Sunday, November 24, 2013

Winter Collection and Thermals by Bliss Polish

Hi ladies!!! Today, I will be sharing swatches of the Winter Collection by none other than Bliss Polish along with two thermals. I have become good friends with Yvette, the creator of Bliss Polish. She is so down to earth and so giving. She really has awesome creations too! And I am not saying this just because I swatch for her and because she is a good friend of mine. I'm saying it because she really make simple but elegant, timeless, great quality polishes!

There are a total of 5 polishes in this Winter Collection. I will be sharing swatches of four polishes that I personally swatched. The Winter Collection along with the two thermals will be released tomorrow, 11/25 at 10:00 am PST. I will discuss more info on this restock/release later on in this blog post. One of the intended polishes called "SNOW GLO-B" didn't work out and was replaced with "Glisten" which will be discussed in more detail later on.

So, let's talk about the gorgeous polishes, shall we?!

First up is NOEL, a medium blue jelly based polish filled with both gold flakies and holo glitters. Can we just say divine?! Blue, jelly, and flakies!!! It is everything I love in a polish and more. Formula was great and easy to work with, and dry time was fast. Like all jellies, it is best to apply thin coats and wait for the polish to dry in between coats. For this swatch, I applied three thin coats. The finish was very shiny on its own without a top coat. I will be showing photos of both with and without a top coat, and you can see the difference is not really apparent. I also applied a matte top coat because it's always fun to matte all the jellies as my nail buddy Michelle would say!


"Noel" without a top coat
 

 
"Noel" with a top coat
 

 
"Noel" with a matte top coat
 
Next up is MERRY CHEER, a vibrant red jelly based polish with red holo and matte glitters. Another gorgeous one! If you're a red polish lover (which I definitely am), this is a must have! What I love about this polish is that even though it is part of a Winter Collection, it can still be worn year round. It's not overly festive! Great formula and easy application! I applied two generous coats. Merry Cheer will be shown below with both a glossy top coat and mattified.
 
 
"MERRY CHEER" with a top coat
 
 
Just another glossy look at "MERRY CHEER"
 
 
"MERRY CHEER" with a matte top coat 
 
Next up is EVER PINE, a gorgeous emerald green shimmer polish that dries a smooth matte finish. It has two looks in one. If you decide to add a top coat to Ever Pine, it transforms into something even more stunning. I applied two coats with and without a top coat. I cannot stress enough how much I LOVE this polish! It is the most amazing green I have in my collection. Formula was fantastic and application was great too. With polishes that dry matte, its important to apply coats carefully and wait for it to dry in between coats! If you don't do this, the finish may appear streaky.





 
"EVER PINE" without a top coat
Dries a matte finish
 
 
Just another look at "EVER PINE"
 
 
"EVER PINE" with a glossy top coat
AMAZING!!!
 
 
Just another look at "EVER PINE" with a glossy top coat
 
 
"EVER PINE" in the sun light!
 
Last up is TWINKLING, a clear based glitter topper filled with silver holo, matte white, and iridescent glitters. What a perfect trio! This glitter topper can be paired with really any base color you wish. Another reason why I had mentioned how "timeless" these polishes are! For my swatches, I've paired "Twinkling" with a light and dark base color. Since it has iridescent glitters, the look really changes with the base color. Really fun to work with. For the light colored base, I used another Bliss Polish called "Cuffed" from the Behind Closed Doors collection. It is a grey polish that also dries a smooth matte finish. For the dark colored base, I used a Wet n Wild polish called Black Crème and yet another Bliss Polish called "Lick" from the Behind Closed Doors collection. "Lick" is a dark, denimy blue polish that also dries a matte finish.
 

 
"TWINKLING" over "CUFFED"
Two coats over one coat, with a top coat.
 
 
"TWINKLING" over "BLACK CREME" and "LICK"
ONE coat over two coats of each, with a top coat.
 
As I mentioned above, one of the intended polishes called "SNOW GLO-B" unfortunately didn't work out. BUT NO NEED TO WORRY! It was replaced with a stunning "light gray silvery holo" which will be available with the rest of the winter collection. I personally do not have swatches of this polish, so please check out Bliss Polish on Instagram or on their store site.
 
But for now, here is a little sneak peak of "GLISTENING" in all it's beauty!
 

 
"GLISTEN"  
photo credit: @blisspolish
 
 
Collage to sum up the Winter Collection by Bliss Polish
Photo credit: @blisspolish
 
Overall, I loved each and every single one of the polishes from this collection, and every Bliss Polish for that matter! It was hard to choose a favorite because I really enjoyed all of them. If I did have to choose, it would have to be Ever Pine. I could wear that polish every day if I had to!
 
Now on to the thermal polishes....
 
OK, let's start with mentioning how fun thermal polishes really are. I think with all the new nail polish fads going on right now, thermals are really my favorite! If you don't own any, it is about time you do!
 
