DT Maybelline, Turquoise Seas and Quirius, Caribbean Turquoise

Hi Kids!
Today, I'm bringing you the base color for a planned layered mani from an old idea and a fail that I never posted.  I'm not saying what it is, because I might fail again and have to change up.
Anyway! I have 4 coats of polish on, starting with 2 coats Quirius, Caribbean Turquoise. It's one of the polishes in my massive Giveaway found HERE!. Please enter if you haven't already!

2 coats of Maybelline, Turquoise Seas over 2 coats Quirius Caribbean Turquoise.
Maybelline TS is what I call a soft duochrome...turquoise base with gold, blue and lavender flashes. My lighting ate the gold in this color, but it's there. I found this polish (along with Vanishing Venus) at a Dollar Tree a few days ago.
It wasn't my first choice for this mani- I was planning on using the new scented Revlon, Ocean Breezes, however, since I kept on glancing at the Maybelline, I figured my intuition was telling me it might be the better choice. The formula on TS was quite thin, so I thought a basecolor was in order. I chose Quirius, Caribbean Turquoise, and used 2 coats. It's a jelly(!) and is more of an aquamarine color than turquoise. I had to tweek the color, hence the yellow skintone.

Next - something useful!
I thought that some of you might get a kick out of this tidbit...
One of the most useful manicure tools I have in my house are these tongs!

When my polish is still wet/dentable, I use these tongs for everything...rooting through my handbag, pulling my pants up (or down) while using the Loo, picking up objects...etc.
I also have spring loaded pliers I keep in my handbag for zippers.

P51 fauxnad

Hi Kids!
I have 2 fauxnadicures for you...1 good, the other, an awful fail. Both are on Claire's Calm/Wild.
I struggled with what to stamp on this mani so as not to detract from the color transition and the finish. I am so glad I bought a back-up of this polish- 1/3 of the bottle went to painting a plastic strip for the  practice stamping of images and polish color choices!
In order to preserve the soft, suede finish, I decided right away that I would not be using a top-coat on this mani. This decision significantly cut out all the regular options I use for stamping color. Without a top-coat all the flash, shimmer & duochrome polishes I've frankened for layering purposes were out. All I had left were cremes, pearls and chromes. After a lot of practice stamping, I chose Sally Hansen Chrome. Cremes and pearls just looked too flat.

Anyway, here's the "good" fauxnadicure;

I used fauxnad plate P51, center image stamped multiple times with Sally Hansen Pure Chrome.

This next mani is a fail because the stamped images are not crisp and intact. I used Sally Hansen Pink Crystal Chrome to stamp this one. Obviously, it's not pigmented enough for the Essence plate I used.
Note the color of Claire's Calm/Wild. It is color accurate...my hands hadn't warmed up yet, resulting in a pretty raspberry shade.

Stunner! Claire's Mood Polish, Calm/Wild

Hi Kids!
Pretty, isn't it?

EDIT; Someone in this Blogshpere or MUA NB, swatched this and was hoping to find a dupe for the purple shade. Whoever you are...China Glaze, Grape Juice mattefied comes *really* close, albeit a bit more silverish.
This is Claire's Mood Polish in Calm/Wild, (cool/warm, purple/pink) and the only one in a collection of 5 that has a silver, suede finish. It's exactly like an OPI Seude, but much finer.
This suede finish really makes Calm/Wild extra special, tempering the transition between pink and purple perfectly. Unlike Happy/Earthy that I posted earlier, the formula on this one was great- almost as nice as an OPI Suede. 2 quick drying coats and I was done!
This polish easily slides into my Top 10 favorites!

Claire's Mood Polish in Happy/Earthy, teeny haul

Hi Kids!

Edit! WARNING!!!! Claire's Happy/Earthy STAINS like no other polish I've ever tried! Those with natural nails- use this polish at your own risk- take basecoat precaution! 
It's been a crazy busy week at the restaurant, so I've had no time for nail art. Once I get acclimated to our "busy season", posts will resume on a more scheduled basis.
If all goes as planned today, I'll be able to bring you 2 faunadicures this week. I have 2 days off! Consecutive at that! The "price" I have to pay for this "treat" is doing an 18 hour day on Thursday.

Anyway, today I am going to bring you the mani I've been sporting for 3 days- Claire's Mood Polish in Happy/Earthy, a bright, almost neon green(s). Before I show you pictures, I have to say... I am so glad  I picked up back-ups for some of these!!! I have a feeling that I'm going to love the purple, bright pink and the teal versions as much as this green.
The novelty and coolness of Happy/Earthy puts it in my top 20 favorites....Even with its suck-y formula, lousy brush, too small handle and  gloopy, streaky appplication.

Unlike the reviews I've read thus far, this polish stayed gradient greens on my nails all day. My stellar, top 20  result, has more to do with my having acrylic nails rather than the good batch/bad batch scenario.
It's a shame that my camera did not pick up all the distinctive shades of green in this mani. If you look close at the cuticle, you can catch a hint of what this polish starts out as at the base of my nails...a very bright yellow green, then, working up the nail to the free edge, it gradiently changes to a very pigmented dark, grass green. My pictures only bring out 2 shades, however, I assure you- on my acrylics, it's an awesome party of transitioning greens!!!

