The product in this post was given to me as a gift. All opinions are my own.
Hey guys! I'm posting on vacation! I'm having a great time so far. I just wanted to show you what I'm wearing on my nails right now (and please ignore my mediocre paint job!).
This is Emily de Molly Absent Minded. It's a purple jelly with copper, red, blue and iridescent hexes. I absolutely love it, so deep and sparkly! Unfortunately there was no sun today, so I only have shade photos for you.
The formula was terrific, really nice for a glitter jelly.
See you guys soon! Safe travels if you're going somewhere for the holidays!
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Today's mani: Ikat chevrons for Hanukkah
Good evening and happy Hanukkah! Although I'm only Jewish by proxy, I decided it would be fun to do a Hanukkah manicure since I'm seeing my in-laws tomorrow. Plus, the blue/white/silver color combo looks really good on me!
I decided to try my hand at an ikat-style mani for the first time. I have to say, ikat is a lot harder to do than it looks! It's supposed to be a little messy, but not too messy, and that's the hard part. I'll definitely have to work on this!
The colors I used were Sally Hansen Pacific Blue, OPI My Signature is "DC", Zoya Sailor and OPI My Vampire is Buff.
We'll be traveling starting tomorrow, but I'll do my best to keep you up-to-date on all my nail-related activities!
I decided to try my hand at an ikat-style mani for the first time. I have to say, ikat is a lot harder to do than it looks! It's supposed to be a little messy, but not too messy, and that's the hard part. I'll definitely have to work on this!
The colors I used were Sally Hansen Pacific Blue, OPI My Signature is "DC", Zoya Sailor and OPI My Vampire is Buff.
We'll be traveling starting tomorrow, but I'll do my best to keep you up-to-date on all my nail-related activities!
Labels:
blue,
chevron,
Hanukkah,
holiday,
ikat,
nail art,
nail polish,
OPI,
Sally Hansen,
silver,
Zoya
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Recipes from the past six months!
Hi all! Are we getting into the holiday spirit yet? My husband and I will be traveling soon, first to my in-laws and then my parents, so we're going to have a fun and busy couple of weeks!
Today I decided to do some catching up with the food I've cooked for the last several months. I've gotten in the habit of posting pics on Instagram, but I've been bad about blogging. Almost all of these recipes were spur-of-the-moment decisions that I made with stuff already in my pantry. That's the best kind of recipe in my opinion!
We happened to buy some blueberries one week back in June, and out of the blue I wondered "can I make a crisp with these?" The answer was yes, as long as you have some basic baking supplies around, like flour, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon. The whole process takes maybe half an hour. Unfortunately I don't remember what recipe I used, but I just Googled "blueberry crisp" and got a million very similar results.
I was inspired to make these during a Good Eats marathon on Netflix. (Here is Alton Brown's recipe.) Ridiculously easy to make. Mine are a little smaller than normal because I didn't have a popover pan, only a muffin pan. I think I just baked them for slightly less time than the recipe calls for.
Another Alton Brown-inspired dish! (Recipe is here.) I used white onions instead of green, and it worked perfectly fine. Usually the only thing I can think to do with canned tuna is make tuna salad (and I make a pretty damn good tuna salad), so it was nice to learn how to do something else! These get nice and crispy and golden-brown on the outside. They remind me of the salmon patties my mom used to make us.
(Apologies for the ghetto cheese slices.) Cincinnati chili is something my dad would make for us occasionally after he came back from a business trip to Cincinnati. It has a lot of wintery spices like cinnamon, allspice and cloves, as well as chocolate! It's traditionally served over spaghetti with cheddar on top. (I used this recipe.) I replaced the beef with black beans because I had a can sitting around in the pantry.
This Thanksgiving at the in-laws', everyone contributed something to dinner. My husband and I volunteered to do dressing (well, I always call it stuffing, but this was technically dressing!). We used a very simple recipe (here) because we had to keep it kosher and dairy-free. Also, his family doesn't normally eat dressing at Thanksgiving (what???) so we didn't want to overwhelm anyone! This photo is halfway through the cooking process, so it got all crispy and browned after this. It tasted just how a traditional stuffing should taste, lovely and herbacious!
Not Pictured: I made Martha Stewart's chocolate chip cookie recipe and they were AMAZING! Soft and chewy, just the way I like them! I don't know why I forgot to take pics!
That's all for now! Have you cooked anything fun lately? I'll have to write another post all about the ice cream I've made this year!
Today I decided to do some catching up with the food I've cooked for the last several months. I've gotten in the habit of posting pics on Instagram, but I've been bad about blogging. Almost all of these recipes were spur-of-the-moment decisions that I made with stuff already in my pantry. That's the best kind of recipe in my opinion!
Blueberry Crisp
We happened to buy some blueberries one week back in June, and out of the blue I wondered "can I make a crisp with these?" The answer was yes, as long as you have some basic baking supplies around, like flour, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon. The whole process takes maybe half an hour. Unfortunately I don't remember what recipe I used, but I just Googled "blueberry crisp" and got a million very similar results.
Popovers
I was inspired to make these during a Good Eats marathon on Netflix. (Here is Alton Brown's recipe.) Ridiculously easy to make. Mine are a little smaller than normal because I didn't have a popover pan, only a muffin pan. I think I just baked them for slightly less time than the recipe calls for.
