Manicure Monday: Sunburned Sunrise

Welcome to Manicure Monday! Today’s manicure looks like it was inspired by Reese’s Pieces, but I promise it wasn’t. For this look, I used Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer‘s Sunburned Siren, Smokey Mountain Lacquers‘s Electric Sun, and Digital Nails‘s Enterprise, along with Seche Vite and Essie’s Matte About You matte top coat.

img_49712

img_49742

So when I was planning this look, Sunburned Siren was my main color choice. I totally fell in love with it the first time I swatched it. I wanted a nail art look, something that’s bright and fun like the Siren but doesn’t take away from it. I got Enterprise out because of the wild shift; it goes from a deep magenta to a cool gold, embracing the colors of the Siren’s shimmers but also exaggerating them. I added Electric Sun to work with the sunrise motif, to work as a cool shimmery yellow. It’s only just occurred to me that their names work together. I wish I hadn’t added the yellow, because that’s what makes it look like Reese’s Pieces, but it helps the sunrise look like a sunrise, so it works out.

img_49802

img_49872

I used Enterprise as shifty sunrays, and I wish I’d used a gold glitter as well. I used an eyeshadow sponge as my application method; I also used it on the all-glitter accent nail. Enterprise is definitely more suited as a topper than a full-coverage glitter, so I did two brused coats of Enterprise, which gave me good but not complete coverage, and just used the sponged coats to cover what was still showing of my nails. I’m surprised it was able to cover so much. And, of course, what’s a wacie.com manicure without a bow? I love how many of you comment on the bows I use, it makes me feel like people really are seeing my stuff.

img_49902

img_49972

img_50012

In the sunlight, this mani was exactly what I wanted, even if it didn’t turn out the way I’d envisioned. It’s bright, warm, and fun, but it’s also accidentally autumnal, which works out, since the first day of autumn is in just a few days. These photos were all taken in direct sunlight.

img_49352

img_49282

img_49402

img_49572

img_49622

mmssm

Sunburned Siren was a BEGL limited edition and has since sold out; you can buy other BEGLs from their online shop, though they are currently on a break. Electric Sun was a Beauty Quartet Box exclusive and is no longer available; other Smokey Mountain Lacquers are sold on their website. Enterprise and other Digital Nails polishes are available in their etsy shop. My bow charm is from Claire’s.

I bought these products myself.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Mickey Smith, Defending the Earth

Happy Saturday! Though we got into Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer‘s Spark in the Dark collection last week, there is still one more Doctor Who polish to share with you! This lovely is Mickey Smith, Defending the Earth; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite. All photos were taken in direct sunlight.

img_45032

img_45102

img_45142

img_45192

Mickey Smith, Defending the Earth is an emerald green holo with gunmetal flakies. Application was easy; the product is well-pigmented and smooth, meaning you could get away with one good coat if you really wanted to. However, the consistency is a bit on the runny side. The green color is very strong, and washes out the flakies; the only photo where I can see them is the macro. The holo effect is pretty strong despite the deep color. The polish dries with a satin finish; I used top coat for extra shine.

img_45252

img_45302

img_45322

Mickey Smith was my favorite polish in this collection; before this, I didn’t own a deep green holo like this one. I love green polish and I love jewel tones, so naturally this was going to be my favorite. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the most popular. It’s a deep, lovely shade that has a very nice holo. It’s a shame it was kind of unloved.

img_45402

img_45442

img_45552

Mickey Smith, Defending the Earth and other Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquers are available in their online shop, which is currently on a break.

I bought this polish myself.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s She’s Electricity

Welcome back to Swatch Saturday! Yep, it’s another BEGL polish! I’m getting into a new collection with this week’s polish, the Spark in the Dark collection from winter 2015. I’m really excited to be getting into some newer BEGLs. And by newer, I mean it’s only a year old. This is She’s Electricity; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite. All photos were taken in direct sunlight.

img_42482

img_42562

img_42592

img_42642

She’s Electricity is a bright pink holo with pink shimmers. The maker’s description lists aqua shimmers and iridescent microglitters as well, but I didn’t pick up on those. Application was good; the product consistency is pretty great with this polish. It’s easy to work with but there’s a lot of pigment to get full coverage right away. Get this — one coat gave me all the coverage I needed. I didn’t stop there, of course, but I definitely could have gotten away with one if I wanted. Because it’s so pigmented, it dries with a matte finish. Top coat was definitely necessary for the shine and holo effect.

