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Wednesday, October 31, 2018

November PPU: Stella Chroma Badass Beekeeper

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)

Hello!


So, you know I put together a big post of the November Li-Z PPU polishes. Well, the post office took Stella Chroma's contribution on an extended walkabout, so it didn't make it in time to go into that post originally. So, I'm doing a separate post for it here, for two reasons. One, because Stella Chroma makes some awesome polish and you need to see it, but also because this polish is special because of who it honors, and how it honors her.


This is Stella Chroma Badass Beekeeper, an espresso holo, which was inspired by Courtney Hartman:

Stella Chroma Badass Beekeeper


Stella Chroma Badass Beekeeper

Stella Chroma Badass Beekeeper

Stella Chroma Badass Beekeeper

Stella Chroma Badass Beekeeper


Stella Chroma Badass Beekeeper


Description: While I'm wearing two coats for the purpose of the photos, you'll get amazing coverage with just one coat. The formula is like butter, and dries quickly and shiny. 

Inspiration: Courtney Hartman. Courtney is the owner of 6 Harts Polish, and I'm proud to call her my friend. She's kind, empathetic, has a wicked sense of humor, is a jack of all trades (including beekeeping!) and never lets anything stop her. Which is good, because right now she's battling breast cancer, and it's putting up quite a fight. 

Price: $12.00
Cap: None


I also did a little bit of nail art with this, to honor Courtney and the theme of the polish:

Stella Chroma Badass Beekeeper stamped with Moyra 44


I wanted the gorgeous polish to be able to shine, so I did some simple stamping with Moyra Stained Glass 44 and Moyra Gold.


There's one more very important thing about this polish. To help Courtney with her battle, Stella Chroma will be donating $1 from the proceeds of each bottle of Badass Beekeeper she sells. So not only are you getting a gorgeous polish, you're helping to support an amazing lady.


Badass Beekeeper will be available during the November PPU sale between Nov. 2-5th. Don't miss it!


Big hugs,
M. xoxo

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Tuesday, October 30, 2018

(Before & After) Seven Deadly Sins + Halloween, Day 7

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)

Hello!


Here we are, at the final of the Seven Deadly Sins, which, if you've been paying attention, is Wrath.


So which Halloween baddie pairs with Wrath? I decided to go with ghosts--that's the whole reason they hang out after they die, right, because they're pissed off and they want revenge? ;-)


So, of course I started with a base of Spellbound Nails Wrath, a totally gorgeous red holo with gold holo glitters:


Spellbound Nails Wrath


Then I stamped with SugarBubbles 037, Winstonia Horror Night, UberChic Beauty Halloween 01, and My Online Store JR-22, with Kaleidoscope White and Black, and Moonflower Polish Diamante and Obsidiana:


Spellbound Nails Wrath + Halloween = Ghosts!


I do NOT want to stay in that house. And I'm hoping the ghosts can't stray to far from it, hehe.


What do you think? Which Halloween baddie would you have paired with Wrath?


Happy Halloween!

M. xoxo

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(Before & After) Seven Deadly Sins + Halloween, Day 6

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)

Hello!


Today we're on to a sixth sin: Sloth!


I'll admit, this one was the very hardest to come up with a match for...until I thought of the movie Seven. In that movie, the guy who gets killed for 'Sloth' is chained to a bed until he withers away to nothing more than a skeleton covered in skin. So, I figured, skeleton it is!


I started with a base of Spellbound Nails Sloth, a sky-blue holo with silver holo glitter:

Spellbound Nails Sloth


Then I stamped with Dixie Plates Halloween 2017 and MoYou London Punk 07, with Kaleidoscope White and Black, and Moonflower Polish Obsidiana:


Spellbound Nails Sloth as skeletons!

There's something a little creepy about skeleton hands and feet against a shiny, beautiful blue sky...


So what Halloween baddie would you pair with Sloth?


Big hugs,
M. xoxo

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Monday, October 29, 2018

(Before & After): Seven Deadly Sins + Halloween, Day 5

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)

Hello!


