Review Archives - Page 36 of 57 - Of Life and Lacquer

Category: Review

Of Life and Lacquer > Review

Stamping Saturdays #65

Posted on 15 August, 201521 August, 2015 by Cynthia

Hello. Have you melted yet? It’s in the 100’s here so excuse my foul mood. Anytime that it gets hotter than Satan’s butthole, I tend to lose my shit. You see, I live in a coastal city so we don’t really need air conditioning except for a few weeks during most Summers. Even then, it’s not anything that we can’t handle, but for someone who hates the heat, I just become a miserable grump. Last night I was debating if I should even attempt to do a mani for Stamping Saturdays because I figured the heat might make my polish act up, but I am glad to report that everything went fine. I initially thought I might be able to polish my nails near a fan, but you know how that went. Anyway, let me show you the simple design I ended up with today.

I started with 2 coats of Pretty & Polished I Never Kiss and Spell. Can you believe that this is my very first Pretty & Polished?! When I saw that this baby was on sale, I jumped right on it and ended up picking up a few others as well. I was very impressed by how quickly I got my order so that’s always a big plus for me since I hate waiting for orders to ship. This polish has a very delicate holo shimmer that is not super noticeable unless the light hits it just right. The formula is nice and opaque and only requires 2 coats for full coverage. The finish does dry down matte, but you can always top coat it like I did if you prefer a shiny finish.

A few weeks ago, I bought some plates from Born Pretty because they were 50% off. Since I’m usually a cheapskate, I only bought 6. Now that I have received them, I should have gotten more because they are kind of amazing. This image comes from Born Pretty plate BP-L009 and I used Mentality Black Opaque for my stamping polish. I really wanted to do some fancy decals, but it’s just too darn hot so I once again went for something simple.

I know people tend to be very “opinionated” when I change my nail shape, but I took the plunge anyway. I decided to go with an almond shape about a week ago and now I am just waiting to get more length so that I can do some serious swatching. I’m afraid to ask: what do you think of my new nail shape? Well, I’m going to spend my afternoon with my peanut brat so I hope you enjoy your Saturday as well. Thank you for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon!

Do you like stamping too? Join us on Facebook by clicking on the image below!

Loading InLinkz ...

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!

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.

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

website – etsy – Facebook – Instagram

OPI Infinite Shine Swatches

Posted on 16 July, 2015 by Cynthia

Since I should be getting samples of the OPI Infinite Shine Spring shades any year now, I figured I should show you some of the shades that came out during the initial release. I know I’m way behind on posting these, but long wearing polish is not my thing. As a sort-of nail blogger, I tend to change my polish so often that these types of polishes are wasted on me. However, I do tend to go through phases where I step away from too much swatching and just enjoy wearing a mani for a good week. Those are the times when these polishes come in handy because they really offer long lasting results with minimal wear. You can read my initial review of this 3 step system here if you are interested. Now, let the swatches begin!

OPI Infinite Shine Steel Waters Run Deep

OPI Infinite Shine Never Give Up!

OPI Infinite Shine Set In Stone

OPI Infinite Shine Endurance Race To The Finish

OPI Infinite Shine Unequivocally Crimson

OPI Infinite Shine Grapely Admired

So what do you think of these shades? Are you lured in by the idea of long-wearing polish? Let me know below if you have tried out this system and what you think. Do you see any colors here that you might want to pick up? Well, I hope you have a great Thursday, and I will talk to you soon!

OPI Coca-Cola Collection 2015

Posted on 14 July, 2015 by Cynthia

I feel like I’m finally getting back into the groove of posting. I haven’t been very good about preparing my blog posts in advance, but I am making an effort to post even if it’s late in the evening. Lately I’ve been suffering with some ridiculous headaches. They are so strong that they wake me up, but I think that maybe it’s something related to my meds that I sometimes forget to take. Of course I immediately thought of that Kindergarten Cop scene about the tumor, but I’d rather stop the psycho self-diagnosis for now. I guess that if they continue I’ll have to go see my doctor, but damn I hate going to Kaiser. Anywho, today I have two polishes to share with you which were added to the Coca-Cola Collection. Last year, OPI put out the Coca-Cola Collection which I reviewed here, and this year 2 additional shades have been added in honor of the Coca-Cola bottle’s century anniversary. Whatever you may think of soda, we’re talking about polish here. Polish! Let me show you the two new shades.

OPI Centennial Celebration is described as a “shimmering pewter” and that’s pretty accurate…but another silver/metallic? I think that out of all the super similar polishes that OPI has put out lately, this one is one of my favorites. I don’t normally like metallics and definitely don’t like a billion of these silver/pewter colors, but this one is just nice. It is fairly thin, but it builds up nicely. I’m wearing 3 thin coats in my swatches above.

When I first saw OPI Visions of Georgia Green I pretty much assumed I would hate it. I wrote it off completely until I actually wore it. And you know what? I actually adore it. It’s such a weird ugly/pretty shade that I couldn’t help loving how unique it is. I’m sure that it’s going to be one of those controversial shades that some people like and some people hate so I’ll just let you make up your own mind.

If you’re interested in picking these up, you should be able to find them already at the usual places that sell OPI. So what do you think? Will you be picking these up? I am not sure if you can get these individually, but if you can, I’d probably pick up Visions of Georgia Green if you can only get one. Well, thanks so much for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon!

OPI Nail Envy Strength In Color – Giveaway

Posted on 13 July, 2015 by Cynthia

Hello there! How was your Monday? If you knew how much swatching I got done this weekend, you would be extremely proud of me but now comes the hard part: actually putting the post together. womp womp. When I tackled my swatch pile, I really wanted to try out some of the newer products so I decided to try the new OPI Nail Envy shades. To be honest with you, I have never tried OPI Nail Envy mostly because my nails are super healthy and strong. However, I know many people swear by this treatment and credit it for giving them strong nails. Most people I know use it religiously as a base coat so I was excited to see that the treatment now comes in 4 shades that can be worn alone. For someone like me who is lazy about nail polish, these are perfect! Believe it or not, I don’t wear polish during the week for the most part, so applying a treatment like Nail Envy that actually has color would probably work out great. OPI has released 4 Nail Envy shades:

Hawaiian Orchid: A tropical pink with hints of light purple
Samoan Sand: A warm beige-pink
Bubble Bath: A sweet candy pink
Pink to Envy: A Nail Envy exclusive shade in sheer light pink

I only have three of the four new shades to show you today because I got two of one color. If you are OPI fans, I’m sure you’re familiar with these iconic colors anyway.