Orange in July

Hi everyone! As the last post in July, I'm working with a bunch of bloggers in the group I'm in, called Proud Beauty Bloggers of Colors, presenting 'Orange' as this month's theme. You might also find a beauty blog in the link up below. 

For my orange mani, I did a simple nail art, kinda an impromptu idea since my original one will incorporate more colors and I'm not sure if I can show orange as the star of the mani. Sometimes the unplanned ones are the one I ended up liking more. The orange shade I chose for this mani is OPI Where Did Suzi's Man-Go?

I did an orange+white gradient on three nails, and stamp over them using Mundo de Unas White and Pueen Encore plate SE04A. The two accent nails are a negative space using squiggle vinyls from Beyond The Nail. I used two thick ones and one thin vinyl in the middle. I have always avoided doing negative space because my nails are so stained it's horrible! Now they are in a much better shape, but just in case they're still showing the stain, and I don't want to hurt your eyes, I minimized the naked part by adding dots. They're kinda cute, don't you think? 

Hope you enjoyed the post! And also check out all the other bloggers of color below rocking their orange :)

XO
Novi

An InLinkz Link-up

Patterned Color Block

I think I haven't done a mani Monday in what? Two weeks now? Well, I just happen to get all this wonderful, happy colors on the weekend. Chatters was having a buy 2 get 1 free, China Glaze is included, so I had to use the opportunity and do some polish shopping. 
I picked up 6 China Glaze and used them all in this mani. They all are such gorgeous shade, but the formula is a bit weird. I mean, they were opaque in 2 coats, but it's so runny I had polish dripping off from the wand. It would be a disaster if I hadn't used paper towel in my mani area. 

Anyway, onto the mani. I did a color block, no tape! Haha I don't know why I am proud of that fact. I did a floral-y pattern in the bigger square and left the smaller ones plain. Don't want to make them look busier and they already are. I sealed the mani with HK Girl top coat.

China Glaze shades used here are: Strike A Rose, Feel The Breeze, Metro Pollen-Tin, Sun Upon My Skin, Shore Enuff, Be More Pacific.


XO
Novi

Marc Jacobs 132 Blue Velvet

Hi guys! I just got a pretty sweet treat from my last trip to Sephora, 2 Marc Jacobs polishes! These were my first, and I've been eyeing them for a while. I absolutely love the packaging, so cute and elegant. 
The one I'm showing you today is Blue Velvet, a deep medium blue with a subtle green/teal shimmer that's more noticeable on the bottle than on the nails. The finish look is rather dull, but I always wear top coat anyway. Formula is great, highly saturated and completely opaque in two coats. The brush is slim and long, but it spreads out pretty nice to make application a breeze. I barely need any clean up. Like I said before, the shimmer is barely noticeable, I see more of a deep velvety look. 

Marc Jacobs Blue Velvet

Marc Jacobs Blue Velvet

Marc Jacobs Blue Velvet

Marc Jacobs Blue Velvet

Marc Jacobs polish line retails for C$22, and can be purchased from Sephora, online or in-store. 

Glimmery Flowers Stamping

I wasn't sure what I wanted to do today. I started my mani with a white base thinking I'm going to do some watermarble, but then I changed my mind, just wasn't feeling it. I took out and put back some polishes, couldn't decide what kind of colour theme I want to use. Haha.. sounds bad, I know, but this is pretty much what my process is like most of the time. Anyway, I decided to do this one stroke dry brush (kinda like what I did here) as a background for my stamping.

I used several shades for the dry brush method, and honestly, I randomly picked them and keep adding until I like what I'm seeing. The shades I used were piCture pOlish Peaches 'n Cream, Totes, Chillax, Hot Lips, Wisteria, and Metallic Mush. Then I layered them with 2 thin coats of Glam Polish Glimmer. 

The images I used were from Pueen Encore SE02A, stamped with Mundo de Unas #21 and white. I finished the mani with 1 coat of HK Girl top coat. Below is how it looked without the stamping.

