BYS - Matte Black

Oooooh another beautiful matte from BYS.

Black Matte is interesting in that it dries to a vinyl finish.  To me, it looks just like a leather jacket.  My only quibble with the formula is that it doesn't dry flat on the nail.  As you can see in the close-up above, there are ridges in the finish.  It's not a deal breaker for me but, for those of you that like a perfect finish, this might drive you a little nuts.

Of course, as with any matte, I just had to gloss this up.  Check out the results after the jump!

BYS - Too Hot to Handle

BYS are so sweet they even named a lacquer after me.  That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Too Hot to Handle is an orange jelly red.  I don't like jellies (I know, I'm strange) and I'm not a fan of orange-reds either, but this?  This I really like.  I think that, because it's a tad sheer, the warmness of the orange isn't overpowering for my skin tone.  So it works where a more opaque jelly wouldn't.  Awesomesauce.

Formula-wise, this took four coats to get to the above swatch.  And it's still a little sheer.  Which I know will put some of you off but it doesn't particularly worry me.

Love.

The lacquer featured in this review was provided courtesy of Director Dave. For more information about YGN's Disclosure Policy, please click here.

BYS - Bermuda Nights

Sometimes, bad lacquers happen to good people.  Sometimes, bad people ruin good lacquers.

Unfortunately BYS' Bermuda Nights looks fabulous and stunning in the bottle, but caca pants on me.  So much so that I've hidden this most hideous nail disaster after the jump because, quite frankly, I couldn't tolerate it dragging down my front page.

But this is not the lacquer's fault.  After I did my swatch, and promptly threw up a little in my mouth, a Kenyan friend of mine swatched it on her hands.  Bliss.  She is going to let me photograph her hand with this colour on soon (she couldn't bear the thought of her untamed cuticles being exposed to the world) and you'll see just how good this colour looks.

In the meantime, gird your loins and hold onto your lunch.

BYS - Midnight Blue + Nail Junkie Mash Up

I'm not going to beat around the bush here (what goes that phrase really mean, anyway? If you know, post your explanation in the comments).  BYS can't do anything wrong in my eyes and Midnight Blue proves my point.

I absolutely haven't done this lacquer justice here.  It's not just a blue shimmer.  There's a swathe of pink shimmer that also runs through it. I would sell Boo to have a lifetime supply of this.  Perhaps.

But wait! There's more!

In my swatch of Nail Junkie, a number of you suggested that it worked beautifully when layered over a dark colour.  Well, peep Nail Junkie layered over Midnight Blue after the jump.  Shock and awe does not begin to describe it.

BYS - UV Nail Polish Collection - Part II

If you haven't seen Part I of this collection, click here.

Under the jump is Part II of the BYS UV Nail Polish Collection.  And my favourites. :-)

Just a comment on the formula.  This is an extremely thin formula, with the exception of Thunderstruck which was very thick.  So none of them ever get completely opaque, even with multiple coats (I did four for each swatch bar Thunderstruck, where I only needed two).  This doesn't bother me because they work beautifully under the UV and, really, that's their main purpose.

In terms of wear, they will last so long as you wrap the ends and use a good top coat (which doesn't seem to impact the UV-ability of the lacquer, although BYS do have a UV top coat available). Because the formula is thin, they can chip easily if there is no top coat over the top.

So read on to see some more UV goodness.  Peep it!

BYS - UV Nail Polish Collection - Part I

When Director Dave offered to send me BYS' UV Nail Polish Collection I happily agreed because, well, you guys know I heart BYS big time.  But I did wonder to myself 'what the heck is UV nail polish and how does it work'.

I asked two people smarter than myself, Kaz and Nixxy, who informed me that these lacquers work like normal lacquers in regular light, but come alive under UV lights.  So perfect for nightclubs, surgeries, morgues etc.  Nifty, huh?  I happen to have a UV light box (which I use to cure gels) so I put these lacquers through their paces.

Part I is under the jump. Each photo has the usual large view, closeup, swatch picture as well as a photo of how the colour looks under UV.

I don't want to over sell this collection but I feel it only fair to warn you that these lacquers will - guaranteed - make you want to go to nightclubs and rump shake it.

BYS - Wonderland Collection

Ms Nixxy if you're nasty alerted me to the BYS Wonderland Collection. 

At the first opportunity (ie 6.30am in the morning), I raced to the local 24 hour K-Mart, secured the lacquers, did a happy dance, drew the attention of security, answered a few questions, submitted to a drug test, and then went home.

Ok, I may have made up the bit about the drug test but the rest is a true story.

This is a superb collection.  All killer.  No filler.  And I picked up two sets which means that, if you love this, you could win the collection in next month's giveaway.  Glitter bombs for everyone!

Jump it ladies.....

BYS - Matte Deep Plum

Call me persistent.  Call me crazy.  Call me Jacie.  But I just can't let go of the matte trend.

