Confessions of a Shopaholic...

Zoya Delilah

2010-09-11T12:00:00.001-04:00

Yet another Zoya for y'all today...

Zoya Delilah

(outdoors)

This one is a nice, sparkly, glittery, jelly red color. I am wearing two coats here, but three would have been better. What really surprised me with this one is that the removal was a piece of cake. It wasn't as complicated as I thought it would be. I think I just see glitter and think the worst. But, since this one is a jelly polish, it came off pretty easily.

Zoya Tosca

2010-09-09T12:00:00.001-04:00

I think this color is absolutely perfect for summer! (well, what remains of it anyway...)

Zoya Tosca

(outdoors)

The formula was this one was great -- I didn't have any problems with it. It was practically opaque in one coat, but I am wearing two here. It is a bright pink with a hint of gold shimmer on it. You can see the shimmer better in the bottle than on the nail, but I swear it's there!

China Glaze Chocodisiac

2010-09-07T12:00:00.001-04:00

I'm a sucker for browns... I think everyone already knows that :-)

China Glaze Chocodisiac

I am only wearing two coats here, which I initially thought would be enough, but after I took the pics and noticed some bald spots, I realized I probably should have slapped on another coat. I love the color -- it reminds me of a muddy brown, but it's still shiny and delicious, like chocolate. It's also got a touch of dark pink in there, which makes it decidedly different from your normal brown. Yum!

Zoya Mercedes

2010-09-06T21:24:00.002-04:00

Happy Labor Day!! I hope everyone enjoyed a nice day off :-)

Zoya Mercedes

(outdoors)

Mercedes is a nice, almost-frosty, slightly-shimmery light mauve color. The formula is a tad on the sheer side, so this took three coats for full opacity. I like it, but can't say I'm in love with it. I will have a lot of Zoyas to show over the next couple of weeks. I got a ton of new ones during their recycling program this past summer, so I am slowly going through them all :-)

OPI Magnifico Mexico

2010-09-02T10:38:00.002-04:00

EEEK!!! Sorry for the lack of posts, guys. Things have been crazy busy around here. That and I am (still) in the middle of moving and literally living out of boxes right now. I only get to change my nail polish every 3-4 days, instead of every other day like I used to do :-( And 2/3 of my polish is packed up right now, so I don't have a lot of choose from when doing my nails :-( But, hopefully all of this will pass soon and I will be fully moved and unpacked. In the meantime, does anyone want to buy a nice 2 bedroom/2 bathroom condo from me? :-D

OPI Magnifico Mexico

I'm not really an "orange" person. It's actually one of my least favorite colors! But, since it's summer and it's been scorchingly hot around here, I figure this would be the perfect summer color. This is more of an orange/red than a true orange. It looks a lot more orange in the bottle than it does on the nail. The hint of slight shimmer is also great for summer as well. Application was good and took three coats to be fully opaque.

I will try to be a bit better about updating... I have a huge backlog of pics... just have to get up off my lazy bum and actually post them! xoxo

Sephora by OPI Mermaid to Order

2010-08-13T13:31:00.003-04:00

This is one of those posts where I wish I knew how to work my camera better, so that I could get more accurate pics!!

Sephora by OPI Mermaid to Order

This polish really does remind me of a mermaid -- the polish has a slightly frosty finish, and it flashes from teal blue to teal green -- it's absolutely gorgeous! Unfortunately, it only looks one color in my pictures, so you'll have to take my word for it :-) The formula was also really good - only took two coats, and the dry time and wear were both phenomenal. I do love $OPI polishes a lot - I just wish they were cheaper! At $9 a pop, buying a lot of them starts to add up!

Some Photos From Hawaii

2010-08-06T14:43:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone! I thought I'd take a minute to share some of the pics I took from Hawaii while I was there. It was a wonderful trip, and truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to in my life. I hope one day I'm able to go back and check out some more islands!

A view of Waikiki/Honolulu from the condo where we were staying.

Lots and lots of pineapples @ the Dole Plantation

Pineapple FAQ!

Manoa Falls

Check out all the people hiking up Diamondhead Crater!

Beautiful view of Waikiki from the top of Diamondhead Crater.

Gorgeous Waimea Beach and some brave cliff jumpers.

Now I know why so many people vacation and honeymoon there! The trip was a bit of a pain, coming from the East Coast and all, but the perfect weather, super-nice locals, and the gorgeous beaches more than made up for it!

Aloha, Hawaii! Until next time :-)

Essie Rock Star Skinny

2010-08-03T10:16:00.002-04:00

I'm back!!! Sorry for the long delay between posts -- I actually got back last week, but have been using the extra time to catch up on everything and adjust back to East Coast time :-)

Essie Rock Star Skinny

(outdoors)

I absolutely love this polish! I think it's awesome! After I put it on, I realized that it would have matched my bridesmaid dress really well -- it was a dark wine/burgundy color, and I like the hint of shimmer as well. The formula was consistent with most Essies -- very good, and applied evenly in 2-3 coats. I feel like I have a million other polishes that could very well be dupes for this shade, but for some reason, I still really like this one -- I think it stands out from other similar shades.

Orly Cherry Bomb

2010-07-25T12:00:00.000-04:00

I decided to give Orly another try, even though they haven't thoroughly impressed me as of late...

Orly Cherry Bomb

While I can't say that they've thoroughly redeemed themselves, this is a step in the right direction. Cherry Bomb is a *bright* red with a slightly frost/metallic finish that glimmers silver. The formula on this one was actually very good and only required two coats. Wear was very good -- I wore it four full days before I saw any kind of tip wear. The pics above are just before I was about to remove the polish, so you can see how well it held up!

China Glaze Flyin' High

2010-07-23T12:00:00.001-04:00

Here's another polish from the Up and Away Collection -- and a polish that ended up being one of my favorite blues ever!

China Glaze Flyin' High

Based on the formula issues I had with the two pinks I tried from Up and Away, I was a little hesitant to try this one, but I'm glad I did! It applied perfectly and was smooth during application (unlike its two pink siblings). I am wearing three coats here, and this blue is definitely gorgeous. It is darker than a Tiffany Blue, but still reminds me a little of it. I probably should have gone the extra mile and done a white Konad design on top of it, but I was a little pressed for time, so I didn't have the chance to. I know Up & Away can be hit-or-miss, but this one is definitely a HIT!

Orly Glam

2010-07-21T12:00:00.000-04:00

This is what I wore as my Fourth of July mani. I know I'm a little late to post, but I wanted something that was a deep red, and I wanted some sparkle, so this seemed to fit the bill perfectly!

Orly Glam

(outdoors, direct sunlight)

Sadly, I didn't love this polish. I can't really put my finger on it -- maybe it was the formula. It wasn't quite jellyish, but it definitely wasn't opaque in less than three coats either. I just feel like the red shimmer/glitter polishes have been done to death, and nothing really stands out about this out. I probably should have just stuck to China Glaze's Ruby Pumps or something.... This looked a lot prettier in the bottle than it ended up looking on my nails :-(

China Glaze Strawberry Fields

2010-07-19T12:00:00.000-04:00

Here's another beauty that's been sitting in my pile of "untrieds" for a while now. I figure the recent heat wave would be perfect to try it out!

China Glaze Strawberry Fields

(outdoors, direct sunlight)

I don't know if it's possible to fall in love with a polish and want to marry it, but if it were, this would be my mate of choice. It just screams "GORGEOUS!" in every possible way. The formula was great, and the color -- OMG the color! It is a medium-colored pink absolutely loaded with gold shimmer. It is a lot more visible outdoors than in, though the flash on my camera did manage to pick up the majority of it. This polish is from last year's Summer Days collection, and it is a must-have IMO.

I will be MIA for the next week and a half. However, in my absence, I've scheduled some posts to go up, so you won't be without me for that long :-) My family is going to Hawaii to watch my little brother get married. His lovely bride is from the Aloha state and that's where they are having their "official" wedding. We will have another little banquet/celebration for them here in a few weeks also. I am SO looking forward to this vacation. My family will probably drive me crazy (as is always the case when we are stuck traveling and living together), but I am so happy for and proud of my brother. He deserves all the happiness in the world, and I'm glad we're all going to be able to be there to witness this blessed event. Not only that, but I've never been to Hawaii before and I am STOKED! We will be in Honolulu, so if anyone has been before and has any ideas/tips of what things are a must-see, please let me know.

P.S. I can't swim, so I can't do any sort of under water activities :-( Also, I am under some physical restrictions, so nothing crazy like cliff diving, skydiving, strenuous hiking, or volcano jumping :-)

OPI Crepes Suzi-ette

2010-07-16T15:32:00.002-04:00

Happy Friday!!! I hope everyone has a great weekend! :-) There's another heat wave expected here in the Northeast, so it's gonna be a HOT one out there!

OPI Crepes Suzi-ette

(outdoors, direct sunlight)

I don't know what took me so long to try this polish -- I've loved the majority of OPI's France Collection, and this one is no exception. The formula was excellent on this polish -- I am wearing three coats here, but the third was mainly just to even out the color. This polish makes me think "burnt sienna" when I look at it -- it is the perfect mix of orange and brown. I love it! I think this polish would be perfect for fall -- it reminds me a lot of the foliage here in New England :-)

China Glaze The Ten Man

2010-07-15T14:08:00.003-04:00

This polish is from China Glaze's re-launched Wizard of Ooh Ahz Returns Collection. I apologize for the huge chip on my ring finger -- I took these pics wicked late. Oops!

China Glaze The Ten Man

I am wearing three coats here. The polish was a little sheer, so it took a little bit to build up. I really like the color because it is subtle, but packs a lot of glitter without being overbearing. I think this color would be perfect for a night out on the town, or maybe a special occasion, like wedding or prom :-) It's pretty, but not gaudy. WIN!

