OPI Number One Nemesis

I never really get hype for collections of nail polish, but the Spiderman collection from OPI really excited me. I have two shades from it, Into the Night, which is a gorgeous blue, and then this color, Number One Nemesis. Because I have Chanel Peridot, I didn't go for Just Spotted the Lizard, but if I didn't I would have, because I've heard that it's an exact dupe. 

The color itself is stunning. It's a shimmery grey with a sort of greenish undertone. The sparkle (which is not glitter) gives the polish incredible depth. This color is just so unique. It's also fully opaque in two coats, which is always nice. Painting process and drying time is about an episode of the Big Bang Theory and one episode of How I Met Your Mother.

This polish lasts for ages, too (as does Into the Night). I'll have this on for over a week with no chips before I just have to change my polish because my nails have grown. I use a base coat and Revlon topcoat. 

This color, along with Into the Night, have made it into my top five polishes of all time. Definitely a big achievement. So much love up in here. If you can still find this, just buy it. I really feel like you can't go wrong.

What's on my nightstand

Being the nosy girl I am, I love looking at any kind of "What's in/on my _fill in the blank_" or organization/collection post. Just in case there are some people out there that are just as curious, I thought I'd do one of my own. 

I keep my fragrances that I'm currently wearing here just for easy access. I have my bottle of Marc Jacobs Rain that I've had since eighth grade (I have another bottle of that one, too, which I may or may not sell. After years of this, I kind of just want to have something else...) and my bottle of Boss by Hugo Boss. Yes, I am aware that this is supposed to be for men, but I like it anyway. It layers really well with Rain, too. 

I have some aromatherapy, too. I keep lavender oil around if I'm feeling like I need a bit of help falling asleep (I also mix this in witch hazel with tea tree oil as my toner), and I have my beloved Tata Harper Irritability here when it's not in my bag. It just solves all my problems.

I keep some lip products at hand. I don't really like it, but the Fresh Sugar Lip Polish has made its way onto my nightstand. I prefer the Sara Happ lip scrubs, but this was a gift, so I'll still use it. I mainly just don't like the taste (it's like a weird lemony sunscreen) and the fact that it feels greasy. It works well, I guess, but it's just not really that worth the hype or the price. I also keep my Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm close. I don't carry this around with me during the day because I hate sticking my dirty fingers in the pot, but it's a great lip balm for keeping around the house. It works really well. The packaging is gorgeous, too. When this runs out, I'll probably keep it to put random stuff in it like I did with my last Rosebud balm. 

I also have a L'Occitane date flower hand cream. I only use this one at home, because I hate the smell and don't want people to think I smell bad. It came in a set I got for Christmas, and it was my least favorite. The actual cream is great though, so that's why this has stuck around. 

Lastly, I have some eye drops. I'm a contacts wearer, so my eyes are always dry. These help so much. 

That's all I have on my nightstand! Hope you enjoyed this. 

What's on your nightstand?

Deborah Lippmann Lady Sings the Blues

Deborah Lippmann isn't exactly easy to find, so I've never tried any of her polishes. Needless to say, when I found out the beauty store I work in was going to carry the line, I was half overjoyed because I've always wanted to try it, but half worried for my wallet.

I very recently got my little hands on this beauty*, and all I can say is that I am so happy with it. The color is absolutely gorgeous: a deep navy with silver glitter mixed in. It requires two coats to get perfect coverage, and with a couple coats of topcoat, this stuff looks like true enamel or even gel. Not to mention it lasts absolutely ages on the nails. I went six days with no chips. The only reason I took it off was because my nails grew out, and the gap between the polish and my cuticles was starting to look ridiculous. Even better, unlike normal glitter polish, I found this fairly easy to remove. I only needed two cotton pads for all ten of my nails. That's a good polish, I'd say.

At $19, this definitely isn't cheap, but this polish is definitely worth it. I can't wait to try her other shades. I currently have my eyes on Private Dancer and Sugar Daddy, a couple of stunning duochromes, because I just can't resist anything that changes colors.

Also, Deborah has a couple shades (Wicked Game and Swagga Like Us) that are basically the same, but better, dare I say it, than my top two polishes, Knackered and Peridot. The reason they're better? Wicked Game is essentially Knackered without the glitter and the necessity to paint on four coats, and Swagga Like Us is a similar duochrome to Peridot, but it's a lot warmer and deeper. Love. When I run out of mine, I think I know what I have to purchase in their places...

Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream Light/Medium SPF 15

I was super excited to try this BB Cream. However, I was sadly let down. I had seen so many positive reviews of this and unfortunately, the negative ones didn't start popping up until after I had bought it and experienced the misery for myself.

