I have three more Sparkle & Co gel polishes to share today from OceansofBeauty.com, and they are ready for all your Fall and Winter manis. I have a tempting taupe, a ravishing red and a great green! Let’s take a look at these seriously long-wearing soak off gel polishes (and I have more swatches coming!).
Three more stunning colors (and great for Holidays) from the new Sparkle & Co gel polish line! From left: #018 Bright Red; #023 Light Grey Taupe; and #044 Medium/Dark Green.
Think ahead for the holidays, they will be here before you know it so order soon!
#018 is a Bright Red gel polish by Sparkle & Co from OceansofBeauty.com and available now along with all 35 shades! Only 2 coats to full opacity for this creme. It’s perfect for the Holidays, patriotic ones included and beyond. This is a little red dress perfect red!From Sparkle & Co, comes a brilliant Green gel polish is a very jelly-like formula so you can easily dictate opacity and use for Gelly Sandwiches! #044 Shown here in 3 coats and it’s just at the point of full opacity, if I had shorter, or less opaque free edges of my nails. Some people have free edges on their nails that are more transparent, allowing them fewer coats for opacity. My nails have become very strong and my free edge is now pretty light colored and opaque thanks to constantly wearing a gel base and top coat to protect the length. So I’d call this one opaque in 3-4 coats! Isn’t it Christmasy?Another view of this jelly like green, only painted a bit more, #044, 3 coats.
And a fabulous grey taupe that is sure to be your go-to neutral for Fall!
#023 Grey Taupe is a very creamy creme gel by Sparkle & Co, and you can order it now along with all 35 colors from OceansofBeatuy.com! Here she is in 2 coats. What an exquisite neutral!
CONCLUSION: The red and green shades are traditional Christmas colors with the green being especially cool because with each coat you get a different look. Please do read my description for ideas! The red creme is PERFECTION! And the grey taupe is amazing with my complexion but it is one of those I think everyone can wear.
*** FOR A LIMITED TIME! Sitewide Fall Special for 10% Off! Use CODE: happyfall Including FREE shipping (US only)
You can get your pigments, polishes and more here, as well as Ezdip powder nail treatments…
All I can say is WOW and I can’t wait to share these with you! The Zoya Enchanted Holiday 2016 Collection looks glorious and will be available for purchase October 15, 2016, 4 days from now!!!
INTRODUCING ENCHANTED BY ZOYA
Combining the magic of the holidays and the wonders of winter, Zoya’s new Enchanted collection creates an ethereal beauty spotlight for nails this season. Consisting of four glittering PixieDust Mattes and two velvety color-flip metallics, this unique nail polish collection is absolutely stunning.
From Left: Elphie Pixie Dust, Olivera, Lorna Pixie Dust, Alice Pixie Dust, Saint, and Waverly Sapphire Pixie Dust. NOTE! I don’t yet have the bottle image of Waverly (coming soon) but here is the description…WAVERLY (ZP876) sapphire pixie: A brilliantly deep sapphire blue with blue sparkles in the exclusive Zoya PixieDust Matte Sparkle formula.ELPHIE (ZP871) green pixie: A bewitching emerald green with a sugary green sparkle in the exclusive Zoya PixieDust Matte Sparkle formula.
OLIVERA (ZP872) green flip: A spellbinding color-flip metallic with an indigo base and a green and purple shift.
LORNA (ZP853) plum pixie: A luscious berry with a sugary sparkle in the exclusive Zoya PixieDust Matte Sparkle formula.
ALICE (ZP874) periwinkle pixie: A captivating periwinkle with magenta and blue sparkles in the exclusive Zoya PixieDust Matte Sparkle formula
SAINT (ZP875) periwinkle flip: A whimsical color-flip metallic with a periwinkle base and magenta shift.
WAVERLY (ZP876) sapphire pixie: A brilliantly deep sapphire blue with blue sparkles in the exclusive Zoya PixieDust Matte Sparkle formula.
