2007-2008 Top 20: #3 OPI DS Extravagance & #2 Chanel Rouge Noir

#3: OPI Designer Series Extravagance


I never had such a knee-jerk reaction with any polish like Extravagance. The moment I saw it on Scrangie's site, I HAD to have it! This was my first DS buy and still remains my favorite of the five I own. It's a gorgeous dark magenta; my picture does not completely capture how spectacular it is. If you have to pony up money for a color, THIS is worth it for both the color and the application. You won't be disappointed!


#2: Chanel Rouge Noir

For all you price-conscious nail fanatics out there: No, it's not worth the price. There are a lot of cheaper and comparable vampies (Essie Wicked, Zoya Casey, and Revlon Vixen just to name a few). However, I sought out this color like hell. I first wanted it for a friend's wedding but failed to realize that US Vamp was not the same as the 1994 Vamp I remembered. (I don't know why I remembered the 1994 Vamp; I was nine years old! I probably read too much Cosmo at that age.) I ended up with a major FAIL of a color. I didn't want to pony up for the EU Rouge Noir, but I was elated when I heard that the 2008 Holiday gift set included Rouge Noir. Unfortunately, it came at a premium: $57 for the set. It contained three colors, so I thought of it as a "discount" for three Chanel polishes. This color screams sexy; but classy sexy. Considering the hoops I jumped through to obtain it, it ranks at #2.

My addiction is cramping my style.

*sighs*

I remember the days when all it took to house my nail polish collection was a large ceramic bowl. Those days are over.

My collection and other nail accoutrements took up an astounding seven (yes, SEVEN) 6-quart Sterilite boxes and 2 OPI train cases. While I have a rather large bedroom, this was not working out. While out shopping, I keep my eyes peeled for alternative nail polish housing. I've came close a couple times while at thrift stores with spice racks, but I realize that it would take something of epic proportions to keep up with my ever-growing collection. What I found ended up being right under my nose.


This cabinet once housed video cassette tapes...remember those? You know, the big clunky things before DVD? *sarcasm*


If I become more handy, I think I might add a couple more shelves to the cabinet. It seems like it can house much more than it currently does.

I couldn't stand having so many storage boxes strewn all over my room and taking over a desk. Do you have any unique ways of storing your polish?

Nail Inspiration: MWCILTRMND

Nixxy of Nixxy's Nails inspired me to create this post: Men Whose Chests I'd Like To Run My Nails Down!

I think it's original and hilarious. A personal question to other nail fanatics: have you given (intentionally or unintentionally) your significant other/boyfriend/husband/fun buddy nail-related injuries? A back that would be better suited as your cat's scratching post, or maybe even injuries too hilarious/embarrassing for the internet? I will say this though: Acrylics are less apt to these injuries than natural nails. Natural nail scratches tend to make post-fun showers, well, uncomfortable.

On to the mens!


My first MWCILTRMND, Ryan Phillippe, is the star of one of my favorite movies, Cruel Intentions. Sadly enough, I can quote this movie by memory. I was a little upset after hearing he and Reese Witherspoon got divorced, but I will leave it at that.


I know now he's developed into a serious actor, but damn, teen idol or not, he's definitely eye candy. *fans self down*


Keeping things nail-related, Sarah Michelle Gellar's nails in the movie caught my eye. Her dark red nails definitely fit the image of her devious yet classy and sexy character, Kathryn. The color reminds me of Chanel's Tulipe Noire, an LE from Fall 2007.


While Tulipe Noire is a pretty color, it's not worth the Chanel price. There are cheaper (and easier to obtain) dupes out there; it's not very unique.

Hot guys and nail polish...does it get any better than this? ...Unless we're talking gourmet meals cooked by such men AND nail polish, not really :)

Konadicurist-In-Training

Shortly after Christmas, The Polish Addict posted about Gold Fiction, everyone's favorite overpriced polish from Chanel's Fall 2008 line. (Who am I kidding? I dropped 90 bucks the moment I saw that the Moscou collection was available online. *headdesk*) What struck me about the post wasn't the beautiful, shimmery golden goodness, but the back story of how she attained it.

