Thursday, May 31, 2012

Sally Hansen Rock of Ages Salon Effects

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It's been a while since I've done a manicure that elicits compliments from random people I meet throughout my day ... and unfortunately I can't even take credit for the very cool design I'm sporting on my nails this week that's been ooh-ed and aah-ed over by everyone from the checkout girl at Ralph's to my dentist's assistant.

You may have seen commercials lately for the new Tom Cruise movie, "Rock of Ages" ... well, take a look at my "Rock of Ages"-inspired nails! Using Sticks and Stones from Sally Hansen's new line of Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips, my nails are now ready to rock and roll.

This was my first time using nail wraps, and I was both pleasantly surprised and a little frustrated. Although the 16 wraps come in varied sizes and shapes, I had a hard time finding ones small enough to fit all of my fingers. I ended up cutting them down to size after application, using the wooden cuticle stick provided in the kit.

I started with a layer of base coat (the instructions say to make sure your nails are clean and dry, but I never put anything on my nails without base coat), and then lined up all of my wraps so they were ready for use. The actual application is pretty self-explanatory — peel and stick — but once you get it on the nail, even a little bit, you don't want to try to pull it off or you'll ruin the wrap. For all ten fingers, it took me about 1.5 hours.

Despite the effort put forth, I have to say I was very pleased with the result. Sticks and Stones has a very retro feel; the red base is overlaid with geometric stripes of silver and black, topped off with my favorite Seche Vite clear coat. Don't be fooled by the pinkish color on the box; it is most definitely a vibrant cherry red.

There are eight patterns total for this collection from Sally Hansen (more images to come later this week!), including Red-y to Rock, Rock N’ Roar, Zip It!, Star Quality, Amp it Up, Good Gene’s and Fingerlace Gloves.

The box claims that they last up to 10 days, but I'm not sure these babies will stay on for that long ... they are chipping a bit after day five, but I'm itching to try the next pattern (I have a fun mani in mind) in time for the movie's premiere on June 15.

Stay tuned for new designs!


Disclosure: The products reviewed in this post were provided by the PR company for Sally Hansen, but all opinions are my own. View our disclosure policy for more information.   

So Easy ... So Fun!

So it's no secret that we love nail art here at Glitter and Gloss ... and when we got word of the new It's So Easy Nail Art website, we were all over it like white on rice.  Created for nail lovers everywhere, the It's So Easy website features a nifty nail art community where fans can upload their nail designs, regardless of experience level.
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Love the color scheme!
"Nothing is impossible when it comes to nail art," according to the company, and after browsing the site I have to agree. The product section offers Stripe Rites, which are thin brushes to help with any design, plus loose glitters, cracked ice glitters, rhinestones, sealers and handy tools.

Personally, we found the best feature of the website to be the incredibly easy-to-follow How-To page, complete with a step-by-step and product list. We only wish there were more than just three posted!

All in all, it's a great place to get inspired for your own designs and maybe pick up some helpful tips and tricks.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

AriZona Iced Tea Nail Art

Recently a friend of mine posted this photo onto my Facebook wall, and of course, I accepted it as a challenge to try it out.  I actually recalled that my favorite YouTube nail artist had done a similar look, so I followed her tutorial to replicate the look. The colors I used were Orly Gumdrop for the base color, Art Deco in Black (which has the skinny brush), OPI Strawberry Margarita and OPI Pinking of You for the blossoms.  Finished it off with a bit of top coat, and all the tools I needed was the dotting tool.  It is actually a simpler look than it looks, and I received tons of compliments on the design and the nail polish color. Teal polish is really in, so definitely give ORLY's Gumdrop a look, it think it's my favorite shade of this season!

Monday, May 28, 2012

Sally Hansen Smooth Perfect Color + Care Swatches


 Sorry all, it's been a long time since our last post, things have been a little busier for us lately, but it doesn't mean we haven't been painting our nails!  I'm back to finish up my review of a few more Sally Hansen polishes.  We have 2 of the 8 Smooth Perfect Color + Care polishes.  This nail polish line is said to smooth ridges, leaving a smooth porcelain finish.



08 Sorbet is a gorgeous light peachy color.  Initially, I had past up the opportunity to purchase Essie's Van d'go, and was really kicking myself for not getting it.  But now, I'm so glad I have this one instead.  It is a similar color, however, this one goes on more thinly, which I prefer to Essie's thicker consistency. This polish definitely is more forgiving, although you may have to layer it on more.
 
 
 03 Dune, on the other hand, is a beige color with a definitely hint of pearly iridescence.  It is definitely a lovely nude color, goes on slightly sheer, and just as the name suggest, has a very smooth application. It's a very classic and timeless color, and Allison is thinking using this one as her wedding day manicure.  That's when you know it's a great color!


All in all, I really did like these two polishes. The application was easy, especially since the brush is extremely wide (wider than OPI!) and the bristles are thick. This is definitely a more sheer and natural looking polish line, so that is something to keep in mind if you are looking into getting these!

Disclosure: The products reviewed in this post were provided by the PR company for Sally Hansen, but all opinions are my own. View our disclosure policy for more information.  

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