a-england Whispering Waves

It's become easy to tell if I'm not really excited about a polish because it sits in my swatch folder for ages. It's usually the polishes that are good just not overly interesting or polishes that didn't really wow me like I had expected. This was the case for this a-england polish which is really unfortunate because this brand always exceeds my expectations. I should say that it's really not a faulty polish. The finish of it just didn't turn out to be a favorite of mine.

Whispering Waves

Whispering Waves is a vibrant aqua polish with subtle prismatic shimmer and a duochrome flash that shifts from blue to pink.

Color: The color isn't the issue here. I love this bright and vibrant aqua I also really love the subtle duochrome and holo. I think the issue here is there a little too much going on. The addition of the shimmer is just a bit heavy handed for my taste so it does end up getting this more frosty and metallic look than I'd prefer.

Formula: The formula was nice and easy to use. I used 2 coats above.

Price: This can be purchased from Color4Nails for $11.

Overall: This isn't a bad polish by any means. The shimmer is just too intense for my liking and I don't feel it was really needed. I really wanted to love this one more as it was a part of my wishlist for awhile but I ended up a bit disappointed in it. Formula wise and everything else is great, so if you like this color you won't be disappointed!

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Thursday!

a-england Fotheringhay Castle

I have a newer a-england polish to show you today. I seem to never go wrong with a-england polishes. I don't have a bad one in my little stash of them. This is a color I would typically never go for though. Olive greens are not usually my cup of tea, but this color was so striking I needed to have it.

Fotheringhay Castle 

 Fotheringhay Castle is a golden olive green with a scattered holographic shimmer.

Collection: Elizabeth & Mary Collection Late 2014

Color: This is a very rich olive green that leans toward gold at least on my skin. This is a color I rarely gravitate toward, but this is just such a rich and luxurious color I can't help but love it. The color is very saturated, and I love the metallic and holographic effect.

Formula: Superb formula. a-england always has superb formulas. I used 2 coats above.

Price: I paid $10 for this on Color4Nails.

Overall: Fotheringhay Castle is a beautifully rich color. I love the depth and dimension of this polish and the formula is on point. This is another winner from a-england!

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Monday!

a-england Crown of Thistles

I have a relatively new a-england polish to share with you today. This one is from the Elizabeth and Mary collection that was released toward the end of last year. This polish is the one that stood out to me the most, and it's a stunner.

Crown of Thistles

Crown of Thistles is an amethyst scattered holo.

Collection: Elizabeth & Mary Late 2014

Color: This color is magnificent. I see tons of blue-toned purple holos out there. Tons. I rarely see red-toned purple holos at all. If I do they don't have near the pigmentation and vibrancy of Crown of Thistles. This is a stunning shade of purple done in a holo finish. Amazing.

Formula: Excellent 2 coat easy to apply formula. 

Price: I paid $10 for this on Color4Nails. 

Overall: This is a beauty. The pigmentation, the shade of purple, and the formula are all top notch. a-england continues to impress me with innovative colors and superb quality. You can never go wrong with an a-england polish. I think you all need Crown of Thistles!

My Rating: 5 out of 5 *Golden* Paint Splatters

Happy Tuesday! 

a-england Virgin Queen

I have a fairly new a-england polish to share with you today. I'm always late to the game in purchasing a-england polishes, and I regret it every time. They are some of the highest quality and nicest polishes in my collection. This one comes from the recent Elizabeth & Mary collection.

Virgin Queen

Virgin Queen is a pewter shade with pink and copper undertones and a scattered holographic shimmer.

Collection: Elizabeth & Mary 2014

Color: This is a beautiful and complex color. This has a silvery/pewter base that has these beautiful golden/coppery glimpses and undertones to it. It's really a very unique and striking color that is unlike anything I've seen before. The holo is a beautiful touch too.

Formula: Excellent easy to use 2 coat formula. This does have an intense metallic shimmer, so some brush-strokes can be visible, but I don't find this detracts from the overall look of the polish.

Price: I purchased this on Color 4 Nails for $10.00.

Overall: This is a standout high quality color and nail polish. The color is unique, it's thoughtfully and well made. The formula is great. It's a-england! That's exactly what I'd expect. Excellent polish!

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Tuesday!

Throwback Thursday: a-england Tristam

I seem to keep revisiting old favorites on Throwback Thrusday, but I suppose that makes sense. I'm not going to waste my TBT posts on average oldies. This next one was one of the first releases by a-england in 2011. a-england was definitely one of those brands that made its mark in nail polish world instantly with this beauty. 

Tristam

Tristam is a rich navy blue scattered holo.

