Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Birthday, Illamasqua!

Two of my favorite British things turned a little older this week.... Yesterday it was Gavin, today it's Illamasqua!

Illamasqua turns one year old today. How cool is that?

I've been kind of in love with Illamasqua ever since I laid eyes on this:


Illamasqua Rampage

Happy birthday, Illamasqua! I hope there's many more years of dark, edgy and awesome nail polish and makeup to come!




Thursday, October 29, 2009

More Nail Designs from Fing'rs EDGE!

Halloween is this weekend! I know that a lot of people are using fake nails as part of their costumes, and I recently received some new styles of press-on artificial nails from Fing'rs to try. Some of these styles would be great for Halloween (or just every day)!

Here's the 31388 style and the 31194 style.

31388 is a sheer nude base with a hot pink french tip and a black diagonal grid design. They're inspired by International Recording Artist Mylin, who I'll admit I've never heard of, but she looks kinda like Jackie Warner. I think these would go great with an 80's/90's Prom Queen costume!

The 31194 style is a sheer nude base with white french tip and black polka dots. Very retro-50's looking, maybe these would go well with a retro glamour girl costume. I really wanted to wear these. Boo. They're so cute.

As much as I was looking forward to putting these on to review, I couldn't. To be completely honest, these are too short for me to even wear. As I was sizing the tips and getting ready to apply, I realized that these nails only covered about 3/4 of my nail bed. I would literally have to cut off my fingertips to wear these... so, sadly, I can't show pictures of these on my nails. When they say short, THEY MEAN IT! Hahahaha. I have long nail beds with fairly 'skinny' nails so many press-on nails don't fit me exactly right. I think these are better suited for someone with naturally shorter nail beds and wider nails.

However, one of the styles just barely fit my fingers!

Style 31269. A sheer nude base with deep blue metallic tips. Really cool looking. The tip is kinda glowy and reflective. Would make a good polish color. I wonder if I have a polish that matches this color? Hmm.

Here's how they look on me:


Pretend that you don't see my middle and pinkie nails sticking up over the top of the fakes. I had to file my nails down as far as they would go without bleeding to wear these, but my pinkie and middle were still just a bit too long.

I think they look pretty good, if not a little too wide for my nail beds. I can handle a french manicure when the tip is a fun color, and this blue is really fun. You can see in the flash picture that it's very reflective. It always has a section where the light is hitting the tip and there's a lighter stripe. It moves as you move your hands. Really fascinating!

I used the included glue to apply these, but they also come with stick-on tabs. The tabs are great if you only want to wear these for the night, as they remove *very* easily with warm water. The glue will give you a week of wear if you wanted to keep them on for a while.

For some tips on application, check out my older press-on nail reviews! But really, the two things you really need to know are:

Don't use too much glue. Just a little on the center of your natural nail. Otherwise the glue will get EVERYWHERE and you'll glue your hands to things unintentionally. Not like I'd know... *cough cough*

Press down hard! If you release the nail before the glue is dry or your pressure is uneven, this can cause air bubbles. Air bubbles not only look obvious with a sheer base nail like this, but they can collect moisture and condensation which can lead to some nasty things growing under your nail.

Other than that, these are fun and easy to use. A quick way to change your nails for an event. Best suited for people with shorter nail beds. I myself prefer a much longer nail, but I've heard from many people when I do my fake nail reviews that a short length is preferred for them. So, your mileage may vary!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Lip balm?

Okay, this is totally random but I figured you guys would have some great suggestions.

Recommend me a lip balm!

I normally like My Lip Stuff but I'm wanting something thicker or more substantial.

So, what's your favorite lip balm everyone?

EDIT: Holy crap, you guys ROCK!! I knew I could count on you for awesome recommendations. I now have a lip balm wishlist about a mile long! If you still have suggestions, keep them coming, I'm going lip balm shopping! :D Thank you so much. Group hug. Awwwwe.

Heidi Klum Hair 2009, 2010



Heidi Klum Hair 2009, 2010

One of the celebrities to watch for new trendy hairstyles is Heidi Klum. This talented actress is blessed with beautiful long blonde tresses and doesn’t mind experimenting with new ways to wear her hair or create a completely new look with a different hair color.
Heidi Klum Medium Hair

Heidi Klum has worn hairstyles that range from medium length, sharp angled cuts to sexy, long and sassy soft waves on her golden blonde hair. And she has also be known to wow the crowd with intricate up styles that are suited for her face shape and fit her personality well, giving her extra star power.
Heidi Klum Wavy Hair

