HOLY SHIT NUBAR 2010 AMIRITE?!

Well of course I'm right, I'm just the last one in the loop. If you are like me and you doubted it would be worth the money, it is. I'm cheap, I admit it. I didn't even buy myself this one, but if I had known how beautiful it was I would have picked up a bottle or 7 myself. I put it over Color Club Blue-topia which looks like this:

This was my first Color Club experience, and I must say I was very pleased! I grabbed the Boho set that was on sale at Ross, and I've been very anxious to try them all! This is the perfect dark blue. Very creamy and darkly elegant! This is two coats, but some of the pictures I took suggest I should have done 3. I usually do super thin coats, it's just how I roll. In person it looks opaque after two. And now, many pictures of Nubar 2010 layered over!

LOOK AT THAT GREEN!

I just liked this picture. 

With flash

Obviously I can't say enough good things about Nubar 2010. It's just fantastic. I can't wait to see it in the daylight. Should I matte it up?! I don't know! Ah! I'm also taking a lot of photos because I traded in my previous digital camera for a Canon Power Shot, and I'm enjoying the hell out of it! I think it takes great photos! Very color accurate. Macro function for the win!

Thanks for reading!

Essie's Wedding Collection

Yeah I'm a little late to the game, but I found this awesome mini set of Essie's Wedding Collection at TJ Maxx. At 9.99, it was an obvious buy as these are my first Essies! Woo! Isn't it cute?

 I just wanted to quickly swatch these as I was excited to see how great this formula is that everyone is always talking about. First up is Better Together a sheer light pink.

I really love the color of this in the bottle. Maybe I needed more coats? It didn't hide the color of my stained nails after 4 coats. Perhaps this would be the perfect french manicure accessory? Pretty shady, couldn't wear it on its own. I do think some glitter would look great over them though so that's definitely an option!

Next, Made to Honor and Borrowed & Blue

As far as Made of Honor, again it is VERY sheer, but I can see it being a great base for layering or glitter. I really really really enjoyed working with Borrowed & Blue. It's a chalky baby blue that really pops with my skin, I think. These were both very easy to apply with quick drying times. I even hurried between drying times with the sheerer colors and didn't get any bubbling. Always a plus for the impatient lacquerista!

Lastly, my favorite of the bunch, First Dance

At first I thought this was basically just a dupe of Sinful Colors' Ruby Ruby (which actually applies just as well First Dance), but after the second coat I realized I had found a much brighter and almost orange-toned red. I wouldn't say the orange is super obvious, it's more just a hinting in the background.

I really enjoyed all of these polishes and am very glad to have found them. The application was wonderful with all of them (even on my crippled middle nail..ugh).

I still have a NOTD to write up - I now know what everyone means by Nubar ALL THE THINGS! Thanks for reading!

Skull stamps (possible fail)

Stamping isn't as easy as it looks, nor is it as hard as some people make it out to be, but it is definitely something that takes PRACTICE. I imagine I will be covering all of my old manicures with stamping practice ^.^

I really only have two colors that I know for sure stamp: Black and white. So, I went with those and tried to do a black and white skittles set featuring skull stamps from the Bundle Monster 25 piece set.

I'm sort of satisfied with it in that I know what areas I need to improve to get better results. For one, I need to really pay attention to ROLLING the stamp across the nail (in all directions, really). I rolled top to bottom, but not left to right. I zigged when I should have zagged, ya get me? Anyway, the readers can be the judge I suppose! I used Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Black Out and White In, and Konad's special stamping polish in black.

I'd like to note that I take all of my photos in direct sunlight when possible as my camera isn't exactly great and that's when I can get the best photos. I'm actually thinking of returning it so if anyone has any recommendations for good digital camera under 100 dollars I'm all ears! Or.. eyes, I guess! Hah

Obviously the weather wasn't as great today so the photos are as close to natural light as possible. 

Thanks for reading :)

Nubar has a new customer for life! (Or, F YEAH RECLAIM!)

I seriously am enamored with this polish. In dim lighting it just looks like your average sparkly green, but get it out into the sun light and it really is a stunner! I took many pictures trying to get just the right angles to show off its truly awesome color. I hope some of them can do this amazing polish justice.

I have to add that not only does it look absolutely fantastically amazing (in any light, really), but it was the easiest time I have ever had applying a polish. I am more than impressed. If I had the money, I'd buy every polish Nubar has! Anyone have any other favorites from them I should check out? Thanks for reading!

Just some essentials...and a HUGE birthday haul!

My hands are not as soft, smooth, or cuticle tear free as I'd like them to be. So, I have made it my mission to pamper and care for my hands as much as possible. To do that, I picked up some awesome tools recently. Bath and Body Works had a sale going on plus I had some coupons so I grabbed this wonderful sugar scrub and the paraffin lotion (3/$10) they suggest to go along with it. Even after the first use, my hands were immediately softer and had a more even look to them. Add on my recent purchase of Sally Hansen Green Tea cuticle oil and Burt's Bees Lemon Cuticle Butter, and my nails and hands are feeling much healthier. I still have a ways to go, but it's a start. OH - and I must recommend everyone give that Revlon buffer a shot - it's the bee's knees! My nails look like they have a clear coat on even when they are completely naked!

Most of the purchases I have been able to make recently have been due to recent birthday monies I received, but this next haul was just a gift in itself (not pictured: MASH brush set, acrylics, and Fauxnad (BM) stamping supplies)!

The polishes are:

Nubar - Black Polka Dot

Nubar - White Polka Dot

Nubar - Reclaim (New favorite!)

Nubar - 2010

Milani - Gems

China Glaze - Westside Warrior

China Glaze - Matte Magic (Works AMAZINGLY)

ORLY - Androgynie

Kleancolor - Black Hole

Kleancolor - Chunky Holo Black

Deborah Lippmann - Across the Universe

There will be a couple more haul posts, but I want to show off a few of these beauties first! Pretty sure I'm already addicted to stamping too, so I hope to have lots of that for the near future! Thanks for reading :)