Ultraviolet is a bright blueish-purple crème. In some lights it looked more purple and it some it looked more blue. It’s a fun, bright color that would be great for a pedicure too! For some reason it makes me think of jelly beans

Pop Beauty Ultraviolet in sunlight

Application was good, but it took me three coats to get totally opaque coverage. It actually dried a soft matte, but I prefer my polish shiny so I added a top coat. Three coats and a top coat shown.

Pop Beauty Ultraviolet

Blagger is a medium blue crème from Butter London’s new spring/summer collection.  A quick internet search revealed that a blagger is a smooth talker. Although it is a beautiful blue, I did not find that Blagger was a smooth lacquer. I tried this swatch several times, but I had application issues each time. The formula was thicker than other Butter London polishes I have tried, and I had some control issues. Although it did smooth out with a top coat, application issues annoy me

Butter London Blagger in sunlight

Application was so-so. It went on a bit thick and unevenly. Two coats and a top coat shown.

Butter London Blagger

Although I follow more of a “make Earth Day every day” philosophy, this year I did some volunteer work to celebrate Earth Day. My husband and I planted native and drought tolerant plants with a group of other dedicated volunteers. It was hard work, but we had a great time! We have been working on this sustainable demonstration garden for the past two years, and it is really starting to come together. Many of the plants from last year are in bloom and they look great! In the Bay Area’s semi-arid climate it is important to use water wisely, but you can still have an amazing garden using native and drought tolerant plants!

What did  you do for Earth Day this year?

Sustainable Grounds Project

Sustainable Grounds Project 2

Sustainable Grounds Project 3

Orly’s Royal Navy has been sitting in my untried box for quite a while now. I am not sure why it took me so long to try it, but what a shame because it sure is a beauty! It is a bright royal blue with fine teal glitter Such a beautiful summer blue, and application was a breeze too! I have a feeling I will be sporting this polish a few times this summer (and that it will make a great pedicure too!).

Orly Royal Navy in sunlight

Application was excellent. Two coats and a top coat shown.

Orly Royal Navy with flash to show glitter

Usually I stick to posts about nail polish. Although I think it is good to be focused, I have decided that I am going to include a few posts on other topics too. Two things this week inspired me to branch out a little bit. First was chatting with Debbie a woman from my Internet Marketing class. She also has a makeup blog, Nineveh Makeup Ministries, but she uses her blog to bring attention to makeup artists and companies that are making positive contributions to the world. I really like that idea! Volunteer work is an important activity in my life, so why not shine a little of that spirit on my own blog?? Almost immediately after my exchange with Debbie,  Sara from the Fresh Air Fund emailed to ask if be willing to tweet or blog about their need for summer host families. Their organization sends low-income kids from New York City on two week vacations so they can enjoy some fresh air and play outside. For many of these kids this is their first chance to venture outside of the city.

Although we live in a major metropolitan area, both my husband and I enjoy spending time biking, hiking and enjoying nature (the Bay Area is blessed with some beautiful natural places). Sara’s email made me realize that tend to take that luxury for granted.

What do Fresh Air children enjoy?

• Playing in the backyard
• Laughing in the sunshine
• Catching fireflies
• Riding bicycles
• Learning to swim
• Running barefoot through the grass
• Gazing at the stars on moonlit nights
• Building sandcastles
• Making new friends
• Simple pleasures of life away from the inner-city

If you or someone you know is able to host, please sign up now.

In 2010, The Fresh Air Fund’s Volunteer Host Family program, called Friendly Town, gave close to 5,000 New York City boys and girls, ages six to 18, free summer experiences in the country and the suburbs. Volunteer host families shared their friendship and homes up to two weeks or more in 13 Northeastern states from Virginia to Maine and Canada.

Thanks to host families who open up their homes for a few weeks each summer, children growing up in New York City’s toughest neighborhoods have experienced the joys of Fresh Air experiences.

Jasmine at Color Coated came up with the great idea to show blue manicures this month to promote autism awareness month. She is encouraging other beauty bloggers to do the same. I love blue polish, and and I am happy to join in promoting awareness of this important issue. I have a number of other fun blues lined up for this month, so stay tuned

Lady Muck is from Butter London’s new spring/summer collection. It is a pale periwinkle blue with a silver shimmer. Butter London’s polish is always a great way to learn fun British slang. I googled lady muck and found that it describes a lady who thinks of herself as very high class when in reality she is anything but. I wouldn’t want to be a lady muck, but it is a fun spring color!

I thought Lady Muck might be similar to BB Couture’s Blue Collar, but Lady Muck has much more grey in it and it a bit more shimmery. The are both great colors, but I think Blue Collar had a much better application.

Butter London Lady Muck in sunlight

Butter London Lady Muck and BB Couture Blue Collar

Application was ok. The polish went on a bit thicker than other Butter London polishes I have tried. Strangely after 2 coats I still had a few bald spots, so I had to do a little touch up on them. 2+ coats and a top coat shown.

Butter London Lady Muck

I reviewed the first half of Zoya’s Intimate collection before Spring Break. The new quarter started yesterday, and I am finally posting the second half of the collection.

Caitlin

Caitlin is a lovely bluish gray purple crème. Is similar to Kelly from last fall but much lighter.

Application was very good. Two coats and a top coat shown.

Zoya Caitlin

Dove

Just as the name would imply Dove is dove grey crème. It is a soft, elegant spring color.

Application was very good. Two coats and a top coat shown.

Zoya Dove

Marley

Marley is a pale lilac with a subtle silvery shimmer.

Application was a bit streaky, but it mostly leveled out by the third coat. A top coat took care of any remaining uneven spots. Three coats and a top coat shown.

Zoya Marley

Overall these are beautiful choices for spring. Zoya makes some of my favorite polishes, and these don’t disappoint!

Zoya Intimate Collection

Gilda is a hot pink/fuschia glass flecked beauty from Zoya’s Sparkle collection. In the bottle I see some gold flecks too, but I don’t see them on the nail. Today the Bay Area is experiencing some amazing 80 degree weather. It is the kind of day that really calls for something bright and summery. Gilda fits the bill nicely! I really, really like this as a mani but I think it is even better as a pedi color! Today I am wearing sandals, and enjoying the bright pink polish sparkling back at me

I usually order my Zoya online, but on my last trip to Whole Foods I noticed a Zoya display in the cosmetics area! Although it can be nice getting packages in the mail, I love instant polish gratification! Score!

Zoya Gilda in sunlight

Zoya Gilda

Application was a bit sheer, but otherwise very good. Three coats and a top coat shown.