Imperfectly Painted

Talk it Out Tuesday: Blog Sales

2012-05-29T15:57:00.000-04:00

I want to thank Amy over at Gotham Polish for this Talk it Out Tuesday topic!

What are your thoughts on blog sales? Do think there are some do's and don'ts when it comes to blog sales?

I'm not an expert on blog sales, I've had my share, but I certainly wouldn't call myself a pro at it. I do have some opinions on certain aspects of blog sales.

*These are my personal opinions. This is not a guideline for blog sales. I'm just sharing my thoughts.

PR Samples in blog sales- This is an absolute no no. It's hard for me to believe that people would find it reasonable to do this. If you get a product to review for free, you should not turn around and sell it. Do I even need to explain why? Morals people. If you get a product for review that you don't want anymore swap it or give it to a friend. Do not profit off of it!

Overpriced ETF (easy to find) used polishes- I've seen a few blog sales that are selling polishes you could easily find online or in stores used for the price they originally bought them for or more. I generally sell polishes I've used that are ETF for 40%-50% off of what I originally paid for them. They can sell it for what they want, and some people will buy it, but it just doesn't sit well with me.

HTF (hard to find polishes)- This is where I think there is some wiggle room. I do not have an issue with people marking up used HTF polishes. I do not mean to ridiculous ebay prices I've seen sometimes, but to what they guess is reasonable price for the item at the time. I've researched ebay and asked other nail people what they felt was a reasonable price for an HTF polish before I put it in a sale. For example, if I had used OPI Absolutely Alice I wanted to sell I'd check on ebay and see the average for a bottle is around $21-$23. I personally would start my price off at around $16-$17. If it sat around with no offers for a week I'd lower it to $15 and so on. Sometimes you don't find any information on an HTF polish you have, and you have to use your best judgment. It's important to be fair, but don't sell yourself short or be greedy either..find the middle ground.

Frustrations and icky buyers- When I've had blog sales I've had people ask for extensions for payment or strange requests. I've had children email me saying tings like "I'm 12 I don't have a paypal, can I send you cash?". Errr, no. I think it's a safe bet to deal with Paypal payments only. I've had someone buy a ton of stuff from me then turn around 2 weeks later and re-sell all of my stuff in a blog sale for double what I sold it for. Can they do that? Sure, it's their property now, but it sucks. I get it if it's a few items you didn't like later on and re-sell it, but the whole kit and caboodle of what I sold you?!? I will no longer sell to that person because I know what they'll do with my stuff.

These are the main things I have thoughts on as far as blog sales. I love blog sales. I've found so many great polishes through them. I enjoy having my own as well. As a rule of thumb I always look around other blog sales before I set prices on mine. I want to make sure I'm selling polishes around the same price others sell. I know there are countless other topics that can be discussed as far as blog sales go. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Happy Tuesday!

Zoya Arizona

2012-05-28T12:04:00.000-04:00

I have love/hate relationship with orange. There is really no in-between with me. I either really love an orange color or I hate it. This is really dependent on how the color looks on me. I got into an orange kick last year with China Glaze Papaya Punch. I hardly touched orange nail polish before then. It's definitely a great color, but I came to realize not every orange..is my orange. I was excited to see Zoya had an orange in their summer collection, and I'm happy to report this orange and I are compatible! Steph + Arizona = ♥

Arizona

Arizona is a softened bright citrus orange with a muted cream finish.

I went ahead and used Zoya's description of Arizona. I think they do a better job of describing their colors than me! I how this color has this touch of softness to it, it really makes it unique. I know this summer we've seen neons galore. I love neons, but they're not not always the most wearable colors for certain situations. I love how Zoya made this color and their Beach collection a softer spin of the brighter/neon shades of summer. The formula on this was nice too. This a great color for summer, and a great orange too!

Happy Monday!

Share With You Sunday: 5/20/12-5/27/12

2012-05-27T12:05:00.001-04:00

I am sure some of you are wondering what has happened to "Bottle Spam Saturday"? Well, to be quite honest I'm not much of a fan of doing them... at least weekly. I really only have time to take pics and do those posts on Saturday and they can be time consuming. Honestly, when it comes to the weekends I want to be lazy :P! I will not be getting rid of "Bottle Spam Saturday", but it will become something I only do monthly or every other week similar to my "Talk it Out Tuesday" posts. I hope you guys understand!

Posts I'm Loving:
Nail Polish Wars shares with us her Sweet as Sugar nails.
Marias Nail Art and Polish shows us her painted flowers manicure.
Beauty Junkies Unite swatches Essie's Bikini so Teeny collection.
Pretty Digits swatches Nails Inc. Sprinkles collection.
Sparkly Vernis shares with us Icing Hit the Lights.
Sincerely Stephanie shows us her striped punk nails.
Art Evolve teaches us how to create our own gold leaf top coat.
Adventures in Acetone shows us her flowery water marble.

