Archives for October 2012

Causes: My Pink Polishes Purchased in October + Swatches!

October 31, 2012 By StephanieLouise 667Leave a Comment2012-10-31+15%3A56%3A00StephanieLouise

To close out one of my favorite months of the year, I thought I’d show you the “Pink Awareness” polishes I picked up! Pink isn’t a big color for me so I don’t go too wild but I do really like the ones I got this year! This is also my first mani since chopping my nails in quite awhile! I also got a request to shape them square so there you go! I probably won’t keep them square because they feel odd but they look better than I remember!

I found this Seche Duo including one Seche Vite polish & one China Glaze polish in Naked. The purchase went to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure & also included this cute little heart keychain. I believe Naked is a new polish correct?

This trio is from a new brand to this blog called Dr.’s Remedy. I was pleasantly surprised! These polishes contain Tea Tree Oil, Vitamins, & Wheat Protein. These applied really nicely but Hopeful was the standout. This only took 2 coats & tried super fast. Both Nurture & Purity run more sheer, especially Purity! I couldn’t even swatch it because it is one of those “my nails but better” type shades..& my nails got stained like crazy only yesterday…so no go. Nurture is swatched below though although you can’t quite see the lovely pink flash!

Last up is my Nails by Laura polish in Know Hope which I bought awhile back. I swatched it this last week (see the swatches, they’re pretty fun!) & am still in love. I wore this for about 5 days & had strangers grabbing my hands telling me how pretty it was & asking about it. This is extremely limited (only 300 bottles will ever be created!) so if you want it, grab it while you can!

Here they all are swatched with my index finger being a mix of China Glaze Naked + Dr.’s Remedy in Hopeful then a fabulous top coat of Know Hope. My middle finger is Dr.’s Remedy in Nurture, ring finer is Dr.’s Remedy in Hopeful, & my pinky is China Glaze in Naked. All of them were topped off with the Seche Vite from the duo pack.

What do you think of these shades? Did you pick any pink polishes up for Breast Cancer Awareness month? What is your favorite pink?

*The Dr.’s Remedy polishes were provided in consideration of review. Everything else was purchased by myself. All opinions are my own.

Beauty Box 5 for October 2012

October 30, 2012 By StephanieLouise 668Leave a CommentBeauty+Box+5+for+October+20122012-10-30+16%3A20%3A00StephanieLouise

So after the brilliant box last month from Beauty Box 5, I think I had my hopes up too high. This box wasn’t bad, but it just wasn’t as fitted to me personally. I also wish they had thrown in some Halloween or Breast Cancer awareness type products (this goes for all the boxes this month!) because I feel like they missed out! Themes like this can be so fun!

What was in my box this month:
-Margania Pure Argan Oil : I think I must have said this many many times int he video, but I seriously love this little bottle. How perfect is this for travel? This oil is alright, but at $32 per 2 fl oz I feel like it is a bit overpriced. This oil is definitely much thinner than my others & without much scent.

-City Lips Lip Plumper: This definitely plumped my lips with that burning kind of sensation which is what I expected. This is quite thick so although this sample is pretty small, I should get a few uses out of it. It has kind of a weird smell though, although I can’t quite place it somewhere between chemical & plastic. I wish this had come in Spring/Summer since dry lips should NEVER used these.

-Show Stoppers Fashion Tape: Your standard clothing tape. I’ll save this for the holiday season with those silly sweaters that won’t stay exactly where I want them.

-Goat Haus Dairy Lip Balm: I love the bath melt but didn’t fall for this balm. It smell good & tastes a bit like sugar cookies but it isn’t very strong. The balm is moisturizing but I didn’t find it long wearing. Plus, my label was all askew.

-Furlesse Elevens: I reviewed Frownies which I expect to be about the same. Eh. I didn’t feel like they went with the flow of this box.

-Lash Card Lash Cards: I just don’t get these. I would have much rather gotten something like a mini eyeshadow or similar item. If you like these, try an old gift card behind your lashes…or find a new mascara that is a bit drier!

+ the $100 discount for NuMe which has a few restrictions (you have to spend at least $100 & it is only valid on tools & hair extensions) but I think that is pretty great. I wish I was in the market for something new but I just got a bubble wand curling iron!

I’m so sorry I don’t have photos of the card! My dog dumped a whole soda on it…seriously? True story.

