Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Amas Veritas Spell

Happy Saturday! This week we’re looking at another selection from Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer‘s 2014 What Wouldn’t I Do? collection. This is Amas Veritas Spell; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite top coat.

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Amas Veritas Spell is an emerald jelly with green-to-blue shifting iridescent glitters. Application with this polish was very easy; the first coat of this polish had great color and coverage, and it just got better with additional coats. Indoors, the jelly seems dark enough to be opaque; though the glitter does shine nicely through, it’s a bit muted. The full jelly depth is visible outdoors in full sun; see photos. The shift occurs in any lighting conditions, through brighter ones return a better shift. The polish dries quickly and with a smooth satin finish; I used top coat for shine and to emphasize the glitter.

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I think I have to say this polish is my favorite from the collection. It doesn’t look like much in the bottle, but on the nail, it’s unexpectedly stunning. The jelly, though translucent, is still deep and rich. The glitter sparkles beautifully, and the color shift is bonus, really. There’s so much dimension and depth and sparkle, it’s kind of hard to take it all in and really appreciate it. My camera struggled a bit with that, as you can see. I don’t feel like I did this polish justice at all.

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In the sunlight, you can really see the jelly depth and glitter definition a bit better. I think the shift occurs better in sunlight, but it looks great nevertheless.

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dat glare

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Amas Veritas Spell is currently discontinued by Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer; other BEGL polishes are available in their online shop.

I bought this polish myself.

HPB Presents Dusty Watermarble

Welcome back, reader! Today’s post is a special Hobby Polish Bloggers link-up post! Every month a theme is selected by the group, and this month’s theme is dusty colors. The look itself is up to the blogger; as long as it adheres to the theme, it can be as simple or elaborate as the blogger wishes. I like to raise the difficulty a bit and use only untried polishes, but this month I couldn’t, because I have very few unused polishes that fit the theme. For this look, I used Essie’s Spin the Bottle, Sew Psyched, and Marathin, Zoya’s Bevin, Ciaté’s Pillow Fight, and China Glaze’s Fairy Dust.

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As I mentioned, I don’t have a lot of colors in this dusty family, so I’m using a lot of polishes I’ve used in the past. I think Spin the Bottle and Sew Psyched were unused, but the others were probably only used once, so it’s not really a big deal. It took a lot of digging through the polish looking for the right colors; I have a lot of pastels and a lot of deep colors, but not too many in between. Marathin was actually the first polish that came to mind, and after a little bit of trial and error, I found a great combination, as well as the perfect way to wear them together.

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Watermarbling is one of those things I want to do all the time, and yet, I rarely do. I’ve done a few marbled accent nails here and there, but it’s usually as an afterthought; when I’m planning a mani, I usually just pick a glitter topper that pairs well and that’s it. A lot of the time, I’m working with polishes that don’t seem conducive to marbling. I don’t want to use anything with fine glitters or shimmers because it may not spread well, I don’t want to use anything rare, discontinued, or expensive, and I don’t want to use anything with a really unique finish, like a holo. If I’m creating a look around a creme, I’m rarely thinking about other cremes. It’s a shame, because I love cremes; I think the glossy creme finish is the most underrated of them all, and yet I rarely take advantage of them. Even with all these beautiful creme shades and the marbling, I still had to top it with glitter. Fairy Dust counts as a dusty color, right?

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The following photos were taken outdoors in direct sunlight. The colors are a bit washed out here, making the dusty colors look lighter and more pastel. Fairy Dust looks overwhelmed as well. On the plus side, I was able to get macros of all my favorite swirls. My ever-elusive right hand even makes an appearance.

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From left to right: Left thumb, left ring finger, left middle finger, right thumb

From left to right: Left thumb, left ring finger, left middle finger, right thumb

Essie, Zoya, Ciaté, and China Glaze are all sold in stores nationwide; mine are from Walgreens, Ulta, Sephora, and Sally Beauty Supply respectively.

Also, remember this is a group project, and there are links below to the other dusty manicures done by members of the group. Show them some love, too!

