Ciate London Mini Mani Month

I thought for the second Advent Calendar of this Christmas Day, I'd feature the Ciate London Mini Mani Month ($59, Sephora). This 24-day kit was all about nails- there's only one product that wasn't a mini polish. In total, there were 22 minis (2 topcoats), 1 full sized polish, and one mini nail file.

I'll be nabbing this (if the formula works on my hands) and the makeup advent calendar next year. It's clear that these UK brands get beauty advent calendars.

This is adorable- there were 24 mini boxes, each with a different saying on the back.

I'll be keeping a couple of them.

Yes, this is my motto.

Of course, I LOVE this one:

Now, if you're wondering, this is how the kit broke down:

Day One: Midnight  in Paris
Day Two: Cabaret
Day Three: Gelology Top Coat
Day Four:Part Time Mermaid
Day Five: Locket
Day Six: Moonlit Whispers
Day Seven: Beach Please!
Day Eight: Desert Lights
Day Nine: The Naked Truth
Day Ten: What the Shell?
Day Eleven:Cosmic Love
Day Twelve: Big Top
Day Thirteen: Moondust
Day Fourteen: Nail File
Day Fifteen: Palm Springs
Day Sixteen: Reign Supreme
Day Seventeen: Nail Superhero
Day Eighteen: Maybe Baby
Day Nineteen: After Party
Day Twenty: House of Mirrors
Day Twenty-One: Champagne Kisses
Day Twenty-Two: Roll Up, Roll Up
Day Twenty-Three: Mostly a Minx
Day Twenty-Four: Showtime (full size)

Here's the cremes:

The shimmers:

The glitters:

And the other products:

All in all, this is going to be a great way to get to know the brand.  Two thumbs up!

Yes, it's expensive but everything about this makes me interested in next year's version. And the makeup version.

Dior Diorific Vernis 809 Emerald for Holiday 2017

So, there's a story with this nail polish.

Dior has been releasing these bauble-like nail polishes as a part of their Diorific Vernis line every holiday. I think I bought the full collection a couple of years, but my attention has been dwindling due to shade repetition.

Then I saw 809 Emerald.

Whoa, that's a green.

Somehow, in my sleep deprivation, I thought "there's no way it doesn't dry down darker than the bottle looks.

Three coats later at 1AM Monday morning, I was proven to be an idiot.

This is truly the most authentic representation of an actual emerald gemstone. It's breathtaking. It layers well and doesn't show many streaks.

There are three coats, no topcoat on my nails here:

But work friendly it is not. So off it went, to be replaced by a more work-friendly green. Dior Emerald is more of a weekend, right before Christmas, or St. Patrick's Day shade for me.

This retails for $28 and is one of four limited edition shades in Dior's holiday 2017 collection. I may have to go back for one or two more.

I think this is the most excited I've been about Dior in some time.

And this post, today, is dedicated to the most ardent lover of green that I will ever know. I miss you and love you. You'll never be forgotten.

Two for Thursday: Quick Drugstore Holiday Picks

Since it's the end of the month and I'll also be posting a monthly favorites, I wanted to share two quick reviews on drugstore (or drugstore-priced) beauty holiday kits.

First up is the Wet n Wild Megalast Nail Color Collection.

This set is marked at $4.99, but I found it last weekend on sale for $2.99 at both Rite Aid and CVS, with $2 rewards attached to it. Yes, that makes this set $0.99.

In this set, you receive nine of the Megalast nail polishes, each weighing in at 0.17fl/5ml. This is one of the cheapest formulas at the drugstore, but one of my favorites. It lasts and lasts on my nails.

I thought so much of it that I picked up one for me, and one for my mother for Christmas. If that's not a stamp of approval, I'm not sure what is.

I feel like this kit has neutrals, bolds, brights, and classic shades- essentially, all you'd need for any number of looks. I think that this is a great kit.

Next up, the Real Techniques Fresh Face Favorites Kit.

This retails for $19.99 at Ulta, but I found this kit for $6.99 at my local TJMaxx.

This set comes with three brushes: a BB/CC brush,a contour brush, and a detailer brush.

It also comes with a sponge wedge.

Do I think this is worth $19.99? Nope. But if you spot it at your local TJMaxx like I did, remember that it's this year's kit and totally worth it. I love Real Techniques brushes, and I find them to be really high quality.

Sorry for the quick post, but I wanted to share two kits I've picked up recently with you.

NOTD: Morgan Taylor Magician's Assistant

Another Thursday, another NOTD. I'm not going to call this a series, but I'm having a lot of fun throwing it back and showing my manis again.

Let's take a look at Morgan Taylor Magician's Assistant.

