Lustrous Lacquer

Monday, September 15, 2014

Guest post at The Fancy Side- A Bridal Manicure

Amy from Fancy Side Nails has so graciously allowed me to take over her blog today while she's away on her Honeymoon. Congratulations Amy, hope you're having a fantastic time! Here's a little sneak peek at the look I did. For all the details and more pictures check out the full post at http://www.fancysidenails.com/2014/09/guest-post-katie-from-lustrous-lacquer.html

So what do you think of this look? I don't do a lot freehand nail art, but this manicure has helped my confidence and makes me want to do more. Thanks again Amy for letting me take over your blog today. I wish you many years of wedded bliss and happiness. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Lustrous Lacquer 9:42 PM Product Review

SOBO Ultra HGF Youth Serum

*Press Sample*

Recently I was given the opportunity to review the SOBO Ultra HGF youth serum thanks to my partnership with Brand Backer. I had never heard of this brand before but the products looked interesting and I wanted to try them for myself. Before I get into the actual review I'd like to give you a little background on the company.

SOBO Skin Care was built on a clear philosophy of what should (and shouldn’t) be in quality skin care products. Our primary focus has always been to formulate cleansers, toners, creams and serums that are made with as many natural organic ingredients as possible, but without compromising the efficacy that women expect. To accomplish this we combine wonderful organic ingredients like orange flower extract, hops, and strawberry oil with others proven to provide visible results like hyaluronic acid, human growth factor and ceramide 3 to effectively and gently rejuvenate skin.

SOBO is dedicated to setting a new gold standard in the years to come for indie skin care products of all types. Natural, wholesome, honest, and effective -- that's the SOBO value system in a nutshell.

There are 4 products in their skincare line: I chose to try the Ultra HGF Youth serum.

http://www.soboskincare.com
http://www.soboskincare.com/product-p/anti-aging-cream-resveratrol.htm
http://www.soboskincare.com/product-p/ultra-hgf-youth-serum.htm
http://www.soboskincare.com/product-p/anti-aging-eye-serum.htm
http://www.soboskincare.com/product-p/natural-face-moisturizer.htm

ULTRA HGF Youth Serum
-- This innovative youth formula leverages the power of proven acetyl tetrapeptide-2 to help restore your skin to its former glory and help prevent signs of future aging. Skin’s critical immune functions are also boosted while the production of healthy, youthful skin cells is uniquely supported and accelerated. The light but potent formula also moisturizes dry skin and smooths for a glowing, velvety appearance.

Now I've only been using this for a week now and I didn't expect to see miraculous results. If I had you'd better believe I wouldn't be telling the world about it, I'd be buying it all for myself. I don't plan to grow old gracefully, after all, I'm going kicking and screaming the entire way!

I have noticed that my skin feels softer, and the bags under my eyes are slightly less apparent. And those pesky crows feet that are starting to appear around my eyes, well they're still there but I have a feeling in a few weeks I will notice a difference in them as well.

One pump of the dispenser is all you need to cover your entire face and neck. The directions say to apply day or night after washing your face. I found this serum to be lightweight, absorbed quickly and applied easily without feeling greasy. I have already ditched my old wrinkle cream for this one. If you'd like to try out the Ultra HF Youth Serum or any of the products offered SOBO has a discount code for 25% your entire first purchase at http://www.soboskincare.com. Just use code "TRYSOBO" this code does not expire so you have some time to decide before you buy. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!

*The products shown were sent to me for my honest review. All opinions are my own*

Lustrous Lacquer 6:00 AM Press Release

MoYou London - The Kaleidoscope Collection (Press Release)

*Press Release*

This Friday MoYou London is releasing a collection of image plates that I am really excited about. The designs on these 6 new plates immediately gave me ideas for manicures! Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the Kaleidoscope collection

Hi there

Guess what? It's another Friday coming up and I am happy to announce the new release of the week. This time 6 plates from the:

<< K ALEIDOSCOPE COLLECTION >>

Meet Lucy - She is into shapes and stuff*

Creativity is a lot like looking at the world through a kaleidoscope. You look at a set of elements, the same ones everyone else sees, but then reassemble those floating bits and pieces into an enticing new possibility.

