NOTD - Sparkling Black Elegance

Lame title but the mani is far from lame! Came up with this mani when I decided to see what Zoya Tomoko looks like glossified by top coat. The look was so breath taking that a mani must be made out of it! At the time I really wanted to wear something gothy and dark = black. Tada! This mani was born.

 Some blurry pictures to show just how sparkly Tomoko is with top coat. Gorgeous is far from exaggeration!

Mani Composition:
Thumb, Middle & Pinky - OPI Black Onyx
Index & Tomoko - Zoya Tomoko (2 coats with 3 coats of top coat)

There is a beautiful balance between hard and pretty in this mani, which is what I love about it. Hope you like it as much as I do and will try it out~

What are your favorite textured polishes turned glossy?

NOTD - Halloween Nails!

Hope everyone had an awesome Halloween! Hope you guys got to have a festive and exciting way to celebrate the day. I did not get up to anything whatsoever; didn't even dress up for work. I realized, since my teens, I have only dressed up and done something festive two or three times. Perhaps next year I should force myself to do something even if Halloween falls on a weekday. Enough rambling, on to the manicure!

Short blurb on the manicure: me and my fellow polish loving co-worker went to work on Halloween with very similar nail art. We went around the office showing other girls our mani's and everyone thought we had done our nails together! Guess great minds think alike ;)

So much blood! Middle finger has blood dripping and pinky blood splatter. My Frankenstein ended up having very creepy, soul-less eyes that I thought was very fitting. Originally, the index fingers were supposed to be stamped with skulls but it was bed time (I need my sleep!). The thumb was an excuse to use one of my "fuzzy" polishes and I also ran out of nail art ideas. In case you are wondering my right hand had an identical mani.

Mani Composition:
Thumb - OPI My Vampire Is Buff (MVIB) topped with China Glaze You're A Hoot
Index - Zoya Arizona (base) topped with Zoya Rica
Middle - OPI MVIB with dripping OPI All I Want For Christmas (Is OPI)
Ring - Nicole by OPI Sweet On Pete, OPI Black Onyx, OPI MVIB
Pinky - OPI MVIB (base) spattered with OPI AIWFC

This was a fun mani to do. I got to try out a lot of nail art techniques that I have been wanting to do, such as the dripping and splatter techniques. The dripping turned out nicely, but the splatter needs more work (I think I need a thinner straw).

Did you guys do Halloween themed nails for Halloween?

Swatch - Zoya Blu

This polish has been on my wish list every since the collection came out, so I'm very excited to have it part of my stash! Welcome Zoya Blu!

Zoya Blu:
Pale baby blue cream. This is so delicate, clean and pretty. One note about the formula is the polish is on the thick and gloopy side resulting in thick coats. The thick coats could then lead to bubbles (as seen on my pinky). Don't let all that deter you because for a colour like this formulas are usually awful and this one actually had wonderful formula. Another note, I got lobster hands from this polish but that only intrigues me more since I hardly get lobster hands.

Two coats with no top coat shown.

Specifications:
Formula - Little thick making thick coats of polish inevitable (thin coats end up not covering the whole nail and streaks)
Pigmentation - Good, two coats
Dry Time - Average
Shine - Shiny and glossy
Prone to - Nothing
Removal - Easy
Staining - None

All the anticipation of this polish did not let me down. I love it just as much as I thought I would, isn't it nice to get that feeling? This is the first polish that made me notice the lobster hand effect. Some find it hard to ignore LHE but nothing deters me from a polish color I love. 

What colours give you the lobster hand effect? Does it make you avoid those polishes?

Swatch - Zoya Tomoko

Woohoo! My very first Pixie Dust polish from Zoya. Before there was no intrigue in Pixie Dust for me because they didn't look as glitter-tastic as some of the OPI liquid sands I own. However, Zoya managed to come out with two textured polishes that captured my attention big time. One of these polishes is Tomoko, which is what I will be reviewing today.

Zoya Tomoko:
Champagne (silver with the slightest bit of gold to give the colour warmth) textured polish. The texture feels a little "sharper" (more rough, getting closer to fine grained sand paper) than liquid sands to me. This guy was on the sheer side, where at two coats you could see just a hint of VNL at some angles. As for sparkle factor this one sparkles beautifully in the sun and under warm lighting; but just has a soft twinkling under fluorescent light.

The pictures show two coats with no top coat.

Here is a blurry picture to show all the magnificent sparkles!

 Here is a picture comparing top coat versus no top coat (middle & pinky). VNL becomes more noticeable when you apply multiple top coats (2 very thick coats here) until a glossy finish. This becomes a full glitter polish with top coat and is real sparkly. Breath-takingly beautiful!

