Just checking in...

Long time no see? :) Absolutely yes...

I just unintentionally clicked on my favorites that led me to my old blog I loved to update back then... I rarely read any blogs now days, just being obsessed with Instagram, because it makes it so easier to keep in touch with some of my favorite sites on my phone while I'm driving back from work...

Looking back I really miss blogging but as probably all of you know, it takes time for doing it. There's a history I left here and I still love doing my nails but I just can't prepare myself to do my nails more often (or even take some pictures of manicures I do wear). I change my manicure every Sunday, so once per week which is like 3 times less than I used to. Stamping? What's that? I don't remember the last time I stamped my nails...

I just wanted to see if there's anyone here? Let me know how are you all doing... :i

Love, 

Ivana <3 comment-3--="">

Essence Metal Glam Gold Topper

Let's try this blogger app on my iphone. :P

I just have to publish this asap! I saw gold toppers floating around but since I'm not spending for polish as much as before, I didn't want to splurge for a top coat with real gold flakes. Until today, but it was cheap as possible - 2,19€ at Drogerie Markt. :)

Essence came out with a Metal glam collection and one of the polish is this gold topper! In stores now! At least here in Slovenia. 

Top to bottom

Orly - Pure Porcelain

Orly - Fancy Fuchsia

China Glaze - Traffic Jam

Essence - Chuck

Let me know if you already got it and how do you like it! I love it and I definitely need a back up. Hands down Essence, you finally came up with something I love. :)

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

NOTW 3 ~ Gold Glitter Gradient

Jeeez, times fly by way too fast as I would want to. :( Missed me? :$

Quick manicure for today just to say hi! :)

You can't go wrong with a perfect blue like Pacific Blue from Sally Hansen is. :L Just to make it a bit more fun, I added some gold glitter and to match it a bit better, I added some blue glequins from Born Pretty Store.

Nail Tek - Foundation II

Sally Hansen - Pacific Blue / 2 coats

Sponging: Essence - Make it Golden

Blue Glequins 

Essence Better than gel nails Top Sealer

 Totally color inaccurate photo but I love how it looks like. :L

I got a pack of glequins from Born Pretty Store. 12 little containers with 12 different colors - I think I have a supply for life. :D The glequins I decided to add...

Don't forget to use code J10X31 to get 10% off on your order. ;)

Xoxo,
Ivana :k


*Products in this post were sent to me by Born Pretty Store! For more information read my disclosure policy!

NOTW #1 ~ Glitter Half Moons

It's time for another post, right? :)

I've been still pretty busy but I'll try to update my blog more often. I feel quilty when I see a number of followers but at the same time I just love to be lazy when I can and do nothing. Seriously, I'm so lazy you can't even imagine. xD

This manicure I wore last week. Simple but elegant! I used loose glitter for half moons I got from BPS, which I used for framed nails. Pretty simple to make one, all you need is patience to place the glitters. 

Nail Tek Foundation II

Essence - Rosewood Hood / 2 coats

 Essence Better than gel nails Top Sealer

I think I even find the perfect nude for my skintone. It's from Wild Craft LE I randomly picked, but I absolutely love how it looks on my nails!

Blurry

 What do you think?

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Beach Cruiser Make it Golden for 2O13

2O13 is here, can you believe that? :o I can't, time flies by way to fast as I'd want to. I had b-day on 28th December and I'm 24 now. Not that I feel old but...

...and that's who I am.

But what can we do. :i At least I got some pretty awesome gifts. :party

I didn't have to think twice what to wear for B-day. :L It was all about neon pink this year and I really started to love gold lately so here is a winning combination I'm still wearing. :)

OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener

Orly - Beach Cruiser / 2 coats

Sponging: Essence - Make it Golden

Essence Better than gel nails Top Sealer

What do you think? :)

...and that's who I am.

Hope you are too! Healthy, happy and full of love 2O13! :h

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Once Upon a Time I Made it Golden for Christmas

Did you miss my nails? :$ I did miss you! :)

My nails are in worst condition - still peeling and weak so I'm keeping them short. I'm still painting my nails all the time, I just don't find time or great light to take photos that's why I'm not posting as much as before..

