Nail Files - More Spring Polish with OPI & butter London

Two more Spring polishes to share with you all...

First up...as promised (here you go, RosaLovesDC)...OPI Don't Mess With OPI.  Described as a "lean, mean, kick-grass forest green."  Ok, how can you not love the name?  Or the description?  Although I don't know that I'd actually call it forest green.  I'd just go with flat-out leaf green.  A true green.  A green green.  Have you been seeing all the navy/white/green combos for spring?  Guess what I'll be wearing with all my navy & white this spring? 

And yes, this was my St Patrick's Day mani.  I didn't even need any other green to set it off...it spoke volumes on its own...but I did add a green turquoise bracelet.  I will admit it was a bit much at first but I adjusted quickly.  This will be a fun spring & summer color on tips or toes.

I've only got one picture here, because I think it shows itself quite well.  Just a good old straight up green.

Application, as usual with OPI, is flawless.  A very easy mani to do.  I will warn you that taking off the polish, I did make somewhat of a mess with the green running everywhere...not fun...so take care when removing this polish.  Unless you're a fan of the nail fungus look.  And if you are, hey, who am I to judge?

And the 2nd polish..excuse me, lacquer, I have to share is butter London's No More Waity, Katie.  (They call it "lacquer", I'm honestly not sure what the difference is, but I'm sure there's a reason there.)  To celebrate the upcoming marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton.  Oh, I'm such a sucker for a good lacquer name/story. 

NMWK is described as "soft, elegant greige shade with a splash of lilac glitter for the perfect marriage to combine fashion and fun."  Lilac glitter, definitely.  but the greige shade is really reads as much more purple on me than greige, IMO.  Not that it matters, because it's just a fun sparkly color that's perfect for spring...that I'll be wearing on April 29...for the big event....and it's just so pretty. (Don't tell hubby, but I'm even considering letting E take a mental health day to watch the coverage - I was about her age when Di married Charles and I still remember getting up early to watch it all.  Thank goodness for DVRs.) 

And you know what all that glitter means, right?  Less chipping. (Woot!)  The glitter always helps the polish adhere to the nail.  I have 2 pictures here so you can see it in different light.  In terms of application, I used 3 coats because 2 coats didn't show enough of the base.  But it was surprisingly easy to work with for a glitter.  And it has worn pretty well.   But this sucker was holy-moley-such-a-pain to remove.  Again...the glitter.  But totally worth it.  This is the 2nd time I've worn it since getting it, so yeah, I must think so.

I honestly haven't gotten any other lacquers from them in the past (although I do have Blowing Raspberries for answering a survey - a full size of it, so kudos to them for doing the free gift thing right!!)..because I really like to see my polish before I buy. 

So here's the big huge butter London news:

Starting this Friday, April 1, butter London will be in *ALL* Ulta stores here in the US.  I had a rep tell me about it back when I called to get something straightened out on my NMWK pre-order and then actually verified by asking on their Facebook page yesterday.  So yay!  I can't wait to check out all their gorgeous shades in person!!  I'm sure you can expect to see a few here.

Nail Files - Perfect Monday Polish - "I Vant to Be A-Lone Star"

Oh dreary Monday...well, it's sunny here but so windy and chilly and just...ewww...soggy after a soaking rain yesterday; my backyard is the consistency of a sopping wet sponge.  Time to curl up with a cup of hot tea...and maybe a good book or magazine.  If I hadn't been too lazy to do my nails last night, this is the polish I would/should be wearing today.

I Vant to Be A-Lone Star by OPI, part of the Spring/Summer Texas Collection.  I admit, I wasn't expecting much when I went to the store to see the collection as I definitely tend to skew to OPI's Fall/Winter collections far more than any other.  But I actually came home with 2 of the polishes!  No pics yet of the green ("Don't Mess with OPI".  ummmm, don't worry, I won't) but with St Patty's day coming up, you can bet I will.

As usual...love the name...the pairing of the classic Great Garbo quote from Grand Hotel and Texas...yes, they *do* go together.  Ah, who cares, I am totally digging this color.  Per OPI, it's a "starry silver-blue."  It will be my go-to color this spring when I need a break from the depth of Chanel Black Pearl.

With all lighter colors, I hold my breath before opening the bottle.  You never know if you're going to get thick chalkiness or smooth pigment.  Totally smooth on this one.  I love the color.  It's definitely light blue, but it's a softer light blue, because of the silver aspect. 

I could see this on a bride's toes as she walks down the aisle - how pretty would that be?  (Mind on many things bridal, since my BF Patty set the place/date/time and we got bridesmaid dresses and E's flower girl dress and everything.  More on that in future post.) 

I've posted pics in 2 different lights...really just 2 different angles next to the windows by the kitchen...to give you a full idea of the color.  So pretty.  I already told my blue-eyed blonde sister to go out and get it.  I don't even think I suggested it, I pretty much told her she better get it.  But it will be gorgeous on her.

So if you need your nail polish to send a message...or you just want a little mood pick-me-up...I highly recommend this one.

Nail Files - Fall 2010 Polishes - OPI

Ahhh, I do love polish.  I have 3 of the OPI Switzerland collection to share with you.  Mixed reviews here.  I'll be honest - this one didn't thrill me like the 2 previous fall collections  - France & Spain.  I don't love the teal-y blues, they just aren't my thing.  Didn't go gaga over the reds/browns...or at least not yet.  But I did find a few to enjoy.

