The Crystal Files

Another Favorite (Non-Nail) Thing!

2011-09-13T11:52:00.000-04:00

Aside from my obsession with nail care and nail color, I have one other obsession, perfume oils! I've been collecting oils created by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab for over two years, and I absolutely love them! The inspirations behind their scents are unique and creative, and the scents themselves are incredible. The lab is always creating new scents. They celebrate the changing of the seasons, comic book artists, authors, and holidays such as Halloween, Yule, and Lupercalia (during which Valentine's Day falls). That is by no means an exhaustive list of their miriad sources of inspiration. The lab also maintains an enormous general catalogue, and is constantly adding new scents to it, in addition to all their limited edition offerings. Since I began using perfume oils, I've rarely returned to alcohol based scents.

Within the past year or so I have also begun exploring the offerings of other perfume oil retailers. I've had wonderful luck with oils made by Conjure Oils, Arcana Soaps, and Solstice Scents. One recent favorite is Manor Perfume by Solstice Scents. It is a gorgeous vanilla musk warmed by beautiful woodsy notes and sweetened with a vanilla accord. I absolutely LOVE it! I also ordered Thornwood Thicket, and it too turned out to be fabulous! Rich amber and a woodsy incense vibe wonderfully balance the juicy blackberry note. I am so pleased with both scents, and I love the value I get with Solstice Scents perfumes. The perfume oils are packaged in beautifully labeled, cobalt blue glass vials with a roller ball dispenser. Each vial holds approximately 0.35 oz (10ml) of perfume oil, and a little goes a long way! Manor perfume and Thornwood Thicket Perfume are both offered as part of the Solstice Scents Autumn collection. I definitely recommend that you check them out!

If you happen to be interested in more perfume oil reviews, please comment here! I am happy to include reviews of my perfume oil purchases, along with all the nail stuff. I have an order of several bottles from the Halloween update coming from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, and if there is interest I will gladly review them here!

In addition, I am still working my way up to 200 followers so I can do a grand Zoya giveaway! I'm still 75 followers shy, so please bring your friends over. I have one set each of Summertime, Sunshine, Smoke, and Mirrors to giveaway!

Finally, Zoya Mirrors Swatches!

2011-08-31T13:17:00.000-04:00

It's been a crazy couple of weeks, especially with the weather. We lost power for quite a while this weekend, when I had intended to get the post online. We were more fortunate than many of those in neighboring states, my thoughts go out to them as they work on recovering.

I've only had time to get photos of the Mirrors collection so far. Hopefully I'll get the Smoke collection taken care of soon! I am still looking forward to doing a big Zoya giveaway in celebration of 200 followers, so send you friends over to have a look and click follow!

On to the pretties :)

First up are Nimue and Marina, which were surprisingly less brush-strokey than I had thought they would be. The formula for both of these was really nice, and I found Marina to be a wonderfully flattering and neutral blue.

Sun:

Shade:

Next up are Tao and Yara. I found the formula of Tao to be a bit more problematic than Nimue and Marina. Although all three are similar in finish, Tao's formula was runny and more difficult to work with, which did result in slightly more visible brushstrokes. Yara's formula is wonderful and the finish is amazing. I'm not a big on for greens, but this one is surprisingly flattering and a bit more neutral than most green polishes tend to be.

Sun:

Shade:

And last, but certainly NOT least, Neeka and Jem. I am absolutely in LOVE with Neeka. I could absolutely hoard this amazing purple. The formula is fabulous and the finish is stunning (both Neeka and Yara have the same finish). Jem is also quite lovely, but very close in color to one of my earlier favorites, Valerie. I find that I prefer Valerie since the formula applied a bit more smoothly and the finish had a bit more sparkle. Nevertheless, Jem is a lovely color!

Sun:

Shade:

Thanks so much for stopping in to check out these gorgeous colors! Keep checking back for news of the giant Zoya giveaway!

Zoya Fall Swatches Coming Soon!

2011-08-22T11:47:00.000-04:00

Finally have the Zoya Smoke and Mirrors collections in hand and I'm preparing a swatch wheel and some mani pics. So, photos of these lovelies coming very soon. I also want to give a head-up to my followers. I will be doing a huge giveaway once the blog reaches 200+ followers. I have one set each of Sunshine, Summertime, Smoke, and Mirrors to giveaway! I will be posting more details when I hit 200. Check back soon for swatches, and get your pals to follow so I can reach my goal and celebrate by giving 4 lucky winners some gorgeous Zoyas!

SpaRitual Sacred Ground, Fall 2011

2011-08-12T15:48:00.000-04:00

Good afternoon, my darling readers! I know I don't stop in and post as often as I used to, but I am trying to do so with more regularity. I couldn't resist stopping by to share with you one of my newest polish purchases, SpaRitual Sacred Ground, from the Fall 2011 Wilde collection. This one is an instant favorite, top ten material for me. I predict it will be a highly sought after rare polish one day. Although that could just be the crazy polish fanatic in me talking. I think I may hoard multiple bottles though, just to be safe. It is seriously that awesome. Pictures are one coat Essie Grow Richer (trying to combat the remaining peelies from vacation), two coats SpaRitual Sacred Ground, one coat Instant Artificials (for durability), and one coat Poshe.

Indoors:

Outdoors (full sun):

I know these aren't perfect, by any stretch of the imagination. Take it from me, this polish if amazing, and I would recommend it to any of my fellow polish fanatics out there! It would definitely make a fantastic first SpaRitual purchase, so if you haven't tried them before, consider giving them a try!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

2011-07-27T10:27:00.000-04:00

Hello there readers! I've just returned from vacation. My nails had to be nubbin-ized due to spray sunscreen and sand damage. So in lieu of swatching (won't be doing that for at least another week or two) I thought I'd post about some of my favorite nail, cuticle, and pedicure products. I've been obsessed with nail care and color for nearly 5 years now, so I've definitely amassed a list of products that are must-haves for my mani-pedi tote.

1. Fast-Dry Top Coat: I alternate between three major players: Seche Vite, Poshe, and Out the Door. I love Poshe because it tends to play nicely with some brands (Zoya!) that do not play nicely with Seche Vite. Poshe dries very fast, but I don't find it quite as shiny as Seche. Out the Door is another one that seems to work well across the board, and it doesn't seem to thicken quite as quickly as Poshe or Seche Vite. Last, but not least, is Seche Vite. It was my gateway fast-dry topcoat. It is still the shiniest. It does have issues with thickening quickly, and sometimes I find bubbles unavoidable, but the shine is unbelievable. Seche Vite is NOT big-3-free.

2.Alpha Hydroxy Cuticle Cream: I use either Poshe Cuticle Care or CND Cuticle Eraser. I find them to be evely matched in effectiveness. With everyday use, I rarely find myself needing to use an actual cuticle remover. And I never, ever cut my cuticles!

3. Cuticle Balm: My hands-down favorite is Qtica Intense Cuticle Repair Balm. Super moisturizing, and I love the smell!

4. Cuticle Oil: Again, I have one hands-down favorite, BB Couture For Nails Cuticle Oil. It is a blend of super moisturizing oils and has an amazing fragrance.

5. Ridge Filling Base Coat: Most definitely Zoya Get Even!

6. Nail Strengthening Base Coat: Gelous. Actually my favorite base coat PERIOD. It makes my manicures wear like iron, and it is amazing as an additional layer over glitter to help prevent a bumpy finish.

7. Favorite nail color brand: Zoya. I love the bottle shape, I love the brushes (perfect for my tiny, short nails), and I love the amazing variety of colors. I only wish they'd make a collection of holo colors!

Thanks to all of you for reading! I hope this post encourages you to try some new products and maybe find something new to love!

The Winners Have Been Chosen!

2011-07-11T16:06:00.000-04:00

Good afternoon everyone! The three winners of my Zoya giveaway have been selected and notified via email. Congratulations to Spider Girl, Laura, and Heather! I hope I have a chance to host other great giveaways in the future!

Here are a couple of quick shots of my current "nail of the day", Zoya Breezi topped with OPI Sparkle Teal Sunrise (an Ulta exclusive).

and super close up!

I wasn't able to truly capture how beautiful this combination is, I think the bling blinded my camera! In real life the base color is a tiny bit more green than it shows in the pics. As always, have a great day and I hope to "see" you soon!

Finally, a Giveaway!

2011-07-08T15:13:00.000-04:00

It's good to be back to posting! I know you've seen these lovely Zoya summer colors many times in the past few months, but I'm going to share a few quick pics with you since I actually have complete sets of Summertime, Sunshine, and Touch to give away to three lucky readers!

First up is a quick photo I snapped while I had a brief few minutes of hazy sunshine this afternoon. Now the storms are rolling in! This is my current mani, Zoya Mira topped with Zoya Sparkle Gloss.

I absolutely loved how Mira applied. This mani is two coats, and any minor coverage problems were user error, not the polish itself. I'm also currently wearing Sooki on my toes, and I have to admit that I am in love. Any of you who have frequently read this blog know that I adore all things sparkly, glittery, and shimmery. I'm not usually big on creme finish polishes. Sooki, however, is an exception to that rule. It is a nearly perfect one coat color. A true, bright summer red. She isn't too orange or too blue leaning. And so shiny I probably could have skipped top coat, although I didn't.

Here is a quick color wheel shot of all the cremes in the Summertime collection in the following order: Sooki, Tamsen, Kieko, Areej, Mira, Breezi.

Application was excellent on all of these. Only Sooki was a "one coat wonder", but the others were beautiful, even, and opaque with two coats. I really like how all these shades are vibrant enough for summer, but at the same time they have a slightly "dusty" quality. This is a truly beautiful collection. Sooki, Mira, and Breezi are some of my favorite cremes of all time.

Unfortunately, not all polishes can be winners for every individual. While I love the Sunshine collection in theory (vibrant shades with sunshine-y sparkle, what's not to love!), the golden shimmer that is heavily present in all of these shades simply doesn't work well on my skin tone. That's not to say they are all beautiful, just not right for me. Here is a quick color wheel shot in the following order: Apple, Kimmy, Reva, Faye, Rica, Tanzy.

Most of the Sunshine colors are not completely opaque at two coats (Reva and Kimmy being the exceptions), but with a third they have pretty nice coverage. I could still spy a tiny bit of VNL (visible nail line) on Tanzy and Rica with three coats, but not enough to be really bothersome. No one else would ever notice unless you had them examine very closely.

And now, what you've all been waiting for! Details on the giveaway! Zoya has graciously provided me with one set each of Summertime, Sunshine, and Touch to share with three lucky readers. To enter, simply send me an email at hlemonds@gmail.com and tell me what name you would love to see given to a Zoya polish and what it would look like. Each entry will be assigned a number and I will draw the three winners using a random number generator. Each of the three winners will receive one of the above collections. All entries must be received by midnight eastern 7/11 (Monday morning). I will contact the winners directly for mailing information. Please do not include any mailing information in your entry.

Coming Soon!

2011-06-13T15:15:00.000-04:00

Hello readers! I am happily returning to the world of blogging. I'm hoping to catch up on all of the new trends and colors that I've missed. I've had a lot of fun playing around with the new-to-me crackle/shatter glazes. My current mani is a gorgeous combination of an oldie-but-goodie (OPI Absolutely Alice) topped with one of the current hot trends (OPI Navy Shatter). My apologies for the less than stellar photo, I am very out of practice. I was also quickly trying to snap this yesterday evening with little sunlight and dying batteries, so take it for what it's worth!

I am also very pleased to announce that I will (very soon!) be hosting a Zoya giveaway right here! I owe special thanks to Zoya for being the first polish company to take notice of this tiny blog. This giveaway will be a way for me to celebrate my return to the blog-o-sphere, and I hope you'll participate!

Crystal File 087: Zoya is saving my summer!

2010-03-19T13:33:00.004-04:00

So far I have found the spring and summer collections being released this year to be very disappointing! Anyone who has read my blog or encountered me on Makeupalley, knows that I prefer my polish with some shimmer, or Sparkle if you will. So many of the releases I have seen this year have been either all, or nearly all, creme finish colors, which means I truly haven't had many "Oh my, I must have that!" moment.

At least this was the case until I received the press release information for Zoya's upcoming summer release, the Sparkle collection. As usual, Zoya is presenting two summer collections consisting of six polishes each. In this case, one set of six are all "metallic" (Sparkle), while the other set of six are all bright cremes (Flash).

The Sparkle collection will include Ivanka (mermaid green sparkling metallic), Charla (tropical blue sparkling metallic), Mimi (royal purple sparkling metallic), Alegra (fuchsia pink sparkling metallic), Nidhi (rich red sparkling metallic), and Gilda (fashion pink sparkling metallic). The Flash collection will include Robyn (perfect turquoise cream), Perrie (soft lavender cream), Dana (american rose cream), Jolene (summer pink cream), Maura (electric crimson cream), and Jancyn (soft tangerine cream).

I am hoping that I will have time to post photos of these collections once they are available. I think that Sparkle is going to blow many of the other summer collections out of the water. What do you think?

The Crystal Files 086: Long Time No See!

2009-12-09T15:49:00.002-05:00

My apologies for not posting regularly! Life with a three year old can be quite hectic, and to some extent my polish habit has backed off a bit. I have a secondary addition to perfume oils by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, and only so much cash to throw around, as i'm sure you can all understand! Well, i had this Zoya Spring preview show up in my inbox, and i knew i had to share with all of you cyber polish fans out there.

The Reverie Spring 2010 collection includes six new Zoya shades, each polish will retail for $7. The colors are Laney (moonlit silver metallic), Adina (duochrome violet metallic), Reece (gilded rose metallic), Happi (pink blush metallic), Gwin (sunny melon metallic), and Lana (rich red metallic). Here's a little teaser promotional photo for all my pretty polishes peeps.

