Julep Contest on Facebook

Hey everyone! I don't know too much about Juelp other than they are supposed to be cruelty-free and they have a rather expensive box program. But here is a chance to win one of every bottle in their line- something like 60 shades! It is through facebook so you'll need an account but you can check it out here: http://bit.ly/tNJVQI

Good luck!

Cult Nails Get It On Base Coat and Wicked Fast Top Coat~ Review

Cult Nails was offering a deal with the release of their Base and Top Coats Get It On, and Wicked Fast a little while ago and I've been putting both of them through the wringer testing them out! I've now used them for four separate manicures with differing types of polishes and formulas.

First off, like the other Cult Nail polishes, these are well priced ($8 USD each or $15 USD for the two of them together) and have a easy to hold sleek cylinder bottle with excellent brush. Both have excellent consistency- a ever so slightly thin formula that applies easily to the nail. Wicked Fast is especially surprising in this aspect because all previous quick dry top coats I've tried are gloopy.

Wicked Fast is clear whereas Get It On is tinted pink. At first I was a little skeptical about the pink tint with the Get It On but now I'm so glad! It does somehow seem to brighten the nail just by itself, it doesn't affect the polish colour layered over it at all, and it makes it easy to spot out of all my other polishes. I almost wish the Wicked Fast was tinted blue so I could spot it easily too!

Get It On has a slightly rubberized texture to it to help with adhesion as well as ingredients to help with peeling, spliting, strengthening, and thinning nails. That's a whole bunch of stuff in one! It doesn't help with my splitting nails that I sometimes get as much as the Nail Tek II does, but my splitting is quite hard core at times so I wasn't expecting it to fix it. It doesn't seem to aggravate the issue though which is nice. On top of all that Wicked Fast is supposed to keep the same consistency throughout the bottle (unlike China Glaze's Fast Forward coat which becomes a sludgy mess half way through) and of course like all of Cult Nails polishes is Big Three Free.

Wicked Fast dries quicker than any other quick dry top coat I've tried, including my well loved China Glaze Fast Forward Top Coat. In addition to this you only need a thin layer of this stuff, which is the complete opposite of the China Glaze one which you have to almost flood the nail when applying. It also dries quite shiny too. Get It On has a very small drying time too.

Now onto what I'm sure most of you are waiting for, does it help my manicure last? GOSH YES! Plus, it dries so quick that I don't have to be careful with my fingers in worry that I'll ruin my manicure, and I never get the nicks or ripples that I sometimes used to get when the top layer of polish had dried my the layers beneath didn't and moved.

With the Cult Nails polishes I got an amazing SIX DAYS of wear out of the polishes before I noticed tip wear and chipping. That is literally unheard of for me! I am really tough on my nails, I'm forever typing, reading, writing, cleaning (I work in a lab as a lab assistant cleaning a bunch), washing, putting on moisturizer, etc. I'm usually lucky to get my nails to last three days, so as you can imagine six days is a miracle. Even my crappy polishes that only last one day on my nails with other base and top coats I get a minimum of three days wear with the Get It On and Wicked Fast combo.

Left Hand Day 7

Right Hand Day 7 (Dominant Hand so more wear)
Major chip on ring finger happened that day

The only thing I can say about these that is even slightly negative is that you need to remember not to blob on the Wicked Fast top coat because it can bubble if you do that, but since you only need a small amount it's more of a getting used to the better formula than anything else!

Overall, these were the best impulse purchase I've ever made. I seriously can't believe how awesome they are every time I do a new manicure. They work well with a variety of polish types, and are a cinch to use. If one of my friends decides to get into polish I'll be buying them a set of these because I'm in love.

Sprite Rating: 10/10 Holy Grail!

Will I purchase again? Yes. I most certainly will. I've already been eyeing my bottles trying to estimate how long they'll last before I need to make another purchase of them. I feel like I need to hoard them even though they aren't limited edition or going away! Go get yourself a bottle now!

