A Late Flakie Friday - Lac Attack Durmstrang

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Hello lovelies! I know, I know...I'm late again. I swear that when I think I'm going to have all the time in the world to post, I end up having no time at all. This week was good ole mother nature surfacing to hand me my monthly migraine, and cramps that were so bad that they were radiating down my left leg. Not fun. I spent all of Thursday in bed with my heating pad and a bottle of Advil. Yesterday was better, but it was also payday, which meant lots of running around. It also meant online polish shopping though, and I have some really awesome Indies on the way, and I am beyond excited. I have some Liquid Sky Lacquer Multichromes, some gorgeous glitters and a flakie from Supernatural Lacquers, and a quick dry top coat and flakie polish from Underground Cosmetics on their way.

And speaking of Indie Goodness, the giveaway is still in the works - I just need to find time to finish separating the prizes into groups. I'm painting a bedroom this weekend, so it will more than likely be Monday or Tuesday before I'm ready to go live. Sorry for the delay, folks. Giveaways aren't always as cut and dry as they seem.

Today I have a late Flakie Friday polish to share with you lovelies. I'm trying to get back into my usual schedule, even though I failed this week. But hey! I'm only a day late with this one, and my god is it worth the wait!

If you haven't heard of Lac Attack, you may be living under a rock. Seriously, Lac Attack is one of the coolest Indie brands around, and I had been coveting so many Lac Attack polishes. My biggest lemming was a polish called Durmstrang, from the Magical Musings Collection. Durmstrang (named for the Wizarding Institute that Victor Krumm attended) is a gorgeous sheer blue polish loaded with shimmer (not just gold, but there's some awesome pink and blue shimmer that peeks through as well) and black shard and diamond glitters. I guess it's technically a glitter polish, but those black shards are flakes in my world, so it still counts, right?

Even though Durmstrang is described as an Icy blue, On my nails it's more of a bright Cobalt. Maybe it's my lighting, but even in sunlight, it's much more Cobalt. And I'm okay with that - I love me some bright blue!

This is 3 coats of Durmstrang topped with NPB Glitter Food and HK Girl Top Coat:

Can I just say WOW! First of all - that blue! Oh, that magical, beautiful, perfect blue. It's no secret that Blue will always be my very fave color to wear on my nails, and this particular blue is everything that I've ever wanted in a blue polish. Toss in the amazing shimmer and diamond and shard glitters and you have Kimber's dream polish.

Durmstrang's formula is just as awesome as the polish itself, with a perfect jelly consistency and no thickening during use. Application was much easier than I had anticipated - with all of those diamonds and shards I had expected application to be somewhat tricky and require some dabbing and glitter placement, however Durmstrang applied beautifully with just the usual brush strokes. Those diamonds and shards also lay flat on the nail for the most part - I think I had one tiny little shard on the tip of one nail that was a little pokey, but it didn't come off, so it was a non issue. Durmstrang is fairly sheer, so you will need either 2 thicker coats or 3 thinner coats for opacity, or you can layer this baby over a similar color. Since it has that awesome shimmer, I feel like this would be fairly epic layered over a Navy blue as well. Wear was pretty epic for shard glitter - I'm actually still wearing this polish (I applied this on Thursday night around 1 am) and have no wear at all and zero lifting glitters. I did add a coat of Glitter Food to this mani since the shard glitters can be fairly textured, and that smoothed everything out perfectly.

Obviously, I am in love with Durmstrang. I have a feeling I'll be needing a backup bottle sooner rather than later. In my opinion, this is a must have for any polish lover.

You can grab your very own bottle of Durmstrang at LacAttack.com for $8.00 full size or $4.25 for a mini bottle. While you're there, I highly recommend checking out the Cell Block Tango Collection. My polish budget is tight at the moment, but I plan on grabbing that collection as soon as I can swing it. don't forget to check out Lac Attack on Facebook and Instagram for new releases, sales and re-stock info, and swatches.

