Essence Sun Delicious LE with a lot of pictures

Hey there :)

Today I've got an whole collection of polishes for you, the Sun Delicious Limited Edtion from Essence which came out this month.

If you don't want to read/hear about my little rant, skip this paragraph:
First off, my little rant about the recent "LE Spam" from Essence. They releassed about 8 Limited Editions in the past 3months (including June/July). Even tough I live in the capital city, it was more than tiring and exhausting to hunt after the things you want to see in person before buying it. My favourite drugstore even hasn't got any room left for new displays because of this dilema. I hope it'll get better in the next few months. So  Essence, if you read this, please stop throwing your Limited Editions at us- or as we would say in German: "Qualität vor Quantität" (Quality, not quantity) .

Now, onto the polishes:
These varnishes are scented ones. Even tough their scent isn't as strong as the ones from Revlon, they have a sweet chocolate scent and this is what I've immediatly thought of after I sniffed:

I really love those but they are quite expensive and I try not to buy them too often ^^

Sunny Side Up is a yellow creme. It really has the color of yolk and applied well. I used 3 coats to even out the little bald spots.

Chocolicious is, as the name implieds, a chocolate brown. It doesn't have a shimmer and was quite glossy. 2 coats to reach opacity.

Raspberry Sorbet is a berry-magenta color. It's a creme and applied nicely with two coats.

Meet me at the club is a middle toned purple, leaning more to to the magenta-color. It has a copper,-gold-ish shimmer and needed 2 coats to be opaque, however, the shimmer doesn't transfer to the nail.

On Holiday... is a dark copper-brown with a really light foil finish. It's a bit hard to describe, it may be a half foil, half shimmer polish. This was my least favourite because even after the third coat you can see the brush strokes. I used 3 coats here.

Overall, I don't think some shades here are unique. You can even live without them, even without the purple one (and I'm a sucker for purples). One of the things that's nice about them, is that they have a pleasant smell. My favourites are Meet me at the Club and Sunny Side Up.

Comparison : Orly Fantasea and Luminelle Mauve captivant

Hey there  :)

Today's post is a comparison between two light purple polishes with gold/ pink shimmer. First off, a bottle comparison

The Luminelle polish is from Yves Rocher and holds only 3 ml, which is one of my first complaints: a 3ml bottle? I know the chances are really high to use up this bottle but you can see in the pic that Orly's bottle looks like a giant compared to it. The other thing is, that the handle and the brush are tiny too, which makes the application difficult- no matter how long/short your nails are.
I thought that the base color of these two polishes was the same but it isn't- the Luminelle one is a bit more blue and has a pink/magenta shimmer, whereas Fantasea is more red-toned with a gold shimmer.  If you click on the picture, you'll see a bit of gold shimmer in MC, but it doesn't show on the swatches. The consistency of both was ok- I think I'll decant the Luminelle one into another bottle because it's bugging me.
I used 4 coats each and both seem perfect for layering. Also I wrote the order on which I applied them on the picture.

My conclusion: I like both but Mauve captivant a bit more but I hope I can buy a backup bottle of it, because the chances are high (even for an addict like me) that you'll really use up a bottle of it ^^.

MNY 109A aka I don't like it when companies don't name their polishes

Hey there :)

Some of you might have heard from MNY (Maybelline New York). They recently launched here in Austria and of course I had to buy some of their polishes. Guinevere from Anonymous Beautyholic has some pictures from their permanent display (click here). Their color-range is ok, the "usual colors"- red, a few sheers, some for french manicures and a few others- a silver glitter, some blues, a purple,....
Their current limited edition's called "I'm a Sweetheart". and there are 4 polishes- the only one that appealed to me, was the light-blue one. It has a slight duo-chrome effect from blue, light pink to a pearly off-white.
I used 3 coats for the swatches, their brush was great, formula was ok and might layer it over another color- who know's how it's going to turn out? My last layering experiment was mind-blowing for me, we'll see ^^
So, here it is, MNY 109A (the a indicates that it's from an LE)

The bottles are also different too, see for yourself:

a pic compared to the Orly bottle

A giveaway and a blog award

Hey there :)

The ladies over at Parokeets are having a giveaway and are celebrating their 300 followers with a giant giveaway :D

Here's the link and a little sneak peak of all the things:

Now about the award.
The lovely jbroback from polish insomniac gave me this award- thank you sweetie!

