Nail Art & Review: BornPrettyStore Nail Polish Pen

Time for some nail art! The nail art design I am showing you here features the Nail Polish Pen from BornPrettyStore in colour #2, black.

It is a black pen with a cap, under which the tip lies. It's rather small and very pointy, a good thing for details and fine lines. You have to shake the pen really well, and then press the tip down on a piece of paper. Pump until the product comes out and covers the tip. Then you can start to draw!

The nail polish is highly pigmented and you can immediately get a clear and visible line. It's also quite simple to draw with it; it of course requires a steady hand, but it really glides over your nail.

The only tiny problem I experienced was that after some drawing, no nail polish would come out, no matter how often I pumped. But when I let it sit for a while, it worked all fine again. Maybe I was pushing it.

The colour stays very well, but keep in mind to use a top coat on it! If you don't, your design will eventually wash off.

All in all, I'm a huge fan of this nail art pen. It's way easier to handle than regular nail polish, and your possibilities with it are endless. I can definitely recommend it!

Products used for the design:

Essie - Not Just A Pretty Face (nude base colour)

BornPrettyStore Nail Art Pen #2 Black (floral details)

top coat

If you want to get your own nail art pen, be sure to use the code MS10K31 when checking out, so you get 10% off your order!

I really like how this design turned out! What do you think about it?

xx, Misch

This product was sent to me for review.

NOTD: Essie - Cute As A Button

Today I'd like to show you Cute As A Button by Essie.

Cute As A Button is a coral-toned pink shade. It's bright enough not to be considered a pastel, and has a very glossy creme finish. In reality it is a little less pink than in the picture.
Its consistency is very jelly-like, making for a visible nail line when wearing it. It's patchy with the first coat, but looks great with the second. If you don't mind to have some nail line showing, you can definitely leave it at 2 coats.

Cute As A Button is one of my favourite shades because it's a lot of fun to wear, but still not obnoxiously bright. It is part of Essie's permanent line.
You can also see me wearing it here with a Paisley nail art design.

Does anyone of you own this nail polish?

xx, Misch

NOTD: Peony Flower Nail Art

Here's some new nail art from me! A floral theme, because I'm tired of the grey weather outside. And as we're going to be stuck with it for quite some more time, why not bring colour to my nails at least?
The design are some flowers. I was inspired by peonies, but did not completely stay true to their looks, but rather settled on what looked good in my opinion.

Peony Flower Nail Art - Products used:
Essie Mint Candy Apple (background colour)
Essie Marshmallow (for white parts of the flowers)
Essie Need A Vacation (for light pink parts of the flowers)
Essie Watermelon (for dark pink parts of the flowers)
OPI Jade Is The New Black (for the leaves)
make-up sponge (to dab on the flowers)
BornPrettyStore Nail Brush No. 1 (to draw)

The great things about this type of flower is that you don't have to be exact at all. You can dot on the colours, swirl them together, mix them, everything is possible! You can make them as accurate or random as you like. I first used a make-up sponge to simply dab them on, and then went in with a nail art brush to add some more defined details. But that's totally up to you!

Do you like the design?

xx, Misch

Paisley Nail Art + BornPrettyStore Brushes Review

After showing you my little haul from BornPrettyStore, today it's time for the first nail art design using the products!

Paisley Nail Art - products used:
Essie Cute As A Button
Essence 50s Girls Reloaded LE 01 Ahoy
BornPrettyStore Nail Art Brushes*

The design is very detailed and took quite so time to create, but I think it was well worth it! I used all three of the nail art brushes, which vary in bristle length. So for longer lines, I used the longer brushes, and same goes for the shorter lines.

All brushes are very thin, and especially once you dip them into polish they leave one controlled thin line. By varying the pressure on the nail you can determine how thick your line turns out.

The brush I like best is the first one, with the shortest bristles. You have the most control with it, and you don't have to fear slipping with the long bristles, which might happen when you use the brush with the longest bristles. But with a steady hand you can control them all nicely.

Cleaning was also very easy, I wiped them on a cotton pad soaked in nail polish remover, and the colour came off right away. They also didn't lose any bristles.

I'm very pleased with these nail art brushes! They are great for all kinds of details, not only lines. I love how precise you can be with them, and the price is also really great! They retail for 2,99$ on the website as linked above.

