Hi My Name Is NPA And I'm A Polish Addict...

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I slipped up last night. And again today. I had a wee ebay splurge late last night buying 6 polishes (can't wait for these!!!!! 3 from the new Essie Braziliant Collection & 3 out of 4 in the yet to be released in NZ OPI Nice Stems Collection). Then while just 'having a browse' at the chemist I indulged in some rather expensive impulse purchases. I bought 3 OPIs & an Orly top coat. I am feeling sufficiently guilty though, rest assured.

The upside of this of course, is that I have new swatches for you! I bought the OPI Silver Shatter as well as the Navy Blue Shatter & Teenage Dream from the Katy Perry Collection because it looks so cool under the Black Shatter. So here they are:

Navy Shatter (flash)

Navy Shatter (indoors)

Navy Shatter (thumb close up)

I'm not sure why I got the navy because every swatch of it I have seen shows it shatters really crappy - it's so thin looking (jelly like finish to start with and a tad see through) and cracks straight down in very thin brush stroke like lines :(. But for some perverse reason I got it anyway and sure enough I don't love it, haha, I knew I should have got the Blue Shatter (the turquoise which is sooooooo beautiful and bright looking was sold out :p ). I applied it pretty thinly ( and over the top of China Glaze Sci-Fi which is chrome like and pretty light/bright, therefore navy looks much lighter than I've seen it on other blogs) because when I had tried it thicker it didn't shatter properly. The only one I like is the thumb - the cracks are a bit chunkier. I think it might grow on me, maybe...

Silver Shatter over Mermaid's Tears (flash)

Close up

Indoors/Shade

Silver Shatter is quite pretty. Much easier to wear than the other shatters because it is sparkly and light - not as overpowering and gothic like the Black Shatter. From a distance I'd guess it was just a foil-like top coat or something. I was quite surprised how dark the silver looks in the bottle compared to on the internet but the outcome was still the same. This had a much better formula than the Navy and Black Shatters (which get quite gluggy) thin in a good way and applied like a dream! I definitely recommend this the most out of all the shatters in my collection (CG Broken Hearted & Cracked Concrete, OPI Black & Navy, La Rosa Crackle White).

Teenage Dream - indoors/shade

Sunlight

flash

 

 Teenage is cute with the pink tint, micro glitter & holographic chunkier glitter but I would not wear it all on its lonesome. I think it would be a great layering polish over pinks especially. It looks pretty awesome under Black Shatter though - see the pics below: LOVE IT!

Black Shatter over TD (indoor/shade)

Black Shatter over TD (sunlight)

So what do you think? Has anyone tried Turquoise Shatter yet? I think that will have to be my next purchase... once I pay the credit card bill that is!!!!!!

From Outer Space - Color Club Starry Temptress Collection

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Hiya! Hope your weekends were lovely. Pooz weather here :( Saw Barney's Version last night, laughed and cried a bit. Anything about divorces makes me sad though, especially when cheating is involved, is that something kids from families where parents divorced once the kids left home have in common? That sentence was kind of terribly put but ho hum. I'm sure you'll 'decode' it if it's important to you.

Soooooo Starry Temptress: I have 3 of the polishes Wink, Wink, Twinkle, You Got Soul-Ar, and Space Case.
I quite like all the base colours but I think Space Case is my favourite because its formula is a bright yet light pink creme that also kinda has a shimmer and almost frosty finish plus all the glitter that the others contain. The other two are just plain neon finishes with glitter. What is a bit different about these is that the glitter isn't all that glittery. Some bloggers were a bit disappointed but I kind of like it. Some of the glitter does sparkle but most of it just sort of lies there like in China Glaze Mummy May I? or Barielle Falling Star, makes the finish gritty so you need thick top coat like Seche Vite or OPI Rapidry. Without further ado here are the swatches. Remember to click on photos for enlarged shot.

Wink Wink Twinkle indoors

Wink Wink Twinkle flash

 WWT is a really cool colour but the formula kinda sucks. It's thick and gloopy while at the same time giving only light coverage. This was 2 or 3 thick coats and VNL is obvious in light. I added some thinner when I put this on the other day but it didn't really help the application.

