Glam Polish Knockout Collection Part 2: Swatches and Review

- PROVIDED FOR REVIEW -

Hey guys! Today I'm back with another review from Australia based indie Glam Polish, with their Knockout Collection Part 2. You might remember me reviewing their original Knockout Collection a couple of months ago - I was in love with the strong holographic finishes! And the second part of the collection is just as stunning. Today I'm reviewing five out of the nine polishes - two ultra holos, and three that are packed with chunky holo glitter.

Wedding Wednesday: Bold Glitter Tips

Hey guys! I know I'm very behind on this week's Wedding Wednesday, but I still want to share with you this week's bridal inspired look! I have already shown you a classic silver glitter gradient in this series, but today's glittery look is a bit bolder:

Wedding Wednesday: Silver Glitter Gradient

- SOME PRODUCTS PROVIDED FO REVIEW -

Hey guys! Wow, I can't believe I almost forgot to post today's Wedding Wednesday look (I spent the entire day thinking it was Tuesday! Haha.) Anyway, last Wednesday I told you guys about my brother and his fiancee and how they inspired my new series - you can refresh your memory by reading the blog post here. Today's look is another somewhat classic bridal manicure - a pinky nude base with glittery silver tips!

NCLA Spring 2015 Collection: An LA Fairytale Swatches + Review

- PROVIDED FOR REVIEW -

Hi guys! Well, spring has definitely sprung here in New Jersey, and I am loving the warm weather! Today I'm showing you the latest from NCLA, four spring inspired shades that make up the An L.A. Fairytale Collection. This collection features three delicate glitter top coats and one glitter packed crelly.

a-England The Blessed Damozel Swatch + Nail Art

- PROVIDED FOR REVIEW -

Hello everyone! Today I have a fun new shade to show you from a-England called The Blessed Damozel, as well as some funky nail art. It's been quite a while since I've used a-England polishes, but here's a fun little fact: they were actually the first indie brand I ever purchased, way back in early 2012 when I was just getting into nail art. (In fact, if you go all the way back to my very first post on Instagram, you'll see a photo of the two shades I purchased!)

Anyway, let's take a look at this new shade:

The Digit-al Dozen Does Patterns on Patterns: Reciprocal Gradient

Hi guys! Today’s Digit-al Dozen post is a (welcome) break from all the pink and red manicures I’ve been sharing all week. Since gradients are technically a pattern, I decided to try the famous “reciprocal gradient” technique coined by Simply Nailogical, and since her signature style includes holographic polishes, I figured I had to use them too!

Glam Polish Knockout Collection Swatches + Review

Hey guys, today I'm sharing swatches of some polishes from the Glam Polish Knockout Collection! This collection consists of six bright and fun holo packed shades, some with additional holo glitter - and I have four gorgeous polishes to show you.

Live Love Polish: Color Club Halo Hues 2012 Swatches

Hi all, today I have an older collection to share with you from Color Club - the first Halo Hues Collection was actually released way back in 2012, but the polishes are coveted by the nail polish community. And international retailer Live Love Polish now has these in stock (as well as the 2013 holographic shades, which I will be reviewing soon!) Read on to see my swatches and for a discount code!!

KBShimmer Spring 2015 Full Collection Swatches + Review

Hi guys! I'm so excited to finally share with you the latest from KBShimmer - their Spring 2015 Collection! This collection features twelve beautiful new polishes that'll have you excited for winter to end.

In this new collection, there are seven crellies, four holos, and one creme, all in gorgeous pastel shades that are perfect for spring. The formulas on all of these were generally very easy to work with, and I just love their wide flat brushes for easy application. For all swatches below, I used KBShimmer base and top coat. Let's get started!

Cupcake Polish January 2015: The Queen Collection Swatches

Wow, it feels like it's been so long since I've reviewed Cupcake Polish! I did miss those fabulous holos! Well, today I've got their new collection to show you, The Queen Collection - it consists of five gorgeous holographic shades inspired the queens of Europe throughout history.

