China Glaze Shocking Pink- I'm so Rock-n-Roll Baby...

Ok... so the fact that I just used that phrase probably puts me at a -2 in the Rock -n- Roll scale...

  But anyways... I decided to revisit one of the few neons I own. For some reason I am just not that drawn to neon polishes. They are a pain to apply and they don't photograph well but when the mood strikes they can be so much fun. Well, the mood was definitely striking the second I saw these little Skully stamps on the new BM plates I immediately knew I wanted to put them over my one and only neon Pink China Glaze's Shocking Pink.

This was Three coats of Shocking Pink over a coat of CG White on White. I though adding a white base would help reduce the number of coats needed but it didn't make much of a difference. It did make the color more vibrant. I'm kinda really liking this mani.... It's cute and reminds me of my high school days lol. 

What are your thoughts on neon?

<3 Cristina

Color:

CH Shocking Pink

Stamp: Konad Black SP

Plates: BM211 and 225

TC:Seche Vite

It's a Holo Party for my 300th Post!

Yeah that's right!

  300 posts! That's insanity. When I started blogging back in August I didn't think I would be posting so often but I just can't stay away. I'll keep it short but thanks to those of who who have been here for a while and hello to all of my new lovelies who are here now and finding me still! Thank you for stopping by to read my ramblings and look at my pictures. I appreciate it tons!

  So today I was in a holo type of mood to celebrate. So I decided to wear Techno Teal from the Tronica collection and OMG from the OMG collection. And then stamped in this kind of fence- looking stamp.

I got a few compliments on this mani. I love that the new BM Plate set has these inverted stamps. I used plates BM208 and 209. In my Middle and Ring finger I used the inverted version of what I have on my Pinkie and Index. I wanted to give Techno Teal a bit more of a holo effect so I stampe a larger aread with OMG. This looked really cool in person.

I love holos but I have a dilemma where I don't want to wear them because I don't want to use up my bottle haaha. Anyone else have this problem?

<3 Cristina

Swap with Gilded Nails ♥ + Essie Demure Vixen

Yaaaay!

  I'm so excited about this swap! This bundle of awesome came to me all the way from Australia thanks for the lovely Carina from Gilded Nails. This was my first international swap so I was super stoked to see what international pretties would come my way. I left the choices entirely up to Carina who picked me some beautiful and unique colors.

  She also included for me some Aussie goodies (I've already had a caramel Koala which was super yum!), a pretty nail file and some M.A.C pigments. I'm super excited about the pigments because I've never tried ANY M.A.C makeup.

And there you have it!! Look at them goodies! Why is that a bottle of Kaleidoscope Him Out and Wagon Trail by China Glaze there? Why, YES! Yes it is! Can you believe her? She also sent me two of the BYS polishes from the Alice in Wonderland Collection they did which had some incredible glitters.

So why did I choose to start with Essie's Demure Vixen when all these new and International goodies were waiting for me? I had literally been pondering buying Demure Vixen the same day the package came so I figured it was fate and decided to wear it first. 

 Demure Vixen is one of those lovely Mauve-y/ Taupey- Violet shades we love so much but toned waaay down. I am so madly in love with this color. It's soft and delicate but present. As in the color does not get washed out by skin tone or visa-versa. The formula was great. For this I used Three coats of Demure Vixen. This is also my very first Essie I've ever tried. I liked it.

And how cute is it with the swirly stamp? This is the first mani I've done in a while that I loooved. I love the simplicity and cleanliness of it. I am so into these Nude shades lately and this one really does it for me! 

A big Thank you to Carina again. I almost cried tears of joy as I was unwrapping each little bottle.

<3 Cristina

Color:

Essie Demure Vixen

Stamp: SH Color Quick Chrome Pen in Pink Chrome

Plate: BM201

TC: Seche Vite 

American Eagle Nail Polishes

Hello lovelies,

  So over the weekend my mommy, a friend of ours and myself went on a little (much deserved) girls day out at the mall. It was great , I always have the best time with my mom. We're "like this" *crosses fingers* lol. So anyways, while there I made a pit stop for some much needed new jeans. Truth is that no jeans fit me like American Eagle jeans. So while I was headed for the checkout this huge bowl of nail polishes caught my eye. They had a few neons and the colors I'm about to show you today. They are so cute. I love the bottles (they hold a little less than a Hard Candy bottle).

  So these pretties are un-named. I would call 90 Miles to Cuba. I know that's a bit obscure but basically from Key West, FL to Cuba it's 90 miles. This color reminds me of Key West beach water. But I didn't want to come up with something so obvious lol. Key West beach water is literally this exact shade of Turquiose. Just stunning. The shimmer in this so perfectly captures that essence of Key West. The formula for this was a BITCH. It was like that of a neon. You know? Where it is streaky and likes to drag. This was Three patient coats and I will say that it is so worth it. The final product is a beautiful and calming creamy Turquiose shimmer.

