Couture Gel Polish Complete Starter Kit Giveaway!

Sponsored Giveaway

Hello Loves!  If you read my blog regularly, you know I am a little obsessed with soak off gel polish, and you have likely noticed that Couture Gel Nail Polish is my favorite brand.  There are a lot of gel polish brands on the market, so why do I love Couture so much?  Excellent application, highly pigmented colors, awesome range of over 100 colors and finishes, easy removal, 5 free, perfect results at home...the list goes on and on.

So I am super excited to announce that Couture has given me a full starter kit to pass along to one lucky reader!  Enter below for a chance to see for yourself why I love Couture!

This Complete Couture Gel Nail Polish Starter Kit includes

• Espree Salon LED lamp
• Three Colors of your choice
• Top and Base Coat
• Manicure Kit
• Cleans and Remove
• Instructional DVD
• Gel Nail Polish Removal Pads
• Carrying Case
  

Contest Prize:

• ONE lucky winner will receive the Complete Couture Gel Nail Polish Starter Kit with winner's choice of three colors.

The Rules:

• Entries will be accepted through March 9, 2014 (Eastern Time).  
• Must be 18 or older or have parental permission to enter.
• Entries will be accepted via Rafflecopter only.
• Winner will be randomly selected via Rafflecopter and will be annouced March 11, 2014.
• Winner will be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to respond and accept the prize.  If the winner has not responded within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected.
• This giveway is open to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico only.  
• All entries will be verified. 

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~Michelle

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Gearing up for St. Patrick's Day with Greens by Couture

Press Sample

Hello loves.  I spent some time this week looking at all of my green gel polishes in anticipation of a little St. Patty's Day nail art.  I decided I really need to show you greens offered by Couture Gel Nail Polish.  Four of these five were sent to me to review.  The other is one from my private stash that I have shown you before, but I'm including it again just to have all the greens in one post.  :)

The first color I have to show you is what I personally think of as a St. Patrick's Day green.  Big Spender is a beautiful cream green with slight olive tones.  You will definitely see this one incorporated into a nail art design between now and St. Patrick's Day!

High Roller is a gorgeous, hunter green jelly.  I'm not usually a huge fan of jelly finishes, but this one is quite nice as it is opaque in three coats, but each individual layer is sheer enough to provide abundant glitter layering possibilities.

Green With Envy is a bright shimmery green with golden tones.  If you love greens and bright colors, you need this one in your collection.  Not only is it an amazing color, but it also has a subtle duo-chrome effect.  It changes from a golden green to a slightly bluish green depending on the light.  You can see the shift along the curves of my nails in the picture below.

Aloe Very is the one I have shown you in a previous post, but it is certainly worthy of a reswatch.  This frosty green is my personal favorite out of the green tones and finishes offered by Couture.  This one also looks completely different depending on the lighting.  Sometimes it takes on a truer green tone, other times it has a bit of blue tone like in the picture below.  I showed it previously in lighting that captured the green tone in this post.

The final green from Couture is Silky Sea Foam.  This is a very light, pastel green cream.  This one makes me think of spring.  I think I actually had an Easter dress this exact color when I was a little girl.   

So there they are - the Couture greens.  I apologize for not having more than one shot of each of these.  Both of my little boys are sick with bad colds right now, so Mommy time is in high demand.

Which one do you need for St. Patrick's Day?

~Michelle

*The polishes in this review, with the exception of Aloe Very, were provided by Couture Gel Nail Polish for my honest review.

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Subtle stamping with Pueen Buffet

Affiliate Links Purchased by Me

Hello loves.  This week's mani is a simple stamping combo using a new-to-me brand of soak off gel polish and one of my new Pueen Buffet Series plates.  I'm really not sure I love this one, but it is nice change of pace to wear something a little subdued.  As usual, details to follow.

