tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28866474321497143972024-03-12T19:41:32.491-04:00The NAILblogNails, Life, Love, and Other Drugs: a blog filled with my epic wins, and epic nailsKristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-40855573516535490662014-05-11T22:20:00.001-04:002014-05-11T22:30:07.337-04:00Holla! <p dir="ltr">I apologize for the title of this post. I was trying to come up with something both relevant and clever, but...*sigh*</p>
<p dir="ltr">This is <b>Sand </b><b>Dolla </b><b>Make </b><b>You Holla </b>from the Sea Goddess collection by <b>China </b><b>Glaze.</b> It's a ridiculous name for a nail polish, but it's a pretty unique and interesting polish.</p>
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<p dir="ltr">After a long absence, I HAVE RETURNED! My computer has been running at a snail's pace (at best), AND I seem to have misplaced my camera's charger in my move last fall, so I'll be continuing courtesy of the Blogger app on Android. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Life has been hectic in general, and I have just recovered from a bit of a funk...I'm convinced it was seasonal affective disorder because I've been feeling much better now that the weather is a bit nicer.</p>
<p dir="ltr">To go with that, we have my first attempt at nail art in a very long time! I got this idea from cutepolish on YouTube. Don't you just love her nail art videos (and her soothing voice)?</p>
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I didn't have time to clean up my cuticles, so excuse the mess!<br />
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This is <b>Luster</b> from Urban Outfitters. Luster is a black jelly filled with large and small gold hex glitters. Ever since last Christmas, I've had my eye on Cleopatra in New York by Deborah Lippmann. There's something about glitter in a dark jelly base that just <i>speaks</i> to me.<br />
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This was 3 coats of Luster with 2 coats of Revlon Quick Dry Top Coat. I could have probably gone with 2 coats and it would have been fine, but it was still a bit too sheer for my taste. I don't own the Lippmann, so I can't really say whether or not this is a dupe, but it looks like they may be similar enough. From the pictures I've seen online, Cleopatra in New York looks like it may have a warmer gold tone to its glitter. It's hard to tell...you <i>may </i>need to own both. ;)</div>
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All nail talk aside, welcoming 2014 had an odd feeling to it. Part of me is in disbelief that 2013 is actually over. How could it be? I remember thinking of 2013 as this impossibly distant entity, and now here we are, looking back at it!</div>
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2013 was a big year for me. I accomplished things that I'd dreamed of my whole life and I accomplished things that I would have never dreamed were possible as the clock struck midnight a whole year ago. I graduated. I got my first <i>real</i> job. I moved out for the first time. I became a Pharmacist.</div>
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If you go back and look at my other New Year's Eve posts (and if you're really keen, the posts from my old blogs), I'm sure you'll find me talking about how that particular year was the best year of my life. You might even expect me to say that about 2013. To be honest, 2013 happened so quickly I didn't even have time to really reflect on whether or not this was true. 2013 had some pretty insanely high highs, but I also remember it having some pretty low lows. Everyone raves about how their lives are exponentially better since leaving school, but there was something very comforting and safe about being in school, wasn't there?</div>
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I would probably be lying if I said 2013 was the absolute best year of my life. I would also probably be lying if I said I wasn't the least bit afraid of what 2014 has in store for me. I don't know where I'm going to be this time next year, and that scares the crap out of me. For all I know, this time next year I could be getting married or something ridiculous like that (jk, lol, forever alone)!</div>
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2013 was an adventure. It turned out so much differently than I had expected, but I don't know if I would have preferred it any other way. Be nice to me 2014, BE NICE TO ME.</div>
Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-19660639514920925452013-07-11T12:17:00.000-04:002013-07-11T12:17:00.415-04:00Gouda Gouda Two ShoesCheese. Cheese makes everything better.<div>
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The last week or so I've become a bit...cheese obsessed. How have I lived 22 years without knowing the beauty of swiss cheese?</div>
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So, to coincide with my cheese obsession, I give you OPI <b>Gouda Gouda Two Shoes</b>:</div>
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Gouda Gouda Two Shoes is from the Fall 2012 Germany Collection by OPI. It's a warm-toned pink with a golden shimmer running throughout. The shimmer is pretty subtle, showing up more in the bottle than it does on the nail. This was 2 coats with a topcoat. </div>
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The Germany collection was a great mix of colours, and this one was no exception. Gouda Gouda Two Shoes has found its place in my usual work-appropriate rotation. </div>
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Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to have some more cheese.</div>
Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-12723647498150440292013-07-10T11:33:00.000-04:002013-07-10T11:33:00.625-04:00Joe Fresh Sea BlueI love Joe Fresh.<br />
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Seriously. When it first made an appearance in my life, I thought it was mighty strange that they would try to sell clothes in the middle of the grocery store. Pretty soon, my wardrobe was packed with Joe Fresh clothes. I bashfully admitted to my fashion forward friend that I secretly kind of loved them. When she approved, I was actually kind of shocked. It was cool to like the clothes from the grocery store.</div>
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So, it's absolutely no secret that I am in love with their nail polish line as well. Trendy, wide range of colours...and affordable at $3-4 a bottle! This is <b>Sea Blue.</b></div>
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<b>Sea Blue </b>is not a shade that I would necessarily associate with the sea. Usually when I think of the sea, I think of a more greenish, light blue. This shade is a blurple creme. The above picture shows 2 coats + topcoat. </div>
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Joe Fresh polishes are 3 for $10, so more often than not buy three at a time. Their colour selection is pretty impressive, and I am particularly partial to their blues. I could probably create a gradient with my Joe Fresh polishes only (lightbulb!). The bottles are smaller than the average nail polish bottle (6mL vs. the usual 14-15mL, which I guess makes them on par for price with some other brands), but they are definitely worth a try if you ever have the chance. </div>
Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-32462243718719373152013-07-09T11:16:00.002-04:002013-07-09T11:16:21.851-04:00Essie YogagaGood morning!<br />
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It's pretty gloomy and wet outside right now. Luckily, we were spared of the flooding and power outages that happened all over the city, but still...not a pretty site outside.<br />
