Tuesday, August 26, 2014

[Review+Swatch] China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy (version 2.0)



Hi everyone! I dropped by a beauty supply store for some Seche Vite and decided to grab this beauty too. This is the newer version of Flip Flop Fantasy - a neon peach-coral. It's showing up more pastel like in my pictures, but it's not! It's a very bright, true neon color that glows from your fingertips.

The formula was a little tricky, which isn't uncommon for neons. It dries fast, and if you go over the same place twice while wet, you can get bald patches. It also applies a bit streaky, however, 3 coats will smooth that right out. The finish is matte, but I used top coat for my swatches.




This last pic is a bit closer to how it actually looks. It's still a lot more neon than that. As you can see, not the best color for my skin, but I'll still wear it. :P 

I read on another blog (maybe Polishaholic?) that the old Flip Flop Fantasy is coming back. I hope it does, because I want to see what the hype is all about. :)

Do you own this shade? If you have both versions, which one do you prefer?

Liz

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

[Nail Art] Watercolor Koi with MoYou Suki 09



Hi everyone! Here's another stamped mani I did with Moyou's plates. I used Suki 09 for this one. I also gave advanced stamping another shot, and this one turned out not too badly. 


What I Used
Nicole by OPI Yoga-Then-Yogurt (white base)
Milani Mint Crush, Peri-Wink, Blue Print, Water Front (watercolor effect)
Milani Black Swift (stamping)
OPI Don't Touch My Tutu!
OPI Orange You Going To The Game? (koi coloring)
Detail brush + clean up brush
Pure Acetone



I think I'm finally getting the hang of stamping. It helps that the MoYou plates are really well etched. I've also tried some different stampers as well, and found a favorite. I'll show you some other plates and stampers I got in another post. This stamping stuff is dangerous though! There are way too many pretty plates to buy. x)

♥Liz

Monday, August 11, 2014

[Review+Swatch] China Glaze No Way Jose



Hi, it's Monday again! I felt like swatching some untrieds, so I decided to swatch this beauty from China Glaze: No Way Jose. It's an older discontinued shade, but a few years ago it popped up on Evilbay for around retail price. I finally swatched it - so enjoy! :)


No Way Jose, 3 coats: cool-toned purple with glass flecks. China Glaze was pretty popular for their glass fleck polishes. This one proved to be no different with its sparkling shimmer. It's a little sheer, but builds up nicely without any problems. The only thing is, it's much too cool for my skin and doesn't flatter me. I like it enough that I'd still wear it anyway.


Verdict: If you're warm-toned, this won't be the most flattering shade on you. But if you're cool-toned, you'll love rocking this color on your tips! It has a great formula and applies easily. I did find it a tiny bit stinky though. I believe it's from before China Glaze went 3-free.

Availability: You can still grab it on Evilbay if you like it. This listing has it priced at $8.95 per bottle with free shipping (not affiliated).

Until next time!
♥ Liz

Friday, August 8, 2014

[Review+Swatch] OPI Ford Mustang Collection



Hi everyone! I have a quick review of OPI's limited edition Ford Mustang collection for you today. :)

Thursday, August 7, 2014

[Nail Art] Oh, Deer!: Stamped with MoYou London Hipster Plates



Hi guys! I've eyeing MoYou London stamping plates for some time now, and I finally bought a few! I'll do a more comprehensive brand review once I've played with all the plates I got, but for now here's a fun neutral mani I did with two of their Hipster plates.



What I Used
OPI Don't Pretzel My Buttons
Zoya Marney
Milani White On The Spot
MoYou London Hipster Plate 02 + 08




I haven't tried all my MoYou plates yet, but Hipster 02 and 08 are so far the easiest plates I've worked with. I was able to pick up the designs about 95% of the time, which is amazing for me. Like I said before, I've never had much luck with stamping. These are actually so much fun to use!

MoYou has a ton of other plates, and I'm planning on placing a second order once I've tried everything I got. Processing and shipping time was excellent as well. I got mine within a week from my order date, and they ship from London. Plus, free shipping over £15! You also get a 15% off discount code when you register an account on their site: moyou.co.uk I bought 5 plates, and each plate cost me about $8.70 without the discount code. Not bad at all!

Do you own any MoYou plates? Which are your favorites?

♥ Liz

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

[Nail Art] DRK Nails Designer 2 Stamping Plate


Hey guys! I have two different nail art designs for you today. For both looks, I used the Designer 2 plate from DRK Nails. I first saw this plate on Lacquer Lockdown, where Tamira did this gorgeous look with it. I was going to buy Designer 1 too, but ended up only getting D2. So far I love it! 


My first attempt at advanced stamping. ^^ I accidentally smooshed my pinky at the last minute while transferring it to my nail. T__T One day I will master this!


What I Used
Nicole by OPI Sweet Surrender (base)
Zoya Marney (deep plum; superb for stamping)
Zoya Chanelle (warm brown, colored portion)
Pretty Jelly Shy Girl (pink holo, colored circle)
silver holo pigment
 


Using a different image from the same stamping plate, I created this second look. The stamping's more subtle since the pink is so bright. This is the same pink I used in my Refreshing Cherry Mani. I've been wearing it a lot this summer.


What I Used
Milani Hot Pink Rage
Milani 3D (gold holo base)
Color Club Cherubic (stamping)
BPS BOP 100-103 Water Decals*
DRK Nails Designer 2 plate


I haven't tried all the images from this plate yet, but the etchings are deep and stamp well - even for a noob like me. I had no problems with the plate, and it arrived very quickly. I got it 4 days after I placed my order. The price is not too bad either. $6.50 for the plate and $2.53 for shipping. If you're interested, I would definitely recommend this plate. :)

♥ Liz

Sunday, August 3, 2014

[Nail Art] Pastel Birds: Tinted Stamping



Happy Sunday! Here's a mani I wore a few days ago. If you look through my previous stamping posts, you'll know I suck at stamping. T_T I have an on-and-off relationship with stamping, and I've decided to give it another go recently. Advanced stamping in particular is so beautiful. I'm so envious of people who stamp so easily! Haha. :)