La Fee Verte by Ellagee

Funny story about this polish. I saw the word ‘thermal’ in the description and basically noticed nothing else beyond that. So I had no idea that it glowed in the dark, and completely freaked myself out at 1 in the morning when I woke up after a crazy dream to see something glowing in my bed.

I mean, you’d be spooked too if you weren’t expecting it!

My first reaction was – honestly – to freeze and say ‘Holy crabcakes!’ to myself. So apparently when faced with unexpected glowing things, my reaction is to call upon crabcakes for help. I don’t even like crabcakes.

A while after that, my husband woke me up by exclaiming, “You’re radioactive!” in response to my still-glowing nails. So if you’re looking for a peaceful night’s sleep, La Fee Verte may not be for you. It’s pretty phantasmagoric.

It’s also pretty awesome in the daytime, too.

This product was provided for an honest review.

Ellagee is officially on my ‘nod of approval’ list. I’ve tried three polishes, and they’ve all been big time winners. La Fee Verte – the green fairy – is no exception. In its warm state, it’s a cool silver. When cold, it’s a subdued green. Tiny holographic glitters are speckled sparsely throughout, and there’s a delicate shimmer to the polish overall, giving it an ethereal feel.

La Fee Verte in transition, low light

Ellagee recommends using a top coat for this polish, but heck if I ain’t a rebel and went without. And I actually really love it on its own. It dries with a slightly textured finish, and a muted – not quite matte or satin – shine. It also dries remarkably fast.

Two coats, direct sunlight

So, we’ve got another triple whammy from Ellagee here: thermal, textured, and glow in the dark. Whoaaa nellie. Watch out for this Ellagee gal, people. She’s clearly a lacquer genius – who knows what she can accomplish with such powerful polish skills?

Ellagee polish can be found at her site, http://www.ellagee.com/!

This product was provided for an honest review.

Ring Ding Ding Ding Dingeringeding by Ellagee

I have a new favorite polish! And it’s called Ring A Ling A Ding Dong. I mean, Ram A Lam A Dang Doo! I mean – dang it, let me go look it up on Ellagee’s page again.

It’s called RING DING DING DING DINGERINGEDING!

WAT

No, really, Mr. Fox! That’s what it’s called! And I love it!

I like it, show me more!

Okay!

It’s perfect. I approve.

Fox approved!

But honestly, people – this is the perfect fox polish of all time. We can all pack up now and go home. Time to close up shop. The Polish Fox is complete – the perfect fox polish has finally been done.

This product was provided for an honest review.

It only took one swipe of this polish to know how awesome it was. It goes opaque in one coat – I love when that happens. The holo is stunning, and it dries insanely fast. And the color? The perfect, autumnal, rusty, burnt-orange, foxiest fox shade of all time.

You remember the dashing cartoon Robin Hood of our childhood?

This is him in a bottle.

So, what does the fox say? Ring Ding Ding Ding Dingeringeding! AND IT LOOKS FABULOUS.

 You can find Ring Ding Ding Ding Dingeringeding at her site, here. 

 

This product was provided for an honest review.

Get Away From Her, You Bitch! by Ellagee

It’s green. It’s a jelly. It’s got flakies. It GLOWS IN THE FREAKING DARK.

Oh yeah, I’m a fan of this polish for sure.

Four coats GAFHYB under cloudy skies.

Get Away From Her, You Bitch! is an awesome polish made by Ellagee, that was inspired by the Aliens movie poster. I’ve gotta be honest with you – I’ve still never seen Aliens. I will someday, it just hasn’t happened yet! Doesn’t matter though, still an insane fan of this polish.

This product was provided for an honest review.

Because GAFHYB is a jelly, it goes on sheer. I did four coats for  opacity in photos, but you could easily do three, or do a base color.

I got lots of compliments on this polish. It’s definitely unique – you don’t see a lot of green jellies to begin with, and then on top of that this shade is perfect. It’s like sea glass. The flakies give this polish incredible dimension.

