A Lacquered Affair

Jord Wood Watch (with Floral Cogs Mani)

A Lacquered Affair — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 08:44:14 +0800

| yo-rd |
old norse for "earth, soil; a rock- or sand-based unconsolidated material in which land plants grow" - WordSense

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ei everyone!

This post is a slight deviation from the usual full-fledged nails and polish content. While the object in the spotlight is out of my familiar territory, it complements nails and vice versa.

When JORD approached me to review one of their watches, I was hesitant. I was even suspicious if it was spam! With my limited knowledge of timepieces and zero experience reviewing or blogging about any, I was certain there was a mistake. I rarely even wear one in my daily life; the nature of my day job puts nice watches at risk of damages. But JORD's social media specialist's openness to unconventional pairing of diverse elements and backgrounds with their wood watches sparked possibilities in my head.

So with my less-than-amateur knowledge, here's my journey with JORD.

The Story
JORD's roots is in Missouri, USA. The brand specialises in hand-crafted watches made from natural wood and sustainable materials, not make-believe kids' watches, but well-crafted timepieces that complement a modern lifetyle. Watches are beyond mere time-telling tools but statement pieces that project personality and story.

Prior to hearing about JORD, watches and wood seem like the unlikeliest of combinations to me for these reasons:
1. It could look artificial/ awkward/ dull/ dated or like a child's pretend one that some European toy companies have (example).
2. Would the material be resistant to daily wear and tear, perspiration and everyday environmental elements?
3. To fulfill the above, it would be exorbitant to produce.
4. And...and, what about trees/ forest preservation? Wouldn't it be eco-unfriendly?

My perceptions gradually changed after further reading, receiving facts and the eventual product.

First Impressions
The model I selected is from the Fieldcrest series in Dark Sandalwood. I was drawn to the dark, minimalist design which would be most versatile with my style. JORD has over 30 designs and shades of watches, and growing.

They ship free internationally, and mine came in a registered package. A cardboard box and bubblewrap snugly protected this engraved solid maplewood box that the watch was nestled in:

It reminds me of a Japanese wooden puzzle box, finding the side it opens. But it's pretty straightforward, putting a finger to the small crater beneath the engraved 'J' monogram and sliding the lid off to reveal the watch inside. It exudes a sense of nature with a touch of luxury.</p>

One might think, gosh, that's a lot of wood (and trees) used for, what most would consider, a non-necessity. However, JORD's products are made from re-purposed wood from all over the world and sustainable materials.
The watch is snugly wrapped around an embroidered (what seems like) tweed cushion, with a monogram-engraved wooden disc tied around the wristband. A removable clear film protects the glass on the face of the watch.

Underneath the cushion are soft and relatively firm limited warranty and brand deck cards:
JORD watches are warranted for 12 months from the date of delivery from material and workmanship defects.

At the back of the limited warranty and deck cards are detailed explanation of the warranty with fields to fill the owner's details, and social media marketing shouts respectively:
In the spirit of re-purposing, a nail enthusiast could also use them as a scraper for nail art stamping. *wink*

Also included in the 10x10x8cm keepsake box are a JORD branded cleaning cloth and the extra links (packed in separate resealable plastic bags) that were removed to fit the size of my wrist:
JORD offers the option to resize the watch according to one's wrist before shipping it out for a slight additional fee. They provide a clear guide on every watch listing on how to provide the correct measurement of one's wrist to JORD for resizing. It was very convenient!

The Watch: Fieldcrest in Dark Sandalwood
| săn′dl-wo͝od |
"Sandalwood is the name of a class of woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods, they retain their fragrance for decades." - Wikipedia

The Fieldcrest series feature a clean, no frills design available in 4 shades/ wood types. Dark Sandalwood is the deepest of the 4, and is said to compliment all skin tones. It is listed under Women's Watches, but is versatile to be unisex in my opinion.

JORD also provides useful information on the wood the watch is made from on its site to understand and appreciate the timepiece. It also makes for good "Did You Know" conversational opportunities a la Sheldon Cooper.
The face is covered with a clear glass that, together with the dials and hands, gleams at every moment they catch a light. The body, links and face of the watch is made from natural wood and is treated with tung oils.

Here's a close-up of the face:
Love the depth that the black grainy wood face brings to this watch! I secretly wished they had this and more watches in black.

The face is suited for women's wrist, but not in a tiny dainty sense, making it suitable for men too. But on my abnormally small wrist, it felt slightly overwhelming, but still comfortable.
Despite that, it is light, so it doesn't hinder my arm movements or make me conscious about it.

The back casing, also made from wood, is engraved with the watch's information:
The movement used is indicated as "JAPAN MOVT-2035'. Information on this battery-operated movement (listed as CITIZEN MIYOTA 2035) can be found here.
I'd like to highlight the mark indicating the watch is NOT waterproof. As advised on its site, it is "splash-proof". So, bits of perspiration or exposure to light drizzle should be fine.

I live in a hot and humid climate so having something in porous material raises concerns. However, the watch will remain in good condition with periodic care. This information is also provided on JORD's site. To err on the side of caution, I'd store it in an air-tight container with some desiccant/ silica gel.

The bottom of the links is engraved with the JORD brand:
Whichever angle the watch is viewed on my wrist, one is able to tell the brand, but done subtly and with a tasteful touch, which I appreciate.

The fastening is a stainless steel dual-fold clasp:
Pictured above is one side of the clasp unfastened.

The feature I appreciate most is the push-button action to undo the clasp:
This feature is heaven for nail OCDs like me whose peeve is breaking or flaking their nails when undoing watch or jewellery clasps.

JORD's attention to detail is superb. Check out the screw-down crown engraved with the brand's monogram:

The Styles
The watch proved to be a pretty versatile accessory to my wardobe and for various occasions. It naturally looks most charming against a nature backdrop, but it also looks smart in urban settings.

I paired it with some looks below:

♥ For brunch one Sunday morning at a quaint little d'Good Café in Singapore:
(cue ♫"these are a few of my favourite things..."♪ song)

♥ For a Maroon 5 concert at the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix:

♥ With fancy manicure, inspired by florals and cogs/ watch gears:
Polishes used (from index finger to pinky):
♥ piCture pOlish Douceur
♥ piCture pOlish Ornate (my collaboration shade with piCture pOlish)
♥ OPI My Private Jet
♥ OPI Black Onyx

The base shades (except My Private Jet) are given the matte effect with Essie Matte About You topcoat.
Douceur-Ornate and Ornate-My Private Jet are sponged in a vertical gradient.
The floral vines and rose are nail stickers from SaSa (gifted by a friend). The cogs are from eBay, and adhered using nail art glue. The 'hands' are hand-drawn using gold acrylic paint.

