Monday, May 31, 2010

Spotlight On: Mode Cosmetics #10663 Ooh Baby

Firstly, please read my post Introducing.... Mode Cosmetics Nail Enamel! if you have not done so already, as it contains general information about this brand of nail enamel.


Ooh Baby is part of the current Mode Cosmetics collection and is a pretty Cherry blossom pink creme. This one is a little thinner than the last few, so it was easier to work with, and two coats does the trick! A very versatile shade, as it is very subtle, and would easily compliment any collection!


Photograph taken in artificial light

Nail art: I used Crystallized Swarovski Flat Backs. These ones are Foiled Xilion Rose (2028/ss5.) Colour: 209 AB Rose Aurore Boreale. Set into wet nail polish and apply top coat. Voila!


I will be listing a bottle of this shade on OZtion for any Australian ladies interested in owning one! I will also be offering it for trade on MakeupAlley in the near future for anyone, anywhere! For ladies outside of Australia who would like to buy a bottle, please email me and I will happily list one on eBay for you. If you have tried these links and Ooh Baby is not available on any of these sites, please email me, and I will endeavour to source one for you.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Spotlight On: Mode Cosmetics #10662 Fashionista

Firstly, please read my post Introducing.... Mode Cosmetics Nail Enamel! if you have not done so already, as it contains general information about this brand of nail enamel.


Fashionista is part of the current Mode Cosmetics collection and is a shade of Cerise. This creme shade, like Party Crasher and Messed Up, was a little tricky to work with, so arm yourself with an orange stick when applying this one! A little thick, so it was another one-coater. Again I would suggest a drop of thinner to avoid bubbles. This is a gorgeous shade of deep dusty pink that would appeal to most ladies - definitely one for the wish-list!


Photograph taken in artificial light


I will be listing a bottle of this shade on OZtion for any Australian ladies interested in owning one! I will also be offering it for trade on MakeupAlley in the near future for anyone, anywhere! For ladies outside of Australia who would like to buy a bottle, please email me and I will happily list one on eBay for you. If you have tried these links and Fashionista is not available on any of these sites, please email me, and I will endeavour to source one for you.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Spotlight On: Mode Cosmetics #10661 Messed Up

Firstly, please read my post Introducing.... Mode Cosmetics Nail Enamel! if you have not done so already, as it contains general information about this brand of nail enamel.


Messed Up is part of the current Mode Cosmetics collection and is a shade of Chamoisee. This creme shade, like Party Crasher, was a little tricky to work with, so arm yourself with an orange stick when applying this one! A little thick, so it was another one-coater. Again I would suggest a drop of thinner to avoid bubbles. I don't usually like neutral shades, but this one is FANTASTIC! I will be wearing this one again for sure!


Photograph taken in artificial light


I will be listing a bottle of this shade on OZtion for any Australian ladies interested in owning one! I will also be offering it for trade on MakeupAlley in the near future for anyone, anywhere! For ladies outside of Australia who would like to buy a bottle, please email me and I will happily list one on eBay for you. If you have tried these links and Messed Up is not available on any of these sites, please email me, and I will endeavour to source one for you.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Spotlight On: Mode Cosmetics #10660 Party Crasher

Firstly, please read my post Introducing.... Mode Cosmetics Nail Enamel! if you have not done so already, as it contains general information about this brand of nail enamel.


Party Crasher is part of the current Mode Cosmetics collection and is a Royal Purple creme. Please excuse the less than perfect photos, purple looks blue as per usual! I found this shade to be a little tricky to work with – it went on thick, so thick I only needed one coat, and dried very slowly. I also found that my top coat (I use inm Out The Door) changed this shade so much that I swatched it without any top coat on at all. The top coat not only made the shade look twice as dark as it actually was, but it also made the colour streak. I would have tried a different brand of top coat to see if it behaved the same – but I don't have another one! I would suggest a drop of thinner in this shade to make sure you don't get bubbling too. If you have the time and patience for this shade then give it a go, because it is a gorgeous colour.


