As you’ve probably noticed, crackle nail polish is everywhere this fall. It provides texture, peek-a-book color, and easy application. Plus you can mix and match color to your heart’s desire. The latest addition to my crackle “collection” is from Jessica Cosmetics… it’s their new Party Chic collection.

The Party Chic nail polish collection features five creamy, neon colors: On the Rocks (white), Pretty in Purple, Mint Mojito Green, Orange You Glad to See Me and Pass the Pink-tini. Wear them alone or apply a coat of the black crackle “Top It Off” top coat for a slightly punky, shattered look like in my swatches below.

I recommend applying a thick, clear top coat (such as Seche Vite) to seal things up and even out your crackle-finish. Or… since all the new crackle top coats dry to a matte finish, leave it as-is and enjoy the duality of gloss versus matte!

Want to know what’s even better?  This entire collection is absolutely perfect for Halloween!

I know, I know… zombies don’t get their nails done.  But if you are one of the many dressing as a zombie this Halloween, here’s a simple way to make your nails match your rotted makeup.

I started with one coat of Essie’s Merino Cool nail polish.  You could swap in any taupe, light mushroom, tan, light gray, or creamy skin-toned color (Sally Hansen’s Commander in Chic is another great polish for this manicure!).  I recommend only one coat so your color looks a bit uneven and streaky.

Next apply a coat of a gray “crackle-finish” polish, such as Cracked Concrete by China Glaze.  Sally Hansen also has a gray crackle top coat that you can find at most drugstores.

Once the crackle finish dries, use a deep red to apply bloody accents to your nails.  I chose Berry Hard by Essie.  Don’t be afraid to get a little messy.  After all, zombies aren’t running around with polish remover.

Happy Halloween!

Another formerly spa or high end beauty store brand is now more accessible to the masses. I’ve spotted Essie nail polish displays at several Walgreens and Target stores in both large and small towns. If they aren’t in your area yet, they should be coming soon.

Essie polishes spotted by Bionic Beauty at Target!

Both stores seem to have the Essie polishes priced around the $7.00 range.  I picked up Merino just last week – it’s a cool-toned suede brown color.  I’ve been wanting that polish for over a year now and finally splurged.  I will post swatches soon!

Do you have any plans of trying out some Essie nail polishes now that they are easier to find?

Many years ago, I was a nail polish newbie, and I know from personal experience that some of the odd nail terms can be confuzzling. So here’s my handy little cheat-sheet to nail tech terminology…

Acetone: Solvent used to break down and remove nail polish and acrylic nails. A chemical in the ketone family. Acetone is neither better nor worse than non-acetone polish removers.

Acrylic nails: Two-part system of liquid (monomer) and powder (polymer). This type of product can be applied with one color of acrylic, pink and white acrylic for a Permanent French look, or can be applied with colored acrylic, glitter acrylic or in any combination. Commonly called “fake nails”.
Scientific details on Acrylic: Hardened and cured coating that comes from a precise mix ratio of liquid monomer and powdered polymer. Most acrylic monomers are made primarily from Ethyl Methacrylate (EMA). Polymers contain approximately 70% EMA and 30% MMA (Methyl Methacrylate), and a very small percentage of initiator, such as Benzoyl Peroxide. Note: MMA is not harmful when it is a solid (powder/polymer), but is considered harmful in its’ liquid form (monomer). Nail techs should avoid acrylic systems with MMA monomer.

Almost-black: a polish color that looks black or very, very close to black in normal light. In sunshine or bright indoor lighting you can typically see some hint of navy, purple or other dark color tinted in the polish.

American Manicure: A variation of the French Manicure (FM) where more a more natural white (i.e. not as bright as the white used in a French Manicure). The nail bed itself is typically colored in a more sheer manner (versus a more opaque nail bed in a FM).

Base coat: Typically a clear nail formula that is applied under colored nail polish. Base coats help prevent yellowing/staining of the nails, ease in polish removal, and can help increase length of wear. For best results, match your base coat to your polish – if your nail polish is Big 3 Free, use a base coat that is too; if it’s Big 3 polish, use a base coat that has formaldehyde. Popular base coats include CND’s Sticky and Dermelect’s Launchpad.

