My #NSale 2016 Selections- Round 1

If you follow any blogs, you're seeing your feeds clogged with chatter about the famous Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, or #NSale in social media this year. For the non-initiated, once a year Nordstrom offers this awesome sale. Here's the twist: it's new fall-winter items and prices go up after the sale is over.

One of the perks of being a cardholder (which includes a Debit option) is Early Access. I don't have many store cards, but I keep a Nordstrom card for the rewards like Notes, alteration, and Early Access.  This year I had the pleasure of a pre-opening appointment, so I could roam the store with my sales associate. I also could send her items to pull ahead of time. Some years, it's all about beauty for me. This year, I hit the clothing far more since I was working with a clothing SA. I expect to probably have additional purchases but these were the "can't miss" items.

The star of my purchases (and the item I'm the most bummed to have to wait to try on) is this Halogen Removable Collar Lace Bodice Fit & Flare Dress ($81.90 Plus, around $78 for 0-16 but I can't find it online). It's exactly the type of piece I look for at Nordstrom- it's something different than the plethora of straight sheaths and A-lines. The materials are awesome- charcoal grey skirt, blush and black lace overlay, and removable white cotton collar. This is a rockstar.

I (hopefully) nabbed one of the last 2 Halogen Belted Short Sleeve Shirts in the black print  ($49.90 Misses, Petites/$58.90 Plus) in my size. I'm seriously considering the blush version, and wish the teal was also made in Plus!

This is my typical type of purchase- a total workhorse that pairs well with a suit- and also with boyfriend jeans and cozy sweater (I tried that combo). This is the Sejour Cap Sleeve Blouse ($52.90) in Ivory-Burgundy Print.

I can't believe I bought this next item; it was the product of browsing one of my favorite non-beauty forums. All of the users were raving about items from Barefoot Dreams, especially the Open Front Cacoon cardigan. On a whim, I asked my SA to pull it for me. Luckily my store actually didn't have the plus version ($78.90), so my SA pulled the misses' version ($76.90) in a L/XL in Graphite. Shockingly, it fit! I tried a different Barefoot Dreams cardi in both 1X and 2X, noting that the 1X is only a little larger than the L/XL, but the 2X is very, very large. The slightly slimmer L/XL elevates this cozy cutie from laid back to something I wear with dress pants to work in the winter!

I had enough Notes to cover either it or the dress, so it was totally justified in my mind.

I kept jewelry simple- just two pairs of Kate Spade Small Square Studs ($20.90) in black and navy.

One of the most underrated sale sections are the home goodies. I picked up the first of what will probably be 3-5 Kennebunk throws. I absolutely adore these, and they're perfect in so many ways- yummy and warm and cozy, washable, affordable, and they make the best hostess gifts. I picked up the "Bliss" throw in Blush ($25.90) for now, but I have a small list to pick up later.

And finally, my sole beauty purchase (honestly, I'm not really feeling most of the exclusives this year. Last year there were Guerlain Meteorites, the year before the Chanel highlighter with lace overspray....): the MAC C'est Chic Palette ($65). OMG.

It's All. MATTE. And it's rosy nudes. Essentially it's incredible! I can't wait to really explore it later.


That said, these are the items that I'm still thinking about:


I really almost bought the Drybar Beach in a Box Kit ($140) but I'd honestly spent enough for one day, and the sale goes on until early August. I don't anticipate this kit selling out like some of the other items I bought (many were down under 20 pieces nationally!)

I'm going to tip my hand a bit, but I finally started using a BeautyBlender. This is still a summer-only thing for me, though. There's a Beautyblender Beauty's Best Friend Set ($35) for offer in the sale. That's a good price- it's the Solid BlenderCleanser that's causing me a bit of pause.

Another upcoming review... I'm going to get myself some version of a Foreo Luna. Nordstrom has two versions in the sale that I'm debating- the Luna Mini ($74) and the Luna Sensitive ($126). Stay tuned for my review- and my ultimate choice!

MAC always offers special kits and sets for the #NSale- these Look in a Box kits are really tempting at $39.50 each!