Any thoughts on this collection? Will you be waiting eagerly for your chance at these new shades? Do share!

Crystal File 085: Coming Soon! Zoya MatteVelvet Winter 2009!

2009-09-01T13:37:00.002-04:00

I'm sure you all have gathered by now that I'm not a huge fan of matte finish polishes. However, Zoya is releasing a new collection of three more MatteVelvet shades for winter, and these colors look very promising! I'm hoping perhaps the wear will be a bit improved, as i have found the wear length on previous mattes quite lacking. I'll have to wait and see. From the promo photo i think these look really gorgeous.

The colors are Veruschuka (Evergreen matte shimmer), Savita (Plum Grey matte shimmer), and Harlow (Rose matte shimmer). You can check out swatches at Scrangie.com!I also hope to have them to swatch for you eventually! And keep your eye peeled for more Wizard of Ooh Ahz swatches and new Color Club shades coming soon!

Crystal File 084: See you soon, Dorothy!

2009-08-16T18:00:00.003-04:00

I'm sure many fellow nail-o-philes will have already heard about the upcoming (Spring, 2010) re-release of the fabulous China Glaze Wizard of Ooh Ahz collection. I feel very fortunate to own the entire collection, and i've decided to pay homage to the return of this amazing collection by showing you photos of the originals throughout the coming weeks. First up is the darling of the collection, the incomparable Dorothy Who?

As you can see, Dorothy Who? is a mid-blue jelly base with tons of fine silver glitter. Although many fabulous glittery blues exist, i've yet to find one that dupes Dorothy. She is a true original!

I apologize for the current state of my nails and cuticles, they still aren't fully recovered from the horrid state i found them in after two solid weeks of neglect. For the time being i'm forced to keep them filed short until the over-buffed portions have grown out. It's a sad state i find myself in! I will, however, return soon to share some photos of the other amazing colors from the original Wizard of Ooh Ahz collection.

Crystal File 083: Holy Moly, I Have Returned!

2009-07-29T11:56:00.004-04:00

So sorry to have bailed on my readers for so long! The arrival of my best friend's new baby, Caden, followed quickly by our long awaited vacation to NC's Topsail Island, made for a long time away! I have returned, but for the moment i shall spare you any pics of my nails, they are in horrifying shape after two weeks of neglect. I promise to return to you all soon with some pretty new polishes, once my nails are presentable again!

Crystal File 82: China Glaze Let's Groove and Nubar Earth

2009-07-07T10:29:00.002-04:00

Catching up with a few NOTD photos! It's difficult for me to be inspired by deep, rich fall colors since it's so hot right now. That said, these two colors are still vibrant and sparkly enough to feel wearable when it's HOT, HOT, HOT! First up is China Glaze Let's Groove, a truly fabulous deep purple that is warmed and brightened by red shimmer. The application was quite nice, although the formula seemed a tad thick, nothing a couple of drops of thinner wouldn't fix. I would definitely classify this as a warm purple, so if those don't work for you, maybe steer clear.

And next up Nubar Earth from their current Go Green collection. This entire collection is a green lover's dream. And although i wouldn't classify myself as a member of the green lover's club, i can still appreciate how beautiful these colors are. Earth is a stunning blue based green with teal-ish sparkle. The finish is much more sparkly than a traditional shimmer, while i wouldn't quite classify it as a glitter either. The shimmer is closely akin to the type of shimmer in OPI Ink. I can definitely see this polish looking far more teal on someone with a more neutral skintone than mine. Since my skintone is fair but warm, i get a cool emerald green.

I hope to be able to share some more of these lovely collections with you in the near future, so please stay tuned!

Crystal File 081: Zoya Dare First Installment

2009-06-26T20:20:00.002-04:00

This has been on of the rainiest summers i have ever experienced, which is to say, sunlight has not been coming around often. I managed to snap a few quick shots of Zoya Pinta, Ibiza, and Envy a few days ago when we had a bit of (albeit weak) sunlight. Unfortunately i've yet to get another chance at swatching since i've been busy planning and prepping for my little boy's third birthday.

So, i'm going to share with you these few photos as a teaser, and promise to get the remaining colors swatched and photographed for you as soon as i can! Please forgive the fact that these aren't my best photos, i was rushed to catch what little sunlight i had!

Pinta is a beautiful deep violet/blue in the bottle, but on me it is nearly black. I could only see the loveliness of the color in the brightest of lighting conditions. I added a layer of Zoya Sparkle Gloss on the ring finger for a bit of pizazz.

Ibiza is a bit of a disappointment. Although pretty enough, Ibiza is not terribly unique. And while it does have the tiniest hint of shimmer, you aren't going to see it unless you are in very bright sunlight.

Zoya Envy, while pretty, is definitely not a "me" kind of color. The formula was nice, but definitely far more sheer than i expected. While Ibiza and Pinta were nearly opaque enough to get away with one coat, Envy definitely requires two (and would probably benefit from a third). I put a coat of Zoya Akyra over my ring finger, and as you can see, that was clearly a color experiment FAIL.

While i don't yet have photos to share with you, i did test drive Zoya Loredana from the MatteVelvet collection. My first impression is that Matte is definitely not for me. However, Loredana is very pretty with a shiny top coat. The only failing (as the manufacturer warns) is that the matte polishes do not wear well AT ALL. On the first day, in the course of normal activity, i lost half the polish off of at least two nails. I would not recommend the MatteVelvet polishes if you're looking for a manicure with extended wear.

I did manage to get a photo of Zoya Drew, which is my favorite of the Truth collection next to Anaka (which is an amazing color, but stained my nails horribly). While not an incredibly ground breaking color, Drew is very pretty, and has a gorgeous finish.

That's all i have to share with you this evening my lacquer loving ladies! I do have the entire China Glaze Retro Diva Collection on hand and ready to photo, as well as the awesome Nubar Go Green collection, so please check back soon!

Crystal File 080: Zoya MatteVelvet Shipping July 1st!

2009-06-11T17:05:00.004-04:00

Zoya will be the first major manufacturer of salon polishes to usher in the matte trend this year. Notice i said "this year", since several polish companies have created matte collections in the past. The trend is being renewed this year by manufacturers such as Zoya and OPI. For the MatteVelvet collection, Zoya has created a series of three matte finish shades, each with subtle shimmer, packaged in special matte finish bottles. The shades are: Posh (matte shimmer wine), Dovima (matte shimmer black), and Loredana (matte shimmer gunmetal).

So, what are your thoughts on the matte trend for fall? Personally, having never tried matte finish polishes before, i am both excited and a tad apprehensive. I think the Zoya collection has strong potential, as all the shade have shimmer, where most of the upcoming OPI matte shades do not. All of the matte polishes (Zoya and OPI) are intended to be used without base or top coat, which leaves me wondering if how badly wear will be affected, and if staining will be an issue.

The MatteVelvet collection will ship from Zoya beginning July 1st. Thankfully i should have samples to share with you soon, so you can decide if you need them! The collection is Limited Edition and will retail for $6. Product should be available for pre-order soon via the Zoya website.

Crystal File 79: OPI Sea, I Told You! and Entity Swatches

2009-06-09T12:26:00.003-04:00

I've found a new polish love, and it's name is Sea, I Told You! by OPI. For me, the OPI South Beach collection was an unfortunate failure, but Sea, I Told You! has given me new faith in OPI. Sea, I Told You! has a stunning finish that is both foil and micro-glitter. It truly does remind me of the ocean beneath a bright, sunny, blue sky. In low light you may even catch a glimpse of the soft laverder sparkle and *hint* of duochrome this polish has. For complete opacity i need three coats, but i certainly don't mind when the end result is this stunning!

I also had a brief moment of sunshine yesterday to snap a photo of these skittle swatches of a new brand (new to me, anyways) called Entity. I'm pleasantly surprised by the quality of these polishes. These swatches are each two coats, no base or top coat. The fomula is quite smooth, although a tad bit thick, and dries quite shiny. The orange is by far my favorite of the group i ordered, and i would recommend it to anyone who wants a great bright (but not neon) orange. I apologize for the smudged pinky swatch, i bumped it just before taking the photo. Colors are Pearl Orange, Pearl Turquoise, Pearl Violet, and Pearl Fuchsia.

Entity polishes are available to order through Transdesign.com, i've yet to see them at any retail location. They're certainly worth checking out!

For any who might be interested to know, i've finally gone over to the dark side and ordered a Konad stamp and several plates. At the moment i am simply experimenting and practicing, but i hope to soon be able to share some fun new Konad NOTDs with my readers! If you're considering ordering a Konad stamper, i would highly recommend OCNailArt for your Konad needs. The owner provides fabulous customer service and offers a %20 of discount for readers of the Sasse Stamping Stampede blog. Simply enter code SASSE at checkout to receive your %20 discount.

Crystal File 078: Layering With Neons

2009-05-27T07:55:00.002-04:00

I often find myself avoiding creme finish polishes because it is difficult to hide flaws in a creme manicure. If i wear a creme finish polish, i generally layer a little something (or a massively blingy something) over the creme to add some sparkle or shimmer. Since the weather has gradually been warming, and the sun has been making the occasional appearance, I've been doing more and more layering experiments with neons.

When you layer a neon beneath a shimmery polish that isn't heavily pigmented you end up with a gorgeous glow, but the neon effect is a bit softer (which might make it easier for someone who is shy about neons to give them a try). If the neon creme you choose is a bit sheer doing two coats of neon, plus one coat of the shimmer polish you've chosen, will help you avoid the dreaded "Visible Nail Line".

As I'm sure many of you already know, there are a lot of fabulous neon polishes out at the moment. There are also some fabulous shimmery polishes (China Glaze Summer Days, Misa Candy Girl, Sweet Pleasures, and Lolli Jolly) that are sheer enough to allow your neon base to glow through. I've chosen a few of my recent experiments to share with you, i hope you enjoy and feel inspired to try some combinations of your own!

China Glaze Purple Panic topped with Color Club

China Glaze Rose Among Thorns topped with China Glaze Raspberry Festival

Zoya Paz topped with China Glaze Cherry Pie

These are the few combinations i managed to get photos of (when the sun made an appearance) but I've tried a few other combinations you might also like:

Essie Perky Purple topped with Misa Candy Girl
Misa Pour Me Something Tall and Strong topped with Misa Sweet Pleasures
China Glaze Japanese Koi topped with China Glaze Cherry Pie or Orange Marmalade
China Glaze Turned Up Turquoise topped with China Glaze Watermelon Rind

Layering is a ton of fun, and i truly hope you feel inspired to try your own combinations! You may even discover a new favorite summer mani :) And try these layering experiments with some of your favorite older colors as well! China Glaze colors like Drinkin' My Blues Away and Sass in a Glass (or any "glass flecked" polish) are fabulous for layering over neons too!

Crystal File 77: BB Couture Swatches

2009-05-13T10:28:00.004-04:00

If BB Couture is a brand you've yet to check out, my fellow fanatics, trust me when i say, "Do it!" BB Couture features some amazingly unique shades and an easy to apply formula. You can find their polishes for sale at overallbeauty.com. This brand is constantly coming up with new, interesting colors, so they're definitely worth watching!

First up is Balboa Beach Bunny, a warm purple shimmer base with blue and red glitter, plus very sparse holographic bar glitter.

Next up Zuma Wave Rider, a totally bodacious sky blue creme (there is very secret lavender shimmer in the bottle, but it's creme on the nail).

And these two lovelies have the smoothest, sparkliest, foil finishes I've ever seen! Karribean Kiersti (blue), and Love Drunk (pink)

And the amazingly beautiful Fairy Blood. A gorgeous berry-red jelly base with the tiniest red micro-glitter. Absolutely stunning! (shown with two coats of top coat, since it's a true glitter it can be a bit bumpy)

I hope you've enjoyed these great polishes as much as I've enjoyed sharing them! Stay tuned for more new pretties to come!

Apologies For My Absence

2009-05-05T19:08:00.003-04:00

Unfortunately our home computer went down recently. My hubby is waiting on a part he needs in order to fix it (a bracket broke while he was doing a maintenance, so it must be replaced) and then i will be back in working order. I appreciate my wonderful readers and wouldn't want you to think i had gone missing indefinitely! I hope to be back with some new Nubar photos for you early next week, so please stay tuned!

Crystal File 75: Got Your Sunglasses?

2009-04-22T17:39:00.004-04:00

As any nail polish fanatic knows, super bright polishes are always in style during the warmer months. Bold, bright polishes dazzle in the sunlight, and play well with sun-bronzed skin. This season several of my favorite polish brands are introducing polishes that fit the uber-bright neon trend.

Before moving on to the photos, i want to mention one factor that can often take a polish consumer by surprise. Polishes that contain neon pigments ALL, to varying degrees, dry more matte that those that do not. The more neon, the more matte the polish will be when it dries. Although many are initially put off by this, all you need is a coat of your favorite shiny top coat and you'll have a brilliant, shiny manicure or pedicure. Now, on to the photos.

First up the Essie Neon Collection for summer 2009. I have seen these already at my local Ulta and Trade Secret stores, so they're readily available!

From Index to pinky the colors are Funky Limelight (the photo is of 5 coats with Poshe top coat, i highly recommend layering this one over white unless you don't mind visible nail line), Punchy Pink (three coats and top coat), Perky Purple (three coats, but should've done two, and it's brighter in real life than the photo), and Flirty Fuschia (three coats and top coat).

Next we have the Color Club Electro Candy collection. All of these shades do contain neon pigment and have lovely irridescent shimmer added.

