Juicy Couture Pink Glitter & Zoya Shawn

I posted a preview of the Juicy Couture Glitters last week & this is my first full manicure using the Pink Glitter. I started with 2 coats of the lovely & easily applied Zoya Shawn. Then just one layer of Juicy Couture Pink Glitter, a clear polish with medium hexagon glitter & occasional foil hearts.
Pink Glitter is super easy to apply and I even got a few hearts without having to fish them out. I've always thought that glitters like this were kind of a pain to apply but the application  for this one was superb.
I'm not a huge glitter fan and I would never have gotten this for myself, but I really love it! Thanks again to Midnight Manicures for this prize!

Here's a shot in indirect light.

Thanks for reading!
April

Juicy Couture Gold Glitter & Revlon Powder Puff

 

I posted a preview of the Juicy Couture Glitters last week & this is my first full manicure using the Gold Glitter. I started with 3 coats of the gorgeous but difficult Revlon Powder Puff. Then just one layer of Juicy Couture Gold Glitter, a clear polish with medium hexagon glitter & occasional foil hearts.
Gold Glitter is super easy to apply and I even got a few hearts without having to fish them out. I've always thought that glitters like this were kind of a pain to apply but the application  for this one was superb.
I'm not a huge glitter fan and I would never have gotten this for myself, but I really love it! Thanks again to Midnight Manicures for this prize!

 The next night I added a coat of China Glaze Matte Magic.

Thanks for reading!
April

I love giveaways. Each week I'll post giveaways that I think are awesome! I'm trying to catch any giveaway that has nail polish & I always post them on the Monday before they close. I figure some publicity towards the end of the entry period is a good idea, so don't worry that I've forgotten yours if I don't post it immediately! On the other hand, I know that I will occasionally miss a giveaway or two. If I miss yours, please know that it was accidental and nothing personal!

I've decided to note which giveaways aren't open internationally. The default will be open worldwide, meaning I'll only note if they have restrictions.

NAIL POLISH & MORE

• Short & Sweet Nails is giving away 2 cool polishes & more!! Ends 8/30.
• Cheetah is the New Black is giving away some Nicole by OPI polishes! Ends 8/30.
• Musings from Manhattan is giving away 6 polishes from OPI's Touring America Collection! 2 winners!! Ends 8/31. *US
• Jewels & Nails is giving away 4 Essence polishes!! Ends 8/31.
• Blushing Noir is giving away 3 Zoyas of your choice!! Ends 8/31. *US
• Parokeets is giving away 15 fantastic polishes & more!! Ends 8/31.
• Cult Nails is raffling off 2 bottles of her stunning Unicorn Puke!! Proceeds go to the HollyRod Foundation. Ends 8/31.
• Lacquered Lover is giving away 5 Dr.'s Remedy polishes! Ends 8/31. *US
• Here Comes the Sun is giving away your choice of 3 piCture pOlishes!! Ends 8/31.
• KittyPolishNBags is giving away a $25 Apothica GC! Ends 8/31.
• Shimmerspark.com is giving away Tuff Scent polishes! 2 winners!! Ends 8/31.
• Natalie's Nails is giving away Milani Gems & the Color Club Electro Candy collection!! Ends 8/31.
• Polish Insomniac is giving away 3 Kleancolor polishes! Ends 8/31.
• A Place for my Nails is giving away 8 polishes from Poland! Ends 9/1. 
• I'm Feeling Nail-venturous is giving away 10 lovely polishes and nail art goodies!! Ends 9/1.
• Making up 4 my Age is giving away 2 Essence polishes, nail art goodies & lots more!! Ends 9/2.
• The TraceFace Philes is giving away the Essence Twins Edward & Bella set! Ends 9/2.
• Kawaii Barbie is giving away 4 polishes & tons of makeup!! Ends 9/3.
• Illamasqua is giving away their Theatre of the Nameless collection! 3 winners!! Ends 9/4.
• Polish, Puttering & Pondering is giving away 2 pretty polishes & more! Ends 9/5.

 NAIL ART CONTESTS

• Lacquered Me is having a nail photo contest. Entries must be submitted by 8/30.
• If it Shines is having an "If it shines" themed contest. Entries must be submitted by 9/30.

