Jesse's Girl/JulieG Frosted Gumdrops collection: Hot Cinnamon

published by me

Hot Cinnamon is exactly that, hot, hot, HOT.  It's a brilliant orange-toned red with lots of sparkle and a good helping of a matte base to really show off the texture.  The formula was thick but very easy to work with, and it was opaque in two coats and dried in 15 minutes.

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The Frosted Gumdrops collection is available now at the Jesse's Girl website and at Rite Aid stores for $3.99 + tax, and the wonderful G over at Nouveau Cheap has created an interactive sightings map so you can find them near you!

Jesse's Girl/JulieG Frosted Gumdrops collection: Crushed Candy

purchased by me

Crushed Candy is a medium lavender-toned pink, and it's very pretty.  The formula is thick but not unworkable, and it reached bottle color in two coats and dried in 20 minutes.

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Jesse's Girl/JulieG Frosted Gumdrops collection: Blueberry Fizz

purchased by me

This spring, Jesse's Girl has done another wonderful collaboration with beauty blogger and guru JulieG.  The Frosted Gumdrops collection consists of six textured glitter polishes in lovely candy colors.  I was most excited for Blueberry Fizz, and sadly, it had the same problem as Orly Aqua Pixel--too much glitter and not enough matte for contrast.  It's a very pretty periwinkle, but it just feels textured instead of also looking textured.  The formula was a bit thick, because of all the glitter, but it still dried completely within 20 minutes and was quite easy to work with.  All swatches are two coats with no top coat.

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The Frosted Gumdrops collection is available now at the Jesse's Girl website and at Rite Aid stores for $3.99 + tax, and the amazing G over at Nouveau Cheap has created an interactive sightings map so you can find them near you!

Cult Nails flash sale!

Hi, my name is John and I am Maria's husband.  She left me in charge of the Cult for the next few days, and I thought I would throw a FLASH SALE out there to introduce myself to those of you who don't know me.  Enjoy! Buy 6 Get 3 FREE!!!! I'm pretty much giving things away with this one!  Simply add nine regular priced polishes to your cart, enter the coupon code of BUY6GET3 at check out, and you'll only pay $72 for all nine!!!  WOW!!!  Remember, orders OVER $75 qualify for FREE shipping, so add a Wicked Fast Top Coat to your order for $10, and you'll get this shipped FREE as well!!!  THE LINK ABOVE WILL AUTOMATICALLY APPLY THIS COUPON! Buy 2 Get 1 FREE! Just add three regular priced polishes to your cart, enter the coupon code of BUY2GET1 at check out, and you'll only pay $24 for all three!  Plus shipping and tax where applicable, of course. THE LINK TO THE RIGHT WILL AUTOMATICALLY APPLY THIS COUPON! Buy 4 Get 2 FREE! Same process here, add six regular priced polishes to your cart, enter the coupon code ofBUY4GET2 at check out, and you'll only pay $48 for all six!  Again, shipping and tax will be charged where applicable. THE LINK TO THE RIGHT WILL AUTOMATICALLY APPLY THIS COUPON! OFFERS MAY NOT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER COUPONS.  FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS OVER $75.00 ANYWHERE WE SHIP WORLDWIDE.  TO QUALIFY FOR FREE SHIPPING, ORDERS MUST TOTAL $75.00 or more AFTER COUPONS HAVE BEEN APPLIED!

http://shop.cultnails.com

Orly High on Hope

purchased by me

After I picked up Peaceful Opposition, I wasn't going to get any more of the Hope & Freedom Fest polishes.  Then I saw Vampy Varnish's swatches and knew I had to have High on Hope.  It's a beautiful navy polish with tons of pink shimmer, and when the light hits it just right, the blue has a green tinge to it.  It was perfect in two easy coats and didn't stain my nails.

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If you look at the top edge of my index finger in the flash-less pic, you can see the hint of green!

The Hope & Freedom Fest polishes are limited edition, but they're still available at Ulta, Sally Beauty and the major e-tailers.  Retail price is around $8 plus shipping and any applicable tax.

Orly MegaPixel FX: Aqua Pixel

purchased by me

The MegaPixel collection is Orly's entry into the textured polish that's so hot this year, but it's very hard to find!  It's not at any of the usual e-tailers, the display at my local Ulta store was almost empty, and the only place I have found it online is Ulta's website.  Right now, they're $10 each, but if you buy two, you get one free.

I was not particularly impressed with the one polish I did manage to snag, Aqua Pixel.  It's a pretty enough blue glittery polish, but there wasn't enough green in the color for me to call it aqua, and there was no matte to the base to contrast with the glitter.  It just felt like a particularly rough glitter polish, one that would take 2-3 coats of Gelous to even approach being smooth.  All swatches are two coats with no top coat.

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My local Sally beauty had no idea if they are getting these polishes, and they're not on the Orly website, so I'd suggest that if you want them, you grab them from Ulta while the sale is still going on.

Zoya Stunning collection

Sent for review

Today I have swatches of the second Zoya collection for Summer 2013, Stunning, six bright, bold, summer cremes.

Individual pictures and reviews after the jump.