Posts You're Loving:
Polish Obsession shares with us her jelly sandwich nails using OPI Rainbow Connection.
Passion for Polish shows us her stamping manicure using Zoya Beach & Surf colors.
Young and Polished shares with us her makeup and nail polish collection.

You can submit your links for posts on Sundays here.

Reader Manis of the Week:

Name: Elize/purrrpolish
Location: Holland
Manicure Description: First, I applied 1 layer of my favorite black, MAX - Black and after this I applied 2 coats of Teeez! - Cool, a sheer blue holographic polish.
Favorite Polishes: China Glaze - For Audrey, Color Club - Revvvolution, Golden Rose - Scale #06, China Glaze - Smoke and Ashes, China Glaze - Riveting, and more!
Blog: http://purrrpolish.blogspot.com/

Name: Time On My Nails (Julie)
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Manicure Description: This was inspired by the artwork The Great Wave from Hokusai's 1830s print series, Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. On a base of CND Brilliant White, I used a dark blue by Essie (it lost it's name-sticker), OPI Alpine Snow, and China Glaze Secret Peri-wink-le for the waves, and used Joe Fresh Navy and a few different multi-polish blends for the rest of the detail.
Favorite Polishes: I'm loving American Apparel The Valley, Layla Flash Black, and Nail-Venturous Floam right now! I expect to love AquaDaisy Shazaam when it arrives in my mailbox, too; it might just be my HG purple.
Blog: http://www.timeonmynails.com

You can find information on how to submit your manicures for Sunday posts here. I'm currently in need for manis for June and July!

Happy Sunday!

Central Florida Beauty Bloggers Meet Again!

2012-05-25T10:34:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday, the Central Florida Beauty Bloggers got together for another meetup. This time we had 25 womem in our group. It is amazing that over a year ago we started our group with only 6 of us. This group of women is great. They are all so genuine, friendly, encouraging, and inspirational. I am so grateful to have this group of bloggers in my local area.

We also received many goodies from generous sponsors! Thank you!

Reviva Labs

Wet n' Wild

LA Fresh, Crack Hair Fix, Southern Magnolia Minerals, and Dadi' Oil

Cult Nails--The pre-sale event for this collection starts tomorrow. Check out my review here.

Bettina, Barielle, Chick Polish, Sation (Miss Nail Pro), L.A. Girl Cosmetics, Del Sol, and Bundle Monster

Milani

This is a list of the bloggers who attended:

Alyssa- Pretty Little Bottles
Cat- Beauty by Cat
Phyrra- Phyrra
Ali- niftyBA!
Pamela- Pamela's Closet
Toni- Toniiz Beauty
Kimberly- Libby's Pink Vanity
Kari- Once Bitten
Maria- Cult Nails
Brittany- Clumps of Mascara
Leandra- Nail Polish Therapy
Judi- judixo
Cristina- Let them have Polish!
Su- Chronicle Stones
Corrinne- Galactic Lacquer
Denise- Harajuku Girl FL Makeup
Elizabeth- Lacquered Up Glittah
Eugenia- Geniabeme Beauty Blog
Kim- College Polished
Lo'Real- Make Me Up in HD
Mina- Mina Slater
Nidia- Beauty Lit from Within
Jessica- Nail Polish Anonymous
Margaret- Beauty & the Beat

I had an amazing time!

Happy Friday!

Piggy Polish Ivy Leaf in Santa Claus

2012-05-24T12:00:00.000-04:00

I know...Santa Claus in May? I picked polish up in someone's swap box at our blogger meetup back in March. You know what? What is the deal with Piggy Polish? They do not seem to have any presence in the blog-o-sphere whatsoever. Do they even have anyone running their PR? I never owned a Piggy Polish, and I think it's because of this reason. They seem so non-existent. The funny thing is I absolutely adore this polish, and the formula is superb. They really need the exposure, because I think they deserve it based on my first experience with them.

Ivy Leaf in Santa Claus

Ivy Leaf in Santa Claus is a deep pine green creme.

This polish was a dream to apply. I love the rich green color. I'm really impressed! It put Piggy Polish on my radar. I'm definitely going to be looking at their polishes more rather than bypassing them completely. I'm not really one to approach companies, but I'm interested in trying to get in contact with them to see if I could possibly get them a little more exposure in the blog-o-sphere. Have any bloggers reached out to Piggy Polish before? Am I missing something?

Happy Thursday!

China Glaze Sugar High

2012-05-22T11:37:00.000-04:00

I can't tell you how many times I want certain polishes from collections after the fact. I look back on collections from 2009 or 2010, and see polishes I stuck my nose up at then, that I really want now. This was the case with China Glaze Sugar High from the Spring 2010 Up & Away collection. I saw this one on Pinterest a few months ago, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. The problem is, it's not a core line polish, so I couldn't just hop in the car and pick it up at Sally's or Ulta. I wanted to avoid paying shipping for just one polish, so I asked around for any dupes. There are not any known dupes, so I caved and got this off Amazon. I'm glad I did!