Tuna Croquettes
Another Alton Brown-inspired dish! (Recipe is here.) I used white onions instead of green, and it worked perfectly fine. Usually the only thing I can think to do with canned tuna is make tuna salad (and I make a pretty damn good tuna salad), so it was nice to learn how to do something else! These get nice and crispy and golden-brown on the outside. They remind me of the salmon patties my mom used to make us.
Vegetarian Cincinnati Chili
(Apologies for the ghetto cheese slices.) Cincinnati chili is something my dad would make for us occasionally after he came back from a business trip to Cincinnati. It has a lot of wintery spices like cinnamon, allspice and cloves, as well as chocolate! It's traditionally served over spaghetti with cheddar on top. (I used this recipe.) I replaced the beef with black beans because I had a can sitting around in the pantry.
Thanksgiving Dressing
This Thanksgiving at the in-laws', everyone contributed something to dinner. My husband and I volunteered to do dressing (well, I always call it stuffing, but this was technically dressing!). We used a very simple recipe (here) because we had to keep it kosher and dairy-free. Also, his family doesn't normally eat dressing at Thanksgiving (what???) so we didn't want to overwhelm anyone! This photo is halfway through the cooking process, so it got all crispy and browned after this. It tasted just how a traditional stuffing should taste, lovely and herbacious!
Not Pictured: I made Martha Stewart's chocolate chip cookie recipe and they were AMAZING! Soft and chewy, just the way I like them! I don't know why I forgot to take pics!
That's all for now! Have you cooked anything fun lately? I'll have to write another post all about the ice cream I've made this year!
Friday, December 12, 2014
Swatch: Powder Perfect Grief
The product in this post was purchased by me. All opinions are my own.
Happy Friday! Did you have a good week? Mine was pretty good, other than the constant precipitation we've had here! At least we don't have a foot of snow like some places yet!
Today I've got a swatch that my fellow blue polish lovers will enjoy: Powder Perfect Grief. This is a denim blue scattered holo with hidden blue-green iridescent glitter that only pops out in certain lights! It's very understated but still fascinating to look at.
The formula is good as long as you keep your coats thin. I noticed a tendency for the polish to drag with thicker coats. The opacity and dry time were good.
I don't see Grief on Powder Perfect's Australian shop site at the moment, but definitely check their international stockists!
The product in this post was purchased by me. All opinions are my own.
Happy Friday! Did you have a good week? Mine was pretty good, other than the constant precipitation we've had here! At least we don't have a foot of snow like some places yet!
Today I've got a swatch that my fellow blue polish lovers will enjoy: Powder Perfect Grief. This is a denim blue scattered holo with hidden blue-green iridescent glitter that only pops out in certain lights! It's very understated but still fascinating to look at.
Powder Perfect Grief. Two coats with Out the Door topcoat. |
The formula is good as long as you keep your coats thin. I noticed a tendency for the polish to drag with thicker coats. The opacity and dry time were good.
I don't see Grief on Powder Perfect's Australian shop site at the moment, but definitely check their international stockists!
The product in this post was purchased by me. All opinions are my own.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Review: Old Factory Soy Candle Gift Set in Fall Harvest
The products in this post were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.
Hey kids! As you might know, I love basically everything that's scented. Lotion, lip balm, whatever--the smellier the better! So when I had the opportunity to review a set of scented candles by Old Factory, I was like "heck yes!!"
Old Factory candles are made of soy wax and hand-poured in the US. They come in sets of three different candles, and each set has a theme. Since I can't get enough spicy fall scents, I chose the Fall Harvest set, containing Pumpkin Spice, Cranberry and Autumn Leaves candles. Yummm...
Each of the scents is fantastic! My favorite is definitely Pumpkin Spice, although it reminds me more of a cinnamon bun. But I can't complain about that! The Cranberry scent is tart and has a bit of spice to it as well. Autumn Leaves is the most subdued and has a natural woodsy fragrance.
The candles are fairly small (2 oz., about 2 inches in diameter), so they won't smellify your whole house, but the fragrance is definitely strong enough to fill a room plus a little more. The company claims these will burn for 20 hours, but I can't vouch for that. I didn't notice any problems with smoking or sputtering.
I appreciated the sturdy glass jars the candles come in. I love the packaging too! It feels rustic but still professional. And of course the punny name is great!
So, overall, I had a great experience with Old Factory candles and would definitely consider buying more! These are sold exclusively on Amazon ($25 per set right now), and it looks like some of the sets are sold out at the moment, so I would go check and see what's available! These candles would make a great holiday gift!
The products in this post were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.
Hey kids! As you might know, I love basically everything that's scented. Lotion, lip balm, whatever--the smellier the better! So when I had the opportunity to review a set of scented candles by Old Factory, I was like "heck yes!!"
Old Factory candles are made of soy wax and hand-poured in the US. They come in sets of three different candles, and each set has a theme. Since I can't get enough spicy fall scents, I chose the Fall Harvest set, containing Pumpkin Spice, Cranberry and Autumn Leaves candles. Yummm...