We're up to the day five, and today's sin is: Pride!


Yeah, nobody promised me this would be easy.


One aspect of pride, at least the bad side of pride, is out of control vanity. We've all seen the pictures of people (men and women!) who are so worried about getting old and losing their looks that they get a ton of plastic surgery, or whose plastic surgery goes badly...so I decided the perfect Halloween baddie for Pride is the mummy.


I started, of course, with a base of Spellbound Nails Pride, a red plum holo with gold holo glitter:


Spellbound Nails Pride


Then I stamped eyeballs, lips (you can't really see them under the bandages, and bloody gashes, covered with bandages. I left it messy to look like a surgery gone wrong...I used My Online Shop Jr-22, MoYou London Gothic 04, UberChic Beauty Zombie Love, and Messy Mansion MM28, stamped with Messy Mansion Spring Green, Sterling, Red-y or Not, Carbon, and Sally Hansen Sand Storm:


Spellbound Nails Pride--The Mummy


What do you think? Is it creepy and goopy enough? What halloween 'baddie' would you have chosen for Pride?


Big hugs,
M. xoxo

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Saturday, October 27, 2018

(Before & After): Seven Deadly Sins + Halloween, Day 4

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)

Hello!


I took a break yesterday to show you a ton of gorgeous polishes coming up in November's PPU, but today I'm back with my fourth deadly sin...Lust.


Usually 'lust' means sexual attraction, but I decided to go a slightly different way with this one, because I think people also lust after other things in a way that can be destructive--like a lust for power and immortality. So, in line with that, the Halloween baddie I chose to pair with this sin is Frankenstein--and his monster.


I started with a base of Spellbound Nails, a denim-blue scattered holo with silver holo glitters:


Spellbound Nails Lust

Then I stamped using My Online Shop Jr-22, MoYou London Gothic 04, UberChic Beauty Zombie Love, and Messy Mansion MM28, stamped with Messy Mansion Spring Green, Sterling, Red-y or Not, Carbon, and Sally Hansen Sand Storm:


Frankenstein and his monster...

I've always been fascinated by the ethical issues raised in Frankenstein...who's the real monster, Frankenstein or his creation?


Let me know what you think of my choice, and what you would have paired with Lust, in the comments below.


Big hugs,
M. xoxo

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Friday, October 26, 2018

November Polish Pickup: Bad-Ass Women Li-Z!

(Press samples ahead!)



Hello!

So I mentioned there were two reasons I've been a little quieter than normal the last week or so...the first reason is that I got a publishing contract, and the other is: I'm co-blogger of the month for Polish Pickup this month!!


If you don't know the drill already, Polish Pickup is a Facebook group where members (come be one if you aren't already!) vote for a theme each month, and participating indie polish makers each create a polish that fits the theme. Unlike a subscription box, you don't have to buy all of the polishes (there are nearly 100!), you just snap up the ones you like once they're released. And, of course, you don't have to buy any if you don't want to--but who are we kidding here? You're gonna want to. ;-)


Today I'm going to be showing you the polishes from makers with names between Li and Z, and tomorrow Kiersten of Ramblings of a Subscription Addict will show you A-Le (she has A-Em here, and Et-Le here). Why the second half of the alphabet first? PPU is mixing up the orders to make sure people who were last get to be first, etc.





Okay, let's get down to the nitty gritty! This month's theme is Bad-Ass Women, and the makers picked someone who inspires them--and the choices ran the gamut from superheroes to family members. For all the pictures you're about to see, I'm wearing two coats with shiny topcoat, unless otherwise specified. Formula was good on all these babies, so no worries there. And while I'll add it at the bottom of the post too, for ease of scrolling, you can buy these polishes between November 2 and 5th, from the Polish Pickup website.


Let the games begin!


