Category: Nails
Hayat
Hayat is the Arabic word for life. “Hayat” gives me life.
Julep “Hayat” (blazing hibiscus creme) was my first pick from this month’s Julep box. After Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat, the first coat seemed impossibly thick. It wasn’t too streaky, but I was concerned that a second coat would be goopy. I very carefully did a second coat and although there were a few goops – it was absolutely user error.
It was the perfect background for these little palm tree decals – also from this month’s box. Peeling those suckers up with tweezers was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. It was like brain surgery…my apologies to real brain surgeons. I ever so lightly pressed them down and finished with a thick ole layer of “HK Girl”.
These would look SO good with my flamingo swimsuit!
July Julep Maven Box – Neon Nights
Even though my Julep box was there waiting for me when I got back from vacation, I got distracted by all the goodies I purchased…
July’s theme is “Neon Nights”, and offered a selection of bright summer colors. I chose Bombshell “Hayat” – blazing hibiscus creme – and Boho Glam “Nadine” – tangy persimmon creme (to match my persimmon tree). I also chose the new So Plush Lip Gloss in “werk” – I cannot resist trying Julep’s lip products, even though they go bad before I can ever use them up. Even though I KNOW that it’s because they’re not loaded with nasty preservatives, it kind of irks me that they go rancid after less than a year. I also used Jules to get Palm Tree Nail Decals – so summery!
No candy this month, which is smart given the weather. Instead, I got another sheet of metallic temporary tattoos. I’m thinking Lily will get these.
Not a Julep Maven? Click HERE to join – I’ll get a $15 credit and you’ll get your first box free!
What’s A Budget?
“What’s A Budget?” by Trust Fund Beauty came in last month’s ipsy bag. Now that’s a good polish for me – I keep talking about having a budget, but then I just buy whatever I want anyway.
I’m not quite sure how to categorize this color – ipsy says it’s sea foam blue, but there’s a hint of tropical mint. Or maybe mojito? There’s a hint of shimmer in the polish, but it’s hard to see in the picture. Coincidentally, it perfectly matches the color we are painting our living room – Behr “Island Oasis”.
I started with Sinful Colors Base Coat. The first coat was thick, streaky and gross. I nearly gave up and took it off. I persisted and painted a second coat. Like magic, it leveled out and the streaks disappeared. How about that…“HK Girl” finished the job.
I would have kept it on longer, but the edges looked shit after taping off the kitchen…
Marisol
Julep “Marisol” – golden amber metallic – reminds me of a huge hunk of petrified amber, full of glowing bubble that catch the light.
When I picked my Julep box last month, I had no idea how beautiful this polish would be. I just got lucky, I guess
This is two coats of “Marisol” over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat. The polish is smooth, not bumpy – so I finished with “HK Girl”.
Is it me, or is my index fingernail too long? I feel like it’s too long. I just hate to cut a strong nail that’s not chipping.
DC Vacay Nails
For one of our longest vacations ever, I needed a nail combination that would last 8-10 days. We would be visiting Washington DC/Virginia and each day would be packed with activities – there would be no nail nights on this vacation. I needed a light neutral color, that would render chips nearly invisible.
I chose Sinful Colors “Glass Pink” for my base color. This is two coats over Sinful Colors Base Coat. It’s very sheer, but gives just enough coverage to mask my severely stained nails. I topped with Sinful Colors “Silver Crush” for extra sparkle. I finished with “HK Girl”.
By the way, I took this pic while waiting for a shuttle at Reagan National Airport…multi-tasking!
So, it’s been about…10 days? Sure, it’s chipped, but still looks pretty darn good. Tomorrow is nail night!
June Ipsy Bag – Volume Up
Ooooh…look at those lips. So why aren’t there any lip products in my bag this month?
Let’s see…I got a Beaute Basics Travel Face Blender in Light Pink; Peek Beauty Multiuse Black Primer (I am scared and intrigued by this product at the same time; how do I end up NOT looking like I got punched in the eye?); PÜR Mini Fully Charged Magenetic Mascara (another scary product – it’s literally supposed to be magnets); Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in “What’s a Budget” (sea-foam blue); and Delectable by Cake Beauty Coconut & Cream Triple Moisture Body Lotion.
A fun bag for summer – with a few products I’ll have to get brave enough to try.
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Discovery
Formula X “Discovery” is the next polish I grabbed from last week’s haul.
