Tag Archives: indie

Swatch Saturday: A England’s Her Rose Adagio

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It’s Saturday, and it’s time for swatches! As I mentioned last week, I’ve been shopping a lot of destash sales, and that’s how this beauty came into my life. This is A England‘s Her Rose Adagio; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite top coat. All photos were taken outdoors in partly cloudy conditions.

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Her Rose Adagio is a rosy champagne scattered holo polish. Application was a breeze; the formula is thick but potent; I had an opaque first coat. The scattered holo effect occurs both indoors and outdoors, but is stronger outdoors, though it’s still quite muted. The polish dried quickly and with a smooth holo finish. I added top coat for shine and to emphasize the holo effect.

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This polish is gorgeous. The color is mostly neutral with just a hint of coolness. It’s perfect for those of us who need professional or career colors, but still want a bit of sparkle. It’s delicate, elegant, and I think it would flatter any skintone. It really captures the essence of the dance. Definitely go for this one.

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Her Rose Adagio and other A England polishes are sold on their website and through other international distributors.

I bought this polish myself.

Manicure Monday: Confetti Dreams

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Happy Monday, reader! This week has all the hallmarks of being a holiday mani without actually being one, and might just be the closest I get to one all year. For this look, I used Julep’s Alexandra as the base color, Octopus Party‘s Universal Loner as the tip color, and LA Colors’s Confetti as the glitter topper, all with one coat of Seche Vite. Here we go!

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I think that, until this mani, I forgot drugstore glitter toppers were a thing. I mean, how could I; after all, they were my gateway to glitter addiction. Even now, I have tubs of them. It’s just that every glitter topper I’ve worn for the past year or so (at least) has been an indie polish, and I’ve gotten used to that sort of polish. Indie glitters just have so much going on: big glitters, small glitters, shimmer, flakies, crazy shapes. This one, though it was a pretty cool polish when I bought it, I’m having a hard time finding a word other than quaint to describe it. I’m not trying to say it’s bad, I’m really not, it’s just that glitter polish has come a long way since this one. This is two coats of glitter, by the way.

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I chose Alexandra for the base because it was neutral, and I needed a color that wouldn’t interfere with any of the glitter colors. I ended up adding the red tips as an afterthought, hoping to tie everything together. That, and I already had it out to put on my toes. Both of these polishes performed very well; Alexandria had a bit of streakiness left after two coats, but the glitter hides it well. Universal Loner went on really easily; I didn’t have to deal with any coverage problems. It’s my first OPNL, too, yay.

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I think it all came together really nicely. Like I said, red and glitter usually means a holiday mani. I actually plan my manicure combinations out way in advance, so it’s lucky it landed on a day so as to be seasonal as well as pretty.

LA Colors is sold nationwide, as is Julep. Octopus Party Nail Lacquers are sold from their etsy store.

I bought these polishes myself.

Swatch Sunday: CrowsToes Nail Color’s That Boy is a P-I-G Pig

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Welcome to Swatch Sunday! I’m really excited to show you this week’s polish. I’ve been shopping a lot of destash sales lately on Facebook, and about a week ago, I bought my very first mystery bag, which means I got a lot of new polishes I wouldn’t normally have bought. It was a really fun experience! Today’s polish is one from that set. This is That Boy is a P-I-G Pig from CrowsToes Nail Color; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite top coat.

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That Boy is a P-I-G Pig is a sheer pale pink with blue-to-pink shifting shimmer and pearly white flakies. Application was easy; the polish went on smoothly and evenly. The product consistency is very easy to work with; it stays on the brush quite well, but isn’t thick. The coverage is very sheer; at three coats, you can still my nail bed through the polish. The shimmer is visible in nearly every lighting level, though more powerful in some than others. The polish dries with a smooth finish; I used top coat for shine and protection.

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I didn’t know anything about this polish when I got it, so I did a little Internet homework; it turns out this was in an A Box Indied box last year. I feel pretty lucky to have gotten a box-exclusive polish on accident, and one this pretty to boot.

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For the shift!

For the shift!

This is the daintiest polish I have ever worn. I think I say that every time I wear a pale pink, but this time I mean it. This is gloriously dainty. It’s so pink and soft and girly. The strong blue shimmer and flakies set it apart from every other sheer pale pink in my collection. I feel a little exposed with my visible nail lines for everyone to see, but overall, this polish gives a clean and elegant look to my nails.

That Boy is a P-I-G Pig is no longer in production. Other CrowsToes polishes are available from their shop.

