 |
| Shimmer Polish Jennifer with distressed nails |
Showing posts with label Shimmer Polish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shimmer Polish. Show all posts
12 April 2014
The Neverending Pile Challenge: Day 3, Random: Beautiful Distressed with Shimmer Jennifer
Hi everyone! I hope you are enjoying your weekend. Here, I'm feeling a bit sad - we're having the first truly gorgeous weekend with lots of sun and warm temperatures, and I'm stuck inside with a huge pile of marking. It's like tax season for academics. Booo.
11 July 2013
Simple Stud Manicure with Shimmer Polish Mary
Hi everyone! When Cindy of Shimmer Polish sent me some of her polishes to review some time ago, I decided instead of swatching them, that I would use them for nail art. Now that I've shown five of these polishes, I'll admit that I'm starting to feel like I'm running out of ideas. I mean there's gradients (did that), tape manicures (did that as well), and skittle manicures (done, done, and done). Of course, there are other options, however, I do feel many of my future posts will use one or a combination of those three techniques.
And yet, when it came to Shimmer Polish Mary, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Mary is such a gorgeous jelly-based glitter polish, and I wanted to do something simple that would not overshadow the polish.
About this polish: Mary has a deep magenta-red jelly base with lots of shimmery red, silver, black, and what appears to be iridescent blue glitter. Some of the silver glitter is holographic, and the blue glitter shifts to flecks of purple on the nails. It was surprisingly easy to work with - a tad thick but not too much trouble, and it went on very smooth and evenly. I used two coats here topped with one coat of top coat. If you want a glassy smooth finish, however, I'd recommend two layers of top coat, or a coat of Gelous then top coat.
About the studs: The gold studs came from a set of silver and gold studs I received from the Born Pretty Store (previously reviewed here). I cannot emphasize how awesome this set is. Every time you see me use metal studs in my manicures, it's from this set. I've had it for several months now and the only one I'm running low on is the larger squares. In fact I still have many more uses out of this set. Don't forget you can use my coupon code MSL91 for 10% off any purchases at the Born Pretty Store.
Overall, I love this look. The polish has a very glamorous, almost diva-like feel to it. And the studs add a nice accent.
Shimmer Polish is available on Etsy, from Harlow & Co., and Overall Beauty. Follow Shimmer on Facebook, and the Shimmer Polish blog for updates.
What do you think of this design?
*Products provided for review, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more details.*
 |
| Shimmer Polish Mary |
And yet, when it came to Shimmer Polish Mary, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Mary is such a gorgeous jelly-based glitter polish, and I wanted to do something simple that would not overshadow the polish.
 |
| Simple stud manicure with Shimmer Polish Mary |
About this polish: Mary has a deep magenta-red jelly base with lots of shimmery red, silver, black, and what appears to be iridescent blue glitter. Some of the silver glitter is holographic, and the blue glitter shifts to flecks of purple on the nails. It was surprisingly easy to work with - a tad thick but not too much trouble, and it went on very smooth and evenly. I used two coats here topped with one coat of top coat. If you want a glassy smooth finish, however, I'd recommend two layers of top coat, or a coat of Gelous then top coat.
 |
| Simple stud manicure with Shimmer Polish Mary |
 |
| Simple stud manicure with Shimmer Polish Mary |
About the studs: The gold studs came from a set of silver and gold studs I received from the Born Pretty Store (previously reviewed here). I cannot emphasize how awesome this set is. Every time you see me use metal studs in my manicures, it's from this set. I've had it for several months now and the only one I'm running low on is the larger squares. In fact I still have many more uses out of this set. Don't forget you can use my coupon code MSL91 for 10% off any purchases at the Born Pretty Store.
 |
| Simple stud manicure with Shimmer Polish Mary |
Overall, I love this look. The polish has a very glamorous, almost diva-like feel to it. And the studs add a nice accent.
Shimmer Polish is available on Etsy, from Harlow & Co., and Overall Beauty. Follow Shimmer on Facebook, and the Shimmer Polish blog for updates.
What do you think of this design?
