New Colors from BB Couture for Nails!

*dead* 

I seriously almost dropped dead when I saw these gorgeous new colors from BB Couture for Nails. For those of you that are not familiar with this awesome brand, I suggest checking out these other posts of mine to see some other colors. Wait until you are done with this post of course :)

OK, so on to the hot new colors. My pictures do not do them justice. I sometimes find that when I take pictures late in the afternoon that the sun is too bright. The colors are right on but what these pictures do not capture is the awesome glitter. It is really nice and flashy, almost iridescent, without being overly blingy. I will photograph these again next week in the morning or early afternoon sun to see if I can get a better result for you. As a reminder, you can always click my pictures to make them huge.

BB Couture for Nails Frosty Meadow:

BB Couture for Nails already holds the title of making my #1 green nail polish - Poison Ivy. I think that Frosty Meadow *might* tie it! Frosty Meadow is a green jelly with glitter. The glitter appears to be silver and goldish green. This picture does not show how beautiful the glitter is but it does show how great the color is.

BB Couture for Nails Sea of Cortez:

Holy hotness! Sea of Cortez is a light blue jelly with the same glitter as Frosty Meadow. I love this blue so much! This color is so pretty. I don't have anything in my stash that is even remotely similar to this. That goes for Frosty Meadow too.

Application for these is spot on, just like all of my other polishes from BB Couture for Nails. These swatches are three coats of color but they are jellies so it is totally worth it! I have been praying for some fabulous jelly based glitters and BB Couture for Nails answered! How did they know?

I have two more fun colors from BB Couture for Nails that I'll be bringing you next week.

These new colors are available at Overall Beauty and they retail for $8.00 each. These super unique colors are worth every penny! 

Lippmann Collection Spring 2009

These new colors from Lippmann Collection SCREAM Spring to me!

Lippmann Collection PYT: Pretty Young Thing:

PYT: Pretty Young Thing is a fabulous coral pink jelly. When I saw this in the bottle I was kind feeling "meh" but I really like it on! Application was perfect and I used it over a ridge filler. My nails are a bit yellow and so when I wear sheer nail colors I really like a ridge filler to help cover the yellow. Trust me, sheer jelly pinks and yellow nails do not play well. This swatch is 3 coats of color over the base coat. PYT is opaque with 3 coats over a ridge filler. If you don't use a ridge filling base coat you might need 4 coats. And seriously, PYT by Michael Jackson is one of my favorite songs ever. Such a good party song! Just the idea that this nail polish makes me think of the song is a good thing.

Next, Lippmann Collection Purple Rain:
Purple rain is a sultry lilac frost. It was designed by Lippmann with the help of designer Zac Posen for use in his Spring 2009 fashion show. When I first saw Purple Rain, I thought it might be dupey for one of the purples in China Glaze's Romantique collection - but it is not. Purple Rain is definitely unique! The formula is a frost and the brush strokes are apparent but they don't bother me one bit. I think they give this nail color a very pretty and soft, almost delicate feel. It is a very feminine color. I usually don't like colors like this but I got so many compliments when I wore it the other day that I just cannot help but like it. 

I am always so excited to see what Lippmann Collection has in store for us so I am a little disappointed that only 2 new colors are being released. Oh well, 2 is better than a big fat zero. I guess we'll just have to take what we can get!

Did you guys know that Lippmann Collection nail polishes contain green tea extracts and protein-building biotin? I did not until doing a little more research on them today. Interesting! I am not aware of any other lines that contain these ingredients. 

These new colors from Lippmann Collection will launch next month online at Lippmann Collection and both online and in-store at Nordstrom.

Superstar Nail Lacquer

Good afternoon!

I am always super excited when I get to try a new brand of nail polish. I just got done swatching three nail polishes from Superstar Nail Lacquer and I am impressed! The colors are vibrant and the formula is perfect. 

First, Superstar Nail Lacquer Silver Screen:

I love this! I do not own another silver like this one. This is a shimmery silver with a foil like finish. I think this would be an awesome color for New Year's Eve! This color just screams PAR-TAY!! This swatch is 2 coats. 