  And this one I couldn't think of anything cool so I'm just gonna call it Coral Bits. This one is a Coral-y- Red. Sooo pretty. I'm not sure how I chose this over the pretty neons but something about the juiciness of this color was speaking to me. Not quite Red, not quite Coral but something in-between. This one unlike 90 miles to Cuba has a dreamy formula. It borders on being jelly like and it is super easy to work. This was two coats.

  For last minute little impulse buys I am super happy with these cuties. I am willing to get over the fact that the Turquiose shade has a crappy formula because I managed to solve the issue in Three coats and the color payoff is so worth it. I am also really loving the Coral shade because it is so perfect for the coming summer months.

What do you think? Will you be checking your AE's for polishes?

<3 Cristina

Colors:

AE Turquiose

Stamp: CG Techno teal

Plate: BM-224

TC: Seche Vite

AE Coral

Stamp: Konad White SP

Plates: BM11, M83

TC: Seche Vite

Pink Wednesday!! Orly Elsbeth's Rose [FAIL]

Yes, a fail on a Pink Wed... How is that possible? Keep reading....

  Some of you may remember me Tweeting this: "Ugh... Every time I look at my nails, I doubt I can eat the amount I want to vomit!!! I hate this mani"....Yeah... it was in regards to this monstrosity...

  For today I have an old color of mine re-visited. I remember posting about this color waaay back when I first started blogging. The pictures were terrible, so was my application and the shape of my nails. Also, I was coming into my own writing style and still figuring out different polish finishes, descriptions etc.... Those were the days lol.
  Well today I knew I wanted to wear Elsbeth's Rose again and I had a clear picture in my head of what I wanted to do with the color. The fates had something else in store for me.... A terrible FAIL of a Fauxnadicure.... That ruined my beautiful Pink base! Grrrr! Gird your loins...

Ugh.... And there you have it.... My idea was to create shadows of the flower with the layering of the stamps but something about it just did not translate at all. Instead it ended up looking sloppy and forced. I tried really hard to like it and I could not bring myself to do so lol.

Now, about the color itself. Elsbeth's Rose is a stunning soft Pink creme with slight Lavender undertones and a soft Silvery micro sparkle that gives the polish a pearly finish. There is a slight dustiness to this color. The formula on this is kinda thick and a bit gluggy. I had to be very careful with application and keep my hand as light as I could to avoid streaking and unevenness. If you can get over that fact the color is really beautiful and flattering on it's own and I so regret adding the stupid stamps! 

It was overcast today :(

I actually was wearing the color by itself for a few hours because I wanted to go hang out with my momma so I just did the Pink base and ran out the door. The whole time I kept staring at my hands thinking "I don't know if I should stamp this..." Lesson learned.... 

Final Verdict? FAIL tab for sure!

<3 Cristina

Colors:

Orly Elsbeth's Rose

Stamp: Konad B & W SP

Plate: C02

TC: Seche Vite

Fun with Bettina Jeans Collection

Hello darlings,

  For today I just have a simple mani using the Three colors I received from the Bettina Jeans collection. I had been wanting to put these Three together since I got them and I finally did it and loved the resutls. I love how they compliment eachother so well. All three colors are Summer perfect and This mani makes me want to wear my denim shorties and go for a walk on the beach.

I realized after I did my pinkie that I had taped off my nail much too high for the last color so instead of having Three equal parts of color on my nail I ended up with this but I really liked it. It's bright and happy and Blue! They almost look like little beach towels lol! 

To the beach!!

<3Cristina

(**These were sent to me for Review**)

A Shattered Zoya Sooki

Hello lovelies,

  Today I have the amazing Sooki with some Black Shatter on top. Mr. LTHP is still out of town so Muffin is still on vacay. BUT...! I am LOVING this combo. On a totally different note. How many Truebies are out there? I am not usually a fan of Red polish but for Sooki I'll make an exception any day. Now throw some shatter on Sooki and you have a mani suitable for any True Blood watching party!

 Just 'cause here is another swatch of the gorgeous Sooki. The most amazing cherry Red squishy creme you could ever get on your tips.

I'm really enjoying this combo. It looks like lava or something like that. In person it looks super hawt and interesting. I love these two polishes on their own but together they are even better!

Ready for True Blood in June?

<3Cristina

(**Zoya Sooki sent for Review**)

Wanna see me in the Nude?

No, probably not LOL!

  But you do wanna see my nails in some nudes... Well maybe not. I know a lot of people will probably think I should wear these shades but honestly.. I don't care lol. I have really grown to love and appreciate clean Nude tones even though I am so pale they always give me wicked mannequin hands. Here is the kicker.. Sometimes I really love that nice clean look and I do it a lot on my toes. So for today I have the last Two Bettinas I had left to show you and it just so happens they are Nude tones.

