Of Life and Lacquer

China Glaze Sprinkles

Posted on 10 September, 2013 by Cynthia

I don’t know about you, but I love finding older polishes. One of my favorite things to do when I need to get my mind off stuff is to head to a few of my dusties and spend some time looking through all of their old polishes. And when I say old, I mean these polishes belong in the land that time forgot because they are usually all dried out and horrible looking. I love spotting old looking bottles and my heart skips a beat when I find some ancient polishes from some of my favorite brands. The only bad thing about dusty hunting is that there are times when I emerge from the stores feeling dirty and covered in dust which is my worst nightmare because of my allergies. It’s all worth it…yes it is. A few weeks ago, I went to a huge polish warehouse and I was completely overwhelmed by the sheer size of this place. I think I would have stayed there for hours, but the owner was basically kicking us out since he wanted to close up. This place isn’t really far from me, but it’s not exactly close either so next time I’ll be sure to get there early so I have plenty of time scope out the joint.
One of the polishes that I picked up during my visit to the polish warehouse Mecca is the one I’m showing you today: China Glaze Sprinkles. From the information I have found, Sprinkles was originally released in the China Rain Collection for Spring/Summer 2001. My bottle doesn’t have the old school lettering, but it does have the old formula/bottle size (.65 oz!) I always love opening up pre 3-free polishes because the chemical scent is mesmerizing…or I could just be getting high off the fumes. I can’t be the only person who really loves the smell of nail polish, right?!

China Glaze Sprinkles is a pink polish with a smattering of magenta and pink glitter. When I first looked at my nails, I thought they looked kind of funky—like they were dirty or something, but that’s just the way the glitter looks. This polish is rather sheer so I had to apply 3 thick coats to get good even coverage. It dried fairly quickly but it did need a coat of Seche to look smooth and shiny. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I keep thinking of pink cupcakes when I look at this polish.
So what do you think? Is this a polish that you would wear or is it to girlie? Even though I like this polish, I think that I have to be in a certain mood to wear such sweet nails. How do you feel about older polishes? Does it annoy you to see polishes on blogs when they are probably very difficult to find? Anyway, thanks for stopping by today!

Jindie Nails Princess Breath

Posted on 8 September, 2013 by Cynthia

Ahhh…Sunday. I don’t know why, but I just thought of the first time I ever read Sunday Morning by Wallace Stevens and how beautiful and true I found his words. Of course it didn’t hurt that the person reading the poem was the professor I was in total brain love with. If you have never read this poem, do yourself a favor and read it. I also really love Wallace Stevens’ story of really coming into his artistic own later in life. There is still hope for me! haha! Anyway, let me get back to the situation at hand: polish! I found a few swatches of polishes I had never gotten around to posting which is great since I haven’t been doing much ever since I cut my nails down to nubs. I am officially overwhelmed by the amount of polishes that are in my “to swatch” box, but I just can’t get to them since my freaking nails are refusing to grow. The next time that I start my crack talk about nubbinizing my nails, please talk me out of it.

Today’s beauty is Jindie Nails Princess Breath. It’s such an appropriate name for such a delicate polish. Since I had been swatching some Bettina polishes when I got my bottle of Princess Breath, I decided to apply it over a coat of Bettina Ocean:

I am sure I have mentioned this a million times, but I will say it again: I am a huge fan of Bettina cream polishes. Isn’t this gorgeous?

This is two coats of Jindie Nails Princess Breath. I love the delicate green base of this polish and the multi-colored circle glitter just make this a beautiful combination. What I really like about this polish is that even though the base is creamy, it doesn’t completely hide all the gorgeous glitter.

I don’t have much going on today besides laundry and cleaning–if you know me, then you know I’m having a great day! I don’t know what it is about doing laundry, but I just love folding warm and clean towels/bedding. I am also very glad that it’s not scorching hot because I am going to wash my car so I’d rather not do that in 90 degree weather. I am not looking forward to starting another work week, but in the same vein of Wallace Stevens’ poem, without work, we wouldn’t be able truly enjoy and appreciate our days off. Amirite or amirite?

