NOTD: Zoya Adina

I recently got a couple colors from Zoya's BOGO on their summer line, Mira for my mom and Breezi for myself. However instead of getting those, I got somebody else's order for Adina in the mail. I talked to Danielle over Zoya's live chat and she told me I could keep Adina and they'd send me my correct order as well. Since Adina was on my short list (only 3 on it) of Zoya polishes I wanted to get, I am definitely happy about this turn of events. Sure, I have to wait a bit longer for the polishes I ordered, but I also ended up getting a free polish and saving $8+shipping!!

Anyhow, I know Adina has been reviewed/swatched to death by now...but it can't hurt to have one more...right? I don't have enough duotones in my collection, and this one is a classic so it's perfect!

Indoors, mix of natural and fluorescent lighting.

NOTD: Orly Sapphire Silk + Essence Movie Star

I've been wanting to use Orly Sapphire Silk again for a while, it's a very pretty color. I didn't want to do anything too fancy since I overdid it on my last manicure a little bit. I wanted to try something a bit different for the accent nail this time though, so I used Essence Movie Star which is just a gray creme...but a surprisingly nice one.

My only complaint is that the bottle is so tiny, but with the price I guess I can see why. The brush is very good, usually mini bottles' brushes are mini and stiff as well but not the case here. The formula was also very good. I will definitely get more colors by Essence next time I go to Ulta (which is the only place I've seen that brand). I also like that there isn't a stark contrast between the 2 colors. Most of the time when I do the accent nail it's really obvious, but this is a nice way to have a little fun, but not TOO much fun haha.

This is the manicure I used my new Poshe top coat on...so far so good, as you can see it has a high shine and all that.

In indirect sunlight. The colors are more accurate here.

In direct sunlight.

Poshe Quick Dry Top Coat

My bottle of Seche Vite is still 1/3 full, but I could barely get what was in there. Frustrated, I decided to try Poshe's quick dry top coat since it got many reviews comparing it's bottle favorably versus Seche's. After using it I definitely agree, I like the brush much more and it nearly reaches the bottom (which will cause it to avoid my issue with Seche's bottle) and for application it seemed softer and wider.

Now I just have to test it's wear etc. as I'd seen some reviews saying it peeled/chipped easily, and since i'd never had that issue with Seche Vite I'd have to go back to it if it proves true. So far so good though, but I haven't even had it on for 12 hours yet, so...I hope it continues like this! Also the drying time is on par with Seche Vite, so no complaints there. I think as long as it doesn't peel or chip and has the same wear as Seche Vite then I'll keep buying it instead from here on out.

Coach Flower Multi Dangle Key Ring

I've been wanting a Coach key ring for a long long time but was wary of spending $40 on a one, I had an extra $55 so aside from OPI Do You Think I'm Tex-y I bought one (finally) and a very nice key ring it is!

I can't really choose my favorite thing about it, I love the signature print on it (I don't really like paying that much for a key chain that nobody'll know is Coach...) and the pretty spring colors, although I like them year round. Only one rhinestone so I don't have to worry too much about it falling off, which is a concern for me because I am a weirdo like that. Although I'd hope that it's on there pretty good considering the price.

I also like the little Coach tag and the little blue flower is very cute too! I think it's fun that all the non-signature print petals are all different designs, and all of them are different colors.

OPI "Do You Think I'm Tex-y" Sorbet

I was interested in trying a "Sorbet" (which is essentially just a jelly but renamed...) from OPI's Texas collection after seeing some swatches. Not feeling the other colors I decided to go for Do You Think I'm Tex-y, which I'd describe as a strawberry red in artificial light and fuchsia in natural light, it's very pretty and I don't usually wear red...this might even be my first/only! My only beef with it is that although my nails are very short I still get VNL after 4 coats...and any imperfections left from my last manicure (in this case a bit of blue I missed when removing my old polish) are starkly viewable...

I wouldn't say I'd never wear this polish again, it IS very pretty and I like the jelly effect a lot (aside from the VNL) so I am sure come summer this will make it into the rotation since it feels very "fresh" and "juicy" in a way that makes me understand why OPI decided to call it "Sorbet" but I don't think I'll be buying more in the future unless it's a need-to-have color like teal or sea-foam green. Or maybe if they made it a bit more pigmented/opaque.

