Category: Nails
Super Nails
After my spectacular Nail Fail, I had to think of something quick. While I was screwing around with nail caviar, I also did Lily’s nails – she is a fan of the 20 plan. The 20 plan is picking 20 polishes – 10 colors and 10 glitters – and doing a different combination on each nail. I had a pile of 20 polishes on my bedroom floor and picked the best combination she came up with…
I started with Sally Hansen Diamond Shine for the base coat (gotta use it up somehow). I then did two coats of Sally Hansen “Marine Scene” – I’ve had this polish for YEARS – long before my current obsession started. I then topped it with one coat of Sally Hansen Glitter Effect “Rogue Red” and Sally Hansen Diamond Flash to seal it. A fully Sally manicure…
I feel kind of like Superman…um, I mean Supergirl? Superwoman? Supersomeone…
Nail Fail
Never EVER trust a $3 Nail Art Set from Walmart.
I thought I would have a little fun last night, trying out some different nail art from the set I picked up from Walmart a few weeks ago. I was most excited to try the “caviar” – tiny beads that stick to the nail to form a beaded finish.
Let me first explain how HORRIBLE the polish included in the set is – thin and streaky – I couldn’t get good coverage of the light colors with 3+ coats.
I did each nail individually – painted, then chose a dip or decal to go with it.
The polish was so horrible that none of the dips would stick all the way. As you can see from the index finger on my left hand – the caviar wouldn’t even stick. The index finger on my right hand was supposed to be covered in diamond glitter, but it flew off my fingers every time I moved…it flew off my fingers like I was casting fairy spells. When I washed my hands, it all peeled off…leaving a leprous white surface. As a matter of fact – polish began peeling off of several of my fingers – just like that Tinkerbell polish we all used as kids…well that explained a lot.
The one part I liked about the kit was the cute little mustache decals. I will actually use those again – they went on smoothly and stayed put. A coat of Revlon Quick Dry Top Coat helped the hideous streaky polish…a little.
After an hour or so of leaving various glitter trails all over the house, I finally gave up and took it all off. I was defeated…
January Beauty Box 5 – Hello!
My Beauty Box 5 and Ipsy Bag got to share the mailbox yesterday!
January’s Beauty Box 5 is “Hello!” this month. Inside are Hard Candy Kal-Eye-Descope Baked Eyeshadow Duo in “make believe” (I am getting addicted to wet/dry shadows!); Sally Hansen Salon Effects French Mani in “Gold Cabaret” (I’ve never tried these – this should be interesting); Ultraflesh The Gold Standard Mascara in “Blackout” (What an odd, filthy name for mascara!); Softsoap Nutri Serum Vitamin E Body Wash; and Garnier Fructis Daily Care Fortifying Shampoo (well, now I have to buy the matching conditioner for my travel bag…sneaky).
So glad to be getting makeup in my box again…
Big Citrine Taxi
I’m not a big fan of Joni Mitchell…but I sure am a fan of Julep “Joni” – Citrine for November!
The picture (hastily taken earlier today, in the last dying light filtering into my office parking garage) doesn’t do it justice. Along with the gold flecks in the citrine shimmer, there are also flashes of pink. PINK!
I used Revlon Quick Dry Base Coat, but I didn’t use a top coat – I wanted to feel the texture. I was expecting a sandy texture like “Claudia”, but it was smoothly pebbled.
Coincidentally, “Joni” is what I expected NYC “Fashion Queen” to look like.
The Red Room
I’ve got loads of new polish to try out, but I keep coming back to the Twin Peaks Collection by Hare Polish. This is “The Red Room”, a red jelly base with hexes and squares in black and white, plus white flakies and shimmer. The Red Room is one of the most iconic locations in Twin Peaks, with the sweeping red velvet curtains and black & white floors. “Where we’re from, the birds sing a pretty song…”
I used Revlon Quick Dry Base Coat and Top Coat. The polish stuck quite well to the base coat and I don’t have any chips.
