Showing posts with label cuccio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cuccio. Show all posts
10 May 2015
Wedding Wednesday: Bold Glitter Tips
Hey guys! I know I'm very behind on this week's Wedding Wednesday, but I still want to share with you this week's bridal inspired look! I have already shown you a classic silver glitter gradient in this series, but today's glittery look is a bit bolder:
06 February 2015
Valentine's Day Heart French Tip Nail Art
Hi guys, and happy Friday! Continuing with my Valentine's Day theme today, I recreated my mermaid French tips from a couple weeks ago with some cute pink polishes - don't they look like the tips of little hearts?
18 January 2015
The Digit-al Dozen Does Fairytales: Snow White's Poison Apple
I know I'm a couple days late for the last day of The Digit-al Dozen, but I've got one last fairytale themed nail art for you guys today! Today's look is another abstract idea based off the famous Brothers Grimm story, Snow White. (Even if you haven't heard the original tale, you've no doubt seen the Disney princess or the movie adaptations!) Anyway, this manicure is inspired by the poison apple that causes Snow White to fall into a lifeless state, before her prince rescues her with a kiss.
I started off with a base of Cuccio Verona Lace, and then drew on my apples with Essie Double Breasted Jacket (and Essie Vices Versa on my detail nail for the "poisoned" apple.) Then, I outlined them with Cuccio 2am in Hollywood, and drew little stems with Essie Fierce, No Fear. I also made a little highlight in the apples with Verona Lace. I topped everything off with a semi-matte top coat from Born Pretty Store. (Don't forget, you can use the code RFL91 for 10% off your order and free shipping!)
I chose this look because even if you aren't a fan of the fairytale (like myself!), this is still a super cute apple manicure to rock! Although it's probably more appropriate to wear in autumn.
I also think the color scheme of this manicure is a refreshing change of pace from my last few Digit-al Dozen manicures, which tended to be blue themed. (Plus, my nails are finally back to an acceptable length! Yay!) And it's definitely nice to have finished my first DD challenge - I can't wait for the next one!
Here are the polishes I used. They are all from HB Beauty Bar - you can use the code POLISHCHALLENGE at checkout for 15% off your entire order.
Make sure you see what the other lovely ladies of the Digit-al Dozen did for their last day!
PRODUCTS USED:
Base: Duri Rejuvacote, purchase here
Polish: Cuccio Colour 2am in Hollywood + Cuccio Colour Verona Lace, review hereEssie Double Breasted Jacket, review here
Essie Vices Versa, review here
Essie Fierce, No Fear, review here
Top: Born Pretty Store Matte Top Coat, purchase here (use code RFL91 for 10% off your order!)
I started off with a base of Cuccio Verona Lace, and then drew on my apples with Essie Double Breasted Jacket (and Essie Vices Versa on my detail nail for the "poisoned" apple.) Then, I outlined them with Cuccio 2am in Hollywood, and drew little stems with Essie Fierce, No Fear. I also made a little highlight in the apples with Verona Lace. I topped everything off with a semi-matte top coat from Born Pretty Store. (Don't forget, you can use the code RFL91 for 10% off your order and free shipping!)
I chose this look because even if you aren't a fan of the fairytale (like myself!), this is still a super cute apple manicure to rock! Although it's probably more appropriate to wear in autumn.
I also think the color scheme of this manicure is a refreshing change of pace from my last few Digit-al Dozen manicures, which tended to be blue themed. (Plus, my nails are finally back to an acceptable length! Yay!) And it's definitely nice to have finished my first DD challenge - I can't wait for the next one!
Here are the polishes I used. They are all from HB Beauty Bar - you can use the code POLISHCHALLENGE at checkout for 15% off your entire order.
Make sure you see what the other lovely ladies of the Digit-al Dozen did for their last day!
PRODUCTS USED:
Base: Duri Rejuvacote, purchase here
Polish: Cuccio Colour 2am in Hollywood + Cuccio Colour Verona Lace, review hereEssie Double Breasted Jacket, review here
Essie Vices Versa, review here
Essie Fierce, No Fear, review here
Top: Born Pretty Store Matte Top Coat, purchase here (use code RFL91 for 10% off your order!)
