Lynnderella A Neutral Party

So a few months ago, I would have told you that I was never going to buy any Lynnderella polishes... that her brand of crazy overrode my lemmings.  Then the crazy died down and my lemming for Salad Days just did not go away.  So when I saw a BIN listing on eBay for 3 Lynnderellas for $66 (directly from her), I cringed and then hit "buy".  LOL.  I chose 3 of my list of about 10 Lynnderellas, Salad Days, When the Moon was a Star, and today's post... A Neutral Party...

This is 2 coats of A Neutral Party over 2 coats of Essie Gym Dandy, a deep taupe from this Fall's Yogaga collection.  I also used 2 coats of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri, one over the base color and one over the glitter.  

A Neutral Party was the one I kept waffling on in my selections.  And even after I sent my order, I was kicking myself for not ordering One Nutty Fruitcake instead (especially since it appears that it is now OOS).  However, once I put on A Neutral Party, all the kicking stopped.  I have had this on all day and I can't stop looking at my nails.  LOL.  I absolutely love it over Gym Dandy, though I can't wait to wear it over darker shades, like a dark red.  

This is the first Lynnderella I have used, so I was really surprised at the myriad of glitter shapes, colors, and sizes compared to some of the other indie glitters I own.  Even with this one being a pretty simple color palette, there is a lot going on, so I will do my best to describe it.  It's a clear base loaded with golden micro-shimmer, and hex, square, and round glitter in copper, silver, gold, brown, white, and gunmetal.  There is also black bar glitter, though you can only see one in my swatch and that is slightly hidden by the flash on my ring finger.  I think my favorite thing about this polish is the square glitter, because frankly... square glitter had me at hello.  :)

A Neutral Party applied very well and I had no issues with getting the glitter on to the nail.  It also was almost completely smooth after just one coat of topcoat.  I would have done a second coat to completely even it out, but my bottle of Insta-Dri is gloopy and hard to use, so I just did the one. 

One thing I did notice is that these are a bit stinky.  When I first got them, they were very smelly, almost like Kleancolors, but after being in my house for a couple of days, that has died down somewhat, but they still smell like they are chocked full of chemicals.  I'm sure that I have lost many, many brain cells to nail polish fumes over the years, so the smell, while present, didn't really bother me while I applied this.

Current Lynnderellas are available through her eBay store for the $23 for singles and (when available) $22 each when you purchase them in multiples (the LE and "one-ofs" are auctions and go for much more).  Yes, that is crazy for nail polish, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.  :P

Lynnderella A Neutral Party was purchased by me and Essie Gym Dandy was sent to me for review.  

Candeo Colors Joker

Candeo Colors Joker has been one of my longest indie lemmings.  It seems like whenever Melinda would add it to the sale on her site, I wasn't fast enough.  So when I saw it in stock on Llarowe a few weeks ago, I jumped on it.  I know that Llarowe has been a bit of a drama llama lately, so I was a little nervous about ordering, but the power of the lemming was stronger than my trepidation.  LOL.  

She came in a couple of weeks ago, but that was when packages from Llarowe were still being sent with signature required, and it actually took me almost a week to have a chance to go the post office.  And then she sat in my purse for another week.  So much for a hardcore lemming, right?  :P

Anyway, I finally had a chance to put her on my nails (am I the only one that refers to nail polish as "her"?) and I am so happy I got her...

This is 2 coats of Joker over 3 thin coats of Essie Boxer Shorts, a soft periwinkle blue.  I also used one coat of Barielle No Chip Speed Dry.  

Joker is a mix of purple glitter, purple microglitter, blue glitter, periwinkle matte glitter and large silver and holo hex glitters.  Any other color you see in my swatch above (i.e. pink, orange, and green) was created by the flash off the holographic glitter.  It's a little brighter than I thought it would be, as I initially thought it would kill my lemming for Lynnderella Nosegay.  It doesn't... but Lynn's crazy kinda kills that on it's own.  :P  That said, it's still really, really pretty and I think it would fantastic over tons over colors (can you imagine it over a bright blue like Zoya Song?).  

