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Nail Art

FEATURED - Tuesday, November 4th 2008

Nail Polish of the Day: Rock the Vote

Can you believe Election Day is finally here, whohoo!  Today I decided to go a little patriot considering this being a history making day with either a black president or a woman vice president.  If your wondering who I voted for?  Obama all the way baby, even though my heart will always be with Hil.

I'll be the first to admit, I'm not an "Nail Art" girl, but polka dots are one of the easiest designs you can do.  The colors that were used are OPI Blue my Mind (two coats), China Glaze High Roller (two coats) and Sally Hansen White Patent leather for the polka dots.

Sometimes I resort to an white acrylic paint for the polka dots because it's thicker and much easier to deal with.  In this case, I just used Sally Hansen's White Patent Leather along with a old MAC 203 lip brush to paint the dots.  When working with polka dots, a fine pointed tip brush seems to work best for me.   

Hope your having a great election day!  Get out there and vote, Change is coming!

FEATURED - Thursday, January 1st 2009

New From Sally: Easy to Use Nail Art Pens

 

Along with the Insta-dri polishes, Sally Hansen introduces eight new nail art pens ($7.99). A variety in white, black, light pink, hot pink, blue, red, silver and gold. An easy-to-use fine tip pen filled with different shades of lacquer in each one.

The mistake proof formula can be removed or corrected with a moist cotton swab without damaging dry nail polish. Water based formula is environmental friendly. Possibilities are endless.

I'm really excited about these new nail art pens from Sally Hansen. Mistake proof indeed. Since the formula is water-based, it's such a breeze removing when you make a mistake. Just take a moistened tissue or cotton ball and wipe without disturbing your base coat.

Check out swatches and a video tutorial. 

My swatches may be a little messy, but I wanted to show you guys how super easy this was.  It literally took me all of 1 second per nail.

 

Potential Negatives: As much as I love these nail art pens, $7.99 is expensive. Especially if you wanted to pick up a couple different colors like myself. Try choosing a shade such as white, silver or gold that you can alternate with any nail color in your collection. Your initial clear or colored base must be completely dry before applying the nail art colors.

Tips: Apply SV (Seche Vite) or any fast dry top coat to your colored base to avoid ruining your mani. Make sure SH's nail art color is completely dry before sealing with a topcoat. And, just remember the formula is water based so it must be completely dry.

Sally Hansen's Nail Art Pens are now available in stores and retail around $7.99/ea.

Check out some fun I did with Light Pink, Hot Pink, Black and Silver Nail Art Pens. What do you guys think? Do you love them? Hate them? Spill the beans.

FEATURED - Monday, December 28th 2009

MAC Cosmetics Love Lace: Nail Lacquer Swatches

Product: MAC Love Lace Collection, Nail Lacquer .34 oz

Price: $12.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: MAC Cosmetics, Macy's, Nordies

Couture's fascination with lace is a long love affair. Intensely intimate, our newest collection captures lace's notoriety and allure.

When I first saw the promo images for MAC's newest collection, I immediately thought of J Lo's chic lace nails created by Celebrity Manicurist, Elle. Love Lace brings us a limited edition shade this winter called, Light Affair. A crisp, clean neutral that's the perfect accessory to Lace.

Before we move on, let's talk about the application. It wasn't completely perfect. I had minor application issues, but managed to smooth out my brush strokes within three coats.

Check out the swatches.

MAC describes Light Affair as a creamy grey taupe. It's more along the lines of a pale grey nude with a hint of lavender that's barely noticeable. Very chic and wearable.      

 

Even though it's hard to tell from my swatch, Light Affair isn't an exact dupe to Body Language. The faint lavender shines through just a bit when compared side by side. If you already own Essie's, I'd say you can probably skip this one.  

 

Put your hands up if you love Polka Dots. Oh, yeah! I love how Cool Reserve contrasts the slight lavender undertones in Light Affair.

Has anyone picked up Light Affair? What do you think of lace nails? Have a wonderful night!

FEATURED - Wednesday, January 14th 2009

More Fun with Sally Hansens Nail Art Pen

 

Nail Art isn't a new thing.  It's actually been around for years now, but just not practical or simplified for the average person, espically with our crazy work schedules. 

This year, I see Nail Art is becoming one the hottest nail trends.  From your Celebrities to polished professionals - everyones doing it.  And, Sally Hansen Nail Art Pens makes it so much easier without the high cost of salon services.

Hopefully, you guys were able to snatch these up when Walgreens had their Buy One Get One Free Sale last week. 

Check out some designs with the light pink pen. 

OPI Alpine Snow base color plus Fast Dry top coat. Make sure you apply a topcoat before playing with the nail art pens.  Picture taken before applying SH Light Pink Nail Art Pen.

Picture taken after applying Sally Hansen light pink Nail Art Pen.  Wait until the nail art is completely dry before applying a base coat.

See how easy this is?  I wanted to mess around with some simple designs.  The half moon mani on my pinky finger was really easy.

Here's the low down.  I've only seen these available at Walgreens and they retail for $7.99 (.96 oz).  Expensive, Yes.  But, that's your call.  If you can find these on BOGO sales, that's fabulous.

Are these available in Canada?  Have no Clue.  Sally Hansen lacks good customer service.  So, sorry guys I can't answer that for you.  I tried, gals :)  If anyone sees these in Canada, can you please let me know for my readers? 

Some colors I've tested are red, pink, white, gold, silver.  The red pen gave me all kinds of problems.  The formula was orangey and watered down.  I'm not sure if mine was defective or if all are like that.  It just didn't have good coverage as the white and pink pens.

FEATURED - Tuesday, January 20th 2009

Nail Polish of the Day: Essie Starry Starry Night

Happy Inauguration Day everyone!  Today has just been amazing to put it bluntly.  It's the beginning of change.  A new day, A new year that I'm most excited to get on with.   And, what better way to ring it in with some fabulous Starry Starry Night ($10) by Essie.

Described as a mid blue to navy blue jelly loaded down with blue and silver glitter that applied perfectly in three coats.

Essie re-released this dreamy shade back in the summer which is when I picked my bottle up.  But,  I've actually seen this shade on ebay just as reasonable. 

Check out one more swatch below. 

Later this evening, I'm going to give Starry Starry Night some Edge.  I'll be adding some silver tips with SH's Silver nail art pen. 

Check out some pics below.

 

 

Have a most excellent day and remember "Change" is on the way.  Things will get better, that's our destiny.

FEATURED - Tuesday, February 3rd 2009

Milani Valentines: Illustrations of Love

The month of February marks the season of love and Milani gives you six reasons to celebrate the holiday in style.

The Illustrations of love collection is a new valentine's day release that includes: red and pinks for those passionate lovers, black and purple's for those wanting to vamp it up and grey's and whites for that laid back lover.

Overall, this is a great collection that offers a range of different shades to pick from!  The application was amazing and most colors only required two coats for bottle coverage.

Milani's nail polish has it goin' on.  Their quality is just as good as Sally Hansen or Borghese and other high end brands. 

Day Dreaming - a true medium gray creme.  Hands down, the best gray creme I've seen.  Not to dark nor too light.  Perfecto!

Spring has officially kicked the gray nail polish trend into high gear!  So, don't miss out on this perfect shade of gray.

It's official!  Milani's Day Dreaming is an exact dupe for MAC's On the Prowl from their latest Hello Kitty Collection. 

While digging through my small stash of grays, I came across two close contenders.  RBL's, Concrete Jungle is more blue based and Carolyn's, Handball Courts is much lighter with added shimmer.

