525,600 Minutes

Well, it's official. Today is the first blogiversary of Got Polish! I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you, my amazing followers, for showing this humble blog and, by extension, me, so much love and support this year. Your comments are kind, insightful and, as always, most welcomed and appreciated. Here's to another great year filled with color and fun. I hope we can enjoy it together!
Much love,
Kari

Zoya Surf Collection - Additional Images

Just wanted to share some pics of today's mani featuring the beauties of the *Zoya Surf collection.  I really can't tell you how much I love these colors!

 Two coats of each color.  Zuza on thumb, Meg on index, Myrta on middle, Rory on ring and Kimber on pinky.  Carly (one coat) used for dotting on accent nail.  Shot indoors, with flash.

Same as above, shot outdoors, no flash.

For additional information on these colors you may click my previous blog posts HERE and HERE.  Hope you enjoyed these!

*Disclosure: Where indicated by an asterisk, the product(s) in this post were provided to me by the company for review. Please click my disclosure tab for further information.

Sally Hansen Gem Crush

I’d like to share three colors from Sally Hansen’s Gem Crush collection, *Lady Luck, *Bling-tastic and *Cha-Ching!  I used two coats of each for the following pictures.

Lady Luck, Bling-tastic, Cha-Ching!

 Lady Luck on thumb and pinky, Bling-tastic on index and ring fingers and Cha-Ching! on middle finger, outdoors, no flash.

Indoors, with flash

Lady Luck features fine magenta glitter and larger hexagonal holo glitter, Bling-tastic features fine blue glitter and larger hexagonal silver glitter and Cha-Ching! features fine red glitter and larger silver hexagonal glitter.   I'm not sure if I’d necessarily wear these again without underwear of some kind.  I think they’d look even more spectacular layered over other colors.  However, with another coat, I think I could have achieved the opacity I desired.  It was interesting that Lady Luck appeared almost matte as opposed to the shinier appearance of the other two colors.  The finish on each is relatively smooth for glitter polishes, just a little bit gritty.  I expected, being the blue lover that I am, that Bling-tastic would be my favorite but Lady Luck, with its holo, won the day for me.  I do like each of them, though, and look forward to layering them in the future.  

I'd love to hear your thoughts.  Which one do you like best?  If you've tried these layered, what colors work best as underwear?

*Disclosure: Where indicated by an asterisk, the product(s) in this post were provided to me by the company for review. Please click my disclosure tab for further information.

Zoya Surf and Beach Collections

I'm happy to share with you my review of Zoya's upcoming *Surf and *Beach collections.  These two new collections, which will be available on April 1, feature all sorts of bright and fun shades for the summer.  I will begin with my favorite of the two, the Surf collection.

From left to right: Carly, Kimber, Rory, Myrta, Meg and Zuza

Two coats of each: Carly, Kimber, Rory, Myrta, Meg and Zuza, indoors, with flash.  

The Surf collection is comprised of what Zoya calls "foil metallic" colors.  I call them FAB-U-LOUS!  Carly is a gorgeous pinky-purple.  Sometimes I wonder what people mean when they describe colors as rich but when I look at Carly, that's the first word that comes to mind.  Kimber is a deep bright pink and so vibrant.  Rory (which I have a soft spot for due to her name alone as it is my cat Sydney's "shelter name") is what I suspect would be the result if pink and lilac had a baby.  Just lovely!  Myrta is like the Red-Orange (or Orange-Red, I forget which is which) Crayola crayon, foil-style.  I was so pleasantly surprised by her.  Meg is the most beautiful granny smith apple green.  Love!  Last, but most definitely not least, is Zuza, the most beautiful teal and certainly another favorite.  Each of these colors was perfectly opaque in two coats and I found them soooo easy to work with.  I'm pretty sure this is my all-time favorite Zoya collection to date!

Next up, the Beach collection.  Feast your eyes on these summertime beauties.

From left to right: Reagan, Lara, Shelby, Arizona, Tracie and Wednesday

Two coats of each:  Reagan, Lara, Shelby, Arizona, Tracie and Wednesday, indoors, with flash.