Sugar High

Sugar High is a warm-toned bubblegum pink creme.

When I say bubblegum pink, I'm not kidding! This is exactly the color of bubblegum. This color is pigmented and bold. I do not know of any other colors like this, hence why I had to get it. My only complaint is the formula is on the thick side, but a few drops of thinner fixed it up. Overall, this a great vibrant pink that I think even non-pink lovers would like.

Happy Tuesday!

Cult Nails Fairy Tale Collection

2012-05-21T12:30:00.003-04:00

I was so excited about this collection that I got up early and swatched them all! Maria was so generous to give all of the attendees at the latest Beauty Bloggers of Central Florida meetup the Cult Nails Fairy Tale Collection to review. I was so excited about these colors. They are all beautiful, and this is an amazing collection as a whole. Let' us get to it shall we?

L-R:
Feelin' Froggy, Evil Queen, Princess, Charming, and Happy Ending

Feelin' Froggy

Feelin' Froggy is a kelly green with a light green shimmer.

Evil Queen

Evil Queen is a bright cherry red creme.

Princess

Princess is a sky blue with subtle coppery shimmer.

Charming

Charming is a sheer medium purple with a light purple shimmer.

Happy Ending layered over all colors (click to enlarge)

Happy Ending is a mixture of shredded red, blue, gold, and purple confetti-like glitter in a clear base.

I am very impressed with this collection. I love the variety of colors, and I think they're all very representative of the Fairy Tale theme. I love the shimmer in Feelin' Froggy and Charming, it gives these colors a unique twist. Princess is a beautiful blue, and I'm a sucker for copper shimmer! If you have Sinful Colors Cinderella, you can toss it aside for Cult Nails Princess. Princess is not sheer, and has great coverage. Evil Queen is the perfect pinup bright red. The shredded multi-colored glitter in Happy Ending is great layering top coat, and looks great over all of the colors in this collection. All of these were an average of 2-3 coats, with the exception of Charming which took 4.

The pre-sale for this collection will be from Sat. May 26-Sat. June 2. The pre-sale price for all of these will be $40. If you want more information on the pre-sale check out Maria's post.

I want to thank Maria for giving me the opportunity to review these polishes. They are great!

*These products were provided to me for review by Cult Nails.

Happy Monday!

Share With You Sunday: 5/13/12-5/20/12

2012-05-20T11:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's Beauty Bloggers of Central Florida meetup was a blast! I will have a post on that sometime this week when I get pictures to show you guys! I really encourage you to connect with local bloggers in your area. It is an amazing way to make to friends and create amazing opportunities for you and your blogs!

Posts I'm Loving:
Nail Polish Wars shows us her Splatterific nails.
I'M FEELING NAIL-VENTUROUS shares with us her gradient nails.
Love. Varnish, chocolate and more.. shows us her gradient nails using some OPI Holland colors.
Frazzle and Aniploish shares with us some more in store nail polish displays.
polish fixation shows us her glitter gradient nails.

Posts You're Loving:
Chipped swatches OPI Your Web or Mine.
Polish Obsession swatches Sally Hansen Whisper.

You can submit your links for posts on Sundays here.

Reader Manis of the Week:

Name: Zahra
Location: Australia
Manicure Description: This was my first attempt at dry marbling. The colours used are Sally Hansen's Celeb City, Sally Hansen's Lightening and Revlon's Desire. I made the pattern using a toothpick. I put blobs of each polish on a sandwich bag and moved it around with a toothpick, cleaning it regularly. I waited for these to dry and then cut them out to my nail size and stuck on top of a layer of wet base coat.
Favorite Polishes:- Sally Hansen's Blue Me Away - Ulta3 Party Shoes - Zoya Kissy - OPI Meet Me On The Star Ferry
Blog: http://manisuccess.blogspot.com.au/

Name:Amy (brervixen)
Location:Wirral, United Kingdom
Manicure Description:This is a mani I did for my friend's birthday party, I created it totally freehand, to compliment the dress I was wearing, which was a Hell Bunny 50s inspired dress! It really worked out very cute and I got lots of compliments! The colours I used were: China Glaze Aqualdelic Maybelline Red Black Striper Nails Inc Whitechapel.
Favorite Polishes:China Glaze Aquadelic (I ADORE this polish!) Nails Inc Montrose Place (It's like, the PERFECT pink!) Floam!
Blog:http://glitterandgild.blogspot.co.uk/

You can find information on how to submit your manicures for Sunday posts here. I'm currently in need for manis for June!

Happy Sunday!

Milani Deep Thoughts

2012-05-18T18:20:00.002-04:00

Oops! I had this scheduled to post earlier, but it didn't post. I'm sorry this is so late!

I'm very excited for tomorrow. The Central Florida Beauty Bloggers are having another meetup. I can't wait. I was nervous before the last one, but this time I have no nerves. I'm very much looking forward to it! Last meetup, Milani was one of our sponsors. They sent us a ton of amazing products. It's taking me a long time to review it all on my blog. This was one the great colors I received. This a new color in their core line.

