I want to try to end each month with a new series of posts that recap my favorite products from that particular month. I try a lot of new products and I rediscover a lot of old favorites on a regular basis, so I'd love to be able to share that with you in case you're like me and always looking for new must-haves!
1. Benefit Stay Don't Stray
Absolutely one of my all-time favorite shadow primers! I have tried a really long list of primers and I keep falling deeper and deeper in love with Benefit Stay Don't Stray. Not only does it complement my skin tone perfectly (it makes my eye area so incredibly even toned it's nuts), but it doesn't dry out my lid and it really does make my shadows stick better! For those that requested it, I'm still working on getting samples so that I can do a comparison between Sun Beam, Moonbeam, and High Beam. Stay tuned! See Stay Don't Stray HERE.
2. A-England Nail Polish
If you follow my blog you probably saw my reviews on Avalon, Tristam, and Princess Tears. I am in polish-love!!! The formula is amazing, the colors are lovely, and best of all, they're created by an indie company!!! You know I love my indies! ;) See them HERE.
3. Zoya Remove+
I purchased my Remove+ from Zoya back in December and have been getting a ton of use of it since, especially this past month! It is amazing, amazing nail polish remover. I also love the 8oz bottle with it's mess-free pump. I'm the type that goes to put polish remover on a cotton round and spills it everywhere because I'm doing 50 things at once. Love it! See it HERE.
4. Weleda Pomegranate Firming Day Cream
Oh my gosh, this is a face-saver! I have super, super sensitive skin and with the crazy, harsh winter weather and who knows what else, my typically-great skin has been wigging out. I've had to change my cleanser a million times, my moisturizers, etc. Weleda Pomegranate Firming Day Cream has been one of the only facial moisturizers that not only doesn't make my skin face react, but really hydrates it. I cannot sing its praises enough--get it now! ;) See it HERE.
5. TheBalm Nud'Tude Palette
If you're unfamiliar with TheBalm, you may want to get familiar quick! If you follow my blow you may have noticed I tend to use TheBalm shadows in quite a few of my EOTDs--that's because they're amazing! These shadows have really blown me away with their smooth, creamy blendability. The Nude'Tude palette is definitely worth a try even if you're not big on neutral looks. I find that I incorporate these shadows into almost any looks to soft the edges of my bright/dark colors. And obviously this palette makes neutral looks a snap. I've gotta review some of their blushes, I hear they're amazing! See this palette HERE.
There you have it--5 of the products that knocked my socks off this past month! I love each of these products and use them extremely regularly if not daily. Love, love, love them! And I have to say, I'm kind of hard to please. ;)
Have you tried any of these products? What did you think?
Tuesday
Promo Alert!: Free Shipping from Urban Decay with Purchase of Lip Love
I just saw that Urban Decay is offering free shipping on any order from their site with the purchase of a tube of their Lip Love gloss! Lip Love, if you're not familiar, is their honey-infused gloss that has been made to revitalize your lips while giving you a gorgeous glossy pout.
Details - Must purchase at least 1 tube of Lip Love to qualify for free shipping on your order.
Expiration - Unknown. I'll let you know if I find out!
Lip Love retails on Urban Decay's site for $16 and can be found HERE. It looks as though there are currently 5 shades. I haven't tried this out, but if I do I'll be sure to report back!
Details - Must purchase at least 1 tube of Lip Love to qualify for free shipping on your order.
Expiration - Unknown. I'll let you know if I find out!
Lip Love retails on Urban Decay's site for $16 and can be found HERE. It looks as though there are currently 5 shades. I haven't tried this out, but if I do I'll be sure to report back!
Monday
EOTD: Scifi Sultry
I love wearing bright, colorful shadows, but sometimes you just need a black smoky eye! I've been wanting to try Fyrinnae Otherworld over Sugarpill Bulletproof and this was the perfect chance.
What I used:
What do you think? Would you wear this look?
