Although Amethyst is not a current color for the OPI Designer Series, it certainly is an “oldie but goodie!” I have a passion for purple nail polishes, and this is a purple with a ton of personality! I also love that the DS polishes have diamond dust Amethyst is of course a holo micro-glitter with a light purple base color. Application was supurb, but did require three coats for opacity. This polish dried quite quickly. Holy mother of sparkle Batman! Pow! What a knockout!

OPI Designer Series Amethyst in artificial light

As a holo the color really changed depending on the light source. In some artificial light the color appeared to be an almost subdued shimmery light purple. In sunlight or more direct artificial lighting the glitter really came to life! This polish truly is a gem! The pictures show three coats with a top coat.

OPI Designer Series Amethyst

The bottle picture is a fairly good representation of color’s appearance in indirect artificial light.

OPI Designer Series Amethyst in natural light

I can’t stop looking at my nails! I just love this color! I would describe it as shimmery electric blue. It reminds me of the blue foil on a Cadbury Crème Egg In fact I went out and bought a package so I could compare. It is pretty close!

BB Couture Prince Charming Blue in artificial light

The application on this polish was a total dream! Maybe that is why they named it Prince Charming It is supposed to be a 4 in 1 formulation (base coat, strengthener, color and top coat), but I still used a base coat since this is a darker color. I really hate stained nails!  I did skip the top coat though. The picture is two coats, and no top coat.

BB Couture Prince Charming Blue, BB Couture Poison Apple and a Cadbury Creme Egg!

Did I mention that I love, love, love this color?!?

BB Couture has truly awesome colors. The other day I picked-up a few of their polishes from Overall Beauty Although it was difficult, I limited myself to five selections (well one of them, Iced Olive, is actually for my husband). I got my package within two days, and when I opened it I had a surprise sixth bottle! I emailed the owner Kim and confirmed that right now orders of four or more are getting a freebee from the discontinued Hands of Hope collection (25% of the proceeds from this collection went to Haiti earthquake relief). Thanks Kim! Overall Beauty has outstanding service and great prices too!

Seriously these are some mouthwatering polishes! I can’t wait to get them on my nails!

BB Couture's Iced Olive, Bassins Bleu, Zuma Wave Rider, Prince Charming Blue, Dragon's Breath and Poison Apple

I love this time of year! We almost always have beautiful weather here in Northern California, but this time of year I feel an irresistible urge to spend time outside and smell the spring air! Although Techno Girl is not part of Sephora by OPI’s Modern Flowers collection it strikes me as being a floral color.

Sephora’s website Techno Girl as being “vivid azalea.” Many of the azaleas I have seen are more of a purplish pink, but overall I would say that is an accurate description of this bright pink crème.

Sephora by OPI's Techno Girl in artificial light

Application was smooth, but the formula was a bit more sheer than I expected with a color this bright. It took three coats for totally opaque coverage. The pictures are of three coats with a top coat.

Sephora by OPI's Techno Girl

This is a fun summery shade that I will enjoy wearing. The color is bright, but quite wearable for most any situation (depending on your job of course). I love the name too!

Sephora by OPI's Techno Girl in sunlight

I would describe my husband as being a sporty guy. He tends to shower multiple times a day, but no one would mistake him for a David Beckham type metrosexual. However recently he has discovered that by investing more energy in good grooming, he becomes even more handsome that he already was This is good news for both of us (if you read on, you will see that I mean this in more than one way)!

During the winter he tends to get very dry skin. This year his hands seemed to be especially dry and painful. He has been using Jack Black men’s shaving products since Christmas. Last time we were in Sephora he went straight to the men’s section and picked-up a tube of Jack Black’s Industrial Strength Hand Healer.

Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Healer

Wow, I don’t usually say this but this stuff is really a miracle product! It absorbs very quickly, and instantly made a serious difference in his super-dry skin! It really lasts too! He has tried a number of hand lotions before, only to find that they wear off very quickly. He raved so much, that I decided to give it a try too. There is a slight eucalyptus smell, but I did not find it to be overpowering or too masculine for me to use. Babe, you better watch out – I could see that hand healer ending-up with my stuff!

Purple with a Purpose is a medium purple shimmer. Indoors the shimmer is fairly subtle. It is much more pronounced in sunlight. It is a pretty color, but I was not really loving it the first day I applied it. I have been wearing it for two days now, and it has really started to grow on me. I especially like it in direct light which makes it appear quite vibrant!

Application was ok. I did notice some issues with “bald spots,” but I attribute that to a new Sephora base coat that I used. This is two coats with a  top coat.

OPI's Purple with a Purpose in artificial light

OPI's Purple with a Purpose

Purple Rain is my first NARS polish. The blue and pink shimmer was difficult to capture, but it is gorgeous!

NARS Purple Rain in artificial light

NARS Purple Rain close-up showing shimmer

This is two coats with a top coat. Application was a breeze, and it dried quickly too! The color is just amazing. The look changes significantly depending on the lighting, and it really dazzles in the sun. Although they are a tad pricey at $16, I am looking forward to buying more NARS nail polishes.

NARS Purple Rain

Pink and blue are probably my favorite colors, but purple and green are not far behind. I am excited to see the number of purple and green nail polishes that are new for this spring and summer (and still loving some older ones too)! Essie Mint Candy Apple is of course from their winter collection, but I only wore it once last winter and love this fresh color for spring

OPI Ink, Nars Purple Rain, OPI Purple with a Purpose, Sephora by OPI Domestic Goddess, OPI Lucky Lucky Lavender

OPI Done out in Deco, Essie Lilcism, OPI Jade is the New Black, OPI Green-wich Village, Essie Mint Candy Apple

Generally I don’t wear costume jewelry, but I have been itching for something new and really shouldn’t be spending too much at the moment (as a career changer I need to try to save a few bucks).

I was at Nordstrom the other day looking at their selection of Kate Spade jewelry. I am really feeling spring right now, and  two pairs of flower earrings caught my eye. The enamel daisies were cute and casual and the roses with crystal centers struck me as being more of a dressy evening earring. I ended-up buying both with the intention of picking one and keeping the other – at least that is how I rationalized it to myself! Anyway I decided that they are good for different occasions and are both keepers!

Kate Spade Flower Earrings

A bit of irony – I decide to start a nail polish blog, and the night before I break a nail! Arrg! Not a great start, but it does remind me of all the reasons I enjoy my nails. I normally wear them at medium length with a soft round shape. Pretty painted nails make me feel feminine and elegant. When I wear more outrageous colors they make me feel fashionable and fun! Just as with diamonds a few millimeters make a world of difference! Oh well, I trimmed and filed them so they were all short and even. It’s a good chance to try a fresh bright color that plays well on short nails – OPI’s No Room for the Blues

I love this color! It is fresh, bright and really gets noticed. It applied easily and covers well. This is two coats, with a top coat.

OPI's No Room for the Blues in artificial light

OPI's No Room for the Blues