Kamis, 27 Mei 2010

EZ Flow We Crave Passion

This is EZ Flow We Crave Passion. I know it's a terrible picture. I'm going to re-do it one of these days. This might be one of the rarest polishes in my collection- I didn't even know EZ Flow did polish! I had never heard of it until I stumbled upon it and I've never seen another since. I've never seen pictures of it or heard anyone mention it. I have no idea how old it is but it's sure as hell not Big 3 Free (you can smell this sucker from a mile away, omg, it's bad). The color is a rich reddish purple with tons of glass-flecky gold shimmer. It's like OPI Peel Me A Gobi Grape on steroids, and frankly, it's about 800 times awesomer.

I have a few other polishes from EZ Flow that I never got around to swatching, but they're pretty cool too... Anyone out there own any from this brand? I wonder what their color line was like. They had at least a purple, a green and a sweet stringy multi glitter!

Rabu, 26 Mei 2010

Recent stash enhancement






Haven't felt much like swatching lately, but I took some bottle pics of some pretty stuff!


Some Ulta brand polishes that were buy two, get two free (isn't that really just buy one get one free?). I forgot the name of the purple one. Material Girl, Envy (yes, envy, not just one but two Ulta green shimmers with envy in the name!) and... Jaded? I must admit I liked the old bottles better because these square caps don't align properly after you open them.



These were on sale at Ulta too! I only had two or three Borghese polishes before this- Espresso Brown and Stellare Notte and one I got on clearance at TJ Maxx which I've never worn and can't find. These are Almondine (really cool nude with speckles!), Plumaggio Purple (which looks awesome with 2010/Hidden Treasure on top) and Menta (super sheer turquoise shimmer that looks too blue in this picture)


Some of the new Finger Paints. I think the multi-colored glitter in the middle of the top picture is limited edition but the rest are permanent! How cool is that?! I couldn't find the one that's supposed to be an Absolutely Alice clone, I'll have to hit another Sally sometime. I think it's awesome that they've added a whole bunch of greens and glitters to their permanent collection.

And of course, the crown jewel... The Ulta Glam Goth collection. This picture kinda turned out weird. But these are awesome. Sure, they're all really similar to other polishes, but they're just so awesome all together like this.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go pass out in a miserable allergy-induced coma. *achoo*

Selasa, 25 Mei 2010

Football Fever with Meng Qian

Meng Qian

Meng Qian

Meng Qian

Meng Qian

Meng Qian

Meng Qian

Meng Qian

Meng Qian born on Sep 9, 1984 and residing in Beijing, China. She is a Chinese actress.

Senin, 24 Mei 2010

Eye of the Day

I'm on a huge makeup kick right now. That silly Bare Escentuals Foiled Eye kit set the whole thing off. I may have hauled just a little too much makeup this month... but... I got a couple of my recent purchases in the mail today and I had to play around a bit. I like how this one turned out.

Natural light.

Flash.


This was:
MAC Paint Pot in Painterly
Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
Fyrinnae Leopard-Print Galaxy on lid
Fyrinnae Dokkálfar in crease
Fyrinnae Arcane Magic Dark Fantasy on lower lashline
Bare Escentuals Emotion with MAC water-based mixing medium as liner
Laura Geller Wonder Wand highlight
Urban Decay Zero tightline
L'Oreal Double Extend with Lash Boosting Serum mascara

The Leopard-Print Galaxy shadow is pretty cool- it's a soft antique gold with kind of a... coral? Coral pink? sheen and shimmer to it. Dokkálfar is awesome in the jar, but I had a hard time keeping the intensity once it was on the lid. I think I need to work on my technique more. Maybe I should use it wet next time.

Bare Escentuals Emotion is *awesome*. It's like if Essie Sexy Divide was an eyeshadow. So glad I got that one. I have plans for this one. Oh yes.

Then I was goofing around taking stupid pictures and ended up with the GIANT SCARY EYEBALL!!!!


OH NOES!!!!!!!

Nubar Night Sky Collection Spring 2010

The Nubar Night Sky collection is a set of three mattes and a bottle of Diamont Seal and Shine topcoat (which is pretty awesome topcoat, I'm a Diamont fan) so you can do a mixed-finish manicure like a matte french with shiny tips or whatever creative idea you can think of. Pics first, my thoughts second.