Each of the scents is fantastic! My favorite is definitely Pumpkin Spice, although it reminds me more of a cinnamon bun. But I can't complain about that! The Cranberry scent is tart and has a bit of spice to it as well. Autumn Leaves is the most subdued and has a natural woodsy fragrance.
The candles are fairly small (2 oz., about 2 inches in diameter), so they won't smellify your whole house, but the fragrance is definitely strong enough to fill a room plus a little more. The company claims these will burn for 20 hours, but I can't vouch for that. I didn't notice any problems with smoking or sputtering.
I appreciated the sturdy glass jars the candles come in. I love the packaging too! It feels rustic but still professional. And of course the punny name is great!
So, overall, I had a great experience with Old Factory candles and would definitely consider buying more! These are sold exclusively on Amazon ($25 per set right now), and it looks like some of the sets are sold out at the moment, so I would go check and see what's available! These candles would make a great holiday gift!
The products in this post were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.
Monday, December 8, 2014
Today's mani: Sideways ruffian for my birthday!
Good evening ladies and gents! Today I turned 29. That means after today I've officially stopped aging forever (right???).
The highlight of my day is the chocolate cake, still upcoming, but of course I did a fun mani as well. I used a brand new polish that I bought myself as an early birthday present: OPI My Dogsled is a Hybrid. It's a pretty light teal that I think is different from anything else in my collection. I decided to do a sideways ruffian, because I've just started seeing the design everywhere and it's really classy!
The sideways ruffian is very easy if you want to try it. First you polish your nails with your base color and let it dry completely. Then stick down a French tip guide along the curve you want for the ruffian (use tweezers to make it easier). Paint the side of your nail with color #2 (in this case Zoya Ziv) and immediately remove the tip guide. Done!
The highlight of my day is the chocolate cake, still upcoming, but of course I did a fun mani as well. I used a brand new polish that I bought myself as an early birthday present: OPI My Dogsled is a Hybrid. It's a pretty light teal that I think is different from anything else in my collection. I decided to do a sideways ruffian, because I've just started seeing the design everywhere and it's really classy!
The sideways ruffian is very easy if you want to try it. First you polish your nails with your base color and let it dry completely. Then stick down a French tip guide along the curve you want for the ruffian (use tweezers to make it easier). Paint the side of your nail with color #2 (in this case Zoya Ziv) and immediately remove the tip guide. Done!
Friday, December 5, 2014
November's Museum-Worthy Manis!
Hi again! Happy Friday! Any fun plans for the weekend? My birthday is Monday, so we might do something fun this weekend, but I'm not sure. At least my cold is going away!
So today I have my favorite nail art from last month. I didn't notice until I put the collage together that they're almost all black + metallic. Funny! But if you can't do that color combo in winter, when can you do it?? As usual, please go and look at the original artists' blog posts for details!
1. Give In To the Darkness by Chalkboard Nails
This mani is like a creepy take on the traditional French tip! I love the fuzziness of the border of the French tip--it's like an evil force slowly crawling up the nail! Plus the combo of black and nude is just so eye-catching.
2. Edgy Purple and Black Holo Fishnet Gradient by Simply Nailogical
Sexy!! Check out that reciprocal gradient on the accent nail. I really need to check out some of her gradient tutorials, because she is the master. I also love the slight hint of purple--it doesn't pop out, it just adds a little extra interest.
3. Light Years Spiral by Wacky Laki
Whoa, I'm getting dizzy! What a great choice to use this stamp over a holo--it just screams "carnival" to me. I don't usually go for 3D nail art, but those studs really pull everything together.
4. Inspired by Chuck Pinson by PiggieLuv
It wouldn't be Museum-Worthy Manis without one of Narmai's astounding freehand manis! Please go read her post and see the closeup photos of those trees! It's really mind-boggling to me.
5. #WNAC2014 Metallic Colorblock by Lacquerstyle
This is just straight-up classy to me. Love the mod colorblocking pattern and the choice of metallic polishes: they're different enough to be distinguishable, and you get these glints of different colors, but they give a monochromatic effect overall. Super cool!
Honorable mention: Green Hills of Africa by May Contain Traces of Polish
Thursday, December 4, 2014
November's Gimme That Polish!
Good evening everyone! I finally have my top five lemmings from my Pinterest wishlist for November! (Better late than never, right?) We're now entering the realm of holiday and winter collections. I don't know about you, but I found the commercial brands' winter collections to be pretty uninspired this year. Even Zoya's was kind of disappointing. As usual, we have to look to the indie brands for the cool stuff!
