Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy™ Longwear Nail Enamels

I'm just adding another cure-less gel polish to your list of must-haves. 

Don't get me wrong.. I love gel-based cure polishes but the removal is a pain. 

Who has time to stick their hands in acetone or spend time picking it off (damaging their nail beds). 

Not I!

I've been playing with the Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy™ Longwear Nail Enamel ($8.99 CAN) for a couple months.

I just received the perfect fall nail colour from them in the mail- so I decided to share them.
*******I have other colours, if you would like them swatched*******

So far, I have tried a few polish based gel polish brands. For me, the Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy™ Longwear Nail Enamel is equal or if not a little bit better (due to the 2 step process) then the L'Oreal Extraordinaire Gel-Lacquer. At the bottom of the totem pole is the CND Vinylux polishes. 

The only con I have about the Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy polishes is that you should not add more then two coats of colour. I did it and it took a really long to dry.
Other than that these are pretty fantastic!

Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy™ Longwear Nail Enamel- All or Nothing

Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy™ Longwear Nail Enamel- High Stakes

Have you tried these polishes before?

My L'Oreal Extraordinaire Gel-Lacquer 1-2-3 manicure experience

Gel polishes are on the rise.

Some people want the durability of Gel polishes without the crazy removal time.

I was recently sent L'Oreal's new Extraordinaire Gel-Lacquer 1-2-3 manicure set.

I had no idea what to expect.

It was a three-step process.

Shake gently. After applying Gel-Primer, apply 2 coats followed by Extraordinaire Gel-Glaze.

Let me start off by saying I love the consistency of the polish.

No bubbling or streaking during my application.

Get the kit here:

All I needed was one thick coat! 

I was extremely impressed with the dry time.

After 7 days

Pros:

• No MAJOR chipping.
• Colour stayed on pretty good for 7 days.
• No UV light needed.

Con:

• Shine was gone.
• Visible wear up close.

I will say that the gel-lacquer holds up better than regular polish for me. I just wish that it still had the shine like my regular gel manicures after a week. The removal was a breeze. I used regular nail polish remover. No issues/ damages to my nail beds.

What do you think about my 7 day wear?

Nicole by OPI: Carrie Underwood collection Swatches

I've been eyeing these polishes since I posted the announcement back in early December: 

Nicole by OPI: Carrie Underwood collection- January 2014

Nicole by OPI never disappoints.

Creamy finishes and glitter with great coverage!

What more can a girl ask for.

Shop the Nicole by OPI- Carrie Underwood collection:

SWATCHES:

Lips are Dripping Honey

This multi-gold glitter is sweet on you.

Sweet Daisy

A bouquet of southern peach blossoms.

Party Bus

Celebrate on-the-go with this party-perfect confetti glitter.

Which Carrie Underwood collection swatch is your favourite?

New from Kiss Nail Products: Gel Fantasy Nails & Salon Secrets Nail Art Starter Kit

There are so many nail options out there. Honestly, there is no reason for my nails to bare.
If you see me with bare nails, please scream at me!

These new releases from Kiss products fit right in to my 2014 beauty resolution.

Let's start with the Gel Fantasy Nails kits which I have featured below.

Yes ladies! I'm wearing gel press on nails.

I'm wearing painted veil

Back in Early December, I had the opportunity to meet Gina Edwards. She's a celebrity manicurist who came to Canada to debut Kiss's new nail products for a few select beauty media. Gina complimented me on my nail beds and picked out this oval fantasy gel set for me (seen above).

Shop Kiss Nail Products:

Why gel fantasy nails?

You can sport a sparkling glitter manicure that stays shiny and bright with an ultra-smooth finish, without the hassle of glitter removal! 

Gel removal can be a long process, if you do not know what you're doing. Gel Fantasy gives you the opportunity to get the look you want in less than 10 minutes or less. You can chose to apply them with the mega-adhesive tabs or glue them on. Your preference!

 Each set comes with:

• 24 Nails 
• 24 Mega-Adhesive Tabs 
• Pink Gel Glue (2g) 
• Mini File Manicure Stick

Check out the eight styles below:

A manicurist from Tips Nail bar which applied the nails and added some extra nail art to jazz them up. The glitters that she used is also from kiss! It's their Salon Secrets Nail Art Starter Kit. 

Create nail designs just like the professionals with this all-encompassing collection of tools and nail art straight from the salon.

It also comes with a Pro Design Guide that gives you nail inspiration from top nail experts!

Each kit comes with:

• Pre-Cut Nail Art 
• 6 Glitter Pouches 
• Design Decals 
• Faux Rhinestones Charms 
• Foil Tape 
• Dotting Tool 
• 3 Nail Art Brushes
•  Nail Art Sealer (3.3mL) 
• Pro Design Guide

Easy nail art at your finger tips!
Are there any styles that you want to see me try? Let me know below.

