Keep Your Hands Satin Smooth by using HAND CREAMS | What is your favorite Hand Cream?

 

How do you prefer your nails?  How about your skin?

Natural, with no polish?  Or do you like experimenting with different nail polishes and nail art?  No matter what we wear on our nails, or no matter how old we are, our manicure (or natural nails) would look prettier and more crisp if the surrounding cuticle is healthy and our hands well nourished.  Not to mention, we ladies love to give each other a soft touch or a pat in the back (how about a handshake?) 

So, how do we keep our hard working hands happy and beautiful?  Please continue reading for some hand pampering tips and some hand cream reviews.

Nail Wraps {NPW Deco Nail Art Wraps} | REVIEW | OMD2 Theme: Doticure

On my nails today is a nail wrap that I purchased from Michael's CraftStore here in Canada.  They have the sparing nail art supplies and I saw this one on sale for $1.00 Cad each, can't beat that, right?  I thought it's the perfect opportunity to try these nail wraps. There were two designs available.  Since there is a Doticure theme in the OMD2 Nail Art challenge, I decided to use the one with the polka-dots ;)

Party's Over | Julep Glitter Remover

Glitter mani is on the rise.  It has gained much popularity nowadays.  

No surprise there, I think. All girls have sparkle in them.  

Don't we just love things that shine?
There is an abundance of glitter designs that can inspire us.  

But many, myself included, shy away from it because of the removal annoyance.  

Yes, it's not that easy to remove a glitter mani.  

I wanted to try this product for a long time now.  But I waited for good sales to grab one.  

Yay me!!! When the price was right, I ordered it and now it's finally here.  

Let's see how it works, shall we?

Puprle Please (Cult Cosmetics May 2014 Black Box Review)

Happy Sunday Evening Everyone!

I hope that you had a refreshingly nice weekend. How nice it is to have sunny and warm days... May you have gained new experiences to learn from and new moments to cherish forever...

Today, I want to share with you my experience with my first BlackBox complimentary of Cult Cosmetics (as I posted in my previous post, this was a box I won through their Instagram contest. Wahoo!!!)

My Beauty Spot Nail Polish and Microbeads (Design 1 - Light Pink) Plus Review

I have two shades of Pink that I want to share with you from the "My Beauty Spot" haul I did recently.  First, this very lovely, shimmery and delicate pink :)  On it's own is a very dainty, elegant polish.  Isn't it perfect for those quiet girly days... even a bridal shower?  Or it is excellent for a young girls' day-out as well...

What can I say about these little tiny dots... it's lovely, looks like candy. It's actually my first time using these micro-beads on my nails.  I am so scared that it would fall off or that I would accidentally eat it. :D Surprisingly, It stuck very well on my nails and it gave off some resistance when I was removing it.  So I guess it won't be that toxic... I applied a generous amount (twice) of clear polish to glue these babies on my nails.  And my, it turned out so cute... They really look like tiny candies. Don't you think?

POLISH REVIEW:

The package I bought contained 4 polishes and 4 bottles of microbeads + 1 funnel.  The cost is $9.99 Cad+13% tax.  The microbeads are of very pretty vibrant colors and did not color-bleed with the particular top-coat I used (Avon's quick dry clear coat).  I haven't tried it with other top coat brands yet.  The formula is excellent.  First coat was sheer.  Second coat provided great opacity and coverage as you see in the photos.  The hues are beautiful. So far so good. 

The only thing I did not like is that it emitted a very strong nailpolish remover like smell.  The package also did not claim to be toxin free (3 free) but it also did not indicate the toxins in its list of ingredients.  The uncertainty makes me feel uncomfortable. 

ACCESSORY:

My lovely gold bow ring is purchased from ebay for a really great deal.  I paid US $1.84 for this with 7 other rings!  This little gem alone is totally worth that price already.  You know ebay... the waiting time can be a little disadvantageous but that's nothing compared to the value.  So I totally recommend purchasing it from Ebay :)  I will show you friends the rest of the rings later on... please come back and visit again ;) 

Ciao Bella!
~*Maya*~

For more Nail Art designs, please visit my  

~* Nail Art Gallery.*~

Thank you and have a fancy nails day!

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Winners HAUL (My Beauty Spot and Color Club Nail Polish)

Happy Tuesday Ladies!
Presenting to you, another nailpolish haul.  I got this goodies a few day ago.  A friend wanted to take a walk around and do some window shopping.  The window opened up for me when I saw this greatly priced jewels.  Having a nail art party with my nieces in a few days time so I thought of getting some fun new stuff :)

"MY BEAUTY SPOT"
I have not tried this brand before.  Not too long ago, I purged my nailpolish collection and removed what I suspected to be not toxin free.  The label for these polishes does not list any of the toxins in the ingredients.  Nor does it claim to be free of them.  So I'm not quite sure if its "safe." But I couldn't deny the beauty of the colors and the bottles.  I love the black-bow touch.  There's a little funnel as well for the caviar.  Yes, there are 4 bottles of micro-beads in the package. All these for $9.99.  Not bad huh?  Still not sure if it's toxin free as the polish emits a strong smell, nail polish remover or paint-like smell.

