Tuesday, November 29, 2016

L.A. Colors Treasure Chest

The L.A. Colors section of my Dollar Tree used to be a section I'd pass over without much thought. It was usually a handful of unoriginal or not so great colors. Lately, the Dollar Tree nearest to me has been out a fairly large selection of L.A. Colors polishes and has been rotating the colors seasonally. I came across this beauty a few weeks ago and it's a real winner.

Treasure Chest
Treasure Chest is a blue-toned purple with an intense gold glass fleck sparkle and some silver round glitters.

Collection: L.A. Colors Color Craze

Color: The finish of this polish reminds me of the polishes in the Zoya Sunshine collection 5 years ago. They're intense flecky shimmers if that makes sense. I love this finish and I adore this color. It's an intense purple shade and all of that golden and glitter magic make this polish super special.

Formula: This had an excellent formula I used 2 coats above.

Price: I paid $1 for this at Dollar Tree. I do not see this color come up on the L.A. Colors website so I'm wondering if this is an exclusive to Dollar Tree?

Overall: This polish is pretty fantastic. The finish and color are beautiful and this is a polish I'd expect to pay more than $1 for. You really can't go wrong here in any way. This is a winning polish for several obvious reasons!

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

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Weekly Wax Wrap Up: 11/20/16-11/27/16

It was another fairly good wax week! I'm trying to slowly ease myself into the holiday scents and that hasn't been too hard for me. The only bummer thing about wax lately is the Walmarts I've been to do not have their holiday wax out yet outside 1 or 2 scents. I'm hoping they'll get more.

Ten Digit Creations Ivory Clean
Scent Description: fresh and squeaky clean just like the soap
My Thoughts: This smells exactly like Ivory soap. It's a very hard scent to describe, but it's so nostalgic to me as it was the soap I remember having in the house when I was younger. It's a very clean soapy scent, but it has this distinct scent note to it I really can't describe. Go smell a bar of Ivory and you'll know what it smells like. I really enjoyed this scent and it had a nice throw.
Scent Throw: 3.5/5
Where To Buy: Ten Digit Creations

Wilma Harvest 
Scent Description: A fabulous warm blend of cinnamon, clove and spices. A Yankee duplication.
My Thoughts: I have the Yankee one and was disappointed with it because the throw as light. I was hoping this would be stronger, but it wasn't much. It's an excellent scent on cold it's the perfect blend of Thanksgiving/Christmas cooking spices. It just isn't strong enough. 
Scent Throw: 1.5/5
Where To Buy: Wilma's Shop

Ten Digit Creations Christmas Cabin
Scent Description: blend of bayberry, cranberry, cinnamon bark, and orange
My Thoughts: I adore this scent. This is an amazing Christmas scent. It really is the perfect blend of all those Christmas notes from greenery, fruit, and spices. You can detect the individual notes, but they come together for a perfect balance. This reminded me a lot of Yankee Candle's Home for the Holidays scent. They're very similar. 
Scent Throw: 3.5/5
Where To Buy: Ten Digit Creations

Yankee Candle Catching Rays
Scent Description: Sharp orange and golden amber bring that great beach feeling of being warmed all the way through by a perfect summer sun.
My Thoughts: Orange and amber are not what come to mind when I smell this scent. It's a beautiful scent, though. I get kind of a laundry, fresh, floral, water blend going on with Catching Rays. It's kind of like a seaside fancy resort type smell. I know that can be anything under the sun, but it's what I'd imagine my fresh towels to smell like at a resort such as that. It definitely dethrones Yankee's Ocean Star and is my new favorite Yankee scent! Unlike other Yankee tarts this one has a great throw! 
Scent Throw: 4/5
Where To Buy: Yankee Candle

Happy Sunday!  

Friday, November 25, 2016

Throwbacks Week: KBShimmer Toast-ess With The Mostest

Let's kick off the holiday season with one of my favorite holiday throwback polishes! This one is by KBShimmer and it's really the perfect glitz and glam party color for this time of year. This is a glitter topper polish and I know glitter toppers have lost their appeal significantly over the past year or so. That being said, I think they're great to break out in the holidays because there is no better reason for bling in my opinion!

Toast-ess With the Mostest (over a nude pink creme)
Toast-ess With the Mostest is a clear base with gold, silver, and pink glitters in various sizes and shapes.

