Deborah Lippmann Some Enchanted Evening over Essie Marathin

Over the next few days, I plan to swatch Essie's Yogaga collection, but in the meantime, today, I have for you one of the polishes from that collection, Marathin.  I loved it on it's own, but me being me, I had to add glitter to it...

I used 2 coats of Marathin, a medium-toned, tea rose creme, and topped that with a gradient of Some Enchanted Evening.  

The formula on Marathin was perfect.  I was able to reach opacity in 2 coats over a coat of CND Stickey (I'm trying hard to get back in the habit of using base coats).  

Essie Marathin is available at essie.com and Deborah Lippmann Some Enchanted Evening can be purchased at deborahlippmann.com.  

Marathin was sent to me for review.  Some Enchanted Evening was purchased by me.  Links within this post link to sites to purchase polishes shown and are not affiliate links. 

KBShimmer Newsprint

This is 2 coats of Newsprint over 2 coats of Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather.  

When I first saw the polishes on KBShimmer's website, Newsprint was the first one I was drawn to.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to pick it up in my first order, as Christy said she had an issue with the red bar glitter and was waiting on a replacement.  However, as soon as I saw that it had been restocked, I placed another order before I'd even received my first on.  I wanted it that much.  

Newsprint is one of the more unique indie glitters in my collection and it's easily one of my favorites.  It's a mix of red, white, black, and silver glitters in all sorts of shapes and sizes suspended in a dark grey base.  There are bars, hexes, sqaures, and microglitter.  In fact, on KBShimmer's product page for this polish, it states that 14 glitters went in to this polish.  

I had no issues with application or formula on this.  The glitters easily came out of the bottle and were dispersed well on the nail.  I think you could possibly reach opacity with this polish, but to keep from adding so many layers on my nails, which can lead to goopy-ness, I chose to layer it over Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather.  

KBShimmer polishes are available on their website, and sell for $8.50 a bottle.  Please note that if you are international, KBShimmer only sells directly to US customers.  If you are outside of the US, you will need to purchase their polishes from their stockist, Harlow & Co.  KBShimmer polishes from Harlow & Co sell for $9 a bottle.  Currently Harlow & Co is out of stock on all KBShimmer polishes, but I read that there should be a restock this weekend.  

Newsprint was purchased by me.  All links within this post are not affiliate links.

Deborah Lippmann Run the World (Girls) Boxed Set

So, I have been lemming this Deborah Lippmann neon boxed set for months.  As soon as I saw the press release, I immediately said "want".   I kept putting it off because it was only a set of minis and it was $45, but as soon as I saw that HSN had it for $35 and it was on value-pay, I snatched it up.  I got it a few weeks ago, and finally had a chance to swatch it...

Isn't the packaging the cutest?  I love that the polish bottles form the nail colors when you put the lid on the box.  I'm a sucker for adorable packaging.  

The colors themselves are a set of 5 neons, each of them named after a song with "girl" in the title...

Hollaback Girl - red-orange neon.  Hollaback Girl surprised me a little bit.  I thought it was going to be more orange when it was in the bottle, but then when I applied it, you could definitely see the red coming through.  It's like a neon version of OPI A Good Man-darin is Hard to Find.  Also, I now have "Hollaback Girl" stuck in a continuous loop in my head.

I Kissed a Girl - candy pink neon.  I Kissed a Girl is a gorgeous medium pink, with a good amount of blue in the base.  It reminded me of Orly Beach Cruiser, in that it's a neon pink, but unlike Beach Cruiser, it doesn't burn your retinas.  I really loved this color and it is one of my 2 favorites in this set, and it's the one that I wish she would sell as a full-sized single.  I had no issues with the formula.  3 coats.

It Girl - bright yellow neon.  It Girl was the sheerest of the bunch and is the only one that is a true jelly.  Personally, I didn't really like it alone on my nails, as it is almost the color of egg yolks.  However, I loved it when layered over white.  The first picture is 3 coats of It Girl by itself and the second color is 2 coats of It Girl layered over 2 coats of Nails Inc Floral Street.

Nasty Girl - magenta neon.  Nasty Girl was my second favorite in this set.  It's a beautiful magenta-purple and was the most opaque of the bunch.  I was able to reach opacity in 2 coats, but I used 3 to be consistent.  It did remind me a bit of Zoya Charisma, though, so I need to do a comparison.  Although, I think Nasty Girl leans a bit more red.  I used a topcoat over this polish to show you how they look when you apply topcoat.  

Party Girl - coral neon.  I say this is a coral, but keep in mind that this is a very red-based coral, like Rescue Beauty Lounge Bangin' (I don't have it to compare, unfortunately).  Again, the formula was very nice and I used 3 coats.  I did have a bit of a wonky brush on Party Girl, but it wasn't hard to control.

