Misa Epiphany

Misa Epiphany

Misa is one of my favorite brands. I tend to pass on their Spring and Summer collections but I perk up with the Fall colors. They appeal to me because they aren't afraid to do "ugly" colors with interesting finishes. Epiphany (which is one of my favorite words) is from the Fall 2012 Wanderlust collection and Misa describes it as a soft buttercup yellow which is not at all what it looks like to me. I think it is a yellow pale gold with golden/copper shimmer. It reminds me of pale gold lame fabric that you would find on an old clutch/purse. I think this would look great on someone with a darker skin color that has yellow or red undertones. 

I needed three coats because the formula is a bit fluffy which tends to create slight bald spots. Not a huge issue for me but it may be for some. I don't think I have anything like this in my collection. I bought this at TransDesign. 

Orly Halo

Orly Halo

Orly Halo is from the 2012 Naughty or Nice collection which is Orly's holiday collection. Nothing like a holiday color in August. Weird. I bought this one and Angel Eyes and I may need to buy the other two glitters. They are pretty sweet! Nice formula and I am wearing two coats of Halo alone and had no issues. I can see this needing thinner in the future but, to me, that is expected of glitters. 

Halo carries on my craving for lighter feeling colors with the combination of silver and gold. This reminds me of OPI Spark De Triomphe but a bit deeper and more sparkly since Halo has the addition of little tiny glitter sparkles. When you move your fingers the little glitters spark like fireworks but much more subtle. It's kind of like the glitter version of Jessica Champagne Bubbles and I bet they would look great layered together. 

I bought this at TransDesign.

Very bad photo in low light to show what it looks like in a more "natural" setting. You can see the little bits of gold in between the silver.

Jessica Cosmetics Champagne Bubbles

Jessica Cosmetics Champagne Bubbles

I was going to swatch the complete Jessica Fall 2012 Spicy Dream collection but I actually want to wear them all at least once. I like the brand Jessica and I wish they were more popular. I also wish they were easier to get for most which may explain why they aren't as talked about. The entire Spicy Dream collection is really, really pretty and makes me want snow. SNOW! I can't wait for cold weather. 

I decided to wear Champagne Bubbles first because I've been craving lighter colors lately. This is a mix of silver and gold micro-glitter/shimmer. It has a sparkly foil look on the nail and has an antiqued white feel. This reminds me of OPI Designer De Better - they aren't dupes just familiar to each other. Two coats and I found the formula a bit fluffy but not difficult. I like it. It's fresh and clean. 

Disclosure: This product was sent to me for review and can be purchased from Jessica Cosmetics. 

Make Your Own Peel Off Base Coat

Make Your Own Peel Off Base Coat

I saw the Essence Peel Off Base Coat at Oooh, Shinies! and was very intrigued! I was more intrigued at how it worked and if I could make my own. I'm curious and that leads to interesting things like making my own magnetic nail polish and making a linear holo polish. Ah, I so enjoy being curious except for that time I tried to "fix" the television. But that one doesn't count! 

The ingredients for the Essence base coat are polyvinyl acetate emulsion, water, ethylhexylglycerin and phenoxyethanol. Essentially it is a mix of a polymer (most likely their own mix), water and conditioning agents and preservatives. It's a very simple mix and pretty easy to duplicate at home. Do you have a basic white glue such as Elmers Glue?  Did you ever put some on your hand and peel it off after it dried? That is how the Essence base coat works. 

To make it all you need is a bottle of white glue or a glue that has a polyvinyl and water base. Please, please do not use super glue. You can also find polyvinyl based adhesives in craft stores. Pour some glue into a nail polish bottle and add a bit of water until you get a nice thin texture. Apply it to the nail and wait until it turns clear. Apply your nail polish as usual. When you are ready to remove it you can peel it off from the bottom. If you don't want to mess around with making your own you can easily pick up some nail foil adhesive. It's made up of basically the same ingredients as the Essence and it is easily found at nail supply places and online. 

I have used my creation about four times and the nail foil adhesive two times and each worked really well. I applied both directly over my usual base coat and had no issues. It's novel and I can't see myself reaching for it very often but my curiosity is satisfied.  

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, scientist, chemist and I don't play one on TV. Please proceed with caution and use common sense. 

Here I am wearing two thick coats of Color Club Magic Attraction (needs thinner) and three coats of top coat. I wore this for about a day and I removed it. It peeled right off! I can't believe I am showing my bare nails. Eek! 

Butter London Shag

Butter London Shag

Oh man, this is a gorgeous polish. It's so lush and posh on the nail. The formula could use a bit of work. It's a bit thin and fluffy at the same time. It has a tendency to want to pull near the cuticle and/or the tip of the nail. It's not horrible but looking at the color you would think it would have a richer formula like Wallis. I'm not complaining too much because the color is stunning. The shimmer is subtle but not invisible so when in the sun it really shines and sparkles. 

I bought this at Nordstrom during the buy 2 get 1 free sale. WooHoo! New toys!