Swatches and nail art will be posted separately ;)

Another part of my awesome haul is this Color Club set.  On first look, these pretties look like creme pastels.  They are creme and soft-colored, alright.  But they are also  as bright as highlighters :)  In other words... neon pastels!   Happy, cheerful colors - apt for summer. Such a gorgeous bunch.

Their is no indication on the package that claims "toxin" free.  Ingredients did not list the toxins either.  But the Color Club website states that they are dedicated to making safe and cruelty free products. "Environmentally Awesome," is what they call these gems ;)  The smell is not as strong as the "My Beauty Box"... For that, I am glad ;)

Here are the names of the colors...  I paid $9.99+13% tax CAD for 5 colors, a glitter topper and a topcoat (7 bottle-set).

Please click on the Links below for the following Nail Art Designs (and more!)

Design 1 - Light Pink

Design 2 - Dark Pink


~* Maya *~

Broadway Nails imPRESS Press-on Manicure

PRESS SAMPLE
Disclaimer:  This is a complimentary product from Broadway Nails imPRESS Press-on Manicure received through Influenster.com for review.

Wiii!!! I received a VoxBox from Influenster not too long.  In it was two sets of the Broadway Nails imPRESS Press-on Manicure.  I actually loved the designs that they sent to me.  I am not one to wear fake nails myself.  But I find the idea of an easy press on manicure is awesome.  I'll tell you why ;)

Solid Color Nail Art: "Shades of Gold" (Carrie Underwood Collection from Nicole By OPI)

Carrie Underwood from Nicole by OPI
SHADES OF GOLD

Nail art designs can range from simple to complicated, easy and fast to difficult and time consuming.  A great nail art though doesn't have to involve a lot of time nor fancy tools.  Solid color manicures can satisfy the nail art craving too.

Solid color manicure can also be made interesting, quite fun and unique.  This is a very easy design.  Still, undeniably chic ;)  The trick is combing several complimenting colors instead of painting all the nails one color.

In this manicure I combined, Lips Dripping Honey (glitter), Carrie'd Away (gold) and Sing You Like a Bee (white with gold dominant tones.)  I applied topcoat only to the glitter to smoothen out the surface.  The two others colors had an interesting texture to it but not quite as rough as regular textured-polishes.

The finish is very pretty without the topcoat, but that makes the polish more vulnerable to wear and tear... Hence, If you want the mani to last longer, topcoat is a great idea and reapply it every 2-3 days.
Finish up your easy nail art with a complimenting knuckle ring or stick a nail jewelry to it...  I thought my Eiffel Towel cellphone decor looked great with the gold tones... So... why not?

Related Post:

 LUX - Zoya's Magical Pixie Dust 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Candy Dandy - Nicole by OPI

Roughles {Ruffles} By Nicole by OPI

Candy Dandy - Nicole by OPI

My First GUMDROPS, Nicole By OPI
"Candy Dandy"

This is a pretty instant nail-fab polish.  Wearing it just on it's own provides a very neat, elegant nail art design... perfect for those times when we don't have enough time to sit and play with polishes.  Some designs take a lot of time, ya'know? lol... ;)

This is my most favorite of the Gumdrops Collection from Nicole by OPI.  Frankly, it is the hex that I love the most.  Textured polish's main attribute is the sandy feeling. Rough feeling on my nails though, makes me uncomfortable.  I just have the urge to keep touching my nails with my fingertips, like there is something there that doesn't quite belong... But glitters makes me feel fabulous, lol... The hex does just that for me.  "Candy Dandy" is the right combination for some texture and glitter.  And though it is still quite rough, the glitter trumps the uncomfortable texture and spells fab all over it...

How about you?  Which kind of textured polish do you prefer?  The classic rough finish or like these ones that have glitter hexes added to it?

I hope that you feel great and beautiful today dolls.... Happy Tuesday!

~*Maya*~

Related Post:

My Nicole By OPI Haul

 LUX - Zoya's Magical Pixie Dust 1

Roughles {Ruffles} By Nicole by OPI

LUX - Zoya's Magical Pixie Dust 1

"Three layers of top-coat to even out the surface and achieve a nice smooth finish," - usually, that is what it takes to smoothen a heavy glitter manicure.  I had to do this when I was experimenting with glitter.  Loved the mixture of shapes and sparkle but really hate the loose, often sharp dried glitters on my fingernails.  Not to mention tiny particles fall out and I dread the idea of eating them, ha ha!

I thought that would be the case for this textured polishes.  Really wanted to try this sweet little concoctions of glitter and sand.  I read many mixed reviews.  The very thing that attracts me, namely, chunky and heavy glitters, are what offends others.  Hesitant, I wondered If I truly would love it.  So I thought, if I didn't like the texture, then I'll use top coat ;)  Good plan... Well, I was wrong. Turns out, I love them!  No-base and top coat, the polishes stuck very well on my fingernails. So I might keep this polish for a while just to see how long it will last at my hard-working hands.  Then later on, maybe, do a swatch with a top-coat just to see how it turns out.