Base: Entity1 Color Couture in Slip Into Something Comfortable (swatches below)
Stamping Image: Pueen Buffet Series Plate 72
Stamping Color: Mundo de Unas Copper

I love the idea of the Pueen Buffet series plates.  The large image collages that cover the entire plate provide endless looks from a single plate, but I have a hard time visualizing how the image will look on the nail.  For example, I'm not overly thrilled with the stamp on the middle finger.  I think it will take a bit of time to fully wrap my brain around using portions of an image.

Slip Into Something Comfortable is a gorgeous shimmery/frosty neutral pink.  Almost pink, almost nude.  I wasn't sure how I would like it at first, but after putting it on, I found I really like how it works with my skin tone.  The shimmer is quite romantic, I think.

 

Do you have Entity1 colors in your collection?  If so, what is your favorite Entity1 shade?  I would like to pick up a few more, but I can't decide which ones to order.

~Michelle

*This post uses Amazon Affiliate Links.

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Gelaze by China Glaze: Review and Wear Test

Purchased by Me Affiliate Links

Hello Loves.  I don't know about you, but I have been seriously excited about the new soak off gel line called Gelaze from China Glaze.  After reading on their site that it will be available at Sally Beauty Supply, I have been stalking my local Sally for months.  It still hasn't shown up on their website, but I walked in a few weeks ago and my favorite sales associated came running out with the Gelaze Necessities Kit that had just arrived on the truck that day.  Whoo Hoo!  Needless to say, I bought it on the spot.  Keep reading for my full review - from basic application to wear and removal!

Gelaze is another all-in-one formula that doesn't require a base coat.  The Necessities Kit comes with one bottle of Gelaze Gel-in-Base color (Ruby Pumps), one bottle of Gelaze Top Coat, a file, an orange wood stick, and a container of Pre-Soaked Gel Cleanser Pads.  The pads are really handy!

Application is pretty standard for soak off gel polish.  Lightly buff the nail to remove the shine.  Cleanse the nail.  Apply 1 thin coat of Gelaze Gel-in-Base color, cure for 30 seconds LED or 2 minutes UV.  Apply a second thin coat of Gel-in-Base color.  Cure for 30 seconds LED or 2 minutes UV.  Apply a thin layer of top coat.  Cure for 30 seconds LED or 2 minutes UV.  Remove the tacky layer with a Pre-Soaked Gel Cleanser Pad.  And you're done.  The instructions did note that if the gel seems a bit runny, leave it in a cool, dry place for a bit.  That is a little different as many gels work better when warm.  But cooling this one down definitely helps with application.

Ok, so application.  I'm actually quite pleased.  Application was easy enough.  No major pooling or streaking.  The top coat is medium thickness and also easy to apply with a nice shine.  As I noted previously, the Gel-in-Base color that came with my kit is the ever popular Ruby Pumps.  Want to see it?

 

Note: The tips are well covered.  The light bouncing off of the edges gives the illusion of shrink back, but I did not have a problem with tip coverage once I let the gel cool a bit.

If you are a fan of the China Glaze Nail Polish in Ruby Pumps, you're probably wondering how the Gelaze version compares.  No worries, I have you covered.  ;)  They are similar, but not exact.  The Gelaze version is a little lighter and loses a bit of the lit-from-within quality on the clear swatch stick.  But as you can tell from the photos above, it is still there and you likely wouldn't notice the difference on the nail unless you compare them side by side.

So, how about wear?  I tested this one on my "Cinderella hand" aka my right hand.  I am notoriously hard on my right hand and baby my left hand.  If a polish is going to chip, it will be on my right hand.  I apologize for not having a picture of "Day 1" of the test.  My little man knocked over my camera and broke a piece off, so that had to be repaired before I could get pictures again.  But I don't think there would be much difference between Day 1 and Day 3 other than a little growth.