Photograph taken in artificial light


I will be listing a bottle of this shade on OZtion for any Australian ladies interested in owning one! I will also be offering it for trade on MakeupAlley in the near future for anyone, anywhere! For ladies outside of Australia who would like to buy a bottle, please email me and I will happily list one on eBay for you. If you have tried these links and Party Crasher is not available on any of these sites, please email me, and I will endeavour to source one for you.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Spotlight On: Mode Cosmetics #10648 Totally Hot

Firstly, please read my post Introducing.... Mode Cosmetics Nail Enamel! if you have not done so already, as it contains general information about this brand of nail enamel.


Totally Hot is part of the current Mode Cosmetics collection and is a shade of Rose Madder. This creme was easy to apply, and two coats ample for an opaque finish. Overall, it is very simply a great shade of red!


Photograph taken in artificial light


Nail art: I used Color Club's Art Club Nail Art Lacquer NA17 Silver Glitter to create this look. Allow nail enamel to dry before applying stripper polish. It is very easy to create a look like this, simply paint a "V" at the tip of your nail and fill in the corners! Once you are finished and the polish is semi-dried apply top coat. Be careful not to apply the top coat too early otherwise you will end up with unsightly streaks! I hope my description helped!


I will be listing a bottle of this shade on OZtion for any Australian ladies interested in owning one! I will also be offering it for trade on MakeupAlley in the near future for anyone, anywhere! For ladies outside of Australia who would like to buy a bottle, please email me and I will happily list one on eBay for you. I will also be selling the Art Club Nail Art Lacquer colours used for anyone interested in replicating my nails! If you have tried these links and Totally Hot or Silver Glitter are not available on any of these sites, please email me, and I will endeavour to source them for you.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Spotlight On: Mode Cosmetics #10647 Blingin'

Firstly, please read my post Introducing.... Mode Cosmetics Nail Enamel! if you have not done so already, as it contains general information about this brand of nail enamel.


Blingin' is part of the current Mode Cosmetics collection and is an iridescent ivory with a golden shimmer. I applied two coats but due to the way it went on, a third might be required for complete opacity. This is a very elegant shade that could be dressed up or down. It reminded me of a bride actually! A very versatile shade that everyone should have in their collection!


Photograph taken in artificial light

Nail art: I used Crystallized Swarovski Flat Backs. These ones are Foiled Xilion Rose (2028/ss5.) Colour: 319 Vintage Rose. Set into wet nail polish and apply top coat. Voila!


I will be listing a bottle of this shade on OZtion for any Australian ladies interested in owning one! I will also be offering it for trade on MakeupAlley in the near future for anyone, anywhere! For ladies outside of Australia who would like to buy a bottle, please email me and I will happily list one on eBay for you. I will also be selling sample packs of Swarovski Crystals for anyone interested in replicating my nails! If you have tried these links and Blingin' or the crystals are not available on any of these sites, please email me, and I will endeavour to source them for you.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Spotlight On: Mode Cosmetics #10646 Sweetness

Firstly, please read my post Introducing.... Mode Cosmetics Nail Enamel! if you have not done so already, as it contains general information about this brand of nail enamel.


Sweetness is part of the current Mode Cosmetics collection and is a Carnation Pink creme. Another simple shade to apply, and two coats were plenty for a smooth finish! A very pretty pink that goes with just about anything! A keeper!


Photograph taken in artificial light

Nail art: I used Crystallized Swarovski Flat Backs. These ones are Foiled Xilion Rose (2028/ss5.) Colour: 223 AB Light Rose Aurore Boreale. Set into wet nail polish and apply top coat. Voila!


I will be listing a bottle of this shade on OZtion for any Australian ladies interested in owning one! I will also be offering it for trade on MakeupAlley in the near future for anyone, anywhere! For ladies outside of Australia who would like to buy a bottle, please email me and I will happily list one on eBay for you. I will also be selling sample packs of Swarovski Crystals for anyone interested in replicating my nails! If you have tried these links and Sweetness or the crystals are not available on any of these sites, please email me, and I will endeavour to source them for you.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Giveaways!