I don't know what it is about these greigey-lilac shades, but they're giving me all of the feels right now. So when I pulled this out of my September 2017 Glossybox, this went on my nails immediately.

There's this hidden purple shimmer that doesn't translate on the nail or in photos, but it's just so pretty.

A bit of research reveals that it was a part of the Fall 2014 collection. I know this brand is available at Ulta- I've picked up a couple of shades in the past (their holo topcoat is good). I used three coats plus a topcoat for that mani.

It's so pretty- and the type of lilac I crave in the fall. Even if it's pushing 90 and humid. (Go away summer.)

NOTD: Sinful Colors Liquid Iris

Hold up, what?

That's right, I'm kicking it old school and bringing back a NOTD (nail of the day)- at least for today. When I was at my local Rite Aid, I spotted Sinful Colors' Fall 2017 Faceted Illusions Collection (not yet on the brand's website) sitting amongst the other new LE displays.

One of the polihes caught my eye.

Liquid Iris really seemed in the same vein as the shade in the new OPI collection that keeps calling my name but I'm trying not to buy more nail polish (we'll talk about my collection in another post). All of the polishes on the display have a sticker that says "limited time Iridescent Color" on them- and they're $2.99 each.Yes, all of the shades have an iridescent shimmer in them.

I only purchased one, Liquid Iris. What a crazy thing for me.

It looks like a deep cobalt blue that leans purple in the bottle, and has some lighter flecks in it. I'd call it a proper blurple, depending on the lighting. It builds more towards blue with each additional coat.

It's a good formula- not too thin, not too gloopy. One coat provides decent coverage:

It's fully opaque with two coats:

But I went for that third coat as per usual in the final look:

Overall, this polish punches well above its $2.99 pricetag. It's funny, I miss writing about nail polish. I don't miss obsessing over my nails since they're rarely perfect. Confession: I hurried up and photographed my left hand even before I'd finished the right because I was afraid of messing them up!

NOTD: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Tawny Travels

Yowsa, it's hot outside lately.

So hot that one of the local meteorologists proclaimed proudly on Monday regarding his 10-day forecast "that's almost 1000 degrees!"

Gee, thanks.

When it's this hot outside, several things happen in my life.

1. I immediately face plant into a cool bed in the dark when I come home from work, devoid of all ability to function having dealt with the inferno.
2. I lose my ambition to paint my nails frequently.
3. Since it's never just hot but always the best combo ever of hot plus humid, I'm always looking for a longwear gel formula for my nails.

Enter this week's nail color, a drugstore gem I picked up at CVS this week (they're on sale- seriously, so cheap you guys) as part of another starter kit. The brush on my original topcoat had a bit of an accident. I haven't spotted this color at Rite Aid, Walmart, Target, or outside of these two-packs.

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish 630 Tawny Travels is a muted orangey red that reminds me vaguely of a more intense version of one of my all-time summer favorites- Julep Nan.

When I think of 100 (which was the actual forecast high here yesterday, with a "cool" 99 today), I think orangey red.

I don't think I've featured this formula before, but it's pretty amazing. No base coat needed, just make sure that your nails are freshly cleaned with remover. Each shade is perfect in 1-3 coats, depending on the polish. The most frequent number of coats is 2.  I've got 3 on my nails plus the Miracle Gel topcoat on my nails here.

I've been rotating a number of longwear formulas that can be found at Ulta or your local drugstore as of late- Essie Gel Couture, Sally Hansen Miracle Gel, OPI Infinite Shine, Essie with the Gel Setter Top Coat.... they're all pretty awesome. Right now I'm digging the number of shades and the formula of the Miracle Gel.

I've got Tawny Travels on my nails and Mauve-olous on my toes for a change of pace. Somehow it seems right as hot as it is.

Please send ice cream. And fall!

Essie Summer 2016: Loot the Booty

Today I bring you the first of four polishes I picked up from Essie's Summer 2016's collection: Loot the Booty.

I'll take a moment before getting into the polish to describe the full collection, which I haven't yet seen in local stores (I took advantage of a Nordstrom bonus day to pick up this set online). Names are courtesy Essie's website.

• Viva Antigua, the collection's namesake- iridescent crystalline turquoise
• Coconut Cove- sweet cream white
• Berried Treasures- bright ruby berry
• Hiking Heels- scorching hot lava red
• Loot the Booty- blue sapphire pavé
• Tribal Text-Styles- black gold and crushed onyx

One of my favorite things that Essie offers is the mini 4-pack of colors. Let's be honest, how many of us ever finish a full bottle of polish? The Summer 2016 4-pack is Viva Antigua, Coconut Cove, Berried Treasures, and Loot the Booty. I think it's the perfect mix and am happy with the brand's choices.