First:  Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous.  Have to get this out of the way - every time I think about the name, I picture Billy Crystal as Fernando on SNL with his "You look mahvelous" spiel.  Ok, I'm done (now it will be stuck in your head, not mine).  Back to the color - a sparkly dark pewter.  Honestly, I wasn't feeling this one so much when I put it on, but that was earlier in August when it was so devilishly hot that it was hard to even comprehend fall...let alone fall polish.  Looking at the picture now, it's really growing on me.  I'll have to pull that one out again soon.  It would be a fun party polish - and the darker pewter means it works with silver and gold, so it's way versatile.  And do I even need to say it?  Application was fantastic.  And remember, as with all sparkly polishes, those little bits of glitter mean that it stays on better.

Second: Cuckoo for this Color.  I've probably said it before, but at the risk of repeating, I'm just not a blue-green person.  I am really way more of a yellow-green person.  I don't get teals and turquoises when I shop for clothes - they just aren't great colors on me unless I have an uber-unhealthy tan.  And I'm just not drawn to them in general.  I go for the olives and such.  Not sure why I even got this one except that it was pretty and I was just in that state of mind.  Again, application is fantastic.  If you skew to the blue greens, go for it.  This was ok on me.  But it was GORGEOUS on E's toes, so I have a feeling she'll be the one sporting it this season.  I do also think it would be a great spring/summer pedi - very mermaid-ish, as well as cuckoo-ish. 

2 of my fellow DC JCA's come to mind immediately when I see this color - dinagideon & Summerilla - you both need this polish - Summerilla because she loves fun polish and it will look great on her; dinagideon because she doesn't do a lot of nail polish but this would be beyond amazing on her, too, and she is such a teal chick!

And finally: Glitzerland.  Ok, points along on the name, huh?  I'm still on the fence about this color.  I had it on last week when I wore my "you're so stylish it makes me sick" outfit and when I went to lunch, both friends commented on the polish and loved it - one of whom is a die-hard creme fan.  I think my issue was that by now, I am SO READY for the dark polishes, that I wasn't in the mood for a lighter one.  But as far as golds go, this one will work on a lot of people because it's not too yellow-gold, it's more tan-gold.  Way more versatile and skintone friendly for more people.  A great party or holiday polish.  I'll probably take this one up again when I get bored with darks in a few months (usually hits me in January - I don't crave sunlight, I crave pale polish.  Weird, I know).  Again, great application.  Can't argue with that - it's why OPI is my default polish. 

So that's my summary of my 3 faves from the OPI Switzerland Collection.  Some nice options for over the season.  I think Cuckoo will be a hit, but for my daughter, not for me. 

What are my fave fall polishes so far?  Stay tuned...I'll try to churn those out this week. 

The Nail Files - Essie Love

With a blogging absence of more than a month, it's a safe bet that I have some polish pics stored up to share.  So I will start with 2 new polishes that I am loving.  Not new as in a new collection, but new to me.  And shocker...they're both by Essie.  I do tend to prefer OPI polishes over pretty much every other kind - including the OPI Sephora line.  I just find that the regular OPI line has fantastic formulas, dream application with that pro-wide brush, and gorgeous colors.  Essie has often been a problem child for me, especially their light and sheer colors - way streaky - even with 3 coats.  But these two...totally covetable. 

First up - with indoor & outdoor pics - Essie Jazz - "a neutral creamy beige-taupe", which is available in J Crew stores and on the website (#22678, $8).  Finally...a JC Essie shade I can fall in love with, unlike that Russian Roulette red and some of those drippy (IMO) mauves.  To start with, since application is always my issue with Essie, I will tell you that the application on this light polish is great - surprisingly easy for a paler Essie shade.  Virtually no streaking, yay.

And I *love* the color.  Again, another version of classic khaki pants for your finger tips.  A fantastic neutral.  Definitely work-safe, IMO.  I will be wearing this on my tips a lot this fall, a very good alternative to a standard nude polish.  As mentioned, I purchased mine at the JC store.  I haven't seen it in my usual Essie/OPI haunts (i.e. Trade Secret, Pure Beauty, Ulta), so if you really love it - try J Crew (especially if you're trying to get to that free shipping minimum) or one of the polish e-tailers.

Next...what may be my new fall fave polish - Essie Over the Top - "a dramatic metallic midnight silver", originally from their Winter 2007 collection.  It reminds me a lot of YSL's Tuxedo Gray or a metallic version of OPI's Suzy Skis in the Pyrenees from last fall's Espana collection - not quite navy, not quite charcoal, but in between.  Kinda like a fave J Crew shade of mine, Shadow (aka  SHA).  Over the Top almost looks like hematite.  It's less intense than black, but still has that dark moodiness I love. 

And I can't stop staring at it.  After the first OTT mani on my fingers, I used it for the next one- that's love. 

Nail Files - Some More Pales & The Earth Day Exchange

First of all, I've been meaning to try out the new Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure polish (on sale this week at Target for $6.49, btw).  Per their website, it has all the steps of a professional manicure in the bottle.  Translation for us laymen - you don't need base or top coat.  I tried Pink Slip, a very pretty and clean looking pale pink.  I've heard raves from some about this polish but I just didn't get it.  I used 3 thin coats, and there were still streaks. I would take it off tonight, but I'm just too tired to re-do the nails.

