tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10819842003102273982024-03-12T16:25:35.391-07:00Lemming MonsterIrideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.comBlogger146125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-9433857961628850042011-09-05T23:00:00.000-07:002011-09-05T23:00:56.901-07:00NOTD: Sugar Cookie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO78T-6tJ-9WrT936VGHqCDGydvPwG50PceF1rdVNSq8M-uORARD8XR_9viDEYULRKLn5fyHFg1uZ1Ngaw2dzbx0xUlPfRwgdV6BuWXxH_RY0oVNmkyMUdcuZuvSf_zyioIVrLySktMLhf/s1600/IMG_8825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO78T-6tJ-9WrT936VGHqCDGydvPwG50PceF1rdVNSq8M-uORARD8XR_9viDEYULRKLn5fyHFg1uZ1Ngaw2dzbx0xUlPfRwgdV6BuWXxH_RY0oVNmkyMUdcuZuvSf_zyioIVrLySktMLhf/s400/IMG_8825.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Um, did you miss me?<br />
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I don't think I can even begin to apologize for how long I've been away from this blog (I do love you Blog, I really do), but hopefully this awesome image of what I've been wearing while I've been away will help.<br />
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No, not the entire time I was away. I'm not completely lost yet!<br />
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This is a single coat of Milani Gems--the old-news Happy Birthday (Deborah Lippmann) wannabe, underneath Essie Marshmallow. Like others I've tried out the layering glitter underneath sheer polish thing with great success--Milani Gems is lovely, but frankly a little bit intimidating for somebody like me. The way I wore it looked like sugar cookies, and I got a ton of compliments, too. Not bad for a nail style.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34fwvbR6YRFD84CaSkLoxhyphenhyphenXcs2aY25q57I4AojEI1tDKFhAPOvGGjSddc-7-mm6_xFkJNlU5-lajFUYKzOPMV-zCaqSx_JCk1jhcFVfjkFR1I1vLfibQC1EtXEhz_aeqXb3glJ8gcvGE/s1600/IMG_8827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34fwvbR6YRFD84CaSkLoxhyphenhyphenXcs2aY25q57I4AojEI1tDKFhAPOvGGjSddc-7-mm6_xFkJNlU5-lajFUYKzOPMV-zCaqSx_JCk1jhcFVfjkFR1I1vLfibQC1EtXEhz_aeqXb3glJ8gcvGE/s400/IMG_8827.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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While I get back into the groove of things, I'm gonna have to ask for your patience--I'm having trouble figuring out where I left off, what swatches are relevant, etc. etc.<br />
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Do you guys mind seeing the oldies?Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-45632645594657517472010-12-18T14:00:00.000-08:002010-12-18T14:00:00.796-08:00MAC, Blue India<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qcqx7arUtjEwgFbEkNB0676exo-VVhyphenhyphenx9Lo9o0FdjgoON8GYOaki4-RW-X2XiyxawMVhiPv9spF7EaGAEG7gFhw8iwI1Eg9AMTkyJEDFbyJR4iv5MfLf3Y4fn0UDA4Q16bCZG3_UV8qw/s1600/IMG_8786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qcqx7arUtjEwgFbEkNB0676exo-VVhyphenhyphenx9Lo9o0FdjgoON8GYOaki4-RW-X2XiyxawMVhiPv9spF7EaGAEG7gFhw8iwI1Eg9AMTkyJEDFbyJR4iv5MfLf3Y4fn0UDA4Q16bCZG3_UV8qw/s400/IMG_8786.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Hmm. I'm a little late on the uptake here, right? All things considering--Mac's Blue India having come out about nine months ago or such. Oops! <br />
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I won this polish from a giveaway that Wan from <a href="http://ilovenailpolish.blogspot.com/">I Love Nail Polish </a>(Hi Wan! Thanks for the polish! I miss your blog posts!) held a while ago. I received the package, oohed and aahed over its contents, and then it just sat in my stash, collecting dust. <br />
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See, I'm actually a seasonal polish wearer (I've been wearing exclusively red/green/glittery stuff lately, due to the christmas season--and once that passes I'll probably throw myself into the pale blues and greys that always remind me of the winter) and dusty colors feel most appropriate to me in the fall. And then Blue India is, well, blue--and I wear most of my blues in the winter. So really, this is actually the most perfect time for me to debut this polish. Yes?<br />
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No?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsbP82rEc41VPDId8Ww3nMJDxwkbQTGoAInv5A4T9g4jKmCz8P-HY28LFTLeeWNHbSphomGz6gqikBDn3GVBIrlliC6E_Vr1le8pbBlF5RlU4RkapQmVTp61AWnRtwlO9rIukE0MBE9Fm/s1600/IMG_8787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsbP82rEc41VPDId8Ww3nMJDxwkbQTGoAInv5A4T9g4jKmCz8P-HY28LFTLeeWNHbSphomGz6gqikBDn3GVBIrlliC6E_Vr1le8pbBlF5RlU4RkapQmVTp61AWnRtwlO9rIukE0MBE9Fm/s400/IMG_8787.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Well, in any case, it's lovely: two smooth, easy to apply coats (bravo, MAC! It's about time) of a perfect blue-grey that makes me think of stormy skies along the coastline. It's a melancholy shade that goes well with all the blues, greys, and blacks in my wardrobe, but would probably provide a counterpoint to pale pinks and creme shades in the spring. The pictures are after a day of wear--as you can see, it's still very intact. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8APrJ1x0DGWAqN2FzwdcEPGfPGYg6NhnoX4Gjk18LYYHn4_k3lmTupxfVFF7C0hSjcnoEKcH_BKLsJ2C6MNtSH7gXvyimq8zzX0riH4xu9Gba_wUE0GXJwnpOtzD4Uf32VSgrocwvdkr/s1600/IMG_8788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8APrJ1x0DGWAqN2FzwdcEPGfPGYg6NhnoX4Gjk18LYYHn4_k3lmTupxfVFF7C0hSjcnoEKcH_BKLsJ2C6MNtSH7gXvyimq8zzX0riH4xu9Gba_wUE0GXJwnpOtzD4Uf32VSgrocwvdkr/s400/IMG_8788.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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(Urgh, cuticles. Macro, why are you so unforgiving on my hands?) <br />
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I like the way the color shifts from being more blue or more grey depending on its lighting. The above picture is far more blue than the one before that. Oh Blue India, you are so temperamental. :)Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-78829572390709118802010-12-16T14:03:00.000-08:002010-12-16T14:03:00.689-08:00OPI, Let Me Entertain You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-RoQ1rEMyve5i4AXV-Zr0FEDqoxJzpVlA0f66YrUss4EhFus5zK41kLDNEbDFwXJpvbRjoXTcs9mXTjHiQCQDFD7yNKjUrWd6zEJNL6JUsqCqXJcGRmIuzgPki12xbwzs1oqw9-tA9Ry/s1600/IMG_8840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-RoQ1rEMyve5i4AXV-Zr0FEDqoxJzpVlA0f66YrUss4EhFus5zK41kLDNEbDFwXJpvbRjoXTcs9mXTjHiQCQDFD7yNKjUrWd6zEJNL6JUsqCqXJcGRmIuzgPki12xbwzs1oqw9-tA9Ry/s400/IMG_8840.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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When I first put on this polish it reminded me quite viscerally of the polishes I used to wear four years ago: mostly bright, metallic, almost-offensive hot pinks/fucshias/magentas that were not creme in any way, shape, or form. Let Me Entertain You could've nestled quite well with that old collection (I used it up). I'm not sure how I feel about that.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgceaZIGxhma3StWXWjw14NrmoztadoazPdNecjx0lr_CAnv2fV9hNrfK7zyUJ9B4XTPUOrSXt_dcAMhdun2CnKeCHjyGHphbmbRtszusYuwaA-UsE47Grr3Y_Emog9bHziMmysTViKE_/s1600/IMG_8841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgceaZIGxhma3StWXWjw14NrmoztadoazPdNecjx0lr_CAnv2fV9hNrfK7zyUJ9B4XTPUOrSXt_dcAMhdun2CnKeCHjyGHphbmbRtszusYuwaA-UsE47Grr3Y_Emog9bHziMmysTViKE_/s400/IMG_8841.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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On the other hand, Let Me Entertain You is most certainly a winner of a polish: it's a bright, saturated, not-quite-pink-or-red polish in that glassflake-shimmer finish that's been so popular lately. (I'm beginning to think that this finish is the perfect alternative for people who love the way glitter looks but hates the way it removes. These aren't hard to remove at all with a good square of felt and your favorite nail polish remover.) I used two coats here and, although it's quite bright and true to the bottle, you can see a bit of VNL. If I wasn't so lazy I'd do a third coat. <br />
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I'm really loving that hot pink flash you see on the nail.<br />
