Monday, April 30, 2012

30 Days of Blues for Autism Awareness Recap

Hi everyone, as you may know, yesterday was my last day in my "30 Days of Blues".  I'm such a flake that I'm kinda surprised I made it.  :P

Just in case anyone missed a blue manicure and to put them all in one place, I am recapping all of my blue manicures for the month.  I hope this helps anyone if lemmings were created.  :)

This post is crazy full of pics, so I am inserting a jump.  Please click "read more" to see all the 30 blue manicures I posted during the month of April for Autism Awareness.



For each day, the polish name is a link that will take you directly to the post for that day.  If you would like to know stamping plate numbers and more details, please click the link.


Day 1


Day 2


Day 3


Day 4


Day 5


Day 6


Day 7


Day 8


Day 9


Day 10


Day 11


Day 12


Day 13


Day 14


Day 15


Day 16


Day 17


Day 18


Day 19


Day 20


Day 21


Day 22


Day 23


Day 24


Day 25


Day 26


Day 27


Day 28


Day 29


Day 30


That's it.  Whew.  Thanks again for reading my posts for Autism Awareness.  When I started this, I thought it would be a piece of cake, because 1. I'd gotten back in to the habit of polishing daily and 2. I love blues.  Well, it was a little harder than I thought.  Nothing bad, but it been a little challenging.  That said, I really felt like it was something so small and so simple that I could for autism awareness.  

Also, and this is a bonus, I feel like I have really improved as a blogger this month.  I feel like the quality of my swatches and pictures from now, at the end of the month, back to the first of the month has greatly improved.  It was unexpected, but daily posting really made me up my game.  Yay!  :P

FYI, I didn't check the links in this post.  What can I say... lazy.  If you happen to find one that links to a wrong post, please let me know and I will change it.  


30 Days of Blues for Autism Awareness - Zoya Jo

Welcome to DAY 30 (!) in my "30 Days of Blues".  I care about this cause so much, and this was such a little thing for me to do, but dang if I don't want another color on my nails.  LOL.  

For today's manicure, I went back to probably my favorite brand, Zoya, and picked an untried for me.  This is Zoya Jo...



This is 2 coats of Zoya Jo, a medium, dusty, denim blue shimmer.  I used Nfu Oh 61 and BundleMonster plate BM21 for the bottom stamped design.  I then used Konad White Special Polish and BundleMonster plate B11 for the flower.

I kind of did this out of necessity because the BundleMonster full-nail designs don't completely cover some of my wider nails.  Thus, I applied the flower as a way to mask this.  However, I really love this design.  I'd forgotten just how much I love layering stamped designs.   

Thank you again for reading.  I have appreciated all of your comments and emails.  They have meant so much to me.  I hope you have enjoyed my "30 Days of Blues".  I will be posting a recap post tonight of all 30 of my blue manicures for the month.  I think after this, I will need a week of Pink Detox.  :)

Sunday, April 29, 2012

30 Days of Blues for Autism Awareness - OPI Yoga-ta Get This Blue

Today is Day 29 in my "30 Days of Blues".  This is OPI Yoga-ta Get This Blue...



This is 2 coats of OPI Yoga-ta Get This Blue, a deep blue shimmer from OPI's 2009 Spring India collection.  I just checked and it looks like it's still in OPI's line-up.  

Come back tomorrow for the last day in my "30 Days of Blues".  

Saturday, April 28, 2012

30 Days of Blues for Autism Awareness - Nicole by OPI "Baby" Blue

Today is Day 28 in the "30 Days of Blues"...



This is Nicole by OPI "Baby" Blue, a light blue, as the base color.  I then topped Baby Blue with a coat of Nicole by OPI Rich in Spirit, a silvery-blue foil, on my tips.  I then stamped a design using BundleMonster plate B39 and Konad Black Special Polish.  

Sorry so short today, but I have a gazillion things to do.  Plus, it's one of those rare days where I'm just not feeling very wordy.  

Thank you so much for reading my "30 Days" posts.  Just 2 days left.  As always, you can email me at megan@apolishproblem with any suggestions, questions, or comments.

Friday, April 27, 2012

30 Days of Blues for Autism Awareness - Deborah Lippmann I Know What Boys Like with KleanColor Chunky Purple Holo

Today is Day 27 in my "30 Days of Blues".  If you remember me lamenting over Julep Taylor, you may know that I was trying to find my perfect periwinkle blue nail polish.  I thought that Taylor was much too purple, so after I removed it, I started searching for just the right shade.  And I think I may have found it in I Know What Boys Like...


