Elixir Lacquers With A K

More than ever, you are seeing indie companies come up with their own nail polish.  Today I bring you Elixir Lacquers, created by fellow blogger - Nicole of Nail Polish Wars.  Recently she had a sale of buy 2, get "A Cool Fool" free, so I had to make a purchase.  Actually, I originally attempted to purchase With a K when she first launched the website but due to a PayPal error, my order had to be canceled and re-ordered.  With a K is listed as a silver and violet holographic micro glitter with violet prismatic hexagon glitter, suspended in a violet jelly base.  This is a 15 ml bottle for $10, and is big three free.  I used a base coat of Duri Rejuvacote, 2 coats of polish and a top of CND Air Dry.


Now I'm slightly confused that my polish is most definitely pink, not violet, and the "prismatic hexagon glitter" tends to get sucked into the jelly base so you don't see it as well, but I still really love polish that is called "With a K" since I always have to say my name as "Krystal, with a K."

While I was playing with my polish being in the trees, I smudged my middle finger.  Grr.  Can't win, can I?  Definitely a pink color though for me - not purple.

In the shade, you can see what I mean about the prismatic glitter - unlike China Glaze Techno, the glitter is sandwiched into polish.

Finally indoors with the flash and this color almost looks Barbie pink.


So is it purple?  I can't call it purple - just pink.  Not Pepto pink though - more Barbie girl pink.  I wished it had been purple, but maybe it's just batch differences?  Not 100% sure.


Elixir Lacquers [Website] [Facebook] [Twitter] is available on their website for $10 a bottle.

CND Daily Nail 2.10.12 - Time Machine Manis at Nicole Miller

Time for some CND Fashion Week updates!  Every time I see CND being used, I am absolutely obsessed with owning the bottles.  I know how great the formula is and then the design of the bottles make me fall in love every time.  Please enjoy the following press release from CND.  All images are courtesy of CND.

The CND Daily Nail 2.10.12

Time Machine Manis at Nicole Miller

February 10, 2012 - Welcome to Day 2 of The CND Daily Nail at New York Fashion Week! Today's manicure styles were a blast from the past.


At Nicole Miller, CND's Wanda Ruiz helped showcase parallel times to prove that "the past plays out in the present." CND's "Time Machine" manicures at Nicole Miller were trippy and hypnotic in colorful swirls of CND Colours in Plumville, Electric Orange, Bicycle Yellow and Anchor Blue. Master this look at home with a toothpick (or a detailing brush) and some patience.

Vintage-centic NAHM featured a "Sugared Neutral" nail with pink undertones. This color was custom blended by CND's Angi Wingle, but can be recreated at home by layering CND Colour in Desert Suede with one coat of CND Colour in Marshmallow Rose, topped with CND Super Matte Top Coat. Strong nude nails looked flawless with minty green wingtipped eyes and glamorous '20s 'dos amidst punchy plum and eclectic green patterned fabrics.

At Correll Corell, CND 's Roxanne Valinoti perfectly contrasted metallic nude makeup with boldly pigmented CND Colours in Inkwell and Raisin in the Sun. These manicures matched blue tones throughout the collection and coordinated with smoked burgundy and rusty cognac shades on the runway.

For Jen Kao, CND's Shelena Robinson took nails to back to French Vietnam for a darkly seductive look using CND Colours in Blackjack or Oilslick. This manicure was unapologetically promiscuous, strong and sophisticated when paired with rich tones and textures of satin and fur.

Stay tuned for The CND Daily Nail during Fashion Week for show-by-show reports from:


• Alexandre Herchcovitch
• Behnaz Sarafpour
• Catherine Malandrino
• Christian Cota
• Joy Cioci
• Karen Walker
• Milly
• Monique Lhuillier
• Naeem Khan
• Rachel Antonoff
• Skaist-Taylor
• The Blonds
• Theory
• Victoria Beckham
• Wes Gordon


To read Jan Arnold's daily backstage blog, please visit cnd.com. Track @CNDWorld during Fashion Week, on Facebook, Pinterest and on YouTube.

Lynnderella Mercury's Rainbow vs China Glaze Techno

Oh yes, you read right.  Lynnderella's Mercury's Rainbow has a twin... China Glaze Techno.  Techno was originally released in the Glitters & Cremes, also known as the Specialty collection, and was re-released in the 2012 spring TechnoPop collection.  I had both sitting on my desk when I had my OMG moment that these two are definitely related.  Check out this bottle shot.

Both have micro and slightly larger hexagonal rainbow/holographic glitter.  The only difference is that Lynnderella has a slight murky grey base and Techno is in a clear base.  I layered 2 layers of polish over Sephora Black and topped with Glitter Tamer.  (My base coat for all was Duri Rejuvacote.)