Blogger Love! Nightly Nails

Today's Blogger Love! interview is with the awesome Nightly Nails blogger Nicole. If you haven't checked her out you should! She's a wonderfully sweet woman who's blog has a really neat theme. As a person who also has a tendency to doing my nails at night I agree wholeheartedly with it! Plus her logo is adorable isn't it? Her pictures are always really clear and she has a very comfortable writing style that sucks you in and makes her approachable. Anyways enough of my rambling here are her answers!

Nicole from Nightly Nails

1)  Are you more of a Morning, Day, or Night time person?

Night, definitely.
2)   Something you struggle with on a day to day basis?

Getting enough sleep! I think that I require more than the average person.
3)   Favourite Animal?

Hippos.
4)   Favourite Colour?

Green!
5)   Preferred foundation coverage and finish ex. Heavy coverage, matte

Medium to light coverage, matte.
6)   How old are you?

39
7)   What do you do in everyday life? If you’re a student what is your major?

I drive a taxi.
8)  First makeup brand that really got you interested in cosmetics/ nail polish?

Ooh, that was a while ago. As a teenager there wasn't much I had access to, so definitely Wet N Wild.
9)  Do you have any makeup, nail polish or skin care items that are perfect for you? (HG items) If so which- include shade names please.

Urban Decay Primer Potion, Meow Cosmetics Pampered Puss foundation in Frisky Mau. It's the only foundation I've ever found that's the perfect match for my skintone!
10) What is your favourite food? Drink?

Macaroni and cheese, and pepsi.
11) Favourite Gem Stone?

Turquoise.
12) Do you have any pets in your life? If yes, what are their names (and can we have pictures?)

Nope, no pets!
13) One place you’ve never been that you want to visit?

I'll cheat and say Europe.
14) What inspired you to start your blog?

Well, I originally started my blog as a segue from doing YouTube videos. I ended up blogging almost entirely about nail polish!
15) What are some of the most useful things you’ve learned about since you started blogging?

Be honest! But, you don't have to be cruel or hateful or nasty when you're being honest. And let your personality show through! This should be something you are passionate about.
16) Favourite Season?

Fall
17) What do you use to take your blog photos? What type of computer?

A Canon PowerShot point and shoot, and my trusty Gateway.
18) What genre of movies/books do you like?

Almost everything in movies, as well as books - except I'm not really into westerns in film or print. I am pretty partial to historical fiction!
19) Other hobbies or events that you’re involved in?

Well, I do read a lot, and I like to cook.
20) Most unique eyeshadow you own?

Either Urban Decay Lounge, or Fyrinnae Velvet Vampire.
21) Most unique lip product?

I don't actually use a lot of lip products, so nothing stands out to me. 
22) Favourite colour combinations?

Brown and pink or brown and aqua.
23) Favourite piece of jewelry? Why is it your favourite?

A chunky square obnoxiously large turquoise ring that I wear on my index finger. I think it's because it's the real deal, heavy duty hammered silver and chunky turquoise.
24) Best drugstore product you’ve tried?

Hmm, probably that Revlon quick dry top coat I've become addicted to.
25) Random fact you'd like to share about yourself?

I hate licorice.
26) Favourite Nail Polish Brand and why?

China Glaze, far and away. They consistently make unique colors and finishes and I love the formula.

China Glaze Flying Dragon polish- by Nightly Nails

27) Most unique polish you own, why?

Orly Space Cadet. Multichrome magic! It's stunning, so many colors in one bottle.
28) Favourite polish colour to wear?

Green!
29) What are the best top coat, base coat, treatments you’ve tried for your nails?

Not everything works for everyone - my best base coat is OPI Natural Nail, my best treatment has been Sally Hansen Continuous Treatment in Growth, and my favorite top coats are Revlon Quick Dry top coat and CND Air Dry.
30) What is your favourite finish of polish? (ie. Cream, holographic, matte, etc.) 

Jelly!

