Tag Archives: indie

Manicure Monday: Blue Insinuation

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Happy Monday! Manicure Monday is early because I was able to pull myself out of bed early for once. For this week’s look, I used Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer‘s The Innuendo Squad with the Holo Glam decals I won in a giveaway (that I talk about here). All photos were taken in direct sunlight.

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So it wasn’t that long ago since I swatched The Innuendo Squad (I say it wasn’t that long ago; it was July, yikes), but I’m happy to revisit it. It’s a delicate blue with the softest, prettiest holo flame; I almost just wore it alone again to enjoy it. I didn’t want to cover it with anything. When I got the decals in that giveaway I won a bit ago, I thought about pairing them together, and I like how it turned out.

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Of course, this is my first time with water slide decals, and I don’t quite have the hang of it yet. On my Cinderella hand, I tried the method of soaking the decal in a bowl of water, sliding it off onto my finger, and then placing it, but this felt like too much work, and also just trashed one of the decals. I found it easier to place the dry decal on my nail, use an eyedropper to wet it, and then peel the paper backing away when it was wet enough. My placing wasn’t quite right, and so I tried to balance it out with a rhinestone. I kind of like it. Not a first bad go at the decals I suppose. It adds fun to the look without disturbing the polish.

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The Innuendo Squad is discontinued by Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer; other BEGLs are sold in their online shop, and lots of previously retired polishes are making a comeback for the holidays, just saying. I looked for the Holo Glam shops and just found their social media pages, so I don’t know where to tell you to get those.

I bought this polish myself.
I won the decals in a giveaway.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Never Look Back

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Welcome back to Swatch Saturday! Today’s swatch is all about a polish made to spread awareness about depression and raise money for charity. I’ve mentioned the Lighthouse of Hope box previously on the blog; it was a box curated by Julie of Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer for her annual depression awareness fundraiser, and contained eight polishes, all from different makers. $60 of the $80 box went to the charity I Need a Lighthouse. You’ll notice I’m using the past tense; the boxes have all finally sold out! I guess it’s bad news if you wanted one, but the good news is that $1,200 has made its way to a fantastic charity. This polish is Julie’s own contribution to the box, Never Look Back. I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite.

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Special Lighthouse label, too!

Special Lighthouse label, too!

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Never Look Back is a clear-based emerald green microglitter polish. While the emerald green is the main element, there are also pops of blue and purple. Application is easy; the glitters go on easily and build to opacity around two coats. The product consistency is thick but still nice to work with. It does dry with a slight bit of texture, so top coat is necessary for a smooth finish.

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Here’s a note from Julie about the polish:

“I’m constantly reminding myself to look to the future and not dwell on the past. It can be immensely difficult to do so, but it is completely necessary for my recovery. Remember that the future holds amazing things, so don’t dwell on the bad from the past!”

I admire Julie for being so open about her depression and for working so hard to break down the stigmas of mental illness. Even in today’s world, where being open and honest and forthcoming is encouraged, mental illness is still something people have a hard time opening up about, and it shouldn’t be that way. The more we talk about mental illnesses, the less power they have over us, and that’s definitely a good thing.

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So this polish is perfect for the upcoming holidays! I will probably end up breaking it out again for that. There’s so much shine and sparkle to it. I kinda failed to do it justice; I have a hard time focusing on all those tiny magical glitters.

As I mentioned, this box has sold out. Other Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquers are available in their online shop, including this year’s fundraiser polish, My Head’s Above the Rain, of which all $15 of the purchase price goes to the I Need a Lighthouse organization.

I bought this polish myself.

Manicure Monday: Ruby Opal

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Happy Monday! I’m kind of happy to be back into my regular routine. Today’s look features a polish of my own called Dynamica; it’s a red crelly with a wee bit of scattered holo goodness. I swatched it in my Wacie Wednesday series ages ago, and lamented then that I didn’t use it in a sandwich mani with some glitter. Well, today is that day. The glitter I paired it with is Lynnderella‘s Red Opal. All photos were taken in direct sunlight.

