A Sparkle and a Smile

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Nails Inc. Paint Can Spray On Nail Polish Review

Hello Beautiful Ones!

We should probably file this one under "things I just could not resist trying for myself." We all know that at-home manicures are definitely cheaper (and you can do them in your PJ's!), but not necessarily easier. Enter in the Nails Inc. Paint Can which you literally just spray onto your nails like spray paint. I know what you're thinking: Does it work? Well today I'm putting it to the test!



When I texted my sister and told her I was doing this her first reaction was "oh my god!" And her second reaction was "wait, how does that work?" I don't even know why she's still surprised at this point. But how does it work? Well, it involves an accompanying 2-in-1 base and top coat that has to be purchased separately called The Paint Can's Best Friend. Here's the step-by-step guide.

Step 1: Paint your nails with the base coat and let it dry.


Step 2: Shake the Paint Can and then spray your nails from about 4 inches away (the polish will also get on your skin and that's ok!). Let it dry for a couple of minutes.


Step 3: Paint your nails with the top coat and let it dry.


Step 4: Wash your hands with soapy warm water to remove the excess polish (being patient and gentle here is key).


Some (hopefully) helpful tips:

-Be extra careful when painting the base coat because that's what the polish is going to stick to (so try to stay away from your cuticles and cover the entire nail).
-I highly recommend laying down some newspaper or an old sheet when you are spraying the polish because it does get EVERYWHERE.
-Spray as evenly as you can and don't be afraid to do a couple of thin coats instead of all at once. Make sure you're staying about 4 inches away and not too close.
-Try not to touch anything you care about until your have washed the excess polish off your hands (she says as she scrubs neon pink off her T.V. remote).
-As I mentioned above, washing off the excess polish works best if you take it slowly and gently.
Now that we've established how it works, let's talk about if it works. Honestly, the whole thing went much better than I expected it to. After reading some pretty negative reviews my expectations were less than high. It seemed like a lot of steps for something that claims to be fast, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the base/top coat dried pretty quickly so I didn't have to wait long between each step. 

Currently the Paint Can comes in only three colors: Mayfair Lane (light pink), Shoreditch Lane (metallic silver), and Hoxton Market (hot pink). I'm guessing there are plans to expand on the color selection depending how well this first run goes over. Obviously I opted for the hot pink. It's a gorgeous color with a light shimmer to it and the color payoff is pretty good.

Now let's talk about durability. This is where it gets a little rocky. I started seeing some chipping after the first day of wear, particularly on my thumbs. The chipping is mostly centered on the nails I use most often (thumbs and index fingers). Here's a shot of each hand after 3 solid days of wear:



You can get the Paint Can for $12 with an additional $8 for the Paint Can's Best Friend 2 in 1 Base and Top Coat. The Paint Can is available from the Nails, Inc. website and Sephora.

So what's my final verdict here? The entire experience of applying the Paint Can was actually really fun! It was a nice little break from the "normal" process of painting my nails. With that being said, I wish it didn't chip so quickly. But I think with some improvements to the formula Nails, Inc. could really be onto something here!

Is it perfect? No. But if you're looking for something fun and new to splurge on then this might be exactly what you're looking for! Let me know if you're planning to try the Paint Can in the comments.

XO- Brittney

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Sunday, October 18, 2015

The PERFECT Fall Nail Color

Hello Beautiful Ones!

There is soup in my crockpot, apple cider in my mug, and fuzzy socks on my feet. I have finally decided to fully embrace fall! What better way to do that than with a gorgeous fall inspired nail shade? Nothing! Today we're talking about a color I'm officially obsessed with: Essie's Frock 'N Roll from their Fall 2015 collection.


I actually hesitated on buying this one, because it is just so much darker than the nail colors that I would normally gravitate towards. But as soon as I got it home and put in on my nails I was so happy. It is absolutely beautiful. 


Frock 'N Roll is a gorgeous deep plum, but what I think makes it really interesting is that it has an unexpected silver shimmer in it. It is a subtle enough that your nail doesn't look like a disco ball, but still gives the color a little extra dimension. 

It applied very easily and the coverage was great. I only needed one coat. The finish has a shine, but it's not too shiny. I've never met an Essie polish that didn't have good lasting power and this one is no exception. 

I am definitely going to be LIVING in this one this fall! What fall nail shades do you have your eyes on? I hope you can enjoy it with a cozy warm drink!

XO- Brittney 

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Thursday, January 15, 2015

Essie Cashmere Matte - Coat Couture

Hello Beautiful Ones!

It's no secret that I literally can't walk past an Essie display in the drugstore without picking up a new color (it's a problem... or not!). So naturally I HAD to try something from the new Matte Cashmere collection. Today I'm reviewing the shade Coat Couture.





All of the colors in this collection land in the warmer side of the color collection and are inspired by "rich cashmere" as Essie puts it. The finish is matte, but it has a really pretty shine to it. I've tried matte polishes in the past and I've never really been that crazy about them. I think what usually puts me off the matte colors is that they can seem a little one dimensional. But as Essie describes these have a "reflective pearl color." You'll probably want to skip the top coat on this one as the shine would take away from the matte finish.

