Wedding Wednesday: Pink Gradient Hearts

- PROVIDED FOR REVIEW -

Hey guys, and happy Wedding Wednesday! Today is actually the last Wednesday before my brother and his fiancee get married (!) and I'm still not sure what I'll wear on my nails. I'll have to look back at all my wedding inspired manicures so far to make a decision!

Anyway, today's manicure is a pretty pink stamped look:

Pueen Buffet Leisure Stamping Plate Set + I Scream Nails

Hello guys! Digit-al Dozen week is over but I've still got a bit more nail art for you - today I have some nail art featuring the new stamping plate set by Pueen, the Buffet Leisure set! The "stamping buffet" plates feature a fully etched design on each plate which allows for tons of nail art possibilities!

This set comes with 24 plates, in a convenient carrying case. All of the designs are beautiful and they're perfect for nails of any length, because you can choose how much and which design to use. I decided to do some "advanced stamping" and incorporate it into some simple skittle nail art:

I started with I Scream Nails Grape Soda on my outer two nails and Cirque Carpe Diem on my middle nails. I sponged on a quick and fun gradient with I Scream Nails Bubblegum Bang, and then created my stamping decal with Nanacoco Love Black. First, I let the pattern dry on the stamper, and then I filled it in with the two I Scream Nails shades. I topped it with top coat, and let that dry before placing it on my nail and topping that off with top coat to seal it in. I just love the end result!

I have a quick tutorial video on how I created this decal on YouTube.

Can we take a moment to drool over these gorgeous shades from I Scream Nails? These colors are so bright! I'm reviewing their collection soon, but I just couldn't resist using them for some nail art first.

Here is the stamping plate I used for this design - you can see there are three different patterns etched into it. I just loved the little strawberries and bows!

Here are the polishes I used. You can purchase the I Scream Nails shades here; the Nanacoco shade here; and the Cirque white here.

The Buffet Leisure stamping plate set is available here for $20.99 USD.

What do you think of this stamping set? Are you an avid stamper?

PRODUCTS USED:
Base: Duri Rejuvacote, purchase here

Polish: 
I Scream Nails Bubblegum Bang, I Scream Nails Grape Soda, purchase here
Nanacoco Love Black, purchase here (use code POLISHCHALLENGE for 15% off)
Cirque Carpe Diem, review here

Top: Seche Vite, purchase here (use code INEEDMORENAILPOLISH for 10% off)

OPI + Gwen Stefani "Don't Speak" 18K Gold Top Coat

Hi guys! Christmas Eve is upon us, but there's still time to grab some stocking stuffers for your loved ones, right? Well, you won't want to miss this one - Gwen Stefani and OPI have teamed up for a new collection this season, which includes a special edition 18K gold top coat. And I was lucky enough to get this topper from HB Beauty Bar to show you all!

This special edition topper comes in a gorgeous gold chrome bottle and of course, some fancy packaging! I found that this polish was different from other gold flakes I have tried, because this one includes some holographic gold shimmer as well. The formula was great (what else would you expect from OPI?!) and it was easy to apply. Let's take a look:

I couldn't decide if I wanted to wear this topper over red or black, so I decided to make a gradient where you could see it over both colors! I started with a base of Essie Jump in My Jumpsuit (which I reviewed here) and then sponged on Nanacoco Love Black. I topped them off with OPI Don't Speak.

I am totally in love with this combination! You can't really see the holographic sparkle unless you are in direct light (you can see it most on my middle nail in the above photo, but also some faint sparkle on my ring finger).

This manicure was originally going to be what I wore for Christmas because I just love how elegant it looks. I actually might just reapply it for tomorrow!

Here is a visual of all the polishes I used. All of them are from HB Beauty Bar. Don't forget, you can use the code POLISHCHALLENGE for 15% off your entire order, even on the gold top coat!

Overall, I do like this gold top coat. I think it's a wonderful less expensive alternative to some of the other gold flake top coats I've seen - it's only $24.95 USD from HB Beauty Bar! - and I think this bottle is a great collector's item for any nail polish lover.

What do you think of this topper?

*Some products provided for my honest review.

HB Beauty Bar: Nanacoco Holiday Swatch Spam

Wow, I can't believe Christmas is right around the corner! (And I still have a lot of holiday nail polishes and nail art looks to show you guys, haha!) Anyway, today I have four Nanacoco polishes from HB Beauty Bar that I picked out for the holiday season. These shades come in a variety of exciting finishes, but the colors are classy and perfect to celebrate with! I totally forgot to take a title photo for this blog post, so let's jump right into it:

Irresistable is a gorgeous dark red shimmer that's practically opaque in one coat. This is a great classic shade of red that you can wear all year long, but I just love colors like this during the holidays. Application was a tad brush-strokey, as is normal for this type of polish, but a careful second coat definitely kept everything looking nice. Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.

Lime Time is a bright lime green with some serious gold shimmer. I know, I know - this is totally a summer color. But I couldn't resist picking out such a cheerful shade of green! Okay, but seriously - this is a great color to have in your collection, especially for the summer months. Brush strokes were slightly visible on this one, but again, a careful second coat evened it out. Shown above is two coats with top coat.