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I have to admit: I think that Let Me Entertain You is the winner of the OPI Burlesque collection. I was feeling kind of 'meh' about the multicolored glitter--I like mine a little more fine and a little less multicolored--and I thought Tease-y Does It was really close to Ulta's For Bitten. I own The Show Must Go On and despite the amount of compliments I get on the color I can't quite get into it. But this one is showy, nostalgic, sassy, and I relish in the nostalgia and the brightness of my hands. :) It's a lovely color.<br />
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For anyone who's curious--it's also a dupe of Zoya Alegra. I'm fascinated to see how it'll compare to Hard Candy Fabuluxe, but I can't illustrate the comparison myself since I don't have the Hard Candy. Obviously the finish'll be different, but still... <br />
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Hmm, lots of dupes going on this year, dontchathink?Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-80335677810094943422010-12-14T13:33:00.000-08:002010-12-14T13:33:00.052-08:00BB Couture, Vampy Varnish (take 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66kBVq3xcP3fZzft7_NNst1DiBVPR6mxdkJ4S-51Jk3WiSopzGnnHbCXbZ1zbsMAONvcDPI539oxaNa4Cv4cz8HRMuXe121YXpuqICW51anDKp2HvOqTwD4NOY9ulZUro6pz2Wc7QbFCj/s1600/IMG_8846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66kBVq3xcP3fZzft7_NNst1DiBVPR6mxdkJ4S-51Jk3WiSopzGnnHbCXbZ1zbsMAONvcDPI539oxaNa4Cv4cz8HRMuXe121YXpuqICW51anDKp2HvOqTwD4NOY9ulZUro6pz2Wc7QbFCj/s400/IMG_8846.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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This is one of my favorite polishes ever (it made the top 20 twice), but I've never ever ever been able to capture a good picture of this one. It is a black jelly with BBC's famous micro gold/green glitter, and it looks like the universe. <br />
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What you see here are three coats to get rid of any less pigmented spots on the nails. The polish is a little thicker than average and you may want to thin it for better control--I just work with it. Despite the glitter it's smooth as glass with one good coat of topcoat. I'm currently using Essie's Good to Go!. <br />
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Some bright bottle love (oh, look, there's a crack! Oh no! I'm sorry, Vampy Varnish. D:) <br />
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And here's how I've been wearing this polish lately...<br />
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One of my favorite holiday polishes thus far. I love the warm, tomato-red jelly, the flashes of different-sized holographic glitter. It is sparkly and wears ridiculously well. Three coats. <br />
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Sometimes glitter like this reminds me of the flurry of snow. :) <br />
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And blurry to show a little bit of its holographic spark..<br />
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I know I haven't been posting as much as before, but work just keeps piling! Please stay tuned, you guys: I've a giveaway coming up!Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-63343688633656882092010-12-05T17:27:00.000-08:002010-12-05T17:27:48.412-08:00Franken, Vincent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrMbFHZuww_LkEBnwlaXSW0gNMY3GjVFxW-VJkXckvqfTtxdx5CrooZUSDrR5O9oHNERB0XkSsoBvmtiiRYcWrR1mEebSATv4cERk6Qe7LBWzcH1EwOmuLR6tehlH-TMZyyevb49-7xn2/s1600/IMG_8789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrMbFHZuww_LkEBnwlaXSW0gNMY3GjVFxW-VJkXckvqfTtxdx5CrooZUSDrR5O9oHNERB0XkSsoBvmtiiRYcWrR1mEebSATv4cERk6Qe7LBWzcH1EwOmuLR6tehlH-TMZyyevb49-7xn2/s400/IMG_8789.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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This is my second attempt at creating a starry night franken. It is by far my favorite. <br />
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I used a mostly empty bottle of Color Club Sex Symbol (all the glitter dried up on the edges), Borghese's Mezzanotte Blue (about half a bottle or more, I don't remember), and clear, regular topcoat for the rest of it. <br />
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(Excuse my cuticles!)<br />
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The color is vivid and flattering on my skin, the polish goes on smooth but a little thick in two coats. It wore on me for ages. <br />
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I also like how the glitter is of different sizes and looks pale blue because of the way the jelly glitter covers it. I also like how some glitters float to the top and remains silver, giving it depth. I just really like this polish. It was easy to make and wonderful to wear, and really, what else are we looking for in a franken other than that?Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-71238649851384523252010-11-26T09:54:00.000-08:002010-11-26T09:54:00.876-08:00Nars, Zulu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCL2Z_yblGdcuSvAS9C-LlwfzfvI33a0lGi1HKelX_AalNYp_UQbVzRKNAGBJc13n9T1r13A5VEdqNh1zYWpmZIul3_rkpM9CFz0Qa2qqfGOmtI-2QNgEliEuP2IPUMRngS3mfSTc4F75N/s1600/IMG_8777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCL2Z_yblGdcuSvAS9C-LlwfzfvI33a0lGi1HKelX_AalNYp_UQbVzRKNAGBJc13n9T1r13A5VEdqNh1zYWpmZIul3_rkpM9CFz0Qa2qqfGOmtI-2QNgEliEuP2IPUMRngS3mfSTc4F75N/s400/IMG_8777.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Ah, Nars Zulu. My first giant lemming. Started by perusing innocently through a bunch of blogs before finding my blackened-green jelly love that also happened to be ridiculously expensive and impossible to find without forking an untold amount of money on eBay. <br />
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I blame my addiction to true, deep greens entirely on Nars Zulu. I even blame my need for jellies as dark and moody in color on Nars Zulu. I used to want to attempt frankens, I considered buying Anna Sui's 915 (just as hard to find and elusive). I didn't believe all the hushed and frantic rumors that Zulu would be re-released. Why would such a thing come so easily? Who, besides np collectors like myself, would desire such a thing? It was a hopeless cause. <br />
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Except that Nars did re-release Zulu. And imagine my surprise when a little box filled with deep green jelly goodness showed up on my doorstep! <br />
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Zulu is two coats, with perfect application--like all jellies of its kind, it initially applies streakily and eases and levels with the second coat. It is lovely--deep near black in indoors light and shade, a true emerald in sunlight. <br />
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Oh, Zulu. We are meant to be.Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-29978613619812942812010-11-24T09:31:00.000-08:002010-11-24T09:31:00.792-08:00OPI, We'll Always Have Paris: Take 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2Tv0k9uZbglgn-nazAGFJc0_tjQSvCY38Gsx7OW6z4mvJNkHRtaaGzyTGjNPOeLMfLbla2fLhO-luFFQVhkykzS-SyopW3M_JuzkTWaEh49zxJuP5QHSU-AZv9zNTyjo7MTCSu_s3qi4/s1600/IMG_8754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2Tv0k9uZbglgn-nazAGFJc0_tjQSvCY38Gsx7OW6z4mvJNkHRtaaGzyTGjNPOeLMfLbla2fLhO-luFFQVhkykzS-SyopW3M_JuzkTWaEh49zxJuP5QHSU-AZv9zNTyjo7MTCSu_s3qi4/s400/IMG_8754.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I don't get it. Last year, when I swatched this for the first time (don't look, people; the swatch is horrendous), the color looked... well, plum. Now it looks brown. So brown, in fact, that I'm beginning to wonder if I should do a comparison between this polish and RBL Au Chocolat--they've both got that red-brown chocolate-syrup color thing going on. <br />
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Anyway, two coats. Perfect.<br />
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Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, everyone! Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-27790548073281036962010-11-22T08:41:00.000-08:002010-11-22T08:41:00.068-08:00Orly, It's Not Rocket Science<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvM2ERs3AaJzzJPTjuFWyj5Saqx5HLQJ4amCB0t90FDSCsR3M2iEYXAvP_DxMhlcijETS2LpN2WuX2WGChF_CuNi9513EgNHwFDtNNU6AcXvtawFPTVk0ulNgbDJrdl3hdywvVx6EvPXE/s1600/IMG_8742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvM2ERs3AaJzzJPTjuFWyj5Saqx5HLQJ4amCB0t90FDSCsR3M2iEYXAvP_DxMhlcijETS2LpN2WuX2WGChF_CuNi9513EgNHwFDtNNU6AcXvtawFPTVk0ulNgbDJrdl3hdywvVx6EvPXE/s400/IMG_8742.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Um, I really love this.<br />