This collection features some beautiful and rich shades that are really fit for royalty! The formulas on these are fabulous - most of them were actually opaque in one coat, which you could definitely get away with in real life, but not under my lightbox lamps! Anyway, let's take a look:

We will start with my favorite of the bunch - Eleanor is a black linear holographic polish with an intense duochrome shimmer that shifts from pink to blue. I absolutely love the shimmery color shift in this polish! It's very present but it doesn't overpower the holo, which is nice. Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.

Elizabeth is a sparkly linear gold holographic polish packed with gold shimmer. Nothing too crazy or unique here, but it's a beautifully elegant shade, and it's definitely classic! (You can't have a royal themed collection without a gold polish, right?) Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.

Catherine is a pinky red linear holographic packed with pink shimmer. Again, nothing too crazy here, but it's a very pretty color and the pink shimmer makes it interesting! Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.

Here's another polish that stole my heart - Victoria is a bright, cool toned purple linear holographic polish with a duochrome shimmer that shifts from pink to gold. Seriously, this polish is gorgeous! Even without the shimmer, this polish would make me drool, but when you add it into the equation, it's to die for. I really do love this purple, and it's unlike any polish I have! Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.

And last cut certainly not least we have Maria, a bright royal blue linear holographic polish filled with green shimmer. This is such a pretty shade of blue, and I love the added green shimmer for a totally unique touch. Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.

These polishes are available beginning today on the Cupcake Polish website for $13 USD each, or $60 USD for the entire collection. My top picks are Eleanor, Victoria, and Maria.

Which ones do you like best? I'd love to know!

*Some products provided for my honest review.

PRODUCTS USED:
Base: Nailtiques Formula 2 Plus, available here
Polishes: (listed above)
Top: KBShimmer Clearly on Top, available here

Il Etait Un Vernis: License to Polish Collection Swatches

Hi guys! I'm finally back in the groove of swatching (thankfully my nails grew back pretty quickly!) and I'm very excited about today's review - I've got the latest collection from popular indie Il Etait Un Vernis! This French brand exploded onto the scene with their debut collection, and now they're releasing the gorgeous "License to Polish" collection, which consists of five beautiful shades that you can rock anytime of year.

Let me start off by gushing about the packaging - besides the adorable logo, these polishes came in the cutest little bag, along with a little "License to Polish" button! I am always impressed by companies that take special care and effort in packaging their products, and this brand really wowed me. The formulas on all of these were incredible - most of them were pretty much opaque in just one coat, and application was smooth and easy. Well, let's get started!

Juggling Glass Balls is actually different from the rest of the polishes in this collection in that it's sheer enough to be worn as a glitter topper over another shade. It's a silver holographic microglitter in a clear base, packed with silver flakies. I thought it was just so gorgeous and delicate that I wanted to show it on its own, and I am not disappointed with the result. It's beautiful! Perfect formula. Shown above is three thin coats with top coat.

We Want You For NPA Army is a beautiful warm forest green holographic shade featuring tiny gold flakies. This shade seriously wowed me, and I'm not usually a huge fan of green polishes. I really am in love! The added gold flakies just bring this polish to another level. Shown above is two coats plus top coat, but it was almost opaque in just one.

Drop Dead Gorgeous is a blackened gold holographic polish that looks brown in some lighting, and gold in others. This is another shade that I normally wouldn't reach for, but I practically drooled over this polish! It seriously is drop dead gorgeous. (Am I gushing? I'm totally gushing. I can't help myself!) Shown above is two coats with top coat, but it was opaque in just one.

In Teal We Trust is a stunning rich teal holographic shade with flashes of blue shimmer and flakies. Now this is a color that I was excited for, and I definitely wasn't disappointed! It's so deep and pretty, and definitely a color that I would wear all year. Shown above is two coats and top coat, but again - it's pretty much opaque in just one coat.