Here's my easy red and gold Christmas combination you can't go wrong with. :D Pictures aren't best but you get the point. :i

OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener

Essence - Once Upon a Time / 2 coats

Sponging: Essence - Make it Golden

Essence Better than gel nails Top Sealer 

Do you like this combo? Let me know what are you wearing today! :party

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Inspired by: Norman Ambrose Spring/Summer 2012 Nails

Lately I'm so lazy with my nails so I wear same manicure for a week or before it's totally unwearable. :P

I had this picture saved on my laptop and when I got some things from Born Pretty Store for review I knew I'll have to try it out. Here's a picture.... :i

http://nailshowto.com

CND Colour in Flashpoint iced with 24K Gold Leaf as a french tip made by nail artist Candice Manacchio for CND.

My nails for sure aren't oval as these so I made a regular french tips with a gold foil because I obviously don't own real gold leaf. :P Here's what I came up with.. :i

Not really super close because my nails are squared but I like it! First I didn't want to use a coral red because I don't like corals and I thought I don't have corals in my stash but then I remembered I got one from Nina months ago so I decided to get close as I can. :)

I got a set of gold and silver gold nail art foil. You get 6 retainers of gold and 6 of silver foil. Foil is really thin so you have to be careful if you want to apply it in one piece but I needed smaller pieces so I took my tweezers to tear it apart without getting it on my fingers.

First I applied two coats of Perfect nail polish in #233, which is a coral creme. When the second layer was still tacky I placed pieces of foil on my tips with tweezers. When I was done, I sealed the foil with topcoat. 

Daylight

Perfect - #233 / 2 coats

Gold Nail Art Foil

Beauty Secrets TC Fast Finish Polish Dryer

I love how sparkly it looks on sun like I dipped my nails in a gold.

Sun - blurry

So what do you think? Yay or nay? :) I definitely need to try this with pink! If you don't like foil, you can always try french tip with a gold glitter.

I saw top coats with gold pieces inside, I'm quite sure you can mix this foil with a clear top coat and made your own golden top coat. Or you just randomly place pieces of foil.  .i Has anyone tried this yet?

Don't forget to use code J10X31 to get 10% off on your order if you're planning to order on Born Pretty Store . ;)

An extra photo I just published on Instagram, trying to pose like the models did. :P

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

*Some of the products in this post were sent to me by Born Pretty Store! For more information read my disclosure policy!

Inspired by: Harlequin Hardware Manicure

Did you ever heard for Harlequin Hardware manicure? Well I haven't but I saw pictures on Tumblr all the time. :D Here's a picture...

http://makeupforlife.net

“Harlequin Hardware” manicures created by CND‘s Candice Manacchio at the Diego Binetti show. To create these gorgeous looks, Candice stained models' nails in CND Colour in Raspberry Parfait and Frosting Cream before capping them in gold and silver metal.

The gradient looks so perfect and airbrushed on pictures and I already knew I won't get same smooth effect but I really wanted to try it out. :D Tips are probably mirror gold stickers, as you can see on her pinkie it started lifting. :i

It looks much better from far away as on macro photos. :i

First I started with 2 coats of OPI Sweet Heart. Then I applied Sweet Heart and Hot or Not? on sponge and started sponging pink near the cuticles and blending pink with the lighter color. It's even messier than a normal gradient, because you need to be careful not to get pink in the middle of nails. I literally had pink fingers all around cuticles. :) Then I add just Sweet Heart on sponge and tapped it in the middle of nails in case there were pink spots. I added coat of top coat and left it for a day. Yesterday I made gold french tips with China Glaze 2030 and stripping tape and finished everything with another coat of top coat.

Without Golden Tips

I got so many compliments and lots of them were wondering if my nails are fake or how I did them. :)

Sun

OPI - Sweet Heart / 2 coats

Sponging: OPI - Sweet Heart & Catrice - Hot or Not?

 Beauty Secrets TC Fast Finish Polish Dryer

Funky french: China Glaze - 2030 & Stripping Tape

Beauty Secrets TC Fast Finish Polish Dryer

Yup, gradient effect is grainy if you look closer but I don't care, it's still pretty. ^_^

This technique is a bit messy and time-consuming but when you're done, you have a pretty awesome manicure going on your nails. :L

Btw, follow me on instagram @ivanathinkspink, I joined a few days ago . :)

What do you think? Would you wear it? :i Thanks for reading! :h

Edit - 18th September 2012 ~ Adding video tutorial :)

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Gold Knockout Pout

My nails were naked for a whole week, because I wasn't really sure what to wear. But few days ago I finally decided. It was time for Essie's Knockout Pout. It's part of Essie's Summer 2010 collection. 

