Dance Music: Just Dance, Dancing in the Dark and Flash Dance by deborah lippmann, with swatches!!!

This was definitely one of my most favorite presents this Christmas. I love the name of the set and the dance theme! Such a great addition to my collection!! The only bummer is that this set only includes the mini polishes and I already want a full size Dancing in the Dark (PS this is probably my most fav name for a nail polish EVER!!), to replace my already running low mini bottle :( One bonus is that the mini sized polishes are now a miniature version of the original lippmann bottle (that I love), instead of the previously used little blah, square bottles.

Like always the formula of these polishes is fantastic. There is something different about these new glitters. They go on very opaque with the smaller glitter taking up most of the space and the larger glitter filling in the gaps. It gives a foiled, metallic look and they are extremely textured, even after a couple of clear top coats the nail still had a textured feel. I honestly love them all, although I do partially favor Dancing in the Dark - a silvery, grey polish with these gorgeous rainbow-colored glitter bits that are just so sparkly! See swatches below :)

As with most glitter nail polish it is difficult and annoying to remove. I find the easiest way to remove glitter is to soak the nail bed with a cotton ball saturated with nail polish remover for a couple of minutes and the nail polish slides off a little easier. If anyone has any better tips please make sure to comment :)

Just Dance, Flash Dance and Dancing in the Dark.

Comparison of the regular size and mini sized bottle: Forget You and Dancing in the Dark.

The older square mini bottle and the new mini bottle.

Just Dance, Flash Dance and Dancing in the Dark.

Just Dance

Just Dance

Dancing in the Dark

Dancing in the Dark

Flash Dance

Flash Dance

Hope everyone had a fabulous holiday and you're all enjoying the new year so far!!!

Christina <3

NOTD: 'Road House Blues' from OPI Touring America with 'Across the Universe' from Deborah Lippmann

I have been wearing Road House Blues from OPI Touring America a lot since I bought it. I really love the color and creamy finish. I have tried it in a couple different combinations with a bunch of different glitters, and my favorite is by far this combination with Across the Universe from deborah lippmann overtop. It creates this really pretty starry night look. I love the random large chunks of glitter with the blue shimmery glitter throughout. So pretty!!!

Two coats of Road House Blues with one coat of Across the Universe

Two coats of Road House Blues with one coat of Across the Universe

What's your NOTD?

Hopefully everyone has a great day!! xx

<3 Christina 

OPI Touring America Collection '2011 with swatches of the mini set!!!

The Touring America Collection was released by OPI in the beginning of August '2011 as their newest fall collection.

From left to right: Are We There Yet?, Color to Diner For, Honk If You Love OPI, French Quarter For Your Thoughts, A-Taupe the Space Needle, Road House Blues, Suzi Takes the Wheel, I Eat Mainely Lobster, Oh Oh Roll Down the Window, My Address is "Hollywood", Get in the Expresso Lane, and I Brake For Manicures. 

Overall, I really like this collection. It is neutral and earthy. The pretty-much-perfect formula of the five polishes that I have tried go on almost opaque after one coat, and I paint pretty thin coats. Two coats for the perfect streak-free finish.

I ended up grabbing Road House Blues and the mini set for myself (after buying it for a friend, I regretted not buying it for myself and HAD to go back for it ;)). Swatches below (all with two coats)!

Mini set from left to right: My Address is "Hollywood", French Quarter For Your Thoughts, A-Taupe the Space Needle, and Honk if You Love OPI

Road House Blues

My Address is "Hollywood" - a shimmery, coral-peachy pink.

My Address is "Hollywood" - a shimmery, coral-peachy pink.

French Quarter For Your Thoughts - a nice creamy, light grey.

French Quarter For Your Thoughts - a nice creamy, light grey.

A-Taupe The Space Needle - A creamy brownish-green.

A-Taupe The Space Needle - A creamy brownish- green.

Honk If You Love OPI - A rich, creamy dark purple.

Honk If You Love OPI - A rich, creamy dark purple.

Road House Blues - A creamy dark navy blue.

Road House Blues - A creamy dark navy blue.

What is your favorite polish from the collection?

<3 Christina

Favorite Nail Polish of the Week: Road House Blues from OPI Touring America with swatches!!

