Contest: Be a Rebel Debutante!

Hello ladies,

Are you ready to be a Rebel Debutante? For this giveaway, I have nine beautiful salon quality polishes to help bring about any transformation you choose. These colors range from classic neutrals to fashion forward shades.

I am so excited to be able to partner with Color Club to give you a chance to win their new Rebel Debutante Collection. Putting this together is a show of gratitude for gathering 400 followers and beyond. I appreciate your readership and comments. Many thanks to each of you.

Onward to the prize!

The Rebel Debutante Collection consists of nine fashion conscious creme formula polishes. You can explore your classic or your rebellious side with these lacquers.

Gossip Column, She's Sooo Glam, Ms. Socialite

Who Are You Wearing?, Rebel Debutante, Best Dressed List

High Society, Charity Ball, Uptown Girl

The polishes above were sent to me for review. I will be showing looks from the Rebel Debutante Collection during the contest period. The winner will receive the prize package directly from Color Club.

The Be a Rebel Debutante Contest is open internationally for followers and e-mail subscribers. The contest runs through the end of the day February 13th. To keep this simple, I am willing to count the date as the last available time zone worldwide. As long as it is February 13 somewhere on the planet, you may still enter.

Here's how to enter:

Mandatory:

1) Become a follower or e-mail subscriber of painted Lady fingers. If you are currently a follower or subscriber, that certainly counts! Please let me know in the comments which option you choose for keeping up with painted Lady fingers. 1 entry.

Optional extra entries:

2) How will you be a Rebel Debutante? Tell me an idea for nail art or design you would like to try with one of the colors in the Rebel Debutante Collection. If you would prefer, you could suggest a design for me to try. 1 entry.

3) Blog about the contest. Please provide a link. 2 entries.

4) Tweet about the contest. Please provide a link. 1 entry.

5) Have painted Lady fingers on your blogroll or add painted Lady fingers. Please provide a link if I haven't already commented on your blog. Otherwise please remind me. If you have a nail polish blog and you would like to be on my blogroll, please let me know. 1 entry.

You are welcome to put all your entries in one comment or return to the contest post with comments for each entry. Either way works for me. Your entries don't have to be sequential. Enter in any way you like whenever you like before the end of the day February 13. For the ease of your contest host, please include your e-mail with your entry. To qualify, I need to have your e-mail included with one of your entries. Thank you, ladies! I hope you enjoy the prize offering this round. I love doing contests for you whenever I can!

Pearl, Sea and Sky

Hello ladies,

Walking across town early last evening, I seemed to have ushered in the snowfall. It began as I left my boyfriend's apartment and gathered as I ventured home. Small white flakes glistened in the twilight. I knew when I was warm in my apartment I would do a manicure with Nubar Sky Sparkle.

Despite how lovely a light snowfall can be, I really wanted a more temperate version of the element water to be displayed in my manicure. I stamped the mermaid from plate M34 along with the fish, the seahorse and the dolphin designs from M27. I used Konad special polish in white and accented the underwater fantasy with blue and white pearls. For those in need of a new weather destination, I hope my manicure will transport your senses.

Such a reflective shade of azure! I thought it would be nice to see the underwater motif close up.

Sky Sparkle has effervescent blue glitter in a clear base. I would recommend layering this color over a bright blue cream. I painted four coats, though I think most people would be satisfied with three. The next time I wear Sky Sparkle, I intend to wear two coats over an opaque blue. The reason I suggest layering is the difficulty with building color on the tip of the nail. In photos, I can see some of my nail showing. This isn't a noticeable factor when my nails aren't under magnification.

I am having such a great time with this collection. I love the reflective capacity of the pure glitter. I feel like these shades are so evocative they easily lend themselves to nail art. They are quite striking on their own as well. Are any of you feeling tempted by this collection?

Sky Sparkle was sent to me for review. The Sparkles Collection is now available for purchase at bynubar.com.

Happy painting, ladies!

Starry Kitty

Hello ladies,

I am wearing another beauty from the Nubar Sparkles Collection. Star Sparkle is a silver glitter polish aglow with holographic reflection.

