It's My Birthday Tomorrow! (NOMB)

Nail of my birthday (NOMB) does that make sense? Not really. I dont think it will catch on.

I think I will be too busy too post tomorrow so here is what I have on my nails for my 25th Birthday tomorrow.

This is OPI Designer Series Temptation from 2011.

OPI DS Temptation - natural light

OPI DS Temptation - sunshine

This is 3 coats. when you apply the first coat you can see that the glitter is an ugly dark blue base. However once you build up the layers it is amazing! Its so complex. Its purple mainly but also has pink and blue glitter, with tiny bits of other coloured glitter (green and iridescent) scattered throughout.

Three coats gives perfect coverage. Its a bit rough, so mine is topped off with a top coat in these pictures. But I have a feeling this may be a tad hard to take off, being a glitter.

OPI have stared more and more away from the Designer Series Holographic polishes of years gone by. Quite a shame really as OPI haven't made any holos in a while now. they seem to be focusing more on glitters. Fine by me beacuse here in New Zealand DS polishes retail for around NZ$35, so as you can imagine I look elsewhere for my holo fix.

Unfortunately I don't get tomorrow off work. So not only is it a Monday, but yes I will be at work on my Birthday :(

Lots of Love
Lisa

Models Own Lilac Dream

Hello again lovelies!

Its been a while. The flu I have had has really knocked me for six. It has been almost two weeks. The first week was spent in bed. I still have a runny yucky nose and trouble breathing. I think I am operating at about 70% at the moment.

Because of this my nails have been totally naked. I have had no energy at all. Today was the first day I felt up to swatching. There was also a bit of sun.

Models Own Lilac Dream - Sunshine

Lilac Dream is a perfect one coater creme polish. It is smooth and opaque. This is two coats, but in a hurry you could definitely get away with one. My ring finger is stamped using an Essence plate (these oddly don't seem to have names or numbers) and Models own Purple Mystique.

I think next time I might do the stamping with a holographic purple, like Color Club Wild At Heart or China Glaze Virtual Violet, especially when I can take advantage of it while its sunny.

The is my first Models own experience. These polishes are not B3F (although the Models Own Pro Series is) so they do smell a bit. The round fat-ish lids are harder to control while holding, and the brushes are not overly special at all. I do love the box they come in, and am totally looking forward the the up coming Bettlejuice collection, due to be released in November.

Bettlejuice collection: Golden Green, Pinky Brown, Purple Blue, Aqua Violet and Emerald Black

Hope you are all feeling well.
Lots of Love
Lisa

Color Club Gimme a Grape Big Kiss

The rugby world cup has officially kicked off in New Zealand. The opening ceremony is on now. I'll be the first to admit that I cant stand watching rugby, but with only one tv in our tiny little flat, and a fiance who likes rugby, I cant avoid it as much as I would like. The world cup is the biggest sporting event our country will ever hold. It's a pretty big deal.

Color Club Gimme a Grape Big Kiss - White light

Now this was a purple that actually photographed well. This is three coats. This one is grape scented and comes from this years Wicked Sweet collection. I don't know if you have it in your countries but we have a brand of bubble gum here called Hubba Bubba and this polish smells just like the grape back the versions of that. Its a sweet, fake grape smell. This collection of polishes really does remind me of all the lollies and smells of when I was younger. I also love that the smell is strong enough to penetrate a top coat.

Lots of Love
Lisa

China Glaze CG In the City

This polish comes to us thanks to Candy Girl, a New Zealand based online nail polish seller, based out of Christchurch. You can get China Glaze polishes for $13.95 each. (China Glaze is hard to get in New Zealand, so this is a great sight to get them from). Visit their sight here: www.candygirl.co.nz

CG In the City is from the 2011 fall/winter China Glaze Metro Collection. It is one of two glitters in the Metro collection.