The cream is slightly thick, not watery or anything, and spreads over the skin with actually pretty decent coverage, but it already feels oily and shiny, not smooth and fresh. You can really feel that it's on your skin. It feels very tacky. Ew.

The color was okay on me. I just had to make sure I smoothed it on to my neck, too, or else my face would look a tad orange-y (I have medium skin, too. I can't imagine this on someone really pale). 

I don't last for more than an hour without having to blot. By the end of the day, my face is just a grease slick no matter what mattifiers I use over and under it. By the end of the day, it completely is broken up into cakey patches on the skin. Horrible. 

This also broke me out, too. When I first started using it, little whiteheads started popping up on my forehead, and I usually don't get those, and I hadn't changed anything else. 

I have oily skin, so maybe for dry skins this would be better, but this just doesn't work for me, and I'll be giving away the rest to a friend who does like it (who doesn't have oily skin). For the price, about 13 bucks, I feel like I just wasted a ton of money.

If anyone has suggestions for a good drugstore BB for oily skin, please comment below!

Edward Bess Prismette Eyeshadow Quad: Over the Moon

This palette was given to me to try out for work along with some other Edward Bess products, and I'll tell you, I was a bit skeptical at first. I thought three of the shadows were too dark, two were too similar, and the last cream shade wouldn't show up. I was wrong.

This palette* has become my absolute favorite, and I've been wearing these shadows every day for the past month. I love them. With my base, they last all day until I take off my makeup at night, and they're a dream to apply. They just blend so nicely. The pigmentation is great, so I just dip my brush in and get the smallest amount of product. I have to tap off my brush if I accidentally pick up too much color to avoid fallout, though. They're also super buildable, so they just make it really easy to get a great look. I also like how there isn't much shimmer. The two middle colors have a bit that gets blended away, but the two outside colors are completely matte, which I love. 

My go-to everyday look, after I've applied my beloved Edward Bess Illuminating Eyeshadow Base in Suede*, is the lightest color all over the lid, the second lightest along the lower lash line, the second darkest in the crease (sometimes I mix it with the lightest color to soften the look) blended out with the lightest color, and the darkest wiggled into the top lash line and through the brows. Yes, it is the perfect brow color for me. I have dark brows, so this looks so natural on me, and it's very cool, too. This is just such a natural look, and I'm so obsessed with this palette. If I even want to go for a more dramatic look at night, I just use the darker colors. I also have been skipping eyeliner lately, because the Edward Bess mascara* has been giving my eyes enough definition along with the shadows. 

Of course, I have to mention packaging. It's gorgeous and chic, and I love the velvet pouch it comes it. It just feels luxurious. The brush it comes with isn't bad at all either, but I still use my Trish McEvoy brushes*.

Overall, I'm so glad I have this palette. I've gotten use out of every color, which surprised me. The only con is that I've been neglecting my other shadows! Also, the price is a con, because it is definitely very expensive. 

Arugula, Grape, Marcona Almond, and Goat Cheese Salad

I rarely get to cook for myself nowadays since I'm living in the dorms, but I was invited to a friend's house to do a quick Trader Joe's run and have brunch, so I finally got to do some cooking of my own.

In addition to the old eggs and toast combo (my toast was made with extra virgin olive oil; I sprinkled some sea salt over the egg), I made one of my favorite salads. 

Ingredients: Arugula, Grapes (sliced in half), marcona almonds, goat cheese crumbles, extra virgin olive oil. All to taste. 

Specific instructions, I know, but this is a pretty easy salad to make. Just chuck everything in a bowl, and make sure everything looks proportional. 

Kiss Nail Dress

I received the Kiss Nail Dress nail stickers in my Holiday Vox Box from Influenster to review along with a few others products. I'm sad to say these were among my least favorite thing in the box. 

I was kind of disappointed by the pattern I got. I think it's super tacky, and it's definitely not something I would have picked out for myself. 

The Peacock and Lace patterns would've probably been more up my alley, but to be perfectly honest, I'm really just a plain old nail polish girl.

The set came with a bunch of stickers that are supposed to be able to fit every nail and a nail file to file down the excess strip. The strips were fairly easy to apply, but you have to really make sure you smooth everything down properly to avoid bunches. Start in the middle, then work your way out. 

As you can see, the strip I ended up choosing for this nail didn't exactly fit all the way. That's my fault though, not the kit's (I chose it). I also applied a base coat before the strip, because these suckers damage your nail like crazy if not. I put a strip on my big toe first to test it out, and it ripped off a layer of nail. 

