What a busy week this has turned out to be! I took an extra day off this week since I had planned a bunch off Easter stuff with my nephews this weekend, but I’m still tired even though I had a short work week. One of the new things that I am planning to start is getting my butt to the gym. You don’t know how long I have put off going to the gym, but I am going to force myself to take the first step. Physically, I have been feeling terrible for a long time, but it seems like my close brush with death last year did not sufficiently motivate me. Seriously…what will it take? I guess that I am just tired of feeling bad and it’s depressing that feeling terrible is my normal. Anywho, I hope that this is my first step to a better me. As for today’s Vintage Polish Friday, I have another beautiful sating finish polish to share with you: Orly Satin Finesse. Let’s take a look at some swatches. Continue reading “Orly Satin Finesse – #vintagepolishfriday”
Tag: Nubar
Stamping Saturdays #41
Well hello there and welcome to another Stamping Saturdays! I haven’t posted much in the last week, but I won’t get into it here because I have a lot to share and I’ll never get through this post. Ha! I am super happy with the weather lately because it’s finally starting to feel like fall. I’m going to do a ton of stuff around the house today so I’m kinda looking forward to everything being spic and span. For today’s mani, I used one of my new pretties: OPI Christmas Gone Plaid.
I really hate that my pictures make this polish look darker than it is. It’s actually a lot more green in real life and it’s gorgeous! The good news is that OPI Christmas Gone Plaid (press sample) is super amazing, smooth, opaque and incredibly shiny on its own.
I just wanted to jazz everything up so I applied a coat of Nubar 2010 which is one of my favorite flaky polishes.
This large houndstooth design is from plate MoYou London Pro Collection 18 (press sample). I just love houndstooth everything!
Well, what do you think about this mani? I hope you’re doing well today and that you are enjoying your weekend. Thanks for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon.
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Nubar FALLing In Love Collection Fall 2014
Well hello there, Monday! So NOT happy to see you, but I hope you understand me when I say that I need my 3 day weekend naow!! I’ve been so lethargic as of late, that I just need more time to veg out and do absolutely nothing. Of course I still have about a million things to swatch, but I’m looking forward to spending some time just painting my nails. Do you find it therapeutic too? I’ve been mostly laying low because I’ve been sad about the loss of my grandmother, but I know she was suffering so part of me is glad that she is no longer in pain. I don’t want to be a drag, so I’ll just leave it at that. I did get quite a bit of swatching done this weekend so I have plenty of things to show you this week. Nubar is a brand that I’ve been using for a few years now because luckily I have easy access to their collections. I think that my favorite collection that they have put out in recent years has been My Sweet Escape just because the cremes were out of this world. It’s no secret that I love Fall collections, so let me show you their Fall offering: the Nubar FALLing In Love Collection.
Nubar Sweet Hue
Nubar Queen
Nubar Passion’s Pain
Nubar Lush
Nubar Affair
Nubar Don’t Russet
Nubar Love American Style
Nubar First Date
Are you thinking what I’m thinking? These don’t scream Fall to me, but they are certainly pretty. They have this really interesting shimmer to them that keeps them from being just standard cremes. The formula on all of these was ok. They were thinner than I’m used to when it comes to Nubar, The two that were problematic for me were Sweet Hue and First Date because they applied so unevenly that I had to apply 3 coats to even out the coverage. The rest of the polishes in this collection needed two coats for full opacity which is pretty normal. Affair is my absolute favorite from this collection with Queen running a close second–they are just stunning and even more gorgeous in person. What do you think of this collection? Any of them stand out to you? Make sure that you follow Nubar on their facebook page for news on new collections. Nubar polishes can be purchased on their website or $8.40 a bottle and this collection should be out soon. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon.
The Beauty Buffs – Black and White
It’s Wednesday which means that we are halfway through the workweek! I don’t know about you, but I practically live for my weekends, and I start getting excited as soon as Thursday rolls around. Is that pathetic? Why can’t I just be independently wealthy and not have to work at all? At the same time, would I enjoy my weekends as much if I didn’t have to trudge through a workweek? Hmmm…Anyway, today I am back with The Beauty Buffs for a black and white mani. I love using black and white on my nails, so it took me for-eva to decide what I wanted to do. Well, let me show you what I ended up doing.
I started out with a gradient using Jessica Sharktooth (press sample), Jessica Velvet & Pearls (press sample) and Cuccio Colour Soaked In Seattle. I fidgeted with this forever because I could not get a smooth enough gradient for the life of me.
I was going to try a reverse gradient stamp over this gradient, but I had already spent so much time on the base that I was just DONE! So I took out my bottle of Nubar Black Polka Dot and applied one coat. I was actually super happy about the way this turned out.
What do you think about this mani? Is it too loud and flashy or is this something that you would wear? Well, I hope that you are having a nice week, and don’t forget to check out the other black and white manis from my fellow Beauty Buffs. Thanks for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon.
