Noodles Nail Polish 2023 Halloween Collection Trio Swatches and Reviews

 *press samples*

Hello hello! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I have to do some traveling for work later this week, so I'll be busy getting everything together for that. My husband will be home watching over our aging animals (including 2 cats who are 18!). It's so hard for both of us to leave at the same time at this point. Tonight I have the new Noodles Nail Polish Halloween Trio which will be available this Friday, September 29th at 5 PM EST and each shade will retail for just $10.50 each. Shall we to the photos? 

Zoya Spring 2022 Abundance Collection Swatches and Reviews

 *press samples*

Hello hello! I know, I'm insanely behind on my Zoya swatches, but I should be catching up in the near future. The good news is that Zoya tends to keep their collections around for a long, so you can still pick these up on their website for $12 each (always look out for those great sales they run). This 6-piece set features 5 creams and one shimmer/glitter shade. Shall we go and take a closer peek? 

Polish Pickup The Elements (Earth, Air, Fire, and Water) August 2021: Swatches and Reviews

 *press samples*

How is it August already? August is traditionally my busiest month of the year for my job, and the whole delta variant thing really has me scared, despite being vaccinated. I'll have to be around groups of people, but at least they are requiring social distancing and masks for everyone. After last month's Polish Pickup Rewind, makers are back with all new shades inspired by The Elements (Earth, Air, Fire, and Water). Wishlisting is up now on the website and I'm blown away by the variety of inspirations. New to PPU? If so, here's how it works:

Definitely join the Polish Pickup Facebook Group. You don't necessarily need to actively participate in the group, but it will give you a look at the polishes that will be available in the coming month. PPU themes are chosen by the people, often a few months in advance (brands need time to find their inspiration and test their polish). Any indie brand that has been around for at least a year can participate and each has their own specific inspiration picture and polish for that month. All you need to do is go to the Polish Pickup site during the pre-order window (the first Friday-Monday of the month) to make all of your purchases of these exclusive polishes. There's no need to pay for multiple shipping charges; since this is a pre-order, all polishes get sent to Polish Pickup and they send you the polishes you ordered. Yup, it's that simple. Oh, and shipping is a flat-rate of $3 to the US (more for international and they just had to increase the pricing to Canada). Recently they also opened a UK site which you can find here. Since all orders are pre-orders, shipping will take place about 3 weeks after the end of the pre-order.

PPU starts Friday, August 6th at 11:00 AM ET and ends on Monday, August 9th at 11:59 PM (but if a polish has a bottle limit and sells out before the end of the pre-order, it's gone, unless you get lucky and the cap gets raised...which is rare) on the PPU website. The website is now open for wishlisting, so go check out this month's offerings STAT. My wallet hopes I can bring my list down a little bit.

Noodles Nail Polish Colors of the Wind (3 coats)

Inspiration: Pocahontas Song "Colors of the Wind"

Price: $12

Bottle Limit: none 

website | Facebook Fan Group | Instagram

Up first we have Colors of the Wind by Noodles Nail Polish. You know I'm a sucker for glitter and flakie polishes. It's a deep violet crelly (leaning jelly) with matte red/pink/lavender glitters, lavender holo glitters, and violet/red/orange color-shifting flakes. I used 3 thin coats for my photos, and it dries with some texture due to the glitter, so either use 2 coats of thicker topcoat, or a layer of glitter-smoothing topcoat followed by a quick-dry topcoat to smooth it all out. That topcoat will also bring out that squishy look from the polish. 

Starlight and Sparkles The Breeze and the Storm (1 coat) over 2 coats of black

Inspiration: the element of air, which can be as gentle as a softly blowing breeze, or as powerful as a howling storm. It can also combine with other elements (water, fire, and earth) to incredible effect. As someone who loves to play element-wielding mages in RPGs, people really underestimate the power and flexibility of air, which is why that is my inspiration for this polish!

