Different Dimension Santa Baby Christmas Collection ... AMAZEBALLS!!!!

Get ready ladies, this is gonna be a good one! Missi Barry is the creator of Different Dimension nail polish and her latest collection for the Holiday Season is amazing. I had a chance to chat with Missi and find out a bit about what makes her tick.

Dom: What made you start making polish?
Missi: I am a licensed nail tech and I had to have joint replacement surgery late this past spring, I ordered a bunch of stuff beforehand and started playing around with it, just for personal use. After years of doing nails you start to notice how similar all of the polishes tend to look. I just wanted something different to wear! I posted some pics online and things just took off! I now do this full-time and work two days a week as a nail tech!  I love it and I hope it shows!

Dom: Are you a polish collector and if so what are some of your prized colors or lemmings?
Missi: OMG!!! Yes!!! I'm a huge Whimsical Ideas by Pam fan as well as Contrary Polish. I am dying to get my hands on some Nerd Lacquer!!! As far as lemmings - I would have to say Nancy's Birthday and My Friend Carol by Whimsical Ideas and then I have a whole list of Nerd Lacquers I want - Don't Blink, Entirely Unlike Tea, Don't Panic, Outed by A Probot, All of Time and Space, Holy Grail, Smoke Dragon...

Dom: Santa Baby ... why was that song the inspiration for this collection?
Missi: It was between Santa Baby and My Grown-Up Christmas List. I always try to have a theme and Santa Baby is just so fun and girly and I LOVE it! I'm hoping everyone gets it. I didn't want to make polishes that were only specific to Christmas though. I think most of this collection can be worn year round. Like Santa Baby can definitely be worn on Valentines Day.

Dom: I have several of your lacquers and I love each and every one! What do you think makes your polish so special?
Missi: Honestly I make polishes that I would (and do) wear personally. I don't just throw glitter into some base and shake it up and pray it looks nice. Every polish is thought out well beforehand, colors that I want to use, what I want it to look like, if there is a cause behind it or a theme. I am obsessed with color and glitter so I'm sure that helps! I probably fail more than I succeed but sometimes I will go back after a month or two and look and add something that makes it a final product. I also measure everything and write it down! I think consistency throughout is such an important thing so many do not follow in this small community of ours.

Dom: What are inspirations? What keeps you doing what you do?
Missi: Personally my boys are my inspiration - everything I do in my life I do to better their lives. I was working 50+ hours a week in a nail shop unable to spend any time with them, I now am down to two days a week and I am able to be a mommy again! That is what keeps me going. I don't think that there is a greater gift than our children, so I try to do as much as I can to stay as involved as possible with them. I am so thankful this is allowing me to do that now! Other inspiration - I am a HUGE Andy Warhol fan, love love love him and any type of art in general. Hell, I even sat in the Christmas aisles (you know back in August, lol!) at Hobby Lobby for hours just gazing at all the wonderful colors and collections of ornament and decorations!

I really enjoyed getting to know Missi almost as much as I enjoy her polish! ; ) When I received my package of polish from Missi, I just about died! I had ordered several for my own collection and was also looking forward to reviewing the Santa Baby Line. It is safe to say that this is one of the best packages I have received in a while!  When I began to open the little bundles of joy, I loved each one just a bit more than the last. This collection is full of amazing color and texture combinations!  Let's get started shall we?

There are eight polishes in this collection with one bonus polish that will make you wanna smack yo mama! Santa Baby, Hurry Down the Chimney Tonight, I'll Wait Up For You Dear, Sign Your 'X' on the Line, I've Been An Angel All Year, I've Been an Awful Good Girl, Think of All the Fellas That I Haven't Kissed and Out of Space Convertible make up the Santa Baby Collection with a stunner called Chrsitmahanakwanzika as a bonus!

For all of these swatches I used Beauty Secrets Base Coat. I only used Orly Glosser Top Coat on two of the polishes, I will note those later in the post. All the polish descriptions are taken from the Different Dimensions Etsy Shop site. I am going to take a moment and make a blanket statement about all of these lacquers ... ALL OF THEM paint like a dream and even out nicely!

Santa Baby has a clear base with red, pink and white glitters in different sizes mixed with silver holographic micro-glitter. 

Sinful Colors Snow Me White & Rimmel London Black Satin

Hurry Down The Chimney Tonight is a jumble of asymmetrical red and white glitters. Looks amazing over any color! 

Sinful Colors Snow Me White & Rimmel London Black Satin

I'll Wait Up For You Dear is my vision of what Christmas in a bottle would look like. Green and red glitters in a clear base - so simple, yet so Christmassy!

Look at that light!!!

Sign Your 'X' On The Line is a silver shred and gold flakie top coat. It is neither really gold nor really silver but it is really amazing on!

