Category: Nails

Indie Spotlight: Different Dimension’s You’ve Got a Friend in Me Set + Excelsior!

Happy Sunday! Today I have some more polishes to share with you from one of my favorite indie brands, Different Dimension. If you love Disney movies, you are in for a treat, because I’ve got a duo of polishes based off of your favorite characters from the Toy Story trilogy! As an added bonus, I’m also reviewing a stunning holographic polish that I’m sure you will love. Let me show you these beautiful polishes!

 

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First up is To Infinity and Beyond, a glitter top coat in a clear base named for Buzz Lightyear. The glitters in this polish fit Buzz to a T — a mix of green, purple, and white in different shapes and sizes is just the perfect representation. I layered one coat over Zoya Neely to act as a complimentary base color, and to really let the glitters stand out. I especially love the neon green circles in this polish. To Infinity and Beyond is just stunning, and it even glows in the dark!

 

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Next up is Reach for the Sky, a yellow-based polish with red and yellow glitters mixed throughout. The You’ve Got a Friend in Me Set would not be complete without a polish named for Woody, everyone’s favorite cowboy. I layered two coats of Reach for the Sky over Traffic Lights from Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. Not only was it the same exact base color, but it ensured opacity for my manicure. Reach for the Sky has a great formula that represents Woody well! This is a great polish color for the fall months, or for any yellow fan.

 

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As an added bonus, I also have the stunning Excelsior on the blog! Excelsior is a holographic nail polish that is somewhere between a silver and white base. It reflects the colors of the rainbow in the light just beautifully. Excelsior is opaque in two coats, and has a fabulous formula. Plus, it is one of the best holographic nail polishes I have ever tried! It has a strong holo effect, yet it is perfect for every day wear. I highly recommend it!

All in all, I love the You’ve Got a Friend in Me Set and Excelsior from Different Dimension. This is an indie brand that never disappoints! I love the amazing quality and unique polishes, and I definitely recommend it. You can shop for Different Dimension polishes on Etsy HERE and like the Facebook page HERE.

 

The polishes in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

iPhone Case Nail Art featuring Pomegranate Nail Lacquer & Cellairis

Happy Wednesday! Today I have a fun nail art post featuring polish from the brand Pomegranate Nail Lacquer. They recently teamed up with the cell phone case company Cellairis to pair a coordinating polish with select iPhone cases. Along with some other nail bloggers, I’m sharing a nail art look inspired by one of the Cellairis iPhone cases. Let me show you what I created!

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First up is a shot of the coordinating nail polish and iPhone case! On the left is Pomegranate Nail Lacquer in the shade The Queen’s Jewels, a glitter top coat filled with silver, red, green, and blue glitters. On the right is the Cellairis iPhone 5 case in the style Debaris Picky Dot. As you can see, the glitters match up nicely with the rhinestones on the case already!

 

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For my complete nail art look, I wanted to do a bit more than just add the glitter to a base. I began with a plain black nail polish to act like the color of my iPhone, and like the black rhinestones on the case. Then, I created a ruffian design by applying Essie Butler Please to the nail, leaving a small amount of black polish showing near the cuticle. My favorite color rhinestone in the case was the dark blue, and since the glitter polish didn’t have a dark blue, I decided that would be a great base color. Then, I added three coats of The Queen’s Jewels to the blue part of my nails to create the rhinestone look! I’m loving the result!

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All in all, my nails are just as sparkly as the iPhone case! Plus, it was super easy to create this fancy look! Since the Debaris Picky Dot design is abstract, any color combination with the glitter will make for a fun, complimentary manicure. I can’t wait to use the glitter over many other colors of polish and still match my case! You can purchase Pomegranate Nail Lacquer online HERE for $8.50 per bottle, and Cellairs phone cases HERE. Be sure to follow Pomegranate Nail Lacquer on Facebook HERE to see what other bloggers created for this promotion!

 

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

3D Heart Rhinestones from Born Pretty Store!

Happy Friday! If you love to add bling to your nails, then today’s review is perfect for you! Born Pretty Store, the best place for affordable nail art supplies online, recently came out with some new 3D heart rhinestones in twelve stunning colors! I put some of these to the test, and I can’t wait to share the fancy manicure I created!

