[NOTDs] Late Summer & Autumn 2013

This post explains where I have been and my plans for the blog.  While I was away, I posted my nail-of-the-day pictures on Instagram (see also:  my new nails-only account).  This post will be a rehashing of my manicures from September to November 2013.

Julep Julianne

Hit Polish Cotton Candy Fluff (1 coat dabbed on) over Tillie Pool Boy (2 coats)

Zoya Mia

Wet n Wild Megalast Undercover

Essie Lady Like

Pop Culture Cosmetics Harvest Moon (1 coat) over Zoya Nina (1 coat)

Zoya Kate

Zoya Charity

Sinful Colors Hottie over Wet n Wild Fergie Havasu Blue

Julep Ingrid

Zoya Gloria

A no-name Julep polish over Julep Daria (1 coat each)

Hit Polish Arabian Nights (1 coat) over New York Color Let's Groove (2 coats)

Wet n Wild Fergie Make Them Boys Go Loco

Autumn skittles:  Julep Autumn over Sinful Colors Coffee (pinky finger), Wet n Wild Haze of Love (ring), Zoya Kate (middle), and Julep Ingrid (pointer)

Essie Shearling Darling (2 coats) with Zoya Daul (1 coat) on the accent nail

Essie Sable Collar

Unless otherwise specified, I use a basecoat, two coats of color, then a topcoat.  My favorite topcoat has always been New York Color Grand Central Station.  I don't remember what basecoat I used back in 2013; possibly it was Zoya Anchor.

[NOTDs] Summer 2013

My last post explains where I have been and my plans for this blog.

I am rehashing my old manicures that I had posted on Instagram.  (My nails-only Instagram is @stumpynails; my main Instagram account, where I used to post NOTDs, is @stephanienics.)  Here are my painted nails from summer days in 2013.

Nicole by OPI That's Totally Red-ical

Zoya June (this one is a little patchy)

Zoya Miley (definitely patchy)

Essie The Girls Are Out

Julep Alaina and Julep Cassie

Julep Blake dotted with Sally Hansen White Out

Sally Hansen Violet Voltage

Wet n Wild Mermaid Curves (1 coat) over Zoya Zuza (1 coat) 

Nicole by OPI Inner Sparkle (1 coat) over New York Color Lavender Cupcake (2 coats)

Zoya Lola (indirect sunlight)

Zoya Lola (indoor lighting)

Zoya Garbo

Tillie I'm a Mermaid

Unless otherwise specified, I use a basecoat, two coats of color, then a topcoat.  My favorite topcoat has always been New York Color Grand Central Station.  I don't remember what basecoat I used back in 2013; possibly it was Zoya Anchor.

[NOTDs] Winter & Spring 2013

While I have been away from this blog for three years, I have not stopped painting my nails or taking pictures of my manicures.  After abandoning this blog, I started posting my NOTDs on my personal Instagram account, and I have recently created a nails-only Instagram account, @StumpyNails.  Over the years, I have certainly gotten better at taking care of my nails and cuticles, and I have gotten better at taking the pictures too.

To catch up, I will re-post all of those manicures here on the blog.  Some people might prefer following blogs over Instagram, and I think it is easier to find pictures through a Google search than through an Instagram search.  I also have and will continue to re-post my Instagram nail pictures onto a Pinterest board.  (Links to all my accounts are also in the sidebar.)  I plan to continue re-posting my Instagram nail pictures here monthly or seasonally and occasionally.  I may also post about my subscription boxes, favorites, polish comparisons, and other nail polish topics.

My Essie collection, February 2013

Essie Miss Fancy Pants

Nicole by OPI Am I Making Myself Claire?

Julep Joy

Essie Maximillian Stasse-Her

Orly Bon Bon

Essie Pink-a-boo over Zoya Bela

Easter skittles manicure, with Tillie Bows and Bandeaus, Tillie Sarong So Right, Zoya Blu, Julep Blake, and Sinful Colors Orange Cream

Nicole by OPI One Big Happy Fame-ily (3 coats of color), with matching Peep bunny

Nicole by OPI One Big Happy Fame-ily (3 coats of color)

Zoya Julie (which I did not like because it was patchy)

Essie Lapis of Luxury (3 coats of color)

Julep Robin (this one stains horribly)

Zoya Bela (3 coats of color, a bit streaky)

L'Oreal Wishful Pinking (3 coats of color)

Wet n Wild Flossy (1 coat dabbed on) over Zoya Neely (2 coats)

Unless otherwise specified, I use a basecoat, two coats of color, then a topcoat.  My favorite topcoat has always been New York Color Grand Central Station, but I don't remember what basecoat I used back in 2013; possibly it was Zoya Anchor.

[NOTDs] Purple Nails

I'm still catching up on blog posts.  This post will be a compilation of NOTDs from spring and summer, feauturing all purple nail polishes.  I'll start with my favorite, Zoya Malia, a creamy mid-tone, blue-leaning purple.  Malia is one of my all-time favorite nail polishes.

Zoya Malia (two coats, sunlight)

Zoya Malia (two coats, sunlight)

There are more purple manicures after the jump....

[NOTD] Pink Ombre

I was swatching pink polishes to decide which one to wear when I realized that they looked good together.  I created this ombre manicure with (dark to light) Nicole by OPI All Kendall-ed Up, Wet n Wild Megalast Candy-licious, China Glaze Dance Baby, New York Color City Sweets Pink, and Wet n Wild Megalast Sugar Coat.  I used Orly Bonder for a basecoat and New York Color Grand Central Station for a topcoat.

Pink ombre nails with Nicole by OPI All Kendall-ed Up (thumb), Wet n Wild Candy-licious (index), China Glaze Dance Baby (middle), New York Color City Sweets Pink (ring), and Wet n Wild Sugar Coat (pinky)

[Comparison] Maybelline Tangerine Tango and New York Color Peaches 'N Cream

I bought Maybelline Tangerine Tango nail polish because it is a vibrant spring orange, somewhere between a tangerine and a coral.  Unfortunately, its formula is terrible.  It is streaky and a little chalky, and its texture does not even out on my nails.  I then bought New York Color in Peaches 'N Cream, which has a far superior formula.  Peaches 'N Cream is creamy, not at all streaky, and it looks great in 1 to 2 coats.

New York Color Peaches 'N Cream | Maybelline Tangerine Tango

In the pictures, I wore two coats of Tangerine Tango on my middle and pinky fingers, and I wore two coats of Peaches 'N Cream on my pointer and ring fingers.  I wore Orly Bonder for a basecoat and no topcoat.  The two colors are identical (dupes), but as you can see, Tangerine Tango has streakiness.

New York Color Peaches 'N Cream (pointer, ring) | Maybelline Tangerine Tango (middle, pinky)

New York Color Peaches 'N Cream (pointer, ring) | Maybelline Tangerine Tango (middle, pinky)

Tangerine Tango is in Maybelline's Spring 2012 Fashion Week collection.  Peaches 'N Cream is in New York Color's Spring 2012 Sweets collection.  Both are limited edition.  Both can be found at various drugstores.  Locally, Tangerine Tango costs $5.50 (at CVS), and New York Color costs $1.99 (at RiteAid).