Swatches

The One With a Swatch of Zoya Storm

9:00:00 AM


Good morning polished world! How are you all doing today?  No nail art since while I'm writing this at midnight, and I'm honestly too lazy to write about nail art.  It's cold, I'm tired, and have a headache. I blame the weather, it's just awful outside.  I'm hoping it gets a tad warmer for Halloween so I can hand out candy to the little trick or treaters!

So, since I'm too lazy to share nail art, I'm going to share the base of tomorrow's Halloween nail art post - Zoya Storm.  Swatch posts = quick and easy.

Let's take a look!


Zoya Storm - a gorgeous black jelly polish with a scattered holo.  If you don't have a bottle of this, or any of other Zoya scattered holos, then you're truly missing out.  This is one of my favorites and I actually need to grab a back up bottle of it.  Two coats, full coverage, and the perfect base for Halloween nails or even a galaxy manicure.  Speaking of galaxy nails, I haven't done those in forever!

What do you think? Fan of Zoya Storm? Have any of the Zoya scattered holos?

Until tomorrow, <3.

FingerPaints

The One With the Random FingerPaints Swatch

9:00:00 AM


Good morning polished world!  Happy Sunday to you all!  How are you all doing today?  I hope everyone had a happy and safe Fourth of July.  I meant to have a post up yesterday, but sleep in Saturday became an all day event, and I'm still exhausted.  That tells you how busy my week was.  It was completely thrown off too because of the holiday being right smack dab in the middle of the week.  I felt like I had two Monday's.

Here's to this week though going better, especially since there is only one Monday!!  Still though, why does there even have to be a Monday??  Anyways, I'm getting off topic.  Today I'm sharing with you the base for the manicure I'm going to share with you tomorrow.  I was obsessing over the base, so I felt I needed to dedicate a swatch post to it.

Let's take a look!


Colors Used:
  • FingerPaints - Lavender Love
  • FingerPaints - 50 Shades of Ashley
Lavender Love is one of my favorite purple polishes.  Two coats of a beautiful cream lavender which saddens me that I'm getting close to the end because I fear I will never find one just like it.  I've used Lavender Love numerous times before, that's not what I'm here to drool over.

What I'm drooling over is 50 Shades of Ashley which was part of the Ashley Nell Tipton Collection that came out a few years ago.  Why I never used it yet is beyond me.  Maybe because I thought it was just a boring opal looking purple, but on the nail it is so much more!  I used one coat over Lavender Love and it added such a dimension to the polish!!!  I couldn't stop staring at it!

Wait until you see the design I did over it!

What do you think?  Like this swatch?  Do you think I should share more swatches?

Until next time, <3.

Morgan Taylor

Morgan Taylor Beauty and the Beast Collection Swatch and Review Part 2

9:00:00 AM


Hey everyone!!!  Are you ready for Part Two of my Swatch and Review of the Morgan Taylor Beauty and the Beast collection??  The more I thought about this, the more I think I should have broken the posts up different than swatches then top coat.  Oh well.  Lesson learned for next time.

Anyways, one polish that I did not review yesterday was Enchanted Patina.  This polish can be worn alone or added on top of the polishes to create a bronzed antique look.  Now, guys I apologize in advance, I didn't do a plain swatch of the polish, I just did it on top of the swatches from yesterday.

Head on into the post to see the swatches!

Morgan Taylor

Morgan Taylor Beauty and the Beast Collection Swatch and Review Part 1

9:00:00 AM


Okay, attempt number two.  Hello polished world!  How are you all doing today??  I say that this is attempt number two because I wrote this whole post, hit schedule, and it disappeared.  Poof, gone, away.  That's never happened and I'm honestly so confused.

Anyways, today I have a swatch post for you all today!  It's been quite some time since I've shared swatches, and that's honestly because it's kind of a pain in the behind to create them.  Paint, photograph, remove, paint, photograph, remove....it's so monotonous.  The removing part is my least favorite.

When I received the new Morgan Taylor Beauty and the Beast Collection from Preen.Me, I just had to swatch it.  I was all prepped to suck it up, forget my hate of the swatching process, and just go for it.  That was until Sarah from 25 Sweet Peas told me about the Sally Hansen Big Peel Off Base Coat.  Now swatching is something I can see myself doing a lot more of!!!


