Tuesday, August 30, 2016

China Glaze: Rebel Collection Fall 2016 Swatches and Review

Press Sample

Good evening, dear readers! I hope your week has been off to a wonderful start! It seems odd saying that given that tomorrow is the MIDDLE of the work week already. Where is the time going?!? Summer is winding down quickly with school starting up, days cooling down, and the upcoming Labor Day holiday that many view as the final summer hurrah. Now is a great time to be thinking about all things fall (Hello, Pumpkin Spice EVERYTHING!) including fall shades for your nails. For today's blog post, I have the new Rebel Collection by China Glaze. This collection is all about the 90's Grunge scene juxtaposed with the softer, feminine side. This may be my favorite China Glaze collection yet, although I may be slightly biased as a former combat boots and fishnet stockings wearer back in the day. Let's check out the shades!

Dope Taupe
Two coats

Almond taupe crème

I'm going to just jump right on in and start with Dope Taupe, the quintessential shade for the 90's grunge scene. Deep and moody, this shade captures the moodiness of the scene perfectly! Application was fantastic and smooth!


Combat Blue-ts
Two coats

Bad ass matte blue

This polish really makes me miss my combat boots, although I wouldn't be caught dead wearing BLUE combat boots- that had to be black. That being said, this blue matte shade is fabulous and one of my favorites from the collection. Like other matte polishes, it does dry very quickly so you'll have to take care to not overwork the polish. Formula was on point and perfect!

Holo At Ya Girl!
tipped over Combat Blue-ts
Three coats dabbed on tips

Green-gold holographic glitter

I just had to wear these two shades together when I saw them! I adore the combination of the matte blue with the sparkle, and it really captures the disparity of many of my 90's outfits meshing together the edgy with the pretty. I know, I know, I'm old. This glitter polish is fabulous though, and you can either use it as a dense glitter topper or achieve opacity in three to four coats if you chose to wear it on its own. I had no application issues with this shade.

Purple Fiction
Two coats

Royal metallic plum

Pulp Fiction, anyone? It's a movie I sadly didn't quite appreciate as much as I should have when it first released, but I suppose that's not too surprising for a pre-teen. Thankfully I've come to my senses! As for Purple Fiction, this shade is pretty, and I'm surprisingly digging it even with the metallic finish. The formula was perfect and it applied easily with two smooth coats.

Heroine Chic
Two coats

Sultry chocolate crème with flecks of red shimmer

Oh man, I remember when the super-pale, dark under eye circles and gaunt look was the "look" to have. An unfortunate side of the 90's was the glamorization and popularization of heroin and its rise amongst the middle and upper class. Heroine Chic captures this darker side of the 90's. I had no issues with application.

Blue-Ya
Two coats

Sapphire blue shimmer 

Blue-Ya! is definitely one of the highlights of this collection for me. This polish makes me think of fall night skies and is gorgeous! The formula is fantastic as well, and it applied nicely for me.

Jagged Little Teal
Two coats

Vampy teal crème

This teal shade is spectacular, so I'm choosing to ignore the name inspiration as I was never a fan of Alanis Morissete. This applied really nicely for me, and I definitely am working on some nail art ideas incorporating this beauty!

Fresh Prince-ss
Three coats

Baby doll dress pink crème

In west Philadelphia born and raised, on the playground is where I spent most of my days.... Oh yeah, I loved watching Fresh Prince! Fresh Prince-ss is a gorgeous shade AND name reminiscent of the ultra-feminine baby doll dresses back in the day. I had a little trouble with streaky application for the first two coats, but the third coat mostly leveled the polish out for me.

Y'all Red-Y For This?
Two coats

Red shimmer

I love a good red polish with a touch of sparkle, but this name has me sold. The shimmer is a little understated so if you like lots of sparkle, this probably isn't quite for you. The formula was easy to work with and I had no application issues.

Pearl Jammin'
Three coats

Chic gray opalescent

I can't decide if I'm more excited about the name or the colour of this polish! This photo does not do this polish justice as the opalescent effect is more apparent in real life. It is on the sheerer side so you will need to use either three or four coats depending on your nail length and how thick you apply it; alternately, you can layer it over a very pale grey, blue or white if you prefer to use fewer coats. I don't think this shade would lend itself well to layering over darker or brighter colours as it isn't exactly an "effect" type polish.

