Once Bitten
View this post on Instagram
Once Bitten is a seriously underrated movie. A young, virginal Jim Carrey, lured into the sordid world of vampires while searching the streets of LA for sex…oh wait, wrong site.
This is Sinful Colors “Bitten”, one of my Halloween scores. Red nails go with everything, really. This is two coats of “Bitten” over Sinful Colors Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
A juicy red crelly, it’s another dupe for Zoya “Sooki”. I keep buying the same polishes, over and over.
Monsty Skin
View this post on Instagram
…and back to our regularly scheduled nails.
Pretend it’s October still, thanks.
Right before Halloween, I decided to dig into my stash and create “Monster Skin” nails – or, as my nephew would say, “Monsty Skin” nails. I started with Sally Hansen Double Duty Base & Top Coat. I them did a single coat of Sally Hansen Gem Crush “Cha-Ching!” – it still gives full coverage in one coat. I thought I would top it with a lime green crackle coat – Sally Hansen Crackle “Sage Smash” – but it was dried up! Finally, I chance to try out Julep Voila! Nail Polish Thinner! The bottle said 1-2 drops, but I I probably put in 10-20. I shook it and shook it and managed to thin enough around the brush to mostly a full coat on my nails. It kind of crackled…somewhat. I sealed the deal with Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
What came out on my nails, was not the same as what was on my nails. Instead of “Monsty Skin”, I got “Bloody Grinch”. I don’t hate it.
Fingers Crossed…
View this post on Instagram
Not only are my fingers crossed for BETO to run the Texas Senate Race tonight, but my toes, too. If I could cross my tits, they’d be crossed as well.
I am pretty OCD and am stickler for blogging in the order of my Instagram posts, but tonight I bent my rules to post about my BETO nails. I mean, I still have Halloween nails to post, so what’s another few days when it’s already been a week?
I got these Rose Gold Decals in my September box and I love them…but what to spell with them? I guess I could spell my name. Or my kids’ names. Or maybe I could just spell “FUCK OFF” like a sophisticated version of a knuckle tattoo. I decided to test them out with “BETO”. I almost put “VOTE” on my other hand, but got lazy.
After Julep Oxygen Smoothing Base Coat, I did two coats of Julep “Della”, a freebie from the April box. It reminds me of PRUNES! I carefully placed the decals with tweezers, then finished with Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
In just a few hours, BETO may or may not be a new Texas Senator. Will you cross your fingers, too?
ROUGE BONUS
View this post on Instagram
Oh, Sephora…you really do spoil me. This past weekend and now this weekend, Sephora is offering 20% for Rouge Members. You know I took advantage the very first day of last week’s sale – I had to get that sample bag!
I really wanted to smell some Ellis Brooklyn scents, but they didn’t carry them at my local store. Boo. I had a hard time coming up with something I needed/wanted – until I noticed how many shades of lippies that Kat Von D is discontinuing. I was vaguely aware, but not fully – they are getting rid of about a third of their shades of Studded Kiss, Everlasting Lip Liquids, Everlasting Glimmer Veils, and Everlasting Lip Liners. I decided to grab an Everlasting Lip Liquid in “Underage Red” ($13) – you know, because the name pisses so many people off. I also got an Everlasting Lip Liner in “Misfit” ($11) – a darker maroon. I’ve gotta say, the two of these colors together is stunning. I’m very happy with my purchase.
So…that sample bag…so packed full! It included Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Color (in little weird plastic pots); Urban Decay Cosmetics Naked Skin Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup (2 shades); NARS Power Matte Lip Pigment in “American Woman”; Tory Burch Eau de Parfum; Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment; Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream; Kiehl’s Ginger Leaf & Hibiscus Firming Mask (excited to try this); and Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer.
Just $86 Until ROUGE for 2019. I will do it!
October 2018 Allure Beauty Box – Fall Update
View this post on Instagram
It has started…the busy season. The kids have a shit-ton of activities, the holidays have started and work is a clusterfuck. I’m sure I’ll catch up – sometime in January.
Ooooh, another full box from Allure this month. The theme is “Fall Update” – a box full of fall products. I immediately perked up when I saw a very large tube of Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser and Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment. I feel like I’m getting Sunday Riley in every box these days. I ain’t complaining.
Also in this month’s box: Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara in “Ultra Black”; Yves Saint Laurent Matte Liquid Lip Stain in…no idea, the writing is way to small to tell what shade it is; Caudalie Vinopure Skin Perfecting Serum; First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream; and BKR Paris Water Balm.
The Allure Beauty Box is $15/month, but they give you $5 off your first box. They also offer an option for $150/year – a savings of $30. Sign up via my referral link..
Mist-erious
View this post on Instagram
Isn’t this color…mist-erious?
Not mysterious, as in “filled with mystery”, but mist-erious…as in “filled with mist”?
This is another Halloween polish – Sinful Colors “Mist-erious”. It’s very similar in finish to “Spellbound”, but light blue instead of light purple. At first, I thought it was a dupe for “Cinderella”, but “Cinderella” is slightly more greenish and more sheer and iridescent.