And oh yeah, it GLOWS.

After just a couple minutes under cloudy skies, it glowed like this!

For some reason, I always think that in order for a polish to glow brightly in the dark, it has to be a light, creamy color. So when I first got this polish and saw it in all its green jelly goodness, I thought, this won’t glow much. I don’t know why I thought that. It’s CLEARLY not the case. Look at that glow! And the glow lasts for a while, too. I woke up in the middle of the night and my nails were still glowing.

GAFHYB, direct sunlight

This was my first experience with Ellagee and I’m definitely been hooked. In fact, I’ve been wearing this polish for three days now, which is the longest I’ve worn a polish for a while. And I helped my awesome sister and brother-in-law move yesterday, and there is nary a chip on my nails! Seriously, the edges of my nails are still perfect. Usually I at least have some wear by now, but it looks like I just applied this polish.

I have a couple more Ellagee polishes to try, and I can’t wait after this very positive first experience.

Ellagee polishes can be found at her site, www.ellagee.com. She’s got something for everyone – textures, cremes, holos, and more. Check her out!

This product was provided for an honest review.

Seize The Rainbow – Model City Polish

I have a feeling that I’m the neighborhood weirdo. I don’t get any direct sunlight in my house, so I always have to stand outside to get shots of my nails in the sun. So there I am, shooting pictures of my hands, usually in my pajamas, with my neighbors walking their dogs and driving by me. But I do it for you, readers! I’m the neighborhood weirdo so I can share indie polish with you lacqueristas.

Just kidding. I would be the neighborhood weirdo with or without nail polish, probably.

Anyways, today I’ve got a lovely Model City Polish to share with you. This is Seize The Rainbow:

3 Coats, direct sunlight

Seize The Rainbow is actually a holographic topper – you can apply a thin coat to any polish to give it a holographic effect. But it looks beautiful all on its own – subtle, delicate, shimmery – it almost reminds me of mist. Have you ever seen a waterfall on a bright sunny day? When the mist at the bottom of the waterfall catches the sunlight and rainbows appear? That’s what it makes me think of.

The formula on this is lovely. It goes on buttery smooth. I did end up using four thin coats, but it was mostly because I was spacing out and watching tv while I painted and was kind of mindlessly running the brush over my nails. It was easy to do, because the application was so velvety I didn’t really have to pay attention to make it go on effortlessly streak-free and lovely. Next time I would probably stop at 2-3 coats, because I think this would look really pretty a little more sheer.

Indoors, this polish becomes a beautiful, shimmery silver color:

Indoor lighting

And then, because I just really want to cement myself as the neighborhood crazycakes, I stood in my front yard at dusk and took pictures of my nails with the flash on.

Evening, with flash

Model City Polish can be bought on etsy and also at her own shop. She also has her own nail polish blog where she swatches and reviews a variety of indies. I recommend her wholeheartedly.

Oh Christmas Tree – Colors by Llarowe

Let’s talk about rainbows for a minute.

Those lovely, fleeting, colorful ROYGBIV’s that unfurl after a rain – they show up for only a moment, and then they’re gone. But where do rainbows go once they’ve vanished from the sky?

I think I know.

Rainbowsplosion, aka ‘Oh Christmas Tree’ under my kitchen lights.

Here’s my theory, and I’m pretty sure it’s 100% possibly true: there’s this leprechaun, and he hates rainbows because they’re basically like enormous, shiny arrows proclaiming ‘BUCKET OF GOLD HERE ~>’ and I think him and Llarowe are in business together. So he stuffs all the rainbows into bottles and sells them to Llarowe, and clearly that’s the only thing that makes any sense here, there is NO other logical explanation, because look at this:

One generous coat with HK Girl on top; with flash.

Seriously, look at it.

Direct indoor lighting.

