Color Changing Gel Polish

Hello friends - 
As you may have noticed I haven't posted for awhile. I returned to work full time after having baby Max and life has been hectic! But, I'm going to start posting again a few times a week. It's a great way for me to de-stress since I truly love blogging. I may start talking more about motherhood or do more posts around kids, so I hope you still enjoy them! Don't worry, I'll still mainly be blogging beauty.

Speaking of beauty...I'm totally obsessed with mood color changing gel nail polish. Have you heard of this? This is my 3rd manicure with LeChat Perfect Match Mood gel polish. The first two manicures lasted so well I couldn't resist a third. Plus, it's so much fun to watch the shades change!

The color changes based on body temperature. When my hands were warm, 70% of the time, the polish was a light pink, slightly sheer. When my hands were cold (after washing them or even sitting in an air conditioned room), the color got darker. When the color would change between the two it would take on an ombre effect. It was worried about it looking unprofessional for work meetings, but very rarely would I have all different colors on one hand. 

This shade is LeChat Perfect Match Mood in Angel's Breeze. It's definitely a conversation piece! 

OPI Sheer Tint in Be Magentale with Me

I'm always keeping my eyes open for pretty, light nail polish shades for every day wear for work. I spotted the new OPI Sheer Tints Top Coats and had to buy the pinkish-red Be Magentale with Me shade. In the bottle, it reminded me so much of a fun nail polish I had when I was younger.

I LOVE this polish as a quick go-to polish that will go with every outfit. I've seen other bloggers put 3-4 coats on it to make it more opaque, but I like the sheer look with my white tips coming through (this is right after I had my son, and the prenatal vitamins were still working overtime...such long nails!). Pictured is just two coats over my natural nail. It's such a elegant, clean look. I use this polish all the time! 

What do you think? Do you like the look of this sheer polish? Or would you be more likely to wear it over a color coat?

Updated post: I can't find this color online any longer! Here's a close duplicate I found.

NUBAR Nail Lacquer 'Fall in Love' Collection

Now that I'm a mom, it's a lot harder to find time to paint my nails and allow them to dry properly, so when I get the chance, I want to find a polish that will last. I'm a huge fan of gel manicures, but they're not practical to have all the time. I recently tried out Nubar Nail Lacquer for the first time and was really happy with the wear time.

Nubar Nail Lacquer is formaldehyde, toluene and DBP free. They pride themselves in being a 'healthy' nail polish, which is something I look for now since I have a newborn at home and my hands are constantly around him.

Normally I only get 2 days wear out of regular nail polish, but I had a really good run with Nubar polish. Love American Style is a creamy red that goes well with every season, especially Fall. This lasted, chip free, about 5 days on my nails. After 5 days I had minor signs of wear, but the manicure still looked good. 

Nubar Love American Style

Lush is a pretty blue that is perfect for fall and blue jean and jean jacket weather. This manicure also lasted about 5 days on me (credit to my BFF Tina for giving me this manicure). 

Nubar Lush

Sweet Hue is a bright pop of color for your hands. It's a pinkish-coral with a slight gold shimmer. I really liked this shade. It took 3 coats to achieve complete coverage, but was worth it! This color will transition nicely into Spring and Summer.

Nubar Sweet Hue

Check out the full 'Fall in Love' collection on the ByNubar.com site. What's your go-to Fall nail color this season? Please share in the comments below! 

Note: This review includes products that I received as samples, provided by the brand company or a PR rep. Please click here for more information regarding my disclaimer.

CND Shellac Pink Bikini & Lobster Roll

I recently got a CND Shellac manicure for my last work and personal trips. I just didn't want to worry about nail polish chipping and packing polish. I love Shellac for this reason. It stays! Check out my other CND Shellac posts. I was really excited to try out their new colors, Pink Bikini and Lobster Roll.

I chose Pink Bikini for my vacation manicure. I thought it was bold and summery and it matched my bathing suit. This manicure lasted 2 whole weeks. No chips or sign of wear on the tips, just growth which showed after the first week. Since I'm taking prenatal vitamins the new growth showed a bit sooner than normal.