"...But on Christmas Eve, my Mother came home with a little tiny box, inside was Chanel Gold Fiction. It was so incredibly thoughtful of her for so many reasons. First and foremost, it's something that I wouldn't buy for myself and I only told her about it in passing."

This Christmas, something similar happened to me.

Unexpectedly, a male friend texted me out of the blue to let me know that he got a "little something" for me as a Christmas gift and thought that I would really like it. Nervously, I went to his place with BFF1 and he handed me a small gift-wrapped box. Considering that I was also recently and briefly involved with him, I worried that it may be something, well, inappropriate. (In retort to that speculation, he dryly commented, "It would've been in a much bigger box." …Smartass.) I opened the box and gasped…it was a Konad kit! Not only was it a Konad kit, he picked two of the plates I would've chosen: m57 and m63. He was very aware of my nail polish addiction and has heard plenty about it, but I had only briefly mentioned Konad. While I was interested in it, I never thought I would actually own and use Konad. It was definitely one of the best Christmas presents I received this year, next to the Coach sunglasses my baby sister got me.

Coach Sofia sunglasses...not quite as cool as Konad, but close.

Base color: Chanel Or De Russie
Konad color: Chanel Kaleidoscope
Konad plate m57

Base color: Chanel Vendetta
Konad color: China Glaze OMG
Konad plate m63

Even though Christmas has long come and gone, I leave you with the best Christmas special dialogue:

Lucy: I know how you feel about all this Christmas business; getting depressed and all that. It happens to me every year. I never get what I really want. I always get a lot of stupid toys or a bicycle or clothes or something like that.
Charlie Brown: What is it that you want?
Lucy: Real estate.

look what the Easter Beagle dragged in...

Ahh...spring.

Spring is the time of renewal after the cold of winter. Spring is the time for bunnies. Spring is the time for reproducing like bunnies. Spring is the time that you start cursing or praising the government. (CURSE YOU, TAXMAN!!!) There is also another thing that people either curse or praise spring: pastel colors.

*all groan in unison*

I might be in the minority when I say this: I love pastels. I have a thing for subtle colors, especially baby blue and baby pink. So when I went to Claire's at the mall, I was excited to see some adorable pastel shimmers.

Unfortunately, they turned out to be full-on Monets.

There is only one other color besides these have I had a nightmare of streaky application: Chanel Allegoria. MAC Peppermint Patti was pretty bad too, but not anywhere near the level of Allegoria or these three. These are all four-coaters with no base coat.

Blue For You

Mint For You

You Are My Sunshine

Maybe I'll try again soon; they're like little kids: unruly yet adorable. I tried MAC Peppermint Patti again; it worked much better with Barielle Camouflage. Speaking of application issues, has anyone had major bubbling issues with Misa Happy Happy? I cannot seem to apply it without bubbles and this is without any kind of shaking prior to application. In frustration, I bought a discounted bottle of Essie Shorty Pants.

Speaking of spring, for those of you unfamiliar, I live in Florida. Beach season is in full swing! Misa Happy Happy and Essie Shorty Pants both match my new Victoria's Secret bikini. Does anyone else coordinate their manicure with their bathing suits? I'd definitely like to hear about it!

A Blockhead's Breathmint

While I have a nail polish collection that is slowly (but surely) taking over my bedroom, there is another interest of mine that takes up even more space.

(If you're just looking for the nail polish, fast-forward toward the bottom. This'll take a while.)


I am a Peanuts fanatic. One bookshelf is exclusively Peanuts strip collections; the top of another contains stuffed Snoopys with many Peanuts-related ceramics. This does not include the many other trinkets hidden in storage boxes underneath my bed.

