Swatch: Ruby Wing Cinnamon Bun

Yes! Fear not, I am still alive! I just took a tiny hiatus. During the little blog hiatus though, I did start my polish spreadsheet. Took me about 30 minutes to figure out how to "nail" the categories to the top of the spreadsheet though ;x Once I'm done, I'll probably add it to the blog, in case there's a polish someone would like to see swatched. In any case, if anyone has any tips, hints or suggestions on what I can add to the spreadsheet, please feel free to comment! For the record, the categories that I have so far are simply, Brand, Name, Finish, Collection and Notes.

Photo from rubywing.com

The real purpose behind this post though is swatching Cinnamon Bun from Ruby Wing! Cinnamon Bun was released along with five other nail polishes (six in total) from the Cupcakes & Champagne collection for fall.

The fun thing with this collection, besides the solar changing effect that Ruby Wing is known for, these polishes are scented!

When I saw the collection at Harmons, I went immediately for Cinnamon Bun. A polish that is scented to smell like Cinnamon Buns? Yes please!

Indoors

Color Indoors: The color itself is a metallic, cinnamon color. I would definitely say it's a blend of bronze, mauve and pink with a pink-red sheen to it. 

Application: Sheer-ish. Depends on how much you get on the brush. For the swatches I used three coats to get the polish fully opaque.

Outdoors

Color Outdoors: This was so difficult to capture with my camera, so I attempted it on two angles. The color almost goes to, what I like to call, a wine metallic. It is a deep shade, but you can still see hints of the cinnamon bronze mixed in. A different angle actually makes the polish appear to have more of a plum shade to it.

Outdoors - different angle

The Scent: Ok, this is where I shall fangirl a bit. The polish smells like CINNAMON! Not Cinnamon buns, oh no. It smells exactly like cinnamon gum! Trident Cinnamon Gum to be exact! That's actually my favorite flavor of gum in the world, so for the polish to smell like that, YUMMY! My only issue is, the scent doesn't exactly last. By the third day it was gone. This could, however, be due to the fact that I wore no top coat with the polish.

Overall Verdict: Amazing! I definitely want to point out though, that I wore this polish for 7 days, WITHOUT a top coat, and believe it or not the polish stayed shiny just from the metallic finish. By the 7th day, I had some minor wear around the free edge of my nails, and maybe a chip or two, but it held out that long without any protective barrier. Both shades are beautiful and perfect for fall, not to mention the scent. I think with this, I've found my staple polish for the fall!

Price: $7.99 at Harmons, $10.00 on rubywing.com

Availability: Harmons or rubywing.com Those are the only two places that I know of which has the collection. Harmons may be selective though.

Swatch: Nicole by OPI Gumdrops Lemon Lolly

Good news everybody! Wait can I use that? I'm using it either way! Once upon a time (aka last week), I learned that Nicole by OPI had put out two exclusive polishes for their Gumdrops collection. That's A Mint and Lemon Lolly. Now, immediately after discovering that Lemon Lolly was a yellow texture polish, I searched the net for information only to discover that this color was exclusive to a store (Shoppers Drug Mart) in Canada. That's A Mint, however has been seen at CVS with the Gumdrops display. I've seen it myself as well.

I had e-mailed Nicole by OPI to see if they would, by chance, release Lemon Lolly state side in the future, there wasn't confirmation from the brand yet, but in the e-mail it said that That's A Mint would be available at Target and CVS (already there), and that Lemon Lolly may be released in the upcoming months.

Well, confirmation time is now! I went to Target today to pick some things up, and there at the beauty section is a WONDERFUL display of Nicole by OPI Gumdrops. What do I see? Lemon Lolly! Truth be told, I nearly ran to the display to snatch it up. They must have just put the display out today because I had been there yesterday in search of something non-beauty related and no such display existed. 

So if you are looking for Lemon Lolly, do check Target or possibly CVS in the next few weeks.

Swatch time!

Vivid camera setting

Lemon Lolly is exactly as the name sounds. It is a beautiful yellow texture polish with gold micro-glitter mixed in. The finish itself is a shimmer matte texture. 

Directions: Apply base and two coats of color. Do not use top coat.

Application: Perfect. I had absolutely no issues with this. The first layer starts off a tad sheer, with the gold coming out more. The second coat, it became very opaque. Two coats only.

