Still Alive, Still Blogging and Cult Nails Enigmatic

Hey guys!  I realize that I sorta kinda disappeared for a week.  My week just felt hectic with school and all just starting, so I decided to take a last second blogcation.  The first week of classes went pretty darn well, and I topped off the week with a Labor Day weekend trip to NYC with my boyfriend.  I dragged him to 3 separate Sephoras and a Duane Reade for polish-hunting and I got some good stuff that you will be seeing soon!  We JUST got back.  Tonight I have the last of Cult Nails' Fall collection, Enigmatic.

Enigmatic is a 4 free, animal cruelty free polish.  It's a maroon-ish shimmery polish that fits in well with the rest of the collection and also has a clear place among the fall releases from other brands.  The polish needed 2 coats for full opacity and it was easy to apply.  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, and as promised I have Engimatic alone, with Hypnotize Me and a final shot with top coat. 

2 coats Enigmatic, no top coat, artificial light

Enigmatic + Hypnotize Me, no top coat, artificial light

Enigmatic + Hypnotize Me + top coat, artificial light

I think top coat on this combo brings out more depth in Hypnotize Me and makes the base color a lot deeper. 

Anyways, the collection impressed me big time.  Cult Nails polishes can be purchased online for $10 a piece!  I'll post more than once this week - I promise.  I can't wait to show you all of my new goodies!

~Shbecky

Cult Nails In A Trance with Hypnotize Me

Hey guys!  One day of school down.  I'm pretty tired, but I like my classes so far.  It's less intimidating than my 1L year, which is quite relieving.  It is clear that I will be VERY busy.  Tonight I have Cult Nails In A Trance, another polish from Maria of R3Daily's fall line.  These polishes are 4 Free and cruelty free.  I currently own EVERY polish from Cult Nails (I'm sick - I know).  In A Trance is yellow based, olive green frosty creme.  It's not frosty like the brush stroke nightmare frosts, but the polish is packed with a micro shimmer.  This one had a solid formula and was opaque in 2 coats.

2 coats In A Trance, no top coat, artificial light

 As promised, I have shots of In A Trance topped with Hypnotize Me, which I reviewed yesterday.  It is more evident that the base of Hypnotize Me has a tint in it here, because it makes In A Trance look a lot darker.

In A Trance+Hypnotize me, no top coat, artificial light

 Adding top coat doesn't bring out different colors in the glitter with this combination but it does look a little nicer I think.

In A Trance+Hypnotize Me+Nubar Top Coat, artificial light

Cult Nails fall collection is available now here for $10!


~Shbecky

Cult Nails Awakening and Hypnotize Me

Hey everyone!  In the aftermath of the rather anticlimactic hurricane that passed through DC, I am forced to come to terms with the fact that I return to school tomorrow morning.  I'll be taking 14 class credit hours, and doing law journal work AND interning on my Fridays.  At this point I plan to post most days of the week, but I make no promises.  I will be trying to do enough swatches in one sitting on weekends to post for the week.   However, if I only can squeeze in 5 then I'll have to settle with 5.  Perhaps Eisenbrat or SonyT will fill in some of the gaps, but I know SonyT has even more law school stuff going on than I do and Eisenbrat has her own stuff going on.  Only time will tell, but I promise to do my best.  UGH I have a ton of reading to do already and classes haven't even started!  Now who wants to see some polish??  Today I have for you Cult Nails Awakening and Hypnotize Me from Maria's (R3Beauty) fall collection.  I pre-ordered these RIGHT when they were made available and was so excited to see them.  Cult Nails polishes are 4 Free and SO nice.

Awakening is a deep, slightly dusty, teal creme.  I really like this color and I think it mingles well with the other fall colors we've been seeing.

4 coats Awakening, no top coat, artificial light

This is the thinnest formula I've seen from Cult Nails thus far.  It needs 4 coats to be fully opaque, but the color builds well.  The 4 coats provide a depth of shine and I don't count this against the polish.  I know some people will, but to each her own.  If a polish dries fast and doesn't pool in my cuticles, I have no problems with 4 quick coats. 

Also part of Cult Nails fall collection is Hypnotize Me.  It's this light blue/green, very sheer jelly base packed with fine light blue and green glitter.  The polish is clearly meant as a top coat and as I show you this collection I will be including a swatch of it over each polish.  You'll get one with top coat and one without, because Hypnotize Me dries to a satin finish.

One coat Hypnotize Me over Awakening, no top coat, artificial light

In contrast to Awakening, Hypnotize Me is the thickest formula we've seen from Cult Nails.  I WISH it were thinner, but at the same time I still love it.  It packs SO much glitter and though you can't see it here, it tints the coat under it a bit green.  I even like the satin finish.  The good news is that this isn't difficult to apply and the satin finish makes it dry quickly. 

