H&M Blue my mind

I have a son who is five years old and he is totally used to me painting my nails. He knows I love it. The other day he told me "Whole you is nail polish". So sweet.
Being at H&M the other day he got to choose a nail polish and he choosed Blue my mind. A real bright blue with a hint of purple. I had never tried H&M's polishes before and wanted to give it a go.

And let me just say, I love this polish. The color is fantastic, it is so bright and have a kind of plastic look that I love. My son did a good choice!

The formula is good, applies well and two covers is enough to get opacity. The only thing I don't like is the shape of the cap. It is kind of difficult to hold, especially when I am painting my right hand.

"Watch the nails!"

The other day when I was at the gym training boxing the trainer came up to me and my partner for the day and said: "Ooh! Watch the nails!"
I thought it was funny. She was afraid my nails would break of the boxing.
People know I love my nails.

So, it is no surprise that I the other day bought some more nail polish. I know, I am bad, but they look beautiful so I couldn't resist. But at least two of them I have wanted for a while.

The polishes are:

H&M Blue my mind. My son choosed this for me.

Chanel Black pearl. I have been longing for this since I saw the first swatches.

Make up store Greta. A silver holographic polish from a swedish make up brand.

Make up store Aqua fix. Well, I need a base for the holographic polish.


Soon to be seen on my nails...

Dior Gris Montaigne

I have a thing for grey. I like it on clothes and I like it as a color in my home. I think it is a fantastic color, that you can match with anything. I love how grey looks together with a bright purple, or red, or black or with silver. I can make the list long.

So when I was shown this grey creme polish, Gris Montaigne, from Diors spring collection, I couldn't resist it. And I must say, the color is beautiful. On the nail it becomes a bit darker than in the bottle. But it doesn´t matter. This is elegant.

The formula is a bit thick though, I would have liked it a bit thinner. And I am not sure I like Dior's brush. It is wide and shaped like an arrow. It is a bit hard to paint it, especially since the cap is small and not easy too hold. Maybe it is a question about technique.

And then, the big no, no. An hour after painting my nails, after taking the photo, I discovered bubbles. Lots of bubbles. Why? I painted my nails like I always do and all my products that I use are almost new. This shouldn't happen with a new polish.

But, I still love the color.

OPI All that razz-berry

Somehow a creme polish is never wrong. One color that I really like and often come back to is All that razz-berry from OPI. It was a part of the Chicago collection that came out in 2005. I didn't buy it then though. Strangely I don't remember when I bought it though, I usually remember that about my polishes.

Well, All that razz-berry is a purple polish on the boarder to being pink. To me this is a color being suitable in most situations. 

Although I have used this bottle many times the formula is still smooth and easy to work with. To get opacity I use two layers.

New collection from OPI

I got some news about a new collection from OPI that is coming.
This one is called Femme de Cirque and contains of four nail polishes. Three of them are pinks and one is supposed to be a transparent with glitter, but I can't see from the photos which one that is.But they are all very sweet and good for any occasion.
I can be a bit sceptical to pastel pinks because I think they can be a bit hard to paint with. But I will give these a shot. I am most interested in I juggle...men, that looks a bit purple or grey. Maybe that is the one with glitter?

This collection will be launched in May, at least here in Sweden.

I juggle...men

                                  So many clowns...so little time
 

                                       In the spot-ligt pink

                                              Step right up!



OPI DS exclusive

Look at this. Don't you just love it? I do. This is the nail polish Exclusive from OPIs Designer series. I have several from DS-polishes but use them way too seldom.

Exclusive is a berry pink-purple polish with a slight holographic effect. This is not a super holo, but holographic enough for me. There is something happening there on the nails and I like that.

The formula is excellent. Easy to paint with and it covers with two layers.

Does expensive means better?

I can just admit it. I am sceptical to polishes that are cheap. Somehow I don't believe that a cheap polish can be good, because the company probably didn't spend so much resources on making the formula good.

But then, does a a high price guarantee good quality? Or are you just paying for a brand? Do you spend your money on a polish that is easy to paint with or a feeling that you have Chanel, for example, on your nails?

Now days I don't mind spending money on good nail polish. I have been through soo many cheap, bad polishes that has been like throwing away my money, so then I think that I can just as well spend some more and then I get something I want to use. But then, sometimes I buy a less expensive one, and I get surprised.

