Lacquer or Leave Her!: January 2018

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Dixie Plates Love 2018!

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)

Hello!

Romance is in the air...Love is in the air...So you know I gotta put it on my nails, too.

So let's jump right in and take a look at Dixie Plates Love 2018! Here's the video review I did of the plate:

And here's a still shot:

Dixie Plates Love 2018

Love the range of images here, from super cute and fun, to pure romance. My favorites? The flirty clouds, the hot air balloons, the hands making the heart, and all the languages proclaiming their love.

Dixie Plates' full nail images are very generous, 2.1 x 2.5 cm, and here's a shot so you can tell the sizes of the smaller images:

The stamping quality is top-notch, as always:

These swatches were all done with my clear stamper and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Midnight Drive.

For my first mani, I just had to layer the flirty clouds with the hot air balloons...I started with a base of Spellbound Nails Beauxbatons, and then used reverse stamping to stamp (Messy Mansion Sterling), fill in (Messy Mansion Chalk), and apply my image to the nails. Then I stamped the rest on top with Messy Mansion Red-y Or Not:

Dixie Plates Love 2018 over Spellbound Nails Beauxbatons

I am soooo excited about how cute these came out! I love the depth, and those clouds just make me smile.

I did a tutorial to show you how I did it, and to share with you a little tip for making your reversed stamping easy as pie...

...instead of using a coat of topcoat on your nails before you roll your reversed-stamped images onto the nail, use a rubberized/sticky basecoat instead. That will grip your image like crazy, so you'll never leave half your image on your stamper again. ;-)

For my second mani, I started with a base of The Lady Varnishes Turkish D'Lightspeed, then stamped the striped image with Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Thyme Is Money and Peach Buzz. Then I stamped the words with Kaleidoscope White:

Dixie Plates Love 2018 over The Lady Varnishes Turkish D'Lightspeed

This love how soft and romantic this is, still with a Valentine's feel, but an alternative to bright pinks and tons of hearts, when you're in the mood for something a little different. And how cute are those love birds?!?!

If you're in the US, you can find this plate (and Kaleidoscope stamping polishes) at Lantern & Wren, and if you're elsewhere, check out Dixie Plates site for a retailer that ships to you. In the meantime, you can stalk Dixie Plates around the interwebs here:

Dixie Plates Facebook Fangroup: https://www.facebook.com/groups/461694520667496/

Dixie Plates on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dixie_plates/

Hope love is all around you, in all of its forms!
M. xoxo

Monday, January 29, 2018

The Lady Varnishes Turkish D'Lightspeed!

(Press samples ahead!)

Hello!

Today I have a sneak peek for you of The Lady Varnishes' contribution to next month's Polish Pickup theme...

The theme for February is Sugar Rush--I'm firmly in favor of anything that has sugar--and the TLV contribution is called Turkish D'Lightspeed (that name seriously cracks me up), based on the candy called Turkish delight, a jelly-ish candy (sometimes with nuts) covered in confectioner's sugar:

Turkish delight (source)

The Lady Varnishes Turkish D'Lightspeed is a soft pink shimmer with microglittery bits that give it a peachy-coral shimmer, with hints of soft mint that peek out of the shimmer here and there:

The Lady Varnishes Turkish D'Lightspeed is a gorgeous confection of pale pink with peachy-coral shimmer, with little hints of pale mint that peep through in the shimmer:

The Lady Varnishes Turkish D'Lightspeed

I'm wearing two coats in these pictures, and the formula is wonderful.

I only just tried my first Turkish delight about a year ago after wondering about it for most of my life thanks to C.S. Lewis, and I think the choices she made here are perfect for representing the candy. To me, it feels like a coating of sparkly sugar with bits of the inner jelly peeking out, like someone has started brushing away the sugar.

I also think this is a perfect polish for the upcoming Valentine's season. It has a soft, romantic feel with a hint of sparkle that's still grown-up and sophisticated.

You can only buy this polish if you're a member of the Polish Pickup Pack, so check out the group here to get your hands on this and other gorgeous polishes each month. And, you can find a ton of other gorgeous beauties in The Lady Varnishes' store all year round. :)

Hope your week is off to a great start!
M. xoxo

Thursday, January 25, 2018

UberChic Beauty Love & Marriage 04!

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)

Hello!

Holy crap, how is it already the last week of January?! I always say I'm gonna slow down and smell the roses more this year so the time doesn't just fly by, and next thing I know I'm all "hey, was that pink blur that just whizzed by the roses I was supposed to smell?"

But, whether we're ready for it or not, it's nearly February, and that means Valentine's Day! You all know I have a strange relationship with Valentine's Day--of course it's a good thing to celebrate love and romance and all of that, but I personally believe the holiday as is ends up making more people feel bad than it makes feel good, because it puts so much pressure on having romantic relationships. So I personally use Valentine's Day to celebrate all the love in my life--friends, relatives, fur babies, self. And I usually remember in among that to do something nice for my husband. ;-)

But whatever type of love you're celebrating, of course you want your nails to rock! So today we're gonna take a look at this year's Valentine's Day offering from UberChic Beauty--Love & Marriage 04.

