ABC Challenge: Z - Zoya Zuza

Self-purchased

Zoya Zuza is a deep turquoise creme packed with silver shimmer. I used 3 coats. The formula was amazing and applied so effortlessly! It was also easy to control and required no cleanup. It dried with a nice shine. No top coat, though it would have smoothed out some leveling issues.

Thanks for looking! See you on the other side of the day!

Michelle

ABC Challenge: Y - Smitten Polish You're Turning Violet, Violet

Self-purchased

Smitten Polish You're Turning Violet, Violet is a red-toned purple jelly filled with small blue and purple metallic hexes, iridescent micro glitter, and small, micro, and bar silver holographic glitters. It really reminds me of grape juice. :D I used 2 medium coats. The formula was good and easy to apply, with just the right amount of jelly base. I had no problems getting out the glitters. It dried bumpy so I used top coat to smooth it out and add some shine.

Thanks for looking! See you on the other side of the day!

Michelle

Les Nail Smiths: June 2015 - Inspired by a Print or Graphic Design

For this month's LNS, I chose to be inspired by a print or graphic design. I really love graphic design and textile prints so I had a whole slew to choose from on one of my Pinterest boards. Ultimately, I chose to recreate this Japanese book cover. This prompt came at the perfect time because I was itching to try out the acrylic paints from Amazon and brushes from SharingVu on Instagram I got recently!

I decided to try out my light box for these pictures. I need to work on my lighting, but I really like not having to worry about consistency! Anyway... To make the half moon on my ring finger, I used a hole reinforcement sticker. For the flowers on the middle finger, I used black and white acrylic paints. For the polka dots on the ring finger and flowers on the thumb, I used my second largest and second smallest dotting tools. I'm showing my right hand this time because, surprisingly, I did this hand better than my left one! o_o (I'm actually right-handed.)

Polishes used:

Thumb and ring finger: Sally Hansen Thinking of Blue and Sinful Colors Snow Me White

Index finger: Sinful Colors Snow Me White

Middle finger: Barry M Mustard and black and white acrylic paints

Pinky finger: Wet 'n Wild Ebony Hates Chris

I had a lot of fun with this challenge! I look forward to the next one.

Thanks for looking! Make sure to check out Millie's mani for this month's LNS!

Michelle

Sinful Colors Cinderella

Self-purchased

Sinful Colors Cinderella is a delicate sky blue jelly with pretty shimmer that flashes gold and pink. I used 3 coats. The formula was good and very easy to apply. I didn't have to do any cleanup! It dried with a nice shine, but I still used top coat.

Thanks for looking! See you on the other side of the day!

Michelle

ABC Challenge: X - Julep Mystery Shade

Self-purchased

I couldn't find a polish with "X" in my collection so I went for an unnamed polish instead. I got this mystery shade in one of Julep's mystery boxes a couple or so years ago.

Julep Mystery Shade is a blue-green hybrid creme. It appears more green or blue depending on the lighting so I had a difficult time capturing the color. Even though the unnamed polishes in the mystery boxes from a couple years ago were supposed to be released as actual shades, I have yet to see this one appear in a Julep Maven box. I used 2 coats. The formula was very pigmented and creamy. It's very common for these pigmented shades to be stainers so I used two coats of base coat to prevent staining. It didn't level well so I used top coat to smooth it out.

Thanks for looking! See you on the other side of the day!

Michelle 

ABC Challenge: W - Milani Wedding Dress

Self-purchased

Milani Wedding Dress is a silvery white foil/shimmer. I used 3 coats. The formula was good and applied smoothly. It was very reflective and bordered on being a frost so streaks and imperfections showed easily. Removal was a pain because the shimmer literally went EVERYWHERE. No top coat.

Thanks for looking! See you on the other side of the day!

Michelle

ABC Challenge: V - China Glaze Visible Shivers + Native War Paints Black Cat Crossing

Self-purchased

China Glaze Visible Shivers (index and pinky fingers) is a gunmetal-purple shimmer. It's prettier than I thought it would be! This polish was made before the current Big 3-Free era so I'm not sure if you can still purchase it. I'm not sure if it's part of the core collection either. My dad found it at a beauty supply (?) place a few years ago so dusty hunting would be your best bet. I used 3 coats. The formula was thin and a little watery, but still easy to apply. It smelled terrible though, thanks to the Big 3 chemicals in it. It dried shiny so I didn't use top coat.

Native War Paints Black Cat Crossing (middle and ring fingers) has copper, lilac, purple, and silver diamond, hex, square, and star holo and metallic glitters, along with black holo cat glitter, in a glow-in-the-dark lavender jelly base. It was an extremely limited edition polish so I was very lucky to score the last one! My bottle is numbered 5/5. :D I used 3 coats. The formula was good and packed with glitter, but I needed to dab the large glitters onto my nails. I didn't have trouble retrieving them though. It dried bumpy so I used top coat to smooth it out.

Thanks for looking! See you on the other side of the day!

Michelle