China Glaze Vampy

2010-07-13T12:00:00.000-04:00

This polish is *old.* I'm not exactly sure how old, but you can tell by the label on the front that it is from at least a few years back! Maybe that explains the formula issues I had...

China Glaze Vampy

The color can probably best be described as a wine-colored burgundy shimmer. You'll have to excuse the flaw on my index finger -- I was in the middle of moving/packing stuff, and something scratched across my nail :-( As I mentioned above, I had some issues with the formula. I think this polish is supposed to be jelly-like in consistency, but due to the bottle's age (or maybe it really is the formula), it was incredibly thick and difficult to work with. When I first took the wand out of the bottle and saw that the polish didn't drip off, I knew it was thick, so I added some polish thinner, hoping it would help. It did help a little, but the formula was still a tad on the thick side. I think I'm only wearing two coats here, which isn't too bad, but goopy formula is never fun to work with :-( Maybe I should just stick with newer collections from now on. Le sigh.

MAC Seriously Hip

2010-07-12T21:35:00.004-04:00

I have no idea why I waited so long to try this polish -- I absolutely love it!!!

MAC Seriously Hip

(outdoors, direct sunlight)

I don't think I can find the perfect words to describe this polish -- the base is a dark, mossy green that borders on almost-black. What makes this polish really pop is the remarkable gold shimmer. You can see microshimmer as well as flakey shimmer as well. Outdoors, it really stands out a lot more. The formula was also amazing -- perfect in two coats, excellent wear (pics were taken after two days of wear), and good dry time. Score another one for MAC!

My Favorite Things: GLEE

2010-07-09T12:00:00.001-04:00

Any other Gleeks out there?? I have to admit that I caught onto this show late -- I didn't watch from the very beginning, though now I am hoping to be able to catch up before the new season starts. I probably started watching about halfway through the most recent season.

Glee is a show about a midwestern school's band of misfits who all sing in their high school's glee club. The club itself is comprised of a cross-section of all walks of high school life -- you have your super-popular cheerleaders, your jock, the wheelchair-bound nerd, the goth girl, the annoying-yet-talented girl, etc. The one thing that brings them all together is their love of glee club and their AMAZING talent.

I must say that the musical numbers are what really won me over. Finding actors/actresses who can both act and sing is rare, and Glee has managed to do that. I am completely riveted by all the performances! I am hoping to get a DVD of the first season soon so that I can catch up on all the episodes I've missed. I must say, when I was in high school (granted, it was half a lifetime ago, but whatever), I don't remember going through half the things that any of these kids went through, but this is a TV show and not reality, so that's OK ;-)

The reason I thought about this is because the nominations for the Primetime Emmys came out the other day, and Glee garnered 19 nominations! All of them are well-deserved, also! Another new show that I really enjoy that also got a lot of nods is Modern Family. Both are great shows, and if you haven't seen either, check your local listings for when they're on and catch an episode or two :-)

OPI Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ

2010-07-08T12:00:00.000-04:00

I've been lusting after this polish for a while, so I'm glad I was able finally to wear it!

OPI Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ

(outdoors, direct sunlight)

I apologize for the poor condition of my cuticles. For some reason, my index and middle fingers are ALWAYS ragged, no matter how much conditioning or treatments I do. It's the darnedest thing....

I really like this polish, though it doesn't quite remind me of BBQ. It is a deep dark red/purple/brown creme. The formula was great... only required 2-3 coats for opacity. As you can see, this looks much darker indoors than it does outdoors. I'm a little out of season here, because this is definitely a much better option for fall and winter than it is for summer. But, that just means I have another excuse to break it out again in a few months!

Essie Angora Cardi

2010-07-07T23:26:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone! I apologize for the lack of posts (again...), but I am in the middle of selling my place and moving, so I haven't had too much time for anything else. That and I've packed away 80% of my polishes, so I don't have many left to try out and swatch :-( I normally wear a polish 1-2 days before switching it, but recently, I've been going 4-5 days because I simply haven't had the time to change it. Le sigh :-( But, I do have a backlog of pics to post, so here we go!

Essie Angora Cardi

(outdoors, natural light)

I have to say that I absolutely LOVE this polish! A good mauve is card to come by, and this one is absolutely perfect. It was opaque in two coats (but I'm wearing three here), and is a perfect pink/purple mauve creme. I absolutely love it!! The wear was also really good -- these pics were taken after two days of wear.

OPI Bling Dynasty

2010-06-29T12:00:00.000-04:00

My first polish from OPI's Hong Kong Collection! Ooh, how exciting! :-)

OPI Bling Dynasty

I really liked this one! The formula was great, and the color is just outstanding. It's gold, but not a bling-y (despite its name), bright, annoying gold. It reminds me more of a mustard color, but with a kick of tiny multi-colored shimmer to it. It's gorgeous! My application wasn't wonderful, so please ignore the bald spot on my index finger. I was in a rush and really should have slapped another coat on that finger before I took the pics, but I ended up doing it AFTER I took the pics (of course, right??).

Milani 3D Digital

2010-06-28T13:41:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone! I apologize for not having blogged for so long, but I desperately needed the short break :-) Now, it's back to business as usual!

Milani 3D Digital

Milani came out with a line of six holographic polishes a few months ago. I spotted them in my CVS and ended up picking up three of them. They remind me a lot of China Glaze's Kaleidescope Collection. The formula on this one was OK, and required three coats. It has lots of holo shimmer to it, and the wear was pretty decent as well. It is most definitely pink, but sometimes when I look at it, I feel like it leans a little toward light purple as well. Either way, super fabulous color!

China Glaze IDK

2010-06-21T12:00:00.000-04:00

I loooove holographic polishes. They are simply amazing! Such as this beauty here...

China Glaze IDK

This polish is a part of the OMG Collection, from which I've mostly used just the blues and pinks. This color is a pretty light purple with a pink/blue holo effect. The formula was a little sheer, which I have found in other polishes from the same collection, so I'm wearing three coats. It also dries to a semi-matte finish for some reason, so you'll want to use a good top coat to get that "wet" look. Other than that, this is a great color and a wonderful collection!

Zoya Tori

2010-06-19T12:00:00.000-04:00

Hmm... I don't think I've swatched a Zoya in a while, and since I have so many more now because of the polish exchange, I figured it'd be the perfect opportunity to try out a new one!

Zoya Tori

Tori is a wonderfully opaque jelly-red glitter polish. The glitter is not grainy, so the polish isn't a pain to remove. The formula was excellent -- it gave great coverage in just one coat, but I am wearing two here. I love the color as well -- it really POPS and has a hint of silver to it. Well done, Zoya!

China Glaze X

2010-06-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

This polish was released as part of China Glaze's Anniversary Collection. It was a series of 10 polishes, all named a roman numeral from I to X. After looking through the pics of all the colors, this one is the only one that stuck out to me.

China Glaze X

Formula and application were good. I believe I'm wearing two coats here. X is a dark burgundy/brown with multi-color shimmer. The color isn't terribly unique, but it's nice, dark and vampy, which is nice. Another winner for China Glaze!

Flowers to brighten up my day :-)

2010-06-16T11:36:00.001-04:00

Just wanted to share a picture of the flowers that my boyfriend had sent to my office yesterday. Aren't they beautiful? I love the variety and mix of flowers, and the smell is just incredible! He is such a sweetheart. What a lucky girl I am! :-) No special occasion... he did it just because. I think that's what makes it even more special! :-D He's definitely a keeper!

Sparitual Hope Springs Eternal

2010-06-15T12:00:00.001-04:00

This is my first venture into the world of Sparitual polishes. Check it out!

Sparitual Hope Springs Eternal

I absolutely adore this color. I think it's gorgeous. It is a rose-colored polish with a silver sheen to it. The formula was on the thick side, which made application incredibly difficult. I am wearing two coats here, and I had to be careful with the brushstrokes, because as you can see, they are quite visible on the nail. I love the little hint of shimmer in the polish! It's perfect for spring and summer. Wear was also very good with this. I think I wore it for over four days, and there was no chipping, and minimal tipwear.

I got my Sparitual polishes from www.skinstore.com. They had a Mother's Day sale which was 20% off your whole purchase, and they ship free when your order is over $49, so I bought several polishes since it seemed like a good deal :-) I have a few more to try out, including Fall in Love, which looks GORGEOUS in the bottle, so stay tuned :-D

China Glaze Dusk + Konad m54

2010-06-14T12:00:00.000-04:00

I decided to pretty up my last manicure by adding a Konad pattern to it. Using China Glaze Magical (from the Romantique Collection), I stamped a floral pattern from plate m54. Voila!

China Glaze Dusk + Konad m54 using China Glaze Magical

China Glaze Dusk

2010-06-12T12:00:00.000-04:00

Here's an older China Glaze for y'all... I know the older ones aren't B3F, but I love them anyway! They're so easy to apply and the colors are always gorgeous!

China Glaze Dusk

I looove the color of this one -- it is like a dark, murky eggplant color, and I swear that if I move my hands, I see a pink/light purple sheen. The brush was very thin, so application wasn't easy, but the formula was good, so it only required two coats (though I think I might be wearing three). Why can't China Glaze make more colors like this one?? :-)

China Glaze Moulin Rouge

2010-06-11T14:20:00.003-04:00

I just changed the look of my blog using one of Blogger's new templates. I hope you like it! :-) I kept the pink because I like it, but snazzed it up a little :-)

China Glaze Moulin Rouge

outdoors, direct sunlight:

You'll have to be patient with me as I slowly make my way through China Glaze's Specialty Collection. Today's polish is another glitter from that line. It's called Moulin Rouge and it's a bright red polish with densely-packed microglitter in there. I had a difficult time taking pictures, because my nails look incredibly grainy in all the pics, but I promise the polish is a lot nicer than what my pictures reflect. The application was pretty good though it didn't "wow" me. It was a tad grainy and took a healthy slathering of top coat to even it out. This one wasn't too bad to remove, but it wasn't exactly easy.

