Sunday, December 20, 2015

Little Wrapped Presents

It's getting closer and closer to Christmas! I was inspired by a wrapping paper I have to bring you today's manicure. This is my favorite thing I've done in a long while, I can't lie!

The base color is Julep Ginger. It's a holographic polish seen on this blog before, but considering it is being covered by Venique Wing Tip White, you can't see the effect much. But that is certainly okay! There is also some Zoya Tomoko happening, but sadly, the image sort of blends that with the Ginger. Still, it's there. Like in the tip of the ring finger, near the snowflake, it's there. =) By the way, tje snowflakes are Zoya Nina. I used two stamping plates for this: BM 205 and BM 319. Finding the right plate for the white stuff was terribly difficult. Time to get more plates, right?!

Cuuute little bow! Because presents need bows! I got this bow from Lady Queen, right here. I've never used such big gemmys before! I hope it lasts a while and I don't lose it. I have a little Christmas dinner thing, so I hope it lasts through that. As everyone knows, gems in general aren't meant to last forever. Brush through your hair too much and they'll likely come off. But it's so pretty for now! The bow came without any flaws, and all of the pearls/gems are intact and where they need to be. I kind of want more, although I have no idea what to do with them! Perhaps also I should go for some smallers, yeah?

Use my coupon code to get neat Lady Queen nail art accessories! Fifteen percent off WOO!

As always, thanks for reading. Have the Merriest of Christmas-es and the Happiest of Holidays!!
♥Jo
Lady Queen Review. Pearl Bow Gem sent for honest review. Please see my disclosure policy here.
All polishes and plates were self-purchased.

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Saturday, December 19, 2015

Marilyn Monroe Water decals - She's so lovely!

For the first time in my nail polish journey I have used water decals! I kind of love them a lot!
These water decals gave me awesome nail art based on the beautiful Marilyn Monroe!!

I really wanted to have chevrons for the pattern, but no such luck in having a chevron stamp plate. Boo.
Oh well, please enjoy!


I wasn't sure how to incorporate portraits onto my nails, but I think it turned out not so bad. =D
You can find the decals here at lady Queen. They worked so well! Like I said, I've never used these sorts of decals before, but they were so easy! I will be getting more no doubt.
The colors are Venique The Perfect Accessory. I love this red for stamping, I just wish it was a bit deeper over white. Aw well, what is, eh?
Venique Wing Tip White, once again is my white. Stamp plate BM 322 was used for the super awesome hounds-tooth. I think this is a fun manicure with or without the decals. I probably want to do it again someday. Because it's daring and awesome. So Marilyn Monroe fits so great!!! =D

Don't forget to use my coupon iffins you decide to get some Lady Queen nail art accessories and the like. =3


Much love!
♥Jo
Lady Queen Review. Monroe Water Decals sent for honest review. Please see my disclosure policy here.
All polishes and plates were self-purchased.



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I'm in Dumbledore's Army!

Hello friends, here we are again with another fun stamping plate from Lady Queen!
This one is extra awesome because it's Harry Potter themed =D

While doing this nail art, I realized how long it's been since I've read Harry Potter, and I want to again soooo badly now. But I have Game of Thrones to read! And school to attend! And house to clean!
So perhaps I will settle for a movie marathon while  cleaning the house? =P

Anyhow...


The plate is héhé 034 found here at Lady Queen. It says that it's a 'peacock', but we all know that's Fawkes. ♥
This plate was wonderful, as with the other plates from lady Queen. They are free from defects, bends, scratches, and all of the engravings are the perfect depth, size, and shape for stamping. I feel like a stamping pro with these. Accept part of 'Dumbledore' didn't transfer. Aw well.
The phoenix is supposed to be read, and I played around with attempting to stamp him with a white/red mix. But gold just works so well.. The gold is Orly Luxe, and the base is China Glaze Smoke and Ashes. As always, the white stamp is Venique Wing Tip White.
I love these nails and will no doubt do something similar when I go see Fantastic Beasts!!! =D

Please use my coupon code if you feel the need to buy any awesome things from lady queen.
www.ladyqueen.com

See you soon, yeah!? ♥♥♥
♥Jo
Lady Queen Review. Stamp plate hehe034 sent for honest review. Please see my disclosure policy here.
All polishes were self-purchased.