Enough of my babbling, the Beauty and the Beast collection consists of 6 polishes and 1 top coat.  Let's take a look!

Swatches

The Simple Mani with Zoya Nyx and Stevie

9:00:00 AM



Happy Tuesday polished world!!  How are you all doing today?  I have a quick swatch-ish post for you all.  I meant to have a post up yesterday, then got sidetracked.  Then I wanted to have an art post up today as a pre-Thanksgiving manicure, but in the end I'm going to share that one as my Thanksgiving one.

So today I'm sharing with you a skittle manicure I did using two of the Zoya Pixie Dusts.  As you know, I love the original micro formula of the Pixies and am so happy that Zoya started coming out with new colors.  I don't care what anyone says, the textured look is still in.

Let's take a look!

Colors Used:

  • Zoya - Nyx
  • Zoya - Stevie
Love, love, love Nyx.  I purchased this polish a year or so ago during a Zoya promo.  I didn't have any colors like it in my collection so of course I needed to get it.  Three coats for this one.  I found it to be a little sheer.  It did build up, but it needed the three.  If you did two thicker coats, you can get away with two, but I find that the Pixie's dry funky if you do thick coats.



My beloved Stevie.  My all time favorite Pixie dust.  Two coats.  So happy I have a back up bottle of this beauty, and beyond happy that they didn't change the formula over the years.  I'm sure you all have had a company change a formula of your beloved polish and when you go to re-stock you're highly disappointed.  Thankfully, this Pixie is still the same.

Fan of the skittles?  Do you still use and love the Pixie Dust polishes?

Promise to be back to the nail art in a few days!

Until next time, <3.

FingerPaints

The One With the Skittle Swatches

9:00:00 AM


Good morning polished world!  How are you all doing today??  It's Saturday, so I'm super thrilled to be sleeping in and spending my day doing absolutely nothing.  Well that's a lie, I have a lot of errands to run and a Pinterest project I want to complete.  I also want to sleep until about 1pm, but I don't see that happening.

So as we all know, I'm taking a tad of a break from the intricate nail art after all the Halloween manicures.  I did do some nail art last night, but unfortunately I'm having an awful time photographing them.  I did get some photographs, but they're going to need some editing for you to be able to see the design.  Sigh.  I hate when that happens.  Maybe I'll just take some cell phone shots outside and call it a day.  

Anyways, today's manicure is a simple swatch skittle which I actually did last month.  I attempted to do a Halloween manicure but couldn't get the nail art to work right, so I just made it a swatch mani.  I ended up wearing it for a few days because I really liked the color combination and how it turned out.

Let's take a look!


Colors Used:

  • Zoya - Rooney
  • Zoya - Dahlia
  • FingerPaints - Sterling Sculpture
  • ORLY - Liquid Vinyl
Isn't it pretty?  You guys might be seeing more skittles from me in the future.  I feel like my nails are still fancy even without nail art when I do these manicures.  Plain swatches of one color just bore me and I remove them right away.  When it's a bunch of swatches though, I love it.

Rooney is a gorgeous pink polish.  It sits in the back of my Melmer and never gets used.  Two coats of this beauty.  If you like pinks, then I suggest you purchase it.  I'm happy I purchased Dahlia awhile ago during a Zoya promo.  This polish is absolutely gorgeous and one of my favorite Pixie Dusts.  Two coats and full coverage.  I thought it was going to need three the first time I swatched it when I bought it, but it builds up wonderfully in two coats.

You already all know how much I love FingerPaints Sterling Sculpture and ORLY Liquid Vinyl.  My favorite go to polishes.

What do you think?  Like the skittles?  Think I could get away with doing more??

Until next time, <3.

Jessica Cosmetics

Jessica Cosmetics Into the Wild Collection Swatch and Review

9:00:00 AM


Good morning polished world!  How are you all doing today?  It's Sunday meaning we are beginning yet another new week.  I'm hoping that this week isn't going to be as crazy as last.  I'm way too busy for my own good.

Today I have swatches of the new Into the Wild Collection from Jessica Cosmetics!  This Fall collection contains six gorgeous cream shades.


Let's take a closer look!

