I was specifically looking for robin blue nail polish in the department store, but it seems that I had a misguided notion of what robin blue is. I ended up getting something that's closer to baby blue or even sky blue, but I'm not complaining! The shade looks pretty on my nails.

That does not, however, mean that you won't be seeing a robin blue NOTD one of these days.

The nail polish I used here is from Klik in a shade called Baby Blue. You've probably seen these before - small bottles with a price tag of only P15. It was a bitch to apply since the formula was so streaky and the brush sucked but hey, it's the result that matters right?

This is what my vanity table looks like right now. I know, it's messy! Even though our helper cleans it up immaculately, I always trash it after putting on a full face of makeup. I need more space or I need to get rid of my stuff. Leaning towards the former, I love my stuff!

You can see One Day by David Nicholls there. I read it last Sunday, and all I can say is if you haven't read it yet, you should! It's one of the best books I've had in a while. It's a story about two people's paths crossing in a span of twenty years - like 500 Days of Summer, it's not a love story, but a story about love. The ending is quite painful, but I love how the author made it bittersweet.

So anyway, moving on to the kikay stuff! I did my nails today because I'm going to a dinner tonight. I only intended to wear the NYX Girls nail polish in Pacific Blue, but I suddenly had a brilliant (though not-so-original) idea: what if I do a French tip using another color?

I got this Wet n' Wild Fast Dry Nail Color in Gray's Anatomy (P199) a few months ago at Watsons. I tried it once, but I didn't like how it was so sheer that even three layers weren't enough! This time though I decided to use an opaque base just to make the duochrome effect pop out. I'm glad to report that it worked. :D

This duochrome effect is very similar to Chanel's Peridot polish at only a fraction of the price. Don't be fooled by the bottle though, the effect is not as pronounced when worn. You'll see it only at certain angles.

I know, Tony Moly again! Can't help it, I have quite a number of TM products here. They're too intriguing not to review! This time, I'd like to talk about the Tony Moly Nail Polish in NEO2 (P178), a traffic cone orange that really grabs attention. This is the brand's latest color and will be out later this August.

To be honest with you, I didn't think I'd like it. I've never worn orange on my nails, much less a bright neon one that can go dangerously wrong in so many ways. I was afraid that this kind of orange will look tacky, but surprise surprise, it actually looks quite classy on the nails.

During the SuperSale Bazaar at Rockwell a couple of weeks back, I got a chance to chat with Sol of Digital Traincase about our favorite topics: makeup and nail polish! That aside, I find her to be one of the most inspiring businesswomen in the online beauty niche. Even with a hectic job at an international organization, she managed to start her online store selling NYX cosmetics, a venture which later on proved to be a major success. Even celebs like Pia Magalona buy from her!

So anyway, while I was at her booth at the bazaar, I was browsing for some NYX Girl Nail Polishes to buy. She said that she didn't like these polishes before, but the revamped version, which she has, really impressed her when her supplier offered her to try samples. That coming from a nail polish fanatic who has Dior, Chanel, and other expensive brands in her extensive collection, I was sold.

I got three NYX Girls Nail Polish bottles: Luscious Green, Fire Amber, and Pacific Blue. Did I say these are only P150 a pop? It's pricier than local drugstore brands, but I swear, the quality and finish is similar to high-end polishes! The formula is smooth, easy to apply, extremely pigmented, dries fast and has pretty good staying power. I've been wearing them for the past two weeks so I can say with conviction that they're awesome.

I tried Pacific Blue first.

I saw a swatch of the OPI Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous (P395) polish in a blog somewhere and couldn't stop thinking about it. This particular nail color was from a limited edition collection so I don't know if I can find it again. Good thing that the only OPI collection that Market Market carries is the Swiss Collection for Fall 2010 - the one that has Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous! Ha!

The shade is a gunmetal grey with micro sparkles. It's unexpectedly smooth to the touch once it dries, with a high-shine finish to it.

It was a slow hour at work when I saw the Zoya Mod Matte Mini Trio at Digital Traincase. I didn't really intend to buy anything online, but I have wanted to try Zoya and matte nail polish for some time now. I slept on it for a couple of nights but I decided to get the set anyway since P800 for the set is an ok price plus the colors looked fantastic.

Well I was going to write a few more lines saying how I was so excited about this set, but I'll save myself the trouble and say that I am sorely disappointed by these Zoya matte polishes. They are smooth, pigmented, dries fast and the colors looked even better in person. However, even with a base, these nail polishes will chip within a day. If you carry something heavy, or open something with a planed edge, or if you just happen to wash the dishes, several of the nails will already have big chips. :/

Phoebe, Lolly, Mitzi

An insightful article published on the New York Times posited that nail polishes are the new lipsticks. That, in times of economic stress, nail polishes have replaced lipsticks as our means for instant gratification. The second reason is that, in a celebrity-driven world, nail polishes makes us feel closer to our favorite celebs without actually having to buy their thousand $$$ shoes, bags, and clothes. A Chanel nail polish is still Chanel at the end of the day.

I enjoyed the article, but the comments below it also deserve to be read. This brings me to the question: How do you feel about wild nail polish? By wild we mean bright colors, glitter, shatter, and nail art.

Personally, while I find crazy nails fun, they're not something that are always appropriate.

In case you didn't get the memo, summer here is officially over! By "summer" we mean an uninterrupted daily heat wave; by "summer is over" we mean crazy hot days interspersed with torrential downpours. So yeah! It still sucks either way.

So, in keeping with the gloomier weather, I decided to get an O.P.I Nail Lacquer in Diva of Geneva (P400). It's the biggest amount I spent on nail polish ever! So is it worth it? 

Yes, it is! Other than the gorgeous color, I love that the texture of the product is very smooth and thin, yet quite opaque. One layer is actually enough, but I prefer two layers for a more dimensional effect. It dried quickly within a few minutes.