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I think it might be safe to say that I thought Orly's Cosmic FX collection was awesome to begin with, but I own three of the colors and I love every single one of them to pieces. Look at this one.<br />
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On a lot of people, I know that It's Not Rocket Science read as a really, really glittery puke/slime/snot green. On me, it's very grassy. It reminds me of leaves, due to its texture and depth (see how it seems darker beyond the shimmer plates? See how when the light hits it, only the center turns a bright lime green? A deep, olive green color in shade?<br />
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Yeah.<br />
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Frankly I'm curious to see how this polish will hold up against Orly's blue-tinged green version, Meet Me Under the Mistletoe (I haven't swatched it yet), but I imagine that the colors would have a lot in common. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAEFCfssKKbHTBqOWcH744d4qMl2dLdSrO-raeT7FwPno2QMakumclVa3BbnEjFA851OMnaxemuQW8qkIg-WEXi9ydEKgL1oUdI3fMNJMYTVaABB2Bf2p1NUg9HnBGmngP3ZHcsdG5_G4/s1600/IMG_8744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAEFCfssKKbHTBqOWcH744d4qMl2dLdSrO-raeT7FwPno2QMakumclVa3BbnEjFA851OMnaxemuQW8qkIg-WEXi9ydEKgL1oUdI3fMNJMYTVaABB2Bf2p1NUg9HnBGmngP3ZHcsdG5_G4/s400/IMG_8744.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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This is two coats (thickish: I've discovered that thick is the best way to get all the shimmer particles where you want 'em) and I had no problems with this. FYI (although most of you know this already), ChG's Zombie Zest is a dupe of this color. So is SpaRitual's Optical Illusion. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZboFP9QDdVSbPBXOZ9MIHlny9dCfxwpo746RnhozLA0wY_QtTS_rK78VPZ6719gjpCg1VsH32Hd9wAk5MlVxWgQuosd2XAE0Y605lgzWNz2riu6D5faZczftBeflTztZ1ovDkwiRYcXJR/s1600/IMG_8747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZboFP9QDdVSbPBXOZ9MIHlny9dCfxwpo746RnhozLA0wY_QtTS_rK78VPZ6719gjpCg1VsH32Hd9wAk5MlVxWgQuosd2XAE0Y605lgzWNz2riu6D5faZczftBeflTztZ1ovDkwiRYcXJR/s640/IMG_8747.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-89812655097658025372010-11-20T15:17:00.000-08:002010-11-20T15:17:23.512-08:00Franken, Strawberry Sorbet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGG8s9fxRzUWqMDGICZJPH3uS68wZJuxC1aqR8RHGSyF3cfmAwCjuHR0tDv2xiqgvSvtKJeYAdCA5KcMgBx3D6TAQc2lSexGKvI6a6p7lXrZ4gmcZO03xxAXUYo6SKwRxTFqlBOW_C7Bl3/s1600/IMG_8725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGG8s9fxRzUWqMDGICZJPH3uS68wZJuxC1aqR8RHGSyF3cfmAwCjuHR0tDv2xiqgvSvtKJeYAdCA5KcMgBx3D6TAQc2lSexGKvI6a6p7lXrZ4gmcZO03xxAXUYo6SKwRxTFqlBOW_C7Bl3/s400/IMG_8725.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I created this franken in the attempt to create something soft, squishy, sheer pink, and glittery--probably after all of the lemming I did for ChG Carnival Lights. (I own Carnival Lights now. Is it dupey? No. Is it even similar? Not to my eye. Are they related? Yes.) <br />
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I don't even remember what goes into this--a little bit of Essie Jelly Apple, a lot of Wet n Wild's Kaleidoscope, and the remnant of that dodo pink japanese color that was my first Lemming Monster post. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiN4sXl6kLrch4XIZJ3f4I1N0gcQz1G9W9ZlMCZptAdb86o9kLG6vMQLBdte-FWHoK_KkYZYoWI2-Olh4W2txUyecanCvsrvKOXmrl5lu42o_810ZaP7k2qjsBvIjj15fZ3M23dxrTlizE/s1600/IMG_8726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiN4sXl6kLrch4XIZJ3f4I1N0gcQz1G9W9ZlMCZptAdb86o9kLG6vMQLBdte-FWHoK_KkYZYoWI2-Olh4W2txUyecanCvsrvKOXmrl5lu42o_810ZaP7k2qjsBvIjj15fZ3M23dxrTlizE/s400/IMG_8726.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Ignore the stainage.<br />
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This is three coats and relatively easy to make, and <i>cute</i>: I wore it to work for a couple of days and nobody even batted an eye (not that they ever do. More on that later). The pink masks the horrible yellow color that my nails have become and allows for a simple, clean look with a kick--for me, this means that this franken is a perfect palate-cleanser when I'm feeling oversaturated with polish.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqn_8NBE0bVLeG9USyBgwAwNX3XvYH054QWUuArWttXotuun-PMgyBl3vC-pXD3Ni586UXlWedOFCVNQFcUqu1bdUD6TlRdY_TKdhWc_fImJTb_Z5AcN7DfSNlwTWgKJ9hh41JxUGBn71/s1600/IMG_8727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqn_8NBE0bVLeG9USyBgwAwNX3XvYH054QWUuArWttXotuun-PMgyBl3vC-pXD3Ni586UXlWedOFCVNQFcUqu1bdUD6TlRdY_TKdhWc_fImJTb_Z5AcN7DfSNlwTWgKJ9hh41JxUGBn71/s400/IMG_8727.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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So, the thing about work-appropriate polish: I work full-time now and I wear whatever dang nail polish I like. Nobody has said a thing. I got tons of compliments on Space Cadet. Take heart, ladies! Work-appropriate does not mean the same thing in every office.Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-31374646985772014952010-11-11T07:27:00.000-08:002010-11-11T07:27:21.042-08:00Franken, Silk and Velvet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mg1XtdngDgYKbrZtOW1FIYf8FalLkPJQFQ9rMOW_nFIrC7233JBtPGf92GNwtUVvFwa-WZQJG3ZSjmCtkEqBwXxYSPoBwDA1zJq_eOBotRJLL3IHIgfTmpWFw_8Ud0b0VYtJmoG4ES5S/s1600/IMG_8713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mg1XtdngDgYKbrZtOW1FIYf8FalLkPJQFQ9rMOW_nFIrC7233JBtPGf92GNwtUVvFwa-WZQJG3ZSjmCtkEqBwXxYSPoBwDA1zJq_eOBotRJLL3IHIgfTmpWFw_8Ud0b0VYtJmoG4ES5S/s400/IMG_8713.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Silk and Velvet is a franken of circumstance, and is the last franken I've ever made without measuring out and thinking about how much of each color in proportion to the bottle. The last. From this point on my frankens became more intuitive--and oddly enough, a lot prettier. Except now that they're prettier I can't give you recipes other than what I know went into it. Sigh.<br />
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Anyway. I made Silk and Velvet with, oh, my mom's old colors that reeked of the early 2000s. Frosty metallic red. Warm pink with gold frost.<br />
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Not interested. So I frankened with them! Here's the recipe:<br />
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SILK AND VELVET:<br />
-1/4 Sinful Colors Fire Red<br />
-1/16 Nfu-Oh 119<br />
-1/4 Sinful Colors Sharon's Heart<br />
-3 drops Sally Hansen Invisible<br />
-Shake Well<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSA2CNpTrVW3W-CqRUWGAYiFYbP4vbKuJTm2aRTeoRXuEoxyk2H8wlSa6qPopfD5bZX7aBeeDJiez2jR1GaQvrp6fmc58nOyW7vjCeEBICPc-AQNpb1BZSnhaEGwt6mAOSxdckQ8AHD7x/s1600/IMG_8714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSA2CNpTrVW3W-CqRUWGAYiFYbP4vbKuJTm2aRTeoRXuEoxyk2H8wlSa6qPopfD5bZX7aBeeDJiez2jR1GaQvrp6fmc58nOyW7vjCeEBICPc-AQNpb1BZSnhaEGwt6mAOSxdckQ8AHD7x/s400/IMG_8714.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I'm not entirely sure if it's the creme blue or the clear polish that I threw into this, but it's not frosty at all--this is a deep, wine shimmer with a slight silver sheen--gold particles are interspersed throughout. Not enough to tell on the nail, obviously, but it's prominent in the bottle and you can occasionally catch snatches of the gold in light.<br />
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I like its texture, of which I actually do not own much of: its sheen is satiny, its look is somewhat luxurious. I might wear this again during holiday season, although it looks autumnal as well.<br />
