Different Dimension Winter 2015 Babes in Toyland Collection Swatches and Review: Toyland

Different Dimension Toyland (3 coats)

I hope those of you who celebrate Christmas had a great one yesterday! It was pretty low-key around here, but we have 2 more coming up this week with family who couldn't be around yesterday. I only bought 1 Christmas-y polish this year and it was on Black Friday from Different Dimension. They had a 30% off sale, but I ordered during the hour that they upped it to 40% off. Needless to say, I bought several more polishes than the one I'll be showing tonight.

Unbeknownst to me, Toyland was released by Different Dimension last year for their winter collection. It has a gold holo glitter base with red and green hexagonal and square glitter. It's so packed with glitter that I expected it to be fairly thick and difficult to deal with because that's pretty much the norm. I'm happy to report that it applied really well and was very glitter dense. I used 3 coats for the photos above, but you would likely get away with just 2. Doing macro photography shows every single detail so I did my best to cover all visible nail line.

Toyland is still available now for $10 on their website. If you don't want to miss out on anything Different Dimension, make sure to follow them on their website, Facebook, or Instagram pages.

Great Lakes Lacquer December 2016 Limited Editions: Rainbow! Right Here and Now and Winter Solstice Sunrise

*purchased with a blogger discount*

Hi guys! Christmas is almost here and I still have a ton of things to do. I've done some wrapping, but I still have a ton to do. And I haven't even baked a single batch of cookies yet - eek! I hope you're much more ready than I am. Tonight I have 2 of the 3 limited edition polishes for December from Great Lakes Lacquer. These are available now until Jan. 1st so get 'em while they're hot.

Great Lakes Lacquer Rainbow! Right Here and Now (3 coats)

If you can get just one of these limited edition polishes, I my pick would easily be Rainbow! Right Here and Now. You guys know my love of grey polishes. Throw in these unique rainbow flakes and you really get something really special. The formula is a crelly, otherwise you would miss the depth of the flakes in there. It was slightly thicker than my other GLL polishes, but I didn't find I needed to bust out the thinner or anything. Shown is 3 coats and topcoat. 

Great Lakes Lacquer Winter Solstice Sunrise (3 coats)

Well listen, Winter Solstice Sunrise is no slouch either! It's a cornflower blue crelly with shifting blue to purple multichrome flakes. You may be able to get away with 2 coats, but I used 3 to create more depth.

Both polishes retail for $11 each, and are available until Jan. 1st. Great Lakes Lacquer has moved away from Etsy to a BigCartel site found here. There are also some sample prototypes still for sale, so get them while you still can. Make sure to check out what Great Lakes Lacquer is up to on their Facebook and Instagram pages as well.

*These polishes were provided by the brand at a discounted price. All reviews are based solely on my opinion. For more information, please see my full disclosure at the bottom of the site. 

Great Lakes Lacquer The Ladies of GLL Series : Scruffers

*purchased with blogger discount*

Great Lakes Lacquer Scruffers (3 coats)

Hi guys! Tonight I have a polish from Great Lakes Lacquer that is no longer available. Every month Mariah has been creating custom polishes for her special bloggers. In November, Mariah welcomed Polish Etc. to the list of custom creations. Scruffers is a polish in memory of Amy's dog named Oscar who passed away suddenly. I am super sad about this. I love dogs, and had to give Scraggles a big hug and kiss on the dog head to calm me down. I know others have had custom polishes made in memory of a family member or animal and it's something I'd consider if it suddenly happened to me. 

Scruffers the polish is a mustard yellow crelly with copper shimmer and gold/copper/magenta ultrachrome flakes. It reminds me a little of my other favorite polish from Great Lakes Lacquer called The Last Sliver of Sun, but with larger flakes and a mustard yellow color instead of a muted yellow. I happen to be a yellow polish fan, and if you are as well, you should look for this on destashes. I used 3 coats for full coverage, but if you don't mind a tiny big of VNL, you could probably get away with 2. Like all of my GLL polishes, the formula was perfect. 

