My Top Ten Polishes 2012

Finally! The moment you have all been waiting for! or... at least... I have been waiting for: finalizing the year of 2012 and  making my Top Ten Polishes list! Actually, what I am most interested to see is what will be next year and how much my top ten polishes list will change.  Ok enough with the chit chat. Let's move on to the polish! By the way - where the name is a link - it links to my own swatches and review of that polish.

My New Year's Mani!

Are you as excited as I am for this year to end? I have such a good feeling about this coming new year! It will be great, I know it will!
And like I promised you yesterday, here's my new year's mani. I hope you like it!

Sunday Haul

Happy Sunday everyone!!!
I'm sorry for the quiet weekend. I had too many things to do and i just didn't get to write any new posts. But I promise to make up for it! i am planing 2 posts for tomorrow. One will be a group post for a
New Year's mani and the other will be my top 10 polishes of 2012. Also, During the month of January I plan to take part of the Crumpet's new 31 days challenge. Other news for the year to come are that I have a few polishes that I frankened and I would very much like to show you already, and I plan to do another ABC challenge and this time to do it by brands (Thank you so much for the wonderful idea Rachel!!!) and a giveaway that I plan to run very soon and I am playing with the idea of some nail art contest..... I think the new year is going to be great! What do you think?

Anyway, for today I have a nice little haul to show you. I have several swapsies and a couple of orders that arrived this week. So let's get started!
First is the gorgeous swap package I got from the amazing Jess of LuvMyLacquer. She totally spoiled me!  I love each and every detail of it! btw, there was also a mountain of candy (and my favorite Reeses) that was consumed too quickly to be photographed LOL
Sinful Colors - Cinderella, Princessa - Blue Sky, Sinful Colors - Savage, Bettina - Aqua and Spoiled - Dipper Dive

Winter Holiday Challenge - New Year's Eve

A tiny bit early maybe but here we are at the final entry for the Winter Holiday Challenge, and the theme today is New Year's Eve. When I think of New Years Eve, all I have in mind are firework. So it was obvious I'd look for some sort of firework for my mani. However, I needed some Champagne too so I had to do some compromise... 

Dupe Alert?

Today I have a somewhat ironic comparison to show you. It's a comparison of dupes: Max Factor - Fantasy Fire, Darling Diva - Ringer and Takko Lacquer - Kiss The Sky. Ironically, I don't even have the original polish these all are trying to duplicate: the legendary, VHTF Clarins 230, a.k.a Unicorn Pee. So I will show you those three polishes and you can decide for yourself which one you like best. Left to right: Fantasy Fire, Kiss The Sky and Ringer.


Where In The World - Russia

Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrate Christmas! Merry Day to everyone who does not! Today's mani is not about Christmas for a change. You will get more of those anyway, but since I don't celebrate Christmas, and in fact I don't even have a day off work today, I figured I don't have to post Christmas polishes only on Christmas day! So you will get to see Christmas polishes later on. Today I (finally) have my Russia manicure in the Where In The World challenge! 

Winter Holiday Challenge - Santa And Elves

Ho ho ho!! Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrate it!!! Have a wonderful time with your family and friends! 
Today is the 7th day of the Winter Holiday Challenge and today I have special visitors for you: Santa and his elves. 

Sunday Haul

Today's haul is rather small again. Some things I was suppose to have in the mail still haven't show up. Nevertheless it is still the most exciting haul and it is all indies! Yes, I admit it. My name is Jin and I love indies. There, I said it. Now lets get the polish started ;-)

Red Dog Designs - Mister Grinch

Today I have a very Chrismesy polish to show you. I know there are plenty of those around, but this one really is special. This one was pretty much love at first sight. Although it's not the kind I usually wear - I simply fell for it. And it did not disappoint! This is the Red Dog Designs - Mister Grinch.
 Red Dog Designs - Mister Grinch
Red Dog Designs - Mister Grinch

