China Glaze Specialty Collection -- GLITTERS!

I am taking a break from our regularly scheduled Halloween polishes to show you some of the glitter polishes that China Glaze came out with recently. They released a "specialty" collection that contains 50 glitters, shimmers, and cremes. I don't have all of them, but I have most of them, and I absolutely *love* glitter polishes. Since it will take me forever and a half to actually get around to wearing them, I decided to do a nail wheel of most of the glitter polishes to show you guys :-)

China Glaze Specialty Collection -- Glitters


You will probably want to click on the picture to enlarge it so that you can bask in its glittery glory. Okay, I am going to try and list the colors from memory -- starting at the 12 o'clock position, these are the colors: Medallion, Cleopatra, Moulin Rouge, Dreamsicle, Luna, Blue Hawaiian, Atlantis, Green Apple, Bad Kitty, Ginger, Preppy Pink, Carnival Lights, Meteor Shower, Cosmic, Mahoganie, Electric Lilac, Pom Pom, Nova. Whew!!!

Almost all of those swatches are three coats. As you can see, some of the polishes are more opaque than others. I have other polishes in the Specialty collection, but I wanted to feature mostly glitters, and these are the ones that really jumped out at me.

The polishes are available right now at your favorite e-tailers, so pick 'em up while you can! :-)

China Glaze Fortune Teller

W00t -- more Halloween nails! :-) Saturday is fast approaching! Does everyone have their costume ready?? Is it weird that I am more stressed out about what nail polish to wear than my actual costume? I need to get more accessories, and decide what shoes I want to wear!

China Glaze Fortune Teller




Fortune Teller is a Sally Beauty exclusive. I was lucky enough to find a display full of them at the Sally by my house :-) It is a black polish with small and medium hexagonal orange glitter in it. I am wearing two coats here, so application was pretty good. The polish is very "gritty" though. I'm only wearing one coat of Seche Vite on top, and I definitely could have used another coat or two to smooth it out. I thought I would like this polish a lot more than I did -- this is probably one of those colors that will be seasonal-only for me. Sadly, I really don't see myself wearing it unless it was Halloween :-( It just didn't do it for me.

China Glaze Spellbound

Day 2 of Halloween nails! Today, I have yesterday's color, China Glaze's Free Love, topped with China Glaze's Spellbound -- a specialty Halloween glitter topcoat!

China Glaze Free Love + China Glaze Spellbound




Spellbound is a clear polish with medium-sized orange and silver glitter in it. I probably should not have worn it over an orange polish, because it makes the orange glitter very hard to see, but I couldn't resist blinging out my orange polish. I'm only wearing one coat here, and as you can see, it gives pretty good coverage with just one coat. I really didn't want to use more than one coat, because removing it was a huuuuuuge PITA. I will probably be re-using this polish again this week, but with a different color as the base so that you can see both glitter colors :-)

China Glaze Free Love

I am kicking Halloween off with some Halloween-themed nails! Woo hoo! First up, I have Free Love, which isn't specifically a Halloween color, but it is a gorgeous orange shimmer, so I think it's just about right for this time of year :-)

China Glaze Free Love
(indoors, with flash)





(outdoors, direct sunlight)






This polish is from the Retro Diva Collection, and I'm wearing two coats here. It is a bright medium orange that shimmers with a golden glow. On the indoor pics, you can really see the gold shimmer reflecting off the flash. It is super pretty and great for layering (which I will show tomorrow!). I am not really a big fan of orange, because I think it looks hideous on me, but this shade is pretty and unique enough that I didn't mind it. I actually got quite a few compliments on it! :-)

OPI Designer Series Perfection

Meh... not really perfection, but a pretty color indeed :-)

OPI Designer Series Perfection
(indoors, with flash)




(outdoors, direct sunlight)




This color reminds me a lot of Lippmann's Shut Up and Drive, but it's not as pretty. It is a medium pink jelly-like polish with lots of pink sparkle. It doesn't apply as well or "clean" as other DS polishes -- I'm wearing three coats here, and most DS are opaque in two coats. Each coat was quite sheer, so I really had to build it up.

