Pantone 2015 Color of the Year: Marsala Polish Picks

*contains press sample(s)

Pantone Color of the Year 2015: Marsala

  I admit to initially being both underwhelmed and reminded of savory food when Pantone announced their 2015 Color of the Year.  Marsala, an elegant, complex shade with an air of lightness, has really grown on me, though, especially when I realized that a number of my favorite nail polishes easily fit the mold of that color.  I decided to do a little shopping and see if I could spot a few other polishes that work with the scheme, and I was mildly successful.  It turns out this rather "basic" color is anything but!

Revlon Facets of Fuchsia

  Hi all, and Happy Halloween!!  This year, my decision of what to wear on my nails was an easy one.  Since I've been feeling a little glittery this week, I chose an oldie but goodie-- Revlon Facets of Fucshia, aka Scandalous, that gorgeous fuchsia glitter in a black jelly base copy of Deborah Lippmann's Bad Romance.  I used one coat of this beauty over WetnWild Black Creme; finished with one layer of topcoat.

Revlon Facets of Fuchsia

  And with that, I'm off to the races.  Thank you for reading, and have a safe and fun Halloween!  What's on your nails today?

WetnWild Fantasy Makers 2014 (partial)

  

WetnWild Fantasy Makers 2014

  October is here!! To kick off one of my favorite months in the year, I'm sharing some swatches of this year's WetnWild Fantasy Makers nail polishes (I've had them since the end of August... these things come out earlier and earlier, I tell ya!).  I chose two of the collection of five, but before I start in on the colors, the repackaging is worth mentioning.  They're still the cute little tombstone shape, but instead of the mottled grey headstone emblazoned with "R.I.P.", the cap is a satin finish black printed with little silver skulls (links to previous collection picks at the end of the post).  These bottles kind of look like Darth Vader with a new wardrobe.

WetnWild Eggplant Frost

  Hello, everyone!!  One of my first major polish lems was Sally Hansen Nail Prisms Burgundy Orchid {HERE} and {HERE}, lol.  It is gorgeous in every sense of the word but the top photo in {THIS POST} from Munia's Nails has haunted me these years because that dark blue to red to purple flash does not occur without flash photography.  It's a color I've not been sure I'd find because of current nail polish trends.  Enter WetnWild Eggplant Frost, a 99¢ dealie from the Wild Shine line, one that I've seen around but not paid much attention to until a fellow polish lover posted about it in one of my facebook groups (follow her, MyOrdinaillyLife, on instagram {HERE}).  

WetnWild Eggplant Frost

Sunday Swatch Spam (if you please)

  *contains press samples

  Hi all!!  Summer is just so fabulous.  We were looking to get away to the coast this weekend but there were NO vacancies in our closest beach city, so C got busy turning our back yard into an oasis.  So we've spent much time outside this weekend, reading on our cots or lounging in our new little above ground pool with Blue Hawaiians in hand.  He even set up a sheet and projector so we could watch movies outside.  It's been so much fun.  Now, we're inside listening to thunder and waiting for the imminent downpour (can't wait!!!).  Suffice it to say, I haven't been thinking about much bloggy stuff (my mani's been chipping since yesterday and I don't care... too much, lol).  But before we do the inevitable and crawl back into bed for a couple hours, I thought I'd share some swatches of some of the stuff I've been wearing for the last few weeks.

LVX Caviar

LVX Caviar

WetnWild Poison Ivy

Good morning, guys and gals!!  Some of you might remember WetnWild's Megalast Pick Your Poison collection from last fall.  I tracked that collection all over town last year after talking myself out of it numerous times while it was still easily accessible and came back successfully with the inky blue Toxic Apple.  The green one sadly eluded me.  My good friend Melissa of Lacquer Reverie fame posted over the weekend about that collection, and indeed that very polish, having hit stores again.  I read her post on Saturday morning and by Saturday afternoon, poison Ivy was mine.  No tarrying this time, lol.

