Monday, June 30, 2014

PINCHme Sample Box featuring Sinful Colors Ocean Side Swatch And Review

Dang nabbit, I was peeling an apple for LO(hurriedly I may add) and ended up peeling off the tip of the nail on my middle finger.  This was the same trouble some nail that kept breaking my entire vacation, so down my length went again.  This is probably the shortest it's been in a long while.

A couple months ago I signed up PINCHme, a monthly box that allows you to sample products in return for a quick review.  It's not necessary to do a blog review, rather all you need to do rank your answers in a quick questionaire before the next box is released.  I'm reviewing this on the blog because there was a polish included with the June box delivery that I thought you'd be interested in.  For June, I chose the Dove Oxygen Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner, a South Beach Diet snack bar in Chocolate Caramel Nut, Vertere Dramatic Transformation Cream SPF 15, and Sinful Colors Ocean Side.  Below you can see the box as well as the products that I received.


The first thing I did upon opening my package was eat the South Beach Diet Snack Bar, and I didn't find it chalky or strange tasting at all, rather it was more similar to a granola bar.  I would probably eat this again over other granola bars because it is higher in protein and similar or less in calories(100 calories per bar) and sugar(7 grams).

Next I tried Vertere cream, which I thought would be interesting because it claims to make a dramatic difference in your skin with 10 % lactic acid, salicylic acid, Alpha Arbutin, multiple peptides, antioxidants, vitamins and botanicals.  Unfortunately my sample, despite being sealed in plastic was dried out to the point that it was overly waxy and generally unusable.  Scent wise, the SPF smell very strong, and not a fragrance that I enjoy.


I was looking forward to trying out the Dove shampoo and conditioner, and I found that both had pleasant scents that came across as being fresh and light, and not overpowering.  The shampoo lathered extremely well and rinsed out quickly and easily.  The conditioner itself was of thick consistency which I like in a conditioner, and applied easily and evenly into my medium length hair.  This rinsed out thoroughly and once my hair was dried, it was felt light, moisturized, and was not overly scented.  I already had unused bottles in my bathroom cabinet from a previous purchase, and I'm pleased to have tried these because I know now that I'll like them.

Finally, I have my last sample from the PINCHme box, and that's a bottle of Sinful Colors Ocean Side,  a dark teal blue cream.  Last month's box also offered Sinful Colors polish, but since it was my first time, I missed out because I didn't check in quickly enough to grab the polish.  Each month the box offerings go live at noon and you have to choose your selections quickly before other users pick up all the samples.  This time I managed to get in shortly after noon and was able to pick my choice of color out of four shades, along with my other samples.  Ocean Side is a dark blue leaning teal cream that astonishingly applied to an opaque finish in only one coat.  Out of habit, I did two, but I think it was totally unnecessary.  This is one of those polishes that should be in your arsenal of grab and go polishes - one coaters that take no work to apply.  It applied like a dream and had very little clean up.  I finished with a layer of topcoat for added shine.

Sinful Colors Ocean Side
Sinful Colors Ocean Side

Sinful Colors Ocean Side
Sinful Colors Ocean Side

Sinful Colors Ocean Side
Sinful Colors Ocean Side

Sinful Colors Ocean Side
Sinful Colors Ocean Side

Sinful Colors Ocean Side
Sinful Colors Ocean Side
Sinful Colors are always a budget favorite for me because their formulas are generally excellent and come in a wide range of colors and finishes.  Being a one coater, this would be a fantastic polish for nail art as well.  I'm surprised that I haven't noticed this color before either, being that the item number is 9xx, meaning that it's not a new release.  In any case, I'm glad to add another Sinful Colors color to my collection(aka hoard).

The next round of PINCHme boxes will be available again coming July 15th at noon, so register now and make sure that you schedule in the date.  There's nothing to lose, and you get a nice box of samples every month that you get to try out.  In return, all you have to do is rank the products on a scale of 1 to 5 - easy peasy.  Give it a go, and I hope you enjoy!

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Lumina Lacquer Malificent Swatch And Review

I forgot to mention yesterday that during numerous flight transfers, I inevitably had some nail casualties.  So be forewarned, I had to nubbinize!  I haven't had short nails in a long while, and although my dexterity has improved, my nails look awkwardly short.  I'll get use to it!  The only problem with squares/squovals is the frequent corner chips.  Hopefully I can get some length before that happens.

