Flakie Friday! Mint Manis for Talia Joy featuring Catrice Mint Me Up

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Hello Lovelies! Happy Friday!!!! It's not the best of Friday's since it's not a payday Friday, but it's still the start of the weekend, which I can't complain about. I'm actually in a fantastic mood today. Slept a bit more than usual last night, and have some awesome polish to swatch this weekend. Always a good time!

Since it is Friday, you know what that means...Flakie Friday time! Today's Flakie Manicure is special though. As most everyone knows, this week we lost a shining Star. Talia Joy Castellano, makeup guru, Cover Girl, Cancer Warrior and all around wonderful girl lost her battle with Cancer on Tuesday, 7/16. Although I did not know Talia personally, I followed her story (and her videos) and grew to love this wonderful girl with the incredibly bubbly personality, optimistic spirit and willingness to share such a deeply personal experience with us all. Hearing that she had lost her battle was painful, and I can't even begin to contemplate what her family must be feeling now that Talia is no longer with us.

I will miss Talia's videos, her Instagram pics, her sharing herself and her fight against Cancer so openly with us all. She brought such awareness to Childhood Cancer...I can only hope that this continues and Talia's legacy lives on, stronger than ever. Talia's favorite Cancer organization is Base Camp, so if you are so inclined as to donate, please make a donation to Base Camp. Just click the link.

Since Talia's last Instagram photo was a pic of her Mint manicure, many of us in the Polish community opted to wear Mint Manicures today in honor of Talia. Godspeed, little angel. You will be sorely missed.

For my Mint Mani for Talia, I chose Catrice Mint Me Up, a gorgeous Dusty Mint with golden shimmer and coppery flakes. It's a truly beautiful polish, for a truly beautiful soul.

Just a beautiful polish. That golden shimmer is just breathtaking, and the coppery flakies really make this pop. They're much more evident IRL, as usual.

Here's a quick ultra-macro shot:

Sorry about the glare there - shiny topcoat! But aren't those flakes just gorgeous? And that shimmer really does leave me kind of breathless!

Mint Me Up's formula was very odd. Thick and chalky if you know what I mean! Even after a few drops of thinner this girl was still fairly thick. Application wasn't all that bad though, save for having to double dip a few times to compensate for chalky streaks in the polish. This girl does level out well and has lovely shine, even without top coat. Dry time was fast considering the formula and wear is impressive with just a small bit of tip wear at 24 hours.

I do wish that we could get Catrice here in the states! Despite Mint Me Up's weird formula (and maybe I just got a bunk bottle), I love this polish and all of my Catrice beauties (thanks Simona, my Catrice shopper!).

I'm not that great at these types of posts, but I like to think that Talia would find this polish beautiful.

I'll be back tomorrow with some awesomeness from Luscious Potion! I also have brand new Polish TBH and more from Fandom Cosmetics coming up this weekend, and some Wingdust and other killer Indies coming up this week.

What do you think of Mint Me Up? Did you rock Mint Nails for Talia today?

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!
-Kimber



*Product(s) Featured purchased by KLK at retail price.  Please see Disclaimer/Legal Page for more information** 

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Shimmer Polish Jennifer - Swatches and Review

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

Well hello there Lovelies!! It's been days since I've posted - I am sooo sorry! This past weekend was filled with a rash of activity, and inconvenience. I had a ton of errands to run, which is fine - I'm used to that. Buuuuut....we've had huge thunderstorms here as well, and the one night I had to swatch, the power was out for hours upon hours. We were burning a ton of candles (which made my house smell incredible, but also makes me sad since my Savory Scents candles are now very low), but that's not exactly optimum swatching conditions. Not to mention open flames near all those lovely flammable polishes and acetone. The one swatch I did manage, ended up damaged beyond repair in a frenzy of lighting candles, closing windows and doors, and replacing flashlight batteries during the first big storm. Normally I would be annoyed, but I loved that polish so much that being able to wear it twice in a row was actually pretty sweet.

Today I have that incredible polish to share with you! In case you hadn't already guessed (ha!), it's Shimmer Polish in Jennifer.

Shimmer Polish has been on my lemming list for a long time, and Jennifer was at the top. One of those "I must have this polish or I will surely shrivel up and die!" kind of lemmings. Imagine my utter joy at finding Jennifer in my package from Shimmer! *Insert happy dance here*.

