Thursday, February 26, 2015

Throwback Thursday: Maybelline Zip Fly

I have a Maybelline oldie to share with you today. This is a major oldie too, as I can't date it, but I'm sure its around 15 years or 15+ years old. That's ancient in nail polish years. I wish I could say I've owned this one for that long, but I remember purchasing this from a blog sale shortly after I started blogging in 2010.

Zip Fly
 Zip Fly is a deep jewel-toned blue base with a subtle shimmer and micro silver glitter.

Collection: Maybelline Express Finish- Finish Denim late 90's-early 00's(?) Can anyone confirm when this collection was released?

Color: This is a beautiful color, and I know why I purchased this from a blog sale. It reminded me a lot of the elusive Essie Starry Starry Night. This isn't a dupe or even a near dupe though. There isn't enough glitter and the shimmer in Zip Fly make this more of a cousin than a twin or a sister. That being said, it's a gorgeous blue, and I love the combination of shimmer and sparkle here.

Formula: This formula for being over a decade old is still realy nice. I used 3 coats above. It has thickened and bit, but nothing unmanageable at all.

Price: No clue. You can't find this one anymore unfortunately. There was a time a couple years ago, colors like this popped up at Dollar Tree, but I'm betting those days are over.

Overall: Beautiful nail polish that I'm glad to own. This is one I'll never part with. It's unique, pretty, and it's just so old! Respect your elder polishes!

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Paint Splatters
Happy Thursday!


Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Indigo Bananas Galactic Halo (Holo)

I have new to me indie polish to share with you today! Well, it's not really new to me. I've known of Indigo Bananas for quite some time, and have/had quite a few on my wishlist for awhile. This is the first polish I've owned from the brand, so as for me actually trying the brand it is new. I received this as part of my HPB Valentine Exchange gift from Katie over at Lustrous Lacquer! Many thanks!

Galactic Halo (Holo)

Galactic Halo (HOLO version) is a lavender to copper chrome flakie (a special type of thin multichrome flake) & linear holographic polish.

Collection: Chrome Flakies

Color: As you can see I copied and pasted Indigo Banana's color description. This is one that is so complex and multi-faceted I can't describe it. This color in general does lean purple, but as you can see it has the beautiful effect of the flakies and holos mixed in. This looks different from various angles and is amazing!

Formula: The formula on this was easy to use. I used 3 coats above.

Price: A mini 8ml bottle is $7.75 and a full size 15ml bottle is $12.00. You can purchase it here.

Overall: This is one of those polishes you put on, and your jaw drops. I thought we saw it all with nail polish before these multichrome flakies. I didn't think something so cool could exist in nail polish. Galactic Halo (Holo) is spectacular!

My Rating: 5 out of 5 *Golden* Paint Splatters

Happy Wednesday!

Monday, February 23, 2015

Sephora X Mischievous

Have you bought a nail polish because it's just the most interesting and unusual nail polish you've seen? It may not necessarily be the prettiest color, but the oddity of it draws you in? That's exactly what happened with this Sephora X polish I purchased recently.

I went into the store confident I wasn't going to buy anything. I eyed over quickly to the Sephora X nail polish display, and at first didn't see anything new. Then I foolishly looked a little harder and spotted something new. They have a newer line called The Ombre Glitters which are color-shifting metallic glitters. Ugh, I wanted to cry. They were the coolest polishes I had seen in awhile, and Mischievous caught my eye because it was the most intriguing of the bunch!

Mischievous 
 Mischievous is a warm pink-toned red base with golden green color shifting glitter and shimmer.

Collection: Sephora X The Ombre Glitters

Color: I admit this color is not my favorite type of color. Red with a green/gold isn't doesn't speak to me like a blue, purple, or a green. However, this so unusual and striking I can't help but absolutely adore it. The contrast between the base and shimmer/glitter is amazing. The others in this collection do not have that stark of a contrast. I've never seen a nail polish color like this at all.

Formula: This was a very easy to use 3 coat formula. The formula is can be a bit sheer, but the that shimmer/glitter makes up for it. It's so shiny and shimmery you can't see your nail underneath at all.