16 January 2015
Bold Dotticure with Glam Polish Hairspray Collection
Hi guys! We interrupt this week of Digit-al Dozen nail art for.. well, more nail art! (I don't know about you guys, but I'm starting to miss swatching! Don't worry though, I've got a ton of swatches to show you guys soon.) The lovely Cristine of Simply Nailogical and I decided to come up with a "bestie twin" manicure using our gorgeous new Glam Polish Hairspray polishes!
And here is what we came up with! To achieve this look, I started with a base of Cuccio 2am in Hollywood, and once that was dry, I dotted on an X with Glam Polish Ladies Choice, Glam Polish Big Blonde & Beautiful, and Glam Polish Hey Mama, randomly on my nails. Then I outlined those dots with more dots, in varying colors! I topped everything off with matte top coat.
The more I do dotticures, the more I'm finding myself liking them! I guess it's true what they say about practice - because I definitely see improvement, although my dots are still not perfect.
I also really loved the look of this nail art with glossy top coat:
With glossy top coat, you get to see all the fun holo shimmer in these gorgeous polishes! (And of course, you can see full swatches here.) I honestly can't decide which way I prefer it - how about you?
I definitely love the contrast between the black creme and the shimmery Glam Polishes (not unlike my recent mermaid dotticure!). I should start mixing finishes more!
Here are the polishes I used. The Cuccio Colour polish is from HB Beauty Bar - don't forget to use the discount code POLISHCHALLENGE at checkout for 15% off your order - and the Glam Polish shades are available on their online shop.
Make sure you check out Cristine's version of this manicure too!
PRODUCTS USED:
Base: Duri Rejuvacote, purchase here
Polish:
Cuccio Colour 2am in Hollywood, review here
Glam Polish Hey Mama, Glam Polish Ladies Choic, Glam Polish Big Blonde & Beautiful, review here
Top: Glam Polish Magic Shine Top Coat (reviewed here); OPI Matte Top Coat, purchase here
And here is what we came up with! To achieve this look, I started with a base of Cuccio 2am in Hollywood, and once that was dry, I dotted on an X with Glam Polish Ladies Choice, Glam Polish Big Blonde & Beautiful, and Glam Polish Hey Mama, randomly on my nails. Then I outlined those dots with more dots, in varying colors! I topped everything off with matte top coat.
The more I do dotticures, the more I'm finding myself liking them! I guess it's true what they say about practice - because I definitely see improvement, although my dots are still not perfect.
I also really loved the look of this nail art with glossy top coat:
With glossy top coat, you get to see all the fun holo shimmer in these gorgeous polishes! (And of course, you can see full swatches here.) I honestly can't decide which way I prefer it - how about you?
I definitely love the contrast between the black creme and the shimmery Glam Polishes (not unlike my recent mermaid dotticure!). I should start mixing finishes more!
Here are the polishes I used. The Cuccio Colour polish is from HB Beauty Bar - don't forget to use the discount code POLISHCHALLENGE at checkout for 15% off your order - and the Glam Polish shades are available on their online shop.
Make sure you check out Cristine's version of this manicure too!
PRODUCTS USED:
Base: Duri Rejuvacote, purchase here
Polish:
Cuccio Colour 2am in Hollywood, review here
Glam Polish Hey Mama, Glam Polish Ladies Choic, Glam Polish Big Blonde & Beautiful, review here
Top: Glam Polish Magic Shine Top Coat (reviewed here); OPI Matte Top Coat, purchase here
30 December 2014
Cuccio Colour Winter Basics Swatch Spam
Hi guys, today I've got for you some Cuccio Colour swatches from various collections that I got from HB Beauty Bar - you already know I love the Cuccio formula and these colors are not only perfect for winter, but great basics to have in your collection for use in nail art.
Like I said, this is a great bunch of basic colors for any serious nail artist, and I love that Cuccio has the wide, flat brushes for easy application. I used a new Essie top coat for these swatches which I didn't like at ALL, but I didn't realize that it translated onto the photos until after I was finished. (I probably should have used the Cuccio Top Coat, which has an incredible shine.) But I will let you know that the cremes were very glossy on their own! Let's take a look!
A Kiss in Paris is the perfect cherry red creme. Everyone needs a shade like this in their collection, and the one-coat formula is fabulous, unsurprisingly. Shown above is two coats and top coat.
