butter LONDON - Fairy Lights Part I

I could not have predicted how butter LONDON's Fairy Lights would turn out.

In the bottle, this looks like a shimmery pearly pink. What comes out of the bottle, however, is an unapologetic chrome pink.

Naturally, as this is a chrome, application is tricky. Firstly, brush strokes are par for the course. Even a thicker second coat (which is the trick I usually employ when I'm dealing with a chrome as it seems to dry less streaky) didn't eliminate all the brush strokes.

Secondly, you HAVE to wait until the first coat is dry before you even attempt a second. I learned the hard way (and you can see a slight bump on my middle finger) where I started a second coat before the first had dried, and paid the price with dragging and bald spots.

However, despite the application problems, this is the most exquisite chrome. There's almost a foil effect in the sun whilst, in regular light, it looks like wrapping paper.

Tell me ladies, because I don't wear chromes much, are the application problems I experienced with this normal for chromes or are my problems related to the butter LONDON formula?

butter LONDON - Knees Up - Part II

** I'm back from holidays. I'm tanned (not intentionally but as a byproduct of sitting at the beach all day, albeit under an umbrella) and relaxed and ready to get back into things. I'll be going through all the lovely comments you've left this afternoon. **

One thing I love about the butter LONDON collections - well, besides the beautiful colours and finishes - is how they work together.

While the colours can appear, by themselves, disconnected and very individual, mix them with a Konad Stamper and you get some truly amazing combinations.

I've teamed Knees Up, which I trialled earlier today, with Perfect Prezzie.

I know it's hard to see in the photo (definitely click to see the larger version), but this is a beautiful combination of colours. I used a flower stamp, which I think you can just make out in the photos, and it looks like an old tapestry. I wore this for work last week and I've been complimented endlessly on how it looks. It's subtle enough not to be 'in your face' but there is an obvious textural and colour difference.

butter LONDON - Knees Up - Part I

The first lacquer I'm trialling from butter LONDON's Christmas 2009 Collection is Knees Up.

For those of you don't know, the phrase 'knees up' refers to going out and having a drink and party. So if someone says 'It was a good knees up', they probably mean alot of people drank alot of liquor, behaved inappropriately, and felt really off-colour the next day.

Anyway, this Knees Up is anything but an off colour. This is a beautiful, classic, Christmas red. It reminds me of tinsel and wrapping paper.

Like all butter LONDON lacquers, the formula can be runny and difficult to work with at first. Once I got the hang of it, though, application was pretty easy.

This took two coats to get opaque and dried to a high gloss finish (as you can see to the right). No need for top coat with this little baby!

So, are you feeling this red, ladies?

Sunday Sneak Peak

This week is definitely Rule Britannia (with a little Essie Matte About You) thrown in for good measure.

I'm thrilled to be able to show you all butter LONDON's Christmas 2009 Collection. Once again, butter LONDON outdo themselves with a collection that: a) is extraordinarily pigmented; and b) works beautifully together.

So, yes, ladies, I have dragged out my long suffering Konad kit and have done some stamping this week.

In the second half of this week, I'm trialling Asos Paint Pots' Autumn/Winter Collection. This is the first time I've used these and, I have to say, I'm seriously impressed. The colours are amazing. These lacquers also work really well with my new Essie Matte About You topcoat.

Have a great week everyone!

Naily News #8

Scrangie is back from holidays (yay!!!) and, with her, she brings a lacquer with the longest name I've ever heard.

Polish or Perish shows us what a misbehaving mistress looks like. Is there any other kind?

One of my favourite nail bloggers, Pink Ginger, has reached 51 followers! And she does a mean, mean Konad.

Are you in the market for a gorgeous baby pink. The Skye's Baby Bloom may be what you've been looking for.

Glitter Coma Alert. That's all I'm going to say.

Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting. Those cats were fast as lightning. Now that I have that song in your head, go check out Nixxy's Kung Fu Blue.

Kaz has the rainbow happening this week on Pretty Random. I'm like a kid in a candy store looking at all her swatches.

China Glaze Wagon Trail, can we please elope?

Kronicles of a Konader reminds me just how shite I am with the konad. This is an AMAZING konadicure.

Helen and Sheenie find a work creme that is understand BUT also sexy.

Naive Nails rock the konad and my world, all at the same time. She's very talented, that lady!

**I'm going on holidays for a couple of days to Rye, which is on Victoria's beautiful Mornington Peninsula. Posts will continue uninterrupted, however, depending on whether I can find an internet cafe, I may not be able to respond to comments. Have a great weekend, everyone!**