Swatch & Review

   Wow, a swatch post!  It has been so long!  Today I'm sharing Laquerlicious Star Attitude - 1 coat over China Glaze Def Defying.  This is an AWESOME combination!!  Seriously, I could not get over how bright and happy my nails looked.  I used 3 coats of Def Defying, though I could have gotten away with 2 on the glitter-coated nails.  Star Attitude only needed 1 coat because it is packed with all different types of glitters... star shapes, hexes, shreds, micro bars...  Despite being so full of gllitter application was easy, so this nail polish is a winner in my opinion!  Thanks for looking.  =)

Nail Art / Swatch & Review

   Good day, Princesses!  Last month when my Laquerlicous polishes arrived in the mail I was immediately inspired by this one.  It was calling out to me from the bottle and I knew I needed to use it in a melon-y manicure ASAP.  I wanted to make the glitters pop, so I couldn't do just a regular pink/red watermelon design.  I thought of trying a nice cantaloupe color, but there is a funny thing about watermelon...


   It's a fruit, it's a vegetable.  It's not technically a melon.  And when it grows without the red pigment-giving antioxidant lycopene... it comes in the most lovely shades of yellow!

Photo source: whataboutwatermelon.com

   I must admit to feeling quite clever about remembering that yellow watermelons are indeed "a thing".  You see, I've never actually found one in person.  They just aren't common in our area.  I'd love to try a slice, though!  They sound like they taste fantastic...  Anyway, nail polish, yes.


   Laquerlicious Melon Sorbet is such a fantastic glitter topper.  I mean, just look at this macro!  It is full of satin and matte shapes in happy shades of pink and green, along with a dash of black and white.  It's the perfect blend of color variety and glitter sizes, easy to work with, and has perfect topper coverage at one coat.  Each nail ends up looking totally unique (without looking chaotic) and there is no need to do glitter fishing.  Though I did fish out the pastel pink circle for my index nail - I saw it in the bottle and I wanted it!  I could go on, but that would probably be cruel.  Right now this polish is on clearance, and there aren't many bottles left.  I'll just say that if you missed this one, I feel very sorry for you.


Details on the nail art:
   Pastel yellow glitter nails: 3 coats China Glaze Lemon Fizz and 1 coat Laquerlicious Melon Sorbet.  Topped with 1 coat of Gelous and 1 coat of Poshe.  (Only used Poshe for the other nails.)
   Melon slice accent nail: Lemon Fizz base with China Glaze Happy Go Lucky sponged at the cuticle for a riper, sweeter-looking melon, black seeds using a nail art striper (L.A. Colors Black), and Zoya Purity sponged at the tip for a realistic fade into the rind..
   Melon rinds:  Base color is Zoya Hunter with squiggly lines done with a bright green nail art striper (L.A. Colors Mint Green).

   I'm a nail-art novice, so I am really happy with how these turned out!  I actually wore these nails at the end of last month; editing the pictures now and seeing them again made me happy all over again!  It's only summer for another week, so it was a perfect time to get my melon on.  Haha.


   If you'd like to see more about yellow watermelon, check out this article on wiseGEEK and this recipe for, what else?  Yellow watermelon sorbet!  Also, if you've ever had the chance to eat yellow watermelon please leave a comment telling me about your experience!  Until I find it myself I'll have to live vicariously through others.  =)


   This might be my last blog post for a little while.  My previous OB appointment revealed that I can basically go into labor at any time (Yay!  ...I think?), and if I don't by this weekend I'll probably be induced (having issues with low fluids again, thus the constant monitoring).  In fact, as this post is going live I'm heading off to one more appointment, where I guess they could say "we're keeping you now".  But I'm hoping that doesn't happen...  Either way, I don't know that I will have much of a brain for blogging.  Most of my time off this week has been spent cleaning, packing, and napping.  ^-^  Until we see you again, hugs and kicks-es from the baby and I! ♥

Swatch & Review

   Good day, princesses!  I have another Laquerlicous creation to share with you today.  Behold the glossy, glittery beauty that is Sapphire Glaze!

   I love this polish!  It's so gorgeous!  In the shop it carries this description: "This polish is in a deep blue base with blue, teal and magenta micro glitter."  That is very accurate.  You can tell there is more than one shade of blue glitter, and the magenta glitters give it a little something special.  The deep blue base often makes the magenta glitter look like a deep purple on the nail, which is awesome in my opinion!

