Polishes -Wet 'n' Wild - Spoiled Ants in My Pants
ebidebby 12/2/2012 9:45:00 AM
Ants in My Pants is a mix of red hexagonal glitter and small red square glitter in a sheer black base. To wear it alone would require at least 3 or 4 coats. I wore it over 1 coat of Wet 'n' Wild Black Creme and it looked good. The Spoiled line by Wet 'n' Wild have notoriously bad brushes. This brush was no exception; it was so wide and almost fluffy that it was hard to remove the excess polish. The bristles splayed in all directions, making application even more challenging. However, the overall vampy look of the polish was worth the effort, and for a glitter, the formula really wasn't bad. It was pretty easy to spread the hex glitters to get a nice effect. However, because this same color polish is available in other brands, I'd look elsewhere for a better brush next time.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Zoya - Kaufda
ebidebby 2/19/2012 4:08:00 PM
Zoya Kaufda is a beautiful reddish orange shimmer polish with a gold flash. I picked the color on a whim for a recent Zoya BOGO promotion, and I was not disappointed! Kaufda has a lovely formula. The brush is easy to use, and the polish flowed evenly on the nail with no running or drips. It's slightly on the sheer side - I used two coats and only had a tiny bit of visible nail line, hardly even noticeable in most lighting. Three coats would have been perfect. The golden flash is subtle but it definitely makes Kaufda unique. Perhaps layering over a dark color would bring it out more.
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Polishes -China Glaze - Carnival Lights
ebidebby 2/4/2012 9:25:00 AM
Carnival Lights is a delightful mix of silver microglitter and holo hex glitter in a reddish pink semi-sheer base. One coat gives a pink tint and a decent amount of glitter, but both color and glitter coverage are much better in two coats. The formula is thin, so be sure to wipe the excess polish off your brush to avoid blobs. It dries to a surprisingly smooth finish (use a coat of thick topcoat if you want it glassy smooth) and the holo glitter really sparkles in the light. I love using it for pedicures. It's a part of the China Glaze specialty colors line, which is available from many online retailers for very reasonable prices. There are about 35 glitters to choose from, some better than others, and Carnival Lights is one of the good ones. I wouldn't buy it again simply because I don't use it very often.
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Polishes -Essie - Lady Like
ebidebby 2/3/2012 10:22:00 PM
Essie sure knows her pinks. Lady Like is a lovely dusty mauve creme, and the color falls somewhere between pink and taupe on me. I think it looks good with pale skin, but it would probably look better on darker skin. On anyone, it's definitely a work-appropriate, professional color. Application is wonderful - the formula is thick without being goopy, and it was opaque in two coats. This polish also self-leveled very well. I think Essie's formula just keeps on improving, because this one was really wonderful to use. The color is somewhat similar to Butter London Yummy Mummy (which is a shimmer where Lady Like is not), and it is definitely in the same family as Essie Demure Vixen, but I'm glad to have it in my collection.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Top/Base Coats -OPI - RapiDry Top Coat
ebidebby 1/31/2012 9:30:00 PM
This topcoat actually works very well for me! It is not as fast or as thick as Seche Vite, but it doesn't contain toluene (which also means it smells better). When I use RapiDry, my polish is dry to the touch in about 1-2 minutes. My Zoya colors don't work well with Seche Vite, but they last for much longer with RapiDry. Normally, I chip in 2 days, but I can get 4 with Zoya + RapiDry. Another nice thing is that I never see shrinkage with RapiDry. One complaint is that it can go on very streaky, even leaving visible ridges. This can be avoided by using more product - a nice bead on the end of the brush. It's shiny and wears well for me. Mine came in a 2 pack with a free Red My Fortune Cookie, so it was a good deal.
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Cleansers -Biore - Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser
ebidebby 1/31/2012 8:25:00 PM
I just keep going back to this cleanser. My skin gets oily in the T-zone and Biore's Ice Cleanser really seems to keep the oil under control without drying my cheeks. I've been using it for about 4 years and it hasn't stopped working for me. Acne has never been a problem for me, so I can't say how well it treats acne. Infrequently, I get maybe 1 or 2 pimples at a time, and this product helps to keep them at bay. It also helps with blackheads. I use this product in the morning, and I love the cooling sensation. I leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing, and it keeps my oil under control all day. I use a light daily SPF moisturizer after washing and I don't see oily patches or dry spots.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Designer Series - DS Opulence
ebidebby 1/29/2012 12:01:00 PM
DS Opulence has a lot of things going for it. The formula is amazing, just like the rest of the DS collection. The color was opaque in two coats, and even without topcoat, it was smooth, shiny, and level. The color is very subtle and safe. It's a neutral brownish pink with some sparkle and a very, very subtle scattered holographic effect. In the sun, the scattered rainbow is more apparent, but it's still very subdued. It's a great neutral-with-a-twist, but I prefer a bit more pop, hence the rating of 4 instead of 5. Still, in terms of flawless application, quick dry time, and easy removal, this is an excellent polish!
