Winter Nail Art Contest and Giveaway Info!!

Hey Monkeys! I'm hosting a winter nail art contest and a giveaway on the blog. You can participate by submitting nail art or just be a voter, there's 2 winners.. official page HERE when voting begins. In the meantime, submit a mani!

Submit your best winter nail art- it can be freehand, non-freehand, holiday or non-holiday, traditional or not- where ever your creativity takes you! Nail Art entries are due by November 27th, 5pm pacific time (email manicuredmonkey@gmail.com). I'll announce shortly after that when voting will begin (give me a day or so to get photos posted). 

There will be two winners: 1st winner will be the winning nail art participant (will have priority choosing prize).  2nd winner is someone who participated in voting (you can get multiple entries daily to increase your chances). Nail art participants can also vote daily for themselves. Prizes are shown below and I'll have an image with a direct link you can re-pin\tumblr\tweet when voting begins. Let the nail art commence! 

#33DC - 3 color gradient and pattern- Fall Manicure

 Hi Monkeys! Today's 33 Day Challenge is a 3 color gradient with a pattern. I wanted to do fall colors because the weather is getting chillier! I started with a white base, painted half my nail with Zoya Darcy. I painted half my nail one coat so when I sponged over the white, it would be more opaque as yellows are pesky. I haven't sponged in a while so I'm a bit rusty but I used Milani Jiffy Orange and China Glaze IX for brown. I also stamped with IX for a fading effect. This is probably my  most memorable gradient, I love it and it's perfect for fall. I included a picture of the mani before the stamping, Enjoy! You can follow me on Blog Lovin' now too!

Essie: Cashmere Bathrobe + BM-H08-- updated

Happy post Halloween everyone! Hopefully you are recovered from all the sugar consumption by now.  This was my mani that I wore for a whopping 3 days before it started chipping. Pretty par for course. I started with two coats of Essie's Cashmere Bathrobe. Love. This. Polish. It's dark gray but has these wonderful little specks in it and almost looks like a dark granite. The formula was excellent. 

Then I gave it the Halloween touch. I used Bundle Monster's H08 plate in bats and the creepy cauldron, then added these great little studs I found to highlight the brew bubbles. I did a top coat of China Glaze Ghoulish Glow over the Essie and I must say, I want to use glow in the dark polishes year round.. why not?! Love seeing it glow.I used Milani Black Swift to stamp with (my go to black to stamp with). Overall, a cute mani and I'd actually stamp a less creepy themed image over Cashmere Bathrobe because the effect is pretty great. 

China Glaze: Seeing Stripes- Blue Zebra Nail Appliques

I've decided since the smell of polish is irritating me lately that nail appliques are better than no naked nails :)
I picked up a ton of nail appliques as a solution for naked nails until I have our baby. I started with China Glaze Seeing Stripes in blue... a blue zebra pattern. These are quite easy to do and I can't believe I didn't think of nail apps before!
How you apply apps:
1- lightly buff naked nail
2- wipe with rubbing alcohol to clean off dust and oils
3- choose size of nail app for each nail
4- pick and adhere to one nail at a time
5- smooth out with cuticle stick or with hand (if your hands are warm, I find it helps the app to be more flexible and smooth easier)

These photos were after 4 days of wear (longer than I wear manis these days) and I only had one small chip on my right hand and very little tip wear; you wouldn't notice unless you looked closely.  Another thing I like about nail apps besides their ease to apply is that you can put them right up to your cuticle (push it back before you apply them) so it makes your nails look even longer, making it an ideal solution for shorter nails.

I have more nail apps coming up including some from OPI and I'll post them as I wear them, love these things!

Hello Kitty: Fun 2 plate and China Glaze Deviantly Daring

I have a quick mani for you today! I recently wanted something girly but not over the top so I went for cutesy girly with a side of pirate. I did two coats of China Glaze Deviantly Daring which is from the latest China Glaze Bohemia. I used the Fun2 plate from MyOnlineShop/FabUrNails. The plate is actually on sale right now so check it out- it's a large plate with some really great images on it. I used the group Hello Kitty heads then the "designer" image on my accent and my favorite of the HK images- the pirate! How cute is she with her bow AND sword?! I stamped using Milani White On The Spot, but My Online Shop also sells stamping polishes that look pretty great from their swatches. I wore this mani a few days until it was peeling and I realized that I hadn't taken a picture so don't mind the peeling on the index finger :) Check out their page as well to see more plates and designs, some people do really cool manis!

