Studio M - Wicked Hot + IsaDora Grafitti fun!

Good evening!

Can I share something with you?  I love Daylight Savings Time!  I live in Indiana, and up until a couple years ago, we didn't observe Daylight Savings at all.  While everyone else was switching their clocks forward or back, we very conveniently ignored all of that. :)  Being the little interwebernaut that I was before the switch, it was very frustrating.  I had friends all over the country and world that I wanted to keep up with!  What time was it where Friend A lived?  Is it okay to call Friend B, or is it too late?

Now that we're finally caught up with the rest of the country, though, I very much enjoy the change!  People here still grumble about it, but my being super happy about it balances out some of the grumpiness.


On the docket for today, I have Studio M's Wicked Hot!

I MUST show you my Grafitti fun first, though!!  I was extremely happy with this outcome.  This is one coat of IsaDora's Masterpiece Pink over two coats of Studio M's Wicked Hot.  I wore Wicked Hot on a Friday, and was attending a friend's birthday gathering that night, so I slapped on a coat of Masterpiece Pink.

I admit that I wasn't certain how I felt about a light pink crackle polish like this, but I've been entirely impressed with it every time I've worn it.  I LOVE that it leaves jagged cracks more frequently than it breaks into big sections with thick veins of the base polish between the crackled portions.  Does that make sense?  I see that a lot with the Barry M Nail Effects polish that's big now, and I don't like it.  I love the way this one looks! <3

Also, it was tons of fun trying to set my camera timer and hold my hands perfectly for the shot.  This was the best one I had.  After about ten pictures, I was sick of it.  Haha!

Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled program.

This is two coats of Wicked Hot.  The first coat was somewhat sheer, so I can't help feeling like this is something of a jelly?  It was a pretty standard color, but I enjoyed it for a day.  Very pretty for Fall and Winter.

Why do they put sale stickers RIGHT on the front?!  P.S. These polishes are great stuff for $2.99, and finding them cheaper is even more fun!  The collection put out for Fall didn't really make a big splash where I live, I guess, so there's still plenty of these colors floating around. :)

And here's a quick bottle shot so that you can get a better idea of the color.  Think the deepest, juiciest grape juice you've ever drank, and that's the color you'll get on your nails.

I don't know if I'll be wearing this color again soon, but it was a pretty hot shade.


In more exciting news, I have another giveaway planned!  I had so much fun giving polishes away last time that I really want to do it again!  More details will be coming within a week or two, so please stay tuned! :D

Sally Girl - Pink holo!

Ugh, first things first!  I'm sorry that it's been so long.  I have problems with Blogger uploading my pictures whenever I go to update, so it's more than a little off-putting when I start an entry just to find that my photos won't load up.

I've been buying way too many a bunch of interesting polishes lately.  In fact, lookie what I found at Sally Beauty Supply!

Workplace friendly polish filled with holo glitter?  I thought those had to be expensive?  Butter London, OPI DS?  Nope!  Try $0.99!!  This soft, subtle pearly pink is packed full of scattered holo glitter.

It's not a perfect holo, as you can see, but the glitter in the polish is really whiz bang out in the sun!

Three coats and done!  The polish isn't bumpy or awkward, either.  Very smooth, simple, and pretty.


I don't usually buy Sally Girl polishes.  I don't like that they don't have names, for starters.  There's so many of them!  How am I supposed to keep them straight without names?  Unlike other complaints I've heard, I don't mind at all that they're small.  I think it's fun to buy lots of colors for a small price. :)  I wish that the ones I really liked were available in a larger bottle, though.  I would definitely buy this one in a larger size!

So what do you gals think?  Do you love any of these itty bitty Sally Girl polishes?

Nubar - Wildlife

Wildlife is absolutely beautiful, but don't listen to me.  I'll let the pictures do the talking!

Click it if you don't believe me!  This polish may as well have just applied itself.  I was expecting several sheer coats, but this was two coats and done.  I don't usually gravitate toward duochromes, but how could I resist this one?  I love green, and the pink in the polish is exquisite.  Light, coppery pink with the mossy green flash underneath.

This picture isn't the greatest, but it gives a good idea of the green in the polish.

Look at that gorgeous flash in the bottle!  I'm smitten with this color.

When I excitedly pulled out my haul to show Brad yesterday, and I asked him to help me pick one, he dismissed this one quickly.  I was a little curious, but I didn't question it.  While I was painting up this afternoon, though, I had to ask.

His answer?

"It looks like roast beef."

Hahahaha!!  Y'know, like when deli-sliced roast beef gets that weird coppery-green sheen?  Never fear, though!  That color is really alright.  You can read about it here!!


What I thought about when I saw Wildlife, though, is my best friend.  Pink and green always make me think about Stephie, because we both like those colors.  Sometimes we even shoot each other random texts when we see colors that remind us of the other.

Totally cool gal, right?  Darn right she is!  The sombrero proves it!

She's been going through some rough things lately, and I don't always feel like I can make her feel better.  But even when I can't always seem to say the right things, she still hangs in there with me.  Without a doubt, Steph's the strongest person I know.  Even when bad things happen, she still thinks of others first.  She's always smiling, always encouraging.  Creative, excitable, hilarious...  This gal's fantastic!

