NOTW (Nails of the Week): Half 'N Half

The inspiration for this nail design came from watching one of mayparis' videos entitled "Day to Night Nails." I loved it so much because the design looks like you may have put some time into it, but it's actually really quick and easy to do. For me, though - since I'm so sloppy - I can't help to get polish all over my skin, but a Q-tip with a little bit of nail polish remover fixes that! I tried to avoid the cuticle area to get that nice edge but it's impossible for me. LoL! Mayparis' nails came out way better.

HOW TO DO IT

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• Two opaque nail polishes (make sure they're not sheer) - one dark color and one light color (this makes for a nice contrast)
• A toothpick, needle, pushpin or any sharp object to do the slash marks (I like using a needle)
• And, of course, a base coat, top coat, and cotton swabs and nail polish remover to clean up the edges

THE TECHNIQUE:

1. Paint one side of your nail with one color. Make sure you apply it thickly or else the colors will not swirl together easily, and you may scrape down to your nail leaving a bare spot. (It took me four hands to finally get it down right. Don't sweat the technique...you'll get it.)
2. Paint the other half of your nail with the other color (Don't worry, you won't contaminate your polish bottle with the other color you used.)
3. Then quickly, before it dries, use the needle or toothpick to make horizontal slash marks back and forth where the two colors meet.
4. Voila! Let dry and apply your top coat.

My right hand was an epic failure and that's why I didn't include a picture of it. But my thumbnail came out awesome! It's the first photo. I used Hard Candy Envy - a dark, shimmery, blackened emerald green - and Carolyn New York Hangin' on the Stoop - a medium gray creme.

I used Pure Ice Taupe Drawer (#966) and Sally Hansen White On for these nails.

EXTRA DESIGN

I was playing around with my nail art polishes but I completely forgot to paint the tip white or gray before laying down the purple. Aghh! I went back in with the copper color on the thumbnail but decided I didn't like it. Then I was going to paint the bare tip white but decided not to mess it up even further. Oh, well...

Sketch effect is cool


I'm going to try a deep navy and peach, or orange, the next time I do the half 'n half nail design.

Copyright © 2009, Lady Lostris

NOTD: "Playful Preppy"

I've always loved pink and gray together; It's kind of "preppy" to me. I couldn't decide if I wanted pink with gray tips or gray with pink tips....so I did both! Definitely something playful for me. Though the pink tips needed another coat, you get the idea. I'm not great at free handing a smile line anyway. (Finger Paints can be found at Sally Beauty Supply and Carolyn New York is available online. Sadly, both are not formaldehyde-free.)

It's hard to find any true gray nail polishes in drugstores that aren't silver. You'll probably have to order something online. Carolyn New York's Hangin' on the Stoop and Handball Courts are lovely true grays. China Glaze Recycle is also another good one and then there's MAC Hello Kitty On The Prowl. Know any others?...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But today is St. Patty's Day and I don't own any green nail polishes. I've been looking for a mint colored one. Anyway, I snagged up this teal stunner at the drugstore today for $0.99. I can't wait to try it. =)

*~UPDATE~*

I love it! This Wet n Wild Wild Shine polish is a teal that is definitely more green than blue, however, the flash in the third picture below makes it look even more blue. But IRL, it still looks more green than in the pictures. It was hard to get the true color to show up on camera and I strongly feel they didn't do this color justice.

The formula is actually pretty good; it's not watery or sheer and all I needed was two coats. So far, it hasn't chipped either. *UPDATE* OK, I just came home today and my whole left hand is chipped while the other hand isn't. Don't ask me why! LoL.

NAILS: Coral, Orange & Grey + CNY Special

Here are more nail swatches! I swear I haven't trimmed my nails since I've started doing these but I'm going to cut them in half soon. These are 3 of the 5 Carolyn New York nail polishes from my "Collective Haulie" post...

Korean Fruit & Flower Stand is so bright that it's almost a neon color and I love it! It's a pinkish-coral creme.

