BUTTER LONDON: Scuppered - swatches and review

We're smack-dab in the middle of the blingy-est season of the year, so let's bring out Scuppered.  Must confess I'm bewildered by the name, but one look at this beauty, and British massacres are the last thing on my mind. 

There should be laws against driving while wearing this nail polish.

In formula and application, Scuppered is similar to West End Wonderland, Butter London's popular micro-gold sparkler. Both dry out to an uncommonly smooth surface, but Scuppered's got a style of its own.

To fully appreciate Scuppered, it helps to see The Big Picture.  It's here where you come to understand what makes this polish so mesmerizing. Of course, if we're going to go macro, it's important to my fragile ego that you ignore the wrinkles.  And the specks of glitter I hadn't previously noticed. Macro lenses are so bitchy, you know.

tonsil shot of wonky nail

The wizards at Butter London got the idea to take one shimmery copper base and mix in an oddly calibrated mix of bright green hexes, with an underlying pink and gold microglitter.  The result - (surprising to this 56 year old)  - is a sweet interplay of color and dimension.  Go, BL!

There's a lot going on in this blingy neutral.

FYI, we're looking at two thin coats of Scuppered over a base of Palladio Moisture Surge (my nails get brittle in the winter).  It was finished off with a layer of the brand's Hardwear P.D. Quick Top Coat.  ANOTHER FYI,  I'm forever on the hunt for The Perfect Top Coat (Damn it, Seche Vite...stop shrinking on me!)

Gotta love the reflection in the bottle cap.

At $14US, Butter London is priced mid-point between pharmacy and Chanel.  But take advantage of their online sales, and you don't have to spend even that much. We follow BL on Twitter and Facebook to get news of upcoming events.

So, now that you know what I'm wearing...

What's happening on YOUR hands?

Jelly Sandwich Time!!! a.k.a. butter LONDON's Bread And Butter Pudding with a healthy filling of Cirque's XX

Ooooooooooh boy. I'm so excited about this post because I decided to do something a little crazy. Alright, you caught me. It's not crazy at all - don't let my confession cheapen this manicure for you. Anywho, let's dig right on in!

Soft. Sweet. Cuddly. Winning.

I recently wore this jelly sandwich combo and couldn't bear to take it off! Using butter LONDON's Bread And Butter Pudding from the Goop.com exclusive trio as the "bread," I dabbed on the most delicious glitter by Cirque - XX is amazing! Full of holographic glitters of many different shapes, sizes, and colors! The coolest thing about this glitter is that it's full of soft, pastel shades. This lovely softness was inspiration waiting to happen... especially when the bottle was literally next to Bread And Butter Pudding when I opened the polish drawer.

I would have said that I dabbed the glitter onto the tips of my nail, but let's be real. Sometimes your nails are so short that there are no tips to dab. This was one of those times.

As much as I adore XX, let me tell you about Bread And Butter Pudding. This neutral sheer may be one of the most flattering neutrals that I have ever worn. I've been wearing it pretty faithfully since it came in the mail earlier this month. Aside from swatching and the random day or two where I couldn't work up the motivation to paint my nails (GASP! I know! Such a travesty.. I can't even...), this has been my go-to polish. Three coats on its own gives me my perfect "your nails but so much better" look that I am always on the hunt for.

Squares, hexes, and fingerprints all over the bottle - Oh My! (Please excuse the awkward close up)

I don't know about you, but I love a good polish that can multitask. With Bread And Butter Pudding you have a gorgeous neutral one day and the perfect sheer polish for the ultimate dainty jelly sandwich the next. For this manicure I used one healthy coat of Bread And Butter Pudding before dabbing XX onto my nails. This time I ended up dabbing with the polish brush instead of using a sponge. IMHO it worked out just fine. A final coat of Bread And Butter Pudding followed by a top coat sealed the deal.

One more picture for posterity. Woot.

This manicure may not have the flash of a linear holo, but I couldn't help but glance down at my nails constantly while I was wearing it. It was incredibly happy making, and I am all about being happy whenever it's possible. 

KB SHIMMER: Proud Peacock - swatches and review

A bottle of pretty arrived in the post today...

Tilted into the light, that peppery spray of black micro glitter, turns pink!  If only my camera were to cooperate. 

