Crystal Polish

RBL Stash: Blogger Collection

2011-02-19T09:15:00.001-05:00

It took us forever to collect all of these...mostly because Sarah just likes dragging her feet about polishes that she doesn't think are super special. Lol.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Scrangie - 2 coats

Sarah Says: Truly a gorgeous polish. I actually hated this the first time I wore it, but I think that was because I was using a new polish remover, and it was quite pink in the bottle, and it stained my skin pink, which made this color look dreadful on me. But I just love it now. My sister actually has been begging for a bottle of this. I think her head might explode if I told her how much a full-price bottle of RBL costs. This girl thinks $5 is too much for polish. Lol.

Jason Says: This is definitely a polish that S did not want when it first came out. Hell. All three of these are polishes S did not want when they first came out. With much arm twisting, I managed to talk her into this one first. I love it. It has the effect that Scrangie made it for. It is just one perfect polish. End. Of. Story.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Orbis Non Sufficit - 1 coat

Sarah Says: I was so against this color when it came out. I thought it was just hideous. But then I got my hands on Avon Olive Green, a near-perfect dupe, and loved it, so I had to get this one. The formula is to die for. 1 coat, people. 1 coat.

Jason Says: Yeah. This color has been talked to death. It came out and everybody gave up their left foot for it. I was never all that into it. But, we got it in the last 50% off sale because we love greens so much. It is nicer than we thought before, but I would not put on a musical about it's perfection. Maybe a bad high school play?

Rescue Beauty Lounge Mismas - 1 coat

Sarah Says: When this came out, I thought it was a bigass yawn. And it still isn't all that unique...but it is completely gorgeous and it has a beautiful formula. :) It also is a little different from other purple cremes like CG Grape Pop. I think this is a touch more blue. I just love it though. So elegant.

Jason Says: Another polish that I had to practically beg S to get. She caved on the last 50% sale. I had to watch the site like a hawk to get this puppy, though. I was wired into the wall with an Ethernet cord when the sale was going on. So, Like the good boyfriend I am, sat on the couch and waited 2 or 3 hours for this puppy to become available again. My ass was going numb, and I'm pretty sure I have never had to pee that badly before in my life. *sigh* The things you do for love and nail polish. :p

What color would you have RBL create for you?

The Ones that Didn't Make the Cut

2011-02-18T09:15:00.000-05:00

So, a very long time ago we posted about a few Diamond Cosmetics polishes that we got and loved. (That post is here if you're interested. And you damn well should be, because it's quite a witty and interesting post. Read it, people!) But we left out a few that were lacking in fabulosity. :p So here they are for your viewing pleasure. Or displeasure. However you feel about it.

Diamond Cosmetics Fiery Coral - 3 coats

Sarah Says: I saw the swatches of this online, and I was like "Hellllllllllll yeah. Sign me up!" But I don't actually like it in person. Lol. I swear, I've tried three separate times to wear this, but every time, I do most of a manicure, decide I loathe the very core of it, and take it off in favor of something else. Something about this color just doesn't jive with my skintone, ya know?

Jason Says: I cannot honestly say I have seen S wear this. Thus, I do not know how it looks on her. However, this color of pink is one that I am starting to really like. S seems to have trouble wearing certain tones of pink, and I am sure this one is no exception. Damn the white people skintone. We this weird peach color. Yeah.. That's TOTALLY neutral and everything. *roll eyes*

Diamond Cosmetics Starry Night - 2 coats

Sarah Says: Eh. It's just so blah. I was expecting shimmering perfection, and this is just not it. The shimmer is practically invisible on the nail, so unless you hold your nails up really close to your eyes, which makes you look like a blind weirdo, or you have super macro zoom vision, which would be cool, but unlikely, you can't see it. Which makes this just another black creme, essentially. BORING.

Jason Says: S always seems to fall for this kind of polish. You know. The black polish with the silver shimmer in it. Well as usual, it does not live up to her expectation. It does live up to my expecation though. I have grown to abhor this kind of polish. I do not really even care for it done properly. There are too many options out there to settle for this very mediocre combination of silver and black. Eh. It is what it is I guess. Even if this is your "thing," do not get this one would be the morale of the story here, folks.

So there's a little slice of pithy humor, ala S and J. Didn't you miss us!?! :D Happy Friday, ladies!

RBL Stash: Did someone say GLITTER:???

2011-02-17T00:01:00.001-05:00

I love glitter a little too much. In fact, at one point last winter, I had to take a hiatus from wearing glitters because my nails were getting too scratched up from the daily removal. This was before I started using acetone. Lol. Anyway, here are the glitters we own from RBL.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Frugalista - 3 coats

Sarah Says: I love RBL as much as the next person, but if there's one thing they don't do well, it's glitters in clear bases. Not that I've ever used a glitter in a clear base that I thought had an outstanding-blow-the-pants-right-off-of-you formula, so really, these are about average. I know a lot of people love this particular polish...but I just don't. Sorry, ladies. I just remember putting it on one day last spring and thinking "yuck...why did I even bother?"

Jason Says: I have slowly come to the same realization as S. Glitter polish with a clear base is a complete waste of time. I just hate the finish and overall look it brings to the table. I would NOT repurchase this polish. I just does NOTHING for me.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Locavore - 3 coats

Sarah Says: This is far more attractive than Frugalista. I think this would actually be a lot of fun layered over something...maybe RBL Recycle? Hmmm...good ideas. Sounds quite nice, actually.