Collection: KBShimmer Winter 2013

Color: I love this pink, silver, and gold color combination. It's a festive and fun color combination yet sophisticated as well. The mix of glitter shapes in this polish is fun and unique. Remember when circle glitters were a thing? This reminds me of some bubbly champagne!

Formula: This formula was fairly easy to work with it. It works better to dab these glitters on. I used one coat dabbed over a base.

Price: N/A. This color is no longer available. I did request it as a returning color in KBShimmers FB group a few months ago to no avail. I tried!

Overall: This is an excellent fun and festive glitter for the holiday season! I love these colors and I wish this polish would make a comeback!

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

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Zoya Swatch Spam

If you haven't heard Zoya is having an amazing Black Friday sale tomorrow! Zoya will be offering 70% off any purchase tomorrow only (11/25) if you use the code YAY at checkout on their website. This is a great deal because Zoya's have gone up in price to $10 recently and I'm all about $3 Zoyas! I have some Zoya swatch spam today of some of my favorite Zoya colors. I hope this helps some of you come up with some new Zoyas to add to your collection!

Chita

Happi

Hazel

Hudson

India

Kara

Kelly

Pepper

Remy

Rocha

Ryan

Sansa

Sia

Yara

Yuna


Happy Thanskgiving!

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Throwbacks Week: Zoya Ryan

Thanksgiving is tomorrow! Are you all excited? I am VERY excited this year. My Thanksgiving last year was a crapshoot last year foodwise, so I'm very much looking forward to a redo. Today, I have for you a beautiful Zoya throwback fall blue creme. This is a polish that has made its way back into my fall rotation the past 2 years since it was released.

Ryan
Ryan is a rich navy blue creme.

Collection: Zoya Entice Fall 2014

Color: Navy is not an unusual color in nail world, but it's a color that you see done a million different ways. They're are deep blackened navys, bright blue navys, muted navys, and so forth. This to me, is a true navy in my eyes. It's not too dark, too light, it's just right! It's such a pigmented and creamy color.

Formula: This had an excellent formula. I used 2 coats.

Price: This can be found on the Zoya website for $10.

Overall: This is an amazing rich blue color. The formula is great and I don't have any complaints!

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

Monday, November 21, 2016

Throwbacks Week: Sally Hansen Purple Gala

It's the third full week of the month which means it's time for another Throwbacks Week! I have a pretty ancient Sally Hansen oldie to share with you today. Ancient in nail world terms, because it's only 6 years old, but that may as well be 300 hundred years ago! This color came out in a limited edition Sally Hansen display.

Purple Gala
Purple Gala is a purple and gold foil.

Collection: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Limited Edition Fall 2016

Color: I love this purple and gold metallic combination. It's really a great color for fall and can read as a neutral shade as well. I love this foil finish in nail polish and it's not something I've seen in recent years. It's one of my absolute favorite finishes so I miss it!

Formula: This had a nice formula. It is a little more sheer than expected. I used 3 coats above.

Price: N/A. This was limited edition drugstore polish and as many of us know when it comes to LE drugstore polish when it's gone it's gone!

Overall: This is a great foil finish polish.  I love the color combination and it's a definite oldie but goodie!

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

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Weekly Wax Wrap Up: 11/13/16-11/20/16

It's been a fairly good wax week. I did start breaking in some holiday scents, but held it together and didn't start plowing through them yet. The temptation is strong though! I'm sure this next week I'll blow through some!

Better Homes & Gardens Season of Joy
Scent Description: Balsam and fir adorned with festive red berries join notes of warm woods and oriental amber accented by vanilla caramel and shimmering spice
My Thoughts: This to me is an excellent holiday scent without being stereotypical holiday scent. I definitely get berry notes, followed up by some woodsy, caramel, and perfume-like notes with the balsam rounded it out in the background. It smells like it could be a holiday perfume but it's not overpowering or strong. It's just right. I really love this scent.
Scent Throw: 3/5
Where To Buy: Walmart

Lake Providence Lodge Tree-lined Trail
Scent Description: The scent of sweet fir, cypress and fresh mountain air.
My Thoughts: Whew-wee this is strong! Too strong for my liking. This is just so resinous and has that strong sweet woodsy tree scent to it it's just too much. I do like Christmas tree scents, but I prefer them to have a lighter and brighter touch because they can get heavy handed easily. This was sadly the case for this one. Too much!
Scent Throw: 4.5/5
Where To Buy: Lake Providence Lodge