Because I didn't do an accent nail and I can't leave well enough alone (didn't want it to look weird since I don't really have any other jellies) I decided to try a little splash of sparklies (from Essence) and use my silver LA Colors Art Deco polish to make a little line....it doesn't look bad but I'm not in love with it, oh well...I'll just redo my nails tonight!

Also it was rather late, and the formula of the sorbet was a bit runny so don't mind my paint job, I didn't have the patience to leave a gap between my cuticle and the polish this time.

The bottle.

In direct artificial light.

In natural light.

NOTD: Essie Coat Azure & Maybelline Denim

After my super busy 80's/early 90's nails I decided to do a palate cleanser in my favorite nail color--blue. This time I kept the accent nail (of course...it's like I HAVE to do it...) but just made it a darker shade of blue in a similar finish (shimmer).

Sorry it's really messy, I wasn't able to do it until like midnight last night and by then my patience was really dropping off and I was getting pretty sleepy as well. Thank goodness for Seche Vite, without it I wouldn't have had time to do my nails! Not too shabby either, since I did 3 coats of both colors.

I've worn Essie Coat Azure before, but only as an accent. It's a really lovely color so I've been wanting to wear it as the main color for a while. I love the dusty blue shade and the subtle silvery shimmer that adds some good dimension to it. I'll get cremes if I really love the colors, but I really prefer something a little more fun like a shimmer since it's still pretty chill, but also a little more fun and pretty than a creme. When I wear a creme 1/2 the time I have an urge to add a shatter/flakie/glitter to it even if I like it how it is, just because it's so stark.

Maybelline Denim is actually not it's whole name, there is another word but I forgot it. I got this one on clearance at Target for a couple bucks and it was the nicest clearance color there so I figured 'why not?'. It is actually a really pretty navy blue shimmer that is a surprisingly deep color. The shimmer is a similar blue so it's pretty subtle but when the light hits it you can really see the depth.

In direct bathroom light.

Flash to show the shimmer.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potions

On Friday I was at Sephora browsing their Urban Decay section since I was curious how similar Sin was in the Eyeshadow Primer Potion and the regular Eyeshadow...swatching them both on my arm I found out that they were indeed identical and thus silly for me to buy the eyeshadow. The only difference is that the primer was harder to get off (not very hard though).

Anyways, the SA asked me if I'd known about the primer in Greed. Somehow I hadn't heard of it so I swatched it on my arm and instantly fell in love. I already am a HUGE fan of Sin since it's what's on my lids 90% of the time (mostly alone instead of eyeshadow) and I didn't think it'd be possible to love another product as much but I think I love Greed even MORE. It's such a pretty shimmery gold~. I haven't used it as a primer yet, but as a shadow it's divine...I've never had a decent gold shadow which makes this even better. I just love it....I'll let the swatches speak for themselves though.

Not in direct artificial light.

L: Greed, R: Sin

In direct artificial light.

L: Greed, R: Sin

I think that Sin (which is described as champagne) is best for a more natural but still pretty shimmer, but Greed ("24k" gold) is a much glitzier color and not as natural looking...but it's not overbearing either and a perfectly good daytime color. I love it.

NOTD: 80's/Early 90's Crackle

This isn't exactly my most original manicure ever, but I have been dieing to try it since I saw Scrangie do it on her blog. The accent nail however was my idea. Originally I was just going to do it plain, but realized that the black crackle would tie it together more and really go well with it. I chose that color combo because I wanted to do something showing the neon aspect of that era, but as I hate/don't own neon polish I chose something that captures the electric feel. And the polish IS from a neon collection, so it's close enough for me!

Here is what I used:

Accent nail - Color Club Ultra Violet (luminous purple with a bright blue flash) + OPI Black Shatter.

All other nails - Essie French Affair + China Glaze Crushed Candy + China Glaze Cracked Concrete.

I just have to say I love this manicure! Retro is awesome!!