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Polishes -OPI - Don't Be Koi With Me
ebidebby 1/15/2012 11:07:00 AM
Don't Be Koi With Me is a gorgeous sherbet orange creme polish. It's an older OPI, from the Japanese collection (2005) and, to my knowledge, it hasn't been re-released with a B3 free formula. I got mine from a nail salon near my house. It applies like a dream, and it's opaque in 2 coats. The color reminds me of orange Tic Tacs; bright but just muted enough to not be neon. It looks lovely with my pale skin, but I think it would suit darker skin tones, too. The wear time was better than average for me, and it lasted about 3 days without chips. I changed it before it chipped, so I'm not sure how much longer it would have lasted.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Nicole - Disco Dolls
ebidebby 1/15/2012 10:53:00 AM
There were so many great glitter polishes released at the end of 2011, but Nicole by OPI really outdid the competition. They released so many unique and fun glitters and really made me see the brand in a new light. Disco Dolls is a fabulous bronzey gold glitter with multicolored round glitter accents. Now, I love holo glitter, but the multicolored glitter really pushes this polish into uncharted territory. At a glance, I see green, blue, orange, pink, and silver pieces. No need for a base color, this glitter was opaque in 2 coats. It's a very bumpy finish, but nothing some thick topcoat like Seche Vite can't handle. Removal is a bit tougher than regular polish, but not bad as far as glitters go.
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Polishes -Nicole - ORNA-MENT FOR EACH OTHER
ebidebby 1/15/2012 10:38:00 AM
I went nuts with glitter in the winter of 2011, but Orna-ment For Each Other is one of my favorites. It is mostly made up of bright red glitter, punctuated by sparser gold glitter. This color is unique to my collection, and it worked really well in my Christmas-themed manis. Unlike bigger glitter polishes, I didn't have trouble with removal, and it dried to a surprisingly smooth finish. The glitter is sparkly and pretty in natural or artificial light. When I wore it, I used 1 coat over a solid red. This polish was a pleasant surprise, and I'm glad to have it in my collection. I doubt I'll use it outside of the Christmas season, so I wouldn't repurchase.
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Polishes -Maybelline - Colorama- Shimmer Girl
ebidebby 1/1/2012 1:54:00 PM
I bought Shimmer Girl in 2004 and probably used it, but forgot all about it until I got back into nail polish around a year ago. It's a shimmery "flakie" polish that flashes red, green, yellow, and a bit blue. It's a pretty good dupe for Nubar 2010, Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure, etc. The formula is a bit thick and goopy (possibly from age) but it works. It dries slowly so a quickdry top coat will help. It smells strongly, so I'm not sure if it is big 3 free. Still, it's a little gem in my collection and despite it's age, could probably be found cheaper than many newer flakies. I wouldn't buy it again simply because I have more flakies than I could ever use. It looks lovely over dark colors and pastels cremes.
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Polishes -China Glaze - OMG Collection - OMG
ebidebby 12/1/2011 8:57:00 AM
This is one of the most gorgeous polishes China Glaze has ever released. It is a stunning silver holo with a very strong rainbow effect, and in sunlight, it's just dazzling. The formula is a bit watery and thin, so it takes 3 or 4 coats to get full coverage with no bald spots. It's a bit finicky to work with, but dries very quickly, which is a plus. My main issue with OMG is that it hugs every peeled area and ridge on my nails. If my nails were in good shape, it would look much better, but as they are, I see every flaw when I wear OMG. I do not have this issue with other polishes in the OMG collection. In addition, this polish does chip quickly, but I attribute that to the fact that I don't wear base/top coat with it to keep the holo strong.
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Polishes -China Glaze - Glittering Garland
ebidebby 12/1/2011 8:42:00 AM
Glittering Garland is the star of China Glaze's 2011 holiday collection. The base is a deep evergreen, and it is loaded with silvery green glass fleck glitter. It really twinkles on the nail in natural and artificial light, making it very festive for winter. The formula is excellent - full opacity in two coats with a nice, jelly-like texture. It was easy to apply to the nail, and dried to a smooth, glossy finish. With Essie Ridge Filling Base Coat and OPI RapiDry Top Coat, I got average wear by my standards - 1.5 days before some minor chipping. I work in a lab and am constantly using nail-eating equipment and washing my hands, so this isn't too bad, but it could be better.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Zoya - Julieanne
ebidebby 12/1/2011 8:33:00 AM
Zoya Julieanne is a gorgeous deep purple with a slight gold duochrome effect. This effect is much more noticeable in the bottle; sadly, it is only subtly visible on the nail, and only in the right lighting. Still, it's a very pretty color. The finish on Julieanne is what really wows me. It's somewhere in the realm of very fine microglitter and glass-flecked. When it catches the light, it looks like shimmery light purple flecks in a plum base, with a touch of glimmering gold. The formula is good, thin but opaque in 2 coats. It wears like iron on me, using Essie Ridge Filling Base Coat and OPI RapiDry Top Coat. The color is on the cooler side, but it is hard for me to find purples that go with my pale, cool skin, so I am quite happy with this one!
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Polishes -China Glaze - Medallion
ebidebby 11/22/2011 7:39:00 AM
Medallion is a lovely China Glaze glitter with a mixture of small and medium holographic gold glitter in a clear base. It's just about as blingy as a nail polish can get! I have not worn this color by itself, but I have layered it over other polishes for a stunning effect. The glitter spreads easily. On a nail wheel, I got opacity in 3 coats, but didn't like the rough, jagged finish (even with a couple coats of top coat). I prefer one coat for layering. Medallion catches the light really well, especially the holo particles. Clean up is tough, but as glitter polish goes, it's not too bad.
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