Cult Nails - Afterglow

This is Cult Nails Afterglow and it was quite a hazzle to get right. The formula was too sheer I think. After three coats, I still felt it wasn't opaque. On top of it all, my SV shrunk the hell out of it and I had instant visible nail lines:( Next time, I will layer this over H&M Fabulous Nails Honey or some other brown polish I have in my stash - because the shade is really gorgeous and I would like to wear it and NOT be annoyed some other day, after I've recovered:) The photos do not do this shade justice!

Linda Johansen - Brookside Moss

I got this from Norway Nails. It is a really dark green with golden shimmer. The formula was a bit thick and gloppy, but this is practically a one-coater. I have two here though for a really deep finish. It is very shiny on its own, I used SV only to speed up the drying. I usually don't like round brushes, but I'm really pleased with how round and clean the edge looks at the bottom. So - in spite of a gloppy formula and a round brush - Linda Johansen is doing SOMETHING right to make such an end result possible. Bravo!

The book is also Bravo! The Stranger's Child (Alan Hollinghurst) is about an aristocratic family and the book kind of makes stops across about a hundred years I guess (i haven't finished yet). I've always been fascinated by time and what it does to us, so, naturally, this kind of structure appeals to me. Also, Hollinghurst is fantastic with feelings, especially the subtle ones: faint discomfort, a child's disappointment etc. He is spot on and really makes you feel what is writing.

Cult Nails - Annalicious

Well, let's see. I got some Cult Nail Laquers from Norwaynails.com. I came away with Annalicious, Flushed and Afterglow. This is Annalicious, which I thought I would like more than I did... The formula was quite runny and I have two coats on above. I should have had three though, and it kind of bugged me that two didn't do the job, I guess, since that's what I expect from a pricier brand. It kind of reminds me of OPI The Spy Who Loved Me from the James Bond collection, but somehow, it's not as Christmassy as that one. I don't know why.

I'll use this again, I guess, but with three coats. Or possibly one coat of the OPI and one coat on top pf this. I'm a slacker and a cheater:)

PS. Norwaynails.com has many, many cool brands and although the website says it van take several weeks to get your stuff, I havenät had to wait longer than TWO (2) days so far. The polishes are very well packed and I've gotten freebies with both my orders. WONDERFUL place!

OPI - Every Month is Oktoberfest

I'm guessing Every Month is Oktoberfest will eventually be an OPI classic. Dark, dark purple with a red shimmer. It came out last fall with the Germany collection and it's one of the bottles I own. It's almost a one-coater but you need two for depth, and with that marvelous brush it is laughingly easy to apply.

The novel, however, is not for everyone. I would say it's for Jane Austen-fans only, and not all of them. The die-hards will be horrified at someone playing at leasure with those well-loved characters, even if it's a grand old dame like P.D. James. I love to revisit Austen world in any shape or form I can, and have read many spin-offs. This one is actually quite good. There's a murder at Pemberley. Naturally, Wickham is involved. Or - is he?

Sephora by OPI - I'm Wired

This is Sephora by OPI, I'm Wired. It looked kind of tame in the bottle but popped on the nail. Made me kind of happy and energized! I think this was two coats and SV. My favourite thing about the Sephora by OPI brand is the the remarkable staying-power of the polishes I've tried from them (three so far). On my thumb, I'm showing Copper Shimmer from CND - one of their effects polishes.

Gina Tricot - Powder Puff

I don't usually go for lighter shades, but I've been in the market for a polish to wear when I want a quick manicure that looks fresh for long (the tip wear doesn't really show with nude colors:)). This one was cheap and had a bit of a shimmer in it. The shade also turned out to be neither too pink nor too beige. It went on a bit streaky though and didn't quite level out fully. Still - I liked it okay. Below, you'll see it in one-four coats. Personally I prefer two. To make the shade fully opaque, I think you'll need four-five coats even, and besides, with nude shades, I don't mind a visible nail line.

Gina Tricot - Powder Puff - two coats

Gina Tricot - Powder Puff: one coat

Gina Tricot - Powder Puff: four, three and two coats

SpaRitual - Lithophonic

This is a polish that looks steely grey shimmer at first sight, but the grey turns out to be a warm one, and even looks a bit brownish at times, and in some lights - green! The brush is round and short and easy to use (even for me, who is soooold on flat brushes). The formula covered in two coats, but was a tad thick I thought.

It goes well with the iPad I think, on which I'm currently reading Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel (the sequel to Wolf Hall). Both novels are Booker Prize Winners and center on the life of Thomas Cromwell, one of Henry XII's ministers. The sequel seems to actually outshine the first book in the trilogy! No mean feat!

SpaRitual - Lithophonic