Two swatches and vacation update!

(Today is the last day to enter my Petoskey Stone giveaway!! The link is in the sidebar!)

Hi everyone! Hope you've had a great week since I talked to you last! We've had a great time on vacation so far! First, though, I of course want to show you what I wore on my nails this week...

I'm happy I cut my nails short, because my manis have lasted a lot longer than usual! I've only worn two polishes since my last post. The first is Literary Lacquers As the Waltz Was Ending, a lovely warm lavender with a soft linear holo effect:

Literary Lacquers As the Waltz Was Ending. Two coats with Out the Door topcoat.

I think I would put this shade in the Radiant Orchid family (it's a little warmer than it looks here). I found the formula a little patchy, even on the second coat, so if you have longer nails you might need three coats.


Right now I'm wearing Maya Cosmetics Beach Baby. Sadly, Maya Cosmetics is no longer around (I bought this polish in their going-out-of-business sale) but you might be able to snag a second-hand bottle somewhere! This is a full-coverage microglitter in shades of copper, bronze, brown, orange and pink--it really makes me think of people lying around on the beach getting tan!

Maya Cosmetics Beach Baby. One coat with Out the Door topcoat.

This polish covered in one perfect coat! I would actually classify this as a textured polish; even with topcoat it feels gritty. It would look great without topcoat too.


OK, on to my exciting personal life! Mr. ALIQUID and I started our vacation at his parents' place, where we got to see my absolute favorite band of all time, Barenaked Ladies!! (Yes, they are still around!) It was a concert in a park, and we got there early enough to grab a spot in the second row! I was basically going nuts, and my husband was nice enough to humor me...

Next we visited my sister-in-law in New York City. Highlights included walking across the Brooklyn Bridge...

...and having some amazing fried chicken at Root and Bone in Manhattan. Highly recommended!

Then we had a very boring drive to Michigan to see my family. Right now we're getting ready for our trip up north! So keep an eye on my Instagram for some more pics!


Here's Max, one of my parents' dogs, looking cute!

Today's mani: nubby watermelons

Hi all! Tomorrow hubby and I are off on vacation for a couple weeks. First we're visiting his family and seeing my favorite band, Barenaked Ladies! Ahhh can't wait! Then we're going to my family in Michigan and taking a little trip up north. We're going to some of the places that inspired my polish collection, which will be awesome.

Since we're driving, I'm going to be able to bring some polish with me, so I'll try to post my manis as usual. I'll also post a lot of vacation pics on Instagram! So you guys hopefully won't miss me too much.

I decided to cut my nails down to nubs just so I won't have to worry about them breaking on our trip. I dunno how you folks with nubby nails manage! I can't wrap my tips properly! Also my fingertips hurt when I type...I guess they're not used to being pushed on!

I knew I would need a fun mani to cheer up my tiny little nails. What's more summery than watermelon nails??

I started with Zoya Kate, which is the perfect watermelon-colored jelly in my opinion. The seeds are Revlon Stiletto, and the rind is Maybelline Porcelain Party and OPI You Are So Outta Lime!

I love watermelon manis, but I'm actually not that big of a melon fan in real life. Cantaloupe is especially gross!

Guest post at Nail Polish Society!

Hi kids! I wrote a guest post to celebrate Nail Polish Society's first bloggiversary, and it's up today! I talk a bit more about the inspiration for some of the polishes from my latest collection, plus I have some nail art! Emiline also has a giveaway going on right now!

--> Go read it! <--

Review: Influenster Surf's Up VoxBox!

The products in this post were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Hey there! I was really excited to get my first box of products to review from Influenster. The Surf's Up VoxBox is full of items that are perfect for a fun summer! Read on...

1. Sinful Colors Sage Rose

Sinful Colors Sage Rose. One coat with Out the Door topcoat.

Yep, I got a nail polish to review! It's like they read my mind! Sage Rose is a metallic fuchsia that was opaque in one coat. Buuuut...holy brushstrokes, Batman. My photo makes the brushstrokes look worse than they are, but this still isn't my favorite finish. The color is pretty though!

2. First Aid Shot Therapy Pain Relief

First Aid Shot Therapy would be great for the morning after a big party! The bottle contains one dose of choline salicylate (an NSAID) with caffeine in liquid form. It's berry-flavored, but it still tasted kind of medicinal to me. I took it when I had a headache. It definitely got rid of the pain, but it didn't seem to be any faster than taking a pill would be.

3. Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration after-sun lotion soothes and hydrates your skin and is also supposed to help preserve your tan. Although I feel I have to point out that tanning is NOT healthy (it's a sign your skin has been damaged) and you should always wear sunscreen outdoors! Maybe a better use for this lotion would be after you go swimming, since chlorine makes your skin feel icky.

