4/25/2018

Icing on the Nails...Lancome 430 Icing Pink Le Vernis

In your nail polish collection, which color do you have the least of? For reasons unbeknownst to me, that shade would be pink...and to be specific, the paler shades of pink.

I really like the red, pink and white graphic print of the exterior packaging.

Lancome changed their polish bottles some time ago, and I love the chic new form.

The top of the removable black plastic is adorned with an embossed gold colored plate with the brand's rose logo.

Part of Lancome's French Temptation Spring 2018 Collection, 430 Icing pink is a soft grayish-tinged, lavender-baby pink pastel. with a pink and muted lavender duochrome. The flashes of pink and muted lavender give the polish a special uniqueness, and warmth.

The formula is sheer, but goes on easily and evenly. Depending on your application, and nail line, you can get full coverage with two coats. I love the look of a third coat, which I don' mind doing because the vernis is fun to apply.

By no means is the finish dull. however, Icing Pink does need a top coat to amp up the shine. The polish wore for five days without incident.

A stunning color for Spring, I feel Lancome captured the sugary wonders of French pasties when they created 430 Icing pink.

Did you purchase any polishes from the Lancome's French Temptation Collection?

4/16/2018

Every Rose Has Its Torn...Sabon Rose Tea Shower Oil

Let me preface this post by saying, I love Sabon! With that said, I didn't like March's body wash, the Rose Tea Shower Oil.

I know I've mentioned this before, but I'm not fan of rose-scented things. I know, I can hear you saying, "then why buy a rose fragranced shower oil, silly?!" Although I don't like rose, I am a big fan of tea scents, and hoped the tea would tame the former.

A limited edition release in Japan, the Rose Tea Shower Oil smelled nice in store; a good balance of tea, with a rose that wasn't noxious. However, after a week of use, the rose notes seemed to come to the foreground...and, not a "pleasant aroma to my sense of smell" way. I found myself using more pumps than needed, just so I can be the shower oil sooner.

Have you tried Sabon's Rose Tea Shower Oil?

4/12/2018

A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned...O.P.I Nail Lacquer

My third Helmer filing cabinet (i.e. where I store my nail polishes) is about to reach full capacity, and I really, REALLY don't want to get a fourth. Therefore, it's time to shop my collection, and see if there are any polishes I can get rid of.

First lacquer on the proverbial chopping block is one that I haven't worn in a while, O.P.I's Worth a Pretty Penne.

Released as part of the Fall 2015 Venice Collection, I've always been more inclined to wear Worth a Pretty Penne in the Spring; I consider it to be a pastel version of copper.

Worth a Pretty Penne is a warm, soft rosy-copper foil loaded with micro silver, pink and copper shimmers.

The formula is very watery, yet applies easily, and is opaque in one coat. However, I like to apply a second coat just to give the shade extra depth. Worth a Pretty Penne benefits from being chock-full of micro shimmers as they help to level out the polish and camouflage brush strokes. The lacquer dries down without any texture, but the finish is a little dull; this can be corrected with a good top coat. As for wear time, Worth a Pretty Penne got its first chip on day five.

Originally, I thought Worth a Pretty Penne was going to be on the outs, but I've fallen in love with it again, and it's a keeper.

Worth a Pretty Penne is available on sallybeauty.com. Btw, Sally's is offering a buy 1 get 1 for 50% off mix & match on selected polishes at the moment.

4/08/2018

Can I Help To Cheer You? Coloured Raine Cheers to the Beauty

Hey guys!

Where does the time go? I can't believe it's almost been 3 months since my last post! To those who emailed me privately, asking if I was okay and/or if I had stopped blogging, I want to thank you (again) for your concerns and taking the time to write me. Also, a BIG thank you to everyone on the blog, for sticking with me during this lengthy absence. I will explain why I've been absent for so long, but that's a post for another day.

Before I get into all the Spring beauty products, (as this was the last post in queue before I went MIA) I need to be done with the Coloured Raine "Cheers to the Beauty" Palette. I'm kinda working backwards because this is my second palette from Coloured Raine. I previously purchased Queen of hearts (a long time ago), but this one is going up first.

Lured in by the 1920s-inspired promotional imagery for Cheers to the Beauty, I thought it would be fun to use the palette for a 1920s-themed New Year's Eve I was attending.

Since that evening, I'm been using the palette on and off. And, I must report, that I'm not all that satisfied with it.

Cheers to the Beauty houses 12 eyeshadows and a highlighter (which also looks lovely on the eyes). All the shades are pretty, But, as much as I love green shadows (Lord knows I do), the shade just sticks out like a sore thumb. It feels misplaced and, in my opinion, makes the palette less cohesive. The palette suffers from a lack of a dark, matte shade to add dimension and depth. Instead of the green, I would have included a matte version of black Butterfly (hold the shimmers, please).

From left to right: Boutineer, Powder Room, Rose, Iconic, Diamond Jubilee, Opulence.

Boutineer: a soft, warm peachy-beige matte.

Powder Room: a warm, slighty-muted medium peach matte.

Rose: an intense, tarnished yellow-gold metallic.

