Cult Nails Iconic Revisited

Hello, hello!  If you remember, I won this polish from Maria herself way back this summer.  I immediately did a post on it!  It's gorgeous.  You may also remember that the pictures sucked!  So, I took a couple more.  They still aren't great, but are a lot better than the first time!  

I added some of the stickers I got in a SS package and I think they look great.  My cuticles don't look quite as bad irl, so I'm not too worried about it.  The camera sure does make them looked stained though!  lol  Sorry about that.  :)  What do you think of this polish?  Comment!  Thanks for looking! :) 

Santa Clause is Coming to Town!

Hi everyone!  I am finally feeling super festive today!  I was totally inspired to do this by Heather at Peace, Love & Polish.  This was another fairly simple design, though she did a much better job!  

I actually think you can tell what this is supposed to be!  Can't you?  I won't tell, just to see if anyone but me can! :)  I am taking the entire weekend off to enjoy my family.  I hope you do the same!  Merry Christmas!  Feel free to tell me some of your traditions and plans in the meantime though... I love hearing about other people's families!  Thanks for reading! 

Wet Paint Bitten Collection

Hello, hello!  Who here has heard of Wet Paint?  I hadn't either until just recently when I saw a post about this very collection over on The Polishaholic.  If you want, you can check out her review.  She obviously knows something I don't!  More on that in a bit.  

For those of you who don't know, the Wet Paint system consists of a few base shades with numerous glazes and "SPFX" to put over to make different effects.  It is meant to provide several options with minimal product.  For example, with these five polishes I'm supposed to be able to make six shades, plus all of the shades are able to be worn on their own.  That is at least 11 shades from 5 polishes!  So, let's see how it works, shall we? 

First, I'm going to let you see the colors as they are, then suggested pairings that were sent with, then the actual layering. 

Fetish

Fetish is a squishy red cream (opaque but jelly like) that goes on beautifully.  For the sake of photos I used three coats, but only two are necessary.  It's a little thin, but as always, leaving the lid off a few minutes might help! This is also without top coat.  The shine on this is amazing! 

Numb

Numb is a perfect name!  I think of cold when I see this polish.  It is the perfect blue, imo!  I just die over shades like this.  This was two coats.  The formula is a little bit thicker than on Fetish, but a little less shiny.  

Onyx, Lewd, Moonstone

These are the SPFX and glaze polishes.  I think officially, Onyx and Lewd are glazes and Moonstone is an SPFX.  The difference being that Onyx and Lewd are meant to slightly change the color, while Moonstone is just to "haze" it a little.  I could be wrong, but that's what I got out of it.  While these could conceivably be worn alone, I'm not sure I would.  But MAN look at that shine (again, no topcoat!)! 

This is what the suggested pairings should look like.  I love the blues, but to me, the concept seems lost on the red.  Is that just me?  

The first layerings I did were the reds.  In order:

2 coats Fetish + 2 coats Lewd = A blackened red.  I'm sure this is supposed to be pretty, but on me it just looks messy.  Darnit! 

2 coats Fetish + 1 coat Lewd + 1 Coat Moonstone = A greyed out red.  Definitely not my color.  Still a little messy, but better than the first combo! 

1 coat Fetish + 1 coat Lewd + 1 coat Onyx = This is the confusing one.  In terms of patchiness, it's the best... but the color looks almost the same as the first combo.  

I'm going to pause here.  Is it just me, or do these look pretty much the same?  That's sad to me.  Of course, as you can tell, I also need practice.  So, there is a learning curve here.  What I DO love about this whole thing is that you can learn.  You can make up your own combos.   You can do pretty much whatever you want!  This is where I would suggest clicking to the other review.  She actually got the red to look decent.  Now, as for Numb?  Well, look for yourself:

BEAUTIFUL!  Numb worked like a charm! Now, if I can get Fetish to do this, I'll be set! In reverse order:

1 coat Numb + 2 Coats Lewd = This reminds me so much of my favorite blue ever, China Glaze Frostbite. It is incredible!  Kind of a navy blurple, right? *drools* (pinky is one coat Lewd, ring finger is two)

1 coat Numb + 1 coat Lewd + 1 coat Moonstone = A gorgeous greyed out blue.  I'm not sure what I would call this particular shade, but you don't see it often.  In a good way.

