Gold, Wine, and Rainbows

Hello boys and girls! I'm back with more holo goodness. I honestly couldn't leave this gold holo alone. This might be the second of three posts about this polish...in one week. I love it. It's glam and happy and fabulous and shiny!

White On Time

Sometimes I almost feel psychic.  I bought OPI Angel With A Leadfoot on that recent nail supply trip and ordered Cult Nails Tempest during the 40% off sale they had for Maria's 40th birthday.  Kind of a weird thing to do so soon after proclaiming a least non-favorite white cream, no?  Then my friend Joanna told me that Wisp is being discontinued.  Eerie timing, no?  No.  I'm really just restless and always looking for new options, but still...fortuitous.  I pitted the two new contenders against my current and former "holy grail" white creams, Sinful Shine Wisp and FingerPaints Paper Mache.  First let's see the challengers on their own.


OPI Angel With A Leadfoot is a white cream.

My Picks from Sinful Colors Full Throttle

I got really excited when I read the word "rubber" in the press release for Sinful Colors Full Throttle.  Rubber finish polishes like the ones Illamasqua put out a couple of summers ago are unusual and I only managed to get Prosperity from that collection.  Turns out that the "rubber" finishes in Full Throttle aren't rubber and the "chromes" aren't chromes either.  There's also Snow Me White thrown in, with the suggestion of nail art in the promo.  It makes me wish they'd done a black "rubber" shade, since they're actually super-fine textures and it could have made the perfect base for pavement nail art.  Instead, there are the four I got and a pink called Rubber Ball which I didn't buy...because pink.  I bought them at Rite Aid.  I have swatches of the two repromoted metallic shades too, but let's look at the new textures first...

Jesse's Girl Cauldron

This is isn't my first Jesse's Girl polish, but it's the first that's gotten its own post the blog.  Cauldron is part of the first new limited edition collection this brand has had in the whole time that PGS has existed.  I wore Firefly back in the days when my cuticles were still a mess and we posted less in some months than we do in most weeks now.  It's great to see a brand come out of such a deep lull...and with satins, no less!  They also collaborated with Work Play Polish to create promo and display photos.  If only more brands would do that!   I tried to tell myself to wait for a sale on these at Rite Aid, but I caved and bought Cauldron the first time I found it.  Rite Aid is the only store that's getting these, but they're also available on the Jesse's Girl website.  While all of the shades are appealingly autumnal, my pick should come as no surprise.

Octopus Party: Gold Crush Duo

press samples

Who doesn't love shiny things? I certainly do. And when I can add "blindingly shiny" to any blog post, I am a happy camper. I've got the first taste of Fall from Octopus Party...and I am hungry for more. 

SpaRitual Luminary Topcoats

I waffled hard over getting these, but I am so glad I did!  I owe major thanks to longtime PGS fan and friend, Karen.  She pretty much insisted I buy them and she was so right.  She even did comparisons (here and here) to sway me.  Thanks, Karen!  I lucked into finding them in Ulta's summer clearance the day I finally met Nichole (and McGee).  They're reminiscent of the FingerPaints Kaleidoscope collection and Orly's Matte FX Flakie Topcoats, but I'm a sucker for flakies, so...yeah...

Octopus Party Thermogram

Holos are hard to pass up. I know that they catch my attention whenever I see them. But finding a different looking one is hard. There are a ton of pale pinks/blues/purples out there...and I don't even know enough people with fingers to start counting the silvers. When I saw this lilac/blush colored holo, I knew that I had found something unique.

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel: A Road Test

Gel nails are an established thing. But who wants to go to a salon every two weeks (also, who wears one color for two weeks?!) to get their nails done? Apparently not many folks, because a thousand brands came out with at-home gel systems over the last few years. The kits can be pricey though, since you need special polish, toppers, tools, and a light to cure it all. To answer that, Sally Hansen has come out with a no-light gel system. I decided, since I was going on a long family vacation, that this was a perfect opportunity to test them out!

One, Tutu, Three

I don't know what's prompted it, but I'm on a sudden pale polish kick for my work manis.  Paler than me even.  I hadn't really worn sheers since spring, but buying OPI Don't Touch My Tutu started something, I guess.  It lead me to try to make my nails look whiter, because I couldn't really wear it otherwise.  It kinda went on from there...