The Beach collection is comprised of five creams and one shimmer (Zoya refers to Tracie as a metallic but she looks shimmery to me.)  ;)  Reagan is a deep pink, almost magenta, to me.  Lara is like Reagan's slightly lighter sister, very similar in tone.  Shelby (who else thinks of Steel Magnolias when they read this name?) is not as bubblegum pink as she looks in these pictures.  She definitely has more of a rosy tone, to my eye.  Arizona (Grey's Anatomy, anyone?) is a soft orange, if orange can be described as soft.  Sunny is what comes to mind when I look at this color.  Tracie, the lone shimmer/metallic in this collection, is definitely not as in your face green as Meg but also has the granny smith green quality.  Finally, Wednesday is a beautiful light teal-y aqua cream.  As was the case with the Surf collection, each of these colors was perfectly opaque in two coats.   These colors are no less vibrant and summer-y than the Surf shades.  I just happen to be partial to foils.  However, I know that I will wear Tracie and the creams a TON, probably topped with Zoya's Fleck Effects topcoats.  

Overall, there really are no "losers" in these collections for me.  My favorites are probably Carly and Meg from the Surf collection and Lara and Wednesday from the Beach collection.  There were definitely some surprises in there and I am really thrilled to have these beauties in my stash.  

Which colors look the best to you?  Are you planning to jazz up the creams with some fun topcoats like I am?

These colors and oh so many more may be purchased at Zoya.  They retail for $8.00 each.

*Disclosure: Where indicated by an asterisk, the product(s) in this post were provided to me by the company for review. Please click my disclosure tab for further information.

Barielle - Elle's Spell

Today I’d like to share Barielle’s *Elle’s Spell.  This crimson jelly with red flakies is one that I’ve been curious to try for quite some time.  I used two coats for the following pictures:

Outdoors, no flash

Indoors, with flash

I was a little bit disappointed with how sheer this color was.  I was hoping for a bit more opacity after two coats.  However, I think it would look fabulous layered over another color and I definitely intend to use it that way next time.  I would definitely go with at least three coats if I ever wore it alone again.  The sheerness aside, it is a really lovely color.  I have never seen another even close to this.  It is definitely unique.  It was also quite easy to apply, not clumpy at all as some flakies can be.  

I look forward to trying this again soon, probably layered over black or red.  If you have tried this color, what have you layered it over?  If you haven’t, what colors do you think would work best as underwear?

*Disclosure: Where indicated by an asterisk, the product(s) in this post were provided to me by the company for review. Please click my disclosure tab for further information.

China Glaze Prismatic Chroma Glitters

Today I'd like to share two beautiful polishes from the China Glaze Prismatic Chroma Glitters collection, *Full Spectrum and *Optical Illusion.  China Glaze describes these colors as follows:
Full Spectrum – Baby pink bursts into holographic magenta to party with silver, gold, blue, pink and green particles
Optical Illusion – Aqua green glimmers with a hint of purple filled with pink, yellow, silver, orange and green flecks
Sounds pretty accurate, wouldn't you agree?

Full Spectrum on thumb, middle finger and pinky and Optical Illusion on index finger and ring finger.  Two coats on each nail.  (Please forgive the funky cuticle thing happening on my thumb.)

When it comes to glitters being worn without "underwear" (a base color underneath), I am a skeptic.  Rarely do these colors hide vnl and I just don't generally wear them alone.  These, however, are the exceptions.  I think they look amazing alone which I love!  Most glitters look great layered but to have these two that also work well alone is a definite "woo hoo" in my book.  They dried reasonably smooth, too, which is another plus.  I think these are fabulous polishes and I am SO happy to have them in my collection.

*Disclosure: Where indicated by an asterisk, the product(s) in this post were provided to me by the company for review. Please click my disclosure tab for further information.

Spring Has Sprung!

Meow kittens!  It is now spring in my part of the world so I thought what better way to celebrate than to showcase three pretty pastels for you.  Please meet three lovelies from the Sally Hansen Smooth and Perfect Color Care Line.

From L to R: *Satin, *Air and *Whisper

These pretty ladies feature the famous wide Sally Hansen brush that I adore and the formula on each was thin and easy to apply.  Each color has a hint of shimmer and they are truly lovely pastel shades.  They are quite sheer but build up nicely.  Below are three coats of each in natural light.

