Essie Shelter Island

Hello my friends!  I'm back to show you what I promised, Essie Shelter Island all on its own!  I was surprised how much I loved this.  It doesn't seem all that exciting, but it's got an almost jelly texture (almost), which made me smitten over this bright blue.  In the bottle I thought it looked an awful lot like China Glaze Bahamian Escape, and a little like Barry M Bright Blue.  Boy was I wrong.  So at the end of this post you'll see a few comparison pics.

Essie Shelter Island is a beautiful bright sky blue.  It's so wonderfully happy and goes great with my skin tone (in my humble opinion).  I really do love blues and this one made me happy.  Like I mentioned before, I had to do 2 thick coats of this puppy to get an even consistency.  I think if I wore this again, I'd do three thin coats instead.  Either way, you end up with an almost jelly, shiny finish.  So lovely!

Now here is the funny part.  In the bottle, I thought Shelter Island looked a lot like Bahamian Escape. Bright Blue was close, but definitely not a dupe.  Good thing I slapped these one to compare.  Shelter Island is DEFINATELY unique in my collection.  It looks so bright and happy on it's own, but it's a lot darker when next to both Bahamian Escape and Bright Blue.  I actually was pleasantly surprised by Bahamian Escape, very light and one beautiful coat.  You can see it below on the left.  On the right side you will find Bright Blue, which wasn't as light as Bahamian Escape and definitely more neon, although it is absolutely not a neon polish. This was my first time with a Barry M polish, and while it's definitely good for the price point, I think I may swap this one away.  It needed 2 coats, and out of the 3 of these below, I like it the least.  And seriously, how many variations on sky blue do I need.

(Left to Right) China Glaze Bahamian Escape, Essie Shelter Island, Barry M Bright Blue
Outside in direct sunlight

Inside, you can really see how dark Shelter Island is compared to the others.  You can also see how Bright Blue is a smidge darker than Bahamian Escape.

(Left to Right) China Glaze Bahamian Escape, Essie Shelter Island, Barry M Bright Blue
Inside

Bad news is Shelter Island is limited edition and long gone as it came out with North Fork Collection in Spring of 2009!!!  I bought mine on a blog sale, but I did find one trusty e-tailer that had it.  Aveyou.com!  I'm pretty sure I'm pimped them before.  While you may not get a discount on the polish price, they often do have coupons and free shipping.  And you can reliably get this beauty (for $8) before it's gone forever.  Bahamian Escape on the other is pretty easy to find and several online retailers have it for $4 or less.  Barry M is a British brand not sold in the states, but you can order off their website, BarryM.com for about $5 bucks.

I definitely highly recommend Shelter Island if you can stand the coats, the texture of this one plus the color makes it a winner for me.  If you are looking for a one coat bright light sky blue, then also pick up Bahamian Escape.  I'd pass on Barry M Bright Blue.

Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday over Essie Shelter Island

I have a tiny confession to make, this mani is a little old.  I was saving it, so I wouldn't mess up our 100 post plans :).  So bear with me as you and I catch up on some past manis! 

So at this point, life it finally starting to calm down for me a bit, which is a great thing, cause at the time I did this mani, it was SUNNY!  And it was time for my now 8 year old nephew's birthday party.  I have never worn Deborah Lippmann's Happy Birthday before (I got it in a nail polish swap).  I figured it's one of those polishes I'll wear like once a year, if that, but still one I have to have.  I figured if I was ever going to wear it this year, it was going to be for my nephew's birthday party!  I picked out a nice blue (Essie Shelter Island) as a base for Happy Birthday.  Given the constant state of my peelies, my naked nails are not cute.  So a base is a must for me.  Essie Shelter Island is pretty awesome on it's own, I'll have a separate post on that next.

Happy Birthday seems to have a few incarnations, and I've got the 2nd generation.  The first generation has small square glitter, and large hexagonal glitter.  There is no square glitter in my polish, only hexagonal.  In both generations, the glitter is an array of colors all suspended in a clear base.  Apparently the Get The Party Started Set is a bit different, which has yet another generation of Happy Birthday.  Scrangie sums is up here, showing us that the new Happy Birthday looks less like clown/circus and more like rainbow sprinkles :).  I thought it was pretty funny Scrangie said that. because I remember thinking while I was taking these pictures, how much Happy Birthday looks like a clown barfed on my nails.  I think layering it over blue, brought out the yellow and orange glitter, which I wasn't crazy about.  If I wore this again, I'd try it over another color.  

Now onto the pictures.  This is two coats of Essie Shelter Island (thick coats), topped with 1 coat of Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday.  I think next time I may try wiping the brush a bit more  before applying to get a more sparse glitter effect.  Overall this was a great fun mani for a kid's birthday party.

Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday over Essie Shelter Island

(click to enlarge)

Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday over Essie Shelter Island

Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday retails for a whooping $18 bucks at Nordstrom, Deborah Lippmann's site, or other online retailers like BeautyBar.com and Zappos.com.  Unless you are obsessed with multi-color glitter and Deborah Lippmann, this one will probably be a pass for most of you.  There are multiple good knock-offs of this at a very fair price.

Also, Courtney's 2nd post ever :) was Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday gradient over OPI Mad as a Hatter and Color Club What a Drag!  Check that out here!

Butter London Minger

Jessie and I have been doing some major hauling lately, so now my wallet hurts and my untrieds are taking up more and more real estate in my Helmer.  There are some that have been in there for months, and I just keep adding to the pile.  I decided to attempt to clean out some of those "older" untrieds before they get buried in a sea of new pretties.  :-)

I'm starting off with Butter London Minger, which my trusty Butter London Dictionary tells me is British slang for an ugly person.  That's hilarious!  It's kind of fitting, too, because Minger is a bit of an oddball itself.  My photos have it looking a bit brighter than it is in real life, but in actuality it's kind of a dirty spiced pumpkin pie type color.  Dirty pumpkin pie.  Doesn't that sound delicious?  Not so much.  But ya know what is?  The formula on this one!  I felt like the polish flowed better for me than my Butter Londons typically do.  Not that they're bad or anything.  This one was just better.  I used two coats here for full opacity.  :-)

(click to enlarge)

 (click to enlarge)

I'm not typically an orange fan (unless we're talking about the fruit), but after my love affair with Essie Vermillionaire, I was excited to give Minger a try.  I can honestly say it might be one of the strangest colors I own, and I can't really decide if that's a good thing or not.  Sometimes I look at it and think it's completely hideous, and other times I think it looks awesome.  It reminds me of a more orange version of OPI & Apple Pie (regarded as quite possibly the ugliest polish ever by the MUA Nail Board).  As I write this, I think I'm falling on the side of totally awesome.  The Hubby likes it, and in my book, that's always the sign of a true winner.  ;-)

I have a feeling Minger won't flatter everyone's skin tone, but if you're feeling gutsy you can pick it up for $14 at Nordstrom, Ulta, or www.butterlondon.com.  If you can hold out until the 20th of this month, Ulta will be having a Buy 1 Get 1 FREE (Yes, FREE!) on all Butter Londons for that day only.  From what I hear there's a two polish maximum on that sale.  I'm guessing that must mean you can only buy two polishes and get two free (four polishes total).  Otherwise it would just be lame.  I'm totally going to hit up that sale, but I haven't figured out which ones I'll pick up just yet.  Any suggestions?  :-)

Also, if you haven't already, be sure to enter our 100 Posts Giveaway!  You can win Illamasqua Raindrops and Deborah Lippmann Glitter in the Air!  Good luck!

100 Posts Giveaway!!! Illamasqua Raindrops and Deborah Lippmann Glitter in the Air Combo!!!!

So I had heard on Makeup Alley (MUA - an online forum for beauty junkies) that Raindrops by Illamasqua was on sale for 5GBP (about $8), but it didn't entice me enough to buy based on history alone.  This polish made a big splash when it came out in 2010 as one of the winner of Illamasqua's Nail Varnish Competition.  The promo shots of it and the story behind the inspiration sent the internet a-buzz with excitement.  When the polish actually came out, some were disappointed, which is probably why it ended up in the bargain bin on Illamasqua's website.  Something made me change my mind (find out below), and just before the end of the sale I caved.  Now that I have it, I can not fathom for the life of me why people are not in love with this polish.  I sure am.  The color is so beautiful, it's got a wonderful jelly consistency, and the soft silver flakes are just....so...beautiful.  I think this polish may have earned a spot in my top 5.

Anyway, the polish was never released in the US, only in the UK (Illamasqua is a British company).  So while I thought it was pretty, I wasn't into polish enough to order it from overseas.  Then 2 weeks ago, I saw this post on Spaz & Squee and immediately went to order Raindrops online.  Have you looked at the post yet?  No? GO LOOK! :) I'll be here when you get back.

So there I am, scrolling through Cilucia's pictures, marveling at the soft blue-ish grey jelly, dazzled by the small silver floating flakes, secretly pinning for perfect nails like hers when BAM!!!! What?!?! Use Raindrops and the most perfect backdrop EVER (in my humble opinion) for Deborah Lippmann's Glitter in the Air?!?!??! Hell Yeah!  I have Glitter in the Air and I love it, but I never know what to wear it over.  I usually go with the general baby blue everyone does, but you loose some of the contrast with the blue glitter when you do that.  Anyway, at this point I've ordered 3 Raindrops, one for me, one for my lovely friend Courtney, and one for one of you.  I rushed over to Zappos and did a mini Butter London haul, threw in another Glitter in the Air (you wouldn't think I'd let mine go now would you!) and a giveaway was born.  Just in time for us to turn 100 :).  