China Glaze CG In the City - white light

Close up of China Glaze CG In the City - white light

This a dusty dark purple glitter in a clear base. The glitter in this is finer than recent glitter polishes released (such as the OPI burlesque glitters). This is three coats, with the third coat being quite thick. It was easy to apply, and luckily didn't get glitter everywhere.

This glitter doesn't sparkle rainbows like some others do, so is quite a conservative glitter in my opinion. It seems adequate for the fall season and is a nice dark colour that is quite wearable.

Glitter is always a pain to take off, so you need to use the foil method to remove. I always make sure I have a good base coat when wearing glitters, to try and help with removal.

Lots of Love
Lisa

This polish was sent to me for review

Sppotted in New Zealand: OPI Glam Slam + swatches

Yesterday I spotted some of the OPI Glam Slam packs at Life Pharmacy in Johnsonville. These were retailing for $44.90 at Life Pharmacy.

They had the France set which contains spark de triomphe and white shatter.

And also the New English collection, which contains Grape...set...match and Servin' up sparkle.

I had just bought this set off trademe last week and OMG it is AMAZING!!

OPI Grape...set...match - sunshine

This is an amazing purple. It is a glass effect micro shimmer polish that has pink and blue tones and is soooo deep and fascinating - you can stare at it all day long. This is 3 coats. It seems a shame that it comes with a glitter top coat in the same pack, because this beautiful purple shouldn't be covered up.

OPI Servin' up Sparkle over Grape...Set...Match - sunshine

This is two coats of Servin' up Sparkle over Grape...Set...Match. Serving up sparkle is another amazing polish. It is a clear base with little silver bits of glitter and bigger hexagon shaped silver pieces of glitter. They sparkle like little rainbows in the sun.

I have to admit that these two polishes alone could make up for some of the recent disappointments that OPI has put out lately. This is by far my favourite Glam Slam set. I wouldn't pay full retail for them though. Check out www.candygirl.co.nz which has the sets for $37.90 or MJ nail back (on facebook and trademe).

Lots of Love
Lisa

Zoya Mimi

I think this polish has just become my favourite purple polish ever! It definitly makes it into my top 20.

Zoya Mimi is one of six polishes from the 2010 summer Sparkle collection.

Zoya Mimi - Natural Light

Zoya Mimi - Close up

Zoya Mimi - White Light

This is amazing! it is the most in-depth interesting purple glass fleck glitter polish ever. The natural light picture is more colour accurate. Is applies like a dream and needed almost no clean up. This was three coats, you can tell its going to be good even after the first coat.

So far Ive had this on for a day and there are no chips. I don't think I am ready to take it off yet either. It is just gorgeous.

Unfortunately Zoya polishes are hard to come by in New Zealand. You can buy online in New Zealand here. There are a few salons around the country selling these, but to be honest, online is easiest. A lot of my Zoyas came from ebay.

Lots of Love
Lisa

Color Club Untamed Luxury Vampy Shades

Sorry July was such a slow month here. Ive not had the best nails and am now rocking nubbins, so thought I'd wear some of this seasons dark vampy colours while they are short and hope that start growing soon.

These three shades are out of the Untamed Luxury Indulgence 7 piece set. You can by them individually for $16 at Life Pharmacies or the whole 7 piece set online at www.usanailsonline.co.nz for $39!

Color Club Ready to Royal - Sunshine

This is two coats. Ready to Royal is a dark deep purple jelly. You can see the purple colour while wearing just one cost, but the second makes it a very dark colour. It has a high shine once dried.

Color Club Jewel of a Girl - Sunshine

This is a deep red toned plum shimmer. It is stunning in real life. Again this is only two coats. I loved it. The application on this was great.

Color Club Nothing but Truffle - white light

Nothing but Truffle is a deep dark chocolate shimmer. This one is also two coats, but I had a few problems with it. The consistency was thick and I just could not stop it from flooding my cuticles. Even with pure acetone the clean up didn't go well.