You Got Soul-Ar indoors

 YGS is great bright neon orange and because it is neon it photographed terribly on my camera so the flash shot wasn't worth uploading!!!! Same issue with application as WWT but the colour is awesome for summer and it is a little more opaque.

Space Case indoors

Space Case flash (click for closeup of shimmer)

Isn't Space Case pretty? Very girly but definitely the star of the set and though the formula was thicker than i'd have liked it was very opaque so 2 coats was plenty. Also it applied way more evenly than the other two.

To sum up I'd say Space Case is the only 'must buy' of the set - not that I've tried the other 3 (lime green, blue & a darker pink as well as a glittery top coat the namesake of the collection). I think it's the only one with a different finish too. Check them out though because they retail for NZ$8.00 (don't quote me) and I can pick them up for US$2.50-3 plus shipping on the web - which is fine for a polish of CC's quality.

Till next time xx npa

Polish Giveaway

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To thank everyone for reading my blog, anyone who starts "following" polish anon before the 15th July, will automatically go in to the draw to win 1 of  3 prizes, yet to be determined. Each prize pack will include nail polish of various brands and colours . Both Kiwi & International entries are welcome!
I will update you with the prize details soon.
xxxxx Nails Anon

Gold Konad on Russian Navy

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Hello readers!
I just ate a WHOLE mess of pizza and am currently laying on my back taking deep breaths while typing. It seriously feels like I am going to give birth to a Hell's Pizza. I think it's time to stop eating when you start to get sharp stabby pains in your lower belly...

Anyways, I've had OPI Russian Navy for quite a while but have never worn it other than to swatch it (mainly because it seemed too dark to wear in summer/autumn. But now that winter has rolled round (this week was the shortest day, so it's uphill from here hooray!) I decided I couldn't wait any longer to wear this beaut.
Russian Navy has a very dark navy base with loads of purple and pink shimmer and in most lights it is a blurple (blue/purple). I applied 2 coats then used konad gold special polish to stamp the foliage pattern from plate m83 onto my nails. To top it off I used a coat of OPI Rapidry.

Flash

Close up Thumb (flash)

The gold is fairly sheer so lots of RNs shimmer shines through and I think it looks pretty special. What do you think? i found it hard to get a good photo of this mani in the shade because it was night time when I photographed it but it's best in light anyways, in the shade the stamping is pretty subtle.

NOTD Essie Fair Game

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 Feeling a bit lazy today, finally managed to get the photos uploaded on to yesterday's post so here is just a shot of my nails today.

Essie Fair Game indoors

This is one of the newest colours from Essie's Resort 2011 Collection. It has a Safari/Africa theme, though the theme seems to extend only to the names of the polishes not the colours! Da Bush is pretty much a dupe for OPI Stranger Tides and then there is Lion Around and Your Hut or Mine, the former being a pale pink and the latter a coral pink. All seem to have the same sort of shimmer that Fair Game has, or perhaps a bit more subtle.

Fair Game is quite refreshingly different to me, a blue charcoal grey shimmer but it is more suited to the cool skin tones so it will not be a go to colour for me!!!

Fair Game flash

 I hope you all had great days and are snug in bed while it's soooo cold outside! If any of you have th other polishes in this collection I'd love to hear about them!!!
xxx

OPI South Beach Collection Spring/Summer 2009

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Sup, my computer is having a mere and can't upload pictures for some reason, it won't explain why!!!!!!!!!! So I shall write this and hope that it starts to work soon!

So this collection is a few years old too and really half of it seems like a fail to me. However, there are a few gems too, like most OPI collections, I hope I don't get black listed for being a bit rude to the company...

shade

flash

Bronzed to Perfection is an odd colour. I'm not too sure how to describe it - I suppose it's a really orange medium brown/ a burnt orange creme base with gorgeous flakes of glitter/ glass fleck that gives it a different kind of shimmer. Whenever I wear it I can't stop looking at my nails. You can't really see the fleck in the photos but its awesome and shines gold mostly. I know of NO dupes. Nice formula 2-3 coats for opaqueness.

shade

flash

Overexposed on South Beach 1) great name! 2) really similar in style to Louvre me, Louvre me not but a very red purple, I find it looks quite beetroot coloured in low light when the shimmer isn't obvious. Kind of pinky too in a way - geez i'm not so good at this colour description am I? I do not like the formula though, again it is like LMLMN kind of thick but watery and I find it difficult to get even coverage, a bit of cuticle drag, 3 coater for me

shade

flash

Sand in my Suit is a really great golden beige nude with shimmer that borders on being frost-like. I think it is beautiful though, it doesn't look like a mum colour/old fashioned to me. Fairly opaque for a nude, 3 coats.

indoors

flash

Suzi & the Lifeguard is simply the pastel pink version of SINS. Very pretty and delicate, again almost a frost and same application as SINS. Probably my favourite subtle pink with shimmer. I feel girly but chic when I wear it.