What is your favorite that you are already drooling over? I’m most intrigued by Olivera! And of course Pixie Dusts are always a treat!
* Press Release information provided http://www.by Zoya.com
It may still be the dog days of summer in your neck of the woods, well, here too. But these hot temps have us dreaming of cozy fall polish collections, sweaters, and football games. Zoya hits it out of the park with the new Urban Grunge collection for Fall 2016. Twelve polishes in all with six cremes so rich and pigmented you’ll have to pinch yourself. And a mix of six sparklers, including two scattered holos, one linear holo, and three metallics. Be sure to order now, they ship on 8/19/2016. Let’s take a look!
Zoya Urban Grunge collection for Fall 2016 – Metallics and Holos! Center: Ash; from top then clockwise: Finley (scattered holo), Alicia (linear holo with silver and gold micro glitter), Troy (metallic), Britta (metallic), Merida (scattered holo). Zoya’s Urban Grunge for fall 2016, cremes. Center: Mallory. From top and clockwise: Wyatt, Noah, Courtney, Tara and August.
Here are the swatches, starting with the metallics/holos!
Merida in 2 coats. I LOVE this one! I love them all but I have a soft spot in my heart for scattered holos and have been dreaming of a rich deep green scattered holo by Zoya forever! It is described as a brilliant lush evergreen scattered holo. Smooth application with an elegant 2 coat coverage.Finley, 2 coats. I’m SO glad Zoya continues their fabulous scattered holos! It is described as a deep royal purple scattered holo. Smooth application with an elegant 2 coat coverage.Alicia, 2 coats. It is described as a linear holo with a touch of gold. Smooth application with an elegant 2 coat coverage.Britta in 1 coat! It is described as a berry metallic with a red and purple fuchsia flash. Densely pigmented, smooth application.Troy in 1 coat! It is described as a liquid pewter with a foil finish and an edgy touch of black and gold. Densely pigmented, smooth application.Ash in 1 coat! It is described as a vibrant cherry with a red and gold metallic shimmer. Densely pigmented, smooth application.
And the cremes…
Courtney in 1 coat! This is beyond perfection! It is described as a deep red beet root shade with a full coverage, and smooth application.Noah in 1 coat. A bit thick but good application, very pigmented for a nude. It is described as a mid-range taupe evenly balanced between yellow and grey, with a full coverage and smooth application.Tara in 1 coat. Oh man, love this shade! It is described as a purple plum with a balanced tone between red and purple. Deeply saturated, full coverage, smooth application.Wyatt in 1 coat, great formulas these cremes! It is described as a true racing green with a deep pigment, full coverage, and smooth application.Mallory in 1 perfect coat. Ahh, it practically applies itself! It is described as a full bodied, Prussian blue with deeply saturated color.August in 2 coats, just slightly more sheer than the rest of the cremes in this set. It is described as a full coverage gray like a fine, expensive leather with mid-ranged, balanced tone.
CONCLUSION: Every formula was perfect. The thinnest of the thicker cremes was August. My favorite shades of the cremes…a tossup between the deep reds of Tara and Courtney. In regards to the formulas of the metallics and holos, every single one was perfect. My faves were Merida, Finley and Ash. But don’t back me into a corner, I love them all!
Each of these are $10ea or $60 per set of 6.
ZOYA IS THE HEALTHY COLOR OF FASHION! (US) Available in top salons, spas and on zoya.com.
**BIG5FREE, TOXIN FREE: Zoya Nail Polish Formula contains no formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, dibutyl phthalate, toluene or camphor.
* These polishes were sent to me at no cost for review purposes. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated.
Andrea from Indigo Bananas sent me a beautiful selection of polishes from each season so I could show you the diversity of her products. Well, I ended up with seven, even though there are only four seasons. 😉 You know it’s like a potato chip, once you have one, it’s hard to stop! I was going to break up the post into two, but oh well, I couldn’t wait to show you. And she is having a grand sale right now. She’s going to be moving and rather busy (I know how she feels). Details below. In the meantime, let’s take a peak at what I have for you today. This should hold you over until her new collection comes to fruition!
