2015 - Page 4 of 12 - Of Life and Lacquer

Year: 2015

Of Life and Lacquer > 2015

Seventy Seven Nail Lacquer Sea Glass Holo Trio

Posted on 6 August, 20152 August, 2015 by Cynthia

Yesterday I showed you a mani that I did inspired by a daisy print, and today I am showing you the three polishes that I used to create the look. When Amy and I purchased the trio, we agreed to do a twin mani look with them and I do think it turned out pretty cool. The Seventy Seven Nail Lacquer Sea Glass Holo Trio is a sheer and scattered holographic collection that comes alive in direct sunlight. Let me show you my swatches of these polishes.

Seventy Seven Nail Lacquer Aquamarine

Seventy Seven Nail Lacquer Olivine

Seventy Seven Nail Lacquer Vintage Rose

Aren’t these polishes gorgeous? The formula on these is deceptively thin, but they do build up nicely. I ended up applying 3 thin coats, but I’m sure that you can get away with two. One thing that I did want to mention is that you won’t really see too much holo in indoor lighting, but they do come alive in sunlight. They were super easy to apply because the formula is very easy to control. My one complaint would be the quality of the bottles: the handle feels cheap and I don’t like the actual shape of the bottle. The sticker logos on my bottle already started to come off so that kind of sucks. I guess these are minor complaints since the actual polish is of great quality. If you’re interested in picking these up, you can click here for the Seventy Seven Nail Lacquer etsy site where you can get your own set for $30. So what do you think about these polishes? Do you have any other polishes from this brand? Well, I hope you’re doing well, and thanks for stopping by today!

Inspired By: Daisy Print

Posted on 5 August, 20152 August, 2015 by Cynthia

Today Amy and I have something fun for you: we are doing twin manis inspired by an image and we used the Sea Glass Holo Trio from Seventy Seven Nail Lacquer. We both purchased this trio over the 4th of July weekend, and I’m glad to report that I enabled her to get it. I’ve been doing a lot of that lately, and to be honest I don’t know if that is good or bad. Regardless, we are taking this opportunity to do something fun on our blogs. Let me show you the image that we used as our starting point:

Cute, huh? I could not believe how well this image paired with the three polishes that we are working with. I’ll have swatches of the individual polishes for you tomorrow, so for now this is what I came up with:

This ended up being more time consuming than I had anticipated because I made decals for the leaf design. Normally I hate working with decals, but I think it actually worked out well here even if they took forever and a half to make and apply. You know what sucks about doing complicated manis where you’re a blogger? You don’t get to wear anything for long. I literally did this mani and took it off after taking the pictures so I could get back to swatching. Womp womp. This seems a little too girly for my taste, but I do like the end result.

So what do you think? Do you like this mani? Don’t forget to check in tomorrow for a full review of the three polishes that I used today. Do you want to know how Amy interpreted this design? Head on over to The Fancy Side to see her mani. Thanks for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon!

Ooh La Lacquer Swatches & Review

Posted on 4 August, 20151 August, 2015 by Cynthia

I have been making a huge effort to buy more indies this year because I love the idea of supporting small businesses and because they usually come out with the most creative polishes on the market. Don’t get me wrong: I still adore my mainstream brands for the quality, value and just the memories I have of using them when I was a kid and didn’t know much about polish. Have you been painting your nails since you were a kid? I remember that I used to save some of my lunch money in elementary/jr high so I could buy nail polish. Unfortunately, I did not know how to paint my nails. I clearly remember applying 4 coats of dark polish and then getting upset because it took forever to dry. I would get polish all over my skin and cuticles and would then rub it all off my skin the shower with a washcloth. C’mon–you know some of you did/do that! Anyway, let’s get back to the point of this post: indie polishes! A few weeks ago, I saw a post in one of the nail polish groups I am in about the holos over at Ooh La Lacquer. I don’t recall exactly what the post said but it had my two favorite words: holo and sale. When I headed over to etsy, I spent a good 30 minutes trying to figure out what I wanted. Since it was my first experience with the brand, I only bought 2 polishes which are the ones I have to show you today.

Ooh La Lacquer Emerald City

Ooh La Lacquer Wine Thirty

Holy mother of all things holy. These holos are magnificent! They are linear holos but it is more of a rough holo effect rather than the smooth linears such as the Halo Hues. Regardless, these colors are so freaking gorgeous that it physically and mentally pained me to remove them. Do you want to know what the best part was? The formula is absolutely decadent! It’s thick and loaded with pigment and holo so it applies easily and there is absolutely no drag to the formula. If you’re careful, you can almost get away with one thick coat, but I prefer two thin coats. As soon as I swatched these two, I jumped on my computer and bought 4 more. I clearly have issues, but I know most of you understand because you are reading a blog about nail polish after all. When I purchased these babies, they were going for $6 each but I was advised that the price would go back up to $10 soon. They are a steal at $6 and are totally worth it at full price as well so if you’re looking for some gorgeous holos, you now have another source. If you’re interested in checking out all of the other polishes from Nastassia’s etsy shop, click here. When the new polishes that I ordered arrive, I’ll swatch them for you–and I know they are going to be just as gorgeous. Let me know what you think of these beauties! Have you tried anything from Ooh La Lacquer before? Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon.

