Home » Archives for November 2008
Posted by
Unknown on Sunday, November 30, 2008
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Unknown
I attempted my very first gradient manicure today, and I am very pleased with the results!So pleased that it gets two ginormous photos to show you n_nThe colours used in this manicure are Zoya's Morgan and Starla. Morgan was used to colour my tips and Starla was used for the graduation :DWant to know how to do it? It will get quite bulky on your tip but that's ok, look how cool it turns out! Another tutorial I will have to illustrate :)Doing this has got my creative juices flowing, I want to try two colours, Christmas manis, reversing the gradient. The possibilities are endless!
Posted by
Unknown on Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Last week, I couldn't help myself, and ordered some clay canes from BeautyTech (linked to the right). Basically, these are made from fimo or other clays, and rolled together into a pattern, then reduced to itty-bitty diameters for nail art (and other things, of course). Above you can see some of the canes I bought - I picked out several, and got two "grab bags" of ends/imperfects. I'm pretty pleased with what I ended up with...
So of course I had to try them out right away when I got them on Friday, and decided the green leaves went best with my green marbled nails. You can see how small they are in the picture above. These particular canes are baked before they're sent out, and then you have to slice them yourself. This isn't too difficult, except the thinner the slice the better, and that really does take practice. You really want to just shave off a very thin slice, which is easier said than done. But I didn't do too badly, I don't think. I'll keep practicing. Here's how those turned out (bad flash, sorry):
So this week, I wanted those red maple leaves on my nails. Unfortunately, I didn't get them sliced as thinly as I'd like, and I think what I may do with the rest is go back and hold them with wide stamp tweezers so I can slice them thinner. They don't look too bad as is, I don't think - just like transparent bubbles on my nails with leaves suspended in them. The ones on my middle and pinky finger are the thinnest I sliced - both are thinner than the average 3-D nail sticker.
I did get them sliced thinner than the leaf cane, so even just two canes into it, I'm getting better at slicing. It's occured to me that I need a teeny tiny little mandoline for slicing (like I have in the kitchen for onions & tomatoes). That would really make easy work of it, and I could adjust the size of the slices as needed (sometimes it would be nice to vary the heights and layer them). Maybe I'll see if I can make one out of a wood planer or some such tool.
This week's polish is China Glaze "Cross Iron" with a stripe of OPI's 18k Ginza Gold on top.
It was quite a lot of work to get the clay slices back *off* my nails last night - especially since I ran out of my favorite Zoya polish remover. I think I may have to soak my nails for a few minutes in polish remover with the clay. Once they're on, they're on! I just applied them in a coat of wet topcoat, then a very generous top coat layer to finish.
I'm hoping to get some more fun nail art items in the near future, but these should keep me busy for awhile. I do love playing with new things!
Posted by
Unknown on Monday, November 24, 2008
Posted by
Unknown on Thursday, November 20, 2008
Posted by
Unknown on Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Diva Village talks about the Purple Nail Polish Craze and includes Zoya's Sloane as a top pick..."Have you noticed that along with purple eye makeup shades, purple nail polish is also a big hit for fall and winter 2008? The Hills girls, the Lipstick Jungle ladies and Karen from Dirty, Sexy Money have all been spotted wearing purple-toned nail color this season.
Purple is actually a highly wearable nail color, as it comes in shades from lightest lavender to the darkest black purple, and each and every one looks stylish and very “of the moment.” If you’ve been wearing a lot of ultra-dark nail shades, then a light to medium shade of purple is a welcome change that will still leave you on the cutting edge of style. Break out of your nail polish rut and try purple for the colder months!"Diva Village Article Written By: Laura Miller
Shop for Zoya Professional Nail Lacquer in Sloane at Zoya.com
More about → Diva Village names Zoya's Sloane as one of it's top purple picks!
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Unknown
Look at Zoya's Pulse collection, right there between Guerlain and Dior providing the best in vampy color."The lady is a vamp - DIVA DARLINGS Zoya's goth inspired Pulse nail polish collection features six great new shades - Sloane, Mikka, Blair, Rihana and Jacy - all in metallic hues of blackberry plum, icy grape, full-bodied burgundy, russet bronze, deep purple and mood mauve."
