Author: Lara
Walk the Walk
I tried to play it cool on Thanksgiving.
“Oh look, my nails match my dress.” My husband was buying none of my bullshit. “You know you were planning it all along.” Yeah. I was. The only choice I made that morning was lipstick – “Masochist” or “Richblood” – and I chose “Masochist”.
I knew I would be wearing the new red dress to Thanksgiving, so I painted my nails with Sinful Colors “Walk the Walk” from the “Luxe Fragments” Collection. It’s a cool-toned red jelly with glitter shards. It’s really almost a cranberry – fitting for Thanksgiving.
This is two coats – not quite full coverage – over Sinful Colors Base Coat and under “HK Girl”.
November Birchbox – The Finishing Touch
I am thankful for…my subscription boxes.
I didn’t choose the curated box this month – instead I picked just one product and got this month’s “The Finishing Touch” box. The product I chose was Chella Eyebrow Color Pencil in “Tantalizing Taupe”. I hope it’s not too light for me.
Also in this month’s box: Avène Soothing Moisturizing Mask (I got this in my October 2015 ipsy bag, but don’t think I ever used it); Number 4 Jour d’Automne Smoothing Balm; Supergoop! Forever Young Hand Cream with SPF 40; and TokyoMilk Light “Awaken Within” (a VERY strong jasmine scent).
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.
November Ipsy Bag – Rock Starlet
Ipsy arrived first this month. I was excited to see that fuchsia bubble mailer!
“Rock Starlet” is this month’s theme. I received the gold and navy constellation-print neoprene bag – there was also one with silver print. Jewelry, I am ALL silver…but I tend to go for gold in accessories, like my current phone case.
Inside my “Rock Starlet” bag: Luxie Beauty Rose Gold Small Duo Fiber Brush (this is one of the most unique brushes I’ve ever seen – there’s a thin layer of extra long fibers on the end for a lighter touch – I’m excited to try it with a highlighter); Japonesque Pixelated Finishing Powder (not sure what to do with this – is it a highlighter or for my whole face?); Adesse New York Brightening Base Coat (interested to try it); ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (huh?); and theBalm Cosmetics Mad Lash Mascara.
These are very sophisticated products – I will be cycling ALL of these into my routine soon, except maybe the mascara.
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Kleopatra
BOOM!
Sinful Colors “Kleopatra” is blowing me away. It’s a baby blue/lavender duochrome – all polishes should be duochrome. I had a hard time not admiring my nails constantly – they are so outstanding.
I used Sinful Colors Base Coat with two coats of “Kleopatra”. The polish doesn’t finish matte – it’s very shiny, but I topped with “HK Girl” and it’s like glass.
Yes, it’s another one of those Kylie polishes, this time from the “Denim & Bling” Collection. I’m not even embarrassed about promoting them anymore – the colors and finishes are just making me so happy.
Are You Still Available?
The reason I get so excited about trying new brands of nail polish is because I’ve pretty much tried every brand there is…but there are a few that have been beyond my grasp…
I hadn’t been able to try Makeup Revolution nail polish because Ulta doesn’t carry it here and they won’t ship it across the ocean…but I got a guy…I checked their site and it looks like they don’t even carry the polish online anymore – they must be liquidating their stock via mystery bags.
The first one to catch my eye was Makeup Revolution “Are you still Available?”, a dusty medium purple. This is a full coverage creme. The quality was very good – not too thick and not too thin, although the brush itself was sub par. I got full coverage with two coats over Orly Bonder and under “HK Girl”.
I haven’t gotten my hands on Jeffree Star Cosmetics “Scorpio” yet, but Sally has it and I swear that “Are you still Available?” would be a perfect match. I might have to add it to my Cyber Monday order if it’s in stock…
Mystery Surprise!
Sally sent me a mystery surprise! All the way from Scotland…OK, technically not a surprise, since I knew it was coming. And not a mystery, since Sally gave me a sneak preview of the bag…but a mystery surprise, nonetheless.
Makeup Revolution was having another Mystery Bag promotion and Sally graciously sent me one of the mystery bags she received…plus a little extra.
Inside of the mystery bag was a combination of Makeup Revolution, I ♥ Makeup and other TAM brands: Live Love London Body Mist in “Sensuous” (smells like pears); I ♥ Makeup No Shine Please! Totally Matte Foundation in NS05 (I thought it was a pore primer and just put on my nose today – it actually worked well for it though); Freedom Makeup “Future Bright” palette; Makeup Revolution Blush Bronze & Brighten in “Rave”; I ♥ Makeup All Day & Night Eyeliner in “The Last Laugh” (looks bronze); Freedom Makeup Pro Melts Lipgloss in “Steal the Show”; I ♥ Makeup Super Wow! High Color Lip Gloss Stick in “Atomic” (I have a few of these – they’re decent); and three Makeup Revolution nail polishes – “Cool Days”, “Love etc” and “Find True Love”. That’s a bunch of goodies and no duplicates with what I’ve already got!