Ever since I could remember, I loved the comic strip. My childhood stuffed animal was a Christmas Snoopy that my mother bought at a garage sale. Snoopy has since lost the hat and even accompanied me during my study abroad stint in the UK. BFF1 has gotten me a Snoopy figurine every Christmas for well, a while. I recently finished the extremely long biography Schulz and Peanuts. While the book has courted its fair share of controversy due to the Schulz family's objections to the portrayal of Charles Schulz, it definitely gave me a new look at the strip. Pretty much, my happy childhood memories of Charlie Brown, Snoopy and friends contrast with the cold, biting humor the strip thrived on.

Earlier today, I received the script of Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead that I ordered online. The play is a parody of Peanuts; the characters are now teenagers with Charlie Brown coping with the recent death of Snoopy. This play is the best thing I have read in a long time; I hope I will get to see it on stage in the future. While it is a drama, it is hysterically funny, lampooning childhood icons as modern-day teens. However, like modern-day teens and Peanuts itself, there is an underlying tone of exclusion and discrimination. I don't want to spoil the ending, but it can be described with one word: powerful.

Now on to nail polish...

According to the internet grapevine, MAC's nail polishes from the Sugarsweet collection are sold out online. Thanks to extreme luck, after reading Dog Sees God by the pool, I scooped up Peppermint Patti at my local MAC counter. I also spotted Chanel's summer collection at the mall and continued to be unimpressed by their nail polishes this season. Besides, who wants boring peach or bronze when you can get MINT GREEN! I can't believe I'm saying this, but I've converted to green. This might be number one so far for 2009; it's too early to tell.


In honor of its namesake, I tried to illustrate the "mint" adjective. I apologize for the sloppy application; it was an idea I wanted to try out as soon as possible before I forget. (ADHD tendencies: they're a bitch.)

There is a major drawback to Peppermint Patti: the application is a huge pain. S-T-R-E-A-K-Y. This is without base coat; I'll experiment later with Barielle Camouflage. I've been having trouble with lighter colors and streakiness; I'll discuss this in the next blog thanks to a bunch of adorable Claire's colors I picked up earlier this week.

Continuing on with the Peanuts theme, I find it ironic that of all the strip's female characters, it's the tomboy who shares a (okay, modified) name with a nail polish. But she's often seen wearing green; I think she'd approve :)

Lalalalalala...lalalalala

While looking at my new bottle of Essie Mesmerize, I had a startling revelation:

Mesmerize is SMURF BLUE!

I have read descriptions of "Superman blue"--

Tim Tebow: HATE the Gators, would love to do him. *hangs head in shame*

--and Mesmerize has a muted old-school comic book quality. Essie's white bottle cap makes it look more Smurf-like to me. I constantly restrain urges to give it a little blonde wig and call it Smurfette.

2007-2008 Top 20: #10-#5 Vignettes

#10: Chanel Vendetta

Dark purple? As a SPRING color?! There was definitely progress in the nail world. There are a few close relatives to Vendetta for those seeking cheaper alternatives (i.e., Finger Paints Black Gumdrop and China Glaze Midnight Ride), but Vendetta has a true purple base.

#9: Zoya Zara

I loved the Zoya Flourish collection. It was unique yet winter-appropriate. Zara was my favorite of the collection with its icy grape Easter egg shade. The gold shimmer makes it stand out.


#8: OPI Hollywood Blonde

Hollywood Blonde is my favorite sheer. I was astounded when I first applied it; I was impressed by the incredible glitter flecks in the sunlight. In pictures the glitter flecks are muted, unfortunately. This reminds me of the infamous dress Marilyn Monroe wore while singing “Happy Birthday, Mr. President”.


#7: OPI Midnight In Moscow

This color came out right in the middle of my vampy craze. I owned Sally Hansen Lacquer Shine Glossy; a very similar blackened red shade. However, Glossy was a pain to apply; the brush was hard to control and the formula thick and goopy. While MIM has the dreaded Pro-Wide brush, it was definitely more user-friendly than Glossy. I love the deep shade; it reminds me of lacquered Asian wood.


