Nail of the Day: Illamasqua Obsess

Nothing to Disclose

*This product is Cruelty Free 

♥

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...

Serum No. 5 Amortentia

Press Sample 

*This product is Cruelty Free 

♥

Happy Saturday! Today I have a really cool polish to show you from Serum No. 5 made exclusively for Mei Mei's Signatures.

It's a texture. It's a neon. It's a Glow-In-The-Dark! And it has micro-flakes! It's Amortentia!

Serum No. 5

Amortentia

Continued after the jump...

Nail of the Day: piCture pOlish Hot Lips - and a Watermelon Comparison

Nothing to Disclose

*This product is Cruelty Free 

♥

piCture pOlish

Hot Lips

Hot Lips is a very saturated hot pink neon crelly that dries shiny rather than the typical semi-gloss neon finish. Three light coats with no top coat. And it's more neon in person. I would say that my camera hates neons but I have a sneaking suspicion I just haven't figured out how to photograph them properly.

Continued after the jump...

Colors by Llarowe: It's Shocking! - Swatches and Review

Press Sample 

*This product is Cruelty Free 

♥

Colors by Llarowe

It's Shocking!

Colors by Llarowe has been killing it lately and this shocking pink holo slays.

Continued after the jump...

Foxy Paws Holo, Dolly! Collection - Well Holo Dolly

Press Sample 

*This product is Cruelty Free 

♥

Today I begin a week-long series of holographic polishes from Foxy Paws. They're hand made in Denmark by the creator, Charlotte! Foxy Paws is a 4-Free and cruelty-free indie polish brand mixed with a passion for music and glitter.

This collection is called the Holo, Dolly! Collection and is made up of 7 linear holographic polishes inspired by the Broadway hit musical Hello, Dolly!

Top L-R: It Takes a Woman, Before the Parade Passes By, Just Leave Everything To Me
Bottom L-R: Put On Your Sunday Clothes, A D@mned Exasperating Woman,
Elegance and Well Holo, Dolly!

Today we will be starting with, as usual, my favorite - Well Holo, Dolly!

Foxy Paws Well Holo, Dolly!

Continued after the jump...

Ruby White Tips - Happy Hour Collection Part 1

Press Sample 

*These Products are Cruelty Free 

♥

Tonight I have 3 polishes from the latest collection from Ruby White Tips - The Happy Hour Collection! I have the whole collection to show you over the next day or two also!

Ruby White Tips Happy Hour Collection

The three I"ll be showing you tonight are Pina Colada, Pink Sangria and Bay Breeze.

Here's what the maker had to say about these:

Pina Colada - The first tropical drink I ever had was a Pina Colada. I think it was the brain freeze that mad me get such a headache from them! Never again. I still can't even drink Slurpee's because of it. The smell though....OMG It's heavenly! Pick a fruit, there's a bunch of the neon's in the white creamy base. It's a great color. No lumps totally smooth too! There's some purple, green, pink and blue squares in there. With some micro blue making the base look light blue, but it's not, it's white. 

Sangria - First time I ever had sangria.....What the hell is this fruit for? Then I took a sip and fell in love! If you've never had Sangria it's a red wine, with all sorts of fruit in it. It's got a ton of pure cane sugar in it too! It turns from a deep purple red wine color to a pinkish purple color. Kind of similar to this polish. Polish is red based, but turned hot magenta with purple foiled flakes! It's an amazing color! 

Bay Breeze - Vodka, Cranberry and Pineapple! (Malibu Baybreeze is a close, just swap the vodka for it). My past life (before kids) I bartended. For a LONGgggggg time. Maybe that's why I like mixing polishes so much? I think I owe those reading this money for therapy...This color is really smooth. It's a teal base color with a hue of yellow, but not yellow. It's a really hard thing to explain.


Continued after the jump...

Emily de Molly - It's Just a Phase

Press Sample 

*This product is Cruelty Free 

♥

I'm back with another lovely polish from Emily de Molly - It's Just a Phase.

