Nail Polish on the Brain ~ Butter London Victoriana

I have heard so many raves about Butter London Nail Lacquers that I just had to get a few to see what the fuss was all about. One of the colours I picked up was Victoriana.

Victoriana is a teal-blue with a good dose of dense silver shimmers throughout. It looks almost textured but it dries down without any gritty feeling. I don't own many blue polishes and to me, Victoriana is a pretty unique colour.

* crikey, sausage fingers! *

When I first got the nail polish and swatched (very quickly), I didn't think it was anything special and couldn't really see why everyone was raving about Butter London. But over the weekend, I decided to whip it out and gave myself a proper manicure, and boy, oh boy, did the formula impress me. It is very smooth and the polish just glides so easily over my nails. It really does apply like buttah (corny, I know)!

The rectangular outer cap can be removed to reveal a shorter, round inner cap with a printed little crowned birdie on it. Cute, yes? One thing that took a bit getting used to was the longer, thinner brush, which feels similar to Zoya's except that it is thinner and slightly floppier. However I can appreciate that it gets to the corners a bit better than wider brushes.

So yes, I think I'm a Butter London fan now! Victoriana has really good pigment and was completely opaque with just two coats. It has a nice, smooth consistency which I didn't find to be too thick unlike a number of polishes I have tried in the past. It started showing some minimal tip wear after 2 to 3 days but it is hardly noticeable.

Butter London can be purchased from zuneta.com (UK site) or kissandmakeupny.com (US site). It regularly retails at £12 each so depending on your currency exchange, it may be slightly cheaper to get the polishes from the US site for US$15 each.

Nails of the Day ~ Zoya Jana Nail Polish

I went a little crazy recently and ordered a bunch of Zoya polishes. One of the colours I picked out was Jana from the Fall 2011 Smoke and Mirrors Collection. Jana falls in the "Smoke" part of the collection and is a dusty, greyish-purple coloured cream. It is a little difficult to capture the actual colour on camera and in my photographs, Jana looks a bit more grey-ish beige (griege) but in some lighting, in does show more purple.

It has a wonderful glossy finish on its own and I did not need to add a topcoat (as photographed). The polish applies smoothly with decent drying time. It is completely opaque with two coats. I absolutely love the Zoya formula and consistency. Their polishes are so lovely to use! I started experiencing slight tip wear after two days but that's because I didn't use a topcoat.

Zoya nail polish retails at RM33 on Nail Fiesta but stocks are limited. I have no clue where else they sell Zoya locally and even if a nail salon uses the brand, the polishes may not be for sale.

What have you been wearing on your nails lately and have you tried Zoya before?

Ushering In Chinese New Year with the Chanel Dragon

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2012 is the Year of the Dragon and I thought it is probably apt that I bust out two wonderful reds Chanel has created, to welcome the New Year. Dragons are the mightiest of the zodiac signs and they are fiercely independent and dominant creatures.

Both the Dragon Rouge Allure Laque and Le Vernis were released in 2009. The nail polish is limited edition but may be available although difficult to come by. I have been to a few Chanel counters and it was already sold out. The Rouge Allure Laque is getting discontinued, which is a right shame and the moment I read the news, I went out to hunt for Dragon as it is one of their best-selling and most elusive shades.

Dior Vernis Spring 2012 Collection in Forget Me Not and Waterlily

This Spring, Dior has created a really pretty range of makeup inspired by lovely Spring gardens in bloom. Aptly named the Garden Party Spring 2012 Collection, we see many shades that are reminiscent of Monet's paintings.

"Dior creates a stir with these limited edition scented nail polishes. Two fresh shades, soft green and flowery lilac that upon drying, release an intoxicating rose fragrance." ~ description by Dior

Dior introduces a couple of scented nail polishes, of which I am very excited about. Waterlily and Forget Me Not from the collection look so beautiful and are definitely unique additions to my current stash.

Waterlily is a mint-green creme with fine golden micro-shimmer and has a milky quality to it. Initially I thought pastel green won't suit me because I generally don't wear this colour well. Waterlily is a little surprising and the light gold sheen adds an interesting dimension to an otherwise common pale green. The formula is quite good and applies without issues. The first coat may be a little streaky but it does even out with the second coat. You'd need at least two coats to achieve opacity.