Then again, the streakiness happens a lot with Essie's pale cremes, too, like Ballet Slippers.  (Hmmmm, pink slip and ballet slippers....are we supposed to divine a resemblance????)

Bottom line...like the color, but oh, how I wish I could return it...I don't think I'll even use this on my toes because it's so streaky!  Maybe the mid-tone or dark colors work better.  Would love to hear from those of you who have tried it.

Next up...Chanel Vernis in Trapeze.  From the Holiday 2009 Collection, it's described as a "silver beige".  Now the story on this is that I've shied away from Chanel polish lately.  I just so strongly prefer the OPI formula and brush, and the Chanel polishes don't always stand up to the use that OPI does.   Availability in store is limited since it is, after all, a limited edition shade.  As of now, Nordstrom still has it online.

I saw the Trapeze polish at Bloomingdales at White Flint back in February when snaphappy and I were on a "get the kids out of the house before we lose our minds because of the blizzard" outing.  And I've been pondering it ever since.  So a few weeks ago, when snaphappy and I were again bopping through White Flint (sans bebes this time), I hit the Chanel counter at Bloomies, and sure enough, there were still 3 or 4 bottles sitting there.  It was a sign, and it came home with me. 

And I love it.  Although, I admit to being a bit perplexed about its inclusion in a holiday collection, especially if that collection was inspired by the plumage of exotic birds (not making this up here).  But I will say it would stand out in a sea of vampy manis & pedis over the holiday season...including mine, hehe.

I think it's a great spring color - reminds me of a pale metallic khaki.  Much better than the Sephora OPI Under My Trenchcoat, which was ghastly on me when I tried it last fall.  I also think it would be a perfect summer color...on toes buried in the sand....  Ok, pretty much, it could work year round.  This one is a definite keeper.

So I cleaned out my polish bins yesterday.  And separated out E's polish. Ah I love cleaning out.  It's a good think to do when you can't sleep at 3 am.  And I think I may even send the old polishes into Zoya.  I read about this on my usual sources for important nail news, All Lacquered Up.  The 2010 Zoya Nail Polish Exchange, in honor of Earth Day.  From now until June 30, you can send them a minimum of 6 bottles (no max) and for $3.50 each to cover shipping & processing, they will send you however many colors your request (I think that you are maxed out to the number of polishes you are sending in).  So good for the environment, as you aren't supposed to throw old polish in the trash, and you are trying out Zoya polish for half price.  How cool is that?  btw, USPS will not ship nail polish, but UPS & FedEx will. 

I have not tried Zoya polish before, but I am going to send in a bunch of my old polish and try out a few of their colors.  Will post as I do, of course.  The one bit of important Zoya wisdom that I picked up (from All Lacquered Up, natch) is that you can't use fast-dry top coats with this polish because it affects the wear.  Good to know.

Anything new in the polish world for you all?  Me, I'm waiting for the OPI Shrek Forever collection release. 

And I'm back...and sitting pretty in pink, no less

Yep, prodigal blogger finally back.  I was sorta taking a Spring Break break - trying to trim the electronics especially over the long Easter weekend when we went away to the River for a few days.  Wonderful time, didn't have to work too much, and the weather was fantastic.  And things have just been so busy between work, sick kids, sick me.  I've kept a semi-conscious state on Polyvore, but that's really about it.

I did have to kick my own butt to get back on here (with some help from a little nudge from Anon & casual-crew - thanks!) because I think I've just been kinda in the blahs lately.  Honestly, the holidays didn't do me in - it was the 2 back to back blizzards and 7 pounds.  Thanks, Mother Nature.  Yes, I know, it really is my fault - declining activity, increasing amounts of (let's be honest) crap eaten and where does that get us?  You don't have to be a rocket scientist to realize it's going to add a few pounds.  Maybe I should be grateful it was only 7 accumulated over the past couple of months?

And then my Lenten plan. First of all, the distracted driving part - getting rid of that - was fantastic.  A true eye-opener.  And I'm so glad I did it. The reigning in clutter part?  Just didn't happen - work was just way too crazy.  And to go back to the previous thought yeah, wellness just did not figure into the equation as I'd planned.

But spring is a time for rebirth and renewal, right?  It's funny - while we were at the river, I helped my mom go through her closets - which I LOVE to do (always easier to go through someone else's, right?).  And it made me realize that I just really really REALLY need to go through mine.  With what time?  Oh yeah, that...  well the upside to the crazy hours is that there are only so many hours in a contract and it has to slow down sometime...which is now.  Leaving me a bit more time for the things that I really need and want to do.  Like blog.  Like go through my closets.  Like get back to walking Lucy as much as I should.  Speaking of Lucy, here's the latest photo from Spring Break:

Is that a happy dog or what?

So the pink part...I need to get into a whole discussion on foundation later, but I was at the Nordstrom Bobbi Brown counter on Friday, and what did I spy with my little eye?  New lip product...Treatment Lip Shine SPF 15.  I got Pink Glisten 4.

