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Polka Dots

FEATURED - Thursday, June 19th 2008

Givenchy Fall Makeup 2008: Sweet Dandy Collection

The Autumn and Winter 2008 makeup collections promo pictures are starting to surface.  Most fall collections are slated for the end of July to mid August.  Random fact: my beauty wardrobe completely lacks any givenchy makeup.  I'm looking to change that soon - starting off by the gorgeous, Le Vernis nail polish and smokey eyeshadow quad.  Check out the color story and promo pictures below.

Pocket Beauty Case Accessory for Glowing Lips and Cheeks $55.00 (Sweet Dandy)

Prisme Again! Shimmer Eyes Mat & Shimmering Eyeshadow Quartet $49.50 in Smoky Shimmer and 44 Precious Shimmer

Prisme Libre Loose Powder Quartet Air Sensation $63.00 in Dandy Beige

Captiv’Eyes Intense Volume Mascara Magnetic Eyes $25.00 in Dandy Black

Magic Khôl Eye Liner Pencil $21.50 in Dandy Blue

Rouge Interdit Satin Lipstick Irresistible Color $26.50 in Romantic Dandy and Fatal Dandy

Pop Gloss Crystal Crystal Lip Gloss $23.50 in Romantic Dandy and Fatal Dandy

Polka dots dress up! These two customized harmonies are reminiscent of a dandy’s basic deconstructed three-piece suit. A matte texture and three complementary glowing shades offer two ways of creating sophisticated, smoky eyes.  Smoky Shimmer: three dense, shiny black shades softened by a matte white base for grey tones coloured with blue, white and purple pearlescent particles.

Rouge Interdit lets you show off two sides of your charm with two different languages to express your femininity: Romantic Dandy pinkish beige for a naturally flushed look, and pure, intense Fatal Dandy red, the most dangerous lipstick around! Matching Pop Gloss Crystal in pinkish beige or intense red can be used alone for glossy, transparent colour or as a top coat to accentuate shine.

Nail polish addicts - saving the best for last...

Le Vernis. Limited Edition
The nails look as if they have been dipped in a starry night. Male codes meet female codes in luminous Dandy Moiré navy-blue varnish.

This beautiful green-blue shimmer nail polish is what orginially pulled me into this collection.  Looking at the promo picture, it looks very familiar to one of my all time polishes, MAC whirlwind.  Needless to say, I haven't found an worthwhile comparison to MAC's color.  So, I'm pretty excited to see this color in real life.

{Source: Temptalia, Kiss and Makeup}

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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - Monday, April 20th 2009

NOTD: Color Club Revvvolution, Electro Candy

Happy Monday, Ya'll! Did you guys miss me? Last Thursday, I took a mini girls weekend trip to Gatlinburg, TN and was hoping to get my NOTD and POTD up, but as you can see that didn't happen.

Color Club's Revvvolution is one of my favorite holo's from the Femme Fatale collection. The color pay-off is incredible with only two coats needed.

Check out my pedicure below. 

My pedicure is Color Club's Electro Candy with black polka dots from the Neon collection. I haven't had a chance to post yet the Neon collection yet, I'm hoping to get to that today after I get caught up with all my emails and comments.

Disclaimer: Neons polishes are much brighter than the actual swatch and looks great on toes. Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

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 - 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 - 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 - Friday, July 3rd 2009

Coming Soon: Sephora by OPI Matte Nail Polish

Can you even handle it? Yep, look what I found lurking on Sephora's site. Coming soon, Sephora by OPI introduces three limited edition shades available in a matte texture. Looks like this is going to be the same gig as OPI's Matte collection with standard core line colours. Let's cross our fingers and hope these are more like OPI's Paz-itively Hot matte. Check out the details below.

Sephora By OPI Matte is inspired by the cutting-edge of style. This breakthrough, no-holds-barred matte finish (available in three of the most popular Sephora by OPI Nail Lacquer shades) is not for everyone. It is for the woman who likes to lead instead of follow and who wants to make a daring fashion statement. Whether you choose an all-matte nail or a matte nail with a matching gloss tip, Sephora by OPI Matte transforms you into a fashionista fatale.

Sephora by OPI Matte does not wear as long as original Sephora by OPI. Do not wear Sephora by OPI Matte with a base coat, top coat, drying products, or hand lotion.

This collection should be available within the next week for a limited time only, retail price is $9.00. Get em' while you can! In the meantime, here's some swatches I messed around with. **Please note, these are not actual matte swatches.

The Matte collection will be available starting in August. Click here to check out the swatches.

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 - Sunday, July 12th 2009

Blast from the Past: OPI Mod About Brights

Happy Sunday everyone! Today I'm resurrecting one of my favorite collections from last summer, OPI's Mod about Brights.

Each week, I'll be featuring an older  collection that's just as fabulous as the present in a new segment on Steph's Closet.

Mod about brights was released in the Summer of 08, with a colorful selection six ultra hip creme shades perfect for the season - that never goes out of style.

Most of my swatches were used with three thin coats, with the exception of a one or two,  which you'll see noted below.

Check em' out! 

Green-wich Village, a fabulous green creme. 

The "It" Color, may be a little to daring for some of us, described as a dirty mustard yellwow.   

Brights Power, hot orange tangerine. 

That's Hot! Pink, your average hot pink creme. 

Mod-ern Girl, was the problem child for me. My version was ultra sheer for some reason. Described as a reddish coral. 

Nowadays we have an excellent selection of blues, but back in the day Dating A Royal was the blue of all blues. A fabulous royal blue creme. 

Couldn't resist adding some orange polka dots to this fabulous blue.

You can still find the Mod about Brights collection available at etailers. Have a great night!

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 - 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!

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