The lotion is very light and non-greasy and definitely made my skin feel soft. It's sticky for a few minutes after you apply it, but that feeling goes away. The coconut-papaya scent isn't very strong, so it probably won't bother those with sensitive noses. This lotion contains some natural ingredients, like shea and mango butter, but they're waaay down the list of ingredients.

I think I'll take this stuff with me on vacation!

4. Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Shampoo and Conditioner

I was disappointed to get these in my box, since I've tried a texturizing product before and it definitely didn't work. My hair is just too fine and straight for this kind of product--it does NOT want to be wavy! But of course I had to try these two anyway.

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe shampoo and conditioner are supposed to give your hair beach waves and volume. You use them like regular shampoo and conditioner, then towel-dry your hair. It seems to be a trend that you aren't supposed to blow-dry when using texturizing products...too bad, because my hair looks like crap unless I blow-dry it. Flat and frizzy, yuck! So I didn't look great when I tried this shampoo and conditioner. Plus I didn't really see any extra waves.

On the bright side, they worked perfectly well as a shampoo and conditioner; my hair felt clean and soft afterwards. They also make your hair smell like coconuts, if you like that sort of thing (I do!). And they're sulfate-free, which is great! So if you've had success with other texturizing products, you might have good luck here.

5. Jamba All-Natural Smoothies in Orange Dream Machine

I saved my favorite product for last! I got a coupon for a free package of Jamba All Natural Smoothies, which contains chunks of frozen fruit and yogurt. All you have to do is add a cup of apple juice and blend everything together. The Orange Dream Machine flavor has peaches, orange and vanilla yogurt.

One package makes about sixteen ounces of smoothie--enough for me and my husband! This flavor is reminiscent of creamsicles, but with extra peachy flavor. The smoothie was nice and thick, with a perfect amount of sweetness! We were both big fans! I'd like to see this sold in bigger packages that you can use more than once.


That's that! I loved the smoothies and the lotion best, although I'm always happy to get a new nail polish too! Have you tried any of these products? Which would you take on vacation with you?

The products in this post were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

The Neverending Pile Challenge: Two teals

Happy weekend! This is my last Neverending Pile Challenge post for now. This has been a great challenge for me, just because I finally shortened my untrieds list (temporarily at least)! I'll have to keep making an effort to wear untrieds from now on!

This prompt is dupes: match an untried with a tried. Well, the polishes I picked looked pretty similar in the bottle, but turned out to be completely different on the nail. So these aren't really dupes at all, but they're pretty so I'm going to show them to you! I have OPI AmazON...AmazOFF on my index and ring finger, and Julep Lena on the others. They're both gorgeous teals with a little bit of shimmer.

As usual, my camera can't photograph teals, so this picture has been color-corrected. That's why it looks slightly weird.

I love both these shades, but I think the formula on the Julep was better (it's a one-coater!). Both of these will stain your cuticles, so be careful!

Total untrieds tried: 72 + chevron decals + 3 stamping plates


 

New ALIQUID Lacquer collection! Two Pleasant Peninsulas plus GIVEAWAY!

Hi everyone! If you've been following me on Instagram or Facebook, you might know this already, but yesterday night I released a new collection of polishes and lip balms! Click through to learn all about them and enter a giveaway!!

The Neverending Pile Challenge: Grandma nails

Hi folks! I hope those of you in the US had a safe and fun holiday weekend! It's very hot and humid here today, and we have no A/C, so I'm a little grumpy. The heat is also doing weird things to my bottle of Out the Door, so in case you're wondering why my mani looks a bit bumpy and bubbly...that's why.

Anyway, this is my last week doing the Neverending Pile Challenge! I can't believe I've kept it up for three months now! I think I only skipped two prompts. And I've tried a LOT of untried polish.

Today's prompt is your best granny color. What's more granny-like than dusty rose? I have two shades of dusty rose/pink that I thought would go well together: China Glaze Fifth Avenue and Julep Joy. I didn't have a lot of time (you'll see why very soon!) so I just did kind of a messy dotticure.

Despite its fuddy-duddyness, I actually really like this kind of color, since it's closer to a neutral than your average pink. And it looks way better on me than true pink does.

Total untrieds tried: 71 + chevron decals + 3 stamping plates


 

The Neverending Pile Challenge: Independence Day mani!

Happy 4th of July to my fellow USians! It's been raining nonstop today thanks to Hurricane Arthur, but we still had burgers and potato salad for dinner. Plus we could see some fireworks from our bedroom window last night!

My 4th of July mani also satisfies today's Neverending Pile Challenge theme, which is free polish (meaning a polish you got for free). I used China Glaze Man Hunt, which I got in a Secret Santa swap, as my base color, and made some faded-looking stripes using Zoya Carmen, Julep Harley and Sinful Colors Snow Me White. I was inspired by this beautiful mani by Manicurator!