The only new product that I really wanted to try was the I ♥ Makeup Liquid Lipstick in “Molten Chocolate”, so she sent me one. The applicator is lovely and color is out this world, but it’s like regular lipstick and doesn’t last all day. She also sent me one of the new Makeup Revolution Precision Brushes! I have been lusting over these and now I finally have one to try…she also sent me the polishes from her bag, since she cannot wear polish – “Are you still available”, “Adore” and “Never Enough”.
Thank you, my sweet friend – I truly appreciate the mystery surprise…and now I’m putting together a box of my own…just waiting for the weather to get a little cooler so everything won’t melt.
Carrie Ann
There are lots of holographic polishes coming out right now, but this is the first sheer holographic polish that I’ve come across.
Julep “Carrie Ann” is described as blush sheer holographic – it leans a bit too pink to be a true nude, but it is “nudish”. The holographic shift leans gold, which is a welcome change from the usual silver or rainbow shift.
I started with Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat. I did a sloppy job on the second coat – tired – so I have extra crispy edged around my nail beds. Amateur mistake. Even though I used “HK Girl” to protect my nails, my nails couldn’t stand up to dishes and toilet cleaning on Saturday. Alas, I wore this polish less than 48 hours.
20ROUGE, Part II & III
Merry Xmas to me! I make Xmas shopping SO easy for my husband.
Well, as much as I love torturing him and making him visit Sephora and Ulta to go shopping for me…I love saving money more. So I decided to forego the torture and take this opportunity to order myself some Sephora exclusive items.
I’d had my eye on the Kat Von D Metal Matte palette ($60) since it launched. In real life, it’s HUGE. I’m glad I ordered when I did – it was already out of stock when I went to Sephora on the 4th. I’m still disappointed that I missed out on the Mi Vida Loca palette last year. I had bought it for my ex-BFF, and I thought she was getting it for me, but she blew it off for too long and it sold out. c’est la vie.
I also said, “fuck it” and ordered the Kat Von D Everlasting Mini Liquid Lipstick Set. I don’t have any of these shades and I wanted to try the new shade “Plath”, plus some older shades – “Backstage Bambi” and “Mother”.
I was a good girl and did not open the boxes – I just shoved them in my husband’s junk drawer to wrap later.
For samples – I didn’t get what I picked again. I don’t remember what I picked, but I ended up with Wildfox perfume (never heard of it, smells like a generic Victoria’s Secret type scent); Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer in “neutral”; and Juliette has a Gun Not a Perfume (insert says it is pure Cetalox, a background note in perfume – interesting, it smells very generic).
At the last minute, I decided to order one more thing for myself – MILK MAKEUP Gel Brow in “Pilsner” ($18). I had used 100 points to get a sample of it with my last order – all the way back in August – and I like the way it lasts. I don’t like having to sharpen it, but other than that, it’s a winner.
This one will not be waiting until Xmas – I’ll break into it as soon as I’m done with my little sample.
Samples this time were Sephora Instant Moisture + Cream; Tatcha One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil; and Josie Maran Surreal Skin Argan Finishing Balm.
November Julep Maven Box – Light & Shadow
It’s Julep time!
This month’s “Light & Shadow” theme brings a range of colors and finishes. For polishes, I chose Classic with a Twist “Carrie Ann”, blush sheer holographic, and It Girl “Mercedes”, canyon rose metallic (what’s a canyon rose?). Both gave me a Thanksgiving vibe – perfect for November. For my beauty product, I chose a new shade of Eyeshadow 101 Creme-to-Powder Eyeshadow Stick – “Burgundy Shimmer”. I have high hopes for upping my game on lazy makeup days (basically, when I hit snooze too many times).
I used Jules to get another Oxygen Bonding Base Coat. It really DOES make a difference with Julep polishes – less bubbles and it sticks so much better.
The treat in my box was a single chocolate ball. I just popped it my mouth – not bad, better than Hershey. Why only one?
Not a Julep Maven? Click HERE to join – I’ll get a $15 credit and you’ll get your first box free!
Celebratory Blue…NOT
So…as I painted my nails Tuesday night, hate-watching the Election coverage with my soul-mate across the Atlantic, I thought I had picked an appropriate celebratory blue for the occasion. I was wrong…sooooo fucking wrong.
I’m not gonna get too deep into politics and feelings and shit, but the wind is still knocked out of me from Tuesday night. Anyone who knows me, knows how cynical and dark I am, but never in a million years would I have expected things to turn out this dark. Sure, our choices were shit…but DAMN. Obviously, I overestimated the power of Beyonce and Jay-Z in the Rust Belt.
Back to my nails, this knockout of a blue is Sinful Colors “Don’t Flake” from The Luxe Fragments Collection. I absolutely love this collection of jelly polishes with (mylar?) flakies. This is almost full coverage in two coats over Sinful Colors Base Coat and under “HK Girl”.
Excuse me, I’m going to go watch Idiocracy and cry myself to sleep.