mani Monday- you dont know Jacque

An oldie but a goodie- Opi You don't know Jacques

One of my favorites!

Opi is a lot like Essie- really great colors but its not one that is known to be long lasting. At least not on me. I find it chips pretty easily.

mani monday from Oregon

Essie Gel in "Turn and Pose" was absolutely the right choice for the trip to Oregon. Perhaps the perfect fall color, for my coloring the purple family is the most flattering, its so shiny and it really stays on. My only complaint is with the dark polish, you have to be extra careful when applying as every little ding will show, and I am not the most careful at this.  Also, for a drug store brand, Essie gel is expensive ($11 to $14 a bottle). But I really love it. I love it so much that, when I found myself in CVS, I immediately went over and bought another color (still in the purple family).

mani monday- Sephora Formula X- Gray Matter

mani monday

Revlon Gel Envy in 400 Royal Flush

One of my long time favorites. 

Mani-Monday Revlon Color Stay in Two of a Kind

I keep looking for polish for the summer but this one is not it. I cannot find one positive thing to say about this. Its dark chocolate and not my favorite. Not sure what I was expecting but this was not it. 

Sally Hansen- Raisin the bar

At first, I was not wild about Sally Hansen Raisin The Bar. The more I wore it, the more I liked it. 

Mani Monday- Sally Hansen 194 Burnished Bronze

 Sally Hansen polish is one of my favorites. It wears so well and has so many great colors and its cheap! I couldn't pass this color up.

mani Monday: Private Viewing Wet and Wild

I'm on the fence about this one. I like it because its just a nice neutral. I also dislike it because, after three coats,  it is still just about the color of  skin tone ( just a nice neutral...) On the plus side, it wears really well, its shiny and its really cheap.... But I don't love it. but I don't hate it either....

Mani Monday Sephora Formula X in Extraordinary

I haven't painted my nails in over three months. Because waging war on wallpaper and painting baseboards isn't ideal situations for manicures.

I've missed it.

I finally reached a place where I can paint them and...

They now match the bathroom walls.

 

 

 

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Mani Monday- Essie Gel Setter

Does anyone else think Essie polish chips easily and just in general does not last?  They have the nicest colors and so shiny, but I find it is not long lasting polish.

I was excited to see the  new gel setter top coat.  So much so, I tried it out two weeks in a row.

I find, I can get through a work week with it a lot better than with the old standard top coat and it does extend the life of the polish to a good 4-5 days now.

Essie roarronge and Essie ladylike

I'm linked here

I'm linked here

Sally Hansen Pink Pong

It took me quite a while to figure out that the same color nude/pale pink polish is not the best nude/pale pink for everyone. I know... rocket science... I wish I would have discovered this before buying every last one of Essie's pale pink polishes only to find they do not work for me. I'm hard headed. They are so pretty! But basically the first two rows don't work for me. I have to accept it and move on.

I have moved on and found a few others, and this is the best nude that works for me: Sally Hansen's Salon Manicure in Pink Pong

Sephora X system impeccable

I still love the Sephora x System (here) and made it back to get one more bottle. although this was not my favorite color and I wish I would have picked better. 

I find the X System truly last six days without major chipping and still looking shiny. I think I could get more days from it if I were more careful, and used rubber gloves, a habit I just can't seem to pick up.

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Im linked here

opi coral reef

Can anything beat a Saturday morning at the nail salon with Starbucks and a friend followed by a trip to Target and even more Starbucks? What a great Saturday.

I don't get a manicure too often but I like to use the time to visit and socialize when I do.

This weeks choice: Coral Reef by Opi.

Opi: Dulce de Leche

Inspiration from this Pin and this review

Opi Dulce de Leche was one of the first Opi nail polish I bought, and although I like it, I'm not head over heels like so many others are about it. I think it is a great nude when you don't know what else to reach for, and it wears like iron.

im linked here at Jennie Shaw  and here with Agape Love Designs

My thoughts on blue nails

Unfortunately for me, I am graduating to somewhat more expensive nail polish. I haven't gone completely crazy and tried any Department Store brands (.....hello.....Estee Lauder .... ouch!) But I've gone all in on the Sephora X System  and purchased the entire 4 bottle system and I'm a little sad to say I'm experimenting with Butter London, but so far not the full plunge to get the whole set up.... yet.... but frankly, I can feel its coming.

But when trying out the trends,  I specifically went looking for the cheaper stuff. (I wish I had thought to go even cheaper to Wet and Wild Brand for $1.99, and I think its surprisingly a good one for $1.99. )

My thoughts on blue nails:

• I picked a week when I knew I wouldn't be in court
• Everyone comments on blue nails
• It was a really pretty color especially against my pale skin. It did not make me look half-dead like I thought it would (green does that to me)
• The youth high school girls love it
• Its not something I am going to do every week
• It was thick and two coats colored really well but chipped easy. I got three good days out of it but still think I am pretty smart for buying the cheap blue polish
• Chips show on bright blue polish

I'm linked here with the Nail Files
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Sephora formula X nail system: Love drug

I love this stuff.

Sephora Formula X nail polish is honestly the longest wearing polish I have ever used.

I bought the system right before Christmas when I had a Sephora coupon (20% off... only comes around once a year. Got to take advantage of it), and I love it.

And it is so shiny! And it was not difficult to get off like I had feared it would be.

I got more compliments. No one could believe it wasn't a gel polish from a salon manicure.

Its officially my favorite.

I'm linked here at Agape Love
I'm linked here at The Nail Files

Mani-Monday: Sally Hansen Gel in Wine Stock 480

After finally getting the right polish (rundown on problems with this polish here), I can officially declare this Sally Hansen Gel Polish is my very favorite!   It does not chip for a week and it is so shiny!

and I love this dark fall color.

Mani Monday: revlon colorstay in Cayenne

 

 

 

 

 

Re-visited my old friend Revlon Color Stay. It was a precursor to the gel systems out now and at one time, was almost all I would wear.  With all the new Gel polishes (Revlon and Sally Hansen), this one was pushed to the back. But, Cayenne is a dark burnt orange that is perfect for the beginning of fall and it called me back to try it again. I forgot how good this stuff is. I had practically no chips for 6 days.

 

 

 

sally hansen gel shine review and controversry

Did you hear all the controversy over this Sally Hansen Gel Polish?

This you-tube video explains it better than I can. And, I'll be honest, I kind of rolled my eyes when I watched it. I mean, really. How hard can it be to get the right nail polish?

Well. Let me tell you. It is hard.  and I failed. Even after watching the you-tube video, so unless you are really on your toes, you  are getting the wrong one.

I mean, really.  Could they possibly make this any harder?

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 



The verdict:

 

After I finally got the right polish and got it on.

 

It was glorious!  I love it! Its shiny and beautiful.  I went and bought a second color.

 

I like it (gasp!) better than the other gel polish I've tried, Revlon.