All polishes are shown with three coats and top coat. From thumb to pinky the colors are Pure Energy, Electro Candy, What a Shock, Ultra Violet, and Tangerine Scream. Bottle shown in photo is Color Club Volt of Light.

And finally we have the gorgeous bright creme shades from Zoya's La Di Da collection. Thumb and index (Dita and America respectively) are not neons, but i included them since they're part of the same collection. The three neon shades, from middle to pinky (Ali, Paz, Renee) are shown with three coats and top coat.

I hope you'll all be inspired to try a few neons, i promise they will brighten your day! Please stay tuned for more fabulous polishes for summer!

Crystal File 74: My Newest Obsession (and Recent NOTDs)

2009-04-09T18:29:00.003-04:00

I have this new obsession, and considering i never thought i'd have the patience to do any nail art what-so-ever, i am amazed at how addicted i've become. I am addicted to the dotting tool! The tool i've been using for my recent Polka Dot manis is actually an "embossing stylus" that i purchased at AC Moore for under $4. From what i understand this tool, while sold for use in card making and scrapbooking, is identical to a "dotting tool" one would purchase at a nail supply store. Ac Moore had a few different sizes/brands of this type of tool, each of which were double ended (each end being a different sized "dot").

Before i move onto some photos of my recent experiments in polka-dotting, i'll say a few words about using the dotting tool. This is an incredibly simple means of dressing up a mani. I've created all of these manicures using either regular polishes that are heavily pigmented (like Zoya Pippa, a bright, intensely pigmented yellow creme), or nail art polishes (such as Art Club White) which are by nature well pigmented.

I have found that the key is to test the polish i want to use for my pattern first. On scotch tape i put a couple of layers of the base i'm planning to use, and then i use my dotting tool to apply whichever polish i'm considering. I do this to avoid frustration, having tested, i already know if the polish i've chosen is opaque enough to create polka dots with. If you find that you have to put a large glob of polish on your nail to create an opaque dot, you might have chosen a polish that isn't pigmented enough. The down side to using too much polish for your dots is that you'll have a bumpy manicure, and you may also have trouble getting the dots to dry.

When you're applying the dots, hold the tool perpendicular to the nail surface and tap lightly to apply. The base polish does not need to be completely dry, but it helps if it has set enough that it isn't sticky. Practice helps again when you're figuring out how much pressure you need to use when applying.

Now, enough babble, onto the photos!

My first adventure in Polka-dots (China Glaze Entourage base and China Glaze Laced Up Polka-dots):

Next came Zoya Katy with Art Club White polka-dots on the ring fingers:

Then i took a break from the dot maddness, here are a couple of cloudy day photos of Zoya Tallulah (quite possibly my new favorite blue of all time!):

with flash:

And last, but certainly not least, my current Spring-y Easter Egg inspired mani using China Glaze Custom Kicks (turquoise) and Zoya Pippa (lovely bright yellow creme):

If you're looking for a fun way to jazz up your manis without having to use decals or commit to Konad, a dotting tool may be the way to go! This has turned out to be a simple and fun way to do a little something different.

Crystal File 073: Quick and Dirty!

2009-04-02T07:24:00.004-04:00

Earlier this week i received the China Glaze Kicks collection and i have some very quick and dirty swatches of them to share. I am loving this collection. More so even than the Summer Days colors, if I'm being honest. For the most part these colors are pigmented enough to be opaque in two coats, with the exception of three of the colors which I'd consider jelly finish (How Street It Is, Style Wars, Sneaker Head), and one of the shimmers (Paper Chasing). I will add that for the most part I use a ridge filling base (Zoya Get Even) which can help hide VNL (visible nail line). These photos are no base, no top coat.

First up the cremes, my least favorites because I'm a shimmer kind of gal.

Index to Pinky: Oh How Street It Is, Sneaker Head, Style Wars, Laced Up (thumb is a repeat of Sneaker Head)

Next up the gorgeous blues and greens!

Index to Pinky: Paper Chasing (the base of this one is quite sheer), Entourage, Sky High Tops, Custom Kicks (a bit more dusty and turquoise in real life; thumb is also Custom Kicks).

Final photo Index to Pinky: Fly, Its Poppin, B-Girlz, Breakin' (thumb is a repeat of Its Poppin). Note there is a bit of VNL in this pic, but having done manis with a couple of these i can attest to the fact that a coat of Zoya Get Even solves any opacity issues.

I'm hoping i will get a chance to get better shots of these, especially my favorites of the collection (Fly, Its Poppin, B-Girlz, Custom Kicks, Entourage, Sky High Top). I also have the new Color Club Electro Candy collection in the wings to swatch this weekend, and i hope to have Zoya summer to swatch for you very soon! Stay tuned my lovelies :)

Crystal File 072: TGIF!

2009-03-20T10:23:00.005-04:00

So, if I'm not mistaken, today is the first day of Spring. Mother Nature is certainly trying to pull a fast one up her, our high temperature is forecast to be in the low 40's! Complaints aside, it is Friday, and the sun is shining at least. I have a really lovely TGIF mani to share with you. I just received this beauty last night, and had to share it with my readers as soon as possible!

This is the gorgeous BB Couture Moon Over Manhattan. With it's dusty blue-teal base and subtle sparkle it is perfectly on trend for the spring season. The formula applied very nicely, two coats over Zoya Get Even base provided complete opacity. Even though this is a micro-glitter polish, the heavily pigmented base hides some of the sparkle, leaving it more subdued than the "typical" glitter. One coat of Poshe leaves it glossy and smooth. All photos taken in natural light.

This first photo was taken closest to the window, the intense light washes the color out a little, but it shows the sparkle well.

and a close-up to show how dense the micro-glitter is.

That's all for this installment! I hope you all enjoy the first weekend of Spring, whatever weather it may bring :)

Crystal File 071: Essie Introduces The North Fork Collection

2009-03-13T13:16:00.003-04:00

According to the Essie press release this limited edition collection of three shades were inspired by the "soft hues that floated down this season's runways". The three colors in The North Fork Collection are each named for quaint vacation villages located on Long Island's East End. Essie Weingarten says, "The new nail colors remind me of the most beautiful blues that surround the North Fork" (from the Essie press release).

I just received these three lovely colors this morning and have snapped a few quick photos to share with my readers. Please excuse the rough shape my hands are in, i haven't been kind enough to them lately! Both cremes are pictured over Zoya Get Even base as they are a bit jelly-ish in texture, the ridge filling base helps aid opacity. All polishes are two coats, no top coat.

Greenport:

Misa Dirty Sexy Money compared to Greenport (DSM on index/top, Greenport on thumb/bottom)

Shelter Island (Misa Right Here Now, No More Later on thumb)

My favorite of the collection, although not very flattering on me, is Sag Harbor. A lovely, soft, shimmering, silvery blue, it is opaque at two coats. Photographed with no base or top coat.

The North Fork Collection is limited edition and will be available beginning in April. See anything you need? Let me know which ones you might be stalking :)

Crystal File 070: Nailtek Intensive Therapy II

2009-03-10T12:37:00.003-04:00

As winter has lingered here, my nails have begun to show the effects in the form of peeling on a few of my nails. As a result of this I decided to finally give Nailtek Intensive Therapy II (therapy for soft, peeling nails) a try. I have to say, this turned out to be a huge mistake on my part. Unfortunately, I have come to suspect that the formaldehyde component in Nailtek actually intensified the peeling problem for me. Over the course of ten days, the peeling areas became much worse than I have ever experienced. Obviously I abruptly discontinued use of this product, as I don't think my nails could have tolerated even one day more!

I have heard many wonderful things said about Nailtek products, so I was quite disappointed. This is truly a product where individual results may vary. Keep in mind, I'm only posting this as a warning. I think any product can be worth trying, just be aware that some products can be counter-effective (which is a term I just made up, but hopefully you get the idea) depending on the individual.

In addition to this note on Nailtek, I do have to apologize to my readers for not having posted much recently. Both my Grandmother and my husband's Grandfather passed away recently, so we've been busy with funeral travel and such. Hopefully things will settle down now. I should have quite a few exciting new summer colors coming my way, so please keep checking in!

Crystal File 069: Zoya Scavenger Hunt for Summer Hints!

2009-03-02T16:50:00.005-05:00

Zoya has decided to send you all on a scavenger hunt to all your favorite blog sites for swatches of their 12 new gorgeous polishes for summer. Here is the actual text of the press release:

Summer color is bright and fun,
Summer color is for everyone

Zoya Nail Polish announces Summer 2009 Collections…
LA-DI-DA and OOH-LA-LA

Summer preview coming soon…
6 creams – 6 metallics – 12 beautiful colors

Connect the (blogger) dots… 12 colors to collect!

This is one of the niftiest promo marketing ideas i've encountered! Have fun hunting all your favorite sites for the clues :)

My swatch is Katy, which is listed as a metallic in the La Di Da collection.

My gal Scrangie has Midori, Siobhan over at thenailphile has Paz, Vanessa at CasualLavish has Pippa, Kelly at VampyVarnish has Emme, AllLacqueredUp has Tallulah, and you can find Goldie at ClumpsofMascara. I'll try to continue updating the link list as more become available! UPDATE: Stephanie over at Polish Addict has Dita, and Dami of Perfectly Polished Tips has Ali. Enjoy!

Have fun "connecting the blogger dots"!

Crystal File 068: Nubar Cleopatra Collection

2009-03-01T12:46:00.003-05:00

This is the perfect collection for all of my fellow purple lovers! I am even in love with a couple of the cremes, and any of you who know me will know that I'm not much of a creme loving gal. I'd say my favorite of the collection is Passionate Purple, closely followed by Sphinx Purple, and then Isis Purple. Since i recently began trying Nubar polishes, I've discovered that i truly love their brush and bottle design. I hope to be able to bring you many more beautiful and exciting colors from Nubar in the future.

First up, my favorite, Passionate Purple:

Next is Sphinx Purple:

Isis Purple (this one applied so beautifully, i was absolutely stunned)

Toga Purple (i was losing the sunlight, these photos make the color a bit darker than it truly is)

Nile Purple (had some brushstroke issues with this one, the finish is metallic, base and top coat may help even it out)

Hieroglyphs Purple (very similar to Zoya Moxie and Misa Push Upon It)

Pharaoh's Purple (a more dusty/grey version of OPI Parle-vous OPI)

Pyramid Purple (a really pretty mid-toned purple creme)

Although the full set of the Cleopatra collection is now available from bynubar.com. Individual colors should be available within a few weeks. Check back with me soon, i hope to have China Glaze Summer Days photos up within the week!

Crystal File 67: Comparisons of new Color Club Holos

2009-02-21T09:41:00.005-05:00

I know many of you have been wondering how the new Color Club holos (Worth the Risque, Fashion Addict, and Revvvolution) compare to other holos you might already have in your stash. To enable you polish addiction, I've snapped a few quick swatch photos of each of the new CC holos compared to a couple of others from my stash.

Before i move on to the photos, i need to tell you in advance, the CC holos are by far some of the best holo polishes i have used. The application is smooth, they don't magnify nail imperfections, and they are all nearly opaque in one coat (completely opaque in two).

First up is my comparison of Color Club Revvvolution. Polishes are (index to pinky) OPI My Private Jet (original holo version), Color Club Revvvolution, China Glaze Let's Do it in 3-D, and one coat MPJ over black creme. Each polish is two coats, no base or top coat, unless otherwise noted.

Next the silver holo comparison shot, index to pinky: OPI Standing Room Only Silver, China Glaze Sexagon, China Glaze OMG, and Color Club Worth the Risque.

And finally the lavender holo comparison, index to pinky: China Glaze IDK, Color Club Fashion Addict, China Glaze Visit Me in Prism, China Glaze Octa Gone Wild.

I hope you'll all find these useful. Personally, i have to encourage any holo polish lover to get the Color Club holos, i think they're fabulous. They're well worth the tiny price tag!

Crystl File 65: NOTD Color Club Revvvolution

2009-02-17T12:43:00.003-05:00

I have to say, Color Club may have created the perfect dark grey holo! Unlike some holo polishes i've tried in the past this polish isn't overly sheer, and has no application issues. It was almost completely opaque with just one coat, my manicure photos are with two coats as i am an habitual two-coater.

This polish, as with many heavily pigmented holo polishes, does dry a bit matte. However, one coat of Poshe shines it up perfectly. Another up side to this one, aside from the fact that its gorgeous, is that it dries incredibly fast! Hope you gals enjoyed :)

Crystal File 064: Recent NOTDs Chanel Feu de Russie and Nubar Peacock Feathers

2009-02-12T07:29:00.002-05:00

I have to admit that when i saw the $30 price tag on the Chanel Moscou polishes i thought it was insane. But the more i saw of these lovelies, the more i decided that it was time to splurge and buy a couple of high end lacquers. So Feu de Russie and Nuit de Russie came to live with me. Both polishes apply beautifully and the pigmentation in these is amazing. You could very nearly get away with one very carefully applied coat.

However, i did find that (for me) Seche Vite and the newer Chanel formula do not play nicely together. With some polishes Seche can react unfavorably, developing a haze between the polish and the top coat. The outer surface of the top coat is still perfectly shiny, but the haze within the top coat causes the gorgeous shimmer to be obscured. Not what you want when you have just done your first ever manicure with a $30 polish. So, when i did my second mani with these beauties (this time using Feu de Russie) i used Poshe fast drying top coat with gorgeous results. I have heard that some people experience chipping with Chanel polishes, i did not have this trouble with the combination of Sally Hansen Nail Quencher base coat and Poshe top coat.

