Monthly Archives: December 2011

December 28, 2011 · 9:48 am

Nubar: Wildlife

The Nubar “Going Green” collection has been something I’ve been collecting for awhile, at a very slow pace. I love green nails and there’s something about this collection that always kept me thinking about them. However, although Wildfire always seemed to look so cool in swatches and in the bottle, I don’t think this green duochrome is for me.

Yellow green shifts to a rusty copper

Wildfire is a yellow leaning medium toned green base, that shifts (very easily) to a rusty, earthy copper. This polish is very much a duochrome. It is always changing colors with you move your hands, which is cool. I know how much polish collectors love duochromes, but I have to say, I feel frumpy wearing them. I didn’t love this polish. I feel like the metallic-y finish is dated and duochrome colors are never saturated, rich, or deep enough as I want them to be. Unfortunate for me.

Easy application

This polish went on very easily. The formula was a bit thin, but it wasn’t an issue during application. I used three coats to get the most out of this polish. It also dried very quickly, which is always nice.

Where to Buy: Bynubar.com / $ 8

How do you feel about duochromes? Do you own Wildlife? Do you love their shifting of colors? Or are they too much for you? What’s you’re favorite duochrome nail polish?

- Liz

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December 25, 2011 · 10:25 am

OPI: Meep, Meep, Meep & OPI: Excuse Moi!

Raspberry pink glass fleck and pink glitter with multicolored round glitter pieces

Just poppin’ in to show you all my Christmas Manicure and wish you a Merry Christmas! Hope Santa brings you some nail polish! :)

- Liz

 

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December 21, 2011 · 6:33 pm

Orly: Fowl Play

It’s almost Christmas? Where did December go, seriously?! I hope you all are looking forward to relaxing over the holiday. I’m hoping we get some snow in Chicago sometime soon so it feels more like the holidays.

I bet a lot of you have seen this polish on the internet, or maybe even own the OPI original, Merry Midnight. I don’t, so was really interested in this beauty when Orly’s Birds of a Feather collection was released this fall. I didn’t snatch it up then, but did recently, and love it pieces.

Gorgeous plum base filled with micro-glitter and flakies!

Fowl Play is truly gorgeous, even if it is a dupe of another polish. The base is a jelly-ish purple plum and the polish is completely packed with blue and silver micro-glitter and copper and red flakies. The flakies flash green in the bottle (like in my bottle picture above) but that doesn’t seem to translate to the nail. Maybe in the sunlight, but it’s been pretty rainy here recently. I do wish the purple base color was a touch brighter, but overall I really have loved this manicure. There’s a lot going on within the polish, but it somehow works together perfectly.

Easy application

The formula of this polish is a bit sheer and thin, but builds up nicely with three coats. I also had no issues with drying time either. I like how the glitter and flakies don’t end up getting stuck anywhere (like at the base of the nail) and spread out and apply nicely and evenly. I’ve also got good wear time on this manicure!

Where to Buy: Ulta / Online Retailers / Sally’s Beauty  / $ 6 – $ 7

Do you own Fowl Play? Or Merry Midnight? Did you snatch this unique polish up right away? Do you want to add it to your collection? It’s gorgeous and very festive for the holidays! 

- Liz

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December 15, 2011 · 8:26 pm

China Glaze: Little Drummer Boy & Nails Inc.: The Old Vic Special Effect

I honestly think this may be my favorite manicure I’ve ever worn. Or at least my favorite manicure in a VERY long time.

It’s a shame that the weather here has been pouring rain without a bit of sunlight in days, so much to my disappointment, my photos do not capture how stunning and mesmerizing this combination is. It’s perfect.

Dark, metallic navy with blue flakie top coat

Those that are regular DBP readers are well aware of how much I love blue polishes and LDB is no exception. Little Drummer Boy is a gorgeous deep, metallic navy polish. It’s almost a gem stone tone. It’s so rich and gorgeous on its own. The polish itself is very pigmented and I could have gotten away with one coat of it, but I was a little sloppy on my application.

The Old Vic is part of three different special effect polish duos from Nails Inc. It’s a flakie topcoat meant to layer with. The flakes are irregularly shaped and mostly blue and purple in color (to me) in a clear base. The flakie effect isn’t overly loud, which is what I like about it. It’s noticeable, especially in strong light, but not overkill. And it’s seriously gorgeous. My only complaint would be I wished the flakes themselves were more brightly colored. Regardless, I can’t get enough of it.

Easy application

As mentioned, LDB is very pigmented and I could have gotten away with one coat for this layered look, but needed two. It was a smooth application with no problems.The Old Vic was also an easy formula and application. I used two coats and it dried pretty quickly as well. For the next time I wear this manicure (which might be for a second time this week..), I think I will try to use three coats of The Old Vic flakie topcoat for even more impact. Or even matte it!

Where to Buy (Little Drummer Boy): Online Retailers / $ 4 – $ 6

Where to Buy (The Old Vic Special Effects Duo): Sephora / Sephora.com / $ 16

How do you feel about flakie top coats? I love the blue ones! Are you interested in the textured, fun effect? They seem to be gaining more commercial popularity this holiday season. Do you own this duo? Are you interested in getting any of these Nail Inc. sets?

- Liz

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December 12, 2011 · 7:56 pm

OPI: Designer, De Better and Zoya: Rina

I wore my first festive, holiday manicure of the season over the weekend. I had a Secret Santa party to attend, and wanted to make sure my manicure was super fun for it. I knew I didn’t want to wear red, so I ended up with this silver foil and green glitter accent nail from two new Holiday 2011 Collections. Very fun!

