Epic Swatch Spam! *photo heavy*

Sorry I have been MIA for awhile! I have been slacking off a bit, so today I am going to spam you with all my mani swatches while I was away! I hope you will enjoy this massive post! (some of these photos have already been posted on my Instagram account, you can follow me there @cacanails :D)

Hits Suspiro over Essie Smooth Sailing - a periwinkle jelly base with blue, pink, purple and silver glitters

Sonama Nail Art Custom Polish - three coats. A beige pink milky base with silver, pink and green square and hex glitters 

Innisfree #105 over Zoya Neeka - #105 is a clear base polish with matte white hex/bar/square glitters, along with rose gold and copper hex glitters

Innisfree #111 over OPI I Don't Give A Rottendam. #111 is a clear base polish with matte black and white bar/square/hex glitters, sprinkled with the random pink hex glitters.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Scrangie - I might be crucified by the polish world for saying this, but I don't particularly love this much coveted polish. Yes, the shimmer is pretty, but there is something about the shade that just doesn't look right to me

Girly Bits Visions of Sugar Plum over Zoya Tru. The undie choice is a fail, I tried to find something that is similar to the base color of VoSP, but it turns out Tru is much darker. Nevertheless, VoSP is a lovely jelly berry packed with pink, silver, orange and blue glitters 

Enchanted Polish Awesomeness with OPI Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous as French tips. Awesomeness is a metallic purple holo. I apologize for the poor quality of the swatch, I just cannot capture the true awesomeness (pardon the intended pun) of this polish and holo to save my life! 

Last but certainly not least, we have Enchanted Polish Witchful Thinking. A clear base polish packed with dusty rose glitters and micro holographic glitters, Witchful Thinking is definitely as enchanting as it could be! Here it is layered over Zoya Pinta

Indie on Steroid: Innisfree #109 Cassiopeia

Innisfree #109 Cassiopeia - one coat over Zoya Malia, with SV top coat

The bf has recently visited Seoul for a Stag party (yes, that is how they roll), and of course I asked him to bring me back loads of Korea polishes! Amongst all the pretties, Innisfree #109 Cassiopeia is the first one that called to me most, and it certainly did not disappoint! A white version of the famous Lynnderella's Connect the Dots (click here to see my CTD post), Cassiopeia has added sporadic lilac and sheer blue glitters to make it the most unique matte white glitter polish I have ever seen! I love it to bits!

Can you spot the lilac and sheer blue glitters?

#109 Cassiopeia is from the Innisfree Star Sign Collection, and unlike many of its Asain polish counterparts, this polish has a name, and a very apt one at that! For those of you who don't know what Cassiopeia is, it is "a constellation in the northern sky, named after the vain queen Cassiopeia in Greek mythology, who boasted about her unrivalled beauty". I am certainly in awe of of Innisfree's version of Cassiopeia, are you?

The "Exclusive" post! OPI DS Exclusive and the search of dupes

OPI DS Exclusive - two coats with top coat

Finally I was able to get my hands on this elusive lemming, OPI DS Exclusive. Like many of its holo siblings, this DS has been long discontinued, but I'm lucky enough to get it via a swap, thank you MJ!

DS Exclusive is a berry/magenta linear holo. Formula is perfect with two easy coats, and the prismatic effect is just blinding! To quote Rachel Zoe, I die!

You would think with so many holo polishes out there, there must be some close dupes of DS Exclusive, so I went through my modest stash and pull out a few holos in the same color family, and here they are, from thumb to pinky: Enchanted Sugar Spree, BSJ #02, Hits Atena, OPI DS Exclusive, and Catherine Arley #677.

Possible dupes of OPI DS Exclusive? I don't think so!

I am happy and sad to report that there are no dupes! DS Exclusive is a shade or two darker than the rest, with a strong purple undertone. BSJ might be the closest to the DS, but it has a red undertone. Enchanted, Hits and CA are all red holos with pink undertone.

It is interesting to note that BSJ #02 has the strongest linear holo effect out of all polishes, followed by DS Exclusive. Hits Atena and Enchanted Sugar Spree are very close dupes in terms of color and prismatic effect, with Catherine Arley being the weakest holo.

So there you have it, the search for DS Exclusive dupe continues. Do you know of any close dupe of this coveted polish? Which magenta holo do you like the most?