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Yay for Fridays!!!

Color Club Rubies & Pearls

2010-06-09T12:00:00.000-04:00

I honestly can't remember why I bought this polish. I feel like I already have 50 that look exactly like it!

Color Club Rubies & Pearls

It's red. What else more can I say? Formula was OK -- I am wearing two coats, but I think if I had slapped another one on there, it would have darkened the red a little bit more. It still looks a little sheer and jelly-ish on my nails, but that's OK -- I don't quite mind it. I'm sure there are lots of more interesting Color Club colors out there, but this one was just "meh" for me. It reminds me a lot of China Glaze's Sunrise, which I actually like a little bit more.

OPI What's With the Cattitude + Bundle Monster BM20

2010-06-08T12:00:00.003-04:00

Sooo... I couldn't wear yesterday's mani by itself because there was too much balding on my nails for my own liking, and I thought the blue stood out a little too much all by itself. So, I decided to break out one of my new Bundle Monster plates that I got in the mail! I used China Glaze's Joy as the stamping polish and the vine-looking pattern from plate BM20

OPI What's With the Cattitude + Bundle Monster BM20 using China Glaze Joy

I also have a special guest appearance by my left hand, since the pattern looked better on my left than right hand :-) While I'm not crazy about ALL of the Bundle Monster plates (I think there were 21 in total), I do like the allover nail patterns that they had. I did notice that the patterns on these plates were more narrow and shorter than those on Konad plates, so I specifically used them while my nails were on the shorter side. I'm sure I will probably still be able to use them when my nails are longer, but if your nails are REALLY long, you may not like them because you'll have to stamp multiple times to get the pattern to cover your entire nail surface.

I like using polishes form China Glaze's Romantique collection for nail stamping. They're all pretty thick one-coater polishes with just a hint of metallic frost, so they're perfect for stamping! I really think my mani looks much better now :-)

OPI What's With the Cattitude?

2010-06-07T12:00:00.000-04:00

This is the first polish I'm trying out from OPI's recently-released Shrek Collection. Now, I must say that the Shrek franchise is one of all-time favorite movies. I love anything animated, and Shrek just takes the cake. I love it!!

OPI What's With the Cattitude?

I assume this polish is named after Puss in Boots. It is a very pretty light blue (kind of reminds me of a Tiffany box). The formula was incredibly thick and streaky on application. You would think that thick polish would mean opacity, but it doesn't. I'm wearing two coats here, and you can see that I have some balding on a few of my fingers. A coat of Seche Vite helped smooth out the streakiness a little, but it didn't make a huge improvement. I think this polish would be great for layering or Konading (which is what I eventually did with it), but by itself, I'm not all too thrilled. I'm hoping the rest of the collection is better, but from what I've read, it sounds like the formula is thick for this entire collection. Oh, boo :-(

Savina Black Pearl

2010-06-05T12:00:00.000-04:00

Savina is a brand that I don't feature much because honestly, I only own two polishes from them. The only place I've ever seen them be sold is at Nordstrom Rack. Even though I only have two, they are two KICKASS polishes. This one here has got to be one of my favorites of all time!

Savina Black Pearl

I am really upset that my camera didn't take good photos of this polish :-( This is a GORGEOUS teal/blue/purple *duochrome* polish! Of course, in these pics, you see mainly teal, but depending on the lighting, it is also purple and blue. You can see it a little in the bottle, but it is much more obvious and apparent in person. The formula was also surprisingly wonderful. It's thick, but not too thick, applied very well, and only needed two coats. And, Savina only costs $4 at my Nordie's Rack :-) Does anyone else own Savina polish? What do you think of it? The only other one I have is Money Tree, which could be a dupe for the incredibly-hard-to-find China Glaze Moonpool.

China Glaze Rapture

2010-06-03T12:00:00.000-04:00

I found this polish and saw that it was red/orange with tons of rainbow microglitter. So of course, I had to try it next!

China Glaze Rapture

(direct sunlight)

The formula on this polish was surprisingly sheer. I thought it would be a little thicker, sort of like the polishes from China Glaze's Specialty Collection. But, alas, three coats later, this is what it looked like. The color leans a tad more toward orange in real life. It looks a little too red in these pictures. Also, unlike some of the glitters in the Specialty collection, this one wasn't a royal pain to remove. I got some compliments from co-workers on this polish, and I think it's different enough from others in my collection that I will hang onto this one for future use :-)

OPI Russian Navy Suede

2010-06-02T12:00:00.000-04:00

I was going through my stash of untried polishes, and noticed an OPI Suede in there! I was surprised because I could have sworn that I've swatched them all, but apparently I was wrong! So, here is the one that I found lingering in my stash...

OPI Russian Navy Suede

(direct sunlight)

I'll keep this short and sweet, since I've already tried the other five OPI Suedes already. This one honestly is not different at all in terms of application or formula. OPI is generally pretty consistent. The color is OK, but it doesn't quite "pop" enough for me. It is kinda plain-jane navy for me. I'm not a navy girl (I like blue though, which is strange), so I think I only wore this for a few hours before I decided I had enough and was done with it.

Speaking of suedes, I do have more coming up. After OPI released their original six suedes, I've noticed other companies and brands doing the same thing. OPI themselves released a new suede -- Here Today, Aragon Tomorrow Suede, which I have and will be trying out soon. Also, I picked up a mini-pack of four suedes from Ulta that I randomly fond hanging out on a shelf. The colors look great, so I'm actually pretty excited to be trying them out :-)

China Glaze Latte

2010-06-01T12:00:00.000-04:00

This is a non-glitter polish from China Glaze's Specialty Collection. I am going to guess that it's a shimmer :-)

China Glaze Latte

This is probably what would be closest to "mannequin hands" for me. However, it's mannequin hands with a kick because of the light shimmer in the polish. The color is nude, and the formula was a little sheer, so I needed multiple coats to get it to look like this. I'm not a big fan of the "mannequin hands" look, so while I like this color, I don't absolutely love it. I think OPI's Barefoot in Barcelona is a better alternative for me than this one.

China Glaze Sugar High

2010-05-30T12:00:00.000-04:00

Sooo... I am continuing my pink trend with this polish from China Glaze's recent Up and Away Collection.

China Glaze Sugar High

I'm not sure how I feel about this one. On the one hand, it's a cute color for Spring, and I can totally see it as a pedicure color for me. On the other hand, the application was a little streaky, took three coats, and I think the color may be a little too pink for my tastes (reminds me of cotton candy and Pepto Bismol). Blah! Hmm... it is a cute color, but on other people. Definitely not on me :-(

I hope everyone is enjoying their Memorial Day weekend! I do believe this is the unofficial kick-off of Summer!! :-) I am spending a lovely weekend away with my boyfriend and cousins. We have lots planned this weekend, and I'm glad I can spend it with my loved ones :-)

China Glaze Tickle My Triangle

2010-05-28T12:00:00.001-04:00

I have a lot of polishes from China Glaze's Kaleidescope Collection. Honestly, I don't know why I haven't tried all of them yet -- they're all deliciously gorgeous! This one is no exception!

China Glaze Tickle My Triangle

How do you say no to pink and holographic and sparklies? I don't think I can!!! This polish has all three, in addition to a great formula that applied very easily and was opaque in just two coats. I seriously love this color!!! Can you guys tell that I've been on a pink kick lately?? I think maybe it's because of the weather and my eagerly anticipating summer!

China Glaze Flirt

2010-05-27T12:00:00.000-04:00

I like the name of this polish-- Flirt!

China Glaze Flirt

The formula on this was kind of sheer, so I am wearing about three coats here. You can also see the visible brush strokes in the polish, so make sure you aren't too sloppy during application :-) I like the color -- I can see it being good for something like a wedding, or a baby shower -- something light and fun. It's a great, neutral seashell/rose-pink with a hint of shimmer. If you look closely enough, you can also see a lavender and silver sheen to it. Love it!

Coach Rose Sandal

2010-05-26T12:00:00.002-04:00

When gladiator-style sandals first came out a few years ago, I hated them. Hated, hated, hated! Like, with a deep-seeded passion. However, since then, I've come around since then and have found a few pairs that I like. Granted, these aren't "true" gladiator-style sandals, but in the summer time, I wear mostly flip flops and open-toed wedges and heels, so to me, these are really outside my comfort zone.

These are the Rose sandal from Coach. I think what ultimately won me over was... well, the roses. The sandal has black roses and silver metallic leather straps. They are pretty low to the ground, and do not have a platform or a lot of padding on the inside, so that took a little getting used to. Every time I walked, I felt like I was barefoot! But, walking aside, these sandals are great!! The bottoms are rubber (unlike the other two pairs of gladiators I have, which have smooth bottoms), so they grip well to the sidewalk. The roses also have little studs in them, which help jazz them up. I also like that they are black AND silver, so I can wear them with either color outfit!

These also come in an all-silver version as well (not a dark silver like this, but a white silver color). I got these because I don't trust myself with light-colored shoes -- they always end up getting incredibly dirty! These sandals originally retailed for $158, but have since been marked down and are now available for only $79!!! They are available to order in both colors and a variety of colors on the Coach website. They run a little big, so you can probably size down by a half-size.

Aaaaaaand the WINNER is......

2010-05-26T09:05:00.002-04:00

SARAH!!!

Congratulations Sarah!! I just sent you an email to request your polish selection and address. Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway. I promise to have more giveaways coming up soon!

China Glaze Ginger

2010-05-25T12:00:00.001-04:00

Here's another sparkler from China Glaze's Specialty Collection. I love this one <3

China Glaze Ginger

The formula on this one was surprisingly good. So far with most of the glitters I've seen, the formula was sheer but thick and goopy. This one was easy to work with and only required two coats. I think "Ginger" is the perfect name for this one! It is a hodge podge of colors -- orange, gold, and brown. There's also multi-colored microglitter and large hexagonal glitter in there. This baby's got it all!!