These are the only ones I have. I want Done Out in Deco but it is hard to get your hands on and at the end of the day it is more or less in between Rumple's Wiggin' and Planks A Lot so I don't really need it. But the polish addict in me does!!! I also want Miami Beet which is a beetroot coloured creme but  think I have some similar polishes so I'm going to wait - plus I got it for my sister and I think she already has it so I might be able to get her extra bottle, cheeky!
Does anyone have the rest of the collection/thoughts on it?
Do you have any of the other colours?

The photo loader still won't work so I shall post this and try to add the pics later xxxxx

Fishnet Konad & BRIDESMAIDS

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Helloooooooooooooooo I just saw Bridesmaids - Oh My Freaking God! Seriously the funniest film I have ever seen. It is the female cast better version of Wedding Crashers,just the best lines and physical comedy I have seen in a long looooong time. And its not a chick flick, lots of gross boy humor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously my brother thought it was stand out AMAZING too!

Flash

So I'm not a big fan of this mani, it's the fishnet print from m57. I think I just put it on the wrong color. OPI DS Extravagance is just beautiful by itself - one of my top 5 polishes - but with black netting on top... AVERAGE. I meant to do a nude/baby pink nail with this stamp but when I put Suzi & the Lifeguard on it took about 2 hours to stop being tacky and I therefore ended up with hundreds (well more like 5 or 6) of dents/scratches in it so I took it off and painted a quick dry one on instead and that was Extravagance. But what do I know, you might like it and if you do thank you :)
BTW I used Konad Black Special Polish for the stamping

Close up Extravagance with konad m57

Do you know what polishes look awesome with this pattern?

OPI Le Collection de France 2008

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These  polishes are on the verge of turning 3 years old but they're pretty amazing and I have gotten my hands on a few so I thought I'd dedicate a post to them!
This was a 12 piece collection that suited the season well. It includes the following shades:
Louvre me, louvre me not
Parlez-vous OPI?
Tickle my France-y
Eiffel for this color
You don't know Jacques
A Oui bit of red
Yes... i can-can
Baguette me not
Crepes suzi-ette
i'm fondue of you
bastille my heart
we'll always have paris

I have 7 of them but Parlez-vous OPI? was borrowed and apparently "lost" - I don't believe it, the colour is too awesome to be misplaced!!!!! And hard to find too! One day I hope to get it back! Anyway, here's the other 6:

A oui bit of red - indoors

  A Oui bit of red is a bright red with subtle fuchsia shimmer - click here for more from a previous post http://nailpolishanon.blogspot.com/2011/05/nail-of-day-notd-konad-issues.html

Bastille my heart - indoor

Bastille my heart - flash

 Bastille my heart is a rich burgundy shimmer, feels a bit glowy, very pretty but not unique. STAINS like my senile, 21 year old cat when she misses the kitty litter box! I don't have any other polishes like it though so for me its a keeper, nice formula too, about 2 coats.

I'm fondue of you - indoor

I'm fondue of you - flash

I'm fondue of you is a really gorgeous medium plum brown  with lots of fine shimmer kind of like a mixture of milk chocolate and berries. I love it! I used 3 coats but my 1st was ultra thin so 2 normal coats would have been fine.

Louvre me louvre me not - indoor

Louvre me louvre me not - flash

LMLMN is in the same vein as Overexposed in South Beach style wise but is a much more violet purple with fairly strong red undertones. The shimmer is pretty, hated the formula took 3 coats. It was quite gloopy in my opinion and you can see the unevenness of it on my nails especially in the flash photo. Of course, taking more time would have reduced the cuticle drag etc and I'm sure a few drops of thinner would sort it out.