Mascara, My New Friend + St. Patrick's Day NOTD

So I just started wearing mascara a few days ago, specifically Covergirl Lash Blast Fusion which I like a lot so far. I like the brush a lot! I got it in blackened brown this time, which is nice, but I think I'd like to get it in black next time for a more dramatic look.

Here is what it looks like on, with Urban Decay Sin on the lids (I know it's technically a primer but I got it to use as a brightening shadow) and Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil in Bourbon on the water line...I was careful to not get any sparkles there.

I feel like when I wear the mascara with a brightening eye shadow I don't really need an eyeliner on top, it pops enough. I don't really like eyeliner (other than on the water line) anyways because it's a B**** to get it just right...I always make it too thick etc. etc. Mascara is much easier to get looking right.

I only use the liner on the water line really because I don't like putting mascara on my bottom lashes...it looks nice but it's just kind of fiddly. I think I'd do it only when going out or something. It only takes a second to put the liner on, and if it rubs off it is no big deal...although I used 24/7 in hopes of it not rubbing off so easily since usually it either rubs or melts off nearly right away!

Last but not least I have my St. Patrick's Day NOTD...I know it's not until tomorrow but I am going to remove it tomorrow night so I decided to have it on at least a day ahead of time so it's not a complete waste. I used a makeup sponge for the gold, I started out trying to make the tips gold, but I messed up so I covered it up with a bit of a gradient. I think this would have come out better if my nails were longer, or if I did the gradient a bit shorter...I'll have to try again though, since it's a fun and pretty easy look. Practice makes perfect :).

I don't know what it is about when I do my nails, but 1/2 the time I end up liking the polish I used on the accent nail better and regret not doing it on all the other nails and having what I did on the other fingers on the accent nail instead...

Gold is Orly Glitz, green is Zoya Shawn and the accent finger is Orly Royal Velvet.

Color Club, NYX & Essence Haul

Last night we took the slight schlep out to Ulta (it's not super far, but it's far enough that we don't go all the time), I had heard that the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils were easy to use and good and I remembered that Ulta carried them so I wanted to pick up a couple. Also I've been using eyeliner on my lower lash and water line that coordinates with my eyeshadow, so I thought these might be a good way to have a variety of colors to do that with. I was also looking for a cheap concealer stick that I could keep in my purse since I tend to touch my face a lot so even if I apply concealer in the morning by lunch it's pretty much gone.

There is a Ross next to Ulta, and I'd seen some Color Club nail polish sets there before but either one is stolen or broken, finally I got one that had all the polishes in tact so I picked it up. Not bad, you get 7 for $8! I haven't tried these yet, but I've heard a lot of good things about Color Club so I am looking forward to trying them. I think because of all these shades of pinks I am probably good on pink for a while unless there is something really amazing. Purple too. I pretty much collect blues, and there was only one in the set anyway so I don't see this stopping me from getting more blue :).

I just put on the gold NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil, it went on super buttery smooth but only time will tell how the staying power/creasing goes. Hopefully it's good because I really like these things in theory and I have 4 more colors and the sharpener on my Amazon cart to get if it goes well. As much as I like Ulta I am probably not going back out there for another week or 2 at least..

The concealer I got is by Essence, I haven't tried it yet other than quickly on my arm so I am not really sure how good it is but I like the creamy texture a lot. I just hope it works. Originally I had a $10 concealer stick in my basket, but then I saw this one for $2 and decided to just go with it since I had no idea how good the pricier one was and it was just going to end up in my purse anyway. I know I should probably invest in a good concealer, but maybe later on...

NOTD OPI DS Sapphire + Hard Candy Beetle

Oh man, this manicure has been a comedy of errors!! It looks ok here, but that's because I am covering the nick on my index finger with my thumb, and it's before dry erase board cleaning spray ruined the finish on my middle finger (there is also some red dry erase ink on it too...).