1 coat Numb + 1 coat Lewd + 1 coat Onyx = A jelly-ish navy. Which is almost perfect. Yum

The great thing about these blue shades is the depth that the shimmer in Numb adds.  I think that, without the shimmer, these would fall dreadfully flat.  However, it is there, and they are saved.  That being said: I am in love.  I say that a lot.  You will continue to hear it a lot.  I'm still in my first year of addiction.  It will only get worse before it gets better, right?  (sorry, off subject...)

Overall, I love the concept.  Like I said, there is a learning curve, but I don't think it's so much so that it should keep anyone from using them.  I am also looking forward to experimenting with different layering combos later on.  I'm not sure, but I think Fetish MAY be sheer enough to go over Numb for a nice purple?  We'll see!  

Wet Paint nail systems can be bought at their website.  There are a few different collections ranging from $35-$55, and you can also buy bottles separately to make your own collection and combos.  Single bottles are $10 for base colors, and $12.50 for the glazes and SPFX.  The Bitten collection I've shown here is a Limited Collection, so it might not be around long!  Check it out!  

What do you guys think?  Like the concept, hate the polishes?  Love the polishes, hate the concept?  Love them both?  Will you be trying them?  Let me know!  Thanks for looking! 

*Products sent for consideration.  Opinions given are my own*  

Christmas Sweater

Hi guys!  The inspiration for this mani came from a post that had white polish and red/green dots at the tip. Well, I suck at dotting the tips and ended up with this: 

While I like how it turned out, I can't help but be reminded of a sweater.  Since I am in NO way going to attempt an actual Christmas sweater mani, this will have to do!  Should I wear this again later on?  Do you like it?  Thanks for reading! 

Holiday Nail Art FAIL

Hi everyone!  Today was a total fail.  It was supposed to look *something* like this:

(by the way, I found this on pinterest with no credit.. so if you know who's nails these are, let me know!)

But what really happened is this:

Horrible!  Dreadful!  I'm not sure how I could ever fix it, but I plan on trying again when Hunger Games comes out.  Anyone have any ideas??  Thanks for looking! 

Red/gold holiday nails

Hi everyone!  Today is "Thanksgiving weekend nails part 2."  I wore Dr's Remedy REVIVE as a base, then stamped the necklace/jewels/chains design on my nails using China Glaze Midnight Kiss from last year's holiday collection.  I then tipped my nails with some gold glitter.  I think I went a little too far with it, and I'm not really satisfied with the final look.  No one else has seemed to have a problem, but I wasn't satisfied.

I also couldn't get decent pictures to save my life, so I'm sorry about the quality of these!  I'll make it up to you soon.  :) 

Well, we got our tree up today and a couple other things done, and I'm cleaning my room tomorrow (pray for me!), so hopefully I'll have time to do the nails I've been craving for the past week or so!  Hopefully I can show you tomorrow.  Until then though, thanks for looking! 

Nails Inc Victoria

Hey everyone!  Today I'm wearing Nails Inc Victoria.  This is a super vampy red jelly.  It's really pretty!  Just perfect for that "vampire nails" look.  

I think this is three coats that went on perfectly.  You can still see bare spots here but irl I couldn't tell.  It looked perfect before the flash hit it!  I'm also not wearing a top coat and it is super shiny.  I can see me wearing this more this season!  What do you think?  Thanks for looking!

*Product sent for review. Opinions are all my own*

Santa's Cinnamon

Hi everyone!  I haven't been able to get away from reds this season.  Seems like every package I get has red in it!  So naturally, I had to get the Sally's exclusive, Santa's Cinnamon from Color Club.  I'll tell you what, I have really fallen in love with it!  The polish, not the color.  lol  

Santa's Cinnamon is a gorgeous red jelly with red glitter.  I used three coats, and the dimension and sparkle is unbelievable!  It makes the nail look like it is absolutely on fire.  