Final Thoughts
JORD made a positive and lasting impression on me with their concept, design and impeccable service. The wood watch makes a unique yet versatile addition to any watch collection, or a cool staple worth sharing about. It manages to exude a certain sense of refinement, yet possessing an edge.

It also makes a pretty sentimental and intriguing gift to a close one, with the handy box it comes in and all.

The Fieldcrest series retails on JORD's online store for USD120.00 (price correct at time of posting), inclusive of worldwide delivery.

Aside from their website - woodwatches.com, check out their latest updates, and stylish and inspiring posts via their social media:
♥ Facebook
♥ Twitter
♥ Google+
♥ Instagram
♥ Pinterest
♥ Vine

Parting Shot
Now where's that Christmas list...

'Til the next post, love your nails!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

<p>Disclaimer: The product was sent for review. However, all opinions expressed are my own, and will always be.

piCture pOlish Ornate (Collaboration Shade)

A Lacquered Affair — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 01:30:33 +0800

| awr-neyt |
"elaborately or sumptuously adorned, often excessively" - Dictionary.com

ello lovelies!
It's been a long time since I've done a proper blog post, no thanks to increased responsibilies at work on top of an already demanding job scope. This post, however, has rekindled the spark to appreciate and share nail polishes, so more should follow very soon.

I'm beyond ecstatic about the polish in this post!
As a reward as one of the selected winners in last year's Blog/ Insta Fest, I had the privilege of working with piCture pOlish for a collaboration shade. Click here to revisit my post for Blog/ Insta Fest 2014.

piCture pOlish is an Australian boutique nail polish brand founded by 2 Australian girls that produces fast forward colours, unique finishes and durable-wear polishes. Their polishes are now 5-Free, and are formulated and made in Australia. They ship internationally, and are also available through various stockists around the world. More details at the end of this post.

The Inspiration
The name and inspiration of my collaboration shade is Ornate. As far as I can remember, I am drawn to the colour purple, and sumptious, intricate embellishments and motifs. Ornate designs, art and objects are found in cultures all over the world, throughout the eras, often exuding wealth and status.

The Polish

I'm thrilled that piCture pOlish has encapsulated my idea in a bottle.
Ornate's base shade exudes the richness of plush plum taffeta. It is richly adorned with gold hex glitter, small bronze glitter, and playful sparks of small neon pink matte glitter. To top it off, it is enhanced with gold shimmer and a dash of scattered holo particles.
It took 2 coats to achieve full opacity on the nails:
The swatch above is without topcoat. Despite being dense with glitter and particles, the application is smooth with no glitter-fishing required. The base shade is not a jelly finish, hence the glitter tends to get overpowered by the plum shade. But it's a trade-off for no visible nail line in fewer coats.</p>

It dries slightly textured, with a satin finish.

Here, with 1 thick coat of Essence Gel-Look topcoat:

Under (harsh) white lighting, the tint is slightly different and leans toward purple:

Here's a macro shot for a closer look at all the good stuff condensed into this polish:

Another mood shot:
Due to the amount of glitter, the polish removal process is longer.

In case some are curious about a comparison with some of piCture pOlish's existing shades, I laid the closest ones from my stash side by side:
All the polishes above are shown with 2 coats each, without topcoat. Ornate sits right in the middle of burgundy and purple.

Parting Shot
In keeping with the theme of the inspiration, I had to indulge in nail art.
The mani shown here was achieved with some gold nail studs, metal foil, flat-back crystals, free-hand painting (after nail stamping failed me) and nail polish remover(?).

The negative space seen is achieved by removing the top half of the polish with polish remover. Because it is glitter-heavy, the glitter does not come off easily, leaving a trail of it behind, an effect which I fancy.

Most of the free-hand design (done with Rica's Gold Digger one-coater gold polish) is overlayed by gold studs to cover the cringe-worthy uneven lines.
Along with Ornate, piCture pOlish is also releasing other new collaboration shades (my wallet shudders). Check them out on piCture pOlish's website or social media:
♥ Store - http://www.picturepolish.com.au
♥ International Stockists - http://www.picturepolish.com.au/network
♥ Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/picturepolish
<strong>♥ Instagram - <a target="_blank" href="http://www.instagram.com/picturepolish">http://www.instagram.com/picturepolish

</a></strong>I hope you enjoy this post as much as I have developing it with the wonderful team at piCture pOlish, and that it'll find its way to your stash one day.

'Til the next post, I bid you adieu and a well-polished week ahead!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

To Leave a Comment: I've noted that OnSugar's Comment feature has caused a few readers frustration by not accepting their input. While OnSugar works on rectifying it, I did a trial and error and found that comments don't get red-taped if you enter your information in the "Name" field without any space, ie. "ALacqueredAffair" instead of "A Lacquered Affair". I hope this works. As much as I want to, OnSugar doesn't allow the disabling of Captcha.

Disclaimer: The product was sent for the purpose of this blog post. However, all opinions expressed are my own, and will always be.

Happy 50th Birthday Singapore (Our Golden Jubilee)!

A Lacquered Affair — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 20:00:00 +0800

Greetings lovelies!

It's the 9th of August and for us here in Singapore, it's a celebration of our independence. We experience the biggest ever celebration this year, being our golden jubilee. We have a 4-day long National Day weekend (woohoo)! It has been a year of incredible highs and some lows for our 50 year-old country, and we're only in the month of August. In fact, we've been overwhelmed with a slew of #SG50 commemorations and perks since the start of 2015.

Almost every year, my nails are decked out in national pride. Looking back, here are the past National Day manicures: 2012 & 2013.

This is what I'm dawning today for our golden jubilee:
I went super sparkly this year!

1965 was the year Singapore was declared independent, and 2015 marks the golden 50th year of independence. The numbers were freehanded with red acrylic paint.
The Ruffian manicure on the middle finger is perfect in representing the crescent moon on our flag. The five stars are typically white on our flag, but I went with gold glitter nail stickers this year, to drive through the 'golden jubilee' theme.
The red blob using red acrylic paint on the pinky is my feeble attempt at silhouetting our little red dot, our island, stippled with fireworks in the background.

Polishes used:
♥ Estessimo TiNS 079 Notes From Heaven (white crelly with holographic micro glitter and iridescent flecks)
♥ Darling Diva Polish Little Red Corvette (red crelly with red and holographic glitter)
♥ Glam Polish Life Is A Story (opaque gold holographic glitter with purple flakies)
♥ Glam Polish Comet Storm (purple-green-blue shifting flakies)

Here's a parting shot:
Now, I'm off to make the most out of the rest of the weekend break and perhaps get re-acquainted with my polishes.

Cheers to another 50 years, Singapore!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

To Leave a Comment
I've noted that OnSugar's Comment feature has caused a few readers frustration by not accepting their input. While OnSugar works on rectifying it, I did a trial and error and found that comments don't get red-taped if you enter your information in the "Name" field without any space, ie. "ALacqueredAffair" instead of "A Lacquered Affair". I hope this works. As much as I want to, OnSugar doesn't allow the disabling of Captcha.