Great Lakes Lacquer has moved away from Etsy to a BigCartel site found here. There are also some sample prototypes still for sale, so get them while you still can. Make sure to check out what Great Lakes Lacquer is up to on their Facebook and Instagram pages as well.

*These polishes were provided by the brand at a discounted price. All reviews are based solely on my opinion. For more information, please see my full disclosure at the bottom of the site. 

Nibs & Nails Presents Lemming Lacquer Pools of Golden Sand (Inspired by Diamine Ink): Swatches and Giveaway!

*press sample*

Hi guys! Welcome back to another installment of Nibs & Nails. You know, the segment where I ask indie makers to dupe (or just be inspired by) popular fountain pen inks. I know it has been a hot minute since I've posted one of these, but you know...holidays. I wanted to make sure to get another giveaway started before next week so here we are. Today we are featuring a popular indie maker named Lemming Lacquer. If you aren't a part of the beauty world, you may not know what a lemming is. A lemming is something you want really bad. In all actuality, a lemming is a cute little rodent much like you see on the Lemming Lacquer label. I have no idea how the lemming rodent started to describe a highly sought-after product, but the internet, I guess. Anyway, I really started lemming Lemming Lacquer when the owner, Cassie, made a huge Archer collection. My husband is the biggest Archer fan and I think she did an awesome job with the inspiration. 

Today's fountain pen ink we are duping is from the Diamine Shimmertastic collection called Shimmering Sands. To see more pictures and a review of the ink, head over to my husband's blog Inkdependence. Make sure to stay tuned to the end of the post for a chance to win this polish!

Come on, how did Cassie do it? The polish Pools of Golden Sand is pretty much an exact dupe of the Diamine ink. You can see how the ink can take on a mustard color in more saturated areas and a lighter gold in areas with 1 pass of ink. It is harder to see the shimmer in the ink in my photos, so make sure to stop by Inkdependence for better pictures of the ink. 

Lemming Lacquer Pools of Golden Sand (3 coats)

Lemming Lacquer Pools of Golden Sand (3 coats, matte)

For once, the matte version of the polish makes it even closer to the ink. I used 3 coats for the photos above, but you could definitely get away with 2. I used the 3rd coat to add some depth and to make the shimmer really pop. I enjoy the shape of the Lemming Lacquer bottle. Most indie brands use the same cylindrical shape, so I like brands that like to step outside the box (i.e. Great Lakes Lacquer, Lemming Lacquer, Femme Fatale). The formula was quite fantastic, and I really liked the long, flat brush. If bath and body products are more your style, Cassie also has has scrubs, lotions, cuticle balm, and mani bombs available. Overall, I'm really impressed with Lemming Lacquer. 

Unfortunately Pools of Golden Sand will not be available for purchase in her store. On the bright side, I have 1 bottle (and a couple mani bombs) to give away to 1 lucky winner! Please let me know if you have any questions.

Giveaway Rules:

1. Open to the US Only 
2. Please do not use giveaway or empty accounts. Winners will be checked for verification.
3. You must be at least 18 years old to enter
4. The giveaway will end on Dec. 31, 2016 (EST)
5. One winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter. They will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner is chosen.
6. Please do not immediately unfollow after the giveaway ends. :-(

a Rafflecopter giveaway



*This polish was provided by the company or PR representative. All reviews are based solely on my opinion. For more information, please see my full disclosure at the bottom of the site*

Heather's Hues November Birthday Duo Swatches and Reviews

*purchased with a blogger discount*

Hi guys! Welcome back to some more reviews from Heather's Hues. Unfortunately these aren't for sale anymore, but you can find many more beautiful polishes on her Etsy site. These were part of a duo that was made specially for Heather's birthday last month. Shall we see some more pictures?

Heather's Hues 11/7 (3 coats, warm state)

Heather's Hues 11/7 (3 coats, cold state)

Heather's Hues 11/7 (3 coats, transitioning)

As you could guess, 11/7 is Heather's birthday! If you know anything about Heather, you know she knows her way around a purple polish. 11/7 is a lavender to blurple thermal with a subtle scattering of holo and flakes. Most of the time it was the lighter color, but my nails weren't too long at this point. The formula was slightly thicker than most of the other Heather's Hues polishes, but nothing too serious. 

