Orly: Androgynie

Ugh, there's tons of snow here in Connecticut and I do not like it at all. Steve and I are supposed to watch our nephew, P.J., tonight, but if they don't  make any attempts to plow (they haven't yet) IDK what we're going to do!  I hate snow, it makes me angry. It looks pretty at first but then it's a damn mess of slush and MUD. Ugh.

Anyway, today I have a polish from Orly to share with you. I picked Androgynie up a few weeks back at Sally Beauty Supply when I spied it on the discount table for $3.99. I was so excited for this color because in the bottle it's stunning. It's a deep chocolate brown with tons of silver microshimmer and holographic larger hex glitter. I wanted to love this. In the bottle it's perfect, I could stare at it all day... on the nail... well....

The large hex glitter is very difficult to get onto the nail, it just doesn't come out of the bottle. When it does it doesn't really show up anyway. I feel like it drowns in the base color so even when it is there it is covered in the brown and doesn't show up.

Now the photos are deceiving because you can see the hex glitter. I think that's because I used a flash. When the light hit the nail the larger glitter did show up... in normal lighting though it looked more like a speckled brown with some random hex sparkles (like 2 per nail). Have a look at the final photo of the bunch for the most accurate photo of what this looks like most of the time.

I used three coats in the photos. It was pretty opaque but I did experience some balding upon application.

  

So I do like this color still but I just want it to work! Please give me some tips for how to make this as amazing as it is in the bottle on my nail!

Pin It Now!

Read More

The Classic French Manicure: A Clean & Chic Standby or Tacky and Outdated?

Happy Labor Day everyone! I hope you all got a day off and didn't have to work. I am enjoying the long weekend and wish it was even  longer. 

So today I decided I wanted to do a classic white-tipped french manicure. Now, I know, there's a ton of controversy over this look. Some of us love it, and some HATE it. I have heard so many different opinions on the classic french, so I want to know what you all think! I am going to put up a poll in the sidebar but I want to hear from you in the comments too. What do you think? Is this a clean, classic standby for you or do  you think it's tacky and outdated?

I personally love this look, I always have. I think the white is so chic and it's just a classic look that works in so many situations. They could be everyday go to work nails or wedding day nails. I think the french matches everything and looks elegant and fun! I just know I have heard that people HATE it and think it's trashy so I want to hear what the majority thinks... especially since I know all of my readers are nail polish fanatics like me!
For this look I used one coat OPI's In the Spot-Light Pink for a base and did the tips in Orly's White Tips which is a vibrant true white color. Another similar white is China Glaze's Snow. I love the bright stark white but I know some people enjoy a creamy color on the tips. 

  

So what say you? Love them or hate them? Those who hate them, why? Those who love them, what is your perfect french manicure color combo?

Disclosure: The OPI polish was provided by PR for review purposes. All reviews are 100% honest and done at my discretion. For more information please see my Disclosure Policy.

Pin It Now!

Read More

Orly Spring 2011: Precious Collection

  Precious

ORLY Spring 2011 Collection

Luxurious, Sophisticated Hues to Covet

For centuries, people around the globe have been enamored with lush fabrics, rare stones and extravagant finishes.  ORLY celebrates the refined glamour of porcelain, the vibrant sheen of silk, and the lush sparkle of priceless gems with Precious.  Lend a sense of romance and richness to every spring ensemble by sporting lavish shades on fingertips and toes.  The six lacquers in thePrecious Collection signal a fresh approach to spring fashion and a renewed appreciation for the exotic workmanship, ornamental engravings, and sumptuous fabrics known to accompany the luxe life. 

The six Lacquers in the Precious Collection include:

Fancy Fuchsia: Pink Crème

Gilded Coral: Coral Gold Shimmer

Pure Porcelain: Beige Crème

Royal Velvet: Purple Blue Shimmer

Ancient Jade: Green Crème

Sapphire Silk: Deep Teal Crème

All ORLY Nail Lacquers including the Precious Collection are free of DBP, Toluene and all traces of Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde Resin.

The Precious Collection Lacquers will be available starting March 2011 for $7.50 each.  ORLY Nail Lacquers and Treatment products are available atorlybeauty.com, Sally Beauty, Ulta and other purveyors of beauty throughout the U.S. and in over 70 countries worldwide.

