Sea Lore Attina

Image Courtesy of Sea Lore Facebook Page

I know I don't feature a lot of indie brands on PolishGalore but I'm trying to include more in my rotation.  Sea Lore was created by a woman in love with the sea and her first collection was named after the mermaids in The Little Mermaid.  I may not have seen the movie in almost 2 decades but I do recall the sisters in the beginning of the movie.  Today I have Attina, the oldest sister at 21 years young, who had an orange tail and seashell bra, brown hair in a up-do with a small crown.  

Image Credit: Disney Wiki

The bottles are sold in 7.5 ml and 15 ml bottles - this is the smaller bottle.  Attina is listed as a coral jelly polish with golden shimmer and golden iridescent flakies.  I thought maybe I could layer it over my LVX Ecru so the jellyness wouldn't be so sheer, but it didn't seem to be a good combination.  This is 2 coats of Attina.

After realizing that nude peach wasn't the best base, I decided to try over Sephora black, and then on its own (index finger).  Here in the sun, it looks more like gold shimmer and nothing else.

I flipped the bottle around here in the shade to try and show you more of the color.  Still a bad choice to layer it over nude - you really can't see all the color in the jelly.  However, the jelly is very sheer and not very buildable - best used as a top coat I feel.

Finally here in the indirect light you can see how well it covers in 2 coats over black but everything else just looks lost.  I'm not sure how much I'd wear this even though I love how unique the shreds of shimmer and flakies are irregular and place well on the nail - no need to fish them out.

Sea Lore [Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram: sealorepolish] is sold in her shop in both 7.5 ml bottles for $5.50 and 15 ml bottles for $10.00.  She does ship internationally and offers gift certificates.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

NCLA Rush Hour

I have a stunner today.  NCLA has been one of my quiet favorites, ESPECIALLY all their amazing wraps which you can see on their Instagram profile (@shopncla).  But let me tell you, their polish really shines as well.  This is Rush Hour, a jelly red creme that is something to stop traffic.  Man.


I used a base coat of Poshe, 2 coats of polish and a top of CND Air Dry.  I didn't have any issues with the formula and it went on smooth.  Like buttah.

Are you ready for this?  RED-Y?  Hah.  Anyway, in the sun, it's just bouncing off light like crazy, so I turned my back and...

Look how squishy it looks!  I'm in love.

This looks terrible but it's what this color did to me in the shade... I love the floating polish in the bottle as well.  I think I need to gradient with this soon!


Unfortunately, I couldn't get my camera to cooperate for a picture indoors with the flash but it carried the same squishy goodness.  The best part is that it's completely opaque in just 2 coats while giving that squishy look.

NCLA [Website] [Facebook] [Twitter] [Tumblr] is available on the website for $16.00 a bottle and in a variety of stores.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

Cult Nails Quench

While I was trying to find a perfect red to layer some awesome upcoming red glitters, I figured that Cult Nails Quench had to be the best red in my stash.  I know Maria (creator of Cult Nails) wasn't going to just put out any old red, so I was excited to finally put it on.  LOOK how that bottle glows up there!


I used a base of Duri Rejuvacote, 2 coats of polish and a top of CND Air Dry.  The formula was a bit sparse on the first coat, but the second coat smoothed it all out and made it super perfect.  I don't know how she constantly does that with her formula, but she has consistently with all the polishes I've tried!

In the sun, this polish is hot hot hot!  I finally figured out what's up with my index finger - my nail is just thin.  That's why it never looks "polished" well - too thin of a nail!  So I'm totally calling Quench a jelly - it's so pretty and squishy!

In the shade, this color appears a little darker, but it's really a true pigmented red - kind of like OCC's Lip Tar  "NSFW".  Bold and in your face!

Indoors with the flash and you can see that it's not just my index fingernail that is thin - most of them are.  Duri has kept them from breaking but they are still thin.  At least they aren't splitting or peeling.


If you haven't purchased Quench, what are you waiting for?

Cult Nails available in their shop for $12 a bottle or now you can purchase from Overall Beauty.  You can like Cult Nails on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.  Once they reach 5,000 Likes on Facebook, Maria will be offering all polishes for only $5!

Nicole by OPI Green Up Your Act!

The final color in the Something About Color Target Exclusive collection from Nicole by OPI is Green Up Your Act! (exclamation point included, yo).  This is a "powerful olive green" but I found it to be more of a murky dark Army green?  Unfortunately, the formula was pretty streaky for me.


I used a base of OPI Natural Nail, 2 coats of polish and a top of OPI Top Coat as I found this to dry to a matte finish.

It's almost a jelly like color - slightly watery.  It's definitely something unique to my stash.  

In the shade, this color just doesn't do too much for me.  I'm not the biggest fan of this shade against my skin, but at the same time it's definitely something interesting.  I'm officially calling this a jelly because of the watery outcome of the polish (instead of an opaque creme).