I think I may be in love with this set.  It's really cute, but also, all of the colors, except for It Girl are very wearable.  You can also make It Girl wearable simply by giving her a little foundation (is it wrong that I keep wanting to say "nail polish panties"? LOL).  I tried the other colors over white, and they didn't seem to play as nice, so they are definitely colors that can be work on their own.  The one thing I wish Deborah had changed was substitute one of the red-based polishes, Hollaback Girl and Party Girl, with another neon (blue or green) or perhaps even a bright white, though I realize she probably used the colors she did from a continuity stand-point.  

Also, the finish on these dries, what Deborah Lippmann calls, "demi-matte".  To me, they are more of a rubbery finish, like some of the Illamasqua polishes.  In some reviews I read of this set, I saw that many people were complaining of the finish.  Keep in mind, the finish is par for the course with neon polishes.  If you want to make your neons shiny, simply add a swipe of topcoat, like I did with Nasty Girl above.  Easy peasy.  

This set retails for $45, though I found it cheaper on HSN.com, though sadly, it's no longer on value-pay.  The set includes five 0.27 fl oz minis.  So, if you use retail pricing, that's $8 per mini or about half the price of a regular sized Lippmann polish.   Which isn't bad for these considering they are a good sized mini (much larger that the OPI minis which are an 1/8th of an ounce).   Yes, this is girl-math.  :)

Deborah Lippmann Run the World (Girls) was purchased by me from HSN.com.  The above link links to this product on HSN's website and is not an affiliate link.

Deborah Lippmann Dream a Little Dream of Me

So, I have become a little addicted to Deborah Lippmann's polishes.  It seems like as soon as I say I'm done, HSN will have a fabulous deal to which that I just can't say no.  My most recent purchase from HSN included the Run the World (Girls) neon box set (review coming soon), as well as a duo of Don't Tell Mama and Dream a Little Dream of Me.  

Honestly, I wasn't going to get the duo.  Yes, it was clearanced out for less than $10, but it also only had one color I thought I would like, and that color was Don't Tell Mama.  In the end, I decided to get it for Don't Tell Mama, and I, pretty much, thought of Dream a Little Dream of Me as a throw-away color.  And once I got it home, my opinion was, unfortunately, not changed...

It's a sheer candy pink with blue, iridescent micro-shimmer.  I really did not like this polish alone on my nails.  The color didn't work with my skin, and for a pink polish, I have no idea how it made my nails appear yellow.  The above picture is 3 coats and I am nowhere near opacity.  So, I was all set to chuck it in my reject box when I decided to layer it over black.  This is what I discovered...

The above 2 pictures show 2 coats of Dream a Little Dream of Me over 2 coats of Nails Inc Black Taxi.

Isn't it amazing?  It doesn't even look like the same polish.  Layering it over a dark base color, completely turns this one from a "no" to a resounding "YES".  The dark base essentially makes the sheer pink base color go away and you are left with the amazing blue shimmer.  This really reminds me of the long-discontinued China Glaze Blk Bila Bong or maybe even Chanel Nuit de Russie.  

I think this would look fantastic layered over other dark bases as well.  I can't wait to try it over a navy blue or a deep, vampy purple. 

Deborah Lippmann Dream a Little Dream of Me can be found at various online stores including HSN.com (where I purchased mine).  I got mine in a clearance duo, which is sadly out of stock now, but HSN still carries this polish as a single.  Dream a Little Dream of Me retails for $16 a bottle.

Deborah Lippmann Dream a Little Dream of Me was purchased by me.  The above link links to this product at HSN.com and is not an affiliate link.  

Comparision - Deborah Lippmann Private Dancer vs. Nails Inc Cheyne Walk

In my Nails Inc Cheyne Walk post, I had a comment by Mel, Glassflecked asking if it was similar to Deborah Lippmann's new purple chrome, Private Dancer.  As I had both, I figured I'd do a quick comparison...

When I saw them in the bottle, I thought they would be more different than they actually are.

On the nail, these are very similar, with Private Dancer being a little more reflective (it has more of a chrome finish that Cheyne Walk).  It also is a little brighter and it seems that Cheyne Walk has more red in the base.  Cheyne Walk also has more shimmer particles.  

All of that said, my husband couldn't tell these apart.  He stared at them for 2 minutes and couldn't say how they were different.  So, for those people that aren't "nail polish people" these probably could pass for dupes.  The formula on both was very similar, as it took 3 coats to reach opacity on both.  

Personally, I think they are very close, and unless you just have the need for both, I would say you would be okay with one or the other.  Nails Inc Cheyne Walk retails for $9.50 a bottle and Deborah Lippmann Private Dancer is $18.  The Lippmann is almost twice as much, but the Nails Inc is a 0.33 oz bottle and the Lippmann is 0.50 fl oz.  

