My Picks from the Essie Summer 2016 Collection Swatches & Review

So even though school started here last Monday, and I've already had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season, it's still technically summer right? Since it's not Labor Day yet?? I'm going with it! Anyway, here are probably the last summer polishes I'll be showing this year, two I bought from the Essie Viva Antigua collection. The other four shades in the collection were nice, but not must haves for my stash.

Viva Antigua! is a sparkling turquoise with iridescent micro flakies of shimmer. The application on this was really nice, great formula. I used two coats for full opacity.

Loot The Booty is a radiant blue sapphire with micro flakies of pale shimmer that shine blue in the base. Awesome color, amazing formula. Practically paints itself on! Two coats here too. The name of this still makes me giggle.

I purchased these from my local CVS. They should still be available wherever Essie is sold, like Ulta, Target, and most drugstores. Did you pick up any colors from this collection? Are you sad summer shades are leaving us and that fall shades are coming out? We all know I'm a heathen for fall, but I gotta give my summer polishes credit, they are so great!

❤ Kellie

Sunny's Body Products Summer Essentials Box Review

Happy Friday cookies! Today I have the latest seasonal box from Sunny's Body Products to share with you! This time she's offering a smaller box (8 products instead of the usual 10) for a lower price for the summer. The OG products are in here along with a newer one or two. Let's dive into the Summer Essentials!

Press Sample

First we have Sunny's Hand Butter in the scent Blue Summer - Imagine eating fresh picked berries while wandering through a flower garden wild with jasmine, roses, blue lotus and orange blossoms. A gentle breeze lifts your hair and sparkles with notes of ginger and cedar along with heady vanilla-musk and amber. This is mellow and smooth and totally makes me think of a sexy evening in the garden with a hot guy by my side. OOH yeah. I love the formula of her hand butter, though it can take a bit to absorb so I usually use it in the evenings before bed.

Next is Sunny's Cuticle Oil in the scent Driftwood & Sea Salt - Feel the salt spray coating your hair as you awe in the power of the wild seas. Driftwood & Sea Salt picks up notes of citrus, mangos, orchids and lilies and finishes with a hit of salt soaked driftwood. I wasn't sure about this upon first sniff, but after wearing it for a while I really like it. Again, pretty mellow and sort of unisex but still feminine? This one is hard to capture in words! I adore the rollerball applicator and quick absorbing formula of this oil.

Sunny's Sugar Hand Scrub is scented as Sea Foam & Balsam - top notes in citrus and ozonic notes; middle - sandalwood, geranium, and white flowers; base - patchouli, caramel, and amber. I am obsessed with the scrub, it's perfect for keeping my overworked nail blogger hands and fingers in tip top shape. This scent for me was just ok, I don't think I'm an ozone fan. I do enjoy the citrus and flower notes so it's a toss up.

The scent for Sunny's On the Go Hand Lotion is called Aloha Vanilla - a warm tropical island breeze with beautiful aromas of sweet mango, vanilla absolute and creamy coconut with a touch of lotus flower. This lotion formula is my favorite to carry in my purse, it absorbs so fast with a nice dose of moisture. However, the scent didn't work for me. I think the coconut is to blame for my disdain, but you might love it!

The other oil that they make is Sunny's Intensive Cuticle Therapy, this one is in the scent Summer Boardwalk - a yummy boardwalk smells of caramel glazed popcorn, warm taffy apples and sweet, creamy saltwater taffy. This is very warm and foodie, sweet with a hint of salt and fruit. I wanted to eat my fingers with this stuff on! I love this oil for really pampering my cuticles and nails, it is feels so luxe.

And here we have Sunny's Triple Thick Body Cream in Sunset By The Pool - top notes of fuzzy apricot, sparkling bergamot, juicy grapefruit; mid notes of lily of the valley, mirabel plum, blood orange, apple blossom; bottom notes of sun warmed woods and Madagascar vanilla. This is totally a summer lotion scent, familiar but new at the same time. This might sound funny, but it makes me think of that one impossibly perfect girl who you see at the pool looking effortlessly stunning while you're sweating and getting sunburnt and falling off your floatie raft. I want to be that girl, and this makes me smell like I imagine she does haha.

Sunny's Miracle Balm in the scent Tiki Beach - a luxurious blend of toasted coconut, vanilla musk and orchids brings the glamour of a resort-stay to you. The combination of sparkling lemon, toasted coconut, orchid petals with tiny hints of green leaves blended with white cedar and vanilla musk will lull you into a tropical paradise! I'm in love with this complex, warm, girly summer scent! My favorite in the box. Miracle balm is seriously a miracle, you can put it anywhere haha! I usually put it on my cuticles and elbows for serious moisture.

