Happy Days ahead with Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab Pro Color

I was so excited to be able to test the new Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab Pro Colors, in the Happy Days Collection for summer 2016. The New Healthy Alternative to Gel Polish. There are four shades for your reminiscing pleasure. I want to start with a disclaimer, not a bad one. But I didn’t get the Gel Lab Pro Base and Top coats with this set. I’ll explain shortly. I think I would have had different results, but for the sake of these gorgeous colors, let’s get to it!

For best results use Gel Lab Pro base and top coat. Bottles are full size, .5 Fl. Oz. 15 mL with new contour brush, 45% more bristles for a streak-free finish. Rounded tip follows nail shape for precise application.

I want to start off saying the new brushes are phenomenal. I’d like to see DL polishes all feature these dense, contoured brushes in fact! They make application a breeze. Ok, on with the show.

Combining the technology of Gel Lab Pro with nail color, this dual-patented formula with 10 active ingredients helps deliver Health, Wear & Shine. From top and clockwise: Happy Days, Splish Splash, Beauty School Dropout and My Boyfriend’s Back.

Let’s start with Beauty School Dropout. Such a pleasing pink. You’ll be blowing bubbles in no time with this quick drying highly pigmented formula. All four of these by the way are so pigmented they almost seem chalky in application. Which again, is why I would recommend using the base and top coat.

Beauty School Dropout is a bubblegum pink creme. It’s glossy and very opaque. I used 2 coats but with the Gel Lab Pro base coat you might get away with 1 coat.

Splish Splash is a green leaning aqua. One of my fave summer colors.

Splish Splash was my favorite of this Happy Days Collection. I love aqua green cremes. 2 coats here.

Everyone loves a happy coral! Happy Days.

Happy Days is a coral creme, a pinky coral that appears to have a tiny bit of shimmer, but that doesn’t show on the nail. 2-3 coats with the GLP base coat.

Finally, here is My Boyfriend’s Back. Not literally, that’s the name of the shade. LOL I’m married. 😉

My Boyfriend’s Back is a denim, deep cerulean blue creme. 2 coats and very shiny on its own as are all of these.

Conclusion: I love the colors and the brush. I like how pigmented these are. I feel the application would be a bit less streaky with the Gel Lab Pro base coat and the length of wear would be longer with the GLP top coat. Much like the OPI Infinite Shine system, to truly reap the full benefits of the GLP system, I highly recommend you purchase the base and top as well. So excited to see Deborah Lippmann introducing this safe alternative to gel colour! This brush is perfection. Virtually no cleanup. Note: I didn’t receive the Gel Lab Pro Base and Top Coats which I’m assuming are pretty essential for this product to make a GLP mani last. Without it I found no difference in wear compared to the other polishes without the GLP ingredients. I’ll try to see if they can send the base and top to see how application and extended wear changes and update this post!

www.deborahlippmann.com, and at Barney’s New York, Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Sephora stores nationwide. $20ea msrp.

7 Free Formula. Contains no toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor or DBP (Dibutyl Phthalate). No animal testing.

https://www.facebook.com/deborahlippmann
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*These products were provided to me by Lippmann, Enterprises via PR group Siren Public Relations, Inc. All opinions are my own.

ILNP Shoreline from the Summer 2015 Collection

I’m down to the wire with my last couple of swatches from the indie polish maker, ILNP Summer 2015 collection! I’m sorry I had to drag this out. The Summer release from ILNP was quite huge and I have been in the middle of a move this summer. And now the Fall Collection is rearing its gorgeous head so I have GOT TO get with it! Anyway, today I’m sharing a gorgeous metallic flake polish, opaque in two coats stunner called Shoreline by ILNP. Let’s take a look.

Shore line gave me fits trying to photograph her as I see her in real life. She is a beachy pale aqua and all I can say is, she changes! I used two coats. Here is how ILNP describes her. “Shoreline is definitely a statement polish!
Loaded with silver flakes and magical holographic sparkle, this delicate pale aqua shade is as exciting as they come! Look closely and you may even notice a bit of pink shimmer! Indoors and outdoors, Shoreline is pure magic.”