Ten Digit Creations Zero Tolerance
Scent Description: a lemongrass scent on steroids
My Thoughts: Accurate scent description. I go through phases with lemongrass. Sometimes I love it sometimes I don't. Right now, I'm in a love phase and this scent is excellent. It's crisp, fresh, citrusy, and clean. It is a true lemongrass scent, it's strictly lemongrass nothing sweet or weird added to it. Just lemongrass and I dig it! 
Scent Throw: 3/5
Where To Buy: Ten Digit Creations

Ten Digit Creations Snuggle 
Scent Description: just like the original Snuggle fabric softener
My Thoughts: I was scared of this scent so it's been sitting around for awhile in my wax drawer. I do like laundry scents, but laundry scents can go too strong and headache inducing pretty quickly for me. On cold sniff, this smell S-T-R-O-N-G so I was hesitant. I was brave today and melted it and it mellowed out immensely when melted. It left the perfect light fresh laundry scent dispersed in the air. This is one of the few times I'd rather a scent be light than strong. I'm happy this was the case.
Scent Throw: 3/5
Where To Buy: Ten Digit Creations  

Happy Sunday!

Thursday, November 17, 2016

CbL Mocha Grande

I have a Colors by Llarowe color from last year's fall collection to share with you today. I actually purchased this last year and it got lost in my mix of already swatched polishes when it wasn't! I rescued it from the wrong pile this summer and decided to save it for a more fitting time of year. I used to not be a fan of brown polishes in the least, but last fall I became a fan. This one is pretty awesome!

Mocha Grande
Mocha Grande is a deep chocolate brown intense linear holo with copper, gold and red shimmer.

Collection: Colors by Llarowe Fall 2015

Color: This is such a beautifully rich brown shade. It is very saturated and looks just like chocolate. The holo in this is incredibly intense! It's holo-rific! I don't own a shade like this or anything nearly as good. This is a stunning color.

Formula: This had an excellent 2 coat formula. It was smooth and easy to apply. There was one caveat to this polish that I wish weren't the case. This stained my nails. It didn't stain them badly, but it did leave a slight brownish hue to my nails when removed despite base coat. Not a deal breaker, but not something I care for either.

Price: I purchased this from Llarowe's site for $12.00. The site is currently on vacation mode but will return December 1st.

Overall: I so absolutely wish this was a 5 golden paint splatter polish. Everything about it really ticks all of those boxes. This color is jaw-droppingly gorgeous and the formula application was perfection. That little bit of staining is that one thing that keeps this from being perfect. I'd still recommend this polish, but maybe use an extra coat of base coat just in case.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Thursday!

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Sinful Colors Prosecco

I think I may be the last nail polish addict to actually get this Sinful Colors polish. I know this polish was on everyone's radar well over a year ago. I liked the color but never got around to really getting it. I finally got it last week. I spotted it at Walgreens recently and decided to take the plunge.

Prosecco
Processo is a soft taupe filled with a golden shimmer.

Collection: Sinful Colors SinfulShine

Color: This is definitely my kind of color. As many of you know I've been on a nude/neutral polish kick and have been accumulating many colors like Processo. This one is a nice addition. I love this soft shade and we all know it's about that gorgeous shimmer!

Formula: This had an excellent and smooth formula. I used 2 coats.

Price: I purchased this from Walgreens for $2.98.

Overall: This is a great neutral color that has a beautiful shimmer. I get why everyone loved this shade. It's very flattering, unique for a drugstore color, and with a drugstore price! I don't have complaints.

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

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Weekly Wax Wrap Up: 10/30/16-11/13/16

I'm sorry I was MIA with my wax post last weekend. I had a busy weekend and was downright lazy because of it! I'm back on schedule now. I'm starting to teeter into holiday wax territory. Holiday scents are my favorite so I'm going to try my best not to overdo it! My most recent melts have been pretty good over the past 2 weeks though.