 Poison Ivy is a shimmery and glowy blackened forest green.  When I say blackened, I mean that besides its appearance, it's also how the polish applies on the nail, especially in the first coat-- it's essentially a black jelly base saturated with green shimmer.  The green is obviously apparent in the bottle but it isn't until the second coat is applied that the color reaches its full potential.  The color is fantastic, too-- if ever a green could be called vampy, Poison Ivy is it.  Dark and shimmery true greens are hard to come by.  There are lots of teal- and blue-leaning greens out there (think Zoya Suvi, Illamasqua Viridian, L'Oreal The Muse's Attitude) but shades such as this, with the edgy and slightly warming of a touch of yellow, are a rarity.    

The formula is lovely.  It doesn't pool or drag and is perfect in the standard two coats.  My complaint lies with the brush.  The WnW Megalasts feature those wide,tapered, paddle-style brushes intended to fit the natural curvature of the nail.  It's usually a positive thing for me, as the width does fit my nail size nicely.  But the brushes are cut inconsistently, oftentimes with wayward bristles, and this particular one is cut on some sort of bias, making application a little difficult.  But, at $1.99 a pop, it's certainly not a deal breaker, but merely something to expect if you're going to opt for a polish from this particular line. 

Bottom line-- I'm stoked to finally have Poison Ivy in my stash.  It satisfies my love of vamp while being unique, fun, and totally seasonally appropriate.

I found mine at Walgreens.  If you've a mind to get this one, run, don't walk, or else you might end up stuck on the freeway in a traffic jam on your day off trying to track one down.  Consider this your warning, lol.

Thank you for reading and have a marvelous day! ♥♥

WetnWild Fantasy Makers 2013 Ghouls Rush In

The 2013 Fantasy Makers have landed at my favorite drugstore and at first glance, I thought them all rather unspectacular.  There's the requisite glow-in-the-dark green, a solid black that I didn't open to check if jelly or creme, a silver foil, and a bright orange jelly.  No glitters or shimmers in this bunch.  I thought I'd pass, but those little tombstone bottles are just too cute to say no to, so I picked up the orange, called Ghouls Rush In (and such a cute name!  I'm a sucker for a good name).  As it turns out, it's kind of rockin'!

 Isn't it cuuuute?!  Ghouls Rush In is a true jelly, nice and self leveling.  It dries to a rubbery, semi-matte finish.  I used three coats to diminish visible nail line and maximize squishiness. 

I LOVE THESE BOTTLES!! 

One more :) This is seriously sooo fun to wear and I think it'll play so nicely with the Fantasy Makers of years past.

I've seen these for sale at Fred Meyer only, so far, but keep your eyes peeled as they're certain to land at your local watering hole (thanks, Christine ♥) in no time.  They run $1.99 a piece.

Thanks for reading and may the day be gentle with you ♥♥

Julep Emma + WetnWild Private Viewing

Nail friends are awesome for a great number of reasons, not the least of which is providing you with inspiration when you look in your fully stocked "closet" and don't know what to wear.  Yesterday was one such day.  I reread Essie's recent WetnWild Megalast review and decided it was time to bring out my first true nude love again and pair it with one of my favorite Juleps.  None of this is new.  This duo was one of my gnarliest and earliest posts but remains one of my favorite layering duos.  Here's Julep Emma over WetnWild Private Viewing.

Private Viewing is a semi sheer pinky peach nude with a gorgeously subtle shimmer.  Emma is a very, very light pink sheer shimmer, and I think the two look so perfectly delicate and girly together.  The formula on Emma is the best I've ever seen in a Julep and Private Viewing is pretty manageable, too.  The brush is big and tapered, and has a few longer strays, but when you're working with something fleshtoned and sheer it is more of a nuisance than an actual problem and certainly not a deterrent to wearing it.  If you're in the market for a subtle and sexy shade at a totally accessible price, I highly suggest Private Viewing.  And if you want to treat yourself with one of the best Julep has to offer, Emma is a beautiful and versatile choice.  

Thanks for reading ♥ I hope the start to your week is easy like Sunday morning ;)

Fun With BadAss Polish!

 Hi hi!!  Before Christmas, I showed you four different glitter polishes from a brand new indie company, BadAss Polish.  I've been wanting to play around with some different color combos for these fantastic glitters, and tonight I finally did.

This is America's Team over WetnWild Fastdry 9.0.2.1.Orange.  Right after I got America's Team, a gal in one of my fb groups asked for a swatch over orange.  I love how the orange amplifies the blue stars, especially with the added effect of the glassfleck.

