Wednesday, June 30, 2010

White peacock

Hello ladies,

Today I bring you the famed Nubar Pasadena Purple accented with a white peacock. I found Pasadena Purple matches the ring of color outside the eye of a peacock feather. I have seen a white peacock wandering about a sculpture garden. They are incomparably beautiful.

I once had an amusing encounter with one of the resident peacocks at the sculpture grounds. As I roamed by on the lawn, he stood up from resting and raised his tail feathers. I was wearing a long and full circle skirt in blue and purple. I lifted the hems and fanned it out at the sides. The peacock and I stood facing, with opposite semi-circles of color. My skirt was forming a bell shape and his feathers were a perfect arch. We stared at each other for a long time. He seemed to admire my display.

I am rather besotted with the peacock image from Bundle Monster plate BM15. I used white Konad special polish for the stamping. Three nail pens from the Bejeweled Collection were chosen to color the feathers: Royal Amethyst, Emeralds and Sapphires. I then positioned three coordinating rhinestones per nail and placed them in varying formations within the tail feathers.




Below: An interesting perspective. Flower, birdhouse, skyscraper.
It gets more interesting because...
of the giant hibiscus!






The bees love these flowers as much as I do.



I painted three coats of Pasadena Purple for full opacity. Those with shorter nails will likely be happy with two coats. The application was great. The pearl finish is a little less noticeable with Pasadena Purple because of the the deep amethyst jewel tone. It could be mistaken for a shimmer in different lights.

What do you ladies think? Will you be adding this much talked about purple to your collection?

Pasadena Purple and the Bejeweled Nail Art Pen Collection were sent to me for review. Pasadena Purple can be found in the California Dreamin' Collection. These products are available at bynubar.com.

There is one more day left to enter for a chance to win all six polishes in the Nubar California Dreamin' Collection, 2010 flakie glitter topcoat and a summer fun gift pack. Stop by the contest post before the end of the day July 1st. The giveaway ends in the last available time zone on the planet. For comparison, that's roughly 8 a.m. EST June 2nd. Best of luck!

Happy painting, ladies!


Sunday, June 27, 2010

His & Hers Giveaway Winner!

Hello ladies,

Today, the winner of the the His and Hers Giveaway was selected! I will now present a tale of two turtles.

Meet our judge.
Behold, the bowl of 648 handwritten contest entries.
See what happens when Kermit the turtle is introduced to the scene.
Kermit is very sweet. He has a true warmth of expression and is a good listener.
He is such a philosophical turtle that he didn't want to choose one name. He believes in harmony and nail polish for all. He tried to teach us patience by sitting still for a very long time, a lesson perhaps of days gone by, before the invention of quick dry topcoat.

We decided to call upon the services of his more gregarious pond mate. May I introduce Mason?
Ladies, I got this one covered.
And he's off!
I never thought I would use the word quick to describe a turtle, but Mason was ready! He surprised us by turning around and heading towards the entries in the upper corner.
Mason is on the move.
He pauses for a moment...
and puts his foot down. Laura is the winner!

Mason relaxed in a pile of contest entries after a clear decision was reached. Thank you, Mason, for your decisiveness. Mason actually kept his claws on the slip of paper with Laura's name for five whole minutes. Many thanks to Kermit as well for sharing his wisdom and good feeling.

Congratulations, Laura! I was so surprised to see Laura's name chosen. I won a fabulous contest recently at her blog: Sawan. I had really wanted to do something nice for Laura and Mason made it happen! This was such an amazing drawing. Turtles do have the reputation for being sage creatures for a reason.

Many thanks to Kim from overallbeauty.com and Reviva Labs for sponsoring this giveaway.

A special thanks to my friend Sarada and her animal companions for supporting my love of nail polish.

Please stop by the Nubar California Dreamin' Giveaway. There are only a few days left to enter. Best of luck!

Happy painting, ladies!

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Flower circlets

Hello ladies,

Today I have a manicure to show you with Nubar Reef Green. My nails are glowing like vibrant leaves freshly unfurled or deep sea fishes swimming in a school of ten. Reef Green is striking enough on its own, so of course I added circlets of pink flowers. What else would I do? They reminded me a bit of daisy chain bracelets and summer whimsy.

I used Konad pink special polish to stamp the semi-circle of flowers from Bundle Monster plate BM12. This manicure was a playful experiment to try alternate positioning with a French tip design. I accented the flowers with pink rhinestones and pink and green pearls. I loved how this turned out.









Upside down butterfly

Reef Green needed two coats for opacity. Brushstrokes were apparent as I applied the polish, but they virtually disappeared once I sealed the manicure with Diamont. Reef green shares the lovely pearl finish that categorizes the California Dreamin' Collection. This group of polishes is truly masterful. Although I have always been enthusiastic about Nubar as a brand, California Dreamin' makes me adore them a bit more.

Reef Green was sent to me for review. This shade and the rest of the California Dreamin' Collection can be purchased from bynubar.com. For a chance to win all six polishes, 2010 glitter topcoat, Diamont fast drying topcoat and a summer fun gift pack, please stop by the contest post to enter. Best of luck!