Teen Spirit
Two coats

Deep inky blue-black with metallic flecks

Ah, the teenage years, when everyone is so moody and nobody understands them. I also listened to my fair share of Nirvana so this shade certainly was a flashback! The polish itself is really nice, and I love the look of the flecks as your nails shift in the light. The formula was on point and applied really easily for me.

Don't Mesh With Me
Three coats

Lavender shimmer

Don't Mesh With Me is such a pretty shade! I opted to use it on it's own with multiple coats, but you can layer this over a base shade if you prefer the look of a dense topper. I still have a hint of nail line with three coats, but it's more apparent with the bright lights of my swatch setup than it is in real life. This applied nicely for me and I have no issues to report.

The China Glaze Rebel Collection is currently available from your favorite China Glaze suppliers: BeautySalonPlus.com, Ulta/Ulta.com, and Sally Beauty/SallyBeauty.com. My favorite shades are Blue-Ya and Pearl Jammin', but this is a fabulous collection in general!

What shades are you liking from this collection? Do you love the references as much as I do? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful night!
XO!

















Monday, August 29, 2016

Cupcake Polish: The Luau Collection Swatches and Review

Press Sample

Happy Monday, dear readers! I have no idea what happened to the weekend, but it is gone and another week has already begun. I can't believe it will be September in just a few more days and Halloween will soon be upon us! Until then, let's get some enjoyment out of the last of the summer, shall we?

For today's blog post, I have the newly launched Luau Collection by Cupcake Polish to share with you. I have been to Hawaii a few times, so I was delighted to see the theme and the names of these gorgeous holos!
I played around with a lot of different Hawaiian-themed props to stage a collection photo, but my favorite is this simple beachy scene with a hibiscus flower and complete with lava. It certainly makes me want to wiggle my toes in the sand while drinking a Mai Tai! Let's jump on in to the colours!

Here Today, Gone to Maui
Two coats plus top coat

That's it, I'm hoping on a plane immediately and heading to Maui! This polish makes me thing of the breathtaking scenic road to Hana in Maui, and I couldn't think of a more fitting name for this shade. This dark lime green holographic polish is filled with golden shimmers, reminiscent of the sunlight shining on all the greenery of the islands. The formula was top notch and applied perfectly for me.

Sunlight!

What's this? A sunlight shot? That's right, dear readers, I actually swatched these during the day when the sun was out for a change so I was able to snap a photo in natural sunlight to share. I hope you enjoy!

Lei Me Down
Two coats plus top coat

Sara certainly has a knack for creating gorgeous purple shades that I adore! While I've never seen a Hawaiian lei made with true purple flowers, this shade reminds me of the Purple Glory Bush in Hawaii. Both the flower and this polish have a touch of blue added, in the form of shimmers for the polish and a dark blue sheen for the flower; it certainly make this polish a stand out from the collection for me! The formula was superb and applied with two easy coats.

Sunlight

Sand By Me
Two coats plus top coat

I dare you to read the name of this polish and not think of the song Stand By Me. I cannot help but hum this song whenever I see it, and I cannot be the only one! It should come to no surprise to anyone that I love this colour! Orange is my jam, and the addition pink shimmers adds such a gorgeous twist to this polish! Of course not everyone is an orange fan like myself, but I strongly encourage you to give this beauty a chance. Not only is the colour awesome, the formula was fabulous!

Sunlight

The Tiki to My Heart
Two coats plus top coat

I just can't with these names- they are fabulous! Cupcake Polish is well known for beautiful pinks, and I am lusting after this hot pink beauty. This is ALL THE PINK from the base to the added pink shimmers. The name is also quite accurate: a beautiful polish just might be a way to my heart! Like the rest of the collection, the formula is fantastic and will easily win its way into your heart!

Sunlight

Be More Pacific
Two coats plus top coat

....only not TOO Pacific because the Pacific is cold, at least alone the coast here in California! Be More Pacific boasts blue shimmers against the blue holographic base, and it certainly makes me think of the ocean! I am definitely a fan of all things ocean, so naturally I am infatuated with this dreamy polish. This polish applied as evenly as a tranquil summer sea.