Now to share photos of the incomparable Chanel Feu de Russie (i'll have to get better photos of Nuit another time, the SV incedent left me with awful photos of that mani). I truly do not regret the $30 price tag for either of these polishes. I think you'll see why.

Now for part two of this post! Nubar Peacock Feathers is beauty in a bottle. I love this color and will absolutely not hesitate to get a back up. Generally speaking i do not find myself drawn to duochrome colors, i'm not certain why this is the case, i just don't usually feel drawn to them. Peacock Feathers is a different story entirely. Unfortunately, it was impossible for me to capture the complexity of this polish in my photos, but i hope they'll give you some idea of how beautiful it is.

I hope you've enjoyed these latest additions to the files. I have so much catching up to do, i've no idea where to even start. Lovely polishes from BB Couture for Nails, new Color Club lacquers, Misas, Essies.....I don't even know where to start!

Crystal File 063: A Return From the Dark Side

2009-02-01T17:31:00.003-05:00

As some of you may have read in one of my previous posts, i took a brief foray into the unknown and spent a roughly 4-6 week trial period using Poshe AHA Cuticle Care (instead of my HG CND Cuticle Eraser). I posted a short while ago that while i still prefered CND Cuticle Eraser, they seemed to work equally well.

Here's the thing, I've since concluded that i was sorely mistaken. I began to notice that i had quite a lot of peely, flaky skin around my nails. More of those lose edges that tempt me to, Eeeep!, bite the skin around my nails. As a result i switched back to Cuticle Eraser to see if my old HG might remedy the situation. All i can say is, WOW! The difference after only a couple of days is tremendous. I have hardly any of the icky, peely skin remaining. The skin around my nails is once more soft and smooth.

So my final conclusion is this, don't waste your dough on the Poshe product. I think my initial observation that the two products seemed to work equally well was simply a result of a rushed experiment. Once the effects of my long time use of CND Cuticle Eraser had worn off, the Poshe simply couldn't maintain as Cuticle Eraser always has. I've now purchased a HUGE (1.75 ounce) tube of my beloved Cuticle Eraser from one of my favorite e-tailers, and i won't be making this horrible mistake again!

In the Pipeline for review: I still have to get decent pictures of Essie Spring 2009 for you all, as well as the new Misa Speed of Life collection for Spring/Summer. Please keep your lovingly manicured fingers crossed that the weather cooperates at least one day this week. I need some sunlight to provide you all with pics!

Crystal File 062: Finally! The rest of Zoya Twist Spring 2009

2009-01-26T18:41:00.002-05:00

I'm finally making good on my promise! I hate that it has taken so long for me to get these photos taken and uploaded. It seems that time and the weather never want to play nice together. Not to mention that I've taken up the new (and decidedly addictive) hobby of knitting. Before long i shall need as much storage for yarn and knitting needles as i already have for polish!

But i digress, you're here for photos of the lovely new Zoyas, not idle chatter about knitting!

First up is Jo, which is my second favorite of the collection (Harley being my absolute fav from this collection)

Next up is Barbie, which is a fabulous bubble-gum-barbie pink with very subtle shimmer. I really like this one, although i likely won't wear it much until the weather warms up.

And here is Zoya Cassi, which is really a beautiful color, I'm just not entirely certain it likes me all that well. I think it may be a tad too warm/peachy for my skin tone.

The remaining two colors are both creme finishes. They apply amazingly well! Silky smooth, and nearly opaque at only one coat. I am not, however, much of a creme finish wearing gal. I dressed up one or two fingers in each photo with a layer of Zoya Shimmer Gloss top coat.

Malia

And Moxie

I apologize for the dents and smudges on Moxie, i was back and forth trying to make lunch for the little one in between polish changes and photo snapping!

I hope you've enjoyed this refreshing little blast of spring!

Crystal File 061: NEW for Spring Zoya Harley and Get Even

2009-01-11T13:13:00.002-05:00

I have to apologize for being slow to get full collection swatches up for my dedicated readers! Weather and time have conspired against me. I truly intend to work up swatches of the full Zoya Twist collection and the Essie Spring collection ASAP. Here's a little something to tide you over in the mean time!

In addition to the gorgeous Twist collection, I've also been able to try two new products which have recently been added to Zoya's Color Lock system. The new Get Even ridge filling base coat is MARVELOUS. I have truly fallen in love, and I'm seriously considering the gigantic refill bottle. So far I've only tried it under Zoya lacquers, but I'm hopeful that it will play well with all of my 3-free brands. Zoya has also added their own polish thinner to their Color Lock system called Renew. Just a couple of drops in my slightly thickened Sloane had it back to a "like new" consistency.

Now, for a few photos of one of my absolute favorite Zoya polishes of ALL time. Zoya has a TON of gorgeous colors, but this one has certainly stolen my heart. Zoya Harley, from the Twist Spring 2009 collection, is the perfect grey. I have long been searching for the perfect combination of soft dove grey and subtle, glowing shimmer. Harley truly makes me feel as though I've adorned my nails with the finest of pale grey pearls.

As you can tell from the photos, the sun was playing hide-and-go-seek with me. Hopefully these give you enough incentive to give Harley a try, i most certainly recommend it!

Crystal File 060: Poshe AHA Cuticle Care VS. CND Cuticle Eraser

2009-01-07T11:14:00.002-05:00

Many moons ago i learned about a magical cuticle treatment called CND Cuticle Eraser. When used in conjunction with a good cuticle moisturizer (cream or oil) this product helps to exfoliate dead tissue that would normally adhere to the nail plate. Prior to using Cuticle Eraser as part of my maintenance regimen, i had to use cuticle remover much more frequently, and the skin surrounding my nails was rough and hard. Cuticle Eraser became an HG for me, and i haven't gone without it since.

I am always, however, searching for the next best thing. So i began searching out other products similar to CND Cuticle Eraser, trying to determine if one might be even better. There was no way to know save to try. So i ordered two tubes of Poshe AHA Cuticle Care and have been using it for several weeks now.

For two very simple reasons CND Cuticle Eraser wins this smack down. 1)It smells better. I don't like flowery, and Poshe is flowery. CND Cuticle Eraser has a light, fruity smell that is far more appealing to me. 2)CND Cuticle Eraser absorbs more quickly. Since i generally use my AHA product just before bed (after i'm freshly mani'd) and follow it with my HG cuticle cream, Lush Lemony Flutter, i need something that absorbs quickly. Poshe just doesn't soak into my skin as quickly as Cuticle Eraser.

That said, if the smell of Cuticle Eraser is unappealing to you, perhaps you should try Poshe AHA Cuticle Care. It is still a very nice product, and very effective.

On another note, Zoya Twist has landed at my house! I hope to be able to get swatches done tomorrow, when the weather person says i shall have sun. Keep your beautifully manicured fingers crossed for me.

Crystal File 059: I'm Baaa-ack!

2009-01-05T08:59:00.002-05:00

I've finally returned from our holiday vacation. I have to say, it is lovely to be home! I hope to have some lovely new spring colors to share with you soon! At the moment i am eagerly anticipating the Zoya Twist collection. Zoya has also added Get Even (Ridge Filling Basecoat) and Zoya Renew (Polish Rejuvenator) to their Color Lock system.

I am also eagerly awaiting the Essie Spring collection (there's a BLUE!) and the February 4th national release of the OPI South Beach collection. Lots of exciting stuff coming up, so stay tuned!

Crystal File 058: Essie Love Beverly Hills XX

2008-12-17T21:06:00.002-05:00

Well, the holiday season is in full swing! For many of you gals that may mean pulling out your favorite sexy, festive reds for tips and toes. I have to say, Love Beverly Hills has definitely joined my list of favorite reds. I was initially afraid it would be far to warm and golden for me, due to the intense golden shimmer apparent in the bottle. The shimmer comes from the addition of pure 24 Carat gold!

I was pleasantly surprised to find that once applied, the golden tone mellows and blends with the red base, creating a gorgeous foil like glow. This is an intense red, however, and not for the faint of heart.

I hope you're all done shopping, and all set for lots of holiday fun with family and friends! I hope to post again before i travel for the holidays, but if not, i wish all my readers the best the season has to offer!

Crystal File 57: Happy Holidays and all that Jazz!

2008-12-13T18:32:00.002-05:00

Tis the season....to be super busy! I apologize for not having had many lovely pics for you as of late. Believe it or not, i actually do have pretties i'd like to share, but between nasty (sunless) weather and running all over the place to shop, swatching just gets put on the back burner!

I have three more Romantiques to photo so that i can post the six you all haven't seen here. I also have Essie, Love Beverly Hills xx waiting in the wings. I still need to share the Fall Barielle colors with you all as well! Oy, the list keeps getting longer. I may even be able to get my hands on the upcoming Spring/Summer OPI Miami South Beach collection over the holidays, wouldn't that be nifty?! At any rate, i've not forgotten you all, and i truly hope to be able to get some swatch work done before we leave for the Christmas holiday. Keep your beautifully manicured fingers crossed for sunny weather :)

Crystal File 56: Let's Welcome a New Blogger!!

2008-12-08T19:20:00.003-05:00

Hullo ladies! I'd love it if you could all help me welcome a new blogger into our polish obsessed plane of existence :) Her name is Michelle, and she is one of my most wonderful MUA pals. You can visit her new blog by clicking the "A Stroke of Color" link on the right side of my page under favorite beauty blogs.

Michelle is not only a really sweet gal, she's also a master or Konad nail art. And if her awesome nails and fabulous personality aren't enough to win you over, she's also a competitive swimmer!

So, please take a few minutes and cruise over to her blog site. I'm sure you'll enjoy not only the site content, but getting to know Michelle a bit as well.

Crystal File 55: Why NOT to use Acetone to Thin Your Polish!

2008-12-02T10:47:00.003-05:00

On the topic of thinning polishes using acetone, i have to advise against it. While acetone may work to thin the polish, it can also be damaging to the chemical composition of the polish, potentially harming the wear and shine of the product.

Using nail polish thinner (available at your local nail or beauty supply store, Ulta, Sally Beauty Supply, or via and etailer like head2toebeauty) is the best option. Thinner is specifically designed to replace the solvents that have evaporated from your polish, which is what causes it to thicken.

You'll notice that acetone is not on the original ingredients list of your polish, but ingredients like Butyl Acetate and Ethyl Acetate (common thinner ingredients) are two of the most common polish ingredients. That's why they're in your thinner, because as i mentioned, the purpose of thinner is to replace these solvents.

So, i know that its a common misconception that using Acetone or polish remover to thin your polish is ok, but i seriously advise you to invest in a bottle of polish thinner instead. Using thinner will not damage your polish, just remember to use it sparingly so you don't over-thin. Many thinners, such as my favorite, Seche Restore, come with a small glass eyedropper to help you control the amount you add. While Restore is my favorite, it does contain Toluene (one of the Big Three chemicals). If you'd prefer a thinner without Toluene, Beauty Secrets thinner is available at Sally Beauty Supply, and doesn't contain Toluene.

I hope this helps dispel the myth that its fine to use acetone as a polish thinning agent! I wouldn't want to see any of my lovely readers tossing a precious pretty because it became a dull, chippy mess every time they tried to wear it :)

Crystal File 54: China Glaze Romantique, First Installment

2008-11-29T12:00:00.002-05:00

So, here's the deal. I'm generally not big into chrome/metallic polishes. Brushstroke marks tend to annoy me greatly, plus they can have an odd consistency. A few of these colors were duds for me for those reasons. I may need to search and see if i can find some tricks to help smooth out the application on metallic colors.

I found the paler colors to be the most difficult to apply without brushstrokes. They also seemed to have a sort of thick, glue-like consistency. In addition to those aspects, all of the colors dry extremely fast, which can make it difficult to "work" the polish to a smoother appearance on the nail.

I'm presenting my pics in order of least favorite (from both an application and color standpoint) to most favorite (better application and color). Please keep in mind these are all "quick-and-dirty" swatches, i used no base or top coat for any of them with the exception of Cherish.

Devotion

Admire

Cherish

Adore

Harmony

Awaken

I've enjoyed sharing with all of you! I hope to be able to share the second batch with you soon :)

Crystal File 053: For MUA Nail Board Gals!

2008-11-21T10:23:00.003-05:00

For those of you who know me from the MUA Nail Board, I've organized a holiday gift exchange for the board to participate in. To be included you must have at least ten positive tokens, with no negative or unexplained neutral tokens. You must also have been posting on the Nail Board regularly for at least three months. If you meet these criteria and would like to participate, please PM me on MUA with your email addy included so i can send you an Elfster E-vite!

Love and Polish!

Crystal File 052: Quick Hello and What's Coming UP!

2008-11-15T10:17:00.002-05:00

Hello my dear polish addicts! I apologize for not having had many new pics to share with you, the weather has been horrid (rainy, foggy, cloudy, just generally grey!) and with no new collections coming out, its difficult to find exciting things to share! I will, however, soon be able to share with you my first SpaRitual polishes and the new Barielle Shades colors. Both of these brands are new to me, so i'm incredibly excited to try them and share the results.

I also wanted to update my readers on my trial run of "Rock Hard" base by European Secrets. I LOVE this base/treatment! In only a weak i notice my nails are stronger, and this product provides a really nice sticky base for all the polishes i've tried it with (brand including Precision, OPI, Essie, Sephora by OPI, and SpaRitual). I highly recommend this product if you're looking for a good strengthening base for the winter months. "Rock Hard" is available at Sally Beauty Supply.

