Pahlish El Topo Petit Swatch And Review

Purchased

Hey there! How's you week going?  Mine has been interesting to say the least.  My car is in the autobody shop and my in-laws are still in town.  Luckily, I have LO's birthday party to look forward to at the end of the week, so I've got some light at the end of the long tunnel!

I've got a lovely neutral for you today, and that's Pahlish El Topo Petit, a dark taupey cream with a ton of red microglitter.  The formula was smooth and creamy, and applied with easy fluidity across the nail.  I used two lovely coats and had no issues with pooling or streaking and the microglitter dispersed itself equally throughout.  I finished with a layer of topcoat for added shine.

Pahlish El Topo Petit

Pahlish El Topo Petit

Pahlish El Topo Petit

Pahlish El Topo Petit

The microglitter is easily visible and doesn't get swallowed up by the dark base, and comes off as a beautiful red shimmer.  There's something incredibly sexy about a work appropriate neutral with a pop of vibrant red shimmer.   I feel like I can wear this easily at a business meeting and look professional, but then there's that quiet shimmer that hints at my inner vixen.  There's not too many neutrals out there that have qualities like this, and given that it's a product of Pahlish, I'm not surprised.  Shannon is brilliant and her easily wearable polishes can be found in her Big Cartel shop.  Make sure to stop by and give them a gander!

Purchased

Pretty & Polished Pieces Of You Swatch And Review

Nothing To Disclose

Hooray for Fridays!  I feel like today is going to be a really long day, considering all the craziness that I have going on at work.  I'm hoping to have a fun and relaxing weekend to make up for it!  Do you have any plans for the weekend?

I have a really interesting polish for you today, and that's Pretty & Polished Pieces Of You from their Winter 2013 collection.  It's a deep aquamarine blue jelly loaded with silver flakes and shreds, which supposedly shifts colors with temperature.  Strangely, I don't know if I don't notice the color change or the thermal pigment is deactivated, but I haven't witnessed any color shift so far.  Application wasn't difficult at all, although understandably it is on the sheer side due to the jelly finish.  I used a total of three coats for opacity with a tiny bit of VNL, and the formula was smooth without streaking or pooling.  My only complaint would be that the larger flakes can bunch up and stick up on the nail, such as the one on my index finger.  That little guy would not straighten out!  I finished with a layer of Essence Gel Look topcoat followed with NYC GCS.

Pretty & Polished Pieces Of You

Pretty & Polished Pieces Of You

Pretty & Polished Pieces Of You

Pretty & Polished Pieces Of You

Pretty & Polished Pieces Of You

Pretty & Polished Pieces Of You

I adore the color of this jelly base and the wonderful squishy finish.  There's nothing like a glitter jelly because it's like having an easy glitter sammich in a bottle.  I love how unique this polish is with all it's fabulous components and beautiful finish.  I'm not exactly sure how I came across this beauty, but I'm sure glad it's part of my collection!  Do you know of any polishes like this or is it as special as I think it is?

 Nothing To Disclose

Bettina Tulipani And WnW I Need A Refresh Mint Gradient with Hit Polish Punked Up Kicks

Purchased

Hello my dears! I'm still trying to get back on track but it's been difficult with LO lately.  This weekend we spent a lot of time with in-laws, but I think LO was either teething or had a bitten tongue because she was really fussy and didn't want to eat.  Luckily today she finally started being her normal cute self and managed to eat quite a bit for dinner.  I was getting worried too, especially when MIL started googling fever blisters which brought up a multitude of diagnosis which included the likes of herpes simplex virus.  Oy!  That is a big reason why non-medically educated people should not be googling medical conditions.  Ain't nobody got time to be scaird like that!

I've been trying to figure out how to wear Hit Polish Punked Up Kicks, but could not come up with any base color that I thought would highlight the multitude of glitters in the clear base.  Then it occurred to me that I do a gradient to match the colored glitters, so that they would pop against the complimentary background.  I pulled out some oldies but goodies, Wet 'n' Wild I Need A Refresh Mint and Bettina Tulipani and sponged away.  I love the way gradients look, but the cleanup is always a PITA.  I wish I knew an easy way of doing that!  Here's those results, pardon the slight uneveness.  I love the way that the bubblegum pink and cool blue combined in the middle to create a hint of purple.  Word of advice that's always important to remember:  make sure you let the layers dry before sponging on the next, otherwise you will pull up that previous layer and cause balding.

Bettina Tulipani And SH I Need A Refresh Mint Gradient

Bettina Tulipani And SH I Need A Refresh Mint Gradient

Bettina Tulipani And SH I Need A Refresh Mint Gradient

 Next, I happily laid down my Hit Polish Punked Up Kicks, a bright matte blue, pink, black, and white glitter topcoat with a sprinkle of holographic hexes.  I love the tiny microgitter in black and white and the shards of black to help tied in the name of Punked Up Kicks.  I'm not sure if my gradient really did a lot to bring out all the colors in this glitter topcoat, but overall, I don't think I did too bad!  Punked Up Kicks had a formula that was thicker than I like, and it wasn't easy getting a good balance of polish on the brush to apply on the nail.  I kept getting too much on the brush which would then flood my nail.  Luckily it dries down easily enough and cleanup wasn't any more difficult than the gradient.  This was all finished with a quick layer of topcoat.