   Looking at the polish in the bottle I thought "well, it's a dark jelly, but I wouldn't be surprised if it took 3 coats by itself".  Not so!  It covers very well and I had no issues with visible nail line or bald spots on my nail.  Despite being packed with glitter the glitter is very easy to work with and spreads evenly.  It does have some texture by itself but it smoothed right out with topcoat, which added to the shiny jewel effect.

   This polish is perfect for princesses who love royal blues and/or having their tips sparkle like gems!  You can find Sapphire Glaze (and a range of other jewel-themed "glaze" polishes) at the Laquerlicious shop.  My thanks to Michelle for sending me this polish to share with everyone on my blog!

   Things are looking up!  My last doctor visit went well and my fluid levels are where they are supposed to be.  So long as this continues I should be able to safely carry this baby to term!  As of today that only makes 3 weeks to go, anyhow...  I'm fine with her waiting until then to come out, haha.  =)

   So, this month... kind of made up for buying so little earlier in the year...  Some things were gifts though, too!  And pretty much everything else in this picture was on sale.

   Usually I would have a bunch of pictures and list off everything that I accumulated, but I'm not doing that this time.  (Combine a busy week & weekend with the exhaustion of pregnancy...)  Instead I'll leave links to what I've already shown on my blog!

   I've already tested more of what you see here... tune in next week for Nyx swatches and more Laquerlicious eye candy!  I think I want to try out the nail decals or foil sheets I found next...

Swatch & Review

   This mini might be my favorite of the three I was sent for swatching.  It's hard to say - I'm bad at choosing favorites.  But there is something special about this polish from the All Things Diva Laquerlicious collection.

   First off, it doesn't really make me think of diamonds.  Oh, it certainly brings to mind jewels with it's gorgeous sparkle, and I know that diamonds come in more than clear, but I mostly think of tasty jam when looking at this!  Perhaps jam with crushed up gemstones in it, yes.  But that really isn't important.  What is important is that it is pretty!

   I used 3 coats of Diamond Diva by itself for this swatch.  It was wearable at 2 but the jelly base had a couple sheer spots, so the look of 3 was better.  You could definitely layer this glitter polish over a similar berry-hued shade for opacity, but the depth of three coats on it's own is fantastic.  Diamond Diva wants to dry to a satiny matte finish, I added 2 coats of topcoat to give it a glassy finish that really brought the sparkles out.

   The color of this polish can look a bit different depending on lighting, but it is always a rich, cool-toned color.  I'd describe it as magenta/fuchsia jelly with a bit of shimmer and a lot of microglitter.  The glitters are in shades of pink, purple, and blue, as well as a bit of iridescent glitter that shines orange.  It has a whole rainbow of jewel tones going on!

   Diamond Diva has the same slightly stronger-than-usual smell that Divine Doll has, and I'd say that application is the same, as well.  It does best when you work with it quickly but gently, and give it a few minutes before doing another coat.  By itself it has a slightly lumpy texture from the glitter, but it smooths right out with topcoat.  I love it!  What do you think?

 

   As always thanks for stopping by and having a look!  =)

Laquerlicious Links:

Swatch & Review

   Hey everyone, important quick updates before I get into this swatch post.  First, my computer's screen is still being flaky.  It has decided to work for a bit right now so I took advantage of that by editing as many pictures as I could.  Replacing a bunch of parts has done nothing to keep it working and it appears that it must be a glitch caused by static, instead.  My husband is trying to find a permanent solution.  I'm just going to say that editing my photos on a CRT monitor (or our TV) is not my thing.  I've had a stern talk with my computer about it's behavior, so hopefully things will improve soon.

   Second, and more serious, my pregnant mommy check-ups are now happening twice-weekly.  The great news is that I'm basically feeling fine, and the baby seems to be good, too.  I'm being monitored closely because of my low amniotic fluid level, which can turn into a serious complication.  At any one of these check-ups there is the possibility that I'll be kept at the hospital, probably until our baby is delivered.  At this rate it's not looking like I'll reach my Sept 21st due date.  Personally I'm doing everything I can to hydrate myself and praying that the level will go up!

   So basically, if the blog suddenly goes silent, don't worry too much.  I'll try to keep updates going on Instagram if I can't post them here, so be sure to follow me there.

   Now on to the more frivolous and fun stuff.  ;D  Recently Michelle of the etsy shop Laquerlicious Unity moved some beautiful polishes into the clearance section of her shop, so this prompted a little spree on my behalf!  She was generous enough to send along a few minis, two of which are from her new All Things Diva collection, for swatching and sharing on my blog.  I'm really excited about the colors she surprised me with, because they are shades that I was curious about!