I tested and photographed the following combination:

1 coat Ridge Filler Base coat, 3 coats Loot the Booty nail color, 1 coat No Chips Ahead Topcoat (this isn't a work-friendly color, otherwise I would've used my beloved Gel Setter). Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of No Chips Ahead because it fails to live up to its name with my nails, chipping quickly, and doesn't leave as shiny a finish as I'd like.

Cleanup was easy with a bit of nail polish remover- this doesn't seem to be the type of blue that's going to stain your nail beds. Even so, use a base coat!

OK, now let's talk about Loot the Booty. With a name like that and first available testing time on a Saturday, you know that's where I needed to start with this collection.

Loot the Booty is a glorious blue. I think Essie's description of the blue as sapphire is spot-on; it's quite similar to a sapphire that I own (but won't photograph for security seasons) that's a high quality family heirloom. It's close to a deep, natural sapphire. The shimmer gives it internal illumination that elevates this from a plain creme. It's also not over the top.

Here's Loot the Booty inside:

Outside in the sun, it really does look like a pure sapphire. I had a hard time getting a good photo- and no, I didn't clean up my dominant hand. #sorrynotsorry.

Here's a 100% out-of-focus but 100% true-to-color shot. Blame the focus issues on it being at a stop light!

Bottom Line: Loot the Booty is an awesome summer color, and I'm glad that I started my exploration of Essie Summer 2016 with it.

Essie Gel Setter Top Coat

Anyone who has read even a few posts on this blog knows that I'm a hussy for nail polish and can't commit to a color for more than a day. Truth told, it's because I can't keep a color chip free for more than a day- sometimes less than a day.

Right now, I'm having a moment with my Essie polishes. They've surpassed Christian Louboutin or Chanel's Longwear formula. Why, you ask, why? Five words: Essie Gel Setter Top Coat.

This little beauty is available everywhere that Essie is- including drug stores. Retailing at a moderate $10, Essie's version of a gel top coat is simply mind-blowing.

I've been testing this out for the past 3-4 weeks and couldn't be happier. Base coat seems not to matter, although I suspect that the formula was optimized to work with Essie's polishes. I successfully used Essie's Ridge-Filling Base Coat, CND Stickey, and Butter London Nail Foundation with this top coat and got the same astronomical wear time.

Let's talk about application. I tend to use one coat of base, 2-3 coats of polish, wait 20-30 minutes, then 1 coat of top coat. I want to make sure that the polish isn't going to transfer pigment into the top coat.

This has led to a crazy wear time of 5-7 days! I used to love Essie polishes but couldn't keep them chip-free. Admittedly, I've been loving one of the Essie Spring 2016 colors (Lounge Lover) as of late, but I had to repaint every other day or so. Now, I had to remove after 7 days simply to change colors.

My testing notes:

• Essie Lounge Lover (Spring 2016): First of all, go get this color if you can still find it. It's a universally flattering salmon pink coral. 2 coats plus Gel Setter lasted me 7 full days without a chip. I had to remove, in order to replace with...
• Essie Mint Candy Apple (permanent collection): Three coats of this (the greener version of the color that I have- anyone else notice that there is a blue and a green version of this shade?) plus top coat lasted 5 days before I got bored with the color. No chipping or cracking in that time.
• Essie French Affair (permanent collection): Three coats of this were flawless when I removed it to play with other colors after 6 days. This is another classic Essie shade that should be in anyone's nail polish collection. 
• Essie Where's My Chauffeur: Two coats of this, CND Stickey, and one coat of Gel Setter have lasted 3 flawless weeks and counting on my toes. Two paws up!

I did try it briefly with Julep Nan and found that the same flawless results weren't achieved. The polish was a bit gummy under the top coat and I was able to gouge it an hour later. I find that if you want extended wear with Julep polishes, their Freedom Polymer Top Coat is the way to go. The formula of the Julep seemed not to play nicely with Essie Gel Setter.

I know I've not been around much, but when I find something that I absolutely can't stay silent about, you'll see me pop up. Also look for some reviews from Essie's summer collection- because of my newfound love for the brand due to Gel Setter.

OPI New Orleans Collection S/S 2016: Show Us Your Tips

Today I have my lone selection from OPI's large Spring/Summer 2016 collection to share with you: Show Us Your Tips!

First a quick note- for those who hadn't noticed, OPI just had another price hike. We're now at $10 per bottle for the regular formula. It's not a lot, but somehow the double digit price barrier looms large.

Same classic, full-coverage brush as always:

Show Us Your Tips is a gorgeous cornflower/periwinkle shimmer. I found it to be the most unique in the collection. I've got 3 coats on my nails here:

This lasted about 3 days on my nails, and I'm extremely tough on my nails.

