Covergirl's Appletini

Wow, Covergirl really nailed it with the name they chose for this polish shade - Appletini!

 

Since I've seen so many similar shades from other brands, I just had to try this on myself.

Ones I have run across so far that might come close are
Wet 'n Wild's "Pin 'Em Slater"

&

Barry M's "Key Lime"

 

I believe this is my first Covergirl polish that I am wearing.  It applied well in two thin coats that evened out nicely.  The only problem was the bottle size and ultimately the lid and brush length.  They were much shorter than I am used to and this caused some difficulties in the application.

 

For a comparison I placed the Covergirl bottle of polish beside a bottle of TIPS Nail Conditioner, which is what made my cuticles look so shiny in these photos.  I always finish up every manicure with a healthy application of TIPS Nail Conditioner by ASK Cosmetics. 

 

Covergirl's bottle contains 3.5 ml (.11 oz) of product; whereas a bottle of TIPS contains 7 ml (.24 oz) of nail treatment.  So, be sure to keep that in mind when shopping for these Glosstinis.  You are getting much less than normal, so look closely at the price.

 

Next thing to consider is the brush length.....

That's how short it is.  As stated above, it was not easy working with such a lid/brush length. 

 

I love this shade, although I am definitely not a huge fan of greens.  Somehow this shade really has a summery feel to it.  I can't wait to use it in some of my nailart coming up in August.  So stay tuned!

 

Any comments from you on Covergirl, Glosstinis, green eggs and ham........

 

Thanks for taking the time to stop by.  Enjoy this wonderful day.

 

Til next time,  Lisa M

 

Be sure to connect with me via FB, Twitter @nailcareasklisa or on Pinterest @ASK Cosmetics Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Girls are Out! So look out.....

The Girls are out by Essie - one of the gorgeous shades from the summer 2013 collection

 

My nails before the manicure took place.  Can you see the ever-so-subtle shimmer in this polish?

 

As far as pinks go this shade is right at the top of my list of favourites.  The subtle shimmer really adds a touch of "bling" to it.  I think it's the perfect summer shade for either your finger OR toe nails.

One important factor of a really good polish brand is the application brush.  Essie normally has smaller, thinner brushes that always allow for easy application.  Granted, sometimes you require more that the usual three swipes on each nail to do a good job, but the brush is super easy to manage.

 

Not sure if the shimmer really comes to life in my photos.  It's hard for me to tell since I know it's there. 

 

My brief summary:  I love the shade.  It lives up to all my expectations of an Essie polish.  The application was easy and fussfree.  I wore this shade for 5 days.  Had I wrapped my tips better during the manicure, the staying power might have been better - my oversight.  I went ahead and applied it to my toes, which also looks amazing for summer.

Charlotte enjoying her beach time on the north shore of Cape Cod at Race Point

BTW - you might be wondering how I got that ugly brown spot on my ring finger...... you won't believe this!  My new dog, Charlotte is CRAZZZZZY about playing fetch.  In fact, she hounds me all day long to throw something for her to run after.  But the game can get slightly dangerous for the thrower as she doesn't release the ball right away.  She waits and waits; then drops it and jumps after the other one I am holding in my hand.  If I am not fast enough in throwing it, she occasionally catches my fingers with her sharp, little teeth.  OUCH!  That's how I got that little brown blemish on my finger.  Who knew "go fetch" could be so dangerous!

 

That's all for today!  So, I strongly advise you run out and check out the latest Essie shades this summer.   Most of the summer 2013 collection are on the lighter, pastel side, but "The Girls are Out" is awesome.

 

Have you tried any from this collection yet?

 

Stay cool!  Til next time,  Lisa M

 

 

 

 

Sinful Colors - Rain Storm 1053

Upon adding this somewhat dreary shade to my collection I was very spectical about my feelings toward it.  I definitely love the "blues", but this one kept staring at me on my shelf of polishes saying "Try me, you'll like me!"

 

Finally the day came when I decided to give it a whirl, and boy, was I amazed at how much I loved this lacquer on my nails.