MAKEUP & SKINCARE

• The Everything Soap Blog is giving away your choice of 3 items from her store, Milk & Honey Naturals!! Ends 8/31.
• Beauty Tidbits is giving away tons of makeup & skincare! 2 winners!! Ends 9/2.
• Perfectly Polished is giving away Paula's Choice RESIST Cellular Defense Daily Moisturizer!! Ends 9/2.
• Sarah Hassan's Blog is giving away Mineralissima makeup!! Ends 9/4.

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

• Dazzle & Sizzle is giving away a $40 Pixics GC!! Ends 8/31.
• Screaming Sardine is giving away a $25 GC to Seasons of Wool; fingerless gloves & purses!! Ends 9/1.

MISCELLANEOUS

• I'm giving away The Twelfth Enchantment by David Liss!! Ends 9/12. *US & Canada

Please feel free to post your giveaways in the comments of the Weekly Giveaway Roundup posts! Let's keep them all on these posts and not on regular posts.

Thanks for reading!
April   

Zoya Giveaway Winner!

The winner of my Zoya giveaway is comment # 31 from T.V. And Book Addict. She has a fun blog if you like to read about YA books!

Thanks to everyone who entered!
April

The Twelfth Enchantment Giveaway; Or, Oh My Goodness I'm Friends With Someone Who Writes For Marvel!!! (Closed)

I don't talk about myself often on the blog, but I have been a voracious reader since age 3. I've worked in bookstores & libraries and still regularly attend book signings. Recently, I had the pleasure of showing Edgar Award winning author David Liss around Tulsa while he was here for a book signing. I must say that I was quite nervous about picking up a stranger from the airport. Thankfully David is a fantastic guy and we got along very well. Turns out he not only writes historical fiction but comics too! For Marvel!! He was even nice enough to let me chatter about my nail polish blog and offered to give one of you a copy of his brand new book, The Twelfth Enchantment.

I haven't had a chance to read it yet but here's a quick review from the lovely ladies at Girls in the Stacks.

This is a charming, quick-witted novel that I couldn’t help but read while sitting at the dinner table. I love the paring of the Regency era with urban fantasy (my ideal read!). It’s a story of Luddites versus the Industrial Revolution, with a fantasy twist full of revenants, a golem, an order of Rosicrucian’s and Lord Byron.

When we first meet Lucy she is an amiable creature ready to please. She is quite reserved and willing to marry the awful Mr. Olson. Enter Lord Byron with a cryptic message and the magic and entanglement of betrothal with Mr. Olson (and sleuthing) begins.

Lucy is an ideal character. She is quaint, humble and so very naïve. Yet, she is determined, brave and just a bit magical to uncover a plot of the worst kind. I loved her sleuthing, her inner-thoughts and her ever constant worrying over her reputation.

If I could give Lucy a bff charm I would!

Not only has David Liss given us an interesting and unique plot, but he has created some very colorful characters that are, quite frankly, charming. Some of the best lines came from Lord Byron, which added great comical elements to the story. Then there was the ever elusive yet so knowledgeable Mrs. Emmett and my personal favorite, Mr. Morrison who made a perfect partner for Lucy.
I totally, without a doubt give this novel 5 STACKS
Stacy

Sounds good to me! I'm also looking forward to reading his Mystery Men Series for Marvel, with a 1930's noir setting.

RULES:
PLEASE READ ALL OF THE RULES BEFORE ENTERING.

• This giveaway is open to readers from the U.S. & Canada.
• This giveaway starts today, August 26th, and will end Monday, September 12th, 2011 at 11:59PM Central Time.
• We'll select the winner with random.org's random number generator and notify the winner by email on Tuesday, September 13th.
• The winner will have 24 hours to respond. If the winner doesn't reply within 24 hours, that winner will forfeit the prize and an alternate winner will be selected via random.org.

HOW TO ENTER:
I'm going to keep this one super simple. One entry per person. Use the form below to enter. This works MUCH better than comments, so I've turned them off for this post to avoid confusion.

