1st (Belated) Blogiversary Giveaway Extravaganza! - 3 Prizes!

Get your fascinators on!  We is gonna gonna celebrate up in here!!!

So our actual Blogiversary was just over a month ago but we're only getting around to celebrating it now.  Huzzah!  Thank you ever one who made this possible.  The Academy and everyone involved in this.  Oh wow there are so many people.  *music begins to play*.  Are you playing me off? Anyways you know who you are!

Now I'm going to tell you guys the rules and important stuff now.
Please read!  It's actually important!

Rules
1) International(unless your country has restrictions)
2) Contest ends Friday March 22nd at 12am EST.
3) No cheating.  Cheating is bad.  Cheaters will have all their entries deleted.
4) We are not responsible for any packages lost in the mail(This has never happened so let's keep up the good streak!)
5) No matter what option you choose to enter(you'll see in a sec) you must follow us via GFC.

How you can win (IMPORTANT)
Now there are 3 prizes a few ways to win one.
- Plain ol Rafflecopter.
-Mini essay question/topic that each of us has come up with(and if you do this you get bonus Rafflecopter entries!).  There will be 3 essay questions/topics you can choose from above the Rafflecopter widget.
- You can do both!

What are the prizes?
Prize #1: Max Factor Fantasy Fire, Urban Outfitters Sea Dust, and Darling Diva Polish Wedding Day Jitters + Clear rhinestones and copper microbeads.

  Prize #2: Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Crystal Beading, Darling Diva Polish Pink Dolphin, and OPI Pros & Bronze + Nail stickers and Clear rhinestones.

  Prize #3: Sinful Colors Cinderella, Color Club Harp On It, and Sally Hansen Diamond Strength All Aglow + Copper microbeads and nail stickers.

How are the prizes divided?
We here at Varnished Valkyrie will each choose our favourite essay and then give the top 3 to our friend to read.  She is a teacher.  She will choose Winner #1.  Who will then get first choice of which 1 prize they want.  Then we will randomly select Winners #2 and #3 via Rafflecopter.  Winner #2 will then get to choose what they want out of the prizes that are left and #3 will get the remaining prize.  Now if you are wondering why the essay winner get's first choice the answer is simple.  You spent time writing a flipping mini essay about something random for a nail blog.  You deserve something for that.

So without any further ado let's get this started!  Hahahahahah have fun!

Essay Questions/Topics(If you are doing this option, you can either choose one or even combine them, make it between 250-500 words and write it in the comment section)
1) Are the Academy Awards still relevant?  Discuss.
2) Expound on the impact that the modern day culture of beauty has had on the feminist movement.
3) In the current world of poplar music do we have our very own modern musical genius à la Freddie Mercury, Areatha Franklin, or even Mozart?  Someone who will still be influential decades from now and even after they are gone.  Please explain.

Rafflecopter

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
Cheat Sheet

Robbie, Howard, Gary, Jason, Mark.  And their last names are even on their shirts.  This photoshoot was pretty much made for this!

Review: Purple Glitter polish from Born Pretty

So I've had this for about a week and unfortunately due to working somewhere in the region of 50hours a week and then also having my family's modem poop itself I haven't been able to post.  BOO HISS, I   have been very bad :(

But, but but but, this is a pretty fun one so I assume you will forgive me.

It's a purple glitter and it's No. 14 on the Born Pretty Store website.  It's several different sizes(3-4 I'd say!) in a clear base, and just a warning, this one has a very strong scent.  I just opened a window so it didn't bug me much, but it's worth noting!  I decided to show it to you over a single coat of Color Club French Tip because I wanted you to be able to really see the glitters nicely.

I really like this one, unsurprisingly.  It applied really well and, with a coat of SV, dried quickly.  There was some reflective curling in the bottle, but not on the nail, these glitters sit nicely and don't curl or poke.  I barely had to dab or place, they went on very smoothly.  I can see myself pulling this out for some fun glitter layering in the future, it's a really easy polish to work with.

Overall I'm really pleased with this!  Fans of chunky glitter would definitely enjoy this one.
Don't forget to use out discount code (EAL91) and get 10% off your entire purchase!

Holo-zebra-skully-rhinestone-geometric what is this hot mess I love it

Here's a quick design I did on Monday. I see a lot of great "mix" nail arts on Tumblr (my internet home...I'm one of those people), and have really wanted to try my own! I have trouble with pattern mixing (I have a very strict sense of what does and does not go together) so these were a fun challenge for me.