So all in all, this wasn’t a bad box at all it just wasn’t as up my alley. For me, I’ve already tried items similar to the Furlesse Elevens & even if I hadn’t I don’t think they work that fast so you would need to try more. I’ve tried the fashion tape & although it is handy when you need it I don’t think it is a great sample but more of a bonus. The Lash Cards just aren’t something I quite “get” apparently. I do like the lip balm even if it didn’t blow me away. Plus it is afforadable! The lip plumper also wasn’t for me.

Do you get Beauty Box 5? What did you think of this month’s box? Anything in here catch your eye?

*This Beauty Box 5 was provided in consideration of review. All opinions are 100% my own. Affiliate links have been used.

Nails by Laura Limited Edition Charity Polish in Know Hope Swatches + Review

October 27, 2012 By StephanieLouise 669Leave a Comment2012-10-27+14%3A55%3A00StephanieLouise

I love pink glitter so when Laura came up with another charity polish (her previous was Dani-Mite) I knew I was in. Know Hope from Nails by Laura on Etsy is a kaleidoscope of pink glitter & holo shimmers within a clear base. It is spectacular, even coming from someone who isn’t usually drawn to pinks. I paid my $10 & patiently awaited it in the mail, along with my custom polish “This is Halloween” which I have already swatched. & adore. Seriously.

Learn some more from Laura herself about Know Hope:
“Due to the success of Dani-Mite, our charity polish with 50% of the proceeds going to the National Brain Tumor Society (linked below, never to be made again!), I’ve decided to do another Charity Polish for Breast Cancer Awareness!

My mother is a survivor, and just about everyone I know or meet has lost someone or been affected by breast cancer- and I know it’s rare to hear from a person who can’t say the same! So this Cause will be near and dear to me and mine.

“Know Hope” is a sparkly, pink polish made up of about 8 different glitters in various sizes and shades of PINK, of course! Like DaniMite, it will be a Limited Edition polish but with 300 made. I want (to) raise money and awareness, and I want to do it on a larger scale this time!! October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, so get your bottle today! Each bottle will be labeled as Limited Edition- 1/300, 2/300, etc.

50% of each bottle sold ($5) will go Living Beyond Breast Cancer http://www.lbbc.org/
Even if you don’t want a bottle, I encourage you to go to their site and make a donation!”

Know Hope from Nails by Laura: This is a fabulous mix of pinks ranging from raspberry to hot pink to the palest of pinks. With a touch of holo micro glitter, this really has a mind of its own. Some metallic, some satin, & some flat glitters mainly in the medium-small range. There are also a few large glitters thrown in all suspended in a clear base. Most are hexes but there are a few small squares.

One of my favorite things about the Nails by Laura glitter polishes is that I can’t imagine running out. They are totally packed with glitter & because I tend to layer I often only need one coat. These glitters laid nice & flat & I think looked pretty cool on the tips of the black matte. Bit more fun I think!

You can find this polish in the Nails by Laura Etsy shop, but it is indeed limited edition! You’ll not the 10/300 on my bottle AKA this is #10 of the 300 maximum she is producing. This is by far the most unique pink glitter I’ve ever owned, nothing else in my vast collection even comes close. She works with quite a few satin glitters in her creations which you rarely see in other venues.

What do you think of my pink glitter tips? Are you feeling this polish? Have you picked up any awesome charity polishes this mont?

Drugstore Mermaid Costume Makeup Tutorial- with Scales & Glitz!

October 26, 2012 By StephanieLouise 6702 Comments2012-10-26+16%3A56%3A00StephanieLouise

I have to say, I’ve been so excited about this post! It has been my favorite idea because all I used was easy to find drugstore makeup. From foundation to false lashes, the full tutorial is in the video below! I’ve also listed all the products below. I went with purple & blue, my favorite mermaid shades! This would work with an color combinations though, especially if they are well pigmented! I highly recommend the turquoise shade I used, it applied perfectly! To find out how I created this look & to check out the fabulous Halloween creations from other Beauty Blog Coalition members, just keep reading! [Read more…]

Zoya Ornate Collection Bonus Photos!

October 25, 2012 By StephanieLouise 671Leave a CommentZoya+Ornate+Collection+Bonus+Photos%212012-10-25+22%3A10%3A00StephanieLouise

You saw the glory that were the Zoya Ornate Bottle Shots then the Swatches of each shade…so what is this post? Well, if you have ever tried to photograph holo polishes…then you know some of the best shots aren’t exactly the most accurate! While I direct you to my Zoya Ornate Swatches for clarity & color accuracy, I couldn’t help but share these fabulous “flub” shots. Is there anything more fabulous than holo glare?

