[NOTDs] Summer 2017

I post my nail-of-the-day pictures on my nails-only Instagram account.  You can also find them on my "Prim & Polished" Pinterest board.  This post will be a rehashing of my manicures from June, July, and August 2017.

Zoya Tina

Rescue Beauty Lounge Bubblegum Punk over Barry M Prickly Pear

Hit Polish Straberrific over Nicole by OPI That's Totally Red-ical

Rainbow Honey Pikake over Misa Bed of Roses

China Glaze I'll Pink to That

Zoya Maya

OPI Taupe-less Beach

Unless otherwise specified, I use a basecoat, two coats of color, then a topcoat.  I use OPI Natural Base Coat and New York Color Grand Central Station for a topcoat.

[NOTDs] August 2016

I post my nail-of-the-day pictures on my nails-only Instagram account.  You can also find them on my "Prim & Polished" Pinterest board.  This post will be a rehashing of my manicures from last month, August 2016.

OPI Taupe-less Beach

Julep Myriam

Ella + Mila Sun Has Set

Unless otherwise specified, I use a basecoat, two coats of color, then a topcoat.  I use OPI Natural Base Coat and New York Color Grand Central Station for a topcoat.

[NOTDs] Summer 2015

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 Summer 2015.

Zoya Bethany

L'Oreal Now You Sea Me

OPI Taupe-less Beach

Misa Bed of Roses

Lynnderella Lady on a Lily Pad (dabbed on over basecoat) with Essie Where's My Chauffeur? 

Lillian Eve When Lily Smiles (with Lillian Eve topcoat) 

Nicole by OPI That's Totally Red-ical

KBShimmer In Yacht Water (chipped within 12 hours)

Rescue Beauty Lounge Bicicletta

Lillian Eve Vacation Blue

Lynnderella Love, Lace, and Lilacs

Barry M Ice Cream (chipped and had significant wear after only 1 day)

Femme Fatal All Sanity is Lost

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, and I have been using OPI Natural Base Coat.

[NOTDs] Summer 2014

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 Summer 2014.

Essie The Girls Are Out

Neverland Lacquers Once Upon a Dream

Zoya Sachi

Hit Polish Strawberrific (1 coat) over Essie First Dance (1 coat)

OPI Taupe-less Beach with goscratchit rose nail wrap and Zoya Moxie

Julep Lorenzana and Julep Kelsey

Zoya Wendy with Essie Where's My Chauffeur? on accent nail and Rainbow Honey Sea Star glitter on top

Orly Pretty Ugly (3 coats)

Pop Culture Cosmetics Sunset at the Beach

Rainbow Honey All My Stars (1 coat) over Rainbow Honey Tessie (2 coats)

Essie Cloud Nine

Sinful Colors Nail Junkie (1 coat) over Zoya Zuza (1 coat)

Candy Lacquer Santa's Beach House over OPI Taupe-less Beach and L'Oreal Now You Sea Me on the accent nail

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 2014:  possibly it was Zoya Anchor or OPI Natural Nail Base Coat, which I use now.

[Favorite] Spring 2012 Nail Polishes

I wear spring colors all year.  I love pastels, bright colors, and crisp whites, and they suit my skintone.  Every spring, I stock up on spring clothes and the new spring nail polishes.  This spring, I've been particularly enamored with lavender and light blue nails.

These are my favorite nail polishes to wear this spring as both manicures and pedicures.

[Spring Purples] Nicole by OPI One Big Happy Fame-ily, Essence No More Drama, Orly Bon Bon, Essie She's Picture Perfect

[Purple Nail Polish for Spring] Nicole by OPI One Big Happy Fame-ily, Essence No More Drama, Orly Bon Bon, Essie She's Picture Perfect

My Top 4 Purple Polishes for Spring 2012

Nicole by OPI One Big Happy Fame-ily :: This is a bright lavender polish with silver shimmers.  It will take a few coats for opacity, but it's not streaky.  I wore it here.

Essence No More Drama :: This is a light and desaturated grape purple.  This polish has a great consistency and looks good in two coats.

