Polish Post: Model City Polish "Hanging On A Vine" Pics and Review

I sure am glad today is mostly over and tomorrow is FRIDAY!!  Even more importantly, Sunday is Father's Day!!!  My Dad and I are celebrating by running a 5k first thing in the morning - and when I say "first thing" I really mean it.  The race begins at 6:30 in the AM, because out here in the desert, it feels like we live on the surface of the sun during summer months by about 9 in the morning, so you get everything productive done before then, and hermit yourself the rest of the day in your nice, cool house/work office.  Phoenix is the first place I have lived where I have to cool down my car for 5 minutes before driving anywhere - and I park it in the garage O_o

In celebration of the almost-weekend, how about another polish post?? :D  Today's subject: "Hanging On A Vine" by Model City Polish (http://www.modelcitypolish.com/).  I just LOVE this polish.  LOVE LOVE LOVE it!  A few weeks back was the 2 year birthday of MCP, so she celebrated by having 40% off her polishes.  I took advantage of this sale and bought a few polishes that looked right up my alley (these were also the first purchase I made from her).  One of those colors was "Hanging On A Vine" - a beautiful sage green with a light holographic hue.  Take a look at the pictures below of the color on my nails:

Green has always been one of my favorite colors, and I'm sure it is apparent by now how much I love holographic polish ;)  So it is no wonder why I love this product!  The polish ingredients are listed individually with each color she sells, so you know what is in it and, most importantly, what is not (like formaldehyde and the likes). This polish dries to a satin finish, but I added a topcoat because I felt the gloss enhanced everything nicely.  The color is calming, and the holo effect is not overwhelming and does not take away from the sage green.  The application was smooth with no gooping or streaking, and while the polish was opaque at 2 coats, I added one more because I felt it needed it.  After applying the polish yesterday afternoon, it survived an archery lesson last night and cleaning chemicals today without the tips wearing down or chipping.  I actually took the pictures above about an hour before writing this post this afternoon!  That fact alone tells me this is a fantastic product!

Not to mention when she sent the polishes to me, they came in an adorable black sheer tote with a lollipop and a free mini crystal nail file!  I'm not sure if she sends her products that way every time, or if it was just because of the occasion, but I will find out soon when I receive the second order I placed with her yesterday ^_^

Keep Model City Polish on your list of sellers because her products really are great!  Besides polish, she also sells crystal nail files and cuticle oils.  I ordered a cuticle oil in my last order, too, so I will have that in my next MCP review, as well :)  Here are some links for you of where you can find her products to purchase, and of her facebook page (as always, please head on over, give her a "like" and let her know MomMrsAndMe sent you!)

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ModelCityPolish

Website: http://shop.modelcitypolish.com/products

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ModelCityPolish

Instagram: http://instagram.com/modelcitypolish

Hope you all survive the rest of your week - it's almost over!!  :D

Polish Post: You Polish "Anchors Away" and Mermaid Decals!

You know, Tuesday kind of gets the shaft during the week.  Tuesdays don't really have a title.  Wednesday is Hump Day, Thursday is One-Day-Away-From-Friday, Friday is, well, Friday, Saturday is the First-Day-of-the-Weekend, Sunday is Church and/or Last-Day-of-the-Weekend, Monday is Sh*t-I-Have-To-Go-Back-To-Work Day, and Tuesday is...nothing.  Poor Tuesday :(  Perhaps I will make a special kind of post that I do every Tuesday, just to make it feel more special ;)

Until I figure out what that special post will be, here's another Polish Post ^_^  Today's is brought to you by the company You Polish (www.youpolish.com).  Another indie company, all their polishes are DBP, Toluene, Formaldehyde/Resin, and Camphour free.  Hooray!!  They also do custom polishes, monthly boxes that are collaborations with other indie polish companies or jewelry companies, nail decals and stencils, lip scrubs, and all different types of polish.  Recently, they released a Harry Potter series with a holographic color that resembles each house from Hogwarts, along with a bracelet from Penchantelle (http://www.penchantelle.com), butterbeer lip scrub, and lightning bolt decals :D Here's a link to Gryffindor (you know, the best house ;) ) http://www.youpolish.com/harry-potter-godric-gryffindor/  The company is just awesome, we'll leave it at that ^_^

