Nail of the Day: Illamasqua Obsess

Nothing to Disclose

*This product is Cruelty Free 

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Illamasqua

Obsess

Illamasqua Obsess is a super bright fuchsia pink creme that dries to a nice semi-gloss - I think because it's almost neon. I actually prefer that finish myself, but my guy loves super shiny so I wore it with a top coat. Superb formula and application. No issues at all to report. Two coats and one coat of top coat for the photos (except where indicated). I *think* this one is from 2011.

Photos after the jump...

Weekend Bits and Bobs: February 2, 2014 - The Prodigal Car Returns

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I think maybe I should call this one "Bit and Bob" - singular. I've been so busy that I've barely had a chance to breathe, so no new pretties to show you, other than a ton of stuff for review that I will be showing you eventually.

But I GOT MY CAR BACK! If you missed where it was stolen (out of my garage with my purse in it) click here. Honestly, getting it back was probably more frustrating and stressful than having it stolen. Which is weird. I had to pay $430 to get my OWN car back. Don't even get me started on that. Of course they ran out the full tank of super premium I'd just put in it, so it was running on fumes from the wrecker yard to the gas station.  They took my video statement and I think there's little hope of recovering my purse.

The good news is they left me a sock (yes just one), an empty Mitchem Deodorant stick, 3/4ths of a bottle of stinky laundry detergent and about a gazillion empty Splenda packets. I'm not sure I even want to KNOW what that was about.

But considering that they ran through a fence in the police chase, it's in pretty good shape!

They had to pull it off the fence (although I don't know what kind) but it doesn't look any worse for wear in the front.

They tried to pry the trunk open (because they're morons and couldn't figure out how to use the key LOL) and caused some damage...

And broke the tail light assembly...

It's an old car, but it's paid for and it's mine, so I was happy to get it back.

They did rip out the wiring for the mobile phone and broke both front seat storage compartments, but still glad to have the old gal back.

Oh, and I spent like 3 days sitting my butt at the DMV, so that's really all I have.

Except...my favorite mani of the week!

Illamasqua Stance with Illamasqua Fern and Faux Pas dots and butter LONDON Matte Finish Top Coat.

And I hope your week was more fun!

HAPPY SUPER BOWL!

♥

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Illamasqua Dedicate - Swatches and Review

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*This product is Cruelty Free 

♥

Tonight I have a great new purple to show you! You know I love my purples! This time it's from Illamasqua.

Illamasqua Dedicate

Dedicate is currently a Bloomingdale's Exclusive but I'm not sure if it will be released elsewhere later.

Continued after the jump...

Nail of the Day: Illamasqua DWS

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*This product is Cruelty Free 

♥

I just have a quick Nail of the Day - Illamasqua DWS. This is not a new polish - 2010 I think? But it was the perfect grey for the rainy, cloudy day. Of course that means that I couldn't get natural light pics.

It dries super shiny, but I wore it with a coat of butter LONDON Matte Finish top coat.

The formula and application are typical Illamasqua perfection. Smooth and creamy - two coats. There's not a hint of brown in this grey - you can see the blue undertones in natural light, but it's definitely the perfect grey for the overcast skies we had here in South Texas today!

What do you think? I just love greys like this.

Illamasqua polishes are available at illamasqua.com in the UK but you can get them at Sephora and some larger department stores like Bloomingdales and they retail for $17 here in the States.

♥

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Illamasqua Gothiqua - Swatches and Review

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*This product is Cruelty Free 

♥

Illamasqua Gothiqua

Limited Edition

The Bay Canada Exclusive Shade

The Sacred Hour Collection

Illamasqua Gothiqua is a limited edition shade from the Sacred Hour Collection created as an exclusive shade for the grand opening of the Illamasqua store at The Bay Canada. This one is a gorgeous shade of aubergine with purple undertones, blue-leaning purple undertones, making it a perfect cool-toned polish. It also has a gorgeous shimmer. I can't decide if it's green, blue and violet shimmers or a color-shifting shimmer. The thing I loved about this one is that the shimmer isn't so in your face as to appear frosty. Perfect formula and application. Creamy, smooth and perfectly self-leveling.