Deborah Lippmann Ray of Light

This is 2 coats of Deborah Lippmann Ray of Light topped with one coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri topcoat.

I had been lemming this polish since it was released.  Then I read reviews that the formula was problematic, so I opted to get Ray of Light's sister polish, Sweet Dreams, instead.  However, I couldn't kill the lemming.  So, when Ray of Light became available on Apothica.com, I snatched it up.

In the bottle, it is so, so pretty.  It's a deep, indigo jelly-ish creme loaded with multi-chrome flakies.  On the nail, however, it was a little disappointing.  It was thick, and yet runny all at the same time.  It also didn't want to self-level (as you can see on my ring finger).  Additionally, it dried a bit muddy, so you must use a topcoat, and I probably would use two coats of topcoat.  

All that said, It's still beautiful, so I am happy that I finally got my hands on it.  Just know that if you are lemming it, too, it's not the easiest polish to work with.  If you love the look of the multi-chrome flakies from Deborah Lippmann, I would first recommend picking up Sweet Dreams (because it's fantastic).  Also, please keep in mind that Deborah Lippmann's information states that this polish, as well as Sweet Dreams, have 3-D holographic flakies.  These flakies are not holographic, they are multichrome.  

Ray of Light is available through various online outlets, including Apothica.com.  Retail price is $18 a bottle.

Ray of Light was purchased by me from Apothica.com.  I used a gift card that I receive though my sponsorship agreement with Apothica.  The above links in this post link to a previous post on this blog, as well as to this product on Apothica's website and are not affiliate links.

Dollish Polish Toxic Avenger

So normally, I try to avoid posting swatches of polishes that are extremely hard-to-find.  I know that personally, I hate perusing blogs and seeing a polish I love and then finding out it's long-discontinued or a super rare limited-edition.  I like to be able to go and purchase something once the lemming fire has been lit.

Probably like most of you, my most recent lemmings have been for indie brands, despite my claim that I've given up on indies.  LOL.  My general rule on posting indies is that if I have the indie polish, I will post a picture of it, provided that at some point, it will be restocked.

However, I had to make an exception for this baby.  Isn't she gorgeous?

This is one coat of Dollish Polish Toxic Avenger over 2 coats of Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather.

You may remember that my entry to last year's Rescue Beauty Lounge Fan Collection contest was an oilslick polish.  I based the entry on a picture that I took the day after Christmas, right after we had our first-in-a-million-years white Christmas.  

An oilslick polish has been my dream for years and I was inspired by the picture.  I wasn't even planning on entering the contest and then I saw that gorgeous swirly rainbow in the middle of a dirty gas station parking lot, and I couldn't help myself.  Unfortunately, for whatever reason, Ji Baek didn't feel the same as I did and my idea wasn't selected as one of the finalists.  Boo.  

After my submission was rejected, I tried to find a polish that hits all of my check boxes when it comes to my dream "oilslick".  Some have come close, but so far, I had not found a polish that has the same feeling as my inspiration picture.  In fact, I pretty much decided that it was an urban legend.. a mythical being, and given up.

Then I saw Toxic Avenger on Krystal's blog a few months ago.  Yes, it's a holographic polish, but it's so much more.  There is also a duochrome shift to it, which unfortunately, I didn't capture in my pictures, but it shifts from pink to green.  And because of the spectraflair pigment, I think this one would look holographic in a cave.  :P 

I did think that it was too light to be my perfect oilslick polish, but a base of dark grey fixed that.  I opted to layer it over my new favorite grey creme, Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather.  Also, because I have a mini bottle (and this stuff is like liquid gold, IMO), I will probably continue to layer it when I wear it.

Unfortunately, it was a limited edition polish and I didn't know if Dollish Polish was going to ever restock it.  Then, I saw it listed as the "mystery polish" when Dolly re-opened her store last week.  I added it to my cart quick as a bunny, and I am so, so, so happy I did.  I think I could stare at my nails for a week and not get bored.  

As I mentioned, Toxic Avenger is a LE polish, and while Dolly is continually restocking her store on a relatively frequent basis, I'm not sure if Toxic Avenger will be making a come-back.  I hate showing you a polish that requires you to make deals with Rumpelstiltskin to acquire, but I just couldn't help it.  Please forgive me for any lemmings this may have created.

Dollish Polish Toxic Avenger was purchased by me.  The above links link to a post on this blog and Polish Galore and are not affiliate links. 

Deborah Lippmann Daytripper

Recently, I have become a little obsessed with Deborah Lippmann's polishes.  I am starting to love everything about them, from the stable, signature square bottle, to the shape of the handle, that fits  perfectly between your fingers for maximum control, to the color range.  In the past month alone, I think I've picked up 10 new Lippmanns.  :|  Thankfully for my wallet, most of them were either acquired from the clearance sale on HSN or by using my Apothica.com giftcard (which I receive as part of my site sponsorship with Apothica).  