I have new Polish TBH coming up ASAP (with the painting I have no idea if it will be tomorrow or Monday, but it's coming!) as well as some Born Pretty Store Nail Art products.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!
-Kimber





*Product(s) Featured provided for review. Please see Disclaimer/Legal Page for more information**  

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Euphoric Lacquer - Once In A Blue Moon

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*Product(s) Featured provided for review. Please see Disclaimer/Legal Page for more information** 

Hello Lovelies! Today was supposed to mark the beginning of a swatch and post fest, but everything went wrong. Again. I swear this year has been the worst year as far as luck.

As some of you already know, my gigantic 120 lb beast of a dog knocked my tripod over and broke the darn thing. I was unable to take photos since my camera is a beast ( I use a Canon EOS Rebel T4i) and I can't hold the darned thing and get the angles I want without a tripod. So yesterday I picked up an awesome new tripod (Pistol grip, swivel head) and was so jazzed to try it out. Buuuuut.....the mounting plate was missing. So today I had to drag my happy hiney back to Best Buy to get a tripod that was complete. Made it all the way home and realized that I wasn't swatching anything because I was out of acetone. So back across town I go, so I can grab some acetone from Sally's. Get home and am so excited to get started. WHAM! One of my photo light bulbs burns out. So back to the other side of town I go, to grab a new bulb. Of course, the one place in town that carries them doesn't have the right color temp, so I made do with a slighter yellower bulb until the new one from Cowboy Studio gets here.

Seriously, not the best  Monday I've had. Thankfully I am finally all ready to go. I'm going to be busting my butt over the next day and a half though.

I also realized that this amazing polish was still sitting in my blog folder. *Shakes Head* I really should've gone back to bed this morning!

So today's polish is an absolute beauty that I won in another naming contest on IG (If you're not following me there, you can find me under @KimbersKorner). I was scrolling through my feed one day and saw Jillyan from Euphoric Lacquers had posted a pic of this gorgeous Vivid Royal blue jelly with large Silver holo circle glitters and smaller blue hexes - and it needed a name. The large circle glitters in the blue base really reminded me of a blue moon, so I suggested "Once In A Blue Moon" as the name. And it won! I'm always so shocked when I win these things...I'm not exactly an epic namer, ya know.

Here is 3 thin coats of Once In A Blue Moon, with top coat:

Now I knew I would love this, since it combines my fave base color and circle glitters, but I wasn't prepared to love this so much that I couldn't take it off! I wore this for  days, folks. 3 days. That is rare. But look at it! That base color is just so rich and vibrant, and those glitters just make me want to do the dance of joy. And check out the coverage and opacity - for a jelly! Woah mama!! I've already proposed to my bottle, but it hasn't answered.

Once In A Blue Moon's formula is absolutely awesome. The consistency is a touch thicker thatn I'm used to with jellies, but it made application a breeze. No thickening during use and no clumpy glitters with this girl either. Application was so lovely that I was almost sad when I was done. this girl flows onto the nail like buttah! No dragging or balding, and no glitter fishing, despite the larger, heavier circle glitters. I used 3 thin coats here, but honestly could've stopped at 2 since this girl is very opaque for a jelly. I really only added the last coat out of habit. Dry time was incredible - even at 3 coats my nails were dry before I could finish cleaning up and reach for my top coat.

This is my first Euphoric Lacquer baby, but man, am I impressed! I mean, that color, those glitters, and the formula and application make for one truly perfect polish. I'm hoping to get my hands on some more Euphoric Lacquers beauties as soon as I'm done with review polishes. I'm drooling over Caution! Black Cat Crossing and Turning Over A New Leaf. I'm also in love with Delirium, an awesome neon glitter topper.

You can grab your own bottle of Once In A Blue Moon (and check out the other 2 beauties I mentioned above) by heading on over to Euphoric Lacquer on Etsy. Full size polishes run $8.50, minis $4.00. Be sure to browse around - there are some really unique and stunning polishes in the shop. Don't forget to follow Euphoric Lacquer on Instagram for new releases, re-stock and sales info, and swatch pics.

What do you think of Once In A Blue Moon? Are you as in awe as I am?