Big 3 Free: Refers to nail polish formulas that do not contain toluene, formaldehyde, and DBP (dibutyl phthalate). Acronym – B3F. For further information check out All Lacquered Up’s guide to the Big 3 Chemicals.

Chevron: In nails, refers to a style of French Manicure. Instead of following the natural curve of the nail tip with white or colored polish, an precise ^ (an inverted V) is used.

A diagram of fingernail parts

Cream or creme: A nail polish, lacquer, or enamel that has absolutely no glitter, shimmer, metallic properties.

Cuticle drag: Term used when a nail polish applies thinner, more translucent, towards the cuticle area. The color “drags” away from the cuticle area towards the main part of the nail bed. It can take several coats to cover this, or with some polishes- it never really covers.

Duochrome: A nail polish color that appears one color under a certain light, but when shown in another light or at a different angle, another color “flashes”. Common duochromes are pairs brown/green, purple/green (example: Rescue Beauty Lounge’s Scrangie).

Flat nail beds: What Jami (aka me, aka Bionic Beauty) suffers from and why my nails don’t grow more than a few millimeters past the nail beds before ripping or breaking. I’ve learned to love mine and if you have flat nail beds, I recommend you do the same. There’s no way to change ‘em. If you get Acrylic nails, be SURE to point out your flat nail beds. Otherwise your nails will be very sore for a few days until your fingers shape around the tough acrylic. Trust me.

French manicure: Nail polishing technique where the natural free-edge of the nail (tip) is painted white, and the nail bed is painted pink, beige, or clear, to mimic a healthy looking natural nail. Sometimes the moons (lunulas) are painted in as well.

Frost: Nail polish loaded with micro-shimmer particles. Frosted polishes are notoriously difficult to apply although they are getting better. Be sure to apply frosted polish in straight swipes with the polish brush… otherwise the frost particles look squiggly and messy.

The UV Gel curing process in action...

Gel nails: Gel acrylic is a one-part system consisting of the application of a thick viscosity gel acrylic. Gel is normally cured under a UV light. Do not confuse gel with traditional acrylic. Even though the two products are actually acrylic, they apply and wear differently. Gel applied over acrylic to seal the surface does not make your nails “Gel Nails”. Gel nails are a type of acrylic nails since they are made from the same class of acrylates, but with different molecular structures, appearance, application procedures and different curing methods.

Glimmer: Micro or mini glitter or shine particles. Added to polish colors for depth and a tiny bit of sparkle. In almost-black polishes, glimmer can be barely noticeable but allows the polish to show the undertones instead of appearing as plain, solid black.

Glitter: Larger chunks of metal pieces to add shine and shimmer to polish. Larger glitter flakes can make polish harder to remove since they snag the cotton remover pads. Glitter polish can also feel chunky after application. It’s typically best when paired with a thick top coat such as Seche Vite.

Holographic: Nail polish colors that are loaded with a special micro-fine shimmer (or diamond dust in the case of OPI’s DS polishes) that throws rainbows in the sun. My favorite polish of all-time is a holographic: OPI’s Designer Series in Glamour. Milani also released a very nice line of Holographic polishes in Spring 2010.

Moon: Small curved area just above the cuticle, typically a lighter color than the rest of your nail bed. Also called the half moon. Scientific term – lunulas.

Non-Acetone: Solvent used to break down and remove nail polish and acrylic nails. Non-acetone polish removers are made from MEK – methyl ethyl ketone, also a member of the ketone family. If you have acrylic nails and wish to remove your nail polish (and not your acrylic nails), then you should use a non-acetone based polish remover.

NOTD: Nail Of The Day. Acronym often used by nail bloggers.

Polish thinner: Not the same as polish remover. Thinner is the same (or similar) chemical solvent found in the polish that evaporates as it dries (and evaporates from the open bottle thus causing the polish to thicken over time). Polish remover breaks down the chemicals in polish, hence why it is not a good thinner.