Hello ladies! There is still time to enter my giveaway - many of you have not yet emailed me! We are nearly at our goal - as of now, only 34 more followers to recruit! And so, I am going to offer the opportunity for a third entry into the draw for those who are following, and have already blogged about my giveaway. All you have to do is post a reminder on your blog with a link back to the giveaway and email me the link! (Side bars do not count for a third entry.) It's as easy as that!

I would also like to take this opportunity to let you all know about another FANTASTIC giveaway that Evil Angel is running right now! The prize is AMAZING! The giveaway ends on the 30th of May, so hurry to enter!

Spotlight On: Mode Cosmetics #10645 Eco Warrior

Firstly, please read my post Introducing.... Mode Cosmetics Nail Enamel! if you have not done so already, as it contains general information about this brand of nail enamel.


Eco Warrior is part of the current Mode Cosmetics collection and is a difficult shade to define, particularly the finish! After much contemplation, I have decided that the most accurate way of describing this polish would have to be a Rifle Green iridescent shade with a strong gold present. The gold mixed with the Rifle Green changes the overall appearance of this shade change considerably, making it look like a much lighter green. I absolutely ADORE this shade and it is one of my all-time favorites by far!


Photograph taken in artificial light


I will be listing a bottle of this shade on OZtion for any Australian ladies interested in owning one! I will also be offering it for trade on MakeupAlley in the near future for anyone, anywhere! For ladies outside of Australia who would like to buy a bottle, please email me and I will happily list one on eBay for you. If you have tried these links and Eco Warrior is not available on any of these sites, please email me, and I will endeavour to source one for you.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Spotlight On: Mode Cosmetics #10644 Chillax

Firstly, please read my post Introducing.... Mode Cosmetics Nail Enamel! if you have not done so already, as it contains general information about this brand of nail enamel.


Chillax is part of the current Mode Cosmetics collection and is a shade of Bleu de France. It is a massive improvement on Hook Me Up (which is an awesome shade in its own right) in the respect of having an easy, two coat application. It is an iridescent shade with a subtle green shimmer within. I am a huge fan of this shade - and will be sure to wear it frequently!


Photograph taken in artificial light


I will be listing a bottle of this shade on OZtion for any Australian ladies interested in owning one! I will also be offering it for trade on MakeupAlley in the near future for anyone, anywhere! For ladies outside of Australia who would like to buy a bottle, please email me and I will happily list one on eBay for you. If you have tried these links and Chillax is not available on any of these sites, please email me, and I will endeavour to source one for you.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Spotlight On: Mode Cosmetics #10643 Glitterati

Firstly, please read my post Introducing.... Mode Cosmetics Nail Enamel! if you have not done so already, as it contains general information about this brand of nail enamel.


Glitterati is part of the current Mode Cosmetics collection and is a shade of dark purple. This was yet another shade that my camera didn't like. It honed in on the blue within the polish and blocked out all trace of the red component. I'm sorry I couldn't get more accurate pictures for you! Anyway, it is a rather thin glitter polish with a purple base, and glitter that sometimes flashes red. I applied, two thick coats, but three thinner coats might be better! Even though it is thin, it is still easy to work with, and results in a rich, dark and fabulous colour!


Photograph taken in artificial light


Nail art: I used L.A. Colors Art Deco Nail Art Lacquer NA907 Green Glitter to create this look. Allow nail enamel to dry before applying stripper polish. It is very easy to create a look like this, simply paint a diagonal line across your nail and fill in one half! Once you are finished and the polish is semi-dried apply top coat. Be careful not to apply the top coat too early otherwise you will end up with unsightly streaks! I hope my description helped!


I will be listing a bottle of this shade on OZtion for any Australian ladies interested in owning one! I will also be offering it for trade on MakeupAlley in the near future for anyone, anywhere! For ladies outside of Australia who would like to buy a bottle, please email me and I will happily list one on eBay for you. I will also be selling the Art Deco Nail Art Lacquer colours used for anyone interested in replicating my nails! If you have tried these links and Glitterati or Green Glitter are not available on any of these sites, please email me, and I will endeavour to source them for you.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Spotlight On: Mode Cosmetics #10642 Solar Powered

Firstly, please read my post Introducing.... Mode Cosmetics Nail Enamel! if you have not done so already, as it contains general information about this brand of nail enamel.


