My Favorite Nail Art Posts of 2013

Nothing to Disclose

Happy New Year's Eve everyone! I am pretty proud of the improvements I have made in the nail art department this year, especially in my freehand skills. I still have a long way to go but it's nice see an improvement from last year!  So, here are some of my favorite nail art manicures from 2013, in random order. 

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Barielle: Sophisticated Lady Collection - Swatches and Review

Press Sample

We have officially made it through all of the Mondays in 2013! (Well, almost. LOL) As I was going through photos from the year I realized I have 2 Barielle collections to show you that I thought I had already posted! Oops! So I am going to show you one tonight and the other in the next day or two. I am absolutely in love with every single polish in this collection. This is the Sophisticated Lady Collection. 

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Literary Lacquers 84 Charing Cross Road

Nothing to Disclose

I have a treat for you today! Literary Lacquers recently released her Community Collection which consisted of polishes she created in collaboration with various bloggers and fans. The collection as a whole looks just amazing and I can't wait to grab a few more of them! The one I have to show you today is 84 Charing Cross Road and it was created by Amy (of Literary Lacquers) with the lovely Sheila from Pointless Cafe. 

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Christmas Nails 2013

Nothing to Disclose

I know it's the day after Christmas so I am a day late with this post but I didn't get a chance to post this mai yesterday and I wanted to share it with you. Better late than never, right? 

For this mani I used Elevation Polish Limestone as my base (my shirt was cream and gold so this went with it perfectly!). I used striping take and Kiko Sugar Mat 643 for the trees and Zoya Solange and Tomoko for the "ornament strings" with glequins for the ornaments. I had no idea what I was going to do when I sat down to do my nails so I was pretty happy with how it turned out considering I started from scratch!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and I'm looking forward for what the new year has in store!

Thanks for reading and happy polishing! ♥

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Christmas Plaid!

Nothing to Disclose

Merry Christmas Eve to everyone who celebrates! I have been sick for the past week and between that and the normal last minute Christmas rush, I haven' had much time for my nails. In fact, I've been completely naked for the past 3 days! *GASP* I am hoping to do one last Christmas mani later though, as well as one on my mom. 

But for now, this is the only Christmas mani I've done in the past 2 weeks. I was really happy with it though!

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Darling Diva Polish Opal Collection - Swatches and Review

Press Sample

Good afternoon! I apologize for my sporadic and infrequent posting lately. Between the holidays and being sick I've not had much blogging time lately. But I am back with a gorgeous collection from Darling Diva Polish to show you today! This is the Opal Collection and it is a collection of gorgeous complex flakies sprinkled with glitter and holographic shimmer! 

(To see The Diamond Collection, which was released at the same time, you can visit my post here.)

I am going to tell you right off the bat that my pics do not do these justice. It's taken me a long time to get these posted because I kept trying to get better photos of them, thinking if I changed one little thing maybe my camera would magically capture these better. LOL! They are so much prettier and more sparkly in person!

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piCture pOlish Collab-Fest 2013: Attitude by Overall Beauty

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Good morning lovelies! I was asked by Kim from Overall Beauty to show off her piCture pOlish shade, Attitude, for today's piCture pOlish Collab-Fest! I am so excited to be a part of this and Attitude is stunning so let's get started!

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$weetcheeks Polish: Hurry Down My Chimney and Glitter On My Icicle - Swatches and Review

Press Sample

Happy Friday! I have two of $weetcheeks Polish's Holiday Collection to show you today - Hurry Down My Chimney and Glitter On My Icicle.

I also have a discount code for my readers so stay tuned until the end of the post to read more about that!

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Colors by Llarowe: Unorthodox Annie

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Llarowe is re-stocking her Colors by Llarowe line today so I thought I'd show you one I picked up in a previous re-stock and have fallen head over heels in love with! This is Unorthodox Annie. 

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Beauty Blog Coalition $900 Winter Giveaway!

The bloggers from the Beauty Blog Coalition are at it again and want to give you the opportunity to win a little money right before the holiday season!

