Speckled Accent: Urban Outfitters Bohemian Summer and SmittenPolish Ladybird

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Something a little wilder for a typical Monday morning in Amandaland, ladies.

As I previously mentioned, speckled polish is huge for Spring 2013.  I was of course quite excited to see that Urban Outfitters, in their broad array of cheap dupe polishes, jumped on the bandwagon and produced what I can only describe as a lovely robin's egg blue polish swimming with multi-sized black "specks."  Off Bohemian Summer came home with me (as well as with my cousin who was with me at the time; she has a soft spot for aqua blues and mints).  Since I already own one other speckled polish, SmittenPolish Ladybird, I thought it might be interesting to pair the two together in accent nail form.

Both the UO and Smitten polishes were a tad on the jellier side and not super opaque, so I chose to layer them over two of the fabulous -- and perfectly matching, if I do say so myself -- Sinful Colors pastels from this past spring, Sugar Rush and Cotton Candy.

Here's the final product:

In theory, I like this.  Pink and blue are always a fresh pairing to my eye, so I had hoped that this would be somewhat more eye-catching.  Instead, the pink is just too warm-toned against the blue to really go.  Additionally, the specks are noticeably different: Bohemian Summer is more densely packed and the speck shapes more varied than its SmittenPolish counterpart.

It's a shame that this is a semi-fail since independently, each is really a great Spring addition.  If you're into the speckled look, I'd recommend you wear these separately.

SmittenPolish retail for $9 USD and can be purchased by clicking here.
Urban Outfitters polish retail for $5 USD or 2 for $8 USD at any of their retail stores.




This product was provided for my honest, unbiased review.  Please see my PR Disclosure Policy for more information.

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NCLA Nail Wraps in Stephanie's Galaxy

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I've always had a difficult time with nail wraps.  In theory, they are meant to be the easier way to wear polish.  Just stick, file, and go -- no dry time necessary.  However, in my previous attempts, they failed me miserably, leaving raggedy ends and bubbling surfaces.

When I was asked to review NCLA nail wraps by Nail Polish Canada, I was actually excited to try nail wraps out again.  NCLA is a brand reputedly well known for its nail wraps and I hoped that they'd be more user-friendly than the ones I tried in the past.

Here is Stephanie's Galaxy:

So here's the breakdown:  

- The NCLA stickers are in fact the easiest I've used.  They apply easily and without too much sticky hassle.

- The wraps come with a full sized nail file which you should use to file the ends down.  While the ends weren't too difficult to remove, removing them smoothly leaving one straight edge proved difficult.

- The wraps are geared towards people with wider nail beds.  As you can see from 3 out of 4 of my fingers shown, the stickers pop over my cuticle.  The instructions suggest choosing stickers that are slightly smaller than your nail size over slightly larger, there was nothing smaller for my nails.  Perhaps my nails are narrower than most (would explain why I've had issues with nail wraps in the past), but it left my nails looking messy.

- The stickers bubble.  While I was able to smoothly adhere my pinky and ring finger stickers, no matter how hard I tried, my index and middle finger just refused to lie flat.  The more I worked at it, the worse it became so I just had to stop or rip the sticker.

- The pattern is awesome.  I loved having a galaxy look on my nails that didn't require a five hour nail art session; shame it just didn't lay well -- despite finishing each nail with a coat of clear top coat.

While these stickers were the best I've used, I can't say they were any panacea.  For $16 Canadian dollars, I'd hope for something of a slightly higher quality in terms of use and finish.  Later this week I will be reviewing another set of NCLA wraps I received, so here's hoping that those work better.

If you are interested in purchasing NCLA nail wraps or any other NCLA products, please visit Nail Polish Canada. 



This product was provided for my honest, unbiased review.  Please see my PR Disclosure Policy for more information.