Compass South Magazine - UKFind the gorgeous dark shades of the Zoya Pulse collection along with over 300 other long-wearing, formaldehyde, toluene, camphor and dibutyl phthalate free shades at zoya.com in the US or The Nailcare Club in the UK.
More about → Zoya Vampy Nail Color - Pulse Collection
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Zoya Professional Nail Lacquer makes Glamour.com (uk edition) Top 10 List!
"Professional Lacquer Zoya, (£8.95 UK - $6.00 US) A clean-slick finish is just a couple of coats away with Zoya's polishes - it dries quickly and comes in a range of lively colours, from zingly metallic pink ('Hope') to goth-tastic black ('Raven'). Better still, Zoya polishes are free from toxic Toluene, Formaldehyde and DBP and vegan friendly. Easy on the nail and the eye."
Glamour Team - UK Blog
US readers can find Zoya in top quality salons and spas or online at Zoya.comIf you are in the UK contact The Nail Care Club to order.
More about → Zoya makes top 10 professional nail lacquer list in UK Glamour.com edition
Posted by
Unknown on Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Please contact The Luxury Nail Spa for any current special.
Gift Certificates Available
More about → Salon Specials
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Unknown
Last night, following instructions from the Mini Nail Blog (link to the right) on marbling, I tried it again, with some success, I think. I used her method of dotting the different colors on, then swirling them with a top coat brush (I had an older top coat that got thick, so I used that brush). I did better this time, though I think I need to work on my “swirling” techniques, but they didn’t turn out too bad, overall.
I’ll be honest though – I didn’t care much for them last night after I was done. It was only this morning after I’d cleaned up my fingers and gotten all the excess polish off that I decided I liked them well enough. Today you get pictures of both hands, since they turned out so differently.
Next time, I think I’ll use more colors, and a darker base color. I used China Glaze “L8R G8R” for the base, with Zoya “Felicity” and Sinful Colors “Snow Me White” for the swirls. Predictably, the Sinful white bubbled on a few of my nails. *sigh*
Posted by
Unknown on Friday, November 14, 2008
GET GOLDEN...Surround yourself with the warmth of gold this holiday season. Zoya's professional nail lacquer collection of over 300 long-wearing, fashion shades gives you a huge selection of inviting, gilded shades to choose from.
Here are just a few of Zoya's golden, gilded shades to add to your nail color wardrobe...
New Flourish Collection
Zoya Richelle - Gild yourself, maybe the most wearable gilded foil gold ever!
Zoya Kalista - Deep sparkling gilded mahogany brown.
Zoya Shivon - Sparkling rose gilded beauty.More gilded Zoya nail color options...
Zoya Austine - Soft gold with subtle sparkle finish.
Zoya Buffy - Soft pearly champagne gold.
Zoya Uli - Nude with gilded sparkle finish.
Zoya Lauren - Perfect nude pink beige with shimmering golden metallic hightlights. Best-Seller!
Zoya Jinx - Deep red bronze with golden metallic shimmer.
Zoya Amber - Soft orange red with golden metallic highlights.
Zoya Colette - Warm cocoa brown with subtle golden metallic shimmer.
For a sheer kiss of golden multi-color sparkle that goes with everything try Zoya's popular Glimmer*.
Looking for something different? Use the new Zoya color finder to narrow down your search options and make easy color selection a gift to yourself.
At just $6.00 each (* $6.50) for a full size 0.5 fl. oz bottle, Zoya color is the gift you can give yourself a lot of!
More about → Your favorite colors kissed with gold by Zoya Professional Nail Lacquer
Posted by
Unknown on Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Here it is - my first expirience of teh cross stiching.
Posted by
Unknown
Welcome to the new blog! As you can see, I've copied some of my favorite designs from The Variety Pages to get started. Here's my design for this week.
Last night was an exercise in frustration for my manicure. I wanted to do some marbling...but the "dot and swirl" method wasn't working, and neither did the water marbling method. Apparently I need to read up on those more, and figure out what I'm doing wrong.
