Nailed It: VIBE lacquer store Official Opening @ China Sq Central

7th April  2011.

I was really honoured to be invited as a guest blogger to cover the event by Melva, the owner of Nail Vibe whom I purchased some of my OPIs/Orlys/ChinaGlazes from, and now a proud co-owner of VIBE!

Looking really cozy, girly with the pinks and floral motifs too.

As with all(most) shop openings in Singapore, a red piece of paper is used to cover up the signboard for unveiling at an auspicious time! 1pm was it.

I was proud to be a VIBE Concierge that day ;) With the blinged out tag and furry pens :)) Well, I also started work as an employee for VIBE store that day too!

Both sides of the store, I forgot to add in the other wall with the TINS, PA, Zoya and Essies :)

Yes, it's a piece of heaven on earth for me!

And I walked into a garden too when I first arrived way before her guests did...

Im gonna show you one of my current and most expensive lemming from the store...

This shelf has nail polishes, Swarovski blinged evening clutches and bags as well as jewelry!

And my favourite..

All maxxxed out. Yes. Bling-porn. 

These are designed by Melva and look at the motif...

Simple and classy, just the way I like it too!

VIBE is a one-stop for lacquer lovers, with all sorts of glitter, bling and other nail accessories...

Nail swatches are provided for some of the lacquer in-store...

Even Shrek made a cameo :) and thats me :D

Crackle Glaze in a shelf, 6 shades... for just SGD11!

Nail Vibe's polish remover (acetone) and cuticle remover (re-packaged from Blue Cross)

Another lovely clutch and also you see OPI Black Shatter on Michele, the other owner's nails :)

Here is she with a lovely black clutch!

And here's Melva with some champagne and the lovely clutch I am lemming after!

Here's Christine, my co-worker at VIBE

and this is us!

Me and Melva :)

My overall thoughts of the store: I love how it is all well-stocked with a huge array of OPI, China Glaze, Zoya, Orly, Essie, TINs, PA lacquers and treatments... as well as those lacquer sets :) The environment is so cozy as well, I will surely enjoy working there. 

I loved talking to fellow nail fanatics at the store too, mixing and matching lacquer colours according to their skin tone and of course, they spend while I watch on LOL. It used to be the other way round, you know...

May business prosper!!! 

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This is not a paid advertorial. All opinions here are solely mine and very honest! Any questions, do direct them to me @ squovalicious@hotmail.com

More collections?! -Part One

As an undergraduate, I dont have much cash. And within 6 months, I have increased my stash to about over 200 bottles! This is insane for some, and perfectly understandable to others :) As a sociologist-in-training, all I want to say is: I respect your opinion, and please, do respect mine too.

In this recent month, I have seen a lot of Collections coming out, and have snapped up a few of them, though not entirely!

So, from what I have seen lately, these are my opinions on them: (perhaps more relevant to the cash-strapped polish lovers out there):

China Glaze:

Up and Away

This is a very pretty polish collection, with pastels of almost every colour family out there, a fave among most bloggers :) However, I was late on this band wagon and did not get any. I was truly tempted but I had seen other pastels out there. Like THE FACESHOP and Etude House too. These are cheaper alternatives for pastel colours if you yearn for some. I cant say these are dupes but they can satisfy your lemming for some pastels :)

One note on pastels: Be patient when working with them. They tend to even or level out with each coat :) And some pastels tend to dry with a greater colour intensity than what you see in the bottle! It is best to see them swatched on a nail wheel, but most stores here in Singapore dont :P

Poolside Collection

This is a great neon collection! I have for myself the green neon, Kiwi Cool-ada :) I love it, just like highlighter green from Stabilo. The others are great too, the yellow neon, I have read, is kinda hard to apply and sheer in the neon sense. A few coats should do the trick, or just apply a white or nude base colour before the neon shades. 