Deep Thoughts

Deep Thoughts is a deep rich purple with a pink/violet shimmer.

This is a stunning polish. I love the richness of this color with the shimmer. It really is a great purple. The formula on this was good. I had coverage in 2 coats. This is a great drugstore polish that is reasonably priced. I think everyone needs a purple like this in their polish collection!

**I received this product from Milani to review

Happy Friday!

Misa Bikini With A Martini

2012-05-17T11:00:00.000-04:00

I am very much into this neon craze lately. I was craving neons back in January. What's funny is I have about as much fashion knowledge and sensibilities as a caterpillar, yet neon is the newest trend. I had no idea it was a trend, so for me to like a trend before I knew it was a trend is rather miraculous. Hah. I think one neon polish color that doesn't get much attention is red. We've all seen neon pinks, yellows, oranges, and greens, but reds are rare. This Misa polish gives tribute to the neon red!

Bikini With A Martini

Bikini With A Martini is a bright neon red.

This is highlighter red! It is hot! The formula on this was great. The color is great. There is not much more I can say. I only have 2 Misa polishes, and I've been very impressed with them. My only complaint is I wish you could find these in some stores. They are very reasonably priced, and it would be nice if these were more mainstream because I think it would be a popular brand. I know you can get these from Head2Toe Beauty for now. Misa come to stores please!

Happy Thursday!

Franken Sunken Treasure

2012-05-15T11:00:00.000-04:00

I found myself in a common situation in the nail polish world recently. An indie nail polish seller put LE bottles of nail polish on their etsy site, and I missed out on this amazing bottle of polish I really liked. This polish was called Super Moon, by See Sarah Swatch/Two Birds One Stone. Isn't gorgeous?!? Well, I messaged Sarah, and asked if she'd be making more, and the answer was sadly no. Then....I pouted. I wanted to try and make my own, but I did not have the same type and color of glitters. I really wanted a polish like that though, so I took a stab at it. It doesn't look much like Super Moon, but it did cease my pouting. I'm pleased with my result. I'm calling this one Sunken Treasure. I do owe Sarah a thanks for inspiration though, if it weren't for Super Moon I never would of come up with this.

Sunken Treasure

Sunken Treasure is a bright blue jelly with silver holographic glitters, copper glitters, and gold/copper micro glitters.

This was actually fairly easy to make. I just used clear, Revlon Royal, Icing Frost Yourself, Sephora by OPI Traffic Stopper Copper, Jordana Copper Blaze, and Tropez Sassy. I do not recall the exact measurements, but it's a majority clear and glitter with a little of Revlon Royal mixed in. I think this looks cool! My only disappointment is it doesn't really sparkle like Super Moon, but that's ok. I love a jelly glitter, and it's awesome how the glitters from previous layers peak through the base. It reminds me of sunken treasure hidden at the bottom of the ocean. It's definitely a cool polish. It may not be Super Moon, but it's special in its own right.

Happy Tuesday!

China Glaze Luxe & Lush

2012-05-14T12:00:00.000-04:00

When I saw the press release for the China Glazes Hunger Games colors I was hoping that Luxe & Lush would be a golden version of Snow Globe. I'd love a Snow Globe color with gold iridescent glitters mixed in. I'm sure that's not surprising since I love any type of gold shimmer or glitter. Sadly, this was no the case, but it was cool to know this was a flakie. I can't argue with a flakie!

Luxe & Lush over Ulta Blue Streak

Luxe and Lush is a mix of larger clear/white iridescent flakies in a clear base.

These are larger more textured flakies than Essie Shine of the Times, SH Hidden Treasure, and the family of dupes behind that. This is similar to Color Club Covered in Diamonds, but the formula is exceptionally better. The formula is easier to work with. The flakies though they are larger do smooth out nicely on the nail. It is not clumpy or bumpy. I love it over this blue. It makes my nails look like icicles! I really recommend layering these over light-medium shades. We all have seen these flakies over dark colors or black, but personally I find these are beautiful over lighter colors, you can really see the spectrum of colors in these flakies that way.

Happy Monday!

Share With You Sunday: 5/6/12-5/13/12

2012-05-13T11:30:00.001-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

Posts I'm Loving:
Smashley Sparkles shows us her stamped neon gradient nails.
AllYouDesire swatches China Glaze Summer Neons collection.
Kiss My Acetone swatches Pure Ice Vinyl Remix polishes.
More Nail Polish shares with us her purple dragon nail art.
Phyrra teaches us how to re-create her Summer Blue look.
The Swatchaholic shows us her holographic gradient manicure using a-england.
Pretty Little Bottles shares with us her neon zebra nails.
Captivating Claws shows us her neon splatter manicure.

Posts You're Loving:
Young and Polished reviews Maybelline Great Lash Lot of Lashes.
Polish Obsession swatches Duri Kingdom of Shadows.
Just a Little Polish shares with us OPI No Room for the Blues.
Life in Color swatches Finger Paints Iconic Orange.