Price: $9

Bottle Limit: 150 bottles

Website | Instagram | Facebook Group | Facebook Page

Up next we have a beautiful effect topcoat from Starlight and Sparkles. The Breeze and the Storm is a topcoat full of turquoise and teal shimmer, and delicate green and blue translucent micro flecks. This is one of those polishes that will look great over a variety of base colors, but I used black since it shows the shimmer the best. I used 1 coat for my swatches, but 2 coats will intensify the effect even more. 

Starlight and Sparkles Five Elements Page Marker Set

Inspiration: the idea of the five classical elements – air, fire, water, earth, and aether.

Price: $11

Limit: 65 sets

You're gonna laugh at me, but the first thing I thought of when I saw the page marker set was the infinity stones from the Marvel Universe. Oops! The Five Elements Page Marker set has five page markers, each with a different colored faceted glass stone, in a silver-colored frame. The five pieces are yellow (air), red (fire), blue (water), green (earth), and clear (aether). These are simple, but simply adorable.  

These sets use rectangular paper clips, stainless steel rings, silvery iridescent glass beads, and faceted glass stones. Due to the shape of the paperclip, the charms can’t freely slide all around the paperclip, and I find these type of paperclips to be quite secure, able to reliably hold quite a few sheets, and I usually find they’re less likely to leave paperclip imprints in the page they’re attached to. I use these for my recipe books, organize ink swatch cards, and in books I'm reading. 

There you have it, folks! Don't forget to start your wishlist now. The Starlight and Sparkles items have a low cap, so you may want to add it to your list and check out early to make sure it doesn't sell out. What are you picking up this month? Have a great week! 

*These polishes were provided by the company or PR representative. All reviews are based solely on my opinion. For more information, please see my full disclosure at the bottom of the site*

Noodles Nail Polish 2021 Anniversary Trio + Patriotic Polish Swatches and Reviews

*press samples*

 

Hello hello! I know it's been too long since my last post, but I've really been enjoying some of my older polishes lately. I have a few Zoya posts that will be coming up soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that. Not much has been going on here in NC. The business I work for moved into a brand new building a couple weeks ago, and it was quite the ordeal. Well, it went better than I expected, but it was still a ton of work. Now that the hard part is done, we've been enjoying the newness of the building. Unfortunately my commute is basically the same, but traffic is much heavier now. Boo to that! 

Can you believe Noodles Nail Polish is turning 8 this year? Congratulations to Natalie for such an amazing accomplishment. She consistently comes up with new and beautiful polishes, and I hope she continues to do so for years to come. Tonight I've got the new anniversary trio and 4th of July polish to share with you. They will be available this Saturday, June 26th at 12 PM EST on the Noodles website. Most NNP releases are on Fridays, so set your alarms so you don't forget. All polishes will retail for $9.50 or $10 each and I'll label each polish accordingly. This is going to be a picture-heavy post, so we should get going. 

Noodles Nail Polish 2020 Summer Fruit Collection Swatches and Reviews

*press samples*

Hi guys! Obviously I took a little time off after that huge Polished Gamers undertaking. It was a challenge and I'm so glad I was able to finish it all on time while working full-time during a pandemic. Work has been crazy busy lately, too. Tonight I have the newest Noodles Nail Polish collection which features 6 neon glitter crellies that just brightened my mood instantly. This set will be available on Wednesday, July 1st at 5 PM EST on noodlesnailpolish.com for $9.50 each. Can you believe next week is July?! Yes, half of 2020 is gone. If you told me tomorrow that it was June 1st, I'd totally believe you because what is time any more? 

Enough talking, I know what you're all here for :-D Shall we get to the swatches?

Color Infinity April 2018 Birds of Paradise Collection Swatches & Reviews: Part II

Hi guys! Happy hump day! I've had a really busy week at work, so I'm a bit tired. Tonight I have the rest of the Color Infinity Birds of Paradise collection to show you tonight. Don't forget, the overpours for the set will be released this Friday, May 25th. It just so happens to be the same day the Neon Crayons collection will be available so check out their website. Let's get a better look at these. 

