I wholeheartedly agree with Daneen on the OPI Holland Collection for Spring/Summer 2012. Very rarely do I see a collection and want basically all of the colors, but I was more than happy to take any colors that Daneen was willing to share. (more…)
Polished
Polished: Deborah Lippmann Stormy Weather
Stormy Weather is the product of two people who are among the best in their industries. Deborah Lippmann is a top manicurist who has her own line that includes over 65 shades of nail polish. Narciso Rodriguez a fashion designer known for his sleek, modern designs and use of clean colors. I am an admirer of both of their work! Stormy weather is a shade that Deborah Lippmann created with Narciso Rodriguez for his Fall 2011 show. It is a deep granite creme shade, that is unlike any color I have seen on the market. As a fan of dark and unexpected nail polish, I had to have this color. I was very excited when it appeared in my Christmas stocking, and could not wait to get some time for a manicure.
This is a great quality polish. It went on smoothly, and looked exactly like it did in the bottle. Above is a shot of two coats of the polish.
Then, it was time to play. After admiring matte effect nails for a long time, I finally purchased my own matte topcoat. I chose OPI for Sephora ($9.50). Here is a shot of Stormy Weather and a matte topcoat.
I could not be happier with this manicure!
-Alyssa
Polished: OPI Rainbow Connection
“Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me!”
OPI’s Rainbow Connection (from The Muppets collection) is billed as the rainbow glitter of your dreams, and oh, it is. This polish contains both small and large chunks of multi-colored glitter – blue, silver, red, orange, pink, green!
I had to to turn off my flash in iPhoto just to get a decent picture of my manicure, as all the photos I took with the flash on just looked like a blur of glitter.
This polish is definitely statement-making, and I think it is a great accessory for the holidays. I am considering a base coat of black polish, topped with Rainbow Connection as my festive manicure for New Year’s Eve. What do you think of this polish?
-Alyssa
Polished: Best of MAKE UP FOR EVER Kit
As a fan of long-wear makeup, I was ecstatic to receive the Wild and Chic Best of MAKE UP FOR EVER Kit.
It includes:
- HD Microfinish Powder
- Aqua Cream in 13 Warm Beige (champagne shimmer)
- Travel Aqua Eyes in Mat Black 0L (black)
- Lab Shine in Star Collection – S4 (pearly pink beige)
- HD Microperfecting Primer
- Smoky Lash Extra Black Mascara
I usually spend about five minutes on my makeup every morning. Before leaving the house (yes, I’m one of those girls) I apply foundation, pressed powder, eyeliner, mascara, and lip stain – at minimum. I recently tested all of the products in this kit, minus the lipgloss. No offense to MAKE UP FOR EVER, but I’m not a gloss girl.
First, here is a photo of me with no makeup on. This is what I start with.I first applied the HD Microperfecting Primer, which made my skin feel smooth and wasn’t too heavy. I then applied my regular foundation. Next up was the Aqua Eyes eyeliner (inside upper lid, and on upper lid), which was precise but had smude-ability. I added Aqua Cream in 13 from the liner to my brow bone, and it gave the perfect amount of color and highlight. Then two coats of Smoky Lash Mascara, which I was probably the most curious about. My lashes are long, and hit my brow bone, so at the end of every day I have to make sure I haven’t turned into a raccoon. Finally, I dusted the HD Microfinish Powder over my entire face.
This whole process took about 10 minutes. I was eager to see if my extra time in the morning would hold up by the end of the day. This is what I looked like at 8 a.m., post makeup application.
I then walked eight blocks to work on a foggy and humid day, had a typical seven hour day at work, and walked home the eight blocks in the humidity. This was unintentionally the perfect day to test these products!
Here is a photo of what I looked like when I got home.
Everything had held up really well! The eyeliner, Aqua Cream, and mascara looked as good as they had 10 hours earlier. My foundation had melted a little, mostly in the T-zone area, which was to be expected after a humid day.
Overall, I adore this product set, and it was absolutely worth doubling the amount of time I spend applying makeup in the morning. I would suggest this most to ladies who have a long day ahead of them, and no time for a mirror check. Trust me, all MAKE UP FOR EVER products will stay exactly where you applied them, and you will look fresh and lovely (not made-up and cakey).
The Wild and Chic Best of Make Up For Ever Kit ($55) is available exclusively at Sephora and Sephora.com.
-Alyssa