Koh Blue Universe & Koh Metallic Violet

I have obsessions with far too many nail polish brands as it is. So when I hear someone talking about a brand of polish I haven't yet heard of I try to run screaming in the other direction. So when I heard the brand Koh discussed, I tried to run away. I actually succeeded in forgetting the brand existed. Then I got a box of polish in the mail from one of the most amazing women in the entire world. She seriously rocks my world. And in the box was the following two babies:

 

Havent worn them yet but I just had to swatch them!!

Dior 972 Licorice

I love Dior polish. But until this polish I didn't realize how much of the love was based on the brush. Don't get me wrong, the formula is still great, its just not the dream to apply the new Dior colours are. This colour is a plum, but its not just any plum. It is loaded with a dense gorgeous shimmer. LOVE IT!!!!!!!!

While looking for dupes in my stash, I found none. But both Dior Black Plum and Chanel Gondola looked close.

Dior Licorice, Dior Black Plum, Chanel Gondola

The base colour of black plum is similar to licorice but a little lighter. Gondola is much lighter but has the same shimmer. Basically Licorice is a shade darker than black plum with the shimmer of gondola.

Cult Nails Unicorn Puke!! GO DONATE NOW!!!

Cult Nails is Raffling Two bottles of Unicorn Puke to Benefit HollyRod! 

This is copied straight from cult nails blog!!! Go donate NOW!!

Many of you may already know that we are giving a portion of August's sales to the HollyRod foundation. But then I got to thinking, what if we kickstarted this little thing and did some type of auction or something. I made a few more bottles of Unicorn Puke, and now I have two bottles that I am putting up for raffle!(thanks PolishGalore for coming up with the raffle idea!) We are working with the lab on creating Unicorn Puke for the Winter line (unfortunately it may be pushed to Spring) - but in the meantime, why not try to raise some money for a worthy cause with these ultra exclusive bottles?

I was trying to figure out what the best way to do this would be. This may not be the quickest way, but it is the easiest way we could think of. If you would like to enter for a chance to win a bottle of the Unicorn Puke, go to the HollyRod site and click on the donation key. Donate at least $5. If you would like in the memory/honor of section, put that "Cult Nails wants us to help you make a difference". Then email a copy of your receipt to unicornpuke@cultnails.com. We'll give you one entry for every $5 you donate! It's that simple! If you are inclined, please spread the word on your blog, Facebook, Google+,  Twitter or anywhere else you can think of!

Email a copy of your donation receipt to unicornpuke@cultnails.com

We'll run the giveaway through August 31st and will pick two winners on Sept 1st! We'll also announce how much we were able to raise for HollyRod. This raffle is open to everyone including International followers. 

In case you need more reasons to enter the raffle here are a few more pictures of Unicorn Puke

Unicorn Puke L to R: 1 coat, 2 coats, 3 coats, 3 coats

Unicorn Puke Top to Bottom: 1 coat, 2 coats, 3 coats, 3 coats

1 coat of Unicorn Puke over a red/coral

1 coat of Unicorn Puke over a red/coral

1 coat over Time Traveler

1 coat over Time Traveler

So what are you waiting for? Go to HollyRod now and make your donation!

Illamasqua Raindrops

So I have already declared my love for Illamasqua. The polish is opaque in one coat, applies like a dream, and the colours are oh so much fun. The problem is they dont sell them here in Canada. They do sell them at Sephora. Just two little problems with that. They wont ship them to Canada even though we have the same website, and sephora only gets a limited number of colours from the brand. Going to the Illamasqua website, paying 150% more than the american retail and paying shipping halfway across the world seems to be the way to get these little babies.

I was so excited to get this and it applies just like every other Illamasqua polish I own. ZERO let down. It is described as sheer light grey, jelly finish. I didnt notice the jelly finish to be honest. It was pretty much a slightly lighter DWS with flakes of shimmer floating throughout.

Illamasqua DWS, Illamasqua Raindrops, Butter London Lady Muck

Illamasqua DWS, Illamasqua Raindrops, Butter London Lady Muck

Illamasqua DWS, Illamasqua Raindrops, Butter London Lady Muck

The only other polish I thought to compare it to was Butter London Lady Muck. Lady Muck though seems to have a more densely packed consistant shimmer throughout as apposed to Raindrops which has less dense sporadic flakes.