Sinful Colors Snow Me White, W&W Red Red, Rimmel London Black Satin, China Glaze Holly-Day

With all of the wonderful holidays this time of year Missi decided it was important to try and make something fun for everyone to wear! Christmahanakwanzika has all of the amazing colors of all 3 holidays mixed into one polish! Definately a fun topper!

Sinful Colors Snow Me White, W&W Red Red, Rimmel London Black Satin, China Glaze Holly-Day

I've Been An Angel All Year has white, blue and silver glitters in a white base with slight blue shimmer added. Full coverage in 2 coats.

w/Orly Glosser top coat

I've Been An Awful Good Girl has a white base with pink(ish) shimmer and different sized pink and purple glitters throughout in different sizes.

2 Coats and look how smooth it is!  w/Orly Glosser top coat

Think Of All The Fellas That I Haven't Kissed - The colors in this were inspired in part by Missi's own Christmas tree trimmings. Rich purples, blues and teals in a clear base. Buildable in 3 coats, but looks amazing as a topper! (I only used 2 coats for these images with no undies)

Out Of Space Convertible is a black jelly polish with pink, purple and blue micro holographic glitters, looks best over black, but can be built in 3 coats. (again, I only used 2 coats for these images with no undies)

Well there ya have it!  I am going to give Different Dimensions Santa Baby Collection an A+!  All of colors were amazing to work with and I will definitely be wearing these again and again during this holiday season and beyond! I highly recommend this line to all of you and while you are shopping for these beauties pick up a few of Missi's other polishes. You will not be disappointed!  

Missi has been kind enough to issue a special discount for the month of November for Mani Curiously readers.  So head over to her shop grab some awesome polish!

Different Dimension Esty Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/DIFFERENTdimension?ref=top_trail

Don't forget your special 20% off reader discount code when you checkout! 

manicuriously20

Like Different Dimensions on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/DIFdimension?fref=ts

Tell me what you think. Do you see any must haves in this collection? 

This is a free sample given to me by Different Dimension. Reviewing this sample in no way impacts my review of the product. My views are my own and are expressed accurately and fairly to best of my ability.

Go Pink Wednesday and Supporting Your Loved One Tips!

So we've covered the statistical data that supports how important it is to stay on top of your breast health as well as a tutorial on Self Breast Examinations. Today we have some great tips on how to be the best supportive person to your loved one during and after their diagnosis and treatment. The statistics are real; 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer, because odds are you'll either be the patient or the support system.

When tragedy strikes someone near and dear to us it can be difficult to not get swallowed up in our own grief. After all, it is human nature to be self centered. There is no recrimination in the facts of humanity, just honesty, and when something so horrific strikes a loved one we go through a grieving process too. However, there will be personal time for that. The most important thing you can be is a supportive loved one. But before you bound off to play Dr. Oz or even Dr. Phil there are some really great resources on how to be the best supportive YOU to your loved one.

These tips on how to be a supportive person for someone fighting Breast Cancer are according to SheKnows.com:

LISTEN AND BE PRESENT: It is important to be a good listener. Someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer is afraid, angry and uncertain. Listening to these fears and being present with them, even in silence, can be a source of great strength for the person fighting cancer. Allowing them to express their anger and fears also demonstrates that you will be there to support them through it all, rather than abandoning them when times get tough.

BE A FACT FINDER, NOT AN ADVICE GIVER: The initial diagnosis of breast cancer can lead to shock and anxiety. It is helpful to support the individual by gathering facts about dealing with the disease, treatment options, and community resources, such as support groups. However, helping your loved ones find information is different from giving them advice about choosing their treatment or plan of care. Listen to them as they talk about their options and be helpful by finding more information as they desire, but don't give out unsolicited advice.

BE SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR LOVED ONE'S DECISION: A myriad of decisions must be made by your loved one in relation to the treatment process. Your loved one will not make these decisions lightly and it is important to be supportive of their decision, even if it is not the road you would have chosen.

LAUGH: Remember the old adage "laughter is the best medicine"? Don't be afraid to laugh and have fun. Living with cancer and supporting someone with cancer can be stressful, and learning to laugh together can help get you through the tough times that you will face.

ACKNOWLEDGE THE GRIEVING PROCESS: The diagnosis of breast cancer for a woman attacks her very femininity and many of the treatment options continue in this attack. It is normal to go through a grieving process related to the feeling of this loss of femininity. Be supportive by listening to her anger, fear, and uncertainty and don't be afraid to hug her and touch her.

GATHER A SUPPORT NETWORK: A variety of support groups are available to individuals living with breast cancer, as well as for individuals supporting a loved one with breast cancer. This is one of those times where you can't do everything alone. Ensure that you have a positive group of supporters surrounding and uplifting you as you care for your loved one and don't take on more than you can realistically do. Joining a support group is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of strength which will be invaluable to you and your loved ones throughout this difficult time.