Having some fun with Milani's Day Dreaming and black tips with SH's black nail art pen. 

Fond of You is the perfect off white creme that's a great alternative to Chanel's White Satin.  Actually, we might have an close dupe here.  I'll have to check later today and let you guys know.

The application was simply amazing for a white.  Only three coats to achieve bottle color. 

 

Sweetheart - a bright hot pink creme.  Not as vibrant as a neon.

Milani Sweetheart.

 

Sweet Love - a reddish pink with subtle pink and purple shimmer.  The actual shade was hard to caputre for some reason.

 Sweet Love.

My Darling - a charcoal black with mint green shimmer. 

Devoted - a deep black purple with subtle pink and purple shimmer.

The valentines day collection should be hitting stores this week.  Keep an eye out for Day Dreaming!

FEATURED - Thursday, February 5th 2009

Updates and Additions to Stephs Closet

Hi All!  I've been procrastinating about doing video for months and if I don't grab the bull by the horns, It'll never happen.  Here's just a short little test clip of my nail polish collection when I was organizing a couple of days ago.

Hopefully my voice isn't annoying because it's totally wierd hearing myself.  Check out some changes that's happening at Steph's Closet.

Videos.  Yes, finally it's here.  I'm finding out that videos are very easy and practical for me.  Once I get a little more comfortable seeing and hearing myself, I'll be doing everything video.  

Coming soon to a video near you, lol!  With the Astonishing response to my favorite SH Nail Art Pens, it only makes sense to do a review and tutorial.  Next up is Sephora's new glittering nail polish.  I'll be posting the vid in a couple days.

Subscribe.  If your not subscribed to my website, now would be a good time to sign up.  For the next few months I'll be randomly picking one name, every week for a free nail polish.  Be sure your email addresses are current or you might miss your chance!  The only stipulation: US Residents and Canda.  I'm sorry international divas.  If shipping wasn't so dang expensive I wouldn't have any problems.

FEATURED - Saturday, February 7th 2009

Pedi of the Day: Black and White French

Hope ya'll are having an enjoyable day.  In the Cincy region, it's about 60 degrees and cloudy.  Heck, I'm not complaining though.  I'll take anything other than snow these days.

With warm weather and Spring creeping up, I thought now would be a perfect time to do a pedi post.  All feet are ugly.  There's nothing pretty about them.  And, what's even worse is giving yourself a home pedicure.

Usually I don't recommend salon services, but in this case it's definitely worth the splurge.  It's a perfect time to relax and treat your tooties to some pampering.  You deserve it!

For my pedicure, I used wet n wild black creme and the Sally Hansen nail art pen in white.  Wet n Wild's black polish is the best hands down.  It's opaque in one coat and super glossy.  Milani's Black Magic is another great black.

Have a fabulous night!

FEATURED - Saturday, February 14th 2009

My Hello Kitty Mani: Hot Pink Polka Dots

Happy Valentines day everyone!  Hope your having a fabulous day on this Saturday.  Today I'm posting my Hello Kitty manicure that I sported last Thursday for the MAC event.

I'm really impressed how the hot pink polka dots on black turned out.  It was a big hit at the party and fit in perfectly with the whole HK girly theme.

Pictured above is MAC's Hello Kitty bracelet available online.    

What I used: Two coats of Wet n Wild black creme nail polish sealed with SV fast dry topcoat and two applications of SH nail art pen in Hot pink sealed with an additional topcoat.  

I was totally going to do a Valentines day post with the Maybelline and Nicole hearts, but my patience ran thin dealing with the little critters.  One word, P - A - I - N in the you know what!

Have a great night ya'll, be safe!

FEATURED - Thursday, March 5th 2009

Going Green: Green Nail Pic Spam Part One

This is a great image of the actual color representation.  For Audrey's unique shade can be rather difficult to capture digitally. 

Happy Thursday!  Today is the first little segment of my "Go Green" theme this March at Steph's Closet.  Since I have so many greens to show you, I'll be breaking my posts into four seperate parts and featuring each part once a week.  

I wanted to start off with a french mani, because you guys know how much I love those funky colors.  

What I used:  Two coats of China Glaze For Audrey and two coats of my favorite Sally Hansen Nail art pens for the white tips.  The color combination just look stunning and only can image how hot this would look on those tootsies!

China Glaze, For Audrey a tiffany colored green - blue. 

Claire's, Blue for you is a seafoam green with fine shimmer.  Very pretty and feminine for spring.

 

Nars, Mash is a gorgeous deep olive bronze with gold shimmer.  A stunning color, espically for summer.  Looks fab on olive and darker skin tones.

Max Factor, Momentum Moss is dollar store gem, a olive gray metallic with shimmer.

Claire's, Green Confetti is a light green jelly glitter with subtle holographic effects.

Have you guys been in Claire's lately?  They have some pretty spectacular shades for spring.  I have a whole segment planned for those too!

Sally Hansen's, Jumpin Jade screams riches and luxury.  A deep, rich green that's seriously gorgeous!  A great drug store pick.

Maybelline's, Jade Flash is a green with blue undertones, but still falls in the green category.

And here's the two I posted a few days ago.

Icing, Awkward is a mid tone green with gold and subtle blue shimmer.  A great alternative to OPI's, Rainforest.

LA Flairs Girl, Green is a deep green with blue undertones. 

I'll be adding more to this post later this evening!  Have a great one!

FEATURED - Sunday, March 8th 2009

Summer Nail Trends: Nail Art Goes Retro

Last Thursday, when I was sitting at the salon waiting for my hair to dry, I stumbled across some interesting Nail Art designs from Jin Soon Choi in the March issue of Teen Vogue.

Trends come and go, we all know that.  All in all, it's the same trends - really.  And, this summer were flashing back to the 80's with bright neon colors, graffiti nail art along with black and white retro lines.

Tip from Choi: Experiment with different polish colors.  High Contrast shades will look best! 

 

Tip from Choi:  This look is Bold.  Rather than spelling out your name, use random letters.  It's cooler. 

This is one of my favorite designs.  The bold white stripes on black immediately caught my attention. 

Tip from Choi: Visit a beauty supply store to buy white striping tape used in nail art.  That way, the lines on the black polish will be perfectly straight.

Tip from Steph: My favorite nail art pens are super easy when creating this look.  As long as you have a steady hand for straight lines, you'll have no problems with the pens.  Otherwise, the striping tape Choi suggests works out great also. 

In a few days, I'll be recreating a few of these looks.  So, make sure you stay tuned.

What do you guys think?  Which ones would you like to see?

FEATURED - Monday, March 16th 2009

St Pattys Day: Mani and Pedi of the Day

Happy Monday Ya'll! It's not officially St. Patty's Day yet, but I wanted to be ahead of the game because it's going to be a jam packed day tomorrow. So, how in the heck do you go about choosing a green for St. Patty's Day? It's virtually impossible because greens rock.

The verdict - Claire's 3 in 1 Mixables in Technopop because it's cool and I just like it!  Knowing me, I'll probably change my mani before St. Patrick's Day.

Claire's 3 in 1 mixables are pretty neato.  You get three different colors in one bottle. No shaking or mixing required.  Do you know how hard it is to not shake the bottle? I guess it's just habit, but it's pretty darn H A R D.

What I love about Claire's 3 in 1 mixable's - their mostly duochrome colors.  You'll see various colors in different angles of lighting.

Technpop is describled aa a bright minty green duo that changes from green, purple and blue.  And, has added holographic glitter for that ultra flair.

I have a boat load of Claire's swatches I'll be posting in the next weeks to come. 