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Oh--the application was somewhat goopy and it smells like franken (it stinks) but it settles well and wore well. I think that application issues might arise more from the bottle than the polish, actually--I've used it for frankening about 3 times and I think all that acetone has made it somewhat difficult to work with.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcopRjb7Mc4tZxyQ7_Iz9k0BmdltyPBNk-zJHioLeZ9i66Okuoka9gOyx8N6pEnIrXOQlCtrOkpl4AZRnhe6Il3y1UqprFDst4ElMZBAbUNuY2oN3aK2tEDQKcdNxPXjghiVew-sfCFwCg/s1600/IMG_8717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcopRjb7Mc4tZxyQ7_Iz9k0BmdltyPBNk-zJHioLeZ9i66Okuoka9gOyx8N6pEnIrXOQlCtrOkpl4AZRnhe6Il3y1UqprFDst4ElMZBAbUNuY2oN3aK2tEDQKcdNxPXjghiVew-sfCFwCg/s400/IMG_8717.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-12339124151173684412010-11-09T07:29:00.000-08:002010-11-09T07:29:47.970-08:00Wet n Wild Craze, Rustic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0X77Ti0lHQZRpS7f0FFFkc-MTBrI_jikSRHEz6zI2OIWqnwTzbW_FvOmzllFexE4qmS8xvnRAdqL69d9bjLMryTX4FcfuTLycIvqZkCwiv1daAgzOYq2KY1DmhP64OPTu1XkuKXrJ5Bxs/s1600/IMG_8682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0X77Ti0lHQZRpS7f0FFFkc-MTBrI_jikSRHEz6zI2OIWqnwTzbW_FvOmzllFexE4qmS8xvnRAdqL69d9bjLMryTX4FcfuTLycIvqZkCwiv1daAgzOYq2KY1DmhP64OPTu1XkuKXrJ5Bxs/s640/IMG_8682.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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Y'know, since autumn started I've worn this polish three times. Three. As a blogger and a nail polish collector I'm sure you can imagine that this sort of thing doesn't happen very often, wearing the same polish multiple times in a season and all (except that one time during Lent when I had to choose four polishes and wear just those for the entire duration. Blargh.), but yes. I wore Rustic three times.<br />
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There are a couple reasons for this: firstly, Rustic is gorgeous. It's a beautiful glowy metallic dark brown/bronze/copper color. See the way the light hits it at the bottom? It darkens the edges, and I can totally understand now why people love these "glow from within" polishes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUooaj9_Wnix8U0XsuM5WoU-FYO92E8LUFTdgupY4uHazbKQApwmMacMhrY6LnCEqEjf0sKrt_U_-KHSn-9AWlbfUzeqk0ZmmT9dLaT4uZBfh1woY0ZIGxThwjpatdqaxC8Vl2uOKWnRpU/s1600/IMG_8681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUooaj9_Wnix8U0XsuM5WoU-FYO92E8LUFTdgupY4uHazbKQApwmMacMhrY6LnCEqEjf0sKrt_U_-KHSn-9AWlbfUzeqk0ZmmT9dLaT4uZBfh1woY0ZIGxThwjpatdqaxC8Vl2uOKWnRpU/s640/IMG_8681.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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Secondly, the application is excellent. The brush is short and is somewhat difficult to work with, but it's not the fault of the polish as much as it is the bottle. Two coats. It dries quickly and you're ready to go.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyOglwiT1f35KDlJv-9qKkdhEsOfxF0bQJU1IqWK8eP4kM5lHHxeVl6jZ25Pbc6WQknwMUAnO6AmCHmCvMuBvyQ1j_6n0NLxiX1aublIEbPLQc_n32-XsaqQbgPI6MBGkbpt6wXWN34LQ/s1600/IMG_8678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyOglwiT1f35KDlJv-9qKkdhEsOfxF0bQJU1IqWK8eP4kM5lHHxeVl6jZ25Pbc6WQknwMUAnO6AmCHmCvMuBvyQ1j_6n0NLxiX1aublIEbPLQc_n32-XsaqQbgPI6MBGkbpt6wXWN34LQ/s400/IMG_8678.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Lastly (and on a more nostalgic basis), I wear bronze a lot in general because it was the first nail polish color I ever owned that was out of the pink/red/black range. I remember being very nervous about it (despite friends rolling their eyes and telling me that it was gorgeous) and kept thinking it was too close to my skin tone, it looked unnatural, etc.<br />
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Then I discovered that very shiny bronzey colors look great with navy. It all goes down from there. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rV2EEvhhdnzUZQCly2Y899ptU0cadB8nJ4YtXUEAxkPOnG9RQajQEDk8PXsRaAcFjyAFoNn0nKjrt6ELFjbBj1LLPuJPZ2wN0KJiFF7EOixXixHDX6DhegfyurzNDA8P8t0BZYq3i8FJ/s1600/IMG_8677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rV2EEvhhdnzUZQCly2Y899ptU0cadB8nJ4YtXUEAxkPOnG9RQajQEDk8PXsRaAcFjyAFoNn0nKjrt6ELFjbBj1LLPuJPZ2wN0KJiFF7EOixXixHDX6DhegfyurzNDA8P8t0BZYq3i8FJ/s400/IMG_8677.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I pull on this polish whenever I feel the need to remember where all of this madness came from. (Also, to match it with navy.) Does anybody else have a color that they blame their nail polish collection on?Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-11293881330996418222010-11-04T21:16:00.000-07:002010-11-04T21:16:43.948-07:00NOTD: Seashell Shards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTvwX3RcPjyJspfKq5n6IFNZjAP-dcSB9ltbrKGLBYOVkAgKTHNMpyM8_CbDUuFv4sUl-24bs_oca_OXBWD94f6O0N9zHL90wINMoZAsBKj82wLJnNSWk6RBiDZkD8Im0tSRhLZ2oj2PF/s1600/IMG_8630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTvwX3RcPjyJspfKq5n6IFNZjAP-dcSB9ltbrKGLBYOVkAgKTHNMpyM8_CbDUuFv4sUl-24bs_oca_OXBWD94f6O0N9zHL90wINMoZAsBKj82wLJnNSWk6RBiDZkD8Im0tSRhLZ2oj2PF/s400/IMG_8630.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Okay, so... this isn't the best picture ever. Every nightmare I can think of for horrific nail pictures are in here. Stark lighting. Bubbles. Crazy lumpy topcoat. Shrinkage.<br />
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But this is because I made a mistake, and the mistake occurred because I have no patience. Here's the story:<br />
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I received a packet of pink-to-lavender crushed seashells from Viva La Nails in the mail and was trying to figure out how to utilize them in every day nail art when I thought, "hey, I can just use them like abstract rhinestones. Also, wouldn't it be cool if I could use them like, oh, I don't know, broken up mosaic pieces?"<br />
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This is the result. The problem is that if you have four coats of a pale pink streaky nightmare polish and nail art, you don't actually want to put quick-dry topcoat on it. Ever. Or that nightmare you see above occurs.<br />
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I've actually tried this on the opposite hand (I didn't take a picture because I am also horrible with non quick-dry polish and dinged my nails), and I can verify the above paragraph is truth.<br />
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On the whole, though, the image from far off isn't so bad: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgerNxPOyB7XrzMKENqgQnV2vKgO1iFfIrglQx1X4jgHHwqCm5e81ifpz9X1u6Iak3gaGnmn6kvZmNNrSOLpSBtLuSTqUU7xjal2DcIvXzo5L7K2ZIoqkeB4n56H98mrkZBpfYXjs8xIpzJ/s1600/IMG_8631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgerNxPOyB7XrzMKENqgQnV2vKgO1iFfIrglQx1X4jgHHwqCm5e81ifpz9X1u6Iak3gaGnmn6kvZmNNrSOLpSBtLuSTqUU7xjal2DcIvXzo5L7K2ZIoqkeB4n56H98mrkZBpfYXjs8xIpzJ/s400/IMG_8631.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6jVjxMNAyZE291KekeYNNWYMIN6Sr0hnjbbvte6SPyixweMGSEGy8JBosISIXu-Ce5jLeu8djtT7XB9bTEvA3R7s2r_XHESLW2zrZBfu3Y6ffnkbtcJvup-H58xOLnY4fgUcT1q36VQy/s1600/IMG_8640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6jVjxMNAyZE291KekeYNNWYMIN6Sr0hnjbbvte6SPyixweMGSEGy8JBosISIXu-Ce5jLeu8djtT7XB9bTEvA3R7s2r_XHESLW2zrZBfu3Y6ffnkbtcJvup-H58xOLnY4fgUcT1q36VQy/s400/IMG_8640.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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(See, this is the opposite, dingy hand. Other than the dings, the manicure was a success here!)<br />
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I like how it looks like broken glass pieces. This is basically four coats of Nubar seashell, and then I pressed on the seashells at random with my opposite hand. Because the shells are rough in texture they just sort of stick to your skin; I just press it onto the nail from there. Use a light touch and do not use quick-dry topcoat. The end result is <i>very</i> cool.<br />
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See? The picture below is my favorite: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWT8F3R3o_sxOb5Lge_mHUTzl0ieBc3cuSA3dlTcUM8Oza9uHDje9cJ-tMjbiLb4CiOYvIFUcHEI8VYC0YtZidK8RpzxjBDZWTejhrdMFqvvx_cWXPUQ8lHHKTZmpSQj9MubUzqiC0d4PY/s1600/IMG_8643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWT8F3R3o_sxOb5Lge_mHUTzl0ieBc3cuSA3dlTcUM8Oza9uHDje9cJ-tMjbiLb4CiOYvIFUcHEI8VYC0YtZidK8RpzxjBDZWTejhrdMFqvvx_cWXPUQ8lHHKTZmpSQj9MubUzqiC0d4PY/s400/IMG_8643.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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(ignore the bubbles. I really should've tried the look on black.)<br />
