Helmer, how do I love thee!!

One thing I have read on many many nail polishes is the IKEA Helmer for storing polish. Well, now I too am singing it's praises. It's AWESOME!! I can't tell you how great this thing is. The polishes can all stand up, which is the best way to store them. I don't have much more to say about this that isn't just gushing praise, so I'll just show you a couple pictures and tell you that if you are able to get one you will definitely not regret it!

Ta da!! The Helmer.

Top drawer has all my China Glaze, MAC and Zoya polishes.

Dupe of the Day

I've been inventorying my polish collection and testing the each out as I list them. China Glaze Re-Fresh Mint and Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Mint Sorbet are definitely very close. If you have on you definitely don't need the other. The Sally Hansen is just a touch more green, but it's a very small difference. Formula wise they both go on about the same.

Christmas Haul polish part 3: The end....?

OK and we are almost done with the polish posts!

First off we have the China Glaze polishes. Sally Beauty had a beautiful holiday collection out but I only got a few of them, but the ones I got I absolutely adore!!

China Glaze L-R Love Marilyn, Crackle Glaze in Haute Metal, Laurlei's Tiara and Some Like it Haute

This is my first crackle purchase (actually my 2nd, but I returned the 2012 stuff that was total crap). I'm just not that into the crackle look. I'll keep it around if I'm ever in the mood for it, but I don't think I'll be reaching for it that often.

Sally Hansen's Gem Crush line has duplicates for many of these colors. The red one is almost exactly the same jut the red is a little brighter, however the glitter in it is spot on. Gel Crush also has a straight on dupe of both Lorelei's Tiara and Some Like it Haute.

Up next are just some random glitters I got:

These polishes are (L-R):
Spoiled - Shuffle the Deck, Nicole - Love Your Life, Nicole - Rainbow in the S-Kylie, Nicole - Snow-Man of my Dreams, Sinful Colors Nail Art - Fashionista and Spoiled - Trust Fund Baby.

These next ones are some new ones I got from the Spoiled by WnW line at CVS. These retail for $1.99.

Colors L to R are: Shaken Snow Globe, Magic Carpet Ride, Black Mamba and Plenty of Fish in the Sea.
I normally don't care for black polish but I love Black Mamba, it's got enough shimmer in it to lighten it up into something very wearable for me. All the colors I have tried so far have very easy application and wear well (though I usually change my polish too often to really test that factor). Here's a swatch of 2 coats of Black Mamba.

Next is just some random polish I had either left over or got (I had some major extra bucks to spend) o were given to me after I took the other pictures:

 
The first polish is Essie luxeffects in Pure Pearlfication, essence @holographics.com in Gagalectric, SH complete salon manicure in Purple Pulse, Wet n wild megalast in Caught Red Handed, and Revlon in Radiant

I have one more picture to take of a few things i got since my last shopping trip. I swear I have go on a no-buy for a while after I get just a couple more thing i have been looking at.

Here we go (L to R):
Revlon Temptress (75% off at CVS)
Sinful Colors Nail Art in Bad Chick
Sally Hansen (75% off at CVS)
L'Oreal nail color in Eiffel For You
Revlon Top Speed in Pink Lingerie (75% off CVS)
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Wine Not
Sally Hansen Hard as Nails in Sturdy Sapphire
Salon Perfect Steel Rose
Salon Perfect in Silver Mint
and
Revlon in Dreamer

So that's it for the holiday nail polish haul. Between Clearance, gift certificates and CVS Extra Bucks I actually didn't spend too much! Now it looks like I've got some manis/swatches to do.

I hope you all had a lovely holiday and have a wonderful New Year!!

One disasrous nail day.

First, today was just a bad mani day at my house. First I used For Audrey by China Glaze. I don't know if it's always like this but it was so hard to deal will. I could not get it smooth, even smooth-ish to save my life. It was streaking everywhere, globbing everywhere else. I love the color and thought it would be really cute with some Konad stamps. But I got so frustrated I took it all off in a fit.

Then comes the next attempt. I was using Essie cote azure from the Essie collection at Walmart. I've never been a huge Essie lover, I don't hate her stuff and I have a few pinks that I really like but this stuff was a nightmare.

This is the best I could get my left had even after starting over a second time. Yes, I look like an even worse manicurist than I am. In these pictures my frustration was so built up, but if it turned into what I wanted it would have been great and I'd have cleaned up everything around a little more.

Now the pinkie and pointer finger weren't terrible, but the middle and ring were soooo bumpy!! Adding to my frustration you might notice that I spilled my bottle all over the floor and the bottle itself. Ugh. But I am coming along learning how to Konad so that's cool. I just have plates 2 and 3 and I am about to order 4 more and some more special polish.

Then I feel asleep for a while and woke up a punk Papa Smurf with a Mohawk who either made his beard a goatee and died it blue or is throwing up blueberry rum.

 

Happy Nail Days to All!!