You can submit your links for posts on Sundays here.

Reader Manis of the Week:

Name: Demi
Location: Pullman, WA
Manicure Description: My mani was done with OPI Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees, Color Club's Beyond the Mistletoe and silver striping tape.
Favorite Polishes: My favorite polishes right now are: Warrior Ethos and Cyance Friction by Nerd Lacquer, Revlon Royal and Zoya Casey
Blog/Tumblr: http://voir-la-beaute.blogspot.com

Name: Mare
Location: Lancaster, PA
Manicure Description: I was in the mood to do my nails this week (haven't been doing much due to peeling nails), but couldn't decide on one color, so I did skittles in purple. Thumb - Funky Fingers "Cheshire" with Claire's unnamed white crackle Pointer - China Glaze "Snow Globe" Middle - Orly "Oui" Ring - Orly "Au Champange" with Milani "Purple Passion" Pinkie - Wet N Wild "Correction Tape (from the Spoiled line) with Funky Fingers "Purple Scales" Base coat was Duri Rejuvacote & all were topped with INM Out The Door in Northern Lights. (Please excuse my awful-looking cuticles. :( Retail is hell on hands.)
Favorite Polishes: not a polish but Duri Rejuvacote is really helping my nails. They're still peeling, but way less than they used to. I also have this holographic "glitter top coat" polish from Claire's that, with enough layers, can be opaque and I absolutely love it.
Blog/Tumblr: N/A (currently)

You can find information on how to submit your manicures for Sunday posts here. I'm currently in need for manis for the end of May and all of June!

Happy Sunday!

Cult Nails Seduction

2012-05-11T12:00:00.000-04:00

Are you all glad that flakies are being represented in nail polish this year? It's nice to see companies embracing the flakie. Cult Nails does a great job with the flakie.....Unicorn Puke/Clairvoyant...come on! That polish was insane. Maria always impresses me with her Cult Nails creations. I know many missed out on Unicorn Puke/Clairvoyant, but I think Seduction, though it's not a dupe is spectacular in its own right.

Seduction over Urban Outfitters Bandeau

Seduction is a sheer jelly purple base with light blue and red iridescent flakies.

Amazing! The depth these flakies make this absolutely stunning and multi-dimensional. I do think this is most definitely best layered. You could definitely wear it alone, but I think the magic of this polish comes alive over other colors. The main difference between this and Unicorn Puke/Clairvoyant is the absence of green flakies. I also think the base on Seduction is more red toned than the Unicorn Puke/Clairvoyant. Seduction is pretty amazing, it may not be Unicorn Puke, but it will surely impress!

*This product was given to me for review by Cult Nails.

Happy Friday!

China Glaze Agro

2012-05-10T12:00:00.000-04:00

Has this ever happened to you? You see a polish or some polishes that you absolutely love. They are beautiful in the bottle, but when you put them on you're nail you're less than impressed? I think this is a common polish dilemma. It happens to me more than I'd like. This was the case for me with China Glaze Agro.

Agro

Agro is a deep olive green with an intense metallic yellow-green shimmer.

I love the idea of this polish. I love the color, but it just did not work out on my nails. I think the murkiness of it isn't something I like on my skin tone. I really hate this because it's not like it's a bad polish, it just didn't work out for me. The formula on this is great. You could probably get away with one coat. It's a nice polish that I'm sure many others will love. Oh well!

Happy Thursday!

Orly Lollipop

2012-05-09T12:00:00.000-04:00

You know what collection I am completely loving after the fact? Orly's Sweet Collection from Spring 2010. I didn't want any of these when they came out, but now I've been picking them up wherever I see them. I love that they are pastels, but hey are not pale chalky pastels. These are bright and springy. This is next one is one of my favorites.

Lollipop

Lollipop is a pink-toned lilac pastel creme.

This has to be one of my all time favorite in the lilac-lavender creme categories. I like that it leans more pink than blue like we see in most polishes. I found this fomula a bit thick. Typically, I automatically add thinner to any pastel polish. I find almost all of them to be on the thick side. A few drops of thinner made this formula great. I did this in 2 coats. If you are a fan of purples like this I'd say this a must have for your collection.

Happy Wednesday!

Talk it Out Tuesday: Beyond the Pretty Colors

2012-05-08T12:36:00.003-04:00

Does how a brand/store functions (their customer service, social media interaction, marketing, and etc.) outside of the colors/products they make impact your purchasing decisions or general opinion of a brand?

The answer to this for me is a a definite yes!

The Good....

I have always been very impressed with a-england and Cult Nails. I think they are prime examples of brands that absolutely genuinely care about their customers. Adina, the founder of a-england does an amazing job of being very interactive with her fans and customers. Also, many times I've ordered from her I have received a kind note of thanks from her. Cult Nails succeeds in similar ways. Maria is very engaging with Cult Nails fans. She really listens to the needs of her customers, and tries to accommodate them. She also really using social media very well. I see her presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. These are two brands are definitely on the top of my list for not only their great colors, but for making me feel valued as a customer. They also have some of the more expensive polish, but I will gladly give them my money when I can because of the experience they provide.