Crystal File 051: New Product to Try: European Secrets "Rock Hard"

2008-11-08T19:25:00.003-05:00

From the packaging:

"Rock Hard bonds together a cross-link of fiber proteins that produces stronger, harder, thicker nails. Rock Hard creates a moisture shield that protects dry nails from unmecessary breaking and splitting. The results are longer, stronger, more flexible nails. Can be used alone, as a hardener, or as a base coat."

I've only just begun using this product, and i already love it. Used as a base coat it provided a smooth gripping surface to which my nail color applied flawlessly, no dragging or streaking. While wearing it my nails already feel harder than with my normal manicure, and i'm hoping over time using it as a base will provide my nails with even more strength and flexibility. Rock Hard is also Toluene and Formaldehyde free.

I'd certainly recommend giving this product a try if you're looking for a treatment base. With the onset of cooler months i have already begun to see some peeling beginning on my nails, so i felt i needed to try a product that might help protect and strengthen them in the coming months.

Rock Hard is available in the US at Sally Beauty Supply. It can also be paired with its partner top coat for even better results!

Crystal File 050: Zoya Flourish Has Landed!

2008-11-02T18:18:00.002-05:00

This is such an amazing collection! The shimmer in these colors is absolutely out of control GORGEOUS! Application on all of the colors was wonderfully smooth, but Zara is a bit sheer, so it may take more than two coats for complete opacity. I'm saving my absolute favorite (Kalista) for last, so i'll start with the one i like the least on me.

Shivon:

Cyma: My close-up of this one was out of focus, so just a full nail shot here.

Zara:

Mieko: Beautiful, but i see myself wearing this more in the spring and summer :)

Richelle: Super gorgeous, i only wish gold looked good on me!

Kalista: Yeah, the pics speak for themselves.

Comparison between Kalista and China Glaze Side Saddle

Side Saddle has a much more plum/purple base, whereas Kalista is a more red based brown.

That's it for now, i'm all photo'd out! I hope you all enjoyed :)

Crystal File 049: NOTD OPI A Ruby For Rudolph

2008-11-01T10:32:00.003-04:00

Hope all of my lovely readers had a Happy Halloween! Much trick-or-treating fun was had in our neck of the woods, and my lil' punkin did a great job marching down the long hill or house sits on, then all the way back up. He was a trooper!

First i would love to share a photo of him in his costume, and one of him sitting on my lap after we were all done.

And now that i've gotten that out of my system, on to the nail pics, which are what you came for! These are of my current NOTD, OPI A Ruby for Rudolph. Its a super sparkly mid-toned red shimmer with added teeny-tiny red microglitter. It is very pretty, but i'm not really "feeling it", so to speak. I'm hoping i will have time this afternoon to swatch Zoya Flourish and some other holiday OPIs, so it will likely come off soon :)

Thanks so much for letting me share! Enjoy the Halloween goodies judiciously, please, no tummy aches!

Crystal File 048: NOTD OPI DS Glamour

2008-10-26T09:42:00.002-04:00

Having recently tried my first OPI DS (Designer Series) polish, i decided i needed to invest in a few more colors. My favorite of the DS polishes i have so far is still Extravagance. However, my current NOTD, DS Glamour, is certainly also a winner. I hope you'll enjoy these pics!

I also have a few recent swatches to share with you. These are somewhat random, as i was simply grabbing untried colors that were near at hand, but hopefully you'll still enjoy them :)

China Glaze Spin Me Round

China Glaze Rated Holographic

FingerPaints Red Marzipan

FingerPaints Black Gumdrop

The two FingerPaints colors are part of the newest limited edition Fingerpaints collection for the holidays, available at Sally Beauty Supply. China Glaze "Rated Holographic" and "Spin Me Round" are both from the Kaleidescopes collection, which has unfortunately been discontinued. Do not dispair, however, as they are still available via many etailers (such as 8ty8beauty.com, head2toebeauty.com, and transdesign.com).

Thanks for checking in with me, my dears! Hope to post for you again soon :)

Crystal File 047: Let's Catch Up!

2008-10-18T10:30:00.002-04:00

I have been remiss in my posting responsibilities! I do apologize, my sweet readers, for my negligence.

First I'd like to share with you the lovely Borghese Bella Blackberry. This is such a beautiful color, and the formula itself is quite nice, but the brush, ARG! The Borghese brush is slightly wider than the OPI Pro-wide, and curved across the tip to mimic the natural curve at the base of the nail. My problem with it is that it doesn't seem to distribute the polish evenly. Additionally, almost every bottle of Borghese I've purchased and swatched has had a slightly off-kilter brush, which makes it difficult to get the brush to work as it supposed to. All that said, however, this color is most certainly worth it!

The next polish I'd like to share with you instantly rose to the ranks of my top twenty polishes ever. OPI DS Extravagance is absolutely heavenly! Application was smooth as silk, the formula flowed beautifully from the brush, the pigmentation of the base is incredible, and the holo effect is magnificent. I adore this polish. I will be needing a back-up bottle immediately. Enough said, onto the photos!

Well, those are the lovelies for this post! I'm hoping Zoya Flourish will arrive soon so i can share those with you. And there are dozens of other polishes i should swatch for you, simply so i can stay caught up! A true Nail Polish addict's work is never done! Until next time, my sweeties :)

Crystal File 046: Layering Fun, China Glaze Ruby Pumps over Branding Iron

2008-10-14T12:22:00.003-04:00

I'm not usually a big one for layering, i guess I'm just kinda lazy, but i do love how this combo turned out! China Glaze Ruby Pumps over China Glaze Branding Iron (from the Rodeo Diva collection for fall 2008). Both polishes should be readily available via etailers, and many retail establishments probably have them as well. I used two coats Branding Iron (although i think one would work just as well, it is very pigmented) and one coat Ruby Pumps, then Seche Vite top coat.

I think the darker under-layer really gives the entire mani a jewel like glow. Sparkly and vampy at the same time!

Crystal File 045: Breast Cancer Awareness Giveaway at CasualLavish

2008-10-11T19:43:00.002-04:00

Our gal-pal over at CasualLavish is sponsoring a one day only BCA giveaway of some really great haircare products.

Please visit http://www.casuallavish.com/2008/10/total-beauty-total-cure-campaign.html for additional details, and sign up before 11:59pm tonight!

Crystal File 044: OPI Brand New Skates

2008-10-09T17:28:00.003-04:00

OPI Brand New Skates (my second installment in the Toyland collection) has to be the most beautiful metallic i've ever tried! A gorgeous dark silver metallic infused with tons of gold, silver, and multi-colored micro glitter. I absolutely love it! It is a bit on the sheer side, but with the use of Seche Vite Ridge Filling Base Coat under two coats of polish, my nail line wasn't really visible. And unlike some polishes that just go plat in low/indoor lighting conditions, this one keeps right on sparkling!

If you decide to skip most of the OPI holiday collection, please take my advice and buy just this one! You won't regret it! This is without a doubt, the most wearable metallic i have ever tried!

Crystal File 043: China Glaze Emerald Sparkle

2008-10-08T07:45:00.002-04:00

Ready for the holidays? Have you been naughty, or nice? Got your list, checked it twice? And you have the perfect sparkly green polish for your tips and toes, right? NO?! Well, get yourself a bottles of China Glaze Emerald Sparkle right away, i wouldn't want you to miss out :)

The glorious deep emerald green base (perfectly pigmented!!) is absolutely packed with sparkling emerald green glitter. The good news is that this green is (at least in my humble opinion) truly neutral, having neither blue nor yellow tones. It offers two coats coverage with no visible nail line, but it will require a top coat for shine and smoothness.

I'm not certain yet if this color will be sold individually at retail, for now I've only seen it in the "Sleigh Ride" holiday set, which includes Ruby Pumps, and Tinsel (another new shade for the holidays). Keep an eye out for it online and in stores!

Crystal File 042: OPI Baby It's Coal Outside

2008-10-07T10:10:00.002-04:00

My first installment from the OPI Holiday in Toyland collection, Baby It's "Coal" Outside, is certainly sparkly enough for the holiday season! I was actually expecting a shimmery charcoal (based on the color description i had read from OPI), but this is a black base with TONS of silvery-white micro glitter. In low light you'll see a tiny bit of a multi-colored effect (i saw tiny glimmers of blue and pink) but in brighter lighting the glitter is basic silvery-white. While very pretty, it is much more foily looking than i expected. Application is very smooth, and it is a nice smooth glitter finish (you won't need multiple top coats to get a smooth shiny surface, one coat will do it:).

Indirect sunlight

Shade

Close-up to show the concentrated glitter

I look forward to sharing others from this collection with you, Including Brand New Skates and Don't Toy With Me, which look to be true winners!

Crystal File 041: Essie Damsel in a Dress and It's Genius

2008-10-05T10:53:00.002-04:00

The remaining two colors i purchased from the new Essie Winter 2008 collection. Damsel in a dress is a gorgeous vampy plum, slightly metallic due to subtle silvery shimmer. It's Genius is a mid-toned warm purple with strong golden shimmer and tiny flecks of multi-colored sparkle.

Damsel in a Dress

It's Genius

Damsel in a Dress applied well, although the formula seemed a bit thick. It's Genius was a true problem child with tons of drag marks and brushstrokes, but if you like the color perhaps it will be worth it to you. I found the entire Winter 2008 collection at Trade Secret, and eventually it will be available at other retailers such as Ulta, and online as well.

Crystal File 040: NOTD Essie Rock Star Skinny, From the Winter 2008 collection

2008-10-03T09:20:00.003-04:00

The next installment in my chronicles of the new Essie Winter collection. Rock Star Skinny is an awful name, in my opinion, i absolutely hate it. Typing the name makes me want to barf a little, BUT it is quite a lovely color.

On the nail this polish makes me think of dark chocolate covered cherries, a very deep burgundy bordering on brown. It has a very soft metallic aspect in some lights due to subtle silvery shimmer. Application was fairly smooth, although i did find the formula a bit thick. I don't adore this one as much as Sexy Divide, but it is pretty none-the-less.

Pics are in varying degrees of sunlight, since the sun was ducking behind the clouds. I've ranged them from brightest sunlight, to least, with a brightly lit closeup at the end to showcase the subtle silvery shimmer.

I'm thinking my next installment will be Damsel in a Dress, which reminds me of OPI Lincoln Park At Midnight if it had a bit of red added. Check back soon!

Crystal File 039: NOTD Essie Sexy Divide, New for Winter 2008

2008-10-02T10:15:00.002-04:00

Well, anyone who knows my polish tendencies also knows that i love purple polish. Purple is possibly my favorite polish color category, and i am loving all the new additions to my purple stash this season! Essie Sexy Divide has most definitely jumped right to the top of my purple favorites list. It is purple perfection in a bottle! Gorgeous shimmer, deep vampy color, and it GLOWS purple (in other words it won't be mistaken for black!). And i have to say, application was incredible. Now, on to the pics!

This collection is evidently showing up in some retail locations in advance of its November 1st release date. I found the display at my local Trade Secret, and promptly grabbed four of the colors, so i'll be sharing more of them with you soon! That is, if i can convince myself to take Sexy Divide off, which may be difficult :)

Crystal File 038: Essie Winter 2008 Preview

2008-09-27T10:52:00.003-04:00

What an awesome nail polish year we're having ladies, and it isn't over yet! We've been wowed repeatedly by the Fall collections, and the hits just keep on coming!

From the Essie press release:

Winter 2008
Available November 1, 2008

August 2008, New York, NY – Shine through the glamorous season with essie’s new winter 2008 nail color collection that is seductive, charming and right on trend!

Tailored jackets, floral prints and structured shapes brought an elegant grown-up look to this season’s runways. From New York to Milan to Paris, designers favored a sophisticated, ladylike silhouette with tweeds and twin sets to full skirts and full collars. Best of all, the little black dress is back with an updated twist and colorful accessories to accompany it! Try sporting a red suede clutch or amethyst ankle boots - and don’t forget the “it” accessory of the season, nail color!

Winter’s divine fashions parallel essie’s new collection of six striking nail colors from classy reds to shimmery violets and a surprising burst of gold, proving that “without color, it wouldn’t be fashion.” - Essie Weingarten

Show off essie’s winter nail colors for an instant chic look - and make sure to use a base and top coat like essie’s first base base coat and good to go! for a flawless manicure and pedicure!
Essie's winter 2008 nail color collection includes:

Bold & Beautiful – Rich, ruby garnet
Damsel in a Dress – Oh-so-deep currant
It’s Genius – A violet quartz shimmer
Rock Star Skinny – Glamorous crimson red
Sexy Divide – Electric Violet Temptation
Shifting Power – Sizzling molten gold

About essie cosmetics:
New York-based essie cosmetics was established 27 years ago and is now regarded as a leading international nail color manufacturer offering over 250 fashion colors and total treatments for hands and feet. Essie nail color is an industry icon; distributors, beauty professionals, celebrities and consumers trust its excellence. For more information, please call 1-800-232-1155 or visit us at www.essie.com.

I can't tell you how much i'm looking forward to the purples! Which ones are you gals most anticipating?

Crystal File 037: Zoya Flourish Preview, Winter 08/09

2008-09-26T21:21:00.002-04:00

I am so excited for this collection! A beautiful purple, a fabulous vampy, shimmery berry-reds, i am drooling! Hopefully the real thing will be available to me soon, so i can share swatch pics and get you gals prepped for mucho purchasing :)

I haven't been given the actual release date yet, but as soon as i know, you shall as well!

Crystal File 036: Tips for Nail Shaping

2008-09-24T16:54:00.003-04:00

In the past when i've posted NOTD photos on various forums i've gotten requests for advice on nail shaping. Since nail shaping was probably the one thing that took me the longest to get the hang of, i though i would give a few tips that i found useful.