“Discovery” is a peacock blue metallic matte polish. I had high hopes for this polish, but my hopes were shattered as I began applying over Sinful Colors Base Coat. It began drying the moment it hit my nails – too fast! It began streaking and cracking like a shatter polish – oh no! The second coat smoothed out some of the streaks, but there were several deep crevices that would not smooth out. Luckily, the worst ones were on my RIGHT hand.
So I managed to smooth out my nails with 2-3 coats, depending on the streaks. It did indeed dry quickly and was hard as a rock – no sheet imprints, so there’s that. But “Discovery” began chipping immediately. Boo. And then I decided to wash a saucepan. Well fuck, my nails are destroyed now.
The color is amazing, but the formula…not so much. Application is difficult and uneven. It does not have good staying power. I wonder if a different base coat would help?
Jaydra
Plenty of rose, not enough holographic.
Julep “Jaydra” is Tuscan rose sheer holographic, but it’s more Tuscan rose. Don’t get me wrong – it’s a beautiful polish, but the holographic quality is too subtle. I like a little more bling when I go blingy.
This is two coats over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat and under “HK Girl”. It went on smooth and clean, surprising for such a sheer polish. I got full coverage (no VNL) in just two coats.
It’s a good match for the many rosy nude lipsticks I love so much. It was a good match to today’s color – tarte “Festival”.
Knockout
Damn right that Formula X “Knockout” was the first one I grabbed from my new box – it’s a fucking knockout!
I’ve been in a pink mood lately, so I decided that I wanted a hot pink on my toes for vacation. If I was gonna do my toes, my fingers ought to match – for a few days at least. “Knockout” is pure fire, the hottest of the hot pink. It’s not just a pink creme – there’s a flash of blue in this hot pink.
I started with Sinful Colors Base Coat and got full coverage in just two coats of “Knockout”. I topped with “HK Girl”.
Did you notice that I chopped my nails down to nubs again? They were long and strong, except for the broken middle finger…so I went ahead and cut them all to match. Boo.
I’ve got to say, this polish lasts and lasts, even with non-matching brands of base coat and top coat. I put it on Sunday night and it’s still going strong on Thursday. Noice!
Two Sephora Orders are Better Than One
Midnight, Saturday before last (the day of the VIB Fall Preview Event)…lounging on the couch, watching a Snapped marathon, like ya do…and I see a note on Nouveau Cheap that Sephora had just listed ALL their Formula X polishes on clearance for $2 each. This is not a drill!
I placed a conservative order of just 7 polishes: “Knockout” (hot pink with a flash of blue); “Impeccable” (peachy taupe); “Motivated” (metallic mandarin); “Blazing” (shimmery maroon); “Prismatic” (glittery turquoise); “Discovery” (metallic aqua); and “Serenity” (purple glitter in a black base). See – very conservative.
For samples, I received Dior Backstage Pros with Dior Addict Lip Maximizer in “Pink”, Lip Glow in “Pink” and a tiny lip brush; Living proof. Perfect hair Day Shampoo & Conditioner; and belif The true cream – Moisturizing bomb. (What is it with these brands and their random-ass capitalization???)
Little did I know…that my Event Shopping Trip that very same day would re-qualify me for Beauty Insider Status in 2018 and a 10% code would be waiting for me in my email…
So on Tuesday, I ended up placing another order using that 10% code. My order was necessitated by the launch of the Kat von D “Lolita” Eye Shadow & Blush ($19) – I had to have it. It’s everything I hoped it would be – a perfect match to the lipstick and super-pigmented.
It would be a waste to use that code on a single shadow…so I browsed the sale page and saw that the UD Basquiat Collection was all on sale, as well as the tarte Make Believe in Yourself Collection…Decisions, decisions. After reading several reviews, I decided on the tarte Make Believe in Yourself Eye & Cheek Palette ($30, down from $40). I’ve never tried tarte shadows and the reviews on this palette are good. I tried it out this morning and the shadows ARE creamy, with no fallout. They blend like BUTTAH. I also grabbed Limited Edition Tarteist Quick Dry Matte Lip Paint in “Festival” ($16, down from $18) from the same collection. It’s a light matte mauve, lighter than I expected.
I used 100 points to get a mini Kat von D Everlasting Lip Liquid in “Lovesick” – pretty sure I don’t have that one. For my samples, I got L’Occitane Creme Divine, Dior Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming and Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream. Bahhhhhhh!
Only $478 left…I can do it!