First Guest Post!

Hello all! Today's guest post comes from the wonderful Jenna from I'm Still Thinking :]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well!

First, I want to say Thank You to Sarah for having me a as a guest poster. For those who don’t know me, I’m Jenna from I’m Still Thinking… I was so happy when Sarah asked for volunteers to guest post. I love helping out!

So when Sarah first asked for volunteers I really wracked my brain trying to think of the perfect mani. I never did come up with an idea. I had about a million camp related ideas, but never got around to trying them. :O/

I had been wanting to try this mani for a while and after I did it I knew I wanted to use it for this post. Sorry, I notice a couple tips look a bit ragged…I think there may have been a stray flakie or two O.o

I am not your standard french tip kinda girl. I am normally anti-french tip, lol. But from the moment I first laid eyes on Barielle Buddha-ful I knew it was meant for a french tip mani on me. It is a very sheer nude polish with green/blue flakies.

The gold was a last minute touch to cover up my shakey tip lines, but I really think it goes great with this mani.

I know this is a completely anti-camping mani, but it turned out so good I couldn’t resist using it for this post. I hope ya’ll enjoyed it. Hurry back Sarah…we miss you a lot <3

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you so much for your post, Jenna!! <3 I am LOVING that Barielle flakie!

Up in the Air

As you read this, I'll be flying somewhere over PA, I'd guess. It took me SO LONG to pack, but I did it! And I'm on my merry way to California for another summer at camp:] I'm incredibly excited for the next 5 weeks! Anyway, you're here to see some polish, so here you go! KBShimmer's Watercoolor

Looks like the sky, no? This was 3 thin coats, though I have a feeling you could get away with 2 thicker ones! I just hauled a TON of KBShimmer polishes, and they're all pretty much amazing. I want them all!!!!

Twinsie Tuesday: Patriotic Mani

Last TT before I leave! Eeee! This week's TT is in honor of Independence Day or Canada Day, whichever holiday our twinsies celebrate. I'm a pretty big fan of 4th of July, mostly because of the fireworks I think. They're just so pretty!! Those sparkly ones that look like magic rain always get me.. Just too pretty, really.

Anyway, for my patriotic mani, I used China Glaze Poinsettia, a prototype of my American Beauty, and a franken I made while having fun with some left over glitter:]

Without American Beauty as a glitter topper

I think I actually like this more without AB. I'm going to leave you with some pictures of fireworks from my town's firework show last night:]

....I'm in love. While you give me a minute to think about fireworks again, go take a look at my Twinsies patriotic manis:]


Amanda at Amandalandish
Anna at Going to the Showing
Anne at Grape Fizz Nails
Ashley at Art Evolve
Brandi at The Collegiate Nail
Chelsea at Nailed Blog
ChiChi at I'm Just Me...ChiChi
Cordia at Srsly Swatched
Jenn at All That is Gorgeous...
Jenna at I'm Still Thinking...
Katherine at Haul of Fame
Marisa at Polish Obsession
Meredith at Polish and Charms
Nory at Fierce Makeup and Nails
Rachel at Top Coat It
Tara at Polishy of Truth

My Second to Last Unscheduled Post:[

My departure date is so close!! I can't even believe it. I need to pack like crazy though, I haven't started yet... It's definitely gonna be interesting haha. Usually when I pack, my room looks like a tornado hit it. And deciding what polishes I want to take is next to impossible.. I forget how many indie polishes I've bought in the past year and I want them all with me in California!! I'll be sure to take a picture of my many many trip polishes haha. But for today, you get to see my favorite of the polishes I've made for this collection: Spun Sugar!

The first picture is most accurate to the pink, the last picture most to the blue. I wore this to my sister's graduation:] I'm pretty biased towards it haha, but this is the only one that I kept a full size bottle for myself. And it's definitely going in the Pack for Cali pile:]

Aphrodite Lacquers Review!

Hey ladies! I have a really fun review for you today, I'm really excited to share it. Aphrodite Lacquers has some really amazing polishes and I was lucky enough to receive some minis for review, so I went on a swatchfest last night! The first three are from the Outta This World collection, and the second three are from the Romance Novel collection. Let's get started! [Descriptions in quotations are taken from the Aphrodite Lacquers Etsy listings]

"Blackhole: black jelly polish with 3 different size black hex glitter."