This is #74. In the bottle this just looked like a peachy based nude creme and the second I started applying this beautiful Golden micro-shimmer came out to play. I was beyond excited about this the second I realized that it wasn't just a plain creme Nude. In person this looks soo pretty and clean I can't help but be madly in love with it. Springy awesomeness! This is Two coats.

And this is #192. This one is one of the ever-popular Greige tones. I remember last Spring (I think?) these types of nail polish tones were all the rage in mags. I love this tone. More Taupe than Grey so it warms it up a little. I really like this. It is simple and clean and I think I'll be wearing it on my toes very soon. The formula is great in this. This was Two coats.

I think these two colors are going to be on my toes a lot. I really like a clean look on my toes because that way if they do chip it's not as easy to spot so I can wear my pedis a bit longer. But I also just really enjoy a nice clean look for my feetsies because I wear a lot of sandals since I live in Florida. It is just as important to have nice tootsies as it is nice fingernails down here. At least for me :).

What is your favorite Nude tone?

<3 Cristina

(**These were sent to me for review**)

Nicole by O.P.I Too Rich for You + Nicole...Spotted

Hello lovelies,

  Today I have two Nicole by O.P.I colors by mama in law got for me. She is soo funny about getting me polishes because she is more discriminating about it than I am lol. See, she also sells Avon and I remember her telling me one day "I was going to get you some Avon polishes, but I figured you wouldn't want to try those" WRONG! lol I'll try any polish! I love polish. I love trying new polish. Cheap, expensive, ugly, pretty, I'll try anything anyone sends me or gets me. It's fun for me to try colors or brands that I would not normally buy myself because you never know what hidden gems you might find that way. So, anywho she got for me these two beauties from the Gossip Girl Collection and now I'm gonna show you them :) Ready?   Ok...

I'll get started with Too Rich for You. This is a stunning Blackened Navy Blue shimmer that is absolutely stunning! I love these types of Blackened shades a lot because they are always so mysterious and sexy without being typical, like say a Vampy Wine shade. The formula for this was ok. Just ok. It has good pigmentation and is opaque in Three coats but it can drag a little so keep your hand light and steady with this one. As you can see it kinda levels it self out nicely and after that Third coat it was absolute perfection. I gasped a little when I saw this in the Sun. No joke.

Blurred for sparkle

 And here is Nicole... Spotted. This one is a beautiful Aqua jelly base packed full of micro and round glitter in holo and like a coppery holo. You may be thinking this looks like CG Atlantis but this actually reminds me more of Sinful Colors Nail Junkie. However with this one the base is slightly more opaque. This you see here is Three coats of Nicole... Spotted. I know it would probably pop more if it was layered over something but I'm really digging this naked mermaid thing my nails have going on. In shade  or inside lights there was actually no VNL. Just a sheer wash of Aqua Sparkle over my nails that is totally squishy and gorgeous.

Blurred for Sparkle

And there you have it. My mom in law needs to give herself more credit! Aren't these beautiful? Now here is my only issue with Nicole by O.P.I... I FREAKING HATE THE SHAPE OF THE BOTTLES!!! Like with the passion. They wont sit right in my racks... So freaking annoying. But so be it, I'm willing to deal with it if it means beautiful polishes like these.

Any Nicole's you guys recommend as must haves?

<3 Cristina

Bettina Metallics *DROOL*

Hang on.. still drooling...

  I'm not sure when this collection came out. I know it is a bit older. This group consists of Four metallic finish polishes in great colors. I am missing one of the colors but here are the Three I have.

We get started with Copper. This one is a great color! I don't own anything like this. Or have seen anything quite like it out there... The name says it all. This polish glows in any kind of light with it's Burnt Orange goodness. The foil effect is quite spectacular. The formula is great and only needed Two coats. This is my favorite from the group.

And this is Maroon. A beautiful Maroon-y/ Plum foil that is soo stunning. This color is rich and beautiful and seems to glow from beneath. Think of something along the lines of O.P.I Teasy Does It, but less glassflecky, the shimmer is much finer. The  effect is very foil- like in finish. I really love this shade a lot. This was Two coats.

And last but not least is Garnet which I covered recently is a Red spam post. This one is beautiful as well. It has a slight Golden undertone that gives it a fiery warmth and lights it up beautifully. It's not just a Red foil, there is amazing dimension to this color. This was Two coats.

 I love this group. The colors have  warmth and glow like you wouldn't believe. All three colors are unique in my collection and that always makes me happy. The formula is so great on all of these. I know I've shown you a lot of Bettina cremes but they really do these metallics so well. I cannot rave enough about the formula on these polishes. I think they should do some more of these in Greens and Blues and Purple and Pink... You see where this is going lol....

Looove these!!! Do you?

<3 Cristina

(** These were sent to me for Review**)