Month: July 2016
Magic Card Trick
Feeling like I needed something different…so I pulled out Sinful Colors “I’m All In”.
After Sinful Colors Base Coat, I started with “I’m All In”. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to get several glitters on my brush…except they were mostly diamonds. I had to dig for hearts, spades and clubs. Yup, this polish has glitters to match the suites on a deck of cards. I was able to get a few of the other glitters on my nails fairly easily.
Looking at the bottle, I was expecting a darker purple finish, but it came out sheer pink. This is two heavy coats.
I finished with “HK Girl”, which smoothed most of the edges, but I’m still catching a few glitters on things. Argh…
I think this polish would look really outstanding over a black or red. I’ll keep that in mind for the future…
Sephora Play! July 2016 – Effortless Summer
I feel a bit guilty that this month’s Sephora Play! bpx has been sitting my my counter – unopened – for a week. I’ve been so busy with…stuff…and life…and stuff…
I ripped open the box and found a bevy of perfect products to give me an “Effortless Summer”. Inside the adorable pink popsicle bag: NEST Fragrances Citrine (a clean citrus and freesia blend – it didn’t make my husband gag); First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay (I used it last night – it is the most beautiful shimmery rust colored gel); OUAI Wave Spray; Smashbox Photo Finish Pore Minimizing Primer (Yassssss queen – I need these crater pores minimized); Beauty Blender Blotterazzi (I’ve been curious about this – I usually use paper towels from the bathroom to blot); and Too Faced Soleil Matte Bronzer in “Chocolate” (LOVE the smell – I need to locate the other one of these that I have).
If you haven’t signed up yet – get off your can and DO IT! This is by far the best subscription box I get every month. Sephora Play is only $10/month. You can sign up at sephora.com/play.
Silly Putty
Doesn’t Trust Fund Beauty “No Filter” look just like silly putty? Grayish beige with a hint of pink/lavender. It’s almost dirty looking.
I don’t know what’s up with the Trust Fund Beauty polishes that ipsy keeps putting in their bags…the colors just are not normal.
After Orly Bonder, I slapped on two quick coats of this thick creme polish. So thick. I was fairly careful, but I still got a few crinkled edges. Luckily, it wasn’t streaky after the second coat. A coat of “HK Girl” was just what I needed to make it super shiny.
My poor middle fingernail was a casualty of house cleaning activities this weekend. I weep for my fallen fingernail.
July Ipsy Bag – Hot Summer Nights
July’s theme is “Hot Summer Nights”…and that’s pretty accurate here in Texas…it’s hot as fuck 24 hours a day. Oh, oh those summer nights…
Is the design on this ipsy bag a repeat? I swear I’ve seen it before…or am I just losing my mind?
Let’s see what i’ve received…Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in “No Filter” (a bizarre greyish lavender); theBalm Cosmetics Meet Matt(e) Trimony Eye Shadow in “Matt Moskowitz” (dark matte maroon – reminiscent of Manischewitz); J. Cat Beauty Perfect Duo Brow Pencil in “Dark Brown” (YES – always ready to try new brow pencils…until someday I can scrape up enough cash for micro blading); Vasanti Cosemtics Eye Shadow Brush (meh); and Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre (I’ve gotten this before, but still haven’t tried it).
The products don’t seem all that summery, but they are definitely products for a night out, so I get it.
If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my link.
Nutcrackin’ Beaches
I just couldn’t stay away from Funky Fingers “Aloha Beaches” – I had to have more.
Actually, I wanted “Aloha Beaches” on my toes – to match my new Flamingo swimsuit. So after doing my toes, I decided to use it on my fingers. After Sinful Colors Base Coat and two coats of “Aloha Beaches”, I decided to get all fancy with a coat of Funky Fingers “Son of a Nutcracker”. Yes, I know it is a Xmas polish…but it’s green and pink and white and silver glitter – I had to do it. I finished with “HK Girl”. All the top coats changed the demi-matte finish of “Aloha Beaches”, but it’s still pretty, pretty.
This combination has lasted like a champ. I did it last Sunday night and I’ve been too busy to change it…I’ve got some edge wear, but that’s it. YASSSSS!
What Color is This?
Can anyone tell me what color this is? I can’t tell…at first, I thought it was a shimmery red, but then it shifts pink…but then I glance at it and I see a rust color…it’s one of those chameleon-like polishes.
I’m talking about Sinful Colors “Dancing Nails” – and my nails really do look like they’re dancing. I don’t even remember when I got it…I couldn’t find any record of it on my site at all. It just appeared in my collection. Odd.
I was in a hurry to go to bed, so after Sinful Colors Base Coat, I just dropped two quick coats on my nails. The formula was smooth and trouble free, although I did get an ugly bubble on my ring finger, as you can see in the picture. I topped with “HK Girl” for that shine.
