The Polish Bar Fall Collection Part 1: Summer Sea

Tonight I have the first of three polishes from The Polish Bar's fall line set to be released October 4th at 10 am pacific!  The set features nine polishes with five holos and four crellies.  I received two holos and one crelly for review, so I'm going to show you one of the holos tonight.  Let's get to it!

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.* 

Color: Light cornflower blue

Finish: Holographic – pigment gives polish a rainbow in the sunshine.  The base of this polish, though, is a tad milky versus the normal thin base color of most holos giving it a more saturated look.  Also, the pigment used to create the rainbow is an alternative to Spectraflair, so it provides a less linear and more scattered holo look when in the sun and a silver fleck look in indirect light.

Bottle / Brush: Round mini bottle – wand and brush are just long enough to reach the bottom of the bottle.  However, the fact that it’s a mini makes application a little tricky.  Requires a steady hand to apply evenly without pooling.

Opacity:  High – opaque at two coats.  I used three here, though, for the photos.

Glitter Application: N/A

Consistency: Thick – a bit thick, but is easily remedied with some polish thinner if preferred.  It was actually very manageable for me despite it's thickness.  I didn't add any thinner, but I would note that the base gets thicker the longer the bottle is open.

Overall Ease of Application: Medium – applies well with minimal pooling, dragging, streaking, or balding.  Spreads well without much manipulation.  Janice actually states that her holos apply like typical holos, requiring more care in application that normal polishes.  I'll disagree with her here.  The two holos I received have much better formula and application than most of the holos in my collection.  I didn't need an aqua base, so I call that a win in my book!  The first coat was a bit streaky, but it evens out with a second coat.

Stampability: Not tested for stamping, but I'm planning to test stamping with Cosmic Glow tomorrow.

Dry Time: Medium – dry to the touch with minimal smudging in 3-8 minutes.

Overall Thoughts:  Well, what else can I say now that I haven't said up top?  I was a bit long-winded tonight!  I guess it's because I just missed you guys so much.  Heheh.  Ok, back to Summer Sea.  I have a million blue holos, and several of them are duplicates of each other.  However, Summer Sea is quite unique in my collection.  It has a more opaque base than most holos, and it is thicker than most as well.  Application was easy, and I was able to apply cleanly without much cleanup at all.  I always find that to be highly desirable in a polish.  It also looks pretty great as undies for various glitter toppers.  I've included one example below - Summer Sea topped with Lynnderella When the Moon was a Star.  Just so lovely.

You can purchase The Polish Bar polishes at Janice's Etsy store.  Follow her on facebook here for news and updates.  Get your wallets ready, folks.  These polishes are must haves.

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*

Elevation Polish Higravstinden aka "Hig"

Tonight's post is going to be quick and dirty.  I'm almost to a place in my life after the move and general work business where I can fit in regularly scheduled blog posts.  Almost.  Not quite yet, though.  So, while I spend the next few days (maybe a week?) doing this:

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I hope you'll all bear with me as I get my act together.  I promise, it'll be worth it in the long run!

Tonight, we're going to check out Elevation Polish's Higravstinden aka: Hig.  I'm glad she has an aka, otherwise, I might cry if I had to write that out every single time!  Ok, let's get to it!

*I was not financially compensated for this post.  All items in this review were purchased by me for my own use.  The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*

Color: Vibrant teal with blue and teal shimmer.

Finish: Shimmer – a polish that shimmers in the light due to fine particles that refract light.

Bottle / Brush: Rectangle bottle – ribbed cap that is a little hard on the hands to open if you have sensitive skin.  The wand is the standard length, but the brush is a little too thin to pick up large / shaped glitter without fishing.  The brush's width is also, typically, an issue for spreading.  It doesn't fan out and pretty much requires you to dab polishes that are densely packed with glitter.  However, in this instance, the brush was fine handling Hig's application, which was nothing short of amazing.

Opacity: Medium – achieves opacity at three coats.

Glitter Application: N/A

Consistency: Medium – applies easily and doesn’t flood the cuticles.

Overall Ease of Application: Easy – applies well without pooling, dragging, streaking, or balding.  Spreads evenly and smoothly.

Stampability: Not tested for stamping.

Dry Time: Medium – dry to the touch with minimal smudging in 3-8 minutes.

Overall Thoughts: I'm not entirely certain what took me so long to wear this.  It's one of my oldest Elevations, and I just now put it on my nails?  What a travesty.  Hig applied so easily that there was almost no cleanup required.  I LOVE polishes like that.  I am so bad at application sometimes as I don't have the steadiest of hands or the most patience, so when I find a polish that applies well, I will sing it's praises to the rooftops!  I also loved the blue shimmers, which were way more prominent in person than in my photos.  It's the perfect medium teal shimmer that everyone should have, really.  There's no excuse not to.  Except, well, there's one tiny catch...  It's been discontinued.  BUT DON'T WORRY!  There are still some in stock, which I've linked below!  If you like this bad boy, you'd better grab it quick before it's gone for good!

