Review: Jamberry Matte Topcoat

Hello!

I have been on a continuing quest for a matte topcoat that comes even close to China Glaze's Matte Magic, since the only form of this I've been able to find is the teeny little bottles, for not so teeny little prices. The only ones I've seen that seem to do as good of a job are from brands that are not cruelty-free, so they are a no-no for me.

So, I was very eager to try out Jamberry's matte topcoat when I was given the chance to review one of their topcoats, since this is a brand that I can feel good about buying from.

But of course, the question is...does it mattify the way I want it to? I have tested it out over a variety of polish types to see what it will do...Let's take a look:


First, let's take a look at it over Cult Nails Coveted:

Jamberry matte topcoat over Cult Nails Coveted

The index and middle fingers have Jamberry matte topcoat, while the ring and pinkie do not. The matted nails have that cloudy look that changes the finish but not the color perfectly. The matte creates that nice contrast with the flakies underneath that gives them a different dimension and light, and also allows the teeny glimmers of light to come through in the rest of the polish.


Next I tried it overPicture Polish Mallard:

Jamberry matte topcoat over Picture Polish Mallard

The matte also did a dramatic job here; it creates a wax finish without dimming the flakes. This is a very dark polish to start with, so there isn't as much light coming through as in Coveted, but notice that the different colors in the flakies are all still showing their gorgeousness.


Next, something a little brighter--Hare Polish Asteroid Turf:

Hare Polish Asteroid Turf

Jamberry matte topcoat over Hare Polish Asteroid Turf

This is my favorite way to wear matte topcoat, over a polish that has a high contrast between the base color and the glitter. And the Jamberry passed my test here--this is exactly what I want a matte topcoat to do, to give that flat finish without decreasing the beauty of the polish beneath. These glitters still sing out, and the base color looks smooth and deep. Dare I say it? I prefer this polish with the matte topcoat over the regular topcoat. It looks like a beautiful meadow filled with little purple wildflowers this way. :)

How about a similar glitter that doesn't have quite so much direct contrast? Here it is over InDecisive Lacquer Zea Mays

InDecisive Nail Lacquer Zea Mays

Jamberry Matte Topcoat over InDecisive Nail Lacquer Zea Mays

Just...just...yeah. Do I even need to say it? All of the skill that the maker put into designing the glitter blend and its relationship to the base color remains...but is enhanced. It feels lush, rich, lovely.


And finally, what about a plain old creme? Let's take a look at it over Jamberry's own Cardinal:

Jamberry Cardinal

Jamberry matte topcoat over Jamberry Cardinal

This show best how evenly the topcoat applies; I've tried other matte topcoats that were a bit patchy, but this goes on and dries perfectly.

Jamberry's matte topcoat exceeded all of my expectations, and I feel comfortable putting it into the same category as my personal standard-bearer, China Glaze Matte Magic. If you're looking for a good matte topcoat that is 5-free, cruelty-free, and works extremely well, you can check it out by clicking here. And check out their nail lacquers, they're excellent as well. :)

Hugs and loves!
M.

(Matte topcoat and Cardinal provided for review. All other polishes from my personal collection.)

Before & After: Leaf skeletons

Hey there!

So, Halloween is gone, and I need to find a way to make that transition less painful. So today I am doing a mani with non-Halloween skeletons...leaf skeletons.

When I was a little girl, I used to love to pick up leaves that had fallen off of the trees and pull them apart to carefully leave only their 'skeletons'. I thought the leaves were beautiful, and their structure even more beautiful. Anybody else do that when they were kids?

This week's theme in Adventures In Stamping is to pick a plate that ends in '1'. It seems like whenever we have themes like this, my plates that end in the right number never coincide with what I want to do. But this week, miraculously, my new MASH plates came--the ones that go from 50 to 75--and Mash-61 had just the image I wanted. :)

[Hey, by the way...do you want me to do a video/review about those plates?]

Anyway, I started with the lovely Cult Nails Coveted, an ah-maze-ing green flakie filled green jelly that is a nightmare to photograph for some reason; I've tried at least three times to swatch it well, but I think I done good by it this time:

 

 

Next I matted the polish; I'm not sure why but matte finishes just feel very 'fall' to me--maybe it's because of the flatter light levels in the fall. Then I stamped the image over each nail in Sally Hansen Red-io Active, Style Steel, and Barry M Gold foil. It's hard to tell the difference between those last two, but the middle finger is the Style Steel:

Which matte topcoat did I use? It's a new one I was just sent for review and I adore it!! I'll be reviewing it shortly, but if you want to know in the meantime...lean in and I'll whisper it...it's Jamberry....:)

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope your November is off to a wonderful start. :)
M.

