Review: "Stormy Night" from Above the Curve

Hello Readers:

I hope all my American readers had a safe and happy Thanksgiving Holiday, and I hope that all my Non-American readers had a safe and happy weekend as well. I apologize again for not getting this up before the holiday started. I put too much on my own plate, and didn't have time to finish everything I wanted to do. I'm cutting back on my Christmas plans now in hopes the same thing won't happen, but as Christmas approaches things are definitely getting busy. Luckily I only have one present left to buy and my shopping will be all done. Have you all made a dent in your Christmas shopping? I hope you don't have to deal with the busy shops too much.

Now, onto the BEAUTIFUL polish I have to show you today. I originally wanted to use my Above the Curve 2014 Fall Collection on a sunny day so you can see the beautiful holo in all its glory, but it's just that time of year where the sunny days are few and far between. So I decided to start with this beauty that featured more than just holo glitter.

"Stormy Night" is a blackened blurple polish with multicolored flakies and shimmer throughout.

Showcasing the purple shade

Showcasing the blue shade

 

I used two coats of "Stormy Night" over a clear base coat, and a clear top coat. The first coat barely covered any of the nail so I was afraid this would end up being three or four coats but the second coat fully covered. Unfortunately I didn't showcase the flakies very well but they are there and they are lovely! Being a flaky fan I wanted even more flakies so I added two coats of "Spectrespec" from the Above the Curve Harry Potter inspired collection. Trying to capture the colors of "Spectrespec" was  an epic fail, but here is a blurry picture nonetheless just so you can see how glorious it can be in person (though not so much in the photo haha).

 

"Stormy Night" got a little muted because I went flakie happy with "Spectrespec" and did two coats of it instead of one but I really love both polishes! Stormy Night is such a great name for this dark blurple. It definitely reminds me of stormy weather, the flakies are beautiful and subtle at times, and sometimes the flakies are BAM! in your face like lightning can be. I think you just need to find a way to help clean the polish off the flakies when applying. I know there is a product out there that does this but unfortunately I do not have it in my possession.

 

Again, beautiful polishes! They're gorgeous and they have great wear time! Currently, both these polishes (and all the rest of their pretties) are on sale over at Above the Curve's Etsy Shop, but don't delay the sale will be over soon.

 

Until next time.

-Andi

Review: "Cosmic Christmas" from My Ten Friends

Hello Readers:

Gosh things have been busy lately. I'm sure I'm not the only one getting busier with the holidays fast approaching. One thing I'm happy to have accomplished is that I only need to buy one more Christmas present and then I'm all done. ^_^  I had plans to go find the last one this weekend when the hubby and I attended one of the many wonderful Christmas markets here in Germany, but unfortunately we were told that he has to work this whole weekend *sad face*. So much for a four day weekend. Oh well... there's always next time. 

Anyhoo, enough babbling, onto the beautiful polish. Today's polish is from My Ten Friends' Joy to the Worlds 2013 holiday collection: "Cosmic Christmas". I was having kind of a down day and wanted something to make me happy so I turned to a polish that would give me a happy memory of the holidays. "Cosmic Christmas" definitely fit the bill, it truly reminded me of going around the neighborhood at night to see all the pretty Christmas lights.

"Cosmic Christmas" is a blue jelly with red, blue and green hex glitter in different sizes and some holographic shimmer.

Artificial Light

A different setting with the artificial light

Sunlight Photos

 

Just looking at the photos as I write this gives me the warm and fuzzies. SO MANY FEELS! This polish makes me remember all the wonderful times of touring the neighborhoods to see the wonderful Christmas displays. You don't see that too much here in Germany, but that's why we visit their Christmas markets. That's where it's all out Christmas! Plus some delicious food and cute trinkets. Love this polish so much!!! It went on smooth and easy. Definitely turn the bottle upside down for a bit (I'd say a minimum of ten minutes) so you don't have to fish for the big glitter. I used three coats of polish over a clear base coat and a clear top coat. Unfortunately I did experience some shrinkage (I really can't wait for my Seche Vite bottle to be empty so I can buy a better one!), usually I can negate shrinkage by adding polish to my tips but this time around I didn't add enough so you can still notice it.

