Indie Spotlight: Hit Polish "Pretty in Paisley" and "Tropics" (Swatches and Review)

Hi everyone!

Today I'm hitting the blog with another indie brand, Hit Polish Nail Lacquer!

Hit Polish, formally known and D&R Apothecary, is the creative endeavor of Rachel from South Carolina.
With over 300 different polishes under her belt she continuously releases new, limited edition shades that keeps her customers coming back for more.

Rachel was kind enough to send me two baby bottles of two shades included in next month's line-up, "Pretty in Paisley" and "Tropics".

This is only a couple of the  wide selection of new glittery beauties that are coming soon!

Pretty in Paisley is a gentle mix of silver fine glitter sprinkled with mint, lavender, pastel pink and red hexes all swirled in a clear base.

(One coat shown over CQ "Candy Grape" with one layer of Out The Door top coat)

The glitter is dense without the base being thick. 

The consistency is pretty flawless with no fishing or dabbing needed.

The glitter applies evenly and you aren't left feeling like a certain color got left behind.

Because the glitter is so packed, you can build this up with an extra layer or two and wear it on it's own or use it as a topper as I did here. I personally recommend a base color that is dark enough to not overshadow the light hues of the glitter.

The pastel colors are a match made in heaven, and then adding the red for that extra pop sent this combo over the top.

It's precious, basically.

Tropics is fresh, bright mix of gold fine glitter and metallic rainbows hexes of varying sizes in a clear base.

(One coat over Over Avon Mega Watt "Shock" with one layer of Out The Door top coat.)

The formula is consistent with PiP and just as easy to apply.

This one is also able to reach full coverage on it's own, but because the fine glitter-to-base ratio is lower than PiP, it takes at least three coats if not four.

There is something definitely more tropical feeling to this mix compared to other rainbow glitters. 

I think it's the light metallic blue against the shiny and citrusy yellow, orange, green and hot pink that really sold me.

While it can be paired with just about any base color, I couldn't think of any more fitting than a jelly blue, ocean-like hue for the glitters to swim in.

(Not to mention the glitter remedied the exposed flaws in the base color's formula, but I'll get to that collection later.)

Most indie polish makers release at least one glitter combo, and a lot of them can be pretty similar. 

What sets each brand apart, in my opinion, is the quality and consistency of  the base and Rachel "nails it" every time.

Even though these are glitters you can count on, the amount of Hit Polish lacquers you'll want is something you can't count.

There's just so many shades I feel I must have, but they're always limited edition so I have to grab them while I can!

Want Hit Polish for yourself?

You can find the current line up of Hit Polish nail lacquers at Rachel's Etsy shop.

Currently, all stock is being cleared for the July release, so ALL polishes are 20% off!
Full size 15ml bottles are currently marked down to $6.40 each, and minis ave been reduced to either $2.60 or $3.20 a piece.

Grab what you can, because the new line up (which includes the to I shared today) are expected to be released on July 15th, so grab what you can now!

What do you think of these Hit Polish beauties?

Will you be hitting Etsy to purchase any Hit Polish?

Let me know in the comments below and give these shades some love on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest!

And for Hit Polish updates, sneak peeks and more, keep up with Rachel on Hit Polish's Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Thanks for reading!

Indie Spotlight: My Pink Dreams Polish Swatches and Review

Hi everyone!

It's time for another indie brand spotlight, and today I have My Pink Dreams  to take the stage.

My Pink Dreams is the vision of Lily Gudinas from the sunny state of Florida, who not only has created a unique line of polishes, but also offers a variety of deliciously fragrant, soy wax "scent shots" in her Etsy shop.

I picked up the following shades at the end of a recent sale:

Fruity Pebbles

Pop Art

Casa Blanca

Lily was generous enough to include the following shades as gifts with purchase.

Diana

 Miami Sun Rise (mini)

80's Melt Down (mini)

The more the merrier right? Let's take a closer look.

Fruity Pebbles is a shredded mix of matte rainbow glitter in a milky white base.

The name is so fitting.

The base is thin but creamy and is very easy to build up. How many layers you will need to reach full opacity can depend on how thick each layer is applied. If you prefer a more sheer milky-like base you can leave this shade at two coats, but I used three to fully saturate the white.

The glitter doesn't quite apply evenly, but it's balanced in the end. It's easier to maneuver and doesn't require dabbing.

There are a lot of white and rainbow combos out there, but the shreds in this one make it special.
And with all of the colors against the white base, it'll go with just about any outfit. Nice bonus eh?