#6: OPI Black Cherry Chutney

While OPI was the first nail polish brand I cherished, I don’t understand the inconsistency of their collections. I loved the deep shades and vibrancy of the Russia/Fall 2007 and the India/Spring 2008 collections, but then they followed up with the blah and boring France/Fall 2008 and South Beach/Spring 2009 collections. I’m not a fan of the mushroom-y colors a la You Don’t Know Jacques!. Black Cherry Chutney was another color deeply ingrained in my original vampy craze. I liked it better than MIM due to the fact that it did not have a black base.


#5: Misa Candy Girl

I would like to give major props to Misa, Scrangie and the Polish Addict for the awesome December/January promo. I picked up 8 colors; 5 of which were from the Sugar Sugar collection. I was bowled over by the Polish Addict’s amazing pictures, especially of the toppings over black nail polish. While I also liked the base colors, I was intrigued by the sheer colors over black. This novel concept was a revelation to me; I finally had a reason to own sheers!

For New Years Eve 2009, I wanted something flashy but unique. I already wore a showy Vendetta/OMG Konadicure for Christmas and had trouble deciding between the Moscou colors. Instead, I applied Zoya Raven and layered Candy Girl over it; just as I had seen on the Polish Addict. My pictures don’t quite capture how breathtaking this effect is.

Happy St. Patrick's Eve!

While I enjoy imbibing alcoholic beverages, inhaling boxtys (fried potato dumplings from heaven) and frequenting pubs, I'm not big on St. Patrick's Day.

Despite the fact that it is considered an Irish holiday, I almost find my lack of celebration to be un-American. I don't really drink beer (especially ill-looking green carbonated water) and I'm frequently pinched every March 17.

But this year, it'll be different!

Lo, and behold, readers: GREEN!


The base is China Glaze's Gussied Up Green, a blackened forest green. The half-moon is LA Colors Art Deco nail art pens in gold and the sheer green overlay is Hard Candy Tantrum. My nails feel like they belong in South Bend.

A quick note: I recently scooped up CHI and Hard Candy nail polishes at TJ Maxx, so hopefully you frequent bargain shoppers like myself can get yourself some decent hauls :) Also, my favorite Sterilite 6 qt. storage boxes are on sale at Target; 2 for $3! Now all I need is storage space!

EDIT: I just remembered; I also saw a Barielle Shades French mani set at TJ Maxx too. It looks pretty good; I might pick it up at a later time.

"You like me! You really like me!"

I'd like to thank Nixxy and Brooke for nominating me, thanks a billion! <3

Here are the rules:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which you think are fabulous.
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

1. Scrangie
2. The Polish Addict
3. e-polishblog
4. Vampy Varnish
5. Nail Juice
6. Nixxy's Nails
7. Getcha Nails Did
8. Clumps of Mascara
9. Polish Pixie
10. Make It Colorful
11. Decorative Diva
12. Contests and Such...
13. Dr. Frankenpolish
14. The Nailphile

Blog stalking...sort of.

I just did my rounds and saw updates on new collections:

Michelle at All Lacquered Up has photos of Chanel's Summer 2009 shades, Orange Fizz and Golden Sand. *yawns* With so many great winter shades (i.e., Nuit de Russie and Vendetta), this was kind of a letdown. I will definitely take a second look once I see swatches, but Golden Sand reminds me of last summer's Antilope. I loved up Antilope; it's one of my few half-empty (or half-full, depending on your attitude :P) bottles.


Scrangie and Siobhan at the Nailphile have revealed that those super badass green/yellow Essies aren't real :( I'm still excited for the North Folk collection, but damn, I was really pulling for those other colors. I'm not even a green kind of girl!

