NOTD: Sally Hansen Navy Venom

I haven't posted an actual Nail Of The Day look in a while. Thanks to a fellow nailie and shopping buddy that hunted down the Sally Hansen Fall Runway Collection on Cleveland's west side, I have this beauty to show you.

Navy Venom

The collection was designed and inspired by fashion designer Tracy Reese in collaboration with Sally Hansen. Playing on the idea of contrasts (black & white, navy & white, bright coral & black) the collection is has a varied palette of shades.

• Black Patent (jet black) – Official shade that walked the runway
• Alabaster (off white/eggshell) – Official shade that walked the runway
• Navy Venom (dark navy/ink)
• Baroque Bronze (metallic brown)
• Grenadine Glaze (rich metallic pink with a tint of gold glaze)
• Rose Carthane (metallic coral with a tint of pink)
• Mulberry Glaze (metallic purple/grape)
• Cerise Noir (Bordeaux)
• Plum Licorice (deep metallic purple/plum)
• The Deepest Violet (matte purple)

Two of them showed up on the Tracy Reese Fall 2007 runway in the form of a half moon manicure using Black Patent and Alabaster.


Even though I own other shades from the Salon line, this is actually the first one I've worn and I was quite pleased. The application was smooth and easy to control. The lacquer was well pigmented and opaque with two coats and the shimmer is minimal which makes Navy Venom a great everyday shade. The wear wasn't really the best but I'm sure all the packing and moving I've been doing played a part in that so I can't give a final ruling in that department.

With the prominence of blue polish this fall, this color definitely makes my list and should have been included with my Fall Trend picks.

NOTD - Nocti Flying Naked

Well, I've learned my lesson about trying to do a last minute mani. It's a Don't! I was trying to be quick like a bunny yesterday morning and I should have known better.

Cremes, brights and darks are not the kind of polishes you can just slap on and run out the door. Thank goodness this pic doesn't show it but, I ended up with air bubbles from not waiting between coats, blue polish on my skin from rushing and overall blech-ness.

On the upside, I love the color. Nocti Flying Naked is bold and well pigmented. The shade flourishes even more under a shiny top coat and it flowed on my nail extremely well.

Now I know that the issue I had applying them to my nail art wheels was just because of the surface not the polish. Though I must point out that this is a two coat polish. The initial coat did go on a bit streaky and uneven. But the 2nd made it perfect. I'm always afraid of cremes because they magnify imperfections as compared to a shimmer/glitter polish but the nails that I didn't eff up actually look really good and smooth.

So those of you that took the plunge and ordered Nocti sight unseen, I can honestly say you'll be pleased.

NOTD - Nocti Nip Tuck

After posting the other day about how I thought the Nocti polishes were tricky to apply, I had to do a full mani with one. So I chose my favorite color from the line, Nip Tuck.

OMG you guys, it applied like a dream. So smooth, very easy to control. I did one of my best manis ever with it. I literally had only one spot to clean up and that was on my dominant hand, which I screw up all the time. I wonder if it makes a difference what surface you're applying the polish to. Since this is a designed for natural nails, my guess is that it doesn't adhere well with acrylic, like my nail art wheels (lemming wheels).

Not only is Nip Tuck the name of one of my favorite television shows, it is now one of my favorite nail colors. An intense sea green/turquoise shade loaded up with a fine shimmer, it is one HOT summer polish. I've only had it on for a day and I got two compliments from random strangers.

I scoured through my collection looking for duplicate shades and found China Glaze Turned Up Turquoise. In a side-by-side bottle comparison, they are twins. Swatched, the Nocti lacquer is a bit more intense. My ruling, if you have Turned Up Turquoise you don't need both. If you don't have either, get the Nocti. And that's all I have to say about that.

We haven't done a check in lately. What's on your tips? Are you gearing up for sandal season?