1. Delush Polish - Green With Ivy
While this is a pretty traditional holiday color, I LOVE how squishy this jelly is! The glitter coordinates with the base, so you get this beautiful variety of green shades that doesn't smack you in the face with "CHRISTMAS!!" So you could really wear this polish year-round. (Delush Polish shop | swatch by Wondrously Polished)
2. Crazy Polish Lady - Coco Avant Chanel
I realize this one might not be everyone's cup of tea, but as a proud wearer of brown polish, I'm in love. I just love the texture that all those different flakes and flecks create. I imagine this might look like marble from a distance! (Crazy Polish Lady shop | swatch by Love Varnish)
3. Femme Fatale - Embercrush
Unnff, more gorgeous shimmer and texture! Dark and fiery but not too vampy. This one definitely deserves a close-up view, so go look at the original swatches! This polish is a Color4Nails exclusive, which makes it easier for us Americans to get our hands on it! (Color4Nails shop | swatch by Royal Milk Tea)
4. Serum No. 5 - Don't Peek
My first reaction to this polish was, "I don't even care that it glows in the dark, I just love that glitter mix!" And I still feel the same way. As an indie maker, I can say that coming up with unique and attractive glitter mixes is extremely tough, and Serum No. 5 nailed this one. It's not a traditional holiday look; it actually reminds me of nature. (Serum No. 5 shop | swatch by The Mercurial Magpie)
5. SuperChic Lacquer - Baker's Hunger for a Bun in the Oven
This polish is from a collection inspired by the Into the Woods musical/movie, and while the musical isn't my style (I'm more of a Phantom fan, as you know), the polish definitely is. Look at the way that shimmer just glows! I love the combo of muted colors and bright metallics. (SuperChic Lacquer shop | swatch by KellieGonzo)
Honorable mention: Reverie Nail Lacquer - Polar Night
What are your favorite holiday polishes this year?
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
ALIQUID Lacquer Saturnalia Duo!
Hi kids! I've been a very bad blogger lately, haven't I? It's not all my fault though. We left for Thanksgiving a day earlier than we had planned thanks to the weather, so I didn't get to write a post last Tuesday like I wanted to. Then as soon as we got home I caught a cold. So I've basically been lying around amidst piles of used kleenex for the past several days. I seem to be slowly getting better though, hooray!!
Anyway, first off I want to say that my Fantastiversary was great, and I'm so grateful for everyone who placed orders in the past couple weeks! There's still a day left to get your entries in for my nail art contest on Instagram!
On Monday I released two new polishes in my shop. I had been thinking about whether I should do a holiday collection, but I always feel like those are a bit cliche. Too many reindeer- and Santa-related puns. Then it hit me that I could incorporate one of my interests into some holiday polish AND make it an ongoing thing, not just for December!
The result is the When in Rome collection, which is going to be a catch-all for any Rome-related polishes I make. I am a huge nerd for Ancient Rome and Latin (it's my favorite language), and in fact I have a B.A. in classics. One thing that's always interested me about the Romans is all the ways their culture is a bit alien from a modern perspective. It's strange, because they helped create the foundation for all of Western culture, and in movies they're usually portrayed as "Brits in togas", but they really did think about things differently than we do in a lot of ways, the biggest to me being religion. You can learn a lot about people from their religious practices!
Long story short, I'm going to release one or two polishes per month that are inspired by a Roman festival that was celebrated in that month. They had plenty of festivals, so I could keep this going for a couple years at least!
December's big festival (and the biggest one of the year) was Saturnalia. It was like Christmas, New Year, and Mardi Gras rolled into one, and actually helped inspire later Christmas traditions. Saturnalia lasted for several days around the winter solstice and honored Saturn, the god of agriculture, wealth, liberation, destruction and renewal. Saturn was an ancient Italian god and king of the mythical Golden Age, when all people were equal and enjoyed the fruits of the earth without having to work. He was also believed to be an ancestor of the Latin people (including Romans and their neighbors).
Here are the two Saturnalia polishes!
Io Saturnalia!: A metallic foil finish with a blend of silver and gold particles, as well as flecks of blue and purple and holographic microglitter and shimmer.
Once the solemn rites and sacrifices of Saturnalia were done, the nonstop partying began. Everyone got a break from work and spent the festival feasting, drinking, gambling and exchanging gifts (often small things like candles and figurines). The streets echoed with shouts of "io Saturnalia!", sort of a more enthusiastic version of "happy holidays!"
The legs of Saturn's statue were tied with wool for most of the year, but during Saturnalia he was released. Roman society was also released from most of its social expectations, an echo of the lost Golden Age. Masters served dinner to their slaves and had to endure a lot of backtalk. Male citizens abandoned their togas for less formal, more colorful clothes, and slaves and citizens alike wore felt caps usually reserved for freedmen.
But there was a dark side to Saturn's liberation too. It was rumored that early Romans had practiced human sacrifice to the god, and in the later empire, gladiators fought to the death in Saturn's honor.
I'll hopefully be back tomorrow with my top lemmings from November!
Anyway, first off I want to say that my Fantastiversary was great, and I'm so grateful for everyone who placed orders in the past couple weeks! There's still a day left to get your entries in for my nail art contest on Instagram!
On Monday I released two new polishes in my shop. I had been thinking about whether I should do a holiday collection, but I always feel like those are a bit cliche. Too many reindeer- and Santa-related puns. Then it hit me that I could incorporate one of my interests into some holiday polish AND make it an ongoing thing, not just for December!
The result is the When in Rome collection, which is going to be a catch-all for any Rome-related polishes I make. I am a huge nerd for Ancient Rome and Latin (it's my favorite language), and in fact I have a B.A. in classics. One thing that's always interested me about the Romans is all the ways their culture is a bit alien from a modern perspective. It's strange, because they helped create the foundation for all of Western culture, and in movies they're usually portrayed as "Brits in togas", but they really did think about things differently than we do in a lot of ways, the biggest to me being religion. You can learn a lot about people from their religious practices!
