Vamps for October: Essie Lacy not Racy

I think Kitty2Karen's getting to me. I am becoming an Essie convert.

I've had this and Rock the Croc in my storage for a year or so, and have reached for the latter as a pedi a few times. (Love it!). But I think this might be taking over in the preference stakes, it's gorgeous. Super dark red, that doesn't lean burgundy. It's like a bloody good Shiraz.

Aside from the fact that it's seriously hot, the application was amazing. Three coats, and the Essie brush is so little and perfect that I was able to get away with hardly any clean up. It's so shiny, even before seche vite (but with the magic top coat, I went from bare nails to dry mani in less than half an hour). I still had it on to teach my classes a full week later with barely any tip wear. It's fantastic.

So, as a new Essie fangirl, what else must I have? I just cheated on my no-buy (which has been going really well, thanks to the fact that I'm broke anyway) by ordering Geranium.

read more "Vamps for October: Essie Lacy not Racy"

I got a lovely parcel in the post...

...Thank you, Illamasqua! :)

Well, I've always said good things about their customer service. I once returned a lipstick because I accidentally ordered two of them in one of their 30% off sales. I sent them a cheeky email asking if I could return or preferably exchange it (even though 'being a doofus' isn't one of their grounds for return) thinking they'd maybe grudgingly refund me since it was by then out of sale period, and it's a bit naughty me asking for a product at 30% off when there's no sale on.

But to my surprise, they shipped a replacement colour out via courier at their expense. And sent me an email to ask me which colour I wanted most, and to let me know their stock levels, since I put a random bunch down on the return form. (I felt I was probably taking advantage enough already to start getting picky). They are a really, really nice company.

Which is why it made my day to find that they read Polish or Perish. Hayley, their marketing manager, got in touch to chat about nail polish and take some contact details. And a couple of weeks ago a lovely parcel turned up with two of their new polishes for review, plus a lipgloss in Belladonna. (I mentioned I was really interested in the glosses from the new collection, so I was really touched that they popped one in - it's lovely, by the way!). Yeah, I am a total fangirl.

So these are the two polishes, Kink and Vice:

I wanted to wait a little while before giving a review, because for me the most significant thing about the A/W polishes is their 'rubber' finish, rather than the shades. So I've had Vice on for the last week, and here it is. This colour is lovely, a kind of purplish wine/berry shade, but it's the finish that makes it stand out from other similar polishes. I'd describe it as kind of satin-y. It's not quite as matte as I was expecting, but not fully glossy, either.

I've tended to stay away from matte finish polishes because they chip on me something rotten, so I wore Vice for a full 8 days before writing this (the pictures are from day 3). I have tremendously limited patience so I managed to scracth the finish a little even before it was fully dry (I am spoilt by seche vite). However, that cock up aside, it wore really well. Looking at them a week later, there is one chip (my right middle), a couple of teeny nicks on my thumbs, and a little tip wear. And I've been intentionally bloody hard on my hards this week - I've been washing up, I did gardening, and I've relaid the tiles on my hall floor, all without gloves. My hands feel like catcher's mitts, but the polish still looks very respectable.

(The only odd thing is that black line on my ring finger - I think it's a shed bristle? I've never had one of their brushes shed on me before, so it took me a while to work out what it was!).

read more "I got a lovely parcel in the post..."

Vamps for October: OPI tease-y does it

God, I LOVE October. I can finally wear my (extensive) collection of coats and boots! I'm pulling in teaching money! My supervisor isn't abroad! Life is good. And after ruining my nails decorating I've been taking the opportunity to file them down and pull out the vamps. I don't like wearing dark colours when my nails are long because it makes me feel like a try-hard. But I love them on shorties, and October is the perfect season to start wearing them!

So first up, OPI tease-y does it from Burlesque. I was never really sold on this colour, but everyone went so cuckoo over it that I had to see what all the fuss was about it. I can understand it but I don't fully share it. This is two easy coats, with a finished result that looks like a dark blackberry colour with fuchsia flaky glitter. But I kind of hoped that it would all be a little more...va-va voom than it is. It's pretty, very work appropriate, and subtle. What can I say, I'm bad at subtle! It chipped the next day though, so as much as I liked the respectability of it, chipped dark polish isn't so great.

read more "Vamps for October: OPI tease-y does it"

Nail Shape Experiment Failed

So I went on vacation to Central Europe for a few weeks. My general rule for vacations is to not wear polish at all. Bring a nail file and some cuticle cream and call it a day. I love nail polish, but not enough to lug around all the equipment and chemicals I need to keep my manis looking presentable.

Still, that means that my nails come home looking worse for wear. Cuticle cream is not enough to protect my forever weak talons from the elements, peeling, my teeth/mouth.

Upon my return home, inspired by

1. a lady on the subway with THE MOST PERFECT almond shaped nails I have ever seen (so elegant; I swear the look was flawless),
   
2. Adele's nude nails at the VMAs, and
   
3. the peels going on in the corners of my nails,

I decided to try almond shaped nails.

