Color Club: Alter Ego Undercover part 1

UPDATE GIVEAWAY: few more followers to 130 and I add yet more swag to the giveaway! spread the word!

Preface: pardon my cuticles, I spent a week in Colorado helping friends move and in the process my cuticles hated me :)

 This is the first half of the Color Club Alter Ego Under Cover collection.  Up first is Ulterior Motive- a really pretty raspberry frosty color.  It has a little shimmer to it as well and the color is so pretty! This was 3 coats and it built up nicely.

You can see at some angles there is a bit of VNL but you have to look really hard and my tips are really white.  I think I will keep this in my summer rotation for a pedi!
I didn't want to stamp over this color and take away from it's prettiness so I put I Juggle...Men over the top. IJM is from the new OPI Cirque De Femme collection and is an overcoat that has flashes of green/pink/blue/purple glitters.  I think I will have to try this over a darker creme color to see more of the effect.  It did however spice up Ulterior Motive a bit but only if you looked really hard.
Ok, moving right along...

Total Mystery- yum!  This is a true blue glitter full of fun.  This was 2 generous coats.  It has this shimmer/glitter/foil factor to it.  It really depends which way you look at it and in what light.  May be that's the mystery :)

You can see a little VNL but I think that's just the finish.. it's more prevalent in the picture than it was in person.  It could have been my light box lighting my nail from underneath :) Come to think of it, this would be a cool color to do a french manicure with, using it for the tips. (hhmm.. things to try later)

Next up is masquerading.. and look, I stamped it for you! Masquerading is like a frost but applies like a metallic.  I used two coats.  It has gray and blue hued undertones and finished like a metallic- you could see the streaking if you paid attention.

My camera made it look darker than it actually is. It kind of reminds me of an almost there gun metal color.  It's not bad, I like how it's unique in color/finish.  I used Konad white special polish on M21 and topped with Color Club 0-60.


Next post I'll have: alias and secret agent- my two favoirtes from this collection.

Tronica: Ultra Violet

I've been contemplating the China Glaze Tronica collection for a while because I have alot of purples and I love holos but it was getting mixed reviews.



So I went in and looked at the colors again and grabbed Virtual Violet.. yes another purple.  :)  Hey! It looked like it needed a home!

The holo is much better in person but check it out in the pictures, it's still awesome.  The finish is smooth and it was opaque in two coats with no problem. 

At one angle it looks like a suede finish but shiny.. then you see the holos... click on the pictures, take a closer look.. It's ok, it won't bite :) 

I feel like I haven't done much stamping lately so I decided to try out a new one from plate M64 and I added a little holo sticker to it. My stamping job was kind of crooked but i think it was a nice accent to the polish. It's almost like it wrapped it up as a present for your eyes to oogle over!

I topped off with China Glaze Fast Forward and it did not smudge the Konad white special polish :)

OC Nail Art  still has a coupon code for my readers,  if you'd like to get into Konad stuff :)

Zoya's Intimate Collection Part 2

 Part 2 of The Intimate Collection is Dannii and Gemma (I posted a quickie of Jules in a different post.. I had put WNW Party of five glitters over it).  So I was away the week of St. Patrick's day and had to wait until I came home to swatch this collection. I was a little greened out from St. Patty's Day manis but still enjoyed Gemma.  It's an olive green with more of a yellow under tone and it shimmers with pink hues.  Gotta say, I like this green alot!
It was easy to apply two coats and top off with Color Club 0-60 (have you tried this top coat, it's really awesome).

Zoya Intimate Collection- Part 1

*Caution: picture heavy post* :)  I started off with swatching Zoya's "Caitlin".. it's a pretty grayish purple.  It applied well with two creamy coats.  I'm still getting used to the Zoya brushes, which are thinner than OPI, but I think they are flexible enough to not leave streaks.  I also have wanted to use my Color Club's "Covered in Diamonds" and thought Caitlin would be a great background for that.... and I think I was right :

It's like a party in a bottle :) Covered in Diamonds was something I had seen online in a bottle and was hesitant to get it.  I was afraid it was not as awesome flakie goodness as it says it would be... boy was I wrong! Love this to jazz up a color or extend a mani :)

Chic Simplicity

indoor natural light- was rainy out :(

I did this mani on my sister in law and I think it turned out cute! The base color is China Glaze "Adore" and I stamped it with black Konad special polish then topped it with a jewel sticker the topped with SV. I used Konad plate M21 from the Kit B that OC Nail Art sent to me for review.  This mani looks like it's professional and complicated but it was really simple and the jewel sticker adds that extra salon-looking touch! As said before, Adore applied awesomely and in *1* coat, but I added two. I may actually do this

Publish Post

mani for me one day :)

HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT MY GIVEAWAY .. and what do you think... if the blog gets to 80 should I add a piece of swag? :")

Hawaii 5-0: Aloha... for now :)

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Well, Aloha for now Hawaii, as I will be back soon... For the flight home, I wanted something soothing to me (seriously hate flying because I get so bored).. my go to color, purple helps though.  This is OPI The Color to Watch, 4 coats (ya, it's sheer but builds nicely), stamped from Konad M29 in black and white Special polish (both from the kit OC Nail Art sent me.  If you notice the image on my index finger (sorry it's upside down, that's how I'm rolling today) I took just the flower from that and did my little finger.  I totally like this mani, we'll see if it gets any responses from the airport staff :)



My thumb is so wide that I thought I'd stamp a pineapple and a hibiscus again.  I absolutely love orchids and the vibrant hibiscus in Hawaii.  My hubbo and I got married on Oahu and my bouquet was purple and white orchids :) I love the leis too, I tend to get purple ones when we go ;) That was the inspiration for this mani, my bouquet from a few years ago.  That still makes me all smiles and giggles :)


I smudged the black polish on my other thumb but the rest of it was pretty darn great.  Once you get the hand of the special polishes, they seem like they may be worth it.

