China Glaze Crinkled Chrome Don't Be Foiled

  Good morning, everyone!!  China Glaze has kicked off 2014 with a new take on texture in the form of Crinkled Chromes, meant to emulate crinkled up aluminum foil on your nails (I guess, haha).  I feel drawn to unusual, polarizing, and envelope pushing textures (like Essie Belugaria) but the first swatches of this collection did nothing for me, despite the absolutely beautiful shades.  Then, Cris at Let Them Have Polish had the brilliant idea to wear these in one coat and it made all the difference.  Two looks like a paint job gone wrong, at least in photos; one looks cool and futuristic-- the sleek chrome finish isn't completely obscured and the texture pieces aren't the least bit sloppy when not layered on top of each other.  I decided I had to have one.

  I chose the aquamarine shade, Don't Be Foiled.  I used one coat and didn't use as light a hand as I probably should have-- mine still looks a little too thick and rumpled.  These are extremely pigmented and one thin coat will give you perfect coverage and the less you can get the glitters to catch on each other, the better.  Still, I daresay I like this!  I thoroughly enjoyed wearing this on my nails and I'm kind of excited to wear it again.

China Glaze Strap On Your Moonboots

The underwhelmingness of China Glaze's summer holo line was... well, overwhelming, considering how stoked we all were for it.  Strap On Your Moonboots had caught my fancy from the beginning, though, but the heightened pricetag kept me from adding it to my stash, until I saw this post from Cat's Adventures in Lacquer Land.  Cat has a tendency of tipping the scales when I'm sort of on the fence about something and she's been one of my top enablers basically since I started reading her blog.  Anyway, chalk this one up to being Another Polish Cat Made me Buy and I honestly could not be happier.  This thing is gorgeous.

Strap On Your Moonboots is a dark indigo metallic with a medium strength rainbow.  I am TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH THIS COLOR.  A holo effect doesn't have to be in your face blinding to be completely gorgeous and Strap On Your Moonboots happens to be an awesomely versatile neutral in and out of direct light.  The name is highly awesome too, and reminds me of that most cultured of indie comedy flicks, Napoleon Dynamite.

Application falls somewhere between Layla difficult and Jade easy.  I've learned that if the finish on a holo is metallic, it has a bigger tendency to pull while being applied.  But don't freak out when your first coat of this turns out to be a balding, streaky, patchy mess-- a thicker second coat applied carefully will smooth and perfect the whole thing.  I used a basecoat because of the pigmentation and one layer of topcoat, which did not affect the holo at all.

♥♥♥♥♥♥ :) I love this polish immensely and I'm so glad Cat's photos convinced me to buy something that my twitterpated heart can only believe is true polish love.

Thanks for reading and have a lovely weekend!

China Glaze Frostbite + Ruby Pumps

I've got an 8 year old's luau birthday party to attend today, so I've been torn on what to do for my manicure.  I decided to go patriotic and honor Memorial Day with two of my favorite China Glaze polishes, Frostbite and Ruby Pumps.

 The thing with Frostbite is that it flat-out refuses to photograph accurately. If you own it and have attempted to photograph it, or have googled swatches of it, you know this.  You see a nice, saturated, dark cerulean leaning icy blue frost, and that's not entirely inaccurate.  The color in real life is darker, more royal blue, deeper, and slightly shimmery.  Something about the bottle reminds me of a gigantic iceberg in the middle of a cold northern ocean.  It's just stunning and if frosts aren't your thing, know that the frost is less apparent in real life, too.  I used two coats.

Ahh, Ruby Pumps.  How many times I've seem swatches of this red jelly packed with red shimmers and tiny red glitter and needed to own it...  I found myself a mini this winter at Sally Beauty Supply.  I didn't know ChG did minis and it was just too tempting to get the adorable little bottle, lol.  The polish is deep and rich and overall fantastically beautiful.  I used three coats.

When I was a kid, every Memorial Day started out the same-- my family would go to church in the morning, then head out to the cemetery to pay our respects to passed family members and to our local fallen heroes.  We'd return home and commence rainy day barbecuing activities (because if it's not pouring on Memorial Day, you're probably not in Oregon) but the light cast on the day was always one of grateful remembrance.  I guarantee that there was much complaining coming out of my mouth at the time but I'm so thankful to my dad for instilling that sense of reverence for the day in my heart at a young age.  And to those of you who have served and to those of you with loved ones who have served and given the ultimate sacrifice, THANK YOU.  From the bottom of my heart-- thank you.

♥

LLPT's Best of 2012

Hello!!  As the new year approaches, lots of us blogger types are doing Best Of posts or polls.  Here's my offering.  I present to you Liesl Loves Pretty Things' favorites of the past year, in chronological (I think, lol) order.  Enjoy! ;)

Julep's Resort Collection and January Maven box

Julep's collection of shimmering pearls and foils amidst bright, saturated cremes was exciting, surprising, and sheer genius for the coldest and dreariest of months.  When the Maven boxes were announced it was hard to choose among the five.  I kept with my American Beauty box, and these are the two I received-- Anne, the ultraviolet creme, and Maria, the rose gold foil.  I'd later receive Maya as a gift from the lovely Candice at Mommy Does Her Nails... but more on that later.  

