A Vamp Color that is 'Jaded'

There were some severe storms here in Orlando today.  Thus, no sunlight to photograph with.

This is Ulta's 'Jaded.'  These photos come from the St. Patrick's Day theme I did earlier this month.  I didn't get to posting this mani.  So, it was good I had one 'in the can' to share for today.  Gives new meaning for 'saving for a rainy day.'

 I like the duochrome-isque of this polish.  I didn't notice the bubbles that formed until I looked at the photos.  I really need to have my eyes checked. :/  This is 3 coats with Nailene's 'Miracle Maker' as a top coat. 

'Jaded' is one of those blackened teal/green colors that usually is named 'Green with Envy' or 'Poison Apple' or even 'Midnight Jade.'  It's always a somewhat sinister name that makes you think of danger and intrigue.  I call it vampy fun.  Same thing.

Add this to the long list of vampy shades I like.  'Jaded' is a rather new shade by Ulta and I liked it right away.

Is it a color you'd like to wear?  Do you go against the grain and wear shades like this into the spring and summer, when everyone else seems to be wearing some version of pastels?

What Do We Wear on Wednesdays? PINK!

Being a part of 'On Wednesdays We Wear Pink' will be pretty easy for me.  Does it not tie-in with my blog's theme, or what!  Check out the other awesome nail bloggers that are part of this clutch here.  Be ready to be impressed.

Naturally, I'm going to push the envelope.  Now, I am wearing pink; I just embellished it...

Don't think for a minute that pink is timid and little girl-like.  This mani is ultra hot and sexy.  I wore Sinful Color's 'What's Your Name' alone for a day.  It's a shade that is black with flecks of teal micro-glitter.  It's a deep color that, on its own, is vampy...

I have on 3 coats here.  So, how can you take a color like this and get a pink mani out of it?  How about China Glaze's crackle in 'Broken Hearted'?

You only need one coat of the crackle to get the distressed look.  It dries super fast and to a matte finish.  You'll need some serious shiny top coat to get it to shine; 'Broken Hearted' and all its counterparts from the collection 'eat topcoat.'  That is, it takes more than just one, or even two coats, to get it to shine.  But when it does, it gets attention...

What do you think about these colors?  If you have the crackles, I bet you are having as much fun with them as I am.

A New Treasured Piece of Jewelry

When I first saw the jewelry by Tracey of www.gingerkittydesigns.com I knew I was going to get one. One by one, other nail bloggers were getting theirs and I was getting antsy.

Finally, I found one that I loved so much I couldn't pass it up...

When OPI's Shatter polish made the scene, Tracey started implementing it right away.  Here's the result of a holographic polish with black shatter over it.  And it's all captured in a cabochon pendant.

I took it out of the wrapper, gasped and snapped this...

Even the card it came on is sparkly!!!

The pendant was much larger than I expected.  It's easy to see, and that holographic effect is very noticeable. I cannot stop looking at it.  It's my own fascination ball.

You can also get rings, bracelets and  hair pins, all made from nail polish.  You can get the shattered effect or not.  And her assortment is endless.

Shhhh...it's a trade secret how it's done; that adds to the mystery and beauty of it.  However, you can own a piece of this jewelry line by visiting gingerkittydesign's Esty shop:  www.gingerkittydesign.etsy.com or check out her blog: http://gingerkittydesigns.blogspot.com/  Want something specific?  Tracey's super sweet, so just ask her!

When are you going to get yours?!

I Spy...New Stuff at Bed, Bath & Beyond 3/25

I was doing a project at Bed, Bath & Beyond on Friday.  They have a 'Harmon' Department, which is their health and beauty department.  Not all BB&B's have them.  However, I'm happy this one does as I am always checking for new makeup stuff when I do my bi-weekly work at the store.

Here's what I saw that was new-to-me...

 

Shadow Shields are crescent-shaped sticky cut-outs that you put under your bottom eyelid to catch shadow fall-out.

While the concept is functionable, I just use one of these to whisk away any powder fall-out...

Here's a closer look at the box...

And the back side...

I didn't purchase these since I don't have any problems using the fan brush.  I have read, also, that you can put some powder, such as translucent setting powder, heavily under the lower lashes.  After you are finished applying your eye makeup, you can use a brush to whisk it all away and the powder will have created a surface to catch the fall-out.  I have tried that a couple of times but, it was just easier to use the fan brush alone.

What's your secret for removing shadow fall-out?

I Spy...New Stuff at Ulta AND Walgreens 3/24

I stopped off at two stores today, Ulta and Walgreens, looking for particular items and found neither.  Hmph!  But I did see some new to me stuff.

