Sunday, April 24, 2011

Easter flowers: Diamond Cosmetics Bahama Mama



Bleeding heart flower






























Hello ladies,

For those who celebrated Easter today, I hope you had a pleasant holiday. I couldn't resist creating a manicure to match the local blooms of the season.

I began with one of the new Summer shades from Diamond Cosmetics: Bahama Mama. With Konad green special polish, I stamped the leaves from image plate H10. Every other nail, the positioning of the greenery was switched and adjusted to the left or right. I added dried flowers in orange, yellow, green, blue and purple along with two sizes of coordinating rhinestones. So cheerful!

Bahama Mama is a vibrant pink creme. I would classify this shade as a bright, but there may be a bit of neon pigment in the mix. I applied three coats, more for evenness than opacity. For $2.50 a bottle, you can't go wrong with this polish!

For those of you wondering why I did not feature the three Spring polishes, it is because they never arrived. I did make requests for the shades when I put the promo photos up and again afterwards. I apologize for not being able to honor requests to see these colors. If the Spring Collection does arrive, I will certainly give it a nice showing.

I hope these bright flowers brought a little Springtime to your part of the map. Enjoy!

Bahama Mama was sent to me for review. This polish will soon be available for US residents to purchase at diamondcosmetics.com. For international shipping, keep an eye on boozyshop.nl for availability.

Image plate H10 was provided for my consideration. To explore the full line of nail art stamping products and supplies, visit chez-delaney.com.

Happy painting, ladies!

Friday, April 22, 2011

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask

Hello ladies,

I have been applying Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask each week for the past few months. I appreciate how the easy to use formula restores shine to my color treated hair and conditions without weighing down my natural waves. In addition to the product performance, the fruity scent is another fine quality this hair mask offers.

Employing Deep Recovery Hair Mask weekly after shampooing, I let the treatment absorb for three to five minutes before rinsing. Since the formula is concentrated, only a small amount is needed for optimum effectiveness.

I appreciate the weightless conditioning this mask offers. With hair that is fine, wavy, dry and color treated, I require products that provide volume and increase moisture. Deep Recovery Hair Mask softens and coats each hair strand without pulling the curl from my hair.

This treatment has helped improve the condition of my hair during the transition from dry Winter days into Springtime. I can easily see the year round benefits of this product. I am looking forward to using Deep Recovery Hair Mask this summer after swimming.

The sweet, juicy fragrance of this product reminds me of a fresh fruit bowl. The meadowfoam oil adds a hint of marshmallow scent. Delectable!

Ingredients: Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Behenyl Alcohol, Meadowfoam (Limnanthes Alba) Seed Oil, Cyclohexasiloxane, Olive (Olea Europaea) Fruit Oil, Sweet Almond (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis) Oil, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Amodimethicone, Panthenol, Glycol Stearate, Ceteth-2, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Citric Acid, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide, Fragrance.

Meadowfoam Seed Oil adds shine to color treated and processed hair. It also works as a natural sunscreen to protect the hair from UV rays.

Having previously treated my hair with undiluted olive oil, I am pleased to enjoy the benefits of this natural hair conditioner in an easy to apply formula. A useful ingredient to guard against breakage, olive oil helps promote hair elasticity and strength.

Sweet Almond Oil has a long history, dating back to ancient Egypt, of being utilized for scalp massage and hair conditioning. It restores luster to the hair.

I certainly recommend Deep Recovery Hair Mask to condition and add brilliance to your hair. It's a fantastic year round treatment that can help restore the hair's natural beauty.

Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask was sent to me for review. To purchase, visit neutrogena.com or check your local drug store. A six ounce (170 g) jar retails for 6.99.

Happy painting, ladies!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Kiwi!: Color Club The Lime Starts Here

Hello ladies,

I have been enjoying all the fresh fruits that have been available in abundance at the market. I decided to create a kiwi manicure in homage to my favorite juicy snack of the moment.

Beginning with a base of Color Club The Lime Starts Here, I then formed white ovals with the polish in an Art Club striper bottle. I used a size 00 sable brush from the art supply store for the embellishments. From the side of the oval to the edge of the nail I painted 12 stripes with Glitter Envy. Then I dabbed topcoat line by line and placed black beads to form the seeds. These beads were from the Art Club Bewitching Gem Wheel, released for Halloween 2010. Each nail has 30 beads total. I applied these individually by hand utilizing a crystal pick up tool.

I tried the Art Club topcoat that came with the glitter striper set. I found two coats sealed the beads to my nails perfectly. I haven't lost a single bead of the 300 I am wearing in the course of the day! I will definitely be using this topcoat regularly for nail art.

I applied two coats of The Lime Starts Here over a whitening base coat. I wore this shade without nail art for a day and then added two more coats of color to refresh the manicure. To my olfactory senses, the fragrance of this polish does not resemble limes. It has a fresh clean scent that reminds me of the ocean and sliced cucumbers.

