Nails

Birthday Haul

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The last month – sheesh! A great giveaway, my birthday, Independence Day, my freaking wedding, and another giveaway! I cannot believe how busy I’ve been.

Birthday HaulBirthday Haul

Pictures/descriptions aren’t in order. Bear with me!

Sephora Birthday Haul

I had a gift card from a friend that I took for-ev-er to decide what to use it on.

Purity – I’ve tried a tiny sample of Purity cleanser by Philosophy, but I wanted to try it a little more, so I got a little duo of two 2oz bottles to try. So far, I dig it.

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil Light – Because it is summer and I think the regular stuff might be a little heavier than I liked, I got a bottle. I was hoping I can use it for daytime – I can, but not on full-face days.

Benefit they’re Real! Push Up Liner – This is a deluxe sample and I am so dang lucky to have got it before they ran out. I have only tried it once so far, early in the morning and in a rush; but I am really excited to play with it more and share my thoughts with you guys once I have. So far, I can definitely say it is a very unique product.

Deborah Lippmann – in Boom Boom Pow (not pictured) – I didn’t have an obnoxious yellow gold glitter. This one was on clearance for $5, is 3-free, cruelty free, and all that jazz.

Beauty Insider Birthday Gift from MUFE – Unboxed already, they give you an eensy mascara and a little Aqua Rouge lipstick. I like the color, not the formula.

Ulta Birthday Haul

Lorac Pro Palette 2 – You’ve already seen it but though I gave one away, I likely would not have gotten one if not for my (then upcoming) birthday. Really though, it rocks, you basically need it, and congrats x1000 to the winner.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream – in Stockholm (not pictured again because I am a spazz) – This is my third SMLC so far, and I still love how they wear. This one is nude on me without corpsifying my face. Woot!

Real Techniques Retractable Lip Brush – I didn’t have a lip brush! I needed one for tomorrow.

Ulta Rewards Birthday Gift from Calvin Klein – Engineering? In MY mascara? I haven’t cracked this sucker open yet, but the wand has a dial that you can use to change the configuration of the applicator’s bristles. Amazing.

Bonus: Amazon

ORLY Go Deeper (not pictured) – I got this over a teal-blue polish during a recent pedicure, and it is only the second color, to date, that I have purchased due to having had it used at a salon. I. Love. It. I redid my pedicure last night with it. Cameras have a hard time picking up how complex and awesome the glitter is in this ORLY FX polish, and the other great thing is that the glitter isn’t super-gritty – it lays pretty flat, only one layer of top-coat to cover! Basically, you need it in your life if you are into any kind of glitter polish.

Disclosure: Hey! Some of the links in this Birthday Haul post are affiliate links (not all of them, of course) – this means I may get a very small percentage of the sale if you decide to buy something. I only recommend products I’ve tried and verified as awesome. Ethical blogging FTW.

May 2014 Favorites

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I did a Favorites post last month, but it seems like it has been a while! May 2014 Favorites:

May 2014 FavoritesMay 2014 Favorites
1. China Glaze – I’m With the Lifeguard, $5 / 2. Lip Smacker – Dr Pepper, $2
3. Etude House Drawing Eye Brow, $2-7 / 4. Marc Jacobs Dot Rollerball, $22

China Glaze I’m With the Lifeguard – When the weather gets warm, I like to resort to unreasonably bright and ridiculous nail polish colors. Don’t worry, I use them when it isn’t warm, too – but I use them more often when it is toasty. This awesome, bright, shimmery neon green is what I’m wearing on my toes (with peep-toe shoes…at the office). If your polish collection is bereft of ridiculosity, please consider investing for your own amusement. I bought mine from Sally Beauty, but you can also get it on Amazon.

Dr. Pepper Lip Smackers lip gloss – Not just for kids, dangit. I maintain that this is the best product Lip Smackers has ever released. I just bought a new one, judgment be damned.  Realistically, it doesn’t do much for chapped lips – but that’s fine. It was never really meant to, despite having a chap-stick-esque format. You can buy this directly from Lip Smackers, on drugstore.com, or in stores at Wal-Mart.

