ORLY Sweet Collection

Yesterday, I got the itch to change up my mani. Last week, I wore Chanel Le Vernis in Particuliere. But the recent wave of warm weather had me craving a punchier polish. After sifting through my nail polish cache of about 125+ bottles, I still couldn't find a shade to get excited about. So I decided to postpone my polish change. But then the funniest thing happened. A sample of ORLY’s new spring 2010 Sweet Collection showed up in my mailbox and Pixy Stix had me at hello.


This collection of vibrant, candy-inspired pastels includes:

Gumdrop: pastel turquoise crème
Cotton Candy: baby pink crème
Lollipop: pastel purple crème
Pixy Stix: salmon crème
Snowcone: baby blue crème
Lemonade: pastel yellow crème

And each polish in this collection comes with a free matching flavored mini lip gloss key chain.

To achieve my manicure, I used Essie First Base base coat, followed by two coats of ORLY Pixy Stix then a coat of Seche Vite.

All ORLY nail lacquers, including the Sweet Collection, are free of DBP, Toluene, Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde resin. Oh…and you got a love the rubberized ‘Gripper Cap.’

The Sweet Collection ($7.50 per bottle) is available now at orlybeauty.com, Sally Beauty, and Ulta.

Peachy Keen

I don't look good in peach, so I was pleasantly surprised that it looks good on me. Case in point: two of Chanel's offerings from Cote d'Azur, the brand's summer 2009 collection.

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Orange Fizz drenches nails in a vibrant, orange creamsicle shade that looks gorge against golden tanned skin...which I happen to have (year-round, I might add). Oh, don't hate...appreciate! Two coats of Orange Fizz followed by a layer of Seche Vite creates a pretty pedi that looks 'just-did' for 2 weeks!

And I'm absolutely head over heels for Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in In Love. At first glance, it seems a doppelganger for NARS Orgasm Blush. But upon closer inspection, you'll find that the pigment is less sheer and sparkly. Light brown girls who have been disappointed by NARS' best-selling blush will absolutely swoon over In Love's peachy glow.

Thank Heavens For Seche Vite!

As usual, I waited until the absolute last minute to paint my nails, in preparation for my 10! Show appearance. I feared I might have to fall asleep with my hands carefully resting on my chest (as not to awaken with a sheet-marked manicure). But my beloved Seche Vite came through in the clutch and dried my two coats of MAC Hello Kitty Nail Lacquer in On The Prowl before my klutsy self had a chance to mess it all up.

China Glaze Nail Collections: Spring & Summer 2008

All winter, I wore dark and neutral nail colors. That is, when I actually had the time to do my nails. Now that Spring has sprung, I’m excited to switch things up. As I pack away my winter clothes and start rotating warm-weather fashions into my wardrobe, I’m excited to also dress my nails in something more vibrant. Bring on the brights, I say. And for Spring and Summer 2008, China Glaze has answered the call. So without further ado, I bring you China Glaze’s latest offerings…


OMG: Spring 2008

Stylish and techno-savvy ladies will surely want to put their fingers on OMG, a collection of holographic nail shades with just enough sparkle to create the ultimate frenzy. OMG features twelve micro-particle, holographic nail lacquer shades with names inspired by the age of text messaging. The OMG collection includes:

DVG – Holographic Teal
LOL – Holographic Purple
BFF - Holographic Pinkish Purple
IDK - Holographic Lavender
2Nite – Holographic Periwinkle Blue
OMG – Holographic Silver
QT – Holographic Rose Pink
TMI - Holographic Coral
TTYL – Holographic Pale Peach
FYI – Holographic Taupe
GR8 – Holographic Gold
L8R G8R – Holographic Pale Gold/Green


Ecollection: Spring 2008

Ecollection is a set of six eco-friendly shades inspired by the sun, clouds, trees, water, sand, and earth. Designed to preserve the beauty of our world's colors, the collection proves that going green is always fashionable. The Ecollection includes:

Unplugged – Metallic Bark
Hybrid – Shimmering Sand
Shower Together – Sky Blue
Tree Hugger – Fresh Cut Grass
Recycle – Rain Cloud Gray
Solar Power – Sunshine Yellow


INK: Summer 2008

Tattoo art has moved out of back alley parlors onto the couture collections of fashion's top designers with INK, a new collection of brilliant neons for brilliant self-expression. The collection consists of six vivid shades, black nail art lacquer with a fine tip brush, nail decals and rhinestones, and a limited-edition bottle of their Orange Cuticle Oil. The INK collection includes:

Blue Sparrow – Neon Blue with Glitter
Flying Dragon – Neon Purple w/ Pink and Blue Glitter
Rose Among Thorns – Neon Fuchsia
Sacred Heart – Neon Red
Japanese Koi – Neon Coral
Celtic Sun – Neon Yellow

Here’s a real-life look at a sampling of the collections.