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It's odd, like a 3-d gradient/mosaic/flower petals. :) I like it.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(the polish is mine, but the shells were sent to me for review.) </i></span>Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-73597092773031644162010-10-31T10:14:00.000-07:002010-10-31T10:14:56.046-07:00Ulta, For Bitten<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAaQ-cPdDaBjm8HQMPsq0lpXukg567EZY6Jegw5OieGGqwPYcvT-4-b6qsS-GPZ7sCuPPki_b7LvFyI9_hyphenhyphenYNl5JL1gSbjo51zxdd9eURayVM6eAjnxW-iyuSNU0ymwz5gSLPfpGBfpLhU/s1600/IMG_8737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAaQ-cPdDaBjm8HQMPsq0lpXukg567EZY6Jegw5OieGGqwPYcvT-4-b6qsS-GPZ7sCuPPki_b7LvFyI9_hyphenhyphenYNl5JL1gSbjo51zxdd9eURayVM6eAjnxW-iyuSNU0ymwz5gSLPfpGBfpLhU/s640/IMG_8737.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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Happy Halloween, everyone!<br />
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I've got one last Halloween-inspired manicure for y'all today, and that is Ulta's For Bitten. This shade was launched in a mini collection last year and inspired a huuge collecting frenzy, so imagine my surprise when I walked into Ulta and found a full-size bottle of this beauty!<br />
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I had my trepidations about this one, to be honest. The polish has this wonderful duochrome shimmer in its bottle--green to gold to a deep warm purple--that my instinct told me wouldn't transfer at all on the nail.<br />
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Wrong. Gloriously wrong. Observe:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYuqDG6QNP87bae3UBNi_DHNsB3NVevni1ozyFmVZP5eRaKCitsMQ_lcpeo5gF0_BY3BJXwWKSm0EUSC9SIRTG2FfVwWAJDux8sV0YYlm-j5YchFivX-fhP5VpqhLitjHpvq_Z-X4njzsO/s1600/IMG_8738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYuqDG6QNP87bae3UBNi_DHNsB3NVevni1ozyFmVZP5eRaKCitsMQ_lcpeo5gF0_BY3BJXwWKSm0EUSC9SIRTG2FfVwWAJDux8sV0YYlm-j5YchFivX-fhP5VpqhLitjHpvq_Z-X4njzsO/s400/IMG_8738.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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(Gah, I know it's blurry.)<br />
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Here is the polish giving off a deep purple glimmer. It occasionally flares red at an angle like this when facing the light. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruYkSd1UE3vb-7a69JBaDQ49jv0qIMLRVytJ2qN95OxJZgn-bz66rEiWQN8u2VBxk_1NjnnW7LDZaknOEzPOPDHQ05QLP6IwL8dABCOEtns35iRo8vF-A4sZ-kx-e6vWGoL9Gvt67dVQ1/s1600/IMG_8739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruYkSd1UE3vb-7a69JBaDQ49jv0qIMLRVytJ2qN95OxJZgn-bz66rEiWQN8u2VBxk_1NjnnW7LDZaknOEzPOPDHQ05QLP6IwL8dABCOEtns35iRo8vF-A4sZ-kx-e6vWGoL9Gvt67dVQ1/s400/IMG_8739.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Here, you can see its transition to gold. <br />
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This is really, really pretty and really, really effortless. Two coats, no complaints on application. It dries quickly and lasts for quite a while--I think I wore this for three days. The shimmer seems subtle from the pictures that I'm showing you, but I've also received an unbelievable amount of compliments on this--no regular black creme to the human eye, this one. It glares colors.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAxrUWtj874YkVioFJDM0TYMSw4HkBVIplsRrck3OjqUjKCEs1HGYRe-FQFTADqk24PtaBLYrEi_mOMa02d-lHkAUR4BgicfgXaNsrJFGLVI3hFxD9W8RMeLjrDOY3Q56ZcsZZydC2_Vm/s1600/IMG_8740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAxrUWtj874YkVioFJDM0TYMSw4HkBVIplsRrck3OjqUjKCEs1HGYRe-FQFTADqk24PtaBLYrEi_mOMa02d-lHkAUR4BgicfgXaNsrJFGLVI3hFxD9W8RMeLjrDOY3Q56ZcsZZydC2_Vm/s640/IMG_8740.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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And look at that bottle!<br />
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This is my favorite black creme with colored shimmer to date. I like this a tad bit better than I like voodoo, but they evoke different moods.<br />
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I'm still feeling the kick for these irregular shimmer particles that Orly FX and Zoya Sparkles ran away with. I know other people are getting really tired of them, but man! Look at what these babies can do! They give you glitter-like sparkle, foil-like texture, and are very easy to remove. More please, and in more colors than, say, Space Cadet, which has two dupes out already. (I love Space Cadet, but seriously?) Or Zombie Zest/It's Not Rocket Science. Or Mr. Wrong/Purple Gala. Or Galaxy Girl/Formidable!.<br />
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Still, in the meantime, I'm gonna be overdosing on cremes in November since I'm a little oversaturated on the other finishes this month. Besides, sparkle season (Christmas!!! New Year's!!!) is coming up and I need to be ready for that, too. Who's with me?<br />
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Also, who'd appreciate a little RBL spam the night before the madness happens?Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-75520124819968206012010-10-27T23:48:00.000-07:002010-10-27T23:48:04.826-07:00Funky Fingers, Voodoo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_NJWI9bVdBcIKD4aVEfjU4le0IZjWREf91Gm-juDwfSqWL0mE2KwA6efo1-vR0wCTwwPuggYcXBcwrlFsFGLE_7plthqDK-e25s0RQhvYZrz60se6nDxYB-FFeBHnd5u_KnaBNjuNB2x/s1600/IMG_8718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_NJWI9bVdBcIKD4aVEfjU4le0IZjWREf91Gm-juDwfSqWL0mE2KwA6efo1-vR0wCTwwPuggYcXBcwrlFsFGLE_7plthqDK-e25s0RQhvYZrz60se6nDxYB-FFeBHnd5u_KnaBNjuNB2x/s400/IMG_8718.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Yeah, I'm workin' through the Halloween-inspired swatches. Can you tell?<br />
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Anyway, Funky Fingers' Voodoo is a black creme with little irregular flakes of gold/olive green. This is two coats. No application problems except for slight cuticle drag on the second coat--be careful not to push the polish around. <br />
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In real life this polish looks almost.... wooden. Or like stones. The gold sparkle shows up like texture in the creme. One would think that it'd look like stars or something--but organic is definitely the idea that comes to mind. The next picture might showcase that pretty well:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjrXwsTYRhCASQKeU7tEADM6ANUuXwMz6FXLoaAKgi-Ibf0M5kHTyjBdKk1uvQMh1zk9mn0naIhBcrMU0SToDfPlrXR3ARSZrZaLQOkJJUWyn0yJRW0au3rXVqFWfyk3jOZuoNiUfn5pS/s1600/IMG_8722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjrXwsTYRhCASQKeU7tEADM6ANUuXwMz6FXLoaAKgi-Ibf0M5kHTyjBdKk1uvQMh1zk9mn0naIhBcrMU0SToDfPlrXR3ARSZrZaLQOkJJUWyn0yJRW0au3rXVqFWfyk3jOZuoNiUfn5pS/s400/IMG_8722.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I wouldn't even say that it looks true black from far off. The gold warms the color to a deep muddy brown, brings it highlights, flares and flashes in sunlight. I liked it a lot. Moody, brooding, dark, earthy... Voodoo is practical magic at its best.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_vhwKi9B1ubY1Qin-bICCnTgf3cXP9xuzkcznF2scrlCnlx-Ghkvl67X9uYCqzXXGce65aIHqACQQkeu8Xki1h0eDxG3VxYV-FLnjR3ybRHu_neiL2tQamOs_o42hh8a_gvBm6XYS45s/s1600/IMG_8724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_vhwKi9B1ubY1Qin-bICCnTgf3cXP9xuzkcznF2scrlCnlx-Ghkvl67X9uYCqzXXGce65aIHqACQQkeu8Xki1h0eDxG3VxYV-FLnjR3ybRHu_neiL2tQamOs_o42hh8a_gvBm6XYS45s/s400/IMG_8724.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-60384010220905822972010-10-26T07:17:00.000-07:002010-10-26T07:17:42.817-07:00Hard Candy, Mischief<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2n4TsHF-qgYSbPmZeVihvhSPhCgpVWFOYjgWc-B4u8xKWtKqTvTbHczTa-CpYigFWVrZhBM0MTmp4gF8Y1u1y986YSUhZRPEx3110GLq_HfnebMTS5hmZUAO1uL1FSHV7yQxu7hbhPOq/s1600/IMG_8729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2n4TsHF-qgYSbPmZeVihvhSPhCgpVWFOYjgWc-B4u8xKWtKqTvTbHczTa-CpYigFWVrZhBM0MTmp4gF8Y1u1y986YSUhZRPEx3110GLq_HfnebMTS5hmZUAO1uL1FSHV7yQxu7hbhPOq/s400/IMG_8729.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Hello, everyone! Missed me? I missed you!<br />
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And so we're going to start off with a wonderful Halloween-y bang with Hard Candy Mischief, a limited edition HC color that's available right now.<br />