I wore this one today at work and it lasted well (I am trying out new base coats and top coats though and think I've found something that works), however I don't think its my colour. I am definitely a brighter colour person. This is the by far nicest chocolate colour that I have in my collection though.

Lots of love
Lisa

Essence Thelma & Louise

This is another set of Essence polishes that Jill so kindly sent me from Europe.

Essence Twins Thelma and Louise

This set of twins is named Thelma and Louise - another couple I know of but am too young to know much about. The newer twin sets have names associated with more current couples such as Chuck and Blair (Gossip Girl), Bella and Edward (Twilight) and Gabriella and Troy (High School Musical).

Essence Twins Thelma - white light

This is two coats. It is a very very dark plum purple. It is smooth and glossy.

Essence Twins Louise over Thelma - white light

This is one coat of Louise over Thelma. It is full of little bits of purple glitter and big square shaped purple and pink glitter. The big bits of glitter are a little sparse, but a second coat of glitter could easily be applied to fix this.

I like how these glitters are designed to go with the cremes. I think its a great idea.

Lots of Love
Lisa

Orly Velvet

This is the only polish I got from Orly's Precious collection. This was released about a month ago in New Zealand and is available from Farmers (although all the ones I have visited lately have been sold out of Royal Velvet)

Orly Royal Velvet - White Light

This is amazing! It shimmers blue and teal and is a dark purple base. The picture doesn't do it justice. It needs to be worn and admired all day long. It is a huge distraction.

This is three coats. It is a thin polish and doesn't look very good at all until the colour is built up with more layers. I was wearing this with a base coat and Seche Vite on top and had a few little chips after 1 day.

I thought about adding a glitter top coat and extending it for tomorrow, but I couldn't cover it up. Haha so instead I took it off and am now tossing up between wearning China Glaze Strawberry fields or an untried.

Lots of Love
Lisa

Color Club Starry Temptress Collection

So instead of doing 6 separate posts I thought I would stick these all in one big one. All swatches are 3 coats.

Color Club Space Case - Sunshine

This is by far my favourite of the collection. It is the only one that doesn't finish matte like. This one is like a glittery versions of Color Clubs Electro Candy and appears to have the ultra violet shimmer running through it. Definitely the star of the collection.

Color Club Ultra-Astral - Sunshine

This one appears slightly oranger in the picture than it is in real life. The sun also makes it appear less opaque than it really is.

Color Club Wink, Wink, Twinkle - Sunshine

Color Club Wink, Wink, Twinkle - Shade

This is a pinky purple which looks more colour accurate in the second picture.

Color Club You Got Soul-ar - Sunshine

Color Club You Got Soul-ar - Shade

This is a bright orange neon. Not so yellow toned in real life as it appears in the pictures. Neons are so hard to photograph well!

Color Club Glitter Envy - Sunshine

Color Club Glitter Envy - Shade

A bright green polish. This one is quite colour accurate.

Color Club Otherworldly - White Light

This is a nice medium blue. This one turned out true to colour in the picture.

The formula on all of these polishes was great. All pictures are three coats. They all dried fast and the thickness of the polishes was just perfect. Color Clubs formulas seem to be improving with each new collection they put out. This collections formulas were also consistent across all the polishes.

The biggest problem I had with all of these colour (except Space Case) was that the colour is a little dense and drowns out the sparkle of the glitter, making the polishes dry matte. The glitter sparkles more in real life, especially in the sun, than it appears to in the photos.

This 7 piece set comes with a Starry Temptress Topcoat for "extra shine and twinkle!" I haven't used this in any of these pictures, but may experiment over some black later on.

Hope your all having a good weekend.

Lots of Love
Lisa

These polishes were sent to me for review. There is a couple of sets available on www.usanailsonline.co.nz for $59 a 7 pack.

Color Club Disco Dress + Nfu Oh 52

Disco Dress is the last of the three new bright colours released by Color Club as an extension of the Poptastic collection.

