Happy New Year from Right on the Nail

Happy New Year! It was a pretty hectic year for me, and I hope 2011 brings happy times for all of us. Make sure to have a fun and safe night tonight! I, for one, am taking the night off, but will be back to normal before you know it.

LA Colors Color Craze Metallic Polish Series: Green

LA Colors Green (2 coats)

Do you have any tv guilty pleasures? Something you don't want people to know you watch, but the entire series is set for your DVR? Well you know what? I watch Maury. Yes, Maury Povich. Now all my readers know *blushes*. I am currently watching it right now as I blog where women accuse their boyfriends/husbands of cheating (and most often they are, indeed, cheating). Don't let me be the only one. Please, comment and let me know what your guilty show is! 

Ok, I am being so creative today with this unnamed polish from LA Colors *note sarcasm*, but isn't it gorgeous! Like, so gorgeous that I would probably spend $4 on this alone even though the 4-pack is only $2.99! It is a metallic green shimmer with a bit of blue added in there as well. Again, I found this pack at my local CVS so check it out. The polish was extremely pigmented and barely needed the 2 coats that I gave it. Well color me impressed!

LA Colors Metallic Polish Series: Grey

LA Colors Metallic Grey (2 coats)

I'm finally back in North Carolina! I hope everyone had a great past few weeks. I, for one, look forward to things going back to normal soon. Do you have any New Year's Eve plans? I have never really liked to celebrate New Years since, well, a new year comes every year and it doesn't really make any difference to me. No partying or celebrating for me. 

As I mentioned earlier, things are going to be changing a bit for the blog in the next few months since I am officially unemployed in 2 days :-( Please bear with me. A few weeks ago I went to CVS looking for the Milani Gems (which I finally found!) and came across these LA Colors Color Craze Metallic series that only cost $2.99 for four polishes! I know! I think these are limited edition, so definitely check your local stores. It makes me so angry that they didn't name these polishes, so I am just going to have to be descriptive. Up first is Metallic Grey which is, in fact, a metallic charcoal shimmer with silver flecks. It reminds me a lot of China Glaze's Jitterbug and other popular charcoal polishes that came out this month. The best part of this one? Of course, the price and the fact that it is 3-free. I was very impressed with the application as well since it was quite smooth (perhaps very slightly watery) and only needed 2 coats.

Barielle Holiday Hustle Collection: Elle's Spell

Barielle Elle's Spell (3 coats)

Why not have a few more holiday polishes (I have a bit of a backlog, for sure)? Elle's Spell comes from Barielle's Holiday Hustle Collection that I actually found at Ulta. I'm so glad I have a place to get Barielle polishes besides online. The one reason why you may want to order online is because Barielle's website always has a deal where if you buy 2 polishes you get 1 free and they often have some sort of deal (usually 10-15% off). If you're like me, you can't get enough flakie polishes. Elle's Spell is a ruby red jelly polish with multicolored flakes in it. If you look at my pictures, you may notice that my index finger is a bit darker than the others and that's because I accidentally smudged that nail and put an extra coat on it, so that's what it looks like with 4 coats. Since it is a jelly,  it is quite sheer and needed at least 3 coats, but I've seen several pictures of it layered on different red polishes as bases and it is much more opaque. I love this one! 

China Glaze: Emerald Sparkle

China Glaze Emerald Sparkle (2 coats)

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it! I just wanted to give a quick post to say thank you for coming to my blog and reading my rants and raves. Today I have some bad nail art to show you guys (sorry Mr. Right on the Nail, I know you tried and I couldn't do any better...for real). Hmm, this is supposed to be a candy cane...a candy cane whose stripes change from thick to thin very quickly. It's the thought that counts. Oh yes, I also swatched China Glaze's famous holiday polish Emerald Sparkle which is a deep emerald green glitter. I love it! I hope you are having a great day and are staying warm (except for my wonderful Aussie and Kiwi readers who are nice and warm, I'm sure!).