Lilly Anne's Garden The Dark Angel







Maker's description: Blackberry Scone Lotion. Notes of fresh blackberries are complimented by hints of boysenberry & raspberries, and nuances of buttery, warm crust. The scent is more fruity than bakery, so the sweetness doesn't overpower the fruit. 
Inspiration: Bettie Page
Price: $5.50
Cap: none

Kicking off the post is Lilly Anne's Garden's Blackberry Scone lotion, which smells just as yummy as you think it will. After all of this swatching, my skin definitely needed some help (see the before & after pics), and I loved how easily this lotion soaked in without leaving my hands feeling even a little bit greasy (you can see how creamy it is). The scent was pleasant--definitely there when I was putting it on, but not so strong that it was overwhelming--just little hints of berry now and then.  


Lucky 13 Lacquer Warrior Princess










Maker's description: In a time of ancient gods....warlords...and kings... Hands in turmoil cried out for a hero; for a Warrior Princess, forged in the heat of battle. Are you ready to be that princess? Platinum silver to gunmetal thermal with golden flakes and plenty of green and copper shimmer for Gabrielle. Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi!
Inspiration: Xena: Warrior Princess
Price: $11.00
Cap: 125


LynBDesigns I Don't Flirt






  
Maker's description: Black base with holo flakies, hint of purple shimmer, and a mix of 2 UCC flakies that shift from copper to bronze to gold and red to copper to gold to orange
Inspiration: Jessica Jones
Price: $12.00
Cap: none


Mckfresh Nail Attire Fear Cuts Deeper Than Swords






 Maker's description: Muddy Black to Green thermal, gold/bronze/brown/green flakies and glitters
Inspiration: Arya Stark, Game of Thones 
Price: $14.00
Cap: 130



Moon Shine Mani I Am Different, Not Less








Maker's description: bright azure blue glowing with red to green shimmer, holo micro flakies, and violet/red/orange shifting chameleon flakies
Inspiration: Temple Grandin
Price: $11.00
Cap: TBD

There are a several polishes in this theme that made me emotional, and this was one of them. If you don't know, Temple Grandin is autistic, and sees the world very differently from 'neurotypical' individuals. But rather than treat that as a disability, she used those differences to make systematic--and empathetic--changes to how cattle are treated. 


Moonflower Polish The General






Maker's description: Bluish gray with red-gold auroras and scattered holo
Inspiration: Carrie Fischer as Leia Organa from Star Wars
Price: $12.50
Cap:  150



MTK Design Metal Goddess







 Maker's description: Black to 'blonde' holo thermal w/ blue/purple/pink shifting shimmer
Inspiration: Lita Ford 
Price: $12.00
Cap: 100



Music City Beauty The People's Princess







 Maker's description: Purple crelly base with purple shimmer, subtle holo and pink and green iridescent flakies
Inspiration: Princess Diana
Price: $12.00
Cap: 75


My Indie Shop Miss Piggy







 Maker's description: Pink crelly with glitter
Inspiration: Miss Piggy
Price: TBD; check website
Cap: TBD; check website


 Nail Hoot Trinity







  My Description: Linear holo with a lavendar base in most lights, with holo glitter. This one shifts and shifts and shifts...next time there's a solar eclipse, blame this polish, 'cause it stole all the light and all the colors.
Inspiration: Trinity from The Matrix
Price: TBD; check website
Cap: TBD; check website
 

Nailed It! Bad Reputation







  Maker's description: A deep sapphire blue with pink, red, and blue crystal chameleon flakies, iridescent rainbow flakies, and a subtle hint of purple sparks.
Inspiration: Joan Jett
Price: $12.75
Cap: 150


Native War Paints Audrey








 Maker's description: Purple to dark blue to light blue shifting tri-thermal with green to copper unicorn pee and copper shimmer
Inspiration: Audrey Hepburn
Price: $13.00
Cap: 250


Necessary Evil Polish Jubilee and Greybeard 




 

Maker's description: A grey base with a dollop of red and scattered holo. $1.00 for every polish sold with go to the Jane Goodall Foundation that supports nature, wildlife and women in science.
Inspiration: Jane Goodall
Price: $11.00
Cap: None

Oh, and, by the way? This is a one-coater! I'm wearing two coats for the purpose of the pictures, but you'll be fine with one.