I'm working on some swatches of Polish TBH, Love Angeline, Cinema Swatch, Gothic Gala and Tawdry Terrier for you all. I should have at least 3 posts up between tomorrow morning and tomorrow night, so keep an eye out!

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!
-Kimber




*Product(s) Featured provided for review. Please see Disclaimer/Legal Page for more information**

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Candied Lustre: HBlueO (Holo thermal!)

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*Product(s) Featured provided for review. Please see Disclaimer/Legal Page for more information** 

Hello Lovelies! Man, It has been a day. I was feeling very under the weather earlier. Had a killer headache and some nausea. Thankfully I feel much better after some rest and Ibuprofen. I honestly have no idea what would I do without Ibuprofen.

Today I have the 3rd Thermal polish from Candied Lustre's upcoming Holo Thermals (I'm working on having number 4 up either tonight or tomorrow morning!). I am just loving these polishes, guys. Thermals are just incredible fun, but add some holo and sparkle and I am over the moon.

This polish is called HBlueO, and is a soft blue to deeper, almost Indigo color, with holo dust and holo glitters. This one has a softer color change, but when I say that I don't mean that the change isn't noticeable. Believe me, it is! It's just not as dramatic as clear to color thermals. Being a serious lover of blue polish though, this is obviously a fave.

First, let's take a look at HBlueO when she's nice and warm. This is 3 coats with top coat:

Eek! I really really really (really!) love this shade of blue. It makes me look a touch washed out, but hey...with my weird skin tone? I stopped caring long ago! :) Check out that sparkle too. Love!

Now let's take a peek at HBlueO all cold and chilly. Again, I'm a bit splotchy and pink here due to the ice water. Thats what happens when you live in the desert and your hands are always HOT! I don't get that half and half color change, and my photo lights are close to the surface of the sun. Only way to grab a good color change for a photo is a bucket o' ice water. I suffer for my love of thermals. ;)

It's safe to say that I adore this color. Indigo type blues are high on my list of awesomeness, and even though is fairly soft as far as Indigo goes, it's still just gorgeous. I spent alot of time sticking my hands in front of my AC with this one.

HBlueO's formula was just fabulous to work with. It's a touch thinner than the other 2 that I've shown you, yet it wasn't runny or drippy. Application was perfection with no dragging or balding. Dry time was fast, even before top coat, and wear was stellar with no tip wear or chips at 24 hours. HBlueO dries nice and smooth as well, so no need for glitter food or gelous with this girl.

I'm really loving these Candied Lustre's. Bri really makes a stellar thermal polish! I do feel the need to mention that the holo in these is much more evident IRL - since I'm shooting in a light box it's a bit harder to capture the intensity.

Candied Lustre can be found on Etsy, however the 4 new holo thermals won't be available until after August 3rd. The shop is currently on vacation, but you can check out Candied Lustre on Facebook and Instagram for swatches, sales info and updates.

What do you lovelies think of this pretty? What's your fave thermal color combo?

I'll have the final polish from this collection ASAP (tonight or tomorrow, depending on my 3 year old's temperament!) , so be sure to check back! Tomorrow is also Try It Out Tuesday! Woohoo!!!

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!
-Kimber

*Product(s) Featured provided for review. Please see Disclaimer/Legal Page for more information**

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Flakie Friday! Finger Paints Motley (and Special Guest Charlie Cat!)

Hello again lovelies! I'm back for another Flakie Friday with one of my #1 nail crushes, Susan from The Subtle Shimmer! I am really loving Flakie Fridays. I had forgotten just how much I love flakies! I'm actually on the hunt for more (I really want a red Flakie), so if you know of any awesome flakies leave me a comment!

Today I have a flakie that I've shown before on the blog, however that was a good year ago I believe. Finger Paints Motley is a gorgeous blue/teal/blurple/purple/green duochrome flakie in a sheer base. It's my favorite from this collection! The last time I wore this flakie I layered it over a deep Navy. This time I wanted a different look, so I chose to layer it in between coats of the infamous Revlon Royal, the most famous of all Cobalt Jellies.