Sunlight

Hula Do You Love?
Two coats plus top coat

I'd love just about anybody that sends me to Hawaii! Oh, wait, that wasn't a question for me.... Hula Do You Love? is a gorgeous orange leaning red polish packed with holographic shimmers, and it makes me think of the traditional red hibiscus flower found all around the islands and in hula dancers' hair. Like the rest of the polishes in this collection, the formula and application were impeccable.

Sunlight

The Luau Collection is currently available for purchase from the Cupcake Polish website located here. Each shade retails for $13. There is a listing for the full six-piece collection if you're like me and love all the shades!

What do you think about the Luau Collection? Are there any shades on your wishlist? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!
XO!


























Friday, August 26, 2016

Powder Perfect: Elysium and Saqqara

Press Sample

Happy Friday, dear readers! The weekend is almost here; we just have to get through today! To help the day pass by, I have two new shades by Powder Perfect to share with you. Let's check them out!

Elysium
Two coats plus top coat

A tribute to past anniversary colours; Storm Rainbow and Unobtanium, Elysium is a silver holographic medley of sparkling microglitters, with fuschia to green shifting ultra chrome flakies!

Elysium is one half of Powder Perfect's Anniversary Duo 2016. It certainly is one sparkled beauty and a great shade for celebrating your own birthdays and anniversaries! I cannot give an accurate review of this polish as the cap was loose and there was a bit of leakage. I found it to be a little on the thick side, but that is most likely due to exposure and not the true consistency of this polish.

$13 AUD/USD each shade from the duo or buy them together for $24.

Saqqara
Three coats plus top coat

Saqqara is a large necropolis in ancient Egypt which is home to the famous Djoser pyramid, built in the step style. Archaeologists have extensively debated over the meaning behind the architectural styles of the different pyramids. Saqqara is a sunset orange polish filled with gold and silver ultra-holo glitters in a holographic base.

Saqqara is one of ten new polishes to Powder Perfect's Egyptology Series. Now in Part III, this particular collection features a unique hybrid formula that Powder Perfect refers to as a holo-twist. Each polish is a combination of a fine microglitter polish crossed with a holographic lacquer for a smooth, but sparkly finish. While I cannot vouch for the full collection, I certainly can say that Saqqara is fabulous! Although it is described as a sunset orange, I found it to be more of a warm orange-leaning red even before application against my skin tone. The formula was perfection and applied like a dream come true.

 Each shade from the new Egyptology Series can be purchased individually for $13 AUD/USD or as a collection for $117, saving you 10%. Please note these are currently available for purchase as a pre-order.

These literally just launched on the Powder Perfect websites (and yes, I really am up this early typing this post since my internet refused to cooperate at reasonable hours), and you're definitely going to want to pick up some of these if you love sparkly polish!

Australian website 
August 26th 8pm

Unites States website 
August 26th 6am EST

Do you have other shades from the older Egyptology Series by Powder Perfect? Are you picking up new ones from Part III? I'd love to hear from you!

I'm heading back to bed, so until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!
XO!





Thursday, August 25, 2016

Zoya: Urban Grunge One Coat Creams + Metallic Holos for Fall/Winter 2016

Press Sample

Greetings, dear readers! It's been an uneventful week around here as I recover from being sick. My kids were sick for a very short time without slowing them down much, but their germs have brought me down to my knees for days. Thankfully I'm on the mend and have been forcing myself to not do too much so I can recover quickly. Now on to today's blog post!

Zoya has recently released the Urban Grunge collection, and I have swatches of them for you this morning. Let's check them out!

The first half of the Urban Grunge Collection consists of creams that are designed to be opaque in one coat. I wanted to see if they lived up to the claim and used only one coat for all these photos rather than my usual two to three coats.

August
August is a full coverage gray like a fine, expensive leather with mid-ranged, balanced tone.

I really dig this shade of grey! It's such a classy shade! As far as being one coat, it is a one coater if you tend to use thicker coats like I did here. I probably could have still used a second coat coat though, so you're probably better off biting the bullet and just going with two thinner coats.

Courtney
Courtney is a deep red beet root shade with a full coverage, and smooth application.

To be honest, I'm not really sure how anyone could get Courtney to apply to opacity with only one coat. The formula is on the thinner side, and I had some issues with cuticle flooding especially with attempting to apply this with only one coat. Courtney would best be applied with two, but more likely three, thin coats for opacity.