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I used two coats of Red Opal as my base. Red Opal is so packed with glitter and has such a rich red base that it could be worn at two coats on its own. There are so many kinds of glitter in here, holo, metallic, and iridescent, that it has a lovely dimensional appearance. I used one coat of Dynamica over Red Opal; Dynamica is a warmer red and changes things up a bit, and adds that hint of holo sparkle.

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This late afternoon sun is not the best for holo shots, but it’ll have to do. It was dark and overcast all morning and afternoon, and then just now, this was the little bit of sun out, and really, I was glad to get it. It still looks pretty cool.

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Red Opal might be discontinued; other Lynnderella polishes are sold on lynnderella.com. Dynamica isn’t for sale yet, but may be in the future. I’ll let you know.

Red Opal was purchased myself.
Dynamica was made by me.

Swatch Sunday: Nvr Enuff Polish’s Cieux Romantiques

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Welcome back! Swatch Sunday is exciting today, because the polish I’m wearing is a giveaway prize! Kristi from BeginNails went to the Indie Shop event in California earlier this month and had a giveaway for some nail decals that weren’t for her, as well as a little jar of Ever After cuticle crelly. I won! And when I got the package, there was a polish and some scented base and top coats from Dream Polish. How fun! The polish I got is an event exclusive called Cieux Romantiques from Nvr Enuff Polish; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Dream Polish’s Gem Glam top coat in the Melon Baller scent.

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Cieux Romantiques is a shimmery rose polish with a slight holo effect, holo glitters, and a pink to gold shift. Application was good; the product consistency is thin, but doesn’t drip or flood the cuticle. The first coat was even but still sheer, and the second coat evened everything out. The polish dries with a mostly glossy finish; I used top coat for shine and protection. The only thing I really disliked about using it was the wide brush; the brush reminds me of the wide and flat brushes used in the Wet ‘n Wild Megalast line, or Sally Hanse’s Insta-Dri line. I have small nails and I find wide brushes are usually more trouble than they’re worth.

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Nvr Enuff is a new to me brand; I’d heard of them, of course, but had yet to try anything. I really love this polish, even though I have to admit I didn’t think much of it in the bottle. The rose is a lovely color and intensity, the holo sparkle is just the right amount, and the shift sends it right over the edge. It’s glorious.

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I got some sun shots. It’s been overcast here for days, and this is the first time in a while we’ve had some sun. These are day-after photos, so there is a bit of wear from having washed dishes the night before.

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A few things about the other things I won in this giveaway: I used the Gem Stick and Gem Glam base and top coats and liked them a lot. The scents, Grammy’s Treats and Melon Baller, lasted a pretty long time, and they were nice, fresh, not overpowering scents. Gem Glam is something I’ve heard a lot about and I’m happy it lives up to the hype. The Ever After cuticle crelly is awesome. It holds together like a cream, but feels and applies like a lotion. The pumpkin spice scent makes it smell good enough to eat. I’ve got ideas for the holo decals, so you’ll get a better look at those next week.

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Cieux Romantiques was an Indie Shop exclusive and is no longer for sale. Other Nvr Enuff polishes are sold in their online shop.

I won these products in a giveaway.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s It’s Almost After Midnight

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Happy Saturday! Thanksgiving just happened in America, and I am so wiped from cooking. This was the first year I made the dinner myself, and I did my best to express myself through food; I used a lot of fruits from my own fruit trees and nearly every dessert had some kind of alcoholic ingredient. I wanted my dinner to reflect on me as a person. Unfortunately, the only thing it said about me is that I’m incredibly disorganized, because nothing got finished on time. At least Swatch Saturday is on time! I’m wearing It’s Almost After Midnight from Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite.

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There’s a teensy bit of ugly bottle syndrome on the bottom.

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It’s Almost After Midnight is a gray polish with blue shimmer and blue flash. Application was very nice; the product consistency, though on the thin side, was very smooth and easy to work with. The first coat was on the sheer side, but it evened out to full opacity at two. It dries down to a satiny finish. The polish isn’t described by the maker as a shifter, but the blue shimmer does appear to shift purple at some angles. I used top coat for extra shine.