Goodness, I'm in love with this happy-making polish!

Here we have two coats of Proud Peacock, a lovely aqua jelly that's been peppered with a smorgasbord of glitters: pink, blue, white, silver, black, gold and holo?  Not sure. Every time I look at it, I'm seeing more and different colors in those dots, bars, and hexes of many sizes!

Confused?  Don't be.

This is how KB Shimmer describes their lovely lacquer: 

"Like a peacock's tail, this polish is one you will be proud to show off. A dusty teal green base is accented by tons of glitter. We started with a large blue hex, and added both a black and black opal hex. We then went micro with black and white diamond glitters. Fuchsia, teal, and navy small glitters accent several holographic glitters, including a silver bar, teal, and two sizes of silver. This polish does cover in two or three coats, but also does layer really well."

Yep.  That's better.

Swoon.

I'm a sucker for muted teals, greens and blues, as evidenced by how many I have in my collection.  But this one is different.  Really!

It's jelly-good blingy-ness makes my heart sing.  :)   

FYI, I purchased Proud Peacock from KB Shimmer's Etsy shop for $8.75US, plus $2.75 shipping.  It got here fast. 

Love.  Love.  Love the formula and ratio of polish to glitter.  It's a light formula, making for nice thin layers that reach near-opacity at 2 coats.

Crazy, isn't it...how such a simple thing can make a grown woman giddy?  You think it might be the fumes? ;)

Thanks for stopping by!

Swatch Post - butter LONDON's Hampstead Heath

Happy Monday! I am a sucker for nail polish (I know, huge shocker) so when I read that butter LONDON created a three-piece set in conjunction with Goop.com, my interest was piqued. THEN I saw the colors. Today I'm sharing Hampstead Heath. This deep green is honestly what sold the set to me.

Rich, luxurious forest green with flecks of mossy green and gold with a lovely iridescence running through it. The flecks catch the light so beautifully! This manicure used two smooth coats of Hampstead Heath. There were no awkward bald spots to cover up - HALLELUJAH!!!

As much as I adore this polish, I was shocked to see that this wasn't actually my favorite of the Goop trio. Later this week I'll be posting a fantastic jelly sandwich that I put together with the neutral of the group a.k.a. Bread And Butter Pudding a.k.a. the overall star of the collection IMHO. Until then, I will leave you with an obscenely large, close up picture of Hampstead Heath. It's completely understandable if you start drooling. Nothing to be ashamed of here!

"Gilty" Holiday Pleasures

So, how are the holidays treating you?  Today was the last day of Chanukah, and by all reports, a swell time was had by all friends so celebrating. Now, it's on to the heavy lifting...

Uh, huh....

An onslaught of corporate Christmas parties.  Yep.  You know what that means.  It's now time to pull out The Gear:  that Santa sweater your Aunt Margaret gave you last Christmas.  You know, the one you've no other reason to wear; and those red suede pumps, embellished with green plaid leaves (what were you thinking?) that you picked up two seasons ago. Yeah.  Stuff like that.

What's wrong?  Don't feel up to dressing up like a reindeer?  I feel your pain.  Been there.  Done that.  A long time ago.

How's about instead playing it simple and elegant?  Black pumps of whatever height you can fathom.  The higher, the better, but be practical.  If stilettos are going to have you in pain and barefoot in no time, think elegant but low.    Where were we?  Yes...black slacks, and a black top of whatever dressed-up loveliness floats your boat.  It works every time.

And then dress it all up with bold gold earrings, a gorgeous cuff bracelet, and a great manicure.

Nails.  The new jewelry.

L to R:  Zoya 18K Gilty over Storm; Zoya Storm; Zoya 18KT Gilty over Ziv

Today, I decided to recreate a mani I'd worn earlier in the week.  Simple and elegant, I think...

On all but my ring finger, I applied two coats of Zoya's Storm -  a microfine diamond holographic glitter that's suspended in a black jelly base. This is all jet black with diamonds, until you turn it this way or that, and suddenly find you've captured the pink, the blue, the aqua, reflective lights of the falling snow.  Love.

The ring finger was painted up with Ziv, a molten-gold microglitter.

