Orly Impressions Collection Nails

 

Dear AMW Friends,

I'm back doing nail art once again because as you all know, I stopped when I turned into a mom!  Taking care after a Baby, then Toddler is NO JOKE!  It is true what most people say, you don't have time for yourself even a single application of nail polish became a chore!

Now that my son is 9 years old!  YES!  Time flew by so fast, I have the option to do some self-care routine even if I have to wait for wee hours of night when he finally fell asleep!  (Not complaining here!)  

A girl who loves nail art by heart.....is finally back and this time using the Orly's Impressions Collection!

I think the collection has a total of 6 shades and I got 4 our of the 6!

L-R Artist's Garden, Bleu Iris, Dance with Me, Golden Afternoon

The ORLY Polishes are know to be silky creme shades, easy to apply with the flat brush and dries up easily!  If applied correctly, you don't have to worry about chip!  

As always, whenever I get a "collection", I try to use all shades proving how a collection really complements each other!  

 

How do you like this look?

ORLY Polishes are available locally at Purebeauty.

(Author got sample sizes but full sized Orly Impressions polishes costs Php395.00 per bottle.)

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

 

Barry M Nail Paints Now In the Philippines!

The first time I laid my hands on a Barry M product was actually a nail polish which I won from a contest year 2009.  (You don't believe me?  Click HERE).

Beauty Blogging was way different back then.  I don't have access to a lot of international brands so I ended up doing a lot of "Blogger Shopping Switch" (I purchase items for an International Blogger and they shop for me in their country!)

So anyway, back to the brand story!  I have tried Barry M polishes and knew they were great!  But since the brand never arrived our shores, I just set this aside (at the back of my head wishing and hoping they'll be available locally).

Who would have thought it would happen on a crazy 2020?  I mean everything about this year has been bad so hearing such news is such a wonderful bud of leaf peeping through a dried out soil (okay, I'm too negative here but you know what I mean right?)

So a lot of you would probably shrug your shoulders and say: "Meh".

The nail polish and nail art lover in me is REJOICING! 

You can easily see it by the look of my face - pure joy as I applied a coat of Barry M Gelly Shine Nail Paint!  I got 3 shades to play with and used 2 immediately + a top coat!

Barry M Gelly Shine Nail Paints are indeed high shine (a coat is enough to see the shine!)  and it is quick drying!  I applied this on a whim while doing an unboxing video and had a busy day ahead so I washed my hand 5 minutes after I applied the top coat expecting them to be ruined!  Well, it did not!  And I am still sporting this lovely nails while typing this blog post!  

Please watch my quick nail art video and see the real SHINE and how opaque these are!

Orly The New Neutrals Launch

Nail polish lovers.
You all know Orly.  I don't need to give a long introduction about this brand because we always see them in nail salons and we always get confused on which color to choose for our hands and feet because they always come up with shades that are worthy for our digits!

Then, the decision-making gets even more complicated when they launched The New Neutrals this week!  Held at Kitchenails, Robinsons Galleria, I was pampered not only with a nice Pedi-session but also, I was offered my favorite drink of all time --- COFFEE with the help of Costa Coffee.

The new collection is amazing!  This Fall 2018 collection includes 6 brand new shades:  Cashmere Crisis, Snuggle Up, Fall Into Me, Mauvelous, Seize the Clay and Olive You Kelly (Left to right from photo above)

It was a first for me to try the service at Kitchenails and I love how homey and spacious the place was!  I get to be pampered by them using "kitchen utensils" from spatulo to kitchen brushes.  And of course, with Costa Coffee to serve us snacks, what could go wrong?

Nail Art Tutorial: Summer Romance Nails

As I was laying at night getting ready to sleep, I looked at my nails and decided to change it because I was off to an important event the next day!  

What to do at 1:00am?  A very simple nail art tutorial with polishes that dries up pretty quickly! 

Introduction, my Summer Romance Nails inspired by the Summer Romance Collection of Girlstuff Nail Polish!

Step 1:
Apply a good base coat.  I used to always do this step but since I was rushing, I skipped base coat application and went ahead and applied 2 coats of base polish in 3 shades.

