Tag: RUFFIAN
Endless Love
I’ve had this polish nearly two years and I am just now getting around to trying it. I can’t believe it has taken this long to try this amazing polish.
RUFFIAN “Endless Love” is a chrome pink dream. I started with Orly Bonder and really could have gone with just one coat. I did two. Even though it goes on smooth and gives full coverage in one coat, it is very unforgiving of any ridges or peeling in your nails, so it looks best when your nails are in their best condition. It didn’t bubble as badly as the other RUFFIAN polishes I’ve tried, but I’ll chalk that up to user error – that was before I was using a base coat and a good top coat. I used “HK Girl” this time.
Walker Blood
So…my sweet mother-in-law sent me a picture of bloody nails for Halloween inspiration. And then…my friend Angie did bloody nails. I had to try bloody nails!
I started with Sinful Colors Base Coat and a single coat of RUFFIAN “Sahara”, for a nude look. I picked Sinful Colors “Rich in Heart” for the blood. “Rich in Heart” is a deep, shimmery maroon, as opposed to the usual blood red. They look black in the picture, but you can see the red shimmer on the bottle. (I also did “Rich in Heart” on my toes.) I started off using a big dotting tool for the blood drips, but it was taking forever, so by the third nail, I just painted them with the brush – they ended up looking about the same. Next time, I might try with a paint brush to get better curves. To finish, I sealed them with “HK Girl”.
Maybe it was because I was was watching The Walking Dead while I was doing my nails, but I decided that the blood looks like Zombie Walker blood.
My First Attempt at Stamping
I couldn’t wait to try out my new stamping gear from moYou. I used Sinful Colors Base Coat and RUFFIAN “Naked” as my base – I wanted to try the french manicure plates to see if I could get a clean line.
Things I learned…
1. Work FAST – the polish dries quickly on the stamper
2. Make sure your nails are DRY and not sticky
3. ROLL the stamper and do not just press down
4. The French manicure strips are impossible to get on right
5. Small designs like flowers are infinitely easier than french tops it whole nail patterns – see my pinky
6. Be very careful with your nail polish remover when cleaning up – the pump on my Zoya Remove+ splashed all out the sides and dotted my nails
7. I have no idea how you’re supposed to clean your plates after stamping without ruining your nails
All things considered, my first attempt at stamping didn’t turn out too badly. I have the deepest admiration for the girls who can get the stamp to cover their entire nails cleanly – I failed at getting full nail coverage. I do have huge, long fingernails – but still.
I’ll keep on trying – practice makes perfect.
Reflecting Skin
It’s glittery, but not. It’s…breathtaking, like skin that reflects pure light.
I decided to do a new version of my old naked rhinestone suit manicure. After Orly Bonder, I used RUFFIAN “Sahara” as my skintone – just one coat. A thick coat of essie Luxeffects “Set in Stones” and then finished off with Zoya Matte Velvet Topcoat. Just four quick coats and dry within minutes. The perfect “before bedtime” manicure!
The Walking Dead
So The Walking Dead is back tonight, so I made blood-spattered Zombie Apocalypse nails for the occasion. I’m not all crazy about the show, but I do watch it fairly religiously. I’m not going to riot if they kill Daryl or anything. I will, however, riot if they cancel Talking Dead.
I used RUFFIAN “Naked” (from last month’s Birchbox) for the flesh tone. It’s the most perfect nude polish ever. It is a bit streaky in one coat, but two coats are perfect, with no visible nail line. I used Maybelline Street Art “Wild at Heart” for the blood and gore splatters. I tried a kind of splattered gradient effect by applying a second coat of “Wild at Heart” to the right side of each nail. I went back to using the Revlon Quick Dry Base and Top Coat, because they are WAY better over non sparkly glitters and polishes than the NYC.
It reminds me more of the comic book than the show…
September Birchbox – Fresh Paint
I feel like I had to wait FOREVER for my Birchbox this month. I am not mad at Birchbox – I am mad at the mail people. I’ve noticed a trend that I get my Julep, ipsy and Birchbox 1 or 2 or 3 days after my BFF – and she lives LITERALLY 10 minutes away. My mail people are loose butthole.
