SAFS: An Indie Trifecta!

Hello dolls!

I hope you all are having a very happy Sunday :)  Today's post is another installment of my "Sunday's are for Swatching" segment. 

It's not something I do every Sunday (altho I probably should haha), but it's a great way for me to share some of the polishes in my collection with you without the stress of worrying about what nail art I should do along with it ;)  I have 3 indie polishes to show you for 3 different brands, so let's get started...

 Anonymous Lacquer - Purple Rainbows

Anonymous Lacquer is a new indie brand that I discovered via Instagram.  "Purple Rainbows" is a lovely purple holo that I instantly loved when I saw photos of it.  This polish has been reformulated because  the make felt her original base was too thick.  I purchased the first bottle (original formula) because I ain't no scaredy cat and I really like it.  Even tho the base leans on the thicker side, it's not difficult to apply. Shown is 2 coats with topcoat.  All in all a really lovely holo :)

 Lime Crime - Peaches & Cream

This polish... Oh, this polish!  This has been on my "I've gots to have it" list for a very very long time.  Every time I have visited Lime Crime in the hopes of purchasing a bottle, it's been sold out.  To be honest, I just stopped searching.  Then I saw that Lexi of Painted Polish was having a destash sale and she had a brand new, unused bottle!  It now has a happy home with me hahaha.  As with a lot of nude/peach polishes, it is slightly streaky.  I built up 3 coats and applied topcoat.  It reminds me of Crayola's Mac-n-Cheese crayon; I love it!

 Jolie Polish - Choji

Choji is a white crelly base with a mixture of bright colored hex glitters in multiple sizes.  While I was out shopping last weekend, a sales clerk commented on my nails saying they looked like they were covered in frosting and sprinkles.  I couldn't agree more! Shown is 2 coats with topcoat.  The base is a little stickier/thicker that I would prefer and I definitely had to do the "dab and drag" method with the glittery pieces.  But the result was well worth the effort.  This is a new fave in my collection :)  Jolie Polish also sells the most amazing clean-up brush I have ever owned.  I love them so much that I purchased 3 haha.  Definitely worth checking out!

I have some more indie swatches to share with you, hopefully next Sunday.  Question... do you like seeing a mix of indie swatches in a post or would you prefer seeing one brand at a time?  I personally like the variety but I'm curious to hear your thoughts :)

Until next time!

Stef <3

Leopard Ruffian

Hello dolls!

Today I have a quick and simple mani to share with you :)  It features one of my favorite cobalt polishes...

 Colors Used: Milani - Blue Zoom, Orly -  Pointe Blanche, KBShimmer Eclipse

Now I know that everyone is losing their minds over Sally Hansen's Pacific Blue (and of course I had to pick up a bottle to see what all of the fuss is about haha), but this blue certainly gives it a run for it's money!  A one coat, fast drying, vibrant cobalt that doesn't stain... pshh where have you been all my life?!!

Once I applied my base color I decided I wanted to do some simple art.  I didn't want to detract from the  beauty of this polish too much, so I took a page from IG's @just1nail and did leopard print in the ruffian style.  I top coated and was done!

*drool*

I had told myself in January that this was going to be the year of cobalt for me (orchid is just not my style!) and I'm falling more and more in love with the color everyday!  Are there any colors that you're head over heels for at the moment?

Until next time!

Stef <3

Kiss Nail Dress - Comic Nail Strips

Hello lovelies!

Today I have a mani featuring some nail strips that I found while I was out shopping a couple of weeks ago...

 

A new trend that I'm seeing with this particular brand is that they're offering both full nail and french tip strips in the packaging.  I think it's a cool concept :)

 

Application of these strips is very simple.  You don't need a base coat (although I always use one), just make sure your nails are clean.  Match the right sized strip to you your nail and then peel it from the plastic sheeting and apply.  I recommend using a cuticle stick/pusher to press down the edges.  Fold the strip down and file away the excess.  That is the end of Kiss's instructions, but I always add top coat at the end to secure my free edges ;)  This time around I used a my favorite matte top coat from Mentality Nail Polish.

Kapow!!

I love nail strips because they make it easy to do a fun mani when you're short on time (which is happening to me more and more as of late haha).  These strips are supposed to last a week but I only had them on for a couple of days.  Looking for strips with more staying power?  Stay tuned in ;)

Until next time!

Stef <3

Maybelline Bleached Neons Striping

Hello dearies!

How are we all fairing?  Today I have a quick post for you featuring some colors from the new and popular Maybelline Bleached Neons collection...

