February's Museum-Worthy Manis!

It's the last day of February, and I'm so looking forward to March and finally seeing our snow melt! Today I'm continuing with my Pinterest picks of the month by showing you some awesome nail art I pinned in February. Please go visit all of these amazing artists and like/follow/etc.!

1. Landscape (Based on a Photo by Carl Heilman) - Nails by CTC

 

I stumbled across Nails by CTC's Facebook page this month and was absolutely astounded by the work she does. Her page is just photo after photo of gorgeous art like this. I don't know how she manages to get such photorealistic art on such tiny canvasses! She deserves a million bajillion likes.

2. Abstract - K's NailArt

This one reminds me of a tropical sunset! The black details have such great movement--they feel like palm trees swaying in the breeze. I love that such a simple set of colors, lines and dots can result in something so interesting to look at. Go read more at K's NailArt!

3. Tri-Polish Challenge - FingerFood

Not only is FingerFood the organizer of the nail art challenge I'm doing right now, but she's an amazing nail artist too! This is the latest of many manis I've pinned from her. I'm a sucker for bright colors contrasting with neutrals, and I love the funky freeform patterns here. Not to mention I'm jealous of her perfect freehanding!

4. Amber Resin Nail Art - Manicurity

OK, this one's not brand new, but I discovered it this month while Googling for "amber". If these nails weren't attached to someone's fingers, I would have thought they were real amber! They're so painstakingly detailed but still manage to look natural. I'm so jealous, because I've always struggled to embrace randomness in my nail art. The bugs are a perfect finishing touch too! Read more at Manicurity!

5. Nautical Rose Nails - Paulina's Passions

Sometimes there's nothing like an old-fashioned floral mani. I love the contrast between the masculine nautical stripes and gold studs and the delicate pink roses. Everything about this mani is so clean; it just satisfies my constant craving for neatness! Check it out at Paulina's Passions!

Well, that's all from me for this month! I'll be back tomorrow with a new 2014 Blogger Challenge post!

February's Gimme That Polish!

 
It's new feature time here at ALIQUID! If you follow me on Pinterest, you know that I'm constantly pinning swatches of polishes I'm lusting after. (My wishlist is currently about 50% larger than my actual stash...) I decided it would be fun, at the end of each month, to pick my top five lemmings from that month and share them with you! You can click on any of the images in the collage above or keep reading to find out about each polish. Make sure to give the original swatchers some love! Let's get started!

1. Emily de Molly - Turbulence

 

This isn't a new polish, but it's new to me. Why must these Australian indies keep torturing me with such amazing stuff?? Just look at it, a blue jelly (already +1 in my book) packed with sparkly holographic goodness. I have so many EdMs on my wishlist now! Check out the great swatches by It's All About the Polish and Emily de Molly's shop!

2. I Love Nail Polish - Nostalgia (H)

Yep, I'm still a sucker for those ILNP ultrachromes, despite owning two already. Nostalgia is a newer one, and this version has the added holographic finish. Unnnhhh, color shift... (Here are more swatches by Nailz Craze, and the ILNP shop.)

3. Zoya - Dillon

Zoya remains the master of the glass fleck. I want all of the glass flecks from the spring Awaken collection (except that yellow one, would NOT look good on me), but this seafoam green fellow is just calling my name. Polish Hound has gorgeous swatches of all of them!

4. Glam Polish - Spectral

OK let's be honest, I need the entire Supernatural collection from Glam Polish. Jewel tones with shimmer, flakies and holo glitter? GIMME GIMME GIMME. Another seductive Aussie brand!! Here are Work Play Polish's delicious swatches and Glam's shop (they ship to the US, it's just pricey!).

5. Nail Pattern Boldness - Intoxicated

When I wear glitter, I don't like mucking about with layering and all that nonsense. I want full coverage, dammit! Well, Nail Pattern Boldness' Parliament of Magpies collection gets my thumbs-up in that department. I just love the intricate pattern formed by those tiny glitters. I need, like, half this collection right now (despite the prospect of removing all that glitter). Check out Accio Lacquer's fabulous swatches and NPB's shop!


I hope you're lusting after all of these now too! I'll be back tomorrow with my top nail art from February! Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest!