1. Leave your polish on. Yep, no joke! This is the single-most useful piece of advice i've picked up over the course of my nail obsession. This trick is most helpful if your polish is an easily visible color (not a BaBB or a sheer)and fairly opaque. Why is this helpful? In my experience this makes it so much easier to keep the shape and length of all your nails even (in comparison to one another) because i'm able to avoid being distracted by the contours of each nail. Trust me, once you try it you'll see what i mean!

2. Use a crystal/glass file. I never realized how rough my traditional stainless steel file left my tips until i switched to a glass file. I have far fewer problems with peeling and chipping polish than i did before i found my first crystal file. I do all of the length removal and shaping of my nail with my file, i do not use clippers. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with clippers, as long as yours are sharp and clean. Personally i only use them if i am aiming for a more squared off shape. Since i prefer my shorter nails to be more of an oval shape i don't use clippers very often as i find it too easy to accidentally take off more length than i intended when i use them.

3. Buck the current nail trend and find the shape that you feel is most flattering and practical for YOU! Short, oval nails work best on me. It has taken a great deal of experimentation to come to this conclusion. Wearing my nails any more than a scant few millimeters beyond the tips of my fingers leaves me far more prone to breakage, so i keep them short. Just at or below the tips of my fingers if the best length for me personally, but if you're most comfortable with longer nails, i say go for it!

I hope you, my dear readers, find this information helpful. If you ever have questions, always feel free to ask via comments, i'll answer as soon as i'm able!

Crystal File 035: A quick NOTD, Zoya Anastasia

2008-09-22T06:58:00.002-04:00

Zoya Anastasia is one of those fabulous colors that defy classification. Add incredible bronze-gold shimmer to a rich pink-plum base, and Anastasia is the result. In full sunlight it is a glowing metallic, in more subtle, indoor lighting the lovely plum base steals the show.

First up, full sun:

And indirect sunlight:

My conclusion: this is a wonderful shade for fall. The soft plum base and warm metallic glow fit perfectly with fashion and nail trends for fall.

I hope you all have a wonderful week, I'll see you again soon!

Crystal Files 034: NOTD Catch Up; Essie Over the Top and China Glaze Gussied up Green

2008-09-17T09:16:00.003-04:00

So, i've been remiss in posting these past few days. Need to catch you gals up with some NOTD photos! First up i'll do Essie Over the Top, an oldie in my collection (from Essie's winter collection 2007), but still readily available at etailers and retail locations such as Ulta. This is a favorite gunmetal gray of mine, the shimmer is truly magnificent.

Next up, a newer addition to my collection. I'm not usually a huge fan of green on me, but it is one of my favorite colors, generally speaking. I did my NOTD with this color in response to a dare from my pals on the MUA nail board. I have to say, this green doesn't look nearly as unflattering on me as most greens do.

And i'd like to share with all of my readers the joy of my life, my little boy.

That's it for this post, have a wonderful day, and i'll post again soon!

Crystal File 033: NOTD Sephora by OPI I'm With Brad

2008-09-15T08:02:00.003-04:00

Amazing! Fabulous! Look at how the shimmer just GLOWS! Like my other Sephora by OPI polishes, this one applied like a dream. Smooth as silk, richly pigmented, fantastic old-opi-style brush, what more could a gal ask for? I'm With Brad is similar to polishes like Midnight in Moscow and China Glaze X, but with one key difference, the shimmer is much more visible. I adore it!

Special thanks to my girl Deb on MUA, she tracked this one down for me since the Sephoras near my home were all out of stock.

Hope you enjoyed! See you soon :)

Crystal File 032: Essie Ulta Exclusive Groovy Grape

2008-09-13T10:39:00.002-04:00

Wowza! Y'all know i adore vampies, and this one is no exception. Rich, dark, and delicious, blackened wine base with TONS of ruby red shimmer. Application was lovely, and this one has an awesome glossy finish. This is a fall Ulta exclusive available only at Ulta, and only in stores (NOT online).

As with any Ulta exclusive color, this will be available only while supplies last. If you want it, please go grab it! There are two other exclusives accompanying this one, Plumski (deep plum creme), and Retro Red (glossy bright red creme). All three are available at Ulta now.

Crystal File 031: NOTD OPI Russian Navy and Zoya Promo Heads Up!

2008-09-11T12:11:00.002-04:00

First things first! Zoya has an awesome promo right now. If you visit www.thepolishpoll.com and cast your vote for the presidential candidate of your choice, you get a code for three free Zoya polishes (FULL SIZE!!) of your choice with any $20 purchase. This is a fantastic opportunity to expand your Zoya collection, or to try them for the first time.

Now, a few quick NOTD pics for you. Another Oldie-but-Goodie, OPI Russian Navy, which i owned, gave away, and then recently repurchased. At the time i wasn't nearly as expansive as far as my polish color choices. Obviously I've broadened my horizons considerably since then :)

Hope you enjoyed the pics, and also take advantage of the awesome Zoya promo! Have a great day!

Crystal File 030: Another Oldie-but-Goodie, OPI Light My Sapphire

2008-09-08T17:18:00.002-04:00

Since i recently fell in love with Ink, (from the Night Brights collection, the same collection with which Light My Sapphire was released) I decided i needed to dig through my stash and try Light My Sapphire again. I remembered really liking this one the first couple of times i used it, but i had forgotten how MUCH i liked it! This one is also perfectly on trend for the coming season. Light My Sapphire definitely comes across more steel than blue on me, but i suspect it may be more blue on a gal with a different (perhaps cooler) skin tone.

Hopefully I'll be able to share some pics of the new Essie/Ulta fall exclusive Groovy Grape with you very soon! It'll be my next mani, and i can't wait, it is TDF!

Crystal File 029: NOTD OPI Ink, an Oldie-but-Goodie

2008-09-05T13:16:00.002-04:00

Don't know how i resisted this one for so long! Finally nabbed it at Ulta yesterday, and i'm so glad i finally committed. OPI Ink is so gorgeous, i'd have to say its my #1 blurple! I love that it has a descernible blue glow even in low lighting conditions. Now, onto the pics!

All photos were taken indoors, by the window, in strong, early morning sunlight. The variation in appearance of the polish depends on the angle, and that's the beauty of this one!

Crystal File 028: NOTD OPI You Don't Know Jacques

2008-09-04T06:58:00.002-04:00

Well, if my readers have learned anything at all about me over the past few weeks, its that i'm not much of a creme polish gal. However, I couldn't resist the grungey allure of You Don't Know Jacques. So i made a compromise. By adding a small amount of OPI Pearls Night Out to You Don't Know Jacques, i was able to create a simple "frankened" version of You Don't Know Jacques incorporating subtle shimmer.

Here are a few pics of the resulting polish, which i'll call Jacques Night Out. Still the same base tone, a stoney taupe that reminds me of modeling clay, but with the addition of soft, glowy shimmer.

I also purchased Parlezvous OPI yesterday, and frankened it in a similar fashion. I promise pics soon!

Crystal File 027: Sephora by OPI Ms. Can't Be Wrong

2008-09-01T15:13:00.002-04:00

Yeah, so I'm already plotting a trip back to Sephora AGAIN to get more later this week. Oy vey! These polishes are fabulously pigmented, and so far I've not regretted a single one. My only regret at the moment is that i didn't get I'm With Brad when i had the chance!

Ms. Can't Be Wrong fits very well with the season's stunning array of rich plums. The finish and color are very similar to OPI Louvre Me, Louvre Me Not but leaning more towards berry than pure purple. The shimmer in this one is very difficult to capture as it is tonally quite similar to the base color. The effect is that rather than looking like a shimmer or metallic on the nail, it has the appearance of a "glowy" cream.

Ms. Can't Be Wrong is part of the core Sephora by OPI color collection, but i would recommend calling before you run to Sephora to buy, as even the core colors have been selling out at many locations.

Crystal File 026: Sephora by OPI Meet For Drinks

2008-08-30T16:19:00.002-04:00

Well, i mentioned before how very much i wanted to hate these polishes, simply out of principal. I mean, they're made by OPI, but more expensive (way more expensive for those of us who buy our OPIs from etailers)and only available at Sephora, so difficult for some people to access.

I am forced to admit, however, that i do not hate them. In fact, i love them. I only had application issues with Run With It, and those were solved with judicious use of thinner. Meet For Drinks applied like a dream, and i am really liking the sturdiness of the bottles and the lovely old-style OPI brush.

Meet for drinks falls in my "vampy berry" category, and at least two of my most favorite polishes of all time also fall into that category (China Glaze Social Animal and OPI NYPD Beet). I see this easily rising to the top of my list of favorites for fall. The shimmer in this decadent berry-wine stunner imparts a soft glow that is perfect for pairing with the richly textured fabrics of cooler months.

Sadly, Meet For Drinks is (i believe) a limited edition color, and it disappears from the Sephora shelves nearly as quickly as they can get it in. If you find yourself lusting after this one, grab it while you can!

Crystal File 025: My Top Choices for Fall 2008

2008-08-27T16:37:00.005-04:00

So, if i were to do it all over again, and only wanted to purchase a limited number of polishes to save myself some cash, which polishes from all the fall collections would i choose? Here's a review of my top ten favorite so far!

OPI Louvre Me, Louvre Me Not

China Glaze Cowgirl Up

China Glaze Rodeo Fanatic

Zoya Sloane

Misa Fatal Affair

Zoya Jacy

Sephora by OPI Run With It!

China Glaze Branding Iron

China Glaze Side Saddle

Sephora for OPI Never Enough Shoes

Well, those are the top ten, but let me add that there were many runners-up that i likely wouldn't have been able to pass up. Zoya Rihana, Misa Forbidden Lust, and China Glaze Wagon Trail just to name a few. The new releases for fall have been some of the most fabulous ever, and i am sincerely looking forward to everything else fall has to offer!

Crystal File 024: Misa Forbidden Lust

2008-08-26T10:13:00.003-04:00

Anyone who knows me well will already know of my adoration for all polishes purple. I'm a total sucker for them! Vampy purples, warm mid-toned shimmery purples, luscious neon purples, i am so there!

Well, this newest Misa purple is no exception, i knew i needed it the moment i heard about its release. Boy am i ever glad to have it as an addition to my purple collection! As always the Misa quality is awesome, brush, formula, application, all lovely. And this purple absolutely glows from within, such a beauty. So, without further delay, i give you Forbidden Lust!

Isn't it a beauty? I adore the fall, particularly when the nail polish manufacturers kindly provide us with many rich and vibrant jewel toned colors to choose from. I'll take one of each, thank you!

Crystal File 023: Sephora by OPI Run With It

2008-08-24T09:06:00.002-04:00

Wow! Such a unique and beautiful color! A soft dove grey with silver and gold shimmer which imparts a subtle luminescence to the polish. I have to admit, its a rather odd color to see on my nails after having worn vampies for so many consecutive days, but gorgeous never-the-less.

I have to say, application was a nightmare at first, way too thick and gloopy. After much thinning, however, i got the polish to a consistency that was much more agreeable. I was a bit disappointed given that the Sephora by OPI polishes retail for more than their OPI retail counterparts, i expected flawless application. Also, the first SOPI i tried (Never Enough Shoes, see previous post) applied very nicely, so i was surprised that Run With It performed so poorly until i thinned the heck out of it. At any rate, the thinning, shaking, swatching, thinning some more, etc.....All ended up being worth it, as the color is super unique and lovely.

Do you love it? Or perhaps not so much? I definitely do, although i wanted to hate both of these Sephora by OPI polishes, just so that i could say the extra $ wasn't justified. I still maintain that unless the color is quite unique, you can likely find a less expensive counterpart in the regular OPI retail line. If, however, the color seems unique, it is probably worth picking up :)

Crystal File 022: China Glaze Branding Iron, Sephora by OPI Never Enough Shoes

2008-08-22T08:18:00.003-04:00

Hi again, my dears! Need to catch you up on a couple of gorgeous NOTDs. First up we'll do pics of China Glaze Branding Iron, a fabulous browned-burgundy based polish with awesome red shimmer. This one glows! Like so many others in the collection, the quality of the shimmer is just incredible. You'll see what i mean :)

And next up Sephora by OPI Never Enough Shoes. I love it. I didn't want to. I wanted to resist the urge to buy, i tried to convince myself that they were just overpriced OPIs. I finally gave in, however, and picked up two colors that seemed very unique. I have to say, i have no regrets. Never Enough Shoes applies like a dream, and is amazingly smooth for a polish containing glitter. The base is black latex, infused with evenly distributed multi-tonal glitter. In the bottle the glitter looks primarily silver, gold, and red/pink. On the nail you'll catch sparks of blue and green as well. The finish is smooth enough that one coat of Seche Vite was sufficient.

A word of warning: If you are looking for a blingy, black-based glitter, this isn't it! The glitter is teeny-tiny. The over-all effect is subtle, chic, and edgy. If you're looking for in your face glitter, you'll likely want to look elsewhere. I, however, love the subtlety of it. The application, polish formula, and brush are very nice quality as well.

I look forward to sharing my other Sephora by OPI purchase with you as well. My second choice, Run With It, is an incredibly unique pale gray with awesome golden and silver toned shimmer. It is so gorgeous! I promise to share it with you soon :)

Crystal File 021: NOTD China Glaze Wagon Trail

2008-08-20T08:35:00.003-04:00

Time for the next installment of pics from the China Glaze Rodeo Diva collection! This time the subject is the incredibly interesting, and unique, Wagon Trail. A blackened olive base, seriously awesome golden green shimmer, plus a few little flecks of multi-colored shimmer mixed in. So much depth! My dear husband was non-committal when i showed him my freshly finished mani, which probably means he doesn't like it, but i don't really care!

