To a New Year...

Today is the 31st of December and the last day of 2017- the blog survived another year. If you don't know, it's been around now for 7 years and 3 months and in that time I gained 602 followers! I've lost a few here and there but if you're still with me, even once in a while, THANK YOU! Without you, I'd just be talking to myself. 

Life just keeps coming and keeps you busy. I still dabble with polish and buy the color shifting pigments when they come out but it the hobby is far less interesting to me today and I have less to contribute. Just about anything you need to start and maintain the hobby, including the "research" are widely available now and easy to find, not so when I started out. But I can still recall the joy and amazement from mixing that first simple bottle of clear polish + pigment and I hope it is something you still experience.

May your 2018 be more sparkly and colorful than this year.
Happy New Years. -M

Glitter Unique Black Friday Sale

Here, it's 7:55a. You still have 35 minutes to save 25% on Glitter Unique products store-wide.
After 9a, you can still save 20%.

Get it while the getting's good!

Adoptable Cats in N. Kentucky & Ohio

Although cats are not the same topic as this blog, many of my readers seem to also be cat lovers so I'm going to share my new Facebook page, Tri-State Adoptable Cats, in the hopes I'll reach a broader audience (beyond those on my "friends" list). Allow me to explain, if you're still here.

I've had cats since 2010, six at this moment, with one that passed away a couple years ago. Of those cats, four were strays, two came from a local animal shelter and one from a rescue- so you can see that I too am a cat lover and equal-opportunity adopter.

Starting in 2015, I began sharing the profiles of adoptable cats on my personal Facebook page daily. These cats were within the Northern Kentucky-Ohio area, from local rescues and shelters mostly and that list grew to include over 20 agencies; I'm afraid those on my friends list probably got tired of the daily influx and stopped following. With that in mind, I created Tri-State Adoptable Cats on Facebook, this way I can continue to feature the cats daily but not annoy those who wish not to see them.

If you're one of those people that like to see cute adoptable cats and kittens and you live in the Northern Kentucky-Southern Ohio area- or know someone who does- stop by. I'd love to "see" you there!
-MK

Unicorn Pee?

Slightly after the fact but I'm posting anyway.

"Unicorn Pee" is apparently all the rage these days, right? I'm here to tell you that Glitter Unique, one of my FAV suppliers, has a newer line of color shifting goodies called Unicorn Pigments and #8 is supposed to look a LOT like the infamous Unicorn Pee.

There are currently 9 colors and they sell for $11.50 a gram, 2 grams - $22.50, 1/4 oz (7.08 grams)- $77.00.

-MK

New Illusion Flakes from Glitter Unique

New Illusion Flakes from Glitter Unique... "Beautiful, Colorful flakes with a Holographic Flair!!!"

6 Colors, $12.00 per gram, $20.00 for 2 grams (larger quantities available).

10% off now until Monday on new products.

Ultra Chameleon Chrome Pigments...

More swatches and comparisons.

I'm back with four Ultra Chameleon Chrome pigments that I bought to round out my collection of Supershift Pearls from Didspade. From Glitter Unique, I have Emerald/Blue/Gold and Copper/Gold/Green. From Spectraflair4u, I have #4 RCGC (Red/Copper/Green/Cyan) and #8 BPCG(Blue/Purple/Copper/Green). Both companies sell these for the same price, $11.50 per dry gram. Didspade's are priced at 5 grams for $34.75. 

Left to right: GU Emerald/Blue/Gold, GU Copper/Gold/Green, Sf4u Red/Copper/Green/Cyan, Sf4u Blue/Purple/Copper/Green

Since this post and my efforts are centered around matching the others to Didspade’s, let’s review the selection. Right now, they sell 11 different Supershifts: Invictus, Elixir, Solis, Vibe, Lithium, Dorado, Zionic, Wildfire, Nitron, Ametrine and Atlas. When they were first released, the Supershifts were being sold at a special price for just 1 gram so I bought the first nine; Ametrine and Atlas came out almost a year later and only at the normal price so they are two I don’t have. Not that I didn’t want them but I don’t need 5 grams… and that brings us to Glitter Unique and Spectraflair4u.

Didspade Supershifts

L-R: Invictus, Vibe, Nitron, Solis, Elixir, Lithium, Dorado, Wildfire & Zionic

Both Glitter Unique and Spectraflair4u sell UCC pigments under a slightly different name, Ultra Chameleon Chrome and Ultra Chrome Chameleon respectively, but [most of] the color names/descriptions and pictures don’t match each other, let alone match up to Didspade’s. I spent two weeks putting their speed shapes and car photos up against store photos of nails and polish bottles, even using my own nail pics of Didspade’s pigments. The goal was to add to color spectrum without buying duplicate colors and I was partly successful.