Specifications:
Formula - Good, easy application
Pigmentation - Okay, on the sheer side so apply thick coats or three coats
Dry time - same as average creams (faster than OPI liquid sand)
Removal - Easy

My first Pixie Dust is a hit! I love this polish! This guy is amazing in the sun and warm indoor lighting. So so beautiful! Can you tell how much I like this polish? Not to mention this is a nice neutral colour that will match just about anything. There is nothing negative to say about this polish except that it could be more pigmented. However, even that isn't much of an issue in my opinion. All in all, I will definitely be wearing this polish again and again.

Do you own any Pixie Dust polishes? Which brand of textured polishes do you like best?

Swatch - OPI Can't Find My Czechbook

How about a nice change up while we are getting into fall. Yes, browns, plums, reds are fitting for this season but a nice shock of colour never hurt anyone. Actually, I have been finding it rather difficult to judge just what season it is over here. On weekends it is warm but during the weekdays it seems to be cold. Very odd. Then again this probably has something to do with the fact that I hardly see daylight during the work week...that sounds kind of depressing so let's get on to polish!

Pst! You can find a comparison post on this polish here.

OPI Can't Find My Czechbook:
Robin egg blue cream. The polish was released this past spring as part of the Euro Centrale collection. There is a slight dusty quality to the colour making it slightly darker than the bottle colour. (The dustiness also does not show up in the bottle colour). This quality makes this shade more muted and wearable, in my opinion. Pictures show two coats without top coat.

Specifications:
Formula - Great, easy application, self-leveling
Pigmentation - Good, 2 coats
Shine - Yes
Prone to - Nothing
Staining - None
Removal - Easy

I usually do not go for blues, but lately have been crazy about them. This polish is no exception and is more flattering against my skintone than expected. CFMC isn't a unique colour but a great addition to any collection if you do not own something similar.

How do you feel about blue nail polish? Do you tend to gravitate more to a certain shade of blue?

NOTD - Neon Colour-Changing Maze

There is a fun manicure to be shown today! There's nail art stamping and colour changing polish all in one mani. This was super fun to wear in the summer (yes, I did this awhile back); not only due to the colour-changing polish but also the fun, bright colours. The stamping is atrocious on a couple fingers, but I am very pleased with the others. Hope you guys enjoy this mani~

Mani Composition:
Ruby Wing Green Peace and Poppy
Stamping was in OPI Black Onyx using Gals Fairy Set plate GA31

Pictures below show the index and middle finger exposed to the sun. The mani becomes so cool with the colour contrast! I especially love the green one.

Gosh, looking at these pictures makes me miss stamping. I should do some in the near future. Why, why must I need so much sleep! There would be so many more hours in a day for nails. Anyway, hope you guys like this mani as much as I did. I highly encourage you guys to do some nail art with these colour-changing polishes. It makes the nail art even more cool!

Have you incorporated colour-changing polish with nail art?

Dupe? - Fly Czechbook Room For Blues

A comparison of blue and torquoise polishes is what's in store today. This is a comparison I was really curious about while trying to decide whether or not to buy OPI Can't Find My Czechbook. So in case some of you out there are still contemplating (since the collection seems to still be widely available) this is for you guys!

Fly: dark turqoise cream. Looks green compared to the other two, much darker and much more green than CFMC. Originally, I was hesitant on buying CFMC because comparisons I saw made them out to be the same colour just very slightly different in shade. Turns out they are completely different colours.

Can't Find My Czechbook (CFMC): Robin egg blue creme, dusty/less vibrant, maybe has a barely-there green influence in colour but really I do not see any green at all for this colour. More milky (white) than NRFB. Looks muted next to NRFB.

No Room For The Blues (NRFB): more vibrant (not dusty at all) than CFMC, even though darker colour. Very different colour from CFMC. It is a mix of cornflower and cobalt blue.

Formula-wise they are all great, dry with a high shine and require two coats.


These three polishes are completely different. Once again the choice comes down to what type of colour you like. I am a total sucker for teals/turqoise so naturally my favorite is Fly. However, now that I see how muted CFMC really is, I find this blue much more wearable. Mid-toned blues have never got my heart racing because I don't like the way they look against my yellow-toned skin. NRFB is a beautiful colour that I wish matched my skintone better.

Which polish out of these three do you like? Do you own any of these polishes?

Nail Art - Minion Nails!

Today is a great day! Finally my lamp arrived for my newly made lightbox. This lightbox is larger than the one I have at home and has a cool feature...changing backgrounds! My boyfriend was able to cut a slit to allow the exchange of coloured paper, so I could have different coloured backgrounds for my pictures. How exciting right?! There is no greater way to debut this new lightbox than with Minion Nails!

I am a beginner in terms of nail art, so things never turn out as perfectly as I want. But once the minions' cute mouths were drawn on I couldn't be disappointed at my nail art. They were just too adorable!