Noah
Noah is a mid-range taupe evenly balanced between yellow and grey, with a full coverage and smooth application.

Khaki coloured Noah is a beautiful neutral shade that can be worn by most skin tones. I'm not sure that it works the best against my olive skin tone, but that's neither here nor there at the moment. It does apply quite nicely to opacity with one coat. I used a thicker coat than I normally would have used, so it may be best as a two coater.

Mallory
Mallory is a full bodied, Prussian blue with deeply saturated color.

This is such a pretty shade of blue! I was able to achieve an opaque look with one coat, a little thicker than I would have preferred, but still a single coat nonetheless.

Tara
Tara is a purple plum with a balanced tone between red and purple. Deeply saturated, full coverage, smooth application.

Like Courtney, Tara has a thinner formula that does not lend itself well to being a one-coater easily. It is doable, although my nails still would have benefitted with a second coat.

Wyatt
Wyatt is a true racing green with a deep pigment, full coverage, and smooth application.

I'm partial to this shade from the collection, and not just because my oldest son's name is Wyatt; it's a beautiful cool shade of green! I used one thicker coat here and had success with opacity.

As you can see, it is possible to apply a single coat and achieve opacity with this half of the Urban Grunge Collection. Polish does need to be applied  with a heavier hand than I care to use, but if you normally use thick coats, they should work perfectly for you.


Now on the metallic holo half of the collection!

Ash
One coat plus top coat

Ash is a vibrant cherry with a red and gold metallic shimmer. Densely pigmented, smooth applicaton

I love a good red, and Ash is beautiful! Even better, the formula wasn't too thick or thin and I only needed one coat for opacity!

Finley
Two coats plus top coat

Finley is a deep royal purple scattered holo. Smooth application with an elegant 2 coat coverage.

This is the finish I think of when it comes to Zoya's holos! The formula is perfection with such smooth application, and the colour is majestic!

Alicia
Three coats plus top coat

Alicia is a linear holo with a touch of gold. Smooth application with an elegant 2 coat coverage.

Alicia is the star of this collection. While linear holos are very common with the indie polish world and occasionally seen in mainstream brands, this is the first time I've seen Zoya release a linear holo. I truly hope to see more of this finish from this brand because they delivered beautifully! For those of you planning winter weddings, this is the shade you want on your nails!

Merida
Two coats plus top coat

Merida is a brilliant lush evergreen scattered holo. Smooth application with an elegant 2 coat coverage.

Zoya does scattered holos so well, and Merida does not disappoint! I suspect this polish is going to be one of my most commonly used when it gets closer to the holidays! The formula was on point and the application impeccable. Now if the Zoya fairies can release a series of oranges with this finish, I would be thrilled!

Britta
One coat plus top coat

Britta is a berry metallic with a red and purple fuchsia flash. Densely pigmented, smooth application.

Like Ash, I found Britta to be pigmented enough that I only needed one coat for opacity. If your nails are longer, you may find you need a second coat unless you typically use thick coats while painting your nails. The formula is on point and the colour a must have!

Troy
Two coats plus top coat

Troy is a liquid pewter with a foil finish and an edgy touch of black and gold. Densely pigmented, smooth application.

Troy was, I admit, a disappointment for me. I usually really like metallic pewter and charcoal shades, but I found Troy to look better in the bottle; the colour somehow just seems to fall flat on the nails. The touch of gold, still present but subtle in the bottle, seems to just disappear completely in application. The formula was also on the thicker side, and I had to use two as thin as possible coats possible. I still ended up with slightly uneven looking nails.

Overall the metallic holos half of the Urban Grunge Collection is a success with some great shades. I personally prefer the scatter holos of Finley and Merida with the linear holo of Alicia coming up very closely behind.

The Urban Grunge Collection is available for purchase from the Zoya website located here. Now is an excellent time to pick up your favorites as Zoya has a promo that runs through tomorrow. You can buy any 3 shades for only $15, the cost of shipping, using the promo code LUVFALL. If you spend $35 or more, shipping is free! It's definitely easy to pick out several shades from this collection to meet that minimum!

What do you think of the Urban Grunge Collection? What shades are your favorites? Do you love the new-to-Zoya linear holo finish? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!

XO!














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