French tips and tophat with Mr. Burgundy

Hello, Fireflies!

Today's post is brought to you by the letter 'B'. As in Burgundy.  As in Mister Burgundy, SIR.

Enchanted Polish Mr. Burgundy has become quite the popular little polish, and I can see why.  It's a nice fall color, but not too vampy, and very holo.  Love.

I forgot to get a pix of the dress I was wearing to match, but it was about this color, with a black hem and yoke.  So, that inspired me to top and cap this mani with some black.  My favorite black, in fact: Cult Nails Nevermore.  First, the tips:

Now, there are several ways I could have done this.  I didn't feel like messing around with scotch tape, but that could have given me cleaner lines, and possibly less clean up.  I could have cut one piece and put it in the middle and just painted both top and bottom at the same time.  I'd love to hear how you did it, if you recreate this mani.

I used my striper to paint a guide line, and then filled in with Nevermore and an art brush.  Cleanup around my cuticle was a little tricky, but not too bad.

Something very clean and geometric about boxing in this beautiful color with black.

Tape might have made doing the right hand a little easier.  Who wants easy, though?  Not this gal.  Ok, I lie.  Of course this gal. 

A little monocle, and Mr. Burgundy would be ready for the opera.  How would you dress up Mr. B?

Sunday Stamping - Lilacky-Backy!

This week's Adventures in Stamping challenge is:  over a lilac base.  My biggest challenge was deciding which lilac to use! Luckily for me, I had just gotten some nail mail, and my selection from Barielle's last sale finally arrived!  This is Lilac Jelly Bean.

Ok, I don't know *anyone* who thinks that a lilac-flavored jellybean is actually a good idea, mind you.  Now, *lavender* I've tried, and it makes a good ice cream, but I don't know about lilac.  That's, well, that's just weird.  But so beautiful, and the formula is pretty good, too.

I used a polish I got in a swap - a brand I've never heard of before.  Joie' Kollection Metailic Burgendy.  I triple-checked the spelling on the label.  I used a weirdly-spelled plate, too - Pueen 14.
 

I thought the stamp looked like the ornamental top of a building, like the Taj Mahal.  For stamps like this, I wish my nails were longer!

In the pix, it just looks a little blurry, but this stamping polish had the prettiest pink shimmer that just glowed with the topcoat.  Pretty cool effect in Real Life, even if it makes me look a drunk photographer for my blog.

I love a polish with a surprise like that.  Do you have any polishes that just took on a different characteristic when you used topcoat, or layered them, and you were pleasantly surprised?

Indie January - KB Shimmer

One of my faves this past year - and many other bloggers also praised this Indie brand - KB Shimmer. Her polishes are beautiful!  Let me show you a few of my faves:

Snow Way.  This one made my list of fave polishes of 2012, even though I hadn't blogged about it yet.  Yes, it is just that special and beautiful.  I will admit, it took 3 coats to become opaque, though, so next time I wear it (oh, and there will be a next time, and a time after that, and many more..) I will probably put undies on because I don't want to waste it. 

Which Way.  This was part of her Halloween collex, I believe, but I'd wear it year 'round.   I love a pretty scattered holo, and how different to have it in a dark purple jelly base?  The second pix is a little blurred to emphasize the depth of the polish and the sparkly holo.  Which Way is a Winner Winner!

Elle.  Oh, these grey jellies.  With the soft pink glitters, among others, it's so sweet and unobtrusive.  I love it, it's one of my faves.  This is another one that would likely benefit from some undies, though in Real Life, you couldn't really see any VNL. 

Oh Splat.  I believe that this polish was one of the original 'milky' glitters to really take off.  For some reason, I used to avoid these glitters, but I'm glad I came around.  I love them now, likely even more than glitters with a clear base...

Cocoa Nut.  I love brown polishes, and it's so unexpected to see brown paired with hot pink glitters, not to mention this was a part of her holiday collex.  When everyone else was doing red and green, KB Shimmers put this out there, and I ate it up. 

No Whine Left.  Last, but not least.  This was another KB Shimmer that made a big splash.  Another unusual pairing - burgundy and cobalt blue - that just works so well.  

In this now-saturated market of Indie glitters, she is still putting out unexpected and beautiful combinations, which is why she's one of my fave Indie polish makers. You can find KB Shimmer on Facebook, or on her own webpage. 

What's your fave?

Indie January - Chick Polish

Some bloggers are showcasing Indie polishes this month, and I thought that was a grand idea.  I love quite a few of the Indie brands, and think they deserve a little spotlight.