OPI Ulta Exclusives Holi-Daze Collection: All the Berry Best

OPI All the Berry Best (2 coats)

It's Christmas Eve (not really, I wrote these posts days ahead of time, remember?)! Yay! I hope everyone is having a great holiday season! What is everyone doing to celebrate this year? I'm in Washington DC again this year because flight prices were just too high this year (darn not having a job still...all I want for Christmas is a job :-(  ). The final polish I have to post from the OPI Ulta Exclusives is All the Berry Best which is a nice berry red polish with gold shimmer throughout. While this one is nice, it is my least favorite of the three. If you can only purchase one or two of these, I would definitely leave this one behind. Application and formula was just wonderful as well. 

With this, I leave you a nice video to watch :-D 

OPI Ulta Exclusives Holi-Daze Collection: Plum Full of Cheer

OPI Plum Full of Cheer (2 coats)

OPI, you're killing me here! I wasn't a huge fan of their Holiday (Burlesque) Collection, because their collection last year (I still love Merry Midnight) blew my mind. Ok, perhaps that is a bit of an exaggeration, but it was still pretty awesome. Plum Full of Cheer is, in my opinion, just as good as Gift of Gold and should also be purchased ASAP. It is a red based purple with a nice kick of gold thrown in there for good measure (I think you can see a bit of the gold in the second picture, but it is subtle). The application was a breeze, even though I bought the mini pack which always have the worst brushes to use. Seriously, I hate their mini bottles. Lots of companies could learn a thing or 2 from Color Club's mini polishes. Anyway, this one is beautiful and I wish I could have the full sized bottle.

OPI Ulta Exclusives Holi-Daze Collection: Gift of Gold

OPI Gift of Gold (2 coats)

Christmas is almost here and I am getting excited! Today is the start of some Holiday colors (I bet you've been wondering when I'd start to get the holiday cheer) and I am starting it with a bang! If you don't live near an Ulta, that is unfortunate because OPI released three polishes exclusively for Ulta stores and I have all three to show you. Up first is my personal favorite which is called Gift of Gold, and boy is it blingin! The most prominent color is clearly gold, but if you look closely you can see a sprinkling of red and silver in there as well. I am so happy they added those other colors, because I think that is what sets this polish apart from other glitter polishes. At first I was worried that the glitter wouldn't be very dense, but I'm happy to report that it is very opaque and only needs 2 coats! You know how much I hate removing glitters, but since the glitter was so fine, it really wasn't a big issue. Hooray! If you live near an Ulta, definitely pick this one up. If you don't, try and swap for it because it's worth it!

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear: Blue Icing

Sally Hansen Blue Icing (2 coats)

Blah. Seriously, what was I thinking when I bought this one? There were several winners in this release of Sally Hansen's Xtreme Wears, but this one just doesn't cut it. Blue Icing is a pale blue frost that is very streaky and contains a handful of holographic bar and circular glitter. I normally don't mind a bit of frost, but there is just too much of it in this one. Also, while I like the idea of having the holographic glitter, there just isn't enough of it to make it worthwhile. Oh well, the nice thing about these is that they are only $2.79 at your local drugstore. The application was fine, but you really need to be careful of brush strokes with it. What do you think, is it too frosty for your liking?

Zoya Flame Collection Winter 2010: Gloria

Zoya Gloria (2 coats)

So I'm spending part of my day doing posts for the next week or so since I will be out of town from this Wednesday until around the 29th with no internet access (I know, no internet access!! Ack!). I will probably be stopping at Starbucks for some needed internet time though. If you leave a message and I don't reply, this is the reason. 

Zoya's Gloria is probably the "safest" polish I bought, being a pink foil with gold shimmer. Don't get me wrong, I like it, but after all of the unique polishes I got lately, this one doesn't quite compare. Upon first glance it reminds me a little bit of China Glaze's Strawberry Fields, but I think the gold flecks in this one are a bit larger. Overall, I am very happy with all of the polishes I got, and their customer service was very helpful since I had some issues.

