Rescue Beauty Lounge Scrangie vs. Sally Hansen Grape Going!

        After the post about Sally Hansen Grape Going!, I received a couple of emails asking about how it compared to Rescue Beauty Lounge Scrangie. I know there have been other comparisons of these two, but I  was curious to see them side by side myself, so I put together a little comparison of my own.

L-R: RBL Scrangie, SH Grape Going!, RBL Scrangie, SH Grape Going!

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: RBL Scrangie, SH Grape Going!, RBL Scrangie, SH Grape Going!

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: RBL Scrangie, SH Grape Going!, RBL Scrangie, SH Grape Going!

Natural light, no flash.

L-R: RBL Scrangie, SH Grape Going!, RBL Scrangie, SH Grape Going!

Natural light, no flash.

And some closer shots:

L-R: SH Grape Going!, RBL Scrangie

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: SH Grape Going!, RBL Scrangie

Natural light, no flash.

   Okay, so these two are not dupes and really are not even that close, so anyone owning both is perfectly justified. Like I said earlier though, I actually like the Sally Hansen better. I think it looks better on me and has a much better duochrome than Scrangie. And of course, Grape Going!'s price is much more palatable. 

    But with that said, I'm still going to keep Scrangie. It's pretty and unique (if overhyped), and I am fond of the iridescent shimmer that Scrangie has. It also has the better formula...both needed three coats before I was satisfied, but Scrangie wasn't as runny as Grape Going! and dried faster, so I can see wearing it again. 

Also, I've installed a widget at the bottom of the page that is like...a search engine for beauty professionals, and was created by betterfly.com.  I generally like to keep this space ad-free, but since it may actually be pretty useful for somebody, I'm letting this one in. 

And with that, I am all done for today! Thanks for reading and have a happy weekend!

NARS Mash vs. OPI At Your Quebec and Call

      As I was decluttering my stash, I ran across OPI At Your Quebec and Call. I felt that it was pretty, but wasn't sure if I wanted to keep it or not, because I thought that I had a dupe in NARS Mash. To be sure, I procrastinated on life did a quick comparison of the two.

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Mash, AYQaC, Mash, AYQaC

Natural light, no flash.

L-R: Mash, AYQaC, Mash, AYQaC

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Mash, AYQaC, Mash, AYQaC

And some closer shots:

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: AYQaC, Mash, 

Natural light, no flash.

L-R. AYQaC, Mash, 

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: AYQaC, Mash

      Anyone would be justified in owning both of these guys, because they look quite different.  At Your Quebec and Call seemed to have more gold in its shimmer and Mash's base color is darker, greener and more saturated. The bright center, dark edges effect was also much less pronounced in At Your Quebec and Call.
     In terms of formula, I found Mash easier to apply...the pigmentation was better and I felt that it was more controllable than At Your Quebec and Call. And finally, I think that Mash looked better on me than At Your Quebec and Call did, so Mash was the clear winner in my book.
     I can't imagine ever wanting to wear At Your Quebec and Call when Mash is an option, so with a slightly heavy heart (because it's so hard to say goodbye ;_;), I will relinquish it to the purge pile.


Which one do you like best? o_o

Zoya Kimmy vs. Hard Candy Lava (Plus Konad)

      Okay, so in my post about Kimmy, I mentioned that it could possibly be a dupe of Hard Candy Lava. While procrastinating on life (*in Rajiv from Outsourced voice* because that's how I do it) I was able to get together a quick comparison of the two, so here it is:

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Kimmy, Lava, Kimmy, Lava

Natural light, no flash.

L-R: Kimmy, Lava, Kimmy, Lava

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Kimmy, Lava, Kimmy, Lava

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Lava, Kimmy

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Lava, Kimmy

    Okay, so they aren't dupes. Lava is more vibrant, warmer, and more orange than Kimmy, and the shimmer is more spherical and less distinct. But really, you only see a true difference in bright sunlight and certain levels of shade. Under florescent light, they look much much more similar. They also have similar formulas, with both reaching opacity in three coats.

    So I don't really think that a person would need both. If you did get both, you'd be able to justify it, but both are probably not necessary unless you have a thing for these types of colors.  As to which one is better,  idk. I suppose that depends on access and personal preference. I like them both the same. 

I also did some Konading on Kimmy. 

I used Color Club Revvvolution, with Plate M57.

Sunlight, no flash.

