NOTD: Essie DJ Play That Song + Cult Nails Seduction

Work this week has been crazy and I haven't had the energy/time to edit photos once I get home. AT THE SAME TIME, I hate not posting so ~~

You can click the smaller pix to view them full-sized :) Someday I'll figure out how to add a nice media gallery in Blogger but for now, this will do. I wasn't able to watermark these images taken on my phone because the 'edit' feature wasn't working on my instant uploads for some reason but I do want to post them. They're good pictures and since they are phone pix, I don't care terribly about watermarks!

This manicure is still on my nails today - I put it on 2 days ago and it's going strong with only the most minimal of tipwear!! The polishes used in this manicure were:

- Nail Pattern Boldness Glitter-A-Peel Basecoat

- Essie DJ Play That Song - 2 coats [Warm red-leaning purple jelly]
- Cult Nails, Seduction - 1 coat [LE Flakie polish in a blue leaning purple base]

- Revlon Quickdry Topcoat

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Essie, DJ Play That Song - 

• This shade is the 'title shade' from Essie's DJ Play That Song Summer 2013 Neons collection. It is a JELLY FINISH. Now from what I was led to believe, a jelly-finish nail varnish is meant to give you that squishy, semi-sheer (Translucent) high gloss finish that cameras just love.I don't understand why people criticize this formula for being too sheer. DUH, THAT'S KIND OF THE POINT.
• 2 coats on its own were good enough for me because I was going to add glitter on top. 3 coats would be ideal if I was wearing it alone. Perhaps 2 coats over white?
• The formula is on the thinner side so take care not to overload your brush and flood your cuticles. Apply carefully and patiently. 2-3 thin coats should do it depending on how much you want to build it up. 3 coats felt best for the ideal translucency and color. 

Note: It will never be as opaque as a creme finish on its own. Don't be stupid and expect a jelly formula to perform like an opaque creme and you'll be fine :)

Cult Nails, Seduction

• Seduction is a sheer purple (blurple) base packed with tons of multicolored flakies in varying sizesThey flash different colors prettily in the light but are predominantly in a purple or orange state. There are some great flashes of green or a more pink shade in there too.
• In the sunlight, my nails photographed as IF they were matte, but no matte finish was used. It shows off the flakies beautifully and clearly though, so enjoy the detailed view!
• There was no issue with this formula. Just the right density and viscosity - 1 coat brushed on, not even dabbed, was enough for the above effect. 
• You could wear it alone (2-4 coats depending on intensity of base color you desire and thickness of coat) but it is another JELLY FINISH formula, so quit your complainin' if you can't get it opaque on its own. It looks great layered over blues, purples, dark vampy colors, and black :)

Enjoiiii :) Cult Nails is available at shop.cultnails.com and each polish retails for $12.