Forget Me Not is a lilac-purple creme that is slightly dusty with scattered fine shimmers throughout. Application is relatively easy and smooth with the tapered brush. It is well pigmented and is opaque with two coats. The finish is glossy and in certain lights, you'll catch a twinkling of the secret shimmers. Between the two polishes, I must admit I prefer Forget Me Not because I love dusky shades and this has a hint of smokiness which makes quite special.

What about that rose-fragranced nails, you say? The polish smells like most other nail polish from the bottle but it does dry-down and leaves a faint rosy scent. Thankfully, I didn't find it intrusive because the scent does last for a while.

The Dior Vernis in Forget Me Not and Waterlily are a limited edition colours and are currently available at most Dior counters nationwide. They may sell out fast, so if you're interested, do pop by Dior and check out these two lovely Spring nail varnishes for yourself. Each retails at RM72 (think they raised the prices recently).


Previously Reviewed:
• Glamourous Party Nails with Dior Vernis in Apparat

Note:

For more information on the entire Garden Party Spring 2012 Collection, please view Temptalia's write up on this beautiful collection.

A New Year's Eve Party Polish - Lunasol Nail Polish in Deep Black Red EX35

Lunasol is a brand I often overlook. I know they make good quality products and have many lovely things to offer but I have never really been attracted to their makeup line. I absolutely adore their eye and cheek brushes though and believe it or not, they are the only two Lunasol items I own. That is, until I checked out their nail polishes.

Deep Black Red #EX35 is a Fall release and may be a little outdated by the time you're reading this. The polish is a very dark purple-red that appears almost black. It has flecks of subtle red shimmer but they are hardly noticeable and can only be seen in certain types of lighting. The finish is little jelly-like and is quite glossy and smooth. I find the polish to be a little streaky and not as easy to apply but it could be my lack of skills. It did level out with the second coat and was almost completely opaque.

This is something I would wear on a night out paired with vampy lips. It is definitely a colour that is quite suitable for a New Year's Eve dinner party.

The Lunasol Deep Black Red #EX35 nail polish can be purchased at most Lunasol counters for RM56. If you like dark polishes, it is something to consider and since it's limited edition as well, you'd best check it out soon ;-)

Before heading off, I'd like to take this opportunity to wish y'all another fabulous and beauty-ful year ahead! I'll be seeing you in 2012! Happy New Year!!!

OPI The Muppets Nail Lacquer in Warm & Fozzie

[image source : O.P.I.]

I have previously posted about O.P.I.'s Designer... De Better! that was released in the new The Muppets range. Doesn't the the collection look absolutely fabulous? I was initially attracted to the glitter polishes but I knew I wouldn't wear them often and instead picked up the two foil colours from the lot. When I tested them out at the nail salon, it was love at first swatch.

* close-up *

Warm & Fozzie is a bronze shade with flecks of golden copper-pink micro-shimmer. Depending on the light, it can come across as a metallic rose-brown or a golden-bronze. I absolutely love this shade and think it's very unique. The formula is wonderful, it goes on smoothly and provides good coverage with just 2 to 3 coats.

It's such a lovely autumnal shade and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside (just like its namesake). I went to a nail salon to get a pedicure and have worn Warm & Fozzie on my toes for more than two weeks without issues. But based on experience, nail polishes do last longer on toes and it will start showing some minimal tip wear after 4 to 5 days on fingers.

* colours shift in different angles *

* with and without flash *

I can frankly say that I'm a huge fan of O.P.I. and their nail polishes are really good quality. O.P.I. Nail Lacquer is sold at a regular retail price of RM59 at most nail salons and Shins. You can get them at cheaper prices from these online e-tailers at Nail Fiesta and Slammin' Tips'n'Toes. I have ordered from both before and their service is reliable and recommended.

Glamourous Party Nails with Dior Vernis in Apparat

About a month ago, I had tested the Dior Vernis in Apparat and immediately fell in love with it but it wasn't officially launched at that time and the Dior lady told me to come back in one week's time. Well, I went back a week later and they had already sold out! I also tried another counter at a different mall and they were out of stock too. I went a little bit batty at that time and it wasn't until another week later that I finally got my mitts on that elusive bottle of nail polish (at yet another mall).

Anyway, to cut my ravings short, Apparat is finally mine! The next time I'll get the sales assistants to put things on hold for me so I can avoid all the drama and the rather insane-sounding, random tweet outbursts (apologies to those who had to put up with me at that time).

Apparat is part of Dior's Holiday 2011 Les Rouges Or Collection, which brings us a gold-themed range of lipsticks, eyeshadows and nail polishes. It is not a colour I would normally choose based on the bottle alone but when applied on the nail, it transforms to a rich burgundy with fine ruby and gold shimmer, and is really quite lush and sensuous.