NeVerMind Polish Bluestocking Tendencies









 Maker's description: Metallic blue with pink/purple/blue UCC flakes
Inspiration: Alexia Tarabotti
Price: $12.00
Cap: 250

This one needs a little explanation, because the flakies were a bit camera shy. In some lights, the flakies will appear dark blue, but in other lights, they show clearly, the colors in the second-to-last picture, but more of them at once than show there. And, by the way, if you like steampunk and bad-ass women and you haven't read the Parasol Protectorate books, go introduce yourself to Alexia Tarabotti...They're awesome and fun.


Night Owl Lacquer Holding On & Letting Go 






 Maker's description: Smoky plum base w/a fuschia/red/copper/green multichrome shift & silver flakies
Inspiration: Women who struggle with mental health issues
Price: $12.50
Cap: None

This is another one that has meaning for me, since quite a number of women in my life, including me, have struggled with depression. 


Noodles Nail Polish Goddess of Pawnee






Maker's description: Grape crelly packed with lavender and gold flakies, purple shimmer, and gold and purple metallic and holo glitters
Inspiration: Leslie Knope, from Parks and Recreation
Price: $11.00
Cap: 150


Northern Star True Leader






 Maker's description: Creamy fern green with red to green color shifting aurora pigment, gold shimmer, and purple/blue color shifting UCC flakes.
Inspiration: Pharaoh Hatshepsut
Price: $12.00
Cap: 75

This also is a one-coater--I'm wearing two for the photos, but you'll most likely be fine with one. Gotta love that!


Pahlish Swiss Army Sonic







 Maker's description: Deep olive cream with a coppery bronze to green multichrome with holo flakes/pigments
Inspiration: The 13th Doctor
Price: $12:50
Cap: None



Paint It Pretty Polish If I Don't Invest in Myself, No One Will











Maker's description: Magnetic blue with a purple shift, ultra chameleon chrome flakies and a sprinkling of blue and red micro glitters
Inspiration: Fiona Gallager
Price: $11.00
Cap: 75


Painted Polish Badass Beauty







 Maker's description: White crelly featuring gold, bronze, and silver color-shifting flakies.
Inspiration: Emma Watson
Price: $11.50
Cap: None


Pampered Polishes Kahleesi







Maker's description: Off-white crelly base with 8 different ultrachrome chameleon flakies, holo things, iridescent things, gold flakies, and a copper shimmer
Inspiration: Daenerys Targaryen, Game of Thrones
Price: $12.00
Cap: None


Peachtree Polish Hands Up!







 Maker's description: Gray crelly with a green shimmer and black, white and gun metal glitters
Inspiration: Bonnie Parker
Price: $10.50
Cap: 75


This one has a funny story I have to share with you...Peachtree Polish is made by Bonny Parker, which is just a teeny spelling difference from Bonnie Parker, and her classmates used to tease her about "Where's Clyde?" And while I'm not sure anyone would claim she's an inspirational paragon, nobody can deny she was bad-ass!

Pepper Pot Polish This Grrrl's Gonna Start A Riot






 Maker's description: Barbie pink jelly with multiple shades of pink glitter
Inspiration: Kathleen Hanna, lead singer of the Riot Grrrl band Bikini Kill
Price: $11.00
Cap: TBD; check website


Poetry Cowgirl Nail Polish Coat of Many Colors 






 Maker's description: A full coverage glitter bomb packed with gold micro flakies and a variety of holo and metallic glitters. Renders pink/rose gold.
Inspiration: Dolly Parton (duo w/Wildflower Lacquer)
Price: $11.00
Cap: None



Polished For Days Felt With The Heart








Maker's description: A bronze-based linear holo with a red-copper-green shifting chrome shimmer and orange-to-green shifting micro flakes.
Inspiration: Hellen Keller
Price: $12.50
Cap: None



Pretty Beautiful Unlimited The Chosen One








 Maker's description: A silver holographic base with purple to red to copper multichrome pigment, silver holographic micro flakies and glitters and 3 types of UCC flakies.
Inspiration: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Price: $12.00
Cap: 250




Pretty Jelly Liberté







Maker's description: deep red jelly with holographic flakies and ucc flakies
Inspiration: Noor Inayat Khan
Price: $12.50
Cap: None

 I'd never heard of Noor Inaya Khan before I saw the inspiration for this polish, but she's my new hero. 


