Dandelions

I pulled out my stamper because I feel like I haven't touched it in months. I bought a new one a while back and it doesn't even transfer the image so after quite a bit of frustration I went back to my Konad stamper.

Below is two coats of Julep Hope, a stark white polish with a satin finish. I really liked this finish because it was matte-ish and looked really great on the white. I used Julep Eden and NOPI Teal Me Something New on the MoYou London plate #04 from the Pro Collection for the dandelions and the cursive writing. 

It felt really good to have some pretty art on my nails! I've been doing quick mani's with minimal nail art lately so it was nice having a gorgeous mani I kept finding myself looking at and showing off. 

Hopefully you all have on a mani that makes you smile! 

Thanks for stopping by!

~Linda

Julep Felicia

You may have noticed that I haven't had many posts for my monthly Julep subscriptions. Well...that's because I haven't really been getting them. I've skipped 10 of the last 12 months *cringe* because there wasn't anything new or exciting about the boxes. But, I will say that the 2 boxes I've taken have been as of late because of some special products. 

Anywho....one of the add-on polishes for April was a mint green creme with black speckles. This is such an unusual polish for Julep and it was gorgeous in their swatches. I'm happy to say that it didn't disappoint in person.

This is two swatches of China Glaze Concrete Catwalk with Julep Felicia and Essie Matte About You.

I love that the dark grey matted looks like a chalkboard!

I wore this for a few days, adding another topcoat after 1 or 2 days since they tend to get a little shiny due to oils, etc. Loved this look and I hope to see a lot more special polishes coming from Julep. 

Thanks for stopping by!

~Linda

SuperChic Euphoria Meets Texture

Today's post features both holographic and textured polishes. Not two finishes I would normally put together but this totally works for me.

I recently acquired Euphoria, a deep plum holographic made by indie polish maker SuperChic Lacquer. The polish was a very thin consistency so I had to put on 4 coats for full opacity in the pictures below. Fortunately, similar to many other holos the polish dried quickly so it wasn't a long wait between coats.

The textured polish on my middle, ring and pinky fingers is Julep Cameron. This polish is described as having a Stardust Finish and is a silver lilac. This texture is what I would consider medium grade grit. There aren't large particles to give that scratchy feel, but it's not exactly smooth. I do feel that the glitter pieces add a nice shine to the polish which without them the polish might have looked a little one note.

After laying down some nail striping tape, I used a makeup sponge to dab Cameron at the end of my nails. Since I did want the texture feel on my nails, I didn't topcoat the nails with Cameron, but my index and thumb was top coated to keep Euphoria from chipping.

I always feel hesitant to cover up a holo because they are just so freakin brilliant, but I was totally loving this mani. What do you think about these two finishes together?

~Linda

Candy Corn and Pumpkins

Hi Ladies!

Today I'm popping in with a quick Fall/Halloween mani that I did for my mother-in-law. Halloween is next week....have you chosen your costume yet? How about your festive manicure?

My mother-in-law wanted some pumpkins and I added some candy corn accents to make them more festive. Seems to have done the trick.

I started with two coats of Julep Parker on all nails except for the ring finger. This bright orange creme is the base color for her nails. For the pumpkins, I used some Migi fine tip Nail Art Pens to draw the outline of the pumpkin and the green vines. I used Sinful Colors Courtney Orange to fill in the pumpkin, and Zoya Cheryl for the brown stem.

For the candy corns accents I started with two coats of Milani White On The Spot (WOTS), then used WOTS along with an Orange and Yellow polish in the Nail Art Pens for the gradient. I used a simple make-up sponge and painted directly on it. Use the sponge to dab the colors on the nail until you've gotten the desired look.

So what do you think about this mani? Something you would wear for a holiday type look prior to Halloween?

Thanks for stopping by!

~Linda

Julep Sea Salt Finish - Tracy

Julep jumped on board with the textured polishes and has pumped out a few polishes with what they call a sea salt finish. I recently snatched up one that was a bit different from the others, which has a grainy texture with bits of sparkle that seemed reminiscent of the Zoya Pixie Dusts. Their others seemed more comparable with the Milani texture line.

This is Tracey, a sparkly ocean blue polish with their 'sea salt finish'. I loved that this color seemed to have a bit of different blue colors within it. It looked quite different in the sunlight than in the shade but I was loving both.