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Today I have for you Essie's <b>Yogaga</b>. With the weather, I wasn't feeling in the mood to do something brightly coloured, so I did a neutral instead.<br />
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The picture is blurry, but it's the only one that came out colour accurate, unfortunately. Yogaga is a pale taupe colour from one of Essie's Yogaga collection (Fall 2012). The formula is very good for a shade this pale. The photo above is 2 coats. Essie's actually been improving formula and colour-wise the last few years or so. I used to avoid buying them simply because their formulas left something to be desired.<br />
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Yogaga has become a go-to interview colour for me, and I assume it's a colour that will be getting a lot of wear in the next year or so as it is very work-appropriate. (Which is unlike so many other colours in my collection!)<br />
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Meanwhile, I'll be sticking to glitters and neons until the summer ends. Let's hope that we get some sunshine in here soon!Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-27291311961336980042013-07-08T23:58:00.001-04:002013-07-08T23:58:22.602-04:00A Happy Colour for a VERY HAPPY DAYHello! I am in a very good mood today because...<br />
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You saw that right. (And to be honest, I'm still hoping that I saw that right too after checking a million times to be sure). I was actually paralyzed with anxiety over getting my licensing exam results, mainly because I was worried that if I didn't pass, the offer for my job would be off the table and I would have signed the lease on my apartment for nothing. Needless to say, I breathed a mega sigh of relief when I found out.<br />
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Since I'm so happy, I decided I would post about a colour that matched my mood.<br />
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<b>Turned Up Turquoise</b> from China Glaze is a neon turquoise with some awesome shimmer running throughout. The formula on this one was a beauty, considering that it's a bit of a neon. This was 2 coats.<br />
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This colour just makes me so <i>happy</i>. First off, I love anything that is teal or turquoise. Second, this is so bright, especially in the sun! I almost didn't get this polish because I thought it might be too similar to <b>Four Leaf Clover</b>, but of course I was wrong. It sort of reminds me a bit of a turquoise version of Frostbite, except not quite as...frosty. Sounds weird, but I think it's the brightness and the shimmer that makes me lump those two colours together in my mind.<br />
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Because this is a neon, it will dry matte. I used a coat of Revlon Fastdry over this, since I wasn't really feeling the matte finish -- but either way, it's such a beauty.<br />
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It's bedtime for me now, and I know I'll be sleeping well tonight. It seems like the last 4 years of my life have <i>truly</i> culminated into this one day. I feel marvelous, and I hope to keep feeling this way for a long time!Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-39717519892044392013-07-04T01:10:00.003-04:002013-07-04T01:10:50.024-04:00Beyond The Sea (A.K.A. Orly Royal Navy)I had originally scheduled Tuesday's post (a red, white, and blue manicure) for today, seeing as it is the 4th of July and all. Thinking back, it even had a polish called Stars and Stripes in it, lol.<div>
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Instead, I'm going to show you a polish from Quo. The Canadian ladies will know that Quo is basically the store brand cosmetic line from Shoppers Drug Mart, and their nail polish is actually manufactured by Orly. When Quo started putting out their polishes, I didn't really have too much interest in them -- the colours were nice, but they were $10 each, and frankly, the colours were not <i>that</i> nice. I only ever bought them if they were on sale, or if I had a friend who worked at Shoppers with me (<i>the perks of Pharmacy School!</i>). </div>
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However, last February, during my first experience working at a Shoppers, this happened:</div>
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Two dollars. And best of all, Quo was now carrying some of the more popular Orly shades (which run $6.99 at Sally Beauty Supply), including those from their Spring and Summer 2013 collections. (The Shoppers down the street, mind you, still had all these things full price). I must've swiped up a dozen of these babies, starting with <b>Beyond The Sea</b>, a "dupe" of Orly Royal Navy.</div>
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Beyond The Sea is an electric blue jelly with blue glitter/shimmer running throughout. I was expecting it to be sheer, but it covered nicely in 3 coats. You can see a bit of nail line in the sunlight picture, but nothing that can be seen from afar. </div>
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It seems to be a close, brighter cousin to Revlon Royal, with shimmer. I've read from other bloggers that if you don't care too much for the glitter, you can let the bottle sit for awhile and the shimmer will settle to the bottom. So I've heard.</div>
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Beyond The Sea usually retails for $10, but I got this one on mega clearance for $2. It doesn't seem to be a part of the core Quo by Orly line, as I haven't seen it on the regular racks since then. If you're going to grab yourself a bottle of this, you might as well get Royal Navy. It's much easier to track down, and it will probably be cheaper, too.</div>
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Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-41386395706709187852013-07-03T00:00:00.000-04:002013-07-03T00:00:06.886-04:00Minions Assemble!IT'S TODAY, IT'S TODAY!<br />
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Ladies and germs, today is the day that Despicable Me 2 hits theaters. And what better way to celebrate than with:<br />
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MINIONS!<br />
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Minions! Minions! Minions!<br />
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I used 3 coats of Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in <b>Yellow Kitty</b> for the base colour. As with most yellows, streakiness is an issue. However, this particular one leveled out reasonably well after the 3rd coat. For the minions' clothes, I used Maybelline Color Show <b>Denim Dash</b>, applied like a French tip. The details were put on using a black striping polish and dotting tools with China Glaze <b>Immortal</b> (gray), Sally Hansen <b>White On</b>, and Sally Hansen <b>Coral Crush</b>. (I would show you my thumbs, but they are far less minion-shaped than my other fingernails, and thus are not as cute).<br />
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I had a bit of a dilemma with trying to figure out if I wanted to give them hair or not. They were just so cute after I finished all the face details, I was unsure if I would be ruining it with the hair. I figure I'll wear it like this for a few days and then try putting the hairs on. This way, if it doesn't turn out right, at least I've had a few good days with cute, hairless minions. :)<br />
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My life goal is to finally get my hands on a giant minion plushie. True story. In the meantime, I'll have to settle for 10 minion fingernail friends.<br />
