Illamasqua - Purity

Hello everyone!

Although it is quite late in the evening, here is the post that I said I would make! 

Above is a photo of the final manicure. Keep reading to learn more about what I used!

I started with a full manicure of Forever 21's unnamed "Grey" polish. I used this color in an accent nail HERE. What you see above is a base coat, two coats of the grey, and a top coat. By the time I finished with all of that I was tired and decided to postpone the rest of what I had planned until the next day. It worked out well because it gave everything plenty of time to dry. 

I wasn't upset about wearing this color by itself for a day, it is really pretty. I really love grays. :)

Here is what I ended up doing the next day. I received this Illamasqua Purity in a GlossyBox that I have not yet reviewed. I really wanted to use it because I have heard a lot of good things about this polish, but I didn't feel that this color went well with my skin color. However, I think that breaking it up a little with a half-moon really helped make it look nice. 

I know this is a blurry photo, but I really liked the angle. The formula of Purity is good. It was a little thick, but nothing I couldn't work with. If it got too difficult to paint on without globbing, I just closed it back up and gave it a little shake and it became much more manageable. It lasted a good 4 days or so with a little bit of tip wear. These photos show 2 coats of Purity followed by a topcoat. The day before I took the polish off, I added a layer of matte topcoat and I really liked how it looked. Unfortunately I didn't get a photo. 

Overall I'm pleased with how my first half-moon manicure turned out. I think I still have a lot to learn, but I surprise myself with each new thing I try!

Hope you all enjoy!

--Dixie

Tweet

Love & Beauty - "Greys"

Good evening!

It has been a long 14 days since my last post. In that post 14 days ago, I mentioned that I had been enthralled in a book. That is still true, except it is a different book now. TOO MANY HOBBIES! 

Anyway, below are some fantastical photos of a couple of nail polishes that my friend Maryana gave me. These polishes are from Forever 21, and both of them are labeled as "Grey". 

Click to enlarge!

Is that darker grey not gorgeous?! It has a golden/greenish shimmer to it that is really eye-catching. I love it. And Forever 21 polishes are so cheap! The labels on these bottles say $2.80, but every time I go in that store they are on sale for even cheaper. 

Click to enlarge!

So this particular post seems like a great opportunity to mention that I prefer to spell the word "GRAY" with an *A* and not an *E*. I've used the E up to this point because that is how it is spelled on the label on the bottles, but I felt the need to clarify that I am an A kind of girl.  I'm aware that it is technically correct either way, but I just get all irritable when I see it spelled with an E. 

Click to enlarge!

The formula on these polishes is great. I had no issues at all with the application. What you see in all the photos is two coats of each color, also with a base coat and top coat. I also used Essie's Luxeffects - Set In Stones to add a little bit of sparkle to my accent nail. 

Click to biggify!

Click to enlarge!

It is practically impossible to detect on the nail, but the lighter gray polish has a slight shimmer in it as well. It is a silvery shimmer in the bottle, which I tried to show in the photo above. 

Well, I think I covered all the basic important stuff. My job is done here. :)

--Dixie

Tweet