At the bottom of this post are my conclusions which, if interested, you can check out but I'm going to move on to the individual pictures and comparisons.

Glitter Unique Emerald/Blue/Gold

Glitter Unique Copper/Gold/Green

Spectraflair4u #4 Red/Copper/Green/Cyan

Spectraflair4u #8 Blue/Purple/Copper/Green

No, that's not your imagination, Sf4u's Red/Copper/Green/Cyan, the one I thought might be a match for Didspade's Ametrine, is nearly identical to GU's Copper/Gold/Green. 

Here they are side by side again and from another angle. In both, Copper/Gold/Green is on the left, Red/Copper/Green/Cyan on the right. Sorry, I have six cats, random hairs end up everywhere.

Based on the store pictures alone, I didn't think they looked much alike. Here's how they stack up against Didspade's Wildfire and Zionic, captured in three shots to show the changing angle. 

L-R: Wildfire, Copper/Gold/Green, Red/Copper/Green/Cyan, Zionic.

So technically they aren't duplicates and they do fill out the color spectrum somewhat.

Glitter Unique's Emerald/Blue/Gold very well could be a match to Didspade's Atlas and it too compliments the others nicely. Here Emerald/Blue/Gold is shown next to Didspade's Dorado and Lithium.

Spectraflair4u's #8 Blue/Purple/Copper/Green, perhaps unsurprisingly, fits right in with the five Supershifts Invictus, Elixir, Solis, Vibe and Nitron. The color shift is so close it's hard for me to decide where it would come in the color order but Blue/Purple/Copper/Green is most similar to Elixir.

L-R: Solis, Nitron, Invictus, #8 Blue/Purple/Copper/Green, Elixir and Vibe.

L-R: Solis, Nitron, Invictus, #8 Blue/Purple/Copper/Green

L-R: Invictus, #8 Blue/Purple/Copper/Green, Elixir and Vibe

That's all my pictures. I'm satisfied, enough, that I've rounded out the spectrum from the choices available. My next project will be attempting to create something new from the existing ones.

The best color order I could put them in is:
Wildfire
Zionic
Sf4u Red/Copper/Green/Cyan
GU Copper/Gold/Green
Dorado
Lithium
GU Emerald/Blue/Gold
Invictus
Elixir
Sf4u Blue/Purple/Copper/Green
Vibe
Solis
Nitron

Now if you're still with me by this point, below are the pigments available from Glitter Unique and Spectraflair4u- and how they might match up to Didspade's. I'd read on someone else's blog (and someone else's comment) that there were color matches between the companies so I tried to match them up.

Glitter Unique	Spectraflair4u
Green/Blue/Violet/Red Cyan/Blue/Purple/Copper Pink/Violet/Red/Copper Violet/Red/Orange/Gold Blue/Purple/Copper/Magenta Copper/Gold/Green Emerald/Blue/Gold Green/Silver/Fuchsia Red/Bronze/Copper	GBVR #1...Green/Blue/Violet/Red CBPC #2...Cyan/Blue/Purple/Copper PVRC #3...Pink/Violet/Red/Copper VROG #6...Violet/Red/Orange/Gold BPCM #9...Blue/Purple/Copper/Magenta RCGC #4...Red/Copper/Green/Cyan WRCG #5...Wine Red/Copper/Gold GG #7...Gold/Green BPCG #8...Blue/Purple/Copper/Green APCB #10...Aqua/Purple/Copper/Blue ROGG #11...Red/Orange/Gold/Green GPP #12...Green/Pink/Purple

None of these are confirmed but here are my guesses:

-Invictus may match up to: GU’s Green/Blue/Violet/Red & Sf4u’s #1 GBVR (Green/Blue/Violet/Red)

-Elixir may match up to: GU’s Cyan/Blue/Purple/Copper & Sf4u’s #2 CBPC (Cyan/Blue/Purple/Copper)

-Solis may match up to: GU’s Blue/Purple/Copper/Magenta & Sf4u’s #9 BPCM (Blue/Purple/Copper/Mag.

-Nitron may match up to: GU’s Violet/Red/Orange/Gold & Sf4u’s #6 VROG (Violet/Red/Orange/Gold)

-Zionic may match up to: GU’s Pink/Violet/Red/Copper & Sf4u’s #3 PVRC (Pink/Violet/Red/Copper)

-Vibe may match up to: Sf4u’s #10 APCB (Aqua/Purple/Copper/Blue). I feel a bit uncertain about pairing #10 to Vibe but the remaining pigments are less likely. GU doesn’t have a possible match.

-Lithium may match up to: GU’s Green/Silver/Fuchsia & Sf4u’s #12 GPP (Green/Pink/Purple).

