A England Sargent's Vision Collection - Swatches & Review

Hi everyone! Today I FINALLY have my swatches of the A England Sargent's Vision collection to show you. I ordered the complete collection as always as soon as it was available and swatched them almost immediately. But life happened and I'm only just getting my post up now so I hope you can forgive me for being so late and that you appreciate the post all the same! 

A England - Sargent's Vision Collection

So here goes! 

Carnation Lily Lily Rose - 'Angelic translucent azure radiating delicate multiple hues' 
This is one of my favourites of the collection for sure. At first I thought it was going to be quite similar to some other silver holographics and particularly A England Encore Margot from the Ballerina Collection. Yet I was quite wrong. Carnation Lily Lily Rose is unique in my collection and has a shimmer and multiple different colour flashes. It is hard to describe and I hope you can see what I mean from my photos! I used 2 coats, no topcoat. The formula was perfect. 

A England - Carnation Lily Lily Rose

A England - Carnation Lily Lily Rose

A England - Carnation Lily Lily Rose

Nocturne - 'Twilight black with a red nuance revealing at times its prismatic spectacle' 
My other favourite from the collection. I absolutely love a good black nail polish, especially Adina's. She does them so well and each with something different. I didn't even realise before receiving this collection that Nocturne isn't just black. It is an extremely dark red-plum black and the multicoloured flashes in the holo peeking through are stunning. I used 2 coats and no topcoat. Formula and application were perfect. 

A England - Nocturne

A England - Nocturne

A England - Nocturne

Symphony in Blue and Silver - 'Dreamy powder blue enhanced by flashes of green and silver light'
A lovely soft blue with the signature A England scattered holo. I wore this one as a full mani before reswatching and noticed that my topcoat (Revlon fast dry) dulled the holo somewhat. Next time, I will sandwich my topcoat between layers of colour. Either way, the effect is still beautiful. I used 2 coats but found that the first coat was a bit patchy and dragged over my topcoat. It reminded me of older formula holos which required the aqua base. I might try that with this one for easier application next time but everything evened out just fine with the second coat anyway. Photos here are without topcoat. 

A England - Symphony in Blue and Silver

A England - Symphony in Blue and Silver

Symphony in Green and Gold - 'Sublime honeydew green with hints of gold reflections'
A totally unique green in my collection. Very soft and perfect for spring and summer. Application was good also. I used 2 coats and no topcoat.  

A England - Symphony in Green and Gold

A England - Symphony in Green and Gold

Overall, this is another beautiful collection from A England. I don't expect much else from Adina to be honest. Remains for sure one of my favourite brands and I'm reminded why with each new release. I'd highly recommend Carnation Lily Lily Rose and Nocturne if you wanted to just pick up a couple of these. 

I hope you enjoyed the swatches!

Where to Buy:
A England (UK shipping only)
Various retailers (see list here)

A England on Social Media:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

OPI Ski Teal We Drop & NfuOh 52

Hi everyone! Finally posting this mani I wore a good while back when I was wearing nothing but flakies!

This is OPI Ski Teal We Drop, a vibrant teal creme topped with NfuOh 52. If you're a regular reader, you might know already that I'm in love with the NfuOh flakie polishes. I was so sad that they discontinued them, thankfully I had managed to find them all by then!

OPI Ski Teal We Drop & NfuOh 52

I really love this combo and how the flakes pop against the darker base. Ski Teal We Drop is an amazing OPI must have I think. I love it alone as well and the formula is great. The best teal polish I own for sure. 

OPI Ski Teal We Drop & NfuOh 52

Where to Buy:
OPI - Various retailers
NfuOh - Various retailers (Mine were purchased from the Pshiiit Boutique, Atouts Charme and various beauty supply stores in the US) Though as mentioned, the flakies (if not others as well) are now discontinued.

STELLA CHROMA - Premier Collection - Swatches & Review

Press Sample/Review

Hi everyone! Today I have a super exciting post for you! You may know that one of my favourite indie brands is/was Paint Box Polish. Well Pam behind Paint Box Polish decided to rebrand and Paint Box Polish has now become STELLA CHROMA. New name, new image and new site but the same great polishes! You'll find all the useful links and info at the bottom of this post along with some info about the launch giveaway being held!

STELLA CHROMA - The Premier Collection

This is the first collection from STELLA CHROMA. The Premier Collection is made up of 3 polishes, Savvy, Grit and Hustle. So let's get to it! Here are my swatches!

Grit - what a holo lover's dreams are made of! Rich cobalt blue that is loaded with rainbow holographic glitter that wows in the sun. There is also a blue shimmer that adds interest in the shade. Opaque in 2 coats. 15 mL bottle retails for $13

2 coats plus topcoat. Absolutely nothing to say about the formula except that it was perfection. I'm not even obsessed with holo polishes but I fell in love with this one and already want to wear it again! 