Pop Art is a crazy combination of small neon lime hexes, small white squares, medium red and green squares, large pink squares, and skinny blue bar glitters.
(One coat shown over Wet 'N Wild "Tickled Pink")

Andy Warhol, eat your heart out.

Formula wise, the only concern is that the neon glitters bled in the bottle, so it will transform the base color you use. Believe it or not the Wet 'N Wild shade underneath was a very light baby pink to start with.
In this particular case, it turned out to be a happy accident because this looks a million times better!

The base is on the thicker side and will require dabbing, but the real fishing involved is for the larger pink glitters. They are a little large to sit completely flat on the nail, so I recommend a good lyer of top coat to keeps things smooth.

Possibly one of my favorite glitter mixes to date. 

I'm all for the unique and unusual and this is seriously a work of art on the nail. 

Pictures just can't do it justice.

80's Melt  Down is fine neon mix of blue, pink and yellow glitter sprinkled with medium blue and lime green hexes and small pink squares, all in a milky white base.

I'm pretty sure I melted too after seeing this baby.
Not only is the combination incredible, but so is the formula.

The white base isn't as saturated as Fruity Pebbles, but I think it's more fitting. It softens the overall look  and lets all of the colors shine through.

Application was a dream and reaches full coverage at three coats. Since this is fine glitter mix, it has the smoothest finish of them all which makes it a great option as a base for nail art!

I definitely be getting this one in full size.

Miami Sun Rise is happy mix of hot pink medium hexes, small yellow  hexes, and small neon green squares.

(One coat shown over Julep "Dianna.")

In suit with all the clear based glitters, the formula for this one was pretty thick.
I had to do a bit of fishing for the pink hexes and overall the glitter applied a bit more sparse, but keep in mind this is a mini bottle and application can be a bit more difficult.

It's so cute that I personally don't mind the extra effort. Paired with seafoam green it's the perfect spring and summer combo that's eye-catching, but a bit more delicate. 

The options are endless with this one, and it's another full size purchase I'll have to make.

Diana is a purple shimmer leaning on frost with hidden, hot pink small glitters.

Diana isn't quite what I had hoped.
The formula is pretty thin and runny, causing it to pool, drag, and overall apply pretty thin. 

At three coats as shown in the photos it sill had not quite built up to the rich purple I saw in the bottle.

The glitters are close to non existent, and look more like an accident. They get lost in the base and just can't manage to shine through whatever light you put it under.

Below shows the same shade in direct sunlight. The color itself begins to shift to a beautiful blue, but it still seems a bit washed out. However, not even the sun could make the glitter come out to play.

When asking about the availability of this shade to Lily, I went ahead and gave her my feedback regarding this shade. It turns out we were on the same page and she agreed that this one is not up to par with the quality of her other polishes.

She deserves a lot of respect of that. She understands her potential, listens to constructive criticism and would rather rework a shade than release something she's not proud of.

I'd buy her polishes just for that reason.

Despite the issues, Diana has the potential to be a gorgeous shade.
I loved how it transformed in the sunlight. 

With a little TLC I'd love to see it reworked and released.

Casa Blanca is a white mix of large and extra small hexes, mini squares, large rectangles, and fine glitter.
(One coat shown over "Diana")

This one had a pretty thick base.
While the smaller glittesr apply nicely, fishing and dabbing are required to obtain anything else.
With a good shake of the bottle it really wasn't any trouble.

I love this one. The large rectangles make a monotone mix stand out from the rest, and you can bet you'll be seeing me whip this one more than once come the winter months.
It's like a giant snow storm on the nail, and I love it!

Overall I'm really impressed at the small unique touches each polish has. 

Even though Diana is the odd one out, it can still be put to good use as is for a glitter base as shown with Casa Blanca.

Want My Pink Dreams for yourself?

You can find all of the available My Pink Dreams polishes through Lily's Etsy shop.
Full size 15ml bottles are $8.50, and mini 7ml bottles are also available for $3.50.

Also offered is a $35 mystery box which will contain 4 full size polishes, two minis and may include fun extras such as nail art accessories, hand and cuticle care samples, soaps and more.
For more details, see the listing here.

Of the polishes I shared with you today, here is the current availability of each:

Fruity Pebbles: Currently available.
Pop Art: Not currently in stock, but will return during summer.
80's Melt Down & Miami Sun Rise: NEW! Not currently available but summer release expected.
Casa Blanca: Not Currently available, re-release expected in winter.
Diana: Not currently available. Possible reformulation before release.


Which My Pink Dreams polish was a dream to you?
Will you picking up any of these shades?

