Act Like Ladies! (Picture Heavy)

I thought I posted this up a while ago...the holidays got a little busy! Sorry for the delay...
I've always been a little bit of a tomboy but all girlie-girl if that makes any sense to anyone but me.  When I saw this collection from Diamond Cosmetics I just had to have it. The price is always right, or so I thought, at Diamond Cosmetics, so I prepared my order only to be halted by the $15.00 flat shipping fee. That seemed rather steep to me...but a month later, after seeing a few other shades I wanted, I bit the bullet and ordered.
I won't order again until there are at least 15 bottles I'm lemming from Diamond Cosmetics, that's the only way to make it worth the shipping! (Which, now that I think about it, is probably their purpose for the shipping fee.)

On to the polish that turns out to be worth every penny of the less than $5.00 per bottle spent.
The collection:

The swatches:

We begin with Bite Me, a rich red shimmer that has depth and glow. This is the perfect Holiday red. It's one of those "glows from within" colors. It's a red I actually like, and I'm not one to wear many red lacquers. Lizard rating: Toasty!

Next up we have "How Rude". A nude shimmer. The shimmer is golden. It gives this nude almost a sunset appearance. I have "Desert Sunrise" somewhere in my collection and will compare it in the near future. I'm not a big fan of nudes, but I like the way this one looks. Lizard Rating: Tepid

From there, we move into the only creme in the collection. "Karen's Got a Gun." This is a green gray like Pantone PMS 5753. I love it. It's like a darkened Rescue Beauty Lounge "Diddy Mow." An odd color, but it's actually neutral and extremely complimentary to my skin tone. Lizard Rating: Toasty!

Moving on to the Foil/microglitter finishes this is "You Want It When?" There are two foil/microglitters in this collection and I really don't know which one I like better. Both are so complex. "You Want It When?" is a Rosy Gold from a distance, but it has small specks of blue and so many other colors!  The slight variation of the specks gives the polish a slight duo/multichrome effect in certain lighting. These are keepers! Lizard rating: Sizzling!

Next up: "Pay Up" another foil/multichrome with the same properties described above. This one leans more deep antique gold from a distance and changes

That brings us to the FLAKIES!!! Yes, there are two of those in this collection. First up is "Drama Queen" which is a really pretty steel gray blue shimmer with multicolored flakies. This one is cool. Work safe even yet has a bit of drama. Hence the name perhaps. It's a lovely color and I've not seen this shade done with flakies by any other polish company that I'm familiar with or can get in the USA. Another Sizzling! rating from the Lizard. I'll wear this one again and again.

Last in the collection and yet oh so familiar: "Ungrateful" a dark violet shimmer with flakies. If you have OPI Merry Midnight - this is a close dupe, but I'll show you in my next post that it's a dead on dupe for another polish, and I'm betting my readers that are polish collectors like me, know exactly what that color is. Stay tuned for that comparison tomorrow! Lizard rating: Toasty! (only because I already have a dupe. If you missed the dupe, then you might love this one.)

 

 The formula on these was excellent. I applied Bite Me with an accent nail of Pay Up? You Want It When?? and it's lasted 6 days only one small chip showing up today.  I see some possible dupes...and I'm wondering if You Want it When? or Pay Up is a dupe of the latest foil in the Mariah Carey collection...
See any you like?

I wear my Sunglasses at Night

This is Orly Flash Glam "Sunglasses at Night" all by itself, 4 coats. It was lovely, super easy to apply and the tip shrinkage is from the topcoat - my Cult Nails Wicked Fast needs to be thinned a bit.

This is a hairy glitter as I like to call them. A navy blue jelly with prismatic hairy glitter. I love it. I loved it in the bottle and even more so on my nails. I will try it again sometime over a dark blue, but truly, I loved it on its own very much.  On to the pictures: (which are crappy flash cell phone pictures...and I'm sorry, it's the best camera I have right now...hoping Santa will bring me a nice new one, but not holding my breath.)

Just look at that Prismatic beauty! This wore for a good 5 days. I used the soak-off method to remove it without any issues. I think it's my favorite Flash Glam so far...but I have a few more untrieds to try.

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.