I nearly bought the Laura Mercier Flawless Icons Palette ($65), but passed. It's a great, travel-friendly palette... it's just so similar to what I already own. I highly recommend the highlighter and bronzer included in this set.

If you're in the market for a new hair dryer, I highly recommend the T3. This Featherweight 2 is so pretty with rose gold accents, and if I didn't already own one I would've gotten this one. $139 is a fabulous price for a T3 dryer, and this would make an incredible present.

Finally, I've been eyeing this next item and am seriously considering making it my next "save up a lot of Ulta rewards" item. The Sarahpotempa Beachwaver Pro ($139) is a motorized curling iron meant to create the perfect beach hair. Have any of you tried this?

I have other items that have caught my eye, but I'll stop for now. What have you picked up during #NSale Early Access?

Sunday Dreaming: Drugstore Edition

I've been back into drugstore makeup a bit more as of late. I'm not sure if it's the creeping price points (Dear Mr. Louboutin, I'm not exactly happy with the aging of your $90 lipsticks. Mr. Ford, I've had multiple of your $60 lipsticks go rancid on me, too.) or a general sense of "I've already bought most of what I want from Sephora, but the idea of drugstore dupes has me interested. Throw in the 20% discount I have at Rite Aid from being a Gold member, and these are small splurges.



1. L'Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Lumi Concealer- Fair ($12.99)

I know most people are very familiar with this item, reportedly a Touche Eclat dupe, but I've yet to really explore it. At this price, I really want to try it. When I was at Rite Aid last night, every single shade was sold out. That's saying something!

2. Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Nail Color- Leapin Lilac ($4.99)

I love this formula, and I can't resist a cool-toned purple. I side-eyed this at WalMart yesterday, where it's a dollar less (I actually nearly bought a different Sally Hansen polish that keeps calling my name!). This formula dries so fast.


3. Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lip Color- Spark ($8.99)

Every single time I pass these in the drugstore or at Ulta, I stop and look. It's my aversion to matte lips and my general checkered history with drugstore lipsticks that has stopped me until now. Spark is a warm pink right in my lip wheelhouse, so it seems like a safe place to try.


4. Real Techniques Blush Brush ($8.99)

I've been watching a lot of YouTube lately and I've seen this brush in a number of videos. Looking at my massive brush collection, big, fluffy brushes is one category that I'm woefully deficient. At this price, it's worth the gamble.


5. Revlon Hand Mirror ($6.99)

OK, this is going to sound like #firstworldproblems. I adore my SimpleHuman mirror (which was a Christmas present for which I waited for years). It has made my makeup life so much better. Here's the problem: now I don't have a second mirror to check my hair. I've been using the mirror on my Tartelette in Bloom palette. I've seen a Chanel hand mirror floating around the internet, but I think this $6.99 Revlon version will do the job quite nicely and spare my wallet!


6. Physicians Formula Bronze Booster Glow-Boosting Season-to Season Bronzer ($14.99)

Look carefully at this. There's a reason why I shrunk this bronzer. I am incredibly curious to see if this is a drugstore dupe for my HG Guerlain bronzer at a fraction of the price!


7. Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Nail Color- Jade Jump ($4.99)

I had this in my hands at Wal-Mart (a dollar cheaper than Ulta, which is what's linked) yesterday. It was one of two green Sally Hansen polishes I was eyeing. I'm not sure what's up with me and green since its so unwearable for me! Still, I have a feeling I'll pick this up soon!


8. Maybelline Lash Discovery Mini Brush Very Black Waterproof Mascara ($7.99)

The brush on this looks absolutely perfect for a lower lash mascara. The idea of a waterproof formula down there also is very attractive in the summer!


9. L'Oreal Colour Riche Pocket Palette- Boudoir Charm & Haute Hazel ($9.99 ea)

 

I know these are brand-new quads, and I fell in love with the color combos while browsing at Rite Aid. I'm not normally a huge L'Oreal eyeshadow fan in their regular formula, but these are just calling my name for some reason...

The crazy thing is that this is a totally doable haul, too. This is what's got my eye when I should be getting things like cough syrup, vitamins, and my prescriptions!