Continued after the jump...

Illamasqua Rampage

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*This product is Cruelty Free

♥

Illamasqua Rampage

Tonight I have a quick post for you - showing you a polish I've had so long I don't even remember WHEN I got it. And I'd NEVER tried it! Well, let me tell you, if Illamasqua Rampage is in your untrieds, you really need to pull it out.

Continued after the jump...

Illamasqua Boudicca - Swatches and Review

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*This product is Cruelty Free 

♥

Illamasqua Boudicca

Recently, while sleep-surfing (what? yes I AM going to blame it on middle-of-the-night grogginess) I ran across an Illamasqua polish I'd never seen - a Bloomingdale's Exclusive. Not sure if it will remain exclusive to Bloomies or not, but right now I think that's the only place to get it.

It's an intense red orange polish with micro-flakes! When I checked for swatches I didn't find much and what I did find made me think it might be a textured polish - difficult to work with. WRONG! I almost didn't order it! The micro-flakes appear to be pink or maybe color-shifting from pink to orange?

The photos are really quick - ONE COAT with NO top coat. The formula was smooth and easy, intensely pigmented and positively glowing. No issues to report at all.

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What do you think? Did you order yet? If not, I'm recommending this one outright. I can't wait to see what it does with a top coat!


Some Illamasqua polishes are available here in the states at Sephora but this one is a Bloomingdale's exclusive, at least for now.

♥

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Nail of the Day: Stemmed Flowers

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*These products are Cruelty Free 

♥

This one is a "drop and run" post...short and sweet. Playing around with my new nail art brushes and ended up with some stemmed flowers nail art.

I used Illamasquas for this one...

Happy Wednesday!

♥

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Illamasqua Seance - Swatches and Review

Personal Collection

*This product is Cruelty Free 

♥

Tonight, as promised, I have Illamasqua Seance to show you. This one is from their new Paranormal Collection. I also have Geist, which is the UV top coat, but since this one already glows under black light, we will get to that another time.

Seance is a bright violet polish that is so gorgeous on its own I'll just let you see the photos in a minute. Application was a DREAM. Seriously, perfect, easy, self-leveling, nearly one-coat deliciousness. It has a foil-like base, which I am sure gives it the depth and interest, but I wouldn't have known this until I removed it. All the color comes off in one swipe but you have to rub a bit to get the silver foil that's left on the nail. No issues at all to report. AND it glows under black light.

Illamasqua Seance

Continued after the jump

Illamasqua Pink Raindrops - Swatches and Review

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It's FRIDAY!!! Today I have the latest polish from Illamasqua to show you. Pink Raindrops.

PINK, you say? Well, yes. If you recall the original Raindrops, it was very popular and discontinued and has recently been brought back, along with Pink Raindrops, which is being touted as the "pink version" of Raindrops. Well before you get your hopes up, it's NOT. The formula is much different. I don't have the "new" Raindrops to tell if they've changed the formula, but you can see my original post on Raindrops here - the old version. It was at the least a very crelly 3-coater, if not more. I layered it over Zoya Dove for that post actually, because it was so sheer. I wore it alone on shorter nails.

Pink Raindrops is very opaque - it might even be a one-coater for some but I used two light coats. The formula is quite a bit thicker and it's not self-leveling at all, so extra care has to be taken for application. It's not the same perfect formula I've grown so used to with Illamasqua polishes. It does have those lovely flakes though! It's more of a nude with pink shimmer rather than a pink in my opinion.  Most of the photos are without top coat so you could see the true finish of the polish. The last photo shows it with one coat of Poshe top coat.

Illamasqua Pink Raindrops - natural light

Illamasqua Pink Raindrops - natural light

Illamasqua Pink Raindrops - natural light

Illamasqua Pink Raindrops - natural light

Illamasqua Pink Raindrops - natural light

Illamasqua Pink Raindrops - artificial light

Illamasqua Pink Raindrops - artificial light

With top coat...