Long story short, I'm going to release one or two polishes per month that are inspired by a Roman festival that was celebrated in that month. They had plenty of festivals, so I could keep this going for a couple years at least!
December's big festival (and the biggest one of the year) was Saturnalia. It was like Christmas, New Year, and Mardi Gras rolled into one, and actually helped inspire later Christmas traditions. Saturnalia lasted for several days around the winter solstice and honored Saturn, the god of agriculture, wealth, liberation, destruction and renewal. Saturn was an ancient Italian god and king of the mythical Golden Age, when all people were equal and enjoyed the fruits of the earth without having to work. He was also believed to be an ancestor of the Latin people (including Romans and their neighbors).
Here are the two Saturnalia polishes!
Io Saturnalia!: A metallic foil finish with a blend of silver and gold particles, as well as flecks of blue and purple and holographic microglitter and shimmer.
Once the solemn rites and sacrifices of Saturnalia were done, the nonstop partying began. Everyone got a break from work and spent the festival feasting, drinking, gambling and exchanging gifts (often small things like candles and figurines). The streets echoed with shouts of "io Saturnalia!", sort of a more enthusiastic version of "happy holidays!"
Saturn Unbound: A deep berry jelly with shimmers of gold, copper, red and green, plus holographic microglitter.
The legs of Saturn's statue were tied with wool for most of the year, but during Saturnalia he was released. Roman society was also released from most of its social expectations, an echo of the lost Golden Age. Masters served dinner to their slaves and had to endure a lot of backtalk. Male citizens abandoned their togas for less formal, more colorful clothes, and slaves and citizens alike wore felt caps usually reserved for freedmen.
But there was a dark side to Saturn's liberation too. It was rumored that early Romans had practiced human sacrifice to the god, and in the later empire, gladiators fought to the death in Saturn's honor.
These are both for sale now, and you get $3 off if you buy both together! I think they're perfect for the holidays even if you don't worship Saturn...
I'll hopefully be back tomorrow with my top lemmings from November!
Labels:
ALIQUID Lacquer,
foil,
glass fleck,
glitter,
gold,
holographic,
jelly,
nail polish,
red,
silver
Thursday, November 20, 2014
ALIQUID Lacquer's First Fantastiversary + Giveaway!!
Hi kids!!
Can you believe it...one year ago today I opened my Etsy shop and started selling ALIQUID Lacquer! That means today is my anniversary...no, my FANTASTIVERSARY!! There is going to be so much fun stuff happening in the next week and a half, so keep reading!
First off, I want to say thanks to everyone who has bought my polish. It's been amazing to see people get excited about something I made! That really hasn't happened much before in my life, since I've always been a "thinker" rather than a "doer". And a giant thank-you to the awesome bloggers I've gotten to work with over the past year!
I've learned a lot owning a business, but one unexpected thing that I realized is how each person has their own way of using nail polish. I was genuinely surprised at first that a polish that is opaque in two coats for me might need three coats for someone else, or that someone added thinner to a polish that I thought was the perfect consistency. I've really had to look at my polishes with an objective eye, which can be difficult when dealing with something that is so personal. But I think that has made me a better indie!
Anyway, on to the fun stuff! Anniversaries are the perfect time to reflect on the past year and make resolutions for the coming year. I thought about my struggles as a new indie brand and created three polishes to remind me of the qualities I'd like to foster in myself!
Artsy: A coral crelly with various shades of turquoise, yellow, purple and grey matte hexes.
It can be tough sometimes to stay creative when inventing new polish shades. In the next year, I want to broaden my horizons and approach polish making from a fresh perspective!
Dogged: A brown scattered holographic polish with coppery red flecks and a blue sheen.
Being a new indie can be discouraging, especially if you compare yourself to older, more successful brands. In the next year, I will keep believing in my own talents!
Gregarious: A lime green jelly filled with holographic and iridescent green, yellow and gold glitter in multiple shapes and sizes, plus magenta flecks.
Running any business requires one skill I'm not great at: talking to people! I have had to leave my comfort zone many times this year. In the next year, I promise to stay open and approachable to customers and the nail community at large!
I also have a delicious new lip balm scent: champagne frosting! I seriously love this one, you guys.
So there will be tons of stuff happening now through Cyber Monday (Dec. 1)! Most importantly, lots of sales!!
And oh yes, here's a giveaway for you right now!!
This giveaway is for one set of the Fantastiversary trio, and it's open internationally!
Good luck!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Can you believe it...one year ago today I opened my Etsy shop and started selling ALIQUID Lacquer! That means today is my anniversary...no, my FANTASTIVERSARY!! There is going to be so much fun stuff happening in the next week and a half, so keep reading!
First off, I want to say thanks to everyone who has bought my polish. It's been amazing to see people get excited about something I made! That really hasn't happened much before in my life, since I've always been a "thinker" rather than a "doer". And a giant thank-you to the awesome bloggers I've gotten to work with over the past year!
