Ready, Set, Go!

In a week we will be having a friend and her husband stay with us, so I've started getting the house ready for guests. I'm noticing all the little things that need doing, and its a little overwhelming.

Also, my cilantro died. Very sad cilantro indeed.

(but the basil is doing fine!)

Max Factor - Fantasy Fire AKA Amazeballs

Ah, I'm back! I took an impromptu break and didn't mean to stay away so long!

I've got something super fun and awesome to show you:

Max Factor Fantasy Fire.

This was released in the UK back in the spring, and in an instant a lemming was born. I was ridiculously upset that I wouldn't be able to buy this in the States, but I was determined to get my hands on it, so a few months ago I bought it off a very nice seller on ebay for a pretty reasonable price.

I die.

I've layered 2 coats of Fantasy Fire over Revlon Royal. The VNL is completely unnoticeable in real life, I don't know why my camera does that. And I did get some minor shrinkage because I think I waited too long to put on the top coat.

But wow. It is just so goddamn pretty.

Using my camera flash helped bring out some of the orange/purple shimmer:



Getting it at an angle to show you the color-shift was a little difficult, but it's there.  :3



Just awesome. I'm so so happy I grabbed this when I could. It's an instant mood-lifter.

OPI Do You Think I'm Tex-y?

It's Friday everyone! This is an oldy but goody: OPI's Do You Think I'm Tex-y? And it has a silly name, but I don't mind so much



Pink jelly, mmm, very lovely.

This is the only color I have from the OPI Texas collection, but I've always wanted to get my hands on Houston We Have a Purple, partly because the name makes me giggle.

Have a great weekend! I'll be back on Monday :)

Wet N Wild - Sunny Side Up

So I just realized that my last 3 posts were of Wet n Wild polishes, which is completely a coincidence.





Very sleepy and a bit head-achey today, so I'm going to go curl up on the couch and sip some hot tea and watch Sherlock.
See you guys on Friday!

Wet N Wild - I need a Refresh-Mint

It's Monday!!
Going to the grocery is getting difficult because it's so hard to avoid the candy isles.  I bought a small packet of caramels, ate the entire bag accidentally, then had to go out and purchase more. The second packet of caramels is now gone as well.

woops

Today I have a Wet n Wild polish to show you, I Need a Refresh-Mint. First off, that is a stupid name for a polish. The color is not mint in the slightest.





It's really more of a light teal blue. It looks extremely similar to China Glaze's For Audrey, so I've included a comparison.

On my pointer finger is OPI's What's With the Cattitude, a light pure baby blue, followed left to right with I Need a Refresh-Mint, China Glaze For Audrey, and  OPI Mermaids Tears,  for a green comparison.



As you can see, Refresh-Mint is a bit more blue and more vibrant than For Audrey, but definitely not as blue as WWTC. For Audrey is lighter, more dusty, and a tad more green

As far as formula goes, they are relatively comparable. They're both creamy and require two coats minimum, but I think I prefer For Audrey as a matter of personal taste. The color is more subtle, delicate, and has a much more preferable brush. Wet n Wild has unfortunately has taken a leaf out of Sally Hansen's book as their brushes resemble gigantic paddles. This makes the polish difficult to work with, which is quite unnecessary.

What do you think about I need a Refresh-mint and For Audrey? Which polish do you prefer?

Wet N' Wild - Under Your Spell

Happy Friday everyone! Another vampy polish today. This is Wet N' Wild's Under Your Spell, which is a dark burgundy with red shimmer.

Sorry for the obscene amount of reflection on my nails. I'm still getting used to the light in my apartment and not having the best of luck with it.

I bought this on a whim last year and never had the desire to wear it until now, but I love it for the Halloween season! Although it's a very dark polish, it never looks black and pairs well with pretty much everything.
Look at that, I'm starting to sound like I'm talking about wines...



I haven't decided what I to dress up as this Halloween, have you?

Taggity

A few weeks ago, Mandy from Chocolate and Cream Cake tagged me to do this fun question taggy thing! Sorry it took me so long Mandy!

The Rules: 
1. You must post the rules (yes)
2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post. (yes)
3. Create eight new questions to ask the people you've tagged. (yes)
4. Tag eight people with a link to your post. (er)
5. Let them know they've been tagged (haha)

And now for my answers:
1. What's the best gift you've ever received?
Probably my engagement ring, it's the most precious thing I own.

2. What book are you most looking forward to being released?
I I had answered these questions last month, I would have answered J. K. Rowling's The Casual Vacancy. I just finished it, and it was visceral and heartbreaking.