Jason Says: I pretty much feel the same way about this polish as I do about the one above it. I just do not care for them at all. Enough said.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Black Russian - 2 coats

Sarah Says: This is a beautiful polish. We've talked about this before...but it bears repeating. It's that good. Usually, when I see black polish with red glitter, I run the other way. This is a conditioned response to the grandiose disappointment that is China Glaze Lubu Heels. THE BOTTLE IS A LIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! (And so is the little spoon swatch thing at Sally's. Blatent, outright, despicable lie.) Sorry...stepped off the ledge for a moment there. This polish is so much better. And the formula is lovely. :)

Jason Says: If you like the black polish with red glitter, this is one of the very best out there. Other brands have slightly more prominent red glitter, but the overall polish formula and wear of this make it top notch.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Under the Stars - 2 coats

Sarah Says: I absolutely adore this. I was really surprised when it didn't sell out in this year's RBL 50% off sale...I thought it would be one of the first ones to go. This is something that every blue lover needs to have in their collection. Great formula? Check. Gorgeous glitter blueness? Double check. Crazy monkey sex in a bottle? Uber Check. :p

Jason Says: I was slightly surprised as well when this polish did not sell out. It is easily in my top 3 RBL polishes. It is just everything I want a blue, shimmering polish to be.

Don't forget about our giveaway! :)

RBL Stash: Spring 2010 Collection

2011-02-16T02:00:00.000-05:00

J and I were late on the bandwagon for these...mainly because we were waiting for this year's sale. :)

Rescue Beauty Lounge Bangin - 3 coats

Sarah Says: Easily one of my favorite reds EVER! This makes me feel like a cheap hooker...in a good way. ;) It's so bright and attention-grabbing. Like a pinup girl. FABULOUS! I can just imagine how freakin' hot this would look on toenails...

Jason Says: This really is a great, classic red polish. It really kind of speaks for itself. If you love red nail polish, as I do, you will love this shade. If not, the $18 price tag is probably a little steep. Hell, the $9 price tag is probably a little steep. But, it is a great color for our collection of red.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Diddy Mow - 2 coats

Sarah Says: I was on the fence about getting this one, but I love it! It's that gray-green color that all the bloggers love so much...and I really didn't think it was for me until I had it on. And honestly, in some lighting conditions, it looked taupe and I didn't love it...but in the sun, or bright indoor lights, it looks like a beautiful, tranquil, muted green. *sigh* Just like a really nice spa...not one of those "spas" of questionable legality in the back of a dirty hair salon. Lol.

Jason Says: I really was overall under impressed with this polish. It was not QUITE what I was hoping for. I wanted it to have that little bit more of a green nature to it. But, it is what it is. It will definitely not be a polish we keep coming back to again and again.

Rescue Beauty Lounge 360 - 2 coats

Sarah Says: This is sitting on my dresser waiting to be worn. I'm currently at my parent's house, so I have a very limited selection of polish with me...but this is high up on the list of "next-to-be-worn." LOVE the shimmer. I'm super excited about this one, y'all. :p

Jason Says: I also really like the shimmer in this polish. It has a nice dusty quality that I find so enduring. It was a solid buy that I do not regret. Am I jumping up and down for this collection? No. Were the polishes worth the investment? Overall, I would say yes.

Look out for more RBL stash reviews later this week! Hope everyone is having a great holiday!

Nothing Says Love Like Nail Polish

2010-12-11T00:50:00.006-05:00

J bought this for me. And I wasn't even there. He just picked it out himself. Best man ever. Be jealous. :D

Essence Choose Me! - 3 coats

Sarah Says: This is one of the most gorgeous things I've ever seen. J sure can pick an amazing polish. He's the best. :D The flakies in this are incredible. It actually looks equally good layered over black. That brings out more of the gold tones in the flakes. Wow. Just wow. Everyone needs this in their collection. How can you go wrong with a 99 cent bottle of fabulosity?

Jason Says: I was quite drawn to this polish. It is so interesting and unique. Essence sure does seem to make some pretty great colors for only 99 cents. How can you go wrong? There was only one bottle of this left when I was at Ulta. I am sure glad I decided to look at the Essence. :D

Favorite Essence polish? Favorite 99 cent wonder? Have a great weekend, ladies!

Nail Polish Stocking Stuffers :)

2010-12-10T00:01:00.001-05:00

Hello, faithful followers! It's been too long...anyway, here's the deal. Winter is not the ideal time for swatching, I've discovered. Especially for swatching on a tight schedule. So here's the deal. Our typical site series will be on hiatus for a bit...but we promise they'll be back! Now, we commence posting whatever the hell we feel like. :p

J and I found these at Rite Aid a couple weeks ago, and they're surprisingly nice for $2 nail polish packaged in the decapitated head of a snowman. Lol.

I also have two more of these polishes...a red glitter and a sky blue with holo glitter, but they were both super sheer, and will need more swatching time than I had today.

Snowman "Dazzle" - 1 coat over black

Sarah Says: Obviously, these don't come with names. It's $2 drugstore polish...names are too far above it. And I am far too OCD to leave anything unnamed, so thus, this was named Dazzle. It's pretty much your standard holo topcoat glitter. Basically, it's the same as Sally Hansen Diamond Dust (link to flickr, in case anyone wants to check that out.) However, Diamond Dust is discontinued, so this is a good alternative. I suppose you could make this opaque by doing a zillion coats, but why the hell would you do that? Seriously? Pick something opaque and holographic and silver. Anything. Don't sit there and do twenty coats of this.

Jason Says: This really is a nice top coat glitter. It is nice and silvery/holographicy. Lol. This is a great $2 top coat polish. The packaging is cute if not slightly demented. :-P I think it would be slightly traumatic for a child to see snow man head just sitting there. That could just be my personal opinion.

Snowman "Candyfloss" - 3 coats

Sarah Says: Something about this just spoke to me. Who are we kidding, it's the holo. I am such a magpie. Drawn to anything shiny, holographic, or sparkly. It actually reminds me of those awesome holos that Claire's Lulu Belle. Damn, those were awesome polishes. Anyone else remember those awesome neon holos that Claire's had a couple summers ago? (Speaking of which, I am kicking myself for not getting more of them. If anybody has some of those and wants to get rid of them, send them my way!) But yes, this is a lovely polish. And I was pleasantly surprised to find that this wasn't sheer as hell.

