The Holo Hookup January 2017 Swatches & Review

Hip hip hooray! I've got the newest box from The Holo Hookup to show you today! This box's theme is "New Year, New You" and there are four gorgeous polishes to go along with that idea. Permanent makers Glisten & Glow, Cupcake Polish and Different Dimension have been joined by guest brand Colores de Carol for this month's creations. Let's take a look!

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color inspiration

Different Dimension Simplify is a pastel lavender linear holographic with added blue shimmers. Gorgeous with a flawless formula! I love how the holo almost looks chunky, it's so robust! Two coats.

Cupcake Polish Happiness is a light apple-y green linear holographic with pink shimmers. Nice easy formula on this one. It covers completely in two coats.

Glisten & Glow Love is a pale mauvey pink linear ultra holographic polish with added light rose and light pink microflakies. Great formula, a little on the thin side, but very manageable. This is two coats. Dries in a flash!

Colores de Carol The Extra Mile is a medium blue linear holographic with gold and blue shimmer and gold flakes. This was on the thinner side and a tad sheer. This is two coats. Judging from this photo, it seems like I could've maybe done one more, but in person the strong holo flame teases the eye and makes it look totally opaque.

This box will be available for pre-order on The Holo Hookup website from Wednesday, December 21 at 9pm EST through Wednesday, December 28 at 9pm EST. The box is $40 plus shipping, available domestically and internationally. Let me know what you think about these shades! I've been reviewing boxes from The Holo Hookup since December of last year and I'm just as in love with them now as I was then. You always get the best from these excellent brands!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

Different Dimension Homespun Holidays Collection Swatches & Review

Happy Friday friends! Different Dimension has a beautiful new holiday collection out right now called Homespun Holidays, a seven piece collection full of holographics and one glitter topper. This classy bunch of colors are gorgeous and is sure to liven up your nails this holiday season, and beyond.

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Family is a light gold linear holographic with added shimmers. This looks more yellow gold in some lighting and more soft pale gold in others. I adore a good gold and this makes me swoon! Two effortless coats.

Naughty is a bold cherry red holographic. This flame is a bit less intense than the other holos in this collection, it almost seems like the vibrant base color is swallowing it up, but it's more prominent in person. You can get full coverage in one coat but two gives a slightly deeper color.

Celebration is a greyed taupe holographic with added shimmers, flakies and reddish-copper holographic microglitters. Fabulous formula, two coats for full coverage. Due to the microglitters this dries ever so slightly more textured than the others, but you may not even notice.

Nice is a cheery medium grass green linear holographic. This has almost a jelly-ish formula, less opaque. I used three coats here but you may be fine with two depending on your application style.

Tradition is a pale copper holographic polish with added copper shimmers. Another excellent formula, two coats. A gorgeous shade, I need more copper polishes in my life!

Blizzard is a glitter topper, a clear base filled with silver holographic glitters, iridescent glitters and white glitters to represent freshly fallen snow. I used one coat over Naughty. The twinkly iridescent glitters are my favorite in this, I can't wait to try it over more base colors! Dense with glitter and super easy to apply evenly, which I really appreciate as I find layering to be tricking sometimes.

Rejoice is a silver linear holographic polish with added shimmers and silver micro flakies. Mega flame density on this one, like wowza! The flakes add another cool dimension too, it's a winner. Two easy, dreamy coats.

Different Dimension also has some new cuticle oil scents available for the season: Blessings - an enveloping blend of grape, peach and plum with sparkling citrus, rose and musk; Jolly - just like mom use to make - yummy cookies made with sugar and vanilla and fresh from the oven; Noel - crushed candy canes are sprinkled over luscious layers of sugary white chocolate to make this cool yet sweet dessert sensation; Cheer - holiday notes of fir needle, cinnamon stick, cranberries, crisp apple and cedarwood; and Merry - notes of spun sugar, vanilla bean and apple cider.

The Homespun Holidays collection is available now on the Different Dimension website for $12 each, with the exception of Blizzard, which is specially priced at $5. Let me know what you think about these gorgeous holiday polishes!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

The Holo Hookup December 2016 Swatches & Review

Hello holo lovers! I have four new holographic lacquers to show you today, that's right, The Holo Hookup is here again! The December 2016 installment of the monthly box is themed for Hollywood Bombshells, named for four powerhouse women of the silver screen. I'm all about old Hollywood glam style so I am totally here for this! The three founding brands Cupcake Polish, Glisten & Glow and Different Dimension are joined by guest maker Darling Diva Polish this month.

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color inspiration

Glisten & Glow Mae, for Mae West, is a black linear holographic with red and purple shimmers and silver galaxy glitters. Flawless formula, two coats. I really like Mae, she is hilarious and was one of the first female playwrights!