Let me know your comments below and gives these beauties some love on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest!

Remember I've having a giveaway at 500 Facebook likes, so share, share, share!

And don't forget to check out My Pink Dreams on Facebook and Instagram!

Thanks for reading!

-Melody

Indie Spotlight: Windestine Peach Ice, Moana and OOAK II (Swatches and Review)

Hi everyone!

I am very excited to share with you a few more Etsy treasures, this time from the indie brand Windestine.

One of the primary reasons people flock to indies is for the uniqueness of the polishes. From the collections to the glitter combos, their is so much more imagination in handmade polishes that just can't be matched by the big box brands.

Windestine is a prime example. With no prior knowledge of the brand, I stumbled across the shop on Etsy and immediately fell in love. There is a subtle quality in each and every polish that makes it stand out, and I couldn't wait to purchase.

I have the following  three shades to showcase today:

Moana

Peach Ice

OOAK II

Moana is a jelly-based deep teal with coppery orange, hot pink and pastel green hex glitters of multiple sizes.

The application between the first and second coat was almost night and  day.

Intially I was prepared to be disappointed when first layer went on uneven. The glitters grouped together and dragged along the nail, but don't fret! The actual consistency was kind enough to make spreading the glitters an easy fix.
Once the first coat is down, the second goes on perfectly smooth with the glitters applying as they should.

How is that possible? I don't know, but I'm happy for it! 

This secondary color-combination is simply incredible. It's fresh and festive and strays far from the average jelly. It's as if you've got the depths of coral filled ocean on your nails.

Speaking of jelly...if left at two coats it will display the usual translucent jelly-like finish, but with a third layer (as shown in the photos) it managed to become completely opaque with no shrinking or excessive thickness.
Not many jellies can really achieve this.

Peach Ice is a true peach with different size white glitters.

The formula of this one is more opaque than Moana, and only required two coats to reach full coverage. There was no glitter dabbing or spreading required. Easy peasy!

It leans more orange depending on the amount of light, but no matter what is an extremely flattering color (atleast on light skin tones). The name is so appropriate and literally made me crave frozen yogurt when wearing it. 

Oh the wonders of color theory/psychology. 

OOAK II is a clear-based glitter bomb of lavender hexes, white fine and shredded glitters and yellow moon glitters! How cool!
(I have one coat over China Glaze "Aquadelic")

One coat is really all you need! The base was on the thicker side of average, but considering how dense the glitters are it's understandable. 

The white and lavender glitters spread evenly with no clumping and the moons sit nice and flat on the nail. The moons did take a bit of fishing as there's not as many of them, but were easy to obtain with one good swirl of the brush. 

The end result is completely worth it.

I mean, how stinkin' precious is this?! Light base, dark base, it's all a dream. 

Paired with CG Aquadelic created a look that was like a childhood lullaby come to life. 

I am so smitten.

If I could force all you lovelies to go out and make a polish purchase, it would be for these. 

These combinations are chic and original and a worth every penny. Even the name "Windestine" is whimsical in itself.

Want Windestine for yourself?

You can find all of the available Windestine polishes on Etsy priced between $5-8 per 15ml bottle.
Peach Ice is currently available for $5 on clearance. Get it while you can!
Moana is available for $9 (the only shade currently marked at this price).

Bonus! If you buy two or more full size polishes you get a random full size OOAK for free, which is how I obtained OOAK II. So worth it!

Make sure to check out Windestine on Facebook and Twitter for updates on promotions, new releases and more!

Don't forget to give these beauties some love on my Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest!




---

If you know already a fan on Facebook, now's the time. Why? 

I'm having a giveaway once I reach 500 Facebook likes!
I'm not just a Manicured Amateur, I'm a social media amateur too.

You all have been so wonderful and supportive and I want to give something back.
But this little wallflower needs your help to spread the word!
So make sure to follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Bloglovin' for more nail art, new collections and more!

Thanks for reading!

-Melody

Indie Spotlight: Glitz'd 23 Lunar Fairytale Collection & Cranberry Love Swatches and Review

Hi everyone!

I know it seems like my posts are getting father and farther apart, but I promise I'm still here!
Carpenters, roofers, plumbers, and just about every her type of handyman you think of has been in and out as repairs on my house are fully underway.
(What happened to my house? See the photos here.)

Today I have another up and coming indie brand to share with you: Glitz'd23 .

Glitz'd23 is run by TK, a mother of two from just over the state line in Memphis, Tennessee.
She has created a line that ranges from shimmery jellies, glitter bombs, neons, color-shifting and glow in the dark shades!

