Audrey Dao » HE Nails

Essie in Luxedo Review, Photos, and Swatch

Audrey Dao — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:35:50 +0000

Essie in Luxedo ($8) suit up in this deepest plum and boldly go where no man has gone before

My Thoughts:

Essie’s Luxedo is a gorgeous dark and deep burgundy plum shade. It’s so deep it almost appears black. I did have a problem applying the nail polish. I felt the consistency was too thin so it made applying difficult. I had to work slowly and carefully to make sure the polish would go on evenly and no streaky. If the consistency was creamy instead of thin, it would look exceptionally amazing! Other than the small complaint, I feel Luxedo would be the perfect shade for Fall and Winter.

Check out the swatch for Essie in Luxedo and more photos!

This post contains a sample sent by PR. My priority is to remain truthful and honest to my readers. For more details, please read my disclaimer/disclosure.

Essie in Limo-Scene Review, Photos, and Swatch

Audrey Dao — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:13:40 +0000

Essie in Limo-Scene ($8) a sheer pastel pink, perfect for french manicures

My Thoughts:

Essie’s Limo-Scene is a light whitish pink shade. I like that it’s not too white or too pink. The shade is perfect! The consistency is sheer but a bit milky. Because of this, you have to apply at least a couple of layers or it will appear streaky. Also if you want the color to be opaque, you have to apply about 3 coats (that’s what I did for the swatch photo below). I would definitely recommend Essie’s Limo-Scene to anybody who wants a natural, clean looking manicure. I also think Limo-Scene would be a great alternative to the usual white tips for french manicures.

Check out more photos and swatches of Essie in Limo-Scene!

This post contains a sample sent by PR. My priority is to remain truthful and honest to my readers. For more details, please read my disclaimer/disclosure.

Essie in Hi-Maintenance Review, Photos, and Swatch

Audrey Dao — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:39:08 +0000

Essie Hi-Maintenance ($8) an innocent, sheer pale pink

My Thoughts:

I love Essie’s Hi-Maintenance! It’s the perfect natural shade with a hint of pink. The consistency is on the sheer side. So if you really want the pink color to show, you are going to have to really layer it on. Surprisingly, the nail polish was not streaky or milky. It went on very smoothly and cleanly.I like to use it when I just want a natural look. It’s a the type of shade that is perfect for every occasion whether it be school, work, or even a night out. It is quite versatile.

Check out more photos and swatch for Essie in Hi-Maintenance!

This post contains a sample sent by PR. My priority is to remain truthful and honest to my readers. For more details, please read my disclaimer/disclosure.

Nailtini “Garden Party” You Call It Nail Cocktail Collection Review, Photos, and Swatches

Audrey Dao — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 13:43:46 +0000

Nailtini You Call It Nail Cocktail Collection ($24)

Fashion and flirtation. Perfumed blooms and passed libations. The garden party — where cocktails and passions are stirred in equal measures — is the inspiration for Nailtini’s spring/summer polish collection by Janie Bryant, the Emmy winning fashion designer, author of the The Fashion File and creater of her own “MOD” line of women’s wear for QVC as as the fashions seeon on AMC’s “Mad Men.”

“The garden party is such a civilized concept, but beneath all those good manners and chic frocks, there’s an underpinning of drama, where anything can happen. The colors in the collection reflect these delightful contradictions,” says Bryant of her second collaboration with Nailtini, which comes on the heels of her highly acclaimed fall holiday limited edition for the brand. The limited edition Garden Party collection has everything from petit-four pastels to a punchy high-shine patent to a sheer shimmery veil that can be worn alone or as an overlay.

My Thoughts:

Blue Carnation – a soft, milky blue shade. I didn’t like that it was milky, because you have to be careful when applying otherwise you will see each stroke. I wish it had a creamy texture instead that way the shade that appears on my nails would be the same shade that appears in the bottle.

Admiral Perry – a dark, creamy royal blue shade. It’s a great alternative for black, and it’s a great shade to wear when you want to go dark, but still want a pop of color.

Blushing Lady – a creamy, shell pink shade. It’s a girly shade that will go perfect with the floral sundresses and skirts. It’s my favorite out of the four in the collection.