Also, in the future, I think I may go lighter with my application.  It actually looked really pretty at just one coat, but I never know when to stop, so that's why you see two above (my second coat was much thicker).  The base on Joker is clear and I had no issues with the formula being thick or with the glitter not wanting to transfer to the nail.  That's one of the best things about Candeo Colors glitters.  

If you can snag it, Joker is occasionally available at Candeo Colors' website.  That said, they only restock about once every 4-6 weeks and when they do, the stuff is loaded into carts within seconds.  You probably will have a better chance of getting Joker through Llarowe (where I got mine), but keep in mind that she charges $12, about 25% more than purchasing directly from Candeo Colors, plus shipping costs.  For me, if it's something I really want, I'd actually rather pay a little more and get it, rather than deal with a long wait and fight a stampede.  

Joker was purchased by me.  Boxer Shorts was provided for review.

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. 

Candy Lacquer Polishes

Today, I have for you three colors by indie polish maker, Candy Lacquer.

Argyle - white, turquoise, and black diamond glitter, as well as white and black bar glitter in a clear base.  As soon as I saw a bottle pick of Argyle on another blog, I fell instantly in love and I knew I had to get it.  As soon as Candy Lacquer's Etsy store was reopened, Argyle was the first one I put in my cart.  Once I got it home, I love it even more... in the bottle.  Unfortunately, it was a pain to put on my nail.  I ended up pouring some out into a palette and then putting individual pieces of glitter on my nails with an orange stick.  Even with this method, it was still bumpy and I had bubbles after I put on a topcoat.  That said, I think it is still super awesome (can you look at my blog redesign and tell me what inspired it? LOL), and I still want to play around with it to see if I can find a better way of application.

Starlight - multi-sizes and shapes (there are stars!) of silver holographic glitter in a clear base.  I threw this one in my cart on a whim and I'm so happy I did.  Of the 3 Candy Lacquers I picked up, Starlight has the best application.  The glitters came out of the bottle easily, even the stars!  

White Wedding - multi-shaped and sized matte white glitter in a clear base.  Okay, so let's be honest... I got this one for the name.  I also thought that it looked super cool in the bottle, but really... I got it for the name.  LOL.  So when I got it home, I was pleasantly surprised.  I love this one over the bright red of Sooki, and think it would look equally as pretty over just about every color.  Application on this one was a little harder than Starlight, but nowhere near as difficult as Argyle.  I did have to go digging for the hearts, but that's to be expected.  

All in all, I really like the 3 polishes I picked up from Candy Lacquer.  Shipping was super quick and the owner, Sandra, was extremely pleasant.  I kind of wish that application on a few of them was a little easier, but honestly, with big glitters, you kind of know going in to it that you may have issues with application.

Candy Lacquers are $8 a bottle are available through their Etsy store (though it is currently closed).  For more information on restocks, please check their Facebook page.  

Argyle, Starlight, and White Wedding were purchased by me.  Links included within this post are not affiliate links.

KBShimmer Showgirl

Showgirl is one of 5 KBShimmer polishes I have to show you over the next few days.  I swatched all of them at once and then and picked my favorite to show you first...

Isn't she pretty?  This is 2 coats of Showgirl over one coat of Nails Inc Black Taxi.  I opted to layer all of my KBShimmer polishes, and I especially chose to layer this one because it's a black jelly base.  I had a feeling that the glitter wouldn't "come out and play" as much if I had to use multiple layers to reach opacity.

 Showgirl is a mix of holo silver square and round glitter, as well as fuchsia glitter and micro-glitter in a black jelly base.  She is unbelievable unique and I can't wait to wear it as a full manicure.  