Mani Composition:
Goggles - Color Club Revvvolution
Goggle band & Mouth - OPI Black Onyx
Eyes - OPI Alphine Snow, OPI Black Onyx
Overalls - Color Club Bright Night
Minion Skin - Nicole by OPI Hit The Lights





These were super cute! Their cute little faces made me real happy and melted my heart. I hope these little minions also made you guys smile~

Swatch - Orly Royal Navy

Hey everyone~ This one is a beauty today. Lately, I have been obsessing over these royal and evil eye blues that are really popular this year. I feel like I need to have every polish released in this colour category. Few weeks ago, Sally's was having a BOGO sale so I checked out my local Sally's. Unfortunately, their selection is not great and neither do they seem to keep up with recent collections. Therefore, the BOGO event turned out to be the perfect chance for me to get some more Orly's! I really liked Sparkling Garbage (used in this mani) and the price was too good to pass up. I'm happy to say I only bought colours unique to my collection. Today, I am reviewing one of the Orly's I got from Sally's BOGO event.

Orly Royal Navy
Dark royal blue jelly with blue shimmer. Odd thing about this polish is I do not see any VNL in real life, but the camera reveals it...weird. For a jelly, this polish is not sheer at all; very good pigmentation. Without top coat, this guy is unimpressive but with top coat? Oh boy, does it shine! You get incredible depth and shimmer with top coat!

Funny story with this is I applied this polish at a subway station while waiting for a friend. Ghetto, I know. I never thought I would be one of those girls who does a manicure in public, shame on me. Desperate times call for desperate measures my friends! Pictures show two coats with top coat.

Sorry for the blurry picture, but this lighting showed the shimmer in the polish well. Colour accuracy wise, the first two pictures are more accurate.

Specifications:
Formula - Thick, gloopy and a bit tough to spread resulting in thick coats
Pigmentation - Great, a one-coater if thick coat
Dry time - Slower than average
Shine - Between matte and rubberized finish (Top coat highly recommended!)
Wear - Tip wear in a day (but I was on vacation using my hands a lot)
Removal - Easy
Staining - Minimal to none, which is surprising

All in all, I'm very happy with this colour and will definitely be wearing it again. I can't get over how amazingly juicy it looks with top coat on; the transformation is day and night. If you love these dark, vibrant royal blues I highly recommend Royal Navy. You will not be disappointed.

Are you on the royal blue trend bandwagon? How do you like Orly polishes?

NOTD - Blue Jewels

Another Nail-Of-The-Day post for you guys~ I have been doing a lot of these skittlette mani's because I have been wearing regular mani's mostly for quite a few months now. This mani was truly spectacular and I didn't want to remove it, so I ended up wearing it for a whole week!

Most colour accurate for CC Bright Night 

Mani Composition:

Thumb & Ring - Color Club Bright Night (2 coats with top coat)

Index & Middle - OPI Tiffany Case (2 coats without top coat)

Pinky - Orly Sparkling Garbage (3 coats with top coat)

Each finger reminded me of a jewel. Holo and sparkling texture...of course...but the vibrant blue of Bright Night reminded me of a sapphire. Gorgeous! The colours of the polishes went really well together as well. There is a very good chance I will wear this exact same mani again because I love it so much!

How do you like this skittlette? Have you fallen in love with a mani of your own recently?

Swatch - Butter London Wallis

Long time no post on my part. I did not anticipate to have such a HUGE gap from my last post, so I apologize to those who have been wondering where I've disappeared off to. Life has been quite a whirlwind over here at Miss Intensity Nails. To put it all in nutshell, I got a new job and moved to a different country. This is a very exciting new adventure for me~ I don't know how some of you blogger girls manage to post everyday even with a full-time job, but I have new found respect for all of you! I will try my best to keep up ^^

Of course, during my layover at an airport what do I buy? Polish! This was my first Butter London purchase. I have never bought any before due to the price ($15), but since there is a deal at the airport store I thought I would treat myself to my first Button London polishes. Today one out of four polishes purchased will be showcased: Wallis.

Wallis:
Dark moss green with an overlay of gold particles reminding me of antique brass. I was instantly gravitated to this colour, it is so unique and I have nothing like it in my stash. Truly beautiful, very appropriate for fall and winter. One thing to note is that this polish is streaky and patchy after two coats, but only noticeable at one very specific angle (basically not noticeable unless you really try to look for streaks).

Photos show 2 coats with top coat. Sorry for the smudge on my pinky, it was harder to see in person than in pictures.

Specifications:
Formula - Bit thick, easy application but bit patchy and streaky after two coats (not noticeable)
Pigmentation - Good, 2 coats (1 coat is patchy)
Shine - Some
Dry time - Slow (but not snail-pace slow)
Staining - None
Removal - Requires bit of scrubbing (just like any other foil polish)

There is nothing bad to say about this polish besides that the dry time could be faster. Colour is one-of-a-kind gorgeous! I would highly recommend this colour.