OPI Color Paints Watermarble

Posted on 3 August, 20152 August, 2015 by Cynthia

I don’t normally start my blog posts by saying my mani is awesome, but today I will say it loudly and proudly. I have had my ups and downs when it comes to watermarbling, so every time that it works out, I rush out to buy a lottery ticket in case my good fortune decides to continue. I have really begun having fun with my OPI Color Paints, and I can’t tell you enough how awesome they are to play around with. In one of the many nail polish groups that I am in on Facebook, someone had posted a watermarble that they had done using the Color Paints with a base of Orly Mirrorball so of course I had to try it immediately. With Mirrorball as my base, holo is life. Let me show you again how gorgeous this polish is on its own.

Do I really have to say anything else about Orly Mirrorball? Nope. One great thing I have heard is that this polish is now part of the core line so you shouldn’t have trouble getting your hands on it. For once, a polish company didn’t discontinue a polish that everyone loved. Shocker, I know!

For my watermarble colors, I used OPI Color Paints (press samples) in Landscape Artist, Magenta Muse and Purple Perspective. I am in love with the outcome and will trying different variations of this mani in the future because it’s just so damn gorgeous. It’s so sparkly and gorgeous that it pained me to remove this mani, but I had so much swatching to do that I just couldn’t keep it on for very long. I am not super excited about trying more techniques with my Color Paints! You can see my first attempt here which turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.

Well, I hope you like my mani as much as I do. Have you tried the OPI Color Paint before? Let me know what you think of them. I hope that your Monday is going well! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon.

Stamping Saturdays #63

Posted on 1 August, 20151 August, 2015 by Cynthia

Hey there! Welcome to another installment of Stamping Saturdays! Last week I went to Sally’s telling myself that all I needed was a bottle of Yellow Stopper, but of course I was lured in by the discount/sale section. By the way, do any of you guys use Yellow Stopper as a peel off base coat? I guess I was under the (incorrect) impression that it could be used while swatching but no peeling happened so now I ended up with a huge bottle that I have no use for. It’s so annoying. Anyway, while I was at Sally’s I saw this Orly polish off on its own and it ended up being under $2. When does that ever happen? I guess I am just lucky when it comes to polish. Why can’t I be lucky with the lottery, hmmm?

Orly Teal Unreal is a gorgeous teal polish that unfortunately photographs blue because my camera hates me real bad. The polish is incredibly pigmented and is gorgeous at two coats. The best part is that it does not stain at all so it’s a total winner in my book.

I’ve been wanting to use this design from plate MoYou London Back To The 70’s – 03 (press sample) for a while now, but it always seemed kind of a weird image. I ended up liking this quite a bit because my placement came out pretty good. It also helped that my Pure Ice Silver Mercedes stamps like a dream.

So what do you think about this mani? Is it just kinda weird or are you digging it? Do you have any fun weekend plans? We are probably going to be going out to dinner for my dad’s birthday since he turned 76 yesterday. Well, I hope you’re doing well and make sure you check out the other manis below. Thanks so much for the visit, and I will talk to you soon.

PSSSST! Hey, you! Yes, it’s me again. I wanted to invite you to join our stamping group. If you like to stamp, come join us by clicking on the image below to be taken to the group page. The group is growing, and we’d love to have you participate.

Bye for reals, now!

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Vintage Polish – American Classic Dusty Mauve

Posted on 31 July, 201526 July, 2015 by Cynthia

The vintage polish that I’m sharing with you today, is one that I don’t have much information about. When I spotted this polish at one of my dusties, I grilled the owner about how old it was but he couldn’t tell me anything besides: “It’s old.” He actually tried to dissuade me from buying it because it looked pretty separated and gross, but I knew some thinner would bring it back to life. One thing he was able to tell me is that the brand, American Classic, is the brand that makes our favorite glitter tamer Gelous. I’m not 100% sure if this is accurate but the logo looks the same so I am inclined to believe him. I’ve tried to search out more information online but sadly came up empty-handed. The bottle looks old, there is no information online and the polish stinks like the old chemical-ladden polishes we all loved so I’m going to say that this polish is just OLD. Let me show you my swatches of this oldie.

While you may think American Classic Dusty Mauve is a “mom” color, I defy your assessment. It’s such a strange mauve color with purple/blue shimmer that is just so unique. I think that when this polish first came out, it was super unique. My lighting makes it look a tad frosty, but it’s actually very shimmery. The formula on this was rather thin so I had to apply 4 thin coats to build up the color.