I can't wait to get home and fix everything >.<. These are such pretty polishes too, OPI DS Sapphire is such a pretty light blue holo and Hard Candy Beetle is such a neat duochrome glitter. I just want to be able to really enjoy it. The formula on both polishes was lovely, no issues there although I am going to get a bottle of Seche Restore ASAP as my Seche Vite is getting gloopy and is hard to apply without destroying the polish...it still works, I just have to be very careful and work very quickly.

In natural and fluorescent lighting.

I did the flash so you can see the holo effect better.

Mmm, Chipotle

Chipotle is so good, especially when it's buy one get one free thanks to Facebook!!


I think you can see here that my son loves it too. Particularly carnitas :).

NOTD: Orly Sapphire Silk + China Glaze Ingrid

Finally felt OK enough last night to do my nails...I figured after having something pretty loud on for a while I'd tone it down a notch with Orly Sapphire Silk from the Precious collection for Spring 2011 on most of my nails and China Glaze Ingrid from the Vintage Beauties collection on my accent finger. These colors are both beautiful!

I am glad I decided to get Ingrid for my brown (I was looking for a brown for a few weeks), since it has a really pretty gold shimmer to it that I had a terrible time getting to show up in pictures, since it's rather subdued. Which is what I like about it really, just shimmery enough to be interesting but not so much that it's "blinged out". I think I've found the brown I was looking for! I do want to try some more browns later on though. The formula for this one was a little on the runny side, and I ended up making a mess on my right hand since I had even less control, and had to do like 3 coats just to even out mistakes, but otherwise it's very nice and opaque. I actually painted over 1 coat of Sapphire Silk with it because I forgot I wanted to do the accent nails, and aside from tiny little bits on the sides and tips you can't tell at all. Even then you'd have to look really closely to tell at all.

Sapphire Silk is a very pretty jelly-ish green toned teal, it actually matches my new purse...well, nearly. It's actually a good deal darker, but it's along the same vein. My camera doesn't pick up the green so much, but this is pretty darn close. I really love this color, if I "have" to wear a creme then I'll probably gravitate towards this one. At least if I want something a little on the darker side. The formula was really nice too, I probably could have done with 1 coat but I did 2 just to be on the safe side and even out any mistakes.

Also does anybody know if Sapphire Silk is similar to OPI Ski Teal We Drop? It looks very similar in the bottle, and I want Ski Teal We Drop but if they are as similar as they seem then I don't need both.

All in all a rather "safe" manicure (well my right hand would disagree, I was so messy this time) but I wanted a bit of a change from all the crackles etc. for a little bit. Besides, I think next time I'll probably do OPI DS Signature with Hard Candy Beetle as the accent so I think it makes it more fun to have a bit of a break from "gimmick" polishes in between, to make it more special :)

Dollar Tree Haul

Last week I checked out the nicer (and huge!) Dollar Tree, while they didn't have a HUGE selection (this being my first time there I haven't seen it before, maybe it was a good selection) they had a few things I wanted to try out such as the LA Colors Art Deco nail art polishes. I still have to get used to using them, but they are a fun thing to have handy for when you have an idea for some nail art! I also got a little pedicure set, mostly for the toe spacers (my last pedicure was ruined by my toes touching) and the nail brush.

Again I forgot the name of the polish I got, it's in the same LA Colors Color Craze series as the other 2, and like them the name was only on the discarded packaging and all I can remember is that it was related to electricity. Anyway, it's a very pretty blue with green shimmer, like all the other popular mermaid-esque polishes right now. Very pretty and you can't go wrong with it at $1!!!

Back: Pedicure set

L-R: LA Colors Color Craze polish, LA Colors Art Deco polish in silver, blue, purple glitter and pink

The "mermaid" color from LA Colors

I hope to get back to documenting my NOTD soon, I've been sick this past week...first it started off as a mild cold which then morphed into pretty bad allergies (maybe my immune system took a hit from the cold) that is doing a number on my nose by making it super sensitive. I can barely stand the smell of nail polish for a small while, not to mention remover. The growth is starting to bother me at the cuticle too :'(. *sad burger*

My Tax Return Gift (to Myself)

I finally settled on my tax return gift! The very new Coach Kristin Leather Hobo in Aegean (which looks somewhat greener IRL, like the ocean/sea)!!!!

