Beam Me Up - Ellagee

The super kind Laura of Ellagee Polish recently sent me three samples from her new Sci-Fi Geeks collection to review!

You can get her polishes at:

http://www.ellagee.com

First up for review is "Beam Me Up."

As described on her website:

Beam Me Up is a sheer gold shimmer topcoat. Inspired by Star Trek transporter effect.

This polish goes on very smoothly. It also seemed to dry really quick. But, when she says it is sheer, she isn't kidding. In most of the photos (the not-macro ones) it's kind of hard to tell I am wearing it!

I started with a base coat of two layers Sinful Colors - Ablaze on all nails except my ring finger, which was one (yes, ONE) coat of Sinful Colors - My Buoyfriend.

On my thumb nail, I did one coat Beam Me Up. On my pointer finger, I used two. On my middle and ring fingers, I did a diagonal stripe of two coats Beam Me Up at the tips, and on my pinky nail, three costs Beam Me Up.

I like the shimmer, and it is really pretty in person, up close, but if you are looking for something with a very noticeable effect, you may be disappointed. I know that I prefer polishes that are more noticeable, but that's just me. It's still very pretty. It shows best on the macro photos.

Oh, and I just have to say that I LOVE the suspension base for these polishes. It's the thicker, dreamy stuff that really requires no shaking. Excellence, for sure.

I've got a date with super heroes.

Laugh all you want, but the title is true. Tonight, I'm dating both Spider-Man and Superman!

Okay... Maybe I'm really going to a Go Fish concert with my husband and sons, but kids who dress up like superheroes get a free glow stick. So, I'll be bringing a 2.5 year-old Spider-Man and a 9 month old Superman.

I'm pretty excited, so, I decided to do a superhero inspired manicure for the event. I will not get a glow stock, but I don't need one anyway. I know Collin will share.

The polishes used in this manicure were all purchased by me, with the exception of Daring Digits (www.ddpolish.com) All Peppered Up, which was given to me as a free gift with purchase. 

To begin, my ring finger was painted with two coats Sally Hansen Golden-I. (I lie, the middle was too, but I smudged it and decided to change it...)

My pinky is Zoya Asia.

All other fingers are Savina Caribbean.

I stamped with MASH - 11, stars. Golden-I over Asia, Asia over Golden-I, and Golden-I over Caribbean.

Then, the nails I didn't stamp, I have one coat of All Peppered Up!

Voila! 

My right hand is all Caribbean and All Peppered Up. I took a macro photo, but it's blurry because I couldn't hold still, and I forgot to clean it up, first. 

Whoopsies.

Thoughts?!

NOPI OPI Gold & Glitter Ombré

Awkward preface: I purchased these myself! No one gave them to me! Well... Except Desi gave me the Revlon. So I guess it's sponsored in part by Desi. Haha. Oh, and I think a friend gave me the OPI too. Can't remember.

Anyway... Today, I will compare two glitters.
Nicole by OPI (NOPI) - Pick of the Glitter
and
OPI - The Living Daylights

Last night, I chipped my pretty blue and white mani (oh darn), so after I showered (yay!), I painted the base for my comparison.

I used three golden metallics. As I mentioned on my St. Patrick's Day post, I didn't have a gold.

So, I used a gift card and bought one.

On my thumb, pointer, and middle fingernails, I used Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear (it pains my to type that word without the E) in Golden-I. My ring fingernails I used Revlon - Fall Mood. Pinkies are NYC - Fifth Avenue.

On my left hand, I used NOPI - Pick of the Glitter, and the right OPI - The Livung Daylights.

The metallics all went on fine. No issues. Dried quick. Two coats opacity.

The glitters are very similar in color, but because they are the same parent company I'm not surprised. They both consist of copper, gold, silver, and teal hex glitters. The OPI glitters are the same size. NOPI has varying sizes, and a few lilac hexes as well.

NOPI presents more even and filial coverage, but the glitters don't lay quite as flat. The gold are just a tad but curled. Not bad, just a little.

I didn't bother with a glossy top coat, took some macros, and then added a matte to see what that would be like. It didn't look a lot different, possibly due to the super metallic base coats.

I will label each photo to avoid confusion.

Which do you like better?

That One Nail Polish - Custom Color!

I was really excited to find a mystery package in my mailbox Friday. I hadn't ordered anything recently, so I had no clue what it could be. But then I remembered Nik saying earlier in the week that she couldn't wait for me to get some mail. Turns out that she worked with Roxette at www.thatonenailpolish.com to create a custom polish for the both of us!

This polish is inspired by Nik's and my coordinating chevron aprons by Butterfly Designs. Here I am modeling mine. Nik's is the same except for the trim--she chose turquoise.

The polish base is a fantastic gunmetal gray and it features small, hexagonal turquoise, silver, and yellowish-gold glitters as well as larger hexagonal silver glitter. When I first opened the bottle, I was a bit worried about how thick the polish seemed to be. But worry not, it went on very easily!  Glitter distribution is amazing-one of the best I've come across! The color coverage isn't bad, just a little thin for my liking. That said, next time I use it, I do plan to put it over a dark gray polish, just to see if it brings out the glitters any more.

(pardon my crappy pictures...as usual, I'm using my iPhone. Note to self: buy a battery for your good camera!!)

My only complaint--it's really difficult to remove. The color came off easily, but the glitter is a different story, even with acetone polish remover. Actually, it's still on my nails. I'll have to try again to remove it. While that's more a rant about glitter polish in general, this one is proving especially difficult to get off...I guess it's time to finally try the foil method I found on Pinterest some time ago!

complete with cotton ball fuzz

All in all, I'm really happy with this polish & have my eye on a few others in Roxette's collection! Go check it out and give That One Nail Polish a try!

Zoya "Skylar"

I've always been drawn to blue nail polishes. The color makes up a great majority of my 100+ polish collection and I own several different shades among various brands. Today's manicure is "Skylar" by Zoya and it is part of their Spring 2012 collection. The website describes Skylar as a medium steel blue. It also has a gorgeously subtle silver & gold shimmer. (It reminds me of Pooh's forlorn friend, Eeyore.) Today was my first time using Skylar and I think I have a new favorite polish!

I'd hoped to get a better quality picture with my Kodak camera today, but the Kodak didn't agree, as it refused to power on for me. So, another dubious-quality iPhone photo it is!

 

If you've never tried Zoya, please do! Be sure to follow them on Twitter and/or Facebook to get information on their frequent amazing deals!

 

-Desirae

Let The Good Times Roll!

Nicole tagged me on this Instagram photo.

She saw the Mardi Gras themed polish and immediately thought of me. When I saw that Missi of Different Dimension nail polish needed a name for it, my first thought was "Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler" or, "Let The Good Times Roll". Mardi Gras season is upon us in south Louisiana and Mardi Gras is all about fun and good times! I'm so glad that Missi agreed! She decided to use the name that I suggested and in turn, both Nicole and I got a free bottle of the amazing glittery purple, green, & gold goodness!

I received mine this week and immediately had to try it! My terrible photography skills do it no justice, but here is LLBTR over (pinky-gold) China Glaze Passion, (ring-dark purple) Essie Sexy Divide, (middle-green) Sally Hansen Emerald City, (index-black) OPI Witch Arm?, and 1 coat all by itself on my thumb. To say that I love this polish is an understatement. It is Mardi Gras in a bottle! I've never had such fantastic coverage from a glitter  polish before.

I highly recommend Different Dimension polishes. This is my first, but it will not be my last!

-Desirae