For my last work trip and for the 4th of July, I chose Lobster Roll. It has a little bit of orange in it, but definitely considered a 'red.' I don't wear red nail polish often, but I like to when I'm wearing beige, blue or black outfits and I know it will act as a pop of color. I'm still rocking this manicure 10 days later. No chips or wear, just new growth.

Have you tried a gel manicure yet? If so, what's your favorite brand and color? Check out my other CND Shellac reviews!

*Post contains affiliate links

MAC Nail Transformations

MAC is releasing a collection of nail lacquers and transformative topcoats designed to give nails a stylish twist. The light peach beige of Skin, deep plum of Rebel and sheer nude of Quiet Time undergo a unique transformation when combined with one of six glowing topcoats.

I love the creativity of this line and being able to style your nail polish to fit your mood. 

Available online now and in store July 3rd.

Zoya Nail Polish Exchange 2014

I love when Zoya does their exchanges. It's a great way to try new colors on a budget, while helping to save the Earth! Zoya makes it easy to swap out old nail polish for new ones. 

Here's how it works:

1. Visit www.zoya.com and add at least 6 bottles and no more than 24 bottles of polish to your cart (salon accounts minimum 12 maximum 48 bottles). Excludes ALL Summer 2014 Collection shades (Tickled, Bubbly & Summer Magical PixieDust).
   
2. Apply the code: ZDAY2014
   
3. Your order value will be adjusted to reflect a 50% discount (we use these funds to properly dispose of the old nail polish). For an example of how your order should look, see example below.
   
4. Complete check-out, review and submit order.
   
5. Zoya will ship out your NEW polishes right away. The exchange runs on the honor system, which means offer is not contingent on customer returning polish. See full exchange details below...

The Exchange

1. Once you get your order - ship back the equivalent number of bottles you received to the return address below (ie. If you ordered 6 bottles of Zoya - you would send us 6 NON-ZOYA polishes). Please check with your carrier on the proper way to ship nail polish.

          Ship Your Old Nail Polish To:
          Art of Beauty, Inc.
          c/o Polish Exchange
          5060 Taylor Rd, Unit D
          Cleveland, Ohio, 44128, USA

2. Include a copy of your invoice/order.
   
3. Once we receive your polish we do the rest! It's that simple!

Butter London Cut Up Collection

Introducing Butter London Cut Up Collection. These are so fun! The colors are...

Anorak - Black, white and silver chunky glitter overcoat suspended in a clear base
Dust-Up - Gold, silver and bronze chunky & fine glitter overcoat suspended in a clear base
Titchy - Multi-color chunky and fine glitter overcoat suspended in a clear base


These retail at $15 a piece or $25 for a Fashion Size Set of 3.

Zoya Color Your World Promotion

Zoya has the best promotions...Get any 3 Zoya nail polishes FREE! All you have to do is pay shipping and handling. Use the code: COLOR2014 

Promotion runs from January 7 - 13th. I highly recommend the Neutral line. My review will be posted soon!

Layered Blue Nail Polish

Feeling like blues now that it's getting so cold here in Michigan. This is Jessica Cosmetics nail polish in Blue Aria with Julep Ivy nail polish layered over my index figured.

OPI I'm Feeling Sashy

Happy Saturday! It's so gloomy here in Michigan! Here's something to brighten your day...more purple nails! My BFF and LipglossBreak contributor, Tina, swatched OPI I'm Feeling Sashy for us. So pretty for Fall!

Giveaway Break - SinfulColors Leather Luxe Collection

I've done several posts and sent several tweets about my love for dark nail polish in the Fall. So you can only imagine my excitement when I laid eyes on SinfulColors new line, Leather Luxe Collection, with tons of rich, bold colors!

This line dries to a matte finish, which is fun and different. Below is a swatch of Cold Leather, which is a deep blue matte, kind of like a deep blue jean color. Pictured is a base with two coats (no top coat because I wanted to keep it matte).

The full line includes:
Laced Up: enthralling orange
Leather Loose: safari sinful brown
Whipped: beguiling black
Get It On: bravely berry
Strapped: scintillating seafoam
My Turn: stunning steel
Cold Leather: enchanting night sky

Best part? These polishes are only $1.99, exclusively at Walgreens. The only thing better is winning a full collection from Lipgloss Break!