   It's not the most creative combo, and I don't even think I really liked it, but it was okay to wear for a day. Can't go wrong with leopard print. ^_^

Rescue Beauty Lounge Recycle Comparison

     So, we're having some really shitty weather here in DC. It's cold (which I like) and super cloudy (which I don't like) and it's not even snowing or anything (which I hate). What the point of cold and clouds if there's no snow? Smh!
    But anyway, without any sun or a lightbox, pictures can't happen. So I'm just gonna post a comparison that I did a little while ago between Rescue Beauty Lounge Recycle and some other greens in my collection. No one requested it or anything, I was just curious. ^_^;

First, we have the cast of characters: Rescue Beauty Lounge Recycle, Illamasqua Rampage, Nubar Forest, and Orly Enchanted Forest.  

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Recycle, Rampage, Forest, and Enchanted Forest. 

Natural light, no flash.

L-R: Recycle, Rampage, Forest, and Enchanted Forest. 

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Recycle, Rampage, Forest, and Enchanted Forest. 

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Recycle, Rampage, Forest, and Enchanted Forest. 

     Clearly, there are no dupes here...everyone is different! n_n

     Overall, my favorite here would definitely be Rampage, followed closely by Recycle, then comes Enchanted Forest, and Forest brings up the rear. Also, it's kind of funny how colors look next to one another...back before my addiction spiraled out of control, I thought Forest was a dark green, and it's really not! And Enchanted Forest is so grey! I never noticed how grey it is.

    In terms formula and application, Recycle was the clear winner. It needed the fewest coats (two), was the most controllable and dried the fastest. Forest and Enchanted Forest tie for second place as they essentially have the same formula and needed three coats to look perfect. And Rampage comes in last, needing four coats to be opaque and streak-free. 

  But even with the application issues, I love Rampage the best out of all these polishes. You get the most bang for your buck with the generously portioned Enchanted Forest, the most cheerful color with Forest, and Recycle boats the highest quality and the most wearable color. But something about Rampage, man...it just speaks to me, and I can't say no. 

Which one do you like best? ^_^

     

Funky Fingers Icicle Lights vs. OPI Mad as a Hatter

             For today, I've got a comparison between Funky Fingers Icicle Lights and OPI Mad as a Hatter. All nails are fully dried with no basecoat, four coats of polish, and one layer of topcoat. And I left them gigantic, so if you do not fear my cuticles, feel free to click through.  

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Icicle Lights, Mad as a Hatter, Icicle Lights, Mad as a Hatter

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Icicle Lights, Mad as a Hatter, Icicle Lights, Mad as a Hatter

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Icicle Lights, Mad as a Hatter, Icicle Lights, Mad as a Hatter

  And some closer shots:

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Mad as a Hatter, Icicle Lights

Natural light, no flash.

L-R: Mad as a Hatter, Icicle Lights

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Mad as a Hatter, Icicle Lights

I blurred this picture to show the difference between sparkliness.

       The bad news is that Mad as a Hatter and Icicle Lights are not dupes.  Mad as a Hatter's glitter is multi-sized and features many colors, which Icicle Lights' glitter is all one size and only comes in two colors. Because of this, Mad as a Hatter appears darker, more opulent, more dynamic, and deeper overall than Icicle Lights. 

     Additionally, Mad as a Hatter is super blingtastic, while Icicle Lights can barely muster a sparkle. To me, this is a huge difference, because the sparkle along with the variations in color is what gives Mad as a Hatter that...manic look that endears it to me. Since Icicle Lights is missing that, it becomes easy to tell which fingers have which, particularly in sunlight. The Icicle Lights fingers are the ones where a band of silver sheen moves from one side of my nail to the other. And Mad as a Hatter fingers are the ones where every individual color of glitter catches the light at the same time and sets my nails on like...rainbow fire. The picture isn't very good, but I hope the last photo showed some of what I mean. 

    But the good news is that these guys are fairly similar, in that both are a silver-based, multi-colored glitter with the same dark cast to them. When I'm indoors and I hold my hand all the way out and let my eyes lose focus, they look the same. So if you don't look too much at the details, Icicle Lights could possibly act as a placeholder for Mad as a Hatter until you can locate the real thing. In any case, I'd really advise against purchasing Icicle Lights (especially off eBay) thinking that it will be a Mad as a Hatter clone, because you will be sorely disappointed. Icicle Lights is like...Mad as a Hatter sans its muchness. 

   If you've made it this far, then not only do I shake you warmly by the hand, but you also get a chance to win a little something something. I have another brand new bottle of Icicle Lights, and it could be yours if you want it. All you have to do is be a Phalanges Friend (I prefer not to call people followers), and leave a comment with your name and email address. If you were already one before this post went live, you get one extra entry. Anyone in the world can enter until 11:59 pm January 30, 2011 EST, and I'll be picking a winner on February 1, 2011. Yay! n_n

Illamasqua Phallic vs. Rescue Beauty Lounge Under the Stars

            Today, I didn't really want to wear any specific polish, plus I wasn't going anywhere, so I decided to re-swatch Illamasqua Phallic, because I was really dissatisfied with the pictures that were already there. I'd been curious about how it compared to RBL Under the Stars, plus the Varnish Vixen asked about them a little bit ago, so I grabbed my bottle and did a quick comparison. 

