Chez-Delaney Plate XL B

Good morning, Dear Reader!

As I was warming up the car to go to the post office early this morning, I was admiring my Japanese OPI DS Original in the sun (the sun returned today!), and it struck me that I didn't have the heart to remove it after one day, so I conceded that I'd just not post today.  Then I went over to the PO, and lo and behold, guess what was waiting for me?  Well, since you read the title, I don't have to give you a lot of guesses - my plates A and B from the XL series arrived, and I scurried home to check them out.

The actual plates are giant but about as thin as regular, so they'll need more delicate care not to bend.  My plate B has a dent in it that looks like something pointy fell on it from a reasonable height, but it's next to a pattern, not on it, so I'm hoping that pattern works.  Otherwise, I have 83 big tip patterns that look fine, so I can't complain too much.  I used a pattern from plate B, and I was able to get a picture in sunlight.

Chez-Delaney XL B over Japanese OPI DS Original Nail Polish in Sunlight

I can tell I'm going to love these!  For the stamping, I used the regular Konad stamper and Konad Black Pearl Special Polish.  I tried the new giant stamper for two stamps, but I don't like it yet.  The surface is a squishy silicone, and it didn't pick up as much of the image as the regular stamper, so I didn't use it.  When I was done stamping, I used a coat of Konad top coat, then a coat of Poshe.

There's nothing quite like getting a new toy, so the arrival of the plates really made me happy.  That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader, and until next time, love and nail polish to you!

Japanese OPI DS Original

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

I had another huge ENAS failure, so I didn't have anything worthwhile to show you today until some more Japanese OPI Designer Series polishes landed here.  Now I have DS Original (DS 003-JP) to show you.  Of the 3 more I found, it was the only one I could get open.  I'll tell you more about that at the end.

So Japanese DS Original... It's fabulous, and few things can top a fabulous purple holographic nail polish.  The only down side is that like our DS Original, it's sheerer than looks right tome, so I needed four coats.  On the plus side, the polish is quite thin, so that's not the usual four-coat quantity I have to let dry.  I took pictures in natural light, but there hasn't been sun in forever, so they were so washed out from the lack of light that the color wasn't even close and no holo showed, so I reverted to artificial light.

Japanese Version of OPI DS Original Nail Polish, Four Coats

Not too shabby, huh?  I'm really thrilled to bits with this one.

I mentioned I found three more - I found them on ebay for $14-$16 each.  I tried a search that I figured would either give me gold or twenty thousand meaningless results, and I struck gold.  It seems the seller was asking somewhat gauge-y prices for regular OPI DS polishes when in fact it was the Japanese version she was asking a fair price for.  They arrived without their boxes, and for some reason the seller rolled up the actual bottles in really cheap packing tape before bubble wrapping them - I guess word of the advent of screw-on lids hadn't arrived yet.  Anyhow, this super cheap tape just shreds when I try to remove it, and in the picture I'm hiding all the gross tape bits and adhesive still stuck on there.  Yuck.

I looked to see if the others were still waiting there, and they were, but it seems the seller figured out what she had.  They now indicate that they're Japanese, and the prices went up $10-$12 each, which bummed me out. I'd planned to offer a link via email to anyone who's name I might recognize, but alas, these are now about as poorly priced as those from the really shady seller.  What bothers me about that is that my seller was content with whatever profit she would get with the price I paid, but a week later she got greedy.  

However, I still think that if you want these,you should hold out for a $15-ish or better price.  The fact that a few people hold these hostage as infinitely listed Buy It Now items doesn't mean that's what they're worth at all - they just go quickly when they're fairly priced.  So save a search and patiently wait, and then you'll get what you pay for.  Or pay whatever the heck you want to - it's your money!  ☺

That's my little lecture and my nail polish for today.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Japanese OPI DS Design

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today I have the last of my Japanese OPI Designer Series polishes, OPI DS Design (DS 012-JP).  This one is holographic like the others, but the holo pigment is much finer in Design.  Its main color is kind of a beige, very subdued.  The polish was a bit thinner than the others, and Design needed three coats to be good.

Japanese OPI DS Design Nail Polish, Three Coats

I really like polishes like this when I don't want something too over the top but still want something fun to peek it, like holiday gatherings (other than Christmas, as Christmas nails are my equivalent to Christmas sweaters).  DS Design's holo effect is quite strong (light bright enough to show the color washed out the holo a bit in the picture), so it's one of those that's really entertaining to play with in the light.

That's what I know this morning.  I bet I'll know a little more after some coffee, and I'd wager I'll be fully equipped to face the day after some vitamins.  Since the coffee and vitamins have yet to happen, you know what I know so far today, so until next time,  love and nail polish to you!  

Japanese OPI DS Couture

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I'm wearing out on the cremes this week!  I took another break from them today to wear the Japanese OPI DS Couture (DS 004-JP).  This one is a warm kind of peachy shade with the same strong rainbow holographic effect as the Japanese OPI DS Luxury.  Couture also took only two coats to be totally opaque and even, and it's also unusually smooth to the touch when dry.

Japanese OPI DS Couture Nail Polish, Two Coats

It's another great one.  The shades of the Japanese OPI DS's seem to be a little more girly, and they're far more sparkly.  I'd trade in the US versions for the Japanese in a second, given the chance.

That's just about all I have to tell you about at this early hour.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Japanese OPI DS Luxury

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I really needed a break from cremes, so today I decided to wear the Japanese version of OPI DS Luxury (DS009-JP).  It's  a rose holographic polish with a really pronounced holo rainbow.

DS Luxury only needed two coats and it was good to go, and it's remarkably smooth to the touch when dry.  Here it is under artificial light.

Japanese OPI DS Luxury Nail Polish, Two Coats

This is another pretty that is unfairly hard to find, but it doe show up every now and then.  When it does, there are usually quite a few available, so if this is a polish you want to hunt for, it'll show up on ebay for about retail eventually.

That's it for today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!