I think this could definitely be a crossover shade/finish in that it will be a frosty polish for mid-winter as well! It sells for $10 at ILNP here. ILNP! Here is a macro!

I reached full opacity in 2 coats, added a topcoat but it shines on its own. Look at those shards! Wow!

Purchase Shoreline today here for $10!Order here

Coming up from ILNP I’ll be swatching and reviewing the last two…finally! Money Bin and Pink Mimosa. Then be on the lookout for my swatches of Barbra’s upcoming Fall Collection. Sneak peeks are popping up on her Facebook and Instagram pages and I’m fully stalking my mailman! LOL

Here are a few fabulous facts for your shopping pleasure.

What is your vegan/cruelty free policy?
ILNP absolutely does not test our products on animals nor do we purchase materials from suppliers that do. We make a conscious effort to avoid purchasing animal/insect derived materials like carmine and guanine/pearl, etc. as there are plenty of synthetic alternatives that perform the same or even better.

Are your nail polishes 3-Free?
Yes! All ILNP nail polishes are 3 free! They DO NOT contain Toluene, Formaldehyde, or Dibutyl Phthalate.

What does 3-Free mean?
3-Free means that our nail polishes do not contain Toluene, Formaldehyde, or Dibutyl Phthalate. These 3 ingredients were previously used in most nail polish formulations until recent studies found them to be potentially harmful or irritable to humans. While these chemicals aren’t illegal to use in nail polish (although California law requires special labeling if used), most large brands have already moved to 3-Free formulas at the urge of educated consumers as well as organizations that campaign for safe cosmetics.”

I LOVE NAIL POLISH Social links:

https://www.facebook.com/ilnpbrand
http://instagram.com/ilnpbrand

Tweets by ilnpbrand

https://www.youtube.com/user/ilnpbrand

#ilnpshoreline

*These products were sent to me for my honest review at no cost. I was not financially compensated in any way and all opinions are my own.

ILNP Harbour Island, as refreshing as a dip in the Caribbean

Well, I have only five polishes left to show you in my ILNP Summer 2015 series. And remember, they are all available NOW at ILNP.com! Today I’ll show you Harbour Island. It’s stunning! It is described as: “Harbour Island is a lovely Caribbean blue nail polish accented with an array of holographic magic! Harbour Island is a versatile sheer / jelly nail polish that can be worn over other polishes or built to opacity for a lovely finish with intriguing depth! Fully opaque in 3 to 4 coats!” $10 ea.

I am down to the wire with my ILNP Summer 2015 swatches. Kind of sad really as I’ve so enjoyed every one of these beautiful polishes. This is gorgeous Harbour Island! 3 coats, glossy as heck and such a perfect Caribbean aqua blue!

Some years back my husband and I took a vacation on the island of Eleuthera. The most amazing shades of blue and aqua shores with gentle lapping water on one side of the tiny island and the deep blue of the Atlantic on the other. Factoid about Harbour Island: Harbour Island is an island and administrative district in the Bahamas and is located off the northeast coast of Eleuthera Island. This gorgeous place is known for it’s sugary soft pink sand and low key island life, on the arid side and very little tourist population. You could literally go days without seeing a soul on your usually private beach if you rented a beach home like we did. Talk about relaxation! I’d say the shade and glisteny formula of this amazing holo polish would be perfect to wear to Harbour Island!

Order yours here! Harbour Island

Here are a few fabulous facts for your shopping pleasure.

What is your vegan/cruelty free policy?
ILNP absolutely does not test our products on animals nor do we purchase materials from suppliers that do. We make a conscious effort to avoid purchasing animal/insect derived materials like carmine and guanine/pearl, etc. as there are plenty of synthetic alternatives that perform the same or even better.

Are your nail polishes 3-Free?
Yes! All ILNP nail polishes are 3 free! They DO NOT contain Toluene, Formaldehyde, or Dibutyl Phthalate.