Jason Says: I am not quite sure I am sold on the base color of this polish. It just isn't my idea of "pretty". But, other people will most definitely love it. This is still a very classy color but with some spark and pizazz. ;)

Snowman "Frozen Pond" - 2 coats

Sarah Says: OMGLOVE. This is freakin' amazing. I'm pretty sure I don't own anything like this. Trust me, this is more amazing in person, but it's a super-saturated blue with silvery shimmer. Very wintery, and totally fantastic. The formula is great - you really could get away with one coat. I only did two out of habit. By the way...my sister, who thinks nail polish is a waste of time and that I should be institutionalized for my addiction, saw this polish sitting on my dresser and said "WOW! That's such a unique color!" Perhaps I've had some influence on her after all...

Jason Says: The silver glitter of this polish is much more interesting in person. The base color is gorgeous. This is an all out home run for the snow man heads. It is everything these polishes should be. Great color, formula, and unique. What more could you ask for? Two dollars? Why yes please. :D

I hope everyone is having a great holiday season so far! Don't forget about our giveaway! We're getting there...but we have a little over 200 more followers to reach our goal. Tell your friends to follow us! The sooner we get there, the sooner someone wins NARS Zulu! :) And don't worry...you'll be seeing a lot of us in the coming weeks. :p

Wednesday Water Marble: Seasonally Inappropriate, As Usual

2010-11-17T01:48:00.000-05:00

Well...J and I seem to have a talent for picking something appropriate for the wrong season. Lol. This is very spring-y, but I love it! It's been a while since I was 100% satisfied with a marble, and this one is fantastic!

Baby Chick Water Marble
Marble Colors: BB Couture Little Deuce Coupe, OPI In My Back Pocket

Sarah Says: Love it! I always forget how much I like simple, creme water marbles until I do one. It's just so...lovely. I should wear Little Deuce Coupe more often. It is probably the nicest pastel yellow I own. :) I just have nothing else to say. It is amazing.

Jason Says: The technique is a lot better with these two polishes than some of our other marbles. The swirls and patterns look great and there isn't any weird spots from thin polish. There are VERY minimal bubbles. It just looks great. And the colors go well together and complement each other very well. :D I love this. I am super happy with how this turned out!!!

Ideas for next week's marble? Hope you're all having a good week!

P.S.

Thanks to the very positive response to our giveaway (click here for post if you haven't been there yet :-P). We are very glad that we can give away a polish that everyone seems to love so much. We are relying heavily on your ability to spread the word with this giveaway. The fast we reach 500 the sooner the 4 winners will be announced. :D Hope everyone is having a grand week. :D See you guys tomorrow.

Marked-Up Monday: Ooh La La!

2010-11-15T23:30:00.001-05:00

Something about this screams Paris to me. It reminds me of fancy French draperies. :p Not that I've ever been there or anything. Lol.

Paris Print Fauxnad
Base: FingerPaints Blissfully Blue (2 coats)
Stamp: Wet N Wild Black Creme (Plate BM 21)

Sarah Says: I love how this turned out. So elegant and pretty! I actually think this would look really beautiful with any pastel color. I just picked blue because I like it. :) I know I'm not the only one with this problem...so will someone please tell me why the Bundle Monster full nail patterns are so freakin' small? My nails were pretty short (for me) when I did this mani, and it was just barely long enough. And don't even get me started on the width. It sort-of-maybe-kind-of-not-really fits my pinky. And I don't feel like I have excessively wide nail beds. Whose idea was this?

Jason Says: I do rather enjoy this manicure. It is chic and elegant. It is the prefect little number to accent your little black dress. You could wear red underneath to make it even more popping of an accent. :D

Are the Konad full nail patterns any better fitting than these? What's your favorite full nail pattern of the moment? And don't forget to tell your friends/followers/acquaintances/total strangers about our giveaway! Click the link in the upper left box to see our post about that! Just to clarify, you don't even need to comment to enter. (Although we love reading your comments!) You are entered simply by being a follower!

Nars ZULU + our first giveaway!!!!!

2010-11-13T19:20:00.000-05:00

Hey guys. We currently don't have any comparisons to post for you. But, we do have the legendary Nars Zulu. As you all know, Zulu was re-released this years by Nars. Well, as soon as it was released, we decided to snatch up 2 bottles. One bottle to keep for ourselves and the other to give to give to one of our followers. Before we get into any details, let's look at a photo of this little beauty.

Nars Zulu - 3 coats

Jason Says: This polish is and has always been the standard Blackened green polish. It definitely draws you in with it's almost black appeal. But, you can clearly see the gorgeous green color of this in some sunlight unlike some of the more recent colors trying to copy this. While we don't have the original to compare, we have gathered from many blogs that this version is even better than the original while maintaining the great color. It is definitely a polish that S and I have been craving a lot. I am thoroughly glad that Nars decided to re-release this stuff. :D

Sarah Says: Love. That is all. Lol. I wore this pretty much the second the box hit my doorstep. And it stayed on for over a week, which is like 50 years in Sarah polish time. Most things last 48 hours tops. :p I just love how elegant this is. It's not so dark as to be black (I'm looking at YOU OPI Here Today...Aragon Tomorrow! And I'm NOT HAPPY.) and it looks absolutely fantastic in the sunlight. I got a ton of compliments on this one. Definitely a polish that no polish fanatic should be without.