There has gotta be some crazy hijinx going on to make that much rainbow glide off a lil polish brush.

‘Oh Christmas Tree’ is a darkened green teal, and the holo is insane. It’s even stronger in person. And on top of that, the formula is rich enough to be a one-coater. Nice.

Some of you may remember that I was a little cranky with my first Colors by Llarowe experience because I felt like the polish was different in person than pictured on the site. I can tell you that I have tried two more CbL’s since then (Oh Christmas Tree and Oxen), and both of these have been accurately portrayed and excellent quality. Combine that with her excellent customer service, and I’m definitely still a fan.

In sunlight.

This was a holiday polish that is no longer available in Llarowe’s shop, but it is one of the polishes available in my giveaway. And as of right now there are only 67 entries, so you have not-so-bad odds if you enter!

So, here are some links for those interested. Later, lacqueristas!

– Colors by Llarowe shop

– Colors by Llarowe giveaway

– Llarowe’s Facebook page (for updates, restocks, and the occasional flash giveaways)

– Andddd a random picture of a very happy puppy if you need a pick-me-up.

Indian Summer by CrowsToes.

I can’t even. I’ve got CrowsToes ‘Indian Summer’ on right now and…holy moly cannoli, people. I can’t even use the words good anymore. You think I’m messing around here? You think I’m kidding? I’m not kidding. Indian Summer is glow-freaking-amazeballs.

Direct Sunlight. You can see a bit of the microtwinkle you get in the sun here.

Oh snapppppp.

I love this polish.

Sometimes painting my nails makes me feel a little better when I’ve had a long day. So even though I got home late last night and was exhausted, I wanted to do some lacquer-therapy before I went to bed. I threw on Indian Summer while half-asleep, by the dim glow of the television; squinted at my nails and thought, ‘hm, looks pretty neat.’ Then I stumbled into bed and promptly conked out.

Fast forward to this morning. I yawn and kick the blankets off, then see my nails in daylight.

“IT’S SO GLORIOUS!” I cry, holding my hands up in front of me.

It took me like two minutes longer than it usually does to make my first cup of coffee of the day because I was so distracted by my nails. A polish that distracts me from caffeine? So rare. So wow. So Indian Summer.

Two coats Indian Summer with one coat Seche Vite in low-light/shade.

Now, I don’t even like the color purple. My favorite color is green. My least favorite color? Purple. But this polish had been making its rounds in my newsfeed, and it keeps selling out super quickly. So I finally broke down and bought it the last time it was restocked at Llarowe.

Purple-haters, listen up. This is one of those rare purples that will make you frown, cross your arms and grumble, “fine, I don’t hate ALL purple.” It just glows with life. It’s rich and vibrant. And it’s not just purple – it shifts to blue and magenta and orange-red. It’s a crisp, cold autumn night with a scarf wrapped around your neck and a chill reddening your cheeks, and the evening sky a range of colors as the sun sets.

Indirect lighting/indoors.

Yeah, I’m a fan. Could you tell yet?

You can find CrowsToes at several online retailers, including Llarowe. Llarowe is the only one of the retailers that I’ve had experience with and can personally recommend, so it’s the only one I’ll link to here. But for a list of other places to get CrowsToes, you can check her facebook.

Man oh man. I’m going to go back to staring at my nails, now. Maybe I’ll make another cup of coffee, too. Woo boy. It’s going to be a crazy Saturday.

Cult Nails Masquerade

So, it’s been a while, but I’m back(ish)! My posts will probably be more sparing now, but I’m easing into things with a crazy gorgeous polish that is also, um…kind of not available anymore. And I didn’t even realize it until I started this post, so I’m sorry! But it’s a gorgeous polish, and I’d already taken pictures, and maybe if we all ask Cult Nails nicely, they’ll make more of the Masquerade collection? 

Whew. So after that longwinded intro, let me introduce you to Masquerade: 

Three Coats masquerade with one coat Seche Vite on top.