Now let's talk about the shade I picked up. Coat Couture is a gorgeous grey/purple that is perfect for the winter. I can already tell that I'm going to be getting a lot of wear out of this one for the next few months. Like I said, it has a really great shine to it while still having a matte finish.

Let me know if anything in the Cashmere Matte collection has caught your eye!

XO-Brittney
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Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Essie Winter 2014: Jiggle Hi, Jiggle Low & Jump in my Jumpsuit

Hello Beautiful Ones!

It's officially December and I can practically feel the tinsel coursing through my veins. Ok that would be weird and probably not healthy, but the point is that I've been feeling super festive lately. So if you're like me and you are looking for more ways to express your holiday joy then Essie's new winter nail collection has you covered.


Essie's winter collection for 2014 includes 6 shades, and today I've got reviews and swatches of two of them: Jiggle Hi, Jiggle Low & Jump in my Jumpsuit. These are the two that I just couldn't walk by without picking them up at the store, I also think that these are perfect for any holiday parties you might have coming up. Let's get right to it shall we?

Jiggle Hi, Jiggle Low




As you can see from the pictures this is a gorgeous sparkly gold (but it can also look silver depending on the light.) I immediately gravitated towards this color when I saw it on the shelf, there is just something about sparkle that always grabs my attention (shocker). But even if glitter isn't your go to I think that there is just something about this time of year that begs for a little sparkle. My advice is to give it a try, you might just fall in love! But if you're still not convinced, this would also make an amazing accent nail.

Jump in my Jumpsuit




I'm going to be honest with you, whether it is on nails or lips I sometimes find red to be a little intimidating. But, I am officially in love with this one. It's a really gorgeous deep red that gives you amazing color and coverage with only one coat. You might already have something like this in your collection, but if not this one is great to have. I'm thinking I'm going to be rocking a lot more red this winter.

As always with Essie polishes the lasting power of these is fabulous. Have you tried anything from the Essie winter collection? Let me know in the comments!

XO- Brittney

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Wednesday, July 2, 2014

June Favorites!

Hello Beautiful Ones!

It's that time again... a new month! But before we all fire up the grills and (safely) light off the fireworks, I'm going to share with you my favorite things for the month of June.


These products have been some of my prime summer staples this last month. I just can't get enough of the warm weather!

MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow Duo in Spiced Metal- $22
This has been my go to summer shade lately. The duo has a light champagne color and a darker rusty/bronzy (not sure if that is even a word!) brown. Both shades are shimmery and gorgeous. I've been wearing the lighter color all over my lid and then the darker shade on the outer crease for a really pretty and summery look. Here is a swatch of the color in natural light:


I've pretty much all but ditched my foundation during these hot months, instead I've turned to this little baby. BB creams are all the rage right now (you probably already know this but BB stands for beauty balm), and you can get them from a lot of different brands. I've really been enjoying this one from Maybelline. It basically acts as a tinted moisturizer, but you could also use it as a primer for your foundation if you want a little more coverage. I just like that it is light and simple for the summer!

I've written about this one before... Basically it's just a really pretty gloss stick. I love the color and it gives a really nice shine. It's not super long lasting though, so be prepared to re-apply. I like to throw it in my purse for touch-ups during the day.

Disclaimer: I don't actually have the full size of this product, but I got a travel sized one in a benefit sample box I recently bought from Sephora (you can find it here) and I have been LOVING it. Basically it's a liquid highlighter that gives your skin a really pretty shimmer. I usually apply it to my brow bone just below the brow and on the top of my cheek bones. Summer must have!

I've been using the Jergens Natural Glow bronzing lotion for years now, so I got really excited when I heard that they were coming out with this new BB body cream. Jergens says that the BB Body "hydrates and illuminates instantly and evens, firms, and corrects in 5 days." Personally I don't use this every day, more like every other day. It's definitely not a miracle cream, but so far I've been liking it. It is very moisturizing and I do feel like it evens out my skin tone. If you're really going for the bronzer look I would stick with Natural Glow, but if a moisturizer is more your goal I would definitely give this one a try! As a bonus the smell is good too, not gross like some of the bronzers can be.

Sinful Colors is one of my absolute favorite drugstore nail polish brands because they are really inexpensive, long-wearing, and they have a large selection of colors. I love this minty green for the summer. It's just really bright and pretty, plus mint is really in season right now! Here is a color swatch:


Floral Hair Barrette 
I love my long, thick, and curly hair, but during the summer months it can get a little hot and heavy. This little hair clip has really come in handy, and I just love the cute floral print!


Owl Ring
I bought this little ring at the start of the summer, and I've been wearing it so much. I just love how it's cute and a little bit quirky. It's big but not too bulky, perfect to wear on my index finger.


These are just a few of my favorite things this month. Let me know what you were loving in June!

XO- Brittney


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