For this blog post, I will be sharing swatches of two thermal polishes by Bliss Polish. One of the thermals has been re-formulated slightly, while the other is a new release. Both are absolutely fantastic!!! Formula on both were so easy to work with. The transition between color changes was very easy to achieve, which I always look for in thermal polishes. So shall we get to it?!
 
First up is BLUSHING BLISS, a jelly based thermal that transitions from a blurple when cold to a dusty rose when warm. It is also filled with beautiful gold shimmer that is more prominent IMO in the re-formulated version. The blurple color also appears darker in this version than in the original. I applied three thin coats plus a top coat.
 
 
 "BLUSHING BLISS" in it's cold state
 


 
"BLUSHING BLISS" slowly in transition
 
 
"BLUSHING BLISS" in transition
BEAUTIFUL!!! LOOK AT THAT GOLD SHIMMER!
 
 
"BLUSHING BLISS" in it's warm state
 
 
Here's a collage to sum up the transition of Blushing Bliss
 
Last up is POOL BOY, a magical jelly based thermal transitioning from a dark blue when cold to a light blue when warm. It is also filled with sparkling holo dust. Great formula again and easy application. I applied three thin coats with a top coat. The transition was very easy to achieve and not subtle. Yvette did a wonderful job with these thermals!
 
 
"POOL BOY" in it's cold state
LOOK AT THAT HOLO SPARKLE!
 


 

"POOL BOY" slowly transitioning
 
 
"POOL BOY" in transition
 
 
"POOL BOY" in it's warm state
 
 
Here's a collage to sum up the transition of Pool Boy
 
What a lovely bunch of polishes huh?! Yvette really did a fantastic job creating these polishes! If I had to pick a top three for all of these polishes, I would have to choose Ever Pine, Noel, and Blushing Bliss. If you're new or old to indie polish, I would definitely recommend Bliss Polish as your first or next indie to try. All of Yvette's creations are wonderfully crafted, timeless, and priced affordably. Did I mention she will be having an awesome sale tomorrow too?! Yvette is hosting two cyber Monday sales, one tomorrow 11/25 and another on 12/2. Here is some info regarding her sale directly quoted from Bliss Polish's Instagram page:
 
 "Shop opens tomorrow at 10 am PST. 30% off minimum purchase $24, no code needed, 20 discounts available - 20% off minimum purchase $8, no code needed, 20 discounts available. Free domestic shipping on orders over $60. Use code FREE60. The sale will be 10:00-2:00pm PST."
 
Pretty awesome deal! Be sure to check out Bliss Polish's store site tomorrow, whether you're shopping for yourself or for a special nail buddy. Now's a great time to get some Christmas shopping in!
 
If you would like to check out Bliss Polish's store site click here or you can also follow Yvette's Instagram page @blisspolish, where you can also be directed to her store site.
 
That's all for now! I hope you all enjoyed reading and viewing my photos. If you have any questions, feel free to leave me a comment below or find me on Instragram  @paintedbyjess as well. Have a wonderful evening and Happy Shopping!

Friday, November 15, 2013

Fancy Gloss Nail Polish

Hello ladies! Today I have two thermal polishes from the indie nail polish line called Fancy Gloss. I discovered Fancy Gloss as always from Instagram. Jackie, the owner and creator of Fancy Gloss was so kind to send me polishes to swatch for her even though I did not meet all of her initial requirements. It was such a pleasant surprise, and I am extremely grateful.

*Warning*- this post is quite picture heavy as I like to capture the temperature phases of thermal polishes. All photos were taken in my light box. So on to the nail polish!

Winter Wonderland
A beautiful thermal polish that transitions from a baby blue when warm to a royal blue cold. It is also filled with blue micro glitters and flakies. The transition on Winter Wonderland is amazing! I applied three thin coats with a top coat. Formula applied on smoothly with minimal cleanup. Currently, this polish has been released in Fancy Gloss' online store.

"COLD"



"WARM"

 

 
"TRANSITION"
 

 
Dusk Glow
If you love pink and purple, you are going to love Dusk Glow! It is a gorgeous thermal polish that transitions from a bright rosy pink when warm to a plum purple when cold. Dusk Glow is also filled with micro pink shimmer and flakies. This polish is so much more beautiful IRL! Again, fantastic formula, smooth application, with minimal cleanup. I applied three thin coats along with a top coat. Dusk Glow will be available for purchase starting November 29th, so mark your calendars!
 
"COLD"
 
 
 
 
"WARM"
 
 
 

 "TRANSITION"
 
 
 
 
Overall, I loved both thermal polishes! Ever since I discovered thermal polishes, I cannot get enough of them!!! They are so much fun to play around with and it is like having an instant gradient without the hassle! I especially love thermals that have a drastic change and these two did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend Fancy Gloss nail polish!
 