Solar Powered is part of the current Mode Cosmetics collection and is a shade of Bittersweet orange. It is an absolutely gorgeous soft, iridescent shade with a golden shimmer. I applied two coats, but depending on how thick you apply the polish, a third might not hurt. Easy to work with and no streaks to be seen! Please excuse the fuzzy pictures, my camera did not want to co-operate with this shade! Unfortunately they simply do not do this shade any justice at all! This is another of my favourite shades, and I'm sure it will be one of yours too!


Photograph taken in artificial light

Nail art: I used Crystallized Swarovski Flat Backs. These ones are Foiled Xilion Rose (2028/ss5.) Colour: 391 Silk. Set into wet nail polish and apply top coat. Voila!


I will be listing a bottle of this shade on OZtion for any Australian ladies interested in owning one! I will also be offering it for trade on MakeupAlley in the near future for anyone, anywhere! For ladies outside of Australia who would like to buy a bottle, please email me and I will happily list one on eBay for you. I will also be selling sample packs of Swarovski Crystals for anyone interested in replicating my nails! If you have tried these links and Solar Powered or the crystals are not available on any of these sites, please email me, and I will endeavour to source them for you.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Spotlight On: Mode Cosmetics #10641 Glitzy Glam

Firstly, please read my post Introducing.... Mode Cosmetics Nail Enamel! if you have not done so already, as it contains general information about this brand of nail enamel.


Glitzy Glam is part of the current Mode Cosmetics collection and is a light gold metallic shade. The first thing I thought of when I applied this polish was Rocky's gold hot-pants in The Rocky Horror Picture Show! LOL! A breeze to apply, and two coats gives you a rich, streak-free finish! A thumbs up for this golden beauty! (I am referring to the nail polish - not the image below! lol)




Photograph taken in artificial light


I will be listing a bottle of this shade on OZtion for any Australian ladies interested in owning one! I will also be offering it for trade on MakeupAlley in the near future for anyone, anywhere! For ladies outside of Australia who would like to buy a bottle, please email me and I will happily list one on eBay for you. If you have tried these links and Glitzy Glam is not available on any of these sites, please email me, and I will endeavour to source one for you.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Spotlight On: Mode Cosmetics #10640 Fabness

Firstly, please read my post Introducing.... Mode Cosmetics Nail Enamel! if you have not done so already, as it contains general information about this brand of nail enamel.


Fabness is part of the current Mode Cosmetics collection and is another deceiving bottle! The colour is a dark shade of Tyrian purple - nothing like what I expected! I found this satin shade easy to work with and two coats were plenty for a great finish! No streaking, running or clumping! If you like dark and moody shades - give this one a shot!


Photograph taken in artificial light


Nail art: I used L.A. Colors Art Deco Nail Art Lacquer NA916 Forest Green to create this look. Allow nail enamel to dry before applying stripper polish. Start by painting a tortoise shell pattern on your nail with straight edges, and then fill in a few of the shapes you have made to make them solid colour! It's as simple as that! The shade I used as my base is a little too dark for this to look as effective as it could have - so try to have a greater contrast when you do it, if you are not using the same colours I did. Once you are finished and the polish is semi-dried apply top coat. Be careful not to apply the top coat too early otherwise you will end up with unsightly streaks! I hope my description helped!


I will be listing a bottle of this shade on OZtion for any Australian ladies interested in owning one! I will also be offering it for trade on MakeupAlley in the near future for anyone, anywhere! For ladies outside of Australia who would like to buy a bottle, please email me and I will happily list one on eBay for you. I will also be selling the Art Deco Nail Art Lacquer colours used for anyone interested in replicating my nails! If you have tried these links and Fabness or Forest Green are not available on any of these sites, please email me, and I will endeavour to source them for you.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

My New Blog - Vibrant V's Petite Boutique

Hi ladies! I have just set up a second blog to sell and swap the items featured on my blog! For those who are interested - please check it out! I have listed most of the items that I have on offer, but there will be more listed in the next day or two. Below is the button to have a look - but it will always be on my side bar for future reference! Have fun!

