Essie Coat Couture

with flash

 I know I haven't posted for a while, I really miss blogging more frequently but the time for nail art has significantly reduced in my life. I could still create a series of posts of "rediscoveries" of old polishes, since it's pretty much what I've been doing.
But first, something new! Essie Coat Couture, a cashmere matte from the upcoming fall LE, bought at Cosmoprof. Not that hard to believe that this was the last bottle of this color left, am I right?

This color is a nice cold taupe with a blue shimmer, more visible under flash. Opaque in two coats. Drying time was good, no complaints. I can't wait to try to wear it with a shiny topcoat to see how it changes! For now I am quite satisfied, if you count that it's my first Essie!

without flash

Holo gradient

Yes, I know the gradient isn't much visible, but it's still some holo goodness shining under the sun! The basis is the old Kiko 400, with some Kiko 399 spinged on the tips.. It might seem like a cloudy nail art, unfit for spring, due to the color.. but as soon as sunlight hits it, bam, instant awesomeness!
A very short post today, since I had an exam yesterday and I have another next monday so life's keeping me busy (and tired).

Taupe and red chevrons

The awesome thing of this kind of mani is that it doesn't take much time and no tape at all, it's a freehand design. Effective and great if you don't have the time or the energy for something more detailed.
And I had promised myself I would have used my Kiko 638, my first sugar mat polish ever a bit more, so here it is. It is definitely less rough, as a texture, compared to its other fellow of other brands. The other polish is Kiko 226.

Stamping with Kiko 617

A few days ago I was at my parent's, spending my saturday afternoon studying german literature and my mom came back from her walk and handed me Kiko 617, that she had just bought for me.
She had seen the Mirror Nail Lacquer promo on the kiko window and thought they were beautiful, so she bought me that one hoping I didn't have it already. I didn't, and had already planned to get at least the copper and silver one of that collection, since the quality is great and they stamp perfectly. It was such a nice and unexpected gift!

Guess what, I will not need to buy the silver one. 617 is actually taupe, but stamped it doesn't make much difference, it looks like silver.

Natural light vs artificial light.

I stamped it with Gals stamping plate n 33 over three coats of Essence's Take a Ride on Pegasus from the old Fantasia LE.


Anyway, if you came here to find out if  Kiko 617 is a good polish the answer is yes! And, like the gold one, it stamps perfectly! Vote: A

Kiko 638 Sugar Mat Nail Lacquer

Pretty much every blogger in a country where Kiko shops can be found has been interested in Kiko's last polish news, the Mirror and the Sugar Mat series, also because of the 20% promo. At the beginning I was only interested in Sugar Mat polishes, then I also bought a Mirror one, for stamping reasons.

I would have loved a grey Sugar Mat polish, since the great concrete-like effect, so I bought the closest color to it: taupe. I tried the black one but didn't like the little glitters, so onwards with taupe!
You can see it on my ring finger.
Personally, I don't think that the sand effect is annoying to touch at all, I kinda spent the whole day touching my nail, it feels nicely.

I apologize for the conditions of my cuticles, it doesn't matter how much I moisturize my skin, winter still hates me.

The other polishes are Nude Dude by H&M and Money Maker by Sephora.

Kiko 399 and new stamping plates

My Valentine's Day nails were very simple, no hearts or anything, just 3 coats of Kiko 399, a taupe, almost white-ish holo.

My apologies for the quality of the photos, the battery was dying and had to take them in a few instants. 

I liked this polish, and I think it would look nice with stamping, maybe with something elegant and classy.

And this is my Valentine's Day gift from my amazing boyfriend:

I saw these on Amazon a month ago or so and showed them to him while talking, but I surely wasn't expecting this gift, how great! In the box there are 25 stamping plates by Galscosmetics.
If you want to see the designs clearly, look here . 
I can't wait to try them all!