QBB's Stories of Coffee, Caulk, and Flamingos (Or, Where Has She Been?)

Hi, everyone! This might be a bit of a lengthy post, as well as a departure from norm, so grab yourself a cup of coffee. Here's what I'm drinking out of today:

Here's something personal that I haven't shared: I'm a huge coffee addict. I started drinking "coffee milk" around age 7 every morning with my mother, when she'd give me a mix of about 90% milk and 10% decaf coffee (relax, people). I wasn't allowed the real stuff until I was old enough to drive myself to the local gas station. My hometown was rural enough that Starbucks was a 45 minute drive until about 10 years ago! 

I actually put this in my newly-renovated bathroom:

And that brings me to part of today's topic- where I've been.

I've been spending less on makeup and beauty as a whole as of late (don't let the hauls fool you). For instance, I only bought the Chanel summer quad about a week ago. And from summer releases as a whole, I think I purchased a sum total of the Chanel quad, all 5 Chanel longwear polishes, the green Chanel liner, the Essie minis.....<thinking>.... I think that's it! Summer's usually a lean season for me as a pale person who embraced my porcelain-ness and refuses to self-tan for some personal and rather controversial reasons. Oh! I've bought a bunch of the new Benefit brow products, but somehow they slipped my mind since I just had my hair redone and I legitimately needed new brow products because, you guys... my hair is so dark. I love it!

I'm not less interested, but I have other priorities. I've been neglecting other parts of my life after going through a rough period. In April, it all came to a head when I was looking at my Benjamin Moore Marblehead Gold walls and water-damaged ceiling in my tiny, windowless bathroom:

Via Benjamin Moore's official website

But really, it looked like this, at best. Remember, no windows:

Via: http://www.lifamilies.com/chat/p/153415_1.jpg

I consider this regrettable mustardy gold a relatively minor acting out by someone who grew up in an all-white-walled home and had never been allowed to paint before. Suddenly, I could PAINT ALL THE COLORS!!!!! So, I restrained myself to pastels- except Marblehead Gold. Whoops. I got tired of it shortly, but I was tired, lazy, and burnt out on painting. It was the black and gold shower curtain that finally made me snap into action though.

I've been working on the bathroom since 2012, though. The running joke is that this is really the world's slowest renovation. When I moved in, one of many quirks I noted was a hand shower instead of a normal shower head. (I bought a FSBO and overlooked a lot for location, let's just say. I overpaid, looking at the long run. My short commute has paid off.) Turns out, the grout had failed and instead of actually replacing the grout that would flood the neighbors, the previous owners swapped the shower head. Niiice. So, I've been working on this slowly ever since.

I actually found the Flamingo inspiration for the whole design shopping with my parent. Flamingos, go figure.

That's a little heavily filtered, but you can get the idea. I already had light brown tiles in the surround that would be hidden, so it's literally a blank canvas. The only things I didn't want to change were the floors, sink, and toilet.

This photo is more accurate:

And AHHHHHHHHH isn't that beige (Actually, that's #1031 Carlisle Cream for reference) far more serene?

Over the course of 5 weeks, I did the following, in no particular order (keep in mind, I work full time):

• Painted 4x coats of paint on walls- 2 to cancel out the gold/purple, 2 for color. And yes, I made it BEIGE. And I love it.
• Did major drywall repair in at least 10 places, minor in about 8 others before doing all that paint. Partially because....
• Removed old, nasty 1980s contractor grade anchored-in towel bars that killed my wall in the auxiliary vanity area!
• Did serious repair on the ceiling from prior (Corrected) water damage- sanding, jointing compound layers for multiple days, then 2 coats of paint
• 2 coats of trim paint
• Removed 3 doors from hinges; sanded, repainted, rehung
• Changed all hardware, lightswitch covers, shower rod, etc
• Removed 2x recessed metal medicine cabinets, reframed openings, installed new recessed medicine cabinets (neighbors loved my new reciprocal saw at 9am Memorial Day Sunday!)
• Removed all globes from light fixtures and removable bits, painted/dipped with acrylic paint (ala Young House Love)
• Disassembled 2x vanities; sanded; applied 6 coats of gel stain plus clear coat; reassembled; changed and added new hardware (I went to all satin nickel)
• Changed 2x faucet assemblies to new ones that light up when they're in use
• Un-did prior disaster DIY plumbing work done by the prior owner (the same one that, rather than actually replacing failed grout just bought a hand shower. yeah.)
• Fixed a couple of minor things with the toilet (no details necessary) 
• Re-lined 2 vanities & re-organized
• The fun stuff: lots of fun shopping for white, teal, and coral accessories. Only 2 flamingos in the place though- on the shower curtain and in a rug in the auxiliary area.