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<br />Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-9716457849379110822013-07-02T00:00:00.000-04:002013-07-02T00:00:05.439-04:00Indecision in Red and BlueCan you tell I'm just trying to get all my school-related manicures out of the way? I'm trying to sever the ties, I promise I am.<br />
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Remember <a href="http://www.thenailblog-kg.blogspot.ca/2012/03/smells-like-school-spirit.html">last year's school spirit manicure</a>? Well, for this year's game (back in April), I decided that I was going to top it no matter what. The only problem was, I didn't know how I was supposed to go about doing that. And as was the case for most of my during-the-school-year manis, laziness was a major factor.</div>
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My friends always make fun of me for my indecisive tendencies. It's why I can't eat at the Pickle Barrel without getting an anxiety attack. And it's probably also why I now own 200+ bottles of nail polish. In the end, my indecision led me to do this:</div>
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Fun fact: apparently U of T Pharmacy is pretty indecisive about what their colour is as well. This was going to be an all blue number, but I remembered that somewhere in between 2nd and 3rd year the colour had switched from red to blue, and I was unsure if it had switched back since I'd left school in December. So I threw a red nail in there for good measure. </div>
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<u>Thumb:</u> 2 coats of Joe Fresh <b>Indigo</b>, "U of T" drawn on using a fine-tipped dotting tool with Sally Hansen <b>White On</b></div>
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<u>Index:</u> 2 coats of China Glaze <b>Frostbite</b> -- <i>love</i> this colour. I honestly just wanted an excuse to wear this electric blue beauty again.</div>
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<u>Middle:</u> 2 coats of Sally Hansen <b>White On</b> as a base, with dots in Joe Fresh <b>Indigo </b>(darkest), Joe Fresh <b>Cobalt</b> (medium blue), Sally Hansen <b>Blue Me Away!</b> (lightest), and Essence <b>Let's Get Lost</b> (aqua).</div>
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<u>Ring:</u> 2 coats of Joe Fresh <b>Apple</b>, a deliciously bright red. Dots in a combination of Joe Fresh <b>Indigo, </b>Sally Hansen <b>White On, </b>China Glaze <b>Frostbite</b>, and more Apple. Can you tell I went a little bit <i>dotty </i>with this manicure?</div>
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<u>Pinky:</u> we have Nina Ultra Pro in <b>Cobalt</b>, with a coat of Wet 'n' Wild <b>Stars & Stripes. </b>Cobalt is a jelly, so you can still make out my nail line despite the 3 coats that I used. The formula on the glitter polish was a bit thick, and I used an orange stick to place the stars onto the nail because it just wouldn't come off the brush on its own.</div>
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In the end, I kind of wished I'd just stuck to alternating red and blue or something, because this mani was hella confusing. And we didn't even win! :(</div>
Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-51280233847720720072013-07-01T00:17:00.001-04:002013-07-01T00:17:58.044-04:00Red Skittles for Canada Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Today is CANADA DAY, and today I have my Canada Day mani here for you.</div>
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Again, my indecision seems to have won in this manicure, but with far less disastrous results.<br />
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I'm not really big on red nail polish. In fact, as my collection grew in size, there was a point when I think I had 2 bottles of red polish in a total of about 50. There were a few reasons why I wasn't feeling the reds. Reds are boring. Reds are for old people. Reds <i>stain</i>.<br />
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Then, something clicked within. I got my hands on Danke Shiny Red from the OPI Germany Collection in Fall 2012 and I fell in love. Before the winter was out, I'd doubled my red collection. I'd also become enamored with bright red lipsticks. When the OPI Couture de Minnie collection came out earlier this summer, I jumped on it. I decided I would go with the mini set since I'd decided that I couldn't live without the colours in this collection -- my wallet still disagreed, though, so minis it would be.<br />
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On my fingers we have <b>Magazine Cover Mouse</b> (index), a liquid sand polish from the Couture de Minnie collection, Nabi Hologram Nail Lacquer in <b>Red </b>(middle), and <b>Innie Minnie Mighty Bow </b>(pinky) also from the Minnie collection. The formulas of the OPIs were impeccable. The Nabi, not so much. The polish dragged in between coats, so it needs to be applied carefully and with a few minutes of drying time in between coats.<br />
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On my ring finger, I used a temporary maple leaf tattoo. The tattoo thing has really become one of my favourite techniques. It requires absolutely no skill whatsoever, and it looks amazing. All you have to do is wait for your nail polish to dry completely, and then apply a temporary tattoo as you would to your skin with water and a cosmetic cotton pad. I tried free-handing the maple leaf, but it looked terrible! :P<br />
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Anyway, that's all for my Canada Day manicure. I'm proud to be Canadian, and happy to show it all over my nails!Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-46951383850879251122013-06-28T00:00:00.000-04:002013-06-28T00:00:00.531-04:00I Less-Than-Three YouWhen people stop to ask me what colour I'm wearing, you can bet that I'll always have the answer on hand. Which is probably why I expect nothing less of others when I see them wearing a particularly interesting polish. So when a girl walked into the pharmacy wearing an electric blue metallic number, I needed to know.<br />
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<b>Me: </b>That's a nice colour you've got on your nails.<br />
<b>Girl:</b> Oh thanks!<br />
<b>Me: </b>...so, what is it called?<br />
<b>Girl</b>: Um...I don't know.<br />
<b>Me:</b> ...<br />
(awkward pause)<br />
<b>Me: </b>Have you used this medication before?</blockquote>
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Okay, so the exchange may not have happened exactly like that. Maybe. But nevertheless, it sent me into a frenzy, as usual. I <i>needed </i>to know. (It's not completely lost on me how crazy I must sound.) Lucky for me, I am a master googler (google-er?) with a photographic memory specific for nail polish.</div>
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I narrowed it down to China Glaze <b>Frostbite</b>, a bright, almost electric blue shimmer. I wanted to use the word "frost", but I don't think this polish is quite the right texture to be calling it that. I associate "frosts" with nightmarish brush strokes, and that didn't happen with this. This is 2 coats -- it applied flawlessly.</div>
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The index finger is 2 coats of Sally Hansen <b>White On</b> with a heart drawn in with OPI <b>Danke Shiny Red.</b> Funny thing was, I put in the heart nail because I meant to do what I thought was an Asian peace sign showing off this nail in my funny grad photo, but right before somebody informed me that doing the peace sign with the back of my hand facing outward is actually some sort of offensive gesture, so I quickly decided against it. In the end, the most you see of the heart is the top of it peeking out from under the fake diploma they made me pose with. </div>