Akira Lacquer Fall 2014

 press samples 

It's the most wonderful time of the year. That's right, I said it. Fall is upon us. That means that all the pastels are going back into the brightly lit, floral holes they crawled out of back in March. Bring on the wines, the hunter greens, the deep navy blues! My first step into Fall is from Akira Lacquer. She's offered up a small but diverse collection this time...and I already have a favorite.

Matte Glitter EVERYWHERE

I've been having glitter angst for a good chunk of this year.  It didn't start that way.  One of my first posts of 2014 was  the awesome Wet n Wild Stick It To The Man.  Then there was the Maybelline Street Art collection, which I loved, and Sinful Colors Pride.  Sally Hansen Grape Shifter was nice too.  Zoya Monet was fussy, but had potential.  ...and then my slump really took off.  I was so dissatisfied with my swatch of OPI In True Stefani Fashion (my swatch) that I think didn't even post it.  The other Wet n Wild Mega Rocks shades just aren't as good as Stick It To The Man and I had to try tons of base colors before I liked anything.  Urban Outfitters Luster perked me up a bit, but I didn't like my original Crushed Shell collection swatches (blorf, meh) enough to post them either.  Sally Hansen Open Mica Night (blah) also never made it to a post.  Indi-glow and Splash crushed my heart.  I felt kinda broken, like maybe I just didn't like or couldn't "do" glitter anymore.  Then these happened...

...and I am BACK!  Faith in glitter?  Restored.

The Planets: Neptune

I'm back! With more planetary action! I missed my deadline last week, but I've recovered about 70% of my brain (shhh, I'm generous) and I'm ready to get this show on the road. Today is the last "official" planet, as back in September 2006 Pluto was downgraded to a "minor planet" and then again to a "dwarf planet". Don't worry, we'll still be seeing Pluto here. Anyway, on with the show!

Orly Hot Tropics and Saturated

Neons were my thing when I was in high school and they were insanely hard to find back then.  Between eye-popping polish like Orly's Baked collection and the internet, I'm pretty sure it's better to be a teenager now than it was in the 90's.  I took a long break from neons, but I've been inching my way back over the past couple of years.  I've been eyeing this collection for weeks, months even.  When I found it at the nail supply I almost let out a squeak of joy.  Saturated had been tempting me every time I saw it and Hot Tropics looked purpley enough to wind up coming home with me too.  If Lush didn't have...ugh...bar glitter, I'd have bought it too.  Back to the two I did buy though....

Pin Busting: Denture Tablets for Yellow Nails

It's time for more pin busting! This one isn't aimed at any pin in particular, just the plethora of pins recommending you soak your nails in ____ to get naturally white and pristine nails. For the polish addicted, this is a very attractive pin. On occasion, it is nice to go nude...but the overly yellow/brown/green tips often make it awkward and embarrassing. So lets get started!

don't judge me. they were on sale!

It's 99¢ Sinful Colors Time Again!

Aaaaagain!  I love how often Walgreens is doing this sale this year.  It was just two months ago that I posted my last batch of spam...and two months before that...and two months before that!  This is the fourth time this year.  So commence the Kermit arms and dash to Walgreens...after checking out my swatches, of course.

Review: Mally Bulletproof Basics

More of the epic haul from my superawesomebetterthanyours Reddit swap partner. I hope she likes her gift half as much as I am enjoying mine. The set I'm going to wax poetic about today is the Bulletproof Essentials from Mally Beauty. I have seen this brand recently pop up at my local Ulta, but I had yet to try it. The overly enthusiastic smile on the lady (Mally?) kinda creeps me out.

Let's Pretend My Nails Are White

One of the reasons I love nail polish so much is because I don't like how my nails look bare.  It used to be the nail beds, not the nails themselves.  They're kinda...purple-gray and it only gets worse when my hands are cold.  Still, Nichole's DIY Color Corrector post got me thinking.  I might not like the bare nails look, but I do occasionally enjoy sheer or jelly polishes.  Having icky yellow nails from over two years of constant polish makes a white or beige jelly look wrong.  I bought OPI Don't Touch My Tutu last week and it set the brain wheels in motion.  Suddenly I knew how to fix my nails and make a white jelly doable.

The key component might come as a surprise...

Sally Hansen Grape Jelly is good for something after all!