While on vacay, I managed to squeeze a little bit of time to scroll through my Instagram feed, and came upon some swatches from Lumina Lacquer.  I instantly fell in love with Malificent, a blurple holographic glitter sister to Digital Nails Supernova.  I love the uniqueness of these holographic glitters because they're so fascinating to watch when exposed to light - it's like a million little sparks of rainbow exploding in all directions.  The glitters are suspended in a clear base that I found highly viscous during application, making it difficult for me to maintain a small cuticle gap.  I used two thin coats followed by a thicker third coat to achieve opacity.  It dries to a gritty finish, so I recommend a topcoat followed by another quick dry topcoat for a smooth and shiny finish.

The first two pics are in the light tent to show the color, and the following are under direct light so you can see Malificent in its glory.
Lumina Lacquer Malificent
Lumina Lacquer Malificent

Lumina Lacquer Malificent
Lumina Lacquer Malificent

Lumina Lacquer Malificent
Lumina Lacquer Malificent

Lumina Lacquer Malificent
Lumina Lacquer Malificent

Lumina Lacquer Malificent
Lumina Lacquer Malificent
Lumina Lacquer Malificent
Lumina Lacquer Malificent

Lumina Lacquer Malificent
Lumina Lacquer Malificent
Me likey those pretty sparkles!!  A-hem, sorry, I must have slipped back to LO talk.  I love the shade of this beauty, and I'm becoming a fast fan of those large holographic glitters.  I think I may have to stalk those polishes if they come in other colors.  A green would be fabulous!  Overall, I'm really happy that I found Lumina Lacquers, it seems that this line has a lot of different finishes that are worth exploring.  Make sure you stop by the storefront to see what she has to offer.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Barielle Summer 2014 Keys Collection Swatch And Review

Hooray I'm back from vacation!  It was great seeing friends and family while eating lots of yummy food.  In New Orleans, we did(ate) as much as possible that was recommended, such as eating oysters at the Acme restaurant, beignets from the Beignet Cafe, fried chicken at multiple places late night, a crawfish boil at the wedding, and shrimp and grits from John Besh's restaurant Luke.  My favorites were of course the delicious large oysters(helps when your BFF inadvertently meets the master oyster shucker while out the night before) and the fried chicken - oh the friend chicken - I can only dream of the spicy crispy breading and the moist succulent meat within.  Why oh why can I not find anything nearly comparable here in SoCal?  I also enjoyed walking along Royal St and browsing the numerous art galleries and enjoying the view of the Mississippi river, and listening to live music over on Frenchman street.  My favorite activity was meeting random locals from NoLa, such as the master oyster shucker, the band that hung out with us all night, and the art gallery host also LA transplant who spent a fair amount of time expounding on his joys of living in Nola while LO played with the beads in the water fountain.  The city has come a long way from the last time I was there, which was two years after Katrina, and has rebuilt a fair amount of the city up again and made it into a lively metropolis with great music, delicious food, and friendly residents who love their home city.  I'll have to stop my yammering for now, and maybe follow up another time with the other half of my vacation in Virginia Beach.

Speaking of summer vacation places, I have a lovely summer collection for your viewing pleasure today and that's Barielle's Key Collection for Summer 2014.  These are all based on the hot tropical colors of the Caribbean and range from creams, shimmers, and a jelly.  I enjoyed all of these colors and think they go perfectly with the season, especially for those summer pedicures and open sandals.  Most of these applied with two easy fluid coats with no issues, making the overall experience a pleasure.