Emily de Molly It's Just a Phase

Here's how Emily de Molly describes It's Just a Phase:

BASE - Clear. 
GLITTER - Neon pink hex, orange hex and bars and black hex glitter. 
Fishing may be required as the large glitters have a tendency to sink. A gentle shake before use will help distribute the glitter. 
OPAQUE - N/A (designed to be worn over a base colour)

No issues at all with this one. Everything came out of the bottle nicely, no digging, and spread nicely on the nail. Two light coats of It's Just a Phase over Kiko #400 and one coat of Poshe top coat for the photos.

Continued after the jump...

Colors by Llarowe Sparkles Are a Girl's Best Friend

Press Sample 

*This product is Cruelty Free 

♥

Today I'm wearing one of the new Colors by Llarowe polishes - Sparkles are a Girl's Best Friend.

Sparkles are a Girl's Best Friend is a hot pink/raspberry, tightly scattered holographic polish with purple flash and magenta sparkles. Formula was good and application easy. This one is actually a crelly so it dries to a high shine and while it's opaque in 2 coats, it has a translucent look about it that's hard to describe. No issues at all. No top coat for the photos.

Colors by Llarowe Sparkles Are A Girl's Best Friend

Colors by Llarowe Sparkles Are A Girl's Best Friend

Continued after the jump...

China Glaze Sangria - Swatches and Review

As I've said before, we don't much adhere to "seasonal appropriateness." It was almost 85°F on Christmas Day. Until the cold front hit. 

Since I took off from blogging for a few days, feels like forever - I missed you guys! So, I thought I'd show you an oldie but a goodie from China Glaze tonight. Sangria.

China Glaze Sangria is a bright hot pink shimmer and went on smoothly. I used two coats but I'd use three when I wear it again just because it's on the sheer side. Drying time was a tad bit longer than I'm used to but it wasn't problematic. I used one coat of Poshe top coat for the photos.

China Glaze Sangria

China Glaze Sangria

China Glaze Sangria

China Glaze Sangria

China Glaze Sangria

And I added an accent of China Glaze Blue Sparrow dots...

China Glaze Sangria with accent of China Glaze Blue Sparrow dots

What do you think of this one? Not sure what collection it was originally, but it's now part of their core collection.

Sangria, and other China Glaze polishes are available at BeautyStopOnline and most, including Sangria, are on sale for $2.99 (regular $5.99) right now. They are also offering free shipping for orders over $59.00 You can follow them on Facebook here and Twitter here to stay up-to-date on current promotions and sales.

*PR Samples provided for my honest review

If you enjoyed this post, please take a second to "like" it! Thanks!

.

Jade Deja Vu - Swatches and Review

Well I posted a teaser photo last night asking for guesses of what it could be and you guys were ALL OVER IT! Jade Deja Vu it was!

Deja Vu is the only Jade holographic polish I have so far, but if the others are like this one, I really need more. This one is the "pink" one and it's a gorgeous deep hot pink linear holo to boot. Application was smooth and easy and I, as always with linear holos, did not use a base - neither a special holo base nor a regular base. Two coats for opacity.  One coat of Poshe on top. As you can see, it didn't diminish the holo.

Jade Deja Vu

Jade Deja Vu

Jade Deja Vu

Jade Deja Vu

Jade Deja Vu

Jade Deja Vu

Jade Deja Vu

What do you think? Which ones should I get next?

Jade Holografico polishes are available through Ninja Polish and Llarowe. And of course, you can always stay up to date on their latest information by following  Ninja Polish on Facebook and Llarowe on Facebook for updates, availability and re-stock information. 





If you enjoyed this post, please take a second to "like" it! Thanks!

.

Hebridean Sprite Beauty - Banshee Scream

I'm sad today because this is the last of the Hebridean Sprite Beauty polishes I have to show you...for now.