This whole week, I have been trying to do all Halloween-themed nails. I'll have the pics up eventually to show lol :-) Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

7FAM Vintage Nakita Straight Legs!

Like any other girl out there, in addition to makeup and handbags, the other big love of my life is -- CLOTHES! Well, specifically, jeans. I am a big sucker for designer jeans. I probably own about 200 pairs of Seven for all Mankind, True Religion, Rock & Republic, William Rast, Citizens of Humanity, Paige, Diesel, etc. A lot of people ask me how I manage to wear all my jeans. In all honesty, I can't and I don't. There are many pairs that I haven't worn in months/years, and some pairs that I haven't worn at all yet. But, I still like having them and I do wear them when I get the chance. When I have a "casual" day at work, I'll wear jeans, and I wear them on weekends. However, I can go months at a time not wearing jeans at all. When the weather is nice here in the good ol' Northeast, the last thing I want to do is wear jeans. From about mid-May until the end of August, I don't wear jeans at all. I'll wear dresses, skirts, shorts, crops, etc., but no jeans because I can't stand sweating in them. Ewe!

Anyway, here is one of my recent purchases that I am still drooling over because they're so gorgeous:



Those are 7FAM Straight Leg jeans in Vintage Nakita wash. I generally do NOT like any sort of distressing, rips, etc. in my jeans, because I have this neurotic fear of ripping the distressing. But, I will make an exception to that rule when I genuinely fall in love with something, and these are awesome! The fit is amazing, the wash is incredibly soft, and I like the straight leg style. I'm normally a bootcut/flare girl, but these are just the right amount of straight leg without being suffocating-my-calves-tight. I just hemmed them the other night (I am super short and have to hem EVERYTHING), so I haven't had a chance to wear them yet. But, now that fall is here, I have a feeling these will be perfect for lounging around, and also for tucking into a cute pair of boots!

Also, I got my Halloween costume last night. I hate how the costume choices for women always seem to revolve around wearing something as short and slutty as possible. When it's only about 40* outside in October, that really is not a good option for me (well, that and the fact that girls my age shouldn't be wearing that sh*t!). But, after about an hour looking around a Halloween store, I found something I really like, and it's pretty without being skanky. I found a really pretty goddess costume that fits me well. It's a little long on me, but I don't feel like hemming, so I'll just wear them with some heels (I have some awesome gold strappy Christian Louboutins that I'm considering wearing with them). Anyway, I'll have to post pics after Halloween! In the meantime, I need to find some goddess jewelry/accessories to match my costume :-D

Butter London Chancer

A while ago, www.thefairest.com had a sale that included Butter London. I've never tried this brand before, but heard a lot of good things about it! The polishes were all 50% off, so of course, I had to pick up a few :-) Oh, and for all the beauty junkies out there, you should definitely sign up to receive sale notifications from The Fairest! They have great deals quite often, especially if you are into skin products -- those get pricey rather quickly!

Butter London Chancer







I had a REALLY hard time getting good photos of this. The last picture I took in bad lighting with no flash, but it was the only way I could get the sparkle and texture of the polish to show. The flash just reflected off the glitter in the first two pics. This is a bright red glitter jelly polish. It is fairly dense, as I am wearing only two coats. The polish is not bumpy at all on your nails... the polish is very smooth, and though I'm wearing a top coat, you probably don't need one if you don't want to put one on. Removal was also fairly easy. I love love LOVE glitter polishes, but removal is always a b*tch!

I like the bottles on these -- they're very cute! I've never seen such rectangular bottles before haha. Oh, and don't worry about the rectangular top -- it is actually removable and there is a regular round handle underneath that!

China Glaze Cords

This is probably the sole non-red/pink/purple/orange shade from China Glaze's Retro Diva Collection -- CORDS!

China Glaze Cords




This polish was kind of watery and sheer, so I am wearing three coats here. Cords is a shimmery/frosty light-medium gray. It is pretty, but not terribly unique.

