2014 Favorites Part 4

It's time for the final installment of 2014 favorites! This just reminds me of how many amazing polishes I wore this year - I easily could go on and on. Check out five more beauties after the break!

2014 Favorites Part 3

It's time for Part 3 of my 2014 favorites! This post has some lovely, sophisticated earthy tones and purples. Check them out after the break...

2014 Favorites Part 2

I've got the second crop of 2014 favorites for you today! A lovely crop of greens, blue, and purple, don't you think? Check them out after the break...

2014 Favorites Part 1

It's time to talk about the year in review!  I wore and photographed almost 400 polishes this year and while I loved soooo many of them, I tried to narrow down the highlights to one each of a few of the brands I really like. There will be 20 total and I'm breaking them into four posts, in alphabetical order by brand. So here we go after the break...

Too Fancy Lacquer swatches

I'm back with another post of vintage Too Fancy Lacquer! While indies are not an old phenomenon, some of us fans look back with nostalgia about the early days of our favorite makers' brands. This post is alllll about the greens and oranges, after the break...

Glitzkrieg War Paint Joyeaux Noel Collection: O Tannenbaum Set

Glitzkrieg War Paint's Joyeaux Noel Collection features three pairings of shimmer polish and glitter toppers. Today I have the O Tannenbaum Set. Check it out after the break!

Ever After Polish Constellation Duo

Ever After Polish has just announced a pre-order for a lovely limited edition Constellation Duo that you can purchase together or separately. I'm loving these delicate pastel colors for winter and that's exactly what they have going on here! Check them out after the break...

*sent by the makers for photography and review*

Glitzkrieg War Paint Joyeux Noel Collection: North Pole Set

The North Pole Set from the  Joyeux Noel Collection by Glitzkrieg War Paint brings to mind the snow, ice, and candy canes of the season. Check out the details after the break...

Glitzkrieg War Paint Joyeaux Noel Collection: Country Christmas Set

Glitzkrieg War Paint's Joyeaux Noel Collection features three shimmer-glitter pairings. I bought all three during the Thanksgiving Sale at Ella Ann Cosmetics. Today I will show you the Country Christmas Set. Check it out after the break!

Fair Maiden Polish Be Your Own Heroine Collection Part 2 and Holiday 2014

Once I tried the first half or the Fair Maiden Polish Be Your Own Heroine Collection I was hooked and had to buy the second half! I was just as pleased with these and have a feeling my collection of this brand will continue to grow. As a bonus, I have the special gift-with-purchase Black Friday polish from the brand to show as well. Check them out after the break...

Carpe Noctem Cosmetics Nordic Collection

Carpe Noctem Cosmetics' Nordic Collection is a delicate, unexpected collection of four pastel holos for winter, releasing on 12/12. Nevertheless the feel soft and beautiful for the days when the snow flies and the sun shines peakedly through the frosty haze. More after the break... 

NailNation 3000 swatches

A little while ago, one of my all-time favorite brands, NailNation 3000 ran a giveaway where you tagged a friend and got a chance to win a prize for both you and your buddy. I tagged Schette from  Les essais beauté de Schette and we won! Not only were the prize colors stunning but there was a touching surprise in there for me!  Every time I wear NailNation 3000 it reminds me why I have 

been buying Maria's polishes for over two years. They might be pricier than many indies, but she packs them absolutely full of Spectraflair and really high-quality pigments and there are frequent sales and specials. Not only that, but they dry lightning fast and are easy to control. These are luxury polishes, for sure! Check them out after the break...

Fair Maiden Polish Baby, It's Cold Outside! Holiday 2014 Collection (partial)

Fair Maiden Polish.... what can I say? I'm in love! So many of us, including my polish maker buddies, are excited about what Adrienne and Sarah are producing. Today I have three of the four polishes from the Baby, It's Cold Outside! Holiday 2014 Collection for your enjoyment, plus some coupon codes at the bottom of the post, so keep an eye out after the break....

Ever After Polish Winter Wonderland Collections creme, shimmer, and holo

Check out part 2 of the Ever After Polish Winter Wonderland Collection! This includes the creme, holo, and shimmer shades. What a bright and cheery set of polishes for the dark days of winter. Check them out after the break, and don't miss the sale info at the bottom of the post!