For this mani I started off with 2 coats of Revlon Royal. Then I layered one coat of Finger Paints Motley and went over that with a very thin coat of Royal. I then added one more coat of Motley and topped it all off with a coat of HK Girl Top Coat (review to come). I really love the way this mani turned out. The flakies look like they are a part of Royal, but they aren't entirely covered by the jelly polish like a full on Jelly Sandwich.

Unfortunately this mani really did not want to live. After many attempt at Suicide, it finally managed to off itself right after I photographed it. In the photos you can see where the polish began to lift on my middle and index fingers, as well as the bubbles from a botched attempt at trying to fix it so I could take photos. I refilled my bottle of DIY Peel off base coat last night and had forgotten that when I use thicker coats of the PVA Glue that it tends to spread out on the nail (I only apply it to the center of the nail, leaving the sides and base of the nail free so my clean up doesn't mess with the seal) so when I clean-up it pretty much kills the whole mani. Grrrr! But I'm a trooper and wasn't about to miss a Flakie Friday!

I apologize for the pics as well...I only managed to take a few shots before my middle nail managed to pop off and fall to the floor. Mani dead. :(

I'm really bummed that this mani offed itself so soon. I love this combo - the color, the depth. In my world there is nothing quite like a good Cobalt blue.

Formula:
Finger Pains Motley has a wonderful Formula. Not too thick, Not too thin, and no thickening up.

Application:
Motley is a dream to apply! It flows smoothly onto the nail and it's easy to control the amount of flakies. The flakes lay flat on the nail so no need for anything other than your regular top coat. Unfortunately Motley is an LE and no longer available save for Blog Sales and Evil Bay.

If you're not familiar with Revlon Royal, it has a tricky formula. It's pretty runny for a jelly so you have to be very careful. I'm so used to Indie formulas now that I totally forgot how runny this polish is and flooded a few cuticles. Which is not good at all since Royal is also a royal stainer! However, it's worth all the fuss.

And now...A word from Charlie The Cat:

Oh Hai! This is a reeeallly comfy spot. This is where my kitten sits (I think my humans are my kittens..I even groom them and attempt to carry the baby. He's a big kitten though so I'm not very successful!) and I know she would want me to lay here and hog it! See how I sprawl across the cushion so there isn't room for anyone else? I is so thoughtful!

Ahhhhh...hello kitten! See mah belleh? You must scratch it now!! I grab your hand so you cannot run away! The kitteh belleh beckons you!!!!

Wait!!! Why you stop! What do you mean "move your cat ass, Charlie"? Can you no see I is comfy? I stay here and you scratch my belleh some more. Yes, that is good plan!


Needless to say Charlie did not move her cat ass and I ended up sitting on he other end of the couch. But only after scratching her belly for a good half hour. She is a total belly kitty. She rolls, drools, kisses, meows and purrs like a freight train during belly rubs. She will also scratch the ever loving hell out of me if I stop before she is ready.  She's really a funny little fur-baby! But back to the tough questions..

What do you think of Motley? Do you like the flakie sandwich look?

Don't forget to check out Susan's Flakie Mani! It's gorgeous...and a flakie that I hadn't seen before!


Charlie and I want to thank you for stopping by!

Happy Polishing!
-Kimber (and Charlie too!)

Kleancolor Cobalt

Hello there lovelies! I'm posting a bit later than usual today. As Christmas approaches, things around here begin to become slightly chaotic and my posting schedule gets slightly erratic. I'll still be posting, but they may be later in the day than usual.

Today I have a beautiful brilliant blue to share with you! I was recently contacted by the folks at MyWholesaleFashion.com and asked to review a few of their products. I always research companies before agreeing to a review, and what I found at MyWholesaleFashion.com was really cool! Their website deals in wholesale pricing for not only nail polish but tons of fashion accessories as well! One of the very awesome things about their polish is that if there is a color that you use a ton of, you can buy that one color in bulk for cheap! You can also find some polish collections from Kleancolor, Santee, and Nabi for fabulous pricing as well. I highly recommend you check them out! I'll certainly be buying from them for some Giveaway prizes, gifts for friends and family as well as some jewelry for myself.