 The rules are:
Copy the award above, place it on your blog - link your blog back to me and name five things about yourself!

1. One of my other hobbies is sewing. I started when I was about 11 or 12 in school, we had a schoolsubject where we sew easy things. It was only bags and pencil cases first, but after a long break, I started again last summer/a few weeks before I graduated from highschool, talk about a bad timing right? ^^ . This time it's mostly clothes and I can't wait till my last exam (next Wednesday, wohoo) is over, so I have more time to sew :D

2. I also love earrings. Even tough I don't change them every day, I love buying them or diy-ing.

3. I don't like apple/mac things- they are mostly overpriced. The Ipad/Iphone might be a great gadget but I don't want one and I dislike Itunes.

4.I'm 19 years old and turning 20 in November

5. I love travelling. I have relatives all over the world which makes it easier (and a bit cheaper because you don't have to pay for a hotel).

Because I know the decision will be tough, I tag the last 5 people who commented here, which are:

iPolish

Lacquer Ware for Tips and Toes

Tassa's Blog

Karen 

Jackie

Layering Love with LCN polishes

Hey there :)

When I did these swatches, one thought crossed my mind: layering. And I finally had some time to do a layering swatch with it. I used one coat of Wet'n'Wild Black Creme and one coat of LCN 43179-21. The result is mesmerizing, I've never seen a polish like this before and I'd definitly wear this one as a manicure.

Sadly, the pictures didn't capture the depth- it looks so much better in person and it is still really glossy- even without a topcoat. My index and middle finger shows the effect best.

Edit: I was asked where you can get LCN polishes- these is an US-site, click here. (apparently they only have country-specific shops, evilbay might have a few shades)

There's a polish in this posts which was sent to me to review, please visit my Disclosure Policy for more details.

I keep the mailmen/mailwomen busy (picture heavy)

Hey there :)


My exams are almost over and needless to say I don't have any motivation to learn. Oh well, there's always tomorrow, right? ;-)

I've received quite a few packages recently and here they are:

First, my winnings from Lacquer Ware for Tips and Toes:

Mhhh, Starburst.....

Next up, my swap with Jackie from Candy Coated Tips:

Nail Junkie? I LOVE that name, it fits really me and is probably one of the best names for a polish :D
A flash pic to show the holo:

Aaaaaaaaaand Glitter for frankening :D

Last, but not least, my swap with Beauty Judy:

Mhhhhhh- the old Maybelline polishes, my first Quirius :)
And there's more (I forgot to include the Nailene Nail Stickers and the Laura Geller spackle primer- oops):

 (all from left to right)
1st row: Sally Hansen Chili Frost, Ulta Matte-rial Girl Mini set, Maybelline Zip Fly
2nd row: Maybelline in: Shooting Stars, Five Pocket, Jean Pocket, Boot Leg
and Pro 10 in Changeling

Wow, I really love every single polish and can't wait to wear them- a huge THANK YOU to all of you, I really love and appreciate your generosity and can't thank you enough for fulfilling my lemmings and making my wishlist shorter.

Quick post: Hidden Twinkle

Hey there

Just a quick post for today because I've got two exams (finals)- one on Saturday and one on Monday- which means a lot of studying and fewer posts from me. I also won't post much in the next 2 weeks because after that I've got a few other finals the last week of June. But I've planned something on the first week of July, so that's something you can look forward to ^^.

I've layered the infamous Hidden Treasure over my Twinkle Twinkle manicure and was a bit dissapointed that the glitter from TT wasn't visible anymore but decided that I'd leave an accent finger so I can still admire Twinkle Twinkle on its own.

The removal wasn't bad either (of both polishes) I expected it to be much harder but it was quite easy to remove.