By the way, it is amazingly difficult to photograph your right hand when you're right handed.  Day 6 whooped my butt, so the picture is a little blurry.  Sorry about that.  Anyway, I wore this one for 10.5 days before removing it.  As you can see, it looks as good on Day 10 as it did on Day 3 except for the growth.  I did notice a small amount of tip wear starting around day 8, but that is standard for SOG on my abused right hand.  In my experience, if it stays put for 10 days, it will stay put for a full 2 weeks or more.  Well done, China Glaze!

Moving on to removal.  Many built-in base coat gels have a reputation of being difficult to remove, so I was a little nervous about this one.  Turns out I had no reason to worry.  I buffed the shine off of the top coat, saturated the pad of a remover wrap with acetone, and wrapped each finger.  Exactly 10 minutes later, I pulled the wraps off and this is what I found.  I was able to gently push all of the remaining gel off of my nails with the thumb nail on my other hand.

So, here are my closing thoughts:  Gelaze completely surpassed my expectations!  Here's how I rank Gelaze overall on a scale of 1-5 stars:

Application: 4 stars

Wear: 5 stars

Removal: 5 stars

Overall: 5 stars

I will definitely be picking up some of the other colors when they are avaliable at my local Sally Beauty Supply.  How about you?

Update:  I have swatched and reviewed many other Gelaze colors since writing this review.  Check out my Gelaze Swatch Gallery to see the other colors and posts.

~Michelle

*This post uses Amazon Associate links.

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Daisy DUO Soak Off Gel Polish Review: Part 1

Press Sample

Hello Loves.  I apologize for the delayed post.  We don’t get snow often in Georgia, so when it does happen we take a break to build snowmen and have snowball fights before it quickly melts away.  So I’m a little behind my posting schedule, but I’m sure you’ll agree that this one is well worth the wait!

Did you know that Daisy recently released a new line called Daisy Duo Soak Off Gel Polish?  Ester’s Nail Center was kind enough to send me a few to review for you.   As you can guess from the name, Daisy DUOs come with a matching regular nail polish.  Guess what?  They actually match!  The RNPs also apply like a dream.  I didn’t swatch those for you since they are identical in color to the gel, but I am truly impressed.

This new gel formula has a built in base coat so that all you need is the color and top coat.  This all-in-one type formula seems to be gaining popularity in gel polish, and I personally love the trend.  Not only does it allow for a faster manicure, but the lack of an additional base coat leads to a thinner coating of gel on the nail.  I don’t know about y’all, but a thick gel coating on the nail drives me nuts.  Ever try to pick up a stamping plate on a smooth surface with thick nails?  It is comical to say the least.  ;)

I received three colors from the Daisy DUO line.  Sweet Romance, Forgotten Pink, and Island Oasis.  I’m going to show you Sweet Romance and Forgotten Pink today as the first part of my review.  Part 2 will include swatches of Island Oasis, as well as the results of my wear test and removal.

Let’s get on with the swatches, and I'll end with a few thoughts.

This gorgeous baby pink cream is Sweet Romance.  This is three thin coats (in keeping with all my swatches), but the third coat was not necessary at all.  As far as pinks go, Sweet Romance has a slightly lavender undertone, which makes it a cool toned pink.  Very classic and sweet.

Forgotten Pink is a gorgeous glitter polish with super fine, dusty pink glitter suspended in a clear base.  But that’s not all.  There’s also a nice dusting of this beautiful, iridescent glitter that flashes blue when the light hits it.  The result is a very magical yet subtle polish that is simply breath taking.  My full pictures do not do it justice.

Take a look at this slightly blurred close-up of the polish on my ring finger.  The iridescent blue flash glitters show up much better here.  Gorgeousness in a bottle!

Here are my closing thoughts:

• I really like how the Daisy Duos apply.  The gel is a bit thicker with a jelly-like consistency that is a bit different from other gels on the market.  This is really nice because it helps keep the gel where you place it so that it isn’t likely to pool on the first finger while you are applying it to the others.  It also glides over the nail with ease.  They also cured perfectly at the recommended 60 second cure time in my LED lamp. 
• The color range available in this line is spectacular.  Look at all those glitters!  I’m drooling just looking at them and will definitely be adding a few more to my ever growing gel collection.