I really loved how my pedicure turned out.  The black polka dots just pop on a neon base. What I used: Massini's Neon Greenlight and for the polka dots, Sally Hansen's Nail art pen in black.

The neon green is much brighter in real life compared to my swatches above.  I really like Massini's neons because their opaque and you don't have to worrry about a white basecoat.

Hope you have a wonderful night and St. Patty's Day!

What's everyone wearing for tomorrow? Be safe!

FEATURED - Saturday, March 21st 2009

MAC Cosmetics Sugarsweet: Nail Polish Swatches

Seasonal Peach is a perfect example of a fabulous color gone completely wrong. The shade itself is extremely pretty, but the application is a hot mess. If you'll notice in my swatches above, the color has visible streaking - even with three coats.

Described as a pastel peach cream with pink undertones. Seriously, it's really hard not to love this color because it's gorgeous and just pops against warmer skintones.

Most of us will probably be torn on whether to order this color or not due to the bad application.

I do like it though. You could always put Seasonal Peach to work with creative nail art such as polka dots!  I've posted some nail art examples below.

Peppermint Patti is everything I expected and more. The color pops and I just love it. And, if your having second thoughts about this one - don't. The color is fabulous. More than likely, you'll be kicking yourself in the behind for not grabbing this sooner.

Described as a true minty green pastel that was a dream applying compared to Seasonal Peach. So, the application isn't completely perfect with very minor streaking. But, surely a 50% improvement from Seasonal Peach.

The most obvious possible alternative, OPI - Hey get in Lime. Not an exact dupe though, but pretty darn close. OPI's version has more lime green undertones compared to MAC's true minty green.

Here's some polka dot nail art below that I did with both colors.

How cute do the colors go together?! Seasonal Peach my be worth the purchase just for the dots.

Hopefully most of you guys were able to snatch Peppermint Patti before it sold out.  If not, try checking at your local counters, Macy's or Nordies online.

What did everyone end up getting from Sugar Sweet?

FEATURED - Saturday, March 21st 2009

Nail Art: Jin Soon Choi Recreations

A couple weeks ago, I posted some interesting nail art designs by Jin Soon Choi that I stumbled across in the Teen Vogue's March issue.

Most of these designs were super easy and didn't require any special nail art tools except a dotting tool for the polka dots (which aren't shown).

Check out some pics below.

This was one of my least favoirte designs at first, but ended up loving it.  There's something about a neon base that makes both orange and black pop against my skin.

What you'll need (any brand): Neon yellow, Opaque french white, Halloween Orange creme and Black creme.

How to: Start with any yellow neon base color. Most neons I've seen are matte and pretty sheer. Tip: use a white opaque color (such as a french white) before applying the neon base. You'll have better color pay-off and you'll avoid numerous applications.

When the base is completely dry, take your orange creme polish and make some creative brush stroke swipes on the neon. It's pretty easy - just dab and swirl you brush creatively. Once dry, repeat the same steps but with the black polish. Finish with a fast dry topcoat and go.

This design was super easy using Sally Hanen's nail art pen in white. You could also try a navy blue background that would look fab.

What you'll need: Black Opaque creme polish (my fave is Wet n Wild) and SH nail art pen in white.

How to: Start with a black basecoat. Once dry, seal with a fast dry topcoat. Make sure your base and topcoat is completely dry before you start with SH's nail art pens. Then draw vertically and horizontal lines on your nails. Seal with a topcoat and go.

Another super easy design. On this one, you can use basically any nail polish colors. Just make sure both colors are pretty opaque.

What you'll need: Any two colors really.

How to: Apply the first color about 2/3 on the nail (one or two coats). You want to make sure you make steady straight lines. Once dry, apply the other color to 1/3 of nail. Finish wiht a topcoat and go.

I'll be posting a few more designs in the next few days. What do you guys think? Easy enough?

FEATURED - Friday, April 3rd 2009

Celeb Nail Art Icon: Solange Knowles

Along with her gorgeous looks, talented voice, and keen sense of style - Solange Knowles and I share something in common, an obsession for Nail Art! Last year, she opened up about her current addiction in the Hadley St Journal:

"For about the last 2 years I’ve had an addicting obsession with nail art and design…Call it “Ghetto-fab” of me but yo, I’ve seen some artists who need to have their ish in museums."

Ever since Sally Hansen released my favorite nail art pens, I've been hooked and expanding my creative horizons. Like the old saying goes, "practice makes perfect." Once you get the hang of it, you'll be addicted.

There's nothing like a good design to catch my eye and Solange's polka dot/domino effect design did just that. It's fairly easy for beginner to intermediate, using just a few simple tools.

Here's my try at it: 

What I used: Any black or white nail polish, acrylic paint or thick nail polish, SH nail art pen and dual sided dotting tool. 

Before you start, make sure you practice on either your nails or artificial ones. There's been numerous occasions I've jumped the gun and ended up ruining my mani.

If you don't fancy nail art, the black and white alone is hot! This could be a great look for a night on the town with a hot little red number.

Here she is, my pride and joy. I haven't blogged much about my new Holy Grail dotting tool, but it's the best thing since, well, Nail Art Pens!

Sure, you can use toothpicks or SH's nail art pen for the polka dots, but you won't get a perfect & precise circle like using a dotting tool. A cheap investment initially ($4.99) at Sallly Beauty or any other beauty store. You'll wonder how you lived without it!

Polka Dots: If your using a dotting tool, just dab the end in acrylic paint or nail polish and dot on your nails. Repeat steps if necessary. You can also use a tooth pick or nail art pen.

The white lines were the hardest part about this design, particularly the horizontal one on my ring finger. You may need to practice a few times with SH nail art pen before starting. It was much easier with the art pen verses a detailing brush. 

And the finished result. I really loved this design - so cute and girly. Hope you have a great weekend all! What do you guys think?

FEATURED - Sunday, April 12th 2009

Easter Mani: Speckled Egg Polka Dots

 

Happy Easter! Today's mani takes me back to the good ole days when I used to get an easter basket filled with speckled whoppers, jelly beans, and anything bad - but too good to resist.

With my nail art obsession in high gear right now, I just couldn't resist the cuteness of polka dots for my easter mani. Polka Dots are quite frankly the easiest type of nail art, espically when using a dotting tool. Even a breeze with your opposite hand!

Check out one more swatch below. 

Just when I was debating what to wear for my Easter NOTD, it struck me from the shelf of my favorite sweet in the world, Cupcakes!

What I used: Base color: Misa - Dirty Sexy Money, Orly - Spark, Nina - Sweet Nothings, Misa - Speed of Life. Polka Dots: standard acrylic paint colors. Tools: Dotting. 

You guys asked, and shall receive. Ok, so I've been getting mass requests for video tutorials, particularly on Polka Dots and should have that up in the next few days! Hope your having a wonderful Sunday!

FEATURED - Wednesday, August 19th 2009

Illamasqua Nail Art Competition

It's time to let your creative thinking juice start flowing and strut your stuff in Illamasqua's Nail Art Competition.

Calling all nail addicts! Been feeling a bit left out of the Mizzworthy/Illamasqua Alter Ego make-up competitions? Fancy showing us your nail alter ego and be in with the chance of having your work seen by top nail artist Sophy Robson?

Then start getting your ideas together to win some fabulous Illamasqua Nail Varnishes that the Nail World has been going crazy for...

FEAR NOT if you have untidy cuticles or a slightly wonky hand as this competition is being judged on creativity and artistic flair as opposed to technique and professionalism.

So How Do You Win?