img_42702

img_42772

img_42802

This pink holo is so much fun to wear. I didn’t really do it justice in these photos. The holo effect is pretty subtle here, but it was a lot more vivid in person, though still subdued. I don’t know if using fewer coats would have meant a bigger rainbow or not. Fewer coats might have helped me find those iridescent glitters. In any case, I love this polish. It’s so pink and I love it.

img_42882

img_42932

img_43002

She’s Electricity has been re-released as part of the Fan Favorites 2016 collection, however, as of this writing, the BEGL shop is closed and will reopen later this month.

I bought this polish myself.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Noticing Face

Welcome back to Swatch Saturday! Today’s swatch is a gorgeous glitter jelly from Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer. This is Noticing Face, and it’s one of my favorites from their massive Doctor Who collection. Yes, I’m still working through it! I’m wearing three coats of Noticing Face with one coat of Seche Vite top coat.

IMG_40472

IMG_40562

IMG_40642

IMG_40662

Noticing Face is a deep purple jelly with fine gold and purple holographic glitters. Application was easy; the product consistency was very nice to work with. The jelly isn’t streaky or too thin, but is still thin enough to let the glitter show through. My first coat was nearly full-coverage, which, how often does that happen for you with a jelly? The second coat evened everything out. The fine glitters dry with a slightly gritty feel, and the jelly had a slight satin finish when dry. I used top coat for extra shine and smoothness.

IMG_40732

IMG_407522

This could be the most perfect glitter jelly I’ve ever used. The color is deep and still squishy, and the glitters add sparkle without overwhelming the polish. The gold glitters in particular are my favorite, adding a complementary element that’s still luxe and natural. It’s gorgeous.

IMG_40832

IMG_40862

My outdoor photos don’t do it any justice, but of course, when I took these photos, there was a hurricane outside and it wasn’t very sunny. These photos were taken in mostly cloudly, somewhat hurricaney conditions.

IMG_40282

IMG_40332

IMG_40392

IMG_40442

Noticing Face and other BEGL polishes are available in their online shop, though at the time of this writing, they are taking a break.

I bought this polish myself.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Siren’s Holiday Soirée

Happy Saturday! I’m so excited to bring you today’s swatch, because I don’t have anything else like it in my collection. This is the Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer Siren from December 2014, Siren’s Holiday Soirée. I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite top coat.

Let me preface this by saying I have no idea what caused the huge chip. It’s not there in the sunlight photos, which I took first, only in the studio set that was taken later. Such is life with chunky glitter sometimes.

IMG_37882

IMG_37912

We're number one! We're number one!

We’re number one! We’re number one!

ssbeglshsbcs

Siren’s Holiday Soirée is a raspberry jelly polish with red and pink matte glitters and blue/purple iridescent glitters. The jelly is very translucent, allowing all glitters from each coat to shine through. The product formula supports and distributes the glitters well, but isn’t thick. The polish dries quickly and with a glossy finish. Some glitters — notably, the iridescent shreds — don’t lie flat or hang off the edge of the nail, and so it can be rough to the touch, rougher than the typical glitter texture. I used top coat for smoothness and extra shine.

IMG_38102

IMG_38182

I’ve gotta say, of all the BEGL Sirens I’ve worn so far, this is my favorite. I can’t get over the iridescent glow. Perhaps glow is not a strong enough word; these glitters are like little blue fires burning inside this bottle. I love the matte monochromatic glitters in here too, I love the texture and solidity they add, but the burning from the iridescents is just too beautiful.

IMG_38212

IMG_38282

In the sunlight, the burning isn’t as strong, but it’s still there. In light this strong, you can see all the way through the jelly, and the matte glitters are more visible. I’m really impressed by this polish.

IMG_37472

IMG_37422

ssbeglshsbcodfs

IMG_37542

IMG_37732

Siren’s Holiday Soirée was a limited edition and has since sold out. Other Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquers are available in their online shop.

I bought this polish myself.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer Prototype NEB 1.0

Happy Saturday, reader! I’m wearing a BEGL prototype for this week’s swatch! This is NEB 1.0; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite top coat.