One of the polishes that I received is Kleancolor Cobalt. I love Kleancolor polishes for several reasons. Not only are they inexpensive, but their colors are always incredibly vibrant and usually one coaters. Their pastels are soft and beautiful, their holos sparkling, and they have so many awesome glitters. Usually when I buy Kleancolors, they come to be pretty goopy and need a good amount of thinner to be usable. Not these! When I received my package from MyWholesaleFashion.com the polishes were not only usable right from the bottle, but they were packed with the utmost care. Shipping was lighting quick (UPS!) as well. I highly recommend taking a peek at their site.

Let's take a peek at Cobalt, shall we? This girl is an ultra-pigmented Cobalt Blue Shimmer. This color is so bright that it's almost neon. In fact, it dries semi-satin so topcoat is a must shine. These swatches are 2 coats of Kleancolor Cobalt topped with Sally Hansen Mega Shine. None of these have been altered in any way - this is the true color of this polish!

Check out how vibrant this blue is! LOVE!!!! I'm a sucker for a cobalt blue, especially when they are this brilliant!

Formula:
As I mentioned before, I'm used to having to thin the heck out of my Kleancolor polishes. I was convinced that's just how they are. However, this bottle was usable immediately and I did not use a single drop of thinner. It did not thicken during use or glop around the neck of the bottle.

Application:
Smooth and buttery! This was by far my best experience with Kleancolor polish. This girl has no dragging, balding or glopping. Cobalt is also fully opaque in a single coat (I can't wait to use this for stamping!), although I used 2 because I'm a creature of habit. I just can't bring myself to use just one coat.

I'm so impressed with MyWholesaleFashion.com. I love the idea of a wholesale site that has polish brands that I like and use, and other accessories that I adore (I love jewelry. I am in love with so many pieces on their site!). You can check out MyWholeSaleFashion by clicking any of my links or by visiting http://www.mywholesalefashion.com directly. Go forth and check out all they have to offer! It's worth it!

Cobalt Velvet Manicure and Born Pretty Flocking Powder Review

Hi lovelies! It's a late post day for me since I spent the day hanging out with my little man. There is just something about this age (2 1/2) that is soooooo sweet and adorable. He's really starting to let his little personality shine, and he's just the sweetest little guy. So much fun!

Today I have a really cool mani to share with you all. This is my first Velvet Manicure, and I have to tell you guys....I love it! This look isn't for everyone, and it certainly isn't practical, but if you're looking for something fun and striking, give this a shot! I can't tell you how many people stop and stare and then want to "pet" your nails. It's really great fun!

I started with a base of Maybelline Color Show in Sapphire Siren, a deep Cobalt Jelly. I love this color, but this polish was fairly runny and I had some issues with pooling. Not a good quality in a deep blue, since staining around the cuticles is always an issue with this kind of highly pigmented blue. I used one coat of Sapphire Siren, then opened up my Flocking Powder from Born Pretty Store. I applied a second careful coat (cleanup after using the flocking powder is not a good idea since acetone melts the powder), then took my flat and wide tweezers and picked up a good amount of flocking powder. I sprinkled that over the wet polish, making sure to cover the entire nail. When I was satisfied with the coverage, I used my finger to gently push the flocking powder into the polish. I let that sit until I was finished with all my nails, then used a big fluffy brush to sweep off the excess powder. The result is not only fuzzy, but fairly striking!

Here is the final result ( please excuse the little owie on my pinky. My son threw the mail keys into a cactus yesterday and guess who got poked in a few places):

Isn't that cool!?! I can't believe I waited so long to try a Velvet Mani!

The flocking powder I used is from Born Pretty Store, Item #4507 in Blue. The powder comes in a huge pot, way more than I could ever use! You can check it out here, or by clicking the picture below. 

That's a huge tub of flocking powder! The flocking powder alone retails at $5.80, and there is also a kit that includes the powder, matching polish and a brush. The kit sells for $18.99 and you can take a peek at one of the colors here.