Also, just a quick reminder that today is the LAST day to enter my giveaway! I'll be picking a winner in exactly TWELVE hours so what are you waiting for?? :-)

Zoya Persiphony

2010-05-23T12:00:00.000-04:00

I like the name of this polish -- I am assuming they somewhat-named it after Persiphone, the character from Greek mythology. Her story is one of my favorites. If you've never read it, you should (it's the story about how her kidnapping led to the changing of the seasons).

Zoya Persiphony

This one was a two-coater for me -- great formula, nice and even. It is a shimmery medium rose color with a hint of silver sheen to it. Though it's not incredibly original, I do like it and the fact that it didn't require a million coats makes this one a winner for me. After I wore it, I put it in my "keep for future use" pile.

There's only a few more days left to enter my giveaway, guys!!! Have you already entered? If not, click here to read instructions on how to enter! I am so pleased and happy with all the "new" followers, as well as the numbers of entries I've already received. You guys are awesome!! I am thinking of doing giveaways every time I hit a "milestone" of followers, so keep on following and I promise to have more goodies to give away in the near future! :-)

China Glaze QT

2010-05-21T12:00:00.000-04:00

I am hardcore in love with China Glaze's OMG! Collection. It's a collection of twelve holographic polishes that pretty much blows any other polish out of the water. They're all insanely gorgeous, and this one has got to be one of my favorites that I've tried so far!

China Glaze QT

Even though there are three pinks in the collection, I think I can say with confidence that this one is my favorite. It's a gorgeous medium-to-dark pink that has a blue/green/purple holo effect. I love it!! The application was also great, and it only took two coats to reach opacity. My one gripe is that all of these dry somewhat matte -- however, a coat of Seche Vite helped solve that issue and make them all look incredibly shiny. I wore this as both a mani and pedi and it's so cool that even my manly-man boyfriend made a comment about how much he liked the color :-) Granted, the reason he liked it had more to do with cars (there's a word along the same lines of "holographic" in the car world that they use to describe a paint color that looks different shades depending on lighting). Kinda corny yes, but I'll take it!!

Oh, and also a quick plug and reminder for my giveaway! Please enter!! Only a few days left before a lucky winner is chosen :-D

China Glaze Carnival Lights

2010-05-19T12:00:00.001-04:00

I got the majority of China Glaze's Glitters, Shimmers, and Cremes collection MONTHS ago when it first came out. So... why am I so slow with posting them? Well, pretty much pure laziness!! lol

China Glaze Carnival Lights

(outdoors, direct sunlight)

This polish was a little too sheer and goopy for my liking. It's a cotton-candy light pink with rainbow-colored microglitter as well as larger pieces of hexagonal glitter. I am wearing three coats here, and as you can see, it is still not completely opaque. I definitely think the color and glitter are super pretty, but the effort expended wasn't completely worth it. As I mentioned, the formula is think and incredibly hard to work with. As I was eyeing the rest of the glitters in this collection, I noticed that the majority of them are thick and goopy. That may be another factor deterring me from trying them all out right away. Oh, boo :-(

But, onto more positive things -- have y'all noticed my post from last night about my first giveaway?? I am now officially accepting entries, and you only have SIX more days to enter!! Please see my previous post for directions as well as pictures of the prizes :-) I didn't mention this yesterday, but obviously, the winner would get their choice of five polishes from the selection posted. I'm really excited and I can't wait to select a winner and ship out the gifts! I have a BE Foiled Eye kit of my own, and I'm wearing it today, and I must say, I love it! :-D

It's Here!!! My First Giveaway/Contest! ENTER HERE!!

2010-05-18T21:40:00.006-04:00

Okay, enough procrastinating!!! I'm *finally* ready to do my first giveaway. Woo hoo! First, here's the booty :-)

(l-r): CVS Salon Rounds, Bare Escentuals Foiled Eye Tutorial Kit, Lush Lemony Flutter, Coach Heritage Stripe large coin purse, Flirt nail stickers, Fing'rs Edge pink/black argyle acrylic nails

The winner also gets to select FIVE polishes from the following:

(l-r): China Glazes -- Preppy Pink, Sugar High, Flirt, Eyes Like Sapphires, Sunrise, Indian Ocean

(l-r): OPI Designer Series -- Dazzle, Glamour, Perfection, Shimmer, Jewel, Sensation, Treasure

(l-r): OPI Here Today... Aragon Tomorrow, OPI Over the Taupe, OPI Sea? I Told You!, NYX burgundy color (don't know the name), Del Sol Heartbreaker, Essie Bordeaux, and LA Flare polishes in red/silver glitter and silver glitter

Okay, here is how to enter:

1) Leave a COMMENT on this post with your EMAIL address. I need your email in order to contact you and let you know that you won :-)

2) Only *one* comment per entry, and you MUST be a follower of my blog in order to enter

3) Contest is open for ONE WEEK. I will stop taking entries next TUESDAY at midnight EST. After that time, I will use a random number generator to select a winner and will contact that person ASAP

Good luck to everyone! :-)

ETA -- Sorry, just wanted to add that this contest is open to followers worldwide. I will ship to any country via USPS Priority International Mail or USPS Priority Mail within the U.S. :-)

Orly Rage

2010-05-17T16:29:00.005-04:00

Hmm... Orly is not a brand that I've posted regularly about, but I actually do like it, so I'm surprised I don't wear it that often! I particularly like this polish :-)

Orly Rage

This polish is part of their Foil FX collection, which consists of three polishes - a gold, a silver, and this stunning rosegold. The color is a little hard to describe, but it's a neutral, metallic (but with a flat/satin finish) light nude rose. Whew, that was a mouthful! Here are some pics of it under direct sunlight (ignore my beaten-up cuticles -- they have been incredibly rough-looking lately).

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The formula on this was thick and quite fast-drying. I didn't use a top coat, since I wanted to keep the flat finish of the polish.

China Glaze Heli-Yum + Konad m35

2010-05-14T11:15:00.003-04:00

This is the first polish I'm trying out from China Glaze's spring Up and Away collection!

China Glaze Heli-Yum

The best way I can describe this is a dark, light pink. I know I just contradicted myself, but that's all I could come up with. The pink is dark, but it's not bright, like a fuchsia. It's light enough to make it work-appropriate and not blindingly annoying. I like it. A good way to spice it up is by Konad-ing over it! Here it is with another floral pattern from Konad plate m35 using Konad special stamping polish:

I like this pattern -- but then again, I'm a sucker for florals. I buy all my Konad plates based on whether or not there are any floral patterns and whether or not I like them. I'm not usually super-girly, but I am when it comes to flowers :-)

Again, I apologize for the delay in getting contest details up, but I finally have all my giveaway items together. I'm not collecting entries yet, because I want to get pics of the prize up on my 'blog, but the winner will receive the following:

Their choice from a selection of polishes
Bare Escentuals Foiled Eye Tutorial Kit
A package of CVS Salon Rounds (see previous post)
Lush Lemony Flutter
Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara in black
A package of Finger's Edge pink/black plaid acrylic nails (like this)

I think I'm missing an item or two, but I'll check over the weekend and try to get pics up :-) I hope everyone has a great weekend!! <3

My Favorite Things: CVS Salon Rounds

2010-05-10T12:17:00.003-04:00

Have you ever wanted to change the polish color of your pedicure, but you knew that in the process of removing your pedicure polish, you'd end up ruining your manicure?? I can't tell you how many times that's happened to me, and luckily, CVS has a nifty little product that eliminates that predicament! They're called Salon Rounds:

At first glance, they look like regular cotton rounds:

However, turn them over, and you'll see that the other side has a cool grip handle and is paper, so the polish remover doesn't soak through the cotton round, and your manicure is safe!

Isn't that awesome?? Seriously, why hasn't anyone ever thought of this before??

China Glaze Cowardly Lyin'

2010-05-06T23:26:00.004-04:00

I've been itchin' for some glittery polishes lately, and this one fit the bill!

China Glaze Cowardly Lyin'

This beauty is from The Wizard of Ooh Ahz Returns Collection. It is a re-release of the original collection from China Glaze. I already had Emerald Sparkle and Ruby Pumps, so I bought the remaining polishes from the collection so that I would own them all :-) This one applied pretty well -- I'm wearing three coats, and one coat of top coat to smooth it out. The polish is actually smoother than it looks in these pics. The color reminds me of Goldilocks or something -- a nice "blonde" yellow/gold with a hint of rainbow sparkle. Removal was also easier than most glitter polishes. I definitely recommend this polish! :-)

Essie Chocolate Kisses + Konad m35

2010-05-04T14:27:00.004-04:00

G'afternoon everyone :-) I have a Konadicure to show off today! First off, here's the base polish:

Essie Chocolate Kisses

This color applied somewhat sheer, so I am wearing three coats here. It is a deep, warm chocolate brown with a hint of dark red in it. I decided that I wanted to spice it up a little more, so I added some flowers from Konad plate m35 using China Glaze's Robotika polish (I *love* this polish for stamping over dark polishes - it's great!).

So what do you guys think? Do you like it? I like the contrast of the dark polish and the light, shimmery flowers.

OPI Designer Series Royal

2010-05-03T11:03:00.004-04:00

I am closing out my Designer Series posts with a real BANG!

OPI Designer Series Royal

Is this one a beauty or what?? The polish was quite sheer and I am wearing four coats here, plus a top coat, but trust me, it was all worth it. This is an absolutely amazing and gorgeous color! It is a bright purple with a blue and pink holo effect. It's simply stunning! I absolutely LOVE this color! If you can find it anywhere, you need to snatch it up ASAP!

