a-england - She Walks in Beauty

She walks in Beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which Heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

"She Walks in Beauty" (1814)
     - Lord Byron

**********

     I'm so happy to finally get around to posting some a-england! I have a particular fondness for this brand. Everything about the a-england concept and aesthetic has drawn me in. The collections are so well thought out, and the polishes themselves are gorgeous. The boyfriend and I celebrated our three year anniversary earlier this month, so of course I wanted to wear a special polish. a-england She Walks in Beauty was my dreamy, romantic pick. (Now, by this point, I usually would have extensively fangirled about a-england or babbled on about my motivation behind choosing this polish. Lucky for you, my lovies, I'm in a "more pictures, less words" sort of mood.)

     She Walks in Beauty from a-england's Heavenly Quotes collection. It is composed of extra fine pale golden shimmer and both small and large rose-coloured hex glitter in a clear base. I'm not usually big on gold, but the particular shade of shimmer used in this polish (and the effect it gives) is delicate and ethereal. The rose glitter is feminine, but doesn't scream "girly." I think it's a perfect combination. I imagine that other glitter/shimmer polishes want to look this elegant and sophisticated when they grow up.

 

 

     For this manicure, I layered two coats of a-england She Walks in Beauty over a-england Iseult. One coat of Seche Vite was used. (Side note: I bought Iseult specifically for this combination. Months ago, I had considered using gold undies, but preferred the effect of a pink base colour for contrast. When I realized that I lacked the specific sort of pale pink polish I was looking for, well, you know how it goes... Hello, legit excuse reason to buy more a-england!) One coat of polish would have been enough glitter-wise, but I wanted a more pronounced veil of shimmer. Application was effortless, the formula was just thick enough, and the glitter dispersed perfectly on the nail.

 



 

 

     Ugh, this polish is so beautiful that I almost can't take it. I felt like a fraking princess wearing this. My newly polish obsessed fellow bartender noted that while she initially thought I was wearing pink polish, my nails later looked gold to her, and even silver. Good eye, young Padawan, good eye. There is a definite shift depending on the light and angle. I wore this combo for three shifts at work, with minimal tipwear and only a small chip on my dominant hand by the end of the third night. (Pics are from days one and two.) Removal took a little bit of effort, but nothing too crazy. I didn't want to take this polish off, though. It made me feel, well, pretty.

 

     One last shot that I hope shows the complexity of She Walks in Beauty. If you look at the sides of my nail, in the shadow, you can better see the glitter and shimmer particles. Swoon.

 



     If you live in the UK, you can purchase She Walks in Beauty directly from a-england. Otherwise, check out the list of international distributors. It's currently in stock at  Llarowe for $10, which is where I purchased my bottle. You can keep up with a-england on Facebook here. Hope everyone has a lovely second half of the week!

XOXO,
Riotbettyx

Contrary Polish - Better Together

     Lately, I've been wanting to wear grey nail polish. All the time. Here's the deal: I love any variation of black polish. Blue is my favourite colour, and I'm a fan of how the darker shades look on me. I feel the need to own all the blue/greens. (Oh my glob. So many teals/aquas/mints/et cetera.) Purple is my comfortable go-to. Grey, though... This infatuation is pretty new. Dark greys. Light greys. Cremes. Shimmers. Some glitter thrown in for good measure. I want to wear it every day. Maybe because it's neutral without being boring. Edgy, but not in-your-face. Maybe because I want to wear pastels during the winter and vampy colours in the summer. Grey seems like a perfect compromise colour. Anyway. Onwards...

     Today's grey is Contrary Polish Better Together, from the Spring 2013 Love Lyrics Collection. In the glitter-bombed indie world, Contrary Polish stands out for its shimmer. See for yourself.

 

 

     Better Together is a blue-leaning grey with turquoise shimmer. I wish I had some nice direct sunlight pics to show off the pretty shimmer, but I don't. I sleep in pretty late, and the daily round of afternoon thunderstorms has normally started by the time I pull out my camera. (Oh, Florida Summer weather... I'm already a bad blogger, and you just make it worse.) You can still see some shimmer in the pics I do have, though. Kinda glowy on the nail, and definitely there in the bottle. I feel like this is a very classy shade of grey, and I felt mellow and composed while wearing it.

 

 

 

 



     The formula of Better Together is good. It felt a little thicker than some of my other Contrary Polishes, but not bad thick. More like, nice and creamy thick, which made it easy to control. Application was easy, and I only needed two coats for opacity. Seche Vite helped bring out the shimmer. (Yes, I still haven't tried out a different top coat. I'm working on that.) This polish went through two days of abuse at work, with no chipping and only minor tipwear to report.

 

 

 

     Even if grey polish isn't your thing, I really recommend checking out Contrary Polish. Their formulas are excellent. The beautiful contrasting shimmer is a welcome change if you're like me and love sparkle, but hate removing glitter. I'm a fan of how some of the shades are more muted or dusty, and they have some gorgeous blues. Better Together is currently available from Llarowe for $11. You can catch a sneak peek of some about to be released new pretties on the Contrary Polish Facebook page.

