Tag Archives: nail polish

Nail Art: Stamp Collecting

I made my first attempt at serious nail stamping. I’ve actually acquired several nail stamping discs over the last couple of years, played with the discs a bit, but that was the extent of it. Recently, I received some really cute nail stamping discs from Born Pretty with British and French travel themes, so I wanted to try them out.

I really just jumped right in without thinking about placement, or knowing any kind of technique, which is why they look like a bad photocopy! Since my first attempt was not what I had hoped, I went on You Tube and found several tutorials and new techniques to try out, which actually made the stamp art look like nail wraps. I guess this means I’ll need better stampers to make this work. I’ll definitely post pictures of my new and improved nail stamping art!

Also, I tried another fantastic product from Kiss, which I got for a steal at CVS with a coupon. I really like the Kiss 100 Tips Curve Overlap nail tips because they are easy to cut & file to the size and shape that I want. The glue provided is very strong, and I’m currently using the Real Life Brush On nail kit by Broadway nails to smooth out the nail tip. But soon, I’ll move to Kiss’ acrylic fill kit for a more even surface (all the products I mentioned are available at BeJour.com).

Just a reminder: if you like the Born Pretty nail stamps you see here, or if you are going to make a purchase from their site, Born Pretty has given Any Second Now readers a 10% discount by using CGG10 at check out. Cheers!

FTC Disclosure: I received product and was asked to review the product in return. Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

(Kiss 100 Tips Curve Overlap picture courtesy of BeJour)

Dried Flowers Nail Art

The folks at Born Pretty have sent me another lovely batch of fun nail products to play with, which my niece is just chomping at the bit to try as well. More and more lately, I’ve been experimenting with nail art, so I chose to review the Ubique Dried Flower Nail Art Design because I wanted something a little different to try, and it came with 12 different colors of flowers for only $4.86!

With the base color of “Pepperminty” by Ciaté London, I chose a turquoise colored flower to pair with it to make the color pop. Rather than use a whole spray of flowers on one nail, I cut up the flowers at the stem and placed them on the nail each ring finger. I then covered it with a clear coat. I really liked the effect, and now I want to experiment with more color and flower combinations in the near future.

I’ll definitely post pictures of the other nail products once I try them (the bottle of Sweet Color Nail Polish in Purple Glitter and the Artistic Music Note Nail Art Water Decals as seen in the above photo). Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram because I pretty much post my nail artistry as soon as the finished product is fully completed and “photo ready”. Have a wonderful weekend!

FTC Disclosure: I received product and was asked to review the product in return. Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

New Wave Nail Art

Last week was nail week on the blog, and it is spilling into this week with a review of a couple of items I received from Born Pretty. The first product I tried were awesome nail stickers in a simple black and white pattern (found here). The second item was something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time: nail decoration, which I found in a wheel of multiple acrylic black shapes (here).

First, I applied the nail stickers according to the instructions, which was really easy and took me about 30 minutes to apply. Then I added a top coat for longer wear. Because my nails are short, I added the acrylic shapes onto the areas of the nail where there was more white space. The result is something completely “New Wave” looking, straight out of the 80’s. I’m sure I had a shirt in a similar pattern at some point in my teen years!

My niece, Mei-Lin, joined in on the fun by creating a cute little “Hello Kitty” looking character on each thumb, to which I added a bow and eyes and she added the little smile. She then wanted a heart shape on one of the nails on each hand. Simple yet adorable, no?

Total cost for my nails: $6.18! Additionally, the acrylic nail decoration comes with 12 different shapes and about 25 (or more) pieces per shape, which will allow me to keep creating new and fun nail designs. For the price and value, I’ll definitely be going back to Born Pretty for my nail decorating needs!

For Any Second Now readers who want to try out these products and many others, you can get a 10% discount off of your purchase at Born Pretty with the code CGG10 at check out!

