2 Independence Day Manis!

Hi everyone! Despite having a yucky cold, I have managed to do two USA themed manis this week for Independence Day, I just haven't felt like posting them. And because I haven't felt well, here are two of the easiest festive manis I could come up with!

First up is a very simple nail art look utilizing the dry brush/distressed technique (as always, I will refer you to this tutorial by Chalkboard Nails). I started out with a base of OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls (white) and then used OPI Coca-Cola Red (red) and American Apparel Lazuli (blue) for the brushstrokes. I finished it off by placing a piece of white star-shaped glitter at the base of each nail. Easy peasy. I say this all the time but it remains true...dry brushing is the simplest nail art out there and takes no time to do.

For an even simpler festive mani, try doing some accent nails. For this mani, I started off with Sally Hansen Pacific Blue, the good older version (because everyone is doing it! #savepacificblue). Then I used the perfect patriotic glitter topper, Shimmer Polish Nichole, over Pacific Blue for accent nails. Simple yet festive. You can't beat that!

Shimmer Polish is available from creator Cindy's Etsy Shop and you can find a tons of swatches on her blog of all of the Shimmer Polishes. Thanks for looking everyone! 

If you guys haven't gotten a bottle of Sally Hansen Pacific Blue (the good creme version, not the new shimmer version) comb your drugstores for a bottle before it disappears forever! 

So there you have it! Two very simple patriotic manis that require not special tools or skills! I hope all of my USA readers have amazing Independence Day celebrations (have fun for me because I will be stuck at work all weekend). Thanks for looking everyone!

An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

Shimmer Polish Stephanie

Hi everyone! Today I have a beauty from Shimmer Polish named Stephanie. Gah, I never get tired of wearing these polishes. Every time I put one one I always enjoy my mani immensely. For this mani, I layered 2 coats of Stephanie over LA Girl Brilliant Blue. Stephanie largely consists of blue glitter with some silver, pink, purple, and red thrown into the mix.

Shimmer Polish is available from creator Cindy's Etsy Shop and you can find a tons of swatches on her blog of all of the Shimmer Polishes. Thanks for looking everyone! 

Purple Shimmer Sunday: Shimmer Wendy over Sephora by OPI Just a Little Dangerous

Hi everyone! It's time for Purple Shimmer Sunday again! Please be sure to check out what Kristy at The Polish Haven and Kathy at Pied Polish Piper are wearing today!

I was on the road this weekend and didn't get to take proper pictures of my purple shimmer base, Sephora by OPI Just a Little Dangerous, but let me ease your mind...you aren't missing much. The purple shimmer, while lovely at first application (when the polish was still really wet) it immediately disappeared and was only visible with flash. Even with topcoat it was very meh. It was like Nars Soho all over again. But...the COLOR was very pretty and thus made a lovely base for Shimmer Polish Wendy. I love Wendy so much and I've worn it in the past over a turquoise, but I got the idea to layer it over a dark purple after seeing Kristy's amazing mani with it.

Shimmer Polish is available from creator Cindy's Etsy Shop and you can find a tons of swatches on her blog of all of the Shimmer Polishes. Thanks for looking everyone!

Purple Shimmer Sunday: China Glaze Cowgirl Up and Shimmer Polish Caroline

So what better to do on Purple Shimmer Sunday than a purple shimmer plus a purple Shimmer? I think it is a match made it heaven!

Don't forget to check out what my girls Kathy (Pied Polish Piper) and Kristy (The Polish Haven) are doing today as well. Kristy has one of my favorite purple shimmers ever up today and Kathy is going to be featuring an awesome purple shimmer that was released this past year.

So I started off with one of my older favorites, China Glaze Cowgirl Up. Now this polish is from the Fall 2008 Rodeo Diva collection, but I found it hanging out at Publix. I have really had a few amazing polishes pop up from time to time at my Publix, so always give those polish racks a look when you are shopping. (I found 3 bottles of OPI Man of La Mancha this past year at mine!). Cowgirl Up is a warm purple shimmer that actually has a very fine sprinkling of blue sparkles throughout (I've never noticed them until this time when I was painting my nails).

Then I topped it with Shimmer Polish Caroline. I absolutely ADORE this combo! It might not necessarily be a combo that highlights the glitter so much, but more a combo where they meld together into one magical looking polish (or so it appears). Caroline is a mixture of purple glitters(some more pink leaning, some more grapey) with a few holographic sparks and my favorite addition, a smattering of teeny disco glitters. This polish is glowy perfection on my nails.

