Not Nail-Related

Hello, everybody!  I know it's been a long time since I posted.  I do have a bunch of stuff to try that I just haven't gotten around to yet, but my pregnancy and now having a newborn has put blogging on the back burner.  Today, though, I have a bit of a sore throat because the weather has been shifting from hot and humid to cool and dry.  We do have a humidifier, which helps quite a bit, but we don't always remember to run it.  So, in light of my ailment (and the fact that I just finished a lat night feeding), I thought I would pass along one of my favorite things to soothe a sore throat.  It's super simple, and you likely already have everything you need!  I thought for a long time that everybody knew about this, but I've recently seen several people surprised at the suggestion, so I thought I'd share.

Formula X For Sephora Hypnotize Swatches

Hello, everybody!  Today I am going to show you some swatches of Formula X For Sephora Hypnotize.  Click through to see the rest of the swatches!

Zoya Binx Swatches

Hello, everybody!  Today I've got another polish to show you from last year's Zoya Bubbly collection.  Click through for more swatches.

A Quick Update

Hey, everybody!  Long time no write, I know...  On the up side, though, I do plan on coming back with new swatches very soon!  I placed two orders yesterday, and I just put undies down for what should be a fun dotticure.  I just wanted to let you all know that everything is fine with me, and now that the nausea of the first trimester has (mostly) subsided, I do plan on getting back into the swing of regular manis and posts.  Thanks again for bearing with me!

First Impressions - The Body Shop Sweet Almond Oil Nail Varnish Remover

Hey, guys!  Sorry about my little hiatus there.  The nausea and fatigue does seem to be improving little by little, so I am hoping to get back into the swing of things very soon!  Today I picked up The Body Shop's Sweet Almond Oil Nail Varnish Remover, which I've heard some pretty good stuff about!  I emptied it into my flip-top pump before taking a photo, but at least you can see how it's packaged.

I will say right off the bat that it's pretty pricey for the size ($10 for 3.3 ounces).  It does not have a strong or unpleasant odor, which is a fantastic change of pace after finishing off the Nailtiques remover I wrote about in my remover comparison post last month.  It actually has a sweet fragrance that strikes me as vanilla-ish.  You can definitely still smell the alcohol in it, but overall it's a nice scent.  I'm using it on my nails as I type, so you're pretty much getting a play-by-play here.  Isn't that exciting?  I'm noticing now that the smell is actually pretty nice once you've got it on a cotton ball and the alcohol vapors dissipate.  The three nails I've done so far have come off nice and easy.  There is a bit of oily residue left behind, but it really feels like it's hydrating my nails and cuticles.  Working on my accent nail is proving a bit difficult, but that's to be expected since I used a glitter topper.  I'm not totally sold on the ten dollar price tag for such a small amount of product, but my first impression is that the product itself is really nice.  I might really love it after a few uses!

Here's a Little Update

Hey, guys.  I'm really sorry for not getting my posts up on time very often the past few weeks.  It does make me feel awful when I miss my updates, but there is a good reason for that (in my opinion, anyway)...  It's because I'm pregnant!

I haven't had much energy lately, and the smell of the remover and polish has not been fun to deal with.  A lot of effort goes into my swatches, and it's just been really difficult for me to get them done lately between the fatigue and the nausea.  I'm hoping over the next few weeks that my early symptoms will level off and it'll be easier for me to do my nails more frequently and get back to doing swatches more regularly.  In the meantime, I appreciate your patience and understanding.

Zoya Aurora Swatches

Hey, guys!  I am so sorry I have been late posting recently!  Unfortunately, I suffered two breaks on my swatching hand over the last last week, and today was the first day I've seen the sun in a while.  I struggled trying to decide whether or not to trim my other nails, but the weather wouldn't have been cooperative for swatches, anyway.  Now that I finally got some swatching weather, I went ahead and trimmed my nails and put on a new color, which you'll see below.  Click through to see the rest of the swatches.