From left, Land of Green Ginger from Spring 2015. And 3 creme neons from the summer 2015 Neon The 10th Element collection, the pink is named after the colection, Neon The 10th Element, then Carbon Dallas and Phlogiston Paradise!From left, Hole in The Sky from the Summer Rains collection, Shrieking Teals from Fall ’15, and Night Gathers from the Winter 2015 collection.
Let’s start with The Land of Green Ginger. This really pops for a pastel! See how that slides off the tongue? Popping pastel!
The Land of Green Ginger from the Spring 2015 collection is a cool minty teal green, buttery smooth teaming with glass flecks. Two coats here. It is described as: “Land of Green Ginger is a light, mint green creme packed with gold & gold to green colorshifting glass fleck (large size) shimmers, and scattered holo. Very flattering green! This polish is quite a bit lighter than Immortal Game, and a mint color, so quite a bit warmer than the medium teal of Immortal Game, in addition to having a different mix of shimmer.”
Nest up will be three gorgeous neons from the Neon The 10th Element collection. Starting with a brilliant pink named after the whole collection!
Neon The 10th Element is a brilliant, eye-popping Neon pink, and named after it’s collection from Indigo Bananas Summer 2015 release. It is described as: “Neon is the 10th Element – and is the brightest color in this collection. Eye searing hot pink. This color is bright hot pink with no yellow cast.”
Next up is Carbon Dallas. I love bright watery blues like this!
2 coats of this brilliant blue neon creme from Indigo Bananas Neon the 10th Element collection, Carbon Dallas. Of the three neons I’m presenting today, I left this one in its natural state, they all dry satiny/semi matte, so you can see the finish. It is described as: “a blue/light blue neon creme that is semi-matte/satiny finish with two coats recommended.”
Purple AND Neon? Yes please! Here is Phlogiston Paradise from the Neon The 10th Element collection.
Phlogiston Paradise from the Neon The 10th Element collection is a super opaque brilliant purple creme, 2 coats, as with all these. Just for a fun I included an accent nail using Hole In The Sky by Indigo Bananas. Somewhat because it looks cool. Plus if you ever saw (and appreciate the quirkiness of the film, The 5th Element) you can relate the “hole in the sky” reference. Stumped? Message me, LOL Anyway, it is described as: “Phlogiston Paradise is a purple creme; it leans more blue than other purple colors and is more violet-toned than royal purple-toned. Swatch as pictured is two coats with top coat. As a neon, this polish will try semi-matte and not totally shiny. A top coat is recommended but not needed; the polish will become shiny with a day of wear if shine is a concern.”
For the last three seasons, we have some Summer, Winter and Fall faves. Starting with Hole in The Sky from Summer Rains collex!
This one is GLORIOUS! Hole in the Sky from the Indigo Bananas Summer Rains collection in 2-3 coats. Great formula with tons of depth. It is described as: “The base of this color is a purple, but it is blue-leaning. The red to green shimmer and flakies in it give it a more purple cast. It photographs very blue in some lights (fluorescent) and with some cameras. At an angle the flakes & shimmer shift green, and the polish will appear bluer. The linear holo effect is subtle (in order to not wash out the shimmer), but should be present in the sun and direct light. Please apply three thin coats for ideal holographic effect (holo pigment is more linear when applied in a very thin layer).”
Everyone needs a teal holo, especially a linear! Here is Shrieking Teals from Fall.