I bought these polishes myself.
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Manicure Monday: Cool Raspberry Swirl With Sprinkles

Happy Monday, reader! Today’s look was done because I realized I don’t do watermarbles as often as I should. I used Sinful Colors’s Timbleberry (pink) as the base, Essie’s I’m Addicted (darker blue) and Mint Candy Apple (lighter blue) in the marble, and Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer Prototype PCFS 1.0 as the glitter accent.

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In a future post, you’ll read about the lack of watermarbling on the blog; basically, when I plan a mani, I’m thinking about what glitters will pair best with cremes, and other cremes are rarely considered. The fact is, I love watermarbling, and sometimes it’s just so hard to find a cool color combination, and also formulas that lend themselves to the process; nothing’s worse than discovering a polish doesn’t spread over the water and knowing I’ve wasted polish. I’d been planning to use Timbleberry for a while, and I had a Lynnderella topper set aside for it. At the last minute, I decided that I was going to watermarble instead.

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Mint Candy Apple and I’m Addicted were chosen because they just happened to be on my desk. I have them set aside for swatching some glitter toppers in the future. I saw them alongside Timbleberry and thought “Why not?”. The final outcome looks a little like a rocket pop, and more than a little like toothpaste, but I’m really happy with how it came out. My top coat smudged it a bit, but this is barely visible in real life.

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The glitter was the very last piece the look needed, and to me, it brings the whole thing together. I couldn’t stand the thought of not using any glitter, so I picked this one. The colors aren’t a spot-on match, but it’s pretty close. Overall, I think this ended up being a pretty cool look; you’ve got the bright-but-not-totally-neon bright pink, the cool blues, and a tiny bit of sparkle. I also lucked out having the bow be the exact same color as the blue in the mani.

Outdoor photo time! There’s no large difference among the colors here, but I got some okay macros. Try to see past the smudges. I also got a photo of a nail on my right hand; I always get the best swirls on the nails on the other side of the camera.

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Timbleberry might be discontinued by Sinful Colors. I’m Addicted also may have been discontinued by Essie. Both brands are sold in stores nationwide. Prototype PCFS 1.0 is a Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer one-off; other BEGL polishes are sold in their online shop. My bow charm is from Claire’s.

I bought these products myself.

Swatch Sunday: Pretty & Polished’s Pretty Chameleon

It’s another Swatch Sunday! I get to show you a thermal this week and I’m super excited. Pretty Chameleon from Pretty & Polished has been on the blog before, but never on its own. I’m wearing three coats of Pretty Chameleon with one coat of Seche Vite top coat.

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Pretty Chameleon is a pink thermal polish with fine pink and blue glitters. Application was good; the product formula was very easy to work with, and I achieved full opacity in two coats. The colors change with the temperature of the polish; the pink is deep when cold and pale when warm. The glitters, though sparse, get lost in the creme; most of it just looks like blue dots with very little sparkle. It dries quickly and with a satin finish; I used top coat for extra shine.

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Pretty Chameleon is one of the first indie polishes I ever bought — the eleventh, to be exact, and my second thermal — and it’s always been a polish I’ve loved. Thermals were new to me back then, and being pink made it all the better. I think the color difference was a big stronger when I first got it, but that tends to happen with thermals as they age. I’m surprised this one still changes at all, given it’s three years old. Also, because it’s hot in the house as well as outside, it was difficult to keep the cool effect long enough to get photos of it. As soon as I pulled it out of the ice water, it warmed right back up again.

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These photos were taken in direct sunlight outdoors. I used pool water to effect the temperature change. It heated back up almost immediately.

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Pretty Chameleon is out of stock; check Pretty & Polished’s website and etsy shop for other polishes.

I bought this polish myself.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Deathwatch Beetle

Welcome to Swatch Saturday! For this week’s swatch, we’re looking at Deathwatch Beetle, the second of five polishes from Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer‘s What Wouldn’t I Do Halloween collection. I’m wearing three coats of Deathwatch Beetle with one coat of Seche Vite top coat.

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Deathwatch Beetle is a clear-based microglitter polish; the glitter is primarily black, but also contains orange, green, and purple glitters. Application was easy; the product formula, laden with glitter, was thick enough to fan out the brush, but still thin enough to apply smoothly. The first coat went on well; the glitter covered about half the nail, and the second coat brought it to full opacity. Drying times were fast, and the polish dried with a fine textured glitter finish. I added top coat for smoothness and shine.