You can purchase Elevation Polishes at Lulu's store, and if you like this polish, you definitely need to grab it soon!  Follow her blog for info on restocks and new additions to her line.

*I was not financially compensated for this post.  All items in this review were purchased by me for my own use.  The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*

Jindie Polish Sparkle on the Vine

Man oh man.  Today has been a super busy day.  I had a doctor's appointment, and then I had to promptly get to work.  Which I just finished...  Yeah, loooooong day!  Anyway, let's take a quick look at Jindie Sparkle on the Vine, a super gorgeous glitter topper!  Then, I'm off to bed.  I'm pooped!

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample of Sparkle on the Vine for review purposes.  All other polishes in this review were purchased by me for my own use.  The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*

Color: Clear base chock full of squares, hexes, and small, medium, and giant dots in silver, teal, green, purple, and fuchsia.

Finish: Glitter Top Coat – glitter in a clear base to be worn as a top coat.

Bottle / Brush: Tall round bottles with round cap - the cap is a little awkward to hold because it’s so round but also pretty short.  If you have a hard time holding caps, this bottle type might be difficult for you.  The wand and brush are long and slender allowing you to grab glitters from deeper within the bottle but making it a little more difficult to get the larger glitter pieces to stay on the brush.

Opacity: Glitter topcoat – not designed for full opacity.

Glitter Application: Medium – requires the dab method, but the small to medium sized glitters are easy to extract and spread evenly.  The giant dots do require a little fishing and placement, though.

Consistency: Medium – applies easily and doesn’t flood the cuticles.

Overall Ease of Application: Medium – applies well with minimal pooling, dragging, streaking, or balding.  Spreads well without much manipulation.

Stampability: Not designed for stamping.

Dry Time: Medium – dry to the touch with minimal smudging in 3-8 minutes.

Overall Thoughts: Here I've paired Sparkle on the Vine with Elevation Echinops, which you can see here.  I find this pairing perfect as you can still see the lighter and more delicate glitters all while making the bolder glitters pop with more vibrancy.  Application was easy, but I did have to flip the bottle upside down and then fish a bit to get the larger dots out of the bottle.  Otherwise, the rest of the glitters came out well.  I used the dab method for spreading them, but you could easily brush it on like normal for a less dense and more sparse look.  Even though this feels more like a spring polish, I still love it and would definitely wear it any time of year.  I really want to try it with a jelly sandwich next time.  Maybe with OPI Care to Danse.  Which do you think it would work best with, a lighter color or something brighter?

You can purchase Jindies at her store here. You can also purchase Jindies from her stockists Llarowe, Mei Mei's Signatures, Ninja Polish, Harlow & Co, and Femme Fatale. Follow Jen from Jindie on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample of Sparkle on the Vine for review purposes.  All other polishes in this review were purchased by me for my own use.  The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*

Elevation Echinops

When Lulu started making holos, I was pretty excited.  I'm not going to lie - I love me some Elevations, which is obvious if you look at my stash.  I probably have more Elevations than any other indie except Lynnderellas.  I love the variety of finishes and colors she offers, so I was definitely intrigued when I saw her foray into holos, Muztagh Ata.  Sadly, it's still in my untrieds.  However, I do have my second Elevation holo on the blog tonight.  Let's take a look at the delicate and subtle beauty that is Echinops.

*I was not financially compensated for this post.  All items in this review were purchased by me for my own use.  The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*

Color: Soft lavender base with scattered holo.

Finish: Holographic – pigment gives polish a rainbow in the sunshine.  Keep in mind, this is a different kind of pigment than what you normally see in holos.  It's a looser rainbow due to the pigment's large particle size that isn't as in your face as other holos.

Bottle / Brush: Rectangle bottle – ribbed cap that is a little hard on the hands to open if you have sensitive skin.  The wand is the standard length, but the brush is a little too thin to pick up large / shaped glitter without fishing.  The brush's width is also an issue for spreading.  It doesn't fan out and pretty much requires you to dab polishes that are densely packed with glitter.

Opacity: Medium – achieves opacity at three to four coats.

Glitter Application: N/A

Under the light of my ice maker...  Always the best lighting to show shifts and holos.

Consistency: Medium – applies easily and doesn’t flood the cuticles.

