Saturday, December 25, 2010

Saturday, December 18, 2010

L'Oreal HIP Chrome Color Eyeliner

L'Oreal HIP Chrome Color Eyeliners come in four colors, Black Shock, Gold Charge, Silver Lightning, and Violet Volt. I currently have the black and the gold.

These vary in price from store to store. I purchased mine at WalMart for nine dollars and some change (after sales tax). The prices can range from 8-10 dollars a piece.











Aaaaand here's where I freak out!

I LOVE these! They are incredibly soft, they don't tug, or budge. After I swatched these on the back of my hand I rand my fingers across the colors and they did NOT move. Amazing.
















The gold is such a rich vibrant warm shade of yellowy gold. However, these are called "chrome" liners, but as you can see, the black isn't quite a chrome finish. This doesn't disappoint me though, it has very very tiny silver glitter reflects in it, which you can see in the picture. Love it.








Gold Charge applied to my waterline. The application was so, so, so smooth. One pass and there was rich vibrant color deposited onto my waterline. It lasted several hours with no migration, smudging or fading.





These are a must buy! Save some Christmas gift money, and pick one up!

I'm totally excited to get the other two colors!



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Monday, December 13, 2010

China Glaze: Heart of Africa

China Glaze Heart of Africa is a lovely deep red polish that is perfect for the holidays!





















These photos are one coat of Nail Magic's Botanical Nail Strengthener as a base, two coats of Heart of Africa, and two coats of Out the Door top coat.















I've been holding out for a very long time to get this shade. I thought it might be too 'old-lady' on me me, but I love it! It applies nicely like a standard China Glaze polish does. Overall, no complaints.















This is part of the permanent China Glaze line, so if you're not sure, you don't have to rush out and buy it right away.
















The only thing that made this polish a little blah was the fact that I need a new bottle of top coat, and whenver I style my hair with hairspray it cakes up on my nails when I run my fingers through my hair. So that's why it's a little dull looking. Otherwise, it's fantastic!















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Thursday, December 2, 2010

HOORAY!!

My blog has reached 1,000 views!!

Thanks to all my fans, subscribers, and passers by! I couldn't have done it without you all!!!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Today's Look (11/28/10)

Hey guys! Sorry that I haven't been able to post a tutorial lately, it's been very cloudy outside and I need the natural light to get the best results from my crummy webcam.

Anyway, hope you enjoy Today's Look!

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC Fluidline in Brassy (base)
Jesse's Girl eye shadow in Sparkle Gold
Smashbox eye shadow in Torch
MAC mineralize eye shadow Inter-View (the brown portion)
MAC eye shadow in Carbon
MAC eye shadow in Next to Nothing
Palladio liquid eyeliner in Black
Palladio eyeliner in Pure Black
L'Oreal mascara in Carbon Black



Face:
Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Cheeky Bronze


Lips:
Palladio Lipstick in Just Red



Hope you enjoyed :)

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Monday, November 29, 2010

Orly: Glitz & Glamour

I know, I know, I've been reviewing a ton of Orly shades lately, but there have been so many colors that have been standing out to me!

Glitz & Glamour is one.

For the past few months I've been highly into golden bronzey colors. When I saw this shade, I was totally excited. This is from the 'Tis The Season collection and is available now.
















Lovely warm medium gold shade, with a glittery foil effect.

This polish could have been a one-coater! This surprised me because it looks like it has a slightly thin consistency. But, I did two coats anyway.






I have no rants about this nail color. I love it. Fabulous even application, great rich color pay off. The only problem I can think of that might happen is... stained nails, boo.

This color is a real eye catcher, and I just might have a new favorite nail polish!!





Amazing foily, blurry, glittery goodness!!


Friday, November 26, 2010

Top Coats

Top coat is one of the key ingredients in a perfect manicure. I'd like to share with you three that I have recently come to love.



A product thumbnail of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top CoatSeche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat.

This was the first top coat I truly fell in love with. This top coat is thick and applies evenly. It has a very glossy finish and is super popular in nail salons.

I don't experience a ton of chipping with this, mostly tip wear, but some is expected as there isn't really anything that's going to stop it. It dries fast, but not exceptionally so.

The thing I hate most about this top coat is, it got very, very gooey after only using half a bottle. I do my nails approximately twice a week, so that's no good. So I moved on.


A product thumbnail of Out The Door Fast Drying Top CoatOut the Door Fast Dry Top Coat is another one that is highly regarded by nail techs.

I moved on to this product after I threw away my gooey bottle of Seche Vite. However, I was skeptical.

I love it, it's not thick like Seche Vite but it works very well. Lovely glossy finish and dries faster than Seche Vite.

Honestly, it just works for me. There are no complaints.




A product thumbnail of Nail Magic Fast Dry Top CoatNail Magic Fast Dry Top Coat.

I received this as a promotional item at my job and decided to try it the last time I painted my nails.

I enjoyed this product quite a bit, it dries very quickly, and I have not experienced any chipping at all, just tip wear.