*sent by the makers for photography and review*

Ever After Polish Winter Wonderland Collection glitters

Today I have the first of two posts covering the Winter Wonderland Collection by Ever After Polish, launching Friday, November 28 at 12AM EST. This is big collection, with 11 polishes and there are a variety of finishes for all tastes, in a smooth, quick-drying base. This time I will show you the glitters, which include some spectacular effects! Also, at the end of the post I have codes for the week's sales. Check them out after the break...

*sent by the makers for photography and review*

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer X Carpe Noctem Cosmetics Nordic Winter Duo

Two of my favorite indie polish makers, Octopus Party Nail Lacquer and Carpe Noctem Cosmetics, doing a collaboration duo? With holo? And flakies? I die. These are a couple of the best polishes I have from either brand and they are releasing on 11/26 at 1PM EST in the Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Etsy shop.

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Death + Taxes

Octopus Part Nail Lacquer Death + Taxes is a special edition polish launching on 11/30 at 1PM EST. Dave, the maker, and I have joked about our inevitable dread of accounting and taxes, so perhaps we fear Big Brother more that death itself. Since both are unavoidable, one might as well go out in style with holo on your tips, right? This version of death and taxes comes with a bonus, however, in the form of two nail jewels from Daily Charme, a triple spike and a skull. Check out more details after the break...

Northern Star Polish Vampire Collection

Do you like vampires, Anne Rice, and cool, mysterious polishes? Well, Northern Star Polish is releasing the Vampire Collection (one of two new collections) on November 24. This trio of polishes might just hit the spot. Check them out after the break...

*sent by the maker for photography and review*

Marbles For Polish Assemble! Collection

The Marbles For Polish Assemble! Collection is a glittery tribute to The Avengers and each polish is a dedicated to a superhero. There are some really standout shades in this batch, so let's them them out after the break! 

*sent by the maker for photography*

Glittering Elements swatches

Here are six more vintage Glittering Elements polishes from my stash. Some of these are discontinued, but the good news is that Casey does customs and semi-customs, so if you like one, you are not out of luck, she might be able to make you something similar. Check them out after the break...

Marbles For Polish Legend Of Zelda Collection

Marbles For Polish is coming out with a quartet of new colors on November 14 and this time they are dedicated to the Legend Of Zelda. Sadly I never played the game as a kid (if it didn't come free on our family Macintosh, I was out of luck), but was certainly aware of it from my game-playing friends. Here Shannon has gotten her inspiration from the Triforce for the names and colors of the polishes. They are her signature, glowing but delicate linear holos. Nothing in-your-face, here. The holo seems to light up the base color and amplify it rather than graying it out. Lovely!  I bought these a while back when Shannon first put them into testing so I'm excited to finally be able to share! Check them out after the break...

Fair Maiden Polish Be Your Own Heroine Collection part 1

Fair Maiden Polish is a new indie brand that has just made their debut with the Be Your Own Heroine Collection. Inspired by fairy tales, the collection is noteworthy for holos and shimmers in soft, wearable shades, albeit with surprising duochrome twists! Overall it is a spectacular debut, so check out the details after the break... Psssst....there is also a coupon code at the end of the post!

*sent by the maker for photography and review*

Vapid Lacquer Fall 2014 Collection selections

Vapid Lacquer's Fall 2014 Collection featured some beautiful shimmers and holos. Lovers of vampy shades and browns, rejoice, there are some great options for you here! Check them out after the break...

*gift of the maker*

Marbles For Polish The Police Box Duo

Love Dr. Who? Love blue? Then the Marbles Polish Police Box Duo may be for you! Check it out after the break...

*sent by the maker for photography*

The Devil Wears Polish swatches

Today The Devil Wears Polish makes a debut on the blog, but it is far from a debut in my stash. I think I have managed to collect every holo and shimmer Tami has released. They are that good! I am continually amazed at her ability to produce beautiful colors with an easy, quick-drying formula. More details after the break...

Carpe Noctem Cosmetics swatches

The next installment of Carpe Noctem Cosmetics swatches include some shades both new and old, as well as my favorite of all time by the brand. Check them out after the break.
*two polished sent my the maker for photography, four purchased*

Aurora Lacquers and Marbles For Polish Pumpkin King Xmas Nightmare Set (Aurora Lacquers half)

Today I have the two Aurora Lacquers from her Pumpkin King Xmas Nightmare Set with Marbles For Polish!  These Aurora Lacquers polishes are both glitters that can be worn on their own or as toppers. Check them out after the break! 