Like I mentioned, this is one of 5 KBShimmer polishes that I purchased, and I have to say, I am very pleased with (most) them in terms of formula and application.  A lot of times, indie glitters have a tendency to want to stay in the bottle.  I can't tell you how many times I've had to dig for hearts, or stars, or moons, or whatever else big, chunky glitters in the bottle.  

With Showgirl, and most of the other KBShimmers I'm going to show you, the application was mindless.  I did have to hunt a little bit to get the square glitters, but I simply dipped the brush back in the bottle and there they were.  It wasn't a drawn out process.  In fact, the formula on these reminds me very much of the now-unavailable NerdLacquers (and that's saying something because my lone NerdLacquer has an amazing formula and it's one of my favorites to apply).

KBShimmer polishes are available at KBShimmer's website.  However, they only ship polish within the U.S.  If you are international, please visit their stockist, Harlow & Co.  Polishes sell for $8.50 from KBShimmer directly and $9.00 from Harlow & Co.

Showgirl was purchased by me.  The above links link to websites to purchase this polish and are not affiliate links.

China Glaze On Safari Review

Today, I have for you four polishes from China Glaze's new fall collection, On Safari.  I'm not feeling very wordy while writing this, so I'll just jump right in to the polishes (stop... I can hear you saying "Thank God" lol)...

Adventure Red-y - deep red creme.  This is the perfect shade of red for fall, and I especially loved it on my short nails.  There is a bit of brown in the base, but not so much that it looks like dried blood (like some deep reds I've seen).  The formula on this one was perfect.  It was practically a one-coater, but I ended up doing 2 coats.

Exotic Encounters - teal green creme.  Another perfect fall variation of a color.  This one was slightly dusty in the base, and also a little more teal that my picture portrays.  The formula on this one wasn't as thick as Adventure Red-y, but I was still able to reach opacity in 2 coats.

I Herd That - small multi-colored and gold glitter in a clear base.  The multi-colored glitter is a mix of red, green, and orange, along with the prominent gold glitter.  This is one of 2 glitters in this collection.  The other one being I'm Not Lion (which I don't have).  These 2 glitters remind me of the small glitters in China Glaze's special glitters collection from 2009.  The above picture is 3 coats, and while on macro, you can see thin spots, to the naked eye, it was full coverage.  

Kalahari Kiss - yellow-based khaki creme.  This one is a bit of an odd duck, much like Classic Camel from China Glaze's 2010 Vintage Vixen collection (though of course, that one is a shimmer) or Barielle's Angora Aura.  In the bottle, I didn't think this one would work with my skin-tone, but I really like it on the nail.  The formula was a bit streaky, and was prone to slide on the nail, so I applied a coat of CND Stickey before I swatched the above picture.  With the sticky base coat, I was able to reach opacity in 2 coats.  Be sure to wait a few minutes in-between coats with this one.

I really liked all of the 4 colors in this collection that I had the opportunity to review.  My hands-down favorite was Adventure Red-y, mainly because of formula and application (plus, the color is really pretty).  That said, there isn't one in the 4 that I wouldn't recommend.  

On Safari is on sale now and China Glaze polishes retail for $7 a bottle.  If you would like to see swatches of the entire collection, I recommend checking out The Polishaholic or Scrangie, as both of them have fabulous pictures of the entire collection.  

China Glaze on Safari was sent to me for review.  The above links link to other blogs (The Polishaholic and Scrangie) and are not affiliate links.

Lush Lacquer Pink Panther

This is 2 coats of Lush Lacquer Pink Panther over 2 coats of Nails Inc Floral Street.  

Pink Panther consists of a mix of white, black, and pink multi-sized and multi-shaped, matte glitters in a clear base.  I love this when layered over the white base.  

The polish went on very well.  The glitter is very densely packed and this is one of those glitters that doesn't make you go fishing in the bottle!  See how dense it is...

