China Glaze Modify Me

   The second polish from the China Glaze Tranzitions collection I have to show you is Modify Me.

   Modify Me is a light blurple, not quite periwinkle, with a silver/pearl shimmer without top coat.  Formula and application were pretty good, but you will see a few brush strokes.  I used 2 coats of Modify Me over Finger Paints base coat.

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Indoor Natural Light

Indoor with Flash

   Once you add top coat, Modify Me becomes more purple.  The color difference is pretty noticeable with top coat, but again the polish becomes more streaky with the addition.  I used China Glaze Fast Forward top coat and used different techniques on each finger.

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Indoor Natural Light

Indoor with Flash

   I like both colors of Modify Me, with and without top coat.  I would like it better if top coat didn't add streaks.  

Disclaimer: The product(s) in this post were provided to me by the company for consideration.

China Glaze Split Perso-Nail-ity

   Welcome to March everyone.  I have the first of 3 polishes from the China Glaze Tranzitions collection to show you today.  This collection is interesting because the polishes go on one color, but change colors when you add top coat.  This gives lots of options and can make for some easy nail art/designs.

   Split Perso-Nail-ity is a light rose with a hidden shimmer and a slight purple/lavender tinge.  The formula is a little thick, but application is good and you could almost get away with just 1 coat of polish.  I used 2 for these photos over Finger Paints base coat.  Here's the polish without top coat:

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Indoor Natural Light

Indoor with Flash

   Once you add top coat, Split Perso-Nail-ity becomes a darker rose, but the top coat makes the polish look streaky.  There is a distinct color difference with the top coat.  I did each nail differently to show some ideas on how wear this polish.  I used China Glaze Fast Forward top coat.

Direct Sun

Indoor Natural Light

Indoor with Flash

   If you look at my pinky you can really see how streaky the polish looks once you add top coat.  I'm disappointed by that because I think the color with top coat would be really pretty if it didn't streak.  My favorite design is the polka dots.

Disclaimer: The product(s) in this post were provided to me by the company for consideration.

Zoya Lovely Part 2

   The second part of the Zoya Lovely collection for Spring 2013 consists of 3 pastel metallic shimmers.  The formula and application was good for all 3 shades though dry time was a bit slow.  There is a small silver shimmer in all 3 shades which likes to stick to your skin after cleanup until you can wash your hands.  I used Finger Paints base coat, 2 coats of polish, and no top coat for all of these photos.

Piaf

   Piaf is a creamy yellow.  I experienced some cuticle drag during application.

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Indoor Natural Light

Gei Gei

   Gei Gei is a light pink.  When I put this on I immediately had the feeling of having princess nails.  

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Indoor Natural Light

Julie

   Julie is a light purple close to a lilac.  

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Indoor Natural Light

   Julie is of course my favorite of this collection.  But I was surprised by how much I liked Gei Gei as well.  The metallic half of the Lovely collection overall has the better formula and application, but I think Blu is a good option if you are looking for a pastel blue.

Disclaimer: The product(s) in this post were provided to me by the company for consideration.

Zoya Lovely Part 1

I have the first half of the Zoya Lovely collection from Spring 2013.  The first half consists of 3 pastel creme polishes- Jacqueline, Neely, and Blu.  I used Finger Paints base coat and no top coat for all of these photos.

Jacqueline

   Jacqueline is a nude creme with a slightly yellow base.  The consistency was a bit thick, which I kind of liked, but it made application less smooth.  The polish didn't self-level very quickly which led to the first coat streaky and patchy.  Because of this I needed 3 coats for full coverage.  I also hated this with my skin tone, though others said it looked ok.

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Indoor Natural Light

Neely

   Neely is a pale mint green creme.  It reminds me of the base of mint chocolate chip ice cream.  The formula was thinner than Jacqueline, more like what you normally expect from a Zoya polish.  Application was decent, less streaky on the first coat, but still a bit patchy.  I only needed 2 coats for full coverage.

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Indoor Natural Light

Blu

   Blu is a very pale blue creme.  I get a very icy feel from the polish.  Formula and application is the best of the 3 cremes of the collection.  There was no major streaking and only needed 2 coats for full coverage.  Blu is very bright for a pastel, possibly from the amount of white in the base.

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Indoor Natural Light

   My pick of the cremes is Blu with Neely a somewhat close second.  

Disclaimer:  The product(s) in this post were provided to me by the company for consideration.

Hard Candy New 45 Polish Collection Press Release

   Good afternoon lovelies.  I have exciting news for you today from Hard Candy.   I'm sure most of you have heard about or tried the brand before.  The brand is releasing 45 new polishes broken down into 5 collections of 9.  Quite a few of these are catching my eye already, especially at under $4 a bottle.  Please enjoy the following press release with more information:

Winter is wrapping up and color is beginning to pop everywhere.  From the runways to the cosmetic aisles of Walmart the story is color and Hard Candy's new collection – set to roll out immediately – tells a tale of "Poppin Pigments" and shades that will have you "All Lid Up!"

What you will be interested in is the 45 (!!!) new shades of Nail Lacquer that Hard Candy is launching.  5 new collections.  9 shades in each.  Glitter, Chrome, Rich tones – something for everyone!  Not only will nail aficionados fall for the colors but they will also flip for the price of $3.97 each!

Crushed Chrome Collection. Luxurious and timeless hues embellished with a golden textured finish. This collection boasts refinement and sophistication and is infused with a vivacious luster.