 Daisy Nail Lacquer - Diamond White, Maybelline - Day Glow Teal (blue), Coral Reef (orange-pink), Lime Accent (green) & Citrus Collide (pale yellow)

The Bleached Neons are pretty much exactly what they sound like.  Creme, bright polishes that seem a little faded in tone.  I did my striping over white because I find it easier to correct any mistakes in my lines that way. But unlike most neon polishes, these cremes don't need a white base.  the color pops on it's own :)

I tried making my stripes different widths just for the fun of it but I don't think it translated well.  I really love the colors in this collection, so overall I'm pleased with this look haha.

I have seen this collection being sold online for around $60 which is just insane.  I drove around to a few different drugstores searching for mine and got the full collection for less than $20 (I found them all at a Rite-Aid).  If you are desperately wanting these polishes I really recommend going on the hunt.  I like them a lot, but they are not worth $60 lol.

Until next time!

Stef <3

SAFS: Spellbound Nails Cremes - The Naturals

Happy Sunday dolls!

It's time for another segment of "Sunday's Are for Swatching"!

 I am so excited to finally be able to share this awesome collections of cremes with you.  in the craziness that has been my life, I haven't had the opportunity to put together this post.  I'm sacraficing sleep for this one but it's so very worth it lol.

(Collage courtesy of Spellbound Nails)

As you all know, I have a great love for Spellbound Nails; I think Ashley makes amazing polishes and these are no exception.  This collection of cremes is called The Naturals.  These "are like a vacation around the world. Taking names and inspiration from things like San Pedro Morning (the khaki polish) to the Mediterranean Sky (the blue polish)"...

 Mediterranean Sky

From The Naturals creme collection. Buy the full collection here and receive a free bottle of Holo Back Girl! holographic topper free!
Mediterranean Sky is a perfectly faded blue. Much like the sky above the Mediterranean Sea this polish is pale enough to not overpower but still bright enough not to get lost.
- See more at: http://spellboundnails.indiemade.com/product/mediterranean-sky#sthash.KJS37m78.dpuf

From The Naturals creme collection. Buy the full collection here and receive a free bottle of Holo Back Girl! holographic topper free!
Mediterranean Sky is a perfectly faded blue. Much like the sky above the Mediterranean Sea this polish is pale enough to not overpower but still bright enough not to get lost.
- See more at: http://spellboundnails.indiemade.com/product/mediterranean-sky#sthash.KJS37m78.dpuf

 This is a gorgeous pale blue creme polish that was opaque in 2 easy coats.  I literally put this on right after opening the package.  I then snapped a photo with my phone and posted it to Ashley's FB page like a complete fan girl.  This polish is just perfection!  Easy to apply and such a gorgeous color.

Carribean Sunset

 Inspired by the blend of pink and purple at twilight, this purple really is a natural.  For me and my skin tone, this polish was very subdued.  Even if you are of a lighter complexion, this creme wouldn't be too bold.  This is definitely a pretty, "work friendly' polish.  2 no-muss coats for opacity.

 San Pedro Morning

This polish surprised me.  It's a lovely beige/kahki color that required 3 coats for opacity.  I fell head over friggin' heels for it!  It's an awesome neutral that I can wear to church and I feel like it would be a great base for some nail art.

 Buckingham Gardens

Don't you just love the name??  This olive creme was opaque in 3 coats.  I love the almost faded effect of this color.  I feel like it and San Pedro Morning would make a good camo mani.  Or maybe leopard print?  Either way, it's just as lovely as the others.

 Sunset Boulevard

Last but never least is this stunning coral creme.  This polish was opaque in 2 coats and I was just in awe of it.  Soooo pretty!!  I can attest that sunsets over Sunset Blvd. often times look peachy-coral and are lovely to look at.

What I love most about all of these polishes is that I didn't need to use topcoat for my swatches.  All of these polishes dried to a beautiful shine in less than 5 minutes. Brilliant!

These and many many other stunning polishes can be found on Ashley's new and improved website.  If you have never tried indie polishes before, may I encourage you to put your faith in Ashley?  She is so sweet and very timely with her deliveries.  I've customized polishes with her to add scents even (remember the banana cream pie scent I added to "Leave the Brakes On"... whovians ftw!!).  Either way, I adore these polishes and I especially adore their maker :)

Until next time!

Stef <3

 * These products were provided to me for review.  I received no payment or other compensation for the review of this product.  The opinions stated here are completely my own.  The contents of this review are based on my direct experience with this product.