3. If you had the superpower that allowed you to shapeshift into an animal—but it could only be one animal—which animal would you choose?
This is a no-brainer. A falcon, keen eyesight, ridiculously fast, and of course, the ability to fly!

4. What cancelled TV show would you most like to see rebooted?
Pushing Daisies, I thought it was adorable when it came out.

5. What's your dream vehicle?
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione :3
However, as only 500 units were produced, that dream will remain most firmly a dream.

6. Would you rather travel forward in time or backward?
Can't I do both!? Probably backward...I love history and would love to see previous eras

7. What is your favorite shape or pattern?
Tartan or hounds-tooth, but paisley was a close contender for my top 2

8. If you could trade places for one week with a famous (or quasi-famous) person, who would you choose and why?
I don't think I would want to trade places with anyone in particular, I would much rather have the chance to work with someone famous or well known. If I could do that instead, I would choose Meryl Streep. I think she's brilliant and would love to learn from her. 

And now for the questions I came up with:

1. What is your favorite film genre?
2. List a beloved seasonal memory from your childhood.
3. If you could only write in one color pen for the rest of your life, what color would you choose?
4. What was your worst subject in elementary school?
5. What is your favorite type of cheese?
6. Do you like your tea sweetened or unsweetened?
7. Who is your favorite literary character?
8. What is your ordinary superpower?

As I don't know many bloggers, I tag you! If you'd like to answer the questions, go on and do it, and leave a link to your post in the comments!

Essie - Fiji

Not much to say today, other than this is Essie Fiji and it is a little difficult to work with. It's a bit chalky which lends itself to being streaky, but 3 coats evens it out.



Lovely baby pastel pink, perfect for spring or fall :)

See you guys next week!

A Miniature Trip To Oregon

Last weekend Craig and I took a small trip to Oregon for a wedding, and it was simply lovely:

sunset along the river


I learned how to shoot a .22 rifle and my subsequent target


woops! Our beached crabbing boat. Long story short, we were able to save the boat and all the crabs!


A romantic wedding at sunset :)


I'll be back tomorrow with a more beauty-related post!

Rescue Beauty Lounge - IKB:2012 and Comparison

Can you believe it's nearly October!? I know I say that every single time the month changes, but I'm still gobsmacked.

Today I have a lot of preparation to do! Craig and I are taking a long weekend to Portland, Oregon for a wedding, and I am super excited! I love the west coast and cannot wait to go back, and we leave tomorrow!
ahhh....it's now 3PM and I haven't gotten anything done :/ Oh Pinterest, I blame you.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have nothing on my nails right now. Zilch. The pictures below of Rescue Beauty Lounge's IKB:2012 were taken a few days ago:





How GORGEOUS.
I swatched these without a top coat because I wanted to show you the texture of the polish itself. It does not dry shiny but has an odd, suede finish. The formula is workable, but not what I've come to expect from RBL unfortunately. I think this has something to do with the fact that the polish is almost pure pigment.

This post is really painful to write. IKB:2012 is unfortunately no longer available from Rescue Beauty, and I feel horrible for posting about a polish you can no longer get (unless you were to succumb to Ebay scalpers).
I not only regret that, but also because this color brings up evocative memories of a certain special mad man and his little blue box. And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Because yes, IKB:2012 is TARDIS blue perfection.

HOWEVER I have an alternative!

Revlon's Royal is not (in my books) remotely close to IKB:2012, but I think for the price, the differences can be negated. ($6 vs $20? I think so)


Royal on index and ring, IKB:2012 on middle and pinkie

At any rate, Royal is much more jelly-like, darker and deeper, and more purple to my eye. I almost regretted buying IKB:2012 when I purchased Royal because the formula is miles better, and the color is so much richer. I think that for some, Royal might be an acceptable alternative.

Dupe? I would say not a chance in hell, but an alternative certainly.

See you guys on Friday! I'll be trying to update while in Portland, but I can't make any promises. I'm notoriously bad at blogging while away from my desktop!

Essie - Blood Curdling

I hope you all had a good weekend! Mine was lovely, we went to a brewery (Jester King Brewery to be exact) with some of Craig's coworkers and we had quite a good time, but I was very sleepy on the drive home!



For nail polish I was in a bit of a vampy mood, so I've chosen Essie's Blood Curdling for today. Blood Curdling is a deep red and burgundy color which is very near to being a jelly. It flattens out to a creme with each additional coat; this is shown at 2 coats.



How perfect is this for that whole oxblood color trend for fall!?

Essie - Bone Chilling

I'm feeling a bit poorly today and am finding it difficult to get anything done, although my to-do list is continually growing. And while I would much rather prefer to let myself wallow, that's only going to create more problems for myself.
SO, it's time to pick myself up by my bootstraps and push myself into action today!