Also, just for fun I wanted to post one last pic. My 5 year old has been in love with photography since he was 2--I kid you not. He got his first kid's digital camera at 2.5 and has taken pictures that have blown me, Hubs, and family away. He has an amazing eye for taking creative photos. He has watched me take pictures of myself for forever, and the other day he asked if he could take one of my eye pictures so I let him after I'd taken mine. He took this photo 100% by himself! Can you believe it? Yes, I am a nutty, proud mommy! ;)
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Here's a view from the side. |
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I wanted to give you makeup lovers a view of the full look so that you can see some of the blending. |
What I used:
- MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre (patted all over upper lid and below lower lashline instead of primer) - review of this product coming soon!
- Sugarpill Bulletproof pressed shadow (patted over top lid and swept under lower lashline; blending into crease and pulled up a bit towards brow bone)
- Fyrinnae Otherworld loose shadow (patted heavily over inner eye corner, then patted out over the rest of the upper lid gradually using a lighter hand; patted under lower lashline)
- Victorian Disco Atrophine (patted under lower lashline over Sugarpill Buletteproof and under Fyrinnae Otherworld for a little extra dimension)
- TheBalm Stand-offish from the Nude'Tude Palette (blended with a light hand from edge of Sugarpill Bullettproof up to brown bone)
- TheBalm Sassy from the Nude'Tude Palette (blended lightly just under brow arch)
- Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes liner in 0L (lined upper and lower waterlines)
- Faux Lash in Collete (using Duo lash glue) - I feel like falsies in general can be touch-and-go and if you've followed me for a while you've probably read my posts on my difficulty with finding falsies that fit my eye shape, but Faux is my favorite company and this is my all-time favorite style to wear. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for amazing falsies!
- Maybelline Full 'N Soft waterproof mascara in Very Black
What do you think? Would you wear this look?
Also, just for fun I wanted to post one last pic. My 5 year old has been in love with photography since he was 2--I kid you not. He got his first kid's digital camera at 2.5 and has taken pictures that have blown me, Hubs, and family away. He has an amazing eye for taking creative photos. He has watched me take pictures of myself for forever, and the other day he asked if he could take one of my eye pictures so I let him after I'd taken mine. He took this photo 100% by himself! Can you believe it? Yes, I am a nutty, proud mommy! ;)
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Taken by my son (5 years old) :) |
Sunday
Swatch & Review: A-England Princess Tears Holographic Polish
Oh. My. Gosh. I'm still so excited to write this post! I purchased Princess Tears from A-England's (my new favorite UK indie polish company) new collection--The Legend--which follows A-England's gorgeous The Mythicals collection (see my swatches of Tristam and Avalon HERE). I purchased Princess Tears because it called to me immediately, but it was a tough choice and took a great deal of self-control not to order the rest! See for yourself why I'm so excited, but be warned, I went a little picture happy with this polish! ;)
The Holographic Hum of Princess Tears
I took a million pictures of this polish on my nails and couldn't decide between the best of the shots I captured, so you get to see quite a few!
Color description
As I mentioned above, A-England Princess Tears is a lovely lavender infused with crazy holographic flecks.
Application/Opacity
This applied like a dream, just like the other A-England polishes I swatched earlier (see link at top of post). The amount of control this polish lends is phenomenal and it dries quickly to boot! I found that the best way to achieve the most obvious holographic effect on my nails was to do thinner coats. I tested this out by doing one hand with thing coats and one hand with thick coats. The hand with the thinner coats had a tad more of a holographic effect, but both were gorgeous! I swear, the second you start swiping this on it looks as though you're painting your nails in lavender diamond dust--so gorgeous!
Price
A-England's The Legend Collection is priced at £9, which converts to about $14.15 as of the time of this post. Obviously conversion rates between currencies changes fairly frequently, but for right now it seems to be dipping up and down around $1.50 to £1. Don't forget, shipping with A-England is free worldwide, so that least those of us in the US don't have to factor that in as well!
Where to Buy
A-England polishes can be purchased on the company's site at www.a-england.co.uk
Final Thoughts
Can you tell I'm completely enamored by A-England? I absolutely adore unique indies and when their performance is superior to even the largest mainstream companies, it makes me so happy! This polish is even more amazing than I could have imagined and I absolutely and wholeheartedly encourage you guys to check out A-England, the polishes will blow your socks off! I love that this collection is a breath of fresh air from all of the neutrals we're seeing this Spring. I love neutrals, but I can only take so many pastels and neutrals of the same shades before I get lulled into a coma and move on! This is a truly unique nail polish collection--and it was created by a UK indie!
