Sassy Cheetah Nails

Hello, lovelies! I received my new stamping plate in the mail from Born Pretty Store and started testing it out right away. The plate I chose is item #19364 on their website ($5.99, for those of you who are interested). It has some geometric patterns on it as well as other fun designs; the circuit board design was the selling point for me.

Above, you can see that the plate is mailed to you well-protected. There is a plastic backing to help prevent the metal from bending during transport, and a blue film covering on the surface to safeguard the plate from scratches. It is important to remove this film! If you don't remove it before using your stamping plate, it won't work for you. Sometimes, these film coverings are clear. Make sure to scratch at a corner of your plate to see if something will begin peeling up.

In this sassy cheetah design, I used a base of "Rohan" from Regal Ween Lacquer and dark purple polish for stamping "Miami at Night" by Color Mates as well as metallic studs from Born Pretty Store (item #7277, $6.99). I really enjoy the way this one turned out.

I made a few other designs using this plate as well. I really had fun with it! Below, you can see two manis I made using Fairytale Finish polish. In the first mani, I simply used black polish to stamp the circuit board design over mint green polish, with a sparkly gray accent nail. In the second mani, I applied a glitterbomb over a gradient, then used the reverse stamping technique for my accent nail. I used purple polish with the stamping plate, picked up the image on my stamper, then colored between the lines with pink and blue polish. I waited for it to dry on the stamper then painted a top coat over the whole thing. After that dried, I peeled the polish off of the stamper and applied it to a wet layer of polish on my nail. I may post a sort of tutorial for this technique later but there are plenty of videos you can find online that describe it in detail.

Overall, I think this stamping plate is a pretty good deal. There is a good variety of images and they work well (of course, matching the right polish and the right stamper to the right plate is always important). One thing I really enjoyed about this plate is that the full-nail images are actually large enough to cover longer nails. I typically have a problem with full-nail images not being long enough to completely cover my nails. The images on this plate would be able to cover my nails even if I grew them out a bit longer! So that's great news for medium or long nail ladies/gents. I noticed that there is another plate they offer with XL sized designs and I can't imagine needing ones that long! My point is, if you think your nails are too long for effective stamping, this may be a good option for you.

See you next time! Feel free to leave a comment if there's something you'd like to see in future blog posts. :) Remember to use discount code FEPX31 if you shop Born Pretty to get 10% off on top of free worldwide shipping!

Born Pretty Review: Beach Sunset Nails

Hello, lovelies! I am really excited to announce that Born Pretty Store has invited me to review items for them. They allowed me to select three items to review: iridescent rhinestones (item #16674, $3.41), tropical water decals (item #17000, $2.25), and combination cleanup brush/dotting tools (item #18200, $7.52). I received the products fairly quickly considering the amount of travel they must to before they reach my home, and they arrived as pictured and described on the website. The rhinestones are black but shine gold/green/blue/purple when the light hits them; they are very lightweight and come in four different sizes. The decals actually surprised me a little, as there are also some white hibiscus flowers and palm trees that I didn't notice online. They are your typical water slide decals: cut out the piece you want to use, soak it in water, then press it on your nail. The instructions are printed on the back in humorously broken English. The brush pack came with five brushes in three sizes (notice the width of the bristles below; the dotting tool end appears to be the same size on each brush).

Now let me share my new mani with you! I wanted to use these items to create something that felt like a vacation on my nails. I started off with a solid white base, then sponged a gradient of purple (Sinful Colors "Go Go Boots"), pink (Wet 'n Wild Wild Shine "Lavender Crème"), and orange (Sinful Colors "Sunburnt") on top.

Of course, sponging on a gradient leaves a mess around your nails so I had to clean up a bit. I used my new cleanup brushes dipped in acetone. This works best if you start around the outer edges of the mess then move on to clean the cuticles. Once I had cleaned up around my nails, I chose my decal and rhinestone placement. The decals work best using lukewarm water, and they really cling to the nail if you fire a blow-dryer at them for a few seconds after they are on your nails. For my rhinestones, I found it easy to use the dotting tool end of my cleanup brush and place dots of clear nail polish, then gently set the rhinestones down on the dots.

Overall, I am very satisfied with these three items. The rhinestones are dark yet have a flash of color and depth. The decals are extremely easy to use and have a nice, clear appearance on the nail. The brushes make cleanup of excess polish around the nail much easier, and have bonus dotting tools for creating designs. As you can see, my messy gradient work cleaned up neatly.

I hope you enjoyed this product review! If you are interested in any of the items I used, feel free to use the code FEPX31 to receive 10% off your order at Born Pretty, as well as free worldwide shipping!

Disclaimer: I received these products free of charge from Born Pretty for honest testing and review purposes. The opinions stated in this post are my own.

Influenster Review: Yves Saint Laurent Effet Faux Cils Mascara

Hello, lovelies! Today I am going to review the Yves Saint Laurent Effet Faux Cils ("false eyelash effect," named for the dramatic impact it has on your lashes) mascara. You may know YSL by their line of luxury cosmetics. They recently unveiled a new formula for a classic product.