I will resume my non-DS posts tomorrow :-) I've been trying to perfect my Konad skills, so I've got a few of those coming up, as well as some other spring and summer-appropriate shades. Oh, and of course, my giveaway details! I got a Bare Escentuals eye kit yesterday that will be part of the giveaway :-D Deets coming up soon! xoxo

OPI Designer Series Sensation

2010-04-29T15:57:00.003-04:00

Okay, I am almost done with my Designer Series polishes -- I have only a few more to show! Actually, that's not quite the truth. I have more than just a few, but I don't really feel like swatching the remaining 4 or 5 that I have, so those will be mixed in with regular posts in the future :-)

OPI Designer Series Sensation

(outside, direct sun)

I was pleasantly surprised with this polish. In the bottle, it looks like a bright pink with blue/purple holo, and that's exactly what it looked like on the nail. It reminds me a lot of DS Dazzle, but with a blurple instead of silver effect. The application was pretty good - the polish was sheer and jelly-like, but built up well and was even and opaque in three coats. I went outside in the sunlight to try and get some better pics of the holo effect.

I promise that I *do* have contest details coming up soon. I bought some goodies as part of the contest today and I have a few more things to pick up before I start giving out details and accepting entries. Stay tuned!! <3

YAY!!! Mission Accomplished!

2010-04-23T15:03:00.000-04:00

I am at 100 followers!! Thanks y'all :-) So, as promised, I will be having my first giveaway. I have a busy weekend ahead of me, so I will not get around to posting info/prizes/deets until early next week.

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend, and I will be posting giveaway details shortly. In the meantime, feel free to still follow me, because only followers will be eligible to win the giveaway :-) THANKS AGAIN!! xoxo

Happy Earth Day! Zoya Nail Polish Exchange 2010!

2010-04-22T13:12:00.002-04:00

In honor of Earth Day, Zoya is kicking off their Nail Polish Exchange program again! Essentially, you can turn in your old, unwanted, non-Zoya polishes and "exchange" them for new Zoya polishes. Each polish will cost you just $3.50, which includes shipping and is half-off their normal MSRP of $7/each. I just picked my colors and I ended up getting 15. Oopsie! However, I don't think I'll have a problem finding 15 polishes in my stash to exchange for them :-) Happy Shopping!!

For more info, click on the image below to be taken to Zoya's page!

OPI Designer Series Treasure

2010-04-22T12:00:00.001-04:00

Two more followers!! C'mon guys -- I'm at 98! I need *TWO* more to reach 100 :-D Please help me out. Thank you!!

OPI Designer Series Treasure

(outdoors, sunlight)

As I start to wind down the Designer Series posts, you'll start to see the ones I saved for last -- and it's not because I like them best... haha. It's most likely because I didn't think I would like them, so I avoiding using them. And, that's the case with this polish :-(

When I first got it, I thought I would like it, since orange is a cute color sometimes, but when I opened the bottle to check it out, I noticed the watery, sheer consistency and it turned me off immediately. So, of course I procrastinated when it came to putting it on. I finally got around to it last weekend and as expected, I was disappointed. First of all, I am wearing FIVE coats, and it is still not as opaque as I would like (as you can see in the outdoor pics), and it is also not really a holographic polish, so I have no clue why it is in the DS line. The color is a nice, bright, pumpkin orange, and I like the shiny wet look, but it was such a pain to apply and it took forever to dry (no doubt due to the massive number of coats). I don't think I'll be wearing this one again. Definitely not a fan!

OPI Designer Series Original

2010-04-20T15:09:00.003-04:00

WOO HOO! Almost to 100 followers!! You guys are awesome! I smell an awesome giveaway coming up shortly! Only a few more followers to go! I am getting everything together right now and will have giveaway details posted shortly :-) In celebration of almost hitting 100, here's a gorgeous polish for y'all:

OPI Designer Series Original

This polish was perfect in just about every aspect -- the formula was thick but easy to apply. It only took two coats to be fully opaque. The color is just GORGEOUS. It's a shimmery plum color with a pink/blue holo effect. I kept on holding my hands up in the sunlight and moving it around so that I could admire the effect. It's just plain WOW. I love this polish! If you don't already have it, you must get it! :-)

I am down to my last few Designer Series polishes. I think I have about 7 or 8 left to post. I have to admit that I am finally starting to suffer from DS overload, so you may see me throw in a non-DS post here and there :-)

OPI Here Today Aragon Tomorrow + Konad m36

2010-04-19T15:12:00.003-04:00

Almost there!!! I'm at 90 followers -- only 10 more before my first giveaway! Woo hoo!!

I am going to cheat on my Designer Series posts today to show you a recent Konadicure.

OPI Here Today Aragon Tomorrow

This polish is from OPI's recent Spain Collection. It is a dark green/almost black color. It was surprisingly sheer for a dark color. I am wearing three coats here, and my top coat caused a little bit of pulling on the tips unfortunately. I wasn't completely wowed by this color, so rather than remove it, I decided to jazz it up a bit by adding some Konad and voila!

I stamped with Konad plate m36 using China Glaze's Robotika (from the Khrome collection and already featured as a NOTD). I love how Robotika looks when used as a stamping polish. It's gorgeous! I have been getting into Konad more and more lately. My stamping SUCKED at first, but I've since gotten a lot better and have been experimenting with different plates and polish colors. I order all my Konad supplies from either eBay or OC Nail Art. Kathleen from OC Nail Art is wonderful! I love her! If you use the discount code "scrangie" you get 30% off your order of $20+. Also, she offers free shipping on those orders, so you really save $$$!

OPI Designer Series Coronation

2010-04-15T12:00:00.001-04:00

I like this one a lot better than both Diamond and Shimmer. I think I've found my go-to silver holo polish!

OPI Designer Series Coronation

I think I am wearing three coats here, so the polish is thin, but not as thin as Shimmer was. As you can see, I got great opacity in three coats, which is great for a light-colored polish. This one is very close to a pure silver color. I see a hint of light blue in there, but for the most part, it's a beautiful shimmery silver color. It reminds me of diamonds on my fingernails, and y'know what they say about diamonds being a girl's best friend :-D

Also, I'd like to give a big THANK YOU and WELCOME to all my new followers! I can't believe how the number exploded overnight!!! I am 75% of the way to my goal -- so if you haven't followed me yet, please do so! For my giveaway, I will have not one, but TWO winners! I'll have a whole stash of polishes that the winners can pick their favorites from (first place gets to pick first), and the first place winner will also get some other goodies such as nail stickers, a buffer, some *Lush Lemony Flutter* (I love this stuff), chocolate yummies, and anything else I can think of! Pics and instructions will be posted after I hit 100 :-D

Help me hit 100 followers so that I can do my first giveaway!!

2010-04-14T16:44:00.004-04:00

Yep, you read that right! I am almost halfway to 100 followers, and to help expedite the process just a little bit, I will be doing a contest/giveaway when I hit 100 (partly to celebrate 100 followers -- partly to get rid of some of the insane amount of polishes I have). I promise the giveaway will include lots of great polishes (and definitely several Designer Series goodies!!) and other goodies as well :-)

After I hit 100, I'll post giveaway details as well as what the winner(s) will receive!

So, get to it and follow me :-D

OPI Designer Series Exclusive

2010-04-13T23:35:00.003-04:00

I've worn this once before, and I swear, every time I wear it, it just gets more and more gorgeous!

OPI Designer Series Exclusive

And here are some outdoor pics, since Spring is finally arriving here!

This polish is the perfect purple/pink holographic hybrid. It's just gorgeous! In the bottle, I thought it looked really purple. Then, as I wore it, I began to notice the pink a lot more. In the indoor pics, you can really see the sparkle in it. The application is one of the best I've seen for DS -- it was smooth and perfectly opaque in just two coats. Sooooo gorgeous!

I've really been into Konad lately. I recently picked up a bunch of new plates and went through my polish stash to find good Konad polish candidates. My last few manicures have been strictly Konadicures, and I've gotten so many compliments! Those pics will be coming up after all the DS polishes are done :-)

OPI Designer Series Dazzle

2010-04-09T12:00:00.001-04:00

I was surprised that this one was included in the Designer Series line -- it's not a holographic at all!

OPI Designer Series Dazzle

Okay, so I won't deny that it's pretty and sparkly, but where is the holo effect? I don't see it at all. This applied like, and looks like, a glass-fleck polish. Each coat was jelly-like and semi-sheer. I have three coats on here. By the third coat, opacity was decent. I love the "wet" look on my nails, and my fingers sparkled in the sunlight, but there is no holo at all. Sorry to disappoint y'all :-( But, I can definitely see myself wearing this color again in the summer -- this pink shade is perfect for summer days. It reminds me of strawberries and watermelons and... yum!

OPI Designer Series Desire

2010-04-07T12:00:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that I'm a sucker for neutral and brown polishes. Add that to my love of Designer Series, and you get this perfect polish here!

OPI Designer Series Desire

Actually, I am calling this brown, but as you can see in the pics, it is an amalgamation of all different colors! I see mostly brown, but I also see some gold, maybe some peach, and a little bit of pink also. And of course, the holo on this is quite noticeable, so that just makes it all that much prettier! The application was great as well -- I got good coverage with just two coats, but I wanted it to be a tad darker, so I am wearing three coats in these pictures.

I have almost made it through all my Designer Series polishes. I honestly don't have that many left, which is great (it means I can go back to posting other brands and polishes), but it also makes me kind of sad (for obvious reasons...) :-(

Urban Decay Friends & Family - 30% off!

2010-04-06T16:58:00.003-04:00

I love Urban Decay -- they are one of my favorite makeup brands. They are my go-to brand for eye makeup, and their eyeshadow primer is a must-have for any gal. For the polish-holics out there, they have a new set of mini-polishes out right now! The sale starts TODAY and goes until April 19th! Order from their website at www.urbandecay.com and receive 30% off your order with the coupon code below. HAPPY SHOPPING!!!!

OPI Designer Series Limited

2010-04-05T12:00:00.000-04:00

I sometimes think that OPI likes to mess with my head. What color is this? Orange? Peach? Pink? Brown? Who knows! But, whatever it is, I like it!