*two polishes sent by the maker for photography, two purchased*

Glitzkrieg War Paint Holo-Back Girl swatches

Today I have six more Glitzkrieg War Paint Holo-Back Girl polishes on the blog - some of these are older shades, and some newer. After the end of the month, Emily, the maker, is closing her Etsy store and select shades will be available at Ella Ann Cosmetics (http://www.ellaanncosmetics.bigcartel.com/artist/glitzkrieg-warpaint) and by special request from the maker. Have a look after the break! 

NailNation 3000 Color Tint Holo Top Coats

Today I have some NailNation 3000 Color Tint Holo Top Coats on the blog!  These are sheer jelly holos that are made to complement your base colors and provide a non-graying holo effect. However, they also work fantastically on their own in four thin coats, which is how I am showing them here. They can also work great for nail art as syrup manis or lead lighting for stamping. All of them have a great formula and dry really fast and shiny. Check them out after the break!

Carpe Noctem Cosmetics swatches

Here are six more Carpe Noctem Cosmetics polishes for your viewing pleasure after the break!

Marbles For Polish and Aurora Lacquers Pumpkin King Xmas Nightmare set (Marbles For Polish half)

I've got pictures of the two Marbles For Polish shades in the Pumpkin King Xmas Nightmare Set produced in conjunction with Aurora Lacquers. The set is limited edition and is available in both shops. There are two more glitter shades from Aurora that are part of the set, which you can see here. Check it out after the break!
*sent by the maker for photography*

Dainty Digits Polish swatches

I've got six more Dainty Digits Polishes on the blog today, including holos and a couple strong glow-in-the-dark shades. Check them out after the break.

Carpe Noctem Cosmetics swatches

I'm back with more Carpe Noctem Cosmetics swatches today. You can get your hands on all of these and prices range from $4.50 to $15 with a variety of bottle sizes on offer. Check them out after the break!

Too Fancy Lacquer swatches

I've got some more divine, vintage Too Fancy Lacquer that I wore last year to share with you. The brand quickly has become a collector's item, so I'll show you some rare, early ones! More after the break...

Carpe Noctem Cosmetics swatches

Carpe Noctem Cosmetics is a brand I have been collecting from the very beginning, so I have a lot of Emily's polishes, both active and discontinued. I was going back through older pics and wanted to share these, even though a few have already sold out from the store. The good news is that one is a core, a couple more are still on clearance, and best of all, Emily does fantastic customs. If you see something here you like, she may still be able to make it or produce something similar, just for you! Check them out after the break.

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer cremes and shimmers

I've received word from Dave, the maker of Octopus Party Nail Lacquer, that he will be refreshing the store offering and discontinuing all the old polishes. I thought you might like to see a few of the cremes and shimmers in case you want to pick them up before they drift off into the sea!  Check them out after the break...

Octopus Party Nail Lacquer Fall 2014: Phantom

Phantom is an amazing gunmetal/chrome holo polish from Octopus Party Nail Lacquer's Fall 2014 Collection. This one arose out of a discussion Dave an I had about using chrome pigments to make super-vibrant holos. I think it worked pretty well! I am wearing it here with four coats because it is luscious, but you only really need two. The pigment he used also has little silver flecks in it, which I like. This polish will be available from Dave's etsy shop on September 26, along with seven other colors, so stay tuned!

*sent by the maker for photography and review*

 

This collection is releasing on September 26 and will contain eight polishes. The holos, like this one, will sell for $13 for a full-size bottle and $5 for a mini. 

*sent by the maker for photography and review*

OPNL is made by Dave in Connecticut.  The hard-partying octopus is his avatar.

Check out his store at: 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/OctopusPartyNL

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/OctopusPartyNL

Instagram: http://instagram.com/octopuspartynaillacquer

Glitzkrieg War Paint Trick Or Treat Collection

Emily from Glitzkrieg War Paint has just released her fall lines and I've got four of them here today from the Trick Or Treat Collection. This is a quartet of polishes with the same glitter mix and different shades of sheer jelly base. This is a neat idea, as it lets you pick and chose the combo you like best, or all of them. I can tell you I would have gone nuts for this collection as a kid. Too bad we didn't have these kinds of polishes then! Check out more after the break...

*sent by the maker for photography and review*

Marbles For Polish Kiki's Delivery Service Collection

Marbles For Polish Kiki's Delivery Service Collection pays tribute to a beloved Studio Ghibli film that is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The collection is comprised of four glitters and a shimmer. There's more after the break...

*sent by the maker for photography*

Hobby Polish Bloggers Group Giveaway!

