More accurate swatch of Essie's Bobbing for Baubles

2 coats

I will post more swatches of these at a later date =)

What are your thoughts on this shade?

Lara xo

Sent from Samsung Mobile

Essie Case Study Swatch & Review (NOTD)

* I used 2 really thick coats

* definately not a one-coater

* formula was a bit difficult to work with

* a dupe for this shade could be Sally Hansen's Extreme Wear in Flirt (IMO)

* perhaps this shade would look better if it didn't look so black in low lighting =(

What do you think of this shade?

Lara xo

Sent from Samsung Mobile

Essie Bobbing for Baubles Swatch & Quick Review

* After 1 day's wear

* 2 coats

* opaque formula - could be one coat if applied carefully!!

* Nice dusty navy shade

* After wearing for 1 day there are signs of wear =(

What do you think of this shade?

Lara xo

Sent from Samsung Mobile

Essie School of Hard Rocks Quick Swatch & Review

Hi everyone!

Quick swatch! Will post better pics later ! =)

* 2 coats

* Coverage is amazing!

* could get away with just 1 coat if you were really careful - I actually prefer thinner formulas than this because I feel like I have more control

* formula was kinda goopy but not difficult to work with at all

What do you think of this shade?

Lara xo

Sent from Samsung Mobile

Essie Size Matters Swatch (NOTD)

Quick upload of my NOTD!

I'll post more pics later!

SM is a deep red/maroon nail polish!

Shown is 2 coats!

Lara xo

Sent from Samsung Mobile

NEW ESSIE Nail Polish Shades - Links

Want a sneak peak at Essie's upcoming collections?



Picture belongs to Temptalia

The Winter 2011 - COCKTAIL BLING (pictured above! There are a few swatches here!! Essie A List here! Essie Cocktail Bling here!), the Holiday 2011 - LUXEFFECTS and another collection for 2011... DIVE BAR!

All Laquered Up has bottle pics! & a sneak peak at Essie School of Hard Rocks!!

Check it out HERE! Temptalia has bottle pics too!! HERE!

Ice-creams on my nails??

Lol!! Cool right?? =)

Noooo they are not stickers!! Did it on my phone! =D

Shade: Essie Too Too Hot
2 coats
Sorry about the minor tip wear! I loooove this shade! Before OPI Red My Fortune Cookie I never thought I would like red nail polish!! Guess what? This Essie TTH is a dupe of OPI RMFC!! =D Except it wears better on me! =D wooot!!

What is your fave nail polish color?

Lara xo

Sent from Samsung Mobile

Notd: Essie Too Too Hot

2 coats

It is love!!!!

Sent from Samsung Mobile

How to save dying nail polish.... + Haul

I have previously posted a haul about these but here are better pics:

Essie Fair Game Resort Collection

I got all four! :D

FAIR GAME

swatched/NOTD here

DA BUSH

(what's with the name?)

To be swatched! :) (untried!)

LION AROUND

LOVE the name!

Swatch/NOTD here

YOUR HUT OR MINE

To be swatched (untried!)

HAUL:

SECHE RESTORE

Professional Kit

59mL

Here's what it claims to do...

How to make goopy nail polish 'new' again?

Put a few drops of this in it, shake/roll and leave for a few minutes then apply! The formula should be less gloopy, if it is still a bit then add a few more drops of the Seche Restore!!

Have I tried it?

Yes, and it works! :D (Hence, how I can explain the method above!)

HAUL TO COME:

Victoria Secret Products

What have you been hauling lately?

Lara xo

Essie Good To Go Top Coat Review

pros:

- fast drying

- nice square bottle

- clear bottle

- nice brush

cons:

- does not work with OPI nail polishes for me... or any other nail polish brand... ONLY ESSIE... this may just be me? But it chips in a couple days with other brands :( booo!!!

would I repurchase?

maybe... but I have a backup of this :) (in an upcoming haul!! tune in!!) and will use that happily with Essie nps only

Have you tried this yet? What's your fave top coat?

Lara xo

Essie Neo Whimsical (706) Swatch & Sally Hansen Disco Ball Swatch NOTD

3 coats:

Previously swatched on my blog here!

I wore this mani for a couple days then got bored & added....

1 coat

Which one do you prefer? Plain or with sparkles?

Lara xo

Essie Fair Game & Lion Around - Swatches & Reviews

Essie Fair Game

                                                                        1 coat

2 coats

3 coats

 

Initially I thought this was like a steel grey kind of colour... but after reading descriptions online I found out it is blue!! Lol!

Metallic-y looking. Nice for fall/autumn/winter!

I got no compliments on this shade, but I think it is a nice alternative to the other dark colours we usually see in the cooler months (like black, plums and what not!)

Rating: 3.5/5
(for now! I have only used it 1 time on my hands for a mani!! I may love it later haha)



Essie Lion Around

3 coats for all photos/swatches

Nice office friendly shade
Neutral looking

I had to take this off after swatches because it wouldn't dry properly... maybe I layered it on too thick! lol

Into neutrauls and/or pinks? Check this shade out!

Rating: Undecided (need to wear it at least for a day!!)



What nail polish have you been liking these days?

Lara xo

Essie, OPI, China Glaze etc... Nail Polish Haul!!

Hey Guys!

I haven't been able to update this blog as much as I would have liked because

1) couldn't transfer pics onto my new laptop! (Still can't do that! I have resorted to e-mailing all these pics to myself! -_-)

2) Super busy with uni!! Still am!! Procrastinating! Lol!!

So... nail polishes I have purchased recently!!

First up!