Bloom.com and birchbox are companies I had issues with as far as mix up with orders, but how these companies handled it made me love them more than before the mishap. These companies were very attentive, apologetic, and handled the mistake quickly and efficiently. The way they fixed a problem, their professionalism, and kindness stood out to me, and have made me a long-term customer.

OPI I think does a good job marketing their brand. I'm always in the know about OPI nail polish collections pretty far in advance, thanks to the press releases and product samples they send to bloggers. They also do a good job of maintaining their Facebook page. I always see daily posts with tips and updates from them. I may not always be interested in all of their content, but I know it is relevant to others. I may not get any personal attention from OPI, but I don't expect to either. They're huge! I do know based on how they present themselves online that they care about their customers

I'm very much on the fence with Zoya. I absolutely love how Zoya is always having promotions, and they have done an amazing job of creating a massive customer base. I remember when they were fairly unknown as a nail polish brand. It is incredible what they have done with social media to allow themselves to grow tremendously. That being said, I feel like they may have grown too much before they were necessarily prepared. I know there can be frustrations with back-ordered polishes and shipping delays. This does not bother me as much, as few comments I've seen from Zoya fairies on their Facebook page. Majority of the time it is all great, but there has been rare occasion or two I've seen snarky comments from Zoya on their Facebook page. This always causes a rightful stir, and the posts are deleted a few hours later that caused the turmoil without any acknowledgement or apology for the mistake. This puts a bad taste in my mouth. I will always remember the snarky comments whether they were deleted or not. It has not stopped me from shopping Zoya, but as brand that used to be my ultimate favorite it did really disappoint me.

The Bad....

China Glaze has been on my bad radar for probably two years now. China Glaze is great at creating wonderful colors. That I do not have a problem with. I have a problem with how they market themselves or lack their of. I feel like they release a preview of their yearly collections, and then go silent until the last minute before the collection comes out. I'll see their next year's Christmas colors before this year's Christmas is over, but I won't hear a peep about them again until almost the next Christmas. I've been waiting for months now to hear more about their Summer Neons. It isn't until this week an official press release has been made and it's already the beginning of May. I have not seen any swatches done by any major blogger either. Summer collections from other brands have been a buzz for over a month now. I also see on their page they're promoting Prismatics which have been out for well over month. They seem to have some serious delay, and it really hurts them. I like to get excited about colors prior to their release. I like to read about them, see swatches, and talk about them. This creates a buzz. I do not feel like there is an opportunity for this with China Glaze because of how inconsistent they are and how slow they are with their collection updates. They really need to fix this because other major brands are miles and miles ahead of them. You're fading in the background China Glaze.

The Ugly....

*Be aware these are outright non-censored personal opinions!

Julep and Llarowe. The way Julep started with their Maven program the problems that arose, and how poorly they handled damage control is absolutely unforgivable to me. I see they are now having issues again with their polishes going bad, brushes being bad, and they're not doing a good job at responding to customers concerns. I do not care if they have $0.01 boxes of polish. They will never see a penny from me. I think they're also absolutely pompous too, which is unattractive to me. Llarowe, the way the Lynnderella fiasco was handled and how it was publicly discussed on their Facebook page was insane to me. That situation was only instigated more by all the chatter that was produced by the Llawrowe page themselves. I do not feel these were responsible business decisions to perpetuate more drama around a situation publicly. It's one thing if you're an individual or even blogger with an opinion, but not if you're running a business and taking people's money. This situation turned me off from ever wanting to shop from this seller.

Phew! That took longer than I thought!

What are your thoughts on this? What brands are wins and loses for you based on these factors?

Happy Tuesday!

Dollish Polish Spank You Very Much

2012-05-07T12:30:00.000-04:00

Monday....why? I'm so out of it, after I typed "Monday....why?", I zoned out for 10 minutes, and forgot what I was doing. Today, I have for you a Dollish Polish glitter. I love Dollish Polish's creative use of glitter in her polish. Let's face it, these days we've seen every shape, size, and color of glitter thrown into a base these days. However, I think Dollish Pollish is one of the masters of this, she comes up with great color/glitter combinations that are creative and original. This polish no exception.

Spank You Very Much over Milani Fresh Teal

Spank You Very Much is a mixture of small teal and green glitter, with larger purple and teal hex glitters in a clear.

I used 2 coats of this over the Milani polish. You could wear this on it's own, but I think it does look better with a base. You will definitely get more coverage. I absolutely adore this glitter. I have to say purple and teal are one of my absolutely favorite color combinations. It's gorgeous. The formula on this was also good and easy to work with. This is a plus with a glitter polish.

You can find Dollish Polish here, but like with all amazing indies she's currently out of stock. I'm not sure when she is restocking exactly, but I think it may be a few weeks.

Happy Monday!