I love how easy it was to create the background, and they seem to always turn out ok. 


XO
Novi

Pueen Encore Set

So, today's post is a little different than my usual posts, but I had a blast doing it! I recently bought this new set of stamping set by Pueen, the Encore set. This is my third set of Pueen plates, and since I'm pretty happy with the first two I got, I thought I'd do a review on this one.

This set consists of 4 double-sided 10x10cm square plates. Each plate has an individual plastic cover and blue film that needs to be peeled off before using. Pueen recommend to peel the center of the plastic cover, leaving it as a 'frame' for the plate. 
I didn't do mine that way. Figure that I would need to get the plate out of the cover anyway, I cut off the top so I can easily take the plate out and put it back in. 

I have more detailed pictures of the plates and some 'swatches' (I guess I can call it a swatch, right?) of the designs that caught my eye. Just click below for more :)

Swatches: Girly Bits Man Size Love

Taking a break from nail art, today I'm showing you swatches of one of my untried! I have been wearing this one on my toes, and since it's flip flop season now it's so distracting to see my toes sparkles when I was outside. I literally stopped talking and stared at my toes as I was walking! The bf just looked at me and shook his head, 'distracted by shiny object?' he asked. LoL!

The polish I'm talking about here is Man Size Love by Girly Bits, it's a beautiful periwinkle blue with shimmer and holographic effect, also called shimolo- Girly Bits' unique finished, it also has aqua glitter in it. You'll see in one of the pic the glitter pop up between all the holo sparkles. 
I didn't find any issue with application, you could totally getaway with two coats, but I used three thin coats here and top coat. 

First outdoor sunlight pics I've taken for my blog post this year! 

Girly Bits Man Size Love

Girly Bits Man Size Love

Girly Bits Man Size Love

Last one was taken in a light box with artificial light.

Girly Bits Man Size Love

Man Size Love is part of the new 80's Girl Bands collection. Can be purchased directly from Girly Bits website or through their distributors, you can find the list of them here.
Do you like it? I love it!!

XO
Novi

Stripey Chevron

Hi guys! I have a nail art that I wore for the weekend on this post, plus a quick pictorial for this manicure. This mani is inspired by a dress, which I will be showing in one of the pics. It's quite a fun look, and you could always do it in a different color combo. So many choices!

What you need:

3 shades of polish, 

I used OPI Don't Bossa Nova Me Around, OPI 20 Candles on My Cake, OPI Euro..Eurso

Striping Tape

Nail Vinyls, I used chevron minis vinyls

Paint the base color, wait until completely dry before starting the next step. I used a quick dry top coat to speed up the process.
Place 2 pieces of chevron mini vinyls horizontally in the center on the nail.
Place striping tape over the chevron tips on both sides, make sure there is no space between the tape and nail so polish doesn't spread under the tape. Put more striping tape towards to cuticle and tip (as pictured)
Paint over the tape and vinyls, one color on the half top and another on the half bottom.
Pull the tape and vinyls immediately while the polish is still wet.
Clean up (if necessary) and top coat. Use a generous coat to get a smooth finish and to prevent smearing. I used HK Girl top coat.

XO

Novi

The Great Polish Giveaway of 2014 by Nail Polish Canada

Hi everyone!

I have an exciting news for you! Nail Polish Canada is hosting a huge giveaway, and I'm not kidding when I say huge.. the prize is up to 200 polishes for ONE winner! That's right, TWO hundred! 

As I'm writing this post, the prize pot is still at 19 polish, but it will keep growing. Why is that? Each blogger will nominate 1 polish to be added to the total prize, and it will continue until it reaches 200. Awesome, right? You can enter from the rafflecopter below, and there's extra entry when you go to  NPC's page here. 

I will also add a widget on the left side bar, so you can check back there when there are more prizes added, and you can visit the other blogs who participate to get extra entry.

The prize I nominated is piCture pOlish Swagger. Simple reason(s), it's one of my favorite brand, and Swagger is THE perfect cornflower blue with flawless formula! 