*Products provided for review, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more details.*
04 July 2013
Fourth of July Nail Art With Shimmer Nichole
Hi everyone! Even though I live in Canada, I have family in the United States, I used to live there, and I recently became a US Permanent Resident. So to celebrate my first Independence Day as a Green Card holder, I decided to do some red, white and blue nail art.
Like a lot of people I took the opportunity to use Shimmer Polish Nichole, part of the package sent to me by Cindy of Shimmer Polish. Nichole is a clear-based glitter topper with silver, red, and blue micro and hex glitter of different sizes. Some of the small hex glitter is holographic. It really is stunning and easy to apply. On my index finger I used one coat, so there is also great glitter payoff.
The red is OPI Magazine Cover Mouse, and the blue is Zoya Song. For the white I used Sally Hansen White On. The black outlines of the stars are done with Orly Liquid Vinyl.
The stripes I did freehand of course. For the stars, I painted the star with black polish, then filled it in with white. My final step was to dab on some glitter. Everything was topped off with KBShimmer Clearly On Top, which is an excellent top coat. I've started to use it for nail art and I find it doesn't smear my designs like Seche Vite does.
Shimmer Polish is available on Etsy, from Harlow & Co., and Overall Beauty. Follow Shimmer on Facebook, and the Shimmer Polish blog for updates.
What do you think of this? Did you do some nail art for the Fourth of July?
*Shimmer Polish provided for review, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more details.*
Like a lot of people I took the opportunity to use Shimmer Polish Nichole, part of the package sent to me by Cindy of Shimmer Polish. Nichole is a clear-based glitter topper with silver, red, and blue micro and hex glitter of different sizes. Some of the small hex glitter is holographic. It really is stunning and easy to apply. On my index finger I used one coat, so there is also great glitter payoff.
 |
| Fourth of July nail art |
 |
| Fourth of July nail art |
The red is OPI Magazine Cover Mouse, and the blue is Zoya Song. For the white I used Sally Hansen White On. The black outlines of the stars are done with Orly Liquid Vinyl.
 |
| Fourth of July nail art |
 |
| Fourth of July nail art |
The stripes I did freehand of course. For the stars, I painted the star with black polish, then filled it in with white. My final step was to dab on some glitter. Everything was topped off with KBShimmer Clearly On Top, which is an excellent top coat. I've started to use it for nail art and I find it doesn't smear my designs like Seche Vite does.
Shimmer Polish is available on Etsy, from Harlow & Co., and Overall Beauty. Follow Shimmer on Facebook, and the Shimmer Polish blog for updates.
What do you think of this? Did you do some nail art for the Fourth of July?
*Shimmer Polish provided for review, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more details.*
16 June 2013
Shimmer Polish Vivian Stained Glass Nails
Hi everyone! It's been a while since I've done some nail art with the Shimmer Polish samples I received last month. I've had stained glass nails on the brain lately, so naturally, when I was brainstorming ideas for my Shimmer Polish I thought "glitter stained glass, of course!" ;)
My intention was to showcase Vivian, as I've been doing with previous nail art designs. Unfortunately the polish gets overshadowed by the glitz of the stained glass design. Poor Vivian. I will tell you that Vivian is an intriguing polish from this brand. It has a black-brown base and what looks like copper, rose, silver, and holographic glitter. It has an overall neutral brown look but the holo glitter keeps it interesting. On my index finger I only needed two coats for full opacity. The application is excellent - it is a bit thick but goes on smoothly.
For the stained glass nails I used Shimmer Vivian, Jasmine, and Karen. The black lines were done with Orly Liquid Vinyl. I started by painting the outlines and the inside lines on each nail. Then I filled in the spaces and reinforced the black lines at the end. It's not as delicate as I would hope but the glitter makes it difficult to paint fine lines.
For my pinky and thumb I used a base of Lime Crime Milky Ways with a dot of Vivian instead of a stud.
I just finished this design not too long ago (it's on my nails as I'm typing this), so I'm still undecided how I feel about it. Do you ever feel that way about the nail art that you do? Like you need some time to process something first? I do feel they look better in person where the details are more obscured and the imperfections less visible.
What do you think of this design? Have you tried Shimmer Polish?