 

     Finally, because I feel like I should...

 

 

 XOXO,

Riotbettyx



 



Zoya - Zuza

     Well, hey there, lovies! Hope everyone is doing well. Super busy past week and a half here. I made a quick last minute trip back home to see my mom while she was in the country. I also got to hang out with my dad on Father's Day and spend time with my delightful little nephew. It was a good couple of days. :) My restaurant reopened after its remodel. The bar is completely different. It's beautiful, but we're still working out the kinks in its functionality. Between making some major adjustments and having the bigwigs from corporate hanging around, work has been pretty stressful, and I've just been wiped out. All I want to do is paint my nails, but I get home from work and pass out...

     Today's polish is one I wore a little while ago to brighten up a dreary day. Zoya Zuza is from the Summer 2012 Surf Collection. I love this one! It's such a beautiful, beachy, summer colour.

     Zuza is described by Zoya as a "deep, saturated, oceanic turquoise with gold and silver metallic shimmer and a foil-like finish." I absolutely adore this shade. Such a perfect mix of blue and green! I can see this one being flattering on most skin tones. I have a bunch of aqua/turquoise polishes, but Zuza is unique to my collection. The formula is wonderful. Coverage was really good with one coat. Photos show two coats, topped with Seche Vite. (I know that I previously mentioned occasional shrinkage with the Zoya/Seche combo, but no problems this time!) I didn't have any issues controlling the polish, but if you're like me and have ADD when it comes to application, beware of leftover shimmer particles post clean-up.

 

     Sadly, I only got to wear this beauty for two days. I blame it on a busy night at work, but a weird thing happened. I didn't get tipwear in the traditional sense. It didn't chip, either. It just kinda shredded off. That's the only way I can describe it. Random jagged little pieces tore off my tips. I tried to patch up my mani, but the same thing happened after the second night. Sad panda. I'll have to wear this one again when I'm not guaranteed to wreck it.



 

     I'd normally babble on more about this polish, but seriously? Look at it! It's gorgeous. The pictures should be enough to convince you. Also, I'm currently watching/listening to the director's commentary on the Les Misérables DVD. So, yeah, I'm a little distracted. To make it up to you, how about a pic of the always adorable Luna? She's always around for my polish related activities. She loves "girl time." Lol. Little princess usually falls asleep by my feet while I'm snapping away with the camera. Below is her normal napping position of choice. <3



     Zuza is available for purchase from Zoya for $8. Zoya is always doing awesome promotions, so you should follow them on Facebook so that you don't miss out.

XOXO,
Riotbettyx

Zoya - Kimber

     There are times when you really need a cheery pop of colour in your life. Zoya Kimber is a polish that was up for the task. I must admit, though, that I'm weird about pink. Pink clothing is extremely flattering on me (especially when paired with black), but I can't say that I'm a huge fan of all things pink. In fact, I used to hate it because it was considered a "girl colour." Still, as I've gotten older, it's grown on me, and I find myself drawn to certain shades of pink. Bright, glowy pinks? Oh, I'm a sucker for those. That's where Kimber comes in.

     Kimber is from Zoya's Summer 2012 Surf Collection. Zoya describes it as a "rich, bright and saturated medium magenta pink with strong gold metallic shimmer and a foil-like finish. A huge hit of color and a shot of shiny gold metal make this polish look electric." Yep, pretty accurate there, Zoya. To me, Kimber seemed more strawberry pink in natural light and slightly red-leaning in artificial light. The gold shimmer is amazing! It gives the polish a glowy depth that makes me feel like I can't totally focus on it. The vibrant base also had a jelly-like appearance to it that made me think of Jolly Ranchers. Mmm, candy... Anyway, I love the warmth that this polish has. I adore pinks that look like they want to be coral, but are definitely still pink.

 

 





     I was really surprised by how well this polish applied! The formula was fantastic. I was expecting it to be on the sheer side, but I got great coverage with one coat. Photos show two easy coats, topped with Seche Vite. Speaking of Seche Vite... does anyone have a problem with it not wanting to play well with certain Zoyas? That's not tipwear you see in my pics, it's shrinkage. I've had this problem with several of my non-creme finish Zoyas. This polish did have a fast dry time, so maybe that's why. Suggestions? (Also, thoughts on A England's The Shield and Cult Nails' Wicked Fast? I've been considering trying both of those.) Unfortunately, between the shrinkage and an intensive cleaning night at work, this mani didn't make it past day one intact. No matter. Kimber was such a mood booster for me that I went ahead and wore my wrecked polish a for second day.

     Kimber is available from Zoya for $8. The rest of the Surf Collection is also available and totally worth checking out. I'm off to try to take a quick nap. Apparently, I'm a masochist, because I've volunteered to go into work to clean from 8-10 AM as we start the renovation on our store. I was so excited for shiny new things that I completely blocked out the fact that I'm normally just falling asleep at 8 AM. We'll see how this goes. Hope everyone has a fantastic Monday!