Happy painting, ladies.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Chandelier Aglow

Hello ladies,

I have another stunning polish from the Nubar California Dreamin' Collection to share with you: Hollywood Pink. Inspired by the name of this polish, I wanted to create an elegant and modern nail look.

From Bundle Monster plate BM08, I stamped the chandelier image using Konad white special polish. I added a jewel from the Nubar Mirror Gem Wheel. I couldn't resist tipping my nails with silver with the striper brush in the Platinum Nail Art Pen. The photos were taken in a variety of natural light settings. Hollywood Pink glows in every one.









A bee at work in a flower pot.

Hollywood Pink was opaque in two coats. There was an odd occurrence when I applied this polish. After adding a coat of Diamont, the finish temporarily changed to matte. This happened at the very tips and lasted only briefly. Once Hollywood Pink was completely dry, the high gloss one expects with Diamont returned. I honestly don't know if this is a particular application issue with this polish or if it was related to the very high humidity in Philadelphia at the time I was doing my manicure.

Hollywood Pink has the gorgeous pearl finish that is characteristic of the California Dreamin' Collection. I'm really impressed with the beauty of these shades. Each and every color is vibrant and glowing.

Nubar Hollywood Pink, the Platinum Nail Art Pen and the nail jewels were sent to me for review. Hollywood Pink is part of the California Dreamin' Collection. The Platinum Nail Art Pen can be found in the Bejeweled Collection. The crystals are sold in the Mirror Gem Wheel. All of these products can be found at bynubar.com.

Stop by the contest post for a chance to win all six polishes in the California Dreamin' Collection plus a summer fun gift pack.

Happy painting, ladies!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Reviva Labs Green Papaya and Hydrogen Peroxide Oxygen Mask

Hello ladies,

I want to share information about a facial mask that clears impurities and oxygenates the skin. Reviva Labs Green Papaya and Hydrogen Peroxide Oxygen Mask provides mild exfoliation and helps uncover the skin's natural radiance.



These flowers look like buttons on a green coat.

Let's first peruse the ingredients: sunflower oil, demineralized spring water, soybean oil, papaya puree, cetearyl alcohol, ceteareth 20, hydrogen peroxide, honey, aloe extract, lanolin oil, retinyl palmitate (vitamin A), tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E), beta carotene, azulene, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, and citric acid.

Papaya is a natural exfoliant that helps gently eliminate dead skin cells. While exfoliation has always been a part of my skin care regime, trying Reviva Labs products has given me a greater appreciation for the different natural ingredients used in the process. Papaya enzyme dissolves dead skin, allowing the the healthy skin cells beneath to be revealed. I'm used to employing scrubs for exfoliation. It was relaxing to let the mask do the work for me over the course of 10- 15 minutes.

Hydrogen peroxide is a useful component for treating blemishes and ridding the skin of impurities. While my complexion tends to be clear, I am concerned about how pollution can effect my skin. I live downtown in the sixth largest city in the US. Despite all of the green spaces in Philadelphia, I recognize the need to be proactive in my skin care routine by including treatments that deep clean and exfoliate.

The first time I used the mask I was initially troubled to see a small blemish appear five minutes after application. What I first mistook as a possible allergic reaction was the Oxygen Mask working to immediately clear my skin of debris. I tried the mask before bedtime and was surprised at how refreshed my skin looked the next morning. All signs of the blemish were gone and my complexion looked bright.

I've noticed that using this mask before my monthly cycle begins helps to keep my facial skin completely clear. While I don't have acne prone skin, my complexion can show some spots and imperfections right before and during menstruation. The Oxygen Mask is the first product I have ever seen work as a preventative for monthly breakouts.

My only criticism of this product is the faintly medicinal smell caused by the hydrogen peroxide. I tried adding a drop of lavender essential oil and mixed it with a small amount of the mask before applying it to my skin. Oily skins could benefit from one drop of citrus essential oil, such as orange or grapefruit. I hope Reviva Labs opts to reformulate Oxygen Mask to include essential oils, primarily for scent.

I have used Oxygen Mask as a single treatment before moisturizing with EFAs Cream over Hyaluronic Acid. I have also tried it as part of a skin care facial. Applying Light Skin Peel first for three to five minutes, then following with Oxygen Mask provides additional opportunity for exfoliation. The natural oils, aloe, lanolin, honey and vitamin E help to return moisture to my skin after the deep cleansing from the Light Skin Peel. Both products work well singly, but I appreciate how they work together as a system to cleanse, exfoliate and balance skin's moisture levels.

Take a look at Mary's review at Body and Soul Beauty. She provides information on how to use Oxygen Mask as part of a pampering hand treatment. I appreciate the effectiveness of Oxygen Mask for facial care. I'm excited to give it a try on my hands as well.

I am really pleased with the performance of Oxygen Mask. It's ability to help maintain skin clarity and promote a radiant complexion make this product well-suited to my regular skin care routine. I definitely recommend trying it.

Green Papaya and Hydrogen Peroxide Oxygen Mask was sent to me for review. This mask is available for purchase at revivalabs.com.

I'll be back Thursday night with another gorgeous polish from Nubar.

Happy painting, ladies!