Indigo Bananas Shrieking Teals from the Fall 2015 collection in two amazing coats. It is described as: “Shrieking Teals is a vibrant green leaning teal linear holographic. The holographic rainbow is slightly more subdued in this polish because of the vibrant color. Top coat affects the color of this polish a little bit – the polish is a deeper teal shade, it is shinier, and the holographic effect is a bit more pronounced but less linear. Multiple thinner coats tend to give stronger and deeper holographic effects. **Important notes**: The pigments in this polish have the possibility of staining. However, the staining is temporary and on the nail surface and can be removed or fades on it’s own. To remove such stains, the fastest method is with cuticle remover on top of the nail and light scrubbing. A base coat prevents staining. Top coat is recommended for this polish for increased shine, and a slightly stronger holo.”
And the last one is from Winter 2015, Night Gathers. Beautiful!
Gorgeous and sultry Night Gathers from Indigo Bananas Winter ’15 collection. Two coats here! It is described as: “Night Gathers is an inky blue leaning black linear holographic polish. Two coats for full coverage, top coat recommended and does not affect the holo flame. Multiple thinner coats tend to give stronger and deeper holographic effects compared to a single thicker coat.”
Conclusion: Loved all of these. The cool thing about neons, are they are bright and cheery. The coolest thing about these are you need no undies, no tighty whities! LOL They pop on their own. I highly recommend all these. No go shopping!
• Here is the info on the Anniversary/ (3 years old on 2/1!) Clearance/Moving sale (also posted on Indigo Bananas Facebook page)!
“Indigo Bananas will be closed from Feb 9 – end of the month (we may open sooner but this is the latest it’ll be closed to). We’re relocating to a new state, so it’s time to have an Anniversary & Clearance/Moving Sale! (Indigo Bananas turns 3 on Feb 1st!)
No discount code needed, nearly all items in the shop are 10-40% off starting now (ends Feb 7 end of day). Most polishes are 30-40% off, however, and it stacks with gift certs & shipping promos. (The IB shop will be closed Feb 8-end of month at the latest).
Items in the discontinued section will not be restocked until further notice. Restocks, and a new release, in early March include: Winter 2015 Game of Thrones inspired collection, Fall Holos, and then Spring ’15 pastels, and neons will be restocked first week in March (with new releases). Older colors will be restocked at a later date. Indigo Bananas is part of the Creme a la Mode box and the next one is set for early March, so that color is the next one out for us!
Shipping will be going out asap, same day on weekdays, and shipments CANNOT be combined once you get a tracking number, since I’m on a time crunch – sorry! 🙂 ****SHIPPING RATE CHANGES****
Shipping rates went up Jan 17, and I’ve adjusted them in the shop to match. Some rates are cheaper, some are more; mostly international is up. Shipping costs now cover a large weight range (8oz-32oz are the same for example!), so that’s why at some order weights it may seem less and sometimes more. Generally international is WAY up, US priority is WAY up, US first class is up for small amounts, and down for around 12-16oz.
IB has new shipping promos as a result:
* US free shipping over $50 (down from $60) (it’s actually way cheaper for me to ship first class)
* Canada – $5 flat rate above $100
* Mexico – $5 flat rate above $125
* Rest of World – $10 flat rate above $125
Today I’ll be reviewing the new (and available now) Zoya MatteVelvet Winter/Holiday 2015 collection. Let me preface by saying that these shades are completely different than the last collection…in case you were wondering! Zoya says, “The best-selling, MATTEVELVET finish returns this holiday season with six new shades. Each nail polish perfectly opaque, matte color with that extra special ZOYA MATTEVELVET fleck finish everyone loves.” Let’s take a look at what you’ll be wanting!
The Zoya MatteVelvet nail colors to slip into this Winter/Holiday season. From left: Aspen, Amal, Honor, Iris, Sue and Yves.
I’ll start with Aspen. She’s a clean, crisp, snowy white with the prettiest diamond pearl fleck. So hard to capture but believe me, she’s gorgeous!
Aspen, 2 coats, is described as: Aspen (ZP814) – a sparkling artic white with a micronized diamond pearl fleck.
Next is Amal, a classic crimson ruby-red. So perfect for the holidays!