Next, Superstar Nail Lacquer Walk the Red Carpet:

Nice red with a jelly finish that is loaded with small red glitter. Another fabulous color for the holidays! This swatch is 3 coats. 

Finally, Superstar Nail Lacquer Posh Plum:

Gorgeous vampy plum cream. Went on smooth and looks fabulous on! This is my current NOTD and I really like it. This swatch is 3 coats. 

Superstar Nail Lacquer is available at the Style Shoppe and retails for $8.50 per bottle.

If you would like to see more swatches, check out Vampy Varnish and Scrangie's swatches. 

That is all for today! See you again soon.

xoxo,

Katee

Essie Fall 2008 Ulta Exclusives

Hello, lovely readers! 

If your Ulta is anything like mine, they have a tendency to bring out products really late. For instance, they just put out Essie Winter 2008 about a week ago at my local store and these Essie Ulta exclusives for Fall are still readily available there too. I usually do not buy nail polish at Ulta because they are full price; but what I do look for there are the Ulta exclusives, the colors that you can only buy at Ulta. 

This year Essie teamed up with Ulta to release three exclusive shades for the fall: Groovy Grape, Retro Red and Plumski. Everyone has been talking about Groovy Grape but I have not heard much buzz about Retro Red or Plumski, so I thought I would share them with you. 

Essie Groovy Grape:

Ok, everyone already knows about this one. Gorgeous vampy purple shimmer on a blackened base. This color is absolutely flawless.

Essie Retro Red:

Classic red with a jelly finish. Nothing special but if your collection is missing a red jelly, then this is a good one. 

Essie Plumski:

Plum color that is very vibrant and bright. This one was the big surprise for me. I thought it only looked OK in the bottle, but on my nails I AM IN LOVE!! I don't know what it is, but this color has depth, and it complimented my skin tone perfectly. I usually only wear colors once, because I have so many and I am always getting more, but this will be one of those that I reach for more often. 

Depending on how your Ulta is, these might be readily available, or they might not be. If there are any of these that you really want, maybe call a few Ulta stores on the phone before driving around. Essie/Ulta also released three exclusive shades for Winter but I skipped those because they are all red colors and I have enough of those. But if you really like reds, check those out too! Good luck polish hunting!

xoxo,

Katee

More BB Couture for Nails Swatches For You!

Hello, my lovely readers!

Today I have more BB Couture for Nails polishes to share with you. Click any of the photos to enlarge! I always try to remember to add this little tidbit of info for you but sadly I forget sometimes. 

First, BB Couture for Nails Hound Dog:

Dark, chocolaty brown creme. This swatch is 2 coats. This is a true, pure brown; no hint of red here!

Next, BB Couture for Nails La Bamba:

Burnt orangey red type of color that has a nice jelly finish with small glitter. This swatch is 3 coats.

BB Couture for Nails Tangerine Scream:

I love this hot, bright orange! This will be on my toes next summer for sure. This swatch is 3 coats.

BB Couture Poison Apple:

Nice red with a jelly finish. I really like this one too. This swatch is 3 coats. I think that this also has excellent potential for a pedicure color.

BB Couture for Nails Prince Charming Blue:

Gorgeous royal blue with a nice, shimmery finish. This looks electric in person! Super bold, I love it. This swatch is 2 coats.

BB Couture for Nails Erotic Night:

This is my absolute favorite of the bunch. Dark plum with a jelly finish and the slightest shimmer that can only be detected in full on sun. This swatch is 3 coats. I will get a ton of wear out of this color. Can't stop staring at my nails with this color on them.

All of these applied beautifully with the exception of Tangerine Scream which was a bit streaky. I don't know what it is with orange nail polishes but I find that most of them are streaky. This one was not bad as far as oranges go, it just wasn't a dream like the others. If you like Tangerine Scream don't let this stop you from buying it.

