Glitter overload, anyone?

So, maybe I should just rename my blog. Something to do with glitter obviously. What can I say, sparkly catches my eye. In my defense, I came across some GORGEOUS glitters that reminded me of fancy, glittery Easter Eggs. Plus, this way I can swatch several glitters at the same time.

Milani "Pink Flare", Wet n Wild "Back Alley Deals", Wet n Wild "Believe Me, It's Real", Deborah Lippmann "Mermaid's Dream", and Sinful Colors "All About You".

On my thumb is "Pink Flare" from the Milani One Coat Glitter Collection. What you see is actually two coats, not one, but I still think it's great coverage. Some of the glitter pieces are pretty prismatic, too. Very nice.

On my index finger is "Back Alley Deals" from the Wet n Wild coloricon Ice Baby Collection. Small purple glitter base and larger fuchsia pieces. Two coats.

My middle finger has "Believe Me, It's Real", also from the Wet n Wild coloricon Ice Baby Collection. It has a small blue glitter base with larger purple glitter pieces. Also two coats. I think this is my favorite color out of the five from this week, but I'm disappointed in how it photographed. The purple glitter in it is very hard to see, and the color doesn't look good in general in the picture. It looks awesome in person, though!

The color on my ring finger is something that's really exciting, at least for me. It's Deborah Lippmann "Mermaid's Dream". It's pricy stuff, and the only bottle of Deborah Lippmann I'm likely to own for awhile. It has a seafoam green base. I'm not sure, but I think the seafoam green is a really small micro-glitter. It also has a touch of gold micro-glitter, and larger turquoise glitter pieces. Two coats.

My pinky is sporting the only color I've already used in my blog before: Sinful Colors "All About You", gold glitter with a smattering of orange glitter. This one took three coats for coverage, and it probably could have benefited with a fourth coat.

I have two coats of Seche Vite fast dry top coat on each, but the two Wet n Wild colors would need more layers of top coat if you want perfectly smooth nails.

Which one of these colors is your favorite?

Joyeux Mardi Gras!

Believe it or not, I didn't originally intend to do a Mardi Gras manicure this week. Last Wednesday I was going through my polishes, trying to decide how to do my manicure this week. Two weeks ago I bought a New York Color purple called "Purple Pizzazz Frost", and a week ago I happened to buy a gold glitter called "All About You" when Walgreens had their Sinful Colors on sale. When I saw the two bottles side-by-side I realized Mardi Gras was approaching and decided to go for it. So I went to Dollar General the next morning on my way to work and purchased Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear "Ivy League".

New York Color "Purple Pizzazz Frost, Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear "Ivy League", and Sinful Colors "All About You".

I alternated the purple and the green on every other nail, and I sponge painted the gold glitter on the nail tips. This was the first time I've sponge painted nail polish, but it was very easy and I'm sure to do it again. You just apply the polish to a makeup applicator sponge, and then dab it on your nails.

New York Color is a very inexpensive brand, and I can't remember if I got it at Kmart or WalMart, but it retails for about $1 or so. I was actually impressed with the "Purple Pizzazz Frost" for that price (my photo doesn't do it justice), but I'm NOT loving the applicator brush. It was thin, and made out of a harder plastic that didn't spread the color very well. By contrast the brush on the Sally Hansen "Ivy League" was kind of wide and flat and the polish spread very easily.

In my mind I'm already trying to decide on what I'm going to do for my next manicure. Right now the front-runners are either using Sally Hansen's HD "DVD" (a holographic purple) or Zoya's Matte Velvet "Phoebe" (a matte turquoise). Whatever I do, I'm going to try to make it something quick. My oldest son is turning 8 next Sunday, and I know I'll be busy with the finishing touches for his party next weekend.

 Sally Hansen HD "DVD" and Zoya Matte Velvet "Phoebe".

On a side note, I'm realizing that eventually I need to get a good digital camera and stop taking pictures with my cell phone. My nails look much nicer in person than they do in the first photograph.