Have you seen these in stores yet?

My Beauty Resolution for 2014!

Right now, my hands are a serious focal point. Bad nails and a gorgeous ring- DO NOT go together. It’s embarrassing actually! 

No one want to give a disclaimer every single time someone asks to see it! 

My beauty resolution is to take care of my nails weekly. 

I will try my best to use cuticle oil daily, file/shape my nails and give myself manicures!

My favourite product to use is Dior’s Creme Apricot. It’s a rich fortifying cream for your nails. Easy to use- All you have to do is apply the product around your nails and massage it in! I like to use it on naked nails right before I paint them. Perfect product to use right before you go to your bed.
Buy it now.

What is your Beauty Resolution for 2014?

This post was featured on Fashion Magazine Beauty Panel

Essie Encrusted Treasures Swatches

Do you know what you're going to wear on your nails this holiday?
If not, I can help! Glitter is in! To me, glitter is the ultimate nail art because it can totally transform your manicure. Plus it's super easy to apply.

If you need help removing glitter: check out this past post How to remove glitter tutorial. Right now, I'm loving Essie Encrusted Treasures collection. Each polish is gorgeous and very unique. I remember going to a meeting at work and someone stopping me mid conversation to tell me that my nails look like jewels! Mission accomplished! All DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde free.

intricate, multi-dimensional, spectacularly ornate caviar nails. with all the fine detail of the most fanciful gem-encrusted jewel, these six stunning shades take manicures to a whole new richly-sculpted dimension.

belugaria
holographic jet black lace.
live like a czarina. this richly ornamented jet black nail lacquer is laced with highly textured matte glitter with flashes of rainbow holographics.

hors d'oeuvres
platinum gold with iridescent silver glitter.
nothing says extravagance like this delightful confection of platinum gold nail polish with a touch of iridescent silver glitter.

lots of lux
shimmering lapis lazuli with a superfine matte finish.
pile on the opulence and perfect the art of manicure maximalism in this shimmering blue lapis lazuli lacquer with a sleek matte finish.

on a silver platter
pearlescent gold with holographic violet glitter.
violet holographic glitter and antique silver add bold contrast to this pearlescent gold polish that proclaims: the world is yours for the taking.

peak of chic
alpine white holographic rainbow fringe.
ascend the pinnacle of fashion and freeze your well-manicured assets in this alpine white holographic polish with icy crystal fringe.

ignite the night
sparkling hematite with a superfine matte finish.
the scintillating light from this sparkling hematite nail lacquer with a superfine matte finish fans the flames of passion for luxurious fashion.

Did CND Vinylux polishes live up to the hype?

I have seen some of my fellow beauty bloggers trying out the CND Vinylux polishes recently and I was excited to get my hands on the line.

I'm a huge fan of CND shellac polishes. We all know how popular they are in the nail salons. 

I expected the same thing out of the Vinylux line. 

My biggest attraction to the polishes is the fact that they come off like regular polish.

I got the 7 piece The Forbidden mini collection from nailpolishcanada.

Colours:
Blue Rapture, Night Glimmer, Burnt Romance, Steel Gaze, Dark Dahlia and Tinted Love.

When applied with CND Vinylux Topcoat, Vinylux shades lasts for a week on the nails. Vinylux is a simple two step process that requires no base coat and is applied like regular polish. First, apply 2 layers of colour then apply Vinylux Topcoat. With natural light exposure the Vinylux Topcoat gets more durable resulting in a week long manicure.

Formula/consistency.
It's beautiful! So creamy and vibrant.
If I had to score it on just formula, It would get a 10!

Wear
This is where I get baffled. I did everything the bottle said.
Some nails would stay almost chip-free and others would look horrid after day 3.
I have no idea what happened.

I'm still on the fence about this product. 

Has anyone else had the same issue with the CND Vinylux polishes?

Is there a technique that I should be using?

Favourite Fall Nail Colour?

Fall nails can range from neutrals to the deepest plums/blacks.

With that being said, I personally find that deeper tones look really nice on my skin tone.

Currently, I've been trying out CND Vinylux Weekly Polish. 

Not sure how I feel about the line yet but this deep blacken plum is gorgeous!

What is your favourite Fall nail colour?

Mariah Carey Limited Edition Holiday OPI Nail Lacquers

I'm sorry guys... 

I'm totally skipping Halloween and going straight to the holidays!

This holiday- Spiced Beauty is going to be the ultimate gift guide.

