BYS Glitter Dust for Nails: Pixie Powder

Today's glitter dust mani's a little more subtle than the breathtaking Moonlight Magic I featured last post but definitely pretty in its own right.

Pixie Powder's translucent white glitter dust reminds me of ice or white sugar crystals and to add interest there's also just a hint of blue/pink duochrome in the glitter (which is more visible in my 'Shade' picture).  I figured this colour was a little more wearable for mere mortals like me when venturing out of the house so I sported it for a few days to get some idea of the durability.  I was worried it might flake or crumble but it wore like render reinforcing my nails and stayed put until I decided to remove it - it was surprisingly easy to remove too which was a pleasant surprise for a glitter polish. 

Just getting in touch with my inner Snow Queen here...

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Shade

Some of you asked about whether the glitter sheds everywhere - I'm happy to say it's pretty well anchored to the polish base once it's dried but I've also found out you can also apply a quick spritz of hairspray to hold the sparkles in place!

If you're enjoying these pretties click here to check out the entire BYS Glitter Dust collection!

Until next time

BYS Glitter Dust for Nails: Moonlight Magic

Okay - now for one of the most impractically fun things I've tried on my nails!  Let me tell you the emphasis is on the FUN here!

BYS have launched a new range of Glitter Dust nail kits.  These are not your traditional glitter nail polish, rather these are glitter dipped manicures.  To explain: You paint your nail, dip and roll your nail in a pot of glitter dust while it's still wet, wait a few minutes then brush away the excess.  Each kit contains a bottle of coloured polish, glitter dust in a matching shade and a soft brush for wiping away glitter fallout.  I was lucky enough to receive two of these kits to review and I found the process to be very easy - much less fiddly than the magnetic polishes - and not too messy if you place a sheet of paper where you work to catch any glitter fallout.  This one's for the less artistically inclined polish lovers like me - and for all lovers of glitter of course!

The first shade I'm posting is Moonlight Magic - a vibrant (almost cobalt) blue and it is breathtaking! I can't help it - I'm going to rave about this shade.  I swear, if Dorothy wore sapphire instead of ruby slippers on her feet when she journeyed to Oz this is just what they'd look like! I was in loooooveee.  Now to share some of the looooooveeee *swoon*....

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Oops, in all my excitement I forgot to take a picture of the kit so here is an image from the Fashion Addict website:

[http://www.fashionaddict.com.au/bys-glitter-for-nails-nail-polish-kit-midnight-magic.html]

 

 

 There are 10 kits in the range and they are available for $7.95AUD each.

Click on the FashionAddict website here to check out the entire BYS Glitter Dust collection.

I'm very seriously considering buying a few more myself!

What's in my fragrance wardrobe?

This is one of those "come and take a peek" type of posts where I'm sharing another little bit of my beauty-related self with you!

This time I've opened up my fragrance wardrobe to share the full sized fragrances I have on current rotation.  "On current rotation" is the thing here:  I do have a few more still in their boxes but I always worry about fragrance spoiling once it's been opened and exposed to light, heat etc. so I try and limit the number of what I have open at any given time.  Yes, I'm a department store queen when it comes to fragrance so there aren't any indie brands here - although I need to get me some education on that.  Help and recommendations please!

Clockwise from bottom left:

 L'Occitane - Voyage En Mediterranee - Labdanum (EDP 75ml)

Notes: Citrus fruits and spices, Labdanum (a woody shrub with a warm amber scent), benzoin, vanilla

I bought this scent on a whim going through the airport a few years ago because I loved its warm amber notes - amber fragrances always get my attention!  I originally wore it as a cold weather scent but now I've found it works rather well for me on warmer evenings too because it has a sensual oriental undertone to it. With its vanilla base this also works well layered over my chocolate scented Chocomania body lotion from The Body Shop to create a warm gourmand scent which isn't too sweet or cloying.  I'm just sad this is no longer readily available.  Sadly, as with L'Occitane's previous L'eau Ambree, these amber based scents have been discontinued.

Bulgari - Mon Jasmine Noir (EDP 50ml)

Notes:  lily of the valley, sambac jasmine, musky nougatine, vibrant wood

This was a gift from my husband and while the soft floral scent wouldn't have caught my nose's attention I do find it quite pleasant and easy to wear.  Jasmine seems to be the predominant note and although the fragrance is soft - I hate saying this - and inoffensively safe enough for day wear I save it for the evening - in particular date nights with my other half!