First came the round phase, which I quite liked. Then, as my nails grew away from the nail bed, I tried ever so slowly to fashion them into a more pointed shape.

This is what they looked like after 3 weeks.


(1 coat Essie Waltz, 1 coat Essie Vanity Fairest)

Yikes. It was even more insanely creepy and weird in person. Turns out, VNL does have the ability to sicken me.

I also hated wearing dark colors with them, drawing attention to these monstrosities. But the nails looked better all hidden away.


(2 coats BBCouture Erotic Night)

My most obvious problem is that my nail beds are too short and flared for this look to work after just one month of trying.

The fact is, I would have needed at least another 3-4 weeks of unbroken nail growth (impossible) to properly pull the look off, and I wasn't willing to deal with the ugly duckling phase in between. Especially since (i) I didn't know if the end result would look good on me and (ii) it would have been impractical anyway, given my keyboard-focused job.

Oh well, back to normal squoval nubs. (And back to regular posting!)

Maybe I'll go oval like K2K. I did quite like it.

read more "Nail Shape Experiment Failed"

Color Club Fast Woman

(2 coats)

Welp. I found my perfect red jelly. Applies like a dream. Is undeniably red. This was one of the polishes I bought when I started blogging here. I'm always looking for flattering reds and here was a gorgeous one just hanging out.

For those that are wondering, Fast Woman is several of shades lighter than another great red, Essie Clutch Me if You Can. CMiYC is just on the cusp of a Vamp whereas Fast Woman is firmly a vibrant red except in weird blue lighting.

read more "Color Club Fast Woman"

Essie Clutch Me if You Can

(2 coats)

Oh my goodness, is this love. Is this EVER love.

Finally I have a dried blood color. And she is a jelly that applies like a dream. And I got her for $3.

read more "Essie Clutch Me if You Can"

Nfu Oh Jellies

Here are the other three Nfu Oh jellies I bought.

JS 09


(2 coats)

Color me pleased! Imagine my glee, 2 coats and I'm satisfied with the coverage. What is a pretty pink-leaning coral in the bottle really just pulls pink against my skin but I'm still ok. This one's a keeper!

JS 42


(5 coats)

I had to seriously mess with the photoshop in order to get this one even close to the reality. It is a red leaning brown, not a brown leaning red.

Given that I needed 5 coats to get it to acceptable coverage, I am shocked by how well this dried and without bubbles at that!

JS 04



(4 coats)

People on MUA have responded pretty well to swatches of this one but make no mistake, the formula on this one is a hot mess. Verrrrry gluey and does not level at all.

read more "Nfu Oh Jellies"

Sally Hansen Burgundy Child

Despite being one of my older polishes, I had never worn this one. Actually really like!


(2 coats)

Formula was really great. Nicely pigmented, flowed nicely, and dried nicely. Honestly, I think Sally makes some pretty legit polish. I'd have so many more if they picked one bottle, one brush, and just went with it. There's nothing I like more than my army of matching bottles.

read more "Sally Hansen Burgundy Child"

Ulta For Bitten

Ulta, we need to talk. I think I might be falling in love with you.

I know, I know; you're young, you don't want to get involved, you need your space. I respect that. I think you need to know, though - my feelings are strong.

For Bitten from Ulta's Glam Goth collection is one of the many reasons why I think I can't continue to live apart so much.



I mean LOOK AT YOU. You're a dark, vampy polish with lovely shimmer that changes from burgundy to gold.


You're seriously an amazing polish; two coats and I couldn't look away.

Don't ignore your feelings, Ulta.

Happy day, all!

read more "Ulta For Bitten"

A Couple of Wine-y Red's: Napa Valley Red & Galaxy Girl

BB Couture's Napa Valley Red

(2 coats)

I had been lemming this one for a long while. Finally got it and it turned out not be quite as jelly-ish as I had hoped. Oh well!

Orly's Galaxy Girl

(2 coats)

Eh cute but I'm good.

read more "A Couple of Wine-y Red's: Napa Valley Red & Galaxy Girl"

Vamp Jelly - Essie Material Girl

OK so I'm going to preface this by saying that I'm really not into the whole vampire thing, but suffice to say, I think that Queen Sophie-Anne from True Blood would love to wear this colour!

Super vampy and delicious, Essie Material Girl is really very close to Essie Wicked (see it here on me, and a much better picture here on Piff) - it's just a *touch* more plummy whereas Wicked is definitely a cranberry. Does one need both? Probably not. Do *I* need both? Yes. Because I just can't resist a good jelly vampy. And I don't mean like Talbot-in-a-jar.

I've been loving dark vampy colours recently - have you gone to the dark side lately?

kittytokaren

read more "Vamp Jelly - Essie Material Girl"

Essie Wicked

It is what it says it is.




(2 coats)

My new favorite vamp.