(I think that's the full list)

What's left to do in there?

• Re-seal grout and caulk on tub/tile
• Get tub re-glazed
• Change out the door handles to make them uniform (I can see rubbed bronze, gold silver, and satin just sitting here. Thanks, previous owners for caring about details.)
• Hang mirrors I bought that are too heavy for one person
• Eventually change light fixtures once I find ones under $400 that I like!
• Purchase a clock.

Anyone who even somewhat enjoys DIY knows what I'm about to say: the good news is that I kick butt and take names and love my bathroom. The bad news is that now I have a long list of things I want to do everywhere. And limited funds to do so. Rather than blogging, I'm investing my time and money into my home.

Ironically, one of the biggest things I've been having an issue with is trying to figure out what to do with my stash. I'm still furious about this, so I'm likely going to offend people. I spent months researching the right piece of storage that I could blend into my existing furniture (I'm glad Helmers work for many of you; it's not right for my home). I found the perfect piece. Plenty of storage, unstained wood (so I could customize both stain and hardware), and affordable. And then people who couldn't be bothered to keep an eye on their kids or teach Precious not to climb on the dressers got it taken away from me the very damn week I'd already rented a damn truck to drive to flippin' Ikea and buy the damn dresser. I'm sincerely sorry about the kids, but here's a few points: 1. I don't have kids 2. Please watch your kids. 3. If your kids are so badly behaved that they can't be trusted not to try to climb the dressers, you're not invited to my personal home anyhow. 4. Why should you be able to dictate what goes in my home? Every time I look at my temporary plastic storage that I'm stuck with indefinitely, my blood boils. Parents, watch your kids. Somehow we made it through the 80s with parents caring less than now. Get out of my reno and especially get the hell out of my bedroom!

So until I have a permanent home for my stash (probably never thanks to the best parents of the world), I'm slowing down my collecting. I've been getting back into drugstore products again (my interest waxes and wanes), so look for a few new posts on those topics.

If you've made it this long- thanks!

The saddest part of my reno?  My Benjabelles were broken!! My Instagram shows my sad brush drying game these days- and the tub that needs to be reglazed, stat.

This & That

Just a quick update tonight- I've started about 10 new posts and written others in my head but the unbearable heat has sapped my energy to the point where all I have the energy to do is faceplant into bed and turn on the Olympics Trials.

Coming Soon on QBB:

• Sizzling Hot Weather Favorites
• Catching up with QBB (Or, Adventures in Drywall & Flamingos)
• Essie Gel Couture
• Chanel Summer 2016 Nails & Thoughts
• Foreo Luna Play
• A Look at my MAC Eyeshadow Collection (Spoiler: I own the entire permanent collection)
• My Accidental 3+ Month Low/No-Buy in a key Category
• Essie Summer 2016
• QBB's Guide to Faking it as Natural as Possible (with Eyelashes)
• New Benefit Brows
• Drugstore Gems

And lots, lots more!

As for me, I'll be going back to watching the Olympics Trials in my jammies!

Sunday Dreaming

Even though I don't regularly post, I thought I'd still share what's catching my eye as of late. I'm trying to be a better girl and not buy all the things although that's impossible. (To be fair, the 3 hair products, lashes, lash glue, cotton buds, and bubble bath from yesterday are all replenishments!) I'm going to focus on just makeup this week- I'll have my current skincare wants for next week.