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Lancôme Simply Aqua

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As one of the Spring/Summer 2013 trends to try I described in an earlier post, Lancôme Simply Aqua is a beautiful addition to the aqua/mint color scheme so big this year.  While Simply Aqua is not in fact aqua, it is a beautiful, fluffy sky blue pastel with a beach-day feel to it.

Part of the Limited Edition Lancôme Aquatic Summer Collection, Simply Aqua is very unique in that it applies like a jelly but dries like a creme.  Initially thin, the prowide brush allows for smooth application, finally opaque and glossy at 3 coats.

I decided to use Simply Aqua as a base to my failed entry into #lancomelovesnails competition on Instagram.  While I sadly didn't win, I still really like my tiny little contribution to the nail art world.

Sorry for the blurred and red-leaning photo.  My camera was not cooperative with me taking pictures so late at night without my light box lamp to keep it company.

I tape mani'ed the heart using Lime Crime Pink Parfait and used Shimmer Polish Wendy for my middle accent.  

Lancôme Vernis in Love polishes retail for $15.  To purchase Simply Aqua or the other beautiful polishes from the Limited Edition Aquatic Summer Collection, please click here.  



This product was provided for my honest, unbiased review.  Please see my PR Disclosure Policy for more information.

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Twinsie Tuesday: Oldest Untried

Morning, all.

For Twinsie Tuesday, we have to post our oldest untried polish.  At first I went rummaging through my (insanely overflowing--I really need to stop buying--I may have a sickness--there's just too many) untried drawer, but it was impossible for me to remember what I bought first from among those I hadn't tried at all.  So then it occurred to me that I could also swatch the oldest polish I own from when it was released.  Then it was much easier to figure out what to post.

Behold, Sally Hansen Blush Diamond a rose gold linear holo from the Nail Prisms Collection, released way back in 2002...eleven years ago.  I was a sophomore in high school then, and while I first discovered duochromes around then (anyone remember those Maybellines?  I can't for the life of me remember what the collection was called but I loved it to pieces as a freshman), I couldn't even conceive of a holographic polish.  Sally Hansen, you are a lady before your time.  (If you're interested in knowing more about the history of  this VHTF collection, check out Vibrant Point of View, a blog I stumbled upon when trying to find the year of the Nail Prisms' release.)

I was super lucky to stumble upon this gem at a local 99 cent store that is now unfortunately out of business.  However, knowing the mythology around these Nail Prisms, I scooped this up and skipped out the door a dollar and some change lighter.

The formula is still great, if only slightly more watery than I like in a polish.  Full coverage in two coats with no weird application issues that many linear holos are notorious for having.

While the color is definitely on the the demure side, the holo is evident in every light, floating about the rose gold metallic polish like fairy dust.  Sorry and delicate, Blush Diamond was a major win (salute) for minor cost.

Wonder what other oldest untried polishes my Twinsies own?  My guess is that Maribeth, with her penchant for saving OPIs from the '90s (or more amazingly, ability to track them down) will have the oldest untried.  Want to see if I'm right?  Make sure to click their links below!

Amanda at Amandalandish

Anna at Going to the Showing

Anne at Grape Fizz Nails

Chelsea at Nailed Blog

ChiChi at I'm Just Me...ChiChi

Cordia at Seriously Swatched

Elizabeth at Did My Nails

Katherine at Haul of Fame

Kelly at Tuxarina

Lakeisha at Refined and Polished

Maribeth at Obsessive Cosmetic Hoarders Unite

Marisa at Polish Obsession

Meredith at Polish and Charms

Nory at Fierce Makeup and Nails

Rachel at Top Coat It

Sarah at See Sarah Swatch

Traci at DrinkCitra

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Flower Cosmos-politan

Ah, Mondays.  Not fun, but what can you do?

Anyways, on that happy thought, I bring you my first Flower polish, the newly released brand by Drew Barrymore.  Not who I think of when I think mainstream cosmetics, but after trying out her polish, I'm willing to change the way I think.