Rescue Beauty Lounge Fan Collection 

Cuprum

You don't have to be a scientist to appreciate the coolness behind this creation-- a blue inspired by the reaction that occurs when ammonia meets copper.  This polish is a true work of polish art.  The energy surrounding it is fantastic and though it is notoriously difficult to capture on camera, it is an absolute pleasure and beauty to wear and officially made me a ReBeL.

OPI NYC Ballet Collection

Yes, this one made my short list.  Shocker!  I've not felt it necessary to own a whole collection before or since this one.  The collection contains five absolutely gorgeous pale jellies, each with a distinctly different feel-- from the pristine milky white Don't Touch My Tutu (thumb, top left photo) to the macabre My Pointe Exactly (ring, top and bottom left)-- and one beautiful, subtle, and versatile glitter.  My favorites of my favorite are the ones that exude health-- the natural nude of Barre My Soul (top right) and the tantalizing peachy pink of You Callin' Me A Lyre? (bottom right).  They are completely forgiven their terrible names. 

Butter London Lippies

 Long-lasting, gorgeously pigmented lipglosses that match my favorite polish colors?  Um, yes, please!  I fell in love with the lips and tips idea when these first arrived on the scene this spring, and since then they've helped me become bolder in my makeup choices.  All I need's that clear lipliner to keep them from getting all over my face and I'll be in lippy heaven.


BB Creams

I told you all about L'Oreal's bb cream here sometime this summer and I thought it was the be-all, end all of skincare.  The Garnier is so far superior that I doubt I'll use the L'Oreal again.  Experiment and find what works best for you.  Both are light and moisturizing, provide adequate coverage, even skin tone, and don't look or feel anything like traditional foundation, or mineral makeup, of which I'd been a devotee for years.  These bb creams kind of stormed the scene here in the US and though the word is they're nothing like their Asian counterparts, I hope they're here to stay.


NARS Storm Bird

I've had a small obsession with grey in fashion for the past couple years, and as soon as the first swatches of NARS Storm Bird came out, I knew it must be mine.  The glossy, sophisticated shade of blue tinged dark grey didn't disappoint, and kickstarted my love affair with all things NARS.  More on that later.


The Many Iterations of Chanel Peridot

I mean, come on.
I know some of you are sick and tired of it, but every major polish company who didn't put out a Peridot dupe this year could have and I would have still salivated over each and every swatch.  I picked up China Glaze's dupe, Rare and Radiant; bonus points for being named for a line in The Raven.  Extra bonus points for being part of a collection containing excellent dupes of Deborah Lippmann's Mirrored Chromes.  Thanks, ChG, for keeping my wallet happy and my nails pretty! <3


Zoya FeiFei

Zoya's fall collections were outstanding in my book, all three of them, Diva, Designer, and Gloss.  FeiFei was the standout of the whole lot, though.  All the big gals fawned over this color when it came out, but the fact is, no photo compares to the gorgeousness in real life.  FeiFei became a fast favorite of mine because of its surprising versatility.  With its steely, cadet blue base and shimmers of every color under the sun, it's a neutral while being anything but. 


NARS Andy Warhol Collection

My general knowledge of Andy Warhol doesn't extend too far beyond the soup can painting, the 15 minutes of fame thing, and Jim Morrison and Nico's affair.  Maybe that's part of the reason why I found NARS' holiday Andy Warhol collection so fascinating, because I know virtually nothing about the artist.  The more I saw and the more I read, though, the more I realize the brilliance of the inspiration.  I went conservative with my makeup choices and stuck with the Sephora exclusive Walk On the Wild Side gift set, which includes the inky violet-black polish called It.  In addition, I picked up the most gorgeously saturated, true to NARS form glossy dark teal, Superstar.


...and finally,
You Kids <3

I tried to figure out a way to cut and paste the GFC widget here so that could be my final picture, but either I'm not tech savvy enough or it violates some sort of law, lolol.  Either is very possible. ;)  But the point is, you ALL make this so darn much fun, you truly are the best of the best :)  I love that you take the time to read what I have to say and I absolutely love your comments and our interactions, the relationships I've made, how supportive and honest and real you guys are.  

So, there you have it!  You probably know that I'm one of those who strictly prohibits links in comments, but if you've got a blog and are doing a Best Of post, gimme the link and I'll go check it out.  And, as always, comments on how much you agree with my choices, or how completely and utterly off base you think I am, are most welcome.

Either way... thanks for reading. <3

Editing to add honorable mentions to a couple products.  First is NARS Lhasa eyeshadow, which has easily become my go-to shadow for casual and dressup.  I forgot it was a 2012 release, and besides, if I added it in now, this post might start to look like a NARS shill.
Second is Duri Rejuvacote, the best basecoat in the world which IS amazing and has restored my confidence in my natural nails again.  Not a 2012 release, but it is the year I discovered it. ;)

China Glaze LOL-- Last Holo of the Year!