The base color is a deep teal jelly that leans green, and it glows with a purple-green-gold shimmer. Sophisticated with a bite.

I didn’t have any direct sunlight when I was photographing it today, but even in undercast lighting, you can still see the shimmer at play here. It jumps from purple, to pink to gold, and even green. Stunning. 

And now for something completely different. Introducing Masquerade: the animal edition!

I was taking a picture of one of my sloth buddies today, and realized I’d gotten my nails in the shot. And then suddenly I thought, well, why not showcase nail polish and animals all in one? Because yeah, I get really distracted at work and these are the things that go through my head. 

So if you were curious how Masquerade pairs with, say, armadillo, then wonder no longer. 

Priscilla Dilla, the armadillo who loves food more than anything.

And Beetlejuice (my favorite bird in the whole wide world) was a big fan of Masquerade. Okay, so really he was just happy to be getting a neck rub. I’m not even sure if birds can see colors, now that I think about it. Moving on. 

And you might think Big Nose the sloth was just interested in jicama here, but you’re wrong. Really, she was like, ‘dang, those nails are awesome!’ But she thought it really slowly, because, you know, she’s a sloth.

And there you have it! It’s been a while since I’ve written a nail polish post, so I apologize if I’m a bit rusty. But overall I’m a huge fan of this polish! It was my first experience with Cult Nails, and I’m impressed. Went on smoothly with no streaking, dried quickly, and looked gorgeous. It wasn’t quite as durable as some of my other polishes, but not enough to be a dealbreaker for me. 

The Masquerade Collection is currently sold out, but Cult Nails has a lot of other stunning polishes AND free shipping in the US! Check out their website to learn more. 

Until next time, indie polish fans! 🙂

Um, hi.

Hi guys. I kind of disappeared for a while there. I’m hoping no one noticed, but if anyone did…well, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I just vanished like that, and didn’t give any word.

If it’s any consolation, I work with a real live fox now. His name is Snickerdoodle, and he’s still a pup and kind of a butthead. I’m currently trying to teach him to get comfortable with hand-feeding, but he’s more interested in bouncing around and making little yipping noises.

If I just paint his nails, he’ll be a real polish fox!

I wanted to come back and say hi, but the longer I waited the worse I felt and the more I felt like I couldn’t say anything because everyone probably already hated me for disappearing. But I took a deep breath and decided to check in on my facebook page this week, and received so many supportive comments. I’m always astounded by the kindness I encounter in the nail polish community!

So, I’m hoping to have a post up in the next hour or two, just kind of easing back into things. I probably won’t post as regularly as I used to, but I’ve missed you all and I’ve missed sharing indies with you! I’m sorry again I dropped off the face of the planet for a while. But I’m looking forward to starting things up again, if you’re all alright with that! 🙂

Love Letter to Kurt Vonnegut by Scofflaw Nail Varnish

Are you guys sick of Scofflaws yet? Because I have one more to show you. I’m sorry, I just can’t help it! I’ve been on such a Scofflaw kick lately – they’re just great quality and so much fun.

So today I have one final Scofflaw to share with you – a limited edition, blue-grey, literary inspired polish called “Love Letter To Kurt Vonnegut.”

Two coats, smoothed with topcoat.

Even though I have yet to really connect with Vonnegut like some people do (I feel like it will happen for me some day! I just need more time to understand him), I couldn’t resist buying this polish since I am a giant literature nerd.

It actually dried with a bit of a textured finish, and I was surprised to find I liked that about it. I’m not a huge fan of the ‘sand’ polish movement going around right now – it’s so in-your-face lumpy and bumpy and kind of gives me the jeebies. But this was a very subtle sort of pebbly texture. You can see what I mean in this second picture:

Two coats, no topcoat (slightly textured finish).

It’s nice, right? Really subtle and actually pretty cool.

