Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse! (PICTURE HEAVY - but oh so worth it!)

Well look at me! Posting three days in a row here...guess I'm back for real this time!

The other day in one of the many nail polish related groups in which I am a member, I posted this picture:

Isn't it the prettiest bug you've ever seen??

 Then I remarked that this beautiful bug reminded me of all the Unicorn pee polish out there: Clarins 230 (someday, someday), Nfu Oh #59, Max Factor Fantasy Fire, Girly Bits Shift Happens, etc.  We all agreed that, while the Unicorn pee is amazing, it doesn't quite capture wow factor seen in this amazing technicolor dream coat.

So I got into my stash, (did I mention I need another Helmer? Oh, stop your tsking! It'll only be my second. MANY of you already have 2 or more! :-P ) and tried a few things. I don't have pictures because I wasn't astoundingly happy with the outcome of my experiments, but I'll tell you what I tried.

I pulled out Orly Flare - a muted gold foil from the Fall 2012 "Fired Up" collection. I applied two coats to each nail of my left hand and then I played with the unicorn pee colors I have. I topped one with Nfu Oh #59 and found the purple to be a bit too intense. I topped another with Girly Bits Shift Happens and it didn't have enough color variation even after 2 coats. To another I applied Max Factor Fantasy Fire and that was pretty neat so I wish I had Clarins 230. (If you're reading this and you have Clarins 230 and the polish I ended up using for the pics below, I'd love to see it turns out. Please?) One another nail, I applied an oldie but amazingly goodie- Sally Hansen Nail Prisms Turquoise Opal. One coat of Turquoise Opal was pretty neat, so I added a second coat and I think that's just a little too much maybe? Plus "Flare" was TOO muted. So I removed it all, repatched my thumbnail since it has torn below the quick and I want it to grow out before I cut it off. *whimper* Then reapplied my Dermelect Launchpad basecoat because I'm having really bad peeling issues again.

Fast forward to last night, I was having all kinds of trouble deciding what to do with my nails. I finally decided to try a different gold foil and use the Sally Hansen Turquoise Opal again. "What the heck," I thought, "I can make a blog post out of this!"  I reached into my stash again for my favorite gold foil. Orly "Glitz and Glamour" from the 2010 "Tis the Season" collection. This is bright, flashy gold...as gold as a gold can get I think. I do love it so. I topped it with one coat on Turquoise Opal on my left hand and two coats on my right. Just to see, and to share with you. Enough chatter! Get on with the pictures!

Left hand, full sun. It kind of hints at the color variation.

 Left hand again, full sun again, different angle shows a slight shifting...hmmm

Still Left (I'll let you know when I switch to the right hand), in natural light. Now it's getting interesting!

 Look at all those different colors! I see purple, pink,blue, teal, green!

Look at all the Pink and Gold! This is fun...

And one more to show all the rainbow!

So that's what one coat looks like, what about two coats? Continued here is the right hand using two coats of Orly Glitz and Glamour topped off with two coats of Sally Hansen Turquoise Opal.

Full sun

 Full sun, different angle.

 Natural Light

 Natural light again

 And the rainbow again.

So, what do you think of this combination? Did I manage to capture the beauty of the beetle in the first picture? I think not, but I also think it's about as close as one can get with the current pigments out there. Of course, I'm very willing to be proven wrong. I did try putting water drops on the nails but it didn't do anything to change the way the colors looked.

As usual, these pictures are a simpler representation of how this combination reflects light when gazed upon by stereo vision. Someday, I want a camera with two lenses so I can truly capture how these polishes appear to our human eyes.  I will say that this is the second manicure I've worn in the last 3 years that has prompted compliments and diverted eyes as my hands draw peoples attention. Yesterday I was told how perfectly it went with my purple lace tunic, and today I was told it was a perfect match for my textured satin teal tunic! Therefore, the Lizard rates this one Toasty bordering on Sizzling.

Will you try this or something similar? Do you love or hate it?

Pomegranate Midnight Satellite

I wish I could tell you the tale behind my NEED to find this polish. Alas, a promise was made and I cannot.

But here is the polish I've been in search of since Summer of 2011 and now I understand why no one could tell me where to find it...it hadn't been released yet.

Here is my love. The complex, interesting combination of pigments known as Midnight Satellite from Pomegranate Lacquer!  Midnight Satellite is a gorgeous Kelly Green base with blue shimmer. They combine to make a stunning teal. BUT WAIT! The added interest is in a smattering of tiny silver glitter. It's not overkill, but just enough to make it so pretty. Yes, it's official...The Lizard loves this one and gives it a rating of Sizzling! (To be reminded of the Lizard's ratings you can click here.)

As always, click to make the photos bigger and forgive the not-so-great photography. (Refer to yesterday's post if you don't know why the pictures are not so grand.)

 In full sun

 Inside, natural light

These next two were taken a couple days later and are just to show you the base color (so please ignore the tip wear.)

 See that kelly green?

Beautiful!

What do you think? Will you be picking up a bottle (or two) of Midnight Satellite?

*Disclaimer* This polish was given to me by a source who shan't be named. I then purchased TWO bottles from Pomegranate Lacquer as soon as I discovered it in the Winter 2012 collection. All opinions are my own.

Comparing Darkness

*tap* *tap* *tap* Is this thing on? Oh. *Ahem*

Hi everyone! Long time no post. I've been so busy doing absolutely nothing useful. I wish that were not true, but I'm really not cut out for this whole unemployment thing. Please send good vibes that I shall find work before the end of the year. I'm still hopeful, yet the runway is getting shorter.

I've got a couple of posts planned for you, so stick around if you're interested.

This comparison was inspired by the introduction of the latest winter collection from Zoya. Everyone is nuts about "Storm" and I was too, but I wondered...

Is it similar to an LE from Evil Shades that was released in 2010 in remembrance of Ronnie James Dio.  I'm talking about "Rainbow in the Dark" people. Evil Angel hand crafted this beauty and sold a limited number of bottles and the Lizard was lucky enough to get one on her hands!

So here it is, I bring you a comparison of "Rainbow in the Dark" and "Storm"  (click to see the pictures bigger and be kind...my camera died and even if it was alive, my cell phone takes better pictures.)

 Can you guess which is which? They are a little different.

I bet you can tell them apart now...

Rainbow in the Dark is on my Fore and Ring fingers while Storm is on my middle and pinkie fingers.

Storm is extra blingy from the start but the polish doesn't seem to be too sheer so each layer is pretty much the same as the last. The formula is a little thick with a full, fluffy brush so it was pretty easy to apply. The Lizard rates this one "Toasty"

Rainbow in the Dark is a definite jelly black which gives it some depth and more of an outer space feel. The brush in is a little old-style skinny, but I didn't have any problems with it since the formula is easy to work with. Lizard Rating here is also "Toasty"

I love them both for different reasons and am happy I have each. Which one do you like?

I want a new camera for Christmas...or my birthday...or Mother's Day or just because. :)

*Disclaimer*  Evil Shades LE Rainbow in the Dark was purchased by me.  Zoya Storm was a prize I won on Facebook. All opinions are my own.