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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

China Glaze Frostbite

Today I've pulled out China Glaze Frostbite from the 2007 Ski Collection. This is an amazingly bright blue polish like I've never seen before. It has a great depth of color rather than being a flat blue and without all that shimmer or sparkle you see in colors like this.

I did want to add a little bling so I grabbed my Rainbow Honey The Worst Possible Thing, and put one coat over my thumb and ring finger. This really pops over a darker color since it's packed with  purple, blue and holographic glitter as well as some opalescent flakes. This blue is dark enough to really make the colors pop. Love It! I've topped it off with one coat of Seche Vite.

China_Glaze_Frostbite

China_Glaze_Frostbite

 RainbowHoney_The_Worst_Possible_Thing

This came from a pretty old collection but I believe they sell this with the open stock polish now. Do you have a favorite polish from an old collection that always finds its way to your fingertips?

~Linda

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Julep Renee

Today I'm bringing you some cute little stamping that has everyone going "Awwwww" when they grab my hands and take a look. 

I started with two coats of Julep Renee which is a light lavender creme polish. This polish had a pretty good formula, it settled itself perfectly and was not too thick. 

Julep_Renee

Next I stamped the vines/twigs on all my nails using MASH plate # 37. I went through and alternated between Julep Daphne, a rich earthy green creme, and Julep Taylor, a bright blurple creme. On my ring finger, I used the same MASH plate for the cute little owl face. I used a small dotting tool to add eyes and other dots throughout the leaves. I finished up with a layer of Seche Vite to seal everything nicely. 

Julep_Renee_Stamped

Julep_Renee_Stamped

Thanks for stopping by guys! 

~Linda

Friday, July 27, 2012

Color Changing Top Coats

*Waves*  Today I am bringing to you some home made color shifting top coats. I got some amazing mica pigments off the TKB Trading website and these beauties are mind blowing. 

I've pulled together some pictures that show what these suckers can do over black. They can add some color and shine to any polish but you can actually see their gorgeous color shifting the best over black. All pictures start with two coats of Orly Liquid Vinyl.
 
First up is the pigment called Cherika Moon that shifts from purple to blue. This two coats of Cherika Moon. 

Cherika_Moon

Cherika_Moon

Cherika Moon


Shanira Sun shifts between what looks like three different shades of green. It changes from a light yellowish green to a deeper green and then bluish green.

Color Shifting Top Coat

Shanira Sun

So this was my first attempt at any kind of polish creation and although it's as basic as it gets....adding pigments to a top coat....it still took some time to get the right amount for the best application. I also attempted to use a luster base that is good for suspending mica but it had the slightest yellow tint to it. Ultimately, I liked having these pigments in some Seche Vite to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. It takes some time for mixing since the particles settle at the bottom but it mixes quite easily by adding some mixing balls to the bottle.

These are really great though and look fantastic in real life. I don't think that they sell these exact pigments anymore but they definitely have others to choose from.

Do you have any frankening war stories? 

~Linda


Thursday, July 26, 2012

SinfulColors Savage

Hi guys! So I stopped into Walgreens yesterday and saw that SinfulColors are on sale for 99 Cents through July 28th. Not only are these polishes half off, but there were TONS of displays! I was in heaven! So after looking around for a while and checking the consistency of a few polishes, I decided to grab Savage, a teal polish that leans more blue than green and has a nice thick consistency leading me to believe it might be a one coater. Lo and behold, I get home and try it on AND IT'S A MATTE! Not only a matte...but the best freakin Matte I've ever used! The formula of this polish is amazing, dry time is like lightening and the color....don't even get me started! You can tell by the amount of exclamation points, that I'm loving this color!

Okay so here are the pics...I can't believe I've made you wait this long to see her! This is two coats, and pictures were taken outside in late afternoon sun.