Midnight Matte. I'm not sure if the name is Midnight Matte or Midnight (matte). The label says Midnight Matte, but I wasn't sure if it was like Borghese's letters (like Espresso Brown F) or Sally Hansen's finish declarations (Trendy Creme!). Anyway. Charcoal matte with lots and lots of silver sparkle. Little bit like Orly Iron Butterfly, but lighter.


Sunset Matte. Medium orange-brown gold with lots of shimmer. Maybe it's just my skintone skewing it, but sometimes it looks like an antique brass shade on me, while in other lights it's definitely gold.


Twilight Matte. Medium silver-grey matte with lots of sparkles. Lighter than Zoya Loredana.


And of course, with topcoat:


Midnight Matte with Diamont

Sunset Matte with Diamont

Twilight Matte with Diamont


With topcoat they transform into super-sparkly foil like shades. Kind of a cross between OPI Suedes and Orly Matte Metals. Lots and lots of shimmer.

And since I had my bottle of 2010 (which is Nubar's 10th anniversary special polish- a flaky opal topcoat) next to me on the table, how about with 2010?

Midnight Matte with 2010

Sunset Matte with 2010

Twilight Matte with 2010

I must say, 2010 looks incredible over these. Instead of being super flashy and obvious like it is over cremes (especially dark ones), it lends a subtle yet fascinating iridescence on the top of the polish without changing the color. I actually wore each of these as a full manicure with 2010 over them and I couldn't stop looking at my nails. It's just really interesting, it looks magical and you just kinda want to look at it for a while to figure it all out.

The formula on these was awesome. These are the best formula mattes I've used. They don't dry while you're applying them so they are very forgiving. They're thin like normal polish, not super thick like some mattes. They dry very quickly and the matte finish is a true matte, none of that sorta-matte satiny rubbery halfway stuff. Opacity is good- I did two coats but if you're careful you can probably do only one coat with Midnight and Sunset.

My first impression of the set was, "More mattes? And not even unique colors. Gold, silver and black. You can already get a gold, silver and black matte from other brands!" And that's when it dawned on me. You can get them from other brands. Lots of people have been getting into the matte thing lately. It's only natural for brands to want to secure a place for themselves. While I would have liked to see more interesting and unique matte colors, I understand why they did these. The formula is at least better than average. And I'm not even sure why I complain about mattes not being unique shades when I have at least six different brands of matte topcoat to mattify any color I want.... I'm rambling now. Deep thoughts about matte polish.


(These were sent to me for review.)

Minggu, 23 Mei 2010

Barbara Mori in Kites

Barbara Mori

Barbara Mori

Barbara Mori

Barbara Mori


Bárbara Mori Ochoa born on February 2, 1978 in Montevideo, Uruguay. She is a Mexican  actress and model.

She is appearing in Bollywood film Kites produced by Indian film producer Rakesh Roshan and directed by Anurag Basu. Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut are also performing in this film. It was shot in New Mexico, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and was released on May 21st, 2010.

Check out the AskMen profile of Barbara here.

Check out more profile details and hot images of Barbara in our previous post here.

Sabtu, 22 Mei 2010

Kangana Ranaut in Kites

Kangana Ranaut

Kangana Ranaut

Kangana Ranaut

Kangana Ranaut


Kangana Ranaut born on 23 March 1987 in Bhambla, near Manali, Himachal Pradesh, India. She is 5ft 8in tall model cum Indian actress. She started her Hindi film career with Anurag Basu's Gangster in 2006.

Kangana Ranaut's latest Bollywood release is Kites directed by Anurag Basu and produced by Rakesh Roshan. She is performing as Gina. Hrithik Roshan and Bárbara Mori are the lead pair in film Kites which released on 21st May 2010.

Her forthcoming movies are No Problem, Knock Out, Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, Tanu Weds Manu, Game, Actor and Unlucky 13.

Check out the more profile details and vivacious pictures of Kangana in our previous posts here and here.