***Giveaway***

Enter to win a full set of SinfulColors Leather Luxe Collection. SinfulColors is offering a full set to 2 winners!
Fill out the form below to win! There are also several different ways you can get extra entries: sign up for my mailing list, post a link to this giveaway on your blog, follow my blog, follow me & retweet on Twitter , follow me on Pinterest, add me to one of your Google+ circles, follow me on Instagram or become a fan on Facebook. Also be sure to follow SinfulColors on both Facebook and Twitter. Make sure to list the number of extra entries in the form below. Enter up to once a day!
 
This giveaway is open to US residents only. The contest will end on Friday, November 22nd. I will randomly select TWO winners and announce them on Lipgloss Break, so keep checking to see if you're a winner - Good Luck! 

Jessica Cosmetics A Night at the Opera

One of my favorite things about Fall is deep, dark nail colors! Here are swatches from Jessica Cosmetics A Night at the Opera collection. Details on the shades are below from JessicaCosmetics.com... 

Velvet & Pearls - a brand new definition of black
Opening Night - a debut-worthy fuchsia (similar to Zoya's Mason)

Standing Ovation - a green guaranteed to get glowing notices (I will be sporting this for St. Patty's Day for sure)

Overture - the start of something big in iridescent copper (fun to wear with neutrals)

Blue Aria - an unforgettable song in cobalt (Love the name! This is a dark blue. Looks black in most lights)
Prima Donna - a violet celebration of the inner diva (fun purple for fall!)

I'm a huge fan of Jessica Cosmetics nail polishes. This line is perfect for the Fall we're having in Michigan. It's 80 degrees! But I can still get away with wearing some of these colors (Prima Donna, Opening Night, and Standing Ovation) since they aren't too dark, and could pass for a Spring/Summer shade.

What colors are you wearing on your nails this Fall?

Zoya Cashmere Collection

I couldn't get to this collection fast enough to swatch on my nails, so I decided to give you sneak peak on a nail wheel. This is Zoya's Cashmere collection. The colors are so rich and perfect for Fall. Now that we're into September, I think it's time to go darker on my nails... 

My favorite colors from this line are Livingston and Sailor. Livingston is a bright red that will be fun to wear with neutral color clothing, especially with black, it will really pop. Sailor is a deep, deep, blue that I will wear to an upcoming University of Michigan tailgate for sure. It can look black in some light. With leather in this Fall, this will look great paired with a leather jacket or a top with black leather trim.

I'll report back on the wear time for this line in a later post. In the meantime, please leave me a comment below and let me know what your favorite Fall nail polish is...

Zoya BOGO Sale

Zoya is having a Buy One Get One free sale...don't miss this! It ends August 25th. Enter the code 'SCHOOL' at checkout. Visit Zoya.com to shop!

Chanel nail polish in Jade Rose

This is an oldie but goodie. I received this nail polish 3 years ago in NYC, while touring the city with Total Beauty. Came across it in my nail polish drawer and thought it was a good fit for this week. Traveling most of this week, I needed something neutral that would go with all of my outfits. This peachy nude was perfect.

You can find Chanel nail polish at www.nordstrom.com. 

When traveling for work or vacation, what is your go to nail polish color to last throughout your trip? Do you go bold with a red? Or neutral with a nude or light pink?

OPI Gelcolor in My Vampire is Buff

Last minute manicure! I ran to the the nail salon closest to my office in Chicago. 2Q Nails on State St. in River North. I normally don't get gel manicures in salons (my best friend Tina usually does them for me) but I'm in crunch and won't have time to do my nails before my brother in law's wedding this weekend!

I wanted to go with a neutral nude so it would match whatever I decided to wear to the rehearsal and to wedding this weekend. CND Shellac's pale pinks (check out my Shellac swatches) are all so sheer, so I decided to try out OPI Gelcolor. I love how the color turned out! I chose My Vampire is Buff. It's a creamy nude that will go with any outfit color choice. I've only had it on for a day so I can't report on the wear yet, but I will definitely follow up and let you know how long it lasts!

I love being able to not have to worry about my nails for at least a few days....Happy Friday!

Butter London Colour Clash

Loving Butter London's Autumn/Winter 2013 line, Colour Clash. Lots of fun, bright colors. Here's a swatch of Pimms, an opaque sunflower cremey yellow. This is going to look great during college football season...go Maize & Blue (University of Michigan alum here!).  