-Dorado may match up to: Sf4u’s #7 GG (Gold/Green). I do not believe GU has a match.     

-Wildfire may match up to: GU’s Red/Bronze/Copper. Possibly Sf4u’s #11 ROGG (Red/Orange/Gold/Green)

-Atlas may match up to: GU’s Emerald/Blue/Gold. I bought this one and it seems likely to match. Sf4u doesn’t have a likely match.

-Ametrine may match up to: Sf4u’s #4 RCGC (Red/Copper/Green/Cyan) or #5 WRCG (Wine Red/Copper/Gold). I guessed and bought #4, still not sure if I was right. GU doesn’t have a likely match.

Leaving these un-matched:

GU’s Copper/Gold/Green: I bought it. It doesn’t match a Supershift, and doesn’t appear to match any Spectraflair4u pigment exactly.

Sf4u’s #8 BPCG (Blue/Purple/Copper/Green): I bought it. It is in the same color range as Didspade’s Invictus, Elixir, Solis, Vibe and Nitron but doesn’t match exactly. Based on pictures, it doesn’t appear to match up to any of Glitter Unique’s pigments.

Glitter Unique, Color Shifting Pigment Swatches

It probably looks like all I do lately is buy Glitter Unique products and I do have a lot, but with these color shifting pigments I'm not sure when I bought them. I had 5 from last year, not enough to do a full blog entry on and then I found 4 more in my stash recently- which is still only 9 out of 23 that are available. I've listed all 23 below, with the price for the teaspoon sample and 1/2 oz but they can also be purchased as a full oz. Particle size, when available, is also included.

Blue/Green, 20-500um, sample $8.50 or 1/2 oz., $18.00
Blue/Pink/Gold, sample $6.00 or 1/2 oz., $16.00
Blue/Violet/Red/Orange, 75-175um, sample $6.00 or 1/2 oz., $15.00
Caribbean- mica based, sample $6.00 or 1/2 oz., $15.00
Green/Blue/Purple (named as “Duo-Chrome”), 20-125um, sample $7.00 or 1/2 oz., $15.00
Gold/Green, sample $6.00 or 1/2 oz., $15.00
Gold/Indigo, sample $6.00 or 1/2 oz., $15.00
Green/Blue/Purple/Pink, sample $6.00 or 1/2 oz., $16.00
Green/Blue/Red, sample $6.00 or 1/2 oz., $15.00
Kiwi-Rose, mica based, sample $6.00 or 1/2 oz., $15.00
Mauve/Red/Orange/Yellow, 100-250um, sample $6.00 or 1/2 oz., $15.00
Nordic Sunset, mica based, sample $6.00 or 1/2 oz., $15.00
Purple/Blue/Red/Green, sample $5.00 or 1/2 oz., $12.00
Red-Blue/Green/Gold, sample $6.00 or 1/2 oz., $17.00
Red/Gold, sample $5.00 or 1/2 oz., $13.00
Red/Violet/Blue, sample $7.50 or 1/2 oz., $17.00
Red/Blue/Orange, sample $6.00 or 1/2 oz., $15.00
Red/Orange/Yellow, sample $5.00 or 1/2 oz., $13.00
Red/Purple/Green, sample $6.00 or 1/2 oz., $17.00
Violet/Blue, sample $8.50 or 1/2 oz., $18.00
Violet-Blue/Red/Orange-Yellow, 75-175um, sample $6.00 or 1/2 oz., $15.00
Violet/Gold, 20-500um, sample $8.50 or 1/2 oz., $18.00
Volcanic Fire, mica based, sample $6.00 or 1/2 oz., $15.00

I have and will be showing you: Red/Gold, Red/Orange/Yellow, Green/Blue/Purple, Red/Violet/Blue, Green/Blue/Purple/Pink, Blue/Pink/Gold, Blue/Violet/Red/Orange, Violet-Blue/Red/Orange-Yellow and Violet/Gold.

Here they are in a group but not the best photo. From left to right: Red/Violet/Blue, Green/Blue/Purple, Red/Orange/Yellow, Violet-Blue/Red/Orange-Yellow, Blue/Violet/Red/Orange, Blue/Pink/Gold, Green/Blue/Purple/Pink, Red/Gold and Violet/Gold

First in random order...

Red/Violet/Blue and Green/Blue/Purple

 Green/Blue/Purple again with Red/Orange/Yellow & Violet-Blue/Red/Orange-Yellow

Red/Orange/Yellow & Violet-Blue/Red/Orange-Yellow again with Blue/Violet/Red/Orange

Blue/Violet/Red/Orange again with Blue/Pink/Gold & Green/Blue/Purple/Pink

Red/Gold & Violet/Gold

And now more in order of color (and not the same photos)...