I decided to experiment with the smaller scale leopard design from Konad plate M24. I alternated positioning the stamp at an angle and keeping the pattern aligned with the side of my nail. The feline print was stamped with black special polish. I added a black stripe and affixed a metallic star. Paired with the leopard, it reminds me a bit of a cat collar. I painted a double line with an Art Club striper to achieve the desired thickness.

It's so nice to have a gargoyle looking out for me on work days.

Star Sparkle was fairly easy to apply. Three coats should suffice. I ended up painting four, but I was concerned with having perfect opacity under magnification. The next time I wear this polish for a full manicure, I will likely layer it over silver. The glitter is suspended in a clear base, which is phenomenal for shine but a little more effort for thorough coverage. I love Star Sparkle too much to worry over minor details. I am simply happy it exists.

I am really impressed with the versatility of the Nubar Sparkles Collection. The shades look striking when worn alone and create fantastic base colors for nail art. These polishes could be used for layering or adding a glitter funky french to a basic manicure.

Star Sparkle was sent to me for review. The Nubar Sparkles Collection will be available at bynubar.com on January 30th. I will be tempting you with more colors before the release date.

Happy painting, ladies!

Black lilies, pink pearls

Hello ladies,

I am wearing the second polish of the duo released by Diamond Cosmetics as a January promotion. Expecting Starry Night to be an elegant shimmer, I was surprised at the edgy quality of this polish. It's a black creme with multihued glitter. Under bright light, pink and green sparkle were clearly visible. There are also sparse flakies that remind me of pewter. They lack the brightness of a true silver, instead creating an industrial effect. When the light catches them perfectly, an oil slick rainbow forms.

When I put the idea of a manicure together, I was thinking about the 1980's mixing of pink and black. I wanted to evoke the thought of pearls and leather together. I added pink cameos and pearls combined with the lily flower from Konad plate M6. Psyche Pink was chosen for stamping.

Starry Night was opaque in two coats and easy to apply. I wish the formula had more pink and green shimmer in a sheerer base. That would change the aesthetics of the polish. If you are looking for a black with subtle shimmer that has more happening than a basic creme, Starry Night would do the job. I could even see men wearing this polish, especially with a matte topcoat.

I've been informed that the Spring Collection will be ready to ship February 8th. I should be able to begin reviews shortly thereafter. Starry Night was sent to me for review. This shade is currently available for purchase at diamondcosmetics.com.

Happy painting, ladies!

Speckled

Hello ladies,

I am wearing Concrete Jungle today. This grey creme is one of the two new polishes Diamond Cosmetics released as a January promotion. The second of the duo, Starry Night, is black with silver sparkle. I will be showing it later this week as my vampy manicure.

Concrete Jungle led my eyes on a detour from the bottle to the nail. In the bottle, it reminds me of plastic coated computer wires. After two coats, the color darkens slightly and the grey takes on a lavender cast. I prefer the color on the nail. Grey cremes have become a fashion staple in every polish collection. The touch of lavender adds interest to Concrete Jungle.

Since pink and grey together delight me, I created a gradient using Wet n' Wild Sparked. This manicure reminds me of a speckled egg in a songbird's nest.

Concrete Jungle's formula is on the thicker side. It was almost completely opaque in one coat, but I did two for assurance. The application is workable as long as coats are applied thinly. I am pleased with the finished result. At the affordable price point of $2.25, there is little to complain about!

Diamond Cosmetics recently added three new topcoats to their treatment line: Matte Topcoat, Extended Wear, and Nail Shine. Extended Wear is meant to keep polish from fading and ensure a week's worth of wear. Nail Shine is intended to add a high gloss and amplify the sparkle in metallic and shimmer polishes. None of the three are quick dry formulas.

I will be trying these topcoats with the new six shade Diamond Cosmetics Spring Collection. When I receive a release date for the Spring line, I will certainly share the information with you. Concrete Jungle and the three topcoats are currently available at diamondcosmetics.com. These products were sent to me for purpose of review.

Happy painting, ladies!

Violets, pearls and fans

Hello ladies,

Today I am wearing Nubar Violet Sparkle. The mention of violets always make me wistful for the Victorian era. I could imagine a man bringing me a nosegay with violets and roses intertwined.

