Maybelline Color Show Denims

Good Sunday to all! I hope everyone is having a super weekend. So, I have quite a post to share, so let's get to it! Warning: pic heavy!
Today I wanted to show you a couple of new Maybelline polishes that I got a while back. I've never worn Maybelline before- maybe when I was a teen, but they release a new Color Show line that sales for only $2.99 a bottle. Couldn't pass that up! I got a bunch of them, nothing really special and unique. But, I did get a couple grouped as Denims, which are shimmery, flaky blues that I thought looked great and were blog-worthy.

First, is Denim Dash, which is the lighter of the two:

What impressed me about these polishes was that I only used one coat for both! It was a wonderful opaque shimmer and applied very smoothly.

Denim Dash closeup

Then I thought I'd get all fancy and add one coat of Sally Hansen HD DVD, which is a micro-flaky iridescent purple and blue- this is meant more as a layering or top polish as it is very sheer and doesn't look good on it's own.

Denim Dash                                                  Denim Dash with DVD

I just loved this combination and took like a million pictures...I still had to narrow it down and I could do any less than this! sorry!

Just a side note: I think it's' time to thin out my bottle of Seche Vite- it was so goopy it was stringy almost like a glue gun. Since I don't have any polish thinner, here's my system real quick:
I keep about 5 bottles of it on hand (available at Wal-Mart and Sally's for about $8 a bottle, but if you have a Sally's card, there are usually deals to get free top and basecoats) and use about 3 at a time. I have them listed on the bottom from thickest (oldest) to newest. When one becomes too thick I just add more from the second bottle...and so on. It works for me until I come up with something better! Ok, back to the polish...

Next, is the darker of the Denims, Styled Out:

Again, I used one coat of Styled Out and a thick coat of Seche Vite. I just loved this little polish and can see myself using it for stamping.

Styled Out closeup

Here is Styled Up with DVD on top:

I liked this one with no top coat. Gives it kind of a matte look. I love the iridescent shimmer of the different shades of purple and blue. Here they are compared side by side:

Honestly, I couldn't really tell the difference since the polish was dark to begin with. But, nevertheless, this was a fun swatch. Lastly, here are the Denim Dash and Styled Out together:



Denim Dash                                                                           Styled Out

I don't really wear these brands I guess because they're so well known and usually not unique. Most of the colors have been around for a while, but I really liked these and at such a great bargain they are great polishes and I was impressed enough to take a ton of pictures! Let me know what you think? Have you tried any of the new Maybelline Color Show line?

Spring Layers

It has been a while since my last post. Things are still crazy and not much has changed.  That hasn't stopped me from painting my nails every other day, but I haven't had time to take pics and post....or I'm just too damn tired...BUT! Good news for me...I FINALLY made a lightbox!! Yay! I tried waiting around for a box, but I finally bought one at Wal-Mart...how sad. My husband makes fun of it, but it's just a box to him. So, I had to take some pictures after I made it. So, without further ado, my first post with a lightbox! (I can't tell much difference if you ask me, which is rather depressing.)

I used CC Stuck on You as a basecoat. I've been experimenting with basecoats lately, but I never keep my polish on long enough to really tell a difference other than the application of my first layer of polish, which does make a bit of difference depending on what kind of polish I'm using (glitter, creme, sheer, etc.) I then used one coat of Finger Paints Pop Rock Pink from the Spring 2012 collection, which is actually more a peach color than pink, i think. I love this but wanted to try some layering witht this mani, so I continued with one coat of Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure (419, the new color release). I bought this a while back, but haven't worn it yet. I LOVE it, and can't wait to try it again. It's this beautiful light sheer shimmery pink that makes me think of sparkly cotton candy lol. At this point, I didn't want to go too far and change the color I had created.  So I used another color I had bought a long time ago but  haven't ever worn. One coat of Pure Ice Busted, which is a very shimmery iridescent purple and pink. Lastly, I finished with a coat of Northern Lights Cut the Door Holographic Top Coat Silver. I've seen this in Sally's and finally decided to try it. I only used one coat, so I didn't get much out of this, but I will try again with a darker color to really see what this offers.  I had fun with the layering and will try again soon with some different combinations. 


without my flash, in lightbox

Hope everyone who is in this part of the US is enjoying this beautiful weather (minus all the devastating tornadoes and storms). I was reading an article on global warming yesterday and how this March's warm weather has broken thousands of heat records in the US and is an exact example of global warming. So, with this, enjoy your week wherever you are and happy polishing!!