Dollish Polish Hussy Potion

Dollish Polish Hussy Potion - two coats with SV top coat

Hussy Potion is another polish created by Dollish that is overloaded with cuteness! A milky white base packed with purple and matte black hexes that come in various sizes, you also see shades of blue because the white base has changed the color of the purple glitters. It reminds me a lot of of cookies n cream, only better because you get awesome sprinkles of purple and blue! The formula is a little bit thick to work with, but still very manageable. I didn't think I'd like this polish so much because white base polish usually looks horrible on me, but not Hussy Potion! Thank you Dolly for making a white polish that I love!

A macro shot of Hussy Potion!

Simple Nail Art Manis

I felt somewhat artistic last week, and so I have done two simple nail art manis. The first dotted mani was actually inspired by my umbrella, and the second mani, the fluffy cloud mani is my go-to nail art because it is so easy to do! Which look do you like more?

Not just the boys, but I drool too! Dollish Polish Girls Rule Boys Drool

Dollish Polish Girls Rule Boys Drool - three coats over OPI Passion

Girls Rule Boys Drool is a limited edition polish by Dollish Polish. If you were lucky enough to get picked to become one of the three hundred owners of this awesome polish (the raffle was drawn out last week, check your email spam folder if you are still waiting to be notified!), then congratulations!

GRBD is a pink and purple matte micro glitters in a clear base. I applied three coats over OPI Passion, a very sheer pink. The formula is a little bit thick, but still it is easy enough to work with. GRBD is such a unique polish, I can't help drooling over my own nails! I also can't wait to layer it over other shades, the possibilities are endless!

Polish of the Year: Chanel Malice

Chanel Malice - two coats with top coat

This is going to be a post with little words and many pictures, because I don't want to distract you from this beautiful polish that is Chanel Malice. A dark, vampy red like a very fine red wine, Malice has a purple/red shimmery glow that glistens and shines. Malice is such a classy and sophisticated shade, it makes me feel like a very sexy and sultry vixen wearing it! This is by far my favorite Chanel polish, and my favorite polish this year, I love it so much!

Malice is a Christmas limited edition polish, so get it now while stocks last! Trust me, you would regret it big time if you pass this up!

Here is my Instagram shot :)

Whimsical Ideas by Pam - Flower Child

Whimsical by Pam - Flower Child, two coats with SV top coat

I love any blurple polish, so as soon as I saw photos of Flower Child, I knew I must have it. Flower Child is a gorgeous milky periwinkle sprinkled with pastel pink, blue and purple glitters, and it is almost opaque in two coats (although I could have done with another coat to give the mani more depth). Such an airy and pretty polish, I feel very girly wearing Flower Child!

Whimsical Ideas by Pam is yet another Indie brand out there, and you may find out more and purchase her polish from Pam's FB page:  https://www.facebook.com/whimsicalideasbypam?fref=ts. I still have another of her polish to show you soon, so stay tuned!

Nail Art with Sasatinnie Q751 and Q754

Sasatinnie Q751 and Q754 - three coats each with top coat

Sasatinnie, a local Hong Kong cosmetic brand, has come out with two new polishes, Q751 and Q754. Q751 is an aqua blue foil, and Q754 is a soft lavender foil, where both polishes have prominent pink and blue shimmers that make me fall in love with them. I did an accent nail with Q754 and added some dots to make my mani more interesting.

I noticed that when I added dots using the lavender foil over the aqua foil, a gorgeous periwinkle like shade is created. I will definitely try to do a full mani layering one polish on top of another next time, because what is better than combining periwinkle and shimmer, my two favorite things together when it comes to nail polishes?

Lynnderella Common Sense

Lynnderella Common Sense - one coat over China Glaze Fifth Avenue, topped with SV topcoat

Common Sense, described by Lynn herself as a "clear base with copper and pink shimmer", is exactly that, a mixture of copper and pink hex and square glitters with holographic and purple microglitters. To showcase the full color spectrum of Common Sense, I decided to layer it over China Glaze Fifth Avenue, a muted rose creme that complements Common Sense perfectly.  The copper glitters twinkle like the autumn leaves in Fall, making Common Sense THE polish to wear now.