Amber Street Lights is definitely one of my all time favorites because of it's shimmery rusty orange loveliness. It's such a summer color and I can't wait until the weather warms up.

Sunset on the Hudson is a sheer peachy-pink with gold shimmer. It's a very wearable color that actually does remind you of a sunset.

Until midnight on Valentine's Day, Carolyn New York is offering two sets of specials for $15 each. A bottle of polish is regularly $7.99 so this is truly a value pack. Each set comes with a free bottle of cuticle oil and a free top coat. I don't really like their top coat though because it's fairly dull-looking but I love their rubber-handled bottles. (Click pictures to take you to the website)

RED & PINK HEARTS COLLECTION:

• New York Harbor
• Cheating in Queens
• Poppy Chulo
• Street Fairs
• Catholic School Girls
• Citrus Cuticle Oil

BLACK & GRAY HEARTS COLLECTION:

• Blackout in the Bronx
• Mugged on the 6 Train
• Brownsville
• Hillside
• Hangin' on the Stoop
• Lavender Cuticle Oil
  

I love how they included a "dark hearts" collection for those of us who are single! LoL.

Oh, and if you noticed my "Sunset" nails picture on the sidebar, that's Amber Street Lights on the tips, Sunset on the Hudson as a base color and for the stripe I used an old discontinued bottle of Revlon Top Speed in Spice. It was a little goopy so the stripe wasn't smooth but I liked how it came out. =)


*UPDATE*

Can you believe some anonymous dimwit left me a RUDE COMMENT about how I should cut my nails because they look CHEAP and FAKE. What a JEALOUS BIATCH!!!!! That's the only negative comment I've got about my nails in my whole life. No more anonymous comments from now on.

This one's for you!

Handball Courts is a lighter grey than Hangin' on the Stoop, but this is more sheer (I had to use 4 coats, 2 thin & 2 thick) and it has subtle shimmer in it. Hmm...Hello Kitty "On the Prowl"?

*Collective Haulie*

Here's what I've bought in the past couple months. It's all eye candy! For some of the items I'll have a separate post with a review and swatches...

28-color neutral palette ($21.95, the shipping cost is ridiculous @ over $10). I thought I would love it but I just like it, well, I think it's OK. I'll have a review and swatch post in the future.

I got this for 25% off so it was really cheap for only $18.23, that's including tax and free shipping. That's the only thing I picked up during that special.

I always thought this packaging was gaudy, scaly and reptilian-looking but it actually kind of grew on me. I figured you can reuse the palette when you use up the glosses and put your own in there. Plus, it's just a good mirror to check your lips with at a restaurant. I constantly worry about having food on my lips or teeth when I eat out. "Do I have food on my face?...Do I have food on my face? You sure?" Haha

Ulta had a Friends & Family 20% off special not too long ago plus a buy 2 get 2 free on Ulta products. I love their eyeshadows ($7) and Safari kind of reminds me of a darker version of Henna or Sumptuous Olive because it's an antique gold with olive undertones but it's not very green.

Also swatched is NYX eyeliner in White ($2.99) and Ulta lipliner in Flesh ($7).

On clearance at Ulta was an Essie nail polish for $3.99 down from $6.99. Essie has the same exact INGREDIENTS as Fingerpaints nail polish from Sally's Beauty Supply. Refer to my previous post on more info. The "chip factor" on this one was 2/10 but with this color it was a little hard to get it to come out evenly. The total haul at Ulta was a little over $18.

These eyeshadows are from the new Revlon Matte collection which offers not only eyeshadows but blush, lipstick and eyeliner kohls. They're OK; it was a little powdery when I did the swatches but not when used on my eyes. These were on a BOGO but I had a $2 off coupon so I believe I got both for a little over 4 bucks. Cut those coupons ladies!!!

More Carolyn New York nail polish when they were 50% off with free shipping! I got all these for $19 plus some $2 processing fee which I don't even know what was for because my first order didn't have that. =( But I love their cute names! There's one called Poppy Chulo. LoL. I'll have a separate post with swatches on my nails.