One of those polishes I purchased from Apothica was Daytripper...

Daytripper is a bright melon jelly-ish creme.  The finish and formula on this one was very similar to that of the OPI sorbet polishes from last year's Texas collection.  Because of this, it took 4 coats to reach opacity on this one.  After the third coat, I still had a few thin spots, so when I had to apply that fourth coat, I got very worried that it would remain gooey on my nail and wouldn't dry.  However, after one coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri, it was completely dry in about 20-25 minutes.  So, this is one of those polishes that can handle several coats, if necessary.  

The color on this one is so pretty, and I actually think it's unique in my collection.  At first, I thought it was going to be too warm for me, but after putting it on, I see that it has just the right balance of peach and pink for just about every skin tone.  I think it is a perfect color for summer.

Deborah Lippmann Daytripper is a part of her regular line-up and should be available anywhere you find Deborah Lippmann polishes.  I always get my Lippmanns online and my favorite places to purchase them are Apothica.com, Zappos, and What She Buys.  

Daytripper was purchased by me using an Apothica.com gift card that I received as part of my sponsorship agreement with Apothica.  The above links link to various sites to purchase this product and are not affiliate links.

Deborah Lippmann Dancing in the Sheets/ Let's Hear it for the Boy Duo

Recently, I showed you the first duo from Deborah Lippmann's Footloose HSN collection.  Today, I have for you the second duo, the blue duo...

Dancing in the Sheets - deep, inky purple-blue shimmer.  The base color on this one is gorgeous, but my favorite part of this polish is the green and blue shimmer (as you can see in the bottle).  It does translate to the nail quite nicely, though it's a little hard to see it in my picture.  You can see it the best on my pinky.  This one had a great formula and was opaque in 2 coats.

Let's Hear it for the Boy - light blue creme.  This one really reminds me of Julep Jessica, and is now tied with Jessica as my favorite pale blue creme.  I love this shade of pale blue.  It's soft and yet, it doesn't fade away.  I did have a bit of streaking with the formula, but it evened out on the last coat (pretty typical for a pale polish).  3 coats.

I purchased this set, along with the other duo, at HSN.com for $9.95.  Unfortunately, this set is no longer available on their website.  I almost didn't post these polishes, but for continuity's sake, I figured I'd go on and review them.  The Almost Paradise/Footloose duo is still available, however.

I purchased these polishes myself at HSN.com.  The above links link to previous posts on this blog, as well as to products at HSN.com and are not affiliate links.

Deborah Lippmann Almost Paradise/Footloose Duo

Back in the fall, to coincide with the release of the Footloose remake, Deborah Lippmann released a set of 4 lacquers exclusively through HSN.  These polishes were sold in sets of 2 and retailed for $32 a pair.  However, recently, HSN clearanced out these polish duos.  They started at half-price and, just a couple of weeks ago, they dropped the price to $9.95 a set.  Considering Deborah Lippmann's polishes retail for $16+, this is a fabulous deal.  I don't think I wasted any time in picking up both sets, once I saw the new clearance price.  I may have even been dancing in my chair when I clicked "submit order".  :P  

Today, I have for you the red/green set, Almost Paradise and Footloose...

Almost Paradise - light celedon green creme.  This is the main reason I picked up this set.  I know sometimes, pale greens look like crap on me, but this one is an exception.  It's so light and airy and I think it will look amazing this summer.  The formula was typical for a pale polish.  It was streaky until the last coat and it took 3 coats to reach opacity.  

Footloose - tomato red creme.  I purchased this duo for Almost Paradise (well, that and because it was 10 bucks.  LOL), and I kind of considered Footloose to be just another red, but it's far from it.  Before I found this polish, NARS Dovima was my holy grail tomato red, but Footloose has now surpassed it.  The formula was fantastic and it was opaque in 2 coats.  

I think this is a great set, and I honestly think it would even be worth full-price.  Thankfully, you don't have to pay that.  LOL.  Also, even if you aren't a fan of greens, I would still consider getting this set, as Footloose is such a perfect summer red.  It would also be a great way to introduce greens into your polish wardrobe, as it comes with a great red.  

The Almost Paradise/Footloose Duo is still available at HSN.com and is on sale for $9.95.  You will have to pay shipping, but it's pretty reasonable.  If you purchase this one, along with the blue duo (swatches coming soon), then you will receive half-priced shipping on your second set.   UPDATE - looks like the blue duo has sold out, though I will post swatches, nonetheless.  

Almost Paradise and Footloose were purchased by me at HSN.com.  The above link directly links to this product and is not an affiliate link.  

