Pixi – Classy Cocoa

I was so excited when Pixi sent Alli their new fall colors: Amazing Amethyst, Classy Cocoa, and Evening Emerald. Of the three, I was immediately drawn to this polish. See, I want to love brown polish, I’ve tried – I just haven’t found a brown I really and truly like. Once I saw it in Alli’s Scalloped Nails post, I was over the moon. Could this finally be it? A brown polish for me!?

….but then life got a little crazy and this little fella sat in my mani basket for months. A few nights ago we were having a TDV Meeting and she mentioned this polish, so I grabbed it and put it on. I can’t even begin to express how much I regret not trying it sooner!

I have a love affair with earthy tones when it comes to nail polish: dusty green, taupe, beige. Love them all. They make me feel classy (appropriate!) and chic. Classy Cocoa fit right in, and I have found a brown nail lacquer that I love!

The polish was slightly thick, but it wasn’t bothersome or goopy. I used two coats and am very pleased with the results.

You can grab Pixi Nail Polish at Target or on Pixi’s website for $8 for .25 oz.

For another pretty picture, check below!

The product(s) used in this post were provided to TDV for review. For more information check out our disclosure policy.

Julep – Lisa

As I mentioned in my post over on The Daily Varnish Extra about Julep‘s October box, I was thrilled when they offered a Maven’s Choice box as an alternative to the boxes with crackles. Truthfully, I can’t imagine why anyone would choose a box with crackle in it, but to each her own (with a friendly reminder that it is not 2010).

The polish I was most excited to try was Lisa from the Boho Glam box. It’s described as a warm pebble grey cream. Spot on, Julep. This light grey creme has subtle yellow undertones – finally a flattering light grey (for me!) I went out to dinner with friends on Sunday evening and got several compliments!

The formula is great – which is a huge strength for Julep. The polish applied smoothly and evenly to an opaque finish after two coats.  After such a good experience with Lisa, I’m excited to try out the other two polishes: Keira and Eloise.

If you’d like to see a fun extra picture or learn more about joining the Julep Maven program – click below to see more!

Happy Wednesday!

Fall Favorites: OPI – Can you Tapas This?

Fall is in full swing in Virginia: the air is crisp and the leaves are changing and I absolutely love it.  I was really feeling a darker fall infused manicure this morning and I think dark polishes look great on shorter nails.

Tapas is an excellent example of this season’s it color: oxblood. It’s a dark brownish red creme. Application was great – I used three coats, but it looked perfect after two.

While it is no longer a part of the core OPI collection, I picked up this gem in the Spring when it was on clearance at Ulta for 3.99 – such a steal. At the time of this post you can find it on Amazon in the 12.99-15.99 range. Lucky for you, if you’re lemming this polish – try out another one of my favorite fall polishes: Mrs. O’Leary’s BBQ. Alli claims they’re the same, I disagree – but they certainly are close AND it’s still a part of the core line so it’s very accessible.

Happy Monday!

Lex Cosmetics – Seattle Sunshine

In case you missed Alli’s Must Have Polishes for Fall 2012 – it’s a must read and helped me choose to put on Seattle Sunshine on this gorgeous Fall day!

My next several posts will include either polishes from Fall collections or on trend colors! Pantone’s name for this season’s fall is titanium, and Seattle Sunshine is right on target for Fall 2012.

We’re huge Lex Cosmetics fans around here and I bought this last spring using the Groupon ($15 for $30) that was offered last year. Seattle Sunshine is a true light grey creme and it applied like a dream so smooth and perfect! I started off with OPI’s Ridge Filler on my middle finger and OPI’s Natural Nail Base Coat on my other four fingers. I used two coats of Seattle Sunshine and topped it off with a coat of Seche Vite.

Seattle Sunshine was created by Jamila in honor of Seattle’s notorious overcast skies. $1 from the sale of each bottle goes to TreeSwing. You can purchase Seattle Sunshine on the Lex Cosmetics website for $10. If you’d like to learn more about Lex Cosmetics and founder Alexa click here.

Since Fall is officially here, what colors are you most excited to wear?

OPI – Deutsch You Want me Baby?

Looking for Fall in a bottle? Look no further! Deutsch You Want me Baby? is your answer.

It’s a stunning glowing deep orange. In dim indoor lighting it leans more red, but it’s definitely orange enough to stay  with in striking distance of the Pantone Tangerine Tango trend.

Application was dreamy. I could have used two coats, but I went ahead and did a third. The polish applied like butter. Smooth and perfect from start to finish.

I really do love this shade for fall. It reminds me of the leaves changing, bon fires, and pumpkins all at once. Delicious.

So, what do you think? Have you gotten this beauty already or are you planning too? What’s your go to fall shade?

OPI – Schnapps Out of It!