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It's... well, it's lovely. I know that my pictures make it look like a bumpy, gritty mess, but it truly is. Observe:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyV8fX_rrFhLQk8z5qIgyyKnOlWGvuBpq1EHV7jkV8eRSe5jFlxKbaNl0PzMr-jaCEfJyhfKvLD-X9vvpXCUUf-hqlo-DwGHVvjbL9h1o5fvA1ohJoCt_yZjtKGfJf0EmpTaew8UP0ZW12/s1600/IMG_8730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyV8fX_rrFhLQk8z5qIgyyKnOlWGvuBpq1EHV7jkV8eRSe5jFlxKbaNl0PzMr-jaCEfJyhfKvLD-X9vvpXCUUf-hqlo-DwGHVvjbL9h1o5fvA1ohJoCt_yZjtKGfJf0EmpTaew8UP0ZW12/s400/IMG_8730.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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There's a way that this polish looks like autumn leaves in rain water that I can't help but enjoy. I think--and I have a lot of these--but this is one of my more autumnal polishes, let alone a polish very appropriate for Halloween.<br />
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Mischief is an orange glitter held in--um--slime green jelly. No joke. In the bottle it looks kind of gross. On the nail, though, the green builds easily and adds a bit of contrast and depth to the nail. You almost think it looks black, but it isn't. You'd almost hope it's brown... but it isn't. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ahHhMRw6KjippuD_miyhOVvcMaN2zeO_p4znvP7jY0B3CB1TQW8UQhyphenhyphenLh-CH9s1rRdkDteMxP90htCYVV0qXIsXJ5RNck6YzMq9mEgxMu1M2OijrZAIL6Z6OcRvIHTfQ7ZwI-RFdobrW/s1600/IMG_8732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ahHhMRw6KjippuD_miyhOVvcMaN2zeO_p4znvP7jY0B3CB1TQW8UQhyphenhyphenLh-CH9s1rRdkDteMxP90htCYVV0qXIsXJ5RNck6YzMq9mEgxMu1M2OijrZAIL6Z6OcRvIHTfQ7ZwI-RFdobrW/s320/IMG_8732.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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From far off it looks like very speckled burnt orange polish... like a glitter painted over black. It lends quite a bit of texture to the look. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3NNmRrA3MzQ6WosSJ1wyJ6hl4KdhiaM0Me3qsClea4wtAykw8ppeKKTHBR5hQ96-3NiCfX0xYh1DNJAJHyizQaF_ytqS8rMBa3lOjMfeDCysxaYYB95BBm4beF3ukRM4vL8vfaKRL25w6/s1600/IMG_8735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3NNmRrA3MzQ6WosSJ1wyJ6hl4KdhiaM0Me3qsClea4wtAykw8ppeKKTHBR5hQ96-3NiCfX0xYh1DNJAJHyizQaF_ytqS8rMBa3lOjMfeDCysxaYYB95BBm4beF3ukRM4vL8vfaKRL25w6/s400/IMG_8735.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilo-clFS6zc7-Tss1jtZRnZA8qLKQBAtzlipdQeqVwaJKHrISkvcc_PVcN93Y7Li31KR1r-Pz_uc8NF3sRp8DsC7ER3d_dMMKkZDWBUPp7ZC7bOxx2rblfjC4shTqc_r2pJ8JcQdCjSDlA/s1600/IMG_8736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilo-clFS6zc7-Tss1jtZRnZA8qLKQBAtzlipdQeqVwaJKHrISkvcc_PVcN93Y7Li31KR1r-Pz_uc8NF3sRp8DsC7ER3d_dMMKkZDWBUPp7ZC7bOxx2rblfjC4shTqc_r2pJ8JcQdCjSDlA/s320/IMG_8736.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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(Do you see how it just flares and glows when the camera's not focused on it? Mmm. Like magic.) <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWAZefdMSkHKqLrGMXRiWlxPooD7ne35YGmFEzILJmWHJA6AheRjpA4VVgXmhhkKG4WAq9yawFKj7B56C11ZPwkEK-1I6GIdBDq4O8SPOjItZtO_weN7_HeHR5LN_wT8QJDgemsi_wN38/s1600/IMG_8728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWAZefdMSkHKqLrGMXRiWlxPooD7ne35YGmFEzILJmWHJA6AheRjpA4VVgXmhhkKG4WAq9yawFKj7B56C11ZPwkEK-1I6GIdBDq4O8SPOjItZtO_weN7_HeHR5LN_wT8QJDgemsi_wN38/s400/IMG_8728.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I wish I had some good pictures of this look in the sun, but it's very foggy and cloudy where I am right now. This is the best I could do, and at the least it's true to life.<br />
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So yes! That is Hard Candy Mischief, complete in three coats (with slight cuticle drag on the second). Loverly polish. I will probably be wearing her again this week.<br />
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I'll also be keeping this week as Halloween-themed as possible (without freaking out my new coworkers, I hope)! Stay tuned!Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-9012949220511683672010-10-16T01:17:00.000-07:002010-10-16T01:17:42.651-07:00EeeepHey, guys!<br />
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Sorry I've been MIA for a while now, and I'm even more sorry that things keep happening this way. This is because this is a tumultuous time for me: I've been employed since last Monday and had to travel down to another city in order to make it to work. Not a lot of free time right now, or even free time during daylight hours where I could swatch or something!<br />
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I'm not sure how long this absence will last--hopefully, it'll go over very soon and I'll find a place to stay and things will smooth over very quickly--but for now, we'll see! Thanks for being so patient with me! Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-65703779734916796242010-10-06T20:00:00.000-07:002010-10-06T20:00:15.370-07:00Orly, Galaxy Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwQ-BxrP2IUYF7cu9bbclNVLfyThj5wgB-RIUShJbLOGq0otYzGwwCMumAJYi2eySeRwec0FkxjDtdh4iDb4YRD4Nvpzu67v8pM1pmcQRCJ6YoNmNiI4U00jRCVYEhGhxhBsSD1sA5T5O/s1600/IMG_8611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwQ-BxrP2IUYF7cu9bbclNVLfyThj5wgB-RIUShJbLOGq0otYzGwwCMumAJYi2eySeRwec0FkxjDtdh4iDb4YRD4Nvpzu67v8pM1pmcQRCJ6YoNmNiI4U00jRCVYEhGhxhBsSD1sA5T5O/s400/IMG_8611.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Okay.<br />
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I do say this quite often, but this time it is imperative: click on the images to see the polish better. My pictures are generally <i>very large</i>. That will help.<br />
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I can't decide whether or not I like Galaxy Girl or Space Cadet better. They're so different, and both so awesome! Space Cadet reminds me of the shift of color in autumn leaves and the amount of colors that it shifts into is... just great. Galaxy Girl goes on the color of dried blood and then picks up this teal to magenta shimmer that's so strange and moody and complex. I mean, look below:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9IiiHIou74Pfw2lLL6rynfx-SSOYU_yx918oAkDLkDwwqmA5P8Oqssdi6FXpYQhyajq-pc1SFYTWonDGhViAy8AUVWeWMaprDO6O2YMfhmQkV8bJSHgQhXkGtWNawRtMEGw69798jzIk/s1600/IMG_8610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9IiiHIou74Pfw2lLL6rynfx-SSOYU_yx918oAkDLkDwwqmA5P8Oqssdi6FXpYQhyajq-pc1SFYTWonDGhViAy8AUVWeWMaprDO6O2YMfhmQkV8bJSHgQhXkGtWNawRtMEGw69798jzIk/s400/IMG_8610.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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(Bottle pictures here show a lot of the color shift as well.) You know what, I'm just going to stop talking. Here. It's pretty. It's two coats for opacity. I adore this. Get it when you can. It's worth it. CVS is cheaper than e-tailers. It's also worth the quest. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi776He_h5rtpt8L_6OVVbeXPrr3gvWmmp3qkJdhO_Yg6ADOxL4Lic1FaSsiXh-K9-pVR_ksVz1LBp3ngjlgWpaeMIusgRVqMd7HIiMPqjRm8ThtRI3ruWoibJ2wBkA8gfZeg8PzLOfs28R/s1600/IMG_8613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi776He_h5rtpt8L_6OVVbeXPrr3gvWmmp3qkJdhO_Yg6ADOxL4Lic1FaSsiXh-K9-pVR_ksVz1LBp3ngjlgWpaeMIusgRVqMd7HIiMPqjRm8ThtRI3ruWoibJ2wBkA8gfZeg8PzLOfs28R/s400/IMG_8613.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnqAJzpXx-O-2i7LE4_7kOPjfgxga1AsFbfQi20ABmc3BIBRYu7X5gkJPBMHBEorL0I3lofsykkSQ08oegvkbcAklC0VXJWsfhnE7eSEVBSQOf7lB3evbTZGscD7bPiMN_DynskUzRKhF/s1600/IMG_8616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnqAJzpXx-O-2i7LE4_7kOPjfgxga1AsFbfQi20ABmc3BIBRYu7X5gkJPBMHBEorL0I3lofsykkSQ08oegvkbcAklC0VXJWsfhnE7eSEVBSQOf7lB3evbTZGscD7bPiMN_DynskUzRKhF/s400/IMG_8616.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Oh, has anybody missed my distance shots? Here: <br />
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Space Cadet is a polish whose finish is very similar to, say, Hard Candy's Mr. Wrong: a colored sheer finish with a ridiculous amount of irregularly-shaped flakes/glitter pieces. The difference is that Space Cadet has a teal base and is filled with glitter that flashes alternately green, gold, rose, deep violet, etc.--depending on the light. I've tried to take pictures that showcase this, but pictures do it no justice. This polish is gorgeous. <br />