Mhhhh- I like the rainbow-effect on my index finger

Maybelline Twinkle Twinkle

Hey there :)

I got this little gem recently from the lovely Karen at Frazzle and Anipoish. I was eager to wear this one and here I am, wearing this gorgeous polish. I wasn't dissapointed at all :)

The opacity was goot to, it needed 2 coats to be opaque and I love it. There's silver glitter in it and at some angles there are a few glitter-particals that are visible inder a real thin coat of polish- a glow-look.

50 questions and starting the fire myself ;)

 I love reading these taggs and here are two that I did:


1. What time did you get up this morning?

around 8am

2. How do you like your steak?

I rarely eat steak, but if I do, medium

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?

Hmmm... I think it was New Moon

4. What is your favorite TV show?

True Blood (Alexander Skasgard!), HIMYM (Awesome ;) ), Vampire Diaries, Glee, United States of Tara, Bones (brennan and seeley should really get together, I hope that'll happen next season and I hope they'll bring zach back, I really miss him :( )...

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

I couldn't choose because I love travelling way to much...

6. What did you have for breakfast?

A cup of tea, a cup of milk and a slice of bread with Nutella

7. What is your favorite cuisine?



Austrian, Chinese, Italian, a bit Indian,.....

8. What foods do you dislike? or rather don't prefer?

coriander when it's added in a few chinese dishes and I don't like spicy food

9. Favorite place to eat?

at home ;)

10. Favorite dressing?

Yoghurt and herb-mix but I love the austrian "Erdäpfelsalat" ;)

11. What kind of vehicle do you drive?

cars?

12. What are your favorite clothes?

Jeans paired with a cute top, dresses if I'm in the mood(rarely)

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance?

USA, my idea of a polish heaven ;)

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full?

full

15. Where would you want to retire?

I can't pick a city/place either

16. Favorite time of day?

around 7-8pm

17. Where were you born?

Vienna

18. What is your favorite sport to watch?

I don't really watch a lot of sport

22. People watcher?

No, not really

23. Are you a morning person or a night person?

Something inbetween?

24. Do you have any pets?

Nope

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share?

None that I can think of right now

26. What did you want to be when you were little?

A princess :D

27. What is your best childhood memory?

Playing with my (younger) cousins when they were on summer holidays in Vienna- unfortunatly they're in Canada now

28. Are you a cat or dog person?

 I don't really know- my brother has an house dust mite allergies, so pets were out of question

29. Are you married?

Nope

30. Always wear your seat belt?

Yes

31. Been in a car accident?

No

32. Any pet peeves?

People who walk slow when I'm in a hurry. It drives me nuts.

33. Favorite Pizza Toppings?

Mushrooms, corn, salami and bacon

34. Favorite Flower?

Hibiscus

35. Favorite ice cream?

White Chocolate, Hazelnut(but only at particular gelaterias), Cookies, ....

36. Favorite fast food restaurant?

I rarely eat at one...

37. How many times did you fail your driver's test?

0 times

38. From whom did you get your last email?

IntenseDebate Notification- to aprove a comment ^^

39. What store would you max out your credit card?

Hmm... Probably at Müllers (they sell polishes, dvd's, sweets :D )

40. Do anything spontaneous lately?

Nope


41. Like your job?

I don't have one yet

42. Broccoli?

It's ok, not my favourite though


43. What was your favorite vacation?

NYC a few years ago, followed by my Ireland-vacation (Dublin, Cork, Carrigaline) and Vancouver

44. Last person you went out to dinner with?

My family (mum, dad, my brother)

45. What are you listening to right now?

Nothing, just the trams/cars passing

46. What is your favorite color?

purple, blue, black, white,....