Not many Korean brands do neons, they are still stuck in the reds/pinks colours... but! I found a great orange neon and a nice lime green with yellow shimmer from Elianto *(only branch at Tampines Mall). There's also a hot pink from THE FACESHOP, if neon is too flashy for you :)

Vintage Vixen

I am a sucker for Fall collections! Well, I have browns/greys and some blacks in my wardrobe... :) I love the occasional Summer colours too! Well, I have gotten myself 5 out of this whole collection and it is a job well done from China Glaze! There's a wide range of colours and finishes.. Have yet to try them but I base my purchases from fellow bloggers' swatches :) They are awesome! Nailvibe is having a clearance too at only SGD 8 a bottle! What a steal, with free postage thrown in! 

OPI

Alice in Wonderland

 

 Overall, this is a great risk undertaken by OPI. I have noticed the reds/pinks and kinda safe cream colours that OPI does all the time and some glitters are definitely welcomed! Especially when done so... BOMBASTICALLY! lol. Well,MAAH or Mad As A Hatter definitely lived up to its name as the multi coloured glitterbomb is sold out so soon and so sought after now! Just do a check on eBay heh. Absolutely Alice is a close second, with the dense blue and gold glitter combination. As a note of caution, glitter polishes are a PITA (Pain in the ass) to remove and most bloggers recommend the foil method of removal. I tried that and yes it works wonders but be sure to mosturize and pamper your cuticles after! One personal tip is to drench your cuticles with cuticle oil before using the foil method... 

I was so tempted to get the mini set, but I didn't! I just did not love how MAAH looks actually lol, and recently I have gotten myself Armour's Rain Glitter as a substitute :) Yet to try it on! 

The reds in this collections are more neglected lol. But they are easily available!

 Shrek!

 

 

Shrek is a collection that you either hate or love! Well, for me, it was okay... a range of cream colours once again but greens and blues. Very funky donkey names and also another risk taken by OPI. These colours seem to only flatter certain skin tones, I feel. Im not sure if one of the greens will make me look jaundiced lol. But anyhow, this collection has gotten the love of many bloggers out there! :) The purples are pretty and unique too, looking at comparisons made in the blogosphere. 

And nope, none for myself. The green cream probably has a cousin from THE FACESHOP. As for the other creams, you can always substitute them with other cheaper alternatives if need be :)

Summer Flutter 

 

 

This is a small but pretty awesome collection! I love the two special duochromy glass flecked polishes in there! I owe Wing It! a pretty orange-pink polish and yearning for Catch me in your Net! But there are dupes... from Orly and Zoya. A very cheerful collection :)

 

Swiss Collection

This is a mega 12 piece collection from OPI for the season, fall. Although I thought it's for winter..? haha the Swiss Alps fooled me :) Well well, there are certain dupes here and you will know which if you try searching for posts in the blogosphere! I did not get any although I was tempted. The finishes are varied too, from cream to foil-esque and shimmers... The Colour to Watch is probably the only one worth getting? It is a sheer polish that is kinda duochromy... Check out other bloggers' swatches for a closer look! There are a number of reds and seriously I cannot be bothered to differentiate them lol. I believe girls just need a sexy siren red and a more muted work appropriate red (if it is appropriate in the first place!) in her stash! Ok, and also red shimmers like Ruby Slippers... etc ;)

Burlesque! 

This is the upcoming collection that I seen is already launched in Singapore in the OP Boutique at Marina Bay Sands! I snapped a photo from the outside :P Here it is: 

Yes, not a very good photo huh :P I was hoping not to get caught though... Nowadays shopping centres and stores are particular about photo taking. sigh. Anyway I saw the SHIMMERS and GLITTERS. OMG, Im breaking my no-buy when this arrives I am sure!!!! The boutique probably sells them at 23 SGD? wow huh. I am hoping Nailvibe brings them in ;) 

Alright, it has been a lengthy post :P I am gonna throw in my 2 cents worth on Orly and also Color Club collections next! :) 

This post is not possible without Google and images provided by others online, bloggers' informative posts and swatches on the above mentioned collections! 

