A vegan nail polish blog. A celebration of colour and light, as well as of justice for nonhuman animals.

Posts tagged ‘layering’

Ruby White Tips Batworld Collection – Sweet Faced Cornelius and Mr. Kitty

I have the final two polishes that I own from the Ruby White Tips Batworld collection to show you today!

The polish Sweet Faced Cornelius is named after this sweet little guy:

Photo credit: Batworld.org

Photo credit: Batworld.org

Cornelius, the polish, is a sheer layering jelly polish full of iridescent green shimmer, flakes/tiny shards, and holo particles. The first two photos show four coats of polish over my bare (stained!) nails.

Ruby White Tips Sweet Faced Cornelius

Ruby White Tips Sweet Faced Cornelius

The rest of the photos show one coat of Cornelius over black.

Ruby White Tips Sweet Faced Cornelius over black

The polish was thick but not difficult to work with, even when I did the four coats on its own.

Ruby White Tips Sweet Faced Cornelius over black

It also dries almost totally smooth; no extra layers of topcoat needed here.

Ruby White Tips Sweet Faced Cornelius over black

I’m looking forward to trying this one over one of those deep green with golden flecks polishes, like China Glaze Cast a Spell; I think that will look awesome as well!

Ruby White Tips Sweet Faced Cornelius over black

The final polish I have to share is Mr. Kitty, named after this little bat who was in turn named after the feral cat who brought him to the sanctuary! Ms. Kitty is a feral cat the Batworld staff take care of, and apparently three times so far she has brought weak or injured bats to the sanctuary door, without harming them at all herself.

Photo credit: Batworld.org

Photo credit: Batworld.org

Mr. Kitty the bat next to the polish! You can see just how tiny he is, about the same size as the bottle of polish!

Photo credit: Batworld.org

Photo credit: Batworld.org

Mr. Kitty the polish is a sheer taupe based polish with pink duochrome shimmer and tiny flakes in it. It’s kind of a chameleon and looks different in different lighting! The pink/magenta shimmer sometimes leans lavender or purple, and other times shifts more to a golden/coppery, rusty brick tone.

Ott Lite photos:

Ruby White Tips Mr. Kitty

I used two thick coats over ridge filler, except on the ring finger where I used one coat over black (no ridge filler underneath, but I should have used some!).

Ruby White Tips Mr. Kitty

I found the formula to be thick (it was also very hot and humid that day, so that most certainly contributed!), but didn’t have any problems until I came to the layered accent nail. I had a little trouble applying one even layer over the black, but I added a few drops of polish thinner and then it was fine.

Ruby White Tips Mr. Kitty

I really like this one both on its own and over black!

Ruby White Tips Mr. Kitty

Sunlight photos, which tend to show off the purple/magenta aspects:

Ruby White Tips Mr. Kitty

Ruby White Tips Mr. Kitty

Oh yeah, the polish also comes with this cute little bat charm attached:

Ruby White Tips Mr. Kitty

Ruby White Tips Mr. Kitty

In partial shade:

Ruby White Tips Mr. Kitty

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Ruby White Tips

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From the Vault

I still have some really old photos from when I started blogging, so I thought I would post them in a few installments!

This first one is a fall mani that I really loved! Thumb to pinkie: Finger Paints Sketchy Character, a mustard yellow frankenpolish, Kleancolor Fashionista, China Glaze Brownstone, Joe Fresh Pumpkin. The glitter gradient over everything was done with Nubar Lime Green Glitter and Orange Glitter.

fall1

Next, Orly Wild Wisteria with China Glaze Brownstone accent:

wild_wisteria_brownstone

I’ll finish up this first vault post with swatches of the creme half of the Color Club Back to Boho collection, along with a couple of layering combos using them.

Shabby Drab:

shabbydrab2

With Color Club Jingle Jangle overtop:

shabbydrab_jinglejangle

Color Club Earthy Angel:

cc_earthyangel

cc_earthyangel2

Color Club New Bohemian:

cc_newbohemian

cc_newbohemian2

Color Club Nomadic in Nude:

cc_nomadicnude

cc_nomadicnude2

Color Club Rad Nomad:

cc_radnomad

cc_radnomad2

Color Club Red-ical Gypsy – gotta say, the stereotypical gypsy-themed polish names just make me think of cultural appropriation… This is a nice red though, and look! An appearance from my little Thor!

cc_redical_thor

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With an accent of Cult Nails Hypnotize Me and Nubar V matte top coat:

redical_hm_matte

redical_hm_matte2

Category:

China Glaze, Color Club, Cult Nails, FingerPaints, Frankenpolish, Joe Fresh, Kleancolor, Nubar, Orly

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China Glaze Swanky Silk

China Glaze Swanky Silk is from last year’s New Bohemian collection.

China Glaze Swanky Silk

It’s a delicate champagne/pink duochrome metallic polish.

China Glaze Swanky Silk

I had a hard time capturing the pink flash on camera; it was more apparent in real life than in the photos.

