The Time Has Come...

I have been contemplating writing this post for a while now, and I can't put it off any longer. I have been blogging for a long time, si...

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Glisten & Glow Review

I'm always on the look out for the next great item to add to my nail care arsenal. Recently I had noticed a lot of people on Instagram taking nail pictures using a new top coat, Glisten & Glow HK Girl. I heard from a lot of people that it was amazing in terms of drying time without tip pull or shrinkage, and Leslie from work/play/polish was recently interviewed in Nail It! magazine saying that it was her "can't live without" top coat. I just had to try some for myself. The owner of Glisten & Glow, Jill, sent me a package of her goodies to try and I was not disappointed.

I got to test out their topcoat, HK Girl, and base coat, Stuck on Blu! I have been absolutely loving the topcoat, it dries super fast on me. It self-levels like a great top coat should, is very shiny and I haven't had one instance of shrinkage. It also wears very well on me, lasting a week or longer with no chips, which is amazing. I don't change my nail color as often as I used to so that's been nice. I would say it's my new favorite top coat!

The base coat might be also to credit for the excellent wear time I've been experiencing as I've been using Stuck on Blu! for all my recent manis as well. I've never really had a problem with my nails being stained with regular polish wear but if you're concerned about that you should try this as it claims to help prevent it. It's also sticky to help the polish adhere better, how I prefer my bases to be.

Glisten & Glow HK Girl top coat and Stuck on Blu

Jill also slipped in some cuticle balm and a roller ball stick of cuticle oil, both in the scent Summer Sorbet. They are awesome, if you know me you know that I need all the help with my problem cuticles as I can get. The roller ball is super convenient and I love the smell. I feel like the balm absorbs in my skin quickly so I don't have to deal with any type of greasiness.
Glisten & Glow cuticle oil and nail & cuticle balm

The top coat and base coat is $6.95 per bottle or you can buy them as a duo for $13.50. The cuticle oil roller ball is $10.50 and the balm is $8.50 each. You should definitely check out these products and all the other awesome stuff in the Glisten & Glow store. They also do customizable bath products, everything from soap to scrub to shampoo. Are you interested in trying a new top coat? Try HK Girl! I bet you'll be impressed.

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Product samples were provided for consideration.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

OPI Pink of Hearts 2013 Set

OPI has once again put out a limited edition Pink of Hearts set for the month of October to raise awareness and money for breast cancer research. 2013 is their 7th year promoting the cause and they have included a solid pink polish, a multicolored glitter polish, and some nail art adornments in the pack.

This is Pink-ing of You, a permanent color in the OPI line. It's a beautiful light barbie pink jelly crème. It applies amazingly, just like most jelly crèmes do for me. Very shiny and self-leveling. No streaks here. This is three thin coats.
OPI Pink-ing of You

Next is More Than a Glimmer, a mix of different sized kinda greyed-out rainbow hex glitters in a milky pinkish white base. It's a cousin to such glitters mixes as in OPI Rainbow Connection, but the glitter colors are softer and with the base it's easy to wear on it's own. I found this relatively easy to apply for a polish with so much glitter in it. This is three coats.
OPI More Than a Glimmer

The set includes 10 rhinestones and 10 pink ribbon decals to use for nail art. I am a hopeless dope with nail art of any kind, but I decided to take the plunge and try them. They turned out to be so easy to use! I used tweezers to pick them off the paper and stick them on my nails. I clipped off the edge of one of the stickers on my first try though, so I would advise an easy grip on them haha. What do you think of my super easy nail art look? I love this!
OPI Pink of Hearts 2013 Set

Pink of Hearts 2013 will be available through the month of October in Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, jcp Salons, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, ULTA and ulta.com for $15.95 ($19.95 CAN) suggested retail. For more info, visit www.opi.com and follow OPI on facebook and twitter.

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Product samples were provided for consideration.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Glitter Gal - Hot Chilli & Transfusion

Today I have two new Glitter Gal holographic lacquers to show you. They are both limited editions and there were only a few batches made. I have to admit, I might be cooling off on the holo trend. At first they were quite the novelty, but now they're so popular they seem almost commonplace to me (except for my beloved orange holo I posted the other day). Every indie seller makes them these days, but I still give Glitter Gal props for being one of the first brands to do them really well and bring them more into the mainstream.

