2014 - Page 5 of 24 - Of Life and Lacquer

Year: 2014

Of Life and Lacquer > 2014

Winner Announced – OPI DS Polished Quartz & OPI Pink Of Hearts BCA 2014

Posted on 7 October, 2014 by Cynthia

Hey there. It’s taken me forever to chose the winners of these two giveaways mainly because I have been beyond lazy lately, and I have having some problems with the rafflecopter widgets loading correctly. I also had a hard time picking the winner because so many people were claiming entries without actually doing the task. Oh well. I ended up picking a winner using random.org and then had to validate entries. I know you just want to know who won, so let me tell you.

The winner of the OPI DS Polished Quartz polishes is: Kimberly Y.

The winner of the OPI Pink Of Hearts Duo is: Jacqui D.

Congratulations, ladies! I have sent them both an email and I’m just waiting for them to get back to me.

I plan on having more giveaways in the next month or so because I will be celebrating my three year blogiversary. Can you believe I’ve been at this madness for 3 years? Craziness!

Anyway, thanks so much for stopping by today. Congrats to the winners again.

Rouge Louboutin

Posted on 6 October, 20145 October, 2014 by Cynthia

Hey, how are you on this scorching Monday? This weekend was pretty miserably hot here, so I was not able to get all the swatching done that I had planned because I wanted to sit by the fan all day which doesn’t mesh well with painting my nails. Was that sentence long enough? (Look, I’m Henry James!) One polish that I did have to absolutely swatch is the one I have for you today: Rouge Louboutin. Yes, it’s the majestic Rouge Louboutin–the polish I had a huge boner for ever since I heard of its existence, the polish I dreamed of, the polish I tried to get at Sephora when they were sold out and now the polish that was a truly amazing present from the lovely Amy from The Fancy Side. She went overboard when she sent this to me for my birthday and I can’t thank her enough for such a beautiful gesture. Let me show you just how gorgeous this thing is.

This bottle is just a piece of art. It’s so inconveniently shaped and sized, but it’s meant to be displayed and not tucked away in some melmer. I also like the idea of having a weapon in my bedroom in case anyone ever breaks in–it could totally be deadly. Once you get past oohing and aahhhing over the bottle, you realize that there’s polish in there that you must try immediately.

This polish is so decadent! The formula is extremely opaque and it applies smooth and buttery. I applied two coats for my swatches above, but you could get away with one coat. It dries very quickly and also dries super shiny so you can skip top coat if you want. I did find application a little challenging only because it was a little awkward to maneuver the brush and the long wand, but you get used to it. The color is less orange than it appears in my pictures. It’s more vibrant red, just like the soles on all the Louboutin shoes.

So what do you think? I think this is one of those polishes that you get because it is like a work of art. Will I be getting other polishes from this line? Maybe. Probably. I mean, if I see a very unique color, I will be tempted to get it but I probably won’t buy anything that is very dupeable. I am crazy about this polish since it’s so iconic and gorgeous AND because it was such a thoughtful gift. I have the most amazing friends, don’t I? Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon.

Stamping Saturdays #39

Posted on 4 October, 2014 by Cynthia

Hello. I’m melting today. I’m super upset about this shitty weather because it makes me miserable. The dry heat and the winds make my allergies go nuts so I’ve been a total mess the last few days. Today I woke up early for my Saturday morning movie ritual and I watched Gone Girl. Man, that movie was a mindfuck. I had not read the book but I knew the plot and all because I had googled it when everyone started talking about the movie. That is one of my most annoying habits even to myself–I like to google everything such as movie plots, TV show summaries…you name it, I google it. I know it seems ridiculous since part of the enjoyment of watching a movie is to be surprised. I don’t know when I started doing this, but it’s a habit now. Anywho, I highly recommend the movie if you’re looking to watch something this weekend. I know I’m posting super late today, but I just had a crapton of stuff to do today and then it was so hot I just couldn’t function. I don’t have AC in my apartment so it gets super hot. Enough complaining about the weather–let me show you what I did today for Stamping Saturdays.

