27 Oct
The next two prizes for my Trick or Treat Scavenger Hunt are two quick little kits.
First up is a Wet & Wild set featuring my HG eyeliner and a few extras.
The second is a China Glaze mini kit featuring Atlantis (which I swatched here) and a bottle of their new matte topcoat.
20 Oct
China Glaze came out with some AMAZING Halloween shades I’ll be swatching over the rest of the week. Up first is Fortune Teller, a myriad of different shaped orange glitter bits floating in a black polish.
It took about three coats to get even coverage and it really looks best with a top coat. I used my Seche Vite so it’s nice and shiny. China Glaze also released a matte top coat as well, and it gives the polish a totally different look!
The difference between gloss and matte.
16 Oct
1- Argan Oil. Also known as Moroccan Oil. Also known as amazing. This is my second bottle. They say a little goes a long way, but a lot makes a dramatic difference fast. Probably the best thing I’ve done for my hair in a while. I routinely bleach and dye a streak BRIGHT pink, so that one strand is often fuzzy and a little dry. This is great for a little boost of smooth in the morning, but before bed I often coat that strand as an overnight treatment. It has about a dozen other beneficial uses, so I’m going to start researching those as well.
2 - Estee LauderSumptuous Color Bold Volume Lifting Mascara in Amethyst. It’s purple. That’s about all I really need to say. But the formula is one of Lauder’s best. The color really does stand out. I’ve been lining my eye in purple and then using this as mascara and it’s very subtle overall, but looking at my eyes you can TELL something is different. It’s more of a pinky purple, so I’ve been using Aromaleigh’s Les Papillion colors in Ephemeral Violet wet to line. The colors work together perfectly.
3 – Pixi Fairy Light Solo Eyeshadow in French Lace. When I do a nude eye, or like above, just a liner and mascara, I use this all over, on the lid and the brow.
Nothing ordinary about these awakening holographic shades with 3D undertones.
The effect is stunning, eye-brightening, eye-enlivening and more flattering than ever before. Silky soft and 100% natural, they will treat, tighten and brighten. Truly the next new, ageless, beautifying, eye must-have.
I just find it a nice neutral shade to wear.
4 – OPI Laquer in Gargantuan Green Grape Matte and China Glaze in Dreamsicle. I’m going to paint my nails the orange and tip them with the green. Should be pretty interesting.
25 Sep
I dragged myself out of bed long enough to post this. I can’t help but feel like I’ve been slacking here!!
So without delay, my Picks of the Week are :
1 – Essie Matte About You Matte Finisher. How do I love thee? Ever since removing my acrylics back in wheveritwas I’m addicted to changing my polish color every other day. I really love China Glaze polishes, but I also really prefer a matte finish. I ordered some Man Glaze and was wearing that for a while, but that’s only black and grey. I was wearing OPI Lincoln Park After Dark, but that’s another dark color. I thought I’d never find a nice bright orange MATTE shade. Now ever color I own can be matte!! It’s a really quick drying top coat and so far it’s gone a LONG way to prevent chipping as well, which scores it another point in my book. I ordered mine directly from Essie, and it took just about a week to get here.
Essie Matte About You over China Glaze Light My Tiki
2 – Scarecrow Custom Fangs. I’m getting ready for Halloween. At least that’s my story. These fangs are nice and subtle and stay in place through a miraculous fitting system I honestly didn’t believe until I fit them. I ordered them from Vamp Fangs and was almost put off by the incredibly annoying pop ups, (or walk overs?) on the site. They have a cheesy video that walks you through how to set them, it’s worth suffering through. I think I am going to randomly wear mine whenever I go out. Hey, it’s Hollyweird for a reason.
