Author: Lara
My Nails and My Living Room
I am OBSESSED with my goth Xmas Tree…it’s a black, artificial tree, decorated with red, black and white ornaments. It’s especially striking against the backdrop of my turquoise living room walls. I took my obsession to the next level by reproducing that color scheme on my nails for Xmas week.
I started with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and two coats of Sinful Colors “Fool for Azul” as a proxy for my living room paint. There’s a wee bit more green in my wall paint – “Fool for Azul” is more of a Tiffany blue – but the match was close enough for me. The white snowflake glitter is Funky Fingers “Olaf” and the red glitter is Funky Fingers “Red Ryder”. I topped the glittery fingers with Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber and then topped them all with Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
I. Love. These. Nails.
I’ll be honest, my husband gave me a big ration of shit for matching my nails to my living room, but I could not care less – they turned out FANTASTIC.
December 2021 Ipsy Bag – Time to Shine
After last month’s Glam Bag X, the regular ipsy bag is almost a let down. Almost…
My product selection this month is Skyn Iceland Glacial Face Wash in White Willow Bark. This is a nice, creamy face wash – I like it.
Also in this month’s bag: Codage Paris Moisturizing Mask; Complex Culture Get Set Nail Polish in “Hustle” (a nice orange leaning red); Tarte Surfer Curl Volumizing Mascara; and a Hipdot Contour Brush (I am about to fucking rage on all these makeup brushes – how do I make it stop?)
The rose gold bag is really nice. I want to put it in my big “mom purse”, but I feel like the glitter would flake off and end up in the bottom of my purse.
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $12/month and Glam Bag X for an extra $43/quarterly. Oh wait, I just saw on the site that the price went up to $13 in October – I’d better check my credit card statement! If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
Sugarplum!
Sinful Colors Quick Bliss “Sugarplum Sucker” is a nice lavender and all, but it wasn’t what I was trying to do. Originally, I was planning on doing ALL of my nails with Delush Polish “Sugar Plum Surprise”, after 6 years on the shelf, I could tell that there wasn’t going to be enough in the bottle to do all my nails. Why not do a combo with another sugar plum?
I started with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat. I did two coats of both “Sugarplum Sucker” and “Sugar Plum Surprise”. I finished with Glisten & Glow Top Coat, but the two glitter nails got a coat of Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber first.
The Glitter Grabber really made a difference in the finish. It’s hard to compare with my original use of “Sugar Plum Sucker” six years ago. Why didn’t anyone tell me that my phone camera was so crappy? Also, is it “sugarplum” or “sugar plum”? What is a “sugar plum”? WHY is a “Sugar plum”?
Make Way for 2021
I know, I know – no need to “Make Way for 2021” – 2021 is almost over. But I got a freebie bottle of Glisten & Glow “Make Way for 2021” with my Black Friday order, so I figure, why not?
“Make Way for 2021” is a shimmery concrete gray, with just a hint of blue fire. This is two coats of “Make Way for 2021” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
This is the first polish I’ve tried from Glisten & Glow – it’s REALLY good quality. It’s not streaky and it self levels.
Sweet Cherry Drop
Sinful Colors “Sweet Cherry Drop” has the privilege of being the first of my 20 new polishes to be tried.
The finish of the “Sweet & Sugary” Collection is very unique. It’s similar to the sandy feel of any other textures polish, but it’s got a little bit extra – bits of white glitter that float to the top to look just like a sugar-coated gumdrop.
This is just two coats over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat.
Lara’s Big Nail Polish Adventure
I have been trying to get my hands on the new Target-exclusive Sinful Colors Collections for like a MONTH. As soon as I started seeing posts on Instagram, I hit the closest Target…nothing. (This was before Thanksgiving.) At the second Target, I asked a Beauty Advisor and she looked them up – they weren’t going to be stocked there, but they were now in stock at the FIRST Target. I go back to the first Target and ask the Beauty Advisor…she sees them in inventory, but the “shelf date” was November 28th. I wasn’t too pressed – that would save me from having to leave the house on Black Friday…
…And like clockwork, the polishes were available on the Target website on Sunday, November 28th. I added them to my basket, but my gut was telling me to WAIT for Cyber Monday, so I did. Low and behold, The Cyber Monday special was 25% Beauty! Instead of $59.60, my cart was $44.70, or $41.72 using my Red Card. I quickly checked out…and somehow managed to send 20 nail polishes to my sister in New York. What the FUCK Target App? When I called the 800 number, they were unable to send a shipping label to her to return them, but they DID send me a $15 gift card to cover the cost of her shipping them to me AND said they fixed the issue with the default address. Finally, my beauties made it here this week…
The Sweet & Sugary Collection has a sugar coated finish: “Watermelon Obsession” (light pink), “Orange Slice” (this one looks more terra cotta than orange); “Sweet Cherry Drop” (red); “It’s So Grape” (um, gray?); and “Sour Melon Crush”.
The Velvet Matte Collection looks to be similar to the Bebe Rexha Velvet Mattes: “Strawberry Cheesecake” (dark pink); “Raspberries ‘N’ Cream” (light pink); “Blueberry Macaron” (light blue); “Pistachio Praline” (light green); and “Rosewater Delight” (lighter pink).
The Sheer Matte Collection is similar to Tulle Temptations Sheer Mattes: “Petals in Pink” (pink); “Iced Petit Four” (periwinkle); “Frosted Sugar Cookie” (accurate – looks like cookie dough); “Lavender Notes” (lavender, duh); and “Icing on the Cake” (melon pink).