Awakening+Hypnotize Me+Nubar top coat, artificial light.

Adding top coat makes the green glitter stick out a bit more.  The final look reminds me of a galaxy or something.  I like it a lot.

Cult Nails polishes are available for $10 each here.

~Shbecky

OPI A-taupe The Space Needle

Hey everyone!  What a day - an earthquake in VA??? Seriously?  I had an interview today for a legal program with the EPA.  All day I told myself that I would leave at precisely 1:50 pm leaving a full hour for a 10 minute drive.  At 1:50 I was dressed and had my bag over my shoulder.  As I went to walk through the bedroom door I felt a rumble which instantly turned into my entire building bouncing and literally swaying from side to side.  The artwork was slamming on the walls and the cats darted under my roomie's low bed.  My first thought was that the gas station across the street had exploded (note- this has actually happened up the street from an old apartment of mine).  Then I thought we were under attack, as I live a stone's toss from the Pentagon.  All signs should have pointed to an earthquake, and as I raced to call my parents I realized that's what was happening.  It didn't register since we don't expect that here and I have never experienced one.  It lasted SO long.  I managed to get my mom on the phone and explain what was happening before the rumbling subsided.  SERIOUSLY?  Right before my interview?? I was scared to take the elevator and go underground to the garage but I really want this job, so I bit the bullet.  Fortunately everyone is safe and we made out with completely superficial damage and some out-of-this-world traffic.  BUT STILL - A 5.8 EARTHQUAKE HERE?  I almost moved to CA once, and earthquakes were prohibitively frightening to me.  Looks like I should have gone after all!  OK, I'm done ranting.  Now for some polish. 

I am back into the fall-is-coming kick, and have another of OPI's Touring America collection.  This is A-taupe The Space Needle, a 4 Free taupish/ugly/pretty greenish creme with yellow undertones.  How else should I describe it??  This is definitely reminiscent of China Glaze Trendsetter (see my review here) in terms of color profile.  Trendsetter has shimmer and is a good bit brighter though.  Again, this polish had a great formula and OPI's Pro Wide brush made application a breeze. 

2 coats A-taupe The Space Needle, no top coat, artificial light

In case you are wondering, I love the formulas on ALL of the Touring America polishes that I have tried.  I'm just warning you not to expect otherwise!  This was also almost opaque in a single coat, but I used a second to cover up my own sloppy-handedness.  It dries to a very glossy finish, so I didn't bother with a top coat for this swatch. 

So what do you guys think?  Ugly/pretty fall colors for the win?

~Shbecky

OPI Uh Oh Roll Down The Window

Hey guys!  As you can see the early posting from yesterday was a fluke.  However I am bringing you another OPI Touring America polish.  This is Uh Oh Roll Down The Window.  I think the name is cute, but not necessarily the color/name match I would imagine.  Oh well.  For a color that invokes thoughts of nausea and puke this is a lovely color.  I would describe it as a dusty army green creme.  Like the other polishes in the collection this is 4 Free and features the Pro Wide Brush.

2 coats Uh Oh, no top coat, shade

Like the previous polish I showed you, this has an incredible formula.  Uh Oh was opaque in two easy coats and dried to a glossy finish.  I feel the need to apologize to OPI.  I had begun to doubt their formula.  I loved the shatters and all, but the recent collections seemed inconsistent to me.  I have completed swatches for the entire Touring America collection and there are not any colors that aren't lovely and every color has a flawless formula.  Bravo, OPI, bravo.

On a totally random note - does anyone have suggestions for a law firm interview mani?  I'm stumped.

~Shbecky

China Glaze Brownstone

Hey guys!  This will be quick. I  had already typed up an awesome post, and then Blogo decided it didn't want to work and deleted everything I wrote.  Hmph! I'm bummed out that I'm leaving New Hampshire, the lake, my family, and the relaxation tomorrow morning.  At least my lovely boyfriend will be waiting for me on the other end.  I miss him tons.

Anyways, tonight I have China Glaze Brownstone for you all. It's a 3 free polish from this fall's Metro Collection. Brownstone is a dark brick red creme that lives up to its namesake.

2 coats Brownstone + Seche Vite, artificial light

The color fits in perfectly with the slightly off, smokey and burnt colors that we've been seeing from all of the polish brands. I must say that Brownstone is the best fall formula I've seen yet. I'm thoroughly impressed. This was opaque in 2 coats, but is almost a one-coater. The polish is highly pigmented and stays put on the nail in nice easy thin coats. Here's to all the polishes in the collection being this great! Sleep tight everyone!

~Shbecky