As a former model for Victoria’s Secret, she knows how to style her hair in a way that makes it her own, making her a true trendsetter to watch for great hairstyles. Heidi Klum looks spectacular when she wears her long blonde hair pulled back to create a soft chignon style. This look is absolutely gorgeous with the top of her hair style as a crown with a soft goddess braid and then woven into the rest of her fabulous tresses. This is an ideal look for any special occasion especially for evenings on the red carpet. Heidi Klum is a busy actress but she is also the mother of three active young children. When she is in this mode she keeps her long blonde tresses tucked in a ponytail that is razor cut at the end with a full fringe bang to frame her forehead for a hassle free look on the go.
Photos/PR PHOTOS

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Hard Candy Just Nails

You may have recently heard me complaining about having to go to Wal-Mart to find these and leaving empty handed every time. While the hunt for these polishes was not the least bit pleasant, the reward was worth the ordeal.

I didn't pick up all the shades- I left the cremes behind. I'm more interested in glitter, but there was a yellow creme and a light teal creme that looked pretty good, I may go back and get them at some point.

Here's what I got from Hard Candy Just Nails:

Breakup. A clear-ish base with very large particle opalescent hexagonal glitter. I say that the base is clear-ish because it's speckled with little shimmer particles, smaller than glitter but large enough to make the base a little milky and sparkly. On me, mostly the orange-yellow-red side of the opal glitter shows. In the bottle it has a blue-purple-green side that I just adore and wish it showed more on me. This might be best as a topcoat because it's not the most opaque glitter in the world.


Date Night. Light medium warm pink glitter. Remember when I was posting about the new Zoya UltraGlitters and I said that all the pink glitters on the market were the same color? They're this color. This is pretty, don't get me wrong, but I wish the shade was more unique.



Envy. Vampy blue-green shimmer. This is the color I used for my Depression Awareness ribbon manicure- you didn't forget that it's still Depression Awareness Month, did you? This is a gorgeous color, blackened and still shimmery. It does look mostly black indoors and in sunlight the shimmer catches the light and it's just really pretty to look at. I wish it was a little less blue-based and a touch more yellow-toned. Lots of blue-greens out there lately.


Hot Pants. Ick. I mean.... Murky mauve-pink sheer base with large holo hex glitter and small holo round glitter. This is a really weak version of China Glaze Carnival Lights or Nubar Sugar or something. I do like the look of sheer colored base with hexagonal holo glitter, I just wish the base color wasn't so muddy and ew. It looks terrible on me. It should have been pinker or brighter, this base shade looks kind of lifeless to me. Works great as a topcoat, though.


Lava. HOTNESS. Bright red shimmer base with gold-orange iridescent metallic flecks. It's not really glitter... More like tiny little broken flakes. I love this. A lot. I've been a red-hater for a long time (to me it's boring, uninspired and overdone) and within the past year my taste has changed so much. Now I'm craving bright reds like this. But enough about me... Lava has a very iridescent, almost duochrome look to it. It flickers and changes in the light, like it's filled with little glowing embers or tiny flames. Lots of red, orange and gold flakes.


Mr. Right. Vampy dark blue shimmer. Whoa mama. Blue velvet. Gorgeous. Probably not the least bit unique, but still... very pretty to look at, isn't it? Like Envy, it does look mostly black with a hint of blue shimmer indoors, but outside when the sun catches it just right... perfection.



Mr. Wrong. If this is wrong, I don't wanna be right. It's a steel blue, grey, silver, gold and taupe metal flake fusion. This is probably the coolest polish in the whole line. Gahhh, it's so awesome!! It's a bunch of tiny little flecks of metallic shimmer- not really glitter like in Date Night or Sweet P. The particles are very thin and light. The overall effect is mesmerizing.



Sweet P. Cause everyone needs a mother.... Er, sorry. I hate that song. But I do like it when polish names make me think of music. Aaaaaaaanyway, Sweet P is a pea-soup glitter. Okay, it's not as murky-swampy as pea soup, it's more like fresh peas. Bright springy green glitter. A little muted. Kind of a retro-70's avocado refrigerator look. Or like the paint on one of those carnival rides. I'm digging it. Green, glitter, what's not to love? It's not as bright or complex as NYX Lime Sparkle, though.


The formula on these was okay. A little thick on a few, sort of watery on the others. Kinda sheer. Took a long time to dry. Not horrible, but it's not going to win any awards. I did three coats in all these pictures and they needed all three. Maybe Lava and Mr. Right could get away with two. Also worth noting: these are mini sized. .35 fluid ounces. Standard polish size is .5 fluid ounces. These also come with little plastic rings that fall off easily, do not try to pick up the bottle by the rings. The old Hard Candy jelly rings stayed on much better.