This is two coats of “Mist-erious”, over Sinful Colors Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Naked Cherry
View this post on Instagram
Would you believe that this entire Ulta Haul cost me a mere $1.87? The magic of Ulta Platinum points, baby.
I really hadn’t been saving up points for very long – I used up most of my points just six month ago on a Beachwaver. Through strategic use of points promotions and my Ultimate Mastercard, I’d managed to accrue over $100 in points in a short period of time! By stacking a 20% off code, I was able to conserve precious points – I only used $70.50 in points this time.
I exhibited extraordinary willpower in not purchasing the Urban Decay Naked Cherry Palette ($49) at launch. I knew I had the points though, so I just bided my time until I got the code. I also splurged on matching Vice Lipstick in “Devilish” ($18). I’ve been using the palette for the past 3-4 days and it is the same buttery formula that I’ve grown to love through all the Naked palettes. There’s a variety of matte and shimmer shades that work very well together. I won’t be the first to point out that the palette seems a little bit like a rehash of the Backtalk palette – but so what? The Backtalk blushes work really well with this palette, so I call that a win. I heartily recommend the Naked Cherry palette, especially when it’s free.
I added a few other fun things to my order. I’d been wanting to try a bubble sheet mask, so I got an Ulta Revitalizing Bubbling Sheet Mask ($3.00) and since they were BOGO 40% off, I got an Ulta Age Defying Matcha Mud Mask ($1.80). Ulta also came out with Aromatherapy Fragrance Rollerballs ($12.50) – I got the “Uplift” Coconut Rose scent. I absolutely love the scent – it reminds me of the Renaissance Festival for some reason – but it doesn’t last very long at all. Kind of a bummer. I also got a Scunci No-Slip Octopus clip ($5.99) – this is hands down the best clip to hold your hair and not look like a lazy hot mess. I need like 5 more.
In addition to waiting until I got a 20% off code, I also waited until Beauty Break Wednesday. The Hempz Beauty Break included three full size products: Hempz Cinnamon Sugar & Vanilla Butter Creme Herbal Body Moisturizer, Hempz Star Jasmine & Vanilla Herbal Foaming Body Wash, Hempz Original Herbal Body Butter and a travel size Star Jasmine & Vanilla Herbal Moisturizer. Wow!
They didn’t give me any samples though…bummer.
Only $430 until Diamond status…
Sephora Play! October 2018 – Scary Good Beauty
View this post on Instagram
Scary good beauty? Count me in!
I am always happy to get products from First Aid Beauty. This box has First Aid Beauty Coconut Water Cream. I love smelling like a coconut.
Also in this month’s box: Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray (I keep getting this and I never use it – I need to stop being so lazy); Benefit Gimme Brow Brow-Volumizing Fiber Gel (I’m too far gone for this); Anastasia Beverly Hills Banana Stick Contour (interesting – I might give it a spin); Caudalie Vinoperfect Serum; and Kat Von D Saint & Sinner Eau de Parfums (two fragrances is a good deal, even though I already have them).
I guess the switch to ziploc baggies is a permanent one. That’s OK – I have at least 2 dozen fabric pouches that I don’t know what to do with.
Goshdarnit! I went to Sephora today and I forgot to use my Play! card. You’d think I’d be better than this by now.
Sephora Play is THE bestest box I receive every month. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
October 2018 Ipsy Bag – Ipsy After Dark
View this post on Instagram
This bag! I must work it into the rotation immediately! Blood red pleather, embossed with a stunning masquerade mask – I love it!
Other than the bag, the first thing that I noticed about this month’s products was the MAC Little Lipglass in “Love Child”. Even though I have not been loving glosses lately, I am digging the shimmery plum color. My lips look the best in plums and fuchsias.
Also in this month’s bag: Naked Cosmetics Loose Pigment in “Heavy Metal HE-03” (I’ve gotten a bucket of pigments and shadows from Naked Cosmetics and never played with them – I need to either try them or trash them); Murad Essential-C Cleanser; Eyeko Skinny Travel Size Liquid Eyeliner in “Carbon Black”; and a Beau Gachis Eyebrow Brush (oooooh, another one – when it rains, it pours).
A so-so set of products this month, but the dynamite bag makes up for it.
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Marjorie Merkin
View this post on Instagram
Fall hit SO late, I’ve just not felt very Halloween-y lately. These delightful Merkin Nails are just the thing to get me into the Halloween spirit – it’s just a week away!
First off, Merkin is the name of our little black cat – so don’t get any wacky ideas about me gluing pubes to my fingernails. I’m not saying it will NEVER happen…but it is highly unlikely.
I decided to use Julep “Marjorie” as the base. I could have sworn that I’d tried “Marjorie” before, but I couldn’t find any posts with it, just the Maven box that had it – in the summer of 2014. That was back in the early days of my collection, before I consciously set aside my “untried” polishes. I bet it just got put in with the rest of the Julep polishes!
This is two coats of “Marjorie” over Julep Oxygen Smoothing Base Coat. I carefully placed each black cat decal with tweezers, then sealed with Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
I have lots more kitties left – I’ll have to do this one again!