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Best Basecoat: Orly Bonder

4/16/2021

 
{No affiliation. Just sharing the nail love.} 
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Pictured: Orly Bonder Basecoat

meet my new "Bestie"

Orly's Bonder is the BEST Basecoat I have ever painted on my nails. 
I'm not even exaggerating. 
I frequent Orly's "Polish Parties" for great deals, but I only spring for cute colors and top coats. ​
Never a basecoat. Why? Because few live up to the long-wear promise. So I use whatever is in my stash.
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Orly Spring 2021 Collection: Day Trippin'

the best surprise

Inside my seasonal Color Pass from Orly, there was a freebie, Orly Bonder Basecoat. Ding Ding Ding. Winner!!
Anyway, I spent the next month testing each nail color from Orly's Spring 2021 Collection, "Day Trippin.'" 
Why a month? Because (1.) Yes. I am that obsessive, and (2.) I like to see how well nail polish holds up against my daily routine. ​
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Orly "Bonder", "Kitsch You Later" & "Glosser"

& here's what happened

I'm usually happy if a color can make it to day three without chipping. But Orly Bonder based manicures lasted over 7 days. Wait. What?
So, I read the label. And this is a RUBBBERIZED basecoat. Sheer genious. literally.
My next manicure lasted 10 days before one nail chipped... a little bit. And that's when Orly's Bonder Basecoat became one of my "Besties."

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Orly Spring 2021 Collection: Day Trippin'

3/21/2021

 
{More nail love. No affiliation}
Spring is in the air and hot new nail colors are everywhere. I barely have enough fingers to try them all.
But I will "suffer" through the arduous task to make sure that when your digits need a splash of color, you'll know which nail colors love brown skin.
Ready to meet Orly's Spring 2021 Collection?
Then let's go Day Trippin'
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Pictured: "Kitch You Later"

"Kitsch You Later"

She was my maybe. Now she’s my baby.
This creme orange glides on in just two coats with amazing coverage and NO STREAKS.
Actually, every nail lacquer in this collection offers creamy formulas with a no streak finish in just two coats.
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Pictured: "Here Comes The Sun"

"Here Comes the Sun"

I'm calling her the best shade of yellow. The mustardy edge on this bright hue tones it down without losing boldness.
This is actually my favorite color in the collection. And I would even take this color into fall with me. Because rainy days will always welcome “Here Comes The Sun.”
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Pictured: "Happy Camper"

"Happy Camper"

"Happy Camper" is a marshmallow-y take on the iconic blue box blue. 
I was most excited about this color when unboxing the Orly Color Pass because she has a charming way of winking fun while whispering delicate elegance.
This color also reminds me of a posh little nail shop and the sweetest friend who became a top nail artist. ​But that's another story for another day. 
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Pictured: "Can You Dig It?"

"Can you dig it?"

​By now, you've noticed that I adore bright colors. This beauty is for those of you who haven't committed to the idea of rocking a hot pink or blue... yet.
This eye-catching neutral is a bold, ruddy mauve with a low key vibe. 
​I love the way she fits every occassion. Whether at the office, hanging with the girls, the guy, or the family, this splash of color matches everything.
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Pictured: "Let the Good Times Roll"

"Let the Good Times Roll"

Moment of truth. I didn't expect to love this color, but I do. I call her the Spring renegade because not everyone wants to live in pastel like a precious Easter egg. 
​And “Let the Good Times Roll” gives us all a nice change of pace. She's rich and luxurious and glides on like a dream. Let's invite the good times to keep rolling because this color is gorgeous on brown skin.
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Pictured: "Feeling Foxy"

"Feeling Foxy"

And finally, if the little black dress were a manicure, she'd be "Feeling Foxy." ​
​This deep, alluring lacquer is every kind of beautiful. Chic, effortless style in a tiny bottle of happy.
I forgot how pretty dark colors could be until I met "Feeling Foxy."
She is the 'it' list.
It's hard to go wrong with Orly's Spring 2021 Collection. All six colors are vibrant and compliment brown skin beautifully. The yellows are mustardy, the mauves are ruddy, and the brights are well toned. No matter which color you choose, it'll love your brown skin.

    Join me & find
    more nail colors
    ​that love brown skin

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Unboxing: Orly Color Pass Spring 2021 Collection - Day Trippin'

3/17/2021

 
{No affiliation. Just sharing more nail love.}
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Double-tap image to watch Unboxing 

Color Pass = me, VIP

I've said it before.
Orly gets me.
We have an unspoken bond.
They had me at $5 polish party. With so many gorgeous nail colors on sale for $5 each, I was able to binge on six colors at at time. Because when you're on a quest to meet all the pretty nail colors that love brown skin, one or two just wont do.
And now, I've been granted VIP access with the Orly Color Pass. Insert ooohs and ahhhs and big heart eyed emojis 😍😍 
Me = VIP because I get..
  • every collection BEFORE the general public (four total).
  • Delivered to my front door
  • AND I get 50% off.​ ​
So stay tuned for swatches and my picks for the best hues for brown skin.