One of the textured polishes I dearly wanted to try is this Magical Pixie Dust from Zoya.  These babies are new additions to my PNat_jar (Pretty Nails and Tea Jar... as in 'collection', :d lol) Although I have coveted these babies for a while, budget constraints prevented me from grabbing them.  It was worth it for the sparkle and beauty of this one did not disappoint at all.  Polish-swatch pictures proliferating online makes this polish look so gorgeous.  It is just the same in person... felt like a fairy tale - aptly called "Magical" in my opinion ;)

On the above photo, I dabbed a bit of the Lux Magical Pixiedust over Mischa, also from Zoya. It's sparkle upon shimmer!  On the picture below, the dab of Pixiedust is also over Mischa but with matte top-coat.  The beauty of the Magical Pixiedust is more evident against the matte backdrop.  But these two are equally pretty to me.  What do you think?

I am really very excited about these textured polishes... Gladly, I have two more to try...

And of course, I would like to try putting top-coat on it too and see how a smoothened textured Magical Pixie Dust would look like.  Please comment below if you have tried... I would love to see you pics and read your posts.  If you don't have them and is reading this blog-post to see if you'd try it or not, I say... Go ahead girl! :) 

I hope you dolls are having a Magical Saturday evening and a wonderful weekend indeed!

Take care!  Remember, beautiful nails are nothing if you don't wear a smile on your face... As they say, smiling is the best accessory.. :)

~*Maya*~

Related Post:

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more Nail Art designs, please visit my Nail Art Gallery

Thank you and have a fancy nails day! 

Instagram | Facebook | Etsy | YouTube | Pinterest

Roughles {Ruffles} By Nicole by OPI

ROUGHLES, pronounced as ruffles :)
The first time I saw these polishes I thought, why would you call a textured polish rough-less, then it won't be textured anymore.. ha ha.   

On the store one day, I decided to illegally swatch a textured polish on my nails. I have not been much of a fan of sand-paper like nails, but the constant barrage of advertisement (uhmm) made me curious.  Smooth and glossy was my best preference. 

Then came this pretty pastels.  Pastels have always been my fancy.  I think they are beautiful, very apt for spring time.  Anytime, really... like an ode to subtle beauty and quiet happiness.  So, I gave in and gave this babies a try...

After wearing this for a little bit, I find that the texture isn't as harsh as I thought it would be.  It is still sand-like, but very fine.  The peaks are also smooth rather than sharp.  So, although I am almost always (subonciously) touching my nails with my finger-tips, the texture didn't bother me as much.

First up, "on what grounds."

Very light, baby blue color with speckles of red and darker blue shares. China Glaze's "Sand Dolla Make You Holla," was a great compliment on the ring finger as it has similar speckles.  (Okay, you caught me, Sand Dolla was my first textured polish.  Although I did not wear it as such, I applied about three coats of top-coat to achieve a smooth finish :)  I am quite pleased with this color the most.  It's so refreshing to the eyes, makes for a light, cheery mood.

"Sand in My Shoe"

has red speckles which makes the yellow pastel pop up a bit more.  I thought of complimenting that secondary color with an accent nail polka-flowers.  What do you think?  I would love this color for nice sunny days. 

"I'm Stucco On You"

Periwinkle! That was my first thought... This is a very pretty purple with dark blue and red speckles which make it a good match for quite a few other complimenting colors.
 

Here's  a photo with no flash to make the speckles more defined.

"Rock The Look"

A little bit on the darker side of the family of pink-pastels with more red speckles than it has darker blue.  On this swatch, I applied top-coat on the two middle fingers.  With two coats of top-coat, the texture was almost completely smoothed, defeating the purpose of the polish.  Although the little speckles still make a good design/color effect.

In conclusion, I'm glad I got to try textured polishes.  I was thoroughly pleased with these ones.  It makes me think of the days at the beach when one had been playing in the sand a bit and a film of dust is left on the skin. Strange as it may seem, it reminds me a lot of the beaches.

Trying out things for the first time is great indeed.  It worked for this one.  I am quite glad that I have another textured polish to try - Nicole by OPI's "Candy Dandy" coming up next.

Have you tried textured polishes?  What do you think about them?  Any favorites?
If you have made any designs using textured polishes, I definitely would want to see them ;)

Please show me some love and leave me a comment below :)

Enjoy being a girl!

~*Maya*~

Related Post: 

LUX Magical PixieDust

Camelia ~ Subtlety for a Nice Quiet Day

What is your go-to Mani?

I found Sally Hansens "Camelia" at the Dollar Store one day for a really price.  This might be a part of a "French Manicure" set (or not)...  I was expecting a light pink shimmer.  To my pleasant surprise, it was more natural than I expected.  Ever since then, this color became my favorite inbetween color - when I am not quite inspired yet, thinking of what to do next or when I just want a quiet, clean looking nails.  I used to just put on a nail treatment to protect my nails and have a little shine.  This one now is my favorite ;)

I thought this would do great for an executive kind of day or is perfect for a job-interview... huh?

A nice simple mani for a weather just like this... when one would care about warmth and coziness more than anything else :)

How about you?  What's your go-to mani design or polish?