Introducing: Zoya Beach and Surf Summer Collection!

New nail color - coming soon to a salon near you and Zoya.com

 

!

Summer 2012 is going to be a super stylish season for nails with the latest offering of nail polish collections, Beach and Surf, from the new color of fashion, Zoya! This new splash of color, designed by the Zoya color experts, is kissed by sea and sand translating beautifully onto the nail in the famous, full-coverage Zoya formula.

Dive into the creamy shades of the Zoya Beach Collection or the shimmering sea foils of the Zoya Surf Collection. The choice is yours – this color palette is sure to be a splash!

Zoya BEACH Collection

• Reagan (ZP614) - deep cerise pink cream
• Lara (ZP615) - vivid cerise pink cream
• Shelby (ZP616) - soft pinky pink cream
• Arizona (ZP617) - soft coral orange cream
• Tracie (ZP618) - sea grass metallic
• Wednesday (ZP619) - soft aqua cream

Zoya SURF Collection

• Rory (ZP620) - lotus pink foil metallic
• Carly (ZP621) - thalia purple foil metallic
• Kimber (ZP622) - magenta pink foil metallic
• Myrta (ZP623) - coral orange foil metallic
• Meg (ZP624) - mermaid green foil metallic
• Zuza (ZP625) - aquamarine foil metallic

Zoya is the new color of fashion... 

The Zoya BEACH and SURF collection was designed and inspired by resort runways and tropical get-a-ways.

Ultra long-wearing, glossy nail lacquers by Zoya are free of harmful industrial chemicals like toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, resin, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) that are known to cause cancer and birth defects.

Find Zoya BEACH and SURF as well as over 300 other ultra high-fashion Zoya shades at www.zoya.com

 

. As always, each and every Zoya color is made for women so we name them after women.

BEACH and SURF by Zoya Nail Polish - 12 new colors:
Available April 1, 2012 (USA)
www.zoya.com

 

Sug. Retail $8.00 per 0.5 fl.oz. bottle (US).

Oooh Arizona! Look at Wednesday! Ogle Meg and Carly! I can't choose a favorite! Can you? Oh hurry up April Fools Day! What I love about the latest Zoya Collections is how well their pallets mix together for funky french manis and geometric nail art. Is it April yet?

~The Lizard

Mermaid's Dream

I was strolling through Nordstroms while in the San Francisco Bay Area visiting friends and family. My friend and I were shopping for some new clothes for her and, of course I had to swing by the cosmetics section and gawk at nail polish.

I was drawn to Butter London's Knackered, but there was a woman next to me who loudly sighed when I grabbed the last bottle. So I let her have it and moved on to Deborah Lippmann. See, I've been lemming Candy Shop since it was released in the special pack with Forget You.

This particular Nordys was out of CS but then Mermaid's Dream caught my eye and held it. Rapture, I tell you. Sheer delight.  It left the store with me. So here she is in all her glory:

Remember you can click 'em to make them HUGE. 

As for the Polish - what can I say? It's Sparkly!  It's got an interesting texture going on...sort of similar to a matte polish in consistency yet it's not matte. It's lumpy when dry but not like the average glitter. The only thing I can call it is "Texture" like a mermaid's tail. There are 2 coats of David top coat on it to smooth it out, (maybe that is why it's cracking?), and it IS smooth to touch but it looks like there is dimension to it - little hills and valleys - and I love that about it. Like the sun glistening on the bluest ocean.

Yep, she did it again - a gorgeous glitter as only Deborah Lippmann can deliver. Get it while you can, it's worth it!

You can pick this up at Nordstroms as well as online at www.deborahlippmann.com, www.nordstroms.com and www.hsn.com too! 

As already stated, I purchased this product for myself. Candy shop will be next...I think. (I found it in a Nordys on the way home!)

Sidenote: I'm noticing some cracking in the polish on my middle finger. I cleaned the bathroom yesterday. Wore gloves most of the time, but there was a lot of scrubbing going on. I've been treating my nails with some special oil product that is supposed to put flexibility back into my hard, brittle nails. Maybe this is a sign that the product is working.  More on that later after I've used it as long as I'm supposed to. (Review will happen then.)