For my base color, I used Super Nails Cookie Dough (press sample). I have never seen a polish more aptly named!

This is two easy coats of Cookie Dough. The formula on this polish seemed a bit thick at first, but it applies easily and is very opaque. I like the base color of this polish, but I don’t think that it looks too good on me. Maybe it would look better on someone with a different skin tone.

I’m totally meh on this combination. I don’t thin that I made the right choice here because everything looks muddled. From far away it looks cool, but up close it doesn’t quite mesh. In case you’re wondering the jigsaw puzzle design comes from Bundle Monster plate BM 319.

So how has your Saturday been? Anything exciting going on in your life? I’m going to jump in the shower and meet up with a girlfriend for a cup of coffee since we haven’t had time to catch up lately. Hopefully I can get some watching done tomorrow otherwise I’m not going to have too much to post next week. I am so crossing my fingers that I start making it to the gym after work because I’m at a crossroads here. Let me know what you think of Super Nails Cookie Dough. It’s my first experience with the brand, and I quite liked the formula and application. Make sure that you check out KC’s etsy shop for all of her fun creations. You can also find Super Nails on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon!

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Tarina Tarantino Meteor Night

Posted on 1 October, 201430 September, 2014 by Cynthia

Hey, well it’s Wednesday and suddenly we’re almost half-way done through the week. You’ll never ever hear me complain about that. I think that today is going to be one of those hellish days at work so I’m already mentally preparing myself for that. When I was at work yesterda, I had to speak with someone who was so grateful after our conversation–and after I helped her fix her issues–that the genuine gratitude in her voice made up for any other grumpy people I had spoken to. I guess that’s what makes me want to go to work–knowing that I actually can make a difference in someone’s life. That and the fact that working funds my polish binges and other side stuff like food and rent–but polish comes first, you know? All jokes aside, its nice to have a job where you can feel like you accomplished something to make someone’s life better. My previous job did not give me the same satisfaction which is why I had to leave it–it was slowly killing my soul. I’ve never been a person who just works for the paycheck–if I don’t like my job, I will find one that I do like. I guess that’s one of the benefits of being single and childless–I have the luxury of being crazy and just following whatever I want to do without having to think of anyone else. Let’s move away from serious stuff and let me show you the real polish goods today: Tarina Tarantino Meteor Night.

I like blue nail polish. I know you like blue nail polish. Don’t deny it. I saw your eyes get all big when you saw this gorgeous blue. No, that was not me peeking through your window. This polish is hella pigmented so I could have gotten away with one coat, but I am a creature of habit so I applied two coats. It dried so shiny that I didn’t even need a top coat. If you want this polish, I’m sorry that I have no idea where to buy it or if it’s even available. This line used to be sold at Sephora but it was discontinued so I have no other information. Sorry!

Just because I wanted more awesomeness, I applied one coat of Nails Inc The Wyndham over Meteor Night. I like it. I like it a lot. I could have applied more coats to make this look even cooler, but I just wanted a wash of flakies. Why can’t nail polish companies make awesome flaky polishes? Someone please explain it to me!!!

I am feeling kind of nuts today. It could be that I went to sleep late or I’m just giddy for whatever reason. Oh, I almost forgot to mention this to you: I added a feature to my blog that allows people to leave me voice messages! This could either be super fun and cool or a huge mistake. lol I signed up for a free account which allows me to receive 20 messages but I’m not sure if that includes responses. We shall see. Maybe I’ll only get 1 message and I’ll feel like a loser. Actually, I take that back. Robin left me a message last night and it totally made my night. I didn’t get a chance to respond yet because I was super tired and was falling asleep but I’ll get on it posthaste! I posted on my facebook for Robin to send me an email with her mailing address because i want to send her a little gift for being the first one to use the application. Anywho, I’ll talk to you guys soon and thanks so much for stopping by today.