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Frostbite is definitely one of my favourite blue polishes in my collection, and I've worn it a couple of times since getting my hands on it last fall. I love it when polishes that I have come with a great story attached to how I got it or when I wore it, and Frostbite is definitely no exception.</div>
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Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-7372305196513989842013-06-27T00:00:00.000-04:002013-06-27T00:00:06.831-04:00An Ode to St. GeorgeOn the first day of Frosh Week, back in '08, my rather inattentive (looking back) leader informed us that we should specify on our resumés that we attended U of T St. George, which was obviously far more impressive than any other University of Toronto campus.<br />
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I won't say that I disagree with her comment, but I am pretty biased of course. I had a pretty tough time that year, so when I came out on the other side I made sure that everybody knew it. Actually, If we're being completely honest here, I will admit that when she said that to us, I didn't actually <i>have </i>a resumé. Oops. </div>
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(This is a no judgment zone. I was <i>seventeen</i>.)</div>
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Anyway, when A-England first appeared on my nail polish radar, I had some pretty strong lemmings for their holographic shades. However, since they were only available from e-tailers that charged a hefty sum for shipping to Canada, I stayed away. But when Nail Polish Canada started carrying A-England, I knew the time was right. And if you know anything about me, you know that I am a <i>fiend</i> for teal. </div>
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I ordered A-England <b>Saint George</b> a few months ago, but it had been sitting in my drawer for awhile, waiting for the right occasion. In my books, any occasion is the right occasion for teal and holo, but with my impending graduation, the beginning of June seemed like the right time.</div>
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Saint George is a deep teal shade with a scattered holographic effect. The picture above shows it to be a little more blue than it is in real life. </div>
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The holographic effect is really subtle. I usually don't go for scattered holos that much, especially if they are priced similarly to an A-England polish, but I really enjoyed this one. I ended up wearing it for only 3 days because I felt like the colour was way too dark for me to be wearing during the summertime, but I did love it. The formula was also fantastic -- I could have probably gotten away with a single coat, but I did 2 to make sure everything was level. I will say that the topcoat seemed to diminish the holo effect a tiny bit, as topcoats usually do, but since the holo wasn't that in your face to begin with, you can't really tell the difference.</div>
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I love it, I love it, I love it! </div>
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A-England polishes go for $13.50 on nailpolishcanada.com, but shipping is free for orders over $25!</div>
Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-67356793596278484272013-06-26T00:00:00.000-04:002013-06-26T00:00:03.213-04:00CelebrateI will confess that I googled "prom nails" a week before I did this manicure, and I watched a prom nails tutorial on cutepolish's channel which may or may not have influenced the outcome.<br />
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PROM NAILS. For my "adult prom", as I had described it to my co-workers.(Prom as an <i>adult, </i>get your mind out of the gutter, there's hardly enough room in there for mine.) Prom, as in that dance that people have when they graduate, which is what I just did.<br />
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I needed it to go with my dress, and I needed sparkle. Oh, and it had to be lazy-proof.<br />
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I used 2 coats of Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear <b>Grey Area </b>as a base. My dress had a purple-toned silver bottom with a pearly off-white bust. I know that my description doesn't help much, but trust me, this worked. For the sparkle, I used Hard Candy <b>Celebrate Sequins</b>, a clear base packed with tiny holographic round glitters mixed in with larger hex and square holographic glitters. I wanted to get a glitter gradient effect, so I dabbed the glitter on the lowest quarter of my nail nearest the cuticle. After that, I went in for additional coats going higher up the nail, making sure to scrape off the larger glitters on the lip of the bottle.<br />
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This was a fun look for me to wear, especially with the holo glitters reflecting the lights on the dance floor!<br />
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And of course, the dancing was fun too. :P</div>
Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-89212610790284797992013-06-25T15:22:00.001-04:002013-06-25T15:24:37.078-04:00A New Beginning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Remember that time when I said I would be posting more?<br />
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Okay. So I lied.<br />
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But it's for real this time. (Hopefully).<br />
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After my last post, I threw myself into studying. And then when it was all over, I figured out that I really enjoyed doing <i>absolutely nothing.</i> Including writing up things for this blog. But now I'm back (again), and I thought it would be fitting for me to open up this "new beginning" with the nails that I had while I was celebrating the end: my graduation from university!<br />
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I had gone back and forth in my mind over what exactly I wanted to do with my nails on that day for months. Yes, <i>months</i>. My original plan was to painstakingly paint on the initials of the people without whom I couldn't have survived the last four years. To up the <i>sap</i> factor, I was going to pick out the letters "LOVE" and paint them in a different colour.<br />
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I don't know what it was that ultimately changed my mind. Perhaps I didn't actually have enough friends to fill up my nail space. Or maybe I was afraid of missing people. It could have been that I actually do not know anyone who has "O" as an initial -- or if I do, I really don't care about them all that much (LOL, for real, I don't even know). I'm lazy, and that is probably the most likely explanation.<br />
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I ended up going with a simple french tip, mostly because I had put off doing my nails until the last second, and also because I figured I would also regret seeing something like neon leopard print in photos 20 years from now.<br />
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I started off with 2 coats of Wet 'n' Wild <b>Sugar Coat. </b>For the tips, I used 2 coats of <b>Storm</b> by Zoya, and then I lined them with a silver polish (a really ancient one in my collection whose label has rubbed off) using a striping brush. On my ring finger, I used a dotting tool to create a tiny heart with China Glaze <b>Snap My Dragon</b> from the 2013 Avant Garden collection. Finally, I used my smallest dotting tool to etch on the year of my graduation next to the heart. LOVE!<br />