OPI Designer Series Limited

As I said in the opening paragraph, I have a hard time describing this color. When it was in the bottle, I thought it looked peach to me. But, then I put it on and noticed a little bit of brown or maybe pink in there. I honestly have no clue! But, it is a beautiful color and application was great as well. I'm wearing three coats here, but probably could have gotten away with only two.

I really hope OPI releases more Designer Series polishes soon. Honestly, I think I might go a little stir crazy after I've finished posting all the DSes I own. Whatever will I do without more DS polishes in my stash? Oh noes!!!!!

OPI Designer Series Reflection

2010-04-03T12:00:00.001-04:00

Woo hoo -- two of my favorite things in the world - red and a DS polish!

OPI Designer Series Reflection

This one was wonderfully opaque and although I had great coverage in just one coat, I slapped another one on there to smooth it out. I love the shade of red that it is -- a pure red, not one hint of pink or orange. Admittedly, the holo effect on this one isn't as great as others -- this looks more like a shimmer than a holo, but I don't care because it's so PRETTY! :-)

I hope everyone has a great weekend!! It's supposed to be summer weather here today and I cannot be more excited!! Time to take the pooch out to the dog park :-)

OPI Designer Series Mystery

2010-04-01T12:00:00.000-04:00

Mystery is a relatively new color -- it was released along with Glow (featured already in another post) a few months ago.

OPI Designer Series Mystery

I apologize in advance for the crappy pics. This one was IMPOSSIBLE to get good pictures of. The color is actually a VERY dark, almost-black purple with chunks of gold flakey glitter in there. I also did a horrible application job, which didn't help with the pics. I originally had one two coats, but noticed that it wasn't completely opaque on some nails. I was too lazy to slap on another coat, so I went two days with my mani like that. I hadn't taken pics yet, so prior to taking these pics, I slapped on a third coat, and that's why you see some tipwear with a coat of polish over it. Oopsie! But, the color really is super pretty. It definitely looks like a chunky black unless you are in sunlight, or look up close... then you can see the purple and gold flakes.

I've recently re-discovered Konad and am starting to get the hang of it. My application isn't perfect, but it's getting better. Hopefully after I've honed in on my Konad skills, I will post some Konadicures :-)

OPI Designer Series Signature

2010-03-31T12:00:00.000-04:00

Okay, onward with the Designer Series polishes! Fear not, polish lovers, I have a LOT more to show you! :-D

OPI Designer Series Signature

This one was quite the pleasant surprise. When I saw the bottle, I thought it was just another DS pink, but it turned out to be this gorgeous pink/purple mauve color after I put on three coats. The holo effect on this one is quite gorgeous -- it is more purple than Divine, but a lighter color and more pink than Extravagance.

Don't you guys just love this color?? <3

L.A.M.B. Tammy Heels

2010-03-30T16:07:00.002-04:00

I do apologize for the lack of posts - things have been really busy and I've been away from home for a while, so I haven't had a lot of time to swatch, take pics, post, etc. I don't have a Designer Series post today -- hopefully those will resume tomorrow or later on tonight! I will schedule a few posts to go up, so it won't be so long between posts for me!

I recently got these:

They are the Tammy heels from L.A.M.B. (Love, Angel, Music, Baby - it's Gwen Stefani's clothing line). I saw them at Nordstrom Rack a while ago (must be at least 4-5 months) and they had one pair, and it happened to be my size. But, at a price tag of $200, it was a little over my shoe budget (and that $200 was down from the original price of $369). So, you can imagine how giddy I was when I saw them marked down the last time I was there. They were sitting on the clearance shelf with all the other lonely shoes and I ended up paying... drumroll please... $65!!! For a pair of $369 shoes!!

I love anything that is strappy and I love heels, so these are perfect for me! The heel height is almost 5 inches, so it's a little higher than I'm normally used to (I can walk in up to 4 inch heels comfortably), but I am slowly getting used to it by walking around my house in them to break them in. I cannot wait for the weather to get warmer so that I can break these babies out!!! I'm so excited! I guess it goes to show you that patience is a virtue, but it really pays off!!! :-)

OPI Designer Series Illuminate

2010-03-25T14:56:00.000-04:00

So... the problem with posting all these Designer Series polishes is that I am going through my stash so quickly! I usually reserve DS polishes for more "special" occasions, or when I want my nails to feel pretty. But, that rarely happens, so it was bumming me out that I had dozens of them just sitting in my bathroom. So, that's when I decided that I would use only DS polishes until I go through all of them! This is going to last probably until at least the middle of April, since I am a little behind in posting. Here's another beauty for today:

OPI Designer Series Illuminate

I *love* this color! Like, seriously love. This is not a color I would have picked to become a DS polish. It is like a light mud-colored brown with hints of muted orange in it. The holographic effect on it is gorgeous! Forgive the dent on my index finger - I got a little too excited when the polish was drying and I messed up the polish on that finger and was too lazy to fix it. The formula was also perfect -- only required two coats, which is what I'm wearing here. This almost looks jewel-toned to me, and I love that quality. I have yet to rank which DS are my favorite, but this one is going to definitely be in the Top 5. What a beaut! :-)

OPI Designer Series Divine

2010-03-24T13:00:00.002-04:00

Oh yes, divine indeed!

OPI Designer Series Divine

What a gorgeous, bright (but not too bright) pink holographic polish! It shimmers like crazy! Application was very good -- it was opaque in two coats, but I put on three, just to be consistent with the other DS polishes I have posted. I actually think this is my second time wearing this color -- I wore it to my BFF's bridal shower/bachelorette weekend as well. I liked it so much that I decided it needed another go-round on my nails :-)

OPI Designer Series Diamond

2010-03-22T11:49:00.003-04:00

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Happy Monday!

OPI Designer Series Diamond

I honestly wasn't sure what to expect with this polish -- at first, I saw the name "Diamond" and thought it would be a silver holo polish. And, three coats later, I *still* don't know what color it is. It has a hint of silver in it, but I think i also see some light purple/lavender in there. Does anyone else also see it?? This is a very pretty color and work-appropriate also IMO.

I took a look at my DS stash and realized that a lot of my remaining colors are pretty light-hued. I guess I was pretty drawn to the darker colors, because I used them all first! :-)

I'm pretty excited because tonight is the premier of Dancing With the Stars. Call me cheesy, but I loooooove that show! Monday is usually a gym night for me, because one of the classes I really like take place on Monday, but I am actually going to skip class tonight because I want to watch the premiere, and my DVR doesn't work (suck it, Comcast), so I have to be home in order to watch it. Can't wait!!!

OPI Designer Series Extravagance

2010-03-18T11:49:00.003-04:00

OK, sorry about the detour yesterday -- now back to our regularly scheduled Designer Series postings!

OPI Designer Series Extravagance

WOW! I have to say that this is by far one of my most favorite DS polishes ever. Look at that sparkle! Check out that shimmer and holographic awesomeness! I'm floored! Perfect formula on this one - no application issues whatsoever. The color hovers between purple and pink - maybe a tad more toward purple. My pics didn't come out all too clear, but that's probably for the better, because it makes the holo more noticeable. Pretty pretty pretty! :-)

Color Club Object of Envy

2010-03-16T23:22:00.003-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!! OK, I am cheating a little bit on the Designer Series theme, but since it's St. Patrick's Day, I had to share my St. Paddy's manicure with you guys! :-)

Color Club Object of Envy

This mani literally just dried, and I'm already typing away! It dried super fast! Object of Envy is a clear polish packed with green microglitter. Like with the other CC glitters I've tried, the polish is a little thick, but not impossible to work with. The glitter is not quite as dense as it appears in the bottle, so I am wearing three coats here, with a top coat for added shine and to smooth out the grittiness. I probably could have used a fourth or fifth coat if I wanted it to be completely opaque, but I was satisfied enough after three coats.

I love this color and how much it sparkles! I can't wait to show it off tomorrow! Hope everyone is having a safe and happy St. Paddy's Day! I will be returning to my regular Designer Series posting tomorrow :-D

OPI Designer Series Glamour

2010-03-15T23:12:00.003-04:00

Now, this is what I'm talking about -- a Designer Series polish that applies beautifully and looks even more gorgeous on!

OPI Designer Series Glamour

This polish is just about perfect - I could get away with just two coats, and the formula was great. The color is a great deep blue/almost purple -- it is not quite navy. It reminds me a lot of OPI Ink, but a bluer, holographic version. It's like a rainbow on my fingernails. I couldn't stop staring at my nails the whole time I was wearing this. This polish is awesome! Totes loves <3

OPI Designer Series Shimmer

2010-03-12T12:39:00.004-05:00

Today is the kick-off of all-OPI Designer Series polishes! YAY!!!

OPI Designer Series Shimmer

Well, I was hoping to start off the week with an awesome polish, but I am going to kick it off with this disappointment instead, since it happened to be the first one that I picked out of my stash. Looking at the bottle, I wasn't sure what to expect. At the very least, I thought I would have a very pretty light gray/silver holographic polish. The thing that disappointed me the most about this polish was the application. No matter how hard I tried, I could *not* get it to be opaque enough for my liking, and the formula was watery. I am wearing FOUR coats here, and it is still too sheer for me. Blah! I quit after four coats and decided to just leave it as is. I like how you can very clearly see all the different colors in the light, but I don't think I would ever wear this as a standalone polish, but it may work as a topcoat over a dark color to give it a little bit of shimmery goodness.