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Friday, December 18, 2015

Delicate Stamping

Told you there was another plate coming your way! Actually there is even one more after this, in a small series of Lady Queen stamping plate and nail art reviews.

This manicure was interesting, and it took a minute to really grow on me. The plate is so fun I didn't know which design to try, so I did them all!
The plate is héhé 006, purchased at Lady Queen. There are 4 super cute flowery, leafy, paisley designs on it. Each have super thin, cute lines that are pretty tough to pick up with the stamper, but super cute if you get them right!
I don't know why I ever use shimmery polishes, I'm never pleased with the pictures. But this didn't turn out so terrible! This is China Glaze Ayoy! and Julep Marion. The white is Venique Wing Tip White, my go to white for now. Because it's almost gone =O. I had the hardest time selecting colors for this, but these colors actually work quite well. I likes it. =)

As always, use my coupon for purchases at Lady Queen. ♥


My dump of nail art will soon end, but I can't say you're too upset by it, right? =P
♥Jo
Lady Queen Review. Stamp plate hehe006 sent for honest review. Please see my disclosure policy here.
All polishes were self-purchased.


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I have a koi pond!!!

On my fingers. =3
I love this manicure! I think it's a super cute idea for a stamping plate and I'm going to be a bit vain and say I picked pretty stinking decent colors!!!
The stamping plate used in héhé 037, purchased right here through Lady Queen. This is the super cutest animal manicure I've ever done. I want to always have a koi pond! The plate was perfect. The 'water marble' design is super nice, and I want to use drastically different colors with it some day. I can't wait to use it again!
The polishes used were all Zoya: Jancyn, Neely, and Blu. Neely is the base color, with the ever so slightly different Blu over that. Jancyn made for pretty cute little fishies.

If you'd like this plate, or many other super neat nail art supplies from Lady Queen, please please use my discount code for %15 off. Sick deal, amirite?

www.ladyqueen.com

I have more plate designs to share with you, so hang tight!
♥Jo

Lady Queen Review. Stamp plate hehe037 sent for honest review. Please see my disclosure policy here.
All polishes were self-purchased.




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Thursday, December 17, 2015

Christmas Sweater

GUYS! The semester is OVER!! I had my last final today and could not be more pumped for Christmas! I got me tree up (finally) and managed to get some Christmas nails going! I haven't nailarted for so long. I miss it...


This is done using a stamping plate form Lady Queen. héhé 060, is the tag on it. It's like an ugly Christmas Sweater, other than I don't think it's ugly. =) I love this nail art using Lady Queen's plates. I have a few more to show you soon, as well. And can now because why? Oh yeah, finals are over! =3

I also used Julep Popova , Venique Wing Tip White, and Venique The Perfect Accessory.
Hello winter, too. It showed a lot over the last few days. I may have tapped a fence with my car. Aw well...

Please use my coupon code for Lady Queen if you decide you want this, or any other plates. <3


www.ladyqueen.com


Have the Merriest of Christmas' please?
♥Jo

Lady Queen Review. Stamp plate hehe060 sent for honest review. Please see my disclosure policy here.
All polishes were self-purchased.

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Friday, November 13, 2015

Elegant Blue Flowers

Hello there again today! I have some more pretties brought to you by the Born Pretty Store!

I've only once ever used nail wraps, and I don't know why I don't every day because these things are awesome!
 These Elegant Blue Flower Wraps are so nice. I thought they were the perfect thing for just to pop on and go with a super Cute manicure!

 So it turns out, the wrap is transparent, and over the white backing is what I fell in love with, so I figured why not some Gelaze White on White to go under it? Gel is QUICKLY becoming my favorite thing, you guys.
The wraps applied so neat. They wrapped around the tips almost what you would call perfect, and it was very easy to trim up the cuticle line either with another fingernail, tiny scissors or tweezers. The wraps applied smoothly and without bubbles or flaws, and  they make my shorties look cute. =)

I think I would love to have more wraps in general, and very much recommend them. So, use my coupon code for the Born Pretty Store if you are also interested in some new super cute wraps!

Thanks for reading! I have some more gels coming up for swatching and art soon, because I can't get enough of them!