She was generous enough to provide polishes to me at a discounted rate in order for me to share them with you all.

It was hard to chose just a few, as I seriously think I could scoop up her whole store with that kind of variety.

I ending up choosing the Lunar Fairytale Collection, a set of three color-shifting shades:

Nebula
Cosmic Joker
Moon Owl

Each can be built up on their own, or layered over other colors to create unique combinations.

I was curious however, as the bottles for Cosmic Joker and Nebula didn't match the shop photos.


For the purpose of this review I chose to utilize these as toppers over other colors.
I also chose NOT to photograph these under lamps.
I chose daylight bulbs instead which reveal the exact color that I see in person.
If you would like sparkly halogen swatches, just let me know!

I did attempt to wear them on their own at full opacity, and although I do not have swatches I can tell you that it will take 3 to 4 coats depending  on the length of your nails.


For the first time in a long while, I have found a collection where the formulas are identical across the board!

All three of these glide on flawlessly no matter which way you choose to wear them.

I really don't ever get to say that, so I was super excited.

Now let's see the shades already!

First is Cosmic Joker, which shifts from gold to green to blue.
I have one coat layered over Julep "Olivia," an almost black chocolate brown.

Out of the three, the has the most subtle shift. 

You almost don't get the blue except for the very edge, which even then might be mistaken for the green.

In direct sunlight this will appear to be a green glitter topper until your nails are at an angle.

(I wish I had direct sunlight photos, but it's been stormy and cloudy for days. -_-)

Even those it's not as drastic as I would have hoped, I'm still a huge fan!

When showing this shade to my boyfriend, we both agreed this to be my "Game of Thrones polish."
It's brooding but mystical. Fantasy-like? I like!

Next is Nebula, which shifts from crimson to gold to purple.

I have one coat layered over China Glaze "Call of the Wild," a deep dark reddish brown.

The actual shift is stronger in this one than Cosmic Joker, but will still appear to be a purple glitter topper in direct sunlight.
It's still subtle, but you'll definitely notice it.

This color is a galaxy in itself, and you can bet I'll be whipping it out for some astral-inspired nail art!

And then there's Two Moons, a tricky shifter from purple to blue, but reflects green and gold in certain light.

I have one coat layered over China Glaze "Purr-fect Plum," a deep warm-toned plummy purple.

Oh yeah. This shift you can't miss. No matter what light, and what base you use, it'll blow you away.

What else, can I say? It's out of the world, and definitely the stand out of the three.

In addition to the Lunar Fairytale Collection, I also scooped up Cranberry Love, a spritely mix of cranberry and yellow glitter and holographic butterfly glitters!

The formula on this wasn't thick or goopy at all, but in exchange the butterfly glitters do not stay suspended. They will sink within minutes of shaking, so be sure to give the bottle a good shake and roll before each use.

The pink and yellow glitters glide on without effort and I had no issues with large gaps or clumping.
I did have to fish for the butterfly glitters, but it allowed me to specifically place them in a balanced manner. I could have even created cute patterns with them if I so desired.

I feel it's really important to note that even though I still had to fish for butterflies (haha, ironic?), the formula is so nice that is did NOT work against me. That's a rare thing when dealing with large glitter and TK deserves a big round of applause for that one.

The end result is adorable and sparkly...and I mean really sparkly! The holographic nature of the butterflies catches even the tiniest bit of light and will even reflect off of a wall.

(Yes, many thanks to TK for not only creating an awesome glitter polish, but providing at least 20 minutes of feline light-chasing entertainment, HA!)

Which shade was your favorite?

Overall I'm extremely impressed with the Glitz'd23 line.
Consistent quality formulas spread across a wide range of finishes are polishes I eagerly support.

Expect to see more of Glitz'd23 around here because I'm already starting to set funds aside for that Sweet Shimmer collection.

Want Glitz'd23 for yourself?

You can find all of the available Glitz'd23 polishes on Etsy for $6 per 15ml bottle. What a steal!
The Lunar Fairytale Collection is available for the discounted price $22 for the full set, or $8 individually.
Cranberry Love is available for $6.

Make sure to follow TK on Facebook and Instagram.
While you're at it, don't forget to give these polishes some love on my Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest!

And remember! Only one month before Google Reader is officially kicking the bucket, so make sure you're keep up with The Manicured Amateur on Twitter and Bloglovin' because I've got lots of new collections and nail art looks coming your way!