Disclaimer: I am not sponsored/ endorsed by any of the above-mentioned companies. All opinions expressed are my own, and will always be. All products, with the exception of Glam Polish Comet Storm, were purchased on my own.

Starrily Party Time! Siloso Beach Trio

A Lacquered Affair — Sun, 03 May 2015 19:05:00 +0800

| sea-lo-soh |
"The word Siloso is derived from a Malayan word meaning rock (Sanskrit root: Sila). There was a huge rock at the mouth of Singapore's harbour which was very dangerous to shipping." - Wikipedia
"Home to the hottest volleyball action along with the coolest bars and restaurants, Siloso, Singapore's hippest beach, is the beach to head to for fun-loving people – day and night." - Sentosa

Hey there lovelies!

It's been too long, but I'm back. Many things have been plaguing me since the start of 2015. I'm thankful for this long Labour Day weekend, where I can sit back and enjoy nail-painting again.

In this post, I'd like to share a collection of which its theme is pretty significant to my day job at present. 'Party Time! Siloso Beach Trio' collection by Starrily is a Mei Mei's Signatures exclusive.

The Inspiration
'Party Time! Siloso Beach Trio' collection is inspired by one of the few islands that is part of Singapore - Sentosa, a resort island. I could share many things about Sentosa, having worked there for several projects for my day job, but it is best to be experienced.

Sentosa means "peace and tranquility" in Malay. The island was previously a British military base and fortress during colonial and WWII. Now, Sentosa houses several attractions (Asia's top theme park, Universal Studios Singapore, being one of them), and the most happening beach in Singapore - Siloso. More information and photos of Sentosa here.

This collection reflects the spirit of some of the key spots in Sentosa.

First Impressions
The collection strikes me as fun, with a little feminine flirty spark with the soft pink holo. Indie brand Starrily, by Mawi from Brooklyn, New York, packages polishes in a standard 15ml/ 0.5 fl.oz bottle with the logo in front, and polish name on the bottom.

First up...

Pink Flip Flops
"(also called thongs, jandals, pluggers, go-aheads, slaps, slides, step-ins, chankla or a variety of other names throughout the world) are a type of open-toed sandals typically worn in casual situations. They consist of a flat sole held loosely on the foot by a Y-shaped strap that passes between the first and second toes and around either side of the foot." - Wikipedia
Flip flops are a relatively common sight in Sentosa as the island oozes a laid back vibe. Well, also for practical purposes. Flip flops are also commonly worn in Singapore in general. The hot, and sometimes wet, tropical climate can be unforgiving to the outdoorsy feet.

Described as a baby pink jelly holo, this polish is exactly that! The linear holo is very evident in the bottle.
On the nails in 1 coat over base coat:

The jelly formula is pretty sheer, but the consistency is smooth and buttery.
By the 3rd coat, it's pretty opaque:
This demure shade would definitely bask in it its holo goodness on a sunny beach.
Close-up:

Merlion's Dream
| murh-lī-ən |

"The Merlion is a traditional creature in western heraldry that depicts a creature with a lion head and a body of a fish. In Singapore, it has become a marketing icon used as a mascot and national personification of Singapore. Merlions do not feature in any local folklore or myths of Singapore, and was only used in Singapore initially as the logo for the tourism board." - Wikipedia

The Inspiration

Sentosa is home to one of the 5 official merlion statues in Singapore, with this being the largest at 37 metres tall. The viewing decks at its mouth and head overlooks Sentosa island and parts of Singapore.

During special occasions, the merlion serves as a backdrop to 3D projection mapping shows like the one by Hexogon Solution below:

Merlion's Dream is described as a "Glitterbomb topper of gold glitters in various shapes and sizes in clear holo base."
It is filled with star, crescent, diamond, hexagon, round, square and micro glitter pieces, capturing the texture and aspirations the merlion represents in a bottle.

Here's one coat of Merlion's Dream on bare nails:
and a close-up:
The polish is generously filled with micro holographic glitter that enhances the larger shaped glitter. The base is slightly thick due to the intense amount of glitter but you get ample amount of smaller glitter over nail in a coat. Glitter fishing and placement (with a woodstick) is necessary for the larger glitter pieces.

Here's how it compares in (from top) 1, 2, 3 and 4 coats:
As more coats are added, the finish gets uneven and bumpy.
For the full-on glitter addicts, this is 4 coats of Merlion's Dream on all nails, with topcoat:
To state this polish is topcoat-hungry is an understatement.

As a topper, here are some combinations:
(Above) As a glitter gradient over Pink Flip Flops.

(Above) 1 coat of Merlion's Dream over (from left):
♥ OPI Mermaid's Tears
♥ OPI Can't Find My Czechbook
♥ OPI Yoga-ta Get This Blue
♥ OPI Viking in a Vinter Vonderland
with topcoat.

Songs of the Sea
"Songs of the Sea was a multimedia show located at Siloso Beach on Sentosa Island, Singapore. Designed by ECA2 founder, Yves Pépin, Songs of the Sea started its operations on 26 March 2007, a day after the Sentosa Musical Fountain ceased operations. The fountain is a $30 million investment by Sentosa to enhance its entertainment product offerings and to attract more tourists. It was the world's only permanent show set in the sea - with spectacular pyrotechnics displays, water jets that could shoot up to 40 meters, laser show, flame bursts, a live 7-person cast, and an open-air viewing gallery which can comfortably accommodate 3,000 visitors. Songs of the Sea had its final show on 4 May 2014, and was closed to make way for a brand new multi-sensory production titled Wings of Time, which was launched on 17 June 2014." - Wikipedia

The Inspiration
Words and photos cannot sufficiently portray the visual spectacle of the Songs of the Sea show, which I, unfortunately, was not able to witness in person before the run ended. YouTube video by ECA2Paris:

I have, however, experienced the new Wings of Time show that replaced it, and it is just as spectacular.

And back to the polish...
Songs Of The Sea contains the widest assortment of glitter pieces I've ever seen in a bottle. It has matte stars, flowers, dots, hearts and donuts in an assortment colours (neons, brights, pastels), all suspended in a clear base.

One coat over bare nails:
This glitter polish definitely requires a lot of fishing...and patience! After 1 swipe with the brush, additional pieces are carefully positioned using an orange woodstick. The most difficult pieces to fish are the hearts and flowers, being larger and heavier.