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Sugar Coat is a little bit of a streaky nightmare. Looking back, I probably should have chosen a better base polish -- every other time that I've worn Sugar Coat, I've needed at least 3-4 coats to level it out, and when you're doing other designs on top, it's really not an ideal situation. Zoya Storm was opaque enough in 2 coats, but it would have probably benefited from a third...<br />
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All in all, I was pleased with how this all turned out. It had just the right amount of sparkle: classy, yet with that something extra.<br />
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Overall, I'm pleased with how <i>everything</i> has turned out, really. Today actually marks 5 years to the day that I graduated from high school, and I can't believe how fast the time has gone by. I'm in a period of my life right now that feels like a transition phase and it's really given me a lot of time to not only reflect on the past but also think about the future. I had a lot of regrets coming out of my first year at university, and I feel like I've spent the last four making sure that I would leave this place with very few. And I think for the most part, I've done that.<br />
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This is a really exciting time for me, and I hope that this comes through in my posts from this point forward. I've only got about 9 weeks or so left before I have to enter the real world as a full-fledged adult, so I hope to entertain you all with some pretty wild colours and nail art while I can. :) Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-7368783714665004512013-05-13T00:48:00.001-04:002013-05-13T00:49:27.284-04:00Don't Stop Beleafing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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To kick off what should be the beginning of a blowout summer for me and my nails...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gydgdY3VNxY/UZBtIJ0YCkI/AAAAAAAABxs/eKbeICIoH9Y/s1600/P4281099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gydgdY3VNxY/UZBtIJ0YCkI/AAAAAAAABxs/eKbeICIoH9Y/s640/P4281099.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GO LEAFS GOOOOOOOO!</td></tr>
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If you're wondering what kind of a genius I must be, painting the logo onto my ring finger, don't. I used a temporary tattoo! I did 2 coats of Sally Hansen <b>White On</b> and waited for it to dry completely before I pressed the tattoo onto it. I sealed the whole thing in with 2 coats of INM Out the Door Topcoat. The other nails are done in Joe Fresh <b>Indigo<i>.</i></b><br />
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The wear time for this mani was pretty unbelievable. I didn't expect the logo to last that long -- I put it on right after the last game of the regular season, and I fully expected it to be chipped off by Game 1. However, the logo outlasted Game 3, and I eventually took it off myself after more than a week of wear! I credit the 2 coats of topcoat -- the second incarnation of this Leafs manicure only got one coat, and it barely lasted through the day...<br />
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My life has been so busy for the last few months, I haven't had a chance to come on here and post about my nails! I'm studying up for licensing exams, so I obviously won't be posting too often in the next 2 weeks, but I fully plan on getting back on track once all that is done! This is my last summer before entering THE REAL WORLD (dun dun dun!) and I intend on wearing the heck out of the wildest numbers in my collection.<br />
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If you want to check out my other hockey-themed manis, you can click right <a href="http://thenailblog-kg.blogspot.ca/2011/06/score.html">HERE</a>.<br />
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I haven't been getting too much done in the way of studying with all this hockey madness going on...OMG OMG GAME 7 CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?? (For real, last time this happened in this city, I was graduating from <i>elementary school.</i>)<br />
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-K<br />
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<br />Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-44058170496065203282013-02-18T07:48:00.002-05:002013-02-18T07:49:00.154-05:00Long time, no post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Happy...2013!</div>
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I almost can't believe how ridiculously long it's been since I've logged on. School was so incredibly busy, and I couldn't spare a second for myself. Not to mention that blogger wouldn't let me upload any more pictures. LAME. </div>
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Anyhow, I'm trying to play a little catch up on the weekends with the blog as well as some personal stuff, so here we are. This is how I wore my nails for a New Year's Eve party with some friends:</div>
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The base colour is <strong>Date in the Moonlight</strong> from Essence. It's a charcoal gray that leans a little blue, topped off with some bright blue micro-shimmer. It's really a beautiful colour on it's own. I would tell you something about the formula now, but to be honest I can't remember. I know that it didn't require an obscene amount of coats (probably was a 2-coater) and that it wasn't too thick or too thin. <br />
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I applied <strong>Diamond Drops </strong>(pictured) from Color Club starting at my cuticles. I was going to say "sponged", since that's what you usually do when you want a glitter gradient, but the glitter in this polish is more shard-like and not very user-friendly, so I ended up dabbing the polish brush against my nail to place the shards generally where I wanted them. I finished it off by using a dotting tool to put "2013" on my ring finger...in case you were unsure of what year was coming in.<br />
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I'll include this slightly blurry picture so you can see the blue shimmer a bit. It's not really in-your-face, but it is a nice addition:</div>
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That's really it for now. I've got a folder full of pictures still left to share, and that's not even counting the ones that I didn't have a chance to photograph before I took them off! <br />
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See you (hopefully) soon!Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-30446211942948285492012-11-21T20:01:00.002-05:002012-11-21T20:01:14.697-05:00November 2012 Topbox<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Um...can we talk about how awesome the November Topbox was?</div>
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This was my second topbox, and let me tell you that it did not disappoint. (Like my first one did.)<br />
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I eagerly awaited the arrival of this particular Topbox due to the fact that the monthly survey asked me what kind of nail polish I was the most interested in wearing. One of the options was "sparkly", and I clicked on that, praying for Deborah Lippmann Cleopatra in New York.<br />
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I didn't get it, but what I did get instead was equally awesome:<br />
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<b>Vera Wang - Lovestruck (sample size)</b><br />
Described as a sparkling floral bouquet that blooms with instant attraction.<br />
