Farewell, Cult Nails

 purchased by me 

A few weeks ago, my buddy McGee was the first to tell me the really sad news about Cult Nails.  I don't buy from indie/boutique brands often, but I own over a dozen of Cult's shades.  Their white and black creams, Tempest and Nevermore (bottom of that post), are among the best I've tried.  They were a quiet favorite of mine and I feel like I never expressed that enough on the blog.  I'm fixing it, belatedly, and spamming a shimmery, murky, beautiful goodbye.

Best Of: January 2015

Don't Panic

Sometimes, you start out with a plan...and you end up somewhere else. That is totally what happened here. I had this grandiose plan in my head but it just didn't work out like I hoped. Thankfully, I am still completely enamored with the final product. And with a little help from my friends, I found a good title! (thanks guys!)

CoverGirl Emerald Blaze

 purchased by me 

A week?  Has it really been a week since I posted?  Damn.  Sorry about that.  The past few days have been a little chaotic for me because of the blizzard that didn't happen.  At one point they were saying we'd be getting up to 18" in a "historic storm", so we braced for the worst and I got ready to live at work for a few days.  I don't think we even got 3".  I'm glad we didn't get walloped, but it was still really disruptive.  Erg.  Winter, amirite?  Let's distract ourselves with an oddly familiar green polish...


Emerald Blaze is a shimmer that shifts green to soft red.

Lovely, but...familiar.  The moment I saw Emerald Blaze back around Thanksgiving, I was pretty sure it was a dupe for OPI Green On The Runway.  I love doing comparisons, but I decided to wait for a better price.  I finally found it at CVS recently.  It's a new-for-2015 core shade, so if you haven't seen it yet, you will soon.  This is two coats and the formula's on the thick side.  The shift isn't the boldest ever, but it's still pretty strong at extremes.

So....dupe or no dupe?

vs OPI Green On The Runway on ring

Dupe!  If there's any difference at all, the OPI might have slightly finer/denser shimmer, but they're essentially identical.  I prefer the thinner formula of the OPI, but Emerald Blaze's shelf price is $3 cheaper and it's much easier to find.


Bottom line: Dead ringer for OPI Green On The Runway, but with a thicker formula and lower price point, plus it's core.


Fellow North-Easterners, did you get any snow over the past few days?  I know some places got as much as they were saying we would here in the Philly area.

 all products in this post were purchased by me 

Minimalist Princess: Rapunzel

So...I abandoned this for a bit didn't I? This one is especially hard, because being simple is not something that comes easily for me. But I found a few pictures of Rapunzel on pinterest that I just could not forget...and I set my mind to working.

Baroness X Fairest of All

promotional sample

My quest for the perfect neutral is never ending. At this point, I don't know if I am looking for The One or if I am just collecting all the things. It is turning into more of a "thrill of the hunt" sort of thing for me. And I've caught another one to share!

Etude House Missing U Hand Cream

I am a sucker for cute things...hence the kids. I am in loveLOVElove with the packaging of these little guys, and they have been on my wishlist for quite some time. I was helping out a new friend and as a thank-you, she surprised me with a wee penguin!

Abstractifying Multichromes and Holos

I am falling in love with these quickie manicures. They look really neat, they can be done when you've had five cups of coffee, and they don't look rushed. They are also a great way to use all the holos you might have sitting out on your desk...what? You guys think I actually put my toys away?

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Arctis Tor

promotional sample

You know that moment when you see a polish and instantly feel a need to have it? Yeah...this was one of those times. I saw teasers of this, and knew I needed it. It didn't hurt that it was one of my polish bestie's (and spirit animal, btw) custom colors and from OPNL. I knew without trying it that I was probably gonna love it. And you know I love being right.

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Chimera

promotional samples

Monday was full of love and femininity, so I figured this would be a good time to show the other side of that coin. Chimera is Dave's birthday color, and it is definitely cause for celebrations. 

Color4 - Winter Chill

Since the year's still fairly new, it seemed like a good time to launch a new series of posts.  Well...new-ish, like the year.  I technically did the first of these last fall (on craaaaazylong nails) and liked it so much I decided to make it a regular thing.  So really...this is hellacious procrastination.  What else is new?  The idea behind Color4 is to combine seasonally inspired colors with simple nail art, sort of like paint chips but also a wearable look.  Today's seasonal color palette, Winter Chill, is inspired by sunrise on a cold January morning.

Softened, "dusty" colors like these are just the thing after the glitz and glitter of xmas.  They're calming, but without being drab or cheerless.  A bunch of polishes in my stash fit this feeling, but the four I used here are Sally Hansen Resurrection and Gray By Gray, China Glaze History Of The World, and OPI Planks A Lot.  I used Wet n Wild Yo Soy! for a neutral background.  The lines were done with standard striping tape.  In anticipation of future Color4 posts, I've ordered some...well...you'll see.  If I'm gonna keep doing these, I'll have to mix it up, right?  For now I'm happy with these results.