Once dry to the touch, it was time to accent the middle and ring fingers with a couple of light coats of Gilty, Zoya's nod to the 18KT gold flake trend this season.  I like this one.  It's easily buildable.

Pretty, pretty stuff.
 

Why the sponge?  Because it was there.

Mah girls:  Gilty, Storm, and Ziv

"Sad nubbins.  Short nubbins.  Little stubby nails."   Yikes.  Two (count 'em) unpleasant episodes this week left me bereft of  anything resembling length!  Mmm hmm.  But they grow.  And this time, Dammit, Janet (obscure RHPS reference).  I'm going to get serious about filing them properly. 

See...even if your wardrobe isn't ringing the usual holiday bells, all you gotta do is grab a few  black components, and dress that loveliness up with your mani!!!! 

and finally...

Because this lacquerista can't live by tinsel, mistletoe, eggnog, and polish alone, I leave you with .... a book.

Damn, here's a fascinating mind-bender of a read.  I'm having a hard time putting this oldie but goodie down.

Remember:  breathe deeply, exhale fully, and have an evening glass of wine.

I promise...

You'll get through the holidays.

Thanks for stopping by.

NPB: Ninja v. Pirate over BL Pillar Box Red

 

I don't wear red often, but with it being the Christmas season, I'll be all over the color this month!  For today's mani, I first slipped on a couple of coats of Butter London Pillar Box Red, a bright cherry creme, and then top coated the whole deal with none other than Nail Pattern Boldness Ninja v. Pirate!

I absolutely love the overall look:  a classic red manicure is instantly updated with this very modern top coat filled with white (holographic) and black (opaque) shard glitter.  The formula on this one is absolute perfection:  it slides on smooth and makes for easy positioning of the glitter.  Ninja v. Polish is a very cooperative glitter!

This was my first experience working with a Nail Pattern Boldness polish.  I happened to come by Ninja v. Pirate thanks to the very talented and dear Gini at SassyPaints.  I'd won a giveway she conducted in October, and this fabulous glitter top coat was one of my multitudinous prizes.  Thanks so much, Gini!  Now, I can't wait to get my hands on more NPB polishes! 

As it turns out, Gini and Kimber are conducting a super giveaway right now, with exquisite polishes (think:  a-England, and lots of indy lacquers) on the list of fun things to win.  Both are fabulous ladies, who are so helpful and encouraging to new bloggers and all folks interested in nail art.  Be sure to check out their latest giveaway!

Thanks so much for stopping by!!!

JULEP: Holiday Glitter Collection - Part II

In Part I of this post, I showed off five new polishes in the Julep Holiday Glitter Collection.  Here, without further adieu, are the remaining six....

First up:

Hilary, Patti and Jordan...

Top to Bottom:  Hilary, Patti, and Jordan

Jordan is clear jelly with suspended blue-steel gray glitter. To build up opacity, I dabbed the glitter onto the nail (as opposed to painting it on), until it reached full opacity.  That's the only way I could avoid polish "lift".  Hilary is a very sheer pale brown jelly with lots of suspended copper chunky glitter.  I didn't try reaching opacity (my best guess is 4 coats).

Oh, and just a head's up...be prepared:  I broke two nails this week, ergo the reason for my bizarre asymmetrical nails. They'll grow.

Top to Bottom:  Jordan, Hilary, and Patti (2 coats over basecoat)

When I first saw Patti, I wasn't prepared to like her.  The first coat was an ugly sheer greenish black with dull silver chunky pieces of bling. Did nothing for me. At the second coat, I was taken in by this oddly beautiful black jelly glitter.  There's nothing overtly feminine or sparkly about Patti.  She's actually kinda grunge.

Of the three, Jordan was the least cooperative when it came to application.  The formula was a bit gunky.  Biggest annoyance came when I carefully painted a second coat, and found the first coat dissolving with every light brush stroke.  Polish lift!  I dabbed out the rest of the nail to avoid further lift.

T to B:  Jordan, Hilary, and Patti - Hilary and Patti applied easy; Jordan required glitter resurfacing

Harper, Vivien, and Barbara ...

