My Top Ten \ Number One: CHANEL — Perle Rosée

October 18, 2012 by Francesca Nunez in Stashes, The Nail Files

Let's kick off My Top Ten! My dearest readers know that I have a weakness for Chanel. Thankfully, I restrain myself from buying too many of the brand's gorgeous colors. Actually, that makes me sound well-behaved and pretty pious. Let's face it; if I could, I would. Alas, my cats need to be fed, rent needs to be paid and fine wine needs to be sipped.

Thus I have but a few treasured Chanel bottles in my Stash, and my most favorite of all is Perle Rosée. I remember I bought this color before I attended the first official conference of my professional life, back in 2008. I wanted to look well-manicured, but refined. Attractive, not distracting. What's more classic than pearls?

Chanel Perle Rosée fit the bill perfectly. It's a warm, metallic beige-y pink that gleams but doesn't glitter. It's modern yet timeless. Luminous, glowing, understated. It's totally chic and so charmingly Chanel.

I'd wear this to a number of occasions: an interview, a wedding, my own wedding, being tried before Judge Judy, meeting President Obama, meeting the parents, a premiere, a party... I'd wear it anywhere with confidence. Not to mention, I've yet to see a complexion it doesn't flatter.

In short, this polish is pure perfection.

onedownninetogo, Francesca

Polishment: A History

October 17, 2012 by Francesca Nunez in Stashes, The Nail Files

From the day I first learned about blogs, I wanted one. But I had my concerns. When I was growing up, my room was littered with half-made friendship bracelets and half-finished stories. And Perler beads. Lots of Perler beads. I was always eager to jump into projects, but unlikely to finish them.

Case in point, I created a blog called "Pause Reflect Review" in 2008. I'd always wanted to review movies so I thought... why not blog about them? Three posts later, I jumped ship. Then I started "Paw de Chat" in 2009; an ill-fated blog all about cats. (I'm sure you're not surprised.) It had a good run, but I lost steam again.

Years passed.

'Twas a fateful day in mid-October. The year was 2011. The new blog this time around... was Polishment.

I remember the feeling I had after those first couple of posts. It was very much like sending out a message in a bottle. Would anyone read what I'd written? And more importantly, would they enjoy it??

A year has passed, and it's been a great one. I never thought I'd have such sweet readers, such fun giveaways, and even such awesome polish company partnerships. The day I received my first polish to review in the mail, I was floored. It had been a dream of mine, and to see "Polishment" on the box followed by my address was like a happy hallucination.

I have you guys to thank, deeply, because if this blog weren't so successful, then I wouldn't have the opportunity to sample products, and I wouldn't have the drive to go out and shark my own, and then I wouldn't have the inspiration to post nearly as much as I do. It's cyclical really. So let's celebrate our success together!

Over the next ten days, I am going to post my personal Top Ten. My absolute favorite colors in my Stash. It's going to be tough, and it won't be in priority order; that's like asking me to choose a favorite ice cream flavor. Come on. But I am hoping we can all have some fun over the next few days sharing our favorite colors.

So, any guesses? Any colors you're hoping to see?

youaremahgirls, Francesca

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiQzUEc_FmI]

butter LONDON — Shag

September 24, 2012 by Francesca Nunez in All Thumbs, The Nail Files

And now, another new shade from butter LONDON's fall lineup — Shag*!

Shag is such a foxy shade, perfect for fall. Here in California, the only rusty shade I see is on old cars... but I remember my days on the East Coast. I recall the reds, yellows, and oranges of crisp leaves, the deep sapphire of late September skies... the comforting scents of cinnamon and apple... Can you tell that I miss my favorite season?

Shag is like autumn in a bottle. A deep, rusty copper with burgundy undertones, Shag has left me feeling festive — well, as festive as I can feel when it's still hot as blue blazes and feels like midsummer here in Los Angeles.

The formula was smooth and very pigmented; my look required only 2 coats. I found that it chipped after 5 days, which was a little disappointing, but I still think 5 days is a good run. As always, when choosing a shade as reflective as this, be sure to buff your nails so that you've got a smooth surface to work with — or else the gleaming finish will highlight ridges & imperfections.

xx, Francesca

*product provided for honest review

ZOYA — Isla

September 21, 2012 by Francesca Nunez in The Nail Files

It's a neat gimmick that Zoya's got going on. All of the brand's shade names are actually girl names! Please make the acquaintance of my new gal pal, Isla.

Isla is a blackened, metallic ruby. It gleams a rich red, but when it's not catching the light, it's a noticeably darker color. It's a little hard to explain, but this is not your usual metallic red. Sometimes a shiny red screams holiday to me (Essie Jag-U-Are, love ya, but I'm looking at you...) but Isla is a dramatic crimson that works well for months other than December. Isla's high-shine keeps it from feeling too vamp (but don't worry, it still feels pretty Melisandre-esque.). If you're a red lover and are looking for a glamour color to add to your Stash, I sincerely recommend Isla. Also a good gift for your more traditional-color-loving friends.

I love the Zoya brush; it's on the tiny side but it fans beautifully so that you can get a nice clean edge near your cuticle. The formula's smooth, but I will admit that this color chipped sooner than I expected. By Day Four, I had definite tip wear, and by Day 5 I had legit chips.

The name Isla conjures Isla Fisher to mind, the foxy lady who made her big debut in Wedding Crashers.

... but I happened to be wearing Isla the first time I listened to Lana Del Rey's album, Born to Die, and Lana mentions red nails on several tracks, so I'm pairing that redhead with this manicure instead.

borntoisla, Francesca

[youtube=http://youtu.be/Bag1gUxuU0g]

Sally Hansen "Magnetic" Nail Color — Ionic Indigo

September 13, 2012 by Francesca Nunez in All Thumbs, The Nail Files

Ladies and The One Gentleman Who Reads This Blog (thanks Gary), a word from this week's guest writer... Scotland Yard. This polish is a lot like "The NeverEnding Story"

...fun, full of wonder, but ultimately misleadingly titled.

They should call it "Sally Hansen's Affected by Magnets Nail Color." Because the polish itself is not magnetic. You can't pick up paperclips with your nails once it's applied. Sure that may be annoying at the work place but it would also be the best thing since Wooly Wil ly. Imagine you could instantly wipe out your credit card debt and by debt I mean just the cards. But that break from shopping could help you reevaluate your spending habits. Our nation is drowning in debt. But I digress. This nail polish itself is not magnetic. But hey, if your personality is, this polish could be just one more awesome thing people like about you.

...and we're back. I think it's always important to seek out other opinions, you know?

Anyway, I loved the Nails Inc. magnetic polish when I tried it last November. When I saw that Sally Hansen came out with their own version of magnetic polish, I felt somewhat skeptical. Would it be as nice as Nails Inc.? Would the colors be cool? Would there be a noticeable difference in quality? The answers are yes, yes and NO.

Here's Ionic Indigo*, a denim blue colored metallic polish from Sally Hansen's new Magnetic Nail Color line.