NOTD - China Glaze Yell-O-Neil

It's a really good thing I work in an environment that allows me wear crazy colors. Let's here it for working with family. Crazy nail colors are one of the perks. So today I'm wearing Yell-O-Neil from the China Glaze Surf Summer collection. I still can't believe I'm wearing yellow... on my nails. I've gotten puzzled looks and avoiding glances all day. And then there's my dad who says, "My nails looked like that on Sunday after working in the yard but, I didn't do it on purpose."

So ok, I never thought I'd love a yellow. I certainly never thought I'd own two. Yet I am so drawn to them at the moment. Maybe it's the tease of spring/summer I got this past weekend while doing some wine tasting in Amish country. I know the whole wine in Amish country thing sounds odd but it's oh so right and intoxicating. Anywho, I saw this crazy glassy yellow from China Glaze and I haven't been able to stop staring at it. It literally has been sitting on my desk since it arrived. And it's not just me. The gals on the Makeup Alley nail board are drawn to it as well. So, what's going on? Are we just so sick of the typical spring colors that we're fiending for something new? Any theories?

Opinion Polls & Market Research

NOTD - Creative Aqua Jet

I'm not sure how I feel about this color on me. I actually got a compliment last night from the girl ringing me up at PetSmart but I feel like I'm looking at someone else's hands. So, I turn to you. What do you think? Is it just me? Maybe my long spell of dark colors has jaded me.

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PeaceKeeper Cause-metics ~ Make A Difference Through Makeup

PeaceKeeper Cause-metics, founded by Jody Weiss, is the first make-up company in history to donate ALL of its profits, after taxes, to women’s health and human rights advocacy issues. A successful fund-raiser and non-violence advocate, Ms. Weiss, is using PeaceKeeper as her tool to continue to raise funds for numerous women’s organizations while instilling the message that PeaceKeepers use make-up not for approval from others but to celebrate their own beauty.

Dedicated to helping women Look Good, Feel Good, Do Good™, Ms. Weiss expects PeaceKeeper products, and thereby the women who use them, to become imbued with the power of advocacy and transformation. “The choice is simple: become a part of the solution, become a PeaceKeeper.”

The inspirational PeaceKeeper™ Cause-Metics™ line consists of 12 Lip Paints, 10 Nail Paints and 4 Lip Glosses, with the newly launched V-Day lip gloss joining the collection in honor of V-Day. In addition to never using animals in the testing of their products, all PeaceKeeper Paints are rich, creamy and free of harmful chemicals such as toluene and formaldehyde. Offering Lip Paint colors with names like Paint Me Empowered™ and Paint Me Compassionate™, PeaceKeeper urges women everywhere to use their power as consumers to make a difference.

I am wearing Paint Me Forgiving as my NOTD color. It's described on the PeaceKeeper website as a shimmery light beige flesh tone. On me it's a dusty pink tone and the pearly shimmer adds a lot of depth. The application was similar to Zoya in my opinion. I think the lack of chemicals leads to a thicker consistency but that doesn't hinder it's ability to spread smoothly on the nail.

Peacekeeper NailPaints retail for $12 and can be purchased on the PeaceKeeper website using PayPal.

Also, check out the Million Kisses Campaign. It raises money to fund education for women and girls who are victims of sexually exploitive situations and slavery. Supported by actress Julia Ormond, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) Goodwill Ambassador for the Abolition of Slavery and Human Trafficking, an awareness video plays at Whole Foods and other PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics retailers. It shows how the proceeds from buying just a few PeaceKeeper products can help educate a girl and give her economic options. According to Weiss, “PeaceKeeper builds a bridge in the land-of-plenty to women who can’t even afford a lipstick.”

How it works:

• Purchase a PeaceKeeper Lip Paint
• Apply the Lip Paint and kiss the Kiss Canvas that can be found inside the package (The Kiss Canvas can also be downloaded from: http://www.iamapeacekeeper.com/)
• Write who the kiss is for and why. Mail the Kiss Canvas to the PeaceKeeper Fund with $1
• The kiss gets uploaded into the Kiss Museum on the PeaceKeeper Website to be viewed

The “Best Kisses” are eligible to win prizes including airline tickets for two anywhere in the USA, PeaceKeeper products and other gifts listed on the PeaceKeeper Website.