47. How many tattoos do you have?

None, but am constantly thinking about getting this or that (but never really do it ^^)

48. What do you like to do when nobody else is around?

do swatches ^^

49. Favorite Movie?

There are too many ^^


50. Coffee drinker?

Yes, I can't live without it anymore

 a little warning: there might be a lot of songs by Muse, because about 2/3 of my Playlist are Muse songs ^^

1. open your play list
2. set it on shuffle
3. click next and fill in the songs playing as the answer for each question



*If someone says ''is this okay'' you say? Every You and Every Me - Placeco
*How would you describe yourself? Satellite Mind - Metric
*What do you like in a girl/guy? Ottoman - Vampire Weekend[Nick&Norahs Infinite Playlist Soundtrack, I love that movie]
*How do you feel today? Can't always get what you want - Glee , haha
*What is your life's purpose? Micro Cuts- Muse (H.A.A.R.P., live from Wembley Stadium)
*What is your motto? Vision of Division - The Strokes
*What do your friends think of you? Don't Care about You - Placebo (nooo :( )
*What do your parents think of you? Crush - Glee Soundtrack (bhahaha)
*What do you think about very often? Last Nite - The Strokes
*What do you think of the person you like? Ruled by Secrecy - Muse (Albsolution Tour DVD)
*What is your life story? Bones Theme - The Crystal Method
*What do you want to be when you grow up? Ashtray Heart - Placebo
*What do you think when you see the person you like? Tears& Laughter - Tall Tree 6ft Man
*What will you dance to at your wedding? Bedroom Acoustics - Muse
*What will they play at your funeral? Shine Acoustics - Muse
*What is your hobby/interest? Teen Lovers - The Virgins (lol)
*What is your biggest fear? She's Expensive - The Virgins- lol
*What is your biggest secret? Twin - Muse
What do you think of your friends? New Born - Muse
*What will you post this as? The Never-Ending Why - Placebo (so true)

Haha- I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do, the next post is nail-related, I promise :)

LCN comparisons

Hey there :)

I wrote in my last post that I've got some comparison swatches for you and here they are: 
I did all comparison swatches with the Revlon scented polishes from this spring/summer- thanks again, Karen for getting me these :)
Revlon Gum Drop vs. LCN Fleur d'amour
(sorry about the smudge on my middle finger)
The base color of GD and Fd'a are the same, only Fd'a has got a silvery shimmer in it- they both applied well and Gum Drop gets a little plus because it's scented when it dried :)
I used 3 coats on both.

Next is Cotton Candy vs. French Deluxe:
I first thought those were dupes or at least dupe-is colors but after doing the swatches I am completly wrong, let's see for yourself:

See? Cotton Candy is more pink than FD. French Deluxe is a pastel peach- and I think both would go on well for a french or american manicure. CC took 3 coats to be opaque and FD 4 coats.
There is also a hint of gold shimmer in the bottle of Cotton Candy which sadly didn't translate to the nail.
(Click on the pic to see the difference of the two colors better)











Last but not least: Grape Icy vs. Tropical Tulip
Also one of the polishes where I thought that they would be twins or at least siblings color-wise. Boy, was I wrong...
Grape Icy is lilac-colored whereas TT is an eggplant-creme-purple. Grape Icy has also has gold shimmer in it and it smells good :D
I used two coats each.
natural, indirect sunlight, where the shimmer isn't visible:

with flash:

The winners of these three battles are:

• I'd call it a tie between Gum Drop and Fleur d'amour- both are great and whereas Gum Drop has got its unique scent, Fd'a has the glossiness.
• Cotton Candy would win the second battle because my yellow-ish skintone looks more yellow when I put French Deluxe on.
• And grape Icy wins the 3rd battle. It smells nice and  has a great shimmer in it.

 Overall I'm really happy with all of these shades- some have earned a little star in my polish list for their smell, some for their glossiness ;)

 There are polishes in this post who were kindly sent to me for reviewing purposes, please visit my disclosure policy for more details.

LCN polishes aka the glossiest polishes I've ever swatched

Hey there :)

Today I'm reviewing some LCN polishes which I got some time ago. LCN is a German company known for its nail/ nail design products. They've got quite a wide selection of polishes, acrylics, gel nails and even make-up.