♥Jo
Born Pretty Store Review. Elegant Blue Flowers wrap sent for honest review. Please see my disclosure policy here.
Gelaze was self purchased.

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Red Lace

I am so in love with lacy patterns. I have sad little shorties but wanted them to be pretty. So other than a bit too think (eh...), I think these are nice.

I received these awesome stickers from the Born Pretty Store in style HBJY010. I kind of love them.


Sooo pretty!

They weren't the absolute best at being a full nail wrap, but I figured since I have shorties, why not? I had to black tip because they weren't quite long enough even for that. I stretched them a bit over the nail and they seemed to lay nice and flat(er). They weren't too hard to lift and reposition if needed, but not after I smoothed them out. If I moved them after that they lost some stick on my nails. Not too bad though! Perhaps when I have longer nails I'll do this again, but the black tip will be even longer! =D
This is Fuse Gelnamel Watt's Your Color? for the pretty red, and Venique Dominating Thigh Highs for the ole black. Would you believe I found like FIVE fuse gelnamels at Walmart in clearance for a DOLLAR each! Omg I was so pumped. Although I didn't buy the green one.. Ah well. One of them was the kit with lamp for only four dollars! Such luck!

Anyhow, these stickers are super fab. If you were interested in buying them, don't ever pay full price! Use my coupon code to get 10% off!!


Much love, and thanks for reading!
♥Jo

Born Pretty Store Review. Black Lace Stickers sent for honest review. Please see my disclosure policy here.
Fuse and Venique were self purchased.

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Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Madam Glam Endless Night

Told you I had one more Madam Glam to show you. =) 


Madam Glam Endless Night is a SUPER dark blue. An endless night, one might say. It looks black. Guys, it's not black! The bottle has a tiiiiny bit of blue going on in it (especially in the middle ridge if you use a color picker tool on your photo edit program haha) The formula is very nice, and one coat is just a but bluer. Still super dark though. This here is 2 coats.

I know you don't believe me, you think it's black. WELL. Here's another:
 Zoya Blu is on the bottom of this one, with Endless Night gradient on top, and why not, an Endless Night stamp using BM 203 . Told you it wasn't black! =D This bottle still shows pretty stinking black, but slightly more blue, yes? Angle of the light hitting the bottle. I couldn't get them quite the same. Aw well.
This color seems very versatile. I love that the gradient and stamps are a nice royal blue.

Overall, I would love to have more of these polishes.The formula is easy to apply, it stamps super awesome, and is so pretty.

Thanks for reading, and, if you were interested in purchasing any lovely Madam Glam products, don't forget to use my code, jo30, to save 30% off! Click here for the website!

♥Jo
Madam Glam Endless Night sent for honest review. Please see my disclosure policy here.
Zoya Blu and BM 203 were self purchased.

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Sunday, November 8, 2015

Madam Glam has awesome gels!

Hi all!
Recently, I acquired a couple of Madam Glam gels polishes! I love gel. Like, so much! I've been wanting to post this review for some time, but I've had 2 exams this past week. Oh boy, school.

Madam Glam has a lot of beautiful colors or gel, as well as some ridiculously awesome Chameleon Gels. Yes, a thermal gel! And it works super awesome! My nails are changing color all day long with this stuff!

Enough chits, here are pictures!

This is Madam Glam Girls Night Out Chameleon Gel. Is this not AMAZING?! I was having so much fun playing with hot and cold temps (lights, cold windows, cold glasses, hot mugs, etc) too see this super fun effect. I Maaaayyyy have very well found my new favorite nail polish EVER with this gel. =D This formula was the absolute perfect consistency. the cuticle line was perfect without really trying. Love.


 
Here is Madam Glam Princess Jasmine Chameleon Gel. The color change on this one is quite a bit more subtle than the other, but it's still so fun! Chunky glitters usually aren't my thing, but let's be fair, they are much more awesome when they change color! This formula was just slightly too thick for my liking. I believe that caused the color change to be more...'splotchy'? But the effect produced is still lovely.

Overall, I think the Chameleon Gels are super awesome! Thermal polish has always been a fun thing to have, but now having thermal gels is even cooler!! Both cured with a rubbery matte finish, so I popped on a nice gel topcoat for ultimate shine and awesomeness.


