Pantone September 2013 Nail Challenge

Hello All! I've been in Instagramland (allthingsnails_) for the last year and promised one of my friends I'd post again because I've come to realize that everyone doesn't have Instagram or even want it, so...

I've challenged myself in two ways with today's post, 1. To come back to Blogger after my hiatus, and 2. To polish my nails more this month and for that reason I created the September 2013 Pantone Nail Challenge!

"For more than 20 years, Pantone, the global authority on color, has surveyed the designers of New York Fashion Week and beyond to bring you the season’s most important color trends. This [color selection] previews the most prominent hues for fall 2013." -- www.pantone.com

So with that said, I will break this up into a three-post series from the Fall 2013 Top Ten color spectrum (above).

Today we will be showcasing the brights of the bunch:

• Samba (Red) is OPI's Vodka and Caviar

• Koi (Orange) is Misa's Flame Angel

• Vivacious (Magenta) is Zoya's Areej 

Thank you so much to the 500 of you for sticking around, I really hope you like this series and sincerely hope to hear from you. With Blogger, comments mean everything!!! 

Revlon - Cherries In The Snow

Revlon Cherries In The Snow has been a cult classic since the 50's and is still going strong!  I had a special assembly to attend on Sunday and this was my lacquer of choice.  Vivid and elegant and just perfect for the occasion.


Color Description: Photographing here as a classic red creme, Cherries In The Snow is anything but.  Yes, in certain lighting it definitely is what you see on the screen but in the bottle and at first glance, it's a blue-based dark red bordering on fuchsia. 


Similar To: This the same color as my previous post, OPI Do You Think I'm Tex-y!  The major difference is the finish with OPI being a jelly/sorbet (needing about 3 coats) and Revlon ending up a nice one-coat creme.


This Look: One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, two coats (because I wanted two not because I needed two) of Cherries In The Snow and one coat of Shine & Hold topcoat.

Click to expand and read for a good giggle!

Price Point/Availability: As mentioned earlier, this lacquer's been around since the 50's and it doesn't look like it's going anywhere.  You can find this wherever Revlon is sold retailing at $4 -$5/ea.


If you choose to pick up this beauty you will not be disappointed and thanks for stopping by!

OPI - Do You Think I'm Tex-y?

Do You Think I'm Tex-y (DYTIT) is from OPI's 2011 Texas Collection and this nail look was inspired by Revlon's Cherries in The Snow lipstick.  It's a new lipstick to me but a cult classic since the 1950's for many.  Isn't it intriguing?


Color Description: I would categorize this lacquer in the raspberry/cherry family as it is a deep pink-red that contains blue undertones.  OPI described it as "a berry" sorbet (jelly) and I concur.


Similar To: Can't wait to get my hands on Revlon's lacquer Cherries In The Snow because even though one is a jelly (DYTIT) and one is a creme (CITS), I believe them to be just about the same color.  Also, I compared it to a vintage Sally Hansen that I own Tropical Rose Creme these are the same, as well.


This Look: One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, one coat of OPI Acrylic Nail Base Coat, three coats of DYTIT, and one coat of Sally Hansen Mega Shine, totaling 7 coats of lacquer! 


Price Point/Availability: Texas Collection by OPI is available at Professional Salons, JCPenney and Ulta, for $8.50 suggested retail.


What finish do you prefer? Jelly, creme, glitter, crackle, holographic? Personally, I'm actually starting to like cremes more than jellies for opacity but you can't beat the shine that a jelly lacquer offers.  A certain yummy-factor like no other. :)

Pink Wednesday: Sally Hansen Color Quick Pen - Red Chrome

What one minute!  This is Pink Wednesday not Red Wednesday, right?  Yes, it is Pink Wednesday and this post is for Red Chrome but did you take a look at the pic? As pink as pink can get...


Color Description: Sally Hansen should have called this Hot Pink Chrome because it's sure not red but it is lovely.  A metallic deep pink, Red Chrome, is definitely a nice color for any occasion.


Similar To: Nothing in my collection, how about yours?


This Look: One coat of Instant Artificials, two coats of Red Chrome and one coat of Shine & Hold.


Price Point/Availability: I'm still seeing this at my local CVS, however, I picked up mine at my dollar store for, you guessed it, $1.00.  So this make me think this will be discontinued sooner than later.


Hope you like this look.  By the way, do you have any of Sally Hansen's pen applicators?  I have a few and this is the second time I've tried it out.  Not bad but the brush definitely is rough and tough and will leave streaks so you have to be very careful when applying.  Take care!

