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The application of the Shellac takes about 15 to 20 minutes, so really no longer than any other mani, the only difference really is the top coat which is a gel formula.  after drying in a UV lamp for 5-8 minutes your nails emerge looking shiny and fabulous. The only thing that really disappointed me was the color selection available, I ended up with a dark gray color- Slate, which I’m really liking. I was told the mani should last about 2 weeks since the gel provides a nice little “shell” and isn’t prone to chipping like regular polish. Unless you’re a non-stop picker like I am, then you’ll manage to ruin it in about 2-3 days. Despite my horrible nail habits everything is still looking pretty great and I hope they will continue to do so for another week. Wish me luck

xx,

Mariana

It goes on quite smooth and you only need 2 applications for full coverage, with a nice top coat the color is simply gorgeous. Dress it up or dress it down looks great either way

I always seem to smudge my damn pinky..

What are some of your favorite dark nail polishes?

xx,

Mariana

The first time I saw OPI’s Warm and Fozzie from The Muppets Holiday 2011 collection in an issue of Glamour Magazine I just knew I had to have it. Eventually a few weeks later I saw it while in line at Boston Store and $8.50 later I was able to call it my own.

 The Color.. is a gorgeous metallic copper, very different from the bright glitter polishes that make up half  the OPI Muppet Collection. The coppery mix is made up of gold, pinkish-red (very creative color names I know), and brown flecks–and I swear that in certain lighting there’s a hint of green!  This all makes for an amazing Fall/Winter color, or a perfect alternative to the usual holiday nail polishes.

Keep Reading for swatches..

Application..One con I did find is that the formula is a bit on the sheer side so 2 to 3 coats is a must for an opaque finish. I didn’t really care for the way it looked after 1 or 2 coats, but I suppose it might look pretty layered over another color. Oh, and FYI the removal process is a pain in the a**!  I personally don’t like spending more than 2  minutes removing nail polish but I guess that’s the price you pay for anything with even a hint of glitter or shimmer.

(Both taken with inside lighting where the gold and copper really seems to shine through)

In all this has been one of my favorite colors this past month and am really glad I picked it up. Really my only regret is being such an impulse buyer and not waiting to get the mini Muppets holiday set that includes Wocka Wocka, Excuse Moi, Designer..de better, and Warm and Fozzie (in that order from left to right below). Oh well.

xx,

Mariana

Caught With My Khakis Down was one of the polishes featured in my last Sephora post that I’ve put off posting for quite too long. Clever name I might add.

It’s a Sephora by OPI polish and is from the 2011 Safari Luxe Collection which is an exclusive collection. On the website the shade is described as “fatigue opaque green”  however, that just sounds kind of gross to me so I’ll keep it simple and stick with khaki..maybe even moss. In some lighting is has almost a grayish tint to it, something I’ve found through reviews others have noticed as well, lovely nonetheless. With two coats you’ll get a nice opaque khaki green, add a top coat and you’re good to go!

OPI is probably my favorite brand of nail polish given the quality of them and wide variety of color, so this one is no different. Any polish that can withstand the wear and tear of my nails deserves an A+ no doubt. However, this technically isn’t a “true” OPI nail polish but passed the quality test with flying colors. Not too thick and thankfully not too thin-I absolutely hate having to apply 15 coats before I can achieve the look I’m going for..OK, over exaggeration but you get what I mean. With that being said if you so choose you could probably get away with just one coat.

I’m really liking this color with my olive skin tone and I have a feeling it will be a re-occurring trend on my nails this season. Any polishes you’re loving at the moment?

xx,

Mariana

One thing I really feel that can brighten my look up is a great nail color, and lately I’ve been seeing lots of blue around and loving it. So while I was shopping around for a birthday card (OK,  maybe I was wandering around the makeup aisle near the card section) the other day a glimpse of Essie Lapiz of Luxury’s periwinkle caught my eye and I fell in love.

Of course, when I’m not feeling so colorful I always have my fall back: OPI Russian Navy!

Here’s a photo of both colors with one coat of OPI Ds Coronation just for fun

What are some of your favorite blue nail colors? I’ve seen some pretty amazing ones around that I’d like to add to my polish collection.

xoxo,

Mariana

Color Club: Resort to Red

What I like about Resort to Red is that it isn’t your classic red, it almost has a magenta undertone to it, not to mention the metallic sheen it gives off making it easy to wear for a day or night look. As far as Color Club goes this is the only polish I own from that brand but I’d really like to try a few more. This specific color is from last year’s 2010 Untamed Luxury Collection and after taking a peek around the net I’ve gotten a chance to see some of the others- one word, gorgeous!

This metallic red was one of my go-to’s last Fall and I’m pretty sure it’s going to make the cut another year in a row. Very much fits in with all the rich, bold colors (plums, golds, teals, love it!)  I’ve been seeing in all the September/Fall issues of things.

What are some of your favorite fall nail colors?

xoxo,

Mariana