HAVE SOME FUN: Go do something fun! It is vital to focus on more than just the disease, because your loved one is so much more than a diagnosis. It is important to do something fun – plan a girl's night chick-flick movie marathon (or horror flick marathon if that is more to your liking), or, pending your loved one's energy level, go out to the park, go to a game, take a walk, or go out to dinner. It is OK to laugh and have fun

BE YOURSELF: It can be challenging to know what to do or say when supporting someone living with breast cancer, but it is important to be yourself. Being genuine shows your loved one how much you truly care about him or her as an individual, not a disease. A warrior has strength and is prepared to fight through the challenges. Living with breast cancer requires the strength, steadfastness, and determination of a warrior; yet it cannot be done alone; it requires an equally strong and driven group of warriors who will support their loved ones through the highs and lows -- never giving up and never letting go.

Two other great resources we found for more tips on how to be a great support system for your loved one are:

HealthyWomen.org: This is a great and quick resource for some Dos and Don'ts for your role as your loved one's support system.
Caring.com: A really great resource for 7 more tips to be the best and most supportive person to your loved one.
I really liked all three resources and they're all very real and honest in the best and honest way to support someone. Please take a look at all the resources, it could mean saving a life!

As always, to show our love and support here are our Go Pink Wednesday for Breast Cancer Awareness manicures!

For this weeks mani Dom wanted to do something a bit different and unexpected. She recently stopped by JoAnn's Fabrics and grabbed an A La Mode brand flocking set. The process is not as hard as it seemed. A bit of wet polish and some flocking powder is all you need to achieve this look. Dom was really excited to do this mani! Even though it is a messy mani to do, it really allows an infinite amount of creative ideas as well as just plain fun! We hope you like it!

Rimmel London Posh Pink, W'n'W Tickled Pink, Sinful Colors Snow Me White & Flocking Powder

This mani is flocking awesome!!!  ;)

Continuing with a little nail art in support of Go Pink Wednesday and the upcoming Halloween holiday, E's mani is a fun and funky shredded tape mani! She used MAC - Ice Cream Cake as a lovely pink base, Cult Nails - Nevermore for the accent nail and shredded tips with a dash of Pretty and Polished - Punk'd Up Betty on the accent nail. Tape manis are easy to do and can really take an aging mani through another week of awesomeness! A tutorial on E's methods can be found HERE. This was a lot of fun and we hope you love it!

"Pre taping" MAC - Ice Cream Cake
Cult Nails - Nevermore and
Pretty & Polished - Punk'd Up Betty as accent nails

"Post taping" MAC - Ice Cream Cake
Cult Nails - Nevermore and
Pretty & Polished - Punk'd Up Betty as accent nails and shredding

xo,

and

Zoya Ornate Collection 2012 Swatches & Review *pic heavy*

As soon as I saw Zoya's Ornate collection I knew that I HAD to have it.  This line is right in my ballpark and I immediately called E and laid claim to this review!  I received my collection on Friday and got busy swatching as soon as the sun came up on Saturday!  Thank God that Ohio had a sunny day because these colors in the sun are ridiculous!

Zoya has really been impressing me with their 2012 releases and this time is no different. Ornate is a group of six really deep rich colors. Zoya describes the collection as, "perfect to decorate your nails with stunning jewel tone colors and special effect pigments this season." I would have to say that I agree!  

All of my swatches, with the exception of Electra, were done using Beauty Secrets Base Coat, two coats of polish and Orly Glosser for the top coat.

Aurora is described by Zoya as "plum with a multicolored crystal shimmer". I would say that Aurora is more of a raspberry plum with a bit of holo. Aurora painted like a dream and with two coats of polish, was at full opacity.

Storm, described by Zoya as "black with multicolor crystal shimmer", is one of my favorites. Again, this polish painted flawlessly. The "multicolor crystal shimmer" or as I would call it, holo, is amazing and creates such depth. It looks almost juicy with the Glosser top coat!  

I am not usually a lover of the red hues but Blaze has really surprised me! I love it!  Zoya describes Blaze as "cranberry glitter glam crystal" and that is just what it is! With two coats of polish and the Glosser top coat, this color almost looked like a jelly sandwich all on its own!  

Gold is another one of my not so favorite hues. I just hadn't found one that really looked good with my skin tone. As an unspoken rule, any golds that I came across I would automatically put in a box for my next shipment to E! Thank you Zoya for giving me a gold that I actually like and think looks good on my skin. This polish was a bit more tricky to paint with. Ziv is a "gold foil glitter crystal" according to Zoya and just that description alone should give you a hint on how carefully you need to paint this one. With two coats I had full opacity but the clean up was a bit trying. The little crystals and glitter seemed to get everywhere but the final outcome looked great so it was worth the extra elbow grease!!! 

