Tag: China Glaze
Vegas Nails, Take 4
And here’s the last of my $1.74 Ulta Haul – China Glaze “Ma-Holo at Me”.
“Ma-Holo at Me” is a slate blue holographic polish. I figured this is the perfect polish to get me through a trip to Las Vegas – shiny and will match ANYTHING.
Sure, this polish looks nice NOW, but the application was SO problematic. I started with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat. The first coat was super streaky, but that wasn’t the problem. The problem was that each brush stroke made the polish glob onto the previous brush stroke and left weird bald spots. I did the best I could to get a thin, even first coat. The second coat was slightly better, filling in some of the bald streaks, but not all of them. It was SO weird. Without the top coat, the polish was somewhat matte. If I wasn’t going a week without changing my polish, I might have tried it out. Luckily, Glisten & Glow Top Coat is very, VERY forgiving and his most of the bald spots and flaws. My nails ended up looking so much better than they should have.
I’ll be going on hiatus for a week or so while on vacation. Enjoy this spiffy new WordPress theme while I’m out. Vaya con dios!
Don’t Be Sea Salty
All the flavors in the world…and you chose to be salty?
This polish is actual the opposite of salty – it’s so, so sweet. China Glaze “Don’t be Sea Salty” is a finish you don’t see very often – it’s a plastic-y matte shimmer. The shimmer is very, very subtle – but it’s there.
This is two coats of “Don’t be Sea Salty” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat.
Like most matte polishes, the edges wore VERY quickly – no top coat. Even so, it lasted at least a day or so longer than the usual 2 days before looking like total shit. This one is definitely a keeper.
Let’s Have a KIKI!
I wanna have a kiki…lock the doors TIGHT.
That’s right, I only bought China Glaze “Kiki in our Tiki” because of the name. I don’t normally gravitate towards orangey polishes, but for $1.74 – why not?
At full price (usually $7.50), I usually don’t bother with China Glaze polishes…but when they are on sale, I snatch them up. China Glaze is usually good quality, with large bottles…even if the names are cringey puns. How can you even have a kiki inside of a tiki? Maybe if they mean a tiki hut? Ugh, at least it’s not “Keke, do you love me?”
This is two coats of “Kiki in our Tiki” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Flights of Fancy
I’ve been eyeing the Limited Edition wet n wild “Flights of Fancy” set on Instagram for a few months. As soon as I noticed the set hit Ulta for $34.99, it was in my cart and I was checking out before I could talk myself out of it.
What did I get for $34.99? Three Color Icon Eyeshadow Quads – “Stop Ruffling My Feathers”, “Flock Party”, and “Hasta La Costa Baby”. The quality is so-so, but I was impressed by the blendability. Three Baked Blushes – “Don’t Flutter Yourself”, “Hummingbird Hype”, and “Dare to Soar”. Warning, these blushes are SUPER pigmented. I looked like a clown after trying the hot pink one, “Dare to Soar”. Four Color Icon Lip Glosses – “Fly Gal“, “Featherless”, “Pout of Paradise”, and “Shut the Pluck Up” (this one is my fave). Two Liquid Eyeliners – “Gilded Wings” and “Winged n’ Wild”. I am not quite sure how to use the Photofocus Primer Water Spray, but I liked that it went on very thin – perfect for sweating in the summer. Last, but not least, PerfectPout Lip Scrub in “Pecker Up” – it’s watermelon flavored!
I am still super-bummed that I was never ever to find the wet n wild Goth-O-Graphic set at Ulta, so I wasn’t about to pass this super cheap set. It’s definitely worth $34.99 – the eyeshadows and lip glosses are usually $4.99 each, so just those would be $35 by themselves.
So what else did I get? Megababes Bust Dust ($16), because even though my new boobs are a lot perkier than they used to be, it IS summer in Texas. Although it keeps things dry for a bit, I feel like I would have to put it on 10 times a day to get full relief. Ugh. I also stumbled upon China Glaze polishes from their “Shades of Paradise” Collection for $1.74 each – score! I picked up “Ma-Holo at Me”, “Don’t Be Sea Salty” and “Kiki in Our Tiki”.
I got to use a $3.50 off coupon AND got an Estee Lauder Beauty Break with my purchase. Inside the Beauty Break: Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II, Advanced Night Micro Cleansing Foam, Day Wear Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant 24H-Moisture Cream, and Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick in “Insolent Plum” – what a name! I did get a sample pack this time, with Clinique Stay Matte Oil-Free Makeup in 3 shades, and Emporio Armani Stronger With You (both the husband and the son passed on it).
So, between this order and THREE haircuts for the family on Saturday, only $554.49 to Diamond Status…Hmmm…maybe within reach?
Pony Sia
For Xmas, I think, I got my daughter the China Glaze My Little Pony Songbird Serenade Set. I had forgotten about it…until now.
