Minx Review and Other Polishes

Hi Y'all! Ok, so I was going to just do a post on the things I've tried in the last couple of weeks... but I realized that there were more things that I forgot to post about! First, some polishes I've done recently!

 

This is a Nails Inc polish called Baker Street. I LOVE this shade. I'm not normally a fan of blues on my nails, but this one is so fun and is really flattering. Love it! 

OPI's Thanks a Windmillion from their Holland collection. I got this one because of Lauren Conrad posting her nails looking lovely in it! Very fun and different neutral shade! 

This is a Sally Hansen Salon Effects set from the Avril Lavigne collection called In the Spot-Light. I LOVED this one and got tons of compliments on them. It's one of my favorites from the Sally line.

This is one of my favorites. I bought a kit from Orly called Neon FX which had two polishes (white and this pink 'Oh Cabana Boy!') and a top coat along with guides for french and chevron tips. I wasn't as crazy about the white and pink as I thought I would be.. I do still need to try the chevron tips though. Anyway, this look is from Pinterest using that pink and the paper reinforcements as guides and just my top coat. Seriously one of the easiest looks you can do!

Ok, now to the things I've tried in the last few weeks. I finally did the gradient from Pinterest and I LOVED it! Got tons of compliments. It was much easier to do than I thought it would be. I'll definitely be doing this one again and in other shades as well! 

Ok, now for my Minx reviews...... I was really (really) excited about these. Minx was something that before you could only get done in salons. I think there's like one salon in town that does these and I didn't feel like trying to find this place to get them done. So I was pretty excited to hear they were coming out with stickers like Sally. I snatched up two sets when they came in at Ulta. They're $18 a package and come with a mani and pedi. First of all, they apply completely differently from Sally's... you have to rub them to heat them up before you peel them off. Then you have to cut the pedi set down to size. Then apply. Then cut off the excess. I have no problems with the toes.. those look great! Fingers are the same for applying except they tell you to gently file the excess off. That sort of worked... anyway.. my first set was the gold moons...

I love the look! The things I didn't like on this round: since it was my first set there were some messed up spots... it felt like the edges of my nails were a bit rough from the file (and maybe even a little sticky from the ends of the stickers)... and really those were the only two things. I did apply a top coat on these. I'm not sure if you're supposed to or not... it didn't say. But since I use it on my Sally's I went ahead and put it on these. I felt like it didn't quite look as good... but it was still ok. My next set was Wild Pink Cheetah..

This one applied much better since I knew what I was doing this time around... I decided to not put on a top coat, which I later regretted. This set almost had like plastic or something peeling off the edges the very next day. It still had the rough sticky edges as well. So I put on a top coat which helped with the plastic stuff for a few days. But today more was coming up so I just took them off. Left the pedi set on as those still look great and don't seem to have the peeling or rough/sticky problems as the mani sets. I wish they just sold a pedi set because I would continue to buy those. But overall, I wasn't impressed enough with these to continue to spend $18 on them. I'll keep buying Sally Hansen. I love the metal look... but it just isn't worth it. 

I had so much to update with this time! Can't believe I forgot some of those... I'm thinking I might try Jamberry next. Has anyone tried those? If I like those well enough I may try to sell them! (something I would actually LOVE selling!) Until then, glam it up! 

Ulta Mini Haul!

Hi y'all! Ok, so it's been FOR-STINKIN-EVER since I've posted anything.... I was kind of wondering if anyone has been reading this! But I got several new fun things today at Ulta, and thought I might as well make a new post on them!

So, I went to Ulta today with the intention of buying only a couple of Zoya polishes.... and of course ended up leaving with much more! haha I went in to get two polishes so I could try a gradient polish. Well they didn't have one of the shades, so I'll have to order it.... BUT I found much more! Here we go......