The next shots are Songs Of The Sea paired with a couple of base shades; as a glitter topper and jelly sandwich:
Top & bottom nails:
♥ 2 coats OPI Bubble Bath
♥ 1 coat glitter placement Starrily Songs Of The Sea
♥ 1 coat OPI Bubble Bath
topped with 1 coat Glisten & Glow HK Girl Top Coat

Middle & ring fingernails:
♥ 2 coats OPI Yoga-ta Get This Blue
♥ 1 coat glitter placement Starrily Songs Of The Sea
topped with 1 coat Glisten & Glow HK Girl Top Coat

Close-up:
Songs Of The Sea is simply a jam-packed bottle of fun.

Final Thoughts
This collection screams summer fun and party, pretty apt for a beach scene. While the best formula among the 3 is Pink Flip Flops, I like the creative possibilities of Songs Of The Sea, despite the tediousness of fishing for glitter and positioning them.

These parting shots feature all 3 polishes in a mani, over a-england Camelot, to try and capture the feel of Songs Of The Sea and 3D mapping show on the merlion:
♥ 1st coat - a-england Camelot
♥ 2nd coat - Starrily Pink Flip Flops (after applying striping tape)
♥ 3rd coat - Starrily Merlion's Dream glitter gradient at the tips
♥ 4th coat - Starrily Songs Of The Sea glitter placement
topped with Glisten & Glow HK Girl Topcoat

This trio is available individually, exclusively at Mei Mei's Signatures, along with other Starrily polishes, with international shipping available.
[Update 2 May, 2015: Mei Mei's Signatures' site is temporarily on vacation until 2nd week of May, 2015]

Meanwhile, check out more updates from Starrily and Mei Mei's Signatures via the following platforms:

Starrily
5-free handmade vegan nail polish from Brooklyn, New York, USA
♥ Store: starrily.com
♥ Facebook: www.facebook.com/starrilynailpolish
♥ Twitter: @starrilypolish
♥ Instagram: @starrilynails

Mei Mei's Signatures
Singapore-based online store for the widest range of nail polishes and related products. Ships internationally.
♥ Store: meimeisignatures.com
♥ Facebook: www,facebook.com/meimeisignatures
♥ Twitter; @meimeisi
♥ Instagram: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.instagram.com/meimeisignatures">@meimeisignatures

</a>Enjoy the weekend, cheerios!

Disclaimer: Products were sent for review. However, all opinions expressed are my own, and will always be.

Glam Polish Fantasia Flakies

A Lacquered Affair — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 22:03:45 +0800

Compliments of the season, lovelies!
Hope everyone had a joyous Christmas with good food and great company.

On the nail front, the Christmas mood was elevated when I received these resplendent polishes from Glam Polish via Mei Mei Signatures for review. Glam Polish is an indie nail polish label, handmixed in Australia. The shades and effect are perfect for this season. The review packs came in pairs, tucked in pretty purple organza gift pouches - 4 of the 6 polishes in the Fantasia Flakies Series.

Warning: Photo-heavy post ahead.

Fantasia Flakies
| fantəˈziːə |
"A thing composed of a mixture of different forms or styles; early 18th century: from Italian, 'fantasy', from Latin phantasia" - Oxford Dictionaries

This collection features 6 multichrome flakie top coats. Previous flakies that colour-shift were translucent and most definitely need a base colour. These are more metallic and glittery in nature. They are also more intense and jewel-toned in colour. Like the title of the collection suggests, the names of these polishes reflect the astro-fantasy nature of the collection.

The ones not included in this review are Arcana Dark and Harmony Wind.

Here's a closer look at the individual beauties.

Dreamscape
"A compound word made up of the stems dream and landscape meaning a fantasy world or an abstract/oneiric land." - Wikipedia
I am totally in love with this one and could not resist but to try this on first. It's mainly bronze-y gold-to-green shifting base with strong dashes of magenta and some blue flakes thrown in. The combination is a fantasy in a bottle.

In a single coat, over base-coated bare nails:
A good mix of larger flakies are interspersed between smaller shards, and a nice, even amount got onto the nails in one coat. The formula is easy to work with as well. This is consistent with all the other 3 polishes ahead.

Close-up:
Even without a base colour, the colours from the flakies pops. I love how it, on its own, looks like shattered stained glass.

I like experimenting how they fair full-on without a base colour. Here's how they look (from left to right) in 1, 2, 3 and 4 coats (without topcoat):
3 coats give a pretty decent coverage. But if one is obsessed about not having any bare nails showing, even 4 coats will not help.
The flakies lay flat and smooth on the nails. However, at 4 coats, it did get slightly bumpy, possibly from the overload of clear suspension base these flakies come in.

In 4 full-on coats, with topcoat:
Love this for Christmas! The highlights show the green shift, the midtones, gold and the shadowed areas is where the magenta flakies play.

Close-up:
Love how this close-up shot projects a fantasy garden feel!

Moving on to...
Comet Storm
"Comet Storm is a level 100 mage talent. It is granted to Frost mages choosing <span class="nobreak"><span class="nobreak"><span class="linkicon">. Comet Storm calls down a series of 7 icy comets on and around the target, each of which does (41.25% of Spell power) Frost damage, split between all enemies within 4 yards of its impact point." - Gamepedia

Made up of predominantly purple flakies, this one shifts to green and blue, with sprinkles of blue, green and magenta flakes in the mix.
The name references to a World of Warcraft (and Magic: The Gathering) spell, and a comet storm also refers to a bunch of suicidal comets that shoot themselves toward the sun (scratches head, but moves along).

1 coat over bare base-coated nails:
It is very similar to Dreamscape formula and coverage-wise. However, the main colour, purple, steals the thunder in this mix.

Close-up;
In this shot, the green-gold shift is more evident. Also, love the large blue flake/ shard on the nail line!

A comparison of 1 to 4 coats of Comet Storm, without topcoat:
As with Dreamscape, 3 coats provide a pretty lush coverage, but the nail line is still visible. WIth 4 coats, some bare nail is still visible, but is too thick to continue with another layer of the polish.

4 full coats, with topcoat:
The shift is more obvious on the index nail (left), though the overall mix of flakie colours look pretty magical.

Close-up:
Again, a macro shot shows the colour shift better. This one looks like coloured gems piled onto each other.

I received these 2 shades first, and I could not resist a flakie gradient with them.
The top is Comet Storm, while tips down is layered with Dreamscape.

On to the next...
Star Shadow
All references lead to an RPG game or a Japanese manga animation series. But more importantly, this multi-chrome polish features a teal blue dominant shade that shifts to purple and, in certain lighting, green-gold. It also has blue, magenta and gold flake shards in the mix.

1 coat over bare base-coated nails:
The formula and coverage remains consistent with the earlier two. It is like a blue mirror to Comet Storm.

Close-up:
A comparison of 1 to 4 coats of Star Shadow, without topcoat:
Again, the coverage of each coat is similar to the first two.

And in 4 full-on coats, topcoated:
The teal-blue/ green shades and shifts dominate the look of this polish on the nails in most angles.