Additional shades within this same theme include:

• Essie Warm And Toasty Turtleneck and Vested Interest
• OPI Mermaid's Tears (the whole Pirates Of The Caribbean collection really)
• Sally Hansen Greige Gardens

What types of colors do you like most for this neglected season?

I Might Be Crazy

It is no secret by now that I am a nutball. You know it. I know it. Hell, my mailman knows it. That is my path in life and it is a nice path, littered with glitter and coffee. Sometimes, the nuttiness gets the better of me and things happen. Beautiful, amazing, magical things.  

Baroness X Love Duo

promotional samples

For your average person this holiday is full of cheap candy, crowded restaurants, and cheaply made lingerie. Thankfully, we aren't average. We're lacquerheads. That means we actually have something worth waiting for: limited edition nail polish. I'm telling you guys, Baroness X does not disappoint with her Love Duo. If this pair is any indication, this might be the best holiday yet.

Pinspired: Quick and Easy Strokes

Pinterest might be the best thing that ever happened to my nails. So much inspiration in a coffee-drinking-friendly format. That is hard to beat. I found this one a long time ago, and have been putting it off for months. I'm glad I finally did it.

Throwback Thursday - Peel Me A Gobi Grape?

Emphasis on the question mark at the end.  I'm not sure if it's my expectations or my bottle of Peel Me A Gobi Grape that went wrong somewhere.

Evolving Nails: Delicate Flesh

It has been a while since either of us has done a real "evolving nail" sort of post. When I swatched the CNC Taupey Tips the other day, I couldn't bear to take it off...and since I still had a few other polishes on my desk, this manicure was born.

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Crepuscular

 promotional sample

I've been sitting on these swatches for a while. I didn't want to post them before everyone got their bottles because spoilers...but I think they've all gone out, and people are even beginning to swap things. I wish this hadn't been a holiday special, because it is amazing.

Dance Legend NY NY

 purchased by me 

Sometimes I feel like every single one of my Dance Legend reviews goes something along the lines of "WOWYOUNEEDTHISGOBUYITNOW!!"  Well...aside from Termo 170, but I think my bottle is damaged.  Today's look at NY NY, from their new Las Vegas collection, is gonna be another one of those gushy posts.  Can't help it.  I love this brand!  If they were available at a brick-and-mortar store near me, they'd probably surpass OPI as my favorite brand.  As heretical as that statement feels to an OPI fangirl like me, I love them that much.

NY NY has dense blue, teal, and gold ultra-fine glitter in a clear base.

All of the shades in this collection are named for Las Vegas casinos.  I've never been there (just to Atlantic City, NJ [and I didn't like it]), so my only experience of NY NY is Anthony Bourdain's shock, disgust, and dismay when he visited it on one of his older shows.  I won't hold that against this polish for a single second.  Look at it!  Sparkles!  Depth!  Blueness!  Glow!  The cap lights up, which is a little weird, but...this polish is stunning.  The formula's thick, but easy to work with.  This is three coats, for maximum depth.  It is on the thirsty side, but it's completely worth the extra topcoat.

I feel like I need to gush a little more.  You know how China Glaze microglitters twinkle?  Make the glitter much smaller and you'd have what's going on in NY NY.  It's beyond microglitter.  It's nanoglitter.  That just increases its sparkle and impact.  Dance Legend clobbered China Glaze at what I used to consider "their game".  There's something almost static-y about this finish.

As nuts as it goes in my usual CFL/sunlight combo, it has a whole other feel to it in softer light.

soft, indirect sunlight

Kinda foily, no?  You know the next step...

with OPI Matte Top Coat

Just when I thought I couldn't possibly love it more than I did....  I don't think you can blame me at all for being totally nuts over this polish!


Bottom line: WOWYOUNEEDTHISGOBUYITNOW!!  Kidding.  Sorta.  This is a gorgeous, stand-out shade with a good formula and possible layering potential.  You kinda need it.  Also...WOW!


Did you get anything from this collection?  NY NY was the only shade that really grabbed me when I saw Anna Gorelova's swatches (notice it's the one that got the big photo?), but I always have that lingering feeling that I missed out on something amazing.

 all products in this post were purchased by me 

Carpe Noctem Cosmetics Taupey Tips

Slowly attacking my "untried" bin! Huzzah for forward progress! My test subject today is my very first Carpe Noctem polish: Taupey Tips! You know how I love a good nude(ish) polish.

Pretty Serious CGA + Stripes

I do love a quickie manicure...especially when it involves nail art. I loved that CGA so much that I needed to extend it a bit. I tend to leave those Sally Hansen Nail art pens out for just this purpose!

My Lipstick Collection: Purples

In connection with the whole Use It or Lose It program, and seeing as it is a new year, I figured I would start taking a good look at my makeup collection. I might actually find things that can be rehomed, which is awesome. I might find dupes. I might find things that have gone off. I figure purple is as good a place to start as any.