Swatch: Zoya Cosmo

The product in this post was purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

I know I just swatched a Zoya a few days ago, but I had to do another one today. Texture plus holographic? Yes please!! Cosmo is a new addition to the PixieDust lineup: a silver textured polish loaded with two sizes of silver holographic hex. Behold...

Zoya Cosmo. Two coats, no topcoat.

Cosmo is one of the bling-est (blingiest? most bling-y?) polishes I've ever worn. My photo really does not do it justice. It looks like crushed diamonds!

I saw that other bloggers had nitpicks about the formula, but for me it was perfect: the glitters distributed themselves evenly with no effort from me, and the polish applied so neatly that I barely had to do any cleanup. It dried a little slower than other PixieDusts I've tried, probably due to all the glitter, but still within acceptable limits for me.

 As for the texture, it's definitely a bit bumpier than your average textured polish, so if you weren't a fan of texture to begin with, Cosmo probably won't win you over. It's not snagging on my clothes or anything though.

You can of course add topcoat if you want a smooth polish, but it'll take some work. This is Cosmo with two layers of topcoat (still a bit bumpy):

Zoya Cosmo. Two coats with Gelous and Out the Door topcoats.

Last but not least, the obligatory blurry sparkle shot:

Cosmo is available at zoya.com ($10 for 15 ml)!

The product in this post was purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

FingerFood's Theme Buffet #8: Cute

Hey all! I can't believe we're eight weeks into FingerFood's Theme Buffet challenge already! Where did the time go??

This week's theme is "cute", and as everyone knows, the cutest thing in the universe is a pile of puppies. So here's my doggie manicure!

Hee hee, this makes me smile every time I look at it! I like how the dog on the far right looks kind of skeptical. I started with a base of Zoya Sweet, then added the dog heads, spots and ears with Revlon Stiletto, Sinful Colors Snow Me White, Revlon Stormy Night, Julep Otte and Sephora by OPI Leotard Optional. I added a layer of Revlon Matte topcoat and did the eyes and noses afterwards so they kept a little shine.

I asked Trudy if she approved of my mani, but she was still recovering from her busy day yesterday (busy =  going for a walk):

An InLinkz Link-up

Swatch: Zoya Monet

The product in this post was purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

So if you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you might have seen that I got a haul of Zoyas and Essies in yesterday! The lovely Kirby of The Mercurial Magpie wanted to see Zoya Monet first, so here it is!

Monet is a brand new polish from Zoya's spring collection. It's a glitter topper with what looks like three types of translucent iridescent hex: pink/orange/yellow, yellow/green and blue/purple. The polish base actually has a pink tint, but it doesn't really show up on the nail (unless you wear it over white I guess). I wore it over a dark and a light color to show how different the glitter can look with different bases.

Zoya Monet. One coat over Revlon Stiletto and Essie Warm & Toasty Turtleneck. Out the Door topcoat.

This next picture is kinda funny: I was taking a shower and noticed that my nails looked especially fabulous, so after I got dressed I hopped back in the shower stall to take some pictures! (Sorry about the dry skin.)

Gorgeous, no? The glitters have the same vividness as a nice flakie, always a plus. The formula was just OK; it was kind of sticky and didn't want to level out. I had to dab at times to get the glitter evenly distributed. And as you can see, I got a lot of bubbling--I don't know if that's due to the thickness of the polish, or if I put topcoat on too soon. Either way, try to use thin coats if you can.

Finally here's an intentionally-blurry sparkle pic:

Monet is available at zoya.com for $10 (15 ml).

The product in this post was purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

Talking about talking: That's so meta(phor)!

I've been very remiss in writing about language lately! I mean, it's on my banner and everything! I've had a topic tucked away in my head for months now, and I'm finally getting it written down. Hope you find it interesting, and don't forget I'll answer any language questions you've got!

Historical linguists have noticed something striking about how the meanings of words change over time: abstract words (words denoting a concept that can't be detected by the senses) always develop from earlier concrete meanings, not the other way around.
 
Continued after the jump...

February Ipsy Glam Bag review

OH! I almost forgot: I finally joined Instagram, so feel free to follow me there!

