Happy Mardi Gras nails!

Happy Mardi Gras, everyone! What I wouldn't give to be in my favorite city, New Orleans, right now. It's been too long, y'all! I've been there a dozen or so times, but only once for Mardi Gras, back in 2001 when I met up with Jess, and later, some of her friends, there. We had such a good time...there are still a couple of stories that if I hear one line, I'm taken back to a balcony overlooking Esplanade, sipping a little too much vodka in the OJ and laughing until I almost cried. Eternal thanks to *that* guy, let me tell you!

So! Just in time for Lundi Gras, I did up my nails in the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, gold, and green. I started with Wet N Wild Fast Dry Buffy the Violet Slayer on three nails. Followed them with Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure in Gilty Pleasure on three nails. I finished the base coats using DLC Polish in O'Charla on the remaining four nails. Two coats of each polish gave me a good strong color base, which I then topped with Hit Polish's Mardi Gras, which (if you read Jessica's post) you know I special ordered. I loved the color blend when Jess found it, but objected to the bar glitter. Hey, I'm coming around on the subject...I'm just not all the way there yet. Rachel at Hit Polish was so accommodating when I told her what I wanted. Super helpful lady, and I'd recommend everyone visit her shop and pick up one of her gorgeous polishes. Tell her we said Hi :) Here, have a picture of the polishes I used:

I couldn't be happier with how my nails turned out. And although I thought the purple would be my favorite glitter combo...well, turns out I was wrong. I can't get enough of how the glitter pops off this delicate unassuming gold shade. Although, much to my surprise, most of the ladies I work with oooh'ed and ahhh'ed the most over the green/glitter combo. The glitter really stands out on the green, I admit, but the gold won my heart this time. I'm as shocked as anyone, believe me!

The glitter polish was a joy to apply. There's so much glitter packed in there, I think it would be impossible to not get a good even coat with very little effort. I used one coat of the Mardi Gras glitter and added a top coat of Seche Vite for quick drying and to smooth out the glitter bumpiness. It's still a tiny bit textured under one layer of top coat, but certainly nothing distracting or irritating.

C'mon! Just look at that gold nail!! It's true love over here.

Now! Have a bit of king cake, don't forget to bring your specially decorated cooler and your ladder to the parade route, find your spot, maybe get a little tipsy, and laissez les bon temps rouler. THROW ME SOMETHIN', MISTER!

P.S. Congrats to Jess for being our 100th post! See it? Right there before me! :)