*Shimmer Polish provided for review, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more details.*
 |
| Shimmer Polish Vivian |
My intention was to showcase Vivian, as I've been doing with previous nail art designs. Unfortunately the polish gets overshadowed by the glitz of the stained glass design. Poor Vivian. I will tell you that Vivian is an intriguing polish from this brand. It has a black-brown base and what looks like copper, rose, silver, and holographic glitter. It has an overall neutral brown look but the holo glitter keeps it interesting. On my index finger I only needed two coats for full opacity. The application is excellent - it is a bit thick but goes on smoothly.
 |
| Shimmer Polish Vivian Stained Glass Nails |
 |
| Shimmer Polish Vivian Stained Glass Nails |
For the stained glass nails I used Shimmer Vivian, Jasmine, and Karen. The black lines were done with Orly Liquid Vinyl. I started by painting the outlines and the inside lines on each nail. Then I filled in the spaces and reinforced the black lines at the end. It's not as delicate as I would hope but the glitter makes it difficult to paint fine lines.
 |
| Shimmer Polish Vivian Stained Glass Nails |
For my pinky and thumb I used a base of Lime Crime Milky Ways with a dot of Vivian instead of a stud.
 |
| Shimmer Polish Vivian Stained Glass Nails |
I just finished this design not too long ago (it's on my nails as I'm typing this), so I'm still undecided how I feel about it. Do you ever feel that way about the nail art that you do? Like you need some time to process something first? I do feel they look better in person where the details are more obscured and the imperfections less visible.
What do you think of this design? Have you tried Shimmer Polish?
*Shimmer Polish provided for review, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more details.*
28 May 2013
Tape Manicure With Shimmer Polish Erica
Hi everyone! A quick reminder that my current giveaway ends in less than two hours, see the original post HERE for entry details. I'm back with another gorgeous creation from Shimmer Polish. I don't know about you, but I'm really enjoying these polishes, and I love slowly working my way through them.
I have a love/hate relationship with tape manis. Love because I enjoy the look of them, and there's endless possibilities. Hate because waiting for the base polish to dry thoroughly can be such a drag. I don't know where I got the idea to combine studs and a tape design, but that was the starting point for this mani.
Shimmer Polish Erica is a clear-based glitter polish that can be layered over another polish or built up to full opacity with 2-3 coats. Erica is described as a "crystal peridot," and while it appears to be light green, that's the result of the mixture of glitter. It's mainly made up of gold, silver, green and teal (from what I can tell), with a good helping of gold holo glitter. I love how it sparkles in the daylight and in low light.
I started with a base of OPI My Vampire is Buff (of course!), and used one coat of Erica where I did the tape design. I had planned to use circle studs but didn't like how they looked, so I made a last minute switch to the stars. Everything was done, then I looked at my nails and realized...
...they looked like Christmas trees! Grrrrrr... FML. Not that I have anything against holiday decor, just not in late May. Maybe if I was gearing up for half-Christmas. ;)
Otherwise I love the combination of the glitter with the base polish. It has a softer look I think.
Shimmer Polish is available on Etsy, from Harlow & Co., and Overall Beauty. Follow Shimmer on Facebook, and the Shimmer Polish blog for updates.
What do you think of this design or this Shimmer Polish?
*Shimmer Polish provided for review, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more details.*
I have a love/hate relationship with tape manis. Love because I enjoy the look of them, and there's endless possibilities. Hate because waiting for the base polish to dry thoroughly can be such a drag. I don't know where I got the idea to combine studs and a tape design, but that was the starting point for this mani.
 |
| Shimmer Polish Erica |
Shimmer Polish Erica is a clear-based glitter polish that can be layered over another polish or built up to full opacity with 2-3 coats. Erica is described as a "crystal peridot," and while it appears to be light green, that's the result of the mixture of glitter. It's mainly made up of gold, silver, green and teal (from what I can tell), with a good helping of gold holo glitter. I love how it sparkles in the daylight and in low light.
 |
| Tape mani with Shimmer Polish Erica |
I started with a base of OPI My Vampire is Buff (of course!), and used one coat of Erica where I did the tape design. I had planned to use circle studs but didn't like how they looked, so I made a last minute switch to the stars. Everything was done, then I looked at my nails and realized...
 |
| Tape mani with Shimmer Polish Erica |
...they looked like Christmas trees! Grrrrrr... FML. Not that I have anything against holiday decor, just not in late May. Maybe if I was gearing up for half-Christmas. ;)
 |
| Tape mani with Shimmer Polish Erica |
Otherwise I love the combination of the glitter with the base polish. It has a softer look I think.