PeaceKeeper Lip Paints come in a wide variety of colors and are sold in Whole Foods stores, Pharmaca, Earth Fare and other stores nationwide. Suggested retail price is $16.50.

NOTD: Zoya Bailey

Ding, ding, ding we have a winner!! Finally a sheer I not only like but love. Zoya Bailey is a perfect pink sheer with silver micro-glitter and pearly shimmer.

The application was smooth and even. Zoya's formula is slightly thick but it spreads well with no streaking. I was a bit rushed this morning when I applied it but that didn't affect the outcome. Even in person, my mani looks as close to flawless as I've seen my tips in a while.

With my "Dare Week" coming to a close, I realize that I enjoyed this challenge much more than I expected. Even though my first pick wasn't a winner, it lead me to here. I now have a color that I can slap on when my nails are bare and I don't have time to deal with applying my usual bright/dark colors.

NOTD: Creative Hyper Fresh

I'm continuing with my "Dare Week." I was dared to do a white creme but I don't own any of those so I chose Creative Hyper Fresh from their new Optix collection for spring.

As much as I initially hated the color on me, I'm warming up to it by day 2. I think the opalescence is the saving grace. It's just so weird to look down and see such a light color on my nails. It's so not me and everyone I know has told me so. Especially my significant other. He likes my tips with brights, reds and vampy colors.

The only real downside of this polish is in the application. It was very streaky and somewhat goopy. It took me 3 coats to get the color even and then I still wasn't happy with the end result. I can see problems with my mani that I'm sure aren't noticeable to the general observer. This not at all what I've come to expect from Creative. I hope the rest of this line is different. Maybe I just got a bad bottle or didn't roll it long enough.

I've been seeing a lot of mixed reactions to the Optix line. Some are embracing the pastels and 80's vibe of it. One person mentioned the Golden Girls and I immediately flashed on those pastel ensembles Don Johnson donned on Miami Vice. I know he's worn all of the colors in this collection at least once during its' run.

The others aren't necessarily having negative reactions to the collection, more of a "Meh." I think for a lot of serious polish fiends, like myself, we're at the point of only wanting truly unique colors. When your collection gets above the 100 mark, it's understandable to not want yet another pink shimmer or red creme.

I can honestly say that I don't have a polish in my collection that looks anything like Aqua Jet or Cosmic Coral. Blue Nirvana is could be Creative Jiggy's twin except that Blue Nirvana is much more opaque. For me, that's a wonderful thing. I've always love the color of Jiggy but it's sheerness turns me off.

So, after having a couple days to see the collection, what are your thoughts? What do you think of Hyper Fresh on me? Be honest!

NOTD - Essie Breezy Beach

Essie Breezy Beach is the shade I chose as my "dare" polish and I am SO not a fan. It looks craptastic on me and anyone that tells me differently, I won't believe 'em. Ha ha

I'd like to say that it's because I'm not used to seeing my nails this way but it's not. I feel like my nails look dirty or stained. The slight iridescence in Breezy Beach doesn't make it any prettier in person.

Well, I tried and I can't wait to get this stuff off. Sheers are obviously NOT my friend.

I'd love to hear your comments. Maybe it was just this particular shade. If you have a suggestion for something better, I'm all ears. I may even wear it.

NOTD - Nicole Paparazzi Plum

I love going to see my nail tech. She has this amazing wall of discontinued polish from Nicole, OPI and Creative. It's a total treasure trove. It's where I found my bottle of OPI Rainforest. There is this one Creative polish that I lust after. It's called Amazon and it's a stunning emerald green. Some day it will be mine. Oh yes, it will be mine.