On a separate note, I had a blast testing out my new lightbox when taking these pictures! Thanks and props to my brother in law for making it for me!

Note: This review includes products that I received as samples, provided by the brand company or a PR rep. Please click here for more information regarding my disclaimer.

Zoya Irresistible Collection

I wanted a bright color to wear out on the lake this weekend so I chose Bobbi from Zoya's Irresistible Collection. This shimmer collection has a ton of bright colors in it. I liked this cranberry sparkle for the upcoming 4th of July. This is a base coat with 2 color coats.

Sponsored Post - Revlon PhotoReady BB Cream & Nail Polish review

In order to get at least 8 hours of sleep at night AND make it to work on time, I try to cut down on my ‘getting ready’ time each morning by streamlining my beauty routine. I keep all of my daily makeup items on the counter or towards the front of my vanity drawer, and I keep my makeup basic: moisturizer, eyeliner/mascara, under eye cover up & blush/bronzer. Of course I use a lipgloss, but that’s applied as I’m walking out the door.

I recently tried Revlon PhotoReady BB Cream Skin Perfector SPF 30 and it is now part of my streamlined routine. Wondering what ‘BB’ stand for? I was! It stands for Beauty Balm. It’s a moisturizer, foundation and cover up all in one! It’s not like a heavy, cakey foundation, but covers more than a tinted moisturizer. Revlon’s BB Cream is light but contains heavy duty SPF and still covers blemishes.

As part of my new streamlined routine, I have started to use Revlon’s PhotoReady BB Cream over my facial moisturizer each morning. It makes my skin look more even toned and helps my blush and bronzer stay on longer. You also can’t beat the added layer of SPF it provides. I have dry and extremely sensitive skin, and I think because this cream is so hydrating, I haven't had any reactions to it. Revlon's PhotoReady BB Cream comes in Light, Light/Medium and Medium shades.

Another addition to my beauty regimen is having a fun summer color painted on my nails. I tried out Revlon nail polish in Eclectic and I'm obsessed. It's a beautiful sea green that reminds me of one of my favorite necklaces. It's pretty light so I had to use 3 coats to get full, solid coverage. I have it on my toes, too, and have been getting a ton of compliments on it!

Do you have a beauty regimen? If so, please share below! Also, use the Glam chat below to share your thoughts on using a BB cream!

Revlon believes there is more than one way for women to be seen. Revlon's heritage as a color authority and its suite of innovative products inspires women around the world to express themselves through beauty each and every day.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Revlon Consumer Products via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Revlon Consumer Products.

Inglot AMC Lipgloss and Nail Polish review

I made my first Inglot purchase this past weekend. The husband and I got rained out from the pool in Fort Lauderdale, so we took a short trip to Aventura Mall. The Inglot store caught my eye and I had to stop in.

I learned from the sales rep that Inglot, a Polish cosmetics company, has been around for 25 years, but only in the US for the last 5 years. There are only 6 store fronts in the US, and lucky me, stumbled upon of them! In case your wondering (like I was), it’s pronounced ‘in-glot,’ just how it looks.

The products and store layout reminds me a lot of MAC Cosmetics. There’s definitely no shortage of bright, fierce colors. Inglot allows you to build your own palettes, which is really cool. I was immediately drawn to the lip glosses, and went ga-ga over the AMC glosses.

I tried a few on in store and decided on shade 542. This picture does not do this gloss justice. This gloss looks great by itself, but when layered over a lipstick, more of the pearlescent colors come out, changing when viewed from different directions. Layering it over a lipstick also helps it to stay on longer.

Near the cashier was a table full of marked down items and of course, I had to get this polish that caught my eye. I’m always looking for more neutral colors that will go with several different outfits and is work appropriate. This creamy beige matte is perfect for daily wear and will pretty much compliment any color outfit I wear. It’s suppose to be matte but I applied a glossy top coat to help it last longer.

So my first impression of Inglot is a good one. I have a new favorite gloss and a new every day nail color. I’m sold! Looking forward to trying out more of their glosses and building an eye color palette that can be used for both day and night looks!

Have you tried Inglot yet? If so, what are your favorite items?