STELLA CHROMA - Grit

STELLA CHROMA - Grit

Hustle - a fierce shimmery violet shade that is enhanced by a generous amount of gold flakes. Goes on like butter and looks great in the shade and the sun! Opaque in two coats. 15 mL bottle retails for $12

2 coats plus topcoat. Another fabulous formula. I'm a huge purple fan so this one is love for me. I don't have any other polish like it in my collection. I love the golden flecks against the purple base. The sheen on this polish in sunlight is stunning. I also took pics in the shade so you can really see how the golden flakes stand out. 

STELLA CHROMA - Hustle

STELLA CHROMA - Hustle

Savvy - a bright pink polish with a bit of pink shimmer and shiny, multichromatic flakies that really pop! Those gorgeous flakies lay flat on the nail and are easier to remove than traditional glitter. Opaque in 2 coats. 15 mL bottle retails for $12

2 coats plus topcoat. Another great formula and unique polish. I love all of Pam's polishes with flakes, she does them so well. These multichrome ones pop against the base colour and catch the light beautifully. The pink base really glows! 

STELLA CHROMA -Savvy

STELLA CHROMA -Savvy

I absolutely love the whole STELLA CHROMA image. The labels and cards feel luxurious and very 'boutique'. I couldn't resist creating some nail art inspired by the cards and STELLA CHROMA logo. I did a smoosh marble using Grit and some Paint Box Polishes from before the rebrand. I used What 'Choo Fell Over For?, Blue Above The Bay, Won't The Muggles See Us? to mimic the watercolours on the card. I applied dots of each colour onto my stamper and 'smooshed' it onto my nails. I then finished with topcoat. 

STELLA CHROMA - Smoosh Marble with Grit

STELLA CHROMA - Smoosh Marble with Grit

I then decided to add the cute little stars from the logo afterwards onto my middle fingernail with some gold polish. I used an old Konad stamping plate with tiny star designs. 

STELLA CHROMA - Smoosh Marble with Grit & stamped stars

STELLA CHROMA - Smoosh Marble with Grit & stamped stars

One of the big changes that will come with STELLA CHROMA is charity! Pam is a Nurse Practitioner by day and has nieces that are very interested in the sciences. For those reasons, promoting STEM careers to girls is near and dear to her heart.
Stella Chroma will be partnering with a different organis ation each quarter and donating a portion of sales. The first one is IGNITE (Inspiring Girls Now In Technology Evolution), which is a non-profit that introduces girls in grades 6-12 to technology and engineering careers via various programs in partnership with their schools. More information can be found at their website!

A giveaway is being held to celebrate the rebrand and launch of STELLA CHROMA! The prize is a Coach holographic wristlet.  Making a purchase in the first week of the shop being open counts as an entry. If a customer adds a note to their order stating that a certain person sent them to the site to make that order, the customer and the person will get another entry. STELLA CHROMA will mail the wristlet to the winner!

This collection is so exciting and I can't wait to see what is in store from Pam. The Premier Collection and the STELLA CHROMA brand are launching on June 29th.  

You can use the code THEMANICAFE to get 15% off your order!

I also wanted to remind you again about the Paint Box Polish fan group on Facebook called stella chromatics (which I co-admin). We’d love to have you join if you haven’t already!

Where to Buy:
STELLA CHROMA (code THEMANICAFE for 15% off!)

STELLA CHROMA on Social Media:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

The products in this post were provided for my honest review

OPI I Brake For Manicures & Designer...De Better! Dotticure

Hi everyone! Today I have a simple but really pretty mani to show you that I wore a little while ago when I needed to hurry! 

I started out with two coats of OPI I Brake for Manicures. I absolutely love this greyed out dusky plum/brown. I say plum/brown because a lot of swatches I saw of it seem more purple but this really does pull more brown on me than in the bottle. Strange but I love it anyway! Definitely a go-to OPI creme for me. 

OPI I Brake for Manicures & Designer...De Better!

I wanted some nail art but didn't have time for much so I settled on some dots of various sizes at the base of my nails using OPI Designer...De Better! from the Holiday 2011 Muppets collection which is a silver foil with specks of bronze. I really love this shade and was so happy to finally buy it from a friend after kicking myself for not getting it when it released. I finished my nail art with topcoat as always. 

OPI I Brake for Manicures & Designer...De Better!

I really enjoyed wearing this mani and it felt done and nice while being quick and quite neutral if that makes sense. What do you think of it? Are you a fan of dotticures? They're my go-to for a quick nail art!

Where to Buy:
OPI - various retailers

OPI on Social Media: Facebook - Instagram - Twitter

Girly Bits Silver and Gold Chrome Effect Powders

Press Sample/Review

Hi everyone! I'm back with some more of the awesome special effects powders from Girly Bits. Today I'm sharing the Silver and Gold chrome finish powders. 