First is Hot Chilli, a warm autumnal red holo. This one dried very matte on me, almost weirdly so, so I put topcoat on over it, which technically you shouldn't do with holos. That did dull the holo effect, but I think it looked nicer despite that. This is two coats plus topcoat.
Glitter Gal - Hot Chilli

This one is called Transfusion, which would suggest a blood red polish, but this is more purple to me. The same weird matte thing happened as it dried, so again I put topcoat over it. This time it definitely affected the holo finish more than I liked. If I wear these again, I will wear them without a topcoat. I do like the color a lot though, very sexy. This is two coats with topcoat.
Glitter Gal - Transfusion

I can't find these guys in stock online anymore but maybe they will reappear sometime in the future. You can purchase Glitter Gal nail polishes from their website, Llarowe, Harlow & Co, or Ninja Polish. Do you still love holographic polish or are you more ambivalent towards it these days like me?

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Product samples were provided for consideration.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

About Time

"About Time"A film from Richard Curtis, the creator of Love Actually, Notting Hill, and Four Weddings and a Funeral.


For more than three decades, filmmaker Richard Curtis (Love Actually, Notting Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral) has crafted his signature voice in the world of movies and television, giving audiences unforgettable characters who have alternately allowed us to laugh at our ever-so-human foibles and to shed a tear at the extraordinary journeys that accompany our ordinary lives.

Now, with About Time, Curtis gives us his most personal film to date. About Time tells the story of a young man whose gift allows him to go back and relive any moment of his life.  But instead of making every moment perfect, he learns that life and love are most extraordinary when you embrace all of their imperfections. 

About Time is a comedy about love and time travel, which discovers that, in the end, making the most of life may not need time travel at all.
--

I am a big movie buff, I watch new movies weekly. Both in the theaters and at home! Romantic comedies are not my first choice normally, but there are a few good ones that win me over. There are some that when I see the trailer, instead of rolling my eyes per usual, I get a catch in my throat and know, that that one is going to be good. "Love Actually" is one of my all time favorite movies so I was happy to hear that the same filmmaker is directing this movie.

I know firsthand how we can expect and plan for things to be perfect but they can turn out so upside-down and backwards but still make for a lasting and invaluable memory. I was going on a first date with a guy a few years ago and I was so nervous for it. He had gotten us tickets to a concert in a nearby town that I was really excited for. I spent hours getting ready, straightening my unruly curly hair and I even bought a new outfit. He picked me up and then halfway to the venue, his car got a flat tire and neither of us knew how to change one. Then of course it began to rain and the humidity turned my painstakingly achieved blow out in to a puffy mess. I was embarrassed and I just wished for the night to end.

We decided to start walking to get to a phone (this was before absolutely everyone had cellphones) and it was pretty awkward at first. We really hardly knew each other after all! It took about an hour to find someone to let us use their phone, and in that time we ended up easing into joking, laughing, and then really getting to know each other. Eventually we got a ride and help with the car. We missed the show but it turned out that neither of us ended up minding much. The unexpected misfortune of the night made us see each other in a different light than we were expecting to. We found out that we could both laugh off an unfortunate bump in the road (literally) and it wouldn't stop us from having a good time just being with each other. We dated a while longer after that and we're still great friends today, years later.

Just like in Tim and Mary's wedding in "About Time", you can plan for and expect perfection, but things can fall apart. It's how you react to adversity that really matters, and it can bring about the best times of your life!

Critics are already calling About Time "the first must-see movie of the fall" and "easily the most heartwarming, feel-great film of the season." Get ready to fall in love all over again -- with About Time. The film releases on 11-8-13.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Universal Pictures through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated to write a post about About Time, all opinions are my own.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Rescue Beauty Lounge Fan Collection 2.0 Swatches and Review



The fateful day has arrived! Rescue Beauty Lounge has produced another stellar collection, their second based on fan submissions. This is the Fan Collection 2.0! Please enjoy the official press release from creator Ji Baek:
Rescue Beauty Lounge Fan Collection 2.0

Introducing The Fan Collection 2.0

As I lined up the six square bottles of ReBeL dream colors, I screamed out loud, "Doctor! Doctor!" I clenched my heart with the palm of my right hand. Thank goodness I was alone at the studio, otherwise 911 would have been dialed. What collection can get my heart rate to ramp up to dangerous levels? The Fan Collection 2.0, of course. For me, making people's dream colors feels like Christmas morning.

Forget about the countless and exciting submissions or the nail-biting voting process (which was a rivetingly palpitating event in and of itself). This was all about the tender loving thoughts that went into those stunning inspirational boards. They transformed me into a wild-color-mixing-witchcrafting state that lead me into the gates of color heaven.

