Shopping for the holidays? Don’t forget to buy something Emerald to wear on New Year’s Eve, it’s the hottest color next year! Weclome Year 2013 with something Emerald!
2013′s Color of the Year: Emerald
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Category Archives: Essie
Nail Polish of the Day: Shine of the Times by Essie
The Finishing Bar Review:
Shine Of The Times is the one we have all been looking forward to…flakies! This is pretty much a dupe of Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure and Nubar 2010 but shoot, I still love it. I will never get tired of flakies. If you missed out on Hidden Treasure and don’t have access to Nubar this is a great alternative. I really love flakies like this over lighter colors, in the first combo below you can see a bit of the blue/purple in the flakies, it’s gorgeous!
Buy Shine of the Times by Essie Nail Polish here.
Nailandia: Essie's Light Colors
Check out these lovely colors from Essie! To buy these cute shades of polish by Essie, just click on the polish names and that’s it!
The Finishing Bar Review:
Lovely, lovely color! It is exactly what the name implies: the color of sand. It looks really clean and classic on the nails without being so light as to be overly noticeable. I can get this opaque in two coats, and it lasts on my nails for at least a week with absolutely NO chipping (I usually use Seche Vite, but even with other top coats this polish refuses to chip). For me this is the perfect nude polish, and I would purchase again and again.
The Finishing Bar Review:
Such a pretty light pistachio color. I am currently wearing this on my hands. With 2 coats, it comes out to a creamy opaque finish. But with this bottle, the formula was a bit runny/watery so I had to scrape off a bit from the brush so it would go all up on my cuticles/sides of nail. Other than that, this is a perfect color for spring/summer and def would repurchase!
The Finishing Bar Review:
Essie Lapis of Luxury – I love this color! I’ve been sitting on it for several weeks and finally put it on. It’s so fun and unique.
My application is slightly janky. I put it on last night and got some cuticle so it’s a tiny bit grown out at base. I found it a pretty easy formula to work with. Thin & fluid. This is two coats.
The Finishing Bar Review:
This the perfect sheer, non-streaky Essie shade for “clean” and pretty natural nails! Works much better than Mademoiselle against my NW10 skin. Mademoiselle didn’t seem to show up at all, and had more of a lavendar undertone. The formula for this polish is lovely – there’s minimal streakiness. The subtle shimmer adds a little somethin’ somethin’ while keeping it classy. It’s an appropriate nail color for all occasions, and I’m so glad I kept trying more Essie shades (other rejects: Sugar Daddy and Room with a View) to find it.
The Finishing Bar Staff Review:
Don’t be fooled by this polish’s namesake; you’ll flock to own this lilac shimmer! Essie To Buy Or Not To Buy Nail Polish is worth it’s weight in gold, wear alone or over another Essie Polish and prepare to marvel at the subtle sparkle!
Dust off the cobwebs and step into spring style with ease with this delicious Essie To Buy Or Not To Buy Nail Polish. Celebrate the increasingly longer days and warm evenings with this delightful nail colour from Essie.
It’s gives a nice pop of color and makes me feel as if Spring is already here. Plus, the fact that this is a pastel makes it subtle and easy to pull off and wonderful for those looking for a fun color without the “in your face” result.
To compare it further, Nice is Nice is more of a true lilac, has more pink and less white. I much prefer it, plus the formula is superior.
Who's the "TOP-ghest" of the all?
UMBRELLA Oxygen Raincoat top coat by Deborah Lippmann
The Finishing Bar Review:
Umbrella Oxygen Raincoat Top Coat is a waterproof and UV-resistant, high-shine top coat that carries oxygen to the nail and creates a chip-resistant finish that significantly extends the duration and gloss of your manicure in one simple step.
The multitasking formula dries quickly and uses Oxygen Technology with patented structuring microparticles to create a high-shine film that’s permeable to oxygen and respects the natural physiology of the nail—yet seals in color under a hard, protective shield.
How to use: Apply one coat on a dry nail polish and re-apply twice a week to revive color and shine between manicures and your nails will have a flawless finish.