You've probably all seen the chrome nails which have been posted literally everywhere online by now. The effect is really cool and a lot shinier than chrome polishes.   

I used 2 coats of black gel polish and applied the chrome powders by buffing with my finger. I finished with a coat of Girly Bits Seal The Deal (no wipe UV/LED Gel Soak-off Topcoat).

First up, silver. This is my favourite of the two and I think the more 'classic' chrome look. I love how you can also use the silver over different colours to get a tinted chrome finish. You can see my pink chrome nails here! 

Girly Bits Cosmetics - Silver Chrome Powder

Girly Bits Cosmetics - Silver Chrome Powder

Next up is the gold powder. I find the finish ever so slightly less shiny than the silver but still really awesome. I think I'm just more of a silver fan than gold! This was a fun mani to wear though!
 

Girly Bits Cosmetics - Gold Chrome Powder

Girly Bits Cosmetics - Gold Chrome Powder

The powders are really easy to use and I really love the finish. I got lots of compliments when wearing these. 

What do you think of the chrome look? 

Where to Buy:
Girly Bits Cosmetics

Girly Bits on Social Media: Facebook - Instagram - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+

The Girly Bits products in this post were provided for my honest review. 

Girly Bits Cosmetics Duochrome Effect Powders

Press Sample/Review

Hi everyone!  Today I have a super fun post for you with the new Duo Chrome Effect Powders from Girly Bits. These new powders are similar to the chrome powders we've been seeing for a while but they're multichome! 

Each powder comes in a small pot and appears to be white with an iridescent coloured shimmer peeking through. They come to life and reveal all their colour when applied to the nail. They have all the fun and colour shift of a duo chrome polish but with the shiny finish of chrome powder. 

Girly Bits Duochrome Powders

For my swatches, I started out with 2 coats of black gel polish. I then applied a coat of Girly Bits Seal The Deal, a no-wipe UV/LED gel topcoat. I then applied the powder by buffing it in with my finger. I topped with another coat of Seal The Deal. 

Majestic - appears as a pink iridescent in the pot and over black shows as a gorgeous rich purple/pink chrome. Definitely one of my favourites. 

Majestic

Majestic

Gaze - My favourite of the bunch for sure. Shifts from teal to purple! Reminds me of some of my favourite multichrome polishes but in shiny chrome format!

Gaze

Gaze

Lust - Rich vibrant blue. Super classy way to wear chrome in my opinion!

Lust

Lust

Zephyr - Another favourite. Again, this one reminds me of some multichrome polishes I have but in a shiny chrome version. Shifts red, bronze, slightly orange. The shift in this one is beautiful.

Zephyr

Zephyr

Resolution - Shifts through greens to gold. Reminds me of cat's eyes. I'm not the hugest green fan but I love this.

Resolution

Resolution

These powders will be launching on May 15th along with the Fine UltraChrome Holographic Powder (see my post on that here) 
 
Where to Buy:
Girly Bits Cosmetics

Girly Bits on Social Media: Facebook - Instagram - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+

The Girly Bits products in this post were provided for my honest review. 

Girly Bits Fine UltraChrome Holographic Powder

Press Sample/Review

Hi everyone! Today I have a really exciting product to share with you. If you like really holographic nails, you absolutely NEED this powder from Girly Bits!

This is the new Fine UltraChrome Holographic Powder which is launching on May 15th and it gives you the most holographic finish ever.

For this mani I used 2 coats of black gel polish then applied the holographic powder, buffing it on with my fingertip. I finished with a coat of Girly Bits Seal the Deal UV/LED Gel Soak Off topcoat. I am loving this gel topcoat. It is definitely the best I've tried and works amazingly with the special effect powders. It doesn't dull their effects at all! 

Girly Bits Fine UltraChrome Holographic Powder

Girly Bits Fine UltraChrome Holographic Powder

Girly Bits Fine UltraChrome Holographic Powder

I also tried out layering a jelly polish over the holo powder which I totally love! I used Chanel Sunrise Trip but I can imagine this would be stunning with any colour! The holo effect is so strong that it shows through well and makes a super vibrant colourful holo! 

Girly Bits Fine UltraChrome Holographic Powder with Chanel Sunrise Trip

Girly Bits Fine UltraChrome Holographic Powder with Chanel Sunrise Trip

Girly Bits Fine UltraChrome Holographic Powder with Chanel Sunrise Trip

So what do you think of the holo powder trend? I love it and I couldn't stop staring at my nails. I'll definitely be wearing this often, especially for summer and sunny weather! 

The Fine UltraChrome Holographic powder will be launching (along with the Duochome Special Effects powders) on May 15th!

Where to Buy:
Girly Bits Cosmetics

Girly Bits on Social Media: Facebook - Instagram - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+

The Girly Bits products in this post were provided for my honest review.