Outdoors - Shade

Outdoors - Sunlight

Outdoors - Shade

Tracy has a deep rich color and the sparkle was pretty prevalent as well. This was the only textured polish I've purchased from Julep but I would be happy to purchase more if they have this same texture versus their others.

Thanks for stopping by!

~Linda

Turquoise Nails

This is my attempt at Turquoise nails based on a method I saw a few other bloggers use. I guess you could also call this a recreation of OPI spotted too...maybe..kinda-sorta. You just have to adjust the size of the holes but you certainly could achieve that look using this technique.

Indoors - Artificial Light

I started with two coats of Julep Mystery Green #4 and then used some scrunched up seran-wrap to dab on Julep Robin (a robin's egg blue creme) and Julep Sienna (a metallic gold). To achieve the black spots I started with a cup of room temp water and 3 drops of OPI Black Onyx in the water. Once the polish spread out, I sprayed Rubbing Alcohol from about 8 inches above the cup between 2 and 4 times to get the black spots the way I liked. I chose a section of the design and dipped in my nail.

Outdoors - Shade

Outdoors - Direct Sunlight

After I got all my nails dipped and cleaned up I added a few dots of Sienna randomly across the nails. I liked the way the gold peaked through slightly from behind the black but also really liked the look of the additional golden dots.

So in the end, there was a bit too much black for me to think this actually looks like turquoise but I am loving the look!  What do you think?

~Linda

KKCenterHK - N.NAIL Square Studs Review

Hi guys!

I've been contacted by KKCenterHK, a cosmetic supply company located in Hong Kong, to do a review of a few of their products. I chose today's item from their huge selection of nail studs that can be found here. These 3mm laser purple studs are from the N.Nail manufacturer and are quite beautiful. They have little holographic circles within the stud that shine from different angles and can really catch the light. If you've got your own link to this site you can search for product # NNAIL-DRN656.

The package came with about 50 little pieces in a zipper bag which I thought was nice since you won't have to find a new home for these guys after you open it once. They cost about $4.73 USD and their shipping is pretty reasonable. (It would be $0.84 USD for this item.)  Keep in mind it's coming from Hong Kong so it will take a while to arrive.

These babies have to be made of some sort of thin metal since I was easily able to bend in the edges a bit to keep them from looking raised off the nail. Okay Okay onto how I transformed these light seeking missiles.

 

This was two coats of Julep Dianna with a taped off diamond of Zoya Robyn. While the nail polish was still tacky, I used tweezers to get the N.Nail studs lined up and dropped them on. They were repositionable to an extent without ruining my paint job. The whole look was covered with a thick coat of Seche Vite.

Overall I loved these studs! I didn't have any issues getting them to stay on my nail even just adding them on top of tacky nail polish although I know for extra stability you can apply with a little bit of top coat. I also loved that you could bend them a bit if you have a high arch to your nail, and the purple color is great.

These pics were taken indoors so I noticed that the color reflections of the studs was nicer outside however we haven't had any sun in a while *sigh*

This was the first product I've tried from KKCenterHK and was very impressed. Their selection is great and pricing is comparable across the internet. Definitely check out their site and take the plunge to expand you nail art selections or even other beauty items.

They've been kind enough to provide a 10% discount code for my readers! Just enter the code ' NYMN ' at checkout to get the discount!

Have a great week lovelies!

~Linda


*This product has been provided for my honest review. Links are to a 3rd party website*

Ocean Blues

Hi Lovelies!

Today I have a Julep mani to show off. I recently purchased a Julep set of 5 blue polishes that I don't already have in my collection, and when I got them I swatched them instantly! I loved Annie from their Trina Turk collection and I really loved Portia which is a sheer tropical blue color with opalascent glitter. So I used both in todays mani.

This is two coats of Annie on all nails. I added Portia to my ring finger for an accent nail and then added bubbles of Portia on the inside half of my thumbs. I followed up with a thick layer of seche vite.

Since portia is not a creme it started to spread as the bead of polish started to dry, so the dots are not as clear and distinct as I would have liked, but it still looks pretty good. The lighting was not doing me any favors, so the pictures are kinda crappy. Sorry guys.

Thanks for stopping by!

~Linda

March Haul

I've gotten quite a few new polishes over the last few weeks and I figured I'd give you a quick look at some of the new colors you'll see coming your way.