Mermaid Lake is an insanely gorgeous aqua foil. This one had a crazy sparkle, and I just loved it! Again, this is a great summer color, but I also think it's a cheerful color to wear in the winter, especially during Chanukah. Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.

Finally, we have Surfer's Dream, a beautiful blue creme. (I think at this point we've established that I like wearing summery colors in the winter. Whatever!) This is a gorgeous color to wear year round. Blue cremes are one of my go-tos for nail polish on any given day, so I love having a shade like this, especially with an easy formula. My only issue with this polish is that it came with a wonky brush - but it was easy enough to work with. Shown above is two coats with top coat.

At $3 USD per bottle from HB Beauty Bar, these polishes are practically a steal! And as always, you can use the code POLISHCHALLENGE at checkout for 15% off your entire order.

What do you think of my holiday picks? Which is your favorite?

* These polishes were provided for my honest review.

American Horror Story Nail Art with Delush Polish

Hi guys! I'm so excited about today, because it's the season premiere of one of my favorite shows, American Horror Story. I just had to do some nail art to celebrate the occasion, and i had just the right polish - from the new American Horror Story inspired collection by Delush Polish!

Since the fourth season of American Horror Story is going to be centered around a freak show, I decided to go with a grungy circus theme for my nail art. On my outer two nails, I started with a base of Essie Dress to Kilt and sponged on a gradient with Nanacoco Love Black. My ring finger is Delush Polish Murder House, a gorgeous black crelly inspired by the first season of AHS. On my middle nail, I started with a base of Essie Urban Jungle and lightly sponged on KBShimmer How You Dune for a dirty look. Then, with acrylic paint, I freehanded circus tent stripes. I topped it all with top coat!

I am pretty happy with how these turned out, and I love this Delush Polish! I will be reviewing it along with the rest of the Scream Supreme collection soon, so keep an eye out for that. I don't think the matte top coat does the polish justice, but I find that with nail art, it's tough to get good photos when I have a shiny finish on my nails!

Is anyone else a fan of American Horror Story? My favorite season was definitely the first, but I'm excited to see what they do with this circus theme!

Here are the polishes I used. (And some reviews and buying information here: Nanacoco, Essie, Essie, KBShimmer)

Some products provided for my honest review.

HB Beauty Bar Glitter Gradient

When I posted this review of some Nanacoco glitters, I fell in love with the color combination of OPI I'm Feeling Sashy and Nanacoco Big Hit - I just had to use them togethr again. This time, I had to make a glitter gradient with this pair!

I'm Feeling Sashy is probably one of my favorite colors this season. It's beautiful, but muted. And paired with Big Hit, it looks perfect to wear at a festive party! I know I JUST paired these colors last week, but I had to fulfill this dream of making a glitter gradient with them, and I am so glad I did.

What do you think of this manicure?

HB Beauty Bar Review: Nanacoco Sprinkle of Color Collection

Hi guys! I have another review from HB Beauty Bar for you today - this time, I have four polishes from the Nanacoco Sprinkle of Color Collection, which retails for $3.50 and features glitter toppers and glitter filled crellies that are reminiscent of indie polishes.

All of these polishes applied wonderfully, and feature a flat, wide brush for easy application. These polishes did actually remind me of indie polishes, but they are so much cheaper! And, at the bottom of this post, I'll even share a 10% discount code. Let's get started with my favorite:

Big Hit is a glitter topper filled with blue, green, red, silver, and pink glitters in two different sizes. This color is gorgeous! I think it would be perfect for a glitter gradient. Here is one coat over OPI I'm Feeling Sashy (which I also got from HB Beauty Bar!). The glitters required no fishing or dabbing - all I did was a simple brushstroke over the nail to get perfect coverage!

You've probably already seen me using Snowflakes, a white glitter topper with small, medium, and large hex glitters and mini bar glitters. The glitters in this polish have a satin finish, so they are thin and delicate on the nail. Shown is one coat over ORLY Gumdrop. And I love it pairing it in a wintry skittle!

White Witch is a black and white glitter topper that has the same formula and satin glitter as Snowflakes. It features multiple sizes of black and white hex glitter, as well as white mini bar glitters. I paired this polish with Zoya Dove, and I love it! Black and white glitter polishes are pretty popular with the nail art community, so I'm glad to finally have one.

French Macaroon is a pale greenish blue crelly filled with large blue and green metallic hex glitters, medium green metallic hex glitters, and small orange metallic hex glitters. Shown above is three coats. This polish is so delicate and pretty, and it has an amazing formula! It definitely looks like something you would find from an indie brand, but with a lower price tag and an easy formula. I would definitely recommend looking into these crellies if you want the indie look for a better price!

You can get all of these polishes, and other brands like OPI, Zoya, and ORLY for great prices at HB Beauty Bar. And, when you use the code POLISHCHALLENGE10, you can get 10% off your entire order (with only $5 flat rate shipping)! You can also buy my favorite top coat, Seche Vite, for $3.25.

Which of these polishes is your favorite?