Etude House Drawing Eye Brow – Korean cosmetics companies have done some pretty cool stuff. BB creams, cute lotions, lip gloss with adorable bunny-shaped caps…and these brow pencils. Capped at both ends, this guy has a spoolie (with soft, friendly bristles, not the ridiculous Brillo that some included spoolies are) and an angled, chisel-tip twist-up pencil. Some western brands have products that I can only assume were inspired by this design (Hourglass brow products, Bite lip products) because it is awesome. I’m sure this can be found elsewhere online, but I always buy from Amazon.

Marc Jacobs Dot Rollerball – Lately, I’m of the opinion that buying a whole bottle of perfume is pointless. I got this as part of a coffret I purchased around the holidays and have been wearing it more often lately; I’ve barely made a dent. Very season-appropriate. It is currently available at Sephora, but there’s a spray pen variety at Nordstrom, Ulta, and Macys.

 

By the way, have you entered my L’Oreal Infalliable Never Fail Lacquer Liner 24H giveaway, yet? If not, go for it – there are only two days left! All you have to do is comment on that post and you’re entered. Who doesn’t want free liner?

 

Disclosure: Hey! Some of the links in this May 2014 Favorites post are affiliate links (not all of them, of course) – this means I may get a very small percentage of the sale if you decide to buy something. I only recommend products I’ve tried and verified as awesome, which is kind of the point of a favorites post. Ethical blogging FTW.

Not a Fan: OPI Sheer Tints

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I’ve said before that nails are my thing (though my nails have been bare for the longest time in recent memory because I haven’t had time to redo them, ahem). Even though I do not jump to buy every newly-released nail line, I do like to stay abreast of what is coming out.

The makers of my second-favorite polish to-date (I’m Not Really a Waitress, if you’re wondering) have released a new product that is all over blog-land and twitter: OPI Sheer Tints polish. The OPI Sheer Tints line consists of four glossy top coats that just so happen to have a touch of color. The shades, in classic OPI-wordplay-style, are:

  • I’m Never Amberrassed – sheer, warm yellow.
  • Be Magentale With Me – sheer magenta (pink)
  • Don’t Violet Me Down – sheer, mid-tone purple.
  • I Can’t Teal You Like Me – sheer, mid-tone blue.

I’ve checked them out on several blogs and OPI’s own promotional material, including their tutorials. I just cannot get excited or interested in these things. The yellow (I’m Never Amberrassed) makes nails look discolored and, frankly, kind of gross. Perilously Pale shared some swatches of the polish (please go check out her blog!) and although her assessment is positive, I just don’t care for it. Here’s her photo of I’m Never Amberrassed.

again, this is not my photo – photo is courtesy of Perilously Pale.
credit where credit is due, everyone! don’t be shady.

I am not a fan of seeing the smile line of a nail through polish unless it is a neutral sheer meant for a relatively natural, subdued look. These just remind me of poorly-formulated, cheap polishes in the past (like the kids sets?). OPI themselves tweeted this photo on an, “ombre,” manicure done with the product, and I’m just not impressed, and would definitely not purchase these for $10 each.

I don’t really care for ending things on a negative note – I have seen some pretty cool things done with them by other bloggers, like this rainbow manicure from Lacquered Lover, or this dotted yellow mani layered over white (for opacity) and this gold-striped ombre pink set both from Nail that Accent. While I’m happy these bloggers made these OPI Sheer Tints work for them, I just think if I HAVE to conjure up that much creativity to get a product to, “work,” for me, then it isn’t a very wise purchase.

Zoya Earth Day Polish Exchange

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Zoya Earth Day Polish Exchange
photo courtesy of the Zoya blog.

Health- and eco-conscious polish brand Zoya is known for their awesome promotions such as free bottles of polish (you just pay shipping). The promo du jour is actually a re-run: Zoya’s Earth Day Polish Exchange, which runs this year from April 21 – 28 with promo code ZDAY2014.

Add as few as five bottles of polish to your cart and as many as twenty-four, then enter the promo code – the polish should drop from its regular price at about $9+ per bottle down to $4.50 per bottle OR $5 for their fancy glittery PixieDust products and special effect toppers. Unfortunately, it does not include their newest summer connection line(s), but I think you’ll live. You’re looking at spending $22.50 for five (regular) bottles of polish – not bad, especially considering that some drugstore polishes are more costly and these are 5-free. Additionally, carts over $30 currently receive a free gift – a 2oz. bottle of Zoya Remove Plus Nail Polish Remover.

