Nails

Glitter Dust Glistens in These Dior Vernis Sparkling Shine Nail Polishes

March 1st, 2013 by Karen 22 Comments

Yes, my love, if you would like to spend the afternoon swatching nail polishes, listening to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (she’s like the Harper Lee of hip-hop, no?) and watching absolutely mind-numbing reality TV shows about SoCal real estate moguls on Bravo…by all means, GO FOR IT. I will not stop you.

In fact, I highly encourage this kind of behavior. Might I also suggest incorporating cookies and/or wine? Because one or both could take said afternoon to the next level. 🙂

The piercing pigments gracing my paws today hail from the House of Dior. Determined to spread sparkle and shine, the glitter-dusted Sparkling Shine Vernis polishes arrive this March, joining four color-coordinated glosses in the new revamped, revitalized Gloss Addict line.

Dior Diablotine Vernis Swatch — Diablotine, a reddish coral (I’m wearing two layers here, but I’m sure I could have gotten away with one)

Dior Delice Vernis Swatch — Delice, a warm orangey coral with flecks of gold and pink micro-glitter (two layers)

Dior Spring Ball Vernis Swatch — Spring Ball, a pinkish coral with flecks of purple, silver and gold micro-glitter (two layers)

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Get in the Fast Lane: Introducing Six New Milani High Speed Fast Dry Nail Lacquer Shades for Spring 2013

March 1st, 2013 by Karen 21 Comments

Milani's High Speed Fast Dry Nail Lacquer line new for spring 2013 — The six new Milani High Speed Fast Dry shades for spring 2013 ($4.99 each), available now at CVS, Target, Walgreens, Walmart, Kmart and online

*Beep!* Please allow me to interrupt the current parade of pastel polish with some bold brights from Milani’s High Speed Fast Dry Nail Lacquer line.

The drugstore beauty brand just added six new spring shades, including a handful of eye-catching colors.

Milani High Speed Fast Dry in Quick Teal Swatch (two coats)

Milani High Speed Fast Dry in Flaming Race Swatch (two coats)

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The Bronze Goddess Is Back! The New Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Collection for Summer 2013

February 28th, 2013 by Karen 41 Comments

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Collection Summer 2013 — Wearing Estée Lauder’s new Bronze Goddess Summer 2013 collection

If you’re soooo over winter, Estée Lauder’s 17-piece Bronze Goddess summer collection launches on counters and online this March (um, that’s tomorrow!).

Yes, GURL, summer! I know, I can’t believe it’s already that time.

Swatches and pics of 7 of the 17 pieces below… Let me know if you see something you like.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Collection 2013 — A closeup of a few items from the new Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Summer 2013 collection

Estée Lauder Heat Wave Pure Color Illuminating Powder Gelee — Estée Lauder Pure Color Illuminating Powder Gelee in Heat Wave ($40)

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Nails, Meet Neely’s Lovely Sisters in the Zoya Lovely Spring 2013 Collection

February 26th, 2013 by Karen 14 Comments

Zoya Lovely Collection Swatches — The six-piece Zoya Lovely spring 2013 collection ($8 per bottle, or $48 for the six-piece set), available now in stores, salons and online

Pardon me as I swan dive from the top platform into a full-on pastel nails obsession…

SPLASH!

Sorry about that. I couldn’t resist because the pool is just so lovely — lovely as in the six-piece Zoya Lovely collection. 🙂 Remember creamy mint green Neely from last week? Yup, these are her Lovely (ba-dum bum) sisters.

Zoya Gie Gie Swatch from the Zoya Lovely Collection — Zoya Gie Gie (two coats)

Zoya Jacqueline Swatch from the Zoya Lovely Collection — Zoya Jacqueline (two coats)

Zoya Piaf Swatch from the Zoya Lovely Collection — Zoya Piaf (three coats)

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9 Pastels, a Panini Press and the Butter London Spring 2013 Sweetie and Starkers Collections

February 26th, 2013 by Karen 25 Comments

Butter London Sweetie and Starkers Spring 2013 Collections — The nine-piece Butter London Spring 2013 Collection ($15 each bottle), available now online and at Butter London counters and Nordstrom

Today my brain politely offered me two options. One, I could spend the afternoon experimenting with my new Sunbeam Panini Press (and eating said food experiments)…or two, I could catch up on spring nail polish swatches.

Panini Press Madness! — The Sunbeam Panini Press, my new BFF

Tough decision…

But technically, the panini press isn’t new. I’ve had it since Christmas (of 2010!) and just kind of forgot about it.

Whoops!

Over the past few days, I’ve made a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches with it, a delicious grilled shrimp burrito (!) and a quesadilla with brie and pear.