Zoya’s Aurora

Zoya’s Blaze

Zoya’s Electra
Photobucket

Zoya’s Logan

Photobucket Zoya’s Storm

The only one I didn’t get flubs of was Ziv…seriously it photographed perfectly! So…can you believe how good these bad photos are? Ah. Hopefully this helps you guys see my absolute obsession with the Ornate Collection, I can’t imagine not owning them all! Which flub photo is your favorite? I adore the one of Storm…the glare almost looks like little bats! Hello Halloween!

**These polishes were provided in consideration of review, all opinions are my own.

Zoya Ornate Collection for Winter 2012-2013 Swatches + Review (Pic Heavy!)

October 23, 2012 By StephanieLouise 672Leave a Comment2012-10-23+20%3A34%3A00StephanieLouise

So if you saw the Zoya Ornate bottle shots yesterday, then you know these polishes are all stunners. Every shade has me excited, even the gold shade which usually seems like a “holiday add in” type of shade. Zoya took this collection & made it completely their own. & it shows. Impressive. Really stunning. & original. I bow down to the Zoya fairies. Brava!

Blaze: Described as a “cool-toned medium mulberry red with a high concentration of micro fine diamond holographic glitter” this seems to look a bit different on me than some other bloggers. The holo effect almost leans a bit purple in lower lighting which I think is so cool! This is a different shade, like a bright red berry. I think this is a nice take on a holiday-ish red. Smooth in 2 coats.

Logan: I heart Logan, seriously. Being that this is a “yellow-toned forest green with dense, foil-like yellow-gold and blue-green duochrome shimmer!” it isn’t a surprise it it definitely a favorite. I LOVE greens, especially this time of year & this one blows many other out of the water. This isn’t your average green. The golden hue almost looks kind of lime-y in certain lights & here & there you catch kind of a blue/turquoise flash. Stunning. 2 coats of perfection.

Electra: In my opinion, bar glitters are hit & miss. This “micro fine diamond holographic glitter mixed with large silver holographic bar tinsel” has totally stolen my heart though! This lays flat (yay!) & throws off a LOT of holo-ness! Plus, this bottle is packed to the brim. I have a feeling this will last a long time evern if I use it frequently because it is so dense. Above is only ONE COAT! Granted, it is a medium coat but still! Above it is over Ziv then Aurora. I felt like I was rocking tinsel directly on my nails!

Ziv: I’m the first to admit I don’t go out of my way to buy golds & silvers, I often feel like there isn’t anything special about them. Ziv does NOT fall into that category. This “yellow-toned metallic gold foil with silver highlights and warm gold flake glitter accents” burst all my expectations. The yellow-toned base is gorgeous but the true gold flakies just takes it to the highest level. Perfect in 2 coats, can’t wait to wear this as an accent or on my tips!

Storm: This is a really unique shade even though I feel like it might be overlooked. Zoya says this is a “holiday black with a high concentration of micro fine diamond holographic glitter” shade. While I agree with the great holo part, this one has kind of a jelly texture! You can see I wasn’t expecting that on my middle finger at the cuticles but left it so you could see that it is indeed jelly-ish! Yum! This looks like a night sky full of sparkling stars. Shown here is 2 coats.

Aurora: I do play favorites & Aurora is it. described as a “medium sugarplum purple flecked with a high concentration of micro fine diamond holographic glitter” by Zoya, it is pretty impossible to not fall in love. I actually think they absolutely nailed to color description, definitely a red based sugarplum purple with a VERY high concentration of holo beauty. I used 2 coats but might go 3 next time because there was a bit of VNL.Like many of the others, this looked really sheer on the first coat but quickly built up opacity.

This collection has everything I never knew I wanted. Holo, bar glitter, duochrome, metallic, & full of holiday glitz. They managed to include your average holiday shades (rad, green, silver, gold…) but put a unique spin on each one so that they are perfect fr the holiday season but wearable for the rest of the year. Clearly, my stand out is Aurora. Not only is she my most favorite princess (fact) but this polish is packed the brim with hollow…& fabulousness.

Aurora is sparkling sugarplums dancing in my head. Electra makes me think of a new package of tinsel. Logan of fresh pine trees showered in golden lights. Blaze a roaring fire crackling with light. Ziv the golden bow atop your favorite gift. Storm is the night sky beginning to flurry. This collection is timeless & a must have. I haven’t been this excited about an entire collection in ages, I honestly can’t even remember the last time I fell in love with every shade. Zoya Fairies, thank you for the greatest winter gift!