Party Like a Rockstar (3 coats, warm state)

Heather's Hues Party Like a Rockstart (3 coats, cold state)

Heather's Hues Party Like a Rockstar (3 coats, transitioning)

Party Like a Rockstar is my pick of the duo and transitions from a light grey (warm state) to black (cold state) with tons of holo shimmer and multichrome flakes. Man, the flakes just glow in this one! If you can find this in a destash, you should definitely pick it up. My only slight issue I had was that it was pretty sheer and needed 3 heavier coats for full opacity.

While you're at the site, make sure to check out her Cutie-cle oil and balm! You don't need very much and it doesn't leave your fingers all greasy. Also new on her site are her wax melts, body sprays, and lip balms which I still need to try. You can find out more about Heather's Hues on their Etsy site, Instagram, and Facebook pages. Also, don't forget to sign up to be a part of Heather's Hue-t-pies Facebook group!

*These polishes were provided by the brand at a discounted price. All reviews are based solely on my opinion. For more information, please see my full disclosure at the bottom of the site*

Heather's Hues Fall 2016 It's Fall Y'all Collection Swatch and Review: Chilly Drizzle

*purchased with a blogger discount*

Heather's Hues Chilly Drizzle (2 coats)

Hi guys! How are you doing on buying presents? I'm doing pretty good...I'm not completely done, but I'm definitely getting there. Most years we have to travel for Christmas, but it looks like my mother-in-law will be visiting us from Texas this year. This means I need to decorate our house this year (and we may get a real Christmas tree which is exciting). Tonight I have a polish from Heather's Hues Fall Collection called Chilly Drizzle. Heather is a great maker from down the road in North Carolina, and if you haven't tried her polishes or nail care line, you are missing out on some quality products. It doesn't hurt she's a really sweet person and is really active in her Facebook Group.

Chilly drizzle is the worst during the fall. Depending on where you live, this terrible weather may start in October (like it did when I lived in northwest Ohio), or in December like it does here in North Carolina. The polish named Chilly Drizzle is a black color with loads of gold shimmer and small flakes. If a straight-up black polish is a little too much for you, Chilly Drizzle might be up your alley. The gold really softens up the color. Like all polishes from Heather, it had a great formula and it only needed 2 coats for full coverage.

This is still for sale on the Heather's Hues Etsy page, and you can get it in mini ($5.75 for 7.5 mL) or full-sized ($9.50 for 15 mL) versions. Oh, and if you liked her Cutie-cle oil, then you must try her new Cutie-cle balm! You don't need very much and it doesn't leave your fingers all greasy. Also new on her site are her wax melts, body sprays, and lip balms which I still need to try. You can find out more about Heather's Hues on their Etsy site, Instagram, and Facebook pages. Also, don't forget to sign up to be a part of Heather's Hue-t-pies Facebook group!

*These polishes were provided by the brand at a discounted price. All reviews are based solely on my opinion. For more information, please see my full disclosure at the bottom of the site*

Zoya Holiday 2016 Enchanted Collection Swatches and Reviews Part II and Your First Look at the Naturel 3 Collection

*press samples*

Hi guys! I just started watching Amazon's The Man in the High Castle last night and I've already been sucked in. The story takes place in America in 1962. The catch? We happened to lose WW2 and Nazi Germany owns part of the US, Japan the other. Interesting, right? Tonight I have the second half of the Zoya Enchanted Collection with 1 PixieDust and 2 shimmers. Oh, and my Zoya Black Friday order has shipped and should arrive Friday or Saturday (probably Saturday with how slow shipping seems to be getting). Shall we get started?

Zoya Holiday 2016 Enchanted Collection Swatches and Reviews Part I

*press samples*

Hi guys! It was a manic Monday, but that's how most of them are at my newish job. I had a great weekend because I was in our local holiday parade with my husband and Scraggles the dog. Scraggles' daycare had a float and they had the daycare dogs walk together through the streets. Anyway, tonight I have the first 3 polishes from Zoya's Holiday Enchanted Collection. This was released last month and features 4 PixieDust polishes and 2 shimmers. Without further ado, let's do this!