The only complaint I have about it is the very peculiar scent it has. It's rather disgusting. No nail polish product smells GOOD, but this is just unusually.... bad. But I can accept it because it works well.



In general I use two coats of any top coat I use to make sure that it's even, and I have my nail thoroughly coated.

Hopefully this was helpful for you!



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Thursday, November 25, 2010

Nail Polish Haul (and a little extra)


A while ago I hauled some polishes and two eye shadow sticks. I'll do mini reviews of each of these. Some of these products I have or will be doing full reviews of.

Finger Paints Winter Wishes and Holly Good Time. Ok, is it just me, or do these colors absolutely scream fall? These are from the new Finger Paints Winter Dreams collection. Don't get me wrong though, these are fantastic colors, they just don't seem wintry to me. I have used both of these colors already and I love them. Winter Wishes is incredibly thick and bumpy when dry. Blah. It's still very pretty, though. Holly Good Time is on my toes right now. I didn't use a base underneath it, so I layered it enough to be opaque. I'd photograph it, but I doubt you all want to look at my toes! Overall, great shades, they're the only colors that grabbed me from this collection.


Orly Out of This World, Halley's Comet, and Glitz & Glamour. The first two are from the Cosmic FX Collection. I have not used Out of This World yet, but I have used Halley's Comet, I reviewed it here. Glitz & Glamour is from 'Tis The Season Holiday Lacquer Collection, and I will have a review of this color up in a couple of days, but I can say one thing, I think I have a new favorite nail polish! I'll be purchasing two more colors from this collection later on.


China Glaze Party Hearty. I'll be honest, China Glaze  is most definitely my favorite nail polish brand, but the last few collections have been pretty ho-hum for me. Especially the holiday collection, 'Tis The Season - to be naughty and nice (I know, clever isn't it?). At any rate, for the time being, this was the only color I wanted. And you can see why. I love glitter. I haven't used this yet, but I certainly will be doing a fabulous Christmas manicure with this.


Last, but certainly not least are the Palladio Shadow & Liner Herbal Crayons. The colors that I chose are Icicle and Raspberry. I have used these a couple of times. And they're alright. I'm planning a full review of these in the next few days.


Look out for my upcoming reviews, and until next time, have a good one



Sunday, November 21, 2010

Nail Magic Botanical Nail Strengthener with Horsetail

A product thumbnail of Nail Magic Botanical Nail Strengthener with HorsetailNail Magic Botanical Nail Strengthener with Horsetail is a new addition to the Nail Magic line by Haken.

"An intensive treatment containing horsetail, a healing herb rich in nutrients that work to make the natural nail stronger and assist in promoting healthy growth"

I'll say! I love this stuff. I've been using this for a few months now and I have had great results from it. I use it as a base coat for my polish, and sometimes use it under the free edge of my nail. I paint my nails twice a week, or so. So that goes along with the instructions of using it two to three times a week.

The full instructions read: "Apply one coat on a clean, dry nail 2-3 times a week for the first two weeks. You do not need to remove the old coat during this time just apply the new coat over the existing coat. After two weeks remove original coats and repeat the application process."

I don't follow this to a T, but like I said, I use this as a base coat and it works wonders. My natural nails are very flaky, they peel, crack and break at the drop of a hat. Since I've been using this under my polish I haven't had nearly as many issues. You can of course follow the instructions exactly if you aren't a polish wearer and just want something to maintain your totally natural nails.

Give it a try if you have nails like mine were!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Orly: Halley's Comet

First I want to say that this nail polish was ridiculous to photograph. To me, this is much more teal in person than my camera will pick up on.

Alrighty, this polish is from the Orly Cosmic FX Collection. I know I'm a little late on this, but for the purposes of this review it's not about being on time, it about the fabulousness of this color.

This color is a turquoise with greenish yellow reflects.

These photos are of one coat of Nail Magic's Botanical Nail Strengthener, two coats of Halley's Comet, and two coats of Nail Magic's Fast Dry Top Coat.






Application was better on this polish than Space Cadet, from the same collection. Much more pigmented, and much smoother.
































Lovely yellow reflects.
The brush is small (Same as Space Cadet), and quite honestly it annoys me, but I'll get over it because these polishes are so lovely.


































The following images are under different camera settings and some are enhanced to show a more true to life color.

I enhanced this picture slightly to make the polish lean more turquoise as it does in person.







































These two pictures were taken under different camera settings than usual to show the glitter effects and the reflects.









I love this color, it's gorgeous. These are no longer available at Sally Beauty, but I'm sure there are some larger retail stores or salons that may have them. http://www.transdesign.com/ still has these in stock, but they come with a hefty price tag at 10 dollars a piece. Definitely an indulgence, but it's definitely worth it!



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Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Makeup Removers



It's no secret that I am a heavy makeup-wearer. So to remove everything that I use daily, here's what I prefer.