I have to get the rest of The Legend Collection now. My favorites, aside from Princess Tears, are Order of the Garter (cannot live without this), St. George, Dragon, and Ascalon. I love Bridal Veil as well! Princess Sabra is the only color of the collection that isn't really my taste, though it's beautiful!
What do you think? Or have I already lost you to A-England's site? ;)
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Hereyou can begin to see a touch of the amazing holographic glow. Ironically, this is even better on your nails than it is in the bottle--not something you often see in polishes! |
The Holographic Hum of Princess Tears
I took a million pictures of this polish on my nails and couldn't decide between the best of the shots I captured, so you get to see quite a few!
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I love that the A-England polishes I've swatched so far have all been identical on my nails when compared to the bottle. Love that! |
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Here's my first close up. You can really see that holographic effect here. |
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There is so much depth and diversity to this polish--I love it! And you can still see that beautiful lavender towards the tip of my nail. |
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There are no words! |
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Amazing, simply amazing! |
Color description
As I mentioned above, A-England Princess Tears is a lovely lavender infused with crazy holographic flecks.
Application/Opacity
This applied like a dream, just like the other A-England polishes I swatched earlier (see link at top of post). The amount of control this polish lends is phenomenal and it dries quickly to boot! I found that the best way to achieve the most obvious holographic effect on my nails was to do thinner coats. I tested this out by doing one hand with thing coats and one hand with thick coats. The hand with the thinner coats had a tad more of a holographic effect, but both were gorgeous! I swear, the second you start swiping this on it looks as though you're painting your nails in lavender diamond dust--so gorgeous!
Price
A-England's The Legend Collection is priced at £9, which converts to about $14.15 as of the time of this post. Obviously conversion rates between currencies changes fairly frequently, but for right now it seems to be dipping up and down around $1.50 to £1. Don't forget, shipping with A-England is free worldwide, so that least those of us in the US don't have to factor that in as well!
Where to Buy
A-England polishes can be purchased on the company's site at www.a-england.co.uk
Final Thoughts
Can you tell I'm completely enamored by A-England? I absolutely adore unique indies and when their performance is superior to even the largest mainstream companies, it makes me so happy! This polish is even more amazing than I could have imagined and I absolutely and wholeheartedly encourage you guys to check out A-England, the polishes will blow your socks off! I love that this collection is a breath of fresh air from all of the neutrals we're seeing this Spring. I love neutrals, but I can only take so many pastels and neutrals of the same shades before I get lulled into a coma and move on! This is a truly unique nail polish collection--and it was created by a UK indie!
I have to get the rest of The Legend Collection now. My favorites, aside from Princess Tears, are Order of the Garter (cannot live without this), St. George, Dragon, and Ascalon. I love Bridal Veil as well! Princess Sabra is the only color of the collection that isn't really my taste, though it's beautiful!
What do you think? Or have I already lost you to A-England's site? ;)
Saturday
Kitchen Beauty: DIY Facial Scrub
As you all know, I prefer natural products when possible, especially when it comes to my skin--which is super sensitive. Lately, my skin has been even more sensitive than usual, so I'm finding myself really having to work to find products that don't irritate my face. One thing I often do is skip the store and make certain products at home to use on my face. This recipe is for a sugar scrub I've used in the past with great success. The ingredients are effective and it"s 100% natural! Even better, these things can often be found in your kitchen right now!
Lemon in the Coconut Facial Scrub (sorry, not lime lol)
You'll need:
Making the mask is easy, simply measure out and combine the ingredients in a small bowl or mug until the sugar is completely dispersed throughout the coconut oil and lemon mix. Keep in mind, coconut oil is a solid at room temperature, but has such a low melting point that simply making contact with your fingers will melt it.
Apply
Apply this mixture to your face as you would any normal exfoliator, avoiding your eyes and the delicate skin around your eyes. Make sure you aren't super rough on your skin as you don't want to cause any damage. Gently massage the mixture into your face (or any other part of your body) in a delicate, circular motion. Make sure you don't stay in one area for too long, again you don't want to cause any damage, just polish away dead skin. I always make sure I don't forget to do my lips! This mixture is a great way to keep that pout soft and smooth.