These 6 plates will be released this Friday the 12th of September.

Have a great day!

The MoYou-London Team

     I love geometric patterns in a manicure and this set it full of them. I can see using a lot of these images for leadlight manicures too. It's really hard to narrow down my favorites, but plates 4, 5, and 6 are calling my name. Is there any that are catching your attention?

     MoYou London plates are available from their website and as mentioned above these plates will be available Friday, Sept 12th. These plates are £4.99 each or about $8 U.S.

     Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Lustrous Lacquer 6:00 AM Shimmer

Maybelline- The Veils Collection

*Nothing to Disclose*

Today I have for you the Veils Collection from Maybelline. This collection consists of 5 polishes, 2 shimmers, and 3 glitters. Maybelline advertised this as a textured collection but I think those of us in the nail polish community can agree that these are nothing like the textured polishes we are used to. I guess you could say they have a slight texture because of the glitters, but nothing more than a typical glitter polish. All polishes are shown with 2 coats over a base color and without top coat.

Crystal Disguise is a milky based polish with teal and blue shimmer. I've layered it over OPI 4 in The Morning.

The application was smooth and easy. Each coat packed a ton of shimmer.

Rose Mirage is a clear polish with rose gold colored micro glitter. I chose to layer it over Pretty & Polished Carrigan.

Application with this one was a little tricky. I was able to get semi-decent glitter coverage if I used very light brush strokes. I think the dabbing method would have worked out better. I didn't have to fish for glitters, but they did want to slide around on the nail.

Nail polish with rose gold glitters in a clear base.

Blue Glaze is a dusty blue micro-shimmer polish. I layered this one over OPI 4 in The Morning.

The application was again smooth with a lot of shimmer in each coat. I like how this has an almost icy look to it on the nail.

Amethyst Aura is a clear base polish with dark blue circle glitter and light blue micro-shimmer. I layered this one over JulieG Santorini.

Blue glitter nail polish in a clear base

The application was easy with this one. No playing around with the glitters was required to get nice even coverage. Although I do have to say when I hear the word Amethyst I think of purple and not blue. So the name is slightly confusing to me.

Blue glitter nail polish with micro shimmer

Teal Beam has blue and gold micro glitters in a clear base. I chose to layer it over JulieG Tahiti.

The application was really good with this one. I was able to get even glitter coverage without fishing or dabbing.

maybleeine glitter nail polish in gold and green

Overall I like this collection of nail polish toppers. There were no application issues, and the colors seem to go well with a variety of base colors. I don't know if I have a favorite but Rose Mirage and Blue Glaze are up there at the top of the list. Do you have any favorites from this collection?

I picked this collection up at Wal-Mart but have come across them wherever Maybelline nail polishes are sold. I didn't see limited edition anywhere on the display or online, but I'm not sure if they are going to be part of the core line. If I find out for sure I will update this post. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!

Monday, September 8, 2014

Lustrous Lacquer 6:00 AM Wet~N~Wild

FingerFood's Theme Buffet - Dry Marble

*Nothing to Disclose*

Hi everyone, I hope you had a good weekend. It was my town's summer festival this weekend. I spent 4 days going on rides, eating fair food and watching a parade. It was a great time but also a little sad as it marks the absolute end of summer for me.

The end of a season but also a new beginning for my blog. I have joined the Finger Food's Theme Buffet to participate in weekly challenges. I don't know yet if I will participate every week. But I like the idea of it and want to be more active in challenges. I figured this was a good place to start. This week the theme is marbling, Dry or water. I decided to do a dry marble since I have never done this technique before. The results aren't perfect, but I like the look and will try it again sometime soon.

I decided to start out small and only do an accent nail. On a Ziploc bag I added a thick layer of Orly Flawless Flush, then added a few drops of Wet~N~Wild Deception and swirled it around with a toothpick. I let the whole thing dry overnight.

