Polished Lifting

Firecracker Lacquer Fantastical Beasts Collection- Press Sample

Three more beasts await your identification. Are you up for the challenge? If you missed part one you can find it here.

Ain't Nothin' But Trouble

Formula: Nice consistency
Finish: Royal blue jelly with holographic glitter and aqua shimmer
Coverage: 3 coats
Notes: Ain't Nothin' But Trouble was inspired by pixies. Please take a moment and look at that circle glitter! I am in love. The final photo shows how this would appear with a matte top coat.

The Power of the Horn

Quite Gentle, Really

Firecracker Lacquer Fantastical Beasts Collection- Press Sample


I am so freaking excited to share this collection with you guys! Firecracker Lacquer has been talking about her Fantastical Beasts collection for ages now. I knew it was coming, but I had no idea how wonderful it would be.

The Fantastical Beasts collection was inspired by the magical creatures in the world of Harry Potter. If you want to play along, see if you can figure out the inspiration for each polish before reading my notes.

Definitely A Gold Digger

Formula: Nice consistency
Finish: Lilac creme with pastel glitter and purple shimmer
Coverage: 3 coats
Notes: Inspired by nifflers, this shade is sure to bring out your grabby hands!

Dragons Can Be Pink Too!

Not So Pretty After All

Arise From the Ashes

The best friends are the enabling kind. You know the ones who send out swatches of polish and tell you something is on sale. Thanks to Nichole of Bedlam Beauty I was able to score this crazy neon on a buy one, get one sale at Hot Topic.

I'm just a tiny bit obsessed with succulents. If you follow me on Instagram that should come as no surprise. I asked my dear friend Kendahl of Firecracker Lacquer if she could come up with a polish inspired by one of my favorite succulents the graptopetalum paraguayense. Mine look a little more blue than the ones found in a Google image search.

I have another #HumpDayHare for you guys! My Hare addiction is running strong thanks to Shelby of Shelby Lou Nails. Today I have Elysian Fields topped with studs from Firecracker Lacquer.

July 31, 2015 -- Firecracker Lacquer will launch their latest collection, Fantastical Beasts, based off of various magical and marvelous creatures in the wizarding world. No need for a book to tell you where to find these breathtaking beasts. The collection will be available Friday July 31st at 6pm MST (happee birthdae Harry!), at www.firecrackerlacquer.com. There will be seven polishes in the collection total, with prices ranging from $9.50 to $11.00 per bottle. Also available in the store are all previously released polishes, nail gems, and rhinestones.

Shop: http://www.firecrackerlacquer.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/firecrackerlacquer
Instagram: http://instagram.com/firecrackerlacquer
Twitter: http://twitter.com/firecrackerlaqr

Ain’t Nothin’ But Trouble ($9.50) This prodigious lacquer is created in the image of pixies –small beasts known for making mischief, playing practical jokes, and otherwise creating general mayhem. A royal blue jelly with loads of holographic glitters and an aqua shimmer, this polish will play tricks with the light and create mayhem of your nails, in the best way possible.

Arise From The Ashes ($11.00) This fantastic lacquer is based on the phoenix – a loyal beast with healing tears, who burns into ash on its Burning Day, only to arise from the ashes and live again. A deep red linear holographic, this lacquer will never leave you stranded if you find yourself face-to-face with a basilisk.

Definitely A Gold Digger ($9.50) This numinous lacquer is blended for the niffler – a treasure-
hunting beast attracted to anything and everything shiny or shimmery. A light lilac polish with various glitters in pink, purple, silver, and teal, with a beautiful purple shimmer; you’ll attract every niffler in town with your nails.

Dragons Can Be Pink, Too! ($9.50) This delightful lacquer is created for dragons – giant winged, fire-breathing beasts – though pink dragons are a less represented subset of the species. A bold raspberry crelly smattered with white, opal, and iridescent glitters in varying shapes and sizes; this is a lacquer you’d never want to get on the wrong side of, no matter how pretty it looks.

Not So Pretty After All ($9.50) This magnificent lacquer is designed with merpeople in mind –beasts that live underwater and have wondrous singing voices, but are not quite as they seem. A soft aqua lacquer with matte white and holographic green and blue glitters, this lacquer will make your nails sing, without then trying to kill you.

Quite Gentle, Really ($10.00) This thrilling lacquer is created for thestrals – a magical beast that can only be seen by people who have seen and understood the death of another person. A milky topper jam-packed with rainbow shimmers that shift and transform at different angles, this lacquer will impress anyone that can see it. Which is everyone. Unless they’re blind.

The Power of the Horn ($11.00) This unearthly lacquer is based on unicorns – wondrous and incredibly rare beasts whose blood can provide extended life to a person, though at a cost. A bright silver frosty lacquer with a linear holographic shine, this lacquer may just give you the boost you need to make it through the rest of your day. Extended life not guaranteed.

Despite being a popular polish trend, I had never attempted a galaxy mani before today. When Shelby (Shelby Lou Nails) came to me with the idea I was all for it. After studying a few examples I decided to "wing it" and see what happened.

• Firecracker Lacquer- Your Mom Thought I Was Big Enough 
• Deborah Lippmann- Video Killed the Radio Star 
• Sinful Colors- Black on Black

Bohemian Polish Washed Out 2.0- Press Sample

In my previous swatches I mentioned that the Bohemian Polish Washed Out 2.0 collection was made to water marble. I really want to take a moment to emphasize how easy it was to water marble with this collection. In the past, I avoided the water marble technique because it was frustrating and messy. The messy part could be fixed by taping around your fingers, but I couldn't exactly wrap my head around the technique. After some trial and error, I've learned that it's really important to start with the right consistency of polish. Here is my third attempt (ever) at a water marble.

As of right now it's after noon, and I'm drinking room temp coffee trying to figure out what to say about this color. My first thought is that room temp coffee leaves a lot to be desired.


Phoenix Feathers is one of those colors that absolutely needs to be photographed in different lighting in order to get a feel for the polish. It shifts between burgundy and red with a lovely red shimmer.

By now you know what happens when I have a massive amount of untrieds in my stash. With the stakes set high, I knew I needed to use at least two untrieds in one go. I was able to create a super easy mani using only Deborah Lippmann colors. All four of the colors were previously untried making this a home run (yay sports!). I promise that will be the only baseball reference I ever make.

Pretty Woman Nail Medic- Press Sample

The Pretty Woman Nail Medic system is unlike any other nail care line currently available. The system uses a three step approach to nail care that can be customized to any need. The three phase system works as follows: cleanse, moisturize, and repair.

Day 1

As you can see, my nails were in desperate need of attention. In addition to swatching, I spend a significant amount of gardening and weightlifting, so my hands tend to run more on the dry side. I put Pretty Woman Nail Medic to the test over four weeks to see if it could keep up with my busy lifestyle.

I applied Nail Detox (phase one) and Shea Treatment (phase two) daily with the exception of when I wore a full manicure. This averaged out to about three times a week. I used Force Field (phase three) under every manicure, and when I knew I would be abusing my nails more than normal.

Day 28

Sometimes I don't quite have the words to express my love for a certain polish or brand. This is one of those times. Zoya never fails to amaze me. The formulas are spot on, and the colors are just lovely.

Bohemian Polish Washed Out 2.0- Press Sample

If you missed part one of the Washed Out 2.0 swatches you can find them here.

Terrapin

Octopus