I passed on the rest of the collection (see it here) because, aside from the green (which isn't office-friendly), I felt that I probably had a dupe for just about all of the others.

OPI's collections are always a lot of fun- New Orleans is just the latest in a proud tradition of travel-themed hues. I bought mine at Ulta about a month ago- you should be able to find it everywhere.

Cle de Peau Nail Lacquers for Spring 2016

I'm going to be honest with you: Cle de Peau is a brand that I'm scared to start exploring.

Wait, what?

It has to do with price point. While I love my Chanel, Tom Ford, and even Louboutin, Cle de Peau at least seems so much more expensive. A $37-90 lipstick is one thing; a $70 concealer (a product type that I go through like water) seems like the most expensive thing out there.

But yet here we are. I'm dipping my toes into this mostly unexplored brand. (I bought a lip gloss trio a couple of Holiday seasons ago and loathed the plastic applicators but was charmed by the packaging.) For Spring 2016, Cle de Peau has released a quartet of limited edition nail lacquers: 04 Bright Red, 05 Hot Pink, 06 Deep Purple, and 07 Star Sparkle. At $25 each, dare I say it? They're quite reasonable and probably a bargain with price hikes by everyone else. Here's a list of companies whose nail polishes are more expensive that I can also buy at my local Nordstrom: Tom Ford, Chanel, Dior, YSL. For a company whose products are in the upper tier price-wise, this is shocking. But in a good way.

Let me rave for a moment about the formula. It's awesome. I started out with one, immediately doubled my order to qualify for a GWP at Saks, and bought the other 2 the following day after I did a quick mani. I know my nail formulas and this one rocks. It dries quickly and to a nice and hard surface, is self-leveling, and covers in 1-2 coats. Although these aren't the most original colors, the formula more than makes up for it. These also dry perfectly glossy without a top coat. Next, the brush. I find it extremely easy to work with- which in turn minimized cleanup.

Let's start with 04 Bright Red (by the way, the shade names appear nowhere on the box or bottle). This cheerful red required 2 coats for opacity. There are 2 plus topcoat in my mani here:

This is a fantastic summer red- and it's going right into my rotation. I really could've gotten away with one coat. It's that great.

Although I could pull so many reds, here's a few comparisons:

Yeah, it's dupeable but the formula made me fall in love instantly. Two coats makes it look like a gel!

I have only one negative about Bright Red. Like a lot of reds (but not like others in this formula), it's a bear to remove. I had it on my nails for less than 24 hours and it took hours of scrubbing to get 85% of it off of my hands. I wore a base coat, too. That's literally the only negative I can come up with on this color.

Next up, 05 Hot Pink. Why yes, it's the most pedestrian shade name never. But it's anything but ordinary on your nails.

I instinctively reached for this shade for a super quick mani before running to work on a recent weekend. By the end of the mani, I'd fallen in love with the amazingly low-key formula and quick dry time. This is the only shade that wasn't a possible one-coat wonder- there was still VNL after coat #1.

We all know I have a ton of pinks, but I grabbed a few comparisons just so you can get an idea for the color.

Again, very dupeable but the superior formula makes it a must-have.

Next up, what I thought to be the most unique shade- 06 Deep Purple. It's as the name sounds- a dark purple. However, there's a secret blue shimmer in it! Unfortunately it didn't translate to the nail.

Even crazier? It's a one-coater. I'm still shaking my head over the performance. The shade appears lighter here, but there's a more accurate photo coming:

I pulled a few purples- mainly with blue sparkling undertones- for comparison:

It's not necessarily 100% unique, but again- formula makes this worth picking up.

Let's move on to 07 Star Sparkle, the glitter topcoat of the group. Normally I'm leery of glitter polishes, but I love this one! Two coats almost covered my entire nail, which was shocking.

Even more shocking by this adult glitter polish was the removal. It just came off, even on my nail where I had multiple coats. Unreal. Cle de Peau even did glitter perfectly. My mind is blown.

I used my hand as a human swatch wheel. There are two coats of Star Sparkle on my index finger, and one coat over each of the three cremes in this photo:

Awesome, right? It's grown-up glitter, and I'm currently trying to figure out the best way to make it work in the office.

I teased you with the human swatch hand; here's my 2-coats-per-nail skittles mani of the entire collection, minus topcoat:

Bottom Line: This is an expertly-curated collection of three cremes and one glitter nail polish. Although these are classic shades, they've been executed so flawlessly that these are must-haves. I just hope that these sell well and Cle de Peau decides to release more. All four are listed as limited edition, so don't wait.