Of course I did a video review, if you want some extra ideas for how to use the plate:

And let's take a closer look:

UberChic Beauty Love & Marriage 04

My favorite things about this plate--those cupids!! Especially the vintage one, I think that absolutely rocks. And the hearts in the image right next to him--they look like those lace-cut out shapes you make in strings for banners. And OMG, the love bunnies are just too darned cute.

As always, UberChic Beauty's full-nail images are 1.7cm x 2.1cm, and here's a shot with a ruler so you can judge the smaller images:

The quality is aces as always--these are done with a clear stamper and Sally Hansen Midnight Drive:

For my first manicure, I wanted to do some a little out of the typical Valentine Colors, so I stamped the image that looks like heart firework bursts with Messy Mansion Sterling and Kaleidoscope stf-301, over Sally Hansen White On. I finished with two heart rhinestones for a little bling:

UberChic Beauty Love & Marriage 04 over Sally Hansen Insta-Dri White On

This feels like I'm caught in the middle of a fireworks display celebrating love--but the colors don't knock me over the head with the theme.

For my second mani I went a bit more traditional with my colors. I started with a base of Spellbound Nails Antici...Pation, and then stamped my hearts with Messy Mansion Soft Gold:

UberChic Beauty Love & Marriage 04 over Spellbound Nails Antici...Pation

I'm so in love with this look--the stamping makes a statement while allowing the polish to shine in all its duochrome-holographic goodness.

You know I'm gonna be back with more manis using this plate--but in the meantime, go grab it yourself in UberChic Beauty's shop, and don't forget to stalk them around the interwebs for news and inspiration:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uberchicbeauty/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uberchicbeauty/

Fan group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150090828353009/

Happy stamping!
M. xoxo

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

New Sally Hansen Insta-Dris, part 2!

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)

Hello!

You guys...I'm sooooo sick. Like, lay down to rest for five minutes and wake up four hours later sick. Which, among other things, mean I have a ton of content I need to get out to you because I got nothing done over the weekend. So I'll have several videos up on my YouTube channel this week, and a bunch of posts going up here. :)

Starting with part 2 of my Sally Hansen Insta-Dri review! I showed you the first half of their 16 new shades in my part 1 post, and today we'll take a look at the rest of them. Then, later in the week, I'll be showing you how they stamp, since I love Insta-Dris for stamping.

New Sally Hansen Insta-Dri polishes, part 2

We're gonna plunge into the second half of the alphabet with Sally Hansen Racing Rose, a soft baby pink creme:

Sally Hansen Racing Rose

Coverage: 1-2 coats
Application: Very good

I mentioned last time that the pastel cremes in this collection all cover in 1-2 coats, depending on whether or not you have ridge issues like I do. If you do, you may need two thin coats, but if you have short or smooth nails, you'll only need one. And, all the polishes lived up to their names and dried quickly, withing a couple of minutes.

This is a perfect soft pink for spring, gentle and sweet.

Next we have Sally Hansen Silver Stallion, a silver metallic:

Sally Hansen Silver Stallion

Coverage: 1 coat
Application: Very good

This is a powerful silver with a hint of pewter, rock 'n' roll all the way. As you can see on my index finger, it does show brush strokes, so you'll want to stroke straight up and down.

Next we have Sally Hansen Slick Slate, a brown-gray creme:

Sally Hansen Slick Slate

Coverage: 1-2 coats
Application: Very good

This is an excellent fall neutral with a cool, elegant feel.

Then we have Sally Hansen Taupe To Go, a cafe-au-lait taupe creme:

Sally Hansen Taupe To Go

Coverage: 1-2 coats
Application: Very good

This is another excellent fall-type neutral, this one to go with your warmer tones. I love having a good, solid brown for my nail art, and this fits the bill. And, spoiler alert--I was shocked by how well this stamps over both white and black.

Then there's Sally Hansen Thyme Is Money, a pastel sage green:

Sally Hansen Thyme Is Money

Coverage: 1-2 coats
Application: Very good

I adore this color, which is saying something, since I don't normally favor pastels. This has a vintage quality that makes me see art-nouveau swirls, and old-fashioned summer dresses.

Next up is Sally Hansen Va-Va Violet, a gorgeous grape-purple creme:

Sally Hansen Va-Va Violet

Coverage: 1 coat
Application: Excellent

This screams summer to me--grape popsicles and pansies and bright teeny bikinis.