Close-up:
Even in the macro shot, the purple shift is extremely subtle. Majority of the area shows the teal-blue green shifts.

And lastly...
Eternity Dragon
Like with Star Shadow, any reference I tried locating leads to Dragon Eternity, a MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game).
Eternity Dragon is mad eup of predominantly bronze-gold to gold-green shifting flakies, with tiny bits of bronze, magenta and blue flakes.

1 coat over bare base-coated nails:
With a single coat, the colour shifts are barely visible, as the gold overpowers. But I don't mind, really. It is such a rich, opulent tone.

Close-up:
In the light, it looks so luxurious, with the subtlest hint of green shift.

Comparison of 1 to 4 coats, without topcoat:
Needless to mention, the formula and coverage is consistent with its counterparts in this review. Notice the large piece of flake on the pinky (far right). Love!

In 4 full-on coats, with topcoat:
And a close-up:
Of the 4, Eternity Dragon shows the least colour shift, though the colour intensity and brightness is a notch above (ie. need sunglasses).

And because this came with Star Shadow, I had to do a gradient:
I love that these shades together look dragon-inspired.

As these are meant as overcoats, I layered 1 coat of each over a stark black crème; a-england Camelot, finished with topcoat.
From left:
♥ Eternity Dragon
♥ Dreamscape
♥ Star Shadow
♥ Comet Storm

LOVE the jewel-toned colour contrast with black, but I'm bummed that the intense sparkles over black made it impossible for my camera to capture the flakies' details. It made them look like shimmers when, in real life, they are shards of flakes with distinct outlines.

Final Thoughts
The formula for all of these is a breeze to work with, as long as one does not apply too thick a layer to try to get as much coverage in the least amount of coats *guilty*. It is rather good to know that these polishes get off the nails with less hassle than glitter polishes. The shades and sparkles are luxe, but my hands-down favourite is Dreamscape.

Here's a parting shot with all 4 multichrome flakies on the nails, in somewhat of an irregular gradient:
</span></span></span>

Individual polishes from the Fantasia Flakies Series are available from Glam Polish or Mei Mei's Signatures at USD10.00 and SGD18.50 each respectively.

For updates, news and releases, stalk them on their respective social media platforms:

Glam Polish
Artisan nail lacquer from Australia. Ships within Australia and to USA.
♥ Store: glampolish.com.au
♥ Facebook: www.facebook.com/GlamPolish
♥ Twitter: @glampolish
♥ Instagram: @glampolish_

Mei Mei's Signatures
Singapore-based online store for the widest range of nail polishes and related products. Ships internationally.
♥ Store: meimeisignatures.com
♥ Facebook: www,facebook.com/meimeisignatures
♥ Twitter; @meimeisi
♥ Instagram: @meimeisignatures

Till the next post, enjoy the season of sparkles!
<strong>

</strong>To Leave a Comment: I've noted that OnSugar's Comment feature has caused a few readers frustration by not accepting their input. While OnSugar works on rectifying it, I did a trial and error and found that comments don't get red-taped if you enter your information in the "Name" field without any space, ie. "ALacqueredAffair" instead of "A Lacquered Affair". I hope this works. As much as I want to, OnSugar doesn't allow the disabling of Captcha.

Disclaimer: Products were sent for review. However, all opinions expressed are my own, and will always be.

Born Pretty Store Nail Accessories (Part III)

A Lacquered Affair — Sun, 30 Nov 2014 10:45:15 +0800

Warm greetings lovelies!

I'm back with the 3rd installment of Born Pretty Store's nail art accessories review, kindly provided by the online Hong Kong based retailer. To read parts 1 and 2, head on to the links below:
♥ Part I (3mm Mini Round Patterned Metallic Nail Studs)
♥ Part II (Gold 3D Blooming Flowers Patterned Nail Stickers)

BornPrettyStore.com is based in Hong Kong and has been around since 2007. The online retailer has grown from stocking nail art accessories to in-house polishes, accessories, jewellery, cosmetics, beauty tools and even cell phone accessories. They ship internationally, for free! Hit this link for more information.

In the spotlight today is a Nail Stamp, also known as water decal transfer. The design I picked out for this review is a multi-coloured neon waves motif.
Here's how the actual piece looks out of the packaging:
The actual usable size of the decal is 3.5 x 2.5cm, which is not a lot. It's probably enough to cover 1 mani (10 nails), or more if intended only for accent nails per mani.

The back of the packaging contains an illustrated instructions on using this decal.
Instead of dipping the decal in a bowl of water to remove the film, then pick and place with a tweezer, this alternative method involves sponging the decal over the nails.

HOW
1 Paint nails with the base colours and let them dry completely. I waited around 20 - 25mins.
Polishes used (over Poshe Nail Strengthening 4-in-1 Treatment base coat):
♥ OPI Can't Find My Czechbook (blue on tips)
♥ Catrice Cosmetics C02 Mermaiday Mayday, limited edition (glitter on sheer blue jelly base)
♥ OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls (off-white crème)
♥ Glam Polish We Go Together, limited edition (neon yellow with subtle holo)

I've done one on the middle finger. The rest of the tutorial is based on my ring finger.

2 Using a pair of scissors, cut the decal according to the size and/shape required.
I only needed a small strip over the white base on my nail.
The neons waves are about 80-85% in opacity, hence best paired with a light-coloured base polish. The white areas seen in the decal are transparent when separated from the white backing; something to bear in mind when planning the mani.

3 Remove the transparent protective film from the top of the neon motif.Here, I'm illustrating with the original uncut piece, as it's pretty challenging doing it with the small strip. The protective film protects the sticky decal from damage and dirt.

4 Place the decal on the nail where the motif is supposed to sit, motif side facing down.
The stickiness of the decals will ensure the decal sits in place while you move on to the next step. If the placement is wrong, you can still lift and adjust the placement without damaging the motif (only if the base polish is completely dry).

5 Using a damp sponge or towel, dab over the white backing of the decal until the decal is completely loosened from the white backing.
Do this gently, and as many times as it takes for the decal to be fully loosened from the backing. With a sufficiently damped sponge or towel, it should only take around 5 - 7 dabs.

6 Once completely loosened, slide the backing off the decal and nail.
If completely loosened, it will slide off with ease. Trim the decal with a small scissors if any part of the decal sticks out from the nail.

7 Finish the mani by topcoating the entire nail to seal and protect the look, and to give an even finish.
On the index finger and pinky, the decals were cut into triangles.

For those who prefer a tutorial at a glance, here's a summarised view:
And that's it!

Final Thoughts
I found this method to be easier than the water bowl gig. Using tweezers to pick and place the decal can be challenging and may sometimes ruin the decal or base polish. I write from experience.