And finally, we have Something to Remember, a pale mauve holographic with flashes of bright fuchsia shimmer. This is one of those shades that you could wear in the office, but its so multi-faceted! The fuchsia shimmer has an almost green duochrome effect to it, which totally surprised me when I applied it. I didn't expect this shade to have so much to it! Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.

Overall, I think it's safe to say I'm pretty much in love with these polishes. Everything about them impressed me - from the incredible formulas, to the beautiful colors, to the great packaging! I would pick favorites but I honestly love them all and could see myself wearing every single one all year long.

These polishes are available from Il Etait Un Vernis for €12.90 EUR each, which is currently about $14.95 USD, or €59.90 EUR for the entire collection, which is currently about $69.44 USD. Il Etait Un Vernis is based in France, so international customers might want to read up on their shipping policy.

What do you think of these shades? Do you own any polishes from Il Etait Un Vernis?



*Some products provided for my honest review.

PRODUCTS USED:
Base: Nailtiques Formula 2 Plus, available here
Polishes: (listed above)
Top: KBShimmer Clearly on Top, available here

Glam Polish Hairspray Collection Swatches

So, I suffered an AWFUL nail break yesterday at work - my nails are the shortest they've ever been, and I'll have to take a break for a week or so. Luckily I have a post planned for today, and a few posts for next week too (you'll learn soon why I planned those so far in advance, hehe). In the meantime, I'll be giving my nails some TLC and will hopefully be coming out with more nail art and swatches soon!

Anyway, today I've got six shades from the upcoming Glam Polish Hairspray Collection to show you. I've never seen the broadway show but I have seen the 2007 film (of course I had to watch again while I swatched these!), and whether you love or don't even know of Hairspray, you're bound to love these shades.

The collection features a wide variety of holographic shades and a few microglitters - I have five holos and one microglitter to share with you all today. As usual, the formula on these was thick but easy to manage. Let's get started!

Ladies Choice is a favorite in this collection - a bright aqua linear holo with a stunning fuchsia shimmer. The shimmer isn't as present in my photo because I am using indirect light, but you can see some of it in the bottle! Great formula, gorgeous polish. Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.

Hey Mama is a bubblegum pink holo packed with iridescent pink and rainbow glass flecks. The color isn't especially original, but the flecks add something unique to this shade. Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.

Timeless To Me is a ruby red linear holo with a peachy shimmer. Great name choice for this polish, as I find sparkly red shades to be timeless! Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.

New Girl in Town is a peachy coral linear holo with pink glass flecks. This shade reminds me of their December release, Frost Flower, but this color is much brighter. A very pretty shade - I think this one will look lovely in the summer! Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.

Big Blonde & Beautiful is a bright lemon yellow linear holo. Personally, I don't think this shade works on me as a full manicure, but I imagine it looks gorgeous on those of you with a darker skin tone. Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.

Last but definitely not least, we have the microglitter of the collection, Welcome to the 60's. This super sparkly holographic gold microglitter is packed with white and metallic pink microglitters as well, and it really is so glittery! I love how it sparkles in the light. Shown above is two easy coats with top coat, although you can skip the top coat for a slightly textured finish.

Overall, we've got some really nice shades here. Some are a bit basic, but I'm loving Ladies Choice and Welcome to the 60's. All of these shades are available now on the Glam Polish website. Prices for this brand have changed - new shades are $11 USD each, and international shipping costs have changed as well (you can read about those here).

What do you think of these colors? Will you be picking any of them up?



*Some products were provided for my honest review.