China Glaze "Wait Teal You See!' Ombre - Turned Up Turquoise, Aquadelic, For Audrey, White on White

OPI  Euro Centrale Minis - Can't Find My Czechbook, Suzie's Hungary Again!, You're Such a BudaPest, Oy - Another Polish Joke

Julep - Mystery Green #4, Alfre, Fiona, Cuticle Oil

Ally's Dream Polish - #58 Intense Blurple, #59 Blue Lapis

 China Glaze - Concrete Catwalk, Harmony, Strap On Your Moonboots

NailNation 3000 - Eve #403

Sally Hansen Salon Manicure - Blue My Mind

NOPI - Shoot For The Maroon

I've also got the Rainbow Honey Robots Collection in mini bottles as well as the Zoya 2013 Summer PixieDust collection soon to be mailed my way. I'm super excited to try these out!! 

Any requests for colors that you'd like to see first? 

~Linda

Lime Green Gradient

I was watching all the snow melt in my yard and seeing all the dead grass hiding beneath it, soo sad. Fresh green grass was sort of my inspiration for this mani. My intention was not to have something literal so I created a bright fresh green gradient with some texture rather than a smooth transition. Almost marbleized....maybe, lol. My brain does not function quite the same as everyone elses so hopefully that made some sort of sense.

This is a base coat of Julep Fiona, a neon lime green creme. I used Lime Crime, Pastelchio and Crema de Limon as my gradient colors. Crema de limon is closest to the tips however these pictures aren't picking up the yellow color change all that much.

Instead of using a make-up sponge for the smooth transition, I used a random little sponge that I had around the house that was much more porous giving it a marbleized look.

Since I was thinking of nature and spring I decided to use my new stamping plate for some sweet little sparrows. I love these birds...you can find them on all sorts of things around my house. This is an eBay plate called MLS301.

Thanks for stopping by!

~Linda

Mystery Clouds

Hello Hello

Is it spring yet? Soon enough I guess, it just won't stop snowing here. The Tulips in my front yard must be confused. *shrug*

Anyways..on to the good stuff right? :)

This is two coats of Julep Mystery Green #4 which is a cross between turquoise and mint green. It went on pretty smooth and the consistency was nice; not too thin, not to thick and it leveled quite nicely.

I stamped the clouds using Konad black and BM-312.

I LOVE this color! It's a shame that I found this color so late as it was a limited shade and probably won't be offered again. I guess I'll have to treasure this bottle.  ☺

Thanks for stopping by!

~Linda

Feb Julep Maven Box

Hey Girl Hey!!! ☺

Today I'm showing off my February Julep Maven box. I've skipped the past few months because none of the colors jumped out at me but this month I wanted almost all of the colors. With that said...I upgraded to the whole wardrobe!!!!

The February collection features rich, smokey colors and glitzy holographics inspired by classic Hollywood icons and modern leading ladies. The product this month was the Oxygen Nail Treatment but they also gave everyone the Freedom Top Coat. Not only that but when you upgraded to the full wardrobe you received the white lacquer jewelry box that holds 12 Julep polishes.

This month had soo many extras it was an amazing deal! They charged an additional $35 on top of the $20 normal cost for the full upgrade. The value of this upgrade was $252 = $168 in polish, $36 in Nail Treatments and $48 for the jewelry box. Let's recap...that's a $252 value for $55 bucks. F'n Score!

This is what I received in my February Box:

•   Sally: Antique ivory crème
•   Joan: Raspberry plum with rose gold shimmer
•   Julianne: Smoky grey blue crème
•   Ingrid: Burnt orange crème
•   Laura: Olive khaki crème
•   Ginger: Sand holographic
•   Helen: Smoky pastel lavender crème
•   Claudette: Smoky brick red crème
•    Marion: Smoky blue with silver shimmer
•    Rebel: Silver holographic
•    Oscar: Ultra chic, multi-dimensional gold glitter
•    Ellie: Opalescent seashell pink with holographic shimmer
•    Oxygen Nail Treatment: Strengthening 'makeup for nails' with a subtle tint
•    Freedom Polymer Top Coat: Smudge-free shine in five minutes
•  White Lacquer Jewelry Box: Hand-made limited edition white lacquer box with high shine finish
•  Plus: A travel size plastic eyelash curler.

