Too Much Glitter? NEVER!!!

These are two spectacular, glitter-over-the-top, polishes I like...

One word to describe: SPARKLE. One word not to describe: boring.

If you were to ask me to pick you out one super sparkly polish, it would be one of these two. It's only when I see them together that I can make any comparisons, but no preference...

On the left is Icing's 'Pop A Bottle' and, on the right is Color Club's 'Sugar Plum Fairy.' Fairy dust and pixie powder!

'Pop A Bottle' has gold, magenta, and teal micro-glitter in a translucent, very light beige base. The beige helps the glitter become opaque after the second coat. The application of this one, at first, wasn't quite so smooth. It had a habit of bunching up at the tip. I worked at getting more of the glitter to adhere towards the base of my nail by dabbing the brush. After the first coat, however, the other two applied very evenly.

This is 'Sugar Plum Fairy' and it is an iridescence of all Holiday colors. The glitter appears to change color as the angle of view changes. Think of a soap bubble, and there you have it. The refracted light is all over the place so your eyes can't help but to look at it.

Now, comparing them on my nails...

'Pop a Bottle' is on the thumb, middle and pinky. I have 'Sugar Plum Fairy' on the index and ring finger. Are they just not the stuff from a Winter Wonderland?

Using 3 coats made these polishes opaque and awe-inspiring all alone with no color base coat necessary. No fooling, these are gritty. I am showing them to you without a top coat so their own, true shine comes through. And as with almost all glitter, there is the price to pay to remove the stuff. I didn't have to use the foil method but I did scrub, and scrub a lot.

With a closer look, 'Sugar Plum Fairy' photographs like a silver glitter polish. Regular photography doesn't have the ability to give a true depth of a holographic item. Since holograms are most noted when they are moving or light is moving across them, it just doesn't show the true nature. But, I think there are plenty of readers of beauty/nail bloggers that know just how magnificent holographic glitters/polishes can be.

I don't have a favorite between these two. Much like my two cats, I don't have a favorite but love them each for their own existence. So, in all fairness, don't ask me to pick one over the other. :)

Can you say which one is your favorite?

Three Way Holiday Green Comparisons

As mentioned in my last post, I am so loving green polishes this Holiday. And, I'll say it again, green polish is new to my life in the past 2 years. I must have been in some rut, avoiding wearing green polish. I would wear it on my toes but, just not on my fingers. Too funky.

I'm so glad I snapped out of that one! Look what fun I'd be missing out on...

 

Three random, Holiday greens. Using the last photo, from the left: from Color Club's Under The Mistletoe collection in 2009 (no name); Orly's 'It's Not Rocket Science'; and Finger Paint's 'Comet's Collar'.

Each one is worthy of Holiday wear. I like all of them. So, here are the skittles of green...

I used 3 coats on all of these and added a top coat of Color Club's 'Vivid'.
On my thumb and ring finger, I'm sporting the Color Club green from 2009. On my index finger and pinky, that's 'It's Not Rocket Science.' And just on the middle finger is 'Comet's Collar'.

As it so looks, the Color Club felt gritty but it sparkles. 'It's Not Rocket Science' is a swampy green that was a hit last Fall. And 'Comet's Collar' is new this season but doesn't have much 'umpf' next to the other shades of green. I'd recommend 'Comet's Collar' for nail art or stamping.

For the Holiday look and feel, my vote is for the Color Club green. Which one do you like?

Greensleeves, Elf Suits and Nail Polish

Mistletoe, Ivy, Elf suits...there are tons of green things around at Christmas time. And even my nails are green. Lots of green...and in a GOOD way too.

This is China Glaze's 'Near Dark.' And, dark it is. Deep, smoldering green, dark.

 I have on 3 coats here, but no top coat, yet.

'Near Dark' gives the perfect backdrop for these...

Both of these Finger Paints are called 'Sparkle Top Coat.' Yea, so they wanted to distinguish one from the other...NOT.

Both look fab as a top coat, though.

On my index and ring finger, I have on 'Sparkle Top Coat' and on the middle and pink, there's 'Sparkle Top Coat.' That's Dumb and Dumber. Tweedledee and Tweedledum.

OK, no more smartie. The index finger has the top coat that has iridescent glitter in a light milky base. The middle finger has the magenta-like shimmer.

You probably can guess that I like the iridescent glitter more than the shimmer. That glitter looks like a crisp, clear, winter night. But both work for me.

If you would have asked me two years ago if I'd wear green polish on my finger nails, I would have thought you were going quite mad. Now, I'm in love with wearing this blackened green shade.


And, just one last smartie...look at what I just got and will be showcasing very soon....

'Yule' Be Seeing Red With These Comparisons

In the years before becoming a blogger, during the Holidays, I'd just wear a red creme polish. I haven't traveled too far from that love. Red will always be my favorite nail polish color to wear. (Oops, I should have named the blog after a RED vanity, eh?)

These red polishes were fun to compare...

 Sorting through my untrieds, these are some hot reds that I found.

Starting from the left: Finger Paint's 'Magenta Mood'; Color Club's 'Yule Love It' (from the '09 Holiday collection); Zoya's 'Sarah.'

This started out as a comparison post and not a dupe one, but you'll soon find that it all takes a turn...

 Here are the polishes in the order I put them on my nails.

And, this was my outcome. 'Sarah' is on my thumb as well as my ring finger. 'Magenta Mood' is on my index and pinky. That leaves 'Yule Love It' for the middle finger.

Zoya and Finger Paints, surprisingly, are dupes. I couldn't tell them apart. That is, if I don't count the application. Zoya reigns supreme in that area.

I didn't put on cuticle oil before taking photos, and that's a super bad habit. In this photo, can you see how 'Sarah' and 'Magenta Mood' are total twins?

Color Club's 'Yule Love It' looks bubbly and gritty next to the other two. It wasn't bubbly, just gritty.

The opinion I'll give is that you do not need both 'Sarah' and 'Magenta Mood'. Zoya is going to get my vote because it applied so much easier. Even with just 2 coats, both of these were fine. However, I completed the mani with a total of 3 coats. And I didn't use a top coat.

Next post will be on Holiday greens. 

Do you have any of these reds? Gotta favorite?

Cinderella's Purse

Before the pizza gets here (and, Happy Thanksgiving, by the way), I want to show you a super deal I'm proud of finding.

I do shop at Claire's Boutique because they have some cute things and I have to stalk the nail polishes, as well.

However, sometimes I can find the neatest clearance stuff. Like this purse...

 $32 down to $16? Pfft....try a final clearance of $5!!!!

 It's not a big purse,but I love the teal and purple faux reptile skin.

As I was reviewing these photos, I noticed I got a glimpse of the movie poster I have up in my bedroom 'nook' area. When I was in the video retail industry, one of the District Managers remembered that I said 'Ever After' was one of my very favorite movies. He got the poster for me.

If you have seen the movie, you know that Leonardo di Vinci made a drawing of Cinderella. That is an actual drawing. And, that is what I have next to the poster. Ah, see...I do have a romantic side. :)