Primer: Typically a liquid brushed on your nails before fake nails are applied. The primer dehydrates nails which will improve adhesion and help to prevent growth of yeast, bacteria and fungi.

Seal edges: Done by filing with a glass or crystal file. File lightly by swiping the file perpendicular to your nail edge at a 45 degree angle. It helps remove any roughness and helps your shape last longer.

Shimmer: See Glimmer above.

Smile line: The natural curve of the nail tip once it passes the nail bed. Some people have straight smile lines, others are more curved.

Tip buildup (also referred to as edge buildup): During application, a certain nail polish color, formula or brand may coagulate or “bunch up” at the edge/tip of your nail causing a thick lump. This is generally a sign of a poor applying polish.

Tip pull or Tip shrinkage: Commonly occurs with super-quick dry top coats or polishes that have a higher alcohol content. The fast drying causes the polish to shrink and pull away from the tip of your nail leaving the edge showing.

Top coat: Clear polish that is specifically designed to apply over colored nail polish or your manicure to increase wear and help prevent peeling/chipping. Commonly available in gloss, matte, shimmery, glittery, holographic. Popular top coats include Seche Vite and INM’s Out the Door.

Vampy: A very dark nail polish color.

Did I miss something you nail-related you wonder about? Please post in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer and keep this “Nail Dictionary” updated!

Color Club’s Fall 2010 nail polish collection is divided into two groups of seven polishes each. One group is “Every Shade of Indulgence” and the other group is “Colors so Luxe, They’re Covered in Diamonds” – both are under the main collection “Untamed Luxury”. I’m starting my swatches and reviews with the Indulgence collection first… Diamonds will be up as soon as I have time to paint my nails another seven times.

Now, let’s get down to the new nail polish colors…

Pretty in Platinum

Color Club's Pretty in Platinum nail polish

Pretty in Platinum was a bit too pale for my very light skin tone. I think it would look stunning on someone with a tan or a deeper skin color. The polish’s pigmentation is incredible – especially for such a light color! I applied only two coats and it went on as smooth as can be. The shimmery, metallic effect would be especially perfect for evening holiday parties.

Wild Orchid

Color Club's Wild Orchid nail color

Wild orchid is a gorgeous color. To me, it’s an elephant gray; or perhaps reminiscent of wet cement. The color is complimented with very teeny same-colored shimmer. The only drawbacks are: 1. It was a bit slower to dry than other Color Club polishes (compared to this collection and the brand as a whole) ~and~ 2. I did have to apply my typical three coats (that’s my usual when swatching nail colors) since Orchid wasn’t as pigmented as the others.

Positively Posh

Color Club's Positively Posh nail polish

Yummy. That about sums up my thoughts on Positively Posh. This color is one of my absolute favorites now. I applied two coats to get even color and had zero application issues. Posh is a cool-toned, true cream (meaning there is absolutely no shimmer, glitter, sparkle or other glitzy stuff added). The color is like a dark Portabella mushroom with a slight purple undertone – that’s what makes Posh so unique. Most brownish shades don’t work as well on cooler skintones. I always pick up brownish ‘shroom shades since I love them in the bottle, such as OPI’s famed I Don’t Know Jacques. Many love it, but Jacques simply doesn’t work for me. Color Club must have ESP since they’ve finally managed to solve my dilemma… and thus the reason for my deep love of Positively Posh!

Soft as Cashmere

Color Club's Soft as Cashmere nail lacquer

Soft as Cashmere is another true creme and the color is a cross between a medium khaki and olive drab. That color combo makes it sound utterly boring, but it’s a real eye-catcher on your hands! Cashmere was a breeze to apply, but I did need three coats for full coverage.

Nothing but Truffle

Color Club's Nothing but Truffle nail polish

Nothing but Truffle was one of the two most pigmented shades in this collection – I only applied one coat! Truffle is a red-brown, warm toned polish with slight shimmer. It wasn’t a real standout for me, but it’s pretty enough.