Index: 2 coats

Middle: 3 coats

Ring: 1 coat over grey

Pinky: 1 coat over white

Index: 2 coats

Middle: 3 coats

Ring: 2 coats over grey

Pinky: 2 coats over white

"Asteroid: black polish (jellyish), with huge white glitter, small silver glitter, and silver shimmer."

Index: 3 coats

Middle: 1 coat over black

Ring: 1 coat over white

"Interstellar: black polish (jellyish) with huge purple glitter, small dark purple glitter, and small lavender glitter."

Index: 3 coats

Middle: 1 coat over black

Ring: 1 coat over white

Notes on Outta This World: the three polishes I got from this collection all applied pretty well, had a good consistency and covered really well in 3 coats. However, there was a lot of streakiness in the black pigment used, which made it hard to use over light colors. I'm going to try them over a dark-ish red or something soon, I think that would be a nice effect. Also, it was a little hard to get the larger glitter out of the bottles, but I think that's in part due to the fact that these are mini bottles.

 Secret:"Hot pink jelly base, packed full of dark pink micro glitter, and white glitter"

Index: 2 coats

Middle: 1 coat over Wet n Wild Fuchsia-Rama

Smoulder: "Dark red jelly base, packed full of bright red micro glitter, and white glitter"

Index: 2 coats

Middle: 1 coat over OPI Smitten with Mittens

Enchant: "Aqua jelly base, packed full of green micro glitter, and white glitter"

Index: 2 coats

Middle: 1 coat over Cult Nails Toxic Seaweed

Notes on the Romance Novel collection: These 3 are definitely my favorites of the group. The colors are vibrant, the small glitter is so pretty, and I love the mix of the medium white glitter with the jelly bases. These had no problem at all with the pigments. And I was surprised at how opaque they were! Especially Secret, that was a surprise stand out for me. Enchant was definitely full coverage IRL, as well. I'm a huge fan of this collection, it definitely makes me want the other polishes in it. Secret is definitely going with me to camp, also. I'm pretty enamored by it, which is weird for me. Pinks are generally not my thing, but there's something about it!


What do you all think of these polishes? Aphrodite Lacquers has a new collection coming out next week, as well. I can't wait to see it!! Also, the customer service at AL is really great. She's such a sweetheart to work with as a reviewer, but also as a buyer.

*Disclaimer: these polishes were provided to me in return for an honest and fair review. All opinions are my own*

Announcements!

Happy happy Friday:] Just a few things, first: I have a mini indie blog sale going on here & a silent auction here! Or just click on the tabs up there ^^ and check them out:]

Second, I'll be going away from July 4-August 8 to California! I'm a camp counselor at an amazing camp there and I'm so excited to be there for the second summer now. I'll miss all you guys so so much, but I do have my Twinsie Tuesday posts scheduled as well as other posts in the week, AAAAND some amazing guest posts from my Twinsies. I can't wait to show you all! I'll be on here when I have time off on weekends, so I won't disappear altogether.

Finally, I'll be restocking the Etsy shop today with a small amount of polishes [about 20] of the more popular ones.

My Very First Ozotic!

Hello everyone! I've got some pic spam for you of some really pretty polishes [AND my first Ozotic].  First, I slapped on 2 coats of Revlon Royal. Notes about Royal: it's one of the most stunning polishes I own, but the formula is.. ehh. I'm really in love with the color and want it everywhere, but it generally takes 3 coats to be opaque and I usually have trouble with how runny it is. I mean, it definitely doesn't stop me from wearing it, clearly, but it's something to consider. Definitely need to spend a little time with Royal. That said, it looks amazing under Ozotic Elytra 528. The minute I saw the Elytra polishes I knew that I needed at least one, and I was right. It's just a really unique look that these glitters have. So I put on 2 coats of 528 [also, why the heck don't these have names?!] over Royal, and... look:

Jellies and glitter and duochrome and cobalt blue all in one mani... Be still my heart!! ;] I'm going to leave you with some bracelets I made last night. I've been crafting a little lately and I love these bracelets for how easy they are and how adorable they look stacked together.