Zoya Wicked Collection: Edyta

Zoya Edyta (2 coats)

I just arrived home from watching Black Swan and boy was that intense! I mean, you really get transformed into the story and the character. I did like it, but I can see how it wouldn't be for everyone. I was also very pleased with Natalie Portman's performance in this movie. I think she did a great job doing the ballet as well. I know, I know, this isn't a movie blog, but since it is getting such buzz I thought I'd post my views.

Zoya's Edyta is quite a unique polish and it has so many different colors in it. Depending on the light, I can see a main base of green and gold (a fairly deep gold at that) with some hints of blue and charcoal in there as well. It was really weird when I was taking off the polish because the blue color became very prominent (more so than when worn). I think this one is awesome and quite multifaceted compared to most polishes being released today. There were no issues with application or formula, either. 

I have a winner for the giveaway, but I haven't heard back from them yet. Please make sure to check your e-mail to see if you've won. If I haven't heard back by tomorrow I will randomly choose a second winner. Thanks again for your continued support!

Zoya Flame Collection Winter 2010: Valerie

Zoya Valerie (2 coats)

Don't forget, tonight is the last night for the Revlon Perplex giveaway, so sign up now!

I didn't get a great picture of this to show the duochrome properties of this polish. Sorry! Hopefully you'll make due with what I have. So a reader reminded me that this collection is not the Fire and Ice Collection, but the Flame Collection now. Thanks for head's up! There is definitely a collection from Revlon called Fire and Ice so I'm sure it was that. Valerie is definitely another unique polish from this collection. Depending on the light and angle, you can really see the purple, pink and gold shimmer in it. Unfortunately it's really hard to capture anything but the purple, but it's still beautiful. I love it and I think it looks so luxurious! Application and formula was impressive as well. Good job, Zoya!

Zoya Flame Collection Winter 2010: Crystal

Zoya Crystal (2 coats)

Don't forget, you still have a few days until the giveaway ends for Revlon's Perplex. Please see the side bar on the right for more information. Thanks for all of the entries so far!

Zoya's Crystal is in my top 5 favorite polishes of all time. Yup, it's that good. I love blues, I love shimmers and this one's got it all, people. It feels wintery with the icy blue foil polish, but the gold shimmer really warms it up and makes it so unique. I read on the MUA nail board that it looks similar to OPI's infamous polish Reflecting Pool, but I don't own it to compare. I don't care because it's still unique to me. I got lots of compliments wearing this one as well. The picture shows me wearing 2 coats, and it looks like it's slightly sheer in the first picture, but I didn't notice it in real life. I definitely suggest that if you don't own this one already, come Jan 3rd with the 3 free polishes code you pick this one up. What do you think, do you love it as much as I do?

Zoya Flame Collection Winter 2010: Tiffany

Zoya Tiffany (2 coats)

Sorry about last night, but I went to trivia and ended up playing Rock Band at my friend Chris' until 2 in the morning. So yeah. Continuing on with the Zoya polishes, I am so happy with the choices I made for this order! Up next we have Tiffany which is an awesome peach shimmer. I honestly don't have anything like it in my collection so I am so happy to fill that void. As you can see from the picture, there are also flecks of pink and gold throughout as well. I can't describe how much I love this polish! I personally think Zoya has some of the best shimmers/foils in the industry. Some shimmers can be a bit sheer, but all the polishes I bought this time around only needed 2 coats for full coverage. Not too bad if you ask me!

Zoya Fall 2010 Wonderful Collection: Kelly

Zoya Kelly (2 coats)

Remember a few weeks ago I posted about when Zoya hits 20,000 "Likes" on Facebook they would release a code for three free polishes? Well, they already have over 20,000! The code will apparently be released on Jan 3rd to be used from the 4-7th. I will definitely keep you posted. Anyway, I've been having major issues with my post office. Two packages have been lost in the mail (1 has shown up a month later) and one of these was my order from Zoya. I've heard mixed reviews about Zoya's customer service, so I was worried about how this would be resolved. Well, I'm happy to say that they were great in my case. My representative called my post office and tried to get resolution (in the end, to no avail), and they ended up quickly resending my order (this time with Fed Ex, not Smart post (which is horrible!)). 