1. Becca Backlight Priming Filter ($38)

I was able to get a deluxe sample of this in my Play by Sephora box in June. I've actually got it on right now and my skin looks luminous and just lit from within. It's a stunning look, which can be attributed to this primer. This has gone to the top of my list and I'll likely pick it up on my next Sephora or Ulta trip (One of my local Ultas has Becca, the others do not).

2. Lancome Color Design 5 Shadow & Liner Palette- Chocolate Amande ($50)

I received a GWP mini version of this palette somewhere along the line and have been wearing it at least 1-2 days per week as of late. I'm sure I have dupes for these neutrals, but I love having them in one compact palette. I do like my Spring 2016 Lancome palette, so this one has been added to my list for the next time I either have $50 in Ulta points, the fall Sephora sale, or an awesome GWP.


3. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Poured Creme- Pearl ($38)

For some reason, I previously limited myself to the Pressed formula of Becca's highlighters. Within the past month, I discovered just how amazing the Poured is- and that it's the soft highlight that I've been looking for. At Ulta the other day, I really struggled to decide between Moonstone and Pearl, so now Pearl is on my to-buy list!

4. Guerlain Terracotta 4 Seasons Bronzer 00 Nude ($76)

I'll readily admit that this has been a purposeful non-repurchase. After all, I have other bronzers. Why not use them up before going back to this? I hit pan in less than a year on this gem and truly miss it. It's the perfect bronzer for the non-bronze!


5. Wander Beauty Catch the Light Highlighter- Moon ($25)

I don't want to tip my hand on upcoming posts, but I just noticed that this gem of a highlighter now comes in four colors. Moon, a light gold, is going to have to be mine ASAP.

6. Chanel Les 4 Ombres Tisse Vendrome ($61)

This quad has been on my list since it was launched, but I really need that peach shade in my life this summer! I'm saving my Plenti points for it (or at least half of it since I'm unlikely to be willing to wait that long). I have a long list of Chanel items I'd like to add to my collection, but this is top of the list now that I picked up the summer quad on Friday. Looking through my collection, it's clear that Chanel quads are among my favorite items.


7. Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quad- Last Dance ($80)

Shockingly, I have passed on the Tom Ford quads introduced this past spring until now. Normally the blue would be enough to turn me off on a quad, but I can't get it out of my mind since one of my favorite bloggers featured it.

That's the top of my very-long list. Notice the lack of lips? I'm on product overload at the moment!

Recent Ulta & Drug Store Haul

I know that haul videos tend to be really popular, so I thought I'd share a recent rather large haul that I purchased. As usual, I took advantage of the Ulta Platinum coupon (I tend to get the 20% nearly unrestricted coupon- my only exclusions were Clinique, Lancome, series of treatments, brow treatments, and perfume. I know some people only get 10% on prestige; I get 20% but have been Platinum for years and usually re-qualify within the first 2-3 months of the year.).

One of my biggest splurges isn't pictured; I got my hair done at the Ulta salon again. If there's interest, I can do a future post on my thoughts on the Salon. I've been to three different locations over the past eight years and have had some great experiences, some ok experiences, and had a horrific experience. My total bill for the haul & hair was almost 75% of the year re-qualification. And yes, I almost died a bit when I put my debit card in the reader.

The Summer 2016 Ulta Platinum Haul:

