Eugene Malibu Swatches & Review

Hey guys! Today I have some swatches from an indie nail polish line that is very new to me, Eugene Malibu! They recently sent me two of their polishes from their new Festival Collection to try out and I'm here today to share my thoughts with you. For more info on this indie brand, go to TheMonthlyNail.com and check them out!

Skimp or Spend? # 4

Long time no see! I'm so sorry that I've been gone for a week, I recently went on a mini vacation and that completely threw me off of my schedule! But I'm back with a new Skimp or Spend post :) Thank you guys for loving this series, I still get such amazing feedback from you all and I couldn't be happier. Continue reading if you'd like to find out the verdict of today's post!

Spring Polish Picks!

Happy Spring! Since the first day of Spring was a few days ago, I thought it was time to share my Spring Polish Picks with you all! Spring is one of my favorite times of the year because of the nice weather and pastel polishes ♥ Keep reading to find out what my favorite nail polishes are for this season!

Fresh White Nails

Hey everyone! Tonight I'm posting something fairly simple, just fresh white nails, but I am joined by a fun ring to make this post more exciting! I've been feeling a bit uninspired lately so I went with a classic color. Not to worry though, I'm collabing with another nail artist on IG for a special post coming soon! :)

OPI Jelly Sandwich

Hey everyone! Today I have a long awaited jelly sandwich mani that I've been wanting to try for the longest time! I've done jelly sandwiches before, but now that I have OPI's Bubble Bath, I've had the urge to try this technique again. Continue reading for sparkly goodness! (WARNING: This will be a picture heavy post!)

Skimp or Spend? # 2

I'm back with another post on my series, Skimp or Spend? I am so happy that you guys loved the last post, I received so many positive responses both on Instagram and on my blog. Thank you so much, you have all motivated me to keep this series going ❤ Today I'll be speaking about one of my favorite colors for spring, mint green!

I recently purchased Fashion Playground by Essie and as soon as I got home I wondered if I had any similar minty colors. Revlon's Jaded is pretty darn close. They look different in their bottles, but on the nail they actually look very similar. I purchased both polishes at Target, the Essie for $8.49, and the Revlon for $4.59. 

Precision Nail Lacquer - Oasis Collection

Hey everyone, today I have some nail swatches for you. Precision Nail Lacquer was so kind and sent me their new Oasis Collection to share with you all! This collection includes nudes, browns, and even a shimmer shade! If you're interested, please keep reading :)

Skimp or Spend? # 1

Welcome to the first post on my new series, Skimp or Spend? In these posts I will compare two polishes in my stash that are similar (not always exact dupes) but have two very different prices. I want to share that inexpensive nail polishes can often have a better quality than an expensive polish, and vice versa. Although I will be explaining my thoughts on the two, it's ultimately your decision. Would you rather skimp, or spend? ❤

Julep - Zelda

Good morning everyone! Today I'm sharing with you a swatch of a new polish I got for Christmas. For the past few days I've been wearing Zelda by Julep. I can't wait to share my thoughts on this polish with you all!

#NailArtJan - Sparkles

Phew, today was easier to figure out than Day 3 - Fresh! I have so many glitter polishes but I immediately knew which one I wanted to use. I recently bought Essie's Lots of Lux, it's been staring at me for a while and I realized that this was a perfect time to use it!

Lots of Lux is a cobalt blue, textured polish. In the bottle you can really see the blue, green, and deep purple shimmer throughout the polish. When applied, it dries to a matte texture that's somewhat gritty but really beautiful because of all of the sparkle. Did I also mention that it's 99% opaque in one coat?! Seriously, so many people have had the same reactions and I didn't believe it until I tried it. Of course, I had to add another coat because I just don't feel okay without it, but it's fine with just one!

Out in the sunlight, you can easily see the texture in Lots of Lux. If you prefer smooth nails, you could add a topcoat to this but I really love the fine grit to this. Overall I'm so happy that I purchased this nail polish! I haven't heard that many good things about Essie's Encrusted Treasures Collection but Lots of Lux sure seems to be a hit! I also purchase Ignite the Night and I'm praying that it's as fabulous as this! Not too sure if I'll be purchasing Belugaria or Peak of Chic any time soon but so far I love what Essie has done with Lots of Lux.  I'm so excited to wear this for the next few days, I'm afraid I won't be able to focus on school with nails like these :) So tell me, what do you think of the Encrusted Treasures Collection? Do you own any polishes from it or do you plan to? I'm personally on the fence about buying any more but Hors D'ouevres and On A Silver Platter just look so nice! Leave me a comment about what you think down below!

Pink & Gold

Merry Christmas! :) I'm finally back to posting regularly on Instagram and on my blog because of Winter Break! These past few weeks of school have been stressful and I haven't really had time to do my nails (which is why I didn't do any holiday themed nails). But today after spending time with my family, I had time to paint my nails with two of my (29) new nail polishes that were gifted to me by my friends and family. (Anyone want to see all of my new pretties?)