Before I show you, though (in case you've somehow missed my other 3 posts,) here's what Krista, the owner, had to say when I asked her to tell me a little about her company:

I was actually inspired by all the chunky glitters and I kept thinking to myself, I could make something more unique and sophisticated. I have had ideas on my own cosmetics line for over a year, just keeping a list of names I'd like to do something based on and colour combos, but I decided to finally do it this summer after I graduated. I had had a very stressful last couple semesters and wanted to do something fun and creative but still something with a point or purpose. I researched my butt off and asked a bunch of people for help and decided I wanted to do a nail polish line first. Plus as I'm Scottish through both my parents and I love Celtic mythology I wanted the main polish line to be named after Scottish and Irish folklore. This then expanded into other mythological stories (like Phoenix and Centaurs) but the Celtic theme has always been something that meant a lot to me, which is why my blog and now my little itty bitty company is named Hebridean Sprite Beauty because I've always felt amazed and awed when I'm in Scotland and when I visited the Scottish Hebrides, they felt truly magical.

Now for something on the company itself. We're 100% cruelty-free and vegan. I only buy cruelty-free cosmetics and I think cosmetics isn't something that needs animal testing- animals shouldn't have to suffer for a person to look good. There aren't any animal by-products in any of my ingredients either. I triple check my ingredients to make sure there aren't anything like Carmine, Silk, guanine, etc. I wanted to make the line vegan because I know that it can be difficult to find vegan options for people so inclined and seeing as there are so many other options available now I've strived to learn to formulate without animal by-products. On top of that I've included all my ingredients for each product individually on the product page- not a may contain or one single ingredient listing for everything. My polishes are big three free as well and only use Stainless Steel BB balls and specifically solvent-resistant glitters.

Each polish includes a little card that includes an image of the mythological creature the polish was inspired by, a bit of history about the myth and a summary of my inspiration for the polish colour.

They are $10 USD each on storenvy- http://spritebeauty.storenvy.com

I have a two polish minimum order at the moment (due to shipping from Canada issues). 

THESE are the polishes I will be showing (have shown) you:  Underhill, Loch Ness Monster, Brownie Helper and Banshee Scream (NOW.) Please see Underhill here, Brownie Helper here and Loch Ness Monster here if you missed them!

Today I have Banshee Scream. This one is a gorgeous hot pink shimmer polish that has a sort of orange undertone making it a lovely coral color in different lighting and a straight hot pink in others. When I first saw it, I thought it would be my least favorite of the four I had, you know, being pink and all. But it's not! Application was great and I used 3 coats of this one alone. No top coat.

Hebridean Sprite Beauty Banshee Scream

Hebridean Sprite Beauty Banshee Scream

Hebridean Sprite Beauty Banshee Scream

Hebridean Sprite Beauty Banshee Scream

Hebridean Sprite Beauty Banshee Scream

Hebridean Sprite Beauty Banshee Scream

Hebridean Sprite Beauty Banshee Scream

Hebridean Sprite Beauty Banshee Scream

Hebridean Sprite Beauty Banshee Scream

What do you think of this one? Which is your favorite of the four I've shown you?

She launched her brand on October 1, 2012! Cruelty-Free and Vegan!

You can purchase this one, and the others in her new line, at her StoreEnvy Store here for $10 for a full-sized 15 ml bottle. Also follow her Facebook Page, her blog here and her Pinterest here.




*PR Samples provided for my honest review

If you enjoyed this post, please take a second to "like" it! Thanks!

.

Enchanted Polish Electric Daisy - Swatches and Review

Whew - Monday's finally over. How about something pretty?

Enchanted Polish Electric Daisy is a very girly bubblegum pink with a subtle linear holo. Application was easy and formula was great. This is 3 coats with no top coat on all but the middle finger - I've layered 2 coats over Enchanted Polish Disco Barbie. You do not need to layer this one, but I wanted to see how it looked.

Enchanted Polish Electric Daisy

Enchanted Polish Electric Daisy

Enchanted Polish Electric Daisy

Enchanted Polish Electric Daisy

Enchanted Polish Electric Daisy

Enchanted Polish Electric Daisy

What do you think of this one?  I like that it's color-saturated enough to look good on my pale skin. There are a lot of pinks, expecially pastels, that really look horrible on me. I felt so girly!

Enchanted Polish Electric Daisy can be purchased through MeiMei's Signatures and Harlow & Company. Be sure to follow  MeiMei's Signatures on Facebook, Harlow & Company on Facebook, and Enchanted Polish on Facebook for information, availability and updates. Enchanted Polishes retail for $15 for a full .5 oz bottle.    