And this Nail Stamp's quality is great! The material is firm and of substantial thickness. Being thicker, the edges may be obvious on the nail, but a topcoat should fix it. Another slight downside is the small size of the decal. One has to use it frugally and with careful planning.

This Nail Stamp/ nail art water decal is available from Born Pretty Store at USD2.45 per piece. There are a total of 8 designs to choose from this listing. Not willing to pay full price? You can get 10% off using this code for readers of this blog: QFX31
Remember to follow Born Pretty Store via the following platforms for updates on new arrivals, ideas and promotions:

♥ Facebook
♥ Twitter
♥ Instagram
♥ YouTube

One last nstallment is in the works, so stay tune. Meanwhile, enjoy the Thanksgiving/ Black Friday/ Cyber Monday weekend, and I leave you with a parting shot:
<em>To Leave a Comment: <em>I've noted that OnSugar's Comment feature has caused a few readers frustration by not accepting their input. While OnSugar works on rectifying it, I did a trial and error and found that comments don't get red-taped if you enter your information in the "Name" field without any space, ie. "ALacqueredAffair" instead of "A Lacquered Affair". I hope this works. As much as I want to, OnSugar doesn't allow the disabling of Captcha.

</em></em>Disclaimer: Products were sent for review. However, all opinions expressed are my own, and will always be.

Born Pretty Store Nail Accessories (Part II)

A Lacquered Affair — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 00:54:26 +0800

Hey lovelies!

I'm back from a long break from blogging with a continuation of a series of Born Pretty Store product review. If you're interested, Part I can be found here.

For the uninitiated, Born Pretty Store is based in Hong Kong and been in operation since 2010. The online retailer has grown from stocking nail art accessories to in-house polishes, accessories, jewellery, cosmetics, beauty tools and even cell phone accessories. They ship internationally, for free! You can refer to this link more information.<strong>

</strong>In this installation, we take a closer look at a 3D Nail Seal in Gold Blooming Flowers.

These are nail seals (or stickers), not water decals. The gold outlines are embossed. They are self-adhesive, and are ready to go on your dry, polished nails for that little feminine swag on your fingertips. This set comes in a single sheet per pack, and retails for USD2.22. You get around 25 small pieces of seals per sheet in this design. There are 3 design options to choose from this listing.

For my base, I used 2 coats of the following polishes, and waited for at least 15 minutes for them to dry completely, as a precautionary measure:

♥ OPI Viking In A Vinter Vonderland (near-black deep purple crème)
♥ piCture pOlish Unicorn (shimmery aqua crelly with pink and silver glitter)

Using 4 different floral motif from this nail seal set, I carefully placed them on the nails with a pair of sharp-end tweezers to achieved the finished look below. The nails are finished with a coat of Essence Gel-Look top coat to seal the design.
As you can see, parts of the motif are opaque white, and some are transparent. Love this combination!The seals are easy to use, and pretty fuss-free. They adhered well, and did not pull or leave residue when I had to peel off a couple to adjust the placements.

if these aren't your style, you'll be spoilt for choice by the plethora of nail-related accessories and embellishments on Born Pretty Store. Furthermore, you're entitled to 10% off with the code QXF31. <span style="color: #800080;"><span style="color: #800080;">
<span style="color: #000000;">For latest updates, follow Born Pretty Store via the following platforms:

</span></span></span>

♥ Facebook
♥ Twitter
♥ Instagram
♥ YouTube

Till the next installment, cheerio!</p>

<em>To Leave a Comment: <em>I've noted that OnSugar's Comment feature has caused a few readers frustration by not accepting their input. While OnSugar works on rectifying it, I did a trial and error and found that comments don't get red-taped if you enter your information in the "Name" field without any space, ie. "ALacqueredAffair" instead of "A Lacquered Affair". I hope this works. As much as I want to, OnSugar doesn't allow the disabling of Captcha.

<p></em></em>Disclaimer: Products were sent for review. However, all opinions expressed are my own, and will always be.

Glam Polish Dark Terror Duo + Giveaway!

A Lacquered Affair — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 21:00:00 +0800

| ter-ər |
"a state of intense fear", "one that inspires fear" - Merriam-Wester

Hi folks!

Welcome to another Glam Polish Halloween polish post, a limited edition duo exclusive to Mei Mei's Signatures, part II. Following the overwhelming response (and sell out within minutes) of the first exclusive limited edition set (Gruesome Movie Duo review here), Glam Polish and Mei Mei's Signatures decided to create and release a new Halloween-inspired duo within weeks (they must have magic wands to churn something so quickly!).

Named Dark Terror, this limited edition set of holographic polishes is also numbered, and only 140 sets are available through Mei Mei's Signatures. Because the set I received are samples, they are not numbered. Like the Gruesome Movie duo, the polishes in this set have names of horror movies.

Black Water
"Black Water is a 2007 horror-thriller film set in the mangrove seas of northern Australia. It was written and directed by Andrew Traucki and David Nerlich and stars Diana Glenn, Maeve Dermody and Andy Rodoreda. The film was inspired by the true story of a crocodile attack in Australia's Northern Territory in December 2003." - Wikipedia
Black Water is described as a "blackened blue holo with sapphire glass flecks". In the light, it flashes indigo blue in the bottle, along with scattered-linear holo.

When I first saw the name and the polish, the scene from The Ring where Sadako was creeping up from the well came to mind. *shudder*

In 2 coats, topped with Cult Nails Wicked Fast topcoat:

The formula is one of the best of Glam Polish shades I've tried so far. It is almost a one-coater. My overworking on the strokes on a couple of nails caused some dragging (which is entirely due to my obsession to get the fullest coverage), hence, I used 2 coats.

The blackened edges - LOVE! It lives up to the polish's name; deep murky water in the dark of night, with midnight blue reflections.

Close-up:
The blue flecks are very visible on the nail or in the bottle. However, the sapphire blue still flashes through.

I applied Black Water over 1 coat of bascoat, but it still stained slightly. That was the only slight downside to this dark beauty.

Don't Go In The Woods
"Don't Go in the Woods is a 2010 American horror musical written and directed by Vincent D'Onofrio. The film was first shown in 2010 at single locations in the United States. It was released on Video on demand (VOD) on 26 December 2011, and on general theatrical release in January 2012. The film was made in upper New York state by 5 Minutes Productions, and distributed by Tribeca Film." - Wikipedia
Don't Go In The Woods is described as a "dark forest green holo with glass flecks". The green leans towards teal, and is a gorgeous unique holo shade. The flecks are noticeable in the bottle.

It's a cliché phrase that pops into the head (for me at least) whenever a character in a horror/ supernatural film or TV show heads for the woods. The plot is all too predictable, and yet, they never learn.

Here's 1 coat of Don't Go In The Woods topped with 1 coat of Cult Nails Wicked Fast topcoat:
I am so in love with this one, from the formula to the shade! Highly pigmented, it's a near flawless one-coater. The blackened effect is less intense than Black Water, but the flecks are more visible and concentrated.