This is BYS's Matte Deep Plum.  I'm not sure of the name since this really doesn't look like any plum - any edible plum I should add - I've seen.  It's definitely more of a raspberry.  But maybe I'm blind so, you know, don't listen to me.

At first I was disappointed with this.  It just seemed... well.....boring.  But it's definitely grown on me and I've worn this a number of times.  It's classic but the matte gives it a little twist of interest.

Naturally, I glossed this up because I love glossing a good matte.  Peep it after the jump.

BYS - Matte Pink + Potential Celebrity Manicure?

Another BYS matte I tried this week was Matte Pink.

This is just lovely.  The formula is wonderful and intuitive and glides on easily.  It took just two coats to get to opaque and, like other BYS mattes, dried to a satin matte finish.

Click on the jump to see what this looks like as a gloss.

PLUS if you're interested in celebrity manicures, this might be a great lacquer to get if you're wanting to be like California Gurls.  Check out what I mean after the jump.

BYS - Matte Deep Purple

Whatever happened to the matte finish.  When I started blogging, everyone was matte-fying everything.  And now..... bupkis.

Never let it be said that I'm ever ahead of a trend, so here's another matte lacquer.  This time, it is BYS' Matte Deep Purple.

Now, here's the deal.  I don't normally like creme mattes.  I think, in order for a matte to work, it has to have some depth in it. A shimmer.  A different undertone.  Something.

This doesn't have any of that depth but it still works a treat.  I think it's the finish.  It's a satin matte which makes it not so harsh and is more forgiving of the large block of colour.

Of course, I couldn't do a matte without applying a top coat to see how it came up.  Click on the jump to see the results.

Color Club - Ultra Violet

Argggh, my pretty!

Thanks to the awesomesauce-ing Kris of My Lucid Bubble, I now have one of my much coveted lemmings.

And it's nothing short of MAGNIFICENT. An amazing purple with a flash of blue throughout.  My only quibble is the formula - this took four coats and I can still see a visible nail line.  A minor quibble, I agree, but something I ought to raise.

As I mentioned last week, I naturally wondered if this might be a dupe for BYS' Ultra Violet, so I lined them up side by side.

Err, can I get a hells no?!  Definitely not a dupe.  Whilst I like the Colour Club hue more, the formula on the BYS is two coats and alot creamier.  So I guess I'll wear these depending on my mood.  They are both amazing lacquers.  I heart them like I heart Kris.





The nails in this review have been provided courtesy of Nailene. For more information on YGN's Disclosure Policy, please click here.

BYS - Ultra Violet

Just in case any of you missed it, I am now the resident nail expert at Crush Cosmetics. So, if you have any questions, let me know!

I have Color Club's Ultra Violet winging its way to me at the moment, so I thought it prudent to trial BYS' version before its alter ego arrived.  I don't want them fighting over me. ;-P

 Diffused Light

Once again, BYS just can't put a foot wrong. This is like butter. It glides on so easily that this swatch is clean up free. Most of the time, I need to do a quick cleanup to make sure all is tidy. Not with this little beauty. The brush and the formula is utter perfection.

The finish is a semi-matte / satin finish.  I love the glassy finish so I used a coat of Seche Vite over the top.

And the colour is divine.  This reminds me of 80s music and permed hair which, for me anyway, is not necessarily a bad image to have in my head whilst wearing this. :-))

BYS - Baby Pink + Inglot Flakie 204

Diffused Light

BYS, don't EVER change.

Baby Pink is the quintessential baby pink. Superbly smooth and creamy, this is opaque in two coats and is just adorable.  This would suit pretty much any skin tone, although I admittedly am having palpitations when I think how nice this would look on Jackie S.  I think I have a nail crush.

Of course, more is more with me.  So I decided to add an Inglot flakie to the top of this.  Check it out after the jump.

BYS - Blue Bang + Nailene Rhinestone

Diffused Light

Errrr, ladies, I present to you... Blue Bang. 

Blue Bang is a gorgeous blue jelly.  Glides on wonderfully smoothly, is opaque in three coats (although you can see some VNL in these swatches which are not visible in person), and dries to a gorgeous, high shine finish.

It's also quite unique in my collection.  It's a good middle ground lacquer between the pastels and brights, and some of the darker, cobalt blues.

But wait! There's more!  The lovely Eileeen, from Nailene, recently sent me some false nails to try out (review coming next month along with a giveaway).  She also popped into the package some Bedazzled Nail Art kits so I decided to bling up this manicure a little.

Diffused Light

How super cute is this?  These rhinestone decals are really easy to use - just peel and stick (I used tweezers to place them) - so even a nail art dunce like me can make it work. I kept it subtle, mostly because this looked great on its own but I'm definitely going to branch out and try some different combinations.

So what do you guys think?  Of Blue Bang and the rhinestones? 





The nail art in this post was provided courtesy of the Ever Excellent Eileen of Nailene. For more information on the YGN Disclosure Policy, click here.