Amal, 2 coats, is described as: Amal (ZP816) – a classic crimson red with a ruby red pearl fleck.
Honor is one of those essential greens for your holiday nailwear!
Honor, 2 coats, is described as: Honor (ZP819) – a true emerald green with a tone on tone emerald pearl fleck.
Iris is the perfect name for this regal amethyst purple.
Iris, 2 coats, is described as: Iris (ZP817) – a deep amethyst with a fuchsia pearl fleck.
Sue, she’s a delicate champagne gold with oyster pearl fleck. The sheerest of the bunch, so 2-3 coats will do the trick.
Sue, 2 coats, is described as: Sue (ZP815) – a soft champagne gold with a multi-hued oyster shell pearl fleck.
And last is Yves. A deep sapphire blue.
Yves, 1-2 coats, is described as: Yves (ZP818) – a deep sapphire that’s midway in between indigo and royal blue with a blue pearl fleck.
Conclusion: I always love the MatteVelvets and these shades for 2015 are all gorgeous. I can’t pick a favorite! But I DO love how Yves and Iris look on me. I want you to know they are all easy to apply and fairly quick drying. You can (although Zoya advises against it, see below) apply a gloss topcoat for a shiny look and it really brings out the hidden treasures of sparkle within. They suggest to apply a thin coat of the Matte Velvet Topcoat to retain the velvety appearance. They also suggest no base coat is needed. I will have to mention that I did leave Yves (the deep blue) on my bare nails overnight and experienced slight staining. That will go away, but I think a base coat on this one would have not allowed stains. Do not let this minor issue steer you away from experiencing lovely Yves!
NOTE: MATTEVELVET nail color by Zoya is not intended to be worn with a base coat, glossy top coat or speed dryer. Due to the unique matte formulation, color is not as long-wearing as traditional nail color. A completely clean, dry surface yields the best results for matte nail color wear. To extend wear, apply one coat of the Zoya Matte Velvet Topcoat over your favorite matte shades after polish is completely dry. AVAILABLE NOW!
ZOYA IS THE HEALTHY COLOR OF FASHION! Zoya MATTEVELVET Colors, 0.5 oz. – $10 (US) ea. Zoya MATTEVELVET Color Sampler, 6 – 0.5 oz. bottles – $60 (US)
Available in top salons, spas and on zoya.com
I’m really excited for this release by Zoya, available NOW! Six new MATTEVELVET Nail Colors to slip into this 2015 WINTER/HOLIDAY season.
The best-selling, MATTEVELVET finish returns this holiday season with six new shades. Each nail polish perfectly opaque, matte color with that extra special ZOYA MATTEVELVET fleck finish everyone loves.
Back Row: Iris (ZP817) – a deep amethyst with a fuchsia pearl fleck. Yves (ZP818) – a deep sapphire that’s midway in between indigo and royal blue with a blue pearl fleck. Honor (ZP819) – a true emerald green with a tone on tone emerald pearl fleck. Front Row: Aspen (ZP814) – a sparkling artic white with a micronized diamond pearl fleck. Sue (ZP815) – a soft champagne gold with a multi-hued oyster shell pearl fleck. Amal (ZP816) – a classic crimson red with a ruby red pearl fleck.
• Aspen (ZP814) – a sparkling artic white with a micronized diamond pearl fleck.
• Sue (ZP815) – a soft champagne gold with a multi-hued oyster shell pearl fleck.
• Amal (ZP816) – a classic crimson red with a ruby red pearl fleck.
• Iris (ZP817) – a deep amethyst with a fuchsia pearl fleck.
• Yves (ZP818) – a deep sapphire that’s midway in between indigo and royal blue with a blue pearl fleck.
• Honor (ZP819) – a true emerald green with a tone on tone emerald pearl fleck.
Amal (ZP816) – a classic crimson red with a ruby red pearl fleck.