So I finally settled on this fall plaid pattern, and while it could be better, I don't think it turned out too badly....
Colors Used: China Glaze "Cross Iron"
OPI 24k Ginza Gold
Milani "Mr. Sandman"
I am going to figure out the marble effect one of these days...I almost had it with the water method, so hopefully I'll be able to pull that off soon!
Posted by
Unknown
You can't ask for a much better review of a new nail color than this commentary from e-polishing about Zoya's Kalista. We knew this one was a winner from the day our colorist picked it!
Imagine it with a Richelle tip - so pretty!"Today I am sharing with you a color that I was really excited to get my tips on! Why? I have been on a search for a perfect, wearable, brown shimmer. After the most sought after, shall we say "hautest" (you know which one) color of the Holiday 2008 releases left me disappointed with flat, muddy looking tips, Zoya Kalista delivers the most perfect, wearable brown.""Zoya Kalista (from the Flourish collection) is a gorgeous mahogany nail color that is so shimmery, so intense and so gorgeous. If you have also been looking for a go-to brown for this upcoming holiday season, get Zoya Kalista."Katee - e-polishing
Posted by
Unknown on Sunday, November 9, 2008
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Unknown
Nails and pumkins made for haloween this year.
Posted by
Unknown
The Nail Status is need in of experienced manicurist.
Walk-in-interview at Far East Plaza or call 68362005 to arrange for interview.
More about → We are hiring~
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Unknown
Pay $200 upfront for Nails or Eyelash/Eyebrow services and get 20% off every session.
Valid for 1 year only.
*Terms and Conditions apply
More about → Package
Posted by
Unknown
The Nail Status Membership @ $75 for 1 yearMembership Renewal @ $40 *For year 2011*
Members' Perks
Classic Manicure + Classic Pedicure @ $38 (U.P $50)15% off other services and nails products*no min amount* Birthday Month Special:
50% off Services and 20% off Products(Unlimited usage during your birthday month!)
Newly added Perks!
- $3 Nail Painting
- $3 Toe Painting
- Spa Mani & Spa Pedi at $58
- Spa Mani & Spa Pedi at $70 @ The Nail Status Cottage #04-69
*Terms and Conditions apply*
*Not valid during Chinese New Year period*
*Membership is non-transferable*
Last updated: 10 Sep 2011
Posted by
Unknown on Thursday, November 6, 2008
Posted by
Unknown on Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Yep, it's Election Day! As an independent voter, I'll be voting for candidates of both major parties today, and possibly even a Constitution Party candidate (luckily I still have a few hours to make up my mind). This is my nod to politics for the week...yin and yang, checks and balances, all the things that make democracy great.
These are Zoya Colors - the red is Valentina, the blue is Kotori. I love them because they're so sparkly, but not thick glitter, so they'll still come off easily. I did the red first, then layered the blue on top, and used the white stripe in the center to hide my not-so-straight lines.
Whatever you do today, and whatever your nails look like, don't forget to vote!
Posted by
Unknown
EUROPE & ASIA NAIL CARE REPORT:Zoya Professional Nail Lacquer - The smart choice for natural nails is the smart choice for gel nails too!
Preliminary testing has shown that Zoya Professional Nail Lacquer is the only nail polish that can substitute expensive color nail gels when mixed with a single phase clear UV gel systems or painted over a UV multi-phase gel foundation directly and then sealed with a final UV gel coat for long-lasting nail color results.
Salon and spa professionals will be able to increase color options for their clients while controlling inventory costs of stocking costly colored gels. Zoya Professional Nail Lacquer bottles sell for 1/10th the salon price of a typical jar of gel color. Now, the same color can be used in both natural and gel nail services. The savings potential of this new discovery could be tremendous for nail care professionals and their clients making Zoya as powerful to nail techs as aspirin is to doctors.
__ __Here’s how it works…
Single Phase Gel System:
Prep the nail for gels as instructed, apply primer, followed by one thin layer of UV clear gel creating the base. Cure 2 minutes.