Collection: The Mythicals 2011

Color: This is a beautiful shade of blue unlike other ones I have. I almost wanted to call it indigo, but I didn't want to misspeak. It has a hint of purple tones to it, but not enough where I'd call it a blue-violet, but it is definitely different than most navy blues. 

Formula: Beautiful 2 coat easy formula.

Price: This is available on Llarowe for $10.00

Overall: Gorgeous timeless shade. The color is beautiful, the scattered holo is awesome. The polish is well made as well as other a-englands. I say this is a must have for any nail polish addict!

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Thursday! 

a-england Dancing With Nureyev

Have you ever had a polish that was too pretty to describe? This is my problem with this a-england polish I'm going to share with you today. I'm going to struggle through my description because it's just too beautiful. I'm speechless. Ok, it's not that dramatic, but it's still pretty awesome. 

Dancing With Nureyev 

Dancing With Nureyev is a light-medium blue with a touch of violet holographic.

Color: This color is just sublime. The blue in this in intense. The color is clear and crisp. I want to say this color is crystal-like, but I don't think that makes sense at all. Everything about this color is just so pristine. Gorgeous. 

Formula: Excellent formula. This holo along with other a-england holos apply so nicely. I used 2 coats above. 

Price: This is $10.00 on Color 4 Nails site. 

Overall:  Like Mary Poppins, this color is "practically perfect in every way". My only regret is that I didn't get to try this in 2013, it would of definitely been in my Top 25. 

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

a-england Sleeping Palace

I've caught the holo bug. That seems silly to say because I never wasn't into holos. I always loved them, but I rarely wore them. I think I finally resigned to the fact that holos are not rarities anymore, and I can wear them, enjoy them, and not fear they will disappear again. Thank you indies for making holos!

A recent holo I picked up was one from a-england

Sleeping Palace

Sleeping Palace is a deep plum scattered holo.

Color: Sleeping Palace is a very rich and saturated deepened plum. I'd say this shade leans toward the warm red-violet side. I love the depth of this shade, and how it is not compromised by the holo pigment.

Formula: Superb. a-england holos have a buttery formula. They apply so perfectly. I do not experience any patchiness or streaks. Perfection!

Price: This is $10.00 on Color4Nails website.

Overall: Gorgeous polish, excellent formula, and great brand. Exceeds my expectations.

My Rating 5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Friday!

a-england Her Rose Adagio

I'm not lacking in the holo department, but there is one type of holo I was on the hunt for recently. I really wanted a soft pinky-nude holo, very specific. Nudes that compliment my skin tone are challenge, so I was concerned this being a nude and holo would be a bigger challenge!  I came across a-england's Her Rose Adagio, and hesitated. It can be difficult to determine through photos if I a color will work for you. I decided to take the plunge anyway, and it payed off!

Her Rose Adagio

 Her Rose Adagio is a soft pinky nude holo.

Color: You know that excited satisfaction you get when you find a color is exactly what you were looking for? This is what happened with Her Rose Adagio. I love the softness of this color paired with a holo. Beautiful color.

Formula: Excellent. I used 2 coats above. The formula was so easy to apply and I didn't any difficulty.

Price: This is $10.00 on Color4Nails.

Overall: I love Her Rose Adagio, she is perfectly lovely. I don't think it needs more description than that. I only wish I had purchased it sooner, because it definitely would of been a pick for my top 25 of 2013.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Paint Splatters

Happy Monday!

Way-Cool Mani Wednesday- My Name in Polish

Some people wish for their name in lights, I'm just happy with my name in polish. Ok, well my name in polish isn't intentional towards me, but I like it just the same!

How many of you have a polish with your first name in? I'm sure there are quite a few of you, but how many people have a polish with their last name in it?

I have both! I don't mean that to sound boastful, it's just pretty cool.

My name is Stephanie Merlin. Yes, my real last name is Merlin just like the wizard. No relation, unfortunately (hehe). I used to hate my last name because everyone would make a big deal out of it. Now, I think it's flipping awesome. It's the kind of name if I get married, I'm sorry tradition, I'm keeping my cool last name!

Anyways, so what polishes sport my name?

Zoya Stephanie and a-england Merlin

I decided for this Way-Cool Wednesday to sport my namesake in polish! I think that's way-cool, huh (hopefully not egotistical)?

Polishes Used: Zoya Stephanie & a-england Merlin

Manicure Description: Went pretty simple here. I painted my thumb, index, and pinky with Zoya Stephanie and painted my middle and ring finger with a-england Merlin.

I had fun with this. It's so simple, but it's just so fun to be able to wear my name in polish. It's probably a bit corny, but I love it!

Anyone else out there who has their first and last name in a polish?