 

Itsy Glitzy Collection. Intense, illuminating, and incandescent hues saturated with the richest and most extreme mica and glitter. Inspired from the runway and now at your fingertips.

 

Crystal Confetti Collection. A unique collection based on artistic expression. Flourishing, adventurous, full coverage shades with various particle sizes and creative textures. Graffiti is revolutionary; it's an outlet to create public art. Now take this artistic and creative expression to your nails. 

 

Candy Sprinkles Collection. Suspended in a clear top coat, shimmery flecks sparkle brilliantly with different shapes of shiny glitter. Candy Sprinkles is a fabulous top coat over any color. 

Glitteratzi Collection. The combination of confident opposites and intimate tonalities mixed with the right amount of sparkle creates enthusiasm for the vitality of life. The hues are natural and are becoming more evolved and colored. Tasteful tones with all the personality to satisfy every trend setter.

 

 

The Hard Candy collection is exclusively available at Walmart and on walmart.com.  In addition to the cosmetics brand Hard Candy now offers customers a line of apparel and eyeglass frames.  The brand can be found on Facebook @Hard Candy; Twitter @HeresHardCandy; Pinterest @ItsHardCandy and on Instagram @HardCandyLife.

 

Remember to click on the images for a larger view and to read shade names.

 

 

Candie's Over the Rainbow

   Today is going to be a quick post.  My hours at work have gone up quite a bit and I'm still adjusting, which means I'm exhausted most of the time.  Not a bad thing I know, but even after about 10 hours of sleep, I've been wanting to go back to bed all day.

   Over the Rainbow is the second polish I picked up from the new Candie's line.  This is a multi-color, size, and shape glitter top coat.  What I could make out were small regular glitter mostly in green, tiny silver and blue hex glitters, small yellow, orange, and pink glitters, and large silver hex glitter.  There could be other colors as well, those are just the ones I could easily pick out.  What sets this one apart from a lot of other multi-color glitters, such as Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday or OPI Rainbow Connection, is the predominance of small green glitter in the base.   The other polishes have a more equal color mix.
   The formula was nice, not gloopy like a lot of glitters.  I didn't have any issues with application and there was a good glitter payoff.  I used 1 coat of Over the Rainbow over Aqua Denim.  These photos are without top coat.

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Indoor Natural Light

Indoor with Flash

   I liked this combination a lot.  But I think the brightness of the base buried some of the glitter, especially the tiny green glitters.  Which is sad because those are what drew me to the polish in the first place.  Next time I'll try it over a lighter base color.

CND Announces New Removable Gel Layer and Spring Trends

   Last month a large group of beauty exhibitors got together for the 2013 International Salon and Spa Expo where lots of new innovations and Spring trends were announced.  CND showed off their latest Shellac colors and introduced their Brisa Lite Removable Gel System.  Please enjoy the following press release and information sheet:


February 2013, Vista, CA – CND (Creative Nail Design) was one of the standout exhibitors at the 2013 International Salon and Spa Expo (ISSE) Long Beach. ISSE continues to be the West Coast’s largest and most influential total beauty event. Over 40,000 beauty professionals from around the world attended the show, produced by the Professional Beauty Association (PBA).

CND launched the new Brisa™ Lite Removable Gel System, the ultimate nail Power Primer, as well as spring trends for CND Shellac™, Additives and Scentsations™. Attendees participated in play stations and watched demos to arm themselves with the products that consumers will be asking for. 
  
CND Co-founder Jan Arnold met with hundreds of nail professionals, discussing CND’s new line-up of innovations and trends.

“The Nail Professional is the inspiration for everything CND creates and we will continue to support and elevate them with our innovations, trends and education,” says CND Co-Founder, Jan Arnold.  “It’s only fitting that CND presents our 2013 program of latest nail trends, colors, techniques, and products at ISSE, one of the most influential beauty events serving professionals from around the world.”

For more information on new Brisa™ Lite Removable Gel and spring trends for CND Shellac™, Additives and Scentsations™, please visit www.cnd.com.

BRISA™ LITE REMOVABLE
SMOOTHING GEL

  

The Ultimate CND Shellac™ Power Partner 

An easily removable gel layer, that perfects and smoothes the surface of the natural nail. Applied before CND Shellac, it extends the wear of the CND Shellac service to three flawless
weeks. 

FEATURES/BENEFITS: 

Like a foundation primer that prepares the face for flawless makeup application, Brisa Lite Removable Smoothing Gel provides a glass-like surface for CND Shellac, perfecting the nail’s appearance and extending wear.

It is EASY ON with no filing of the natural nail, EASY OFF with no soaking, and provides EXCEPTIONAL WEAR by lasting three weeks. 

HOW TO USE:

Brisa Lite Removable Smoothing Gel is a professional only product. After cleansing the natural nail with ScrubFresh™, the Nail Professional applies Brisa Lite Removable Base Coat and cures it for 10 seconds under the CND UV Lamp, then smoothes Brisa Lite Removable Smoothing Gel on with a brush and cures it for two minutes. Apply two thin layers of CND Shellac color and then cure for two minutes each. Finally a thin layer of CND Shellac Top Coat, to seal in the color, is cured for two minutes. 

 The gel removes easily in 15 minutes with CND Shellac Nourishing Remover and Remover Wraps.

AVAILABILITY: 

Brisa Lite Removable Smoothing Gel is available worldwide to Nail Professionals in February 2013. 

   I don't know about you girls, but the Brisa Lite system sounds great to me.  What do all of you think about it?