Monday, February 29, 2016

Potion Polish Marvelous Maple: Swatch and Review

*Gifted to me by a friend*

Happy Monday! Today, I have another polish that I was gifted, by one of the sweetest people that I have met through the nail community. This is Potion Polish's Marvelous Maple. 


I have always steered away from yellows and yellow-toned colors, but this beauty may change that! Marvelous Maple is a yellow-gold linear holo, with added holographic gold glitter and flakies. The formula on this was like butter, and dry time between coats was about 2-3 minutes. Marvelous Maple reached opacity in two coats; swatch pictures are shown with glossy top coat. 





I did not experience any staining with Marvelous Maple, and clean-up and removal was a breeze. 

Marvelous Maple is currently still available in Potion Polish's shop! The maker has decided to go out of the indie polish business, but there is still stock of multiple other colors, available until they sell out! 

What is a color of polish that you refuse to wear? Is there one that you thought you'd never wear, but wound up loving on your nails? Let me know, in the comments below! 

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll see you next time! 
♥ Megan

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Unboxing and Swatches: Mermani Awesomesauce Indie Box

*Purchased by Me*

WARNING: EXTREMELY PICTURE HEAVY!

I have something a bit different for you today! There is a quarterly nail polish box that is put out by some wonderful indie makers, called the Awesomesauce Indie Box, and I was able to purchase it this month! This box features four permanent makers: Ever After, Vapid, Lavish Polish, and Anonymous Lacquer, and has a rotating guest maker who, this month, was Literary Lacquers. This month's box also included contributions from Lou It Yourself.



The Awesomesauce Indie box is available in a regular size, which costs $50, and a mini size, which costs $30. I opted for the mini size option.

Everything in the box was well-wrapped, and gorgeously presented. This is what it looked like upon first opening.


Here is everything when it is unpacked! The box includes an exclusive polish from each of the makers, as well as some extras. Included are a cuticle crelly from Ever After, a cuticle oil and some gems from Anonymous Lacquer, gold mermaid charms from Lavish Polish, and mermaid and mermaid scale vinyls from Lou It Yourself.





The first polish that I tried was the Literary Lacquers, which is named Each to Each. Each to Each is described as a "Sparkling linear holo with the slightest touch of murk from the unknown depths, inspired by The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot." Each to Each was initially a bit thin, but I was able to get it fully opaque in three coats. Shown are three coats, plus glossy top coat. 







 Next up is the color from Lavish Polish, which is called Golden Mermaid. Golden Mermaid is described as "A beautiful golden holo with a mix of different multichrome flakies and micro gold holo glitter." The formula on Golden Mermaid was divine, and I was almost able to get it opaque in one coat; however, I used two for good measure. Shown is with glossy topcoat.






 
 Ever After's contribution to the Mermani box is named Scaling the Open Seas, and it is described as a "Silver metallic shimmer with green, purple, and ultrachrome flakies with strong scattered holo." This beauty was sheer, but buildable, and I was able to get it opaque in three coats. Shown are three coats, plus glossy topcoat.






Anonymous Lacquer contributed a color named Mermaid Magic, which is described as "A majestic purple holo with micro flakes." The formula on Mermaid Magic was like pure butter, and was almost opaque in one coat! Shown are two coats plus glossy top coat.






Finally, the polish contributed by Vapid Lacquer is named No Clam Shell Needed, and it is described as "A green to blue oceanic thermal shimmering with iridescent rainbow flakies. Glitter in all the colors of a mermaid's scales, blues and purples, clear holographic, and all glitters n matted, metallics, and holos." This baby is jam-packed with all types of pretty! Now, I did not personally have any luck with getting this to transition with differing temperatures, but I have seen more than enough swatch pictures to know that it DOES transition! As a result of wanting to see all of the pretty glitters, No Clam Shells Needed has  jelly formula, which naturally makes it a bit thin. Shown are three coats for opacity, plus glossy top coat. 






I am more than ecstatic with this box, and I feel that it is such a great value! I was also able to try Lavish Polish and Anonymous Lacquer, whom I have yet to purchase from; I am happy to say that they did not disappoint! 

While this box is no longer available, you may still be able to find some of the individual polishes through blog sales or other destashes. A different theme and box is released quarterly, so keep an eye out for the next one in a few months! Until then, you can keep in touch with the makers, and with Awesomesauce, on Instagram. 



Awesomesauce Indie Box website: http://www.awesomesauceindies.bigcartel.com/
Awesomesauce Indie Box Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awesomesaucebox/
Literary Lacquers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/literarylacquers/
Lavish Polish Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lavishpolish/
Anonymous Lacquer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anonymouslacquer/
Vapid Lacquer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vapidlacquer/

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll see you next time! 
♥ Megan

Friday, February 26, 2016

Lovely Layering: China Glaze Red-y to Rave and KBShimmer Prism Break

*Purchased by Me*
**Warning: Pic Heavy!**

Happy Friday!! Congrats on getting through another week! 
For this mani, I decided to play with some polishes that I already had in my collection. I have been coveting and searching for the perfect coral holo, and then I thought: "Hey, why don't I just try to make my own, out of what I have already?" Spoiler alert- I LOVE the results of what I layered!

To start, I pulled out China Glaze Red-y to Rave, a neon red-orange creme from their Summer 2015 Electric Nights collection. I was absolutely in love with this entire collection, and Red-y to Rave is no exception! The formula on this seemed a tad bit thin at first, but it was not overly watery or runny. I was able to get it mostly opaque in two coats; however, if I was wearing it by itself, I would most likely use three coats. 




Next, I opted for one of my favorite holo top coats: KBShimmer Prism Break. I love using Prism Break in either one coat, for a subtle holo, or two coats, for a stronger effect. Using two coats does gray out a base color a bit, but that is usually the norm with holo topcoats! 



 
I love both of these polishes by themselves, but when put together, they make the perfect coral holo! I am so happy with how this combo came out. 



I definitely see myself repeating this combo! It is bright, spring-y, and summery! I also really need to start playing around with my collection more, to see which polishes look amazing together.

What are some of your favorite layering combos? Let me know in the comments! 

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll see you next time!
♥ Megan

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Frenzy Polish Falling Apart to Half Time: Swatch and Review

*Purchased by Me*

Hey! Can you believe that the weekend is over already? I swear, there needs to be a day between Saturday and Sunday. 

For you today, I have a color from Frenzy Polish. This baby is called Falling Apart to Half Time, and it is from the Fall Out Foxes collection. This collection originated in the Frenzy Foxes Facebook group, where Rachel, the mastermind behind the brand, had all of us members provide pictures that could be used as inspiration for polishes. Once there was a large selection, 10 pictures were chosen, in order to create a collection. The entire collection is super fun, and the colors are all beautiful. 



Falling Apart to Half Time is a blackened teal linear holo, with larger blue glitters added to it. The holo on this polish is VERY strong, and that makes me even happier! 


  

I was able to get Falling Apart to Half Time opaque in two coats. Application wasn't too thin or too thick, and the polish remained where it was put, with no running. Dry time was about 2-3 minutes, and it dried down smooth. Shown are two coats, plus one later of NYC Grand Central Station. 


 Falling Apart to Half Time is still available on Frenzy's website, and it costs $9.50. Other colors from the Fall Out Foxes collection are still available as well! Rachel also sells cuticle oil, base coat, top coat, and her own beautiful artwork. Please be sure to go check out her shop! 

Frenzy Polish website: http://www.frenzypolish.com/
Frenzy Polish Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frenzypolish/
Frenzy Polish Twitter: https://twitter.com/frenzypolish

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll see you next time! 
♥ Megan