 Bling! over OPI Meet Me on the Star Ferry.  I love Bling! over shimmery metallics and I think it'd be absolutely gorgeous over one of those red foils that were so big this Christmas.

 

Go Pack Go over Max Factor Ivory.  I keep trying to think of a way to highlight the big yellow hexes to their full advantage besides over a base of green.  I don't think this is it, but I like how it looks with the green glitter.

Dusk over WetnWild Toxic Apple.  I initially wore Dusk over a dark teal creme so I thought a dark, shimmery navy might amplify the sparkle.  Dusk is so twinkly on its own, though, that it'll outshine whatever base you put it over.  This is not a bad thing.

Check out BadAss Polish's etsy store here.

Thanks for reading! ♥

Some of these items were sent for review.

Halloween Lights

Hello guys and gals!  The single most fun thing about Halloween for me is the all-out flashy and over the top hair, costumes, and makeup.  Over the top has different meanings for everyone, and for me, it means wearing four different colors on my nails... at once!!   lol.  Earlier this month I was driving home from work and I passed a display in a boutique window with little Halloween lights in purple, orange, and light green.  I thought they looked so pretty and festive, and that those colors would make a spooktacular manicure (clever and original play on words no extra charge).

I used Revlon Facets of Fuschia over Essence Black is Back (an excellent and inexpensive black creme), Zoya Midori, and WetnWild 9.0.2.1. Orange.  I was pretty stoked that I had the perfect colors already in my stash. 

 I brought my camera to work (I make my living in a retail pharmacy) and decided to surreptitiously (sort of) take pictures of my nails next to Halloween costumes and decorations.  If anyone noticed... they didn't let on. ;)

   

Ooh, creeepy!! :D

 

I just love these colors together, and I really like how my first foray into seasonal looks turned out.

Thanks for reading, and have a terrifyingly terrific Thursday. ;p

WetnWild Fantasy Makers Halloween 2012

 

So I was in Shopko getting some hairball medicine for my Sal Pal the other day when I actively sought out happened upon WetnWild's new Fantasy Makers display!!  I totally missed out on last year's collection, including the fabulous Creepy Pumpkin, so I was stoked to see the new colors in those adorable little headstone bottles.

The polishes this year consist of one glow-in-the-dark, two glittery black jellies, and one black shimmer.  I picked up the jelly with red glitter and the black shimmer.

First up is Nail in the Coffin.  It's a black creme with blue, pink, and silver shimmer.  I love a good black creme and this one is festively dressed up for some spooky fun, lol.  It's honestly got one of the best formulas I've used in a black and was completely streak free in two coats.

Next up is Once Upon a Time, small red glitters and red hexagons in a black jelly base.  You've seen this before, with purple glitters (in fact, the other jelly is just that-- another Bad Romance/Facets of Fuschia/Scandalous type).  If there's one color I love more than black, it's red, so naturally I couldn't resist this.  I used it entirely on its own here, so it's nice and thick and glittery in four coats.  I think it looks cool on the nail, packed with all that glitter, but I'll wear just a coat or two over a black creme in the future. 

This collection isn't exactly unique, but it is fun and festive.  Once Upon a Time will be a fun one to play around with, and Nail in the Coffin satisfies my love of simplicity while still being festive.
Excited for Halloween yet??

Thanks for reading. ;)

**Editing to add that upon closer inspection of the black jelly with purple glitter (which I don't have) I see that it is not a Bad Romance/FoF/Scandalous dupe.  The WnW doesn't have the purple hexes.**

WetnWild On A Trip + Flakies

Good morning!!  It's a new week and time for new letters in the alphabet challenge.  I decided to combine E and F today, and layered Essence Special Effects Topper in Night In Vegas with WetnWild On A Trip.  But where are the E and F? you may ask.  Well, the E would be more creative license, lol.  On A trip is En Voyage in French (and it's on the label, so it totally counts).  The F would be for flakies, aka flake glitter.