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Orly in "Warm It Up" Thermal Confetti Magic

8/6/2020

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Orly in "Warm It Up" Click Image for Video.

Wait. . . What?

I met the most beautiful nail color today. "Met" is not the best word because I introduced you all to her in the last couple blog posts. Her name is "Warm It Up" and she be amazing.
Doesn't this confetti color remind you of an abstract painting of flower petals or cherry blossoms? Or a sequin gown?
Click the first image for a video of "Warm It Up" with commentary from yours truly.
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Orly in "Warm It Up" after Cold Water

Thermochromic

I was calling her a chunky white confetti, but nooooo. She is a chunky, coral-white, thermochromic confetti. My mind is blown.
I painted on "Warm It Up" last night, and it went on as a coral confetti. I thought this was strange because when I used it before, she went on as a white confetti. I even referred to her in the last blog post as a creamy-colored chunky glitter. But she is far more than that.
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Orly in "Warm It Up" after Semi Hot Water

Color Chameleon

I woke this morning with white confetti even though it was coral after my shower. So, I reviewed my previous blog posts and found she was creamy when paired with "Everything's Peachy" and stark white when coupled with "Summer Fling."
Me: Google, what's going on here?
Google: Bae be Thermochromic.
Me: That means what?
Google: Temperature changes color.
Me: Ahhhhhh MOOD. I like her vibe even more. 
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Two Thin Coats of Orly "Warm It Up"

Skip the Top Coat

This is one of those few colors where I would recommend avoiding a top coat. My previous two times using a top coat with this color hid her many talents away. "Warm It Up" is so much more fun without the top coat. Ditch it.
Sidebar: I also painted two thin coats of "Warm It Up" on my right hand (last image shown). This provides a glimpse of how you could dial up or tone down the activity by using fewer and/or thinner coats of polish. 

What do you think about the many faces of Orly's "Warm It Up?"

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Orly in “Summer Fling” and “Warm It Up”

8/2/2020

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Orly in "Summer Fling"

"Summer Fling"

This color gave me peachy watermelon vibes. It was louder than I expected, but still pretty. The formula itself was thin, which I loved because it delivered a chip-free manicure for days.
While ‘Summer Fling’ is a vibrant color, I found that she was a sheer formula. You can actually see where the overhang of my nail starts in the pictures. Still, I like the unexpected volume sans the heftiness. If you like a more opaque finish, just add a third coat. 
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Orly in "Summer Fling" and “Warm It Up”

"Warm It Up" Overlay

"Summer Fling" was part of my Picnic Party trio which also featured "Everything's Peachy" and "Warm It Up." 
Since I previously paired "Everything's Peachy" with the chunky glitter, "Warm It Up," I also wanted to see if "Summer Fling" would pair well. 
Does anyone else feel a Minnie Mouse vibe from this combo? Surpisingly adding more dimension with a coat of "Warm It Up" created an interesting and super cute manicure. 

Do you like "Summer Fling" better on her own
​or paired with "Warm It Up?"

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Orly in “Everything’s Peachy” and “Warm it Up”

7/22/2020

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Click to watch. Video features audio commentary.

Chunky Glitters

Chunky glitters make life sparkle. First off, let me say, I will do a full two coat swatch of 'Warm It Up' in the next post. However, I had a feeling that these two colors would pair well together. So, I just HAD to try and they did!!
'Warm It Up'' features cream-colored, chunky glitters and mini, red-orange glitters. The beautiful contrast of glitter size and color adds interest to 'Warm It Up.' And she is spicy enough to make any compatible color sparkle.
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Orly in “Everything’s Peachy”

Everything's Peachy

Yes, Orly. Everything is Peachy. This creamy, peachy-nude is everything. It is subtle but doesn't go unnoticed. Keeps a low profile and pops all at the same time. The slight peach hue loves my skin tone and I love it back. 
I kept getting wedding and Spring vibes from this color, so I did some  research. Turns out, she was first released in Spring 2019 as part of Orly's  Radical Optimism collection.
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Two coats “Everything’s Peachy” + One coat “Warm it Up”
However, I met her this summer when she was re-featured as part of Orly's Picnic Party Haul as a trio with 'Warm it Up' and 'Summer Fling.'
I'm glad she was featured in this haul because this is one of my new favorite colors. She says so many things to me:
"I'm Professional."
"I'm Playful."
"You need to wear me again."
"Preferably on the beach."