Garden Jubilee – a pink and green iridescent shade with a flash of gold. It’s a sheer shade that you can wear either by itself or layered over another color.

Check out more photos and swatches of the Nailtini “Garden Party” You Call It Nail Cocktail Collection!

This post contains a sample sent by PR. My priority is to remain truthful and honest to my readers. For more details, please read my disclaimer/disclosure.

Julep Nail Growth Revitalizing Serum Review

Audrey Dao — Tue, 31 May 2011 14:15:56 +0000

Julep Nail Growth Revitalizing Serum ($38) Specially formulated to address nails that are weak, thin or prone to ridges. The first-ever nail serum to use groundbreaking protein-peptide technology to transform the health and strength of nails. Peptides stimulate keratin genes and cell proliferation to boost strength and speed of nail growth. Visible results in two to three weeks.

My Thoughts:

WOW! Totally awesome! Finally a product that can keep my nails strong and healthy. It goes on like nail polish and dries relatively quickly. The Nail Growth Revitalizing Serum goes on clear and gives my nails a pretty shine. My nails have become so weak and brittle from painting my nails so often. The slightest bump or bang would cause my nails to either chip or break. After a couple of weeks of using Julep’s Nail Growth Revitalizing Serum, I noticed my nails felt thicker and stronger. I also noticed my nails weren’t breaking as easily as they used to. I just wish it wasn’t so pricey.

Essie 2011 Bridal Collection Review, Photos, and Swatches

Audrey Dao — Thu, 26 May 2011 14:15:18 +0000

Essie 2011 Bridal Collection ($8 each or $17 for all 4 mini) Say “I Do” to Color! essie’s whimsical and distinctive Bridal Collection for 2011 is guaranteed to delight and inspire modern women around the world. A wedding is the ultimate reflection of the bride – so why hide behind the ordinary? The Bridal 2011 collection was created for those who want to show off their personality as much as their ring!

My Thoughts:

Made To Honor – Lead the way wearing a nude worthy of honor. A flattering tone and a hint of pink make this shade made to honor.

Made To Honor is a sheer nude color. It sort of like a your-nails-but-better color. One coat is a sheer wash. It looks almost like clear nail polish. Two coats is perfect for the sheer nude color.

Borrowed and Blue – Precious yet chic, a touch of blue complete the look. You rented the venue and borrowed the veil, but this light blue hue is for keeps.

Borrowed and Blue is a pigmented, creamy whitish pale blue. One coat was sufficient enough to get the same color in the bottle.

First Dance – Dance your way into every guest’s heart with a rich, captivating red. Whether it’s the first or last performance, this bold shade will draw endless applause.

First Dance is a cherry colored red. It’s pigmented and has a thin creamy formula.

Better Together – A ceremonious, sweetheart pink to love and cherish through thick and thin. This devoted sheer vows that life is always better when spent together.

Better Together is very similar to Made To Honor. It’s a sheer wash of a nude pink color. Two coats is sufficient enough to get a subtle hint of color.

Check out more photos and swatches for the Essie 2011 Bridal Collection!

Essie Made to Honor

Essie Borrowed & Blue

Essie First Dance

Essie Better Together

Zoya Hurry Up Polish Drying Drops Review

Audrey Dao — Tue, 24 May 2011 14:10:29 +0000

Zoya HurryUp Polish Drying Drops ($16)

What is Zoya Hurry Up Drying Drops

Zoya HurryUp is a miraculous liquid that dries polish completely from top coat through base coat. Never smudge your manicures again!

What Does Zoya Hurry Up Drying Drops

Impatience is a virtue. Manicures and pedicures are good to go with Zoya Hurry Up Speed Drops. These phenomenal bubble-preventing drops completely dry your topcoat,polish and base coat fast and enhance color vibrancy. Color stays fresh and gorgeous for up to two weeks.

How to Use Zoya Hurry Up Drying Drops

Apply one drop to base of each nail, tilt hand and allow product to spread naturally. Polish will dry in just five minutes. To extend your color up to two weeks, apply over Zoya Armor Topcoat every two days.