If you're looking for new nail art brushes, I can highly recommend these!

xoxo, M



* THIS IS A SPONSORED POST

NOTD: Essie - Need A Vacation

Here is Essie's Need A Vacation for you.

This shade is a bubblegum pink, but not too bright. It's a nice creme, and also applies like one. Very smooth, and rather easy to achieve great coverage with 2 coats.

In Germany this was available as part of a Spring 2014 Pastels Collection, but I don't think it was available anywhere else. The shade itself, is, though, so you can go and check it out. It's a lovely girly pink!

What do you think of it?
xoxo, M

NOTD: Essie - Strut Your Stuff

This is Strut Your Stuff by Essie.

It is of a medium blue shade, very much like a sky blue. It looks very creamy and doesn't contain any shimmer particles. Essie calls it a "compelling cobalt aqua", which I find to be a rather accurate description.
The formula is rather thin at first, looking a lot like a jelly. But with a second coat it builds up very nicely, making for a full, creamy coverage. I am, however, wearing 3 coats in these pictures.

Strut Your Stuff is part of Essie's Summer 2014 Collection, called Haute In The Heat. It should therefore still be available!

What do you think of it?
xoxo, M

NOTD: Butterfly Wings Nail Art

Time for some more nail art!

This is actually a design I already did about two years ago, but I was in the mood of recreating it, and to be honest, I really love the result. It's supposed to depict the wings of a butterfly.

Products I used:
Kiko 279
OPI My Paprika Is Hotter Than Yours
Essie Forever Yummy
p2 eternal
Essence Stampy White Nail Polish
make-up sponge for gradient
toothpick

It takes some time to do this, but it's not as hard to do as it looks. I can do a tutorial for it in case you're interested!

What do you think of it?
xoxo, M

NOTD: Essie - Go Ginza

This beauty I'm showing you today is called Go Ginza, and it's by Essie.

Go Ginza is a dreamy pastel nail polish that falls somewhere between baby pink and lilac, though it does lean more towards a lavender, cool-toned side. It has a creme finish.

Application is fine as it glides on smoothly. You do have to be careful with your application, however, because due to its light colour it might get a bit patchy. But it's coverage is rather nice, I'm showing you 2 coats.

Go Ginza is part of Essie's permanent line and therefore easily accessible.

What do you think of it?

xoxo, M

NOTD February 5th: Essie - Nice Is Nice

Hey there!

Today I'd like to show you guys a pretty nail polish I recently picked up, Nice is Nice by Essie!

Nice is Nice is a light lilac creme, and it's very cool-toned. There isn't really much more to it.

Application was fine, it glided on nicely and had a great coverage right away. I did three thin coats for the result shown in the pictures.

Nice is Nice was originally part of the Spring 2011 Collection, but it's still available.

Let me know if you are interested in a comparison featuring other lilac shades, such as OPI Do You Lilac It? and China Glaze Light As Air. I'd be more than happy to do one for you!

Do you like Nice is Nice?

xoxo, Misch

NOTD January 10th: Essie - Forever Yummy

Hello everyone!

Today I'm going to show you Forever Yummy by Essie.

Forever Yummy is a red creme. It's very shiny and darker than bright red, more leaning towards blood. But you can still easily tell that it's a red, it's not dark enough to look blackened. It's rather blue-toned.

Application was really nice, it was very squishy, which also makes for a great amount of shine. I did three coats for the result shown in the pictures, but you could get away with two thicker ones.

Forever Yummy really is a classy shade of red, it's not too bright but also not dark. I really love the way it looks, although it's most definitely a rather basic shade and more than easily dupeable. If you'd like to see a comparison to similar reds, please let me know!

What do you think of it?
xoxo, Misch

NOTD January 6th: Essie - Mint Candy Apple

Hey there!

Today I'd like to show you a nail polish I recently purchased, Mint Candy Apple by Essie.

Mint Candy Apple is a mint creme. It falls perfectly between blue and green, not leaning strongly towards either. It's somewhat pastel.

Application was good, it's very creamy and smooth. I ended up doing 3 thin coats to avoid patchiness, but it already looked great after two.

