Take a Break with VV – Session 1
Hey there!
I’ve decided to do a new post maybe once a month called Take a Break with VV. This gives me a chance to catch you guys up on anything fun and/or interesting I have been up to. It also gives my new readers (of which I seem to have many, thanks!) a chance to get to know me.
I really try to make this site more of a personal experience for my readers, rather than just straight nail polish blogging. The main reason being that the websites I love most, offer that same sense of “friendship”. I love posting about nail polish (obviously), but I really have fun when I am posting pics of my animals, or vacations or other things going on.
Another reason I wanted to do this type of post was because I wanted to open up the floor to you guys so you can ask me questions. I am a huge fan of forms, questionnaires and the like, so I thought maybe some of you enjoyed that as well. I get a lot of questions via Twitter or email, and think this would be a good place for some answers so that everyone can read them, if they choose. So feel free to ask me anything (within reason of course: I don’t know if 2012 will be the end of the earth, lol)!
So let’s see, what’s been going on? Well I have been seeing many new names popping up in my comments, which is fabulous and I thank each of you. I love getting comments and I do my very best to answer as many back as I can. Please know that I always read every single comment, even if I don’t respond. The only comments I purposely don’t respond to are ones where I have already answered the question in the post (like where do you buy it?). Also of course if they are nasty, which 99.99999% aren’t, I normally just delete them right away.
As you may or may not know, I recently collaborated with BB Couture in making The Vampy Varnish Collection and it seems the #1 hot seller is Napa Valley Red. That makes total sense to me since it’s more of a universal color than some of the other (some might say strange) colors. 
I feel the need to address a question I have been getting asked a lot lately. People are wanting comparison swatches more frequently now it seems. I am happy to oblige whenever I can, but a lot of times I just don’t have the “bandwidth” to meet these requests. I spend a ton of time just swatching the collections here so it’s hard to get around to comparisons. Also, there is a fairly easy way of checking yourself.
If you know I have swatched something and want to check for dupes, all you need to do is pull up another browser window, find the picture and compare them side by side. Usually you can tell right away from pictures next to each other that they aren’t dupes. If you aren’t sure if I’ve swatched it, you can always use the “Search” box on the top right-hand side of my main page to look.
Another reason I might not be able to do comparisons is because a lot of time I don’t own the colors people ask me about. I only started collecting on a grand scale about 2 years ago, so I don’t have a lot of the really old China Glaze or OPI colors. Plus if they are colors I don’t really like (like basic reds or sheers, etc.) I don’t have many of them.
One other common question I get is what base coat and top coat do I use? The answer is Nubar Foundation base and Diamont top. Here is why I love these. First off Nubar is big 3-free and PETA approved and I know there aren’t any nasty chemicals in their base coat that will wreck my nails. I love Foundation because it’s a good sticky type base, and dries quickly. The Diamont top coat is my holy grail. It’s super quick dry and very glossy. The reason I like it better than say Poshe or Seche Vite is because those were a little thicker and tended to show scratches on my polish for some reason. Seche also causes tip shrinkage sometimes, which I loathe. If you aren’t familiar with the term tip shrinkage it basically means the top coat pulls away (or shrinks) the color from the tip of your nail when you apply it.
This combo works for me with pretty much any other brand, not just Nubar polishes.For me the average wear I get out of a mani is 2-3 days tops. I wash my hands A LOT, which is really bad for polish. Some people have more oils on their nail beds than others (I think I do) so really, polish wear varies greatly from person to person. I am also extremely anal about it, if I see any sign of wear I usually remove it and do another mani anyway.
And finally the other most commonly asked question I get is how do I paint my nails so nicely and am I going to do a post about this? The answer is yes, I have been meaning to literally for 6 months but haven’t had time. I actually plan on doing a post and video about it. The main thing I can say now is practice, practice, practice. I also use a nifty little cheap paint brush to clean up the edges when I am finished polishing. I promise to get this post out soon!
Ok I don’t want to blabber on TOO much here, so I’ll wrap it up.
