Paul and Joe #007 Dapple

So I couldn't find the love for Zoya Gemma.
Thought that was the perfect opportunity for layering

Took out the bottle of Paul & Joe #007 Dapple that I bought on an impulse

Added a coat to all findgers except the middle ones
(I was in quite a mood actually the day I did this)

No TC added to those layered.

Dries pretty fast actually.
And since I did this in the office toilet and went straight back to work,
I think its pretty decent

I think it looks pretty in the pictures.

Now to try Dapple over other colours...

Zoya Gemma

Zoya Gemma
Done in honour of the Zoya Earth Day exchange,
and cos NB was having a Zoya theme week

2 coats + 1 coat Poshe

This was originally a bottle that I was really looking forward to,
but I couldn't find the love for it once I had it on as a mani.

Perhaps I was feeling exhausted,
but I thought it made my fingers look sickly.
However, now that I'm looking at the photos again,
they look ok to me.

I might just give it another try before I decide whether it goes into the purge bin

Easter Flowers

I realised that I haven't been doing much nail art this year.
I actually miss doing nail art,
but my recent workload has left me very tired after most days.
In fact, I've been working weekends recently as well,
and I'm still not coping well.
Sigh.

Anyway, this Easter weekend I told myself to take a break.
So I finally sat down to a good nail art session.
Though I really do wish that for this set,
I didn't break my nails and had longer ones to play with.

Polishes used:
Orly Bare Rose
Essie Splash of Grenadine
Essie Lapis of Luxury
OPI I Love Mummy

Flowers were done by swirling Splash of Grenadine and I Love Mummy together using a toothpick.
My first attempt at creating flowers this way.
Not too bad I think.

I've seen variations of this design over at Cynful Nails
and I've been dying to try it out.

Oh erm... if you can,
do ignore the dry skin around the nails.
I've been having a bad patch of dry peeling skin.
And these pics were taken after moisturizing!

Hope you all had a good Easter weekend!
I know I had a good rest =)

Bloom Elle

Bloom Elle.
This isn't usually a colour I would go for,
but I thought the shimmer in this bottle was to die for.

2 coats + 1 coat Poshe TC
I broke my nail yesterday doing scrapbooking,
so its down to nubs.

Sheer pale pink with a really really pretty iridescent shimmer.
Kinda reminds me of pink pearls.

This one is meant more for layering,
and I kinda think it would look good over most purples, darker pinks and black.
Possibly greys too.
But I wasn't in a mood for colour
(Yeah. Shock. Horror. Surprise.)
So I did it on its own.

I was reminded of the times when I wasn't allowed to wear polish in school.
I was already a budding polish addict in those days,
and somedays, I would just put on a really light colour like this.
One that's almost clear, but won't bring the teachers down on me.
I got away with it most of the times,
but there was one particular incident where I got caught,
and the teacher came down on me as if wearing polish was like the biggest sin on earth.

Sigh. Back then, I wasn't too smart either.
I came back the next day (being a rebel and all) sporting fresh minty green nails.
Obviously that teacher and I never got along well from then on.

Indoors.

Kit Nail Polish Speed Demon

I forgot to take a proper pic of the bottle,
so here's the one from before.

This one is a new-to-me brand that I picked up while in Melbourne.
Kit Nail Polish in Speed Demon.

2 coats + 1 coat Poshe

Colour's a little off in the pictures.
Add more green to the turquiose and that should be just about right.
Again, my camera couldn't pick up the colour.

The shimmer was a lot more pronounced in the bottle.
Didn't translate that well onto the nails,
but still pretty.

I bought an extra bottle of this one for a giveaway that I'm going to do in May.
So stay tuned for that one.

Reader's Request: Essie Playa del Platinum vs OPI Skulls & Glossbones

Had a request to compare these 2 polishes:
Essie Playa del Platinum
OPI Skulls & Glossbones

Pinky & Middle: OPI
Ring & Index: Essie

Both were done in 3 coats + 1 coat Poshe.
The Essie needed the 3rd coat,
so I did the same with OPI.

These looked similar under some lights or from far,
but they're not dupes at all.

Essie has a lot more taupe in it
whereas OPI definitely comes across as a light grey when worn against the Essie.

I prefer the application from Essie,
came across as smoother compared to Skulls & Glossbones.
But its definitely more sheer.
I was actually pondering a 4th coat,
but decided not to bother since this is just a comparison mani

OPI Planks a Lot + Ruby Kisses Caribbean

OPI Planks a Lot.
Which was an effing bitch to photograph.
I had to re-do this mani a second time,
cos the pics from the first round were absolutely not colour accurate.
Not that the pics from the second mani are accurate,
but definitely better than the cornflower blue from the first round.

Colour from the Iphone pic I quickly snapped in office is accurate.
Or imagine the colour from my watermark.
hmm.... Or maybe I should try taking Iphone pics in the office again tomorrow.

2 coats + 1 coat Poshe
Ring finger is Ruby Kisses Caribbean (3 coats + 1 coat Poshe)

I was hoping that a blue accent nail would help the camera pick up the difference
and well, heh.. another polish named Caribbean is totally apt for the job

Anyway, no issues with application for this one,
although my bottle did seem a bit thicker than the others from this collex.
Another one that dries super glossy

Indoors shot

Quick thoughts about the whole collection:
I think there will be some who will be disappointed by this collex.
Cos the colours would come across as being "done before" or dupe-able.
Which was my first sentiment when I did each mani.

Not that I have an extensive stash,
but I haven't been able to find dupes for Steady as She Rose, Sparrow Me the Drama and Mermaid's Tears from it.

I'm working on sieving out the stash for dupes for the other 3,
and I do have a request for OPI Skulls and Glossbones vs Essie Playa de Platinum coming up

These are definitely not colours I would think of as being associated with pirates or the Caribbean.
But still, they look damn good on my skin tone.
Most of these are work-appropriate colours.
And to be honest, after all the previous collex,
I'm ready for a round of palette-cleansers.

I was particularly surprised by Steady as She Rose.
It was the bottle that I was least excited about,
but now the fave.

I guess, unless you're a fan of the movies,
you don't have to get the entire collex,
but don't dismiss it either.
There might be one or two surprises waiting for you.

OPI Stranger Tides

Been having a really exhausting week at work.
So pardon the succinct posts these past few days.
Might continue to be so in the next few days as well.

OPI Stranger Tides

2 Coats + 1 coat Poshe

Moss green - greige colour.

No issues with application as it tends to level itself out.

OPI Skulls & Glossbones

Here's the bottle pic.

2 coats + 1 coat OPI Rapidry TC

Grey-taupe that dries glossy.

Application was easy peasy.
Would level itself out.

However, this was one meh colour for me.
Looks ok with my skin tone,
but couldn't bring myself to be excited about this one.

OPI Steady as She Rose

Another quick post
I'm having another crazed and horrid week at work,
just got back not too long ago actually,
so will need all the rest.

OPI Steady as She Rose

2 coats + 1 coat OPI Rapidry TC
Ring accent with 2 coats of OPI Golden Rainbow (Japan exclusive)

Dries glossy but I put on the TC still.

Not sure if its power of suggestion,
but this one sure as hell reminds me of the term "English rose"
Really pretty delicate lilac-greige.

When I first got the collex,
this one was actually the least exciting for me.
But man... after applying,
LOVE.
Likely to become a staple.