May 2017 Favourites

I would like to say that I am shocked at how quickly this month has flown by (which is partly true) but it has also seemed like it has dragged on as well.  It has been such a busy month for me that I think I have been looking forward to June so that things can slow down a bit.  June is also going to be an exciting month for me.  I get to have a visit from one of my favourite people in the whole wide world and it is also Aussie Indie Con! I am so excited.  Anyway, I like to wrap up the end of each month with a post on all of my favourite things that I have been loving.  I think looking back at these will also be helpful when trying to work out what I have been loving for my end of year posts.  Seriously, it's hard to remember all of the pretties that have been released.

Nail Art

Kicking starting with all my favourite nail art that I have done this month.  I have been particularly fond of sponging on polish this month.  I think it's fun and gives such a great look.  Again, I have been loving stamping.  It's really my go to when I don't want plain nails.
 

Stamping Plates

I think it's pretty standard that each month I have some plates from Lina Nail Art Supplies and Uberchic Beauty.  They both have great images and are great quality plates. 

Lina Nail Art Supplies Make Your Mark 04

The Make Your Mark plates are easily among my all time favourite plates of Lina's.  If you haven't grabbed any then I highly recommend that you do.  They are fun to play with and you can create so many different looks.  You can see my original post on MYM04 here.
 

Image from Lina Nail Art Supplies

Lina Nail Art Supplies Mad For Mandalas 01

If you saw my post on the Mad For Mandalas plate then it's probably no surprise to you that this plate is here.  I think the images are stunning!
 

Image from Lina Nail Art Supplies

Uberchic Beauty Collection Sixteen

Uberchic have been releasing so many collections lately (I am currently working my way through collection eighteen at the moment).  I have been loving Collection Sixteen this month.  There are so many fantastic images, particularly on 16-02 and 16-03.  You can check out these plates and how I used them here.
 

Image from Uberchic Beauty

Uberchic Beauty Texture-licious 02

Again, this plate should come as no surprise.  I love texture looking manis.  These plates are particularly great for layering.  You can see my original post here.

Image from Uberchic Beauty

Indie Polishes

Emily de Molly

These polishes weren't actually released this month (I haven't purchased the polishes that were released this month because I am going to be grabbing them at Aussie Indie Con in June).  These polishes were released back in March but I have only just had the chance to swatch them this month.  You can see the post with all the polish names and my review of the individual polishes here. 
 

Glam Polish May The 4th Be With You

I really don't know what more I can say about this polish other than it's AMAZING!!!  You can see more pictures of this stunner here. 
 

Glam Polish Iconic Duos Fan Group Exclusives

Seriously loving this duo.  I think they are both stunning!  You can see more pictures and my review here.

Grace-full Nail Polish Super Polish Girls Collection

Grace-full Nail Polish released a super cute collection this month (I love the stickers that co-ordinate with the polishes - you can see the full collection here).  I particularly loved Flakie Femme Fatale, Glitter Glamazon, Multichrome Minx and Pastel Prima Donna.
 

Powder Perfect

Powder Perfect have had a couple of stunners this month.  I have really loved Baron Of Ibelin and Enchanted Rose.  Such gorgeous polishes.
 

Mainstream Polishes

There really haven't been too many new mainstream polishes for me this month.  It seems a little odd not to have some China Glaze or OPIs.  I did however fall in love with two polishes from Essie's Summer 2017 Collection (you can see that collection here) - Blue-La-La and Baguette Me Not.

Your Favourites
Now this might not really be 100% accurate simply because this month I haven't posted all of my nail art (or even swatches) over on Instagram.  But these are the top nine most liked pictures that I did post on Instagram.

The top three most viewed posts this month are:

Glam Polish Iconic Duos Fan Group Exclusives

Glam Polish May The 4th Be With You

Uberchic Beauty Unicorn Love Stamping Plate

That rounds up May.  Bring on June!  I am excited for next month.  New polishes, new plates, and Aussie Indie Con!  Hands up who is coming along to Aussie Indie Con on June 17th?

Grace-full Nail Polish Roaring Twenties Collection - Swatches & Review

PRESS SAMPLE

Aussie Indie Con is happening soon which means a lot of the indie brands are starting to release some new collections/polishes.  Today I am going to be sharing with you the new Roaring Twenties Collection from Grace-full Nail Polish.  This collection is inspired by The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald through the colour symbolism that The Great Gatsby is famous for.  There are seven polishes in total (plus one that will be exclusively sold at Aussie Indie Con).  This is quite a picture heavy post so I will keep the chatting to a minimum.

Bees Knees is a foil that gives the rose gold a chrome look.  This is definitely a pretty polish.  I did find it to be a little on the sheer side so I needed three coats.

Picture taken in light box

Picture taken in light box

Picture taken in direct sunlight

Picture taken in direct sunlight

Cats Meow is a multichrome that moves from a deep wine red, to a bright red , though to orangey copper tones.  This has such great colour shifts in it.  It's quite pretty in person.  The formula is easy to use and only requires two coats.