I really like this color to be honest. I actually grabbed a bunch of polishes from this same line so I’ll be sharing those in future Vintage Polish Friday posts. So what do you think about this polish? I’m curious to hear your thoughts and most importantly: if you have any information about this polish line…please share!!! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon.

Incoco Perfect Accents Collection

Posted on 30 July, 201526 July, 2015 by Cynthia

It’s no secret that I am huge fan of Incoco. Out of all the nail stickers/appliques out on the market, I think Incoco makes the best ones and they always have great patterns. They tend to wear like cement on my nails and I always end up taking them off due to nail growth. The easiest way to take your mani to another level is to do a fun accent nail, so that is where the Incoco Perfect Accents Collection comes in. I tried them out and did two accent nails on each hand, but you can definitely do one nail–it’s all up to your own personal preference. Let me show you how they turned out.Incoco Garden Delight Accent Nails

Incoco In Paradise Accent Nails

Each of these packets come with 4 appliques, and I really wish that they would have sealed two appliques individually because once you open them up, they dry out. Normally I only like doing one accent nail per hand so that means I will waste 2 of the appliques. There are tons of designs to choose from and they retail for $2.99 per packet. You can check out all of the designs here. Let me know what you think of these and what you think about accent nails overall. Thanks so much for the visit, and I will talk to you soon!

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Poolside Paradise Collection

Posted on 29 July, 201526 July, 2015 by Cynthia

Lately I feel that I have been really happy withe the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel polishes because I’ve been into wearing manis for much longer since I don’t really do much swatching during the week. Since the temperatures are starting to get boiling hot, what better time to use these awesome and juicy summer shades? The Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Poolside Paradise Collection is made up of 7 summer inspired shade and today I have 4 of those shades to share with you.

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Life’s A Peach

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Pink-A-Colada

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Morning, Sunshine!

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Dive Bar

Aren’t these shades absolutely gorgeous? I love how bright they are…almost bordering on neon. The colors make me look extra tan too which I love during the hot Summer months. I’m sure that most of you who read my blog regularly know how much I hate the Summer heat, but I definitely love the nail polish shades that are released around this time. These shades were officially released in May, but I saw them at my local drugstore recently. Since they are limited edition, make sure that you pick these up before they are gone. Thanks for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon!

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri – New Shades

Posted on 28 July, 201526 July, 2015 by Cynthia

I tend to not follow up with the release of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri shades because….well, I don’t really have a reason and that’s kind of crazy because this line is really good. A lot of these polishes stamp well AND watermarble like a dream too. I had meant to get these swatches up earlier this month but you know how it is: life kind of gets in the way. As much as I would like to post every day, I just can’t do it anymore. I am always impressed with bloggers who can post a lot and keep it consistent because I wonder how in the world they can do it when they have jobs/family. If I did that, I would have no life outside of work and blogging but that’s just me–maybe I’m a slow blogger. haha Anyway, let me show you these three new shades that are, unfortunately, limited edition.

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Vandal Eyes

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Tag, Ur It!

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Quick Brick

So what do you think about these shades? I really like Vandal Eyes myself Quick Brick and Tag, Ur It! are staple colors that are good to add to your collection if you don’t already have something similar. The limited-edition Insta-Dri collection, SRP $4.99, is available beginning July 2015 at chain drugstores and mass retailers nationwide. Well, I hope you like these shades and hopefully you can still get them if you’re interested. Thanks for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon.

ily Cosmetics – Swatches & Review

Posted on 27 July, 201526 July, 2015 by Cynthia

The fact that this is the last week of July is completely freaking me out. How are we 3/4 of the way through 2015 already? Time has flown by this year! I’m planning to make tons of changes in my personal life, so wish me luck on getting my shit together. ha! Monday tends to be the most annoying day of the week just because it’s the first day coming off a lazy weekend, but that’s life, right? We have to work to actually enjoy our down time. Today I have some polishes from a new-to-me brand: ily Cosmetics. Most of these polishes are glitter toppers so I have paired them with solid base colors. Let me show you the swatches below.

illy Cosmetics Tribal over OPI My Dogsled is a Hybrid

ily Cosmetics Starmalade over OPI Red Hot Rio

ily Cosmetics Flying Colors over OPI Kiss Me I’m Brazilian

ily Cosmetics Daydreamer over OPI Incognito In Sausalito

ily Cosmetics Candy Fairy

All of these polishes, with the exception of Candy Fairy, are traditional glitter toppers which means that they are very versatile and will look different depending on what base colors you use. The glitter toppers are hard to use because the base is thick, and it’s hard to get the glitter on the nail. The best way to use them is to use the dabbing method or to try sponging some of the glitter on. This is fairly typical when it comes to glitters in a clear base so I can’t say that I was surprised. My favorite polish here is Candy Fairy because it reminds me of Funfetti cake that I loved so much as a kid. If you’re interested in purchasing these polishes or seeing the other polishes in the line, you can check them out on their website here where they retail for $9.00. Let me know what you think of these! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon!

ily Cosmetics

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