By Request: Essence - Break Through

Hi, Blogger login & commenting problems are still plaguing me.  I'll continue to respond to your comments within the next day's posts for now as a workaround.

This post is in response to another request from Lilit of Makeup and Macaroons.  By the way, Lilit it was great reading your interview with fellow beauty blogger Tiffany of Will Work for Makeup (Click here to check it out).  Lilit requested to see a mani with Essence's Break Through.  This polish is a gorgeous royal purple creme and was slick and glossy in two coats.  This vivid purple shade reminds me of a long gone favourite polish of mine (Rebel by MAC).

These pix show how the purple changes from a cool grape to warm plum under different lighting conditions. 

Flash

Lamplight

This is my work mani this week because I love purple!

*Thanks Michelle and Vintage for your comments on yesterday's China Glaze haul post. I'll get Ingrid onto my nails soon.   :)

That's all for now.

Vita :)





Haul post: More China Glaze!

This is a mini haul really, compared to some of you girls :)

I placed my first order with TransDesign a few weeks back and ordered six bottles of China Glaze.  Considering I selected the cheapest & slowest delivery option - cos let's face it I'm in no hurry for more bottles of unswatched polish - I was happy to receive my order less than three weeks after I'd placed it, for half the retail price we pay here in Australia (and that's including $20 postage).  Online shopping is far too easy for my liking! Anyway here's my mixed bag of colours, sorted by lights and brights:

L - R:

Light as Air (pale lilac creme)

White Cap (gold glass-flecked shimmer)

Fairy Dust (holo glitter)

L - R:

Ingrid (taupe with subtle gold shimmer)

Ruby Pumps (red glitter)

Senorita Bonita (sparkly purple)

I can't wait to play around with these.  Ruby Pumps, Ingrid and White Cap were all lemmings of mine so I'm feeling pretty pleased with my little haul.


*Thanks to Ashleigh and Vintage for your comments on yesterday's post.  The glittery French mani was really easy to do.  I used French manicure tape but this look could also be achieved freehand.

That's all for now.

Vita :)

Glitter-tipped French mani: OPI - Teenage Dream

Here's a quick post to show you my sparkly take on a French manicure.  I added two coats of OPI's Teenage Dream from the Katy Perry collection to my Starbright Sparkles mani and finished off with another layer of topcoat.  This has been on my tips all weekend.

I'm calling this my French fairy mani:

Flash

Sunlight





It's another subtle way of using glitter polish.  Loving this one!

Until my next post.

Vita :)

OPI: Starbright Sparkles II

Because  I felt sick and lazy this past week,  I was also lazy about painting my nails.  I didn't want to bother with a colour needing precise application and I didn't want to worry about any chips showing in my mani by week's end.  Still, being the nail polish addict I am I had to paint my nails, so I found my low maintenance - yet subtly sparkly - solution in OPI's Starbright Sparkles II.

This sheer iridescent shade is from OPI's Yokohama Collection.  It's very sheer (I used 3 coats here) but the sparse holo glitter adds a bit of interest to an otherwise safe manicure and it would be great as a french mani base.

Anyway, this is as bare as my nails are going to get:

Full sun

Shade

On an unrelated note this is a message to Vintage Makeup - I' m glad you found yesterday's lipstick post useful!

Until my next post.

Vita :)

By request: Essence lipstick review

Hi Everyone

Just checked in with Blogger Help and the comments issue is still outstanding - Sorry, still no comments from me but rest assured I'm reading all your blog posts daily!  Thanks to everyone for all your lovely comments on my last Essence nail polish post.  Now for something else in the Essence line...

Vintage Makeup has requested a full review on Essence lipsticks.  I purchased these three lippies from the line to road test.

L-R:
Like a Lady (hot pink creme)

Fairytale (mauve-pink shimmer)

Fashionista (deep nude creme)

Swatched:

Overall, I've been happy with the performance of these budget-priced lipsticks.  They offer medium colour coverage, which is quite buildable. They're a satiny finish, and not too slick or slippery so the colour doesn't bleed or slide off the lips.   Because these lipsticks are targeted at a younger market they have a couple of cute things about them, firstly, the faint candy scent (which I like) and the lipstick case is colour-matched to the lipstick inside so you don't have to open the tube to find your favourite colour.