Color Club Disco Dress - White light

This is three coats, but you can get away with two. It is a great formula. The colour isnt very acurate here (purples are impossible to photograph right) It is a lot more on the pink/red side of purple than this. It does dry rather on the matte side, as you can see from the picture above. I quite like it, but it is a little on the dark side, as opposed to bright.

I am not getting the name of this one. Disco dress to me seems like it should be a glittery silver, not a creme purple.

Color Club Disco Dress - covered in Nfu Oh 52

This looks totally gorgeous. The Nfu Oh brings out blue and green and purple in the polish.

Lots of Love
Lisa

This polish was sent to me for review.

Color Club Peace Out Purple

Color Club Peace out Purple is one of three new bright neon polishes released by Color Club as an extension to the Poptastic collection.

Color Club Peace out Purple - Sunshine

Color Club Peace out Purple - Shade

This is a thin polish, but still glides on great. This is three coats and dries to a high gloss shine. I think it leans more to the pinky/fuchsia side than the purple side. The picture in the sunshine is the most colour accurate. It is a lighter version of Mrs. Robinson from the Poptastic collection (which I have yet to swatch - sorry).

At the moment the only place I have spotted these new colours is at www.head2toebeauty.com underneath the Poptastic collection.

Lots of Love
Lisa

This polish was sent to me for review.

China Glaze Virtual Violet

China Glaze Virtual Violet is the first of the Tronica polishes I tried out. Thanks again to smoochiefrog for sending me these polishes (check out her month of holographic polishes here)

China Glaze Virtual Violet - sunshine

These pictures look alot better englarged. Compressing them hides the rainbows and the holographic-ness of this polish, so click on them to see the holographic awesomeness.

While the polishes in the Tronica collection are as holographic as the OMG and Kaleidoscope collections, but they are pretty and are holographic. The Tronica collection have scattered holo and do look really great in the sun. They are two coaters and dry quickly. You can easily wear them with out a top or base coat.

Its getting very cold and wet here and the sunshine has dissappeared, so getting more pictures of these holographic polishes is getting harder.

Hope you all had a good weekend

Lots of Love
Lisa

BYS Colour Change Bright Purple

This is the second polish I tried from BYS's Colour Change range. And this was a much better experience than the first one.
Originally I wasn't so keen on this one as it didn't have the glitter in it, like Glitter Blue did (see that post here) But it is made up of two really nice girly colours that may actually be ruined with glitter.

BYS Colour Change Bright Purple - cold state - sunshine

This is 3 coats. The polish goes on this purple and dries this colour too. If you enlarge the picture you can actually see there is some very fine shimmer to this polish. Although in the bottle it looks creme. this applied easy and dry time was good. It is a little on the runny side, but not too bad that you cant work with it.

This one was the opposite of the Blue glitter one I used last time. Here I had to run my hands under hot water to get the polish to change colour (last time I had to use cold water).

BYS Colour Change Bright Purple - warm state - sunshine

I do quite like this one. I am currently doing a mani of this at the moment. Although to be honest I'm not sure about what happens when you put a top coat over these - does it then just stay the one colour? or change under the top coat? I'll let you know.

If you are interested in owning 2 of these BYS colour change polishes, then enter my 300 followers giveaway! (see side bar)

These are available in New Zealand for NZ$8.90. Also available in Australia and online at fashionaddict.com.

Lots of Love
Lisa

Edit: I am now wearing this again, with a top coat and it seems fine. Although my temperature must be different from last time because my nails are pink , with purple tips at the moment :) I wish my nails were longer so i could have more purple looking coolness at the tips.

Edit number 2: I have had this on for over a day and absolutely love it! It is much pinker than the photo above shows. It lasted well with a top coat and still changed to full on purple when i was cold or washed my hands in cold water. LOVE

Nicole by OPI One less lonely Glitter

I caved....