I've learned a lot owning a business, but one unexpected thing that I realized is how each person has their own way of using nail polish. I was genuinely surprised at first that a polish that is opaque in two coats for me might need three coats for someone else, or that someone added thinner to a polish that I thought was the perfect consistency. I've really had to look at my polishes with an objective eye, which can be difficult when dealing with something that is so personal. But I think that has made me a better indie!
Anyway, on to the fun stuff! Anniversaries are the perfect time to reflect on the past year and make resolutions for the coming year. I thought about my struggles as a new indie brand and created three polishes to remind me of the qualities I'd like to foster in myself!
Artsy: A coral crelly with various shades of turquoise, yellow, purple and grey matte hexes.
It can be tough sometimes to stay creative when inventing new polish shades. In the next year, I want to broaden my horizons and approach polish making from a fresh perspective!
Dogged: A brown scattered holographic polish with coppery red flecks and a blue sheen.
Being a new indie can be discouraging, especially if you compare yourself to older, more successful brands. In the next year, I will keep believing in my own talents!
Gregarious: A lime green jelly filled with holographic and iridescent green, yellow and gold glitter in multiple shapes and sizes, plus magenta flecks.
Running any business requires one skill I'm not great at: talking to people! I have had to leave my comfort zone many times this year. In the next year, I promise to stay open and approachable to customers and the nail community at large!
I also have a delicious new lip balm scent: champagne frosting! I seriously love this one, you guys.
Fantastiversary Events!
So there will be tons of stuff happening now through Cyber Monday (Dec. 1)! Most importantly, lots of sales!!
- the Fantastiversary trio is 30% off through Dec. 1
- every day there will be a different sale at the shop--check back each day!
- there will be an even BIGGER Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale!
- occasional flash giveaways on our Facebook page!
- you can enter my nail art contest on Instagram to win a $50 gift certificate!
And oh yes, here's a giveaway for you right now!!
Giveaway Rules
This giveaway is for one set of the Fantastiversary trio, and it's open internationally!
- You must provide your email address to enter. All other entries are optional.
- One of the entries asks you to fill out a customer survey. You can do this even if you haven't bought anything from ALIQUID Lacquer. At the end of the survey, you'll get a password to enter into the Rafflecopter for verification.
- Giveaway ends Dec. 1 at 11:59 PM EST.
- Winner will be notified by email and must respond within 48 hours, or a new winner will be chosen.
Good luck!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Swatch: Scofflaw Wraith Pinned to the Mist
The product in this post was given to me as a gift. All opinions are my own.
Happy weekend!! Is it cold where you are? This week it finally started feeling wintery here in Boston, and I had to break out my big puffy coat for the first time. It always makes me a little sad, because I really hate cold weather.
Anyway! I decided to swatch one of the polishes I used in my stamping decal mani from this week. It's my only Scofflaw polish, and I got it in a Secret Santa swap. Wraith Pinned to the Mist is a pale mint/seafoam with gold, copper and blue flecks. It is so beautiful and delicate!
And yes, my nails are short again...I ripped one while rummaging through my laundry basket. Go figure.
It's fairly sheer, so I probably could have used one more coat. The formula was great, on the thicker side but very easy to use. I loooove polishes with subtle flecks like this, and I think this particular shade is perfect for the upcoming season!
Scofflaw only restocks rarely, but you might be able to get this one through one of their stockists.
The product in this post was given to me as a gift. All opinions are my own.
Happy weekend!! Is it cold where you are? This week it finally started feeling wintery here in Boston, and I had to break out my big puffy coat for the first time. It always makes me a little sad, because I really hate cold weather.
Anyway! I decided to swatch one of the polishes I used in my stamping decal mani from this week. It's my only Scofflaw polish, and I got it in a Secret Santa swap. Wraith Pinned to the Mist is a pale mint/seafoam with gold, copper and blue flecks. It is so beautiful and delicate!
And yes, my nails are short again...I ripped one while rummaging through my laundry basket. Go figure.
Scofflaw Wraith Pinned to the Mist. Two coats with Out the Door topcoat. |
It's fairly sheer, so I probably could have used one more coat. The formula was great, on the thicker side but very easy to use. I loooove polishes with subtle flecks like this, and I think this particular shade is perfect for the upcoming season!
Scofflaw only restocks rarely, but you might be able to get this one through one of their stockists.
The product in this post was given to me as a gift. All opinions are my own.
Labels:
blue,
copper,
glass fleck,
gold,
green,
nail polish,
review,
Scofflaw,
swatch
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Nail fail(?): monochrome stamping decals
Good morning! Today I have what I consider to be a nail fail. I wanted to have another go at making stamping decals. Previously I had tried the method where you let the decal dry on the stamper, the disadvantage of course being that you can only make one at a time (unless you have multiple stampers, I guess). This time I made them on a plastic baggie, starting by putting down some splotches of topcoat and letting them dry, then stamping on top of that.
Here you can see the decals in progress (and one where I screwed up the stamping):
I used a stamp from Winstonia W111, which is a cool sort of art-deco pattern. I stamped with my go-to silver, Julep Harley. Then I decided to fill in the little arches with various shades of sparkly teal: Sally Hansen Jet Set Jade, Julep Valerie, Zoya Zuza and Scofflaw Wraith Pinned to the Mist (I really must swatch this one alone sometime).
