FingerPaints Itsy-Bitsy Spider

Purchased by me

Itsy-Bitsy Spider is part of Finger Paints' spring 2013 collection, Wild about Spring.  It's a soft medium purple with duochrome aqua-to-purple micro-glitter.  I couldn't get the purple to show up, no matter what positions I contorted my hand into, but I promise that it's there!  The duochrome shift makes this a little different from other purple and aqua polishes like Orly Mysterious Curse and Color Club Port-folio.  It's lighter than both of those but darker than Jessica Born to Pansy, so it's unique in my collection if not in the whole world.  It was opaque in three coats and while removal wasn't difficult, the micro-glitter got everywhere.  Itsy-Bitsy Spider lasted three days before it started showing a bit of tip wear.  All swatches are three coats before top coat.

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FingerPaints polishes are exclusive to Sally Beauty Supply, and are available in stores and online.

Orly Peaceful Opposition

Purchased by me

Peaceful Opposition is part of Orly's Hope & Freedom Fest collection for Spring 2013, and the only one I got.  It's a true white jelly with white and silver glitter.  It was almost opaque in three coats, and probably would be in four, but I didn't feel like adding another coat.  Removal was typical for heavily glittered polishes, taking some soaking and scrubbing, but the polish is unique and the wear time was good (four days until some minor tip wear) so I'm not complaining.  Peaceful Opposition was top coat-hungry, taking two coats of Gelous and one coat of Zoya Armor before it was smooth.  All swatches are three coats plus top coat.

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Peaceful Opposition felt to me as if it was the only really unique polish in this collection, which is why I got it. The Hope & Freedom Fest collection is available wherever Orly polishes are sold.

Models Own Wonderland collection: Southern Lights

Purchased by me

Southern Lights is a lovely, grey-toned lavender full-coverage glitter.  There is plenty of sparkle and shine with holographic particles mixed in with the purple.  It was opaque in two coats, although the polish is my bottle was a little too thick.  I'm thinking I'll add some thinner to it before using it again, which might mean I need three coats next time.  Southern Lights dried very gritty and took a coat of Gelous and a coat of regular top coat to be shiny.  All swatches are two coats with Gelous and top coat.

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Southern Lights is available at Models Own and at Ninja Polish for £5.00 or $8.00 respectively.

Models Own Wonderland collection: Northern Lights

Purchased by me

Northern Lights is a lovely, warm-toned pink full-coverage glitter.  There is plenty of sparkle and shine with holographic particles mixed in with the pink.  It was opaque in two coats, although the polish is my bottle was a little too thick.  I'm thinking I'll add some thinner to it before using it again, which might mean I need three coats next time.  Northern Lights dried very gritty and took a coat of Gelous and a coat of regular top coat to be shiny.  All swatches are two coats with Gelous and top coat.

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Northern Lights is available at Models Own and at Ninja Polish for £5.00 or $8.00 respectively.

Blue Monday: L.A. Girl 3D polish in Brilliant Blue

Purchased with my own funds

On my last visit to Rite Aid, a display of new polishes caught my eye (of course it did!) and I picked out one polish to come home with me.  For $4.80 + tax, it turned out to be one of my best decisions lately!  The L.A. Girl 3D collection is strongly reminiscent of the holo jellies in Zoya's Ornate collection.  I'm planning to go back for three of the others if the display hasn't already been picked clean, but in the meantime, here's a review of Brilliant Blue.

Brilliant Blue was easy to apply, neither too thick nor too thin, shiny without top coat, completely non-gritty and absolutely stuffed with holographic shimmer/glitter particles.  In indoor light it looked sparkly and in the sunlight it blazed.  It wore for three days before chipping, removal was a snap and it didn't stain my nails!  All together, I can't recommend this color enough if you love blues.  All swatches are three coats and no top coat.

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All I can say here is WOW.  Brilliant Blue was an unqualified success for me.  If you don't see the 3D polishes at a local drugstore, you can buy them at the L.A. Girl website for $5.00 + shipping.

Zoya Stunning and Irresistible

press release

Zoya's summer 2013 colors look gorgeous!

Left to right, top row: Darcy, Thandie, Micky, Yana, Rocky, Josie

Left to right, bottom row: Kerry, Amy, Tinsley, Bobbi, Hazel, Rikki

OPI Bond Girls Liquid Sand polishes

press release

Coming in May, 2013: 

OPI announces the launch of Bond Girls, a collection of six new Liquid Sand nail lacquers featuring a textured, matte finish infused with reflective sparkle fitting the allure surrounding the Bond Girls. In hues of white, pink, blue, purple, gold and coral, Bond Girls offers a range of shimmering shades with the distinctive Liquid Sand finish.

“OPI is extremely excited to partner again with EON Productions,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI co-founder & Artistic Director. “Following the success of the holiday promotion with the latest James Bond film, Skyfall, it’s been a thrill to create colors for the women who’ve captured Bond’s attention over the last five decades.

