Nailnation 3000 Swatches and Review: Part 1

Hello dear readers!

I'm very excited to show you my first review for Nailnation 3000 polishes. This time, I will be showing you 4 holographic finish nail polishes: Cafe Au Lait, Dance Like No Ones Around, Enigmatic & Holo, and It's a Holo State of Mind.

Now on to the swatches and review...

First off, here's Cafe Au Lait, it is a very dark brown, almost black with holographic finish.

 It looks very black in the picture, but it definitely has a brown tint to it.

I applied 2 coats for opacity. The holo effect on this one is subtle but I think it goes perfect with this color.

 This polish applied smoothly. The formula has the perfect balance of pigmentation and thickness for an easy application. I think on this shot, you can see the brown color a little bit.

Now we have Dance Like No Ones Around. It is a holographic fuchsia color.

 This polish has a strong holographic effect, and together with the brightness of the fuchsia...amazing.

I applied 2 coats but 1 generous coat is enough for opacity. This one also applied smoothly without any problems.

Just like the name says, Enigmatic & Holo has a mysterious flair to it...this color is difficult to describe, so I'll leave it to how its creator defined it as "... a mauvy lilac hue with an almost brown tint. She pops pearly HOLO goodness with crazy aqua green sparks that burst in your face in direct light and trick your eye in in direct light. "

  This color is like nothing I have ever seen in a holographic before, depending on the light you are, the color changes you'll see. It can be brown, lilac, greenish, even pinkish..kept me guessing and I loved it! The semi-linear holographic effect added even more to the beauty of this color.

 2 coats are necessary for opacity on this one and applied like a breeze.

Last but not least, we have It's a Holo State of Mind which I would describe as a champagne holographic color.

 Out of the four colors I showed today, This one has the strongest holographic shine, probably because there's a very slight metallic quality to it.

 For this color, 3 coats are needed for full coverage. I used 2 coats and there was a slight nail line showing, but it was my preference. This one can work for both, as a holo nail polish or topper to add this effect to any color.

These are my Nailnation 3000 swatches so far...more to come soon ;) 

In general, I really liked these colors, I think Maria from Nailnation 3000 loves to play wizard with the holographic polishes she created and has done a nice job with the array of colors and finishes she has to offer.

Also, did I say her nail polishes are 5 free?

5 free means its formula is free of this harmful chemicals: Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin and Camphor...so, the less chemicals on your nail polish, the better for your health ;)

***If you would like to purchase Nailnation 3000 polishes, you can visit her online store:

http://nailnation3000.storenvy.com/

Polishes were provided for my honest review.

Which color out of these 4 did you like the most?

♥♥Thank you for reading♥♥

Nail Art for Día de muertos - Day of the Dead

Hello dear readers!

This is the 3rd year that I get to do a manicure based on Día de muertos.

If you don't know what this Mexican festivity is about, you can read my two previous posts (here and here).

What I usually do is remember my loved ones who have passed away. Well, they are always in my heart and mind, but for Mexicans, November 1st and 2nd is a special day. We dedicate this day to go to the cemetery and visit our relatives tombs, put flowers and their favorite food. We stay a while there, and talk with our family while we remember special moments of those who have gone before us. This is what I mostly remember of día de muertos in Mexico. What I just described is another way of celebrating this day besides the traditional altar de muertos.

As for this nail art, it always takes me hours to put it together. From planing the layout of all the día de muertos elements into nail art, to painting the base color, choosing all the colors that will be used, stamping, etc... 4-5 hours at least. I just like to put a lot of thought and heart into it, as if it was my own altar.

 Here you can see many elements surrounding this tradition. Two skeletons in such "alive expressions" that symbolizes death as part of life itself and a reflection of ourselves. Cómo me ves te verás (The way you see me now, you will look like). The two nails in the middle represent my memories of going to the cemetery to leave my grandfather food and lighting a candle so it would guide his spirit to us. In our minds, he would know we were lighting that candle for him, he would see us and enjoy his food as well. *As a curious note, all people who make food offerings say that after this day, altar food loses its flavor, meaning that it was somehow consumed by our loved one.

Whether these beliefs are truth or not, for me, it is a beautiful, magical tradition that I grew up with.

The thumb design is just a representation of papel picado (cut out paper) that adorns altars and many other Mexican celebrations.

I hope you liked this nail art and learned a bit more about this Mexican holiday.

Día de muertos is more than painting your face as a sugar skull. I hope this day never loses its true meaning which is: honoring and remembering our lost loved ones...gone but never forgotten♥

♥♥Thank you for reading♥♥