Finally indoors with the flash and you can finally see some of the streakiness in the middle finger especially.  I was thinking how this would probably look good with some Konad stamped over it or used as a base for a water marble maybe?  And that's the end of this collection!


Nicole by OPI is available beginning at ULTA, Meijer, Harmon, HEB, Sears, Wal-Mart and more for around $8 a bottle.  For more information, visit their website, follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter or become a Facebook fan.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

Cult Nails Awakening

During Cosmoprof, I had the privilege of meeting Maria from Cult Nails.  I recently splurged on the Cult Convert Pack (no longer available) where Maria was selling all 9 Cult Nails colors for $75.  Normally, these polishes go for $10 a piece.  After we had dinner on Monday, Maria presented me with the entire Hypnotic collection and this is Awakening, a murky green blue squishy jelly creme.  When I first saw this, I thought it was a straight teal cream like Let Me Fly but without the glitter but nope!  I was pleasantly surprised.


I used a base coat of Seche Natural, 2 coats of Awakening and a top of nubar Diamont.  I recently was given a bottle of Diamont while at Cosmoprof from Mr. Noubar Abrahamian himself (he was so nice and polite!).  After I took my pictures, I decided to go shower and while I was in my shower, my Diamont shrunk up on me against my tips and I had some major dent-age on a few nails.  I'm not sure what was up with that - does Cult Nails not play well with nubar?  We'll see because I'm going to keep testing this Diamont since I always see people raving about it.

Diamont does make my polish SUPER shiny... that and probably the 100+ degree sun.  (I lost a bottle of PeaceKeeper today due to the heat.)  So here in the sun, you can see that this does look pretty teal, kinda green, murkyish... You don't see the jelly as much as I did in the first coat, but that's a good thing because I needed something added to make this color work - and it did!

The shade picture was harder to get because the red tones from my red metal roof (dead serious) but just for the opacity of this color is why you need it.  It's a great staple color or can be dressed up with others like Hypnotize Me also in this collection.

Indoors with the flash and not much else to say about this - it has great coverage and applied well.  The only thing is that Diamont didn't do well for me in the shower - I need to try it longer to see if it's the formula of Diamont alone or if it's with Cult Nails.


The Hypnotic Collection which includes Awakening pre-sale is over (pre-orders are shipping this Saturday already!) but this is their fall collection so it should be and is now available in their shop for $10 a bottle.  You can like Cult Nails on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.  Once they reach 5,000 Likes on Facebook, Maria will be offering all polishes for only $5!


Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

OPI Servin' Up Sparkle

From the Glam Slam! England collection, today I tried Servin' Up Sparkle.  Now it's been said that this is a lot like China Glaze Shooting Stars or one of the other colors from the Glitters & Cremes (also known as the Specialty) collection and they are right but for now, let's just see this beautiful girl on her own.


I decided to try just one coat over yesterday's manicure.  Afterwards, I added a top of OPI Top Coat.

I absolutely love how you have a bright mix of tiny rainbow glitter and the slightly larger hexagonal reflective glitter pieces.  The more coats you use, the better chance you have at grabbing more hexagonal glitter.  This does have a clear base so you can layer it over anything (and trust me, I have).

Even in the shade, this color likes to reflect everything!  It's definitely a fun way to get another day out of a manicure or add something special on top of a normally drab color (not that this was a drab color to begin with!).

Indoors with the flash and just look how lovely this is.  Definitely an instant favorite of mine.  In fact, I like it so much that one of you is going to win my spare bottle!  Yes, that's right!  Details will be in my next posting - so stay tuned!

OPI is available at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and Ulta, for $8.50 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer. Please visit their website for details [official website].  

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

OPI Do You Think I'm Tex-y?

My final color in the Texas/Deep In The Heart of Color Collection - OPI's Summer 2011 series is Do You Think I'm Tex-y?  I was talking to a former nail tech the other day who said that she absolutely loves OPI's bottle names.  I do think that consistently, they are the most creative and I do like the running theme of Suzi having a color named in there.  This last sorbet/jelly polish is supposed to be more of a berry from their press release but again doesn't look much like it's promo picture.


I used a base of OPI Natural Nail, 3 coats of polish and a top of OPI Top Coat.

I really do hesitate on if this is a red or a purple.  I feel like it leans more red but then I can see the whole berry purple thing in there too?  This color seems more opaque than some of the others but it's still not like a creme.

In the shade it still holds it own and no VNL but I'm still not convinced.  The whole jelly/sorbet thing is so weird to me and as much as I thought I liked them - I don't.  I prefer opaque colors as I've been reading most of y'all do too.

Even indoors with the flash, this color just seems to glow and not get lost in the shuffle.  I definitely think it's going to have to be played with some more, and again you can always add some crackle when the sheerness gets to you.  I am glad to be done with this collection though.  As excited as I was to see my home state covered in nail polish, I didn't enjoy all the colors as much as I hoped.  I'd still buy for novelty sake but I don't know how often these colors will be reused in my stash.