Once you receive your new, fancy, 5-free polish from Zoya’s Earth Day Polish Exchange, you can then send them old, unwanted polish to be safely disposed of in accordance with EPA guidelines (FYI – you aren’t supposed to toss them in your regular, residential trash). Zoya will accept up to as many bottles as you purchased – so if you purchased 9 bottles of polish, you can send up to (but not more than) nine for disposal. You could also just send three, if that’s all you wanted to purge. You are not, however, required to send in any old bottles to take advantage of this neat promotion.

This would be a great way to start someone’s polish collection (especially considering you are not required to send in old bottles) or try Zoya products while getting some variety without a huge cost-commitment. It also may make a nice Mother’s Day gift (right around the corner, people – May 11) if your Mom enjoys having lacquered nails. You might also just be looking for justification to buy more polish – so you’re welcome. I haven’t tried any Zoya polish yet, but I look forward to doing so!

Also, Zoya doesn’t know who I am and they didn’t ask me to write about this promo – I, as a polish junkie and sale-stalker, just wanted to look out for my fellow polish-fanciers.

Urban Decay Nail Polish Update

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Here’s an update on how my Urban Decay Nail polish in Vice is wearing. Normal growth and tip wear on both hands. Minor minor chipping on my left thumb.

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Until about three hours ago, when this happened:

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Giant chunk out of my left fore-finger. This has actually been an abnormal week in that I have put even LESS stress on my hands and nails than normal. It has been less than 72 hours since application. Disappoint.

I’ve got to say – although the color is lovely, this polish is overpriced ($15/bottle) considering its mediocre quality. I’d be perfectly content if Urban Decay stuck to what they do best.

Urban Decay Nail Polish

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Urban Decay Nail Polish

Years ago, cult favorite Urban Decay had nail polish offerings. At some point, they were discontinued to the woe of many fans (and the joy of eBay scalpers). Recently, UD reintroduced the collection and each season new shades are chosen Thanks to an Urban Decay event hosted by my local Sephora (more on that another time), I received a full-sized Urban Decay nail polish for free along with this little PVC TSA-approved (oh buddy!) travel bag. This polish retails for $15 and can be purchased directly from Urban Decay or from Sephora.

Urban Decay Nail Polish in Vice - applied

Swatched here in shabby lighting, all except the ringfinger are topped with Seche Vite and and the ringfinger has the China Glaze matte topcoat. Regarding the polish itself: it is a gorgeous deep purple with almost an amber shimmer (in the bottle) that translates to shimmery purple awesome on the nails. This Urban Decay Nail Polish shade is Vice and is UD through and through.

That said, I am not the biggest fan of the formula. While it was definitely opaque in two coats, it dries too fast – like when you’re making your third stripe down the center of your nail to finish the coat, I had it, “skip” a little where it overlaps the first swipe to the side because it was already tacky from drying too quickly. My attempts to fix it without scrapping it and redoing the whole nail were in vain. Polish that dries fast is usually a blessing, but when it causes you to have to redo two nails, it is a pain. Otherwise, the formula is smooth and of a nice viscosity. On a final note, I am quite fond of the wider brushes that grace OPI and Sally Hansen brushes, so I was a little disappointed by this relatively standard-width brush.

Urban Decay Nail Polish in Vice

I can tell how jealous you are of my excellent lighting that makes my fingers look far cooler-toned than they are. I hope you can see the lettering on the cap – if not, I’ll have nicer pictures in a later post.

Urban Decay Nail Polish in Vice - Cap

Cutesy skull detailing – again, I apologize for the lighting. I was using my ancient camera. The skull has roses for eyes.

Though it is definitely a pretty shade, and though I am a Urban Decay fan, I must admit I would not buy this polish. I have a hard enough time with $10-12 for gel polish. The formula seems pretty typical for a decent polish that I can buy for (at MSRP) $5-8 each, and I just do not wear deep purples enough to make it worth it to me. Glad I got it free! Have you tried any Urban Decay Nail Polishes from the current or from previous collections? How did you like it?