Stardust Polish * Alice in Wonderland Collection

Deja vu?  NO!  Drema revamped her Alice in Wonderland collection.  She is a more experienced indie maker now, and is a true Alice lover, so why NOT do another collex?  There are six polishes in this collection, three have holo glitters, one is a subtle holo, and one is a thermal!  I literally cannot pick a favorite.  I was sad to take each one off after swatching.  I liked each one more than the last!  I hope y'all like them too!

*NOTE: There was another brush issue that I will discuss below.

First is Flowers Can't Talk, a light pink crelly base with SO many glitters.  There are yellow, pink, marigold, purple, orange, blue, white and green squares and hexes in all sizes.  Application was great, no lack of glitter in this baby!  I did two coats, no undies, sealed with OTD.  Dry time between coats was fast.

Stardust Polish Flowers Can't Talk

Next is Miss Alice, a light yellow crelly base with a mix of cornflower blue, sapphire and white hex glitters in various sizes.  I'm not normally the biggest fan of yellow polish, but I absolutely adore this one!  It's just flat out cute and is the perfect representation of Alice.  This is three coats, no undies, sealed with OTD.  Dry time was fast between coats as well.

Stardust Polish Miss Alice

This next beauty is Mr. Rabbit, a white crelly base with a mix of gold, orange, lilac and aqua holo glitters.  This polish is so gorgeous!  I did three coats, no undies, OTD to top.  My picture doesn't do the polish justice; in the right light this sparkles like you wouldn't believe!

Stardust Polish Mr. Rabbit

Up next is the thermal Simply Mad.  When warm it is clear, when cold it turns to a pretty fuchsia.  It has magenta and light pink hex glitters and holo squares.  I did three coats, no undies.  Next time, I want to put a nude base on so the VNL isn't there.  

Stardust Polish Simply Mad, transition

Stardust Polish Simply Mad, cold, warm & transition

Holy balls!  This MIGHT be my favorite...if I HAD to pick, but of course I can't lol Very Merry Unbirthday is a "kitchen sink" glitter topper.  The mix of glitters is redonk and so freakin awesome!  From Stardust Polish's description: "Very Merry Unbirthday is a glitter topper filled with red, pink, magenta, silver & iridescent glitter." but guise! there is SO much more in there! I want to put this on top of EVERYTHING!  I chose to put it over Spoiled Permission to Proceed because it reminded me of t the Mad Hatter lol This is two thin coats sealed with OTD.

Stardust Polish Very Merry Unbirthday

And lastly, Yes, Your Majesty.  This is a gorgeous bright red jelly holo.  Of course, I have no complaints.  Drema is the Holo Queen after all.  The name is fitting :)  The holo isn't as strong as Royalty.  It's not a "holo dusted", but its not a strong linear either.  I'd call it a weak linear, or "subtle holo" lol weak sounds bad.  Anywho, I used two coats sealed with SV.

Stardust Polish Yes, Your Majesty

Stardust Polish Yes Your Majesty

*Brush issue: a few of my brushes were curved again.  It was a little difficult to apply, but not impossible.  I swatched these polishes basically straight out of my mailbox.  After checking them again in the morning, they were straighter.  I live in South Florida, it's summer, its hot as Satan's buttcrack, especially in a mailbox all day.  I figure if you let your polish sit at room temp, the brushes will go back to almost normal.  

As always, if you have any concerns with your brushes, contact Drema with a picture of the brush and she will send you a replacement.  (stardust polish@gmail.com)

Alright lovelies! Until next time! Visit Stardust Polish and buy ALL the things!

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Follow me on Pinterest and IG @nauti_mermaid

Super Special Cameo Colours Lacquers Package!

Well if you follow me on IG, you know I got a thuper ah-mah-zing package from CCL!

I originally ordered Hex-Sea and I Know It and You're Sapphired.  BUT I was Cameo's 500th Etsy order so she threw in a slough of other godies and surprises!

