Category: Nails
Obsessed
I am obsessed with Formula X “Obsessed”. I have so, so many dark red/wine colored polishes, but “Obsessed” is the best BY FAR. Urban Decay “Mrs. Mia Wallace” is good, but not as deep. Pacifica “Red Red Wine” is also very similar, but has more of a crusty edge when it dries. “Obsessed” is perfect though – no bubbles, no streaks, just shine. To be fair, they would be very, very hard to tell apart…to the untrained eye.
I applied two coats between Sinful Colors Base Coat and “HK Girl”.
OH! I cut my nails pretty short. The nails on my left hand were all long and strong, but I recently had to cut several on my right hand, due to peeling. I cut my right hand first and was going to leave my left hand long for pictures, but that just felt too weird to have one hand with short nails and one hand with long nails.
I used 100 Sephora Points to get this polish, so does that mean it technically cost $100?
Zap Zap Zap
So…I finally broke down and ordered a laser to zap my bikini line. (I had gotten it done at Sona MedSpa a few years ago, but I figured buying a home laser would be cheaper than paying for touch-ups.) Sephora had the Tria Hair Removal Laser 4X on sale for $399, so I jumped on that deal – they’re usually $449, even on Amazon. So I managed to get a sale price, while guaranteeing at least VIB status for 2017. I’m looking forward to zapping my privates later…
For freebies, I chose boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser, Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment and Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Cream. I also used a code for a fresh deluxe sample of Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. I even used some of the points I’d been hoarding to get Formula X Nail Color in “Obsessed” and more belif – The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb – I love that stuff!
Oh, I was slightly kicking myself when I got my zulily email this morning and one of the deals was the Tria 4X for $389…But I quickly got over it when I remembered my Sephora status – definitely worth the extra $10.
Under the Sea
Under the sea…Darlin’ it’s better…down where it’s wetter…
I totally feel like the Little Mermaid wearing Julep “Shay”, celadon iridescent chrome. I don’t know if I agree that this green is celadon. Celadon is more of a dusty jade green – but I guess the shiny is taking away the dusty. Regardless, to me – it looks like Ariel’s tail.
After Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat, I painted two coats of “Shay” – no bubbles! I did get a bit too much in the crevices beside my nails, but it peeled off cleanly in the shower – no crusties. I finished with “HK Girl”.
I LOVE this color!
January Julep Maven Box – New Year, Fresh Look
As soon as I saw this month’s new beauty product, I knew I was picking it – No Limits Luxe Hydrating Crème, a universal moisturizer. I’ve got flaky winter skin on my cheeks and chin – I need it GONE. Fingers crossed that it doesn’t clog my pores and give me a nasty breakout.
The rest of January’s “New Year, Fresh Look” Collection was pretty saucy. I had a hard time choosing, but I finally decided on Bombshell “Shay” – celadon iridescent chrome – and Boho Glam “Marika” – stone matte metallic. I wanted “Celeste” – cosmic gray iridescent glitter, but I didn’t feel like paying extra, so I’m hoping I can swap it into my box next month.
Oh, look…Junior Mints! Yup, they’re gone already.
Not a Julep Maven? Leave a comment and I’ll send you a referral email good for a free welcome box!
You Can’t Win Them All
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. This combination is a loser.
After Sinful Colors Base Coat, I painted two coats of Sinful Colors “Gold Medal” on each nail – except the pinky. My pinky got THREE coats of Sinful Colors “All About You” – and it’s still ridiculously sheer. I left my thumb alone and tried different layers of “All About You” on my middle three fingers. Things seemed to go okay until my ring finger – I’m still not quite sure what the fuck happened there. I think brush got stuck a little in the middle of my nail? “HK Girl” smoothed most of the weirdness…most of it.
So, I rather liked “Gold Medal” on it’s own and even with a layer of “All About You” – see my middle finger. But the gradients didn’t work right. I kind of like the sheer “All About You” on its own, but the two polishes just don’t mix well at all. Oh well…
Rose Quartz & Serenity
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For 2016, Pantone announced 2 “Colors of the Year” – Rose Quartz & Serenity. To me, it looks like your two basic layette choices – blue for a baby boy and pink for a baby girl. And Sephora really thinks people are going to wear baby blue lipstick? What do I know…maybe they will?
No need to go buy new polishes for 2016 – I dug into my stash and chose Sinful Colors “Glass Pink” for “Rose Quartz” and Sinful Colors “Cinderella” for “Serenity”. After Sinful Colors Base Coat, I painted two coats of “Glass Pink” or “Cinderella” on each nail. To add a little sparkle, I topped with a coat of Zoya “Monet”. I finished with “HK Girl”.
I love and hate these colors on my nails. It’s almost too cute and fussy. Almost.
Ringing in the New Year
This is it – the last nails of 2015.
I wanted something sparkly, so I grabbed Julep Classic with a Twist “Makenna”, gilded lilac glitter. The mix of gold and lilac microglitter is almost rose gold, one of my favorite tones lately. I need more rose gold in my life in 2o16!
After Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat, I was able to get full coverage in jut two coats. I went without a top coat, so I could enjoy the sandpapery texture.
Bela Lugosi’s Dead
Now that Xmas is over-ish, back to the grind…OK, not a grind exactly – but you know what I mean.
This is Kat Von D vs Formula X “Bauhau5” (Bela Lugosi’s dead…undead, undead, undead). It’s a matte deep raspberry…or, um fuchsia. It’s very similar to Sonia Kashuk “Jewel Orchid”, which is still on my toes.
I started with Sinful Colors Base Coat, then two coats of “Bauhau5”, then “HK Girl”. The first coat was streaky, but the second coat went on smoothly.
The “Bauhau5” Studded Kiss Lipstick isn’t an exact match – it seems a little lighter than the polish.
This lipstick has good staying power. It lasted through a juicy Fuddrucker’s hamburger for lunch and then mexican food for dinner. I did use a little gloss to revive it after lunch, but my lips were pretty pink until I got ready for bed.
Oh yeah, ignore my tit zit.
A Candy Cane Vibe
I was busy spreading joy and cheer yesterday, so this post is a bit late…
For my final Xmas manicure, I wanted a kind of candy cane vibe.
I was feeling too lazy to do stripes, so I went for a crushed peppermint effect. After Sinful Colors Base Coat, I used Sinful Colors “Tokyo Pearl” for the base – two coats. I used Sinful Colors “Decadent” on the tips. I tried to do a gradient, but it didn’t really gather at the tips like I was expecting. I finished off with “HK Girl” for a smooth finish.
Miss Colombia
I think we can all agree on one thing…if nothing else, Miss Colombia had the best dress. I was dying over the pinky nude rhinestone dress. (Beauty pageants aren’t something I normally watch, but it was on in the background at the in-laws…we had so much fun heckling!) I just happened to pick up NYC “Pink Bling” at Target on Saturday…78 cents – it’s a dead ringer.
After Sinful Colors Base Coat, I did two coats of “Pink Bling”. Coverage was okay – I probably could have gotten total coverage with another coat or two, but my nails are relatively unstained right now, so I didn’t mind my natural color peaking through. “Pink Bling” is a smooth glitter, but I finished with “HK Girl” for extra protection and shine.
“Pink Bling” would look ABSOLUTELY amazing over a silver or platinum base coat.