Girl Stuff Nail Lacquer Sun-kissed for pinkie fingernail and thumbnail.
Girl Stuff Nail Lacquer BAEWatch for Ring Fingernail and Middle Fingernail.
Girl Stuff Nail Lacquer Rendezvous for Pointer Fingernail and half of Ring Fingernail.

Nail Art Tutorial: Cosmic Nails

I planned another nail art tutorial for you but when I opened my box of Nail Art Tools, all my materials from 2-Way Nail Art Pens to my favorite L.A. Colors Art Deco polishes are dried out --- come on, 5 long years of not using them?  Siyempre naman!

So instead of sulking, I've decided to pick a sponge and create Cosmic Inspired Nail Art Design.  Since my son is so much into Space, my nails immediately puts a big smile on his cute li'l face!

What you need: 

Sponge, Base Shade and at least 2 shades to create gradient nails.

Lastly, let's not forget that quick dry top coat because I'm always rushing!

You Pick Your Summer Romance!

And no, I'm not talking about a pick between your colleague, your neighbor or maybe that guy you met at the coffee shop....

We're talking about Romance between YOU and Your nails!

Girlstuff Nail Polish - one of my favorite safe polish brand recently launched their Summer 2018 collection!  Just when I thought it just look like the usual "ho-hum" bright, summer colors...this totally blew my mind!

SUMMER COLLECTION

Php750.00 for the whole set

Available HERE or any Girlstuff Counters near you

Just so you know, PHOTOS do not do justice!  You have to check the collection IN PERSON to understand what I'm trying to say!

This collection speaks to the Summer homebody (me!), the beach babes (I wish that's me but not for this year!), the summer nerds (me pa din!) , in short, this collection speaks SUMMER FOR ALL AGES and for ALL PERSONALITIES!

Beach Babe

At first glance this may look like a teal-colored polish but applied on me, it looks Pastel Mint Green!  I love how the color changes in different individuals!  I love how refreshing this color made me feel! 

ORLY Nail Lacquer Ice Cream Art

Since I turn into an AskMeMom, nail art designs on my short fingernails are almost non-existent!  As much as I want to get my jam back, weekends (which are usually my nail art moments) are turned into Family bonding dates!  It's not because I turned into a mom that Nail Art Tutorials are lesser, it was because I have more jobs to handle and I'm thankful for that!  But again, to be able to finish my tasks, I have to set priorities and unfortunately, nail art isn't a priority as of the moment!  But if there were nights I have enough energy to create a simple nail art once the angel goes to sleep, I create THIS!

My super easy Ice Cream Art which puts a huge smile to Kyle's face in the morning!

Products used: 

Base: Orly Cotton Candy

Middle Ice Cream: Pink Chocolate

Topmost tip: Prelude to a Kiss

I was inspired to create a simple nail art design because I got these colorful ORLY Lacquers for Christmas!

Left to Right: Prelude to A Kiss, Cotton Candy, Pink Chocolate, 

Gumdrop, Blue Collar and Haute Red

I'm a Disney Minnie Nail Lacquer by Girlstuff Ambassador!

When you were asked by a Nail Polish brand you've been using for almost a decade to be their ambassador for one of their biggest collaboration ever, you can't help but nod and pinch yourself internally.  It is a dream come true for me!

If you check out my Nail Art Tutorials, you will see GirlStuff "used and abused" so many times in most of my nail art because for so many reason - pigmented shades, fashionable and up-to-date shades, free from harmful chemicals like Formaldehyde, Toluene, Di-butyl phtalate, Camphor and Formaldehyde Resin.  And who says you have to sacrifice quality for safety?  With Girlstuff, each polish has long wear and no-streak formulation which I love through the years! 

And if you think you need better reasons to trust Girlstuff, well, Girlstuff has been chosen as the first ever Philippine Brand of Nail Polish to carry Minnie Mouse by Disney!

And that calls for a celebration with a Launch of MINNIE MOUSE LACQUER COLLECTION BY GIRLSTUFF. 

