Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Circus Confetti with Gradient

This was just a random combo I did after 2 days of wearing this lovely gradient. My friend had this polish on her desk and when I was there, I painted my ring finger. I really loved how it looked with gradient, so when I got home, I made a full mani. :D
The polish I used was Circus Confetti from Essence. :L All those multi colored glitters scream fun when you look at the bottle. :e
 
Essence - Circus Confetti / 1 coat
I only have one picture of my manicure so I wanted to share my lovely boy with you. :D I was just playing with him on our balcony so I snap this picture of him! He's already a big boy, can you tell? :) Cats grow so fast! :/

Do you have any multicolored glitters? Which one is your favorite? Do you like it over gradient? :)

Have a lovely day!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Bloom-a-Loom & Forget-me-Not Gradient

Gradients, gradients... We're seeing lots of great gradients everywhere. :D I usually get bored with a new trend quite fast but gradients still rock my world. So I decided to make another one. x)

Blossoms etc... TE from Essence was available more than 1 year ago and I didn't have a chance to use them before. I still remember going to the store to pick them out, when they showed up. :D So when I was searching for a perfect combo, I knew they're meant to be together. :D
Essence - Bloom-a-Loom & Forget-Me-Not
Bloom-a-Loom is a warm lilac polish with a lilac shimmer, Forget-Me-Not is a stunning periwinkle blue with a blue shimmer. Both are really gorgeous and the shimmer isn't super visible on the nail, but it's there, especially visible on sun in person. :L

I started with 2 coats of Bloom-a-Loom and then I sponged both. I just made an accent nail on my ring finger with a reverse combo. :)
Daylight
Sun
OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener
Essence - Bloom-a-Loom / 2 coats
Sponging: Essence - Bloom-a-Loom &; Forget-me-Not
Beauty Secrets Top Coat Fast Finish Polish Dryer 

It's maybe not bright enough for what I want on my nails right now (I'm really in the mood for neons at the moment) but I still love this color combination. :L

What do you think? Did you already master this technique? You're not familiar with this technique? - Well, check Sammy's tutorial here and start sponging! :)

Just came home after watching Eurosong with my BFF. :) Congrats to Sweeden of course, but my winner is Željko Joksimović and his absolutely amazing song and voice! <3
Idi, samo, samo idi, tamo. Leti, pevaj, srce drugome daj, al' znaj, da zbogom nije kraj. Nije moja ljubav stvar, pa da neznam šta ću s njom, želim ti sve najbolje, ova ljubav samo moj je brodolom.
Have a lovely weekend! <3

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Friday, May 25, 2012

Guest Post: Nails that Sizzle – The Hottest Shades Worn by Celebs thisSummer 2012

I'm so late with this guest post and I hope Aileen won't be mad at me but I'm having so many stuff in my minds lately. xo I won't blab much so I hope you'll enjoy this guest post! :)

***
Nails that Sizzle – The Hottest Shades Worn by Celebs this Summer 2012

If you’re ready to sport some of the season’s hottest trends but don’t want to invest in a whole new wardrobe, pick up a few hot new nail colors instead! This summer, celebrities will be wearing bright and bold neons, classic cherry reds, and also decorating their nails with some mod, color-blocked designs. Your nails can be the ultimate accessory when you want to freshen up your look and play with some fun new colors. 

Here are some of the hottest nail color trends celebrities will be sporting for summer 2012:

#1: Bright Yellow and Orange
Add a burst of color to your look with a bright and vibrant yellow or orange nail color. A bold orange topped with some silver glitter is a fun and flirty look day or night. Try some bright, sunny yellow colors with gold glitter or just on their own for a head-turning look this summer.

 Photo Credit: http://favim.com/





#2: Glamorous Metallics
Metallic are still among the hottest trends for the summer season so don’t be afraid to show off your glam-girl side with a thick coat of gold, silver, or bronze. Stick with nail lacquers to get that super-smooth finish and layer these with a touch of clear glitter nail polish for that extra sparkle.
 
Photo Credit: http://www.alllacqueredup.com/










#3: Pretty Pinks
Pink is a great default color for the warmer months and you can pick up anything from neon pinks and classic French  manicure palettes, to dark and bold pinks with a metallic sheen. Whether you want to create a more feminine look or show off your flirty side, take your pick of pretty pink polishes this season. 

Photo Credit: http://www.iknowhair.com/











#4: Sultry Reds
Celebrities sticking with the classics will be showing off bold and sultry red hues for nails this summer. A bold cherry red or deep burgundy red are a great match for those who want to add a pop of color but still pull off a more classic look. Try this one with French tips for the ultimate Hollywood glam look.











