An affair to remember… That’s how I’m looking at my nails this morning. 🙂 I’m wearing MAC Light Affair on my fingers ($12, from the Love Lace collection) and Chanel Jade on my toes.
How ’bout you?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Nails
Dolce & Gabbana Intense Nail Lacquers: Do They Stack Up to Chanel?
If you love bold, richly pigmented colors for nails, then you will LOVE Dolce & Gabbana Intense Nail Lacquers.
They retail for $20 each (available in 15 total shades); the first one I purchased was Ruby — a rich metallic red — and I fell in love at first swipe. I tested it at the Beverly Hills Saks and got a full coverage result with just one coat.
Since then my collection has grown!
Right now I’m wearing the one called Red on my toes. This is Day 15, and it still hasn’t chipped, having the same full coverage as the day I walked out of the salon (top coat was Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat).
You’ll find them at select Saks Fifth Avenue Locations (New York and Beverly Hills) or online at saks.com.
Here are the ones I’ve accumulated along with pictures and descriptions:
Fuschia. I find this one oddly named since it’s more of a bright iridescent coral with complex shimmers, rather than a “fuschia.” Not your typical peachy shade, this one flashes a bit of silver and pink and coral making it very unique.
Rose. A bright rosy-pink with gold shimmer.
Red. A classic can’t-go-wrong deep red cream.
Ruby. The name describes it all, a rich metallic ruby.
Eyeko Mixes Makeup and Manga: Say Kon’nichiwa to Their Six New Nail Polishes
Eyekosuki desu ka? Do you like Eyeko? 🙂 If you like cheeky manga (Japanese comics) and makeup, you’re in luck. That’s Eyeko’s specialty! The UK brand has just released a new line of $5 nail polishes.
After taking a quick look at them this morning, I’m really liking the Indigo Polish, a shimmery blackish blue (kinda reminds me of Lancome’s Declaring Indigo), and Cosmic Polish, also a shimmery black, but with flecks of black, green and orange glitter.
Now, the Nude Polish caught me by surprise… I’m picky about my nude nail polishes, but unlike most of the ones I’ve tried before, Eyeko’s didn’t streak at all. Two coats deliver creamy, opaque coverage.
As for the other three shades — a little too bubbly and streaky for me.
I like the $5 price, but that’s assuming you can find them in a store. They haven’t been the easiest polishes to find in my area. The company does ship from across the pond, but shipping can be expensive and take up to 21 days, ouch!
Let me know what you think from these swatches and if you’d like to see more. 🙂
Eyeko Indigo Polish
Eyeko Cosmic Polish for Space Age Nails
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Urban Decay’s Big Holiday Bang: The Apocalyptic Nail Kit
My personal style is total “suburban Mom.” My everyday look is classic, maybe even a bit boring: caramel balyage, neutral eyeshadow, jeans, flats… sometimes I even wear pearls! My point is, I generally don’t stray from what most would consider “ordinary.”
But in spirit, I’m part rock star and part punk, sporting goth-black hair, tattoos — and perhaps some sort of weapon concealed in my cleavage.
It’s that hidden inner edge that has me heralding Urban Decay’s latest big bang. Their nail enamel is back on the market, and just in time for the holidays. The Apocalyptic Nail Kit, an adorable mini nail enamel kit, looks great for gifting OR for keeping!
Think you can’t pull off these in-your-face shades? Do what I do. You can still look the part of suburban Mom by using these nail lacquers for your pedicure. It’ll be our little secret. 😉
Retail price is $26 for the seven small bottles of nail color, and all are DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde-free.
Meltdown: This electric shade of purple has a shimmer that dances in the sunlight.
Big Bang: Love pink? Love glitter? You’re in the right place! From Urban Decay’s original collection, this polish is a sizzling hot pink packed with tons of sparkle.
Apocalypse: A dark, inky, almost black purple. Piss off an octopus, and this is the color of his defense.
F-Bomb: This shade (my personal fave) is a smokin’ sex siren red with a shiny patent-leather finish. The only thing sexier would be a pair of stilettos in this exact shade!