Sophy and I want to see inspired and creative works that reveal your alter ego - either through your hand nails or toe nails [or both!] and with a brief introduction to yourself and why this look is your alter ego! For example, are you normally a pretty-in-pink princess?! How about unleashing your inner vixen with black and blood red talons?.

For more details, Head on over to Illamasqua's Official Blog to check out rules and cool prizes. You guys know I'm all for Nail Art, so I hope you'll join me in entering this fun Alter Ego contest. Remember, the deadline is September 6th and I'll be posting my attempts in the next couple weeks.

{Image via: Illamasqua}

FEATURED - Tuesday, April 28th 2009

Nail Polish of the Day: Claires Ocean Breeze

Happy Tuesday! I'm feeling much better from this dreaded cold I've had the last several days. Today I wanted to show you guys a cool shade from Claires 3 in 1 mixables called Ocean Breeze.

Clarie's mixables are three different nail colors in one bottle that you don't mix up. But, in this case there's actually four different colors. Ocean Breeze is a combination of four pastel colors of blue, pink, purple and green. The end result is a lilac purple with pink undertones that's really pretty.

The hardest part these babies: you can't mix or shake these. I know, it's really hard because it's just habit to shake or roll a bottle.

 

And here's some polka dot nail art using another Claire's mixables in Hawaii. Described as a bright hot pink color.

Claire's mixables are available in several different colors and retails for $5.00/ea at Claire's Boutiques. Have a great day!

FEATURED - Sunday, May 3rd 2009

Nail Polish of the Day: Orly Mint Mojito

Happy Sunday! Hopefully you guys had a wonderful weekend. I was really hoping to get this post in earlier this afteroon, but fell short of time quickly. With all the rain we've been having lately, it feels like ages since I've last swatched anything. I'm back logged like you wouldn't believe.

So, on to this fabulous color from Orly. Mint Mojito, recently released from the Tiki Summer Collection that I have yet to swatch, is described as a true mint green creme. This one is so pretty and a definite standout from the Tiki Collection.

The application was fairly good. A little streaking with the first coat or so, but evened out after the second coat to perfection.

Mint Green is all the rage this season, and Mint Mojito tops that list. The color is really unique and quite different from the other greens we've been seeing such as: MAC Peppermint Patti, OPI Hey Get in Lime, Essie Greenport and rumored to be Chanel in the Fall 09'.

One more swatch below.    

To add a little jazz to Mint Mojito, I applied some blue tips with Sally Hansen's nail art pen. This probably wouldn't look half bad if I didn't gnaw off my pinky nail the day before!

Have a great night and Monday morning!

FEATURED - Tuesday, May 5th 2009

Pedi of the Day: CNY Summer in the City

Hope your having a fabulous Tuesday! Today's pedicure of the day is a perfect spring color that the lovely Karla Sugar helped me pick out on Twitter.

Carolyn's Summer in the City is described as a pastel yellow creme that applied fairly well with three coats and looks fab on toes. Although, you could probably get by with two thicker coats.

You know with my nail art obsession in high gear, I just couldn't resist adding some cute lil teal polka dots. The polka dots really pop on this pastel yellow, Love!

Check out one more swatch below, 

Polka Dots are so fun and easy! Hope you have a fabulous day!

FEATURED - Monday, May 11th 2009

Nail Art of the Day: Silver and Gold Glitter

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a beautiful Mother's Day yesterday. Today I wanted to get a little blingy using L.A. colors nail art polishes in silver and gold glitter. Nail art polishes are pretty easy to find online or in stores, and you don't necessarily have to get L.A. color's brand.

I started with very few supplies: Sally Hansen's Blackout, L.A. Colors Art Deco silver & gold nail art glitter and fast dry topcoat. Most nail art polishes have a fine detailed brush that makes drawing lines super easy.

Check out some more designs below.

 

The design pictured above is my favorite by far and would look hot for a special occasion. Hope your having a fabulous Monday! What do you guys think?

FEATURED - Thursday, May 28th 2009

Pedi of the Day: Knockout's Ox with Polka Dots

Hope your having a wonderful Thursday! Today's pedicure, one I featured last week, Knockout's new plummy purple matte, Ox. I gotta say, I'm really impressed with the wear on these babies.

Note: In the picture above, no topcoat was used. The sun along with my moisturizer gives the impression of a glossy look.  

Last weekend, before my big painting extravaganza at the house, I applied one coat of Ox and didn't have the chance to finish up the second until today. And, the one coat wear was simply amazing. No chips nor imperfections. Very impressive - espically without a topcoat

Check out one more swatch below.

This design is inspired from one of my favorite nail bloggers, Michelle. After seeing her matte and glossy nail art, I just had to try it. The look is very subtle and sleek. I really loved the combination together. You'll definitely see me sporting around more Matte and Glossy looks.

What I used: Knockout's Ox, CNY New York, New Year and a dotting tool for the polka dots. If you don't have any matte nail polish, invest in a topcoat that transforms all your polishes to matte. OPI, Orly and Knockout Cosmetics makes one.

Don't forget to enter the SH giveaway, winners will be announced next Friday. What do you guys think of the Matte and Glossy look? Have a wionderful day!

Love Matte polishes? Check out some other swatches from Knockout Cosmetics. 

FEATURED - Sunday, June 7th 2009

Pedi of the Day: Teal with Yellow Polka Dots

Happy Sunday! Hope your having a fabulous weekend so far. Monday and Tuesday I'm jetting off camping with some close friends, and wanted something to coordinate with my bathing suit for the next couple of days. And wouldn't you know it - Polka Dots. Yes, I'm obsessively addicted to polka dot nail art and don't care who knows it. I just luv them!

Why do I love polka dots so much? It's super easy, super cute, and never goes out of style. And, perhaps one of the easiest types of nail art out there. As long as you can dot with your non dominant hand (which you can), your golden.

The Supplies:

What I used: L.A. Girls Flare in Tropical for base color (or any teal cream), acrylic paint (or yellow nail polish), Dotting Tool (or a toothpick using the end) and fast dry topcoat.

Why do I use Acrylic paint vs Nail Polish? Actually, I use both. But there's a couple reasons why I prefer paint over polish. Acrylic paint wipes off super easy if you make any errors, whereas nail polish don't. Acrylic paint also has a thicker consistency than nail polish that makes dotting more precise and easy.

The only true drawback with Acrylic paint - since the paint is a thicker consistency, the surface may be bumpy or uneven and you may need an additional topcoat. No biggie, just make sure you use a fast dry topcoat.

Update: Some of you may have noticed my posts are lacking this week, that's because I'm giving my nails a breather and should resume mid next week. Click here to see what's to come!  

Have a fabulous Sunday!

FEATURED - Sunday, June 21st 2009

Fall Collection: MAC and Jin Soon Nail Lacquer

Coming soon Manicurist, Jin Soon Choi and M.A.C Cosmetics collaborate this Fall with a limited edition nail lacquer collection. A release of six, creamy shades to be introduced in September '09.

• Cool Reserve - Midtone Gray Lavendar
• For Fun - Rich Purple
• Dance All Night - Brick Red
• Rich Dark Delicious - Rich Blackened Brown
• Dry Martini - Khaki Olive Green
• Beyond Jealous - Blackened Blue Green  

I'm super excited about this collection. For one, I absolutely love Jin Soon Choi's work. Two, it's a collection dedicated to nail polish addicts!

A few months ago, I posted some of Jin Soon's work that was featured in Teen Vogue. Click here to check out some of my recreations of Soon's nail art designs.

This collection should be available September '09.

