Swatch: Nicole by OPI Gumdrops Cinna-man of My Dreams

 

I have my July favorites on the way, things have been crazy at work, which depending on how you view it can either be good or bad. Either way, I finally got a new cell phone, and of course after getting one, I discovered that the back casing of my old one, had begun to melt apparently. Shock shock!

Besides that though, I purchased another one of the Gumdrops from Nicole by OPI. This one was the one I had been debating between when it came to Candy is Dandy.

Cinna-man of My Dreams is an unique color (to me at least, I don't have anything like it in my collection!). It is a brick red-pink that has shades of mauve, brown, and light pink. The glitter is basically the main part of the texture, there's no hologram glitters or hexagon glitters either. This is the best way to describe the color.

Directions: Apply base and two coats of color. Do not use top coat.

Vivid setting on the camera.

Application: Easy. Two coats for this and it was completely opaque. Actually, when you apply one coat, you get the true color of the polish, I think. I actually like how one coat looks, two coats makes it perfect for fall.

Natural setting on the camera

 

Close-up Natural Setting

Overall Verdict: I absolutely adore this color. Both one coat and two coats. To me it's a unique color, and doesn't match anything I have.  Definitely happy that I went back and got this color. 

Price: Varies, I purchased this for $6.94, but the price can go up to $8.00.

Availability: Anywhere that Nicole by OPI is sold.

Swatch: Nicole by OPI Gumdrops Candy Is Dandy

Steering away from my neon madness (have I lost my mind?!), I finally painted my nails a different color! I honestly couldn't wait to the Nicole by OPI polish out once I had purchased it.

I was beyond excited to find out that CVS and Harmons had the Gumdrops collection out, because I swear the stores around me just don't get collections. Or they get them five months later then they stay in the stores for five months. There are other collections!

Gumdrops is Nicole by OPIs answer to texture polishes. I actually think the name if appropriate because the finish makes it appear as a gum drop.

Candy is Dandy

The first one that I got from the collection is Candy is Dandy. It's a cross between a barbie pink and a baby pink; with tiny bits of glitter, as well as hexagon glitters.

Directions: Apply base and two coats of color. Do not use top coat.

Honestly, I applied a top coat over this when I swatched it on my nail wheel and it didn't do anything. It didn't change the texture, nor did it smooth it out. Then again, I only applied one top coat.

Application: Easy, but this one (as far as I know) is on the sheer side. Two coats and I can still see the free edge of my nails. I would definitely say, a third coat could be applied, or possible a thicker second coat.

Vivid camera setting

Tried to get the camera to un-focus on the nails to show the glitz.

Overall Verdict: I love the fact that there is glitter mixed in, although it's suppose to dry to a matte finish, it STILL looks shiny and sparkly due to that little added touch. Definitely plan on getting a few others from the collection :D

Price: Varies, I purchased this for $6.94, but the price can go up to $8.00.

Availability: Anywhere that Nicole by OPI is sold.

Swatch: Half Charming, Half Alarming from Nicole by OPI

 

 Freshly put out onto the shelves at my local Walgreens, was the holy grail that is the Tink Collection from Nicole by OPI.  Can I just tell you all that when I discovered that Nicole by OPI was coming out with a Tink line, I literally squealed while I was at work. Whoops! Yes, I was THAT excited.

So upon coming across the display that hadn't been touched (at least it didn't look it), I went back and forth (this seems to be a reoccurring thing with me), trying to decide which to purchase first. Sadly, the other colors reminded me of other polishes that I have, I'll most likely go back and purchase them anyway though!

The one that I picked first was.... Drum Roll! Half Charming, Half Alarming!

Best way to describe this color is that it's alarming! Haha, not really. Definitely in the warm family, but I'm on the fence as to whether to say this is a terracotta colors or a tomato red color. It isn't quite red, but not orange either, it's definitely a mix of the two. Terracotta Tomato perhaps? It's a color that I don't recall having, not to mention it gives you a very polished look.

Formula: This is where I fall into the iffy area. I love Nicole by OPI polishes, but I'm not sure what happened with mine. Perhaps it was because of the heat? This is a sheer formula, I want to say it's jelly, but not jelly. It was also being a bit of a fuss-pot with applications, occassionally doubling over an area would cause balding to occur, or drag marks (maybe the brush is a mini car). It dries down to a semi-matte finish. Well actually, the first layer was matte, the second layer had minor gloss to it. Easy-peasy clean up though.

In the swatches below, I only used 3 coats. I definitely could have done a 4th coat to get it fully opaque, as I still see some of the white tip of my nails.