My Most Special Christmas Gift

If you follow me a while already, you'd know i'm a big fan of The Nail Junkie's polishes. I make sure I get each and every collection and I am really looking forward to everything new. So there is no surprise that when the Christmas Collection was announced, I ran over to Aleta's Etsy shop and made my purchase! So my order arrived this week (and you will see it on Sunday in my haul post)  and I had quite a few amazing extra's that Aleta added in the bag (mmmmm lot's of candy and a few CoverGirl polishes) and when I got everything out I realized I am looking at 5 cardboard tubes, of the kind Aleta uses to ship her polishes in. 
I started to think: could it be that there were 5 polishes in the collection? I specifically remembered 4 and I dig my brain harder but... nothing. I could only remember 4 polishes. So I started opening the tubes (yes, using my teeth. That impatient I was!) 
I recognized the first polish. And I recognized the second and then the third. But when I opened the 4th tube, I saw a polish that I didn't remember seeing before. It was beautiful gold and black glitter in a light orange jelly. As I turned the bottle around to look at the label, my eyes filled up with tears. The label said *JIN*.
The Nail Junkie - Jin

Winter Holiday Challenge - Reindeer and Sleigh

Wow how time flies... We're already on day 6 of the Winter Holiday Challenge and today I have for you  some reindeer and sleigh mani!

NailNation 3000 - Infinity

Not much talking today. I am tired and real upset for not being able to get the pictures that I wanted out of my camera card. But that will have to be dealt with over the coming weekend. So in the meantime I would like to show you another NailNation 3000 polish. Please clear the stage for Infinity.
NailNation 3000 - Infinity

The Winter Holiday Challenge - Christmas Decorations

Day 5 of the Winter Holiday Challenge brings us some fun decorations! The Christmas tree and it's lovely ornaments are one of the things I have always wished I'd celebrated the Christmas. Alas, I was born to the wrong family (a Jewish one)... So I have a little tree only on my nails but I did try to decorate it nicely and I hope you'll like it.

Olive Comparison

I figured after posting a mani with Zoya Yara and then my haul with Cult Nails In A Trance, some would want to know how those look compared to each other. Let me start by saying - they are no dupes what so ever! But for those of you who need to see for themselves, here are my 3 olive green polishes. Left to right are Nfu-Oh 125, Cult Nails In A Trance and Zoya Yara.

The weekly Haul

Well I couldn't title this post "Sunday Haul" on a Tuesday, could I? But I did promise to post it even though it's rather small this week. So let the fun begin!

Sort of an apology with Zoya Yara

I am sorry about the quiet... It wasn't planned but my computer decided to go on an Italian strike and it became impossible to work with it. So I needed to get me a new one and then install it all and everything... those things take a lot more time then you ever really plan. So I am really sorry, but I promise to catch up real soon! I will post tomorrow my weekly haul and everything. I even have a dupe alert planned for you, assuming I manage to get my computer all up and running on time!
So for now I will just show you my current mani, which is surprisingly green. but what a green...!
Zoya - yara

Winter Holiday Challenge - Presents and Gift Wraps

So fast Friday is here again and I didn't get to do half of the things I wanted during the week... Is it just me or did time decided to fly recently?  Anyway, today we're on day 4 of the Winter Holiday Challenge and I would like to present my presents to you!

NailNation 3000 - Soriya

I planned to post this last night but I totally fell asleep before I had the chance to do it... Sorry... but I really did want to introduce you to another new (to me) indie brand: NailNation 3000. The first polish that I saw from this brand was Soriya, and I totally fell in love. I had to order it but since I am international, the shipping was flat rate, so I figured I can add a few more of the polishes to my order. Also, Maria of NailNation 3000 was so sweet and kind and added some yummy mini's as freebies too! Thank you so much Maria!!!    So today I will show you my first love - Soriya.

The Winter Holiday Challenge - Festival of Lights

Today's entry in the Winter Holiday Challenge started with a terrible fail. I decided to try some rhinestones mani but I was too excited about it that I totally over-used, not to say abused my nails. I then took it all off and started all over again, with the 6th candle of the Hanukkah. This is the better mani of the two. I will show you later the bad one too.