Take The Day Off Makeup Remover For Lids, Lashes & LipsClinique's Take the Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes & Lips($17.50). This a remover that you have to shake before you use, and put it on a cotton ball or a cotton round. I use this every day as part of my makeup application. I use it for clean-up under my eyes for fallout. It's great. If I have some particularly tough makeup on I use this, and it does not irritate my eyes and wipes away practically clean in one or two swipes. This will indeed remove tough liquid liner, mascara, and any waterproof products. I am in love with Clinique's skin care because it's scent-free. I'm very picky about smells, especially when they're near my face. I have two sample bottles of this product that I have have since last year, and I haven't gotten through one bottle yet. A little goes a long way with this product, really great.



A product thumbnail of Beyond Belief Facial Cleansing and Makeup Remover TowelettesBeyond Belief Facial Cleansing and Makeup Remover Towelettes ($4.99). Pre-moistened deep cleansing towelettes that have a fairly pleasant smell and are great for people with sensitive skin/eyes. They are hypo-allergenic, alcohol free and very affordable. There are 56 wipes in each package. I use these EVERY night. I love them. They don't burn my eyes, they aren't offensively perfumed, and they clean really, really well. It's amazing how much grime these take off of your face. Even when you don't wear makeup. These are super refreshing in the summer time, too.




Liquid Facial SoapClinique's Liquid Facial Soap ($15.00). This is a non-drying facial soap, and is a gentle cleanser. I will admit that I have only used this a handful of times, but each time it's been fantastic. I have rather dry skin, so that's why I was hesitant to use it. When I hear "facial soap" my brain automatically thinks of how my skin feels after I wash my face with bar soap -shudder-. But this, this is a totally different animal. My face feels amazingly silky and moisturized after using this. I didn't experience any tightness or redness with this. I use this after I use my Beyond Belief Towelettes (Because ideally you should wash your face twice, once to get the makeup off and again to get any dirt and residue off) Again, I have a sample tube of this, but when I run out I will gladly repurchase!


If I find anything new, I'll certainly keep you updated!!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

China Glaze Twofor: First Class Ticket and Golden Enchantment






China Glaze's First Class Ticket is a lovely deep indigo color with teeny tiny blue glitter, and Golden Enchantment is a gold glitter with small rainbow glitter pieces in a clear base. Simply put, it's a glitter topcoat.

I LOVE purple nail polish, and I especially love purple nail polish with gold glitter over it.



















I was pretty iffy on First Class Ticket when it first came out with the Vintage Vixen collection, but now I'm sold. The color is so pretty, plummy indigo with blue glitter? Yes, please! The application was fantastic. It could have been a one coat-er but I always do at least two coats of my nail color.













I've had Golden Enchantment for a while now, and I adore this over many different colors of polish. It's so multi-purpose, how can you not love it? It's very thick, and I like that. A lot of glittery polishes are so thin that you can't get anything out of them, or the glitter slides all over your nails. Not this. It goes on like a regular nail varnish. Awesome.










Blurry to show the glitter

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Yikes!!

So, this is possibly the most obcene pile of China Glaze I have ever seen.

This is just my China Glaze collection. I have several other brands as well.

I Love Nail Polish!
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Today's Look

Hey guys! I did something pretty fun today, if I do say so myself!
Here we go!




































Eyes:
Make Up For Ever #92
Jesse's Girl Pink
Bare Minerals Bikini
L'oreal Carbon Black Mascara
Ok, the eyelashes need a touch of explaining. These are Ardell Diva lashes that I cut the outer corners off because they are too long for my eyes, so I used the excess lashes as corner lashes!

Face:
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural- Light
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish- Petticoat

Lips:
MAC Wonderstruck



























































I'd like to start including my reader's looks for this series of posts! So email me some pictures of a look that you've done that you're really fond/proud of.
Rules being- The photos must be of your own work, and preferrably of yourself.
                    Semi decent photos with accurate color representation.
Who will be the first one to be featured?!

If you do email me please send with it a list of products you've used and a little blurb about yourself to be featured with the photos.

This should be fun guys! Let's give it a go!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Tiny Bare Minerals Haul and Review

A couple weeks back I went to Bare Minerals and purchased two new eye colors. I'm fully addicted to their products, especially the eye shadows, so I had to have more. Each of these retails for 13$ each. Which isn't bad considering the cost of some company's loose eye shadows. *cough*MAC*cough*


At any rate the two colors I purchsed are Angel, and Purrfect.


Angel is a matte mid-toned pinky-purple.
The application isn't as smooth as I'd like, but I'll cope just because it's such a fantastic shade. It goes on a bit chalky, but not so much so that it just flakes off. I'm thinking that a sticky white colored base for this shadow would make the ease of application increase ten fold.





Purrfect is a lovely tarnished gold color, a tiny bit of a green hue. Very glittery, and pigmented. Ease of use on this is very high, smooth application, and very blendable.































I absolutely love Purrfect, Angel is good too. But out of both, Purrfect gets my vote.


As always I adore Bare Minerals. They have some amazing products, check 'em out!