Really lovely pink with peach undertones and it has a satin finish when it dries, so it's probably a neon? :) The formula is a bit thick, but you can easily get away with 2 or 3 coats. I'm not really a fan of Essie's brush, I prefer big flat brush over Essie's. It's a bit hard to capture on photo, but it's such a lovely shade in person - sometimes more peach and sometimes more pink. :)

Then I added a coat of Essence's Make it Golden on half on my nails and over also Milani Jewel FX - Gold. Make it Golden is going to be discontinued this fall, so be sure you'll grab it before that, I need a back-up of this gorgeous polish. :L

Daylight

 OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthene

Essie - Knockout Pout / 2-3 coats

Essence -  Make it Golden / 1 coat

Milani Jewel FX - Gold / 1 coat

Beauty Secrets TC Fast Finish Polish Dryer

Extra photo... :i

What do you think? :i Have a lovely Friday and weekeend and thanks for reading!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Framed Nails

Few days ago I got another awesome package from Born Pretty Store, so I had to try the goodies right away. :) 

I'm really loving framed nails and I already did them once, you can see them here, where I used just plain black and holographic silver glitter. So now I decided to do them again but this time with gold glitter. This method is kind of time-consuming, but it definitely looks good. :)

The pictures aren't the best, because the weather here is nothing like June should be. xo

I got this cute container full of gold hexagonal holographic glitter (you can find it here, also available in different colors and shapes). It looks like a treasure when you open the container. :L To easily pick the glitter on toothpick, I drop some of the glitter into the lid.

I love this kind of glitter because it's flat and it doesn't bother me as much as rhinestones. So when you add a layer of top coat, the surface is almost smooth.

I started with 2 coats of China Glaze - Traffic Jam. I picked it because it has a really great formula and I already tried it with gold glitter and it looked gorgeous, so I decided to use it again. :L I did one nail at a time. When the second layer was still wet, I simply picked one by one glitter and placed it on the nail. If I was too slow and the surface was already dry, I added a top coat and made the surface wet and sticky again.

 OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener

China Glaze - Traffic Jam / 2 coats

Gold Holographic Hexagonal Glitter

Beauty Secrets TC Fast Finish Polish Dryer

They do start falling off eventually, I'd suggest you to add 2 coats of top coat to really seal them on the nails, but even when a few of them are missing, it doesn't bothering me, it still looks as great as before. Unless you're really trying to find where they're missing. xD

Here's a closer look of the glitter! <3 I told you it looks like a treasure! :L

The container looks small but I'm not even sure if I'll ever hit the bottom of this container. :D Don't forget to use code J10X31 to get 10% off on your order. ;)

It looks like I'm having just a plain berry on my nails but there's still something going on my nails. :P 

Flash

Let me know if you like framed nails and my combination. :) I'm really in love with them, I just need to practice how to make perfect framed nails with a creme nail polish. I already tried it once and it looked great but I choose a horrible color combination. :D And I only did my left hand, because I'm not really sure if I'm able to hold the striping brush in my left hand and make some perfect lines. ^_^

Have a lovely week and thanks for reading!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

*Some of the products in this post were sent to me by Born Pretty Store! For more information read my disclosure policy!

My Bundle Monster Contest Entry

Bundle Monster arranged a nail contest again this year and because I totally missed it last year, I decided to join the contest this year. :)

I decided to enter with this manicure I did a while ago - Gold Glittery Zebra Print, because I really love everything about it - gold, glitter, zebra print, I even love my nubs here. :$

Public votes starts today and will end on Sunday, May 13th and 50 manicures with the most votes will enter the step 2 where the judges will decide which 25 manicures will win the prize (3rd Bundle Monster set :D ). Well if you have a few seconds and you like my manicure, please vote for me. :)

If you have a Facebook account, you can vote here:

http://apps.facebook.com/winnailplates/contests/216667/voteable_entries/49037259 

If you don't have Facebook (but all those who have FB can vote here again :P) you can vote here:

http://promoshq.wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/216667/voteable_entries/49037259

You can vote for each entry once per day.  :)

Every vote counts so THANK YOU if you decide to vote for me. :) You can check all the other amazing entries and vote for them too. :) If you entered a contest too, please leave a link in the comments, so I can vote for you too!

I would be more than happy to get into Top 50, but after I saw all 11 pages with just amazing manicures, I just doubt. :i Anyway, good luck!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Berry with Gold Glitter

I'm really into sponging lately. :e Sponge is such an easy tool to use but it gives really amazing results. :L

Traffic Jam is a part of China Glaze's Metro Fall 2011 collection. It's a berry creme with really great formula (if you're careful, you can easily get away with just one coat). It's not so pink as on the pictures below but it's really hard to capture with my phone.