The formula is relatively smooth and consistent, and I didn't really have problems applying the polish. It is also pigmented and you can probably get away with just one coat but I had applied my usual two coats in the photos. Drying time is average and it dries down to a glossy, cream-metallic finish. I added a topcoat to bring out more shininess.

It brings to mind a rather celebratory feel and is no surprise as Apparat means "pageantry" in French. With Christmas creeping up around the corner, I am sure many of us are already getting ready for the festivities and parties ahead. So, what will you be wearing on your nails this holiday season? Will it be bright and sparkly or rich and vampy?

Dior Vernis in Apparat (871) is limited edition and may be available at a few Dior counters or boutiques nationwide. It retails at RM70 each.

Feeling Blue For Audrey by China Glaze

Happy Friday, everyone! Today I will talk about one of my new favourite subjects... nail polish! About a week ago, my order from Nail Fiesta arrived at my doorstep and you can just imagine my excitement because one of the colours I got is the very popular China Glaze For Audrey. This shade was released back in 2007 in the Something Blue collection and For Audrey is still a much coveted nail polish today.

For Audrey is a Tiffany-inspired blue creme polish that looks a tad bit aqua to me. It is such a pretty colour and so cheerful and bright too! The formula is a little thick but it still flows smoothly. It is very pigmented and is completely opaque with two coats. I think you can even get away with just one coat.

The nail polish did bubble slightly on a few fingers but is not completely disastrous. Because of that, the dry-down feels slightly bumpy. I also experienced some minimal tip wear after a day but I probably wasn't being careful.

If you get a chance to try For Audrey, I'd still recommend it simply because it's a unique shade and is a lovely tribute to the wonderful Audrey Hepburn. Granted I had some slight problems applying this polish but it looks nice all the same. I got my bottle of China Glaze from Nail Fiesta for RM29.

ps - Can you believe it's December already? Are you getting ready for the year end celebrations yet?

Weekend Babbles : Nail Polish on the Brain

If anyone has been following my tweets, you would have noticed I have a disease called "Nail Polish Syndrome". You know, where all you can think about and talk about is nail polish, all day and all night. I have been stalking a number of gorgeous nail bloggers too. The last I counted, I have subscribed to 69 nail blogs on my feed reader!

The obsession first started when I decided to do something about my dingy nails. I'm not a nail biter but I have a tendency to scrape the tips off whenever I'm stressed out. One evening, I decided to pull out a couple of polishes from my stash and started painting my nails. The results were pretty nice although my nails and cuticles were in a rather sad state at that time.

* collage of photos taken with my phone *

There's something about nail polished nails that makes me feel happy. And no, I haven't been inhaling too much fumes. Nowadays, whenever I am stressed out (which is quite often at work), I would just take a glance at my nails and it instantly cheers me up! It's definitely better than scraping them off.

I also find painting my nails to be quite a therapeutic activity. I have the tv or some music going on in the background and normally do it in the evenings or weekends. It takes about 30 to 45 minutes from start to finish, including the drying time unless the nail polish is thicker and takes longer. That's equivalent to watching an episode of Dexter :-)

So, hands up if you have nail polish on the brain too!

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend and to those in Malaysia, enjoy your long weekend too!

Paul & Joe Nail Enamel in 014 ~ A Fun Jelly Pink

A few weeks ago, I went to Paul & Joe and noticed they had a nail polish set on offer. The set includes a base coat, a nail care oil and a nail polish.

The Nail Enamel in 014 is quite an eye-catching glossy, bright pink shade with light coral undertones and may be a permanent shade so you probably can purchase it individually (but I'm not sure about its availability locally). It has some fuschia micro-shimmer loosely distributed but my camera didn't really pick up the shimmer. It is a jelly finish so you'll be expecting a sheer formula and 3 to 4 coats to be opaque.

* indirect sunlight *

I am wearing my usual 2 coats (without top coat in photos) and the nail line is still slightly visible. It should be more evened out after 3 to 4 coats but I couldn't be bothered applying as many layers because this nail polish takes absolutely forever to dry. Honestly, it has one of the longest dry-times out of all the nail polishes I have tried.

* indoor natural daylight *

It also feels strangely sticky, even after waiting more than 20 minutes for the 2nd coat to dry. As this is my first experience with jelly polishes, I'm not sure it the stickiness is normal. But I didn't really like the icky sensation.