I found this powder VERY easy to use. For the price, you get an amazing amount of product, and you actually use very little for each manicure. It's a great product for special occasion manicures, or when you just feel like being a little bold.  This wears well, and you can even wash your hands without issue. The flocking powder looks a little funny until it dries (less than 5 minutes) but will be just as fuzzy as before once it does.  Removal is easy peasy, I used peel off basecoat but also tested acetone removal and this just melts right off in acetone and takes just seconds. The only downside to this kind of manicure is that for the first hour or so, you will find little flocking powder fibers on your fingers!

I had a blast wearing this manicure, and it's one of my all time faves.

Don't forget ! You can save 10% off your entire order from Born Pretty Store by using my code (shown below) at checkout! Born Pretty Store offers all kinds of nail art supplies, as well as iPhone cases, jewelry, and a full line of Hello Kitty! I know alot of you lovelies order from BP, so don't be shy! Use the code!

What do you think of the Velvet Manicure trend? Would you rock this look?

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!
-Kimber

**Items in this post were sent for review. Please see disclaimer/legal page for more information**

NOTD: Kleancolor Blue Eyed Girl

Hello lovelies! Happy Thursday! So close to the weekend, yet still so far. On the upside, it's payday! Which means that I get to order more A England! Woohoo! I'll also be mailing packages, so if you have yet to receive one from me (a couple got lost under the seat of my husband's car), it should be there soon!

Speaking of packages, is anyone interested in doing a Secret Polish Santa this year? I think that would be great fun! Lemme know if you're interested and I'll set it all up. Also, 31 Dayers? The final challenge is looming. I wanted to know if you all wanted to re-create your fave mani that you have done during the challenge, or if you wanted to re-create a mani that another one of the partcipants has done. Please let me know! I'd like to have us all on the same page.

Lately I've been trying to get my butt in gear and start working through my untrieds. A good couple hundred are untrieds, or have been used only for dotting, striping, or nail art and I really want to give them some love. I fully believe that older polish deserves to be in the spotlight just as much as the new collections, so I'm planning on doing a 30 Days of Untrieds deal after the 31 Day challenge is over. If anyone wants to join in, let me know! There are no rules, just using untried polishes.

Today's untried polish is from Kleancolor, one of my fave less expensive brands. Kleancolor makes some really awesome glitters, and some gorgeous colors as well. I feel like I  never really see much from them outside of the Chunky Holos and Holo series, so I wanted to show off one of their lesser known, yet gorgeous beauties. Blue Eyes girl is a Cobalt Blue Jelly loaded with large Blue hex and small hex glitters.  The first time I saw this, I knew I had to have it! My awesome BFF (i also refer to him as my brother) managed to snag a bunch of Kleancolor polishes and Glitters for my birthday, and this was among them. Thanks J!!

I love this kind of polish - bright, sheer jelly combined with larger glittah! Yummy! However, this one was a bit problematic.

Formula:
Blue Eyed Girl was kind a PITA. It was so thick that I had to dump a serious amount of thinner into it, then grab a paper clip that I had straightened out to mix the polish. Yup, that thick. I don't think it was just this bottle that is like that either. I had a bottle of this before, but my husband dropped it and it broke. I had not had a chance to use it yet, but it had that same ultra-thick, unusable until thinned like crazy consistency. Once it was thinned out a bit, I dropped it into a bowl of ultra hot water, and after a few minutes it was fine.

Application:
This girl applied nicely - as long as I kept the thinner close. It thickens up very fast, which leads to clumping of the glitters. When it plays nice, it's wonderful...but when it glops up, it's a nightmare.  It was also quick to drag, and the glitters don't always lay flat on the nail. It's a serious top coat eater, so I added a thick coat of Gelous as well as a good coat of SV, and it's still a bit rough.

I love this color enough to really work at being able to use it. If you don't want to put the work into making this polish thin enough to actually use, I would steer clear. If you love this kind of polish, don't mind spending a whopping $3-4, and have thinner and time to spare? Well, its worth that much.

What do you think of Blue Eyed Girl? Do you have a fave Kleancolor polish?

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!
-Kimber