Finger Paints - Asylum over Revlon Fearless (12/27/2011)

Asylum [əˈsaɪləm] n.  An institution for the shelter, treatment, or confinement of individuals, esp. a mental hospital (formerly termed lunatic asylum). - The Free Dictionary (online)


Finger Paints Asylum will have you questioning your sanity it's so beautiful and I'm also glad that Finger Paints has brought a few more unique flakie formulations to the general population.  "Hidden Treasure" (Sally Hansen) is so "2010" (Nubar) - LOL!!!


All jokes aside, what I mean is that these type of multi-colored flakies (see FingerPaints ad below) are usually a bit more pricey and available online only - this is not the case with Finger Paints.  Plus, I'm not a fan of buying polish online when I'm literally swimming in nail polish in my local area.  Now that my mini-rant is done, on to the review...

Color Description: Asylum is a mix of purple, orange and yellow flakies suspended in a clear milky base and will amplify the look of medium to dark lacquers.  It may get lost on pastels or paler colors.  My red combo is showing peeks of color for a more subtle look but to really show this line off you'll need to go much darker, if not black.


Similar To: A combination of Nfu Oh #56 & #43, but I doubt there's anything on the market right now that has these colors all mixed up like Asylum.


This Look: Two coats of Asylum over my previous mani with a coat of Shine & Hold for a nice shiny quick-dry.


Price Point/Availability: These will be available at your local Sally's Beauty Supply come January 1st, 2011.  I just asked if they had them, they did and I purchased two on sale for $4.99 (regular $5.49, I believe).  I'm hoping for these to be placed in Finger Paints core line but know today's marketing strategies, they will more than likely be "Limited Edition".


I can truly say that Asylum and Twisted are my favorite lacquers of 2011 (even though they're not to be officially released until 2012).

Revlon - Fearless (12/24/2011)

I spotted this new Revlon at CVS this weekend and fell in absolute love all over again.  I keep falling for these colors and just convince myself when I'm in the check-out line that it's slightly different from the the four or five other brands that I have at home.  


You do have to be very careful with Revlon color choices, though, because they have been known to rename and recently repackage the same color and sell it as new.  How Tricky!


Color Description: Fearless is a gorgeous orange-red creme that can almost be jelly-like, but not quite.  It is bright, thus the name but I find it to be very wearable and this shade always garners lots of compliments.


Similar To:  Let me count the ways (cough, cough)! Let's just say that a few in my collection are similar... Click here for my orange-red collection.


This Look: One coat of Nutra Nail Touch of Color Nail Strenghtener, one coat of Instant Artificials, two coats of Revlon Fearless and one coat of Shine & Hold. Great application that gives a flawless finish.


Price Point/Availability: This lacquer is $4.99 and was found at CVS in a new freestanding display toward the front of the store.  Be careful, there's a dupe of Perplex in this collection called Naughty (do not be fooled, like me - lol).


Thanks for checking me out today!  I can't wait to try the new flakies at Sally's later on.  Picked up Asylum and Twisted - crazy names but beautiful effects. :)

NYX - Woman (11/11/2011)

As Shania Twain says, this lacquer ♪♫"makes me feel like a woman!"♪♫  NYX Woman is one of those lacquers that until you pick up and look at closely in the bottle you won't realize how special it is.


Color Description:  NYX Woman is a red lacquer that glows from within, truly.  It's a deep ruby red with gold, red and magenta shimmer and I just can't seem to take it off.  After the pics were taken I broke a nail, mended it and reapplied Woman - phenomenal!


Similar To:  Puts me in the mind of one of my oldie but goodies OPI I'm Not Really A Waitress - you get the drift... It's GOOOD!


This Look:  One coat of Instant Artificials, two coats of Woman, one coat  of Mega Shine and one coat of NailShine Miracle.


Price Point/Availability:  This lacquer retails online for about $4.00 but you can find it locally at your mom and pop beauty supplier for less that $2.00.

I'm sure I've seen this many times before and and decided to "walk on by" as the song goes until I recently picked it up and to my surprise it's a real gem of a lacquer.  If you see it in the store give it a gander, you just might like what you see. :)

OPI - Vodka & Caviar (10/28/2011)

I had a strong desire to wear a classic red today and the first color to pop into my mind was OPI's Vodka & Caviar.  This lacquer hails from the 2007 Russian collection and may just be the red of all reds.


Color Description: V&C is a medium to deep red creme that can be an everyday color or special occasion depending on your mood.  Definitely a must for the lacquer lover!


This Look: One coat of Starting Over After Artificials two coats of Vodka & Caviar and one coat of Shine & Hold topcoat.