Although I don't enjoy the formula and the unbearably long dry-time, no. 014 is still a really pretty and fun colour to wear. It instantly brightens up my skin tone and gets quite a bit of notice since it's such a cheery shade. It did start showing some minimal tip wear after two days but that's probably because I didn't add a top coat.

In a nutshell, unless the Paul & Joe Nail Enamel in 014 is a shade you must have, I would probably give it a miss. The set is quite value for money though and costs RM100 for all three items (base coat, nail care oil and nail polish), and these items usually retail above RM52 each. I believe the set is still available but in very limited quantities.

Have you tried any Paul & Joe nail polishes and do you have no. 014? I'd love to hear your experience with it and whether you faced the same issues I did :-)

OPI The Muppets Nail Lacquer in Designer de Better

The Muppet Show brings back many fond childhood memories so naturally, I am pretty excited about their upcoming movie and teaming up with O.P.I., just as I am getting into nail polish really is the icing on the cake :-)

[image source : O.P.I. ]

Out of the 12 limited edition colours available, I was most attracted to Designer... de Better! and Warm & Fozzie (to be reviewed separately). I'm starting to like these high-shimmer, metallic-finish nail polishes a lot!

* nail polish close-up *

Designer... de Better! is a metallic silver polish with pink and copper micro-glitter. It shines differently under different lighting and is an extremely fun shade to wear. Application is relatively easy and is opaque with just 2 coats (no top coat in photos). The dry down is smooth although it looks slightly gritty. I wore this on my nails for nearly a week before it started to show some minimal tip wear.

* under indirect sunlight - silver is dominant *

* with flash - copper and pink micro-glitter shows up better *

* under indoor natural daylight *

In a season where red and green are more common, O.P.I. has most certainly delivered a very different collection with The Muppets, comprising of so many fun and beautiful variety of colours. O.P.I. polishes are sold at a regular retail price of RM59 each, in most nail salons or Shins. You can get them at a better price (ranging between RM30 to RM33) from these e-tailers at Nail Fiesta and Slammin' Tips'n'Toes.

Oh, Paul & Joe, You Make My Heart Sing New York, New York

Paul & Joe Fall 2011 makeup collection called Manhattan took inspiration from the glamorous New York City and launched a gorgeous range that was released in two parts. This collection recently reached our local shores and I have been anticipating its arrival for more than a month. There is a special set on offer with selected items from both parts of the series, so of course I had to get it.

I won't go into too much detail on the entire collection and you can refer to their website instead. This has to be one of the nicest Fall makeup releases in a while and I absolutely adore everything, which is quite rare because I tend to only like one or two items (or none at all) in most seasonal releases.

Face & Eye Color CS in Empire State (074) comprises of shimmery yellow-gold and dark grey strips that can be used alone or together. The combination is really pretty!

The Pencil Eye Liner WP is a shade called Upper East Side (001) and it's a steely charcoal with gold glitter. It is meant to be smudge-resistant and waterproof.

I am so happy the Nail Enamel that came with the set is the one I had intended to purchase as well. The City Never Sleeps (018) is a gorgeous, bold purple with flecks of gold and navy shimmer. I'd like to think that the colour was inspired by the inky night sky, illuminated by dazzling lights of New York City.

Paul & Joe introduces the newly formulated Lipstick M in this series and the colour NYC (002) is a brilliant jelly fuschia pink with bits of shimmer strewn through. It looks scary and bright but actually applies very sheerly and the finish is a pretty subdued pink that is slightly glossy and glittery. It is surprisingly easy to wear.

Influenced by the art deco designs of the city, the Color Palette in Chelsea (002) with shades for eyes and cheeks is a lovely combination of feminine yet daring colours. The brushes included are actually usable and quite good quality although I find the cheek brush rather small.

Overall, this promotional set does not disappoint and is very limited so I'd recommend that you hurry to your nearest Paul & Joe if you're interested. The set retails at RM360 and it comes with full-sized items.

Note:
I will try doing swatches and individual reviews soon!

At the time of writing, the SA has not received the full product pricing yet and the list below is based on her estimates. I will continue updating the price list as and when I receive more information.

Product Pricing (Updated 20th Nov 2011):
• Color Palette - RM154
• Face & Eye Color CS - RM117
• Pencil Eye Liner WP - RM60 ++ (price to be confirmed)
• Lipstick M - RM87
• Nail Enamel - RM52