Shock Value is a sheer, shimmery iridescent white that sparkles gold in direct light. This is a great color for an elegant winter affair! Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.
Verona Lace is a basic white creme. Oh man, how do I describe this polish? In the endless search for the perfect white creme, I think I've stumbled across a gem in this brand! The formula is not too thick or too thin, easy application, and perfect coverage in two coats. I've already used this polish as a base for nail art! (You'll see the end result of that soon!) I think I'm in love. Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.
And with a perfect white creme comes a perfect black creme, 2am In Hollywood. This basic black has a great formula and applies very smoothly. Shown above is two coats with top coat.
Glasgow Nights is a near-black green creme - no, this isn't the same polish as 2am In Hollywood, although in dim lighting they almost look the same. I wasn't totally sold on this bottle, although I love this dark wintery color, because the formula was patchy. It dried in a weird spotty pattern on the first coat, and there were tiny little spots of pigment visible - all of this was solved with a thick second coat, though, and as you can see in the photo above, the issues aren't visible anymore! It's worth purchasing if you like the color, in my opinion. Shown above is two coats with top coat.
Hong Kong Harbor is a silver foil. Another great basic to have in your collection, and it's fully opaque in just one coat! For the photo above, I used two coats with top coat.
And finally we have Russian Opulence. It's a great basic gold shimmer, and although personally I wouldn't wear it as a full mani because it's a bit yellow for my skin tone, I think this polish will be great for nail art accents and stamping. As is usual for this type of polish, it applied streaky, so you might want to paint one thick coat for full opacity, and a second thin coat to smooth out the streaks. Shown above is two coats with top coat.
Overall, these are some great key colors for your collection, and you can definitely rock them alone all winter long! Cuccio Colour is available from HB Beauty Bar for $8.50 USD per bottle. Don't forget, you can use the code POLISHCHALLENGE at checkout for an additional 15% off your order!
These polishes were provided for my honest review.
Like I said, this is a great bunch of basic colors for any serious nail artist, and I love that Cuccio has the wide, flat brushes for easy application. I used a new Essie top coat for these swatches which I didn't like at ALL, but I didn't realize that it translated onto the photos until after I was finished. (I probably should have used the Cuccio Top Coat, which has an incredible shine.) But I will let you know that the cremes were very glossy on their own! Let's take a look!
A Kiss in Paris is the perfect cherry red creme. Everyone needs a shade like this in their collection, and the one-coat formula is fabulous, unsurprisingly. Shown above is two coats and top coat.
Shock Value is a sheer, shimmery iridescent white that sparkles gold in direct light. This is a great color for an elegant winter affair! Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.
Verona Lace is a basic white creme. Oh man, how do I describe this polish? In the endless search for the perfect white creme, I think I've stumbled across a gem in this brand! The formula is not too thick or too thin, easy application, and perfect coverage in two coats. I've already used this polish as a base for nail art! (You'll see the end result of that soon!) I think I'm in love. Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.
And with a perfect white creme comes a perfect black creme, 2am In Hollywood. This basic black has a great formula and applies very smoothly. Shown above is two coats with top coat.
Glasgow Nights is a near-black green creme - no, this isn't the same polish as 2am In Hollywood, although in dim lighting they almost look the same. I wasn't totally sold on this bottle, although I love this dark wintery color, because the formula was patchy. It dried in a weird spotty pattern on the first coat, and there were tiny little spots of pigment visible - all of this was solved with a thick second coat, though, and as you can see in the photo above, the issues aren't visible anymore! It's worth purchasing if you like the color, in my opinion. Shown above is two coats with top coat.
Hong Kong Harbor is a silver foil. Another great basic to have in your collection, and it's fully opaque in just one coat! For the photo above, I used two coats with top coat.
And finally we have Russian Opulence. It's a great basic gold shimmer, and although personally I wouldn't wear it as a full mani because it's a bit yellow for my skin tone, I think this polish will be great for nail art accents and stamping. As is usual for this type of polish, it applied streaky, so you might want to paint one thick coat for full opacity, and a second thin coat to smooth out the streaks. Shown above is two coats with top coat.
Overall, these are some great key colors for your collection, and you can definitely rock them alone all winter long! Cuccio Colour is available from HB Beauty Bar for $8.50 USD per bottle. Don't forget, you can use the code POLISHCHALLENGE at checkout for an additional 15% off your order!