She sent me the Devine collex (minus Pele that I already had). AND she made a polish named after me!!! One Nauit Mermaid is a glitter thermolinear holo polish.  You're dead, right?  I know, me too!!

I used Athena and topped it with some Different Dimension Social Suicide (because I was watching Mean Girls).

Cameo Colours Lacquers Athena

Cameo Colours Lacquers Athena topped with
Different Dimension Social Suicide

I just love this polish.  It's a pearly holo.  I never got a sun shot though :[ sadness.

Hold on to your butt.  You're Sapphired is amazing.  I stand by my statement that the holo on this baby is right up there with the Color Club holos.

Cameo Colours Lacquers You're Sapphired

Cameo Colours Lacquers You're Sapphired
sun

Application was good.  A tad thick, but manageable.

If you lost your butt with the last pics, go find it because you need to hold on to it again!  One Nauti Mermaid is everything great about indie polish.  There's holo hex blue/teal glitter, its holo, and its thermal!!!

Cameo Colours Lacquers One Nauti Mermaidwarm, cold, & transition

When warm, ONM is a slivery light blue; when cold it is teal.  I did an accent of You're Sapphired because: holo.

I am so flattered to have a polish made and named for me! (now I just need someone to notice me in public, see my nails and say "OMG! You're Nauti Mermaid form IG!")

Go check out Cameo Colours on Etsy.  A slightly modified "Nauti Mermaid" polish will be available when supplies arrive! woot woot!

Lots of Manis!

Oyyy why do I put these off?! lol Let's get in to it!

I ordered more Lime Crime polish!  This is two coats Peaches <3 Cream (Peaches & Cream??).  As with the other two LC's I've used, the first coat is a little streaky, but a good thick coat followed by a thin second coat gets the job done.

Lime Crime Peaches <3 Cream

I stumbled on my Cameo Colours Lacquers thermolinear holo polishes and gave Sun Kissed a go. This is two coats, no undies.  Wonderful application and a great thermal effect.  I never did get a good sun holo pic of this one :[  When warm the polish is a light yellow when warm and a nice tangerine orange when cold.

Cameo Colours Lacquers Sun Kissed
Left, warm; Right cold

Cameo Colours Lacquers Sun Kissed
transition

Check out Cameo Colours Lacquers by clicking here to visit her Etsy shop.  Stay tuned for my second post where I show some amazingness!!! (If you follow me on IG, you already know! ;]) 
IG: @CameoColoursLacquers

Next I painted a pretty go-to of mine.  Essie Turquoise and Caicos.  I WAS going to do a mint to orange gradient that I saw in some magazine.  I've seriously tried that combo (and a million other mint/turquoise/orange combos) at least seven times.  Never works ;[  But this is pretty anyways.

Essie Turquoise & Caicos

I was major lacking motivation after that gradient nail-fail.  I turned to my indies to cheer me up.  I chose to use Disturbed Polish Strawberry Short-CAKE.  I did three coats, no undies.  SSC is a crelly off white/baby pink based polish with pretty mint, emerald, magenta, and pink hex glitters with a few pink squares sprinkled in.  I love my Disturbed Polish!  I need more in my life!! lol

Disturbed Polish Strawberry Short-CAKE

Visit the Disturbing Behavior shop by clicking here.  Annette also makes amazing body butters, soaps, lip balms, jewelry and more!  You're missing out if you haven't tried any!
IG: @playwanet

I wanted to do a contrasting mani and also use my super holo Nebula from Lust Nail Lacquer.  This is what I came up with.  Sally Hansen Onyx and China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy.  I did two coats of each and topped the SH with Nebula.  (I couldn't bear to cover up FFF)

Sally Hansen Onyx and China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy

Nebula was a little thick, but it turned out okay.

Lust Nail Lacquer Nebula over Sally Hansen Onyx

Go see what other awesome polish Lust Nail Lacquer has by clicking here.
IG: @LustNailLacquer

OKAY I got really excited about finding this brand.  I alllllllways saw LTHP do manis with Sation, butI could NEVER find it ANYWHERE.  I was in the check out line at Marshall's/Homegoods and there was a bin of them!  For $2.99!  I don't know if I'm a huge fan.  The formula was really watery and thin.  This is two coats of Just Lilac That.  It is very pretty though!