I have sooo much to share and giveaway.

Let's not forget it's my 5 year bloggerversary in December!

Out this month is the Mariah Carey's 18 New Limited Edition Holiday OPI Nail Lacquers!

OPI announces the launch of 18 new limited edition holiday nail lacquers inspired by recording artist and international superstar Mariah Carey. This seasonal promotion includes an assortment of red, burgundy, maroon and chocolate brown hues, along with glitter-packed gold, bronze and pearl shades. Mariah Carey Holiday also features six new Liquid SandTM lacquers, ranging from icy blue to frosted pink to sparkling graphite. Each of the Liquid Sand shades showcases OPI’s groundbreaking technology for a textured, matte finish infused with reflective sparkle.

I was sent two shades from the line.

Ski Slope Sweetie

Colour: Golden pearl

Very Pretty! This colour looks way better in person. 

I had a hard time photographing it- but overall you get the idea.

Cute Little Vixen

Deep red violet 

Perfect Fall/Winter shade.

Looks great on all skin tones.

Mariah Carey Holiday collection is available this month- October 2013, at professional salons and spas across Canada.

Love or Hate: Sally Hansen Fuzzy Coat Textured Nail Colour

New nail textures are hitting the market.
Some are unique- while others are just plain bizarre.
Sally Hansen has just released one of their newest polishes called
Fuzzy Coat Textured Nail Colour ($7.95 CDN).

Peach Fuzz

Transform your manicure with Sally Hansen’s newest nail innovation: Fuzzy Coat Textured Nail Colour. Taking inspiration from the strong textural themes at the latest runway shows, Sally Hansen has developed a new, exclusive special effect formula that makes nails the focal point of any look. Blurred, woven and marbled fiber looks resembling hand-spun yarn are combined in a multidimensional network of colour to create a matte finish with a fibered texture effect.

I've never seen anything like it before! 

I'm still debating my stance.

I do love how it looks over clear polish but it's so odd!

How do you feel?

Love or Hate?

Quo by ORLY New Fall Launch

Did you know Quo by Orly polish has become one of Canada's leading nail polish brands. With high quality like this and the price tag of $10 CDN each I understand why they are so popular. 

Back in June, I had the opportunity to attend their preview at Polson Pier and check out ORLY's new fall launches. In attendance was Jeff Pink, ORLY founder. Did you know that he invented the French manicure in the mid-1970? Also celebrity manicurist Kimmie Kyees was there as well on hand to speak about ORLY's partnership with Shoppers Drug Mart and Quo. 

The Orly smartGELS LED lamp is so cute! Honestly, when I first saw it I thought it was a phone case.  It's actually portable light-weight LED lamp that packs a punch. It has a timer with three settings: 15 seconds, 30 seconds and 60 seconds depending on your manicure. It also charges by USB which means that you do not need to worry about batteries. The lamp is $85CDN. I love the fact that it's small enough to fit in my purse and it can come with me on my vacations.

Each lamp came with a personal touch! 

We had the opportunity to get our name on it in one of the Quo by Orly polish colours.

This August look out for shades from their fall line which features some 

lovely purples, pinks, reds and a cool blue. 

They will also have a megapixel effects line which innovative formula showcases millions of glitter pixels for a multi-dimensional finish. There are seven colors in the collection. 

You can wear it with out without a top coat. 

Are gel nails more of your thing? 

They're also expanding their GelFX line and by adding over 20 new shades. 

I have been familiar with Kimmie's work for awhile now on Rihanna.

She's totally down to earth and she even complemented my nails. 

Last but not least, Nail Techs were on hand to give us manicures inspired by Kimmie's work!

Two-Toned Nails with Glitter

I love doing my nails. If I had the time I would redo them everyday!

Nail art has become so popular lately. The idea of doing nail art on yourself overwhelms a lot of people. 

You don't need to be an artist to turn heads with your nails.

Did you know that you could use items from your local dollar store to assist you with your nail art? Like circular reinforcements that you used in elementary school for lined paper! Use them as a guideline for half moon manicures. Those triangular white makeup sponges that come in packs of 100. Cut them up and use them to create an ombre nail look with your favourite polishes. 

Whenever my manicures start to expire I just get out my glitter. 

Avon MegaWatt Nail Enamel in “Shock” and “Pop” and 

Hard Candy Nail Lacquer in “Hip Hip Hooray.”

Crystal Confetti is a collection of trend-setting nail polish shades that puts the final touch on fingertips and toes with a top-quality formula.

Hardcandy has some of the best glitters!

This post was on Fashion Magazine Beauty panel: The best summer nail polish colours: 7 Beauty Panel favourites (and some nail art, too!)