I didn't want anything from that fall collection at first but when I saw this manicure from Elsa I just had to have it! :L I still need to try out that combo, but this time I decided to go with gold. I usually sponge the glitter on the tips of my nails, but this time I decided to sponge them on the base of the nails.

The gold glitter I used is Make it Golden from Essence. I just love everything about this polish - gold hexagonal glitter, tiny glitter and gold dust in clear base. <3 I already showed you in combination with nude or blue. :) I definitely need a back up!

Sun

Daylight

Sun - Blurry

OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener

China Glaze - Traffic Jam / 2 coats

Sponging: Essence - Make it Golden
Nail Tek Intensive Therapy II

I had to include the last blurry picture, because the gold really pops out. :L Just gorgeous! <3

What do you think about this manicure? Would you wear it? :)

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Manicure inspired by Real Madrid C. F.

I'm a big fan of football and my all time favorite club is Real Madrid. I started watching football since 1998, I still remember the world cup I watched with my dad and I loved it. :D As a kid, I even played it with my friends, but I'm sad I never tried to train it. :/

Old team of Real Madrid with Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Zizu, Raul, Figo, Beckham, etc... made me fell in love with this club and it's still my #1. <3

Yesterday we watched another El Clasico (Barcelona vs. Real Madrid) and I tweeted if RM wins, I'm doing a manicure inspired by RM. :D And they won! :e So here's what I came up with.... 

Sun

I'm not good with free hand nail art so I decided to keep it simple. :D I used white as a base, because I love their white uniforms with gold details. I added a RM's logo on my ring finger with nail art brush and 3 gold stripes from their uniform as Adidas logo on my thumb with tape.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org

Daylight

OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener

China Glaze - Snow / 2 coats

Ring finger: China Glaze - 2030 (gold), Essence - Cool and the Gang (blue), Essence - Back to the 50's (red) + nail art brush

Thumb: China Glaze - 2030 + tape

Beauty Secrets Top Coat Fast Finish Polish Dryer

I wanted to add numbers of players but since I love the whole team, I decided to keep other nails just white. :D

Pictures aren't even close to good, because we had such a grainy (grey + rain) day and my camera didn't let me pick the gold without any shine. :( I like this mani better in person as on this pictures, kinda looks like a fail. :D 

Any Madridistas here? Do you watch football? What's your fave team? My 2nd fave team is Chelsea. :e I check almost all their matches (if I don't have time to watch it, I always check the results).What do you think? Does this mani look like a fail? :$

Have a lovely start of the week and thanks for reading!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Step by Step: Gold Glittery Zebra Print

I'm seeing Easter nails everywhere but I must say I'm not in Easter mood at all, probably because I still can't believe it's already April. :/ Well, I ate already tons of chocolate eggs. :$ I hope I'll make an Easter mani till next week, when we're celebrating an Orthodox Easter. :) 

My nails really make me sad for months now and I can't find a reason why are they peeling so much, so of course I filed them down to nubs again. I have some peelies down to the nail bed so they need to grow out but even when they grow out, they start peeling on the same place. Annoying! :)

Oh well, when I'm having nubs, I tend to use something really neutral or when I'm in the mood, I do something crazy and fun and make them at least prettier with a design. :D So, I had this lovely combination in my minds and it turned out just perfectly.... Just like the title says: Gold Glittery Zebra Print. <3

They look so good on picture. :D It looks like I spent hours on doing them, but I was done so fast - just a fun layering and stamping and you get nails like this. :) It's very similar to the first Purple Sparkly Zebra Print I did months ago. :) I took pictures of all steps so I'm posting them here as a Step by Step "tutorial", but this is far from a tutorial, because it's really really easy. :D But in case someone who doesn't have an idea how to achieve nails like this, I posted all pictures, so more after a click. 

Leopard Print

Time flies by just too fast. :/ I don't have a lot of time for nails but I finally took some time to remove my previous manicure and make something quick but cute. :) I'm in a brown period lately so I wanted to have something brown on my nails too and what's better than leopard print? :) 

I started with one coat of BS and Essence - Zulu (light gray creme with plastic finish) just to give my nails a color. I decided to sponge Desert Fox (greyish brown), also from Essence, and Warm & Fozzie (brown copperish duochrome) from OPI to get a little shimmery look. :) I stamped leopard pattern with BPS M57, as I already told you that the patterns are small so I had to double or triple, but I didn't have problems with placing the pattern to look like I didn't have to stamp twice. :) I added some dots with 2030 from China Glaze - gold metallic color and a layer of TC to finish my whole manicure. 