To to Bottom: Harper, Vivien, and Barbara 

Harper is a light turquoise jelly with lots of tiny gold, green and blue glitter.  For total opacity, we're probably talking 4 thin coats.   Vivien is an exquisitely sheer platinum shimmer with loads of small gold glitter discs suspended therein.  Both glitters are build-able, which makes for versatility with layering. Further down this post, you'll see what I mean.

To to Bottom:  Barbara, Vivien, and Harper (2 coats over base coat)

I'm particularly enamored of Harper and Vivien.  Gawjuss.

Barbara?  Meh.  Nothing that I couldn't pick up at a local discount store.

L to R:  Harper, Vivien, and Barbara (2 coats)

At two coats, Harper and Vivien are still sheer.  But Barbara....?  It applies like wet cement, and is perfectly opaque at two coats.

MIX & MATCH

Now that you've seen each of the polishes on its own, let's mix things up a bit.  

L to R:  Vivien over 2 coats of Scarlett, and 2 coats of Vivien on its own (middle)

Harper gradient over 2 coats of Cindy

Hilary gradient over two coats of Julia

Barbara gradient over three coats of Ivy

WHAT I LIKE:  Cindy, Harper, Vivian, Scarlett, Ivy, Julia, Hilary and Patti. The colors and formulas are super!  I'm pleased I went for the entire collection this month.  There are some unique colors among the group, and 11 Julep blingies for $50US is a great deal, considering their basic monthly subscription gives you up to three polishes for $20US.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE: Two things:  1. Julep's bottle.  It's an accident waiting to happen, and that accident has happened to me lots of times. Still, I can understand why Julep wouldn't be chomping at the bit to move away from the iconic design, which brings me to my second gripe:  2.  This towering test-tube-like bottle holds half as much polish as a competitor's brand (think OPI, Essie, China Glaze), and costs more.  The difference in volume isn't so readily noticeable when you're glancing at this nail polish skyscraper.  But if the brand were to move over to a standard polish bottle, the difference would be dramatic:  mini vs. standard size containers.

I'm interested in hearing your comments on this collection, on Julep polishes in general, and on the Julep subscription model.  Lemme know your thoughts.

In the meantime....thanks for stopping by! :)

JULEP: Holiday Glitter Collection - Part One

I've been a Julep subscriber, aka "Maven", since April of this year. For approx $20 US a month, you get a 2 lacquers and a treatment delivered to your doorstep. Subscribers have a choice between five color profiles:  American Beauty ("girl next door"), Boho Glam (artistic chic), Bombshell (sexy confidence), Classic With a Twist (neutrals), and It Girl (edgy) .  I don't see a whole lot of difference between the profiles, which can be changed (or skipped altogether) any month.  If you like one color in the Boho Glam set, and another color in the American Beauty set, it's an either/or proposition.  There's no mixie-matchie.  However, subscribers ARE offered the option of Buying The Whole Collection, at what amounts to a savings (2 polishes and a treatment for 19.99 OR 11 polishes and a treatment for about $50US).  FYI,, I've skipped more months than I've bought.  For the most part, I've been un-thusiastic about the choices.  This month, for the first time, I purchased the whole shebang!  Don't judge me.  We're talking glitter. ;)  Here are my thoughts...
 
Julep Maven's December 2012 Glitter Wardrobe is a collection of 11 glitter polishes, ranging from full-coat duochrome-y microglitters, to an explosion of chunky foils, suspended in clear coat.  Today, I'm going to focus on the "tamer", more subtle blingers in the group: the microglits.  Come back this weekend to check out my review and swatches for the remainder of this collection.  FYI...that's when the serious bling comes out.

The polishes I'm about to show you are highly pigmented and luminous.  All but one applied smooth - like room temperature butter (Dumb expression, I know.  It's not like I've ever painted my nails with butter.).  As with most glitter-formulated polishes, they wear like steel.  All swatches were painted over Palladio Moisture Surge base coat, and finished off with Cult Nails Wicked Fast top coat.  Oh, and one more "All"...

All Julep polishes appear to be named after celebrated women.

IVY

So, whatcha think?  Blue Ivy - a nod to Beyonce's first-born?

Ivy is a brilliant blue duochrome.  I think I'm in love.  This polish is flecked with shimmer and a twinkling of micro glitter.  It shifts from blue to pinkish purple, with the light.  Absolutely lovely.  It's also a pain in the ass to photograph. My apologies for being unable to capture that crazy-good color shift!

