Polish sale!

Check out my Store Envy polish sale for some deals on some colors I have dupes of or just didn't suit me in person.

There's some great stuff, China Glaze holographics and Lynnderella, grab bags too!

Thanks!

http://getpolish.storenvy.com/

Multichrome waterfall mani

I've been wanting to try this waterfall mani for a while - using my beloved multi-chromes over black.  These just pop in a magical way when worn with a black "undies" layer, and I never wear them without something underneath to bring out their potential.

I'm pleased with the result, though next time I'll definitely use a skinnier brush for finer strokes. 

 

I used my go-to black, Fingerpaints "Black Expressionism", as well as ILNP "Nostalgia", "Mutagen", and "Cygnus Loop", as well as Nubar "Indigo Illusion".  Even in the bottles, these chromes are dazzling!  I'm definitely an ultra-chrome addict, I need them all.

 

I'm not feeling clever enough to bore you with lots of text, so please enjoy the picture spam! 

 (I love the teal I caught in this shot)

 (Direct Sunlight) 

(Direct Sunlight, again)

I hope you enjoyed this one as much as I did!   Happy painting, polish lovers!

Out of hiatus!

Hello polish lovers!   I know I've been absent ALL YEAR so far, but this beauty just couldn't wait.  I stumbled across this fun polish on a "mommy needs her sanity" trip recently,  The vivid blues really caught my eye, especially with the way they were paired with the inky black hexes and dots. 

 I googled some swatches right there in the store, and realized it's more of a glitter topper, and doesn't come through as shown in the bottle on it's own, but picked it up anyway on a hunch that some black undies would bring it about.

I did not regret it.

 

Maybelline's Color Show "Street Art" Top Coat in "Nighttime Noise" is a real stunner.  Shown in all photos over my go - to black, Fingerpaints "Black Expressionism", this is only one coat of the Color Show polish.   I'm enchanted with it, and it seemed to pair really well with one of my other favorite recent acquisitions...my second fork ring, which I picked up last month at the Portland Saturday Market.  Wanna see???

 

As you can see, "Nighttime Noise" has vivid blue hexes, mini hexes, dots and bar glitters, which are paired with inky black hexes and dots.  This could easily be layered over another polish for a new look or to bring out the blue more, if you have a blue polish that matches the hue here, but for the effect in the bottle, try it over any basic black cream polish.
Definitely a pairing I'll be wearing out and about, probably on my next visit to Portland, where it's fun to bring out the funk my day to day mommy life makes challenging. 

I'm so glad I picked this one up! If you're loving the effect but dreaming of another hue, the good news is this line has a few more options!  Here's a shot from their website, showing samples (color accurate ones, too!) of Pink Splatter, Wild At Heart, Green Graffiti, Blue Beats, and the one I've shared here, Nighttime Noise.

A couple more parting shots of my manicure for you, and I hope to post more and see you soon!!

 

Glitter Guilty "Starry Eyed" swatches

By request, I'd love to share some swatches of "Starry Eyed", the glitter guilty custom polish that my princess received.  In my previous post, I described it as:

"Holographic baby pink circle glitters mingle with silver, hot pink, and aqua stars and a smattering of smaller hex and circle glitters in the same shades." On the nail, some shimmery microglitters also reveal themselves, as well as some "mint" colored stars.

My favorite combo was layered over Zoya "Izzy", a shimmery fuchsia delight.

The glitters were easily tamed with one thick coat of Seche Vite.  This is ONE coat, no placing needed and just a good shaking before application.

The other contenders for the mani were Zoya "Zuza", "Wednesday", "Mira", "Kendal", and Sally Hansen "White On"  I skittled my right hand for you...sorry for awkward angles!

I really loved "Starry Eyed" over all of these, and the circles came out for my right hand, but not my left.   Currently, "Starry Eyed" is not listed in Glitter Guilty's store, but if we harass her enough on her facebook page, maybe she'll add it, or do a limited run.   Another fabulous polish by Jessica at Glitter Guilty, and really a perfect match for my Princess' personality as well.  I don't know HOW she does it, but I'm sure glad she does.