But again, it’s not new, so I opted for the swatches…in part due to my muffin top, which has been feeling extra muffin-y lately…

I’ve also been going through a pastel nails phase, and the colors in the Butter London Spring 2013 Collection are scratching the itch. 🙂

This year, Butter London divided their spring launch into two parts — the six-piece Sweetie Shop collection and three-piece Starkers collection. Each bottle goes for $15 a pop.

The Sweetie Shop sub-collection

Butter London Fruit Machine Swatch — Butter London Fruit Machine, an opaque caramel creme (three coats)

Butter London Kerfuffle Swatch — Butter London Kerfuffle, an opaque, pinkish orange creme (three coats)

Butter London Jasper Swatch — Butter London Jasper, an opaque, pastel yellow creme (three coats)

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No Need for a Night Light Around the New Chanel Eastern Light Le Vernis Nail Colour

February 22nd, 2013 by Karen 7 Comments

Chanel Eastern Light Le Vernis Nail Colour Picture Swatch 1 — Wearing three coats of the new Chanel Eastern Light Le Vernis Nail Colour ($30), one of two limited edition shades from the new Hong Kong collection, available now at select Chanel boutiques and online at chanel.com

I can see how opaque white nail polish could be a little off-putting in a “Whoa! That’s one too many toe rings!” kind of way.

But when they’re done right, I think they’re go-go girl chic.

If you’re open to the idea, what do you think of Chanel’s new Eastern Light Le Vernis Nail Colour?

It’s a creamy winter white with a high-gloss, mirror-like shine that sets it apart from your everyday drugstore white nail polish.

Wowza, Eastern Light is almost bright enough to read by. Doesn’t it look like it’s glowing? I could totally see Lady Gaga wearing it on stage and gripping the microphone with her eyes closed as she belts out the bridge to You and I.

WARNING: the shade does require some work to wear. I need three coats for that full-on Whiteout effect (did you ever do those when you were a kid?), and those three coats can take an hour to dry.

You know what they say, though. Patience is a virtue. 🙂

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I’ve Seen the Western Light, and ‘Tis Glorious! The New Chanel Western Light Le Vernis Nail Colour From the Hong Kong Collection

February 22nd, 2013 by Karen 15 Comments

Chanel Western Light Le Vernis Nail Colour Picture Swatch — Wearing two coats of the new Chanel Western Light Le Vernis Nail Colour ($30), one of two limited edition shades from the new Hong Kong collection, available now at select Chanel boutiques and chanel.com

Go on. Do it. Dooooo it!

Stop trying to resist. Let the feeling wash over you like melted butter on French toast.

(Dang, how can I still be hungry…? I had a huge lunch!)

I’m talking about that craving you get when you fall in love with a new Chanel nail polish, and suddenly the thought of dropping $30 on a single bottle makes perfect sense.

I had it when Jade came out, and Vendetta, and Riva, and now I’m feeling it again with Western Light from the Hong Kong collection (joined by Eastern Light).

But it didn’t start out that way. My first thought when I saw Western Light from a few feet away was, “Pretty, but what’s the big whoop? It looks like a standard issue dark purple cream.”

Two coats later I was hooting and whistling at my hands like some kind of lip-licking, lecherous nail polish pervert, LOL!

You know how some nail polishes are masters of disguise? One minute they look one color, and the next they look another?

Well, Western Light does that. From some angles, it’s a blackened eggplant; from others, a dark roast coffee, hold the cream and sugar.

I like… 🙂

And it loves the open plains… Or rather, it loves spending time outside where it can get some sun. In direct sunlight, it looks much more complex. Reddish pearl micro-shimmer bursts through!

Chanel Western Light Le Vernis Nail Colour Picture Swatch 3 — What’s that? Secret shimmer, BAM!

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Zoya Neely Nail Polish Makes Me Seafoam

February 21st, 2013 by Karen 42 Comments

First new favorite thing of the day/du jour: French toast 2.0! I made it again, this time actually for breakfast (I’ll explain the 2.0 version in a minute).

Second new favorite thing of the day/du jour: Zoya Neely nail polish, a creamy seafoam green, and the only thing I’ve been wanting to wear on my nails lately.

Every time I glance at my hands when I’m wearing it, I smile. 🙂 It’s just so cheerful.

Two coats provides pretty complete coverage, but I’m wearing three for these pics.

Last time I applied Zeely, I didn’t use a base or top coat, and it lasted three full days before I started seeing tiny chips appear along the edges of my nails, so it seems durable. And it made it five days before the really honkin’ chips appeared.

Next time I’ll wear it with a base coat, at least, because it naturally emphasizes the ridges on my nails, which I actually think looks kind of neat, but a base coat applied before Neely should smooth things out, and improve the wear time.

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