Thanks for reading!
April

Juicy Couture Glitter Set Preview

 

I recently won a giveaway from Midnight Manicures for this collection from Juicy Couture. This is a perfect example of why I love to enter giveaways. I would NEVER buy this set because it just seems like something I wouldn't like, but it turns out that I LOVE it!

The set includes Gold, Pink & Silver Glitter. Each has medium hexagon glitter & large foil heart glitter in a clear base. These were shockingly easily too apply and I was even able to get at a least a few hearts per manicure without trying. Fantastic set that works great for layering. I'll be showing each one individually soon.

Thanks for reading!
April

Nina Ultra Pro Salsa Rhinestone Nail Art

Something simple for today. Nina Ultra Pro Salsa is one of my favorite polishes because of it's excellent formula.I added a few rhinestones to one nail for a night on the town.

Don't forget to checkout my ongoing blogsale at Medusa's Threads & thanks for reading!
April

New Favorite Manicure OF All Time: Zoya Lolly & Nubar 2010

Here's a ton of pictures of my new favorite manicure of all time. Two coats of  Zoya Lolly & one of Nubar 2010. Totally unexpected since it's pink and I usually gravitate toward less traditional colors. I wore this for almost a whole week!

A shot of the flakies looking green!

What's your current all time favorite manicure?

Thanks for reading!
April

Weekly Giveaway Roundup

I love giveaways. Each week I'll post giveaways that I think are awesome! I'm trying to catch any giveaway that has nail polish & I always post them on the Monday before they close. I figure some publicity towards the end of the entry period is a good idea, so don't worry that I've forgotten yours if I don't post it immediately! On the other hand, I know that I will occasionally miss a giveaway or two. If I miss yours, please know that it was accidental and nothing personal!

I've decided to note which giveaways aren't open internationally. I've thought about doing this before & I had request last week from OPI Addict. Check out her blog, Addicted to OPI if you haven't done so already! The default will be open worldwide, meaning I'll only note if they have restrictions.


NAIL POLISH & MORE

• Refined & Polished is giving away Diamond Cosmetics Don't Teal My Heart Away! 2 winners!! Ends 8/24.
• Good Lack, Nail is giving away 4 amazing prizes! Essence, Teeez, Catrice, China Glaze Crackles & lots more!! Ends 8/25.
• I'm giving away 5 Zoyas! Ends 8/26.
• The TraceFace Philes is giving away 3 piCture pOlishes!! Ends 8/26. 
• Liquid Jelly is giving away 3 piCture pOlishes!! Ends 8/26.
• Sonidlo's Nails Polishes is giving away 3 piCture pOlishes!! Ends 8/27.
• Biba's Beauty Corner is giving away Catrice Dirty Berry & Purpelized!! Ends 8/27.

MAKEUP & SKINCARE

• Go YAY! is giving away a Carmex gift pack!! Ends 8/28. *USA
• Sweet Tea is giving away a Carmex gift pack!! Ends 8/28. *USA

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

• First Class Fashionista is giving away an Erica Annenberg Cosmo Sparkle Twosome Ring with Swarovski Crystals! I love double finger rings!! Ends 8/25. *USA
• Babbling Brooke is giving away a $100 ICE.com GC!! Ends 8/26.
• Baby Talk without the Babble is giving away a $50 ModCloth GC!! Ends 8/29. *USA & Canada

MISCELLANEOUS

• Drawing Dreaming is giving away a set of Derwent Couloursoft Pencils!! Ends 8/28.
• The Life of Rylie...& Bryce, too! is giving away a pair of Happy Feet Insoles!! Ends 8/30. *USA

Please feel free to post your giveaways in the comments of the Weekly Giveaway Roundup posts! Let's keep them all on these posts and not on regular posts.

Thanks for reading!
April  

Concrete! I hardly ever talk about my concrete.

My blog is called Concrete & Nail Polish because that's what I do; I paint my nails & I make concrete. Really beautiful concrete, if I do say so myself. This table is my current favorite. You can see more of my concrete and other amazing things from my family at our website, 4BrooksDesign.com.

Thanks for reading!
April

Ashley's Nails: Zoya Trixie & Nail Polish Paris Crackle 21

 

This is 2 coats of Zoya Trixie with a coat of Nail Polish Paris Crackle #21 on top. Gorgeous!!

