When I received my Christmas order from TKB Trading I was pleased to find that they've changed the bottles their base is sold in from metal and glass to plastic. This might not have been a recent change because I hadn't had to order base in a while but those plastic bottles are much easier to work with.
30 Luminette Bottles with Matte Black Caps and Brushes $12.00
120 Luminette Bottles $46.50
Shown here are the former metal cans the 16 oz base was sold in and the newer plastic bottle my 32 oz base arrived in. The plastic cap on the bottle is a lot more manageable by comparison.
The smaller colored bases were also changed and again, it is an improvement. You can squeeze these little ones and that helps because the new base is thicker than the old (but just as concentrated).
Another part of my order was a set of the newer Luminette bottles which are full size. Normally I prefer the mini size Elizabeth bottles but they were out of stock and I thought these were the next best choice.
My only complaint, and its not really a complaint, is that mixing polish that is a thicker consistency takes a little longer because the side profile is so narrow. I included one of the Elizabeth mini bottles for scale.
And the bottles in use...
The Luminette bottles are sold in sets with the cap and brush included.
1 Luminette Bottle with Matte Black Caps and Brushes $0.4930 Luminette Bottles with Matte Black Caps and Brushes $12.00
120 Luminette Bottles $46.50
-MK
Polish looks so nice in the Luminette bottles.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the brush like?
I'm guessing the postage to Australia is going to HUGE!
I'm not a polish expert so I would probably ask someone who sports manicures often but from my perspective, it's perfectly serviceable. No wonky brushes like most of the Spoiled brand seem to have.
DeleteI know this is way late, but my last shipment of pigments, 60 luminette bottles and other assorted goods (metal spoons, funnels, mixing balls, stirring sticks) cost $71 US with $80 US shipping.
DeleteIt's almost cheaper to make a friend in the states, get them to ship for you and spend $100 on TKB to get the free national shipping, then get the $25 flatrate (up to 4lb) or $50 (up to 20lb)
You make me glad I live in the U.S because while I am not always thrilled with the shipping charges here, I'm not paying that amount either. I don't know what I'd do if my shipping cost me as much as the actual items ordered but that would be a good deterrent from ordering again, for me.
DeleteHave you had good experience with the colored bases? And how do you use them?
ReplyDeleteI have not used them a LOT because I chose to use store bought polish instead but for the polishes in this entry and a couple others, I found the colored bases worked well to color the polish without overpowering the pigments I'd also used in them- and can color the franken without taking up a lot of room in the bottle. All the frankens shown in this entry started out with suspension base and white-based pigments such as the Mermaid Collection or the Star Bites- the colored bases gave the color- the bases are fairly pigmented so I added a few drops at a time until they were as opaque as I wanted. I should add that they will not suspend pigments or glitter on their own unless the amount is minimal.
DeleteOne more question for you --- I have the TKB glamour base and also the luster base and find when I mix micas (or oxides) in them that they don't dry with a real shiny finish. From reading your blog, I know that the shininess comes from nitrocellulose cotton (?) so I was wondering if you have any tips or tricks for making polish dry more shiny. Thank you so much for your amazing blog; I have learned so much from your extensive knowledge and am also kept very entertained while reading it :) Thank you for sharing!!!
ReplyDeleteI use a topcoat and use less pigment in the franken if it bothers me but I am guilty of putting too much pigment in to start with. Since I have no patience, I look at it like adding more pigment means I'll have to use fewer coats when I paint my nails but too much pigment makes the polish more brittle and less shiny. If I use less pigment and apply several thinner coats as opposed to a couple thicker ones, it tends to be more glossy.
DeleteHi MK your site is so Informative! I have a question. TKB Bases are to me the most thick and of great quality.
ReplyDeleteIs there a recipe for cutting the liquid. with out loosing it potency. should we use Polish solvent..with out compromising the drying time. also are there any plasticizer we can by to add to them making them chip proof
I have not used any other company's suspension base so I can't fairly compare quality as it might apply to thickness or resistance to chipping. I personally would not add thinner unless it was a minimal amount and would use clear polish instead but this is just me, its been my experience that while it does thin, if too much is used it seems to mess with the flow of the polish. And TKB's suspension base can be diluted to a certain extent without losing its suspending power. As for chipping, the more pigment that's added, the more prone to chipping it is, especially if you have a tendency to over-pigment like I do.
DeleteI don't have a better answer than that, I'm sorry.
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