Author: Lara
Ebony and…
So many Halloween polishes, so little October…
I got Julep “Ebony” in this month’s Julep Box – yes, another holographic – graphite holographic. If a Number Two pencil was filled with unicorn farts…I just can’t get enough of holographics right now.
After Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat, I slapped on two quick coats of “Ebony” – it went on like a dream. I topped with “HK Girl”.
This polish lasted for-fucking-ever – no chips. It might have been the only thing holding my nails together – as soon as I took it off, I had to cut my nails down to nubs. They’ve been so abused lately, the tips were in danger of peeling, so I had to cut them to save them. Sigh. Nubbies again.
October Ipsy Bag – Black Magic
This month’s ipsy bag is full of “Black Magic”!
I’m IN LOVE with the bag, designed by Valfre. Look at the cute little witches and ghosts and lipsticks and candy corn and black cats and…so cute!
I’m also in love with the stuff in my bag: 2 patchology Flashpatch 5 Minute Hydrogels; theBalm Hot Mama! Shadow/Blush (looks like a dupe of NARS “Orgasm”); Beaute Basics eye Shadow in “Satin Taupe”; ModelCo Instant Brows Brow Pencil in “Light/Medium” (Probably WAY too light for me); and essence Superfine Waterproof Eyeliner Pen (this shit is like a sharpie – I tested it on my wrist and I couldn’t get it off, even with soap and water).
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Nice Guise
Sinful Colors “Nice Guise” is blowing me away. It’s from the “Guise and Ghouls” Halloween Collection – and it’s a blue/green holographic. It’s simply amazing – it’s another one of those polishes that reminds me of The Matrix. Most holographics have a silver/rainbow undertone, which is why “Nice Guise” is so unique. Maybe not so unique if it also reminds me of Zoya “Remy”, which has less green.
I started with Sinful Colors Base Coat. This is two coats of “Nice Guise” – it’s a perfect formula, not too thick and not too thin. It dried fairly quickly, but I topped with “HK Girl” anyway. I think I can see myself in my nails.
I definitely need to try this one on my toes.
Surreally Sweet
How did I get so behind? This is two polishes ago…Oh well.
This is the beautifully textured Sinful Colors “Surreally Sweet” from the “Sugar Crushin'” Collection, a pink version of “Sugar High” – just what I was looking for! The texture is just like “Sugar High” – fine and sandy – not too rough. The pink is delicate, but it seemed to get dirty very quickly.
This is two coats over Sinful Colors Base Coat. It dried super quickly and only pulled away from the tips of my nails slightly. Maybe I should try an ombre with “Sugar High”? Removal was a snap – it came off quickly in my new dip-it.
October Birchbox – Revive and Restore
Sooooo…this month’s curated box is “Revive and Restore”, which I could really use after I was laid out this past weekend with a wicked cold. Did a premonition of my illness make me choose this box???
To be honest, I saw the GlamGlow and immediately picked this box. It wasn’t the GravityMud that I’ve been lusting over, but I’m happy with any GlamGlow product. The green tube is GlamGlow PowerMud Dualcleanse Treatment.
Also in this month’s box: Avene Hydrance Optimale Hydrating Cream RICH; This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray (if “this works”, it will be a godsend – I have raging random insomnia); Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo (meh); and MAKE Silk Cream Lipstick in “Magnolia” (so tiny).
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.
Cool Shit I Forgot About
Don’t you love it when you’re clearing up around the house and find a bag of cool shit that you bought and forgot about?
I found this Walgreen’s bag full of stuff in the couch cushions…I made a lunch trip…last week? I was specifically looking for the Batman Girls Lip Paints from Tattoo Junkee. I decided on the red Harley Quinn Lip Paint + Lip Effects ($6.99), but they also had a Batgirl Blue and Catwoman Hot Pink. I wanted to try one out before I bought them all. I’m intrigued by adding shimmer to matte lip paints…what are the odds that I’ll end up with glitter all over my face?
I also grabbed four more of the clearance Kylie Sinful Colors polishes – “North Star”, “Krushed Velvet”, “I Klove U” (WTF?), and “Magik Touch”. These are down 10 cents to $1.49 each…might have to scoop up a few more if they go lower.
I wonder what else is in my couch…
Genevieve
Julep “Genevieve” is one of those forever polishes – it lasts and lasts. Good thing, too – I was sick as a dog for the last three days and mostly bedridden. It got to the point that I googled “zika symptoms” – I thought maybe I was dying.
Spoiler alert, I didn’t have any of the symptoms. Turns out it was just a super-nasty case of bronchitis.
Anywho, “Genevieve” is an eye catching chrome, reminiscent of red clay – but shiny. This is two coats over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat. It was shiny on it’s own, but I topped with “HK Girl”, which made it practically invincible.
I felt much better today – I took off “Genevieve” and trimmed my nails. Another polish coming soon…
October Julep Maven Box – Dark and Stormy Nights
Oooooh! More Halloween polishes!
Julep’s October theme is “Dark and Stormy Nights” and the polishes are dark and foreboding. I picked Boho Glam “Skylla” (black coffee ghost shimmer) and It Girl “Ebony” (graphite holographic). All Mavens also got a free bonus polish – It Girl “Desiree” (high-gloss holographic top coat). I’m ready to rock some dark and stormy nails.
I also picked another Night Shift Deep Sleep Facial Mask – the one I got last October is almost gone. I use it a couple of times a week and I love using it after using my Clarisonic and Love Your Bare Face Cleansing Stick.
No candy or treat this month – what’s up with that?
Not a Julep Maven? Click HERE to join – I’ll get a $15 credit and you’ll get your first box free!
Play Dead
Hello October…I’ve been waiting for you.
Even though it is still like 90 degrees every day, just the fact that it is now October has put me into the Halloween spirit. I started off October with one of my new Halloween polishes – Sinful Colors “Play Dead” from the new “Guise and Ghouls” Collection (so clever).
“Play Dead” is a pewter glitter filled with larger rose gold glitter. Cameras cannot quite capture the finish – it’s too blinding. Just look at the light reflection. This is two coats over Sinful Colors Base Coat and under “HK Girl”.
It is a tough polish – it lasted a full five days with just minor edge wear. It was also a smooth glitter – no catching in my hair or on my clothes. Everyone needs “Play Dead” in their life.
All Your Dip-It are Belong to Us
There is no worse feeling than when one of your favorite products is discontinued at a store…or even worse, discontinued by the manufacturer. It may been a product that you’ve been using forever or one you’ve just fallen in love with. It’s like your guts have been ripped out and stomped on.
I’m suspicious that Target is the latest retailer to rip my guts out – I’ve had a really hard time finding my beloved up & up Nail Polish Remover Dip-It. In fact, I haven’t been able to find it on the shelves at the last 3 Targets I’ve been to…last Friday, there happened to be a Beauty Consultant wandering around when I was looking and I asked her…she said she hasn’t seen them in a while and she thinks they don’t carry them anymore. No. NO. NO!
I started to freak out a little bit. They didn’t even have any of the Sally Hansen version, which suck anyway, because the soft sponge doesn’t take off glitter like the plastic nubbies in the Target version. But as I sat at my desk back at work, I had an idea…I looked online and there it was on Target’s website! Of course, they wouldn’t ship it to me – too flammable – but they would let me order online and pick up in-store. It doesn’t make a lick of sense that I was able to order 3 of them from the Target nearest my house, when I couldn’t find them there just 2 Saturdays before…but the order went through and I picked them up this past Saturday.
Relief! Now to stalk the rest of the Targets in my area to build up a hoard…