Price: This is $12.50 at Sephora or on Sephora's website. This is a steep price for nail polish by my standards, but for one that looks like this, I can most definitely make an exception.

Overall: This is hands down of the of coolest nail polishes I've ever owned. It is most definitely unique, odd, unusual, and strange, all in the right ways!. I'd say you all need this one!

My Rating: 5 out of 5 *Golden* Paint Splatters
Happy Monday!

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

a-england Crown of Thistles

I have a relatively new a-england polish to share with you today. This one is from the Elizabeth and Mary collection that was released toward the end of last year. This polish is the one that stood out to me the most, and it's a stunner.

Crown of Thistles
Crown of Thistles is an amethyst scattered holo.

Collection: Elizabeth & Mary Late 2014

Color: This color is magnificent. I see tons of blue-toned purple holos out there. Tons. I rarely see red-toned purple holos at all. If I do they don't have near the pigmentation and vibrancy of Crown of Thistles. This is a stunning shade of purple done in a holo finish. Amazing.

Formula: Excellent 2 coat easy to apply formula. 

Price: I paid $10 for this on Color4Nails

Overall: This is a beauty. The pigmentation, the shade of purple, and the formula are all top notch. a-england continues to impress me with innovative colors and superb quality. You can never go wrong with an a-england polish. I think you all need Crown of Thistles!

My Rating: 5 out of 5 *Golden* Paint Splatters
Happy Tuesday! 

Saturday, February 14, 2015

HPB Presents: Valentine's Mani

It's time for another Hobby Polish Bloggers blog link-up! The theme for February is of course Valentine's manis. This is one I'm wearing for this Valentine's Day! I used a ton of different polishes for this mani even though it looks somewhat straight forward!


Polishes Used: KBShimmer Eclipse, Shimmer Polish Cindy, Milani Pink Hottie, Revlon Tahitian Coast, and Love My Nails Crazy For You.

I know that's a mouthful! I really like this mani. I even did some glitter placement. I NEVER do stuff like that. Go me!

Enjoy my fellow HPB friends manis from their blogs below!

Happy Valentine's Day!


Friday, February 13, 2015

HARE Polish Rosa Meditativa

I have a new HARE Polish to share with you today. This is from the A Surreal New Year collection inspired by Salvador Dali. This is one of the most interesting polishes I now own. Interesting, in a very good way that is!

Rosa Meditativa
Rosa Meditativa is dusty mauve jelly with multi-color ultra chrome flakies.

Collection: A Surreal New Year 2015

Color: This is 100% original and stunning color! The base color is beautiful and those mult-colored ulta chrome flakies? Need I say more? This polish is so cool, creative, and different!

Formula: I found this formula easy to use and apply. I used 3 coats above.

Price: I paid $10 for this on the HARE Polish etsy site. I hope this one will be restocked soon. 

Overall: These are the types of polishes I really do not have much to say with. I mean all you have to do is look at it to see its greatness. I love Rose Meditativa. This is a definite standout for me so far this year. I think we have a Top 2015 contender already!

My Rating: 5 out of 5 *Golden* Paint Splatters
Happy Friday! 

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Throwback Thursday: Zoya Elke

I have one of the first Zoyas I ever owned to share with you today. This was actually one of my favorite polishes when I first got in back in 2010. The sad thing with this polish is it has been discontinued. I can see why, while 5+ years ago this was a stunner, in 2015 it's not the most striking of nail polishes in comparison to what is available now.  I still love it though, and will I break it out at least once a year for old times' sake.

Elke
Elke is a coral-pinky red with a golden shimmer.

Collection: Chit Chat Collection 2008

Color: This is a hard color to describe. This reads red on the nail and in the bottle, but it has this little hint of coral-pink to it that makes it unique. What I love about this polish most is the golden shimmer. Zoya has always been the queen of golden shimmer. 

Formula: This was an easy to use and smooth 2 coat formula. 

