Milani - HD/Silver Holographic (08/14/2011)

Sunday's Best!  This is such a gorgeous color that I just had to revisit it (haven't worn it since February of 2010).  Milani HD is a great lacquer and I hear it's being discontinued, go figure?  So, I have a few back-ups one for me and one for swap.  Here are today's pics:

Color Description: Scattered holographic silver effect with a smooth finish.  Can take on the appearance of silver glitter in certain light and even from afar just a beautiful silver lacquer.

Similar To: An excellent comp post was done by beauty blogger Kayla Shevon of Milani HD and OPI DS Coronation.  I own both but Coronation is one of my untried and as she mentioned, though these are not dupes the are extremely close.  So if you can get your hands on HD I would say "run, don't walk" to your nearest drugstore (CVS, Walgreens, etc.).

This Look: One coat of Starting Over After Artificials, three coats of HD and one coat of Sally Hansen Mega Shine.  Some have used up to four coats of HD but since I've shortened my length the VNL (visible nail line) is not as apparent and 3 coats were sufficient. :)

Have an AWESOME SUNDAY!  And see you later on in the week, if not before.

Kleancolor - Chunky Holo Black (Bottle Pic)

Kleancolor - Chunky Holo Black

The Trifid Nebula is about 40 light-years across.

'Nuff Said!!!

Kleancolor - Holo Yellow/Catherine Arley #801 Comp

Just out of curiosity I swatched Kleancolor's Holo Yellow on my pinky so that I could compare it with Catherine Arley's #801.  As you can see the coloring is very close in color but the finish is totally different. 

The finish of the Catherine Arley is jelly and linear (very sophisticated), while the Kleancolor Holo Yellow is a bit more frosty and definitely a scattered holo.

Again, if you can't get your hands on Catherine Arley's version, Kleancolor will definitely do!

Pink Wednesday: Clarins 103 - Pink Shimmer

Okay, this is "pink" in namesake only - LOL!!! Let me introduce you to the demure lacquer named Clarins Pink Shimmer. I've always wanted to do a "naked nail" post so this does that (somewhat) and it has pink in the title...


Color Description:  Pink Shimmer is a  sheer milky nude creme with a very subtle pink shimmer that can only be seen in person.


Similar To:  This lacquer is nice but not very unique and can be compared in quality and color to many soft shades by OPI or Essie.


This Look: Two coats of Pink Shimmer (no base or topcoat).


Price Point/Availability:  I received the mini in my most recent swap but I'm seeing the regular size on Ebay for close to $20 (including shipping).


Well, I don't know about you but I'm getting a bit feverish for the Fall! Can't wait to start swatching a few new Touring America lacquers. Picked up Honk If You Love OPI and Get In The Expresso Lane yesterday and also scored the new Kleancolor Chunky Black Holo (see beautiful bottle pic here by The Swatchaholic), eye candy in the bottle alone.  


Have a great day ladies and see you soon! 

Catherine Arley - 801 (08/09/2011)

Before yesterday, I'd only seen pictures of Catherine Arleys and since I own over to 50 holograpic lacquers including 25 OPI Designer Series, 10 China Glaze OMGs, 11 Tronicas and a hand full of Color Clubs and Kleancolors, I don't get too excited anymore but behold Catherine Arley - 801 in all of its chartreuse golden jelly goodness.

Color Description: Can a lacquer be holographic and jelly at the same time?  Well, Catherine Arley figured away to combine the two and I'm thankful to have this in my collection.  Again, I would consider this a golden chartreuse with scattered holographic prisms in a jelly finish.

This Look:  Two coats of lacquer with no topcoat!

Similar To:  This is a very unusual holographic lacquer but also very similar in coloring to Kleancolor Holo Yellow.  If you can find the Kleancolor around this may satisfy a lemming for Catherine Arley 801.  However, the Kleancolor has somewhat of a frost finish to it.

Availability: Catherine Arley is manufactured in Turkey and can be purchased on the web, however, I've had no success getting a response from the online distributor.  So glad I got this in a swap!

 One last pic for the road!  Have you heard of Catherine Arley?  Which do you have in your collection?

iSwap: Nail Mail (08/08/2011)

I generally don't post my swaps but yesterday I received the last part of the largest most intricate swap I've ever experienced and thought it needed to be documented.  A lovely Englishwoman named Pennie at Conceptional contacted me about a swap about three weeks ago and here's what we came up with on my end:

Chanel Black Pearl, CA 801, CA 802

Clarins 220-Patient Pink, OPI Glacier Bay Blues, Golden Rose 105

NOPI Yellow It's Me, Orlane 92, Clarins 103-Pink Shimmer

I am so glad I did this because even though she's located in the U.S. it felt like an international swap!  Alrighty then, about to select one of the Catherine Arley's for today's mani.  Take care and what have you gotten in the mail lately or better yet, what are you waiting for?  It was once said that "anticipation is the purest form of pleasure" by Gustave Flaubert and I believe this to be so...  


Have an awesome Tuesday and remember, iSwap!  Check out my swap tab above for more information. :)

Forever 21's Love & Beauty - Coral (08/06/2011)

This post will be short and sweet!  Let me know you thoughts on this lacquer from Forever 21 - Love & Beauty Coral.

Color Description: The classic orange-red coral.

Price Point: $2.80 from Forever 21.

Similar To: A few in my collection are similar, including last weeks post.  Click here for relating posts.

Have a great Sunday!