{Source: Specktra}

FEATURED - Thursday, June 25th 2009

Nail Art of the Day: White with Navy Blue Tips

Happy Thursday! Hope your morning is off to a wonderful start. It's creeping closer to Friday, which makes me a happy little camper. I was thinking, it's been a while since I last dragged out my favorite Sally Hansen nail art pens.

This is one of my favorite combinations that was featured in the promo ad last January, and I just love it! This would also look fab on your tootsies - I may need to try that soon.

What I used: Orly White out nail polish for base or any french white cream, Sally Hansen's nail art pen in blue and SH Insta Dri for topcoat.

Hope you have a fantastic day - think positive thoughts!

FEATURED - Thursday, July 2nd 2009

Nail Art of the Day: French with Black Tips

Happy Thursday, or shall I say Friday for some of us. Woot, Woot! Today I'm bringing you another design using my favorite Sally Hansen's nail art pen in Black. It's very rare...well, next to never that you'd see me sport a french with my natural nail. But, I wanted to mix it up a bit and try one with black tips.

Today I learned something about these nail art pens that I never knew. Don't EVER attempt to use these on your natural nails without a base coat, they will severly stain your nails.

Check out one more swatch below. 

You know me and my polka dot fetish, I just couldn't resist. And, I really love the pink polka dots versus the black tips alone.

Have a great 4th of July weekend! And, please be safe!

FEATURED - Saturday, July 4th 2009

Nail Polish of the day: My 4th of July Mani

Happy Independence day everyone! Today marks the Fourth of July in the US, a celebration commemorating the adopotion of the Declaration of Indpepence on July 4th, 1776 declaring independence from Great Britain! Ok, enough with the history lesson Steph, on to Nails!!

When I think of the fourth of July, of course I think about food, good company and beer (lol), foremost fireworks and explosions come to mind...So, I wanted to create something blingy for that extra sparkle.

Update: To make a long story short, I wasn't satisfied with my first 4th of July nail design and this is my second finished design. I like it so much better! 

Check out my supplies below: 

What I used: Claire's Liberty (red), Maybelline's Twinkle, Twinkle (blue), Art Deco (glitter) and Sally's dotting tool.

Hope ya'll are having a wonderful 4th of July. It's actually raining here, but we have plans for tomorrow too!

What's everyone's mani for today? Check out some of my blogger gals: All Lacquered Up, Scrangie, The NailPhile, CasualLavish.

FEATURED - Monday, July 6th 2009

NOTD: Chanel Robertson with Polka Dots

Update: This post was intended for yesterday, but didn't want to update. It must be those Monday blues.

Happy Monday! Hope ya'll had a wonderful 4th of July weekend, for those who celebrated. Today I'm revisiting Chanel's Robertson Blvd collection from last summer.

Initially, this collection received a lot of buzz through blogs and magazine promo ad's, but the outcome wasn't nearly an instant sell out. However, I did like this collection. Particularly, how each shade coordinates perfectly together, especially paired up with cute lil' polka dots.

Application was perfect on these. All were used with only two coats. Hope you have a wonderful day! I'll be posting Pure Ice Strapless, that's actually my NOTD for today.

FEATURED - Saturday, July 11th 2009

Pedi of the Day: Black with White Polka Dots

Hope your having a fabulous Saturday peeps! Tonight, me and the hubb are hitting a local bar for some Karaoke fun at our favorite wing place! Not that you would catch me singing or anything, but my husband can sure carry a tune. It's always entertaining watching everyone else!

Originally, when I started this classic Black and white polka dot design, it was full force dots. Now, as you see, it's only half that.

The best thing about acrylic paint, you can wipe or pick the dots right off, as long as you haven't sealed with a topcoat. That's exactly what happened in my case (I picked the suckers right off with my nail lol), and I really like the subtle effect of the dots.

Check out one more picture below.

 Have a great weekend! You guys have any Saturday plans?

FEATURED - Wednesday, July 22nd 2009

Knockout Cosmetics: Black Matte Goodness

Happy humpety, hump day! Hopefully your day is starting off right. With all the Matte rage we've been seeing for Fall, one noticeable color that's MIA, a black flatte with no visible shimmer and Knockout Cosmetics makes one of the best to date.

Unlike most Knockout shades, Black flatte dries to a true "matte" finish opposed to other KO colors that are more "satin" like. So, if you looking for a true black matte, Knockout's Black is your answer!

I'm convinced that the only drawback to these babies is the hefty price tag. But no more than Chanel or Dior and you get an enormous .56 ounces.

And you guessed it, polka dots! Check out some pics below. 

Ooh, I just love glossy dots on matte!

This is one of my favorite looks using light gray acrylic paint for my polka dots.

Knockout's black flatte is available at KO Knockout and retails for $19.00/ea. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

FEATURED - Thursday, August 6th 2009

How To: Black Tips with Blue Polka Dots

Happy Thursday, Peeps! Hopefully you're having a fantastic morning! A few Saturday's ago, I attended my sister n law's wedding and sported this cute little number using Sally Hansen's Nail Art Pen and China Glaze's For Audrey. It was a huge hit, needless to say!

My followers may remember a sneak peak photo I posted this week on Twitter. The design is super easy using just a few necessary tools. 

Supplies you'll need: Sally Hansen's Nail art pen in Black, China Glaze For Audrey nail polish or any desired shade, and a dotting tool or toothpick.

I say this with extreme caution, always use some type of base or top coat before you apply Sally Hansen's art pen (darker shades). If you don't, the black will severly stain your nails. Seriously, I'm talking about stain mayhem!

For your base coat, I recommend going with a non glossy version if possible. Since the nail art pens are water based, it may be a bit challenging to cover the slick, glossiness with one application.   

Apply one or two applications to your tips. Dry completely for 10 minutes. Tip: I have better luck using the side of the nail art pen verses the tip, it's all about personal preference.

Put a small amount of nail polish in foil and start making dots! Take your dotting tool or toothpick, dip the end point in polish and let the dots flow onto your nail. Don't press too hard.

Tips for creating dots: Be patient, take your time. And, practice, practice, practice! Before you start, try messing around on sheet of paper so you don't ruin your mani. When positioning dots, I always use a diagonal pattern. It's much easier than vertical or horizontal placement. 

Tada! Finish with a fast dry top coat and your good as gold. Easy enough, no?

Have a fabulous Thursday!

FEATURED - Sunday, August 16th 2009

NOTD: RBL Yellow Fever Matte, OPI Ink

Happy Sunday! Hope y'all are having a fantastic weekend! Today I'm bringing you a few Nail polish of the day swatches to make up for my absence this past week. Let's start with the gorgeous OPI Ink.

Ink was my favorite color released in the Summer 07 Night Brights collection. It's a gorgeous mixture between blue and puple with pink shimmer that's really fabulous! If your a blue and purple fanatic, Ink is a must have.

On Saturday, I met up with two lovely bloggers from the Ohio Region, Michelle from All Lacquered Up, Sarah from Pretty in Dayton and sported this sunny color. We had a great time chatting and shopping at the Fashion Place in Cleveland, OH.

It's been a while since I've pulled out my Rescue Beauty Lounge polishes and I forgot how fabulous the quality is! The horse of all nail polishes that's superior, really?! And I just couldn't resist adding a matte coat to Yellow Fever. Totally loved this mattified!

Surprise! One more pedi swatch to end the day. This was really simple and quick using Sally Hansen's nail art pen and my dotting tool.

How was everyone's weekend? Have a great night!