At Walgreens, I finally found the new Spring Sinful Colors collection...

Only one bottle was missing, so they must have very recently put it out.

Here's a new color, I believe...

And, I was walking around with this one, along with the dark griege/taupe 'Nirvana', when I saw that both of them were already in the core selection...

I thought 'Unicorn' would look cute dotted on the 'Nirvana' and, vice versa.  I left, not breaking a no buy (of something I'm not originally looking for) rule.  *shifty eyes*

Yes, I know, I went to an Ulta yesterday looking for for 'I Juggle...Men' and the Silver Shatter, however, I happen to do some work in another mall today.  I popped into that Ulta and still, no luck.  But this is what I did spy...

OPI's Shatter out the glass!!!!  Hee hee!  Finally, a company that gets hot products out while they are....well, hot!!  I already got mine so there was a no buy at Ulta's this time.

My stalking at Walgreens is for the spring LE Spring collections.  They have to be showing up soon...I hope.

Have you seen these yet?  Are you going to get OPI's Black Shatter?

Narcissistic Nail Porn

That title will reel ya in!!! ;)

The dictionary says that narcissistic is:

–noun

1.

inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity.

2.

Psychoanalysis . erotic gratification derived from admiration of one's own physical or mental attributes, being a normal condition at the infantile level of personality development.

 

So, am I a baby for loving this?... 

 Then, so be it!!!!  I love it too much to care if I'm being narcissistic.  I'm too busy getting off on my nail polish.  LOL!

It was time to get my nails filled.  I always take my own polish because then, I can touch them up if I need to.  Today I just happen to glance at the shelf they have of polishes to choose.  I saw a line up of 5!!! different colored holographic polishes!!!  Greedily, I snatched this one up and stuffed that Tronica I brought deep in my pocket!

This is from a company called 'BTouch'.  I googled it and came up with a distributor of beauty products in China.  Doesn't look like an easy way to order though.  Ebay proved fruitless.  And as much as I begged the owner of the salon to sell me that collection of holos, she wouldn't do it.  She said that she had just received them.  Gosh, there was a blue, gold, green (looked like a Christmas disco!), purple and red and this one.  It is called 'Multi Color Glitter.'  This company is really cheated the polishes by calling them 'glitter'.  Not one was named as a holograph.

The tech only put on 2 thin coats.  I would have made them a bit more thick to get rid of the VNL.  Geez, I don't care if I walk around with VPL if I can have this on my nails!

Talk about a lemming!!!  I want these polishes and I want them NOW!!!  My quest isn't finished until I can find them.  

 

The polish is a bit gritty and I bet I'll have to scrub to get it to come off.  However, that is going to be a some time down the road.  I plan on wearing this for many days considering I don't have the nail polish at my disposal.  I might be reviewing other beauty products for a while. ;)

I think this can be a dupe for many others we have available.  Would you need to get another one, if you had the chance?  How do you feel about being narcissistic with your nails?  Are you OK with that?

 

I Spy...New Stuff at Ulta Today 3/23

I so need to be on a no buy diet!!  I think I can blog everyday for a year and not run out of new polishes to swatch.  OK, I'm exaggerating a bit.  Well...no...I'm not.

Did this stop me from going by Ulta after work?  Hells no!  I was looking for the new OPI Femme de Cirque's 'I Juggle...Men'.  They didn't have it, so I still, technically, honored the no buy.  That didn't stop me from looking around...

Covergirl has used the quip 'Clean Makeup' forever.  I really don't know what they mean by that.  Really...how can makeup be 'clean'??? ;)   In this case, however, it is to help provide clean drinking water for children in Africa.

Here's part of Covergirl's press release on this project...

COVERGIRL LAUNCHES “COVERGIRL CLEAN MAKEUP FOR CLEAN WATER” CAMPAIGN WITH HALF-MILLION DOLLAR DONATION, OFFERS CONSUMERS OPPORTUNITY TO HELP

Charitable Program Delivers Full Year’s Supply of Safe Drinking Water To Area in Need

HUNT VALLEY, MD (January 5, 2010) – COVERGIRL, the nation’s number one cosmetic brand announced today a charitable partnership between its Clean brand of makeup and the Children’s Safe Drinking Water (CSDW) program, an organization dedicated to addressing the critical, global need for clean, safe drinking water. In celebration of the millions of loyal Clean Makeup users, COVERGIRL launched the campaign, “COVERGIRL Clean Makeup for Clean Water,” with a one time $500,000 contribution to CSDW.

