Top Polish Posts for 2011. Have You Seen These?

I started this blog in April. Since then I have published 150 posts which I can't believe. I decided to see which were my top POLISH posts for the year by pageviews. Here they are (click on the link):

Top 11 Polish Posts for 2011 

(two tied for 8th, three tied for 6th)

8. Polish Change: OPI in Sparke de Triomphe (from Serena's Collection)

8. Polish Change: butter LONDON in Diamond Geezer

7. Polish Change: OPI DS Reserve

6. On A Power Trip: Essie in Power Clutch

 Also made my top polish picks for 2011.

6. Polish Adjustment: Sally Hansen Crackle Overcoat

6. Fly Polish Adjustment: OPI in Sparke de Triomphe with Cream Tips 

5. Polish Change: Ginger + Liz in Swagger

Also made my top polish picks for 2011.

4. Wow! This Is A Pretty Purple

Revlon polish that also made my top polish picks for 2011.

3. My ULTA Package Came. YESSS!!

Some really cute polish! Now linked to reviews.

2. Reader Pics- I Love My Perlas

Please send pics of your fab nails to gotpearlsandpolish@gmail.com with your name and where you live. I would love to post more readers pics in 2012.

1. Love At First Sight

Essie polish that also made my top polish picks for 2011.

Did you see these?
Top Pearl Posts for 2011
Need Some Inspiration to Start 2012
P&P's Top Polish Picks for 2011


See you next year!...Besos, P&P.

P&P's Top Polish Picks for 2011

So much polish, so little time. I wanted to choose 11 top polish picks for 2011 but I couldn't narrow it past 14.  Please keep in mind that all of these were purchased by me in 2011- this does not mean that 2011 was their debut year.

Here are my top polish picks for 2011 (not in any particular order):

Essie in Coat Azure

A perfect blue. Heavenly.

L'Oreal in Manderine

Perfect coral color. Girly and sassy. (Can you believe I got this for $1 at Dollar Tree?)

Revlon in Grape Icy

The perfect purple. And its scented.

I have to give an honorable mention to L'Oreal in Viva Violet for also having a fab purple. 

Ginger + Liz in Swagger

I mean, come on. The name speaks for itself.

Essie In Power Clutch

What can I say? This is just a freakin dope-ass gray!

Caught With My Khakis Down in Mobile, AL

OK so this post is really not that interesting but it was a cute headline, wasn't it? Caught With My Khakis Down is actually one of my new faves by Sephora by OPI. I actually bought this polish months ago in Mobile, AL of all places. I know what you're thinking- they have Sephora in Mobile, ALABAMA???  Yeah I didn't think they would have a Sephora in Mobile either. To be clear, it was inside of the JCPenney not a stand alone.

FLY Polish Adjustment: OPI in Spark de Triomphe with Cream Tips

I wanted to jazz up my glittery nails (if that's possible), so this is what I did.

Polish Change: OPI in Spark de Triomphe (from Serena's collection)

Let's cut to the chase, perlas. OPI in Spark de Triomphe is so freakin' FLY- its ridiculous. I don't know if you have an issue with glittery polish because I do. It just never seems like its "full-bodied" enough. I know that's a drinking term but its the best term that I could think of (I bet you know what I mean lol). It always seems just a tad bit too thin. It doesn't cover the nail line enough. It just doesn't seem like it can stand on its own... Well, let me tell you, perlas, I did not have that problem here. Your nails are really dipped in gold (even though it says silver) glitter. And not in a cheesy, middle-school kind of way. This glitter is for the grown and sexy!

Inside (no flash)

Polish Change: NYC #241

After a long 4th of July weekend of hosting my husband's family reunion, I am exhausted. It went well (thank God). His family seemed to have a good time in Atlanta...so much of a good time that they voted my husband the new President of the Family Reunion Club (which really means more work for me, right? lol).

An-tee-way, back to the POLISH, I have so many polish changes to post but thought I would start with this one: NYC in #241. I promise I looked all over this bottle (under, on top, on the side, everywhere) but I could not find an actual name for this polish. So I did an Internet search and turns out its called "Turquoise Seas" which is a really accurate name for this color. This polish looks turquoise blue in the bottle but on your nails turns into more of a sea green- really pretty. 

Polish Adjustment: Sally Hansen Crackle Overcoat

Hi, perlas! I know I went silent for a couple of weeks but I have not disappeared! There has just been a lot going on with me with work (been traveling an awful lot), my family and planning for my husband's family reunion which is this weekend (pray for me!).

Anyway, of course I have been keeping my nails tight. A few days ago, Saturday actually, I was going out for a friend's birthday party and wanted a statement color to go along with my black dress. I chose my go-to color fav, Essie in Coat Azure (see the review of it here). It looked phenomenal as usual and really stood out against the black of my dress.

You can probably tell that I have a short attention span when it comes to polish (yes, even my favs). So today I decided to try the Sally Hansen Crackle Overcoat in "Ink Splatter" (ahem, black) on top of the Coat Azure to switch it up a bit.

