Strike up the music, the band has begun...

Hello all!

Well, Groundhog's Day has come and gone (Ned? Ned Ryerson?!) and there really aren't any polka dots anywhere (get it? get it? no, just me then...) and I've decided to do my International polishes. Sadly, I have only 10.  10!!!  Wow, I really thought I had more, but I guess I didn't stock up as much as I'd thought when I was out traveling.  So I've divided my International Stash into their individual countries and, well, swatched them.  What. you thought they'd be dancing.  Really?  Huh. Well how about I throw in a brand new color swatch?  Free, just pay shipping and handling and processing fees and the Hope Diamond.  Ok, I'll just swatch it then.

My first stop around the globe is Poland.  I've spent quite a few summers visiting family so I'm pretty comfortable there, and I'm super excited about going back in May!  YAY!  it's been about 2 and a half years since I've been and I'll be there right in time for my mom's birthday.  I'll also have a layover in Paris, and though I'd love to go out and explore, I'll only have time for duty free.  Wish me luck!

Simple Beauty 63

Simple Beauty 63 is the oldest polish I have from Poland, or so I thought.  I would have guessed that I got this in 1994, though internet research says the company wasn't founded until 1995, and on closer inspection of the bottle, the label is registered in 2000.  Getting older sucks, 'cuz nothing is when you remember it.  I was in Poland in 2000, so that does work.

Achtel, a Polish company, is the manufacturer of Simple Beauty, and they do have a couple of websites:
http://www.achtel.pl/strony/kosmetyki/index.php is the general company website, written in Polish.  
http://www.simplebeauty.pl/2/Lakiery/standard is the webstore. Also in Polish, but man, there are some rocking glitters there.  EMERALD GLITTER!  WOOT!  Sorry.  To the best of my translating skills, it seems that Simple Beauty only provides products online, though you can pick up your order in Warsaw for free.  Hmmm.  Something to think about.  BTW "brokat" is glitter.

Simple Beauty 63

SB 63 is a lovely berry/wine/cranberry-ish color.  It has a pretty burgandy shimmer that matches the color to the T.  The formula was very nice, and this is 2 coats with a base.  The first coat was pretty dark, and the second coat provided full opacity.  This is a such a pretty, classic color, that it almost shocked me.  Compared to all the different colors I have now, this is pretty boring, but you know what, I don't care.  It's a classic.  'Nuff said.

JOKO 43

JOKO is the oldest poli...gorrammit!  The label states this was produced between March 2006 until September 2008.  It actually has an expiration date of  Sept '08 on it!  Ok, I haven't seen that before, have I been missing something?  Anyhoo..so that places this polish during my Oct 08 trip.  So this was gifted to me, along with the next color, but I swear I bought a reddish color back in the day.  And that's my story...

JOKO is another Polish cosmetics company, that has a website, but they have no webstore.
http://www.joko.pl/lakier_en.php
Looking at a couple of Polish nail polish blogs (btw, do you know how irritating it is to search for Polish nail polish?) it looks like they're going strong, though maybe not so easy to find.  BRING ON THE CHALLENGE!  Here's a great blog that has some nice swatches of their current collection: http://lakieroholiczka.blogspot.com/search/label/Joko

JOKO 43

JOKO 43 is absolutely breathtaking!  It is one of the most perfect blackened wine colors.  This is 2 coats with a base, and it was pretty freaking opaque with one.  The formula was also very good, very usable.  I love this type of vampy color.  It so suits me, though again I was surprised at how classic of a color it is.  Well, at one time I'm sure it was outrageous, but those days are long gone!  It's down right pedestrian!  But again, who cares!  Me likey!

Eveline Sapphire

Eveline is yet another Polish cosmetics company, woo-hoo! Who knew?  Well, I guess I should disclaim that this is the info I'm getting from Google, and we know the internets are never wrong.  Ever. 
http://en.eveline.eu/product/id/1491.Colour_Show.html
Now, this is the third Polish polish (hee) company that I've looked at and just have to say...why no store?  HELLO??  Or hey, buy me here, here and here.  It's like they don't want us to actually buy stuff.  Seriously. And the Colour Show page has these 3 pretty polishes right on the front...but aren't actually cataloged as in the collection.  Stop taunting me with greens.  Not cool dude.