You can purchase this collection now from Zoya’s website for $8.00 per polish. Which shades catch your eye the most?

**Products provided in consideration of review.

Zoya Ornate Winter Collection Bottle Shots

October 22, 2012 By StephanieLouise 673Leave a Comment2012-10-22+17%3A36%3A00StephanieLouise

Alright guys, we need to have a talk. See, you know I love Zoya polishes…like so so so much. But something happened with this newest collection…I went wild! I have SO many photos that there is no way they will fit into one post. So you guys are getting 3. Here’s part one, my bottle shots along with the Zoya description of the shades. Next will be the swatches & last will be some “flubs” photos…but there is no such thing with holos especially so they’re fabulous. Get ready guys: Today is the Zoya Ornate Celebration! XO

ELECTRA: “Zoya Nail Polish in Electra can be best described as a micro fine diamond holographic glitter mixed with large silver holographic bar tinsel in a clear base. Electra can be worn alone, as a festive french tip or layered over any polish to add a unique hologram glitter effect.”

BLAZE: “Zoya Nail Polish in Blaze can be best described as a full coverage, cool-toned medium mulberry red with a high concentration of micro fine diamond holographic glitter. The multidimensional holographic glitter adds complexity and depth to this vampy red.”

STORM: “Zoya Nail Polish in Storm can be best described as a full coverage, holiday black with a high concentration of micro fine diamond holographic glitter. Storm is elegant, powerful and versatile – try it as a french tip over Aurora or Blaze!”

LOGAN: “Zoya Nail Polish in Logan can be best described as a full coverage, yellow-toned forest green with dense, foil-like yellow-gold and blue-green duochrome shimmer! Rich color, a sparkling finish and a subtle duochrome effect make this green very special. Pair it with a Zoya Ziv (gold) tip for an extra dash of holiday flare!”

ZIV: “Zoya Nail Polish in Ziv can be best described as a full coverage, yellow-toned metallic gold foil with silver highlights and warm gold flake glitter accents. Try this for an extremely shiny, reflective, and eye-catching luxe gold nail. Imagine Zoya Trixie in gold.”

AURORA: “Zoya Nail Polish in Aurora can be best described as a full coverage, medium sugarplum purple flecked with a high concentration of micro fine diamond holographic glitter. The rainbow holographic sparkle turns this plum purple into something truly captivating.”

So there you have it! My photos & Zoya’s descriptions! Next…swatches! Aren’t those just the best part? & really…these are totally worth waiting for! Any guess on my favorite from this collection? if you follow me on Instagram you might have gotten a hint 😉

**Products provided for consideration of review.

L’Oreal Primped & Precious VS Liquid Diamond: Do You Need Both?

October 20, 2012 By StephanieLouise 674Leave a Comment2012-10-20+15%3A40%3A00StephanieLouise

So when I swatched the 3 L’Oreal Infallible shades yesterday, a lovely reader had a request. Seeing Primped & Precious, they asked if I had Liquid Diamond to compare. I do! Let’s break them down & see if you need both shall we?

Top is one swipe of Primped & Precious & bottom is one swipe of Liquid Diamond.

So Liquid Diamond is a really unique shade, something that I don’t think I have a color dupe of anywhere & none come to mind. Liquid Diamond has a a silvery-grey base but it is absolutely packed lavender/purple shimmer. I honestly didn’t think to buy this until last month & then was totally kicking myself. I love purples & this shade is impressive.

Primped & Precious is kind of a smoky charcoal base packed with silver shimmers resulting in a gorgeous gun metal. You can see from swatches it hits the light like it wants to be silver, but I find the gunmetal shade much more wearable for year round. Perfect for a smoky eye! It also clearly leans more blue/green than Liquid Diamond which is very much so a purple leaner.

So do you need both? If you’re me…yes. I love gunmetal on my blue eyes & purple is where my heart is. Do you? Maybe! It honestly depends. If you had bought Liquid Diamond thinking it was a silver (like I did, stupid store lighting!) & it wasn’t what you were looking for then Primped & Precious might be just the shade you were looking for!

Is there anything else you guys want to see compared? Maybe Gold Imperial & Eternal Sunshine? Blinged & Briliant with Amber Rush & Iced Latte? Just let me know! Thanks for the request Fay!

Boooo-ty Blog Coalition: My Top 3 Glosses That Scream Halloween for 2012!