 

Still, I can't say enough wonderful things about this polish. It is so pretty, and definitely great for that holiday feel! I don't know whether this polish will be released again this year or not. You'll have to keep an eye on My Ten Friends' FB Page for more info, until then you can find some of their other wonderful polishes over at their website.

 

How about all of you...do any of y'all have a polish that gives you warm and fuzzy feelings? (whether its for the holidays or just something special in general?) I'd love to hear about them!

 

Until next time.

-Andi

Review: "Resistance Is Futile" from Lucky 13 Lacquer

Hello Readers:

Winter is indeed coming! Here it is steadily getting closer, but I know a lot of the US and Canada just had a bunch of snow dumped on them. I hope you're all staying nice and toasty! I've been experimenting with my little lamps that I got, and the settings on my camera again. So far I'm pleased with what I'm getting but will continue to experiment.

Today's polish is from one of Lucky 13 Lacquer's Star Trek inspired collection: Where No One Has Gone Before.

"Resistance Is Futile" is a dark grey crelly with different sized green holo hex glitter.

 

I'm really loving this color! I've had this polish for awhile (since summer I believe), but wanted to wait until the colder months to try it. I'm kind of kicking myself for not trying it sooner because it's such a great polish. However, I still feel it's more of a fall/winter colored polish. "Resistance Is Futile" went on very smoothly. I had no application issues. I used two coats of polish over a clear base and  a clear top coat. Oh, and this polish has pretty good wear time. I didn't experience any chipping until day 3 which I was impressed with because I have been really rough on my nails this week (plus the cold weather doesn't help!)

 

Unfortunately this polish is currently discontinued BUT for the next couple of days Kyoti of Lucky 13 Lacquer is allowing people to order discontinued polishes (but order quick before she discontinues the listing again), and for more info on that click here.

 

Now I'm off to snack on the Chimney Cake my hubby brought home for me :)

 

Until next time.

-Andi

 

Review: "Chromatic Drake" from Carpe Noctem Cosmetics

Hello Readers:

For those who follow me on my Facebook Page you know I've been having technical difficulties with my camera lately. After some fiddling around with it, I think I've come down to the root of the problem. I think my camera just can't really handle the lack of sunlight we've been having. Being in Germany we get a lot of overcast weather for fall and winter but this year has been more than past years (no joke we had a total of 3 hours of actual sunlight last week otherwise it was hiding). So after changing the settings, and buying some little lamps for more light (I'd probably benefit best from a new camera but that will have to wait until the new year).

Anyways, my apologies again for being absent I tend to have a love/hate relationship with technology plus my husbands birthday was over the weekend. Enough of that though, onto the best part of any post: the POLISH!

As a semi gamer (and the wife of a definite gamer) just passed this week was the release of the new expansion for World of Warcraft, so what better way to celebrate that than with a World of Warcraft inspired polish from Carpe Noctem Cosmetics which was made in honor of Ashley from Potions in Motion who shares Emily's love of WoW.

"Chromatic Drake" is a multi chrome frosted holo polish. It has a brown to a coppery red to a plum shade with a frosted finish and a linear holo.

 

 

 

Isn't it a beauty?!?! I HATE that it's taken me so long to try this polish. This is one I received in my mystery grab bag, and knew I had to wear it but it happened to get pushed aside until now. To be honest I'm not usually a fan of multichromes but this one is wonderful! Oh, and by the way this is ONE coat of "Chromatic Drake", just ONE! Out of habit I don't usually do one coaters, but I honestly couldn't find a reason to do another. So it wound up being one coat of polish over a clear base coat, and a clear top coat.

 

Honestly, if you don't have this on your wishlist it definitely should be! The holo is in fact more present, but I only got a sneak peek of sunlight to try and capture it. If you would like to purchase this polish it is currently in stock over at Carpe Noctem Cosmetics' Etsy Page.

 

Now I'm off to level my mage <3

 

Until next time.

-Andi