I put a coat of China Glaze Twinkle Lights on the accent nail, and wore this mani for almost two whole days.  Which is saying a lot.  ;) Needless to say, I think I've found my holiday red!  Thanks for looking everyone.  Have a great Thanksgiving!!

REVIEW: butterLONDON

Hi everyone!  I am super excited for today.  I'm reviewing my FIRST EVER butter LONDON polishes!  

I'll admit, I really don't like buying higher end brands.  There are certain ones that I feel are over rated, and worse, that I only hear horrible things about.  What is the point of spending $14 on a polish if the formula is worse than a bad dollar store polish?  So, I was skeptical about butterLONDON.  I should learn that my polish sisters can be trusted.  I think I know why the word "butter" is in the brand name!  Taken from their website, here's a little about the brand:

"About butter LONDON

We Believe in Rock and Roll. Great Britain. And Fashion.
By transforming catwalk trends to custom nail colour palettes, butter LONDON has developed a passionate following. butter LONDON is the cult phenomenon of the nail industry and is fast becoming famous for our high fashion, 3 Free (non-toxic) nail lacquers and revolutionary waterless nail services. butter LONDON products are formulated without the use of the harmful ingredients like Formaldehyde, Toluene, DBP or Parabens. butter LONDON was the first company to sell non-toxic nail lacquer in the United States.

butter LONDON Authenticity and why fashion designers love our lacquer
Nonie Creme, Founding Creative Director of butter LONDON, has been a backstage fixture at Fashion Week her entire career. She has longstanding relationships with designers who love butter LONDON for the authenticity of the experience. Nonie and the designers sit together, discuss the designer’s muse, look at the collection, and arrive at a bespoke colour just for them. Nails are a fashion accessory and can have a huge impact on an outfit, so getting them right is crucial. It’s a unique process, and ensures that the designers have creative input and control over their catwalk beauty look, which is incredibly important.

butter LONDON’s fashionable friends include designers like Alexander Wang, Victoria Beckham, Betsey Johnson, Vena Cava, Calvin Klein, Issa, Rachel Zoe, and many more. butter LONDON is honoured and delighted to be a part of their world, and they help to ensure that butter LONDON customers receive genuine, high fashion colours.

Company History
butter LONDON was founded in 2005 by British entrepreneur, Sasha Muir, who saw a gap in the marketplace for luxurious yet affordable nail services and high quality products. To help her realize this vision, Sasha asked industry veteran Nonie Creme, London’s premier fashion manicurist, to partner with her as butter LONDON’s Founding Creative Director. With years of experience, Creme’s colour expertise was quickly put to use in the development of a unique, cutting edge and high fashion collection of lacquers and products. Muir now serves on the Board of Directors. Nonie continues with the company as Founding Creative Director and remains at the forefront of formulation and design with imaginative techniques, bold graphics, and audacious cheeky humor. Leslie Freytag now serves as President and CEO.

Location/ Availability
butter LONDON’s full product range is available at the butter LONDON flagship store located in the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Concourse C), www.butterLONDON.com, in fashion boutiques, specialty retailers, and beauty apothecaries around the globe.

PS: our Bezzie Mates are gathering on Facebook & Twitter and we would love to have you join us. You can also contact us the old fashioned way by emailing admin@butterlondon.com."

The polishes I were sent were Pillar Box Red and Dahling.  I was not thrilled.  I have zero reds.  I was thinking all these horrible thoughts, but I of course, gave it a try.  I studied the bottle, trying to think of a first impression other than "eh. red."  I found "well, it's not quite a cream.  That's cool."  First impressions aren't always what they seem!  

The second thought I had was about the bottle.  It is so cute!  I don't have any bottles like it, and I love the way it fits in my hand.  I even used it in swatch pictures!  

