Base and top coats I love

Makeup is an incredibly personal thing - what works for some might not work for others.  This is true even in the nail world and you'll find that opinions on base and top coats range wildly.  Some swear by one product and others hate it.  Today I want to tell you about two base coats and three top coats that I adore.

Let's start with the base coats since that's where you start on your nails!  First up is Orly Bonder ($7.99).  This is a rubberized base coat that leaves nails feeling tacky!  It dries incredibly quickly but if you touch your nails they will feel like rubber.  It's crazy.  I find that this works really nicely with glitters.  

Second is OPI Natural Nail Base Coat ($8).  This is one of my HG products because it dries so quickly and applies in a really thin layer.  Speed is the name of the game for me when it comes to nails.

Which leads to my top coats that I love.  My top two favorites are quick-dry top coats.  The first is Orly In A Snap ($7.99).  This top coat dries incredibly quickly and leaves nails with a glossy shine.  

The second is Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat ($7.99).  This is a cult favorite and I can't believe how shiny it is.  I like to do my nails before bed and the worst thing is to wake up with the dreaded fabric imprints on nails.  

The final one isn't quick dry but it is beautiful  This is INM Northern Lights Hologram Top Coat ($5.99).  Hologram?  Umm...that's a bit much.  This won't give you a holographic nails BUT ti will give them a nice smattering of super-fine iridescent glitter.  So beautiful.

So there you have it!  I've linked to the products in their names in the post.

XOXO

-Kaitlin

Email me at orangelipstickblog@gmail.com

Tweet me at OrangeLipstickK

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All items were purchased by Orange Lipstick for personal use and review purposes.

The most unique polish in my stash + a cheap dotting tool!

I have a pretty decent nail stash compared to the average woman.  (Compared to true polishaholics, I don't have anything.)  Anyway, I have a lot of nice shades but I think most of them are "Yep.  That looks like red," or "Yep, a purple glitter."

This, however, is my most unique polish (for the moment) and is something I just recently stumbled upon.  I have no idea how I hadn't heard of it until now!

This is Orly Ingenue and it's simply fantastic.  This is a pinkish-purplish metallic color with TONS of gold glitter!  The glitter is teeny-tiny and doesn't scream "glitter" like some super chunky glitters tend to do.

At some angles, the color is purple.  At other angles it is pink.  And at other angles the gold flares up to create a beautiful, shiny surface.  

This is one of those weird shades that is a GLITTER but is still super work-place appropriate.  I only used two coats in these pictures.  This is a nice, thin consistency which happens to be my favorite type to work with.  I know some people prefer a little thicker but this is perfect for me.

My only complaint is the Orly brush in general.  I hate how long it is because it tends to pick up waaaayyy more polish than you need for each nail.  Tread carefully!

Of course, I couldn't be satisfied with just this gorgeous color - I had to add in another favorite that I've mentioned before...

That's right!  I added dots in Milani Key West.  This really wasn't difficult at all.  I'd say it took about ten minutes to do both hands and that was because I was going nice and slowly.  And what did I use to dot?

That's right!  I'm a frugalista so I just stuck a pin in the end of a pencil eraser!  This makes a cheap and easy dotting tool!  Just put a blob of polish on a piece of paper/cardboard/wax paper/etc and then dot the end of the pin into it.  Easy!

Have you ever dotted your nails before?  What are your favorite color combos?

I bought my bottle of Orly Ingenue at Sally's Beauty Supply for about $6.50.

XOXO

-Kaitlin

Email me at orangelipstickblog@gmail.com

Tweet me at OrangeLipstickK

Find me on Facebook at Orange Lipstick Blog

All items were purchased by Orange Lipstick for personal use and review purposes.

A sparkly party on my nails!

I have a very pretty NOTD for you today!

I started with my Orly Bonder base coat and then used one coat of China Glaze For Audrey.  This particular polish is the same color of a Tiffany's box!  However, the brush is uneven and scratchy.  Plus, I feel like this polish is a bit thick.  I prefer my polishes thinner and a little runnier.  Anyway, it's a nice polish!

Then I added one coat of Sephora by OPI Spark-tacular! Top Coat.  I wanted this product FOREVER but my Sephora never had it.  I finally got it and I've loved it!  It has pieces of multi-size, multi-shaped, multi-color glitter.  That's pretty much perfect in my book!

I finished up the whole thing with a coat of Seche Vite.  LOVE IT!

XOXO

-K

P.S.

Feel free to email me at orangelipstickblog@gmail.com or tweet me at OrangeLipstickK

All items were purchased by Orange Lipstick for personal use and review purposes.

Pink glitter NOTD

Today I have a super quick Nail of the Day (NOTD) for y'all!  Friday is Casual Friday and that means getting to rock exciting nails, too!

(I make no apologies for my raggedy cuticles.  I'm a beauty beginner and cuticle health is something I haven't quite mastered "a metaphysical dilemma I haven't conquered yet."  Get over it!)

I started with one coat of my current favorite base coat, Orly Bonder.  

(Photo taken from Orly's website)

Then I did one coat of OPI Kiss Me on My Tulips from the Holland collection.  (I went absolutely GA-GA for that collection, by the way.  I resisted and only picked up two polishes, which have since become HG products for me.)

OPI Kiss Me on My Tulips

I then used one coat of Wet 'n Wild Wild Shine Nail Color in Sparked.  It's a fairly densely packed pink and silver glitter in a clear base.  (I'd say it's about 95% pink and 5% silver.)

 Wet 'n Wild Wild Shine Nail Color in Sparked

L - Wet 'n Wild Wild Shine Nail Color in Sparked

R - OPI Kiss Me on My Tulips

I topped it all off with one coat of Orly In a Snap topcoat.  I think it's a sparkly, happy, and very girly combo!

How do you feel about glitter polish?  Love it?  Hate the texture?  

XOXO

-K

P.S.

Feel free to email me at orangelipstickblog@gmail.com or tweet me at OrangeLipstickK

All items were purchased by Orange Lipstick for personal use and review purposes.