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Kiko 295 Cerulean Blue
Last night I was in one of my moods so I turned to Netflix to see if I could distract myself for a while. Well, I was looking at my long queue of films to watch, and I remembered that I really, really wanted to to watch Blue Is the Warmest Color (La vie d’Adèle). Dude…watch it. It’s beautifully acted, it’s tender, it’s sweet, it’s intense, it’s heart-wrenching and will just leave you feeling like you’ve been completely emotionally destroyed. It probably wasn’t the best movie to watch when I was already feeling like shit, but it actually changed my mood in the sense that I was happy to watch such an amazing movie. The movie is in French so I know not a lot of people like movies with subtitles (weirdos) and it’s also rated NC-17 so if you’re opposed to graphic and long sex scenes (eh?), then this movie may not be for you. Still, I highly recommend it. One of the characters in the movie, Emma, has this really awesome blue hair so it put me in the mood to wear blue. That is how I ended up with Kiko 295 Cerulean Blue on my nails.
I honestly don’t know why I hadn’t worn this beauty before. Kiko 295 Cerulean Blue is so freaking bright that it almost looks neon. In fact, it’s so bright that it made my camera take 5 dumps on me while I was trying to take these pictures. Not only is the color beautiful and saturated–the formula is to die for as well. With careful application it could be a one-coater, but I applied two coats out of habit. The finish is incredibly shiny and glossy so I didn’t even need to apply a top coat.
And because I can never leave well enough alone, I applied one coat of Nubar Black Polka Dot. I love the final look here!
What do you think about the Kiko? Isn’t it gorgeous? I always lament that we don’t have access to this brand in the US, but we can’t be that greedy since we have pretty much everything else. I hope that you’re having a great weekend. Thanks so much for the visit, and I will talk to you soon.
Nubar Spring In The City Collection
I know that in many parts of the country, it really isn’t Spring yet but in others, like Southern California, it feels like Summer already. What is a girl to do besides loading up on Spring polish collections? On Saturday I went to my nail polish places to scope out any new collections so I was super excited when I spotted the Nubar Spring In The City Collection. This collection is made up of 8 shades that are mostly Spring inspired, but I also see some darker shades that make me think more of Fall. The formula on all of these polishes was pretty much identical, so I’ll show you my swatches below and then I’ll give you my thoughts at the end.
Nubar Dreamy Moss
Nubar New Mood
Nubar City Self
Nubar Spring In Her Step
Nubar Sleek In The City
Nubar Fashion Is Forward
Nubar Wildflower Blooming
Nubar Succulent
I am a huge Nubar fan so I was a little confused about these polishes. The formula was just strange in that the polishes seemed like they were all separated. They do mix up once you give them a good shake and roll, but they still seemed a little thin. I found that the best way to work with these polishes was to make sure you give them a good mix and then apply three thin coats. This seemed to work well, but I was still thrown off by the strange formula that is NOT typical of what I have come to expect from the brand. Overall, I think that despite the somewhat awkward formula, the colors are nice. Succulent and Wildflower Blooming are super similar–so much so that I thought they were mislabeled and maybe I got two of the same color. Once I applied them, I did see slight difference. My favorite color of the collection is Spring In Her Step…and New Mood…and maybe Dreamy Moss. hahaha! Ok, I really do like these colors–even the ones that look very Spring appropriate such as Fashion Is Forward and Sleek In The City.
So what do you think about this collection? Do you like Nubar polishes as much as I do? Since these polishes aren’t exactly unique in my hoard collection, I have put them up for sale so please check out my blog sale here if you’re interested in trying these out. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon.
NUBAR
Nubar Berry Blue Crush
Hey, hay, hey! I’ve been dreading Monday and the start of another work week, but what choice do I have? We can’t all win the lottery, quit our jobs, buy a mansion and travel the world…is that my dream? Maybe. I keep wondering about those people who have jobs that they love and can’t wait to get into work. To me, they are as mythical as Unicorns. I want to be a Unicorn!!!!! Anywho, I’ve spent my day running errands, doing laundry and watching stuff on Netflix. I am still obsessed with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo so I’ve been watching the extended 6 part version as it was aired on Swedish TV and it’s still kind of amazing. I hope that when Hollywood does the other two remakes they are just as great. Personally, I thought the first remake with Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig was very good so I have hope! Moving on to the polish, today I have something simple to show you: Nubar Berry Blue Crush from the Crushed Candy Collection. I really love these fun glitters so let me show you this beauty…
Like most swatches I’ve seen, I layered Berry Blue Crush over black because I love the effect. I wish Nubar was a little more visible because they put out some really great polishes, but I feel like not a lot of people know about them. This glitter was very easy to apply and the clear base wasn’t too thick as is sometimes the case with this kind of polishes.
Lately I’m being very diligent about my spending because I want to buy two things: a new laptop and a new camera. I know I shouldn’t just splurge right now, but I would like to get these two items so that I can work on all my blogging stuff. My blog sale has always gone well so thank you so much to all of you who have made purchases. All of the funds from that are basically going back into my blog so thanks for the support! Well, I hope that you’ve had a nice weekend. Thanks for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon.