Now, Let's talk about the giveaway. We have one unopened bottle of this for the lucky follower who gets randomly selected. I know that many a sites have you repost or retweet this on your own domain for extra entries. We don't necessarily feel like that is fair to the other followers who have neither of those. Thus, we leave the reposting and retweeting up to you guys. If you want to help promote us to have the giveaway end quicker, be our guests. But, if you don't buy into all that jazz or don't have the means, you are not hindered because of it. We are going to be aiming for quite a high number for this giveaway. We would like to call the giveaway one week after we get 500 followers. This contest will be open to all of our international ladies as well. Everyone is welcome on this party line :D We will however be giving double entry to everyone that is currently following us. It is our reward to you for sticking with us through all of our absences and god awful swatching in the beginning of our career. So, you know the game rules. We will post again whenever we have reached our goal, however long that may be.

*If the winner does not reply within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.
** Only google friend connect followers will be eligible.

THIS JUST IN!!! We will be giving away two bottles of trendy cream by Sally Hansen to 2nd and 3rd place followers. This is a discontinued Khaki/olive color. While we don't have a swatch of it ourselves, we will direct you to Kelly at Vampy Varnish here.

AND, we will be giving a bottle of Maybelline Minty to 4th place (click here for photo provided by Steph's closet because our swatch is currently "under construction" lol)

So, now you know the rules and prizes. The giveaway will be over after we reach 500 followers. I hope you guys are as excited about this as we are. :D

Funky French Friday: Everyone Likes Polka Dots!

2010-11-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

I was feeling polka-dotty this week...thus this manicure. :)

Orange Polka Dot Funky French
Base: Maybelline Fuchsia Flutter
Tip Dots: Sinful Colors Cloud 9

Sarah Says: I did this for J. Lol. He likes when the funky french is CRAZY colors. So, here you are, J-money. Just enough sparkle, just enough funk. Love! There just need to be more polka dots in my life. Polka dots make every day happier. That and bright colors. And nail polish coming in the mail (I'm waiting patiently, RBL! And I'm excited!)

Jason Says: This really isn't quite as out there as I would like. But, it is pretty darn cool in my book. It spices up the boring nature of a pink cream. I think the polka dot tip line is pretty darn cute. It is a fun and airy kind of manicure that could just lighten up any kind of day.

Worn any polka dots this week? Funky French manicures you'd like to see next week? Your feedback makes our day! No, really. We talk about you guys. All the time. In a good way. Usually. :D

Terrible Thursday: Disappointment at the Drugstore

2010-11-11T19:00:00.004-05:00

I got sucked into this one. I really did. It's so pretty in the bottle...and a disappointment on the nail. :/

Scherer Blue Sky - 3 coats

Sarah Says: This looks like such an amazing duochrome in the bottle, but that is completely lost on the nail. It's just unfortunate. I saw this at Rite Aid one day last fall, and the duochrome called to me...especially at the price of $3. But once I got it home, the love affair was over. *sigh* On my nails it basically just looks like a blue-purple frost, which isn't necessarily bad, but it's just not what I thought I was getting. It's like a wonder bra in nail polish form. Gorgeous on the outside, but the inside is a disappointing sight. Lol.

Jason Says: This polish purchase, I do believe, was before my time, and I have never seen it on nails before. S was very adamant about not liking it. Thus, I didn't ask any more questions. After looking at the swatch, I wasn't sure why it fell on this list. Upon realizing this was suppose to be a duo, I can understand it's current spot on the "what not to wear" list. It is false advertisement. Or in other words, it is a huge tease. Raise your hands if you like a tease. Yeah, I don't think there will be very many hands raised on that one. The color on it's own isn't very show stopping without the promised duo chrome. So, don't let the bottle fool you folks. You won't be getting a duo chrome here. Just bottled disappointment. :(

Has anyone else tried Scherer Blue Sky? Or any of the other Chameleon polishes? How do you feel about them?

Throwback Tuesday: The Best Thing Ever. Period.

2010-11-09T20:00:00.000-05:00

The best thing ever (at least for today) is Revlon Glimmer Gloss. Doesn't matter what color. They are fantastic! I love these for layering. Super-freaking awesome.

Today's feature is Revlon Grape Shimmer. We do own other colors, but they will be featured in future weeks.

Revlon Grape Shimmer - 1 coat over black

Sarah Says: Ahhhh. Just look how great that is! Clearly, this shines over black, but it is equally lovely over other things. (Further down we have some swatches over other colors. But don't skip there yet. Keep reading. Fun comments are coming, and you wouldn't want to miss that, would you? Lol.) I got this out J's mom's old polish drawer, and I hated it at first. I had never tried layering before, so I tried to wear this alone. Bad plan. Really, really bad. Thus this was relegated to the "never-ever-wearing-this-not-even-if-I-had-a-gun-to-my-head" category. (Clearly, this is an exaggeration. If someone had a gun to my head, I'll wear freakin' anything. Lol.) But J convinced me to try layering it over something else, and it looks amazing!!! Great story, right. Lol.

Jason Says: It was like pulling teeth with S to try and bring back the Glimmer Gloss polishes with us when we raided mom's polish drawer. Being the level headed, smart one of the duo (:-P don't let S tell you otherwise), I brought it with us against S's wishes. I bet she is glad that I chose that option. The amazing blue/purple shimmer it adds to polish is pretty freaking unique. It is one of my favorite layering polishes we have.

Revlon Grape Shimmer Layering
Index: China Glaze Grape Pop
Middle: Orly Snowcone
Ring: FingerPaints Scenery Greenery
Pinky: Icing Chase Me

Sarah Says: Since the base of this is purple-ish, it does change the base color slightly. For that reason, it tends not to look as nice over brighter colors. Yellow particularly...it kind of looks brown-ish. However, it looks awesome over so many other colors that it doesn't even matter. :D

Jason Says: Well, It makes almost all of these polishes really POP. I am not very fond of the Green one looking back on it. I originally liked it. Bad call. But hey. That is the beauty of blogging. Other people will probably look at that and LOVE it. :-P It does however make all the polish look amazing. This, along with it's sister polishes, is a GREAT way to spice up a two or three old day manicure; or, if you are like us, you could just use it on it's own to begin with. It's whatever you like baby ;) Over Grapepop, it kind of looks like Scrangie from RBL but not exactly. Scrangie is so complex and unique that it is pretty hard to duplicate or copy in any way. Lol. So, if you are looking to add interest and dept to certain "plain old boring" cream polishes, slap a layer of this or any of the other Glimmer glosses over your manicure. :D You'll be saying hello to a completely new stranger on your nails. I think you'll become good friends quite quickly.