Hey all, I got my Ipsy Glam Bag yesterday; check it out! (Ipsy is a beauty product subscription service that costs $10 per month. If you want to try it out, click here to use my referral link!)

I'm pretty happy with this month's bag! Let's look at each product, starting with my favorite...

Zoya Odette

Zoya Odette. Two coats with Out the Door topcoat.

Yep, I got a full-size Zoya in this bag--how cool is that! Odette is a dusty orchid creme from the new Naturel collection of nudes/neutrals. It's one of the least nude polishes in the collection, at least for a pasty white girl like me, but it's definitely still work-appropriate. Something about this shade just makes me really happy...there's nothing like a beautiful glossy creme sometimes! The formula was on the runny side, so make sure to keep your coats thin to avoid flooded cuticles. (available here for $9)

First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay

 

I'm glad Ipsy sent me this one, since I love trying out new cleansers. This one is supposed to clear your pores and reduce oil production with red clay and rosemary oil. It also contains botanical antioxidants. As an oily-skinned person this all sounds great; but I've tried several clay products (mostly masks) and they tend to dry me out and cause breakouts. So I'm cautiously optimistic.

I've used this cleanser twice so far. It has a thick gel consistency and foams slightly when you lather it up. It also has a pleasant rosemary scent. After use, my skin feels very clean and a little tight, probably due to the red clay sucking up my oil. So far I haven't noticed a difference in the appearance of my pores, and I haven't had any breakouts yet. I'll keep using this sample unless something horrible happens to my skin! I like the looks of this brand anyway, so do check them out. (available here for $24)

POP Beauty Plump Pout in Peony Petal

Wow, that's a lot of Ps! This is like a cross between a lip stain and a lip gloss; it's got great pigmentation and shine, and it's pretty long-lasting too. It's also not very sticky! I didn't notice my lips becoming particularly plump though. I really like this one, although the color is bordering on too loud for me. (I guess I need to become more adventurous!) Plus I think the container is really cute. 

I should also note that the description claims to contain avocado and jojoba oils, but they're not listed on the ingredients list--instead, I see petrolatum and mineral oil. Not sure what's going on there. (available here for $16)

Tini Beauty Eyetini Cordial Cream Shadow + Base in Ambrosia

This is the first cream eye shadow I've ever owned! This product can be used on its own or under powder shadow. It's supposed to resist creasing and extend wear. I received Ambrosia, which is described as "glistening plummy mauve", but to me it looks brown with purple undertones. In my photos you can see that it's well-pigmented (upper right) but blends nicely with your fingertip so the color isn't overwhelming (lower left).

I was impressed with the durability of this shadow; I wore it for about three hours and had no noticeable creasing (pretty impressive for my oily eyelids). It was also really tough to remove! Even my trusty Magic Mitt had a hard time with it. My only criticism is that it seems to accentuate the little bumps and wrinkles on my eyelids. Maybe eyeshadow primer would help with this (I don't actually own any...) Oh, and this shadow has a smell that reminds me of some kind of pastry, but I can't put my finger on what. (available here for $18)

J.Cat Beauty Eyelashes + Eyelash Glue in 747L

Every subscription box has a dud, and this is mine. Not only did they give me the most ridiculously long set of eyelashes that I would never wear, but I also have a strong flinch reflex when objects get close to my eyes, so I wouldn't even be able to put these on. (I felt really bad for the very patient woman who did my wedding makeup.) These are going in my stash sale if you want them! (available here for $3.99)

Have you tried any of these products? Did you get something else exciting in your Glam Bag this month?

FingerFood's Theme Buffet #7: Abstract

Hey all, it's time once again for FingerFood's Theme Buffet! This week's theme is abstract nail art. I decided to make a second try at one-stroke art; I based my pattern on this golden veil design by Lucy's Stash. I'm not sure if I like the result--I had a hard time getting the colors to blend properly.

I started with a base of Indigo Bananas Wise Up, Janet!, a lovely lavender holographic glass fleck. I did the one-stroke parts with acrylic paint. Finally I added Revlon matte top coat.

I need to keep practicing one-stroke art! There are so many beautiful designs you can do with it (many at Lucy's Stash!).