Essie's Bone Chilling from the Morticia's Nails Collection. Not so stark white that it looks like white-out on the nail, but not a jelly either. Crisp, cool, and a little unusual. Can you tell I'm loving neutrals lately?

Have a wonderful weekend everyone :)

Zoya - Dove

Happy Wednesday everyone!

I think it's safe to say that I've started to really enjoy Texas. I'm extremely resistant to change; I get grouchy if we rearrange the living room. So being able to say that I am settling in nicely (dare I say, enjoying?) my new home is really exciting.

That being said, there are a few things that I'm missing. Back in Colorado, the aspen leaves have started to change for fall and there are patches of gold all over the landscape. As much as I'd like the tree outside my window to change as well, it remains stubbornly green.

On a more beauty-related note, here is Dove, a beautiful, light grey from Zoya.

Dove is your perfect light grey. Not as blue toned as RBL's Concrete Jungle, but isn't too yellow either (as I've found some grey shades to be).

Very elegant and very simple, and perfect for fall.

See you Friday!

A Small Vacation

Hey everyone! I apologize for the unannounced blogging break. I recently took a trip to Ohio to see my extended family and wasn't able to blog the entire time I was there! I had originally intended to post while I was there but things got away from me :)

Here are some (many) photos from my trip:



Denver International Airport, where I joined my parents for our connecting flight to Ohio



This mojito, which was delicious



These flowers in my grandmother's garden



And last but not least, the rain. Driving through it was terrifying, but the thunder was exciting!

I'll be back on Wednesday with a more nail-related post!

Pixi - Happy Thoughts Pink

Happy Friday everyone! Can you believe tomorrow is the first day of September? Holy crap.
I'm about 85% packed for my trip tomorrow, and I have to remember to check in today so I don't forget!

One of the products I'll be taking on my trip is this wonderful tinted balm that I picked up at Target last week.

This is the Magic Tink Tint from Pixi in Happy Thoughts Pink. This is one of those pH reactive balms that changes color as it reacts to your skin. How beautiful is the packaging? I was never a fan of Tinkerbell, but I think that they did a great job in making this feminine without being cloyingly sweet or childish. Also, the tube is a twist-up which I love. None of that sharpening business here!

Top: 1 minute after application
Bottom: immediately after application

The balm starts to react and change color very soon after I apply it to my lips. It transforms from a very light balmy sheen to a lovely shade of pink, and becomes the perfect pink for my lips. Now, it's not super moisturizing, but it's not drying either. I typically will layer a colorless lip balm or a pink gloss on top of this but you could totally get away with wearing it alone.

Now, I thought that this was limited edition, but I first heard about these in April and they're still available in Target stores or online and retail for $16.

What do you guys think? Have you tried any other products from Pixi? I've got my eye on the Lip Blushes and the Fake Awake kit, but I think they're a little expensive for a drugstore/retail store product. I will probably repurchase the Tink Tint when I run out (if its still available then) but I think they're asking a little too much for what's offered. I typically turn down buying their products because of the price, and only purchased this because I had a coupon.

Tomorrow I'll be jumping on a plane, so the next time you'll hear from me I'll be in Ohio!
Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

Orly - Androgynie

Hey everyone!! I hope you are all having a great day so far!

I'm getting really excited because this Saturday I'm flying to Ohio to visit my extended family for two weeks! I haven't seen them in over a year now, so I'm very eager to start my trip. I'm a little nervous though because I've never flown by myself. I've flown with my parents and with Craig before, but this will be my first solo trip (for the first leg anyways). I'm also packing extremely light, which I'm finding is a much more stressful situation than I had initially thought.

For trips, I normally pack more than I need (who doesn't?). But this time around I'm experimenting with taking only the essentials, and it is so difficult. "Do I need this skirt? Probably not, you almost never wear skirts. But what if we go somewhere fancy and I need a skirt?! Hmm, maybe a dress would be better. How many dresses should I take? If I only take one I might get spaghetti stains on it, and then I won't be able to wear it at all!"

#firstworldproblems

Seriously, who worries about spaghetti stains?
ME.
When you live with a large Italian family, you make these things a priority.

In other news, I'm currently wearing Orly's Androgynie, a black jelly with gold glitter and large multi-colored hexagonal shaped glitter. Please excuse the baby nails:

This polish is so pretty. I went through a goth phase in my teen years and my mother forbade me from leaving the house with black nail polish, but I rebelled furiously. Ever since, I've tended to avoid black on my nails because I know she hates it, but every once and a while I'll pick out a shockingly dark color and feel super chic. This was one of those times.