I really like Mint Candy Apple as it's a light and subtle shade, but still not boring. It's a bit elegant and very wearable, so I can highly recommend it. 

Has anyone of you tried this shade?

xoxo, Misch

NOTD November 8th: Essie - After School Boy Blazer

Hi guys!

Today I'd like to show you one of Essie's current nail polishes, After School Boy Blazer.

After School Boy Blazer is a very deep blue creme, very shiny, too. It's not blackened, however.
Application was great, it is very very pigmented. 1 coat was almost enough, but I added a second coat just to be sure.

After School Boy Blazer is part of Essie's Fall Collection for 2013, called For The Twill Of It. It is available now!

What do you think of it?
xoxo, Misch

NOTD November 6th: Essie - School Of Hard Rocks

Hey everyone!

Today I'd like to show you Essie's School Of Hard Rocks!

School Of Hard Rocks is a dusty creme. It's color is somewhere between blue, green and grey, quite hard to define! On me it looks mostly like a tealish blue in my opinion.

Application was good, it was on the rather thin side but easily manageable. I did 3 thin coats for this result as it was a bit patchy after 2.

School Of Hard Rocks was part of Essie's Winter Collection of 2011, but you might still be able to get it!

I really love this shade, it makes for a gorgeous fall color, and it's very interesting!
What do you think of it?

xoxo, Misch

October '13 Favourites

Hey there!

Today I'd like to share my favorites of the month of October with you guys :) Even though I wasn't really posting frequently, that doesn't mean that I didn't use any cosmetics!
Here are my favs:

Sleek Blush by 3 Flame - I love love love this blush palette! The colors are bright and warm, perfect for autumn, and they are great to wear :) My review can be found here *click*.

Essence Superheroes LE Thermo Effect Nail Polish 01 Fantastic Girl - even though I only bought this towards the end of the month, I am so so mesmerized by its effect that I just had to include this here! You can see it on my nails in this post *click*.

Essie Not Just A Pretty Face - this is a stunning nude nail polish, and I love wearing it on my toes! I always just reapply it, a great shade! Can be seen on my nails here *click*.

Kiko Eyeshadow 132 - a beautiful warm brown shade with a golden shimmer. Great for all kinds of looks! You can see swatches of it here *click*.

Sephora Waterproof eye makeup remover - I bought this one during my recent trip to France, and quite enjoy using it! A review will come up soon :)

So, that's it for my monthly favorites! What were yours? Share them with me!

xoxo, Misch

NOTD September 14th: Essie - Not Just A Pretty Face

Hey there!
Today I'd like to show you a nail polish I recently picked up, Not Just A Pretty Face by Essie.

Not Just A Pretty Face is a nude pink color. It is rather warm-toned and a creme, very shiny too.

Application was really great! With the first coat it seems very very sheer, but it builds up nicely after 2 already! I did 3 coats here.

In Germany, Not Just A Pretty Face sells right now as part of the Russian Roulette Collection, which constist of a couple of permanent shades. I know you can get it online, too!

I really love this nude color, it works nicely with my skin tone and I really enjoy wearing it!
What do you think of it?

xoxo, Misch

May 2013 Favorites

Hello everyone!
It's already the first of June today, so that means it's time for a favorites post! Here are my May '13 Favs!

Balea Body Butter Sunny Peach - I love the scent of this body butter, it smells so good! And it moisturizes really well, so I used this quite often this month :) Review
Belea Professional After Sun 2in1 Shampoo and Conditioner - this is a new product I tried during my vacation, a hair product to be used after being out in the sun. It's shampoo and conditioner in one, and has a sweet tropical scent. Review is planned!
Balea Professional Oil Repair Hair Oil - another hair product I used during my vacation. This one really saved my hair, because it gets dry so easily! Love this hair oil! Review
Catrice Geometrix LE Translucent Mattifying Powder - even though this powder doesn't last too long, I still enjoyed using it, as it's very natural and mattifies nicely! Don't mind having to touch it up during the day. Review
Essence Rebels LE Lip & Cheek Pot 01 Peach Punk - a blush from last year that I used again this month. Love the color! Review
Essence Sun Club LE Bronzer 01 De-light-fully Delicious - another old product, a couple of years old already! But the shade of this bronzer still fits me nicely, that's why I still use it!
Essence Wild Craft LE Duo Brush - the paddle side of this brush is what I use to apply my bronzer with. It has the perfect shape for that, love it! Review
Essie Glass Nail File - I got this little nail file with a special deal at a drugstore. It was a gift for every purchase of an Essie nail polish! And I like using this one a lot!