Hope to be chatting with you soon!
-VV
Welcome! My name is Kelly and Vampy Varnish is a cruelty-free beauty blog.
This is why I love your blog! I’m a complete nail polish addict and I love those posts, but I also love the posts that feature your “fur babies”, your job, and your beautiful photography. Thanks for doing this, and keep up the great work
Hahaha, I just wanted to let you know that I love seeing your pics. Not just your nails, but the ones you put up on the right hand corner. They’re so much fun, and it really does make me feel like I know you more personally and it’s not just all business.
.-= Perry´s last blog ..Ok, here’s the deal =-.
I cant wait for your video about how do you paint your nails so nicely!
awesome idea – i love your nail polish posts but i absolutely adore the posts about the furry members of your family, and being totally nosey, i really enjoy reading about everything else going on in your life, too ;o)
Really cool post. I always love to know what top/base coat people use and why. I have a question for you though. I am having problems getting polish out of a bottle that is either half full (or half empty depending on how you look at it ;P) or less. I have tried turning the bottle over a little to get the polish more on the side of bottle, but it does not work all that well. I then end up resorting to pouring it into the bottom of a small plastic cup and using that. It is very inconvenient. What do you tend to do when you get near the end of a bottle of polish? I mainly have this problem with Top coat btw.
.-= S_and_J´s last blog ..The Mad Scientists =-.
Hi S_and_J,
I very rarely get even halfway through a bottle of polish! But I have gotten down to the bottom of top and base coats and agree, it can be a pain. I just tilt it like you said and wait for the polish to coat the brush. A lot of times it’s because the polish has thickened by that point. If that’s the case, you can use a drop or two of a polish reviver like Poshe’s and it will help it flow better. In all honesty though, once my base and top coats get to that point, I use new bottles anyway.
i have been a long follower of your blog, it helped inspire me to make one of my own!
my only gripe with diamont is how THICK it gets halfway through the bottle!
i definitely want to get a nail polish corrector pen thingy, i’m so rubbish at painting mine…my right hand especially!
i also echo comments for more furball posts!!! i desperately miss having pets!
.-= sara´s last blog ..day one hundred and forty eight, china glaze sexagon =-.
Hi sara,
I agree, but then again so does every top coat I have ever used!
I have to say that initially I started reading your blog over a year ago (say what?!?!?) for the sole reason of nail polish, but since your visit to London I find myself reading it almost everyday just to see what’s up in your life. I’ve really enjoyed getting to see your interests, likes/dislikes, etc. and have found that we have a lot in common! Thanks for all the hard work you put into not only your blog but every aspect of VV; I know I’m not alone when I say that I really like seeing your personality come through and make your site so friendly
I love when you do “off polish” posts! It lets me feel like I’m a little part of your family when you post your cats or interesting vacation photos.
I’ve been reading your blog almost since you’ve started and I can say you are one of my favorites. You’re posts are funny and interesting and I really enjoyed your “starting a blog” posts. They helped me believe that I could start one myself and not necessarily be polish all the time! I’m trying to include books and other blurbs about my life!
Keep up the fantastic work
.-= Legra´s last blog ..Rimmel =-.
I do the same thing. I start a new bottle once I essentially get down to half a bottle of top or base coat. Then, after that bottle gets down to half way, I combine the two together so that I do not waste it.
.-= S_and_J´s last blog ..The Mad Scientists =-.
I love the idea of nail polish blog with a little touch of more. I was planning, when I have the amount of hits/readers/comments that makes it worth it, to do a Friday post or a monthly catch-up, inviting others to share. (The strange thing is that the short period I have been up with my own blog, I have suprisingly many hits, but nearly zero comments … I guess this is how it will be in the beginning.
) We are a big community of bloggers out there, yet our world is rather small … I’ll be watching you. 
.-= laquermanic´s last blog ..OPI DS Diamond =-.
I also love blogs that are more personal, where you get an insight into the life of the writer. It’s why I love your blog already! This is a good idea for a post.