Sunny's Lip Saver is the last product in the box, with the scent/flavor Caribbean Delight - sweet pineapple and mangos and papayas. I am not the biggest fan of pineapples, but the mix of the fruits makes this work for me. This little tube keeps my lips supple for hours!

This box will be available for purchase today on their website at $30 with free US shipping, $5 international shipping. I think this is a great bang for your buck! And if you're into summer scents, you're going to be head over heels for these items. There is a limited number available, so don't hesitate to pick it up if you're interested. Have YOU tried Sunny's yet??

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

Pretty Serious Cosmetics Pastel Pet Names Collection Swatches & Review

Oh my, it's Monday again. I thought I'd try to brighten your day by sharing some fun, happy polishes with you! Australian indie brand Pretty Serious Cosmetics has a new installment in their Well Meaning But Ultimately Quite Awkward Pet Names collection, this time a set of six pastel crèmes.

Press Sample

Little Duckling is a sweet yellow pastel crème. This formula was a tiny bit streaky, but that is to be expected with a pale yellow. I used three coats here. It did apply better than I thought it would, pastels are notoriously difficult to work with but this was pretty average.

Fluffykins is a bubblegum pink pastel crème. I found this to be very thick and a little streaky. I needed three coats for this gal. I love this color, I wish the formula worked better for me.

Bunny-Foo-Foo is a minty blue pastel crème. This one was much better, had a thinner consistency and covered perfectly in two coats. And that name is seriously adorable!

Peachie Poo is a soft peachy orange pastel crème. This one was pretty thick, but I only needed two coats here and it wasn't as streaky as the pink shade.

Doodle Bug is a sky blue crème. This guy was thinner like the mint shade, it went on nice and easy. Two coats here. This color is so good! Sure to be a fan favorite.

Cutie Patootie is a pastel lavender purple crème. The formula was thick but easy to apply. This was almost opaque in one coat, but I used two for complete coverage.

These are sold at the moment, but they will be back in stock very soon on the Pretty Serious Cosmetics website. They all cost $9.95 AUD each. What do you think of this round of the Pet Names? I like all the colors, very classic pastels! Hope your week is excellent and we'll see ya again soon!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

OPI Retro Summer 2016 Collection Swatches & Review

OPI has brought us a small six piece collection for early summer this year called the Retro Summer collection! There are six polishes in muted tones that channel vintage summer fashion. Let's take a look!

Press Sample

Towel Me About It is a soft, pale yellow. These are all on the "crelly" side of the crème spectrum, thinner and less pigmented. I found this to be relatively easy to apply considering yellow shades tend to be difficult. Three coats. These all dry nice and shiny.

Flip Flops & Crop Tops is a medium strawberry milk pink crelly. This was one of the easiest polishes to apply in the collection, only two coats here.

Sailing & Nailing is a pale blue crelly. Another pretty good one, only two coats here as well. I get what they meant from the name of this, but it's pretty damn cheeky eh?

I'm Getting A Tan-gerine is a dusty peach-orange crelly. This one I found to be thin and streaky, needing at least three coats for full coverage.

What's the Double Scoop? is a baby pink crelly. Another thin and streaky gal, three coats here. I wish this applied better, because I love this color.

SPF XXX is an orangey coral crelly. This formula was the best in the bunch, more pigmented and very easy to put on. Opaque in two coats.

This collection is available now for around $10 per bottle at stores like Ulta, Sally Beauty Supply, and professional salons. What do you think of this mid-season selection? I like how the colors look together, but I'm not head over heels. My favorite has to be SPF XXX and I also enjoyed Towel Me About It.

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

Takko Lacquer Summer Shimmers Collection Swatches & Review

Hey darling dears, I have some delicious Takkos to share with you today! Except don't eat these. The Takko Lacquer Summer Shimmers collection is made up of five seriously incredible polishes that you can really only fully appreciate if you see them in person. But I'ma try my best to show off their true gorgeousness potential for you!

Press Sample

Rose Quartz is a soft rosy beige crème filled with silver and gold micro flakies and a finely milled silver dust shimmer. This is on the thick side, but applied nicely. I used two coats for full opacity. Dries a little dull because of the mineral based formula and added vitamin e that Takko uses, but a top coat brings out the sparkle.

Cactus Rose is a dark hunter green jelly filled with iridescent shimmer that shifts from red to pink and gold to green at different angles. This is seriously breathtaking, quite unique to my collection. Really great formula, surprisingly easy to build up for a jelly, this is just two coats. Also dries matte.

Druzy Quartz is an inky midnight indigo with a pink to green multichromatic shimmer. A tinge metallic, but very shimmer based. This was thin, but again I only needed two coats for coverage. I would recommend wrapping your tips because as you can see, the thin formula let the white tip of my nail peep through. This surprisingly didn't dry very dull, but I'd still recommend a top coat.