Songbird Serenade is the name of Sia’s rock star pony in the My Little Pony movie. I’ve managed to avoid watching it…so far. I know my days are numbered once it hits cable. The black sparkly polish is the titular “Songbird Serenade” and the gold chrome polish is “Best Ponies Forever”. I feel like a Sia Pony wearing these polishes together.
This is two coats on each nail, over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Independence Nails
I wasn’t gonna do special nails for the 4th today…I just wasn’t feeling it. The weather was awful and rainy today, we didn’t leave the house, and to be honest, I’m not very proud to be American right now. When I broke a nail putting laundry in the dryer, it was a good excuse to my nails. I even took the decision out of my own hands, by letting Lily pick the polishes for us to use…joke’s on me – she picked 4th of July colors.
My nails were long and at the point of breaking, so I went ahead and trimmed them all down before I got started. After Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat, I started with e.l.f. “Liquid Metal”. It was one of those tiny bottles from a holiday set and it was like spreading peanut butter on my nails – there was barely enough for a single coat. Lily then dictated that I do a swipe of red (China Glaze “Applejack of my Eye”) on the left, and blue (China Glaze “Too Busy Being Awesome”) on the right. Both the red and blue were from the China Glaze My Little Pony Collection. I finished off with Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Our nails turned out pretty nice. I did all the swipes freehand, but since the brushes were tiny, I was able to get somewhat clean lines.
Too Busy Being Awesome
Of course, I’m “Too Busy Being Awesome”…
..I’m not bragging, that’s just the name of the polish. We were killing time at Ulta the other day, and I came across China Glaze “Too Busy Being Awesome” in the clearance aisle – half price, plus another 50% off made this polish less than $2. It’s from the My Little Pony Collection. They had several others from the Collection, but either they were ugly (mint green) or Lily already had them. Lily thinks I bought this polish for her, but I didn’t – I bought it for meeeeee…now that I’ve tried it, it’s hers.
This is two coats of “Too Busy Being Awesome” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat. No streaks, no bald spots – although there were a few pinprick bubbles in the top coat.
Ulta 21 Days of Beauty – Day 19
I think it was Day 19…whatever, the 21 Days of Beauty were September 3rd to 23rd and on the 21st, I found something to order.
I have a hard time passing up the chance to try new foundations for 50% off. I decided to try Laura Geller Balance-n-Brighten Baked Color Correcting Foundation in “Medium” for $16.50. It’s a swirly dome, with streak of gold. I feel like this foundation makes my face matte, but luminous at the same time. It’s really nice, actually.
I also picked up a full size China Glaze “Let Your Twilight Sparkle” ($7.50) for my daughter – she actually used up the entire mini bottle already! Oh, and a Zoya Remove+ ($10).
For freebies, I got Ulta Beauty Radiant Skin Collection Warming Charcoal Cleanser and Sleeping Cream, NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in “St. Mortiz/Medium 1”, and Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer.
I got free shipping with the day’s deal. I used $23.50 in Ulta points (I still have $50 left) and a $3.50 off coupon, so my order was only $7.58!
Let Your Twilight Sparkle
Sure, I bought it for Lily…but I knew that she would insist that I borrow it.
I am fascinated by her China Glaze My Little Pony “Let Your Twilight Sparkle” nail polish. It’s truly the most unicorn-y nail polish I’ve ever found. It’s a shifting blue/purple/iridescent shimmer.
I tried out my other new base coat – Glisten & Glow Base Coat. It has a bit of stick to it, although not quite as sticky as Orly Bonder. It stuck to the polish like glue. This is two coats of “Let Your Twilight Sparkle” – still very sheer, but lots of glimmer. I finished with Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
The two coats are very thin, since Lily has used this polish so much in the past two weeks that the little mini bottle is almost empty! She’s used it on her fingers and toes several times, then taken it to my sister’s and done her cousins with it, too. She is demanding a full size bottle…
I went ahead and put bottle in my Ulta shopping cart, so I don’t forget. It’s only $7.50, so not too ridiculous. I might pick up a few of the other shimmers in this collection – there’s a red one!
Long Kiss
Miss me? Been a bit busy, as all of Southeast Texas is now beachfront property. We’re all safe and dry (now) and I can get back my nails.
China Glaze “Long Kiss” is a luscious, shimmery wine. Not bad for 97 cents! I probably have a dozen or so maroon/wine/blood polishes, but I forget them all when I see a new one. I started with Sinful Colors Base Coat and then two clean coats of “Long Kiss”. I could’ve gone with one…but I never go with just one. The consistency is perfect – smooth and even. I got a few bubbles, but they disappeared under “HK Girl”.
I did these Saturday night and they lasted well up until today, with just a few chips on my right thumb. I did my toes, too and they’re still going strong.