Wheel D15: Magnetics

 

1. Bee's Knees Lacquer The Magician (3 coats)
2. Bee's Knees Lacquer The Fool (3)
3. Bee's Knees Lacquer The Band of Exiles (3)
4. Bee's Knees Lacquer Banshees Are In (2)
5. Bee's Knees Lacquer S.S. Georgie (2)
6. Bee's Knees Lacquer King Ghidorah (2)
7. Bee's Knees Lacquer Can't Stop the Train Baby (2)
8. KB Shimmer I Feel Pine (2)
9. KB Shimmer Universal Appeal (2)
10. Essie Lil' Boa Peep (2) [the magnets on the cap on these Essies seemed weak]
11. Essie Repstyle (2)
12. Essie Sssssexy (2)
13. Essie Snake Rattle and Roll (2)
14. Essie Crocadilly (2)
15. Essie Snake It Up (2)
16. Revlon Star Attraction Starry Eyed (2)
17. Revlon Star Attraction Star Pop (2)
18. Revlon Star Attraction Reality Star (2)
19. Revlon Star Attraction Star Crush (2)
20. Revlon Star Attraction Star Watch (2)

Bottles 1 through 5:

 

6 through 9:

 

10 through 15:

 

16 through 20:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purple Thermals Comparison

Before I left for vacation, my nails were long enough and the weather was moderate enough to show off thermals, so I pulled out two that had been languishing in my swatching boxes for months: Girly Bits Basic Witch (from Polish Pickup for September 2020) and KBShimmer In the Mood (from PPU for November 2020).

 

Girly Bits Basic Witch is a deep purple with blue shimmer and pink/orange/green flakes that shifts to lavender (cool light purple) when warm.

 

 

Apparently my index and middle fingers run warmer; you can see above the cool color is fading faster on them than the ring and pinky. I ran my hand under cool water again and ran back to my lightbox to get the picture below while more of the cool color was still in evidence.

 

Another look at this beauty. I don't care which state it eventually settles in once the thermal dies as I like both the cool and warm states.

 

KBShimmer In the Mood is also a deep purple; it has pink/purple shimmer and pink/blue/green flakes. When warm it shifts to lilac (warm light purple).

 

The contrast between warm and cold was very dramatic with this one, and seemed to last longer in that I was able to get a photo before the tips started to warm up (though perhaps my hands were cooler by then having been under the water a couple times with the Girly Bits).

 

 

 

 

I realized a couple days later than I hadn't done a nail to nail comparison of these two, so did that quickly on my somewhat shorter travel-ready nails before I left on my trip. Top to bottom: Girly Bits (heat already taken over the cool zone), KBShimmer, Girly Bits, KBShimmer.

 

These definitely are in "similar but not the same" category. The Girly Bits is a cooler-toned purple while the KBShimmer is warmer, and while they both have shimmer and flakies, they're not the same color shimmer and flakies. So I'm good with having them both. And good with whatever state they get stuck in when that happens, as it does with all thermals eventually.

KBShimmer I Feel Pine

Thanks to a kind person who sent me a gift certificate, I was recently able to treat myself to some new KBShimmer polishes completely guilt-free. The first one I've gotten to swatching is I Feel Pine. In the bottle, it looks like a pewter shimmer with holo microglitter, which is certainly attractive. But it's got a secret ... it's magnetic. Putting on two coats and using magnets before it dries pulls both purple and deep green out of its depths. I added quick dry topcoat as well to add shine and get the polish dried faster to "freeze" the patterns.

 

I used three different magnets: dual ended on my index (small end of magnet) and pinky (large end), ring on my ring finger (sliding my finger into it), and black S on my middle finger.

 

 

The colors shift at different angles, with the mix of green or purple changing on each nail with a small tilt of my hand.

 

The tiny holo particles add even more visual interest, popping their rainbow colors when viewed from the right angles.

 

In direct light, the colors look even richer.