I've been incredibly blessed these last six years to have her as my best friend! :)

She recently started up a blog where she writes about everyday experiences, punctuated with really fun pictures that she draws!  You should check out her blog, Reverse Sensibility!


The Mysteriously Multiplying Bad Fairy Giveaway ends in less than twenty-four hours!  Get your last minute entries in, and keep your wish lists handy!

So what'd you think about Wildlife?  Are you digging the sombrero?  Did you check out Reverse Sensibility yet?!

Heartburn, nausea, indigestion...

...upset stomach, diarrhea.  Yay, Pepto Bismol!

Okay, so wearing these colors really wasn't SO bad.  But the next time I do a half-asleep manicure at one in the morning, I'd really appreciate if the Barbie Dream House would just drop me a memo to let me know the girlish horrors I'm in for.

This is two coats of Finger Paints' I'm a Survivor, topped with one coat of OPI's Princesses Rule!  I'm a Survivor would have needed three coats for better opacity, in my opinion.  The polish is naturally bright, and studded with tiny silver flecks.

See the pretty flecks?  1:00 AM Me seemed to think it needed more glam, so on went a coat of Princesses Rule!  I'm going to try the polish over a different color, but...  These are probably the two girliest polishes that I own, and paired together, I was most certain that diabetes was next up on my life list.  That or throwing a five year old girl's birthday party.



 I have better news, though!  My parcel from MagicMaid's blog sale arrived today!

Without the bottles in front of me, I may butcher the names... :/  Forgive me in advance.  From left to right we have...
Barielle - Tight Knit
Nubar - Wildlife
BB Couture - Caterpillar
Essie - Turquoise & Caicos
Essense - What do U Think?
Diamond Cosmetics - Orange Blush
Misa - Sandals, Flip Flops, and Hip Hop

I'm pretty torn between whether I want to wear Wildlife as my next mani, or Caterpillar!  Such a hard decision!

China Glaze: QT

Let me tell you a tale.


Once upon a time, there was a newbie polish lover.  She read blog after blog about shimmering blues and greens, glittery purples, and every other eye-catching hue.  In her devoted reading, though, she was dazzled by something so interesting, so exotic, that she was determined to find it for herself!  What was it, you may ask?

The elusive dusty.

Oh yes, the newbie polish lover was enthralled by the thought of finding discontinued polishes and ridiculously low prices.  For her interpretation of the dusty she'd read about, she searched high and low.  Wasn't there a discount supply store going out of business SOMEWHERE in the kingdom?!  No!  She couldn't find a single one!  And as her search dwindled, she grew despondent.

As a last resort, the tired and disappointed girl walked to a small nail salon after consoling herself with ice cream.  The chimes tinkled overhead, and a woman yelled from the back of the shop to ask if she wanted a pedicure.  But the girl was paralyzed by the sight before her.

Oh wonder!  Oh glory!

"Do you sell your polishes?"


Believe it or not...  The newbie nail polish lover is me (WHO KNEW!).  This whole last week has been a complete joy.  Step aside, Sally Beauty Supply!  Get out of the way, Ulta!  Nail salons are officially the bee's knees.  One great thing is finding the discontinued or highly coveted shades for next to nothing.  Another great thing I've found is that now I'm able to get my grubby little mitts on polish brands not even commercially sold in my city.  My favorite part of this is the hunt, though.  You may go into one salon looking for a certain polish and not find it, but it's almost guaranteed that you'll find something different but just as fantastic!

Let me just name off the fantastic polishes I found this week! <3

China Glaze:  QT (featured today!), OMG, L8R G8R, Blue Island Iced Tea, Entourage, Rainstorm, and Paper Chasing.
OPI:  Holiday Glow, Midnight Blue Glitter, and Can't You Sea?
New York Summer:  Amaranth and Hot Atomic Red
Cosmo:  Lords of the Bling and I Found Nemo (also, super great names!)
Creative: #373 Limelight
Freshcover:  Chez Michelle, Anticipation, Hard Grape

Actually, this week was filled with polish-y goodness.  While cleaning my room, I found some (China Glaze Shower Together [my first CG!], and Sally Hansen's Honeydew and Night Hydrangea).  While visiting a friend, I was gifted some (mini OPI bottles of Eiffel for this Color and RapiDry Topcoat!  Thanks, Angela!!).  And while trying to resist at Sally's, I bought one (but WHO can resist China Glaze Medallion for $2?!).

...Also, my ebay order came today.  OPI Black Cherry Chutney, and China Glaze DV8, TMI, LOL, Cherry Pie, Orange Marmalade, Dollhouse, Moulin Rouge, and Gussied Up Green.  I was SUPPOSED to get Mom's Chiffon, but I was sent a bottle of Groovy Green instead! :(  And lucky me, the only bottle that leaked was (you guessed it) Groovy Green!  And I can't even be excited about the color, as it looked JUST like Re-Fresh Mint from Up and Away.