Then we have Sally Hansen Watermelon Wizz, a hot pink creme:

Sally Hansen Watermelon Wizz

Coverage: 1 coat
Application: Excellent

And finally, one of my favorites, Sally Hansen White On Time, a white creme:

Sally Hansen White On Time

Coverage: 1-2 coats
Application: Excellent

This is a pure white that applies like a dream, evens nicely, and gets full coverage in 2 coats if you have ridges, one coat if you don't. No worries about pulling and patchiness--which makes this great to wear and amazing as a go-to base for nail art. LOVE.

So what do I think of the new Insta-Dris? They live up to the collection's reputation or drying quickly, covering well, and having great formula. There are a variety of colors here to take you across seasons, and so many that are must-haves for nail art, in my opinion.

Stay tuned for my report on how they stamp...and in the meantime, you can pick these up on Sally Hansen's website, anywhere Sally Hansen is sold, like drugstores, Target, etc., and on Amazon.

Happy polishing!
M. xoxo

Friday, January 19, 2018

New Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Polishes, Part 1!

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)

Hello!

As you know, I'm a huge fan of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri polishes, both for wearing, and for stamping with--so I was very excited to find out that Sally Hansen was releasing 16 new Insta-Dri colors! Today we're going to take a look at 8 of them, and I'll review the other 8 in a separate post; then I'll take a look at how well this batch stamps.

Part 1: New Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Polishes

First up, a quick overview of the collection. As the name implies, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri polishes are formulated to be fast drying, so you can throw on a mani change fast and easily. I found all of these to be very fast drying, dry to the touch within 2-3 minutes. Plus, all of the polishes cover in 1-2 coats, most highly wearable with just one coat, which makes them even better for a fast manicure. And, the thick formula is what makes most Insta-Dris excellent stamping polishes.

So let's jump on in with the first half of the newbies! Proceeding alphabetically, first up is Sally Hansen Buff And Tumble, a light beige creme:

Sally Hansen Buff And Tumble

Coverage: 2 coats
Formula: Good

This was the only polish of the collection that definitely needs two coats for coverage--the first coat was a bit too patchy even for short, smooth nails.

This is a gorgeous neutral, classy and elegant, and it's a perfect base for nail art. I'll be reaching for this one over and over.

Next up we have Sally Hansen Champagne Supernova, a cream creme (why do I love typing that so much?!):

Sally Hansen Champagne Supernova

Coverage: 1-2 coats
Formula: Excellent

All of the light-colored polishes in the collection except Buff And Tumble will cover in one coat if you have short nails or smooth nails, but if you have ridge issues like me you may need two. I was very surprised at how well this covered--white and off-white cremes can be temperamental, but not these.

This is another great neutral--great for spring or summer, it has a very beachy feel to me. And it's another great base for nail art, especially if you like to stay away from stark whites. Pretty much any color is going to look beautiful with this.

Next up is Sally Hansen Heather Heather Hustle, a very light orchid creme:

Sally Hansen Heather Heather Hustle

Coverage: 1-2 coats
Formula: Excellent

This is spring in a bottle--soft, like the essence of wildflowers. Feminine, flirty, and fun.

Then there's one of my favorites of the collection, Sally Hansen Just In Wine, a vampy burgundy creme:

Sally Hansen Just In Wine

Coverage: 1 coat
Formula: Excellent

Like most of the dark colors in the collection, this covers in one coat, no problem.

Oh, yeah, this is my jam--pun intended! A classic vampy winter color that I'd wear all year round. I was worried this might stain, but I had no problems. Bring it on!

And speaking of jam, here's Sally Hansen Let's Jam, a berry-leaning red creme:

Sally Hansen Let's Jam

Coverage: 1 coat
Formula: Excellent

This was another of my favorites--raspberry goodness that makes me think of summer picnics and bikinis on beaches. Love.

Next is Sally Hansen Midnight Drive, a deep royal blue shimmer:

Sally Hansen Midnight Drive

Coverage: 1-2 coats (most likely you'll be fine with one)
Formula: Excellent

This blue is the depth of the ocean, or a clear night sky. It's dark dark dark without looking black, and it has just enough shimmer to give it extra pretty.

Sally Hansen Peach Buzz is my very favorite of the entire collection--it's a peachy creme with a golden shimmer:

Sally Hansen Peach Buzz

Coverage: 1-2 coats
Formula: Excellent

This makes me want peach sorbet, while simultaneously being warm and and somehow sunny. I adore it. :)

And finally (for today!) we have Sally Hansen Petal To The Metal, a light pink metallic:

Sally Hansen Petal To The Metal

Coverage: 1-2 coats
Formula: Excellent

This is one super-easy coat, and delivers flirty shimmer like crazy. It makes me think of shimmery Easter dresses and retro lipstick.

Okay--watch this space--I'll be back with the other eight polishes, and a stamping test. In the meantime, you can find these anywhere you buy Sally Hansen products, including their website, your local drugstore/target/etc., or on Amazon.

Happy polishing!
M. xoxo