 

 

And of course I had to try my favorite KBShimmer topper, Off Tropic, over I Feel Pine. I slicked on one coat of the colorful flakies and finished with a clear topcoat. Yep, that works for me.

 

 

 

I'm super happy with I Feel Pine ... purple is my favorite color, and purple and green are a great combination. Plus, it looks good with Off Tropic. I haven't swatched the other KBShimmer shades I got; hope to be able to do that soon.

KBShimmer Thanks for Poutine Up With Me

It feels like the slower pace of life during the pandemic (yes, it's still going on here) should help me better stay on top of things, since there are fewer things to keep track of, yet that doesn't seem to be the case. For example, last month I posted two KBShimmer polishes I got at IEC 2019, The Eh Team and Off Tropic. That would have been an ideal time to share the other KBShimmer I got there as well, but no, I didn't. My excuse, which I made up just now as I'm writing this, is that it was from the VIP bag rather than something I purchased at their booth. May I present, Thanks for Poutine Up With Me, a medium purple with several types of shimmer packed in it.

 

This applied beautifully; two coats provided ample coverage. I added clear topcoat as well to bring out the shimmer more. In the lightbox, the shimmer shows mostly silver and an almost-red pink.

 

 

 

In direct indoor light, a few pops of rainbow show up, too:

 

In sunglight, it's hello holo:

 

 

Of course I had to see what it looked like with Off Tropic, the multi colored flakie topper I rhapsodized about in that earlier post. I added one coat of the flakes plus clear top coat. Yep, still love Off Tropic.

 

 

 

Soon I'll have more KBShimmer to share, as a kind reader sent a gift certificate for the brand to me, which was a lovely surprise, especially in this time when I've been struggling a bit not being able to do a lot of the things I enjoy, like travel and eating out and gathering with friends and family.

KBShimmer The Eh Team and Off Tropic

Since I don't have any brand-imposed deadlines these days, what I decide to swatch when is based on a) what I've bought recently and b) what catches my eye as I continue the seemingly never-ending process of getting my stash organized. Today's polishes are from option b); I was going through a box of indies to get them into the queue for putting on nail wheels and saw these two from KBShimmer that just demanded to be used. They're both acquisitions I made at IEC 2019: The Eh Team and Off Tropic.

 

The Eh Team is a teal-leaning green shimmer with prominent holo shimmer and subtler gold/orange shifting microflakies.

 

Two coats were plenty for full opacity; I added clear topcoat for extra shine and depth. Under indirect light, The Eh Team shows a few glimmers of color on the teal background.

 

 

Under direct indoor light, more color shows up:

 

In sunlight, it's "hello rainbows!".

 

 

 

 

Off Tropic is a topper with multichrome flakies in a clear base. Purple, fuchsia, blue, green, and gold make up most of the mix, with a few other colors peeking out here and there.

 

 

I put one coat of Off Tropic over the Eh Team and slicked on clear topcoat over that to make sure I had a smooth surface. Friends, this combination was so gorgeous—I felt both regret for not trying Off Tropic sooner and delight that I finally had and could look at all the pretty colors.

 

 

 

 

 

Direct indoor light—still pretty:

 

 

Sunlight—differently pretty as the holo was powerful enough to take top billing from the flakies:

 

 

I just had to see Off Tropic over other base colors, so did Skittles with Essie Mani Thanks (light gold shimmer), SinfulColors Fearless (red violet creme), Sally Hansen Insta Dri Bluetiful (blue creme), and Funky Fingers Dark Knight (black creme), then added Off Tropic and clear topcoat. Different aspects of the flakie mix were highlighted against the different bases; I liked all these combinations.

 

 

 

 

 

The Eh Team was an IEC exclusive and no longer available, but I see that Off Tropic is in stock on the KBShimmer site. Maybe I should get another bottle? I mean, it goes with so many things and makes me so happy to look at—but probably things in my unswatched boxes will, too, so probably best to save my pennies for other things.