Polished For Days Positive Vibes Collection Swatches and Review: Metanoia, Novaturient, Sophrosyne

Hi guys! I can't believe it's Thursday already! I'm anxiously awaiting my shipping notices from some of my nail purchases last week. I got my Polish 'M order yesterday, and I am continually impressed with the formula and complexity of Michelle's polishes. Tonight I am finally finishing up the Positive Vibes Collection. Hey, it's a big collection! Shall we get started?

Polished for Days Positive Vibes Collection Swatches and Review: Elysian, Kalon, and Meraki

Hi guys! I'm finally getting back to normal after the holidays. I hope those of you with an extended weekend had a great one and bought all of the polishes on sale! I bought a lot, but with no regrets. I will probably add some pictures on Instagram as soon as they start piling in. Now I guess it's finally time to start Christmas shopping for real. Oh, and today's my dad's birthday, and I know he reads my blog so HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD! Tonight I'm going to continue the Polished for Days Full Positive Vibes Collection with 3 more polishes. Follow me after the break for swatches and my thoughts.

Polished for Days Full Positive Vibes Collection Swatches and Review: Eunoia

Polished for Days Eunoia (3 coats)

Hi guys! Happy (almost) Thanksgiving! I probably won't be posting tomorrow, so I hope my American readers have a fun and safe holiday. Tonight I'll be starting the Polished for Days Full Positive Vibes Collection which features 7 colors and 1 holo topper. Up first is Eunoia which is a new word for me. Apparently it means, "the goodwill a speaker cultivates with his or her audience." I had to give a science talk at that conference I was at in Phoenix a couple weeks ago, but I'm not so sure I had any eunoia.

The polish is a white crelly with tons of ultrachrome flakes and violet shimmer. I can see how some may not love this one, but I think it is absolutely gorgeous! Those flakes! The shimmer is more pronounced in person, but you can see it in the bottle in the photos above. The first 2 coats were fairly sheer, but it built up to full coverage on the third.

Polished for Days is having a Black Friday sale where all polishes except for the Vintage Christmas Collection (which will be $1 off each color) will be 30% off with the code pfdblackfriday. I very well may need to pick up a few I don't already own.

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Fair Maiden Polish 2016 Feline Catty Collection Swatches and Review: Lucifer, Nala, and Si & Am

Hi guys! We're finally finishing up the Fair Maiden Feline Catty Collection tonight. Doesn't it seem like I've been reviewing this collection forever? I loved the collection, but with my recent blog break it seems like forever. Shall we go ahead and get started?

Fair Maiden Polish Lucifer (3 coats)

Lucifer the polish is inspired by the cat in Cinderella. The polish is a blackened base with strong flashes of teal and purple shimmer. It's so shimmery! If you look at the bottom picture you can really see the fine multichrome flakes in there as well. You could probably get away with 2 coats, but I wanted a bit more depth, so I used 3 easy coats. 

Fair Maiden Polish Nala (2 coats) (diffused LED daylight)

 Fair Maiden Polish Nala (2 coats) (direct LED daylight to show holo effect)

To be honest, the whole reason why I bought this collection is for Nala. There's just something about the contrasting turquoise glitter and shimmer with this brownish/nude holo finish that called to me! The formula was perfect in just 2 coats. 

Fair Maiden Polish Si & Am (2 coats)

Last but not least we have Si & Am which is named for those weird Siamese cats from Lady and the Tramp. You know, those cats. The polish is a beautiful medium blue holographic polish. Love it! Pictures show 2 simple coats.

The collection is still available now and the polishes cost between $9 and $10. Also, between 11/25-11/28 Fair Maiden will have $5 door busters, free shipping with $50 spent, and a free polish with the purchase of their Winter Collection. If you want to stay up-to-date on all things Fair Maiden Polish, you can follow them on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.