Pacifica Super Hydrating Hand Cream Review

The winters here in Iowa are cold, dry, and windy, and that is a terrible combo for your skin.  So when regular lotion wasn't cutting it, and I started developing severely dry patches of skin on my wrists, I went to Ulta in search of something with more intense moisturizing capabilities.  I had been considering The Body Shop, because the reviews for their hand cream are great.  I opened the Ulta app to see if there was another highly-rated had cream, and I noticed Pacifica.

I had never tried anything from this brand before, but I did see it on the shelves in store, so I picked up a tube.  It's a bit pricey, but Ulta puts out coupons frequently, and you can get an even better deal if you use the coupons in conjunction with rewards redemption.  The lid screws off and the product comes out of a small hole, which is good because you don't need to use a lot to get the job done.  Since I am a lover of fruity scents - particularly citrus - I opted for the Tuscan Blood Orange scent.  It smells so good, you guys.  It's sweet and citrusy, but not a way that's cloying, and it doesn't fade quickly (which is great with a fragrance this nice).  I've actually had guests at work comment on how nice it smells!  this hand cream does leave some residual oils on the skin after you've got it rubbed in, but that can be a good thing when the air around you is dry and/or you're doing a lot of hand washing.  I may not use this during the Summer, but it was a great find for the colder, drier months!  Pacifica has a lot of great things going on within their company, such as ethically-sourced ingredients, vegan and cruelty-free formulations, and charitable work within their community.  And I just saw that they also make a 7-free nail polish line!  I'll definitely have to check that out when my no-buy is over.

Deborah Lippmann Xanadu Swatches

Hello, everybody!  Today I have a great polish to show you from Deborah Lippman, and the post is going to be a bit on the picture-heavy side.  So, you know, fair warning.  This is my first Deborah Lippmann, and I think I did a good job narrowing it down.  I actually won a DL twitter contest and got a $30 credit for the website.  The kicker, though, was that it was right in the middle of my no-buy and the credit was only good for a week.  I found myself considering breaking my no-buy and getting a second bottle, but I ended up reaching out to my fellow nail bloggers to see if anybody would be willing to help me out.  As luck would have it, Jessica from Trial & Acetone was willing to use the rest of the credit and send me my polish.  I felt so much better knowing that half of that credit wouldn't be wasted!  Click through to see the rest of the swatches!

Mint Slumber Party and Moonlit Stroll Swatches

*Press sample*

Hey, guys!  Today I'm going to give you guys a two-fer since I missed Monday's post.  I've got two more Mint shades to show you,  Moonlit Stroll and Slumber Party.  The first shade I'm going to show you is Slumber Party, which is a bright pink creme.  Click through to see the rest of the swatches!

Let's Talk Nail Polish Removers!

Hey, guys!  Today I thought I would share with you my thoughts on the remover I am currently using, which is the Nailtiques Non-Acetone remover.  I picked this up at Ulta while looking for something gentle since we're coming out of winter here, and it's cold and dry and an all-around terrible time of year for my hands.  It includes aloe and conditioners!  I also picked up a Flowery pump, so I ditched the bottle, but it also said something about the remover having a pleasant scent!  I was sure that this remover would be the be-all-end-all of removers, but I was sadly mistaken.  To me, I feel it's quite drying (moreso than other acetone-based removers Ive tried), and it has a strong scent that is nowhere near as pleasant as OPI Expert Touch, Essie Naturally Clean, or Zoya Remove +.  I know that others seem to love this remover (the Ulta rating is currently the same as OPI Expert Touch), but it was a total dud for me.  I've recently had a hard time with some glitters I've tried, but to be fair, they may have just been stubborn glitters and it's possible that wasn't the fault of the remover.  So overall, I wouldn't recommend it.  There are other removers in around the same price range that leave my cuticles much happier and smell better, to boot!