Glitter Guilty - why aren't you a subscriber yet?

Behold the beauty.

I love my Glitter Guilty subscription!  If you're a follower of mine, you've probably noticed that posting my monthly box is what's keeping the blog any form of current.  I've been pretty depressed this year, and my blog has suffered, but this subscription never fails to lift my spirit!

If you're not familiar, here's the breakdown:

Glitter Guilty Subscription box
15.99 monthly

1 full size "custom" polish
1 mini "monthly" polish

1 tasty treat

-The "custom" polish is built based off the preferences listed, as well as the dislikes listed when you subscribe.  You CAN change these preferences each month.  There are about a dozen variations of polishes per month, and some I've received have been specifically built from my preferences.  You can also request any full size polish from the shop.

-The "monthly" mini is the same for all subscribers, but never fails to "wow" me. 

-The treat is always tasty, often chocolate in the winter months, and sometimes there's even a little bonus item...a pedicure fizzie and magnets have both appeared in boxes this year.

-Some subscribers each month also get a "golden ticket" - an extra polish, item, or gift certificate in their box.  But I always forget to look (though I did get a bonus polish once!) because I'm always oohing and ahhhing over my box.

-Additionally, you can score a full size of your choice if you are selected after sharing photos of your polish of the month, and you have the opportunity to score a referral bonus if you refer 2 people who subscribe for a minimum of two months.  I've received one, and it included a full size, amazing indie cuticle balm I still love.  You can earn multiple referral bonuses (so if you sign up, mention Frankie Caswell so I can score more!)

Is every month a perfect match?  Of course not - but it IS always a surprise to look forward to, and in the polish community and family, if it's not my cup of tea, I can gift it to someone else.  I've yet to have a polish that's a big miss on formula, bleeds, or has any other issues some indies struggle with.


On to the boxes...


Catching up three boxes here, two of my own and the one I ordered for my daughter's birthday, at her request.  Behold the beauty, which if you're a subscriber, you can replicate! 

(Forgive my cuticles, etc)

This combo was created with a single coat of Sally Hansen Ruby Rush (to build up over), a coat of last month's amazing mini "Sugar and Spice" by Glitter Guilty, and her mini from December "Pinecones and Holly Berries".

 

 

Here's "Sugar and Spice" on it's own, unfortunately it took 5 coats to build up to this...but I LOVE the look.  Reminds me of why I lust after OPI "Holiday Glow"

 

Here's the undies for my layered manicure using both.  This is Sally Hansen "Ruby Rush" (a shimmery violet) and one coat of "Sugar and Spice" by Glitter Guilty.

More photos of the layering...these two just complimented each other so well!

 

 

 

 

My now TEN year old princess wanted one for her birthday last month, so I requested that she receive one for her birthday - and Jessica went ALL OUT!   And WAIT till you see this fantastic polish.

 

This is how excited I get to, seriously.  If you're not subscribed, SIGN UP!

 Instead of the standard monthly mini, Jessica included the more age-appropriate "Party Hearty" which is super awesome retro neon glitter wonder.   The princess still received the matte topcoat bonus featured in November, Chuao chocolate, and bonus Barbie nail decals.  But the crowning jewel was the custom full size, "Starry Eyed".

Lust, polish lovers:

Holographic baby pink circle glitters mingle with silver, hot pink, and aqua stars and a smattering of smaller hex and circle glitters in the same shades.

 

Bonus!  Decals.


My own box was lovely also, featuring the above highlighted "Sugar and Spice" mini (a full size of which I'll be needing soon), and "Moon Dust", one I listed from her shop I'd be interested in receiving. 

So pretty!

"Moon Dust" is a aqua-leaning blue shimmer based glitter bomb, with holographic aqua and silver microglitters, holographic silver crescent moons.

December's full size was a whimsical winter delight, with matte white snowflake glitters..."Snowed In" also features a light crelly blue base, reflective blue hexes, holographic little hexes, tiny matte white square glitters, and microglitters in reflective blue and holographic silver.