I ordered 6 polishes when they had their buy 1 get 1 free special. Up first is the only creme I bought which is Kelly. Quick question, does anyone have their name as a Zoya polish, and if so, do you like that polish? Unfortunately, I don't have a Zoya polish, just one from China Glaze which I love! Kelly is a very unique polish because, depending on the light, can look grey, purple or blue. I was given several compliments on it, and I think it would make a great addition to any collection. I was also impressed with the application as it was very smooth. Some people claim they have issues with the Zoya drying time. I, personally, have never had an issue when using topcoats such as Poshe or Essie Good to Go topcoats. Do you happen to have this issue?

December Giveaway: Revlon's Perplex!

This month I'm happy to report that I'm having a giveaway for one bottle of Revlon's new polish called Perplex. Isn't it lovely?! To enter, please leave a comment to this post with your e-mail address. You must be a follower in order to win. And finally, this is only open to US readers. I'm so sorry, but I hope to have another international giveaway after I get a job! Please only 1 entry per person. A winner will be chosen by random on December 18, 2010. Good luck everyone!

Please feel free to repost or retweet on your respective blogs, facebook accounts, Twitter accounts, etc. :-D

Rescue Beauty Lounge: Dead Calm

Rescue Beauty Lounge Dead Calm (2 coats)

Man, I've been so stressed and upset this week about not being able to find a job yet. For some reason you get it in your head that the more experience and education you have, the easier it will be to find a new job. But no, that's just delusional. I've been told not to worry about it,  but it's so hard not to. What's going to happen with the blog? Good question. I stop getting paid at the end of the month, so I'm not really going to have much spending money from now on. I will be doing what I can to continue the blog, but I don't know if I'll be able to keep up the pace I've been going for the past year and a half. In no way am I saying I'm giving up on the blog, but things may be changing. I hope you can understand. Ugh, now that the sad and depressing part is over with, let's get on with the post for today. 

I love Rescue Beauty Lounge polishes, but I absolutely hate their price. The only time that I can afford their polishes is during their 50% off sale. I ended up getting Dead Calm which is an awesome dark royal blue creme that is actually darker in real life compared to my picture. The best part of RBL polishes? Their application, of course! I used 2 coats here, but honestly only 1 was needed and it was completely opaque. I hope you have a great weekend!

Holiday Gift Ideas

The Holidays are upon us, and there is little time to go out and get those gifts for friends, family members, co-workers, etc. Why not give the gift of nice nails this season? Your gift receiver doesn't necessarily have to be a seasoned pro when it comes to nails. Feel free to go through my photos to find some appropriate polishes you may give, and depending on if that person is a free spirit and would love yellows, greens and blues, or are more conservative when it comes to polishes where pinks, reds and sheers would be most appropriate. I would say the most important gift you would be able to give someone who is new to nails is a quick dry topcoat such as Seche Vite, Poshe, Sally Hansen Insta Dri (in the red bottle at your local drugstore), or China Glaze Fast Forward topcoat would make excellent choices. Most of these can be found at your local drugstores or at online e-tailers where they will be found cheaper. I know before I really got into polish I would have killed to know about these instead of sitting around for hours to make sure I don't ruin my newly painted nails.

Other gifts you can give would include a good pair of nail clippers, orange sticks that you can use to push back cuticles (found at Sally's beauty Supply or other beauty shops), cuticle remover, a glass nail file (yes glass, these are so much better than normal files), cuticle oil (such as CND Solar Oil which is popular) and nail treatments (if they happen to complain about peeling or brittle nails).

If he/she is already really into nails then there are some other fun gifts you may be able to give such as Konad nail art or nail decals. This is only a small list of the endless opportunities you may be able to give so hopefully this helps you a bit. There's only a little over 2 weeks until Christmas is here so your shopping days are becoming limited (I know, crazy isn't it?!). If you have any other questions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me and I will do my best to help. Good luck!