So let's first start off with my pictures of Illamasqua's Raindrops on it's own.  It's 100 times more gorgeous in real life you guys.  I promise :).  The darker shot was includes because if you click to enlarge it, you can see the flakes better.  This is 3 coats to opacity.  I've heard others say they needed 4, but I do tend to do thicker coats than I should.  I had no issues with drying, smudging or bubbling.  Perfect formula for a sheer.

Illamasqua Raindrops

Illamasqua Raindrops

Illamasqua Raindrops

Now it's time to celebrate the 100th post, throw some "glitter in the air", and top off my mani.  Here are the shots of 2 coats of Glitter in the Air over my 3 coats of Raindrops.  I think next time I will only do one.  Here is a hint on using Glitter in the Air - dip the brush in the polish, wipe one side of the brush off inside the bottle, before you apply look at the other side, if you aren't happy with the variety or quantity of glitter, do it again before applying.

Deborah Lippmann Glitter in the Air over Illamasqua Raindrops 

Deborah Lippmann Glitter in the Air over Illamasqua Raindrops

Super extreme close-up! Can you see how soft and pretty this is?  You can also see the flakes from raindrop peaking through.

Deborah Lippmann Glitter in the Air over Illamasqua Raindrops

If you must have these and don't want to wait for the giveaway to end, Raindrops is still available on Illamasqua.com, but it's back to full price (13.50GBP or $21.50!!!) plus international shipping!  Glitter in the Air is $18 and can be found online at Beautybar.com, DeborahLippmann.com, Zappos.com or Nordstroms.com.

So now that you know the story behind my new love - it's time to give away some polish.  I've got one brand new in box Deborah Lippmann Glitter in the Air, and one brand new in box Illamasqua Raindrops.  Both of these puppies will go to one lucky winner.

Shiny and New!
Deborah Lippmann Glitter in the Air and Illamasqua Raindrops

Win these!

Contest rules and information:

1. You must be a public follower using Google Friend Connect (GFC).  New followers are welcome.  To follow, click the Join this site icon on the left hand side of the blog.  Make sure you opt to follow publicly.  If you are not a public follower, you will be disqualified.
2. To be a contestant of this giveaway you must fill out the contest form below.  One contest form per person. Required information is your GFC name and email address (for contact purposes only).
3. One entry is automatic for all contestants.  A second entry can be earned by linking to this contest.  A valid link to your twitter posting, facebook post, or blog post linking back to this giveaway page must be entered on the contest form to earn this second entry. 
4. The giveaway will close on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 10:00PM E.S.T.
5. The winner will be selected using random.org.
6. The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to respond.  If the winner does not respond a new winner will be selected.
7. The contest is open internationally.

Good luck everyone!!!

The giveaway is now closed.  Thanks to everyone who entered, and GOOD LUCK!!

100th Post: Zoya Yara

OMGIT'SOUR100THPOSTYAY!!!!  Holy cow, time sure flies when you're having fun!  I can't believe we've already made it to the big 100!  Triple digits - woo-hoo!  *raises the roof*  *happy dance!*

Over the weekend I realized something.  A revelation, perhaps (overdramatization).  I apparently wasn't kidding when I told you I was "like, obsessed, with these weird greeny-goldy colors lately."  Look what I've accumulated over the last month....

China Glaze It's Alive, Zoya Yara, Butter London Wallis, China Glaze Westside Warrior, China Glaze Zombie Zest

That'd be a glitter, a shimmer, a foil, a creme, and a glass-fleck.  I think my obsession has blossomed into a full-blown addiction.  But hey, admitting is the first step, right?  ;-)  I've already shown you Wallis, and I promise you the rest of these beauties are soon to follow.  I've got the lovely Zoya Yara for you today!

Yara is a muted olive green with gold irregular-shaped shimmer.  The shimmer shape reminds me of a glass-fleck style, but the overall finish is much more subtle.  It's not the sparkly kind of shimmer, but the kind that adds depth and richness.  The formula was amazing - almost a one-coater!  Two coats were all I needed for complete perfection.  Definitely click to enlarge these photos!