Lucky 13 Lacquer Majora's Mash-up Swatches & Review: Octarine-a of Time

Lucky 13 Lacquer Octarine-a of Time (3 coats)

Hi guys! I had a really tough day at work. We had a customer call and be extremely rude to 2 employees, so that definitely put a dampener on things. Otherwise this week has been flying by, and I can't wait to go see the new Avenger's movie this weekend. Confession: I have a new favorite topcoat and it's by Lucky 13 Lacquer. It's called Elemental Ward Quick-dry Top Coat and it's 4-Free (it contains Toluene), but it is nothing like the other QDTPs I've tried. I would often get a little bubbling or streaking with the ones I've used previously, but I can usually get away with it on more complex polishes. It's when you start photographing cremes that it starts to get more apparent. Elemental Ward from Lucky 13 is thick, but it never gets unmanageable, even when you have a quarter of it left. It has a glassy finish, almost like a gel topcoat and it doesn't bubble or cause any streaking. It doesn't dry as fast as say Seche Vite, but this is far easier to work with. I learned about Elemental Ward from Polish Pickup, and now I pick one up basically every month it's available. Oh, did I mention that it can be scented?! It's a nice bonus that isn't too "in your face" about it. 

Ok, now I've gone on way too long about Elemental Ward, I want to talk about the polish I bought a few weeks ago. Octarine-a of Time is a jelly duochrome that flashes between violet and green with green/blue/gold flakes. It's apparently a mix of Zelda's Ocarina of Time and Discworld's "octarine." To be honest, I know nothing about Discworld, but Ocarina of Time was my jam! For the life of me, I can't remember if I played in on the Nintendo 64 or the GameCube. Either way, I loved it so much. We have Breath of the Wild, but we haven't finished the main quest. It's just there's so much to do that we always get side-tracked! The polish was a bit sheer, being a jelly, so I ended up using 3 coats for full coverage. You can always use a black creme as a base and layer it on top. This is flakie-heavy, so it dries with a bit of texture. May I recommend a coat of Elemental Ward? 

You can get this now on the Lucky 13 Lacquer website for $12. Oh, and Elemental Ward is only $5. Yup, you heard me right. Go ahead and check them out on their website, Instagram, or Facebook pages. 

Fair Maiden Polish 2016 Feline Catty Collection Swatches and Review: Rajah

Fair Maiden Polish Rajah (2 coats)

I'm back! I know it was an extended hiatus with no warning, but the real world caught up with me again. I was in Phoenix most of last week and then I got sick as soon as I got home (figures, right?). As much as I needed a break from the blog, I still had that gut feeling telling me that I really needed to post something. The weather in Phoenix right now is amazing! Can you image 4 days straight with not a single cloud in the sky and a temperature of 88 (which felt more like 80)? There's a big difference between 88 in NC and 88 in Phoenix! Anyway, I still have a ton of things in the mix, but I guess I should just go ahead and finish what I started from Fair Maiden Polish.

To refresh your memory, I bought the mini set of the Feline Catty Collection which is inspired by Disney cats. I'm happy to report that I do in fact remember Rajah from Aladdin. In case you're not familiar, here is a picture:

Source

Cutie, right? Anyway, the Fair Maiden polish is a neon melon orange with blue and violet shimmer and gold microglitter. The glitter isn't too chunky, so just 1 coat of topcoat will do the trick. My photos really just don't do this polish justice because it basically glows with the amount of shimmer in here. The formula was slightly thick, but not enough to be a bother (or make me get the thinner out). If you are an orange polish lover like I am, you need to join the Facebook group Orange You Glad to Be Here which is strictly for orange polishes.

I bought the whole collection in mini bottles which retails for $36.90 and is still available now. If you want to stay up-to-date on all things Fair Maiden Polish, you can follow them on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. 

