Rescue Beauty Lounge - IKB:2012 and Comparison

Can you believe it's nearly October!? I know I say that every single time the month changes, but I'm still gobsmacked.

Today I have a lot of preparation to do! Craig and I are taking a long weekend to Portland, Oregon for a wedding, and I am super excited! I love the west coast and cannot wait to go back, and we leave tomorrow!
ahhh....it's now 3PM and I haven't gotten anything done :/ Oh Pinterest, I blame you.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have nothing on my nails right now. Zilch. The pictures below of Rescue Beauty Lounge's IKB:2012 were taken a few days ago:





How GORGEOUS.
I swatched these without a top coat because I wanted to show you the texture of the polish itself. It does not dry shiny but has an odd, suede finish. The formula is workable, but not what I've come to expect from RBL unfortunately. I think this has something to do with the fact that the polish is almost pure pigment.

This post is really painful to write. IKB:2012 is unfortunately no longer available from Rescue Beauty, and I feel horrible for posting about a polish you can no longer get (unless you were to succumb to Ebay scalpers).
I not only regret that, but also because this color brings up evocative memories of a certain special mad man and his little blue box. And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Because yes, IKB:2012 is TARDIS blue perfection.

HOWEVER I have an alternative!

Revlon's Royal is not (in my books) remotely close to IKB:2012, but I think for the price, the differences can be negated. ($6 vs $20? I think so)


Royal on index and ring, IKB:2012 on middle and pinkie

At any rate, Royal is much more jelly-like, darker and deeper, and more purple to my eye. I almost regretted buying IKB:2012 when I purchased Royal because the formula is miles better, and the color is so much richer. I think that for some, Royal might be an acceptable alternative.

Dupe? I would say not a chance in hell, but an alternative certainly.

See you guys on Friday! I'll be trying to update while in Portland, but I can't make any promises. I'm notoriously bad at blogging while away from my desktop!

RBL Bikini Bottom

The last time I ordered from Rescue Beauty Lounge (which was a long time ago), I purchased two super special polishes, IKB:2012 and Bikini Bottom. This is the latter:

Bikini Bottom is a sheer, blue jelly with a drop of something murky. This is 3 coats, and you can still see VNL, but I actually think it looks best that way. It has a watery, ethereal quality to it that makes everything look fresh and breezy to me. 

When I ordered this I wasn't entirely sure I wanted it, but I purchased it anyway and I'm sooo glad that I did. I really wanted to purchase Starfish Patrick as well, but unfortunately it's sold out. Bikini Bottom is still available so if you're on the fence about it, I would probably snatch it up if you can spring for the $18 price tag. 

Happy Monday everyone!

Catherine H

I've done something really, really bad. 

So bad I can't believe I actually did it. 

I spent an UNHOLY amount of money on one nail polish. ONE. Oh my aunt kitten's whiskers.

What is this polish you ask?

The gorgeous and incredible Catherine H from Rescue Beauty Lounge.

I was lemming after this, but didn't plan to buy it since RBL's are sooo expensive. The only other one I have is Concrete Jungle from last year's 50% sale, but unfortunately it's no longer in stock.

So why did I buy this full price? Because it's one of those things that's love at first sight. I was craving Anne, another color from RBL's Tudor Housewives Collection, and when that one sold out, I panicked and absolutely could not miss out on CH. I even had to break the "no buy" rule me and the BF had set down. He and I made a deal that if he was allowed to buy his solid state drive for his computer, then I was allowed to put down an obscene amount of money for this polish.

I know I keep complaining about the price, and I'm making it sound absolutely horrific. RBL's polishes run at $18 a pop, and with $7.50 shipping, that's $25 for one! So yes, it is horrific. But I don't feel too terrible for paying so much because I have so much respect for the company, which has great customer service and holds itself to admirable high standards. I swatched this last night, and here are the photos from today:

in shade

sunlight

The adorable box and wrapping that it came in. 

This is one FABULOUS polish. It went on smoothly, opaque in one coat, but the color is more vibrant with two. I honestly can't stop looking at my hands; it's starting to get pretty distracting. The color isn't loud by any means, but it's so subtle that it's intriguing. It has a Wedgwood blue base, but is filled with blue, pink and purple microglitter that gives it character and depth. I put a top coat of Seche Vite on and it dried to a very weird eggshell-type finish. I've never had Seche do that to me, and I wonder if it had something to do with the formula of the RBL. I'm not complaining though, because it only adds to the unique-ness of the polish.

So was it worth it? For me, definitely. I love so much about this brand. I love the formula, the company behind it, and as silly as it sounds, I love love love the little square bottles it comes in. Classy, unique, and clean cut. Thank you Ji Baek, thank you.

Just so you know however, I will be reinstating the "no-buy" rule I had in place...for a very loonngg time.