“The six shades are named after some of the most iconic – and my favorite – Bond girls, including: Solitaire, Pussy Galore, Tiffany Case, Vesper, Honey Ryder and Jinx,” adds Weiss-Fischmann. “Worn without top coat, these Liquid Sand lacquers give nails a pebbled, matte finish worthy of the captivating ‘Bond Girls’ name.”

                            

Pussy Galore

Solitaire

Tiffany Case

Vesper

Honey Ryder 

Jinx

Vesper and Solitaire are calling my name, but I'll probably get all of them, because I adore textured polishes!  What about you?

Ninja Polish: Shillelagh

Purchased with my own funds

Shillelagh is the second Ninja Polish St. Patrick's Day polish, and it's a complete stunner.  A deep yellow-toned green metallic polish with shimmer that shifts from green to gold to copper, it's opaque in three coats and the formula was a dream to work with.  I took multiple pictures trying to get the copper shift to show up, but my pictures just don't do this polish justice.  Still, it's a beauty, and highly recommended for all lovers of green nail polish!  It did stain my nails slightly, so I'd recommend doing two layers of base coat.  All swatches are three coats with one coat of Nubar Diamont top coat.

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Shillelagh is available at Ninja Polish for $9.00 + shipping, and if you love greens, don't wait, get it NOW!

Models Own Fruit Pastel collection

press release

Coming soon--you can pre-order now!

Five pretty pastel shades that cleverly release an infused fruity scent, keeping fingers fresh and fashionable! Once dry they emit a subtle, but pretty perfume that matches their name. Complete with retro 'scratch and sniff' stickers!

Left-to-right: Strawberry Tart, Apple Pie, Banana Split, Blueberry Muffin, Grape Juice

Available from Models Own, which takes Paypal and ships internationally.

Ninja Polish Floam collection: Hanukkah Floam

 Hanukkah Floam was purchased by me with my own funds.

When Shamrock Floam became available, I knew I couldn't let it travel alone, so I had a bottle of Hanukkah Floam keep it company on its trip to Ohio.  Sadly, although I loved all of the other Floam collection polishes I've tried, Hanukkah Floam just didn't do it for me.  It's a departure from the Floam formula in that instead of two colors of matte glitter in a clear base, it has matte blue glitter and sparkly silver holographic glitter.  This makes for a pretty but unremarkable light blue glittery polish.  *sigh*  The formula was easy to work with, it was opaque in three coats, and it gobbled top coat like my dogs eating yogurt.

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The Floam collection polishes are available at Ninja Polish, where they retail for $9.00 each plus shipping.

Ninja Polish Floam Collection: Shamrock Floam!

Shamrock Floam was purchased by me with my own funds.

Oh my dog, it really happened!  I asked for Leprechaun Floam and I got it, just with a different name!  Like almost all of the polishes in the Floam collection, Shamrock Floam is made up of small matte glitters in a clear base.  For this polish, the glitters are of course green and white.  It covers completely in three coats and dries matte, which I prefer, but I also put on a coat of Gelous to show you what it looks like shiny.  All swatches are three coats.

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The Floam collection polishes are available at Ninja Polish, where they retail for $9.00 each plus shipping.

Dear Tom and Lorenzo,

My apologies for addressing you by your first names, but given that you use those names exclusively on your website, I believe Miss Manners would forgive me.  As a long-time reader of your site, I have watched with growing distaste your increasing dismissal of creative manicures as "pinterest nails" for some time.  I would not have bothered to write you about this particular form of snobbery (as I have plenty of snobbery of my own) had you not slammed an actress for "pinterest nails" when in fact she was simply wearing a holographic white nail polish.  This bit of inaccurate snobbery spurred me to list all the ways your disdain irritates me:

1. It's "Pinterest".  If you're going to use a proper noun, capitalize it, even if you are using it as an insult.

2. Pinterest users spend a great deal of time on their pages.  Perhaps not as much time as you two spend on yours, but nonetheless, the effort and thought deserve some respect.

3.  Those fashion shows you go to and write about?  Look at how many of those designers work with nail polish companies and manicurists on daring, exciting, exotic looks which enhance the fashion and tell me again that nail art should be looked down upon.

4.  You've mentioned on your blog that sometimes a designer's work needs to be separated from the show and visualized in the "real world" i.e. taking one gorgeous blazer and building an outfit of non-competing pieces with it.  Why shouldn't nail art sometimes be that piece?

5.  Not every woman has the body, paycheck, or lifestyle which makes wearing high fashion possible.  But all women can find an outlet for creativity, whether it's water-marbled nails or blue eye shadow.  If I need to dress up my navy blue pantsuit with holographic white nail polish because that's what I can get away with at the job which pays for my mortgage and my dogs' food, then don't you dare dismiss me from your self-employed high horse.

6.  There's a difference between a thoughtful opinion on what goes with what, which is supposed to be your strength as fashion bloggers, and outright dismissal of something you personally find unlikable, which is what you do every time you toss out the phrase "pinterest nails".  I'll be the first to agree that not every manicure goes with every outfit, and I'd be pleased to hear your thoughts on whether one should or should not wear plaid nails with a floral dress and vice-versa, but I'm tired of hearing you complain about anything that isn't a boring one-color crème polish.