Monkey See Monkey Do Monday: Love Letters

This mani is inspired by Laurie at Dressed Up Digits. Recently Laurie lost her father to cancer. I started with a black base and used China Glaze Swanky Silk (index and little finger) and Unpredictable for the middle fingers stamped using BM311 plate. I love that the Bohemians stamp over black and you get a very interesting look. I love it even more that I'm able to do this mani for Lauie as she is really inspirational and has become a great blogger friend. The mani looks like a collage of love graffiti :) It's a simple yet meaningful mani and who doesn't like black with pretties stamped over it :)

Neon BM319!

Hi Monkeys! I had this mani on for less than 24 hours until it started peeling off (boo, hiss!).  I started with a coat of Milani White On The Spot followed by one coat of Glowstick (eye searing yellow that I've used a ton this summer), and for my accent finger I used China Glaze Kiwi Cool-ada (a neon green that I love!). I stamped using Black Swift from Milani and the BM319 plate from Bundle Monster. I wish I did this mani in reverse, the yellow on the accent finger and green on the rest. I wanted a small design so my shorties would look not so .. shorties and I like this "taxi" type mani quite a bit, just not happy it peeled off so fast!

China Glaze: Bohemia Collection- Full Swatches (comparisons and lots of pics)

Hey Monkeys! I have the entire China Glaze Bohemian collection for you today. I was lucky enough to find them at a local beauty supply store, so thought I'd share! 

Full swatches after the jump!

Zebra Tips and a Stud: BM219

I have some random french tips for you today (I'm editing the new Zoya collections so sit tight until tomorrow for those!). I started with two coats of Call of the Wild from China Glaze's On Safari collection for fall 2012. Then I took my favorite silver to stamp with: Milani Silver Stilettos. Using the zebra tip image from Bundle Monster 219. I added a little stud on the accent nail just to change it up a bit. It's ok but I'm not crazy about how large it is; I'll have to think of something better to do with that... but until then, silver tips on a dark burgundy is quite striking :) 

2 more days to enter my giveaway!! 

China Glaze: Bohemia Collection for Fall 2012- press release

“NOT ALL THOSE WHO WANDER ARE LOST.”

~J.R.R. Tolkein

China Glaze® Introduces Six Radiant Luster Chromes for Fall 2012

Los Angeles, CA – (June 2012): Say the word “Bohemian” and most people automatically think bell-bottoms and fringed vests.  Today’s Bohemian look is refined, feminine and carefree, epitomized by fashion icon Nicole Richie’s modern Bohemian look.  China Glaze® gives the free-spirited look a fresh, trendy spin with its latest specialty collection, New Bohemian.  China Glaze® New Bohemian will leave you mesmerized as the color shifts and moves across the nail, traveling with the light.  The chrome-like finish radiates with high shine and intense color, captivating your senses with every twist and turn.

Push the boundaries of color and fashion with the unconventional collection of six lustrous shades including:

·         Unpredictable – Multidimensional gorgeous green

·         Rare & Radiant – Extraordinarily rich gold

·         Swanky Silk – Brilliant beige with peach undertones

·         No Plain Jane – Lavish lavender-pink  

·         Want My Bawdy – Sexy sapphire blue

·         Deviantly Daring – Adventurously bold peacock teal

The China Glaze® New Bohemian collection will be available at fine salons and beauty supply stores nationwide in August 2012.  Individual polishes retail for $6.99 MSRP.

China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde.  China Glaze nail lacquers are available through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide.  For more information, visit: www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze on Facebook (@ChinaGlaze), Twitter (@ChinaGlazeOfficial) and Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/ChinaGlaze).  China Glaze is a division of American International Industries.