YSL - Elle Summer Edition (EDT 90ml)

Notes:  Grapefruit, sambac jasmine, pink pepper, benzoin, amber

I'm a fan of the original fruitier, woodier Elle fragrance and bought this version as my summer scent on a whim (and because it was on sale).  I like the lightness and freshness of this version but ultimately I'm a true fan of the original pink bottle with its woodier base notes.  I save this fragrance for weekend wear only - and then only for warm, sunny days!  Somehow I don't want to break the connection with this scent, summery weather and fun - go figure!

MOR - Marshmallow Perfume Oil (9ml)

Notes:  Vanilla musk, jasmine flower, sugar dipped rose petals, white carnation, cotton candy

Get the idea this is sweet scent? Yes, oh yes, and I don't particularly understand the reference to marshmallow as this fragrance definitely smells like musk candy to me.  I bought this because I actually liked the marshmallow scented hand cream but I find this is just a little too much for me.  Worn sparingly on rare occasions only!

Versace - Bright Crystal (EDT 30ml)

Notes:  Iced accord, yuzu, pomegranate, peony, magnolia, lotus flower, acajou, vegetal amber, musk

I bought my first bottle in the same size for a travel-sized scent, then liked it so much I bought another - mostly because it reminded me of that wonderful vacation.  It smells quite crisp and slightly green to me for a floral scent. Very summery and a favourite choice for the weather we've been having because I smell so fresh when I wear it.

L'Occitane - Pivoine Flora (EDT 75ml)

 Notes:  bergamot, grapefruit, green notes, peony, magnolia, violet, vanilla, cedar, musk

I bought this last spring when I was looking for a lighter, fresh scent for the season.  I love how this scent rides the balance of floral and green so while it is very feminine it still has that clean freshness that I love in the warmer months.  This is one of my everyday daytime scents because it's so versatile.  Good for the office or  worn as a casual weekend scent.  

So there you have it - you've had a little peek into my fragrance wardrobe.  I can see I'll be including some richer, warmer fragrances when the weather cools down but these are my current go to's.

What are your current favourites?

Accent mani: Revlon Dreamer and Nail It! Fantasy

Argh!!!  I'm trying to type while my giant cat walks all over me  - and my keyboard!!!  I'll just persist...

I've been embracing blue nails in a big way of late (there's blue and there's blue don't you know?) and here's another pretty blue NOTD I wore a few weeks ago.  Dreamer is a soft sky blue cream polish from Revlon's updated range and it's right up my alley because it leans ever so slightly towards periwinkle.  I could have easily worn it unadorned but true to form I went and found a complimentary glitter polish to accent it!  Fantasy was one of a range of glitter polishes Australian fashion brand Sportsgirl released in their fabulous - and ever changing - Nail It! lineup for the 2012 Christmas season.  Fantasy is another one of those party in a polish combos with a host of different sized and coloured glitters.  I could try and describe all the colours but I'll let you have the fun of picking them out this time!

All pictures were taken in indirect natural daylight:

Thanks for looking!

 I'm accumulating a backlog of pictures at the moment so expect a flood of posts from me soon!

St Patrick's Day skittles

Hello and happy St Patrick's Day to you if you celebrate!

I was originally going to wear a plain green manicure but got caught up in the excitement this time.  This mani is really rough and ready and it's all too easy for me to point out the faults - you already know by now I'm no nail artist - but it doesn't stop me for having an occasional bit of creative fun!  I've thrown everything at this one: cream, shimmer, glitter and crackle with a predictably eclectic result.  Now onto the madness.  You know, if you squint it doesn't look all that bad, lol...

What I played with used...

Left to Right:

Sally Hansen Crackle Overcoat (11 Sage Smash) - I applied this to top my pinky and index nails.  I was a little underwhelmed by this sheer sparkly crackle.

Ulta3 (Luck of the Irish) - With a name like that I just HAD to wear this glitter and it looked great over the matching green underwear on my ring finger.  I'd love this combination worn as a full manicure!

Nicole by OPI (Fell From the Tree) - I wore this forest green shimmer on my ring and pinky - and yes, applied this shakily with a toothpick to create a wonky shamrock on my middle fingernail.  

Revlon (Super Nature) - This is the perfect grass green cream - and I think it also picks up on the green of the Irish flag too!

Until next time...