Blurry pic...but it shows how glowy this combo is!

Shimmer Polish is available from creator Cindy's Etsy Shop and you can find a tons of swatches on her blog of all of the Shimmer Polishes. Thanks for looking everyone!

Shimmer Nichole

Happy Memorial Day everyone! Unfortunately, I have to work so I won't get to have too much fun today. I got Shimmer Nichole a few weeks ago, and I have been holding on to her for Memorial Day because she is just perfect for the patriotic occasion. Nichole is a mixture of red, blue, and silver small glitters in a clear base. I layered 1 coat over China Glaze First Mate for my mani.

Shimmer Polish is available from creator Cindy's Etsy Shop and you can find a tons of swatches on her blog of all of the Shimmer Polishes. Thanks for looking everyone!

*Shimmer Polish Nichole sent for my honest review*

Shimmer Polish Jasmine with Stamping

Hi everyone! I have another beauty from Shimmer Polish today called Jasmine. Jasmine is a mixture of aquamarine and green glitter with a few orange, gold, blue, and red glitters thrown in. The formula goes on really smoothly and the polish is easily smoothed out with topcoat. I layered 1 coat over Catrice No Snow Patrol, a medium teal, for my mani.

After I came home from work, I decided to do some stamping for day 2 of my mani. I stamped with China Glaze 2030 and one of the new Cheeky XL plates, Wild at Heart. I think this image is cool...it sort of looks like I went to town with a striping brush. 

Here is the image I used as well as a larger shot of the plate. It has some super cute designs on it!

Shimmer Polish is available from creator Cindy's Etsy Shop and you can find a multitude of swatches on her blog to create tons of Shimmer lemmings! I got the new 2013 Cheeky XL plates from Amazon (yes they are FINALLY there!! Woohoo!!). Thanks for looking everyone!

*Shimmer Polish Jasmine provided for my honest review

Shimmer Polish: Spirit (Custom) and Kim

Hi everyone! I recently commissioned a custom Shimmer Polish to match my high school's colors: purple and gold. I named it Spirit...and I think it is fantastic! It is a mixture fine purple, gold, and gold holographic glitters. So if you have a color combo in mind that you would like to see in a glitter polish, then Shimmer Polish has got you covered! I could not be more pleased with my custom. I did 1 coat over Verity Deep Violet for my mani. Here are lots of pictures of my custom.

I also have Shimmer Kim for you today. This polish is a mixture of purple, blue and silver holographic glitters. Another lovely polish with an excellent formula. This is 1 coat over China Glaze Ride the Waves. 

These polishes are available from Shimmer Polish's Etsy store as well as their website. Be sure to check out their website for a full listing of polishes that they make as well as a multitude of swatches to help you pick out your favorite Shimmers (if you can!). I have yet to find one that I don't like. Thanks for looking everyone!

*Shimmer Polish Kim sent for review, Custom Shimmer Polish Spirit purchased by me. 

Shimmer Polish Wendy and Jenny

Today I have two polishes from Shimmer Polish to share with you. I really love that the glitters in these polishes are of the smaller variety and I think that is a nice change from all of the super chunky indie glitters that are so prevalent (not that I don't love those as well...obviously).

First up is Shimmer Wendy. This polish has predominance of copper, purple, and aqua glitters with a smattering of other colors mixed in. I layered 1 coat over a-England Galahad, a dusty turquoise creme. You could easily build up the density of the polish if you wanted to but I loved the way it looked with this base color so I let it shine through. If you REALLY want the glitters to pop...layer it over a vampy base like my pal Kristy from The Polish Haven did here (and yes...these photos are why I bought Wendy because this mani is perfection!)

Next I have Shimmer Jenny. Finally an awesome polish with my name! (c'mon Zoya...I mean...who is actually named Blaze and Noot? There are tons of Jennys!) Anywho...this is a fabulous multicolored glitter with a predominance of blue. I layered 1 coat over Ulta Joined at the Hippo, a navy blue creme. 

I found the formula on both of these to be fantastic and very buildable in opacity if you desire a full coverage glitter. I did use a coat of Gelous to smooth them out, but they are much easier to get smooth than some of the larger, chunky glitters (as you can imagine). These polishes are available from Shimmer Polish's Etsy store as well as their website (I believe that more polishes are available there as well as a list of all of the polishes they make). And the really cool thing...if there isn't one with your name you can request a custom polish with your name (and design the color scheme as well). How cool of a Christmas gift would it be to get a polish named after you? Just saying...Christmas is around the corner! Thanks for looking everyone!