Today I decided to go for something simple because of how beautiful these colors are on their own. My aunt bought me two new mini Color Clubs that I am really in love with. The first is Modern Pink. This polish was a little bit hard to work with because of how streaky it was, but after four coats I was able to even it out. The gold polish is called Take The Stage. This nail polish is a clear base with medium sized hex glitters and holographic flakes scattered through it as well. Since this polish has a clear base I think it works way better with undies (I used Sally Hansen's Golden-I).

Overall I'm really liking this combo, I think it's elegant but still fun because of the bright pink. I topped this mani off with one coat of Seche Vite. I hope y'all had a great time this holiday season and spent a lot of time with loved ones and even might've gotten some nice gifts! I'll see you next time!

NOTD: Essie's Lilacism

For the past week I've been wearing the oh-so fabulous Lilacism by Essie! I recently bought this polish at Target on Black Friday thinking that it would be on sale, but everything seemed to be at regular price. Being me, I purchased it anyway because I convinced myself that all of my other light purple polishes looked nothing like this one.

Lilacism is from Essie's 2010 Art of Spring Collection but is now on Essie's Core Collection, meaning that you can find it at any time wherever Essie is sold. This polish is a dusty lilac color with blue undertones and is opaque in 2-3 coats. The first coat is streaky but once you add another, it's perfect. I used Seche Vite as my topcoat and this polish started chipping at day 6 which I personally think is great because I always like to switch my nail color up anyway. 

In outdoor lighting, you can really see the blue undertones. And indoors it can change lilac to looking like a light grey. This cream polish is definitely unique and perfect for Winter & Spring! What are your thoughts on this polish? Tell me in the comments below or on Instagram! Farewell!

NOTD: Sephora by OPI's I'm So Sari!

This week I've been wearing a gorgeous glitter polish from Sephora by OPI, named 'I'm So Sari!' This polish is from their 2012 Indian Summer Collection and my mom picked it up for me the other day at Sephora.

This is definitely a must have nail polish! This flashy polish has a teal crelly base, with dense teal glitter, and filled with silver holographic hexes. In three coats it's a complete glitter bomb and I couldn't stop staring at my nails this week! Do you own this polish? Tell me in the comments below or tell me on Instagram! Have a fabulous week :)

  

NOTD At The Beach

Today's Nails of the Day was actually taken while I was at a school field trip to the beach! The nail blogger in me had to get a cool shot of my nails close by the water, despite the weird looks I got!

I cheered my nubs up with two coats of Strawberry Margarita by OPI. I honestly could've gone with only one coat because this polish is so opaque but for some reason that just wouldn't feel right! This polish looks great on both fingers and toes and lasts a pretty long time with my trusty Seche Vite top coat. I had a great day at the beach and this bright pink polish made it even better! Have a wonderful day!

Flashy Lilac

My mind is still spinning from a One Direction concert I attended on Sunday, so I decided to have something simple yet cute on my nails. I recently bought my very first OPI nail polishes and I was very eager to try them for the first time today!

I began with four coats of You're Such A Budapest by OPI. This polish was surprisingly thin which was kind of a bummer, but the formula was very smooth which made up for it. You're Such A Budapest is a soft lilac color that is perfect for the spring and summer time. I would definitely wear this alone but I decided to add a touch of sparkle. 

After letting this dry, I added one coat of Which Is Witch by OPI on top. I don't think I've said that I've added only one coat of something in a very long time, it's very refreshing! Which Is Witch is packed with holographic hex and bar glitters. This glitter top coat truly does sparkle like crazy when you're in the sunlight, it's going to bring you much attention!

I hope that you would all know by now that I am an absolute sucker for matte glitter. Not only is it easier to photograph, but it just adds something unexpected to any glitter mani. I finished this off with one coat of OPI's Matte Top Coat. A lot of you have been asking what the best matte top coat is, in my opinion this one by OPI is the best I've tried. It turns your nails matte right before your eyes in about 5 seconds, it's truly amazing! If you're looking for one that's more affordable, I would recommend NYC's Matte Me Crazy. It only costs a single dollar and it achieves similar results. 

I hope I feel in the mood to do some nail art this week, I have some new polishes I want to try out! I hope you love this OPI combination, I know I do!

Freak Show Polish: Three-Ringed Circus

Three-Ringed Circus is a white jelly polish filled with red, black, and white glitters of many shapes and sizes, made to represent the flair that you find in the circus!

I did use the same base polish as I used when swatching Strongman II. I used four coats of I Will! by L'oreal and to prevent picture spam of the same polish, I did not insert the same pictures. To see the white polish, look at the blog post right before this one! 

I love how simple yet elegant and fun this polish is, it really looks nice against the white base. It even looks more beautiful close up!

Here's my final rating of this polish:

Application: Normal, no problems with it.

True to Color: Yes, colors are very bright.