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First off, here is a quick picture of the set of rhinestones as you receive them. They come in a cute wheel that is separated by color and is very easy to store in your nail polish collection. This set comes with twenty-four rhinestones total, with two of each color. I love this wheel because it ensures that the rhinestones don’t get lost anywhere, but I can still see the available colors through the clear plastic.

 

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I decided to choose two of the rhinestones for my manicure as double accent nails! Since I was wearing Zoya Bobbi, I chose a light pink and a light purple to act as complimentary colors. To apply the rhinestones, simply press them onto your nails before your nail polish has dried completely and finish up with a top coat. The rhinestones stuck on my nails rather well, but you can always use a bit of nail glue to ensure they don’t fall off if you wish. Another great thing about these 3D rhinestones is that they can be reused! They don’t get ruined upon removal, and can thus be applied for more than one fancy manicure!

All in all, these heart rhinestones are super cute and very easy to apply. I am not one to have bling on my nails all the time, but these are great for an accent nail or a special occasion! Plus, since there are twelve different colors, you can pair the rhinestones with many different nail polishes. This set of rhinestones retails for just $4.14 HERE, and as always Born Pretty Store offers free international shipping. You can also get 10% off of your order with the discount code FZL91. Click the photo below to start shopping now!

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The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. Some of the links above are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Zoya Irresistible Collection for Summer 2013!

Happy Wednesday! Today I have the last of the three Zoya collections for Summer 2013 to review for you. The Irresistible Collection is for the metallic-loving lady! With six gorgeous shades, this collection truly is irresistible. I am blown away with how stunning each of these nail polishes is, and I’m even happier to report that the formulas are all spot on! Let me show you these must have shades for summer.

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First up is Kerry, a golden yellow metallic polish. Kerry is opaque in two coats and has a great application. I suggest thin coats with each of these polishes, as metallic formulas can bunch up if you have too much polish on the nail. Kerry truly is a golden hue, and sparkles just beautifully. If you are looking for a great base for your next ruffian manicure, you better get Kerry!

 

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Next up is Amy, a burnt orange metallic polish. Amy is also opaque in two coats, and has the same great “irresistible” formula. This polish has a golden shimmer throughout, and is more wearable than most oranges. I think Amy will go well with any skin tone, and can work during the autumn season as well as the summer. I’m surprised at how much I love Amy on my own nails!

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Tinsely is the next polish in this collection, and is a unique rose colored shade. Tinsley is quite different, and has a duochrome feel to it. It’s not quite pink, and it’s not quite purple, but it is very pretty! I love the golden shimmer throughout this metallic finish as well. Tinsley is office appropriate, yet still fun and summery for beach days. Talk about a versatile polish!

 

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Bobbi is next, and my favorite polish in the Irresistible Collection! Bobbi is a bright, magenta polish with silver shimmer. Bobbi is opaque in two coats, and has a great formula and application. The color is just absolutely stunning, too! Bobbi is the perfect nail polish for any pink fan, and I think it can be worn all year long. I can’t wait to put this on my nails again!

 

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Next up is Hazel, a metallic polish that is a mix of blue and silver. This cool color combination creates a unique polish that is like nothing else in my collection. Plus, Hazel has an amazing formula and is opaque in two coats. Hazel is also a great transitional polish to take your nails from summer to fall. If you love blue polish, this is a must have for you!

 

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Last but not least is Rikki, a light green metallic polish. If you loved Logan from the Ornate Collection, then you will love Rikki as well! It is a lighter version of that winter favorite, and has the same great application that is opaque in two coats. Rikki also is replete with gold shimmer that truly shines in the summer sun. It is a fabulous finale to the Irresistible Collection!

All in all, I am really impressed with Zoya’s Irresistible Collection. I am not always the biggest fan of metallic polishes, but this collection changed my mind! With fabulous formulas, and beautiful colors, I think I will be grabbing for these polishes quite often. You can purchase the Irresistible Collection for $8 each on Zoya’s website HERE.

 

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

What’s Under There? Part Two

Happy Monday! Today I have another edition of What’s Under There? In this series I share with you some of the nail polishes I used as the base color for glitter manicures. You can see Part One of this series HERE, and make sure to stay tuned for new installments on a regular basis! Let me show you the polishes on today’s agenda.