My Thoughts:

Zoya Hurry Up Polish Drying Drops is a quick nail polish drying product. It’s packaged in a glass bottle with a dropper. Zoya Hurry Up Polish Drying Drops did help my nail polish dry quicker, but it didn’t help the polish to dry completely in a short amount of time. The Hurry Up Drying Drops only dried the top layer enough so I could do small, easy tasks. I still had to wait quite awhile for the nail polish to completely dry. If I were to accidentally bump my nails against something, the polish would still smudge and get dinged if the polish wasn’t dry. I also did not like how oily it was. Because I had to use a dropper to apply, it would get everywhere and drip down my fingers. I couldn’t wipe it off for fear I would smudge the nail polish before it completely dried. Overall, I would skip Zoya’s Hurry Up Drying Drops. For something that costs $16, I was expecting a lot more.

Julep Essential Cuticle Oil Review and Photos

Audrey Dao — Thu, 12 May 2011 15:40:03 +0000

Julep Essential Cuticle Oil ($8.95) All-natural blend of essential oils and Vitamin E hydrates and strengthens nails and cuticles. Extends the life of your manicure while leaving a glossy sheen. Use daily to soften rough cuticles and strengthen nails. The convenient roller-ball application allows you to take your Julep Essential Cuticle Oil everywhere you go.

My Thoughts:

Julep Essential Cuticle Oil is a cuticle treatment that softens and moisturizes cuticles. It has a slight floral scent, but it doesn’t bother me very much. Julep Essential Cuticle Oil does a great job of making my cuticles looking amazing after just a couple uses. I love, love, love the packaging! Instead of coming with a dropper for application like most cuticle treatments, it’s actually a roller ball application. It makes applying the cuticle oil so much easier and a lot less messy. You don’t have to worry about applying too much and wasting product or the oil dripping everywhere and running down your fingers. The one downside of the roller ball is you can’t be precise with the application.

Check out more photos of Julep Essential Cuticle Oil!

Julep Nail Therapy Review

Audrey Dao — Thu, 12 May 2011 14:10:33 +0000

Julep Nail Therapy ($16) Use alone or as a basecoat for strong, beautiful nails. Hydrates and protects dry, brittle, peeling nails. Nourishes nails with Vitamin E. Dramatic results in just three days. Gently formulated to be 3-FREE, with no toluene, formaldehyde or dibutyl phthalate. Shine on! $1 will be donated to organizations that support women through our Powered by Girlfriends program.

My Thoughts:

Julep Nail Therapy is a multi-tasking product. You can use it as a basecoat and/or to nourish nails. As a basecoat, it did a good job of keeping the dark nail polish colors from staining my nails. As a nail nourisher, it did a good job too. I could notice my nails looking shinier and healthier after a few days. Julep Nail Therapy goes on clear despite the blueish tint in the bottle. It didn’t change the color of the nail polish either. Overall, Julep Nail Therapy did everything it was suppose to do. However, for me personally, Julep Nail Therapy seems quite pricey.

Julep Nail Vernis in Jennifer Review, Photos, and Swatch

Audrey Dao — Wed, 11 May 2011 14:16:51 +0000

Julep Nail Vernis in Jennifer ($14) Beautiful, sheer polish with just a hint of pink. Effortless elegance. A manicure favorite in our parlors and a must-have for every woman, from brides to working girls. One coat does the trick when rushed for time. Professional quality “3 Free” formulation. Shine on! $1 will be donated to organizations that support women through our Powered by Girlfriends program.

My Thoughts:

Julep Nail Vernis is free of free of DBP, toluene, formaldehyde and formaldehyde resin. The shade Jennifer is a sheer, neutral pink. It’s perfect for a french manicure or to wear on its own. The formula is a little on the thin side (remember the shade is sheer), but it’s not watery. One coat was sufficient enough to get the same pigmentation I saw in the bottle. The brush isn’t flat like most brushes, but is instead roundish. It’s a thick brush with bristles that contour to the shape of your nail making application easy. I also like the shape of the bottle. Instead of round and squat like most nail polish bottles, it’s long and rectangular. It makes storage a lot easier and neater. Overall, I was very pleased with Julep Nail Vernis. The polish dried quickly and was chip-free for almost a week! You certainly do get what you paid for.

Check out Julep Nail Vernis in Jennifer Review swatch and photos!