OPI is available at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and Ulta, for $8.50 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer. Please visit their website for details [official website].  

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

Nicole by OPI Gold Texture

Moving on down the line with the Nicole by OPI Texture collection is Gold Texture which is just what is sounds like.  :)  I used yesterday's manicure for my base.

Orange and gold together?  It works but I probably wouldn't do that one again.  I still prefer gold over green.

It looks so much better in the shade - that's really all I can say.  Hah.

Indoors with the flash just washes this out totally.  Metallics don't photograph well as seen with the silver shatter the other day.  Oh well.  :)  You get the point (I hope).


Nicole by OPI is available beginning at ULTA, Meijer, Harmon, HEB, Sears, Wal-Mart and more for around $8 a bottle.  For more information, visit their website, follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter or become a Facebook fan.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

OPI Y'all Come Back Ya Hear?

I've spent 20 years in Texas and I've always agreed with the mantra "You can take the girl out of Texas but you can't take the Texas out of the girl."  I routinely say y'all when talking to others - even in the singular form.  I was excited for this color but not totally sold on orange.  Why orange?  WHY.


I used a base of OPI Natural Nail, 3 coats of Y'all Come Back Ya Hear? polish and a top of OPI Top Coat.

Sorry for the no sun again.  It's over 100 degrees but there's this huge ridiculous cloud above my house.  Is this a sign?  :P  You can see some VNL but it's not terribly bad.  Again, this is a jelly/sorbet polish.

Pure shade and check out the VNL especially on my ring finger.  Since this picture, I've gotten a manicure, promise.  My nails aren't all icky shaped anymore.

Indoors with the flash and I'm just still not in love with this color.  Not a big fan of orange polish, but there's no shimmer or glitter so it's in my "meh" pile.

OPI is available at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and Ulta, for $8.50 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer. Please visit their website for details [official website].  

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

OPI Silver Shatter

OPI Silver Shatter actually came out back in Spring with the OPI Brights "Pirates of the Caribbean" collection.  I absolutely hated the way this looked on blogs but trust me when I say this is a color you need.  It has all this shimmer that can't be captured digitally but looks AMAZING in person.


I used yesterday's manicure, one coat of Silver Shatter and a top coat of OPI Top Coat.

I mean really, it's hard to tell you how amazing this is when it doesn't photograph well at all.

And it shatters pretty well as well.

I didn't have sun out (of course) so sorry that you don't see the full BLING of this polish.

Indoors with the flash just makes this look ugly.  Haha, sorry friends.  I promise you that this is amazing and you do need it.  This and a black shatter/crackle/texture make me a happy camper.

OPI is available at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and Ulta, for $8.50 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer. Please visit their website for details [official website].  

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

OPI Guy Meets Gal-veston

Continuing with the sorbet section of the Texas collection is Guy meets Gal-veston, an 'engaging" coastal coral.  Okay, I've said it before but I'm going to seriously say it again.  OPI, who does your promo pictures?  See my bottle picture?  Here is the one that OPI produced in their press release.

What?


Anyway.  I used a base of OPI Natural Nail, 3 coats of polish and a top of OPI Top Coat.  As with sorbets/jellies, this is not opaque.

Even though it does have a watery squishy finish, it's not bad - I could see myself being able to deal with this color pretty decently.

Here in the shade you can see that it can definitely hold it's own.  It's more red than coral to me, but it's still pretty for the summer.

Finally indoors with the flash and you can see a bit of VNL on my middle finger.  I think this is probably my favorite so far for the sorbets.

OPI is available at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and Ulta, for $8.50 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer. Please visit their website for details [official website].  

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

Nicole by OPI Black Texture

Hey look, it's another black crackling polish! Nicole by OPI's Black Texture.  I decided to use my previous manicure from yesterday as my base.


Unfortunately, I found this polish to be thick, muddy and it wrinkled up on me on the nail.  It just needs a little thinner, which is pretty typical of crackle/texture/shatter polishes.

Boo older brush.  Never knew I'd miss the Perfect Brush that just came out.


Now, I decided to attempt something more than just the normal crackling.

Normal on the pinkie and ring finger (I actually paint my nails from pinkie to thumb), butt hen I tried horizontal stripes on my middle finger and sideways on my index finger.  I think I'm happy with just "normal" vertical lines instead.

In the shade, you can see how it's a bit wrinkly on me as well as bumpy.

Finally indoors with the flash - I like this color combo a lot!  And I really like that crackle hides the whole weird jelly/sorbet finish.

Nicole by OPI is available beginning at ULTA, Meijer, Harmon, HEB, Sears, Wal-Mart and more for around $8 a bottle.  For more information, visit their website, follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter or become a Facebook fan.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.