Price: This is discontinued from Zoya, but you can still find some bottles on eBay in the $7-$8 range.

Overall: This polish will never leave my collection. No, it cannot compare to the metallic flakies, glitter bombs, multi-chormes, holos, and jellies of today, but it's a beautiful polish. The color is rich, bright, and the shimmer is stunning. Elke will always be an all-time favorite of mine. 

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Paint Splatters
Happy Thursday! 

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Julie G Miami Beach

Who is ready for spring? I'm not necessarily ready for spring itself. I know many of you up north are for sure. Florida has really beautiful weather in our version of winter. We have days in the low 70's sometimes upper 60's, and it is wonderful. I cherish these days because I will yearn for them in the oppressive swampy heat come summer. I do like Florida winter, but I'm craving spring colors. I really like this Julie G color.

Miami Beach
Miami Beach is a pink-toned coral creme.

Collection: Julie G Cruise Collection  Spring/Summer 2014

Color: I love corals. I love all the variations of coral out there. This is a beautifully bright pinky coral. This isn't neon at all, but it's not a puny color either. I love the vibrancy without it screaming summer neon. This would be beautiful as pedi color too.

Formula: Excellent formula. All my Julie G's have excellent formulas. I used 2 coats here.

Price: This is $3.99 on the Jesse's Girl site. I originally purchased this at Rite Aid this past summer while in California, but I don't know if this is still on display there.

Overall: Miami Beach is beauty! I love the creaminess of the color and formula. I love the coral shade. No complaints with this one.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Paint Splatters
Happy Tuesday!

Friday, February 6, 2015

KBShimmer Spring 2015 (8 of 12)

*I received the following products in exchange for my honest review. 

I have some polishes from the KBShimmer Spring 2015 to share with you today. These are available for purchase today! I really like the variation in this spring collection. This collection is inspired by the spring Pantone 2015 colors. There are pale pastels glitters, pastel glitters, a creme, and a holo. There is something for everyone, which is what I always say when I review KBShimmer. Christy really makes polishes to suit everyone's tastes!

On to polish!

Meow or Never
Meow or Never is based on the Pantone spring color Glacier Gray, this polish is a very pale gray, almost white in color with pops of purple, gray, periwinkle and sky blue.

Funky Cold Patina
Funky Cold Patina is like a long forgotten ancient copper statue turned blue green in color, this polish features a cool turquoise green base, with pops of metallic copper, blue and purple.

Cool Hand Cuke
Cool Hand Cuke is a pale minty green polish is loaded with pastel glitters in circles, triangles, stars and hexes. A touch of holographic sparkle completes this pastel polish.

Wind Swarm
Wind Swarm is based on the Spring 2015 Pantone color, Aquamarine, Wind Swarm features a pale sky blue base, a mix of purple, gold, white and pink glitters, while a hint of micro glitter offers a bit of sparkle to enjoy in the sun.

I'm So Sweet Pea
I'm So Sweet Pea is the palest of purples bases set off an explosion of glitters in pink, mint, purple and turquoise.

Blue-d Lines
Blue-d Lines is pale blue in color, this cool toned polish shines with linear holographic sparkle.

Blush Money
Blush Money is based on the 2015 Pantone Color, Strawberry Ice, this peachy-rose colored polish shows off gold shimmer indoors and a linear holographic rainbow shines while outside.

Thistle Be The Day
Thistle Be The Day is a pale pinkish purple that shines in the sun with a linear holographic rainbow.

Colors: Beautiful colors, and I absolutely love that they are inspired by the Pantone 2015 spring colors. I love the variety of colors offered and in the various finishes. I also really liked how KBShimmer offered some very pale pastel shades along with just regular pastel shades. The holos are so bright and vibrant too. I was blown away.

Formulas: I thought all formulas except for Cool Hand Cuke were excellent. I used 3 coats in each swatch and outside Cool Hand Cuke they all applied evenly, smoothly, and beautifully. Personally, Cool Hand Cuke gave me a lot of trouble. The heavier glitters in there with the crelly base made the formula tricky to apply. I really struggled to get the larger glitters on the nail and the formula did not apply evenly for me.