One if the things that I love about the polishes is that they are probably the glossiest polishes I've ever swatched/worn - except for the ones I've accidently smudged during the swatching- oops ^^. I didn't had any issues with the formula or their brushes- they faned out nicely and made the application even nicer :)
The drying time was great too- by the time I finished painting my pinkie, I was able to paint another layer of polish with no waiting time inbetween (except the first one).

So, here they are:

above: a pearly off-white shade with a light blue shimmer, 7 coats and you can still see a bit VNL, unfortunatly this one doesn't have a name, just a number: 43179-21

below: Fleur d'amour, 3 coats- a nice lilac shade with a frost/pearl finish (again, sorry about the smudge on my middle finger)

above and below: Doesn't this polish scream mannequin hands? The glossiness of French Deluxe- as the name impliedes, it is made for a french manicure, it took me 4 coats to reach the full opacity.

 

above: Tropical Tulip from their Exotica Collection. It was opaque in 2 coats and is a lovely mauve-berry color with a creme finish.

below: Carribean red- wow, it is my favourite of all, a almost-neon tomato red with a creme finish. The pictures show 3 coats. This one's also from their Exotica Collection.

above: Another unnamed polish- it is a (milk) chocolate-brown, covered nicely in 2 coats. I think that'll be a nice base color for a muffin-nail art ;)

Overall I'm really impressed by the quality of these polishes. They are glossy as hell withouth a topcoat and the non-sheer ones covered nicely in 2-4 coats. All bottles hold 8 ml polish. I'd definitly buy one or two of these shades when I come across them.

Next up: some comparisons with those colors.

These polishes were kindly sent to me for reviewing purposes, please visit my disclosure policy for more details.

Happy Birthday Matthew Bellamy

Hey there:)

Some of you might know that I'm a huge fan of the band Muse. I've been a fan of them for a couple of years now (before the Twilight-hype) and today's the frontmans birthday and I decided to do a little inspired manicure in honor of his birthday. As an inspiration I used the cover of their second album, Origin of Symmetry.
The background is a page of NME's special issue- dedicated to Muse in over 100 pages.

I used China Glaze 2nite and a 2 way nail art pen for painting the antennas

(click on the pictures for the full experience ;) )

Pure awesomeness- Claire's Mood in Calm/Wild

Hey there :)

These Mood polishes are now one of my favourite polishes besides my holos, because they are so much fun to play with and are mesmerizing. I also couldn't help myself to play with warm/cold water all the time ^^
I also loved the effect when I painted them on my nails- the polish was purple first but after a few seconds it became pink- how cool is that ? ^^
Seriously, if you don't have these pretties already, I'd suggest you to run into your Claire's and get them, if not, try, to swap for them because they are sooooooo worth it ;)

The pictures show 2 coats with one coat of topcoat. (I'd recomment to click on the pics for the full effect)

above: when they are cold (if you look closely you can see that my tips are already getting purple ;) )

below: the "normal mood"

above: My fingers were slightly getting warmer

below: when they are cold

Bling Manicure

Hey there :)

I was really excited about this weeks Polish Hoarder's challenge that I couldn't decide what to do and I came up with this manicure:

I used Artdeco No. 290 (it has got some sparse tiny turquoise and pink glitter in it but it was imposible to photograph)
Konad Special Princess Polish in Black (gold) and some red rhinestones.

Another matching weather polish, a unnamed franken with a matching purse

Hey there :)

The weather here still hasn't changed much- raining, a teeny tiny bit of sun, then rain again *sigh* and it's June first....

Here it is- my unnamed franken (if you have any name suggestions, leave them in the comments below :) ) and the matching purse I posted about here.The recipe for this franken was really simple- I used Wet'n'Wild Black creme, a few drops of clear polish and B.pretty in Silver Stars (2 of my favourite polishes to franken with). I think any other silver/holographic glitter would be perfect (I think the Covergirl in City Lights or China Glaze's Wireless Holographic Topcoat/Fiary Dust or Wet'n'Wild's Kaleidoscope for those who like it chunkier ;) ).

a closeup (somehow it makes me look even more pale than I actuallly am)