Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Back from Break

No wear test report on the gel strips today because they're still on my nails (this is day 13), but I can tell you where I went on my fall break: Hawaii!

(Warning to the foot-phobic: photos of my toes ahead; click away now if you'd rather not see them.)

This trip was the first time I've visited to Hawaii, and now that I've been, I just want to go back—there's so much gorgeous and interesting scenery and so much to do. Sometimes what we did was just watch the sunset; there were some good ones, including this on the North Shore of Oahu:



At home in Michigan, it hasn't been sandal weather for a while, but in Hawaii, it sure was. Our first night there, I stripped off my shoes and socks, put my feet up, and enjoyed the view from our hotel room balcony in Hilo (on the Big Island). My pedicure was Zoya Carly topped with CrowsToes Cheshire.



The trip wasn't all sunsets and relaxing; we did some hiking, too, including across a dormant volcanic crater.



We snorkled, too; I didn't get any photos of that, but here's the aftermath, with my face that's gotten too much sun and my hair that's gotten wild from being in the salt water and then blowing around on the drive back to the hotel (this was on the Kona side of the Big Island).



All the snorkeling and pool time and beach time was hard on my pedi; I had the polish on some nails pop right off even though it was only five layers. I touched up with Carly alone, which meant by the last part of the trip I had an odd arrangement of accent nails on my toes.



In a shop across the street from the last hotel we stayed in, I finally saw an Island Girl nail polish display in person. It was packed with regular polishes in all sorts of finishes, layered polishes, scented polishes, nail art stripers, mood polishes, and boxed sets.



I didn't have time to take detail photos of all the different bottles so don't know what all the color names are. I did have enough time to get the idea that Island Girl may have a problem when it comes to controlling colors batch to batch or perhaps they have some issues with mislabeling. Both of these were called Island Sunset:



Two versions of Island Surf:



Lighter and darker versions of Island Volcano:



I managed to limit myself to buying only five colors (including both versions of Island Sunset) though when I'll manage to try them is a mystery.

Nail Wheel Wednesday will return next week; before that I'll have the usual assortment of swatches and such.

(Note to readers using mobile devices: I've temporarily disabled the mobile template due to a test that BlogHer is running. This should last just for a week or so. Sorry for any inconvenience.)

23 comments:

  1. I'm so jealous of your trip!!!!!!! I love Hawaii! We stayed on the North Shore when we went a few years ago, it was SO fun! I wish I could go every year. Glad you had fun! :)

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  2. awesome photos, wish i could be there right now ;)

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  3. What a great trip - I am so jealous. If I ever travel with my boyfriend, the only place we both agree on is Hawaii. Looks like a great time! <3

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  4. OMG! Such wonderful photos... wow, warm beach. I'm so jealous! And all that polish, so exciting!

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  5. great pictures! :) love the sunset! Makes me wanna go to Hawaii, it looks beautiful!

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  6. Thankies for sharing your pics! It looks beautiful. I giggled when I saw the nail polishes. Even on vacation, a girl can't stay away from polishes!

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  7. Welcome back!! I'm glad to hear that you had a great holiday! ♥

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  8. It's good to have you back - and it looks like an amazing trip!
    Those polishes looks very interesting, and you only bought 5, now that calls for some kind of medal LOL

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    1. I always find it easy not to buy, buy when in Hawaii - It's such a light weight, wear few articles of clothing kind of place to visit that it translates to my lack of wanting to buy a ton of stuff. It reinforces a live a simple life - plus yuck - ever have your polish bottles break or leak in your luggage? It's so not good! I only take 1 bottle now and always it's in a plastic bag and even then, have had them break and poke through the plastic with polish getting on a bunch of stuff. I think nail apps are the way to go for traveling and then if staying one place on the trip buy one shade while there if you have to have a polish change and don't want to have it professionally done - like me who never goes to a professional anymore - I do a better job myself 99% of the time!

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  9. Ooooh! those polishes look a little bit amazing, and what a gorgeous holiday to go on very jealous!

    Jazz x

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  10. Looks like you had an awesome time! I definitely want to visit Hawaii one day! Great pics:)

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  11. This looks so beautiful! I am the weird one in that I'd rather go to Alaska then Hawaii! Is that weird? Glad you had a good time!

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  12. Lucky you!!! I have not been to the islands in too long. I go way back to island vacas when you only got to Kaui via little 12 seater planes that landed to find the 'airport' as nothing but a little palm leaf covered bench! Things have really changed but I still love going to paradise.

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    1. Oh - and forgot to add - cannot believe you still have the SH gel nail apps on!!! I am totally going to buy the kit now just based on your having this lenght of wear out of them! I am amazed!

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  13. Love the look of both Island Volcano versions. One day I gotta go to Hawaii :)

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  14. Totally jealous! Glad you had a great time and so happy to have you back. :D

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  15. Welcome back, it looks like you had an amazing vacation!! Hawaii, more specifically Maui, is my favorite vacation spot ever but I've always wanted to see Oahu! I've also never picked up nail polish (that would take up valuable room from all the Hawaiian Host chocolate and Kona coffee I like to bring home ;) )so I'm excited to see your swatches!!

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  16. Wow it looks like you've had a great time! I would love to visit Hawaii someday it looks awesome there!

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  17. I had some friends in high school that moved to Hawaii and I'm always so jealous come winter! =P It is so beautiful there!

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  18. Welcome back!! OMG Hawaii are wonderful, in case I manage to arrange another trip to the U.S. with my family I'd love to go there, too (also because I love sandal weather).
    Just 5 polishes? Well done!

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  19. Welcome back! Aw how exciting! Love the pictures!
    Can't wait to see swatches :D

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  20. Sounds like you had an amazing time!

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Thank you for reading and commenting! I greatly appreciate knowing I'm not just talking to myself here. :) I'm moderating most comments now due to the spate of spammers who claim to be looking for sexy times.