Showing posts with label Polish Bloggers Network. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Polish Bloggers Network. Show all posts

Friday, April 9, 2010

Lacquer Link Love 4/9/2010


Looking for a color that would flatter tanned skin? Well look no further than the cheery coral goodness that Prim and Polished feels will do just that.


We all need a little break from the hustle and bustle of the real world, so join Manicure Mommas as they take us on a OPI Fantasy ride.


And once the ride is over, quick pit stop in NYC, where Polish on Digital Paper acts out a scene from a classic movie... ON HER NAILS!


Then on to France with Gilded Angel.... Parlez vous francais?


polishSWATCHES brings you an exact dupe for a color in the Zoya Flash collection. Check your stashes to see if you already have it.



And of course there are always a few giveaways...


ask yourself, "Do you feel lucky?"




Nail Addicts Anonymous is hosting their very first giveaway! Join in the celebration and win some goodies!


Prim and Polished is having a giveaway in honor of her birthday. Check out the wonderful gifts.... she's giving to you!


And then last but not least...



A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO PERFECT 10 TODAY!...


Everyone please leave her a comment wishing her a wonderful day!


Prim and Polished

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Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Interview with a Polish Blogger: Rebecca (Nails Etc.)

Hello lovely readers! Our first interview was a huge hit so I think I'm going to make this a reoccurring feature! The fancy schmancy images on the questions took FOREVER to edit so I am not going to do that again but I am sure you won't miss that too much. I am aiming to make each interview a little bit different depending on the person's interests, I think it's more fun that way. I hope to learn more about many of you, and again if you'd like to be featured please email me at primandpolished@gmail.com

Today we're meeting Rebecca from Nails Etc. If you haven't checked out her blog you're missing out!!! So without further ado meet Rebecca...

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How did you get so interested in nail polish?

Answer: Well, I've always liked having nice nails and as a kid I learned cello and piano, which meant I had to keep my nails short. Because I couldn't grow them long like my friends did I painted them! I remember giving and receiving nail polishes for Christmas at school!

Then when I was training as a teacher (last year), I was so busy I rarely had time to do my nails so they got neglected until I was re-inspired by MAC Steamy, and the whole thing has spiraled from there really! My mum thinks I'm weird, and doesn't like it when I wear bright colours.

Music seems to be a big part of you life, tell us a bit about that...

Answer: Well, I already mentioned the cello and piano parts...I was never very good at piano but I was in charge of an orchestra at uni, which was stressful but great fun! I am also a member of an opera company called Midland Opera and we rehearse every Thursday in an amazing church in Birmingham. In November I was honoured to be a chorus member in the opera of Macbeth by Verdi. It was a phenomenal experience and one of the things I am most going to miss when I leave the UK later in the year :(

Singing has always been part fo my life for as long as I can remember. All through school and university I have been in various choirs and sung all different kinds of music. It is something I cannot imagine my life without.

Aside from that, I love listening to all kinds of music but my favourite artists are Joni Mitchell and Paul Weller.

What's your collection like size wise? Have you counted?

Answer: I've not counted recently, but I'd say it's under 40 polishes. Nothing like the crazy amounts some of the ladies in the blogging world have!

What's your favorite polish brand?

Answer: Illamasqua. Definitely.

If you had to choose only 5 polishes to use for the rest of your life, what would they be?

Answer: Probably 5 Illamasqua polishes :p But If I had to choose from my current collection, It would be my 3 Illamasquas (Fern, Poke and Alarm) plus MAC Steamy (for the memories, plus everyone needs a pink creme) and OPI Paint My Moji-Toes Red, for the quality.

What colors have you been rocking most lately?

Answer: I love to rock all colours, but the amount of blue and purple I've worn recently has gone up!

Is there any color you do not like wearing?

Answer: It's not really a colour, but I don't like sheer finishes or polishes with MAHOOSIVE bits of glitter in them.


How did you decide to start your blog? What was your motivation? How did you chose the name?

Answer: Well in the summer I started reading beauty blogs, and through these got hooked on nail polish blogs. It seemed like a really nice community and I'd planned on starting one for aaaaages but like I said, up until recently I've been busy learning to teach! Now I have a bit more time to myself I not only paint my nails but I have time to photograph and write about them as well. I was really motivated by the desire to talk to people who are as obsessed if not MORE obsessed with nails than me! And boy are there a lot of you out there... ;)

The name, well it's a pretty terrible name that just popped into my head!

What do you think is the most essential tool/technique/product needed to achieve the perfect manicure.

Answer: A steady hand and nice cuticles (neither of which I have).

You mentioned you like to read. What's your favorite novel? Favorite non-fiction?

Answer: I love fiction and my favourite author at the moment is Jasper Fforde. He's a really clever British writer who includes lots of characters from other works of fiction in his novels. The books are just so multi-layered and there is so much to discover about the world he's created that they are un-put-downable!