Here's a breakdown of the price per volume of all the removers I've mentioned:
• Zoya Remove + // $9.99 for 8 ounce, or $1.25 per ounce
• Essie Naturally Clean // $6.00 for 4 ounces, or $1.50 per ounce

• OPI Expert Touch // 5.95 for 4 ounces, or $1.49 per ounce

• Nailtiques // $8.00 for 6 ounces, or $1.33 per ounce

So clearly Nailtiques is a little cheaper by volume than OPI Expert Touch or Essie Naturally Clean, but I would still put it at the bottom of the list were I to rank these four.  I found Essie Naturally Clean to be drying, too, but the scent is much nicer.  OPI Expert Touch has a citrusy scent, which I love, and leaves my cuticles looking and feeling nice.  Zoya Remove + is my favorite of the bunch, and I was surprised to see that it's actually the least expensive per volume!  It's definitely worth mentioning that Nailtiques is the only non-acetone remover on this list; however, OPI Expert Touch and Zoya Remove + both contain additives to counteract the drying properties of acetone and condition nails and cuticles.

Mint Fancy Swatches

*Press Sample*

Hello, everybody!  I finally had a decent day to take a few pictures.  Yay!  So today I've got some swatches from a new-to-me brand that's 5-free: Mint!  I reached out to Mint in the hopes of finding some great non-toxic brands to share with you guys, and Greta was kind enough to send me some samples!  The first color I tried, Fancy, was my least favorite in the bottle, but I actually ended up really liking it!  Click through to see the rest of the swatches.

Rainbow Honey Crystal Sword Swatches

Hello!  My apologies for not getting this up on time.  The weather here was pretty gloomy yesterday and it's even worse today, so I'll have to update this post later with outdoor lighting.  :(  Without further ado, the remaining color from the Rainbow Honey March Mystery Bag, Crystal Sword!

Blogiversary Giveaway Winners!

Congratulations, Cindy Aiton and Joyce Chatman!  Check your E-mail and respond within 48 hours to claim your prize.

Rainbow Honey Lemon Honey Swatches

Okay, guys.  Remember in my last post where I said time had been getting away from me?  Well, nothing's changed on that front.  Luckily, the reason for that will probably become more clear soon.  Anywhoodle, I've got another shade from the Rainbow Honey March Mystery Bag to share with you today!  Click through to see the rest of the swatches!

Rainbow Honey Kozmic Blues Swatches

Hello, all!  Today I've got just one color fro the Rainbow Honey March 2015 Mystery Bag to show you.  In the past, I've been able to do a full review of the mystery bag all on one fell swoop, but time has been getting away from the past couple of weeks.  The remaining Mystery Bag items will probably go up on Friday.  Click through to see the rest of the swatches!

Zoya Maria Luisa Swatches

Hey, guys!  I totally forgot I had taken these pictures and started freaking out a little bit about what other greens I had to show you...  And then I finally remembered that I had these and all was well with the world!  Click through to see the rest of the swatches...

Blogiversary Giveaway!

It's hard to believe, but today is my four year blogiversary!  My, how time flies...  I made my first blog post on this date in 2011, and a lot has changed since then.  I went from working in retail to working in hospitality, a switch I'm glad I made.  I went from posting sporadically to a regular update schedule.  I went from mostly swatching eyeshadow to almost exclusively featuring nail polish.  I went from not owning any nail polish to having a ginormous stash and feeling naked if I don't have something on my nails.  Thank you for reading my silly little blog and coming along for the ride.  I really appreciate it.  And I'm holding a blogiversary giveaway to show you, my readers, some much-deserved appreciation!  There are two prizes, and eight ways to enter.  The giveaway is open to all readers ages 18+, and ends at 12:00 a.m. 3/23/15.  Winners will be posted next Monday, 3/23, and required to provide contact info within 48 hours or forfeit their prize.  Good luck!

Prizes:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

First Impressions - FingerPaints Gel-Like Base and Top Coats + Hard As Steel Strengthener

*Press Sample*

Today is going to be a rare day in that I will not have any nail photos in my post!  I want to talk to you guys about some products that FingerPaints graciously sent for my review.  Last week I told you about their new Grab It! Base Coat and Smooth Over Ridge Filler, which I really liked.  This week, I have a product that I was pretty neutral about and two that just didn't work for me.  Click through to read more.

