Right on the Nail ~ Great Lakes Lacquer Limited Editions for June 2016 Swatches and Reviews

*purchased with a blogger discount*

Hi guys! I hope you're having a good Memorial Day today if you're in the US. This weekend is the Raleigh Pen show so I'll be working that for 3 days. Hopefully I'll be able to work ahead on swatches and posts so it won't affect the blog. Tonight I have the 3 limited edition polishes that will be released on June 1st at 3:00 PM EST in the Great Lakes Lacquer Etsy shop page and will be available through July 2nd at 2:00 PM EST. The polishes are loosely based on the latest Pantone's Colors of the Year, which are Rose Quartz and Serenity (click the link to see what those look like). Yup, this year there are 2! Follow me after the break to see what Mariah cooked up for us this month!

Right on the Nail ~ Heather's Hues Swatches and Reviews: Feelin' Lucky? and Love Song #9

Hi guys! Who has plans for this 3-day weekend? Don't forget, no mail on Monday. It's Pizza Friday yet again, so I figured I'd get this post up before I go into a food coma. Tonight I have polishes from a brand I talked about a couple weeks ago called Heather's Hues. After talking to the Heather, I found that she lives close to where I work! We're hoping to have a NC meetup sometime soon (let me know if you live in NC). I ordered these polishes during her $5 sale, and she still has some available if you're interested. Ok, on to swatches!

Right on the Nail ~ Zoya Summer 2016 Seashells Collection Swatches and Reviews Part II

*press samples*

Hi guys! The week is flying by, right? And I can't tell you how excited I am about the long weekend with Memorial Day coming up. Oh, and I still haven't seen who won Dancing With the Stars, but so far I haven't been spoiled. Tonight I'll be finishing up the Seashells Collection, and next week will feature the Sunsets (cremes) Collection. Follow me after the break for more pictures and my thoughts!

Right on the Nail ~ Zoya Summer 2016 Seashells Collection Swatches and Reviews Part I

*press samples*

Hi guys! It's a little sad that I'm so excited for the finale of Dancing with the Stars AND the Bachelorette premiere tonight! Anyone else but me watching? I'm doubly excited about reviewing the latest Zoya collections coming at you for this summer season. There are 2 separate collections (the Seashells and Sunsets, respectively) for the summer and I have both of them to review for you. The Seashells collection reintroduces the famous Pixiedust formula that Zoya hasn't done lately while the Sunsets feature bright cremes. I'll be reviewing the first 3 colors of the Seashells Collection tonight, so shall we get started?

Right on the Nail ~ Sephora Formula X The Brushed Metallics Collection Swatches and Review: Destiny

Formula X Destiny (3 coats)

Hi guys! I'm so happy it's the weekend, despite not having any plans. It's Pizza Friday, so I figured I'd get this post up before I go into a food coma. Tonight I have a polish that's been in my folder for far too long. I don't actually have many Formula X polishes, mostly because they are pretty expensive (retail $12.50). Destiny is a cornflower blue with lots of pink/purple shimmer. The other polishes in The Brushed Metallics Collection have a matte finish...except for Destiny! I don't even think it dried to a satin finish, so I ended up just adding topcoat. It's a beautiful color with beautiful shimmer. Also, it's not even metallic like the rest of the collection. Seriously, why is it in this collection since it's not metallic or matte? Destiny is still available through Sephora if you are interested in purchasing it. 

Right on the Nail ~ Great Lakes Lacquer The Sunset Dissected Collection Swatches and Review: The Last Sliver of Sun

Great Lakes Lacquer The Last Sliver of Sun (2 coats)

Hi guys! I worked from home today because my husband had to get his last wisdom tooth taken out. Eek! Tonight I have a really special polish to show you. The first time I saw The Last Sliver of Sun on Ida's blog (which I love!), I knew I had to have it. I ended up contacting Mariah of Great Lakes Lacquer for a special segment I have coming up on the blog, and I told her how long I've been wanting The Last Sliver of Sun. A few days later I had it on my nails and I wasn't disappointed. It's a buttery yellow with loads of bronze, gold, and green flakes. The first coat was a little sheer, but the second coat fully covered any visible nail line. I have a little bit of lobster hands going on in my pictures, but that's how it goes sometimes. I know this isn't a color for everyone, but I adore it.

I've had my eye on the rest of the Sunset Dissected collection, so maybe some of those will be popping up on the blog soon. The Last Sliver of Sun retails for $10 and you can get it now on the Great Lakes Lacquer site. Make sure to check out what Mariah is up to on her Etsy, Facebook, and Instagram pages.

Right on the Nail ~ Great Lakes Lacquer May Limited Edition Swatches and Reviews: I'd Rather Be Fishing and Redear Sunfish

Hi guys! I hope your week is off to a great start. Tonight I have a brand that is new to the blog, but I've been meaning to buy from them for many months. I've always enjoyed Great Lakes Lacquer from all of the swatches and reviews I've seen, but it wasn't until The Sunset Dissected collection was released that I knew I must purchase. I'll explain more about this in a post later this week, I promise. Every month Mariah, the owner, puts out polishes that are limited editions that you can just purchase that month. I have the May limited edition polishes to show you guys tonight, and they will be available for purchase through June 1st on her Etsy site.