So, how do you like this layering polish? Is it absolutely delicious or vomit inducing? Do you own any of these? Do you plan on getting some? Tell us all about your layering experiences and favorites in the comment section below. :D

Saturday Shakedown: Medium Yellow Shimmers

2010-11-07T12:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Saturday! :) Apologies in advance for the terrible lighting in this swatch...it was 6:32am when I swatched this. :p

Medium Yellow Shimmer Comparison
Index: Rescue Beauty Lounge Yellow Fever (3 coats)
Middle: China Glaze Solar Power (3 coats)
Ring: Rescue Beauty Lounge Yellow Fever (3 coats)
Pinky: FingerPaints Yellow Bikini (3 coats)

Sarah Says: I got Yellow Fever in last year's RBL 50% off sale. And, of course, it's fabulous. The formula is lovely, and it's got this gorgeous multi-tonal shimmer. There's definitely some blue and some pink going on in there. Yum! However, I will be the first to admit that $18 is a hell of a lot for a bottle of polish. So, here are the alternatives. China Glaze Solar Power isn't exactly the same, but I think it is a reasonable alternative. It's a bit darker, and the shimmer is more of a standard silvery color, but it is cheap and readily available at Sally Beauty Supply, or at your favorite etailer. Yellow Bikini is much lighter, and with very subtle shimmer, so it's not really a dupe...but it is pretty. :)

Jason Says: I never have much to say on comparison swatches. Everything has already been said. LOL. Take your pick ladies and gentlemen. Let your eyes be your guide. :D

Have another alternative to RBL Yellow Fever? Favorite yellow shimmer? Hope everyone is having a great weekend so far!

Wednesday Water Marble: A Very Decadent Manicure

2010-11-03T05:00:00.000-04:00

I love thin mints. Best girl scout cookies there are. Seriously. Don't even try to argue. Is there caramel delight ice cream? No. There is, however, thin mint ice cream. I rest my case.

Girl Scout Cookie Water Marble
Colors Used: Avon Jade and Pro 10 Incognito

Sarah Says: I love these colors together. :) They just look so yummy! This isn't the best marble I've ever done...and I do apologize for the crappy inside lighting. I could lie and tell you all that it's because I was soooo busy today, but I really wasn't. Lol. I just decided that napping was more important than swatching this afternoon. :p I need to get back into practice with this marbling business! Lol. Next week will be fabulous. Promise.

Jason Says: The pinky looks a little..... sketch. But, the other nails look pretty. It is a nice marble. I am not too sure this is the mint green I would pick personally. It is a little too muted for my taste. I want it to be like neon mint green.... if that even exists. Lol. Plus, the brown is a little transparent. It isn't something that could really be fixed. We don't own enough brown to really use anything else. *sigh* We need some more browns in our life. *makes mental list* Nubar Chocolate Truffle needs to be on the next polish order list. :D

Requests for next week's marble? Favorite type of girl scout cookie? Hope you all are having a lovely week!

Throwback Tuesday: Opals and Layering

2010-11-02T00:01:00.001-04:00

J and I have just recently discovered the joys of layering. Best. Thing. Ever. It gives so much life to cremes and shimmers. Amazing. The Sally Hansen Opals are fantastic layering polishes that we've just rediscovered in my collection.

Sally Hansen Pure White Opal - 1 coat over black

Sarah Says: This is pretty...but not my favorite layering polish. Not by a long shot. My problem is the pigmentation of the base color. It's sort of white and streaky, which makes it difficult to layer this over dark colors. It just isn't a look I fancy. However, this does look quite nice over lighter shades, as long as you don't mind sacrificing some of the intensity of the color you layer it over. And let's face it, the shimmer in this is stunning. :p

Jason Says: We didn't come into loving layering recently. That is all S my friends. I have loved it for quite some time. :-P. This color does tend to give anything you put it over a very filmy, milky finish. It is quite unfortunate since this finish/shimmer is so cool and fantastic. But, it doesn't look as bad over much lighter shades. We will keep you posted on what we find it layers best over. :D

Sally Hansen Red Opal - 1 coat over black

Sarah Says: Whoa. That's some serious shimmer. Over black, this actually kinda reminds me of Ulta Green with Envy. Or maybe Misa Toxic Seduction. Lovely! I don't quite understand the name of this...Red Opal? Well, the base is pink and the shimmer is green. Someone explain this to me, please! I actually like this equally well layered over both dark and light colors. Obviously it looks nice over green or blue, but I also like it over pink and purple. I haven't tried orange...but you could probably get away with it. I feel like sparkle makes everything look super cool.

Jason Says: This is a polish we have been using quite a lot lately to layer with. It has some really kick ass shimmer in it and creates some cool and unique looks we couldn't have come up with without it. It has looked pretty stellar over anything we have yet to put it over. It is versatile and lovely. What more could you ask for from this lovely little lady?

Sally Hansen Wildfire Opal - 1 coat over black

Sarah Says: Definitely my favorite of the bunch! It's just such a wow polish. You've got blue and green shimmer, as well as a little bit of purple-ish pink shimmer. I have yet to find a color that this doesn't look amazing over. Seriously, don't miss out on this. I love using this to spice up a two or three day old manicure. It makes it look brand new! :) My only complaint is the dry time, which is a little long, but totally worth it in my opinion.