I am in no way paid by Nailvibe to write this post (?!) or helping her to advertise with any incentive involved. I have been purchasing from her and am just a customer.

I also join Transdesign sprees for some polishes too, especially for Color Club. :) 

Please leave me a comment if you have any questions :) Thank you!

Update on Seche Bright

Seche's rep replied and didnt explain why the bluish tint is there. But she/he didnt say that i couldnt use it either!
Anyway I went ahead to use it and my nails hvnt fallen off :P

Here's a preview of posts to come!
- My own Absolutely Alice using Golden Rose blue glitter polish as a base...
- My own Frankens, I have 2 till date.
- Orly's It's up to Blue, which is a more intense(?) version than Bailamos...
- Color Club's High Society - then Mattified - :)

Ive ordered 3 from Cosmix Collection from a seller in Singapore! Cant wait to get them next week!

And the Zoya's Ive decided on are Mimi and Ki :)

Till next time, peace to all and love one another!

Shiny glossy-looking natural nails

Being a nail polish blogger does not only mean that we are concerned about merely applying polish with pretty colours... I feel that it also involves some knowledge and practice of cleaning up your own nails and having them look presentable without any nail polish on..

I have been ashamed of my natural nails for some time, so I use nail polish as a way to cover up the bare looking nails, instead of enhancing them!
Granted, I am new to cuticle care procedures and nail filing business, but it is never too late to learn! You girls have helped me alot along the way... :) with product reviews and introducing me to glass files!
Well, I dont own a glass file yet... :D

So one fine evening, I decided to let my nails breathe. Yes, breathe. :) They were yellowed, due to the darker colours I have been using lately and the back to back manicures...

Ridges were showing, the nail shapes arent all standardized, not squovalicious at all!! :(

So I set out to remove my polish in two rounds, over 2 nights! The second night allowed me to clean more unreachable areas like under the nail and at the sides...

There was some polish stuck at the cuticles. So I used Seche Soft, a cuticle softener on them. Using an orange stick with cotton wrapped around the pusher end, I cleaned up my cuticles, removing the polished stained ones as well! Ah, looking much cleaner.

Then I reached for my festive looking The Body Shop nail file and filed my way! Looking much neater now.
Then I reached for an old buffer with some sides damaged lol... but I couldnt get the shine I wanted. So I used my new buffer, purchased for a cheap SGD 3.90, and used the smooth edge to get a natural shine :) I was so pleased with the results I hollered to the seller on FB :P
SHINY CLEAN NAILS! the yellowed nail plate seemed much better now after slight buffing and thorough cleaning with a non-acetone remover!
Here is an image of the buffer!

Before (nails):

After (nails):

On a separate note,
I love my shoes! just SGD 9.90 from the little things she need at Orchard, ION. A special discount for National Day :D

and a THANK YOU to bloggers who have replied me on the previous post, I shall go ahead and use Seche Bright! just felt weird to be putting some glowing liquid on my nails lol.

Nail Haul from Nailvibe.com (Sg)

hello ladies!

I have just splurged on some polishes :) planned to get just 3 but... we shall see how many i have now :P


Made my way down real late... But the service is still impeccable :)

Wing it! from OPI Summer Flutter :)

Foxy, China Glaze, Vintage Vixen Collex
also have a Bogie awaitng me :)

BFF from China Glaze! HOLO!!!

Metallic Muse from China Glaze! Khrome collex :)

Kiwi Kolada! China Glaze, its a bright neon but i changed my camera setting so... yeah :(

Orly La Playa! nothing reminding me of the beach but maybe the deep blue sea? lol love this blue very royal rich blue :)

Essie's Chinchilly :) A greyish colour :)

Essie Summer Collex :)

These two shouts neon in them!

Orly Ole! :) a nice peachy neony colour... very summer!

I also bought some buffer block and acetone polish remover :)

Thank you Melva :) Hope you all liked these bottle pics!