  

  Photo used with permission: Credit www.EstersNC.com

Based on the samples I received, the swatch photos from Ester's Nail Center are accurate color representations of the gel.  I’m very impressed by this.  You can view larger versions of the swatch pallets above by clicking here.

That’s all for today.  I am now going to put the Daisy Duos to the ultimate right hand wear test.  Check back in a few weeks for Part 2 of this review where I will show swatches of Daisy Duo Island Oasis and report back on my wear test and removal.

~Michelle

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Couture Gel Polish All That Glitters Collection Swatches

Press Sample

Hello Loves!  You know how much I love glitter, right?  Then you know how excited I was when Couture Gel Polish sent me these awesome chunky glitter polishes from the All That Glitters Collection to review!

I have to admit that I usually prefer loose glitter over glitter polishes.  I find most glitter gel polishes difficult to apply.  With most, the there isn't enough glitter in the bottle so any attempt to achieve dense glitter coverage on the nail results in pooling of the gel around the sides of the nail.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Couture's glitter polishes are thick so that pooling is less likely.  When I say thick, I mean THICK.  I flipped these upside down for a few minutes like I do with all glitter gels, and I ended up with so much glitter on the brush that I had to wipe both sides of the brush before applying the gel to the nail.  I like that!  I didn't find application to be difficult at all.

There are actually 6 polishes in the All That Glitters Collection, but one isn't chunky so I didn't include it in this group.  I'll show you Classy Girl another day. 