BOGO Maybelline mascaras. I got both for $8.49 (the Lash Stiletto costs more) but ahh, I made a mistake and got brownish black instead of black. I was so damn excited to get the Lash Stiletto I forgot to check the color. LoL. But I can't even open these until it's time to throw away my current mascaras...

Victoria's Secret body lotions and sprays that smell like Vanilla. Mmmm. Their semi-annual sale for these was 6 for $19.99. Is it still going on? These are being discontinued. Everything I like gets discontinued! Do you remember Tutti Dolci from Bath & Body Works? ...Sugar Wafer.

I also got a horde of Clinique stuff, but most of it were freebies. Always search for codes on the net to get your free stuff ladies. I bought the small sized 1.7 oz Dramatically Different Moisturizing GEL (for oily skin $12.50) and these were free: 1 oz Take the Day Off, High Definition mascara, Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Grapefruit (love these!) and a lil Acne Solutions Emergency Gel Lotion.

I liked the Clinique DDMG so much that I bought the full sized 4.2 oz for $24 and this baby has a pump so it's very convinient. I also got 3 freebies with that: a High Impact Mascara and a Full Potential Lips in GlamourFull duo, another Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Currant and a Turnarond Concentrate sample. Also picture is the Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle cream ($11.42) that contains Retinol and no SPF (night). I bought this not because I have wrinkles but because Retinol is good for acne and so far I really like it. I'll do a review in the future.

And finally, Dandy's Shrimp Chips (LoL) which are so freaking addictive but they are really bad for you because it has MSG. They have another brand that are shaped like twisted French Fries and come in a bag with pink polka dots. Hmm, what was the brand again? Was it also Dandy's? Help me out my Asian and Filipina sistahs! =)
*Update* Thanks to an anonymous comment, the brand is Calbee. Now I remember...

So you see, I buy a lot of things on sale or on a BOGO. I use internet discount codes (which offer a discount, free shipping and/or free samples) and Sunday paper coupons to save money. All this effort to have more money in my pocket just to buy more beauty products! =)

Nail Polish Overview: 4 Brands *Updated*

I've recently tried four new brands of nail polish that I've never had before and here's what I think. Although I hardly ever wear colored nail polish on my fingernails anymore, way back in the day I used to and I kind of miss it so now I'm experimenting with new brands other than my usual Revlon.

Rimmel Play Fast nail polish in STREET WEAR ($3.99) was 50% at Long's Drug so I got it for only $1.98. This is a greyish-mauve with the most gorgeous rosy-bronze pearl within it that reflects in the light and especially in sunlight. I wish I had a picture of it in sunlight because it's so damn beautiful! This may be getting discontinued because I don't see the Play Fast nail polishes on their website. This is kind of similar to Metro Chic by Sephora O.P.I., kinda.

Finger Paints ($4.99) can be found at Sally's Beauty Supply (discount with a Sally's card) and I picked up BLANK CANVAS, which is a muted dusty pink that's a perfect neutral tone for your hands. This one is creme with no shimmer.


China Glaze HEAVEN ($5.99, discount with Sally's card), can also be found at Sally's Beauty Supply. This color is a sheer white pearl for you natural girls. This is a versatile color because it can be layered over other colors. (See 3rd picture below)
China Glaze's GOLDEN MERINGUE is another sheer peachy-gold pearl color that is good for layering over another color. (See 2nd picture below) Yikes! An eyelash on my pinky nail. I hate when that happens.

The last China Glaze color I bought was YOUR TOUCH, which is not red to me but in different lighting it can be a burnt sienna or a dark-pinkish-reddish-brown that's full of shimmer. This one is hard to describe but it's one of my faves despite the brushstrokes and don't mind the unfixed cuticles.


My new favorite brand because of it's awesome packaging, fun colors and witty New York names is Carolyn New York ($7.99), which is currently having a 50% off special with free shipping and you also get a free base coat and top coat by using the code "happynewyear" until January 10.
EASTSIDE BROWNSTONE is not as brown as the swatches I've seen but more of a creme reddish-orangey brown. I'm lovin' this one and please ignore the polish on the cuticles.