I have a few thoughts on these. One, I'm happy to see Hard Candy back with interesting colors, but I'm also a little disappointed that they're not as cool as they used to be. There's still hope- these colors aren't boring, but they're not the edgy, unique shades Hard Candy was known for.

Second, I'm kinda irked that I have to go to Wal-Mart to get these. It's kind of like shopping at the circus. Stuff hanging off of shelves in narrow, dirty, dimly lit aisles, nail polish covering the floor and all displays within a ten foot radius, dozens of unsupervised children running around screaming... (Sorry, Wal-Mart lovers, I just can't do it!) I also feel that being sold only at Wal-Mart cheapens the already devalued image of Hard Candy. The Hard Candy line really went downhill in the last few years, offering chalky makeup in standard shades and four boring polish colors. I'd love to see this brand restored to its former self. I still have my first two Hard Candy lipsticks- Piglet and Skitzo- even though they are totally rancid and unwearable, as a relic of good days gone by.

Third, what's up with the price?? $5.00 for a mini? From Wal-Mart? You've got to be kidding me. I guess I'm just so used to paying $4.48 for OPI and $3.20 for China Glaze, which are full-sized AND pro/salon brands (not drugstore brands). I have nothing against drugstore polish at all, but I do think $5.00 for .35fl oz of Wal-Mart polish is a little steep. Hard Candy, you're no longer a high-end brand, you don't need the prestige price tag.

But... overall... I really like most of the colors I got, I would actually wear almost all of them and I'm happy that they're at least available to everyone who wants them. The makeup line looked kinda cool, if I see some good reviews I might actually venture back to that place to try some of it.

Trendy, Stylish Boys Haircuts 2010



Trendy, Stylish Boys Haircuts 2010

When people think about hairstyles they generally imagine girls but boys have been getting haircuts for years. There are various hairstyles for boys. Some boys have long hair; sometimes it is longer than most girls.
2010 Trendy Haircut For Boys

Some boys like to wear their hair long and straight while others might prefer to wear it wavy. A boy’s haircut can also be longer in the back and sides with shorter layers in the front. Generally the hair is cut shorter around the face. This is a very popular style and many boys have adopted it. Another haircut features side swept bangs in the front and longer length throughout the back. Another popular haircut is a little longer in the front but cut shrort and tapered on the side. This is popular for both young and old boys because it is easy to maintain and it is always in style.
Of course some boys prefer to have their hair cut very low and they wear what is called a buzz cut. This haircut is very simple. The hair is simply cut down almost to the scalp. Spiky hair is also popular with the boys. Some boys have short layers cut in the top of their hair while the sides are shorter and tapered. Hair gel or spray can be used to create spikes at the top of the hair.
Photos/PR PHOTOS

Monday, October 26, 2009

A few more of the China Glaze glitters

I don't have them all yet, but here are a few more of the new China Glaze 'Specialty Collection' glitters... I love them.


Atlantis. This is kind of a medium blue-green/teal/aqua jelly base with lots of holographic glitter. I included a picture of it blurred to show just how sparkly the glitter in this is. For some reason, the blurrier the picture, the better the glitter sparkle shows! Anyway, Atlantis is my favorite so far. I love it. I've worn it the most out of all of them and I'm still not tired of it!

Cleopatra. This is a warmer/orangier gold than Medallion. It's a lot of tiny particles of golden and holographic glitter.


Medallion. A softer, more yellowy-beige gold than Cleopatra, lots of holographic glitter.



Nova. Super-sparkly silver holographic glitter. This one has some larger and smaller particles blended together. The effect is spectacular in the sunlight, even my blurred picture doesn't show just how sparkly it really is.


Like the others, these have a smooth formula that applies easily and dries in a reasonable amount of time. Not fast, but not as slow as the other China Glaze ones I've had trouble with before. These pictures are three coats. The glitter in these is definitely dense enough to be worn alone, but will also work as a glitter topcoat. These are a little gritty and really do need a coat of Seche Vite or other thick topcoat to make them smooth and glossy. Two coats of topcoat would be even nicer, but not necessary.

Still in love with all these new China Glaze glitters.... Will post more when I pick up the rest of them!