Different Dimension Audrey, inspired by Audrey Hepburn, is a hot pink linear holographic with added shimmers and microglitters. A very opaque, creamy holo. I used two coats but you can get full coverage in one. I have a special place in my heart for Audrey, her movies are some of my favorites and her beautiful philanthropic heart is still so inspirational to me.

Cupcake Polish Grace, named for Grace Kelly aka Princess Grace of Monaco, is a metallic silver gunmetal linear holographic. Great formula, almost covers in one coat, but I used two here. Dries super fast! I adore old movies so I have tons of love for Grace.

Darling Diva Vivien, after Vivien Leigh, is a burgundy holographic with gold shimmer and gold holo sparks. This has a little more of a jelly type of base, so it requires at least two coats for opacity. This is my first Darling Diva polish! I'm not as familiar with Vivien, except for Gone With the Wind, but she's definitely a bombshell.

This quartet costs $40 and will be available for pre-order on Monday, November 21st at 9pm EST through Monday, November 28th at 9pm EST on The Holo Hookup website. This month they are offering FREE domestic shipping and reduced shipping internationally ($5.00 off the normal international and Canada shipping rates) to celebrate over a year of The Holo Hookup! (November 2015 was the first box!) Let me know if you like the theme for this month! Are you interested in picking up this box?

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

Different Dimension Intergalactic Collection Swatches & Review

Greetings Earthlings! I have a new space-y collection to show you today from Different Dimension called Intergalactic! It's a five piece set of polishes with spectacular effects designed to channel the galaxy. 

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Butterfly Nebula is a violet jelly polish with holographic micro flakies and iridescent red to green color-shifting glitters. This applied easily and was completely opaque in three coats. These are all full of glitter so you may need a layer of thick top coat to get a smooth finish. Please believe me when I say, this is way cooler looking in person than I could capture in a photo.

Helix Nebula is a green teal jelly polish with holographic micro flakies and iridescent red to green color-shifting glitters. Another easy to apply shade, I used three coats here. This one is the least opaque of the bunch, so if you wanted a less translucent look you could layer it over a base color.

Cat's Eye Nebula is a burgundy jelly polish with holographic micro flakies and iridescent red to green color-shifting glitters. This one was also lovely to apply, two coats for opacity. I didn't have any staining on this, but it's very pigmented so you might want to double up on your base coat just in case.

Ghost Of Jupiter is a full coverage glitter bomb with silver holographic glitters and iridescent red to green color-shifting glitters. This has a clear base and is a bit chunkier than the others. It can be layered over another color or built up on it's own, as I've done here. This is only two coats! You might see bits of my nail peeking through in the photo, but in person it's impossible to detect as the holo and bling is so strong.

Hourglass Nebula is a chocolate brown jelly polish with holographic micro flakies and iridescent red to green color-shifting glitters. My swatch shows two coats. This is seriously fall in a bottle!

This collection will be released on Friday, November 11th at 9pm EST on the Different Dimension website. All Intergalactic polishes will be priced at $11, and there will be special discounted pricing when purchasing the full collection, only available for the first 24 hours! Let me know what you think of this bunch, are you into the otherworldly look? My favorite has to be Butterfly Nebula, but they are all stunning!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

The Holo Hookup November 2016 Swatches & Review

The Holo Hookup is flying into our hearts again for another collaboration box! The November quartet is inspired by beautiful, colorful birds, themed as "Birds Of A Feather". The box always features unique, exclusive polishes from indie brands Cupcake Polish, DIFFERENT dimension and Glisten & Glow, with a fourth shade from a special guest brand. This month they are joined by Nine Zero Lacquer.

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color inspiration

Cupcake Polish Flamingo is a bright orangey pink linear holographic. The first adjective I could think of when I first saw this was juicy! Can lean more orange in different lighting. Excellent formula, two coats for full opacity.

Glisten & Glow Purple Grenadier is a medium purple linear holographic with added shimmers and cherry red galaxy glitters. I found this to have a creamier formula than the others, a little thin but not difficult to apply. This is two coats. The red glitters really shine in person, giving this a unique pop.

DIFFERENT dimension Pygmy Kingfisher is a stunning gold linear holographic with a chrome red/orange/yellow multichrome effect. You have to see this to believe it, it's breathtaking! A touch thicker than the others, two coats here.

Nine Zero Lacquer Masked Flowerpiercer is a cerulean blue linear holographic. I've been fortunate to know the Nine Zero brand from their beginnings, they are a great brand. This applied effortlessly and covered in two coats, with slight brushstrokes.

The November box pre-order is open from Friday, October 21 9PM EDT through Friday, October 28 9PM EDT on The Holo Hookup website. The cost for the box is $40 plus shipping, domestic and international. I hope you enjoyed seeing these swatches, I really loved the colors this round. What do you think?

