FC Barcelona Fan Nails

Hello!

For those of you who may not know, I'm a soccer fanatic! Sometimes I feel like I should have been born in a different country because soccer just isn't that popular in the US, which makes me sad. I'm actually a bigger soccer fan than most guys I know. I barely watch TV and when I do watch TV I'm watching a match.

Anyway, my all time, most favorite team ever, FC Barcelona has a final tomorrow in the Copa del Rey. Of course I had to have themed nails for the occasion. I was really nervous about freehanding this because the design was not the easiest to do and I didn't want to mess up the design/logo of my favorite team, but I'm thrilled with how it came out!

I'm having fangirl moments over my nails. They make me so happy! I really hope they win the final tomorrow! Fingers crossed!

Polishes used: 
Red base color - Zoya Sasha (3 Coats)
White Base Color - NYC 134A (3 Coats)
Blue Stripes - China Glaze First Mate
Gold Detailing - China Glaze Passion
Top Coat - Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat


That's all for today and thanks for stopping by and reading!
-Alana

Interview Ready with Essie Demure Vixen

Hello, hello!

Tomorrow morning I have an interview for the internship I applied for and I need a polish on my nails that's interview appropriate. When I think of shades that are appropriate for an interview I think of sheer french pinks and opaque nudes. But I wanted something that was in the nude family with a touch of color and so I chose to wear Essie Demure Vixen. 

Demure Vixen is an interesting polish and on different skin tones it can look drastically different. My skin tone makes this polish look like a taupey purplish nuse because I definitely have more yellow undertones to my skin. But I still definitely classify this as a nude. And the pink shimmer in the polish gives it a soft, almost whimsical effect. Really pretty and eye-catching without being bold. Definitely a good polish to wear when you want to look polished and put together, but still make people look twice at your nails. This shade is such an oxymoron.

Unfortunately, the formula on this polish is a tad bit annoying. It's on the thicker side and tends to get goopy on the nail. I had a lot of balding and streaking. I had to use three thick coats to get it even and topped it off with one coat of Revlon Quick Dry Top Coat. Next time I wear this, I'll add some thinner to it.

Despite it's formula issues, I still really like this polish and it's one of my favorite nudes.

Lastly, I wanted to show you guys the awesome sandals I got this weekend:

I do love a good sandal with some gold bling on it ;). And the hot pink nails really work well with them (that's Essie Knockout Pout). I've been drooling over these sandals since January.

That's all for today and thanks for stopping by and reading!
-Alana

Comparison: Color Club Clambake Coral

Hello!

Today I have a comparison with Color Club Clambake Coral, that I received in my May Birchbox,  and three other polishes in my collection that seemed similar in the bottle.

From left to right: butter LONDON Jaffa, Color Club Clambake Coral, Essie Haute as Hello, China Glaze Peachy Keen 

Just going off of the bottle colors, Haute as Hello and Clambake Coral almost look like dupes. Jaffa brings out the pink undertones in Clambake Coral and I threw Peachy Keen in the mix on a whim, even though I know it isn't a coral. I think it helps to pull out some of the orange undertones in Clambake Coral.

From left to right: Peachy Keen, Jaffa, Clambake Coral, Haute as Hello

However, once on the nail you can see that Haute as Hello and Clambake Coral are not dupes. Clambake Coral, first off, isn't a neon, it's dustier and pinker. It's a vibrant color, but it's not loud and in your face. Jaffa is definitely an orange with coral undertones, yet Clambake Coral and Jaffa have extremely similar formulas. Both have creme-jelly, high gloss formulas that are very smooth, yet somewhat thin. And Peachy Keen, is just, well, Peachy Keen. 

For this comparison I used 2 coats of Peachy Keen, and three coats for all the others, no top coat.

Actually, Jaffa, Clamback Coral and Haute as Hello would make a sweet looking ombre manicure! I'm definitely going to have to try that one out someday!