The polish I'm reviewing from them today is called "Anchors Away" and I used a mermaid decal I purchased from them a little while back - I actually purchased decals before I purchased polish from them because I was so ecstatic to find mermaid nail decals in a color of my choosing :P  Take a look at the pics below of the polish with the decal:

The polish is a beautiful, deep navy blue with a subtle holographic effect.  There are also beautiful, larger pieces of a royal blue glitter scattered throughout that really make the color pop in the sun.  When not in direct sunlight, the holo and glitter are more understated, but the polish still looks lovely.  The application was smooth and the color was opaque after 2 coats of polish.  The decal stuck nicely to the nail, too, without popping up on the sides.

Here's the only issue I had with the mermaid decal - the first time I ever used these, I applied my Seche Vite topcoat.  This was a mistake, as the topcoat took away the rainbow holographic effect and made the decal a matte silver color instead.  Now, the decal in the picture is still covered in Seche Vite, however this time, I put another clear coat over it first as a barrier (in this case, Nicole's anti-chip overcoat).  Once that clear coat was dry, I put on the Seche Vite and everything was peachy :) So there's nothing wrong with the decal, it just doesn't get along with Seche Vite fast dry topcoat apparently.  Keep that in mind when you purchase and use the decals from You Polish.

Overall, great polish, great brand, great products!! I look forward to purchasing more from them in the future, and encourage you to do the same!! Here's a link to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/youpolish  Head on over, give them a "like," and let them know MomMrsAndMe sent you :)

I suppose I should get back to reality now.  It's oddly quiet in the playroom where my kids are, and that is pretty much never a good thing...

Polish Post: Sneak Peak at an Above The Curve Prototype! & Scoliosis Awareness Month

It was a very long and tough week for both the Hubs and I.  My kids have unleashed their energy - and attitudes - full force.  My youngest has decided that his banshee screech would now be his most common form of communication.  Ibuprofin is my new best friend :P

Anyway... Did you know that June is Scoliosis Awareness Month?  How familiar are you with scoliosis?  I was not in the least familiar with it beyond the fact I knew it meant a curved spine.  After getting more involved with Above The Curve nail polish and their company, I learned much more about it.  I am not a doctor or a medical professional, so I will not attempt to give you straight-up facts but will instead provide you with a very informative and reliable link full of information from the Scoliosis Research Society - www.SRS.org .  I strongly encourage you to click on that link and familiarize yourself with this condition.  It is way more common than you'd think, and can be extremely painful, even life-threatening.  Learning about it, and learning to recognize the signs of it, can save lives :)

A few weeks ago, in honor of Scoliosis Awareness Month, Above The Curve Nail Polish group (Above The Curve Angels) held a nail art contest.  Here was my entry:

 Two curved spines combined to make the shape of a heart

Scoliosis Awareness Ribbon (though I got a bit dyslexic and put the white squigglies on the wrong side >.<) 

The designs I submitted won, and my prize was two polishes of my choosing!  The first I chose was one from their Doctor Who themed polishes called "Donna" (swatch and review later down the road) and the other was a black prototype they had not released yet.  When the polishes arrived, Donna was just beautiful, but the polish that really struck me was the Prototype!  The first word that came to mind to describe it is "hematite."  You know how hematite is black, but shiny, like gunmetal?  That's how this polish looks, but with a little more glitter and holo :D  I just love it!!  Here are some indoor and outdoor photos:

It is a much more subtle, dark grey/purple indoors, but once you step into the sunlight, BAM!  Holographic central!! When applying, I found 3 coats did the trick to make it fully opaque, and each coat went on very smoothly with no bubbling, streaks, or goop.  It's an awesome polish, and I cannot wait to see if they release it!!  I sure hope they do - you all would love this polish ;)

I'm done gabbing for now.  The hubs and I are having a belated anniversary date this afternoon, so I need to go doll myself up :P  Hope you all enjoy your weekend!!!