China Glaze Swanky Silk

I used three coats for these swatches. A little care needs to be taken in order to get brush strokes straight, but no other issues with application.

China Glaze Swanky Silk

This is a really pretty, subtle duochrome!

China Glaze Swanky Silk

In the shade:

China Glaze Swanky Silk

Here it is in one coat over black:

China Glaze Swanky Silk over black

This is one duochrome that I definitely prefer on its own instead of over black!

China Glaze Swanky Silk over black

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China Glaze

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Soulstice Kiev, Hana, and Berlin

Today I have three more swatches to show you in my project to photograph all my Soulstice Spa polishes.

Soulstice Kiev

Kiev is a burgundy jelly polish with a hint of a brown tone.

Soulstice Kiev

This is three coats, since I found I got a little bit of cuticle drag at two coats (maybe I just didn’t wait long enough between coats).

Soulstice Kiev

In low light it can look quite dark:

Soulstice Kiev

Then I added one generous coat of Hana overtop of Kiev.

Soulstice Hana over Soulstice Kiev

Hana is a very sheer iridescent flake polish, so I didn’t bother swatching it on its own.

soulstice_kiev_hana2

The tiny flakes reflect all sorts of colours; here over Kiev the overall effect is a mainly blueish shimmer.

Soulstice Hana over Soulstice Kiev

Soulstice Hana over Soulstice Kiev

Next I have Berlin, a very dark vampy purple that has a semi-jelly formula. It’s dark enough that it often looks almost black.

Soulstice Berlin

The formula was very similar to that of Kiev.

Soulstice Berlin

I’m actually not sure whether this swatch was two or three coats; apparently I forgot to write it down.

Soulstice Berlin

Lastly, here is a comparison between Berlin, Kleancolor Black (one coat), and Kiev to show the relative depth of the colours.

Soulstice Berlin, Kleancolor Black, Soulstice Kiev

Soulstice Berlin, Kleancolor Black, Soulstice Kiev

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Soulstice Spa

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Zoya Evvie, Katherine, and Rekha

These three polishes are from Zoya’s fall 2012 Designer and Gloss collections, although all three were part of last spring’s New York Fashion Week limited edition releases as well, and that’s when I got them.

Zoya Evvie with No Miss Peacock

Evvie is a dark, dusty grey-leaning green creme. It was originally released in the Peter Som collaboration trio. This is a great colour; I loved wearing it. Shown are two coats plus top coat, and the formula was good.

Zoya Evvie with No Miss Peacock

On my index finger, I have a coat of No Miss Peacock Glitter over Evvie. Peacock is a green and blue glitter polish with small rectangular shaped glitters, almost like bar glitter cut in half.

Zoya Evvie with No Miss Peacock

Next is Katherine, a deep plum/eggplant purple jelly that was also originally from the Peter Som trio.

Zoya Katherine

It’s a very transparent sort of jelly; this first photo is three coats over a ridge filling base coat. At the time I swatched this I had a fiberglass wrap on my index finger, and it still shows a bit through the polish. Gloss is a good name for the collection Katherine comes from – there’s no top coat here, the shine is all Katherine.

Zoya Katherine

These other two photos show four coats of Katherine. She has a very nice jelly formula, and will make great jelly sandwiches. I decided to leave my index and its wrap out of the last photo. 😉

Zoya Katherine

And finally, Rekha, a red semi-jelly shade that was originally from Zoya’s Bibhu Mohapatra collaboration trio. I believe it was named after the designer’s mother, and recreates the shade of red nail polish that she wore.

Zoya Rekha

Only two coats are needed, but I’m wearing three in these photos because I applied the polish before going to bed and didn’t use a quick-dry top coat, so unsurprisingly by the time I took photos in the morning there were some little scratches on the surface.

Zoya Rekha

Rekha seems to me a very neutral shade of red, neither cool nor warm, and is a great version of a classic colour. Here she is in the shade:

Zoya Rekha

Category:

No Miss, Zoya

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Io, Saturnalia!

It’s the first day of Saturnalia! 😀 Thought I’d show the end result of my last mani for the holiday nail art challenge.

China Glaze Gold Fusion, No Miss Sand, and OPI Goldeneye, with Hanukkah and Saturnalia accent nails

The menorah actually lasted all 8 days of Hanukkah, and I “lit” another candle on it each night using my gel pens. I also kept the middle finger with the sun, although the nail had a break on the side so don’t mind its appearance!

China Glaze Gold Fusion, No Miss Sand, and OPI Goldeneye, with Hanukkah and Saturnalia accent nails

On the other fingers, I have China Glaze Gold Fusion, a golden magnetic polish that I used a wavy-lines magnet on. Overtop of that I added No Miss Sand Glitter, a gold glitter that’s actually in the shape of tiny rectangles. Then, over that, I added a very thin layer of OPI Goldeneye for a little bit more of a yellow-gold tint.

China Glaze Gold Fusion, No Miss Sand, and OPI Goldeneye, with Hanukkah and Saturnalia accent nails

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China Glaze, No Miss, OPI

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Orly Synchro

This is a very picture heavy post, because this polish is quite the chameleon! Orly Synchro is from the Electronica collection released for early fall 2012.