Sun doesn't do this polish justice, so here is some indirect light.  Now, there is definitely more microglitter in Techno than in Mercury's Rainbow, but it's just really in how many coats do you put on.  I have loads more pictures in the shade now.

Now, how alike are they?  Yeah, more microglitter in Techno, less medium hexagonal glitter and just the opposite for Mercury's Rainbow.  Am I going to keep both?  Yes.  Do you need both?  I wouldn't.  I'm perfectly happy with just my Techno, to be honest.


Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

OPI hits the runway with Jason Wu and Rebecca Taylor for New York Fashion Week

On 10 February (my son's 5th birthday!), OPI was out in full force for the Jason Wu and Rebecca Taylor shows.  Oddly enough, 10 February was also the anniversary of Rebecca Black's "Friday" song debuting.  Hah. Please enjoy the following release from OPI.  All images are courtesy of OPI.

OPI was used on nails for the Jason Wu and Rebecca Taylor fall/winter shows at St. John’s Center Studios and Lincoln Center! For Jason Wu, models’ nails were painted with taupe hue, San Tan-tonio. The noticeable neutral complimented clothes in taupe, black and gold with pops of fuchsia and red.

Meanwhile, Road House Blues, a purple-y navy, was painted on models’ nails for Rebecca Taylor to compliment the collection’s dark colors and floral prints. 

 Celeb attendees of Jason Wu included Shailene Woodley (actress, The Descendants), while Rebecca Taylor’s front row seated Olivia Palermo and Zoe Kravitz.

Valentine's Day $500 Visa Card Winner!

Congratulations to the winner!  Please don't forget to visit the bloggers that participated!

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Beauty Blogger Coalition
Beauty and Fashion Tech
Beauty Info Zone
Beauty Swatches
BlushingNoir
Gems in a Bottle
Madame B Fatale
Moxie Reviews
My Beauty Bunny
PeaceLoveLipgloss
Perilously Pale
Phyrra
Polarbelle
polish insomniac
PolishGalore
Pretty in Dayton
Prime Beauty
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Shea Terra Organics Rose Hips & Pink Clay Facial Cleansing Bar

Have you heard of Shea Terra yet?  I was first introduced to this brand last summer but am just now getting around to seriously trying the Rose Hips & Pink Clay Facial Cleansing Bar  (4.5 oz for $8.00).  You can read all about Shea Terra's Legacy here, as it's full of information including how their company helps Africans sustain their environments and families.  Here's shots of the other sides of the box.

Very good for those with sensitive skin (like myself).

I love the smell of rose!

A little more information on rose hips and pink clay.

The tops of the soap are shaped almost like a rocky plateau.


Finally here is the bar itself:

Now, on Shea Terra's website, the bar is all pink, not half pink/half brown like my bar.  I think mine may have dried out from sitting in my house for 6+ months.


So how does it work?  This bar is to be used once daily and is best used before bed.  Lather the bar in your hands and then massage the lather into your face with your fingers.  Rinse off well.  Shea Terra recommends you following it up with their Rose Water Facial Tone and a facial oil or cream but I just used the bar alone.  The lathering is good - not thick but the soap feels cooling against my skin.  It washes away clean without any heavy feeling on the skin and there is a slight rose smell that lingers.  I didn't notice any issues with irritation or any additional break outs or clogged skin which is always a plus.  Overall - I'm very pleased!


Shea Terra may be purchased on their website or by calling (+1) 877.427.6627 (M-F 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. EST). You can Like them on Facebook & follow them on Twitter.  They constantly have giveaways on their Facebook and occasionally post coupons on their Twitter page.


Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

Mattése Elite Carnaval Collection

Have you used Mattése Elite nail polish before?  This is totally a new line for me, but what a great way to kick off a nail polish line than with neons?!  I love neon polish - and for those still young enough (or at least young at heart!) to go out to bars, neon totally glows under blacklight.  Please enjoy the following press release from  Mattése Elite about their new Carnaval collection, inspired by the annual Carnaval celebrations in Brazil!  All images courtesy of d2 publicity.

Get Ready to Party

Mattése Elite Carnaval Collection Nail Polish

Dance yourself into a frenzy with the new Carnaval Collection from Mattése Elite. Inspired by the annual Carnaval celebrations held in Brazil, these glossy solid shades are bright and festive.


An explosion of color ranging from vibrant pinks to deep purples and greens, this collection immediately starts the party.


Available in 6 neon shades:

Rainha: regal baby pink

Fantasias: mysterious dark purple

Desfiles de Samba: parade-worthy green

Samba Enredo: crowd-pleasing rose-pink

Passistas: electric violet

Rei Momo: high-voltage hot pink

Mattése Elite Carnaval Nail Polish retails for $5.99 and is available for purchase exclusively at Ricky’s NYC store locations and at www.RickysNYC.com

Layla Ultra Violet

It's coming...  Layla Cosmetics is bringing Holograhic polish back to the United States!  Today I have Ultra Violet, a light purple holographic polish with linear holo!!!  This is where you can see the full rainbow on the nail versus a scattered holo (like China Glaze Tronica).  Now there are some downsides but we'll get to those much later.