The Finishing Bar Review:
OPI introduces the latest advancement in the increasingly popular gel service category: GelColor. Each coat cures in 30 seconds and features a custom brush for fast, polish-on application. The 100% color gel formula wears like a gel and looks and feels like nail lacquer that lasts up to two weeks without losing shine. Fully cures from foundation to finish in only 4 minutes and removes with ease. .5 oz.
Designer Series Top Coat by OPI
The Finishing Bar Review:
OPI’s Designer Series Top Coat is, as the name says, part of the Designer Series line. It’s more expensive than regular OPI polishes but the actual product, in my opinion, does not justify the price. It works just as well but no better than any of the other OPI topcoats and doesn’t seem to do anything different.
The wear time is just as good (five to six days) with no cracking, crazing, or chipping and it is very shiny. However, what I have found is that this seems to get gloopy and sticky a lot quicker than other brands (less than halfway through the bottle!). All in all, I would not buy this again because of the price and because I’ve had the same or better results with cheaper topcoats.
Zoya Nail Polish | Maisie (Fleck Effect Top Coat)
The Finishing Bar Review:
Zoya Nail Polish in Maisie can be best described as a sheer turquoise blue base with reflective Mylar flakes that shift from green to blue? A fun flake glitter topcoat that can be layered over any shade to create a fascinating 3D effect.
The Finishing Bar Review:
This topcoat actually works very well for me! It is not as fast or as thick as Seche Vite, but it doesn’t contain toluene (which also means it smells better). When I use RapiDry, my polish is dry to the touch in about 1-2 minutes.
My Zoya colors don’t work well with Seche Vite, but they last for much longer with RapiDry. Normally, I chip in 2 days, but I can get 4 with Zoya + RapiDry. Another nice thing is that I never see shrinkage with RapiDry.
One complaint is that it can go on very streaky, even leaving visible ridges. This can be avoided by using more product – a nice bead on the end of the brush.
It’s shiny and wears well for me. Mine came in a 2 pack with a free Red My Fortune Cookie, so it was a good deal.
The Finishing Bar Review:
This is a great top coat! It helps prevent my nail polish from everyday wear and tear and chips and all that. It’s not as hardy as Shellac is, but then again, nothing can beat Shellac as far as protection and hardiness goes. This top coat is number two, followed by Shellac, in my opinion.
I don’t wear a base coat because I think it’s unnecessary, but after my two coats of nail polish dries, I can apply this top coat, wait a few minutes, and my tootsies are all ready to go! (I’m not allowed to paint my fingernails, only my toenails.)
Another great use for this top coat (other than being a top coat) is removing nail polish! I Google searched “remove nail polish without nail polish remover” and people said that you can use any color nail polish (preferably clear though), base coat, or top coat to remove nail polish. I was skeptical. I mean, really? Removing nail polish with nail polish? But I tried it with this top coat, and it WORKS. All I do is coat some top coat on my nail polish, and then wipe away with a paper towel. Removes just as effectively as any nail polish remover! It also can remove the nail polish that’s on your skin.
Nail Polish Awards Goes To..
A lot of nail polish brands are now available on the market so I’ve decided to make Nail Polish Awards to pay tribute to the best nail polish brands. If you can’t find your favorite nail polish in the list, feel free to leave a comment below and we’ll surely add them on the next post! Meanwhile, here are the awards:
Best Nail Treatment: Grow Stronger by Essie
Best Dark Colored Polish: Dark Side of the Moon by Deborah Lippmann
Best Sparkling Nail Polish: Radiance Nail Lacquer by OPI
Best Top Coat: Designer Series Top Coat by OPI
Best Chip Free Top Coat: No Chips Ahead by Essie
Fall's Fiercest Nail Polish
Refinery29 has come up with yet again some gossip worthy nail polish trends. And though it’s not yet time to stock up on the latest polish, it’s still good to know your nail color options when the temperature starts to drop and leaves begin to signal Fall 2012.