 

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First up is Sally Hansen Complete Manicure in Barracuda, a beautiful pastel blue. Barracuda is a great polish that is opaque in two coats. The formula is spot on, and applies with ease. I layered Rainbow Polish in Tahitian Waters over Barracuda (see that post HERE), but it is beautiful on its own as well. The Complete Salon Manicure line is one of the more expensive collections from Sally Hansen, but it often goes on sale. Keep an eye on the weekly fliers and coupon inserts in the newspaper!

 

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Next up is Surreal Appeal from China Glaze, a vibrant red orange polish that leans towards pink. Surreal Appeal is from the Cirque du Soleil collection, and is the perfect color for summer. I needed three coats of this polish, as the formula was a bit uneven in two coats alone. Otherwise, Surreal Appeal is just a fabulous polish! I layered Different Dimension in Wish You Were Here over this polish in THIS review for a manicure with even more pop. You can find Surreal Appeal at your local beauty supple store, or on Amazon HERE (it is currently just $3.05, so snag it before the price goes up!).

 

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Last but not least is Zoya Arizona, a beautiful orange creme polish. I’ve wanted Arizona for the longest time, and when I tried it for the first time I understood why. This polish has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats. The orange color is not too bright, but just a true orange. I used it as the base color for Different Dimension’s Comfortably Numb to create the neon look seen HERE. Arizona is such a flattering polish, and can be purchase on Zoya’s website HERE for $8.

All in all, these polishes are stunning on their own as well as layered with a glitter nail polish! I find that these shades are great for the spring and summer seasons as well, and are definitely fabulous and affordable. Let me know which of the three is your favorite!

 

Some of the links above are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Indie Spotlight: Echoes Collection from Different Dimension

Calling all Pink Floyd fans! Today I have a review of the Echoes collection from the indie brand Different Dimension. This set of six unique polishes perfectly represents the band’s iconic image from the album The Dark Side of the Moon, and is super fun for summer. Let me show you this totally rad collection!

 

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First up is Wish You Were Here, a glitter top coat that I layered over China Glaze Surreal Appeal. Wish You Were Here is full of lots of fun glitters in the colors pink, fuchsia, blue, and silver. I absolutely love the large circle glitters and the squares! I applied one coat in the photos above. As you can see, the large circles reflect the light and create a holographic effect. Wish You Were Here is very unique, and perfect for the summer sunshine.

 

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Next up is Another Brick in the Wall, a glitter top coat that I layered over Urban Outfitters Freakin Pink. Another Brick in the Wall is comprised of white and black fine glitters, white, black, and pink rectangles, and hot pink hexagonal glitters. There is also a sprinkling of silver holographic glitters for that extra shine. I applied one coat in the photos above. Unfortunately the pink glitters got a bit washed out in the photographs, but in real life they stood out great on the pink background. If bright colors aren’t for you, wear Another Brick in the Wall over a neutral polish for a toned down look!

 

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Money is the next polish in the Echoes collection. It is a white base filled with neon green, neon yellow, blue, black, and gold glitters in a variety of shapes and sizes. Money can be worn alone as it is opaque in three coats, but I wanted the neon glitters to really stand out, so I layered two coats over a white polish. Money has a great formula that is easy to apply in layers, and once again the circle glitters make a very cool statement in this polish. The color combination also lives up to the money theme quite well!

 

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Next up is Time, a glitter top coat that I layered over Essie Play Date. Time is full of black, silver, and purple glitters in all shapes an sizes, including diamonds, stars, squares, and large circles. I applied one coat to get the look in the photos above. It should be noted that the large circle glitters do appear curled, but that is just reflective curling. They lay perfectly flat on the nail! The star shaped glitter also has a stunning holographic shine when it hits the light. Time is definitely a rock star polish!

 

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Comfortably Numb is the next polish in the Echoes collection, and is a glitter top coat will hot pink and yellow glitters. I layered one coat over Zoya Arizona in the photos above. The yellow glitters are hard to see in the photos, but my manicure looked amazing in person with all of the neon colors together. To make the neon glitters really pop, layer Comfortably Numb over a white polish. I think this polish would also look great with a matte top coat!

 

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Last but not least is my favorite polish from the bunch, Hey You. Hey You has a light purple base and is full of pink and purple glitters with a sprinkle of holographic shine. I layered two coats of Hey You over Sally Hansen Lacey Lilac, as it perfectly matched the base color and I wanted to ensure opacity. I just adore the final product! The colors are stunning, and I love the pastel base. Hey You can easily transition from spring to summer, and is such a feminine polish.

