Sunday, December 26, 2010

Nail Polish of the Week: Cina Glaze - Techno

Next week the new year is knocking on our doors, so I decided for this week for a nail polish with Glitz:

China Glaze - Techno

Techno is very pretty on the nails - normally I am not sooo crazy for Glitz, but this one has hexagone, big particles with Holo effect and I think this is perfect for New Year's Eve! Here on the swatch are two coats, but only the first one is applied in the classiv way. The second is dabbed on, so more Glitz sticks on the nail! Polish the Base Coat not too thin on and like most of the times with Glitz I used Seche Vite - this wonder polish dries also thicker layers rapidly and smoothes out every unevenness!

What will you wear on your nails at New Year's Eve?

SPARITUAL - Spring 2011 *Truth*

Now its time to have a look into one of the next Spring looks - today I show you four of the colours from SPARITUAL, which are actually in the mini set. This set is in stock and can already be ordered!

All swatches of the look are made with Base Coat Lacquer Lock and Top Coat Toute De Suite (coming soon) - two great polishes for perfect and fast dry results!!

SPARITUAL - Face Of Destiny
Face Of Destiny is a warm, beautiful, creamy, muted Apricot. What I like on it - its not too yellowish and flatters every skin shade! Here applied in two coats...

SPARITUAL - Eye Of The Beholder
Eye Of The Beholder is a sensational, exciting, bright Apple Green, but I have to say also the most tricky to apply one! Please note - polish with a light hand, which means don't press the brush to strong on the nail, because if you do this you will remove partially the layers underneath. And take care, that starting on the second layer there is enough polish on the brush. Polish with long strokes from side to side, not like normally recommended tip - middle - side - side... Here you see three coats!

SPARITUAL - Enlightened Soul

Enlightened Soul is a sunny, bright Yellow - no issues to apply, here - two layers!

SPARITUAL - Knowledge Is Power
Knowledge Is Power - a beautiful, bright, neon Pink (you can see it when its drying: its matte without/before application of Top Coat!) and pop ups intensely! In the picture with two coats!

So I like the look - this four shades show you Spring is coming closer and for SPARITUAL really unusual! A great trend look! How do you like them?

Monday, December 20, 2010

BB Couture For Men - The Mens Formal Collection

BB Couture for Nails is a trendsetter, especially for men nail polish. They are in fact the only brand I know who creates special collections just for men!

Today I show you *The Mens Formal Collection* - five duo chrome and a jelly with Glitz:

BB Couture For Men - Incognito
Incognito is a duo chrome in gray and violet. Nothing special you say, yes, but: this one goes very even on and dries quickly (by the way: like all BB polishes!) The violet is  a warm, subtle, reddish shade. With two coats its a bit sheer, so I recommend you 3 layers. Its my favourite!


BB Couture For Men - Dress Rehearsal
Whoever loves soft, green nail polish, will fall in love with this: a muted sage green with silver shimmer. Easy to handle, no streaks! Because its a bit soft and sheer you should polish 3 coats to make it more dense!

BB Couture For Men - Tuxedo Night
OK, I have to tell you - Tuxedo Night was my favourite in the bottle. Can you imagine how surprised I was to find out, that its more a jelly than a classic opaque polish? But this is the advantage - the very fine Glitz sparkles in the jelly much more intense as it would do in a classic texture! And the best - there is also if it contains Glitter no unevenness and no bumps on the surface: perfect smooth and even! This makes me happy, also when it needs 3 layers for perfect coverage...

   
BB Couture For Men - Ceremony
Another duo chrome - and I can't get enough! This is a soft taupe with bright green shimmer. No issues to apply, but again - three layers...

BB Couture For Men - Dinner Jacket
A beautiful duo chrome in gray and blue with bright blue shimmer! It looks in the bottle very plain, but - wow! What a power on the nails: it flashes out! And looks very pretty to Jeans!

BB Couture For Men - Award Medal
Last but not least - Award Medal. A very very beautiful, high elegant Gold, and depending on the light with a touch of Ancient Gold and Olive! You know, dear reader - normally the bright colours are not so my personal favourites, but this one I love on my nails, they look almost perfect! Its a kind of manequin polish (you know - the ones which makes your nails almost disappear in the skin colour), but with much more exclusivity! A recommended shade also for the big evening instead of the little black one. For perfect results - 3 layers. But this time not only because of the opacity, no, the reason is - the gold flashes more intense!


OK, guys and girls - now its up to you: which one is your favourite? Have you ever tried one of the men polishes?

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Holographic Nail Polish - how to handle

Everybody who loves holographic will find a big assortment on the market. But unfortunately some manufacturers produce them only seasonal or in the trend looks, also more bold colours are sometimes hard to find!

Basically there are two kinds of holographic: the finely ground pigments and the holo flakes. The difference is the size of the pigment - the flakes are bigger!

Fine ground pigment: NUBAR - Gem
Holo flakes: NUBAR - 2010


Holographic polishes are more expensive, because the pigment are 1/3rd higher priced than classic ones, reason is here multiple production in a lot more steps! They are made of foil or natural pigments.


Why is it a holo effect?

Because of the special light refraction - the pigments are in layers and depending on how deep which wave length the light is reflected, you can see the different colours like in a rainbow.


How to handle really professional a holographic polish?

Basically you have to know: holographic polish dries MUCH MORE QUICK than normal nail polish, because it contains less solvents - reason: would they have the normal quantity of solvents it wouldnt be so dense and opaque and the evenness would be more difficulty!

The opinions about wearing base coat or not, are as different as day and night. But its right that it depends on the manufacturer, for example Nfu-Oh: they recommend their Aqua Base and here it's true: it makes a difference, if you wear undernath no, a classic or their special base - streak-free and even it will be on top of Aqua Base!