And if I can get to 500 likes on Facebook, there just might be a giveaway.... :)))

Thanks for reading!

-Melody

Indie Spotlight: Flossy Lacquers Swatches and Review

Happy Memorial Day everyone!

I know I'm a day behind, but I wanted to continue on with Indie Spotlight Weekend as planned.
I mean, a Monday holiday counts as a three-day weekend, amirite?

Today, I'm excited to introduce you a very new brand called Flossy Lacquers!

As much as we polish addicts have a long list of lemmings of the normal indie cult favorites, sometimes it's much more exciting to stumble upon a true indie name with not a lot of press. 

When I just happened across this shop on Etsy, I immediately knew I had to see them in person.

Flossy Lacquers is 3-free brand created by Nikki of Minnesota, a fellow polish addict like ourselves.

She was very generous in providing the following four polishes for me to share and review with you all.

Make Believe

 Dive Queens and Jelly Beans

Electric Limelight

Purple People Eater

Make Believe is a milky white polished mixed with pastel pink, purple, blue and green glitters with a hint of holographic sparkle.

I'm pretty positive I squealed when I saw this combo.
I love any glitter combo with a white base, and this mix is so springy and delicate.

The formula on this one was the only one I found to be a bit tricky at first. It was streaky on the first coat, but managed to even itself out with three total layers. 

That wasn't so much of a concern at first, as I was more concentrated on the texture. It has a gritty feel to it that is still visible on the nail even after two or three or coats. I don't have extensive knowledge of the actual polish-making process, but I had a suspicion that this was actually glitter in disguise. To be completely sure, I contacted Nikki who confirmed that is in fact part of the formula.

All that being said, the finished look is gorgeous. Two layers of top coat smoothed out the surface (for the most part), and I was left with the dainty but eye catching nails you see in the photos.

Diva Queens and Jelly Beans is a cool-toned medium grey polish sprinkled with medium-sized white hex glitters, small pink square glitters and ultra fine white glitter.

It has a semi-sheer formula, so the grey takes some building up. This allows the glitters to have more depth, so I'm all for it. The bottle may need a roll or two to reach the glitters, but I think the sparse application actually makes the finished look "pop" so much more. The texture wasn't as severe as Make Believe, but I still chose two layers of top coat for an ultra-glossy effect.

Oh how I love this. And I mean really love this. It's youthful, but sophisticated. The colors are a smart combination that somehow manages to be edgy but feminine, mature but fun all at the same time.
In my opinion, it's a must-have. 

Electric Limelight is an ultra fine neon green and yellow glitter topper that Nikki brightly described as "nothing but tasty."

Tasty is right. It reminds me of sour powdered sugar from Fun Dip or straight off some sour gummy worms.

The formula is incredible. It's not thick or goopy at all, and the glitter just glides on densely, but evenly.

I went for the shock value and used one coat over black, but it's actually a lot more versatile than I thought.

It's green, it's extreme and it's a winner to me.

Here I have Electric Limelight shown four different ways:

Index Finger - One coat over Julep "Madison."
Middle Finger - One coat over China Glaze "Grape Pop."
Ring Finger and previous photos - One coat over Sally Hansen Hard as Nails "Black Heart."
Pinky Finger - Three coats with no "undies."

Purple People Eater is a jelly based purple jam packed with purple and pink glitter.

Stunning? Irresistible? All of the above!
There's something exquisitely unique about this shade. The warm, plum-toned jelly base coincides with the pink glitter in such a way that I surprisingly could not find a match for it in the rest of my collection.
It's bold enough to be a summer statement color, but has a festive quality to it that will surely have me whipping it out even in the winter months.

The formula was fantastic and opaque in two coats.
It also dries quite fast, which makes it a great polish-and-go color and great for toes!
(...because who likes to wait around forever waiting for their toes to dry?)

I can't begin to describe how delighted I am to have found Flossy Lacquers.
For a up and coming brand, these polishes already make a statement.
From the bottles to the business cards, Nikki has created a polish line that is sure to stand out,
and it was a pleasure to be able to share them with you all.
(Oh, and did I mention her business card doubles as an adorable magnet! Love it!)

Want Flossy Lacquers for yourself?

You can find all of the available Flossy Lacquers on Etsy, priced at $7.25 for 15ml bottles.

Purple People Eater is already available to purchase, and Nikki announced that the other three I showed you should be up by the end of this week.


This brand is entirely new, so there is no official Flossy Lacquers Facebook, Instagram or Twitter Page.
However, you can give these beauties some love and spread the word through my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest!

Thanks for reading!

-Melody