These polishes were provided for my honest review.
12 December 2014
HB Beauty Bar: Cuccio Accent Color Kit Swatches
You might remember that I recently reviewed a new-to-me brand called Cuccio Colour - I was a huge fan of the polishes and nail care products I tried out. Well, today I've got more to share! The Accent Colour Kit by Cuccio Colour is a set of two matching polishes for a flawless manicure with a sparkly accent nail. Not only are these polishes beautiful, but the formulas are amazing!
Here are the two colors that come in the kit. The intent here is to paint all your nails with the larger bottle, and then do an "accent nail" with the mini bottle for an extra pop of color and sparkle. These colors look beautiful together, but I decided to give you guys a full swatch of each so you could really see the polishes! Let's take a look:
Jamaica Me Crazy is a stunning creme polish that falls somewhere between lavender and periwinkle. It's absolutely lovely! I think colors like this can be worn any time of year. In the photo above, I am wearing one coat - that's right, you only need one coat of this creme for full opacity!
Illumination is a mesmerizing duochrome shimmer with intense blue and purple color shifts, as well as various metallic blue hex glitters. I layered two coats over Jamaica Me Crazy for the photo above, but it is completely opaque on its own! I normally wouldn't go for a color like this, but once I painted it onto my nails, I couldn't stop staring - it looks like an awesome polish for rocking at a nightclub.
For both swatches above, I used the dehydrator, base coat, top coat, and cuticle oil that I reviewed last time. I have been using the cuticle oil non-stop since I got it and not only have I barely even made a dent in the giant bottle, but my cuticles are as smooth and moisturized as ever! I don't think I will ever be able to use another cuticle oil again.
Here is the kit that the polishes come in. You can purchase it from HB Beauty Bar, and make sure you use the discount code POLISHCHALLENGE for 15% off your entire order.
If you'd like a chance at winning these polishes, you can head over to my Instagram page, where I am giving this set away to a random follower!
These polishes were provided for my honest review.
Here are the two colors that come in the kit. The intent here is to paint all your nails with the larger bottle, and then do an "accent nail" with the mini bottle for an extra pop of color and sparkle. These colors look beautiful together, but I decided to give you guys a full swatch of each so you could really see the polishes! Let's take a look:
Jamaica Me Crazy is a stunning creme polish that falls somewhere between lavender and periwinkle. It's absolutely lovely! I think colors like this can be worn any time of year. In the photo above, I am wearing one coat - that's right, you only need one coat of this creme for full opacity!
Illumination is a mesmerizing duochrome shimmer with intense blue and purple color shifts, as well as various metallic blue hex glitters. I layered two coats over Jamaica Me Crazy for the photo above, but it is completely opaque on its own! I normally wouldn't go for a color like this, but once I painted it onto my nails, I couldn't stop staring - it looks like an awesome polish for rocking at a nightclub.
Here is the kit that the polishes come in. You can purchase it from HB Beauty Bar, and make sure you use the discount code POLISHCHALLENGE for 15% off your entire order.
If you'd like a chance at winning these polishes, you can head over to my Instagram page, where I am giving this set away to a random follower!
These polishes were provided for my honest review.
24 September 2014
Cafe Cuccio Fall/Winter 2014 Swatches and Review
It's finally autumn, and today I have some gorgeous seasonally appropriate polishes to show off from a new-to-me brand called Cuccio Colour, from HB Beauty Bar. Their newest line is the Cafe Cuccio collection, a group of eight gorgeous coffee inspired polishes, seven of which I have to review today! I also used Cuccio dehydrator, base coat, and top coat for all of my swatches, so you'll see a recap of that below, as well as their cuticle oil that I have been using for the past couple of weeks.
As I mentioned, these polishes are coffee inspired shades, and I love the neutral color palette for this collection! This was my first ever experience with Cuccio, and I am extremely impressed with their flawless formulas and their wide, flat brushes for easy application. These polishes definitely feel like a high end brand, but they're definitely less expensive! Anyway, let's have a look at them:
Java Va Voom! is a gorgeous warm beige cream with a flawless formula. This polish instantly reminded me of coffee (with lots of cream!) and I love the way it looks on my nails, even though it has a distinct yellow tone that normally doesn't flatter my skin tone. This neutral is perfect for the office! Shown above is two coats with top coat.