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The scent on this one is definitely super flowery, but it's not too overpowering that it starts going into grandma territory, if you know what I mean. The scent doesn't last very long, however, as far as I can tell. I put it on this morning and I don't think it's quite all there anymore. Regardless, it smells <i>amazing, </i>and I will probably buy a full sized bottle...time will tell.<br />
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<b>Benefit: They're Real! Mascara (sample size)</b><br />
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I'm a <i>huge </i>fan of Benefit mascara. I have been using Bad Gal lash mascara since the summer and I have been loving it. I started with a sample size and eventually moved up to the full sized product, so I have high hopes for "They're Real!". The brush on this one reminds me of a comb, whereas the brush that comes with Bad Gal is more of a soft-bristled type brush. The box claims that 94% of people noticed a dramatic change in length and volume and visible lift.<br />
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I took a lame picture of my eye to try and see/show if it had met these expectations:<br />
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Meh. Looks pretty meh. But it might just be the odd angle -- I did notice that it looked more voluminous than normal in the 15 minutes I was wearing it.<br />
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<b>Pari Lip Paint in "Red"</b><br />
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I don't usually wear lipstick, and when I do I usually don't go for bright red. I'm not sure how to feel about it, but I'll give it a shot. After all, what is Topbox for if not for trying new things?<br />
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<b>China Glaze - I Herd That (full size)</b><br />
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This is the item that I was most excited for, and while browsing the internet for November box reviews, I noticed that a lot of people had received <b>Exotic Encounters</b>, which is a shade that I have owned since August. Wouldn't it suck to get something that you already owned??<br />
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Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised.<br />
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<i>Look</i> at that holographic glitter!</div>
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I Herd That is from the Fall 2012 On Safari Collection. It's a mix of fine gold and coppery glitter mixed in with some holographic bits. LOVE.<br />
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So that was my November Topbox! Did not disappoint in the slightest. VERY glad I didn't unsubscribe after my first box, which was for all intents and purposes a dud. VERY GLAD.<br />
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<br />Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-25991749850105839392012-11-15T00:35:00.002-05:002012-11-15T00:35:53.546-05:00OPI Shanghai Shimmer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's been a hectic few weeks for me, so I've fallen behind even more with posting, and even just painting my nails regularly has fallen by the wayside a bit. I actually had 2 separate manicures in the past 2 weeks which were never properly photographed. I have a couple of minutes to wind down before I head to bed, so I've lit my Slatkin & Co. Gingerbread 3-wick candle and I'm ready to BLOG.</div>
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Anyway, I had a job interview (the first of many...hopefully) on Monday, so I had to tone it down a couple of notches from the usual. I don't want these people to think that I'm crayyy just because I have some wild nail polish on. I'll post swatches of my work appropriate nail colour soon, if I can ever get around to photographing them. </div>
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Instead I'm posting swatches of a similar shade that I wore one week in September, to a bunch of important school meetings. This is OPI <b>Shanghai Shimmer</b>.</div>
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I would describe Shanghai Shimmer as a light berry-toned colour with a subtle green flash. If it weren't for the green shimmer running throughout, this would be a total grandma colour. It sort of reminded me of China Glaze Chiaroscuro, which is a colour I've been passing over for ages and ages...I continually pick it up and note its unique combination of colour and shimmer, and I always put it back down after a second thought. I don't think they're dupes though. Shanghai Shimmer is probably more pink, though I can't compare them directly so I might be wrong...<br />
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As you can see from the bottle shot, the green shimmer is most evident in the bottle. I bought this particular shade at a Publix in Fort Myers, FL, literally minutes before heading to the airport. It was the shimmer that got me. I mean, LOOK.<br />
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But the shimmer gets lost a bit when it gets to the nail. It's definitely there, but it's not as in your face as it could be. You can see from the flash shots how gorge the shimmer is in bright light.<br />
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Just looking at these swatches makes me feel like putting this colour on again, for my next interview on Monday. It's just too pretty! </div>
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You probably won't be seeing me here again for awhile, but one can hope. I'm working (sorta) hard on becoming employed once I leave school this year, so the blog has slid down considerably on the priorities list. </div>
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Wish me luck, guys! (Please?)</div>
Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-906651061952748982012-11-09T12:33:00.001-05:002012-11-11T23:14:33.843-05:00Dupe Alert!: Urban Outfitters Sea Dust (for Deborah Lippmann Mermaid's Dream)Let me take you back to the beginning of August. (Cue cheesy flashback sequence)<br />
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If you remember from previous blog posts, I went on a vacation to Florida in August. In between chillin' at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (life goal complete, by the way) and layin' out on the beach, I found some time to squeeze in some polish shopping here and there. One such "squeezed in" occurrence was the time that my mom and I tried on Deborah Lippmann polishes at both Neiman Marcus <i>and </i>Nordstrom.<br />
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Needless to say, I'm sure the staff was probably not pleased with the two Asian ladies dressed in bermuda shorts and flip flops taking advantage of the testers at the Lippmann counter.<br />
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I went absolutely gaga for Mermaid's Dream (naturally), and like an IDIOT I failed to buy it while on vacation despite its lower price in the US <i>and</i> a buy 2 get one free sale at Nordstrom on my last day there. Devastation set in at the airport while I was waiting for my flight.<br />
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LUCKILY, as it was summertime and I had copious amounts of free time on my hands, I was able to power through endless google searches for "Mermaid+Dream+Dupe". This is what I came up with, after about page 8 or 9 of the search results:<br />
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Aside from a few little differences in texture, <b>Sea Dust </b>from Urban Outfitters squashed my (pricey) lemming for Mermaid's Dream.<br />