Pin Busting: Nail Polish Expiration

Pin Busting has been Nichole's territory so far, but it's time I chimed in.  How many times have you seen a pin like this?  Or this?  On average these pins advise that you throw out nail polish after two years.  I even found this list that says a year.  One year!?  This is a pin I've wanted to tackle for a very long time.

Cosmic Robots? Human Fate?

Though I've come to love neutrals, I sometimes need something with a little more...zazz.  I only have a few work-appropriate holos, but a comparison request from Liesbeth led me to a combo I really loved.

This is Color Club Cosmic Fate with a Dance Legend Robots vs Humans accent.

Robots vs Humans on ring, Cosmic Fate on the rest - daylight CFL + natural

I knew they'd be different, but I didn't expect this much contrast!  They're another great illustration of the "holo dilemma".  In general, you either get an intense flame or bold color.  They both have coppery bases, but while Robots vs Humans is like a magical penny, Cosmic Fate is a lot softer.  Robots vs Humans pays a bit of a toll where the flame is concerned and isn't as intense as Cosmic Fate.  My verdict?  I like Cosmic Fate more than Cherubic, but not as much as Robots vs Humans.  I'll compromise a little flame for a lot of color.  It's also got a much cooler name.  They're equally easy to apply and both wear well on me.  This isn't the flamiest flame that either of them can show, but it was hot out so I stayed inside.

Robots vs Humans on ring, Cosmic Fate on the rest - daylight CFL + natural

Where do you land on this?  Do you prefer a softer base with a stronger flame or more of a compromise?

SpaRitual Nomad

SpaRitual is one of those brands that doesn't get enough attention.  That seems to be changing a bit now that they're available at Ulta.  That's where I was when their new Wander collection caught my eye.  Satins!  Be still, my heart!  Just as I was starting starting to feel like the satin finish is "the trend that wasn't", they seem to be making a quiet resurgence...and in fall colors, no less.  I'm swooning.  The collection as a whole is appealing, but one particular shade had to be mine right that moment.

My Picks from NYC City Samba

I've hit that weird August mood where I'm finally settling into the summer brights, but the fall collections are starting to come out.  It's one of those awkwardly in-between months, like November or February, when you've got one foot in the next season.  My August swatches are going to wind up being a hodgepodge of what's left of summer and the most exciting of the new fall stuff.  Today I've got three from NYC's City Samba collection.  It's been available at Rite Aid and Kmart since June, but I didn't make my picks until a couple of weeks ago.  When I saw G's swatches on Nouveau Cheap, I turned my nose up at the frost (WHY is that a trend again!?) and I think the rest of my head went with it.  Still...there was a sale at Rite Aid AND coupons and my typical "safe" color choices happened.

Sally Hansen Fe Fi Fo Plum

Ugh...Friday.  I know for most people Fridays are this big relief, end of the work week, start of the weekend, etc.  For me Friday is pretty much Sunday/Monday.  I go back to work tonight after two nights off.  Blah.  Call this a case of "the Fridays" then...


Fe Fi Fo Plum is a medium purple cream.

Another cute name, but while it is a bit less blue than it looks here, it's decidedly not plum.  My camera likes to exaggerate the blue in purples like this for whatever reason.  It looked this blue in my Pueen Encore review too.  It's a pretty color, but the formula is troublesome.  Camelflage and On Pines And Needles were both thick and gloppy and needed thinning.  Two coats of Fe Fi Fo Plum went on smoothly, and I was relieved...until it bubbled.  Endless ugh.  I'll probably throw a couple of drops of thinner into this one too, just to see if it helps, but it's part of my continued loss of faith in Sally Hansen.  I mean come on!  I'm really hoping that their fall and xmas collections revive my flagging love for the brand.  The Color Foil collection was awesome, but I really feel like they're having quality and creative issues in general this year.


Also...what exactly is the point of Google's Auto Awesome feature?  Look what it did...

WTAF, Google? You're not helping!

Nichole already caught it pulling shenanigans, but this is just nuts!  If you use Blogger or PicasaWeb, turn the option off or you might catch it fooling around with your nail photos now too.


Bottom line:  Fe Fi Fo Plum is pretty, but bubbled on me...and Auto Awesome needs to go away.