Grunge: Generation-Xers are rejoicing over this hopelessly hip evergreen shade. It appeals to the Kurt Cobain-loving Seattle-dweller within us all.
Gunmetal: This polish is a super-dark titanium with brown undertones. Urban-Chic fashionistas will die over this way-better-than-black shade.
White Widow: This snowy, frosty pale white with a cool gray cast should be perfect for wearing on the slopes!
Lightening Up with the China Glaze Up and Away Collection
The first time I read the name on the bottom of the pastel yellow bottle in China Glaze’s Up and Away Spring 2010 collection, I was TOTALLY SURE it said Lemon Liz — named, I assumed, after Tina Fey’s character on 30 Rock.
I thought, “How cool,” smiling gleefully. 🙂 “They watch 30 Rock!”
And then I looked again: “Lemon Fizz”
Oh, how ’bout that… Lemon Fizz. Yeah, I guess someone needs to get her eyes checked, LOL!
The shiny-happy mix of creamy brights and pastels in China Glaze’s new collection look like the colors from a Deee-Lite video.
So playful and girly! 🙂
Most of the 12 apply smooth with full coverage. The two that didn’t for me (the lighter shades) — Something Sweet and Light as Air — gave me some trubs in the streaking department, but I still like the colors.
Like all China Glaze lacquers, these are free of DBP, toluene and formaldehyde, and they’re expected to grace Sally Beauty Supply stores this spring. As soon as I see them available anywhere online, I’ll let you know.
What do you think? Are these tres Deee Lite or what?
Lemon Fizz
Happy Go Lucky
High Hopes
Peachy Keen
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Sephora Brand Cuticle Pens are Mightier than the Sword
I promise I’ll write you
Did you know that some gals carry hot sauce in their purses? It’s true! I saw an episode of Cheaters where a woman busted out her own personal bottle of Tabasco sauce at a restaurant. Her dedication inspired me — in an unrelated but equally silly way — to start carrying cuticle oil with me everywhere I go.
Why cuticle oil?
Because I wash my hands, a lot. Consequently, my cuticles look like shredded carrots, and regular hand lotion just wasn’t cutting it.
But then disaster struck when a bottle of cuticle oil accidentally opened in my purse… Oily phone = beauty grouch.
It put an end to my cuticle carrying until I came across this little miracle at Sephora last weekend: Sephora Brand Cuticle Pen ($12).
What is it?
Perhaps not surprisingly, it’s a click pen filled with moisturizing cuticle oil. 🙂
It comes in three different flavors — Healing Eucalyptus, Stimulating Lavander and Original. I have it in Original, which moisturizes and softens with shea butter and the oils of Aloe vera, jojoba, apricot and evening primrose.
As you can probably imagine, it’s not complicated to operate. Just twist the bottom of the click pen to deploy the oil through the brush at the opposite end, and paint with the oil-soaked tip directly on your cuticles.
Brush it good… brush it REAL good
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Do You Ever Layer Different Nail Polishes?
NARS Arabesque above a layer of NARS Chinatown
I do it all the time, trying to invent my own new colors or to liven something up with a little glitter on top.
Both of the polishes in my current favorite combo — NARS Arabesque and Chinatown — are from the NARS Drop Dead Gorgeous holiday set. 🙂
Loading ...Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Are you wearing anything on your nails today?
NARS Drop Dead Gorgeous Mini Nail Kit Has You Covered
Greetings, gals. I just came across a gift set that might save some butts this holiday season the NARS Drop Dead Gorgeous Mini Nail Kit ($30).
It’s a four-piece mini nail polish kit, one of five for the holidays from NARS. This one comes with four classic colors that I’m guessing even the most finicky nail polish divas will dig.
- Arabesque: A peachy rose with glitter in a sheer pink base
- Chinatown: A creamy dark red
- Candy Darling: A sheer, creamy beige
- Saratoga: A shimmery golden burgundy
Arabesque
Chinatown
Candy Darling
Saratoga
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