There's another awesome free Essie giveaway! I don't know about y'all, but I love me some free nail polish, no matter what color (well, baby poo brown wouldn't be cool, but I'd still take it). Check out Nessa's Contests and Such, she has a link to Glamour's 70th anniversary Essie giveaway. It's for the first 5000 applicants, so I'm not sure if it's still open.


I remember last fall when Pama had a Essie giveaway. I started to see it pop up in the blogs, then started to lose hope of getting my own bottle. About 2 weeks later, I had my own bottle! Pama was my first red creme; while not unique, it is definitely pretty. While Glamour's color looks like another sheer pink, I'm just holding out hope that it's not streaky.

All beached out...

Wow, what a weekend. (I work Wednesdays-Sundays; Mondays and Tuesdays are my "weekend".) It was one of my best friends' birthdays, so I spent most of the weekend hanging out with her, mostly at the beach.


The first color is Barielle Shades' Sneak A Peek. Sneak A Peek is from Barielle's Fall/Winter collection; a better known shade is Date Night, a deep forest green. I am admittedly, not a gigantic green fan so I passed. Another color I considered is Hidden Hideaway, which I found too close to Zoya Yasmeen (but I will probably buy it anyway in due time). I think it's an underrated color; it's a light silvery dove gray. Please excuse the bubbles; I was SMRT enough to attempt a manicure while at the beach. I don't know why I even tried while out at the beach; especially since my local beach is known for a lot of Gulf winds. I've also tried attempting a mani while sitting by the pool; wow, what a thick, goopy mess! I still feel obligated to apologize to my bottles of China Glaze Lubu Heels and OPI Lincoln Park At Midnight for that faux pas.


The same night, I stopped by a Bealls Outlet near the beach and scored an awesome haul. They sometimes have vinyl grab bags full of 10 random polishes (usually pink/red Maybellines). However, this time I found one full of L'Oreals, half of which definitely piqued my interest. They included Blue Metal, a dark blue that I think resembles OPI's Yoga-ta Get This Blue; B. Outrageous, a yellow shimmer; Treble & Tint, a coral duochrome with a green shimmer; then my favorites: B. Innocent, a Bijou Facets sheer full of tiny thread (!!!) teal confetti glitter and Crushed Opal, a sheer with *gasp* FLAKIES!!! I don't own any Nfu-Ohs (...yet), so I was elated to see this jewel! The bag was $6.99; I'll end up using the other 5 boring nudes/reds for future frankening endeavors.


L'Oreal Jet-Set Shine Crushed Opal over L'Oreal Wear Extraordinaire Blue Metal

I'm ashamed to describe my current nail state...I've had on the same manicure for a record 4 days. I've been bouncing from place to place and last night was my first night in my own bed in 3 days. On top of that, beach sand is BRUTAL on nail polish! I have to work early tomorrow morning, so I'm not even sure I'll get to fixing this chipped mess not even worthy to call a manicure tonight.

I'm also considering a serious low-buy/no-buy for the rest of March. It's only March, but I've already more than doubled my 2008 total. On top of the grab bag, I finally caved into OPI's French collection and bought Eiffel For This Color. My current lemming is Barielle Shades Swizzle Stix, which I haven't seen locally. Also, have y'all seen Scrangie's latest posts? Essie has released some promo pics of what might be their summer collection: greens, blues, and yellow! I am totally stoked; if this turns out to be true, I will probably order my first full Essie collection. I hope it is; I'm sick of pinks and reds! PLEASE, ESSIE, PLEASE LET IT BE TRUE!!!

Short Shorts update...

I previously commented that I would add a picture of Essie Short Shorts in sunlight, and here it is:


Blah...still not accurate! I seem to have trouble capturing neon pinks and (true) purples accurately! I don't know if it's due to my Sony Cyber-shot; maybe I need to get a new camera, which won't be an option for some time. Short Shorts is a lot louder and more "pink" in real life; I feel like the pictures mute the neon quality of it. I went to CVS today and found that Milani Electric Pink seems to be a close dupe of it. Since Short Shorts is now discontinued, it is an easier alternative to find.