The Collection includes 10 Minnie Mouse inspired shades!

Girlstuff Urban Jungle Collection Review

I haven't been doing Nail Art posts but that doesn't stop me from wearing nail polishes!  I still do!  I still have this "itch" to create nail art designs but it is put on hold due to my extremely busy schedule but there will always be special days like this....when my favorite nail polish brand launches their newest collection and the colors are screaming: "Nikki!  Please use us all!"  

Obviously, I obliged!

Girlstuff Urban Jungle Collection 

PHP120.00 each

Shades: Found Myself! (Teal)

Away From It All (Yellow)
Dreams Do Come True! (Purple)

Bare Necessities (Light Green)

No Compromises! (Blue) 

Trust me when I say, YOU CAN WEAR ALL THE SHADES IN ONE GO!

Gelish and Morgan Taylor Beauty and the Beast Collection Launch

 Beauty and the Beast is definitely one of my favorite fairytales, because the story focuses on inner beauty and that's what AskMeWhats has always been about --- Beauty In and Out.

In celebration of the Disney live-action version, gel brand, Gelish and its sister brand Morgan Taylor, release Spring 2017 Offering --- a Beauty and the Beast collection which composed of seven shades which are all inspired by elements found in both the original and new film.  

Because I believe in looking beautiful on the outside will translate to feeling beautiful on the inside, I knew it is high time for me to have another session of "Me-Time" before my 2 workshops commence!  

The launch was held at my favorite S Maison mall at Kallista, selected Bloggers and Media friends were there to try out the new collection.

 

Let's talk about the Morgan Taylor collection first, one thing that makes this collection unique is the shade Enchanted Patina (left most polish on photo below).  Enchanted Patina is a duo chrome shimmer that is somewhere between a coppery gold to a pink shade.  It can be worn as is or on top of the other shades from the collection to create a shimmery antique look!

AMW Gift Ideas: For the Make Up Learners and Lovers

Christmas day is less than 10 days away!  I seriously haven't really gotten the chance to sit down and breathe, but I'm not complaining here, my year 2016 is such a wonderful year I don't mind repeating this all over again for 2017!

Now, are you done with your Christmas shopping?  I know I am still cramming for a couple of get-together and reunions!  So I'm definitely panicking (a bit!)  Thankfully, there are a couple of ideas I can share..this time, for our Make Up Loving friends and those who plan to study make up artistry too!

If you haven't seen on my social media posts, well, I have to repeat this again, to celebrate Benefit's 5th Birthday in the Philippines, they are offering 20% off ON ALL PRODUCTS (Except gift sets) until December 18, 2016 (Sunday)  And our favorite HOOLA products are on 50% off!  So please hurry and stock up on your favorite Benegoodies!  

On top of my head, I am definitely stocking up on ---

• Benefit That Gal Primer
• Benefit 3D Brow Tones
• Benefit POREfessional Balm
• Benefit Gimme Brow
• Benfit Hello Flawless Oxygen WOW powder and liquid foundation

Now if you want a huge surprise for a friend who plans to study make up artistry, you may want to look into Pro Studio Beauty Exclusive Concealer/Corrector Palettes.

Girlstuff 2016 Holiday Collection

You know how when Holiday season comes, we automatically think of RED, GREEN, GOLD and a whole lot of sparkles!

As much as I want those shades mentioned, I wanted something unique, different and still connected to the season!  Thankfully, my favorite Nail Polish Brand Girlstuff thought of that!

Inspired by our favorite Chocolates and wine perfect for the Holiday season, I'm glad we can finally INDULGE without adding an inch or two to our waistline!

Introducing, Girlstuff Holiday 2016 Collection....

The collection has the same Girlstuff promise ---

• Made in France.
• Formaldehyde resin-free.
• Formaldehyde-free.
• Camphor-free
• Toluene-free
• DBP-free

I can attest to the safety of these polishes because I have worn various Girlstuff polishes in almost a decade of my "blogging career" and my nails NEVER turned yellow, weak or dry --- even when I leave my polish for almost a month at times (which you shouldn't be doing by the way!)