Jumat, 21 Mei 2010

China Glaze Vintage Vixen Fall 2010

Finally had a few hours of sunlight. This has been a weird spring. It feels like it went from winter straight to summer for a week and now it's October.... But it's actually May....

Okay. Here goes.


Bogie. Eggplant frost. More of a metallic than a scary frost. Really rich beautiful color. A little vampy, a little sparkly, a little smoky.


Classic Camel. This color is a light golden straw color in some lights and a spicy mustard color in other lights. It has noticeable gold shimmer. It's the type of color that seems like a work appropriate nude shade but it is unique and unusual and very interesting. It reminds me of a more wearable version of Street Wear Dijon. Would look great on darker skintones- I'd love to see this on someone deeper-toned than me.


Emerald Fitzgerald. Sweeeeeeeet. This is a dark blue-green frost. Emerald. Teal? Whatever shade it is, it's blue tinged. This is another one of those little bit smoky colors. Maybe I'll call it... smoky peacock.

First Class Ticket. Can you guess what I'm going to say? I'll say it anyway. This is a purple polish- purple doesn't photograph well- it's less blue in real life. Dark vampy purple that's still obviously purple and not black looking. It's a 'frost' but really it's more metallic shimmer. No icky brushstrokey silvery aging frosty-frost.

Foxy. You've got to be mine, all mine... Oooh... Foxy lady! Totally a foxy color. Autumn red with a little golden brown and a little burgundy. Lots of shimmer. Very cozy.



Goin' My Way? Good gravy do I ever love this color. It's bronzy-brown with gold shimmer and it's gorgeous. It reminds me of late September. It seems almost duochrome because the bronzy base and the gold shimmer are so reflective... It looks... liquid?


Hey Doll! This one reminds me of Sanna! :D This is a pinky-mauvey soft type of color with silver and champagne toned shimmer. Frost. But it's really shimmer.

Ingrid. Soft taupe-brown with gold shimmer. Another new take on that taupe polish trend. I'm not gonna complain- I love it! It looks like suede.


Jitterbug. Gunmetal-silver foil. A little blue, a little grey, a little sliver. Mostly silver. Super sparkly.

Midnight Mission. HOT!!!! Deep blue (but not too dark) with lots of metallic fleck glitter. It doesn't feel like the traditional particle glitter like, say, Dorothy Who has. It feels like very thin metallic flakes, like the kind foils are made of. Sparkle and drama. Perfect.

Riveter Rouge. Autumn red frost with lots and lots of silver microglitter. Teeny tiny glitter, and this one has the traditional glitter, not the thin flake kind like Midnight Mission. It has a tendency to look bumpy because of the glitter in the frost base, but the overall effect is very eye-catching. Sort of a distant cousin to Crystal Ball, just not as flashy.


Swing Baby. Very pretty champagne foil. The particles are a mixture of different colors- I see silver, gold, champagne and even some darker bronze looking ones. Tons of sparkle.


The formula on these was a little tricky. It has a little case of three-free syndrome. You know how that is- you think you've wiped all the excess polish off the brush and then all of a sudden a drip comes out of nowhere and floods your nail? Yeah, a bit like that. Not horrible or unmanageable like the early three-free formulas, but definitely has that runny-yet-thick thing happening. Application itself was fine once I got the hang of the formula. I did two coats in all these pictures so you can see that the opacity on these is great. The dry time is on the long side.


Overall, I think this collection is perfect for fall. These colors all scream fall to me, and everyone knows fall is my favorite... soooo... It's no great leap of the imagination to figure out that I LOVE THESE! Even the reds. They're so sparkly and velvety and vintage-sexy. I don't know if I can even pick a favorite, I like every single one. I think I might wear Goin' My Way, Midnight Mission, Ingrid, Emerald Fitzgerald, Bogie and Jitterbug the most often... But yeah. I like them all. Good job China Glaze!

When I hear the word 'frost' I shudder. You know how I feel about frosts. I know that I'm definitely not the only one, either. So I was a little worried about these until I saw them. I am extremely relieved that they're not that kind of frost. That would have been a huge bummer.

(The skittle swatches are here in case you wanted to compare the sunlight swatches to indoor light.)

(These were sent to me for review.)