Psst, ignore the dryness below, I forgot the cuticle oil ;x

Camera setting set to Vivid

Camera setting set to Natural

Swatch-view: Londontown Lakur Weekend Cheers & Kur Nail Hardener

It's swatch-view time! Can I just say that I was beyond excited when I received these two items in the post from Londontown. Not only did the lovely, Kate sent me their Lakur Enhanced Colour in Weekend Cheers, but also sent me the kur Nail Hardener Base/Top Coat.

 Londontown is a 5-free formula, gluten free, vegan and cruelty free company that focuses on a nail care system that uses more of a holisic approach. Seeing that part of the remedy that is used in their fomulations, vitamins and minerals, I racked my brain to see what all I used, were there any vitamins or minerals in even the base coats I've used in the past? Maybe Gelitan, but that's it.

Currently, my nails break. The main nail to break is actually my left index finger, the outside edge breaks constantly. My nails constantly peel. They weren't always like this though, once upon a time I had strong nails that didn't break or peel. 

Because I'm reviewing a base/top coat and polish that are meant to help strengthen the nails, I feel that adding my history is a must here. But I'm putting it after the jump :D I'll try to keep it short though, as short as I can make it at least.

Swatches: étoile Greenwich St. Soirée

I'm a polish fanatic, although I probably don't have a large collection as many other do. Had it not been for the blogging world, I probably would have only known the brands that one can purchase in a store. So, I feel immensely fortunate to be able to try these two polishes from étoile (French for 'star') New York. 

I'm immensely thankful that I received a sample of the collection Greenwich St. Soirée. I have to say I literally bounced around when they arrived the VERY NEXT DAY after I had given my shipping info. And also scared the co-worker who was over at the house ;x Yes, that is how gitty I can get, especially on lack of sleep (with no coffee either!) xD 

So, without further ado, on to the review! (did that rhyme? :o)

Swatch-view: Ruby Wing Color Changing Polish in Groupie

Yes! Another swatch-view post! I had found out that Five & Below (a store that sells various items starting at $1 going up to $5) had Ruby Wing Summer Collection. I missed out on it the first go around, then they moved the display out of view. Took me a little bit to find it, but I did! I had only picked up one at the time, then went back to pick up the rest of the collection and they were SOLD OUT! In three days! They had a full display too! (Darn it!)

Anyway, I think it's pretty obvious which one I picked up, of course when I put it on, we had oh so lovely days of nothing, but rain.

If you love the beach even though your life doesn't always feel like a day at one, and celebrate life and everything it has to offer – there's now a nail polish that celebrates you.   Ruby Wing is every free-spirit's dream: color changing nail polish that transforms in sunlight.   Our color changing technology lets you switch your style from day to night, indoors to outdoors.   Each one of our shades dramatically change in direct sunlight and then back again once inside.

 via Ruby Wing website

Packaging: If you're familiar with Ruby Wing or even their sister brand, Color Club, then you're familiar with the square shape bottle that all their polishes come in. The cap itself is a gold cap. Actually it's a cap over a cap, one of the polishes I purchase, the gold cap twisted clean off (oops!) revealing the black underlying cap under it. The brush is a standard nail polish brush.

Color: The one I picked up is named Groupie. It is a neon hot pink (love!), and it is a gorgeous pink. Once it hits the sunlight it looses it's neon pinkiness (think that's a new word) and it turns into a deeper pink. Almost a light pink-wine color.

Formula: Slightly on the runny side. I had a couple of issues with it, streaking and balding near the cuticles. Once you get through the second coat though it goes smoother. Although in the sunlight you can see the streaking (yikes!). I used three coats to get it completely opaque.

Inside, flash, natural setting

Outside, no flash, natural setting

Overall Verdict: LOVE this polish! While there are minor issues with the formula, I'm sure the polish can be worked with. What I REALLY loved about this is that, it's the first neon polish that I have that didn't dry matte. It dries glossy. This polish is the reason why I want to get the rest of the collection.

Price: $10.00

Availability: Ruby Wing Website, or if you have a 5 & Below near you, check out there!

Swatch-view: Rimmel London Cocktail Colour in a Flash

Quick post!

Wondering around Walgreens last night, I happened upon a mini-display of Rimmel London's Cocktail Colour In A Flash Nail Polish. From my understanding there IS a larger display that has various items that lovers of Rimmel have been WAITING ages for here in the states.

There are five colors total in the Cocktail Colour collection (on the display it said, exclusive to Walgreens), so after much going back and forth on what color to actually try first.