.-= Rebecca´s last blog ..Revlon Steel Her Heart =-.
I am nosey, so this Take a Break segment is right up my alley! Muchas Gracias for re-ViVing my love for polish!
I don’t comment a lot, but your blog is one of my favorites! Your nails and swatches are gorgeous. I also love when you blog and swatch makeup. Thanks for being awesome.
I don’t comment often either, since I share this computer with roommates and they tend to hog it… but rest assured, I’m reading everything you post! Haha
There are several nail blogs I read, but yours is one of my favorite because of how different it is. A lot of other blogs are just a blur and could all be written by the same person. But with yours, I genuinely enjoy what you have to say and that makes the experience infinitely better.
I love your blog. I like the white background too – not busy and easy on my eyes. I too like to feel I know the blogger just a little bit. And you’re very good about responding so it makes it more like a community.
I clean up my nails with a cotton bud dipped in remover – very simple and controllable. As I don’t have to photograph mine I don’t go right up to the sides of the nail and I try to be very careful about the cuticles. Like you say, it’s just practice.
Thank you for your work.
Thanks for the info Kelly. I love when blogs have that “friendship” vibe, because if they’re just going through the motions, I don’t know, it’s not as entertaining or interesting. I love your animals and all the other things you post about.
What camera are you currently using to get those macro shots?
Hi Kam,
I use a Canon Rebel T1i.
I just wondered what your thoughts are on polish removers. Do they matter? I’ve gotten more into painting my nails, but it seems like once I remove the polish they are in terrible shape, so I wondered if it might be the remover.
Love the blog and have shared it with my friends! I, too, love the animal pictures.
Hi Leslie,
Oh yes, they definitely matter. If you use 100% acetone, chances are your nails and cuticles will be very dry and have white chalky look when you take the polish off. I prefer something with either mild acetone or no acetone in it. Some good ones are Zoya Remove, OPI Expert Touch and Orly or OPI acetone free.
LOVE your blog!! I am on the hunt for a peachy/melon polish. Do you have any recommendations?!?!
.-= Kaide´s last blog ..Milani Delivered =-.
This is fantastic. Thank you so much! I like getting to know you, not just seeing your pretty nails!
I love this. Your blog is so much more and thank you for sharing a part of yourself, your family and of course all your “fur balls.” It feels like I’m having a daily “what’s up” with all my friends! Keep up the fantastic job!
Hey Kelly,
I just received three of your BB polishes and they are gorgeous (VV, Napa Red, Kelly’s Green).
However, I am not totally satisfied. KG is an amazing avocado colour, but I cannot see any sparkles in it – even in the sun. Napa Red is not as dark as it is pictured to be (the base is as bright as Ruby Pumps). VV has major cuticle drag and still looks chunky even after two top coats of Zoya Armour.
All three of the polishes still have that chunky look even with a top coat on.
Can you suggest a good thick top coat of which I would only need to use one top coat to smooth the sparkles?
Thanks.
.-= Natalie´s last blog ..ELF Konad =-.
Hi Natalie,
Wow, I don’t know what happened, no one else mentioned any issues with the formula on all the reviews I’ve read, maybe you got bad bottles.
You have to remember though that the colors aren’t always going to look exactly like people’s pictures. We all use different lighting and cameras when taking pics, which is why you often see such variances between bloggers with a same color sometimes. As far as chunkiness, I had no issues when I used 1 coat of Nubar’s Diamont top coat on all of these. I didn’t have any cuticle drag either with VV, maybe you need to let it dry 2-3 minutes between each coat. Also you have to use 3 coats for that one, for sure.
Kelly, I’ve been a regular reader of your blog for about a year now and don’t often post comments (I usually just peek in for a second to take a mental break from work in the day! hehe) but I wanted to let you know how much I sincerely appreciate your blog and I love love LOVE how you take the time to respond to our comments. I like knowing that if I have a question, you’re actually going to take a second to answer it if you can. It certainly helps those of us out who are on a budget and want to plan our polish purchases carefully! THANKS SO MUCH!