Happy Wednesday! 

a-england Dragon

Yes..more green for me! How could I resist a green holo polish? This one is absolutely stunning, a long with the other a-england The Legend polishes I have. Sadly, my camera was quite jealous of this beautiful polish, and would not take as clear of  a photo as I would of liked. I tried, but bad camera!

Dragon

Dragon is a mossy green with scattered holographic effect.

This is gorgeous. The formula on this is near perfect. I get excellent wear with a-england. I can wear these chip free for nearly a week. The name is awesome too. Who wouldn't want a polish named Dragon..that is green...and holographic?!?

Happy Thursday!

a-england Ascalon

Today, I have for you another pretty from a-england's The Legends collection. I decided I wanted to spread out the posts I have for these polishes because they deserve their own posts. They are just that beautiful! This polish combines two of my favorite elements in a polish...holographic and duochrome.

Ascalon

Ascalon is a medium gray scattered holo with a violet-magenta flash.

This is stunning and so unique. There are many times where companies tries to mix different finishes (i.e. shimmer and glitter, holo and shimmer, and etc), but they do not always produce nice results. This totally works. It is a perfect balance. The formula on this was great. I get excellent wear time with a-england. In fact, I think I get the best wear time out of them than with any other polish. I'd call this a must have for holo and duochrome fans out there! The photos truly speak for themselves.

You can purchase Ascalon from a-england's website or Overall Beauty.

Happy Thursday!

a-england Saint George

When I first saw swatches of a-england's new "The Legend" collection, I knew I had to have some of these. My experience with a-england brand has gone above and beyond my expectations since the beginning. The founder Adina, has to be one of the kindest and most sincere people out there. She truly loves her customers and fans. This is all on top of spectacularly made polishes. This is a recipe for an overall wonderful nail polish experience. Saint George, one of the newest polishes is absolutely divine.

Saint George

Saint George is a deep teal with a blue and green scattered holographic effect.

The pigmentation of this color is rich and saturated. One thing I notice with holographic polishes is they have a tendency to be sheer at first. This is most definitely not the case with Saint George. If you wanted you could get away with one thick coat. The color is stunning. The holographic effect is beautiful. This color has a permanent spot in my Top 20 of 2012 list, and it is only the beginning of February. I honestly do not think any other polish this year could top this. This is absolutely a must have.

You can purchase Saint George and other The Legend polishes on a-england's website, Overall Beauty, or llarowe.

Happy Monday!

a-england Lady of the Lake

 Today is the last day to enter my giveaway!

I'm so glad a-england had their free shipping promo a little awhile ago because I really had a great opportunity to try an amazing brand. I mentioned this before, but Adina the founder is so kind. She is also truly passionate about her product. These are things I love about a company, and to top it off her polishes are spectacular.

As nail blogger, or as just a nail polish addict in general it's amazing how far those extra nice touches in a brand. When we purchase mainstream brands, we may get a great product, but it's not always followed with great service. That's not to say we get bad service, but obviously you're not going to get the personal touches from OPI or China Glaze that a smaller brand can offer you. These extra touches really make you feel special as consumer, and make you want to go back for more!

Without further ado..here is Lady of the Lake!

Lady of the Lake

Lady of the Lake is deep purple with scattered holo.

What I love about this besides that it's holographic, is the richness of the base color. I dislike how we see with more recent holos that the holo pigment totally engulfs and dulls out the base color. The purple in this is rich and deep. The holo in this is just complimenting this perfectly. It really is the perfect balance. You really can't go wrong with a color like this. I must say along with the blue holo Tristam, Lady of the Lake is definitely must have.

You can find a-england polishes on their website. They retail for £9.00 which equates to around $14.36. These are totally worth the price, even without free shipping. I know for many of us it would be special everyone-once-in-awhile purchase, but it's one I don't think you'd regret! 

Happy Friday! 

Bottle Spam Saturday: $10+/High End Edition

This week's bottle spam consists of polishes that I have that were $10 or more in price or high end brands. I have a lot more than I thought. I must say this category definitely has some of my all time favorite polishes in it.

Be sure to vote for next week's bottle spam!

 a england Lady of the Lake, Merlin & Perceval

 Iseult, Tristam, & Avalon

 Butter London Wallis, Knees Up, & Bluey

 No More Waity Katie, Victoriana, & Big Smoke

 Nfo-oh #52, #51, & #61 (sadly a dud)

 Illamasqua Jo'mina, Phallic, & YSL Wintergreen

 RBL Under the Stars, MAC Bad Fairy, & Chanel Peridot

 Deborah Lippmann Razzle Dazzle, Across the Universe, & Glitter in the Air

 Cult Nails Iconic, Crusin' Nude, Enigmatic, Let Me Fly, & Hypnotize Me

Devious Nature, Captivated, My Kind of Cool-Aid, Quench, & Living Water

Happy Saturday!