Monday, August 31, 2015

Gunpowder Lacquer Sunshine & Whiskey Collection (Partial): Swatches and Review

Purchased by Me
Hey all! Another post for today with another new to the blog brand to share. Gunpowder Lacquer is a very new indie polish brand who debuted her Sunshine & Whiskey Collection early July. The bright colors drew me in and I did a impulse purchase of a few polishes to try out. 

I really liked the polishes I picked. Carly had some great brights for this summer collection and I can't seem to resist brights regard-less of the season. The formula for these are on the thick side. It may be because it's the hottest portion of the summer but I wanted to mention that. With that in mind, I did not have an issue with application, most of these were opaque in two coats. And if you prefer a thinner formula, a few drops of Polish Thinner (my go to is Seche Restore) will help. I love the branding she has chosen, the tough but feminine aesthetic, packaged in square bottles. 

Gunpowder Lacquer polishes are available in both mini ($6.25) and full size ($10). It appears that her shop is maintenance mode but hopefully she will be restocking her shop soon. 

Gunpowder Lacquer Drivin Me Paisley
Two coats
Fuchsia creme with violet shimmer and holographic pigment
Delicious bubblegum pink with the lower density holo flame. 



(Direct Sunlight)


Gunpowder Lacquer Floatin Trailer Park
Two coats
Robin's egg blue creme with violet shimmer and holographic pigment
Another beautiful color. It's more dusky in real life than my photos show though. 



(Direct Sunlight)


Gunpowder Lacquer Little Red Wagon
Three coats
Cherry red linear holographic
I am a sucker for all reds no matter the finish, especially when it's a saturated cherry red. I was hoping for a stronger holo flame but red holo are notorious for having more subtle holo flames. 



(Direct Sunlight)


Gunpowder Lacquer Meet Me in Margaritaville
Two coats
Neon green creme with green shimmer
An Intense color for sure. I tried to get a clear photo so that you could see some of that shimmer, it's a bit more visible in direct lighting.



(Direct Sunlight)


Gunpowder Lacquer Sundaze
Two coats
Coral creme with holo pigment and gold shimmer
SO BRIGHT. Which makes my skin tone look more tan than it actually is. 



(Direct Sunlight)


Gunpowder Lacquer LE Rhinestone Cowgirl
Berry purple jelly with holographic micro-glitter
Two coats
This was a limited edition polish that Carly released for her birthday, I am not certain if it will be available in the future. 



(Direct Sunlight)


LINKS!

Gunpowder Lacquer:

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Claw Polish: Swatches and Review

Provided for Review 
Hey everyone! I have a few polishes from a brand that I haven't featured here before. Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (or BPAL) is a indie company that specializes in body and household scents with a dark, romantic Gothic theme. You can find more information about their scent line in their main shop page. BPAL also has an expansion of their brand with their Claw Polish line, currently there are about 16 polishes available in their Trading Post shop. I have six of those polishes to share with you today. Jenny from Lavish Layerings has a few on her blog that I didn't receive if you wanted to see more swatches. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the polishes I received! I think they do really tie into BPAL's overall romantic, Gothic aesthetic but without being overt about it. Those of you who may not be a buyer already of BPAL scents could easily be tempted by these pretty polishes. The polish formula varied depending on the finish but overall I had no major issues, application was all around easy, I believe each photo is shown with two coats of coverage. The polishes are packaged in 10 ml square bottles and priced at $9.75, which is comparative to other indie brands. 

To purchase Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Claw Polishes, visit their shop here

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Baku
Two coats
Lilac purple creme with purple/blue ultra-chrome flakes and holo pigment
A stunner of a polish. It's has a lot going on, with those flake and holo in the base color but they all work well together. In direct sunlight, it's had a nice lower density linear holo flame.



(Direct Sunlight)


Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Denn Die Todten Reiten Schnell
Two coats
Dark slate gray creme with iridescent gold/green flakes and subtle green shimmer
Moody and mysterious and full of visual interest. It's on the thicker side so careful application may be needed.



Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Event Horizon
Two coats
Black creme with silver shimmer
I happen to love starry night sky type of polishes but they can come in blue to black color variations. This black is not quite pitch black, it's more a very very dark blacked purple? I can't quite put my finger on the exact shade. Whatever you want to call it, it's dark and oh so interesting.



Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Harlot
Two coats
Deep red creme
Red polish? Yes please! Really nice formula as well, two coats for complete coverage.



Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Juke Joint
Two coats
Teal green with golden micro-flakes shimmer
Outstanding! That teal with those gold flakes, simply gorgeous. 



Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Libertine
Two coats
Oxblood creme
The perfect burgundy red for fall. A little bit streaky, I am realizing now that I should have done a third coat to diminish any patchiness.



LINKS!

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab:

Friday, August 28, 2015

Girly Bits Defying Gravity, Stardust, & What Happens in Vegas, Ends up On Snapchat: Swatches and Review

Provided for Review
Hi guys! One more post for you today, this time it's of some new/recent releases from Girly Bits. I got to meet Pam of Girly Bits while I was in Las Vegas and she is as nice as you would expect her to be. I also received these polishes from her while I was there and finally have the chance to share them with you. The first two shown below are a part of her Blogger Collaboration series and the final polish is a limited edition polish created as a part of her "What Happens in Vegas..." series. 

Girly Bits is releasing her What Really Happens in Vegas Collection (swatches of those are on Jen of  My Nail Polish Obsession's blog), as well as the three shown here, in her shop today at 3 pm EST.

Girly Bits Defying Gravity
Two coats
Warm toned purple with lots of blue turquoise shimmer and a dash of holo pigment
Created with Phyrra as a part of her seven year blog anniversary
Man alive, that shimmer is strong. It stands out in the warm purple really well and the added holo is a great accent for the final finish. 



Girly Bits Stardust
Two coats
Slate blue/silver linear holographic with blue and pink shimmer and neon micro-glitter
Created with ehmkay nails as a part of her three year blog anniversary 
I love the neon micro-glitter, they add contrast to the silver and give this holo a very unique look. Two easy coats and topcoat and you're done. 



(Direct Sunlight)


Girly Bits What Happens in Vegas, Ends up On Snapchat
Three coats
Pale lilac silver linear holographic with holographic micro-glitter
Part of the "What Happens in Vegas..." series, this holo is my favorite of the three shown today. It has a prominent holo flame and the added holo micro-glitter give it even more sparkle under direct lighting. You will likely need to do a double layer because of those same micro-glitter. 

This polish will only be available for purchase during a three day pre-order window. The pre-order began today at 3 pm EST and will end Monday, August 31st at 3 pm EST.



(Direct Sunlight)


LINKS!

Girly Bits: 

Great Lakes Lacquer September LE's: Harvest Moon 2015 Come, Reap & Mother’s Mauve

Provided for Review
Hey all! I have two new polishes to share with you today from Great Lakes Lacquer. If you will recall from my introductory post in July, Great Lakes is a newer indie brand on the market. Her next collection will releasing in a few weeks time but in the meantime, the two here are part of her monthly Limited Edition series. They will be released Monday, August 31st, at 7 pm EST in Great Lakes Lacquer's shop and available throughout the month of September. 

Great Lakes Lacquer Harvest Moon 2015 Come, Reap
Two coats
Orange toned red creme/jelly with orange/red shimmer
It's likely well known that I love red polish so this one without a doubt appeals to me. It's a very brightened shade of red, with that slight orange tone to it. Very easy formula application, I barely had any clean up to do!

Here is the description that Mariah included for this particular polish:

"In traditional folklore, the Harvest Moon is the one that comes closest to the autumnal equinox. This year’s Harvest Moon lands on September 28th. In years of old, the light of the Harvest Moon illuminated fields so that farmers could continue harvesting that year’s bounty. It signified the reaping of hard work and a close to the growing season. A time of celebrating and a time of reflecting on what has been sewn, it is the end of one stage in nature and the beginning of another. For those of you who recognize the phrase in the name from a book, there will be more to come by next year’s Harvest Moon."