Jewel of a Girl

Color Club's Jewel of a Girl nail color

Jewel of a Girl was the other exceptionally pigmented color in the Untamed Luxury collection, and another of my top favorites. I only needed one coat to get full coverage and true bottle color. Jewel is a really pretty cool-toned deep, dark maroon with a bit of shimmer.

Ready to Royal

Color Club's vampy Ready to Royal polish

I’m always drawn to dark, vampy polishes and Ready to Royal was no exception. This almost-black berry purple is a true creme and needed two coats for full coverage. Even though it’s exceptionally dark, you can still easily see the purple undertones in normal light. This polish will be “favorites” in my rotation for years to come!

Color Club’s Untamed Luxury nail polish collection is available for only $28.19 on Amazon (includes all seven colors).

Which of the new Color Club nail colors is your favorite? Or do you love the entire collection?

FTC Disclosure: This item was sent to me free of charge in return for an honest review. The opinion in this article is based on my personal experience and was not influenced by any source. I was not compensated for this article. Feel free to read my disclosure policy for more information.

Happy Harry Potter day y’all! (Can you tell that I’m an obsessive HP fangirl???) I’ve been hunting high and low for the latest and greatest in beauty freebies… and here are the kickin’ results!

All you lucky ladies living in Kroger store states can score a free sample of John Frieda Luxurious Volume hair care.  Residents of the following states qualify: AL, AR, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MI, MS, MO, NC, OH, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WV only.

Burts Bees now has a line of body lotions! And you can grab a free lotion sample if you act quickly!

Beginning November 23, 2010, bring the coupon on page 6 of the December 2010/January 2011 issue of Seventeen magazine to any participating ULTA store to receive a free bottle of Orly nail polish! You’ll also be able to print out the out the coupon at seventeen.com/orly. **Please note that the coupon online is NOT live yet… head back to the Seventeen website on November 23rd (set a reminder in your cell phone, perhaps?).

Enjoy!

Jessica Cosmetics has released their new Fall 2010 nail polish collection, “Muse”, and it’s loaded with on trend colors. In order to give all Bionic Beauties an introduction to the collection, I’ve swatched and reviewed two of the most popular colors. Like it’s namesake, it’s truly inspiring!

First up, Crimson Reflection ~ a gorgeous cranberry creme. Highly pigmented with full coverage in one coat, super easy to apply (with no cuticle drag, or tip pooling), and extraordinarily long wear. I can’t really ask for more. This is certainly my new favorite polish in the berry family.

Looking for a new berry polish? Crimson Reflection is a winner!

Victorian Crush ~ a truly unique and daring olive drab creme. This color is causing buzz across beauty blogs and twitter. I’m naming it the IT color of Fall 2010! You might not think of olive as being as typical polish color, but trust me… it’s a must-have and absolutely gorgeous on your nails. Like Crimson Reflection, I got full coverage in one coat, extremely long wear, and easy application. I’m in love!

Feeling a bit more daring? Victorian Crush is causing quite a stir on the internet.

My swatches above are shown with Dermelect Launchpad base coat, one coat of color, and no top coat (they’re super glossy alone!); except on my ring fingers- to which I applied China Glaze Matte Magic top coat.

The Muse collection is rounded out with Majesty Blue (medium metallic blue), Scarlet (bright tomato red), Intrigue (creamy mauve), Bittersweet (warm toned caramel creme). Each bottle sells for $7.50 at JessicaCosmetics.com.

FTC Disclosure: This item was sent to me free of charge in return for an honest review. The opinion in this article is based on my personal experience and was not influenced by any source. I was not compensated for this article. Feel free to read my disclosure policy for more information.

This week’s Bionic Asks… Do you ever match your nail polish to your dress?
This weekend I am attending a semi-fancy dinner reception. Since most of my dresses were either formal, or had a Spring season feel (pale yellows or bright polka dots), I decided to take an older dress and alter it to suit the occasion. This dress is a dark, dark navy blue topped with semi-matte sequins. The toned-down sequins make it easier to wear and less blingy for this not-so-formal event.

A nail polish adventure in Bionic-land: I attempt to match my pedicure to my matte sequined dress.