First up is Barefoot In Bermuda, a bright fuchsia pink cream that's perfect for summer.  Two coats here followed with topcoat for shine.
Barielle Barefoot In Bermuda
Barielle Barefoot In Bermuda
Barielle Barefoot In Bermuda
Barielle Barefoot In Bermuda
Barielle Barefoot In Bermuda
Barielle Barefoot In Bermuda
Next is a surprise favorite for me, and that's Hawaiian Sunset a rusty orange with gold shimmer.  Gold shimmer is always a winner for me, so I guess it shouldn't have been a surprise, but there you go.  The shimmer is like a delicate gold dust embedded within the sunset orange.  Two coats here followed with topcoat.
Barielle Hawaiian Sunset
Barielle Hawaiian Sunset
Barielle Hawaiian Sunset
Barielle Hawaiian Sunset
Barielle Hawaiian Sunset
Barielle Hawaiian Sunset
Barielle Hawaiian Sunset
Barielle Hawaiian Sunset
The jelly of this collection is Miami Heat, a red that has orange undertones.  I'm not a fan of red jellies, but this one is not difficult to apply and didn't have any streaking.  It had plenty of pigmentation for a jelly and only needed three coats for opacity and dried in good time.  I finished with a layer of topcoat for added shine.
Barielle Miami Heat
Barielle Miami Heat
Barielle Miami Heat
Barielle Miami Heat
Barielle Miami Heat
Barielle Miami Heat
What is a summer collection without a sunny yellow?  This is Panama Pina Colada, a creamy pale yellow that didn't apply with any streaks but needs three coats for full opacity.  This is finished with topcoat.
Barielle Panama Pina Colada
Barielle Panama Pina Colada
Barielle Panama Pina Colada
Barielle Panama Pina Colada
Barielle Panama Pina Colada
Barielle Panama Pina Colada
Paradise in the Tropics is another pink cream of the collection, but unlike Barefoot In Bermuda it is a tad pinker and cooler.  Formula is the same as Barefoot and needed only two coats and topcoat for shine.
Barielle Paradise In The Tropics
Barielle Paradise In The Tropics
Barielle Paradise In The Tropics
Barielle Paradise In The Tropics
Barielle Paradise In The Tropics
Barielle Paradise In The Tropics
Lastly is Topless In St Tropez, a light coral pink with a slight silver shimmer.  I was wary of this shade because light pinks and I don't get along, but it actually has enough pink in it to not wash out my skintone.  I used three coats with topcoat here.
Barielle Topless In St Tropez
Barielle Topless In St Tropez
Barielle Topless In St Tropez
Barielle Topless In St Tropez
Barielle Topless In St Tropez
Barielle Topless In St Tropez
Barielle Topless In St Tropez
Barielle Topless In St Tropez
I gotta say, the colors in this collection all work well together, and are a balanced mix of finishes from jelly to shimmers.  My surprise favorite was Hawaiian Sunset, followed with Barefoot In Bermuda.  These can all be found on the Barielle.com website - make sure to sign up for the email list so you can get updates on their regular sales(I love the % off sales with free shipping on top of the regular BOGO 1/2 off), although you may not want to wait for a sale to pick these up for the summer!

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Pahlish Dance Across The Sea Swatch And Review

Purchased

I'm still doing lots of last minute prep for my trip, and that included some last minute shopping for my DH's tie and a couple dresses for me.  I'm sure I could have used a few more items but it's difficult to concentrate with a toddler wanting to run around and tear everything off hangers.  Oy!  On the bright side, I have an excuse to go shopping while on vacation because hopefully tax will be less than in CA, and also I have the grandparents to watch LO while I shop!

You know how I've been going through my untrieds?  I think I may have found my oldest untried indie polish.  *shameface*  It's Pahlish Dance Across The Sea, one of the original releases of this polish back when the line first debuted.  I don't know why it took me so long to wear it, other than I think I may have been confusing the bottle with another indie brand that I received more recently.  Dance Across The Sea is a azure blue crelly base loaded with tiny silver hexes and larger turquoise blue hexes.  The combination is true to its name and mimics swirling tropical ocean water and sparkling tiny bubbles.  Surprisingly the formula wasn't overly thick from sitting in my drawer too long and it was easily manipulated during application.  As with any thick polish, I had some trouble getting all the way towards the sides of my nailbeds, but nothing a little concentration couldn't fix.  I was too lazy to get up and get any thinner but I'm sure it would have made application quicker.  I used three coats here and experience no dragging, stacking, or streaking of the polish whatsoever.  I finished this with a nice thick layer of Essence Gel Look topcoat.