Polish Post: Ruby Wing "Eternal" and "Desert Valley" Pictures and Review

Yesterday, I fulfilled a little girl wish of mine - I adopted a bunny from the Humane Society ^_^  I've wanted a bunny of my own every since my old roommate/best friend had one that she received for Christmas.  Her bunny's name was Buttercup and she was darling!  Really sweet little thing :)  Since then I'd harbored an affection for one, myself, but wanted to look at rescue shelters, particularly around Easter time when people buy bunnies for loved ones only to find out that wasn't such a great Easter gift after all.  This year, we finally live somewhere we can host a bunny ^_^  Adopting one hadn't been prevalent on my mind lately, but after the Humane Society recently held an event over the weekend that I had spoken about in the last post, I had kept my eyes open for one.  Well yesterday I found her!  She came home with me the day she arrived at one of the Humane Society's Petique stores, and while she's still a bit shy to the touch, she is adjusting very well and is not hiding anymore :)  She's caught the attention of both my cats and my dog, though, who have hardly let her out of their sight since she came home yesterday :P

Alright, enough gushing over my new cute critter :D  On to polish!!

A few weeks ago I had ordered two polishes by the brand Ruby Wing from Llarowe.  Ruby Wing has polishes that change color in direct sunlight, which I thought was pretty neato and had wanted to try out.  The colors I ordered are called "Eternal" (a solid turquoise) and "Desert Valley" (a tan gel based fleck glitter).  They both were supposed to turn a darker purple color when in the sun.  Here are pictures below of the colors inside then outside:

As you can see, the colors did indeed change!  "Eternal" was a little more like a grey/purple, and "Desert Valley" was definitely a dark purple - looks much better in person than my photos could capture.  The change in color was almost instant!  Really cool!  Color aside, the application was smooth.  The polish is a little thicker, so I wouldn't recommend applying it anywhere there is excessive heat or any kind of breeze/blowing air.  It only took 2 coats for complete opacity for "Eternal" - not sure how many it would take for "Desert Valley" since I used it as a topper in this case.

The only caution I would give is if you are using a topcoat, make sure you cover the entire surface you painted with polish.  I did not do that, as you can see on my thumb in the last photo.  It is obvious where my topcoat sits :P  Other than that, Ruby Wing polish is awesome!

Here is their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RubyWingNailPolish (head on over, give them a "like" and please let them know Mom Mrs. and Me sent you!) and their website: http://rubywing.com/  You can also find more polishes by this brand on Llarowe's website (www.llarowe.com) just in case they are out of a color you really want.  I highly recommend checking them out and buying a bottle or two to test out yourself!  Lots of fun combinations to try!

That is all for now!  Today is my 4 year anniversary with my Hubby ^_^ Can't believe it's already been 4 years (and 2 kids!) together!  I'm looking forward to the many, many more anniversaries we will celebrate <3  For now, though, since it is a weekday and I cannot book my free babysitters (a.k.a. the Grandparents :P ) until the weekend, we will have to settle for dinner with my parents and the kids.  Not too shabby a way to spend the evening!

See all you lovely people soon!  Don't forget to "like" my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/MomMrsMe) if you haven't already!  I'm having a giveaway once I reach 100 fans :D

Polish Post: Different Dimensions "Tulips Are Better Than One" Pics and Review

Happy Monday!! (Is there such a thing?)  I hope you all had a lovely weekend :) Mine was full of chores, errands, and visits to the Humane Society.  They were hosting a special event this weekend where all adoptions were free, so we went to check out the pooches.  Didn't click with any of the animals, so no critters came home with us, but it was wonderful to see all the empty cages that were once full! Glad so many animals found furrever homes ^_^

I did have time to paint my nails in another indie color, this time by Different Dimensions, in a shade called "Tulips Are Better Than One."  The first time I saw this color was when Llarowe made it their cover photo on their facebook page, and I knew I had to have it!! It is just stunning!! If you are a fan of blues and purples, you will love this color!  Here are some photos below - the first three are taken outdoors in direct sunlight, the second two are taken indoors:

I want to mention real quick that when I take and edit pictures, I do not mess with the color.  The only thing i will do is crop and add my watermark.  I want my pictures to represent the color in its true form.  There's nothing more irritating to me than purchasing a polish based on a swatch only to have it arrive and look *nothing* like the picture.