My sister, Ashley loves crackle polish over shimmers. She usually prefers creme polish over most everything else, but something about this combination appeals to her. I agree that it's my favorite way to wear crackles too. I know many of you are over the crackle trend but I love them for days when I need a fast fix for a chipped manicure. I just throw a coat of crackle on top and the problem is solved!

Ashley has the coolest jewelry!

Thanks for taking pictures and Ashley & thank you all for reading!
April

Last Week Of My Blogsale Blowout! Clothing & Restock Of Atlantis & Cat's Eye

If there is any clothing at Medusa's Threads that you've had your eye on, this is the week to make your purchase! Prices reduced across the board! Ridiculously good deals on party dresses!!! I want to clear out the old stuff so I can bring in new items next week. Most items will be removed from the store at that time, so make your purchases soon.

Calvin Klein now only $15.50!

BCBG now only $15.50!

BCBG now only $38.50!

I found some more China Glaze Cat's Eye! You never know what you'll find when you go dusty hunting!

I just added my last China Glaze Out On Safari to ebay. Auction starts at 0.99!

Thanks for reading & shopping!
April

Barielle Positive Zen-ergry

This is 2 coats of the Barielle Positive Zen-ergy from their new Karma Collection. I've never used Barielle polishes before & they graciously sent me a few to try out. Positive Zen-ergy is a slightly warm, medium toned green with subtle silver shimmer. I think this one will be flattering on almost any skintone and it works all year round. The formula & brush are very nice too.

I love green polishes and this one is definitely staying in my stash. I think it would be a great green for anyone who has been a little shy of trying things other than traditional polish colors too.

Thanks for reading!
April

This polish was sent to me for review. All opinions are my own & were not influenced by Barielle! For more information you can read my disclosure policy.

Weekly Giveaway Roundup

I love giveaways. Each week I'll post giveaways that I think are awesome! I'm trying to catch any giveaway that has nail polish & I always post them on the Monday before they close. I figure some publicity towards the end of the entry period is a good idea, so don't worry that I've forgotten yours if I don't post it immediately! On the other hand, I know that I will occasionally miss a giveaway or two. If I miss yours, please know that it was accidental and nothing personal!

NAIL POLISH & MORE

• Milan & Vanaily is giving away 4 China Glaze polishes & more! Ends ??
• The Polish Haven is giving away 7 glitter polishes!! Ends 8/16.
• Madness & Polish Collide is giving away Diamond Cosmetics Don't Teal My Heart Away! 4 winners!! Ends 8/17.
• Body & Soul is giving away the Orly Birds of a Feather Collection!! Ends 8/19.
• Painted Pixies is giving away 2 Wet N Wild polishes & more! Ends 8/19.
• The TraceFace Philes is giving away the China Glaze Metro Collection!! Ends 8/19.
• Colores de Carol is giving away a $25 Apothica GC! Ends 8/19.
• That's SO Fresh is giving away 20 Sinful Colors polsihes!! Ends 8/20.
• Lacquered Me is giving away 3 Essies and more!! Ends 8/21.
• Pretty Random is giving away your choice of 3 piCture pOlishes!! Ends 8/22.
• The Brrrds Nest is giving away 2 Nubars and lots of really great makeup!! Ends 8/23.
• I'm giving away 5 Zoyas! Ends 8/26.

NAIL ART CONTESTS

• Andayn Nails is having a summer Cocktail themed Nail art contest. Entries must be submitted by 8/25.

MAKEUP & SKINCARE

• One Glass Slipper is giving away 2 Maybelline Pop Stick lipsticks and more!! Those things are so cool looking! Ends 8/19.
• White After Labor Day is giving away a Carmex Gift Pack!! Ends 8/21.

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

• Momdot is giving away your choice of Maya Brenner necklace!! Ends 8/16.
• Slate Hope is giving away a $50 GC to Hide Style, bracelets & dog collars!! Ends 8/18.
• We Were Damsels is giving away a very cool watch from Oreint Watches USA!! Ends 8/19.
• Sweets & Hearts is giving away the item of your choice from Vanity!! Ends 8/21.
• Down & Out Chic is giving away your choice of dresses from Shabby Apple!!! Ends 8/21.
  