Lush Lacquer has several polishes in their Etsy store (I'm eyeing Lite Brite).  Full bottles are $8.75 and you can order custom sets of minis for $9.50 and up.

Fair warning, these are essentially pre-orders.  Unlike a lot of other indie polish companies, Lush Lacquer keeps all of their polishes listed on their website at all times.  The downside of this is that you have to wait for your polishes (currently turn-around time is 2+ weeks).  The upside is that you don't have to wait for the seller to return from "on vacation" and you avoid the made "OMG it's open!" stampede.  Personally, I don't mind waiting on the polish if I know it's coming (I hate the mad Etsy or Big Cartel rushes).  I just wish that Lush Lacquer was a little more open about the fact that these are not in-stock at time of order.  I think they have done this recently, but when I ordered, I just assumed they were in-stock and then I got a little antsy after a week had passed.

Pink Panther was purchased by me.  The above link links to Lush Lacquer's Etsy store and is not an affiliate link. 

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July, US girls.  :)  

This is a manicure that I have had floating around in my head for about 3 months, and I finally had a chance to do it.  :)  I just love the way it came out.  

Here's what I used...

Thumb and index finger - BB Couture Fairy Blood

Middle finger - Revlon Royal with Konad White Special Polish

Ring finger - Nails Inc Floral Street with Konad Red Special Polish

Pinky finger - Jessica Majesty Blue with Dollish Polish It's a Me Mario

Stamping plate used was BundleMonster plate BM20.  

I hope everyone in the US has a safe and happy Fourth of July, and that everyone in the rest of the world has a safe and happy Wednesday.

Dollish Polish Putting on the Ritz

This is 2 coats of Putting on the Ritz over 3 coats of Julep Lauren, a bright fuchsia pink creme.

Putting on the Ritz is a mix of small and large black and white hex glitter in a clear base.  If you have been lemming one of the indie black and white glitter topcoats, but don't like bar glitter, then Putting on the Ritz is the perfect solution.  

Although, it's not that easy to find, as Dollish Polish is one of the more well-known indie-polish brands.  However, Dolly announced that this Friday she is restocking this polish, along with Aurora Borealis, Spank You Very Much, Random Dancing, and Urban Camo, on her website.  Unfortunately, she doesn't give exact times, though, so you have to stalk her site all day.  

Also, to help with availability, Dollish Polish is available at Overall Beauty (though with limited products and she's OOS now) and the brand is coming to Llarowe next month.  

On her website, Dollish Polish sells for $8.75 per full-sized bottle and $4.50 for a mini.  Be sure to follow her on Facebook for more information about the restocks. 

Dollish Polish Putting on the Ritz was purchased by me.  Julep Lauren was in my last Julep Maven box.  The above links link to a post on this blog, Dollish Polish's Facebook page, and various websites to purchase the products used in this post and are not affiliate links.   

Nails Inc. Burlington Arcade

For this summer, Nails Inc has released several small "nail effects" collections.  One of those collections is Nail Jewelry, which consists of four glitter top coats designed to "adorn your nails like precious jewels".  The four polishes in this collection are... Picadilly Arcade (emerald), Princess Arcade (pink diamond), Royal Arcade (sapphire), and Burlington Arcade (diamond).  Of the four, I received Burlington Arcade, the "diamond" topcoat, for review...

Burlington Arcade is a mix of silver, holographic glitter of various sizes and shapes in a clear base.  There are also shards of glitter in this one and while usually, glitter shards are on my "no-go" list, I actually don't mind them in this polish.  I think that's because they are smaller and lay flat on the nail.  

While I was swatching it, tt almost reminded me of one of the many "indie" glitter topcoats now available, simply because of the various sizes and shapes to the glitter.  Although, it's nowhere near as chunky as some indie shard-glitter topcoats I've seen.  Application on this one was perfect.  The polish flowed smoothly on the nail and there was no glitter-drag.  