I bought this polish myself.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Fare the Wind

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Happy Saturday! We’re deep into the Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer Far From the Sun summer collection. I like to think it’s why it’s still so warm in December. This is runaway hit from the collection, Fare the Wind. I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite. All but one photo were taken outdoors in direct sunlight.

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Fare the Wind is a purple holo with blue-to-purple shifting shimmers. Application was smooth; the consistency was just right to work with and achieved opacity in two coats. The holo effect is most powerful outdoors; indoors, the color shift is more easily seen, and the tone changes from cool to warm depending on lighting conditions. It dried with a smooth finish; I used top coat to bring out the holo effect.

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It’s easy to see why this was such a big seller; in fact, BEGL released it again in their Fan Favorites collection this year, and it was the first to sell out. This polish does everything: not only is the holo effect stunning, but the color shift and shimmers just send it over the top. It’s gorgeous. It just couldn’t get any better.

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Fare the Wind is sold out (again). Other BEGL polishes are available in the Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer shop.

I bought this polish myself.

Swatch Sunday: Model City Polish’s Sheena is a Punk Rocker

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Happy Sunday, reader! This week I’m wearing an oldie-but-goodie, a first polish from a beloved indie. This was even one of my first-ever indie polishes. All the way from 2013, here’s Sheena is a Punk Rocker from Model City Polish; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite.

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Sheena is a Punk Rocker is a black jelly polish with magenta dots and silver holographic hex glitters. Application was easy; the jelly base was thin at first, but built up to deep black in three coats. The glitters spread evenly and lay flat on the nail. The polish dries quickly with a glossy finish, though with a little bit of texture from the glitters. I used top coat for extra smoothness and shine.

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The shine is probably the first thing you noticed about this polish. It is shiny. The shine from both the glitter and the jelly gloss overwhelmed my camera, so the focus is off in a few of these photos. The shine is probably my favorite thing about the glitter jelly polish, especially in black. It’s the icing on top of a very glittery cake.

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I totally bought this polish because it was named after a Ramones song. Believe it or not, this is actually my second bottle of it. I bought a mini in my very first Model City order, and I loved it so much that I went back for the full size when it was restocked, as well as the other two polishes in the collection. These are very special polishes to me and I’m so sad MCP doesn’t make it anymore.

Sheena is a Punk Rocker has been discontinued; other Model City polishes are available from their etsy shop.

I bought this polish myself. The Ramones are awesome.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Sail Her Don’t Sink Her

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Happy weekend, reader! I trust you’re all having a fantastic Saturday. This Saturday’s swatch is Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer‘s Sail Her Don’t Sink Her, which is from last year’s Far From The Sun summer collection. I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite top coat.

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Sail Her Don’t Sink Her is a clear-based microglitter polish with pink, purple, red, gold, and orange holographic and metallic glitters. Application was easy; because it is a clear base, it took me all three coats to achieve this level of opacity. The polish dries with a textured finish; it’s not too rough or bumpy, but it is a fine grit. I used top coat for extra shine and smoothness.

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This polish looks so simple in the bottle; it just looks like a lot of glitter swimming around together. On the nail, the complexities really stand out. The colors just come together so well, so organically, that it’s hard to believe someone actually created it. This polish is full of sparkle and it’s hard to stop looking at it. It’s gorgeous and I love it.

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Sail Her Don’t Sink Her, unfortunately, has been discontinued by Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer. Other BEGL polishes are available from their shop.

I bought this polish myself.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Intersecting Lines in the Sand

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Swatch Saturday, woo! This Saturday, I’m wearing Intersecting Lines in the Sand from Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite. This first set of photos were taken outdoors in partly cloudy lighting.

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This poor label. It looks like it’s been through hell.

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Intersecting Lines in the Sand is cool yellow linear holo polish with icy blue shimmers. Application was smooth; it began sheer but built coverage with additional coats. The holo effect, as always, is most beautiful outdoors in direct full sun, but is still pretty in lower lighting. Indoors, the polish is more metallic and the blue shimmers are most visible. It dried somewhat matte; I added top coat for shine and protection.

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I really love this polish. I’m pretty sure it’s my favorite from the Far From the Sun collection. I love the golden-ness of it; it’s like the beach and the sun and pineapples cooked down into polish. It’s summery, warm and cool simultaneously, depending on whether you’re inside or outside. It’s perfect. The following photos were taken indoors in the studio; you can see how the color changes and the shimmers become the focus.

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Intersecting Lines in the Sand has been discontinued, but other Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquers are available in their shop.

I bought this polish myself.

