Category: Nails
…and that’s how I went to the prom with Geena Davis
…but you probably already read about that in People.
I will buy you a socially distanced beer if you know what I am talking about…
The star of my first 2021 manicure is Julep “Geena – Rose Quartz for January”. It’s sheerer than I expected – I thought it would be a textured glitter – but it was a smooth jelly glitter. I like it, although I’d like it more if my nails weren’t so stained.
This is two coats of “Geena” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and topped with Glisten & Glow Top Coat. So shiny!
Goodbye 2020!
Although I’m not feeling very festive, my nails sure are…
After Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat, I started with two coats of Color Club “Get Lost”, from this month’s ipsy bag. It was more streaky than I would like, but I made it work.
My friend Brittany inspired me with just a touch of glitter on my nails, no one has time to scrape of individual pieces of glitter with a butter knife…I used a recent Walmart clearance find – Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear “Confetti Craze”. It’s very similar to Sinful Colors “Pride”, so I guess I didn’t need it…but it was only $1.
I did get a proper matte moment with Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat. I opened a new bottle and it was oh, so nice.
Goodbye 2020, don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya…
Santa Claws
I decided that my nail stains (thanks “Sour Apple Killer”) had grown out enough to try to attempt a sheer glitter polish, so I decided on Sinful Colors “Santa Claws” for my official Xmas manicure. There’s a slight rose gold cast to the base, so it hid the stains somewhat.
This is two coats of “Santa Claws” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Sinful Colors Radical Matte Top Coat.
I’ve been obsessed with matte nails the past several months, and let me just say it…I am VERY disappointed in Sinful Colors Radical Matte Top Coat. It is neither radical, nor very matte at all. I’ll be going back to my trusty Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat – it’s the best I’ve used, so far.
December 2020 Ipsy Bag – Home for the Holidays
Well of course, I’m home for the holidays – we cannot go anywhere!
I cannot stop stroking this month’s fuzzy makeup bag – it’s like a pink sheep!
I am loving getting a Color Club Nail Polish every few months – this month, I got “Get Lost”, a creamy powder blue. Lily already snatched it to use – I hope I get to use it soon.
Also in this month’s bag: Feel Enzymatic Exfoliating Cleanser (I love the almond-y scent); Goldfaden MD Facial Detox Clarify + Clear Mask (I LOVE this mask – it’s got a hint of tingle and it made my skin AMAZING); IBY Beauty Lush Eyeshadow in “Yoga Pants” (A perfect “lazy” eye shadow – a single swipe across the eye and you’re done); and Kensie Life Beat Body Lotion (the only product in this month’s bag that I haven’t sampled yet).
This might be the best bag I’ve received all year. I did not select a product this month, but their picks were perfect for me.
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $12/month. If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
Le Tits Now!
Why “let it snow” when you can “le tits now”?
I occurs to me that the blue I used – Sinful Colors “Zzzapped!” – is pretty close to Jeopardy Blue. What a happy accident…thinking a lot about losing Alex Trebek (and Sean Connery, too I guess) this year.
This is two coats of “Zzzapped!” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat. For a the snowy nails, I used Funky Fingers “Elsa”. I guess I am still stuck on matte nails – I topped them all with Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat.
Rainbow Nuts
China Glaze “Rainbow” is soft baby pink when topped with a matte top coat, but before the top coat, it was white with a flash of rainbow opalescence. I love a versatile polish!
I started with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and two coats of “Rainbow”. For accent nails, I used one of my favorite glitter toppers, Funky Fingers “Son of a Nutcracker”. I finished with Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat.
This polish combination reminds me of The Last Unicorn.
The Morning After
Context Skin Nail Lacquer “The Morning After” was included in my November ipsy bag. It’s an inky blue/black…very sophisticated.
This is two coats of “The Morning After” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat. The polish was a bit sheer, but came through with almost full coverage in two coats. I was surprised at how long this polish lasted. Usually dark polishes chip fast, but this one really clung to my little fingers.
This blue-black reminds me of Wonder Woman. Not Wonder Woman in the movies or TV show, but Wonder Woman in the comic books. Her hair was always highlighted in blue, which confused me as child.