DEEP AND LUSH TEAL HUES - With the right shade, you can be sure to complement the weather with teal hues that are rich in color but not over the top.
- Go Overboard by Essie
PURPLE ROYALTY – Referred to by refinery29 as the party shade of the season, we couldn’t agree more! Whether this shade is textured with glitter or metallic finish, purple stands out like royalty.
YUMMY CHOCOLATE BROWN – If you’re not up for the dazzle of purple and boldness of teal, you can always replace this with different shades of chocolate brown that’s sure to blow away anyone who will feast their eyes on your nails.
These are just some of Fall’s fiercest nail colors. More to come as we get closer to Fall 2012!
Stock up on your latest fall nail colors by visiting our online store here.
Ultra Chic: Rainbow Nail Polish
We can still feel the summer heat this July and yes, it’s not yet too late to try on some really bright and loud nail polish. We got the info straight from Allure magazine’s July issue on the rainbow manicure. We hear it’s all about learning your color theory. Let’s see if it works:
First, let’s look at some of the pointers from Allure magazine:
- Choose only three similar shades (acqua, blue, green) and paint on different fingers.
- Simple is best. Just use standard polish formulas and avoid going for different textures like matte, sheer, or glitter.
- Don’t go overboard with too many different colors. Instead of looking chic, you will end up looking cheap.
Allure Magazine's July 2012 Issue
Some suggested color patterns:
- Acqua, Navy Blue, and apple green
- Red, Pink and Coral
- Yellow, orange red, orange
- Violet, Navy Blue, and Purple
You can always experiment on your own to mix and match colors. For a wide selection of colors from different brands, you can always visit our online store. Enjoy the last few weeks of sun, sand, and sea!
Summer Fresh Nail Colors
If Redbook magazine came up with some crazy color combination, Allure magazine recommends four polish shades that go well with your summer sandals.
SHIMMERING ACQUA – You can never go wrong with the color of the sea on your nails on a hot summer day.
ELECTRIC PURPLE – Bright purple nails are perfect for the summer heat. Pair it with a cute set of yellow sandals and off you go.
RED ORANGE – We’ve been raving about red orange this year so this summer, make sure that you intensify your nails with this perfect summer hue.
BRONZE - Bronze is hot and heavy this summer! Get that perfect glow on your hands using bronze nail polish.
If there are must-have colors, then these are colors to avoid:
Pale Yellow = stained look of your nails
Plain Glitter = Great for teenagers and tweens only.
Mauve = too close to skin color
Don’t worry, you can find a wide range of these featured amazing colors here. Have a great summer!
Under the Sea: Ocean Inspired Nails
Hit the beach with sea-inspired nails! On the nail art scene, hot and heavy are seashells and fish nail art. Some aquas and coral hues are on the horizon for nail mavens like you. We like this beach inspired design using Atlantis by China Glaze and some real sand!
Glimmer is great way to mimic the sparkle of sand and sea. Play it up a bit with cartoon images of the sea like this octopus.
These three amazing collection of polish hues from sweetnrawme.com are great inspirations to unleash the mermaid in you. Try some of these colors today and have a great summer!
Here Comes The Bridal Nails
The wedding season is here and many June brides are in for a nail treat because this season, there will be no boring colors. We love Essie’s Bridal collection of perfect pastels. These are certainly a break from the classic french manicure that many brides still opt for.
Photo from http://www.nailedblog.com
Essie's Bridal Collection 2012
OPI’s I Don’t Give A Rotterdam! rocked on models’ fingers as they strut the runway with Angel Sanchez couture while Vera Wang’s models put a twist on the classic nude by wearing OPI’s Did You ‘Ear About Van Gogh?. If these are good enough to use for Bridal Runway, then it’s good enough to try on your bridal fingers.
OPI's I Don't Give a Rotterdam
OPI's Did You ‘Ear About Van Gogh?
We also like OPI’s New York City Ballet Collection for Bride’s who want to use sheer colors and some glitter on their nails.
Choosing the right color for your big day is never easy so we’re giving you all these options to choose from. Have fun June Bride!