Quixotic Polish Unlimited Drive







Maker's description: A grey to pale white shimmer thermal accented with light blue iridescent flakes and holo sparkles
Inspiration: Venus and Serena Williams
Price: $11.50
Cap: None


Rise and Shine Nail Polish Across The Ocean






Maker's description: Grey base with turquoise and green shifting pigment, with turquoise and crystal turquoise/green flakes.
Inspiration: My cousin Sara
Price: $9.95
Cap: None

This is another one with a very cool story behind it. The maker's mother was adopted, and shortly after they found a connection to her biological family in Germany, her father passed away. The cousin they'd found, Sara, was a strong anchor during that time, and has continued to be an inspiration. I think we could all use a cousin like that...


Rogue Lacquer Turn on the Light






 Maker's description: Creamy off-white (book page inspired) packed with rainbow UCC flakes and holo
Inspiration: JK Rowling
Price: $12.00
Cap: None


Sassy Cats Lacquer The Evolution of Carol






 Maker's description: Cobalt blue Magnetic polish with ultra chrome chameleon flakes blue, purple, pink, green, & iridescent flakes blue, green with purple shimmer
Inspiration: Carol from The Walking Dead
Price: $13.00
Cap: 75


Sassy Pants Polish #GirlBoss






Maker's description: A greige (gray/beige) crelly base with multiple ultra chameleon chrome flakies, holo and a subtle green shimmer
Inspiration: Sophia Amoruso, who at age 22 started an online vintage clothing store on ebay called Nasty Gal. 2016 Forbes named her one of the richest self-made women in the world
Price: $12.00
Cap: None


Savannah Lacquer Tiny But Mighty






 Maker's description: Nude base filled with red shimmer & a sprinkling of holo flakes (opaque in 2-3 coats)
Inspiration: Kitten Lady (Hannah Shaw)
Price: $12.00
Cap: 150

This is another bad-ass woman I wasn't familiar with until I read the inspiration for this--I quickly Googled Hannah Shaw, and was blown away by the work she does saving neonatal kittens. Did you know that they're the highest at-risk group for being anesthetized? I didn't, and I'm very glad to know Hannah is out there educating people and fighting for them. Have your pets spayed/neutered!!


Sayuri Nail Lacquer The Right Way, The Wrong Way, And The Janeway






Maker's description: A rich, shimmering garnet jelly packed with red-bronze-copper UCC flakies and pops of gold holographic glitter.
Inspiration: Captain Kathryn Janeway
Price: $13.50
Cap: 180


Serum No.5 Notorious RBG







Maker's description: Inspired by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Notorious RBG is a sheer black thermal (to resemble her robe) with a mix of pink and blue flakes and shimmer (for her work in equality), some holographic shimmer mixed in and glows green (for her earrings).
Inspiration: Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Price: $14.00
Cap: None



Seventy Seven Nail Lacquer F*ck & Run






 Maker's description: A shimmery nude base with red/gold/orange flakies, copper sparks & orange shimmer
Inspiration: Liz Phair
Price: $12.50
Cap: 75

I'm wearing three coats in these pictures, but you may be fine with two--this is designed to be buildable. The polish is named for the song (of the same name) from her Exile in Guyville album. 