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This is three coats of Space Cadet--I believe that layering this polish over another color will preserve it a little, although I can't say for certain. (Check out that bit of blue peeking through the polish color. Gah.)<br />
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So I took a video:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwq3CYrK4ziphDoZDveaNBZGPMLp7uTPyneF8-PCe6Ba1yyurOWPRHrRQBQxB9v8py1UMWo24UluSSpT7eocg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Wow. The quality is a little bad, but it is my camera video, so... I hope you can forgive me for that! > <Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-91437371621488688812010-10-01T10:15:00.000-07:002010-10-01T10:15:17.065-07:00China Glaze, Stroll<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDUdo1fw_Wxf6raPMDYSf-3s8nd5dx7HzM0cPFN9ROBVz8TroJ2sbnqr9H_y-c_Df9LRAMG5XRJ61WmvBhnyeBvUKCOz4wwTLpt_zV7-LdoKKNLuBoCCT5EUZZXh8GELJRN0Nb20gOVqb/s1600/IMG_8589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDUdo1fw_Wxf6raPMDYSf-3s8nd5dx7HzM0cPFN9ROBVz8TroJ2sbnqr9H_y-c_Df9LRAMG5XRJ61WmvBhnyeBvUKCOz4wwTLpt_zV7-LdoKKNLuBoCCT5EUZZXh8GELJRN0Nb20gOVqb/s400/IMG_8589.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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My pictures have changed in quality, haven't they? I've taken to taking pictures in a very well-lit indoor room because I feel as though the color takes center stage and is also more color-accurate than when I take them in washed-out outdoor pictures. :D What do you guys think?<br />
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Anyway, this is China Glaze Stroll--a polish that I found in a dusty pile at one of my favorite nail supply stores in my college town. This is also one of those colors that I've worn for a while now--it showed up in my review for <a href="http://lemmingmonster.blogspot.com/2010/05/la-girls-rockstar-addict-and-comparison.html">LA Colors' Addic</a>t--but I've never swatched and reviewed on its own.<br />
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Stroll is a deep, warm red jelly with interspersed irregular gold glitter. It takes three coats for full opacity and is a wonderful, glowy autumnal color. The polish dries to a smooth finish despite the glitter and is also relatively easy to remove in comparison to most glitter standards. <br />
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But see, here's the thing: I like this color, and I think it's deep and sexy, but I can't help but be disappointed with the glitter thing. When a polish is described with gold glitter, I want to see gold. I don't in Stroll--not on the nail or in the bottle. Once I start removing the polish I can see its coloring but mostly the glitter sinks too much, giving the polish a textured, slightly pinky color that catches and glows in the light. But compare that to LA Girls' Addict, whose coloring is admittedly a lot less pigmented but when close up looks like standing under a tree with red and gold leaves. I prefer Addict by far...<br />
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But I've worn Stroll more often. <br />
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I've come to the conclusion that the real reason as to why I've done so is personal--the color matches exactly with the color of my glasses, semi-translucence and all. Sigh. Sometimes, vanity knows no bounds, huh?Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-87946131859157642010-09-29T16:45:00.000-07:002010-09-29T16:45:01.797-07:00Franken, Hamadryad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_DoIMj21vRVO7eq6Js2B-pjtet2mO1lfKRWznq3nMmGbDeQLDOK9sMzH13btJy1STD2DVD993joMFpCaz7dVMYEPl0KeoLyG6jQsWk61Ernv02GH9TxGKHE1iwO_8Ps-I0WslZ4jbMza/s1600/IMG_8580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_DoIMj21vRVO7eq6Js2B-pjtet2mO1lfKRWznq3nMmGbDeQLDOK9sMzH13btJy1STD2DVD993joMFpCaz7dVMYEPl0KeoLyG6jQsWk61Ernv02GH9TxGKHE1iwO_8Ps-I0WslZ4jbMza/s400/IMG_8580.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> :) Frankening is one of my favorite pasttimes, but I hadn't done it quite as often as I used to. (Mostly because I had no empty nail polish bottles and stainless steel mixing balls, but I digress.) Anyway, I'd wanted to create a normal green jelly ala zulu when I'd mixed American Apparel's Hunter with a load of clear when I realized it was a little too blue and a little too murky for the job. Not to mention that the jelly version of Hunter looked just like... well, Hunter. (Which I haven't swatched yet, dangit.) Augh. Why make a franken when it looks just like what you started out with?<br />
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After that, I started experimenting. I threw in a little bit of Onyx, that LA Splash Glitter I was having so much fun with, just to see how it holds (it sank and bled color, just so you know). I threw in a little bit of tiny, square pink glitter (didn't sink, but bled profusely and turned silver). Then in a fit of fury--and also because my Color Club Sex Symbol was almost out and I figured that if I mixed SSN Franken part 2 in there I'd need to get most of the glittter out to be as sparse as possible--I threw in some of -that-. About fifteen or so drops of it.<br />
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And now... I think I rather like this color. <br />
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Look how light and blue it is in the sun, and moody and green indoors. :) The glitters in Sex Symbol are irregularly shaped and slightly flake-like, which adds interest. It reminds me of speckled green river stones.<br />
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Three coats, and you'll need to be a light touch. It gave me serious cuticle drag. .<br />
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Had the base color been blue, I might have considered this a Starry Night success. Oh well. :) I will probably be reaching for this one around Christmastime. :D <br />
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The Recipe:<br />
-1/8 American Apparel Hunter<br />
-5/8 Sally Hansen Invisible<br />
-15 drops of Color Club's Sex Symbol<br />
-Shake Well<br />
Oh, I almost forgot--this bottle also has no frankenballz. I'm positive that a lot of the glitter even from Sex Symbol has sunk as well, so you may want to be lighthanded with the glitter if you like the sparkle quotient to remain subtle as it has in this picture. Glitter's often the easiest to handle in terms of color mixing, since the logic is fairly simple: more glitter = more grit + more sparkle. Make it as you like it. :)Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-15484129857995595002010-09-27T14:40:00.000-07:002010-09-27T14:40:46.320-07:00OPI, Dazzled By Gold<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHJuEIMHgHNAvpGAFoZA1_gqIWdVuhEKbUbxbSnj9JacR0Joo01QYh1VcfYBDFKUnl-tkehuDCmb1CetTpjbHTHXVoi4UipGEInkT5Yns-3r5NNUD4pIFio2ha4paX5sT0iF6FFcM7rP1/s1600/IMG_8568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHJuEIMHgHNAvpGAFoZA1_gqIWdVuhEKbUbxbSnj9JacR0Joo01QYh1VcfYBDFKUnl-tkehuDCmb1CetTpjbHTHXVoi4UipGEInkT5Yns-3r5NNUD4pIFio2ha4paX5sT0iF6FFcM7rP1/s400/IMG_8568.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Dazzled By Gold is an Ulta-exclusive Holiday OPI that came out in 2009. I saw it at Ulta, picked it up, heard tons of raves about the awesomeness of this polish, and then <i>never wore it</i>.<br />
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Isn't that absolutely insane? The truth, though, is that I'm very uncomfortable about wearing gold. Although it has a tendency to look good on my skin, I think it blends a little too much with it and then turns the bling into something a lot more obnoxious. It always, always, always looks good on me--but I'm always afraid of wearing it initially. In any case, I found it in my drawer just a while ago and sucked it up. Good thing, too, because this baby is beautiful.<br />
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Here it is coming alive in the glint of sun: <br />
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What makes Dazzled by Gold so wearable is the fact that it's made entirely of little flakes of two (at least, I can only identify two kinds) kinds of gold: glitzy, lux 24K; paler and more demure gold glitter. The overall look is foily and much like the finish on both Hard Candy's Mr. Wrong and Milani's I'm Online--the texture is partly what brings out this polish's appeal.<br />