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<b>Sea Dust</b> is a mixture of very fine seafoam glitter in a clear base with larger round blue glitter mixed in. I don't have any comparison shots to the actual Lippmann polish, but from what I've seen on the blogosphere, they are similar enough to not need to own both. I've read somewhere that the texture of Mermaid's Dream is much rougher and unique, but to be honest the only reason I wanted it in the first place was the colour, and Sea Dust has that spot on.<br />
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The biggest bonus of Sea Dust is its price. I bought Sea Dust with another Lippmann dupe for $8 ($4 each, plus tax). The Lippmann would have cost me at least $22 had I bought it at home, $18USD if I bought it while on vacation.<br />
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Don't you love a good deal when you see one? :DKristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-87443819619509659142012-11-05T00:14:00.000-05:002012-11-05T00:14:15.160-05:00Flashback: Happy Halloween!<b>(EDIT: </b>So I totally just failed at technology -- I wrote this post ON HALLOWEEN, thinking that I had published it, but it turns out that I never did. WHOOPS! Secondly, I actually never had time to post that "more on that later" since Halloween because I've been so swamped with schoolwork and I took a me-day yesterday, so... :$<b>)</b><br />
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I told myself I would never write a blog post in class, but here we are. (I'm bored as f*** right now, but I can't be bothered to do anything more interesting.)<br />
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With Halloween being only 3 days after my birthday, I actually did not do a Halloween-themed manicure this year because my birthday one was so labour intensive that I had to keep it on for at least a few days. I <i>did</i> have some Sally Hansen Salon Effects on last week to make up for it, but more on that later. Instead, I'm going to show you what I had on last year. LAME.<br />
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Except not, because it was pretty epic.<br />
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I used Color Club <b>Almost Famous </b>as a base and then I used scotch tape to mark off the bottom part of my nail before putting on one coat of Joe Fresh <b>Crush</b>. I ended up free-handing the white tips with Sally Hansen <b>White On</b> because I simply did not have the patience to wait for the lower coats of polish to dry enough to stick tape onto them -- I remember trying after a coat of Seche Vite, but even still the polish underneath lifted straight off.<br />
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I did this on my birthday last year, as a treat to myself for finishing my patho midterm. Can you guess what it is? If you can't, I hope you know that I'm judging you pretty hard right now.<br />
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Can you at least guess what (or who) my thumb was supposed to be?<br />
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I couldn't resist. .Cute little Frankenstein thumbs? Be still my beating heart!<br />
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I used China Glaze <b>Entourage</b> which is a light lime green with green shimmer running through it. The hair was painted on with a black striper in no particular pattern over the tip of my nail. The eyes were done using the end of a paintbrush, as this was my pre-dotting tool era. (Can you tell?)<br />
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Here's the whole hand:<br />
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Pretty!<br />
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Needless to say, I didn't go out that Halloween. Can't remember exactly why not, but it was probably some BS (cPhm) midterm or another. My cuticles were looking pretty awful...must have been my pre-body butter days, as well.<br />
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This year, I totally copped out. I only wish I had the time to do an epic design, but...oh well. Nail strips next?</div>
Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-23492958571458035432012-10-29T12:00:00.000-04:002012-10-29T12:00:04.706-04:00Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's no secret to anybody that I am an absolute coffee FIEND. (I am a fiend for many things - it should really be on my resume.) This fact has very little to do with anything, but at the same time it has to do with EVERYTHING about this post. </div>
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When I started at U of T, I hated coffee. Couldn't stand the stuff. I once went to Starbucks, ordered a Vanilla Latte thinking it would be like a Tim Horton's French Vanilla, took three sips, and then threw it out because it "tasted too much like coffee". Then, one day, everything changed:</div>
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My BFF (omg, can't believe I'm using that term again. kill me now), who despised coffee as I did, suggested that I try a gateway drug...I mean, Pumpkin Spice Latte. </div>
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This happened:</div>
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And now, I can't get enough of the stuff. It was a steep and slippery slope leading from PSLs to my apparent coffee addiction today. Why am I telling you this?</div>
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<li>I am most likely enjoying a Venti PSL as you read this to help me take away the pain of the exam I just wrote</li>
<li>This next colour I'm about to show you reminds me of my most beloved Starbucks favourite</li>
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Essence Colour & Go in <b>Gorgeous Bling Bling </b>is a burnt orange shade filled with gold flecks. It's a gorgeous colour that just screams, FALL!<br />
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The formula was flawless as always: could have gotten away with a single coat if applied more carefully. Also, is anyone else totally digging how even the cap has gold flecks in it? I think it's a great special touch to the packaging to have the lid match the colour on the inside, down to the gold flecks.<br />
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Personally, though, I think this shade leans a little bit too red/brown for it to be flattering to my warm skin tone. I think this would look amazing on somebody much paler or less...yellow. (Just keeping it real.) Nevertheless, it is a wonderful fall colour and even though it's not my cup of tea, it certainly is like a cup of PSL. :D<br />
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I'm really impressed by these little Essence polishes. They're affordable, they're cute, and the colour selection has been exquisite. I'm excited to see what shades they'll come up with next!Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-37039261830562443172012-10-28T10:36:00.000-04:002012-10-28T13:22:47.805-04:00Cupcakes, Glitter, and Rhinestones, oh my!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
At the beginning of the school year, I told myself that I wouldn't let myself get behind on anything: school work, social life, extracurriculars, and this blog. Sixty days later, and I'm 0 for 4 -- <i>especially</i> when it comes to posting on here. </div>
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BUT today is my BIRTHDAY, so as a present to myself, I'm going to try and get caught up. (Or, at the very least, I'm going to post my birthday mani.) It's my last year of school, and it's only fitting that, after 4 consecutive years of birthday midterms, I should have one last birthday midterm to deal with before I get the heck outta here. </div>