I have seen swatches of the other polishes within the Nail Jewelry collection and it looks like it may be possible to almost reach opacity with the other colors.  However, with Burlington Arcade, that is not the case.  The above picture is 3 coats and I was nowhere near reaching opacity.  I did like that it gave my natural nails a flash of shimmer, though.  

I like it on my natural nails, but this is absolutely beautiful when it is layered, and, honestly, that's the whole point of this collection...

This is 2 coats of Burlington Arcade over 2 coats of Nails Inc Black Taxi, a rich black creme.  I love this over black.  It's very dramatic, and think the dark base is a perfect backdrop for this topcoat.  I really like how the black enhances the rainbow of colors that come out in the holo glitter.  That said,  my favorite way to wear this is below...

This is 3 coats of Burlington Arcade over 2 coats of Nails Inc Floral Street, an opaque, white creme.  Believe it or not, as stunning as this was over Black Taxi, it was just as beautiful when layered over this saturated white.  Unfortunately, in pictures this combination doesn't want to show off as much as Burlington Arcade + Black Taxi, but trust me... it is so, so pretty.  It's also a much more subtle look (as subtle as you can get with holo, chunky glitter.  LOL).  

I think you can guess, I absolutely love Burlington Arcade.  The multitude of glitter sizes and shapes sets it apart from other silver holo glitter topcoats, in my opinion.  I really liked it over black, but it was amazing over white.  Because of this baby, I can't wait to try the Nail Jewelry in other colors.  I've heard that Royal Arcade layered over Baker Street is especially gorgeous.     

You can find all 4 of the Nails Inc Nail Jewelry polishes at Sephora.com.  Price is $9.50 for a 0.33 fl oz bottle.  

All polishes shown within this post were sent to me for review by Nails Inc's PR.  The above link links to this product on Sephora.com and is not an affiliate link.

Dollish Polish Random Dancing

Just when I say I am over the indie polish craze, Dollish Polish, one of my 2 favorite indie brands, re-stocked her shop.  And in her re-opening, she stocked 2 of my Dollish Polish lemmings, GTL and It's a Me, Mario.  So, of course, I had to eat my words and stalk her website all morning until the inventory went live.  As soon as I saw "add to cart", I rushed to add those 2 polishes to my cart.  Unfortunately, I was a minute or two behind, so all the full-sizes of GTL and Mario had already been snatched up, and I had to settle for the minis.  But the upside to that was that I got to add the Mystery Polish, the holo-tastic Toxic Avenger, to my cart with absolutely no guilt.  :)  Dolly has stated that she is now furiously packing up polishes and all orders will be shipping within the next 2 weeks.  So now I have to wait patiently.  LOL.

She also posted updated information in her shop showing the next 2 restocks, which should happen at the end of June and and early July, respectively.  For your reference, click here for a link to Dolly's site showing the next 3 restocks.

Thankfully, for my wallet and my sanity, I only want one of the restocked colors and that's I'm a Material Girl, which won't be restocked until late July.  However, I know that may of you are still lemming Random Dancing and Putting on the Ritz, both of which I already have.  Thus, I thought I would stoke the lemming-fire just a little bit and show you pics of both of these.  Today, I have for you Random Dancing, and I will show you Putting on the Ritz within the next few days...

This is 3 coats of Random Dancing over OPI Who the Shrek are You?, which probably wasn't the best choice for my skintone, but I absolutely love the colors in Random Dancing over the bright chartreuse Shrek-green of the OPI.  Random Dancing consists of multiple sized and shaped glitter in shades of blue, green, purple, golden yellow, and hot pink in a clear base.  Best part?  It has square glitter, which I absolutely love.

When I first got it, I had a hard time finding a color to wear under it, as it just didn't work over black or white, IMO.   But I've found it best to take one of the colors in the mix, in this case, I used the green, and then go a shade or two lighter as a base color. 

Random Dancing does take a while to dry, so it's best to wait a couple of minutes between coats and then a couple of minutes before you apply your base and then wait it out.  LOL.  