My favourite non-fiction is Bill Bryson's travel books. He's an American from Des Moines, Iowa who ended up in the UK as one of our adopted citizens. He's also the chancellor of my old university and I got to shake his hand when I graduated. He said "congratulations, Rebecca!" and I was grinning all day!

How many languages do you speak?

I did my degree in French and Italian so those are my strongest languages. I also learned German at school and studied Spanish for a year at uni. PLUS I am going to live with my OH in Norway in September so I am learning that as well. I guess you could say I have a working knowledge of about 5 languages other than English.
What polish brand do you think is the best kept secret? (not popular but fabulous)
Definitely Hot Looks by Collection 2000. For the price it's amazing quality!

You mentioned you like to cook? What's your favorite dish to make?

Answer: I think I make a great macaroni cheese. The secret is to use really strong cheese and some wholegrain mustard mmm. Risotto is one of my favourites to do as well. It's so versatile and satisfying and my Italian friends said that I made it in the true Italian way! I was so proud.

Are there any products you can't get in your country that you wish you could?

Answer: It's not so much that I can't get things like China Glaze, Orly, etc but I wish they were more readily available in the shops rather than having to stumble across them online or in hair salons.

From blogging I know that I really wish we had Man Glaze and Milani polishes here though!



Prim and Polished
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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Interview with a Polish Blogger: Nicole (MagicMaid)

I thought it would be fun to do a series of interviews with Polish Bloggers so that you all can get to know a little bit more about the ladies behind the polish swatches! If you're interested in being featured please shoot me an email at primandpolished@gmail.com.



I am starting the series off with Nicole, or Niki. I've "known" Niki for a while now, ever since she made videos on YouTube. She's one of the nicest people I have "met" online, and one of the faces who helps make the polish community a welcoming and positive place to hang around. I hit Niki with some fun questions and she was kind enough to send me her answers! So let's meet Nicole shall we...


Answer: Well. I actually have always loved nail polish - but I never got into it to this extent! I started my blog last spring as an alternative to doing YouTube videos about makeup, and it just seemed more interesting to post about my nail polishes. Before I knew it, I was posting solely about nail polish - and I had to have more, more, more!


Answer: I think I started out having maybe 10 or so polishes last spring. After cruising the nail polish blogs, and then of course the steady build up of polish, I have somewhere in the vicinity of 600 nail polishes - last official count was 528. Roughly 9 months!


Answer: I'd have to vote China Glaze as my favorite brand! They have such a variety of colors and finishes.


Answer: 5! Talk about asking a tough question. Well, at least you gave me five, and not one, or three! China Glaze Lubu Heels has always been a huge favorite of mine, so that goes on the list - and I'd also pick a hot red in Misa's Poison Kiss. I have a purple weakness, so I'd have to also have my brand new Nfu Oh # 51, a good blue would be China Glaze Blue Sparrow, and then lastly, a gorgeous gray - China Glaze Recycle. I think I could do a lot with those!


Answer: Although I love my purples, I've really started expanding my pinks and peaches, and loving them! Especially the peaches, they're a fun, juicy shade and make me long for spring.



Answer: I'm all about color. I don't really shy away from shades but definitely certain finishes I'm not fond of, such as frosty and very sheer shades.


Answer: I've always liked blogging - I've had a Live Journal forever, it seems, and before that I had websites. I grew bored with those, and then I found YouTube - I fell out of love with the whole idea of that, though. Long story! I had started a blog, thinking I'd have a place to write about products away from the video world, but I grew more interested in nail polish, and - you will probably relate to this, I think most of us will - the nail polish community is a very friendly, positive place, and I truly LOVE blogging about polish. It's fun to read other folks' blogs, and everyone is so encouraging. I think that is what motivates me the most.

As to the name - well, my "handle" for almost everything has been a form of Magic Maid in some way, for quite a while - I tried to even use that on YT but it wasn't available, so I signed up as "magicxmaid". Anyway, it was just kind of cute together, I've always liked it, so I keep using it.


Answer: I need to experiment more! I just tried to franken my own "mannequin hands" but it came out - well, not so good. I don't really have a color that works for that in my collection, but I thought for sure I could mix one up. Not so much! I've always found it hard to match my skin type anyway. Waste of polish, that was. I need to pick up some clear polish, my next experiment will be some cute jelly polishes.


Answer: Hah! I probably am, that's why I don't go get manicures. But I have to say that when I have had them "done", they shape them pretty much the way I shape them myself - I've never had a single manicurist shape my nails round or oval. About the only thing I picked up was the sugar scrub thing - and I just bought my own sugar scrubs, I use them all the time! Plus, the ones I get smell amazing.


