September 30, 2014

Arcane Lacquer Erudite Charm Swatches & Review


Hello readers,

Today I have a lovely polish from Arcane Lacquer to show you. I got this one during last year's boxing day sale and sadly it's been neglected until now.
Arcane Lacquer Arcane Lacquer

Erudite Charm features a cool medium blue crelly base filled with tiny blue and navy glitters and a soft pink shimmer. The formula was great and easy to work with. I used three coats but you could definitely get away with two if you kept an eye out for the odd sheer spot. In softer lighting the blue base is the predominant colour but in direct sunlight or very bright indoor lighting the pink shimmer becomes visible. Photos show three coats of Erudite Charm with one coat of HK Girl top coat in natural lighting.

Arcane Lacquer Arcane Lacquer

Arcane Lacquer Arcane Lacquer

Arcane Lacquer Arcane Lacquer

Arcane Lacquer Arcane Lacquer

I really like that this polish is understated but still a little bit more than a creme at the same time. You can find Arcane Lacquer on:


Happy polishing,

- Michelle

September 29, 2014

Joe Fresh Kaleidoscope Swatches & Review


Hello readers,

Today I have an awesome Canadian polish to show you. I was at the grocery store with no intention of buying anything other than food when a new collection from Joe Fresh caught my eye. The Futuristic Effects collection has what appear to be some sublte holo's reminiscent of the China Glaze Hologlam collection, a couple of glitter toppers and the polish that I had to have, Kaleidoscope. Microflakes get me every time.

Joe Fresh Joe Fresh Joe Fresh

Kaleidoscope features a grey jelly base packed with color shifting metallic flakes. In direct light the polish takes on a super shiny flecked pewter look. In shade or indirect light the flakes transform into a rainbow that shifts from gold to purple. I also saw some hints of pink and green in there too. I was very surprised (in a good way) with the formula. I didn't expected it to be a full coverage polish but it went opaque in only two coats. The flakes all lay flat against the nail so no issues with grittiness of edges poking up through top coat. Photos show two coats of Kaleidoscope with one coat of CND Super Shiney top coat in natural lighting.

Joe Fresh Kaleidoscope Joe Fresh

Joe Fresh Joe Fresh

Joe Fresh Joe Fresh

Joe Fresh Joe Fresh

Joe Fresh Joe Fresh

I'm really impressed with this polish and love that a store brand is coming up with something innovative like this. Canadians can find at any store that carries Joe Fresh (which I believe is any of the stores in the Loblaws family). Everybody else, I suggest you get yourself a Canadian friend and nicely ask beg them to send you one.

Happy polishing,

- Michelle

September 24, 2014

Femme Fatale Void Shatter Swatches & Review


Hello readers,
Today I have an amazing Femme Fatale polish to show you.  I almost didn't buy this beauty since I figured it was just another charcoal grey holo but when I read that it had microflakes I decided to give it a shot.  I am very glad that I did since this is quite possibly the most complex holo I've seen.

Femme Fatale Femme Fatale Femme Fatale

Void Shatter features a charcoal holo based packed with tiny redish purple flakes.  The result is a fragmented purple flash.  The flakes are most visible in shade or indirect light.  When you get it out in the sun the holo takes over and the polish turns into a rich deep blurple.  The formula was great and went opaque in two coats.  Photos show two coats of Void Shatter with one coat of CND Super Shiney top coat in natural lighting.

Femme Fatale Femme Fatale

Femme Fatale Femme Fatale

Femme Fatale Femme Fatale

Femme Fatale Femme Fatale

Bonus: Extra close up so you can see those flakes!

I am in love with this polish.  You should run out and buy it right now.  You can find Femme Fatale on:


Happy polishing,

- Michelle

September 19, 2014

Beauty Box 5 September 2014 Review

Hello readers,
It's time for another Beauty Box 5 review. This month's theme was 'balancing act' and we knew we would be receiving a Nicka K eyeshadow pencil but everything else was a surprise.


Sally Hansen Toe Spacers | Retail $1.99 1 pair
"When it comes to no-nonsense nails, our girl Sally never disappoints! Cushion your toes and separate them with these adorably printed toe spacers to keep your DIY pedicure looking professional and smudge-free."
Toe separators? Really?? Cheap foam things I already have a bajillion pairs of and never use. I'm supposed to be getting 'deluxe samples' in this box. Cheap foam toe separators are definitely not that. Not impressed.