Sation Just Lilac That

Alrighty loves, thats my "chunk" post.  Two or three more baby posts are coming up soon!

Stardust Polish * The Grape Gatsby, Sun Drops, Cloud 9, & Royalty Reviews

Hellllllo Love Bugs!  I’m back with more swatches of Stardust Polish!  Yayayayay!  First off, let me just say, again, that Drema is THE Holo Queen!  I will be reviewing three holos and one glitter jelly.  Let’s get into it!

First is The Grape Gatsby.  It’s a dark purple jelly base with different sized white hex glitters.  There is also a smattering (9th grade vocab word!) of bluish iridescent glitter.  I used three coats, no undies, sealed with OTD topcoat.  No issues with application.  I had plenty of glitter on the brush without fishing.  Dry time was good.

Three coats Stardust Polish The Grape Gatsby

On to the holo!  This is Sun Drops from the “A Day at the Beach” collection.  I’m very persnickety (hell yeah, more vocab!) with my yellow polish selection; I own less than 10.  This one is now in my top three favorites!  Sun Drops is a crelly yellow polish with a weak linear holo effect (more scattered; but then again, the sun was not my friend the days I swatched).    The color looks slightly orange in some lights, which I really enjoyed.  Application was ok; I had issues with my brushes* which I will address below.  I used three coats, no undies.  Dry time was quick.  I topped off with SV, but the polish was almost dry by the time I put it on. 

Three coats Stardust Polish Sun Drops;
indoor light

Three coats Stardust Polish Sun Drops;
sun

Three coats Stardust Polish Sun Drops;
TL - outside, cloudy;
all others - sun

Next we have Cloud 9 also from “A Day at the Beach”.  This is another crelly based weak linear/scattered holo polish.  I can’t remember now if I did two or three coats; I want to say three, no undies.   I sealed with Seche again.  Same brush  issue.

Three coats Stardust Polish Cloud 9;
indoor light

Three coats Stardust Polish Cloud 9;
sun

I did a little comparison with Stardust Polish I’m So Blue from the Feelings Collex that I previously swatched. 

Cloud 9 vs. I’m So Blue:

To read my review on I’m So Blue, click here.

Cloud 9 is more of a jelly based polish.  The color is a shade or two darker than I’m So Blue.  I’m So Blue has a stronger linear holo effect and is more opaque than Cloud 9.  Pictured is three (or two) coats Cloud 9 and only one coat of I’m So Blue.

And here we have the best (in my opinion) for last!  Revel in the glory of Stardust Polish Royalty!!  OMG I literally squealed with excitement when I saw this little baby in may package from Drema.  I’ve had my eye on it since she first posted her swatch pics, and I still plan to purchase a full size bottle.  

Three coats Stardust Polish Royalty;
indoor light

Three coats Stardust Polish Royalty;
indoor light

Royalty is a deep purple jelly with a great linear holo effect (AND the sun cooperated for my pictures!!).  Again, three coats, no undies, sealed with SV.  It wears great (I painted them Wednesday, it’s now Friday night and have no chippage (minus a broken nail – *sob*)/tip wear.  Doesn’t seem like an overly long time, but I was digging through files at work, so I’m happy with them lasting!)  Good application.

Three coats Stardust Polish Royalty;
sun

Three coats Stardust Polish Royalty;
sun

On to the brush issue:  in all my holo minis, the brush was curved, sort of like a spoon.  I know these mini bottles are a different style from prior polishes I've received, so that may have something to do with it.  I brought it up to Drema and she assured me she checks all brushes before sending and all in my package were A-OK.  She also told me a lot of the brushes in her shipment this time were badly bent/damaged and that she would be contacting her supplier. 