Here's a closer look:
It does stain after removal, despite having a basecoat on. The problem could lie with my thin and clear base coat (Poshé 4-in-1 Nail Strengthening base coat).

The shades from Gruesome Movie and Dark Terror sets are distinctively different, yet complement each other to make a great 'Holo-ween' family.
The above mani was created by dragging blobs of Carrie, Tales From The Dark Side and Black Water randomly through each other with a toothpick over Don't Go In The Woods as the base, finished with 2 coats of Glisten & Glow HK Girl topcoat.

Where To Grab Them
Glam Polish Dark Terror Duo is exclusively available at Mei Mei's Signatures as a set and retails for SGD37.00 per set. This limited edition numbered set is limited to 140 only. Once sold out, they will not be reproduced.

For more information and updates from the respective businesses:

Mei Mei's Signatures
Singapore-based online store for the widest range of nail polishes and related products. Ships internationally.
♥ Store: meimeisignatures.com
♥ Facebook: www,facebook.com/meimeisignatures
♥ Twitter; @meimeisi
♥ Instagram: @meimeisignatures

Glam Polish
Artisan nail lacquer from Australia. Ships to Australia and USA.
♥ Store: glampolish.com.au
♥ Facebook: www.facebook.com/GlamPolish
♥ Twitter: @glampolish
♥ Instagram: @glampolish_

The Gruesome Movie duo is sold out, BUT there's 1 set (numbered 45) available in a GIVEAWAY below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you've entered, good luck!

Till the next post, stay polished!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

<em>To Leave a Comment: I've noted that OnSugar's Comment feature has caused a few readers frustration by not accepting their input. While OnSugar works on rectifying it, I did a trial and error and found that comments don't get red-taped if you enter your information in the "Name" field without any space, ie. "ALacqueredAffair" instead of "A Lacquered Affair". I hope this works. As much as I want to, OnSugar doesn't allow the disabling of Captcha.

Disclaimer: The polishes were sent for review consideration. However, all opinions expressed are my own, and will always be.
</em>

Glam Polish Gruesome Movie Duo

A Lacquered Affair — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 23:33:03 +0800

| grü-səm |
"inspiring horror or repulsion" - Merriam-Webster

(In a spine-tingling, creepy tone) Well, hello lovelies...

Here's an early Halloween treat - a limited edition Glam Polish Gruesome Movie Duo, exclusive to Mei Mei's Signatures.
Available as a set, these shades are inspired by the 2 horror movies they are named after; Carrie (left) and Tales From The Darkside (right), both movies with gruesome imageries.

I was giddy with excitement when these crept up in my mailbox for review. Firstly, I have an affinity for Halloween-themed goodies, or rather, supernatural ones in general. Though not traditionally celebrated here (Singapore), influences over the decades allowed Halloween to thrive commercially. Secondly, the rich, intense tones are to kill for!

Before I bore you to death, let's start off with...

Carrie
"Carrie is an American epistolary novel and author Stephen King's first published novel, released on April 5, 1974... Set in the then-future year of 1979, it revolves around the eponymous Carrietta N. "Carrie" White, a shy high school girl who uses her newly discovered telekinetic powers to exact revenge on those who torment her - in the process, causing one of the worst local disasters in American history." - Wikipedia
"Carrie - A vampy crimson holo with sparkly red/ gold glass flecks. inspired by Carrie White from Stephen King's novel." - Mei Mei's Signatures

For the uninitiated, Glam Polish is an indie nail polish label helmed by Rachel, and handmixed in Australia. The newer packaging sees her gorgeous polishes housed in 'tall' square bottles printed with the logo and basic information. They hold 15ml/ 0.5 fl.oz of product and come with a atandard sized brush applicator.

Who hasn't read/ watched or heard of Carrie by Stephen King? If you're generations apart from the original, there's a 2013 film remake.

Typically, I shy away from reds, but make exceptions for deeper, vampier shades. Carrie is definitely an exception. This beguiling rich burgundy wine beauty projects a definitive holo effect in the bottle. I just couldn't decide if it's linear or scattered, perhaps both. When tilted away from light source, the red/ gold flecks or bits are tiny but evident.

Here's how it shows up on the nails, shown here in 2 coats over Poshé Nail Strengthening base coat and finished with 1 coat of Glisten & Glow HK Girl topcoat:

The formula was easy to apply, and could almost pass with 1 coat. It is that pigmented! The blend of flecks gave the finish some unevenness, and also added a bit of viscosity to the formula, but not in worrying amounts. It wasn't streaky or goopy in application, even as I progressed on to paint more nails.

I could not determine the holo effect in Carrie even on the nails. In some angles, it appears scattered, yet in others, a very soft linear. It could be a blend of both. I can't tell anymore.

Close-up:
Now, the colour...simply seductive! The rich crimson with red/gold and holo bits in what appears as a blackened blood red base gives this creation a delicious depth.

In my opinion, the polish has captured the essence of the antogonist in the movie - her rage and fire brewing within like the red/ gold flecks, the confused adolescent by the wavering holo effect, and the spilled blood by the crimson shade.

To reflect the mood, below is a nail art attempt with Carrie stippled over 1 coat of a-england Camelot with the pointed end of an orange woodstick, top coated. From 1 angle, it depicts dripping blood, and in the reverse, burning flames; both memorable elements in the story.
Let's crawl on to...

Tales From The Darkside
"Tales from the Darkside: The Movie is a 1990 American horror anthology film directed by John Harrison based on the anthology television series Tales from the Darkside. The film, shot in anthology style, depicts a kidnapped paperboy who tells three stories of horror to the suburban witch who is preparing to eat him, à la Hansel and Gretel." - Wikipedia
"A dark purple holo with sparkly gold/ red/ blue glass flecks. Inspired by horror movie with the same title." - Mei Mei's Signatures

I admit. I've not seen this movie. Or maybe I did but don't have an impression. So I do what I usually do - consult Google. The stills from the film really do fit the 'gruesome' tag, maybe even too much for me (who's a Trubie, by the way).

This one's an intense purple shade, with the same holo effect as Carrie. Away from the light, the flecks are less noticeable in the bottle. The holo particles steal the show anyway.

Here's 2 coats of Tales from The Darkside, with the same base and top coat combo as the previous swatch:
As with Carrie, it could have been done in 1 opaque coat, but a second resulted in a richer finish. The formula glided on smoother as it didn't feel like there was as much flecks, which did not matter anyway, as the holo is stunning.

The holo effect on the nails is identical to Carrie - a very faint hint of a prism, and stronger as a scattered holo, but, nevertheless, gorgeous.

Close-up:
Similar to Carrie, the base seems blackened, which enhances the purple and holo pigments. I could go on gushing about this polish, but it wouldn't be fair because I'm biased towards most purples, especially darker ones like this.