Note:  All swatches are 3 coats over my natural nails.  I also prepared half black, half white swatch sticks and applied one coat of each glitter on top to show how they look over light and dark bases.

~~~~~~~~~~

First up is Sugar Daddy.  This is a slightly olive toned jelly base that is packed with green and blue hex glitters, ultrafine green and holographic glitters, and silver holographic strip glitter.  On it's own, this one isn't the best color for my skin tone, but it will be perfect layered over a solid base.

You can also see the individual glitters a bit better in this swatch stick close up.  I am definitely going to use this one in my St. Patrick's Day mani!

Next is Make An Entrance. This is your classic silver holographic mix in a clear base.  Again, we have ultrafine silver holographic glitters, large silver holographic hex glitters, and silver holographic strip glitters.  It reminds me of a disco ball and will be perfect for New Years.  :)

I failed to really capture the holographic effect in the close up on this one.  I apologize for that, but I promise it is there. 

This gorgeous gold glitter is Put A Ring On It.  This one is a slightly gold tinted jelly base with gold and holographic ultrafine glitter, large gold hex glitter, silver holographic strip glitter, and random large holographic silver hex glitters thrown in for good measure.  The result is a very festive topper that makes me think of Christmas.

I lost the holo effect of the silver strips in this one as well, but they are the same silver strips that appear throughout these swatches.

Fireworks is one of my absolute favorites out of this group.  The sheer, red jelly base is packed with red and holographic ultrafine glitters, large red hex glitter, and the silver holographic strips. 

 You can see the holographic color shifts very well over the black in the closeup swatch below.

Drama Queen is a gorgeous light blue glitter mix that is tied with Fireworks as my favorite in the bunch.  This light blue jelly base has a similar mix of ultrafine glitters, larger hex glitters, and the holographic strips.  But something about the blue just screams my name.  It has that glittery sparkle yet is calming at the same time.

 I'm not really sure why, but this one makes me think of rain drops.

Finally, the last of the chunky glitter polishes is Material Girl.  This one is a bit different than the rest in that the pink jelly base is much darker, which make the glitter a bit more subtle.  The same glitters are there, though - ultrafine, large silver hexes, and the strips.  There seem to be fewer large hex glitters and strip glitters in this one.

As you can see in the picture below, because of the darker jelly base, this one does tint the black side a considerable amount. 

What do you think of Couture's All That Glitters Collection?  Do you have a favorite?

~Michelle

Note:  All polishes shown in this post are press samples that were provided by Couture Gel Nail Polish for my honest review.

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Valentine's Day nails with Red Carpet Manicure

Personal Gift Purchased by Me

Hello Loves.  I have Valentine's Day themed mani to show you today.  Can a girl go wrong with glittery polish, stamping, and a DIY rhinestone?

There' s a lot going on in this seemly simply manicure.  I started with a base of Red Carpet Manicure Socialite Status from the Limited Edition Hamptons collection on the pink nails and Couture Ooh La La French for the white.  This the Socialite Status.

I then topped Socialite Status with Red Carpet Manicure Swaggin, which was a gift from the lovely Tiffany at Polished to Precision.  Be sure to pop over to her blog and check out her gorgeous polish swatches!  The picture below is Swaggin on it's own - three coats without undies.

I stamped the middle finger with Pure Ice Silver Star and an image from Pueen 33 from the Love Elements set.   I used a dotting tool to add RCM Swagging to the heart shaped leaves and freehanded a few extras for balance.

The ring finger is the most exciting of the two accents for me.  I have had these little heart frames in my collection for a while - so long that I can't even remember where I got them.  But I've never really known what to do with them.  Then Kim from Ten Little Canvases shared this awesome tutorial on making your own stones using Gelish Structure.  Jackpot!  I followed Kim's instructions and applied the frame to the nail first.  I then filled the frame with Swaggin and topped it with Structure.  Check out Kim's video at the link above for the specific steps.  :)

I'm very pleased with the final result.  This one might be one of my favorites!

~Michelle

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Featured Artist: ARoseAmongThorns from Instagram

Hello Loves. I'm currently doing a few polish tests that require I actually wear a manicure longer than a few days, so I asked one of my dearest friends to allow me to show off her Valentine's Day manicure instead. :) Pamela (aka Instagram user ARoseAmongThorns) is also a gel user, which makes for a dangerous friendship. We feed off of each other and our wallets suffer. But it also works out well for us because our tastes are polar opposites. I wear my nails longer and she rocks the shorties. She loves cream finishes. I love shimmers. It is rare that we love or hate the same polish, so we end up doing a lot of swapping.

Enough of my rambling and onto the nail art. Pamela is a stamping fan as well, so she threw together this adorable stamped skittlette manicure.  As usual, details to follow.

Base: Couture Gel Nail Polish Wardrobe Change on the index and pinkie.  Couture Ooh La La French on the ring and thumb.  Kiss Galaxy on the middle finger. 
Stamping images:  Fun 12 on the ring finger and QA28 on the middle and thumb
Stamping polishes:  Sally Hansen Insta-dri Silver Sweep and Mundo de Unas Mexican Pink.

I love skittlette manicures, but it drives me nuts that we rarely see what is on the thumb nail.  Thankfully, Pamela sent me a shot with her thumb too.  Check out that adorable little kiss!

If you like Pamela's art and her adorable shorties, go follow her on instagram! 

I'll be back in a few days with a mani of my own, I promise.  I have a few fun reviews coming up too.  ;)

~Michelle

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Messy Mansion Purple Stampers Review

Purchased by Me

Hi Loves.  Today's post is a bit off schedule, but I couldn't wait to show you!  I ordered the Purple XL Squishy Stamper and Purple Rectangular Squishy Stamper from Messy Mansion and they came in earlier this week.  Since I managed to get the boys in bed early, I decided to do a video review.  :)  It ended up a little longer than I prefer, but I really wanted to show you the size and quality in addition to how they stamp.

I hope you enjoyed my review. As always, I'll be happy to answer any questions in the comments.

~Michelle

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I wrote a guest post for Chickettes.com :)

Hi loves!  I am honored to have written a guest post for Andrea at Chickettes for today.  Head on over to Chickettes to see my how I created this Key To My Heart design with loose glitter and gel polish  :)

~Michelle

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