October Pink

Since I didn't really take the opportunity to celebrate Halloween this year, I thought I would reserve the last post of October for a special pink polish. I was also going to talk about boobs. But I thought that might be weird, despite the breast cancer awareness month. I thought to write about my maternal grandmother, who had breast cancer, but no...so pink nail polish, awareness...breast cancer.   

Starry Pink/Popular came out I believe around the same time as some of Revlon's dupes for higher end polishes such as Naughty/Perplex for Chanel Paradoxal and Revlon's Facets of Fuchsia/Scandalous (Lippmann's Bad Romance), Revlon's Whimsical (Lippmann's Glitter in the Air)...and others, but this chunky glitter in a sheer base is, to my knowledge, totally unique. To me it definitely screams Glinda, fairy princess, or at least vintage lurex. 

The formula is easy and I would say requires a sure three coats, though I wouldn't knock experimenting with one or two over a pink or lilac shade. Three coats gets a little...I don't know. Lumpy. Chunky? Maybe it's just me. I don't like three coats, but it's necessary for opacity. Partially I think the application problems are because of the quality of the glitter--if you look carefully, particularly on my pinky nail, the hexes are not lying flat and are taco-ing a bit. This is where I do start to feel like it may be worth spending a little more for the higher end glitters. 

However, this color, lying somewhere between pale pink and lilac with cool silver glitter seems to be unique only to Revlon, so unless they shell out for some higher quality glitter--this is what we have. It's still a very pretty polish and pretty special. I haven't seen anything like it. 

Starry Pink. Artificial Light (strangely focused, like a "Glamour Shot").

Starry Pink and a fail sandwich of Urban Outfitters Dust :(

Bottle Shot

Grass-fed

I'd had an acute lemming for this color--seeing it at stores--I used to dislike it, though now, I really can't remember why. It wasn't quite what I was looking for, yet now, it seems to be exactly what I'm looking for. I wanted it so much I considered Revlon's Posh--quite similar--then finally ordered it on eBay for $5.

It's a fairly evenly applying creme-jelly hybrid that required three coats for full coverage. I hate applying more than three coats, so you know it requires the three ;) 

As for the color itself, I asked a colorblind "friend" what color this was from a distance in a somewhat dim setting and he said, "blue-ish green." It can look blue in some lights, but is a pretty even green. It reminded me of the two greens I photographed the bottle with--Prismacolor Grass Green marker and colored pencil (not quite a match). Brilliant and vibrant.

Pretty Edgy. Bottle Shot and comparison.

Pretty Edgy. Sunlight.

Pretty Edgy and Happy Holo-daze accents. Sunlight.

green g8torade

Just some quick bad pictures of the amazing polish from China Glaze, L8R G8R--a gorgeous linear holo. 

I took these awhile ago with my phone when I couldn't find my camera and I didn't have an aqua base so, there isn't much to say except, "daaaaaaaaayuuuufjdkl;ajgira;j this polish is pretty" and ...oh these pictures are not. Sorry. Will post new pictures WITH aqua base and better camera :) I wanted to keep the greens coming, though. 

L8R G8R, Sunlight.

L8R G8R, Artificial Light.

L8R G8R Bottle Shot. Indoor Sunlight.

It's so easy...

wearing green :) Actually this color's application wasn't that easy as the brush was just unpleasant. I can't explain why except that there was this one bristle that was uneven and maybe it was sort of unwieldy. Otherwise it was a nice thin formula (it did require three coats) and while some people are not fans of thin formula, I do prefer them. I believe any bubbles are from the evil bottle of Poshe and while it is one of the first metallic finishes I've worked with, I had few issues with brush stroke. 

It is one of the limited edition shades for fall from the Maybelline "Color Show" line and I had a hard time finding even this one LE shade, even right after the release. Oh big city living. Avante Green didn't disappoint though and flashed blue, green, and gold in different lights. I know we're seeing many of these multichromes (the first ones released recently I can think of were Lippmann's Mirrored Chromes released awhile back) and there is one from China Glaze that echoes Avante Green (or vice versa) in case this one is out of stock. 

Speaking of Lippmann, I do believe this line released a polish very similar to Lippmann's Sugar Daddy mirrored chrome called Pink Cosmo. If only I could find it!

Avante Green. Overcast Natural Light.

Avante Green. Overcast Natural Light.

Panorama Edition! ;) Avante Green. Artificial Light.

Avante Green. Bottle Shot (is it just me or are bottles getting smaller?).

Queen of Green

Now I am sure many of you have far more greens than I do...and really, green only makes up about 16% of my collection, at the risk of outing myself as not having a truly insane amount of polishes, here are some of my greens here--a pic I posted on my Facebook page awhile ago for fun. Since then I have acquired um, just a *few* more greens ;)

Green Room continued...

I’ve been having Nail Issues lately! Wouldn’t ya like to have my problems ;) (actually probably not if you’re a nail blogger). The last three polishes I’ve worn, including this beauty, have given me some "tip" issues, but I’m starting to suspect it’s my bottle of Poshe—it’s given me nothing but trouble and bubbles since I bought it at Sally’s. It may have just been old and it’s not getting any younger—I believe it’s causing super shrinkage :( See sad, sad pics—polish has only been on for 12 hours!