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Spotlight On: Mode Cosmetics #10639 Gorg

Firstly, please read my post Introducing.... Mode Cosmetics Nail Enamel! if you have not done so already, as it contains general information about this brand of nail enamel.


Gorg is part of the current Mode Cosmetics collection and is a shade of Wisteria with a creme finish. The shade looks like it has a little more blue in it in my photos, but it does in fact have more red (pink) than appears. Easy to work with, this shade is a little on the runny side, but two coats does the job! The finished product is a subtle but pretty shade!


Photograph taken in artificial light

Nail art: I used Crystallized Swarovski Flat Backs. These ones are Foiled Xilion Rose (2028/ss5.) Colour: 293 Rose Alabaster. Set into wet nail polish and apply top coat. Voila!


I will be listing a bottle of this shade on OZtion for any Australian ladies interested in owning one! I will also be offering it for trade on MakeupAlley in the near future for anyone, anywhere! For ladies outside of Australia who would like to buy a bottle, please email me and I will happily list one on eBay for you. I will also be selling sample packs of Swarovski Crystals for anyone interested in replicating my nails! If you have tried these links and Gorg or the crystals are not available on any of these sites, please email me, and I will endeavour to source them for you.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Swarovski Special - How to Spot a Fake

Hi ladies! I am writing this post because I don't want any of you to go through what I did recently! When I first began purchasing the Swarovski flatbacks that I use for nail art, I did not realise that there were so many fakes out there! The thought, perhaps foolishly, never even crossed my mind! And so, I purchased a good $50 worth of “Swarovski” crystals (if not more) from the first source I stumbled across, and thought nothing of it. And then one day I was browsing eBay, and found a cheaper source of crystals and I bought more. When my parcel arrived I was very excited to tear it open and gaze at the tiny beauties! And that is when it dawned on me... These crystals were very different from the ones that I already had! And how? They were so much prettier! So off I go to compare them all, and it is sooooooooo obvious that the ones that I had previously bought were fake. What a bummer! And an expensive lesson learned!


Now, I want to impart the wisdom that I have learned the hard way to you all! Some of the wisdom below was self-realised, but most of it was learned from lots of research! The information below is also a guide not only for the purchase of flatbacks, but for beads too.


Shape & Cut – Swarovski crystals are generally regarded as the finest machine-cut beads in the world. Because of the unique and patented computer generated technology used, each crystal is cut to precision, resulting in crystals perfectly uniform in height, slope and width. Each facet juncture meets at precisely the same point, and when you line them up, it is possible to spot fakes with the naked eye if the edges and corners do not meet. The facet junctures inside the crystal will also always point upward.
Swarovski also create the only stone to have 14 facets (namely the 2028 Xillion) compared with 8-12 from many other makers.
Another point that I have noticed in the imitation flatbacks that I purchased, is that the flat foiled side of the stone is not perfectly flat, or may have dimples, or may have little protrusions – like they have been “popped out” of a sheet of acrylic.
Swarovski Elements are precision cut for maximum brilliance, each cut designed to capture and reflect the maximum amount of light, inferior imitations are usually noticeable when compared to the real deal!


It's obvious which is the fake right? Simply observe the sharp and precise edges of one bead to tell the difference!