Pahlish Dance Across The Sea
Pahlish Dance Across The Sea

Pahlish Dance Across The Sea
Pahlish Dance Across The Sea

Pahlish Dance Across The Sea
Pahlish Dance Across The Sea

Pahlish Dance Across The Sea
Pahlish Dance Across The Sea

Pahlish Dance Across The Sea
Pahlish Dance Across The Sea

Pahlish Dance Across The Sea
Pahlish Dance Across The Sea


I'm literally kicking myself for waiting so long to wear such a gorgeous polish that has now become a classic in indie history for polishes.  I love the way the glitters catch the light and spark like water does when hit by sunlight.  I think I may have a few more Pahlish classics sitting around in my drawer, but I'll have to dig them up to swatch them.  Too many polishes, not enough fingers!  Have you been whittling away at your untrieds?




Purchased

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

I Love Nail Polish Music Box Swatch And Review

Ack!  I'm such a procastinator.  I'm just realizing now that I have to keep LO entertained on the plane for at least 3 1/2 hours straight for two legs of our trip. Oy.  How do you keep an energetic toddler entertained on a plane for that long??  I am not looking forward to a crying and bored toddler trapped on a plane!  I'm downloading some cartoons, and I'll bring some books and coloring supplies, but what else? 

I have my last straggler from the I Love Nail Polish Spring 2014 collection, and that's a breathtaking cyan blue holo called Music Box.  I think I saved the best for last with this little gem because the color is gorgeous and commands attention.  I was planning on only swatching this but instead did a full mani so I could wear it to work.  The formula was typical ILNP, which is buttery thick, but sheer upon application.  Two coats may have worked but I went for three to ensure full coverage.  Make sure to allow the coats to fully dry in between because I experience a bit of balding which may explain my need for a third coat.  Call me impatient I guess!  I used no topcoat in these pics.

These are in the light tent so you can see the actual color of the lovely light blue.

I Love Nail Polish Music Box
I Love Nail Polish Music Box

I Love Nail Polish Music Box
I Love Nail Polish Music Box
 These are under direct light so you can see the holo flare in full effect.

I Love Nail Polish Music Box
I Love Nail Polish Music Box

I Love Nail Polish Music Box
I Love Nail Polish Music Box

I Love Nail Polish Music Box
I Love Nail Polish Music Box

I Love Nail Polish Music Box
I Love Nail Polish Music Box

I Love Nail Polish Music Box
I Love Nail Polish Music Box

I Love Nail Polish Music Box
I Love Nail Polish Music Box
The holo isn't as super strong as say the Color Clubs, but it's still impressive and actually fitting of this vibrant light blue. It's an eye catching shade and I'm sure I'll be too busy looking at my hands instead of where I'm walking during the day in the sunlight, but isn't that the delicious reason of wearing of holo?  I can't wait!    Have you been wearing a lot of holos now that summer is just around the corner?

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Zoya Muse Swatch And Review With Bonus Wet 'n' Wild Matte Topcoat


I'm glad that I'm going back to the gym, even though the gym is not my favorite way to work out.  I like to keep in shape, whether it be dancing, swimming, or plain old running, but it's been hard to do it with LO needing so much attention.  The gym has been convenient, and she's been adjusting well to their daycare.  I managed to increase my ten minute initial workout to a whole forty minutes.  Yay!  Now I work on losing those last few post pregnancy pounds.  How do you like to keep in shape?

I have a new summer 2014 release from Zoya's Bubbly collection called Muse that I couldn't wait to show you.  It's the only blue from this collection, and like the others, it features gold microglitter and holo hex glitters in a "blue raspberry" jelly base.  The formula wasn't sticky like most jellies and it applied incredibly easily without any streaking or stacking of the hex glitters.   I finished this with a layer of topcoat for added shine.

Zoya Muse
Zoya Muse

Zoya Muse
Zoya Muse

Zoya Muse
Zoya Muse

Zoya Muse
Zoya Muse

Zoya Muse
Zoya Muse

Zoya Muse
Zoya Muse
How bubbly is that?  The holo hex glitters sandwiched inside the jelly base look exactly like bubbles suspended in blue ocean water.  The gold shimmer is reminiscent of sunshine rippling through the water waves.  I can't wait to show the rest of the collection, with all that jelly holo hex glitters sammich goodness!

Of course, what's the obvious next step when confronted with a jelly glitter sammich?  Matte all the glittah!

Zoya Muse Matted
Zoya Muse Matted

Zoya Muse Matted
Zoya Muse Matted

Zoya Muse Matted
Zoya Muse Matted

Zoya Muse Matted
Zoya Muse Matted
Le sigh.