 Again, a big thanks to OC Nail Art for the great kit!

Hawaii 4- Super Festive!

What can I say about this mani... the picture does not do it justice.. it is SO bright, it should come with sunglasses.. that being said, it's a great mani for Hawaii lol.  I've had pedicures in Hawaii before where they paint the flowers on your nails and it costs a fortune.

I decided to stamp over Color Club's Feelin' Groovy with black Konad SP, plate M29 from OC Nail Art.  I really liked this look after I stamped it, seemed to tone down the 'in your face' green neon. I had to put a coat of OPI Alpine Snow under the neon so it would be opaque quicker 2 coats of each still and topped off with SH super shine.

K, now for my inspiration... kayaking off Kailua on Oahu (windward side).  This doesn't look bright but... OMG, it was stunningly bright- needed major sunglasses! This state is full of inspiration for manis! :)

*** Thanks everyone for spreading the word about the blog! I'll be posting deets on the give away once I get home this weekend or Monday.  I've picked up some great goodies I think you'll like *** 

Hawaii 3- NOM!

I seriously love pineapples.. no really, they're like candy to me! Put them in a lava flow cocktail and I'm set! Now that you know the inspiration for this mani, the color is Sincul Colors Oasis and I stamped in Konad black special polish from OC Nail Art.  This mani is quite cute I think! 

The pineapples (plate M29), stamps amazing with the black SP, check out the detail... except don't look at my little finger because I had to re-stamp the bottom of the pineapple :)

I topped it off with Sally Hansen super shine, I avoided smudging, I'll have to try the Konad special top coat.

Pineapples are everywhere in Hawaii, but I have never seen them on nails... I'd like to think I'm starting a trend in the islands ;) Have you guys checked out the new tab I added to the site? :)

***for those who have not followed, now's your chance... if I get up to 50 followers by Friday, I'll be bringing back Hawaii swag for a give away and I've found polish exclusive to Hawaii!! Spread the word! ***

Hawaii 2- Flowers!

Aloha monkeys! Continuing on with Konad plate  M29 from OC Nail Art, I must say, I kinda like this mani.. I didn't at first because the Mellow Yellow from Sally Hansen was hard not to mess up.  It's a great formula though, creamy and opaque in 2 coats but because of the skinny brush which I suck at using, I did 3 coats to even it out.

The orange is Wet N Wild's Sunny Side.  I stamped with Konad SP in Red and Black, on my little finger I snuck in SH Celeb City to see how it looked.  I tried to stamp the Mellow Yellow over the Sunny Side and vice versa, but it didn't show that well.  I really dig the red and black on these two colors though.   Sunny side has a nicer brush in my opinion and covered in 2 coats nicely.

I do photography as a hobby and thought I'd share this photo with you from my last trip (Nov 2010) to Hawaii.  Have you ever seen the sunsets off of Waikiki? :) *swoon*

**don't forget to follow me! If we get 50 followers by Friday, I'll do a give away and include some Hawaii swag!!**

Hawaii- The real teal

Aloha monkeys! I'm in Hawaii this week visiting family and thought I would blog from here doing a Hawaii Week theme! OC Nail Art was generous enough to send me a Konad Kit (kit B, will chat about that later) and included Konad plate M29 which is all Hawaii themed! I haven't used the special polishes before so it was a bit of a shock how awesome they transfer.  I laid down 3 coats of Sally Hansen Teal or no Teal and stamped with Konad Black SP.  The butterfly is a bonus sneak peek from M15, which came with Kit B.

The Real Teal is so pretty! It has a shimmer to it and goes on creamy but I used 3 coats to even out streaks.  I topped with Sally Hansen Super Shine. The Konad special polishes may streak with clear polishes that aren't from Konad but I was pretty successful by being generous with the amount and using light pressured.I was inspired by the view from our hotel room. I love Hawaii, we have family here and come often but it never gets old :)

Don't forget to follow my blog for my 50 follower give away :) Spread the word... if I get up to 50 followers before Friday, I'll include Hawaii swag in the give away!

You're coming with me!

Got this beauty from OC Nail Art  (what is in Kit B) I'll be taking it to Hawaii with me to test it out. I've never worked with the Konad Special Polishes before so it's going to be an experiment! OCNA was kind enough to send this to me along with plate M29 (hawaii theme).
Also, they have given TMM readers a coupon code- manicuredmonkey ... take advantage of it :)

If you haven't followed me, now is a great opportunity because if I reach 50 followers by Friday  night, I'll bring back goodies from Hawaii to add to a give away :) Who doesn't like macadamia nuts in chocolate?!

Aloha for now monkeys!


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