Iconic: a rich, medium brown-based taupe metallic.

Diamond Jubilee: a bright, silver with gray undertones metallic.

Opulence: an intense, electrified cobalt blue metallic with violet shimmer.

From left to right: Raise a Glass, Vintage Feels, Debonair, Nightingale, Grandeur, Black Butterfly.

Raise a Glass: a muted, warm, plummy-brownish rose matte.

Vintage Feels: a muted, burnt terracotta matte with micro gold glitter.

Debonair: a warm, muted sangria red matte.

Nightingale: a rich, tarnished, brown-based, antiqued gold metallic.

Grandeur: a rich, blackened-based emerald green metallic.

Black Butterfly: a deep, blackened, midnight bluish-purple metallic with violet and blue shimmer.

Luxurious Bling.

Luxurious Bling: a warm, peachy-beige with a golden-pinkish-peach duochrome.

Below is one of the looks I wore a lot using Cheers to the Beauty. I accidentally deleted the folder with the other three looks I created from the palette. So, I'll have to recreate and post them at a later time.

Look Breakdown:

Face:

Victoria beckham Estee Lauder Morning Aura Illuminating Creme.
Dior Star Studio Makeup Spectacular Brightening Weightless Perfection in 030.
Kat Von D Shade & Light Contour Palette (Used Shadowplay to contour).
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in Blissful.
Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder in 2.
Coloured Raine Cheers to the Beauty Palette (used Luxurious Bling to highlight).
Eyes:

B & C Browlash EX Water Strong W Eyebrow in Grey Brown.
Bye Bye Under Eye Illumination Full Coverage Anti-Aging Waterproof Concealer in Medium.
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder for Under Eyes (used to set the concealer).
Mac Pro Long Wear Paint Pot in Utterly Becoming (used as a base).

MAC Eye Shadow in Brule (all over the lid).
Coloured Raine Cheers to the Beauty Palette:
Boutineer (placed all over the lid).
Powder Room (blended into the crease).
Raise a Glass (blended all over the lid and lower lashline).
Luxurious Bling (patted in the center of the lid and in the inner corner).
Helena Rubinstein Lash Queen Wonder Blacks Mascara Smudge Proof in Wonderful Blacks.

Lips:
Make Up For Ever Artist Liquid Matte Lipstick in 109.

Let's start with the positives: all 12 shadows and highlighter are very well pigmented, with great color payoff. They apply and blend smooth and evenly.

These are not negatives for me, but the matte shadows had a good amount of kick-up, and the majority of the metallics were crumbly in the pan.

What I did find annoying was the eye primer game I had to play with the shadows. If I wasn't wearing the right primer underneath, the shadows would fade and crease within 3 to 4 hours.

I had no issue with the highlighter. Again, great color payoff, with a pretty duochrome shift. It didn't emphasize pores or enhance any unsightly texture of the skin.

I like the palette, but I'm not in love with it. It's definitely not a "must have." However, the more I use Cheers to the Beauty, the more I enjoy and appreciate it.

1/15/2018

Disco Inferno! China Glaze Disco Ball Drop

With a name like me Disco Ball Drop (which is exactly that, a disco ball in nail polish form), how could I not wear this nail lacquer on New Year's Eve?

Disco Ball Drop is a clear base, with a mixture of small and medium hex silver holographic glitter. Mainly, I'll be using this polish as a topper, but an opaque manicure can be achieved using the sponge technique. However, out of curiosity as to how many coats it would take to get full coverage, I applied Disco Ball Drop the old-fashioned way.

Unlike Don't Be A Snow-Flake's tinted base (that masked my not-so-perfect glitter placement), Disco Ball Drop requires more attention when spreading it onto the nails. The polish's finish is gritty, calls for two top coats to get the most out of the sparkle, and is formidable to remove.

If you want to take the disco ball effect up a notch, I recommend layering it over a silver polish. I would have shown you, but I couldn't find the sole light silver polish in my collection. #sparktacular.

1/08/2018

The Failing Snow...Bath & Body Works' Fresh Sparkling Snow Shower Gel

Has Bath & Body Works' ever made their Winter fragrance into a shower gel? Pardon my ignorance, as I was unfamiliar with the Fresh Sparkling Snow fragrance, and I didn't read the scent description when purchasing. Fresh Sparkling Snow was my final pick during one of BBWs' 3 for 3 sales, and I was hoping it was going to be the Winter scent in a shower gel.

The embossed, glittery, snowflake packaging, and turquoises colored shower gel is a nice festive, Mr.frost, winter-y touch.

December's shower gel, Fresh Sparkling Snow is described as a "sparkling blend of Iced Pear, Frozen Melon, Winter Apple, Snowdrop Blossom and Frosted Musk. Yes, because nothing smells more like Winter than pears and melons. Don't get me wrong, this shower gel has a great scent. I smell more apple than pear, but no melon at all. The floral note adds a nice depth. The fresh, coolness (which I assume is the Frosted Musk) of Fresh Sparkling Snow is the only thing, I feel, gives this shower gel a smidgen of winter appeal.