I wonder what other surprises I have in my pile of untried polishes…
Target Beauty Boxes – July 2016
So two boxes again this month…but they are both for ME….
The “Fresh and Fabulous” box has some weird items: Tom’s of Main Peppermint Antiplaque & Whitening Toothpaste (I’ve heard Tom’s has a weird texture, but gets your teeth really clean); Dove Regenerative Nourishment Shampoo & Conditioner (large sample tubes!); Garnier Clearly Brighter Daily Moisturizer (how convenient – I just used up the Simple Gel I was using from Birchbox’s last CEW box); Sweet Spot On-the-Go Wipettes (Nowhere on the package does it tell me what I am supposed to wipe with these – do I use them on my face or my ass?); Umberto Lifting Powder (um, going to gift this); and NYX Butter Lipstick in “Moonlit Night” (love this dark plum color).
The “Simply Radiant” box is a bit more normal: L’Oreal Paris Color Vibrancy Shampoo & Conditioner (more big sample bottles); Dessange Paris Purifying Clay Shampoo (a huge fucking bottle – but NO conditioner – WTF?); Wet n Wild Max Fantastic Mascara in “Black Cat”; Derma e Firming DMAE Eye Lift; Acure Facial Cleansing Gel; and Aquaphor Healing Ointment (this means I need another tattoo).
Each box was $7, so I wasn’t able to use last month’s $3 off $15 coupon…sneaky, sneaky! I still got free shipping and 5% off with my Red Card, though.
July Birchbox – Rise and Shine
Rise and shine? Ugh, I hate mornings. So I need all the help I can get. Birchbox is trying to help a sister out the door with this month’s box.
Inside my “Rise and Shine” curated box: dr. brandt PoreDermabrasion (love this stuff – I use it up as soon as I get it); Milk Makeup Sunshine Oil (skeptical); Elizabeth Mott It’s So Big Volumizing Mascara (I’ve had this before, but I cannot remember if I like it or not); Klorane Smoothing and Relaxing Patches with Soothing Cornflower (I need to try these); and Living proof. No Frizz Nourishing Styling Cream with bonus foil packs of Living proof. No Frizz Shampoo & Conditioner (again, heavy usage of Jennifer Anniston in the advertising makes me skeptical).
If you would like to try Birchbox, click on my referral link – https://www.birchbox.com/invite/5453f – I’ll get 50 points if you join.
Serpentina
Serpentina is mine!
It was supposed to launch on Kat Von D’s site last Tuesday and Sephora on Wednesday…but it launched early on Sephora and then immediately sold out. I was annoyed, to say the least..but then it restocked on Sephora on Wednesday and I was able to snag it. Phew, that was close. I missed out on the Mi Vida Loca palette, so I couldn’t wait on this one.
The Kat Von D Serpentina palette ($45) is inspired by Cleopatra. It’s 9 shadows – two matte, eight shimmer AND a jar of loose gold pigment. I’m scared of loose pigment, but I figure a few Q-tips will save my ass. I haven’t had a chance to try it yet…tomorrow?
Sephora was also giving out five samples instead of three. I picked Bumble and bumble. Surf Foam Wash Shampoo & Conditioner (I used a sample of this on a Vegas trip – it was nice); Tatcha Balanced Pore Perfecting Water Gel Moisturizer; Sol de Janeira Brazilian Bum Bum Cream (the package says Fast-Absorbing Body Cream Tightens and Smoothes Like No Other – so I’m supposed to tighten and smooth my bum bum?); Dr. Jart+ BB Beauty Balm; and Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Pure Luxury Lift and Firm Prism Cream (good thing I noticed that the back of the pouch said to use it as a highlighter before I made the mistake of covering my whole face with it). I tried to use a promo code to get a Deluxe belif sample, but it was sold out and I didn’t get shit. So sad.
…only $86 to Rouge Status for 2017.
Oh Mickey, You’re So Fine…
…you’re so fine, you blow my mind.
When I was in fifth grade, I had a MAD crush on this sixth grader named Mickey. I was obsessed. I thought that song was written for me to sing on the playground. Looking back, that was one fucking ugly kid. I think I just liked him because he was taller than me. I dunno what happened to him after sixth grade…he disappeared. He’s probably a garbage man now.
ANYWAY…this is Julep “Mickey”, pink geranium ghost iridescent. The pink is dark, dark, dark with a bit of purple shimmer. I’ve never had a Julep polish that thick and goopy. It was almost like Elmer’s Glue. This is two coats over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat – I could have gotten away with just one coat. Even though it was goopy, it leveled out and finished smoothly. I topped with “HK Girl”, which seems to hide the iridescence. You can see it on the bottle, but not on my nails.
Oh…did you notice how short my nails are? My long nails had a good run…but we’re cleaning out eh garage and attic and one of my pinky nails became a victim. To save the rest of my nails, I mercy-killed them. RIP long nails…I hope to grow you back in a few months…