Great Lakes Lacquer Polish Con 2016 Exclusive Swatches and Review: Fallen for Flake

*purchased with blogger discount*

Great Lakes Lacquer Fallen for Flakie (2 coats)

TGIF! In case you haven't heard, many indie brands are teaming up for Polish Con: Fall in Love With Indies in Chicago next Saturday, September 17th. General admission tickets are only $15, so if you will be in the area, I definitely recommend you go. Unfortunately I won't be able to make it this time, but I hope this is just the first of many Polish Cons. Great Lakes Lacquer will be attending with several polishes inspired by the event. There are 3 polishes in total, but one of these will be exclusive to the show. If you can't make it to Chicago, you should go on some of the Facebook pages of the brands attending to see if someone will purchase the exclusives for you. 

Fallen for Flakie is the Great Lakes Lacquer Polish Con exclusive and is a violet jelly with tons of orange and gold flakes, ultrachrome flakes, and pink and bronze shimmer. The flakies aren't too in your face if you're one of those weird people who aren't the biggest flake fans. Either way, it's a really gorgeous color. It was extremely pigmented and had a smooth application in just 2 coats. 

It will retail for $11 at the show, and I hope you're able to make it. Will you be attending? If so, I'm super jealous. Make sure to check out what Mariah is up to on her Etsy, Facebook, and Instagram pages as well.

*These polishes were provided by the brand at a discounted price. All reviews are based solely on my opinion. For more information, please see my full disclosure at the bottom of the site*

Right on the Nail ~ Aliquid Lacquer Fall 2015 Incarnate Collection Swatches and Review: Moon and Star and Outlander

Hi guys! This post is a little later in the evening since I went to the North Carolina State Fair. Oh yes, I had some cotton candy and an elephant ear! My favorites! Follow me as we continue the Incarnate collection from Aliquid Lacquer.

Right on the Nail ~ Rainbow Honey February 2015 Mystery Bag Swatches and Review: Tsukimi

Rainbow Honey Tsukimi (2 coats)

Hi guys! Sorry for not posting last night, but I've been working a ton and didn't have a chance to get anything up. Next month isn't going to be much better with me having to go to Stanford for a big, fancy piece of equipment. I'll be gone for over a week, so hopefully I can get ahead and start making some posts.

I'm slowly starting to get through my Rainbow Honey stash and I have Tsukimi for your viewing pleasure. It's a fuchsia/violet hybrid with tons of blue and silver(?) glitter. I can see mainly hexagonal glitters, but there are a few triangles and squares in there as well. I like the color combination, but I did not like the formula or application. I found it to be extremely thick and gloopy. Thankfully it only needed 2 coats for full coverage because a third would have looked like crap.

Cover Girl + Hunger Games Catching Fire Glosstini Collection Swatches: Scalding Emerald and Violet Flicker

Cover Girl Scalding Emerald (3 coats)

Cover Girl Violet Flicker (3 coats)

Today I'm going to go watch Catching Fire with my parents so I thought showing my 2 Cover Girl Hunger Games swatches would be appropriate. I could only find these at Target, but I'm not sure if they're exclusive to them or not. Up first is Scalding Emerald which is a murky green color with most colors of the rainbow without it being a holographic polish if you know what I mean. I love it! Sometimes it was just hard to see what color this really was. These are tiny bottles with short brushes which I don't love, but it wasn't a deal breaker for me. These hold only 0.11 fl oz and were $2.99. 

The second swatch is called Violet Flicker which is a plum color with blue and pink shimmer. I didn't find this one to be quite as unique, but it was still really fun in the bottle. These were both a bit sheer and needed 3 thick coats, and you can still see a little bit of nail at the ends. Surprisingly the removal was pretty painless and didn't need the foil method. Overall, these were pretty, and if you can find them, pick them up because they are cheap and won't take up space. Well, that's why I picked them up.