What does 3-Free mean?
3-Free means that our nail polishes do not contain Toluene, Formaldehyde, or Dibutyl Phthalate. These 3 ingredients were previously used in most nail polish formulations until recent studies found them to be potentially harmful or irritable to humans. While these chemicals aren’t illegal to use in nail polish (although California law requires special labeling if used), most large brands have already moved to 3-Free formulas at the urge of educated consumers as well as organizations that campaign for safe cosmetics.”

I LOVE NAIL POLISH Social links:

https://www.facebook.com/ilnpbrand
http://instagram.com/ilnpbrand

Tweets by ilnpbrand

https://www.youtube.com/user/ilnpbrand

#ilnpHarbourIsland

*These products were sent to me for my honest review at no cost. I was not financially compensated in any way and all opinions are my own.

3 of the Boardwalk Collection from Virago Vanish, I’m in love!

Oh wow, this is what summer neon polishes should be folks! Pigmented, non-staining, one-coater, no white undercoats. These babies from Virago Varnish have it all. I have 3 of the 9 available shades in this stunning collection. I’ll say it right away, GET THEM!

Wowza! I have three of Virago’s Boardwalk collection for summer 2015 and are these beach babes bright! From left, Tsunami Mommy, Summer Highlighter of My Life and Paradise Pool.

Here are the swatches and descriptions!

For Tsunami Mommy I did a fun dry brush of the three shades over a glossy black on the accent nail

Virago describes Tsunami Mommy as, “Watch out for this mommy! Tsunami Mommy is a bright pink neon lacquer that will have onlookers gazing at your nails. A white base is not needed to achieve full opacity. For long-lasting neon manicures, we recommend the use of our Clutch Base Coat and Lambent Top Coat.” Seriously folks, this is a hyper pigmented one-coater and NO white undies! It does dry satiny so if you want a glossy look you should use a clear topcoat.

On the Summer Highlighter… accent nail I dotted with Tsunami Mommy and Paradise Pool!

Neon yellow in one coat, no white undies? Yes please! Virago describes this beauty as, “Your future will be as bright as a highlighter wearing this lacquer. Summer Highlighter Of My Life is an extremely bright and opaque yellow neon crème nail lacquer. A white base is not needed to achieve full opacity. For long lasting neon manicures, we recommend the use of our Clutch Base Coat and Lambent Top Coat.”

For Paradise Pool I did a fun dry brush of the three shades over a glossy black on the accent nail.

Fabulously pigmented Paradise Pool! Virago describes it as, “Ready to take a dip? Why not into Paradise Pool? Paradise Pool is a bright pool blue neon lacquer. As with all Virago Varnish neon lacquers, a white base is not needed to achieve full opacity. For long lasting neon manicures, we recommend the use of our Clutch Base Coat and Lambent Top Coat.” Isn’t that refreshing?!

Adrienne has had her hands full filling a ton of orders due to their popularity. I highly recommend getting yours ordered asap!

*FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS OVER $50! Use code 50FREESHIP

“5-Free Product” – Does not contain camphor, toluene, formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) or formaldehyde resins.

Find Virago here!

http://www.viragovarnish.com
http://instagram.com/viragovarnish

https://www.facebook.com/viragovarnish

*These products were sent to me for review and all opinions are my own.

Zoya Paradise Sun – Pt. 1 of 2 Summer 2015 Collections

I literally just got home from a week’s vacation at the beach and had the best nail mail waiting for me! In fact, if we had left for Florida just a couple days later I’d have had these to take with me to swatch at the beach. How fitting that would have been! But either way, my anticipation to test Zoya’s sun-loving shades did not disappoint. Today I’ll be sharing the first half of 12 new summertime shades, Paradise Sun.

Paradise Sun from top and clockwise: Mae, Selene, Aphrodite, Oceane, Isa and Genisis. It’s a coincidence that I should get back from my beach vacation and have these waiting for me to swatch! I’d have love to have them with me, but it would be hard to choose which color to wear every day.