Also at CVS, I finally found Barielle Shades! Unfortunately, they only had their last collection, not Sugar Sugar as I was longing for. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get a picture of Sneak A Peek, a pearly (very) light dove gray color. Wishing you all a great day :)

2007-2008 Top 20: #4 Jessica Cabernet Creme

Yes, I've completely skipped #10-#5. I'll get back to them later.

Jessica Cabernet Creme is a color very near and dear to my heart. For most nail polish addicts, at first glance, Cabernet Creme is nothing special; a run-of-the-mill wine shimmer. However, for me, Cabernet Creme is an intergral part of why I'm here in the first place.

I don't remember when or why I bought it to begin with. Most likely it was just another Target impulse buy (I'm notorious for those). Strangely enough, it came along with me when I studied abroad in England.

I was never really into nail polish in the past. As I stated here, I was lifelong nail biter and admitted acrylic addict. Every two weeks for almost 3 years, I would come back to my hometown manicurist* and get a fill (or backfill). While in England, my nails grew to lengths I'd never achieved in the past. On the regular, I would wear Cabernet Creme anytime, anywhere.


(That and it was way to expensive at the time to contemplate alternatives.) I still had pangs for acrylics, but that was quickly squashed after a quick stop at the nail salon across from the uni. A full set was at a minimum, 35 pounds. (70 bucks?! That's about 15-17 pints of Strongbow, depending which pub you went to. We know which won out.)

Sadly enough, my beloved bottle broke during the trip back to the States. I eventually caved in 6 months later and ordered it online. I was a little miffed when Target restocked Jessica nail polish a month later; it would've saved me 5 bucks on shipping.

Have I worn it lately? Honestly, no. But I'll never forget my first...


*If you like pink-and-white manicures and reside in the Pensacola area, I recommend Trang at My Nails II in Milton. Yeah, it's a drive but she is the only person I trust with pink-and-white in the area. Everyone else has managed to screw it up on me.

NOTD: MAC On The Prowl

I had a bit of buyer's remorse when I received my MAC Hello Kitty nail lacquers, Something About Pink and On The Prowl. Something About Pink was well...pink. It was similar to NYC Nail Glossies 235, but in a smaller Hello Kitty bottle.

I usually don't swatch a hand right away when I get new bottles. I usually end up buying in bulk (21 bottles is my record, but I have a feeling that this will be broken sooner or later this year) so I normally don't have the time to swatch each color, so I usually "skittle" my nails. "Skittling" usually gets me funny looks at work.

I originally wanted to use On The Prowl alone, but lately I've been having application issues (*looks at the poor Hello Kitty bottle* it's me, not you.) so I used OPI Paris Couture For Sure over 2 uneven coats of On The Prowl. I really like the effect; it makes me think of snowflakes on concrete. (If that sounds weird, I apologize; I'm a Florida girl.)

On other nail news, I'm thinking about creating my own light box. I found some DIY instructions here; I think it seems easy enough. I usually end up swatching at night, so I wanted a way to capture colors more accurately, especially neon/creme pinks and purples. Almost all of the pictures of neon/creme pinks I have taken indoors are pretty inaccurate. Do any of you own your own light box? Hit me up.

GREAT NEWS!

Zoya is extending their awesome nail polish exchange until April 28!

*does the Happy Dance*

Several fellow nail bloggers (Scrangie, The Polish Addict, Clumps of Mascara, VampyVarnish, All Lacquered Up, Perfectly Polished Tips, Casual Lavish, The Crystal Files and The Nailphile) are also participating in Zoya's promotion of their new summer color lines. Definitely head out to their sites to check out the new colors. Hopefully it'll be released before April 28; I want to exchange Kotori for something better!

Here are a few of my Zoya pics to help you select some goodies the next go 'round:


Anastacia


Casey


Cyma


Gaia


Janice


Lindsay


Suvi


Yasmeen


Zara