Zoya Stassi Swatches

Hey, guys!  Today I have another fantastic Zoya polish share with you.  Stassi came out as part of the 2014 Bubbly collection alongside Harper, Binx, Muse, Alma, and Jesy.  Click through to see the rest of the swatches!

Zoya Severine Swatches

Hey, guys!  Today I've got a color from Zoya's NYNH mystery trio to share with you.  There was some controversy surrounding these colors when people saw them earlier this year.  Click through to read more and see the rest of the swatches!

First Impressions - FingerPaints Smooth Over Ridge Filler + Grab It! Base Coat

*Press Sample*

Hey, guys!  Today I've got a couple of new products to show you from FingerPaints.  These items were kindly sent for me to review.  When I was initially contacted about these products, I was particularly interested in one item: Smooth Over Ridge Filler.  I haven't invested in a ridge-filling base coat because not all of my nails have ridges, but I do have one very prominent ridge that was caused by a nailbed trauma I suffered at the proverbial hands of a swingset chain while babysitting in my late teens.  Warning: the remainder of this introductory blurb is somewhat graphic and may cause unpleasant mental imagery, so please skip the italicized portion if you are sensitive to that sort of thing.  One of the kids ran out in front of me while I was swinging with the other kid, and in I dug my toes into the sand in order to avoid hitting him.  I had simultaneously tightened my grip on the chain - which resulted in my finger getting caught in one of the links - and it got a pretty good yank as I slid off of the swing and to the ground.  A bit of my cuticle ripped, and a small portion of my nail grew out black.  Ever since that incident, my nail has had the gnarly ridge you see below.

Click through to read about my first impression about this product!

Zoya Zuza + Muse Swatches

Hey, guys!  Today I've got a look for you that I absolutely loved!  I hated to take it off, and I almost didn't have to thanks to a couple of products I'm going to talk about on Friday, but it was time for a change.  Check out that sparkle, and click through to see the rest of the swatches!

Zoya Myrta Swatches

Hey, guys!  Today I've got a couple of Zoyas to share with you that I ordered during the New year New Hue promotion.  Say what you will about the mystery shades, the interpretation of the promotional verbiage, and the shipping times, but there's no denying it was a fantastic deal (and well worth the wait, in my opinion).

100 Day No-Buy Update

Today is the halfway mark in my 100 day no-buy, and it hasn't been easy!  I almost broke down when I won a $30 credit to the Deborah Lippmann website through a Twitter contest.  The credit had to be used within the week, and If I only got one color, $10 would go to waste!  Luckily, through the magic of the internet, I was able to find a fellow blogger who was willing to help me out by using my code to order two bottles and then mailing mine to me!  How awesome is that?!  I was really close to getting a second shade and bending the rules since I didn't pay full price for it, but ultimately I stayed strong!  Combine that temptation with all of the awesome LEs and Spring collections that have been coming out (Delush's Spring to Conclusions collection is particularly noteworthy, as I want every single one of them) and it's been extremely difficult to say the least.  I had been hoping I could even last longer than 100 days, but I just don't see that happening at this point.  There is just too much amazing stuff coming out right now, and there will be even more in the next month and a half!

KBShimmer Don't Teal Anyone Swatches

Hey, guys!  Today I've got another "oldie but goodie" to share with you!  This is one that I've had trouble photographing in the past, but I think I finally got it this time.  Click through to see the rest of the swatches!

SUPER BLACK Lacquers Blitz Swatches

Hello, there!  Today, I've got another polish that was on my wish list for a long time before I managed to snap it up.  Blitz was released as part of the Summer 2013 collection, alongside Plip and Dusted, which I've swatched previously.  Click through to see the rest of the swatches!

Sally Hansen Jazzy Jade Swatches

Hey, everybody!  Today I've got a great shade that I thought I had swatched a while back, but hadn't!  It's a nice Springy color (at least in my opinion), too, so it's definitely worth checking out for those of you in search of a fun new color to complement your Spring wardrobe.  Click through to see the rest of the swatches!