It is just the perfect dusty shade of periwinkle.  Unfortunately, I had topcoat bubbles (which make me stabby), so I had to slap some glitter on it to mask them.  I chose KleanColor Chunky Purple Holo, which is a clear, light purple base loaded with multi-chrome glitter (it's not a holo).  

This 3 coats of I Know What Boys Like, and 2 coats of Chunky Purple Holo.  Best part?  I know have  the song by The Waitresses running though my head.  :P  And now you may have it, too.  LOL.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

30 Days of Blues for Autism Awareness - OPI Absolutely Alice

Today is Day 26 in my "30 Days of Blues" and today, I have for you probably my favorite glitter polish and one of my favorite polishes all together. This is OPI Absolutely Alice...



Absolutely Alice is a blue and gold glitter polish that was released with OPI's 2010 Alice in Wonderland collection.  I have both Absolutely Alice and it's glittery sister, Mad as a Hatter, and I have to say that Alice is my favorite.  

I adore this polish.  It's one of the more prized polishes in my collection.  The application on this one is perfect.  It takes 3 coats to reach opacity and there are none of the issues that I typically associate with glitters, like drag and leveling.  I'm assuming that's because the glitter in this is fairly fine.  It's also really even after 3 coats, but I still recommend a topcoat (as shown) as it does dry a little dull.

Unfortunately, Absolutely Alice is discontinued (isn't that always the way), though I did see bottles on eBay.  

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

A Face of Autism

During my month of blues for Autism Awareness, I had plans to take short breaks from the polish and share a little bit about us and our journey with autism, and I have just been so busy, I haven't had the chance.  Well, I'm taking it now.

This is Blake...




He is 6 years old.  He was officially diagnosed with autism last year.  He and his twin sister are my most favorite people.  He loves to play on computers and his Nintendo 3DS and basically anything that makes boops and bips.  

He has a dog.  His name is Sam.  Well, we have 2 dogs, but he and Sam are BFFs.   He loves his sister, but she drives him nuts.  He loves to cut his hair (see his handiwork?).  He says "take a nap" when he's had too much interaction.  He doesn't want a nap.  He just wants you to quit bugging him.  

He is scared to death of Spongebob Squarepants, but he loves Dora and will laugh uncontrollably at Wow, Wow, Wubbzy.  His favorite TV channel, outside of NickJr, is The Cooking Channel and his favorite chef is Julia Child.  

He had some hard times at school, but now he has found an amazing place.  His favorite friend at school is Zach.  He can READ.  Not just "moon", "dog", and "cat".  He can really read.  Better than his 8 year old cousin.  It's amazing.


He has come so far in such a short period of time.  He is now conversing with us, and we are actually seeing more of Blake every single day.  He is an amazing little boy, who has challenged me in every possible way.  I am better person because of him.  He has changed my definition of normal.  He has taught me what "true love" means.  Things can still be hard and everyday has a new challenge, but I no longer see autism as a bad word.  I just see Blake.  

<3

30 Days of Blues for Autism Awareness - BB Couture for Men Impact Driver

Today is Day 25 in my "30 Days of Blues".  I'm nearing the end, and I'm so happy.  Because as much as I love blues, and as much as I love this cause, I really want to wear some other color on my nails.  LOL.  

Also, I think I may have OD'd on cobalt blues, so today, I have for you a deep grey/blue shimmer.  This is BB Couture for Men Impact Driver...


This is 3 coats of Impact Driver, which is a deep grey/blue base with multi-colored shimmer. I picked this one up awhile ago, because I had read that it was a dupe of Rescue Beauty Lounge Catherine H.  Honestly, I don't think it's a dupe, as Catherine H. is more of a Wedgwood blue, rather than a greyed-blue.  That said, it's still an amazing shade.  FYI, be sure to enlarge the pics, so you can really see the shimmer.  It's fantastic.  The formula on this one, like all BB Couture polishes, was perfect. 

Blog Comments

As you all may know, since this blog started, I have let people post their blog URL with their comment.  I know a lot of bloggers think differently, but I have always felt that it never affected me if someone was to include their blog information along with their comment, so why not allow them.