Shimmer Polish: Tammy

Shimmer Polish Tammy - one coat over China Glaze Below Deck, topped with SV top coat

Shimmer Polish is another Indie polish brand that I have been lemming for some time, and finally I caved and ordered a few! I knew I must have Tammy the minute I saw swatches of it, and I am certainly not disappointed!

A mixture in sizes and shapes of silver, pink, purple, blue, and matte black glitters in a clear base, Tammy is glitzy and yet still elegant and classy. I only need to apply one coat for layering because the glitters are so dense! I have been wearing it for four days, and I have not experienced any bleeding or curling problem. I think the quality of Shimmer Polish is definitely up there amongst the other top Indie brands, and would definitely recommend it to anyone who love glitters!

Shimmer Polish can be purchased via Yorba's Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShimmerPolish?ref=shop_sugg. You may also get your own custom polish made, simply email Yorba, she is very friendly and helpful!

Nail Stamping with Barry M Denim

Just a quick post today. I did a fancy French tip mani with stamping over Barry M Denim. A few words on the polish itself, Denim is amazing! A true one coater, it comes to life with gorgeous shimmer when you apply a top coat. I'd definitely try to use it as a stamping polish next time.

What do you think of this mani? I think this is easier than doing freehand French tips!

Pretty &Pretty Polished Cheer Camp

Pretty & Polished Cheer Camp - two coats over Essence Team Nude, finished with a coat of SV

I have never been a cheerleader before, but I sure feel like one wearing Pretty & Polished Cheer Camp! A light, milky pink base sprinkled with pale pink and soft lilac hexes and micro pink glitters, this is definitely one of the more girly polishes out there. Cheer Camp is such a pretty polish, I think it'd be the perfect polish to wear for a romantic outing with that someone special!

This is my first time trying Pretty & Polished, but it definitely won't be my last! What is your favorite Pretty & Polished? Is there any other must-have?

Butter London The Black Knight

Butter London The Black Knight - one coat layered over Wet n Wild black creme

The Black Knight, a gorgeous black jelly packed with a myriad of multicolor micro glitters, is exactly how one would envision it; sparkling stars shining through the darkest of night.

Here I layered one coat of The Black Knight over Wet n Wild black creme, and finished the mani with a coat of SV topcoat. I like how TBK is not glitter hungry, and the formula is pretty much perfect!

Does The Black Knight remind you of another hot Black Knight, aka Christian Bale from the Batman trilogy? Out of all the Batmans, he is hands down my favorite, so I will leave you to drool over this :)

KBShimmer Cheerleader

KBShimmer Cheerleader over OPI Pamplona Purple

What a fun polish! A magenta berry jelly sprinkled with various sizes of matte hex in white, pink, blue and purple, Cheerleader makes me want to bring out the pom poms and do a star jump!

I layered one coat of Cheerleader over one coat of OPI Pamplona Purple, and topped it off with a coat of Seche Vite topcoat. I didn't need to fish for the glitters from the bottle, but I did need to dab a little bit just to spread the glitters out. Apart from that, the formula is perfect!

I have a few more KBShimmers on my wishlist, and I cannot wait to get my hands on them! Do you love KBShimmer polish as much as I do?

Saran Wrap Mani for Fall

Saran wrap mani: China Glaze Below Deck on middle and pinky finger, Essie Merino Cool on index and ring finger, all layered with China Glaze Swing Baby

Saran wrap mani, cling wrap mani, glad wrap mani, however you call it, is one of the simplest DIY nail art techniques where you don't need to be Leonardo Da Vinci to make it look awesome and artistic!

All you need to do is scrunch up a small piece of saran wrap, apply a small amount of polish on it, then dab the saran wrap lightly on your nails, it is that simple! The finishing look is so soft and elegant, and it definitely adds an interesting touch to an otherwise unremarkable mani!

Fall has finally arrived in Hong Kong, so I pull out two polishes that remain me of my favorite season. Although China Glaze Below Deck and Essie Merino Cool are very similar,the latter lean towards a blue/grey shade, whilst Below Deck is more pink/purple based and has a warmer tone. You probably don't need both unless you are a polish addict like me!

So how do you like the saran wrap nail art technique? Have you tried it out yet? If you have, I'd love to check it out!