All of that said, I'm up to my eyeballs in polish right now.  The next few weeks would serve me VERY WELL if they were no-buy (or very minimal-buy) weeks.  Cheap salon polishes are a great find and SO cheap, but that only lets me believe that I can get more. *o*


QT was the first polish that I picked up and refused to put down again at my very first dusty.  The ebay store I'd decided to buy from didn't carry QT, even though I desperately wanted it!  Imagine my joy as I found the bottle, brand new and untouched, on the rack!  Let me show you this little darling!

Isn't it beauuuutiful??  Quick apologies for the sloppy application.  I was in a hurry to meet a friend, and I NEEDED to show him this really great polish!

Swoon!

This was two coats.  I wasn't used to the holographic formula, so I did have some drag, but it dried very quickly with perfect coverage.  I also didn't experience bad flaking or chipping!

This is near the top of the list for my favorite polishes of all time!

 

Just let me have one more enchanted sigh before I go!

Now that I have a bunch of the OMG collection, I'm looking forward to wearing them.  Indiana actually took a turn back to freezing temperatures and snow flurries toward the end of the week, though, and it felt unjust that I couldn't wear these gorgeous holo polishes out into the sun!

Hold onto your socks, ladies.  I had some really gorgeous finds from my dusty hunting excursion this week, and I can't wait to share them all with you!

-E

China Glaze: Grape Juice and Raspberry Festival

It's so hard to get back on track when I want to show you the polish I'm wearing today so much!  But after skipping the post that I had planned for yesterday to showcase Timbleberry, I feel the need to go back and cover what I missed.

Because let's face it.  China Glaze's glass fleck polishes?  TOO GOOD TO MISS!

Grape Juice.  Oh, how lovely!  Can I admit that this is the one polish from that collection that I thought I could live without?  I very humbly retract that statement!

Just look at this shine!  All of the light-refracting glass flecks in this polish make it gorgeous.  Packing jelly polish with these little babies was sheer genius.

Who could really decline to wearing something so shimmery and gorgeous out on a sunny day?

Though it looks rather blue in the bottle, it's not. :)  My nails in these pictures are a much better representation of true color than this bottle shot.

Cute enough to eat. <3

This was two coats of Grape Juice, and I felt it was a good amount.  In the sun pictures, I can see that it's still a bit sheer.  This doesn't bother me considering the type of polish being worked with, but if it bothers you, hit it with another coat.  I also feel the need to say that I do have very short nails compared to other blogging laides.  I didn't see a visible nail line under two coats, but you may.  Sweep on another coat or two until you're satisfied with the results. :)

So, onto China Glaze's Raspberry Festival.  I should just warn you now...

 

That's right.  I'm going out on a limb and showing you my pudgy little Hobbit toes.  But let me tell you.  Nobody in Middle Earth could resist these little tootsies. lol  I put this polish on Thursday.  After wearing open-toed shoes, spending too many hours in my work shoes, running around bare-foot, and just being a bit unkind to my feet in general, this polish hasn't budged.

LOOK AT HOW SHINY IS IT!!!

Raspberry Festival is my Preeeeciiioooouuuussssssssssss. <3

Not to mention that I was so darn lucky in finding it for $3.99 at Ulta a while back!

Oh my goodness, I love these polishes!  Of China Glaze's 2009 Summer Collection (consisting of Raspberry Festival, Cherry Pie, Orange Marmalade, Strawberry Fields, Grape Juice, and Watermelon Rind), I'm only missing Cherry Pie and Orange Marmalade.  And you can bet your sweet glass flecks that they're on my list to buy!  The collection is so perfect for the bright sun that I may forgo most of the new Pool Side neons to get my hands on this collection.

What do you think?  Are you in love with the glass fleck?  Which is your favorite color from the collection?  Should I just give my stubby toes back to the Hobbits already?

-E

Wet n Wild Megalast: Tropicalia

I'm so excited!  My first color!

Indiana is finally starting to really warm up.  It was seventy degrees today!  I do believe that Spring has sprung!  I had to have a bright, happy color.  I couldn't help myself. :)

So here's a Wet n Wild polish from the new(ish) Megalast collection.  Tropicalia is a bright, punchy salmon cream.  The formula is a smidge thick, and I did have a couple bubbles in my second coat.  If you're careful, though, you can achieve a pretty opacity with one coat!  For a general consistency (and to even out the mistakes I made), I used two coats.

Isn't it pretty?!

Just another view for ya.

Little bit of bottle love!

The bottles are a bit small, but for this color, it was worth it!

And for how little it costs, I'd say you need this one!

Wet n Wild Megalast: Tropicalia

While I get the hang of this whole blogging thing, please don't be disturbed by any bumps along the way. :)  Once I figure it out, they'll disappear.  Also, I'm realizing how horrifying my fingers (not to mention my cuticles) look in micro.  I appreciate very much that you keep my job in mind, though.  I work with my hands continually, and I wash my hands very, very often.  I try to keep my hands moisturized, though.  My nails will never be long and beautiful like many of the ladies' nails in the polish blogiverse, but I like 'em.  And I want 'em to be pretty! :D

So thank you very much for understanding while I get everything in order along the way!

And thank you for reading!  I hope that you liked Tropicalia!

-E