SinfulColors_Savage

SinfulColors_Savage

SinfulColors_Savage_Matte

SinfulColors_Savage

So after putting on Savage and staring at my nails intermittently throughout the rest of the evening, she must have seeped into my brain because the first shirt I reached for this morning was going to make me match! This is a see-through top that is a gradient of green to blue and it looked AWESOME with this polish!

SinfulColors_Savage

Savage_Matte
 
I've seen other reviews of Savage online and most said that it was a semi-matte, but mine is super matte so they might have changed the formula at some point. I'm happy that I did actually get the super matte because this is already my favorite polish I've gotten in a long time....and did I mention it was 99 cents? So of course I had to stop by Walgreens today after work and get another bottle. hahaha

Thanks for stopping by guys. Leave me some comments on what you think of it! 

~Linda 

Monday, July 23, 2012

Barry M. - Chameleon Lilac

Hello beauties! Today I have for you the Barry M. Chameleon Lilac polish which is a silver/lilac chrome out of the bottle but once adding topcoat, the color changes to a deep royal purple. This polish had typical application for a chrome finish in the sense that streaks can show so careful application is needed.

I did notice that Seche Vite was the best top coat to use, as a cheaper Wet n Wild version created more of a sheer purple and did not allow the royal purple to become dark enough (for my taste). However, this might be good depending on the type of nail art you try to do. 

I did a simple half nail using craft scissors to add a little bit of design.

Barry M Chameleon Lilac

Barry M Chameleon Lilac

Barry M Chameleon Lilac

I got this polish off the Barry M. website and they have two other colors, pink and blue. The pink changes between pink and purple while the blue changes from blue to a maroon color. I grabbed the blue as well so I'll make sure to show you sometime soon. 

So what are your thoughts? 

~Linda  

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Pop Beauty Violetta

Happy Saturday Ladies!

Today I have on a Pop Beauty Nail Glam polish called Violetta that is a bright fuschia color. This polish has a good consistency and a great dry time. I noticed that the polish dries with a sateen finish but I always like my nails shiny especially with a baby this bright! This is 2 coats with top coat. 

Pop_beauty_Violetta
 
Violetta

Then I stamped with Julep Taylor using the new MASH plate #43. 

Violetta_and_Taylor

Julep Taylor Stamp

So I'm loving the 'girly' look of this mani! This is the first time I've used a Pop Beauty polish and I liked the formula a lot. Are there any Pop Beauty polishes that you love and think I should check out? 

Have a great weekend ladies! 

~Linda 

Friday, July 20, 2012

Julep Marathon - Round 3

Hello ladies! So this is my last round of Julep polishes that I have swatched for you. They actually just announced today what will be in the new August Julep Maven boxes. OMG It's all metallics and I want almost all of them!! You can check out what's in the August boxes here. That is my referral link because if you amazing gals sign up using my link then I can get a FREE month! They have the best perks ever!

So onto the polish. These pictures were taken inside unless I've noted otherwise. Again, Please don't mind the corner missing on my index nail. :(

This is Kate and she has quite a beautiful shimmer to her when in the bottle. She is a soft pearl white that shimmers in the sun but doesn't really show when indoors. It didn't want to show off for my camera outside or inside so these pics are indoors. This is 2 coats with top coat.

Julep_Kate

Julep_Kate
 
Next up is Pippa, a soft beige creme that Julep describes as an 'updated neutral camel creme'. It is definitely a very neutral color that was actually quite close to my skin color so it looked a little blah on me. Nice formula although the dry time seemed a little long. Two coats with top coat.

Julep_Pippa

This is Mila. Mila is a charcoal/silver glitter mixed with various color bits. I prefer using this polish on it's own rather than layering one or two coats over another color. It really just seems boring unless you've made it opaque. The color is fantastic and it's very 'blingy' out in the sunlight. It makes me smile! :)  This is 4 coats with some 'patching' to make it opaque over the whole nail.