About American International Industries

For nearly 40 years, AII has been the leading manufacturer and worldwide distributor of innovative, quality beauty and skin care products for men and women.  Our product lines include Ardell, Andrea, Body Drench, Bye Bye Blemish, Checi, China Glaze, Clean + Easy, Clubman/Pinaud, Duo, European Secrets, EzFlow, Fright Night, Gena, GiGi, Gypsy Lash, IBD, Jeris-Lustray, Nail Tek, No Tweeze/Micro Tweeze, 'N Rage, Prolinc, RAW, Seche, SuperNail, Surgi-Care, Waterworks, Winning Nails, Woltra, Woody’s, and Youthair. For more information, visit our website: www.aiibeauty.com.

Stamping Sundays!: Precious Stones (Travel Themed Mani)

This week's stamping challenge theme was Precious Stones but instead of doing like a diamond stamp or something that I'm sure everyone else is doing, I chose to change it up. Precious stones are found all over the world so I did a travel themed mani (told you I interpreted it differently). I started with two coats of China Glaze Adventure Red-y and using my Fab Ur Nails Fun2 plate stamped a camera (Milani Signature gold), a hot air balloon (Milani Silver Stilettos) and the world image (Color Club Perfectly Molten). I really love this mani and love the Fun 2 plate. It's been a while since I've layered stamping and I want to get back to it :) 

dont forget to enter my giveaway to win neons and the new bundle monster plates!

China Glaze: On Safari- A Few Swatches

I have a few more of the China Glaze On Safari collection for you today. I showed you Manhunt and Kalahari Kiss, now I have 4 new ones for you including a glitter. Let's get to it (descriptions from press release where you can also see the remaining colors from this collection)

Call of the Wild: Beautiful chocolate brown-dark cherry blend
I used two coats for this and it applied like a dream, I cannot wait to water marble with this one!

Adventure Red-y: Vivid red
Two coats on this with no application problems, again cannot wait to use this one to marble with, it is super pigmented as most seem to be in this collection. It's a bit of a blue red and very warm.

  I’m Not Lion: Glistening gold and multi-color glitter
This should be called "I'm so sparkly I don't play well with Monkey's camera" It's amazing. This was two coats with minimal nail line, love the holographic glitter in it.. reminds me of a champagne version of fairy dust.

Little less blurred so you can see the tone.

Exotic Encounters: Lush green crème with blue undertones
Two very opaque coats of this creme and I was good to go, no top coat on this one either. Just a very soothing color. 


From the colors I have of this collection, which is 6, I would say that they are all effort less in regards to application and intense in regards to pigment. I stamped with Manhunt for my 4th of July mani and it showed perfectly. Not super unique colors but for Fall they are right on and you cannot beat the formula. 

On Safari is also available in:

·         6-piece “Native” Collection: Man Hunt, Exotic Encounters, Elephant Walk, Jungle Queen, Purr-fect Plum and Prey Tell

·         6-piece “Tourist” Collection: Kalahari Kiss, I’m Not Lion, Call of the Wild, Adventure Red-y, Desert Sun and I Herd That

·         12-piece counter display

The China Glaze® On Safari collection will be available at fine salons and beauty supply stores nationwide in July 2012.  Individual polishes retail for $7 MSRP; the 6-piece sets retail for $42 MSRP.

China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde. China Glaze nail lacquers are available through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide. For more information, visit: www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze on Facebook and Twitter:http://twitter.com/ChinaGlaze

*products provided for review*

OPI: Black Spotted Over Neons!

I'm obsessed with OPI Spotted! I'm still learning to work with it but here is a neon skittle mani that I did with it. I started off with a white base coat then used China Glaze Kiwi Cool-ada and Nubar Hot Fuchsia as an accent color. I then let it dry (no top coat) and did super thin passes with the Spotted. I honestly didn't think I had that much on the brush but it kept going and going and going. I have no idea how this polish works but I'm a whole lot of loving it. My favorite is my accent finger but you can get so many different variations, more so than with Shatter. What do you think?

My Giveaway!- open internationally

4th of July Mani: BM 318 aka Happy Bday Rin!!