Thanks so much Nicole! Green is my favourite colour too, followed closely by both blue and purple! Check out Nicole further on Nightly Nails!

Ten Beauty Products I Can't Live Without!

1. Blinc tubing Mascara in Black
I adore this mascara. It's the perfect easy to remove tubing mascara that doesn't smudge or run or flake. You can read my full Review Here. :D


2. Clarisonic Mia
I can't live without my Clarisonic Mia. Although mine is the white one, if the purple had been available when I bought mine I would have chosen that colour! This helps my acne so much and it really helps clean deep into pores gently. My review on this is here :D.


3. Estee Lauder Double Wear Liquid Foundation (Shade Shell)
Although I've been using the Estee Lauder Double Wear Light foundation lately, I finally got my hands on the Double Wear foundation in my correct shade. This foundation is great, matte finish, lasts all day and covers well. My review here!


4. Mac Prep and Prime Transparent Finishing Powder
This is my favourite setting powder. I've tried quite a few others such as MUFE HD and Laura Mercier's secret finishing powder but this is the best. It really gives a soft focus effect when I use it with my mini kabuki, blurring the look of my pores until they're almost gone. I've finally done a review for this here.


5. Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Too Faced Shadow Insurance is my Holy Grail eyeshadow primer. It lasts all day for me and prevents creasing as well as feeling nice on and intensifying shadows a bit. Check out my review here!


6. TheBalm TimeBalm Concealer in Lighter than Light
The best undereye concealer I've tried this is creamy the perfect brightening shade and covers wonderfully. The only downside is that it doesn't work well over dry skin at all. I also like how inexpensive it is for the amount of product and how there is Vitamin E in it as well. Here's my review! :D


7. Nail Tek II Intensive Therapy
This stuff has saved my nails big time! From weak splitting nails that couldn't grow to strong healthy ones this as a base coat has transformed my nails. Another plus was that it was quick too! Read about my experience with it here!


8. China Glaze Fast Forward Top Coat
I don't know about anyone else but I always always ALWAYS mess up my manicure before it dries unless I have a quick dry top coat and this one by China Glaze is the best! Really quick drying and I actually don't mind the sweet smell to it. As with all top coats it gets a bit thick after awhile but some polish thinner takes care of that. (Review to come)


9. Nars Penny Lane Cream Blush
I just got this blush not too long ago and I adore it! I can't see myself without this anymore as it lasts all day (only blush I've had that does) and the finish is amazing! Check out my full review here!


10. Eco Tools Brushes
The best brushes out there in my opinion. Cheap, Eco friendly, creulty-free, easy to clean, and super soft! There is nothing bad about these brushes except maybe the fact that the range is sort of limited! Full review of them here! The picture above is one of the sets of brushes I've bought and use almost daily.

So that's it! I saw this tag and thought it would be a good fun post to do. I have a couple other posts in the works so more coming soonish! Hope you enjoyed!

NOTD: Nicole OPI Kiss Me at Midnight

Time for another Nail of the Day! Today I'm sporting one of the Christmas releases by Nicole OPI, Kiss Me at Midnight, a gorgeous burgundy/mahogany shimmer (depending on the light- sometimes it's more red, sometimes it;s more brown.) This beauty is truly lovely in the sunlight, but is also quite a vampy little number. 

Sadly though I didn't really like the formula too much, it wasn't exactly difficult to apply, but it certainly wasn't easy to apply either. It also hasn't lasted very well at all, gaining chips quite quickly. This may be because I'm missing my normal favourite top coat and had to use another one, but even if that has made a difference, it still hasn't lasted well. Luckily the loveliness of the colour makes up in part for this.

More Brown in Sunlight

More Burgundy in Sunlight

Overall, the colour of this polish is great but not much else really. I find the formula and brush of this mediocre. 

Sprite Rating: 6/10- lost points for formula, not exactly cheap price, tipwear and chippiness.

Would I buy this again? Honestly? No, I'd try and find a similar colour by another brand.