I was looking for a bag similar to my current every day bag (from Forever 21) but from Coach so that it would last a long time! I had a few things that it needed to be like, and this bag is pretty much on the spot!

1. Cute (this one is more sleek and retro than cute, but I like it)

2. Not too big, not too small.

3. Comfy/wide shoulder strap.

4. Perfect length/comfy cross body strap, that looks ok without removing it.

5. In a neutral color (so I totally messed up on this one, but I decided that at that price, and with it's simplicity I'd do well to get a fun color...I don't usually adhere to seasonal colors anyway).

So other than #5 this has all the things I was looking for, so basically all the essential things since although I always say I want a brown or black bag I am loathe to waste my splurge on something so boring...I don't get to get a Coach bag every day so I want to make it count!

The reason for #4 is that with a wild toddler I often need to have both hands free without having to worry about my bag falling down to the crook of my arm and as such I need the cross body strap to still look fine while still attached but not in use since I don't like to wear it cross body when I don't HAVE to (which also ruled out all cross body only bags) since it's not very cute, and definitely a stereotypical "mom look".

I was also impressed by how much room it has, considering it's not at all a huge bag. It's by no means small either though, just the right size! Fits all my stuff comfortably, with a little extra room and doesn't get all lumpy with everything in it.

All in all this bag is really lovely, and the kind of classic "won't go out of style" bag that I go for when I get something pricey. I love the somewhat retro look (the clasp is supposed to be Art Deco inspired) and just how sleek and sophisticated it is. I definitely like a bag that helps me look like an adult, but is still fun. Yes, I am only 25 but I want something that shows that I am a mature 25 haha!

The great thing is that I had the 25% off coupon for the VIP sale, which on such a big ticket item (for me) is essential. I definitely feel better paying for it when I have a good deal! Of course the only downside is California's stupid nearly 10% tax, but at least it was slightly less painful with the coupon. Tax always hurts the most when you are buying an expensive item...

Now all I have to do is save up to get the matching (medium) wallet!

NOTD: Nails Like An Egyptian~

I started out on this one just with Essie Shift Power and Hard Candy Frenzy topped with Nubar 2010 on the accent nails. I think if Shift Power was brighter it would have worked a lot better like that, but I thought it needed a little something to even out the focus a bit so I added China Glaze Crushed Candy on top of the nails with Shift Power.

Unlike my last effort to spice up a my nails a bit with a crackle this one turned out much prettier than I was expecting. I think it kind of looks a bit ancient Egyptian. Not so much the accent nails but it still works alright with it. Maybe the accent nails can represent the Nile or something like that.

I don't know what happened with the crackle on the pinky, maybe I just didn't do it all the way to the tip, or it shrunk more on that nail.

Nail Haul!

I got a few other nail polishes recently, of varying degrees of awsomeness.

First up are the 2 polishes I got from Forever 21. They are Aqua and Grey respectively. Aqua is the one I really wanted, and I probably should have just gotten that one as after looking at a beauty shop in the mall I found OPI Ski Teal We Drop from the Switzerland collection that I have on my want list. But I was on a bit of a budget at the time, and didn't want to spend $9 after I spent $6 on these too...boo. ANYWAY, I hear these aren't the greatest but I've only tried them on the nail wheel so far and can't make any real opinions about it. Aqua looks quite cute and squishy however Grey is a bit boring, which is why I am regretting it...it's a different color to have but if I want a gray polish I'd rather use something duochrome like $OPI Mash Up. Maybe I can use this to layer under a crackle though... it was only $2.50 though so no harm done really, other than having to wait a while to get Ski Teal We Drop.

Now on to my more anticipated polishes, that I'd ordered and weren't impulse buys like the F21 ones... first up is OPI DS Sapphire. A really pale bluish nearly silver holo that is quite strong indeed...it took a lot of willpower to not use it right away, but when I got it I still had my Milani holos on and wanted to do something other than a holo. Not a whole lot to say about this one, other than how lovely it is. I am addicted to holos! Some day I'd like to have all the OPI DS polishes, as well as China Glaze's OMG series and of course Gosh Holographic.