Dry Time: 2-3 minutes.

Consistency: On the thicker side but not an issue to work with.

Coats Until Opaque: With two coats, the small red glitters were all over the nail, I did have to place on some of the circle glitters myself because I wanted a big circle glitter on each nail. 

Additional Comments: This polish definitely holds the essence of the circus while still being sophisticated. 

Final Rating: 7/10

To purchase, visit FreakShowPolish.com or visit Carissa's Instagram (Instagram.com/FreakShowPolish) to view more swatches and polishes!

Freak Show Polish: Strongman II

To be honest, I was hesitant when trying this polish on. I didn't know how much different it would be to Strongman I. I'm happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised!

I started off with 4 coats of I Will! by L'oreal. It's one of the best white polishes I've tried so far! It's not thick or troublesome, it's thin but opaque. I could've gone with three coats but I'm a bit crazy and had to add an extra layer. 

When the white polish dried, I topped it off with two coats of Strongman II by Freak Show Polish. I was absolutely blown away with how this looked! It was very similar to Strongman I but unique in it's own special way. 

As you can see, it is gorgeous and looks different in different lighting. I love the large circle glitters and the smaller hexes, it is absolutely perfect and my favorite from all of the polishes that Carissa sent me.

Up close, you can tell that this polish is a glitter bomb. You will be getting tons of compliments if you wear this! Here's my rating of this polish:

Application: This polish isn't lumpy or thick, went on with ease.

True to Color: Yes, the glitter is just as vibrant as in the bottle. 

Dry Time: 1-2 minutes.

Consistency: Normal.

Coats Until Opaque: With two coats, the glitter was mostly everywhere on the nail. I did place a few on myself just because I really love my nails to sparkle. 

Additional Comments: This is up there with one of my favorite polishes I own! I will be wearing this all the time, I love how the bright glitter contrasts against the white base. You will not regret purchasing this!

Final Rating: 10/10

To purchase, visit FreakShowPolish.com or visit Carissa's Instagram (Instagram.com/FreakShowPolish) to view more swatches and polishes!

Freak Show Polish: Trapeze Swinger

Carissa describes this polish as a "...milky white jelly full of periwinkle hexes in various sizes and small green hexes." I couldn't have explained it better myself! It looks gorgeous in the bottle.

I began this mani with three coats of Bikini So Teeny by Essie, probably a favorite polish by most nail freaks like me! Unfortunately for me, I think I have a bad bottle of this stuff because ever since I first purchased it, it's been thick and hard to work with. I do try to make it look decent and hopefully I've succeeded!

One coat of Seche Vite really smoothed out the thickness of this polish and made it look sleek and effortless. This was the perfect base for Trapeze Swinger!

My nails feel very bright and fun with this polish on! These look great in the sunlight, every piece of glitter picks up the suns rays and reflects them to make your nails feel like a disco ball! 

Up close you can really see all of the different glitters that are in this nail polish. Here's my rating of this polish:

Application: This polish was a breeze to apply.

True to Color: I definitely thought this was a light blue jelly polish from looking at the bottle. Turns out that it's actually a white jelly, but that just means that you can layer it over more colors and it definitely goes well over Essie's Bikini So Teeny! 

Dry Time: 1-2 minutes.

Consistency: Normal, no issues with it.

Coats Until Opaque: It was definitely filled with glitter with 1 coat but I really wanted it to sparkle, so I added one more. 

Additional Comments: If you love blue, you'll like this nail polish and it's gorgeous sparkle. 

Final Rating: 8/10

To purchase, visit FreakShowPolish.com or visit Carissa's Instagram (Instagram.com/FreakShowPolish) to view more swatches and polishes!

Freak Show Polish: Circus of the Sun

Circus of the Sun is a shimmery orange polish with bright orange glitters mixed inside as well. This polish reminds me of gold and I couldn't wait to put it on!

I first applied 4-5 coats of Let's Meet by Sinful Colors. I would usually wear this polish as a topper but I really didn't mind the building up of coats which others might find annoying. I really love the outcome, it feels like I'm wearing the sun on my nails! I haven't worn a bright color like this in a while and it feels great!

I probably should've worn a more orange base but this one looked fine under two coats of Circus of the Sun. I love the way this looks, it makes my nails feel like summer!

Besides my awkwardly chipped nail, this polish looks amazing up close! 

Here is my rating of this polish:

Application: Very easy to apply even though the brush to my sample bottle popped off of the cap :(

True to Color: Completely true to color.

Dry Time: 2-4 minutes.

Consistency: Smooth, not clumpy or goopy. 

Coats Until Opaque: On its own probably 3-4 coats. 

Additional Comments: If you want to feel like you have gold on your nails, get this nail polish! 

Final Rating: 8/10

To purchase, visit FreakShowPolish.com or visit Carissa's Instagram (Instagram.com/FreakShowPolish) to view more swatches and polishes!