FTC Disclosure: I received product and was asked to review the product in return. Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

Nail Art Galore at Born Pretty

I’m ending this week of nails with an awesome new site I was recently introduced to called Born Pretty. Anything you can think of related to nail art, polish, tools and care can be found on this site. The folks at Born Pretty asked me to choose three products to review (pictured below), and I’m very excited to try them out. Stay tuned next week as I really get creative with some awesome nail art, and have a wonderful weekend!

FTC Disclosure: I received product and was asked to review the product in return. Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own

Nail Week Continues: Nail Cones Review!

I’m excited to continue “Nail Week” here on Any Second Now with one of two product reviews. First up is a product called Nail Cones. The concept is simple: polish your nails, not your skin! Created by yet another mother and entrepreneur extraordinaire, Cindy Christman wanted to get away from the “Q-Tip” clean up process (you know, where you dip the swab in nail polish remover and hope to the beauty gods you don’t damage your manicure any further). To combat this issue, Cindy came up with a sticker to surround the nail, where the nail polish would end up on the sticker and not your finger, resulting in a salon quality finish.

I followed the instructions as written on the package, and even watched the You Tube video to make sure I was doing it correctly (I started off with just three for purposes of this review). The stickers are actually very easy to use and does provide a way to get a nice edge (really do tuck the sticker tightly under the tip of the nail for the best result). Not bad for my first attempt, and I’m sure I’ll get better with more practice. For the price point of $5.99 for 60 stickers, it’s a great way to get a clean finish to your home manicure!

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Summertime Nails

Loved these nail stickers by Kiss. They lasted longer than 10 days!

I’m playing a bit of catch up with posts, so they will float between posts I meant to put up and posts that were put up to be timely with recent events. These are just some of the nail colors and stickers I’ve worn so far this summer. Hope you all had a great weekend!

I know it’s difficult to tell with this picture, but this lovely nude color called “Quick Sand” by Sally Hansen has a bit of glitter in it.

This is the color I’m currently wearing: “Paying With Platinum” by Spoiled from Wet n Wild. They completely remind me of Miista’s iridescent shoes. Miista agreed on my Instagram!

I wore these Maybelline Color Show nail stickers called “Sapphire Jewels” to a recent wedding (post here). Lovely, but definitely were meant to be worn for one day.

Definitely my favorite nail stickers of the bunch, Salon Effects “Checkin’ It Twice” by Sally Hansen. These also lasted over 10 days, but I kept forgetting to take pictures of my nails! If I find them again, I’ll be sure to get pictures. SO my style!

Pump up the Jamberry: Nail Shields Review & Giveaway!

I have been playing dress up with my nails everyday since Mother’s Day, so I was very excited when I was approached to review a nail product called Jamberry Nail Shields. They are similar to the Sally Hansen Nail Polish Strips that I have been using since last year (original post here). What I found special about these nail shields in particular when I was introduced to them, was the fact that they last up to two weeks on your finger nails and up to six to eight weeks on your toe nails. They are salon-quality and come in over 250 different designs, with different designs added monthly.

When I received these uber-cute nail shields, my nails were in no condition to apply any kind of polish. So I recruited my best friend and travel buddy, Janice to take them for a spin. Here is her testimony a picture of the finished product:

I love the design! Regular nail salons would charge extra for designs like these. Once I got the first two nails on, the rest were easy and quick to apply. Definitely a quick way to have stylish nails without the salon cost!

Janice Gutana

As a thank you for trying out these beautiful nail shields, Livvy Cunningham, a Jamberry Nail Shield consultant, has given me an extra gift package to give away to a lucky Any Second Now reader (the cute little package is pictured below)! Just post a comment to enter the contest, and a winner will be chosen at random when I return from London (at the end of this month). Thank you Livvy for providing the gift package, cheers and good luck to those who enter!

If you are interested in seeing their entire line and would like to purchase, you can contact Livvy at [email protected] and visit her site at http://www.livluvs.me/. You can also visit her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/livluvs2jam.

FTC Disclosure: I received product and was asked to review the product in return. Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own and that of the person I asked to review the product.