My fav polish of the week is Road House Blues from the OPI Touring America Collection. It is the only full size polish I have bought from this collection so far :/ I also caved and bought the mini set for myself after buying it for a friend, when I get a chance to post it (prolly tomorrow), I will put the link to where I talk about and swatch it HERE.

It's the perfect polish for me this week, because the name Road House Blues is kinda appropriate? I am heading out on the road to the East coast, not the East coast of America, actually Canada - but still! I am going to wear this polish on my nails all the way there :)

I love this color. It is perfect for fall. Such a nice, creamy dark blue. It is so dark it almost appears to be black in the right light. It looks really great under a topcoat of glitter too! Perfect for an upcoming NOTD ! :)

What are you wearing on your nails this week?

Indoors: Road House Blues

Outdoors: Road House Blues

Do you like this polish as much as I do??

Have a fantastic week!!!

<3 Christina

Silver Shatter: Polish Swap!

This is another nail polish that I got to try out from the polish swap that I did with my friend about a month ago. I also swatched her Nicole by OPI collection HERE, if you're interested in checking it out?

The Silver Shatter was released with the Pirates of the Caribbean Collection earlier in the spring. If you want to know more about the collection I talk about and swatch some of the collection HERE. If you are interested in more shatter polishes I swatch and talk about some of them in my Crackle Madness blogpost HERE.

I don't know why but I just didn't grab the Silver Shatter by OPI. I didn't think it looked like it shattered properly whenever I would see it on other people. However, I really liked my experience with it. I think the thinner the coat the better the shatter, which is pretty much always true with everyone I have tried, but with the Silver Shatter I feel this is especially true. I love the way it looks over really dark colors.

Believe It, Do It by Nicole from OPI with Silver Shatter by OPI

Emerald Fitzgerald with Silver Shatter

Have you guys had a chance to check out the Silver Shatter?

<3 Christina

Wonderful Women: Ella Fitzgerald

Despite being completely overwhelmed with getting ready to move, I just can't stay away from blogging :) Ahhhh lol. I have been thinking about starting this series for a while now. It is hard to think of something new or creative in the blogging world, especially when it comes to nail polish, as it has almost all been done before. I hope you guys enjoy reading it :)

This is my first entry in a series of blogposts that I would like to start on inspirational women. Each post will focus on one inspirational woman and a nail polish that I feel would most likely represent their style or has been associated with them in some way through the name of the polish or collection. Hopefully, it is not too cheesy? Us ladies have to stick together, ya know?!

First up! Ella Fitzgerald and the nail polish Emerald Fitzgerald from China Glaze.

I am sure everyone knows, but just in case you don't Ella Fitzgerald is one of the most popular female jazz singers ever. Nicknamed "The First Lady of Song", she won 13 Grammy's and sold over 40 million albums in her lifetime. Born in Virginia in 1917, Ella had a series of rough patches in her life starting when her parents separated shortly after her birth, leaving her mother Temperance to take care of her on her own. Ella and her mother moved to Yonkers, NY where they ended up living with Temperance's longtime boyfriend. When Ella was 15 her mother died as a result of a car accident, and her stepfather died of a heart attack shortly afterwards. Ella and her younger sister went to live with her mothers sister. All of this seemed to impact Ella as her grades dropped and she started skipping school. After being taken into custody by the police she was sent to a reform school, which she was eventually released from.

In 1934 when Ella was 17 she won the chance to preform in a Amateur Night at the Apollo. Ella went prepared to dance but after watching the opening act of dancing sisters she felt she would never compare with, she changed her mind. On stage she made a last minute decision to sing a song written by Connee Boswell that she knew well. Overwhelmed with her performance the crowd demanded an encore and from that moment on Ella's career took off.

As Ella once said... "It isn't where you came from, it's where you're going that counts."

And the swatches of Emerald Fitzgerald by China Glaze...

Two coats of Emerald Fitzgerald

Two coats of Emerald Fitzgerald

Two coats of Emerald Fitzgerald

I love this polish. Such a gorgeous color!!

I feel like the emerald green color really suits her and I could see her wearing it! What do you think?