Rinse
Once you've gently massaged this mixture all over your face (or part of your body), carefully rinse it off with warm water. You'll find that the coconut oil will leave a thin layer on your skin after rinsing, so I generally take a soft cloth dampened with warm water and wipe the rest away once the sugar has rinsed off.
Admire
Your skin should be nice and exfoliated now! This works great if used gently on your face, but it also works wonders on the rest of your body! Whether you want to do your feet, elbows, etc. this will do the trick! And, it's natural and cheap. ;)
If any of you try this out let me know how it goes! It's been a while since I've posted any DIY beauty recipes, but I'm really going to try to do these posts more often, especially since it's such a part of my regular beauty routine. I am a nut about ingredients and I do a lot of research before using anything on myself so that I understand the benefits, way ingredients work, etc. If you have any DIY beauty requests let me know and I'll see if I have or can come up with an effective recipe for you guys!
Lemon in the Coconut Facial Scrub (sorry, not lime lol)
You'll need:
- 2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil (I use an organic extra virgin coconut oil by Nutiva, but any coconut oil will work)
- 1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar (I use organic fair-trade sugar, but anything will work. In the picture I used my "regular" baking sugar because the bag was prettier. I purchase my sugar loose so it's in a plain plastic bag--kind of boring!)
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice (I was out of fresh lemons so I used straight, all natural lemon juice from a bottle that I use for baking. I suggest using fresh lemons whenever possible, but lemon juice from the bottle works, too.)
Making the mask is easy, simply measure out and combine the ingredients in a small bowl or mug until the sugar is completely dispersed throughout the coconut oil and lemon mix. Keep in mind, coconut oil is a solid at room temperature, but has such a low melting point that simply making contact with your fingers will melt it.
Apply
Apply this mixture to your face as you would any normal exfoliator, avoiding your eyes and the delicate skin around your eyes. Make sure you aren't super rough on your skin as you don't want to cause any damage. Gently massage the mixture into your face (or any other part of your body) in a delicate, circular motion. Make sure you don't stay in one area for too long, again you don't want to cause any damage, just polish away dead skin. I always make sure I don't forget to do my lips! This mixture is a great way to keep that pout soft and smooth.
Rinse
Once you've gently massaged this mixture all over your face (or part of your body), carefully rinse it off with warm water. You'll find that the coconut oil will leave a thin layer on your skin after rinsing, so I generally take a soft cloth dampened with warm water and wipe the rest away once the sugar has rinsed off.
Admire
Your skin should be nice and exfoliated now! This works great if used gently on your face, but it also works wonders on the rest of your body! Whether you want to do your feet, elbows, etc. this will do the trick! And, it's natural and cheap. ;)
If any of you try this out let me know how it goes! It's been a while since I've posted any DIY beauty recipes, but I'm really going to try to do these posts more often, especially since it's such a part of my regular beauty routine. I am a nut about ingredients and I do a lot of research before using anything on myself so that I understand the benefits, way ingredients work, etc. If you have any DIY beauty requests let me know and I'll see if I have or can come up with an effective recipe for you guys!
Friday
First Impression: Crown Brush Italian Badger Travel Set Video
I told you guys one of my resolutions was to start posting videos in 2012 on occasion! I wanted to give you guys my first impression of the Crown Brush Italian Badger Travel Set that I recently purchased on hautelook, so I though a video would be way more effective. Hope you like it!
Zoya's At it Again! Freebie Friday!
If you don't follow Zoya on facebook or twitter (shame on you! just kidding) then you probably haven't heard about the fabulous event being held today by this amazing 4 Free nail polish company! Apparently one of their interns has come up with this exciting opportunity for Zoya-thusiasts to win polishes by answering trivia questions. I've been keeping an eye on the Zoya facebook page while trying to get other things done and it's raising quite a bit of excitement!
All you have to do to participate is "like" Zoya's facebook page, stalk it between the hours of 9:30am and 3pm EST today (January 27), and answer any trivia questions posted by Zoya as quickly as possible!
Obviously not everyone will win, so no getting angry if you don't happen to score some free polish ;) But even if you don't win, Zoya's promos are a fabulous opportunity to meet some amazing Zoya-thusiasts! I love the ladies I met during Zoya's Flash Promos around the holidays--so fun!