The Glossy Candy Collection is in their Quick Bliss formula: “Candied Grapefruit” (pink); “Royal Cake Pop” (silver); “Sugarplum Sucker” (light violet); “Green Apple Craze” (hate the name, love the polish); and “Candy Coated Mint” (another cookie dough polish).
This oughta keep me busy for a while…
That’s Elfed Up!
Sinful Colors “That’s Elfed Up!” was my pick to try out a new product – Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber! I pounced on a Black Friday sale to restock on Glisten & Glow Top Coat and decided to purchase Glitter Grabber. It’s supposed to create a smoother surface on pokey glitters.
I started with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Top Coat and then two coats of “That’s Elfed Up!” I painted a single coat of Glitter Grabber and then topped with Glisten & Glow Top Coat. Although “That’s Elfed Up!” isn’t especially dense, but I could still tell a difference in how smooth the Glitter Grabber made the surface. Glitter Grabber also makes glitters more photogenic. My crappy phone picture looks great!
I cannot WAIT to try the Glitter Grabber on some of the chunkier glitters that I own, especially the Delushies.
Power Packed
Help! What color is this???
It’s definitely not white…but it’s not gray exactly, either. There’s a hint of blue, but that’s not exactly right either. It’s the color of the sky on an overcast day, the sun nowhere in sight. Or wall putty. Or whiteout. Ugh. The polish is Orly Breathable “Power Packed” and I cheated and looked on their website – it’s described as a powder blue/grey créme.
Orly has launched the first Muslim friendly nail polish with the water permeable formula in their Breathable line. I was skeptical at first, but this polish has GREAT staying power. There is nothing on my nails except two coats of “Power Packed” and it lasted a full week with minimal chipping. It was also very easy to remove. Technology!
How You Dune?
That was a really bad pun, huh?
I cannot help it – I was watching the new Dune while doing my nails and the polish looked just like the sand to me…
This is Sinful Colors “Salt Bath Babe” from the Essenchills Collection. It is supposed to smell like Himalayan Pink Salt and I suppose it did…for about a hot minute. I smelled something mystical on my nails that evening, but it was gone by the next morning
This is two coats of “Salt Bath Babe” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat. No top coat, so I could (hypothetically) smell the polish.
Cyber Diamond
Here we go, here’s the haul that made me Ulta Diamond for 2022.
I’m sure it’s not shocking that finally bought the Urban Decay Cosmetics Naked Cyber Eyeshadow Palette ($49), but it might be shocking that I paid full price. (I am still saving my Ulta points for a Dyson Airwrap – I’m up to $312!) It’s a very versatile palette, although I am concerned about the quality. The shadows are not as buttery as the first several Naked palettes – a few of the shimmers are downright CHALKY. Ugh. Use a primer and you’ll be fine, but it’s an annoying extra step. Also, watch out for fallout – the glitters get everywhere. I do wish there was at least one more dark, saturated shade besides the burnt orange, but I can mix and match with another palette.
I recently got new bleached streaks in my hair (another Ulta trip) and decided to dye them turquoise when I get sick of blond. I decided to try Arctic Fox in “Aquamarine” ($17) – my kids SWEAR by it. I feel like I’m cheating on Overtone, but their turquoise didn’t take well on my hair. Holding out hope for Arctic Fox.
I had seen the Kitsch Leopard Print Towel Scrunchies ($10.50, on sale from $14) at full price in the store, but was thrilled to find them for 25% online. I also splurged on Kitsch Moisturizing Spa Socks ($12, on sale from $16). I feel like the open toe design will be more comfortable to sleep in – it’s hard for me sleep in regular socks. I also threw in some Ulta Exfoliating Cotton Pads ($2.09), because why not?
I DID use the $20 off $100 coupon code that was out before the holiday sales, and I still qualified for the Hello Holidays 23 piece More Glow Beauty Bag. Inside the bag: Clarins Re-Boost Refreshing Hydrating Cream; Megababe Antibacterial Wipes in “Squeaky Clean” (note to self: do NOT confuse with makeup remover wipes); Good Molecules Silicone-Free Priming Moisturizer; Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Intense; Ellis Brooklyn Sweet; Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris Eau de Parfum Intense (What are all these “intense” perfumes?); Lancome La Vie est Belle (2 samples of this one); Not Your Mother’s Naturals Activated Bamboo Charcoal & Purple Moonstone Shampoo and Conditioner (I’ve been wanting to try this one; Joico Defy Damage Protective Shampoo, Conditioner, Masque & Shield (4 packettes!); MAC Lipstick Samples in “Ruby Woo”, “M-A-C Red” and “Cockney”; Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream; The Body Shop Body Butter in “British Rose” (I think this sample is why I chose this particular bag); Living proof. Restore Repair Mask; Jack Black Performance Remedy Turbo Wash (will go to the husband or the son); Kate Somerville +Retinol Vita C Power Serum; tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer; Dear, Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream (I’m scared that the package says “For Nighttime Only” – will I burst into flames if I use it in the daytime?); Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream; Biosilk Silk Therapy Leave-In Treatment; Benefit Boi-ing Cakeless Concealer in “Light Cool”; and NYX The Marshmallow Primer (made with marshmallow root – weird). The bag is super cushy, made out of ski-suit material.
(There were also a few gifts (not shown) from this haul – shhhhh…)