Zoya Facebook Likes- Free Polish!

*Restrictions apply. See Facebook page for complete details. Online offer only. Valid Credit Card or Debit Card with sufficient funds needed to process orders. Offer valid in continental US only. Offer not valid in conjunction with other offers, discounts or specials. Code to be released January 3, 2011 on www.facebook.com/zoyanailpolish. Code valid January 4 - 7 2011 only. The offer is void if 20,000 "Likes" is not reached by January 3, 2011 at 11:59PM. Offer good for 3 free bottles of nail polish per customer. Valid email, contact and address information required to process orders. S/H charges apply.


Isn't this awesome! Free Zoya nail polish but only in the USA and you do have to pay Shipping and Handling. Only valid until the 7th but the code is live now! CODE: FB2011
Zoya has some fabulous polish colours so if you live in the states this is worth it for sure!

Nail Tek II~ Review

I know this looks about as boring as boring can be but this little bottle has done miracles! I received this as a gift recently from a wonderful woman named Jennie who included it in her package because I was moaning on the nail forum on MUA about my soft and peely nails. After putting polish on them pretty much straight for months at a strech my nails had been reduced to soft brittle beings from their former strong flexible glory. I had to keep cutting them all the time because the layers of the nail would separate from the tip down, sometimes becoming quite sore. Not to mention my polish often didn't look that great as the nail would break beneath it. To say this was frustrating would be an understatement.

Splitting Nail (Before Nail Tek II)

I've used this as a base coat for four manicures now and my nails are almost back to their full strength and glory. I noticed a difference right away after the first manicure and three polish changes later I'm astounded. I can't believe how much of a difference this treatment has made. I don't really have an after photo for you as they just look like normal nails though if you take a look-see at the Guns and Roses Nail of the Day you can see my most recent manicure. Before this I tried Gelous which can be purchased at Sally Beauty and though it helped a little in reducing the peeling I'd get on the surface of my nails when I'd remove polish it didn't help with the cracking separating nail tips. Plus I've had good wear with Nail Tek II as a base coat which is a bonus. (Gelous works well as a base coat too). The only thing to keep in mind with Nail Tek II as a base coat is that all the polish may come off at once which is startling the first couple times it happens as its often still in the shape of your nail. Now I just think its funny when this happens instead of weird when it first occurred.
I'm not going to swatch this for you as you can see that it's transparent. But it dries quickly and is super easy to apply. It's sort of expensive, averaging around $10 USD but you can get it for much less as I know Ross in the States was selling it for around $5 and transdesign online has it for around $5 USD as well.

Sprite Rating: 10/10 There is nothing bad about this product!
Would I buy it again? YES! I'm already on the look out here in Canada for another bottle because I don't want to worry about running out!

United States Winter Haul and Birthday gifts!

A really quick post just to show what I got while I was in the U.S. and the make-up items I recieved for my birthday! Eventually I plan to review most if not all of these so if you see something in particular you'd like to see a review of sooner rather than later leave a comment telling me so and I'll be sure to bump it up on the reviewing schedule!

Above is the things I got in the U.S. which not only have a wider selection of brands but are also significantly cheaper with more deals to boot. Included in the pic are:

1. Yes to Cucumbers Natural Glow Facial Towelettes- For gentle cleansing and makeup removal
2. Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Eye Gel
3. Sinful Colors Nail Polish in All About You 921(Gold and red sparkles)
4. Sinful Colors Nail Polish in San Francisco 283 (Dark Green Shimmer)
5. Sinful Colors Nail Polish in Let Me Go 322 (Light-Medium Purple with dark and light blue reflect)
6. Color Club Nail Polish in Revvvolution 852 (Charcoal holographic)
7. Color Club Nail Polish in Fashion Addict 859 (Lilac holographic)
8. Color Club Nail Polish in Snakeskin 901 (Gray-Green with olive green shimmer)
9. Borghese Nail Lacquer in Stellare Notte B355 (Charcoal-blue with teal and purple reflect- trying to find a Chanel Black Pearl dupe or something close to black pearls themselves!)
10. Physicians Formula Green Eyes Gel Liner Trio (So far these rock!)
11. Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in Raisin (Super pigmented!)
12. Wet n' Wild Nail Color in Morbid 235 (Black and teal- Also to see how it compares to Chanel Black Pearl)
13. Konad Stamping Nail Art Starter Kit! (Can't wait to try this!)
14. Everyday Minerals Miss Me Lipstick in Dark Orchid (Really lovely plum shade! Got it free when I bought a pair of Miss Me Jeans! Yay for free makeup!)