Do you like "Everything's Peachy" better on her own or coupled with 'Warm It Up?'

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Orly’s “Hip and Outlandish” on Brown Skin

7/12/2020

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A post shared by Love makeda (@myss.makeda) on Jul 11, 2020 at 10:19pm PDT

'In The Cabana' trio

Part of the In the Cabana trio, I am surprised by how much I like 'Hip and Outlandish.' It is a vibrant mermaid, greenish turquoise. 
I wore this color for five days before the first little chip appeared on the inner corner of my index finger nail.  
My favorite color from the trio is Spark, the chill yellow. And my pedicure color for the next couple weeks is . . . 
For the First Time. I will be painting my tootsies with this rich pink with bluish-purple undertones.

Which is your favorite color from the trio?


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Orly “For the First Time” on Brown Skin

7/7/2020

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Click to See Video

Back in the Day

Orly “For the First Time” is a gorgeous pink with blue-purple undertones. Back in the day, I only wore golds, browns, and maroons on my nails. Then one day, I booked a spa mani on my lunch break and the nail pro nudged me toward Essie’s “Footloose” which is similar to this shade “For the First Time.” That’s when I learned how much nail polish could love brown skin. 
Now, I'm on a quest to meet all nail colors that love brown skin. Join me!!
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Orly’s “Spark” on Brown Skin

6/17/2020

 
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Holding on tight to my new ‘fave’ summer polish.

I’m in Love

Every now and again, a nail color comes along and “Sparks” fly. It’s official, I’m in love with Spark by Orly.
Spark is part of Orly’s ‘In The Cabana’ trio. Out of the six colors that I purchased with my Summer Haul, I knew I would either love or hate Spark. It's love!!
She's a creamy formula in an amazing shade of yellow that is bright without being neon and fun without being obnoxious. The perfect yellow.
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True to color as shown in bottle.

Against All Odds

The odds were stacked against Spark because my go to top coat from Seche Vite had gotten gummy and stringy. I panicked, but Spark is such a great formula that a basic clear, top coat was enough to finish my manicure with a gorgeous shine. 
​I can’t wait to try Spark again with a real top coat. I’m getting goosebumps just thinking of how much prettier my mani will be.
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Feeling Good After My Spinning Workout with Spark
I also thought I might need to base my nails with a coat of white polish to make the yellow pop, but no. Spark offered full coverage and full pigment in just two coats.
As an unexpected bonus, working out on my spin bike was more fun with Spark.
I haven’t tried the other five colors in my haul yet, but I’m so in love with Spark, they’ll have to wait a couple days for my infatuation to wear off.
Sidebar: I just noticed that my after workout pose is similar to the cover of my love story, Suds. Funny.
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My Orly Summer Haul Picks for Brown Skin

5/19/2020

 
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Saved by the Email

I've been eyeing summer collections from a few different nail polish brands, but I just couldn't find a great sale. The discount is a necessity since I binge buy at least six nail colors at a time. You know, a girl needs variety.
Anyway, I had already stocked my Amazon cart with the Essie Summer 2020 collection which I love. I get amazing Santa Fe vibes from this new Bustling Bazaar Collection.
Then, everything changed when Orly delivered a fantastic sale directly to my inbox. 
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My Own Collection

I had my mind set on colors I wanted to dazzle my fingertips this summer, but aside from Essie's Bustling Bazaar, no one brand was reading my mind. Until Orly did. 
The mind reading didn't happen with their ultra-cool Summer 2020 collection dubbed Retrowave. Although I like the colors,  I haven't been feeling very retro as of late.
Then, hello Orly Summer Haul email featuring seven nail polish bundles of three. I'm still shaking from the build-a-collection excitement. 
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​The summer trios included:
  • In The Cabana
  • Picnic Party
  • Nude Beach 
  • Palm Springs Dream
  • Poolside Party
  • Neon Noir
  • Summer Classics
Today, I snagged my two favorite trios In The Cabana and Picnic Party. And I can't wait til they find my doorstep. ​In The Cabana contains three brights: Hip and Outlandish, Spark, and For the First Time. 
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While Picnic Party is a more subtle blend of fun neutrals that I suspect will look amazing on my brown skin. Picnic Party includes Everything's Peachy, Summer Fling, and Warm It Up.
I just might double back and grab the Poolside Party haul because I do love a beautiful blue. 

Stay Tuned

My next post will feature swatches of these fun brights on brown skin. May the best color win the honor of primping my toes for pedicure season. ​
(By the way, no affiliation. ​Just some cool colors that I like. )
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