Random Dancing should be restocked on Dollish Polish's website around the end of the month.  Be sure to follow Dolly on Facebook for up-to-date information about the restock.  Dollish Polish Random Dancing sells for $8.75 for a full-size and $4.50 for a mini.

Random Dancing was purchased by me.  The above links link to Dollish Polish's website and Facebook page and are not affiliate links.

Candeo Colors Jellybean

Okay, so here's the deal... I hate to say it, but I am pretty much over the indie polish craze, and it I has nothing to do with the polishes themselves or the creators of the indie polishes (both of which can be fabulous), and everything to do with the purchasing process.

I just hate feeling like I'm in the middle of a derby or Black Friday when I go to purchase something.  I like to take my time, stare at swatches and pore over reviews.  But with the popular indies, those are luxuries of time you just don't have if you want to snag one of them.  Thus, I've declared that I've (almost) given up on purchasing these polishes.  Almost, because even though I'm not a fan of the process, there are still some indie polishes that I want to add to my collection.  

One of those polishes was Candeo Colors Jellybean.  In fact, I tried to get a couple of months ago, but it sold-out in minutes.  So the other day, when I happened to see on Facebook that the creator, Melinda, was offering 40 mini bottles of several of her top-sellers, including Jellybean, I set the alarm on my phone and made plans to be at home when the product hit her site.  I also had plans of getting Orchid (my other Candeo Colors lemming), but it was put into carts before I could add that one to mine (it was a matter of seconds. LOL).  So, I figured I'd get Orchid at a later date and just got Jellybean, and I am soooo happy I did...

This is 2 coats of Jellybean over 2 coats of Zoya Pippa.  Jellybean is a sheer, pale yellow base loaded with large blue, pink, and purple glitter and small pink, green, and yellow glitter.  I had a hard time reaching opacity with this one on it's own so, in my opinion, it's best to layer this one.  I like it over a brighter yellow base, Pippa, because it makes the colors of the glitter pop against the background.  Although, this would look just as pretty over a lighter yellow base, as the base on this one is a soft yellow (see below).  

Alternatively, could also "sandwich" this with a yellow jelly, such as Nubar Lemon, or a sheer yellow.  I tried it with the latter and used a previously-frustrating sheer yellow, BB Couture for Nails Kokomo...

This is one coat of Jellybean sandwiched between 4 coats of Kokomo.  I used 3 coats on the base and 1 coat over top of Jellybean.  Unfortunately, Kokomo is now discontinued, but any pale, sheer-ish yellow would work.

Candeo Colors Jellybean is available, in a mini-size (what I have) and in a full-size, from Candeo Color's website, though the product, in either size, is currently sold out.  When available, the mini retails for $3.50 and the full-size is $8.  For information on availability, please be sure to like their Facebook page, as Melinda will update there when she is re-stocking colors.  

Candeo Colors Jellybean was purchased by me.  The above link links to Candeo Color's website and is not an affiliate link.

Minnie Mouse Nails

Right before I was getting ready to remove Zoya Layla, I decided to play around with stamping and nail art (this has become a common occurrence for me).  This design was created using the polka-dot stamp from BundleMonster plate BM19.  I used Konad Special Polish in white for the dots.  I then added a black french and a silver glitter, using a glitter striper to hide any unevenness in my line.  To create the black french, I first stamped a french design on my nail using BundleMonster plate B39 and Konad Special Polish in Black.  I then filled in the design of the french, making it solid, using Color Club Where's the Soiree.  It's not a traditional way to create a french, but so much easier than freehanding or using french guides.  

I really wasn't even thinking of Minnie Mouse when I came up with the design.  However, once I completed it, I looked down and that's the first thing that popped in my head.  I think this design is so cute and if I wasn't ready to remove Layla, I probably would have kept it on my nails.

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.