Jennifer is filled with different sizes and shades of iridescent and pastel blue glitters, with some pink, copper, and black glitters mixed in. I'm a sucker for glitters blue in any incarnation, and iridescent glitters are my first love (my first glitter polish was an old Maybelline with nothing but pink iridescent glitters....I still have it!).

One of the things that I love so much about Shimmer polishes is that despite being glitter bombs, they're so beautiful and classy. You really can't go wrong with them. Jennifer is certainly no exception and definitely at the top of my list. Let's take a look!

Although Jennifer is opaque in 2-3 coats, I decided to layer her over Julep Bess, a sky blue creme, in order to bring out the pastel colors in the glitters. This is 2 coats of Julep Bess, 1 coat of Shimmer Jennifer, and top coat.

I still just....wow!...when I look at this glitter. Such a beauty! And so versatile! Jennifer looks amazing by herself,  or layered over pretty much any color.

Jennifer's formula is fabulous! This girl applies so smoothly that it's hard to believe it's a glitter bomb. I had no issues with clumpy glitters, thickening polish, or balding/dragging. Application was perfection as well, with no issues to mention. The glitters disperse evenly with every brush stroke and coverage is excellent. The glitters lay flat on the nail, and despite being loaded with glitter, Jennifer does not dry very textured at all. I used my regular top coat and my mani was smooth as glass.

If you're a glitter fanatic, you simply NEED this polish. Jennifer is perfect over a darker color for some serious color flash and sparkle, and subdued enough to wear alone or over a soft base color at work. This is a polish that I'll be reaching for often and regular. Do you see why I was actually excited to have to re-do this mani after I mucked it up during that storm? I'm having trouble writing this at the moment since I keep getting distracted by the polish. Soooooo amazing.

Jennifer is the second Shimmer Polish I've tried, and so far we're 2 for 2. I'm very impressed with the formula, application, and color combinations on these polishes. I have 3 more to share with you, and I'd be lying if I said I'm not excited as all get out to try them.

You can check out Shimmer's insanely fabulous glitters by visiting ShimmyShimmer.com. You can order via email (You can find all the info you need under the Contact/Purchase tab)- just check out all the blog posts and pick your colors. Full size bottles retail for $12 (worth every penny if you ask me), however I don't think minis are available. I highly recommend picking up Jennifer, and of course, Kim (swatches coming soon!)! You can also follow Shimmer Polish on Facebook for updates, sales info, and swatches.

What do you think of Jennifer? Do you have any glitters from Shimmer?

I'll be back later today with an infamous and simply incredible polish for Try It Out Tuesday, so be sure to check back soon! As a random side note, I'm planning on working hard to actually respond to comments. I've been so bad about that, and it makes me feel horrible!

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! Daring Digits Before Sunset, revamped!

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Happy Friday evening lovelies! Normally I'd be fairly thrilled right about now, but it's roughly 9 billion degrees in my house right now so I'm a bit sluggish. We had planned on turning on our AC this week, but needed a part so now I am sitting here hoping for a second Ice Age.

In case you haven't noticed, my 500 Follower giveaway is up and running! Don't forget to enter!

Today's Flakie is another pretty from one of my very favorite Indie brands, Daring Digits. If the name seems familiar, that's because it is - I've shown you "Before Sunset" before. However, at the time Before Sunset was still in its testing stage, and was a color changing polish. This is the latest incarnation of Before Sunset, and this time it is not a thermal polish.

Before Sunset (V.2) has been revamped into an utterly unique and super gorgeous plum-taupe Crelly jam packed with bronze and copper flakies. The flakes appear to be larger in this version, and as I mentioned above it no longer has a color changing base color.  You can take a peek at the original swatches here.

This is 3 thin coats of the revamped version of Before Sunset, topped with Simply Quick Top Coat from NailCareHQ.Com (review coming soon!):

Yeah, I know. The photo say "Beyond Sunset". I swear my brain is fried from the heat in this house (it's almost 9 P.M. and stil 92 degress at my polish table). I started calling this Beyond Sunset in my head, since it's a revamp, and I guess it stuck just enough for my hands and brain to conspire to label it that way. Sorry Ash!!!

Despite the fact that this baby makes me a tad lobstery, I really adore this new version. I'd be hard pressed to choose which one I like the most, but I think I am leaning toward this one.

