What my nails wore to work: Revlon - Demure

Last week I decided on something peachy for my work manicure -

Revlon's Demure fit the bill perfectly.  Demure is a recent release in Australia from Revlon's retro Fire & Ice collection (I believe it was released in 2010 in the US).  With other shades given feisty names such as Siren and All Fired Up, Demure fits the icy element nicely.  This is a medium slightly pink-toned peach creme polish and very retro, conjuring up images of Grace Kelly and Mad Men.  All I needed was the sharply pointed fingernails rather than my usual squovals and an updo and I would have been right there (in my mind anyway!) This polish was opaque in two coats.

Outdoors indirect light:

Is there anything retro that takes your fancy?

Until next time.

Vita :)

Gold shatter + pink = pretty!

Hello my lovelies <3

First can I start off this post by saying I'm feeling just a little lonely tonight.  My husband is on his way to Las Vegas for the week to attend an IT convention and I'm missing him already.  At least I have my lovely boy and my two kitties, and all of you out there for company...

Now onto what you're really here for - some more nail polish fun.  I had another play with my OPI Gold Shatter and used a heavier application over my pink Mauve is Me base.  I was much more satisfied with the results this time.  The cracks were clearly visible, and the colour combination of pink and gold complimented each other really beautifully IMO.

All pictures were taken outdoors in indirect light:

What do you think?  Do you like the combination of pink and gold?

That's all for now.

Vita :)

Haul post: MAC + YSL

Another month, another teeny little haul, and enabled by my husband no less!  My lovely Hubby keeps letting me know about those Catch of the Day sales and I keep getting tempted...

YSL Elle - 2010 Limited Edition EDT

I bought this fragrance as a summery replacement for my original Elle which I finished a few months ago.  It smells a bit crisper and lighter than the original and will get a lot of love from me through the hotter months - love the summery bottle design too.  Does it bother me that it's so last year?  No!

MAC eyeshadow L-R:
Forgery, Phloof!

I was looking for some base and highlight eyeshadow colours and I'd wanted to add the soft satiny pink Phloof! to my collection for a long time.  It really is a velvety shadow which glides on and has just the right amount of shimmer so I'm happy to finally own it.  On the the other hand the icy Forgery was an impulse purchase and I'm a little unsure about it.  You can see a lot of sparkly fallout in the swatch above left - and this was over a primer!

Until next time...

Vita :)

Layering: Green with gold flakies

Hi and Happy Tuesday to you! Here's a post dedicated to layering using one of my favourite layering polishes - Inglot 205.

I'm not a nail artist but I like to have a bit of fun with polish.  I love Inglot's 205 green/gold flakie polish because by adding one coat it easily transforms a simple manicure into something a little bit special. 

Here I've applied a single coat of 205 over Orly's Green With Envy (see original manicure here ) and it added just the twist I wanted.  I think it looks a little like gold leaf on my nails:

Do you wear flakie polish?  What's your favourite flakie layering combo?

Until next time.

Vita :)

Pretty little pots: Daiso Rose Jewelry Lip Gloss

I was wandering through my local Daiso store in search of Japanese snacks when I found these little lip gloss pots which were just too pretty to resist!

These are very appropriately called 'Rose Jewelry Lip' because of their ridiculously pretty packaging.  The lid is faceted like a jewel while the bottom of the pot is moulded to the shape of a rose.  I think these look deceptively more expensive than their $2.80AUD price tag:

There are five shades in the range.  I chose Fresh Peach and Happy Pink because they were the softer shades in the selection.  It's recommended on the pack these are best applied with a lip brush (not supplied) but they can just as easily be applied with a fingertip for a softer finish.  The texture of these glosses are like softened butter and the finish is shiny without looking too wet with a hint of shimmery sparkle.  The wear time is average and you'd need to reapply after about an hour or so.  What I did find a little weird was the slightly grainy feeling on the lips and I can only think it's due to the shimmer particles.

L - R:  Fresh Peach, Happy Pink

Pros:

-beautifully packaged

-can be applied with fingertip or brush

-medium pigmented so can be worn on its own or layered

-shiny finish but not sticky, gloopy or wet

-does not bleed but fades gradually leaving a slight sparkle on the lips

-five shades available:  fresh peach, happy pink, elegant honey, soft scarlet, rich red

-only $2.80AUD each

Cons:

-shimmery shades feel 'grainy' on the lips

-no fragrance (this isn't necessarily a con!)

-needs regular reapplication

Would I buy these again?

Yes, probably more for the cute packaging than anything.  I also think these would make lovely stocking fillers for Christmas.

Until next time.

Vita :)

What my nails wore to work: Rokk 96 - Mauve is Me

The spring carnival was in full swing in Melbourne last week with the highlight being the Melbourne Cup.   I didn't go to the horse races but I opted for a soft spring shade on my nails inspired by all the ladies dressed in their finery for the carnival.

Mauve is Me is a soft mauve pink creme polish which looks almost musk pink.  I applied three coats to get full coverage and it still came up a little on the uneven side.  Not much to say about this one - it's pretty and feminine and not too Barbie so it's still office-appropriate.  It would certainly look great with a spring floral dress.  All pictures were taken outdoors in cloudy conditions unfortunately.

 

Have a great week!

Vita :)

EOTD: Gold 'n' green

Last month a number of bloggers posted some wonderful EOTD looks using variations of green.  It inspired me to step outside my personal comfort zone of pink, beige and purple and create a look a bit more dramatic than I'd normally wear. 

For this look I used:

• Face of Australia primer (matte) blended over the lids
• Excel - GL01 (gold) on inner corners
• MAC - Sumptuous Olive (golden olive) on lids
• Red Earth - After Eight (forest green) blended in crease and outer V
• MAC Duck Powerpoint eye pencil on outer upper lash line
• Christian Dior Diorshow mascara (black) on upper lashes only

For added reference on the colours used here are the eyeshadows in their pans and swatched in daylight.  I bought the gold Excel eyeshadow at a drugstore in Tokyo back in 2008:

L-R:

Excel GL01, MAC Sumptuous Olive, Red Earth After Eight

Until next time.

Vita :)