Grape Juice has a deep reddish purple base filled with tons of green to purple iridescent micro flakie shimmer. IN.CRED.IB.LE. I cannot get enough of this shade, I love the large shimmer particles and how in your face they are! Another wonderful formula, two coats. Dries matte so be sure to use a top coat if you want a shiny finish.

Star Crossed has a royal blue base with added blue metallic shimmer and scattered linear micro holographic flakie bits. I always adore these starry sky looking shades, so classic! This had a nice formula as well, I didn't have any issues with brushstrokes despite the metallic-ness. Two coats, dries down dull but pretty smooth.

These will all be available, along with their Collection of Curiosities & Exquisites (crèmes and toppers), on Friday, July 8th at 8:30pm EST on the Takko Lacquer website. For international customers, they are planning a restock with MeiMeiSignatures & Color4Nails soon. Please let me know what you think about these pretty shimmahs! Are you excited by these as much as I am?? If you love Takkos, check out my friend Amy's (McPolish) Takko Tuesday feature on her blog! Talk to you again soon cookies!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

GlitterDaze Escape to Paradise Collection Swatches & Review

Aloha beauties! Today I wanted to imagine a tropical getaway with sun, relaxation, and ocean breezes, so of course I had to show you the GlitterDaze Escape to Paradise collection! These came out a while ago, but they are still available to pick up and they are seriously perfection for summertime nails. All ten shades applied with serious ease, great formulas and two coats for full opacity! And only one layer of top coat was necessary for me to get a smooth finish. Let's take a look!

Press Sample

Bikinis & Bellinis is a bright rose pink jelly polish filled with iridescent shimmer that shifts through yellow and blue, as well as holographic shimmer, sterling silver and holographic flakes.

I Need Vitamin Sea is a beautiful sea foam green jelly polish filled with purple to pink iridescent glass fleck shimmer, holographic shimmer, holographic and sterling silver flakes.

Dancing A Go-Go is a deep warm purple jelly shade with iridescent glass fleck shimmers that shift from blue to purple, as well as holographic shimmer, sterling silver and holographic flakes.

I'm Not Melon-choly is a bright chartreuse jelly polish filled with orange/pink iridescent glass flecks, holo micro glitter, holographic and sterling silver flakes.

Staycay is a lavender jelly polish filled with gold to green shifting iridescent glass flecks, holographic shimmer, and sterling silver and holographic flakes.

Caicos By The Ocean is a turquoise blue jelly shade filled with iridescent glass fleck shimmers that shift through orange and pink, as well as holographic micro shimmer, sterling silver and holographic flakes.

Let's Have A Waikiki is a magenta shade filled with pink/purple iridescent glass flecks, holo micro glitter, holographic and sterling silver flakes.

Pool Boys Wanted is a complex blurple/periwinkle jelly polish with orange to pink shifting iridescent glass flecks, holographic shimmer, sterling silver and holographic flakes.

Wanderlusting is a coral jelly with gold to green shifting iridescent glass fleck shimmer, holographic shimmer, holographic and sterling sliver flakes.

Getting Steamy In Santorini is a smoky charcoal jelly polish filled with pink and purple shifting iridescent glass fleck shimmer, holographic shimmer, holographic and sterling silver flakes. (I wore this in the mani I did for my guest post on Very Emily's blog!)

This collection is available on the GlitterDaze website now for $12 each. I really enjoyed them all, but my favorites have to be Pool Boys Wanted, I Need Vitamin Sea, and Wanderlusting. What about you?? Have a great rest of your weekend!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

Cirque Colors Vice 2016 Collection Swatches & Review

Hi friends! New York based indie brand Cirque Colors has a new collection for Summer out now, the 2016 edition of the Vice Collection! You remember last year's Vice colors? They were hot, but these might be even hotter!

Press Sample

Plastik is a brilliant magenta purpley pink crème. This leans a little purple, and is incredibly bright. Opaque in two easy coats. Dries a little satiny, so you'll want a top coat for shine.

Rehab is a bright blue-purple crème. Not neon, but really saturated and it fits in with the other summery shades nicely. Excellent formula, two coats.

Electric Daisy is a neon chartreuse yellow crème. Intensely bright, you practically need shades to look at it! I was almost able to get this opaque in two but I needed three for complete coverage. But look ma, no white base!

High Roller is a bright mint-turquoise crème. I don't know if this type of color is possible to get neon, but this is pretty close. A great, easy formula. Two coats.

Sin City is a sizzling neon flamingo pinky coral-red crème. This is so super vivid and my lame camera absolutely refused to show it's true intensity. You'll just have to believe me, it's CRAZY neon! A little on the thin side, a tad runny, but opaque on two coats. You'll want a top coat for shine.