I hope you enjoyed the bejeweled neon kiwi and that it inspires you to add some fruit to your shopping basket.

The products featured in this post were sent to me for review. Color Club The Lime Starts Here is from the Wicked Sweet Collection. Glitter Envy is part of the Starry Temptress Collection.

For a chance to win the 7 piece set of neon glitter polish, stop by the
Starry Temptress Giveaway! to enter. Get your entries in since the giveaway closes April 24th, last time zone worldwide!

Happy painting, ladies!



My seldom seen right hand. For the curious, I always decorate all ten nails.



















Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Flora and fauna at Longwood Gardens

Hello ladies,

My friend David and I recently journeyed to Longwood Gardens to view the flowering trees and the bright tulip display. We encountered some fauna as well during our garden jaunt.
The tulips are planted in drifts of color.
Red and orange tulips aglow like a fireplace.


The air was fragrant with white blossoms.
The soft yellow daffodils with their bright orange faces.

I love the pink and cream colored tulips. Silky.
Turned up like a lipstick display.

We encountered a sleeping beastie on the walkway.

It seemed to be a rare species that crosses a cat with a baked good and a pair of striped tights.

He raised his chin for scratching.

And succumbed again to the sleeping spell of the sun warmed path.
A view of the tree house between a sakura and a weeping willow.

This sociable goose is from the pair above. He swam over for a close up.

I hope you enjoyed a look at our day. Have you been enjoying the delights of Spring?

Happy painting, ladies!

Monday, April 18, 2011

Hot Half Moon: Color Club I Always Get My Man-darin

Hello ladies,

The city of Philadelphia is decorated with brightly hued tulips. I found the urge to mirror their cheerful tones in today's manicure.

With a tiny brush, I created the half moons freehand style. An easy method is to paint a vertical line from the cuticle area upward and form an arch on either side. Because Ultra-Astral is a glitter polish, I first defined the half moons using Raspberry Rush. I couldn't resist adding a coordinating orange rhinestone.

While I love the look of the glitter French tips, I found Ultra-Astral difficult to sweep across the nail in a perfect curve. I would recommend layering the Starry Temptress Colors over a thinner neon of the same hue. This method worked flawlessly for the half Moon. I will try it for the tips in the future.






I Always Get My Man-Darin is a yellow-orange polish with diaphanous green shimmer. This shade appears more yellow in bright light and soft orange in medium to low light. I wore this polish without embellishment for a day before adding the funky french and the half moons. I painted two coats over a whitening base, which left a hint of visible nail line. This manicure shows two additional coats for opacity.

I hope my hot half moon manicure brought a glow to your day.

The polishes featured in this post were sent to me for review. I Always Get My Mandarin and Raspberry Rush are from the Wicked Sweet Collection. Ultra-Astral is part of the

For a chance to win the seven piece set of neon glitter polishes, stop by the

Happy painting, ladies!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Apothecary: Nubar Freeze Dry, Nail Polish Drying Accelerator

Hello ladies,

I recently added Nubar Freeze Dry to my nail care apothecary. I am impressed how these drops speed the dry time of manicures and pedicures. Freeze Dry can readily solve the problem of polish that refuses to cure on its own. It can be used in addition to quick dry or traditional topcoat.

Freeze Dry is packaged with a dropper and a brush. For best results, apply drying drops over the sink. Tilt your nails at a slight downwards angle and apply two to three drops per nail starting just below the cuticle line. Those ladies with active length nails should find two drops sufficient. The liquid will coat your nails and the excess will run off. If you find the drops bounce off the nail, experiment with a different angle.

Applying Freeze Dry using the standard Nubar brush is equally effective. I choose this method when I have needed extra layers of polish to build opacity and the manicure is taking longer than I would like to cure, even with quick dry topcoat. Freeze Dry can successfully harden four or five layers of polish.

These drops are my new defense when confronted with a polish, which will not cure. I have used Freeze Dry on polishes that dent an hour after application. I haven't yet found a polish this product can't assist in drying. Freeze Dry works outside the Nubar line with every brand of polish I tested.

I appreciate that Freeze Dry doesn't dull polish when left on the nail. I have found that other salon quality drying drops like OPI Drip Dry and Zoya Hurry Up need to be rinsed after the polish hardens. In contrast, Freeze Dry will make the nails appear glossy hours after being applied.

Freeze Dry has a light floral scent that makes it pleasurable to use. Nubar considered the entire experience when creating this product. It is both effective and enjoyable to apply.

If you are searching for quality drying drops, I can recommend Nubar Freeze Dry as easily being my favorite.

Nubar Freeze Dry was sent to me for review. This product can be purchased from bynubar.com.

Happy painting, ladies!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Butterfly Season: Color Club Wicked Sweet

Hello ladies,

With the return of sun filled days and bright blossoms, I have been craving sweet things. My manicure today is a candy hued rainbow of hearts and butterflies.