Happy 4th of July everyone!! And a HUGE happy birthday to Rin from Rin's Nail Files (have you seen her blog, she's awesome!). For this year's 4th of July/Rin Day mani, I chose Zoya Sooki (perfect candy apple red that's opaque in one coat but I used two), China Glaze Manhunt (navy creme that I used 2 coats for and waited forever for it to dry). I then took Milani Silver Stiletto (great silver foil/micro glitter) using BM 318 which is the Hawaiian flower stamp.. I have Sooki and this stamp on my big toes and it's great as a pedi as well :) Again, I did the whole opposite skittles on each hand.. I'm kind of getting addicted to skittles again. 

For a chance to win the Bundle Monster plates and neons and the OPI Minnie Mouse collection and Spotted the Lizard, enter my giveaway :) Good Luck and Happy 4th!

Neon Smilies: BM 304

*sigh* I loved this mani so much! I used three coats of China Glaze Kiwi Cool-ada which is a super lime neon green and then three coats of Essie Bright Tights which is a tangerine neon that is amazing as well. I stamped using Milani black and the new Bundle Monster 304 plate with the happy face images. I also did the colors opposite on my hands to change it up a little, love the way this turned out! I had it on for a few days before it chipped (darn neons!!). Kiwi Cool-ada was streaky and both were over a white base coat but you couldn't see the streaks once I stamped so it was all good. Great summer mani!

Stamping Sunday!: Dots and Circles using BM 322

In an attempt to get in the patriotic mood of July 4th (can you believe it's already July?!), I incorporated dots and circles into a red, white and blue mani for Stamping Sunday. I started with one coat of Milani White on The Spot (amazing white), then chose Bundle Monster BM 322 and used Zoya Sooki for the red and China Glaze Manhunt for the blue. On the accent and little finger I did multi colored stamping. I like that Sooki can stamp but Manhunt.. meh, more on that later :) I'll have some more patriotic manis for you and some more from the new Cheeky plates so stay tuned.. in the meantime, enter my giveaway if you want cool swag!

Cowboy Up Mani using CH34

This mani took on a mind of its own at some point. I started with two coats of China Glaze Kalahari Kiss which is a yellow tan/khaki creme (pretty straight forward). It looked rustic to me so I sponged Deborah Lippmann No More Drama on it (a dark brown with shimmery gold/copper throughout). It reminded me of worn leather at this stage so then I stamped the horse rider image from the new Cheeky CH34 plate using China Glaze Delight. Delight is a great polish to stamp with, it's metallic and a brown copper bombshell of a polish. I topped it off with SV. Since I didn't take pictures of it before the stamping, I inset a close up so you can see the background. What do you think? Kind of a unique one for me and the blog.
The Cheeky plates aren't out yet but you can follow them and me on Facebook to know when they release.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

*cheeky plate sent for review*

China Glaze: Man Hunt & Kalahari Kiss + CH35

It's been a while since I've water marbled so I wanted to try out something new with it. I did close lines instead of a traditional pattern using Man Hunt and Kalahari Kiss from the China Glaze On Safari collection. These two polishes marbled great and I really love the color combo together. I was going to do something safari themed on it but it just reminded me of a bowling lane so I used the new Cheeky CH35 plate and stamped the bowling image. You can see this one is etched a bit deep but I'm assured it's only because it's pre-production plates. What do you think? I kinda like it, feels retro bowling to me. 

Dont' forget to check out my giveaway which includes the new Bundle Monster plates!

*cheeky plate provided for review*

China Glaze: On Safari- press release

UNTAMED COLOUR AWAITS YOU

China Glaze® Introduces 12 New Crèmes and Glitters for Fall 2012

Giveaway: 1500 Followers!- open int'l til 7/20

Hi Monkeys!! Thanks for your continued support, I have thrown together a giveaway with two winners for you! Here's what's up for grabs:
Prize 1- Orly: Glowstick, Skinny Dip, Melt Your Popsicle. China Glaze: Kiwi Cool-Ada, Purple Panic (neon). Bundle Monster 3 plates, Seche Vite Top Coat.
Prize 2- Limited Edition OPI Minnie Mouse Collection, OPI Just Spotted the Lizard, Seche Vite Top Coat, your choice of a set of Jamberry Nail Shields (provided by consultant).
Rules and stuff: All entries are subject to verification, if you cheat, you're disqualified and someone else will be chosen at random.

a Rafflecopter giveaway