Jindie Week: Day 4 - Guns and Roses

Today's Jindie takes a step in a different direction. Instead of a light, fluffy, feminine crelly, tonight's post is a vampy shimmer that's sure to make you stare at your hands for hours - Jindie's Guns and Roses.

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample of Guns & Roses for review purposes.  All other polishes in this review were purchased by me for my own use.  The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*

Color: Black base with pink to blue shifting shimmer, hexes in various sizes and shades of pink, and light pink dots

Finish: Glitter Shimmer – glitter in a base that shimmers in the light.

Bottle / Brush: Squat mini bottle with slender cap - The squat round bottle makes holding it easy while the cap is long enough to hold without any problems.  The wand and brush are longer than your average mini, which makes getting the goodies at the bottom a little easier.

Opacity: Medium – achieves opacity at three to four coats. Here, however, I have layered one coat over Cult Nails Nevermore, a one coat black polish that I absolutely love.

Glitter Application: Medium – requires the dab method, but spreads evenly.

Consistency: Medium – applies easily and doesn’t flood the cuticles.

Overall Ease of Application: Medium – applies well with minimal pooling, dragging, streaking, or balding.  Spreads well without much manipulation.

Stampability: Not designed for stamping.

Dry Time: Medium – dry to the touch with minimal smudging in 3-8 minutes.

Overall Thoughts: The shimmer in this polish is INTENSE. Actually, that may even be an understatement. Holy crap, you guys! The shift from pink to purple to blue is nothing short of stunning. Plus, I love the varying shades of pink glitters giving the polish depth despite the fact that I only used one coat. I was afraid that the shimmer would be way too overpowering if I did several coats, so I chose to use one coat over Cult Nails Nevermore. I'm actually glad I did it this way as it's not too busy, which would detract from the beauty of the polish. Application was a breeze, but it did require a little more cleanup than the other Jindies I've shown you this week. While the consistency was fine, it wasn't as easily controlled as the crellies. Keep in mind, though, that I'm talking about my own user error. Otherwise, Guns & Roses is a very pretty shifting shimmer with a delicate mix of hot and pale pink glitters.

You can purchase Jindies at her store here. You can also purchase Jindies from her stockists Llarowe, Mei Mei's Signatures, Ninja Polish, Harlow & Co, and Femme Fatale. Follow Jen from Jindie on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample of Guns & Roses for review purposes.  All other polishes in this review were purchased by me for my own use.  The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*

Jindie Week: Day 1 - Jindie-Pendence

Wow.  The past two weeks were SO busy.  I took some time off the blog to get some much needed organization and cleaning done, but I feel like I'm still sitting on a pile of junk without having made a dent.  Ugh.  I'd hate to take another week off, so here I am!  Better late than never, I suppose, but I hope everyone who celebrates had a nice Fourth of July.  For those that don't, I hope your weekend was nice with better weather than we got here.  This is also going to double as my Ecopolo Summer Mani Challenge - Week 7: Fourth of July.  I'm woefully behind but plan to catch up and post the last couple of weeks that I've missed soon.

This week is all about Jindie Nails!  Today, we're going to take a look at the lovely Jindie-Pendence, the limited edition patriotic 4th of July polish.  I purchased the one with the white crelly base instead of the glitter topper as I prefer colored bases to clear.  I apologize for the lackluster photos and chip on my thumb.

*I was not financially compensated for this post.  All items in this review were purchased by me for my own use.  The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.  For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*

Color: White base with red, white, and blue glitters in various shapes and sizes.

Finish: Glitter Crème – glitter in a crème base.

Bottle / Brush: Tall round bottles with round cap - the cap is a little awkward to hold because it’s so round but also pretty short. If you have a hard time holding caps, this bottle type might be difficult for you. The wand and brush are long and slender allowing you to grab glitters from deeper within the bottle but making it a little more difficult to get the larger glitter pieces to stay on the brush.

Opacity: Medium – achieves opacity at three to four coats.
Glitter Application: Medium – requires the dab method, but spreads evenly. This polish is so jam packed full of glitters, it's very easy to get a loaded brush every time you dip it into the bottle.

Consistency: Medium – applies easily and doesn’t flood the cuticles.

Overall Ease of Application: Medium – applies well with minimal pooling, dragging, streaking, or balding.  Spreads well without much manipulation.

Stampability: Not designed for stamping.
Dry Time: Medium – dry to the touch with minimal smudging in 3-8 minutes.

Overall Thoughts: I really love this polish. If you're looking for a white crelly glitter, Jindie makes the best in town. They're easy to apply without streaks and build up easily in three to four coats. The only problem I had here, however, are the large glitters poking up on my nail after I top coated it. Sadly, a few poked up so much that they would get snagged on my clothes, hair, or whatever and either make the poking worse or pull it off altogether. The worst offenders were the diamonds and giant squares/rectangles. I should have used my glitter food before my top coat, but I was in a rush and didn't have time. Either way, I do love the jelly sandwich effect you get when layered over itself.