I’ll start with the paleface of the bunch, Genesis. She’s a delicate and beautiful white with that diamond dust finish that makes it “not your mother’s white polish”! This was the only formula that was slightly difficult in that it was thick and a bit gloopy. But the second coat corrected it’s sins. 😉

Genesis is described as, “a crystalline white with a micronized metallic pearl finish – designed to look like micro-fine diamond dust!” This formula from the Paradise Sun collection is thicker than the rest. Therefore it was my problem child in the bunch but the outcome is worth the extra effort. This took two coats to level out and it dried twice as slow as the rest. Still, who doesn’t like a glitzy white in the summer?

Next up is Mae. She really reminds me of petals of a Bougainvillea vine. Simply divine and tropical!

Mae is described as, “a warm magenta pink with a micronized metallic pearl finish, reminiscent of vibrant Mediterranean flowers.” As with the other colors of this collection, Isa went on smooth as silk and is a 1-2 coater!

Next up is Selene. She didn’t stain in case you’re wondering but I only wore her long enough to swatch. If you’re worried, just wear a good base coat like Zoya Anchor.

Selene is described as, “a true teal with a micronized metallic pearl finish. A unique shade with an aqua fleck that resembles deeper layers of ocean water.” Very mermaidy don’t you think? Love this formula. I really wish Genesis had the same formula as the colors in Paradise Sun.

Here’s that sexy vixen, Aphrodite!

Aphrodite is described as, “a vibrant summer red with a micronized pearl metallic finish and multi-hued flash that brings it to life. Think of fresh and juicy tropical fruit!” Great formula, smooth as butter to apply and nearly a 1-coater.

Oceane is a must-have summer color. Like Selene, it’s a mermaidy, oceany shade that makes you want to run out to the ocean and jump right in.

Oceane is described as, “a true turquoise with a micronized metallic pearl finish that reflects the clearest blue ocean waters!” Perfect in every way! This is one coat and you might need two, but I was quite pleased with one. Oh this color and finish. I just got back from the beach then I put this on and I’m ready to return!

Isa is a juicy metallic purple leaning blue. Deep and mysterious.

Isa is described as, “a deep blue-based purple with a micronized metallic pearl finish and an aqua flash that embodies the beauty of exotic island flowers!” Amazing formula and like butta to apply! One coat here but you might need two depending on your technique and nails.

Bottom line: I loved all the formulas of the colors, but white Genesis left me a bit frustrated by comparison. I think this is a common issue with white like this with pearl finishes. So I’ll give it a pass. Because after you get it on and dry, the looks is so fresh and delicate, you’ll end up loving it. I literally had NO cleanup with any of the 6 shades because the combination of the formulas and superb brush made application effortless (no cleanup needed on Genesis but overall application was a bit of a pain for me personally). Colors? Amazing! Finishes are nothing new but still it’s a great ensemble of summery shades to fire up your fingers and toes.

PARADISE SUN (metallics)
Fully saturated with a gorgeous micronized metallic sheen, these shimmering beauties are much like sunshine sparkling on water. Meant to be used as an independent color, these shades feature a full-coverage, densely pigmented formula.

Tomorrow I’ll be posting my review on the Island Fun collection. You’re gonna melt when you see these!

ZOYA IS THE HEALTHY COLOR OF FASHION!
$9 (US) These are available now!

Available in top salons, spas and on zoya.com

* Press samples. These products were sent to me for review and all opinions are my own.

CND® Summer 2015 Garden Muse Collection

I was sent the “Weekly Polishes” of the CND® Summer 2015 Garden Muse Collection for review from RPR and these gorgeous shades do not disappoint. The set of six (also available in 14-day wear Shellac) consist of three cremes, two shimmers, and a shimmery metallic glitter mix. Let’s take a look!

The cremes in this collection from L to R: Wisteria Haze, Crushed Rose and Reflecting Pool.