Before Sunset, the new version, has a simply amazing formula. I was actually reminded of gel polish, without the curing and shrinking in at the sides if you don't work fast enough. Application was perfection, with no dragging, balding, or glopping. Despite being a touch darker than the original, this version of Before Sunset does apply a touch sheer. I used 3 thin coats here for intensity, however 2 coats would have sufficed. No need for Glitter Food with this pretty, Before Sunset dries fairly smooth.

I loved this girl the moment I applied her, but the more I look, the more I fall in love. There is something about that plummy taupe base color and all those coppery flakies that just makes me happy.

You can find Daring Digits creations at DDPolish.com. Full size bottles retail for $8.50 (Save for the "For The Children Collection"), with free U.S. Shipping and $3.00 flat rate shipping to Canada. For those of you overseas, Daring Digits is also available at Mei Mei's Signatures. Before Sunset has yet to be release, so keep an eye on Daring Digits on Facebook for release details!

What do you think of Before (Beyond?) Sunset? Do you prefer the original thermal or the new version?

I'll be back tomorrow with some awesomesauce from Polish Addict and more!

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 (Saturday Version!): Daring Digits Holy Fire

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

Good Morning Lovelies! I am so excited to be back to posting in the mornings. I've changed the way I'm swatching and photographing, and that seems to work much better. For the longest time I was polishing and photographing the night before posting, and with the new camera and a very active toddler, that just wasn't working well anymore. So I decided to be like most people and start swatching and photographing a few days beforehand. I failed for this post, but actually have my next few post ready to go. Yay me!

While you're here, why not enter my giveaway? 2 lucky lovelies will win the brand new 10 polish 80's Hits Collection from Daring Digits! If I hit 500 GFC followers while the giveaway is running, I will add yet another giveaway, so tell your friends! I know everyone is afraid to use GFC, but it's not going away in July (that's Google Reader), and we've had this scare several time before and it's still here. You're safe, and what do you have to lose, right?

Even though it's Satruday (my youngest was under the weather yesterday), it's still Flakie Friday here at KLK. And today's polish is a doozy!  I have been loving neutrals with a kick lately, and Daring Digits Holy Fire was just what I was craving.

Daring Digits Holy Fire is a blend of coppery bronze flakies and glitters in a sheer off white base. The flakes and glitters tend to make the base appear more nude, which is fine with me - this combination is stunning!!! In all honesty, I have been dying to wear this polish since Ashley sent it to me, but let's be real....Daring Digits does not make a single polish that is less than awesome, and choosing one is tough. This week I could resist no longer, and I am so glad that I didn't! I'm actually still wearing this one. Since Dex was feeling blah through the night, I couldn't swatch, so  I get to wear this a bit longer!

This is 3 coats of Daring Digits Holy Fire, no undies, topped with HK Girl Topcoat.

Check out that macro shot! *dies* How gorgeous is this polish? I love this baby so much that I've considered proposing, but I can't afford a ring.  I love every single Daring Digits polish, but this? This is one of my very favorites. It's just......I have no words. It's as if Ashley created this baby just for me.

Holy Fire's formula was pure perfection. Perfect consistency, no thickening, and no glopping or gooping. Application was a dream, gliding onto the nail like pure liquid silk. The flakies are small and delicate so no issues with sharp edges or flakes that won't lay flat. Both the flakies and glitters are perefectly distributed on the nail. This girl also dries as smooth as glass, so no need for anything other than your usual top coat (KLK recommends HK Girl Top Coat).  Holy Fire is very sheer, so you will need 3 coats for opacity. This polish also looks incredible layered over a buff colored base, as well as darker colors. It's incredibly versatile, but it's just so gorgeous on its own that I can't bring myself to even think of layering it.

I am deeply, madly in love with this one, lovelies. To me, this is the perfect neutral polish - a perfect neutral base color with matching sparkle, beautiful and classy. If you're a fan of neutrals, you need this. Need. As in you may very well not make it without it.

Want your own bottle? You can grab your very own bottle of Holy Fire on sale for a measly $8.00 right now at DDPolish.com. Hurry before it's gone! Daring Digits ships for free to the U.S., and $3 flat rate to Canada. If you are outside of  North America, you can find Daring Digits at Mei Mei's Signatures.  In fact, Ashley just released a gorgeous new polish that is exclusive to Mei Mei's. All DD polishes are 3-free, cruelty free, and lovingly handmade my the fabulous Miss Ashley. Don't forget to follow Daring Digits on Facebook for info, updates and new releases.