An InLinkz Link-up

2014 Blogger Challenge #4: What's in a high-end polish?

Happy Sunday! I hope you didn't get as much snow as we did yesterday...I'm getting really sick of winter this year. >:-(

This time around, the 2014 Blogger Challenge participants are discussing "high-end vs. high street", or, are expensive products always worth it? I think nail polish is a different case than some other beauty products, and I'll explain why.

For some products, like skincare, foundation and so on, there can be a pretty big difference in the ingredients used, which can make some products worth more (or at least have the impression of being worth more). Compare the ingredients in Chapstick with those in Burt's Bees next time you're in the drugstore. The foundation, concealer and powder I use are all from Jane Iredale, which is on the pricey side, but they're designed to be beneficial for your skin (especially acne-prone skin) and avoid filler materials, like talc, which can be found in cheaper products. To me, the benefits of using this makeup are worth the extra cost.

With nail polish the situation is a little different. I've been making nail polish for about six months now, which by no means makes me an expert, but it seems to me that there are a fairly limited number of ingredients that go into making polish, and most of these aren't overly expensive (exceptions include things like real gold flake). What sets a polish apart from the rest is the way it combines those ingredients--so, the formula, color, finish and so on.

One reason high-end polishes are popular is that they're often at the leading edge of new trends and great color combinations; take, for example, Deborah Lippmann Mermaid's Dream (retails for $20), which everyone drooled over. Then we got an inexpensive near-dupe from Revlon that made Mermaid's Dream accessible to more people.

For another example, take Rescue Beauty Lounge Aqua Lily (also $20), rightfully lusted after and then duped by GAP. I thought it might be fun to try to make my own version of Aqua Lily too and see just how expensive it is to make. Obviously, I'm not going to be selling this polish; I'm keeping it for myself!

Compare KellieGonzo's lovely swatch of Aqua Lily with my polish below. Since I don't own Aqua Lily, I based the color on photos; hopefully I came close! I also don't happen to own the same shade of pink shimmer used in Aqua Lily, so I used a violet shimmer that doesn't pop quite as much (it's stronger IRL than in my swatch). That's why I'm calling my polish "Aqua Violet". :-D

ALIQUID's "Aqua Violet"

Aqua Lily, while beautiful, is a pretty simple mix--just pigment and shimmer. My bottle of "Aqua Violet" cost less than a dollar to make, not including the bottle itself.

So what are you actually paying for when you buy a high-end polish like Aqua Lily?

• a good formula (but not always!)
• beautiful packaging
• prestige of owning a high-end product
• prestige of owning the original Aqua Lily/Mermaid's Dream/whatever
• maybe considerations like vegan, cruelty-free, etc.

If any of the above are important to you, and you have the money to spare, then by all means go for it! But if you're shopping on a budget, just wait for the dupe.

I'd love to hear what you think!

(Side note: high-end polishes aren't always the innovators. Textured polish, as far as I know, originated with OPI. And look at everything that's come from mid-range indie companies. Some really "classy" brands, like Dior, seem to stick to safe, conservative finishes. I'm sure they've done their market research.)

Swatch: Alter Ego Sun Goddess, Vintner and Girly Girl

I won the products in this post in a giveaway. All opinions are my own.

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope everyone had a lovely day, with or without an S.O.!

I recently won three polishes in a giveaway from Alter Ego Nail Enamel, and I decided to swatch 'em all! The theme of this indie brand is that every polish is named after a job or some other identity (hence the name of the company). I think that's really clever! I won Sun Goddess, Vintner and Girly Girl.

All of these polishes dried very quickly to a matte finish, so you could wear them without topcoat if you prefer. The brushes are on the wider side and a little too floppy for my taste; I didn't feel I had enough control over the polish at all times.

Sun Goddess is a bright warm yellow jelly with red and orange microglitter and small orange hexes. Look how cheery it is!

Alter Ego Nail Enamel Sun Goddess. Two coats with Out the Door and Gelous topcoat.

I love this shade of yellow! As you can see, at two coats this polish is still sheer. The formula was thick but easy to spread; my only trouble was in getting enough of the larger hexes on my nail. The dabbing method would definitely come in handy here. It was also pretty bumpy--I ended up using three layers of topcoat to get it smooth enough for my liking.


