Monday 23 June 2014

Hema - 08

Purple shimmer  

 Another un-named polish from Hema, this one does at least have a number, 08.



08 is a pretty purple shimmer (aren't all purple shimmers pretty?!) with fine pink flecks and sparkles.

Ok, so it's not super unique but it's nice.

Application was good and swatches shown are 3 coats, no top coat.

Wednesday 18 June 2014

Models Own - Top Turquoise

Muted turquoise creme  




Top Turquoise is a mid, muted turquoise creme,  which is slightly unshiny when dry.

For me this was opaque in 2 coats but nearly all the other swatches I saw were 3 coats - weird

This is another old one (2009ish) and doesn't seem to be available on the Models Own site anymore...

Saturday 14 June 2014

Hema Brilliant with Diamond Powder - 11

Mottled gold foil  




Another un-named Hema.

Hema Brilliant with Diamond Powder - 11 is a mottled gold foil, out of the sun it looks like a dappled mix of warm, cool and rose golds.  In full sunlight it flashes back as a antique gold foil.

Application was good and swatches shown are 3 coats, no top coat.

This was a bargain €3 for a generous 11ml bottle.

Thursday 12 June 2014

Asda - 23 Aqua

Jade creme  




Aqua is shiny, almost squishy looking dusky turquoise creme from Asda.

This is one of Asda's really cheap polishes at just £1 and it shows...

The colour is pretty but the application was horrible, streaky and difficult to work with.  Swatches shown are 3 coats and could've really done with 4.

Ah well, sometimes you find a bargain, sometimes not...

Wednesday 11 June 2014

Essence - Rock it Baby

Purple shimmer  

More old swatches as my nails are still growing out..  Not sure how this one sat unshown for so long...




This is Rock it Baby from Essence from back in 2009, maybe even 2008....

Rock it Baby is a gorgeous, stunning, if not totally unique purple shimmer.  The shimmer in the sunlight is pink and blue and really glows.

Application was good and swatches shown are 3 coats, no top coat.

I'm a sucker for a great purple and I love this one, time to dig it out from whichever Helmer drawer it's hiding in!


Wednesday 4 June 2014

Black Up - Shade 08

Aubergine shimmer  





I picked this polish up from Debenhams (UK department store) when I was on one of my 'must check out all unknown brands' kick - thankfully I've grown out of that now - mostly!

Black Up, as you'd expect, is a range of cosmetics for women of colour and I think is only sold in Debenhams in the UK.  Their branding says Black Up Paris.

Shade 08 is a lovely, if not unique, burgundy/aubergine/eggplant shimmer

This had a great formula, easy to apply, opaque and long wearing

Swatches shown are 2 coats with no top coat.

As this is another of my swatches from 2010 they've actually changed the bottles since I bought this but there's still a colour called 08 which looks similar on the online swatch.

Tuesday 3 June 2014

Hema - Glitter topper

Raspberry pink sheer glitter topper  


And here's yesterday's Catrice 'Vibrant Violet' topped with a pink toned silver glitter top coat I picked up in Hema



This unnamed, un-numbered polish is a sheer raspberry pink top coat with mixed size round and shattered silver glitter.  Some of the glitter looks pink but I think that's just the colour of the suspension polish

Hema is a variety store in The Netherlands, selling homeware, clothing and various other items including a small cheap beauty range.

Although the bottle looks fairly glitter heavy, that didn't translate so well to the nail and my swatches show 3 coats over the Catrice.

Monday 2 June 2014

Catrice 60 Seconds - Vibrant Violet

Dark pink creme  

Total fail on the polish name, how on earth is this violet??!





This is Catrice 60 Seconds Nail Couture in 200 Vibrant Violet.  Except it's not violet at all, it's a deep pink creme, ah well.

Application was great, despite being a touted as a quick dry and it was nearly opaque in 1 coat

Swatch shown is 2 coats with no top coat.  Lovely and shiny.

Again this is one from the archives, I picked this up in 2010 and it might've been released in 2009 - oddly there are a few available on ebay uk....

Sunday 1 June 2014

Essence Colour & Go - Pool Party

Bright blue with silver glass fleck

It's the first day of June and the sun is shining here in the UK so I thought I'd show you a bright summery polish from several years ago




Essence Colour & Go - Pool Party is a bright blue with a good amount of fine silver glass fleck shimmer, this is no hidden shimmer.

This is definitely an oldie but a goodie, I think this range came out in 2009

It is a smidge on the sheer side, my swatches are 3 coats with no top coat and in the direct sunlight pic there is a hint of visible nail line but given the amount of shimmer I'm sure this would work well layered too.

Colour & Go were also a complete bargain, selling for only $1 in the US and less than 2 Euros in Europe.  They do have a slightly insane tagline of '1 second per nail' but I've ignored that for the nonsense it is!

The line still exists but they're now in stumpy, blobby bottles!  I'm not sure if this colour still exists in the current line, if it doesn't it should do!