What do you think? Is expensive better?
And how much are you willing to pay for a nail polish?
Would you buy this one: http://geniusbeauty.com/make-up/most-expensive-nail-polish/ , a polish for 83 000 british pounds?

A cheap one that surprised me.

And expensive one that I love.

I just couldn't help myself...

The other day, when I was out getting my usual tunasallad for lunch, a woman working at the beautyshop next to the café, came up to me where I was standing in line at the café. In her hand she had a sample of Gris Montaigne, a beautiful grey polish from Diors spring collection.

She knows I love nail polish and wanted to show me.
Smart of her. Because I fell in love.
And now I have bought it. I just couldn't resist.

OPI Meet me on the star ferry

Why haven't I tried this earlier? I have had Meet me on the star ferry from OPIs Hong Kong collection in my stash for almost a year but haven't come around to try it until now.

This is an old fashioned pink (translated from Swedish, I don't know if you say that in English), a metallic polish with microglitter. There is brown tone in it and also a hint of gold.
This looks the best in sun light, then it glows.

The formula is great, no problem at all. And I needed two layers to cover.

In sunlight.

In shade. 

Snowcrystal 441

Snowcrystal is a Swedish nailpolish brand and this is actually the first time I try it. This polish, number 441, is from their fall/winter collection. It is a dark bluegreen metallic polish with a hint of blue microglitter.
I find the color to be nice but not wow, to me it is not unique.

The formula is a bit thick but yet easy to control on the nail. It covers well with two layers.

OPI Bring on the bling

Hey, it is Saturday! I got to sleep late, I don't have to work and today we are having a dinner party! Could it be better?  And yes, we have a lot of dinner parties in this house, I am not the one cooking though. My man does that best. And he thinks it is fun so I won't stop him.

So party means some bling, and I pulled out the polish Bring on the bling from OPIs Burlesque collection from my stash. When I see this polish I come to think of the movie Saturday night fever. It is gold glitter, with some green and pink glitter as well. Very cool, very sparkly, very much party. And I am not usually a gold person, but I like this.

To get some kind of opacity I need four layers. But I don't mind that when it comes to glitter. The formula is very good and I have no problem working with it.

Mavala for your heart

The nail polish brand Mavala is launching a collection with six of their red colors in March in Sweden. Some of the profit of these polishes will go to the Swedish heart-lung foundation and their campaign Go Red that works especially for womens heart.

So, go red and save a heart!

OPI Do you think I'm Tex-y?

Do you think I am Texy-y from OPIs Texas collection reminds me of the color of the first roses that my man gave to me some years ago. It is a sweet pink, mild and wonderful. I really like it. It also has a fruity feeling.

The polish is one the jelly polishes in the collection. The formula is good, although I have to work with it on the end on the tips to get it to stick there. To get a nice opacity, or at least one I am satisfied with, I used three layers.

Love and hate

This is my first bottle of Seche Vite and after using half of it I can say that I both love and hate it.

First I was so impressed with it. It made my nail polish dry so fast. I was able to go to bed just after painting my nails with out getting any marks from the sheets. And that quality made me love this top coat. Also that it made bumby glitters smooth and also that it could make other small bumps on the nail polish disapear.

But. I hate the shrinkage it causes on some polishes. Other people may not see that, but I see it and it irritates me. That ruins an otherwise perfect manicure.

Have you tried Seche vite? What do you think?

PS. I just got some great news. From week 14 you will be able to buy Seche vite at Kicks in Sweden. I love that!

Playing with Black shatter

I have been playing some more, today with Black shatter from OPIs Katy Perry collection. I went to my local beauty store Monday, a few hours earlier they had unpacked the Katy Perry collection but were already sold out on the Black shatter. Wow. And that is just in my little town.

So, here are some examples of what Black shatter can look with some different kind of polishes.

Black shatter with the crème polish A grape fit! from OPI. Here I also used top coat.

Black shatter with the neon Purple panic from China glaze.

Black shatter and the gold glitter Bring on the bling from OPI.

I have been playing...

Okey, this may not be a manicure that would work in my everyday life. But I have been at home today with my son who is sick and while keeping him company I was playing around with my nail polish.