Deborah Lippmann Some Enchanted Evening

Some Enchanted Evening is the second polish I received in my GMA Steals and Deals order.  I'd been lemming this one since it came out a few years ago, but I never got around to paying full-price for it, despite my love of Deborah Lippmann's hex glitter polishes.  Once I saw it at half-price, however, I had to make it mine.  :)

Deborah Lippmann's website describes this one as being a salmon pink glitter, but in my opinion, it's not exactly salmon.  When I think of "salmon pink", I think of a color that leans a bit more orange than this glitter.  To me, this is a true rose-pink glitter.  I knew I wanted this polish based on swatches, but in person, it is it even prettier than it looks online.  It is so light and pretty and girly that I wanted to pair it with a base equally as pretty.  As I was still feeling inspired by yesterday's sponged gradient post, I decided to give that same application a try for today's manicure.

For the base, I used 3 coats of Color Club Coastal Creme, a true cream creme polish, and I sponged Jessica Cosmetics Flirtation over top.  To create the gradient, I used a plastic sheet (a sheet protector -BIG thank to the Nailsaurus for that fantastic idea - and a round makeup sponge).  First, I mixed Coastal Cream and Flirtation on my plastic sheet and then applied that over my nail using the sponge.  I then sponged only Flirtation on the tips of my nails, making sure to apply it a little thicker as I got to my tips (hence, the gradient).  Once it was dried and sealed with topcoat, I then applied one coat of Some Enchanted Evening and another coat of topcoat.

This one is super pretty in real life, and I'm a little afraid it's just not translating well in pictures.   Nonetheless, I think I may be addicted to sponged gradients.  It's the new glitter tips.  LOL.  :P

If you are interested in any of the polishes used for this manicure, you can purchase Some Enchanted Evening at just about any website that sells Deborah Lippmann polishes.  Retail is $18.  Jessica Flirtation is now available on Jessica's website for $7.50.  Coastal Creme came out several years ago with Color Club's Yacht Club collection and it appears to now be discontinued.  However, you can still find it online in the $4-6 range.

I purchased Some Enchanted Evening through GMA's Steals and Deals event.  Jessica Flirtation was sent to me for review.  Coastal Creme was also purchased by me.  The above links are not affiliate links.

X Out Inspired Nail Art Project

Recently, I received an email from Gunthy-Renker's PR regarding a nail art project they are hosting for one of their brands, X Out.  X Out is a acne medication specifically for teens, created by the founders of Proactiv.

The idea behind the project is to create an nail art look inspired by X Out's packaging and manifesto.  For every participating blogger in this project, Gunthy-Renker will donate $200 to Pacer's National Bullying Prevention Center.  As soon as I read that, I was more than happy to participate.  <3

To assist with the idea process, X Out sent out a a PR image of their packaging for X Out, as well as their "manifesto"...

When I first saw the PR images, my mind immediately thought of a literal translation to take the letter "X" and words from their packaging, and put them on my  nails.  The only problem is that I kind of stink at freehand nail art and I really don't have any proper supplies for freehand art (my kids steal my brushes).  Thus, I realized I needed to think more outside of the box.

So I re-read the "manifesto" and remembered just what it was like to be a teenager.  I'm 37, which to teens may seem old, but honestly, I feel like I was just there (guess my parents really weren't as ancient as I made them out to be.  :P).  I remembered being pulled in a thousand directions, all-the-while trying to be somewhat cool and get my resume college-ready at the same time.  Now that I have a mortgage and kids and I'm 20 years out of high school, it all seems somewhat simpler than life now, but I definitely remember high school being a stressful time.  I also remember it being fun and a little (lot) crazy.

So I took all of that in to consideration and this is what I came up with...

Using the colors in X Out's packaging and "manifesto", I used Zoya Malia and Zoya Yummy to create a gradient as the base.  This is 2 coats of Malia with 2 coats of Yummy sponged over top.  I then used Konad Special Polish in black to stamp the "stars and arrows" design from BundleMonster plate BM20 over the gradient.  I then added one coat of Deborah Bring on the Bling over the stamp to add a bit of sparkle.  

I really, really loved the final product on this and it has spawned tons of other ideas in my head.  It also got me compliments from the drive-thru girl at Burger King (it makes my day when people ask to see my nails).  :)  

I hope you girls love this one as much as I do.  If you are interested in more information on X Out, please check out their website.  For more information on the Pacer's National Anti-Bullying Prevention center, please click on the link above.  

X Out packaging and manifesto images were provided by Gunthy-Renker's PR.  The links within this post are not affiliate links.

Deborah Lippmann Sugar Daddy

This is 3 coats of Sugar Daddy with one coat of Nubar Diamont topcoat.

Recently, Deborah Lippmann offered 6 nail polishes at 50% through Good Morning America's Steals and Deals.  The 6 polishes were understated shades to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the royal wedding.  Two of them were pale, sheer pinks, and two of them I had already, so I had to pass on those, but I was sure to pick up Some Enchanted Evening and Sugar Daddy.  With shipping, which was admittedly high, I still spent less than the cost of 2 Lippmann polishes at full-retail.  I think I paid around $23 for both.  As I was lemming both polishes, I considered it a bargain.  