As you see, I can obviously still apply the polish, it’s just a matter of finding the sweet spot (does everyone know what I mean by that, or am I the only one??  When you hold the brush a certain way, the bristles line up perfectly and hold just enough polish to give amazing application??  Idk maybe I’m weird.)  Anyways, once I got over that little hump, application was just fine. 

Overall, love the polish as usual.  Amazing quality holos.

Wanna get your paws on some Stardust Polish?  The shop will be fully restocked TODAY, Saturday July 13, at 2pm EST.

The Two-Week Review

Well, this is definitely more manageable: a few week's worth of work wrapped in one post with my commentary.  I'm thinking this will be my new "style" of blogging for a while.

I started out with a plain classy white.   Okay.  I WAS going to do some dot nail art, but I got busy playing with my lipstick.

SH White On with a dumb pose by my Lime Crime Red Velvet
Velvetine lippie 

One coat SH White On

This is one coat Sally Hansen (SH) White On.  I personally LOVE this polish's formula.  I have gotten mixed feelings when I post about White On on IG.  My bottle is absolutely perfect and I have no issues with it.  Some say their bottle's formula is lumpy like most other white polish; most agree with me though.  It's hit or miss and I suspect some bottles may be on the older side.

I have been having major polish block lately.  I feel like I have so many I want to use that I just get so flustered and can't decide.  A little saying popped in to my head one night - when in doubt, wear red.  Well thanks, self, I only have 17 reds to choose from!  I finally decided on China Glaze Hey Sailor because I was in a nauti mood I suppose.

ChG Hey Sailor

I did two coats Hey Sailor.  The formula is good.  Its kind of a crelly polish.  Not exactly opaque, not exactly jelly.

Next I have an couple indies!  First I have a thermo-linear polish from Cameo Colours Lacquers.  This is called Morning Dew.  Its a thermal polish that changes from lime green when warm to teal when cool.  And y'all know "linear" refers to ... (read with Oprah voice) ... HOLOOOO!

Cameo Colours Lacquers Morning Dew
Top - Warm; Bottom - Cold; Right - Transition

PS - Thermals are the lazy girl's ombre!!  This is a super fun polish to wear if you're in a pinch but want something...jazzy?  Yeah.  Jazzy.

I slapped on some Mod Lacquer 8-Bit Digits because...micro matte neon glitter goes with everything, duh!

Cameo Colours Lacquers Morning Dew with
Mod Lacquer 8-Bit Digits

Cameo Colours Lacquers Morning Dew with
Mod Lacquer 8-Bit Digits

I don't think I ever do very girly manis.  Girly in the sense of like pinks and flowery.  So I girl'd it up with two coats Essie Fiji with one coat Different Dimension Inner Goddess.

Essie Fiji and Different Dimension Inner Goddess

I really LOVED this look but had a big problem with the DD.  It was suuuuper thick and took forrrrevvvverrrr to dry.  My polish twinnie/bestie suggested thinner, but 1) I don't own any and 2) I think an indie brand should pay more attention to their products' quality.  I have no beef whatsoever with DD, I love the brand and have never had an issue before this particular polish.

sadface

Also this gorg mani lasted less than a day because housework is evil.

Now, who doesn't love some neon & holo???  I had seen this look floating around IG for a while and wanted to try it out forever.  I did a base of NOPI Make a Comet-Ment topped with Darling Diva I'm Fwee with an accent of Orly Passion Fruit.

Neon holo goodness

I went simple with some Julep Dianna from the June Boho Glam Maven box.  This is a OCW too!  In my opinion, Julep's formula has improved so much since I first signed up in September.  I just love this sea foamy mint color!

Julep Dianna

Still with me?  Almost done!

I don't know if I have ever expressed my intense lust after Emily de Molly's The Fifth Element on the blog before.  Besides Lime Crime Pastelchio (which I have ordered and am waiting to receive!!!), THIS was my main lemming.  I NEEDED this.  It was the holy grail of indie polish.  The most beautiful thing I had laid my eyes on.  A beautiful precious gem that needed to be mine.  Yes, I was obsessed.  Well.  Katie (@notjustnails on IG) sent it to me as a surprise.  It was originally just a polish loan if you will; I was supposed to send it back after I got to have this beauty on my nails.  BUT she was nice enough to actually GIVE it to me when she found a replacement.  I seriously died.  Enough rambling: here is two coats EDM The Fifth Element!

