Author: Lara
It’s Not Black, It’s Blue
Julep “Maylee” is the first polish I selected from this month’s box. It’s described as midnight navy with gold microshimmer – and when they say microshimmer, they mean it. The shimmer is very, very understated and the light has to hit it just right. It’s so blue, it’s nearly black!
I was extremely careful when I painted my nails – I was able to get very clean edges and not stain my skin, as sometimes happens with these dark polishes. I was expecting less coverage from such a thin polish, but it covered like a champ. This is just two coats over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat (I cracked open a new bottle – nothing like the first coat out of the bottle). I finished with “HK Girl” – so shiny!
Jamaican Gold
Sorry, but I’m gonna force you to look at my foot for a second.
For my birthday last weekend, my wonderful children got me a pedicure…and my husband got me a Shari! Somehow he secretly arranged for my friend Shari to come spend the weekend with me. I must be kind of oblivious, because he did it for my birthday 6 years ago and I still didn’t recognize the signs. She was more than happy to accompany me on my pedicure adventure.
The shop had an even better match for my car – Dare to Wear “Jamaican Coffee”. I’ve never heard of that brand before, but they had it and OPI, so I assume it’s similar?
I could just stare at my toes for hours…
February Julep Maven Box – Cozy in Love
Not sure what’s so cozy or in love about the February Collection, but I like it.
I skipped the lipsticks this month and went for all polish. I chose It Girl “Maylee” (midnight navy with gold microshimmer), Bombshell “August” (chocolate cherry ghost shimmer) and Bombshell “Jolene” (iron ore metallic). I also got gold metal studs to wear on my nails…those will be interesting.
I also used jules to get Voila! Nail Polish Thinner – I want to make sure my older polishes can still be used.
Oh, and a little sample of Love Your Bare Face Hydrating Cleansing Oil.
No candy this month – it’s a travesty!
Not a Julep Maven? Click HERE to join – I’ll get a $15 credit and you’ll get your first box free!
20% off Vice
Anyone else get a 20% off coupon from Ulta the Saturday before last? I found it while we were sitting in traffic, on the way to buy my car…sure as shit, I used it.
I didn’t think to hard about ordering 3 more of the new Urban Decay Vice Liquid Lipsticks – I got “Studded” (a metallic gray-brown recently spotted on Ruby Rose – it’s so hot), “Tryst” (a neon-y pink/red that seems like a dupe for JS “Watermelon Soda”) and “Trap Queen” (I wanted this gold glittery red to be more glittery – a bit disappointed). Very happy to get these for 20% off!
I also added another Zoya Remove+ to put me over the edge for free shipping – I always need it.
There were a few freebies available – I got another tube of drybar Hot Toddy, plus a full size Honest Beauty Truly Kissable Lip Crayon in “Sheer Chestnut Kiss”. In my sample pack, I got it Cosmetics CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ and ogx Quenching + Coconut Curls Shampoo and Conditioner (I don’t have curls, but I love smelling like coconut).
Thank you Ulta!
Sephora Play! January 2017 – Beauty, Set, Go
Saving the best for last…my January Sephora Play!
I love how they’re missing up the pouches that come every month – this month has nylon and mesh bag and says, “Sweat is just another way to glow” – I’ll have to take their word on it.
The first thing I noticed was the sample of Tory Burch Love Relentlessly – DOH! I just used 100 points to get a sample the order before last. Oh well.
Also is this month’s box: AmorePacific Color Control Cushion Compact; OUAI Treatment Masque (for hair, not my face); Clinique Almost Lipstick in “Black Honey” (I’ve been wanting to try the Black Honey); tarte FRXXXTION Stick (ooooh another stick cleanser – I just used up my Julep Love Your Bare Face Stick); and Youth to the People Kale + Spinach + Hyaluronic Acid Age Prevention Cream.
This month’s box is great – yay!
If you haven’t signed up yet – why? This is by far the best subscription box I get every month. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
Mandarin Gold
So…I got a new car this weekend – a 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring in “Mandarin Gold”. It’s the ultimate middle-aged mom car.
It is now my mission in life to find the perfect polish to match my car. I’ve never seen another color quite like Honda’s new “Mandarin Gold.” It’s not your ordinary gold, but more like a very sparkly brown with gold shimmer.
Julep “Penny” was near the top of my huge basket of untried polish. Julep describes it as burnished bronze metallic, but I detect more than a hint of copper. It is a rather close match to my new baby, if not a bit too light and a bit too copper.
I love Julep’s metallic polishes though – they have the best finish and self-level to be perfectly smooth. This is two coats over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat and under “HK Girl”.
The first polish was close, but no cigar. I will continue my search.
Friday was a Good Day…
…I didn’t have to use my AK. Oh, and I received boxes from Sephora AND Ulta.
I broke down and decided to order the Milk Makeup Blur Stick ($36) – I had to see what all the fuss was about. The fuss is warranted. I’ve been using it almost every day since I got it. It’s like a giant chapstick for your face. It’s really weird rubbing a giant chapstick on your face, but you get over it when you see what it does for your skin. It makes all of your pores absolutely disappear. I don’t know where they go – and I do not care. For reference, it’s very similar to Benefit The POREfessional, with the added bonus of not having to get it on your hands. This is a must have product.
My excuse for ordering was to get my Sephora Birthday gift – I chose the Tarte Set with Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in “paaarty” and Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in “Birthday Suit”.
I used a code to get a fancy Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Set with Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex, Advanced Night Repair Eye and Revitalizing Supreme Light Global Anti-Aging Creme. (Why do all these products have such long names?) For my three samples, I got one thing I chose – Clinique Foaming Sonic Facial Soap – and two I didn’t – Calvin Klein Deep Euphoria and Skin Inc. Pure Revival Peel.
Wednesday is the best day to order from Ulta, because of the special Beauty Breaks. I’d been shuffling things in and out of my basket for three weeks, waiting for a good Beauty Break. Imagine surprise when my order arrived on Friday – just two days later.
The Beauty Break that got me was the e.l.f. Beauty Break, with Illuminating Primer, Poreless Face Primer, Moisturizing Lipstick in “Ravishing Rose”, Lip Exfoliator in “Sweet Cherry” (I’ve been using the last one I got to exfoliate after liquid lippies) and a Complexion Brush. I also got a free Deluxe Sample of Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (the best one I’ve used) and drybar Hot Toddy Heat and UV Protectant. My sample pack included Olay Regenerist Moisturizer and H2O+ Beauty Elements Keep It Fresh Face Cleanser.
OH! I bought some stuff, too! I had to get my hand on the new Urban Decay Vice Liquid Lipsticks – I got “Conspiracy” and “Amulet”. Although the lipsticks are thinner than Jeffree or Kat’s, they go on smoothly and the colors are unique. I must have MORE…I also grabbed a backup Zoya Remove+ and a Japonesque Solid Brush Cleanser (replacing the one from my ipsy bag that I used up).
Such a good day!
Pavement
I wasn’t joking – as soon as I saw this polish, I had to try it.
This is Pretty Woman “I Can’t Deal” from this month’s ipsy bag. It’s a medium grey cream, the color of a freshly poured parking lot – no one’s parked in it yet and there are no oil stains.
I started with Sinful Colors Base Coat and got full coverage in just one coat. I went ahead and did two coats – just to be safe. The polish was super shiny on it’s own, but I finished with “HK Girl” – again, just to be safe. Safe from what – I do not know…but being safe seems really important to me right now.
January Ipsy Bag – Metropolis
“Metropolis” is January’s futuristic city theme. Did Superman create this beauty bag for Lois Lane?
The first product that drew my attention was the Pretty Woman Nail Polish in “I Can’t Deal” – it’s a pavement grey cream. So weird – I don’t own any polishes like this at all. Also in this month’s bag: Beaute Basics Contour Blush Brush; Trust Fund Beauty Lipgasm Lipgloss in “Blame Game” (I hope it lives up to it’s name); Naked Cosmetics Mica Pigment in “Desert Sunset #02″ (I got a similar shade in last February’s bag) and Jelly Pong Pong Lip Scrub in “Coffee + Coconut” (looking forward to seeing if this scrub rescues my abused lips).
A very odd bag, but I’ll use most of the items.
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Under Cover
After Boring Pink, I needed more excitement in my life…or at least more glitter.
I’ve got to be honest – my nails are still half stained from several polishes ago – I think it was Zoya “Bobbi”. So after Sinful Colors Base Coat, I painted a single coat of Sinful Colors “Social Ladder” to even out the color of my nails. THEN comes the glitter. I painted two coats of Sinful Colors “Under Cover”, from the “Camo Glitter” Collection. It’s baby pink, baby blue and black glitter with iridescent sparkles in a clear base. There were white little skulls, but I didn’t waste time fishing – if they ended up on my nails, fine. I finished with “HK Girl”.
The thing about black glitter over a light base – it just looks like I have ants crawling on my fingers.