Glimmer, shimmer, shine!

I know that it has been forever since the last but it's good to be missed sometimes. =)

So this is what I got for today; after watching "A Fashion Fairytale" with my nieces for the nth time, at least I end up with a meaningful idea.

 OPI Your Royal Shine-ness (base)

China Glaze Hi-Tek (contrast)

Royal Shine-ness looks like a pale version of Jitterbug (in my opinion). Though they have very distinct shades in bottles, I guess it's just the lighting.

Another thing. Hi-Tek is said to be a chrome (as it is in Khrome Collection). By naked light, it is just an ordinary, plain, common and nothing-special lacquer 'cos even its bottle color doesn't say, "Hey, I'm a chrome". But until I set it under the rays of sun...

Hmmm... Now it seems to be like Deborah Lippmann Sugar Daddy, eh?

In My Haute

Lately I have learned that when things get terribly dull, I have to make the beauty out of it. Whenever it gets unsatisfactory, ergo my mission to out-stand. The bottom line is, detoxify! =)

Inspiration is the key (and I believe that I would not pull a violent reaction here, lol). So just so you know, it's painstaking to be inspirit before all else, you're tormented. Blah. Whatever, haha!

I don't want to bore you. Two days ago, I saw in my feed the extra knockout Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (Essie) and definitely I'm salivating. (Scrolling down) Veronica Beard Fashion Show and I fainted. Period.

Who would have thought of doing this?

Looks legit. Haha!

1st pic: Daytime, natural light w/o flash

2nd pic: Daytime, natural light w/ flash
Base: ChG Passion (2 coats) coated with DL Holographic Edge of Glory
Contrast: Essie Mint Candy Apple

Those 'shine' that you see in my fingers are just the cuticle oil (I suppose).

" Your color wish is my command"

Physics 401: Electricity and Magnetism

Every one needs a break and that's very me! But I believe that I owe you a treat and here it is. 

(From pinkie to thumb)

CG Pull Me Close

CG Electrify (District 3)

CG You Move Me

Nails Inc. Trafalgar Square

From my experience, if you really want an obvious magnetic effect, you have to place the magnet extra closer that even a strand of hair can not pass. Uh well... And I think that's also possible to ruin your polish unless you're an OC. Haha. There. By the way, I used different magnets for the design. Pinkie messed up.

Bluer Than Hue

I ended with unexpected colors today. I was expecting that one or two will be close colors (except for Jade) but not even one. These colors are as follows (pinkie to thumb):

Essie Go Overboard - Darker than the bottle color when dried. This is a blackened teal.

China Glaze Shower Together - Good consideration for teal.

Zoya Phoebe (matte) - This is the blue in turquoise.

OPI Fly (Nicki Minaj Coll.) - Too green for teal, too pale for blue.

OPI Jade Is The New Black - Nice jade.

Overall, I'm happy that I tried them in my nails but they leave a gruesome stain! Especially OPI Fly.

Toasted Mandarin

This might sound ridiculous but I call it legit. OPI Chop-sticking To My Story, you're such an epic!

One of a kind. Not too bright, not too dark, not too red, not even just right. It's burnt. Just like the chrysanthemums.

When I'm bored, I do stamping. When I'm in a rush, I do glittering.

Just did some stamping in line of my Chinese ancestry. I wish I did a gradient (of black or gold) instead but so I'm lazy to do that. Sorry for the blurred ring finger. I was trying to get a good focus (for my right hand) but since it's been gloomy for the past days, I have to take a quick shot before the clouds cover me. Again, ChG Passion for the stamping.

Anyho, I love so much this nail art tho stamping gives me a li'l pain in the bumster.

Stamp attack

It's been five long days. My fault for being loaded and I'm sorry fo that. I was inspired to create a Chinese motiff. I have three colors from HongKong Collection though but I think it would be better to be more creative.

So would you believe that I wore these colors for five days??? Surprising for me because I don't wear polishes for more than two days. Oh now it depends and I think, this is becoming more frequent.

First pic is under the lamp and I have to crop it because of too much lighting. Second pic is under sunlight and the last is indoor w/ natural light.

I used OPI Greenwich Village (4 coats) for the base and ChG Passion for stamping; and for the contrast, I did an overlapping stamping using Konad M73 since GV is sheer. When I went out for foot spa, I surprisingly got the most exaggerated compliments from the manicurists! Hahaha.