Stamping with BM20

Hey all you polish lovers! Today I thought I would try some stamping. I got some Bundle Monster plates a few weeks ago, but haven't had the patience to practice.  Because of the crappy, overcast weather today I didn't plan on taking any pictures, but I think my look turned out okay and the sun came out for about 5 minutes and I got a few pictures I thought I might share. 

I used Orly Bonder as a basecoat, then I used 2 coats of Sally Hansen
 Commander in Chic, which is a light taupe opaque polish.   I then used China Glaze White Cap, which I am IN LOVE with and I think everyone should have in their stash if you don't already!

Since I don't have any special Konad polish to use for the stamping I used the most opaque, one-coater polish I thought I had on plate BM20, Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Plum LuckThen I topped it off with Sally Hansen Insta-Dry top coat. I think it turned out alright, but still need some practice- I have trouble getting my whole nail covered at one time. So, practice, practice, practice for me!

butter LONDON- Spring 2012

Hey there polish people! Today I am sharing my swatches of most of the butter LONDON Spring 2012 Collection, with the exception of Trout Pout (I didn't like it enough to spend the $15 on it at first).  This is their latest collection, but surely isn't new to all you polish lovers.

photo from butterlondon.com

Here's my picture just to show the difference than the advertisment,
which isn't much (minus Trout Pout : ( l )

First, I bring to you Slapper, which was my last swatch of the day, so the sun was quickly fading, which I found greatly affected my pictures.  While one of my favorite of the bunch, I don't think I really captured this beauty because of the light, or lack thereof. I used 3 coats just because I wanted to get the full brightness. I used the same top coat on all of these swatches, Sally Hansen Insta-Dry .

 Next is Disco Biscuit, first of all, I love the name. It takes me back to my college days, yes I know what a disco biscuit is lol.  I think it's a perfect name for this glittery, shimmery hot pink.  When I see it, I think Michael Alig and James St. James, the original club kids!

 This color was a bit messy for me, because I had to do so many coats.  I used Pure Ice Platinum on the bottom to bring out the best of this color, which is kind of transparent, so I also used 3 coats on top of 2 coats of the Pure Ice, which is a pearly white and thought it turned out well.  I love this color for it iridescent purplish blue tiny glitter. It's kind of gritty and probably need a better top coat, but haven't had the chance to go shopping for one yet.

Third is Miss Bossy Boots. I wasn't really sure about this color until I put it on. It's got that "shabby chic" look. I also used 3 coats for this pastel, just to make sure I got the best of it.  I think it would be even prettier if I had applied a white coat underneath, but nevertheless I think I captured this color. The weather was perfect today, so I took the opportunity and swatched away!

First one is in the shade, second is taken in the light.

And last, but surely not least is Knackered. I love this color because it's transparency gives polishers the chance to make it their own color adding whatever base color underneath, giving it a different look every time. I thought I would play around before I decided which color to use underneath. As you can see on the wheel below, I tried 5 different 3 different blues, 1 shimmery taupe, and 1 light gray.

I wanted to show what I thought would be Knackered's true color if it was opaque, so I went with one coat of Sally Hansen Gray by Gray (which is more of a blue gray), and again 3 coats of the butter.  I love the different colors it gives in the sun.  I had so much fun taking different angles and playing with it in the sun (that so rhymed, yikes!) I thought the end result was very accurate and I was pleased. Besides I'm sure I'll do this color again soon, it's too pretty! This was my result:

This grayish purple iridescent color really comes out in the shade.

So, now that I did my swatches for this collection, I really wish I had bought Trout Pout...I think I underestimated it. Well, I know my manicure isn't perfect and I still have lots of practice, but I've been working really hard! I really have mom! ha.  Well ya'll, I really enjoyed doing these colors, they were different and all fun to apply and take pics! Only complaint I have is the time...I started at around noon and am just now finishing (around 11:30 p.m.), so it's very time consuming! I worked pretty much all day doing these swatches...I'm tired. I'm going to bed now:)