So what are you waiting for? Head on over and test your Zoya knowledge ... or search skills! ;)
All you have to do to participate is "like" Zoya's facebook page, stalk it between the hours of 9:30am and 3pm EST today (January 27), and answer any trivia questions posted by Zoya as quickly as possible!
Obviously not everyone will win, so no getting angry if you don't happen to score some free polish ;) But even if you don't win, Zoya's promos are a fabulous opportunity to meet some amazing Zoya-thusiasts! I love the ladies I met during Zoya's Flash Promos around the holidays--so fun!
So what are you waiting for? Head on over and test your Zoya knowledge ... or search skills! ;)
Thursday
Drugstore Friday: Revlon ColorBurst Lipgloss in Strawberry & Hot Pink
I know this is technically my Drugstore Friday post and I'm posting it late on Thursday night, but I wanted to get this up before the BOGO 50% off sale is over for you lovelies since I'm not sure when it ends!
I saw these a little while ago and had to grab them! Most of the Revlon products were on sale BOGO 50% off, so it was a good excuse to give them a try.
Hot Pink
Strawberry
Price
These were priced at $7.49 retail at the store I purchased them, but they were on sale BOGO 50% off, so I only paid $11.24 for 2!
Where to Buy
These can be found any place the carries Revlon cosmetics such as Walgreens, CVS, Target, etc. I purchased mine at Walgreens.
Final Thoughts
I am really impressed with these! I'm admittedly a bit of a makeup snob and I typically prefer high-end or indie cosmetics (largely due to the ingredients and performance), but these have definitely won my approval. The colors were lovely and quite pigmented, the flecks weren't gritty, and (for those of you that hate sticky gloss) these weren't super sticky. The price is reasonable and I think these glosses could stand head-to-head with a few high-end glosses I love. If you want some cute glosses to add a pop of color this Spring and you don't mind using a cruelty-free drugstore brand, definitely give these a try! And yes, from what I can find Revlon is cruelty-free unlike Maybelline and L'Oreal, unfortunately.
What do you think? Would you give these a try?
I saw these a little while ago and had to grab them! Most of the Revlon products were on sale BOGO 50% off, so it was a good excuse to give them a try.
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I was actually kind of impressed with the packaging to a degree. I hate when packaging feels cheap, but these feel solid. Also, I'd like to point out that (while it's a little hard to see) the applicator isn't what I'd call a true doe foot applicator because it's more of a flat paddle covered with the fuzzy stuff (so technical, I know) rather than an angled applicator. I've gotten somewhat use to using the paddle-like applicators after falling in love with Anastasia Hydrafull lipgloss. |
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Here are the ingredients for those of you that are ingredient-conscious. |
Hot Pink
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Hot Pink - So pretty! I wondered if the little flecks would be a bit gritty, but they really weren't. |
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Hot Pink - So pretty! Now I have to point out, this is not identical to what it looked like on Jessica Alba in the ad. I love it as it is, but I hate when ads don't accurately portray products! |
Strawberry
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Strawberry - Doesn't that remind you of a fresh, glittery strawberry? The second I saw it I snatched it up. |
Price
These were priced at $7.49 retail at the store I purchased them, but they were on sale BOGO 50% off, so I only paid $11.24 for 2!
Where to Buy
These can be found any place the carries Revlon cosmetics such as Walgreens, CVS, Target, etc. I purchased mine at Walgreens.
Final Thoughts
I am really impressed with these! I'm admittedly a bit of a makeup snob and I typically prefer high-end or indie cosmetics (largely due to the ingredients and performance), but these have definitely won my approval. The colors were lovely and quite pigmented, the flecks weren't gritty, and (for those of you that hate sticky gloss) these weren't super sticky. The price is reasonable and I think these glosses could stand head-to-head with a few high-end glosses I love. If you want some cute glosses to add a pop of color this Spring and you don't mind using a cruelty-free drugstore brand, definitely give these a try! And yes, from what I can find Revlon is cruelty-free unlike Maybelline and L'Oreal, unfortunately.
What do you think? Would you give these a try?
