Manicure Monday

 Today's manicure Monday is a super cool combination tat I created when I had realized that when I painted my nails yellow with the Wet N Wild wild shine polish that I had touched something (my phone) and smudged them like crazy on my right hand. Now I am not saying this is an acceptable way to fix it and by all means you should probably just redo the ones you messed up, but I am lazy and took the shortcut to nice looking nails. I painted over the yellow with my black sparkle crackle paint from Funky fingers.
In some lights the black polish looks green over top of the yellow. I don't know why, I'm not a scientist. Also I discovered if your nails hip on the ends, it kind of adds a cool grungy effect and makes it look even cooler. I like stuff like this and have really been enjoying this polish.

<3 Allison

Manicure Monday - Looking Wicked

ACK! I almost forgot about Manicure Monday and I could not wait to share this mani so I'm posting right before midnight. Also, I promise reviews of my May Ipsy bag and Beauty Box 5 are coming the next two days.

I hadn't intended to sit down to do my nails the other day but I had some time to kill while I waited for my boyfriend to Skype me. I waited... and waited... and was conveniently perched at my vanity, where my nail polish is housed so I took off the chipped blue polish I'd been rocking and got my nails did.

I had initially intended to just do some matte black nails with a glitter accent. Cute right?

So I painted my nails with a coat (or two...) of NYC's Longwearing Nail Enamel (don't let them lie... it's not long wearing at all but kinda does the job for a few days) in 119 Black Lace Creme with a layer of NYC's Matte Me Crazy topcoat. As much as I complain about the longevity of NYC's polishes, I LOVE the matte top coat and you can't get it cheaper anywhere else, really.

Then I was like... check out this cool glitter by Candies called White Noise that I got for Christmas and haven't used yet. I'ma use it for my accent nail. I painted my ring fingers, watched it dry, fell in love, and promptly paints all my nails.

Seriously, why did I wait so long to try this glitter? AHH!

The pictures above are obviously pre-cleanup. I just couldn't wait to take pictures. Pictures below are a day after I painted them so there might be a few chips because I was crafting and mess them up. Go figure.

I can't stop looking at my fingers and even though my nails chipped and the glitter pieces have begun to peel up a bit, this is my favorite mani. How wickedly awesome does that look?

Has a nail polish color ever surprised you and instantly become your favorite?

Manicure Monday 4/28/2014

I'm totally obsessed with this nail polish I did a while back. I'd posted it on Instagram but hadn't managed to get it on my blog so I'm posting it now!


I used the Nicole by O.P.I. Roughles collection polish in "On What Grounds?" which came in my March 2014 Ipsy Bag. I love this polish. It goes on in one coat, doesn't need a top coat, doesn't stain my nails, and comes off easily with remover.

I decided to do a gold glitter accent nail because glitter. For the accent nail I used Petites polish in Universe, Sinful Colors in All About You, and Milani in 531 Gold, with a cheap topcoat from Five Below.

Manicure Monday - July 22, 2013

This week I got to try out my new Julep polishes that I got in my first (and only) Maven Box.

I'm not going to lie, I was so excited to try these polishes together and I'm surprised I made it this long without doing my nails. I was in LOVE with the glitter (and I rarely do my nails without incorporating some form of glitter polish into them) and the orange red grew on me.

Colors used: 

Julep - Natasha

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails - Starry Gaze

Julep - Paris

Revlon - Stunning (my FAVORITE polish ever)

So far, I love this manicure but I'm not as impressed by Julep as I'd like to be. I did my nails last night (as per Sunday ritual) and had to touch up several of the nails before photographing today! It could be my fault for not applying at top coat (criminal) but at the same time, I expected more from Julep. 

Anyone have the same experience with Julep polishes or am I alone in these thoughts?

Manicure Monday

I'm trying to get into a better routine of doing my nails... which is my most hated beauty activity mostly because I lack the patience for them to dry. Nails also really weird me out... I get little shivers just thinking about it. But last night I sat down in front of the TV with Pete and did my nails since the polish I'd previously put on them was... disgraceful... and after redying my hair this weekend my nails had turned a very vibrant shade of magenta.

So I went with it.

Here's my after work photo of my very pink and sparkly manicure.

I used two shades (the second shade was totally pointless and didn't even show up) of neon Funky Fingers polish and did a glitter gradient with another Funky Fingers polish. For cheap polish, it's pretty good stuff (but you NEED a top coat or it looks really flat and cheap). I'm also in love with the top I wore today. (H&M!)

Then I get inspired and was like "I need more nail polish if I'm going to make this a regular thing" and signed up for a Julep Maven box (promo code FREEBOX-- only pay shipping for first box!!). I only intend to get this one box since I had a promo code and only had to pay for shipping and I'm a broke little girl.

Then Pete found out I signed up for another beauty box and put me in the cone of shame.

Alas. I should probably go on a no buy for a while and just blog about all the makeup I've bought recently. Merp.