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

Different Dimension Wanderlust and Polish Con Collections Swatches & Review

I told y'all I had more Different Dimension comin 'atcha! Like I said last week, it's been insanely busy for me at work lately, but things are calming down thank goodness. Today I wanted to show you the new Wanderlust collection, a six piece fall collection that will be available for sale tonight! Along with those, I also have three polishes that debuted at the inaugural Polish Con event last Saturday, two of which will be available tonight during their big release. Onward!

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First the Wanderlust collection, inspired by brand maker Missi's desire to travel. All of the names are excellently uncommon words so she's graciously included the definitions for us! The formulas are all excellent, smooth and easy and all opaque in two coats.

Resfeber – the restless race of the traveler's heart before the journey begins – a lush scarlet holographic with contrasting added shimmers. Warm and hearty!

Peregrination – a course of travel; journey – a goldenrod yellow holographic with added contrasting shimmers. I swear I detect a pink flash in this as well, super cool.

Fernweh – literally "farsickness" or "longing for far-off places" – an army green linear holographic with added contrasting shimmers. I am pretty sure I'm obsessed with this.

Nefelibata – a cloud walker; one who lives in the cloud of their own imagination or dreams – a sky blue linear holographic with added contrasting shimmers. This looks slightly speckled, kinda like easter candy eggs!

Numinous – appealing to the higher emotions or to the aesthetic sense – a bright purple linear holographic with added contrasting shimmers. I'm not usually a purple type of gal, but this red-toned shade wins me over.

Novaturient – desiring change in one's life – warm, dark caramel brown holographic. The particles in this are a little tinier than the others, but there is some nice rainbow-ness regardless.

Now we have the polishes that Different Dimension debuted at Polish Con on 9/17, inspired by sites in Chicago, which is where the convention was held. Maybe I'll get to attend the event next year, it sounded like a blast!

Bean There, Done That is a silver holographic with silver holo microflakies with colorshifting shimmers. This is inspired by Cloudgate in Millennium Park. It went on easily and smoothly. Also surprisingly opaque, I only needed two coats.

Lincoln Park, Before Dark is a dark eggplant linear holographic with color shifting glitters and microflakies. This is named for the Chicago neighborhood, a few blocks away from where Polish Con was held. Amazing formula, effortless really. Two coats as well.

Whatchu Talkin' 'Bout Willis is a garnet linear holographic with color shifting glitz and copper glitters. This was a Polish Con exclusive that we were told was going to be unavailable outside the event. So you may be asking yourself, why would Kellie show us this gorgeous polish, just to tease us?? The answer is because I love it and I couldn't not show you. But also, because I just heard that Color4Nails will be stocking this shade soon! It will most likely be super limited edition though, so be sure and sign up for their newsletter to find out when it will be available.

All of these shades, with the exception of Whatchu Talkin' 'Bout Willis, and including their Halloween Poe. collection that I showed you yesterday, will be available tonight at 9pm EST on the Different Dimension website. They are priced at $12. Let me know what you think of these polishes! Are you down for holos for the fall? Later kiddos!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

Different Dimension Halloween 2016 Poe. Collection Swatch & Review

Hey there folks! I have an awesome quartet of polishes from indie brand Different Dimension to show you today. It's the Poe. collection, inspired by the gothic literary stylings of Edgar Allan Poe, someone who I've been a fan of since I was a wee lass.

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Once Upon a Midnight Dreary is a black jelly polish with hex glitters in orange, blue, purple, and green. I love the formula of these type of polishes from Different Dimension, they all apply easily, not too thin or thick. This is three coats. Perfect shade for the Halloween season!

...Dream Within a Dream is a full coverage Halloween glitterbomb! Holographic silver microglitter with added tones of orange and black glitter in various shades and sizes. This is loaded UP with glitter, a little chunky but surprisingly easy to handle. I used three coats here to make it opaque, but you could also layer this one over a silver, orange, or black for an equally cool look. May require extra layer of top coat for a smooth finish.

Nevermore is a charcoal black linear holographic with added orange shimmers and orange microglitter bits. This was incredible, easy to apply and super opaque. The microglitter pieces can poke through a bit so I used two layers of top coat on this one. I've worn this twice since I got it!

And All I Loved, I Loved Alone is an orange jelly with holographic flakes. Love this type of formula, even, opaque and sparkly finish in a jelly! Such a great pumpkin-y shade for the season!

New cuticle oil scents coming soon too! They will come in both pen (2.7 mL) and dropper (15mL) sizes, as well as new sample sizes, which are great for testing scent/fragrance sensitivities. This is the first time I've tried Different Dimension's cuticle oil and I am really pleased with them! I'm totally diggin the long lasting moisturizing qualities and scents.