We Trippy is a sparkly linear holographic top coat, the only comeback shade from last year's Vice collection. I loved it last year and I love it this year! I layered one coat over all the shades, turning them into holo babes!

This limited edition collection is available now on the Cirque Colors website. They're offering special pricing until July 1st (or while supplies last), you can purchase all five Vice 2016 crèmes for $55 (which is $10 off - originally $65). Individually they are priced at $13 each, along with We Trippy. What do you think of this scorching set? My friend Ida over at Ida Nails It did an awesome watermarble with these, check it out! Talk to you again soon! :)

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

Zoya Summer 2016 Seashells Collection Swatches & Review

I've got the second Zoya collection for the summer to show you today, a group of six glittery textured polishes called Seashells! (Click to see the other summer collection, the Sunsets!) This is the first reemergence of the PixieDust series since the Holiday Wishes collection in 2014. And more specifically the first return to the original PixieDust formula since Fall 2013. I was very excited to see these when I heard about them, so let's see how they turned out!

Press Sample

Tilly is described as a "starry grey, textured PixieDust with a small holographic glitter interwoven with a darker gunmetal." I'd say at first glance that it was silver with muted dark purple glitter, but I can see the grey/gunmetal thing too haha. This applied wonderfully, the glitter was easy to spread over the nail and I got full coverage in two coats.

Zooey is a "classic pink, textured PixieDust laced with a fine thread of gold and medium sized holographic hexes for an added layer of dimension." This looks like a textured version of Zoya Harper from their 2014 Tickled & Bubbly collection and I love it! Two easy coats.

Levi is a "beige gold, textured PixieDust with medium holographic hex glitter." Zoya says they created this color to give an updated glam look of one of the classic PixieDusts, so I'm thinking they're talking about Godiva. This is pretty different though so I can't be sure. I love how the holo glitter catches the light and brings green hints to the gold base! Two coats, flawless formula.

Bay is a "sky blue, textured PixieDust with fine silver and gold glitter." This one was a little more sheer than the others, I needed three coats to completely cover my nail. I didn't experience any staining though, which is nice. I can't help but think they named this in a way after Beyonce, considering her daughter's name haha.

Linds is a "cherry red, textured PixieDust with red and fuchsia glitter to mimic the look of maraschino cherries dipped in sugar." Linds has a creamier, more pigmented type of base like Tilly and Levi, lending it to be more opaque. This was almost a one coater, but I used two to get 100% coverage.

Cece is a "full impact green, textured PixieDust with a thin vein of gold creating a fizzy lemon-lime effect." I used two coats here but almost wish I'd have done one more, though in the photo it looks pretty good. Seemed more sheer, like Bay. Awesome color though, I totally needed a texture in this shade of green!

This collection is available now on the Zoya website for $10 each. I am pretty in love with these, I am really happy they went back to their roots and made more of the original type PixieDust formula textures. I thought the texture trend was over, but this kinda re-lit my passion for them! I would be pleased to see more!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

Zoya Summer 2016 Sunsets Collection Swatches & Review

One of the two newest Zoya collections on the scene for Summer 2016 is called Sunsets, six bright crèmes advertised as one-coaters. I've got them for you today, shall we see if they live up to the one-coat hype? Let's take a look!

Press Sample

Cam is a medium orange crème. I found this to be a little streaky, and I needed three coats to cover them completely. I love this tone of orange, but sad to see it was less opaque than I expected.

Liv is a mid-tone orchid-y purple crème. This was closer to being one coat, but I needed a second layer to get full coverage. I don't love this shade on me, but I know it's pretty popular.

Ness is a soft jade green crème. This had a similar formula to Liv, very close to being opaque in just one coat, but I needed a second for complete opacity. (Does anyone else think maybe they named this after the Lochness Monster?)

Brynn is a magenta pink crème. Lovely and bright, but unfortunately a little streaky. This is three coats. Not really a remarkable shade, but pretty just the same.

Dory is a vibrant cornflower blue crème. Perfect color and aptly named, presumably, for that lil' blue fish we all know and love. This had a nice, smooth formula, but again, needed two coats for complete opacity. This also smelled a bit skunky, as some blue polishes seem to.

Dixie is described as a watermelon red crème. A fabulous formula, but two coats were still necessary to cover the nail line. This is SO my type of color, I love it!

This collection is available now on the Zoya website for $10 each. How do you like the look of these polishes? I'm disappointed they were marketed as one-coat crèmes, which I suppose they could be if one's application differed significantly from mine, but I didn't experience them to live up to that. Had they left out the "one coat" claim, I believe I would've enjoyed them more as the formulas are pretty much on par with most of Zoya's normal crème polishes. What do you think?

See the second Zoya Summer collection swatches! ---> Seashells collection

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.