This is just one of their regular, albeit beautiful, gels. Madam Glam Sparkly Autumn is so pretty! I have the hardest time taking photos of shimmer finish polishes, and even more so when they are duochrome! However, I do believe these pictures accurately depict the color morph in different lighting and angles. You'll mostly see the nice purple o the right, but catch your nails in the right angle, and this super cool green, copper, orangey color pops out. I love it. It's on my toes right now! =D This has a clear gel topcoat on it.

Having tried these neato gels, I can safely say I kind of love Madam Glam, and recommend these gels (especially the Chameleon!) to anybody! Got a lamp? Get these gels! Don't have a lamp? That's ok, they sell that too. =)

If you are interested in purchasing anything from Madam Glam, be sure to save some dollars, yeah!? Use my coupon code, jo30, and link to save 30% off your order. =D

I have another Madam Glam polish to show you... Next time!!
Thanks for reading!
♥Jo
Madam Glam gel polish and Chameleon Gels were sent for honest review. Please see my disclosure policy here.

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Saturday, October 31, 2015

Gold n' Gradient

Hi all!
Wooo, I've been busy. School takes a lot of time!
Today I have a couple of fun things to show you from Born Pretty Store!
I've actually got even more fun stuff coming your way from BPS. All in good time.

We'll start with these cute awesome gold heartbeat stickers. OMG so cute! The chevrons make me so happy. =D

The sticker applied perfectly. I was able to remove and reposition it fairly easily, as long as the nail was perfectly dry an I hadn't pressed the sticker down tooo mcuh yet. The middle finger does have some fairly visible lines of the sticker. Not in the image, though! And, you know, not to anyone but me. So I think it's perfectly fine. I love these stickers and should probable get more because I WILL run out!
 Love!

So as you can see with this mani, I've got a nice gradient going on. This gradient is Zoya Neely and Venique Wing Tip White (which is like... GONE! Oh no!).
Generally gradients are suuuper messy, but yet another fancy product from BPS fixes that RIGHT up! I've seen plenty of people use similar products, so I was very excited to get this for myself. The white peel off liquid tape / peel off baseboat! If you were thinking of getting this, DO! It was so great to easily clean up leftovers from gradient. Water marbles, here I come(again!)!

 Left is before gradient (eww, smudge =P) Right is after. you can see the Neeley up on the tape.

I HIGHLY recommend putting lotion, or oil or something nice like that on your skin and rubbing it in before using this tape. It comes off so much easier that way. Just be sure it's off of your nail for polish! I also recommend a nice thick coat for easy removal.

And of course, if you want any of these BPS products, don't pay full price! Use my coupon code. =)


Thanks for reading, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

I'm sorry this isn't a festive look, but it's nice to have a break from all the festivities, right? =D
♥Jo

Born Pretty Store Review. The heartbeat stickers and white liquid tape were sent for honest review. Please see my disclosure policy here.
Zoya Neely and Venique Wing Tip White were self-purchased.

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Saturday, October 17, 2015

Great day for a wedding!

Hi friends! One of my very best friends of 10+ years got married today! HOW yay for her!!! =D
So, naturally, I had to have nails to match everything. =)

Her colors were purple and yellow. I almost bought a yellow dress and did yellow nails, but then I remembered purple is my fave color. Oh yeah.

So please enjoy these nails and this beautiful bride and her lovely bridesmaids. We've all known each other as long as I can remember. Such a happy day. :)
 

 Blurry.

And now the nails. =D



The base is China Glaze Evening Seduction with a subtle gradient of OPI Skating on Thin Iceland and a less subtle Zoya Neeka. Purple. =)
My silly index nail so much smaller in width, Haha. I love it. =)

Happy wedding, Himi!!!! ♥♥♥ 

All for now! As always, thanks for reading!
♥Jo

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Sunday, October 11, 2015

Subtle Stamping

Hi friends! I just got brand new stamping plates! Well, new to me! They are the Pueen 2013 collection =P
I LOVED a really neat 'gradient' block effect on one of them, so I gave it a shot. I just picked the wrong colors is all! IRL, it looks pretty neat, and HEAVILY depends on lighting if you can see the stamping, or any red for that matter. No gradient look, but I used the wrong side of the image for that. Aw well.
Please enjoy! =D


Julep Caroline and Pueen48 for the irregular checker stamping. I kind of LOVE this color. omg. I wanted the black stamp to show up more so badly, but I knew what I was getting into. =P

♥Jo

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Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Holographic is Best!