*Sorry for the fingerprints, I didn't notice until I shot photos* 

I had always wondered if it was awkward to use a square lid (that was so big).  Well, I got my answer.  You don't actually hold the square lid.  You pull it off to get:

This little crown wearing birdie and a round lid.  Pretty standard.  Much easier to use too.

The back shows all the standard 3free/hazard/company info.

So, as you can see, I DID actually over come the "eh, red" thing and put this stuff on.  WOW.  I don't think going into deep detail is necessary because I really don't find anything wrong with the polish itself.  I think it is as close to perfect as any polish I've ever used!  Even better?  It is a ONE COATER.  One.  Uno.  I was amazed.  The only reason I would wear two, as I am now typing this, is because I do have a couple of blue stained nails, and that does show through.  As you can see here:

I shouldn't have to say this, but I will.  Since I don't use a lightbox (bad blogger!), I have to use flash.  Flash makes polishes more transparent in photos than irl.  This polish really is a one coater.  I am not lying. Except on that horribly discolored pinky of mine.  Whoops.  

Now that I have this baby on, I love it.  The color is so great!  I'm still a little scared to wear it out.  A lot of not liking red is (I think) a fear of how in your face it is.  I have a mani on with it now that I'm going to wear out tomorrow, if I don't ruin it!  

My final word on butterLONDON Pillar Box Red: YES.  Every girl needs a good red polish, and a good red lipstick.  I've finally found mine! 

I was also sent Dahling to review.  I won't talk much about it because I have the exact same feelings as PBR.  I love it.  It is also a very "Katie" color, so I see myself wearing it a lot this fall!  Check it out:

Please excuse the glitter, but there you have it!  I really, really like this color.  I also really, really like that this, too, is a one coat polish.  

So, what say I?  Color me impressed, butterLONDON!  I will for sure be picking up more of this brand soon! (If you didn't know, Ulta is having BL on sale bogo free Tuesday, Sept 20.  I plan on getting more then!)  This brand has officially been added to my favorites list!  

That's all I've got, but I have some surprises coming this week.  Be sure to check back!  Thanks for looking :)

Listening to: LDN - Lily Allen

Alright, Still, 2006

*these polishes were sent for review*

Cult Nails: Iconic

Hello hello!  How was everyone's weekend?  I'll be honest, I did nothing.  I read the Hunger Games trilogy.  I have very mixed feelings about it as a whole.  Start a discussion below, tell me what I should think?  I knew you would :)
I ended up with Iconic on after several failed attempts to put on a new Orly.  It wasn't the polish itself, but the fact that I really wasn't paying attention and for the life of me I can't find any of the three bottles of SV I thought I had.  Finally I found Diamond Dry which, isn't as fast as SV but not snail slow like WnW.  I had already given up on the brand new polish and remembered I had this one laying around from almost two weeks ago!  I won it in Maria's (not well publicized, as I knew nothing of it until I won) "Maria's Must Haves" giveaway.  She decided when she reached 1000 subscribers to her Cult Nails newsletter, then she would randomly pick someone to receive all of her favorite products.  Well, I was super excited to win, ripped open the box at a blinding pace... and promptly came home and forgot I had any of it.  I'll have to photograph everything else she sent me because.... WOW... was it generous!  :)   In the prize pack I got to choose three Cult Nails polishes and I chose the one I've wanted since the day I laid eyes on it: Iconic.

Iconic is a very rare bird.  I don't know quite how to describe it.  Seriously.  She's a flakie, but very subtle.  Even if you can't tell from looking that there are flakes, they add an internal beauty that you just can't take your eyes off of.  Gorgeous.  Easily the best prize in the box.  I love it.  I'm sure you get sick of hearing that, because I don't really do official reviews so I don't show anything that I don't LOVE.  But, it's hard to find something that I don't :)  I am addicted, after all! 

Thanks for looking, and have a great week! 

Listening to: OxyContin - Index Case
Glass, 2002

Nail mail! Plus, a review. China Glaze X.