If you would like to check out Fancy Gloss' online store click here or you can also check their IG page (@fancygloss) for swatches, availability, and store link as well. Again, Winter Wonderland has been released in their shop but Dusk Glow will be available starting November 29th.
 
Thanks so much for tuning in and have a wonderful day!
 


Friday, November 1, 2013

Harvest Collection by Pinwheel Polish

Hey lovely ladies! Today I have swatches from the Pinwheel Polish Harvest Collection. It's an assortment of gorgeous shimmer and glitter polishes just perfect for the fall and winter. As I mentioned in my first blog post, Pinwheel Polish is an indie nail polish line founded by Janna, or better known on IG as @twirls827. Pinwheel Polish was one of my first indie purchases and Janna has been such a wonderful friend from the beginning. I am extremely grateful to be able to swatch her beautiful creations! There are a total of 6 shimmers, 1 crelly, and 1 glitter topper. All polishes had good formulas with a smooth application. The only critique I would have is that the brush strokes were visible with the shimmers. It didn't bother me but I know for some people that may be an issue. Now on to the swatches!


Sage
Sage is the perfect name for this polish. It's a sage/olive green shimmer with gold undertones. Definitely unique IMO and perfect for the fall! I applied two coats plus top coat. Sage is sheer in one coat and opaque in two.
 
Sage in artificial lighting.
 
 
Sage outdoors in the shade.
 
 
Fall Sky
Perfect name yet again! Fall Sky is a beautiful green/blue shimmer with gold undertones. I actually thought of this polish the other day looking into the sunset. Janna was exactly right with this one! I applied three thin coats plus top coat. Fall Sky is sheer with one coat and opaque with two.
 
Fall Sky in artificial lighting.
 
 
Fall Sky outdoors in the shade.
 
 
Apple Tart
Yet again the perfect name for this polish. Apple tart is a gorgeous red shimmer. I applied two coats plus top coat. Apple Tart is sheer with one coat and opaque in two.
 
Apple Tart in artificial lighting.
 
 
Apple Tart outdoors in the shade.
 
 
Fire Wood
Fire Wood is a unique brown shimmer with gold undertones. I have a love for brown polishes so this was a hit for me! I applied three thin coats plus top coat. Fire Wood is sheer with one coat and opaque in two.
 
Fire Wood in artificial lighting.
 
 
Fire Wood outdoors in the shade.
 
 
Plum Harvest
Plum Harvest is yet another unique polish IMO! It's a mauve/amethyst polish with red shimmer. I applied three coats plus topcoat. Plum Harvest is sheer in one coat and opaque in two.
 
Plum Harvest in artificial lighting.
 
 
Plum Harvest outdoors in the shade.
 
 
Haystack
Haystack is peachy light pink shimmer that I absolutely love!!!! So unique, girly, and delicate. It is a very refreshing color IMO. I applied three thin coats plus top coat. Haystack is sheer with one coat and opaque in 2-3 coats.
 
Haystack in artificial lighting.
 
 
Haystack outdoors in the shade.
 
 
Crushed Leaves
Crushed leaves is an off white crelly with chocolate brown larger hexes, red squares and hexes, and tons of holo glitters in gold, copper, green, orange, and even yellow. This polish screams Fall and Winter, making me automatically think of Thanksgiving and Christmas. The colors are on point for the theme and the name of the polish. Absolutely love this one! I applied three thin coats. Crushed Leaves is sheer with one coat and opaque in 2-3 coats.
 
Crushed Leaves in artificial lighting.
 
 
Crushed Leaves outdoors in the shade.
 
 
Autumn Air
Autumn Air is a clear based glitter topper with a hint of black in the base. It is filled with loads of holo hex glitters in gold, copper, and orange. Autumn air also has tons of gorgeous small square iridescent glitters. I could not get enough of this glitter topper! It's a versatile glitter polish that can be used over black, nude, red, or even on its own. I applied two coats of this polish over two different colors, plus top coat.
 
Autumn Air with Apple Tart as the base. Shown here is in artificial lighting.
 
 
Autumn Air with Apple Tart as the base. Shown here is outdoors in the shade.
 
 
Autumn Air with Wet N Wild Black Crème as the base. Shown here is in artificial lighting.
 
 
Autumn Air with Wet N Wild Black Crème as the base. Shown here is outdoors in the shade.
 
 
Overall, I enjoyed every single one of these polishes!! If I had to choose my top three, I would have to say it would be Haystack, Crushed Leaves, and Autumn Air. I can see myself pulling out quite a few of these again to wear for the coming season! Which one is your favorite? I'd love to know!
 
The Harvest Collection is set to release November 8th so please mark your calendars! If you would like to check out Pinwheel Polish's store site please click here or you can also follow Janna on Instagram (IG @twirlsl827). Link to her store site is also under the bio section of her IG page.
 
Thanks for reading and Have a lovely day!