If you are looking for something relatively quick, the no dry factor is really nice. Even though you should apply a base coat, do NOT apply a top coat. These strips have top coat in them, so something about that reacts with the top coats and messes things up real fast. I made that mistake (and didn't read the package, oops). It just completely ruined the texture. These are not real nail polish strips, just stickers. 

Because of my topcoat error, this was the final result. 

I did get complemented on them the next day (I gave the rest of the strips to the girl who complemented me, because I didn't like them), but I just hated my nails every time I looked down. I just didn't like the pattern. They also "chipped" the day of. I put that in quotation marks, because they don't really chip, the sticker just gets moved in and dented and what not. I think that's just because I stupidly put on topcoat.

I didn't even try to see how long these would last, because I really just wanted to get this pattern off my nails. When I went to remove them, I tried to remove it with nail polish remover, which doesn't work all that well, but eventually did the job. I needed a lot of cotton pads and remover to get it done, because it was like trying to remove glue off your fingers (it had all the gluey pilling and everything). The package said to peel them off, but I couldn't get an opening in the sticker to do it (again, my bad with the top coat).

So overall, not that happy. I think it's just the tackiness of the pattern that made me not have high hopes for these, and then my mistake with the topcoat ruined everything. However, if you get a pattern you like, put on base coat, and don't put on topcoat, I could see these being something a lot of people like. They don't require drying time, and it probably would last a decent amount of time (mine just didn't because of the topcoat thing). 

As for price, they're pretty decent at about $7. However, I'd rather get a bottle of nail polish that I can get way more uses out of. But if you're interested, here are some links!

Kiss website: http://bit.ly/SipR5S

Kiss review page: http://bit.ly/11cEdY7

FOOD: Quaker Real Medleys and EBoost Natural Energy

When I got back to the dorms for Holiday break, there was a lovely package from Influenster (the Holiday Vox Box) waiting for me. Not only did it have some beauty stuff, but it had food! Which was awesome, because I didn't have to leave my room for dinner that night. Oh, us lazy college children. 

I particularly liked the Quaker Real Medleys Cherry Pistachio Oatmeal. It was super easy to make, even in the dorms. I just heated up water in my electric kettle and poured it in, waited, then stirred. Easy-peasy. It was good, too and kept me full for a while. The thing is, it was a bit too sweet; it has a crap ton of sugar. While it may be a nice treat and a good snack once in a while, for everyday, it's not the healthiest thing. I'll be sticking to regular Quaker oatmeal, which I have always adored. 

I also tried the EBoost Natural Energy drink mix in Acai Pomegranate. This was okay. It tasted very mineral-y, not the best most potent flavor. I also didn't notice any particular energy boost. My other complaint is that it contains Stevia as its sweetener, which could be carcinogenic. Everything causes cancer these days. :( It also didn't fizz very much, but I don't really care about that. But yeah, aside from Stevia, the ingredients list looks pretty good and super-foody.

But yeah, usual disclaimer stuff; getting things for free doesn't affect my opinion whatsoever. 

Review: NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine

I actually don't really like lip gloss at all. I had never even owned one until I was sent this in the Influenster Holiday Vox Box this January to test out. You can imagine my surprise when I actually liked it. 

I was disappointed with the color at first glance, because I wasn't sure how good a nude would look on me. When I tried it, however, I was pleased. It just kind of warms up the face, and only has a subtle sparkle. Nothing too glittery. I actually really hate shiny lip products, so the fact that this wasn't too shiny made me happy. I'm glad it wasn't too pigmented either, because I just don't like the way a ton of color looks on me. Also, when I tried this over lip colors I had but didn't really like, it kind of just canceled out whatever made the other color look bad on me, and made those products more wearable.

The product itself is pretty nice, too. First off, it smells and tastes really good. Like good cake. It also doesn't feel too sticky, especially compared to other lip glosses out there (however, you can tell it's there, and your hair will stick to it in the wind). As far as moisture goes, this doesn't make your lips feel dry, but it's not like applying balm either. It's just kind of in between on the moisture scale. 

I still probably wouldn't buy a lip gloss for myself, but if I had to for some reason, I would probably go get one of these. They're really good, and for the price, there's no guilt if you do buy a few. For anyone that already loves lip gloss and for those who are just starting to wear it, definitely give this a shot.

But yeah, here are some links and shtuff. NYC website :http://bit.ly/ZmNfMI product page: http://bit.ly/10cwV7v

What's your favorite lip product?

Disclaimer: I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Influenster, and that in no way affects my opinion of the product.