But anyway, no dupes here. Haute as Hello are siblings and Jaffa is the cousin and Peachy Keen is related only by marrying into the family. (Oh, yeaaa. That analogy...).

That's all for today and thanks for stopping by and reading!
-Alana

May Birchbox: My First Birchbox!

Hello all!

I have an out of the ordinary post for you guys today. I just subscribed to Birchbox and got my first box this week. I was debating whether or not to do a blog post on it, but I figured, "Hey, might as well! I have nothing to lose!" Besides, I got something in this month's box that was right up this blog's alley. ;)

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Birchbox, Birchbox is a monthly subscription service. For $10 a month you receive 4-5 deluxe samples of high-end products that are mailed to your door every month. A good comparison of it is Glossybox, which actually just came to the States this month.

May's Birchbox was Gossip Girl themed. I don't watch Gossip Girl, it has never interested me and never will. I'm just not into TV shows that are centered on female drama. I barely watch TV unless FC Barcelona has a game, Arsenal has a game, it's the World Cup, etc. etc. (Yes, I'm a soccer fan. Clearly I live in the wrong country...).

But I digress. However, even though I don't care for Gossip Girl, I still really liked my first box!

Yes, you are seeing that clearly. That is nail polish! I told you this box had something in it that was right up this blog's alley! I'll get more into detail about this polish as I go through all the products in more detail.

Going from left to right (descriptions from the card in the box):

• Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Conditioner - "Repair stressed strands with this aromatic hair treatment - exotic ojon and monoi oils work together to smooth and hydrate. Full size, $25."
• I haven't tried this out yet, but I am excited about this product. I flat iron my hair and my ends get dry and damaged. I'm always on the market for a good conditioner. Even though you can't really "repair" damaged hair, a good conditioner will smooth the split-ends and damage to make them less noticeable. The size of sample is 1 fl oz/30 ml. I can get about 2 applications out of this, which is pretty decent.
• Kiehl's Abyssine Cream + - "A longtime bestseller, this anti-aging moisturizer uses microscopic Abyssine molecules to soft wrinkles and protect skin from free radical damage. Full size, $48."
• Yeaaa, I don't have wrinkles, ha! I'm 21 and my forehead doesn't even ripple when I raise my eyebrows. People still think I'm 16! However, this is a nice cream. I like the texture of it. It's rich and creamy and seems really hydrating. I do have skin that is more on the oily side, so I apply this at night because it a bit heavy for my skin to wear during the day. I'll use it because I have it, even though it doesn't suit the stage that my skin is in at the moment. The size of this sample is 0.25oz, which may not seem like much, but this will last me a while because a pea sized amount covers my entire face.
• Color Club Nail Polish in Clambake Coral - "Just in time for summer, this warm shade will set off you newly (self-) tanned skin. Full size, $8."
• Okay, I had to laugh at the self tan part. I don't have to tan Birchbox, I was born tan ;). But  this is by far my favorite product in this box! And it's a coral, one of my favorite polish shades! Oh, Birchbox, how'd you know!? This polish is a mini and it's 0.25 oz, so half of a full size. 
• BVLGARI Omnia Crystalline Eau de Toilette Spray - "Inspired by luminescent crystals, this fresh scent combines notes of lotus flowers, bamboo, and Nashi pear. Full size, $47-64."
• I actually really like this scent. I don't think I'd ever purchase it, but I like it enough to use this sample. It is very fresh smelling, and clean, fresh scents are my favorite. It is a floral scent, but it's a light floral so that doesn't bother me. It's quite feminine. 

So, that's it! Not too shabby! In fact, I'm rather pleased with it. Do any of you in the States subscribe to Birchbox? And if any of you are interested and want more info you can go to the Birchbox website. 

That's all for today and thanks for stopping by and reading!

-Alana

Happy 1st Anniversary to My Blog!

Guess what!? Today, one year ago I started this blog! Man, how time flies and I've loved every minute of being involved with the blogging community and I don't regret starting this blog at all. I've gotten the opportunity to interact with some awesome people and share my passion for nail polish with other nail addicts as well. I actually had no idea the polish-loving community was so large!