I didn't experience any bubbles even if I painted on a thick layer. Be warned though

I got a bottle of the Cutex Caring Nail Polish Remover (P59.75/ 59ml) a couple of days ago. I found it a bit steep for a small bottle, but I thought, well why not? I'm a bit bothered by how drying my cheapo Bobbi nail polish remover was, plus the smell practically hurts my nostrils whenever I'm too close.

Anyway, I immediately Googled for more information as soon as I got home and found that this Cutex remover is a highly rated product at Makeupalley with a 4.1/5 score. Well, that's a surprise!

It removes nail polish quickly enough in just two to three wipes. It's also not as drying as the other nail polish removers I've tried (Bobbi and Caronia - skip the latter, it's horrid!), leaving my nails feeling a bit healthier and stronger. It must be the moisturizers infused in the formula.

Like other acetone-based nail polishes though, it has a noxious smell.

Ok, so I finally gave in! Curiosity got the better of me, really. I wanted to know if expensive nail polishes like Orly are indeed worlds apart from the P30 ones available in any drugstore. And? 

The Orly nail polish in Gilded Coral (P349) is a gorgeous shade that looks like a peachy pink champagne on my nails. It's very wearable and can go with most looks you can think of. You can scour any drugstore but I can tell you right now that you won't find a cheap dupe of this locally! Gilded Coral is part of Orly's spring collection called Precious.

I paint my nails whenever I'm stressed or when I need to focus. If you've ever done a perfect paint job, then you know it takes quite a bit of concentration and patience to achieve. Painting my nails calms me down and allows me to be single-minded for the next hour or so. That's valuable for someone whose day requires too much multi-tasking!

Anyway, one nail polish brand that I really like is the Etude House VIP Girl Nail Polish. It's pretty awesome! It's cheap (only P48), applies smoothly, pigmented, and dries quickly with no streaks or bubbles. I didn't experience any staining so far. For P48, I think I got a great deal.

Etude House VIP Girl Nail Polish in GR605 and YL802

I love both the shades I got, especially the turquoise one. It's more green than blue with a matte finish. Very in season right now and surprisingly versatile - it feels right with whatever outfit I have for the day. The egg yolk yellow (no other description for it!) shade instantly brightens up dark and tired-looking cuticles.

One thing I love about blogging is that it's not just a one-way exchange of useful information. I learn a lot from readers as much as I share what I know, which is why I always look forward to reading all the comments in my posts. I may not reply all the time due to my hectic schedule, but believe me, I remember what you say!

A wise reader once advised me to invest in a good basecoat and topcoat instead of buying expensive nail polish. This advice makes so much sense, no? The good nail polish brands like Essie, OPI and Orly are pricey for a reason -  the quality is superb and the colors are perfect. But at this point in my, er, nail enthusiasm, I'm not ready to blow P300-400+ for a huge bottle of nail polish I'll probably only use for five times max. It's more practical to buy something I know I will use until the last drop, while still getting beautiful and reliable nails even though the nail polish itself is cheap.

So, I decided to get the Orly Top 2 Bottom Basecoat & Topcoat (P245).

What I love about the product

• It's thin and runny, not goopy. It's very easy to work with. I like the brush!
• Keeps my nail polish pristine for at least three to four days. They don't chip nor do I notice significant tip wear.

I've been looking everywhere for a cool mint nail polish, so I'm glad that I finally found this one from The Face Shop! It's only P95, too. It's quite streaky so I had to apply a LOT of product - two thick coats - before I got the smooth finish I was gunning for. I used the Orly Top 2 Bottom as base and finishing coat.

The nail polish actually looks a little greener in person. Love how it looks like on my nails. :D

So lately I'm rather attentive to my nails. I used to be the kind of person who didn't give a damn about nails because, after all, they're just nails! Who cares? I bit my nails a lot and picked on my cuticles (eww and yes, painful). But now I realized that on top of well-manicured nails being a sign of good grooming, nice nails can really uplift one's mood. I feel more cheerful when I'm wearing a color I love, during those moments when I happen to glance at my nails while I type or do a chore.

Shallow, yeah, but I want to be the kind of person who delights and finds wonder in little details like this.

This is my current nail color. I used two shades: the Bobbie Glaize Parasail (P35.50) as the base color and Caress Christmas Polka (P20.75) for the glitters. I love the effect! I keep imagining a small galaxy in my nails, lol. The Bobbie polish I used was just so-so since it applied unevenly but I was really impressed with the Caress one. It dried up quickly and the glitters applied smoothly. Such a steal for P20!

I used the Sally Hansen Hard As Nails as a base polish to keep the colors from chipping.

I think I mentioned before that I am extremely lazy when it comes to my nails. These days though I'm in the mood for some color so I took out the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri nail polish I got, oh, half a year ago! I wasn't even sure if it's still ok to use, since the polishes I've owned before tend to either dry up or curdle when opened and then stored that long.

So how was it? Well, it was good as new! You know how nail polish thickens when you've opened it? This doesn't. It's still thin and easy to spread after six months.

The Sally Hansen Insta-Dri promises to dry in 60 seconds and it does! But you have to wait a bit longer for it to completely set if you apply a thick layer, around two minutes - still not bad if you ask me.

Jumpin' Jade

What I love about the product

• Dries quickly
• There's usually no need for a second layer since the color is opaque already

I got the Sally Hansen Hard As Nails polish as part of the goodie bag during the Insta-Dry launch. I've been using it regularly since then! It's a basic product to make your nails look well-groomed and healthy in a jiffy.

What I love about this product

• Has a watery texture and applies thinly
• Dry in a couple of minutes
• Doesn't chip for five days by itself since it adheres closely to the nail