Next up is my favorite of the three, Vintner (it's purple, of course I love it!). This is a mix of several shades of purple glitter: magenta, lavender, and dark purple. There are also some green hexes thrown in, which make me think of grapevines! It's definitely an aptly-named polish!

My camera, as usual, freaked out at purple and eliminated some of the variety of colors in the mix, but I hope you'll get a decent idea anyway. I layered this polish over L'Oreal Safari Chic. The first photo is with glossy topcoat and the second is matte.

Alter Ego Nail Enamel Vintner. Two coats over L'Oreal Safari Chic. Out the Door topcoat.

Alter Ego Nail Enamel Vintner. Two coats over L'Oreal Safari Chic. Revlon matte topcoat.

Can you tell why I love this one? It's like a grape explosion! I just wish there was a little more green glitter, because it makes such a nice accent to the rest. I had no problems with the formula; I just needed to shake the bottle before use to get the glitters distributed. This one actually dried a lot smoother than Sun Goddess, and I only needed one layer of topcoat.

Finally we have Girly Girl. Oh, this polish...it gave me such a headache. First the picture, then I'll explain. This is a cool-toned medium pink with lots of pink flecks and shimmer, plus some blue sparks that are pretty hard to see. (I had to crank up the color balance to get this photo color-accurate, hence the yellowy background.)

Alter Ego Nail Enamel Girly Girl. Two coats with Out the Door topcoat.

Now, this is a very pretty polish (and perfect for Valentine's Day!), which is why it's so unfortunate that the formula was problematic. I found it to be lumpy and sticky, and it was very hard to spread evenly. I added a ton of polish thinner, which didn't help much. This also required two layers of topcoat to make smooth.

To make matters worse, after about three hours the polish started popping off my nails!

This hasn't happened to me since I stopped using Seche Vite (like a year ago!). I don't know if it was a reaction to Out the Door, or if the polish just dried too rigid for my nails. But in total I lost six nails' worth of polish in twelve hours. So the loveliness of the polish just isn't worth the hassle to me, and I probably won't wear this one again. :-/


My top pick of these three is definitely Vintner--if you love purple you'll like this polish! All three are available at Alter Ego's shop ($8.50 for 15 ml). You can also follow the brand on Facebook!

I won the products in this post in a giveaway. All opinions are my own.

Stash sale!

So! I decided to bite the bullet and try to clear out my stash a little bit. It made me a little anxious to pick out some polishes to get rid of, because I have a hoarder's mentality about them ("I might need this one someday!!"). But this way I'll have room for NEW polish! There are a couple other (brand new) cosmetic products for sale too.

Here's everything I've got available; I'll keep this post updated and linked in the sidebar. If you see something you want, email me and I'll figure out the cheapest shipping for you! I'll ship to any country, but I'm not responsible for anything customs may do to your package. Prices are in USD.

China Glaze Rainbow: $2 + S&H

White with purple/pink pearlescent shimmer

14 ml

Swatched on wheel only

Retail price: $6.79 at Sally Beauty

Julep Gloria: $3 + S&H

Bright orangey coral creme

8 ml

90% full (used in this mani)

Retail price: $14 at Julep.com

Julep Scarlett: $3 + S&H

Cherry red glass fleck

8 ml

90% full (used in this mani)

Retail price: $14 at Julep.com

L'Oreal Caught Red-Handed: $2 + S&H

Fire engine red, slightly sheer

11.7 ml

95% full (used in this mani)

Retail price: $5.99 at Drugstore.com

Revlon Pretty in Papaya: $1.50 + S&H

Creme on the border between red and pink (comparable to Essie Come Here!), scented

14.7 ml

Swatched on wheel only

Retail price: $4.79 at Drugstore.com

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Mint Sorbet: $1 + S&H

Mint green creme

11.8 ml

Swatched on wheel only

Retail price: $2.82 at Drugstore.com

Silk Elements Glossing Polish: $3 + S&H

Brand new

6 fl. oz.