*PR Sample provided for my honest review 

If you enjoyed this post, please take a second to "like" it! Thanks!

.

Lilacquer Fifth Element Collection 2012 - Swatches and Review Part 2

Yesterday I showed you Part 1 of Lilacquer's Fifth Element Collection and today is Part 2! There were so many polishes with so many photos that I just couldn't get them all in one post.

Lilacquer Fifth Element Collection:
Zorg Industries, Supreme Being, Super Green, The Diva Plavalaguna,
LeeLoo Multipass, To Protect Love, Roo Bee Rhod and Fhloston Paradise

Lilacquer Fifth Element Collection:
Zorg Industries, Supreme Being, Super Green, The Diva Plavalaguna,
LeeLoo Multipass, To Protect Love, Roo Bee Rhod and Fhloston Paradise

Today I have the oranges/reds for you.

Lilacquer Fifth Element Collection:
LeeLoo Multipass, To Protect Love, Roo Bee Rhod and Fhloston Paradise

First up, LeeLoo Multipass - this one is a bright orange jelly with hot pink shimmer. I've layered over Illamasqua Purity on all but the pinky so you can see how the color builds alone. One coat over Purity and3 coats alone. This one applied quite nicely. No top coat.

Lilacquer LeeLoo Multipass

Lilacquer LeeLoo Multipass

Lilacquer LeeLoo Multipass

Lilacquer LeeLoo Multipass

Lilacquer LeeLoo Multipass

Next up is To Protect Love. This one is a peach jelly with gold, orange and green shimmer. I wasn't able to capture the green shift, but when you layer it over black, the green really POPS! It has a really gorgeous shift but caused me the most trouble with application. It will take a little practice and extra care for me to apply this one smoothly and evenly. I didn't do a very good job as you will see in the photos. I think the trick is going to be medium to heavy quick coats with plenty of dry-time between and no over-manipulation while applying.  I used 4 coats here with no top coat. Next time I wear it, I will probably use a neutral as "underwear."  You can see that perfect application is achievable from the pinky here...

Lilacquer To Protect Love

Lilacquer To Protect Love

Lilacquer To Protect Love

Lilacquer To Protect Love

Next we have Roo Bee Rhod! It's a reddish burnt orange with lots of gold and yellow shimmer. I said yesterday that The Diva Plavalaguna was my favorite but now I think this is my favorite of the collection! It really does have a gorgeous depth of color and lots of personality. The formula and application were great and I had no issues. Perfection!

Lilacquer Roo Bee Rhod!

Lilacquer Roo Bee Rhod!

Lilacquer Roo Bee Rhod!

Lilacquer Roo Bee Rhod!

Lilacquer Roo Bee Rhod!

Lilacquer Roo Bee Rhod!

Lilacquer Roo Bee Rhod!

Lilacquer Roo Bee Rhod!

And finally, the last one. (Sadness.) Fhloston Paradise. This one is a bright cool-toned magenta with light blue shimmer. Application was great and the formula was smooth and even. No issues to report. Very nice. Two coats with no top coat.

Lilacquer Fhloston Paradise

Lilacquer Fhloston Paradise

Lilacquer Fhloston Paradise

Lilacquer Fhloston Paradise

Lilacquer Fhloston Paradise

Well there you have it - Lilacquer's Fifth Element Collection 2012. Overall, I was very impressed and out of 8 polishes I only had application issues with one...To Protect Love.

My favorites of the collection are Roo Bee Rhod!, The Diva Plavalaguna and Fhloston Paradise.  I didn't show you all of the layering possibilities but opted to show you what the actual polishes look like by themselves. I am sure you guys will be able to come up with endless layering combos with some of them. So what do you think of the collection? I am quite happy to see a great indie polish creator make something without chunky glitters. Refreshing!


These polishes are available on Lilacquer's Etsy Shop and retail for $9 for the full-sized 15ml bottles. You can also follow Lilacquer on Facebook for information, updates, restocks, etc. 

Disclosure: The product(s) in this post were provided to me by the manufacturer or their PR company for consideration. 

For more information, please visit my Disclosure Tab.

If you enjoyed this post, please take a second to "like" it! Thanks!

.