Essie's Quick-E

So since my Seche Vite has gotten to the point of supreme gunk-ability, I've gone back to my Essie "quick-e" drying drops.

The box comes with a 15 ml solution and dropper and describes the product to "significantly reduce drying time and protect nails from smudges, nicks and scratches". The product can be used on natural, artificial and even sensitive nails. The directions to follow are to apply one or two drops to cuticles. I tried it today over CND's perfect red called "Bloodline".
This is a picture of the first, and only, coat of the polish, boo-boos and all:

After appling the drying drops, the nail area is wet and shiny.

The nails are dry to the touch after a minute. The only downside is that following the nail polish drying, your cuticles dry out as well. Some of the solution got on the skin near my pinky finger and thumb, that you can see it is severely dried out. You may also be able to make out a white-ish cast around my nails.

Will I keep using this? Yes, until I get a new bottle of Seche Vite that is!

Word on the Street

So OPI's "Shatter" has been a rumored phantom in the city of Montreal. I have pretty much stalked a selection of beauty supply stores, both open to the public, and for those open only to aestheticians and have come out empty-handed. I heard a whisper that it lived in Trade Secrets for an hour untill it was sold out. Well, recently I heard China Glaze was coming out with a dupe called "Crackle". And guess what? Its available in 6 colours! From the mouth of a supplier: It's due to hit stores in 8 days.
check 'em out here: http://www.chinaglaze.com/products/index.php?coll=50
You can bet your butt I'll be picking them up!

Nail of the Day

In following last week's attempt at nail art, I played around with 2010's IT colour "Mint Candy Apple" from Essie.
(no flash, near window)

What i used:

I used Orly's Instant Artist in "Crisp White", Colour Club's Art Club in "Black", LA. Colors's Art Deco in "Silver" and some "Ez Marberlizer" that I purchased at a beauty conference in October 2010.

Nail of the Day

So for love day I decided to go against traditional red nails and opted for OPI's "Glitzerland"
(no flash)

prettty eh?

At Home Body Exfoliation

Having great skin is important, especially glow-y skin for Valentines day! For the past year I've been making an easy concoction to prep my skin for special events. All you need is a few basic products and you can have an at home body exfoliation. What you'll need is a bowl, Demerara sugar, and an oil. As you've seen from previous posts I use sweet almond oil. Also, it is optional to add a few drops of your fav essential oil, to add scent. I opt for lavender. You can find these items at a health food store.

I had previously been using sea salt, but once I learned the jagged edges cause mirco-tears (causing redness, irritation, openings for bacteria) I switched to Demerara sugar, which do not cause such tears. Also, I keep this bowl separate from my kitchenware...just to be safe.
I normally eyeball the amount of sugar I use, but I measured it and came out with 1/4 of a cup. I always keep the ingredients on hand when I exfoliate, so I can add more if i need.

Next, add the oil of your choice, a few drops of essential oil and stir. Get it to a consistency of about this:

You don't want it runny, but that each granule is coated in oil.
To exfoliate, I begin with my legs, and work my way to my neck. I start with some in my hands and rub in circular motions, always moving upwards towards your heart. 
I have to warn you, it does get messy, so do it in the tub! I took a pic as an example..please don't mind my stubby toes!

I promise the mess is worth it! Besides, it all gets washed away when you rinse your body off! Your skin is soft and smooth, and no need to moisturize afterward due to the oil!
Please let me know if you try it and how you liked it!

Live Clean Exotic Nectar Restorative Shampoo

Like my skin, my scalp recently has gotten beyond itchy. Enough that i showed my cute, young doctor and he said I had a mild dermatitis on my scalp and prescribed me a cortisone cream. I wasn't really keen on filling the prescription but tried to find something to soothe it. I fell upon Live Clean's "Restorative Shampoo" from their Exotic Nectar line.

The bottle says it is 98% plant derived, pure vegan, sulfate free and paraben free. It is intended to gently clean and restore "natural shine and lustre". I purchased it because it contains argon oil, grape seed oil and olive oil, in the efforts to treat my scalp as I did with my skin by nourishing it with oil. It smells nice, and was a good price, $5.95 at Walmart. You don't need much of it, a little goes a long way. Plus it lathers really well. And those aren't the only perks. It works! For my scalp anyways. No more ich, no more flakes. Me happy. Did it do anything for shine and lustre? It looks, and feels, like second day hair, a bit oily and flat at the top. I don't mind it so much, as long as it keeps the irritation away.
Have you tried it? What do you think?

Nail of the Day

So a friend AND reader brought up how to use "Last Friday Night" from the Katy Perry collection. The polish alone gives a blueish cast, so I went with using it as a nail art decoration over a dark navy colour. These are the two possibilities I came up with.

In the first picture I just swiped two lines of silver with the sparkely blue in between.
In the second I just covered my ring finger with "Last Friday Night".
If desired you can add these to each nail, but I personally like the understated look. For these I used Maybelline Express Finish in "Eux-blue-rant", Art Deco's "Silver" and of course, "Last Friday Night" from OPI.

Anyone got any other ideas?

Too Faced Eye Shadow Duo

Winners has been pretty good to me. Before Chirstmas I found packets of Too Faced products for an unbelievely crazy low price! In one of those pouches came an eye shadow duo in "Full Frontal".

The first swatch is on bare skin, the second is on my inglot eye shadow base.
With flash:

Near window, no flash:

I like this! I have been using the brown as a crease colour. It only has a slight shimmer to it. I couldn't ask for more! The directions on the website about these duos say that the lighter colour can be used as a highlighter. The light yellowy-gold doesn't appeal to me.The packaging is adorbs, sleek, sexy and the lid magnetically closes, so no mess at the bottom of you makeup bag with this product! For my next duo, I have my eye on "Ohh & Ahh". ;)

Nail of the Day

To match the onslaught of unending snowfall, Essie's "Lilacism":

Near window, no flash

I used to have an aversion to pastel colours, feeling way to retro for my taste. But I've converted! I must buy it full size!

Nail of the Day

Since it looks like pure poop outside and we'll be shoveling for hours... (take a look at my porch:)

...I decided to get a little fun with my nails before I get to work with my shovel.
Items used: CND's "Raspberry Parfait" and, Art Deco's art polishes in "Silver" and "Ice Breaker"

So you can see I went for a fun french with glitter at the bottom. I did snuff up the pinky a bit..I can sometimes have a heavy hand when handling glitter. ohh and the Raspberry Parfait won Editors Choice Award for Allure Magazine!
Hi ho, Hi ho, its off to work we go..good luck Montrealers!

Nail of the Day

So I started playing around with "Teenage Dream" as a glittery topcoat. Here it is on top of Rimmel's Lasting Finish Pro in "Steel Grey".

So hard to photograph holo glitters! Not sure how I feel about this..thought I'd share it anyways!

ADDITION (Feb 10th 2011):
My dear friend, and reader Raisy tried this variation that turned out LOVELY! As a base she used Sephora by OPI's "Metro Chic" with "Teenage Dream" over it.

Pretttttttttty :)