Onto Birthday items!

The Play it Cool Palette from the Tartan Tale Mac Collection
(If you want swatches of my TT things leave a comment I didn't want to flood you all with my TT obsession)

Nicole OPI Kiss Me at Midnight

Nars lipgloss in Downtown (way way nicer in real life it's a stunning purple shimmer!)

Nicole OPI Spark My Mistletoe ( Again better in real life a red sparkle with silver holographic pieces)

Mac TT The Faerie Glen lipstick (the ONLY nude lipstick I've tried to date that looks good on me!)

Nars Penny Lane Cream Blush (Love the cream to powder formula!)

Make Up For Ever Star Powder eyeshadow in White/Mauve
It goes on a sheer whitened purple with awesome blue reflect! 

That's it for now! I'm off to paint my nails for christmas! Remember if anything strikes your interest I'd love to hear form you! (I should be updating later again today so see you then!)

NOTD: Sephora OPI Looks Like Rain, Dear

The short of it? I LOVE this polish, if you like golds and get the chance pick this up at your local Sephora! For those of you who would like a longer version of my review read on! :D

Look at the thumb and pointer finger to see the awesome silver holographic pieces reflect in different colours!

This polish not only looks awesome but it applied like a dream (shown is only 2 coats and 1 would have done the trick) but it also lasts too. I had no chipping and little tip wear on this for at least 5 days. So festive and perfect for New Years or really any time of the year this is most certainly one of my favourite SOPI polishes to date that I own. Unlike most glitters this is opaque and all glitter. Absolutely spectacular! I'm sure removal is going to be a pain in the butt though as it is glitter, and it is a shame that it's Limited Edition. P.S. Pictures do not do this justice!

Sprite Rating: 9/10 (would have been 10/10 if it was perm and easier to remove)

Would I buy it again? YES!

Nubar Polish Sale!

Quick deal alert! Sorry I haven't updated as often this last week, I've been really busy with school and feeling pretty crumby. I'm hoping for some inspiration to hit soon! Anyways today I saw this great deal on Nubar nail polish (I have Gem by Nubar and it's one of my favourite polishes ever! Check it out Here!). 

Nubar's deal is for 30% off any purchase of $30 or more from now until Nov. 30th! Yay! The code used at check-out is NOV3030

I believe it is usable on all polish collections, not just the newest (pictured above). 

Some raves I've heard are for Purple Beach, Peacock Feathers, Wildlife, and Greener. Of course Nubar has a ton of really lovely looking polishes and they're all Big 3 free and Vegan friendly. Clicking here will take you to the website By Nubar.

Anyone have any favourites by Nubar?

Illamasqua Christmas

Illamasqua has released some lovely sets for Christmas this year! Two Nail Polish Duos that have coordinating polishes and a couple other sets too. Both sets cost 20 GBP. The two polish duos are

Untold and Ruthless. Illamasqua describes the set as:

"These powerful, passionate reds bring a flirtatious beauty to your fingertips. Hardwearing and chip-resistant they can be worn individually or combined for a festive sparkle that would put Dorothy’s ruby red slippers to shame. It’s no wonder Cosmopolitan voted us Best Nail Varnish 2010."

And here they are in the packaging, featuring a Nymph-like girl on the side.