Zoya Summer 2013: The Irresistible collection

Sent for review

All of the polishes in the Irresistible collection are beautiful summer foils, easily living up to the collection's name.  In addition, they qualify for the Zoya Earth Day promo!  Individual pictures and reviews after the jump.

Zoya Stunning and Irresistible--this week!

It's been a busy weekend, but I've got these beauties all swatched for you, and I'll be posting reviews and pics this week!

OPI Bond Girls collection: Pussy Galore and Solitaire

Purchased by me

Today we have the last of the Bond Girls.  Tomorrow I start posting pictures, reviews and comparisons for Zoya's summer collections. :)

Pussy Galore is a light, blue-based pink.  In the bottle, it shows fuchsia sparkles, but on the nail they just blend in with the textured polish.  On the other hand, the frosty appearance also disappears into the texture, so it doesn't look "old".  It was opaque in three coats and dried in about 20 minutes.

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Solitaire looks like a white frost in the bottle, but again, no frosty look on the nail, just sparkly white texture.  It took three coats to reach bottle color, but it's very pretty and one of my favorite textured polishes!

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OPI is available at salons, some retail stores and in Ulta's stores and on Ulta's website.  Suggested retail price is $9.00 plus any applicable tax and shipping.

Zoya Pixie Dust: Liberty and OPI Bond Girls: Tiffany Case

Tiffany Case purchased by me

Liberty sent for review

Liberty, from Zoya's Pixie Dust collection, and Tiffany Case, from the OPI Bond Girls collection, are completely different blues.

Reviews and more pictures after the jump!

Zoya Earth Day promo!

Hooray for Earth Day! Once again, Zoya is helping you do a little spring cleaning with the return of the Earth Day Zoya Nail Polish Exchange* for 2013. Clean out your nail polish wardrobe and get rid of old nail polish that may not be BIG5FREE (Free of Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Toluene, DBP and Camphor) and exchange it for a greener alternative - long lasting, award winning, healthy Zoya Nail Polish bottles!

Now's the perfect time to make the switch to an eco-chic beauty routine! From April 19, 2013 - April 26, 2013 (11:59PM EST), exchange your old, unwanted nail color for toxin-free ZOYA Nail Polish for only $4 per bottle plus shipping and handling fees. Rest assured - ZOYA will properly dispose of your old polish. 

Here's all you need to do!
1.  Go to www.zoya.com and pick out the polishes you would like (excludes all Zoya PixieDust™ Collection shades) and add them to your cart. You must select at least 6 bottles and no more than 24 bottles of polish (Salon accounts minimum 12 maximum 48 bottles.)

2. Apply the code (copy and paste for best results): ZOYAEARTH2013
3. Your order value will be adjusted to reflect a 50% discount (we use these funds to properly dispose of the old nail polish).

4. SUBMIT your order!

Then Zoya will ship out your NEW polish! HOORAY!  This is how your order should look:

Once you get your order 
Here's where the exchanging* happens...

1.     Ship back the equivalent number of bottles you received to the return address below (ie. If you ordered 6 bottles of Zoya – you would send us 6 NON-ZOYA polishes). Please check with your carrier on the proper way to ship nail polish.

2.     Include a copy of your order. 

To clarify the exchange: You do not have to send us the exact amount of bottles that you are ordering. You can send any quantity up to that amount. You can also donate. If you decide you don't want to do either, it's ok "Offer is not contingent on customer returning polish" we will still love you and will send the Zoya polishes... we'll just send you on a guilt trip for a while :)

Ship Your Old Nail Polish To:

Art of Beauty, Inc.
c/o Polish Exchange
5060 Taylor Rd, Unit D
Cleveland, Ohio, 44128, USA

Once we receive your polish, we do the rest! It’s that simple!

IMPORTANT!
The bottles you send in cannot be Zoya, Qtica or Nocti polishes (but they can be any other brand). We are using the honor code here folks! We want to make sure you get your Zoya Nail Polish! We send you the polish first then you send your old polish back to us! If you do choose to send us your old polish we promise to properly dispose of it according to EPA guidelines. This offer is only good for 1 week so hurry – Don’t Wait!

*Offer valid online at www.zoya.com only. Offer expires on 4/26/2012 at 11:59PM EST. Continental US ONLY. Not valid with any other codes, coupons or promotions. Shipping and handling fees apply. Consumer accounts must exchange a minimum of 6 polishes with a 24 bottle maximum. Salon accounts must exchange at least 12 with a maximum of 48 bottles. Polish can be from any brand EXCEPT Zoya, Qtica or Nocti and can be exchanged for in-stock .5oz Zoya Nail Polish. Excludes all Zoya PixieDust™ Collection shades. Offer is not contingent on customer returning polish. Zoya Exchange code is unique and non-transferable. One code per account. Art of Beauty is not responsible for incorrect addresses, credit card entry errors or errors associated with declined credit cards. Please allow standard time for processing and shipping, however if volume is higher than expected please allow up to 6 weeks for shipping and processing. Art of Beauty, Inc. reserves the right to remove any polish that is out of stock from your order. You will not be charged for this polish. Backordered polish is not included in this promotion

OPI Bond Girls: Vesper and Zoya Pixie Dust: Stevie

Vesper purchased by me

Stevie sent for review

Today is all about the purple textured polishes!  From the lavender ice of Stevie to the vampy blackened purple of Vesper, you can pick the purple that suits you best.  Reviews and more pictures after the jump.