We have connected flawlessly through the language of colors and may I just say--our ReBeLs know what they want and need--period. The birthing process, which transformed their dream colors into the realm of reality, was beyond all of our expectations. It's truly my privilege to introduce The Fan Collection 2.0! And I thank all of the ReBeL winners for your time, participation, and passion. Cheers to our color-hood! (Please don't drink it!)
--

Coquette: "Duality. Dichotomy. The essence of the feminine contradiction--Who's that girl? The surface belies the woman within. The intensity and intellect of Marilyn was masked by the shell of a vixen. The demure facade of Jackie concealed the passionate seductress within. Stereotypes defied. The Girl next door and the Goddess. Whimsy, charm, flirtation, seduction and rapture." This is what Sarah wanted.

Coquette is a gorgeous muted posy pink creme with a generous dose of silver shard-like glitter pieces. Very sexy and yet extremely feminine and cute. I think this polish is exactly what Sarah's description entails, spot on. I am a pink lover and this is right up my alley. I used two coats here, impeccable formula.
Rescue Beauty Lounge - Coquette
Rescue Beauty Lounge - Coquette

Naked Without Polish: "It would be a pure carnation pink base. Very basic and very creamy, no jellies (as much as I love them). I want a polish that is opaque in 2 coats. I want the pink base to be filled with a gold shimmer, for the sun to catch the gold and just make it shine! I want my polish to be soft and girlie, but still make an impact and stand out. I want it to be a color people can wear year-round, a color that cheers you up on a bad day. I've been dreaming of this polish ever since I can remember. I've been a polish lover since I was 13 and I can't find anything that comes close to being my absolute dream polish, even though I do have several on my favorites list. This ONE polish is always in the back of my mind. Just the thought of it takes my breath away and makes me smile." On Becky's wish list.

I had no clue what to expect from reading Becky's polish description and seeing her inspiration photos, I was very excited to see Naked Without Polish in the flesh. This is a unique polish that I don't think I've ever seen before. It's a pale opaque pink with a hefty wash of seafoam green shimmer and loads of largeish speckly gold (almost bronze) flakes. It's difficult to see the green tinge to the shimmer in my photo but it is quite noticeable in person. This is two coats. Excellent formula.
Rescue Beauty Lounge - Naked Without Polish
Rescue Beauty Lounge - Naked Without Polish

Fire Queen: "My color inspiration comes from Depression Era glass from the 1930s and 1940s--specifically, the pale jade color of the Fire-King line made by the Anchor Hocking Glass Company commonly referred to as "jadeite." In a sea of imposters, no one has been able to capture the magic of the genuine Fire-King and thus it has become highly coveted since the 1960's: a small decadence of lean times turned luxury. When you hold a piece of Fire-King up to the light it glows with history. This hue has a build-able jade jelly and the end result looks like milk glass veneers on your fingertips. Both edgy and full of vintage charm, this polish is the perfect fit for any 'Fire-Queen.'" Jamie's desire.

Fire Queen was the one I was most anxious to see when I first heard which colors Ji would be making for this collection. I am a sucker for greens anyway and I love milky jelly polishes. I am head over heels for this one! This is four thin coats, to make it as opaque as possible. You could probably get away with three if you have careful application and/or don't mind a bit of translucence.
Rescue Beauty Lounge - Fire Queen

Réveillon: "My vision for Réveillon is based on the cold winter afternoons growing up on the Quebec/NYS border. This is the borderland where we speak both French and English; for many on the American side, it's the furthest south our families migrated. Réveillon is a holiday dinner held for Christmas and/or New Year's Eve. It is an event of tradition and family, marking the transition from night to day as the dinner/party lasts well past midnight. Réveillon is celebrated with luxurious feasting in the company of family and friends. Given that it takes place after the winter solstice, the holiday suggest the coming of spring, albeit many months from that day. The color in my mind is a cool, silver-toned blue (more silver than blue) inspired by the icy landscape of late December. There is an internal flash of gold/white shimmer, perhaps violet, representing the light as reflected off ice, as well as the fireworks often used to light the night sky on Réveillon. Réveillon is mysterious with a complex depth and internal shimmer/light." Cara's longing.

Réveillon is a demure and beautiful doll. This polish immediately calls to my mind Disney's Cinderella character, with her pale blue ball gown and magical glow. This is an icy blue polish with white shimmer that twinkles pinky purple on the surface. The resulting polish is more blue than what I expected from Cara's description but I'm super into it. Perfect for the upcoming chilly weather! Two coats.
Rescue Beauty Lounge - Réveillon
Rescue Beauty Lounge - Réveillon

Lucciole: "Or fireflies in Italian, remind me of the most magical time in my childhood when I was still innocent and the world was a safe and magical place. This color is reminiscent of the color of a deepening summer night sky after sundown, between dusk and midnight. In my mind's eye, I see interspersed throughout this glorious base, random flecks of blue and/or green iridescent luminescent flecks (like the ones that are visible in Curprum) that randomly sparkle when the light hits it, reminiscent of the fireflies' sparks of light." By Mindy.