This polish is quite eye-catching!  Color aside, application was very smooth, too.  This color takes a few coats to make it opaque.  In the photos of my nails in sunlight, you can still see the whites of my nail at certain angles.  I had put on 3 coats of polish inside and thought that was enough.  It would probably take more like 4-5 coats.  It still looks great, though :)

This is the first and only polish I own by Different Dimensions, and I've already been perusing her website (https://www.etsy.com/shop/DIFFERENTdimension) and making a wishlist of more!  All of her polishes are 3-free (no Dibutyl Phthalate, Formaldehyde, or Toluene), and she's got a very wide variety of different types!  Here's her facebook page so you can keep an eye out for new releases, and giveaways! https://www.facebook.com/DIFdimension/info  Head on over, give her a "like" and please leave her a comment letting her know Mom Mrs and Me sent you ;)

That is all for this post - I am going to attempt to do two more this week for you :)  Hope everyone survives their Monday!

Polish Post: Zoya Colors "CarrieAnn" and "Rihanna," and the Color Lock System

I don't know about you, but I'm having a pretty poopie Hump Day.  My kids haven't been in the best of moods.  My youngest, Eamonn, does this screech that resembles that of a howler monkey, and he uses this screech to express a range of emotions.  So I get to hear it all day long, and my neighbors get to hear it whenever our windows are open - at, you know, 6 in the morning, because now that summer is approaching here in Phoenix, the weather has decided to get a head start and send some 100+ degree weather days upon us.  In order to stay ahead of your house cooking, you either leave your windows open at night (not an option for me - my cat likes to escape), or you open them first thing in the morning.  Everyone out here has their windows open by about 5am.  So they all get to enjoy my howler monkey's tune.  It's no fun.  We could probably give the Shrieking Shack a run for its money.  I usually get a headache around 1pm on days like today.  I've already got the ibuprofin setting out in preparation.

Fortunately, last night, I had the time to try out some Zoya polishes I recently purchased, as well as the sample kit I received with my last order of their Color Lock System.  Here are pictures of the polish in direct sunlight:

CarrieAnn is the red color, Rihanna is the purple

CarrieAnn is such a beautiful, bright red that sparkles brilliantly in the sunlight.  Rihanna is a deep purple with lovely golden sparkles at certain angles.  Rihanna is much more rich and less sparkly, so it is perfect as a more subtle but striking polish.  I really like both colors, and both were opaque with 2 coats of polish.  Easy to apply, as well, since they never streaked or got thicker as I applied more coats.  Great polishes!

Now the Color Lock system was totally new to me.  The sample kit came with a mini size of their nail polish remover, anchor base coat, armor top coat, and quick-dry drops.  Their award-winning nail polish remover worked very well!  I admit I did not think it would do a great job since I was removing my Memorial Day nail polish and thought that dark blue would make a big mess.  I soaked one cotton ball in the Zoya remover, and that's all I needed, to mess or fuss!  It was awesome!  I will say, though, that it smells weird to me.  It is reminiscent of a mosquito repellent smell.  But since I always sugar scrub and wash my hands after removing polish, it didn't matter that much to me.  Something to keep in mind, though, if you are thinking of purchasing the remover (I really think you should, it's pretty fantastic!)  The anchor base coat went on nice and evenly and is not thick like so many base coats I have had before.  After applying the polish, I applied the armor top coat - again, went on very smooth and evenly.  

Then the last part was the quick-dry drops.  

I have never, ever seen anything like this (though I haven't really been looking) and was thrown with what to do.  The bottle itself does not have a brush with it, but comes with this little dropper instead.  I had no idea how many drops I would need, or just how fast it would dry, so it was all a little messy for me.  I think I did like 2-3 drops per nail, then the excess started dripping from my fingertips onto my clothing, and I was fussing to catch it with a cotton ball instead.  I could hear 3 Stooges music in the back of my mind as I fumbled.  Once I was done over-dropping my nails, I touched each one to see if it worked, and it appeared to do the job.  However, it leaves behind a very oily residue.  I'm not even sure if any of it stuck - I felt like it all just wiped right off my nails, that were still tender to the touch and showed fingerprints if I touched them lightly.  

Overall, I'd have to say the quick-dry drops were an epic fail for me.  Now I am a bit of a klutz, and there may be proper form for the drops that I just wasn't getting.  But I will be sticking to my go-to top coat, Seche Vite, and will leave those quick-dry drops to someone a little more graceful than myself :P  Seche Vite is spectacular and leaves a beautiful shine to my nails.  I ended up putting a coat of it over my nails last night to make sure I did not have sheet prints the next morning.