Manicure Monday: Violet Gradient with Violet Glitter

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Happy Manicure Monday! I don’t feel like this mani is my best work, but I still rather like it. For this look, I used Essie’s She’s Picture Perfect, Revlon’s Amethyst, and Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer‘s Might Not Recover, all with one coat of Seche Vite top coat.

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I put She’s Picture Perfect and Amethyst together for their similarities: they’re both shades of purple and they both have a strong pink/purple flash. I thought it would be great to see that pink/purple flash show up in both colors of the gradient, like this unifying shimmer that really pulls everything together. Unfortunately, it’s not easily seen in the gradient, either in photos or in real life. Also, the colors didn’t blend as easily as I expected them to; the deep purple just looks so sponged-on, even after three rounds with the sponge. It’s still pretty, but it’s really not my best work.

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I added Might Not Recover as an accent nail at the last minute, and I gotta tell you, I’m stunned. I just can’t believe how much it sparkles. Like it was sparkly in the bottle, but damn. I also chose this polish for its similarities in color, but I like that it stands apart from the rest of the mani while complimenting it. The bling is just a tad bit overwhelming, which means it’s just the right amount (like there’s a such thing as too much). I always have an issue with microglitters still having some texture after I put down top coat, but this one has stayed nice and smooth, and I love it.

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In the end, everthing goes together really well, yeah?

I got She’s Picture Perfect from Walgreens and Amethyst from Big Lots, though both brands are sold nationwide. Might Not Recover and other Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquers are available in their shop (which is temporarily closed). The Fimo bow is from Claire’s.

I bought these polishes myself.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s If You’re a Seascape

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Hi, reader! Welcome to Swatch Saturday. We’re really back in the swing of things now that we’re back to our regularly scheduled Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer polishes. This beauty from the Far From the Sun collection from 2014, is called If You’re a Seascape. I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vite. All photos were taken outdoors in direct sunlight.

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If You’re a Seascape is a coral pink linear holo polish with hot pink shimmers. Application was super-smooth; I had perfect opacity at one(!) coat. The consistency is thick, but workable; it’s thick enough that I get super-awesome coverage in one coat, but not goopy or clumpy thick. The shimmers give the polish a metallic finish on top of the holo effect. The color also seems much cooler and more mauvey in real life than in the photos, but I can’t tell if the color just changes in lighting, or if the shimmers make it appear cooler than it is. This polish dries with a satin finish; I used top coat for extra shine and sparkle.

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This is beautiful shade. It’s cool, it’s warm, it’s summery and shimmery. It’s soft, but it holds its own. This is a perfect fall shade, but it’s also a really nice transition shade, too, especially for work.

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If You’re a Seascape and other Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquers are available from their shop.

I bought this polish myself.

Manicure Monday: Dainty Pink Water-Marble

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Happy Monday! This Manicure Monday’s secret word is dainty. We’re like baby princesses over here. My main polish in this mani is Model City‘s Fairy Godmother; I’m wearing it alone at three coats on my thumb and pinky, as well as in a watermarble with Elevation Polish‘s Hitsujiyama Park and under MAC’s Just Jewels. All nails are topped with one coat of Seche Vite top coat.

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Perhaps the most unique thing about this polish, as well as the most obvious, is the strong pink pearl flash. This is what really sets it apart from the other pale pinks in my collection. There’s also a hint of holo; unfortunately it’s nasty cloudy outside, so I can’t demonstrate the pretty holo effect properly.

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I decided on a water-marble pretty last-minute, and it was hard choosing the right color to contrast with the pale pink. I wanted one that was still pale so as to be dainty (ahhhh!) but dark enough to contrast with what I was already using. Hitsujiyama Park is just a shade or two darker, and has about the same amount of holo and lacks the pink flash, so I went with it. In the end, I wish I’d gone with something just a tad darker, but I really like the result I got. I bet there’s a sub-species of unicorn with stripes like these. A Zebracorn, if you will.

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Finally, I used some glitter. MAC’s Just Jewels is a sheer but powerful shimmery topper with some multi-colored metallic glitters mixed in. It’s a little too strong for the watermarble, but I think it pairs really nicely with Fairy Godmother. The heavy pink shimmer is just what Fairy Godmother needs.

Fairy Godmother is discontinued; you can get other Model City polishes from their shop. Hitsujiyama Park and other Elevation Polishes can be purchased from their shop. Just Jewels is discontinued; other MAC polishes can be found wherever MAC products are sold. My bow charm is from Claire’s.

I bought two of these polishes. One polish was sent for review; my opinions are not influenced in any way.