The Evolution of OPI DS Temptation

So, let's get some nail pics on this polish blog, eh?  I know it's been a while.

OPI DS Temptation is one of the most recent additions to the Designer Series.  & while they're not as holographically awesome as many of the original colors, it's still a blurple glittergasm & a totally gorgeous polish:

I could have & should have left well enough alone but after a day or 2 I thought I would add some stamping with Komad image plate m69 - I don't know WTF was going on with my white stamping polish, but this is how it turned out - just a patchy mess, worse than it shows up in pics, and not my best job at matching edges either:

Not cool.  Not cool at all - especially late at night without time for a complete change.  So I attempted to cover it all up, using Zoya Izzy, from their 2011 Gems & Jewels Holiday collection:

I didn't quite get the coverage I was looking for after a couple of coats, so I attempted further camouflage with OPI Servin' Up Sparkle, from one of the Serena Williams duos that I picked up a while ago:

& while I wasn't quite happy with it that way either, by that time it was too late & I just kind of gave up LOL.  Needless to say the next day I soaked the whole mess off & found something simple & awesome to replace it with ... which I'll share with you soon =)

Thanks for reading.

~Colette

NOTD: Zoya Veruschka (5 ways)

You might remember me having some indecisiveness when I wore Orly Iron Butterfly ... going from matte to Konaded to plain glossy.  Well, I apparently do not learn my lesson LOL.  Exactly the same process happened here, you may be wondering how I topped myself & ended up with 5 this time, well, here's what happened:

I started off matte - didn't really have any intention of wearing it like this, but took a few pics:

Then I added some Konad with China Glaze Millennium & image plate m64.  I do like the look of matte with a chrome stamp:

All of that got a topcoat added.  This was supposed to be the end ... but something about it just didn't sit right with me.  Like the chrome almost overwhelmed the base color, you could barely tell I was wearing green:

So, I added 2 more coats of color & another coat of topcoat - this was my actual NOTD for Wednesday, and I was very happy that I'd covered the Konad.  This is an awesome green - the original Konad was really too much:

Then, I was quite lazy & didn't want to change a full manicure, so I decided to give Konad another try, with a bit more subtle hand.  This time I used OPI DS Sapphire & image plate m69.  I think I managed to go from the overwhelming end to the underwhelming end LOL, I did wear this as my NOTD for Thursday but it was honestly barely noticeable:

Whew, thatsa lotta pics!  Not to mention a lot of coats of polish - 10!  And let me tell you, it was not fun to take off, although it wasn't as bad as it would have been before I started soaking off my polish.  LOL I actually liked it best plain with topcoat.

Overall I think this color flatters my shorter nails a little better than Mahoganie did. This is a green that has such personality, such depth, I could just sit & look at it all day.  So much shimmer it's like itty-bitty micro glitter, so much more impressive than it would appear when matte.  I gave in to Zoya's sale a few days ago & placed an order - I have another of their mattes coming, along with just a couple other bottles, so stay tuned in a few days for a mini-haul post =)

Thanks for reading.

~Colette

Don't Let The Konad Get You Down!

Feeling down & frustrated with your attempts at nail art? Don't fall victim to konadaphobia!

konadaphobia: noun
Fear of doing a sucky Konadicure, often arising after several failed stamping attempts

Yes, I've been disappointed enough in my skills the last few tries that I had to create a word to describe my trepidation as I started this mani. Kind of one of those, "if you fall off the horse, get right back on" deals, because I refused to do a mani without Konad until I have redeemed myself. Which I think did.

This is done with Barielle Lava Rock as the base, which is a dark mauve from the All Lacquered Up Collection:


& then the Konad is done with China Glaze Joy, which is kind of a pinky plum chrome from the Romantique collection, & Konad image plate m69. The pic of just 2 fingers is a comparison shot before & after topcoat:


This Konad image reminds me kind of like a skyline or something from certain angles... I'd originally hesitated using it, I don't think I've seen it on the nail before, but it just seemed to go with this color combination & I like it more than anticipated.

I've also got to take a moment to say, I really do feel kind of guilty that I let comments pile up all week long. I sometimes have opportunity to read them, but not enough time to respond, because I really do like to give answers the attention & consideration they deserve. But I'm going to catch up before I go to bed, and resolve, as usual, to try & do a better job going forward =) Thanks for reading.

~Colette

Funky French NOTD

I think I did a pretty good job freehanding these tips, but I wasn't in love with the finished product. This is no longer on my nails LOL. I used OPI's Breathe Life, Sally Hansen French Tip White, and for the Konad Misa's The Grass is Greener on My Side & plate m69:


I've got some comments to respond to, & then I'm all caught up! For now LOL ... thanks for reading.

~Colette

The Return of Konad

I think it's been like 3 weeks since I used Konad, and once I realized it had been so long I had to remedy the situation. I wasn't sure what I was doing right up to the point where I started my mani ... which ended up being after I had finished off most of a bottle of Jeremiah's Weed with my friend - for those of you that don't know, it's sweet tea flavored vodka that goes nicely with lemonade. Both of our manis turned out pretty good considering our lack of sobriety.

The sticker is AWOL for this bottle of Nina Ultra Pro, but I think the name is Caribbean Blue or something like that, Konied with Black Special Polish & plate s6, and Maybelline Onyx Rush for the tips:

I did file my nails a little, after a couple of close calls, so if you're thinking that they look shorter, it's not just an optical illusion from the french tips.

On T, we used Misa Right Here Now, No More Later, Konied with White Special Polish & plate m69:

And I did my toes also, with China Glaze Coconut Kiss:

Thanks for reading =)

~Colette