Top row (l to r): Flying Dragon, GR8
Middle row (l to r): L8R G8R, Japanese Koi, Recycle
Bottom row (l to r): QT, Blue Sparrow, TMI, Shower Together

Spoiled Pretty’s Picks: Blue Sparrow and Flying Dragon are ab fab, but be warned that the addition of glitter to the formula results in a matte finish. So if you’re looking for a lacquered look, add a top coat. I like Seche Vite because it speeds drying time while adding shine. I also give the holographic shades two enthusiastic thumbs up – particularly GR8, QT, and L8R G8R (don’t be afraid of the green…it’s gorge). And be sure to snatch up Recycle. Gray is the hottest new nail color, however there aren’t too many on the market. This mid-tone gray looks chic on both pale and dark digits.

Haute Pink But A Hot Mess

A couple of days before leaving for Fashion Week, I realized I hadn’t given any thought to my nails. With all my last-minute running around, I didn’t have time to fit in a salon appointment. But then again, I certainly couldn’t show up to the fashion event of the season with tore-up looking nails.

Considering that my chosen outfits were mostly black, grays, and other neutrals – I wanted a nail color that would really pop. I wanted so badly to paint them with I’m Indi-a Mood for Love or ElePhantastic Pink, from OPI’s India Collection; but those polishes don’t hit stores until February 6th, so I had to improvise.

Milani Pink Pop satisfied my urge for bold, bubblegum colored nails – but this polish does have some major problems. Pink Pop goes on smoothly, yet - for some unknown reason - it dries to a semi-matte finish. But after two coats of the Milani, plus one coat of Seche Vite, my nails looked like pink patent-leather perfection.

Unfortunately, after 3 days, this polish starts chipping like nobody’s business. I suppose one could ward off the cracks by applying a clear top coat every few days. But I’m too lazy and scatterbrained for that.

Milani polishes cost around $3.50, so I suppose I can’t be too picky. I will use this polish again, because the color is just so darned fabulous. But if you’re at the drugstore and you pick up a bottle of Milani – be mindful that, in this case, you get what you pay for.

Patience Is a Virtue (That I Don’t Have)

I go to the hair salon every six weeks and I get my eyebrows waxed every four weeks, so you would think that I’m the type of person who gets a manicure regularly. Not so. The only time I really get my nails done is for special occasions - so nine times out of ten, I’m doing them myself. Why? It’s because I just can’t justify spending $10-15 on a manicure when I can just do my nails myself and use the money to buy a fabulous new lipgloss.

Anyway, the problem with doing my own nails is that it seems to take forever. Filing, buffing, and painting are a huge pain in the butt…but waiting for them to dry is the bane of my beauty existence. Frankly, I think that there is something in my DNA that makes it impossible for my nails dry in a reasonable time. You can't even imagine how many times I've gone to sleep with my hands carefully placed on my chest because my nails haven't dried in time for bed.

In the last few months, I’ve picked up some great products that cut my routine in half. And now, I’m happy to share my secrets with you.

OPI Ridge Filler contains natural silk to gently smooth out uneven natural nails when used prior to nail polish application.


Creative Solar Nail Oil is a light, penetrating natural blend of jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, and Vitamin E that softens the cuticle area and promotes strong, flexible nails.

Seche Vite is widely acknowledged as the world’s best top coat. Its patented formula allows it to penetrate to the base coat, forming a single, solid bond for a much more durable manicure which will not discolor or yellow. Helps dry nails in two minutes flat. In Style Magazine named Seche Vite a “Best Beauty Buy” for the past 10 years.

Sally Hansen No More Mistakes Manicure Clean-Up Pen is an innovative felt-tip pen that instantly erases nail color mistakes with just one stroke. Quick and precise, it won't ruin freshly applied nail color. As an added bonus, it’s refillable and comes with 2 extra replacement tips.

And for those times when you don't have any time at all, try...

Sally Hansen Natural Shine Instant Nail Finish is the ultimate low-maintenance nail tool, this translucent alternative to polish gives nails a healthy-looking, buffed shine in just one coat. It’s odorless, dries instantly, and the portable purse size is perfect for mini-manicures on the go!