What are the cons?  These are pretty minor really when you consider the price is less than $5AUD.  The wear time is average and you'll need to reapply every couple of hours as the colour does fade off the lips. The packaging is quite flimsy, allowing the lipstick to easily twist up and jam inside the lid.   The final thing is the colour range is fairly limited with less than a dozen colours available in Australia.  The shades include shimmery nudes, a few pinks, and some plums, suitable for the younger fashionistas!

I chose the hot pink shade Like a Lady because it looked like a possible dupe for one of my favourite pink MAC lipsticks, Lustering.  Looking at the lipsticks in the tube and swatched on the back of my hand they're pretty close.  Lustering is little darker and has a more glossy finish but I think Like a Lady is a passable dupe if you don't want to spend the money on a MAC:

L-R:

Lustering, Like a Lady

All in all Essence lipsticks are worth checking out if you're on a budget - and you can get your hands on them!  Australian readers can purchase these at selected Priceline stores.

I hope you found this post useful.

Enjoy your weekend!

Vita :)

Kreativ Blogger & Versatile Blogger awards!

Over the last few weeks I've received two blog awards - the Kreativ Blogger Award from McDiaz714 of Nails Made Simple and the Versatile Blogger Award from Annalisa of Make-up Pleasure.   Thanks to you both lovelies!  :-)

The rules for both awards are very similar so I have decided to combine both in one post.  The rules are:

1. Thank the blogger who gave you the award
2. Share 10 random facts about yourself
3. Pass the award on to other bloggers you wish to nominate 

First up, here are 10 random facts about me:

1. I used to bite my nails until I finished college/university
2. I've had a cataract in my left eye since birth so I can't get my pilot's licence
3. I live blissfully with my husband, 9 yr old son, and two cats
4. I'm afraid of heights & rollercoasters but I love speed!
5. In addition to my nailpolish collection I've also got a huge collection of lipsticks & glossy fashion & beauty magazines
6. I'm also addicted to chocolate!
7. I exercise a few times a week to try and counteract the chocolate...
8. I love to travel
9. I  think I've dyed my hair every reasonable colour except black - it's now back to blonde :)
10. I've just turned 45 years old - yikes! - but I feel much younger on the inside

Now I have pass these awards to 10 other lovelies.  I nominate:

 BeauTiNique

Makeup and Macaroons

ANOTHER Bottle of Polish?!

The Best Beauty Blog

Bini Blogs Beauty

Josie's Nails

Red Lip Gloss

The Nail Buff

Deez Nailz

All About the Eyes

If Blogger rights itself I'll be able to notify you lovelies directly that you've received this award :) 

Vita :)

By request: Essence - No More Drama

Hi Everyone,

I'm really frustrated about not being able to comment on your blogs or respond to your comments at the moment.  It feels really isolating.  Thanks to Leanne,  Melyssa & Vintage for responding to my plea for help yesterday - really appreciated :)

So, this is my first 'By Request' post.  Lilit of Makeup and Macaroons wanted to see how Essence No More Drama appears on the nails so I was happy to oblige.  This soft creme gloss polish is pretty and feminine.  I like how this lilac shade doesn't look as pasty and grey as some of these polishes can.  No More Drama's got just enough of a hit of colour to make it stand out.  It looks nice against my pale skin but I think it would look absolutely fab for those with tanned or darker skin!

I apologise for the gloomy lighting in these pics as it was a particularly cloudy, rainy day.  I've included a flash photo for comparison:

Outdoors

Indoors with flash

This colour will get lots of love through spring and summer.

That's all for now.  Hope to be chatting to you all again soon on your posts!!!

Vita :)



Aha! So it's not just me!

No, I still can't comment but I found this on "Known Issues for Blogger",

"Tuesday, May 24, 2011

We're investigating an issue which is preventing login and comment posting for some users, and hope to have a fix released shortly.

Thanks for your patience in the meantime. "

OK so it's not just me then...

Vita :)

No comment!

Hi -

I don't know if it's just me but now I find I can't comment on your blog posts or my own!  Everytime I sign in I'm identified as 'Anonymous' and asked to sign in again and again to no avail....  :(

I hope this latest gremlin corrects itself!