Fluorescent light, no flash.

 I don't get sun for very long (it's 5:30 and already pitch black outside), so I couldn't get proper bottle pictures. Sorry!

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Phallic, Under the Stars, Phallic, Under the Stars. 

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Phallic, Under the Stars, Phallic, Under the Stars

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Under the Stars, Phallic

Sunlight, no flash.

L-R: Under the Stars, Phallic

      When I was making up my RBL list, I was on the fence about Under the Stars. I already owned Phallic, and when I checked swatches side by side, they looked pretty much the same. But thankfully, that's definitely not the case, as these polishes look absolutely nothing alike. I think the pictures make them look a bit more similar, but in person, even Stevie Wonder would be able to tell them apart. Under the Stars' base color is dustier, greener, and much closer to teal than Phallic's vibrant, jewel-toned, navy. And Phallic's shimmer is larger, lighter, and far more visible than Under the Stars', especially under lower lighting conditions.
    So yes...someone would be justified in owning both. However, I prefer Phallic overall, and probably would not buy the RBL at full price if I owned Phallic already.
    1. Phallic is less expensive ($14 to RBL's $18). And Sephora is more likely to have sales than RBL, which means you may get it for even less.
    2. Phallic gives more product (.5 oz to RBL's .4 oz.)
    3. In my opinion, Phallic prettier than Under the Stars. It's deeper, more eye-catching, and way more arresting. 


    But Under the Stars has a more unique base shade, and the formula is better than Phallic's. I mean...Phallic's formula is no slouch, but Under the Stars is more controllable and better pigmented.
So which would you rather have? 

P.S. Has anyone else noticed blogger acting kind of funky? My formatting is all off...there are these random gaps and spaces. :(

Orly Space Cadet

            For today, I have Orly Space Cadet, from the Cosmic FX Collection. I'm like the last person in the universe to post this polish, but whatevah!

Space Cadet is made of small, flat, metallic duochrome shimmer in a thin, sheer dirty-blue base. You can't see the base once the polish is fully opaque, because the shimmer comes together to form a sparkly-foilish finish, but you can see it in the first few coats. And the shimmer is mostly a dark silvery-purple, but will change to gold, green, and pink, depending on the light and angle. 

Sunlight, no flash.

Sunlight, no flash.

Sunlight, no flash.

And that green on the side is not a reflection...'tis the power of the duochrome, yea verily.

Natural light, no flash.

Natural light, no flash.

Natural light, no flash.

Natural light, no flash.

Sunlight, no flash.

Sunlight, no flash,

Sunlight, no flash.

Sunlight, no flash.

Sunlight, no flash. 

    Space Cadet is a funny one. On one hand, it's kind of an unattractive color. I got some compliments on it when I wore it, and not one single person called it "pretty" or "nice". I got plenty of "cool" and "unusual" though, which is precisely what Space Cadet is. It's not pretty in the traditional sense of a pretty polish, but it is quite intriguing. In bright lights, it sparkles with a pink flash and in lower light, you see lots of the strong purple-green duochrome. And at all times, there's this weird alien-esque green glow that lurks right around the edges of the nail. Like even though my pictures are not so good and don't really capture this one, all of them feature at least a hint of green. But as cool as Space Cadet is, in my eyes, it is not the crown jewel of the Cosmic FX Collection. That title is reserved for Galaxy Girl, because not only is it damn cool, it's also beautiful. But  Space Cadet runs a very close second. 

   Formula-wise, I have no complaints about Space Cadet. It was a little thin, so this is four coats of color with one layer of topcoat. But it was well worth the extra coat, and the polish went on smoothly and easily, so I don't particularly mind.

    And I know I said that I was gonna not show my RBL's but I'm just too excited not to. Here they are! The pictures were taken in the dying evening light with flash,  so they're lame. But when I wear these gorgeous guys and girls, I'll take better bottle pictures.

R-L: Starfish Patrick, Look Rich Be Cheap (ohh the irony), Frugalista, and Recycle

L-R: Scrangie, Catherine, Anne, and Under the Stars

Tiny comparison between Rescue Beauty Lounge Scrangie and Sally Hansen Grape Going

I'm going to do a real one later though.

  I'm so excited to wear them!! Maybe this week, if weather permits.

But that's all I've got on this gorgeous Friday afternoon! Have a great day!