I hope that you’ve had a nice weekend. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I will catch up with you soon.

Michael Kors Glam Nail Lacquer Envy

Posted on 7 September, 20137 September, 2013 by Cynthia

I hate that I haven’t posted in such a long time, but I’ve been in a craptacular frame of mind so I’ve just been laying low. This month I turn 34–holy crap hello mid-30’s! While I am not a person who is afraid of growing older, I am a little jarred by the idea that one more year has gone by and I am still nowhere near where I wish I was at this age. I am working a dead-end job that I abhor, my health is horrid and I haven’t made many improvements in my personal life. I guess I can say that 2013 hasn’t been THAT bad to me as opposed to 2012 or 2011 which have been the most horrible years of my life so far. ANY improvement is already a small victory, right? Besides being annoyed with my life overall, I also can’t get my dang nails to grow. I nubbinized them a couple of weeks ago, and they are basically refusing to grow at all. Since I hate super short nails AND long nails (hey, I’m the Goldilocks of nails!), I haven’t been able to do any swatching. This really bites because now I am extremely behind with all my swatching but there’s no point crying over spilled acetone.

The polish I have for you today is from Michael Kors’ new beauty line. I’ve got to admit that I was super excited when I saw promo imagines because the packaging looked so luxe and decadent. When I got a chance to check everything out at Macy’s, my excitement fizzled.

I’ll be the first one to say that this promo image looks awesome. However, the bottle does not have a substantial feel to it and the cap feels like cheap plastic so it’s definitely not what I would expect from Michael Kors. Now let’s talk about the actual polish, but let me show you some swatches first.

Michael Kors Glam Nail Lacquer Envy was really the only color in the whole line that even slightly interested me…and by slightly interesting me, I mean that it didn’t make me want to fall asleep from boredom. I would have picked up more polishes if the color choice was more interesting. In all honesty, I think that when it comes to major polish fanatics like us, it is very hard to really impress us. I found that the formula was decent. I wouldn’t say it’s problematic, but I did think that it was a little thin which is not something I can really excuse at this price point. I had some slight bubbling issues but I can blame that on the heat and humidity and not necessarily on the polish. The hue is a typical staple color so it’s not anything that I could get too excited about. As far as cremes go, this is a nice one and I did like how shiny and glossy it looked even without topcoat.

I guess I’m not a fan of this polish. When I’m paying $18 for a .3oz bottle, I think I’m expecting something a little more interesting. Maybe if and when the color palette of this line is more interesting, I may be interested in purchasing more. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t really recommend these polishes unless you’re strictly getting them for the luxury brand appeal. So what do you think? Would you or have you purchased any polishes from this line?

I hope to get back to a regular posting schedule next week so thanks so much for bearing with me. Thanks for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon!

Winners Announced: 2,000 Facebook Likes Giveaway

Posted on 1 September, 20131 September, 2013 by Cynthia

Happy Sunday everyone! I’m pretty much melting over here so it has been a totally miserable last 3 days in Southern California. I think that what makes it even worse is how muggy it has been so I just want to spend my day in a cold shower. I’m kind of super irritated that I have to work tomorrow–happy Labor Day to me. Oh well.

So the reason for this post is to announce the winners of my 2,000 Facebook likes giveaway. A big thanks to everyone who entered. The winners are….

I have already emailed Michelle and Ashlee and have heard back from them. Congrats to these two lovely ladies!

Thanks to everyone for all the visits, comments, etc…you guys make blogging fun.

KBShimmer: Pretties I Missed

Posted on 29 August, 2013 by Cynthia

Oh my gawh you guys, I am such a spaz. Over a week ago I had a break on my middle finger on my swatching hand so I kept on swatching until I just decided to nubbinize my nails altogether and all of a sudden they just won’t grow!!!! Normally my nails grow pretty quickly, but it’s like they’re growing in slow motion or something. It’s driving me nuts because I have a crapton of polishes to swatch but I can’t stand swatching on my nubs. Some people make nubs look really good, but sadly, my short longanisa fingers just look even stumpier with super short nails so I am patiently waiting for some length so I can get started on the swatch-a-thon to end all swatch-a-thons. That’s what I get for nubbinizing without really thinking it through. Another weird thing that has been going on with my hands is that the skin all around my fingers is peeling like crazy which is something that only happens in the middle of winter. I’m so irritated about that!! I hope that another week of intense moisturizing will get my hands in better condition.