I picked the regular box option this month instead of the curated Fashionista box, since I already had most of the products in the curated box. September’s theme is “Fresh Paint”. In my box: Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Starter Kit (This is just weird – I am excited to try it!); Macadamia Professional Healing Oil Spray (I am becoming a hair oil connoisseur); RUFFIAN Nail Lacquer in “Naked” (YES!); Temptu S/B Highlighter in “Champagne Shimmer” (hmmmmmm…); and Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream.
This is a really high value box – so lucky this month! I also love the special box it came in – definitely keeping it.
If you would like to try Birchbox, click on my referral link – https://www.birchbox.com/invite/5453f – I’ll get 50 points if you join.
The Perfect Nude
Say hello to RUFFIAN “Sahara” from the Endless Summer Collection….the perfect nude.
Well, the perfect nude for ME anyway. It’s almost a perfect match for my skin. It’s almost freaky looking – like I don’t have any fingernails at all. It’s like that nude patent pump trend from last year – to me, it looked like the illusion of no feet. Now I have no fingernails!
After starting with Revlon Quick Dry Base Coat, I did just one coat of “Sahara”. It was a bit streakier than “Blue Lagoon”, but since I cut my nails, I didn’t have to worry about peeling ridges. I topped with Revlon Quick Dry Top Coat. These Revlons are quickly becoming my favorites!
Modern Mermaid in the Blue Lagoon
I went full mermaid this morning.
Captain Blankenship “Mermaid Mane” Sea Salt Spray in my hair – in a loose, wavy bun. After showering with Bath & Body Works “White Citrus”, I tried Atelier Cologne “Cédrat Enivrant” Cologne Absolue. I played a tense game of “eyeliner chicken” with my Vasanti Kajal Extreme Intense Eye Pencil in “Electric Navy” – luckily I won. (“Eyeliner Chicken” is when you keep putting on more eyeliner, trying to get it even. You know you’ve lost when you look like a raccoon.) The most important part was my mermaid manicure…
This is RUFFIAN “Blue Lagoon”. As beautiful as it is, it is a very unforgiving polish. I got full coverage in one coat, but it shows every imperfection. I have a few peeled tips on my right hand and they show. I also gave Sally Hansen “Diamond Shine” another try as a top coat…it didn’t dry fast enough and I got a few bubbles. Next time, I’ll use a faster drying top coat to try to avoid the bubbles. “Diamond Shine” can kiss my ass.
Modern Mermaid & More
If Birchbox keeps sending me coupon codes for 20% off my first purchase, I’m going to keep using them. Is that unethical?
I finally got a product in one of my monthly boxes that I loved enough to purchase. If you had told me a month ago that I would spend $36 on moisturizer/sunscreen, I would have laughed in your face…but then I tried COOLA Tinted Matte SPF 30 for Face. It goes on smooth – my face feel like velvet and stays matte and shine free all day. This is the holy grail of face products.
I had been lusting after the Limited Edition “Modern Mermaid” Box ($44) and I finally made the plunge. In the box: a deluxe sample of Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Genius Waterproof Topcoat (which I probably will never use); a travel size spray of Atelier Cologne “Cédrat Enivrant” Cologne Absolue (citrusy and woodsy – another scent my mother would have loved…and I love it too); Captain Blankenship “Mermaid Mane” Sea Salt Spray (I need to devote a post to all my sea salt sprays – I use them every day); COOLA Liplux SPF 30 Original Formula; RUFFIAN Endless Summer Collection – Nail Polish Trio: “Blue Lagoon” – a metallic blue, “Endless Love” – a metallic pink and “Sahara” – a metallic nude; Vasanti Kajal Extreme Intense Eye Pencil in “Electric Navy” (dunno about this one…); and a Stephanie Johnson Mermaid Round Snap Mirror, which is exceedingly cute. I think I will use everything in the box, except the waterproof mascara top coat – I don’t want all my eyelashes to fall out!
I also got 2 free samples in my box: another air repair “Rescue Balm” and eyeko “Skinny Mini” black liquid eyeliner, which I am excited to try out.
With my coupon and another $10 in Birchbox point, I only paid $54…sweet deal!
Click my referral link – https://www.birchbox.com/invite/5453f – I’ll get 50 points if you join!