I don’t do many nail posts on Glitter Geek, and I have my reasons:

1. The eczema on my hands are awful. On really bad days they are all up in my finger tips.
2. Nail polish removers are one of the bad things I use that cause eczema flare-ups.  Beauty is pain, right?

Wrong.  No longer will I have to remove nail polish with toxic juice; not if I can use Impress Press-On Manicure in Color Me! * ($6.99).  They come in 18 solid colours ($6.99) and 18 patterns ($8.99).

Color Me! is special because you can design it however way you want.  I couldn’t think of a better way to try this out than a glittery manicure. Having this hard-to-remove formula on my fingers and knowing that I can peel them off when I am done with them is just… alskdfj;laksjd… I have no words.  It’s like a dream come true.

Since I just bought China Glaze Nail Polish in Tinsel Town ($6.50), I wanted to take her out for a spin.  It wasn’t totally opaque in one coat, so I know I could layer it over another colour.  I used two coats of Le Metier de Beauté Nail Polish in Midnight Rendezvous as a base, and topped it off with Seche Vite Top Coat.

As for the press-on nails, I really like the product.  They don’t look chunky and unnatural, but for someone who keeps her natural nails short and has small nail beds, I’m still getting used to having them.  There are 24 nail covers in 12 sizes, which means you can touch up if a nail cover falls off.  My impressions are that they are very firmly stuck to my nails (I’m on Day 2) and don’t think they are going to fall off anytime soon.

Starry Night Sky Manicure

I’m so happy to be able to wear glitter nail polish again without thinking about the headache of removing them later.  Aren’t my nails mesmerizing?  I can’t stop staring at them.  Have you tried press-on nails before?  What was your experience with them?

Impress Press-On Manicure By Broadway Nails are available now at Walmart, and in January 2012 at  Rexall Pharma Plus, London Drugs, Zellers and Jean Coutu.  More information on their website.

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2011. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: China Glaze, Holiday 2011, Le Metier de Beaute, Reviews, Swatches | Tags: China Glaze Tinsel Town, Impress Press-On Manicure in Color Me, Le Metier de Beauté Midnight Rendezvous, nails

For the budding artist or makeup junkie

Smashbox Click You’re It Holiday Palette ($56).  With 15 eyeshadows, 5 cream eye liners, a lid primer and how-to guides, this is the ultimate colour palette for the creative ones. See swatches on Makeup and Beauty Blog.  Available at Sephora stores and online.

For the natural beauty or mama-on-the-go

Laura Mercier The Book of Nudes ($60).  Laura makes some of the best eyeshadow palettes on the market; they are soft, luxurious and always well-coordinated. Available at Sephora stores and online.

For the life of the party

Lise Watier Soleil Festive Palette Eyeshadow Trio and Mascara * ($39) and Liquid Gold Eye and Cheek Illuminator * ($25).  Lise Watier eye palette — beautifully dressed in gold and black — is sure to be a hit!  The classic shades mixed with multi-dimensional glitter is perfect for all the parties she will be crashing this season.  See swatches on Beauty Reflections.  Available at Shoppers Drug Mart, Lise Watier counters and online.

For the pickiest girl on your list

Laura Mercier Limited-Edition Mini Lip Glace Set (US$48). Even a lipstick kinda girl (me) will love this gift set.  This is for the girl who cannot just have one lip colour in her purse.  See swatches on Makeup and Beauty Blog.  Available at Laura Mercier counters and online.

P.S. Send you my address?

For the teen girl or the young-at-heart

Nails Inc The Glitterati ($30).  I love these chunky glitter polishes from new-to-North-America Nails Inc!  Watch your teen girl swoon over her manicure instead of complaining about how gross boys are.  See swatches on Oh, Dollymix.  Available at Sephora stores and online.

For anyone (Glitter Geek’s TOP PICK)

China Glaze Winter Ice Nail Polish Set ($30).  This one is a crowd-pleaser.  Wear the nail polishes alone or layered for a true disco ball effect.  My absolute favourite is Tinsel Town.  Make sure you buy this for your favourite beauty blogger, too.  See swatches on Vampy Varnish.  Available on NailPolishCanada.com and Trade Secrets.

What are your top picks this year for makeup and nails?

As always, Glitter Geek is a safe place to enable your fellow peers. Go ahead and comment then.

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2011. | Permalink | 22 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: China Glaze, Holiday 2011, Laura Mercier, Lise Watier, Makeup, Nails Inc, Smashbox | Tags: glitter, Holiday Gift Guide 2011, lipgloss, nails, palette

Back in July, a black holographic nail polish made this beauty blogger go gaga, and it was called Le Métier de Beauté Chrome Passion Nail Polish from the Nordstrom-exclusive Rock ‘n’ Romance nail polish set (US$25 for 4 minis).  I was so crazy about this little nail polish that I even asked sweet Danielle of Bloomin’ Beauty to custom purchase a set for me (thanks again girl!).  In real life it doesn’t disappoint, and it was the definite star of the set.