Wednesday
Swatch & Review: A-England Tristam & Avalon
I am so excited to share this post with you! I'm sure you've seen me tweet and blog about A-England before. I recently mentioned the amazing sale held a few weeks ago.
From the first moment I stumbled across A-England I knew I'd fallen in polish-love. A small UK-based indie polish company that is both 3-Free and cruelty-free, A-England is the brainchild of the lovely and creative Adina. As you know I'm prone to rambling (and I can't help but gush over this company) I'll get right into the 2 polishes I purchased from The Mythicals. I do want to mention that in addition to the first collection--The Mythicals--A-England has just released a new collection called The Legend that is to die for! Talk about holographic-euphoria in a polish bottle! Anyway, back to Tristam and Avalon...
Avalon
Color description - This is a royal purple that glows from within with micro-fleck of blue and pink.
Application/Opacity - Oh. My. Gosh. Now I know I'm a little picky when it comes to polish formulas, but this one blew my socks off! It applies perfectly and allows you a level of control I rarely see. There was no streaking and this polish was 100% opaque and even with 2 coats. I'd also like to point out that it dries with what might be the glossiest finish I've ever seen. Ah! Amazing!
Tristam
Color description - This has a deep denim-blue base with a million micro-flecks twinkling from within.
Application/Opacity - Again, this formula is perfection. It is smooth, easy to apply, and perfectly opaque with 2 coats. One thing I'd really like to point out is that I've tried a long list of polishes with micro-flecks and I often find that the tinted or colored polish base mutes or even conceals the majority of the flecks. I have no idea how Adina has done it, but the micro-flecks explode right out of this polish base! No need to do a quick swipe of polish remover to make these starry flecks sing, the polish is perfect as it is.
Price
These are currently sold by A-England for £9, which converts to roughly $13.99 USD as of this post. If you're in the US, interested in purchasing, and want to know what your total will be get an accurate conversion the day you plan to purchase as exchange rates go up and down. I also want to note that A-England offers free shipping on all orders, including international orders! That blew me away and definitely makes up to a degree for the conversion rate for us here in the US ;)
Where to Buy
As far as I know, the only place you can purchase A-England polishes is directly from A-england's site www.a-england.co.uk. To purchase from the new The Legend collection, as they're not yet listed on the site, you can email A-England with your choices directly at [email protected]. I highly recommend following A-England on facebook and twitter and it's a great way to keep tabs on what Adina's cooking up and see swatches posted by other A-England fans.
Final Thoughts
As if you hadn't already guessed, I am in polish-love with A-England! Everything from the way the formulas apply to the beautifully complex shades has me gushing to everyone I know. I highly recommend purchasing. Shipping is free (even to us here in the US) and while it may take a little bit to reach you (my polish shipped on the 13th and got here last night--the 24th) it is absolutely worth it! I can't wait to purchase more from A-England. It may take a little while to get all of the colors I want (especially from The Legend collection, I'm eye-ing all of them), but I'm determined to do so!
I only wish Adina formulated eye shadows as complex as her polishes--you know what an eye shadow junkie I am.
What do you think? Are you as lovestruck as I am?
From the first moment I stumbled across A-England I knew I'd fallen in polish-love. A small UK-based indie polish company that is both 3-Free and cruelty-free, A-England is the brainchild of the lovely and creative Adina. As you know I'm prone to rambling (and I can't help but gush over this company) I'll get right into the 2 polishes I purchased from The Mythicals. I do want to mention that in addition to the first collection--The Mythicals--A-England has just released a new collection called The Legend that is to die for! Talk about holographic-euphoria in a polish bottle! Anyway, back to Tristam and Avalon...
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Left to Right - Avalon, Tristam. This picture doesn't do either of them justice, you'll see how amazing they are below! |
Avalon
Color description - This is a royal purple that glows from within with micro-fleck of blue and pink.
Application/Opacity - Oh. My. Gosh. Now I know I'm a little picky when it comes to polish formulas, but this one blew my socks off! It applies perfectly and allows you a level of control I rarely see. There was no streaking and this polish was 100% opaque and even with 2 coats. I'd also like to point out that it dries with what might be the glossiest finish I've ever seen. Ah! Amazing!
