Review: Winstonia Hallo-Scream plate

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)

Hello!


I'm back with the second of three Halloween plates put out by Winstonia this year: their Hallo-scream plate. I previously reviewed Horror Night (you can find that review here); that plate had more of an infinite-image style, while this plate has a more traditional full-nail and stand-alone image style.


Here's the video I made reviewing all three plates:

Let's take a look at the plate:

Winstonia Hallo-scream plate

This has so many great manicure possibilities! One of the easiest manis ever: start with green nails, stamp the full-nail web in silver, and the spiders in black. Boom, done! No worries about perfect placement because you can't go wrong with those images. Want to go scary? Bloody palm prints mixed with drips of blood'll take you there. Cute? How adorable is that little kitty in that pumpkin?! And on the far left bottom you can do an instant mummy manicure or use the same image for cool background texture.


Let's take a look at how big the images are:

And, let's see how it stamps:

Lovely crisp lines and excellent detail. :)


For my first sample mani, I started with Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer Best Selling Show, a coral-orange polish with bluish flakies; to pull out the Halloween potential, I stamped the background texture with Messy Mansion Lilac. I stamped bats from the Horror Night plate with Messy Mansion Carbon, and made little ghost decals with Messy Mansion Chalk (Messy Mansion stamping polishes are also available on Amazon):

Winstonia Hallo-scream plate + Blue-eyed Girl Lacquer Best Selling Show

Winstonia Hallo-scream plate + Blue-eyed Girl Lacquer Best Selling Show

For my second manicure, I went a little darker. I started with Blue-Eyed Girl Thrill Me To The Marrow, a beautiful polish in its own right and a most awesome base for nail art! Then I used the dry-brush technique to create some blood streaks, and stamped my images with Messy Mansion Red-y Or Not:

Winstonia Hallo-scream plate + Blue-eyed Girl Lacquer Thrill Me To The Marrow

Winstonia Hallo-scream plate + Blue-eyed Girl Lacquer Thrill Me To The Marrow

Winstonia Hallo-scream plate + Blue-eyed Girl Lacquer Thrill Me To The Marrow

These two manicures probably represent the two extremes on the Halloween continuum, lol--a cute, fun, whimsical family of trick-or-treating ghosts on the one hand, and a semi-disturbing, very creepy manicure on the other hand (no pun intended!). Which shows the range of possibilities you can get from this plate.


You can find this plate in Winstonia's store; you can use my code MICH10 for 10% off your entire order (they're also available on Amazon), and don't forget to follow them on Instagram and Facebook for inspiration, news, and updates.


Happy stamping!
M.

Before & After: Henna Unicorn (featuring Shinespark Polish Pretty Unicorn + It Girl Nail Art IG201)

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)

Hello!


I have a little big of fall magic for you today...I've shown you Shinespark Polish Pretty Unicorn before, but I just had to bring it back again since it is soooo gorgeous for fall:

Shinespark Polish Pretty Unicorn

Shinespark Polish Pretty Unicorn

Shinespark Polish Pretty Unicorn

Shinespark Polish Pretty Unicorn

Seriously, how gorgeous is that melange of fall awesomeness?! I've done several manis with this so far (you'll see them all eventually), and it's always beautiful. For today's mani, I busted out an image on It Girl Nail Art IG201 that originally caught my eye as perfect for an extended half-moon placement....

It Girl Nail Art IG201

So I stamped it dropping down from the nail bed in Messy Mansion Soft Gold (also available on Amazon); here's how it came out:

It Girl Nail Art IG201 over Shinespark Polish Pretty Unicorn

It Girl Nail Art IG201 over Shinespark Polish Pretty Unicorn

It Girl Nail Art IG201 over Shinespark Polish Pretty Unicorn

It Girl Nail Art IG201 over Shinespark Polish Pretty Unicorn

It Girl Nail Art IG201 over Shinespark Polish Pretty Unicorn

Gorgeous duochrome holo polish. Stunning intricate lace design. Super easy placement with a clear stamper. Result? Super-awesome mani. :)


Hope your fall is off to a wonderful start!