Lucciole is very close to what I had imagined from reading Mindy's imagery. It's an almost foil-like blue toned purple shimmer polish with tons of small gold flecks and itsy bitsy gold microglitter. The base is a bit watery and glows with a deep navy tinge at first but built on itself, you see the true purple color. This is fabulous in person, better than I could capture in my photos. Three coats.
Rescue Beauty Lounge - Lucciole
Rescue Beauty Lounge - Lucciole

Lotus Elise: "My dream RBL would be something that I have wanted to see Ji do for a while--the inspiration came from a unique and rare gemstone found mostly in Sri Lanka: the padparadscha sapphire. While most sapphires are blue, this one stands out amongst the rest as it varies in color from pink to orange, spanning all the range in between. RBL has some very lovely pale and girly pinks, but this pink would be different. I envision the gold shimmer to run as a thread throughout (like the flash of orange running through Piu Mosso), while the orange microglitter would be more visible. Because these three colors (pink, orange, and gold) are analogous on the color wheel (next to each other), the result will be a seamless blend of shades that would work well with each other, allowing this polish to be worn by those who are daring, as well as those a little more reserved." Candice's dream.

This polish is INCREDIBLE and quite different than any RBL polish I can think of. The pink jelly base of Lotus Elise is very pigmented and juicy, almost a bright strawberry color. It is filled with so much pink and orange glass fleck glitter that I swear it's about to explode and rain beauty everywhere. It also has a beautiful depth to it that is so stunning in person. YOU NEED THIS POLISH! I used three coats here.
Rescue Beauty Lounge - Lotus Elise
Rescue Beauty Lounge - Lotus Elise

I am quite impressed with this collection. Very fun and bright! I am so happy for the lucky fans who get to see their dream color realized, as I know the honor myself, it is a very special experience. Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polishes are exclusively available at www.rescuebeauty.com for $20 per bottle.

Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polishes are created with resin and high molecular polymers to improve flexibility, durability, and high shine. They contain no harmful Toluene, Formaldehyde, DBP, and Formaldehyde Resin. We do not test on animals.

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Product samples were provided for consideration.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Fancy Gloss - Orange Fizz

Hi friends! I am so excited to tell you that I have a rare find to show you today---a bright orange holographic polish! I've dreamed of such a color for a long time. You may recall a post on my blog a few years ago when a lovely friend of mine had attempted to franken one for me but it ended up breaking in the mail during transit. It's such a hard color to work with and keep vibrant when using the holo pigment I didn't know if I would ever see it executed the way I dreamed it would. I love to use Instagram for browsing beautiful nails and nail art, and one day while scrolling through my feed I was floored to see the elusive orange holo nail polish staring me in the face! It was on Jackie18g's Instagram and I just knew I had to have it. I learned that she was actually the maker of the lacquer under her small indie polish brand Fancy Gloss. You can check out the brand's Instagram to check out all of their offerings.

Orange Fizz is a tangerine orange jelly with a nice holographic rainbow effect. It's not the strongest linear holo I've seen but it's definitely not a wimpy scattered effect. It's very loud and hot and I love it! I used three coats here with a top coat. I might try layering it over an opaque neon orange for an even brighter and more intense effect next time I wear it.
Fancy Gloss - Orange Fizz
Fancy Gloss - Orange Fizz

You can buy Fancy Gloss on their website http://fancygloss.bigcartel.com for $5.50 to $9.50 each depending on the color. What do you think? Are you as impressed with this polish as I am? I guess nothing is impossible after all ;)

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Monday, October 7, 2013

BB Couture - Mendocino Midnight

What's up people? Today I would like to show you BB Couture Mendocino Midnight, a polish from the Vampy Varnish collection from Winter 2009. I've had it for a few months, but only just tried it a few weeks ago. Whoa, what the hell took me so long?! It's a dark blue teal with BBC's signature green glitter, and tons of microshimmer in pink and a spattering of blue. This is two coats with a top coat.
BB Couture - Mendocino Midnight
BB Couture - Mendocino Midnight

BB Couture - Mendocino Midnight

This polish is epic and may just be my favorite BB Couture of all time, which is a hard one to pin down as there are so many amazing polishes from them that I love. It's kind of a chameleon, it looks very dark and murky in some light and then greyer and more green in others. I love all the pink glitter, it really looks like a galaxy in a bottle. What do you think?

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