Today I am going to show you some more KBShimmer swatches from past collections. Now that I have gotten a chance to try this brand, I am a fan for life. All of these polishes are amazing and I just absolutely love the formula on all of them. Let’s take a look, shall we?

KBShimmer Iris My Case

KbShimmer Elle

KBShimmer Clown Puke

KBShimmer Ice Queen

All of these polishes are awesome and I’m super glad I got a chance to try them out. I’m sure you’ve heard all about KBShimmer’s 5th anniversary celebration so make sure that you check them out on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and their website for all their latest news. I’m sorry I’ve been so MIA, but I’ve just been feeling out of it lately to the point where I didn’t think I really had much to share on my blog. It’s not that I’m feeling down…just….off. Don’t you hate that? Anyway, hopefully I start to feel better. I’m excited about having Saturday and Sunday off even if I have to work on Monday. You can’t imagine how much I hate working the holidays. Anyway, thanks so much for stopping by, and I will talk to you soon!

Morgan Taylor Nail Lacquer So-fari So Good

Posted on 24 August, 201324 August, 2013 by Cynthia

Ever since I was a kid, I have been obsessed with going on a safari. In fact, I’ve been obsessed with archeology and anthropology for as long as I can remember so in my childhood fantasies, I always looked to Africa as the ideal place to make some groundreaking discovery. As an over imaginative child, I fancied myself a Mexican Mary Leakey who would one day find something amazing in Olduvai gorge–which I did try to recreate by digging holes in the yard and calling it a “Plant Club” that I forced my brother and neighborhood kids to join. Oh boy…I was–and still am–a total nerd. As an adult, I have been to Africa twice but North Africa isn’t exactly the Saharan wilderness of my childhood dreams. (And yes, I love North Africa!!!!) Now that I’m taking about Africa, this reminds me of a trip that one of my best friends and I have completely dropped the ball on. When we were in our early 20’s, we promised to make the trek to Tanzania and climb Mount Kilimanjaro before we turned 30. Uhm, yeah…that’s going to happen now. Considering how out of shape I am, I would probably keel over and die halfway up the mountain. This is probably one of my biggest regrets and I still get so mad at myself for not doing this when we had the financial means because of our jobs in the travel industry. Coulda, woulda, shoulda…

As usual, I totally went of on a tangent when my main goal was to show you a pretty polish. Are you ready to see a really awesome color? Here is Morgan Taylor Nail Lacquer So-fari So Good:

I don’t care what anyone says…this color is so freaking gorgeous. I don’t even care that it brings out the red in my skin, I just love it. So-fari So Good is a creamy and glossy greyed out green. I think it looked a lot more green in the bottle, so I was a little surprised at how grey it looked once on my nails, but I still love it! The formula was the usual Morgan Taylor creme perfection…super smooth and pigmented and only needing two coats for full opacity. After yesterday’s disappointment with Something To Blog About, I am glad we bounced back with this one.

So I hope that you’re having a great weekend so far. I promised to make my famous red velvet cupcakes for a meeting at work on Monday so I’ll be doing those tomorrow. Other than that, I am going to be a total lazy ass. Ahhh…it felt good saying that. Thanks for stopping by today!