#5: Bold Blues
Metallic blue, bright turquoise, and shimmering navy palettes are back for another season and can be a great color of choice for evenings. Stick with brighter blue shades for weekends and casual days. Darker shades of blue are perfect for pairing with grays, black, and some neutral colors this spring.

Photo Credit: http://pollifrogprincess.blogspot.com









#6: Color Blocking Designs
Get artsy by painting some geometric designs in two or three colors. Incorporate neons, metallic, and glitter-infused  colors to create your own unique design. Be inspired by this season’s color-blocking trend by painting nails with diamond and triangle shapes in a range of colors.

Photo Credit:  http://myawesomebeauty.com/






#7: Floral Accents
If you’re a fan of nail art, sport this season’s floral trends on your nails with some flower stickers or decals. Play with different types and sizes of flowers to make your own unique design. Incorporate neon colors and even some glitter to make your nails the center of attention with any ensemble this summer.

Photo Credit: http://pollifrogprincess.blogspot.com









Author Bio
Aileen Pablo is part of the team behind Open Colleges, one of Australia’s leading providers of TAFE Courses equivalent and Beauty therapy courses. When not working, Aileen blogs about beauty and is often invited as a speaker in Personality Development Seminars in the Philippines.
 ***

Thank you Alieen for this lovely guest post! I'll definitely be wearing lots of pink and especially bright colors this summer! What about you?

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

This is NOT a sponsored post. 

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Step by Step: Candy Water Marble

Because we're having such a horrible boring weather these days, I decided to do a step by step water marbling tutorial. I know you can find them everywhere, but I did one in case someone would love to read mine. :D

This is one really picture heavy post, so click read more to see all the details. :) I only did one nail for this tutorial, but I used the same colors as in my candy water marble I showed you the other day.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Candy Water Marble

It's such a grey rainy lazy day today and because I really didn't know what to do with myself, I decided to try water marbling. I used to do more of them in the past and I can't believe I didn't try any since I started this blog. :D So here's my first water marble featured on this blog...

I used some of the colors from my favorite China Glaze collection Up & Away and the final results reminds me of candies. :) It's absolutely not perfect but I'm happy with the final result... 


Daylight

Base:
OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener
Water Marble: 
China Glaze - Heli-Yum
Beauty Secrets Top Coat Fast Finish Polish Dryer

I'd definitely try water marbling more often, because it really looks cute but I'm too lazy for that. :D What do you think about my manicure? Do you practice water marbling often?

If you want to see tons of amazing tutorials, check Colette and her blog My Simple Little Pleasures and her YouTube channel, because she's definitely a water marble queen. :) 

Have a lovely day and thanks for reading! :)

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Ludurana - Maravilhosa

The winners of BM's contest are already announced and my zebra print wasn't one of them. :( Oh well, more luck next time, but I would like to congrats to all the winners and thanks to you who voted for me, that means a lot to me, I can't even say how much! :h

But I still have something beautiful to show you for today. :) I wore it a week ago and I loved it! <3

Ludurana Maravilhosa is a blue toned light pink holographic nail polish I got from Brazil. <3 It looked so boring in shade, but it blew my mind on sun. :L
Sun
I was so surprised it looked so perfect after 3 days of wearing, because I'm used to major chips when I wear a holo. :)
Sun
Anyway, rainbow was much prettier in person :rainbow , that's when the blurry picture is more than welcome. :)
Sun - Blurry
Ludurana - Maravilhosa / 2 coats

Isn't this just beautiful? I really love everything about holo, so keep them coming! :D What's your favorite holo? Did you already get any of these stunning polishes from Brazil? :)

Have a lovely day and thanks for reading! :rainbow

Xoxo,
Ivana :k  

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Depend #34

I'd like to start this post with saying Thanks to everyone who took a second and voted for me in BM's contest! I'm so happy to announce that I made it to Top 50! I couldn't believe my eyes, when I read some tweets when I woke up. I'm so happy and I wouldn't make it without you! :h
Now it's time for judging. :) They'll pick 25 winners, who'll get their new BM set. Competition is hard so I'm not expecting anything but I'm so happy I'm in Top50! :mj

I have to share this super bright neon pink with you!I went to my local drugstore DM few days ago to buy some polish, because I had a discount coupon. Sunny weather screams bright neon colors and because I really need more pink neons in my life, I decided to see if we have any. Of course, there wasn't a lot to choose from, I actually only spotted this one.. We have some of the Depend polishes for some time now and because I still didn't buy any, I decided to try this one out.

Depend #34 is a bright neon pink. I added 2 coats and even without TC it's shiny and not matte as neons usually are, but I added TC to make this polish last longer on me.