Answer: A crystal file, for sure. I don't know how I ever, ever lived without it. And find yourself a good, cheap brush that you can dip in acetone or remover and do your cleanup with - it's really a lifesaver for us "messy gals".


Answer:Oh boy, with the tough questions, Gina! Haha! I can't pick one, can I pick two? Good. The Stand - the extended version, (Stephen King, if you don't know), and The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. That was fiction, so non fiction? Probably the most haunting book I've read was the story of Alexandra Romanov - Last Empress by Greg King. I picked it up one day while browsing my local library's biography section, and I immediately became obsessed with the last chapter in Romanov history.
I also really LOVE historical fiction. Probably my favorite category of books.


Answer: Cooking! I love to cook. I know, that's just weird, I work in the food industry - but I do love to cook, it's so much fun.


Answer: I wear a lot of Sinful Colors, and have a lot - it's one of my favorite drugstore polishes. I think that also Color Club is a GREAT polish - it gets play from us in the polish world, but outside of that, not a lot of folks have heard of it. Also, it's only available online that I've seen, but Diamond Cosmetics polishes are made of awesome!

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You can visit Nicole at Magic-Maid.net and follow her on Twitter as well. Thanks so much for the great interview Niki! It was fun getting to know you!

Prim and Polished

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Friday, January 22, 2010

Polish Bloggers Network: Lacquer Link Love 1/22/10

Chromatic Misadventures has put together a wonderful array of swatches that include nail colors from Nails Inc., Zoya, Butter London, Essie, and so many more.


Polish Up brings you the sparkled beauty OPI Blues in the Night.


Can you appreciate a good haul? Well if so, let Black Nail Polish and Lipgloss show off the awesome goodies that she received from Lisa of Glammed Up.


The Nail Nerd has a polish sweet tooth caused by Orly's Sweet Collection.


Happy Vamp Valentines Day! The Swatchaholic shares a wonderful Konad sweet... I mean treat with all of you.


Raz from Manicure Mommas swatches her CND survey goodies and gives you an up close and personal preview.


Are you quite unfond of the scent of polish remover and feel you could live without the smell?! Well if so, Polish Galore gives a wonderful review of the lavendar scented polish removers Seche Erase & Zoya Remove.


Kellie from "Also Known As" dazzles us with the gorgeous new shades of OPI's Designer Series featuring polishes infused with diamond dust.


Probably one of the most popular colors in the China Glaze Up & Away Collection, Prim and Polished brings you gorgeous swatches of Four Leaf Clover.


Naive Nails gives us a little Absolutely Alice from OPI's Alice in Wonderland


Green is the hottest color of the season... and polishSWATCHES brings you a shade you'll adore.


and now for the goodies....


Bring on the Network Giveaways!!!





How would you like to add 3 bottles of China Glaze polish to your collection? Well, let Polish Galore show you how!


You'll definitely want to be sure and check out the Nail Nerd Giveaway... she's giving away some gorgeous Viva la Diva Nail Lacquers.


Black Nail Polish and Lipgloss is having a fun and creative contest that you just have to see for yourself. I just can't spill the beans on this one!


And lastly, have you been dying to get your hands on polishes from the China Glaze Up & Away Collection?! Well, if your answer is yes... check out the Polish Freak and she'll be glad to give some to you.

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Friday, January 15, 2010

Polish Bloggers Network: Lacquer Link Love 1/15/09

Hi Lacquer-Heads! As part of the Nail Bloggers Network each Friday I will share with you, my lovely readers, a list of wonderful links to other fantastic polish blogs out there on the web! Please enjoy what these ladies have to offer as this community is a fantastic resource and way to find excellent content!! Click away and enjoy!


Manicure Mommas is having a GIVEAWAY all while... 52 Flavors brings you "The Best Snow Leopard Tutorial" starring "For Audrey."


The Swatchaholic shows off some gorgeous Zoya Glitters and Polish Galore swatches Scrangie and Going Grape for comparison.


Prepare to drool with envy as Polishing the Nails shows off Chanel's Particuliere and Pretty in Polish dazzles us with OPI's Alice in Wonderland.


Prim and Polished shows you her mannequin hands color as you prepare to... Take a trip "Down Under" with Naive Nails and get a glimpse of Australis Emerald Star.


Also Known As... brings you some nail polish goodies from Diamond Cosmetics and the network brings you a host of Fabulous giveaways and goodies!


Check out the Network Giveaways...



PolishFreak is giving away a set of American Apparel's backordered nail polishes.


Polish Galore is giving away Cina Glaze's Up & Away Grape Pop, Seche Vite Top Coat, and a bottle of Matte Magic.


The Swatchaholic is giving away a host of different polishes along with some nail jewel accessories and Body Soul Beauty is hosting her weekly Friday Freebie giveaway.



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