Orly Bon Bon :: This is a gray yet bright purple.  It is a very light color yet it's opaque and not chalky.  It has a jelly-like consistency.  It looks good in two coats.  I wore it here.

Essie She's Picture Perfect :: This is a blue-tone purple with fuchsia shimmer.  This is another great formula, and it looks good in two coats.

[Spring Blues] Essie Borrowed & Blue, Revlon Whimsical, Zoya Kristen

[Blue Nail Polish for Spring] Zoya Kristen, Revlon Whimsical (over Essie Borrowed & Blue), Essie Borrowed & Blue

My Top 3 Blue Polishes for Spring 2012

Zoya Kristen :: This is a desaturated sky blue.  This was a favorite of mine during the winter months too.  I wore it here.

Revlon Whimsical :: This glitter polish has blue and pink large hexagons, smaller pink hexagons, and dots of blue and pink glitter in a milky blue-green base.  I think it looks better as 1-2 coats worn over another opaque blue polish because it will take a few coats for opacity on its own.

Essie Borrowed & Blue :: This is a very light blue, but it doesn't look stark against my skin.  The formula is excellent: it is not streaky or chalky, and it looks great as one coat.

[Spring Pinks] OPI Japanese Rose Garden, Orly Cupcake, Essie Pink-a-boo

[Pink Nail Polish for Spring] OPI Japanese Rose Garden, Orly Cupcake, Essie Pink-a-boo (over China Glaze Innocence)

My Top 3 Pink Nail Polishes for Spring 2012

OPI Japanese Rose Garden :: This is a medium blue-leaning pink with subtle shimmers.  It's bright and cheery.  I wore it here.

Orly Cupcake :: This is a bright yet slightly dusty pink.  It might lean a tiny bit blue.  The formula is excellent, and it looks good in two coats.  I like this color much better than Orly Lollipop, which leans more blue, is more chalky, and looks too stark against my skintone.

Essie Pink-a-boo :: This is a light, bright pink with fuchsia, blue, and purple shimmers.  This is sheer and somewhat streaky on its own, so I prefer to wear it over another light pink polish (like a coat of China Glaze Innocence).  I wore it on its own here.

[Spring Colors] Sally Hansen Complete Manicure Yellow Kitty, New York Color Peaches 'n Cream, China Glaze Kinetic Candy, China Glaze Techno

[Bright Pastels for Spring] Sally Hansen Complete Manicure Yellow Kitty, New York Color Peaches 'n Cream, China Glaze Kinetic Candy, China Glaze Techno (over Kinetic Candy)

My Favorite Bright Pastel Polishes for Spring 2012

Sally Hansen Yellow Kitty :: This is a sunny yellow.  It is a little streaky, but it's not chalky.  It leans slightly green.  I need three coats for opacity.

New York Color Peaches 'n Cream :: This color is between tangerine and coral.  The formula is excellent, and if applied carefully, it could be a one coater.

China Glaze Kinetic Candy :: This is a slightly green blue.  It is very light and bright but not too neon or too stark against my skin.  It looks good in two coats.

China Glaze Techno :: This is a glittery topcoat.  The glitters are holographic hexagons and small dots.  One coat of this builds up plenty of glitters on a nail.

For reference, I am very fair and have cool-toned skin.

What are your favorite spring nail polishes?

[NOTD] Cherry Blossoms

One day, I want to see the cherry blossoms in bloom in Japan or Washington D.C.  Until then, I'll admire pictures and paint them on my nails.

Cherry blossoms manicure, featuring OPI Japanese Rose Garden

Spring cherry blossoms accent nail

I used OPI Japanese Rose Garden as my main nail color (2 coats).  For my cherry blossoms accent nails, I painted 2 coats of China Glaze Sea Spray, then I drew the tree branches with a tiny acrylic paint brush using China Glaze Fois Gras.  With a bobby pin, I dotted on the white flower petals using Sally Hansen Extreme Wear White On and the center of the flowers using OPI Japanese Rose Garden again.  I used Orly Bonder for a basecoat and New York Color Grand Central Station for a topcoat.