Polished Lifting

Morgan Taylor Designer Plates - Celebrations 1 - Press sample

The day I've been waiting for has finally arrived. I hinted at something fun back in my Cosmoprof 2016 post, but I didn't tell you guys what it was because it was still in the works. Today I get to share the brand new Morgan Taylor Designer Plates Nail Art Stamping Kits! There are three kits currently available, and I have two of them to share with you. Today's post is going to focus solely on the Morgan Taylor Celebrations 1 kit.

Morgan Taylor Designer Plates Nail Art Stamping Kit Celebrations 1

Morgan Taylor Designer Plates Nail Art Stamping Kit Celebrations 1 instructions

The stamping kits all come with steps printed on the side of the box. As you can see, it's fairly straightforward. My only revision would be to roll the stamper across the image gently from left to right or top to bottom (whatever is most comfortable). I find that a rolling motion picks up images a bit better than pressing straight down.



The Morgan Taylor Designer Plate Nail Art Stamping Kits are all inclusive, so they are fantastic for beginners. One of the things I found most daunting about stamping was trying to find a stamper that worked with the plates I had. This takes all of the guesswork out of the equation.

Morgan Taylor React Max Strengthener + Base - Press sample

Anyone else suffer from perpetually cranky, broken nails? I've dealt with my fair share of breaks and general nail turmoil. Over the last couple of weeks I've been testing out the new Morgan Taylor React Max Strengthener + Base coat line.

Morgan Taylor React Max Nail Strengthener + Base

So what makes this line so special? Unlike other nail strengtheners and treatments, the React Max line has zero chance of over-hardening. If this seems like a strange statement, I want you to think back to the last time you used a nail strengthener. Did it seem to work well for a while, but eventually your nails started to break again? If that sounds familiar, it's because you likely used your nail strengthener for too long. Most recommend 1-2 weeks of use and then they tell you to not use it for a month. The beauty of Morgan Taylor's new React Max line is that you don't have to keep track of when you started using it.

There are a couple of other perks in addition to the fact that you can wear this as often (or as infrequently) as you like. All three formulas are 5 free, so there's no worry about toxic chemicals. The React Max line also comes in three different finishes if you choose to wear them alone. Let's check out each strengthener individually.

React Max - Original

The Original formula is about what I would expect from a nail polish treatment. It goes on clear despite the pink appearence of the polish in the bottle. It wears well, and I didn't notice chipping for a few days. This is fairly significant since I'm quite hard on my nails. Just ask me how many times I crush my fingers between plates at the gym.

React Max - Satin

Northern Star Cosmetics Scream of Nature - Polish Pickup April 2017- Press sample

Hey guys! I know it's a bit late for a post but I couldn't wait to share the latest shade from Northern Star Cosmetics. Before we dive into that I need to give you a little background info. I'm not sure if you've heard the musings going around, but there's a brand new polish box coming out called The Polish Pickup. This polish box is unique in that you get to create your own box by selecting from the custom shades that are available each month.

The inaugural Polish Pickup April 2017 box is themed "Works of Art." Northern Star Cosmetic's contribution to the box is Scream of Nature, which is inspired by Edvard Munch's "The Scream." If you are a fan of fine art, or simply a Northern Star Cosmetic's fan, I think you will be delighted by the outcome.

Scream of Nature

Products used

I was absolutely enamored with the ILNP Color Kissed Ultra Holos, so I purchased the whole collection on preorder day. It's rare for me to own a full collection that I wasn't sent to swatch, so I hope you guys understand what a huge deal this is. I honestly thought this collection might be prettier in the swatches than in real life, but I was entirely wrong. ILNP slays holos, and they certainly did so with the Color Kissed collection.

L-R: Rosewater, Sunday Brunch, Spring Bouquet, Easy Street, Chit Chat

ILNP Rosewater

ILNP Sunday Brunch

ILNP Spring Bouquet

ILNP Easy Street

ILNP Chit Chat

All of the five shades worn in this mani have a nice consistency and were easy to apply. It's really not a surprise that ILNP created such a nice formula for all of these. They continue to set the bar high.

Zoya Charming Spring 2017 Collection- Press sample

One of the things I look forward to the most are the Zoya seasonal collections. Today's post features Zoya Charming, the latest release for spring 2017. This collection consists of three cremes and three micro sparkle/shimmery shades.

Zoya Charming Spring 2017

Lacey

Jordan

Abby

Tina

Amira

Millie

Formula: Nice consistency
Finish: Dewy violet with purple micro sparkles
Coverage: 2 coats
Notes: Zoya Millie provides a nice bit of contrast in a sea of pastels. I admire this shade for the stunning shimmer it provides.

Violette