The Lacquer Legion: Adoration

Hello and welcome to the second Lacquer Legion monthly manicure! Social media is already blowin' up with fantastic manis from all you lovely people, and now I'm here to throw in my design.

I had originally planned to do a look inspired by my new Jeffrey Campbell Litas... But my nail art spikes did not arrive in time! So it was back to the drawing board.

What else do I adore? Crochet... Hockey...Cupcakes... Urban Decay... WAIT. 
"Self, why have you not done UD nails before?!"
Now's the time. 

Tada! I'm sure you UD junkies like me already know where this look came from.

Considering I am totally in love with my Vice 2 palette (both the product and the packaging,) obviously it needed to go on my nails.

I started this manicure with a base of none other than Urban Decay - Vice. Yes, the polish matches the palette.
To get the Vice look, I used the watercolor technique, which I have a tutorial for here. Instead of using a big brush to get a very watery look, I used a small one to make it a bit more distressed looking.

I wanted to include some more UD polishes in the design, so I dug out my Rollergirl Nail Kit from the beginnings of my UD addiction, and used the pink shades to start the watercolor:
Urban Decay - Woodstock
Urban Decay - Miss T

Even though the look is overall dark purple, using lighter shades of purple plus a red and a blue really brought the look together. Here's what I used, in order:
China Glaze - That's Shore Bright
OPI - Do You Lilac It?
OPI - Paint My Moji-toes Red
China Glaze -  Sky High-Top

I finished off my ring finger with two tear-shaped rhinestones to mimic the bejeweled UD logo on Vice 2.

And then I got even more adventurous. I painted the Urban Decay logo on my thumb! Totally freehand. Sometimes I'm boss.

I am so so so ridiculously pleased with how these turned out. Already the Lacquer Legion has pushed me to create what I think is one of my best designs ever! That's totally what this nail art initiative was meant for.
BRB, gonna share these nails all over Urban Decay's social media in hopes they might see it and I can have a fangirl moment.

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Have you done a Lacquer Legion manicure yet? It's not too late! Be sure to tag your posts on social media with #LLadoration so we can see them! And share 'em on our Facebook page.

Spell Polish Review + GIVEAWAY!

Hey guys! I've got a cool indie polish review for you today - and if that's not enough, there's a giveaway too!

Have you heard of Spell Polish yet?

Spell Polish may be a new brand but you can really see the effort that has gone into the polishes already. Custom bottles, printed labels, even tissue paper to wrap them in with the logo?! I've never seen that before! Totally impressed.

Each polish also comes with a little card featuring a little anecdote about the polish. They have adorable little messages about love or even about those idiots we all may have loved at one point.

Ready to see the polishes?

Spell Polish - Heart Stew Flu
This is a black jelly polish with fuchsia and black glitters, and skulls!! I had to have this polish because I don't own any others with skull glitter. So cute! Of course they're a little tricky to fish out of the bottle but nothing I couldn't handle.

Spell Polish - Captain Obvious 
This one's a metallic base with blue glitter. Super reflective! I'm a sucker for any blue glitters.

Spell Polish - Love Not Hate (over Lime Crime - Once In A Blue Mousse)
This is a purple glitter topper! It's hard to tell from my photos, but some of the glitters are holographic which adds some really nice sparkle. And one coat is enough to get good glitter coverage.

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You can find Spell Polish here in their Etsy shop - and did I mention they're 5-free? They've got some new colors with spade and club glitters. Never seen those before! For the next 30 days, my readers can get 25% off any purchase! Hooray! Use code "REBECCALIKESNAILS" at checkout for the discount.
Check them out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

And that's not all! The lovely Heather from Spell Polish has offered a giveaway for you lovely people! Three lucky winners will get to pick two colors from the shop. Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

who's your valentine?

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Or, if you prefer, Happy Single Awareness Day!

I thought I'd be celebrating the latter this year... Until yesterday! Turns out I do have a Valentine!
Her name is Tiffany from Nail Polish Canada! Hehe. She sent me a Bundle Monster Valentine's Day plate to play with for V-day which was just about the cutest thing ever.
So of course, I had to go ahead and do some cutesy heart nails to show my appreciation.

The plate is BM-H18 which you can buy here on NPC. I love that they sell individual BM plates because I definitely didn't need the whole holiday set, but I bought a birthday-themed one! And now I have this sweet one too. Plates also ship free, all the time!

I wanted the stamping to be the focus of the manicure so I went with a very light gradient as the base color.
I started with Lime Crime - Milky Ways and did the gradient with Lime Crime - Lavendairy.
To soften it up I also sponged a thin layer of China Glaze - Something Sweet on top of the purple just to tone down the vibrancy a little and blend the gradient even more smoothly.
The stamping was done with Konad Psyche Pink, one of my fave stamping polishes which you can also find on NPC.

Sadly I smeared two of the hearts a little... Because I ALWAYS DO. Jeeeeeez. You'd think I'd learn to wait a little longer before adding topcoat! But I'm impatient, I guess.

Big thanks to Tiffany (and the rest of the crew at NPC) for being my surprise Valentine! Smooches ;)

Nail Polish Jewelry from The Howling Boutique! + GIVEAWAY!

Hey guys! Today I've got some eye candy for you!

The Howling Boutique is an Etsy store that sells beautiful handmade nail polish jewelry. And not your usual kind either, because Mardi makes the polish inside them herself, too! So the whole thing is handmade and original.