When I first saw OPI’s Germany collection, I immediately knew I wanted German-icure by OPI but I went back and forth between Danke-Shiny Red and Schnapps Out of It! Though I ultimately chose Danke-Shiny Red, I picked this beauty up yesterday at Ulta – partially because the color intrigued me but mainly because the name makes me smile. Peach and peppermint schnapps….oh, college!

This perfect for fall color is really stunning and completely unique in my collection. It’s a warm salmon shade. It reminds me of some of the brick along the Colonnade at my alma mater, Washington and Lee University. It also has a very delicate silver shimmer that is extremely subtle on the nail, I wish it was a little more pronounced but it’s beautiful nonetheless.

Application was excellent. The formula is on the thicker side, but very easy to work with. This is a one-coater! For my pictures I used two coats, hoping to pick up more of the shimmer. It dries to a lovely shiny finish.

I’ve hidden a few more pictures below the jump for your viewing pleasure.

Have a great Friday!

 

 

Essie – Don’t Sweater It

Essie’s Stylenomics Collection for Fall 2012 was one I have been very much looking forward to – second only to OPI’s Germany Collection. I ended up picking up the cube of 4 mini polishes which included Stylenomics, Don’t Sweater It, Head Mistress, and Skirting the Issue – How fun are those names? I love them!

Don’t Sweater it was the one I decided to try first and I absolutely love it. I’ve worn it probably 5 times since first getting it and am seriously considering getting a full size!

It’s a very intersting polish and completely changes depending on the light. Essie describes Don’t Sweater It as “a warm, cozy and creamy mauve.” – WHAT? Ladies, for the first time in my history of polish obsession, I completely disagree with an Essie description. Maybe I’m going blind but nothing about this polish is remotely mauve. Warm and cozy? Sure why not but definitely not mauve. In fact, I even looked up swatches of Miss Fancy Pants – which is described as “a refined, chic, greige” – much more fitting for Don’t Sweater It, by the way… to see if maybe some how there was a label goof in the mini cube!

Description troubles aside, I am psyched about wearing this polish this Fall. I am already thinking of sweater dresses to pair it! The application was perfection, I used two smooth coats and bam – gorgeous.

What’s polish from Essie’s Stylenomics collection has caused a twinkle in your eye?  I can’t wait to show you the other 3!

Please check below the jump for more pictures of this polish.

Happy Monday!!

 

 

OPI – Barefoot in Barcelona

I’ve been on a quest for the perfect nude polish for my amazing Nana. I was sure I’d struck gold when I picked up Barefoot in Barcelona the other day – but it was declared to be “too pink.” Not to fret – I gladly welcomed Barefoot in Barcelona into my collection with open arms.  I’m thinking now she’d like something closer to Essie’s Sand Tropez, but any suggestions you guys have would be great!

Barefoot in Barcelona had it’s debut in OPI’s Spain Collection in the Fall of 2009, I didn’t give it a second thought then and probably wouldn’t have again without my mini-mission. That being said, I really really like it. In general, I like nude polishes – they make my fingers look longer and more elegant and I find them to be very classy. Barefoot has a great formula – I used three coats to try and hide my middle finger nail split – but two would be just fine.

Interestingly enough, on the OPI website this is categorized under “browns” instead of “nudes/neutrals” – thoughts?

Have a beautiful night!

ORLY – Space Cadet

Last night I was in the mood for something interesting- and as I went hrough my stash, Space Cadet practically jumped right into my hands. I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed it yet! Space Cadet is from ORLY’s Cosmic FX collection from the Fall of 2010.

Space Cadet is a fascinating multichrome – copper, pink, purple, hints of green and blue – all there. Probably the nicest thing about Space Cadet is that it translates well from the bottle to nail. It’s a stunner!

Application was fine, the polish went on smoothly – but I did need 4 coats . However, you could probably get away with just 3.

The CosmicFX line was a bit pricier than normal ORLY collections, each polish retailed for $10. Alli picked up Galaxy Girl on clearance, and I also reviewed Out of This World from this collection. Overall, I think Space Cadet is the star of the collection.

Revlon – Facets of Fuchsia

Hi lovelies! I passed over this one a few times before finally purchasing it. I figured there was no way it could look as good on the nail as it does in the bottle. I was wrong! After seeing it swatched I knew I had to have it. I’ve wanted Deborah Lippman’s Bad Romance for SO long, but now that I have Facets of Fuchsia – no need! Check out Candy Coated Tips for a great comparison.

Now for my thoughts. This polish really is fabulous. I used 4 coats in the picture. Now, since I’d prefer a little less glitter – in the future I’d go with a coat of Essie Licorice (or any black creme) with 2 coats of FoF on top. But 3-4 coats is what you need to build up the black jelly base to get rid of nail lines.

Other than that…. I don’t have all that much to say. The picture speaks for itself. If you like the black and purple glitter look but aren’t a fan of big glitter – check out China Glaze’s Mummy May I.

Happy Monday!