Pretty purples: Inglot & MAC

Purple eyes and lips are popping up all over the place again, on fashion runways, magazines - well everywhere really!  Personally I'm pleased purple is having a 'moment' because it's never out of style as far as I'm concerned.  I've read - and I agree - that purple is one of the universally flattering eye makeup colours and I think there's a variation of this shade for everyone.  I'll often wear a cool neutral daytime eye and that frequently includes a purple crease shade because of the contrast with my green eyes.  It gives me a hint of colour without ever feeling overdone.

I've put this post together to share a soft purple makeup look I've been wearing lately...

 

Inglot Freedom Palette quad (shades clockwise from top: Pearl 440, Pearl 441, D.S 459, Pearl 439) This is my first Inglot palette and I love the idea behind these custom selected Freedom palettes! I selected these variations on the purple colour scale for my quad because they cover a variety of looks from daytime shimmer through to nighttime smoky.  Lately I've been wearing 440 over the lid to brighten my eyes with 441 as the crease shade for a pretty and daytime appropriate lilac eye look.  It's been my weekend go-to combination anchored with...

MAC Powerpoint (Bordeauxline) 

 I've lost count of the number of times I've posted this eyeliner pencil because I literally use it every other day!  Bordeauxline is the perfect plum shade which makes my eyes pop but is neutral enough for everyday wear.  I usually just wear it on the outer upper lash line (if I want to smoke it up a bit I'll smudge a little of the darkly sparkly D.S 459 Inglot shade over the top).

Diorshow Mascara (Black) 

A quick coat of this defines my lashes during the day.

MAC Amplified lipstick (Up The Amp)

  This creamy, opaque mid-toned purple lipstick looks a little intimidating when swatched on the arm but looks surprisingly flattering on the lips.  It sits beautifully on the border of bright but wearable and I feel quite comfortable wearing it to compliment purple eye makeup or contrast a warmer brown eye - trust me, it works!

Face of Australia blush (Nutmeg)

  I'll apply this warm toned peach blush for a pop of colour without looking too dolly!

The swatches left to right:

 Bordeauxline, Nutmeg, 440, 441, Up The Amp

To see how I wore it click on my Instagram link here.

Are you a fan of purple too?

Layered NOTD: OPI You Only Live Twice + Goldeneye

Now for something that really screams Autumn and falling leaves!

I'd seen OPI's Goldeneye layered over the other Skyfall colours so I thought I'd give it a go too.  I had a bit of an issue controlling the application for a suitably sheer and even coverage over You Only Live Twice so I had to apply an extra coat just down the middle of the nail to get a better effect.  While it has transformed the raspberry polish into a warm antique finish I don't know what I think of this mani - ultimately it didn't turn out the way I'd planned.  I'll let you be the judge as to whether you like it or not!

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What do you think?

OPI: You Only Live Twice

I still have a few unworn shades from OPI's Skyfall collection and I finally had the opportunity to wear this glass-flecked beauty not so long ago.

You Only Live Twice does live up to its name as it has a multi-faceted appeal about it with its flashes of pink glass fleck lifting the magenta base.  I think this is a very pretty but still sophisticated jewel-like shade and will be perfect to wear when the Autumn weather (and wardrobe) finally takes hold.  In terms of application I got great coverage in two coats and added top coat for extra shine. I know I'm a little late to the party with my swatches but better late than never, right?

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 What are your picks from the Skyfall collection?

Until next time.

Mavala: Blue Curacao

We're in the midst of an Indian Summer down here so I'm still embracing summery choices for my nails - like watery blues!

Blue Curacao is from Swiss brand Mavala's Art Colour Summer Collection released in 2011 and is a totally, smack-on summer appropriate, beachy aqua blue.  It's slightly reminiscent of my favourite aqua For Audrey from China Glaze but is a shade darker with a hint more green. The coverage was superior with this polish, and it was almost a one coater.  I don't have much more to say about this really so I'll move straight onto the pictures...

Shade

Sun

Until next time!

February's farewelled products (2013 edition)

It's a little late coming but these are the products I said goodbye to last month. Without further ado...

Skin care

8) Olay Regenerist Thermal Skin Polisher (125ml) - Once I realized this wasn't a daily cleanser (I suffered from a sensitive skin episode from OVER exfoliating!) and used it a few times a week I found this was really effective in smoothing my skin.  The polish feels warm on the skin once it's activated with water and the micro-crystal granules do the physical exfoliation.  Good stuff - as long as you don't use it every day!