Shimmer Polish is available on Etsy, from Harlow & Co., and Overall Beauty. Follow Shimmer on Facebook, and the Shimmer Polish blog for updates.
What do you think of this design or this Shimmer Polish?
*Shimmer Polish provided for review, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more details.*
20 May 2013
Seven Deadly Sins Challenge, Day 7: Sloth
Hi everyone! Another blogging milestone today ... I made my first video tutorial! But more on that in a bit.
So the theme for today's challenge was as follows: "Don't try too hard but explain to everyone how to do something really easy... (tutorial)" I've been putting off doing tutorials since I started this blog several months ago. So this prompt was exactly what I needed to take that leap.
I've been asked several times how I do glitter gradients, so that was the topic of my video tutorial. I'll let the video do the talking (literally haha!).
If you're not watching the video, I used Sinful Colors Sugar Rush as my base colour, and Shimmer Polish Sarah as my glitter. Sarah is a gorgeous glitter polish, my photos or video do not do it justice. As with all polishes from Shimmer Polish you really need to look at it in the sunlight to appreciate the full effect. I think next time I review one of these, I will try to do some sunlight photos. :)
Sarah has a slight blue-tinted base, and a beautiful mixture of teal, purple, and green glitter. There are also blue hexes that are slightly larger than the other glitter, but still small in size. There are also hints of gold glitter in the mixture. Like the Shimmer Polish I reviewed previously, this one also is mainly comprised of tiny sized glitter. It's a perfect polish for a gradient.
I tried to embed the video, but it didn't work, so the link can be found HERE. If you do watch the video, I'd really appreciate any constructive feedback you may have. A word of warning though, I tend to say "umm..." and "sooo..." a lot. You've been warned! ;)
Thanks for reading and watching!
*Shimmer Polish provided for review, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more details.*
So the theme for today's challenge was as follows: "Don't try too hard but explain to everyone how to do something really easy... (tutorial)" I've been putting off doing tutorials since I started this blog several months ago. So this prompt was exactly what I needed to take that leap.
I've been asked several times how I do glitter gradients, so that was the topic of my video tutorial. I'll let the video do the talking (literally haha!).
 |
| Glitter gradient manicure with Shimmer Polish Sarah |
If you're not watching the video, I used Sinful Colors Sugar Rush as my base colour, and Shimmer Polish Sarah as my glitter. Sarah is a gorgeous glitter polish, my photos or video do not do it justice. As with all polishes from Shimmer Polish you really need to look at it in the sunlight to appreciate the full effect. I think next time I review one of these, I will try to do some sunlight photos. :)
 |
| Glitter gradient manicure with Shimmer Polish Sarah |
Sarah has a slight blue-tinted base, and a beautiful mixture of teal, purple, and green glitter. There are also blue hexes that are slightly larger than the other glitter, but still small in size. There are also hints of gold glitter in the mixture. Like the Shimmer Polish I reviewed previously, this one also is mainly comprised of tiny sized glitter. It's a perfect polish for a gradient.
 |
| Glitter gradient manicure with Shimmer Polish Sarah |
I tried to embed the video, but it didn't work, so the link can be found HERE. If you do watch the video, I'd really appreciate any constructive feedback you may have. A word of warning though, I tend to say "umm..." and "sooo..." a lot. You've been warned! ;)
Thanks for reading and watching!
*Shimmer Polish provided for review, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more details.*
17 May 2013
Spring Skittlette With Shimmer Polish Leslie
Hi everyone! If you follow me on Instagram you know that last week I received an epic package from Shimmer Polish. Cindy, the creator of Shimmer, sent me 14 polishes to review and I was blown away by all the gorgeousness in that package. I could just rush through them and show you two or three posts of swatches, but that didn't seem like fun, and I've already seen many swatches of these polishes on the blogisphere. Instead I decided to do some nail art with each one. My aim is to feature one or two polishes each week and come up with different nail art designs for each one.