7.  As much as you dislike putty-colored pumps with every dress on the red carpet, wouldn't you dislike putty-colored nails with every outfit?

If you've actually read this, and gotten this far, then thank you very much.  My shamrock-printed nails and I feel much better.

Yours in Bitter Kittenhood,

Jammies

Incoco Luck O'the Irish

Incoco has so many gorgeous patterns right now, including this stunner for St. Patrick's Day--Luck O'the Irish.  It's a gold background with four-leaf clovers in light, medium and dark green.  All of the Incoco polish strips are easy to apply, and Luck O'the Irish is no exception.  Although Incoco says you don't need top coat, I usually slap on a coat anyway.  This one doesn't need it for shine, but I like feeling that my mani is that much more protected.  I usually get a good four days out of an Incoco mani, and it might be longer but for my polish ADD. ;)  All swatches are polish strips plus one coat of Nubar Diamont.

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Luck O'the Irish is available now from Incoco, along with the rest of their St. Patrick's Day collection.  This particular set of strips costs $8.99 + very reasonable shipping costs.

More green & gold

Three coats of Sinful Colors San Francisco topped with one coat of Jessica Starry Night and one coat of Nubar Diamont.

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"Oooh, your nails look like cupcakes!"

It made my day when the cashier at the little cafe downstairs said that to me when I paid for my lunch.  :)  I painted my nails with two coats of Cult Nails Tempest, then added one coat of Zoya Rina, one coat of OPI Fresh Frog of Bel-Air and topped it with two coats of Gelous.  The result?  White frosting with green sugar sparkles!

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Green & gold half-moons

I may not be all that great at stamping or drawing on my nails, but at least I can do a relatively decent half-moon mani.  It's even more fun to use polishes in contrasting finishes, such as a foil and a matte!  For this look I used two coats of Zoya Ziv, a gorgeous gold foil, and topped it with two coats of Zoya Veruschka, a beautiful velvety matte.  Sadly, Veruschka is no longer available, but you can get Ziv at Zoya.com.

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I love the texture contrast and the color combination of this mani, and I got a ton of compliments on it as well!

OPI : Don't Burst My Bubble and Lights of Emerald City

The last two polishes I have for you from the Oz the Great and Powerful collection are a milky, barely-pink jelly and a unique glitter topper.

Don't Burst My Bubble is a soft pink-tinged white milky jelly, very springlike and very pretty.  This is not a polish that will be opaque, so if VNL bothers you, this is not the polish for you.  It is easy to work with, and crazy shiny without top coat.  All swatches are three coats without top coat, and they're a bit streaky, but I'm afraid that was my shaky hands rather than the polish.

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Lights of Emerald City is a pretty glitter topper, and I think the first one I've seen from OPI to use square glitter.  In addition to the matte white squares, there are also holographic silver hexes.  Lights was not too thick, the glitter spread was quite nice, and it only needed one coat of Gelous to be smooth.  All swatches are one coat over a base of Don't Burst My Bubble.

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The Oz the Great and Powerful collection is now available wherever OPI is sold, including, as of now, Ulta's website.  Finally, a place to buy OPI online from a retailer I trust! :D

OPI Oz the Great and Powerful collection: I Theodora You and Which is Witch?

I Theodora You is a soft pastel pink crème which is opaque in three coats and very shiny even without top coat.  It's not anything startling or new, but it's a pretty color which actually fills a gap in my collection.  All swatches are three coats and no top coat.

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Which Is Witch? is a glitter top coat loaded with silver micro-glitter and holographic silver hexes.  It's really lovely and not as thick as I expected.  I've shown one coat over I Theodora You without top coat.

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OPI's Oz the Great and Powerful collection is scheduled to premiere with the movie on March 8, 2013.

OPI Oz the Great and Powerful collection: Glints of Glinda and When Monkeys Fly

I'm starting to wonder if I even know myself anymore.  First I fell for a nude holo, then a nude matte glitter, and now I'm thinking maybe a nude crème polish is kinda pretty. o.O  Glints of Glinda, from this year's OPI Soft Shade collection, is a peachy beige that was opaque in three easy coats, and is basically the perfect mannequin hands or my nails but better shade for me.

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When Monkeys Fly is a glitter topper with large, slightly curled gold hexes and small and medium holographic glitter.  The curl on the gold hexes doesn't bother me, but I wish there were a bit more glitter, because this feels quite sparse.

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OPI's Oz the Great and Powerful collection is scheduled to premiere with the movie on March 8, 2013.

New spring patterns from Incoco!

press release

Spring is a time for new beginnings, bringing a breath of the fresh and the fashionable. Incoco invites you to celebrate the season with our Spring 2013 Collection, Freshly Picked Florals. 

Click here to shop!

I'm in love with In Bloom and Spring Vines, how about you?