And this is what I ended up with.

A base of the blue cream Suzy says feng shui from OPI and on that I put lots of pink glitter from Mist on top. I didn't mean it to be this much glitter from the beginning, but this is how it ended up.

Something for Lady Gaga maybe?

Scratch nails Fuchsia fever

Scratch nails is a Swedish brand that has been on the market for 20 years but I have actually never tried their nail polish before. I use their cuticle oil named Nail food though and think it is great. But now it is time to try their nail polish as well.

Fuchsia fever is a bright pink crème polish with a bit of a jelly finish. It has a really smooth formula. It just glides on and two layers covers the nail well.

The color is real nice, it has a bubblegum, summery feeling over it.

Illamasqua Eclipse

Sometimes it is easy. Browsing through the beauty department at Selfridges in London in December, a glimps at Illamasqua, and yes, just that one, I want it. Nothing to think about there.

Eclipse from Illamasqua is one of three vinners in Illamasquas Nail varnish competition. And I just love it. Apperently Dami Lawai who created the color was inspired by a lunareclipse. To me the color is a blueberry blue, like the dark blueberries you find in the Swedish forrest. It is a metallic purple and blue with a hint of silver. Very cool.

The formula is excellent. It so smooth to paint with and two layers does the job.

Let me just say mmm....

OPI Too hot to hold 'em

Flesh pink. Yes. Flesh pink. That is the first word I came up with in my head to describe this jelly Too hot pink to hold 'em from OPIs coming Texas collection. It is pink, although I know it looks a bit more red on the photo.

After trying on several of the jellies from the Texas collection I must say that they are my favourites from this collection. The jelly formula really feels summer like.

This one was easy and smooth to paint with. I used three layers to get it like I want it.

Stylish Blogger Award

Oooh, I am delighted. And so happy. Three wonderful bloggers, Nailspotting, Nails by Noir and Perdy claws, have awarded me with the Stylish Blogger Award. Thank you so much! So sweet of you.

Here are the Stylish Rules:

1. Thank and link the person who gave it to you.

2. Share 7 random facts about yourself.


3. Give the award to 15 other bloggers and let them know about it.



 
 
So, let me tell you seven random facts about me.
 
1. I am very much in to interior design and love designers like Alvar Aalto, Alfredo Häberli, Tomas Sandell and Arne Jacobsen.   
2. I have a son who is five years old. He loves Star Wars at the moment, especially when Luke Skywalker escapes from the snowmonster.
3. I can't cook. I am terrible at it. Luckily my man is great at it, he makes the most fantastic meals.
4. I am good at baking though. When my man turned 50 we had a hundred people at home for the party and for that I baked 15 cakes.
5. I am great at finding things. I keep track of everything at home and can tell my man where his keys are, my stepdaughter where her phone is and where to find what in the kitchen drawers.
6. I like working out at the gym but it is not always I have the time to go there.
7. I just started practising for my drivers license. I know, I am 34 and I don't have a drivers license. My man is teaching me. I laughed through the whole first lesson. It was so fun.
 
So lets give this award forward.
 
Scrangie She is the first nail polish blog I found when I started reading nail polish blogs.
Nailtastic A fellow journalist collegue with a good pen.
Rugby beauty I just love her photos.  
Sminkbloggen Another fellow journalist who I love reading.
Annies colors Her nails are beautiful.
Emerald sparkled I like her naildesigns.

Deborah Lippmann Today was a fairytale

Let me just say Wow. Today was a fairytale is just fantastic, I am amazed by it. In love. It is a nail polish I have wanted since I first saw it on the web, and was so happy when I saw that I could actually buy it in Stockholm.

Today was a fairytale is a silver glitter polish with hints of blue and grey, which gives it a kind of gunmetal look. It really sparkles and feels sophisticated. A nice combination. The base is light grey or maybe light blue and there are two different sizes of glitter, bigger hexagon shapes and smaller, normal glitter.

I like that the base is not clear, that it has a colour. That makes it easier to build up something opaque. Because I like my glitters to be opaque, to get there though I need to paint five layers with it. But I don't mind that. I had the time when I was doing this, it is something to do while watching teve. But with five layers of glitter and two layers of top coat, it do takes a long time to dry.