Jason Says: There really isn't much more to say on this polish other than it is great. It is a star of the layering polish we own. Definitely gorgeous and unique.

Do you have a favorite opal polish? Other favorite polish for layering? Let us know! We're definitely looking to expand our collection. :)

Marked-Up Monday: Bear-ly Hangin' On

2010-11-01T00:01:00.000-04:00

This mani idea has been rolling around in my noggin for a while...and I think it turned out pretty cute. :)

Pawprint Manicure
Base: Naturalistics Celebrity Pearl (3 coats)
Paw: BB Couture Hound Dog

Sarah Says: This was really, really simple to do. I'm not really thrilled with the base color, but it's the best I had. Note to self: there need to be more browns in my collection! The paws were done with a dotting tool. Super easy. And cute. I love teddy bears. No, really. I have a whole collection of them at home. You could say that bears were my obsession long before polish was. :p

Jason Says: This is a very simple but cute manicure. The base color makes me think that bears have been walking around on some sandy bear. Easy and doable for anyone. :D

Do you still have a favorite stuffed animal? Hope you guys are having a fantastic week!

Sparkle Sunday: The Queen of All Glitter

2010-10-31T12:01:00.000-04:00

Loud and glittery and fantastic? Yes, please!

China Glaze Nova - 3 coats

Sarah Says: We've mentioned this polish before, but that was back in February, and I think it deserves another mention. I LOVE this. Absolutely amazing. I wore this on my toes once, and I don't think I've ever gotten so many comments about the polish on my toes. It just grabs everyone's attention because it's like a disco ball in a bottle. Incidentally, it also looks fabulous if you layer one coat of this over something else. And yes, it is messy to apply. And yes, it is a hassle to remove...but that doesn't really bother me that much. It's worth it.

Jason Says: I have forever been scared by the insane removal process we had when S wore this on her toes. It should never take you an hour to remove ANYTHING. *sigh* But, this polish is very stunning and eye catching. You will be noticed.... a lot. :-P It was definitely a great make. China Glaze worked some amazing magic when they made this. It is definitely worth owning for absolutely EVERYONE.

Favorite attention-grabbing polish? Favorite silver glitter? Happy Halloween!

Saturday Shakedown: Hello, Fall!

2010-10-31T07:00:00.000-04:00

It's just recently started to feel like fall around here. Up until this week, it was still 85 degrees during the day...which makes me not really want to wear fall-ish polish. But now, it's getting down to about 60 during the day, so yay for fall reds! :)

Fall Reds Comparison
Index: China Glaze Riveter Rouge (2 coats)
Middle: Chanel Gondola (2 coats)
Ring: China Glaze Riveter Rouge (2 coats)
Pinky: China Glaze Stroll (3 coats)

Sarah Says: Okay, so I'm clearly not trying to tell anybody that these polishes are the same, since they're not. Lol. I will say that the base colors are pretty close though. Gondola may be slightly more blue, but not a whole lot. Riveter Rouge is my favorite because, of course, I can't control my glitter-loving urges. I haven't managed to wear it yet, but believe me, I will! Especially now that the weather is cooperating. :)

Jason Says: This should be a good, simple rundown on all of these polishes for you. Riveter Rouge might be my favorite as well. It just seems like the most interesting one of the bunch. It automatically caught my eye. But, let your eye tell you which one of these beautiful little reds you should be wearing. :D

Favorite red for fall? Favorite polish (any color) for fall? Hope you guys are having a fantastic Halloween weekend!

Funky French Friday: Halloween-ish

2010-10-29T12:01:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday! I will admit that neither J or I are big fans of Halloween. I just don't really get into dressing up. Not my thing. But we know a lot of you love it, and so we've got a Halloween themed funky french for you today.

Halloween Funky French
Base: OPI In My Back Pocket (3 coats)
Tip: China Glaze Fortune Teller

Sarah Says: By far, my favorite polish to ever come out at Halloween is Fortune Teller. It's just so cool! And I think glitters looks pretty rockin' as funky french tips anyway. Believe me when I tell you, this looks much more beautiful in person. The glitter is a lot more apparent and sparkly when you're looking at it in real life. Definitely a fun and festive look as we head into Halloween. :)

Jason Says: Wow... Way to go with the sloppy tips here S! Lol. I really like both of these polishes. The idea of combining them is pretty rockin'. The camera didn't love the glitter though. It is nowhere near as subdued as it looks people. :D Well, this is about as Halloween as we are going to get here. Wishing everyone a fun and safe Halloween. :D

Have any fun Halloween manicure ideas? Plans for an elaborate Halloween night manicure? Let us know! Hope you guys have a great weekend!

Terrible Thursday: Not So Very Horrible...

2010-10-29T04:00:00.001-04:00

Hi, Ladies!!! We're back...again. S recently realized that if she didn't schedule time during the week to swatch, it didn't get done. Yeah...