CHOCOLATE & OTHER GOODIES

• The Type A Housewife is giving away all 30 flavors of syrup form the Pittsburgh Soda Shop! This giveaway is super exciting to me since I have a Soda Stream. I had know idea there was a company who made so many flavors!! Ends 8/16.
• Cinderella 11pm is giving away a $300 Cheesecake Factory GC!! That's right $300!!!! Ends 8/19.

THINGS FOR YOUR HOME

• Green Eyed Monster is giving away a strand of lights from Cable & Cotton! These are lovely!! Ends 8/17.

MISCELLANEOUS

• TheVEROblog is giving away a bottle of Prefense Hand Sanitizer! Ends 8/17.
• My Secret Home is giving away a 3 pack of UGLee pens!! Ends 8/19.
• Blogging Maniac is giving away 250 custom printed lables from UPrinting!! Ends 8/20.
• White After Labor Day is giving away a 3 pack of UGLee pens!! Ends 8/21.

Please feel free to post your giveaways in the comments of the Weekly Giveaway Roundup posts! Let's keep them all on these posts and not on regular posts.

Thanks for reading!
April  

Zoya Reds & Oranges Giveaway! Ends 8/26. (Closed)

Zoya kindly sent me these from their summer collections. However, I'm not a huge red fan. I could have swatched them once and then let them languish in my stash, but I much prefer to give them away to one of you instead. If you're a red lover who needs these now, they can be purchased here.

One lucky reader will receive Reva, Sooki, Kimmy, Tamsen, & Rica!

RULES:
PLEASE READ ALL OF THE RULES BEFORE ENTERING.

• This giveaway is open to everyone worldwide! Yay!
• This giveaway starts today, August 11th, and will end Friday, August 26th, 2011 at 11:59PM Central Time.
• We'll select the winner with random.org's random number generator and notify the winner by email on Saturday, August 27th.
• The winner will have 24 hours to respond. If the winner doesn't reply within 24 hours, that winner will forfeit the prize and an alternate winner will be selected via random.org.

HOW TO ENTER:
I'm going to keep this one super simple. One entry per person. Use the form below to enter. This works MUCH better than comments, so I've turned them off for this post to avoid confusion.



Thanks for reading!
April

Barielle Buddha-ful

I took tons of pictures of the gorgeous Barielle Buddha-ful from their Karma Collection. I've never used Barielle polishes before & they graciously sent me a few to try out. Buddha-ful is completely unique, something that can't be said very often these days! Its a soft beige jelly loaded with flakies that flash from aquamarine foil to pale pink. I like it so much that I've already worn it twice!

 

 

I used 3 fairly thick coats. I recommend waiting for each coat to dry a bit before applying the next one. The formula applies very nicely but flakies are by nature a bit thick to keep the flakes properly suspended and that just requires a little drying time. Buddha-ful is is definitely worth a couple of extra minutes for this pretty polish.

I love polishes like this that could be mistaken for a nice but plain work sfae polish. Then you get up close and magic! I can't wait to try this as a layering polish. I bet it will be fabulous over hot pink or maybe royal blue.
You can see my photos of Barielle Soul-er Powered from the same collection here.

Thanks for reading!
April

This polish was sent to me for review. All opinions are my own & were not influenced by Barielle! For more information you can read my disclosure policy.

Blogsale Blowout @ Medusa's Threads! Clothing Deals As Low As They Can Go!

If there is any clothing at Medusa's Threads that you've had your eye on, this is the week to make your purchase! Prices reduced across the board! Ridiculously good deals on party dresses!!! I want to clear out the old stuff so I can bring in new items in the next couple of weeks. Most items will be removed from the store at that time, so make your purchases soon.

Kimchi Blue Urban Outfitters Shirt Dress only $15.50!

Anthropolgie Floreat Ruffle Plaid Dress only $38.50!

I also found a few more China Glaze No Way Jose's!

& I've got a China Glaze Out On Safari on ebay. Auctions starts at 0.99

Thanks for reading & shopping!
April