All in all, I am loving the Echoes collection from Different Dimension! Each polish has an amazing formula, and the glitters apply with ease. I also find that these polishes are so unique, and offer glitter shapes that many other brands don’t incorporate. I think these polishes are a must for Pink Floyd fans and polish fans alike! Shop the collection on Etsy HERE for $8.50 each. You can also follow Different Dimension on Facebook HERE.

 

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Sport Royal Nails with butter LONDON’s Queen Vic!

Happy Friday! Today I am excited to share with you a gorgeous polish from the brand butter LONDON. If you have been searching for a color that is professional and sophisticated yet modern at the same time, Queen Vic is the polish for you! Let me show you this stunning nail polish!

 

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Queen Vic is a gorgeous deep purple polish that leans towards red. It is opaque in two coats, and has an amazing formula! I had no application issues whatsoever, and thought the long, slender brush was easy to use. Queen Vic dries to a shiny finish, so I didn’t even apply top coat! I just love the color as well. I find that it is classy, but it’s also not too “mature” for younger women to wear. Queen Vic is the perfect shade for any businesswoman that loves to stay trendy outside of the office. It is also a polish that can be worn all year round, since the color is neither too bright nor too dark.

All in all, I am loving Queen Vic from butter LONDON! It is definitely a splurge nail polish, as it retails for $15, but I think this is definitely a great polish to pay a little extra for. I will be sure to get a lot of use from this beautiful color, and feel royal while wearing it! You can purchase Queen Vic directly from butter LONDON HERE, or on Amazon HERE.

 

The product in this post was sent for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. Some of the above links are affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Zoya PixieDust Summer 2013 Collection

Happy Wednesday! I am back today with a review of the full PixieDust Collection for this summer. A few months back, Zoya came out with the first PixieDust collection (see that review HERE), but they recently released six new shades that are bright, fun, and perfect for the hot summer sun! I am really enjoying the textured nail polish trend, and these polishes are some of my favorites so far. Let me show you the summer PixieDusts!

 

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First up is Destiny, my favorite from the collection! Destiny is a bright red orange color, and has gold shimmer throughout. It is opaque in two coats and has an amazing formula. Destiny was the first from this collection that I tried, and I didn’t take it off for almost a week! The PixieDust formula is very long lasting, even without the top coat!

 

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Next is Stevie, a gorgeous light purple polish with silver shimmer. Stevie is also opaque in two coats and has the same perfect formula. I think it is really cool how the polish applies like a cream, but dries textured! It makes painting my nails even more fun. I also like that Stevie is brighter than a normal light purple so it doesn’t look pale against my light skin tone. It’s perfect for the transition from spring to summer!

 

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Beatrix is next up, and is a gorgeous light orange polish with gold shimmer. Beatrix is opaque in two coats, and has a flawless application as well. Upon removal I did end up with the gold shimmer all over my hands, but after a few thorough washings it came off. I’m not usually fond of orange nail polish, but Beatrix and Destiny from this collection are just amazing! I am sure to grab these often during the summer.

 

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Next up is Solange, a yellow gold polish. Solange has an amazing one coat formula! It is also the most textured looking of the bunch. Solange isn’t a good match for my light skin, but I think it would look stunning with darker skin tones! While it is not my personal favorite, Solange is definitely a great polish for summer.

 

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Miranda is the next PixieDust, and it is what Zoya calls a rose color. I love that it is a darker pink shade, but the silver sparkle still livens it up. Miranda is opaque in two coats, and has a great formula. I found this polish to not be as textured as the others, but it is still very pretty. Miranda is perfect for a more subdued look if you are looking to try out textured polish, but aren’t sure what to expect.

 

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Last but not least is Liberty, a bright blue polish with silver shimmer. Liberty is just gorgeous, and looks flawless on the nail. It is opaque in two coats and has an amazing formula. I heard rumors that Liberty stains, so I made sure to wear a healthy layer of base coat and to stay away from the cuticle. My techniques worked — I did not have any staining whatsoever! Liberty is definitely a bold polish, but I just love it!

All in all, I am very impressed with the Zoya PixieDust Summer collection! All of the formulas were spot on, and the colors are beautiful. I think this collection is a must have for summer! These polishes look stunning in the sunlight! You can purchase the Zoya PixieDust polishes online HERE for $9 each.

