Pahlish October 2016 Duo Swatches and Review

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Hi everyone!  Last week Pahlish released their October 2016 Duo.  These will be available until the end of October, so be sure to pick yours up before they're gone!

G.N.O.M.E. Box for August 2016

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Hi everyone! Today I have the August 2016 G.N.O.M.E. Box to show you!  And if you're wondering what G.N.O.M.E. stands for, it's Glitter Nerds of Magical Existence.  The G.N.O.M.E. Box is a monthly box that always consists of polishes from Rica and Stardust Beauty and occasionally there's one from a guest brand.  This months guest is none other than Dreamland Lacquer!

Let's take a look!

Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer Foux du Fafa Collection Swatches and Review

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Hey everyone!  Today is being dubbed Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer day.  I've got several things to show you and first up is the Foux du Fafa collection releasing today at 3:30pm EST as a pre-order until April 30th 3:30pm EST on http://blueeyedgirllacquer.bigcartel.com/.  Inspired by Flight of the Concords, this collection consists of 5 cremes that can also be used for stamping!

Twinsie Tuesday - Inspired by a City

Welcome to another edition of Twinsie Tuesday!  Today's theme is inspired by a city.  I attempted two manicures with full nail art to represent LA and they both came out terribly.  So on to plan B!  I could randomly pick a polish from my OPI drawers and I'd have a 50:50 chance that I'd end up choosing a city themed polish, so that's exactly what I did.  So now I present to you OPI Midnight in Moscow!

Midnight in Moscow was from OPI's Russian collection released in Fall 2007 (I can't believe it's been almost 10 years!).  It's a vampy coal color based polish with molten deep red shimmer.  It has that glow from within look that I love.  I believe this one is still apart of OPI's core collection, so you should be able to find it easily in stores!

This is 2 coats.

Be sure to check out what the other Twinsies have come up with!

Alice at Nail Art in Wonderland

Amanda at Amandalandish

Amanda at Fashion Footing

Amber at Nails Like Lace

Chelsea at Nailed Blog

ChiChi at I'm Just Me...ChiChi

Claire at Kerruticles

​Lisa at The Polish Playground

Marisa at Polish Obsession

Marisa at Polish Those Nails

Megan at A Beauty in the Business

Róisín at Cuti-CLUE-les

Sara at The Call of Beauty

Sarah at Partly Cloudy with a Chance of Lacquer

Savannah at Addicted to Polish

Sharon at Behind Green Eyes

Steph at Lovestruck Lacquer

Dreamland Lacquer Great Romances Valentine's Day Trio Swatches and Review

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Hi everyone!  It's been a while.  Life always has it's way of forcing you to slow down, but I'm glad to be back to painting my nails!

Today I'm really excited to be sharing with you the debut of Dreamland Lacquer, formerly known as Smitten Polish.  This is a change in name only; Dreamland Lacquer will continue to produce quality and gorgeous polish that has become synonymous with Smitten Polish.

To kick off Dreamland Lacquer, they are releasing the Great Romances Valentines Day trio.  They are available now until January 23rd 2pm Central for a 24 hour preorder and will be available again through the end of February from DreamlandLacquer.com Let's take a look!

Dreamland Lacquer Breakfast at Luke's.

"For Lorelai Gilmore, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Because COFFEE. Because Luke."

This is a Tiffany blue microglitter holo.  I really love when Noelie does these.  I want one in every color!  The formula is easy to work with and not too thick, but I can see this getting thicker the more you use it.  Also, with glitter there's always a pay off.  You will find glitter in places you never thought possible after taking this off, but a little glitter never hurt anyone.

This is 2 coats.

Dreamland Lacquer Burned Jam in Vermont.

"Olivia Pope and Fitzgerald Grant.  Hot. Cold. Off. On. Smoldering. Sexy ... Sometimes life distracts you from the dream, and when that happens... your jam gets burned."

This is 3 things: jelly, thermal, and flakie.  The flakes shift from orange to green, but in most lights look orange.  When warm it's a slightly dark red and when cold it turns into this even sexier blackened red.  The formula on this is very easy to work with.  The color change is pretty sensitive and almost instantly changed colors.  It changed so fast I had a hard time telling if it was a bald spot or it transitioned already!  My nails are currently really short and my hands are always warm, so these photos show it in it's warm state and in transition.  Also, this dries to a rubber finish, so if you want it shiny add top coat!

This is 3 coats (with topcoat).

Dreamland Lacquer I Made a Promise.

"What Valentine's Day would be complete without a polish inspired by the world's greatest bromance? I Made a Promise is inspired by the One Ring, and the promise of Samwise Gamgee to never leave his friend Frodo Baggins."

 More of the holo micro glitter!!  This time in gold and with a scattering of larger holo glitter.  The formula is like Breakfast at Luke's and very easy to work with.  As always with glitters, you may need an extra coat of top coat to smooth it all out.

This is 2 coats.

Dreamland Lacquer is definitely starting the new year off right with this collection!  If I had to pick a favorite, I'd definitely have to go with Burned Jam in Vermont.  Be sure to check out Dreamland Lacquer at the following spots!