Orly Synchro

It’s a duochrome shimmer that is kind of frosty. The colour ranges from coral to pink to purple to nearly blue, depending on the angle.

Orly Synchro

The formula was a bit thick and sticky; not the easiest to work with. Care also has to be taken to get the brush strokes straight.

Orly Synchro

It’s also pretty sheer, and this was three coats, the last one thick.

Orly Synchro

Totally worth it though! The colours are amazing! It makes me think of a sunset.

Orly Synchro

Orly Synchro

Orly Synchro

Orly Synchro

In the shade:

Orly Synchro

I also swatched it using one fairly thick coat over black (one coat of Kleancolor Black). The layer on my ring finger somehow ended up being thicker than the others, and it shows in the photos; the ring finger has more of a pinkish-purple tone while the other fingers show off the more blue side of the polish.

Orly Synchro over black

Orly Synchro over black

I found the trick to applying Synchro to be using a thick enough final coat that you have time to straighten out the brush strokes before it starts to get sticky.

Orly Synchro over black

I just love all the colours in this! And how it looks quite different over black versus on its own!

Orly Synchro over black

Orly Synchro over black

Orly Synchro over black

In the shade:

Orly Synchro over black

On my thumb in this last photo is one coat of Synchro over a light pink (Joe Fresh in the shade Blush):

Orly Synchro over black and pink (thumb)

Category:

Joe Fresh, Kleancolor, Orly

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Holiday Nail Art Challenge Week 1: Snow!

I recently got an invitation from Nail Polish Canada to participate in a holiday nail art challenge contest they’re holding. This is week one of three, and the theme for the week is snow! Something I’m glad to say we haven’t really had much of here yet – it was snowing off and on today actually, for the first time of the season, but it didn’t accumulate at all. 🙂

Orly Au Champagne and Zoya Twila

Here is my snow mani – the base is two coats of Orly Au Champagne, with a gradient of Zoya Twila overtop.

Orly Au Champagne and Zoya Twila

The snowflakes are loose white bar glitter and hex glitter that I fixed into place with a thick layer of Poshe topcoat over everything.

Orly Au Champagne and Zoya Twila

The little silver, blue and holographic bar glitters in Twila make for an interesting textured night sky backdrop for the snowflakes, in my humble opinion 😉

Orly Au Champagne and Zoya Twila

Be sure to check out all the other entries of the week here and vote for your favourite! 🙂

Orly Au Champagne and Zoya Twila

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Orly, Zoya

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China Glaze Want my Bawdy

Today I have another of the China Glaze New Bohemian polishes to show you. This is Want My Bawdy – groan-worthy name that looks like something OPI would come up with, but beautiful indigo blue shimmer with slight purple duochrome!

China Glaze Want My Bawdy

The duochrome on this one is very mild; it’s the least duochrome in the collection, but there is a bit of a purple flash at an angle in the right light, as seen in the above photo.

China Glaze Want My Bawdy

The formula was thin and sheer, and I got some bald spots in my application from not waiting long enough between coats (as often happens, I was rushing to get my swatching done before the sunset!). These swatches show three coats of the polish, no top coat.

China Glaze Want My Bawdy

In the next two photos I swatched it over black as I usually do with duochromes (one coat of Want My Bawdy over one coat of Kleancolor Black), but it didn’t really change the look of this one much. It mostly just makes it appear more blackened around the edges. This next photo is with flash (all the others are in sunlight).

China Glaze Want My Bawdy over black, with flash

Despite the very subtle nature of the duochrome in this polish, I’m personally not disappointed with it! It’s a beautiful glowy blue, and that hint of purple flash that comes out occasionally is just an added bonus. 🙂

China Glaze Want My Bawdy over black

Category:

China Glaze, Kleancolor

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Gosh Fossil Grey and SpaRitual Conglomerate

Today I have a rock-like mani to show you: Gosh Fossil Grey with an accent nail of Sparitual Conglomerate.

Gosh Fossil Grey and SpaRitual Conglomerate

This is two coats of Fossil Grey, which had a slightly thick but good formula. It’s a warm/yellow leaning grey pearl base with silvery shimmer that gives an almost speckled effect.

Gosh Fossil Grey and SpaRitual Conglomerate

On the ring finger I applied one generous coat of Sparitual Conglomerate, from their recent fall collection, over Fossil Grey. It also had a nice formula, and it wasn’t too difficult to get a good density of the black and white hex glitters on the nail.

Gosh Fossil Grey and SpaRitual Conglomerate

I love Conglomerate; it’s quite unique with its deep charcoal grey base, its dense, fine gold shimmer throughout, and its scattered black and white hexes!

Gosh Fossil Grey and SpaRitual Conglomerate

On its own, Conglomerate is opaque in two coats. Glad I picked this one up, it’s really interesting and the gold shimmer makes it very wearable for me!

Gosh Fossil Grey and SpaRitual Conglomerate

Category:

GOSH, SpaRitual

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