Share With You Sunday: 4/29/12-5/6/12

2012-05-06T14:53:00.001-04:00

Posts I'm Loving:
Frazzle and Aniploish shares with us photos or recent nail polish displays.
Refined and Polished shows us her jelly sandwich manis using Zoya's Blogger Collection.
Lab Muffin shares with us her Greyscale nails.
Colores de Carol shows us her neon gradient nails.
PassionForPolish shares with us Summer Dotting manicure.
The Glam Goddess shows us her recent nail polish haul.
Nouveau Cheap shares with us recent finds from Big Lots.

Posts You're Loving:
Make-up/Music/Money/Me shares with us her one word beauty reviews.
Polish Obsession swatches Color Club Wild at Heart.
Young and Polished shares with us her haul.

You can submit your links for posts on Sundays here.

Reader Manis of the Week:

Name: Rebecca R.
Location: Los Osos, Ca On the coast midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco
Manicure Description: I used Milani Flamboyant In Green as the base with a coat of Northern Lights holographic topcoat on my thumb because the stamps are never wide enough for my thumbs. I used Konad white stamping polish and the Bundle Monster stamp BM-224 on the other fingers. Then I just stuck on some random gemstones for some more accents.
Favorite Polishes: Aw man...this is a tough one. I love any and all linear holos although I don't own too many. I worked at Bath and Body Works for years and bought some random Nicole by OPI Christmas polishes that we got in one year and they turned out to be amazing linear holos which I didn't fully appreciate until recently. I love China Glaze For Audrey and all creams that are almost pastel but a bit brighter. China Glaze Frostbite is also amazing; can't stop staring at my nails whenever I wear it. Revlon Emerald City is a really pretty matte green. I just loooooove polish!
Blog/Tumblr: I am actually in the process of starting a blog but as of yet it doesn't have anything on it! I'll let you know when I'm a bit further along. ;)

Name: Sophia
Location: Columbus, OH (USA)
Manicure Description: I used Poshe strengthening basecoat, two coats of Loreal's After Hours, then stamped (using my new DRK-A plate, which I LOVE!) with an un-named Funky Fingers mini (bottle shown in the picture), and then a coat of Poshe topcoat.
Favorite Polishes: Almost any Flakie polish, OPI's Russian Navy, and China Glaze For Audrey.

You can find information on how to submit your manicures for Sunday posts here. I'm currently in need for manis for May and June posts!

Happy Sunday!

Bottle Spam Saturday: 5/5/12

2012-05-05T14:41:00.001-04:00

Today, I have some polishes to show you that do not have a home in my Helmer. I store these in a separate plastic container. Don't worry, these polishes are loved too. These are not in my Helmer because I do not have enough polish from these brands to dedicate a drawer in my Helmer for them. These brands I usually only have around 1-10 polishes from. It's just easier for me to keep things organized with out these mixed in with my high number of China Glazes or Zoyas, so they have a different home.

Icing Rock Star from Mars, Bird of Paradise, Claire's Galaxy, and Glam

Savvy Garland, Magic Pumpkin, Rimmel Night Before, and Hard Edged

elf Royal Purple, Cranberry, Jordana Orangesicle, and Sequins

Pure Ice Purple Reign, French Kiss, Eva Supreme Mine, and Green Glitter.

Happy Saturday!

Avon Illusion

2012-05-04T13:00:00.000-04:00

You know those colors that keep you guessing? This Avon one is just like that. It's one of those colors that depending on the light can look different. I was really intrigued by this polish. I really have no idea what color it is supposed to be exactly, but that just makes me love it more. This one is part of the Enchanted Spring collection.

Illusion

Illusion is a pale gray-green with a purple shimmer.

I notice in some light the green of this comes out, while in others it looks more like a an gray-white. The purple shimmer is apparent though in any light. It is honestly one of the most unusual polishes I have. The color is completely original, and the fact that it can look different depending on light and angle makes it more original. The name "Illusion" is absolutely fitting! I am in love with this polish. It so stinking weird and strange, that I can't help but love it. I really mean that in a good way too, it really catches my eye!

I bought this on the Avon site through my friend Alyssa from Pretty Little Bottles who is an Avon Rep. If you're looking for an awesome Avon Rep. You can find her page here.

Happy Friday!

Models Own Indian Ocean

2012-05-03T12:00:00.000-04:00

Let's face it I'm impulsive at times. I saw press releases of these new Models Own Beetlejuice colors, and it was an instant "Need!". I ordered two of them Tropical Sun and Indian Ocean. I love that these were duochrome-like colors with a more summery-flair. Here is Indian Ocean.

Indian Ocean over Revlon Coastal Surf

Indian Ocean is a sheer baby blue with a hot pink shimmer that shifts to purple and gold.

Let's all be honest here. This is absolutely ridiculously sheer alone. Honestly, unless you have magic nails, magic polish skills, or are some magical creature you're going to see your nail through this polish after 3-4 coats. I don't mean visible nail line either. I mean your entire nail. If you don't mind that look that's fine, but I know a lot of people do not care for that. This does look beautiful layered though. Outside of the sheer factor, I think this polish is beautiful and unique.