Rainbow Honey February 2015 Mini Mystery Bag Swatches

Hey, guys!  I've got another big post for you today.  Last month, I subscribed to the Rainbow Honey Mini Mystery Bag, which was to be the sole exception to my 100 day no-buy.  Looking forward to these amazing colors really helps curb the desire to buy everything I see!  The February Mystery Bag is, unfortunately, already sold out.  It included three nail polishes, a scented cuticle balm, perfume oil, and foot massage lotion.  This month's fragrance was carnival candy, and it's a light, sugary-sweet smell that is reminiscent of cotton candy.  I found that the perfume oil had a much lighter fragrance than the lotion and the cuticle balm and faded pretty quickly for me, but I'm not much for perfumes in the first place so that didn't really bother me.  The foot lotion was fantastic.  I stand pretty much my entire shift at work, so my feet are usually pretty weary by the time I get home.  This is especially true if I run errands before or after work and/or work through my break.  I used a small amount of the massage lotion on each foot, and it really felt great on my poor, neglected feet.  The cuticle balm seems to moisturize really intensely, which is great because we've been having cold, dry weather here and it's been really difficult to keep my cuticles in check.  Click through to see what else I got!

Sinful Colors Exotic Green Swatches

Why, helloooooo there!  Fancy seeing you here!  I had hoped to have my February Rainbow Honey mystery bag swatches for today, but the weather has not been cooperating the past couple of days.  It was gloomy all day yesterday, then flurrying this morning, then sunny, then cloudy again, then back to sunny with flurries! Madness!  So I had to pass on swatching and bump up this post that I had prepared for Friday.  It features some nail art and a couple of nice greens!  Click through to see the rest of the swatches!

FingerPaints Picnic in the Park Collection Swatches

*Press Sample*

Hello, everybody!  I hope you guys enjoyed the Valentine-themed posts last week.  We're going to start this week on a very picture-heavy note because FingerPaints generously provided me with samples of the Picnic in the Park collection to share with you!  This is the nail mail I posted about late Tuesday night last week, and let me tell you, it was incredibly hard for me not to forgo the Valentine theme and post them sooner.  Click through to see all the swatches!

SUPER BLACK Lacquers Rinse + Repeat Swatches

Hey, guys!  Today I'll be showing you my final Valentine-inspired nail look.  Enjoy!

100 Day No-Buy Update

I made it through the first 30 days of my no-buy!  Almost a third of the way through, and it's been incredibly difficult.  There are tons of companies releasing LEs, Spring/Summer collections, and launching nail polish lines right now.  It's almost as though they've all come together and agreed to make this no-buy as difficult for me as they possibly can.  Ha!  But, like I said before, I am enjoying the fact that it's given me time to go back and swatch some colors that I might not have gotten to otherwise!  So it's a good thing, even if my wish list is growing practically every day.

OPI Monsooer or Later Vs. Zoya Maura Comparison Swatches

Hey, guys!  Sticking to Valentine's Day-inspired posts, today I've got a re-swatch and comparison of one of my first favorite nail polishes, which happens to be a bright red creme!

Coming Soon...

Since this week I had already planned out Valentine-themed posts, it will have to wait until next week, but without giving too much away...  I got some exciting nail mail today. :)

Zoya Harper Swatches

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!  Personally, I'm not big on Valentine's Day celebrations, but I do like to do some festive things with my nails when holidays roll around, sooo all of my posts this week will be Valentine-themed in some way or another!  Click through to see what I did with this glittery pink jelly!

FingerPaints Van Gogh's Violet Swatches

Hellooooo!  Today I have another FingerPaints polish to show you.  I picked this up a while back...  At the same time as I picked up Amethyst Accent, actually, because FingerPaints was on sale at Sally and I hadn't tried them before.  It's a fun glitter topper in the same shade of purple as Amethyst Accent, so I decided to use them together for this look!

Press Release - FingerPaints Picnic in the Park

Hey, guys!  Today I'm going to tell you about the upcoming FingerPaints Picnic in the Park collection.  It looks like there are some solid cremes and fun glitters in this collection, so I'm looking forward to it!  Click through to see the promo image and let me know what you think in the comments!

