LLPT's Best of 2013!! Indie Polishes

*contains press samples

Hi everyone!!  Before I get into it today I just want to chat about something happening in the blogging community right now.  I'm not a nail artist but I do know this-- crediting is important.  Whenever you take a design or technique that you found on the web and recreate it on your own blog/channel/IG/whatever, you credit and link back to the source of inspiration.  It's the decent thing to do and moreover, it's illegal not to.  When a big, well known blogging entity takes that and throws it out the window it is a big deal.  And for those of you who think it's okay,  check your references and consider that spending more time deleting and blocking anyone who suggests your designs aren't original than actually addressing the issue is as big an admission of guilt as anything.  No one is too big to credit, to follow the law, to be a decent person.  Here's a link to a video made by blogger/vlogger Zenorah fully addressing this issue that I shared on my fb yesterday, if you're interested.

Okay, moving on to my next installment of my favorite polishes of 2013... This was the year I had the opportunity to be immersed in the world of indie polishes.  I got to play around with some international as well as domestic brands and the things that impressed me the most are the sheer quality of these polishes (it seems a lesson in testing your product before marketing has been taken to heart by many) and how well defined the individual brands have become.  The gals who succeed and will succeed have a strong and distinct vision of who they are and it's been a joy to discover their world a little bit for myself.  Here are my top picks, in no particular order.

Vermelho Accessories/Marcia Lima Dorothy Shoes & American Pie

*press samples

Happy Wednesday, friends!!  For the rest of this week I get to show you all some completely amazing Brazilian indie polishes, all glitter, and all fabulous.  I was fully aware that Brazilians know their holos, and as it turns out, they know their glitters, too (and why wouldn't they?  They live in the land of Carnivale!).

These two are by Vermelho Accessories/Marcia Lima.  First up is Dorothy Shoes, a fully saturated red and holographic glitter in a red jelly base.   Dorothy Shoes is awesome.  I don't think I've ever had as much fun photographing a glitter.  It's the sparkliest, flashiest red glitter I've seen, so plentiful, rich and layered... and those searing violet flashes... and those fiery gold glints....  If China Glaze Ruby Pumps is red glitter in analog, Dorothy Shoes is digital.  I used two coats of polish and one layer of topcoat.

 This is American Pie, a dense silver, blue, and fuschia glitter in a raspberry jelly base.  This one is super pretty and seriously looks like the filling from a jelly roll with a bunch of gorgeous glitters dumped in.  It doesn't have the wow factor of Dorothy Shoes but it's still twinkly and girly and makes me want to slip into some cutoffs (which is odd because I don't wear cutoffs) and go to a 4th of July barbecue with a bandstand band playing in the background.  I used two coats of polish and one layer of topcoat.

Both glitters are sooo gorgeous in their own special ways and it was so much fun putting them on and trying to capture all their glittery facets on camera.  You need these in your life, whether you're a die-hard glitter lover or just an occasional dabbler.  The formula on both is perfect and neither are particularly topcoat hungry.  One layer of a nice, thick topcoat, like Seche Vite, will smooth these out nicely.

Dorothy Shoes, American Pie, and other Vermelho Accessories/Marcia Lima glitters are available for sale internationally for $9 each through color4nails.com.

Like color4nails on facebook to stay up to date on specials and new releases.

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

*press sample