   First I tried Divine Doll.  The shop description is perfect: "a shimmery grape purple with an aqua shimmer and caramel and teal micro glitter" - yep, that's exactly what it is!  The purple tends to looks a bit like a blurple thanks to the aqua shimmer, and it's loaded with small glitters.  I used 2 coats for full coverage.  Application was a tad bit finicky but typical of this type of polish.  For best results you need to work quickly, applying a thin-ish first coat.  It wants to dry fast so if you mess with it too much the heavy shimmer pigment and glitters will start to drag and make bald spots.  So give that first coat a moment to dry and set up on your nail.  Then the 2nd coat applies perfectly!

   I took a bottle shot to try to show off the pretty glitters better.  Between the color purple and the heavy shimmer my camera was at a bit of a loss while photographing my nails.  I love the caramel and teal glitters in this polish!  They really pop, and I don't have anything like this shade in my collection.  This polish is a color combination that I would have never thought of, but totally works!  I was also very happy that it was friendly to my pale skin tone.  May I also point out that this super-duper shimmery polish shows not a single brushstroke?  Hooray for being frost-free!

   Being glitter-heavy, it does have texture when dry.  Not gritty texture, though.  I used 1 coat of Poshe to top this manicure off, and while it wasn't glassy smooth, I didn't notice my nails having texture.  Also, removal... actually not bad!  I soaked a cotton pad with remover, held it on my nail for a few minutes, and most the glitter wiped right off.  I advise against scrubbing at the glitter; then it does turn into a sparkle-splosion on your hands.

   The only complaint that I could mention about this polish is that it has a stronger smell than the other Laquerlicious shades I've tried.  It has the regular polish smell and a little something more.  A sort of sweet, chemical-y odor.  I'm guessing that these might use a different base to suspend all the shimmer, and that would be the cause for a different smell.  (My full-size bottles just smell like typical glitter polish!)  The smell disappears when you apply topcoat, so it is only a temporary suffering!

   Thanks for reading, princess!  Be sure to check out the Laquerlicious shop, and stay tuned for another awesome All Things Diva polish coming up next! =)

Laquerlicious Links:

   Or, why it's going to be easy not to buy any polish during February.  (So long as China Glaze doesn't release their new holographic polishes in the US.)

   I ended up with over 35 new (or new-to-me) polishes this month, the above photo is missing a few because they are either on loan or scattered through my house.  January was a good month for polish because all my end-of-the-year sale purchases arrived along with a few sakes that took place right at the beginning of January.

   I snagged some Black Cat Lacquer polishes from my wishlist, they are: I Want Candy, Let Them Eat Cake, Put a Bird On It, and Women & Women First.  These came from etsy.  These are all so, so pretty!

   I had a most wonderful package of Different Dimension nail polish arrive.  Mostly colors that I've helped name, but a few other pretties to swatch and review, too!  I've gotten to try most of these already, and their posts are up on the blog.  The polishes shown above are: Honesty Feels A Lot Like Mean, Orbital, Vervain, Aorta Miss You But I Don't, All Red-y In Love, A Love Hue, and Love Her? I Don't Even Lacquer!  Not pictured because it is on loan to my Mom: Yours, Mine, and Flowers.  You can find these polishes on etsy.

      I picked up a couple discontinued polishes from Laquerlicious, Invitation Only and Mint N Chip Frappe.  Along with those I was sent three minis to review, Melted Ice Cream, Rainbow Sugar, and Tart Taffy.  Go check out those swatches!  These also came from etsy!

   Lush Lacquer had a sale, so I picked up my first polishes from them.  The colors I picked are Glitter Girls, Mr. Bubble, Oopsie Daisy, Pebbles, Pink Panther and Slumber Party.  These are all so cute!  Visit the Lush Lacquer shop on etsy.

   I snagged a couple OPI polishes from my wishlist, My Boyfriend Scales Walls and Don't Touch My Tutu!

   When Zoya had their promo for three polishes my husband got me a few cremes from my wishlist: Breezi, Jolene and Wednesday.

   These polishes were partly from a trade and given to me.  Pure Ice Material Girl, Milani Hot Pink, China Glaze Peachy Keen and Luna, KBShimmer Oh Splat!

   And nail polish in another form - jewelry!  Sweet Tips Nails had an amazing sale, so I picked up some necklaces and other accessories.  These are really cute!  The shipping prices are really good, too.  And yes, these came from etsy, too!

