Tag Archives: shift

Manicure Monday: Olive the Glitter

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Welcome back! I’ve got another super-shifty microglitter to show you today. This is Digital Nails‘s Galactica over Essie’s Sew Psyched.

Last week, I showed you Leviathan, that crazy shifty glitter that went from purple to blue to orange. Galactica is a sister polish to Leviathan; they are both named after fictional spaceships and feature wildly shifting glitter. These polishes are both so much fun to wear because they look so different in every lighting situation.

Sew Psyched is a great base for this glitter because it just blends into it most of the time. Of course, there are instances where it looks kind of odd, like when the light is shining right on the glitter and it’s super gold and the base is just kind of there. For the most part, though, the glitters and the base are the same, and all you see is the shine from the glitter.

Sew Psyched and Essie are sold in stores. Galactica and other Digital Nails polishes are sold in their etsy shop, which is currently closed.

I bought these polishes myself.

Swatch Sunday: Baroness X’s Sakura Skies

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Hey reader! I’m so excited about today’s swatch. This is the first of my Indie Shop Atlanta purchases to make it to the blog, and it’s from a new-to-me brand. It also just came out and I don’t usually wear things so soon after release. This is Sakura Skies from Baroness X, one of the collaboration polishes in the most recent installment of The Color Box. I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Seche Vive top coat.

Sakura Skies is a cornflower blue polish with flakies that shift from bright pink to gold. Application was easy; product consistency is a little thick due to all the flakies in the polish, but it wasn’t an issue. The flakies’ default setting is pink, and that’s the color I see on the nail most often; the gold pops up when directly facing the light source. The polish dries with a matte finish; I used top coat for shine.

If you’re unfamiliar with The Color Box, the box comes with five polishes that are all the same color family, which in this case is blue. Each polish is a collaboration between the polish maker and a blogger. The Sakura Skies concept came from xoxo, Jen. Jen and Baroness X made a great team, this is definitely my favorite polish in the box.

Outdoors, this polish is something else. The following photos were taken outside in direct sunlight. The shift is a little harder to get — it totally depends on the time of day — but it looks fantastic regardless.

Unfortunately, I just missed the pre-order cutoff for this box. The Color Box is a quarterly event; join the Facebook group to learn more about the box and to be able to vote on the color of future boxes. Watch the Baroness X website for overpour bottles of Sakura Skies and other products.

I bought this polish myself.

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.

Manicure Monday: Sunburned Sunrise

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 Peruvian Lily

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Swatch Saturday!! Today’s post is all about Peruvian Lily from Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer. It’s the second polish in their April Showers collection from Spring 2014. I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Rica‘s Glossy Glam top coat.

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BEGL describes Peruvian Lily as a “pastel orange creme with a red to gold shift”. To me, it’s more of a peach. Application was very easy; I had full coverage in two coats. However, the creme is so opaque that it covers up the shifting pigments. The shimmer is visible in some parts of the nail and not others, and the shift doesn’t seem to occur at all. It dries with a semi-glossy finish and was dry to the touch in about five minutes.

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Even though the shift didn’t work out for me, I love this color. I don’t think I have anything quite like it. It’s a soft and sweet color, but it suits me. Other people agree; I’ve gotten so many compliments on this polish. This one teaches me that a polish can be borderline-dainty and still be unique.

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Though Peruvian Lily has been discontinued by BEGL, you can purchase other polishes from their store.

I purchased this polish myself.

Swatch Sunday: Digital Nails’s Run You Clever Boy

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This is exciting! For today’s edition of Swatch Sunday, I’m wearing one of my first-ever Digital Nails polishes. I got this little mini bottle of Run You Clever Boy with the very first order I ever placed. I’m wearing three coats of it with one coat of Ciate’s Speed Coat Pro top coat.

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Run You Clever Boy is described by Digital Nails as an “oxblood jelly polish with … green to red shifting microflake pigment”. I found this polish very easy to apply; as it is a jelly, the first coat wasn’t perfect, but I had perfect opacity at two coats. The maker warns that two coats will still show a visible nail line, but I didn’t encounter that. Despite that, it’s still really squishy. It dries very quickly and with a glossy finish. You’ll still want a top coat to bring out this crazy-awesome shift and additional jelly shine.

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I adore this polish. I feel pretty close to it, as it’s one of my first-ever indies, but I’ve only worn it twice, including now. There’s just nothing else like this in my collection. Depending on where the light is, it looks like two totally different polishes. Facing the light, the shifting pigment is red and blends right into the jelly base, giving it a beautiful ruby sparkle. When the light is behind me, the green pops out and the wow starts. It’s way more fun than it should be to keep moving my nails around to watch the shift. It’s just way too cool.

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Unfortunately, Run You Clever Boy was recently discontinued. I know, I’m right there with you; it was gone before I had a chance to get my own full-size bottle. It is an absolute tragedy.

I bought this polish myself.

Swatch Sunday: Color Club’s Wing Fling

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For this week’s Swatch Sunday, I’m wearing a brand I’m a little new to: Color Club! I scored a few collection sets in outlet stores, but I’ve worn all of two since then. I see this brand everywhere, so I’m excited to join the club. Pardon the pun. The beauty I’m wearing today is Wing Fling; I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Ciate’s Speed Coat Pro.

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None of the bottles in the set had name labels, so I had to improvise. Behold my terrible handwriting!

None of the bottles in the set had name labels, so I had to improvise. Behold my terrible handwriting!

