butter LONDON: The Black Knight

Hi everyone!  Today I'm jumping right into it.  I LOVE the polish I'm showing you!  I got this as my "birthday present" for myself.  Really, what that means is that I was broke this year but I ignored that and spent the very few pennies I had.  Really.  I almost didn't make it home from Des Moines that weekend because I *almost* didn't leave enough money for gas.  Sick.  I know.  

Anyway, I was walking around Ulta, trying to decide if I was going to buy anything with my $5 off coupon and I saw it.  At the very bottom of the butter LONDON rack, pushed back slightly (and I would later find out it's because it wasn't supposed to be out yet! LUCKY!)... The butter LONDON Holiday Dressing table set.  I had to have it.  Seriously, it called to me.  I picked it up and put in back down several times.  Finally, I caved and bought it.  I am so so so glad I did! I will be showing you part of it today.  My favorite of the duo: The Black Knight.  Take a look:

Gratuitous bottle shot.  Enlarge to see the various colors.

My fave pic of all of them! Look at the colors in the base! *drool*

Excuse the tip wear *embarassed*

Shows all the colors best

So, how hot is this polish?  It is a two coat black polish with multi-colored glitter (mainly magenta and blue).  When I first bought it, I thought it was just pink and blue glitter, but looking closely there is also green and yellow, red and maybe some orange.  It is a very mysterious polish, and actually very hard to capture!  Those extra colors hide very well when a camera is around!  I actually haven't seen any very accurate pictures, but I hope mine come close!  This is one of the few times I'll recommend you click to enlarge.  At least the second bottle shot if none of the rest!  

Anywhozels... What do you think?  I am in love.  Do you have it?  Let me know your thoughts!  Thanks for looking! 

Haul mani

Hi everyone!  So, I'm writing as it is passing 3am.  I'm unable to sleep.  Again.  Wide awake.  So, sorry for the mess.  I'm kind of delirious :) 

Remember a couple days ago when I did my haul?  I showed you a box of awesomeness that I won, and I showed you what Erika sent me, because she's awesome.  I could not WAIT to put on No More Waity, Katie!  (haha, no more waity? couldn't wait?)  Here's how that turned out: 

Well, I had also gotten that box with DS Mystery in it from Amanda, and I wanted to wear it RIGHT NAO as well.  Since I couldn't choose, I did one of those funky French things y'all do.  Or, I do.  It's about the best nail art I can come up with. lol  

Isn't that pretty?  Or, would be if I had cleaned it up (again, sorry! I suck!)?  I loved it.  I couldn't get a good picture because the sun has sucked, but I will FOR SURE be wearing both of these again!  Thank you so much ladies!  I'm not going to write more because I might scare you with my sleepless ramblings.....soooo... Good night (morning is when you'll read this), and thanks for looking! <3

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*