NOTE: MATTEVELVET nail color by Zoya is not intended to be worn with a base coat, glossy top coat or speed dryer. Due to the unique matte formulation, color is not as long-wearing as traditional nail color. A completely clean, dry surface yields the best results for matte nail color wear. To extend wear, apply one coat of the Zoya Matte Velvet Topcoat over your favorite matte shades after polish is completely dry. AVAILABLE NOW!
From top down: Sue (ZP815) – a soft champagne gold with a multi-hued oyster shell pearl fleck. Aspen (ZP814) – a sparkling artic white with a micronized diamond pearl fleck. Amal (ZP816) – a classic crimson red with a ruby red pearl fleck.From left: Amal (ZP816) – a classic crimson red with a ruby red pearl fleck. Sue (ZP815) – a soft champagne gold with a multi-hued oyster shell pearl fleck. Iris (ZP817) – a deep amethyst with a fuchsia pearl fleck.
ZOYA IS THE HEALTHY COLOR OF FASHION!
Zoya MATTEVELVET Colors, 0.5 oz. – $10 (US) ea. Zoya MATTEVELVET Color Sampler, 6 – 0.5 oz. bottles – $60 (US)
Available in top salons, spas and on zoya.com
* **BIG5FREE, TOXIN FREE: Zoya Nail Polish Formula contains no formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, dibutyl phthalate, toluene or camphor.
I have the good fortune of blogging for RPR Marketing. They promote CND salon products including their long-wearing Weekly Polish System and even longer-wearing Shellac. I’m rarely disappointed in Vinylux collections and always welcome their arrival! Today I’ll be sharing the new CND Vinylux Holiday 2015 Aurora collection.
As CND so eloquently states, “Discover the beauty of the Arctic tundra with the NEW Holiday 2015 Aurora collection from CND. Colors crystallize into shimmering frozen pastels and surreal glacial hues. This holiday season, nail trends capture a crystalline essence with icy, glistening finishes,” says CND Co-founder and Style Director Jan Arnold. “Shapes range from the elegantly slender almond to a naturally subtle square, with shimmer that evokes the glint of sun setting across the snow.”
Let’s take a look at these four frozen beauties! First up is Winter Glow.
Winter Glow, a cream pastel pink in a perfect creamy formula. 3 coats for full opacity. Now this is a perfect blushing pink! Winter Glow
And from that glisteny spectrum of colors in the night, Nordic Lights.
Nordic Lights, a deep plumy purple with fine and chunky holographic glitter. 2 coats on its own here. Nordic Lights
This pink is a throwback to my younger days of frosty pastel pinks, Tundra.
Tundra, a delicate dusty rose metallic. Not too bad for streaking as some metallics will do. 2 coats here. Not my favorite, beautiful polish, great formula. But I wore so many polishes like this in my teens. Did I just date myself?! Tundra
And no winter collection is complete without a frost cool blue stunner, Glacial Mist.
Glacial Mist, a mid-toned blue glitter with hints of silver in a shimmery pale baby blue base. 2 coats. Glacial Mist
Conclusion: I really like this collection. My favorite of the collection is Nordic Lights. I’m a sucker for plumy purples, jelly bases and holo! And frosty pale pinks are pretty, but sort of old school. I’d have like to have seen a near black/blue jelly with tiny holo sparkles instead. Sort of like the midnight sky with lights twinkling. But that’s just me. All the formulas were great! Just a little hiccup and I’m sure a very rare anomaly, I did have one funky brush…and a solution should you encounter one with any polish.
Had a bit of an issue with the brush from Glacial Mist. Very rare finding in CND brushes. You see here I wiped off most of the wet polish from the brush, but even fully loaded with polish those little buggers wanted to poke out everywhere. Easy fix, cuticle scissors are better used to fix wonky brushes than cutting precious cuticles!
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 Holiday 2015; The Aurora collection is Also available in Shellac, and both will be a part of their core line. 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.”
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
• Over 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 Marketing at no charge. All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated in any way.
Lacquered Lori 