Julep_Mila
Taken Inside
Mila Outdoors
Taken Outside
So those are the swatches I promised you guys. I really hope that doing these shows you just how great Julep polishes really are. The big kicker for me is the Maven subscription. It's the best subscription around and really worth the price! 

Check out Round one and two here and then tell me what you're favorite is!

Thanks for stopping by ladies! 

~Linda 

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Julep Marathon - Round 2

It's time for round 2 of the Julep Marathon ladies. Today I have for you four more polishes that range from creme to shimmer to glitter. Lets jump right in shall we? 

*Warning: My hands are a mess! I've been wicked stressed at work and my hands are suffering. Broken nail...check...Dry cuticles...check...Hangnails...check...biting around my nails...check. *hangs my head low "I'm sorry".*

First up is America The Beautiful which Julep gave out to their U.S.A Mavens for free with the July box. I was so excited to get this polish but unfortunately I was a bit let down when I sat down to swatch her. It's packed with tiny red glitter pieces which gives it the base color, larger silver and blue glitter pieces and silver stars which I had to dig out of the bottle. It's beyond difficult to apply and it looks like a glitter monster threw up on my hands. This is 4 coats that were 'patched' to cover the bald spots and get semi even coverage. My camera didn't like it either because I couldn't get a good picture to save my life!

Julep_America_The_Beautiful

Next up is Jodie which is a deep rose color that leans towards brown and has golden micro-shimmer. The shimmer does not show much on the nail which would have been really nice, but this a great fall color. This is 2 coats with top coat and a bottle shot to show you the golden shimmer.

Julep_JodieJulep_Jodie

So onto some brighter colors. Let me introduce you to Mandy. She is a bright coral pink color that blows my mind. She perched herself right on the line of reddish orange and pink and it's impossible for me to choose which way it leans more. I love this color! Mandy is a creme and almost has a satin finish. This is 2 coats with top coat.  

Julep Mandy

Julep Mandy


Next in line is Mischa which is a a cherry orange shade packed with orange micro-shimmer. I was afraid this was going to be too sheer on it's own, but two coats did the trick. This is a very fun bright summer color and the micro-shimmer makes it shine so bright it should come with a warning not to look directly at it! I was feeling festive, so I decided to spruce this one up a bit. I've used a dotting tool and Taylor to add some darker color to this ball of light. This is 2 coats and no top coat but the pictures were taken inside to get an accurate color rather than a picture of miniature suns.

Julep_Mischa
 
Julep_Mischa

I wanted to see how Mischa would look if I dulled down the micro-shimmer so I added a coat of Essie Matte About You. I love the look! 

Julep_Mischa_and_Matte_About_You
So Mandy and Mischa are definitely my favorites out of this round of colors! I'm loving the orange and surprisingly they didn't look horrible on me. 

I'll have one more round of colors coming up this week and then hopefully you guys can tell me what you're favorites are. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

~Linda

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Julep Marathon - Round 1

Are you ready for round one of the Julep Marathon? Today I've brought to you some deep rich colors that are truly beautiful!

First up is Taylor. This is a beautiful deep blurple color that is somewhere between a periwinkle and royal blue. By far my favorite Julep polish to date! However, I have to say that this polish stinks....like....actually stinks. It had a very strange smell to it that I've never experienced with other Julep polishes. The consistency is a bit thick but it dries quickly. This is two coats with top coat.

Julep_Taylor

Julep_Taylor

Julep_Taylor

Up next is Jessia, which is a light baby blue creme. The formula on this was great, much thinner than the other cremes. It can definitely be a one-coater if you apply it with a gentle hand. This is one coat with top coat. 
Julep_Jessica

Julep_Jessica

This is Brooke. Brooke has a sheer purple base with purple/pink micro-shimmer. This is made for layering since on it's own it doesn't even come close to wearable. I've shown you 3 coats of Brooke on it's own to show how light it actually is.