I was super excited to see how Julep's first holographic polishes would stack up to other holos on the market. You'll have to stick around to see ... devilish grin. ☺

I couldn't be happier with what I received in my February box. I haven't had a chance to try many of the polishes out, but I've swatched them and wow..they're awesome! 

If you want to sign up for your own Maven subscription, start by taking your style profile quiz and get your first box for FREE with promo code: FREEBOX. With Julep Maven you decide how often to receive your monthly box with the option to skip months and you can cancel at any time. 

Did any of you get a Maven box this month? Any big winners or losers in your opinion? 

Thanks for stopping by!!

~Linda

Spooktastic Mani

Hello lovelies, today I'm rockin a simple Halloween mani using my new spooktastic orange polish that I received in my Julep Trick or Treat Mystery Box.

This is Julep Parker and it's a tangerine orange creme polish that was made for Halloween! Parker was thin so it took 4 coats for an even opaque finish. I taped off my tips and used Orly Liquid Vinyl.

Using Konad black stamping polish I stamped the creepy trees and bats using Bundle Monster plates #224 and 213. The spider was stamped with Mash plate #38. 

Thanks for stopping by!

~Linda

Julep Mystery Box

Hi Ladies! I ended up jumping at the Julep Trick or Treat Mystery Box and it has arrived at my doorstep (and rather quickly I might add). The Mystery Box mentioned that you'd get at least two polishes and another special item which were all Halloween related. Wanna see what I got?

 

Upon opening my box I saw the iconic Halloween treat, Candy Corn, smiling up at me. I don't eat them but they always scream Halloween to me! I received two glitter pots, in red and pink. Pink seemed a bit odd...it's not what I think of when someone says Halloween. I also received the nail water decals and a skull bracelet. Unfortunately the bracelet was snapped in half. I couldn't tell you what the material is, but it's definitely cheap costume jewelry. Not to mention it looks as though it will only fit someone with small wrists. I did send an email to Julep mentioning the broken bracelet and they responded promptly that they would send me another bracelet or a polish of my choice. I have so say that is some amazing customer service! Julep never lets me down! I will be choosing another polish since I didn't get what I was hoping for in my mystery box....any suggestions?

So here are the two polishes I received in my box: Parker and Morgan. 

Parker is a flat looking orange in the bottle but I've used it for my Halloween mani and it's much brighter and a touch more neon out of the bottle. Julep describes it as a golden tangerine creme. I would say that description is good for what it looks like in the bottle but it's not golden at all on my nails and I'm happy it's not. It's a good orange for all your spooky manis.

Morgan is a bright purple with blue and pink micro-shimmer particles. It looks much like the zillion other purples with micro-shimmer. I will probably try to swap this polish for something else on the Julep Swap Facebook page. If you haven't heard of it you can check it out here.

I had been hoping to get the orange/pinkish shimmer polish they had in their Mystery Box email, or possibly the glow in the dark Sofia, but I'm happy with Parker since I can't say I have many orange creme polishes.

What did you get in your Mystery Box?

~Linda

Julep Trick or Treat Mystery Box

Trick or Treat Mystery Boxes are available until October 19th with Free Shipping and delivery for U.S customers by Halloween!

Seems like you could get a variety of different items in this mystery box from accessories to nail decals and at least two polishes! Boxes have a $46 value and cost $19.99.


Make sure you stop by Julep.com and grab your mystery box before they are all gone. If you could kindly use my link I'd love you forever!!

I hope I get whatever that orange/pink polish shown is and the skull bracelet! Hey, maybe they will even include Sophia, the glow in the dark nail polish that so many people missed out on with the October upgrades.

Are you hoping on this Mystery Box or passing?

~Linda

Julep Sale on HauteLook

Hello Hello! Julep is having a sale on HauteLook that ends on Wednesday at 8AM Pacific.

Don't miss your chance for some great little bundles that are on average 52% off! They have some really great options that include various different products like Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Drops, Pomegranate body scrubs, Sicilian Orange Foot Soak, Cuticle Oil, Julep Glow On Age Defying Hand Brightener, Nail Polish Remover Pumps and of course...polish!

Don't miss your chance for some fantastic pairings of polish!
Check out the HauteLook Sale now!

~Linda