 

2 coats of Sinful Colours "Rain Storm 1053"

 

 

It's hard for me to describe this gorgeous shade.   When I was applying it thoughts of my favourite blue jeans came to mind.  It's not a blue that screams at you, but rather subtle, subdued yet very functional and versatile for anyone's wardrobe.

 

As you can see here against my outdoor bricks, it would pair famously with any shades of grey.

 

When doing a manicure, I always make sure I stay clear of my cuticles since nail polish is extremely drying for your cuticles.  Following each mani I do a quick application of TIPS Nail Conditioner in order to treat the cuticles and skin around my nails.

 

Lisa's Tip of the Day: 

If you are using TIPS Nail Conditioner (or TIPS for Toes for your finger nails),  there is no need to apply a hardener/strengthener-type nail care product to your nails.  TIPS will do that and much more for your nails:  it fortifies, nourishes, hydrates, strengthens, protects them against the damage of water, and replenishes the lost lipids giving them strength yet keeping them flexible.

 

Stay in touch with me

 

on Pinterest

 

on Facebook

 

on YouTube

 

What's your experience with Sinful Colors?  Do you have a fave shade?

 

Til next time,  Lisa M.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glitter Tips

Trending this season is a very easy DIY manicure that will certainly add some bling to your nails. 

In order to show you what it looks like I went to my stash and chose 3 glitter polishes that I thought would look best with ASK Cosmetics's Sheer French Pink - my all time favourite in sheer polishes. 

2 coats of Sheer French Pink shown here.

 

I get so many compliments when wearing this polish.  One manicurist even glanced at my nails and said, "What a subtle French manicure you have."  I said thanks and explained they were my natural nails with two think coats of Sheer French Pink. 

 

My point is:  if you nails are healthy to begin with and show vibrant shades of pink and white, then all you need is a sheer polish to enhance the natural, healthy appearance of your nails - that is, if you even choose to wear polish on them at all. 

 

Choice #1:  Sheer French Pink by ASK Cosmetics + A Cut Above by Essie as my glitter tip

 

Choice #2:  Sheer French Pink by ASK Cosmetics + Strobe Light by Sally Hansen as my glitter tip

 

Choice #3:  Sheer French Pink + Rockstar Pink by Sally Hansen as my glitter tip

 

The manicure that decorated my nails for a special Xmas party was the third version.

 

Glitter tips can be seen everywhere at the moment.  I had fun creating these looks and will show you some more glitter creations throughout the next few days. 

 

Which one would you have chosen as your holiday mani?

 

 

 

 

 

Essie's Stylenomics - Greener than Green!

This Fall/Winter 2012 polish by Essie really gives your nails a rich shade of green.  Under certain light conditions it tends to go so dark you can't distinguish what colour it actually is.  Let me show you what I mean....

Coats:  2 (some people might prefer leaving the manicure with one coat only)

Thickness of polish:  on a scale from 1 (thinnest) - 10 (thickest) "Stylenomics" would be a 9.

Ease of Application:  fairly easy once you become accustomed to the thickness.

Wearability:  fairly good (5 days with minor evidence of wear and tear)

Appeal Factor:  lovely shade for late fall, reminds one of Xmas

 

In my humble opinion, dark green cannot be worn with all the trendy fall colours, but it will add an elegant accent to your nails that says: "Look at me!"

 

"No need to tighten your belt when you practice...

according to the Essie print ads seen in all fashion magazines.

 

 

I feel this green will be showing up in a lot of Christmas nail art this year.  So, I tried my hand at a very simple bit with my homemade tools again.

Base colour is Stylenomics by Essie with dots in Perfect Red by ASK Cosmetics Inc.

 

Fun Fact of the Day:  Light trauma, like typing on a computer stimulates nail growth.  Well, this kind of "trauma" is more like a massage for your nails. 

 

Would you wear dark green?  And if so, what do you think it would go well with?

 

Thanks for stopping by,  Lisa M.