Air on thumb and ring finger, Satin on index finger and pinky, Whisper on middle finger

Though three coats are kind of a lot of work, I think the results are worth it.  For folks who love sheer shades, these are perfect and for those, myself included, who prefer more opacity, three coats should get you there.  Perfect colors for your upcoming Easter manis!

I also received a cuticle care product to try out for you.  It is called *Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Cuticle Eraser & Balm.  Here is a shot of the product:

It is a soft cream.  I applied it as directed, massaging it into my cuticles and, as suggested, used a stick to assist in removing my cuticles.  It did soften my cuticles a bit which aided in their removal but, to be completely honest, I'm not sure it was any more effective than any other product I've tried.  It left my fingers feeling a bit slick and waxy and, again as directed, I washed my hands thoroughly before applying my polish.  I didn't DISlike this product but, for me, it wasn't that special.

What do you have in mind for your Easter manis?  I may be using these again for mine.  They just scream spring!

*Disclosure: Where indicated by an asterisk, the product(s) in this post were provided to me by the company for review. Please click my disclosure tab for further information.

It's Alive!

*evil snicker*  I'd like to introduce you to my "babies" - my frankens.  Inspired by a discussion with some friends in a polish group, I've decided to once again share a pic of the frankens I've created to date.  (Well, the ones I am still in possession of that is.  I've gifted a few away and, of course, had a few disastrous ones that I got rid of.)  Here they are!

One of the most fun things about frankening, for me, is coming up with names for my creations.  Do you enjoy frankening?  If so, which is the best color/best name you've come up with?  

Press Release - Zoya Beach and Surf Collections for Summer 2012

Announcing Summer 2012 nail color by Zoya Nail Polish!
BEACH and SURF dive into the color...

OFFICIAL RELEASE INFORMATION - March 17, 2012

New nail color - coming soon to a salon near you and Zoya.com!

Summer 2012 is going to be a super stylish season for nails with the latest offering of nail polish collections, Beach and Surf, from the new color of fashion, Zoya! This new splash of color, designed by the Zoya color experts, is kissed by sea and sand translating beautifully onto the nail in the famous, full-coverage Zoya formula.

Dive into the creamy shades of the Zoya Beach Collection or the shimmering sea foils of the Zoya Surf Collection. The choice is yours – this color palette is sure to be a splash!

Zoya BEACH Collection

• Reagan (ZP614) - deep cerise pink cream
• Lara (ZP615) - vivid cerise pink cream
• Shelby (ZP616) - soft pinky pink cream
• Arizona (ZP617) - soft coral orange cream
• Tracie (ZP618) - sea grass metallic
• Wednesday (ZP619) - soft aqua cream

Zoya SURF Collection

• Rory (ZP620) - lotus pink foil metallic
• Carly (ZP621) - thalia purple foil metallic
• Kimber (ZP622) - magenta pink foil metallic
• Myrta (ZP623) - coral orange foil metallic
• Meg (ZP624) - mermaid green foil metallic
• Zuza (ZP625) - aquamarine foil metallic

Zoya is the new color of fashion...

The Zoya BEACH and SURF collection was designed and inspired by resort runways and tropical get-a-ways.

Ultra long-wearing, glossy nail lacquers by Zoya are free of harmful industrial chemicals like toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, resin, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) that are known to cause cancer and birth defects.

Find Zoya BEACH and SURF as well as over 300 other ultra high-fashion Zoya shades at www.zoya.com. As always, each and every Zoya color is made for women so we name them after women.

BEACH and SURF by Zoya Nail Polish - 12 new colors:
Available April 1, 2012 (USA)
www.zoya.com

Sug. Retail $8.00 per 0.5 fl.oz. bottle (US).

Gorgeous, right? I am crazy for pastel-y sherbet-y colors like these, particularly the foils. I think I'm most excited about Rory (my cat's "shelter" name), Meg and Zuza. Are you looking forward to these collections? Which ones look like "must haves" for you?