9) Natio Lift Skin Firming Serum (50ml/1.6 fl.oz) - I generally love Natio's products so I'm a little sad that I was underwhelmed by this serum.  It was a rather watery formula which would literally run off my skin if I wasn't quick enough to rub it in.  I can't say I noticed it did anything magical for my skin either other than add a little extra moisture.  I'm glad I picked this up at last year's warehouse sale and didn't pay full price.

10) Natio Facial Cleansing Gel (100g/3.52oz) - OK, I didn't love the serum but I did love this gentle cleanser.  It's a very refreshing green tea and cucumber gel that smelt fresh, gently cleansed the skin and rinsed off in an instant.  This was a lovely alternative to my preferred foaming cleansers and as it's pH neutral it can be used morning, noon and night - not literally of course! Well, morning and night anyway.

11) Missha The Style Lip & Eye Makeup Remover (100ml approx.) - I bought this a few months ago when I last stepped into a Missha store.  It's the same gentle, non stinging, dual-phase remover that I'm devoted to (shake it up, soak a cotton pad and gently wipe off waterproof eye makeup or long lasting lip makeup) and it was in a nifty spill-proof bottle.  I would certainly use this again.

12) Swisspers Naturals Aloe Skin Perfecting Facial Cleansing Wipes (25 wipes) - As far as wipes go these ticked all the boxes:  not too small, softly textured cloths with just enough product to cleanse thoroughly, and they were enriched with aloe vera so my skin felt comfortably clean afterward with no need to add any moisturizer.  And yes the packaging has that fantastic snap fastening opening to keep the wipes from drying out! 

 Hand and body care

13) Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Eventone Age Spot Hand Cream (60g) - I loved this rich hand cream and would definitely repurchase for its added SPF protection and skin brightening properties (see my original review here).

14) OPI Original Polish Remover (120ml - 4 fl.oz) - the only usual suspect this month. I average a bottle of this remover a month.

15) Avon Foot Works Cracked Heel Relief Cream (100g) - This humble but wonderful cream prevents my heels from becoming ashy or cracking.  I use it religiously every day during the warmer months and it keeps my heels looking soft and youthful with its concoction of ingredients including glycerin, canola oil(!), lactic acid and stearic acid.  A tube seems to last an eternity too so it's a great value product - although I do tend to snap these up whenever Avon does a 2 for 1 deal!

16) Crabtree & Evelyn Pomegranate, Argan & Grapeseed Deep Cleansing Hand Wash (250ml/8.5fl.oz) - I bought this for the most frivolous reason:  the satiny, ruby red hand wash looked so pretty and I just wanted to display it on my bathroom vanity! Pretty, yes, but also pretty harsh on my skin unfortunately and I found the exfoliating seedy granules a little too deep cleaning for my sensitive skin. I also had a beef with the pump packaging because I couldn't get the last dregs out of the bottle without watering it down. Not a repurchase for me.

Fragrance

17) Prada L'Eau Ambree EDP (80ml/2.7fl.oz) - This smoked glass bottle contained one my favourite scents and I'm sure I'll buy it again as it has such a classic air about it - I keep opening the cap to smell the fragrance as I write this.  The top notes are Cedrat Lemon, Mandarin and Neroli;  middle notes are Benzoin, May Rose and Gardenia; base notes are Amber blended with Patchouli, Vanilla and Opoponax.

 That's it for this month!

 

Nails Inc: Baker Street

There's a little tale to tell about this nail polish -

I've recently realised I have a new colour obsession - cobalt blue - as the colour was appearing more and more in my wardrobe. Of course that meant I had to have THE perfect cobalt blue polish to complement the wardrobe.  And the perfect cobalt blue polish is....Nails Inc Baker Street! So, I order it online, the order is invoiced when the seller realizes it's...OUT OF STOCK!!! My mood goes from excitement to frustration and then I must WAIT another two weeks. 

Well, finally it's mine and yes it's the blue I dreamt of, the blue I really didn't have, the blue I HAD to have.  A true cobalt blue creme and soooo hard to capture accurately.  I've colour corrected the hell out of this and I still don't think I've done it justice.  Just trust me on this one, okay!  It really is up there if you're a cobalt-obsessed person like me!!

All pictures taken in cloudy condtions:

What's your current colour obsession?