• Eylure Naturals #020 Eyelashes (3 pack): These are my current weekday go-to favorite lashes. They're subtle- similar to the impact of a really good mascara. That makes them perfect for my conservative office. I try to stock up when there's a sale since although they're reusable, I rarely get more than 1-2 wears per pair. Retail: $9.99, $7.99 with coupon.
• Duo Eyelash Adhesive (0.25oz): My daily go-to and IMO the best lash adhesive. Now that I'm wearing lashes on a daily basis, I do go through this. Retail: $5.99, $4.79 with coupon.
• Living Proof Restore Shampoo & Conditioner: This is my ride or die hair duo. I've flirted with others but always come back. I'm working my way through my current bottles so this is a "grab while on sale" purchase. Full disclosure: as soon as I took the photo, I dumped the conditioner into my 24oz pump bottle. Retail: $28 each, $22.40 with coupon.
• Redken Extreme Anti-Snap Leave-In Treatment: This is part of my daily hair routine (actually, the first product that touches my clean hair) and has really helped with strength. I'm about 85% done with my current bottle, so this is a stock-up purchase. I like to keep a backup bottle around, but haven't been as of late. Retail: $18, $14.40 with coupon.
• Ulta Dual Tipped Cotton Applicators (75 ct): I love these for false eyelash application, cleanup, and everything else. Retail:$1.99, $1.59 with coupon.
• Benefit Pretty Pleasers & Ka-Brow GWP
• Benefit 3D Browtones- Shade 4: I needed to get some darker products now that my hair went back to a rich, deep brown (vs my natural dirty blonde). I plan to do a larger post about Benefit's new brow products (I now own Ka Brow in 2 shades, 3D Browtones, and have a GWP sized pencil). I had a really negative experience today that's really making me feel poorly about these products but I'll re-evaluate tomorrow. Retail: $24, $19.20 with coupon.
• Benefit Ka-Brow!-Shade 3: I'm going to tip my hand and admit that I fell in love with this product at the Sephora VIB Rouge preview. I purchased Shade 1 (my natural shade), so I needed to go darker. Full review to come. Retail: $24, $19.20 with coupon.
• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide- on Lip Pencil- Cruz: Another planned post- I've gone from skipping the launch to 2 liners and 3 lipsticks so far (Dear MAC, it's the $0.50 price increase that's coming that's done it.). I see these as my new guilt-free lip line to play with. Cruz is the perfect compliment for ZZ, a shade I already own. Retail: $20, $16 with coupon.
• Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Poured-Moonstone: This item makes me so happy to get the full 20%. For those wondering, I own a mini pan of pressed Moonstone in the Afterglow palette, but the only pan of Poured that I own is a mini Opal- and I've been wearing the heck out of it lately. Looking forward to playing with my first full-sized Poured highlighter from Becca! Truthfully, I would've picked up the full pan of pressed Moonstone had the Ulta had it in stock. Retail: $38, $30.41 with coupon

One would think that I was done for the day, but no. I had to go to Rite Aid to get a prescription and a couple of other odds and ends so this mini haul happened. I have to admit to being partial to Rite Aid since I'm a Gold Plenti/Rewards + member and therefore get 20% off. I'm also a huge fan of Plenti- I love to use my points for purses or makeup!

• Aveno Stress Relief Foaming Bath: This is my favorite budget bath product by far. No, I don't normally buy in bulk- evidence of a Plenti offer. I've tried a variety of lavender/chamomile bubble baths up to L'Occitane's and find that the Aveno offers the best balance between bubbles, skin soothing, longevity, and price.
• Aveno Gentle Scent Body Wash: After I depleted the entire stock of foaming bath, I needed another product to add to the offer. This smells yummy- lots of coconut. I feel like it'll be perfect for summer- soothing random bug bites (I get bitten just walking to/from my car!) and keeping my sensitive skin happy.
• Essie Gel Couture Set- Zip Me Up/Top Coat- Watch for a post on this line. It's available in selected Rite Aids- and if you see this set, pounce. If you're a Gold member, the polishes work out to less than retail for the regular line! I fell for the shimmer in the mint, even though it's not really work-friendly.
• Essie Gel Couture Style in Excess- If there's a purple polish, I need it.
• Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquer 580 Pink Amethyst- I don't like gloss. I really don't like drugstore gloss. But I circled this beauty about 10 times in the store before finally giving in. It's a new, seasonal color- and I'm in love with it. I can't wait to test it out.
• Essie Nail Polish in 558 Come Here! and 584 Tart Deco- I actually picked these up at Walgreens, since they sell Essie for a cool $5.99 normally! Come Here! is supposedly a Walgreens exclusive.

Phew- that was some haul, right? I'm looking forward to playing with my goodies!  Did anyone else get something fun recently?

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.