First up is one of the 'lab' Indies - designed by the brand owners, but produced to standard in a chemical laboratory.  These types of polishes are consistent and professional-looking, but with the creativity of a small brand.  Chick polish is fashion-forward, edgy, but with a girly 'chick' feel.

I first became aware of them when they sponsored some samples for the Beauty Bloggers of Central Florida.  I didn't swatch All A Twitter, but I used it in a dotticure for the blog.  These polishes I'm reviewing here I bought, with the exception of Hipster Chick, which they graciously offered for free.

First up, Gr8 Grey Owl.  Oh, how the greys have stolen my heart this year.  This grey is light, fresh, and a great palate cleanser. Great for any season.

I can't find the original link to the art I was inspired by, so if you know it, please leave it in the comments.  I created this with a small art brush and Rocker Chick.  I love the combination of the innocent grey and the naughty burgundy...

Gavie Green was a lovely surprise!  I didn't know it was a matte.  So richly pigmented, too.  It's not a true green, not a true blue, either.  Such a fun color.

I love half-moon manis, and this one was funky!  Hipster chick over the Gavie Green, and dots along the line with Falcon Pearl.

Hipster chick is a sheer scattered holo greenish-yellow.  I loved it immediately.  You can see here how it looks on its own (thumb) and from index to pinkie, how it transformed Gr8 Grey Owl, Moss, Gavie Green, and Rocker Chick.

I had an awful time trying to photograph Moss.  It's so glossy, the light just kept bouncing off of it.  This is without topcoat.  It looks like you could go swimming in it.

I went with a floral design for Moss, made with other Chick colors, including Gr8 Grey Owl, Hipster Chick, and Rocker Chick.

Rocker Chick has this incredible purple shimmer that glows from within the polish.

An edgy Rocker can wear studs, so that's how I accessorized this polish.  I especially love the square French, and the teardrop petals.

The last Chick polish I have to show you today is Falcon Pearl.  I don't often gravitate towards metallics, but the grey was irresistible.

I gave it a pinstripe look with Rocker Chick and Gr8 Grey Owl.  I love this look, so easy and eye-catching.

I really like this brand.  Fun, edgy, and cute, but with no-nonsense formulas that don't disappoint.  You can find Chick on Facebook, or on their website.

Will you be getting some Chicks?

Vampy Vampires

Enchanted Polish is quickly becoming one of my fave Indie brands.  They make such interesting holographic polishes, and I love a good holo.

This one is perfect for the season - Vampire's Dessert!

It's burgundy, then it's brown, then the rainbow flashes blue and even gold.. 

It definitely looks good enough to eat, and not just for a vampire!

This next polish is definitely vampy!  Essie skirting the issue.  I received this polish as a Klout perk.  Have you heard of Klout?  It's an app that gauges your social influence via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.  Enough people said I was influential about nail polish that I got a free one to share with you.

I didn't get to choose what color I wanted, but I was happy with this one!  I love vampy colors, especially dark reds. 

 

I decided to put Girly Bits Apparition over it.  This is a pretty white/silver holo glitter.  There are different shapes in here... even micro bars.  I don't like bar glitter, and I only own a couple of glitters that have them.
As you can see, though, they're really tiny.

I think it looks like blood on fallen snow.  If Dexter moved up north?

Halloween isn't just about purple and green! 

The days of wine... and more wine

I want to show you a few polishes today that all have some element of a wine or burgundy color to them... wine, and more wine.

First up, my first Fanservice nails polish, Gwen Cooper. 

This polish was excellent.  I loved the complexity of the glitters, the easiness of the formula.  I loved the color.  I think I went around all day shoving my hands under my husband's nose and asking him, 'doesn't this look great? Isn't this the most beautiful polish ever?"  He had me Baker Acted soon after.

Maybe I exaggerate.. a little.  I do like this polish, a lot, though.

This next one starts off green.  I know, not wine.  Bear with me.  Revlon Rainforest, a jewel-tone dark green with microglitter sparkles.

Layered over it, a beauty from F4 Polish, Summer Melon.  I've managed to make it look not-quite-as-summery by layering it over the dark green, which makes the pink pop, and the background meld with the burgundy and black glitter.

And, last, but not least, is an OPI lemming I had to go looking for, Pepe's Purple Passion (I'm not a shrimp! I'm a King Prawn!)

Dark and lovey, with a very subtle glass fleck, but maybe too dark for that day - you can see that it dries slightly darker than the bottle color.

So, I lightened it up with a glitter from Tokidoki, Ciao Ciao.  I think they go so well together!

Now, who is ready for a glass of wine, and who wants it with a bottle of wine polish?