Right on the Nail ~ OPI Summer 2015 Hawaii Collection Swatches and Review: That's Hula-rious

OPI That's Hula-rious (2 coats)

Hi guys! You may be wondering why I'm posting pictures from last year's OPI summer collection, and that would be fair. I somehow lost these pictures of that's Hula-rious in my Pictures-to-be-Posted folder for a few months. Oops! Better late than never, I suppose. It's a beautiful light mint green creme. I'm always a sucker for mints when the weather starts getting warmer, which means I probably have several dupes (or just similar colors) in my massive collection. The formula was on the better side for OPI (not to say that OPI has a bad formula at all; they just seem to be inconsistent sometimes). The first coat was a bit streaky, but it evened out nicely in the second.

OPI polishes retail for $10.00 and you can find them at your local Sally's Beauty Supply and Ulta stores. Despite the lateness of this post, I believe you can still find That's Hula-rious. Find out more information about OPI on their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages.

Right on the Nail ~ What Nail Products Do I Use? What Products am I Loving?

A couple press samples  but mostly purchased by me

 From Left: 100% Acetone from Beauty Secrets, Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover, Heather's Hues Cutie-cle Oil, ELF Concealer Brush, Cuticle Pushers (2 types) 

Hi guys! Tonight I'm doing something different again. I've never sat down and talked about the products (i.e. basecoats, topcoats, cuticle care) that I've been using and loving lately. In order to have healthy and attractive nails, it all starts with cuticle care. I probably do a lot more than the average person, but I'm sure some bloggers are much more careful than I am. I work in science and use nitrile gloves on a daily basis. I also happen to wash my hands a crazy amount. Every time I take my gloves off, or touch anything in the lab, I have to wash my hands. If I'm not in the lab, I'm on the computer and nobody wants to have really greasy hand lotion or cuticle oils on their hands before getting on the computer.

The first step in cuticle care is to push back your cuticles. I do this about once a week, but unless you're taking macro photos of your hands, you don't need to do it this often. I had a love affair with Blue Cross Cuticle Remover which comes in a huge jug at Sally's Beauty Supply, but the one thing I didn't love about it was how watery it was. To get around this problem I started using Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover which is a gel formula. I push my cuticles back with 2 different types of cuticle pushers shown above. The larger scoop one is fairly new to me and is now a staple. You can find these products anywhere from your local drugstore to Target. After I push my cuticles back, I apply cuticle oil. I used to love the oil from the indie brand Northern Star, but they have been closed since December from persistent illness. Heather's Hues has a great oil called Cutie-cle Oil that is not too greasy, and is still very moisturizing! You can get it in several different containers, and I've been enjoying the click brush for easy application.

The last 2 products in the picture aren't actually good for your cuticles, but if you need to easily fix any mistakes in you have in your manicure, definitely use 100% acetone (any brand) and not anything just labeled acetone or polish remover. I've found that the ELF Concealer Brush to be a perfect size for swiping around my cuticle area and it's only $1! Other indie brands have brushes you can use, but I can't vouch for them. I think I stocked up on these brushes last year so I have about 4 of them. Of course, use more of the cuticle oil after you use the acetone as well.

Left to right: Zoya Naked Manicure Glossy Seal Top Coat, Heather's Hues Top That Topcoat, ACI Gelous Nail Gel, UNT Nail Lacquer, JINSoon Power Coat

Oh topcoats and basecoats. Everyone has their own favorites, and body chemistry can make something I love chip on you like crazy. Your mileage may vary in this department. If you wear glitter polishes often, or you just like to change your color every couple days, then UNT Ready For Takeoff peel-off basecoat is for you. No more glue-based peel-off basecoats for this gal! It's a little pricey ($10), but it's totally worth it for me. I've also been using the JINSoon Power Coat basecoat as an extra little treatment for my nails when I don't feel like using the peel-off basecoat. If you asked me what product I've used the most bottles of over the years of blogging, I can easily answer ACI Gelous Nail Gel. You can use it as a basecoat or a topcoat, but I think it's most often used over glitter polishes to smooth them out. I'm weird because I don't really mind the texture of glitter on my nails.

And finally, I will discuss topcoats. Seche Vite used to reign as the best quick-dry topcoat, but people found it to get really thick halfway through a bottle, and then there's the whole shrinkage problem. I used Poshe for a couple years when I first started blogging (and I still love it today!), but other brands have impressed me in recent years. A few popular indie brands have their own topcoats, but several aren't 3 or 5-free. I've made the conscious decision to be at least 3-free when it comes to basecoats and topcoats since I use those pretty much every single day. Heather's Hues makes a great topcoat called Top That that is 5-free and dries pretty quickly and doesn't dull holo polishes (it also claims not to smear nail art, but I don't really do art very awesome). Zoya also has a newer topcoat from their Naked Manicure line that works well with most polishes, especially Zoyas. I totally forgot to add INM Out the Door Fast Drying Top Coat to the pictures! I believe this is exclusively found at Sally's Beauty Supply. Did you happen to make it to the end of thif ? I didn't mean for this to be so long, but hopefully there was a little bit of info that is helpful to you! None of the links in this post are affiliate links, so click as you please.