I am SOOOO backlogged as far as posts and pics go. Also, my "unswatched" pile is over 100 deep... haha. I would say I have about 45 of the 50 China Glaze Specialty Collection, the whole OPI Suede collection, the majority of OPI's Holiday 2009 collection, China Glaze's Khrome collection, and lots of other random polishes to try! Houston.... I think I have a problem :-/

China Glaze Unplugged

I feel like crap -- starting to come down with a cold :-( I think it's a combination of work/life stress and the shitty weather here. We got SNOW in New England today. Yes, snow. Every year, I try not to turn on my heat until November 1st (one year, I got lucky and didn't have to turn it on until around Thanksgiving). Last night, I got home and my house was 59 degrees, so I caved and turned the heat on. I couldn't believe this morning when I went outside and the leaves had a layer of snow on them!! Argh, I guess winter came early and is here to stay :-(

China Glaze Unplugged




This polish went on surprisingly sheer for a dark color, so I'm wearing three coats. Unplugged is a brown shimmer with hints of wine/mahogany in it. I kinda smudged my index finger as the top coat was drying, so just ignore that :-P I've seen Unplugged available in different China Glaze collections, but I got mine from the eCollection (I think that's what it's called anyway!). It is a pretty color, but there is really nothing about it that makes me think it stands out from the other browns I've tried and love.

OPI Never Lon-done Shopping

I really wish I could have taken better pics of this polish, because it really is a beauty, and my pics do not do it any justice!

OPI Never Lon-done Shopping




The color is actually a lot more pink in person. It is a red/pink shimmer metallic! And, outdoors, it is super incredibly shiny with an almost-chrome finish. I am wearing two coats here, with Seche Vite top coat, which really made it shine that much more! The reason I am holding a bottle of Diamont instead of the polish itself is because I have a mini bottle that I got in a mini-set, and those bottles are a bitch for me to hold for pictures (and I have small hands and fingers!). I actually have quite a few mini bottles, and it just works out better for me to hold a full-size bottle for pics, so I'll probably just do that from now on :-) My hands have to do like gymnastics with the little bottles, doing all sorts of weird bends and twists in order for me to get one decent picture. Ugh!

China Glaze Drive In

This is another polish from China Glaze's Retro Diva Collection. This is the first and only collection that I have ever purchased in full, and even though it has taken me nearly a full season, I have almost worn them all! lol

China Glaze Drive In




I would best describe this as an orange/red shimmer. When I was drinking a Coke one day, I noticed that my nails were the exact same color as the Coke can, which is pretty cool, because I am pretty much completely addicted to the stuff (the drink, not the drug!). I'm wearing two coats here, which provides enough coverage, but again, a third coat would have helped smooth it a bit more and cover some of the bald spots. I like this color, but not as much as some of the others that were in this collection (so far, Stroll and Far Out have been my favorites).

MAC Spicemix

I have to admit that my first experience with MAC polishes wasn't so positive. But, since then, I have grown to love them as one of my favorite polish brands! Check out this perfect-for-fall color!

MAC Spicemix
(indoors, with flash)




I am wearing two coats here, but I probably should have done three, to cover up some of the balding that I am now noticing. I would say this color is an orange-based duochrome with some shimmer. It sparkles with some gold and brown, depending on how the lighting is. I love this color, and when I look at it, I think foliage. Right now, it is almost peak foliage where I am, and I always enjoy watching the leaves change color (even if I hate raking them up from my driveway!).

China Glaze Mink Frost

This is the first "older" China Glaze I've ever tried, and I must say.... B3F be damned, I love this color!

China Glaze Mink Frost
(indoors, with flash)




I think the name "Mink Frost" is perfect for this color -- it has a tad bit of frost/shimmer to it, and "mink" is the perfect word to describe the color. It is kind of like a pinkish brown. It applied very well -- I think I am wearing two coats here. The first coat was kind of sheer, but by coat #2, it was opaque. Damn, I need more colors like this -- shimmery, frosty, duochrome, pink/brown!!!