Spell Polish Aretha











 Maker's description: Purple/Gold Multichrome w/multichrome flakes & holo bits
Inspiration: Aretha Franklin
Price: $14.00
Cap: None



Starlight Polish There Are Many Ways To Be A Hero








Maker's description: Unicorn pee topper with holographic pigment and microflakes, and clear holographic glitter
Inspiration: Tamora Pierce's books
Price: $15.00
Cap: 300

I'm wearing one coat of There Are Many Ways To Be A Hero over black undies, with topcoat. This one's inspiration also comes with a bit of explanation...Issa loves Tamora Pierce's books because they taught her that she didn't have to compromise on aspects of herself to be strong, and that heroes come in all different shapes and sizes--from those dressed in chainmail and wielding a sword, to those in expensive dresses armed with manners and a determined commitment to justice. I'm paraphrasing her words here--because they, and the beauty of this polish, inspired me to begin reading Wild Magic. 


Static Lacquer I Am No Man







Maker's description: A pale pink with flashes of purple and blue, micro holo flakies, and purple to copper ucc flakies.
Inspiration: Eowyn, from Lord of the Rings
Price: $12.00
Cap: 200


Stella Chroma Badass Beekeeper








Maker's description: Chocolate brown holo
Inspiration: Courtney Hartman
Price: $12.00
Cap: none

This is another one that brought tears to my eyes. Courtney is owner-operator of 6 Harts Polish, and is fighting breast cancer with more strength, humor, and courage than I've ever witnessed. I love the choice of an espresso holo for her, because to me it symbolizes light coming out of the darkness.


Supernatural Lacquer In Search Of Ourselves







Maker's description: Pink/mauve crelly with contrasting green/purple aurora shimmer, blue/purple color shift flakes, peridot green metallic micro flecks and baby blue holo micro shards
Inspiration: Karen Horney
Price: $12.50
Cap: None

As a psychologist and a scientist, I just have to say how much I love seeing Karen Horney in this collection! 


Sweet Heart Polish Hey, Catnip







Maker's description: Warm golden brown with gold and copper holo micro glitters
Inspiration: Katniss Everdeen
Price: $10.00
Cap: 100


The Lady Varnishes Kiss Me, Kill Me






 Maker's description: Dusty plum base with red to gold ucc flakes and glitter and holo microflakes
Inspiration: Alice Morgan
Price: $12.50
Cap: 100



Top Shelf Lacquer Madge-The Queen of Pop








Maker's description: Navy base with shift from reddish purple to green with GLOWING blue and pink flakes
Inspiration: Madonna
Price: $13.00
Cap: None



Turtle Tootsie Polish Be Kind To One Another







Maker's description: A pale aqua blue crelly loaded with multiple shades of blue flakies, ucc flakies and aqua shimmer
Inspiration: Ellen Degeneres
Price: $11.00
Cap: None

You may need three coats for full coverage on this one, especially if you have nail staining (like I do!)

Vibrant Vinyls Royals 





Maker's description: 'Royals' Scented Fast & Hard Quick Dry Glossy Top Coat. Decadent, rich chocolate fudge meets classic, cool peppermint in this royal blend; scent will appear once fully dry.
Inspiration: Lorde
Price: $7
Cap: 250


Royals smells like a tootsie roll filled with mint. I show one coat of it here over some stamping, to show that the topcoat doesn't smudge. 


Wildflower Lacquer Cups Of Ambition






Maker's description: A medium orchid pink with pink and copper shimmer, gold and silver flakies, UCC flakies that shift from red to gold, pink to gold, blue to violet and copper to green
Inspiration: Dolly Parton
Price: $13.00
Cap: 200


So there you have it, the Li-Z polishes for the Bad-Ass Women November PPU! I'm so glad I got assigned to this month--not only were there a ton of inspirations here that either made me tear up or smile while I was swatching, but two polishes introduced me to amazing women that I'm glad I got to Know (Kitten Lady--Hannah Shaw, and Noor Inayat Khan). It's never a bad thing to have a reason to celebrate how bad-ass women are, I think.


These polishes will be on sale from November 2nd through the 5th, in the Polish Pickup Store. In the meantime, join the Facebook group for updates and sneak peeks, and to get involved in future themes. And check in tomorrow with Kiersten for the second half of the polishes!


Big hugs,
M. xoxo

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