Great Lakes Lacquer Mother’s Mauve
Two coats
Mauve purple creme with bronze and gold shimmer and holographic pigment
Oh wow, what a pretty polish. Mauve usually a old-fashioned connotation to it's color but this looks modern and fresh. The prominent metallic shimmer and added holo pigment give it that extra sparkle. As with Harvest Moon, nice formula and issue-free application. 

Another description that Mariah included to give you some creative insight:

"My Mom’s birthday is September. She’s a lady with a heart of gold; one of those ladies that is a Mom to everyone. All of my close friends have called her Mom and do to this day. This color is a dedication to her. In my teenage years, I remember her bedroom being an explosion in mauve. All tones of mauve. She tells me that it needs to lean more pink but this is the color I remember. See? Still Mom."



LINKS!

Great Lakes Lacquer: 

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Gradient All The Nails!

Purchased by Me
Provided for Review
Hi everyone! I have something different for you guys today. I am part of a small group of nail bloggers on Facebook. We support each other's blogs and on monthly occasion, will do a themed group challenge. I wasn't able to participate in last month's theme of floral nail art as I was just returning from Las Vegas and then prepping to go to Canada but I am very excited to be able to participate in this month's theme of gradient nail art! The caliber of these other awesome nail bloggers is just outstanding so make sure to visit each of their blogs in the Link Up widget at the end of my post. 

Ahhh, gradients. It's a relatively simple form of nail art that can be very eye-catching. And with the popularity of the many latex barrier applicators out there, it's much less messy to apply a gradient then it used to be. I received a bottle of Glisten & Glow Ctrl-Alt-Del when I was at Cosmo Prof and have been using this latex barrier for a few weeks now so if you are looking for a one to try, I can recommend that one. 

As for what colors to pick, you can do a two to three to four color gradient depending on how complex you want to go. I decided to a two tone gradient of turquoise to white using Polish My Life Stripped and B Squared Lacquer Plur. Then I applied a layer matte topcoat (Polish My Life Mat(t)erialistic) and after that was dry, I applied a splatter of gold acrylic paint. Acrylic paint is awesome for splatter nail art because any stray splatter on my skin will wash off with water. 




Under Direct Sunlight: 


I love how this turned out! There is a slight textured feel of the splatter against the matte base. And the turquoise/white gradient is complimented by the gold splatter. 

Thanks for reading and please check out my fellow bloggers' gradient nail art below:

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Digital Nails Follow the Water & Fermi's Paradox

Purchased by Me
Helllllo all! I have another post for you today, this time I have a couple of Digital Nails polishes to share. Without further ado, on to the polishes:

 Digital Nails Follow the Water
Two coats
Dusky sea blue with holo micro-glitter
Such a unique polish! I don't think I have seen these shade of blue in this finish from any other brand as of yet. Two easy coats for coverage and a double layer of topcoat for a smooth shiny finish.
Follow the Water is an exclusive to The Christmas in July Collaboration Box, which was a box that included 16 indie brands who created 28 little surprises for the box. I purchased my bottle from someone on Facebook so I don't have other polishes and products that were included in the box but it looks like there are a few left in stock in Ellagee's shop. It is priced at $80, which initially looks like a huge number but consider how just how many brands are participating and how much you receive and it's a steal! 



Digital Nails Fermi's Paradox
Two coats
Black jelly base with red to green color-shifting micro-glitter and flakes, and purple color-shifting pigment. 
August's Monthly LE Polish
UGHHHHH SO DAMN GORGEOUS. It should come with a disclaimer, "Caution: May Cause Distraction". Very easy application and more opaque that I was anticipating. I thought I would need three coats but I had full coverage in two. As with the previous polish, a double layer of topcoat with smooth out those micro-glitter. Fermi's Paradox is available right now! If you haven't already, you should get this polish. Because once it's gone, it's gone. And polish regret is the worst. 



LINKS!

Digital Nails: