Author: Lara
An Oldie, but Goodie
I’m still reaching deep into my stash. I had gone for a pedicure last week and picked a bold turquoise shimmer by OPI (forgot to ask the name) and wanted to go full mermaid. (ALWAYS go full mermaid.)
I dug around and came back with Sally Hansen “Mermaid’s Tale”. I did a quick search on my site – last time I wore it was 3 years ago. That’s too long for this beauty.
This is two coats of “Mermaid’s Tale” over Sally Hansen Double Duty Base & Top Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat. I don’t remember this polish pulling back from the tips of my nails so much – I am thinking it’s the base coat? Ugh, it’s annoying.
…and then I remembered a possible reason it’s been so long when I went to take the polish off yesterday. It took about 45 fucking minutes to take this polish off. 45. Fucking. Minutes. Ain’t nobody got time fo dat!
Feeling Witchy
I don’t know why, but I’ve been having the urge to dig into my polish stash lately. I don’t know what look I was going for, I just wanted to play. No…I did kind of have an idea. I wanted something in a matte jade green…
Somehow I absolutely mis-remembered what the finish was like on the SpaRitual Luminaries – why did I remember them as matte? I dunno…I guess I could have used my matte top coat, but then I was sleepy and just wanted to go to bed.
I started with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat, and then two coats of Deborah Lippmann “Defying Gravity”. I alternated Luminaries, starting with “Citrine Luminary” on my thumb and “Opaline Luminary” on my index finger. I didn’t even use a top coat, because I kept waiting for the polishes to get more matte.
I have to say though, “Defying Gravity” might just be my favorite green polish. It’s vibrant, but muted. I don’t feel like a goddamn leprechaun when I wear it. Maybe because it’s so similar to my eye color.
The Disappointment is Real
One last round of online shopping before I go back to work this week – I’ve been out of the office over ten weeks! I haven’t had that long off work ever, not even after my kids. I wonder if I will remember how to do my “real” job?
I’m not going to worry about that right now…instead, I am going to focus on my intense disappointment over Winky Lux Flower Balm ($14). I was prepared for my lips to turn any color in a range of red to pink to purple, but I wasn’t expecting what I ended up with – which was absolutely nothing. I couldn’t perceive any noticeable change in the color of my lips at all. I just paid $14 for Chapstick.
I filled my baskets with basics (that I actually needed) just to justify that damn lip balm. 2 bottles of Zoya Remove+ Nail Polish Remover ($10) – the best polish remover in the whole world, right Beth? I also noticed that SheaMoisture was Buy One, Get One Half Off, so I ordered back-ups of SheaMoisture Peace Rose Oil Shampoo and Conditioner (normally $11.49).
Oh, I was also able to take advantage of last week’s bareMinerals Beauty Break. I was able to pick my shade of BarePro Foundation. I took a shot in the dark and chose “Cashmere 06”. Also included: bareMinerals Skinsorials Skin Longevity Vital Power Infusion (huh?); Gen Nude Patent Lip Lacquer (color isn’t noted on the vial, but I think it may be “dahling”); Prime Time Original Foundation Primer; and Original Mineral Veil. I tried out bareMineral original foundation when it first launched – ~13 years ago? It somehow made me look older than I was, but now I’m that age, so maybe I should try it again? I’m looking forward to trying these old and new products.
For my samples, I got OGX Orchid Oil Shampoo & Conditioner and St. Moritz Professional Wash Off Tan (nope, nope, nope).
I also decided to bop in to Ulta for a haircut yesterday. I am completely incapable of walking out of Ulta empty-handed.
NYX has really found their niche in liquid lipsticks – they have over a dozen different lines, each of which has a distinctly different formula and feel. Right now, my favorite line is definitely the Metallic version of the Soft Matte Lip Creams. I had to pick up two more, since NYX Cosmetics are Buy One, Get One Half Off. I chose “Monte Carlo” (a pink leaning red) and “Rome” (rosy mauve?). Normally $6.99, the sale made them $5.24 each.
I wish I had figured out about using the Ulta Salon sooner – only $197.67 to Ulta Platinum. I also have $67.50 in Ulta points – I see a splurge in my future…
Betcha I’m a Unicorn
Usually, I’m not impressed by milky nail polishes – ESPECIALLY milky glitters – see China Glaze “It’s a Trap-eze”. But it turns out that I really like Funky Fingers “Betcha I’m a Unicorn”.
“Betcha I’m a Unicorn” has a pinkish white milky base – it’s almost iridescent. The glitters are varied – white dots, holographic squares and dots, light blue bars and holographic/white shards. AND the polish is loaded with glitter – no fishing.
This is two coats over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat. The best part about this kind of light polish – I swear, I could’ve worn it for a month because it camouflages chips and edge wear so well.
I am in love with these Funky Fingers polishes from Five Below. I wish they’d hurry up and release some new ones!
Sephora Play! March 2018 – Festival of Beauty
Is it me, or is “Festival” the most over-used campaign buzzword in the Beauty World right now? It’s getting to be ridiculous, kind of like “Unicorn”. Don’t get me wrong, I was deep into Festivals and outside concert in my youth. I religiously attended Lollapalooza 1992 through 1995, and various other outside concerts…but back then, the only makeup I needed back then was black eyeliner…
What I SHOULD have worn was sunscreen. I never did and I always got a sunburn every damn time. So it was nice of Sephora to include Murad Invisiblur Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30 | PA+++. The package says invisible SPF, primer and anti-aging treatment in one – I’m sold!
Also in the Festival box: Buxom Plumpline Lip Liner Crayon in “Hush Hush”; Sephora Matte Perfection Powder Foundation in “14 Neutral Linen” (close to the shade I’ve been using – “16 Cool Linen”); Verb Ghost Oil; Lancome Miel-en-Mousse Foaming Cleanser and Makeup Remover; and a tiny foilpack of OUAI Anti-Frizz. Oh, and a snazzy tie-dye pouch that says “Beauty is my Spirit Animal”.
If you don’t get Sephora Play, join us for Festival Fun. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
Blue Steel
I call this look…Blue Steel.
Julep “Ida” is described as blue heron matte shimmer, but to me, it’s Blue Steel. This is quite a unique polish. I have load of steel, gunmetal, stone – all sorts of metallic gray polishes – but nothing like this blue/gray metallic polish.
Matte polishes can be pretty hit or miss and Matte Metallic polishes are difficult to work with, but “Ida” was a breeze to apply. This is just two coats over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat.
I feel like I need to find Magnum and Le Tigre polishes, too.
Blood Sugar
…Sex Magik. Sorry, can’t help it – I’m a child of the 90s. Blood Sugar Sex Magik was the soundtrack to the summer between 10th and 11th grade.
Forget about RHCP for a minute, and let’s focus on Jeffree Star Love Sick Collection. Launched back on February 10th, my cart was full, but the palette had already sold out when I tried to complete my transaction. Devastating! I wasn’t entirely shocked – although I’ve been lucky in the past, I missed out on the palette this time. I was pleased when a new feature was released within an hour or so – pre-orders for the re-stock!
The re-stock happened this past week and I received my Blood Sugar Palette ($52), plus the other goodies I picked out. The Blood Sugar Palette contains 18 eye shadows in a plastic case that resembles a First Aid Kid. That case fits neatly in a VHS Sleeve. Like whoa, that is a cool detail. Like the Beauty Killer Palette, the shadows blend effortlessly without primer, although the pans are smaller. I have been using the palette exclusively for the past few days and the combinations are endless.
The Collection launched with four new shades of Velour Liquid Lipstick ($18), but I only snagged three of them: “Romeo”, (bright matte neon pink – basically a highlighter for your lips, the marker not the makeup); “Problematic”, a vibrant, matte berry; and “Restraints”, a metallic gunmetal. I skipped “Self Control” – I just cannot rock a matte lavender lip.
I also splurged on Velour Lip Scrub in “Chocolate Covered Strawberry” ($12) and this stuff is MAGIK. It is a yummy way to remove your liquid lipstick – I could just eat the whole jar.
My only regret on spending $118 is that I don’t get Sephora or Ulta credit. Other than that, it is totally worth it.
March 2018 Ipsy Bag – Create
Ipsy has been hitting their creative stride this year. March’s theme is literally, “Create”, and comes with a glam bag you can color yourself. I handed it over to Lily to color for me and she did a GREAT job.
This month’s products are basics from high quality brands: Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Cream; Benefit Cosmetics BADGal Bang Mascara in “Pitch Black” (I’m a big fan of Roller Lash – will this beat it?); Skin&Co Roma Truffle Therapy Cleansing Cream (Oooooh); Tarte Cosmetics Sex Kitten Eyeliner; and Steve Laurant Beauty Lip Oil in “Orchid” (lip oils are great for removing liquid lipsticks).
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Space Glam
Oooh…Space Glam!
Essence Cosmetics “Space Glam” is a complex nail polish. The gold shimmer hits you first, but the base is a duochrome, color-shifting wine to mauve to lavender.
This is two coats of “Space Glam” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Come to think of it, this polish seems really familiar. I wracked my brain and figured it out – it’s very, very similar to Zoya “Faye”. “Faye” is a tiny bit less gold and more mauve, but they’re very similar.
March 2018 Birchbox – finally. spring.
This month, I chose the single sample choice, instead of the Curated Box. I wanted that Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream.
I shouldn’t have bitched about not getting a fragrance last month, though – this month’s fragrance, TokyoMilk Dark Bulletproof, gave me the WORST headache. Also in this month’s box: Marcelle Ultimate Volume Nano Mascara; OUAI Leave In Conditioner; and Winky Lux Glazed Lips Donut Lip Gloss (Winky Lux makes those clear, color-changing lipsticks with the flower inside – I want one BAD!)
This box was a bit lame. Birchbox is a serious yo-yo!
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.