I will also mention again, that I love BB's brushes and handles, and that these babies wear like IRON!! If you are looking for something long wearing then I would definitely give BB Couture for Nails a try! Buy them online at bbnailpolish.com and overallbeauty.com.

If you missed my other BB swatches, scroll down to my entry from November 6th to see six more!

Ta ta for now! Thanks for reading and hope to see you back here soon.

xoxo
Katee

BB Couture for Nails: Official Product Review!

Good morning ladies!

I love it when I discover a brand that is 'new to me'. You know what I mean, right? Not 'new', just 'new to me'. If BB Couture for Nails is also 'new to you', then you are in for a real treat! Today I am going to be sharing with you six of their nail polishes that I just had the pleasure of trying.  

All of my swatches are two coats unless noted and without a top coat. Also, they are in no particular order. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

First up, BB Couture for Nails Great Balls of Fire:

Is it reddish orange or orangish red? I can't tell. But it is a unique and fun shade that is packed with small glitter. This shade has a jelly finish and is the only one of the bunch that took 3 coats to reach opacity. Shades like this do not typically flatter my skin tone but I can see this looking really nice on ladies with a darker skin tone than me.

Next, BB Couture for Nails Lindsey's Spell:

This is a really sexy nail color that looks like a deep red but then outside it almost takes on a fuchsia tone. It is a cream polish that also has an extremely glossy finish. For someone that is not that into reds, I think that this one has made me a convert. I love it!

Next, BB Couture for Nails Poison Ivy:

Oh my God, I love this green polish. I have been on the eternal search for the perfect, wearable, green cream and I just found it. This nail color was nearly opaque at one coat but I used two for good measure. I think the picture speaks for itself. This color is amazing!

BB Couture for Nails Tutti Frutti:

This is a really fun color! I classify it as Barbie pink with a slight blue shimmer or iridescence that runs through it. I took two pictures of this one for you - one to show the color and one where I tried to capture the iridescence for you. If you click to enlarge the second picture you can definitely see the blue shimmer.

BB Couture for Nails Blue Suede Shoes:

This is a cornflower blue shimmer. Another really fun color! I have a feelings that there are going to be a bunch of cravings for this one.

Last, but certainly not least, BB Couture for Nails Maleficent Magenta:

This is a stunning purple nail color with multi color shimmer. Absolutely gorgeous! This swatch has a top coat of Seche Vite on it. Not because it wasn't already glossy enough, but because I wanted to wear this color as a mani for a few days to test the wear. After two days of wear, and lots of typing away at my MacBook, I have minimal tip wear and NO chips! That is pretty darn good in my book.

All of these polishes are extremely glossy even without a top coat. So imagine what adding a coat of your favorite shiny top coat would do! No complaints to report in the application department either, they went on smooth like butter. All BB Couture for Nails polishes are free of toluene, formaldehyde and DBT. So all around, these are winners!

I have to tell you that I also love the handle on the polish bottles. It is just the right length, not too fat and not too skinny. Have you ever bought a bottle of nail polish and found the handle awkward to hold? Well not these. I wish all nail polish bottles had these handles.

BB Couture for Nails nail polish retails for $8.95 and you can purchase them on line at bbnailpolish.com and at overallbeauty.com. 

I have 6 more bottles of BB Couture for Nails in my stash... guess what I'll be testing for you later this week?!

Ok, so have I created any cravings with this post? Let me know in the comments!  I've created major cravings in me for other nail colors in their collection like Icy Plum, Hollywood Junk, Dragons Breath and Cappuccino Maddness to name a few. 

That is all for now. I look forward to reading your comments (I love when you leave them for me). Thanks for reading and I'll see you back here soon!

TruBlue: Some of my favorite blues!

Hello dear readers!

I absolutely love blue nail polish. Everything from light blues to dark and blackened blues. Today I am sharing with you three of my favorite blue nail polishes.

First, OPI DS Fantasy, a true navy blue with small holographic glitter. The formula of this polish is amazing, it goes on so smoothly. It is opaque with one coat but I suggest using two coats for good measure. For all of you ladies out there that don't like the blackened blues, this one would be a great choice for you.