If you're having the same problem or know how to fix this please send me an email on Splintazz@gmail.com

Vita xo

Revlon: Purple Splash

I'm still at home feeling blah. I've got one of those super pain-killer resistant headaches, so sudden moves are a no-no and it literally hurts to think.  At least my throat doesn't seem to be burning any more.  I'll be thankful for small mercies...

As a cheer up I've picked the most gorgeously photogenic purple polish to show you.  I swatched this last weekend, and I really wish I'd done the full mani because looking back at the photos this old cheapy Revlon polish blew me away.  Yes, Purple Splash was another $3AUD discount I picked up a couple of years ago.  This is a rich shimmery purple with blue and pink sparkles that glisten in the sun. This polish has a split personality, tending to magenta or blurple depending on how the light hits.

Sunlight

The sunlight was partly obscured here.  

See how some of my nails look blue-tinged?

Shade

Are there any other purple fans out there?  Do you have a favourite colour you keep buying?

Until next time.

Vita :)



EOTD: Essence Go Glam

Let me start this post by saying I've got a miserable cold - sore throat, head etc - so I'm at home playing couch potato today. Woe is me. Thank goodness I can crash anywhere with my little hp, so here I am stretched out on the couch, all rugged up with my blanket, feeling comfy. Enough of that, onto the good stuff.

I decided to exercise the principle of 'look good, feel better' so I used my new Essence eyeshadow Go Glam as the inspiration for an EOTD.  I'm still learning how to use my new cameras so here are lots of pictures.

For this look I used:

• Bloom Eye Base all over lid
• Essence Go Glam (shimmer effect) brushed on lid up to crease
• MAC Shale winged to outer corners and blended in crease 
• Revlon Tickled Pink on inner corners
• MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil (Bordeauxline) on upper and lower lash line
• Lancome Definicils Mascara (Black) on upper lashes only

I like how the Essence shimmery lilac eyeshadow brightens and wakes up my eyes. The shimmer effect isn't too obvious so this is fine as a daytime look.

**********************

                                                                    

After yesterday's Essence haul post I received some requests for NOTD's and a full review of the lipstick.  I'll get onto these over the next week or so with some 'By Request' posts.   Thanks for the feedback ladies, I'm happy to oblige where I can!

Until my next post.

Vita :)

Haul post: More from Essence!

I promised the lovely Vintage Makeup I'd do more Essence reviews a while ago and finally here I am with more Essence pretties.  I know we're rapidly heading towards our Southern winter but it seems I was looking to spring for my inspiration with some of my colour selections below...

Eyeshadow pans L - R:

22 Blockbuster (matt effect)
16 Go Glam (shimmer effect)

Blockbuster is such a good match for me it literally disappears into my skin. It'll make a great natural base shade for those 'no makeup' days when I just want to perk up my eyes.  Go Glam was a bit of a surprise as it looked almost matte in the pan.  The shimmer really shows up when swatched and I think this will look beautiful as a highlight worn with plum or charcoal accent shadows.

Nail polishes L - R:

No More Drama

Breakthrough

Plum Perfect

All glossy creme polishes, the lilac No More Drama was my favourite when swatched, and Plum Perfect the most versatile winter appropriate shade.  They all dried quickly on the tape swatch.

Crystal Eyeliner

07 Get Ready!

I haven't tried this liquid eyeliner on my eyes yet but I love the microglitter sparkles which aren't too OTT.  It applied quite smoothly on the back of my hand so I'm keen to try it even though, honestly, I haven't worn liquid eyeliner for years. Something fun to wear for evening!

Lipglosses & Lipstick L - R:

XXXL nudes lipgloss (03 Nude Kiss)

XXXL shine lipgloss (15 True Love)

Lipstick (42 Fairytale)

These lipglosses were watery and sheer on the skin and didn't offer much in terms of colour on my lips.  However, I've been enjoying wearing the Fairytale lipstick this weekend.  Fairytale is a soft mauvey pink with a sheer satin finish on the lips, so it looks quite natural.  My one peeve with the lipstick was the flimsy packaging.  The lipstick swivels so easily in the tube it can twist and jam itself into the lid.  That's what you get with cheap plastic packaging I guess.