Cuccio Colour Rose Gold Romance

Posted on 30 September, 201429 September, 2014 by Cynthia

So I’m feeling better today–no need to call the waaambulance. I don’t know what was up with my horrible headache yesterday, but I’m glad that it’s gone. Last evening I ended up watching the rest of season 4 of Sons of Anarchy and a bunch of episodes of The Walking Dead. Yes, I watch too much TV. Whatever. A few weeks ago I got super excited when I spotted some Cuccio Colour polishes that were from the Precious Metals Collection because they dry to a suede finish. I always lament that I didn’t get a chance to get all the OPI Suede polishes so of course I was happy to find these. I only got two of them to start and the one I have for you today is Cuccio Colour Rose Gold Romance.

Isn’t this awesome? Since it is a matte/suede polish, the formula can be a little difficult because it sets up almost instantly. It’s super easy to overwork it and get an uneven result, but I think that it’s so pretty that it’s worth the extra work. I applied two coats for full opacity. Karine from Nailderella did an awesome post comparing this polish to OPI We’ll Always Have Paris Suede and they are almost 100% dupes.

Cuccio is not a brand that is usually on my radar, but you know I’m going to hunt down the rest of these pretties. What do you think of this polish? Do you like suede finish polishes in general? Thanks for stopping by today and I will talk to you soon.

Kiara Sky Fireball

Posted on 29 September, 201429 September, 2014 by Cynthia

What a craptastic Monday. When I went to bed last night I had a headache and when I woke up this morning I had such a nasty headache that I felt nauseated. I ended up calling out sick to work, and I still have this stupid headache.

I don’t know why I like this movie so much. I still say “It’s not a toomah” at random times. I’ve been feeling so crappy lately, and I’ve had some doctor drama which I was going to write about yesterday but didn’t get around to it. Let me show you the pretty polish I tried yesterday instead of dwelling and stupid stuff.

Isn’t Kiara Sky Fireball a festive glitterbomb? Like every other Kiara Sky polish I have tried, this one is also perfection in a bottle. It is perfectly opaque with two coats, and it applies like a dream.

Well, I hope this headache goes away soon. I wish I could enjoy my day away from work, but it looks like that’s not gonna happen. Let me crawl back into bed, close the drapes and hide under the covers. How’s your Monday going?

Winner Announced – OPI Peanuts Collection

Posted on 29 September, 2014 by Cynthia

Hi everyone. I hope you’re having a good Monday. I’m a little late in announcing the winner of the OPI Peanuts Collection, but that’s just cause I’ve been preoccupied with other stuff. I’ll be writing about that in another post, so for now join me in congratulating the winner:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats to Amy! I have already contacted her and she has responded so she’ll be getting her prize in the mail soon.

I have 2 more giveaways that will be ending soon so make sure that you enter if you haven’t done so already:

OPI DS Polished Quartz

OPI Pink Of Hearts BCA 2014

Thanks for entering and good luck if you entered the other two giveaways!

Stamping Saturdays #38

Posted on 27 September, 2014 by Cynthia

Hey guys. I hope the weekend is treating you well. I’ve been pretty lazy today, so excuse the late posting for today’s Stamping Saturdays. I wasn’t feeling too inspired today so I had to dig through my melmers a bit to figure out what polish to use. Well, I found a pretty one that I hadn’t played with in a long time.

This pretty is the Sephora + Pantone Universe Jewel Lacquer in Parachute Purple. This type of lighting doesn’t show just how amazing this polish is. The formula is pretty nice, but it does tend to dry a little dull. I also noticed that the polish dries super fast so you can overwork it very easily.

Here I used different lighting to show you the beautiful blue shimmer in the polish. Isn’t it gorgeous?