Pretty little pot of paint (with "little" being the operative word).  Julep bottles hold half as much polish as their competitors'

I like the formula.  Alot.  It easily goes where intended.  The color is eye-catching and beautiful.  I wish it were bottled in something other than a easily toppled test tube.

 SCARLETT

Scarlett O'Hara or Scarlett Johansson?  Or have you another Scarlett in mind?  I'm thinking Johansson. 

Scarlett is a bright, clean Christmas-sy red.  It's got the obligatory gold sparkle and stands out like Santa's suit!  On the other hand (no pun intended), it reminds me alot of a sexy red silk slip I used to wear.  Back when I wore sexy slips. 

No complaints with the formula. If you're looking for a holiday red, you'd do just fine with this one.
 

JULIA

Julia Roberts?  Julia Child?  Julia Louis-Dreyfuss? Julia, Julia?

Julia is a chameleon:  First, she's got a metallic rosy gold shimmer that sparkles up a storm when the light hits it just right; and then in the shadows, it's all Please Pass the Purple Sparkling Grape Juice.  Both are pretty effects!

This duochrome beauty will satisfy lacqueristas who get into color shifting.  Julia has it, in spades.  The formula applies flawlessly.

CINDY

Cindy Crawford?  Hmm.  Maybe.  Your Aunt Cindy from Kalamazoo?  Unlikely.

My favorite of the microglitters.   Cindy is a bright lime-y emerald green, packed with gold shimmer.  Breathtakingly beautiful.  I'm in love.

I strongly recommend this luv-erly polish. It moved me over to the green side. 

PETRA

Not a clue.  Petra Němcová?

This cranberry sparkle was my least favorite of the five micro glitters.  The finish wasn't as glossy as the others. Perhaps that's intentional.

outdoors

Also, Petra required some fiddling with, to reach full coverage on the nail.  On me, Petra's not the most flattering color, but on you.... it might be yowzah!

Tell you what....

Come back this weekend, and I'll show you what happens when you take these polishes and introduce them to more serious glitter.

Until then...I'm curious to know your thoughts about Julep, their polishes/treatments, and subscription model.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Star Spangled Swatching!

Greetings! Today's post will be short, and oh so sweet! I decided to step out of my nail polish comfort zone (neutrals, blues, and greens) and delved into my polish drawer that has been designated for my red, orange, yellow, and pink polishes. Confession time: While I love all the colors of the rainbow, I tend to stick with my favorite colors when it's time to do my nails. Is this normal, or am I just the kind of person that easily gets stuck in a comfortable rut? I guess it's not a bad thing... but I'm going to be pushing myself to be an equal opportunity swatcher. In fact, I'm going to make that my New Year's resolution! Enough about me, let's get to polish (AKA the reason you're here!).

Classy, sultry, and hot - hot - hot!

Feast your eyes on the majesty that is Orly's Star Spangled. This is a two-coat full coverage polish. Red glitter in a red glitter jelly base. While this certainly isn't something I would normally gravitate towards, I find myself drooling at how the ruby hue catches the light. It applied like a dream, and so far I haven't had any wear issues (it's only been on for two days... but that's a record for me). I'll be fishing this baby back out once Christmas gets closer - it's perfect for the holidays. What do you think of this yummy red glitter?

Polish Days: Bling!!!! (Liz's Interpretation)

Hey there! For the first time, Lozlosa is taking part in Polly Polish's Polish Days Challenge. This is so cool, and I know that I speak for the both of us when I say that we're excited to join in on the fun! December's Polish Days theme is bling. AWESOME. Bling is fantastic, and sexy, and generally less expensive when you wear it on your finger nails. I thought that I would go super literal and bring the bling!

"Most girls want a man with the bling bling. Got my own thing, got the ching ching - I just want real love." - P!nk

To me, nothing says bling like diamonds. They sparkle, shine, and apparently they are a girl's best friend. (Personally, I find this up for discussion. I usually don't buy my friends.) (Usually.) For my accent nail, I used two coats of Mercury Twilight from the Layla Hologram Effect collection. This is a stunning silver linear holographic polish, and I think that it represents the beauty of diamonds in a great way! 

