New York Color Quick Dry: A Series - Central Park

Hi all! Today I have Central Park in my NYC Quick Dry series.

Central Park is a pink-beige-peach frost polish. It's pretty neutral, with a little bit of shimmer to give it a kick.

3 coats, no top coat

New York Color Quick Dry: A Series - Columbus Circle Crimson

Hi all! So last week I promised you a series of reviews on the New York Color Quick Dry polishes I own.

I decided to start with Columbus Circle Crimson, a deep red creme.

2 coats, no top coat

Wet n Wild Summer Festival Collection: Spitfire Review

Hi all! I have a new manicure for you and this time, it's a regular mani.

Summer's not over and we still have time to wear bright colors. I decided to go with Spitfire from Wet n Wild's latest summer collection, Summer Festival.

2 coats of Spitfire

Werder Bremen Nail Art

Hey all! I have more nail art - another sports team. This time it's for my favorite soccer team, Werder Bremen from Bremen, Germany. Today marked their return to regular season soccer and I could not have been happier, even though the game ended 2:2 against Hertha Berlin.

The colors I used were NYC Quick Dry High Line Green and Wet n Wild French White Creme.

I didn't take very many pictures; I did this pretty late at night and I was focused on finishing it and going to bed. It was really easy to do.

For the diamond, I cut a diamond out of painter's tape, place it on my nail, and traced along the edges with my little brush.

The heart is pretty self-explanatory - I just cut out a heart, place it on my nail and painted it, then applied a coat of Nina Ultra Pro.

This is the final result.

I messed up the W a little, and the entire design isn't centered on my nail, but I'm not too bothered by it.

Overall, I'm actually pleased with it.

Sporting Kansas City + Nail Art, Again

Hi all! I didn't get to rock my Cowboys nail art very long. There was another autograph session with Sporting KC players. This time it was with Graham Zusi (USMNT, #19; SKC, #8) and Toni Dovale (#9). It took place in Kansas City once again, at a Price Shopper.

I forgot this was happening, until Chris reminded me a few hours before we were supposed to leave. I had to shower, get ready, AND do my Sporting KC and US nail art! Needless to say, it was a rushed morning/early afternoon.

It was a mani under pressure. I didn't have the time to make mistakes, so I had to be very careful. It actually turned out well. I didn't get a picture of the whole manicure, and in case you haven't seen it, this is what it looks like.

The only difference was that instead of a 5, I had a 19, and I had a 9 on my thumb.

Dallas Cowboys Nail Art

Hey guys! I have a new mani for you! I tried something new last night, and I wasn't too pleased with the way it turned out. I thought about changing it, but since it started peeling off, I had to. I blame this on my Nina Ultra Pro Super Dry Top Coat, and I will review it soon.

I'd been wanting to try Dallas Cowboys nail art for a while, since Chris is a massive fan. I decided to try it tonight and I am quite proud of the way it turned out. Here is how I did it.

I used three colors: NYC Quick Dry Tribeca Silver, Wet n Wild French White Creme, and Sinful Colors New Wave.

After applying my base coat, I painted my nails with my base colors.

Wet n Wild mani: Ferris-Wheel Romance + Blazed

Hey guys! After my latest Wet n Wild haul, I decided to try a something new.

I have never done any of the french manicure twists, and I decided to try one today with Ferris-Wheel Romance and Blazed. Both are corals, with Ferris-Wheel being the lighter of the two.

Ferris-Wheel Romance looks very pink on me. I used two coats, but I think I should have done three. I had a little bit of a problem with leveling, but my top coat (Nina Ultra Pro) took care of that!

New Haul: Wet n Wild Summer 2014 LE Summer Festival Collection

I am very happy right now! I went to Walgreen's looking for Sinful polishes (they're on sale $.99), but I didn't really see any that I wanted.

What I did see was the new Wet n Wild Summer Festival Wild Shine LE collection. I was SO happy. I've missed out on NYC LE collections because my CVS stores are lame, but Walgreen's did not let me down.

Well, of course I couldn't walk away without getting all four colors, so here they are!

I tested my new polishes as soon as I got home. Ferris-Wheel Romance and Chambray Showers are cremes. They are opaque in two coats and are gorgeous summer colors.

Spitfire and Gyp-Sea Green are jelly polishes. I'm still trying to identify jellies, but I'll get better at it.

I like them all. Summer's technically not over for another month, so I still have time to get all my bright shades in before fall.

Have you spotted the Summer Festival Wild Shine collection? Do you like the colors? Do you have any of the other colors in the Wild Shine line?

New York Color Quick Dry: A Series

Hi all!

After looking at my nail polish collection, I realized that I want to do a series of reviews by brand/line.

I decided to start with New York Color's Quick Dry line. I bought a couple about a year ago, and have added a few more since.

Central Park, Columbus Circle Crimson, Spring Street, High Line Green, Precious Peacock, Manhattan, Park Ave, Tribeca Silver, Sidewalkers

I already reviewed Park Ave, so it's time to do the next one. I'm thinking High Line Green, and maybe I'll throw in some nail art as well.

I'd love to get my hands on some of the LE collections, but I think Kansas misses out on all the good stuff, seriously. I missed out on the City Samba collection, and I'll probably miss out on the fall collection as well. Sigh.