Red/Violet/Blue, Blue/Pink/Gold

Green/Blue/Purple/Pink, Green/Blue/Purple

Violet-Blue/Red/Orange-Yellow, Blue/Violet/Red/Orange

Blue/Violet/Red/Orange again with Red/Orange/Yellow

Red/Gold & Violet/Gold

And finally the individual photos, two for each. Note: the blue reflection on the lower side of the nail in each of the 1st photos is from my shirt, not the color of the pigment itself.

Red/Gold

Red/Orange/Yellow

Green/Blue/Purple 

Red/Violet/Blue

Green/Blue/Purple/Pink

Blue/Pink/Gold

Blue/Violet/Red/Orange

Violet-Blue/Red/Orange-Yellow

Violet/Gold

Some of these match up to, or fit in nicely with my chameleon pigments from Spectraflair4u but that's an entry for another day. The "stand-alone" pigment, that is the one that doesn't have a dupe or close cousin from another company is Green/Blue/Purple and that remains my favorite. -MK

Glitter Unique, Color Shifting Flake Swatches

It's been a busy couple weeks for me but I managed to squeeze in some picture taking of the super beautiful color shifting flakes from Glitter Unique that I was lucky enough to get for Mothers Day. There are 13 colors altogether, too many to fit into one (good) photograph but I did get them in groups of three though so you'll still get to see how they compare to each other. I'll list them here in color order.

Orange/Pink/Gold
Violet/Green/Pink/Gold
Fuchsia/Copper/Lime
Purple/Lime/Copper/Pink
Red/Gold/Green
Red/Pink/Gold/Green
Pink/Gold/Green
Lime/Copper/Blue
Blue/Green/Gold
Purple/Blue/Green
Aqua/Purple/Pink
Green-Blue/Fuchsia/Gold
Blue-Violet/Pink/Gold

The individual flake size (particle or micron size if you prefer) varies from one color to the next but...
Blue-Violet/Pink/Gold, Pink/Gold/Green and Violet/Green/Pink/Gold come in at the "smallest", 750 micron which is still quite large.
Aqua/Purple/Pink, Green-Blue/Fuchsia/Gold, Orange/Pink/Gold and Red/Pink/Gold/Green are 1250 micron.
Blue/Green/Gold, Fuchsia/Copper/Lime, Lime/Copper/Blue, Purple/Blue/Green, Purple/Lime/Copper/Pink and Red/Gold/Green are the largest at 2000 micron.

All are priced the same at $9.50 a gram, $58.00 for a 1/4 oz and $105.00 for 1/2 oz. For personal use, I found 1 gram to be sufficient, plenty to make the one bottle I did and have some left over for at least one or two more.

My photos are the usual way I swatch them, a single black nail stick but if you'd like to see a full-hand manicure, photos (not mine) are available on the website.

Orange/Pink/Gold, Violet/Green/Pink/Gold, Fuchsia/Copper/Lime

Purple/Lime/Copper/Pink, Red/Gold/Green, Red/Pink/Gold/Green

Pink/Gold/Green, Lime/Copper/Blue, Blue/Green/Gold

Purple/Blue/Green, Aqua/Purple/Pink, Green-Blue/Fuchsia/Gold

And for consistency, Aqua/Purple/Pink and Green-Blue/Fuchsia/Gold again with the last, Blue-Violet/Pink/Gold

The next set of photos are individual shots but two of each one. The reason for this is that during the first set, I was wearing a bright blue shirt and had a red lid sitting on the opposite side (top photo) and both of those reflected on the nail. Some were also blurry so I re-photographed them (bottom photo).

Orange/Pink/Gold

Violet/Green/Pink/Gold

Fuchsia/Copper/Lime

Purple/Lime/Copper/Pink

Red/Gold/Green

Red/Pink/Gold/Green

Pink/Gold/Green

Lime/Copper/Blue

Blue/Green/Gold

Purple/Blue/Green

Aqua/Purple/Pink

Green-Blue/Fuchsia/Gold

(blurry but I needed the 1st photo)

Blue-Violet/Pink/Gold

Comparing these to the Ultra Chrome Chameleon flakes (you can see them here), there are a few differences other than the price but both types have good color shift. The CSF flakes are white/transparent with a larger particle size in general and do seem a bit more vibrant than the UCCs- but I can't say if that's because they're larger or simply due to the difference in material type. The UCC flakes are smaller (though there are also "Mega" UCC flakes too) with more of a metallic surface coloring than white or transparent and seem to provide better all-over coverage. For instance, I painted my sunglasses frames with the UCC flakes and it required less coats to get the same impact.

I'm actually curious as to how the two would look together in a bottle of polish because the color range of each line of flakes is similar. I may have to test that. -MK