Natural camera setting

Macro - natural setting

Overall Verdict: I absolutely LOVE this color! No issues with the application. I'm just so excited to actually have it in my hands finally! What would go perfect with this color is a lovely lime texture polish now :D

Price: Varies. At Target I purchased this for $7.04(USD)

Availability: Target and possibly CVS (US), Shoppers Drug Mart (Canada)

Swatch: Nicole by OPI Gumdrops My Cherry Amour

I have in my possession another polish from Nicole by OPI's Gumdrop collection, bwhaha! ... I think I'm starting to become obsessed with this. Anyway, to be honest, my Mother picked this one out (note if you missed it, she's color blind to the point of only seeing black, grey & white), she was going by the name, My Cherry Amour and believe it would be a vivid red textured polish. The lighting in the store actually mad it out to be a red. Not exactly a cherry red.

My Cherry Amour isn't exactly a "cherry" color. It's more of a fuchsia infused red, with fine holographic and fuchsia glitter.

Swatch: Nicole by OPI Gumdrops Cinna-man of My Dreams

 

I have my July favorites on the way, things have been crazy at work, which depending on how you view it can either be good or bad. Either way, I finally got a new cell phone, and of course after getting one, I discovered that the back casing of my old one, had begun to melt apparently. Shock shock!

Besides that though, I purchased another one of the Gumdrops from Nicole by OPI. This one was the one I had been debating between when it came to Candy is Dandy.

Cinna-man of My Dreams is an unique color (to me at least, I don't have anything like it in my collection!). It is a brick red-pink that has shades of mauve, brown, and light pink. The glitter is basically the main part of the texture, there's no hologram glitters or hexagon glitters either. This is the best way to describe the color.

Directions: Apply base and two coats of color. Do not use top coat.

Vivid setting on the camera.

Application: Easy. Two coats for this and it was completely opaque. Actually, when you apply one coat, you get the true color of the polish, I think. I actually like how one coat looks, two coats makes it perfect for fall.

Natural setting on the camera

 

Close-up Natural Setting

Overall Verdict: I absolutely adore this color. Both one coat and two coats. To me it's a unique color, and doesn't match anything I have.  Definitely happy that I went back and got this color. 

Price: Varies, I purchased this for $6.94, but the price can go up to $8.00.

Availability: Anywhere that Nicole by OPI is sold.

Manicure: Sparks in the Crowd

Hello! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Saturday night I posted a three part instagram photo which featured the manicure that this post is about. I have to say this method actually worked out better than any other method I've tried.

The three polishes that I used for the manicure. Ruby Wing Groupie and Crowd Surf, with Maybelline Lavender Sparks as an overlay. I actually found Lavender Sparks at Big Lots for a $1.00!

Step 1. Use a base coat. Any base coat will do. Let dry.

Step 2. Decide on your base color. Doing a gradient, I prefer keeping the base color light, but you can also do the opposite. Then paint your nails with the base color. I did two coats of Groupie, then allowed it to dry.

Step 3. Using some type of plastic, foil or anything that polish won't eat through, take the two colors you're going to use for the gradient (could be more than two of course). Generously paint them onto the surface, doesn't matter if they overlap, that actually helps out more in the end.

Step 4. Using a cosmetic sponge, tap the sponge over and over onto the wet polish, this'll blend the colors together. I should note, being my camera doesn't like Groupie and Crowd Surf together, Groupie is at the very top of the sponge, while Crowd Surf is below it.

Step 5. While the polish is still wet on the sponge, start tapping the sponge over the nail. The darker color should be closer to the tip, unless you want the gradient to go in the reverse. Which actually doesn't seem like a bad idea.

Step 6. Allow to dry and clean up, unless you use the tape method to keep the skin around the nail clean.

Step 7/8. Taking Lavender Sparks, I started at the free edge of the nail and dragged the glitter down towards the cuticle. This was tricky though because the polish is thicker than I'm used to. Some nails ended up with too much glitter! Once the glitter is dry, add your favorite top coat!

End results...

Don't forget to enter my Midnight Velvet Giveaway!

Manicure: Sparkling Splatters

I'm back with another manicure post! I'm beginning to think I'm going a little over board with the splattering ;x I actually find it fun though, even if it is entirely messy. I do think that I'm doing something wrong, the polish doesn't always want to splatter. Takes a few goes, and a lot of frustration as well.

Ruby Wing Groupie and Electric Firefly

 Either way, I love the final result, although I was iffy on the ring finger. Most wanted to know if the manicure glowed in the dark because of the neons (have I mentioned that I'm obsessed with them STILL?).

I did use a white polish as a base under Electric Firefly, which makes the color show up so much easier than layering. 

The splattering is easy (although frustrating!), I just used a couple of straws and kept replenishing Groupie on the tin foil due to it's ability to try fairly quick. Yes, I used tin foil this time instead of styrofoam!