FEATURED - Tuesday, September 1st 2009

Nail Art of the Day: Pink with Black Polka Dots

Good morning and Happy Tuesday! How was everyone's weekend? It's been super busy at Steph's Closet. In the next month or so, I plan on revamping the entire site for my lovely readers. So expect user friendly searches along with cool features and loads of new pictures in my Photo Gallery. Please bear with me in this long transition.

Let's move on to the next order of business, Nails! And today I'm bringing you my favorite nail art, cute lil' Polka Dots using my handy dotting tool! For this design I used Color Club's Vintage Couture nail polish and black acrylic paint for the dots.

Have you guys picked up a dotting tool from Sally's yet? Don't be intimidated, it's super easy I promise! You can even apply with your non dominant hand.

Check out one swatch below.

 

Hope you have a wonderful day! 

FEATURED - Friday, September 4th 2009

MAC Cosmetics: Nail Trend FW 09 by Jin Soon

Collection: MAC Nail Trend F/W 09, Nail Lacquer .34 oz

Price: $12.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: MAC Cosmetics, MAC Stores

More than a colour statement, an of-the-moment approach that dazzles with innovation and style. How to do it? Enter Jin Soon, much-sought-after nail guru who has worked the shows, collaborating with us to create nail colours exclusively for M∙A∙C.

I’m excited to bring you MAC’s latest collaboration called Nail Trend, created by professional nail artist, Jin Soon Choi. In this new collection, we have a variety of six falltastic runway colors ranging from luscious chocolate to blackened teal, army green to party purple and cool lavender to brick house red.

A little Jin Soon Choi  Aside from Jin’s incredible talent, she owns a Natural Hand and Foot Spa located in New York City where you’ll find the best nail art around - even the celebrities are taking notice. Known for her “No Airbrush” rule, you’ll walk out with a Choi masterpiece.

Are you ready for some swatches?

Cool Reserve is one cool Cat and I have nothing close to compare. It's a grayed out lavender creme that coordinates perfectly with the ongoing gray trend.

Dry Martini, not quite olive nor army green - perhaps a mix of both rolled around in the mud. As much as I raise my eyebrows with Dry Martini, I find myself drawn to the strange and unusual color.  

Beyond Jealous, a blackened Teal and just in case you're wondering, Beyond Jealous is a bit greener compared to Sephora's Dark Room. But, both are similar. 

Dance All Night, A red brick house creme. 

Rich, Dark, Delicous is one of my faves from the collection, a blackened chocolate with very subtle shimmer that dries to a creamy texture.  

 

For Fun is a fun party purple, and paired up with MAC's Peppermint Patti makes one sassy combination. Don't you love how the mint green polka dots pop on this purple grape?

All in All, Nail Trends F/W 09 hit the spot. Each cream shade flowed perfectly on my nails with minor application issues. And, not to mention the fabulous color selection to choose from.

What do you guys think? Love this, hate this? Favorites? 

FEATURED - Tuesday, September 15th 2009

Chanel Jade Collection: Swatches, Review

Product: Chanel Jade Collection, LE Vernis Nail Colour 0.4 oz

Price: $25.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Chanel, Boutiques

The time is here Ladies and Gents! Ever since the debut of Jade at Chanel's Fall 09' Fashion Runway Show, I couldn't wait to get my grubby little hands on this gorgeous minty green shade.

In this new collection, we have two limited edition shades from Chanel, Jade and Jade Rose. Both shades are lightly sprinkled with a dose of shimmer. I'm talking very subtle, almost non existent shimmer. My application required three full coats to achieve bottle color. 

Let's move on to the swatches! 

This year, mint green hit the scene bigger than ever and Jade fits the bill perfectly. A gorgeous mint green with a dash of faint shimmer that makes this different from most greens I own.  

Jade Rose is a soft pink beige with extremely subtle pink shimmer. With my skin tone, Jade Rose turned out very "neutral-ish" on me. It's a cross between Essie's Eternal Optimist and Not Just a Pretty Face minus the shimmer, which isn't very noticeable anyways.

And for the polka dot lover in all of us!

All in All, the superstar in this collection is clearly the beautiful Jade. Although I'd hope the shimmer would be more visible, I'm happy with the overall color.

The Jade collection is only available online at Chanel or Chanel Boutiques and retails for $25/ea.

FEATURED - Friday, September 18th 2009

Product Review: Hot Topic Press on Nail Polish

Product: Hot Topic Press on Nail Polish

Price: $4.99

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Hot Topic Stores

Happy Friday Divas! If you're following me on twitter you've already seen a sneak peek of my uber cool mani from last weekend. Let's break it down and see what this Press on nail polish is all about!

Press on Nail Polish you say? Yes! If you'd ask this Addict about Press on Nail Polish a few months ago, I'd just roll my eyes and shake my head in shame. Because fact of the matter, I can paint my nails faster than fooling around with this little package. But, Hot Topic had me at Leopard!

This isn't your typical Press on Nail Polish...It's a gradient of neon colors with a Leopard style design! The nail art is a huge bonus. For me, it would be next to impossible to replicate this look without Minxing it. If your not familiar with Minx, it's a polymer nail covering that uses heat to adhere to the nail.

Think stickers for your nails. While Minx uses a heating process, these don't. Each package includes a total of 16 stickers, 8 different nail sizes. With the misfortune of my small nail beds, any pre-sized artificial nail or sticker usually runs ten times bigger. Needless to say, I had to customize each one with my handy cosmetic scissors.

Application is the most important step. The true enemy is air. When applying the sticker to your nail, make sure it's completely sealed with no air gaps. Flatten and finish edges with a nail file to take off remaining excess.

If applied correctly, the nail polish stickers may last a good 3+ days. To remove, remove gently by peeling from edge.

Check out one more swatch below.

Easy enough? Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

FEATURED - Wednesday, September 30th 2009

Victoria's Secret Pink Me Up Polish and Bling

Product: Victoria's Secret Pink me up, Nail Polish & Bling .29 oz

Price: $7.00/ea or 3/$15

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Victoria's Secret, VS Stores

When I stopped in Victoria's Secret last week, the SA grabbed me and directed me straight towards Pink's new line of color cosmetics called, Pink Me Up. I was instantly drawn in to the juicy hues of Nail Polish! While most products in this collection appeared a little "girl-ish" for my taste, I was excited to test out two sassy nail colors from the line. Let's get to the deets, shall we?

Each bottle is packaged with crystal and nail bling located in the upper cap. It's a flip top that's easily accessible and can be refillable with any brand of nail art deco.

Check out an example below.  

Will I ever use the crystals? Probably not, but don't quote me. If you love nail bling, the bottles can come in handy to store the tiny rascals when you're traveling.

The colors I tested were opaque, and applied smooth like butta with no true formula issues.

Check out the swatches below.  

Wow is a bright sunny yellow creme. Like most yellows, you'll need three full coats to even out.

Yes is much prettier in person. It's a deep, navy blue with blue and green micro shimmer.

Overall, A little pricey for .29 oz, but if you take advantage of 3/$15 it breaks down to $5.00/pop. Nice formula, brush and application.

What do you guys think? Yah or Nah?

FEATURED - Wednesday, December 2nd 2009

Essie Sweet Time of the Year: Winter Collection

Product: Essie Winter 2009 Collection, Nail Lacquer 0.5 oz

Price: $8.00 Retail

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Essie, Professional Salons, E-tailers

It's that Sweet, Sweet time of the year and this Winter Essie whips up three fun n' fresh, candy coated colors sure to please your cravings!

In this limited edition collection, we have a mixture of three juicy hues of red, pink and a luscious creme de menthe dessert you don't want to pass up. Each color applied like butter. The formula was pure perfection!