Recently, Soulstice Spa Troy Nail Polish ($8.50 at NailPolishCanada.com) came into my life.  Hmm, Troy sure looked familar. As luck would have it, it’s a dead on dupe of my beloved Chrome Passion.

Le Métier de Beauté Chrome Passion / Soulstice Spa Troy 

Wearing Soulstice Spa Troy (and LMdB Chrome Passion on ring finger) – natural light

This is the first time I tried the Soulstice Spa brand, and honestly I am blown away.  The products are free of the toxic trio — toluene, formaldehyde and DBP (click here to read more information), and are also vegan.  I have pathetic, sensitive eczema hands and constantly wearing and taking off nail polish makes them itch and burn, so I appreciate that these do not contain nasty chemicals.

Can I also talk about the smell?  As in, there is none.  I always get a little light headed when I paint my nails, but Soulstice Spa’s nail polish is scent-free.  Great for someone whose boyfriend/husband/brother/father usually complains about the room smelling like a cheap nail salon.  Here’s another photo, just so you can appreciate the holo glitter that just blows my mind.

Wearing Soulstice Spa Troy (and LMdB Chrome Passion on ring finger) – with flash

I have to say that Soulstice Spa Troy is even better Le Métier de Beauté Chrome Passion.  In the photos, I’m wearing two coats of Troy and three coats of Chrome Passion.  Incredible, right?  Now you can have your own bottle of Troy for 50% off courtesy of NailPolishCanada.com.  Just enter the code TROYGEEK on checkout (one per customer; valid until October 10).  You’re totally welcome.

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2011. | Permalink | 17 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: Le Metier de Beaute, Reviews, Soulstice Spa, Swatches | Tags: dupes, glitter, green beauty, nails

I love Sunday afternoons because my creativity meter is at its fullest at this time. I had a lot of girly alone time this afternoon, so I wanted to try a half moon manicure that is oh so hot right now.

I always wanted to try this style but I lack hand eye coordination when it comes to painting my nails. So when I saw this clever tutorial that was posted on ChickAdvisor, I thought “hey, why not?”

The first step is to lay down a base colour.  This colour is for the base of the nail.  I chose a silver unnamed nail polish from FACES.

Once the base colour has dried completely, cut up a round 3-ring paper reinforcement sticker into half and place them at the base of the nail.  This acts as a guide to get that perfect half moon shape at the base.  Make sure the corners are taped down well.

FACES unnamed silver Swatch

Then, apply your next shade.  I chose OPI Yoga-ta Get This Blue, which is my only and most favourite blue ever.

OPI Yoga-ta Get This Blue Swatch

Once the second colour has dried completely, peel off the stickers.

Lastly, adore those hot nails.

Half Moon Manicure Swatch

Half Moon Manicure Swatch

I am so pleased with the results that I can’t stop staring at my nails now.  Pretty good for an amateur, eh?  Have you tried this trend, or will you be trying it in the near future?  What colour combination should I try next?

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2011. | Permalink | 31 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: OPI, Swatches | Tags: nails

Here at Glitter Geek HQ, we always have glitter in our minds.  One easy way to wear glitter — if you’re not comfortable sporting it on your eyes or face — is on your nails.  It’s a great way to add a festive kick to your look this Holiday season.

Right now, I am wearing China Glaze Party Hearty from China Glaze’s Holiday 2010 collection.  Party Hearty is a mix of hexagonal red, smaller hexagonal green, and regular gold glitter.  It’s like a freakin’ Christmas tree on my nails.

China Glaze Party Hearty Swatch (natural daylight)

I wore two thick coats in the swatch.  For a single coat, I laid down the glitters on the nail bed by patting the brush flat on the nail, then sweep it to one side and the other to fill the nail.  It is a lot of work to get a uniform placement of the glitter, but I found that two coats worked well.

You can also wear this layered sheer over a coloured nail polish.  I’ve seen it work stunningly over white, like Vampy Varnish’s swatches here.

Are You Wearing Glitter on Your Nails this Season?

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2010. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: China Glaze, Swatches | Tags: glitter, Holiday 2010, nails

I’m a little late getting on the True Blood bandwagon, but I am now halfway through the first season and loving it.  For some reason I am really feeling vampy, blood red for my nails for Fall, and so I my nails this week will be wearing Essie Berry Hard.

Again I am awful at doing my own nails.  The dexterity I have for putting on my makeup obviously does not translate to my nail polish application skills.  However for the first time ever, I used Essie Fill the Gap Base Coat which made a world of difference in getting a more even application.  This was 2 coats of Fill the Gap, then 2 coats of Berry Hard.