Hi friends! Today I have some Holo nails. I love them. There is actually a grdient going on, but you cannot tell much at all. =)


 

Pretties!!! This is Color Club Cloud Nine with a gradient of Angel Kiss, and you can see that if you just imagine hard enough. The stamping plate is BM 317 and that was hard to capture too, but I like it. !!

I've been having an awful hard time getting brightness correct. I thiiiink colors are correct, but between my phone, monitor, laptop, iPad and boyfriends those things, the brightness is never constant, and I have NO idea which of these things is calibrated right. Perhaps... I should try to calibrate my editing computer's monitor. =)
You'd let me know if  it looked bad, right!?!?

♥Jo

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Thursday, October 1, 2015

Matte and Stamps

Hi friends.
Coming up with blog post titles is hard. =)

I got a new light-box!!! Omg, my pictures are actually decent without really trying!!! I'm not one hundred percent in love with them yet, but oh booooy is it closer! =D

I recently got into instagram, and saw some super cute nails by user @ezjik_nails and just HAD to recreate them a bit. So pretty. =D

Please enjoy these new pictures with new improved lighting!!! =D




So much better, amirite?!
This is my clearance OPI Skating on Thin Iceland and Venique Steel Toe Stud. On the ring finger I did a bit of a perimeter gradient. I used stamping plate  BM225 from Bundle Monster for the design. I'm feeling a bit off my stamping game lately. Ah well. I quite love this design, and want to do it again when my nails aren't as itty-bitty! The mattecoat is from Warpaint Beauty, purchased at Hot Topic years ago... I wonder if they still have it.

Thanks for reading, and see you next time!
♥Jo

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Monday, September 28, 2015

Born Pretty Store Foils - It's Autumn!!

Hello everyone! Today is another review for a Born Pretty Store item. This one required a bit of a learning curve, but I think it turned out quite nice!!!

Here we are!

Here is the ling to these foils from the Born Pretty Store. The foil itself is pretty long. It's this for about 2 feet! This is about 2 inches wide. Yuo can see the size of the leaves over my nails in the next shots. The holographic-ness of it is pretty clear on the plastic, but much less so on nail. Still there, though. =)

 SUPER weird glare that I'm hating in this shot! But the foil turned out alright!! I had to practice a LOT for this outcome...

Another angle to see the holo effect a bit more.

Quick review of the foil:
I truly was excited for this product. I was only discouraged at first try. The image didn't transfer well, it cracked and splotched, but with a few times of practice, I managed to transfer the image right over!! I really love the designs, however, I think individual designs are a bit harder with foils (not that I've tried others!). You need to be more precise this way.
Practice makes perfect!!
I did this design by doing my nails like normal, applying my Seche Vite like normal and having that all set and be pretty. Then, to transfer the foil I applied one thin coat of base coat (I use Seche Clear), let that dry for appox. 20 - 30 seconds, then apply the foil and lift the plastic. I did find that cutting the individual leaves away from the bulk was MUCH easier!
No top coat, ladies and gents. I heard topcoat cracks foils. I heard RIGHT! I put topcoat on one nail, and it got super cracked and ugly, AND lost all of it's holo effect. Sorry, couldn't get a decent pic of that. Just take my word for it. That being said, the foil is more prone to scratching off without topcoat. So, you win some you lose some with that...

I definitely want to go back and get more foils!! =D

BONUS:
The mani not leaved up.

 I used two of my new clearance lacquers: L'Oréal Liya's Red and Eva's Nude.

Gradient still so hard... Need to practice more! Also my ring finger nail looks silly and disproportionate. Hm.

~~~

I hope you enjoyed this here review and manicure! Don't forget, if you want these nifty nail fold, or other awesome nail stuff from the Born Pretty store, don't pay full price! Here's a 10% off coupon!!! =D

♥Jo
Born Pretty Store Review. The holographic foil was sent for honest review. Please see my disclosure policy here.
L'Oréal polishes self-purchased.

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