Step by step, ooh baby, Gonna get to you girl
Step by step, ooh baby, Really want you in my world

That’s right Fanatics, I went to the NKOTBSB concert and I’m not one bit ashamed because it was AH-Mazing! Those boys, well men, sing and dance their asses off for over two hours to throngs of screaming fans and I was so happy to be one of them. It totally makes up for the fact that I never got to see them perform when I was a kid.

For me, the best parts of the concert were seeing my darling Joey McIntyre, who rocked some multi-colored nails the last time they were on tour, sing “Please Don’t Go Girl”, Donnie Wahlberg revealing his rock hard abs and Nick Carter sporting a LeBron James “Choke” t-shirt. Though I couldn’t help but notice that AJ McLean was wearing black crackle on his nails (see here). I went with two of my CLE blogger pals, Suzanne & Allison, and we had a blast dancing and singing the whole night. My ears are still ringing!

While I enjoyed Backstreet Boys, I was really there for New Kids On The Block so I had to do a NKOTB themed manicure which I dedicate to Joey and his stunning baby blues. I chose a pale blue, Color Club Factory Girl, to match his eyes and a darker, grittier hue, Orly Sapphire Silk, to represent his “Hangin Tough” Boston background. I also failed at my attempt at nail art using Milani Nail Art polish in Blue Print.

Over the weekend I went to a party where quite a few of my blogger friends were in attendance. Of course I asked about my nail polish and I was curious to find out what they were wearing as well. Then the subject turned to my Untrieds series, specifically the “SHARE” polishes.

They were giving me a hard time about the fact that I keep STASHing my untrieds and sent a small percentage to the SHARE bin. The reasoning I shared is that, for the most part, I’ve been trying polishes based on my color mood rather than dig in to the pinks and reds where I know a lot of my SHAREs will come from.

Starting with today’s untried, Milani Pink Out Loud, I vow to suck it up and start weeding through my pinks and reds, making sure I include at least one per week for the rest of the 365. I guess this means I’ll have to organize them better. If there’s anyone in the CLE with a good eye for color who wants to help, I sure could use it.

To celebrate Independence Day in the US, I decided to get my red, white & blue sparkle on. I even planned to get all crafty incorporating scotch tape and the result ended up being one giant mani-fail! Of course, instead of getting down on myself for it, I’m learning from my mistakes and sharing my missteps with you.

To create today’s look I went straight for my Milani One Coat Glitters in Red Sparkle and Blue Flash. When you want full-on sparkle without multiple, thick layers of polish, look no further. It’s just a shame they didn’t come out with a white version to complete my manicure.

In order to conserve my favorite white sparkler, China Glaze White Kwik Silvr, I pulled out another untried, China Glaze Cloud Nine from the Specialty Glitters collection.

A few months ago actress Marilu Henner appeared on just about every talk show on TV to discuss her amazing memory.  She can remember every day of her life, down to the most minute details.  It’s absolutely fascinating to watch her speak about it.  While I’ve always considered myself to have a good memory, my ability to recall events doesn’t even compare.

So what’s my point?  Well as I was digging around for my next 365 of Untrieds nail polish, I discovered a CVS bag filled with Milani One Coat Glitters and as soon as I laid eyes on them, I flashed to the night I bought them.  It was unreal how I could picture everything about that night the instant my hand touched the bottle of Silver Dazzle.

It was a Friday in December, the night Black Swan opened in Cleveland and I had just left the theater to get gas.  As I waited at the gas station for my tank to fill I checked Twitter only to see a local Fanatic mention that CVS had displays of the One Coat Glitters out already.  There JUST happens to be a CVS next to the gas station and even though they were about to close I hightailed it over to scoop up one of every shade on display, including the Jewel FX glitters.

After the Chanel Jade craze last fall a number of brands came out with their own less expensive version of the pale green shimmer, most notably Charlotte Russe Jade and Claire’s Dream Catcher.  And now Milani has entered the ring with their interpretation, Dress Maker. Back when I reviewed Chanel Paradoxal I was hard pressed to find any decent comparisons and then a reader email led me to Models Own Purple Grey.

Read on to see how these budget conscious versions stand up to two of Chanel’s most buzzed about nail creations.  Let the smackdown begin!