The rest of the collection from L to R: Beckoning Begonia, Lost Labyrinth and Butterfly Queen.

I’ll start with the three perfect cremes! Each of these formulas went on smooth and opaque, 1-2 buttery coats, depending on your technique. They dry fast and glossy and the brush is perfect.

Wisteria Haze:

Wisteria Haze (I used one coat) is a medium Wisteria/lilac creme. Gorgeous!

Crushed Rose is a cool rosey medium pink creme. I didn’t want to take this one off!

Reflecting Pool is a cerulean blue, aqua, Caribbean blue creme. It’s just perfect!

On to the shimmers/glitter!

Beckoning Begonia is a shimmery pale lavender. It’s on the slightly thick side although the first coat went on streaky. I applied a second coat to smooth out the polish and it dried slightly slower than the fast drying cremes. This was the only one of the six that fought me with it’s weird formula. But the outcome is gorgeous!

Lost Labyrinth is also a shimmer but not as thick as Beckoning Begonia so application was easier and quicker drying time. I did this in two coats. It’s a cool aqua/teal shade, perfect for those mermaidy nail looks!

Butterfly Queen is a cool toned brilliant pink, almost hot, but very complex. Drying time was less than I expected with it’s mix of shimmer and glitter. Just the right mix of pink glitter so it’s not overly textured and overpowering. I used two coats.

Overall I really like this collection. The cremes are my favorite and I’m really impressed with the drying time. These Weekly polishes wear well (when I get the chance to leave them on more than a couple of days). Both versions, Weekly and Shellac are available for purchase now!

Check out the Garden Muse Collection on youtube!

Here are the details directly from CND!

“Summer 2015 embodies a bold, bright garden filled with memories future-past. Beauty awakes to fragrant notes of nostalgia with the new Garden Muse collection from CND.

“This season’s trends are all about sculpted, dramatic silhouettes and intense floral hues that invite abandoned reverie,” says CND Co-founder and Style Director Jan Arnold. “Nails are seductive and sleek, adorned with a harmony of vintage floral design elements and spellbinding patterns for an alluring effect.”

VINYLUX® WEEKLY POLISH SYSTEM
Change your Garden Muse manicure every week with these unforgettable shades in VINYLUX® Weekly Polish.
COLORS:
• Beckoning Begonia (shimmer)
• Crushed Rose (creme)
• Wisteria Haze (creme)
• Lost Labyrinth (shimmer)
• Reflecting Pool (creme)
• Butterfly Queen (metallic shimmery w/glitter)

FEATURED BENEFITS: VINYLUX® Weekly Polish system includes a self-adhering Color Coat that eliminates the need for Base Coat; Top Coat becomes more durable with exposure to natural light; dries in just 8.5 minutes and provides week-long chip-free wear.
AVAILABILITY: Available worldwide Summer 2015; visit the Salon Locator on cnd.com
PRICE: In-salon VINYLUX® Weekly Polish services range from $20-$35, depending on location; VINYLUX® Weekly Polish and VINYLUX® Weekly Top Coat retail for $10.50 per bottle at select salons.”

RPR Marketing
CND

About CND
Founded in 1979 and based in San Diego, California, CND (Creative Nail Design, Inc.) is the global leader in professional nail, hand and foot beauty – including CND® SHELLAC® brand 14+ day nail color. Deeply committed to advancing the nail care industry, CND devotes significant time and resources to product research and development, education and customer support. CND is an industry-leading advocate for the role of nail care in personal beauty and fashion.

Week Long Wear (Really!)
• Fast-Drying, Two-Step Application
• Increased Durability with Natural Light
• 90 Fashion Shades
VINYLUX® Weekly Polish is a breakthrough polish that endures a week of fashion perfection…without a base coat! Exposure to natural light activates the patent-pending ProLight Technology™ to deliver week-long wear. While ordinary polishes break down over time, VINYLUX® Weekly Polish actually becomes more durable!

**These products were provided to me by RPR at no charge. All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated in any way.