Happy stamping,
M.

Review: Winstonia Horror Night plate (Halloween 2016)

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)

Hello!


It's official--it's fall. The solstice has solsticed (edit--the equinox has equinixed, lol), the pumpkin spice is flowing, and that's right--Halloween is right around the corner.


Yes, I have my costume picked out already.

Yes, I have made my first trial-run batch of graveyard cupcakes.

Yes, I've visited every store in my area that has Halloween decorations.

Yes, I may have a problem. But if loving Halloween is wrong, then I don't want to be right!


So bring on the Halloween plates and the Halloween nail art! To start off, we're gonna take a look at one of three new Halloween plates Winstonia has released this year, their Horror Night plate. Of course I made a video showing all three plates:

Let's take a look at a still shot:

Winstonia Horror Night plate

This is an infinite-image style plate that has elements that can be used for full-nail images as well as single images. You should be able to get full-nail coverage from the skulls-and-crossbones, the punikens 'n' candy corn, the worms 'n' candy corn, the ants, and the tree--although if you have longer nails you may not have as much flexibility with the orientation of the tree limbs on your nails.


There's also plenty of scene-building available here. The spooky tree + frightened cat + full moon would be excellent. Or the spooky tree + a row of zombie hands. Or Dracula under a full moon. Or the scarecrow under the full moon and creepy sky. Tons of combinations and potential here!

And, if you prefer a minimal approach, imagine an orange manicure with a black scarecrow on your accent nails. Or a millipede crawling across your nails. Or some bats over a purple holo.


Here's a look next to a ruler so you can get a feel for how big each image is:

Winstonia Horror Night plate

Winstonia Horror Night plate

And does it stamp well? Oh yes. Look at how well the creepy font is preserved:

Excellent quality for all your spooky needs.


For my first sample mani, I used a base of Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer Deep Blue Dream, and then stamped with Messy Mansion Sterling and Carbon (also available on Amazon):

Winstonia Horror Night plate over Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer Deep Blue Dream stamped with Messy Mansion polishes

Winstonia Horror Night plate over Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer Deep Blue Dream stamped with Messy Mansion polishes

Deep Blue Dream has amazing holo bling that works beautifully under this creepy stamping to give flash and depth--love, love, love!!


For my second mani, I started with a base of Zoya Liv, then sponged on a little Julip Erica for glitter. Then I did some reversed stamping with Messy Mansion Happy Now, Banana Bender and Chalk (also available on Amazon). Here's how it came out:

Winstonia Horror Night plate over Zoya Liv stamped with Messy Mansion polishes

Winstonia Horror Night plate over Zoya Liv stamped with Messy Mansion polishes

I like the whimsy in this, although if I were to do it again, I think I'd use a different glitter. But this pattern is adorable and so easy. :)


You can find this plate in the Winstonia store; use my code, MICH10 for 10% off your entire order. You can also find them on Amazon if that's easier for you. And, don't forget to follow Winstonia on Instagram and Facebook for news, updates, and inspiration. :)


Happy stamping,
M.

An InLinkz Link-up

Review: It Girl Nail Art Luxe Cuticle Oils

(Press samples ahead!)

Hello!


One of the absolute must-have in my nail care routine is cuticle oil. I have one on my nightstand. I have one in my purse. I have one in the glove compartment of my car. But--not all cuticle oils are created equal.


For me, two issues are most important. I am a compulsive hand-washer--it drives me nuts to have anything on my hands that I can feel, so I have to have cuticle oil that absorbs into my skin quickly. Like, withing a few minutes type of quickly. I'm also very sensitive to smells--a scent that's too perfume-y or chemical-y will trigger a migraine for me. So certain brands of lotions and oils are instantly out for me.


I'm a fan of It Girl Nail Art's stamping plates and polishes--they're top notch quality, and I know everything that Nicole does, she puts her heart into and makes sure she puts out the best product possible. So, I had high expectations for her new line of luxe cuticle oils.