After gently peeling the polish off the bag I applied my base coat and placed the decal on my ring finger while it was still tacky. After removing the excess with a cuticle clipper, I added a layer of top coat. I used 2 coats of Deception on the rest of my nails for a finished look. I didn't realize when I started this that Deception was a jelly finish.

I like how easy this was to do and the finished look, but next time I'm going for more definition between the colors. Really give it that water marble look. If you've got any tips for me on how to do that, I'd love to hear them.

Now let's see what other people have come up with this week. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!

An InLinkz Link-up

Friday, September 5, 2014

Lustrous Lacquer 9:59 AM Shimmer

Leesha's Lacquer- Azure Azul and Boardwalk

*Press Sample*

Happy Friday everyone! Today I'd like to introduce you to a new to me Indie Brand Leesha's Lacquer. I've got 2 polishes to show you today, Azure Azul and Boardwalk. Want to know something cool? This is a brand that's local to me! I love finding other polish enthusiasts near me. Now onto the polish.

Azure Azul is a pale blue polish with micro shimmer and dark blue circle and square glitter. It kind of reminded me of cookies and cream a little bit during application. Not that it was chunky, just the color.

The photo was taken in a lightbox

The application was smooth, especially for a glitter polish. There was no need to fish for glitters at all. I did do a little dabbing at the base of my nail to get even glitter coverage, but it was minimal.

The photo was taken in a lightbox

Shown here is 2 coats plus top coat. Even though the glitters lay nice and flat on the nail, there is a little texture when dry. A layer of top coat leaves a smooth finish. I used Pure Ice Girl on the Run. My go-to top coat for glitters. It's quick drying and leaves a smooth glass-like finish.

The photo was taken in natural light

You do lose most of the shimmer once the polish dries on the nail. But flashes appear when the light hit's it just right. I wish it was a little more evident on the nail, you almost forget it's there it's so sparse. But when it does appear it's a little surprise or the bonus you get when leveling up in a video game.

The photo was taken in incandescent lighting

I think I took 40 pictures just trying to capture the shimmer. Angling my fingers this way and that. It's was quite the scene to watch. I was finally able to get one good one. I did add a layer of China Glaze Fairy Dust to my ring finger for comparison. You can see how sparse the sparkle is with only 2 coats on my middle finger. Overall I really like this polish. I'd just like a little more sparkle.

Boardwalk is a clear base packed full of yellow and red circle glitters mixed with blue micro-shimmer.

The photo was taken in a lightbox

Shown here is 1 coat of Boardwalk over China Glaze Pelican Gray. Did I mention this polish was packed full of glitters? I mean it is PACKED full. There was no fishing or dabbing required. And this is 1 coat!

I like the pop of color you get with the yellow glitters against the blue. The glitters lay nice and flat on the nail, but give a slight texture when dry. Again I used 1 layer of Pure Ice Girl on the Run to smooth everything out.

The photo was taken in a lightbox

The color combination and the shimmer you get from the blue micro glitters make this polish different than others I have in my collection. I think it's a fun polish.

Of course, I have to include a macro shot for you to enjoy. I have a feeling with how easily this polish applied it can be worn as a topper or alone. I like it as a topper, what about you?

Leesha's Lacquers can be purchased on Etsy and cost $3.50/7 depending on the size. To keep up with the latest news be sure to follow them on Facebook or check out the blog. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Lustrous Lacquer 6:00 AM Press Release

MoYou London- The Scholar Collection (Press Release)

*Press Release*

This Friday MoYou London will be releasing new image plates for you to enjoy. Keeping with the Back to School Theme, there are 2 new plates for the Scholar Collection.

Hi there

September is here and that means it's back to school!

It's another Friday coming up and I am happy to announce the new release of the week. This time 2 more plates from the:

<< SCHOLAR COLLECTION >>

Meet Kelly > She loves School, that's where she learned how to text without looking and sleeping without getting caught!