IMG_34972

IMG_34992

IMG_35062

IMG_35112

Prototype NEB 1.0 is a clear-based microglitter with black, silver, and blue holographic glitters. There are some larger dot and moon glitters floating around in the bottle as you can see from the bottle shots, but I didn’t get any of them on my nails. Application was very good; there was more glitter in this bottle than in a released polish, so I got full opacity in fewer coats than normal. I still used three, so my nails look a bit thick. However, it dried very quickly and didn’t leave a lot of texture behind. I still used top coat for shine and smoothness.

IMG_35152

IMG_35222

Are you tired of me talking about how great BEGL microglitters are? Because even though this one is only a prototype, it still has all the qualities I love in a microglitter. The colors, though varied, all complement each other. There are no holes in the coverage. The only real letdown was that I couldn’t get any of those larger glitters. I’ll get them someday!

IMG_35272

IMG_35292

In direct sunlight, this polish comes alive. It really does. The holographic effect is much stronger and the sparkle is legendary as a result. Today wasn’t the sunniest day, but if it was, I’d probably be blind from glitter exposure.

IMG_34522

IMG_34572

IMG_34632

IMG_34692

IMG_34872

No other bottles of Prototype NEB 1.0 were made. Other Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquers are sold in their online shop.

I bought this polish myself.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Siren’s Quarter-Life Crisis

Happy Saturday! My swatch today is of a super-small-batch gift-with-purchase from a Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer holiday sale. Only 15 bottles of this were made, and I have one! This is Siren’s Quarter-Life Crisis; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite top coat.

IMG_33312

IMG_33342

IMG_33432

IMG_33452

Siren’s Quarter-Life Crisis is a clear-based microglitter polish with shades of periwinkle, lavender, and teal holographic glitters. Application was good; the first coat has just a smattering of glitter, but coverage builds with additional coats. The polish has a lot of glitter in it, but doesn’t affect product consistency; it’s still very easy to apply. It dries quickly and with a slightly-textured glitter finish; I used top coat for smoothness and shine.

IMG_33512

IMG_33572

I feel really fortunate to have this polish. These small-release BEGL polishes go fast, and this one is from 2014, before they got really popular. Look at the label, I have #11 out of 15; I nearly missed it! These are my favorite polishes to own: the ones that would be highly sought-after if more people knew they existed.

IMG_33602

IMG_33652

This glitter takes off in the sunlight. It got a little washed out, but the shine and sparkle is legendary. There’s a red shimmer that’s not as apparent indoors. There’s so much going on! I love BEGL microglitters, always and forever.

IMG_33052

IMG_33142

IMG_33092

IMG_33242

Siren’s Quarter-Life Crisis is no longer available; other Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquers are sold in their online shop.

This polish was a gift with purchase. It was not sent for review.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Siren Scales

It’s Saturday, and you know what that means! It occurred to me a few days ago, while looking at my Instagram, that I’ve been on a pretty long blue polish streak. Today we’re extending it! This is Siren Scales from Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite top coat.

IMG_30332

IMG_30362

IMG_30432

IMG_30452

Siren Scales is a deep blue jelly with blue, navy, and teal flakies. Application was easy; the polish brushes on easily and imparts good color and coverage on the first coat; coverage builds with additional coats. Most of the flakies are fine, but some are pretty coarse, and don’t lay totally flat on the nail. The product consistency is a little thick due to all the flakies. The polish dries quickly and with a satin finish; I used top coat for extra shine and smoothness.

IMG_30512

IMG_30552

Siren Scales has an amazing glowing shimmer from all the flakies, and it really makes the polish, and sets it apart from the rest of the deep blues. The large flakies, though uncommon, add a fun texture with the occasional bump in the polish. I’ve enjoyed wearing this; it’s not the most summery shade, but it’s mermaidy, and that’s what counts!

IMG_30602

IMG_30682

In the sunlight, the flakies really glow. It almost looks metallic. You can see the larger flakies in the outdoor photos a bit better than indoors.

IMG_29862

IMG_30002

IMG_30032

IMG_30092

IMG_30182

Siren Scales was released as a numbered limited edition in November 2014, and has since sold out. Other Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquers are available in their online shop.