I received some awesome nail mail earlier this week.  In a pretty sweet case of nail polish serendipity, the lovely and talented Karine of Karine's Vernis Club and I won each other's giveaways, and I was pretty much bouncing around the house Tigger-style when I learned what she was giving me.  A few years ago China Glaze came out with a collection of twelve holo polishes, named after text-speak phrases, all linear, and all very hard to find now.  Karine sent me the dark purple of the bunch, called LOL.  This polish is special for many reasons, not the least of which being the glaring absence of a good purple holo in my stash and my love for the phrase lol.  You may or may not have noticed/become slightly annoyed at my excessive use of it in my posts and comments. lol.  

Anyway.

Gorgeous.  LOL's holo isn't super strong, but the color is really saturated and it's another holo that doesn't go off and look dingy as soon as you take it out of direct sunlight. lol.  The formula on this is somewhere between a Layla and a Butter London holo.  I used my regular top and basecoats, and there was a minor amount of balding and pulling.  Two coats evened everything out nicely, and the topcoat didn't dull the holo effect. lol.

So why is this the last holo of the year?  Well, the rain comes this weekend, and if you live in the PNW you now what that means....  Sunny days will be hit and miss from now till March. lol. (lol.)

A MILLION thank yous to Karine again for gifting me with this gorgeous polish!!  Thank you all for reading, and have a fabulous weekend. lol.

<3

China Glaze Bohemian Collection No Plain Jane

Good morning!!  It's pretty awesome when you get up to take your swatch pictures and return only to find that your cat has taken your chair. :p

I didn't think I needed another polish from China Glaze's Bohemian collection, having already gotten Rare and Radiant & Swanky Silk.  Then I saw this post from Emma at Manicurity, a nail art mani done with the Deborah Lippmann Private Dancer and Sugar Daddy, the polishes ChG No Plain Jane and Swanky Silk are supposed to be reminiscent of, and I noticed something.  The two colors are like the light and dark versions of each other, like one's the negative to the other's color print.  How cool is that?

Clearly, I had to get No Plain Jane at that point and try a mix of the two for myself.  But first, here's No Plain Jane in all its glory. ;)  I used two coats. 

You've probably heard by now that No Plain Jane isn't quite the duochrome it claims to be, but the sage green/honey brown to purple shift you see in the bottle does translate onto the nail, and it does so by giving this metallic violet a delightfully and surprisingly demure, dusky appearance. 

The verdict?  I like this one on its own, way more than I thought I would.  Aren't surprises like this fun?

Here's my Sal Pal, before I unceremoniously removed her from my chair. 

Thanks for reading, and have a lovely Thursday. ;) 

China Glaze Rare and Radiant

Good evening!!  It almost seems too late for double exclamation points, lol.  Why am I being so loud?
The only other China Glaze Bohemian color I had to have was Rare and Radiant.  I was about to cave and shell out for Chanel Peridot, I love this color so.  Every other dupe has eluded me, so again, I was stoked when this one arrived on the scene.  And the name... can I just say what a sucker I am for anything referencing Edgar Allan Poe?  Anyway, Rare and Radiant did not disappoint.  Every other existing polish company who hasn't already done so could make their own dupe and I would happily drool over each and every swatch.

I used two coats and OPI ridge filler as my base.  The formula is perfect and I don't even care about the brushstrokes, because holy smokes, this color is gorgeous.  There's a blue flash in the bottle that never shows up, but that's okay because all this otherworldly green to gold is just stunning on its own.  At some angles, in certain lights, the polish is the most amazing luminescent shade of spring green, much like... a peridot. ;) I think I could live in this one for a while, or at least through the weekend. ;)

 Thanks for reading! Have a good night.<3

China Glaze Swanky Silk

Good morning, guys and gals!!  When the Deborah Lippman Mirrored Chrome collection came on the scene, I singled out Sugar Daddy as my favorite.  The last thing I need to do was get my self hooked on another spendy polish brand, though, so imagine my delight when I learned that one of the new China Glaze Bohemian collection polishes is a possible dupe!  Here it is; it's called Swanky Silk.

Swanky Silk is a pink to champagne gold duochrome with kind of a wildly elegant feel to it.  I've heard all sorts of things about this one, that it's not very duochrome-y, that the pink shows more over a pink base.  I haven't tried the pink base, but I'm not disappointed in the duochrominess of this in the least.  I've also heard it's kind of sheer and needs three coats; I used two and don't find it to be sheer at all.  Swanky Silk is flashy without being over-the-top, as elegant as a duochrome can get, and neutral enough to go with most anything.  It applies like a dream, too.  However... it is not without its flaws.  It's suuuuuper brushstrokey, and no one seems to want to address this.  Of all the chrome swatches I've seen this year, these ChGs are the worst offenders.  This one highlights every flaw in the nail, too.  There are ways of minimizing this, though, ways to make this polish look its best.  First, use a ridge filler as a basecoat.  It eliminates flaws, creating a perfectly smooth surface to build upon.  I used OPI's version.  Second, don't rush the second coat.  This polish can be an air bubble nightmare if you don't wait for the first coat to dry properly.  This polish is kind of a pain, really.  It's super pretty, though, so I'll keep playing with it until I get it right.  

Thanks for reading! <3

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

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. :)