Price Point/Availability:  I believe this color has been inducted into the OPI core line for its classic allure and is readily available for purchase online and in your local salons.  Retails for $8.50.


Have a great weekend!

Forever 21's Love & Beauty - Coral (08/06/2011)

This post will be short and sweet!  Let me know you thoughts on this lacquer from Forever 21 - Love & Beauty Coral.

Color Description: The classic orange-red coral.

Price Point: $2.80 from Forever 21.

Similar To: A few in my collection are similar, including last weeks post.  Click here for relating posts.

Have a great Sunday! 

Milani - Hot, Hot, Hot w/ Accent Nail & OOTD (07/30/2011)

Experimentation was the name of the game today with my Milani Hot, Hot, Hot mani.  If you scroll through my previous manis you won't find one hint of nail art other than crackle or glitter, but I was totally inspired by the traveler's tank I found yesterday with a friend!  Aren't the colors wild?  I also found Hot, Hot, Hot yesterday and thought I'd wear them together.


Color Description: Milani Hot, Hot, Hot is a bright orange-red creme that is perfect for the summer.


This Look: One coat of Starting Over After Artificials then base color Milani Hot, Hot, Hot, then the accent nail consists of Milani Whitest White, Mood (turquoise) in Confident/Peaceful, FingerPaints (navy) in Cobalt Cardigan and Color Club's (dark yellow) I Always Get My Man-darin.  The manicure was then topped with Sally Hansen Mega Shine.  Fun, fun, fun!


Outfit:  I will wear this artsy tank with my navy blue Chico's necklace and a turqouise linen jacket and wide leg slacks.  Patent navy gladiator sandals will finish the look.


Similar To: Very close in hue to OPI's Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It and others in my collection (click for previous review).


Have a great rest of the weekend.  I'm pretty tuckered out and need to get some rest but hope to hear from you soon. :)

Pink Wednesday: OPI - Crim-Sun

OTT Light w/ Light Box

Old-school holographic nail polish at it's best, OPI Crim-Sun is one of a kind.  This is from the 2003 Summer for Shore collection, of which I have two, Crim-Sun and Blue Moon Lagoon.


Color Description: I would say this is a hot-pink coral with a subtle holographic sheen with a bit of frost thrown in there for good measure.  Very unique to my other OPI DS lacquers.

Incandescent Lighting

Similar To: From various reviews, Crim-Sun is said to be dupish to the old Sally Hansen Nail Prisms in Coral Amber, which came out around the same time in '03.


This Look:  Decided to go 100% OPI on this mani and try out a new basecoat - OPI Acrylic Nail Base Coat.  Despite the name I'm using on my natural nails because it boast of having a "stain-resistant formula".  We'll see.  Then I have two coats of Crim-Sun and on coat of th OPI Designer Series topcoat.

Indoor Lighting w/ Low Flash

Price Point/Availability: This collection has been discontinued for over 9 years, however, it can still be found online.


Well, another Pink Friday mani down, what to wear next?  Maybe a something from the new Miss Universe Collection? ...or, one of the Serena Williams looks? We shall see... As always, thanks for stopping by and what's your next mani gonna be?

Essie - Ruby Slippers (5/8/2011)

There's no place like home...  Essie Ruby Slippers is what I call a "special occasion" nail polish, however, it is very wearable; you wanna be anywhere but home with when you wear this.  My hubby picked this out for our anniversary and though I couldn't wear it to dinner, I put it on the first chance I got and wore it on Sunday.  I've been wearing this for three days and so far so good.


Color Description:  Ruby Slippers is a deep red jelly with medium (almost chunky) multi-colored glitter from shades of red to orangey-gold.  Depending on how many coats you apply, the glitter appears to be suspended in strawberry syrup.  If you've ever made your own strawberry shortcake from scratch, with fresh strawberries, you know exactly what I'm talking about.


Similar To:  It's different than any other red glitter I own because of the size and color of the glitter.  But, believe it or not, this is not my favorite red-jelly glitter of the bunch...  I actually preferred Wet n Wild's Extravaganza, so much so, that I bought an extra and have it in my back-up box!


This Look:  One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, three coats of Ruby Slippers, one coat of Sally Hansen NailShine Miracle and one coat of Sally Hansen Mega Shine.


Price Point/Availability:  I received this in a swap from the lovely rmcandlelight of Nails Beautiqued, however, Essie has long since discontinued Ruby Slippers. After doing a quick google search, I see that it is still being sold online at a few e-tailers.


Well, it's time for a change!  I really want to join in the Pink Wednesday craze, so I'm off to remove this and see which pink I want to wear...  Talk to you soon. :)

Essie - Meet Me At Sunset (4/27/2011)

Orange is one of the hottest trends of this Spring/Summer and Essie hit the nail on the head with Meet Me At Sunset (MMAS) from their 2011 Summer Collection: Color Me Braziliant!  