Stamping Saturdays #10
Hey! Good Morning? I apparently no longer need sleep since I’ve been up for almost 24 hours straight so excuse me if I start acting like a lunatic…and I mean more than usual. And that’s as far as I got before I completely passed out. haha! I decided to just leave that bit in and continue this morning now that I’ve slept a few hours. Last night I ended up not having much time to think about what I wanted to do for today’s post because I was out so late. By the time I got back home, it was almost midnight, but I knew that I didn’t want to skip my beloved Stamping Saturdays. Sooo…I plopped myself down on the couch to start thinking about my mani and then I started catching up on Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, Law & Order…and before I knew it, it was almost 3 am. I did manage to do my mani during that time but it felt like it took me forever! Be warned that this post is picture heavy compared to most of my other posts. Let’s take a look at what I came up with.
I don’t usually purchase too many Finger Paints polishes, but lately I’ve noticed that they are putting out some really gorgeous shades. I first saw Finger Paints Gorgeous Graffiti on Yadi’s blog, Night Swatcher, and I knew I had to have it. I totally blame her for my Finger Paints lemmings. Gorgeous Graffiti reminded me of Sephora Formula X Hyped but for less than half the price. Hyped is a little more shimmery and vibrant, but I do think it’s a good dupe if price is a concern.
Because Gorgeous Graffiti dries matte, I applied a coat of Seche Vite to liven it up. I much prefer this shiny.
Because the blue shimmer wasn’t enough for me, I decided to apply one coat of Nubar Cotton Candy Crush to brighten my mani. Overkill? I really love this glitter topper!
For my stamping design, I decided to use the houndstooth design from my MoYou London Pro Collection 18 plate (press sample) because it is a full nail design but also allows the base polish to show through.
I’m a little on the fence about my final result. I think maybe the whole mani is too busy, but I do like the color combination. You can never go wrong with houndstooth! I love how crisp the design transferred which is due to the special black Konad polish and a great plate. I’ve been using these MoYou London plates regularly, and I absolutely love them!
So what do you think of this mani? Are you on the fence about it like me? I hope that your enjoying your weekend so far, and I will talk to you soon!
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Stamping Saturdays #4
Hi everyone. I hope you’re enjoying your Saturday. Unfortunately I’m still sidelined by my cold and horrible cough so I’m just going to lay low this entire weekend. I know it’s superbowl weekend, but since I don’t give a rat’s ass about football, I’m going to ignore all the sports parties and all that. I am happy that I got a few stamping manicures done in advance because I might not have been up to doing a new one for today considering how crappy I’ve been feeling. For today’s stamping mani, I used my manicure from yesterday’s post as the base for my stamping. Let’s take a look at it.
Morgan Taylor Lost In Paradise
Nubar 2010 over Morgan Taylor Lost In Paradise
I used my Konad Black Special polish and an image from Mash plate 39 over my sparkly base. I really like how this turned out because the black stamping shows a great contrast on the lighter base.
Sorry I’m not my usual talkative self. I’m currently watching a Rocky marathon with my mom. We just finished Rocky III and now we’re watching Rocky IV–which is my favorite movie in the series. Don’t judge me for my questionable taste in movies, ok? I hope the link thing works below so you can check out some other awesome stamped manis. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon.
Nubar 2010
The one bit of good news that I got at my doctor’s office today is that I have an upper respiratory infection which doesn’t require any meds besides the usual OTC stuff. I am still pretty darn miserable right now and can’t stop sneezing and blowing my nose so I don’t know if I’ll be able to go to work tomorrow again. This morning I slept through my alarm so I didn’t even call in sick on time. I think I might have taken a wee bit too much Nyquil last night so I was knocked out cold. I’ve been so sick lately which is NOT normal for me. I have another appointment with my primary doctor on Monday so we can go over all my meds and see if anything needs to be changed. Since I finally got health insurance through work, I am going to get back on track with all of my meds so now I need to get myself ready for many rounds of bloodwork–my favorite! NOT! Anyway, I’m just glad I can actually go to the doctor again without it costing me an arm and a leg. Isn’t it sad how having health insurance feels like a treat? Everyone should have affordable health insurance…this topic just pisses me off so much so I’ll just drop it.
So the other day I was looking at some of my Nubars, and I realized that I had never really posted about my very first flaky polish ever: Nubar 2010. Oh the travesty! Let’s take a look at this lovely polish, shall we?
Normally, I like to layer Nubar 2010 over a dark base, but today I decided to try it out over Morgan Taylor Lost In Paradise. Have I told you lately how much I love Morgan Taylor Cremes? This one is so incredibly gorgeous!
This is two coats of Nubar 2010 over Lost In Paradise. So pretty, right? This makes me wish that I hadn’t missed out on all of the Finger Paints flaky polishes. I’m still not over that one!!!
Tomorrow I have another stamping mani to share with you so I hope that you stop by to check it out. I’m not feeling too hot right now so I’m going to cut this short. Thanks so much for the visit, and I will talk to you soon.