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This is the last polish in the Spark in the Dark collection, and it’s a great wintry addition. The blue shimmer is icy, and it’s intense enough to fool one into thinking the polish itself is blue. It’s a very cool (pun) look. I like that it’s a gray base and not black; I love grays for not being as severe as black, which makes it a little more stylish.

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I didn’t get any outdoor photos, because it’s been overcast for days. I bet this is a stunner in the sun, though. The shimmer is really intense in bright lighting.

It’s Almost After Midnight has been discontinued by Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer. The BEGL shop is closed for the moment, but there will be Cyber Monday sales this Monday the 28th. Get you some!

I bought this polish myself.

Swatch Saturday on Sunday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s The Years Have Been Short

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Hi! So this weekend we’re doing both weekend swatches in one day, because I was irresponsible yesterday and spent all day shopping instead of blogging like I should have been. Sorry! I’ll post what should have been yesterday’s post now, and today’s post will follow. Let’s get started! My Saturday Swatch is Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer‘s The Years Have Been Short; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite.

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The Years Have Been Short is a thin white crelly with a mix of fine white and blue glitters. Application was easy; the glitters spread well over the nail while the crelly adds a creamy, glossy finish. The crelly is very thin and the whites of my nails are still visible, even through three coats. Though it’s fine glitter, the polish dries with a coarse texture and top coat is necessary for a smooth finish.

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I’m almost finished with the Spark in the Dark collection! Though I have my favorites from this collection, I think The Years Have Been Short is the most unique of them. It’s like a grown-up cousin of the vintage BEGL First Frost; they use the same crelly base and the same glitter colors, but the glitter is finer and the look is a little more elegant and wintry. I felt super fancy wearing this!

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In the sunlight, you can see how thin the crelly is, which I really love. These photos were taken in direct sunlight.

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The Years Have Been Short has been discontinued by Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer; other BEGL polishes are available in their online shop.

I bought this polish myself.

Manicure Monday: Decadent Sands

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Hey! It’s Manicure Monday! Today’s look is all about a microglitter polish I made for myself, a little something I call Decadence. I also wanted to do a nail art look with only one polish and some negative space, so here we are. All I used for this look is Decadence and Seche Vite.

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Decadence is a microglitter with silver, red, and blue holographic glitters. To achieve the look, I used some French tip guides along the base of my cuticle, making a half moon shape, and applying two coats of Decadence. I peeled off the guide, added a third coat of polish, and sealed it with top coat. The result is a little lopsided; the glitter is very dense on most of the nail and quite sparse on the half-moon, but it’s kind of cool, like sands through the hourglass.

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I’m kind surprised the negative space turned out so well. One of the nude polishes I wore a few weeks ago stained my nails an ugly yellow, and since then, I’ve wanted to do nothing but negative space manis. Of course, I had to wait for my nails to grow out a little. There’s nothing like growing out stained nails.

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The following photos were taken outdoors in direct sunlight. I love microglitters so much. They’re the best way to pack everything you want — color, glitter, whatever you like — into one bottle.

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Decadence is not available for purchase (yet). Lemme know if it’s something you like.

I made this polish.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Counting Down Until I See You

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Happy Swatch Saturday! Today I’m trying out my favorite polish from the Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer‘s Spark in the Dark collection. This is Counting Down Until I See You; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite. Also, one thing I want to mention: I published my 500th blog post this week! Yay!

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Counting Down Until I See You is a clear-based microglitter polish with gray and pink glitters in various shapes and sizes. Application was easy; the glitter is very easy to distribute on the nail. The product consistency is very easy to work with. The first coat leaves some bare spots, so you could wear this as a dense topper if you wanted to. The second coat fills up the bare spots. The glitter leaves some texture behind, so add a third coat for extra texture if that’s the look you’re going for. I used top coat for smoothness and shine.