How do you like the colour of Wallis? Do you own any Butter London polishes?

Tutorial - Textured Mani By Layering

A few months ago I had come across a blog that talked about how to make any of your polishes textured (like a liquid sand) by layering over a textured polish. I tried to find the blog post but couldn't, so I am unable to provide a link. If anyone knows which blog did this a few months back with Zoya Godiva please let me know; I would like to give credit to my inspiration!

July 11 Edit: Big thanks to Michelle from Lacquer or Leave Her (who also did a posting on this topic here) for reminding me where my inspiration came from. I first saw this layering technique on Bee Polished!

Anyway, the idea is to take a regular polish and layer it over a textured polish to create any textured mani of your wishes. This is great for two reasons: first you are not limited to only what is on the market, and second (the real winner) you save money! Who doesn't love saving a few dollars? Using OPI Solitaire as the base textured polish is the same in theory as using white undies for neons. My thinking is this will give great colour using only a thin coat of regular polish. What I have here today is a step-by-step picture tutorial. Enjoy~

Step 1: Put on your favorite base coat (or not, I didn't for this tutorial).

Step 2: Apply one coat of OPI Solitaire and let dry for 10 mins
Giving a generous amount of time for this coat to dry will maximize the texture before the next step. You can apply a second coat if you wish, but I like a fast mani. Either one or two coats of textured polish will give you a textured result at the end.

Step 3: Apply a thin coat of regular polish to cover the white textured polish.
Try to do as thin a coat as possible that will still allow coverage of the entire nail. You want this thin in order to maximize the texture. The thicker the coat, the smoother the finish (less texture).

Step 4: Clean up and you are done! Simple right?

I tried different types of polishes (duochrome, glass fleck, foils, etc) and they all worked well.

Thumb: OPI Her Majesty's Secret Service

Index: OPI I'm All Ears

Middle: OPI Just Spotted The Lizard

Ring: OPI Warm & Fozzie

Pinky: Zoya Aurora

I also tried layering 2 polishes on the textured one: OPI Oy-Another Polish Joke on top of OPI I'm All Ears. However, this reduces the texture; there is still texture but it is very smooth. This layering combo looks like a hybrid of OPI Magainze Cover Mouse and OPI Jinx (or Pink version of Jinx).

I tried this technique using different types of polishes, and I like the results with foil polishes best (eg. OPI HMSS). Especially the OPI ones because they are made of so many coloured particles that you give a beautiful sparkle in the sun.

If you have anymore questions about the tutorial or method, let me know in the comments below! Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed this tutorial~

NOTD - Fourth of July Nails

So fourth of July has come and passed, which means time to show what mani I sported for the American holiday! Since I did not get the chance to do a Canada Day inspired mani, I knew I had to come up with something for July 4th. Yes, I finally went out and bought a white polish (this was tough considering the public subway system was on strike).

Trying to think of a design that would only use tape was tough, but in the end I really like the design. The colour-block nails kind of remind me of a famous painting that I cannot recall right now.

Mani Composition:
All fingers had 2 layers of OPI Alpine Snow as a base.
Thumb & Pinky - OPI Gettin' Miss Piggy With It, Color Club Beyond The Mistletoe
Other fingers - China Glaze Phat Santa, OPI Dating A Royal

I am very pleased with the end result after many hours of thinking of a design and actually doing it. A friend of mine even commented that my thumb and pinky nails looked like fireworks! The holographic glitters in BTM definitely added a bit of "oomph" to nail. Hope you guys had a great Fourth of July holiday weekend and thanks for stopping by~

What did you sport on the Fourth of July?

Dupe? - Beyond Revvvolution

Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canadians~ Sadly I do not have a Canada Day inspired mani to show, because during the chaos of packing I forgot to bring a bottle of white polish *face palm*. But who doesn't love looking at holographic polishes? That's what I have for you guys today. Time to compare some holographic polishes my friends! I actually did this comparison awhile back and just never got around to posting it. Either way, it's here now and we are looking at two Color Club holographic black polishes: Beyond and Revvvolution.

Color Club Beyond 
Darker colour, true black compared to Revvvolution. Holo is more linear and stronger.

Color Club Revvvolution
Due to the prominence of coarse silver holographic particles, this "black" polish looks more like charcoal (dark grey). Holo only visible under sun.

In all the pictures below:
            2 coats polish and no top coat
            Index & ring - Revvvolution
            Middle & pinky - Beyond

These two are not dupes. All specifications of these two polishes are the same, the only differences being colour and holo strength. Personally, I like Beyond more due to the colour being a true black. I mean a black holo of this strength is just too amazing to pass up, right?

Which of these two do you have? What are you thoughts on black holo polishes?