Clarity & Colour – Rhinestones are made of lead crystal, glass or acrylic. Swarovski elements are made from lead crystal. Korean and Czech extra grade stones are made of glass and are not as bright or brilliant, and acrylic stones are widely available and cheap but they will not sparkle like glass and are not comparable at all to lead crystal. Swarovski elements have a depth of colour not matched by even its closest competitors, in some case the difference is small, but it is still noticeable. While normal crystal glass contain only 12-28 % lead oxide to increase light refraction, Swarovski contains approximately 32% lead oxide. This increased lead content refracts light more efficiently, hence adding more luster and sparkle to each crystal bead.
Swarovski quality control ensures that each crystal has a consistency in colour and clarity, so impurities that might find their way into other crystals, like air bubbles, should not be present if you are looking at a genuine Swarovski crystal.
In order to create a crystal that allows light to refract in a rainbow spectrum, Swarovski coats some of its crystals with special metallic chemical coatings. Aurore Boreale, or "AB", is one of the most popular coatings, and gives the surface a rainbow oil slick appearance. The genuine Swarovski AB finish crystals have a smooth and uniform coating. Watch for swirl marks or scratches on the surface of the crystal as these imperfections are a sign that the Swarovski vacuum processing was not used. The surface of an inferior product will also appear oily.
A genuine crystal will stand out from the cheap knock-offs every time, simply by the way it sparkles!


This bead has a very obvious air bubble - proving that it is a fake! Sometimes you will find lots of little air bubbles, this too is not the genuine article!


The AB finish on this bead shows another glaring flaw that would never get past Swarovski QC!


Have a look at cut, colour and finish - gorgeous isn't it!? This is what you want your beads to look like!


This is what you want your flatbacks to look like - sharp, smooth and brilliant! And no - this is not trick photography, they actually look like this!

Weight - Swarovski is made of one of the highest lead contents of any crystal bead made, approximately 32% lead, so they will weigh something, and each size will have a specific weight. Imitations will simply not weigh as much as the real thing! If you don't have a gram scale, that's ok, you should be able to feel the weight difference!

General Clues –
Colour Names - This clue might seem a little odd, but the crystal colour names are specifically chosen by Swarovski and are never generic names like blue, red or green. Look for colour names like Hyacinth, White Opal or Smokey Quartz. If you are unsure of a colour name, you can check Swarovski colour charts to make sure the colour actually exists! Beware of "chili-pepper," "brandy" or "rose gold" as these are not official Swarovski colours.
Foiled Backing – Make sure there is a silver backing on flatbacks. In my experience shiny silver backed crystals are fake, and matte silver backed crystals are genuine, however, I have not found any official information to support this theory, it is just what I have seen in my own collection.
Official Packaging – If you are buying larger quantities of crystals that don't require the seller to break up larger packages, then make sure you receive them in a sealed, official Swarovski package. An easy way to recognise official packaging is by the hologram that appears on the package, but also the quality of the packaging, and the name Swarovski – spelled correctly!
Loose Beads – When buying beads, beware of them being sold on a string. Swarovski crystals are all sold loose and by weight, not quantity.


This is an example of a colour chart - they are a dime a dozen online!


This is a matte silver foiled back - beware if it is shiny!


Just one example of official packaging. Take note of the hologram!


A second example!

Buying – Most online sellers will display approved seller badges on their website, however beware of people illegally displaying Swarovski logos. If you are buying on eBay check the following before buying:
1. Check the actual feedback given as well as the feedback percentage.
2. Check out the Sellers Returns Policy to ensure that if you do make a duff choice, you can return it.
3. Check the wording of the listing to ensure that it says “Genuine” Swarovski crystal – although this is not a solid guarantee.
4. If a supplier on eBay is offering a Swarovski Gift Box and Certificate with the jewellery or gems - beware! Unless it is a one off gift they no longer want.
Finally, check the seller’s receipt. If the beads you have purchased are fake, the seller is not likely to specify what the item is that you purchased!


Just a little sample of the official Swarovski logo!

Whew! So there you have it ladies! All of the info that I could offer, so that you all could be more aware of those dodgy imitations! I hope my guide helps you make more informed decisions when it comes to buying, so that you don't end up ripped off like I did! I have plenty of genuine crystals that I am happy to swap or sell, so please contact me if you are interested in a reliable source - or I'd be happy to point you in the right direction for larger quantities! Have fun shopping for what all of us girls simply can't resist... cause diamonds are a girls best friend!