Random.org was summoned.
The fickle oracle named Jennifer, comment #5! Nice job! She's the winner of the Essie Summer Collection mini-mani four-pack.
I hope you enjoy your colors, Jenn! You'll have to send some sweet pics of your fave color. :)
xxo, Francesca
I've said it before and I'll say it again: the girls at my office really keep me on my toes. Or, shall I say, fingertips. My colleagues are a constant source of inspiration... and the occasional bout of nail envy.
My friend LaLa got a blue-tiful mani just the other day. Recognize this? It's Essie Bikini So Teeny. This is a must-have for a good collection because the color is just so unique.
If you've got a hankering for Bikini So Teeny, be sure to enter my Essie Summer Collection Giveaway! Call for entries ends at 11:59pmPT on Sunday!
LaLaLovely, Francesca
Hello ladies! Essie's Summer Collection for 2012 is incredible; but we've discussed that already. I recall struggling to decide which colors to succumb to, and where to draw the line, because I honest-to-goodness wanted them all. ALL.
Let me help you jumpstart your collection with this fantastic four-pack of minis! This quartet includes: Fear Or Desire (orange), Mojito Madness (green), Off The Shoulder (pink) and my personal favorite, Bikini So Teeny (light blue).
This giveaway is open to blog subscribers / followers only. So first, make sure you're a follower! Then, entering for your chance to win is easy — just leave a comment on this post. I'll announce the winner on Monday, June 23rd.
The cutoff is 11:59pm Pacific time on Sunday, July 22nd. The winner will be randomly selected by comment number through Random.org. Only one comment (entry) per follower is eligible for consideration. For this giveaway, only winners with U.S. or Canadian shipping addresses are eligible. (Sorry, globetrotters!) For the nitty gritty details, click here.
bestofluck, Francesca
Hello again, Webcrawlers. Let's jump right in.
Not a fan of reptiles. Snakes terrify me. If you've hiked with me, then you've probably witnessed my ridiculous paranoia for yourself. What follows is a typical exchange. "Is that a snake?" "Nope, it's a branch." [two minutes elapse] "Ahh! Snake!" "No, that's a shadow." [20 seconds later] "OMG, snaaaake! "NO. That is dog poop."
And lizards are not much better, because they are equally reptilian with presumably less venom but 400% MORE LEGS.
It will take all my will to watch the upcoming Spiderman movie, knowing that the villain is a human-sized lizard. Just what I need, reptilian humanoids to haunt my dreams. It is only my love for Emma Stone and my affection for Andrew Garfield that will give me the strength I need to make it through.
And yet... my favorite color so far of OPI's Spiderman collection is "Just Spotted the Lizard." I mean, I can see how its golden green shimmer is vaguely like the scales on a creeping lizard or slithering snake but it reminds me of something much more pleasant... like a dragonfly. Or an Egyptian scarab.
This color is an eye-catching duochrome. It flashes from gold to sage to sea green to teal. If you have green eyes, then this is a must for you. ALISON, direct shout out. Get this. :)
Now one note on application. A highly metallic color like this is unforgiving when it comes to ridges and imperfections on the surface of your nails. Make sure you take the time to buff to ensure a perfectly smooth surface. I applied two coats and made sure to paint on a generous second coat while holding the brush very lightly to avoid brush strokes.
leapinglizards, Francesca
*product provided for honest review
When I say that Essie's new collection for Summer 2012 is drool-worthy, I am being literal. I opened the email, looked at the photo and I swear to you that I salivated like a polish-loving Pavlov pet. This set is a perfect ten. Well, technically a perfect six, but you know what I mean.
Naturally, I must assort this perfect lineup in priority order because I can't — I musn't — buy them all.
Share your rankings in the comments!
xxo, Francesca