Check em' out! 

Lollipop is a juicy, mouth-watering red creme/jelly. It's a bit sheer and transparent on my nails as you can see in my first picture above.

Rock Candy is a sheer pink that's very Essie-esque.

I was most excited to swatch Mint Candy Apple and she does not disappoint! A perfect combination of blue and green pastel that's very unique. Looks great on most skin tones too!

For my dupe lovers, Mint Candy Apple is one of a kind. More blue than most mint greens I own, but not quite as blue as For Audrey.

And for my dotters!

It wouldn't be the same without some fun polka dots? Which is your favorite? I think I like the red with mint green dots best.

Overall, Good Collection. A fun and refreshing breath of Holiday color. Mint Candy Apple is simply amazing; a definite must have Diva's! Application and formula perfecto!

Spill the beans, who picked up Mint Candy Apple? How fabulous is it? Have a wonderful night! 

FEATURED - Tuesday, December 22nd 2009

OPI Suede Collection: Swatches, Review

Collection: OPI Suede Collection, Nail Lacquer .5 oz

Retail Price: $8.50/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Professional Salons, E-tailers

Be Per-Sueded with the richness and luxury of Suede by OPI. A new collection of six best selling colors available in lush, shimmering metallic finishes.

The matte craze has exploded this year - from flatte paint and shimmering textures to the pure brilliance of no-shine top coats. There's pretty much a choice for everyone and every budget. Following up from the previous Matte collection, OPI introduces one-of-a-kind, Suede.

Shall I start raving now, or save it for later? These are spectacular. Each color is insanely opaque and loaded with glistening, metallic shimmer that dries to a satin or velvety finish.

Before we get to the goods, let's take a minute to recap application. Like most matte polishes, it's not recommended to wear a base coat. But in my personal experience, a base coat don't hurt as long as your nails are completely dry and free of natural oils or lotions. Another difference is the formula. Smooth, flawless and perfect. Bravo, OPI!

Check em' out!

You Don't Know Jacques Suede started a new era of the mushroom color, released in the Fall 08 Le Collection De France is a golden brown with silver shimmer.

 You Don't Know Jacques with glossy top coat.

Russian Navy Suede was my first navy blue crush, released from the Winter '07 Russian Collection is a blue with silver shimmer. 

Russian Navy Suede with glossy top coat.

We'll Always Have Paris released from the Fall '08 La Collection De France is a purple plum with silver shimmer.

We'll Always Have Paris with gloss top coat. 

Lincoln Park After Dark released from the Winter '05 collection is a purple with silver shimmer. 

Lincoln Park After Dark with glossy top coat.

Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees Suede released from Winter '09 La Coleccion de Espana is a charcoal grey with silver shimmer. It's much different from the orginial, smokey blue shade.

Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees with glossy top coat.

Ink Suede released from the Summer '07 Night Brights Collection is a blue-purple with silver shimmer. Ink is just a tad more purple compared to Russian Navy Suede.

Ink Suede with glossy top coat.

Mixing combinations can be so much fun! How cute is We'll Always Have Paris with polka dots?

All in All, Fabulous collection! The Suedes are versatile - you can wear them glossy or matte; both ways look great. Smooth formula and flawless application.

What do you guys think of the Suede Collection? Which ones did you pick up? Have a wonderful night!

Quick Poll

FEATURED - Thursday, December 24th 2009

Tis The Season To Be Mint Green

Merry Christmas Eve, all! To celebrate this festive holiday, I wanted to kick off with some minty green nail spam for your viewing pleasures. Enjoy!

(Above) Chanel Le Vernis in Jade

 MAC Cosmetics Nail Lacquer in Peppermint Patti

OPI Nail Lacquer in Damone Roberts 1968

 OPI Nail Lacquer in Hey! Get in Lime

Essie in Mint Candy Apple 

RGB Cosmetics Nail Polish in Minty 

American Apparel Nail Polish in Office 

OPI Nail Lacquer in Creme de Menthe 

Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Milf 

Avon in Teal Waters 

Claire's Cosmetics Nail Polish in Dream Catcher 

Nicole by OPI Nail Color in Hint of Mint 

And a little polka dot nail art for fun!

Those are a few of my favorites. Click here to check out more Minty goodness. Do you love this cool, pastel-y color? What's your faves?  

Wishing you a safe and wonderful Christmas!

FEATURED - Saturday, January 2nd 2010

Chanel Spring 2010: Les Impressions De Chanel

Product: Les Impressions De Chanel Collection, Nail Lacquer .40 oz

Price: $23.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Chanel, Chanel Counters, Nordies

This Spring, the Les Impressions de Chanel collection brings us a palette of three neutral nail lacquers ranging from sheer pink and classic nude to a grayed out muddy brown.

Let's get to the swatches, shall we?

Tendresse is a soft pink that's your typical spring shade. Tendresse may not be completely sheer like most neutral pinks. You can get by with three coats for decent coverage and four coats for full coverage. 

Chanel describes Particuliere as a grey creme, which is a little misleading. It fits into the mushroom/taupe/brown category. All you need is two coats to get the job done - the pigmentation is fabulous. If you're into mushroom shades right now, this is definitely worth the splurge.

I have some bad news for your pocketbooks. Particuliere does not have an exact dupe. It falls somewhere between OPI's Over the Taupe and Avon's Nocturnal. OPI's leans towards a mauvey-brown and Avon's is much darker like You Don't Know Jacques.

Edit: I've had a lot of questions regarding Essie's Mink Muffs and Orly's Prince Charming as close dupes. Just to clarify, both colors are much darker than Chanel Particuliere. Check out another comparison of Mink Muffs. 

Inattendu is a classic nude-beige cream with peachy undertones. A nice Au Naturel with good coverage, but not for me.

Overall, a nice selection of neutrals for Spring. Particuliere is the standout color from Les Impressions. Inattendu and Tendresse are nice, but can easily be duped. if you're looking for flesh or mannequin type shades, Essie has a good variety to choose from.

Does Particuliere live up to your expectations? Are you picking up any shades from Les Impressions? Have a wonderful Saturday!  

FEATURED - Sunday, January 3rd 2010

Sneak Peek: Barielle A Bouquet for Ava

Collection: Barielle A Bouquet for Ava, Nail Lacquer .5 oz

Retail Price: $8.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Barielle - Available in February

Shades by Barielle blooms into Spring with six floral themed hues to the Wildflower Collection.  This release includes Blossom - an opaque peach, Snapdragon - a metallic sea foam green and Darling Dahlia - a deep fuchsia with a hint of silver metallic.

Three additional colors pay tribute to women close to Barielle who are still battling breast cancer. A Bouquet for Ava - a cool caribbean blue, June Bug - a teal with fuchsia glitter and Myrza's Meadow - a light lime green with silver glitter.  100% of the proceeds from A Bouquet for Ava, June Bug and Myrza's Meadow will be donated to The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund when purchased at ocrf.org.

Today I'm bringing you a sneak peek at the stunning, A Bouquet for Ava, created by Elle.

A Bouquet for Ava is a refreshing breath of caribbean air. It's a deep, cool blue that's perfect! This leans towards teal a bit, but not a dusty teal like Misa's Dirty, Sexy, Money. Spectacular and unique!

As far as dupes, Barielle's is darker and more teal compared to ChG Shower Together. 

And for the Polka Dot lover!  

Barielle's Blossom paired up with A Bouquet for Ava makes a great combination for Spring.

What do you think of A Bouquet for Ava? Are you excited about Barielle's upcoming Wildflower Collection?