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This polish is the only microglitter in this collection, and easily the most Halloweeny of them all. The hallmark colors are all there, but it’s something I think you’d only notice if you knew it was a Halloween polish. Black is a classic color and works for any part of the year, and the other colors add more sparkle than color, especially from a distance. I feel like I should also mention that I love this collection because there’s as much variety as there is versatility. In addition to the holo and microglitter polishes featured so far, there’s a glitter jelly, a shimmer, and a neon glitter topper, and all of them are Halloween polishes in disguise. I love it.

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Here are the outdoor photos! The glitter just lights up out here, and it almost kind of hurt to look at it. You can see the colored glitters best in these photos.

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Deathwatch Beetle has been discontinued by Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer; other BEGL polishes are available from their online shop.

I bought this polish myself.

Manicure Monday: California Pearl

Happy Monday, reader! Today’s mani was done with Sinful Colors’s San Francisco and Lynnderella‘s Chef Kitty. I was a little disappointed with how sheer San Francisco went on, but I still I got a pretty cool look. More photos below!

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San Francisco is a polish I’ve had a long time; you can tell in the photos that the bottle is only about half full. I’ve had it for many years, and it was one of the first few I bought when I was just starting my collection. That said, I knew to expect sheer coverage from this polish, but I forgot just how sheer it gets. The color is a deep and rich shimmering emerald, but the nail line is still very visible, even after three coats. This is especially true in bright lighting conditions; see the outdoor photos.

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Chef Kitty is such a fun polish. It was my introduction to Lynnderella, and set me off on an exciting and financially draining journey. I think it’s a great addition to San Francisco; the green glitters are a little invisible over the green base, but the whites and the other colors stand out very well. It’s a great polish for adding a little extra color and sparkle without having it take over the whole manicure.

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Here are some outdoor photos. You can see how sheer San Francisco is, but you can also see how lovely its shimmer is. The glitter in Chef Kitty is a lot more defined. The pearls I stuck on to finish the look are much smaller than they appear in these photos.

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San Francisco and other Sinful Colors polishes are sold in stores; I got mine from Walgreens. Chef Kitty and other Lynnderella polishes are available on eBay and in their Storenvy shop. My pearls were purchased on Amazon, and my bow charm is from Claire’s.

I bought these products myself.

Swatch Sunday: The Polish Bar’s Midnight Kiss

Welcome back! This Swatch Sunday is all about my first-ever polish from The Polish Bar, Midnight Kiss! Midnight Kiss was an Addicted to Holos box exclusive, and it’s the whole reason I became acquainted with this brand. In these photos, I’m wearing three coats of Midnight Kiss with one coat of Seche Vite top coat. Photos were taken outdoors in mostly cloudy conditions.

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The photo on the left was taken outdoors, the photo on the right indoors.

Midnight Kiss is a deep blue holo with blue-to-purple shifting pigment. Application was good; while the product consistency is a good thickness, the first coat went on a bit thin. Opacity and evenness improved with additional coats. The holo effect is subtle in this polish, taking a backseat to the shift. The holo shows up best in the sunlight, and the shift is most intense indoors. The polish dried quickly and with a semi-glossy finish; I used top coat for extra shine and sparkle.

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As I mentioned, this is my introduction to The Polish Bar, and I’m super impressed with it. This polish is just so fun to wear. As with any shift, this one is perfect for circling my hands around to watch the colors change. The color is already deep and mysterious, and adding the holo effect just makes it even more stunning.

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The shift looks best indoors, so here are some photos taken under LED lights. This shift is GOOD.

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Midnight Kiss was a box-exclusive polish and is no longer made by The Polish Bar. Other Polish Bar polishes are available from their etsy shop.

I bought this polish myself.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Blood on the Moon

Happy Saturday! I’m excited to bring you a weekend swatch again, because I feel guilty for taking so many weekends off from blogging. This Saturday we’re taking a look at Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer‘s Blood on the Moon; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite. Photos this week were taken indoors under LED lighting, because of course it’s cloudy today.