Beginning with Color Club Wicked Sweet as the base, I used the Art Club striper Hologram Black to form a diagonal line. I filled in the half the nail with two coats of Master of Disguise, a black mini polish. Next, I redefined the glitter stripe with a second application of Hologram Black. I sealed the nail with quick dry topcoat.

Over the black polish, I placed butterfly decals from the Art Club Technicolor Doll kit. On the turquoise side, I added brightly colored heart rhinestones in pink, green and orange.






The pink canopy.

For perfect opacity, I layered three coats of Wicked Sweet over a whitening base. This candy scented neon has an effervescent green shimmer that gives the polish depth and beauty. It's certainly worth owning.

I hope today's look added some sugar to your day.

The products mentioned were sent to me for review. The neon blue polish, Wicked Sweet, is the signature color of the new line of scented polishes from Color Club. The Wicked Sweet Collection can be purchased at victoriasnailsupply.com.

For a chance to win the seven piece set of Color Club neon glitter polishes, stop by the Starry Temptress Giveaway! to enter. Best of luck!

Happy painting, ladies!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

B.liv by Cellnique Glow and Shine Mask

Hello ladies,

I have been applying B.Liv by Cellnique Glow and Shine mask every week for the past month. A pleasure to use, this mask affords a relaxing feel along with the scent of summer fruits. The skin clearing benefits of this treatment are suitable for all skin types.

Beginning with clean skin, moistened with a light splash of water, I apply a layer of Glow and Shine. The mask contains an exfoliant that feels like fine grains of sand. I massage the exfoliating beads against my skin for a minute or two until the mask becomes dry enough to set. I allow the mask to activate for ten minutes before rinsing. For a deeper clean, I apply Glow and Shine before showering. Giving my face a final gentle scrub in the steam heat of the shower helps dislodge any pore clogging debris.

Although Glow and Shine is part of the B.Liv Large Pores Range, it can assist other skin types as well. My dry skin has shown improvement in texture and smoothness, especially on my cheeks near the jaw line. Exfoliating masks are very useful for normal to dry complexions. When dead skin cells are removed, treatment moisturizers have a better chance to absorb and provide optimal hydration.

I appreciate that Glow and Shine helps balance my skin without irritating the sensitive areas. Using a weekly treatment mask has helped with maintaining the proper oil balance across my entire face. I tend to have less dryness to contend with on my cheeks and less active oil production on my nose.

Glow and Shine has a juicy scent that makes me think of black grapes and hibiscus tea. The fragrance of this treatment makes it even more enjoyable to use.

Ingredients: Purified Water (Aqua), Zinc Oxide, Glycerin, Kaolin, Hexyldecanol, Silica, Polysorbate 20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lactic Acid, Stearic Acid, Bentonite, Cetyl Alcohol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Menthyl Lactate, Methylparaben, Papaya Enzyme (Papain), Fragrance, Propylparaben.

Glycerin is a welcome ingredient in a clay mask. This natural humectant will draw moisture to the skin and act as a balancing agent for the cleansing effects of the clay.

Found in green papaya, papain is an enzyme that helps dissolve and remove dead skin cells. I look for papaya enzyme when choosing cleansing/exfoliating products. It brings about a glow in my skin.

If you are looking for a pore clearing mask that will help brighten the complexion and refine skin texture, Glow and Shine has earned my recommendation.

B.Liv Glow and Shine was sent to me for review. This product can be purchased from blivskin.com.

Happy painting, ladies!

Sunday, April 10, 2011

I Love Watermelon!: Color Club Raspberry Rush

Hello ladies,

During my late night grocery shopping trip, I discovered an inviting section of watermelon, freshly cut and wrapped. I think even my spoon was delighted at breakfast this morning. My nails today pay homage to this delicious seasonal fruit.

I began with Color Club Raspberry Rush as the base and then created a glitter gradient using the Konad sponge nail art kit. For the first layer, I applied Space Case, a light neon pink glitter. Then I added a dappling of Glitter Envy to call to mind the green of the watermelon rind. I alternated placement of black teardrop crystals from Bundle Monster to represent the seeds.








Raspberry Rush is subtly scented, but still pleasurable. I began with two coats of a whitening base, sealed with quick dry topcoat, to ensure opacity. Three coats of Raspberry Rush brought a perfect, even application. I love how bright and glossy this polish appears!

I hope there is watermelon or some other delicious fruit available to sweeten your day.

The three polishes featured in this post were sent to me for review and are available for purchase at victoriasnailsupply.com. Raspberry Rush is part of the Wicked Sweet Collection. Space Case and Glitter Envy can be found in the Starry Temptress Collection.

For a chance to win the 7-piece set of neon glitter polish, stop by the Starry Temptress Giveaway! to enter. Best of luck!

Happy painting, ladies!