 Gradient with Hit Polish Punked Up Kicks

 Gradient with Hit Polish Punked Up Kicks

 Gradient with Hit Polish Punked Up Kicks

 Gradient with Hit Polish Punked Up Kicks

 Gradient with Hit Polish Punked Up Kicks

 Gradient with Hit Polish Punked Up Kicks

There's a lot going on in this glitter topcoat, but with the gradient background, it does seem to go hand in hand pretty welll.   The black and white matte glitter are most predominant but the matte blue and pink glitters show up easily too.  I've got a few Hit Polish in my collection that I need to finish swatching, and I'm glad I finally pulled out this fun little guy to try. Are you a fan of matte glitters like this, or do you think it ends up looking too juvenile?

Purchased

Lumina Lacquer Soleil Swatch And Review

Purchased

Hey hey hey!  It's Friday, yo!  This has been a really strange week for me, and I'm glad that it's finally over. The in-laws have arrived for the month, which means a lot of juggling between them, LO, and work.  I like routine, and only have a few days, I can't wait for things to go back to normal!

What's the best look for a night out?  Glittah nails!!  I'm going out with some coworkers this weekend and thought some disco ball nails were in order.  Enter Lumina Lacquer's Soleil, the golden sister of Malifient.  Like Malificent, this is a glitter polish made of tiny holographic gold hexes in a clear base.  The formula of this beauty was not as viscous as Malificent and applied fairly easily, which is important to minimize any cleanup later.  It's got a lovely density of glitter as well, and probably had enough coverage after two coats.  I did three to be on the safe side, and finished with two layers of topcoat.

These pics are in the light tent so that you can see opacity and color.

Lumina Lacquer Soleil 

Lumina Lacquer Soleil 

Lumina Lacquer Soleil 

 Bam!  These pics are under direct light so you can see the loose holo flare.

Lumina Lacquer Soleil 

Lumina Lacquer Soleil 

Lumina Lacquer Soleil 

Lumina Lacquer Soleil 

Lumina Lacquer Soleil 

Holographic glitter bestill my heart!  Those little rainbow bits are so magical and provide hours of entertainment - especially when I'm at work.  LOL.  I'm so happy to have picked this golden bottle of sunshine, and I can't wait to see how it sparkles on the dancefloor(I guess that's one benefit of having the in-laws around).  Lumina Lacquer is climbing up high on my list of favorite indies, and I'm looking forward to trying out more from this line.  Do you have any Luminas that you recommend I try?

Purchased

Lumina Lacquer Malificent Swatch And Review

Purchased

I forgot to mention yesterday that during numerous flight transfers, I inevitably had some nail casualties.  So be forewarned, I had to nubbinize!  I haven't had short nails in a long while, and although my dexterity has improved, my nails look awkwardly short.  I'll get use to it!  The only problem with squares/squovals is the frequent corner chips.  Hopefully I can get some length before that happens.

While on vacay, I managed to squeeze a little bit of time to scroll through my Instagram feed, and came upon some swatches from Lumina Lacquer.  I instantly fell in love with Malificent, a blurple holographic glitter sister to Digital Nails Supernova.  I love the uniqueness of these holographic glitters because they're so fascinating to watch when exposed to light - it's like a million little sparks of rainbow exploding in all directions.  The glitters are suspended in a clear base that I found highly viscous during application, making it difficult for me to maintain a small cuticle gap.  I used two thin coats followed by a thicker third coat to achieve opacity.  It dries to a gritty finish, so I recommend a topcoat followed by another quick dry topcoat for a smooth and shiny finish.

The first two pics are in the light tent to show the color, and the following are under direct light so you can see Malificent in its glory.

Lumina Lacquer Malificent

Lumina Lacquer Malificent

Lumina Lacquer Malificent

Lumina Lacquer Malificent

Lumina Lacquer Malificent

Lumina Lacquer Malificent

Lumina Lacquer Malificent

Me likey those pretty sparkles!!  A-hem, sorry, I must have slipped back to LO talk.  I love the shade of this beauty, and I'm becoming a fast fan of those large holographic glitters.  I think I may have to stalk those polishes if they come in other colors.  A green would be fabulous!  Overall, I'm really happy that I found Lumina Lacquers, it seems that this line has a lot of different finishes that are worth exploring.  Make sure you stop by the storefront to see what she has to offer.

Purchased

Pahlish Dance Across The Sea Swatch And Review

Purchased

I'm still doing lots of last minute prep for my trip, and that included some last minute shopping for my DH's tie and a couple dresses for me.  I'm sure I could have used a few more items but it's difficult to concentrate with a toddler wanting to run around and tear everything off hangers.  Oy!  On the bright side, I have an excuse to go shopping while on vacation because hopefully tax will be less than in CA, and also I have the grandparents to watch LO while I shop!