Color Description:  Essie describes MMAS an "intense flamigo citrine", I say, google "safety orange" and you'll get its overall feel.  But don't feel as if you have to play it safe and pass this one by, it's definitely a wearable orange.


Similar To:  I compared a few orange-reds from my collection here and the bottom line was that MMAS has the most vivid orange hue of them all!  These are all close: OPI - Big Hair Big Nails, Essie - Meet Me At Sunset, OPI - Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It, Borghese - Castello Cherry and Love & Beauty - Coral.


This Look:  One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, two coats of MMAS (definitely could've used a third) and on coat of Sally Hansen Mega Shine.


Price Point/Availability:  Essie retails for $8 at some drugstores and select salon locations.  I really like the fact that CVS is now selling these and I can use my ExtraBucks to purchase them.


Now orange you glad you can be fabulous for as little as $8?  Nail polish is just a little way to introduce trends into your wardrobe and I'm all for that.  Let me know which Summer Essie's you're picking up this season.  Stay well-polished and TTYS!

Q&D - Essie Meet Me At Sunset Comps

We've all been noticing Essie's 2011 Summer Collection: Color Me Braziliant pop up in various drugstores.  Well, while out and about today I picked up two: Meet Me At Sunset (index finger) and Smooth Sailing (the periwinkle shimmer).  

First up we have quick and dirty swatches to  compare Meet Me At Sunset (MMAS) with other similar colors.  As you see I love orange-red cremes but MMAS is a stand out!  


In this pic from thumb to pinky, you have: 

• OPI - Big Hair Big Nails (thumb), 
• Essie - Meet Me At Sunset (index), 
• OPI - Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It (middle), 
• Borghese - Castello Cherry (ring) and 
• Love & Beauty - Coral (pinky)

Now for the bottle pics (in the same order as above) you will see how close they appear.  Please note, though, that none are dead-on dupes, due to their slight nuances.  I can't really pick a favorite but I do know that I will enjoy wearing each and every one of these this season!

I will say this, however, Essie MMAS has the most vivid orange hue and will be my next mani;  for a complete review of this check back a little later.  Hope this helps you make your decision on purchasing the new Summer Essie Meet Me At Sunset (or not) and if you have any questions on where these can be purchased please let me know.

Zoya - Kimmy (Summer Sunshine Collection 2011)

Color Description:  Zoya Kimmy is serious fire on my fingertips!  This color is from the Zoyas new Sunshine collection and they got this one 100% right.  This reminds me of the core of the sun while Zoya Faye (my previous post) reminds me of a beautiful Summer sunset.  This is a super gorgeous orange red with lots of golden micro-glittler.  It's a WINNER!


Similar To:  I went to my collection to check out Orly's Cherry Bomb, as well as, Maybelline's Red Hot Reds (pic from audraelena on MUA).  The actual color of each are very similar, but finish and application are different. Red Hot Reds could qualify as a dupe if it wasn't so thin (it takes at least 4 coats to get to 1 coat of Kimmy), while Cherry Bomb is a frost/shimmer with no micro-glitter taking away from the "wow-factor!"


This Look: One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, two coats of Kimmy and one coat of Shine & Hold topcoat.


Price Point/Availability:  Zoyas Sunshine collection is available in salons and online for $8.  Orly's Cherry Bomb can be found at Sally Beauty Supply and Red Hot Reds by Maybelline is discontinued but has been popping up at Big Lots and Dollar Trees nationwide.


Well, talk to you later on in the week!  What were your well-polished selections from the Zoya Sunshine Collection?

OPI Too Hot Pink To Hold 'Em (Spring/Summer 2011)

OPI's Too Hot Pink To Hold 'Em, is my second go around with OPI's Texas Collection and so far so good.  Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI's Executive VP and Artistic Director states that, "Wearing these colors on fingers and toes will accessorize the season's must-have pieces...".  Well, I love to accessorize and I really like this collection.


Color Description:  Too Hot Pink To Hold 'Em is described as "a red-hot pink-red that deals a winning hand".  Notice how many times "red" is used in the description.  Well, on me, this color is a cherry red jelly (no pink in sight) that is very flattering and definitely gets compliments.


Similar To:  As this is a jelly, it's similar to nothing that I own.  Feel free to comment with other similar colors down below. :)


This Look:  Believe it or not, this is 4 coats of color for opacity with Barielle's Camouflage as a base and topping it with Shine and Hold from my local beauty supply.