Cream & Sugar is a cool medium taupe loaded with iridescent shimmer. This color is also gorgeous, and also perfect for the office! I love how it has the subtle shimmer to really add to the color. As is usual with shimmery polishes, this formula was a bit thicker, so I decided to use three really thin layers plus top coat for opacity without making the polish too thick on my nails.
Cuppa Cuccio is a full coverage gold based glitter bomb with a ton of sparkle (and some silver shimmer as well!) Wow, this color is super bold and I love it! I know it's early to say, but this polish will be perfect for a holiday party or for New Year's. I'm really impressed at how opaque this glitter is, too. Shown above is two coats with top coat.
Bean There Done That! is another full coverage glitter bomb, but this one is packed with holographic gold microglitters! I didn't think this one would be fully opaque, so I layered it over Cream & Sugar, but I was pleasantly surprised with the coverage of this polish. This color is really a party on the nails, and I love all the colors that the holographic glitters show off. Shown above is two coats layered over Cream & Sugar, with top coat.
Coffee, Tea or Me is a beautiful rust colored polish that features silver and copper shimmer, as well as gold microflakes. This color is so complex and I loved it immediately! It definitely reminds me of fall, and the added golden flakes make it so sparkly and beautiful. Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.
Brew Ha Ha is a deep maroon cream with a super glossy shine. What a classic fall color, and with such an amazing formula! I know I'm repeating myself here, but I just loved applying all of these polishes. And this color is just perfect. Shown above is two coats with top coat.
And finally, we have French Pressed for Time, a dark, warm toned brown cream with the same formula as Brew Ha Ha, super glossy and easy to use. I can almost smell the coffee beans just looking at this polish! It applied just slightly darker on the nails than it looked in the bottle, but I love this vampy color! Shown above is two coats plus top coat.
Clearly, I'm loving this collection - but I've got a few other goodies to share. Let's start with their nail prep:
For all the swatches above, I used the Cuccio Dehydrator, Base Coat, and High Gloss Top Coat. This was my first time ever using a dehydrator, and it was actually really nice! Normally, I moisturize before applying my polish, but then I have to wait five or more minutes for the lotion to soak in before I can start painting, but with the dehydrator, I could just paint it onto my moisturized nails and it dried them up nicely! The base coat was great as well, and the polish adhered nicely to it.
But the real star here is the high gloss top coat - wow! I've been looking for a glossy top coat that isn't really thick like Seche Vite, but still dries glossy and even, and I think I've found it. This top coat applied smoothly and leveled itself out beautifully for all my swatches, and it dried super quickly as well. I will deifnitely be using this top coat more often.
Now, I also have been using the Cuccio Milk and Honey Cuticle Conditioning Oil as well -
Some of you may remember that a few weeks ago, I had a bit of a run-in with a cuticle nipper, and it left my cuticles looking ragged and awful. I immediately began using this cuticle oil every night before bed, and before I knew it, my nails were completely back to normal. This stuff is really a miracle, and it smells incredible. It also moisturizes without leaving you feeling especially oily, which I love in a cuticle product. I actually used this oil on my cuticles right before taking photos for every swatch you see above! This has easily become my favorite cuticle product.
This product is also huge - at 2.5 fl oz, it'll last an extremely long time. I love how it comes with a dropper instead of a brush, so you can just drop a dab onto each nail and control the amount you use.
Overall, I think it's safe to say that I loved my first experience with Cuccio, and I can't wait to see what else they come up with. The polishes I reviewed are $8.50 USD each and can be purchased here. The cuticle oil is $13.95 and comes in a variety of different scents (but trust me, you'll love this one!) and can be purchased here. Don't forget, you can use the code POLISHCHALLENGE at HB Beauty Bar for 15% off your entire order!
These products were provided for my honest review.
As I mentioned, these polishes are coffee inspired shades, and I love the neutral color palette for this collection! This was my first ever experience with Cuccio, and I am extremely impressed with their flawless formulas and their wide, flat brushes for easy application. These polishes definitely feel like a high end brand, but they're definitely less expensive! Anyway, let's have a look at them:
Java Va Voom! is a gorgeous warm beige cream with a flawless formula. This polish instantly reminded me of coffee (with lots of cream!) and I love the way it looks on my nails, even though it has a distinct yellow tone that normally doesn't flatter my skin tone. This neutral is perfect for the office! Shown above is two coats with top coat.