/end rant onto the good stuff:

Tonight I bring you a beautiful new green from Sally Hansen Insta-Dri and while it was not Insta-Dri for me, I could tell from the bottle that it was going to be worth the wait, long or short. Check out the bottle pics.

An amazing npf (nail polish friend) who knows I’m a green fiend and sent me this beauty, a deep forest green jelly, very sheer but opaque enough in two coats, peppered with almost indistinguishable flavors of glitter. I’ve counted purple for sure, blue/teal or turquoise, or gold/lime/silver, but it’s hard to tell on the latter color because the sheerness of the jelly may be tinting the lighter glitter.

I found application to be smooth and not at all jelly-streaky and I found two coats did well, though I know some like super opaque coverage. I love this color so much, I really want to do some nude/green nail art with it, but I’m not sure it will work out because of the sheerness? I tried a nude gradient over it last night, but the nudes I tried were too sheer (boo). Looking forward to another post on this one!

The tip wear or shrinkage on this is embarrassing :( small pic.

In a Flurry. Bottle Shot. Flash.

In a Flurry. Bottle Shot Macro.

PS. I will not run out of green puns/green themed titles! Watch me ;)

The Green Scheme

Words cannot express how I feel for this color and polish and really it could possibly be my favorite polish of all time and I would also say that I’ve found this year. It is just…95% perfect. When you hear “bottle green,” this is slightly bluer and deeper, but it is a jelly, so it gives that sheer layered look of depth and does give an effect of glass and a little squish. I think it tended to look a tiny bit darker on my nails than in the bottle, unless I was in the sun or other bright light. In some darker lights to me it almost appeared black, but a green black.

Deep Bottle Green

Bottle Green

Mint Jellies

The formula oh the formula—it is also like some sort of strange glass and melts onto your nails in a not too thin, not too thick viscosity. The first coat is a miraculous paradigm of non-streaky jelly. And then, the formula, OH, the formula—has formaldehyde resin in it and that makes me sad for my little kitten who is probably breathing the fumes :(

The brush was getting to me at first but then I realized it is cut at an angle, which actually makes it perfect for getting the curved sides of my nails and I am able to angle it to fit right down into the round edges where nail meets cuticle. I’m considering this brush as one of my new favorites.

One issue I’m now having with Illamasqua is price point versus colors that would flatter my skin. Blues, purples, and blue-based red and pinks are not so great on me and maybe I’m just imagining it, but it seems like they have so many of those compared to other colors AND that within that spectrum lie some of their more interesting colors. If I didn’t have to pay $15+ each ($14+ our 9% sales tax) it might not matter as much to buy more mundane colors and/or dupes simply because I love the formulation and the package. Here’s to more Illamasqua lacquer in the new year. 

Illamasqua Rampage. Indoor, sunlight from window. Short middle nail :(

Illamasqua Rampage. Outdoor, overcast day.

Illamasqua Rampage. Artificial light.

 PS. I decided I wanted to do a little green "series," inspired by my bnpf, who so generously and thoughtfully sent me a beautiful green I will soon have up and who was one of my very first followers and comment-ers <3

Before I forget anything else about it--I bring you, Hare: the Monster. This cute dusty teal jelly is imbued with deep emerald glitter that sparkles through each coat.

It's sad and embarrassing that I cannot remember if I used two coats or three since I only had this on maybe five days ago. I think it was three though :) each coat built nicely on the other and with a minute or so dry time in between it was a nice jelly application.

I had minimal issues with patchiness as pictured and I'm sure if you are intensely picky about your coverage with a jelly you could do four coats or use this over another color. I am weird though (or lazy) and I prefer to see the true color--or what I call "going commando." I don't often like to buy colors that are meant to be topcoats(!), so it' probably more laziness. Here's the Monster, "commando" ;) hahaha...oh geez.

PS. A bonus! Even though it's packed with glitter, this one seemed super easy with removal ;)

The Monster. Sunlight.

The Monster. Indoor Sunlight. Trying to show the glitter in sparkle mode.

The Monster. Macro Bottle. Indoor Light.

Back to the 80s...

Another 80s themed mani for ya. Did this one awhile ago when I lost my actual camera and used my camera on my phone. The pictures look pretty freaky because of the neon and it's NOT a really messy job it's just the glare from the polish.

It's Essie's Flirty Fuchsia from the Summer Neons 2009--I also added my CtD dupe from Aqua Daisy, Me Too for an 80s touch :) The formula on Flirty Fuchsia is good and dries fast, but to a matte finish, which I've heard is normal for a true neon polish. It's not a matte finish as if a matte top coat were applied, but more matte than a "satin" finish, imo.  This is somewhat noticeable in the second picture. I also managed to score the elusive Funky Limelight for a great deal! Coming Soon...

Flirty Fuchsia and Me Too. Overcast Outdoor Light.

Flirty Fuchsia. Artificial Light.

Flirty Fuchsia. Indoor with Flash.