Sugar Daddy is one of the new mirrored chromes being offered by Deborah Lippmann.  It is a rose/champagne gold chrome with a green flash (you can see the green the best in the bottle in the second picture).  The finish on this one is extremely shiny and very reflective.  Given how pretty this one was, I am definitely going to get the other two, Private Dancer and Swagga Like Us.

I did have a small issue with brushstrokes, but you can combat that by going slow and in one direction.  Don't make any "half-strokes", either.  Instead, have all your strokes going from the base of your nail to the tip of your nail.  You will still have brushstrokes (just the nature of the beast, really), but they will just look like part of the finish and not take away from the shiny.  :)  Also, be sure that your nails are clean when you apply this one.  Any fibers or bumps will stick out like a sore thumb with this finish, and there is no way to cover them with topcoat.  You either have to live with them, or re-do the nail (only did that about 3 times.  :P)

Brushstroke issues aside, this is still a gorgeous polish.  I did think it was going to be more rose-gold than champagne, and have a tad stronger green flash, but those are small issues.  It's still really, really pretty.

Sugar Daddy is available on Deborah Lippmann's website, though recently the mirrored chrome polishes have become available at other outlets, such as Neiman Marcus and What She Buys.  Retail price is $18 a bottle.

Deborah Lippmann Sugar Daddy was purchased by me during the GMA Steals and Deals event.  The above links are not affiliate links.

Deborah Lippmann Sweet Dreams

Several days ago, I posted that I had become with obsessed with Deborah Lippmann Ray of Light.  Because of this obsession, I looked for any and all swatches of Ray of Light I could find and during said search, I learned that Ray of Light had a pink sister, Sweet Dreams.  Once I saw pics of it, I had to have it.  You mean mylar flakies in a hot pink jelly?  Okay... NEED.  LOL.  

Anyway, despite my lemmings, I'd been hemming and hawing on purchasing both Ray of Light and Sweet Dreams mainly because of availability.  Deborah Lippmann's site had both, but I didn't want to spend the amount to get the free shipping, so I had to find another source.  Turns out, HSN had Sweet Dreams, but not Ray of Light (it had gone out of stock).  But I still couldn't pull the trigger.  That was until I tweeted asking if I should get it or not.  Once Deborah Lippmann tweeted me back saying "I say YES" (!), I decided it had to be mine.  :)

I ordered it from HSN on 4/27/2012 and I just got it today.  Pretty good turn-around time (not like Zappos, but nothing is), but what sucks is that the bottle was completely broken.  And I really don't think it happened in shipment.  I've ordered Lippmanns from numerous locations and I've never received a broken bottle.  It looks like this one was dropped.  :(

Thankfully, HSN has online chat, so I was able to immediately chat with a representative.  If you are hesitating ordering from HSN, don't.  No questions asked I got a new bottle shipped out to me.  Their customer service was amazing (and customer service is one of my hot buttons).  That made me very happy, but I was also bummed because I had a bottle of pretty polish that I couldn't use and couldn't swatch.  It made my polish-loving heart very sad.  See...

Well, I decided to take a closer look at the broken bottle and I realized that if I was careful, I could open it and use it.  And that's what I did...

This is 3 coats of Deborah Lippmann Sweet Dreams with Nubar Diamont top coat.  I applied the top coat simply to add shine.  It wasn't bumpy at all.  

I knew I would love this polish and lemme tell you, I wasn't wrong.  It's amazing.  It's a bright, medium-toned, strawberry pink jelly loaded with duo-chrome mylar flakies, that don't get lost in the base color.  I needed all three coats to reach full opacity, but you are going to want those coats to achieve a layered affect with the flakies.  I know, I'm usually about fewer coats, but it dried quickly and the formula is very easy to work with.  

I am so happy I got this, even if I had to deal with a small issue (I do plan on decanting what's in the broken bottle into an old topcoat bottle).  And of course, now I can't get the Marilyn Manson version of "Sweet Dreams" out of my head (and I'm sure that wasn't Deborah's inspiration. LOL), but that's one of the reasons I bought it <blush> so that's okay.  :P

Sweet Dreams is currently available at Deborah Lippmann's website, as well as Nordstrom.com (they must have gotten it after I ordered from HSN).  I got mine from HSN.com, where it still available for $16, rather than the $18 elsewhere.

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.

30 Days of Blues for Autism Awareness - Deborah Lippmann Glitter in the Air

Welcome to day 17 in my "30 Days of Blues" for Autism Awareness...

This is 3 coats of Deborah Lippmann Glitter in the Air over, what has become my go-to pale blue creme, Julep Jessica.  Glitter in the Air is blue and pink, multi-sized and multi-shaped glitter in a milky, pale blue sheer base.  