The pictures are lousy and don't show the holo well at all, please forgive me - was in a rush to get out the door for my beloved Monday night beer-and-hot tub extravaganza- but I loved how this turned out and really wanted to show you my first MIX!

 So as not to waste my precious GOSH Holographic Hero, I first applied 2 coats of a silver bargain bin polish. Anyone own/heard of Charm Limit? I have 2 and they wear pretty well. I used "Colour 14" (so glam, I love their names).  The ring finger and thumb detail is Orly Liquid Vinyl. An Art Deco striper polish was used for the middle finger and stamping. Zebra stamp from Bundle Monster, skull from Konad.

Since the whole design was done was done with stamps, tape and minimal freehanding, I was able to do both hands identically. Maybe that defeats the purpose of a mix? Who cares, I love it!

Blood red nails on your fingertips - OPI Got the Blues For Red + Your thoughts on polish rebellions

Hey guys!  How are you all? Good?  Great.

Anyways this is what I have been wearing for the past 3 days because I am lazy.  I initially put in on because I had an audition this weekend and one of the lines of one of the songs I was singing was "Blood red nails on your fingertips" (Yeah, that's Bon Jovi Robyn!)  So I figured this was appropriate!  In the end I didn't go to the audition for reasons I had.

OPI's Got the Blues For Red is a red crelly with blue undertones.  Depending on the light though it can look blood, or bright red.  It applied in 3 coats.  Well I applied it.  I would tell you, while making a great fuss the day my polish decides do magically do my nails for me.  I hope that never happens.  It can only lead to a polish uprising.   Death and carnage would clearly follow.   All hail our polish overlords.

In the event of a magical polish uprising where all the bottles come to life, which polish do you think would lead the rebellion? 

 This is exactly how it looks most of the time indoors.

Natural light.

This is either the worst Valentines Day post or th best + 'Like' me!

So I had something else in mind for today.  I had been wanting to do it for a while.  And I started it last night. But the problem is my sleep schedule has been getting rather normal.  Horrible I know.  So while I was waiting for the polish to dry I flat out fell asleep.  And long story short today I dont have it in me to do nail art.  But don't worry I still have this!  It's either the best or the worst Valentines Day mani.

It's either the worst because it's just a swatch.  3 coats of OPI's My Boyfriend scales walls.  A white polish with gray undertones.  Who's formula was ok.

Or it's the best.  Because while the manicure may be plain, what it actually represents is the purity that is love.  Or some mushy bs like that :)

I will post show you what I had originally planned to do sometime next week!

Also you guys would make my Valentines Day if you went over to (https://www.facebook.com/GirlyBits/posts/289245867871098?comment_id=1300111&offset=0&total_comments=108) and 'like' my comment. "Tie your Girly Bits Down".  I'll level with you.  I want to win and I have no shame(That part of my brain was removed).  Vote for me and I will also lower your taxes and give you free health care(if you don't already have it)* Contest ends at midnight.

*legally I can’t do those things.

Holographic Purple Rectangles: A post inspired by art. All of it.

So despite our incredibly slow response time to their emails the very kind people over at KKCenterHk still were nice enough to send us something to review.  I ended up choosing the Laser Purple Rectangle Studs.  1)Because they looked cool and 2)Laser purple.  You have to get it if the word laser comes before the colour. Common knowledge.

These are purple, holographic, 5mmx3mm studs.  For some reason in my head I thought they would be bigger.  But I was actually happy they were smaller.  They xome with around 50 studs per package.

I knew I wanted the design to be simple, and let the studs do the talking.  So I was inspired by all that geometric art I've been seeing lately.  I painted my nails first with Sally Hansen Lacey Lilac, then I taped of the corner of each nail and pained it with Sephora by OPI's Just a Little Dangerous.  Finally on the corner of those squares I places the studs.  And topped it of with topcoat(which I was worried would kill the holo, but it didn't.)

I really love the look.  For me at least it works well for valentines day without being sappy.  But still girly.  Well as "girly" as I get.  My actual Valentines Dan manicure will be interesting.  Trust me.

Anyways, if you haven't already you should totally check out KKCenterHk's website. They pretty much have all things you could think of if you love the nail art!  And you can use our 10% discount code 'varnishedvalkyrie'.  Woot.

Product was sent for honest review

Th' Claw Presents OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark Suede!

So I took pictures 'o 'tis on me right hand. 'n was that ever harrrd. I was doin' th' same position that I normally do wit' me left hand, but it felt like I was makin' some strange claw hand, that I had wee control over. Even when I do it now wit' both hands, 'tis feels like 'tis goin' to start crampin'. 

