Wacie Wednesday: Virgo Supercluster

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Stacie Wacie

I forget if I wrote about this last week, but I’ve finally swatched all the Wacie Nail Co. polishes I intended for the “spring” launch. Some I really liked, some I’m rethinking, but we’ll see how it turns out when we launch for reals in June. The polish I’m wearing for Wacie Wednesday this week is something I made while I was experimenting and hasn’t made it into a collection yet. It’s called Virgo Supercluster, and I’m wearing three coats of it with two coats of Seche Vite.

Virgo Supercluster is a black jelly with various sizes of silver holo hex glitters. It dries quickly, probably because there’s more glitter in this bottle than lacquer. Since this is a jelly, you have the choice of layering it over a black polish to get a huge glitter payoff, or foregoing undies for the dimensional layers of glitter. It also dries with texture, so you can wear it like a matte textured polish, or you can wear it with top coat. It’s versatile for a black jelly. The big downside, however, is that cleanup is a nightmare. Even after the most careful of applications, I still spent a half hour trying to clean up my cuticles, and I did a crap job of it because I was trying to hurry so I could play video games. I love the way all this glitter looks, but I’m starting to think, for the first time in my life, I need to cool it on the glitter.

Outdoor, mostly cloudy

I like this look overall, but it could probably benefit from being reformulated. I love the way it evokes space and suspension of galaxies in the universe, but I cannot forget how long it took to clean up.

Manicure Monday: Gold and Glitter Magic

Posted on April 28, 2014 by Stacie Wacie

Manicure Monday this week was amazingly fun. I’ve got two polishes that, at first, don’t look like they would pair together well at all. Somehow, though, it works. I’ve got on three coats of Disney Villain Varnish Queen of Hearts, with Digital Nails’s When Life Gives You Lemons as an accent. Photos were taken in the studio and outdoors.

When I think of the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, I don’t think of gold. Just saying. Regardless of what villain this polish was meant to evoke, it’s a beautiful rich, warm gold with tiny microglitters. It takes three coats of achieve full opacity, but the application is smooth and easy. I kind of feel bad that I don’t use it very often. This is the first time I’ve used it as the main color in a manicure, and I didn’t realize what a beauty it is. It’s totally gorgeous.

When Life Gives You Lemons is a Digital Nails glitter. I feel like that’s all I need to say. It’s a clear base with an impressive show of purple and gold glitters, yellow holo dots and stars, tiny bar glitter (which I actually didn’t notice until I was reviewing my photos), shreds, iridescents…. The sheer amount of glitter in this bottle should be overwhelming, but isn’t. It spreads smoothly and evenly, even the large shapes. It’s also incredible in the sunlight.

While I’m not sure where you can still find the Villains Varnish collection, Digital Nails still has a few bottles of When Life Gives You Lemons in their etsy store. (It feels really good to review something that’s still available, for once.) The price is a bit higher than usual, but it was created as a charity item, with the profits from each bottle going to Alex’s Lemonade Stand, and will fund cancer research. To date, this and its sister polish, I’m a Survivor, are the most expensive polishes I’ve ever bought, but I know I bought more than nail polish; I bought a little bit of hope.

Swatch Saturday: Blue Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Floppy. Hoppy. BUNNIES!

Posted on April 26, 2014 by Stacie Wacie

I think this is going to be my favorite Swatch Saturday for a long time. I know I have a tendency to exaggerate, but Floppy. Hoppy. BUNNIES! is probably my favorite polish in the known universe, and I’m so glad I finally got to do a full mani with it. I used it as an accent for my birthday manicure last year, and I was so in love with it that I couldn’t wait to wear it on all my nails. This is three coats of Floppy. Hoppy. BUNNIES! with two coats of Seche Vite.

This polish is a glitter jackpot. Pretty much every shape, size, color, and texture of glitter is swimming around in this soft blue crelly: pink, green, blue, purple, iridescent, holographic, metallic, hexes, stars, butterflies, and probably still some more I haven’t noticed yet. There’s so much going on in it. It’s like beautiful chaos on my nails. The crelly itself is very sheer; the first coat was so sheer I could barely detect it, but built up as I kept applying it. This definitely works out for the best, because you can see the glitters from the first coat through the third, giving that lovely glitter sandwich look.