OPI Bond Girls: Jinx and Zoya Pixie Dust: Beatrix and Destiny

Jinx purchased by me

Beatrix and Destiny sent for review

Today is all about the orange textured polishes!  From the pure orange-juice-orange of Beatrix to the sultry red-orange of Jinx and Destiny, you can cover your tips and toes in sparkly, textured goodness just in time for summer!  Reviews and more pictures after the jump.

Zoya Pixie Dust: Miranda and OPI Mariah Carey: The Impossible

The Impossible purchased by me

Miranda sent for review

Today's pair is one that I thought would be a much closer match than it is! Pictures and reviews after the jump.

OPI Bond Girls: Honey Ryder and Zoya Pixie Dust: Solange

Honey Ryder purchased by me

Solange sent for review

Since these two collections arrived on my doorstep within a day of each other, and I was excited for both, I decided to swatch them in pairs.  Then I decided that some of the Zoya colors might be closer to the OPI/Mariah Carey colors, and so this is going to be a week of compare and contrast on textured polishes (and it might spill over into next week, too).   Pictures and reviews after the jump.

L.A. Girl Sand Blast collection: Sandals

Purchased by me

The L.A. Girl Sand Blast polishes are non-glittery, textured, matte polishes in eight colors.  Sandals is the second polish I purchased from this collection, and it's a bright, coral-toned pink.  My favorite thing about this polish was how tan it made my super-pale skin look!  It was opaque in three coats, dried fairly quickly, and the formula was on the thick side but still easy to work with.  All swatches are three coats.

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The Sand Blast collection is available on the L.A. Girl website, at Rite-Aid and other drugstores, and at Cherry Culture.  Prices range from $3-$5 US + shipping.

L.A. Girl Sand Blast collection: Sandstorm

Purchased by me

L.A. Girl entered the world of textured polishes recently with their Sand Blast collection.  The Sand Blast polishes are non-glittery, textured, matte polishes in eight colors.  Sandstorm is one of the two I purchased, and it's a soft, yellow-toned tan.  It's darker and warmer than Zoya Godiva.  It was opaque in three coats, dried fairly quickly, and the formula was on the thick side but still easy to work with.  All swatches are three coats.

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The Sand Blast collection is available on the L.A. Girl website, at Rite-Aid and other drugstores, and at Cherry Culture.  Prices range from $3-$5 US + shipping.

Sinful Colors Candy Coated

Purchased by me

Candy Coated is a basic pastel lilac.  There's some shimmer in the bottle, but it's completely nonexistent on the nail.  Still, it's a nice blue-based pale purple, and for $1.99, a decent addition to the stash of any lover of pastels and/or purples.  The formula was decent, patchy on the first coat and it took three coats to get rid of streaks, but it wasn't overly thick or runny.  All swatches are three coats with no top coat.

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Sinful Colors polishes are available at most major drugstores and retail for $1.99 + tax.

Sinful Colors Sweet Tooth

Purchased by me

Sweet Tooth is a basic pastel lavender.  There's some shimmer in the bottle, but it's completely nonexistent on the nail.  Still, it's a pretty color, and for $1.99, a decent addition to the stash of any lover of pastels and/or purples.  The formula was decent, patchy on the first coat and it took three coats to get rid of streaks, but it wasn't overly thick or runny.  All swatches are three coats with no top coat.

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Sinful Colors polishes are available at most major drugstores and retail for $1.99 + tax.

Jessica Cosmetics Born 2 Pansy

Purchased by me

This is the lightest purple polish with a blue flash which I have in my collection, lighter than FingerPaints Itsy-Bitsy Spider, Color Club Port-folio, and Orly Mysterious Curse.  Born 2 Pansy is a light, pink-toned lavender shimmer with a shy blue flash which doesn't like the camera.  The viscosity of the polish was perfect, but it was still somewhat streaky after two coats and took three to hide any streaks.  All swatches are three coats with no top coat.

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Topped with Finger Paints Itsy-Bitsy Spider in my first and lame attempt at a spun-sugar mani:

Born 2 Pansy was part of the summer 2012 Heavy Petal collection, but is still available at the Jessica Cosmetics' website for $7.50 + shipping.

Technical difficulties

A computer that won't read my camera card and a couple of rough days at work mean that I won't be posting until next week.  Thank you for your patience.

Orly Summer 2013: Mash Up

Take risks. Rock opposites. Start a riot with envy-inciting style. Now’s the time to blur the line between energetic and outrageous–with Mash-Up, the new Summer 2013 color collection from ORLY. Turn up the heat to the extreme, with hyper-brights and high-attitude hues that work the weird and wonderful with wild abandon.

Harmonious Mess

Choreographed Chaos

Mayhem Mentality

Sparkling Garbage

Pretty-Ugly

Beautiful Disaster