#120 Shirley Temple

Rimmel London Cocktail Colour in a Flash Nail Polish. Colour in a Flash! Intense fully pigmented nail colour, charged with high energy colour pearls.

Packaging: For a nail polish, the bottle comes across to be on the small size. In my opinion at least. Then again I'm used to bottles the size of OPI. You get a total of 0.27 fl. oz./8 ml of product. The cap is standard black cap with a hologram sticker of, well, a cocktail on it.

The brush is a wide brush, it isn't a blunt end though. It actually curves on the sides. I actually prefer the wide professional brushes that have curves along the sides because, for me, it fits my cuticles better then when a wide brush has a blunt edge to it.

Color: I ended up purchasing Shirley Temple (#120), which is an orange polish with a gold shimmer overlay.

Formula: Here's the tricky part. The polish itself is sheer, and on the back of the bottle it says, One-coat nail polishes. Perhaps if you don't mind a sheer coat of color and shimmer, one coat is all you'll need and you'll be out the door. But for someone who likes their polishes to be opaque, one coat isn't going to do it! I also noticed that it can be a bit of a fussy polish. Balding in some areas, but definitely no issues with streaking. Also on the bottle, it says that the polish dries in 60 seconds. True. The first coat was dry enough to the touch in about a minute. I ended up doing 4 coats to get it fully opaque or the appearance of it being opaque to me.

Natural setting on my camera.

Vivid setting on my camera.

Overall Verdict: I definitely do like the polish. It's such a vivid, lively color. Perfect for summer! I do wish the formula wasn't on the sheer side though, having to put so many coats on, even with a polish that says it dries in 60 seconds, multiple coats can hinder the polishes drying time. Besides that, I really want to go back and grab the other four colors.

Price: $2.49

Availability: As far as I know, this is exclusive to Walgreens. I'm sure though, it'll make its way to other locations that carry Rimmel.

Swatch-View: Sally Hansen Sugar Coat

With texture polishes all the rage now. If you follow me on instagram, I discovered that Target got a bunch of new collections in! YES! Two the collections were from Sally Hansen. The Sugar Coat collection and the Fuzzy Coat collection.

Excited that my Target FINALLY got them in, I got one polish from each. Right now this post is about the Sugar Coat polish. The Fuzzy one will be later on as I have an idea for a design, but I don't have the other color to go with it =\

Polish Swatches: L.A. Colors

For my birthday back in December, I received five L.A. Colors polishes from a dear friend of mine. I finally got around to swatching them. Sadly though, the names of the polishes were on the cardboard packaging, which were tossed as I thought the names would be on the bottoms of the bottles. The numbers on the base do not match on the site, but I did my best to try and decipher them.

(l-r) Current, Wave Length, Static Electricity, Metallic Teal, Atomic

I actually compared quite a few photos through google to make sure I'm on the right track with the names. I'm just not sure about the Metallic Teal though.

No top coat used for any of these.

First one is Current. It's a shimmery Green-Yellow that in the bottle almost seems to have a slight blue duochrome, which on the nails, it doesn't. It's just the way the light reflects on the bottle. The formula runny and thin. I actually used four coats of the polish and it still looks as if four coats wasn't enough.

Metallic Teal (or is it Treasure Island?). The flash on my camera seems to mess this one up as to the naked eye, it's blue with teal shimmers. Coming across like a duochrome, with the flash it translates as a metallic blue. Formula on this one, again, runny and thin. Three coats for this, and as it goes with Current, I needed more coats.

Wave Length (I'm fairly sure that's what this one is, I almost thought it was Shock, but Shock seems to be more a jelly/creme) is an yellow-orange shimmer. It's a very sunny yellow, perfect for summer I think. I used four coats, while one certain nails it covered fine, I can still see part of the white tip of my ring finger. The formula for this one was runny, but slightly thicker than the other two.

Next up, Atomic. It's a teal creme, and dries semi-matte. This is probably my least favorite of the five. The formula is thin, runny and patchy. Two coats were used. I'm sure a third coat would have fixed the issues.

My favorite out of the five, Static Electricty. It's just a true blue creme polish. I used only two coats, the formula is thin and runny. Only slight streaking occurred. It's an absolutely gorgeous color though, and I'm not one for wearing blue polish either.

Overall, they're nice polishes, unless you like sheer colors, then you'll definitely have to use more than three coats to get the polishes fully opaque.

Disclaimer: These products were given to me as a birthday gift, I did not purchase them on my own.