[Review/Swatch] Arezia Crackle Nail Polish Set #17 and #18

"Arezia Crackling Top Nail Polish Set differ from the conventional nail polish--- it has a unique 3-D feeling and it takes a short time to dry. The set contains three bottles of nail polishes which are of various colours and functions.

It helps to create a variety of appearance, apart from decoration on clothes and accessories it also provides some brand new eye-catching nail colors. The colour of the nail polish from Sexy to Blink and Cool style brings a unique personal style, which can brighten up your daily mood and enhance your attractiveness."

Ingredients may contain: Titanium Dioxide, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Butylphenyl, Methylpropional, Citronellol, Limonene, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene, Carboxaldehyde, Red 6 Lake, Black 2, Blue 1 Lake, MICA, Manganese Violet, Yellow 5 lake, Red 34 Lake, Black Iron Oxide, Red 7 Lake, Violet 2.

The two sets

I haven't been a huge fan of crackle polish. I think it looks a little weird and not to my taste, but my friends have both two mini crackle polish sets as a souvenir from Hong Kong I thought I should just go ahead and try them out. So yes, they are my first ever crackle polishes!

Arezia is a brand from Hong Kong I believe, that sells pretty inexpensive nail polish. They also sell cosmetics, and you'd probably heard the name if you wander around Sasa. (I think it is about SGD$6 - 8 in Singapore?)

The little bottles out of the plastic covers

Size comparison with the 15ml OPI

The nail polishes are 5ml each, really small (but handy) and cute. Each set comes with a base color, crackle top and a top coat. The brushes are small, obviously but I find them easy to work with (pretty much like the canmake polishes), though I would rather if they used a better cap cause the rounded bob isn't great at providing a comfortable grip.

Set #17 is in a glittery silver with white crackle (base color #639, crackle color #07)

The 3 polishes

Final work

Final Work (2), under white light

Personally, I preferred the white one to the pink one, just because I'm more into cool colours. :)

Set #18 is in a orangey-gold base with pink crackle (base color #636 Startling Gold, crackle color #04)

The 3 polishes

Final work

Final Work (2), under white light

I have to say that the base colour gold, is not as sheer as the silver one, with an average of 1-2 coats to leave an orange-gold hue. The silver base though had to be applied rather thickly for a couple of times 2-3 coats to leave an obvious silver coat. I do have to say that the colour takes time to flesh out; when you first apply it, it can look a little too sheer but when it dries the colour turns out to be more solid than expected. The hot pink and white on the other hand, is really pigmented (as expected of crackle polish). The silver polish also has visible glitters (that you can not only see with naked eye but feel it by touch)

Crackle polish might be a little difficult to apply for first timers, because the formula is going to be very different. What you do is to apply thinly with fast swipes. Don't worry about filling the whole nail -- they are going to dry matte, and 'shrink', thus forming patches aka cracking patterns on the nail. Try not to re-apply another coat on top of the first swipe -- the coat will become too thick to crack.

Oh, and I believe that if you apply the crackle by swiping it in different directions, crackle will appear in different patterns too. Large, rectangular, straight patches appear if you swiped it in an upward motion, but it will look a little slanted if applied in diagonal swipes. Anyone that tried it with this Arezia crackle polish could tell me it it works the same way? :)

And for those that tried, what's your favourite colours? Any thoughts? :)

Pros:
[o] Small brush makes it easy to work with.
[o] Small in size, allows it to be finished earlier (and also allows one to try more shades)
[o] Relatively cheap!

Cons:
[x] Chips easily, even with top coat.

[Review] Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Combination Watery Cream

I'm not an expert in the moisturiser field, and as someone with oily-combination (a little prone to the oily side), I am not very keen on buying moisturisers unless I've tried and tested them so that I don't oil up. 

Currently I'm using two moisturisers daily, one for day and the other for night, and they fit quite well into my routine so I've got another excuse not to buy other moisturisers. But this sample has been sitting on my samples pile for months and I thought I'd just use it. Why not, right?

Sample pack

Gel-like cream.

See the moisture? It'd get adsorbed after awhile,

This cream is gel-like and goes on your face smoothly, leaving you a non-sticky and cooling sensation after it's been even out. When I first apply it, the first thought that came to my mind was that this cream reminds me of The Face Shop' Ice Flower Aqua Water Drop Pack -- the difference lies in the the other one is a mask that upon massaging, transform into water droplets that gets absorbed into your skin. Naure Republic's Super Aqua Max instead leaves a velvet like, soothing sensation on your skin that makes you feel that your skin is moisturised and smooth. And I like it! It moisturises just like having water splashed on your face. 

Bare in mind that my review is based on this one small sample pack! However, if I were to buy, I'd probably go for the one with oily skin for my skin type.

Pros:
[o] Not sticky at all
[o] Leaves cooling sensation
[o] There is a slight fragrance, a little like fresh dew but I actually love it. It's a pleasing scent!

Cons:
N / A - no comments