“COVERGIRL’s generous donation will provide 50 million liters of clean water to children in need around the world, which prevent millions of days of potentially deadly diarrhea and save lives,” says Dr. Greg Allgood, Director, CSDW. “More than 4,000 children die every day from diseases caused by unsafe drinking water, and we’re thrilled to join the COVERGIRL Clean Makeup for Clean Water Campaign to help eradicate this global health issue.” The campaign will deliver clean, purified drinking water to needy areas via low-cost, PUR™ packet technology that purifies even heavily-contaminated drinking water so it meets World Health Organization standards for safe drinking water.

“Women who use COVERGIRL Clean Makeup products value inner as well as outer beauty and are sensitive to the needs in the world,” explains Vince Hudson, Marketing Director, COVERGIRL, Procter & Gamble Beauty. “COVERGIRL Clean Makeup transforms you into your most beautiful you without breaking your wallet. The same is true of the COVERGIRL Clean Makeup for Clean Water Campaign: It delivers clean drinking water to needy areas around the world, transforming lives for mere pennies a day. It’s a beautiful thing!”
-------------------------------------------------------
What you get for helping out is a cool-looking compact of Covergirl's Pressed Powder...

Various shades and three different compact looks to choose from.

In full disclosure, I have never worn this product, to my knowledge, so I cannot express an opinion on it.  I also didn't purchase one either.  But what I can say is I like it when a purchase helps those that are less fortunate.

If you have used Covergirl's Pressed Powder, what did you think about it?

Just 'Tronica' Take It Away From Me

This post isn't meant to be a tease.  I just need to get my nails done. 

One of the long-term projects I have been working on with an international shoe company, has a launch this week and I'm doing a lot of promos for them.  I love new releases and the product is a huge hit.  So, I'm not going to get to the nail salon til this weekend.

However, I wanted to show you this new polish...

From China Glaze's Tronica collection, this is 'Electra Magenta.'  A magenta base with tons and tons of glitter.  A holographic polish lover's dream!  (That would be me!)

As pretty as I believe it is, it was a pistol to apply.  It wanted to dry quickly so there was no going back over a stroke; it got gloppy.  But once I figured that out and adjusted for that....SWOON!  I polished my nails late in the evening so there wasn't any sunlight, to speak of, to check out the color.  But I was running from room to room in my house gaga-ing it in different light.

On my way home from work, I snapped a photo whilst in my car (only at a very long stop light!).  I have only 1 coat of Seche Vite over 2 coats of 'Electra Magenta.'

Once I got home, I got busy getting a few photos in...

This color looks like it has 'texture' to it.  Reminds me of OPI's Designer Series colors.  Put me in the group that has fallen in love with the Tronica collection!

Did you get any polishes from the Tronica collection?  Do you think magenta is a purple or a pink?

The Perfect Spring to Summer Nail Polish Color

Right after all the St. Patrick's Day manicures, I was really ready for something different.  It was almost like being on a diet and fantasizing about what will be my first cheat meal!  Only this time, it wasn't 'damaging'...

This is Heaven's 'Glowing Pink.' Does this not look like it is lit from within? Not quite a neon but damn close.  The part I like, the silver glitter that's in it.  It shows up really well in the above photo.

My sister came for a visit this past weekend.  She stated that she didn't know why I'd use a polish that I had to put 4 coats on. I explained that my goal was to get it to look like the opaqueness in the bottle.  Plus, I kinda like this color.  I'm not tan...at all...but I think this polish color would work with a tan very well.

There is also some partiality going on because this polish photographed so well.  It did apply well dispite a thin brush however, the polish didn't take long to dry.  I topped off my mani with Seche Clear then Vite.

After posting about my first Heaven nail polish, I went searching for more.  I purchased this one and two others at Albertsons.  They have a lot of bright colors and after a winter of wearing darks, it's nice to lighten, brighten up.

Are you ready to enjoy lighter, brighter nail colors?  Do you have a spring time favorite?

If You Love It, Why Don't You Marry It?

Whoa!  Did I have my mind blown by this one!...

 This is Color Club's 'Total Mystery' from the Alter Ego collection.  Here is why I want to marry it...

If you have heard or read the word 'Blurple' thrown around in nail/makeup blog-dom, this is the color we are talking about.  However, cameras do not always love blurple, so this ends up looking blue and may cause you to scratch your head in confusion.

Check out the color of the bottle.  That's much more purple than my nails.  In real life, the bottle's color is what it looks like.  It's a blurple jelly with fuchsia and blue micro-glitter.  This is 3 coats with a coat of Seche Clear and a coat of Vite.  Shine-topia!!!

I stared at this mani a lot.  In fact, I'm still rockin' it.  Trust me; this is way more purple.  But I shouldn't try to convince you of my love; we were just meant to be.

Have you had a polish that you had a hard time moving on from?  What was it?