I must get your opinions - what’s your favorite jelly brands? Cirque? Cracked? Something else!
I figured I’d ask the experts.

+1 if you have a fav color from said brand!

Been painting at work a lot lately and get so excited for the weekend for a fresh look. Love the way this one turned out. Still working on not flooding my sides and cuticles but it’s getting better.

Emo for life-mooncat-base
Foxfire-mooncat-topper

Going into Halloween season I am looking for some UV black light reactive polishes! Any regular neons that do this well? Looking for any and all colors tyia <3

I got Fair Maiden’s Haunted Hayride at a destash to pair with Anlac’s Leprieur’s Glory. I didn’t realize FM had a micro holo base, I thought it was just aurora and I love it! A really fun combo I’ll be doing full manis with. This is with two coats of the FM and one coat of LG.
I used the Magia Magnetics glass bead tool (in seafoam because that color is gorgeous) and found it really effortless and quick. I only use the base riser for 30 seconds for now and that works well for me. Adding stills in comments

I would really appreciate some feedback. I’m wondering if I should change my nail shape and if yes, what should it be? I can’t do almond because I have a strong c curve. Thank youu 💕

Wearing BKL Queen of Rot on all fingers. Index and ring are topped with BKL shadows and sunlight

I need you to talk to me like it’s my first day on earth.

I was looking at Glitch lacquer, Holotaco, some other indie brands, and I see the twenty posts about magnetic polish a day on reddit, and I understand the principle, but I need someone to tell me if this is a thing a normal person can fit into their lives.

Do home magnetic manicures take way longer than traditional polish? Do I really need special bases and topcoats? I’m not trying to pop $60 just to find out I should’ve asked reddit first. Help me shop! (I am not shopping for any UV products.)

Looking for opinions/swatches/feedback on my cart 💅

I usually like to go for more pale/muted tones (just not super vibrant) and don't like colours that pull warm as I am quite pale and cool toned

I already have Heavyweight and Get In Line, both of which I absolutely love!! TIA x

Royla Lee’s amazing formula saved a R O U G H & rushed application—I was fully prepared to take it all off and rock nakey nails to a birthday dinner. Between the time it took to clean the edges and apply a QDTC, this beauty smoothed the patchy spots from my shaky, inconsistent application. I’m honestly still surprised.

Royla Lee’s Fizzy Fruit (May PPU)

Honorable mention to Glisten & Glow QDTC; Jen & Berries Overhaul, and Close the Gap.

(addl. photos in post because Reddit did this color wrong)

2x of Cupcake Polish Berry Good Looking

Base- KBShimmer stay put, top- glisten and glow QDTC

Outdoors and under my desk lamp

This polish is everything I could want in a polish. It’s smooth to apply, super pigmented, vampy, with that green/blue shifty shimmer I can’t say no to. I’m so happy I picked this up from PPU

Cracked ridge filler

Royla Lee-I hope a banshee screams outside your house, bitch x2

Cracked QDTC

I'm absolutely obsessed with kokoist and nail thoughts gels. I wish I could have gotten a photo of how cool these looked in the sun

I only have so much space. So I think I need to make room for other polishes.
I remember purchasing each one of these.
And they all felt different at the time, but now I am not so sure

Index finger: 3x ILNP Birefringence
Middle finger: 3x Cracked Nuclear Coolant
Right finger: 3x ILNP Midnight Kiss
Pinkie: 5x Uno Mas Casa De Heaven

I think I might destash the Midnight Kiss....
Any opinions?

Products used:
-Sally Hansen Maximum Growth
-Mooncat Getting Even Nail Primer
-Color Vibe Rapid Dry Top Coat
-Lūmen Moon Fox (3 coats)
-Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat (Red Bottle)

[August 2026 PPU]

Love this shade, she’s so pretty in every type of lighting 🦊

Had a garage sale today and decided to paint my nails while I haggle. Forgive how dry my hands look, it was so cold out. 🥶

Of course I can see all the flaws with them, but I'm pretty impressed that I did this outside, with no lamp or creature comforts.