When I made it yesterday I wasn't sure if I like but as soon as I saw it on sun, I love it! :)

Sun

Daylight

Nail Tek - Foundation 2

Essence - Zulu (TE Into the Wild) / 1 coat

Essence - Desert Fox (TE Into the Wild) / sponged

OPI - Warm & Fozzie / sponged

Wet n Wild - Black Créme & BPS M57 / stamping

China Glaze - 2030 / dots

Beauty Secrets TC Fast Finish Polish Dryer

What do you think? I will probably wear it for whole this week. &lt;3 Do you like wearing animal prints? Which one is your favorite? Mine are probably leopard and zebra. :)

Thanks for reading and have a lovely day! :rainbow

Xoxo,

Ivana :k

Happy New Year with Gold Glitter

I can't believe it's the last day of 2011! :o Time flies by sooooooo fast. :) I hope you're spending the last day with the ones you love. I'm spending a night with my BFF. :)

I didn't have a nail polish on my nails for two weeks now, well if we're not counting the base coat and I didn't want to have naked nails tonight, that's why I decided to paint my nails with something I love - glitter! <3

I spent an hour on this manicure, because my right hand still isn't fully recoverd but it was worth it. I wanted to post this manicure yesterday but I smashed another daylight bulb so I had to wait the day to come. I'm glad I did, because I caught sunshine! <3

I added 1 coat of China Glaze - Midnight Kiss - shimmery gold foil, just to have a similar base color. Then I added 2 coats of Milani Jewel FX in Gold and then another few drops to cover the empty space. I finished manicure with layer of TC. 

Result? Is amaaaaaazing. :L I fell in love in a same second I saw it on a daylight. So sparkly, so amazing. :L I'm not worried about removal, because foil method can solve all problems. xD

Sun

 

Blurry

Nail Tek - Foundation 2
China Glaze - Midnight Kiss / 1 coat
Milani Jewel FX - Gold / 3 coats
Beauty Secrets TC Fast Finish Polish Dryer

Bebo loves it too. :i

See how amazing this polish is? I think I emptied a quarter of bottle but I have a back up so no worries. :P What do you think? Isn't just perfect for tonight? <3

What's on your nails today? Did you pick something sparkly, holographic or just a creme? Thanks for reading and see you in 2012! :party

***Happy New Year 2012***

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Make it Golden, Chuck!

I'm sick so I stayed in bed for whole 2 days now and my weekend probably won't be any better. I have a cold and my nose is killing me. Uh and this cold weather makes everything even worse. :ice

Glitters, glitters... <3 Something that always cheer me up at least a bit. :) Chuck can be gorgeous on his own too but I just had to add something. I didn't stamp for quite some time so I decided to try my new glitter polish.

Essence probably took inspiration for these glitters at Deborah Lippmann's glitters. I'm sure you all already know that Blue Addicted is a quite close dupe for Across the Universe, Make it Golden really reminds me of Boom Boom Pow and Time for Romance of Some enchanted Forest (but this one has clear base and Time for Romance has sheer magenta base). I don't own any of them so I can't make comparisons, but let's say these are very close or at least that they're related. xD

Make it Golden has a clear base with lots of two sized hexagon glitter and gold micro glitter, which looks like a golden dust on nail. <3 It's pretty sheer so it's perfect for layering, I'm sure you can create lots of different combinations with this beauty.

Chuck & Make it Golden

I didn't have any problems with application, I added 2 coats for more glittery effect and a layer of TC to smooth the surface.

Sun

Daylight

 Essence - Nail Art Protecting Base Coat

Essence - Chuck / 2 coats

Essence - Make it Golden / 2 coats

Beauty Secrets TC Fast Finish Polish Dryer

I really love this blue-gold combination, what do you think about it? Do you already have Make it Golden? :)

I'm a bit late but I did a guest post at Colores de Carol a while ago. :e I was so happy when Carolina asked me. She has an amazing blog so be sure you'll check her out. <3

Click on the picture to see the whole post.

I did a Hello Kitty manicure, because I knew that Carolina loves her. :) I hope you'll like it too!

Thanks for reading and commenting! <3 Have a great weekend!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k