Haul of Shame swatch spam

Look look swatches!

Dear readers,

I have been a terrible blogger these days. I know this in the depths of my soul. Case in point: I committed a massive haul of shame about two weeks ago, and I haven't even mentioned it on here yet! Nor have I edited my third vlog (which I have recorded, and it sits there on my desk top staring at me accusingly). Also I am doing a convention this Wednesday and Thursday, and you've heard nary a whisper of that.

By way of apology, I've swatched five of the 22 (!) polishes I picked up in my protracted haul, which took place over several days.

Click the jump for closeups and reviews.

A quick note of clarification: I have referred in the past to an Israeli cosmetics company that I've called "Jade". I found out that they're actually "GA-DE" (pronounced the Jade though). I will be relabeling my stuff. You can't blame me, though, look at this logo:

I mean, seriously!

Side note about GA-DE overall- their cosmetics quality is more than decent, their prices are great ($3 for these polishes!), but man, they neeeeeed a better website. It's very elegantly designed, very classy and simple. The problem is, there is virtually no content on their website. They have photos of some their products and a few fluff pieces about their brand image, but that is it. Barely any descriptions, no information on where to buy, nothing. And no swatches either. Look how helpful their page on this very collection is. (Hint: the polishes I swatched here are in the bottom row) It has to be seen to be believed!

Onward to swatches. The day I took these pictures was a finicky weather day- it was mostly overcast, but it was also very windy so there would be occasional patches of sun. I mostly succeeded to hit those perfect moments right before or right after the sun was fully visible. When the sun was completely out the glare made taking photos impossible. On the other hand, the pictures I did take when it was completely overcast turned out perfect for suuuuuper macro shots. Those are necessary with this collection, since they are rather complex multicolored microglitters. In fact, they appear to be teeny tiny foil particles, but not so tiny that you get a frosted effect.

The formula on all of these was the same: Kind of runny, but easy enough to control that it wasn't an issue. Opaque in three coats, although you could possibly get away with two on some. They're sheer enough in one coat to layer, but you get pretty good coverage and they are lovely on their own.

812- Dark Plum

This is the first of several slightly misleading polish names. This one is really the worst offender- while this is in the same broad color family as plum, it is very clearly not plum. It is mainly a combination of three colors- a warm purple bordering on magenta, a cooler toned violet, and a vivid blue toned teal. There may also be some silver in there, but I am not sure. I love the addition of the teal- it is subtle enough that the overall effect of the polish is still purple, but it adds depth and complexity.

813- Gold Dust

This one is something of an enigma- while it is by no means a multichrome, I took these three pictures one after another, and they each look different. I attribute that partially to the changing light levels, but the color change is pretty dramatic for a few clouds!

The three main colors in this polish are a pale yellow gold, a warmer gold that is almost copper, and a warm coral. That goes a long way towards explaining the variety in the photos- each one is dominated by a different aspect of the polish. This is not a color that I would normally wear, but I could definitely wear this one. If not alone, then perhaps with stamping or as an accent nail.

814- Golden Savanah

This was a very tricky color to capture on camera. The overall effect is a grayed-out taupe, but none of it's ingredients are remotely taupe, so I don't know how that works! And it's suspended in a clear base, so that's not an explanation. The three main colors in this polish are burnished gold, pale green, and a medium blue with some violet undertones. This one also has hints of some pink particles, although they are more pronounced in photos than they are in person. There are also some darker greens and blues, but they aren't prominent at all.

815- Tangerine Garnet

This one is definitely the most aptly named. And it's a pretty name, too! While I'm not normally into the orange family of colors, this is definitely an exception. I like how it looks almost lit from within. The three main colors in this one are a very yellow gold, a warm coral, and a classic copper color.  There's also a noticeable sprinkling of very pale lime green.

816- Gypsy Fever

It's because of shades like this that I gave up my "no pink polish" rule. What is the world coming to, even? I guess I should make a replacement rule: no pinks unless they are KICKASS like this one is. I love how this looks almost jelly-squishy, but it's not a jelly at all. It just has a lot of depth. The three main color in this one are warm coral, vivid pink, and blue-toned violet. There might be some copper in there, or that could be the coral catching the light differently.

Overall, I think this was a great collection from GA-DE, even if their name has weirdified. I would strongly recommend picking up a couple. These are sold at Superpharm and Hamashbir, but they're usually on sale at the former. (Seriously, the price tags always say 50 shekel which is about $12, but I have NEVER seen them at that price. As of posting this they cost me $3 each)

I would post an update about the convention and about my vlog, but honestly I am too tired right now. Next time hopefully, and sooner!

Happy Passover to those who celebrate it, and happy spring to those who don't!