It kind of reminds me of this copycat paint job from a few months back, but a lot less work!
I’m a Pepper!
Don’t you want to be a Pepper, too?
Julep “Maryam” (from this month’s “Chrysalis Collection”) looks like a Dr. Pepper Can. Julep may say its dark merlot shimmer, but I don’t drink merlot. Actually, I don’t drink Dr. Pepper either – it’s too sickly sweet for me. I actually steer clear of any dark maroon liquids. Ever since that incident with the Grape Mad Dog 20/20 in High School…blech.
You’ll notice that my thumb and ring finger are more mauve – I used Julep “Tilda” Metamorphic Top Coat on those nails. The result was very subtle – just a little lighter and more purpley. I’m thinking it will look good over blues.
Someday, I’ll actually find a quick dry top coat that plays nice with Julep polishes. Orly Bonder works with no issues, but Sally Diamond Flash seems to create bubbles no matter what. Grrrr…
January Julep Maven Box – The Chrysalis Collection
If Julep hadn’t given us the option of customizing our boxes, I probably would have quit by now. This last month, they added even more options to the boxes – they offer items from previous months now!
January starts anew with “The Chrysalis Collection”. Julep Luxe Lip Treatment is new this month – it’s a sheer, cooling lip tint. I chose “Sheer Fig”. I also chose one of their new shades of Gel Eye Glider – “Olive”. I picked one polish – Classic with a Twist “Maryam” – dark merlot shimmer. As a bonus, I received “Tyra” Metamorphic Top Coat – every one got one of the their three new top coats…the others are “Tilda” and “Bjork”. There was also a little box of Junior Mints…I already ate them. My mom loved Junior Mints. I can’t eat them without thinking of how that’s what she would always buy when we went to the movies…
This is one of the best boxes so far!
Not a Julep Maven? CLICK HERE to join! Get a FREE Snow Day Welcome Box with code HIFRIEND!
Can’t…Stop…Looking
I can’t stop looking at this polish. It’s just so shiny.
I’m a few months late – this is Julep “Julie” – Pink Tourmaline for October. It’s named for Mary Poppins herself – Julie Andrews. It wasn’t the consistency I expected. It’s textured, but not the fine texture of Julep’s other microglitters. “Julie” has a thicker, metallic base. It also has huge pink shards and tiny holographic rainbow glitters. I can’t stop looking…
I used Orly Bonder for the base coat and no top coat – I wanted to feel the magic.
Damn Fine Coffee
Maybe not so much like a cup of damn fine coffee, but a pile of damn fine coffee grounds?
That’s because I used Zoya Matte Top Coat – it really brings out the gold flecks in “Damn Fine Coffee” from the Twin Peaks Collection by Hare Polish. I kind of wish that I had used Orly Bonder instead of Sinful Colors Base Coat. I got a chip within an hour of application….because my husband made me load the dishwasher. Just because he cleaned the kitchen, made dinner and baked me cookies. He’s so MEAN!
After Xmas Haul
You know what’s better than Xmas shopping? After Xmas shopping!
On Friday night, we hit Walmart, in search of 75% off beauty sets, as seen on Nouveau Cheap. Although I did spy a few sets from Flower, Hard Candy and e.l.f. – they were all atrocious eye shadow and I passed. I did, however, find a Scinti Countdown to Christmas Gift Set – it’s like a nail art advent calendar. I really just wanted the little mustache nail decals. It ended up being $3.72, so not bad, even if it is a brand I’ve never heard of.
On Saturday night, I talked my BFF into a trip to Walgreen’s, again in search of clearance Xmas. Along with a shit-ton of Gift Tags, I found a Conair Ultimate Style and Volume Gift set for $5. I really only bought it for the bun maker thingy. I also picked up a Red Velvet revo and the most awesome thing ever – a dancing Xmas Tree that sings “Feliz Navidad”!
I think I made my BFF sad when I carried that fucking tree down every aisle, making it serenade all of the other shoppers. Shenanigans!