On to the pics!

Do you see the GLOW this color has?! I have to say that i am absolutely blown away by the Rodeo Diva collection. I actually find that i can easily wear most of the colors in the Hay Ride palette, despite the fact that they all have gold shimmer. Generally i have a very hard time wearing polishes with a strong golden tone, they just look "off" against my cool/neutral skin. However, the gold in the Hay Ride palette is softer, almost like a white gold, a much more neutral golden finish than many I've tried. I look forward to sharing the other colors with you, i feel they're very unique and lovely!

Crystal File 020: Zoya Sloane and China Glaze Rodeo Fanatic NOTDs

2008-08-18T08:34:00.003-04:00

I neglected to post this weekend, busy doing family stuff with the husband and kiddo. Here are some NOTD pics to catch up: Today's NOTD is the gorgeous China Glaze Rodeo Fanatic (super shimmery teal!!). From this weekend, the vampy goodness that is Zoya Sloane from the Pulse fall collection.

China Glaze Rodeo Fanatic:

Zoya Sloane:

Application on each of these was super smooth, but because of bubble issues i tend to have this time of year, i did add a bit of thinner to each before application. Please excuse the top coat bubbles also, my products were not being cooperative. I do love the combination of OTD and SV (used for the Rodeo Fanatic mani) for its amazing glossiness!

Crystal File 019: An Introduction, a Few Favorites, and a NOTD

2008-08-14T08:35:00.002-04:00

First off i need to welcome a friend of mine to the blog-o-sphere! Stop by www.thenailphile.blogspot.com if you love wonderful pics of gorgeous polishes on a set of the most beautiful natural nails you've ever seen! The new blog has been lovingly brought into existence by a pal of mine from MUA, a wonderful nail boarder who has plenty of nail wisdom to share, so please stop by :)

Now, i thought I'd take a few minutes of you time to discuss a few of my favorite cuticle care products. These are seriously HG status products that i ALWAYS keep in my manicure box. I have mentioned these products briefly before, but thought i would write about them in more detail.

Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter: A super softening cream that smells divine! This healing unguent contains Shea Butter, Mango Seed Butter, Avocado Oil, Lemon Peel Oil, and Lavender Oil, just to name a few of the ingredients designed to soothe, smooth, and heal rough cuticles. I generally use this product twice daily, once in the morning and again when i go to bed. It absorbs more quickly than many wax based products, which tend to lay on the surface of my skin. In combination with a couple of other products, this cream has my cuticles looking better than ever! It is also fabulous for rough heels and dry elbows.

CND (Creative Nail Design) Cuticle Eraser: A seriously amazing product i was introduced to via the MUA Nail Board. For many gals on the board, this product is an absolute must have. Cuticle Eraser contains a blend of moisturizers and Alpha Hydroxy Acids that not only help smooth and heal your cuticles, but also help prevent the build up of excess cuticle on the nail plate. With regular use to maintain your cuticles, you will find yourself needing to use cuticle remover far less often. I generally only need to apply cuticle remover once PER MONTH now that i maintain my cuticles with Cuticle Eraser. This product is not a cuticle remover, it is a leave on maintenance treatment designed to reduce excess cuticle build up.

Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Nail and Cuticle Rejuvenator: A micro-crystalline scrub for your cuticles and nail beds. This product gently buffs away ridges on the nail and rough patches on the skin around the nail. It also helps removes any cuticle build up from the nail plate. A true wonder product. I only need to use it once every couple of weeks to keep my nails and cuticles silky soft. I apply and massage (per package directions) just before showering, then rinse off in the warm water. I love this stuff!

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat: This products is so amazing, words just aren't enough. Before being introduced to this product by the blog www.alllacqueredup.com, my manicures took forever to dry (even when using a drying treatment or drops). I often woke up the morning after doing a mani to a mess of sheet marks, dents, and smudges. Now i simply do not have to worry about doing a fresh manicure just before bed, Seche will insure it is dry TO THE NAIL in 20-30 minutes (of course, you experience may vary a bit depending on the number of coats of base and lacquer you use). I simply could not live without Seche Vite, and i now buy it in the huge refill bottle.

And now onto the other business of the day, PICS PICS PICS! My gorgeous NOTD is Misa Fatal Affair from their Fall 2008 Poisoned Passion collection. I love this polish, it is the perfect vampy purple for me!

All right, Chicas! That's all i have for now, but I shall write to you again soon.

Crystal File 018: NOTD Zoya Jacy

2008-08-13T09:41:00.002-04:00

Another stunning color from the Zoya Pulse Fall 2008 collection. I really, really love this color! It is right up my alley :) It has such a lovely, subtle shimmer. Please excuse the messy manicure, i was rushed last night and it shows. Keep in mind, that was my fault, not the polish! Also i just shortened my nails, and went a wee-bit shorter than i intended, but they'll grow back soon enough.

Now, on to the pics!

If you're searching for a great Fall collection to pick up, Pulse is definitely worth looking into. The shades are so gorgeous, and i absolutely love the Zoya formula and brush. Any Zoya polishes featured here can be found at www.zoya.com.

Crystal File 017: Misa Poisoned Passion!!

2008-08-12T17:12:00.003-04:00

They're Heeeerrrreeee!!!!

Any of you gals who know me from MUA are already familiar with my Misa obsession. I love everything about Misa, from the utterly fabulous looking bottles, to the awesome brushes, the amazing formula, and the fantastic colors. This Fall collection has to be one of the best EVER! The colors are so seductive, i just want to sit and stare at them sitting so prettily in their lovely bottles :)

First up are Dying Love and Toxic Seduction, both of which I've had a chance to do full manis with. Dying Love is a gorgeous black satin kind of color, the silvery shimmer is very subtle. Toxic Seduction has a blackened green base infused with tons of forest green micro glitter.

Dying Love

Toxic Seduction

The remaining four colors I've only had an opportunity to swatch, but my goodness! I can tell you right off the bat, Fatal Affair is my absolute favorite from this collection, and Sin Worth Committing comes in a close second.

Sin Worth Committing (Index and Middle) and Love Bite (Ring and Pinkie)

Close up of Sin Worth Committing

Fatal Affair (Index and Middle) and Forbidden Lust (Ring and Pinkie)

Close up of Fatal Affair

Close up of Forbidden Lust

Wow!! These are hot, and i have no doubt that I'll be sporting Fatal Affair on my tips very soon. Hope you ladies enjoyed, and keep an eye out for these at http://www.misacosmetics.com/, http://www.head2toebeauty.com/, and http://www.transdesign.com/.

Crystal File 016: NOTD Zoya Rihana

2008-08-12T08:17:00.001-04:00

What a great fall color! Zoya introduced Rihana as part of their new Pulse collection for Fall this year, and i am certainly impressed! Application was fantastic, super smooth, and i love Zoya's brush! I find myself drawn to Zoya not only because of i like the formula and brush, but also because they have tons of great colors, and their bottles are so elegant. I've swatched all of the colors from this collection, and i have to say i didn't find a dud in the bunch, they're all so pretty!

Here are a few shots of the lovely Rihana in morning sunlight (indoors).

I'm also test-driving the Zoya Color Lock system, and so far so good. I had a few bubbles in the armor top coat, but nothing i haven't experienced with all of my other top coats this time of year. I did put Seche Vite on top of Armor and then followed up with the Hurry Up drops, i just don't trust myself not to screw up a perfect mani without my SV.

If you get an opportunity to try it, you should also give the Qtica Cuticle Repair Balm, which is so rich and soothing. I've tried it a few times since yesterday, and my cuticles look so incredibly smooth, and feel so silky! I don't particularly care for the scent, but I'm willing to ignore that if i get such beautiful results.

I'll be sharing many more of the Zoya, Misa, and China Glaze fall collection colors over the next few weeks, so check back if there's one i haven't gotten to yet.

Crystal File 015: Product Spotlight, Zoya Remove +

2008-08-11T16:23:00.003-04:00

OK, so how different can a polish remover really be? I know that's what you're thinking. I'll tell you right now, though, that as soon as i tried it i fell in love. The scent is infinitely better than that of any other polish remover I've tried. It actually smells FRESH and CLEAN! And even after removing a dozen swatches, the skin around my nails wasn't the least bit dried out.

Oh, but i have yet to mention the feature that, for me, is the best part of this product. The packaging is AWESOME! It has a flip-top cap which you open and depress to dispense product, without any need to lift and pour. Obviously this is much more convenient, but it also means a much smaller likelihood of spilling, which is a major benefit for klutzy me :)

I've also had the opportunity to test-drive the new Pulse and Vibe collections thanks to Zoya, and there are some truly fabulous colors in these collections (of course i look forward to sharing photos of them with you, but the weather is not my friend today). Jacy is a gorgeous deep berry-purple with very subtle shimmer, and incredibly flattering and ladylike fall shade. Sloane is an incredible dark eggplant with just enough shimmer to add a soft glow and subtle purple sheen. While many of you know I'm not one for creme finishes normally, Sam and Riley (darkest blood red and rich berry respectively) from the Vibe collection are so beautiful they can even turn lil'ole me into a fan of cremes!

So, if you have the inclination to place a Zoya order, you certainly have my input for what to choose. You must try Remove + and a few goodies from the new fall line-ups!

PS. Zoya nail lacquers and Remove + can be purchased online at www.artofbeauty.com, or search their website for a retailer near you.

Crystal File 014: NOTD China Glaze Cowgirl Up

2008-08-11T09:35:00.002-04:00

Another lovely color from the China Glaze Rodeo Diva collection (Flannel Fixation palette). China Glaze has really done a fantastic job with this entire collection, and I've found myself even wanting the colors i didn't initially order because i thought they'd be too golden/warm. Now i want to get them just so i can at least try them all, because so far I've been incredibly impressed! The only color i found a bit disappointing was Midnight Ride, the shimmer was a bit too subtle for me, but it is still very pretty.

As always the China Glaze brushes do not disappoint, and the formula on these seems to be pretty darn good, although i have noticed differences in consistency/viscosity between the colors. I suppose that's to be expected though, since I'm sure the pigments used have something to do with that as well.

All of my photos are in very dim sunlight (its extremely cloudy here today), and even though the sun broke through the clouds for just a moment it was still hazy at best. I actually like the lighting in these pics however, since they show what the color looks like in most lighting conditions. It has great shimmer, but in most lighting it looks almost metallic rather than blingy, if that makes sense :)

Alright ladies, i hope you enjoyed! And i hope you gals are looking forward to Misa and Zoya swatches, as i should have them anytime now!

Crystal File 013: NOTD China Glaze Midnight Ride

2008-08-10T11:05:00.002-04:00

So, this one was very difficult to capture in pics. It is a very dark, inky purple with extremely subtle shimmer. Even in direct sunlight by the window i could just barely capture the shimmer. In most lighting conditions it looks like a rich black with a purple "glow". You don't actually see shimmer, per see, just a kind of purple sheen moving across the nail.

Please excuse my bubbles issues. I'm continuing my experiment with Out the Door under SV and i haven't quite gotten them to behave properly together yet :)

Crystal File 012: NOTD OPI Eiffel For This Color

2008-08-09T15:34:00.003-04:00

All the dark, decadent fall vampies are making me yearn for cool weather, jeans, and snugly sweaters. This beauty from the OPI La Collection De France is no exception. "Eiffel For This Color" has a very dark wine/eggplant base with subtle shimmer throughout. It dries with a wonderful glossy finish, and the end effect is almost that of a cream unless you are in bright lighting conditions. I really enjoy polishes with "hidden shimmer", so this one is a winner for me.

I decided to try a new top coat combination for this manicure to see if i could get some added glossiness, which i did indeed. I decided to try Out the Door fast drying top coat, which is very glossy but does not dry all the layer of polish to the nail as quickly as my beloved Seche. So instead of doing Out the Door on its own, i put a layer of it underneath a layer of Seche Vite dry fast top coat. The result was incredibly glossy, although i did have some issues with bubbling. This time of year, however, i find myself battling bubbles nearly every time i do a manicure. Generally adding a few drops of thinner to each products as i do a layer seems to minimize bubbles, don't ask why i didn't do this last night, i must have been in too much of a hurry.

Now, on to the pics! All are in early morning sunlight (indoors).

I hope you all enjoyed, as i most definitely enjoying all these gorgeous new fall colors! I hope next week i shall finally have the Misa fall collection and Zoya Pulse and Vibe to share with you, as well as further installments from the China Glaze Rodeo Diva collection. See you soon!

Crystal File 011: Minimize the Mess in Your Purse with Multi-Purpose Items

2008-08-08T09:37:00.003-04:00

If you're a pack-rat like me, then you probably have half a dozen lip balms, another half dozen glosses and lipsticks, hand lotion, hand sanitizer, cuticle balm, gum, altoids, a blush, a powder, a couple of eye shadows, lip-liner, mascara, all crammed into your purse! When you add to that all the odd bits of paper, receipts, a wallet, a note-pad, etc.....you're talking about a serious mess. So, here are a couple of items that can serve multiple purposes, and hopefully eliminate a few items in your bag.

Badger Lip and Body Balm: Comes in a traditional chapstick like tube or a nifty little tin. All Badger products are now USDA certified organic, which is one reason to love this balm. The reason i adore these balms is they go on super smooth, and since they're naturally scented and contain very little in the way of flavoring, they really can be used anywhere! This is a perfect on the go product not only for lips, but also for dry cuticles and flaky elbows. These balms consist of Olive Oil, golden beeswax, and a few other natural ingredients depending on the scent/flavor you choose. It comes in Vanilla Madagascar, Pink Grapefruit, Lavender & Orange, Tangerine Breeze, Ginger & Lemon, Highland Mint (my favorite), and Unscented. You can view the full line of Badger products at www.badgerbalm.com .