Floppy. Hoppy. BUNNIES! reminds me why I got into indie polish. Every indie offers a fun, bold, and unique look that would be impossible to find anywhere else. I adore this polish in particular; it makes a huge statement, but does so in a charming, cheerful way, sort of like me. Unfortunately, this one had a very limited run, and quite rare since it’s been discontinued. If you’re lucky enough to find this in a blog sale or destash, do not hesitate to grab it.

Swatch: Emerald & Ash’s Boot Season

Posted on April 24, 2014 by Stacie Wacie

I don’t normally do this, but I got something new in the mail today, and I had to try it out right away. This is Boot Season from Emerald & Ash, a brown holo with copper flash. I’m wearing three coats (through two would have been sufficient) and two coats of Seche Vite.

The first seven pictures were taken in my studio, where the holo was pretty hard to see. You can almost see it in the second to last photo. In all the others, it just looks like a rich, shimmery brown. I love browns like this, especially in the summer; it’s like my nails have a tan. The formula was on the thick side, but I like that; I find it easier to work with and I don’t make a huge mess. This is my first E&A, so I’m new to the nice grippy brush cap. I like that a lot.

Okay, here’s the outdoor sunlight photos. Look at that holo! This polish looks completely different in the sunlight. There’s so much pretty holo goodness. It’s amazing. I have no other words.

I started using Instagram in February to meet other nail bloggers and discover some new polish brands. It’s been a lot of fun being able to interact more with the people who make my polish, polishes I haven’t tried yet, and people who might be wearing Wacie Nail Co. in the future. A few days ago, Emerald & Ash posted a photo of their bitchin’ new business cards, and I, being the proofreader I am, happened to spot a spelling error on it. Turns out it had been that way for a long time and no one had noticed. To thank me, they sent me this bottle of Boot Season. I decided to review it ASAP because I want to feel like I earned it. I did get this polish for free, but reviewing it wasn’t even part of the deal. That was all me. If you like Boot Season, you can buy it here. I mentioned before that this is my first Emerald & Ash. I will undoubtedly be buying more of this brand.

Wacie Wednesday: Dusk

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Stacie Wacie

This Wacie Wednesday is a little late because I had to worry about taking a final exam and worrying about making it to the bar in time for happy hour. I love my blog and I love my readers, but I love beer, too. This week, I’m wearing Dusk from Wacie Nail Company. This is three coats with two coats of top coat.

Dusk is a creamy twilight purple. Basically, I was fooling around in my polish workshop, and I challenged myself to make a purple, and this is what I came up with. The polish has a ton of sparkle, but when I applied it, it dried matte and flat on its own, giving an almost metallic appearance. The topcoat really brings out the shimmer, making it exactly as it does in the bottle. It went on pretty easily, but the formula was still thick, even after pouring lots of thinner in it. One big disadvantage to this polish was how difficult it was to clean up. I used some mica powder in it; I’m totally winging the polish mixing this here, so I don’t know if this was a no-no or not. Anyway, the problem I had was the same problem I had with Gold Rush: cleanup took twice as long because the pigment I used was immune to acetone. It’s possible, but totally ridiculous.

Dusk may be my favorite part of the day. I love watching the sky turn dark with night; it reminds me of the long walks home from the bus stop when I was a student, or more recently, when I was walking to the convenience store, counting change on my way there to make sure I had enough quarters for cat food. It’s a beautiful time of transition: the crickets start to chirp, the songbird quiet down for the night, and the smells of dinner waft from houses to the sidewalk. I wasn’t seeking to capture that when I made this, but I love that it happened.

Sunlight

Okay, so no Wacie Nail Co. launch this week. I think I’m aiming for June now. I’m going on vacation in mid-May and I would feel like a jerk launching a store and then going on vacation for two weeks. So hopefully, June will be the launch, and then I have the whole summer to dedicate to pouring polish. Yay.