Chirality - The glitters

Good evening beautiful people!
I know... I'm already in debt to you of two dupe alert posts... but I got this really awesome new polish today and I just had to show it to you first! A little warning - this post is VERY pictures heavy!
Chirality - Suspiria, Gazoo, Yoda Purpurata and Neptunus

Chirality - Audrey III

Moday... who invented this day anyway? I think it needs to be a day off by law. Even though monday is not my first day of the week, still it is the worst day for me too. I just hate mondays. At least I have a gorgeous polish to show you today: it's one of my new Chirality polishes - Audrey III.
Chirality - Audrey III

Sunday haul

Here we are again. Another week passed by and we're on Sunday again...

Today I have only indies for you. And the truth is - I am dying to see them on the nails already! So I'm considering doing some swatches posts of several polishes in the same post. Do you think I should?  I don't know... until now I only showed you manis I wore for at least a whole day. I don't know if I feel like swatching only. But if I don't - it'll take forever until I get to see all my new little babiese.... 
Ideas? Suggestions?  Besides, I am also thinking, maybe I need to concentrate on indies and old HTF polishes and leave the main stream alone. It's becoming boring... Well, at least until someone else will come up with a new multichrome/holo collection anyway... We'll see.

And now - let's bring in  the goods! 

Where In The World - UK

It's been a while since I last posted my entry to the Where In The World Challenge, but here I am at it again and today we're visiting the United Kingdom. I wasn't very original this time. My inspiration has been the Queen's foot guard, with their funny fluffy hats and elegant red coats.

My Guest Post at The-Crumpet!!!

I am sooooo honored to be one of the 12 Bloggers of Christmas at The-Crumpet's amazing blog!
And as today is the first day of the Hanukkah, Happy happy Hanukkah to you all, and may the light of my candles will light your day and make it better 


The Winter Holiday Challenge - Gingerbread Man and Candy Canes

We're on day 2 of the Winter Holiday Challenge and today the theme is Gingerbread Man and Candy Canes!
So I started my candy with a no-water marble. I used some of my new-new polishes that arrived yesterday and you will see this Sunday in my haul post: Chirality Bloodshot - a gorgeous holographic red, Chirality Katydid - A special holographic lime grass green and Girly Bits Eggnogoholic - white crelly with small gold glitter.

Tried & True - Jindie nails

I am trying so many indies lately. I realized I just love it! There are such clever, creative ladies out there making awesome polish and I really think they deserve to be loved!  And today's polish is even more special in my opinion, because it was inspired by us - the customers. I think that's an amazing way for an indie maker to say thanks!  So without further ado let me show you - Tried & True, by Jindie Nails.
Jindie Nails - Tried & True

The Winter holiday challenge - Snow Flakes and Snowfall

Challenges are good for me. I like them. And today I am starting a new challenge - The Winter Holiday Challenge. it was set up in the Facebook Group Crumpet's Nail Tarts and I think it is awesome! So here's my first entry - Snow Flakes and snowfall.

Orange A Peel

I know I was suppose to post a comparison post today, but I just didn't have enough time to prepare it  yet :-(   I really hope you will forgive me and I'll owe you one! ok?
And instead of that, today I will show you my current mani that is based on my new KBShimmer polish - 
Orange-A-Peel.
KBShimmer - Orange A Peel

Cashmere Night - my winter delight!

Yesterday I showed you my recent haul that included the new Dandy Nails Winter 2012 Collection. Right after I finished taking the pictures, I had to try some of them on. And the first one I am going to show you is Cashmere Night. It is a gorgeous purple polish with blue micro flakes and pink or magenta shimmer that dries to a velvet matte finish.
Dandy Nails - Cashmere Night

Sunday Haul

Hello beautiful people!
Yes, I know I left you here alone for a little while. It wasn't planned at all. Honest! I had a strange and crazy week and many of the things I had planned - just didn't happen. Including some posts in here. I really am sorry... can you forgive me? I really wish you can because I have lot's of stuff to show you this week! And I will do my best to save this special time for our superficially colorful meeting.
So let's move on to the important stuff shell we? This past week's haul. It is big and fun and very lemming-crushing!