These 2 plates will be released this Friday the 5th of September.

Have a great day!

The MoYou-London Team

Show some school spirit with these 2 plates at the next pep rally or just celebrate that the kids have gone back to school and you're not hearing "I'm bored." every 10 minutes.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Lustrous Lacquer 6:00 AM Shimmer

Pahlish- Move Slow and Steady

*Nothing to Disclose*

Today I have for you a beautiful nail polish from Pahlish called Move Slow and Steady. This creamy polish has copper shimmer floating in a dusty lilac base. It almost reminds me of radiant orchid, the Pantone color for 2014. It's a little too dark but, if you use your imagination the shimmer could be pollen that's fallen off onto the petals. Or I'm just really tired tonight and delusional.

Lilac-purple-nail-polish-with-copper-shimmer

Move Slow and Steady was very opaque on the first coat, but still needed 2 to reach full opacity. The application was like butter with the polish flowing freely, but not so freely that you have to worry about flooded cuticles. I've shown it with 2 coats plus top coat.

Indie-nail-polish-purple-with-copper-shimmer

The copper shimmer is abundant with nice even coverage on the nail. I did have to do a little dabbing at the tips of some of my nails. The shimmer seemed to want to stick to the brush when I lifted it off the nail on 2 of my fingers. Nothing that was too bothersome and could easily have been user error.

It's such a pretty polish with a very feminine feel to it. But I wanted to see what it would look like with a matte top coat. I also tried out some dried flowers I picked up during Sally's clearance sale.

I really like the look of Move Slow and Steady with the matte top coat. I'm not so sure I'm digging the flower, though. Maybe if I'd used a different flower or one that was more delicate. What do you think?

I know this post was short, sweet and to the point but this mama is tired after the first day of school and needs to get to bed. I sent my baby off today and now have all of my kids in school. It took more of an emotional toll on me than I realized. I should be back to my old self by the next post. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Lustrous Lacquer 6:00 AM Themed Manicures

Let's Go Camping Nail Art Challenge Day 3: Campfires

*Nothing to Disclose*

It's the last day of the Let's Go Camping Nail Art Challenge. I'm sad to see it end. I've had a lot of fun doing these manicure. I am a camping kind of girl at heart after all. But I already know what next months challenge is and now I can get excited about that. On with today's manicure before I get too far ahead of myself. Today's prompt is Campfires. Who doesn't love a campfire? I actually even love the smell! And I know I'm not alone in that, come on don't be shy, who else loves that smell? Something about it just screams summer to me whether it's an actual campfire or just a bonfire in the backyard.

I've wanted to do a flame manicure for almost 2 years now, but haven't. It's not for lack of time, it was pure intimidation. I wanted to get it just right, like so many of the other fabulous flame manicures I've seen floating around the internet. The most common technique to get this look is the needle drag. Now I don't know about you, but every single time I try this technique something goes horribly wrong and I'm left with big gauges in my polish. I thought, this time, I try a different approach and use a nail art brush instead. Well umm yeah, about that...

The technique had eluded me again! One of these days I will make it work. But this isn't a total loss. It still looks like fire and I'm pleased about that. I'm just missing the individual flames. It's an abstract campfire. Yeah, that's it, abstract. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. ;)

My base is L'Oreal After Hours. Going for that early evening feel, when you crack open your first beverage and settle in for a night of good conversation while watching the flames dance. Now that's my kind of summer night right there.

For my flames, I used 3 polishes from the Cover Girl Capitol Collection: Sulfur Blaze, Flamed Out, and Rogue Red. I dotted each one at the tip of my nail and ran my nail art brush through them. Anyone notice the names of the polishes were fire related? Just a happy coincidence. I really like the coloring on my pointer finger, but the "shape" on my ring finger. And just because I could I decided to throw a matte top coat on to see what it would look like.

I actually like it this way better, there's more definition between colors. Which way do you like better, glossy or matte? I hope you have enjoyed this challenge and are looking forward to the next one with me. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Polishing!