Illamasqua Pink Raindrops - natural light (with top coat)

What do you think? Will you be getting it? Or do you have it already?

Illamasqua polishes can be purchased at the Illamasqua website here and some select shades are available in the US at Sephora stores. Pink Raindrops wasn't to come to Sephora however I have heard news that it probably will be now, so keep checking with them.

♥

*Products purchased by me

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Nail of the Day: Illamasqua Baptiste - Swatches and Review

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Good evening! I'm working on some swatches of new polishes for you now, so I'm just going to leave my NOTD here for you in the meantime: Illamasqua Baptiste.

Baptiste is a purple shimmer with purple, blue and fuchsia micro-shimmer. Formula was absolutely perfect and I used two coats and no top coat for the photos. No issues at all. The shimmer really gives this one depth.

Illamasqua Baptiste

Illamasqua Baptiste

Illamasqua Baptiste

Illamasqua Baptiste

Illamasqua Baptiste

Illamasqua Baptiste - natural sunlight

Illamasqua Baptiste - natural sunlight

And how is the wear? The photo below is Day 3, only minor tip wear after normal activities such as typing, dishes, laundry, etc. After the above photos, I put on a top coat and wore it for 4 days!

Illamasqua Baptiste

Available at Sephora stores and sephora.com in the States and illamasqua.com in the UK.

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Copy-Caturday! Starring Illamasqua, a Sponge and a Stamper

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Good Morning! It's Copy-Caturday again and I'm excited to show you what I did for this week. I've gotten a LOT more compliments on this mani than usual and that's always a good thing.

I'm copying Ashley's Bright and Fun Spring Mani over at AshleyIsPolishAddicted - go check it out!

Here's what I did:

Spring Flowers Sponge Mani 2013

Without top coat

Spring Flowers Sponge Mani 2013

Spring Flowers Sponge Mani 2013

With top coat

Spring Flowers Sponge Mani 2013

and yes, I usually do both hands!

My right hand came out better than my left hand! I think because I didn't muddle the base colors as much on that hand by going over and over it.

Base: Salon Perfect Sugar Cube
Illamasqua Cameo
Illamasqua Gamma
Illamasqua Superstition
Illamasqua Smash
Illamasqua Faux Pas
BM 313 Stamping Plate



What do you think?? Hurry Up Spring!

♥

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Nail of the Day: Illamasqua Poke

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Happy Sunday! Just a quick NOTD post with Illamasqua Poke.

Two coats, no top coat. PERFECT formula.

Illamasqua Poke

Illamasqua Poke

Illamasqua Poke

Illamasqua Poke

Isn't it YUMMEH?

Available at Sephora in the States and Illamasqua.com in the UK.

♥

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Illamasqua MILF and a Comparison Request

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Good morning! Today I have Illamasqua MILF to show you, along with a comparison request with Essie Navigate Her.

Illamasqua MILF was an amazingly thoughtful gift from my friend Jo at Lacquers of Kasterborous and it's just gorgeous. ♥

Without discussing the name...(lol) it's a gorgeous spring green creme that has such a perfect, creamy smooth formula. I've used two coats and NO top coat for the photos. I did top coat the next day as the shine does fade and I wanted to protect it.

Illamasqua MILF

Illamasqua MILF

Illamasqua MILF

Illamasqua MILF

And I've already been asked how it compared to Essie's Navigate Her. I don't buy Essie anymore since going cruelty-free, but I happen to have this one because it was a gift from a friend. Do my friends know what colors I like or WHAT?

Illamasqua MILF vs Essie Navigate Her

Illamasqua MILF vs Essie Navigate Her

As you can see, they are different, but not a lot. MILF is a touch cooler. Are they different enough for you? As for me, if I were purchasing, I'd choose the Illamasqua because they are cruelty-free. So what do you think? Do you wear green? I'm thinking it will be a great base for some St. Patrick's Day nail art!

Illamasqua MILF, along with several other Illamasqua colors, is available from Sephora here in the US for $14.00 and the full line is available in various locations throughout the UK, including at Illamasqua.com, for £13.50.





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