Morgan Taylor Nail Lacquer Something To Blog About

Posted on 23 August, 201324 August, 2013 by Cynthia

Guess what? I feel like an old lady today. Since I had the day off, I slept in a little too much even though I had a lot of things to do. Well, it was about 8 am when I decided to get out of bed, but I was still feeling really lazy so I thought it would be a good idea to stretch out. You know how good it feels to stretch out in your bed before getting up? Well, let me tell you what a nightmare that one little stretch turned into. I heard this really weird sound and felt like there was a pop/tear in my back. What the hell? Then I tried to get up, and I literally wanted to cry because my back hurt so bad. I had to roll out of bed and then try to get up. Ever since then, I have had this really dull pain on the left side of my back and any time I lean forward or turn to my left, it hurts even worse. Ok, I know I’m not a spring chicken, but is 33 really that old? I remember being a kid and falling out of trees, getting hit in the gut during dodge ball or getting hit in the face during kickball and it was like nothing even happened 2 seconds later. And now all of a sudden a freaking stretch wrecked my day? Oh boy…I don’t even want to think what’s going to happen when I’m in my 40’s: I’m going to break my leg when I stub my toe on the dresser? This is not going to turn into an “I’m so old” rant, I just hope that my back feels better tomorrow since I do have to go to the gym. Oh, by the way–the gym thing is going kind of freaking awesome. The only thing is that I am not remembering all the reasons why I personally hate the gym so much: people talking so loud I can hear them through my headphones, women in full make-up and hair on the elliptical machines “exercising”, people admiring themselves on the mirror the whole time they are “working out.” I guess I could go on forever, but I won’t because all I care about is getting in there, sweating my poundage off and getting the eff out. I love that feeling of accomplishment after a good workout so I am hoping this helps me stay motivated.

Oh, yeah…this post was supposed to be about polish, huh? Well, I have an interesting one to show you today: Morgan Taylor Nail Lacquer Something To Blog About.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who immediately thought of this song/movie, right? I really, really, really enjoyed that movie!!! Anyway, let’s take a lot at the polish:

I have to admit that the main reason I got this polish is because of the name. I just thought it was silly and fun considering that is exactly what I was going to do with the polish! I am a purple lover so I liked the duochrome here but I knew that it would probably be lost on the nail. Well, I’ve got to say that I am not really a fan of the formula on this one (gasp!) because it is so thin! It took 4 thickish coats to get full coverage which is unheard of in my Morgan Taylor experience. I honestly don’t think the color is that awesome, but it’s alright.

So, now I’m thinking I’m going to die tomorrow at work since I have to be there so early. I better get to bed but let me know what you think of this color! That way I’ll have something fun to read when I get to work tomorrow. Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

The Devil Wears Polish

Posted on 21 August, 201320 August, 2013 by Cynthia

Guess what? I actually feel pretty great today after my workout on Monday. I’m not sore, and I’m really looking forward to my workout after work! Work has been kinda funny today because some lady called basically acting like her life was in jeopardy because of the dumbass issue that she was having with our products. I wanted to laugh in her face, but I didn’t. However, this did make me question how people like her deal with REAL problems. Her issue was an inconvenience and not a true problem but she started crying saying we were ruining her life. Seriously? That’s some serious crack talk right there. I have the patience of a saint which is why I can deal with these morons. Anyway, let’s move on to the stars of the show! Today I am really happy to show you some polishes from a new indie brand: The Devil Wears Polish. The mastermind behind The Devil Wears Polish is my friend, Tami, and I am really excited for her because as a nail blogger, I always think of what I would do if I was coming up with a collection. Let’s take a look at three of her creations:

The Devil Wears Polish G Spot is a nice purple magenta polish with a scattered holographic finish. The formula was nice but a little thin so I applied two thick coats.

I was the most excited about The Devil Wears Polish Absinthe Makes My Clothes Fall Off because I just don’t have a similar polish. The holo in this polish is very faint once I got it on my nails, and it is more of a scattered holo rather than a linear holo. Unfortunately, the formula on this one was very thin and streaky. I had to apply 4 coats to get even coverage

Sorry, I couldn’t help sharing this video as Eurotrip is one of my favorite stupid movies ever. This clip left out the funniest part when the twins are making out and they can’t stop screaming once they realize it. Nevermind, here it is:

Sorry, I just couldn’t help myself.