October 19, 2012 By StephanieLouise 675Leave a Comment2012-10-19+13%3A56%3A00StephanieLouise

Something I’ve noticed this Halloween is that there simply aren’t enough Halloween themed lipglosses. Sure, there are a few floating around the drugstore, but nothing that SCREAMS Halloween. So I found some for you & you can thank me anytime. I went with traditional Halloween shades & all 3 are available at the drugstore so if you love them, I was hoping you could run out & snap them up!

Left to right: Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss in Sizzle, Hard Candy Glossaholic Relaxing Lip Gloss in 373, & Rimmel Stay Glossy Lipgloss in Black Diva. The bottom is Wet n Wild Matte Lipstick in 908C.

Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss in Sizzle- This is one of the new shades to the Colorburst line & I totally love it. I wore it sheer a few days ago, but you can totally make it bright orange as well. Either way, it feels great, not like a sticky Halloween gimmick lipstick. This does has kind of a plastic-y smell, but it goes away pretty fast after application. This looks shiny but not sticky which is one of the reasons I love these glosses in general.

Hard Candy Glossaholic Relaxing Lip Gloss in 373- This is a nail polish lovers lipgloss, hello…it is full of flakies! This is pretty much the lipgloss version of one of my favorite polishes, Asylum from Finger Paints. This is a clear base PACKED with orange flakies & blurple flakies. & although it is pretty on it’s own, it really looks best over another shade. I swatches it over Wet n Wild Matte Lipstick in 908C. Something to keep in mind is this has a very strong vanilla scent but it smells more like cupcakes to me! Love! The brush, however, is HUGE. Take a look at the photo below to see how giant it is. I think that would bother me if it was a regular gloss but because I just dot this on it doesn’t make me too upset.

Rimmel Stay Glossy Lipgloss in Black Diva- Is this gloss a bit sheer? Yes. Do I honestly think it will last 6 hours like it claims? No I don’t. BUT this is a great black drugstore gloss! This too has a bit of a plastic scent but it wears off. I like this because it goes on like a lacquer. If you are planning to sport a black lipstick this Halloween, I think this would be a perfect topper!

Here are the brush/wands so you can see all 3. The Hard Candy Glossaholic one is huge right? The Revlon & Rimmel wands are actually pretty similar. They are both doe foots but they flatten on the sides. I actually quite like this shape, kind of like a soft spatula. It gives me decent control of application.

So those are my 3 drugstore Halloween lipglosses! Want to do you think? Do you have any suggestions? Remember to check out the posts from other members of the Beauty Blog Coalition below for our Booo-ty Blog Coalition Link Up!

NEW: L’Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows in Primped & Precious, Blinged & Brilliant, & Gold Imperial Swatches + Review

October 19, 2012 By StephanieLouise 676Leave a Comment2012-10-19+11%3A27%3A00StephanieLouise

So I happened upon a new display & at the front were 3 L’Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows in Primped & Precious, Blinged & Brilliant, & Gold Imperial. I wasn’t able to snag Gold Imperial when it first came out but you better believe I snapped it up this time! These 3 shades aren’t necessarily ‘holiday” shades (they were on a holiday looking display in CVS) but the gold/silver shades definitely are.

Primped & Precious: A gunmetal silver with silver shimmers. This isn’t a TRUE silver, but it is lovely & unlike any of my other shades.

Gold Imperial: A true gold with gold shimmer. I don’t have many true golds, most lean yellow or grungy or pale. This is a welcomed edition, especially for the holidays!

Blinged & Brilliant: A peach toned rose gold. If you use just a little bit, this makes a really pretty highlight.

Left to right: Primped & Precious, Blinged & Brilliant, & Gold Imperial.

So you can definitely see how shimmery/metallic these are right? The first photo is the most color accurate, 2nd is catching the light, & 3rd is a bit blurred to show you the dimensions of the shades. Pretty right? Each swipe is just a touch into the shadow, no primer.

If you have missed my other L’Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow reviews, I tend to prefer the shimmery versions. They are vibrant, ultra-pigmented, & they can also be foiled. I have some of the matte shades & although I don’t dislike them I also don’t find them as easy for me to work with. These 3 shades are clearly NOT for the matte at heart! They are pretty much all 3 metallic wonders. If you don’t usually do shimmery, consider them as a holiday touch, use the gold as a liner or the silver as an inner corner highlight for a smoky eye.

Check out my last review of the some of my favorite limited edition shades which shows you the packaging (it is different right?) & how lovely those shades are. Also, jump into some of the eye looks I’ve created using them, like this purple smoky eye I created for my husband’s graduation ceremony!