Manicure Monday: Soft Steel Shimmer

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Stacie Wacie

Today’s Manicure Monday is softer and simpler than I usually like to be. I feel strange when I do these simple manicures and actually like them; it’s like I’m growing up or something. I’ve heard my mother dismiss colors with the phrase “Maybe if I was younger”, and I’d think “Who cares?” When I do subdued manis like these, I feel like I’m becoming my mother. Here, I’m wearing three coats of China Glaze’s Recycle, with Essie’s Pure Pearlfection on the accents.

Recycle is a color I’ve liked for a while. I’ve been using it a long time; this is actually my second bottle of it. It’s a nice neutral, and it’s so versatile; nearly every glitter or effect topper works well with it, and it looks good alongside any color in a gradient or dotticure. I bought it for the first time a couple of years ago because I needed a soft gray for a look and could never find the right one. It goes on well, it wears well, and I’ll probably buy it until I die.

Sunlight shot!

Pure Pearlfection was one of the first Essie polishes I ever bought, and this is the first time I’ve ever used it. I feel like this is the weakest entry in the LuxEffects line; it’s pretty, but it’s no Shine of the Times. However, I feel like maybe these polishes were made for each other; on their own, they’re subtle. Together, they are magical.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer Prototype PDW1

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Stacie Wacie

I’ve been looking forward to swatching this ever since I got it. This is a prototype from Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer called PDW1. I got it cheap because the glitter sinks to the bottom. It was challenging to work with, but I’m very happy with my application. Also, I’m using my DSLR for nail pictures for the first time, so that’s fun, too.

PDW1 is a black jelly with fine silver glitter, silver hearts and stars, big red dots, and purple hearts. I’m wearing three coats of it here. As I mentioned, this one has a sinking glitter problem, so I left the bottle upside down for about an hour, and scraped the bottom with an orange stick to make sure I got it all off. Even then, I really had to dig for the shape glitters. The fine glitter distributes well. The first coat was so sheer that I started to worry; after three coats, the glitter from the first coat is barely visible, especially the purple and red shapes. I wasn’t sure about it until I put the top coat on; the top coat made everything come together.

I nicknamed this prototype COSMOLUST. I’m not sure why. Every black polish I name has something to do with space and/or sex. I think this is the polish that started the trend.

One unrelated thing: I don’t like mini bottles. This bottle is half-full now, and I’ve only used it once. I’m only going to get one more mani out of it. I’m kind of afraid I’ll never use it again because I won’t want to use it up. It’s also challenging to pose with them, but that’s not as important.

Wacie Wednesday: Dang

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Stacie Wacie

It’s Wednesday, and right on schedule, we’re looking at something new from Wacie Nail Company. This is Dang, a blinding glitter topper, named for the first thing I said after I created it. I’m wearing one coat of it over The New Black’s Black, e.l.f.’s Smokin Hot, and Essie’s Aruba Blue.

Dang is another happy accident; it’s the result of mixing glitters together without intention. It’s a clear base with various sizes of holo silver hexes and holo silver hearts. Because there’s so much glitter in it, it’s impossible to not get a good glitter payoff. However, the hearts don’t come out very frequently; as you can see, I didn’t get one on every nail. It doesn’t even matter if the hearts are scarce, though. There’s tons of glitter to make up for it.

Something I like about this mixture is that it’s sparkly (to the point of blindness in the sunlight), but it’s not trying too hard for it. There’s not a ton of different shapes and colors and craziness jumping out at you for attention. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that kind of polish; those kinds of polishes are what drew me to indies in the first place. No, this is a glitter that glitters. It’s like a formal gown for your nails. Like diamond earrings for your nails. They’re your nails, but glitterier. I actually wore this to a red carpet party during awards season. My nails were dressed better than anybody.