Enough teasing, are you guys ready for some swatches?

Full Disclosure: The following product(s) was provided to Steph's Closet by the manufacture and/or PR company for consideration. 

FEATURED - Saturday, January 9th 2010

Shades by Barielle: Wildflower Spring Collection

Product: Barielle Wildflower Collection, Nail Lacquer .5 oz

Price: $8,00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Barielle starting in Feb, ocrf.org.

Happy Saturday Divas! After all this snow, I know I'm ready for Spring. And Shades by Barielle celebrates with six stylish colors to look forward to.

Last week you saw a sneak peek at the gorgeous, A Bouquet for Ava. Today I'm bringing you the remainder of The Wildflower Collection, starting with the shades that benefit The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund created by, Elle.

Celebrity Manicurist and Barielle's Creative Director Elle says, "It means so much to develop a collection that hits so close to home with women affected by ovarian cancer. Having my best friend pass away from the disease, I feel honored to be part of something that gives back."

Let's jump to the swatches, shall we?  

June Bug is a grayed-out blue with subtle shimmer and fuchsia glitter. The combination of pink glitter and blue shimmer is fab!. Two coats for full coverage; dries to a non gritty finish.

Myrza's Meadow  is a semi sheer, light lime green with silver holographic glitter. Even though the holographic effect is mild, it's a step in the right direction. I would love to see more holo's from Barielle.

A Bouquet for Ava is a cool, caribbean blue creme with a touch of teal. 

100% of proceeds from June Bug, Myrza's Meadow and A Bouquet for Ava will be donated to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund when purchased through ocrf.org. How incredibly cool is that? A 100%! If you're interested in these colors, I encourage everyone to call and order. The retail cost is $8.00 and phone number is (212) 268-1002. Free Shipping and it's for a great cause!

Having fun with A Bouquet for Ava and Blossom. 

Blossom is an opaque peachy creme. The color is pretty... very spring and summery. Since the formula was a bit on the thick side, I had application issues. Just be sure to apply in thin coats to avoid streaking.

Snap Dragon - is a frosty sea foam green metallic. Love the fresh green... but me and metallics never seem to get along.

Darling Dahlia - is a fuchsia with shimmer. The base is a jelly like berry with extremely subtle shimmer. Application was good with three coats.

Overall, Great Collection! A fun, refreshing mix of Spring colors that benefit a good cause. As always, Barielle's formula is Big 3 Free.

Do you like this collection? What are some of your favorite colors? Have a wonderful weekend.

Full Disclosure: The following product(s) was provided to Steph's Closet by the manufacturer or PR company for consideration.  

FEATURED - Friday, January 15th 2010

MAC in Lillyland Collection: Coconut Ice, Steamy

Product: MAC in Lillyland Collection, Nail Lacquer .40 oz

Price: $12.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: MAC, Macy's, Nordies

"When MAC meets the lore and legend that is Lilly Pulitzer, you get a fabulous and funky fun new chapter: a bit of Mar-a-Lago, some well-to-do winky-wink, and a dash of retro-modern pop culture mayhem in prints and colours that make it hip to be in permanent happy land!

MAC Cosmetics newest collection, MAC in Lillyland launches with two fresh and colorful Nail Lacquers for Spring. Steamy, a permanent color, is a hot pink creme and Coconut Ice, limited edition, is a peachy sorbet treat.

Check out the swatches.

Coconut Ice is a yummy confectionary sweet made from coconut, sugar, eggs, and milk. Depending on the food coloring, it can range between a whitish/red or pink tint.

MAC represents Coconut Ice in the Lillyland collection as a bright peachy-pink creme perfect for Spring and Summer on those tootsies.

Do we really have to talk about the formula... because I'm so bummed with a capital B? Gorgeous shade, but the application was troublesome. No matter what method I tried, I couldn't get away from streak lines.

Check out some comparisons below. 

Coconut Ice is brightened, less pastel and more pink compared to MAC's Seasonal Peach. A good alternative is Barielle's Blossom, which leans towards peach.

Steamy is a MAC core line shade, described as a hot pink creme.

Are you feeling Coconut Ice? Did you pick up anything from MAC in Lillyland Collection? Have a wonderful Friday! TGIF!

FEATURED - Saturday, January 30th 2010

Preview: Color Club Who Are You Wearing

Happy Saturday! How is everyone enjoying their weekend so far? This morning Mother Nature came knockin' at my door and left a load of white stuff we all love (ha, ha). .  But I'm ready to move on to Spring, aren't you?  So let's start with a preview from Color Club's newest collection called, Rebel Debutante.

Who Are You Wearing is one of nine new colors from Color Club this Spring. Hmm... How do we describe this one? A little bit of white, beige and lavender combined in a semi sheer, creme formula.

Since the formula was a bit sheer, I did have some application problems. The first two coats applied rather streaky, but I was able to even things out with the third. Nonetheless, I love the color and was determined to make this work. It pops with tan or darker skin tones!

Check out a comparison below. 

 

Who Are You Wearing falls somewhere between Light Affair and Lavender Cloud. Not as beige as MAC's and not as stark as Sally's.

Having some polka dot fun with the collection colors!  

What do you guys think of Who Are You Wearing? Stay tuned, I'll be posting the reminder of Rebel Debutante in a couple days!

FEATURED - Thursday, February 4th 2010

Milani 3D Holographic Collection for Spring

Product: Milani 3D Holographic, Nail Lacquer .5 oz

Retail Price: $4.25 - $5.99/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Meijer, CVS, Kmart

This Spring, Milani Cosmetics enters the realm of 3D with an assortment of new products consisting of Nail Lacquers and Makeup inspired by the blockbuster flick, Avatar.

When I heard that one of my favorite drugstore brands was unveiling a line of Neon, 3D Holographic and Nail Art polishes I was ecstatic and couldn't wait to test these babies out myself. Well the time is finally here, after a sneak peek at Fashion Week last September, Milani finally launches nationwide at stores.

If you're familiar with holographic or prismatic shades, then you can relate these to the Kaleidoscope Collection from China Glaze. The rainbow effect isn't nearly as strong; the large, glitter-like particles tend to break up the hologram a bit more compared to others.

The formula is light, airy and dries to a smooth, non-gritty finish with three coats. Have fun!  Try experimenting with different layering combinations for the ultimate look of sparkling, brilliant cut diamonds.

Check em' out! 

I haven't had a chance to check out Avatar, but when I do Cyberspace is the perfect accessory to tag along with for a total 3D experience. Even better, add some depth with Milani's Neon Dude Blue. 

HD - is a silver holographic.

3D - is a gold holo.

Hi-Res - is a light purple holo. To add more color, try using a coordinating base color like Milani's Rad Purple. 

Digital - is a pink holo.

Hi-Tech is absolutely fabulous! If you only pick one, this is your go to gal. Keep in mind, my swatches are NOT even close to being accurate, it's a bright (not neon) spring green with strong holo effect. Totally awesome with three coats!

Overall, Great collection! If you need a spur of the moment holo polish, Milani's are readily available at stores. The price may be a little on the high side, but if you figure in shipping costs and time for online ordering it all balances out.

To my knowledge (98%), Milani's Neon, 3d and Nail Art products are permanent items. I can't completely back that up until we starting seeing these more widespread. Look out for special BOGO (buy one, get one free) sales.

What do you guys think? Has anyone picked these up? I would love to hear feedback and what stores you've seen these? Have a wonderful pre-friday!

Feel free to link to this post; under no circumstances should my pictures be used without permission. 

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