I made a video so you can see how I personally apply cuticle oil, and can see how these go on and absorb:

Her cuticle oil comes in two types of applicator, rollerball and brush. Let's start with the rollerball:

It Girl Nail Art Rollerball

It Girl Nail Art Rollerball

It Girl Nail Art Rollerball

Do you remember when lip glosses used to come in roller balls like this?? OMG, good times--NOT. Luckily, this applicator is much, MUCH more appropriate for cuticle oil; it limits the amount of oil that comes out at once, but still puts out a reasonable amount. I do one or two swipes around my cuticle and that gives me plenty to rub around my nail and up to my first knuckle.  These bottles come with 10ml of product.


Here's a look at the brush applicator:

It Girl Nail Art brush applicator

It Girl Nail Art brush applicator

It Girl Nail Art brush applicator

The brush application allows me a little more targeted application. When my cuticles are struggling more than usual, I can use the brush to really get down in around them, and get the oil between my nail and my cuticle a little more easily.  It's also good when you just need some oil on your cuticles, but the skin on your fingers is just fine, so you don't want to use a bunch extra.


You click the end segment of the applicator, and oil will come out of the tip through the brush. If you click a lot, you'll get a lot of oil. If you click just a little, you'll get just a little, so you have good control that way, too. You'll see in the video it can be a little deceptive to see when you've clicked enough the very first time, so err on the side of clicking too little until you see the oil coming out. This applicator contains 2ml of product.


The oils are made from apricot kernel oil, avocado oil, castor oil, grapeseed oil, vitamin E oil, and jojoba wax ester. There are no nuts anywhere near these suckers, and they are cruelty-free.

So how did these measure up? In terms of absorption, these are excellent. I apply rub in, and by the time I'm done with the last finger, the first is absorbed well enough that I don't have that icky ewww-there's-something-oily-on-my-skin feeling. After a few minutes, it's completely absorbed.


The effects are long-lasting. Unless I wash dishes or something like that, I only need to apply once a day to keep my cuticles looking good.


With respect to scent, I was very pleasantly surprised. I've tried three fragrances, Pina Colada, Lemon Sweet Tea, and Chai Latte (one of the new fall fragrances she just released). They're all yummy yummy to smell, just like the real thing, and even right out of the applicator they aren't overpowering. As the oil absorbs, the smell mellows into a lingering hint that makes me want to keep sniffing my fingers (which, in public, can draw you some odd looks, take it from me). The Pina Colada makes me feel like I'm on a Hawaiian vacation sipping cocktails by the beach. The Lemon Sweet Tea, which I was initially skeptical of, has turned out to be my favorite--there's a light citrus scent with just a hint of tea to give it a little backbone. And the Chai Latte--one of my favorite drinks to splurge on--makes me feel like I'm sitting in my favorite cafe gabbing with a friend.


I mentioned Nicole just released several fall fragrances: Apple Cider, Candied Ginger, Chai Latte, Cinnamon Roll, Pumpkin Pie, and Rosemary Fig. I love the idea of giving yourself a little dash of fall pampering with your favorite seasonal scent on your fingertips! Aromatherapy is real, my friends, and any way you can induce a little extra feel-good in your day is an excellent thing, I think. :)


You can find It Girl Nail Art luxe cuticle oils in their shop; you can also follow It Girl Nail Art on Instagram and Facebook for news and sales. I have a feeling Nicole's gonna have some awesome fragrances coming out for the winter/Christmas season...


Happy pampering!
M.

NOTD: Under My Umbrella (Zoya Sunsets Seriotype + UberChic Beauty The Far East 01)

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)

Hello!