All terms and conditions are listed in the Rafflecopter widget below. The giveaway is open from 10 December until 21 December, internationally to all those ages 18 and up. You may tweet using the Rafflecopter option once a day until the giveaway is over for extra entries. One winner will receive a $500 prepaid Visa gift card. Two more winners will receive a $200 prepaid Visa gift card. (Both are available as a one-time PayPal transfer if the winner so chooses.)

Please take time to visit the bloggers who made this giveaway happen and good luck! 

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A Little Polish
Ashley is PolishAddicted
Beauty and Fashion Tech
Beauty by Krystal
Beauty by Miss L
Beauty Info Zone
Big Time Beauty
Blushing Basics
Blushing Noir
Citizens of Beauty
Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom
Cosmetic Sanctuary
D.G.S.Beauty
daydreaming beauty
Fabulous Awesomeness
Geniabeme
Glamorable
Glamorous Mama
GlitzGlamBudget
Hairspray and Highheels
Honeygirl's World
InTruBeauty
Justina's Gems
Kat Stays Polished
KellieGonzo.com
KillerLipGloss
Lawless Lacquer
Liesl Loves Pretty Things
Lipgloss Break
Logical Harmony
Makeup by Kim Porter
Midnight Manicures
Moxie Reviews
My Highest Self
My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog
Peace Love Lipgloss
Peek & Ponder
Phyrra
Pointless Cafe
Polarbelle
PolishGalore
polish insomniac
Portrait of Mai
Pure Natural Diva Botanicals
Set in Lacquer
Smashley Sparkles
Stephanie Louise- All Things Beautiful Blog
The Crumpet
The Lacquerologist
TheFabZilla
Will Paint Nails for Food

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a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Snowflake Nail Art featuring Darling Diva Polish Blue Opal

Press Sample

In honor of all the cold weather that's been going around I thought I'd do a super easy snowflake mani! This is SO MUCH prettier in person than it is in my photos. I used Darling Diva Blue Opal (over Zoya Blu) as my base, added the snowflakes using a striping brush and a plain white creme and then added another coat of Blue Opal  to make it sparkle!  It has an "icicle effect" in person!                                                 

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December Nail Art Theme Week - Elevation Polish Bamboo Nails!

*Some of the products in this post were 

previously sent as PR samples.

Happy Friday everyone! I have the last mani for Japanese Theme Week today. I chose to do Bamboo Nails and I'm really happy with how they turned out!

 For this mani I used all Elevation Polish colors. Mount Ventoux is my yellow base and I used Xixabangma, Epidote and I Got the Axe for the bamboo stalks (click on the name of each polish to see my previous post about it).  

I hope you enjoyed this month's theme week! I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would!

Thanks for reading and happy polishing! ♥

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December Nail Art Theme Week Continues with Friendship Nail Art

 Nothing to Disclose

December Nail Art Theme Week continues with my attempt at Japanese characters! I chose the symbol for "friendship" because I think friendship is one of the most important things we can have in life, and definitely one of the most important things in my life right now. It was not quite as hard as I had imagined before trying this mani!

For the base of this mani I did a very muddled two-toned grey using Color Club Silver Lake and SinfulSHINE Steel Reserve. I love the way it turned out, it almost reminds me of marble! I used a striping brush and a plain black creme for the characters. 

Don't forget to check out the manis below!

Thanks for reading and happy polishing!  ♥

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December Nail Art Theme Week Day 3: Abstract Distressed Nails

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Happy Wednesday! I have an abstract design for Day 3 of Japanese Nail Art Week. I got home late last night and didn't have much time for nail art and I remembered seeing this design on Chalkboard Nails so I thought I'd try it out using some Japanese-themed colors! (You can click here to be taken to the video tutorial from Sarah at Chalkboard Nails.)

This was just as quick and easy as it looks in Sarah's video! I started off with a base of Zoya Livingston  and once that was dry I did a layer of white and a layer of black. Since I wasn't using as many colors as she did in the tutorial, I layered one more coat of white and one more coat of black. I love the outcome! 

Don't forget to check out the other manis below!