No link there because it's not even out on the Bobbi Brown website or the Nordstrom website, but they had gotten it in the day before.  Gorgeous colors.  SPF 15 - always important in the summer.  Feels great - perfect texture for me (not matte, not goopy).  And a bit sheer so the color isn't too crazy on the lips.  Below I have some on my hand next to the lippie.

It's so pretty.  Just so so so pretty.  Not sure when the official release will be.  I haven't gotten it in my regular BB emails.  And the SA told me it's flying off the shelves.  They only got 6 of each color to start, and I got the 5th tube of my shade.  So if you must have it now, get thee to Nordies.  Or wait for the full release...I'm sure Bobbi will have some kind of fun offer.

And I must have really been in a pink mood because after the mall, I hit Target to get a few birthday presents and other odds & ends. I just happened to be strolling down the cosmetic aisle, and just had to pick up some polish.  It started when the BB SA and I were talking about the polish on her thumb which was the new Chanel Riviera color - a warm peony pink.  Trouble is that it's really pretty sheer.  So with my new bright pink lippie in hand, I really was craving a fun pink polish.  I've been wanting to try the new Sally Hansen all in one salon treatment polish, but they didn't have the right kind of pink. (You know I'm not a brights girl when it comes to polish, so I'm kinda picky about my pinks.)  Then I saw this lovely little shade..for about $2.  It's by NYC or New York Color - In a New York Minute Quick Dry Nail Polish, in 242B - Uptown.  Not sure how the wear will be, but I'm never in the mood to keep on pinks for too long so it doesn't really matter.  I will say that the brush is somewhat similar to the regular OPI brush and is kinda flat - love that - it's so much easier to control.  And it really is a perfect match for my new lippie.

In other pink polish news...below are pics of OPI's Panda-monium Pink polish from this Spring's Hong Kong collection.  It really is a dead ringer for Essie Neo-Whimsical - and being OPI, is SO much easier to apply.  So if you're craving a lavender-pink for spring, I highly recommend the OPI.  

Lots more to discuss in upcoming posts, but hubby's out for hockey game watching/beer drinking/maybe some poker playing....kids are headed to bed...and I'm trying to decide whether to color my hair, go through my closet, or just chill out and catch up Glee & Project Runway from this week. Blogging's not the only thing I've lapsed on.  And to all my dear blogging friends, I'll be trying to catch up on my blog reading - I've missed you and can't wait to see what you all have been up to!!

Toodles for now...

Nail Files - More Spring Polish

Lots of polish fun to share...

I'll start with my awfully belated MAC Liberty of London Blue India, a rich teal color.  I thought it would be a bit more grayish or muted, but it was full on teal blue. 

The biggest thing that bothered me was the length of my nails.  I like them short short short, esp when I wear funky colors (hey, that's my aesthetic, it doesn't have to be yours), and I thought they were just too long with this color on.  I am honestly not sure how much I will wear this on my fingers, but I'm pretty sure I'll be sporting it quite often on my toes this summer...esp when I'm wearing my Target LoL tankini (more on that in another post).

This was the first MAC polish I have used and I was very impressed with the formula.  I had heard that some people have issues with application  & streakiness, but I had none of those.

Next up, we have the guest nails of my darling daughter E, who was sporting a layered combo of OPI Thanks So Muchness, topped with 1 coat of Mad as a Hatter.  (Occasion was her final basketball game of the season, nails to match the red team jerseys.)

What a fun combo!  She loved it.  Here's the full story on the polish - Summerilla wanted Mad as a Hatter but was only able to find the minis and quickly realized that they just were a pain to apply on grown up fingernails.  So I found a full size bottle of MAAH (thank you to the Trade Secret at White Flint) and we swapped.  Turns out that the OPI minis are the *perfect* size for little girl nails.  Thanks, Summerilla!!

And to close, a semi-disappointing Essie spring polish.  I've said before that I find a lot of their cremes, esp the lighter colors, to be very streaky.  Some of them are ok, such as the J Crew Russian Roulette - I didn't love the color on me, but the application was great.  And Risky Business, which I got last year, was good, too.  (It's a fun orange-y spring color, so I'll probably put on and post about that one soon-ish.)

Essie Neo-whimsical.  It's a pretty color - but the application was not great.  And since I do my own nails fairly regularly, I need to be able to apply the color instead of relying on someone else's expertise.

What I'm really interested in is a comparison of this and the OPI Panda-monium Pink from the new Hong Kong collection.  I actually got that color because I like this shade, but can't stand the application.  And I love the application for about 99% of OPI polishes.  We'll see how that works out...will post on it soon.

Nail Files - New & Old Polishes for Spring

Lots of polish pics to share...cause yeah, I've been behind on this as well.

For starters...let's discuss the OPI Hong Kong collection.  One word - underwhelmed.  Not a single polish enticed me enough to buy...so I ended up with another polish from the France collection (Fall 2008), Eiffel for This Color.  Well...I didn't.  The color is really pretty - and I'm surprised it took me this long to purchase it myself because I have often admired it on others. 

What's the issue?  Coverage - I trust OPI colors to give me complete coverage in 2 coats (except for the sheers, of course).  Like the uber fabulous Suzi Skis the Pyrenees, which I have on tips & toes right now - the coverage on that is amazing.  This one, like many of the Chanel and Essie cremes, I find, was streaky - I didn't feel that 2 coats was really great.  So PASS on this one - try Give Me Moor instead, from the Spain collection this past fall.