I feel so embarrassed. I said I would never buy any of the Justin Beiber polishes - because I am about twice the age of a standard Justin fan, and to be honest I find him annoying. The first time i heard his music I thought it was a girl.

If the glitter and the purple hadn't have won me over I would not have bought this. I found it at Life Pharmacy for $18.90, and they had a full untouched display on the counter.

Nicole by OPI One Less Lonely Glitter - inside natural light

I have never had to take so many pictures of a polish to get a good one. Its been raining for a couple of days here so this picture was taken in my bathroom. It is pretty colour accurate here. This was 4 coats. 3 would have been fine but I wanted it as dense as I could get. This is a couple of different sized purple glitter in a clear base. It is a really nice simple one colour glitter.

Nicole by OPI now has pro-wide brushes so they are easy to apply.

Did you get any of the Justin Beiber polishes? Did you avoid getting any of these polishes because of Justin?

Lots of Love
Lisa

Color Club Rebel Debutante Day 7: Ms. Socialite

The final polish of the Color Club rebel Debutante collection is the darker purple Ms. Socialite.

Color Club Ms. Socialite - sunshine

Color Club Ms. Socialite - shade

Because it is a purple it is hard to get colour accurate in photos. The one is the sunshine is closest to the real colour. It is a very red toned purple. This one is a little bit on the runny streaky side. This is still 3 coats, but is a little uneven if you look close enough in the sun.

Final thoughts on this collection:

Browns and Purples. All Cremes. Not very exciting to be honest. They were all great formulas with good drying times. It has a very professional feel to it, they seem appropriate work colours, and seem to fit in well with the fall/autumn season, with the colours being on trend to match this years fashion (caramel coloured coats are the in thing this winter in New Zealand).

Hope you have a great weekend and lots of pretty polish.

Lots of Love
Lisa

This polish was sent to me for review.

Color Club Rebel Debutante Day 5: Uptown Girl

Day 5 of the Color Club Rebel Debutant Collection is a purple grey called Uptown Girl.

(Has anyone else spotted that I have posted these in the order they come in the box? - hehe)

Color Club Uptown Girl - sunshine

Color Club Uptown Girl - shade

This is a medium purple, which leans to the side of grey. I quite like it on my skin tone. I still have this feeling that these are great polishes for autumn/fall - I think it is mainly to do with the limited colours and the fact that all of them are cremes.

This is three coats. Dry time is great and its thickness and brush make it easy to use.
All of the polish in this collection are super shiny and glossy when they dry.

Lots of Love
Lisa

This polish was sent to me for review.

Milani 3D Holographic Collection

In November I completed my first nail polish swap with the amazing Tina aka smoochiefrog from Manicure Mommas. She very kindly sent me the Nicole Gossip Girl collection and the surprise was the whole entire Milani 3D Holographic collection. This collection consists of 6 holographic colours.

Left to Right: Milani Hi-Res, Digital, 3D, Hi-Tech, Cyberspace and HD

These polishes are AMAZING! the holographic-ness of them is awesome. They don't look that sparkly from the outside of the bottle, but once you put them on they are great! I think they are the best holographic polishes I own at the moment (better than the China Glaze OMG collection! and that is saying a lot)

Milani HD - Shade

Milani HD - Sunshine


Milani 3D - Shade

Milani 3D - Sunshine

Milani Digital - Shade

Milani Digital - Sunshine

Milani Cyberspace - Shade

Milani Cyberspace - Sunshine

Milani Hi-Tech - Shade

Milani Hi-Tech - Sunshine

Milani Hi-Res - Shade

Milani Hi-Res - Sunshine

As you can see from enlarging any of the pictures that are in the sun that these are amazing! They are still pretty in the shade though. All of these were 3 coats (except from HD which was 4 coats). Easy application with a good brush. HD could be used as a holographic topcoat as is quite sheer for the first coat/2coats.

Milani polishes are not sold in New Zealand. Your best options is to swap or buy online to get some of these.

Lots of Love
Lisa