   So, a pretty good haul, I'd say!  A lot of polish to keep me busy this month and a lot of it from indie sellers.  The plan this month is to be good and not buy much.  ;P

Swatch & Review

   Of the three Laquerlicious mini polishes I received to review, Tart Taffy has to be my favorite.  A metallic rainbow and matte white glitter polish in a clear base, it hits all the right notes.  I chose to layer it over Wet 'n Wild Black Creme to really make it pop.  I can't figure out what this combination reminds me of, but I love it!

   I only used one coat on my nails except for my ring finger, which got two.  This glitter spreads very well and I didn't have issues with it clumping or dragging to the edge.  It's like a paint splatter manicure without all the mess!

   The mix of glitters are so perfect, too.  The matte white comes in tiny hexes, small and medium squares, and medium hexes.  The rainbow colors are all medium size, and they come in hexes, squares, and circles!  Yes, circles!  I can't get enough of how nicely this has been blended.

   I wouldn't have thought this glitter was so great from the bottle picture Online; getting a mini to swatch was my eye-opener.  I hope my swatches were able to do the same for you!  This glitter is a stunner and I recommend it to any fan of rainbow glitter, white glitter, and rainbow-and-white glitter!  As always Laquerlicious polishes are sold on etsy - go check them out!

Swatch & Review

   I hope you're in the mood for adorable glitter, because that is what I'm bringing you today.  I was sent a mini bottle of Laquerlicious Rainbow Sugar to try out and review, and for starters I'm wearing it over two coats of China Glaze Sweet Hook, one of my favorite pastel cremes.

   As far as I could tell Sweet Hook was the closest color to the jelly in Rainbow Sugar.  I wanted my nails to resemble the polish in the bottle as closely as possible this time.  Rainbow Sugar is a very sheer jelly glitter, and I'm sure it could be layered over any color, or even used for a funky French manicure (which I really want to try now).

    Speaking of the glitter, I love the mix of colors in this polish!  It is a wonderful blend of pastels and brights, and the finishes are satin or matte so they go together really well.  The hex and square shapes definitely lend themselves to the sugar sprinkle look, too.  The glitter isn't super dense, but I only used one coat and really liked the feel of it.  I did have to fish for the glitter a little bit but I think a major reason for this is working with a mini brush.  The glitter was easy to place and didn't have issues clumping in one spot.  To top off all the glittery goodness this polish has a fine light blue shimmer through it, and it spreads perfectly on the nail for a really nice finish.

   Laquerlicious polishes are sold on etsy.  So far I'm loving the ones I'm testing, what do you think?

Swatch & Review

   Today I'm sharing a pretty polish from Laquerlicious.  I bought a couple colors that were being discontinued and Michelle (creative genius behind the brand, and yes she leaves the C out of the name intentionally) was kind enough to include 3 minis for me to sample and share on the blog!

   Melted Ice Cream is a blend of shredded glitters in a clear base.  They all have a satin or matte finish, and the colors are black, white, lavender, baby pink, and cherry pink.  Shredded glitter can be finicky but I'm happy to report that I had no issues with rogue glitters trying to stick straight off my nail!  How much I had on each brushload was hit or miss, but that could be in part from working with a mini bottle.  It covered well and I simply dabbed a little extra on the few bare-looking spots that I had.

   This polish really ended up winning me over.  (Even with its abstract 80's confetti vibe.)  It looked cute in the bottle but I wasn't sure if I'd like it on my nails.  Well, I love it on my nails!  The mix of colors is great, especially over my chosen base color...

   Sinful Colors Mint Apple was a polish that I kept seeing, picking up, and putting down.  I really liked it but I already have so many minty green colors, right?  Well, I've finally come to accept the fact that I've turned into a minty/murky/pale green collector and finally snagged it for a whopping $2.  The color is beautiful and the shimmer is wonderful.  Mint Apple is one of those special polishes that looks the same on your nails as it does in the bottle.  It stands out from my other minty colors.  It is a bit sheer, and I did 2-3 coats depending on the nail.

 

   If you're following me on Instagram you probably already spotted this combo, as I posted it with a new tag: #NailsandNintendo  I'm holding my DS in that shot.  I'm not much of a gamer but I love my DS, partly for the fact that I covered it in roses and jewels, yes.  If you paint your nails and you own anything Nintendo related be sure to join in the fun!  =)

   You can buy Laquerlicious polishes on etsy, they are $8.50 for a full-size bottle.  If you would like to own Melted Ice Cream, be quick!  It is on sale for $6.50 and once it's gone, it's gone.  Michelle's customer service is great and the shipping is fairly priced, so I definitely recommend her shop.  You'll be seeing a few more of her polishes on my blog soon!  Thanks for reading!