My Stab at Marble Nails

This past week, my bestie and I tried a technique called "Marble Nails." We tried a variety of colors and nail brands. We actually made a tutorial video but unfortunately for some reason it didn't work (I'm working on another video this weekend). This technique is pretty simple and the nails come out AWESOME.

Polish Change: Essie in Sand Tropez

I had to travel to Boston on business this week. I didn't have the chance to do my nails before I left. Being the polish addict that I am, I stuffed around seven bottles of polish in my 1 quart plastic bag so that I could get them on the plane. I brought the entire French Affair collection by Essie as well as OPI in Mermaid's Tears because I planned on trying to do a marble style.

I have not had the chance to try the marble style yet but I did apply two coats of Essie in Sand Tropez  (get it?). I continue to be so impressed with not only the ease of the application of Essie polish but also the length of time that it takes to dry. Essie polishes dry quickly and are resilient to nicks. Sand Tropez is a pretty putty color. 

Polish Change: OPI's Silver Shatter on Mermaid's Tears

I had a rough weekend with my son's third birthday party and my daughter had an all-day softball tournament (Yes, Sandtown Lady Knights 10U are North Georgia Fast Pitch CHAMPIONS!!!!). So, of course, my fab Mermaid's Tears nails started chipping. How did I remedy that? By putting my new OPI Silver Shatter on top of it! And what was the end result? More fabulousity! lol.

This was my first time using OPI's Shatter (of any color). This is seriously like a magic polish. It was funny when I first put it on, it just goes on straight silver. And I'm saying to myself- what a RIP OFF!...but then magically a few seconds later, all of a sudden I see what look like cracks and fissures break out on my nails and then I see the Mermaid's Tears peeking out. DOPE. Check out my pics:

Inside:

Outside:

What do you all think? I know its kind of hard to see with my wack pics from my Blackberry- sorry about that. But you get the gist, right?..The best thing about this Shatter is that it is really easy to apply. Just one coat. Let it dry. Then add your favorite top coat (in my case, Essie Good To Go- it's sooooo fast)...This Shatter is great for the spring/summer and will look fab with silver rings and bracelets...and diamonds ;-)....Besos, P&P.

Polish Change: OPI in Mermaid's Tears

So I picked up Mermaid's Tears (Remember? From OPI's Pirates of the Caribbean collection?) last weekend at Beauty Express at Tanger Outlets. And it was all that I hoped it would be!! I LOVE this color. Its like a seafoam greenish blue. The color makes me smile every time I look at my nails. My husband said it reminds him of an "Easter egg... but in a good way."....ok (I think?)...LOL. Check out my pics!

Inside shot

Outside shot

Definite P&P Please Do...Besos,P&P.

I Know I've Been M.I.A.

I know I just disappeared for like a week, perlas. I'm so sorry about that. Work has been ridic and I have been under the weather suffering with a kick-ass migraine (yes, I'm a chronic sufferer). I sincerely apologize for the mini hiatus but...I'M BACK!!! Check out my video. I have so much to tell you...so much more polish- I finally got Mermaid's Tears YAY!...went to the Tanger Outlets and racked UP...more posts to come...Besos, P&P.

P&P PSA: OPI Pirates of the Caribbean Collection at ULTA

I don't know about you but I've been looking for OPI's newest Pirates of the Caribbean Collection. Well, great news! The entire collection will now be available at ULTA starting on May 8th! Yep, on Mother's Day! Feel free to pick me up a bottle! J/K!!! Well, not really...Hook a sista UP!!!

Anyway, here is a pic of the collection if you haven't seen it already:

 From left to right, these are the colors:

• Silver Shatter
• Skull & Glossbones
• Sparrow Me the Drama
• Steady as She Rose
• Planks A Lot
• Strangers Tides
• Mermaid’s Tears

My first selection will definitely be Mermaid's Tears. I lust after that polish!! What's your first pick?? Let me know...Besos, P&P.

What's Your Pick?

I need your help selecting my next couple of polish changes. Watch this video and then leave a comment with the color that you would like to see.

So which do you want to see? Pick a few...

• Revlon in Valentine (red)
• OPI in Coney Island Cotton Candy (neutral with pink undertones0
• Sinful Colors in Ruby Ruby (red)
• L'Oreal in Caramel (Butter Pecan Rican LOL)
• Orly in Razzle (sparkly magenta)
• L'Oreal in Viva Violet
• OPI in Linkin Park After Dark (dark dark purple)
• L'Oreal in Activate (red)
• Sinful Colors in Folly (hot pink)
• Sinful Colors in I Love You (sparkly purple)
• Sinful Colors in Innocent (light green)
• Sinful Colors in Hot Spot (blue)
• Sinful Colors in Rich in Heart (deep burgandy)
• Sinful Colors in Boogie Nights (pink)

Don't forget to leave your comments and let me know...Gracias, perlas...Besos, P&P.