The next collection I checked out was the Sephora by OPI Modern Flowers (Spring 10).

The first, a keeper, even though it's not terribly exciting, is Handpicked for Me - light pink lilac with silver shimmer.  I'm sure E is going to want to borrow this one.  It's very pretty.  Great spring color.  Not much more to say than that.

The second...well that one already got returned.  Leaf Him at the Altar - ok, I wanted to keep it based on name alone.  It's described as a metallic vine green.  It's metallic.  And it's green.  But it just didn't do it for me.  For the $ I pay, I wanted it to be a bit more special.  I found it to be something I would conceivably find for $3 at Target.  It just wasn't enough...or right...or whatever.  The magazine pics make it look much more special.  Or maybe I'm just too old...

And then we come to an oldie that I haven't worn in a while...and I'm not sure why I haven't because I was loving it.  Chanel's Kaleidoscope from Fall 2008.  It's this great gold-green-platinum metallic bunch of sparkliness.  Not that I think that's a real word.  But oh, I forgot how much I loved this polish.  This was was definitely worth the Chanel price.

My next polish purchase?  I am dying to see the MAC Liberty of London collection...It's supposed to be out next Friday.  I am so at Nordstrom that morning - they have a polish I'm dying to see - Blue Inda.  More info on it on All Lacquered Up, my fave polish blog.  And the lippies looked quite pretty, too.

Nail Files - The Science? Art? of Frankenpolish

Have you heard of Frankenpolish?

Ok, it's like this...You know how in beauty magazines we often get the whole "I used this lip color and this lip color and this one to produce this fantastic look"? Yeah, i'm usually going, seriously? You get paid beaucoup bucks to do makeup and you can't find this color already out there? Ok, maybe I'm being a bit rude, but it does bug me when the answer to what color is that is a laundry list of lip products. And you know I'm lazy...I mean I like to use my time judiciously, so I am a 1-lip-product girl. One and done.

When it comes to nail polish, you can achieve similar effects. One way is to layer. I'll be honest - other than covering a bad pedi color with a darker polish, I don't do the nail polish layering thing. Why? Um...well...you see...my technique just isn't that great. That's why I always mani & pedi at night - so I can scrape the excess off in the shower next morning and go Voila! Decent mani/pedi!! I'm just not consistent enough with the application to do the layering thing. Kudos to those who can. Feel free to stop by anytime. :)

Frankenpolish, or "frankening", is mixing multiple polishes together to achieve a new shade. I'm sure some thrifty gals out there already do this...you might not even know it has a real name. For some full scoopage on frankenpolish, I will send you to my nail expert, as always, the All Lacquered Up blog. When cincyfan describes frankenpolish, she uses specific formulas...it's a science, much like baking. For me, it's more like regular cooking - it's art. Well, maybe not art, but it certainly isn't an exact science. I like the idea of frankening because it's a great way to use those polishes that just aren't what you wanted them to be, or you've had too long to return, or you just don't wear anymore, etc. As much polish as I buy (I know it's an addiction, but it's cheaper than designer handbags)...

The process itself, for me, is pretty simple. You can get an empty polish bottle - I think Sally Beauty sells them. Or you can use an existing bottle - esp if you love love love the brush (yes, I'm talking about OPI). If you use an existing bottle, start by dumping out about half of the polish in there and then just add other shades & mix until you get something you like. I find it handy to have a white plastic plate or white paper with tape on it to test out my mixes.

HUGE caveat - please read - if you are going to do this - remember these are chemicals, folks. Be careful with mixing. And only mix polishes of the same brand. And, um, if you pour out excess polish onto a plastic plate, eventually, it will eat through that plate. (I don't even want to think about the implications of that...) So when you dump out, put down some paper towels to absorb.

This probably works best if you have a variety of extra polish to choose from. I decided to give it another go after I went through my polish again and had a huge stash of get-rid-of's. This one...I really love. It's perfect (for me). It's like a glittery version of OPI You Don't Know Jacques. (all of the following are OPI) I took last year's Brand New Skates (gray with sparkle - but never the right shade - too dark or too light or too blue), added a whole lot of this year's Holiday Glow (way too brown for me), and then a bit of Sand in My Suit (gold-tan metallic) and Up Close & Personal (gold sparkle). And here is the result:


Give it a try...

Nail Files - More Fun Holiday Polishes

As a Thanksgiving treat, I have for you some fun holiday polishes that I have sampled lately. (Just a little something to think about as you are licking your fingers clean after a yummy turkey dinner.)

First up, Dior Silver Purple. Great name - it's a silver toned purple color. (Don't get me started again on that Lemon Balm...I still don't get that name, loved the color, but the name was ridiculous.) Available at Sephora for $20. I was very mixed on this color. I alternately really liked it and then really didn't. If this color works for you, it could be a 12-season color, because I think this would be really fun in summer. It definitely works as a holiday color now. Interestingly enough, it reminds me a lot of a "jeans" color.

Next, Absinthe Makes the Heart by Sephora by OPI ($9). Fun holiday color. Somewhat similar to some other colors I have, but nothing matches it exactly. Per the website, "smoky dark gray with green and iridescent glitter." Similar to the 212-Sephora shade, but definitely different. I think this would be a great metallic to go with just about anything.