"A kiss on the hand may be quite continental, but diamonds are a girl's best friend." - Marilyn Monroe

I then used tape to paint a black background - making sure to leave a diamond-shaped silhouette. After referencing Google Images (searching for "How to draw a diamond"), I added some detail with my handy Sharpie oil based marker. With the accent nail completed, I wiped the sweat off my brow and moved on to the remaining nails.

"Bling (or bling-bling) is a slang term popularized in hip hop culture, referring to flashy, ostentatious or elaborate jewelry and ornamented accessories that are carried, worn or installed, such as cell phones or tooth caps." - Wikipedia

 I painted my remaining fingers with one coat of Nevermore by Cult Nails. Because this is a bling-inspired manicure, I turned to my container of loose holographic glitter. After my base dried, I used a little top coat along the edge of my nails and one by one dipped the tips into my loose glitter. Using a soft brush, I swept off the excess glitter until I got the effect that I was looking for. The result is reminiscent of winter, snow, and of course, bling! Very fitting for a December challenge!

"I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond." - Mae West

What do you think? Does this manicure scream "Bling!" to you? Do you ever use loose glitters in your manicures? Let me know! Also, please check out what everyone else (including my lovely mom Lisa) is doing for the December Polish Days event!!

Polish Days: Bling!! (Lisa's Interpretation)

It IS the most wonderful time of the year, and this here gal drinks the Holiday Kool-Aid with gusto!

Let's see...

Hang the lights and trim the tree. Check.

Stream a Christmas mix of Pandora seasonal tunes and carols (Bing, Sting, Miles Davis, Johnny Mathis, Manhattan Transfer, Take Six (gotta love love me some Christmas acapella), Michael Bublé, and  Handel's Messiah.  Yup.)  Check.

Get a dozen or so candles twinkling through the house, with scents of balsam, pine and cedar.  Check.

And...

From December 1st to well beyond Twelfth Night, bling out the nails! Check!

With that laundry list complete, I'm tickled pink (actually, green....) to be joining all the lovelies from around the world, participating in today's Polly Polish/Polish Days/Bling Challenge. Huzzah!  Talk about fun!

I found inspiration in the season's evergreens, all draped in twinkling lights!  Fortunately I'd just been delivered a huge selection of glitter polishes from the Julep Maven program (Be sure to check back later this week, when I swatch and review this holiday collection!).  Among the pretties in my Julep box?  I came across two stunners! Oh, honey, you might want to put on the sunglasses....

Cindy (green and gold microglitter) and Vivien (a chunky multi gold and silver glitter/top coat)

Cindy is a full-coverage micro glitter, and its emeraldy green goodness shines up a storm of pretty with a ton of gold. Went on smooth as silk, and I applied two coats.

Once dry, I sponged on some Vivien (think: 18 karat meets 5 carat brilliant cut).  Vivien is dense with mixed-size gold and silver glitters, suspended in a clear base (sprinkled with a teeny bit of gold microglitter).  This is a versatile polish.  It can be worn on its own, building up to a few jellyish layers, and it can be used as an accent or layering polish with non-glitters.

So pretty!  I dabbed the chunky bling around, careful not to cover the whole nail. I was going for a subtle twinkle effect at the upper nail, leaving the lower part to burst all shimmery green.

Next up: a layer of clear NYC base coat.  Yes, base coat.  I've learned that chunky glitters are top-coat-hungry, and that using a clear base over the bling will smooth out the surface, in prep for the final layer:  that crowning coat of glossy top coat!

Bejeweled glitter gradient lights things up.  Where's the mistletoe?

Two coats of Cindy, followed by some subtle sponging of Vivien.  Ooh. La. La

Nail polish is the new jewelry!  Say it!  Believe it!  Own it!  This is something you can probably afford!

Happy Blinging Holidays, Everyone!!!!!

 

Some like their bling dramatic and flashy. Others go for the barely there "subtle bling" (how's that for an oxymoron?) thing. 

How do YOU bling? We'd love to know. 

And hey...if you need some ideas (and even if you don't), be sure to check out the phenomenally beautiful bling our lovely co-challengers have come up with....