9/01/2020

Nothing Else Matte*rs ...Bobbi Brown Luxe Matte Lip Color

Instead of swatching all my Bobbi Brown Luxe Matte Lip Color Lipsticks, I thought it would be fun to showcase my favorite Summer shades: Bold Nectar, Cheeky Peach, Fever Pitch, On fire, Rebel Rose, and Vibrant violet.

I'm very fond of the elegant, weighty, gold packaging of the Luxe Lip Color lipsticks. So, I was pleasantly pleased when the brand revamped the tubes by giving them a matte, brushed metal finish to coincide with the Luxe Matte formula.

The Luxe Matte formula has a velvety-cream consistency that is lightweight, yet dense, with full coverage. As for their longevity, they last for an extremely long time, but not forever. These lipsticks will transfer to the rim of your drinks and wear off with meals. However, they leave behind a pretty stain. So, you don't have to worry about any unsightly patches or unevenness.

From left to right: Cheeky Peach, Bold Nectar, Rebel Rose, Fever Pitch, On Fire, Vibrant Violet.

Cheeky Peach: a bright, coral-pink that I love for both Spring and Summer.

Bold Nectar: a vibrant, slightly cool-toned watermelon.

Rebel Rose: a bright raspberry pink.

Fever Pitch: an intense orangey-red.

On Fire: a blue-toned, vibrant, red with a touch of pink.

Vibrant Violet: an intense purplish-fuschia. I enjoy wearing this shade during Summer and Fall.

All six shades are bold, insanely-pigmented, and I love them!

Have you tried the Luxe Mattes? Are any of these your summer favorites?

8/27/2020

The Sun & Moon to Me...Native War Paints

Native War Paints is an indie polish brand I discovered well over a year ago on PPU (Polish Pickup). Sun and Moon was Native War Paints’ polish entry for Polish Pickup's January 2020 “Written in the Stars” theme.

I failed to capture how gorgeously reflective, and sparkly, the holographic glitters and shimmers are.

Inspired by the Nintendo 3DS video game of the same name, Sun and Moon is a white crelly, brimming with various sizes of navy, pale gold, copper-orange, and deep sky blue holographic glitters as well as blue, green, and gold shifting micro-shimmer. Unique and beautiful, I love the color combination of the glitters in this polish along with the shimmer. This polish is definitely an original amongst my collection.

The first coat was semi-opaque, yielding an extremely generous amount of glitter. There was still some minor unevenness with the second layer, but I was hesitant of going with a third because I didn’t want the finished result looking like lumpy oatmeal. The surface was a little textured, but corrected after two layers of topcoat. Also, removal is a challenge with this beauty.

Have you heard of or tried Native War Paints polishes?

8/13/2020

She's Got Baggage!

For entertainment purposes, I've placed emojis to mark each bag.

These bags (which are much bigger and heavier then they appear) have multiplied like guinea pigs! It started with one bag to house my new beauty purchases. Then, one bag became two, then three, four, five, six, and so on. Now, each bag is organized by season.

I've thought of putting the contents into my collection. But, in all honesty, I don't think I have space. Also, I fear the weight will cause the partitions that sandwich my storage containers to collapse. Does anyone else have this problem?

Now, I'm not saying I'm going on a "no buy," nor a "low buy" (a girl's got to know her limitations)," but rather a "conscious buy." I'm going to try and be more selective about my beauty purchases.

Also, when I started the blog, one of the things I wanted it to be was a beauty encyclopedia of sorts. I wanted to catalog all the beauty products, brands, collections, etc., that I own. So, with work coming to a grinding halt, I want to get this derailed train back on track. I hope you'll enjoy the ride.

How do you store your new beauty purchases?

8/12/2020

I'm Got Candy Galore...Sassy Cats Lacquer Agnes Meet Candy!

A Polish Pickup May 2020 Candy Land theme release, Sassy Cats Lacquer states the polish was inspired by Agnes shoving her face into a bowl of candy, whatever that means. If you know the reference please tell me in the comments because I have no clue.

Sassy Cats Lacquer's Agnes Meet Candy! is a deep magenta base loaded with various shapes, sizes, and finished of pink, orange, purple, magenta, lime green, electric blue glitter.

The glitters distributed while on the nails. However, I applied three coats to get the opacity and depth I wanted from the base color. I wore Agnes Meet Candy! for five days without any wear damage before changing to another polish. You'll need to use your tried and trusted nail polish remover because this polish will not go quietly into the night.

7/08/2020

Oppa Gingham Style...Bath & Body Works Shower Gel

June's Shower Gel was a new scent for me, Bath & Body Works', Gingham.

Gingham's notes are Blue Freesia, Sweet Clementine and Soft Violet petals, and is described as, "A fresh blend of bright florals and a hint of sweet citrus."

The fragrance is clean, fresh, lingers on my skin, and is lovely for the Summer. I've enjoyed Gingham so much that I ordered a few more bottles, along with the handwash.

Have you tried Bath & Body Works Gingham line?

7/07/2020

America F*#k Yeah! Zoya Nail Lacquer

I'm sorry I haven't blogged in over three months, but my laptop died...it literally broke in half. I ordered a new one from the states because I don't like the format of Japanese keywords. However, its arrival was delayed due to COVID-19. The laptop arrived on Thursday, and (in my best Colin Clive impersonation), "IT'S ALIVE!"

In celebration of the red, white, and blue this July 4th, my patriotic weekend mani was Zoya's, America.

America is a bold, bright, glossy, medium, retro-red creme, with a hint of orange-red warmth. In general, Zoya polishes have a great formula, and the application is hassle-free. If your nail line isn't as prominent as mine, you can get complete opacity with one coat. However, I needed two.

It's been a while since I've worn America, but I remember it having a substantial wear time.

America is a beautiful, classic red with a great formula that's a fun shade to wear this holiday weekend.

What did you wear on your nails this 4th of July?

3/19/2020

Lust for Life...Oribe Gold Lust Pre-Shampoo Intensive Treatment

With all the bleaching, heat styling, and other forms of grooming torture, I think my hair must hate me.

Therefore, to prevent my blonde tresses from "going into the light," Oribe's Gold Lust Pre-Shampoo Intensive Treatment has been a staple product in my Sunday haircare regime for the last two years.

Not only is the packaging luxurious, but it's also practical; the tube can be replaced with a refill.

This weekly pre-shampoo treatment is meant to be applied to dry hair. The directions say to use a quarter amount of product, but since my hair is thick and plentiful, I use about a dollar size...maybe a smidgen more.

The treatment has a balm-like consistency that transforms into an oil by emulsifying it between the hands. Using my fingers, I comb the product through the mid-lengths of your hair towards the ends, avoiding the roots. Again, the directions say to leave on for 10-20 minutes, but I leave it on for hours as I go about my household chores, etc. Afterward, I shampoo, condition, and style my hair as usual.

A true godsend, the Gold Lust Pre-Shampoo Intensive Treatment leaves my hair, especially my ends rejuvenated, rehydrated, soft, and shiny. My hair looks and feels transformed and repaired; it's stronger and more resistant to breakage.

Oribe Gold Lust Pre-Shampoo Intensive Treatment contains 4 fl.oz/120ml and retails for $68 and $51 for the refill. I purchase all of my Oribe products from beautylish.com

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