Last, an fave from last fall - Barielle Misbehavin' Mistress ($8). Metallic taupe. Yep, that's it. I actually wore this a number of times as a summer pedi shade. In the photo, it looks rather brown, but IRL, it's less brown. That must be the metallic effect. I love this shade. And that's why I'm still using it, I suppose. A great neutral that's not quite black.

Nail Files - "Moor" Fall Polish

I have "Moor" polish to show you...Starting with Give Me Moor, from OPI Colleccion de Espana. Described as a "stunning wine-purple." I love this color. The best way to describe it is to take the classic Lincoln Park After Dark and make it more red and more brown. GMM is the same intensity of color, just not as blue-purple as LPAD. A really great fall/winter polish. It's not as exciting as some of the other colors, but it will work well. It may even be a close Essie Wicked dupe.

And then on to the fall polish that just didn't do it for me. I was talking to my friend Laura the other day, who had just been out and stopped by Sephora the day before for polish, and I immediately jumped in, since I have a bad habit of interrupting sometimes (or often), with "You got Under My Trench Coat, didn't you? I'm coming right now to borrow it." And let me tell you, it looked fab on her toes. But it just did NOT work on me. Wrong color with my tan skin.

See what I mean? Described as "light grey khaki with gold shimmer". No...it's just khaki, as in British khaki, as in it matched my British khaki cafe capris perfectly. It seemed much more light gold in all the ads and pictures. This was a major let down for me. I'll stick with my Essie Chinchilly for gray. So, I am thrilled that I didn't waste the $9 on this polish. Maybe it would work better mid-winter on me, and maybe I'll try it again. But if you find a lot of the grays out too cadaver-ish on your pale skin, give this one a try. Comparison below of Under My Trench Coat and Chinchilly. It really did look gorgeous on Laura's toes.

One last polish to add. While at the beach, I posted pics of my OPI Tickle My France-y pedi, so I thought I would add mani pics the next time I used it. Still loving this one, and think it will complement most of my crazy fall polishes nicely for a mani/pedi combo.

Happy Polishing!!

The Nail Files - You're "Aragon"-na Love It

Here's the picture of what I was wearing on Friday. Quiz - What is green in the outfit?

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Give up? My toenails. Ok, it's not that green of a green...it is rather dark, and quite frankly, this was the best I could do to get the color.

OPI Here Today, Aragon Tomorrow, from the Fall 2009 Coleccion de Espana. ("Discover this dark emerald before it says adios") I love this color. Fun, fun, fun fall color. I actually put Tickle My France-y back on my fingers as I just wasn't sure I was ready for dark tips, but as soon as I did my pedi, I sighed and thought "wow, this would kick a== on the fingers". Eh, maybe next time.

Interestingly enough, I have been seeing green polish everywhere. Allure actually cited this specific shade as their Color of the Moment in the September Issue. I also saw green polishes in People StyleWatch and Marie Claire (and haven't even made it through all the September mags yet). See Suzi's Beauty Blog for her comments on it. (That's Suzi Weingarten, the creator of OPI, in her Aug 13 entry "Green is the New Black".) This particular one, as dark as it is, would be a good "starter" green since it skews closer to black, so it's not as much of an in your face green.

Coverage was pretty good. And you know I love the OPI formula + brush. I will admit that I actually didn't remove my prior pedi because I was way lazy, so I just slapped on 2 coats of Aragon and a top coat. I wonder if the color would read as a little more green on a bare nail. I'm sure I'll figure that one out soon, because I will be wearing it a LOT this fall and winter. And Christmas? Oh yeah, right in the holiday spirit with the green nails. If my mom is reading this, she is probably rolling her eyes - I did get her to do a pedi with the Essie Looking for Love pale lavender, but that's as far as she'll go into wacky territory - she is *not* a fan of the dark colors. Speaking of holidays, know of anyone going as the Swamp Creature for Halloween, the first coat of Aragon would be perfect - it's a great streaky swampy green with just 1 coat.

Back to the outfit - yep, it's the posture dress from ATL. Always stand up straight! (We should do that anyway.) Plus black sandals, stud earrings, and this cute little bracelet that I made a few years ago on a Moms Night Out. My first and probably last foray into jewelry making, but I love the colors of it, it's got a fun little cha-cha thing going and....now I can clip it to Polyvore. The only downside is that, given my very amateur beading skills at the time (and, um, now), the twists on the pin-things is not the greatest and it occasionally catches on things - so, much like the good old twisted crystal necklace, it's best not to wear it with a sweater.

Polyvore from Friday:


Wearing 8/21/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

And speaking of Polyvore, somehow I lucked into being featured on the Polyvore blog again, just below "How to Pack for a Winter Mediterranean Cruise" - I wish - but useful info, check that one out, too. Thanks, Polyvore!