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Avalon is such a gorgeous royal purple that is elegant, yet complex. There's so much depth! |
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As you can see, it's very true to color on your nail when compared to in the bottle. Again, this was a dream come true to apply and the finish is glass-like perfection! |
Tristam
Color description - This has a deep denim-blue base with a million micro-flecks twinkling from within.
Application/Opacity - Again, this formula is perfection. It is smooth, easy to apply, and perfectly opaque with 2 coats. One thing I'd really like to point out is that I've tried a long list of polishes with micro-flecks and I often find that the tinted or colored polish base mutes or even conceals the majority of the flecks. I have no idea how Adina has done it, but the micro-flecks explode right out of this polish base! No need to do a quick swipe of polish remover to make these starry flecks sing, the polish is perfect as it is.
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Tristam looks as though Adina bottled a starry night sky. |
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Again, you lose nothing when you apply Tristam to your nail. Tristam is as amazingly impressive on your nail as it is in the bottle. |
Price
These are currently sold by A-England for £9, which converts to roughly $13.99 USD as of this post. If you're in the US, interested in purchasing, and want to know what your total will be get an accurate conversion the day you plan to purchase as exchange rates go up and down. I also want to note that A-England offers free shipping on all orders, including international orders! That blew me away and definitely makes up to a degree for the conversion rate for us here in the US ;)
Where to Buy
As far as I know, the only place you can purchase A-England polishes is directly from A-england's site www.a-england.co.uk. To purchase from the new The Legend collection, as they're not yet listed on the site, you can email A-England with your choices directly at [email protected]. I highly recommend following A-England on facebook and twitter and it's a great way to keep tabs on what Adina's cooking up and see swatches posted by other A-England fans.
Final Thoughts
As if you hadn't already guessed, I am in polish-love with A-England! Everything from the way the formulas apply to the beautifully complex shades has me gushing to everyone I know. I highly recommend purchasing. Shipping is free (even to us here in the US) and while it may take a little bit to reach you (my polish shipped on the 13th and got here last night--the 24th) it is absolutely worth it! I can't wait to purchase more from A-England. It may take a little while to get all of the colors I want (especially from The Legend collection, I'm eye-ing all of them), but I'm determined to do so!
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I had to take a shot of these beauties on my polish rack! Look how perfectly they fit--the logo is even completely visible! |
I only wish Adina formulated eye shadows as complex as her polishes--you know what an eye shadow junkie I am.
What do you think? Are you as lovestruck as I am?
Tuesday
Swatch & Review: Wet N Wild Spoiled Polish Mini Haul
I saw a Wet N Wild Spoiled nail polish display a few weeks ago and snatched up a couple that caught my eye. For the price of $1.99 per bottle, I figured I could afford to hate them if they didn't work out!
Paying with Platinum
Color description - In the bottle this looks like a dupe for Ki--kind of a silvery gun metal gray with purple and green flashes. Once applied, this is more of a milky silver with a subtle lavender sheen.
Application/Opacity - This had a decent formula with very mild streaking. I found that at 2 coats it was too sheer and had no flash to it. At 3 coats it was mostly opaque (but not completely) and had a subtle flash of lavendar.
Did I Dye it Too Blonde?
Color description - This is a hot, dayglo, highlighter yellow that is nuts in person!
Application/Opacity - I had my fingers crossed that this would be opaque, but kind of assumed it wouldn't be given the fact that I rarely see a color like this that's actually opaque. Unfortunately, this was semi-sheer. I honestly didn't mind that it was, but if you're looking for opacity keep looking. This applied very smooth and it was even, though sheer. I tried this over a white polish, but didn't find that it did the trick (see below).
I'm so Jaded (or Permission to Proceed?)
Color description - Bright, in-your-face lime green with subtle gold micro-glitter. Even though this is labeled as "I'm so Jaded", it matches images I've seen of Permission to Proceed so I think this was mis-labeled.
Application/Opacity - This applied beautifully! I did 2 coats and found it to be perfect, but you could do a third if you applied it thin and wanted it a bit more vibrant.
Price
Wet N Wild Spoiled nail polishes are priced at $1.99 retail. I repeat, these are under $2 for fabulous polishes!
Where to Buy
I believe I heard these are CVS exclusives and the 2 displays I've seen have been picked through fairly thoroughly as the last couple weeks have gone by. I'd run out now and grab some if you're interested!