Finally, I was searching high and low for a true grey and I love HANGIN' ON THE STOOP. This one is darker than Handball Courts, which I plan on getting but sometimes in certain lighting it can look like a slighty blueish-grey. This one is also a creme color that's very trendy and sophisticated.

REVIEW

My description of "chip factor": After one day of daily activities including typing on the computer, using a mouse, several hand washings, dishwashing, a hot shower, shampooing hair and maybe ripping open a few things, I will list a ratio that tells how many of my ten fingernails chipped or peeled away from the tips. Of course, this isn't a very accurate way to do this and despite a high ratio, I may still like that brand of nail polish but I'll just do this for fun anyway. LoL. =P I used the same random Revlon top coat as a base coat and top coat for all brands.

RIMMEL PLAY FAST (0.4 fl. oz.)
Pros: Dries fast, cheap, small packaging
Cons: being discontinued???
Chip Factor: 2/10
Ingredients: not listed on bottle

FINGER PAINTS (0.5 fl. oz.)
Pros: wide range of colors
Cons: a little watery on the first coat but better on the second. (Do 2 thick coats) Contains FORMALDEHYDE RESIN
Chip Factor: 1/10
Ingredients: the exact same as China Glaze except CG has Kaolin (china clay) as it's last ingredient before the colorants and this doesn't (which can be a pro because the China Glaze chipped more than Finger Paints. The hardeners might be making the polish too brittle with the China Glaze. Contains FORMALDEHYDE RESIN (see complete list below)


CHINA GLAZE (0.5 fl. oz.)
Pros: wide range of colors, bright colors
Cons: contains FORMALDEHYDE RESIN, not impressed with all the hype because it chipped
Chip Factor: 5/10
Ingredients: see ingredients description for Finger Paints and see complete list below

CAROLYN NEW YORK (0.5 fl. oz.)
Pros: pretty colors, small compact packaging, rubber non-slip handle for easy opening and closing (love it!), flat-type brush instead of round, DIBUTYL PHTHALATE (DBP) free [DBP can cause birth defects in male fetuses] Click here to read more about this
Cons: nothing significant
Chip Factor: 5/10
Ingredients: DBP free

*NOTE* REVLON nail polish is formaldehyde and toluene free. (These are carcinogens)


Ingredients list for China Glaze & Finger Paints (REMEMBER! The only difference is that CHINA GLAZE has KAOLIN near the end of the list and Finger Paints doesn't but I'll include the whole list below): ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, nitrocellulose, propyl acetate, tosylamide/formaldehyde resin, isopropyl alcohol, trimethyl pentanyl diisobutyrate, triphenyl phosphate, ethyl tosylamide, camphor, stearalkonium bentonite, diacetone alcohol, stearalkonium hectorite, benzophenone-1, citric acid, dimethicone, kaolin (china clay), (colorants...)

Whew, I had to bust out with a magnifying glass and squint. Could they have made the text on their labels even smaller?!

FINAL WORDS: By the second day, more chipping and peeling occurred for all four brands so there really wasn't a brand that was longer-lasting than another.

I hope this helps in some way and try to pay attention to the ingredients in everything, not just makeup. Thanks for reading! =)




*UPDATE*

I decided to add a couple swatches of Revlon nail colors, which are readily available just about anywhere for $3.99 (0.5 fl. oz.) and they are toluene, formaldehyde and DBP free. To read up more on harmful ingredients in nail polish and toxic-free brands, click here.

ICED MAUVE is a shimmery purplish berry pink.

ICED SPICE is my favorite Revlon color and it's a lovely shimmery nudish-peach.
(Ignore the brushstrokes. My right hand gets shaky!)

I didn't add a "chip factor" number for Revlon because I didn't use the same base and top coat as with the other brands so it wouldn't be fair.