Cosmo-politan is a medium blue-toned hot pink with a semi-hidden electric blue shimmer.  The shimmer is really what makes this polish special, and the blue dances in and out of vision with the sun.  While the color borders on neon, I wouldn't classify it as such; instead, Cosmos-politan is a richly pigmented hot pink creme.  

The formula was excellent and applied itself in two easy coats. 

Now here's the selling point: this polish lasted on my nails without a single chip or tipwear for four solid days.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Four whole days.  I wore this polish two weekends ago when I went to Boston, and between the train travel, lifting heavy luggage, and general non-polish friendly activity, Cosmos-politan stayed put.  I was nothing if not amazed.

A huge thanks to Adelina for picking this gem up for me at her local Walmart!  I'm super thankful to have this beauty in my collection.

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Trends to Try for Spring/Summer 2013

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One of my favorite things to read about is beauty and fashion trends.  I enjoy seeing what aficionados forecast as being the next big thing and thinking about ways to potentially incorporate new styles and colors into my wardrobe.  Polish is no exception.  Spring and Summer inspires the most expressive color palettes and both luxury and bargain brands have customized their collections to reflect the warmer weather and the more daring trends. Here are my top picks per trend for Spring/Summer 2013!  I've separated them by luxury buy (any polish above $10 retail) and bargain buy (anything less than $10 retail) to demonstrate that anyone can partake in this season's plethora of wild color and finish.

Shimmery Pastels
According to Allure magazine, soft and delicate pastels are the way to go this May.  While pastels are quintessentially spring-esque, I've been super excited to see the shimmery tweak brands have been making to the warm weather staple, keeping the look both fresh and work-friendly this year.


Luxury Buy

Deborah Lippmann The Mermaids
retail price: $19


My pick: Do the Mermaid
Bargain Buy

Avon Petal Impressions (LE)
retail price: $6 (often on sale for $3.49)
My pick: Blue Water Lilies
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Texture
Maybe it's beach brain, but every brand has gotten into the sandy nail trend this spring.  Matte with a kick, textured nails are universally accessible -- I have no luxury buy in this category!

Bargain Buy

Zoya PixieDust
retail price: $9

my pick: Liberty


Julie G. Frosted Gumdrops
retail price: $3.99

my pick: Blueberry Fizz

China Glaze Texture
retail price: between $5-$7

my pick: Itty, Bitty, & Gritty


OPI Bond Girls
retail price: $9

my pick: Solitaire

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Speckled
A fun mix of the robin egg pattern and the matte glitter finish, speckled polishes are a fun way to spruce up a standard spring or summer creme.  I personally love the rich, white-based pastels as a base for a more cookies and cream look but for those that like a bit more color, Hard Candy's multi-colored matte glitter adds that extra bit of pop.

Luxury Buy

Illamasqua Speckled
retail price: $17

my pick: Speckle


Deborah Lippmann Staccato
retail price: $19
my pick: I'm Not Edible


Bargain Buy

Hard Candy Sprinkles
retail price: $4
my pick: Sugar Rush


SmittenPolish Speck-tacular
retail price: $9

my pick: Ladybird
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Aquas and Mints
Most spring/summer collections are a mix of sunny shades, however, many seem to be heavily aqua-centric this year.  Azure blues, shimmery aquas, and sage-mint greens have proven to be universally flattering and unbelievably popular.  If you're nervous about wearing greens on your fingers, mint makes an excellent pedi color!

Luxury Buy

Lancôme’s Aquatic Summer (LE)
retail price: $15


my pick: Simply Aqua


Bargain Buy

Essie Resort 2013
retail price: $8

my pick: In the Cab-ana


Maybelline Color Show Summer 2013 (LE)
retail price: $3.99

source

my pick: Poolside

Will you be trying these trends?  What are your favorite polish trends for spring/summer 2013?



All photos are stock press release images unless otherwise noted.

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