Good luck guys! and don't forget to thank Nail Polish Canada for throwing this fabulous giveaway!

XO
Novi

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lovely Paisley

I'm on a nail art kick! Hope you guys don't mind :) Today's nail art is a free-handed paisley pattern. I have wanted to do this for a while, and I'm so happy this first one turned out so good. Uhm, well..at least I think it's good. I freaking love it! The color contrast makes the pattern really 'pop'.

The base of this mani is piCture pOlish Violet Femme, a gorgeous deep violet cream. The paisleys were painted over a white base, I used OPI Put A Coat On, to make the lighter colors more opaque. I used piCture pOlish Swagger, Chillax, OPI Do You Lilac It?, Banana Bandanna, and Color Club East Austin. I finished the mani with one coat of HK Girl top coat.

XO
Novi

Chaotic Neon Galaxy

Hi guys! Today I have a nail art post, which also my NOTD. I had planned to do a different, more intricate nail art, but it didn't turn out. While scrolling through instagram, I saw a post that inspired me to do this mani. It was Wondrously Polished, Lindsey's galaxy mani. I think she does one of the best galaxy nails I've ever seen. I can only hope mine will be as good as hers one day.

My galaxy nails is a neon themed. I used all the shades from OPI Neon 2014 including Put A Coat On!,  Zoya Storm, and OPI In True Stefani Fashion. I finished my mani with one coat of HK Girl top coat. As these are neons, it's difficult to capture the true brightness. These look more vibrant in person!

On a random note, I sliced one of my nail while making salad today and had to chop it down really short. I clipped and filed the rest to keep them all in a same length, but I realize now I didn't do a good job at that, haha. Not gonna tell you which nail, but you're welcome to guess :p 

XO
Novi

Jindie Nails Kangaroo, Take Me Away (June-A Box, Indied_

Hi guys! Tonight I'm showing you a pretty crelly gliter from Jindie Nails that I've been wearing for 2 days and now ready to be taken off. Kangaroo, Take Me Away, is a part of A Box, Indied from June 2014. June's theme was Destinations, and this polish was inspired by Kangaroo Island. Jen, the creative brain behind Jindie Nails brand, did such a great job. I absolutely love this! You are a crelly glitter genius! 
Kangaroo,Take Me Away is a white crelly with gold, copper, aqua blue,and green squares and hexes. The glitter was suspended really nicely. I had no issues with application. I used 3 coats (normal application, no glitter manipulation necessary), like I always do with crelly glitter. I used 1 coat of HK GIrl top coat to smooth it out.

Jindie Nails Kangaroo,Take Me Away

Jindie Nails Kangaroo,Take Me Away

Jindie Nails Kangaroo,Take Me Away

XO
Novi

Neon Nested Triangles

Today post is sort of a fail. Not because the mani was a mess, but I just didn't like it. Has that ever happened to you? I was so sure I'm gonna like the idea in my head, but when I was done, I'm looking at my nails and just feel.. no. Regardless, I took some pics to share with you guys, maybe some of you might like it. I removed it right after taking the pics.

The base of this mani is OPI Road House Blue and Finger Paint Twisted. I forgot how I loved this flakie! I mean, just look at it. The OPI is a one coater, perfect formula. 
I used scotch tape after they are completely dry to create the neon triangle. They are the two Models Own Polish for Tan neon, Sun Hat and Flip Flop. I was planning to use striping tape to make a neat nested triangle, but I got impatient and decided to free hand it instead. All the white triangles were free handed with a small striping brush using Butter London Cotton Buds, finished off with HK Girl top coat.

XO
Novi

Happy Canada Day 2014!

Hope everybody is having fun during this long weekend! In the spirit of Canada Day, of course I had to do this red and white mani. I'm keeping it simple and on point, Canada flag and some maple leaves. My red and white polishes are OPI Red My Fortune Cookie and Butter London Cotton Buds. I added China Glaze Fairy Dust over the white just to get a bit of sparkles when I'm outside :D

XO
Novi