Essie

- French Affair

- Borrowed & Blue (from the Wedding Collection)

- The entire Fair Game Resort Collection:

•Fair Game: blue metallic Tahitian pearl sheen of platinum

•Your Hut or Mine: sparkling golden poppy pink

•Lion Around: peach (a surprise shade! Very office friendly!)

•Da Bush khaki: green

More details here

OPI

From the Pirates of the C---- Collection

- Mermaid's Tears

- Planks Alot

- Sparrow me the drama

Steady as she rose

China Glaze

- Sunset Sail

- White Cap

Seche Vite

- Top Coat

Finally got the full version of the bottle after trying a bunch of other fast drying top coats... this is the best I have found!!!!

NOTE: I did not purchase all of these at one time!!

More hauls, reviews, swatches and what not to come!!

Look out for - Victoria's Secret Haul

Nail Polish Swatches!

What have you been hauling lately?

Lara xo

Essie - New Collections of 2011 & what's with the new bottles?

Source of image above: here


My rambling...

No... I'm not talking about the white print on the side on some of them... or the label on the top!

I am talking about.... the volume of the nail polishes!

I realised last night that Essie's new nail polish collections have less nail polish in them than before!!

Before they were 15mL or 0.5fl each. Now they are only 13.5mL or 0.46fl each!

We are missing out on 1.5mL or 0.04fl now!! That makes me sad because the prices have not changed, but we get less! I plan on using up my nail polish until I can no longer use them so yea... I mean I know I have a bunch of nail polishes and people will be like... its only 1.5mL that's not going to make much of a difference! And you know what? I think it was a very smart business decision by Essie too - they save 1.5mL per bottle and it can go into another bottle! They spend less BUT they sell them for the same price & the bottle is still the same size so that don't need to redesign that! Just change how much nail polish goes in!

Well, I have pics and photos and what not coming up!

I purchased Essie's French Affari, Borrowed & Blue & the entire Resort Collection for 2011 (pictured above)! I am wearing Fair Game now as we speak! Very impressed with the formula & will be doing NOTD pics, swatches & reviews soon!

---------

About the Essie Resort Collection 2011


"I view all adventure as FAIR GAME" - Essie


Pictured at the top of this post!

The Essie Resort 2011 features four new soft shades. The collection was inspired by Essie’s trip to South Africa during the World Cup.


The Collection includes:

•Fair Game blue metallic Tahitian pearl sheen of platinum (on my nails now!!)

•Your Hut or Mine sparkling golden poppy pink

•Lion Around peach

•Da Bush khaki green

 

I will have swatches & NOTDs coming up soon for these colours! :D

 Source of information & image above here.



---------

Essie Summer Brazilliant Collection 2011



Source of image: Just Be

N.B. Italics below are quoted. Source: Brush Cosmetic


Essie’s Braziliant Collection includes six new shades for summer:

- Too Too Hot (sizzling rich red coral),
- Meet Me at Sunset (vibrant deep orange),
- Brazilliant (hot orange with a touch of shimmer),
- Absolutely Shore (soft sea foam green),
- Super Bossa Nova (upbeat bright fuchsia), and
- Smooth Sailing (breezy lavender blue with a reflection of pearl).


- Too Too Hot is really more red than red-coral. It has a cream finish.
For a swatch of this check out Normal Girl Nails

- Meet Me at Sunset is a orange-red; kind of like a tomato red to me. It’s very vibrant and has a cream finish.
For a swatch of this check out Normal Girl Nails




- Braziliant is a rich, darkened orange with white shimmer.
For a swatch of this check out Normal Girl Nails
- Absolutely Shore is a whitish green with a cream finish.
For a swatch of this check out Normal Girl Nails

- Super Bossa Nova is a brightened, dark pink with fuchsia shimmer.
For a swatch of this check out Normal Girl Nails


- Smooth Sailing is cornflower blue with hints of purple and chunkier silver shimmer.
For a swatch of this check out Normal Girl Nails
N.B. Italics below are quoted. Source information below: Just Be

Bold and bright colours dominate the new Braziliant collection from Essie, America’s nail salon expert since 1981.Think colourful headpieces to Rio Carnival, the 6 piece Essie range for Summer 2011 is inspired by the vibrancy of Brazil.

The Braziliant collection, available June 1 is made up of six great shades including a hot orange with a touch of shimmer and a soft sea foam green. Take your toes to Rio Carnival with an upbeat bright fuchsia and a sizzling rich red. The colour choices are endless.



Essie dazzled on the runways at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week 2011 supporting some of Australia’s hottest designers. The fingers and toes of many a model were coloured with the touch of Essie.


I haven't been able to get my hands on ANY of these yet... booo... but I hope to so... I am loving the look of Absolutely Shore & Too Too Hot!


 ---------

My rambling.. verdict!

The formula is so much more pigmented now, so I can trade the 1.5mL for better pigmentation in nail polish and I am not complaining too much because the bottles are cute and I think it is fast becoming one of my top fave nail polish brands!!


What are your thoughts on this? Do you mind Essie changing the volume of nail polish in their nail polishses? Would you still purchase them no that you get less bang for your buck?

Lara xo

Essie Smokin' Hot 739 Swatches

2 coats

A great deep dark plum/purple shade!

What do you think of this shade?

It's perfect for the colder months! :D

Lara xo

NOTD: ESSIE Mint Candy Apple (702)

This is an old NOTD... I am a bit behind on posting!

So swatches here we go!

This is 3 coats

(also base coat & top coat)

This is what I swapped for the OPI & Essie on MUA that was featured in this haul!

Chanel Powder Blush

in 15 Orchid Rose

What's on your nails ATM?

Lara xo