On A Trip is a medium lilac purple creme that applies nicely and is opaque in two coats.  It dries a little bit matte, so I put a topcoat on top of the whole thing (which I always do; I was surprised at how matte this combo was without, though). If you're totally unfamiliar with the term "flakies," that's what those shiny, colorful bits of glitter are.  I looked it up and learned that they're little pieces of mylar suspended in a base.  This particular flakie isn't overly dense, but it's got a pretty copper to gold to green shift that showed up a little pink over On A Trip.  I've heard the flakies can be a little thick to apply, but this one wasn't bad at all, for my first experience.  Apparently, companies like to make their flaky polishes limited edition, and this one is no exception, so I'm glad I snagged it while I could.

C and I went to our local art fair over the weekend and bought our first piece of non-commercial art!  I'm really excited.  Art is, as we all know, highly subjective, but we both saw this painting and had pretty much the same reaction of  "That's kind of cool!" 

Yes, it is a crab in a martini glass.  We thought he was happy and colorful.  He's now residing above our tv.

Also, my banner is done!  I'm really stoked about that, too, lol.  This lady is remarkably talented and patient, and I'm so grateful to her. <3
Thanks for reading. :)

Independence Day! WetnWild Stars & Stripes Againnnnn!

Msdfhjsdgfb.  I woke up some time between 3:30 and 4:00 this morning from a bad dream and was plagued with the dark, irrational thoughts that seem to present in the dark, when everyone else is sleeping.  And, I felt a leg cramp coming on.  After much tossing and turning and a small facebook rant about autocorrect, I started to doze 15 minutes before C had to get up for work.  Then Baby Beau came in with his kickaroo and couldn't decide if he'd rather attack the toy or my feet.  That must've gone on for another couple hours, because I woke up just before 9 feeling like I hadn't really fallen back asleep. :(  Oh, I also dreamed I scratched off my entire mani before I even got to take pictures of it.  Fortunately... no nails were harmed.  Does five photos count as pic heavy?

That's China Glaze Frostbite, OPI I'm Not Really A Waitress, and WetnWild Stars & Stripes.  I did the reverse on my right hand, and I wish I had asked C to take a picture of both hands last night (yes, I was ready to show you my non dominant hand paint job) because I'm so stoked about how this turned out!

I'm not sure how I feel about shots like these.  I think my fingers look chubby. :p

I'm feeling oh-so wild and crazy because I used THREE polishes in the making of this mani, and I totally love it.  Our Fourth won't be as crazy, though, lol.  C's got lots of studying to do tomorrow and I'll be catching up on laundry, and maybe I'll go shoot off some ground blooms in the driveway. ;)

Anyway, aside from my intensely krappy night, I did wake up to a lovely surprise on here, and all I'll say is you guys truly make my day, whether or not you comment... but if you don't, don't be shy!! :) :) I'd seriously love to hear from you.  Have an amazing holiday.  Be safe and all that. <3 <3

Revlon Posh

Good morning!!  I treated myself to my first professional pedicure in, like, ten years on Saturday, and my toesies look so pretty!  I felt a little bad for the nail tech, not that my feet are particularly gnarly, but ten years of doing my own pedis has left then in questionable shape, I'm sure.  In case you're wondering, I'm wearing L'Oreal Penthouse Pink. :)

I've had my eye on Revlon Posh for a few months now, and in light of my AWESOME new pedi, I decided it'd look great on my toes next time around, but of course I had to test drive it first (and maybe I'll end up liking the color better on my fingers.) 

 Posh is a really vivid jade green creme that applies beautifully and is opaque in two coats.  I love darker greens, and this one is bright enough to still be a summer color.  It reminds me of lush green trees, freshly cut grass, all the vital greenness early and mid summer have to offer.  It feels a little elegant to me as well, like it would be a lovely, slightly edgy color to add to a little black dress ensemble.

So I actually had an idea in mind for a mani when I picked this polish up.