Honestly, I love the look of Glitter in the Air, as there is something about it that is almost ethereal.   That said, it is a polish that must be layered rather than using it on it's own.  Otherwise, you will find it incredibly frustrating and you may even wonder why you purchased it at all (done that).  In my experience, I recommend layering it over a blue base rather than trying to use another color.  I've tried it over other pastels, and white, and I just prefer it over a similar-toned light blue.  Also, I find that several coats of this one, rather than simply using it as a topcoat, look better, as it gives layers to the glitter, rather than just having the glitter sit on top of the base color, if that makes sense.

I know that Revlon has a similar shade, and I'm all for getting lower-priced dupes.  However, I oftentimes find myself frustrated with Revlon's brush and their formula.  Thus, I don't have the dupe to compare.  Also, I find that Lippmann's brushes (along with Zoya's brush and Nubar's brush) are perfect for polishing short nails.  I have so much more control with the shorter handle.  So, if I can swing the Lippmann (even if there is a dupe), I will usually get that over the cheaper polish.  Plus, the formula was great.  I did have to work at bit to get the glitter in the right places, but that's par for the course with this type of polish.  

Bottom line, it's a gorgeous polish.  It just needs a little help to look this gorgeous (don't we all.  LOL).  

Lippmann Glitter in the Air is readily available on the internet, and I think it's also available in the beauty departments of larger department stores, such as Nordstrom.  Deborah Lippmann polishes retail for $16 and up, though glitters, such as this one, are usually in the $18 range.  I usually get my Lippmanns from Zappos, whatshebuys.com, or Apothica.com.

30 Days of Blues for Autism Awareness - I love "blue" "cherry" much!

Today is Day 16 in my "30 Days of Blues" for Autism Awareness.  Sorry for the completely corny title of this one.  LOL.

Anyway, for today, I decided I wanted to do another deep blue, but this time, I wanted to punch it up with some lighter and brighter color.  I chose a base of Nina Ultra Pro Sailor and then threw the kitchen sink at it...

I used 2 coats of Nina Ultra Pro Sailor (a rich, navy creme) and then applied a cherry stamp design using the all-over cherry design from BundleMonster plate BM21 and the single cherry design from BundleMonster plate B70 using Konad White Special Polish.  I then used my largest dotting tool and applied Zoya Shelby on a few of the cherries.  Last, but not least, I then added a coat of Deborah Lippmann Bring on the Bling.  

I think this one is so much fun.  Unfortunately, Sailor has been d/c'd, but to my naked eye, it looks to be relatively dupey to RBL Dead Calm and China Glaze First Mate (though I didn't do a direct comparison to First Mate and I blog-sold Dead Calm).  All the other polishes I used are easily obtainable.

Again, I want to thank you all so much for reading my posts during my month of blues for Autism Awareness.  It means so much to me.  As always, if you have questions, comments, or requests, please shoot me an email to megan@apolishproblem.com.

30 Days of Blues for Autism Awareness - Julep Jessica

As I mentioned yesterday, April is Autism Awareness month.  During the month of April, I will be sporting blue nails each day in a small effort to increase autism awareness.  Today, for 30 Days of Blues, I have for you Julep Jessica with Deborah Lippmann Today Was a Fairytale...

Julep Jessica is a pale baby blue and Lippmann Today Was a Fairytale is an icy, blue-silver hex glitter top coat.  

While I was applying this mani, I was kind of chuckling to myself because most days with an autistic child aren't fairytales.  At least they weren't for us a year ago.  If you have read my blog for any length of time, you may remember that Blake's diagnosis was a long time coming and something that we struggled with for months.  Once we had the diagnosis, while we were thankful that we finally had an official diagnosis on paper, we also felt like a part of us, and our dreams for our child, had died.  We grieved for months.  Then in August, he started at a new school, in a class made up of only boys on the autism spectrum and it's like we have a new child.  He is so incredibly smart and talented and I am finally able to see that.  Yes, we do have days that are fueled by his disability, and yes, there are days where I still want to run and hide, but there are also wonderful, amazing days that I finally feel like I am able to see my son and not just his autism.