Speaking of Sally Hansen's fall collections, I spotted one yesterday and Nouveau Cheap posted it!  Such a good feeling.  Thanks, G, and welcome back!  I haven't picked up any of the new Designer Collection shades, but the second I see them at CVS I'll be getting at least a couple of them.  We're also only about a month away from the next NYFW so we'll probably get sneak peaks of the Spring '15 shades soon too.  Time flies, doesn't it?

Crowdsourcing: Blue, Orange, and Yellow

Another crowdsourced manicure? But of course! This one is thanks to Dyanna, who suggested yellow, blue, and orange. I kinda interpreted the "orange" as "mango"...but close enough. Plus, it gave me an excuse to play around with my nail art pens. The revamped ones are much better than they used to be.

For Science!

I'd been eyeing a bunch of Vivid Lacquer's stamping plates for ages, but the ones I wanted the most never seemed to be in stock at the same time when I browsed.  Things finally lined up just right a few weeks ago and I jumped at the chance.  There's a lot of awesome in Anni's shop, and I used the spotted image on VL 011 to do the mani I wore to FINALLY meet Nichole and McGee.  That comic book themed plate is great, but VL 017 is just too perfect for this blog...

Jellyfish!

Ever want to make something super complicated...and then give up? Yeah. That is what happened here. I had intended to do swirls and magic and oceany goodness...but apparently that is hard and my brain is soft. I gave up and just sponged a bunch of colors on there, and added glitter. 

At least there are jellyfish!

Sally Hansen Splash

Sally Hansen used to be my favorite brand.  I didn't fall out of love with them so much as come to love OPI and Dance Legend more.  Good ol' Sally was still high up my list...but lately it seems like something's kinda...off.  Don't get me wrong, there have been plenty of great polishes from them in the past year, but I feel like more duds keep cropping up from a brand that used to be close to flawless.  Indi-glow was so hard to work with that I cautioned readers against buying other new Xtreme Wear glitters.  I wound up buying Splash, part of the Passport To Rio collection, only because it was around $1.75 on clearance at Target.  I also wanted to give Sally Hansen a chance to prove me wrong about the reformulated Xtreme Wear glitter base.  Here goes nothing...


Splash has medium-sized white, light blue, and dark blue hexagonal matte glitter in a clear base.

over Sinful Colors Garden Party (not true-to-color)

The Planets: Uranus

It's that special day again! And this time, we are talking about Uranus. Go ahead, get the giggles out. There has been no shortage of them around here, I can promise you that.

OPI Green On The Runway

As a Coke girl from a Pepsi family, there's something weirdly pleasing to me about OPI doing a Coca-Cola collection.  There are nine shades, but so far I've only picked up Green On The Runway.  I snagged it when I finally found a full display at Ulta.  I've been giving a few others the eye when I see them though.  Don't be surprised if you see Today I Accomplished Zero on here at some point.  Maybe A Grape Affair too.  Maybe.  Green On The Runway though...there was no question in my mind.  I needed it.  I mean...look...

Green On The Runway is a green to red-brown duochrome shimmer.

Crowdsourcing: Almost Mardi Gras

Today's manicure is another crowdsourced idea. The colors were suggested by Rachel K, and they really threw me for a loop. Orange, purple, and teal are hard colors to coordinate. I decided that if I was going to do some challenging colors, I might as well try a technique that I always have trouble with as well...I am not a smart woman.

Zoya Naturel Deux

 press samples 

Can you believe it's August already?  Zoya hasn't done more than a little tease of their real fall collection yet, but they're tiding us over with six new Naturel shades!  The first Naturel collection anticipated spring with soft tones, but the new Naturel Deux shades are deeper and more autumnal.  They mirror the original collection in their assortment of tan and rose tones.

Battle of the Violets

It's been a little while since I've stumbled across a dupe in my collection. Generally, to fight my hoarding tendencies, I avoid buying things I have a probable dupe for until I can research the item further...because there are usually differences that make it so I can either live without or wait for a good sale. I figured that the Milani liquid lipstick would have a fair number of dupes, but a buy one, get one half off sale forced my hand and I bought it at first glance. Turns out it is (color wise) a dupe for another beloved lip product!

Crowdsourcing: Gradients and Angles

I'm taking a trip to visit family at the end of the summer...which means a week and change without painting my nails. (The horror! But I don't want to fly with polish) So I am trying to get a bunch of stuff scheduled. But I'm having a hard time thinking of different things. I decided to ask a polish-related Facebook group for color ideas...this is the first of those.