In a small pot, mix the customer’s preferred Zoya polish shade (40%) with the gel (60%). Apply this second thicker layer of Zoya tinted UV clear gel building the arch of the nail as desired. Cure for 3 minutes.
OrMulti Phase Gel System:
Paint Zoya Professional Nail Lacquer directly onto an already sculpted UV gel nail surface. Cure for 5 minutes.
Apply a third thin layer of UV clear gel and cure.
__ __
According to European and Japanese nail technicians this process works for natural nail overlays, sculpted nails or tips only applications. Zoya Professional Lacquers are formaldehyde free, toluene free, dbp free, camphor free and designed to wear up to 10 days on natural nails. Unique in every way!Disclaimer - While this new discovery using Zoya Professional Nail Lacquer is exciting, Art of Beauty (makers of Zoya) does not endorse gel systems and does not endorse or guarantee the results of mixing Zoya Professional Nail Lacquers with UV clear gel products or any other artificial nail systems.
More about → Eureka - The smart choice for natural nails is smart choice for gel nails too!
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Unknown
Here's a review we missed from a few days ago - it features another great commentary of the new Zoya Professional Nail Lacquer Flourish collection, color by color. Thanks Perfectly Polished Tips.It also has a review of the new Zoya Flourish colleciton coordinating Hot Lips Color, Starlet."I don't usually review cosmetics but these beauties followed Flourish home. Zoya Hot lips are pretty great. I've only worn Starlet so far, the gloss isn't overly sticky and the applicator is rounded making it easy to get the product out. It smells like those fire cracker ice pops, I think that is what they are called. It tastes nice too. Starlet is sheer but buildable which I like. I am not very big on wearing any type of color on my face, except blush. I was able to apply this gloss and only leave a light tint. It has glitter but it's not gritty and with the sheer coat I applied it wasn't visible. This can be a pro or con depending on what you like. Personally I'm not a huge glitter fan so I liked that I could wear it with out the glitter being an issue. The gloss also lasted for a decent amount of time which is great. You know what else is great? Matching your gloss to your polish. The three above match Richelle, Kalista, and Mieko almost perfectly."Dami - Perfectly Polished Tips
Posted by
Unknown on Monday, November 3, 2008
The Rave Reviews for Zoya's Flourish Collection are really coming in now... GORGEOUS and FABULOUS and PERFECT and SPARKLY, and FESTIVE! Flourish is fast becoming the season's MUST-HAVE nail color collection. Recent swatch reviews from All Lacquered up (shown here), The Crystal Files (shown here) and others show you just how wonderful each and every color (Richelle, Zara, Shivon, Mieko, Cyma and Kalista) in this collection is.
"The holidays seem to be extra sparkly this year with so many festive, glimmering polishes headed our way. Zoya's Flourish collection certainly fits in with that trend. This set of six glitzy shades is sure to put a twinkle in your eye. In the same vein as the Magique collection from two years ago, each lacquer has fine micro-glitter that peeks at you through ribbons of luscious gold shimmer."
Michelle - All Lacquered Up
"This (Zoya's Flourish)is such an amazing collection! The shimmer in these colors is absolutely out of control GORGEOUS! "
Hillary - The Crystal Files
Posted by
Unknown
Zoya's best selling Flourish Collection is a blogger favorite!
Looking for more polish reviews and swatches? Kelly at Vampy Varnish lets us in on her thoughts about a couple of Zoya Flourish Collection nail color shades...
Zoya Kalista
"Just gorgeous! As soon as I saw this color, I knew I had to possess it. It's SO up my alley! Lately I have really been into browns and this is the nicest one I have seen this season (yes folks, I like it even more than Chanel's Haute Chocolat!)."
Zoya Zara
"Another really beautiful totally original color! I have nothing like Zara. It's this really pretty lavender with tons of gold shimmer. And when I say tons I mean tons."
Kelly - VampyVarnishTeam Sugar also talks about Flourish with a posting on Zoya's Mieko.
More about → Vampy Varnish talks about Zoya Professional Nail Lacquer
2. Get your sheer (Starla) and brush over your whole nail or 90% of the way.
2. Get your sheer (Starla) and brush over your whole nail or 90% of the way.