Image via Different Dimension website

New cuticle oil scents are: Explore - Fresh pumpkin blended with orange peel, sweet carrot, ground cinnamon, clove bud, nutmeg and vanilla cream; Discover - A fresh and feminine fruity blend of mango and strawberries with grapefruit, freesia and amber and tonka bean; Journey - Notes of pink amber and vanilla wrap around blushed orchid and jasmine petals; and Drift - Ripe black raspberries are mixed with dark plum and warm vanilla.

The polishes and oils will be available on Friday 9/23 at 9pm EST on the Different Dimension website. Polishes will be priced at $12 each, except for Once Upon a Midnight Dreary which is specially priced at $5. There will be special discount pricing on the full collection for the first 24 hours of release, so mark your calendar! Let me know what you think of these new shades! I've got more Different Dimension for you very soon so keep your eyes peeled for them!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

The Holo Hookup October 2016 Swatches & Review

The next edition of monthly indie collaboration box The Holo Hookup is near! The fun new theme is Clue: The Mystery! I grew up playing the board game and the movie Clue is one of my absolute favorites! I was super excited to see the polishes from all the brands this month, and to see who the guest polish maker was! Different Dimension, Cupcake Polish, and Glisten & Glow are being joined by Starrily for the month of October.

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Glisten & Glow Mrs. Peacock in the Billiard Room is a blue linear holographic with added gold and green shimmers and galaxy glitters. Incredibly smooth, easy formula. Two coats. The galaxy glitters aren't super apparent in my photo, but they bring a nice glimmery quality to the polish in real life. (I think the weapon Mrs. Peacock used was the knife!)

Different Dimension Professor Plum in the Conservatory is a plummy purple linear holographic with heavy orange shimmers. The shimmer really warms this purple, it's a great cozy fall color! Another flawless formula, two coats. (Plum probably used the rope as his weapon.)

Cupcake Polish Mr. Green in the Lounge is a vivid emerald linear holographic with gold shimmers. The shimmer really sparkles, it elevates this to epic level! For real, another super great, easy formula. Two coats here as well. (I think Mr. Green is a lead pipe kinda guy.)

Starrily Miss Scarlett in the Ballroom is a rich scarlet linear holographic with a subtle hint of gold micro shimmer. This one is more jellyish in formula, a little thinner but was very opaque, two coats. The heavy pigmentation of this could cause it to stain your skin, so be careful upon removal. This seemed more like a shimmer indoors, but it gets that nice rainbow fire in bright light. My first Starrily polish and I'm pretty happy with it! (Scarlett definitely used the candlestick for her murder!)

The box is $40 and will be available on The Holo Hookup website. The pre-order window for purchasing this box is from Wednesday, September 21th at 9pm EST through Wednesday, September 28th at 9pm EST. Let me know what you think about these four mysterios! Are you a Clue fan too?

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

The Holo Hookup September 2016 Swatches & Review

Hi everyone! Today I have the next edition of The Holo Hookup to show you! In case you haven't heard of it yet, it's a monthly pre-order "box" of four holographic polishes from indie makers Cupcake Polish, Different Dimension and Glisten & Glow along with a guest maker. They always have a fun theme and create some beautiful limited edition polishes. The theme for September's box is art, all the shades are inspired by famous paintings! And the guest indie maker is Vapid Lacquer.

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Inspiration Photos

Cupcake Polish Bad Hare Day is inspired by Robert Deyber's Bad Hare Day (Mona Lisa). This is a beige/ivory linear holographic with copper speckles throughout. This has a great formula, thick but in a good way. This is two coats.

Different Dimension Monroe is inspired by Andy Warhol's Monroe. It's a creamy, lightened tiffany blue linear holographic with added shimmers and neon pink microglitters. This was also thick in a good way, buttery. Dried a little slow and has some texture, so wait a bit between coats and use a thick top coat.

Glisten & Glow The Abstract Expressionist is inspired by Sam Francis's Untitled, 1994, (SFP94-75, SFF.1749). It's a berry purple linear holographic with gold and purple shimmers. Super easy, great formula. I used two coats here.

Vapid Lacquer Dali's Elephants is inspired by Salvador Dali's Elephants. It's a very warm red-orange linear holographic. Thinner formula but very pigmented. I didn't shake my bottle very well and my first coat was not very holo, so I gave it a good tumble and the second layer was much more sparkly. This dries surprisingly shiny!

This box will be available for pre-order on The Holo Hookup website starting Sunday, August 21st at 9pm EST through Sunday, August 28th at 9pm EST. The price is $40.00 plus shipping, available both domestically and internationally. To see more swatches, you can check out The Holo Hookup’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Let me know what you think of these! This has to be one of my favorite boxes since I started reviewing them, so good!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.