With A Little Help From My Friends

Inspiration doesn't just come from art and nature. Sometimes it comes from your friends. When that happens you either pay tribute or ignore them completely and pretend you thought of it on your own. I decided to pay tribute.

Revlon Wild

 purchased by me 

Ever see a polish so odd you had to buy it?  That's what happened here.  I'll say right off the bat that I don't exactly like Revlon Wild...but I also don't hate it and I'm somewhat confused by it.


Wild has a frosty finish, shifting from pinkish-gray to minty green, with tiny flecks that shift from green to pink.

Gotta wonder what Revlon was thinking with this one.  Frosts have been making a bit of a comeback, but to add one this...distinctive...as core their classic line seems like a strange choice.  I mentioned before that I can't quite decide how to feel about Wild.  It's kinda...fugly, but in a way that I sorta enjoy on some level.  I wore a lot of 70's polyester shirts when I was in my teens and I think it's got the same retro tacky appeal.  The Wikipedia image for the Chevette is an amusingly similar color.  The formula has its drawbacks.  This is three coats and I had to fight brushstrokes the whole way.  I got bubbling, since Revlon's classic line doesn't like my body chemistry, but it was pretty tiny.  There were also two small clumps of unknown origin, which you can see on my ring and index nails.  I'll probably give Wild another shot over OPI Damone Roberts 1968 or something like it the next time I feel retro.

It's kinda appropriate that I was watching Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas for the millionth time while swatching Wild.  It would have looked perfect on any of the women in the bar scene.  You know, before they turned into reptiles.

The shimmer flecks really don't show up all that well in my photos, but in person they show up on the nail only slightly less than in the bottle.  The green is most visible at the grayer end of the base's shift and they turn pink as it turns green.  So quirky!

Bottom line:  Endearingly odd if you can get past the formula's completely predictable hassles.


I really wanna know what you guys think of it!


While I've got you here, I know some bloggers are boycotting Revlon due to a recent news item.  I'm aware of it and I do understand the offense taken, but I'm keeping in mind that these claims were made by a disgruntled former employee.  Maybe he's telling the truth and has reasons to be angry, or maybe he was fired for valid reasons and is lashing out.  That's for the court to decide.  I'm reserving judgement until the results and facts are clearer.

 all products in this post were purchased by me 

DIY Collapsible Brush Drying Rack

When you wear makeup, the worst part is the cleaning that is required. Sponges and brushes must be washed. Not only does a clean brush make using wild colors a lot easier, but no one needs to be slapping gross brushes filled with bacteria and gunk across their face. But the drying poses a problem. I usually hang them from a towel bar, but that requires me to scoot towels around and keeps me from grabbing bath towels with ease. There had to be a better, and more DIY-inclined, solution. 

Curses! I've Done It Again!

I've gone too damn subtle!  Again!  It's even a Pueen image...again!  Aaaaah!  See?

Akira Lacquer: Books, Glitter, and Shine

promotional samples

Just when you thought it was safe to browse the internet...more glittery goodness arrives! This time, it is from Akira Lacquer! She has pretty much mastered the glittery jelly polish thing, and we all benefit from that! What better way to start the new year than with some new polish?

Pretty Serious CGA

I'm not sure what this name means...and I am not even going to hazard a guess.  If you know, leave it in the comments? I'm just calling this a lovely lavender...with extra shinies. You know how I feel about the shinies.

2014: My Year in Nails

The year is done. 2014 was a hell of a year, but I am glad to see the backside of it. I am looking forward to my thirty-fifth year on this planet, more than most years in recent memory. But before I plunge headlong into the new, I decided to take a look back at my favorite nails from this year. Below each picture is a link to the original post if you want more info.

Throwback Thursday - Love & Beauty Safari/Gold

Today's throwback polish isn't all that old, but it is from a brand that's gone.  Love & Beauty was Forever21's exclusive brand, made by the same company as L.A. Girl.  They phased them out in '13 and didn't seem to be putting much effort into replacing them.  A look at their website shows that's changing now, and I'll have to stop in there on my next mall trip.  It also looks like they're still being made by L.A. Girl, since some of the shades seem to be rebottles.  Nifty!  Anyway...on to the swatch...

Safari/Gold has dense gold microfleck shimmer in an army green jelly base.

Feels good to start the new year off with an ugly green.  Sorry, Nichole!  This is three coats because of the jelly base.  I'm torn about whether it needs undies or not.  I don't like that hint of VNL, but at the same time I'd be sad to lose the depth.  It reminds me of LA Colors Cactus, and I have the same mixed feelings with that one.

Have you bought any of the newer Forever21 polishes?  Any recommendations?

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer: Two for Fifteen

promotional samples

Are you kids ready for 2015? I sure as hell am not. There is far too much that I didn't get done in 2014, and time is not respecting my procrastinating spirit. The one shining beacon of hope is that new polishes are coming again. Thank the heavens. The first one across my plate is a pair from Octopus Party. Dave has done it again.