If you aren't familiar with the brand, Shimmer Polish had done well focusing on one main type of polish - glitter bombs. They consist mainly of small to tiny sized glitter suspended in either a clear or tinted base. What I love about these is that they can be layered, or built up to full coverage in 2-3 coats. Also I love the complexity of the glitter in each one. I could stare at a polish for ages and still not be able to adequately describe the mixture of glitter in it.
First up is Leslie. I love blues so naturally I gravitated to this mixture of blue, lavender, and cyan glitter. Leslie also has hints of gold and tiny red glitter. Overall it has a periwinkle colour, which comes out of the blend of several different colours of glitter. It's fascinating and gorgeous all at the same time! Leslie has a clear base so it's perfect for layering over a variety of different colours.
With that in mind, I decided to do a fun springtime skittlette with several polishes from the Sinful Colors Sugar Rush collection - Sugar Rush, Orange Cream, Sugar N Spice, and Sweet Tooth. On the accent nail I did some simple outline hearts, filled them in with the Sinful Color polishes and a bit of Shimmer Polish Leslie on top.
At first I was not too sure how I felt about the hearts. They have a cartoonish look, where the glitter gradient is more delicate. But then the contrast started to appeal to me. Some nail artists do a very good job of working in different styles, and combining different styles on the same hand, and I wish I was better at doing mix and match designs that way.
Overall, I really loved Shimmer Leslie. The colours are gorgeous and it was perfect for doing glitter gradients. As you can see from the skittlette it also works with a variety of colours.
Shimmer Polish is available on Etsy, from Harlow & Co. (note: Leslie is not available at Harlow & Co.), and Overall Beauty. Follow Shimmer on Facebook, and the Shimmer Polish blog for updates.
What do you think of this design? Have you tried Shimmer Polish?
*Shimmer Polish provided for review, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more details.*
If you aren't familiar with the brand, Shimmer Polish had done well focusing on one main type of polish - glitter bombs. They consist mainly of small to tiny sized glitter suspended in either a clear or tinted base. What I love about these is that they can be layered, or built up to full coverage in 2-3 coats. Also I love the complexity of the glitter in each one. I could stare at a polish for ages and still not be able to adequately describe the mixture of glitter in it.
 |
| Shimmer Polish Leslie |
First up is Leslie. I love blues so naturally I gravitated to this mixture of blue, lavender, and cyan glitter. Leslie also has hints of gold and tiny red glitter. Overall it has a periwinkle colour, which comes out of the blend of several different colours of glitter. It's fascinating and gorgeous all at the same time! Leslie has a clear base so it's perfect for layering over a variety of different colours.
 |
| Spring skittlette with Shimmer Polish Leslie |
With that in mind, I decided to do a fun springtime skittlette with several polishes from the Sinful Colors Sugar Rush collection - Sugar Rush, Orange Cream, Sugar N Spice, and Sweet Tooth. On the accent nail I did some simple outline hearts, filled them in with the Sinful Color polishes and a bit of Shimmer Polish Leslie on top.
 |
| Spring skittlette with Shimmer Polish Leslie |
At first I was not too sure how I felt about the hearts. They have a cartoonish look, where the glitter gradient is more delicate. But then the contrast started to appeal to me. Some nail artists do a very good job of working in different styles, and combining different styles on the same hand, and I wish I was better at doing mix and match designs that way.
 |
| Spring skittlette with Shimmer Polish Leslie |
Overall, I really loved Shimmer Leslie. The colours are gorgeous and it was perfect for doing glitter gradients. As you can see from the skittlette it also works with a variety of colours.
Shimmer Polish is available on Etsy, from Harlow & Co. (note: Leslie is not available at Harlow & Co.), and Overall Beauty. Follow Shimmer on Facebook, and the Shimmer Polish blog for updates.
What do you think of this design? Have you tried Shimmer Polish?
*Shimmer Polish provided for review, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more details.*