Then I went ahead and ruined the polish by stamping this busy pattern over it. I should have used a pattern that doesn’t cover up the gorgeous base. Something about this pattern and how it transferred looks sloppy to me. I don’t like this at all. In case you were wondering, this pattern is from Cheeky plate CH33. I feel like I’ve been producing more fail manis lately than usual. Yeah, I know that I tend to be hard on myself but maybe the issue is that I haven’t felt super inspired lately. Maybe I just need to KISS…Keep It Simple Stupid.

So what are you doing today? I’ve been catching up on Project Runway, Scandal, Hell’s Kitchen and How To Get Away With Murder. To be honest, I was expecting to like HTGAWM much more. I’m pretty meh on it right now which sucks because I LOVE Viola Davis. Maybe it’s going to be one of those shows that takes a while to grow on me. I am planning to watch a bunch of Sons of Anarchy tomorrow. I noticed that there was an article about SoA creator Kurt Sutter so I’ll be reading that soon. Anyway, I hope you’re doing well. Thanks for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon.

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Kiara Sky Echo

Posted on 26 September, 201425 September, 2014 by Cynthia

I am so glad Friday is here. Even though I had a super short week, I feel like time dragged big time. It’s officially Fall now so there is no excuse for 90 degree weather. Get it together, California! Unfortunately, I think we will be having some scorching days ahead so I’m going to console myself with polish colors that remind me of Fall. The beauty I have for you today is Kiara Sky Echo.

Isn’t this beauty amazingly gorgeous? Not only is it beautiful, but the formula is also to die for. Isn’t this like Fall in a bottle? This brand is just blowing out of the water which is why I picked up a bunch of other colors last week. I’ll be playing with them some more this weekend.

So yesterday after work I stopped by Sprouts to buy some groceries because I wanted to cook dinner and also make something for lunch today. Well, I was walking around the store and people were like “Hi Cynthia!” all over the place which was weird because I didn’t know any of them. When I was walking by the frozen food section, I saw my reflection in the glass case and noticed that I forgot to take off my work badge which has my name and picture on it. haha…great. Here I was walking around like a big old derp with my work badge hanging off my shirt. Tonight I’m helping my bro surprise my sil for her b-day, but I won’t mention what’s going on in the off chance that she randomly reads this post. The awesome part is that I get to see my little Peanut. Yay! As far as the weekend is concerned, I don’t have too many plans except maybe some stuff with friends to celebrate my birthday which was on Monday. Other than that, I’m planning on being a bum, watching some Sons of Anarchy and doing some swatching. What do you have going on this weekend? Thanks so much for stopping by today, and don’t forget to join us tomorrow for Stamping Saturdays!

The Lacquer Ring – Supernatural

Posted on 25 September, 201424 September, 2014 by Cynthia

I’m going to say this up front: I do not like how my mani turned out today. You know when you imagine a mani and it looks so awesome in your mind but then when you actually execute it, it falls short…way short? That was me last night. I really thought that this was going to look awesome but somehow it just didn’t quite work out. Today’s The Lacquer Ring prompt was Siobhan’s choice and she chose “Supernatural” which includes mythical creatures and of course I gravitated towards mermaids. Let me show you how this manicure started out…

For my mani base, I used two polishes from the Disney Ariel Collection Whatcha-Nail-Callit Mini Set which was a gift from Amy. The first one is Devotin’ To Floatin’ and the second one is called Ariel.

Sephora X Devotin’ To Floatin’ is prettier than I thought from the bottle shot. It’s a little too frosty for my linking, but the formula is nice. I used two coats for my swatches above.

Sephora X Ariel is a green tinged clear polish base with tons of glitter. This made the polish look a lot more green in real life, but the curse of my camera continued to make this look more blue.

I then used Layla Flash Black and plate MASH 39 to simulate scales.

Do you see what I mean? This just does not look good. It looks very muddled. I’m sad about this mani fail but hey–you can’t win them all. Hopefully you’ll forget about this mani once I show you the beautiful polish I have lined up for tomorrow. hehe

Anyway, don’t forget to check out all the awesome submission from the other ladies who make up The Lacquer Ring. Thanks for stopping by today and I will talk to you soon!

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