Picture taken in light box

Picture taken in light box

Picture taken outdoors (overcast)

Picture taken outdoors (overcast)

Picture taken outdoors (overcast)

Hotsy Totsy is a blue with hints of green and ultra chameleon flakes in pink, purple, copper. gold and blue.  No surprise I like the colour of this one.  This one is quite sheer but it is easy to work with.  I used four coats for my swatch.

Picture taken in light box

Picture taken outdoors (overcast)

Picture taken in light box

Ritzy is a black and gold ultra holographic microglitter.  Now this is one of those polishes that I normally wouldn't like so much, but I am actually a huge fan of this one.  There is just something about it.  The formula is great and it is opaque in two coats.

Picture taken in light box

Picture taken in light box

Picture taken in direct sunlight

Picture taken in direct sunlight

Speakeasy is a jade green holo with slight pink/purple flashes.  Another pretty polish with a good formula.  I used three coats for my swatch.

Picture taken in light box

Picture taken in light box

Picture taken in direct sunlight

Picture taken in direct sunlight

Spiffy is a gold holo paced with holo flakes throughout that makes it fun and adds an edge to the everyday gold holo polish.  This is quite pretty and easy to use.  I think this would be a great polish for an accent nail.  I used two coats for my swatch, however I am questioning whether  I should have done a third.

Picture taken in light box

Picture taken in light box

Picture taken in direct sunlight

Picture taken in direct sunlight

Whopee is a peach/coral holo with gold shifts.  This one is on the sheer side but the formula is easy to use.  I do like this colour but I am not sure I like it on me.  My swatch shows three coats.

Picture taken in light box

Picture taken in light box

Picture taken in direct sunlight

Picture taken in light box

Flapper is the Aussie Indie Con exclusive polish from this collection.  This polish is inspired by the neutral and silver flapper dresses.  With a bone crelly base it is full of silver holo and iridescent microglitter.  This one is a little on the sheer side but does build up nicely.  I used three coats for my swatch.

Picture taken in light box

Picture taken in direct sunlight

Picture taken in direct sunlight

Hands up who is planning on taking a trip back to the Roaring Twenties with these babies?  I know I would happily go.

The Roaring Twenties Collection will be released in Australia on June 17th at 11am.  For those of you who shop on the international shop you have a slightly longer wait as the will be released on June 23rd at 7pm CST.

 

The Digit-al Dozen Does Birthdays: May 2017

It's time for another Digit-al Dozen birthday mani!  This month we are celebrating Cheyenne (cbdnails) birthday.  If you haven't checked out Cheyenne's work then I highly recommend it.  She does fantastic swatches and some of the most amazing nail art!  Anyway, Cheyenne has picked this really cool image for all of us to try and recreate.

For my base I used Pretty Serious Cosmetics Absence, and stamped using Colour Alike B. a Green Light, B. an Electric Orange, B. a Yellow Glow, B. a Fuchsia Flash and Bundle Monster Eldorado.  Stamping design is from Uberchic Beauty 5-03.

I hope you have had a great birthday Cheyenne.

An InLinkz Link-up

Lina Nail Art Supplies License To Be Sexy 01 Stamping Plate - Swatches & Review

PRESS SAMPLE

I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I love Lina Nail Art Supplies stamping plates.  They are definitely one of my favourite and a brand that I keep an eye on for any new releases (those babies sell out quick so I find it best to grab them when they are first released).  Recently, the License To Be Sexy 01 Stamping Plate was released along with a liquid latex barrier (an essential for stamping in my opinion).  I don't need another liquid latex barrier so was initial disappointed that I couldn't buy the plate by itself.  Luckily for me, Michelle from Hit The Bottle contacted me and asked me if I would like to swatch and review the plate.  Fast forward to today, and I have one very pretty stamping plate to share with you guys.  

Image from Lina Nail Art Supplies

This first mani you guys may have already seen.  I did it for a challenge on Friday.  For my base I used OPI's Comet Closer and stamped using Hit The Bottle's Stop And Smell The Lilacs and Drunk Tank Pink.

When you have a lace plate you can't not do a red base with black stamping can you?  It's either red or nude.  I've done a few nude manis lately so I thought I would go with the red to mix it up a bit.  For my base I used Essie's Eclair My Love and stamped using Mundo de Unas Black Stamping Polish.

This last mani I wanted to do something a little different.  I don't think I have ever seen a neon dry brush with a lace print before, and I quite like it.  I'm pretty sure the image I have used was designed to be layered over one of the net looking images, but there is no rules that says it had to be.  For my base I used China Glaze Blanc Out and did the dry brush using Color Club's Friend Zone, Having A Ball, All Dolled Up and Out Of Your League.  Stamping was done with Powder Perfect's Black Stamping Polish.

I really love the mix of images on this plate.  I love that you can do some really girly manis as well as some more grungy looking ones.  It's definitely going to be a fun plate for me to play with.

If you are interested in purchasing this plate (without having to purchase the liquid latex as well) then head over to Hit The Bottle.