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And look at how it shines in the sun and how it just glows in shade.<br />
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This was three coats. You can still kind of see the (messy) tips of my fingers--I might wear some sort of opaque nude color underneath this just to make the layering a lot easier. Gorgeous polish--I'll probably reach for this again during the holiday season.Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-71845705461892677222010-09-24T20:36:00.000-07:002010-09-24T20:36:23.496-07:00Illamasqua Rampage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqrW4vOYaXSdJqTSTJxmhr4VLva-sSgzYCmCrUQYYEGTc9F12mnx-Bu5iqM1UmimwNwvFVwtFAcEGRQ_HwW3V0_DaWnCpsY_WF3blk6dW9hqHqeBqFJnxDRKry3MvrVgL5Q-cLzcPWdRi/s1600/IMG_8562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqrW4vOYaXSdJqTSTJxmhr4VLva-sSgzYCmCrUQYYEGTc9F12mnx-Bu5iqM1UmimwNwvFVwtFAcEGRQ_HwW3V0_DaWnCpsY_WF3blk6dW9hqHqeBqFJnxDRKry3MvrVgL5Q-cLzcPWdRi/s400/IMG_8562.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMtCaxwdbWmfPdaxFIKv6HPXM_ZldSg2UYDPoxV1ArLFHDY-0K7gRVHb9keAH7Raox-io8iRcPe2TVfUPTr0FZb8UNqwTKo3_9aP9DIct0DKDx6FfSRyP9ljI-UIrvWIshxQp7DisBoi2/s1600/IMG_8563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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I humbly introduce to you Illamasqua Rampage, which I have worn for ages but haven't shown you guys because of my inability to take a decent picture of it. This is still not decent--the gloss keeps getting in the way of all of the color's translucence and purity of pigment, but for now I think this will do. <br />
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I think the reasons as to why I like it should be both obvious and maybe a little embarrassing in consistency. I like dark green. Rampage is dark green. I like jellies. Rampage is a jelly. I also like sleek, square bottles that ooze pretentious class, and, well, Illamasqua's bottles are laser-cut on the inside to make it even squarer and more compact and there's a pop-off square lid with its brand symbol on it and it comes in a glossy black box and--well, the brand's <i>British</i>. (I have the impression that the The-British-Are-So-Much-Cooler-Than-We-Are thing only applies to Americans. More on that another time.)<br />
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Heh. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBm6IejxO0GrsKVQsVqcMzbEifEUMEfvbZtk3H44igvmCCCRcMEsXuVJ4ozFQwKI9K0OZggFURSLx70WgbgV7yvOe-yFkLwjoGqYcyj_L9nfWO3tyyR4F-lSv-VTlRxLErFCz4pke41sX/s1600/IMG_8565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBm6IejxO0GrsKVQsVqcMzbEifEUMEfvbZtk3H44igvmCCCRcMEsXuVJ4ozFQwKI9K0OZggFURSLx70WgbgV7yvOe-yFkLwjoGqYcyj_L9nfWO3tyyR4F-lSv-VTlRxLErFCz4pke41sX/s400/IMG_8565.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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On a more purely polish-related level, though, jelly greens allow for the viewer to experience looking through green glass bottles as a child and marveling at color and translucency, but on your nails. Like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_Pfgq75nmO3jjz-7ExbiqKMlskm6DlTFUdviCUx2nfXYYDLzFhJQrcZtmPEHuNVfe2zCn-1lVEtIEctwFqM7llGmpS5g7Kj1vx-rO05O_4w0R2FOeslaPqgpWdJmYggTKBCThQZbEZsd/s1600/Day+135+ii.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_Pfgq75nmO3jjz-7ExbiqKMlskm6DlTFUdviCUx2nfXYYDLzFhJQrcZtmPEHuNVfe2zCn-1lVEtIEctwFqM7llGmpS5g7Kj1vx-rO05O_4w0R2FOeslaPqgpWdJmYggTKBCThQZbEZsd/s400/Day+135+ii.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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So... yes, that's that. :)<br />
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Do you see how Rampage just changes in the light? It's gorgeous.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUw45aRzV-nnJD-R9DOwh9yNB5bpzqxYGdHgEXhLAujHC_YLQRecoImZzaSmzUXnsEiFd9n6EBjU72zfEPf1reFZmUZFHzlKTl2dD_VcynfYVSK8rD7_VHLsLA6fsODU1ebaBc7O03VE06/s1600/IMG_8566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUw45aRzV-nnJD-R9DOwh9yNB5bpzqxYGdHgEXhLAujHC_YLQRecoImZzaSmzUXnsEiFd9n6EBjU72zfEPf1reFZmUZFHzlKTl2dD_VcynfYVSK8rD7_VHLsLA6fsODU1ebaBc7O03VE06/s320/IMG_8566.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
By the way, this is two coats, perfect application. I have no other words.Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-48427806081715731362010-09-22T15:59:00.000-07:002010-09-22T15:59:13.037-07:00RBL Grunge, Take Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYj_GPsvIMytGZcNRiyD3ovZSVKrJeZXnR7th5geUltaEEsHbCfaaTUnksDN7VkKmkkixe_LV_rQS9zrtuS0TWpGgncJTHAzAsQ3n5ZtGMAY2FxYhioTGqTmDdGOcBkLjfU7uHKucWF3H/s1600/IMG_8557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYj_GPsvIMytGZcNRiyD3ovZSVKrJeZXnR7th5geUltaEEsHbCfaaTUnksDN7VkKmkkixe_LV_rQS9zrtuS0TWpGgncJTHAzAsQ3n5ZtGMAY2FxYhioTGqTmDdGOcBkLjfU7uHKucWF3H/s400/IMG_8557.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I wear polishes over and over again, and I'd taken a picture of this one early on in my blogging history. I figured it was about time to try to do this one justice--it's top five for me, for certain, and my work appropriate color of choice due to application, wear, and the way it just looks so dang good on my hands. <br />
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This is two easy coats. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FO5pK4dnhy4BP9z8v-FdJmBoECbVRxf1BE_GyHCr9m8pXgKqiGGKSgw3kGfDQQ5A3V7Sy2_TNiQA2BaTw_PEtDnXmjAw69uQmV2vW5OzS0tb4CILlQNSGb6Oom4gfs3JykHCPupEVMs5/s1600/IMG_8558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FO5pK4dnhy4BP9z8v-FdJmBoECbVRxf1BE_GyHCr9m8pXgKqiGGKSgw3kGfDQQ5A3V7Sy2_TNiQA2BaTw_PEtDnXmjAw69uQmV2vW5OzS0tb4CILlQNSGb6Oom4gfs3JykHCPupEVMs5/s400/IMG_8558.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I took this on a gray morning, but in the sun it has a flash of secret golden shimmer. Yes, it's awesome. :)Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081984200310227398.post-78669128198791413222010-09-18T23:49:00.000-07:002010-09-18T23:49:42.834-07:00Oh my!Happy First Birthday for Lemming Monster!!<br />
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I'd totally forgotten about it until just a few minutes ago, so I'm afraid that I will have to pull together a rougher article than the one that I'd imagined. Today, this little nail blog of mine turned one years old. Isn't that incredible?<br />
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This was one of the ways that I could keep track of the colors I've worn and how it looked. I'd created Lemming Monster to be useful for myself as an easily accessible way to organize my thoughts on a product I have way too much of, and I have never even dreamed that it could possibly be useful to anybody else, as well. I am lucky, and touched, and so extremely grateful to have the following that I have now. Thank you very much. Your existence has been essential for this blog to become what it has. <br />
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I'd intended to have this GIANT and extremely valuable giveaway for this day, but I have been on a no-buy for a while since I have no income with which to fuel such a thing. I'd also intended to have a giant giveaway for 250 followers, but I'm hoping that if I push the number back to 300 I'd be able to throw an even bigger and better giveaway. Are you guys willing to wait for it? I hope so!<br />
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In the meantime, let's have a little blast from the past: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDc5V005ei0r5gPwTkx2UKkQJEn3k9_1Q3gJ8Qcio1YD0XZ7Q7nJwko2nOEebz9sEEMrH5qQOmKgu9jB1C3RDySZ2zFwh7HD6_xJCYi-Yd2XDTD1P9wTORt4Vbiz-dtWU6yLJ5RIysieO2/s1600/IMG_0676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDc5V005ei0r5gPwTkx2UKkQJEn3k9_1Q3gJ8Qcio1YD0XZ7Q7nJwko2nOEebz9sEEMrH5qQOmKgu9jB1C3RDySZ2zFwh7HD6_xJCYi-Yd2XDTD1P9wTORt4Vbiz-dtWU6yLJ5RIysieO2/s400/IMG_0676.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
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Thank you all so much. :) <br />
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</a>Irideshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01996971031576526307noreply@blogger.com4