Review and Swatch: Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie

I had heard many a guru obsess over the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters when they came out, so of course, I had to try one. The color I got was Berry Smoothie, a true berry pink with subtle shimmer. 

As far as pigmentation goes, these are pretty pigmented, more like a lipstick than a tinted lip balm, more creamy than balmy. Then there's the formula. I think this product is way too over-hyped, and definitely not worth it. I found this product to be very gritty, and not very moisturizing, although it's obviously better than nothing. I guess the way it'd been hyped up made me have super high expectations that weren't met. It also tends to stray outside the lip line. The flavor is kind of an artificial vanilla cake, but nothing too bad. The color I picked, which is a very popular one, didn't exactly float the boat either. I also just hate any shimmer on me, so this wasn't all too great. 

The packaging is pretty nice. I like how you can see the color of the product through the tube and on the quilted packaging. However, the problem I have is that the product rubs off on the top of the tube every time the product retracts. Messy and wasteful. Also, this didn't really come with a lot of product. As you can see, I don't have much product left, yet I didn't even use that much. I don't know how I feel about that, especially because this was pretty expensive for a drugstore product.

Here it is on me. Not the best photo/lighting, I know.

What do you think of these lip butters. Worth the hype?

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Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Mint Sorbet

I'm kind of a nail polish junkie. You know, just a bit. So when I went to CVS one night, I couldn't help getting four (BOGO), one being Mint Sorbet.

Mint Sorbet is a bright mint chocolate-chip ice cream color that I think would be flattering on anyone. I get tons of compliments when I wear it, too, which is always nice. It took me two coats to get full opacity. 

As far as lasting power, it's meh. Nothing to write home about (2-4 days no chips, but then again, I have brittle nails). 

For the color though, this is one of my favorites. Definitely good for Spring and Summer, but I wear any color I want all year-round anyway. 

What's your favorite drugstore polish?

Review and swatches: Wet 'n' Wild Color Icon 8-pan palettes, Brulée and Nutty singles, and Walking on Eggshells trio

I have to admit, I may have gone a little bit crazy with these eyeshadows, especially considering I don't wear these kinds of colors that much, and I already have more eyeshadow than I could ever use. However, the Wet 'n' Wild section at my CVS always just seems to draw me in with their cheap, yet super high quality shadows. I don't find myself regretting buying these because it is nice to have a little color sometimes, and one 8-pan palette is more than three times cheaper than a shadow single from Urban Decay, for example, and the quality is the same, if not better.

Blue Had Me At Hello | Petal Pusher

These are probably the least wearable out of the three 8-pan palettes Wet 'n' Wild has, but the colors were just too pretty, and I do find that I use a few of the shades with other (matte) neutrals to get a very wearable look.  As you can see, the pigmentation of these is just crazy.  I will say though, the glittery definer shades at the bottom right tend to lose the glitter by the time they get on the brush, you've tapped off the brush (these will have a LOT of fallout if you don't do that), and applied. I don't mind that though, because I'm not that much of a glitter girl. The definer at the bottom left of the Blue Had Me At Hello palette isn't as pigmented as my other blacks, but it is still really good, and if you want, just use the other definer in the palette and shake off the glitter.

Right side

Left side

Right

Left

By far my favorite and the most wearable palette, Comfort Zone is a gorgeous collection of neutrals and some greens. I think the only color I wouldn't really wear in this one is the light green on the right, but all the other ones get plenty of use to make up for it. As you can see, I've depotted these. Beware when depotting the Wet 'n' Wild shadows - they break super easily, and the pan isn't magnetic. Make sure you have magnets ready for your magnetic palette, and make sure the glue is hot so you don't put pressure on the shadows. I have definitely had a few of these break on me.

Comfort Zone (left side)

My favorite side, these warm neutrals are great for everyday, and I find I can combine them really easily with the colors from the Blue Had Me At Hello and Petal Pusher palettes to make them more wearable. Again, crazy pigmentation. Just tap off your brush! 

Comfort Zone (right side)

As I said before, the only shadow from this side of Comfort Zone I wouldn't really wear is that green I have on my index finger. The one on my pinky is amazing for all over the lid, and I love the definer and crease shades (index and middle fingers) as eyeliners. The definer from this palette is a pretty good dupe for Mac Club, too, but it does have a bit more of a reddy undertone as opposed to a cooler brown.