Cream & Sugar is a cool medium taupe loaded with iridescent shimmer. This color is also gorgeous, and also perfect for the office! I love how it has the subtle shimmer to really add to the color. As is usual with shimmery polishes, this formula was a bit thicker, so I decided to use three really thin layers plus top coat for opacity without making the polish too thick on my nails.
Cuppa Cuccio is a full coverage gold based glitter bomb with a ton of sparkle (and some silver shimmer as well!) Wow, this color is super bold and I love it! I know it's early to say, but this polish will be perfect for a holiday party or for New Year's. I'm really impressed at how opaque this glitter is, too. Shown above is two coats with top coat.
Bean There Done That! is another full coverage glitter bomb, but this one is packed with holographic gold microglitters! I didn't think this one would be fully opaque, so I layered it over Cream & Sugar, but I was pleasantly surprised with the coverage of this polish. This color is really a party on the nails, and I love all the colors that the holographic glitters show off. Shown above is two coats layered over Cream & Sugar, with top coat.
Coffee, Tea or Me is a beautiful rust colored polish that features silver and copper shimmer, as well as gold microflakes. This color is so complex and I loved it immediately! It definitely reminds me of fall, and the added golden flakes make it so sparkly and beautiful. Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.
Brew Ha Ha is a deep maroon cream with a super glossy shine. What a classic fall color, and with such an amazing formula! I know I'm repeating myself here, but I just loved applying all of these polishes. And this color is just perfect. Shown above is two coats with top coat.
And finally, we have French Pressed for Time, a dark, warm toned brown cream with the same formula as Brew Ha Ha, super glossy and easy to use. I can almost smell the coffee beans just looking at this polish! It applied just slightly darker on the nails than it looked in the bottle, but I love this vampy color! Shown above is two coats plus top coat.
Clearly, I'm loving this collection - but I've got a few other goodies to share. Let's start with their nail prep:
For all the swatches above, I used the Cuccio Dehydrator, Base Coat, and High Gloss Top Coat. This was my first time ever using a dehydrator, and it was actually really nice! Normally, I moisturize before applying my polish, but then I have to wait five or more minutes for the lotion to soak in before I can start painting, but with the dehydrator, I could just paint it onto my moisturized nails and it dried them up nicely! The base coat was great as well, and the polish adhered nicely to it.
But the real star here is the high gloss top coat - wow! I've been looking for a glossy top coat that isn't really thick like Seche Vite, but still dries glossy and even, and I think I've found it. This top coat applied smoothly and leveled itself out beautifully for all my swatches, and it dried super quickly as well. I will deifnitely be using this top coat more often.
Now, I also have been using the Cuccio Milk and Honey Cuticle Conditioning Oil as well -
Some of you may remember that a few weeks ago, I had a bit of a run-in with a cuticle nipper, and it left my cuticles looking ragged and awful. I immediately began using this cuticle oil every night before bed, and before I knew it, my nails were completely back to normal. This stuff is really a miracle, and it smells incredible. It also moisturizes without leaving you feeling especially oily, which I love in a cuticle product. I actually used this oil on my cuticles right before taking photos for every swatch you see above! This has easily become my favorite cuticle product.
This product is also huge - at 2.5 fl oz, it'll last an extremely long time. I love how it comes with a dropper instead of a brush, so you can just drop a dab onto each nail and control the amount you use.
Overall, I think it's safe to say that I loved my first experience with Cuccio, and I can't wait to see what else they come up with. The polishes I reviewed are $8.50 USD each and can be purchased here. The cuticle oil is $13.95 and comes in a variety of different scents (but trust me, you'll love this one!) and can be purchased here. Don't forget, you can use the code POLISHCHALLENGE at HB Beauty Bar for 15% off your entire order!
You can follow Cuccio Colour on Facebook for news and information, and of course you can follow HB Beauty Bar as well for updates and gorgeous nail art features.
What do you think of this brand? Have you ever tried it? Which polish do you like best?
These products were provided for my honest review.