Hello hello everyone!  Good news!  I found the camera, the inspiration is back and I have TONS of posts I have ideas for or need to do.  I'm back for good!  Until I need another break.  :)

First today I have a quick review.  I feel horrible that I haven't done it already, and I wanted to wear it as a real mani, so it may get overshadowed by the accent nail a little bit.  I won't talk about it, but you'll see what I mean.  China Glaze graciously sent me this polish almost three months ago for review, along with a couple of others, and I couldn't have been more excited to get this one!  I've been drooling over it forever, I just don't buy dark polishes very often so it always got looked over.  What is it? X.  That's right.  Just X.  It is a beautiful vampy, darkened red shimmer.

See what I mean about the accent?  *drools*

See what I mean?  It is the perfect, sexy dark red.  I don't have to say much about it other than that.  It has the typical China Glaze formula.  It was butter smooth and this was only two coats.  I wish it had been a one coat polish, like I thought it would be in the bottle.  Two was perfect, though.  I didn't get any sort of cuticle drag, all though there was a little balding on the first coat.  It dried lightening fast to a smooth finish.  That's typical for shimmer polishes anyway.  Any imperfections you see on the surface are from the top coat.  I'm almost out so the brush was pretty dry.  :S  All in all, this is a home-run of a polish.  Great for fall! 

Second, I got nail mail.  The most exciting nail mail I've gotten yet.  Why?  It had my custom made jewelry in it!  In the FB group NP&G Kristin from The Manicured Monkey was showing us pictures of a ring she had just made using OPI glow in the dark Zom-Body to Love.  I instantly had to have it and a deal was struck then and there.  I am SO happy with what she sent me!  Take a look:

How gorgeous are those??  I am in love.  I wore both the ring and the earrings all day!  I also had her pick me up a bottle of Zom-body since we get NOTHING around here.  How sweet is she?  

You can see the hungry glitter now... Ick.

I love the ring size.  I was never really much of a big ring wearer, but I wanted desperately to get one of these, now I'm hooked! I think it makes my fingers look super long and thin.  Could just be me, but if I'm happy, right?  You can find her etsy store Here.  I promise, if you buy from her you will NOT be disappointed!  

Finally, I have a picture (or two) of the ring glowing.  In. Love.  I'll leave you with that!  Thanks for looking!  

Listening to:  Better Off - Theory of a Deadman
Gasoline, 2005

FOTM: OPI The One That Got Away

Hi everyone!  Sorry I'm a little late today.  Most of the time I write my posts the day before so they'll post early early.  I forgot to do that last night! And please don't think I sleep until noon everyday... I don't.  Far from it.  I was actually awake at 4am with severe "girl" pain so I had to take a Darvocet and it put me to sleep.   BUT I feel better now and I'm ready to write! 

Today, my glass fleck pick is The One That Got Away.  I LOVE this color.  I was going to buy it from a salon and they only had one bottle so they tried to sell me something else.  Uh NO!  I finally had to order it.  They were the only salon anywhere close that still had that collection and I guess they didn't want to sell it.  Now I have it and am SO happy I ordered it!  

The One That Got Away is a gorgeous dark raspberry jelly(ish) with fuchsia flecks in it.  I'm not sure if you can see from these pictures, but they are there!  Formula was ok.  It was a little runny so I had some cuticle flooding, which you can see.  Overall it was bad though! 

Overall, I am VERY happy with this polish!  I can see it being a go-to for going out or fall/winter manis.  I'm so glad I ordered it! (Did I say that already!?)

On another note, I used to be a barista and am ashamed that I forgot the ratios for cold brew coffee.  I finally found it and made some last night.  If you guys drink a lot of cold coffee drinks, I really recommend doing this!  It'll save you tons of money and it is essentially the same thing that's used in coffee shops.  Difference being the kind of roast you use which can be your personal preference.  Ok.  I'm done now. I just wanted to share because I'm sure some of you are coffee addicts like me :)  Thanks for looking everyone!


Listening to: Dead in the Water - Hawthorne Heights
If Only You Were Lonely, 2006