Unfortunately, our struggle is not over.  It never will be.  Not only are we now struggling with the possibility of Blake's twin sister having Asperger's Syndrome (more on that at a later date), but we continually have to deal with the stigma that goes with autism.  We can't go to a restaurant for fear that something will trigger an outburst.  Those days are getting rarer, but they do still happen.  And honestly, while an outburst is something I can deal with, nasty looks and/or comments from fellow patrons is something I cannot.  I swear one day, I'm going to make a shirt that says "I Have Autism... Turn Around" or "I Have Autism... No, I Don't Need to Be Spanked".  :P  

It's so easy to think that I'm a bad parent or that my child is just a brat.  Unfortunately, I don't think people realize just how many children are now on the autism spectrum.  Autism now affects 1 in 88 children and 1 in 54 boys.  One in 54!  That number to me is astounding.  This is why autism awareness is so important.  And I realize that painting my nails blue is so small, but if I can help one person become more aware of this issue, then that's good for me.  :)

In addition to the month of April being Autism Awareness Month, more specifically, today is World Autism Awareness Day.  Today, individuals and businesses the world over are participating in "Light it Up Blue" to Shine a Light on Autism.  I encourage you to participate as well, both today and during the month of April.  For more information on "Light it Up Blue" and Autism Awareness, please check out lightitupblue.org and autismspeaks.org.

Additionally, you are more than welcome to participate in my "30 Days of Blues".  If you have a blog, and you would like to join me in any way, please let me know your blog URL and I will be happy to post your blog in my sidebar.  If you do not have a blog and you would still like to participate, let me know and I will be glad to post your blue manicures on my site.  I will also be happy to post your stories with autism during this month.  As you can tell, this is so important to me.  I would love to share this with as many people as possible. 

Furthermore, I know I'm not the only nail polish blog participating in Autism Awareness.  I know that Jasmine at Colour Coated and Cristina at Let Them Have Polish have also posted blue manicures today for World Autism Awareness Day.  I will be adding these blogs and others to my sidebar.

Also, I will have more stories, blue manicures, and a giveaway during the month of April.  If you would like to participate with me, either on your blog, or by emailing me your blue manicures and/or autism stories, please reply in these post.  You can also email me directly at megan@apolishproblem.com

Thank you so much for reading and thank you so much for participating in Autism Awareness.  <3

Today's Nails - Zoya Lolly

This manicure was inspired by a comment in one of my recent posts.  Diana suggested topping a hot pink with gold glitter.  I thought that was a perfect idea, though, just like all my ideas of late, it didn't work out exactly as planned.

I applied a version of this manicure last night using Illamasqua Collide and Lippmann Boom Boom Pow.  Unfortunately, my bad luck with Collide continues and I could not get it to set.  It was still wet when I was ready to go to sleep, so rather than deal with sheet marks, I removed it.

Today, I wanted to reapply the look, but I was still wary of Collide.  I tried to find another hot pink, Julep Samantha, but it seems to be missing at the moment, so I went with Zoya Lolly, from their 2011 Mod Matte collection.  But the base color alone didn't quite work for me (it's not as neon as Collide), so I added 2 thin coats of Klean Color Chunky Candy Holo (bottle pic).  Chunky Candy Holo is such a unique glitter top coat.    It is small mutli-chrome glitter that shift from pink to orange to gold in a bright pink sheer base.  I then added a coat of my favorite glitter top coat, Lippmann Boom Boom Pow and topped the whole thing with Nubar Diamont.

Zoya Lolly is available from Zoya.com (and currently they have a B3G3 promotion with code SPRING3).

Comparison: Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow vs Nicole by OPI Brilliant Idea

In yesterday's review post, I mentioned that Nicole by OPI Brilliant Idea reminded me of Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow, so I figured I'd do a quick comparison for you (and for me. LOL).

I also mentioned a few days ago that I wore Nubar Honeysuckle with Boom Boom Pow on the tips and got tons of compliments, so I wanted to show you that look as well.  Well, I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone.  :P

This is Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow on my middle finger and pinkie and NOPI Brilliant Idea on my ring finger.

Tonally, though the NOPI is very green in the bottle, once you get it on the nail, especially layered, it really does look like a golden polish, so it's very similar to Boom Boom Pow.  The differences are that the NOPI has a thicker base which is tinted (the Lippmann base is clear, but full of gold dust) and the hexagonal glitter in the Lippmann is larger.  It's easier to layer with the Lippmann as there is no way you are gonna get that puppy opaque.  That's not the case with the NOPI, so while you can do 3 coats with the Lippmann, you can only do 1, possibly 2, with the NOPI.  Also, Brillant Idea doesn't contain the gold dust that Boom Boom Pow does, so it's lacking a bit of the brilliance, but again... it's still very close.

Honestly, if you are lemming Boom Boom Pow and just can't fork over $20 for a glitter topcoat, definitely consider picking up Brilliant Idea.  It's not identical by any means, but it's very similar and will probably kill the lemming, and I'm saying this as someone that LOVES Boom Boom Pow.  Plus, it's 13 bucks cheaper.  Cheaper is better.  :D

As for the look of Boom Boom Pow over Honeysuckle, I am love with this, and it's my new favorite thing to do with Deborah Lippmann's hexagonal glitters.  I'm actually planning more as I type this.

Nicole by OPI Brilliant Idea and Nubar Honeysuckle were sent to me for review.  Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow was purchased by me.