Luck o' the Irish

Top o' the evenin' to ya! Just wanted to share what fortuitously became my St. Paddy's manicure for this year. For several years I've been doing online surveys to earn points with which to buy prizes, gift cards, etc. I recently earned enough to purchase an Amazon gift card and decided to use part of it to kill one of my longtime lemmings, Nubar Reclaim. This medium green holo looked fabulous in so many swatches that I knew, someday, it had to be mine. I placed my order and anxiously waited for it to arrive, which it did, about four days later. Feast your eyes on the green loveliness:

This photo was taken outside in the sun where this color truly shines. Best part? This is one, yes, ONE coat! I may add another coat, just cause, but honestly, it doesn't need it. I can probably count on one hand the polishes I would actually wear only one coat of. This polish is definitely one of my top five favorites.

Gotta go now. Must do more online surveys to earn more Amazon gift cards to buy more polishes. ;)

Press Release - China Glaze Prismatic Chroma Glitters

Los Angeles, CA - (March 2012): Array your nails in a myriad of color this spring with China Glaze®’s limited edition Prismatic nail polish collection!  Inspired by the colors formed by the refraction of light through a prism, Prismatic by China Glaze® combines glitter and holographic particles to create the ultimate eye-catching, 3-dimensional manicure. 

Bursting with color and dimension, Prismatic shades include:

·         Ray-Diant – Greenish-gold shimmer filled with specks of silver, pink, green, orange and blue

·         Polarized – Silver metallic sheen sprinkled with yellow, pink, orange and green glitters

·         Liquid Crystal – Bright blue holographic with purple tint dusted with silver, gold, green, pink and orange

·         Prism – Grape purple holographic gleams with pink shimmer and glitters with pieces of pink, blue, green, orange, silver and gold

·         Full Spectrum – Baby pink bursts into holographic magenta to party with silver, gold, blue, pink and green particles

·         Optical Illusion – Aqua green glimmers with a hint of purple filled with pink, yellow, silver, orange and green flecks

China Glaze® Prismatic will be available April 2012.  Individual shades retail for $8 MSRP.  The collection will be available in a 3-D 12-piece counter display and as open stock colors.

China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde. China Glaze nail lacquers are available through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide. For more information, visit: www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze on Facebook and Twitter: http://twitter.com/ChinaGlaze

China Glaze is a division of American International Industries.

  

About American International Industries

For nearly 40 years, AII has been the leading manufacturer and worldwide distributor of innovative, quality beauty and skin care products for men and women.  Our product lines include Ardell, Andrea, Body Drench, Bye Bye Blemish, Checi, China Glaze, Clean + Easy, Clubman/Pinaud, Duo, European Secrets, EzFlow, Fright Night, Gena, GiGi, Gypsy Lash, IBD, Jeris-Lustray, No Tweeze/Micro Tweeze, 'N Rage, Prolinc, RAW, Seche, SuperNail, Surgi-Care, Waterworks, Winning Nails, Woltra, Woody’s, and Youthair. For more information, visit our website: www.aiibeauty.com. 

Drooling much? I know I am. I can't WAIT to see these!

A Little News and a Little Swatch

Meow, kittens!  Just a quick fyi to let you all know that I probably won't be posting for the next 12 days or so.  My mom is coming down from NY for a visit, yay, so I will be pretty busy doing "Mom" stuff.  ;)  I will miss you guys but I will be back, probably going through miserable Mom withdrawals, sometime around March 13th and I'll definitely need some comforting.  Until then, I leave you with this:

I have been hearing about the elusive SinfulColors Green Ocean for the better part of a year and pouting about never having found myself a bottle.  Well, lo and behold, the folks at SinfulColors were kind enough to re-release this fabulous polish this year.  I decided to peruse my local Walgreens and was lucky enough to find a bottle.  I layered it on top of my existing Barielle Blackened Bleu mani (see previous post) and I love the results.  This fabulous green and blue flakie is definitely worth the hype.  It's a bit lumpy, as most flakies are, but not TOO bad of a top coat eater (I added a coat of Gelous) and I am so happy I have it!

Until next time, know that I absolutely love and appreciate all of you for spending time with me on this humble blog.  It really means so much!

See you soon!

xoxo,

K