So far, so good. The problem came when I went to put the decals on my nails. I just cannot figure out how to prevent them from getting all bubbly and lumpy! The result:
I put on a matte topcoat to try to obscure some of the imperfections, but they are still glaringly obvious to me. I can't help being a perfectionist, I guess.
If someone out there has mastered the art of stamping decals, please share your secrets!!
Here you can see the decals in progress (and one where I screwed up the stamping):
I used a stamp from Winstonia W111, which is a cool sort of art-deco pattern. I stamped with my go-to silver, Julep Harley. Then I decided to fill in the little arches with various shades of sparkly teal: Sally Hansen Jet Set Jade, Julep Valerie, Zoya Zuza and Scofflaw Wraith Pinned to the Mist (I really must swatch this one alone sometime).
So far, so good. The problem came when I went to put the decals on my nails. I just cannot figure out how to prevent them from getting all bubbly and lumpy! The result:
I put on a matte topcoat to try to obscure some of the imperfections, but they are still glaringly obvious to me. I can't help being a perfectionist, I guess.
If someone out there has mastered the art of stamping decals, please share your secrets!!
Labels:
green,
Julep,
nail art,
nail polish,
Sally Hansen,
Scofflaw,
silver,
stamping,
Zoya
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Swatch: Marbles for Polish Legend of Zelda collection
The products in this post were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.
Happy Thursday! Today I'm bringing you a lovely upcoming collection from indie brand Marbles for Polish! It's inspired by Legend of Zelda, which is a game series I somehow never got into as a kid (I was too busy with Mario, I think). But I probably would have liked it.
All four polishes are linear holos with a metallic sheen. Since the formula was the same for each, I'll talk about that first. I found the application to be exactly to my taste, even with the mini brush. Not runny, thick or draggy! You could get away with either two or three coats, depending on how heavy-handed you are (I used two for the swatches here). The holographic particles are very fine, so the holo isn't the most prominent, especially in low lighting. But in the sun you see a strong rainbow arc!
OK, on to the photos! The weather here has been almost uniformly gross for the past week, so I couldn't get outdoor shots. But I think you can get an idea of how strong the holo is, especially by looking at the bottles.
Courage is a light green holo with a gold metallic sheen. I probably could have used one more coat here, but if you have short nails, two would be fine. I really really love this particular shade of green.
Power is a black (or very very dark grey) holo with a gold metallic sheen. It's not the most original color, true, but the formula is great. So if you're lacking a black holo, I think this would be a good choice.
Trinity is a gold holo with strong yellow tones. (It even seems a bit green to me, but that might be the holo.) Not the most flattering shade on me, but definitely a showstopper!
Wisdom is a warm lavender (dare I say orchid??) holo with a purple metallic sheen. This is probably my favorite color of the bunch, because hey, purple! Girly but in-your-face at the same time.
A beautiful set of polishes, no? I'd say these would all make great foundation shades in your holo collection! Some of the colors are new for me actually!
The Marbles for Polish Legend of Zelda collection will be coming out on November 14th on Etsy. They will retail for $10 each for a 15 ml bottle!
The products in this post were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.
Happy Thursday! Today I'm bringing you a lovely upcoming collection from indie brand Marbles for Polish! It's inspired by Legend of Zelda, which is a game series I somehow never got into as a kid (I was too busy with Mario, I think). But I probably would have liked it.
All four polishes are linear holos with a metallic sheen. Since the formula was the same for each, I'll talk about that first. I found the application to be exactly to my taste, even with the mini brush. Not runny, thick or draggy! You could get away with either two or three coats, depending on how heavy-handed you are (I used two for the swatches here). The holographic particles are very fine, so the holo isn't the most prominent, especially in low lighting. But in the sun you see a strong rainbow arc!
OK, on to the photos! The weather here has been almost uniformly gross for the past week, so I couldn't get outdoor shots. But I think you can get an idea of how strong the holo is, especially by looking at the bottles.
Marbles for Polish Courage. Two coats with Out the Door topcoat. |
Courage is a light green holo with a gold metallic sheen. I probably could have used one more coat here, but if you have short nails, two would be fine. I really really love this particular shade of green.
Marbles for Polish Power. Two coats with Out the Door topcoat. |
Power is a black (or very very dark grey) holo with a gold metallic sheen. It's not the most original color, true, but the formula is great. So if you're lacking a black holo, I think this would be a good choice.
Marbles for Polish Trinity. Two coats with Out the Door topcoat. |
Trinity is a gold holo with strong yellow tones. (It even seems a bit green to me, but that might be the holo.) Not the most flattering shade on me, but definitely a showstopper!
Marbles for Polish Wisdom. Two coats with Out the Door topcoat. |
Wisdom is a warm lavender (dare I say orchid??) holo with a purple metallic sheen. This is probably my favorite color of the bunch, because hey, purple! Girly but in-your-face at the same time.
A beautiful set of polishes, no? I'd say these would all make great foundation shades in your holo collection! Some of the colors are new for me actually!
The Marbles for Polish Legend of Zelda collection will be coming out on November 14th on Etsy. They will retail for $10 each for a 15 ml bottle!