You can see how pretty and linear the rainbow is here, sorry it's a smidge blurry.

Last but not least, I got a couple of China Glaze's Crackle Glaze series in Cracked Concrete and Crushed Candy. As everybody has said already, Crushed Candy looks exactly like ChG For Tiffany which is awesome as I love that color, and I was aching for a pastel crackle since although I love OPI Black Shatter black is really rather bold for me usually. Same reason I got Cracked Concrete since it's a pretty light color. I may get some more colors in this series eventually, but these were my favorite and I am very pleased with them. I really hope even more colors come out in crackles, it's just such a simple way of spicing up a creme or an aging/messed up manicure.

As always with crackles make extra sure to give plenty of time for your base color to dry, even with Seche Vite. I made the mistake of doing it a bit too quickly before with my army manicure and the results weren't so hot. They weren't TERRIBLE but I was not pleased with it. Also as usual these crackles dry matte, in the picture below I have Seche Vite on top.

Here they are layered over a dark blue Maybelline shimmer. It's a little crummy because I did it quickly since I was anxious to see it...but you get the idea.

Hard Candy & LA Colors Nail Haul

The other day we took Noah (my son) to Happy Hollow since it was such a nice day after being cold and rainy lately. Afterwards I wanted to take a peek into the (HUGETASTIC) Walmart since I make a point to not go out of my way to Walmart in general (don't really like them, I prefer Target) but when I am near one I'll check it out to see if they have any interesting Hard Candy nail polishes (and maybe at some point other makeup, but right now just polish).

Most of the colors didn't really catch my eye although I want them at some point, they were nothing special. However when I saw Hard Candy Beetle I knew I had to get it, it's a very pretty duochrome glitter in a dark green jelly base that flashes either reddish or yellowish-green depending on how the light hits it. The bottom picture of it in the light in my bathroom most accurately represents the effect. It definitely looks like the wings of a Jewel Beetle so I can see where the name comes from! I might wear this next but I am unsure if I want to wear a hard to remove glitter polish twice in a row...

All 3 pictures taken in the light in my living room.

Taken under the light in my bathroom.

There also was a Dollar Tree adjacent to the Walmart so I also ran in there really quick but boy was it a MESS and just wiped out there was almost no selection, so I am going to see if there is one with actual stock and somewhat more organized...I did get a couple things there, just because they were $1 and I bothered to go in...

Anywho, I ended up getting a very bright reddish orange shimmer (the shimmer particles are gold/yellow/orangey) and a lovely bright blue jelly by LA Colors. I'll have to add the names of these later, when I look at the bottles again, but it was some sort of electricity theme. These aren't usually my types of colors at ALL but I thought with the warm months approaching, and both of these being $1/ea. I might as well add them to my "arsenal" of colors. If I find another Dollar Tree I'll definitely get more colors if they are better stocked than the other one, the formula seems really nice from what I could tell by applying it to the nail wheel. I really hope I can find more, especially in colors I'll use more often.

The blue was the only one that wasn't a warm color that they had left...although that's not saying much since they were low/out of most items...

In my bathroom light.

In the warmer light in the living room.

Zoya Crystal

Recently I received the much raved about Zoya Crystal in the mail, even though it's a foil with gold flake glitter I am braving it and wearing it...I might even wear it often!! I love foils and I love glitter, but I just hate hatehateHATE removing the stuff! Takes too much elbow grease!

However, after seeing swatches and hearing everybody Ooh and Aah over it I just couldn't help but try it, it just looks so regal and pretty!

The only weird thing is I got a weird dent in my middle finger (visible in both pics) that refused to go away with another coat of polish and multiple coats of Seche Vite, although it's now smooth. Kind of driving me bonkers but it's not so bad, since this stuff is so pretty and such a pain to remove I want to leave it on for a few days at least.

Indoor with a mix of artificial light and natural light (at my desk at work...).

Ps. Just put on some Burt's Bees cuticle cream before taking the pic...looks so much better doesn't it?

Under my bathroom light at home. Dunno why my thumb looks so uneven here, IRL it looks just fine.