be available Holiday 2011 for $7.99 each.

I'm digging Wear Something Spar-Kylie, Listen to your Momager!, Follow Me on Glitter, My Empire...My Rules, and Khloé Had a Little Lam-Lam. Which Kardashian Kolors will you be keeping up with this fall? Tell me in the comments...

OPI Shorts Story

Peep my polish. It's OPI Shorts Story. I have my friend/co-worker, Alyssa, to thank for this discovery. She's been wearing it for the past week and after she caught me coveting her pedi like a thousand times, she benevolently bought me a bottle. This lovely lacquer is a bright, blue based pink that covers perfectly with 2 coats. It's the perfect summer shade for me, as it pops against my tan skin - without looking garish. Though I don't work in a corporate environment that frowns on trendy nail colors, I imagine that this would be a great shade for girls who wanna have fun with their manicures, but also need to look business class-y (provided that you keep your nails short).

Happy Independence Day!

All the women who are independent, throw your hands up at me!

Happy Independence Day, dolls! I hope that you are enjoying a fun and relaxing holiday. If you're just chilling at home and looking for something festive to do, might I suggest that you try out this 4th of July Splatter Manicure I spotted on Clumps of Mascara?

Have a great one! See you back here tomorrow!

Peep My Polish: OPI Austin-tatious Turquoise

Peep my polish. It's OPI Austin-tatious Turquoise from the Texas Collection. This photo was taken on Sunday, as the polish was drying. Craziest thing is that it's now Friday and my mani looks EXACTLY the same. Not a chip, smudge or imperfection in sight - which is extremely rare for me. I'm kind of rough on my nails and I do dishes like it's my J-O-B, so I'm lucky if a manicure survives two days without a ding.

I did this manicure myself, so I'm feeling pretty proud of my paint job. I think the recipe is why it's held up so well. Here's are the deets:

1) Apply Zoya Get Even Ridge Filling Base Coat.
2) Apply Zoya Anchor Base Coat.
3) Apply two or three coats of OPI Austin-tatious Turquoise - it goes on very sheer, so layer to achieve desired opacity.
4) Apply Zoya Armor Top Coat. You're supposed to re-apply every two days for "for extended color wear" - but to be honest, I didn't and my manicure still looks perfect.

What shade are you currently rocking? I'm always looking for my next nail polish color - so share in the comments section below!

Nude Attitude: Zoya Touch Collection

I’m a buff nail buff, for many reasons. First, like a pair of nude pumps, nude nails elongate and slims the fingers. And if you’re prone to chips, they’re less obvious than if you’re wearing a more pigmented polish. But one issue I have with most nudes is their transparency. It irks me to no end when I have to paint on layer after layer to achieve an opaque finish. Usually, the finished product ends up looking thick, if you know what I mean. Or all of those layers take eons to dry which increases, tenfold, the probability of me smudging my polish.

Either this is a common dilemma or my friends at Zoya somehow read my mind – because they just launched a collection of full-coverage nude polishes designed to coordinate with every skin tone based on yellow, red or blue undertones and kissed with a hint of metallic to make them ultra wearable.

The Touch Collection includes:

Minka - latte beige cream with a metallic kiss
Shay - desert rose sand beige cream with a metallic kiss
Pandora - mauve beige cream with a metallic kiss (I'm wearing a Pandora pedi right this sec)

 
Like Zoya’s other 300 shades, the Touch Collection polishes are also formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and camphor free, and vegan-friendly.

The polishes can be purchased separately for $8 or as a trio for $24 at zoya.com.

*Samples were provided by the brand for review.

Milani Nail Lacquer in Diamond Dazzle

This pic is proof that pretty polish needn't break the bank. My co-worker, Alyssa, is sporting Milani Nail Lacquer in Diamond Dazzle ($3.50). Above is two coats of the polish and below is Diamond Dazzle paired with OPI's Black Shatter.

Kardashian Kollection for OPI?