But it is worth it. Because I love the result.

I have been shopping again!

Whenever I go to Stockholm, I can't resist buying a nailpolish, or two. Or three like I did this time.
The other day I came home with the bright pink Fuchsia fever from Scratch nails, the silver glitter Today was a fairytale from Deborah Lippmann and a deep blue, no 441 from Snowcrystal.
Both Scratch nails and Snowcrystal are Swedish.

To be seen on my nails soon.

Lóreal Resist & Shine 732

When I found this bottle in my local beauty store I first thought it was black, then I saw a shimmer and then I saw that it was purple. Easy decision, I love purple, lets buy it.

Lóreals Reist & shine 732 is a dark, dark, purple metallic polish that almost looks black. It is dramatic. You can see no the photo that it is darker on the nail that in the bottle.
Two layers gives full coverage but it is a bit messy to paint with. It flooded on to my cuticles twice and that I don't like. And yes, I am picky. The brush is also way too long.

The color is not unique at all, I have seen this before, but it is nice.

Lancôme MF 118

Sometimes I have trouble deciding if I should buy a polish or not. This polish I saw in a shop in Stockholm, wanted it, but didn't buy it. A couple of days later I went back. And bought it.

Lancôme MF 118 (boring name) is a deep blue metallic polish with a shine that I just love. I would call it a peacock blue, if you understand what I mean. I think this color is very beautiful and I am so glad that I bought it.

The formula though is a bit thick, which makes it hard to get a nice line against the cuticles. The brush is also a bit too soft and a bit too long which makes it hard to control on the nail.

But, the color is a perfect blue.

China glaze L8R G8R

This is a nail polish I bought about two years ago and totally forgot that I had until I reorganized my polish collection a while ago. L8R G8R from the OMG collection is a limegreen holographic polish that is a nice surprise.

Somehow sweet is the word that comes up when I paint on this polish. The light green color is sweet. And I like it. It is holographic, but not extrem. I wish though it could be a bit more holographic.

The formula is a bit thin and I need three layers for full opacity.

Dior Crème abricot

I keep bying a lot of different oils and creams for my cuticles, but there is one I always come back to sooner or later. And that is Crème abricot from Dior. It is a cuticle cream I have been using for 15 years (and more) and I love it.

It is a rich, fat cream that really softens my cuticles, they tend to become dry because all of the polish remover I use and the cold weather here in Sweden. But this makes my cuticles look healthy.

It has a kind of make up-for-old-ladies-smell, but I don't mind that because it does it job. When I use it is also very easy to pull back my cuticles at the same time.

But being so creamy this is no cream to use just before you are painting you nails. I use this at night, just before bed.
It is quite expensive, but you don't need to use much. Take a lot less than you think and that will be fine.

Jade is the new black vs Don't mess with OPI

After trying the grass green polish Don't mess with OPI from the upcoming Texas collection I got a question about how similar it is to Jade is the new black from OPIs Hong Kong collection.
So, here you are. I think Jade is the new black is a bit darker and more emerald green compared to the moore grass green Don't mess with OPI. But they are similar.

Jade is the new black on the two fingers to the left and Don't mess with OPI to the right. 

OPI Yodel me on my cell

I am on a blue-green roll here I think the last couple of days. One of my favourite polishes from OPIs Swiss collection was the deep bluegreen Yodel me on the cell. I like metallics and this has a very beautiful color that caught my eye at once.

The formula is very nice, it is easy to control and two layers gives me full opacity.

I have found a nice combination, and that is to have a layer of the metallic-glitter Catch me in your net from  OPI over two layers of Yodel me on my cell. It is a beautiful combination.

OPI Suzy says feng shui

I have a lot of blue nail polishes although I do tend to use my pink, red and purple more. Still I keep buying the blue ones.

Suzy says feng shui is a dusty blue créme from the Hong Kong collection from OPI that came out in the spring last year. It is a very nice color, subtle although it is blue.

The formula is perfect, I am in total control over the polish. With two layers I get a smooth surface that is opaque.

To make it a bit more fun though I put on a little, thin line of the blue glitter polish Simmer & shimmer on the end of the tips. Simmer & shimmer is one of my favourites from last year.