Sadly, Jindie-Pendence was a limited edition. However, you can purchase other Jindies at her store here. You can also purchase Jindies from her stockists Llarowe, Mei Mei's Signatures, Ninja Polish, Harlow & Co, and Femme Fatale. Follow Jen from Jindie on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

I have one more 4th of July mani to show you guys. The undies are a jelly sandwich of Cult Tempest, Lynnderella Shape Shifter, and OPI Don't Touch my Tutu. I used some stars I cut out of painters tape and some striping tape to create the cut outs and topped them with Cult Time Traveler and OPI Mat-adore Red. Hope everyone had a very happy 4th of July!

*I was not financially compensated for this post. All items in this review were purchased by me for my own use. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience. For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy in the tab above.*

ECOPOLO Summer Mani Challenge: Summer Floral

See?  I told you I'd be quicker about getting this week's challenge mani up!  Here's the weekly breakdown:

Well, these didn't turn out as nice as I was hoping.  Don't you hate it when you get an idea in your head but you simply just cannot execute it?  I was attempting to do hibiscus flowers using this tutorial from thatleanne. But yeah, it totally didn't work out.  At all.  I don't know how many times I redid this stupid mani, but I finally decided that what I came up with would just have to do.

I did a mini skittle mani on my thumb, index, and pinkie nails using China Glaze Hawaiian Punch, Zoya Yana, and Zoya Myrta.  Then, I painted two accent nails with Cult Nails Tempest and added my dotted on flowers using Hawaiian Punch and Yana. I used Zoya Myrta to create the pistil, but, as you can see, they were way too thick.

I'm sure I'll eventually get to a review of the three polishes I haven't reviewed yet, but I'll give a quick and dirty blurb about each polish just in case you're curious.

Hawaiian Punch is a gorgeous vibrant red with flashes of pink making it lean more towards a hot pink.  Application was easy, no clumping, pooling, streaking, or dragging.  I used three coats.

Yana is a gorgeous corally pink that actually WORKED on me!  I don't typically do well with Zoya cremes. They either streak like mad or refuse to dry, but Yana was perfect.  Application was super simple and required almost no cleanup.  This is three coats.

Tempest is a gorgeous white that achieves opacity in one thick coat or two coats if you're striving to keep bubbles and shrinkage to a minimum.  Application is a little more tricky than the other two.  If you want opacity with one coat, you have to do three quick swipes without going over parts that have already been painted, otherwise you'll get bald spots.  This is one thick coat and one thin coat.

You can read my review of Myrta here.  It's the old format, but I think you get the idea.  I used two coats because I nicked it a little and wanted to make sure I covered that bit up.

Lastly, I tried out a new quick dry topcoat last night, and it left me with mixed feelings...  Nubar Diamont isn't as thick as Seche Vite or HKGirl, and it doesn't have the same strong smell, either.  It dries super fast and really hard like SV but without the shrinkage and bubbles SV is known for, which is what I've been looking for.  However, it didn't dry shiny.  Take a look up there at my macros of Hawaiian Punch and Yana.  Go ahead.  I'll wait.  Yeah, those would be brush strokes.  Ugh.  I'm not sure if it's just that Diamont doesn't play well with Zoya and China Glaze, or if maybe I allowed the brush to touch the paint, which was mostly dry at that point, and it mixed the paint with the topper?  I'm not sure.  It also smeared the art a little even though I waited  a good 10-15 minutes after painting them to add the topcoat.  So yeah, I'm still going to experiment with Diamont, but I'm a little disappointed with the outcome as of right now.  I received this little baby from a friend who has a huge refill bottle.  I've always wanted to try it out, but I didn't want to commit to a full size bottle in case I hated it.

You can purchase Zoyas at salons or beauty supply shops like Ulta.  You can purchase Cult Nails at their online store here.



What's your favorite summer flower?

ECOPOLO Summer Mani Challenge: Summer Glitter

I'm so late with this YET AGAIN.  Ugh.  I promise to be more prompt with this week's entry!  Here are the list of weekly challenges:

Last week's challenge was to create a mani using a summer glitter.  I just got some new neons glitters that I really wanted to play with, so I decided to make my own summer glitter!  Let's take a look.

The glitter I created is called Watch the Walls.  It consists of a clear base with blue to pink shimmer neon blue, yellow, green, peach, and purple hexes and squares, purple, red, and blue holo hexes, large metallic red dots, hot pink butterflies, and small orange stars.

I used one layer over Cult Nails Tempest, which is probably my new favorite white polish.  Goes on easily in two coats.  Although, as you can see, I definitely had some bubbles, but I think that's more from the heat than the thickness of application.

So, what do you think?



What's your favorite or go-to summer glitter?