If I had the time, I could have rocked this mani even more if I had done some fauxnading. As it is today, it's pretty much beat up and sadly, has to go. I had a lot of fun wearing this color, though. Both my outfits for Saturday and Sunday had shots of neon green incorporated into them.
Yea...this is way cool in my book.
 Dozens of  customers admired my "paint job" over the weekend, asking me who did the awesome airbrush work!

While running errands to day, I spotted the new scented Revlon polishes, Borghese pastels & pastel Maybellines at Rite-Aid. I only picked up Revlon, Ocean Breeze and Grape Icy, Maybelline, Pie In The Sky. The green Ruby Kisses I purchased at a BS- 3 of them for frankening purposes.

I tested both Revlons for scent...Ocean Breeze smells like deodorant soap and Grape Icy smells like grape gum.

Prettiest polish I own *edited- for sun pics

I found the prettiest polish I own when I went to the mall for Claire's Mood Polishes and a back-up of Love Bites #069 from Rue 21.
It's Love Bites #086, a bright orange with a lavender pearl shimmer. Think Color Club, Tangerine Scream, but less intense and with a finer, pearlier shimmer in lavender, instead of turquoise.

Some bottle comparisons;
OPI, Shootout At The Ok Coral- Color Club, Tangerine Scream- Love Bites #086

Massive, 8 haul Giveaway - simple but tricky rules

 Now closed w/104 entries! Good luck!
Giveaway open to planet Earth only!
Thank you all- old Readers and new, for Following my Blog!


Rules-Rules-Rules!!!
Please read carefully! If you do not follow the rules EXACTLY you will be disqualified! 

Entry for all 8 hauls must be in 1 comment to this post. 3 lines only.
This means- no additional comments, such as "wow, awesome giveaway, thank you, I hope I win"- NOTHING ELSE but 3 lines with the following information...


 ~1 comment only on this post with your email = entry for all 8 giveaways


~You must show me that you are a Follower
 
~You must tell me which of *my manicures* you like best


I'm trying to keep this as simple as possible- for me and for you!

Example of how you must leave your comment...


leave your email
show how you follow my blog
I like your fill in the blank  mani best

Click to get a better look at these goodies!

#1. Neon, Pastels & Primary Colors

• Color Club Electro Candy set
• Claire's Pastel minis
• Hard Candy- Fishnet, Mr Right, Splendid
• SinfulColors- Green Ocean

 

 #2. Mixture- polish, treatment, stamping plates

• Essence Stampy Set
• Konad plate #M57
• SinfulColors- Green Ocean
• Sally Hansen- Opulent Cloud
• LA Girl Rockstar- Supernova
• Love Bites- Blue Twilight
• China Glaze- Atlantis, Metallic Muse & Matte Magic mini
• Nicole- Shimmy Shimmer
• Nail Tek- Foundation II
• Seche Vite

#

#3. The Cuties

• Funky Fingers- Mighty Brights minis
• OPI minis- INK, Rosy Future & TC
• Claires sparkle minis
• Sally Hansen Xtremewear minis
• 5pack polish in Ice Cream Cone bottles!
• SinfulColors- Green Ocean

#

#4. Harmonious blend A & Color Chic

• Essie Color Chic set- Berry Hard, Fishnet Stockings & Fill The Gap mini
• OPI- INK
• Sally Hansen- Opulent Cloud
• Funky Fingers- Hyper!, Jester, Bourbon St
• Claire's- Magic
• Quirius- Starry Night
• SpaRitual- She's A River
• Nicole- Shimmy Shimmer

#5. Harmonious blend B & Color Chic

• Essie Color Chic set- Berry Hard, Fishnet Stockings & Fill The Gap mini
• Sally Hansen- Opulent Cloud
• Ruby Kisses- Red Romance
• Quirius- Strawberry Smoothie
• SinfulColors- Shirley & Buddy, Forget Now, & Tokyo Doll
• China Glaze-Strawberry Fields
• SpaRitual- Last Call
• OPI- My Big Break

#6. Femme

• Color Club- Pardon My French set
• OPI duo- Fit For A Queensland & My Big Break

#7. Elf & Orchids, Pinks

• Elf French Manicure set
• Quirius- Lavender Bouquet, Harlem Passion, Royal Love, Nubba Dubba, & OK Is Me
• Wild and Crazy- Amnesia
• Funky Fingers- Jester

 #8. Elf & Greens, Teals

• Elf French Manicure set
• Quirius- Erin Island, Ivy Wreath, Cresskill Eve, Caribbean Turquoise, & Jamaican Dream
• LA Girl Flare- Tropical
• SinfulColors- Green Ocean

Please re-read my rules again before you comment!
Giveaway will close on March 28th. 

Giveaway teaser, current personal haul

Hi Kids!
Well, today is the day for taking pictures of all the goodies I have for my massive Giveaway!
I have to tell you- I'm really excited, nervous and overwhelmed all at the same time.

On my way home from an errand today, I stopped at a Beauty Supply store that I found a couple of months ago, and picked-up a few more polishes for my Giveaway, and of course, some for myself. The owner of the store recognized me from the last time I hauled there, and gave me a very nice discount for the counter full of polishes I bought today! She also gave me a bunch of empty polish boxes for me to use for shipping...yay!!!
Here are the Quirius polishes I'm adding to my Giveaway;

This is my payday haul for myself;