With lavender pearls, I accented the fan design from Konad plate M54 to communicate the sense of nostalgia for past eras. The stamping was done with princess polish in light gray. Despite the name, the color has a strong lavender tint. I love the blend of old fashioned decorative elements with the modern look of glitter.

Nubar creates their collections thematically. I can find variance in formula amidst the colors though they are grouped as a concept. It's interesting to me how the colors can appear similarly on the nail, but have different application. Violet Sparkle has tiny glitter pieces in a clear base. I painted three coats, but I think two would be sufficient for most people. I found Violet Sparkle to be smooth enough after one layer of topcoat. I would advise applying these slowly to avoid the need for much cleanup. If you have some stray glitter on your skin, you can use a piece of tape to capture it. I forgot to use this technique before picture taking, but it does work well.

I really love Violet Sparkle. I am pleased Nubar sent this to me for review. The Nubar Sparkles collection will be available January 31st at bynubar.com.

Happy painting, ladies!

Star flowers

Hello ladies,

Today I am sharing an eye catching blue glitter polish from the Nubar Sparkles Collection. In sunlight, Night Sparkle reflects royal blue. The color appears an inky velvet blue in low light.

I added the floral pattern with cascading vines from Konad plate M24. The design is simultaneously stellar and floral. If the sky were to be hung with flowers, I would imagine the result to be similar. Konad special polish in silver was utilized for stamping. It almost looks holographic with the glitter beneath amplifying the reflective properties.

I borrowed a ritual knife with a decorative sheath for a prop. I was charmed by how well Night Sparkle coordinated with the sculpted bangs of the medieval woman.

Night Sparkle was easily opaque in two coats. The fine blue glitter suspended in a tinted blue base provided ample coverage. I found the finish to be gritty and matte before applying topcoat. Diamont returned the shine, but I didn't find one coat sufficient to completely even the texture. I would imagine two coats of Diamont would have solved the issue. I will have to experiment. Ladies with shorter nails may not need the additional layer of topcoat. I am icing a big cake.

My manicure is showing three layers of topcoat due to the Konad design. The first is to dry the polish and prepare the nail for stamping. The second application is with Konad princess topcoat to keep the design from smearing and provide a sticky layer to secure rhinestones. The final coat with Diamont seals the manicure.

Night Sparkle was sent to me for review. The Nubar Sparkles Collection will be available for purchase at bynubar.com on January 30th. I will be showing more of these polishes on sunlit days. The forecast conveys I should be able to create another look with one of these beauties for Saturday's post.

Happy painting, ladies!

Purple Curtain

Hi ladies,

I have a lovely polish from Diamond Cosmetics to occupy us until I receive the new Spring colors. I am so very excited for the package to arrive this week! Hi Ho Silver is a melding of lavender and grey into a pearl finish. There is a slight pink flash I find captivating. I wore this polish for three consecutive days. I am besotted.

With Cover Girl Amethyst Mist, I created a funky french. I formed a border with my favorite Art Club striper, Hologram. The effect is most apparent in the full hand picture where the arch of the smile line is clearest. Hand positioning while holding a polish bottle can make some of the stripes appear alternately straight or angled. In reality, each is curved. The manicure makes me think of elegant drapery viewed by candlelight. I am reminded of this line from Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven: And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain...

I also think of grand ballrooms in period movies where the windows are dressed with as much ornamentation as the ladies dancing. That is our bit of whimsy for the day.

Hi Ho Silver has a certain frostiness that brings visible brushstrokes. How wonderful that the formula allowed for multiple sweeps of the brush with the same coat! There is ample opportunity to perfect the application even if mistakes are made initially. The pearl finish shows far less brushstrokes than a frost. I found Hi Ho Silver completely manageable to apply. Those who fear formulas that show brushstrokes should not be concerned with the usual issues. I was also amazed how the color was opaque in two coats.

Amethyst Mist is a versatile glitter topcoat. It works well as a subtle french and can also add sparkle to the entire nail while not overpowering the base color. At the time of this post, I noticed the Cover Girl glitter topcoats were on clearance at Rite Aid. I have each of them and I would recommend them for purchase.