PRODUCTS USED:
Base: Duri Rejuvacote, purchase here
Polish: (listed above)
Top: Glam Polish Magic Shine Top Coat (reviewed here)

KBShimmer Men Are From Mars-ala Swatch and Nail Art

Happy New Year, friends! What better way to start off the year 2015 than by showing you the latest creation from KBShimmer, inspired by Pantone's 2015 Color of the Year! Many of you involved in fashion and beauty probably already know that the color of the year is Marsala, which is described as a "naturally robust and earthy wine red." Well, KBShimmer is on top of the trend with their new release, a linear holographic shade called Men Are From Mars-ala:

Men Are From Mars-ala is a brick red (or marsala!) linear holographic shade. Application is incredibly easy, as I've come to expect from KBShimmer, and it's fully opaque in two coats. The holographic shimmer is very present and looks lovely on the nail! Shown above is two coats with KBShimmer Clearly on Top quick dry top coat.

I decided to see how it looked with matte top coat as well:

...And I absolutely loved it! In fact, I think I prefer this shade matte. Although the holographic shimmer is much more muted, the shade has a softer and more elegant feel to it. (Plus, you all know how much I love matte top coat!)

I wasn't ready to take this shade off just yet, so I decided to paint on some simple roses using Cirque Empire State of Mind, which is a rich reddish brown that I think qualifies as a marsala tone! Of course, I mattified the roses as well ;)

KBShimmer Men Are From Mars-ala is available online for $8.75 USD per bottle. Keep up with KBShimmer by following them on Facebook!

What do you think of the color Marsala for 2015?

PRODUCTS USED:
Base: Duri Rejuvacote
Polishes: KBShimmer Men Are From Mars-ala, $8.75 USD; Cirque Colors Empire State of Mind, $13 USD
Top: KBShimmer Clearly on Top; OPI Matte Top Coat

Some products provided for my honest review.

Colors by Llarowe Fall 2014 Swatches

Hi guys, I've got a few polishes from the recent Colors by Llarowe Fall 2014 collection to share with you today!

As I've come to expect from Colors by Llarowe, this collection consists of a TON of new colors. Today, I've got four -  three shimmers and a holographic - all in nice fall appropriate tones. As usual, the formula of these polishes was thick, but easy enough to manage. Let's take a look at them:

Swear Jar is an emerald green packed with golden shimmer and a slight blue duochrome shift. My first thought when I saw this polish was "Christmas tree!" and I love it. I can't help feeling like this is the winter version of a "mermaid" polish. This will definitely be great to wear for the holiday season! Shown above is two easy coats and top coat.

Burning Embers is a beautiful vampy red shimmer with an orange-yellow duochrome shift. This color is just gorgeous! It truly does remind me of smoldering embers. Shown above is two coats with top coat.

My Broken Down Crop Duster is a grayed out purple with a crazy linear holographic finish. This polish is so holo-y, even when it isn't in direct light! This is another great polish with a great formula. Shown above is two coats with top coat.

And finally we have Mystique, a dark, warm gray shimmer. This one looks really nice on the nails, but I didn't think it was as exciting as the others I got to review. I found that the shimmer made the polish really streaky, so I had to be very careful with application - I applied two coats for opacity, and a third to smooth out the streakiness, plus top coat.

Overall, these colors are pretty nice and I think they'll be great for the upcoming months. These colors are available from Llarowe for $10-$12 USD per bottle. The collection is being restocked today at 12PM and 7PM MDT. They sell out quickly, so make sure to follow Colors by Llarowe on Facebook for future restocks and information.

Which is your favorite?

These polishes were provided for my honest review.

Sweet Addictions Subscription Box: November Swatches and Review

Hello everyone! The new Sweet Addictions subscription box will be available a bit early this month, so I've got swatches up today - November's theme is gemstones, so we have three full sized polishes inspired by some gorgeous stones.

And with this month's theme comes two new-to-me indie brands! I was really impressed with the formulas of all of them, and I loved the colors. They are rich and definitely appropriate for fall/winter. There was no little extra this month, but the three polishes are full sized and high quality, so it's still a valuable deal. Let's have an individual look at the colors:

Different Dimension Saphir Rose is a deep pink linear holographic polish with added pink shimmer. This shade was inspired by the pink saphire gemstone. I was really impressed with this polish - although the color is nothing new, I think the formula was really smooth. Slightly thick but easy to apply! Shown above is two easy coats without top coat.