I tried a Carly manicure with Posh and WetnWild On A Trip, then topped it with Essence Special Effects Topper in Soft Touch.  The effect was pretty nifty.  My nails were kind of fun to touch, lol.  The finish isn't exactly matte, more of a satin, and is kind of pretty; but, it seems to really highlight nail flaws.  I almost kept it all on for the novelty, but I'm a simple gal with simple tastes and I had to have my glossy one color mani. lol.  But hey, it was fun being adventurous for a minute or two. ;)

Thank you for reading!  Have a lovely second day of the month. :)

Rainbow Favorites Day Five: China Glaze Frostbite + WetnWild Stars & Stripes

Good morning!!  Before this challenge started, I planned ahead and made a list of the colors I'd use, and I totally had not settled on a blue until sometime yesterday afternoon.  I almost did wear my favorite again, which is Rescue Beauty Lounge Cuprum, but in the end I decided to do a test run of my Independence Day mani.  Christina at Amoki's Corner used China Glaze Frostbite in her Memorial weekend pedi, and I thought it looked absolutely perfect with her handpainted stars and decided that's what I'd use for my nails come the 4th. 

Frostbite is a gorgeous, chilly cerulean blue frost that's actually waaaaay darker than it appears (is it my camera, or is it me? Hmmm....)  I haven't used a China Glaze polish in years, and I didn't remember what to expect; the formula here was a little thin, and the brush a little small for my liking, but it covered perfectly in two coats and did I mention the color is gorgeous?

  

Also, I love stars.  My bedroom ceiling at my parents' house is covered in those tiny glow-in-the-dark sticky ones.  When I saw WetnWild Stars & Stripes at the grocery store one evening, of course I had to pick it up.  They're tricky, and need to be fished out, but they're so cute!  And they're holographic!  I can't wait to add a shimmery red to the mix in another week. 

So, what lovely blues are my fellow participants sporting?

~on beauty stuff and what else’s...~

9ml Universe

atlcatsmeow

Captivating Claws

Fancy Phalanges

Fe’s Nails

Follow the Yellow Polish Road

Football and Fingernails

Fresh Air & Fashion

Happy Nails

 iHeartPrettyPolish

Kelly’s Kolors!

Lacquer Dreams

Liesl Loves Pretty Things

Light Your Nails!

Manicurity

My Life in Polish

Nail Polish Lane

Nailpolish is Alive

Nubbin Nails

Of Color n Music...

Polish and Such 

Sincerely, Obsessed With Polish

So You Think You Can Paint

The Rantings of a Nailpolish Hoarder

Tomorrow is purple day, and I seriously CAN'T WAIT!! :)  I'll be wearing what might be my Holy Grail.

Thank you for reading, and have an awesome day. :)

Rainbow Favorites Day Two: WetnWild 9.0.2.1. Orange

Good morning!!  Oranges aren't my favorite.  I had one orange polish as of Saturday afternoon, but part of my interest in doing this challenge was branching out.  I was going through my pinterest shots and I definitely have a type, and orange is NOT included.  So, as tempting as it was to post a picture of orange juice and call that my favorite orange (which is true, I freaking LOVE orange juice; we're talking last meal fodder, here) I really wanted to try.  I was not expecting to absolutely LOVE the polish I chose.

This is WetnWild Fast Dry in 9.0.2.1. Orange, and it's the best jelly shimmer Zoya never made.  I'm wearing three coats.

9.0.2.1. Orange is a SUPER bright orange to yellow shimmer, packed with orange, silver, and gold microglitter.  I actually got a little excited applying this one (I love when things catch you by surprise with their gorgeousness), and instantly in the mood for all things October.

The formula is great-- easy to apply, even with its big, moppy brush, and dries very quickly.  

Here's a shot of my favorite orange, anyway, about to be ingested by me. :)

9.0.2.1. Orange is a close second. ;)  Thanks for reading!!  Here are the other gals participating in this challenge.

~on beauty stuff and what else’s...~
9ml Universe
atlcatsmeow
Captivating Claws
Fancy Phalanges
Fe’s Nails
Follow the Yellow Polish Road
Football and Fingernails
Fresh Air & Fashion
Happy Nails
 iHeartPrettyPolish
Kelly’s Kolors!
Lacquer Dreams
Lacquer or Leave Her!
Liesl Loves Pretty Things
Light Your Nails!
Manicurity
My Life in Polish
Nail Polish Lane
Nailpolish is Alive
Nubbin Nails
Of Color n Music...
Polish and Such 
Sincerely, Obsessed With Polish
So You Think You Can Paint
The Rantings of a Nailpolish Hoarder