Thanks for reading and happy polishing! ♥

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Japanese Nail Art Theme Week featuring Japanese Cherry Blossoms

Nothing to Disclose

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I am in love with the nail art I did for today's Japanese Theme Week! It's a great feeling to actually like the nail art you created rather than being disappointed in it. Haha! Here are my Japanese Cherry Blossom nails!

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Press Release: Zoya Naturel Collection Coming January of 2014!

Press Release

Zoya is launching a new collection on January 1. 2014! See details below!

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Zoya Nail Polish Naturel Collection
Sometimes less can be so much more...

The natural nail only better... The Zoya Nail Polish Naturel collection masters delicate tone on tone color with six new, full-coverage (opaque) neutral nudes with a pink undertone, that can be worn beautifully alone or stunningly together to create modern tonal accents.

The Look: It’s not about matching - it’s about coordinating colors with slight tonal differences to create interest.

Zoya Naturel Collection
• ZP704 - Chantal: French Vanilla Cream, Full Coverage Formula.
• ZP705 - Taylor: Light Toffee Cream, Full Coverage Formula.
• ZP706 - Rue: Boudoir Blush Cream, Full Coverage Formula.
• ZP707 - Brigitte: Bombshell Mauve Cream, Full Coverage Formula.
• ZP708 - Odette: Sultry Maroon Cream, Full Coverage Formula.
• ZP709 - Normani: Sable Mauve Cream, Full Coverage Formula.

Zoya’s Crusade against Artificial Nail Products:
Since 1993, Zoya Nail Polish and Treatments has provided quality, long-wearing formulations that are free of potentially toxic ingredients. Here’s how the battle against artificial and toxic products was won…

As owner of the country’s first Natural Nail and Skin Spa and armed with relevant information on potential health hazards, Zoya Reyzis was resolute to create a new line of quality professional products that would meet her exacting specifications. Pregnant at the time, she enlisted the aid of her Chemist Husband, Michael Reyzis, to develop toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate free formulations that would provide extended wear on natural nails making Zoya the first to develop a “Big 3 Free” formula of nail polish. In the years since the birth of the brand, the commitment to providing safe and effective products has soldiered on with Zoya once again leading the way with the removal of formaldehyde resins and camphor to create the first “Big 5 Free” nail polish brand.

Find the Zoya Naturel Nail Polish Collection and over 300 stunning BIG5FREE* Zoya colors onwww.zoya.com. Each and every color has a name as unique as the women who inspired it.

*Formula is completely free of formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, dibutyl phthalate, toluene and camphor.

COMING SOON…

The Zoya Naturel Nail Polish Collection available online at Zoya.com January 01, 2014.

ZOYA IS THE NATUREL COLOR OF FASHION!

$9.00 ea. (US)

Available on Zoya.com

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I can't wait to see these in person! 

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Paint Box Polish: The Women of Harry Potter Collection - Swatches and Review

Press Sample

Who is ready for a new collection from Paint Box Polish inspired by Harry Potter? I know I am! To be more specific, this collection is inspired by the women of Harry Potter! It's made up of 6 polishes and I have 3 to show you - Slightly Unstable, Brains & Bravery and Glittery Heels.

I also have a discount code to share with you that is good the whole month of December so stay tuned until the end of the post for that information!

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Japanese Nail Art Theme Week featuring Super Mario Bros.!

Nothing to Disclose

Good morning (or afternoon or evening), lovely readers! Today starts another nail art theme week with some of my fellow bloggers and this week's theme is Japanese. I will admit that I don't know a whole lot about Japanese culture but I've learned a lot in the process of preparing for this week and I have a lot more appreciation for both the culture and the beauty of Japan!

For today's mani I went with something that I have been very familiar with my whole life and is very near and dear to my heart (and originated in Japan) - Mario! Being a child of the 80s, I grew up playing Super Mario Bros. and I still enjoy playing it today! I taught my eldest nephew to play it when he was young (he's now almost 15) and we always play the new releases together now. But, you're here for the nails so I'll get to those now!

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