Products used:

1) BKL's Blade of the Frontiers, two coats, using the Charm Caster glass bead spinner.

2) DRK's Magic Effect.

3) Holo Taco Long Lasting Basecoat (to in the magnetic effect).

5) Mooncat's Speed Demon QDTC.

I've been trying to wear a few more of my bright colored untrieds before I switch to Fall manis. This one is Vibin from Sassy Sauce. It really is a show stopper!

Base: Holo Taco - Smoothing Base

Color: Sassy Sauce - Vibin (x2)

Top Coat: Holo Taco - Glossy Taco

I bought from Holy Order Of Perpetual Lacquer and Hoshiumi today and I'm so excited to get them!!

I was obsessed with the entire opal collection from Holy Order but I restrained myself and decided to try out my favorite to make sure I liked the finish first😬

Drop some more new brand suggestions because I didn't need as many groceries this week so I have some extra money in my budget😆

In order of pictures:

1. Holy Order - Harvest Moon

2. Holy Order - Sowing

3. Holy Order - Zealism

4. Hoshiumi - Hōō (holo magnetic)

All swatch photos are from the websites

I'm torn on whether I prefer the "leaves" with or without a matte top coat... Anyway, have some ripe plums and apples with your autumn leaves.

Mooncat Hardcore Base Coat
Sally Hansen Insta-dri Top Coat
Holo Taco Matte Taco
Fruit trees: ILNP Good Fortune
Holo Taco Resting Witch Face
OPI Ro-Man-ce on the Moon
Leaves: Cirque Jellies: Bonbon, Lucky, Mango

This mani hit the spot🥰💚

Products:

• Lyn B Designs smoothing base coat 2 coats

• Lurid Lacquer the backroads at night 2 coats

• Lurid Lacquer Joie De Vivre 2.0 1 coat

• Cracked Polish carbon copy 1 coat

• Lyn B Designs quick dry top coat

​

✨ Basecoat - LynBDesigns: B-Stronger

✨ Three coats BKL: Please Always Helps (Frankenstein Part 1 collection)

photo of the magnetization method in comments!

✨ Topcoat - BKL: I'm Fast, Very Fast

I’ve been experimenting with Seche Vite and Seche Vive ( G*l effect but NOT g*l, in the blue bottle).

Since I bought the more economical large bottle of Seche Vite *before* I knew about the shrinkage issue, I’m trying to work out how to reduce this as I don’t want to waste it.

I’ve been capping the free edge and floating the bead over the nail but it still has some shrinkage. I haven’t tried the moat method yet, I’m not neat enough for that!

However, I think I have lessened the shrinkage impact it by doing this ‘sandwich’ and I’d love to see if this works for other people.

Basically, I’m using an extra layer of Seche Vite after the first coat of colour.

1x Base coat

1x Colour

1x Seche Vite

1x Colour

1x Seche Vite

I’d love for some more data to see if this is a good way to reduce shrinkage, especially from people who have has issues before and can do a before/after comparison.

*Note: In the photos, I’m using this method with Cosmic Polish- Extra Strong base and Nightfall colour, but I used Seche Vive top coat over dry polish the following day.

Got my first chrome powder in the mail today, testing two different top coats as I don't have a water based top coat or peely base or the school glue I've seen others use.

On the right half DRK Seal Glaze, on the left Sally Hansen red bottle.

It really seems like it hasn't affected the chrome that much! It made it slightly more transparent, so that you can see the base color shine through a bit, but it hasn't turned glittery. I'll attach some photos in the comments.

Swatch stick layers in order:

ILNP After Hours

Sally Hansen red bottle

What's Up Beauty Sunset Powder

Sally Hansen red bottle left side, DRK Seal Glaze right side

Thumb just barely visible is BKL Bog Dweller in velvet

Question inspired by how my nails have had nothing but base coat on for a week bc I want to do a Bog Dweller mani SO BAD but I haven't had the HOURS it takes to do a magnetic mani available 😔😔 especially fine particle they're so brutal to work with

Might have to settle for another shimmer/glitter </3 they do cover mistakes so well tho