Saturday, October 24, 2009

MOTD



My new friend

Emmy Rossum Fashionable Hairstyles



Emmy Rossum's Fashionable Hairstyles

Emmy Rosum has not been much of a style icon but yet her fair complexion, her beautiful dark brown hair, big eyes, high cheek bones and her warm smile make her easy to be spotted amongst the crowd.
Emmy Rossum's Hair

Emmy has worked in movies like The Day After Tomorrow, Posiedon, and Dragonball: Evolution, and it is noteworthy to see that she has flaunted such amazingly different hair styles in all these and many more movies. Hence even though Emmy has sported and successfully carried many different looks in her movies so has she fashioned many different hairstyles as well as but not in one case can it be said that she did not look out standing.
Emmy Rossum's Lovely Hairstyle

She has sported every type of hair style with equal élan and poise. Be it long straight tresses or medium length wavy hair, curly hair or wavy short hair. The actress has worn and flaunted it all.
Photos/PR PHOTOS

Friday, October 23, 2009

These are a few of our favorite things ...

Inspired by our buddies over at Jacked, today I thought I would showcase some of the boys' favorite things!

Gio's favorite things are pretty vague, really. Most of the items in the picture merely represent a wide array of things that Gio loves! His food bowl represents food in general, he doesn't actually TASTE anything that goes in his mouth. So he loves it all the same. And the tug toy represents the act of tugging. He'll tug on anything, this is just one of the many options. The sheep, though, is a special toy. He loves that squeaky above all other squeakies. The leash, is the object of focus at any time. He knows exactly where his leash is at any moment of the day. Because leash = going somewhere, and that is ALL GOOD! And the clicker is very much like the leash. The clicker = training, which again is ALL GOOD! And finally, the tennis ball. That is self explanatory. Nothing more needed there regarding the tennis ball obsession that is Gio's life.


Romeo's favorite things are equally vague. The bag of treats representing any treat-like substance or any edible item given as a treat. The clicker again representing training, which in Gio's words, is ALL GOOD! And the ball representing any ball of any texture or size. As long as it rolls, can be thrown, and is therefore chase-able. Peanut butter (also synonymous with Cheez Whiz in Romeo's world) is a very specific love. Likewise with the squirrel (of which we have three getting equal rotation) and the large rubber pig.

So ... what are YOUR favorite things?!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

A quick word on emails

I don't know how to start this post, so I'll just get right to the point: I'm having trouble keeping up with my inbox!

If you've emailed me and haven't gotten a response, I'm really sorry. It's been really difficult to stay on top of my emails lately. I have emails over a month old that are still waiting to be answered. I'm having a lot of trouble concentrating, remembering things and flat out finding time to sit and write coherent sentences. Please be patient with me, I am working through my messages.

Also, I am working on a Frequently Asked Questions post to cover some of the more popular questions I receive, such as "Are your nails real?" (Yes, they are.) "What topcoat/basecoat do you use?" "How do you keep from painting on your cuticles?" "Where can I buy ___ brand of polish?" and so on... That should really help me answer questions more quickly.

There's so much I want to say and do and post and it's really a lot for one person to keep up with every day- but I try my best!

I really, really appreciate all your emails. I love that you like me enough to visit my blog and want to talk to me! Cause I like you guys too. Thank you. <3

2010 Hair Tips For Men



2010 Hair Tips For Men


We always hear and read about women’s hair. But men want to have great hair too. There is no need for men to look like they have straw for hair. The following are a few good tips for any man who wants to take care of his hair.

Keep Cool
When you’ve been working out, or just had a hard day, nothing is better than a hot shower. Your hair hates you for it. Hot showers strip essential oils out of your hair and leave it dry. If you take a lot of hot showers but have dry hair, now you know why.

No Rubbing
Never rub your hair with a towel. It is the worse possible way you can dry your hair as it causes breakage and tangles. Pay your hair with a towel and let it dry on its own. If you have to use the towel to dry it more fully, then starting at your roots, run the towel over your hair the same direction that it grows. Yes, it takes longer. But your hair will be healthier.

Avoid the Chemicals
Only use what chemicals you absolutely have to. If your hair is short, you don’t really need any chemicals. Any chemical you use has the potential to damage your hair and if you like perms or colors, you need to watch out.

Condition
Conditioner is your friend. It’s not just a girl thing. Find your hair type and use a shampoo and conditioner for that type. Don’t shampoo your hair every day (unless it’s grimy of course!) but do condition a couple times a week. Your hair will look great and the ladies will love it!
Photo/PR PHOTOS

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Need Zoya swatches?

I've noticed a lot of searches for Zoya swatches on here for the past few hours... They must be having a special!
Link
Need some swatches to help you decide? Prepare for SPAM!! (And don't forget to look here as well!)


Anastasia

Aria

Bebe


Evangeline

Eve

Ginger

Harmonie

Irene

Juno

Kaufda

Kierra


Marry J

Milla


Odilia

Paris


Sienna

Soho Punch


Sparkle Gloss Topcoat

Tama

Tosca

Vegas Freeze

Venus

*whew*




 

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