My phone refuses to take color accurate picture, so my swatches aren't real. I'm wondering why the bottle is color accurate but my nails aren't. :D You can see the difference between nails and the bottle I'm holding, so just imagine it pink as the bottle is.
Daylight
Sun
Nail Tek Foundation II
Depend - #34 / 2 coats
Nail Tek Intensive Therapy II


I love bright colors so I'm loving this one so much! <3 I'll definitely buy a back up, cause Depend bottles contains only 5ml and I'm sure I'll wear this color more often!

What's your favorite neon? I definitely need more of them in my life so give me suggestions of your favorites! :L

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Gradient Blue Zebra Print

Gradient + Animal Print = Would that work together? Well, I wasn't sure until I tried this yesterday. :D

I wanted to do a blue gradient for a while now so yesterday, when the day was so rainy and boring, I decided to do something blue. ^_^

I started with 2 coats of base color ~ H&M - Denim Dreams. I got this polish ages ago from Pink_Diamond and I'm really happy to have this beautiful baby blue creme nail polish. <3 Then I sponged with Denim Dreams and Essence's Walk on Air. This one is from their new range and it's definitely a must have! I love true blues without any hints of greens, that's why I adore this one! :)

When the gradient was dry, I double stamped zebra print from BM-223, first with silver from Essence Stamp me! Silver and again with dark blue Essence Just Rock it. I love how this dark blue looks over the silver. :L

I didn't play with CS3 for ages so I decided to add zebra print to the background too. :P
Daylight
Sun

OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener
H&M - Denim Dreams / 2 coats
Sponging: H&M - Denim Dreams & Essence - Walk on Air
Essence - Stamp me! Silver & BM-223 / stamping
Essence - Just Rock it! & BM-223 / stamping 
Nail Tek Intensive Therapy 2

So, what do you think? Are you a fan of animal prints? I wasn't until I started playing with different combos, every color looks so good with animal prints! :)


Btw are you excited for today's series finale of Desperate Housewives? :e I really am but at the same time I'm so sad, because I'll miss them soooo much. <\3

Thanks for reading!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Señorita Bonita & Forget Now Gradient

Gradient is a new huge trend going on right now so I definitely will make more gradients in the future, because I'm really a big fan! It looks like your nails were done by professional, but all you need is a piece of sponge, 2 or more polishes and you're ready to go. :i

When my previous manicure started chipping, I decided to upgrade it with a gradient. :L Since I already had this blueish pink, I decided to go with a pink and purple.
The purple I used is Señorita Bonita from China Glaze's Summer Island Collection (really gorgeous purple with tiny pink flakes), the pink is Forget Now from Sinful Colors. First I wanted to use 108 Degrees, also by China Glaze, but since I spilled out a few ml of this gorgeous polish, I checked my stash and found a dupe, yay! So yes, 108 Degrees and Forget Now are really really close. :)

I think I sponged 3 times, mostly because I wanted to cover my ring finger with Waking Up in Vegas, but 2 would be enough on other nails.

I just love this blurry picture I took. <3
Daylight - Blurry
Daylight
Base:
OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener
Ring Finger: Essence - Waking up in Vegas / 1 coat 
***
Sponging: China Glaze - Señorita Bonita & Sinful Colors - Forget Now
Beauty Secrets Top Coat Fast Finish Polish Dryer 

I just love how these 2 looks together! It looked even yummier as a base color I had on before sponging. :L Sometimes it looked like I was wearing a duochrome. :)

What do you think about this color combo? :) Did you already master this gradient technique? :) If you're searching for a tutorial, don't forget to check Sammy's amazing tutorial!

There's still time to vote for BM's contest, you can find the links in the right sidebar or in my previous posts! I know I'm spamming you with these links all the time. :$

Have a lovely weekend and thanks for reading!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Essence Nail Colour³ - Shopping Trip in Soho

Essence came out with duo nail polishes this spring and when I was buying some of them for swap, I decided to buy one for me. I picked duo Shopping Trip in Soho, of course. :i They're called Essence Nail Colour3 - "choose from either of the two colours or layer them over each other to create your unique 3rd colour!" That's what it says on the bottle.