Burt's Bees Miracle Salve: Another multi-purpose wonder, this unscented moisturizing balm is intended to soothe any dry skin area (I've used it on hands, lips, elbows, and feet), and can also be used to smooth fly-aways! You don't need hand lotion, cuticle balm, and lip balm if you have this handy tin in your purse!

Stila Convertible Color: This is a marvelous product for any woman on the go. Adds buildable color to lips and cheeks, eliminating the need for tons of lip sticks and blushers in you bag! It also comes in a variety of colors to suit any skin tone. I love that it gives a dewy, flushed look, very young a fresh. It also comes in a great little compact with a mirror, for application anywhere. Definitely a must to make space in your purse :)

Hope you all find these suggestions useful! I know they aren't nail focused, but now and again even the biggest nail-o-phile has to venture into other territory. Helps keep things interesting.

Crystal File 010: NOTD China Glaze Side Saddle

2008-08-08T08:02:00.003-04:00

My first NOTD from the China Glaze Rodeo Diva collection, and i have to say it definitely did not disappoint! Stunning gold shimmer infused into the darkest plum base. On the nail it is vampy dark chocolate decadence. The formula was very nice, if just a tiny bit thick, but that can always be rectified with a few drops of thinner. As always the brush followed the curves of my nail perfectly, i adore the China Glaze brush!

And now, on to the pics!

I haven't actually swatched the other colors yet, but i can already tell that Cowgirl Up, Rodeo Fanatic, and Midnight Ride will all be winners for me :) Of course all the colors are gorgeous, and the amount of shimmer in this collection is insane (in a very good way)! I'll be sharing more pics with you as i try them out, and if there's one you'd like to see next, just post a comment and I'll try to get to it next. (I only bought Side Saddle and Lasso My Heart from the Hay Ride palette, but i have all of the Flannel Fixation colors)

Crystal File 009: NOTD OPI Louvre Me, Louvre Me Not

2008-08-07T10:27:00.002-04:00

My pick as the #1 color from the OPI fall/winter 2008 "La Collection De France". This polish is such a vibrant, rich color. Its purple, but leans towards plum in warmer lighting conditions (for example those in my pics). The shimmer is subtle, but ads the perfect "glow" to this polish in any light. I absolutely can not stop staring at this polish on my nails. I would say this color is just perfect for any purple polish lover :)

All photos were taken indoors, in early morning sunlight. It is difficult for me to capture purples accurately, and this one was no exception. It is definitely more purple than it appears in my pics, but at least these will give you some idea of how rich this color is.

I've got a ton of goodies arriving in short order (can you say RODEO! Yee-haw!) and i hope to share them with you, so keep checking back my lovelies!

Crystal File 008: NOTD Zoya Evangeline

2008-08-06T08:08:00.002-04:00

Of all the Zoyas i own, this is definitely my favorite. A deep berry, bordering on red in some lighting conditions, with tons of gold and berry toned micro-glitter. This polish is truly spectacular, and also a very versatile tone, i see it working well in almost any season. I'm really enjoying my expanded Zoya collection, and i have to say after seeing swatches of the new Pulse collection at www.scrangie.com, i am most certainly considering another Zoya purchase!

But now on to what you really came here for, many pics of Zoya Evangeline indoors, early morning sunlight.

I hope to come home with a few OPI France colors to share with you all this evening, and i shall also have many new Rodeo Diva colors to share with you very soon! Stay tuned my lovelies :)

Crystal File 007: NOTD Zoya Kiki = LOVE!

2008-08-05T11:12:00.002-04:00

What an awesome summer pink! Its super bright, super sparkly, opaque in two coats, and even a touch neon......What more could a gal ask for? Because it has a ton of silvery/white shimmer that also flashes lavender, it was difficult to capture the base tone in photos, it seemed to photograph lighter than it actually is. I also failed to capture the semi-neon glow Kiki has, but i tried really hard :) So here are my pics, i hope they brighten your day!

I'm enjoying my brief return to bright summer colors before i dive back into fall. Soon I'll have many China Glaze Rodeo Diva polishes to post pics of for you all. Maybe some more Misa fall colors as well!

Crystal File 006: School's (still) Out For Summer!

2008-08-04T18:41:00.004-04:00

I've been so distracted by all the gorgeous new fall colors just beginning to hit the shelves that I've almost forgotten ITS STILL SUMMER! The kids aren't back at school yet and the days are still hot and humid.

When its hot and sunny outside it does feel a bit odd to look down and see dark vampy nails. So I've decided to look back at some of my favorite summer polishes. Prior to this summer i had never really "been into" neons, but i caught the neon bug with a vengeance this year! Some of my absolute favorites include the Essie Neon Shorts collection, Orly Passion Fruit, Orly La Vida Loca, China Glaze Rose Among Thorns, China Glaze Pink Voltage, and China Glaze Turned up Turquoise.

As many of you already know from seeing my pics on the MUA Nail Board, my favorite addition to any neon mani is a little bit of holo bling courtesy of China Glaze Wireless Top Coat or China Glaze Fairy Dust. I consider both must-haves for anyone who loves a dash of holo glitter to spice things up!

And now on to my MANY photos of fabulous neons!

First up possibly my favorite combination, China Glaze Rose Among Thorns topped with China Glaze Fairy Dust:

The Essie Neon Shorts Collection, all topped with China Glaze Wireless:

Bermuda Shorts

Short Shorts

Shorty Pants

Mini Shorts

China Glaze Turned up Turquoise with Wireless top coat

Orly Passion Fruit with China Glaze Wireless top coat

I hope you've all enjoyed this little return to Summer. My next NOTD pics should also be bright and summery, so I'll be sure to share!

Crystal File 005: Misa Fall teaser, Toxic Seduction!!

2008-08-03T09:02:00.002-04:00

Wowza, this is an amazing color for fall! Darkest blackened green base infused with delicious emerald micro-shimmer.....LOVE! And as with every Misa i own, it applied super smooth, and the brushes never disappoint :)

I absolutely can not wait to get my hands on this entire collection. Any of you who know me from MUA's Nail Board know that i am a die-hard Misa fanatic. And these colors are right up my alley. So delectably dark and shimmery, i am in heaven :)

Keep checking back for pics of the rest of the collection!

Crystal File 004: NOTD FingerPaints Bada Bing, Bada Blue

2008-08-02T10:09:00.003-04:00

Fingerpaints Bada Bing, Bada Blue.......GORGEOUS!

I love, love, love this color! It is part of a new FingerPaints collection that has started showing up in Sally stores over the past couple of weeks. Rest assured if your Sally Beauty doesn't have it yet, they likely will soon. Bada Bing, Bada Blue is a deep, steely-blue metallic (which means it fits perfectly with many of the upcoming fall trends). I have to say, it is most definitely one of the best blues i have ever tried. Application was silky smooth (as it usually is with FingerPaints), and as always i love the brush. But enough babble, you want pics!

I'm hoping to post pics of several of the other colors from this collection as well, particularly Flipped Out Flame which is a fabulous coppery-red metallic. The collection also includes a great bright purple (Divinely Deranged), a beautiful shimmery plum (Plum Crazy), a bright metallic gold, and a shimmery chocolate.

As an added bonus you can print a Buy 2, Get 1 Free coupon now at http://www.sallybeauty.com/. Good through August 30, 2008. Enjoy!

Crystal File 003: Fall Nail Trend, Navy is still in!

2008-07-31T16:56:00.006-04:00

Well, did we really think we had seen the last of navy when MAC brought us Naughty Nautical for summer '08? If you are under the impression that navy (along side its slightly brighter jewel-toned blue siblings) was no longer an "it" color for fall, you are sadly mistaken!

While there are a host of new navy, sapphire, and vampy teals being introduced for the upcoming fall season (Sally Hansen Salon Navy Baby and Navy Pumps, China Glaze Rodeo Fanatic, Misa A Sin Worth Committing, Orly Star of Bombay), there are also several gorgeous alternatives you may already have in your polish collection.

My favorite navy, the gorgeous Zoya Indigo. Shimmery, sultry, with a flash of holo glitter sprinkled throughout, it is simply fantastic!

Don't have Zoya Indigo? Need another alternative to save you some cash? Other polishes from the recent past that would also fit the navy trend include Orly Witch's Blue, Misa Blueberry Glaze, MAC Naughty Nautical, China Glaze Up All Night, and Sally Hansen Salon Navy Venom. Those are just a few of the likeliest suspects, just shop your polish stash and I'm sure you will come up with other fabulous alternatives!

And for those of you gals who "don't do blue", rest assured it is only one of the many beautiful hues you'll being seeing this Fall. Deep, velvety plums and purples will be gracing many fingers. Fiery metallics in shades of gold, copper, deep bronzes, and browns will be heating up the chilly days to come. And classic shades of burgundy, wine, and ruby will always be in style. Perhaps you're in the mood for gorgeous emerald green or darkest teal? No worries for you either, China Glaze and Misa will be meeting your requirements.

So be prepared for decadent jewel-toned tips this season, there will be no call to shy away from color! In the near future I'll be reviewing some new fall colors from Fingerpaints and Misa, so stay tuned!

Crystal File 002: Must Haves and Favorites

2008-07-30T09:54:00.000-04:00

Now, lets get this party started right!

I won't show you the condition my teeny-tiny nubbins are in today, seeing as how i just returned from a week at the beach where i did zero nail/cuticle maintenance. Lets just say they're not up to my usual standards.

So how will i return them to their former healthy state? Here are the products i use, and a brief description of how/when i use them.

I care for my cuticles using two HG products daily, CND Cuticle Eraser (1-2 times a day) and Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter (again 1-2 times per day, after my cuticle eraser has been absorbed). I also use Sally Hansen cuticle remover in the blue bottle (once every 3-4 weeks) and Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Cuticle and Nail Refiner (once every 2-3 weeks). I try not to cut my cuticles unless i absolutely have to. I use a Sand Turtle buffing board to smooth the ridges in my nails and remove yellowing once every couple of weeks. When i need to shorten and/or shape my nails i use a glass nail file. I also take a hair/skin/nail vitamin supplement containing 3mg's of Biotin 1-2 times a day.

And when i need a quick pick-me-up mani, a gorgeous color that i know will improve my mood, what color(s) do i turn to? The following are a few of my absolute favorites that i know will never let me down.....

Misa For the Woman With a Secret. Hands down on of my favorite pinks of all time. The base is a deep, cool pink that looks amazing with my skin tone (if i do say so myself) and the fabulous golden shimmer gives amazing depth.

Essie Strawberry Sorbet. Another of my favorite pinks, and a guaranteed pick-me-up! It is bright, incredibly glossy, and has the tiniest hint of shimmer which is really only visible in intense sun, but adds a lovely glow in softer lighting.

Misa Caravan Chic. A mid-toned, warm, shimmery purple. It is simply gorgeous. I love it more each time i wear it.

And one of my favorite additions to any neon mani, China Glaze Wireless Top Coat. Talk about knock your socks off!!!

Over Essie Mini Shorts (my favorite orange neon!)

Over China Glaze Turned up Turquoise (what a great combo!)

These colors are by no means ALL of my favorites. There are many more that i hope to share with you over time. So be sure to tune in for future installments!

What, you may ask, does a complete mani consist of once I've chosen the perfect color? My HG base, Seche Vite Ridge Filling base coat. My HG top coat, Seche Vite Fast Drying top coat. If i use Wireless top coat, i still apply SV over it for added shine and faster dry time. Seche Vite fast drying top coat is an absolute life saver, i can't imagine life without it! A few other items i always keep out and ready while doing my mani: Orangewood sticks, polish thinner, polish remover (usually a small amount in the bottle cap to dip q-tips or orange wood sticks in for clean-up), pointy q-tips, and felt squares for removal.

Well, i think that's it for this "File". Thank you all for reading, see you next time!

Crystal File 001: An Introduction

2008-07-30T08:53:00.000-04:00

Hello all, and Welcome!

I decided my blogging premiere should tell you a bit about me and what i hope to accomplish on this page. I'm a stay-at-home-mom of a lovely (and betimes exhausting) two year old son. In the past I've been a fragrance addict, a lipstick-and-gloss addict, and always a devoted fan of all things NAIL POLISH!

I've found that being a SAHM often means taking very little time for oneself. I no longer wear much makeup, usually a bit of lip color and mascara (if I'm lucky!!). I simply don't have the time, and i don't feel the need for it. Likewise, my passion for fragrance has fallen by the wayside. I often go days without grabbing for a bottle of perfume, i find that I'm much more sensitive to scents than i was before the birth of my son.

So my life is very un-glamorous. How exciting! So why, you may ask, am i joining the leagues of beauty bloggers everywhere? The answer is simple: Every woman needs to feel beautiful. I find that giving myself a mani or pedi with a gorgeous color does a great deal to lift my self-esteem. While i may not have the time or inclination to put on make-up every morning, or carefully style my hair (i generally sport a ponytail), or spend a lot of time shopping for trendy clothes, i can ALWAYS find time to do my nails. And having beautiful, healthy nails gives me a great deal of confidence.

And what do i hope to accomplish with The Crystal Files? (I'm a huge X-Files fan, thus the name) I hope that by giving you my uncensored opinion on all things nail related, i may help you find new colors, products, and techniques that you'll love and find useful. So my goal is really very simple. I'm here to share my love of gorgeous nail color, and fabulous hand-and-nail care products. Hopefully you'll find some useful information mixed in there!

Thanks for reading, and i hope you enjoy my future files!