Dior St Tropez

So far all of you lucky enough to get your hands on a bottle of St Tropez, its GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!! This polish was specially created for the opening of the Dior pop-up store in Saint Tropez in June 2011, and is described as a vibrant turquoise blue. I love this colour. I am wearing it now! The formula is just like I have come to expect from dior. Smooth, opaque in one thick or two thin coats, and oh so lovely to apply with the new dior brush!!

I was very surprised to realize I had nothing similar in my stash. The closest I had was Jaded Love by Le Metier De Beaute. Though its much darker.

  

For all of you who were lucky enough to get it before it sold out in four hours wear it in good health! I LOVE IT!!!!

Givenchy Vernis Please! Nail Lacquer in 173 Candide Peach

So yesterday I went to pick my mom up at work on the way to go visit my grandmother. Since I got there earlier than needed I went next door to Sephora to kill sometime. I have just recently fallen in love with the Rouge Interdit Satin Lipsticks and was debating another when this little baby caught my eye.

I have never ever been a pink OR peach person, but this summer I have embraced the peach! And the orange. Now can I just say this formula is DREAMY! It was a breeze to apply, smooth creamy and opaque in two coats. I have searched all over and am unsure who sells this brand but i need more!!!

Givenchy Candide Peach

Givenchy Candide Peach in direct sunlight

I really had NOTHING in the world to compare this too, but i remember giving my mom nars orgasm a year or so ago and went through her stash looking for it.

Givenchy Candide Peach, Nars Orgasm

Givenchy Candide Peach, Nars Orgasm

As you can see the base colours are pretty dead on but the gold shimmer in the nars orgasm completely changes the entire tone and colour of the polish. I LOVE this givenchy one!!!

Ken Downing's Ken's Kontagious Koral Nail Lacquer for Le Metier De Beaute

Le Metier De Beaute came out with a full size nail polish!!!!!!!!! Im singing and screaming from the rooftops!!!!!!! YAY!!!!  This is part of a collection of two. An equally bright coral lipstick.

Look how pretty it is!!!!!!!! It was opaque in two coats and as wonderful a formula as I would expect from this brand. AND IT WAS EIGHTEEN DOLLARS!!!!!!!! For more than 11mls. Thank the polish gods. Its larger than a bottle of Dior vernis!

Le Metier De Beaute Summer Nail Lacquer -The Gods and Goddesses

Le Metier De Beaute is certainly a luxury line. You can not debate that. If the prices of Chanel and Dior turn you off stop reading now. Do not pass go.

Now these bottles are 4 ml and cost 10.00 american each (2.50 per ml). They are NOT available in Canada at all (insert grumbling and annoyance here).  Up until this collection the polishes have always retailed for 15.00 each (3.75 per ml)  for the same size bottle. While I am not sure if this is a permanent price change or not, the new fall collection seems to also have come out at this same lower price point. Yay!!! Now as a comparison, Chanel costs 25.00 for 13ml (1.92 per ml) and Dior costs 21.00 for 10ml (2.10 per ml).

 
Dionysus—Inspired by the God of rapture and bliss, of winemaking and wine and of the grape harvest, this deep, turquoise blue brings pleasure to all who wear it, suggesting the rich, fertile earth from which the grape comes. This colour is a dark bright turquoise with fine blue shimmer.

Eris—From the Goddess of Discord springs chaos and from chaos the appreciation of beauty, simplicity and order. This rich bronze shields from chaos and finishes the nail in an armor of finery. This colour is a shimmery goldy bronze colour with fine shimmer.

Athena—This not too dark, not too light, neutral metallic represents the Goddess of strength, wisdom, justice and civilization. It's perfectly balanced color flatters all. This colour is a pale green with multi coloured shimmer.
  
Hera—The Goddess of women and marriage would find her match in this sea green hue. A strong, yet feminine shade with many facets. This colour is the lightest and a sheer yellowy nude with shimmer.

Dionysus, Eris, Athena, Hera

Dionysus, Eris, Athena, Hera

Dionysus, Eris, Athena, Hera

With the exception of Hera all of these are two coats and were a dream to apply. Hera was four coats. I found Hera to be a pain in the you know what to apply. It was sheer and streaky. The other three are simply stunning though!!