Price: These all are $8.75 and available for purchase now on the KBShimmer website!

Overall: I'm a fan of this collection. I love the color, the inspiration, and the different finishes. It's so hard to pick favorites here. If you had me choose , Wind Swarm would be my favorite with almost everything else tying for an immediate second. I love so many of these! Cool Hand Cuke was my only troublesome polish of the bunch. I love how it looks, but formula wise it did not work well for me. Outside of that, I think this is a perfect spring collection!

Be sure to check out the KBShimmer website for the other spring polishes I did not include and the new spring nail vinyl sheets!

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Paint Splatters
Happy Friday!

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Way-Cool Mani Wednesday: Blue Sparkle

You know when you have a certain mani in mind, and then last minute you change it to something entirely different? That's how I was with this mani. In fact, I think that's how most of my planned manis go. I never end up doing what I thought I would. I was intending on doing a red creme and gold accent mani, but ended up going with blue shimmer and sparkle instead!

Polished Used: Zoya Remy and Essie On a Silver Platter

No complaints here! This is a beautiful combination I really love. I'm glad I changed my mind. Sometimes it's fun to be spontaneous and switch things up last minute. I think nail polish is the only thing I can be spontaneous and unplanned about! I'm such a planner on everything else.

Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

L'Oreal Masked Affair

I had no idea this was some HTF coveted polish for awhile. I found this so easily either late December or early January at Bed Bath & Beyond. Apparently, while I easily found it, tons of other people were searching relentlessly for it! I have seen the L'Oreal displays in the past week at Walgreens, so I hope people are finding it more easily now? Anyways, I'll get on to my review!

Masked Affair
Masked Affair is a silvery-lavender holo.

Collection: L'Oreal Dark Shades of Grey 2015

Color: It's easy to see why this polish was an instant hit. It's a beautiful holo. It's not a pure silver holo either, which definitely makes it stand out. Masked Affair does a hint of purple to it. The holo effect  is bright and beautiful too.

Formula: This is where I've seen this polish become either a hit or a complete miss with people. I didn't find this formula great, but I didn't find it completely horrific either. I had some major bald spots and patchiness when applying the first coat. I did find the polish dragged too. The first coat was a hot mess. The second and third coat (I only applied 3 in this swatch) applied nicely for me though.

Price: I paid around $6 for this at Bed Bath & Beyond. I've seen it at Walgreens this past week too.

Overall: I think this is a beautiful holo, and it's an amazing drugstore find. The price is excellent, the holo effect is strong, and the color is beautiful. The formula was a wreck on the first coat, but did play nicely on the second and third coat. I can't say I'm disappointed at all, and I think Masked Affair is worth a try.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Paint Splatters
Happy Tuesday!


Monday, February 2, 2015

Sally Hansen Tickled Pink

I have a new Sally Hansen Xteme Wear polish to share with you today. These really haven't caught my eye lately, but when I came across a new display a few weeks ago there were a few that sparked my interest! This was one of the ones I picked up.

Tickled Pink
 Tickled Pink is a pale pink creme.

Collection: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear

Color: These paler shades of pink I always love, but I find it's difficult to find a good one. They are either sheer pinks that never build up to opacity or they have a horrific formula. I'm pleased to say this is a nice pale pink! It's a definite pigmented creme shade.

Formula: The formula on this is adequate. It's not great. It's not horrible either. It does have some typical funky pastel polish issues. The formula is a bit thick, it doesn't entirely self level, and it did want to flood my cuticles. I know that makes this sound horrible, but in comparison to other pale pink cremes I've tried, this was workable and tolerable to me. I used 3 coats above, and I think it looks nice in this photo.

Price: I paid around $2.99 for this at Walgreens.

Overall: I like Tickled Pink. No, it's not perfect formula wise, but it's definitely one of the better pale pink cremes I own. It may actually be the best one I own. The color is soft and pretty, and you can't beat the price.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Paint Splatters
Happy Monday!