Anyway, here's to getting back to blogging daily. :)

Revlon Twinkled Pink - 3 coats

Sarah Says: Okay, before anyone gets bent out of shape about this, I really have no problem with the color of this polish. It actually looks adorable on toes. It's a nice color for my skintone. And the shimmer is lovely. Here's my issue...the formula simply will not dry. Ever. I had a bottle of this about 3 years ago, and the first time I tried to wear it, I let each coat dry for about 30 minutes, and it still refused to dry. 24 hours later, I picked up my keys, and they smudged the polish right off the nail. 24 freakin' hours later. Ridiculous. I assumed that I had a bad bottle, so I tossed it. About a year ago, I bought another bottle of this, because I really do like the color, but had a similar experience applying it. Looks great, but will not dry. *sigh*

Jason Says: There really isn't much for me to say on this post. The color of this polish is decent (I am a personal pink hater) and the shimmer is pretty. It is nothing special though. I am pretty sure Zoya or OPI have a color this is EXACTLY like this with much better of a formula. Since this polish , in S's experience, won't dry, just skip out on it and pick up something that will actually be worth your time. :p Also, I want to address some comments we tend to get on our terrible Thursday posts. In most of our posts, we exaggerate how much we hate a polish for the pure fun and entertainment of it. It's satire. You can be the judge of whether or not you like the polish from the photo. We will be addressing finish and color and things like that very harshly if we don't like something. Don't take offense to it if it happens to be one of your favorite colors or you don't think it is as "bad" as we say it is. We are just stating our opinions very strongly. :-P :D

Have you ever had this kind of drying problem with a polish? Let us know...we'll stay far away. :p Also, random question. Anyone have a recommendation for a good nail strengthener? We've been trying Gelous basecoat for about 3 months to no avail. S has crappy toenails that break ALLLLLLLL the time. Any thoughts? :)

Funky French Friday: Heart Breaker=Love

2010-09-17T04:00:00.000-04:00

So...we're really back this time. Lol. Both J and I have been really tired lately, so we haven't gotten around to blogging. But we're here now! I promise, we didn't forget about you! So, without any further whining and excuse-making, here's a funky french for you!

Heart Breaker Funky French
Base: Barielle Sweet Addiction (2 coats)
Tip: Wet N Wild Black Creme + Pure Ice Heart Breaker

Sarah Says: I LOVE Heart Breaker!!!!!!!! Seriously, this stuff looks amazing over almost anything. I am going to need back up bottles. If it ever got discontinued, I'd cry. Anyway, I just thought this manicure was fun and interesting. I like how the aqua-ish Sweet Addiction looks awesome with the emerald green-ish color you get when you layer Heart Breaker over black. It's not something terribly traditional or orthodox, but I like it!

Jason Says: This is a very interesting combination. I am not sure what my view of it is. The first few times I saw it I thought that that S's nails were really short because the tips blended in with the bottle slightly to my eyes. I will say that my taste doesn't much care for the green shimmer next to the aqua. It just isn't my cup of tea. But, that is why there are different people in this world. And, somebody is bound to LOVE this. It just isn't me. Lol. :-P

Favorite Heart Breaker combination? We love it over navy blue...or purple...or aqua...

Terrible Thursday: Oh, the Horror...

2010-09-16T16:00:00.000-04:00

True story: I just swatched these yesterday. They have been in my swatch bin since the beginning of May, during J and my heavy Dollar Tree period. I just knew these would suck. And they do. :p

Maybelline Sea Thru Blue - 5 coats

Sarah Says: Ugh. I don't even know where to go with this. It's just so unappealing. And sheer. And we all know how much I LOVE sheer polishes. *quietly vomits in a corner* Something about this reminds me of OPI Give Me the Moon, which I am not a big fan of. Actually, I hate it. Maybe this (and the OPI) are supposed to be layered. Has anybody tried that? Does it look nice over black? I haven't tried it because I was so afraid of it. Yuck.

Jason Says: The name is VERY accurate on this polish. But, it kind of looks like see-though cement to me. You know..... a sidewalk you wouldn't want to walk on? Lol. The color itself is not very appealing and it looks like it could give polish a very "milky" finish, which I don't like. So, I don't really know if there is very much hope for this poor little polish to ever be put on nails again. OFF WITH HIS HEAD!

NYC 229 - 5 coats

Sarah Says: Catchy name, no? This astounds me. Some of the NYC glossies line are named, a la Molten Metal...and some just aren't. Why not name all of them? In the scheme of naming, giving a polish a number is just slightly better than not giving it anything at all. Yes, you have a way to refer to the polish, but it's not terribly memorable or descriptive or, dare I say, useful. Plus, it's just nasty. 5 coats of gloopy, sheer drippy polish. And it's not even an interesting color. *sigh*

Jason Says: This would be a great grown-up pink polish if it would be opaque in less than 35 coats. I mean, serisously? This could be a good polish to layer over another pink polish, but why would you? The color and/or finish just isn't appealing enough to make you take the extra steps to layer it. It is just a complete drunken mess. It is a polish that would be in a line made by Ke$ha. Gross, ugly, and sloppy.

How important is the name of a polish? Are you satisfied with a number?

Water Marble Wednesday: Smoothies, Anyone?

2010-09-15T00:01:00.000-04:00

I, Sarah, work at Red Mango. I make smoothies. (I also supervise people putting fruit and other stuff on their frozen yogurt, but that's another story. Lol.) This water marble was inspired by the world's most popular smoothie, Strawberry Banana.

Strawberry Banana Water Marble
Marble Colors: OPI Fiercely Fiona, Maybelline Rainyday Red, and Nubar Greener

Sarah Says: This was a b*tch to marble...but I like the end result. I actually started out using a different yellow (CG Happy Go Lucky) and had HUGE problems with the other colors bleeding onto it in the water. Anyone had this problem before? Anyway, I swapped in Fiercely Fiona, and I'm really happy with it. It looks so banana-y! :) Fun factoid: I actually am not a huge fan of strawberry banana smoothies. I like pomegranate better. Or four berry. Pretty much anything, actually. :p

Jason Says: I am pretty happy with the way this turned out. It definitely has it flaws. Yellow is a major bitch to work with it seems. There is still some bleedage happening. Lol. I like the color combination..... probably because I came up with it. :-P I hope you guys like it :D

Ever been to a Red Mango? Favorite smoothie? Favorite fruit colored polish? Hope you all are having a great week! We're all prepped for the rest of the week, so we'll be around!