Over the past year since I've started this blog, I've learned how to paint my nails better and how to get that perfect "done at the salon look." My photography skills have improved as I've learned how to play with lighting, angles, and how to effectively edit my photos. I've also gotten significantly better at stamping and free-handing.

To my followers, thank you so much for your excellent feedback and comments! You know how to make a girl feel special ;). This blog wouldn't nearly be as enjoyable as it is without you all!

I don't have a themed manicure for my 1 year of blogging, but the manicure that I am going to show you is the first Essie polish I ever bought about a week before I started this blog. I haven't worn it in a year so I thought now would be a good time to wear it.

That polish would be Essie Haute as Hello, a nearly neon coral shade. This polish is so flattering and bright without being too "loud." It's the type of shade that is capable of making anyone look like they have slightly tanner hands. The formula is a little tricky, but this isn't surprising since it does contain neon pigments. It goes on streaky and I needed 3 coats to get it even. I'd apply 100 coats of this stuff if it needed it because it's so pretty. I topped this polish off with one coat of Revlon Quick Dry Top Coat.

This polish definitely makes me want to go to the beach!

That's all for today and thanks for stopping by and reading!
-Alana

Cherry Blossoms

Hello!

It's so weird to think that this is going to be the last blog post in my room at university! By the next time I'll be able to paint my nails and update my blog it will be this weekend at home. I can't say I'm going to miss my room at school, I'm honestly ready to leave this place and go home for the summer and lounge on the beach and go to my friends' soccer matches, and not have to do any studying of course!

For my last few days at school I thought I'd do a manicure with some free-handing, which I haven't done in a while. I opted for cherry blossoms, which I've seen a few bloggers do and thought it was quite pretty. I'm actually really pleased with how this mani came out. My hand has gotten a lot steadier when it comes to free-handing.

I'm left handed and ironically the design came out better on my left hand than my right. 

Polishes used: 

Base Color: Essie Turquoise & Caicos (3 coats)

Tree Branches: OPI Suzi Loves Cowboys and Color Club With Abandon (used striping nail art brush) 

Cherry Blossoms: Color Club Hot Like Lava and Foil Me Once (used dotting tool)

Top coat: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat

That's all for today and thanks for stopping by and reading! 

-Alana

Sunshine!

Hello all!

I'm so happy that I'm able to update twice in the same week. I've already finished two exams and I have another tomorrow and my last exam is next friday, so I actually have quite a bit of free time. The test I have tomorrow doesn't require as much studying as I thought it would (one of the benefits of going to every single class and doing all the readings...). Of course I still have to study for my last exam, but I have a week to do that and I do have to pack, but I a quick and efficient packer. That means I can update about twice a week now, may a little bit more. Happy, happy, joy, joy!

Speaking of happiness and joy, I've got a super happy manicure for you all today! On my nails right now is China Glaze Happy Go Lucky and as an accent finger I used China Glaze Lighthouse on my ring fingers. I wasn't quite sure how I'd like such a loud color on my nails, but it's perfect for this almost 90 degree weather we're having where I go to school. Also, a little happiness on my nails makes for the perfect study companion. I love looking down on this vibrant yellow when I'm studying for finals.

Lighthouse and Happy Go Lucky where made for each other! Because Lighthouse is a jelly, it does have visible nail line when worn alone, but Happy Go Lucky is the perfect base for it for those of us who prefer the completely opaque look. I'm definitely going to have do this look again, but apply Lighthouse to all my nails.

I used three coats of Happy Go Lucky, mainly because I was being hasty when applying this and impatient, but I could have gotten a nice finish with 2 coats if I had been more patient. For a yellow, it has a very nice formula. Lighthouse applied flawlessly with two coats used on my ring fingers. For a top coat I used Revlon Quick Dry Top Coat.

Happy, happy, joy, joy!

That's all for today and thanks for stopping by and reading!
-Alana