BYS - Cracked Nail Polish in Pink & Black

BYS have gone totally off the chain with their Cracked Nail Polish line.

For a little Aussie brand to create a product this good and this innovative is.... legacy building.  If BYS are planning to launch themselves overseas in a big way - and if their products are popping up in the UK, then I'd say that is evidence of an international strategy - this is the product that will establish their credentials.

It is brilliant.

I've set out this review as a stage by stage tutorial (which does mean you see my nails pre-cleanup so be prepared for some messy), complete with plenty of photos of the end result.  Given the number and size of the photos, the review is after the jump off.

Just to save you a few seconds, set your faces to stunned delight and read on......

BYS - Black Satin

 Bah, excuse the terrible application on my index finger.  I did this in a hurry late at night, which is kind of like driving when you're tired - it's possible but probably not recommended.

Black Satin is yet another winner from the fabulous BYS (aka The Little Aussie Brand That Could, And Did).

This is a lovely creme.  It is opaque in one coat - although I did two here to try and compensate for the crappy application, failing miserably - and dries to a high shine.

I've heard that some of you in the UK are now seeing BYS.  I'm so glad to hear this news because, really, this brand is way too good to limit to us Aussies alone.

Do you have a favourite black?  I'm only just starting to get into them and would love to hear about your favourites.  Any recommendations?






This product was provided for review by Rocking Director Dave of Fashion Addict.  For more details on YGN's disclosure policy, click here.

Bloom Seoul + BYS Black Satin - Ke$ha Inspired Manicure

I have a lovely friend who is living in England and has a formal occasion to attend in a couple of months.  Apparently, royalty (the English type, not the good Prince type) will be there so she is going all out buying a new frock, shoes, bag and accessories.

When it came to the manicure, she decided to seek my advice.  I told her to find a picture of a manicure she liked and I'd see if I had equivalent colours to send her.  And this is what she came up with.

Yep, she wants a manicure like Ke$ha.  Putting aside the obvious question of why her muse is someone who looks like they spend much of their free time in a ditch, I quite like this manicure.

So I gave it a try.  Check out the results after the jump!

Great Aussie Swatch Watch - BYS - Voting Now Open

The featured lacquer for this month's Great Aussie Swatch Watch is BYS.  BYS is, for me, the little brand that could and did. Great quality formula, on trend and all for under $5 a bottle which, for us Australians, is super cheap.

It seems like the trend for this summer is neon (think China Glaze Poolside) so I went through the stash of colours provided by Director Dave and came up with four bright neons for you.

I've changed the rules with the Swatch Watch slightly, but this change totally works in your benefit.

1. Pick your favourite BYS lacquer.

2. Scroll down to the entry form.

2. Select your favourite BYS Lacquer from the drop down box.

3. Fill in your name and email address.

4. Click 'Submit Entry'.

5. Do a happy dance because you've just got your entry in.

6. This competition is open to everyone (so long as your postal service can accept nail polish) and will close on 8am, 13th March 2010, Eastern Standard Time.

Now for the rules change.  Previously, only those that voted for the winning lacquer were entered into the final draw.  This time, that requirement will no longer apply.  Everyone who votes goes into the final draw.  The poll part of this competition is now just for fun and because we all love voting and democracy.

If you're the lucky winner, you will win the lacquer you voted for PLUS you can choose one other lacquer from the ones swatched.  Neat, huh?

So, what are you waiting for? Get voting!

Hey There, Wait A Minute Mr Postman - Nail Polish Pastel + BYS + I'm Stalking Director Dave

I recently ordered a couple of kits from Fashion Addict.

The first lot was Nail Polish Pastels.  These are tiny little jars of springtime joy.  If you're familiar with the Nyx Pigment jars, these are close to the same size.  They're tiny!  I have no idea who made these, but I cannot wait to try them out. 

The second lot I bought was the BYS Chromes Collection.  These look amazing in the bottle.  Metallic bullets of glamour.  I think I might make them the focus of an upcoming Swatch Watch.

So that's what I ordered.  It's what happened next that is the reason why I will be stalking Director Dave, as Nixxy so wonderfully calls the Director of Fashion Addict, for Valentine's Day.

Check out some gratis goodness after the jump (scroll down and click 'Read More').

You've Got Duped - BYS Aloha vs Collection 2000 BMX Bandit

I've had so many requests for side by side comparison of BYS Aloha and Collection 2000 BMX Bandit.

So, here it is!  Definitely click to see the larger version

Both of these are gorgeous periwinkles.  However, to my eye anyway, BYS Aloha is darker and more purple, whilst BMX Bandit is lighter and more 'dusty' looking in appearance.

These differences are pretty marginal though.  I'd say that, if you can't get your hands on BYS Aloha, then definitely try BMX Bandit as an alternative.

If you have a periwinkle that looks similar, paste the link to your post in the comments.  Let's have a Periwinkle Polish Party!