Overall these are good quality budget beauty products and all retail under $5AUD.  The individual product prices are as follows:

*  Eyeshadow - $3.95

*  Nail polish - $2.95

*  Crystal eyeliner - $4.95

*  XXXL lipgloss - $4.50

*  Lipstick - $4.95

I purchased all of these products from Priceline.

Until my next post.

Vita :)

OPI: Nutcracker Sweet glitter top coat

Ooooh,  I love how a little bit of sparkle can dress up a mani!!  I applied two coats of an old limited release OPI glitter top coat (Nutcracker Sweet) to add some oomph to my week-old Aussie Beach polish.  This nail polish is very old and hard to find these days.  I purchased my bottle as part of the Victorian Holiday Collection YEARS ago on the Australian TV Shopping Network (TVSN).

Nutcracker Sweet contains a mix of fine bronze and holographic glitter so it creates a party on your nails and twinkles in the light. My one criticism is the dry time which is very slow, and the polish remains soft so a finishing layer of quick dry top coat is a must.  Apart from that, the effect is just gorgeous!

Outdoors shade

Full sun - see the light twinkling on my pinky?

Lamplight

I'd love to try this top coat over a vampy brown creme or black.

Until my next post.

Vita :)





Face of Australia: Aussie Beach

Happy Friday!

Here's a quick post to share what my nails were wearing to work this past week.  I chose an old metallic brown shade by Face of Australia.  Face of Australia are actually currently launching a new Molten Metallics range of nail polish shades but I've yet to see it at my local Priceline stores :(

Aussie Beach is a rich dark caramel brown with a metallic finish.  I applied two coats to achieve a smooth finish.  This polish was a little on the goopy side, probably because of its age and it took a long while to dry.  Unfortunately because of the long dry time - and my impatience - I had to live with a few dents in my mani this week.  On the plus side this old formula was resistant to chipping.

The golden undertones are enhanced in lamplight:

I took some outdoor shots but the natural light was pretty gloomy this week.  Here's one for comparison anyway:

I hoping for some better weather this weekend so I can get some sunlit photos of my next mani.

That's all for now.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Vita :)

Haul post: MAC eyeshadow & brushes

I bought these bits and pieces from the MAC counter at David Jones a few weeks ago during my pre-birthday spend-fest:

I repurchased Shroom (satin) eyeshadow as it's one of my favourite base shades.  This creamy coloured shadow creates a soft satiny gleam on the lids and compliments any accent colour.  I've admired Sumptious Olive (veluxe pearl) from afar and finally bought a pan for myself.  This metallic olive green looks like antique gold on my skin.

L-R: Shroom, Sumptious Olive

Swatched under lamplight

I also bought some brushes to add to my modest makeup brush collection.

129SH

Travel sized powder/blush brush

239 Eyeshader brush -

 Multipurpose for application all over the lids

or applying accent colour in the eye crease



These will all get lots of love from me.  I've been doing quite a bit of beauty indulging lately so there will be a few more posts like this over the next few weeks. 

That's all for now.

Vita :)

REVIEW: Sally Hansen nail art pen

I might not be a great nail artist like the lovely Leanne and deez-nailz  but I can wield a felt tip pen, right?

This should have been so easy.  Using Sally Hansen's nail art pen I copied the black on red look as seen on the models at the recent Rosemount Australian Fashion Week shows.  The look was a red creme mani with black half-moons drawn on the base of the nail.

Doesn't look too bad from a distance...

But up close - Yikes!!  Fail :(

Sally Hansen's nail art pen formula is water-based and environmentally friendly - Good. 

However - I found it runny and hard to control so I had to keep correcting the edges as I drew the outline before filling it in.  Also, the finish was very patchy after I'd applied the top coat to set it (as recommended on the pack) so I could see the red polish peeking through making it look very shabby.  It wasn't the perfect opaque black I'd hoped for and I was left feeling I could have achieved a better (although more toxic) result with a permanent marker!

This product was a fail for me.  Checking out some of the reviews on Makeup Alley (here) I can see that I'm not alone in my opinion.

Do any of you have other recommendations for nail art pens?

That's all for now.

Vita :)