Mini review - Sephora by OPI Blasted nail color in Blasted Black

I have wanted to get my hands on cracking nail polish for the longest time, after seeing them on my students and in magazines. I finally got my hands on a black one from Sephora by OPI, called Blasted Black. I really like how it looks, but applying it is quite an adventure!

This is how the bottle looks:
The instruction on the tag said to apply a thin coat after your bottom coats of colors (the one you want to show through the cracks) has completely dried. I had no idea how thin it needs to be, so I worked backwards from my pinky so the biggest nail looks best.

So this is what happened:

- Pinky: I have no idea what I am doing, so I slopped one thick coat on after another. There was no cracking at all!

- Ring finger: I did one slightly thick coat, so I get one crack down the middle.

- Middle finger: Getting better now, but it just looks like the polish went on streaky.

- Index finger: Finally, success!

The opening pic is of my thumb, which looks the best and really shows off what the polish's effect is. It is great fun watching the cracks appear as the polish dry. At $9 a bottle, I think the polish is a wee bit expensive, but I am sure I will wear it quite a lot!

Sponsored Product Review - Incoco Dry Nail Applique

Here is my review of Incoco Dry Nail Applique, sponsored by the company. The review here is purely my opinion, and is not influenced by the sponsor.

Incoco Dry Nail Appliques are color "stickers" for your nails that are made with real nail polish. Some key points about the product:

- Each strip includes a base coat, color coat & top coat

- The product is DBP, Toluene, & Formaldehyde-Free

- The nail strips can be removed with nail polish remover

- The nail strips can be slightly stretched to make it wider/narrower, for a perfect fit for each nail

Here is the retail packaging of the product:
Inside are 16 nail appliques packaged in a silver foilpack, a nailfile and orange stick, and a nail polish removal cloth.
A leaflet with full duo-language illustration instruction is included as well. If you still have trouble using the product, the company has kindly provided an instructional video on their website.The nail appliques come in a large range of colors, and new designs are coming out all the time!
I have been wearing "Head over Heels", a purple shimmery shade, for 10 days now. Application was trouble-free even thought this is my first time using the product, and the result looks pretty good. Here is what it looks like on Day 1:
And here is Day 10. It is still going strong!
I think this is a really innovative and convenient product, and I will definitely pick up a few packs of blacks and other cool colors when I see it in the shops!

Thank You Incoco for the sponsorship!

Nail Polish Review - China Glaze Matte Magic Top Coat

Matte nail polishes seems to be the "in" thing right now, and I had been trying to get my hands on them. Today I stumbled upon the new-ish China Glaze Matte Magic top coat at my local Sally's while shopping for halloween supplies, and I bought it (along with a bunch of mini nail polishes) on a whim. I tested it on my pinky, applying two coats over cheapo black nail polish:

The top coat applies very smoothly, and does it job well. I will report back on its lasting power a few days later, and will try it out on a lighter colored polish next time I do my nails. :)