Perfect Shine Splurge
Back in November, I think when Sephora was offering 15% off, Ulta sent out a $10 off $40 coupon, so why not restock on a few things. Sometimes, there’s nothing like splurging on fancy shampoo & conditioner!
I’d gotten to try NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Shampoo & Conditioner ($14 each) in an Allure Beauty Box last year. I really liked it, but it wasn’t widely available. Fast forward a year and now Ulta carries it – score! The secret ingredient is grape stem cells. I don’t know what those are. I also picked up some a single use conditioners – PURA D’OR Single Use Hair Thinning Therapy Intense Moisturizing Masque ($1.79), HASK Shea Butter & Hibiscus Oil Anti-Frizz Deep Conditioner Packette ($2.99) and HASK Tea Tree Oil & Rosemary Hair & Scalp Treatment Mask Packette ($2.99).
Freeman Masks were on super sale, so I bought a replacement Cucumber & Pink Salt Clay Mask. I also grabbed a clearance China Glaze “Rainbow” for $2.62 and a new Flowery nail buffer.
I definitely did NOT buy that Kylie Cosmetics Velvet Lip Kit in “Bare” – it was a gift with $25 makeup purchase. I now know the secret of the Kylie Lip Kits! The lip liner is one tick darker than the lipstick, so it creates an optical illusion of a fuller lip. The more you know…I tried it out and the color was WAY too light for me. Hypothetically, my lips did look bigger though.
My $70 purchase qualified me for a Hello Holidays Sample Bag – it’s so fancy! Inside the bag: Dermablend Insta-Grip Jelly Primer; Awake Pore Down Tightening Concentrate; Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Towelette (WEIRD); Lake & Skye 11 11 (I could not smell this); MAC Lipstick samples in “Ruby Woo”, “M-A-C Red” & “Cockney”; Too Faced Damn Girl! Mascara; Pravana Color Protect Cleanse and Condition (HUGE samples tubes – will try these out after my next dye session); Philosophy Purity Made Simple Hydra-Bounce Eye Gel; Ahava Dead Sea Water Mineral Body Lotion; Tula Skincare 24-7 Moisture Hydrating Day & Night Cream; Smashbox Photo Finish Primer; Burberry Her; Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris; NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Shampoo & Conditioner (foilpacks for travel!); Tonymoly Golden Pig Collagen Bounce Mask; Gucci Guilty; AG Haircare Glow Shine Infuse Serum; Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Sample Card (none of these will match me); Beekman 1802 Milk Drops Probiotic Ceramide Serum; John Frieda Frizz Ease Secret Weapon Touch-up Creme; Patchology Little Helper Energy Dietary Supplement Strip (a caffeine strip that melts on your tongue – is drinking a cup of coffee so hard?); and VDL Velvet Blur Primer.
Oh, and if the order looks a little light, it’s because there were a few gifts in my order…
Leo
I’m not a Leo…but I cannot resist Julep “Leo” – golden honey duo metallic. I LOVE the hints of green in this honey hued polish. It reminds me a bit of stained glass or maybe carnival glass?
This is two coats of “Leo” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
This polish has been sitting in my cabinet nearly a year – how have I been sleeping on this delightful, delectable polish??? I wonder what else is hiding in there…
Harvest Blooms
So one of my sisters-in-law sells Color Street Nail Strips and she sent some Thanksgiving strips – “Harvest Blooms” – for me to try. My only experience with nail strips are Jamberry, and these are quite different.
While Jamberry strips are like thick vinyl stickers, Color Street are much thinner and more flexible…and more fragile. I managed to tear a few of them trying to apply them. They don’t require a heater though, which is nice.
I must have strangely shaped fingernails, but the strips didn’t really fit my nails well – do I have huge fingers? The largest strips (toe size?) barely covered my thumbs, but the next size down didn’t cover any of my nails very well. Also, my nails are fairly long right now, so the only nails that I could use one strip on two nails was my pinky – the rest were too short. I wouldn’t get two full uses out of 16 pack, which makes them less than economical for me to use – although they are VERY pretty!
Color Street Nail Strips Retail for $13 for a set of 16 double-ended strips, comparable to Jamberry…I think? I don’t recall what I paid for Jamberry years and years ago.