Bless u, Essie.

read more "Essie Wicked"

OPI Ink - An almost-black I don't like (Gasp!)

Actually, there are plenty of almost-blacks I don't like (even though, in general, I think they're totally underrated).

This is definitely one of those. Way to look like orgasm in a bottle and then be totally flacid, OPI Ink. Ugh. Though, my camera didn't pick up the bottle awesomeness. Which I guess says something.






(2 coats)

It had a duochrome-y around the edges thing happening in the bottle. I'm OK with the fact that there was no sign of it on the nail; it happens frequently. I think it's the blurple factor. There's nothing I detest more than a blurple. I know, sacrilege.

read more "OPI Ink - An almost-black I don't like (Gasp!)"

Chanel Strong

I do admit being suckered into the Chanel hype. I hate myself for it but ever since missing out on Jade because of my somewhat superior attitude about the brand and price ("I could get five polishes of the same quality for the same price, all people see is the brand name!"), I've decided that paying $23 upfront is better than regretting for months afterward. Also, Paradoxal and Jade Rose have really turned me around on Chanel's formula and wearability. (That and it's not like I can't rid myself of Chanel via swap or sale.) So "buy now, think later" has become my attitude towards Chanel LEs.

At least I'm not giving my money to eBay scalpers. Just to Chanel, who plays their customer base so well.

Chanel Strong

The formula is LOVELY on this, just flawless and exactly the sort of application I like best. Pleasantly thick and very pigmented, goes on smoothly and is extremely easy to control. Two coats. See, some people are magical with nail polish and can seemingly apply the worst formula as if it's the best -- I am NOT one of those people. When a formula (or brush) is a bit off, I'm not great at making it work for me. So I value polishes whose formula and brushes are perfectly to my liking. ...this color, however, is just sort of ordinary to me. It looks like a reddish shimmering brown indoors and outdoors, it takes on this purplish burgundy glow that is pretty but not outstandingly so. I don't think it's worth the money I spent on it... but I don't regret it, which is actually a hard place to be because now I don't know if I want to keep it or not!

September 11th (15m cardio), September 12th (30m cardio), September 15th (60m cardio + very light strength training). Yep, took two days off. I was doing a lot of cardio but not enough stretching and my legs were like rubber bands pulled to their max... so I decided to lay off for a day. And then the next day, there was a guy who seemed kind of sketch in the workout room so I decided to skip out on working out that night...

read more "Chanel Strong"

Essie Fall 2010, Part II of II: Little Brown Dress, Velvet Voyeur, and Limited Addiction

Cuticles are still travel ravaged. And I tried using the Nfu.Oh cuticle remover (like, for real, not on fairly neat cuticles while wearing nail polish) and gotta say, I find it pretty useless! No removing powers as far as I could see. So I went back to my trusty old Blue Cross Cuticle Remover and voila! a good job done quickly for far cheaper.

Anyway, here are the rest of the Essie Fall 2010 samples that their PR folks sent me. Predictably, I was less excited by these than the first three I showed but they are actually very nice polishes nonetheless. All three are very glossy without topcoat, which is always a plus (even though I never fail to put on topcoat unless it's a matte finish).

Essie Little Brown Dress

Dark and delicious. Applied very easily and neatly in two thin coats. It's such a warm, fall/winter color. It definitely can appear near black in some lights (as in the second picture) but in other lights, it's more obviously brown (as in the first).

Essie Limited Addiction

I just don't like the way reds look on me. This one was not particularly stunning to me one way or another besides that it's super glossy (almost jelly-like). Nice that it was opaque in two coats though! I did find this one harder to apply for some reason: a little gloopier than the others, perhaps? Or maybe I just have an unconscious bias against reds. :P

Essie Velvet Voyeur

Great little vampy shade, so glossy that it almost looks jelly. Nothing particularly new but a pretty good execution of a staple shade. Two coats, good application. It does mostly look like it's a very dark purple but it can look close to black at times.

I feel so gross to have not exercised at all right before I left for Chicago until the day after I arrived home. I ate sooo much crap -- and, let's face it, drank toooo much -- at the conference. I guess I'll be not getting 31 polishes in September. :( Aug 20th (40m cardio), Aug 21st (20m cardio), Aug 22nd (45m cardio+strength).

read more "Essie Fall 2010, Part II of II: Little Brown Dress, Velvet Voyeur, and Limited Addiction"

My favorite almost-blacks

As promised (or perhaps "threatened" depending on how you feel about almost-blacks) here is a post featuring my favorites. Some swatches are new others have been posted before:

Groove Thang

(2 coats)

710


(2 coats)

Midnight Ride

(1 coat)

Cherry Tobacco

(1 coat)

Mystery

(2-3 coats - I don't remember)

Love the flakey glitter in this one. Ugh.

852

(3 coats)

Maneater

(3 coats)

Um espresso JELLY? Um Ya. Yes.



You know what, you guys? It's fine that you don't like almost-blacks. More for me.

read more "My favorite almost-blacks"