Serendipity Polish

Serendipity Polish: Call Me Boss Lady Collection Swatch and Review

9:00:00 AM


Good morning polished world!  How are you all doing today?  I'm trying to cram in some swatches among my nail art, so you're going to see a bit more of me lately than usual.  I try to stick to the every 3 day posting schedule, but I have way too many drafts that it's making me nervous.  Plus some of my drafts are these Fall collections and I really want to get them out to you while they're still new.

Today I am sharing with you the new Serendipity Polish Call Me Boss Lady Collection!  Earlier this year I purchased the Beach, Please summer collection was super impressed.  All polishes were one coat creams with super fast dry times, which for a nail artist like myself, I could get a lot of use out of.  On top of that they are gorgeous colors.  When I saw on Serendipity Polish's Instagram page that they introduced a Fall line, I didn't think twice.  I immediately purchased the polishes because I knew I wouldn't be sorry!  Plus with the name "Call Me Boss Lady", I couldn't resist.


Thank you to Sarah from 25 SweetPeas who created this awesome collage for me.  I tried to but it just didn't work out well.  That girl is a guru when it comes to graphics and collages.

Anyways, the Call Me Boss Lady collection consists of four creams and one holographic polish.  Let's take a closer look!

Morgan Taylor

Morgan Taylor Sweetheart Squadron Collection Swatch and Review

9:00:00 AM


Good morning polished world!  How are you all doing today??  I have another swatch post for you all today!!  I'm super excited to be sharing with you the new Morgan Taylor Sweetheart Squadron collection.  This is my first ever experience with Morgan Taylor polishes.  I've heard read some great reviews in the past, so I've always been curious to try them out!

The Sweetheart Squadron collection is inspired by the courageous female pioneers of the aviation industry.  It consists of five cream polishes and one shimmer polish perfect for Fall.  When I first saw the bottle shot photos on the internet, I wasn't too sure about this collection.  I thought they looked kind of boring and like typical Fall shades.  Then I got my hands on the actual bottles and my opinion quickly changed.

Let's take a look!


OPI

OPI Do You Take Lei-Away? Swatch and Review

9:00:00 AM


Good morning polished world!  How are you all doing today??  Remember how I told you I'm going to start sharing more swatches?  Well here's yet another!  I think what I want to start doing is sharing the base of my manicures the day before I share the nail art?  Maybe?  It might be a ton of work, but for today that is what we are doing.

Today's swatch is of OPI's Do You Take Lei-Away? from last year's Hawaii collection.  I absolutely love OPI's nude polishes, so whenever I see one that I think will look good on my skin tone, I snag it.  This one I purchased last year from Sally Beauty during a BOGO sale and really am kicking myself that I didn't grab another bottle.

Let's take a look.


It's such a gorgeous nude polish which I think goes well with my skin tone.  Two coats for my swatch and I had full coverage.  It's not patchy and dries super fast unlike My Vampire is Buff.  Weirdly enough despite my complaints about My Vampire is Buff, it is one of my favorites.

What do you think of this shade?  Something you own and rarely use?  Highly suggest you pull it out and re-visit it if you do own it!

Can't wait to show you the nail art I created on top of this swatch!  Actually my next two posts will use this color!!!!  Really think you're going to like them!

Until next time, <3.

Orly

ORLY Breathable Treatment + Color Swatch and Review

9:00:00 AM


Good morning polished world!  How are you all doing today?  I feel like it should be Friday, but alas, it's only Wednesday.  Anyone else's week going super slow?  I think this whole watching, the Olympics nightly is throwing me off.  Maybe?  Or maybe it's the lack of rain and the extreme hot weather.  Sigh.

Today I'm sharing with you swatches of some of the new ORLY Breathable Treatment + Color polishes.  A few weeks ago I posted on the blog a Press Release regarding this new collection which requires no base coat or top coat, just two coats and you're done.  I was very interested to see how they would pan out.  I decided to swatch before using them for nail art because the colors needed to be seen on their own!  Plus, I said I was going to start swatching more and I'm sticking to that!

Let's take a look!


The collection consists of 18 different colors.  I received Give Me a Break, TLC, and Stronger Than Ever.  Originally I received different ones which were equally as gorgeous, but unfortunately were never able to swatch them since FedEx broke them.  Ugh, all my packages have been destroyed lately, but that's a rant for another time.