Wilma Black Cedar Juniper
Scent Description: Clean, crisp, and fresh! A seductive blend of rain drenched cedarwood and moss. A Jo Malone duplication.
My Thoughts: I don't know the Jo Malone scent so I can't compare, but I do like this scent. It's a definite masculine cologne scent, but it is very crisp and clean. I get a strong water note with some woodsy and green in the background. 
Scent Throw: 3/5
Where To Buy: Wilma's Shop

Lake Providence Lodge The Lodge
Scent Description: Our signature scent of warm spices, pies baking and whole apples filled with cinnamon and sugar and baked in the oven. This is an ideal cinnamon scent.
Scent Throw: I was very curious how this would be different from LPL's The Cabin scent. I feel like The Cabin is more of a fall scent, it has a stronger apple presence whereas The Lodge is more of a Christmas scent because it's stronger on the cinnamon. It just smells more festive. I enjoyed this one.
Scent Throw: 4/5
Where To Buy: Lake Providence Lodge

Wilma Celtic Moon Spice
Scent Description: A warm blend of spices. A very inviting aroma.
My Thoughts: I'm not sure why it's called Celtic Moon Spice, but this a very nice spice scent. It's a blend of kitchen spices like nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon. What I like about it is while it has all those elements of baked goods, it really doesn't smell like a baked good. It's just spices. 
Scent Throw: 4/5
Where To Buy: Wilma's Shop

Ten Digit Creations Frosted Winter Berry
Scent Description: N/A
My Thoughts: This smells nothing like frosted, winter, or berries. This smells exactly like cherry almond, though. I was expecting a wintery berry scent and I'm just getting Jergens original lotion scent. Not my favorite.
Scent Throw: 4/5
Where To Buy: N/A this was a test scent from Ten Digit Creations and is no longer available. I don't think it will make the cut! 

Happy Sunday!

Thursday, November 10, 2016

DIFFERENT dimension Topaz 2.0

I have super sparkly DIFFERENT dimension polish to share with you today. I know it's before Thanksgiving, but I'm already thinking about holiday polishes. This polish definitely seems to fit the holidays for me. Holiday time is the perfect time for bling! 

Topaz 2.0
Topaz 2.0 is a lightened rose gold glitter bomb full of pink holographic glitters, gold holographic glitters and gold flakies in a rose gold tinted base.

Collection: DIFFERENT dimension Let Them Eat Glitter March 2016

Color: Does anyone not like rose gold? I saw a rose gold Christmas tree at Target last week. It's definitely a trendy metallic color and I'm a fan. This is a beautiful pinky rose shade and all of those sparkly glittery bits with the holo and flakes makes this polish amazing.

Formula: This formula was easy to apply and work with I used 2 coats above. This will definitely need top coat as it is very glittery and it will give it a smoother appearance.

Price: This is $8.75 on DIFFERENT dimension's website

Overall: This is a fantastic blingtastic polish. I love the rose gold shade. There isn't much to love and it's certainly a color I will be reaching for this upcoming holiday season. 

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

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

LevelUP Lacquer Subspace

I have another one of LevelUP Lacquer's Intergalactic polishes to share with you today. It's been awhile since I've posted any from this collection, but this has been one of my favorite collections of the year. I can definitely say that now since we're in November. I love the theme and chameleon flakies! This blue shade is a beauty.

Subspace
Subspace is a blueish teal crelly with gold interference and chameleon flakies.

Collection: LevelUP Lacquer Intergalactic Collection 2016

Color: This is a beautiful soft blue with just the slightest touch of green. What I love about this polish is that gold "interference" a.k.a. shimmer it really gives this shade intensity and glow. I can't complain about those magical multichrome flakies either!

Formula: This has an excellent smooth and easy to apply formula. The formula is sheer on the first coat but builds up in 3 coats. I prefer this formula type of formula on a crelly than a thicker one that doesn't apply as evenly.

Price: You can purchase this polishes in 3 different sizes for 3 different prices. 16.5ml for $10, 11ml for $8.50 or 5ml for $4.50. You can purchase Subspace on LevelUP Lacquer's site.

Overall: This is gorgeous and unique polish. I love the soft color paired with the intense shimmer and flakies. I love the formula and all in all it's a very thoughtfully and well made polish!

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

Thursday, November 3, 2016

L.A. Colors Flirt (Mademoiselle?)

I had a hard time finding L.A. Colors Gel line of polishes. These are not real gel polishes that you need a UV light to cure, but they have gel-like shine. I finally spotted some at Five Below recently and this nude color caught my eye. Yes, I'm still into my nude nail polish phase! The weird thing about this one is I think it was mislabeled. My bottle is labeled "Flirt", but I cannot find a shade in the Gel line with this name when searching it online. I do find the exact same color named Mademoiselle. I'm not sure what happened with that?