It's convenient that the shades in this exclusive duo complement each other. I couldn't resist pairing them in a gradient.
For holos, I typically stipple one shade over the other with a Q-tip or cotton bud when doing a gradient.

From a thumbnail size, the above mani looked like nails with gradual hematoma, albeit more sparkly. In the spirit of Halloween, I guess it's appropriate(?).

Where To Get Them
Glam Polish Gruesome Movie Duo is exclusively available at Mei Mei's Signatures as a set and retails for SGD37.00 per set. It is limited to 60 sets and each bottle is numbered. It is set to launch on Wed, 10 September 2014, 12:00 midnight (Singapore Time, GMT+8).

You won't regret following the respective businesses on these platforms for updates and information on more creations:

Till the next post, stay polished, and nightmare-free!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

</em>Disclaimer: The polishes were sent for review. However, all opinions expressed are my own, and will always be.

piCture pOlish Blog/ Insta Fest 2014

A Lacquered Affair — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 11:24:55 +0800

Greetings lovelies!

I'm thrilled to finally be able to present my contribution for piCture pOlish's Blog/ Insta Fest 2014!

Like last year, I heeded the call to participate in this annual event. If you're curious, my mani for last year can be found here. This year, it includes Instagramers as well, so I'm predicting a massive buzz.

For the uninitiated, piCture pOlish is a Australian boutique nail polish brand founded and helmed by 2 Australian girls that produces fast forward colours, unique finishes and durable-wear polishes. Their polishes are 3-Free, and moving on to 5-Free, and are formulated and made in Australia.

This year's 'project' comes in 2 parts; a swatch and review of one of their newest shades launched yesterday, and a nail art project using (for the first time) Nail Vinyls, something they've newly stocked.

But first, allow me to fawn over the bag that everything came in:
Love the hot-stamped baroque print!

Part One: Swatch & Review
EYRE is a metallic blue scatter chrome holo and dries smooth on the nail (contains no glitter). Inspired by a favourite novelist. 5-Free. It is a re-make of the now-discontinued OZOTIC 914, in an 11ml/ 0.37fl.oz size.

is a metallic blue scatter chrome holo and dries smooth on the nail (contains no glitter) - See more at: http://picturepolish.com.au/eyre#sthash.fOWYFaL0.dpuf

The blue has soft hints of purple.
Here's 2 coats of Eyre without topcoat:
And with 1 coat of Glisten & Glow HK Girl topcoat:

And in a rare ocassion, a shot in the sun:

A Close-up shot:
The formula was good, even though it required 2 coats to get an even finish. The generous amount of holographic particles and flecks give a noticeable scattered holo effect, even without being under sunlight. The description given did say "chrome", so no duochrome effect here but a blackened blurple at the sides of the nails under shadowed lighting.

So how does it compare with the original OZOTIC 914?
Here's a bottle shot comparison:
...and swatch comparison, 2 coats of each shade each, with topcoat:
They are really very, very close, so unless one nitpicks, the differences aren't noticeable.

In the bottles, Eyre seem to have slightly more holo particles than OZOTIC 914. On the nails, OZOTIC seem to be richer in colour, with more blackened blue sides. Formula-wise, they both applied really well, but OZOTIC's consistency was thinner. It was not sheer, streaky or difficult to work with, just thinner.

Now on to the next part...

Part Two: piCture pOlish + Nail Vinyl Nail Art
Nail Vinyls is a one-woman home-based operation from North Carolina, USA. All vinyl stickers are homemade and packed by hand. piCture pOlish is now a proud stockist of Nail Vinyls, a perfect complement to their nail polishes.

Here's what I received in my pack to work with for this project:

The Nail Vinyls: Right Angles

The nail vinyls I received are Right Angles in a 224 count pack. They comes in 4 thickness, which is great to experiment various design ideas.
The basic FAQs are addressed on Nail Vinyls' online store, along with some useful tips on getting successful results with your manicure.

The Polishes
Swagger: A beautiful blue shade, Swagger is a 5-Free milky creme and dries smooth on the nail. It is part of the Bright/ Urban shades.
Mad Magenta: A totally mad and crazy magenta, it is a 5-Free classic creme and dries smooth on the nail. It is part of the Bright shades.
Both in 11ml/ 0.37 fl.oz bottles

The Creation
Using all 4 sizes of vinyls, here's my mani:
I was playing around with multiple vinyls, and one of the trial arrangements reminded me of spider's legs. And the idea morphed into this mani, which has the feel of an 80's arcade game baddie. So, I'm calling this one a gamer mani!

Briefly, here's how I created it:
For easier reference, the sizes are labeled as above.

Tools required:
♥ Sharp tip tweezers
♥ Tiny pair of scissors

1 Cut off the length of one side of each size x 4pcs of vinyl close to the angled corner. Do the same to another 4, but in mirror image.

2 Paint nails with base colour. In this case, it was 1 coat of piCture pOlish Mad Magenta (hooray for one-coater!). Wait till completely dry, or use a fast drying topcoat to speed up the process. I used HK Girl topcoat, and waited for 20 - 25mins (just in case).

3 Place the vinyls as below:

4 Paint the inside of the small triangle (only) on the middle and ring fingers. Using a tweezer, remove size 3 vinyl immediately after painting each nail. Do not remove the top vinyl (size 4).

5 Paint the top half of the vinyl and remove immediately.

6 Paint the entire nail of the index finger and remove the vinyls one at a time, carefully and immediately, without waiting for the polish to dry.

7 Apply top coat and voilà!
The nail vinyls were pretty fuss-free, unlike some stripping and sticky tapes I've used. The adhesive was not too sticky to the touch, yet stayed secure on the base polish, even after removing a couple of times to get the position right. They cannot be reused after they've been polished over, though, but it's quite alright. There are lots of pieces on the sheets for 6 - 9 manis, depending on the design of your mani.

Nail Vinyls ship internationally and can be found on the following platforms for more information:
♥ Store - http://www.nailvinyls.com
♥ Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/nailvinyls
♥ Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/teismom

piCture pOlish will be retailing a special exclusive 4-pack 'Nail Vinyls' containing all the vinyls (Chverons, Mini Chevrons, Straight and Right Angles) used by all the participants of Blog/ Insta Fest this year.

To purchase, get more information or updates from piCture pOlish, please follow these links:
♥ Store - http://www.picturepolish.com.au
♥ Every Day Deal - http://www.picturepolish.com.au/everyday-deal
♥ International Stockists - http://www.picturepolish.com.au/network
♥ Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/picturepolish
♥ Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/picturepolish

Have a great start to the week, folks!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

</em>Disclaimer: The products (except OZOTIC 914) were sent for the purpose of this blog post. However, all opinions expressed are my own, and will always be.

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