Eveline Colour Show Sapphire

I know I've raved about the first two polishes, but this absolutely beats them by a long shot!  It's as if I took my spare sapphires, and who doesn't have a bunch just lying around. and then ground them with my mortal and pestle, and the stuck them on my fingernails.  Effing A.  2 coats with base.  This photo doesn't even do it justice.  You see that light reflection on my nails?  That immediate area surrounding that flash is the closest I could get to capturing the color.  It's awesome!!!!  Eveline, I will be hunting you down and you better not disappoint me!

e.l.f. Mango Madness

And on to something new!  Target is selling a 5 pack of e.l.f. spring/summer collection for $5.  I don't remember if it was called anything special, I threw the packaging away.  The collection of 5 colors are definitely a treat to the darker colors I've been swatching and though I avoid pink and oranges like the plague... I really love every color! 

e.l.f Mango Madness

Mango Madness is an insane coral-y orange color that makes me want to be on the beach, with a fruity drink that has an umbrella in it and a pool boy rubbing my feet.  Where you lounge all day and then party all night.  Sigh. Where's that lottery jackpot when you need it?  The formula is surprising.  It looks pretty sheer on the first coat, but is completely opaque by the second.  This is 2 coats with base.  It's down right refreshing, especially since up here it's still winter, and Phil's a liar!





Well, that's the first post on the International Stash of fun with some e.l.f. thrown in!

Thanks and have a good one!

Luci <(")

I have some pastels. Yes, me. Really.

Hello All!

First off I want to apologize for the long wait on the next post.  I had the foresight to swatch extras on my last day off, because I knew my next day off would be probably hectic, and I work long hour shifts.  Well, that plan fell apart as I was just too tired to post, and I was right, Friday was hectic.

I convinced Mac (it wasn't hard) to go to the King Of Prussia Mall with me.  For those of you who don't know, it's the second largest mall in America, about 20 minutes from where I live.  I don't go there too often for several reasons:  1) I used to work there, so had to give myself time to actually miss it B) It's a fancy shmancy mall, which equals big $$$ and green) as a non teenager, I don't want to deal with teenagers.  At a mall.  On a weekend.  Well, we went anyways.

I've haven't really shopped KOP for nail polish (for shame!), until I accidentally found Deborah Lippmann at Neiman Marcus a couple of weeks ago.  Did I mention that NM has valet parking?  At the mall.  See above adjectives. 

We both made it out with something off of our lemming list, plus some shiny, shiny pretties.  I'll get to my stash later on.  BTW we also hit Target and Ulta, so my final tally was 19 bottles in one day!  Needless to say, my budget is blown for like 3 months, but we'll see how that goes...

On to my delayed post: this is the second part of my old as sin classic Orly collection.  These are the pastels, though I think that they were actually released in two separate collections.  I bought these, well, my best guess is between 15-20 years ago; they are some of my oldest polishes.  Anybody remember Hills?  Yeah, I'm pretty confident that's where I bought them.  I distinctly remember buying them under the harsh glare of the florescent lights.  Anyways, I remember thinking how very pretty they all were, all soft and springy!  Which was shows you how unpredictable I am, since I was an emo, goth, nerd before either emo or goth were really in.  I was a champion headbanger. Anyhoo, on to the pretties!!

Orly Aqua Pastel

Aqua Pastel is a very, very creamy light mint color, that could almost be called ecru.  It is just this side of not being cream.  It was the thickest of the pastel Orlys .  It was pretty brush strokey, and didn't quite even out.  Index finger is 2 coats with a top coat; middle finger is 3 coats no top and ring finger is just 2 coats no top coat.  I think the color could have been interesting if it evened out.  Next swatch I'll try with some thinner first.

Orly Blue Pastel

The only reason I know the difference between Orly Blue Pastel and Orly Breathless Blue is that I managed to get some polish on the bottle, they're pretty similar.  BP is a very pretty light blue creme that handled much better than AP, though it never quite evened out either.  Again, index 2 coats with top; middle 3 coats no top coat and ring just 2 coats no top.  Again, looking to swatch again with some thinner.

Orly Breathless Blue

When I was doing some online searching, this is the only color that came up, though it was in the new, round Orly bottle.  I'd be interested to find out if its identical, because I freaking love this color!  This one was the least streaky/thick and actually looked pretty good when set.  This is an exquisite dusky blue with green undertones.  Not close to a teal, but definitely greener than BP.  I <3 this color. Again index 2 coats with top; middle 3 coats no top, and ring 2 coats no top.  SQUEE!

Orly Hello Yellow

Hello Yellow was  pretty streaky, considering you can actually see it on the slightly unfocused swatch.  I would call this a sunny, butter yellow creme.  It's not a bright yellow, a bit more subdued, but it makes my hand look very, very red.  This is my only yellow, since I am not a warm color girl in general.  Index finger is 2 coats with top; middle is 3 coats with no top; ring is 2 coats no top.  I'm glad I have a yellow in my stash, and I doubt I'll buy another, even if this one is pretty horrible to use.  

Ok, so I've promised I would improve my pics, and I will.  On the ultra-mega-uber-awesomesauce nail polish shopping coma of love day, Mac figured out what I was doing wrong with my macro.  Basically, I thought I was activating it, and I wasn't.  So, my next post will actually contain clear shots...in theory!  I'm super excited about the shiny polishes I bought, and just to tease, I've got some new E.L.F., Nars, Illamasqua and Deborah Lippmanns!  Well, new to me anyways!

Thanks and have a good one!

Luci <(")