It's a Gray Day for Me...but that's not necessarily bad

I'm back. And this time I think I really mean it. After being at an off-site for work all day Tuesday, I postponed my trip to the river and didn't go until Thursday because I was just totally wiped out. And I had every intention of keeping up with blogging, Polyvore-ing, reading blogs, etc...until I got there and realized that I left my connection cord at home that hooks the BlackBerry to my laptop so I can get to the Internet. Doh! So I had to download my work desktop application onto my parents' laptop so that I could actually get some work done. So no blogging fun at the river. And I just pretty much stayed off the computer for the entire rest of the weekend. Actually it was nice to take yet another break, as unintentional as it was. Thanks for bearing with me over this crazy summer and not just dumping me. I appreciate it, I really do. :)

So, yep, it's a gray day here. Weather? Nope, actually weather-wise, it's sunny, hot & humid. So a perfect day to pull out the doesn't-really-require-a-bra trusty dress jersey strapless dress. I think I wore this last Monday....but the accessories are a bit different. Actually looking at the pic, I probably won't choose the gray bracelet next time (too matchy-matchy?), but it's easy to pop on and off, and I wore the garden pearl bracelet last Monday with the dress. And I actually have the ATL cardi on in the pic, just to change it up a bit, and because I wore it this way to Target. I will say that this dress was definitely worth the FP less 25% Mickey card price to me because I have worn it that much. I've actually worn this one more than the navy one, I think.

And it's not a gray, sad day because my former across-the-street BFF neighbor is visiting today and I'm very excited to see her and her 4 cute kiddies. And another neighbor who had the gall to move across the river (you don't do that in the DC metro area, folks) is coming over, too. Afternoon pool time and Pizza Party in the evening. Yay!!

So why is it a gray day? It's all about the toes....

I pulled out the bottle of Essie Chinchilly on Saturday (which, interestingly enough, isn't even on Essie's website yet, even though I got my bottle 2 weeks ago - and because I am so A-R, that really bothers me). I know 95% of you will probably think it's awful and that's ok. The other 5%, enjoy! :) I like the color. I was actually pleased with the application, and you know I am iffy on a lot of Essie's polish applications - streaky, etc.

I think it's a fun color for fall, as long as it doesn't make you look like a cadaver (let your skin tone decide). It would be great on fingers paired with a dark pedi. In fact, I will probably wear this more on my fingers than my toes this season. A lot of polish companies have a gray in their fall line and it continues to be a hot color. And gray eye makeup has been featured in a lot of magazines for the fall. So instead of matching you nails to your lips, match them to your eyes!

I like fun and funky nail colors because I think they spice up my usual neutral, classic clothes. To me, this reminds me of my gray patent flats and the gray beaded bracelet...that I'm wearing today (not to match the gray dress, but to match the toes - I am a sad, sorry case). It's not as crazy as a bright blue or green or yellow, but still with some edge. Or that's my thought. If it's not your thing, no worries. Wait till I post on the new OPI Here Today Aragon Tomorrow, with its perfect eyeliner complement (let me tell you, I am in love with my new eyeliner). I will probably tire of the gray in a couple of days since I am dying to try this new OPI shade. And will post on it asap, of course.

Polyvore for today:


Wearing Today-8/17/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Signing off now. I promise to catch up on blog reading, even if I'm not commenting as much as usual. I have really missed seeing what everyone is up to...as well as the fun JC fall purchases, natch. Which reminds me, I still haven't put together my fall wishlist...

The Nail Files - August Update

First of all, I want to get this little annoyance out of the way. I swear that I went into this open-minded. Essie is not my fave polish brand, as a lot of their colors tend to skew weirdly on my yellow skin tone and I find some of their light colors can be very streaky, but I do have a few favorites in their brand. And I know that J Crew loves Essie. After promoting Mini Shorts in their catalog and on their website, they are now actually selling 2 other shades online, and in some stores, per the website. The colors are: Eternal Optimist (spiced tea rose) and One of a Kind (poppy red kiss)

At first I was really excited – oooh, special J Crew colors. You may be wondering: where did I get the color description? From the Essie site…because both colors were part of the 6-color Spring collection. Am I the only one a little irritated by this? Am I wrong to feel a bit duped by this? The colors have been out for a while, and now they’re being hawked on the JC website. And they aren’t even the featured color all over the August catalog (which could be Mini Shorts – and oh, by the way, that has been retired – it’s no longer on the Essie site). Although, I will admit that a spiced tea rose is perfect for all the JC tea rose fans.

So given that 95% of my conversation on this blog is about JC or nail polish, I was excited to try them. Not so much anymore. If you really want to see what they look like, check out Community Nail Polish gallery – they really are a fab resource for colors IRL and I love their search function.

Next target - matte nail trend…. I’m sure you’ve all heard the buzz about matte nails for the fall. Essie has their Matte About You top coat. Orly has a matte top coat as well. OPI has an entire matte collection, taking some of their classics and reinventing them as matte. My first thought was “Sweet, I can let my nail polish get totally dull from the sunscreen buildup at the beach and I’ll be oh-so-chic and right on trend.” So I can understand the matte top coat. What I cannot get behind is the matte polish that you are supposed to use without base coat or top coat, no lotion. Seriously? Am I allowed to do dishes in the matte polish, because I don’t think hubby is going to buy the rationale that he needs to do all the dishes because it would ruin my new chic fab matte mani. Or am I just too old for this trend? I suspect that’s it. What are your thoughts?

Now, let's talk about some colors I love...