Zoya Izzy and Zoya Kissy

Last year, Zoya introduced Gems and Jewels, a small collection of 6 polishes made up of 3 metallic shimmers and 3 corresponding bar glitter topcoats.  When I received them for review, it was during the time where I was unable to blog, so I never got around to swatching them and reviewing them.

However, as I am showing you untried pinks during this week, I figured I would show you the pink duo in this collection, Zoya Izzy and Zoya Kissy...

This is Zoya Izzy, a bright pink metallic shimmer, by herself.  

The 2 pictures above show 2 coats of Zoya Kissy, a dense glitter topcoat with fine pink bar glitter, pink microglitter, and holo bar glitter, in a clear base, over 2 coats of Zoya Izzy. 

I love this one.  The application on both of these was perfect.  I had no glitter drag with Kissy, which was a big plus.  I know these were released during holiday 2011, but I think Izzy, either with Kissy or alone, would be perfect for a summer pedicure.

Zoya Izzy and Zoya Kissy are still available on Zoya's website*.  Zoya polishes retail for $8 a bottle.  

Zoya Izzy and Zoya Kissy were sent to me for review.  *The above link to Zoya's website is an affiliate link, which is linked to my Zoya Share the Love account.  If you prefer not to use my affiliate link, please use the link below, which is not an affiliate link:

Zoya Gems and Jewels

OPI Excuse Moi!

Today, I have for you a polish from OPI's 2011 holiday Muppets collection, which unfortunately, I never got around to reviewing.  

This is OPI Excuse Moi!...

This is 3 coats of OPI Excuse Moi with 2 coats of Nubar Diamont topcoat.  

Excuse Moi! was one of the stand-outs of the Muppets collection, in my opinion.  It's a warm pink semi-sheer base packed with glitter in about 500 colors.  ;)  Actually, I am seeing pink, purple, silver, yellow, and green, and there may be a few I am missing (you can get a good idea of the colors of glitter from my pinky nail in the second picture).  The base is sheer, but buildable, and the coverage on the glitter on this was exceptional.  You didn't have to go fishing in the bottle, which was very nice.  

Because of the uniqueness of the glitter in the base, this one actually reminds me of one of the indie glitter polishes that are so popular, and impossible to get your hands on, nowadays.  It's super-pretty, very girly, and makes me think of cupcakes with sprinkles.  :)  

It does dry very textured, so you will need a thick coat of topcoat, probably two, to even things out. I used Diamont, but any of the thicker, quick-dry coats will work.  It also dries very quickly.  I had nails that were dry before I even applied the topcoat.  If you own OPI's glitters from the Absolutely Alice collection or from the fall 2010 holiday Burlesque collection, this one is very similar in formula.  It's probably even more wearable because it has a colored base, and you don't have to apply the glitter as thick in order to completely cover your nail.  

In case you are interested in picking this one up, I checked on OPI's website, and it looks like Excuse Moi! is still available.  OPIs retail for $8.50 a bottle.

Excuse Moi! was sent to me for review

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 - 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.  

30 Days of Blues for Autism Awareness - Zoya Phoebe with Rescue Beauty Lounge Locavore

Today is Day 18 in my "30 Days of Blues" and today I have for you Zoya Phoebe with Rescue Beauty Lounge Locavore as an accent nail...

This is 3 coats of Zoya Phoebe, a neon, matte cerulean blue, and RBL Locavore, a green, purple, gold, and blue glitter-bomb, on my ring finger.  

I normally put a topcoat over Phoebe, as I'm kinda over the matte thing, but I liked the contrast so much between the satiny finish of Phoebe and the sparkle of Locavore that I decided to leave it matte.  

Phoebe is available on Zoya's website, and Locavore is still available on Rescue Beauty's website.

Sorry this one was so short and sweet, but I have a busy evening and I wanted to post before I left.  Thank you so much for reading and participating.  You can always send comments and requests to megan@apolishproblem.com

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.