Wing Fling is a sheer and shimmery magenta. Some of the shimmers even shift from pink to orange, giving it just a hint of duochrome fun. Coverage is buildable; I got okay coverage by coat two and good coverage by three. Four might be necessary if you want full opacity. This polish did dry quickly, though, and though it dries with a nice gloss, a top coat is definitely required to bring out as much of the shimmers as is possible. It even looks a bit metallic/foil-like after top coat application. The lacquer consistency was thin, but left no streaks or holes in the coverage. Application was very easy.

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I adore this color. It’s very deep and bright, but it’s not wildy bright or tawdry. I feel like this could be a polish for everyone; there’s just the right amount of sparkle, shine, and color to appeal to everyone and no more.

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Wing Fling is part of the Take Wing collection from 2012, and is still available on Color Club’s website.

Swatch Saturday: Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Prototype AG 1.1

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Today’s Swatch Saturday polish is no stranger! We took a brief look at Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer‘s Prototype AG 1.1 on Manicure Monday, when I paired it with China Glaze’s Exotic Encounters. Today, it gets its own manicure! I’m wearing AG 1.1 over Raspberry Cordial from Ciate, and Black Out and Hard to Get, both from Sally Hansen. All nails are topped with one coat of Speed Coat Pro, also from Ciate.

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Prototype AG 1.1, as we discussed before, is a glitter topper with blue-to-purple shifting pigment and white hexes, stars, moons, squares, rectangles, dots, and diamonds. As I mentioned before, the consistency is rather thick, but because there’s so much stuff in this bottle, it’s natural for it to be that way. Despite its viscosity, it does dry quickly, and with a satin finish. The glitter does spread well over the nail, but because the glitters are so large, they do tend to clump a little bit.

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How gorgeous is this! I included a before shot of the black, white, and pink, just so you can see how this polish transforms a color. These are some pretty basic cremes in pretty bold shades. The shifting pigment comes along and softens them, making them pearly and delicate. It’s absolutely amazing. It’s probably the most beautiful the darker colors; on the black, you can see everything, like looking up at the sky on a dark night. You get the maximum shifting effect as well as glitter contrast.

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You probably think I’m crazy to put a polish like this over white. Yeah, maybe I am, but I really love the way it turned out. The glitters are not immediately visible, but the shift looks incredible. I am a huge fan of this color-on-color combination. It’s intricate and dainty, like tatted lace. I think it’s astoundingly beautiful.

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While this is a statement polish for sure, I also feel like it’s very simple as well. There aren’t a ton of colors competing for attention, there isn’t a crazy sparkly melange of glitter. Everything is consistent and and homogeneous, and I like that about it. It’s elegant without being over the top; it demands attention but isn’t loud or obnoxious. It is truly stunning. Unfortunately, this is a one-of-a-kind polish prototype and is currently unavailable. Sorry! In the BEGL shop, however, there is one OOAK prototype for sale. Grab it before it’s gone!

Manicure Monday: Green and Galaxy Glitter

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Thanksgiving is over, and we’re back on schedule! I missed you guys! For this week’s Manicure Monday, we’re sticking with the usual glitter accent nails, but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I’m wearing three coats of China Glaze’s Exotic Encounters, with one coat of Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer’s Prototype AG 1.1 on my accent nails. All nails are topped Ciate’s Speed Coat Pro top coat.

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Exotic Encounters is a deep jungle green creme. It’s rather dramatic; it dries so smoothly and with such a high gloss that it makes top coat nearly unnecessary. It does dry quickly, and achieves opacity in two coats. The consistency is just right, and application was perfectly easy. This polish was a total win for me. It’s an absolutely gorgeous shade of green, and it’s so shiny!

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Prototype AG 1.1 kind of steals the spotlight. It guess it kind of deserves it. AG 1.1 is an icy blue-to-warm violet shifting polish with white glitters in various shapes and sizes. Each fun shape is in here: moons, stars, diamonds, rectangles, dots, and squares, along with some smallers dots and hexes. There are no hearts, but I’ll let it slide. It’s a bit thick, but it’s so loaded up with glitter and pigment that it’s expected. It goes on easily and is so much fun to wear. I’m very surprised by how it transforms a creme polish. It doesn’t even look like the same color with this shifty glitter madness on top of it. It’s amazing. I actually call it SPACELINGERIE in my own personal files, because it’s celestial, sultry, and leaves just enough to the imagination.

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I almost feel like this look is a bit dull, since it looks like all the accent nails are having all the fun. That might be true. I love it, though. I simply cannot get enough of AG 1.1. It’s also my Swatch Saturday this week — surprise! — so look forward to it. It’s amazing.

Swatch Sunday: Ciaté’s Love Letter

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For today’s Swatch Sunday, we’re looking at more delicious shifty goodness. This is Ciaté’s Love Letter. I’m wearing three coats with one coat of Speed Coat Pro top coat, also from Ciaté.

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Love Letter is a clear polish — I think it’s a clear base, it’s either clear or very, very lightly tinted — with a boatload of gold to pink-shifting shimmer and pink glitters. I think maybe this was meant to be a glitter topper, but I tried it at three coats to see what I would get. At three coats, I have full and even coverage. Application was easy. Drying time was very quick, and the finish is smooth and unexpectedly, delightfully metallic.

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Yeah, I was not expecting this at all. I didn’t think the coverage would be so full, and I didn’t think the shift would be so pronounced. I am completely gobsmacked. Seriously. I don’t think I have anything else to say, except that I don’t think I ever want to wear this as just a topper. That would be cheating it.

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You can find Ciaté’s Love Letter online at CiatéLondon.com. I happened to get my bottle from Sephora, but I longer see this particular polish on their site. They do still carry Ciaté, though.