And now onto the beauty portion…

I’ve decided that I want at least my toes to match the dress. I dug through my nail polish stash to find Sally Hansen Salon “After Midnight”. After Midnight is a dark navy, almost black with a hint of sparkle. To add a my own “sequins” to the polish, I then applied CND’s Sapphire Sparkle. The pedicure is finished with my favorite matte top coat by Rescue Beauty Lounge.

The results of my nail polish experiment!

I considered going with a deep berry or classic red on my toes, but I tend to prefer dark and “different” colors. I grew up wearing reds and pinks- so now I usually gravitate to blues, greens, silvers and vampy almost-blacks. I still may wear a berry color on my nails for a splash of brighter color.

Have you ever matched your nail polish to your clothes? I know some of you may like this, and others won’t. Feel free to share your opinions, but please remember no bashing or rude comments. Part of being a Bionic Beauty means that even through the anonymity of the internet we treat each other with respect.

Also, feel free to share your suggestions for what color I should paint my fingernails. Clear? Clear with holographic sparkles? The aforementioned berry or a classic red? Or something else all together?

Stay Bionic,

I recently had the chance to review and swatch a newly released line of nail polish – The Perfect Formula.

At first glance, my attention was caught by the unique bottle shape and gorgeous smokey purple color enhanced with cool lavender tones called Futurist. I’ve got many a purple polish in my nail collection, but none similar to this. Futurist is a pure creme color with absolutely no shimmer; and it works great with gloss or matte top coats. It’s perfect for your Fall 2010 manicures and pedicures!

Futurist nail polish by The Perfect Formula with gloss top coat

I tested The Perfect Formula’s Futurist nail polish with CND’s Stickey base coat and Seche Vite gloss top coat (photograph above) and Rescue Beauty Lounge’s Matte top coat (below).

I reached opaque, bottle color in only two coats and experienced no cuticle drag or tip buildup. I had fantastic wear with low occurrence of peeling or chipping and got two to three full days of wear with hard use! The formula dries quickly and smoothly. Application is a breeze also with the included brush and easy-to-hold handle.

Futurist nail polish with a matte top coat

The Perfect Formula’s Fall 2010 collection is made up of six colors which sell for $15 each on www.PerfectFormulas.com. The colors include Futurist, Avant Gray (a medium gray creme), Deco (a cool magenta), Pop (forest green), Post Moderne (a brighter purple), and Cubist (which looks like a darker gray creme). I’d love to try out the rest of this collection. It’s absolutely gorgeous!

FTC Disclosure: This item was sent to me free of charge in return for an honest review. The opinion in this article is based on my personal experience and was not influenced by any source. I was not compensated for this article. Feel free to read my disclosure policy for more information.

Since I’ve had quite a bit of “downtime” this past month, I have been indulging in cheap frivolity- nail polish. My latest requisition is a bottle of Sally Hansen’s Insta-Dri nail polish in Blazing Blue.

In the bottle this nail polish has green, turquoise and blue shimmer; but it’s not noticeable when applied. I was a bit saddened by this fact since it’s what really attracted me to the color in the first place.

Sally Hansen's Blazing Blue under incandescent lighting

This way my first foray into the Insta-Dri formula…
I wasn’t very impressed. The nail color lasted less than a day and peeled off in complete layers. I guess the good spin on that is I didn’t have to use nail polish remover to take off the polish. The formula is also a bit thick, so you may want to add a few drops of polish thinner before using. It did dry exceptionally quick… almost too quick for my preference. I barely had time to go complete three polish swipes (middle, left, right) on each nail before everything started to clump and bunch.

Sally Hansen's Blazing Blue under fluorescent lighting

One more warning, even with a base coat, you may end up with blue smurf fingers for the day if you use nail polish remover. The blue pigment is tough to remove (which is common with many blue-toned polishes).

The brush is quite nice- it’s the same one that is included in the new Sally Hansen Complete Salon line, but with a different handle. The color is very pretty and it’s affordable at about $3.50 per bottle at local drugstores – I just wish it would last longer.

Have you had better luck with the other colors from the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri polish lineup?