Battle of the Cleansing Machines: Michael Todd Soniclear Elite v. Foreo Luna

The Soniclear Elite is a Press Sample. I won the Foreo Luna in an iFabbo contest.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

Most of us wash our face every day.  I know for most of my life, I didn't think much about it.  At first, it was whatever soap I was using in the shower, then I started using specialized cleansers.  Then, the tools started coming out, and they started getting more and more expensive.  Maybe you haven't been able to decide between some of the options out there.  I've been using both the Michael Todd Soniclear Elite and the Foreo Luna, and I want to share my experience and opinions with you, in hopes it helps you find the right tool for you.

Cover FX - the MEGA post

Hello, Fireflies!

If you read my post about Phyrra's Cover FX Find Your Shade event, you may already know that I'm a new fan of Cover FX! At the event, I was given their SPF 30 protection primer, and their setting powder in medium.  I was also sent their CC cream in P-light/medium.  I purchased the BB Gel in P-light medium, and the liquid foundation brush on my own.  I can't wait to show you all of these awesome things!

Aqua Pool? Bright Lily?

Hi, Fireflies!

You may have seen some other bloggers talking about this dupe recently, but when I came across a bottle of Gap Bright Pool, I had to see for myself if it was just like Rescue Beauty Lounge Aqua Lily.

Can you tell the difference?

Aside from the middle finger looking crappy because of a patch job that is peeling off, all the nails looked the same to me.  Both of the formulas were the *same*.  Yes, the $20 (and up) RBL and the $6 Gap polish were the same, for all intents and purposes.

Better yet, the RBL is discontinued, and Bright Pool is available in Gap stores everywhere.  And right now, they are BOGO, effectively making it a $3 polish.  Boo-yah!

Bottle shot:  Rescue Beauty Lounge Aqua Lily and Gap Bright Pool.

Playing around with some of my other colors, I found a 'cousin' of these polishes, though it wouldn't be mistaken for a dupe.  I started with Illamasqua Venous, a dark turquoise cream.

I added Color Club Pearl-spective, a purple shimmer - in the same color family as the Aqua Lily/Bright Pool shimmer, but much larger shimmer particles.  It's not gritty, though.

It probably isn't worth it to buy these colors just to make a look that you can likely get for $3 at the Gap, but if you already have them, putting them together makes a nice combination.

I bought a wheel of rhinestones from Cult Nails at The Make Up Show, and decided to get silly-blingy with them.  Outrageous!

Which look is your fave?  Would you still pay $20+ for a bottle of the original RBL?

Battle of the red-hot flakies

Hello, Fireflies!

I love flakies.  Practically obsessed.  I want to BUY ALL THE FLAKIES!

So, it's no wonder why I have dupes.. or at least close cousins.  I picked these 4 polishes that all have a purple base with red flakies: Nfu-Oh 51, Color Club The Uptown, Layla CE 52, and Kleancolor Chunky Holo Purple.

Even though they are all similar, none of them are exactly the same!

Nfu-Oh 51 is pretty much the original of this type of polish.  The Layla comes closest, but has a more purple base, less blue.  The Uptown is lighter still, and the Kleancolor has almost no color on the nail.

Even the flakies are all a little different.  The Uptown has almost too many flakies - with 2 coats of polish, the flakies start to look like a whole layer, rather than individual flashes.  The Nfu-Oh has the finest, smallest flakies.  The KleanColor's flakies are bordering on glitter. Not to mention it has that hideous Kleancolor aroma.

Nfu-Oh has discontinued their flakie line, but you can still find a few floating around on Ebay and the like.  If the smell doesn't bother you, the Kleancolor is probably the cheapest option, and you could layer it over whatever purple base you'd like.  I'm not sure of the availability of the Layla, since Ulta stopped carrying their line.  The Uptown is part of Color Club's Winter 2013 collection, so it should be around for a while, and then it will hopefully end up in TJMaxx!

Have y'all seen other versions of this polish?  If you don't need them all, which would you choose?

Navy Glam!

Hello, Fireflies!

This is the last comparison of this week - gorgeous navy blue, one of my fave colors for a holo because it just shows all the holo goodness with so little of that greying effect.

Ninja Polish made this color, Glamorous, as a dupe for the VHTF OPI DS Glamour.
 

I wish I had DS Glamour to compare, but I don't.  In any case, this is a gorgeous polish, and if you like deep blue holos, this is a must-have.

NailNation 3000 Doppel Ganger is also supposed to be a dupe for OPI DS Glamour, but it's different from Glamorous.

This polish applied beautifully, but interestingly.  The first coat had larger holo bits, and looked like it was going to be a sheer, scattered holo.  The second coat changed everything, and it was a perfect, linear holo.  I was amazed!

Aly's Dream Polish in Navy wasn't touted as a dupe for anything, and it's a brighter blue than the other two.

When Aly first set up shop, she had soooo many holos, I was overwhelmed and ended up not buying any.  Now, I wish I had bought all of them.  They are really great holos!

Here's the bottle shot:  Ninja Polish Glamorous, NN3000 Doppel Ganger, and Aly's Dream Polish Navy.

Behold, the side-by-side comparison.  No dupes!  I wish wish wish wish I had DS Glamour to compare!  It's hard to imagine any polish being prettier than any of these.  I love them all.

Do you need all three, too?  Or, do you have the coveted DS Glamour, and need none of these?  Inconceivable!  Must.Have.Them.All!!