3 – Aromaleigh. I could make three separate entries for this, but I’ll just do one for now. Firstly, remember back how I was curious about the Twilight Supernatural Powder? I ordered one in Lustre, which is the most subtle of the three. Let me reiterate I am not a Twilight nor a True Blood fan. But for reals, yo, this gives my skin the perfect other-worldy finish. Not so much dead and dull but glowy and pretty. It contains silica which is the main ingredient in soft focus finishing powders such as MUFE’s HD Powder and I imagine this would be a better substitute. For me anyway. I also ordered two deeper purple shades for my Halloween ‘costume’. Le Mystere #103 and Les Papillion in Soul Takes Flight. They compliment each other perfectly for a simple smokey eye. Although I do wear this for day, it’s going to be perfect for my dramatic ‘vamp’ look. Lastly I finally ordered one of her lippies. I picked Meloncholia from the Gothic Lolita collection. It’s a sheer glossy deep purple color on my lips. Although it melted in my mailbox, I threw it in the freezer and it’s back in working order. It’s still very very hot in So Cal.
From left to right : #103, Soul Takes Flight, and Twilight Lustre
26 Aug
I asked my one cousin what she wanted for her birthday. I have a HUGE family, but I always try to make my closest cousins something for their birthdays and for Christmas.
She said to me, “I would really love a little cosmetic pouch for in my purse. Maybe something Spongebob…” and that’s where she lost me. Who what what Pants? Then she explained, her and her husband have sort of a joke about it, since she’s studying Fisheries at MSU. Ok, so I get it.
This is what I came up with for her.
Because the bag was ridiculously easy to make, I included three nail polishes in matching colors, China Glaze Solar Power and Thataway and Finger Paints Calligraphic Calico. I slipped in some ELF brushes I’d just received. For a buck a piece, I ordered a dozen for occasions like this. Then I custom blended a G2 shadow for her, it’s a goldeny peachy color called 5am.
As soon as I find a place to order zippers at a more reasonable price I’m going to start making and selling these bags as custom orders!!
2 Aug
Are the 80′s considered retro already?
I am still on a crazy awesome 80′s kick. Yesterday I was up in LA running around. I ran into some China Glaze in the color Shocking Pink, bought it and nail polish remover, and redid my nails in the car.
I have a few things to post today, stuff I had meant to do yesterday, but like I said, I was in Holywoodlandia.
I’ll catch up!
3 Jul
I originally wanted to stop getting my nails done (with acrylics) to save money. It was costing me about 100$ a month for the set, the fill, and the tip. Plus the long nails were getting harder and harder for me to deal with. Between typing more (because I’m writing more) and working with clients, they grew to be cumbersome. Plus, I am extremely anal and I hated that ‘stuff’ would collect under them and under my natural nail as they grew out and it was just driving me wild.
So as you know, I removed them a few weeks ago. They are still growing out. There is an OBVIOUS dent in the nail where the acrylic was, since as most people know, your actual nail is sanded down a bit before they apply the acrylic. My nail tips are constantly peeling, ripping, and bending back now as the damaged part grows out.
So it seems like I’m always back and forth to Sally’s trying to find SOMETHING that will help. I realize they actually just need to GROW out, so I’m focusing on my diet and vitamins as well as a growth promoting treatment now.
But I think in the past month I’ve STILL managed to spend 100$ on various nail items. If not colors and polishes, then little stencil kits from Konad.
Yesterday I was in Sally’s for something and got MORE China Glaze, and had to run back this morning to get some Base Coat. I can’t seem to find one that actually works that keeps my polish on, or a Top Coat that stops my nails from chipping after a few hours. Yes, after only a few hours I’ll have a chip.
And now for some reason my cuticles are becoming a problem when they never were before. I’m frustrated, but committed to growing them healthy.
The haul this time features :
Orly : Base Coat, Cuticle & Stain Remover, Won’t Chip Top Coat, Love each Other, Goth, Dazzle, and Glitz.
Finger Paints : Base Coat, Tapesty in Taupe, and Gallery Glam.
China Glaze : Shower Together and Caribean Temptation.
And a cuticle tool and Cuticle Oil from HaKen in Vanilla Almond.