The color of this polish is also just gorgeous. It’s a velvety blue with undertones of periwinkle and grey – it’s a very calming shade. There are glinting gold flecks and tiny black glitter peppered throughout.

This polish is a limited edition and is already sold out at Scofflaw Varnish’s etsy shop, but it will be sold at Llarowe. So sign up for an email notification or keep an eye on restock dates for Llarowe if you’re interested, because this polish will go fast.

Later gators!

A Scofflaw Trio

Hey guys! Remember me? I like to talk about indie polish and fight bears*? Anyways, I haven’t been around in a while. I’ve been off, doing non-polish related things. But I missed you all during my mini hiatus, and I missed making you listen to me blather on about indies, and I know you missed me too so WORRY NO MORE! I’m back with a big post featuring Scofflaw Nail Varnish. You may all heave a collective sigh of relief.

Up first I’ve got ‘Love Letter To Bea Arthur.’ I feel like this polish doesn’t get the love it deserves. It always seems to sell slower than other Scofflaws, and I don’t see it featured very often on blogs. Which is crazypants, because it’s awesome. It’s a spectacular ‘neutral’ or ‘nude’ that I could see being flattering on a lot of skin tones.

Do you know how hard it is to find a neutral that doesn’t fall into grandmother or boring territory? It’s difficult. Most of the times when I try a ‘neutral’ polish, my nails end up looking like they’ve closed their eyes and are napping. But ‘Love Letter To Bea Arthur’ is classy. My nails have shrugged on a dusty rose silk gown with layers of gold and plum peeking through; they’re sashaying all over town like a madam. This polish will make you feel fancy, but subtle-fancy. Try wearing it while smoking a long-stemmed cigarette and sighing, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

(Also, I feel like I need to admit that I have absolutely no idea who Bea Arthur is. But I’m not googling it, because I like the imaginary classy lady I have made up in my head to go with this polish.)

Next up: David Bowie’s Bulge. Rawr.

For some reason, my camera refused to accurately capture this polish, but I didn’t realize until much later when I had uploaded the photos to my laptop. I imagine my camera snickering in the corner like, “Oh, you wanted pictures of this awesome dusty coral-red-orange polish? HAHA! Sorry, can’t do that for you. Hate you mucho! Muah!” Stupid camera.

That aside, this has become one of my absolute favorite polishes in my collection, and that’s not just because I am an insane David Bowie fan.

It’s a gorgeous polish – the hue is strikingly unique, a sort of faded, burned-out red. Yet, even while appearing ‘faded,’ it still pops with an eye-catching intensity on the fingers. I got several compliments when wearing this polish. And I’m talking compliments from other people, not just myself when I would wash my hands in front of a mirror and notice my nails and exclaim, “DAYUM GIRL! Your nails look GOOD!”

I wish I could have more accurately captured this elusive shade on camera, but seriously: one of my top ten favorites now.

Okay, I have one more Scofflaw to talk about, but I didn’t realize how excited I would be about blogging to you all again and I have talked way more than I meant to, so I’ll try to keep this last review short. This is Flotsam & Jetsam:

Sea green with turquoise and purple shards mixed in, making it sweet with a bite. The base color is delicate, but the shards give it an edge, and it’s all perfectly balanced. For some reason, it reminds of the eighties. I could imagine Jem of ‘Jem & The Holograms’ wearing this while working her undercover day job.

Jem is my NAME!

Totally radical.

SO. Anybody still here? If you are, let me close by saying this: you’re awesome, Scofflaw Nail Varnish is fantastic, and if you want to get Scofflaw on your totally tubular nails, you can find it at her etsy shop or Llarowe.

*Just kidding about the fighting bears part. I actually really like bears and don’t like fighting anything except for my husband when he tries telling me that pizza is not the best food in the world. Now look at this gif of an adorable bear with a mushroom.

DON’T FIGHT BEARS. They just want to eat mushrooms.