First, I got these fun nail stickers! OPI came out with their own stickers... they had some different designs, and I may have to try some other ones. They're pricey at $11.95... but they do apply well. I kept my file from the Sally Hansen Salon Effects and it worked exactly the same. Sally Hansen also came out with Salon Effects specifically for pedicures. Which doesn't completely make sense to me only because I am able to do a full mani/pedi with the regular Salon Effects. But they do have a few different designs for the toes that I haven't seen for manis. The one I got was Strike a Posie. They both look really nice and I love them! Not sure how often I'll get the pedi ones... probably only if there's a pattern I really love. I also just saw that Sally is coming out with (may already be out) Rock of Ages inspired Salon Effects as well! 

Ok, so first thing, the packaging is completely different in these Sally Hansen pedis! I actually was afraid someone had stolen one of the packs, especially since there were two instruction sheets inside! But no, they put both sets together. 

A little blurry I think... sorry! But anyway, here's the two strips.... you have to tear them apart at the bottom. But otherwise, they are exactly the same as the mani packaging. I'm not taking a pic of my feet... but trust me, they look nice. lol 

This is the OPI strip.... just like the pedis! I'm sure you can apply these with the smaller gold and some black on the ends... but I went with the other side... maybe next time I'll try it that way! 

This is the finished result! Very sparkly and gold! I love it. Very pretty!

These are all the shades I bought today!

Ok, I did try out the shades... this is Arizona from Zoya's new Beach and Surf collection. Looked pretty similar to OPI In My Back Pocket... but it might be a little more... burnished? It's slightly different. Anyway, this is one of the shades in the gradient and I wanted to be sure to get the exact shades! This is nice on it's own as well! 

It was hard to get this one photographed because of the glitters... but it's also from the Beach and Surf Collection. This one is called Kimber and is pretty much a bright pink with tiny gold glitters. It's really pretty on. This picture doesn't do it justice! 

Also from Beach and Surf... Shelby! To me it's a bubble gum pink. I don't have any pinks in this shade, so I'm excited to wear this one! I can't help but think of Steel Magnolias and Shelby with this shade... 'Pink is my signature color!' Mine too, Shelby. 

Finally, I also got a new OPI shade from their Brights collection. This is Bright Lights - Big Color! Very pretty shade that I'm super excited to wear! It's a pinkish orangish shade with gold flecks. (I LOVE gold flecks if you haven't noticed haha) 

Anyway, that's my haul for the day! Had to share! Hopefully I can keep up with this (and get more readers?!) from now on! 

By the way, want a coupon for FREE polish with Zoya?? Click this link ---> https://www.artofbeauty.com/rd/01184D05 It's part of their Share the Love program. I signed up with it, so when someone clicks this link for the first time and signs up as well, they get a free bottle of polish! After that, you earn points for discounts by sharing the love! Pretty awesome! 

Enjoy!! 

New Mani & An Ulta Mini-Haul

Hey y'all!! Ok I promised I wouldn't wait as long between posts and I'm keeping it! haha Last week I did some shopping at Ulta and had a mini haul! (I'm not really sure what constitutes a full haul... haha) Anyway! They FINALLY have butter London's Spring Collection!! YEAH! I got all but one color. I actually got one that I hadn't planned on! Well, from butter anyway. I also got a color from OPI's Nicki Minaj collection that I wasn't planning on either! Ok, so here they are!

This is Save Me from OPI's Nicki Minaj collection... I couldn't resist the unique glitters in this!! So fun!

This is Disco Biscuit... fun color! Bright pink with bluish glitters.

Trout Pout... gorgeous salmon shade! This will be perfect for spring!

Knackered... gorgeous oyster kind of shade... very sheer! If you put on about 3 or 4 coats it looks super pretty! 

This one is the surprise butter shade, Slapper..... usually I can't stand brighter blues on my nails... but this shade is sooo pretty! I was pleasantly surprised by this one. =) 

Ok, so my newest mani......

I tried to get different lighting on this... with flash and without. Anyway.... the base is Knackered and I put Save Me on top. I love it!! I almost left it just with Knackered because it was really pretty on it's own (again, with 3 or 4 coats), but I really wanted some of that awesome glitter on. haha Anyway....... highly recommend these shades!! I'll be back soon with another mani! Til then, glam it up!