For the ring finger, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, then just winged it with the tape. I went from the corner of the free edge nail, down to just above the cuticle on both sides of the nail, then painted Groupie over Electric Firefly. Two coats would have made this better, but it was late. Gah! I felt that it was still missing something, so I added a rhinestone to the point of Groupie. Then sealed everything with a top coat. This is the first time in a few years that I actually used rhinestones!

And that's that!

Manicure: Summer Electric Splatter with Ruby Wing

This isn't the original post I intended to do for today, however after receiving devastating news, I can't bring myself to write a full review. I believe I mentioned in a post a while ago back, about my dear friend and co-worker who was battling cancer, today I received news that she lost her battle. I've been pretty much numb all day, I don't know what will happen tomorrow when my other co-workers are told.

So, I'm just going to do a quick post with the manicure that I just did. It's the first time I attempted to do a splatter accent nail. 

I first placed scotch tape around the nail (like you'd do if you were water marbling), to help with the clean up.

 

I used a large straw that I cut into three sections (being I used three different colors). It's a simple method, but for some reason doing the right hand proved to be more difficult then the left. I just ended up with globs on the right ring finger.

I honestly like the end result with this.

FYI, don't use Styrofoam plates with the nail polish, it will eat right through it and onto the counter!

 

Colors Used from Ruby Wing: (l to r): Groupie, Summer Love, Electric Firefly, Green Peace.

Swatch: Half Charming, Half Alarming from Nicole by OPI

 

 Freshly put out onto the shelves at my local Walgreens, was the holy grail that is the Tink Collection from Nicole by OPI.  Can I just tell you all that when I discovered that Nicole by OPI was coming out with a Tink line, I literally squealed while I was at work. Whoops! Yes, I was THAT excited.

So upon coming across the display that hadn't been touched (at least it didn't look it), I went back and forth (this seems to be a reoccurring thing with me), trying to decide which to purchase first. Sadly, the other colors reminded me of other polishes that I have, I'll most likely go back and purchase them anyway though!

The one that I picked first was.... Drum Roll! Half Charming, Half Alarming!

Best way to describe this color is that it's alarming! Haha, not really. Definitely in the warm family, but I'm on the fence as to whether to say this is a terracotta colors or a tomato red color. It isn't quite red, but not orange either, it's definitely a mix of the two. Terracotta Tomato perhaps? It's a color that I don't recall having, not to mention it gives you a very polished look.

Formula: This is where I fall into the iffy area. I love Nicole by OPI polishes, but I'm not sure what happened with mine. Perhaps it was because of the heat? This is a sheer formula, I want to say it's jelly, but not jelly. It was also being a bit of a fuss-pot with applications, occassionally doubling over an area would cause balding to occur, or drag marks (maybe the brush is a mini car). It dries down to a semi-matte finish. Well actually, the first layer was matte, the second layer had minor gloss to it. Easy-peasy clean up though.

In the swatches below, I only used 3 coats. I definitely could have done a 4th coat to get it fully opaque, as I still see some of the white tip of my nails.

Psst, ignore the dryness below, I forgot the cuticle oil ;x

Camera setting set to Vivid

Camera setting set to Natural

Manicure: Electric Leopard

Quick post before I get ready for work, plus this oh so lovely thunder battle (where are the stone giants?! :O) we're having today.

Can I just say how much I love these three polishes from Ruby Wing? Not so much for when they're in the sun (I'm beginning to think Electric Firefly hates the sun, it doesn't change for me), but because of how bright they are. I wanted to do a quick polish last night (it was 10pm when I started), and just wanted to do an accent nail. So, I tried my hand at a leopard print, first time at doing this one. Took a little over an hour to finish, simply due to drying time on the ring finger (I also smudged it on my right hand which required a do-over ;x).

I also used a different top coat as well, Color Clubs 0-60 Speedy Top Coat, which I can definitely say, is speedy!

Just for the record, for these three polishes, Groupie and Crowd Surf dry the quickest, Electric Firefly takes longer for drying.

Vivid Camera Setting

Natural Camera Setting

 Polishes Used

Base Coat - OPI Nail Envy

Groupie - Four out of five fingers, center of the leopard design.
Electric Firefly - Base on Ring fingers for the leopard design.
Crowd Surf - Outlining for the leopard print.
Top Coat - Color Club 0-60 Speedy Top Coat

Manicure: Neon Madness with Ruby Wing

This will be a quick post featuring my freshly done manicure!