Thumb: Brulée | Index: Nutty | Top, Middle, and Bottom shades from Walking on Eggshells (respectively)

Wet 'n' Wild also makes amazing shadow singles and trios for dirt cheap. In the singles department, I have Brulée, an amazingly pigmented, matte cream color that's great as a highlight or all over the lid, and Nutty, a gorgeous multidimensional  brown that is one of those shadows that you don't need any others to complete the look. Of the trios, I have Walking on Eggshells, which has three Mac dupes in it (Shroom, Naked Lunch, and Cork) and the middle shade, the Naked Lunch dupe, is super close to Stila Kitten, maybe with less of the super silvery sheen. I love this trio, and I find I wear it all the time.

On the whole, these shadows are FANTASTIC.  They are so pigmented, soft, and blendable, and the lasting power is surprisingly really good. I can use these without a primer and have them last until I take off my makeup, and my eyelids get really oily. Also, pretty much everyone of these shadows is a dupe for a high end brand shadow, which is why I hardly ever waste money on high end ones.

There are some downsides to these, though. Some of the shades aren't as pigmented as the others (like the highlight shades and some definers), but I find that for their function, I don't want/need them to be that pigmented anyway. The fallout these have is also pretty ridiculous. Whenever I use these, I make sure I tap the hell out of my brush to get rid of the excess, and I press the color on the lid. However, since they're so cheap, I don't care if this wastes product doing that, and I just build up. They're also very fragile, and I would be careful when traveling with these. I also just wish Wet 'n' Wild offered more matte colors and neutral palettes. That would be amazing. 

Have you tried these yet? What's your favorite Wet 'n' Wild shadow?
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Review: Maybelline Color Tattoos with Swatches

I saw so many rave reviews of these on YouTube, and quite honestly, I don't know if some of these live up to them. I got these on BOGO at CVS and have four shades; Bold Gold, Bad to the Bronze, Audacious Asphalt, and Tough as Taupe. 

 Of course, we have to talk about packaging. These are super similar in appearance to some higher end cream shadows, such as Mac and Benefit, with the sturdy glass jar (but really bad product/packaging ratio). I store these upside down so I can see the color and prevent them from drying out (although Bold Gold is already drying out on me. Weird). 

All four shades I have also swatch beautifully, as you can see. They're very highly pigmented, opaque colors, and they can be blended out fairly well. 

I almost kind of regret getting Audacious Asphalt because I feel like I won't be able to wear it much. However, it is super pretty, and I like to use it with an angled brush as a liner. It feels more gel-like than the other formulas, and has slightly chunkier shimmer. Watch out though, because for some reason, this has a bit of fall-out. It's really nothing Scotch tape won't fix.

Tough as Taupe is probably one of the most wearable shades in the whole permanent collection. It's this gorgeous greyish-brown (taupe) shade (that's not shimmery, just creamy-matte), but when blended out, it kind of looks slightly purple. I'll wear this all over the lid blended into the crease and on the lower lash-line, and that will be my whole look. It's just super multi-dimensional and beautiful. The fact that I can use just my fingers is definitely a bonus. My only complaint is that this does crease throughout the day (give or take six hours), unlike Bad to the Bronze, which will go almost all day. 

Bold Gold is beautiful, but for some reason, we don't get along as well. It's lovely, super shimmery (maybe a bit chunky), and looks great under other warm metallics. However, as far as lasting power goes, this is the one that has the least. The texture is also weird compared to the other ones. I think I just got a dud though, because the product is already shrinking away from the edges of the jar. 

Bad to the Bronze is by far my favorite and most used Color Tattoo. I have no complaints. The color is so wearable (on its own or layered under pretty much any eyeshadow), blends beautifully (it's also one of those multi-dimensional this-is-all-you-need-for-your-look shadows), and lasts until I take my makeup off at the end of the day. If you have to get one, just get this. 

On the whole, the Color Tattoo Range is just okay. I don't think it lives up to the rave reviews it gets (except for Bad to the Bronze, as only one of the (wearable) colors I've tried is that perfect cream shadow. But for the price, why not? If you're looking for a perfect everyday color/base, just go for Bad to the Bronze. You won't be disappointed.

Nail of the day: Quick cosmic nails

Just trying out a new nail combo. I wanted these to look galaxy-esque, so I layered a coat of Knackered, my favorite nail polish (with lavender/green duochrome and holographic glitter), over a really dark, shimmery blue (I would have used black and other techniques/polishes for a more cosmic design, but my black takes forever to dry, and I wanted something quick).

Base Coat | One coat dark blue/green metallic UO nail polish (discontinued) | One coat Knackered | Top Coat

Yellow light

Indoor light

Hope you liked it and will maybe try this out!

What's your favorite nail combo?