Che Bella!

White has always have a very special spot in my heart. I love white polish and this love goes way back, when I was first allowed to use a pen at school. On that day I was also introduced to the correction fluid, that white chalky liquid that I used as nail polish. That liquid had a very bad formula as nail polish, and it dried almost instantly, leaving brush strokes and cracks all over the nail. But it was a white nail polish! And I had none better!
These days there are so many real white nail polish, that you only have to choose. So I am collecting white nail polishes, and one of these days I will do a huge comparison post. But for now, let me show you one of the most beautiful white polishes currently in my stash. Rescue Beauty Lounge - Bella.
Rescue Beauty Lounge - Bella

Sunday Haul

I can't believe it is Sunday again! The week has passed so quickly and I didn't get the chance to do half of all the things I wanted... At least, I had a wonderful weekend. An Indian restaurant on Friday night, an American grill bar on Saturday, lot's of rest and fun and nail polish in between... what else can I ask for...?  I hope you're having a weekend at least this nice yourself!!
This week I have some bottle porn for you, and because I saw that you really wanted to see how the polishes look, I did a quick one nail swatch for them. So let's get started!


Howling Blue Moon

Today I would like to show you another polish that while it came out as part of a Halloween Collection, it is so pretty that every day would accept it on its own. This is Ninja Polish - Howling Blue Moon.
Ninja Polish - Howling Blue Moon
Ninja Polish - Howling Blue Moon, indoors in artificial lighting.

Gentle Ginger vs. DS Luxurious

A couple of days ago after I showed you Girly Bits' Gentle Ginger, I was asked how it was compared to OPI DS Luxurious and China Glaze Riveting. Unfortunately I don't have Riveting (yet!) and when I will get it I will make a proper comparison post. But I do have OPI DS Luxurious so I made some very quick wheel comparison photos to show you how different they are.

Where In The World - Sweden

I am continuing my world tour today with a new entry for the Where In The World challenge and this time I'm in Sweden.

Giving Thanks

In the spirit of the American Thanksgiving tonight, I would like to say a big THANK YOU to all of you beautiful people, who keep reading and commenting and inspire me all the time. I truly am grateful to you ♥ 

And it seemed appropriate that tonight I will show you a beautiful ginger polish that was made in the memory of a loved one. This is Gentle Ginger by Girly Bits.
Gentle Ginger - Girly Bits
Gentle Ginger - Girly Bits

An Elegant Notepad

The amazing Sarah of Chalkboard Nails just threw the idea in a conversation: do a red half moon over a black and white saran.  Well, it was not suggested to me but I overheard and I thought I could give it a try. Well, I thought. Turned out it was much harder then I expected and my end result is... well... something that looks like an elegant notepad... But for an "out of the sleeve" challenge, I did enjoy trying!
Anyone else want to suggest to me an "out of the sleeve" nail art idea?

Dupesday

So it's Tuesday and I said I would try to do it every week. So far it works. Let's see for how long ;-)
Today I have some yellows for you. I really love yellow and I haven't found my most perfect yellow polish just yet, but there are some close enough. Today's shade is the light banana ice cream yellow and I have 3 different but same polishes: Illamasqua - Blow, Nails Inc - Sumner Place and Models Own - Lemon Meringue

Ludurana - Show

I suppose you remember my mani from Saturday. You seem to have liked it really. Thank you! Well, I did too but after a while I got tired of it and I needed a change. I didn't feel like removing it and starting all over. So I looked around for something interesting I could layer over it, and naturally I went for my multi-chromes.  I reached my hand for Ludurana, this amazingly beautiful Brazilian multi-chrome. I already showed you a couple of these before and now it's time for a third polish from the Aurora Boreal collection. This is Show.