The other Duo includes Harsh and DWS. Here's what Illamasqua says: 

"These enchanting shades can be worn individually or together as a dazzling combination. DWS is our best selling grey gloss, which can be transformed into an eye-catching diamond effect with the addition of Harsh - a clear-based silver glitter varnish. Hardwearing and chip-resistant, these award-winning nail varnishes are definitely a party girl’s best friend."

Same packaging (Image from Illamasqua website)

There are some other lovely sets too!

For 50 GBP this Christmas Gift set is just lovely! It includes Illamasqua's False Lashes in No. 18, Precision Ink in Abyss (Black sponge-tipped liquid eyeliner), Pure Pigment (Loose eyeshadow) in Android (a shimmering Charcoal Black) and Liquid Metal in Surge (Cream eyeshadow in Pale Gold with Silver hints). 

Illamasqua describes it as:

"Feast your eyes this party season on our enchanting Christmas gift set, with everything you need for a fabulously festive smoky eye. The set consists of False Eye Lash No.18, Precision Ink in Abyss, Pure Pigment in Android, and Liquid Metal in Surge. Set your eyes to hypnotise and make it a Christmas to remember."

Luxury Lashes. Gosh these look stunning! A cringe-worth 25 GBP but lovely. They also come with lash glue. *drool* So decadent!

Lashes in Opulence (Vintage Gold Diamante) 

Lashes in Decadence (Antique Silver Diamante)

The Lashes are described as "Back by popular demand, these limited edition Luxury Lashes are utterly fabulous and unmistakably Illamasqua. A truly unique creation, they are fast becoming a collector’s item and allow you to celebrate the festive season in decadent style. Available in Opulence (vintage gold diamante) and Decadence (antique silver diamante)."

Nail Quills. Honestly I find these a little strange and more Vampire-Gothic than Christmas but to each their own. They cost 35 GBP for two and are Limited Edition. Illamasqua describes them as:

"Unique, extraordinary, and extravagant these tantalising talons are like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Handmade exclusively for Illamasqua by one of the hottest names in nails, Mike Pocock, these collector’s items are guaranteed to tease the senses of anyone whose eye they catch. This limited edition comes in a beautiful gift box, complete with nail tabs and glue and is exclusive to illamasqua.com and our Flagship Store, 20 Beak Street London – get them before they’re gone!"

The only other images for these that I can find are these two.

They also go along with this warning: "Nail Quills are handmade and bespoke, therefore individual pieces may vary. Please take care when wearing; Illamasqua are not responsible for any damage caused." Hmm, that doesn't sound too safe to me.

Not exclusive to the Christmas collection, these feathered wonders came out with the Art of Darkness Collection, and I think they're lovely! Makes my think of angel wings. Formally called False Eye Lashes No. 26, they cost 17.50 GBP and do come with eyelash glue. Illamasqua's spiel about them goes like this: 

"Illamasqua’s most daring lashes to date, these feathered creations from our Art of Darkness collection will add unmissable impact to any night-time look. Individually handmade and wonderfully soft, they’re a true work of art."

Illamasqua has also released a lovely brush set, for 95 GBP (supposably the set is worth 120 GBP). It comes with a brush roll with the Nymph girl on it and five brushes: Blusher Brush, Foundation Brush, Eyeshadow Brush, Eye Brow Brush and Lip Brush. 

A better look at the picture on the Brush Roll.

Inside of the Brush Roll with the brushes. (To see closer of the brushes go to the site and roll your mouse over the image in the Colour section. The front of the roll and the brushes will all show up bigger.

Illamasqua describes this set:

"This really is the ultimate collection; from the cruelty-free, synthetic brushes to the high quality leatherette casing, printed with an elegant illustration where our heroine depicts Narcissus gazing longingly at her own reflection; on the inside are five of the most versatile brushes available on the market. Luxurious and elegant, convenient and practical, this is the perfect gift for anyone who loves make-up."

All around a pretty nice, Christmas Night sort of collection that I like quite a bit. What do you think?

P.S. All the Images are from Illamasqua