While I have been posting nail polish pictures on Flickr since early 2012, it is only recently that I have become engaged in blogging in a more formal fashion with Facebook and a full text blog. It has been an adventure, to say the least.

Helping me along the way with tips, tricks, and support have been the lovely ladies of Hobby Polish Bloggers, a Facebook group devoted to nail blogging. I never dreamt that I would have the chance to interact with some of the women whose blogs I have been reading for close to five years now, and it is something really special to me.

That said, we are hosting a group giveaway to help you discover some new blogs to follow and hopefully win some cool polish money to spend! The first prize is $165, second prize is $90, and the third prize is $75 and the giveaway ends on 9/30. It is open worldwide to those ages 18 and up. That will certainly keep you in new polish for a little while! Please check out all the participants and enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below.

A Little Polish http://alittlepolish.blogspot.com

acidicice http://www.acidicice.co.za

Addicted to Polish http://addictedtopolish.blogspot.com

BeginNails: Every Journey Has A Beginning http://www.beginnails.blogspot.com

B'Nails http://boomernails.blogspot.com/

Canadian Nail Fanatic http://canadiannailfanatic.blogspot.ca/

Carinae L'etoile's polish stash http://www.carinaeletoile.com

Copycat Claws http://www.copycatclaws.blogspot.ca

Doctor Crafty https://doctorcrafty.wordpress.com

Fashion Footing http://fashionfooting.blogspot.com

I Feel Polished http://www.ifeelpolished.com

Imperfectly Painted http://www.imperfectlypainted.com/

LacqueredGeek http://www.facebook.com/lacqueredgeek

Lavish Layerings http://www.lavishlayerings.blogspot.com/

Les essais beauté de Schette http://schette08.free.fr/essaisbeaute/

Lit From Within http://beautylitfromwithin.blogspot.com/

Lustrous Lacquer http://www.lustrouslacquer.blogspot.com

Manic Talons http://www.manictalons.com

Manicure Addict http://www.manicureaddict.com

Pamper with Polish http://www.pamperwithpolish.com

Peer Pressure Polish http://www.peerpressurepolish.com

Plump and Polished http://www.plumpandpolished.com 

Polish Galore http://www.polishgalore.com

Polished and Glittered http://www.polishedandglittered.com

ProcrastiNails http://www.ProcrastiNails.com

Sammy Gail's Nails http://sammygailsnails.blogspot.com

Sassy Shelly http://www.sassyshelly.com

Shelby Lou Nails http://shelbylounails.blogspot.com

The Dalai Lama's Nails http://www.thedalailamasnails.com

The Polished Hippy http://thepolishedhippy.blogspot.com/

The Polished Mommy http://www.thepolishedmommy.com/

The Sparkling Hoard http://www.thesparklinghoard.com/

xoxo, Jen http://xoxojen.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Glittering Elements swatches

Today I have more swatches of last year's Glittering Elements polishes. Some of these are still around, others are discontinued, but you still might find them around, so I will share anyway! Check them out after the break...

Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer It Got Away From Me, Yeah... Collection, Part 1

Today I have three of the six polishes from the first part of Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer's It Got Away From Me, Yeah... Collection. These are releasing on Sunday, September 21, at 3:30 PM EDT and are dedicated to the Women Of Dr. Who. Check them out after the break!

*sent by the maker for photography and review*

Glitzkrieg War Paint Frankenlaquer's Monster Glitter Frankens swatches

I showed you some Glitzrkrieg War Paint Holo-Back Girls last week and today I have some polishes from Emily's other line, Frankenlaquer's Monster Glitter Frankens. These are all holo microglitters, with the exception of one flakie. Generally the polishes are thick due to the density of the glitter, but otherwise quite manageable. I would consider these textured polishes when worn without topcoat. I am showing them here with two coats of Pure Ice Girl On The Run for extra shine and smoothness. At $5 for a full-sized bottle these are a steal! More after the break...

*one polish sent by the maker for photography, all others purchased*

Marbles For Polish fall holos

I'm really excited to share the new fall holo collection from Marbles For Polish. First let me say I think this is a masterpiece, my favorite so far from Shannon's workshop!  Every single polish has a perfect formula and has amazingly rich shimmer in addition to the holo effect. They are all shiny even without topcoat, and opaque in two coats (though I used three very thin coats). You will not go wrong picking any (or all of these) out from the shop when they release on September 12.  Check them out after the break...

*sent by the maker for photography*