OPI DS Fantasy Artificial Light:





OPI DS Fantasy in the Sun:



Next, Essie Starry Starry Night. This WAS a VHTF (very hard to find) polish that Essie discontinued and then re-released. It is available again at essie.com and even though they are charging a $2 premium for it over their other polishes I can still say that I highly recommend it. Starry Starry Night has a jelly like formula and the dark navy blue is complimented with silver glitter. It really does look like a starry starry night! This is another true navy, not blackened blue. I suggest using three coats of this polish.

Essie Starry Starry Night Artificial Light:




Essie Starry Starry Night Outside in the sun:




Finally, one of my all time favorite polishes, Chanel Blue Satin (current NOTD). I am a big fan of the blackened blue shades and this one does not disappoint. It is opaque at one coat but I always use two. The shininess and glossiness of this polish is amazing. When you take Blue Satin out in the sun it has a very fine micro shimmer to it. I had to use a flash in my photos to get the shimmer to show because we were having a cloudy day in southern California. Now on to my one beef that I have with Chanel polishes. They chip like CRAZY!! Why is it that a $20 nail polish chips so badly? I just do not get it. I put this on yesterday and within 3 hours I had two little chips. That is nuts. But Chanel keeps on coming out with the "color of the moment" and I just keep on buying them. I like the color of Blue Satin so much that I even bought a back up. I just wish Chanel would do something to address the wearability issue because I know I am not the only one that has had these problems. I am not a consumer that requires a long wearing polish because I change mine almost daily; so imagine how frustrating this must be for someone that likes to go a few, say 4 - 5 days with the same mani. I have heard that using Chanel's base and top coats can help extend the wear of their polish but I don't subscribe to the mantra that I should have to use the same brand top coat and base coat as my polish. I have my Orly Bonder, CND Sticky, and Seche Vite. That is what I use. Chanel needs to work with it. OK this turned into a little bit of a rant. Hopefully someone at Chanel is listening. OK now on to the pic spam, I mean swatches!!

Chanel Blue Satin Natural Light:




Chanel Blue Satin w/Flash:





Chanel Blue Satin in the Sun (it was barely out on this day):



So readers, I want to know, what are YOUR favorite blue nail polishes? Let me know! Thanks for stopping by, reading, and hope to see you back soon!

p.s. random tidbit from the nail salon today - I was getting my bi-weekly pedicure today at a new place that I had not tried yet. The woman doing my pedicure asked me where I got my acrylics (finger nails, not toes, LOL) done! WOW. When I told her that they were my natural nails, no acrylic, she immediately inspected them , and complimented me on how nice they looked. I must say, that is the biggest nail compliment that I have ever received. 

p.s. if you have a moment check out my poll below :) And don't forget to tell me about your favorite blues!

Zoya Casey - Vampy Love!

I saw Zoya Casey over on the Polish Addict's site the other day and instantly fell in love. It is vampy, jelly like, glossy and gorgeous! I instantly *ran* (ok, drove) to pick it up the moment I saw it, seriously. I just put it on and I cannot stop staring at my nails! Admiring this color on my nails is like a Rachel Zoe *die* moment. I am even more in love with it now than when I first saw it on PA's site. The only thing I'll warn you about though is that this was a 4 coater for me. Most jelly like polishes are because they tend to be thin and need to be built up to achieve bottle color. I enjoy the act of polishing my nails so I don't mind 4 coaters but they probably aren't for everyone. I also had cuticle drag issues, which can happen with the jellies, which is why I really needed the 4th coat to even everything out. On to the swatches!!

This first swatch is indoors, natural lighting, and please excuse my cuticle ouchie. I had a hang nail and got a little overzealous with the nippers :( Indoors, Casey is almost black, which I love.

The second swatch is in the amazing California sun. When you take Casey outside you can see the gorgeous plum color:

I hope you enjoyed today's swatches and hope to see you back soon!