Sunday Haul

Sadly, I had no nail mail this week so I don't have a haul to show you today. I am waiting a lot lot of things and I hope they will start to show up already this week but until then... I won't leave you empty handed. I will show you simple swatches of a few of the last weeks hauls. This is something that I don't really like doing because I don't like to just swatch. Every polish I show you here is one that I actually had as a full mani for at least 24 hours. But I was asked by so many to see swatches of these and I figured today would be a perfect time for it!

This leads me to an idea - if you ever want a specific swatch - do let me know either by eMail or in my Facebook page! And now let's move to the photos!  I will start with Sally Hansen's Magical Collection.

Rainbow in black sky

Hello beautiful people! I hope your side of the world is quiet and calm. Here there's a lot of mess. I am sure you hear about it in the news... So I am in desperate need for something soothing and hopeful.
I can't really explain why but... I opened my blacks drawer trying to find what I was looking for.  I guess our mind has it's way... Anyway, I admit today's mani did calm me a bit. Hope you will like it too.
I started with yet another polish from Wet n Wild Fantasy Makers Halloween 2012 collection - Nail in the Coffin.
Wet n Wild Fantasy Makers Nail In The Coffin

Top Coat Stamping

I've been wanting to try something like this mani for a very long time but it never worked for me before with any other top coats or clear polish before. The top coats usually dry too fast or just don't have the right consistency, and clear polish is just too thin. I Then remembered that I totally forgot to  post my review of MoYou Top Coat from OMG Nails, so I decided to try this with it. and guess what? It worked like charm!!! (my cats apologies for leaving their hair in my mani)

Arachnophobia

Yeah I know Halloween is over already but I didn't even get to do a Halloween mani! Well, no wonder, as I don't celebrate Halloween.. but still - I really wanted to do this one!


Dupe Alert!

I have been planing to do some Dupe Alert posts for a while, but somehow I keep forgetting about it when I actually do my nails... Let's see if I can manage such post at least once a week. I guess I need "frames" in my life LOL Anyway, on to the nail stuff!
Essie - Lapiz Of Luxury vs. China Glaze Secret Peri-wink-le
Essie - Lapiz Of Luxury vs. China Glaze Secret Peri-wink-le

Nail Venturous - Robin Laid an Egg

If you follow me a while, you already know that I have a nice little indie polishes collection. And this collection includes some gems no longer being available for sale. Unfortunately. Today I have such a gem to show you, and just like we just happily heard that the mythological NerdLacquer will be returning to the market soon - I truly wish this little gem will be available again.
Nail Venturous - Robin Laid an Egg
Nail Venturous - Robin Laid an Egg

Where in the World - Denmark

Today I finally got to make my new Where in the World entry and this time it is Denmark.
For this mani I didn't have to think much. It was very clear to me what I want to do. As a devoted AFOL (=Adult Fan of LEGO. Yes, it is a real abbreviation!) for years, it was very clear that my Denmark entry will have to have some LEGO. Unfortunately I still did not have the chance to visit Denmark and the LEGO Land, but I will! One day...

Sea Lore Alana

I promised I would show you Alana over a light polish, right? So here it is in all it's glory, Sea Lore Alana!
Sea Lore Alana

Sunday Haul

Sunday again! Let's move directly to the fun part!

First - this package arrived last week and somehow I missed it in my post. But I HAD to show it to you!
My order of the Nail Junkie's amazing Cutie Balm came in with all these goodies! Yummy!!!

Alana Bathed In Light

Remember the Sunday Haul post where I showed you my new Sea Lore and Dandy Nails polishes? So I figured it's time I wear those, and boy they are gorgeous!
Dandy Nails - Bathed In Light
Taken indoors under artificial light

Busy Bee

Do you know those times when you have so many things you want/need to do, but you're in the mood of doing pretty much nothing? Well, I am in this mood right now. It's been raining almost all day, it was gray outside and windy and lot's of thunders. I hate that sort of weather. All I wanna do is cuddle under a heavy blanket and disappear from the world.
But I have so many things I must do! I want to do! So I better cheer myself up ASAP!
Bee - The nail Junkie
Bee - The nail Junkie