Final verdict: A nice scent, but I wouldn't use it during Winter.

What did you bathe with in December?

1/08/2018

Don't Be A Snow-Flake...China Glaze Nail Lacquer

I got all 12 of the nail lacquers from China Glaze's Glam Finale Collection, and first up is: Don't Be A Snow-Flake (a name apropos for today's culture, I'd say).

When I saw Don't Be A Snow-Flake, I was both intrigued and terrified by it. I was Intrigued by the concept of the polish, and the dazzling effect of all the holographic glitter. I was terrified because placement of glitter polishes isn't my forte, as well as knowing what a pain removing Don't Be A Snow-Flake was going to be.

I was unable to capture the beautiful sparkle of the holographic glitter.

A slightly bluish-light gray crelly, with small and large hex silver holographic glitter, the formula is extremely sheer on the first coat (great if you want to use it as a topper), with a fairly decent consistency. However, the more layers I added, the thicker the formula began to feel. Also, maneuvering the glitters with the brush is key to ensure even, clump-free distribution. Don't Be A Snow-Flake does dry textured and requires one to two top coats.

Completely opaque in four coats, Don't Be A Snow-Flake rested a little too thick on my nails for my liking. However, I was able to overlook this minor flaw because the multi-colored, glimmering holographics reminded me of the embossed glitter on some Christmas cards...and I'm feeling nostalgic this year.

1/07/2018

Excuse Me If I Seem Audacious...NARS Linda, Aya, Louise, & Kirat Audacious Lipsticks

Back in 2014, when NARS released the Audacious Lipsticks, like Pokemon, I wanted to catch'em all!

Unfortunately, just like Japan's launch of Pokemon Go, my progress has been slow. I can't believe I only own four of them?!...note to self: get more!

From left to right: Linda, Aya, Louise, Kirat.

The magnetized casing is great and all, but a b@#$% when trying to photograph the lipsticks side by side. Louise was a causality of the magnetization. She was pushed off the table and plunging head first onto the floor. They say a picture is worth a thousand words... this one is worth a thousand screams.

Lat Fall, NARS released six Audacious Lipsticks, of which I picked up four: Louise, Linda, Kirat, and Aya.

From left to right: Linda, Aya, Louise, Kirat.

Linda: a deep, warm caramel.

Aya: a dark, warm chocolate brown with a slight reddish undertone.

Louise: a dark, warm brick red.

Kirat: a dark, warm eggplant purple with a slight pinkish undertone.

All four lipsticks have a cream finish, and are densely pigmented, with minor hydration. Each of these shades were gorgeous for Fall, with Linda being my personal favorite (I wish I would have gotten a back up). Since winter started, I've been using Aya, Louise, and Kirat a lot more. In Japan, both Linda and Aya were limited edition.

NARS in one of the few western brands that isn't astronomically marked up in Japan. The Audacious Lipsticks retail for 3,996.

Which Audacious Lipsticks do you have in your collection?

1/07/2018

And On And On It Spins...

Can we talk? (figuratively speaking, of course) I don't do New Year's Resolutions, but before the new year began, I told myself, "self, you're not going to buy any of the 2018 Spring releases." However, one week (and three collection purchases) into the year, I'd say my declaration isn't going so well.

I've been growing tired on the incessant limited edition collection releases, the purchasing frenzy, and the stress and aggravation they cause when I make my purchases. I would never do a "no-buy," but I want to get off the overly saturated beauty hamster wheel.

Although I'm always buying beauty products, I don't purchase these items solely for the purpose blogging. Be that as it may, I do want to share them (as well as my thoughts of them) with you.

2017 was an extremely busy year for me, and I blogged less than 5% of my acquisitions; and I'm not satisfied with that. I understand retail is always a season ahead, and Spring collections are already dropping; but we're only 17 days into Winter, and I've posted nothing of my Winter (or Fall) beauty purchases. I noticed Makeup Museum mentioned being in the same predicament on Instagram, and it was comforting to know I'm not alone.

So, if you'll bear with me (until March 21st, the official start of spring), instead of putting all these purchases away until their next respective seasons (I have mountains of past collections I've done this to throughout the years), I'm going to post on all (if not must) of my purchases from the last two seasons.

Also, I've been trying to catalog all the beauty products I own (in their proper collection entirety when possible) since the inception of the blog. And, what better way to start then with the last two seasons before I put them away in preparations for Spring, and they get swallowed in the beauty abyss that is my collection.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on what I just wrote in the comments, thank you.

1/03/2018

Puppy New Year!

Can you believe it's already 2018?! Apart from all the Bonenkais and Shinenkais, New Year's Eve is pretty uneventful and low-key in Japan. A tradition of mine to ring in the new year is to order in food (or cook), and watch the Poseidon Adventure...exciting, I know. However, this year, my friend Mitsue and I hosted a 1920's themed New Years Eve party (a post on that look is coming soon).

I would like to wish you all a beautiful New Year. Thank you for your support, and being part of the blog. Looking forward to discovering new beauty finds together in 2018.

What did you do this New Years Eve or Day? Do you have any traditions you like to do?

Happy New Year!