Dr. Lin Acne Spot Corrector | Retail: $8.99 1 fl oz
"Fade old acne spots and banish breakouts before they start! Formulated with 5% benzoyl peroxide, this spot corrector goes to work right away on blemishes to clear your complexion.  BB5 Tip: Start off small! A little goes a long way, so apply a thin layer.
I do still get pimples from time to time so this is a product I can use. I'm never sure if these spot treatments actually do much but I'll definitely give it a try.

Natural Style by FUBU Deep Conditioner & Co-Wash | Retail $9.99 12 oz
"Equipped with 8 repairing oils and shea butter, this treatment strengthens hair to minimize frizz.  Made without sulfates or parabens, it's gentle enough to be used as a co-wah for our curly-haired girls and as a deep conditioner after shampooing for all hair types.
First off, you know how I feel about foil packets counting as 'deluxe samples'. Even worse, they specifically say "NOT FOR RESALE" right on them! Yet, they came in a box that I had to pay for. Not cool BB5, not cool. Will I use them? Yes. Do I think they are appropriate for this box? No.

Nicka K New Your Eyelight Crayon | Retails $4.49 0.056 oz
"This creamy shadow stick glides on easily and adds a pigmented pop of color that lasts! BB5 Tip: Use it as a fun liner, gently smudge the color with your finger or brush for a smokey effect, or blend out all the way to a full-lid base."
I was looking forward to trying this product but I got a gold coloured pencil which just doesn't go with my colouring. It will end up being given to someone who can use this colour.

My Beauty Spot Nail Polish | Retails $24.99 0.4fl oz/ Set of 6
"We love these pretty polishes for their incredible bold colors! The thick formula glides on smooth, plus, it dries quickly, which means we can change our manis as frequently as we change our mood.
Another red polish. BB5... why must you always send me red?? I really don't like red. Though what really bugs be about this product is that it seems pretty cheap. I can't find much info on the brand and it doesn't say anything about being 3/5 free.  Also, you can't buy them individually... only in sets?

Conclusion

I am quite disappointed with this month's box. The quality of the BB5 boxes seems to be going downhill. There were only two items this month that I think fall into the 'deluxe sample' category and one of which is in a colour that I can't use. The toe separators are just insulting. I realize colours are just luck of the draw (I'm really not sure how their beauty profile survey fits in to what you get) however the quality of the majority of this month's products was the real let down. I really hope they take the feedback from this month's box into consideration. If you want to find out more about BB5 or sign up for your own box check out the BB5 website.

Happy polishing,

Michelle

Mod Lacquer Interstellar Artifact and Thunderbird Swatches & Review

 
Hello readers,
Today I have two polishes from Mod Lacquer to show you. This is a brand that's I've been aware of for a while but hadn't had the chance to try before so when these showed up in the mail for review I was very excited.

Mod Lacquer Mod Lacquer

First up is Interstellar Artifact. This polish is a shimmery light copper with a strong linear holo. I did find that in some indoor lighting it did lean a little more gold. The formula on this one was absolutely fantastic. No issues with application and it went opaque in only two coats. Photos show two coats of Interstellar Artifact with one coat of CND Super Shiney top coat in natural lighting.

Mod Lacquer Mod Lacquer

Mod Lacquer Mod Lacquer

Mod Lacquer Mod Lacquer

Next up is Thunderbird. This polish features a black jelly base packed (and I mean packed!) with two sizes of holographic silver hex glitter. Because of the amount of glitter in this polish I did find the formula somewhat difficult to work with. I would brush on a coat and then dab/nudge the glitters so they were distributed evenly. The polish did become opaque after only two coats though which was a nice surprise. This polish also required a lot of top coat love. Due to the amount of glitter it dried quite bumpy. I used a generous coat of Gelous followed by a coat of HK girl to smooth things out. That being said, if you're willing to do a little extra work you basically end up with outer space on you nails. This polish was crazy sparkly (my photos do not do the sparkles justice). Photos show two coats of Thunderbird with one coat of Gelous and one coat of HK Girl top coat in natural lighting.

Mod Lacquer Mod Lacquer

Mod Lacquer Mod Lacquer

Mod Lacquer Mod Lacquer

Sorry Thunderbird, I think Interstellar Artifact is my favorite out of these two. It's so pigmented that I think it would be a good option for stamping. I think to make Thunderbird a little easier to work with I would layer a single coat over a black creme next time. This should make it easier to work with and smooth out as well. You can find Mod Lacquer on:

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Happy polishing,

- Michelle
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