 Julep_Brooke

This is Brooke layered over one coat of Jessica. It was very hard to pick up the shimmer but you can see it slightly, and you can also see the difference Brooke made in the color because of the light purple base.
Brooke_Over_Jessica
 
Julep_Brooke_Over_Jessica

Last by not least is Daphne. Daphne is a dark seafoam green creme that is darker than I expected but has a very earthy tone to it. As I swatched all these colors I realized that the creme finish polishes all tend to be a bit on the thick side. With a top coat, it evens out very nicely and gives it that great shine that the creme needs.

Julep_Daphne

Julep_Daphne

So do you have any favorites from these polishes? Mine is Taylor because the color is just absolutely beautiful! 

Stay tuned for Round 2

~Linda

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Julep Marathon

Hi Ladies! So I've totally been M.I.A lately so I apologize...I know I only have a few followers so maybe you didn't even notice. *shrug*  I hope I was gone just long enough to make you miss me. ☺

Anywho...I have a whole bunch of Julep polish that I've gotten in my monthly Maven boxes and other sales I was lucky enough to catch and I don't think I've even shown you any of them. I decided to swatch them all and bring them to you in a series of posts over the next few days. 

Here is a list of the polishes that you'll be seeing. 
  • Taylor - Deep blurple creme
  • Daphne - Deep seafoam green creme
  • Jessica - Soft baby blue creme
  • Brooke - Sheer shimmery purple
  • Mila - Charcoal multi-colored glitter
  • America The Beautiful - Shiny red with royal blue glitter and sterling silver stars
  • Mischa - Cherry scarlet micro-shimmer
  • Mandy - Bright coral-pink creme
  • Jodie - Deep rose with golden shimmer 
  • Pippa - Neutral camel creme
  • Kate - Soft white pearl

The first post will be up later this morning (since it's after midnight as I am writing this). Hopefully you guys like the chance to see a handful of colors at once.

Thanks for stopping by and check back a little later for the first leg of the Julep Marathon.   

I'll leave you with this funny/adorable/completely inappropriate picture. God I love the crap you can find on the internet. 

 

~Linda

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Rainbow Honey The Worst Possible Thing Upgrade

I got my new bottle of Rainbow Honey The Worst Possible Thing in the mail yesterday so of course I had to check it out. My only problem?....I'm still loving this NOPI (Nicole by O.P.I) mani I showed you yesterday. *sigh*...What's a girl to do? Ohh I know...upgrade my mani!

Oh yeah, and BONUS...I finally got NOPI Count on Me to photograph pretty good without looking like an oompa loompa

Nicole_Count_On_Me_Upgrade

So the upgrade consists of two coats of Rainbow Honey The Worst Possible Thing added to my ring finger. But of course that wasn't enough, so I pulled out my handy craft scissors and scotch tape. I layered the tape with the design facing the same way on each finger and then put another coat of Orly Liquid Vinyl (which was my base color under Count On Me). When you pull off the tape you get this cool 'split' look. I used the same tape on my ring finger for a french tip type effect. No top coat.

Rainbow_Honey_The_Worst_Possible_Thing

As usual I got camera happy and took a bunch of pictures for you guys, so I hope you like what you see. I know I love it!

Rainbow_Honey_The_Worst_Possible_Thing
 
Count_On_Me_and_The_Worst_Possible_ThingDark Side

Nicole Count On Me & Orly Liquid Vinyl

Rainbow Honey The Worst Possible Thing
 
And how cute is this packaging?!? The Worst Possible Thing comes from Rainbow Honey's Equestria Collection which was inspired by Hasbro's My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. This collection has 8 very unique polishes that you can check out on Dee's website here. The Worst Possible Thing was a bit thick in consistency, but it definitely allowed for great coverage of the glitter. It's described as shimmering with opalescent flakes in purple and blue and a multitude of holographic and iridescent glitters. And boy is it!

I totally think that The Worst Possible Thing and Count On Me compliment each other really well! What do you think?

~Linda