I bought this polish myself.

HPB Presents: Project Orion

Welcome to the Hobby Polish Bloggers link-up for the month of July! Each month, this Facebook group chooses a mani theme; it’s up to the participant to decide how simple or elaborate their mani will be. Anything goes as long as it adheres to the theme! July’s theme is space, and I decided to take my mani in a different direction; I attempted to recreate NASA’s Project Orion insignia in mani form. For this look, I used Monster Polish‘s I was Hoping for Minimalism, but I Think I Came Out With Magician as the base, and the logo was done with Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer‘s Terrific Twos (the planet), Sally Hansen’s Magenta Moves (the whoosh), and China Glaze’s White on White (the stars). All nails were finished with Seche Vite top coat and Essie’s Matte About You matte coat.

Orion_logo

IMG_24212

IMG_24262

It’s probably no secret that I’m a big spaceflight nerd. I follow rocket launches, planetary science updates, and ISS experiments almost as closely as I follow indie polish releases. When Orion was launched for its first experimental flight test in December 2014, you better believe I was watching it online. It was delayed a few times due to weather violations, and once because there was a boat in the launch zone. I didn’t trust myself to not sleep through it, so I just stayed up for three days. It was really the most exciting thing I’d been since Curiosity landed on Mars.

IMG_24322

IMG_24372

My interpretation of the logo is a little sloppy, but I think it’s recognizable at the very least. I think the logo is actually pretty clever; the Orion constellation is hidden inside it. My nail wasn’t quite big enough for the whole design, so it’s a little cramped. The Monster Polish I used as the base is the perfect spaceflight blue. I love that the planet depicted is now a mound of glitter. I’m happy, overall, with how it turned out.

IMG_24402

IMG_24472

Part of the reason I did this mani was to raise awareness of what’s going in modern spaceflight. It’s disappointing to me that more people either don’t know about or aren’t interested in the gains we’ve made in the past few years. There’s so much happening now: science is done on the ISS every day, SpaceX is continually innovating, and missions to Mars — likely on the Orion spacecraft — will be inevitable. This is like near-Disneyland levels of excitement to me.

This is an Orion model at Kennedy Space Center. It was a little more convincing in person.

This is an Orion model at Kennedy Space Center. It was a little more convincing in person.

I was Hoping for Minimalism, but I Think I Came Out With Magician and other Monster Polishes are available in their online shop. Terrific Twos was a BEGL limited edition and has since sold out; other Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquers are for sale in their online shop. Sally Hansen and China Glaze are available in stores nationwide.

I bought these polishes myself.
 Loading InLinkz ...

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Grandpa

Happy Saturday! Today’s polish is Grandpa from Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer. I’m afraid I couldn’t do this polish any justice, because it is full of tiny magnificent flakies. I’m wearing three coats of Grandpa with one coat of Seche Vite top coat.

IMG_25702

IMG_25742

IMG_25782

IMG_25822

Grandpa is a white creme with pink and gold iridescent flakies. Application was easy, especially for a white polish; the first coat went on nicely without streaks or bald spots in the color, and was about halfway opaque. The second coat achieved perfect opacity. I hesitate to say “full opacity”, because even after the third coat, there was still slight squishiness left. However, it’s still opaque enough that the flakies aren’t readily apparent — in fact, I sometimes forgot they were there. It was only when the light hit them just right that they were noticeable. The polish dries quickly and with a smooth, semi-glossy finish; I added top coat for shine and extra flakie visibility.

IMG_25882

IMG_25932

As I mentioned, because the flakies disappear so well into the creme, it was hard to get good photos of it. They’re much easier to see in person. In some of these photos, if you look where the glare is, that’s where you’ll see the flakies, but even then, they’re tough to spot. This reminds me of another BEGL polish, Purple Phlox, that had these teeny iridescent glitters blended in that often went undetected. They were like tiny little secrets on my nails.

IMG_26002

IMG_26042

In direct sunlight is where I saw them best. The second photo in this set has the most flakie glow, I think. I love this polish, it’s the perfect base for nail art but with a tiny oft-hidden sparkle.

IMG_25282

IMG_25352

IMG_25382

IMG_25442

Grandpa and other Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquers are available from their online shop.

I bought this polish myself.