You know how I've been going through my untrieds?  I think I may have found my oldest untried indie polish.  *shameface*  It's Pahlish Dance Across The Sea, one of the original releases of this polish back when the line first debuted.  I don't know why it took me so long to wear it, other than I think I may have been confusing the bottle with another indie brand that I received more recently.  Dance Across The Sea is a azure blue crelly base loaded with tiny silver hexes and larger turquoise blue hexes.  The combination is true to its name and mimics swirling tropical ocean water and sparkling tiny bubbles.  Surprisingly the formula wasn't overly thick from sitting in my drawer too long and it was easily manipulated during application.  As with any thick polish, I had some trouble getting all the way towards the sides of my nailbeds, but nothing a little concentration couldn't fix.  I was too lazy to get up and get any thinner but I'm sure it would have made application quicker.  I used three coats here and experience no dragging, stacking, or streaking of the polish whatsoever.  I finished this with a nice thick layer of Essence Gel Look topcoat.

Pahlish Dance Across The Sea

Pahlish Dance Across The Sea

Pahlish Dance Across The Sea

Pahlish Dance Across The Sea

Pahlish Dance Across The Sea

Pahlish Dance Across The Sea

I'm literally kicking myself for waiting so long to wear such a gorgeous polish that has now become a classic in indie history for polishes.  I love the way the glitters catch the light and spark like water does when hit by sunlight.  I think I may have a few more Pahlish classics sitting around in my drawer, but I'll have to dig them up to swatch them.  Too many polishes, not enough fingers!  Have you been whittling away at your untrieds?

Purchased

Liquid Glam Lucky Charm Swatch And Review

Purchased

Hello darlings!  Did you enjoy your weekend?  Ours was a quiet weekend, which is always a nice weekend at our house.  LO has some sniffles, so we didn't got to the pool like planned.  Instead, we tried to use our new gym membership which included daycare services.  Our workout didn't last long, however, because after 10 minutes we got a call saying that she hadn't stopped crying since we left her in their care.  It's going to take time for her to get adjusted to the new surroundings, which means each subsequent workout is going to be 5 minutes longer.  Hopefully by the end of the month I'll get a full hour workout!

Today's polish is a white crelly based glitter that allowed me to knock to untrieds in one shot.  I started with a layer of Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear White On, a white cream proported to be one of the best drugstore whites out there.  I'm always looking for a good white, and I was not let down by this one at all.  I used only one full coverage coat and I had no issues with streaking.  Perfect!  For the star of the show, I used two coats of Liguid Glam Lucky Charm, aptly named for its colorful squares of turquoise, hot pink, and yellow glitters that mimic a certain cereal.  In retrospect, I could have used one coat of Lucky Charm and gotten a similar effect but without as much crowding of glitters.  Application itself was a cakewalk, with no issues with dragging or stacking of the adorable squares.  I finished this with a layer of topcoat for shine.

Liquid Glam Lucky Charm

Liquid Glam Lucky Charm

Liquid Glam Lucky Charm

Liquid Glam Lucky Charm

Liquid Glam Lucky Charm

Liquid Glam Lucky Charm

I really love the fanciful mix of glitters, especially considering that they're square glitters.  I have used a white base in a long time either, and the bright colors really pop against the blank canvas.  Although I think one coat would have been enough, I can't help not regretting the two coats because it's so much fun to apply the square glitters.  Liquid Glam certainly has created a polish that is addictive to use and addictive to stare upon, which makes it worth every penny IMO.  This polish is still available in the storefront, and features a 5 free formula and free shipping every day.  Score!

Purchased

Pahlish Your Fortress Fades With Northern Star Wild Flowers Swatch And Review

I was intrigued by the gold microsparkle in Pahlish Your Fortress Fades, and gave neutral light taupey grey a try to see if it would work with my skin tone.  The formula was on this was a bit sticky and probably could have used a bit of thinner to make for a smoother application.  I used two coats here except for my pointer which smudged and needed an extra two coats.  No topcoat for the pics below.

Pahlish Your Fortress Fades

Pahlish Your Fortress Fades

Pahlish Your Fortress Fades

Pahlish Your Fortress Fades

Pahlish Your Fortress Fades

I was planning on doing a little skittle nail art, but when I browsing my collection and saw how similar in base color Your Fortress Fades was to Northern Star Wild Flowers, I knew it would be a perfect match.  Both contain gold shimmer, but Wild Flowers has a much sheerer base that would probably make it difficult to wear alone.  With its purple squares, red and gold shards, and black hexes, it brings to mind happy flowers dusted with sunshine.  Despite its thick consistency, I used two coats here and finished with topcoat for shine.

Northern Star Wild Flowers

Northern Star Wild Flowers

Northern Star Wild Flowers

Northern Star Wild Flowers

Northern Star Wild Flowers

Northern Star Wild Flowers

Although I'm not a fan of pastels, I am loving all these lighter color shades of spring, such as this lovely grey leaning taupe accented with a ton of gold shimmer.  The purple squares are of course my favorite, followed by the fun colored shards.  It's been a long while since I used a greyed out taupe and I have to say I miss wearing this color.  I'll have to make sure this color makes more frequent appearances here!  Do you have a shade that you've been amiss in wearing?