Price Point/Availability:  The Texas Collection is in stores now, retailing for $8.50.  Just received my Ulta coupon in the mail for $3.50 of of $10 purchase.  I just may pick up a few more to help complete my collection.


Have and awesomely well-polished Monday - and if you have a day off like me that's even better!

Del Sol Ruby Slipper (01/09/2011)

I love, love, love this nail polish.  It's so much fun to wear that I felt like I was back in grade school showing all of my friends its wonderment.  Del Sol Ruby Slipper changes color in the sun and is not to be confused with mood changing nail polishes.  It encourages you to get out in the sun and get active, but in any light it is absolutely gorgeous.


Color Description:  In the bottle, Ruby Slipper is a silver glitter.  On my nails indoors it's a platinum, almost pale gold beauty and outdoors, in full on sunlight, it's a beautiful ruby red.  Each bottle has a hibiscus flower on the front and this is the color that it will change to in the sun.  It really works!


Similar To:  As mentioned above, one could say it would be similar to the mood changing polishes on the market, but I really think Del Sol has the market cornered with dozens of colors and finishes to choose from and the "get up, get out and do something" factor.  This polish awesome!  Del Sol makes hats and watches, and you name it, all for the active lifestyle...  I need some of that in my life. :)


This Look:  Patience is preferred when applying this glitter.  It's very fine and sheer with the first coat so I did four coats (no base), with one coat of Sally Hansen Mega Shine (optional).  This was not a gritty, bumpy glitter, but went on smooth.  I only put on a topcoat so that it wouldn't chip!

Price Point:  Online these are going for $10 per bottle and just until recently were being sold at Walgreens for $8 ea.  Recently, Walgreens has changed their pricing strategy and are selling them 3/$10 or $4 ea.  I picked a few for me, some for my nieces and took three of my friends to Walgreens where the purchased "a few" for their girls and themselves.


Thanks again and see you real soon!  If you have any "well-polished" questions, feel free to ask and I will get back with you... :)

Glitter Glam-Up: Nabi Mix Big Glitter over Barielle Elle's Spell

Introducing the Nabi Mix Big Glitter - what a name (lol)!  Last night I was playing in my glitter collex and thought this look came out pretty funky and fun, at the same time. 

This is a "less than 24-hour" mani that will be removed this evening but it's gonna be fun while it lasts!!!  See you tomorrow with my real "glitter" mani that will stay on the entire weekend.  As usual, stay well-polished...

Barielle - Elle's Spell (12/13/2010)

I was so excited to find this at Ulta on Saturday!  I called and the store said, "No, we don't have it but we have the Too Faced Enchanted Kit".  I went to the store thinking, "One out of two isn't bad."  Low and behold, I perused the aisles and there it was.  The only Barielle of note (IMO) in the collection.

Color Description: Elle's Spell (ES) has a deep ruby jelly base with medium size golden-orange flakies.  This is definitely a nail fanatic must-have, however, like many jelly finishes, it is extremely difficult to capture in pictures.  I did the best I could. :)

Price Point:  Barielle's are reasonably priced (for a salon brand) at $6.00.  So far, I've only seen these at Ulta and Barielle.com, but I'm sure these can be found at a few boutique salons and beauty supply stores.

Similar To:  I have no other red flaky in my collection, however, from pictures of Nfu Oh #59 (see PHD's awesome post here), it looks like #59 is the closest thing on the market and is probably as accessible as ES.  I own about five other red lacquers with gold or red glitter which are: Rush Glamour (old school Sally Beauty brand), Essie Ruby Slippers, Maybelline Red Carpet, China Glaze Ruby Pumps and the newest edition Milani Red Sparkle. All of these put me in the same mind frame as ES (also included in the bottle pic below).

This Look: 1 coat of Starting Over After Artificials, 3 coats of ES and 1 coat of Sherani Tufcoat.

Well, thanks for stopping by and I believe my next mani will be full on glitter.  Can't wait to post this soon. 

Stay well-polished and dry today; it's raining here in Sunny Los Angeles!

OPI - Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It (12/3/2010)

Yesterday while at Sally's Beauty Supply two sales associates at different times asked me what color this was.  Here I am thinking, "Wow, they work at Sally's with over a hundred shades of nail polish and they're curious about this color - that's amazing!"  I was beaming and was happy to give them the 411.

Color Description:  Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It (TDMMDI - whew!) is an orange-red, leaning towards neon, but not quite.  Vivid and vivacious, TDMMDI reminds me of the safety orange vests worn in Earthquake Drills (a California, thing!), but this color is anything but safe.  It's out there, as far as color goes, but can be worn with pretty much any outfit.