Since the Manicurator post didn't have any directions on how to do this pattern, I had to work out my own method. I put down striping tape above where I wanted each stripe to go, then I sponged on each color using the edge of a triangular makeup sponge. I wanted the stripes to be crisp on top and fade away on the bottom. I really like this style, so I'll have to do it again sometime!

I hope everyone enjoys their holiday weekend!


Total untrieds tried: 69 + chevron decals + 3 stamping plates


 

June's Museum-Worthy Manis!

Hey there! It's time to show you my favorite nail art from June! These were my top 5 from my nail art Pinterest board. Make sure to go give props to the artists on their blogs!

1. KBShimmer Early Summer Holo Nail Art by Manicurator

 You know I love geometric designs, so this one really hits the spot! I love how each nail looks like a little window...or maybe like an alien symbol? Plus those metallic holos are so classy!

2. Visit Lumpy Space by Chalkboard Nails

This mani was inspired by Adventure Time, which I've never seen, but doesn't it look like a screencap from a cartoon? I just love the colors and the whimsical pattern, plus her freehand skills are top-notch as usual!

3. Green Dragon by PiggieLuv

Narmai of PiggieLuv pops up in my Museum-Worthy Manis post just about every month, and for good reason: she is an absolutely phenomenal artist. Look at all the tiny details on the dragon's body! The shading! Totally stunning. Plus I have always been into dragons, so I instantly knew I'd be choosing this mani.

4. Valentino Resort 2015 Inspired by Chelsea Queen

Wow...I just love the intricate geometric design here, plus the mix of colors used. If I had to name this style, I'd call it "computer tribal"...does that make sense? This mani was inspired by a pretty funky purse, which you should go check out at Chelsea's blog!

5. C'est l'été, tous en fleurs! by Marine Loves Polish

This pattern is so simple, yet it got stuck in my mind. I think it's the contrast of black and white with rainbows, and the minimalist floral pattern. This is one mani I really want to try for myself!


I've also got an honorable mention: a vintage floral by Wondrously Polished!


What do you think? Who are your favorite nail artists?

June's Gimme That Polish!

One day I'll manage to do my Gimme That Polish post before the month is actually over! At any rate, here are my five favorite polishes of the ones I pinned to my wishlist last month. Check out the original blogger reviews and let me know your biggest lemmings in the comments!

1. Indigo Bananas Acid Ocean

Andrea of Indigo Bananas continues to be amazing with her new collection of jelly flakies. I love the way those toxic green flakies pop out of the murky blue base...it reminds me of a bioluminescent sea creature! (Indigo Bananas shop | swatch by The Mercurial Magpie)

2. KBShimmer Look High and Holo

I had to have at least one jelly glitterbomb this month! This one is super colorful and perfect for summer. Plus, come on, holo glitter! Yes please! (KBShimmer shop | swatch by Nail Polish Wars)

3. Glam Polish Rivendell

OK, not only is this a Lord of the Rings-themed polish AND a teal polish, but just look at those flecks! Flakes and flecks are probably my #1 favorite "thing to put in nail polish", so I'm all over this one. (Glam Polish shop | swatch by Accio Lacquer)

4. Powder Perfect Deceptively Sweet

This one's uncharacteristically girly for me, but I love the muted lilac base color, and the gold shimmer makes it special but still restrained. You definitely need to check out the full-size pics to appreciate this polish! (Powder Perfect shop | swatch by The Nail Polish Project)

5. Northern Star Polish Electric Lime

Mmm, this shade of green really hits the spot for me. The combo of the green with the various colors of glitter makes me think of tropical fruit! An awesome polish for summer. (Northern Star shop | swatch by The Mercurial Magpie)

The Neverending Pile Challenge: China Glaze in the Lime Light (Neon)

The product in this post was purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

Hey folks! It's time once again for the Neverending Pile Challenge! Actually, despite its name, the first round of the challenge does end in two weeks, and I think I'll bow out at that point. Doing so many challenges per week really clogs up my blogging schedule and I haven't done much nail art lately. But wow, have I tried a whole lot of untried polishes!

Today's theme is neon, perfect for summer! I'm not a huge neon nut because I have such pale skin that neon doesn't always look great on me. I definitely prefer cooler neons rather than pinks and yellows. So today I'm wearing China Glaze In the Lime Light (Neon), a neon green with aqua shimmer. I don't know what the story is behind the parenthetical in the name--I'm guessing there is/was also a non-neon version of this polish?


Anyway! As you can probably tell, my camera panicked a little bit with this polish! It's actually a bit darker than it appears here.

China Glaze In the Lime Light (Neon). Three coats with Out the Door topcoat.

I love this shade of green, but sadly the formula was no bueno. It was very sheer and streaky--even at three coats you can still see my nail line a bit. I also had some problems with bald spots. I suppose it could have been worse though. Like most neons, this polish dries matte, but I like it glossy better because it brings out the shimmer.


Total untrieds tried: 68 + chevron decals + 3 stamping plates