Zoya is a great brand.  I have been purchasing polish from them for about 4 years now.  I remember stumbling upon them when I did a Google search for glittery nail polish.  They like to throw in lots of freebies with your orders, too.  For example, if you spend $30, you get a free bottle of nail polish remover.  On my last order, they were offering the nail polish remover AND a sample kit of their color lock system if the cart total was $30 or more.  

They have a HUGE selection of polish colors and types.  The only kind they seem to lack at the moment is holographic, but other than that they have such a large variety, you're sure to find whatever color you need in many different types (solid color, glitter, texture, etc).  Here's their site: http://www.zoya.com/ and their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ZoyaNailPolish  Head on over, give them a "like," and let them know MomMrsAndMe sent you :)

That's all for now!  Hope everyone's Wednesday is going much better than mine :P  Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

P.S. Just a reminder - I'm having a giveaway once my Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/MomMrsMe ) Hits 100 fans, so give the page a "like" if you haven't already and share it with your friends! The prize is winner's choice of either a $25 Amazon giftcard or a $25 Llarowe giftcard :) 

Polish Post: Colors by Llarowe "Strega" and "In The Navy" - Pictures and Review

So in attempts to garner a larger audience for my facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/MomMrsMe) I am going to have a giveaway once it reaches 100 fans :)  I have decided that the winner will have a choice between a $25 Amazon gift card, or a $25 Llarowe gift card, that way if the winner is not so much into nail polish, he or she can find something else awesome on smile.amazon.com! If you have not "liked" my page yet, you should get on it! I often post photos and other funny quips on the page that do not make it to the blog.

Alright, to polish!!  A few weeks ago Llarowe had updated a lot of their stock for their line Colors by Llarowe, and a number of those re-stocks were last call, meaning they were no longer going to make and sell certain colors.  Two of those colors were "Strega" and "In The Navy," and both were colors I had wanted for a while.  So naturally I snagged them ;)  Waited a bit before using them, and decided last night they would look great together!  I painted a Memorial Day theme to them, and I couldn't be more pleased with the colors and how they complement each other nicely!  Here are some photos taken in direct sunlight:

"Strega" is the red color, "In The Navy" is the blue holo

I chose to do a silver heart as a way of expressing my gratitude towards the past, present, and future servicemen and women who have given so much for their country.  I will always, always respect and love each and every one of them for their commitment.  Remember, it is perfectly fine and awesome to celebrate Memorial Day over this weekend with parties and bbq's - just remember WHY you have this holiday weekend :) 

Now, back to polish!

"In The Navy" is my favorite of the two because I just love holo polish ^_^ Can't have enough of that kind in my collection.  I had been on the hunt for holographic polish that was dark blue when not in the sun, and this one is just that polish :)  The application was great, as all of CbL's holos have been for me so far.  The polish does not thicken as I progress, and the polish was fully opaque after 1 coat - I added one more for good measure.  "Strega" has a gel base, so it did thicken as I was painting my nails (got a little goopy towards the end of the second coat, and I put on 3 total). I would recommend putting this polish on while somewhere cool and without direct sunlight or wind.  The color is a very striking lighter red with gold and red sparkles in the sunlight.  It was hard to capture in the photos, so keep in mind it is a lot more sparkly in person.  I think my camera was just freaking out over the amazing holo-ness (yes, that is a word, because I said so) that is "In The Navy."  

While "Strega" is currently unavailable, Colors by Llarowe tends to bring back old colors for limited re-release sometimes, and I would keep my eye out for it.  "In The Navy" IS available, and though it is currently out of stock, you should definitely keep an eye out for it when it is re-stocked in the near future.  CbL has tons of other beautiful colors very similar to these, and they will be doing a pre-release pre-order for their summer collection this Monday and Tuesday at specific times (check out their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Colorsbyllarowe for the specifics, give them a "like" if you haven't already, and let them know MomMrsAndMe sent you their way, won't you please? ;) ).  I can already hear my wallet crying at how empty it will be after the pre-orders I will be placing for their summer colors :P

That's all this time.  Leave a comment and let me know what you think of the colors!  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and Memorial Day! Thank a serviceman/woman next time you see one, even if you don't know them :)