Anyways 'tis be Lincoln Park After Dark Suede. I used it as a base fer me Sperm Nails...that sound fantastic. Now I don't own th' original Lincoln Park After Dark but I be knowin' it be nothin' like 'tis. 'tis be a plum purple, filled wit' silver shimmer 'n 'o course a suede finish. th' original be a blackened purple. 'tis was 2 easy coats 'n dried in no time at all. 'n it be crazy easy to work wit'.  'n wow does top coat ever make it stunnin'!

'tis discontinued but I still spy wit' me eye ever now 'n then in stores.

Wish I had better suede photos but I took th' photos at different times.

 

Not th' best picture but it looks so soft!

 

Blue Valentine

I'm hardly the romantic type, so this is probably as mushy as things are gonna get from me.

Here's my V-Day mani - no goofy pink hearts here. I used Bundle Monster plates BM08-09 and this simple decal tutorial from Layniefingers.

Base: China Glaze Stone Cold
Glitters: Kozmic Colours HD Sparkle, Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Tender Teal (thumb only, under crackle)
Crackle: Maybelline Colour Show Shredded Purple Possibilities (thumb only)
Stamping: Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Silver Sweep
Decals: China Glaze Hanging in the Balance
Topped with Warpaint Beauty Mattify
Scrapbook punch from Dollarama, ooh yeah

Loudest ColoUr indeed...

So a while ago I showed you one of my first polishes by Sation, over this one.  Loudest Color(oh how I wish people would learn to spell properly.. COLOUR :P) is a fabulous neon with a texture that's almost jelly-like.  It's somewhere between neon green and neon yellow, definitely leaning green.

Now, I know neons aren't everyone's thing.  For the life of me I cannot understand why, but that's another conversation for another day.  They just give me a case of the cheerfuls!  How can you not feel happy looking at bright and peppy neon colours???

But anyway, onto the actual polish:  Application was good, a little thick, but in general nothing that a little extra care couldn't fix.  I used two coats for these swatches, and it looked more opaque IRL.  It's also a little greener in person and a WHOLE LOT more retina-searingly bright.  As you can see from the last photo, this polish is kind of a chameleon.  I love it <3

Natural light, no flash.

The Valentine Nightmare

And yes I do realize that this may be someone else's dream.  But it is my nightmare.  It's not even a Valentines nightmare.  It's just a general nightmare at the moment.  I have no money, I'm selfish and I want to be able to sit in a unventilated room with my nail polish, without the worry it causing whatever rooted itself inside of me to keep it's tail and grow gills(THAT'S WHAT ☠POLISH☠ DOSE TO BABIES! FACT(that I made up)!)  One day in the future maybe.  But for sure not now.

As you could probably tell I'm not one for Valentines day.  My idea of romance is chicken wings with a side of Guinness.  I'm not a hearts and roses kind of girl.  So I really didn't know what to do.  I did a scientifically romantic one last year.  I'm pretty sure that was the only Valentine nail idea floating around in my head in general, because I had nothing this year.  I decided to do this because when you get down to the nitty-gritty of it this is a possible valentines day gift!

By the way if you still haven't figured out what this is it's a bunch of sperm Michael Phelpsing their way to an egg.

All I used for this was Essence Ultimate Pink,  OPI Lincoln Park After Dark Suede, and some microbeads and acrylic paint.

I have one more v-day mani.  It's less graphic and more distasteful.

 

 

ETA:

I need a hero... I'm holding out for a hero til the end of the night...

He's gotta be strong.. He's gotta be fast.. And he's gotta be fresh from the fight..

Okay.  Enough Footloose lyrics, I'm sorry.  First Almost Paradise and now this.  That was gross of me.  I'll be sure to punish myself suitably.  Suggestions welcome.

But in the meantime... I know we all covet GOSH Holographic.  I know I do.  Something about those sexy rainbows just gets me every time.  But I am realistic in the knowledge that it will never be mine.  Instead, I got GOSH Holographic Hero to satisfy my needs.

I have only the tiniest gripe: Holos don't wear well.  This, we know.  But "One Night Wear" right on the bottle??? REALLY, GOSH?  Did you need to just state outright, "This has shitty wear so don't expect more than a night out of it"?  I am just... I can't with you.  I get that it's kind of a marketing thing, but... Stahp.

But that aside... This polish is pretty lovely.  It's a holo for people who don't want the IN YOUR FACE but still want pretty rainbows.  I found the application to be exactly what I expected: A little patchy on the first coat, but nothing that being careful couldn't fix.  This is one coat, a coat of top coat, and another coat of HH.