Coach Poppy Red Patent Book Tote

So... a few weeks ago, I was totally jonesing for this Coach bag here. Unfortunately, I didn't end up buying it, and it sold out really fast :-( However, not to fear, because my obsession with handbags, Coach, and the color red are all alive and well and last week, I came home with this baby here:

Coach Poppy Red Patent Book Tote


(I got the red, but here's a side view in black)


Umm... can you say love at first sight??? It has all the requirements that I'm essentially looking for in a bag. Plus, as much as I love sequins everywhere, it makes it a tad difficult for me to carry a sequined bag for everyday use, so this is perfect. In addition to the to-die-for color, it is also SUPER roomy on the inside -- it has TWO zipper pockets, and THREE slit pockets!! Also, the exterior has two side pockets and one zip pocket.



And, if that wasn't enough, the double straps are long enough to wear over my shoulder. But, if I get lazy and decide I want to wear it as a messenger too, I can do that:



Plus, the long strap is removable, so if I ever decide I don't like the way it looks, I can just as easily take it off. The thing that really won me over though, is the patent leather. I am a huuuuuge patent leather fan. I know lots of people aren't too keen on it, but I always think, the shinier and slicker, the better! Plus, I live in the Northeast, which has quite possibly the most unpredictable weather in the world. This morning, it was raining cats and dogs... and right now, it is bright and sunny outside. It would kinda suck for me to get caught in a monsoon with a sequined bag. However, with patent leather, I could really care less because I won't run home and immediately start bawling because I think I've ruined my bag. Total win-win for me!!

I've been using my new tote for over a week now, and I love it. I am adding this one to the permanent handbag rotation :-)

OPI Sea? I Told You!

Hmmm... I don't think I've done a blue yet. Weird! I will admit that I don't own a ton of blue polishes. I like blue, but not so much on my nails. However, there is something about this color that really jumps out at me and I love it!

OPI Sea? I Told You!
(indoors, with flash)




I am wearing base + two coats + top coat here. Application was pretty smooth and easy. It went on a little sheer, but built up pretty nicely. You can kinda see my nail line in the pics, so I probably just should have done a third coat, but I try to avoid a third coat if at all possible. I am a two-coat kinda gal. I love how shimmery the finish is. It almost looks like a frost in these pictures. Plus, the color just screams summertime (which is pretty fitting, considering this polish is from OPI's 2009 Summer Days collection).

All Hail The Panda Dog!!

I have a hard time deciding what I love more -- pandas or Chow Chows. So, you can imagine my giddiness when I saw pics of the Panda Chow!





This has got the be the most glorious creature I've ever seen! I actually don't know its background or what it is -- I am assuming that it's a Chow Chow that was either born with the panda coloring or dyed to look that way (which would be horribly cruel to the dog, but I digress).

Anyway, everyone bask in Panda Chow's adoreable-ness!!!

Lippmann Collection Don't Tell Mama

This polish could have been named after me, because "Don't Tell Mama" is practically a life mantra for me. Oy, if my mom knew half the crap that I did, she would probably keel over and die.

Lippmann Collection Don't Tell Mama
(indoors, with flash)




I'm wearing two coats here -- the formula was pretty good on this. Pictures were kind of a pain, because I don't really think they accurately capture the polish. It is a very dark shimmery forest green. When you look at it indoors, it almost looks black, but outdoors, you can totally see the green peeping through. It is a super gorgeous color! In my pictures, it kind of looks teal, but rest assured, it is most definitely green. I really like Lippmann Collection polishes - I just wish they weren't so darn expensive!! I will have to wait for another promotion or something to pick up a few more :-)

OPI Designer Series Elegance

This polish is appropriately named... when I first put it on, I thought, "Ooh, how elegant!"

OPI Designer Series Elegance
(outdoors, natural light)




I am wearing two coats, but looking at the pics, I definitely could have used a third coat, because I see some bald spots on my nails. As with most Designer Series polishes, this went on quite smoothly and I didn't have any issues. It is a gorgeous light pink (almost lavender) color. It doesn't quite jump out to me as much as other DS polishes, but this is a very pretty pink and would be great for Spring or Summer (which is kind of a bummer, since we're in Fall now).