I got this on the Models Own site. The polish itself is not overly pricey, but the shipping was over $20. In hindsight, I wish I would of found another option to purchase this. It's a beautiful polish, but it's not all that!

Happy Thursday!

Zoya Blogger Collection by Birchbox

2012-05-02T12:00:00.000-04:00

Today, I have for you the Zoya Blogger Collection by Birchbox. Birchbox asked bloggers to make mood boards based on spring and summer colors. Then Facebook fans voted on their favorite boards/colors, and Zoya created trio of colors based on the blogger's winning board/color.

Here is what they came up with....

Coraline

Coraline was inspired by Eleventh Gorgeous, and is a bright tangerine jelly. (This picture's hue was adjusted to accurately depict the color. My camera can turn oranges into corals!)

Kate

Kate was inspired by The Small Things, and is a bright pink grapefruit jelly.

Belle

Belle was inspired by Capitol Hill Style, and is a coppery pink shimmer with iridescent mirco glitter.

There are jellies here. These are not just jellies, they are SPECTACULAR jellies. The formula on these polishes is are amazing. They apply so well. I used 4 coats for each of these. I prefer not to see much of my nail underneath. You can certainly do less if you do not mind that. Belle is a gorgeous shimmer polish too. It is more sheer than the others, but I found easily build-able in 4 coats.

This set is $22. I got it for free using my Birchbox points I had accumulated over time. If you have unused birchbox points, depending on your amount you can get this for nothing or at a reduced price. This set is so worth it. I think the jelly fans would be pleased!

Happy Wednesday!

Enchanted Polish Austin Powers

2012-04-30T12:40:00.000-04:00

I have another indie polish for you today. I'm discovering more and more indie polish brands I'm interested in. I was very excited to see Enchanted Polish made holos! I picked this one up a few weeks ago. I got to admit I was partially intrigued by its name. Come on now...Austin Powers?!? Groovy baby!

Austin Powers

Austin Powers is a golden-bronze scattered holo with small coppery/bronze flecks.

This is truly holo-rific! I do not have any gold-bronze holographic polishes, so this nicely took up that empty space in my holo polish collection. This polish is also very unique, if you enlarge the photo you see the bronze-coppery flecks that give dimension. Austin Powers is a great name for it. It definitely brings to mind Austin Powers, and gets that little tune in my head from those films. You know that one.....

Sorry, I just got that tune stuck in all of your heads! I paid $12 for this one. Enchanted Polish can be found on etsy. She currently does not have stock in her shop, but she's good at restocking. You can find updates on her shop on her Facebook page.

Happy Monday!

Share With You Sunday: 4/22/12-4/29/12

2012-04-29T13:05:00.001-04:00

Posts I'm Loving:

Pretty Little Bottles shares with us her kitty inspired manicure.

Something Creative shows us her Union Jack caviar nails.

Phyrra teaches us how to care for colored hair.

feedkmayeorchids shares with us her Alice in Neonland manicure.

Posts You're Loving:

Polish Obsession swatches Nfu Oh 53.

Make-up/Music/Money/Me shares with us her love of spring through poetry and nail polish.

Gotham Polish shows us her manicure inspired by her SwellMayde Neon Envelope Clutch.

Makeup Withdrawal teaches us how to create gradient nails using a sponge.

The Lacquered Lady shows us her Game of Thrones inspired manicure.

MoreThanJazzz shares with us her recent NOTDs.

You can submit your links for posts on Sundays here.

Reader Manis of the Week:

Name: Jessica
Location: Pikesville, MD
Manicure Description: I picked up a six pack of mirco beads from Michaels so I could try my hand at the "kaviar manicure". This was my result! I used Essie Splash of Grenadine and pink mirco beads on my middle and pinky nails.
Favorite Polishes: Chanel- Peridot, Nerd Lacquer- Pinin' for the Fjords, OPI- Teenage Dreams, Zoya- Gemma, Butter London- Lady Muck
Blog/Tumblr: http://jessicasnailtales.blogspot.com/

Name: Beth C.
Location: Fairfield, Ohio
Manicure Description: Pretty & Polished Jawbreaker, topped with Cult Nails Wicked Fast. And I used Hard Candy Matte-ly In Love on my pinky just to see what it would looks like (not sure if you can tell in the pic)
Favorite Polishes: I love Cult Nails Clairvoyant (that i won in a contest that Maria held), Lynnderella Connect the Dots (I don't have it but I want REALLY bad lol), OPI Teenage Dream, OPI Bubblebath, Julep Alicia, Sofia & Leah, Essie Marshmallow, OPI, Skull & Crossbones, and anything purple!
Blog/Tumblr: N/A

You can find information on how to submit your manicures for Sunday posts here. I'm currently in need for manis for May and June posts!

Happy Sunday!