Sally Hansen Lickety-Split Lime + China Glaze Optical Illusion Swatches

Hey, guys!  I hope you're all enjoying the new update schedule.  I'm having a lot of fun with it, and I don't want to say too much, but I've got some cool stuff that I'm really excited about in the works.  Today I've got a bright, fun mani for you!

KBShimmer Pretty In Punk + China Glaze Emerald Fitzgerald Swatches

Hey, guys!  Today I'm going to show you a fantastic multichrome holo from KBShimmer.  Sadly, this color is discontinued and out of stock, so it looks like the only way to get it at this point would be from a trade or blog sale.

SUPER BLACK Lacquers Dusted Swatches

Hey, guys!  Today I have another SBL to show you, and it's absolutely gorgeous.  I've had my eye on this for a while and was lucky enough to snag it in an order earlier this month.

FingerPaints Amethyst Accent + Jamberry Pocket of Posies Swatches

Today I've got another purple shade and a Jamberry nail wrap to share with you!

Update - That Lacquer Girl is on Bloglovin'!

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Safety Issues Surrounding Neon Pigments

Hi, guys! Today I'm going to talk some more about a pretty serious issue: neon pigments in cosmetics.  Neon pigments (that is, colors that are UV-responsive) are NOT approved for use in the eye area. The dyes used to create UV-responsive colors can cause adverse reactions when used in the eye area, even sometimes negatively affecting the wearer's eyesight. There are many sellers out there, large- and small-scale that create and sell neon products and, appropriately, advising consumers that the colorants are not FDA-approved for eye use and not to apply them on or around the eye area. There are other sellers out there, however, that have no such warning.  It is all too easy to buy some jars, slap a handwritten "100% Natural" label on them, and dump soap dyes in them for resale.  I wrote about this a few years back, in regard to a specific company, when this seemed to be happening fairly frequently.  I noticed yesterday that I got a significant amount of hits from a Reddit thread last year questioning a newer company that appeared to be selling soap dyes as eyeshadow.  That company is still operating and selling neon pigments as eyeshadows, so I thought it was an important topic to bring up again.  Always do your research.  I wouldn't want anybody out there unwittingly causing themselves harm just to glow under a blacklight for a few hours.  You can view my list of brands I do not support to see a handful of companies doing this, and other sketchy stuff.  Always be wary of thing like this - especially when it comes to things you wear on or around the eye area - and research everything that seems too good to be true.  Stay safe out there!

OPI My Voice Is A Little Norse + Do You Have This Color In Stock-Holm? Swatches

Hey, guys!  Today I've got two more colors from the OPI Nordic collection for you!  I had swatched these around the same time as the other Nordic collection colors I have, which I posted back in August.  For some reason, though, I put these swatches on Tumblr and not here.  Whoops!

Ginger + Liz I'm So Over Him + Kicking & Screaming Swatches

Hey, guys!  Today I've got another color that I've had for a while and hadn't swatched (and one that I posted on Tumblr that didn't make it over here for some reason).  The 100 day no-buy is going well, and giving me a chance to swatch some of the colors that I've had just sitting around.  I'll admit, there are a few things that have tempted me, but I'm actually feeling pretty good about it.  Without further ado, go ahead and click through for the swatch!

Sinful Colors Ice Dream Swatches

Hey, guys!  Today I was inspired to finally swatch Sinful Colors Ice Dream!

Rainbow Honey January 2015 Mini Mystery Bag Swatches

Today I've got a lot of stuff to talk about!  I recently subscribed to the Rainbow Honey Mini Mystery Bag, which is the sole exception to my 100 day no-buy.  Not wanting to miss out, I also purchased the January bag separately from my subscription.  I received the January bag on Saturday, and today I'm going to talk about everything that was in it.

KBShimmer Flannel Surfing + Rust No One Swatches

Hello, everybody!  Today I've got two polishes to show you from the KBShimmer Fall 2014 collection.  Right away when I saw the promo shots for this collection, I thought that these two colors would go beautifully together.