I decided to layer them, because the flakie side is sheer so it's perfect for layering. :) Each side has also name stamped on the bottle with really cute font. :)

The base Shopping Trip in Soho is pink with really subtle pink shimmer, but it looks like it's a pink creme on nails. My phone doesn't want to pick up the shimmer but it's really visible in the bottle but unfortunately not on nails. I added 2 coats for full opacity.
Daylight
OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener
Essence - Shopping Trip in Soho / 2 coats
 I was trying to pick up the shimmer, but I failed. xD


Then I added one coat of Party all night long. It's a sheer jelly base with pink and blue flakies. It reminds me of jam - so juicy and delicious. :D They're not super visible on the nail, but if you look closely, you will see this blurple and pink sheen.
Daylight
OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener
Essence - Shopping Trip in Soho / 2 coats
Essence - Party all night long / 1 coat

Flakies.. :L

Just because I was bored, I added a coat of Waking up in Vegas (also by Essence) on my ring finger. More flakies. :L
Daylight
OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener
Essence - Shopping Trip in Soho / 2 coats
Essence - Party all night long / 1 coat
Ring Finger: Essence - Waking up in Vegas / 1 coat 

I'm not really a fan of pinks with blue shimmer, so I'm not really sure how I feel about pink with blue flakies. :D I won't say I hate it but I'm not really loving it either. :D I'm also not a fan of duo polishes - you get 2x4 ml of polish, they're hard to storage, because they're so long. If you don't like how long they are, just simply pull them apart and you'll get 2 tiny bottles easy to storage. 

Do you have any of these Essence's Duos? What's your favorite?  :)

Just to remind you... It'd mean a world to me if you'd take a second of your time and vote for me in BM's contest. Voting ends on Sunday and you can vote every day...

If you have FB profile, click HERE to vote.
If you don't have FB, click HERE to vote.


Thank you so much for your votes! :) 

Have a lovely day and thanks for reading!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

KandNail Stamping Plates CK-03 & CK-04 Review

Weeks ago I got two image plates from Born Pretty Store. I was so excited these. I got 2 KandNails stamping plates ~ CK-03 and CK-04.


When I got them, I saw lots of designs from Bundle Monster's first set and also few from Konad. Everything looks fine, just the patterns are really SMALL, lots of them are even smaller than on BM's 1st set. :/ Here's a comparison I did ~ Konad's vs. BM's 1st set. Some of the patterns are same on the both image plates. They came secured with a blue thin blue film.

Here's a comparison with BM-223 from BM's 2nd set, Konad m64 and an image plate I got from BPS m57,which is supposed to be Konad's dupe but the patterns are smaller, and KandNail CK-04.

So if you don't have really small nails, you'll have to stamp twice or even more to cover your whole nail. :)

Because I was lazy lately, I didn't have patience to stamp all my nails so many times, so I decided to try them out but as an accent nails. First pattern I used was a cheetah pattern from CK-03 over How About a Tumble with Wet n Wild - Black Créme. I had to stamp twice my ring finger and tree times my thumb to cover the whole nail. The pattern transfered to the stamper really great so I didn't have any problems with this plate.
Sun
 OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener
Ring finger and Thumb: CK-03 & Wet n Wild - Black Créme
Beauty Secrets TC Fast Finish Polish Dr

Last time I decided to try more patterns so I stamped an old manicure, which I still need to show you. All the patterns are from CK-03. Where I stamped the whole nail, I had to stamp twice. I stamped my ring and index finger once, creating some kind of french tip.

Nail Tek - Foundation 2
Depend - #34 / 2 coats
CK-03 & Wet n Wild - Black Créme
Nail Tek - Intensive Therapy 2

The reason I only used CK-03 is that I had some problems with CK-04. Almost all patterns I tried didn't transfer to the stamper well or at all. I think this plate I got isn't well engraved, because I saw a review of this plate where all patterns transferred really great.


I still think these are great plates for accent nails, french tips or someone with really small nails or someone who wants to experiment with stamping. My nails aren't so small, so stamping twice or even more is really time consuming for me, because it's much easier to stamp only once and you're done very fast. You get 42 patterns on each plate and they're not expensive ($8.53), so this is quite a nice deal. If you're having troubles with transferring the patterns, I'd suggest you to contact BPS and let them know about that and maybe you'll get a replacement.

I hope someone will find this review helpful! :$
Do you own any of these KandNail stamping plates? What do you think about them? Are you patient enough to stamp twice or even more? :D


Don't forget to use code J10X31 to get 10% off on your order. ;)

Thanks for reading dear readers and followers and have a lovely day!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k 


*Some of the products in this post were sent to me by Born Pretty Store! For more information read my disclosure policy!