Right on the Nail ~ KORRES Wild Rose Vitamin C Petal Peel Review

Hi guys! Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there! I'm only a pet mom and I feel like that is hard work sometimes so I don't know how you guys do it. My mom just got back from a cruise which was very well-deserved. Tonight I have something different for you guys. You know I don't often post reviews on things that aren't polish or nail-related, but I just had to give you a heads-up on a product I tried and loved recently. I don't talk about it often, but I'm quite the skincare junkie as well. I love acid peels (my husband is scared to put acid on his face) and I've been using the Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Night Pads Extreme which contains 5% glycolic acid with the added benefits of salicylic acid. lactic acid, and hyaluronic acid. They say to use it 2-3 times a week, but my skin can get away with using it every other day with good results and no issues. Always listen to your skin. I've also been wanting to try the more concentrated acids from MUAC (Makeup Artists Choice), but haven't pulled the trigger yet. Has anyone here tried them? I'm thinking of getting the 25% Mandelic Acid chemical peel.

Last month Sephora had their bi-yearly sale. I, as usual, purchased too much, but in the box I also received a very generous sample of the KORRES Wild Rose Vitamin C Petal Peel ($64, exclusive to Sephora). Usually samples give you a couple uses, and that's what I expected with this peel mask. Tonight was my 5th time using it, and I think I can get away with one more. I know, right?! It's a 2 step system, but don't let that scare you away. Step 1 is an aloe-based activating gel that claims to cleanse and prep skin for step 2, but after looking at the ingredients, I noticed it also has lactic and glycolic acids. The texture reminds me of a silicone-based primer, but I don't see any silicone in the ingredients. You only need about 30 seconds to 1 minute for Step 1 to "set" so don't expect to have to sit and wait forever.

Step 2 is where the 10% concentration AHA comes in and contains natural fruit, glycolic, and sugar-derived lactic acid AHAs that helps exfoliate and remove impurities (among many other skin-benefiting uses). This product is quite thick in texture, but spreads easily on the skin. Some people don't like the smell, but I didn't seem to mind it, and you'll only have this on your face for 10 minutes max. I had a slight tingling sensation after applying this, but by no means did it hurt. If it does hurt, you should remove it ASAP, and if you have sensitive skin, you should definitely do a patch test before applying to your whole face. I apply this 10 minutes before getting in the shower as I found that to be the easiest way to get the mask off. And the results? Smooth, bright, and even skin with absolutely zero pimples! I don't have lots of pimples by any means, but I usually have one or 2 that hang around longer than I would ever want (and that's usually hormonal). Right now I have no pimples and it is helping with the discoloration you get from post-acne marks. This is what I've noticed from the 5 times I've used it, but you can bet I'll be getting the full-sized version this week! The Sephora-exclusive set comes with 0.68 oz of Step 1 and 1.35 oz of Step 2 which will last a few months. What are your must-have skincare products?

Right on the Nail ~ March 2016 Target Subscription Box: SinfulColors in Lie-Lac

SinfulColors Lie-Lac (2 coats)

Hi guys! Back in March I bought my first ever Target Subscription Box. I loved the box, but they've been raising their prices for the past few months (the one I got was $5, I believe....April was $7, and May was $10). I know the price point depends on what's in the box unlike other subscription boxes, but I still felt like they should all be $5. It also differs from other boxes in that when you sign up, it's only for one box and you must order again every month. It seems like the boxes usually go on sale around the 1st of the month during the very early morning hours on EST. Anyway, my March box contained one full-sized SinfulColors polish in Lie-Lac which is a blue-toned lilac creme. I often find the formula on SinfulColors polishes to be quite hit-or-miss, and this one just so happens to be a hit! It was smooth sailing with this one in just 2 coats.

As I mentioned yesterday, the Kylie Jenner polishes and other SinfulShine polishes run $2.98, whereas the original formula (like this one) are only $1.98. Also check out SinfulColors on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Right on the Nail ~ SinfulColors King Kylie Precious Metals and Crown Jewels Collection Swatches and Review: Minty Fresh and Slay Grey

Hi guys! Tonight I have 2 of the 20 King Kylie Collection polishes from SinfulColors to show you. I'll be the first to admit that I don't really understand the whole Kardashian thing. I mean, good for them making bank for just hanging out on camera and doing endorsements like these (and Kylie's lip kits which look like dupes from ColourPop). While I was at Walmart a few weeks ago I found a large display with these polishes, so I decided to pick a couple up to see what the fuss is about.