Day 10: Lois and the hologram

Apparently, this should have been posted yesterday but I hosted an interment and funny things came around and forgot about this one. Okay I'm doing it; at least I was able to finish the installment for April. Woohoo! Another achievement. Haha.

This is a real holo. And I've been looking for this color since ancient and, eureka! Would you believe that I bought three bottles???

Having a hard time withstanding it's awesomeness? Me too. All of the pictures were taken outdoor, no flash. Oh, it's China Glaze He's Going In Circles (3 coats) and Orly Gumdrop.

Oh no. My nails are getting longer finally. =)

"Maybe Holgy's right. Maybe we are all holograms." --- Guantanamo Boy

Day 9: Coraline

My ninth installment and I'm trying an unpopular coral nail polish this time. 

Topped with two coats of Deborah Lippmann Holographic top color, China Glaze Doll House and mattified with Essie MAY. Isn't it pretty?

I thought that China Glaze Doll House is just similar to Essie A Cut Above. It is not and I'm glad to know that. I love the smooth finish and the flakies and the hexagrams! I know that I made it really simple but I got lots of compliments on this one. =)

Btw, the base is Missha Lucid Nail Polish CR01.

Burstable

This lacquer, which I got by impulse, is coincidentally my 95th. Not really bad and not too good.  A mediocre.

Day 6: Volt-in

I'm getting amazed lately while trying/comparing my unused polishes with similar colors. Well, this one is really a surprise for me. Don't think that I am being exaggerated, just excited. Haha!

Can you recognize these colors? Okay. This is taken in daytime, w/ no artificial light/s and macro lenses. The one in the right looks darker and that's true. At first, I assume that they may not be dupes but I can make a gradient out of them. True; they aren't dupes. Wrong; I can not make a gradient using them.

R - China Glaze Stone Cold (matte)

L - China Glaze Jitterbug

So, what did I end up?

Fyi, I apply only ChG Stone Cold for the base and Seche Vite for the gloss.

Using my sister's D9100, it takes time for me to bring about a good shot for the rest of the pics. Soooorry! :D

Day 5: La Pinta

You might be thinking that I literally painted my nails this time. Oh no, no, no. I don't have plans of using an artist's brush. *Bleh =D

This is not the first time that I use ChG Luxe & Lush but this might be the last time that I will use it. Just at least that it looked much glamorous than I the first time that I tried it. And just that it proved me that Luxe & Lush is the ugliest of all the flakies that I've seen! Compare to Nubar 2010 and Essie Shine of the Times (not to mention Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure), all of them are smooth, thin, no chunks/bumps and fine flakes. L & L is the opposite. Anyway, I love the name, Pinta.

TRIVIA:

• Pinta is the Spanish/Tagalog for paint. 
• La Pinta was the name of Columbus' fastest ship.
• The (Tagalog) word pintakasi actually means "intercessor" but it eventually evolved that now it means "a patron saint". 

So, I think it was named Pinta because you can beautifully paint your nails using this color! What I love from Zoya are: excellent formula, excellent colors and they use ladies' names. Hope to see my name one day in their nail polishes.

Day 4: The Green-dient

Oh well, I'm finally back and I'm a li'l tired (*whew) so I'm making this short but meaningful.

Green gradient. I will be honest because my brain is so blunt today that my endogenous wikipedia is not functioning; and since that green is one of my best loved color, that is it.

Can you name at least one? If you suppose that ChG For Audrey is one of those present then you know you're right. How about the other gradient? (Index to pinkie) Namely MAC Mischievous Mint, Orly Gumdrop, ChG For Audrey and Misa Dirty, Sexy, Money.

Mischievous Mint is maybe a dupe of Essie Mint Candy Apple, eh? Next time we'll see. =)

Ooh-la-la! This is an obvious gorgeousness! I think I made a good edifice.

"It is a useless life that is not consecrated to a great ideal. It is like a stone wasted on the field without becoming a part of any edifice." --- José Rizal

Go with Green

So, it took me, no, not a week, just 6 1/2 days. As I said, my sister is here and we're spending all the time together, plus I attended the every night's events that I'm lacking time to do-undo-redo my nails. Yeah so many reason. Haha.

I devotedly tried the Katniss Everdeen's manicure but I finished nothing. Lol. Again, I might be trying it next time. Alright,  the last event that I attended is the (Graduation) ball party and I unconsciously wore the a-la Fat Tuesdays without the violet/purple shade.