Seeing the Forest Green for the Trees

Hello, Fireflies!

One of my fave holo colors is green.  I've shown you minty ones earlier in the week, and today I want to go darker.

This.Is.Gorgeous.  It might as well be called that, but it's actually Lilypad Lacquer Emerald City.

I love how it is just a *touch* blue.

Moving from green with a bit of blue to green with a bit of olive and brown, this is Lilypad Lacquer Wild at Heart.

It is a pretty cool jungle green!

This one isn't a holo, and it's way more blue than green, but the base colors look so similar in the bottle.  I had no idea it would be this blue on the nail!  This is Lilypad Lacquer Great Galaxy.

This has so much shimmer!  I've layered it over black on my thumb, which really makes the glitter pop.
It looks great on its own, too.

This polish *looks* like it's layered over black, but it's not.  It's not layered at all, and it's only ONE COAT.  This is Carpe Noctem Woodland Camo.

I love when a polish gets those blackened edges and really shines in the center, like it glows.  The formula was perfection.

Leaning a little more olive again, is Cameo Colors Lacquer This Is War.

This one I layered over black on my thumb.  By itself, it takes 3 or so coats to get opaque, and it's still a little watery-looking, but it has great shimmer.

Here's the bottle shot:  Lilypad Lacquer in Emerald City, Wild at Heart, and Great Galaxy, followed by Carpe Noctem Woodland Camo and Cameo Colors Lacquer This Is War.

Side-by-side comparison - no dupes here, not even close.

They are all so gorgeous, it's hard to pick a fave.  I was really surprised how blue some of them are!  What's your favorite?

That's Teal-ly Hard!

Hello, Fireflies!

I want to continue these comparisons with a favorite, teal.

Or is it?  I had such a hard time deciding if something was teal or turquoise, or aqua, etc.  By the time I was done, I didn't know what was what.  So, here's the deal:  I picked 5 colors in my untrieds that I thought were fairly close, and whatever they are, they are some kind of blue/green color.

First up is Literary Lacquers Lake of Shining Waters.  This is the color *I* think of when I think of teal.

This is a gorgeous holo, and it really does look like a mystical lake, or what I can imagine the lake in Anne of Green Gables looked like, as this polish collex was inspired by the book.

Avon Cosmic Celestial is not that teal.  I think of this as more aqua.  There is some green in there, but it's pretty subtle.

It is a really pretty scattered holo.  Blue/aqua/grey/green... what do you think?

Above the Curve Gratitude looks more teal to me, but it has a completely different finish - it's still holo, but it has a frosty shimmer, too.

It almost has a metallic look to it, but it's sheer at the same time.

Indigo Bananas Telephasic Worshop looks teal in the bottle, but it has a purple shimmer that is the kind of purple my camera hates to photograph.  It's quite strong, really, but I guess you'll have to take my word for it.

This pix shows you a *hint* of the purple. It also dries matte!  I put topcoat on it for these swatches, but in the comparison shot at the end of this post, I left it matte.  It totally changes the way it looks, though both are pretty cool.

Last, but not least is NailNation 3000 Gina...So Guess What?  which is her tribute polish to her friend and polish blogger.  NailNation is known for her holos, and this one is pretty holo!

Is this teal or turquoise?  Or neither?

In the bottle, the differences are there, but harder to see.  Bottle shot:  Literary Lacquers Lake of Shining Waters, Avon Cosmic Celestial, Above the Curve Gratitude, Indigo Bananas Telephasic Workshop, and NailNation 3000 Gina...So Guess What?

I suppose this would be the 'money shot'.  All the polishes next to one another for best comparison.  No dupes!  So many different finishes.

Teal, turquoise, aqua, blue... they are all beauties! Which is your favorite?

That's Plum-Crazy!

Hello, Fireflies!

I made it to day 2, with an awesome plum holo compilation and comparison to show you!  I love plum.

Hmm.  Another Lilypad Lacquer?  Yep! This is Velveteen.

I do so hope it's named for the Velveteen Rabbit, which is one of my fave stories.  Also, why I may still have one or two of my fave, well-loved stuffed animals from my childhood.  This polish is also going to be well-loved in my collection.  Great application, lovely holo, perfect plum.

Girly Bits What Happens in Vegas...Ends Up On Facebook was an LE made for a convention, and then released to the general populace for a few mins before it sold out.

This is a lighter plum base with lots of holo.  Girly Bits was one of the first Indie Polish makers, and she's still got it.

Of all the Enchanted Polish Calendar polishes, I think February 2013 had the widest distribution.  I was very happy to get one because I love purple, and February is my birth month.  Go, Aquarians!

This one has a green duochrome effect that I couldn't capture well, but you can kinda see it a little in this pix, along the tips. 

Lastly, I want to show you this beauty, Euphoria, from Superchic Lacquer (WonderBeauty Products).  It comes the closest to the dark plum base of February 2013, but doesn't have the green shift.

I love this type of deep, rich plum holo. 

Here's the bottle shot:  Lilypad Lacquer Velveteen, Girly Bits What Happens In Vegas...Ends Up On Facebook, Enchanted Polish February 2013, and SuperChic Lacquer Euphoria.

No dupes here!  Velveteen seems to be lighter on the nail than in the bottle, and the Girly Bits does, too.  February almost seems darker on the nail than in the bottle.

Are you plum-crazy for plum holos?  Which is your fave, even if I don't have it here?