Gelish Gel Polish Available at Nailaholics

Haven't gotten the chance to pamper myself for months!  So this photo, I tell you, is priceless!  Let alone having a foot spa, manicure, pedicure...the most exciting part is trying out Gelish for the first time!  YES!  GELISH Gel Polish and it's available at Nailaholics!

I'm not sure about you but Nailaholics Nail Salon & Spa is one of my to-go-to nail salon whenever I needed some hands and feet pampering!  The nail technicians are super professional and friendly (you just can't imagine what we talked about during this visit!)  It is a big news to know that they decided to use only Gelish Soak-off Gel Polish for all its gel manicure services, including gel manicure, pedicure and extensions!  That's great news because ever since I started learning about Gel Polishes, Gelish has always been receiving raves from international nail enthusiasts and artists!  Aside from that, Adele, Lady Gaga and Khloe Kardashians are also singing praises for this brand..so who am I NOT to try this right?

All thanks to my good friend Joel for inviting me because I am IN DIRE NEED of manicure and pedicure --- these hardworking girls can attest to that!  

New Zoya Professional Lacquer Shades I'm Loving!

My nails are back!  Well, not really!  I haven't been posting much about nail polishes ever since I had a baby is because for the fact that I'm making sure whatever I put on my fingernails are safe not only for myself but for my kid!  

There are only a few safe brands of polishes left that I really wear on a daily basis, you all know my love for GirlStuff, Solique and now I'm sharing to you my next safe polish brand fave --- ZOYA.

If you are expecting or breastfeeding, this is a polish brand I also highly recommend.  Zoya Nail polishs are free from Big 5 (Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Dibutyl Phthalate, Toluene and Camphor.)

And just in case you want to know my current favorite shades for the season...here you go...

L-R Hunter, MIA and Dream

Let's start with my top most favorite shade out of the 3.

Solique x Marilen Launches 2 New Shades - Serenity and Rose Quartz

I've seen Marilen Faustino-Montenegro on TV a couple of times because of her gorgeous faces flashing on my TV screen for various commercials.  Fast-forward to several years after, I finally met her during Cozy Nails Turn 5 VIP Event, she maybe a well-known model but very down-to-earth!  

Then we met a couple more times!  One as her Blogger Guest on 100% Whole Mom Workshop , and it was a lovely surprise for me when she said YES to my invite during my #BenefitLovesAMW Christmas Bash.

That's why when I learned about the collaboration between my favorite Gel Polish Brand Solique and Marilen, I knew I had to be there to support, even if the location of the intimate launch is super far from me!

The event was held at Coco Nail Studio, Alabang!  As soon as I walked in the area, I feel the warmth and wellness, and that's what Solique x Marilen is aiming for for this particular collection.

Solique and Marilen Styles have teamed up to bring to us warmth and wellness in a bottle!  How?  Through the much celebrated calming colors of Rose Quartz and Serenity!  With the same fast-drying, non-UV gel polish technology from Solique which I love!

Let's talk about Coco Nail Studio, it is one of the most relaxing, friendly and comfortable salon place that I've been to!  I wish I live nearby because I wouldn't mind going back there!

The staffs are friendly and the nail salon smells so good!  The salon also offers home fragrance.

Eureka Moment: Best Nail Polish Remover to date!

And I can do that by literally wiggling my fingers!  FUN!
I love nail polish application, out of 10 years that I've been polishing my nails with various shades, one thing I dislike the most is nail polish removal!  As embarrassing as it sound, I am too lazy to do so I even seek the help of Mr. AMW just because I dislike the step! 

So when Mythe Nail Polish Remover was introduced to me by my friend Sydney of Nippon Esthetics, I gave it a try immediately and check out the result!

That in just 3 seconds of wiggling!

(Note: the color on the sides of the finger around the skin can be further removed by 2nd and 3rd wiggling!)

This product is made in Thailand!  I haven't seen such thing that's why this deserve a spot on my blog under EUREKA MOMENT!  This is indeed an innovation we can't miss!

Are You Ready for Summer Nails?