 

For more information contact LaForce + Stevens or visit us online atwww.orlybeauty.com.

All images and info are directly from PR.

Pin It Now!

Read More

Orly: Lunar Eclipse (Cosmix FX Collection)

So this weekend I wore Orly's Lunar Eclipse which I won from Jessica v. Polish's giveaway! (Thanks Jessica for the amazing package!) Lunar Eclipse is part of the Cosmix FX collection . This is a gorgeous blue/purple color with that amazing Cosmix FX finish. This collection was a huge hit in the nail polish community but this is only one of three colors I have from the collection. I am happy to have it though.

This color is cool because in the bottle and in certain lighting it looks royal purple but then in different lighting it looks royal blue. Sometimes it looks half royal purple and half royal blue, it's really fun.

The formula is okay but I had some application issues. I simply made a mess. I had tons of cleaning up to do with this one for some reason. I have no idea why it just worked out that way.  I also find polishes from this collection to be quite sheer. I needed three coats for the opacity shown here. Not a huge issue but something to note. 

Click images to enlarge!

So what do you think? Like it or leave it? I think it's pretty great and I love the sort of color changing affect.  I think Orly should not have put a $10 price tag on these though, that's pretty steep IMO. 

Pin It Now!

Read More

Orly: Space Cadet. (Some Feedback Please)

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you're all ready for the weekend. My husband and I are going to a friend of mine's engagement party tomorrow. Should be fun.

So I am late to the party here with this color but I thought I would share my review of it anyway. This is Orly's Space Cadet and it's probably one of summer's most popular colors. Well, end of summer I guess.  It's part of the Cosmic FX line.  I picked it up at CVS a few weeks ago when I saw it for $6.99 which is a steal since this line was selling elsewhere for over $10. I am not as enamored with this color as many other people are but I do see the appeal. It's quite interesting, don't get me wrong, I am just more of a creme girl I guess.

This color is not only impossible to describe but it was impossible to photograph as well. It's a multichrome, I guess that's what I'd call it. It's purple, it's green, it's gold it's EVERYTHING. I wish my photos did it justice but I can tell you right now that the bottle shot of the label is probably my best shot.

The formula is really sheer. I used three coats to achieve this level of opacity.  I know some people took to layering over black bases but I cannot be bothered.  I guess I'd say the polish is on the thin side but it wasn't at all hard to work with.

Overall, I do like this color but I don't get all the hype. It's not THAT cool.  I guess it was cool enough that I felt I needed to have it but I am not sure it's going to get much wear. What do you think of Space Cadet did you HAVE to have it or did you skip it.

Some Feedback Please:

I used larger images in this post, do you like them or should I return to my normal sized images. Please let me know.

I also installed IntenseDebate for commenting, as I like that platform on other blogs. Please let me know if you experience any issues with the new commenting system. Contact me at primandpolished@gmail.com I'd really appreciate it.

Pin It Now!

Read More

Orly: Out of This World (Cosmix Collection)

Hi everyone! Today my husband comes back from his business trip, YAY! He's been in Illinois since Monday and I miss him! I have to pick him and some colleges up at the airport this evening!

Today I wanted to share Orly's Out of This World from the Cosmix Collection. This is a deep purple with mostly pink shimmers. It reminds me a little bit of OPI Ink both colors are super difficult to photograph but I did my best. I don't really love duochromes/shimmers so this really a home run for me. I know a ton of people really love this collection and I wanted to love it too but it really doesn't do it for me. I only picked up two colors from this collection, this one and Space Cadet.

The formula is alright. It seems to dry quickly so it can gunk up the sides of the bottle when applying but overall it wasn't a huge fail. I don't have much else to say about it

If duochromes are your thing you will love this collection. They seem to be running a bit more expensive than normal Orly polishes, some places are selling them for over $10. I got mine at CVS which sells Orly for $7.49 but for some reason these were just $6.99, so strange right? I figured I might as well jump on the band wagon and at least get two of them at that price. Not totally satisfied with the purchase but I supposed it could be worse LOL. They're not horrible they're just not my color preference. Give me a good creme any day!

Are you a fan of this polish/collection?

Pin It Now!