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Blood on the Moon is a red-orange holo polish with purple shimmers. Application was very easy; the product consistency was very smooth and buttery. The first coat was just translucent enough to warrant a second coat. The holo effect is very visible under LED lights. It dried quickly and with a satin finish; I used top coat for shine.

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This polish is the first in a BEGL Halloween collection based on the film Practical Magic. BEGL Halloween collections — and holiday collections in general, really — are wonderful because they aren’t obviously tied to the holiday, and I love that. I’m wearing Halloween polish in April, and nobody would know it unless I told them. This polish is a deep and beautiful orange, perfect for any season and not just autumn.

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Blood on the Moon has been discontinued by Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer; other BEGL polishes are available in their online shop.

I bought this polish myself.

Manicure Monday: Orion Nebula

Welcome back, reader, and happy Monday! I only used one polish for today’s look, Orion Nebula from Different Dimension. I only own a few DD polishes, but this is my favorite of all of them, hands down. I’m wearing two coats of Orion Nebula with one coat each of Seche Vite top coat and Ulta’s matte top coat.

Let me get something off my chest first, though. I mentioned using a matte top coat, but my nails are satin, at best. The Ulta top coat came from a top coat set that I bought a few years ago, and all the top coats were crap. The holo top coat was basically a silver holo polish, the smoked top coat was streaky and sad, and I don’t even know about the UV top coat. The matte top coat has a lot of room for improvement, and it takes a century to dry. I smudged my index nail pretty bad like half an hour after I applied it. I’m kind of pissed. Thankfully, I don’t think it’s available anymore. You’ll also notice I’ve cut my nails, I had a break washing dishes. I was really looking forward to how this polish would look on long nails.

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I’m happy to be wearing this polish, though. It’s such a cool look. The black jelly is a bit thin, but the glitters are suspended beautifully. It takes a little while to get the first large dot glitter, but when I finally got it, the others came out easily.

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This was probably the polish that brought me to Different Dimension. I have no idea how I came across it or what led me to it, but I knew I needed it as soon as I saw it. In general, I love all these DD glitters with the big fat circles; they catch so much light and give the polish a lot of character. This one is my favorite because it’s so many of my favorite things in one bottle: black polish, pink glitter, huge shapes.

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In direct sunlight, you can really see the jelly effect. It looks a lot darker and more opaque in the studio. The glitters shine better outside as well.

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Orion Nebula and other Different Dimension polishes are available on their website. My bow is from Daily Charme.

I bought this polish myself.

Manicure Monday: Blackheart Glam

Happy Monday!! For Manicure Monday this week, we’re feeling fancy high-end. For today’s look, I used Urban Decay’s Blackheart and Deborah Lippmann’s Glitter and Be Gay.

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Urban Decay is a huge player in my daily makeup game, but I’ve only worn a few of their polishes. That’s why I’m super-thrilled to be wearing Blackheart this week. It’s a pretty nice polish: deep chocolate as a first impression, and upon closer inspection, a pink-to-gold shift appears. It reminds me of middle school, when I stuck to deep browns, plums, and gunmetals because my parents didn’t allow me to wear black polish. Good times! I’m pretty sure I had a Street Wear polish just like this.

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I picked Glitter and Be Gay to go with Blackeart because both polishes used plenty of rich, warm colors. I mean, of course I had to choose gold to go with chocolate brown. Also, it’s not all gold, there are some cornflower blue glitters in there, and I think maybe some silver, but it turned into one big sparkly cluster. I regret that I was so heavy-handed with the glitter, and I wish I’d done some nails with brushed-on glitter, but the gradient turned out well enough. It looks like a mess in photos because it was so shiny, but I still like it.

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In the sun, Blackheart isn’t as deep as it is indoors;actually, even indoors it doesn’t look all that dark, but I think that’s the glare from the glitter washing it out. You can see the pink and gold shimmers quite well outside, too. You can also see the individual glitters best out here, which is proof that they actually do pair well.

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Blackheart was an Urban Decay limited edition and is sold out on Sephora.com, which is where you can find other UD polishes. Glitter and Be Gay is available wherever Deborah Lippmann is sold; mine is from Sephora as well.

I bought these polishes myself.