(click to enlarge)

 (click to enlarge)

Ugh, I DIE!  This is so unbelievably beautiful.  I love it!  The color is gorgeous and the shimmer is just the cherry on top.  It's rich and warm and cozy - perfect for fall.  I love it so much I'm almost at a loss for words.  It's just stunning.  100% must-have for me.  I'm proud to have Yara star in the 100th post.  ♥

A huge thank you to everyone for sticking with us up until now!  I know 100 posts isn't a whole lot, but I really think we've come a long way, and I'm sure I speak for Jessie as well when I say we've had such a blast sharing our love of polish with you guys and watching our little blog grow.  GROUP HUG!  :-)

Stay tuned!  Super duper fun and exciting things might be right around the corner!  

Rescue Beauty Lounge Starfish-Patrick

Jessie and I must've shared a brain wave the other day or something.  We both realized that we were running out of days for our summery polishes, and I think I had a mild panic attack (complete over-exaggeration).  Why does summer always have to be so short?!  I feel like just a few weeks ago I was pushing snow off my car.  Sigh.  Jessie showed you RBL Bikini Bottom, so I'm completing the Spongebob trio with Starfish-Patrick!  :-)

It's hard to really accurately describe the color of this one, but I'm gonna go with orangey-corally-salmon.  In some lights it looks a bit pinkish, but others a bit more orange.  The jelly formula of this one means two things - a soft, squishy look (YAY!), and four coats.  But don't panic.  As with its counterparts, RBL's smooth formula makes it easy to apply, even if it does mean waiting longer for it to dry.  As far as these photos go, I'd say they're pretty color accurate, but they're not as opacity accurate as I'd like.  Starfish-Patrick is a smidge more sheer than these photos suggest, but if you're rocking nubbins you probably wouldn't notice the difference.  

(click to enlarge)

 (click to enlarge)

Of the Spongebob polishes, I have to say that Starfish-Patrick was the one that worried me the most.  I love pale blues (even though they don't always love me), and you guys know how much I ADORED Square Pants, but this guy was a wild card.  I wasn't sure how it would look against my skin tone.  On the first coat, I was all HAYULLLL NAW!  It got better with the second and third coats, and by coat number four I was in love!  It's strange and beautiful all at the same time.  Plus, who doesn't love this guy?

Image from http://bbceleste16.glogster.com/spongebob-and-patrick/

Ji did a great job with this entire collection.  Each polish is unique and gorgeous, and they're all must-haves in my book (even with the hefty price tag)!  I really love that she went down an unbeaten path with the names.  Square Pants and Bikini Bottom are still up for grabs at http://www.rescuebeauty.com/, but unfortunately Starfish-Patrick is sold out.  HUGE SAD!  You can still find some bottles floating around for swaps and I do see a fair few pop up on eBay from time to time, but I honestly would be surprised if this one doesn't make a comeback on the next vote.  :-)

I'm so not ready for the summer to be over!  *shakes fist at winter*

Last Chance Summer Mani: Rescue Beauty Lounge Bikini Bottom

Now that it's officially September, I've got my last "summer mani" to show you.  It was pretty funny, I was rocking Stormy Weather when it hit me that September was right around the corner and I still hadn't worn Rescue Beauty Lounge's Bikini Bottom.  Bikini Bottom is a bit different from my other RBL's in that it's sheer.  To achieve an even sheer look, you must do two coats.  One coat alone is super streaky.  I wanted an opaque look, so this is 4.  Bikini Bottom is a beautiful soft pastel blue.  You get this great squishy texture to the polish.  This mani took forever!  I had to wait a bit longer between each coat to avoid dragging, but look at these results!!!

I love the look of this.  It pulls a little more teal and a little too bright in these pictures.  In real life it's much lighter and softer.  I've also heard layering this over Essie Marshmallow gives you a good effect.  I'll probably give that a shot soon, as I'd like to wear this again before winter rears it's ugly head.  Not that I wouldn't wear this polish year round, it's just summery, so I want to wear it in the sunshine!\

In the effort of full disclosure, I want to note that the next morning when I work up (about 8 hours after I finished this mani), I woke up to bubble and lump city.  I've had issue before with my RBL top coat and/or base coat ruining my manis.  This happened again!  I ended up redoing the whole thing the next night with some thinner added to my base coat and top coat.  And one again, I still have bubble and lumps,  but they are fewer.  Honestly, while at first i was in love with my RBL treatment system, I hate it now.  I don't know if there is some particles or stray polish, or it's just too thick, but it's ruining everything.  I'm going to give up on it for a while.  Which is a shame, cause I spent like $50 bucks on it.  WTF!

Bikini Bottom was released as part of RBL's Pre-Fall collection in 2008, it was inspired by the runway but named after SpongeBob Squarepants. It's brothers are Square Pants (see our swatches here and here) and Starfish Patrick.  It was loved so much it was brought back in the Bring-It-Back Vote and is now available again on the RBL website for $18.