Holographic nail polish

Do you also read you shouldn't wear a top coat on holo polish, because you would loose partially of the holographic effect? Thats nonsense! If you don't wear it, it will be rubbed off very quickly. Out of my experience (please see also on the pic: middle finger WITHOUT, ring finger WITH) it makes NO difference on the effect, but for sure in the long lasting!

Beside this holo polish is more matte, not high-shine!

Nfu-Oh #61

Please note, that you should apply it with long strokes without stopping too often, and - there should be enough polish on the brush. If you don't do this, there are some issues: holo polish never forgive any try to correct a mistake, because it dries so fast. If you polish on and on the same spot the solvents remove the layer underneath and it will be clumpy and streaky. And you will see EVERY mistake on top!!

Most of the times one layer is almost perfect, but for working professional I always recommend two layers!


Holo flakes

Holo flakes are 99% in a jelly base and not comletely dense and opaque. Also if you polish more layers you will never have 100% opacity. Be careful: because of their structure you will feel the flakes by polishing more layers! Because of this please use always top coat with a high quantity of acrylic like Colorfix, Super Shiney or Seche Vite, only they provide a perfect evenness on the surface!

Nfu-Oh #58, 2 coats

If you want to have an opaque result, use a normal nail polish as a base, it can be a matching colour or for more exciting designs, any other colour, see here two layers in my example: polish Nfu-Oh #131 + holo flakes Nfu-Oh #49 / #52 / #58:

Index finger: #49, middle finger: #52, ring finger: #58

OK, who has experience and want to add more tricks? And who is a virgin in holographic nail polish?

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

SPARITUAL - Preview Spring 2001 *Truth*

Today I got the new SPARITUAL information and preview for the new trendlook in spring 2011 - oh, don't you think its an amazing glimpse of warmer days and sunshine?

The trendlook is named *Truth* and has six fruity, berry-like colours:


First time (I never saw before!) there will also be available a limited set with 4 mini nail polishes - it contains the *Star colours* of the look:


I didn't see them in nature, but it awakes my interest! The look starts in January 2011, price for the regular sized bottle is 13.00 €, the mini set is 22.50 €

What do you think - is it interesting for you?

SPARITUAL - NEW: Mini Nail Polishes

Since a short time ago SPARITUAL offers now 36 differen mini nail polishes to see, try, explore or to give as a present. Some of them are also available in regular size, some others exclusive only available as minis, but see yourself:


So what about you - do you like them? Is it your taste? Do you already have some nail polishes of SPARITUAL? I have to say this - I LOVE THIS BRAND!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Nail Art - Fashionista

If you read my blog regularly you already know, that I prefer personal dark, vampy nail polish. Not long ago I explore many different metal designer decals and wear them from time to time on my nails. Curious? Than see here:



How to make - instruction:

  • Base Coat
  • 2 coats black nail polish, this is: essie - Licorice
  • alternate you can use every darker nail polish like Bordeaux (z. B. SPARITUAL - Epicurean or ORLY - Naughty), Plum (MAVALA - Tokyo) or a Dark Brown (LCN - Death By Chocolate)
  • Curve Fashion Metal Decals a bit in the center. So it will lay perfectly matching the nail shape on the nail surface without rough edges!
  • UNBEDINGT Überlack, evtl. sogar zwei Schichten - macht Ihr das nicht, bleibt Ihr garantiert an Textilien hängen und zieht somit entweder Fäden oder das Decal springt ab! A MUST HAVE - Top Coat, maybe in two layers! If you don't use it, I assure you will ruin sweatshirts and woolen pullovers by threading or it will just jump away from your nail!

You will try this also? Than wrote me!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Nail Art - Snowy Winter

Since a while I have Snowflake stickers in my shop and now is the perfect time to show them in a Nail Art:






Want to try? This you need:



How to make - instruction:
  1. Clean your nails thoroughly
  2. 2 coats smoothing, ridge-filling Base Coat
  3. 2 coats Nail Polish Frozen Sea
  4. 1 coat Nail Polish Winter Wonderland
  5. Important - before you go ahead, the polish must be dry!
  6.  Peel off the snowflakes careful with the picker from the sheet and place them on the nails - depending on the size of your nails maybe just one or, for a more classic look only on a few nails like thumb or ring finger (they are my favourite!)
  7. Press on the edges careful, but make sure there are no corners and edges sticking out
  8. Seal with Top Coat, maybe with a special one just for Nail Art - they contain more Acrylic and so they are more flexible and dense!

Enjoy to make it yourself! Do you send me pics from your Winter Nail Art?

Look: LCN - Winter Wonderland 2010

Today I show you the very new trendlook for winter from LCN, named: Winter Wonderland. To this look belong three nail polishes - two metallics in silver and pale blue and a glitzy one in ice blue with tons of Glitz, but see yourself:


Silver Ice Cube - a high opaque silver with finest pigment size and almost like a mirror. This are two layers + Seche Top Coat. Like all metallic polishes also this is a bit tricky to appy - soon I will post again an instruction, how you can apply them on the best way without getting streaky. The only thin I wish is here and also the next colour a more broad brush...


Frozen Sea - also metallic, also high opaque and my favourite - a beautiful ice blue. I have to say - I look always on my nails! Do you remember the fairy tale *The Snow Queen*? I am sure she wore a colour like this on her frosty nails! These are also two layers with top coat!


Winter Wonderland - is the Star Colour of this look! The Glitz is perfect sized and can be applied without any issues. Both layers were dry within 10 minutes. To wear it allone it looks nice, but on top on coloured polish it looks just GREAT! Please see for this one of my next postings: Nail Art - Snowy Winter...

RESUMEE - a nice look for cold days and whoever like metallic nail polish will love this trend - best of this is, they are drying really speedy!