SUPER BLACK Lacquers HBIC Swatches

Hey, guys!  Today I'm really excited to show you another shade from SUPER BLACK Lacquer!  I have had my eye on this one for a long time, but seeing as how I don't have infinite disposable income and Natalie has SO many beautiful selections, this one had to wait.

Butter London Scouse Swatches

Hey, guys!  Today I'm swatching another Butter London shade.  This one was really tricky to photograph, so you're going to find several pictures behind the cut!

Revlon Parfumerie Wintermint Swatch

Hey, guys!  Today I'm swatching a color that I've actually worn several times but never gotten around to photographing until now.

Update - Lots of New Stuff on the Way!

First of all, I want to let you guys know I signed up for Rainbow Honey's mini mysetery bag subscription.  After mulling over various beauty bag subscription services for awhile, I found myself swayed by Phyrra's Fails and Holy Grails of 2014 video and went with Rainbow Honey.  I received an E-mail yesterday telling me my first mystery bag was being processed for shipping (I didn't want to miss a month so I purchased the January mystery bag separately from my subscription), and I'm really excited for it to arrive!

 Next, I'm pleased to say that I ordered five more colors from Super Black Lacquers: Bruiser, Dusted, Rinse + Repeat, Blitz, and HBIC.  I always try to order five SBLs at a time because Natalie offers a discount of $1 per bottle when you order 3 or more, and $2 per bottle when you order 5 or more.  She also packages the bottles in a really cute, foil embossed box when you get five.  If you haven't tried Super Black Lacquers yet, there's a mystery gift box option that includes five assorted colors for just $45.  I have seven colors from SBL and they are all gorgeous.

And last but not least, I'd like to mention that there are only two days left in Zoya's New Year New Hue promotion.  You can get any three polishes plus a limited edition set of three minis for $15 shipping.  Plus when you select an additional $25 in merchandise your shipping is free.  I ended up taking advantage of this offer twice, so I'll essentially be getting 12 shades at half price plus six free minis.  What a steal!

And now that I've told you about all of the stuff I've bought lately, I'm going to tell you that I'm enacting a no-buy (the only exception being the Rainbow Honey mystery bags, which I hope will be enough to tide me over).  I've seen several bloggers talking about doing a 100 day no-buy, and I felt like that would be a really good idea for me.  My hope is that I can make it even longer than 100 days, but I have a feeling some Summer collections will be calling my name by then.  Only time will tell!

Editing to add: I just remembered I also picked up Clearly on Top, Jack, and Flannel Surfing from KBShimmer! Even more reason for me to be on a no-buy... -_-' But Jack is a LE color and I wanted to snag that while it was still in stock, so I feel pretty justified in that purchase.

Formula X for Sephora Vortex Swatches

 I've got another Formula X for Sephora swatch to show you today!  This color reminded me of a Zoya that I absolutely love.  Click through to find out which one!

Formula X for Sephora Infamous Swatches

Our desktop is back up and running (for now)!  I've had these photos for a while now and just haven't gotten around to editing them, so I apologize in advance since I know I won't remember some of the details for this particular nail of the day...

Update: I'm Still Here!

I can't believe I haven't posted a swatch since October! I am so sorry, guys! There have been a number of reasons, but I don't want to make excuses. I have taken some pictures, and I plan to update more in 2015. Unfortunately, that's on hold at the moment, as our desktop has broken down again.  I still have my phone and my little laptop, but my editing software is on the desktop, so I have to wait until it's operational again to post new swatches. I will say that I just took advantage of Zoya's current New Year New Hue promotion, so I have nail mail on the way! If you haven't seen anything about this promo yet, it's awesome. You can pick any three colors and Zoya will include three limited edition minis, and you only pay $15 shipping. If you break that down in terms of what you're actually paying for, your full size bottles are essentially 45% off and you get the three minis for free. But on top of that, they're offering free shipping on orders with an additional $25 purchase. So I just got the entire Bubbly collection for half price, plus the minis. If you have $27 to spend and you want to add some Zoya to your collection, this deal is really great and I highly recommend checking it out.  I hope to be posting swatches again soon so I can show you my new goodies!