 

I can't wait to see what next month, and next year for that matter, bring.  Without a doubt, several of my favorites in my collection resulted from the subscription I've come to love most. 
How could YOUR collection grow?

Glitter Guilty October box review: In which I nearly murder a tree

 

Hello again, my blogosphere!

I'm excited to bring you another Glitter Guilty winner, this month's box featured some real beauties.  
We had some fun Halloween treats; a chocolate dipped and sprinkled graham cracker and oreo from an etsy specializing in dipped treats.  Sorry no photos of those, though, I uh..."lost" them.  Or perhaps gained them, if you catch my drift?

The polishes were so beautiful, though.  My monthly "me" polish was so alluring, I literally gasped when I saw it (after I tore open the box on the way up my driveway.  Don't drive distracted, folks, a tree nearly lost it's life for this beauty.)

(Clockwise L to R: Zoya "Kristen" with China Glaze "Poetic", Zoya "Kristen" with Julep "Sienna", Glitter Guilty "Lilac Luxe", and Zoya "Kristen" again with China Glaze "Poetic")

"Lilac Luxe" is a super pale cool lilac crelly packed with medium copper hexes, smaller gold hexes, tiny gold round glitters, copper bar glitter, and iridescent microglitter that's mostly only visible in direct lighting.  It was inspired by this photo which I found via pinterest and shared with Glitter Guilty:

 

Stunning yes?  And she did an amazing job of pulling it off, in my opinion. 

 

I chose to try and replicate the inspiration photos in my manicure with the Glitter Guilty polish as anaccent to top it all off.  The closest thing I have to this pale lilac is Zoya "Kristen", which is really more blue (sounds like a good reason for a shopping trip to me!) 

I used the same alcohol marbling technique as I've attempted previously with the gold and rose gold (again, I need to buy a few new colors!) My main beef with this technique is each polish seems to react in a new way to the alcohol, so it is hard to get a cohesive look in the manicure.

 

(You can see my on my pinky how the rose gold polish was trying to spot waaay differently than the yellow gold.  I had to manipulate it a lot for the other fingers featuring this polish.)

 

  

The Monthly mini this month was ALSO pretty awesome.  It's called "Something Wicked", and not only is it stunning for the holiday (Happy Halloween, folks!) but it is also the perfect summation of the beloved musical for which it was clearly named.  I had the opportunity to see "Wicked" during it's tour, and it was just absolutely stunning.  Deviant from the book, yes, but for once not in a way that left me upset.  But, I ramble...on to the polish!

 

 

(Glitter Guilty "Something Wicked")

You can expect to see this one swatched REAL soon!  I'm still ogling it.  In fact, if you've STILL not signed up for your own Glitter Guilty monthly subscription box, you can request a full size AS your monthly "me" from here on out!  You can do this with any of her in-store polishes, since she's changed the program a bit.  There will be about a dozen polish variations in the boxes, in addition to the "in store" items listed on her site.  She'll do her best to fit your likes and dislikes from those dozen creations, or put in your requested pre-made polish. 

I'm dying to see what next month brings to my mailbox!  I hope you sign up so you can get happy mail too!

 

 

 

 

Swatched: L'oreal "No Matte-r What"

Hey nail friends!   I was pretty excited to swatch this, but have to say it let me down.

(Forgive the hangnails!)

 

I picked up "No Matte-r What" on a random trip to Walgreens recently, and it won out over a couple other interesting looking L'oreal colors.   I didn't even look at the name, just was pulled in by the color - which in the bottle is a glossy, rich reddened beery cream.   However, three coats on the nail is a matte bright oxblood mess.   Super streaky application and a nightmare to clean up.    I could fall for the color if the formula weren't such a mess.

Observe:

I wasn't even going to publish this one, but I couldn't find a single other online swatch, so here you go.   If you're advanced at tricky application with minimal clean up, you might love this one for fall, but I'm calling it a miss.

Updated photos for color: The polish paints on closer to this color!  The berry undertones completely get lost.