*Some products were provided for my honest review

HB Beauty Bar Review: Nanacoco Classic Polishes

Hi all, today is my much overdue review of some Nanacoco polishes I received from HB Beauty Bar. I've already reviewed some of their foil shades here, but today I have some of their basic polish line colors. These polishes apply beautifully, have great formulas, and they are available for just $3.00 a bottle! (And you will find a discount code at the end of this review, too!)

First up, we have Romantic Cruise, a baby blue cream that (despite the name) looks perfect for winter! Shown above is two coats. This is a definite favorite out of the polishes I am showing you today. As simple of a color as it is, I didn't have any like it in my collection, so you will definitely be seeing it in some nail art.

Mediterranean is a minty green cream. Shown above is three coats, and it went on a bit patchy, but it evened itself out without topcoat! This is another polish I can see myself using a lot for nail art.

This pale orange cream is called Love Me Tenderly. It reminds me of orange sherbert, almost! However, the photo looks slightly peachier than the polish - it is definitely more orange. Shown above is three coats.

And, last is a super bright pink polish called Florida Chick! This color was extremely hard to capture, and I find that it is less of a "hot" pink and more of a neon than the photo shows. I have to say, most bright neon colors like this are extremely difficult to apply, but I found that this one was very easy! Shown above is two coats.

You can get all of these colors and a ton more basic polishes from HB Beauty Bar - and as promised, you get a discount code! Use the code POLISHCHALLENGE10 at checkout for 10% off your entire order. HB Beauty Bar has a great selection of polishes, from Zoya to China Glaze to OPI, and they even sell Seche Vite!

Which of these colors is your favorite?

HB Beauty Bar Review: Nanacoco Crystal HD Shades

I have another HB Beauty Bar review for you guys! Today I am going to show you a few polishes from a brand that is relatively new to me, called Nanacoco. This brand features beautiful, high quality colors for a low price. I am going to show you my picks from their Crystal HD collection, which retail at HB Beauty Bar for $3.50 each. (Their regular color line retails for $3.00 each. I told you they're at a great price!)

About the formulas - these polishes are highly pigmented, but not thick, and they are self-leveling, which makes application super easy. The brush that comes in the bottle is flat and wide. I noticed that the polish does have a slightly different scent than most polishes, but I didn't mind it at all. The Crystal HD collection "is formulated with dazzling crystal dust and pigments saturated with luminous colors." Each is packed with a bright silver shimmer. None of the swatches below have top coat.

First we have It's Not A Dream, a rusty red (almost copper) foil. I can see this polish being used in some Christmas themed nail art! (Actually, I might be using all of these polishes for some Christmas nail art, they are all so perfect for the season!) Shown above is two easy coats.

Treasure Island is a warm golden shimmery foil. The silver shimmer is not as present in this polish, but it is still visible. This polish is a definite one coater, but I applied a second coat out of habit. A perfect warm gold polish for any occasion!

The City of Emeralds is a cool toned lime green foil. I absolutely love this color! Shown above is two easy coats. I think this was my favorite of the bunch, but it was the hardest to photograph.

Blue Sky is an ice blue foil that feels perfect for any season. It's just bright enough to be considered tropical, but icy enough to compliment any winter outfit! Shown above is two easy coats.

You can get all of these polishes and more from HB Beauty Bar, and don't forget to use the code POLISHCHALLENGE10 at checkout for 10% off your entire order. I highly recommend this brand to anyone who is looking for some great basic colors for a low price. I will be showing some of their glitter polishes and some basic cream polishes soon.

Which is your favorite of these polishes?

31DNAC Day 21: Inspired By A Color

Hello! We are in the final third of the challenge, and it starts fairly easily with the prompt to be inspired by a color. Well, I have been using a lot of purple lately so I decided to go with my trusty China Glaze Tart-y for the Party and make a skittle!

For the watermarble, I used Tart-y for the Party and OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls, topped with ORLY Shine On Crazy Diamond. My pinky finger has three coats of China Glaze Glistening Snow. And the white glitter on my middle finger is Nanacoco Snowflakes, from HB Beauty Bar (review to come soon!).

This skittle is wintery and fun, even though the purple is a Spring color! What do you think?

Be sure to check out my previous challenge manicures here.

PolishMeToGo Dear Journal Swatch

Hey guys! Today I have a polish to show you from PolishMeToGo, an indie brand known for their fabulous glow in the dark nail polishes! Since they burst onto the scene, PolishMeToGo has come out with a bunch of cool nail care products and accessories - I will be reviewing some of their nail care products soon. But today, I am showing you a glitter topper called Dear Journal.

Dear Journal is a Limited Edition 2013 polish, and it's packed with black, white, and silver glitters in a variety of sizes and shapes - I love the square glitters in this mix! Shown above is one coat of Dear Journal over Nanacoco Mediterranean, which I got from HB Beauty Bar (review coming soon!) How awesome is that holographic label?!

Here is a photo of the glitter in the bottle. This polish required no fishing and it spread evenly over my nail. Nobody can resist a beautiful black and white glitter, and this one is no exception!

You can buy PolishMeToGo at their online store, or follow them on Instagram for some gorgeous photos of their products. Most of their polishes retail for $9.50 and they sell fast - so if you see one you like, grab it while you can!