Happy painting, ladies!

Camouflage butterflies

Hello ladies,

Today I want to share a couple polishes from the Diamond Cosmetics core line: Never So Evergreen and Sweet As Sugar. I positioned monarch butterflies comprised of fimo in the center of the french tip. When the pale glitter polish was layered over grey green, it transformed into a shade of platinum.

The combination reminds me of camouflage. I put my hand next to ivy and my nails blended with the leaves. I could stare at Never So Evergreen and discover another facet of color with each moment of contemplation. There are green shimmer particles and an abundance of gold to play with the light.

Aside from having the perfect name, Never So Evergreen also wins for ease in application. The color was opaque in two coats. It certainly ranks among my favorite green polishes.

I love the versatility of Sweet as Sugar. The color makes a beautiful layering note. I would love to try this shade over a variety of dark colors or to add sparkle to a basic nude. Sweet as Sugar has a thicker consistency than other shades from Diamond Cosmetics. I formed the french as a thin layer and built the color with an additional coat placed immediately after the first. While Sweet as Sugar does have a syrupy texture, the polish was relatively easy to control. I would recommend this color as a creative addition to any polish collection.

Never So Evergreen and Sweet as Sugar were sent to me for review. They are available for purchase for $2.25 at diamondcosmetics.com.

Walking around center city today with Judy from Beauty Judy, we both experienced enthusiastic responses to our manicures. We were most praised at the art supply store where we shopped for fine sable brushes for nail art and natural bristle brushes for cleaning the cuticle area. We were asked about our purchases at checkout and the art students working admired our creativity.

Even our devotion to blogging was supported in Rittenhouse Square Park. A four year old came over to help us gather the scattered entries after the contest drawing. I'm sure to her it looked like we were simply playing. So true!

Happy painting, ladies.

Ladies Choice of Diamonds Winner!

Hello ladies,

Today I endeavored to select the winner of the Ladies Choice of Diamonds Contest. I was accompanied by Judy from Beauty Judy on this pilgrimage.

Together we visited the Lady of the Fountain to find an answer.

By her feet, a crystal votive was set.

The contest entries were strewn.

As the last entries cascaded over her platform, we looked upwards to see the name she held.

Power Lifter Chick! Congratulations, Christy! You will be receiving six polishes of your choice from the Diamond Cosmetics core line, the Holiday Collection and their new matte topcoat.

Please check out Christy's blog: Kronicles of a Konader. She does beautiful nail designs with konad stamping and some lovely freehand work. Take a look at her peacock manicure. Gorgeous!

Many thanks to Diamond Cosmetics for sponsoring this contest. I will be showing the new Diamond Cosmetics spring line of polishes next week.

Eastern influence

Hello ladies,

I have another untried and true manicure for you today. Pointing towards Valentine's Day, I will be searching my untried polishes for amorous reds. I wanted to create a simple red and gold manicure. I paired OPI Red Dazzle, a jelly polish with red and gold glitter, with Precision 18 Carat Cake. Bearing no responsibility for the spelling of the name, I can attest that the bright and reflective quality of the gold is more like jewelry and less like cake.

I like the simplicity of the red polish with gilded tips. The color combination makes me think of a Chinese lacquered box or sari fabric with a metallic border.

Look who walked across the ice to visit me. What a sweet pair!

I picked up OPI Red Dazzle at a salon sale last year. For those who enjoy dusty hunting, this would be a red to seek out in clearance bins or untouched shelves in older salons.

Red Dazzle is mostly opaque. There is a hint of visible nail line after three coats. I found this useful for creating the funky french. Despite my devotion to opacity, I wore Red Dazzle without embellishment on the first day and added the gold tips on the second day of wear. This orange based red captures attention. It would likely be appreciated if worn on a date.

Precision 18 Carat Cake is a useful layering note. I enjoyed how the clear base let the red show amidst the gold. It appears speckled rather than a bright line of glitter. I love creating variations to a basic french.

Please check out the poll in the upper right hand sidebar. I am thinking about having a vampy day at painted Lady fingers once a week. I have so many beautiful vampy polishes that should venture out into the light. I would love to know whether or not that appeals to you.

Happy painting, ladies!