Oh well -- I have some better ones coming up - I promise! :-)

Essie Bordeaux

2010-03-10T22:50:00.003-05:00

Oops, sorry about the lack of posting :-( I've been bombarded with work and other stuff lately. I've been trying to get back into a gym routine. I seem to either go all the time, or not at all. So, I'm trying to balance it out and go 3-4 times a week so that I can stay healthy and active. Of course, whenever I "return" to the gym, I end up overdoing it and when I get home, all I want to do is collapse and fall asleep :-)

Essie Bordeaux

So, before we move onto Designer Series polishes, I have an Essie here. Normally, I love pinks and reds from Essie, because that seems to be their niche. However, I really didn't take to this polish at all. As you can see, my application was incredibly crappy (and my nails are in horrible shape!). I'm wearing two coats here. I could have used another one to make the polish more opaque, but the formula was a tad watery as well as jelly-like, even though I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be a jelly polish. I was a little disappointed in this one :-( No me gusta.

Coming up next, I will have all Designer Series polishes for a while (at least a week or two). So, if you're a DS lover, you'll be in heaven like me :-D

China Glaze Awakening

2010-03-05T11:11:00.000-05:00

This is an older polish from China Glaze, I believe. I got it online and it was love at first sight! Excuse my crappy pics!

China Glaze Awakening

I am kinda sad that my pictures aren't all that clear, but the blurriness helps you see the golden shimmer more. The polish was a tad sheer, so I am wearing three coats here. It is a lovely medium rose color with tons of golden shimmer. It is "cool" and "warm" at the same time, making it perfect for all seasons! I loooove this polish! Seriously, so pretty!!

I think I am going to have an all-OPI Designer Series string of posts soon. I have a LOT of them, and I know I've already featured a lot, but I think I'm just going to go through the rest of my DS collection and show all my polishes because they're my favorite. Soon! <3

Movie Review: Valentine's Day

2010-03-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

So, to continue the belated Valentine's Day theme from yesterday, I saw the movie Valentine's Day in the theaters this past weekend. When the commercials for this movie first came out, I was super excited. I love ensemble-cast movies. Some of my favorite movies ever are Love Actually and He's Just Not That Into You (both must-sees IMO). So, I figured this would be along the same lines. The movie also features one of my favorite actors - Bradley Cooper! ::swoon::

But, after the reviews came out, all I read were scathing and/or mediocre reviews and I got kinda bummed out. I decided to wait until after my vacation to see it, so that's why I didn't get around to it until this past weekend.

I must say that I really liked the movie. It definitely is not as good as Love Actually or HJNTIY, but it moved at a good pace and reminded me a lot of both movies. I was engaged the whole time -- trying to figure out who was going to have a happy ending, and who was going to have a sad ending. Like with any other movie, it is not all happy and full of heartwarming stories. It tries to be as "realistic" as possible with relationships. You see the couples who stay together through thick and thin and truly love each other. Then, you see those who just can't make it work no matter how hard they try (or don't try), and your heart kind of aches a little. I do have to say that the movie is highly predictable. There are several "twists," but I managed to figure out every one of them. The cast is amazing, but the one who really stood out to me and stole the show was Anne Hathaway. She plays a temporary secretary/struggling actress who moonlights as an "adult phone entertainer." She is absolutely HILARIOUS and I always looked forward to when she came on the screen.

One other thing I noticed in the movie that I thought was cute - in one scene, Jessica Biel's character is in her office having a mental breakdown. She ends up on the couch in her office, and in the background behind her head, I saw a stuffed elephant wearing a navy blue t-shirt that said "Tufts" on it. I instantly smiled :-) I'm not sure how many people know this, but Jessica Biel spent a few years at Tufts for college and that's where I went for undergrad. We actually overlapped one year and I used to see her around campus and in the gym a lot. During one gym session, we were actually doing crunches side-by-side on the stretching mats. I think that's the closest I've ever gotten to a celebrity in a random run-in situation. Anyway, I thought it was cute that she included a memento of her almost-alma mater in the movie.

If you have two hours to kill and want to see a cute, lighthearted movie, I highly suggest this one. Oh, and stay to watch the closing credits. They have some funny extra scenes at the end.

My rating: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

Essie Love, Beverly Hills xx

2010-03-02T16:45:00.002-05:00

This was the polish that I recently wore for Valentine's Day/Chinese New Year (they fell on the same day this year). Red is a lucky color in Asian cultures, and I've been waiting for a special occasion to whip out this polish!

Essie Love, Beverly Hills xx

I can't believe this polish retails for $18!! That's insane. It is supposed to be some sort of "special edition" nail polish that has gold in it or something -- I can't remember. Anyway, thankfully I didn't pay that much. I found it in the clearance bin at Ulta and paid about half that price (still kinda pricey for a bottle of nail polish though). Maybe I'm blind, or stupid, but I don't really see the gold. I can *barely* notice a slight golden shimmer, but that's about it. But, I will say that for such an expensive polish, it applied wonderfully. Don't let my crappy, rushed application job be any indication of how well this polish applied. It was practically opaque (but not too thick) in one coat. A second coat finished it off nicely. I like the red, and it was festive and fit the occasion, but I don't foresee myself spending so much for a nail polish ever again.

China Glaze Heirloom Organza

2010-02-28T22:36:00.003-05:00

Hi All! I'm back from vacation!! Woo hoo! Actually, I got back from vacation this past Wednesday, but I have been trying to get my life back to normal, so I wasn't able to blog for a few days. But, I'm back now! :-)

China Glaze Heirloom Organza

I really really LOVE this color. I think it is about as perfect as a "nude" shade as I will find to complement my skin tone. This is a mini that is part of the Immaterial Girl set that I got. Application was OK, but not perfect. It is a tad on the sheer side, but built up well after three coats. My favorite thing about this shade, as opposed to other nude shades, is that it has more brown and less pink in it.

I have caught up on most of my picture backlog, so I probably won't post every day, but I'll try to post as much as possible when I have free time :-)

China Glaze Hippie Chic

2010-02-22T12:09:00.000-05:00

Hmm... pretty color. I swear, I own something else that is nearly identical, but nonetheless, this one is cute :-)

China Glaze Hippie Chic

The best way I can think of describing this color is a shimmery burnt sienna. It is a brown/orange polish with hints of golden shimmer in it. The formula was very good and applied well. I am wearing two sloppy coats (you can see my crooked brush strokes) because it was late and I, as usual, was rushing. The color in real life is not quite as orange as in these pics -- it is slightly more muted. My flash made the color appear a tad brighter.

China Glaze Let's Groove

2010-02-22T12:03:00.000-05:00

While I was looking through my piles of untried polishes, I came across this one -- it is from China Glaze's Retro Diva Collection. I could have sworn I already posted all 12 polishes from that collection, but apparently I got lazy and didn't! So, of course, I put it on so that I can finally lay claim to having tried one whole entire collection!

China Glaze Let's Groove

The pictures of this polish don't really do it justice. For some reason, every picture I took was incredibly blurry and grainy, so this was the best picture there was. The polish applied evenly and quite well - I had full coverage in two coats. The color is a dark purple, but if you look closely, you see purple and blue shimmer in it! Very pretty! It is different from the other purple in the collection, Stella, which is more of a purple/black shimmer instead of purple/blue. I don't know why I saved this one for last!

Zoya Veruschka

2010-02-20T12:00:00.000-05:00

When Zoya came out with their Winter Matte collection, at the height of the matte polish frenzy, the only thing I could think was, "Oh great, another matte collection. Blah!" So, I waited months before I decided to try it, but much to my surprise and delight, this has been my favorite matte polish so far!

Zoya Veruschka

I was finally able to take some outdoor pics, and these were taken after about a day of wear. Considering this is a matte polish, the wear isn't too bad. It shows the most on my middle finger, but that is mostly because that nail is broken anyway and has been hanging on for dear life... haha. Anyway, I loved how this one applied -- very evenly and only two coats. Drying time was fast, but it wasn't so fast that I didn't have time to fix my mistakes. I also LOVE how you can see a little bit of shimmer in there. The color is also spot-on -- it reminds me of evergreen! It's absolutely perfect! I didn't pick up either of the other two Zoya mattes from this collection, but now I am thinking that I should!!

Oh, and today is also my boyfriend's birthday :-) We will hopefully be driving down from San Diego to Mexico today and hang out there for a little bit. Neither of us have ever been, so hopefully it will be fun. He is such a sweetheart to me <3 I hope he has a fabulous birthday today :-D

China Glaze Indian Ocean

2010-02-18T12:00:00.002-05:00

For some reason, I just haven't been in a dark polish mood lately. But, I have a TON of them that still need to be worn, so I randomly picked this one and decided to try it.

China Glaze Indian Ocean

I took these pictures after two days of wear, which is why the tips look awful and worn. But, I think the tipwear is still pretty minimal for two days. This color is a navy blue and reminds me a lot of Essie's Midnight Cami. It is not quite as shimmery as Midnight Cami. There is nothing all too special about it -- it applied OK. I am wearing three coats with topcoat. But, looking at the pictures, there is nothing about this polish that stands out, so it went into my "giveaway" pile right after these pics. Sorry, Indian Ocean :-(

China Glaze Robotika

2010-02-17T12:00:00.001-05:00

Oh man, I totally love this one - it was perfection in every way! This one is from China Glaze's Khrome collection.

China Glaze Robotika

The application was perfect - it only took two coats, and it flowed on beautifully. I also LOVE the color. It's like a very light pink/nude that is perfect for work, but it also has enough of a metallic/chrome sheen to keep it interesting. This one is super pretty and I'll be wearing it again soon :-)

China Glaze Social Animal

2010-02-16T12:41:00.003-05:00

Hi all! I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day. For me, it was also Chinese New Year, so it was doubly as special, as I got to spend the weekend with all those who are near and dear to me.

I am going on vacation starting tomorrow, so I won't be here, but I've scheduled some posts to go up in my absence so that I can catch up on my backlog of pictures :-) For vacation, I am going polish-less, because I want my nails to grow out a little, and polish is too difficult to maintain for a whole week. Blargh.