 

Tickle my france-y - indoor

This is a really pretty nude with a pink undertones. Truth be told in person Tickle My France-y does nothing for me, just shows how yellow my skin looks in comparison to this  pale cafe au lait creme polish.   But on other ladies its true beauty would be obvious. Two coats of lovely formula is perfect - more to eliminate VNL.

You don't know Jacques - indoor

YDKJ - flash

You Don't Know Jacques is one of OPI's most popular colours, I believe it started a major greige trend in the nail lacquer world. A dark purplely taupe. The flash makes it look far too light! You feel so chic when you wear YDKJ, definitely a corporate power colour if your office allows it. Just perfect for winter and its a creme.

I "borrowed" this from the polish addict's blog

Parlez-Vous OPI? was my first ever OPI and it is the most awesome-est dark, greyed out, purple n the market. The formula is ever so slightly thick but great coverage/ very opaque. Very hard to find - one of my favourite  polishes of all time!

I plan to get my hands on  Yes... i can-can, Baguette me not, Crepes suzi-ette at some point too because they look right up my alley. What do you think of these polishes? Is it one of your favourite OPI collections too?
xxxxx

NOTD: Konad polka dots

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 I was looking up manicures on the web the other day and I came across a spring/easter egg theme (clearly they were from the north!) and it gave me the idea for this mani. I didn't actually use pastel polishes but essie Turquoise & Caicos  and essie Lapis of Luxury from the resort collection but they were close, kinda. I stamped the polka dot pattern from m79 onto them and yes there are lots of mistakes but I was more interested in just getting them on the nail rather than perfecting them so I'm okay with it.

After I finished I decided I wanted an accent nail so I redid the ring fingers with LOL. The end result is ok, not amazing, think it would be cuter with a pastel pink or yellow, maybe even a lilac. It's very cute though, I think it would be appropriate for little girls/teens. Thoughts? Some more polishes arrived today but one of them had smashed while on route so it was REALLY fun cleaning all the bright pink polish off the other lacquers haha.

Konad Master, sort of...

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M57 in black special polish over Orly Solid Gold (flash)

 My Konad Special Polish in black and white arrived a few days ago and OMFG it has restored my faith in Konad stamping!

Along with the polishes I got two image plates m57 and m83 (the newest). On m57 is a leopard print so I searched my polish stash for a leopard coloured base coat. The best I could come up with was Orly Solid Gold from the Metal Chic collection - a matte polish with a really great formula that doesn't dry before it hits the nail!

After I painted 2-3 coats as a base I stamped on the leopard print using the black special polish. It was my first time stamping a whole hand so I mucked up a few, but the thumb and middle finger turned out quite well. I finished it of with a coat of Nubar Diamont Seal & Shine. My mum thought it would look awesome on someone also wearing animal print clothes - I say NAY! But you never know I'm sure those super confident fashion type ladies could pull it off. I just think it's kinda cute, can't wait to try the zebra print next!

Are you guys fans of the animal print trend? Cos while I like this look I knew a (obese) girl who wore a tacky satin type leopard print halter dress every time she went out on the pull (she might as well have sold it on the street the way she acted) so I'm always very cautious of animal print clothing - I have a fear that I'll just look trashy in it like her!!!! Sorry for the hating, all the guys would ask if the cheetah was coming out tonight and not in a nice way...

Close up of thumb

I also tried out a more subtle look with my konad white polish just adding an accent to my manicure of China Glaze Pelican Grey. I stamped the netting/dot pattern from m79 with the white special polish just on my ring fingers and I think it turned out ultra wearable and felt a bit more adult than some of my other stamping attempts.

Pelican Grey with m79 stamp in white (flash)

I also "swatched" the different patterns on m83 because I'm in love with most of them - I only missed out the winking cat cos I'm really not feeling it!!! Here they are in white special polish over OPI Espresso Yourself

I flipped the pic so you could see the stamps right way up!

I love the 3 full nail patterns especially the - what I call fern pattern - the 70s wallpaper style print and what looks like heart topped grass! The bird and hearts are very cute too, while I feel the flowers are so-so.

I will keep konading like crazy so look forward to a lot more photo heavy posts in the future!