The February Jazzy Nail Box

After being sent the January Jazzy Nail Box to review, I decided to subscribe to Jazzy Nail Box.
Here are my thoughts on my second experience with the box.

February's Jazzy Nail Box was geared towards Valentine's Day and had some beautiful items for creating some pretty nailart around the theme.

More after the jump. (A warning that this post is, as usual, picture heavy!)

Firstly, a peek at what was included: 2 full sized OPI Polishes, assorted nailart items and nailcare items.

I have to admit the holographic stickers immediately caught my eye! Quickly followed by these OPI full sized products especially the Top Coat which was so luxuriously packaged.

 OPI 'Mariah 18K White Gold & Silver Top Coat' 15ml

OPI 'Down To The Core-al' Nail Lacquer 15ml

I don't have either of these OPI products and both are so pretty and versatile. 'Mariah 18K White Gold & Silver Top Coat' is gorgeous with it's white-gold hued glitter fragments. It's used as a glitter topper or can be layered as you wish, even until it's opaque. 

'Down To The Core-al' is from the OPI 2014 Neons Collection and is a beautiful ultra bright coral that has the prettiest pink shimmer in the sun. It did need a top coat for a glossy finish as it looks a little matte and flat without, I found.

Heart shaped holographic (!) 'Nail Vinyl Stickers', a packet of 150 'Round Rhinestones' and one roll of gold 'Striping Tape'.

Beautiful Feet 'Foot Lotion' 15ml-Sample Size, 2 'Orange Sticks' (only one pictured here), 1 nailbuffer/file and 1 'Dual Function Cuticle Remover'

And the surprise gift, 1 pair of sweet black cat earrings. I was so happy to receive these, as my furbaby is a little black cat!

And here is the mani I created using items from February's Jazzy Nail Box. 

In artificial light

Steps to recreate this look: 

1. I used a base of 'Down To The Core-al' on all nails, except ring finger. I used 3 thin coats for full coverage as there was a slightly visible smile line with two.
2. I used Sally Hansen's 'Game Of Chromes' on my ring finger, but you could use any white/pale gold (to match the Mariah Top Coat)
3. Add a clear fast drying top coat over the gold polish on your ring finger.
4. Next, apply the 'Mariah 18K White Gold & Silver Top Coat'. One coat over index and pinkie and two or three over the middle finger.
5.  Take the gold Striping Tape and cut 6 sections approx 15cm in length. Now is the time you could put some sections of normal sticky tape on the skin around the nail, or a barrier product such as liquid latex or just some PVA/craft glue before the next few steps; to save time on the clean up of your fingers later on.
6. Make sure the topcoat is dry on your ring finger or you will ruin this nail and have to start all over again! Now take the striping tape and arrange back and forth, across your ring nail, like bodice laces. I find it best to stick all tape going in one direction first to help avoid mucking up the design when it comes time to pull off the striping tape. This is because I have used the striping tape in this case purely as a stencil, the gold polish will be covered in 'Down To The Core-al' except for the sections of striping tape placed down over the gold polish.
7. Once you have arranged the striping tape I find it best to use an orange stick to press down the pieces on the edges of the nail where it meets your finger, you want to make sure there are no gaps under the striping tape.
8. Now paint a thick coat of 'Down To The Core-al' over the whole of the ring finger and over the striping tape. Once you are happy with the coverage (You have to act quickly though, before the polish starts to dry!) grab the edge of the striping tape (I find tweezers well suited for the job) and pull up neatly. Start with the piece you laid down last as it will be placed above the tape it crosses. Believe me, it gets tricky if you start pulling up the striping tape that's underneath another piece!
9. Once all the striping tape is off you can pull up the barrier off your cuticles and skin.
10. Now grab the Nail Vinyl Stickers' and pull off the little holographic hearts, ready to stick on your nails.I used 6 but the number you require may vary, depending on the length of your nails. Stick one heart almost at the top of your index, middle and pinkie fingernails. I think it looks best with a little gap between the heart and the nail edge. Then stick one between each of the 'X's' of the 'bodice laces'.
11. Now use some clear fast drying top coat over your ring finger nail art and over the hearts on your other nails to keep the hearts stuck to your nails. Clean up any polish on your fingers or cuticles.
12. Voila! Some 'romantic' themed nailart :)                                    

In daylight

So, I found most of the products in this box to be really great additions to my stash....with a few exceptions: 

The 'Dual Function Cuticle Remover'!  

I just don't believe anything short of surgery should be removing the skin around your nails. It just leaves the area ripe for infection. Removing the dead skin of the cuticle is all that I would recommend. Chemical cuticle removers are what I suggest using. But do follow instructions as they can irritate sensitive skin. Follow up with cuticle oil, and use hand cream at least once a day.

The 'Beautiful Feet' foot lotion

Unfortunately this didn't come with any ingredients list. I guess it's difficult when you are talking about a tiny sample bottle..but still I like to know what I'm  putting on my skin. Apparently it is made by a company based in The US, but I hadn't heard of them before so was a bit dubious. I feel that some information about the products included in the box might be a useful addition, covering the ingredients and a bit about the company and how to use the product.

The 'Nail Vinyl Stickers'

These made my heart beat a little faster when I first saw them as I love holographic anything! I adore the little heart stickers and can see myself using them often, Disappointingly though, they are not vinyls (or at least made of the same material the vinyls I have always used are) but simply stickers. 

What's the problem you ask? Well, vinyls are usually made of a flexible material which are good for those of us with very curved nails. I wanted to combine the heart stickers with some outlines of hearts: but found these stickers to be useless as stencils for me, as the material is fairly rigid and didn't lie flat on the edges of my nails. This meant that the polish I was layering over the 'vinyl' seeped underneath and ruined the design. So, although I could use the stickers, as stickers, I could not use them as stencils as I can with the usual nail vinyls.

All in all I still think the Jazzy Nail Box is a great thing if you struggle to come up with nailart and want to try new items. I believe it's great value and perfect for adding some novelty items as well as lovely polishes to your collection.
 I also like the fact that Jazzy Nail Box is open to suggestions for future boxes.

There is a section on the Jazzy Nail Box website that allows you to add items/ideas that you would like to try. So, if you subscribe, do go and add your suggestions!

For information about The Jazzy Nail Box and to subscribe, go to: https://www.jazzynailbox.com.au/register/

What did you think of February's Jazzy Nail Box? 

Was there anything you would have liked to see or hear more about?

Stay Polished

Kate x