Comment critique and recent updates

2010-09-13T15:23:00.003-04:00

So this is J speaking. I just wanted to let you guys know what is going on lately. S has started back school and recently picked up a job. Thus, posts have been very erratic. We are very sorry for this. We will be back to our full force in the coming week or two. We need some time to stock up on some photos and what not. Just be patient. We are going to be coming back even stronger. :D

I also want to address a comment that I just went to approve. I did not approve it but want to give comments on it to the community. This comment was made on our Essie North Fork Collection that we did a while back. Also, that "silly" name is referring to Sag Harbor. S commented on her personal thoughts about it. I will post the comment below.

Anonymous writes:
That "silly" name happens to be the name of a lovely town... A very posh town in the hamptons, but obviously that level of sophistication is beyond you (which becomes obvious if one spends a few minutes reading more of your posts)...

p.s. the creepy factor of this blog is off the charts... the whole both you and your boyfriend comment on the nail polish thing gives me the douche chills...

Dear Anonymous,

This kind of comment belongs in an email not a comment to a post. If you have something personal to say about our blog, it is between us not the community. You are trying to belittle us in front of everyone, and it will not work. Nobody claimed to be "sophisticated" on this blog. But, the way you handled this situation shows your lack of that plus maturity. You show real guts and bravery by posting an anonymous comment as well. I commend you for that. Telling us who you really are and/or leaving a reply email address would be so cowardice of you. For your information, our blog is meant for entertainment. We say what comes to our minds without using a filter. People enjoy reading non "sophisticated" things occasionally. That may be shocking to you. I'll give you a moment to catch your breath. Are you ready to continue? Okay. Moreover, if you consider our blog creepy, don't read it. We don't need you. We have many other people who love reading our blog and looking at our pictures. Your insignificant view means nothing to us. Now, if you could have shown some class and worded your comment more constructively, things would be handled differently. I doubt you have any class. So, I will show you an example of a constructive comment. Instead of saying your nails look very ugly and your cuticles are flooded, you could mention that it seems like polish is flooding my cuticles in every photo and suggest some cleanup tutorials. You have to give something helpful in the comment. Now, clearly this is news to you. Do you need me to slow down and let your "sophisticated" brain soak this up?............ I'll just leave you alone for that to marinate for a while.

To anyone else who leaves a purely negative comment,

Your comment will be deleted. If you want to help us or give us information we don't know, we openly accept that. But, the act of trying to belittle someone openly is something we will not accept. I don't care to delete a comment if the need be. What I am trying to say is PLEASE try to leave something constructive or something nice. Mean and hurtful things do not belong in a comment.

I'm sorry guys. I had to get this off my chest. I will not stand for someone who doesn't even know us at all say things like this. It is not acceptable where either one of us grew up. I guess this is our lack of sophistication showing. I hope you guys forgive us for that. I didn't realize how import rude manners and ignorance were to sophistication. We will try MUCH harder in the future.

Love,
Jason <3

Late As Usual...China Glaze Vintage Vixen

2010-09-11T16:00:00.000-04:00

Yeah, yeah. I know. You've seen these a zillion times already. But hey, now you get to see them Crystal Polish style.

We found these the other day at our local Sally Beauty in a sadly depleted display. Seriously, we were lucky to get these. And it looked as though some clueless employee had tried to make it look less empty by filling the empty display spots with bottles of China Glaze Unplugged. Yeah...

China Glaze Emerald Fitzgerald - 2 coats

Sarah Says: Surprisingly, this isn't my favorite of the collection. When I saw the promo photos, I thought I've love it, but I just don't. Don't get me wrong, the color is gorgeous and the formula is impeccable, but I just don't love these heavily blue-tinted greens. This probably explains why CG Watermelon Rind has been sitting unused in my collection for over a year. Lol. This shade of green looks similar to CG Outta Bounds to me, but I don't own that one. Anyone know if there's a similarity there?

Jason Says: I thought I would love this polish as well. But, like S, I am not in love with it. This color of green just doesn't "tickle my fancy" if you know what I mean. Sure, this is a nice looking polish with a great formula. But, after accumlating this much polish, it takes something pretty gorgeous or special to turn heads. I like it but there will never be a love that developes. :(

China Glaze Riveter Rouge - 2 coats

Sarah Says: This is just fabulous. This is what I wanted CG Stroll from last year's Retro Diva collection to be. It's a fabulous, vampy fall red with obvious gold shimmer. Wowza. I can totally see this as a super sexy fall pedicure.

Jason Says: This is a VERY sexy color. It is pretty unique for our collectin as well. This polish is an home run. It demands the attention that it gets. <3 you ;)

China Glaze First Class Ticket - 2 coats

Sarah Says: I am super pleased with how this photographed. I was afraid that it would show up more blue, as many purples tend to do, but this is pretty true-to-life. Plus the shimmer is just amazing. I can't wait to wear this one! I will say, I had a little trouble with the application of this. I felt like the formula was a little thick and gloopy, but it may just be my bottle, or the fact that the air conditioner is making it North Pole cold in my apartment. :p

Jason Says: This is a gorgeous blue toned purple. It is almost mouth watering to me. I love me some purple polish. AND, this one did not disappoint me. I am definitely going to have to demand that S wear this polish soon & frequently. *tries to compose self for next review after melting for this polish*

China Glaze Midnight Mission - 2 coats

Sarah Says: My undisputed favorite. It reminds me of the night sky. So beautiful! Love love love. And perfect application. I was surprised at how unique the finish of this was. I don't have anything quite like this, which is pretty amazing since I've recently surpassed the 700 bottle mark. If you only buy one polish from the collection, make it this one!

Jason Says: This is the first polish that I saw from the collection. I was immeidately in LOVE! This polish is the King/Queen of the collection. It stands atop of the world laughing at all the pesants that call themselves polish compared to this one. I'll feed your ego Midnight Mission and tell you just have amazing you are :D

I think we may end up getting a couple more polishes from this collection...but we'll see. What are your favorites?