A few days ago, Kim Kardashian tweeted:

"Were shooting our ad campaign today 4 our new GLAM line of nail polish for Nicole by OPI. You guys are gonna faint when u see our new polish"

By we, I'm assuming Kim is referring to her partners in krime: Khloe and Kourtney.

No release date has been set for the Kardashian nail collection, but I'm excited. OPI is one of my favorite polish brands, and they never cease to impress me. I mean, I initially scoffed at the The One Less Lonely Girl (Justin Bieber) collection  - but immediately changed my (pun intended) tune once I saw the shades in person and tested them out (I'm sporting a "Baby" Blue pedicure right now).

So tell me, will you be keeping an eye out for the Kardashian polishes?

Peep My Polish: Ginger + Liz Swagger

This week, I'm rocking Swagger by Ginger + Liz, a "soft, sexy metallic with rose gold undertones."

The formula is pigmented as all get-out, so it only took two coats to achieve this gilded gorge-osity. And it's so hot, every time I peep my own polish, this starts playing in my head:

No one on the corner have swagger like us

Swagger like us, swagger swagger like us...

 

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

If you’ve perused the beauty aisle at your local drugstore, you’ve likely spied the new Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips from Sally Hansen. As a big fan of their Nail Art Pens that launched a few years back, I expected to love these. But after trying them, I have to admit that my feelings were a lukewarm like.

Like a moth to a flame, I’m inexplicably drawn to anything leopard print – so it’s a no-brainer that I chose to outfit my nails in the Kitty, Kitty style. Following the instructions, I affixed the stickers to each nail and became very frustrated with the fit. It was a Goldilocks kind of situation – the strips were either too narrow or too wide for my nail bed. And when I tried to stretch the sticker for a perfect fit (the directions suggests doing this), the sticker ripped several times.

Peep my polish. The finished results look pretty damn impressive in the photo. But close up, it’s actually kind of messy…Cher Horowitz might characterize my mani as a “full-on Monet.” On some of my fingers, parts of my nail are clearly visible. And on others, the design overlaps my cuticle and the skin on the sides of my nails. Granted, I don’t think anyone will be scrutinizing my hands with a critical eye. But, to me, it doesn’t matter if others notice the minor imperfections...what matters most is that I do.

My friend, Alyssa, had a better experience than me (see above), though she did have some of the same complaints - namely that the strips don't apply as smoothly as she had hoped. However, she praised the product's staying power. Her mani lasted for about a week and might have worn longer, had it not been for an unfortunate run-in with an errant Ped Egg. 

Maybe I’m too much of a perfectionist or perhaps my application technique could use some practice. Bottom line: when it comes to my manicure, it better be wow-worthy. Otherwise, I’d rather sport nekkid nails.

If you’re looking for a quick, DIY alternative to the Minx mani, the Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips are a decent bet. I’d recommend the High-Fashion Designs (Wild Child, Kitty Kitty, Fly With Me, Girl Flower, Misbehaved, Laced Up, Booty Camp and Collide-o-Scope, Cut it Out, Check it Out , Skinny Jeans) and High-Shine Metallics (Frock Star, Bling it On, Glitz Bitz, Raise a Glass, Blue Ice) over the Shiny Neons (Cry Baby, It Girl, Violet Night, Teal With It, Groove, Electric Shock, Squeezed!, Red-y for Trouble) because I’ve heard the neons really exaggerate nail imperfections and the result doesn’t look as - pun intended - polished.

But at $10 a box, I’d rather spend two more bucks and indulge in a professional manicure at my local nail salon.

OPI Texas Collection

For its Spring/Summer 2011, OPI comes "home" to the USA with timeless style in the Texas Collection. "Texas provided the inspiration for this season, with bright colors and classic neutrals that draw from the American spirit,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. "Taking cues from the state's naturally beautiful backdrop, the Texas Collection features warm tones from honey and tangerine to dazzling hues of violet and sky blue."

The Texas Collection includes:

San Tan-tonio

A "honey" of a ten-gallon tan!

Suzi Loves Cowboys

But she loves this campfire chocolate shade s’more!