I’m not sure if Berry Hard is part of the permanent Essie line because I got it in the Color Chic set ($20) from Trade Secrets.

Essie Color Chic Set: Berry Hard, Fill the Gap, Fishnet Stockings

Essie Berry Hard Swatch (natural daylight)

Essie Berry Hard Swatch (Natural daylight)

What about you?  Are you going to wear vampy nails this Fall?

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2010. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: Essie | Tags: nails

It seems that everyone and their kittens are obsessing over Chanel Paradoxal nail polish from the Fall 2010 collection.  I, too, think it’s gorgeous but sadly I am on a self-imposed Chanel counter ban.  So instead of forking over $20+ (likely $30) dollars for the Chanel, I thought I would mix two inexpensive colours that I already have to see if I can get close enough to Paradoxal.

If you’re not familiar with Chanel Paradoxal, have a look-see over at All Lacquered Up for swatches.

Rimmel Lycra Wear in 405 Fantasy, Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro in 207 Steel Gray

Wearing 1 part Rimmel Fantasy, 1 part Rimmel Steel Gray
(I realize that I’m probably never gonna be a nail blogger in this lifetime.)

This was my first time mixing two nail colours together and I was pretty pleased.  I didn’t really know what to mix them in, so I just mixed them over a sheet of wax paper and it worked out well.

I think I have a pretty good dupe here, judging by the swatches I found all over the Internet.  It might be a tad bit too purple, so I’ll probably go 2 parts gray, 1 part purple next time.  It just takes a little bit of elbow grease to mix the colours, and some nail polish remover to clean off the brush to not contaminate the colour in the original bottle.  And for $0, that’s a pretty sweet deal.

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2010. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: Chanel, Rimmel, Swatches | Tags: dupes, nails, poor girl's guide

I am so excited to post our very first sneak peek here at Glitter Geek.

A relatively small collection, M·A·C alice + olivia will feature limited edition Dazzleglass Crèmes ($18 US / $21.50 CDN), Pigments ($19.50 US / $23.50 CDN), and Nail Lacquer ($12 US / $14.50 CDN).  I know that this collection will set colour lovers’ hearts aflutter.

I was able to try out So Rich So Pretty Nail Lacquer, a bright reddish purple with pearl. It’s a fun colour but I feel like I’ve seen this colour before.  This is the first nail polish I’ve ever tried from M·A·C, and overall my experience was good. There was some streakiness after one or two coats, so it took me three coats (or two thick coats) to achieve a fully opaque colour. It’s worth it though.  I’m totally a purple nail polish kinda girl, and just look at that purple!  It is very downtown girl chic.

Direct sunlight

Artificial light

Artificial light with flash

Who’s ready + excited for this collection?  I’m curious + dying to swatch that yellow Dazzleglass Crème and the Pigments.

M·A·C alice + olivia comes out on July 8, 2010 in stores only all over North America, and August 2010 in select locations internationally.

Disclosure: This product sample was sent by M·A·C for consideration.

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2010. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: MAC, Sneak Peek, Swatches | Tags: nails

I don’t usually get mani pedis but my feet were in such bad shape — no, I won’t be showing before pictures — that I had to make an impulse trip to the nail salon today.

China Glaze “Bare If You Dare” on my fingers

China Glaze “Turned Up Turquoise” on my toes

I also believe this is my baby toes’ official debut on the interwebs.  LOL.  Doesn’t my foot look like a baby’s foot?  I adore it.

I Love Bright Nails!

I am embracing bright nails for as long as we have amazing weather.  Gosh that turquoise is to. die. for!  What are you wearing on your nails right now?  Are you loving brights, or are you wearing more muted colours this season?

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2010. | Permalink | 16 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: nails

We always hear people complain about their own appearance.  I am guilty of this, too.  ”My pores are ginormous!” “My lashes are non-existent!” “My hairline is so weird!”  Bonus points awarded if you know where that last one is from.

As I was getting my brows professionally done (for the first time ever!) today, I realized something: I really like my full eyebrows.  Whenever I overtweeze, it all seems to grow back without a problem.  I am so thankful that years of brow torture in high school didn’t ruin my brows for all eternity (whew!).

What Do You Like about Yourself?

Everybody has got to have at least one thing that they love about themselves.  Let’s hear it in the comments ladies.  Let’s start this weekend feeling good!

Oh!  And at the risk of being a little raunchy, I also like my butt.

I Got My Nails Done…

…and the colour is beautiful.  This is Zoya “Reece” nail polish.  She’s quite sassy eh?

The thing that I don’t understand is why I always f* up my nails right after I get a manicure.  My right hand is looking a little ghetto right now.  Good thing you only need one hand for swatch pics, LOL!

Do you have any fun plans for the weekend?  I am finally catching Avatar on IMAX today. Tickets are no longer selling out.  Woohoo!

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2010. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: Life | Tags: nails