The products in this post were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
October's Museum-Worthy Manis!
Good morning! As promised, I have my favorite nail art from October for you today! Naturally my blog feed was full of Halloween manis last month. I'm not always a fan of holiday-themed art, especially if it's cutesy, but I did find a few gems! Don't forget to check out the original blog posts and give props!
1. Hell God With a Six-Pack by PiggieLuv
Narmai did a lot of amazing Halloween art, so it was hard to choose, but I think this one is just over-the-top awesome. Plus the six-pack is great. And her painting skills are ace as usual.
2. Freehand Butterfly Art by Will Paint Nails For Food
It's not Halloween, but it IS beautiful. This is a more refined version of the butterfly mani you see everywhere (and which I've done before). When I first saw this mani, I was shocked how realistic it looks. I love that Meghan took inspiration from actual photos of butterfly wings.
3. Witch Mona Lisa by Break Rules, Not Nails
This mani is so outside-the-box, I just love it. Who would think to put the Mona Lisa in a Halloween mani? She made a water decal for Mona Lisa herself and painted the rest by hand--I love how creepy the landscape looks.
4. Holo Reciprocal X Round Gradient by Simply Nailogical
I love it when people take gradients to the next level (it's something I'd like to work on). This one almost feels like an optical illusion. And the holo just makes everything cooler!
5. Halloween Circles By Work Play Polish
This is a great understated Halloween mani in my opinion. Not overly cute or gory. I always love dotticures, and I also like the variety of shades of orange she used here. I might have to borrow this idea next year!
Honorable mention: Abstract Floral by Wondrously Polished
That's all for today! I hope my fellow Americans voted yesterday!
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
October's Gimme That Polish!
Hi all! Sorry for the radio silence the past few days--my in-laws were visiting for the weekend, then yesterday was Mr. ALIQUID's birthday! Being the boring people we are, we celebrated by getting Chinese food and visiting a new grocery store that just opened here. Thrilling!
Anyway, here finally are my top five lemmings from my Pinterest wishlist for October! Lots of beautiful fall and winter shades here. As usual, go visit the original reviews for more photos!
1. Lilypad Lacquer - Envy Me
As I think I've mentioned before, holos with contrasting shimmer are my new favorite thing, and I absolutely love the jewel tone green and purple together here. Lilypad is one of those brands I keep seeing everywhere and want to try every single one of! This polish is exclusive to Hypnotic Polish, a Netherlands-based stockist. (swatch by Very Emily)
2. KBShimmer - Mauve On Over
OK, glitter crellies are my other favorite thing, especially when the color combo is unexpected. This is from KBShimmer's new winter collection, but it doesn't really read winter to me. What do you think? (KBShimmer shop | swatch by The Nail Polish Challenge)
3. Delush Polish - Misty Day
Ahhh, look how much depth this one has! I love the pops of color among all the green. This one reminds me of an enchanted forest. (Delush Polish shop | swatch by The Nail Polish Challenge)
4. Indigo Bananas - Gods & Monsters
In my opinion, Andrea of Indigo Bananas is the queen of multichrome polishes (and one of my polish muses in general). This one is a prime example. She uses the old-school flakies with a super intense color shift, and it just looks like the epitome of fall to me. Droooool. (Indigo Bananas shop | swatch by Polish Hound)
5. A England - Virgin Queen
It feels like a while since we've seen a new A England collection, and this newest one is stunning as always. They do the best scattered holos! The blend of silver and gold here is just uber-classy. (A England shop | swatch by Marine Loves Polish)
Honorable mention: Powder Perfect - The Stars Are Shining Brightly
I'll be back tomorrow with my favorite manis from October!
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Today's mani: Gruesome gradient
Happy Hump Day! October is almost over, can you believe it?? I hate how fast time goes by!
Well, you might have noticed that I haven't really gotten into the Halloween spirit as far as my nails go. Halloween just doesn't interest me now that I'm too old to get free candy. Plus, orange doesn't look very good on me. But I figured I should do at least a couple manis before the holiday passes.
Instead of orange, I decided to use a slime green color, which is equally creepy to me! I did a gradient with Essie Shake Your $$ Maker and Revlon Stiletto. When I was done, I decided it needed something more, so I did a little stamp with Winstonia plate W116 and Julep Harley (my go-to stamping silver). What do you think--is it ghastly enough?
I'll probably do one more Halloween mani, since I doubt this one will last until Friday (I'm going to be deep-cleaning our apartment for the next few days). See you then, boys and ghouls!
Well, you might have noticed that I haven't really gotten into the Halloween spirit as far as my nails go. Halloween just doesn't interest me now that I'm too old to get free candy. Plus, orange doesn't look very good on me. But I figured I should do at least a couple manis before the holiday passes.
Instead of orange, I decided to use a slime green color, which is equally creepy to me! I did a gradient with Essie Shake Your $$ Maker and Revlon Stiletto. When I was done, I decided it needed something more, so I did a little stamp with Winstonia plate W116 and Julep Harley (my go-to stamping silver). What do you think--is it ghastly enough?
I'll probably do one more Halloween mani, since I doubt this one will last until Friday (I'm going to be deep-cleaning our apartment for the next few days). See you then, boys and ghouls!
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