China Glaze Passion

Missha HGR01

Deborah Lippmann Edge of Glory (top color)

China Glaze Luxe & Lush

Which color do you think made it perfect? Hmmm, they compliment just perfectly.

These nails actually remind me of something. Mardi Gras. At least, even I didn't end with an arrow or fire, I ended with a rex.

Hey, babies!

'Tis what I got today. I believe I got the best colors and I'm happy with my picks. Can't wait to swatch them!

Zoya Meadow, Pinta, Phoebe, Envy, Indigo, Lolly, Kennedy

MAC Quite Cute Collection (Ice Cream Cake, Little Girl Type, Mischievous Mint)

Nails Inc Trafalgar Square

Sephora by OPI Break A Leg-Warmer

China Glaze Colors of the Capitol (Luxe & Lush, Stone Cold, Foie Gras, Riveting) 

Oh yeah, tomorrow is our Baccalaureate and I'm seeing my sister in late aftie and she got me some pomegranate!

Sweet Nail

Literal. As in sweet from the gustatory nerves! To be honest, it's always been a sweet failure. I mean, I am actually creating something that totally differs from the finish product. First, the roses nails that  turns out to cotton candy. Then this one. This is a chessboard.

Then again, I was told that it is a chocolate wrapper. The Limited Edition Hershey's Kisses Marshmallow Creme! Common denominator? Letter 'C' and 'sweets'. Alright, I'll take it as a compliment.  Oh btw, I use China Glaze Hi-Tek for the base and stamped with Essie Topless & Barefoot.

Woooo! Somehow convincing. 

I am very excited over the things right now. My new lacquers (Hunger Games Edition et al.), sister's homecoming, Baccalaureate and Graduation, Summer Camp, Med school and more. I can foresee that I'll be busier than bees but let me enjoy the untaken days with you.

"A cheerful heart is a good medicine." --- Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)

Chrome + Khrome

Boredom strikes me again and I tripped on my nails. Should I'll be getting those unopened, untested and forsaken.

The first lacquer, OPI Alpine Snow (matte). In the first place, it's not that I hate the mattified thing but the not-so-polisher-friendly formula. Secondly, when I learned about the mattifying top coat, the more it gave me the marbles. After a fashion and for the nails sake, I roughly forgo it.

I tried to make some effects what will transform the dullness to awesomeness.

Chrome. Yes! I pulled my two favorite chromes --- Missha HGR01 and China Glaze Hi-Tek. I mixed them literally over the stamping plate and... ta-da (above)!

Jeez. This is comely (despite some messes).  =) 

"People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." --- I Samuel 16:7 (NLT)

Day 4: Moonlight

Oops! You're right. It's has something to do with Mick. Though I'm placid if really it is connected. I guess.

OPI Suzi Says Da!, China Glaze Hi-Tek

Windows open and directly under the sun

Learning is a process. It takes time. Not as splendid as a real half-moon, I okay. But  I love how it stuns me.

Exciting how a brown turns to wine. It looks violet/grape under cool lighting and turns to chocolate wine under the sun. Awesome-sauce!

I did this just in my right hand and I stop. Maybe I'll do it again next time; in a much better mood.

Just so you know, my lacquer (ChG Hi-Tek) spilled during application. It messed the floor; tiny splotches in my night stand and walls. Goodness. 

And lastly, by the way, have you heard the word cruciverbalist? I just heard. No connection. Haha. 

Oh, Lara (and her better halves)!

One of the fancy lacquers I have in my chest is the striking Lara's Theme. At first, I have the dilemma of "to wear or not to wear". It looks stunning on Beyonce (but I'm not Beyonce). On the other hand, I might look histrionic on this color (and somehow, not far from reality. Dang.).

Taken in morning, indoor w/o flash

Not bad, huh. Have I said that it's one of my favorite? If not yet, then I'm saying it is. Not just because of it's fanciness (well it counts), errr, it applies and blends perfectly. Purely creme and thick consistency.  It reminds me of Essie YHoM or OPI Manicurist of Seville.

To stamp or not to stamp? To french or not to french? After all, Lara alone is gorgeous. But I have to search for her better half. And here's what I've come up...

Pinkie to Thumb: CG Jitterbug, Orly Pure Porcelain, CG For Audrey, Essie Midnight Cami, Orly Luxe

Taken indoor, w/o flash under direct warm light

Seems hard to judge. All of them looks pretty perfect. Too bad I only have ten fingers. Haha

Here's the last before I fall in to deep sleep.

"Orange's complimentary color in the garden is blue".