Cupcake Polish Emerald Isle is a stunning forest green linear holographic polish. This shade was inspired by the emerald gemstone. I'm completely in love with this color! It seems completely appropriate for Christmas, as it reminds me of evergreen trees. And of course, the formula was wonderful, as I've come to expect with Cupcake Polish. Shown above is two easy coats without top coat.

Darling Diva Polish Tina the Labradorite is a beautiful medium blue linear holographic polish packed with blue and iridescent flakes. This polish was inspired by the labradorite stone. I love this one! It's definitely unique to my collection with the added flakes - they had an incredible shimmery effect in the light. The formula was slightly thick but easy to apply. Shown above is two easy coats with top coat.

Overall, I am really liking this month's box! If you enjoy holographic polishes in rich, deep colors, you will love it too. This box retails for $30 USD on the Cupcake Polish online shop, and includes the three polishes reviewed above. It will be available starting tomorrow, October 19th.

What do you think of these colors? Which is your favorite?

These polishes were provided for my honest review.

KBShimmer Fall 2014 Collection, Part 1: Swatches and Review

Hello everyone! I'm so excited to be sharing some swatches of the soon to be released KBShimmer Fall 2014 collection today. I've decided to split my review into two posts, since there are ten polishes in this collection. Today, I will be showing off five cool-toned polishes - three creams, a holo, and a crelly. As is expected of KBShimmer, these polishes are gorgeous!

I have to say, I am really impressed with KBShimmer's cream and holo formulas - both finishes are relatively new to the indie brand, but they are already flawless! Today's polishes are no exception. Let's take a closer look:

Hugs & Wishes is a slightly dusty cool-toned lavender cream (almost a periwinkle color) with a gorgeous shine. I'm totally loving this one! Normally, I wouldn't associate this shade with fall, but I think the slight dustiness makes it perfect for transitioning into colder weather. Shown above is two super easy coats and top coat.

Stonewashed is a gorgeous dusty navy blue cream with an exceptional formula. You know, I often find myself with one-coater polishes, but I can't bring myself to photograph swatches with just one coat (just in case there's the tiniest bit of visible nail!), but this polish completely blew me away after one coat. Yes, that's right, you're looking at one coat with top coat, a truly opaque polish! Not to mention, this color is just gorgeous.

How You Dune? is another gorgeous cream, this time in a "greige" color (somewhere between grey and beige!) This one is another one coater, but since it is fairly light, I had to layer a second coat just in case my photo showed any flaws. I think this polish actually looks better with just one coat, since the second coat made it slightly thick! You may remember this color as the base to my recent challenge manicure - it's perfect for some fall nail art! Shown above is two coats and top coat.

Up & Cunning is described as a deep teal holographic polish. I absolutely love this one! Like I said, KBShimmer really hit the nail on the head with their holo formula - this one had a crazy sparkle, even indoors. Shown above is two thin coats, without top coat.

And finally, we have a classic crelly called Flannel Surfing. This light dusty blue is packed with silver, orange, and turquoise hex glitters in various sizes. As is usual with KBShimmer crellies, no fishing or dabbing was required. And what a gorgeous combination of colors! Shown above is two easy coats and top coat.

I honestly don't think I could choose favorites out of these - I'm in love with them all! And I love how cohesive this collection is so far. All of these polishes will be available from the KBShimmer online shop starting on September 15th. Creams will be $7.50 USD each, and the crellies, glitters, and holos will be $8.75 USD each. I will be posting the other five polishes in this collection - the warm tones - soon, so stay tuned! Don't forget to follow KBShimmer on Facebook and Instagram for news and updates.

And of course, you can find my Instagram page here, where I will also be posting all of my swatches!

These polishes were provided for my honest review.