Overall, I'm pleased with it.  I'm still more of a fan of the stronger holo look, but this is definitely more wearable for most people, I would think.

Natural light, no flash.

Indoor lighting, flash.

Ditto.

What do you guys think?  Are you more of a strong holo person, or is this right up your alley?

Happy Hands Afternoon Thunderstorms

So I've posted a few Happy Hands polishes before, and it's safe to say they're fast becoming favourites of mine.  I love their interesting collections, creativity, and sense of fun.  She can really turn an idea into a great product, and today I'm showing you one of my favourites from the brand.

This is Afternoon Thunderstorms from the Florida collection(I also have The Swamp, which you will see another time).  This is a grey polish with heavy golden shimmer and two different sizes of black hex glitter.  The grey base is sheer without being TOO sheer, and the glitter shows through beautifully.  I think another blogger said it looks like stone, and I totally agree.  It also made me think of my aunt's Dalmations when they've been playing outside.  The gold shimmer is what really makes this special, though.  It's just amazing.

Application was great considering the glitter density - A little extra attention needed, but not much.  I am wearing two thinner coats here, which was plenty opaque for me, but your mileage may vary.

Photos in natural light, no flash.

Afternoon Thunderstorms is still available on Etsy, and if you love a good grey, I say snap it up!

James Bond: Black and white rainbows? (Come see the wonders that are my left AND RIGHT hand!)

In an attempt to do a James Bond mani, I wrote a list of all the James Bond stuff I know.

1) Suits
2) Martinis
3) Sean Connery
4) Pierce Brosnan
5) Daniel Craig
6) Gold something
7) Shooting occurs
8) Movies make loads of money
9) The theme song

I quickly realized that I know nothing about James Bond, and that I didn't care.  So I did this instead!

On my left hand I did black and white stripes,  and a rainbow and white accent nail.  I achieved this by using striping tape.  Then on my right hand I got that straw stamping(?) look by breaking an old pen and using the tube that holds the ink.  And in order to give it more dimension I would stamp more then once with paint.  And in between stamping I would dip my hand in water.  That's why not all the stamps are solid.

On my left and right hand I used OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls as a base.  Then on my left hand I did the stripes with OPI Black Onyx.  The rainbow was done using (From red-purple) Essie Fishnet Stockings, Orly Holla, BK Sweet Candy Fast Dry Nail Art Polish in #19, Essie Pretty Edgy, Milani Dude Blue and H&M Plum.  All the black and colour on my right hand was done with acrylic paint.

So tell me.  Who does not care about James Bond?

 I wanted to hold something that had a rainbow on it.  The only thing I could find was this bottle of Chardonngay.  Oh what a NYE that was.

Illamasqua Viridian and Glitterati - You win some, you lose some..

First some news: Guess who's getting a pretty new computer so she can finally blog in style?  THIS GIRL.  My sexy new 21.5 inch iMac should arrive soon and I AM EXCITE.  It will be so nice to be able to edit photos properly instead of having to settle for a crappy online editor because my ancient macbook can barely scroll without extreme difficulty.  Cannot wait.

Now onto the real purpose of this post:  Illamasqua Glitterati and Viridian.  These came in a duo from Sephora that I believe is still available.

First up: Glitterati.  Oh yeah.  This is my kind of polish.  It's a sexy dark purple-y magenta-ish jelly with just the right amount of glitter to be both classy and eye-catching.  The glitter doesn't sink into the base - It's really visible, but without the rough finish.  I have on two coats here and the application was a breeze with no cleanup needed.

I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love this polish, it suits my skin really nicely, and it's really wearable for almost any occasion. It's just FABULOUS.

As usual, all photos are in natural light with no flash.

Now onto Viridian.  I bought two bottles of this, one to give to Robyn for Christmas and one in the duo for me, but I ended up passing both on.  This colour is absolutely amazing, but just not on me.  It's a gorgeous dark green that leans blue and has that fabulous Illamasqua formula, perfectly opaque in two easy coats, few brush strokes, just no complaints.

Except the lobster hands.  OH THE LOBSTER HANDS.  Can someone explain to me how my skin can look incredibly sallow and green one moment(see: Essie Pretty Edgy, which is possibly the least flattering colour on me ever in the history of the world) and then red and awful the next?  Never mind, don't. You'll just depress me.  I know it's not terribly obvious in the photos, but trust me that in person, this was just not a good thing.  Cooler toned ladies should get their hands on this one, it'll suit you much more than it did me!  And I will sit in jealousy.