I have been obsessed with Nail Polishes for the past 2 decades!  Yes, I was in-the-know with what's-hot and what's-not for the digits as early as Freshman High!  Of course, we weren't allowed to wear polishes back then but I remembered getting really exciting during summer season as I can freely experiment on different shades of polishes on all 10 fingers!  (Yes, I tried wearing 10 different colors for 10 fingers!)  Who says I am conservative?  :P

One of the first polish brand I've tried is Caronia, and I'm happy to say, they are coming up with better colors and BETTER finish!  The Caronia Popsicle Collection reminds me so much of my favorite ...uhm.. Popsicle!  I may not be off to a beach this summer or enjoy travel with friends like I normally do, that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the heat!  How? By adding a pop of color on my n ails!

L-R Caronia Brain Freeze, Lemon Cool, Peach Perfect and Tequila Sunrise

All four shades are obviously inspired by the shades of summer --- ice cream and happy food!  There are 2 glossy finish and 2 matte finish!  Tequila Sunrise and Brain Freeze are matte finish while the rest are glossy!  I personally love Peach Perfect on days I want to look "chill" while if i want to add a pop of color, I'd go for Brain Freeze!  

GirlStuff RAVE Neon Collection and Solique UV-Glow Gel Top Coat Launch

You probably know by now how busy I was last week for the launch of GirlStuff RAVE Neon Polish Collection and Solique UV-Glow Gel Top Coat.  Just a bit of background, the owner Dr. Janina Gutierrez-Tan and I go way back!  It was more than 5 years ago when she emailed me to try her polishes!  Because the quality of GirlStuff polishes are really good, I ended up using at least one polish on my every nail art tutorial posts!  Fast-forward to 2 years later, Janina requested for a meet-up and wanted me to help her launch GirlStuff formally!  For someone who loves her polish like my own, I said YES!  And the rest was history! 

Our 3rd launch in less than 2 years!  I'm sure there will be more to come!  Thanks Janina for the trust.

 

Now back to the collection, when we were planning on how to create a bang for this particular RAVE Neon Polish Summer Collection and Solique UV-Glow Gel Top Coat. Janina had a bright idea on turning a bar pitch black in the afternoon because our age may be out of the calendar but we are definitely young at heart!  (Reality: Lola talaga kami, wala kaming alam! hahaha)

The Solique by Girl Stuff Ultimate Test

Dear readers, I'm sure you knew by now how I played a huge role during the launch of Solique By Girl Stuff Gel Polishes.  

Yes, I helped out in conceptualizing the Blogger/Media Event and I was even the host during the grand launch!

So you are probably expecting me to tell you just to BUY Solique by Girl Stuff just because it is the greatest Gel Polish on earth right?

Of course I won't!  I am still typing this post as the usual AMW --- the ultimate product tester because I believe you guys deserve to know the truth about all the products I've tried and used!

Now let's get started.

Solique by Girlstuff is a Revolutionary formula combining the benefits of polish and gel.  For this collection, they came up with 6 gorgeous shades and a Gel Top coat. 

Solique Gel Polish by GirlStuff Launch

Happy Thursday AMW Friends!  If you follow me on Instagram, you were probably flooded with my #SoliqueByGirlStuff posts!  I'm sorry, I was just extremely excited  because I am working again with the brand I wholeheartedly love!  GirlStuff Polishes.

You've probably seen my first collaboration with the brand a couple of months ago via GirlStuff Bloggers' Elite Summer Collection and so far, I'm happy with the outcome!  Thank you so much to those who bought not only AskMeWhats polish but the rest of the "Blogger" Shades!

When President of JRadiance Corporation, Dra. Janina Tan messaged me to help her out for her Gel Polish launch, I said yes in no time!  

So here I was, haggard-looking but still happy!  Thanks Mr. AMW for this test shot!  I realized I don't have a "formal" photo because I was so busy running around!

Dress: Something Borrowed, Shoes: Zalora

The event was held at Chef Jessie, Rockwell.  After all the guests get to have their photos taken, they were ushered to the registration booth to pick their "passport" as a guide on how to enjoy several activities prepared by the brand.