Sparkly foil with pink glitter and bar glitter green with blue

Both of these polishes on their own are really rather unique and beautiful and thankfully wearing then together wasn’t an overkill. Designer, de Better! is a champagne-y, metallic silver foil with scattered pinkish gold glitter throughout. The pink, or rose gold almost, pieces aren’t very noticeable, but when you look closely they are there. It’s very pretty and holiday in a not loud or over the top way.

Rina is a gorgeous vivid, bright green bar glitter with sporadic and sparse blue bar glitter throughout a clear base. The blue bar glitters are like a little treat for you when admiring your polish. Very, very gorgeous and truly unique to my collection.

Pretty easy application, and decent wear

Designer De Better! was a breeze to apply. Aside from being slightly thin, or runny, I had no issues with formula or application. I used two coats and got full coverage. It dried quickly. Rina, since it’s a clear base glitter, is rather sheer. I had to use three coats to achieve opacity. It would be better layered over another green that’s similar in hue. I’ll remember that for next time. I also like that Rina is not too gritty to the touch, however, I did apply two layers of topcoat over it.

Where to Buy: (Designer, De Better!) Ulta / Trade Secret / JCPenny / Professional Salons / Dillards / $ 8.50

Where to Buy: (Rina) Zoya.com / $ 8

Do you own either of these polishes? Have you worn them for the season yet? What are your go to polishes for holiday manicures? Do you prefer classic holiday colors or something a little more fun?

- Liz

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December 8, 2011 · 7:11 pm

Zoya: Crystal

For some stupid reason, I didn’t get this polish when it was released in Zoya’s 2010 Flame Collection. I know I’ve been meaning to acquire it, but always forget when I’m ordering new collections online from Zoya. But alas, I remembered to tack it on to an order recently, and seriously, it’s to die for. I’m in love.

Jaw dropping-ly gorgeous ice blue with gold fleck foil

Crystal is gorgeous, and it’s a polish that’s able to evoke imagery of icy cold, clear wintry days and snowflakes. It’s so romantic. It’s a light, icy blue foil with scattered gold glitter throughout. There’s a few things that make this polish so stunning. The gold glitter is all different shapes and sizes. This makes staring at the polish up close so interesting and pretty. Also, this polish is so reflective and shiny, that the ice blue reflects silver at different angles along with the icy blue and gold. It’s mesmerizing.

Easy, but slightly sheer, application

What I love about Zoya foils is that they are so easy to apply. They take minimal effort, and have a quick drying time, for a great outcome. This polish took little effort to apply. Though it was a bit sheer, I needed three coats to get all the sparkly, snowy depth I wanted. My only suggestion would to be to apply thicker coats to get full coverage and opacity easily.

Where to Buy: Zoya.com / $ 8

Tell me all about your love for this polish! Or if you want to own this polish immediately? Do you own it’s OPI dupe Reflecting Pool (a European and Asian release)? Put it on your Christmas list!

- Liz

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December 5, 2011 · 8:14 pm

Zoya: Kennedy

I know a lot of polish collectors have a soft spot for pinks. It’s classic, traditional, pretty, etc. I, however, don’t have that gene. I’m not partial to pink anything actually, but when it comes to polish, I try to like every color. I started off thinking Kennedy might win me over, but something was just a bit off.

Soft, ballet pink creme

Kennedy is a very soft, subtle pink creme. It’s very natural and neutral, something that isn’t normally my thing, but I appreciate the crispness and cleanness of polishes like this and find myself liking them more recently. However, there was something about this polish that looked almost muddy on me. Or maybe not as pretty as it could be on someone else? It didn’t look bad, I just felt like something was a bit off. I did get a compliment on it while shopping, which honestly doesn’t happen often with me and my manicures. It’s just not my favorite soft pink I own.

Easy application

Like the rest of this Zoya Feel collection, I didn’t experience any difficulties with formula or application. I actually have found these cremes to be very painless to apply. I used two coats and got full, even coverage. I also got a pretty quick drying time. Though wear for me hasn’t been great. My only application tip would to be make sure your first coat is dry to avoid any bald spots.

Where to Buy: Zoya.com / $ 8

- Liz

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December 1, 2011 · 7:47 pm

Nails Inc. Magnetic Polish: House of Parliament

A few weeks ago, I reviewed another magnetic polish from Nails inc. in this post. Please follow that link if you’re interested in application description and tips. But I would like to say again, application is very simple and there’s only one extra step involved to get this fun nail design! Totally worth it.

Metallic purple with black waves

House of Parliament begins as just a darker toned metallic purple polish. After the magnetic is applied, black color waves appear. The magnetic also creates almost a 3D effect that allow the waves to look as though they are moving or shifting when you move your fingers. It’s very cool. I do somewhat wish that the effect of this magnetic polish was a bit more noticeable. The black with the already dark purple isn’t much of a contrast. Similar to last time, I got a very uniform “color wave” effect on each nail and they look very coherent and form a unified look.

All over easy application

The formula and application including the magnetic for is very easy. The formula of these magnetic polishes is very smooth and easy to apply and you only need two coats each time. Sure holding the magnetic over the polish is another step in applying your manicure, but it’s simple and creates something fun and unique that is very pleasing to the eye. I didn’t get great weartime from this polish though.

Where to Buy: Sephora / Sephora.com / $ 16.00

These polishes are a bit pricey, but aside from that, do you like this polish trend? Do you think it’s something more popular American brands will catch on to? Like the seriously insane crackle phase? I personally like Trafalgar Square more color wise, but do like these polishes in general.

- Liz

 

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