Have you used NYC's Quick Dry line? What do you think about them?

Practice Really Does Make Perfect: New York Color Park Ave

Hey guys! I wanted to share an old manicure. It was one of those days, before I learned anything about nail polish and nail care.

I bought Park Ave about a year ago and rarely used it. Then I decided to use it in February. I think it was because I wanted to take a picture and send it to my grandma, who LOVES nail polish and I don't think I've ever seen her with naked nails. She is one of the reasons I grew to love nail polish.

Here is a picture of that manicure.

I didn't use a base coat. Didn't use a top coat. There was no cleanup. My cuticles were dry, though I blame that on the ridiculously dry winter in Kansas. It's ugly, I know.

Now, this is what I did today. I've improved, haven't I?

3 coats of Park Ave

Sporting Kansas City Meets Nail Art: Part II

My nails were done, so Chris and I went off to the autograph session with Matt Besler from 3-4pm. Turns out that we were only 2 of 8 people who picked up passes, so we got to cut to the front of the line. We started chatting with the people who were already there, and everyone was excited. At exactly 3pm, we got to go inside the Sprint store to meet Matt.

I approached Matt and said, "I'm fairly certain you've never been asked this, but can you sign my nail?" He looked a little surprised, but he agreed. He said, "I've never signed a nail before. They look really good!" Then he signed a small card for me as well.

Sporting Kansas City Meets Nail Art: Part I

Hi all! It's been a few days since my last post. Chris and I got a little busy with another DIY pet project and it's almost over!

Okay, so let me start at the beginning. Chris and I picked up tickets for an autograph session with Matt Besler (USMNT and Sporting Kansas City defender, #5) on Tuesday. I knew that I would have to have some nail art to mark the occasion, so this is what I did.

To start off, these are the colors I used.

NYC Boat Basin, WnW French White Creme, SinfulColors Ruby Ruby, Bright Lucite, and New Wave

I applied my base colors and added one coat of Nina Ultra Pro Super Dry Top Coat because it dries very quickly.

Manicure Routine: Part II

Now that my hands and nails are clean, it is time to begin the second part of my manicure.

I start by applying one coat of NutraNail's Strengthener with Green Tea and wrapping my edges. I am right-handed, so I always paint my right hand first -  I hate trying to paint with my left hand if it is wet. I do my pinky and work my way to my thumb. If I start the other way around, I always end up smudging something.

Manicure Routine: Part I

Hi all! I thought that today I'd show you my normal manicure routine.

These are the products I use on a regular basis and I found that they work very well for me.

DIY: Nail Polish Rack

I decided to make my own nail polish rack instead of buying one. There's something about working on your own projects. You get the satisfaction that all your hard work is going to pay off.

After looking around online at the different nail polish racks, I decided on mine. I went to Home Depot and bought the supplies I needed. I had a couple guys there cut down the boards to the measurements I needed.

Backboard: 5mm x 2' x 4' - cut to 35.5" by 2'

Sides: Poplar boards, .5" x 2.5" x 36"

Shelves: Poplar boards, .5" x 2.5" x 36" - cut to 23"

I secured the sides of the rack to the board with wood glue. The board was a little curved, so this part was a little hard. After the glue was dry, I screwed the backboard to the sides of the rack. I wanted to use nails, but Chris insisted on screws - more security. We don't have a power drill, so I had to do this part by nailing in the screw, then using a Phillips screwdriver. This was kinda hard and a little painful. I had to make sure it went in straight; if it went in crooked, it would come out the side.

Mini Haul tonight!

I love nothing more than a bargain, and I especially love nothing more than bargains I am not expecting.

Chris and I decided to do some light shopping and we ended our day at TJ Maxx. We were about to check out and I came across some treasure: nail polishes and other beauty tools. I went straight for the nail products. The prices on Essie and China Glaze bottles were unreal - $2.99-4.99. They also had some OPI and Orly polishes, but these weren't in the best condition.

Sally Hansen Advanced Hard as Nails Top Coat - Not So Hard

It's kind of a bummer when your manicure lasts less than a day. Today, I confirmed an old suspicion - my nails and products from Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails line don't work well together.

The big offender:

New mani: FingerPaints Monet Money

I finally got a chance to pamper my hands after some amateur carpentry. I have a small cut on my right hand near my cuticle and it stung as I was removing my other manicure with pure acetone. Not fun.

Today I used FingerPaints Monet Money. I'd been looking for the perfect green, but couldn't find it with my usual brands. I found this gorgeous dark green on one of my visits to Sally Beauty (B2G1 free). Once I saw the name, I had to buy it. I am a fan of Monet and the Impressionists, so this was a must-buy.

Side by Side: Ruby Stone Crystal File vs Tropical Shine Cushion File

Nail files are fairly simple to acquire. You can buy them pretty much anywhere, one at a time or in bulk, but like anything else, it's quality vs. quantity.

I used to use regular old emery nail files. They got the job done. They shaped my nails and I never needed clippers. After doing a little bit of research, I learned that I had probably damaged my nails, so I I decided it was time for a new one. I read about Ruby Stone Crystal File and my heart was set on it. Users said it was durable (unless they dropped it) and it was great on their nails.