Overall Ease of Application: Medium – applies well with minimal pooling, dragging, streaking, or balding.  Spreads well without much manipulation.

Stampability: Not tested for stamping.

Dry Time: Medium – dry to the touch with minimal smudging in 3-8 minutes.

Overall Thoughts: If you're looking for an in-your-face holo like the Color Club Halo Hues, you'll be quite disappointed.  HOWEVER, this large particle loose rainbow is still really pretty.  It doesn't come out to play easily, though, and definitely tried to play hide-and-seek with my camera, the little skamp.  I love that the color is definitely a different kind of purple than a lot of the other purple holos in my collection.  Lord knows I have a million purple holos!  This one leans periwinkle at times, which is really pretty, but it's not a straight up periwinkle.  I also feel like it's a more pigmented giving it a heartier look than the sometimes watery holo you typically see.  I'm a little disappointed with the prism, though, as I was definitely hoping it would be stronger.  It will be the perfect undies for a lot of my glitter toppers, which you'll see one combo tomorrow.  Echinops may not have much rainbow power, but I'm pretty sure that the new holos she just released have a much stronger effect.  I'm looking forward to grabbing one to test out.

You can purchase Elevation Polishes at Lulu's store.  Follow her blog for info on restocks and new additions to her line.

*I was not financially compensated for this post.  All items in this review were purchased by me for my own use.  The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*

Comparison Thursday: Teal with Pink - part deux!

Per reader request, tonight's comparison will be of KBShimmer Teal Another Tail and Indigo Bananas Immortal Game.  Both are teal based polishes with strong gold to pink shift and holographic glitters, but, as you'll see below, they are quite different.  If you'd like to see my first teal with pink flash comparison, look here.  Oh, and while you're at it, check out the blue with pink flash post here!

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.* 

Let's start off with the similarities.  As you can see, both polishes are teal based with strong pink to gold flash.  They both contain a large particle shifting pigment with a bit of holographic glitter interspersed.  Both only required three coats for full opacity, and they dried at the same pace without a topcoat - about 10 minutes.  Photos holding Teal Another Tail are both polishes without topcoat.  Photos holding Nina Ultra Pro Topcoat and those in the low light photos are both polishes with topcoat.  The macros are both with topcoat.  Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Let's take a look at each polish a little more closely now to check out their differences.

KBShimmer Teal Another Tail

Teal Another Tail leans more green on the teal spectrum than Immortal Game.  It also has a brighter shift.  If you look at the macro, you can see bits of black, as well, that's missing from Immortal Game.  Also, Teal Another Tail dries with a matte, almost textured, finish.  The texture doesn't rise to the level of Zoya Pixie Dusts or OPI Liquid Sands, but it's definitely a grittier finish than a normal matte.  Even without a topcoat, you can see the shift and sparkle quite vividly.  The holographic glitters in Teal Another Tail are actually quite a bit larger, and thus more noticeable, than those found in Immortal Game.  With topcoat added, Teal Another Tail was just as glossy as Immortal Game.  

Immortal Game

Immortal Game leans more toward the blue side of the teal spectrum.  The shift, while vibrant, isn't quite as strong as the shift in Teal Another Tail.  The shifting particles are large in Immortal Game, too, but it doesn't cause the polish to get gritty.  Immortal Game dries shiny and smooth.  With topcoat, it's quite glossy.  There are microscopic holographic glitters that you see only when the light hits them just right, but they are there.  Immortal Game is also much less densely packed with the glass flecks/glitters/shifting particles than in Teal Another Tail, giving you a better view of the base color than with TAT.

  You can see the biggest difference between them in the low light photos (yes, I used the sensual glow of the refrigerator once more).  The green is more apparent in Teal Another Tail and the gold shifts stronger in Teal Another Tail as well.  Immortal Game has fewer particles, which is why, in my opinion, the shift isn't as strong.

As you can see, in certain lights, they look very similar, but in others, they are quite different.  I definitely think you could get away with owning both.  

You can purchase Indigo Bananas at her shop.  Follow Andrea and Indigo Bananas on Facebook, Instagram, and her blog for news, updates, and links to blogger reviews.  You can purchase KBShimmers at their online store for US customers and Harlow and Co for international customers.  Follow the KBShimmer crew on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.* 

Indigo Bananas Immortal Game (UPDATED!)

Gah.  I just love everything that Andrea from Indigo Bananas comes up with.  Truly I do.  She has some of the most gorgeous shifters on the market, and that's no lie.  If you don't have any, you should tooooooootally go grab some.  The shifts are always so vibrant in pretty much every lighting.  Tonight's polish is no different.  Let's take a look at Indigo Bananas Immortal Game.  Oh, and I hope you don't mind good ole Mr. Righty tonight...