I don't know if it's just me, but taking two and a half hours to finish a manicure, is that normal? ;x Yup, that's how long this one took. I think primarily due to me not knowing what to do with two of the fingers. Not to mention dry time in between. 

This manicure is mostly neon with a very vivid, bright purple, just using three polishes and one nail art polish. I did have most of it planned out, just not the nail art polish. 

The three main colors that I used are all from Ruby Wing; Groupie (neon pink), Electric Firefly (yellow with a subtle teal duochrome), and Crowd Surf (vivid purple). For the white nail art polish I used Bad Chick from Sinful Colors. The three Ruby Wing polishes WILL change color in sun light, so I don't know how this will look in sun light! I'll be finding out tomorrow though :D

When I went to take photos, because of how vivid the purple is, it made my camera go wonky causing the purple and pink to blend together in the photos. So, I had to switch to my natural setting.

Natural camera setting

Thumb

I think I may attempt a video tutorial for this being I now know what I'd change. Not terribly happy with the white on pink, because I would have preferred a vivid purple. But I work with what I have, especially at this time of night!

Now, to work on my May favorites! There should be plenty there, I didn't do an April one because... well... I only had two =\

Weekly Manicure: Tangerine Mayhem

It's manicure time! On Friday, I had discovered that Harmon's had the new Orly collection. Like always the brightest color caught my eye, Mayhem Mentality. Once I got home, I quickly removed the polish I had been wearing and applied Mayhem Mentality. 

Of course, my Love/Hate relationship with Orly continues. I love, love, love the colors; but the formula itself, hates me. Didn't even have the polish on a full day and the chipping began. By Monday I had a total of six chips occur, four repairs had already been done. Sigh. This happens all the time with Orly polishes with me. 

This manicure came about after I receive quite a few... unnecessary insults from someone at work over the color of the polish. Seriously, I could go on a very lengthy rant over it, but I'm refraining from doing so.

So, onto the MANICURE!

Due to my chipping issue that I was experience, but wanting to keep using Mayhem Mentality. I ended up pairing it with JulieG Frosted Gumdrops in Tangerine Dream. 

Mayhem Mentality is such a gorgeous neon orange (I almost want to say it's like a neon coral) that it drives my camera CRAZY. Rather fitting huh?

1. Base coat first.
2. I painted both the ring fingers and thumbs with Tangerine Dream. 
3. Then taped over the tips, creating a v-shape. 
4. Painted Mayhem Mentality on first (two coats). Removed the tape while the polish was still wet.
5. Being Mayhem Mentality dries down to a semi-matte finish, I applied a quick dry top coat on while avoiding the area of the nail that was still bare (besides the base coat).
6. Then following along the edge of Mayhem Mentality, I painted Tangerine Dream onto the tips. Two coats of that.
7. Clean up with an angle brush and polish remover.
8. Done!

Taken using a Natural setting on my camera to capture Mayhem Mentality

Taken with my regular camera setting.

If anyone would like to see a tutorial for this, please let me know! :D

Red and Gold: Iron Man 3

Yes! I got back from seeing Iron Man 3, no worries won't go into a review or anything. My Iron Man Inspired series will continue as I saw an Armor in the movie (not sure of the Mark) that I want to try and do a tutorial for.

I wanted to do a quick post of what look I ended up going with for today, before I have to head off to work.

Nails

This is actually the simple form of what I wanted to do. The polish did NOT want to dry. I even did the running the nails under ice cold water to try and speed up the process so I could put the guides on for the half moons. Didn't work. Used a guide on my pinky and ring finger the gold polish started to pull up. So 8 out of 10 fingers had the half moons done by hand. These are actually the two polishes that I used for the other two Iron Man movies as well. They represent the armor well!

Polishes Used

• Sally Hansen Hi-Definition Hail Color in Lite
• Color Club in Warming Trend

Modified the Suitcase Armor look that I did here, just switched out the silver for gold and added in the blue shift of Aura from Urban Decay.

Products Used

• PIXI Lid Last Shadow Pen in Peach Pavé
• Rust from NYX
• Crown & Sceptre from MAC (LE)
• Family Treasures from MAC (LE)
• Aura from Urban Decay Glinda Palette
• OZ from Urban Decay Glinda Palette
• South from Urban Decay Glinda Palette
• Illusion from Urban Decay Glinda Palette
• Studio Gear Invincible Gel/Cream Eye Liner in Invincible Onyx
• Rimmel London Scandaleyes Shadow Stick in Blackmail 
• Studio Gear Impactfull Pro T.L.S. Mascara