Shop | Facebook | Instagram

Will you be picking any of these up?  What has been your favorite Smitten Polish.  Let me know in the comments!

**Products in this post were provided by Dreamland Lacquer for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cirque Colors Icon Duos for Nordstrom x OC Pop-In

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Hi everyone! Hope you've had a great week so far.  Today I'm showing you some limited edition polishes from Cirque Colors created exclusively for Nordstrom's Pop-In that highlights NYC based fashion company Opening Ceremony.  The Pop-In show cases OC's unique style for both men and women.  The Icon Duos were created with OC's pre-spring color pallete in mind.  There are a total of 3 gift sets.  Each one containing a holo and a creme.  Lets take a look!

Girly Bits Holiday Magic Collection Swatches and Review

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Twinsie Tuesday - Inspired by the Season

Hi everyone!  I've been taking a bit of a blogging break, but I'm back today with a Twinsie Tuesday mani inspired by the season.  I decided to go with a fall inspired look because the weather here in LA has been anything but fall like!

I went with a glitter gradient and it didn't quite come out how I envisioned (the base is to dark for my taste), but I kind of like it.

For this look I used:

• China Glaze Free Bear Hugs (from the Fall 2015 The Great Out Doors Collection)
• China Glaze Electrify (from the Hunger Games Collection)
• OPI Thrills in Beverly Hills Top Coat

Don't forget to check out the other Twinsies!

Alaina at The Little Canvas

Amanda at Amandalandish

Amanda at Fashion Footing

Amber at Nails Like Lace

Bridget at A Painted Nail

Chelsea at Nailed Blog

ChiChi at I'm Just Me...ChiChi

Claire at Kerruticles

Jessica at Blue Velvet Lacquer

​Lisa at The Polish Playground

Marisa at Polish Obsession

Marisa at Polish Those Nails

Megan at A Beauty in the Business

Róisín at Cuti-CLUE-les

Sara at The Call of Beauty

Savannah at Addicted to Polish

Sharon at Behind Green Eyes

Steph at Lovestruck Lacquer

Tiffany at Polished To Precision

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Claw Polish

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Hi everyone!  I totally had this post ready for Wednesday and it disappeared on me!  So lets try this again. Today I have 6 Claw Polishes to show you from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab!  This is an indie brand that's well known for their intoxicating perfumes and ethereal gothic aesthetic.  They were one of the first indie perfume brands I purchased from.

These polishes are some BPAL's most famous scents reincarnated in polish form.  They are currently being sold at the Black Phoenix Trading Post and retail for $9.75 each.  Be sure to check out Ida Nails It and Lavish Layerings for swatches of polishes not included in this post!

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Tribal Vibe and Boho Chic Collections (partial)

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Hi everyone!  Today I have some Sally Hansen Miracle Gel polishes to show you.  Recently Sally Hansen has release not one, but two new Miracle Gel collections.  They've also made improvements on the Miracle Gel top coat and have put some limited edition duo packs together.  I have a little bit of each collection, so I'm putting it all in one post.  I'll be doing a separate review on the Miracle Gel top coat later.
*The brushes on these are really wide.  I love them because I have big nail beds and it makes things easy to apply. Please keep this in mind when I talk about application.  If you prefer smaller brushes, you may have a different experience.

Let's take a look!

Darling Diva Bewbs!!

Okay, I'm ashamed.  I've been wanting to try Darling Diva for years (I still have stuff in my etsy account that I wanted to get lol) and I finally bought a few.

Today I have for you Bewbs!! from last years Salem Collection.  It's a change of pace from all the neons and pastels, but something about this time of year makes me crave all things vampy.  I've been wearing this since Tuesday and I don't want to take it off.  It's a beautiful vampy berry color.  Kind of a cross between raisin and burgundy.  It glows in low light and in bright lights the holo comes out.  If by some cruel twist of fate I could only choose one polish to wear for the rest of my life, this would be a top contender.

The formula on this polish was surprisingly thick, though it's easy to apply.  I think it's what makes this a one coater.

Have you tried Darling Diva?  Which ones are your favorite and what should I buy next?

Cirque Colors The Metropolis Collection for January 2015: Empire State of Mind and Midnight Cowboy

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Hi everyone!  Every month Cirque Colors releases 1 or 2 creme polishes inspired by New York City to become a part of The Metropolis Collection.  Today I have January's additions to the collection.

First up is Empire State of Mind.  This one is a deep oxblood color.  These kinds of reds always feel classy, edgy and sexy to me.  The formula on this was nice, no complaints here.  As with most reds, be careful when applying.  Reds tend to make cleanup a little harder.  This is 2 coats.

The second color to be added this coming January is Midnight Cowboy, a beautiful navy blue creme.  Formula on this was perfect.  This is 2 coats.

Over all I was very pleased with these.  The formulas were great and I really liked the colors.  I'm discovering that I really love a classic creme finish.  It was also a nice surprise to find that Cirque Colors has a lovely lavender scent.  I kept sniffing my nails.  I thought I was going crazy at first!