Monday, May 7, 2012

My Bundle Monster Contest Entry

Bundle Monster arranged a nail contest again this year and because I totally missed it last year, I decided to join the contest this year. :)

I decided to enter with this manicure I did a while ago - Gold Glittery Zebra Print, because I really love everything about it - gold, glitter, zebra print, I even love my nubs here. :$


Public votes starts today and will end on Sunday, May 13th and 50 manicures with the most votes will enter the step 2 where the judges will decide which 25 manicures will win the prize (3rd Bundle Monster set :D ). Well if you have a few seconds and you like my manicure, please vote for me. :)

If you have a Facebook account, you can vote here:

If you don't have Facebook (but all those who have FB can vote here again :P) you can vote here:

Every vote counts so THANK YOU if you decide to vote for me. :) You can check all the other amazing entries and vote for them too. :) If you entered a contest too, please leave a link in the comments, so I can vote for you too!

I would be more than happy to get into Top 50, but after I saw all 11 pages with just amazing manicures, I just doubt. :i Anyway, good luck!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k



Saturday, May 5, 2012

I'll take you to the Candy Shop

Am I the only one who have 50 Cent's Candy Shop beat and music in my head when I see Candy Shop? Such an old song that brings me back to childhood when I thought he was singing about lollipops. :D

Anyway.... Candy Shop from Claire's is a good substitute for Deborah Lippmann's guess which one? Yes, Candy Shop. :D They're not dupes but they're really very very close. Here you can see a great comparison post at Sincerely Stephanie. :) Since I got this one, I really don't need the other one. :)

I expected much worse application but it went on like butter. I added 2 coats, glitter stayed flat but I still added a coat of top coat. There's still some VNL so I should maybe add another coat, but it wasn't so obvious in person.
Daylight

Sun
There's a lot of going on in this polish... Multicolored hexagonal glitter and round tiny glitter in a sheer jelly light pink base. :L I'll definitely wear it soon again, because it's sooo gorgeous! I removed it with a foil method, so no rubbing was needed. :)

 OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener
Claire's - Candy Shop / 2 coats
Nail Tek Intensive Therapy II 
 Do you like Candy Shop? :D

 My baby boy got neutered today. He's still a bit angry and ignoring me... :)
This picture was made right before we went to the vet...
And when we came home... So sleepy and dizzy... Awwwwwww. :k
I'm so happy this is behind both of us, because I was so stressed out these days. He's already jumping and playing around. :)

Have a lovely weekend dear readers and thanks for reading!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Berry with Gold Glitter

I'm really into sponging lately. :e Sponge is such an easy tool to use but it gives really amazing results. :L

Traffic Jam is a part of China Glaze's Metro Fall 2011 collection. It's a berry creme with really great formula (if you're careful, you can easily get away with just one coat). It's not so pink as on the pictures below but it's really hard to capture with my phone.

I didn't want anything from that fall collection at first but when I saw this manicure from Elsa I just had to have it! :L I still need to try out that combo, but this time I decided to go with gold. I usually sponge the glitter on the tips of my nails, but this time I decided to sponge them on the base of the nails.
The gold glitter I used is Make it Golden from Essence. I just love everything about this polish - gold hexagonal glitter, tiny glitter and gold dust in clear base. <3 I already showed you in combination with nude or blue. :) I definitely need a back up!
Sun
Daylight

Sun - Blurry
OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener
China Glaze - Traffic Jam / 2 coats
Sponging: Essence - Make it Golden
Nail Tek Intensive Therapy II

I had to include the last blurry picture, because the gold really pops out. :L Just gorgeous! <3

What do you think about this manicure? Would you wear it? :)

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Blue & Turquoise Gradient Nails

Can you believe it's already May here? :o Time flies by so fast....

I have another gradient manicure for you. :) I must say I'm really loving this trend, because they look so amazing and I got lots of compliments when I wore them. :$

Last time I picked a pink that was really hard to capture on picture and this time I picked a turquoise that looks blue on the pictures but I really hope you can see 2 colors on the pictures below. :D

Anyway, I applied a turquoise (China Glaze - Aquadelic) and baby blue creme (Essence - Fall for me) polish on the sponge and sponged it directly nails, moving the sponge a bit up and down while pressing so the colors really mixed together on the nail. I repeated this step 3 times to get a bit more opaque colors.I think I should add another coat but it looks better in person as on picture (I still can see some bald spots here and there).
Daylight

Sun
Here's how I applied 2 colors on the sponge. :)


Sponging: China Glaze - Aquadelic & Essence - Fall For Me
Beauty Secrets Top Coat Fast Finish Polish Dryer

There's a lot of techniques to do a gradient effect. You can do it like I did, or you apply one color and sponge the second on the tips,... I really love this tutorial from Sammy at The Nailasaurus so you should really check it out to see how she does it. I'll definitely try her method soon. :e

What do you think about today's color combination? Like it or not? :)

Have a lovely week and thanks for reading!
Xoxo,
Ivana :k