What do you think of Holy Fire? Are you a fan of neutrals?

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! Sassatinnie Q09

Hello Lovelies! Due to several bad happenings, Flakie Friday is late today. My first FF Manicure decided it had no will to live and was destroyed before I even managed to pour my morning coffee, then my router decided to be a huge pest and refused to work until a few minutes ago. Fun stuff! But, I'm here, and it's before midnight here in NM, so I'm still on time! ;)

Today I have a special polish to share with you. This polish is special to me for several reasons. First, it came to me from Susan from The Subtle Shimmer, my partner in crime on Flakie Fridays, it's a very close match to an awesome Koh flakie that Susan posted awhile back that I have been drooling over ever since, and finally, it says "Super Dolly Fantasy Color" on the bottle, which cracks me up for some reason. What can I say? I love random things like that! We've actually taken to referring to it as "Super Happy Fun Time" around here since we can never actually remember Super Dolly Fantasy Color.

As far as I can ascertain from the 2 polishes that Susan sent from this brand, Sassatinnie is the brand, Super Dolly Fantasy Color is the collection, and the names all start with Q followed by a number. This particular beauty is Sassatinnie Q10, and is a mix of Copper/Gold and Green/Gold/Teal Flakies in a silvery blue shimmer base.

Be sure to click "read more" to take a closer look at this pretty!

Q10 looks a bit on the purple side in pictures, but IRL it really is a silvery blue. The flakies do not have a very strong color shift, but it's there if you have the right angle and very strong lighting. The copper flakes are very dominant, which is a-ok with me, since I love blue and copper together.

Q10 tends to make me look a bit lobstery, and please forgive my very hastily taken photos. Not my best work! Anyway, this is 3 coats of Q10 topped with HK Girl top Coat:

 

Despite the lobstery skin tone, I loooooove this flakie. The color is just beautiful, and it's a little more subtle than most of my flakies. I do love my in your fave polishes, but I do occasionally crave something a little more toned down.

Q10's formula was very thin, yet it was a dream to work with. It applied smoothly and despite being so very thin, I had no flooding, and minimal streaking. It is on the sheer side, and I did need all 3 coats for opacity. Flakies were abundant and are just as thin as the polish itself. This meant that they lay flat on the nail and I had zero problems wrapping my tips or dealing with stragglers dangling from my free edge.

I am so happy that Susan was kind enough to send this beauty my way. I really do adore it! I fully intend to see what this looks like layered as well.

Speaking of Susan, don't miss her awesome Takko Lacquer Flakie! Yet another lemming Susan has created! I swear my flakie wish list is filled with polishes that Susan has shown!

I did receive another awesome Flakie in the mail today, and cannot wait for more Flakie Fridays! I find myself being drawn to my flakies more often than ever after starting this with Susan, yet I force myself to wait until Friday.

What do you think of Sassatinnie Q10? Don't you think I would make a pretty good lobster? ;)

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing! Be sure and check back tomorrow for some brand new Daring Digits!

-Kimber

Sally Hansen Lustre Shine: Copperhead

Hi ladies!

Today I have another Lustre Shine polish to share with you. Copperhead is a beautiful Copper polish with a barely there duochrome shift. It does seem to shift a bit to a pinker copper tone with a bit of silver, but on the nail IRL that shift is barely discernible. I was very excited for this color when I saw the Promo shots, but I have to say, now that I've swatched the entire collection that's available (I'll be posting Plume later), this is my least fave of the bunch. Don't get me wrong, it's pretty, but I was really expecting more...I don't know....oomph? This is one that I don't really see myself reaching for all that often, save for stamping.

Pretty, right? I guess it's just a bit too...neutral?..for my tastes. I think it will make for some pretty stamping though.

Formula:
The formula on this one was nice. Very smooth and less drag than the rest of the collection.

Application:
Again, smooth and silky. The brush on this one was rather stiff and refused to fan out. Seems to be a fluke though since the other brushes were fine. It does have a little bit of drag, although less than the others. I still recommend letting this dry between coats.

All in all I'm a bit meh about this color. What do you think of Copperhead?

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!
-Kimber