Nails Did & Done

Dominatrix (brand unknown); Ring set, a gift from my niece

There are times where I go through long dry spells where I’m just too lazy to get a manicure, either at home or at the salon. Since my last mani-pedi with my niece for Mother’s Day (first picture above), I’ve overcome my manicure embargo after I purchased an adorable travel manicure set I found at CVS. Coincidentally, I also discovered they had a great beauty sale, showcasing a selection of polishes by Sally Hansen and Wet N Wild on the cheap, with prices ranging from $.99 to $2.99. I stocked up on quite a few colors (not all are pictured here), which means I can get my nails “did” more often!

Co-Bolt Blue by Sally Hansen & Trust Fund Baby by Spoiled/Wet N Wild

Gone Grey by Sally Hansen & Explosions After Dark by Spoiled/Wet N Wild; “F” ring by Wendy Brandes (from her swear ring set seen here); Color combination & ring inspired by Fifty Shades of Grey

The Parking Meteor Has Expired & Trust Fund Baby by Spoiled/Wet N Wild (the darker polish is black with an amazing green glitter tint)

Favorite New Polish: My Private Jet

Prior to FNO last Friday, I hopped into my car to get to a local salon to get my nails all gussied up for the event. The place I had originally wanted to go was literally down the street from my in-law’s house. When I got there, I discovered that they relocated, so I drove up Rainbow (a Las Vegas street) in a mad search for any available salon. I finally found a place and pulled an Elle from “Legally Blonde” (for those who have not seen the movie, she nearly causes an accident after locating a salon for a nail “emergency”, which ironically this was). Simplicity Salon is the name of my new favorite local Las Vegas salon. All the gals there were great and my nail technician, Trista, was particularly cool.

While there, I felt that I needed something sparkly yet understated. I also felt my inner-goth needed to be satisfied with something dark. I found something that actually combined the two in the best way possible. The color is called “My Private Jet” by OPI, a glittery metallic grey that looks even better on than in the bottle. I later discovered that there was some controversy with the color because it had undergone several incarnations (up to four different versions). From what I’ve seen and read, the original versions were brighter and had a holographic sheen to it. The later versions appear to be a little more toned down, which I happen to really like.

I also found out that Kim Kardashian asked for this color by name on her reality show. Well, that’s gotta count for something, right?

My Private Jet on my nails, Forever 21 ring

Nicely Polished

After my little spa day with my niece (“First Time At The Spa” entry), it got me thinking about nail polish colors. The color I had for my nails was chosen by my niece and called “Too good for you” (I can’t recall the brand). It was a sparkly electric light blue color that I would not normally choose. But because she knows I like the nearly black indigo blue colors for my toes, she picked out a brighter blue for my nails.

A memory that just sparked was the time my dad gave me nail polish and a nail drying lamp for Christmas one year. That was one of the most thoughtful gifts from him because he knew how much I loved to either go to a salon, or paint my own nails. He even told me then that he asked the lady at the counter in Robinsons May (before it was Macys) to help pick out a youthful color. He ended up with a burnt orange color that was beautiful in the bottle and on the nail. I will always remember that Christmas with fondness because I could just imagine my very Filipino father walking into that department with no clue what to get, just to ensure that he got me something I would like.

At first, I always got red nails. Then I moved into the coppers. I started to wear an iridescent color that was nearly a pearl color indoors, but out in the sun, it turned a mauve color. I wore that for a very long time.

Every now and again, I’ll go back to brighter colors, but I’m really just so drawn to very dark colors or simply black. Black nails can be incredibly sophisticated, but it allows me to bring out my inner goth.

I’ve always loved the colors by Opi, and my favorite is Russian Navy, which they have in their regular shine, but I just found out that they also a matte and a suede. It’s a deep indigo that looks nearly purple, but turns into this wonderful deep blue when in sunlight. There’s just enough sparkle to bring out a shine, no matter how dark the polish is.

Now that I’m writing this, I think I’ll go back to Happy Nails and have them repaint my nails the “Midnight Blue”, which is just a substitute for Russian Navy. I thank my niece for the break in routine during our spa day, but somethings are nice when they stay the same.

Remix this:

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