This concludes my favorites for the month of May! Please leave me some links to your favorites posts!
xoxo, Misch

NOTD May 17th: Essie - Maximillian Strasse Her

Hey there!
Today I'd like to show you the latest addition to my collection, Maximillian Strasse Her by Essie!

Maximillian Strasse Her is a really pretty grey shade of color. There are some very strong blue-toned green tones to it, which makes for a very interesting color.
Application of it was great, it went on nicely and I did 2 coats.
Maximillian Strasse Her is part of Essie's current Spring 2013 Collection, called Madison Ave-hue.

I really like this shade, it's elegant but at the same time very interesting, and definitely rather unique!
What do you think of it?
xoxo, Misch

NOTD April 11th: Essie - Marshmallow

Hey there!
Today I'd like to show you guys Marshmallow by Essie.

Marshmallow is a sheer white jelly. It is very shiny and gives a milky look.
Application was great, shown here are 3 coats, which it definitely needed. At first it was quite streaky, but it got even in the end.
I already showed you Marshmallow as a base for China Glaze - Whirled Away here *click*.

It's a nice palate cleanser, but it does give me red hands. Don't mind, though, I love how clean it looks :)
What do you think of it?
xoxo, Misch

Nail Art Tutorial: Double Animal Print

Hi guys!
Today I'd like to show you a nail art tutorial! I've been asked by a lovely reader to do a tutorial on my Double Animal Print nails *click*, and even though the design isn't from me but Kayla Shevonne, I was more than happy do one :)

This is what you need:

• base coat of your choice
• 2 contrasting nail polishes: here I chose a darker pink (Essie - Exotic Liras) and a turquoise (OPI - Fly). I find that creme shades work best as they don't pull the attention off the print. In my original NOTD I used a lighter pink, but feel free to change that as you please.
• a black or white nail polish, in the best case with a striping brush. In this tutorial I tried how it would look with a white print, but you can always change that to black like in my original NOTD.
• a toothpick or dotting tool to create the design
• a top coat of your choice

This is how to do it:

1. Use your base coat to protect your natural nails.
2. Apply your lighter shade of color, in this case the pink, all over your nail.
   
3. Now paint a little more than half of your nail with the darker color. For this you can use the actual brush of the polish. Make sure the vertical line is rather straight.
   
4. Now you wanna grab your black/white nail polish and your dotting tool/toothpick, because we'll start off with the cheetah print. For that, draw random shapes of dots, circles and Cs on the pink part of your nail. They don't need to be accurate at all.
   
5. It's time for the zebra print now! Take your black/white nail polish with the thin striping brush to create them. If you don't own a polish like that, you could always use a thin paint brush or even a toothpick. That'll work just fine! Make random stripes on the turquoise part of your nail, coming from both sides and also touching each other. Be creative here!
   
   
6. Let it dry for quite a while, so you won't smear it, and then add your top coat to make it last longer.

I hope this tutorial was helpful! Send me some pictures if you recreate it! :)
xoxo, Misch

NOTD April 5th: Essie - Watermelon

Hey there!
As I already mentioned in my March Favorites yesterday, I'm quite a fan of Essie polishes lately! Today I'd like to show you one of their permanent shades, called Watermelon.

Watermelon is a red-toned pink creme. It is also quite cool-toned, but doesn't lean too much towards the blue shades.
Application of this nail polish was pure awesomeness. The consistency is just the right mix of squishy and creamy, and it was perfectly opaque with one coat. Yes, that's right, in the pictures 1 coat is shown! I love that!
Watermelon is part of Essie's permanent line, and should be easy to get anywhere.

In quite a lot of drugstores here in Bavaria I've seen a cool deal: when purchasing a classic Essie shade, you get a glass file for free! How cool is that?! Maybe that deal is available somewhere in your region as well?
What do you think of Watermelon? Do you love it as much as I do?
xoxo, Misch