Are you hanging on to the last lingering heat of summer? Or has the weather turned cold where you are and you're wishing you had a bit of summer left? Well, today's mani has some fun happy summer colors so we can have a few last flashes before we get all the way into fall. :)


For this mani, I did a seriotype with Zoya Azalea, Zoya Zahara and Zoya Aster from the Petals collection, and topped it off with Zoya Leia on all of the nails except the accent nail; on the accent nail I used The Lady Varnishes Twink. Then I stamped it with UberChic Beauty The Far East 01:

UberChic Beauty The Far East 01

Here's how it turned out:

Zoya Petals Seriotype + The Lady Varnishes Twink + UberChic Beauty The Far East 01

Zoya Petals Seriotype + The Lady Varnishes Twink + UberChic Beauty The Far East 01

Zoya Petals Seriotype + The Lady Varnishes Twink + UberChic Beauty The Far East 01

Zoya Petals Seriotype + The Lady Varnishes Twink + UberChic Beauty The Far East 01

The image makes me think of a bunch of umbrellas seen from above, so maybe the bright, fun colors plus the umbrellas is the perfect bridge to take us from summer into fall. :)


Happy stamping!
M.

Review: UberChic Beauty Who Gives A Hoot Mini Plate

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)

Hello!


Today we're gonna take a look at a new offering from UberChic Beauty--the Who Gives A Hoot mini plate!


Here's the video review I made discussing ideas for this plate:

Let's take a look at some still shots:

UberChic Beauty Who Gives A Hoot mini plate

UberChic Beauty Who Gives A Hoot mini plate

UberChic Beauty Who Gives A Hoot mini plate

This plate is an owl lover's dream, and we all know that owls are hot these days. This plate has cute owls, sophisticated owls, and everything in between. Fancy owls, silly owls, stern owls--but all of them are detailed and ready to make your nails look awesome. She included a few full-nail images as well to help mix-and-match design potential, and a slew of cute pun phrases to give your nails a dash of wit.


Here are some shots to give you a sense of the sizes:

And the all important question--does it stamp well?

Crisp and clean! Excellent detail and excellent transfer. :)


On to the sample mani! I started with a skittle made with Sassy Pants Polish Anniversary Trio; I put Collaborate on my index and middle fingers, Create on my ring, and Celebrate on my pinky and thumb. Then I stamped the ring finger first with a design from UberChic Beauty 11-02, using Messy Mansion Sterling. Then I made a decal with my favorite owl, using Messy Mansion Carbon and Sassy Pants Polish Collaborate to color him in:

Owly skittle with Sassy Pants Polish anniversary trio + UberChic Beauty 11-02 and Who Gives A Hoot

Owly skittle with Sassy Pants Polish anniversary trio + UberChic Beauty 11-02 and Who Gives A Hoot

I love how this all works together...the hex glitters complement the lines of the stamped background, and the owl just looks regal and pretty. And the sparkle from Celebrate just tops it all off. :)


You can find this and tons of other cool plates in UberChic Beauty's shop; don't forget to follow them on Instagram and Facebook for tons of inspiration and news.


Happy stamping!
M.

Review: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer's Dad's Mix Tape collection--Side A!

(Press samples ahead!)

Hello!

Today I am extremely excited to share a new-to-me brand making its first appearance on the blog: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer! We're going to be taking a look at 'Side A' of the soon-to-be-released Dad's Mix Tape collection:

Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer's Dad's Mix Tape collection (Side A)

I love several things about this collection. First, if you're getting a little tired of the typical fall collection colors and want something with a bit more of a pop of color, this is an excellent collection, but it also works well for fall outfits, as well. Also, each song in the collection is inspired by one of the classic rock songs her father got her hooked on as a child, and since I had the very same experience with some of these songs as a child, this is a nostalgia thing for me. And, of course, the quality is excellent, but more on this later...

Let's jump in with Blue-eyed Girl Lacquer's Thrill Me To The Marrow, a taupe creme with just the teensiest hint of lavender:

Blue-eyed Girl Lacquer's Thrill Me To The Marrow

Blue-eyed Girl Lacquer's Thrill Me To The Marrow

Blue-eyed Girl Lacquer's Thrill Me To The Marrow

This is two coats of gorgeous, smooth formula and application--this is almost a one-coater, and if you're careful and don't have the blogger staining I have, you may be able to get away with one coat only. Very impressive.


Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young played a big part in my childhood--my mother and father used to play it on these big vinyl things that were like CDs with a thyroid condition. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes enthralled me--I'd sit and listen to all the different parts of the song, and try to sing along with the lyrics I didn't understand because I was so young. And yes, that lyric "Thrill me to the marrow!" resounds in my mind when I see the name of this, and I can hear the bridge on to the next part of the song. *happy sigh*


This is an excellent neutral shade--if you want something light but shy away from harsh shades of white, you'll love this. And for nail artists, this is an excellent bone shade--a perfect base for any bone-related nail art you have on the horizon for Halloween. Oh yeah, and for the rest of the year, too. :)


Next up is Blue-Eyed Girl A Love Such As This, a medium hot-pink with a lovely scatter of copper micro-flakie shimmer:

Blue-Eyed Girl A Love Such As This

Blue-Eyed Girl A Love Such As This

Blue-Eyed Girl A Love Such As This

Blue-Eyed Girl A Love Such As This

This is two coats, barely--you might be able to get away with one--of excellent formula and application. No worries here!


I'm not a pink girl, but this polish could change my mind. Maybe it's the way the copper plays with the pink. Maybe it's the shade of pink, which looks like the most luscious strawberry-raspberry smoothie I've ever seen. I don't know and I don't care--I just know I love it and I'll lovingly wear it again and again. I don't have a personal connection to this song, but this color definitely fits right in with the fashions of the late 70s and early 80s.


Next up is Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer's Best Selling Show, a luscious coral crelly with small blue flakies:

Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer's Best Selling Show

Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer's Best Selling Show

Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer's Best Selling Show

Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer's Best Selling Show

Again, just two coats, and the formula was excellent, as was the application. When shot like this, it looks like I have some VNL--this was not noticeable outside the close invasive conditions of my lightbox, lol.


I live for colors like this. Yes, I love corals to start with, that's true, but throw in some blue flakies to give me a cool shimmer and shine, and I'm in love. Seriously, how can you not feel special with this hot-n-cold goodness on your nails? Of course, since I'm prepping Halloween manicures right now, this also cries out for spooky goodness to me. Either way, David Bowie would approve.


And last but certainly not least, we have Blue-eyed Girl Lacquer Deep Blue Dream, a scattered royal blue holo-glitter-gasm in a bottle:

Blue-eyed Girl Lacquer Deep Blue Dream

Blue-eyed Girl Lacquer Deep Blue Dream

Blue-eyed Girl Lacquer Deep Blue Dream

Blue-eyed Girl Lacquer Deep Blue Dream

This is two coats, but I'll be shocked if you need two--one will almost certainly do just fine. But I know how my camera and lighting set-up plays with holos like this, so I went with two.


I really hate it when bloggers say 'Oh, this looks so much prettier in person!', and I really hate it that I have to say--this looks gorgeous here, but it has so much more depth in person. It's like those pictures of the ocean in Hawaii that look so perfect you don't believe they're real--these pictures show a patchwork of light that almost doesn't look real, but it is. Every movement of your fingers is a mini-spray of light and rainbows, and even in darker lights this looks like the most gorgeous crushed sapphire you can image on your nails. Just stunning. This definitely lights my fire. ;)


What do I think of the collection overall? These polishes are designed to cover in one-two coats, and they don't disappoint. Formula, application--top, top, toppest of top-notch. I love the colors--they're a little bit retro, with a lovely pop of bright color for the season, while still working well with fall wardrobes. Fun, happy, beautiful.


This collection's release is will be done through pre-order--she will start taking orders on 28 September 2016 at 3:30 pm EDT, and stop on 1 October 2016 at 11:59 pm EDT. So mark your calendars to make sure you grab yours. :) And, this is Side A, or part one, of the collection only--Side B will be releasing in December, so stayed on the lookout for that!


You can find Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer's store here.

Also check out Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer on:
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Happy polishing!
M.