First off, Layla claims not to need a base or top coat with its polishes - they keep it simple.  Instead, they provide a nail file with the holographic polish that has 2 sides.  The pink side is to file the ridges down, the white side buffs your nails.  Then you have a smooth surface to apply your Hologram Effect polish on.  I buffed my index and ring fingers but left my middle and pinkie finger unbuffed.

Can you see the difference in the shine and amount of ridges on my nails?


Next I applied 3 coats of polish to all my nails.  Warning, lots of nail spam coming now!

nom nom nom.  Nail LOVE.  This color is a lot like China Glaze Octa Gone Wild except this has way more holographic goodness in my opinion.  Again, this is without a top coat.

Okay, downside in the shade.  You can see that I had a bit of patching on both my non-filed middle finger and my filed ring finger.  Boo.  :|


Next, I wanted to try some top coat.  Layla makes a top coat called Brilliant Due Nail Polish Protector ($19 at Zappos for 0.33 fl oz).  It has a bit of a "glass effect" that will prove useful in upcoming Layla collections (but that's all I can say about that for now) so I wanted to check it out.  

Now, normally top coat dulls the holographic finish of polishes.  I wanted to test polishes so on my index finger I have Layla Brilliant Due, middle finger - CND Air Dry, ring finger - Seche Vite and pinkie finger - Sephora by OPI top coat.  Check this out.

The holographic polish is definitely dulled by CND and Sephora by OPI but Seche Vite holds up a bit and Layla obviously looks the best.  Here's a comparison of just Layla and Seche Vite.

Hello holo!


Okay, now for the bad news.  First, Layla Hologram Effect polish won't be available until May.  :|  At that time it will be available in Ulta and possibly more stores online but Ulta is the only confirmed.  The second piece of bad news is that it's a bit pricey at $15.50 for a 10 ml bottle.  To compare, Glitter Gal's old bottles were 9 ml for $14.00.  a-england is priced at $12.00 for 13 ml.  OPI is ~$8 for 15 ml...  so yes, it's expensive but it will be available and that's sometimes half the battle.


I cannot WAIT to get my hands on more of these.  Check this out!

Photo courtesy of Layla Cosmetics Facebook page

Must... have... all... of... them...  Formula wise, the polish was just slightly thick but not nearly as bad as GOSH Holographic.  A tiny bit of thinner would probably make this perfect.


Again, this line will be available in May at Ulta for $15.50 a bottle.

Layla Cosmetics is distributed to the US through the Luxcon Group who has a Facebook Page to several online websites including Zappos, AVEYOU, Brigette's Boutique, Amazon, and Drugstore.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

Layla Hologram Effect

Sorry for the confusion:  Layla Hologram Effect will be arriving at Ulta and Ulta.com in May 2012.


Yes, it's true!  Layla is bringing holographic polish back in the US!  Later today I'll have one of these beauties to show you but for now, drool over the following press release!

Hologram Effect Nail Polish

Revolutionary Polish For Unforgettable Nail Art

Experience the effects of a three-dimensional universe. This Spring, Layla Cosmetics introduces Hologram Effect, with 8 iridescent shades such as Jade Groove, Mermaid Spell and other unforgettable shades. Delivering a 3-D result with incredible color and shine, Hologram Effect allows you to be your own nail artist. The first to launch Magneffect, the revolutionary ‘built-in’ magnet on the bottle cap, Layla’s formulas deliver easy, yet intense nail transformations! If you are looking for more unique nail art, Magneffect also has launched 24 new colors for Spring ~ simply hold the magnet on top of the polished nail to create fantastic three-dimensional patterns.

HOW HOLOGRAM EFFECTS WORKS:

1.      On clean bare nails, take the Layla 2-sided emery board marked ‘side 1’ and rub all over the nail.

2.      Immediately buff the nails with ‘side 2’ and a glossy base coat will appear.

3.      Apply one full coat of Hologram Effect nail polish onto the nail. Wait a couple of seconds to add the second coat.  

4.      Apply Top Coat.

Hologram Effect’s fast drying, high coverage polish will last 1 week.  The revolutionary formula will not stain the nail and is free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde and DBP. Choose from 8 intense colors to produce holographic nail art at your fingertips: Mercury Twilight, Coral Glam, Retro Pink, Ultra Violet, Jade Groove, Mermaid Spell, Ocean Rush and Flash Black.

Layla Hologram Effect and Magneffect are available at Ulta Stores nationwide / Ulta.com and retails for $15.50.

It’s Nail Art At Your Fingertips...