Hope you all have a nice day :)

Christina <3

Favorite Nail Polish of the Week: Boom Boom Pow from deborah lippmann

This weeks favorite is Boom Boom Pow from Deborah Lippmann. It is a gorgeous gold glitter that is so perfect for summer evenings, it really catches the light from indoor lighting and candlelight. I also noticed when I read at night the glitter reflects on my book, like a disco ball - sooo neat :)

Boom Boom Pow

Boom Boom Pow was released last August as part of the 2010 Holiday Collection with Today Was a Fairy Tale . It doesn't layer to be solid, as you can see in the swatches below, but I really like that. I think it looks best on its own, but it also looks lovely layered over a base color. I plan to use it in an upcoming NOTD layered over another base color... and I use it on the bling finger in this NOTD over Purple With a Purpose by OPI. So check those swatches out too :)

Two coats of Boom Boom Pow

Two coats of Boom Boom Pow

Three coats of Boom Boom Pow

Three coats of Boom Boom Pow

What have you been sporting on your nails this past week?

Hope everyone had a great weekend :))

Christina <3

TIP: When you're impatient or just don't have the time to sit around letting your nails dry... after about 5 minutes of air drying, dunk your fingers in a bowl of ice water for a minute or so to set and harden your nail polish. You will still have to be careful but not nearly as careful as just air drying alone. :) Hope this tip helps?!?

NOTD: I Lily Love You from OPI Nice Stems

Just a quick nail of the day for all my lovely followers, I Lily Love You from the OPI Nice Stems Collection. I talk about the collection and have swatches of Be A Dahlia Won't You? HERE. So check that out for more info.

Basically, I am a sucker for glittery nail polish. I don't know why? It just looks so darn cute in the little jar :) I hate taking glitter nail polish off and I honestly prefer a jelly or cream finish, but I have a hard time turning down a new glitter. I almost did this time but figured it was fate when I saw it in the store months after the collection was released! I am glad I didn't turn this one down. It is really pretty with its different size and color, kind-of-flaky glitter pieces?!... and I like that the jelly base is pink and not clear. It looks nice on its own and over other solid nail polish colors as you can see HERE where I did a NOTD with I Lily Love You over Swimsuit... Nailed It!!

Two coats of I Lily Love You

Two coats of I Lily Love You

Three coats of I Lily Love You

Three coats of I Lily Love You

What do you guys think? 

Hope you all have a nice day!! :) Thanks so much for following and commenting!

Christina <3

Favorite Nail Polish of the Week: Shocking Pink by China Glaze

I am in the middle of a big move right now and I have sooooo much to do before we go and after we get there... so I might be slightly absent in the next couple of weeks?!

This weeks favorite has definitely been Shocking Pink from the China Glaze Neon Collection '2008, which is exactly as it says shocking pink. I LOVE this polish because it is such a bright, neon bubblegum pink color. It demands attention:) A very fun summery color that is perfect for August. I looooveeee bright pinks and reds - the brighter, the better!! :)

Four coats of Shocking Pink (with a basecoat and topcoat)

Four coats of Shocking Pink (with a basecoat and topcoat)

The formula is similar to the Celtic Sun Neon by China Glaze that I review HERE. It takes about three to four coats to be opaque and dries matte. I don't really like the matte look, so I go over it after with a nice glossy topcoat. It seems to chip fast, but I have also been messing around with boxes so who knows? :/

What are your favorite polishes for the week??

Oh and I was thinking... Maybe I should do a monthly favorites blogpost? with/instead of my favorite polish of the week? What do you guys think?

Christina <3

NOTD: Purple with a Purpose by OPI with Boom Boom Pow by Deborah Lippmann

Good morning ladies!! 

Just thought I would post some pictures of my nail of the day. Purple nail polish has been everywhere in this years fashion magazines as one of the hot nail colors for fall (eek, not already! ). I think I was subconsciously brainwashed after looking through a mini stack of magazines last night! ;)

Two coats of Purple with a Purpose by OPI

And it wouldn't be complete without some golden glitter on the bling finger...

Two coats of Purple with a Purpose by OPI with two coats of Boom Boom Pow by deborah lippmann

The formula of this polish is perfect, as usual with OPI, and was opaque after two coats.

Hope everyone has a fabulous day!! :)

Christina <3