Lastly, this is The Devil Wears Polish I’d Do Me. Now, this one I can totally boogie to. Something creepy: I kept remember that scene in Silence Of The Lambs…yeah, that one. Anyway, I kept singing “Goodbye Horses” while I used this polish. lol I know, I’m a weirdo. I’d Do Me is a true linear holo and it has a really nice formula–opaque at two coats, shiny and smooth.

These are really nice colors for the inaugural collection of Tami’s polish line. They are staple-type colors and she’s constantly working on her formulations. In fact, one of the things that she mentioned to me is that she has gotten a lot of feedback and has been working on improving the formula of her polishes which is awesome to hear. I love it when indie makers are open to hearing from their customers and actually doing something about it. I have a couple more polishes to show you from her line and they are glitters! Yay! I’m sure you’re going to like them. For more information on The Devil Wears Polish, make sure to follow them on their blog and on Facebook. Check out all the polishes for sale on their website.

Let me know what you think of these babies! Thank so much for stopping by today, and I will talk to you soon.

OPI DS Raw Granite For Fall 2013

Posted on 19 August, 201318 August, 2013 by Cynthia

I really do wish it was Sunday because that’s definitely my fun day. Why can’t I just win the lottery and forget about work…is that really too much to ask? Pffft! I feel so sluggish today, but that seems to be pretty normal for Mondays so now I have to pump myself up so that I can get to the gym tonight. I loaded up my ipod with a bunch of new songs (Get Lucky, Blurred Lines, Treasure among others!) last night and packed my gym bag so I can just go there directly from work. I know that if I get home, I’m going to start doing stuff and then I’m going to be too lazy to do anything. Hopefully I won’t be too sore tomorrow since I’m sure my body is going to be thinking: Whatchu doin’ fool?! I also nubbinized my nails yesterday so I’ll be giving my hands an nails a break while they grow back out. I do have a lot of swatches and posts lined up, so don’t worry…you can breathe…I will be around to regale you with nail polish! Yep, I know I’m much more important in my own head. So today I have these two really fantastic polishes to share with you that are a new addition to the OPI Designer Series line: OPI DS Raw Granite for Fall 2013 polishes are going to blow you away!

OPI DS Lapis was my favorite of the two. Look at how complex and amazing it looks! The formula was flawless: thick but easy to control, so “different looking” and a one coater! I was in love with the way it looked in its natural matte finish, but look at it with a coat of Seche:

Sweet baby Jesus! Isn’t it sparkle-licious?!

Next up is OPI DS Pewter. When I first looked at this one, I wasn’t that excited but man did I change my mind once I saw this beauty in the sun. It sparkled like a mofo. The formula on this one was also great and it looked great with two thin coats. Of course I couldn’t resist topcoating it after the awesome way that Lapis looked.

Seriously…love!

The two Designer Series offerings for this year are really gorgeous. Even though they have a liquid sand-type finish, they are not very rough feeling in case that bugs you. While I love the love of both polishes without topcoat, in my opinion, they really come to life with a nice and shiny coat of Seche Vite. What do you think of these polishes? According to OPI, DS Raw Granite lacquers should be worn without top coat for a matte finish. DS Pewter and DS Lapis will be available beginning September 2013 at professional salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCP Salons, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, ULTA and ulta.com for $12.50 ($14.95 CAN) suggested retail for each nail lacquer.

For more information, please visit www.opi.com. Don’t forget to follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan! Thanks so much for stopping by!

2,000 Facebook Likes Giveaway!

Posted on 17 August, 2013 by Cynthia

Guess what? A few days ago I hit a pretty awesome milestone: 2,000 Facebook likes!

I am beyond excited about this milestone so I wanted to celebrate with a small giveaway as a big thank you to all of you who have helped build my little blog into what it is today. Thank you to all of you who visit my blog, read, comment, send me emails, participate in the twitter/facebook discussions–just thank you!!!!

Here are the two prizes up for grabs:

Go ahead and enter using the rafflecopter widget below. As always, the giveaway is open internationally.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for all your support and good luck!