For controlling frizz, adding shine and smoothness, and protecting from heat

First five ingredients: cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone, ethyl ester of hydrolyzed silk, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, safflower seed oil

Retail price: $8.49 at Sally Beauty

Proactiv+ Mark Fading Pads (4): $1 + S&H

Brand new

Four sample towelettes

For exfoliating, fighting acne and fading hyperpigmentation

Active ingredient: salicylic acid 2%; also contains water, SD alcohol 40-B, glycolic acid, witch hazel extract, ammonium hydroxide, camellia sinensis leaf extract + 6 others


J.Cat Beauty Eyelashes + Eyelash Glue in 747L: $1 + S&H

Brand new
Can be used multiple times
Made of 100% human hair
includes latex-free glue
Retail price: $3.99 at J.Cat Beauty

Quick swatch: Zoya Neeka

The product in this post was purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

OK, so even though I have a ton of new polishes, I have to keep my promise to swatch more of my older untrieds. So I picked one by random number, and the winner is Zoya Neeka! (I actually have no memory of buying this...it was probably from a big Zoya sale.)

Zoya Neeka. Two coats with Out the Door topcoat.

Love the gold flecks!

The product in this post was purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

FingerFood's Theme Buffet #6: Hearts

Hey all! This week's theme for FingerFood's Theme Buffet is, appropriately, hearts! I'm really excited about this mani because I tried making stamping decals for the first time and I was pretty successful at it!

If you haven't heard of stamping decals before, there are several methods, but basically they involve using a regular stamper to make a sheet of clear polish with a stamped pattern on it that you can attach to your nail. They avoid some of the difficulties involved with stamping, like getting the stamp to line up the way you want on your nail. I followed this tutorial from heartNAT!

Here's my mani (I'm using my right hand because this decal came out a little better):

I think it turned out really cute! For my accent nail, I started with a black base (Revlon Stiletto) then created my stamping decal with Winstonia plate W102. Here's a shot of my stamper with the decal drying on it:

I used Julep Harley (the silver) for the stamping itself, then colored in the empty hearts with China Glaze Neon Flying Dragon and Zoya Amy. (It's OK if some of your coloring gets on top of the stamped outline, since this side of the decal will end up face-down on your nail.) Then I added a coat of Zoya Armor and let it dry for an hour. Finally I peeled off the decal (carefully!) with tweezers and stuck it down on my nail--wipe some acetone around the edges of your nail with a brush and that will help the decal stay in place until you topcoat it.

The only trouble I had using the decals was getting them to smooth out completely on my nail, and I got some bubbling. (I wonder if it would be better to stick them to a wet nail instead of a dry one?) It's also a very slow process unless you have multiple stampers available, so unless you're just doing accent nails, you might want to make the decals the day before you do your mani. Definitely give it a try though--the results are worth it!

Don't forget to check out the other lovely manis for this week's theme!

Swatch: Incoco Made With Love nail polish appliques

The product in this post was sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Today I've got another adorable set of Valentine's nail wraps from Incoco for you! Made With Love has a white base with a spun-sugar pattern in gradient pinks and reds. I like that Incoco seems to be keeping on top of nail art trends with patterns like this!

Incoco Made With Love nail polish appliques. Out the Door topcoat.

These appliques are more up my alley than the previous Incoco Valentine's pattern I reviewed--I love how the pattern looks kind of messy and improvised, but still really pretty! As usual, I had no trouble applying these. I did get a little bit of wrinkling on my index finger, but I blame myself for not being careful enough sticking the wrap on. The rest of my nails are super smooth! And don't forget that these are removable with polish remover!

Made With Love is available at incoco.com ($8.99 for 16 strips).

The product in this post was sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

Swatch: Finger Paints Colorful Dream

The product in this post was given to me as a gift. All opinions are my own.

Hey! Today I have swatches of one of the new Finger Paints flakies from the Kaleidoscope collection! Colorful Dream has rainbow flakies in a clear base.

I should note that these are more like shards, not "true" flakies like Essie Shine of the Times, and in comparison they are less colorful and don't have as much of a color shift (barely any actually). The effect is still nice though!

Finger Paints Colorful Dream. Two coats over black. Out the Door topcoat.

The formula on Colorful Dream was fine; I had no problem getting the flakies to spread evenly or lie flat.

I was a little disappointed in the lack of color with these flakies, but I do kind of dig this ethereal look! Colorful Dream is available at your local Sally Beauty (it's not up on the website at the moment).

The product in this post was given to me as a gift. All opinions are my own.