The new January additions to The Metropolis Collection will be available from CirqueColors.com starting January 2, 2015.  Make sure to check out the Cirque Colors Facebook and Instagram for updates and information on upcoming releases!

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**The products in this post were sent by PR for consideration.  All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Milani Enchanted Garnet

Hope everyone had a nice weekend!  Today I have Milani Enchanted Garnet from their Bedazzled Collection for Fall 2014.

Enchanted Garnet is one of those glowing ember type polishes with a blackened base and lots of red shimmer.  Very vampy.  No matter how many colors i have like this, I can't help buying more!  This one reminds me a bit of OPI Royal Rajah Ruby.

Application on this was good.  It goes on sheer in the first coat, but quickly builds up.

This is 2 coats.

China Glaze Evening Seduction

I broke my nails.  That was 2 weeks ago.  When I say broke my nails, I mean all the way past the meat, a few were bleeding, and they hurt kind of broke.  It's been two weeks and they are still extremely short.  I don't think they've been this short in years.  I might be exaggerating a bit, but I know some one out there feels my pain.  So I've decided to come out of hiding, bust out one of my untried vampies and rock the nubbins.

China Glaze Evening Seduction fit the bill, so that's what I've got on today.  It originally hails from the Visions of Grandeur collection  that was released in 2005 but it's apart of the core line now. This is a true vampy polish.  It's a deep plum cream that borders on looking black.  Actually at a glance in certain lighting, it does look black.  It's perfect for my short nails and for October.

Application on this was great.  Everything applied smoothly, but be forewarned.  Apply with care because this is one of those polishes that's a pain to clean up.  Looks like your fingers have been bleeding if you don't do a thorough job.  Other than that, I love this polish.

This is 2 coats.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Au Chocolate

Today I have a little throwback Thursday action with Rescue Beauty Lounge Au Chocolat.  I bought this a while ago (maybe 2010?) and of course I'm just now getting around to wearing it.  I don't think it's even available on the site anymore (sorry!).

Au Chocolat is a red/brown crelly, meaning a mix of both cream and jelly finish.  It's a great fall color.  It's dark without looking black in low light, which I love.  True to most Rescue Beauty Lounge polishes, the formula was nice, but a bit streaky on the first coat.

This is 2 coats.

China Glaze Side Saddle

Hey everyone!  Today I have a swatch of China Glaze's Side Saddle.  This one comes from one of my favorite China Glaze collections.  Rodeo Diva from fall of 2008.  This collection had some gorgeous vampy glowing shades and this is definitely one of them.  I cant decide if Side Saddle is more brown or plum, but it's definitely a mix of the two with lots of golden shimmer.  It definitely "glows."

As for application this was definitely a bit runny and found it hard to control.  Despite that, it's still one of my favorites!

This is 2 coats.

China Glaze Call of the Wild

It's been a long time!  My nails have been breaking left and right and I haven't felt much like doing my nails.  My nails are super nubs, so of course I had to put on a vampy polish.

China Glaze Call of the Wild isn't anything super special or unique.  It's just a nice basic dark reddish brown cream.  Perfect for short nails and I'm loving it.

I had a hard time painting my nails, but this had nothing to do with the formula.  The formula is nice, but again, nothing to write home about.

Zoya Indigo

Today I have on Zoya Indigo.  I bought this about 4 years ago and I'm just now getting around to it.  Don't judge me.

Indigo is from the Downtown collection for Fall 2007.  It's a deep dark blue shimmer with tiny holo sparkles.  Unfortunately the little sparkles don't quite show on the nail much, which is disappointing, but it's still a pretty color.

I tried a different top coat to avoid shrinkage.  This time it was Revlon's top coat.  No shrinkage, but ended up with sheet marks even though I thought it was dry.  Next time I'll do a coat of Revlon and then a coat of Seche Vite or Poshe.  I'm determined to make Zoya work for me.  They have some AMAZING colors.

Application was nice.  No complaints.

This is 2 coats.

Blurry to show some of the sparkle.  Kind of failed lol.

China Glaze Purr-fect Plum

Purr-fect Plum is from China Glaze's Safari collection for Fall 2012.  It's a vampy berry creme.  It's nice, but it's nothing we haven't seen before.

Application was a bit thick, and I got a few bubbles, but that could be from me just rushing.  Honestly, this isn't the best mani I've done.  The pictures come out looking better than it looks in person.

Anyways, this is 2 coats.

Throw Back Thursday: Cover Girl Midnight Forest

For Throw Back Thursday, I decided to we Midnight Forest which I found in Dollar Tree a year or two ago.  I'm actually not sure how old this is but I believe Cover Girl has stopped making polish  (correct me if I'm wrong) .

Anyways, Midnight Forest is a blackened green as it's name suggests.  I boarders on being frosty and seems to have some silvery frost/shimmer in it.  It's gorgeous!

As for the application, it was a little runny for me, but other than that I had no issues.

This is 3 coats.