China Glaze Social Animal

I was so excited about this polish when I got it -- I thought it would be a sparkly magenta/purple. Instead, it is a somewhat-watery and sheer pink/purple that wasn't nearly as sparkly as I wanted it to be. It's still a pretty color, and I can wear it to work, but not impressive by any means. Oh well, guess they all can't be winners :-(

OPI Suzi Skies in the Pyrenees Suede

2010-02-12T19:13:00.003-05:00

Another one from the OPI Suede collection -- I believe this one is #5 out of 6.

OPI Suzi Skies in the Pyrenees Suede

I like grays, so this one was a winner for me. It kinda reminds me of charcoal on my fingers. It's almost like a matte version of OPI's Baby It's Coal Outside. As with all the other Suedes, it applied pretty well, dried very quickly, and only required two coats. I didn't get a chance to try this one with a top coat -- I think I much prefer it without, actually!

Zoya Denise

2010-02-11T14:24:00.003-05:00

I was at a Cost Cutter a few weeks ago and saw that they had a huge table of polishes and other beauty supplies that were on sale. They had a bunch of Zoyas that were marked down to $3, so I had to pick up a few :-)

Zoya Denise

Denise is a jelly-like, glittery medium pink color. It applied quite easily and was opaque in two coats. Coverage and wear were pretty good. The glitter in this polish is subtle, and I like the "wet" look of the polish. As Borat would say, "vedy niice!"

China Glaze Preppy Pink

2010-02-08T11:59:00.004-05:00

I love China Glaze's Glitters, Shimmers, & Cremes collection. However, having a collection comprised of 50 polishes means that it will take me about a decade to get to them all!

China Glaze Preppy Pink

I am wearing two coats here. The consistency was jelly-like. This pink kinda reminds me of Hello Kitty or a baby girl's nursery. I dunno... I'm not a huge fan of anything sheer and any pink that is too light. I don't mind this color, but I don't love it. I can't really speak to how easily this was to remove because I ended up peeling it off with my nails... haha. I know, I know, it's a horrible habit, but I tend to do that with a lot of glitter polishes. I will slowly peel them off over the course of a day instead taking it off with polish remover. This polish will most definitely go into my "give away" pile.

Valentine's Day is less than a week away, and bless my boyfriend's heart for having all good intentions and trying to make me happy on a Hallmark holiday that I wouldn't otherwise celebrate. He was thinking of getting me some sort of spa-type package where I can be pampered for a day or something. Poor thing forgot that one of my biggest pet peeves is being touched/poked/prodded/etc. by strangers (I *hate* it), and that I do my own nails! You would think he'd notice by now that my nails are a different color every time he sees me, but he honestly didn't know that I did them myself (hello... cha-ching, can you image how expensive 4-5 manis a week would be??) Hehe... but, like I said, bless his heart for having good intentions. He said he's come up with something different that he thinks I'll like, but I don't really need or want anything. I already have the sweetest guy ever :-)

China Glaze Designer Satin

2010-02-04T12:43:00.003-05:00

I'm gonna do a "chew and screw" today because I'm super busy :-) I usually try to schedule my posts to go up automatically, but I haven't had the time to do that lately :-(

China Glaze Designer Satin

This is part of the Immaterial Girl minis collection that I picked up. It is a bright (but not too bright) dark pink. Applied easily and quite well for a mini. I've tried about half the collection so far, and this one is by far my favorite. I'm normally not a big fan of cremes, but this one is nice.

OPI Senorita Rose-alita

2010-02-03T12:12:00.000-05:00

I am on a pink kick lately, and I have totally fallen head-over-heels for this one! It is near the top of my list of pinks now :-)

OPI Senorita Rose-alita

I got TONS of compliments when I wore this. It is much prettier in person than it is in the pics. It is a gorgeous medium rose pink shade with the slightest hint of golden shimmer to it. As an extra added bonus, the formula on it was absolutely perfect. This was a two-coater, and my pics are actually taken after two days of wear, and there is only minor tipwear. There isn't anything about this polish that I don't absolutely love!!

OPI Designer Series Amethyst

2010-02-02T12:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Groundhog Day!!! Here's a little something that's different and unique - a purple Designer Series polish!

OPI Designer Series Amethyst

I normally love all DS polishes, but I didn't fall in love with this one. I am only wearing two coats, but it still seems way too sheer for me. This one didn't build up as nicely as I would have liked. The formula was watery and sheer, making it a tad difficult to work with. It is also not as purple as I expected. It is more like a light lavender. The holo effect on this one is strong and very obvious. I kinda would have liked it more if it were more purple, and less holo. Oh well, can't win them all I guess! However, this color is quite spring-like, so hopefully this means that Spring is right around the corner :-D Who cares if the Groundhog saw his shadow? Around here, winter will last another 8 weeks at least. Ha!

China Glaze Cranberry Flame

2010-02-01T11:51:00.003-05:00

Whew -- I've been so busy lately! The project that I've been working on at work for the past year or so is about to go live in ONE WEEK! So, it is major crunch time over here. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for next Monday and hoping all goes well!

China Glaze Cranberry Flame

I took these pics after about two days of wear, so there is some tip wear on here. That will happen here and there over the next few postings -- I just don't get around to taking pics right away. Oops! Anyway, this is an older ChG polish and was a bit on the sheer and runny side. I am wearing three coats, and I still kinda feel that it is not opaque enough. But, I like the bright red shimmery color, and I got quite a few compliments at work about it. However, I still don't think it's a standout red, and given the application issues, I would much prefer a thicker polish that is similar in color and easier to apply. I ended up giving this bottle to a co-worker of mine who loved the color on me. I have been doing major polish giveaway lately. I work with a lot of women, so I just all my unwanteds in a little baggie and leave a note for everyone to help themselves to polish :-) My little good deed of the month :-D

Nubar Reclaim

2010-01-29T12:37:00.001-05:00

I can't believe I've only shown one polish so far from Nubar's Going Green collection -- the whole collection is quite fabulous :-)

Nubar Reclaim

This is the duochrome of the collection. It is a shimmery green that also shines yellow/gold. The formula on this was great - it applied fluidly, evenly, and was opaque in two coats. I have four more polishes from this collection to try out. I normally love green - it's one of my favorite colors. However, I haven't really been in a green polish mood lately. I have been more into reds, pinks, and browns. I really need to add back into that rotation after seeing these pics :-D

I am super excited because the Michael Jackson DVD for This is It came out this week and I can't wait to buy it!! I am a huuuuuge MJ fan, and was so sad when he passed away. I meant to watch the movie in the theatres, but couldn't find anyone to go with me, and work was so busy. By the time I finally talked my boyfriend into watching it with me, it was announced that the DVD would be out in January, so I let him out of the movie obligation... haha. Anyway, I can't wait to buy it and hopefully watch it this weekend. If I had to pick a favorite MJ song, it would either be PYT or Wanna Be Startin' Something.

Blog Shoutout: Wong Food!

2010-01-28T14:06:00.003-05:00

It's time to show some blogger love to some good friends of mine. If you're like me, you can't cook worth a lick, but you loooooove to eat. Enter wong food! This 'blog was started by one of my friends, and is written in collaboration with her siblings.

They are true culinary geniuses -- they share recipes and share their love of and for food with the rest of the interwebs. Dishes range from appetizers, to main courses, to desserts, and just about anything you can think of. Just looking at the pictures makes me want to drool all over my computer!

So, to all my other foodies out there -- check out their blog, add them to your Google Reader, and show them some love :-)

http://wongfood.blogspot.com/

Sephora by OPI Absinthe Makes the Heart

2010-01-24T21:39:00.003-05:00

Umm.... Top 20 alert!!! This polish is debuting near the top of my all-time list -- I can't believe how gorgeous it is!!

Sephora by OPI Absinthe Makes The Heart

As soon as I saw this at Sephora, I knew I had to immediately pick it up. It applied beautifully in just two coats. The formula was great and it went on smoothly, without any issues. It is a dark green/black polish with tons of rainbow microglitter packed in there. It is so shiny and beautiful! The polish is deliciously dark, but not so dark that it looks black. It is still unmistakenly green, which is just to-die-for! Love it! **SQUEALLLLL**

Color Club Strawberry Candle

2010-01-21T22:29:00.003-05:00

Here is another polish from Color Club's Japanese Glitters collection.

Color Club Strawberry Candle

I am wearing two coats here. The polish was a little difficult to work with. It is almost TOO thick and TOO jellyish. I liked that I had pretty good coverage for two coats, but it was painful to apply each coat. This is a gorgeous sparkly sheer medium pink. I am not a huge fan of sheers, and this is the next most-opaque polish in the collection, right after Too Violet. I don't have too many Color Clubs in my collection, but I really like the ones that I do have. Hmm... maybe it's time to get some more! :-D

You'll all have to excuse the horrible condition my cuticles are in. Winter is always hell for me and my skin :-( I try to put Lush's Lemony Flutter on my cuticles when I can, but it's very difficult because I'm constantly using my hands and washing them too. Argh!

MAC Nightfall

2010-01-20T12:14:00.003-05:00

I loooove dark polishes -- they're so pretty :-)

MAC Nightfall

This one had a great formula - opaque in two coats and went on smoothly. It is a dark charcoal gray with a hint of shimmer. After I put it on, I noticed that it looked a lot like Essie's Over The Top, but at 1.5 times the retail price. So, if you want this color, but don't want to pay the price, get Essie's version instead. Here's a pic for reference :-)

OPI You Don't Know Jacques Suede

2010-01-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

Another gorgeous OPI Suede to show off -- this one might possibly be my favorite one of the bunch so far!

OPI You Don't Know Jacques Suede

The color is difficult to describe - the non-suede version of this polish is a dark mushroomy gray. However, this one I think leans more toward a brown. It kind of reminds me of mud, but a glittery form of mud! If you look really close, you can see bits of multi-color glitter in there. I think that's why this one is my favorite. It is deceivingly beautiful!