 

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

DIY Chalkboard Nail Art – Fabulous & Affordable Edition!

Happy Friday! If you are a nail art enthusiast, you may have heard about the new Chalkboard Manicure kit that Ciaté recently released. This kit comes with black nail polish, four water-soluble nail art pens, and a matte top coat, and retails for a whopping $25 on Sephora’s website HERE. I thought the idea behind the kit was cute and creative, so I decided that I would recreate the look using nail polishes that I already have in my collection. There is no need to go out and spend $25 on this kit when you already have the necessary tools! Let me show you how you can create a fabulous and affordable chalkboard manicure.

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WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

  • Any base coat 
  • Any black nail polish
  • Various nail art pens
  • Any matte top coat

I am using, from left to right, the Sephora Collection base coat, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Tarred, Revlon Nail Art Expressionist duos, L.A. Colors Art Deco, and butter LONDON Matte Finish. You can use products from any brand you choose, but these are the just items I have in my personal collection. That’s what makes this so great — I didn’t need to buy any additional materials! Now, onto step one!

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The first step in creating your chalkboard manicure is applying your base coat and the black nail polish. I used two coats of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Tarred, but any black will be just fine. Make sure you let the black polish dry completely before moving on to step two.

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Once the black polish has dried, take your nail art pens and add some fun designs to your nails. I stuck with the basics — a smiley face, a heart, and some abstract designs. You can use any colors that you wish for the “chalk” part of your manicure. I used white, pink, and blue since those are the colors I owned! After you paint on your designs, make sure you let them dry completely before moving on to the final step. You don’t want to smudge your nail art!

 

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Last but not least, apply your matte top coat. Your nails will now have a super cool, chalkboard look! The best part is you didn’t have to purchase a kit for $25, but instead used affordable items, or better yet, polishes already in your nail polish stash. The only difference between this fabulous and affordable version and the Ciaté kit is that you can’t wash off the “chalk” art if you make a mistake. Other than that, the look is the same, and you will have just as much fun painting your nails and showing them off to friends. Who said having fabulous nails had to come at a high price?!

Let me know what you think of my chalkboard manicure in the comments!

 

 

Gold 3D Nail Stickers from Born Pretty Store!

Happy Wednesday! Today I am excited to share with you some more nail art supplies from the online retailer Born Pretty Store. Back in March I tried out some Hello Kitty nail art stickers (see that post HERE), and loved them. Now I have a similar product that I think is something anyone can wear and enjoy! Let me show you these gold nail stickers!

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Above is what the sheet of nail art stickers looks like! As you can see, you get an amazing variety of designs to choose from. I love that there are bows, hearts, flowers, crowns, and even teddy bears! At the same time, there are frames and other decorative stickers as well. All of the stickers are gold toned, and since they do have a slight thickness to them, they give a cool 3D effect on the nail. I decided to try out a few of the designs for one fun manicure!

 

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Here is my manicure using the gold stickers! First, start with a regular manicure in any color of your choosing. I happened to still be wearing LVX in Virdian, and I thought the emerald green would nicely compliment the gold. If you are starting with a freshly painted manicure, make sure to let your base color dry completely before applying the stickers. You don’t want any smudges! When you are ready to apply the stickers, simply choose the design you like and carefully peel it off the sheet. This can be a little tricky, especially for the smaller stickers. If you like, use a pair of tweezers to gently grasp the sticker. Next, place the sticker on your nail and gently press down. Follow up with two layers of top coat to even everything out, and you are done! Voila! A fancy manicure that was quick and easy to create!

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While using these stickers I did come across a few things that I wanted to share with all of you. First, don’t get discouraged if the stickers rip or break when you are trying to apply them. They are a bit difficult to get the hang of, but once you have tried one or two you will get a feel for how to handle them. Second, do not skip out on the top coat! I experimented and I woke up the next day with the gold tone completely rubbed off! The top coat helps to seal in the gold color, as well as ensure the stickers stay put.

All in all, I am seriously loving these! They are so easy to apply, and the designs are perfect for accent nails, or even a fancy manicure like the one I created here! The best part is, this sheet of stickers retails for just $4.51! Plus, with my discount code of FZL91 you can get an additional 10% off. As always, shipping is free internationally with Born Pretty Store. You can purchase these gold 3D nail stickers by clicking HERE.

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The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review, and the links above are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.