My fave polish (um, of the week) – especially for the beach – is OPI Tickle My France-y from Fall 2008. It’s a nude with some pink/gray/lilac undertones depending on light and skintone. It suits my late summer love of muted colors in prep for fall. It works with my I-swear-I-was-wearing-SPF-50-but-it-tanned-anyway skin. I honestly don’t know and seriously doubt if it would work in the dead of winter.

My other pre-beach-purchases-just-waiting-for-fall nail colors were Essie Fall 2009 Chinchilly (“granite gray”, which doesn’t even seem to be on the website) and OPI Fall 2009 Here Today Aragon-tomorrow (“wear this emerald before it says adios”). We are headed to the river next week for a few days, so I will probably wait until after that to sport the OPI Aragon shade to save my mother from having to look at it – she’s not a fan of the dark & vampy – but oh, it’s so pretty! Will definitely post that one as soon as I have it on. And I have my fab friend Sherry dispatched on a Dior polish mission today, assuming she goes to Tysons. Will report on that as well.

Now, speaking of pedis...I’m off to stick my toes in the sand.

The Nail Files - Navy Nails

Well, it's springtime, so what does that mean to me, nail wise? Some pretty pales, a few brights, and yes, navy nails. My love of dark vampy colors started about 4 years ago when E accidentally (that time) stomped on my big toe with one of those plastic dress-up heels right below the nail, you know, where the nail forms and can get really messed up? I'll spare you the goriest details, but the bruise grew out under the nail and it was ick, so I said, hmmmm, I need a nail polish that can cover this up. At the time, there weren't that many dark polishes (this was before Chanel's Black Satin). So I headed to Target and came home with a Cover Girl that seemed the best purple-ish/burgudy-ish shade. And I just loved it! It reminded me of back in the Pulp Fiction days of Uma and the original Vamp polish. I had Revlon's knockoff, Vixen, but I totally worked it.

And let me tell you, dark polish matches everything! So a love affair was born. It's so bad that last summer when I went with a pale on my toes a couple of times, I didn't even recognize my feet. It was like looking at someone else's feet where mine should be. My dark shade of choice changes with the season, but Summer 2007, OPI released their NightBrights colleciton, which included Light My Sapphire, and that was it. Navy blue polish? I loved it. Navy is so preppy and dark polish is so goth, it was the perfect marriage for me - which is actually why I love dark polish - because I tend to dress so preppy/conservative anyway, it gives me a little edge.

And then Chanel came out with Blue Satin in Spring 2008. Also loved that. And that's what I have on my toes to welcome spring! This and the OPI one will probably alternate on my toes for many months to come. Which one do I like best? Hard to say. I'll have to test that out. Important note - the darks really do look best on short nails (or at least that's my personal preference).

The 2 pics below illustrate my example of doing your nails before bed. Top pic is right after they were done - total mess, seriously tacky, right?

And here we have, next morning, after a quick excess polish clean up in the shower. Not too shabby, huh?

Now, I flat out admit that I have a nail polish issue. But clearly I have way too many colors (personal stash below). I think it's time to narrow down.

But I will give you my quick primer on my own personal opinion of these polish brands:

• OPI - love the formula, love the new wide brush-makes polish application easier. You Don't Know Jacques from Fall/Winter 2008 was a particular favorite this fall. In general, I find OPI polishes look as good or better on me than in the bottle.
• Sephora by OPI - like the formula, wish they had the same wide brush. Great color selection. Liked Metro Chic a lot this year - but only worked on my pale skin; did not look good on my tanned skin (but I wear SPF 45-70 all summer long, so no lectures please - I am a total sunscreen Nazi, you should see me at the pool with my hat, shades, spray sunscreen bottles)
• Essie - I have so many issues with this brand. Many of their colors look different and worse on my skin than in the bottle. And many colors, especially their cremes need 3 coats to be opaque. I find most of the lights, especially the cremes, to be streaky. That being said, my 2 faves are Nude Beach and Risky Business (my dupe for J Crew's Essie shade - Mini Shorts)
• Chanel - These colors are so gorgeous. They always look sparklier in the bottle than they do on. But that sparkle is what gives them such amazing depth. Delice is a summer fave, but looks awful on my skin right now. Still would love Rouge Noir (the original Vamp shade)
• NARS - ok. not the best lasting. not sure why I still have these.
• China Glaze - have 2 colors - Wagon Trail (dark olive-y with gold, total fall and St Patrick's favorite) and Princess Grace. Really like these.

The others are assorted odds and ends. One pile is my daughter's mini-stash. She's only allowed to use my top coat if she uses good polish (BTW, I am the one doing the nails; she picks the color). Some of the glittery junk she got from somewhere once messed up a whole bottle of my Seche Vite top coat.

Speaking of cutting down on colors... I used Chanel's Antilope on my tips last night. Have to say, it's very close to OPI's Sand in My Suit and I think I really like OPI's version better. If any of the DC JCA's want this bottle, let me know and I'll bring it to the event this Sunday to pass off.

And by the way, this post (as well as counting out 50 polishes) has made me realize that much as I want to order the Chanel Rouge Noir polish, especially today when I got the email from them with the free shipping code (0309TIPS), I really, really, really don't need it.

I will probably change out and go with the navy for my fingers for the weekend. I think they would really work with the JC cerise Lili. Hmmmm...