Polish Changes- P&P and Its Fab Readers

Yep, its that time again. Time for another polish change. This time I wanted to go dark. I love, love, love dark nail polish. I chose OPI in Siberian Nights which is a deep purple. Purple is one of my favorite colors and looks good on all skin tones. I love this polish. Check out the pics:

 

What Color Looks Good on Me?

As we get ready for spring and summer, many of us are experimenting with colors for our fingers and toes. Although we would like to believe that all colors look great on all skin tones, we have to keep it real. Come on now, we know that some colors just don't look right on all skin tones. This month's Allure magazine tries to point us in the right direction.

First of all, guess which color is flattering for everyone regardless of skin tone?? Yep, RED!! You know that color that your mom and mine forbade us from wearing as a child. Essie has an awesome color called "Apertif" that is a great red. Surprisingly enough, purple is also a universal color for all skin tones. I love purple and definitely rock OPI in "Siberian Nights."

Dark skin looks great with orange or blue polish. Check out Ginger + Liz in "Keep Me Interested" (Don't you love that name?? Post on the fab perlas, Ginger + Liz, coming soon.) which is an awesome shade of orange. Or if you prefer blue, Estee Lauder in Wild Blue is also hot. Dark-skinned perlas looking for a neutral color would also look fierce in Orly in "Hot Chocolate" (doesn't that just sound fierce?).

Medium skinned perlas look fab in ruby and sapphire tones. I recommend China Glaze in "Heart of Africa," if you prefer red. Or "Bermuda Breakaway," if you are interested in rocking a deep blue.

Lastly, those with fair skin can really rock the bright pinks and corals.  Essie in Mod Squad, if you like bright pink, is too cute. Or definitely check out Ginger + Liz in "Reality Check" if you like coral (really pretty). Pale pink neutrals always look great on fair skin and I would definitely recommend one of my ultimate faves, OPI in Coney Island Cotton Candy. That was actually the first OPI polish that I ever purchased- love, love, love it!

Above all, perlas wear what makes you feel pretty and confident. I hope this helps with your spring and summer polish planning. Let me know if you try any of my recos and please send pics to gotpearlsandpolish@gmail.com... Besos, P&P.

Polish Change: OPI DS Reserve

So I decided that it was time for a new shade on my fingers. Last weekend, I picked up several nail polishes one of which was "DS Reserve" by OPI. The color looked so yummy and pink in the bottle, I just had to have it. The bottle was $12.99 at ULTA so its a bit more pricey than OPI's other colors but in my opinion worth it. The quality of the polish is top-notch. I was so surprised that I only needed one coat of polish (although I did apply two). You always expect that you will need multiple coats with shimmery polish. DS Reserve went on as smooth as silk. Honestly, I'm really not a fan of shimmery, glittery polish but this is a far cry from your run-of-the-mill Wet'n'Wild glitter polish (hahahah, did I just go there?!). The glitter is subtle with flakes of gold and green. This polish is so feminine and cute. Perfect for the spring and summer! Check it out!

Isn't it fabulous? This is from OPI's Designer Series."Ultimate Glamour." Extraordinary Brilliance." There are 12 colors in the Designer Series ranging from browns, to purple, blue, and grey. I think I'm going to try the DS Glow or DS Illuminate soon (brownish shades)... Sidebar Conversation- I'm SO sorry about the pics. I have to get a new camera ASAP because my Blackberry is soooo not cutting the close up shots. But I really wanted you to see the shimmer LOL. Let me know what you think....Besos, P&P.

Pearls, Gold & Leopard- What A Powerful Combination

I absolutely love the combination of pearls and gold, especially when its a mix of bracelets. I think the marriage of the refined elegance of the pearls and the strength of the gold make for a powerful pair...So a couple of weeks ago, I selected a fabulous (and I mean FABulous) leopard print dress to attend the Atlanta launch of PGRDresses. It was a no-brainer that I rock my pearls which look so ridiculously sexy with leopard. The juxtaposition of the untamed quality of the leopard with the refinement of the pearls create an awesome statement. Even though I already have quite a selection of pearl pieces at home, I still found myself browsing at the mall. I mean, come on, what do you expect, right ladies?? To my surprise, I stumbled upon two pearl bracelets (faux, which definitely can work too sometimes, ladies, don't rule it out) with gold balls intermixed in the bracelet. OMG I had to have them!! They would go perfectly with the long pearl strand necklace that I already had in mind to wear. I took another step to find a HOT gold link bracelet (no, not your typical Big Daddy Kane link). I knew that when I paired it with the two pearl/gold bracelets that it would be just ridiculous! Not to mention, I love to jingle (don't you??) and the gold bracelet soooo added the jingle factor LOL. See the pic below (I'm sorry that I don't have a pic of the whole ensemble but I didn't take any pics that night. I know- Boooo Hisssss).

Needless to say, you can't go wrong with pearls. And if you add some gold, you're really making a powerful statement!...Oh yeah, like my polish in the pic? It's "I vant to be a-lone star" from OPI's Texas Collection. Love it and so trendy right now!! Even my husband said he liked this color and he has never commented on my nailpolish LOL...Besos, P&P.