Emily de Molly The Fifth Element

LAST ONE!  A skittlette mani!  Now, I didn't do it exactly how you're supposed to (like ChitChatNails/@martawarmuz on IG), but close enough!!  I of course wanted more glitter.  I have been feeling very blah and empty lately and my polish twinnie/bestie had the idea a while ago for black vintage roses.  Seemed to fit my current mood; I took her idea and turned it into a red/dark/glitter rose mani.

Skittlette Dark Roses

Oy, I used so many polishes:
Pointer & Pinky: SH Cherry Red topped with Stardust Polish I'm Seeing Red
Da Bling Ring: Color Club Harp On It topped with ChG Make a Spectacle
Middle & Thumb (thumb not shown, but its there!!) - Base: Orly Naughty or Nice Roses: SH Grey Area, Cherry Red, Essie Chinchilly, SH White On & Essie Good as Gold


Find the indies!  Like what you saw?  Go check out their shops & IG's!
Cameo Colours Lacquers on Etsy @CameoColoursLacquers on IG
Mod Lacquer on Etsy @ModLacquer on IG
Different Dimension on Etsy @MissiBarry on IG
Stardust Polish on Big Cartel @StardustPolish on IG
Emily de Molly is an Aussie brand that can be found on Llarowe (or visit the link to EDM's Etsy shop to find other distributors) @EmilyDeMolly on IG

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Follow me on Pinterest & IG @nauti_mermaid

"Kelly Sucks" Month-in-Review Post

LOL guys what the hell?! I can NEVER keep up with posting my nail art!! So, heres a shit ton:

First I tried another half-moon mani!
I started out with China Glaze Pool Party as the base...

I got bored and put it under a black light because, somewhat like Jenna Marbles' neighbor, maybe I enjoy one-girl raves in my apartment.

Then I wore it out with my schmexay baby octopus ring.

Then I actually got around to the nail art part:

By now, y'all know I'm super OCD with my nails, and this wasn't PERFECT, so I added holo to make it less terrible.

And then it was perfect.

I did a Nauti Neon Mani using Make It Stick decals:

[China Glaze Yellow Polka Dot Bikini over SH White On; accent SH Onyx]

I did a quick mani using Hard Candy Piece of Papaya.  A while back I saw The Lacquerologist post about the new HC polishes and I had to have some....

Gorgeous color.  HATED the cleanup.  There is SO much shimmer/flakies that it got all over my fingers/cuticles.  I'm really not a messy polish applier, seriously.  But I had shimmer up to my knuckles!! What in the world?! I like it, but I don't want to wear it again for that reason :[

I decided to give bar glitter another try...

and remembered why I loathe it so.

Rockstar Polish Punk Rock Barbie was my first ever indie glitter.  Oh when I was young and dumb.  I. HATE. BAR. GLITTER. PERIOD END OF STORY. FOR.EV.ER. 

HOWEVER: I really loved this color combo [Essie Boxer Shorts is the base], so I did this mani.  And immediately regretted it.  Bar glitter doesn't cooperate with me.  It doesn't lay flat on my nail then snags on everything and scratches me ;[ WITH two coats of Seche!!

After that mani, I realized I had large talons...

 So I filed them back to normal and slapped on some Julep Oxygen Treatment.

I rediscovered a gorgeous Zoya polish I had [Maura] and loved how it matched my geranium.

Still with me?! Almost done!

And finally a Mermaid-y Mani using Essie Naughty Nautical [HOW perfect?!], Orly Jealous, Much? and Sparkling Garbage with a MIS nail decal.

WHEW!! CLEARLY I suck at blogging now, so I suggest y'all follow me on instagram if you don't already!! [@nauti_mermaid] I always post there the minute I have a mani done.

As usual, follow me on Pinterest too!