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There are some great polishes in this collection, but for me, none of them tops this one. When the collection launched, I expected She’s Electricity to be my fave, because bright pink holos usually are my favorites. However, this polish knocks it out of the park. It’s pink, it’s blingy, and the various shapes and colors add so much nuance. It’s mostly hexes, but there are some squares, and perhaps the most obvious shape is the diamond-shaped glitter hanging out in there. The peppered-in grays are just enough to break up the monotony. I love this polish so much.

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Unfortunately, since it’s been cloudy outside all this week, I don’t get to show you what this looks like in bright direct sunlight. I bet it would be blinding, though.

Counting Down Until I See You is — you guessed — discontinued by Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer. Unforunately. Other BEGLs are available in their online shop.

I bought this polish myself.

Manicure Monday: Old-Fashioned French Manicure

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Manicure Monday is finally here! Today’s post is late because somebody (me) failed to charge the camera battery. It’s still Monday somewhere, so let’s get this post rolling. I went for a French manicure-inspired look with inlaid glitter. For this look, I used Zoya’s Chantal, L’Oreal’s Raven’s Dream, Lynnderella‘s Something Old, and China Glaze’s White on White.

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I used two nudes in this look. I planned to use Raven’s Dream — a nude called Raven’s Dream, what? — is a sheer nude that’s ideal for a French mani, but I really suck at applying these sheers. I can never get them to look not-streaky. I love the look when it’s applied well, but I can never get it right, so I used Chantal as undies, and then a couple coats of Raven’s Dream on top. As it turned out, the color you’re seeing here is Chantal, but the shine, as well as the sheer painted over the glitter, that’s all Raven’s Dream. It has the most gorgeous gloss finish.

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I picked Something Old to go in this look because it has this great vintage feel. It’s got white and pink, the best hallmarks of bridal-themed polishes, but also incorporates a soft yellow, really making it seem faded and well-loved. Of course, this look kind of takes the beauty out of the polish. You can see some colors and shapes, but any sparkle gets cancelled out. The colors in the glitter are just soft enough to be obscured, so unless you know the glitter is there, it’s easy to overlook.

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I always suck at painting tips on. They always look so thick! My bottle of White on White is really low, so it took a lot of polish to get an even white tip on every nail. Some of them look and feel flat, but others have a visible bump where the tip is. It happens every time. It ties the look together, though. It’s not a true French by any means, but it does the job. The following photos were taken in direct sunlight outdoors. The glitter looks really nice out here, you can even see a bit of sparkle.

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Chantal and other Zoya polishes are sold at Ulta. Raven’s Dream has been discontinued; other L’Oreal polishes are sold in stores nationwide. Something Old was a Lynnderella limited edition and has since sold out; Lynnderella polishes are sold on eBay and on lynnderella.com. China Glaze is sold at Sally Beauty Supply.

I bought these polishes myself.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Hypothermia

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Happy Saturday, reader! Today’s Swatch Saturday is good. We’re looking at Hypothermia, a special Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer that’s never been sold alone — except during the annual Depression Awareness charity auctions — you always had to buy the winter collection as a whole. Perhaps it will make a return in this year’s winter collection! Here’s three coats of Hypothermia with one coat of Seche Vite. All photos were taken outdoors in direct sunlight.

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Hypothermia is a steely lavender holo with purple shimmers. Application was very easy; this polish has the usual perfect BEGL formula and product consistency and was very nice to work with. Depending on your application technique, you may only need one coat of this polish for a completely opaque look; others should stop at two. The shimmers, are easily detected in this polish, though it does blend in easily with the holo effect. The polish dries with a somewhat glossy finish; I used top coat for extra shine and holo emphasis.

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So, yeah. Hypothermia is a BEGL classic, and if you don’t own it, you’ve gotta get it. It’s the perfect purple for winter; it’s a deep, greyed-out shade, but the holo effect is strong if you’re lucky enough to get some sun. I definitely recommend grabbing this the next time it becomes available.

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From left to right: Direct sunlight, cloudy conditions, direct light again, but tilted for shimmer visibility

As I mentioned, Hypothermia was never sold separately outside of special events and was a gift with purchase of previous winter collections. Keep an eye on BEGL news to see if this lovely comes back. Other BEGL polishes are sold in their shop.

I bought this polish myself.