Give Me A Break is a gorgeous fuchsia polish.  At first I thought it was dupe of Frolic, but side by side the bottles are very different.  As promised, two coats and full coverage.  


TLC, which I'm going to call The Little Canvas, is a gorgeous purple shade.  My favorite of the three I swatched.  Two coats, full coverage.  Love.


Stronger Than Ever is a gorgeous red with gold shimmer.  Wasn't too sure about this one when I saw the bottle, but after one coat I was in love.  It almost has a crelly formula which builds up beautifully.  Hard to capture the true beauty of this polish, this was the best I could do.  

Just like my normal ORLY polishes, these do not disappoint.  Awesome application, and beautiful shine.  Huge plus that you don't have to use a base or top coat.  Honestly, I thought I had put on top coat because of how shiny they all were.

My favorite part, the brush!!!  These polishes have a wider pro style brush similar to Sally Hansen's Miracle Gel brush and the OPI brush.  Dear ORLY, please make this the brush on all your polishes!!!

What do you think?  Do you have a favorite?  Any nail art suggestions for these beauties??

I'll have nail art up for them hopefully over the next few weeks.  I also decided to swatch because I have so much nail art to share with you that I didn't want these to get lost or put on the back burner.

The ORLY Breathable Polishes are available at ULTA, JCPenney, salons, and ORLYbeauty.com!  

Until next time, <3.

**Polishes provided for review.  All opinions are my own. Please see the disclosure policy**

FingerPaints

FingerPaints Fast Dry Swatch and Review

9:00:00 AM


Happy August everyone!  How are you all doing today?  I'm doing great!  Today I have a swatch post for you all!  That's right, a swatch post....no nail art.  I've toggled with the idea of swatching on here for the longest time.  Over the past few months, a few of my posts have included swatches which have pretty much been the bases for my nail art.  I liked how the pictures turned out, and I got a lot of positive comments, so I thought I would give it a go.

Today I am sharing with you the new FingerPaints Fast Dry collection, which is available now through October at Sally Beauty.  Now, I always thought that my FingerPaints polishes dried fast, but they have nothing on these babies!


The Fast Dry Collection comes with four colors: Pronto Purple, Champagne Gold, Fathom Blue, and Cool Coral.  There also is a Fast Dry Top Coat to seal your color in and add extra shine.  Let's take a look!


First we have Pronto Purple.  Such a gorgeous deep purple with a blue shimmer.  The shimmer was faint in the bottle, so I didn't think that it was going to translate on the nail but I was wrong.  Two coats for full coverage.  Lovely shade.


Next we have Champagne Gold.  This is a gorgeous metallic gold shimmer polish.  One coat.  Yes, you read that right, one coat.  I debated on putting two, but it really did not need it at all.  Very easy to apply.  Sometimes these chrome-like metallic can be streaky, but this has an amazing formula.


This lovely, beautiful, stunning polish is Fathom Blue.   LOVE this one!  You can get full coverage with one coat just like Champagne Gold, but I used two for the swatch above.  The bottle has a slight purple shimmer, but I couldn't pick that up on camera.  What I could pick up was the gorgeous depth that this polish has with the sparkle.


Last but not least, we have Cool Coral.  Lovely coral shade which required two coats.  No way could you get away with one on this, it was kind of watery in comparison to the others.  It built up nicely though with two and didn't streak or pull like others with similar formulas.  I think this might be a good summer pedicure polish.



My favortie from this collection is Fathom Blue, with Champagne Gold coming in a close second.  At first I thought they were going to be similar to other polishes I owned, but they are very unique to my collection.

All polishes did live up to the Fast Dry name.  I start painting my index finger then move to the pinkie.  By the time I got to my pinkie nail, my pointer was completely dry and ready for the second coat.  Quite impressive if you ask me.

What do you think?  Fan of this collection?  Like that I did a swatch post?

The FingerPaints Fast Dry Collection is available online and in store at Sally Beauty Supply from August through October.  Make sure to head over and grab yours today!  You all need to at least have Fathom Blue!

Until next time, <3,


**Products were provided by FingerPaints for review.  All opinions are my own.  Please see my disclosure policy**