Read More

French Manicure - Gina Style

Hiya!!! I was in a boring mood so I did a simple french mani using Orly's White Tips for my tip color. I didn't use a color on my natural nail I just did two coats of the Dermelect Launchpad, did two coats of the White Tips on the tips and topped it all off with Seche Vite topcoat. I think they came out pretty good for having free handed the tips so I thought I'd share.

I have been less successful with the Ruffian style manicure. Tried it twice and FAILED. Any tips?

Let me know how you think my French came out. Thanks for reading - have a wonderful weekend.

Pin It Now!

Read More

Upcoming Collections: Essie 2010 Resort Collection. Swatches Part I: "Lapis of Luxury" and "Turquoise & Caicos"

Today I am bringing you 1/2 of the Essie Resort Collection: "Lapis of Luxury" and "Turquoise & Caicos". Enjoy! (Please excuse my broken middle finger nail :( )

"Lapis of Luxury" is described by Essie as "a dreamy ocean blue". I think this color is a nice dusty sort of cornflower blue high gloss creme. It's really quite pretty and I think will be one of the popular ones in the collection.

The formula on this (and the rest of the collection surprisingly) is impeccable. I love how these all just glide on. I did not have a bit of trouble applying this at all. It was opaque in just 2 coats and the finish was really beautiful and shiny. Essie seems to be hit or miss formula wise but this is a great hit in my book. Smooth and just perfect.

Here's a look at the color in the regular sunshine and in direct sun:

As soon as I saw this color I thought of Orly "Snowcone" from their spring collection. Sure enough when I pulled it out it was quite similar indeed. I did a little swatching to show you the two side by side:

As you can see they are nearly identical. Here's my 2 cents on these. The Orly is highly pigmented and if you're careful in application you're able to achieve maximum opacity in just one coat, however I found the Orly a little difficult to work with because it's so pigmented and thick. I prefer the slightly thinner formulation the Essie polish offers. It's really just a matter of personal preference. They're similar in price in stores, you're likely to pay $6.99 for the Orly and $8 for the Essie so it's a tossup. If you love the color and can only get your hands on one or the other I'd say they are close enough to be considered dupes. Essie wins out in my book because the formula is superior and the shiny finish just sends it over the edge for me. Hope this helped.

Now on to a different island... this is "Turquoise & Caicos" I believe this polish will be the most popular one in the collection and I am telling you, at least in my collection, this one is unique and beautiful!

"Turquoise & Caicos" is described by Essie as "a flirty and pretty tropical aqua". It's a really great color and one I find to be quite unique among the aqua/teal/green/blue colors in my collection.

Again, the formula is outstanding on this one. It's almost jelly like but not quite. It required three coats for maximum opacity and the final result is gorgeous. I say it's almost jelly like because the finish is pretty and squishy looking but it is not at all transparent so it's not really a jelly. It's just a perfect high gloss creme. I love it!

I pulled a few polishes that are in the same color family but I didn't do actual swatches. I hope you find the bottle comparisons helpful. As you can see there really is no dupe in my collection.

First we have China Glaze's "Four Leaf Clover" and Essie's "Turquoise & Caicos" these are not even close at all. The China Glaze is more green and darker (even more so in real life):

Next I have China Glaze's "Re-Freshmint" and Essie's "Turquoise & Caicos". As you can see "Turquoise & Caicos" is not a mint green. It's more blue than mint but it's not blue if that makes sense:

Now we have China Glaze's "For Audrey" and Essie's "Turquoise & Caicos" these look closer in the bottle but they are not dupes. You all know what "For Audrey" looks like on the nails so see my "Turquoise & Caicos" swatches above and you'll know they are not the same. "For Audrey" is more on the pastel side, it's lighter than "Turquoise & Caicos" and more baby blue-ish.

And finally just a shot with it in the middle to give you an idea of where it is on the color spectrum:

I hope this helped you. Stay tuned tomorrow for the other two polishes in this collection. I love these colors and I think many of you will too.

This collection is supposed to be available in May but I think it's available right now. I saw it at Ulta (we finally got an Ulta in my state!!!!) and I think you can get it HERE too.

Disclosure: This collection was furnished to me by Essie for consideration. All reviews published on this blog are at my own discretion. Please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Pin It Now!

Read More