This mascara contains pro-vitamins B5 which prevent your lashes from getting that brittle, crusty feeling. YSL also incorporated some oils including sweet almond oil, safflower seed oil, and castor seed oil which not only make it smell wonderful, but also nourish lashes. Wearing this mascara, my eyelashes still felt soft and supple at the end of the day.

YSL has released this mascara in a variety of colors. The color I received is called High Density Black. It creates a bold look that really helps my eyes pop. I like to switch between wearing eyeglasses and contact lenses depending on the day, and I find that my eyes lack energy when I don't have my glasses on. In order to help you see my transformation with this mascara, I've included photos to show before and after mascara shots of how my eyes look with and without glasses.

As you can see, it really boosted the length and volume of my lashes! One thing I like about this product is how it doesn't get clumpy or dried out in the tube. And, of course, who could not love the ultra-chic look of the tube? You can get this mascara for $32 at Sephora and high-end department stores such as Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue. The price is a little higher than what my typical mascara costs (They're Real! by Benefit, $24) but if you have a sensitive nose like me, the smell alone may be worth the extra money. Add soft and nourished lashes to the mix and you may want to give YSL Faux Cils a try.

Disclaimer: I received this product free of charge from Influenster for honest testing and review purposes. The opinions stated in this post are my own. If you would like to sign up to become a product tester/reviewer, you are welcome to use my referral link: www.influenster.com/r/888740

Parallax Polish April Box Review

Hello, lovelies! I am excited to have the honor of reviewing a special new product for you! Parallax Polish http://parallaxpolish.storenvy.com/ sent me a complementary April subscription box. Included in this package were the following: "April Pink" holo polish, "April Almond" cuticle oil, and a prototype of one of the scientist trading cards with cool facts (I got Grace Hopper). My overall impression is positive. The pricing is very reasonable ($14, plus $3 shipping), and you are able to see this month's items before you purchase the box. Another interesting characteristic of Parallax Polish's sub box is that you can customize it! If you don't care for holo in your polish, you can knock the price down. Just want the cuticle oil and not the polish? There's an option for that too. Furthermore, there is no automatic billing, so you never end up paying for something you do not want.

Okay, now on to the product testing! First up, enjoy my swatch of this hot pink holo baby. Application was smooth, and dry time was relatively quick. You can get full coverage easily in 2-3 coats. The finish is a little matte, but I wore glossy topcoat in this photo. Cleanup was neat - no staining of the nails, although it was a little stubborn around my cuticles so I just used an extra cotton ball. I love the bright color and will be wearing it again soon!

Pardon my stained nails, but I wanted you to get the most accurate impression of this oil that I can offer. As you can see, my cuticles look wonderfully moisturized! What you can't see is how great they smell. This nourishing cuticle oil has a subtle almond aroma which is just fantastic. It isn't an overwhelming scent but it's definitely nice-smelling. The consistency is also nice; it is not runny or goopy. I applied a small amount around each nail (a little bit goes a long way), gently massaged it in, then finished with my regular lotion. My hands are feeling so soft.

There you have it! I recommend you check out Parallax Polish if you like the sound of this type of subscription box. I've been enjoying mine! I think that with the flexibility in the ordering process, you can make sure to get exactly what you want.

Disclaimer: I received these products free of charge from Parallax Polish for honest testing and review purposes. The opinions stated in this post are my own.

Estë

Hello, lovelies! I have now learned how to watermark my photos, so my images should look more official. Today I'm going to talk about my Estë-inspired manicure. Estë is one of the Valar from Tolkien's works (e.g., Lord of the Rings). In Middle-earth, she is seen as having the power to heal and restore the hurt and weary. She is often depicted in pink, blue, or green raiment and accompanied by birds or flowers. I wanted to go for a springy and tranquil look. I hope you like the results!

For the base of this manicure, I painted my nails with Wet n Wild Wild Shine in "Tickled Pink," with an accent nail of Finger Paints "Underwater Enchantress". I then sponged a little Wet n Wild Wild Shine "Rain Check" on the tips. Now for the fun part: I received two mystery stamping plates from Born Pretty Store (BPS) and they have perfect images for the look I want. I used plates M64 and M73. I also used a double-ended stamper from BPS which works great for me. The polish I used for stamping is Color Mates "Wanna Punta Cana," which is a creamy soft green with good opacity. Check out my stamping materials below:

The plates worked great for me, and I love that they have a good variety of floral images to choose from. Some of the images seemed to be etched deeper than others, and some had more detail but I think their effectiveness would depend on what kind of polish you use. With this polish, the simpler images looked better in the end as you can see below. Overall, I'm pleased with the results!

Welcome

Hello, all! I have been toying with the idea of creating a blog for a few months... Now I've finally decided to give it a shot! The focus of this blog will be on my nail journey: nail art, swatches, reviews, etc. My goal is that, with my novitiate, I might inspire other amateurs to stretch out of their comfort zones a little. I am by no means a professional nail artist, but I endeavor to create fresh and interesting work. I find it relaxing to just take the time to myself and shift my focus away from my studies for a while. I'll try to keep that lighthearted nature in mind and not become too serious about any of this. While self-care is important for preventing burnout, I have to keep my priorities straight! That being said, I'd like to kick off my blog with a collage of some of my first works. Enjoy!