I went to see her the other night and found this beauty on the wall. Nicole Paparazzi Plum is deep deep plum with subtle shimmer. I compared it to my swatch of OPI Lincoln Park At Midnight and they are very very close. So close that you don't need to hunt this one down or pay crazy eBay prices for it.

I really enjoy doing my own nails and taking the time to do them well but there's something so relaxing about getting a manicure. I'm not gonna lie, when I do my nails, it takes me a while. It has taken me quite some time to get over my clumsiness and improve my polish application. So, watching a pro is fun for me. Every time I see her, I pick up some new. Either how much polish she leaves on the brush or exactly where on the nail she starts applying. Every little bit helps make me better.

So kids, what's on your nails today?

NOTD - China Glaze Eyes Like Sapphires

In honor of the Columbus Blue Jackets hockey team, I decided to go BLUE! I'm going to see them play the Detroit Red Wings tonight at Nationwide Arena and wanted to show my team support. Don't tell the Blue Jackets but I'm really a Red Wings fan at heart.

So, I love the color and the silver micro-glitter but there's something about the formula used in the We Adorn You collection that's not working for me. I had this same problem with Soft Sienna Silks from this collection. It doesn't apply as evenly as my other China Glaze polishes. And application, in addition to color range, is one of the things I love most about China Glaze.

Drinkin' My Blues Away from the Spring '06 Tequila Toes collection is very similar to this color. But, unlike Eyes Like Sapphires, it has that jelly, glaze-like consistency that I've come to know and love about China Glaze polishes. I also got some bubbling from this color and I don't know if it's my technique or the polish that caused it.

On a side note, it is freezing here in Ohio. The snow is coming down and I'm not looking forward to driving to Columbus this afternoon. In the middle of all this weather there's me, outside with my camera taking pictures of my hands, trying to avoid getting snow on the lens. The lengths I go to for a good pic. I can only imagine what my neighbors think. I wonder if I'm the crazy neighbor lady that everyone talks about. Oh my, I hope that's not me.

So, what's on your nails today? Is it a keeper?

A better shot

I think I'll be changing my polish today so I wanted to get a quick shot in some daylight. At almost 4 days, I see very little tip wear and one tiny chip but that's my fault. I'm going to continue with the Stickey Sandwich for now. Seems to be working. Now I just need to decide on what color to wear next. I've been on such a dark vampy kick, like everyone else but, I think my brights are calling me.

You can check out my collection on my Makeup Alley notepad. It's up to date, for the most part. The exceptions being my Secret Santa gift and Lippmann purchases. Feel free to make a suggestion as to what I should wear next. Or if there's a color you'd like to see swatched, let me know.

Nails of the Day (NOTD)

May I present Lippmann Hit Me With Your Best Shot (created with Pat Benetar).

I recently won a couple auctions for some Lippmann polishes and I'm really loving the colors and the formula. I don't know that they're worth the $15 retail price tag but they were definitely worth the ebay price I paid. The seller is getting rid of her inventory so if you're interested, look up shadowvine13. She's running low on a lot of colors but there are still deals to be had.

I wish stupid Ohio would get some decent sunlight so I could truly capture the gunmetal glory of this polish. It's definitely not black and I love that shimmer shows up in most lighting.

Those of you that have this polish, do you know how it compares to Chanel Noir Ceramic? I refuse to give into the Chanel frenzy that their two black polishes have created to find out. I don't judge people that do but I can't give in. I'll be happy as a clam with my $5.50 Chanel Black Satin dupe, Zoya Raven. I dare someone to be able to tell the difference between the two. Spend the $5.50, find out for yourself.

Oh and I am trying a new method with this polish. I did the Stickey Sandwich. I used Creative Stickey base coat (a HG of mine), applied 3 coats of polish, another coat of Stickey and Seche Vite top coat. Sandwiching the polish between Stickey is supposed to extend the life of my mani. We'll see. I had to use Seche Vite, which is not a favorite of mine, because my Poshe got gross and goopy. Off to Sally's I go for a new bottle.