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The concept for my birthday mani flip flopped through a number of different concepts, many involving Halloween nail appliques, gold leaf, and glow in the dark nail polish. I tried to combine all the ideas in my head, but when I finally got down to painting in all the base colours, it looked so tacky I could have died...sort of like a skittles mani on acid. So I made an executive decision: to bring on the bling.</div>
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I used Nubar <b>Violet Sparkle </b>(3 coats)<b> </b>on the pinky, middle, and index fingers. Violet Sparkle is mixture of densely packed, finely milled glitter in a purple base. The purple leans more to the red side than to the blue, as seen in the lightbox pictures, which are more colour accurate. I do have to warn you, however, that this one is topcoat hungry. I used 2 coats of clear polish + 1 coat of Revlon Quick Dry, and it still feels gritty.<br />
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The cupcake was a last minute addition to this ensemble. I love cupcakes, I love to make them, so why wouldn't they be featured in my birthday mani? I painted a french tip on my ring finger with Essie's <b>She's Picture Perfect</b> and used a striping brush to paint on the stripes in Joe Fresh <b>Iris</b>. The icing was painted on using a large dotting tool, and the sprinkles with a small dotting tool.<br />
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And just in case there wasn't enough bling already:<br />
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I have never actually used rhinestones before, and when I bought these at Walmart I thought that they were simply rhinestone "stickers", so I waited for my 2 coats of <b>Iris</b> to dry before I even opened the package. Lesson learned.<br />
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I ended up using a wooden cuticle stick dipped in clear polish to help me place the rhinestones, which worked well enough. The sheer number of rhinestones I used was just cray. The second "2" is a little wonky just because I didn't have enough space for it. :S</div>
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By the time I finished the "22" on my left thumb, I was in no mood to do it all over again on my right, so instead I stuck with a simpler (but by no means easier) heart design:</div>
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Despite the fact that I didn't end up putting in my most extravagant ideas into my birthday manicure, I'm pretty pleased by how it turned out. It took forever to do, but I would say it was worth it if only just to have awesome nails on this gloomy, rainy day.</div>
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Back to work, I guess. :( Happy Birthday to Me!</div>
Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-89982347629870900292012-09-26T06:30:00.000-04:002012-09-26T06:30:04.565-04:00OMG: Oh My Glitter!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Good morning! I hope everyone's week started well. Mine was just barely tolerable, to be honest, but I'm sitting here writing up this blog post to cheer me up.<br />
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Hopefully.<br />
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I have a swatch here from this epic haul of shame that I got within days of school starting this year. It included, but was not limited to several new Essence Colour & Go polishes, plus a crapload of different funky pairs of earrings. I was looking for Essence I'm the Boss, but unfortunately that particular colour was either sold out or not currently on sale at Shoppers.<br />
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This, the first of 6 (or 7, I lost count) polishes, is <b>Oh My Glitter:</b><br />
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Oh My Glitter is a medium purple with pink and blue micro glitter. A bunch of the new Essence shades have this wicked micro glitter running through them, and they're all stunning. This is no exception!<br />
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The formula was, as with all Essence polishes, was awesome. I used 2 coats, and although I got full coverage, these pictures make me think that a 3rd coat wouldn't have hurt. Maybe. I can't tell if those are bald spots or just reflections of light.<br />
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This colour was absolutely gorgeous. I almost didn't want to take this one off! I don't have any other purples in my collection that have this exact shade of purple, nor do I have any with this pretty shimmery glitter. These new Essence polishes retail for $1.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart.<br />
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(Sidenote, has anybody seen the season premiere of How I Met Your Mother? Holy awesome.)Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886647432149714397.post-47428891024504672112012-09-24T00:58:00.000-04:002012-09-24T00:58:02.748-04:00Turning GreenThere goes yet another unproductive weekend. I swear, if I don't start doing stuff I'm actually going to die under the mountain of assignments and topics I'm going to need to cover before midterms.<br />
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So here I am with another post.<br />
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I have my priorities in order, <i>clearly</i>.<br />
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This next manicure I did a week or two ago in an attempt to squeeze out the last seconds of summer in the first days of school. The colour is Icing <b>Little Blue Box, </b>which I'm assuming is supposed to refer to Tiffany, but...this colour is definitely not Tiffany blue. It's more of a blue-leaning aquamarine. It applied nicely enough in two thick coats.<br />
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What I did next was inspired by <a href="http://www.thepolishaholic.com/2011/06/barielle-do-unto-others-and-buddha-ful.html" target="_blank">The Polishaholic</a>, Barielle's Do Unto Others and Buddha-ful were 2 colours that I had as lemmings in the past, more or less killed with the Finger Paints Flecked collection (in the case of Buddha-ful), or forgotten.<br />
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On top of Little Blue Box, I did 2 coats of Finger Paints <b>Flecked, </b>my favourite green-blue flakie polish. The results were stunning -- I could not take my eyes off my fngers.<br />
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HOWEVER, not everything was nice and perfect and ocean-y. I enjoyed the blue hue of the polish and the shifting of the blue and green flakies against it. I went to bed thinking all was ewell with the world.<br />
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Something happened with the pigmentation of the polish!<br />
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When I took the above picture, I didn't notice that any colour changing had occurred. I noticed as I was leaving for school the following morning, when I realized that my nails were now bright green instead of aqua. The yellow pigment of the polish must have been drawn out by the base of the flakie polish. It looked totally different from before! I wish I would have snapped a picture to show it to you guys,.<br />
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I kept this on for about 2 days. I would have done longer if the colour had remained true to what it looked like upon application. Don't get me wrong: both these polishes are awesome, but maybe they shouldn't be used together without waiting for proper drying time in between layers.<br />
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This colour sure was a beauty, and I can't wait to wear it on its own next time so we can truly appreciate its loveliness. :)Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466577472019961151noreply@blogger.com0