Selasa, 18 Mei 2010

Just saw these too- Orly Plastix



Embrace Retro Textured Classics with…

ORLY’s New Plastix Collection

ORLY, the company that continually pioneers the Nail Lacquer arena with the most cutting edge colors, technology and textures, introduces the Plastix Collection. Complementing the Fall 2010 runway looks that featured bright neon colors amid shiny black plastic, latex, and rubber reinventions of vintage must-haves, Plastix evokes the vintage classic trend with four new lacquers and a unique new formula that coats the nails with a smooth glossy matte “plastic” finish. The exclusive finish and texture is a first in the nail category, delivering a monochromatic, shiny and rubbery look that takes experimentation to an entirely new level, with the focus being on both the distinctive nail surface, as well as the latest in color trends. The unique look can not be achieved with color alone as the finish is a must for recreating the true “plastic” statement.

Old School Orange: classic orange

Retro Red: traditional red

Purple Pleather: shiny purple

Viridian Vinyl: glossy blue-green

All ORLY Nail Lacquers including the Plastix Collection are free of DBP and all traces of Toluene, Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde resin.

The Plastix Collection Lacquers will be available beginning July 2010 for $7.50 each. ORLY Nail Lacquers and Treatment products are available at orlybeauty.com, Sally Beauty, Ulta and fine salons and spas throughout the U.S. and in over 70 countries worldwide.

Orly Fall 2010 Cosmic Fx



Just saw this info :O Sounds incredible!

ORLY Cosmic FX

Next Generation Nail Lacquers Offer the Latest Texture and Color Innovations

As ORLY continues to pioneer the nail category with distinct and trend setting finishes and color, the brand introduces its latest addition to its portfolio of textured finishes with Cosmic FX. The new, limited-edition collection delivers multi-dimensional flashes of intense shimmering shine that is so electrifying your nails will explode with color! This lighting phenomenon is achieved by ORLY’s exclusive MINERAL FX technology.

The innovation infuses natural rock minerals, crystals, and glass to give nails a special optical effect with extreme luster, rich pearlescence, and a smooth, sparkling spectrum of concentrated color.

The MINERALFX technology includes specialty mica, that allows for a clearer, vibrantly bright lustrous shimmer. Crystals allow for a multi-dimensional color transformation. Glass particles carefully controlled in shape and size create a luminous phenomenon. This combination infused with the Silica and specific colors selected create this exclusive technology that gives nails a unique optical effect that’s magnified as the lighting source intensifies or viewing angle changes.

Cosmic FX perfectly accentuates the looks seen in the Fall 2010 runway collections – from the futuristic Audrey Hepburn at Miu Miu to Ann Demeulemeester’s feathered and metal cuffs and Issey Miyake’s colorful leggings.

The six Lacquers in the Cosmic FX Collection include:


Lunar Eclipse: Blue with Pink Purple Fx

Galaxy Girl: Purple with Blue Green Fx

It’s Not Rocket Science: Green with Gold Blue Fx

Space Cadet: Green with Purple Gold FX

Halleys Comet: Turquoise with Green Yellow Fx

Out of this world: Purple with Pink Silver Fx

Apply two coats of the Nail Lacquer to achieve the ultimate in color.

All ORLY Nail Lacquers including the Cosmic FX Collection are free of DBP, Toluene and all traces of Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde Resin.


The Cosmic FX Lacquers will be available starting September 2010 for $10.00 each. ORLY Nail Lacquers and Treatment products are available at orlybeauty.com, Sally Beauty, Ulta and other purveyors of beauty throughout the U.S. and in over 70 countries worldwide.

Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih

Rima Fakih

Rima Fakih

Rima Fakih


Rima Fakih born on October 2, 1986 in Srifa, Lebanon. She is a 5 ft 8 in tall Lebanese American beauty pageant who is a titleholder of Miss Michigan USA and was crowned Miss USA 2010 on May 16, 2010 held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was preceded by Miss USA 2009 titleholder Kristen Dalton who crowned her.

She is the first Arab American, the first woman of the Muslim faith and the first immigrant to win the Miss USA title.

She will represent the United States in the Miss Universe 2010 competition.


Check out more information of Rima Fakih in AskMen.com profile.