Final Thoughts
Even though my brushes looked as though someone had tried to eat them for snack, I'm super impressed with these polishes! Application was smooth and even though 2 weren't completely opaque, they were pretty anyway. I'm so Jade (or Permission to Proceed) is absolutely my favorite, followed by Did I Dye it Too Blonde?. I've gotta get a second bottle of the lime green and I need to get my hot little hands on Shrimp on a Barbie, Plenty of Fish in the Sea, Kickin' The Habit, Battle Of The Sexes, Are Mermaids Real?, and Black Mamba.
I've gotta find some new displays to pick through! What do you think, have these caught your eye?
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Spoiled by Wet N Wild (left to right): Paying with Platinum, I'm so Jaded (which I believe was mis-marked and is actually Permission to Proceed), Did I Dye it Too Blonde? |
Paying with Platinum
Color description - In the bottle this looks like a dupe for Ki--kind of a silvery gun metal gray with purple and green flashes. Once applied, this is more of a milky silver with a subtle lavender sheen.
Application/Opacity - This had a decent formula with very mild streaking. I found that at 2 coats it was too sheer and had no flash to it. At 3 coats it was mostly opaque (but not completely) and had a subtle flash of lavendar.
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Isn't this gorgeous in the bottle? I was really curious to see how well the duo held up once applied. |
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I was surprised by how well my camera picked up the lavender flash, it was actually a bit more subtle in person. As you can see, there is no green flash like in the bottle. |
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Here's a closer view of Paying with Platinum. Again, no green to be seen, but definitely some lavender. Again, my camera picked up the duo a bit more than my eye was able to! |
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I'm usually very good when it comes to color memory. The second I saw Paying with Platinum I knew it looked like a perfect dupe for Zoya Ki. Look at that! |
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Here's a shot from a different angle so you can see how they both change for fun! Anyway, as you can see, Zoya Ki and Wet N Wild Spoiled Paying with Platinum are not dupes. |
Did I Dye it Too Blonde?
Color description - This is a hot, dayglo, highlighter yellow that is nuts in person!
Application/Opacity - I had my fingers crossed that this would be opaque, but kind of assumed it wouldn't be given the fact that I rarely see a color like this that's actually opaque. Unfortunately, this was semi-sheer. I honestly didn't mind that it was, but if you're looking for opacity keep looking. This applied very smooth and it was even, though sheer. I tried this over a white polish, but didn't find that it did the trick (see below).
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I think this is a super hot yellow and I don't mind at all that it's somewhat sheer. It glows! It dries a tad matte, but not? You'll see! |
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The brush - It was very hard to capture and I have no idea why, but the end was extremely uneven and chewed up. It did make applying the polish a tad more difficult. |
I'm so Jaded (or Permission to Proceed?)
Color description - Bright, in-your-face lime green with subtle gold micro-glitter. Even though this is labeled as "I'm so Jaded", it matches images I've seen of Permission to Proceed so I think this was mis-labeled.
Application/Opacity - This applied beautifully! I did 2 coats and found it to be perfect, but you could do a third if you applied it thin and wanted it a bit more vibrant.
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This takes my breath away! My nails looked like lime jelly beans sprinkled with gold dust! Ah! |
Price
Wet N Wild Spoiled nail polishes are priced at $1.99 retail. I repeat, these are under $2 for fabulous polishes!
Where to Buy
I believe I heard these are CVS exclusives and the 2 displays I've seen have been picked through fairly thoroughly as the last couple weeks have gone by. I'd run out now and grab some if you're interested!
Final Thoughts
Even though my brushes looked as though someone had tried to eat them for snack, I'm super impressed with these polishes! Application was smooth and even though 2 weren't completely opaque, they were pretty anyway. I'm so Jade (or Permission to Proceed) is absolutely my favorite, followed by Did I Dye it Too Blonde?. I've gotta get a second bottle of the lime green and I need to get my hot little hands on Shrimp on a Barbie, Plenty of Fish in the Sea, Kickin' The Habit, Battle Of The Sexes, Are Mermaids Real?, and Black Mamba.
I've gotta find some new displays to pick through! What do you think, have these caught your eye?
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