Flirt (Mademoiselle)
Flirt is a soft pink dusty creme.

Collection: L.A. Colors Color Craze Gel

Color: You can't go wrong with a color like this. I love the softness of this pink and the muted tone. It's a flattering nude shade for neutral and cooler skin tones. I'm really appreciating seeing nude shades for neutral and cooler tones because for so long most nude polishes have always been yellow-toned and more geared toward warmer tones.

Formula: Excellent and smooth formula. It is very shiny and I only needed 2 coats.

Price: I got this for $2 at Five Below.

Overall: This a solid and great nude shade. I love the color and the formula. This is just one of those staple colors when you want a clean and fresh look. I have no complaints other than why is my bottle mislabeled?!?

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Paint Splatters


Happy Thursday!

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

KBShimmer Winter 2016 Collection (8 of 16)

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

I have some of the polishes from the KBShimmer Winter Collection to share with you. Today is release day for this collection so these pretties are all available for you to purchase now! This is a great collection in true KBShimmer fashion. There is a great mix of cremes, glitters, holos, crellies, and more. There are also some new holiday scents for their body care line as well as some holiday promos. I'll get to those later in the post. First, is nail polish. I have 8 of the 16 polishes in this collection.

 Bling In The New Year
Bling In The New Year is a silver holo glitter and metallic flakes featuring pink, green, gold, and blue flakes. (2 coats)

Chai-huahua
Chai-huahua is a warm brick-toned red creme. (2 coats).

Just Duvet It

Just Duvet It is a rich grape shade with a hint of sparkle and some pink shimmery flakes. (2 coats)

Soot And Ladders
Soot And Ladders is a soot black jelly filled with micro flakes in a rainbow of colors. (2 coats)

A Walk In the Park-A
A Walk In The Park-A is a lush orchid creme. (2 coats)

Yeti or Not
Yeti Or Not is a textured pale gray polish loaded with iridescent glitter and holographic glitters. (3 coats plus topcoat)

Spruce Things Up
Spruce Things Up is a Christmas green jelly with micro holo and silver glitters. (2 coats)

Haute Mess
Haute Mess is clear base filled with silver, copper, rose gold, and holographic glitters. (1 coat of A Walk In The Park-A)

Holiday Scents
There will be three new scents (Gingerbread Men, Very Merry Cranberry, and Cocoa & Cookies) added for the holiday season. These scents will be available for a limited time in Mani Shots, Mega Shots, Sugar Scrubs, Picture Perfect Cuticle Creams, and Lotions.

Collection: KBShimmer Winter 2016

Colors: I think KBShimmer nailed it with this collection. I really like a traditional holiday collection and this collection really has awesome traditional holiday colors that are still fresh and relevant for this upcoming season. The colors in this collection are rich and saturated and the variety of finishes offered is always appreciated.

Formulas: I thought 7 of the 8 polishes I tried had a superb formula. The cremes were excellent and smooth. A Walk In The Park-A could easily be one coat, I just did two for the sake of photography. The glitters and shimmers also had great formulas. The only troublesome one of the bunch was Yeti Or Not which had a textured and chunky formula. It was not smooth to apply and I really wish it was created just as a normal nail polish because the color is beautiful and would have been my favorite otherwise.

Price: The polishes in this collection are $9.25 each and are available now on the KBShimmer website. KBShimmer will also be offering holidays promos with orders placed between 11/01-12/31 or while supplies lasts.

Promos
Spend $25 or more – receive a chrome nail polish charm with the KBShimmer logo ($2.95 retail value)
Spend $50 or more – receive a KBShimmer branded Mont Bleu purse sized crystal nail file ($4.95 retail value) and charm.  Plus free shipping on your order!
Spend $75 or more – receive a faux leather KBShimmer holographic cosmetic case ($12.95 retail value), nail file, and charm.  Plus free shipping!
**Purchase amount after any discounts or coupon codes

Overall: This is a wonderful holiday collection. I love the selection of colors and it's the perfect collection for those of you who love traditional holiday colors but have KBShimmer's magical touch. The formulas are great and I'm really excited bout the promos and new holiday scents. My favorite colors from this lot are Bling In The New Year, Chai-huahua, A Walk In The Park-A, and Spruce Things Up.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Tuesday!