It's Totally Fort Worth It

A shimmery lavender grey that’s so worthy of you

Don't Mess with OPI

A lean, mean, kick-grass forest green

Austin-tatious Turquoise

Cowgirls love this bodacious blue-green.

I Vant to Be A-Lone Star

You won't want to share this starry Texas-sky blue.

Y'all Come Back Ya Hear?

This Texas tangerine will be waitin' for ya!

Big Hair...Big Nails

A rosy pageant peach

Guy Meets Gal-veston

An "engaging" coastal coral

Too Hot Pink to Hold 'Em

A red-hot pink-red that deals a winning hand

Do You Think I'm Tex-y?

A "berry" sexy bloom of Dallas dahlia

Houston We Have a Purple

A galactic red-violet that's ready to "rocket roll"!

My friend/co-worker/hand model, Angela, is rocking I Vant To Be A-Lone Star, my current favorite shade of the collection. But all of the colors are so gorge, I'm sure I'll have a new pet polish next week.



Six of the shades (Guy Meets Gal-veston, Ya'll Come Back Ya Hear?, Too Hot Pink to Hold 'Em, Big Hair...Big Nails, Do You Think I'm Tex-y? and Houston We Have a Purple) have a semi-transparent finish that OPI is calling sorbet. "These sorbet-style formulas for nails will be in full swing by 2012, but women can get a jump start on this trend with colors in the Texas Collection," says Weiss-Fischmann. "Unlike thicker creams or light sheers, these twelve shades are slightly translucent - similar to the look of icy, water-based sorbet!"

Watch the video below to learn how to apply the sorbet formula and to see the finished result!

 
*Samples were provided by the brand for review.

Peep My Polish: OPI Lucene-tainly Look Marvelous

These days, most of the time I have my hands full with Westley - who recently turned 6-months old! Anyway, last week, I had a rare opportunity to get a manicure. I got out of work early and my fabulous co-worker, Alyssa, and I got our nails did.

I decided on OPI Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous (from the Swiss Collection). It's a stunning pewter shade that almost takes on a blueish cast in the light.

 Alyssa also opted for OPI. I can't recall the name, though...but isn't it glitterrific?

OPI Black Shatter and the Katy Perry Collection

I can't remember the last time I was this excited about my nails. Peep my polish...I layered OPI's new Black Shatter over top of MAC Nail Lacquer in Soiree (from their Cham Pale collection) to create a rose gold leopard-esque print!

Black Shatter creates a crackled finish when applied over any dried nail polish (it doesn't work on bare nails - I tried). It accompanies the Katy Perry Collection by OPI - which is gorgeous in its own right.

Teenage Dream

 

Not Like the Movies

Last Friday Night

The One That Got Away

When I saw an ad for this collection in one of my fashion magazines, I instantly fell for the glittery shades: Teenage Dream and Last Friday Night. But after OPI sent me some samples to review, the others won me over in a big way. At first glance, Not Like The Movies may look like your standard silver, but it's actually a light purple and green duochrome that is perfect for those who love to rock an edgier nail. And The One That Got Away is the most beautiful berry shimmer I've seen in a long while.

I've been meaning to do some more swatches and post the pictures - which I still intend to do. So check back soon...

The Katy Perry Collection by OPI launches this month at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard's, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $8.50 ($10.95 CAN) each.

Even though I already own one of each, I plan on buying (and hoarding) at least two more bottles of the Black Shatter...and I suggest you do the same.

NARS Poker Face Nail Polish

When the weather gets chillier, I usually prefer a dark, edgy nail. But today, while perusing Sephora on my lunch break, I succumbed to the bright lilac charms of NARS Poker Face Nail Polish.

I painted the pretty purple on my thumb, but - for some unexplainable reason - left Sephora empty handed. As the hours passed, the color grew on me more and more...and now, as I type this, I have a sad face over leaving Poker Face at the store.

Guess I'm gonna have to make a return trip tomorrow to turn my frown upside down.