XOXO,
Riotbettyx

OPI - Meet Me on the Star Ferry (for Diana)

Sunset and evening star, And one clear call for me! And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea, But such a tide as moving seems asleep, Too full for sound and foam, When that which drew from out the boundless deep Turns again home. Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark! And may there be no sadness of farewell, When I embark; For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place The flood may bear me far, I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crost the bar. "Crossing the Bar" (1889)      - Alfred Lord Tennyson **********          So, this is not the post I had planned. I had a couple of Harry Potter inspired polishes lined up to show you, as well has some fun spring/summer colours. I was excited to be blogging again after my recent hiatus. Then, last Wednesday, the boyfriend got some horrible news. His mother had suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. The last couple of days have been exhausting, as the family has been trying to make arrangements and such, all the while grieving and trying to make sense of what happened. The shock has not worn off.      I've been trying to be the supportive girlfriend. I love the bf, and his mother was always so warm and caring towards me. It's difficult to see him in so much pain, but I don't think I'm emotionally equipped to be much comfort. I chalk that up to my military upbringing. I could safely rescue you from a catastrophic weather event, but you would want someone else there with you as you sifted through what remained of your house and possessions. I've been staying strong, taking care of our day-to-day and finances. This doesn't mean I haven't cried while alone in the shower, or that this post is easy to type.      Sunday was the memorial service. I wanted to wear a polish that would serve as my unspoken tribute to her. It might seem like a trivial thing, but my mind appreciated focusing on something tangible, and I agonized over what to wear. Polish addicts often plan out their manicures days (or weeks) in advance when it comes to birthdays, holidays, major life events. But what polish does one wear to what is basically the funeral of the woman who was to be one's mother-in-law? It's not a pleasant thing to think about, but it was important to me.

Crossing the Bar Alfred Tennyson
1889

 

 

     OPI Meet Me on the Star Ferry is from their Spring 2010 Hong Kong Collection. The "Star Ferry Co Ltd" name was inspired by the poem above. I don't really want to explain my polish choice past that. I haven't shared this with the bf yet. I don't know if I will.

    

 

 

 

     All photos are two coats of Meet Me on the Star Ferry and one coat of Seche Vite. Any bubbles are the result of my sleep deprived application, not the fault of the polish. This polish looks different in every light, sometimes cooler or warmer. Frosty or crazy shimmery. Pink, purple, brown. I don't feel much like describing it in depth. Photos are all colour accurate, to an extent. (Let's say that they capture the spirit of the polish.) I'm just not that concerned this time. There are other, more perfect, swatches out there. These are being posted with love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 







     I'm hoping that my next post will be more upbeat. I got word a few hours ago that my own mother is in the hospital. Keep us in your thoughts, as you all are in mine.

 

XOXO,

Riotbettyx

 

 

 

China Glaze - Running in Circles

    Happy St. Patrick's Day, lovies! Hope everyone is having a great day and celebrating safely. This holiday is close to my heart. Unfortunately, I'm only celebrating in spirit. Allergies, asthma, and crazy Florida weather have combined to leave me nice and sick for the past couple of days. I've pretty much just been waking up to go to work and passing back out when I go home. I have today off, so I'm putting my rest time to good use and actually getting some posts up!

    In the St. Patty's spirit, I've got a gorgeous green polish to show you today. China Glaze Running in Circles is definitely an attention grabber. I wore this for two days at work and got so many compliments. One of my coworkers actually stopped a story mid-sentence to comment on my nails. She was distracted by the shiny. ;)

     Running in Circles is a beautiful bright green glassfleck shimmer. It has a bit of a golden flash and is just so bright and stunning. I loved this on. It was more opaque than I thought it would be and covered fully in only two coats. The formula was wonderful and there were no problems with application. (Okay, there was one problem, but it wasn't the fault of the polish itself. My brush was a little wonky. Actually, about half of my brushes from China Glaze's Cirque du Soleil collection were messed up. A couple of them were so bad that I actually took scissors to them to trim the frayed parts. Not the end of the world, but I hadn't read about anyone else having this problem, so I thought I'd mention it. This particular brush left me with a little more clean-up than normal, so I apologize for the little gold specks that just didn't want to come off my skin...)

     This polish wore pretty well. After a busy night at work, I only had one chip on my dominant hand. Patched it up when I got home. The next night was even busier and left me with a chip on my other hand. I can't totally blame this on the polish though. I might have added a little too much thinner to my bottle of Seche Vite. Whoops. Tipwear was minimal. Removal was easy. Not creme finish easy, but still easy. I was careful with the cotton pads so that I wouldn't be left with tiny gold sparkles everywhere.

     One last pic to show you how pretty it is! If you love greens, Running in Circles is definitely one that I would recommend. It was released last year and should still be pretty easy to find.

XOXO,
Riotbettyx