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Monday, January 13, 2014

Renaissance Custom Lacquer: "Runnymede" "Spadina" "St. Clair" "Evenstar" and Cuticle Oil


Hi loves, how are we this lovely Monday? What I have for you right now is the second part of my Renaissance Custom Lacquers! I posted a few others from the new collections by Renaissance a couple of weeks ago. They created a set of shimmers and a couple of new glitters that are part of their core line, so if you missed that post you can find that here


Runnymede: a red brown to rose gold duochrome shimmer.
Shown as 2 coats topped with Nail Pattern Boldness Digital Flash.



The duochrome part of this was difficult to capture accurately on camera but it is more apparent in person. This is much more than just a brown, it is so shimmery and kind of delicate with the hint of rose. It’s probably my favorite of these shimmers!


Spadina: a deep golden brown with gold shimmer.
Shown as 1 coat topped with NPB Digital Flash.



I love 1 coat polishes and this one is no exception. The color is beautiful, rich and warm and the slightly green/olive undertones made it look great with my skin tone.


St Clair: a medium blue with blue and fuchsia shimmer.
Shown as 2 coats topped with NPB Digital Flash.



I was looking forward to this one the most since I have a not so secret love for all blue polish. I wish I could have shown you the fuchsia flecks that appear better but that shimmer is a bit shy, it definitely needs the right light and the right angle to come out and play. Either way it is a stunning polish and is a winner in my book! 


Evenstar: silver and blue glitters of various sizes with silver shimmer.
Shown as 1 coat over Runnymede topped with NPB Digital Flash.



This baby is very glitter dense so if you wish to use it solo it should be no problem with 2-3 coats. Some of these glitters are holographic so they put off an amazing sparkle. It does finish a bit textured so a good top coat will be required. I think this would be amazing over any color but a darker base would make it look like a star filled sky! 


 All of the polishes her and that I have tried from Renaissance are stellar when it comes to application. I've come to expect that Meghan and Laura have perfect formulas, making the experience a great one! There is no dragging, pooling or flooding and they are very self leveling. They also have great dry times as well. Renaissance definitely has quality products, the TLC that is put into their bottles of beauty really shows!


In addition to the new polishes Renaissance has recently launched their line of cuticle oils! 
 One of the most frequently asked question I get is "how do you grow your nails so long and not have any breaks or chips?" Well it wasn't always this way I use to struggle with major splitting, cracking and chipping. That is until I learned that moisturizing is the key to stronger healthier nails, so a good cuticle oil is very important. While it won't 100% prevent breakage or chipping it will help make these painful and ugly occurrences happen less often. Think of that scene in that movie Shanghai Noon with Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson when they are escaping prison, if you don't know what I'm talking about click here, then you'll understand. It's kind of the same principal.

I am huge cuticle oil junkie. In the last couple of years since starting my blogging adventures I have tried many different brands. Each brand is different, making their oils unique in their own way. I have come to realize that the best cuticle oils contain Jojoba oil, which is the main ingredient in Renaissance’s oils. Jojoba oil is an amazing product, it's actually very close to the oils our own bodies produce making it a very effective moisturizer since it absorbs easily into our skin and nails leaving them feeling soft, supple and not at all greasy. As an added bonus jojoba oil is has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties making it great for cut, cracked and damaged cuticles and skin!  In addition to Jojoba oil, Renaissance uses other oils as well, like Grapeseed Oil and Apricot Kernel Oil. Still not sure? Well if you are one of those who happen to have nut allergies rest assured that Renaissance does not use Almond Oil like many others do.

I received Old Fashioned Christmas to try and I LOVE this scent! It is a spicy cinnamon scent, not spicy as in burning though so don’t worry about that! It smells like red hots or big red gum to me which is quite yummy, and the nutmeg and clove are faint but still noticeable. This is a really yummy scent! I am usually very sensitive to scents, while I like fragrant cuticle oils from time to time I have to be careful, a lot of fragrances I have tried have been too strong for me causing a migraine at first smell. This one, while the cinnamon scent is very apparent, is great. My nose doesn’t mind it at all, another bonus in my opinion! Smell aside the way it makes your fingers and hands feel is amazing. I love how fast it absorbs and how soft my hands are after. I tend to use one dip of the brush for each hand, coating the entire top of the nail, under the nail and all the skin around up to the first knuckle and just rub it in. I know that sounds like you’ll need a lot but a little really does go a long way! I recommend using it twice a day at least for basic moisture maintenance. If you have troubled cuticles: cracked, swollen or just very dry; I would recommend going naked (no polish) for about 3-5 days and apply the cuticle oil several times a day to help restore the moisture and repair any damage. I also use this for my elbows, yes my elbows. During the harsh, cold winter months I tend to get very dry skin and my elbows are the worst they can get so dry that they start to hurt and the skin will even crack. This oil has really helped make my elbows nice and soft! 

Renaissance cuticle oils come in 5 unique scents: Orange, Kiwi Kiss, Honeydew Melon, Eggnog and Old Fashioned Christmas, and also in an unscented version for those who are sensitive to fragrances. For full scent descriptions and the list of other ingredients in these oils and their benefits click here

Renaissance Cosmetics Cuticle Oils are available in 10ml glass bottles with a roller ball applicator for $7 or in a mini glass bottle (5ml) with a brush applicator for $3. Polishes retail for $9 for full sized (15ml) bottles. You can purchase Renaissance Cosmetics online at renaissance cosmetics.com

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