Outdoors, shade

Outdoors, sunlight

I admit, I thought Wacie Nail Co. would have launched by now. Other projects I’m involved with are taking priority over my nail polish business, and it might be a while before I have a chance to reclaim all the time and money I’m putting into other things. My time is going to schoolwork and other entrepreneurial things; my money is all going to the vacation I’m taking next month. I’d planned eight polishes for the Wacie Nail Co. first-ever spring line, but as of right now, there are only seven; I haven’t had the time or means to save one from prototype limbo. Hopefully, there will be a launch before summer. If not, the spring line will become the summer line, which actually works out since I don’t have plans for a summer line. Either way, it will be soon. Please continue to watch this space for more Wacie Nail Co. news.

Manicure Tuesday: Harvest Glitter on Brown

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Stacie Wacie

I’m back! I had an unexpected hiatus last week; I underestimated my workload and didn’t have time to take photos of my nails. I did do a puzzle piece manicure that was in theme with my job, but I didn’t have the time to take proper photos of it. My thrice-a-week blogging schedule will resume this week. Due to exhaustion, this week’s manicure post is a little late. For Mani Tuesday, I’m wearing Pretty & Polished’s Hows About a Roll in the Hay over Julep’s Vera.

Vera isn’t such a bad polish, really. I have on three coats here, but I could have gotten away with two. The formula is typical of Julep polish: thin but easy to use, quick-drying and shiny. I just can’t get past it being the same color as chocolate milk. I actually forgot chocolate milk was a thing until I had to work early one morning, my friend had some in the fridge, and I had flashbacks about grade school cafeteria lunches the whole rest of the day. Now I can’t get past this polish being Yoo-Hoo brown.

I had really high hopes for Hows About a Roll in the Hay from Pretty & Polished. I ordered it as soon as I laid eyes on it and couldn’t wait to get it. I own many of the P&P thermal polishes and a few of their glitters; I’ve been very happy with them. In this one, the glitter sinks, leaving a quarter-inch layer of lacquer all around the top of the bottle. My first application attempt left me with a thick layer of polish with maybe two pieces of glitter. I had to leave the bottle turned upside-down for 15 minutes before I got a good glitter distribution. This is probably not a problem; there’s actually a ton of glitter in this bottle, and it’s probably perfectly reasonable for it to settle and sink a bit. I’ve never had this happen with any of my P&Ps, so that’s why I feel a bit annoyed by it.

Despite the trivial issues I have with the polishes, I’m happy with the look I got. I like the autumnal warmth of the color combination. It also reminds me of breakfast foods. And grandma couches.

Manicure Monday: Garnet Jelly Sandwich

Posted on April 7, 2014 by Stacie Wacie

This week’s Manicure Monday was so much fun! I know I’m going to hate taking this off in a couple of days. I rarely get to do jelly sandwiches, so I’m happy about having the chance, and doing something besides slapping glitter down on polish and calling it art. Today, I’m wearing two coats of OPI’s Which is Witch? between coats of Disney Villains Varnish Mother Gothel.

Mother Gothel is a deep burgundy, and when I got it, I had no idea it would make a jelly sandwich like this. I swatched it once and I put it away until I started playing with it, planning a future manicure with it. I don’t remember when or how I decided to see what it looked like over glitter, but after I saw it, I couldn’t not do it. To me, this is the perfect translucence for a jelly sandwich: you can still see the holo shine from the glitter, but not the glitter itself. This is a look I love a lot. On its own, Mother Gothel is very shiny, like it could do without a top coat shiny. With top coat, my nails just look like tiny little garnets.

OPI’s Which is Witch? is special to me because it’s one I had my friend in New York send me. She has a local salon that sells OPI for half the price Ulta does, and even after shipping, I still paid less than I would have at Ulta. Also, I don’t even think I knew what this one looked like when she bought it; I don’t remember asking for it, and I think it was comparable to something else I was looking for that they didn’t have. I love it, though; there are so many kinds of holographic silver glitter in it. A couple of the bar glitters didn’t want to play nice; you can probably still see a couple of them I couldn’t get off of my cuticles.

Regardless, I am amazed at how this turned out. Note to self: do this more often.

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