As you know I have dabbled in making jewelry myself. And in fact Mardi, already a jewelry maker, was inspired by me to begin incorporating nail polish into her creations. Soooo how could I say no to receiving some beautiful pieces from her?

Some pretty black bags arrived at my door... With even prettier things inside!

I asked Mardi for one of her black heart pendants because I had never made any like this myself and they are sooooo cute. Seriously! And isn't the blue/purple flakie/glitter combo just stunning? I like knowing that she created the polishes inside, too. It makes it more special! And no one can just copy it and make it themselves! It's truly one-of-a-kind.

And this baby... Oh man. Check out the awesome frame of the piece, and dat glitter!

Gorgeous! This baby picks up the light like crazy.

I wore my heart pendant today and got about a million compliments. Check out my Instagram photo of me modeling it:



I really like the pieces Mardi sent me, because I can tell they are really well made, better than my amateur creations! Haha. The pieces are also definitely affordable, unlike a lot of things you may find on Etsy. 

Check out their Etsy store for the current pieces available, or request a custom piece! Use the code "REBECCALIKESNAILS" for 15% off your order! (Code expires in four weeks.)
And be sure to check them out on Facebook as well. If Pinterest is your thing, you can browse there too.

BUT WAIT! There's one more piece to show you...

How would you like to own this stunning blue oval piece? Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win it! That is... If I don't keep it... Haha! (Just kidding.)
The giveaway will be open for two weeks and it is open internationally.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

super holo glitter bomb

Yo. Check this mani.

Boooooom holo glitter! Like four layers of it!

I honestly cannot remember for sure which polishes went into this manicure. I just knew I needed a holo glitter bomb and I pulled out whatever I could!
I know for sure that the finishing touch to the mani was OPI - Which is Witch?
I was holding the bottle in my pictures... So I know that much. Ha!

Some days you just need a super holo glitter bomb. I could use one now actually after seeing these pictures!

OPI - Silent Stars Go By

Hey guys! First of all - if you've yet to enter my giveaway, go NOW! It ends in 3 hours! Can't wait to reward one of you guys with some polish lovin'. (And psst - there's two more in the works!)

For tonight's post, a Liquid Sand. How I love thee, OPI!
Here's another beauty from the holiday collection.

OPI - Silent Stars Go By
This is one is like a nudey pink rose gold type color. Is that enough color adjectives?

It is really subtle in that you could totally get away with wearing it in a conservative office, or something. But then still totally beautiful for someone like me who doesn't have to worry about that! I luvvv it.

I originally didn't buy this one and then a few weeks later was like "OMG WHY" and scoured the city for a remaining bottle. It was actually difficult! And I still didn't find this one's sister, Make Him Mine. I'll cave and buy it on eBay, I suppose!

january haul 2014

Bit late with this thanks to some exams, but without further ado, the first haul of the year!
Admittedly I was a little bad this month.



I think it started when I found a Color Club collection that I've wanted for years. ($9.99 at Winners):
Color Club - Electro Candy
Color Club - Pure Energy
Color Club - Ultra Violet
Color Club - Volt of Light
Color Club - What A Shock!
Color Club - Tangerine Scream

And then I found that nice little duo + clutch on clearance for $9. Can't have enough black and white! (Or a big enough collection of OPI bags.)
OPI - Alpine Snow
OPI - Black Onyx

The sale section of a drugstore provided me with that OPI topcoat trio for $12:
OPI - Snowflakes In The Air
OPI - Matte Topcoat
OPI - Topcoat

Feeling lucky, I hit the supply stores (several times) but the first trip was good and I only let two polishes come home with me.
OPI - This Gown Needs A Crown
OPI - Silent Stars Go By

But I had a weak moment at Walmart and bought some Maybelline Brocade polishes.
Maybelline - Emerald Elegance
Maybelline - Lavishly Lilac
Maybelline - Beaming Blue 



The $1 OPI rule kicked in again at another drugstore. (The rule is you buy it.)
OPI - Care to Danse?




Another supply store trip, another haul. $1 China Glaze? Yep.
China Glaze - This Is Tree-mendous!
China Glaze - There's Snow One Like You
China Glaze - Kalahari Kiss
China Glaze - Duplicity
China Glaze - Winter Holly

And then another drugstore clearance find:
Ruby Wing - Eternal



A gift from a special lady! Thanks LTHP! (Swatches coming soooon)
KBShimmer - Merry Pinkmas




In a hunt to find OPI's Gwen Stefani collection, I accidentally found $2 OPI clearance as well... I haven't gone back to that store since. I left so many behind... 

OPI - I'm Feeling Sashy
OPI - Gouda Gouda Two Shoes
OPI - My Boyfriend Scales Walls
OPI - Number One Nemisis
OPI - Off With Her Red!
OPI - Into The Night
OPI - San Tan-Tonio



Gwen was waiting for me at Sally's.

OPI - Love.Angel.Music.Baby.
OPI - Push and Shove
OPI - 4 In The Morning
OPI - In True Stefani Fashion



And y'all know I got those CSM polishes from Influenster. (Review here)
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure - Jaded
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure - Red My Lips
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure - Pat on the Black




And to top it all off... This baby came home with me finally.
OPI - Pure

If you want a little haul of your own, be sure to enter my giveaway! But there's only a day and a half left so go go go!