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.* 

Color: Light blue leaning teal base with large shifting glass flecks that shift from gold to pink, violet flakes, and a small amount of holographic glitter.

Finish: Chrome – a polish that shifts between colors depending on the angle you look at it.

Bottle / Brush: Square with curves – square bottle with a slight curve on the walls and a lip at the top.  Easy to hold.  The wand is a little on the longer side, but the cap and brush are average.  Average application.

Opacity: Medium – achieves opacity at four coats.

Glitter Application: Easy – Spreads evenly without much manipulation.  While Immortal Game doesn't have much actual glitter, per se, it does have the larger flakies and flecks, which were all easy to extract from the bottle and easy to apply. 

Consistency: Medium – applies easily and doesn’t flood the cuticles.

Overall Ease of Application: Medium – applies well with minimal pooling.  Spreads well without much manipulation.

Stampability: Not tested for stamping.

Dry Time: Medium – dry to the touch with minimal smudging in 3-8 minutes.

Overall Thoughts: Immortal Game is such a pretty polish.  The shift is so strong in any setting.  It is reminiscent of Rescue Beauty Lounge's Water Lily, but the shift is much stronger and the shifting pigment is much larger in size.  And also it's just prettier.  Don't throw things at me!!  Application was easy with some slight pooling on the cuticle and side walls.  Otherwise, it layered nicely without getting too thick.  The only problem I have is that the flecks and flakies sink over time.  This is easily remedied with a good shake and a flip upside down 20-30 minutes before use - enough time for the bubbles to settle.  Dry time is average.  I'd really love to try this polish over a couple of other colors.  Andrea recommends wearing it over pink to create a neutral grey with pink shift, which I think would be really pretty for fall.

OMG, I CAN'T BELIEVE I FORGOT THIS PHOTO!!!  D'oh!  Anyway, here's Immortal Game in the lovely and romantic glow of my refrigerator.  ;)

You can purchase Indigo Bananas at her shop.  Follow Andrea and Indigo Bananas on Facebook, Instagram, and her blog for news, updates, and links to blogger reviews.

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.* 

Northern Star Enigmatic Doctors!

I'm finally getting back to some Northern Star Polishes that I received earlier this summer for review.  Tonight, we're going to take a look at another one of Kristin's X-Files inspired polishes, Enigmatic Doctors.  One of my best friends was a huge X-Files fan, so I know a bit about the show from her.  Otherwise, I'm a bit out of the loop on the series.

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Um.  Yeah, I know, I know...

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So yeah, anyway, let's take a look at this gorgeous glitter topper, shall we?

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*

Color: Clear base with blue, teal, orange, purple, and wine hexes and squares in varying sizes.

Finish: Glitter Top Coat – glitter in a clear base to be worn as a top coat.

Bottle / Brush: Round bottle – the brush and wand are the standard width and length.  Easy to control and manipulate.  Although, it appears that Northern Star has moved to a new bottle and brush, so I'll have to get a few more to get you updated info on her new brushes.  Who am I kidding, I don't need a thinly veiled excuse to buy more, hah!  Just, you know, buy more!

Opacity: Glitter topcoat – not designed for full opacity.  Although, it's a pretty dense topcoat, so you could probably layer this baby over itself a few times for full opacity.

Glitter Application: Medium – requires the dab method, but glitters are easy to extract and spread evenly.

Consistency: Medium – applies easily and doesn’t flood the cuticles.

Overall Ease of Application: Easy – applies well without pooling, dragging, streaking, or balding.  Spreads evenly and smoothly.

Stampability: Not designed for stamping.

Dry Time: Medium – dry to the touch with minimal smudging in 3-8 minutes.

Overall Thoughts: Enigmatic Doctors is a fantastic glitter topper that, in my opinion, is perfect for fall.  The colors are rich and deep giving it a very warm feel.  Here, I've layered it over another of Northern Star's X-Files Polishes, Trust No. 1, one of my all time favorite blues whose review is located here.  Enigmatic Doctors is a dense glitter, but it's not so dense that it dries gritty.  Here, I've only used one coat of Nubar Diamont on top.  Luckily, it played nicely with Nubar without any wrinkling, shrinking, or bubbling.  Again, application is super easy and didn't bubble up or slide around on my nail.  While this polish has been out for a few months, I really think that it will shine as the perfect fall topper.  I'm also looking forward to wearing it matte over a rust red or dusty orange!  What do you think would be the perfect undies for Enigmatic Doctors?

You can purchase Enigmatic Doctors at the Northern Star Polish store on Etsy. Follow Kristin on Facebook and Instagram for news and updates.

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*