I am a green girl and when I saw Logan in the bottle my jaw dropped!  Zoya describes Logan as a "green foil glitter crystal" and it is just beautiful. Same rules apply to Logan as did Ziv. With a nice steady stoke and some tricky clean up, two coats of this polish amazed me!  

Last but not least is what some would consider the show stopper of this collection. Electra is a "holo tinsel special effect" and Zoya suggests that you "wear it alone or layer it for extra drama". For this polish I used Gelous as a base and top coat. This was also a bit of a challenge to paint with.  I didn't really need to manage glitter placement too much however, because of the tinsel being what it is, there was some natural overhang that I fixed with a quick swipe of the brush across the tips of my nails.  

And for the extra drama that Zoya describes I did quick swatch of Electra over some basic colors.  I used Sinful Colors Snow Me White, Rimmel London Black Satin, Finger Paints Inkblot Blue and Wet'n'Wild Red Red. 

Overall, I have to say that I LOVE THIS COLLECTION!  The colors are amazing and the formula is great!  I would recommend this line to anyone looking for something special for this fall and winter season!  All of these products can be found at Zoya.com for $8 a piece or $48 for the entire collection.  

Let me know what you think!  Do you have a favorite color from this collection or any other 2012 Zoya collection?  

This is a free sample given to me by a company. Either directly from the manufacturer or from a PR company. Receiving this sample in no way impacts my review of the product. My views are my own and are expressed as accurately and fairly to the best of my ability.

Go Pink Wednesday and a self exam tutorial!!!

Good morning ladies!  It is Wednesday again and we have two more Breast Cancer Awareness inspired manicures for you as well as some important information on how to do a self breast exam.

In last week's Go Pink post we stressed the importance of self-breast checks as a front line defense in the early detection of breast cancer. Although breast cancer presents itself more prominently in women over 40, there is still just under 7% of new cases found in younger women. Check your breasts ladies!  Get out your calendars and pick a day each month to follow these steps taken from breastcancer.org.

Step 1: Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.

Here's what you should look for:

• Breasts that are their usual size, shape, and color
• Breasts that are evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling

If you see any of the following changes, bring them to your doctor's attention:

• Dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin
• A nipple that has changed position or an inverted nipple (pushed inward instead of sticking out)
• Redness, soreness, rash, or swelling

Step 2: Now, raise your arms and look for the same changes.

Step 3: While you're at the mirror, look for any signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples (this could be a watery, milky, or yellow fluid or blood).

Step 4: Next, feel your breasts while lying down, using your right hand to feel your left breast and then your left hand to feel your right breast. Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few finger pads of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together. Use a circular motion, about the size of a quarter.

Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side — from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage.

Follow a pattern to be sure that you cover the whole breast. You can begin at the nipple, moving in larger and larger circles until you reach the outer edge of the breast. You can also move your fingers up and down vertically, in rows, as if you were mowing a lawn. This up-and-down approach seems to work best for most women. Be sure to feel all the tissue from the front to the back of your breasts: for the skin and tissue just beneath, use light pressure; use medium pressure for tissue in the middle of your breasts; use firm pressure for the deep tissue in the back. When you've reached the deep tissue, you should be able to feel down to your ribcage.

Step 5: Finally, feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting. Many women find that the easiest way to feel their breasts is when their skin is wet and slippery, so they like to do this step in the shower. Cover your entire breast, using the same hand movements described in Step 4.

Image taken from http://drugline.org/ail/pathography/793/

Image taken from http://drugline.org/ail/pathography/793/

Now that we have all the fun out of the way let's see some nails, shall we?  For Dom's mani this week she used Orly Artificial Sweetener and did a mermaid tail accent nail.  The polishes Dom used for the accent nail were W'n'W  Candy-licious, Sally Hansen Hard to Get, W'n'W Sparked and China Glaze Strawberry Fields. Lastly, Northern Lights holographic top coat was applied to all nails.  

w/ flash

w/o flash

SUNSHINE!!!!

Since we're fast approaching the best holiday of the year, E wanted her pink wednesday mani to be tinted with the holiday... the best idea? DRIP NAILS!!!!

For this mani E used Essie Cascade Cool as the base and butter LONDON Primrose Hill Picnic for the drips. This mani was easier to do than it appears, so check back soon for a tutorial!!

outside in natural, overcast, light

outside in the shade

inside under an Ottlite

We hope you enjoyed the second week in our Breast Cancer Awareness, Go Pink Wednesday mani series!

xo,

 &