I have also had the comments on this blog open and un-moderated.  That is simply because it's what I prefer as a blog-commenter myself.   I always like having my comment instantly appear on a blog, rather than having to go through the moderation process.  So that is what I did with my blog.

Unfortunately, due to a recent influx of link spam, I am having to re-think this policy.  Thus, as of today, 4/25/2012, all comments on A Polish Problem will be moderated.  I'm on the blog everyday, multiple times a day, so unless you post during my overnight hours, it shouldn't take but a few hours, if that, to have your comment appear on the blog.

Also, I have also re-evaluated my policy of allowing links in the comments.  I realize I could still allow blog links  in comments, while not posting the comments with the spammy links, but I figured a blanket policy would be much easier.  That means that I am no longer going to allow blog URLs to be posted within comments.

I remember how hard it was for me (and in some way still is) to gain readers.  That's why I've allowed bloggers to post their links in their comments, as I've always felt that I can use this blog as a way to promote other blogs.  I hate doing this, but I hate seeing spam in my comments more, and this is the only way I can control it.  As comments are now moderated, please know that any comment that includes a link will not be posted.  At first, I thought I could edit them, but I use Blogger's comment system, and it doesn't allow editing.

I will continue to post the Blogger Round Ups to help new and new-ish bloggers promote their blogs.  Rather than posting your URL in your comments, from here on out, if you are not in my blogroll, or if I have not previously featured you, please request to be in my next Round Up post.  To do this, you can respond in the most current Round Up post or Round Up reminder post.  You can find out more information, by clicking the above "Blogger Round Up" tab.  You can also email your requests to roundup@apolishproblem.com.  

If you have a product website or a product you would like me to review, please do not post your information within comments.  Rather, please contact me at megan@apolishproblem.com or apolishproblem@gmail.com.

Thank you.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Comparison: Rescue Beauty Lounge IKB:2012 vs Revlon Royal

As I had both of these out due to recent posts, I figured I would do a comparison post...


This picture, and the one above it are both 3 coats of both polishes.  You can see just how much lighter IKB:2012 is than Royal.  Also, you can see some of the formula issues I had with IKB:2012.  It's quite uneven without a topcoat.

This picture is 2 coats of Royal and 3 coats of IKB:2012.  As I was taking pictures of both polishes at 3 coats, I realized that it would probably be good if I showed you a comparison between 2 coats of Royal and 3 coats of IKB:2012, and they are the closest in color at that number of coats.  

As you can see, Royal is a brighter cobalt blue jelly, whereas IKB:2012 is still bright, but it also leans a bit purple, and it has a dustiness to it, that Royal does not.

I know that Ji mentioned on Rescue Beauty Lounge's FB page and on Twitter that IKB:2012 is currently out of stock, pending filling all of the orders.  It may be back in stock after all orders are filled, but no guarantees.  

Revlon Royal is readily available on Revlon's website, as well as through other online outlets, and at drugstores and big boxes nationwide.

30 Days of Blues for Autism Awareness - Revlon Royal

Today is Day 24 in my "30 Days of Blues", and today, I have for you a polish that was a recommendation in several comments in my cobalt blue posts.  Many of you told me that Revlon Royal may just be what I was looking for, and I think you may be right...



This is 3 coats of Revlon Royal, a bright, cobalt blue jelly.  I did 3 coats, because I had a thin spot on my ring finger. If I had waited more time between my first coat and my second, I wouldn't have had the thin spot, as it was from drag.  So it's definitely a polish that can be opaque in 2 coats, just make sure to go slow.  I also recommend 2 coats, if you can, simply because it's brighter at 2, rather than 3 coats.

I'm not sure why I hadn't picked up Royal before.  I'm not a huge fan of Revlon's formula, so maybe that is why.  I also thought it was going to be more of a creme, rather than a jelly.  Not sure where I got that.  LOL.  Anyway, Royal is a perfect cobalt jelly.  I hate to say it, because essentially it means that I wasted $20, but this is so much better, in my opinion, than RBL IKB:2012.  Though, I do need to do a direct comparison between IKB and Royal just to make sure, I think that this polish is what I wanted IKB:2012 to be.

Best part, this Revlon cost me $6 and that was at Walgreen's.  If you can get it at a big box (which the ones around me are always OOS of Royal), it's less than 5 bucks.