Black polish just doesn't carry the same stigma as it used to. Look at the runway and designers, and you'll see black nails peppered all over. For goodness sake, Chanel released a black polish years ago.

Concerning Androgynie, this is a really pretty polish, but I'll have to admit I was slightly disappointed at first. Do you see the amount of hexagonal glitter on the side of the bottle?! I was so hoping that it would translate to the nail, but the glitter seems to get a little lost in the black base. I have found that you can get a much better effect if you use a flat black polish first, and then one coat of Androgynie. This allows the gold glitter to stand out, and the hexagons aren't buried. However, this eliminates the jellyish nature of the polish, so you'll have to decide which effect you want to go for. 

Sheesh, long post! That's all for now guys, see you on Friday!

Nicole by OPI - Iceberg Lotus

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great weekend :) My birthday was wonderful, and I woke up to Craig trying to figure out the food processor to make a carrot cake. Adorable.

This is a polish from Nicole by OPI, Iceberg Lotus. It took me longer than I'd like to admit before I got the pun in the name, and for a while I sat there thinking, what? Lotus? This looks nothing like the color of an iceberg!

Ah me. 

I wish the duochrome element was more apparent in my photos than it appears to be. This is such a bright, vibrant, insane color and my camera just absolutely hated it. The base color is a bright teal-green, but at the edges it flashes blue and purple and unfortunately my photos just don't do it justice. The formula was on the thin side, so these swatches required about 3 coats to bring out the vibrant green but that seemed perfectly fine to me. 

My only problem with this is that it has the most ridiculous brush. I know this is a sore spot for a lot of people, but this was my first Nicole by OPI so I was really surprised. The brush is slightly wider than the new-ish OPI Pro-wide brush, but thinner than the Sally Hansen brushes (which are on whole other level of terrible), and it just makes for sloppy application. It was not pleasant.

(On a side-note, I also find the bottle shape to be silly.)

 So what do you think? I believe this is from the Something about Spring 2011 collection, and I picked mine up at Target about a month ago so I'm sure you can still find it there. I don't pay any attention to Nicole brand polishes, but they appear to be coming out with some interesting colors that look worthwhile. If only I could get over that silly brush...

See you on Wednesday!

TGIF

Hey guys, guess what? IT'S FRIDAY.
Thank goodness.

This is Navy, a polish from Love and Beauty, the Forever21 brand. I've also seen this called Sunlit Waves, but my label says Navy. I remember seeing this one the Forever21 website, and needing it. When I finally got my hands on it, it sat in my box for ages. (Did I forget about it or something??)

The gold and green shimmer is unfortunately not as apparent as it is in the bottle, but it comes out in sunlight. Normally it looks like a glossy, dark slate blue and it's lovely.

I don't have anything else to say, other than I'm ready for the weekend, my birthday, and an upcoming trip to Ohio to visit my family. :D

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

E.L.F. Eyeshadow Compact - Natural

As my Plastic Wrap mani from Monday is still going strong, I refuse to remove it. It's just too pretty! So today I have an eyeshadow compact to show you!

This eyeshadow set is technically called the Essential Beauty School Eyeshadow Compact in Neutral. (My compact says Natural)

This is quite frustrating; e.l.f. changes the naming on their packaging so often it's hard to keep track of exactly what product you have in your hands. That, coupled with the poor color accuracy of their online photos, can make for some unexpected surprises when you get your package in the mail. 

However, I was quite pleased with this compact. It contains 3 matte shades and 3 shimmery shades. The two colors that don't appear to show up on my skin are relatively pigmented, but my skin-tone makes them disappear. The 2nd to last bronze shade is very soft and buttery, but I experienced a lot of fall-out on that particular one. It comes with an applicator that was surprisingly OK, but I probably won't end up using.

These shadows are perfect for a neutral eye that is appropriate for pretty much anywhere. I'm not very adventurous when it comes to eye makeup, I like to keep things simple and understated and this compact is perfect for that. In terms of size, the compact sits at 3" x 3" which is a great size to throw into a purse or travel bag. I will definitely take this on my trip to Ohio, which is coming up at the end of the month!

On a side note, my birthday is coming up this Sunday. :D I'm super excited! We don't have anything particular planned, but I did tell Craig that I wanted pizza for dinner. Can you believe that the last time I had pizza was in May?! I've been craving it ever since.

That's all for today, see you guys on Friday!



Disclaimer: This product was purchased by myself, and my opinions are (as always) my own. You can purchase the compact here but I believe they are also available in Target stores.