Nails

Cleanse, Prime and Shine Your Claws With Sephora’s Formula X “The System”

February 28th, 2014 by Karen 8 Comments

I usually lack the wherewithal for multi-step manis involving a base and top coat when I’m painting my paws (read: I’m too lazy, yo), even though my rational mind fully recognizes the prudence of taking the extra time to extend the life of my polish.

But ever since I started using Sephora’s Formula X “The System” $32 nail kit, I don’t mind going the extra mile at all.

Sephora Formula X the System Nail Cleanser — Nail Cleanser

This is partly due to thinking that the bottles in the kit look kind of sci-fi and cool, like they belong in an Apple store beside the latest iMacs, and also because they just plain work.

Sephora Formula X The System Base Coat — Base Coat

The kit gets high marks from reviewers on sephora.com, and I can see why. I used the Nail Cleanser (a brush-on liquid that helps remove residue from your nails so the products you layer on top bind better), Base Coat and Top Coat with Tom Ford’s Viper Nail Lacquer this week, and my nails have definitely handled the hell I regularly put them through better.

Sephora Formula X The System Top Coat — Top Coat

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Viper

February 24th, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

Tom Ford Viper Nail Lacquer — Two coatsssss of Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Viper ($32), writhing and hissing now at Tom Ford counters and online

Not even seasoned snake charmers could tame Tom Ford’s Nail Lacquer in Viper ($32).

OK, so I’ve been on a personal quest, Indiana Jones-style, to find the Tom Ford Nail Lacquer that shouts the loudest to my soul. Before I started, I estimated that this would take approximately forever, or roughly three months, whichever came first, but then I got bit by Viper, which may have ended my personal beauty mission forthright…

Why?

Well, this creamy blackened purplish berry stalks Tom’s permanent line like a cobra stalks a mouse in a field… It’s dangerous! — and if you drop your guard for a second, you’ll be hypnotized.

Equally at home on a bad@ss gal’s nails in a bar fight (a gal who artfully escapes the melee on her Harley without anyone noticing), or a lady in box seats at the opera, or a girl wearing pleather leggings and black Chucks. It’s elegant, tough and edgy — and surprisingly approachable — all at the same time.

The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorite permanent collection products from a variety of bodacious beauty brands.

It’s also dynamic. When I tilt my fingers juuust right, I see a shiny, vibrant purple, like wet grapes on a vine. A second later, it’s deeper, like a bowl of ripe blackberries about to be devoured by greedy, hungry mouths…

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Magical Pixies Promise Sparkling Nails This Spring Thanks to the Zoya Magical Pixie Collection

February 19th, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

The new three-piece Zoya Magical Pixie Spring 2014 collection

The new PixieDust polishes in Zoya’s Magical Pixie collection sparkle like Ryan Gosling’s pearly whites on the red carpet, *zing!*

Hexagonal flecks of iridescent goodness combine with finer flecks of shimmer to create a dazzling effect more powerful than the gravitational pull of J. Lo’s butt.

You have no choice but to stare…

Ain’t no party like a glitter party, so of course I had to go there. 🙂 And this glitter does not mess around.

I think Zoya’s regular PixieDust formula is pretty flashy on its own, but the addition of extra hex pieces here takes it to the next level. Totally worthy of a bacchanalian bachelorette par-taaaaay in Vegas, or perhaps a cat fight on Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Rosy Lux, silver Cosmo and blue Vega are all full coverage, and Zoya recommends 2-3 coats on clean nails (no base coat needed), although, I bet if you could get away with a single layer if you were in a hurry.

For each of these swatches below, I used two… Force of habit, ya know?

Zoya Vega — Vega, a cool-toned shimmery textured blue (two coats)

I love the way cool-toned blue Vega, my favorite of the bunch, shimmers… It takes me back to when El Hub and I had just started dating.

We’d visit his family in Hawaii over the holidays, and I’d wake up early in the mornings to sneak in a pre-dawn surf session. Vega glimmers just like those teal blue waters sparkled as the sun came up.

Zoya Lux — Lux, a cool-toned textured glittery pink (two coats)

Can you see the purple pieces of glitter in cool-toned pink Lux (my second favorite one)? I think they give it a dainty, feminine touch.

Zoya Cosmo — Cosmo, a glittery textured silver (two coats)

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The OPI Brazil Beach Sandies Mini Kit Says Bye-Bye to Boring With Four Vivid Textured Polishes

February 13th, 2014 by Karen 16 Comments

The new four-piece OPI Brazil Beach Sandies Mini Kit, $12.95

Very clever, OPI. Very clever. 🙂

The part of me that lives to over-think the symbolic significance of everything loves the juxtaposition of gritty sand, neutrals and bright pigments in the OPI Brazil collection.

On one end, there are the sandy-colored neutral polishes in the overarching 12-piece OPI Brazil collection, which all have a smooth, creamy finish.

On the other, there are the four vivacious mini polishes here in the accompanying Brazil Beach Sandies Kit ($12.95), all of which have OPI’s pebbled, textured Liquid Sand finish in bright, eye-catching shades, also known as psychedelic party sand for your paws.

Even if you aren’t a big fan of textured polishes, I think these vivid shades are still worth a try if you like playful, cheerful colors. They’re seriously smile-inducing, and the names — You’re So Flippy Floppy, What’s a Little Rain Forest, Samba-dy Loves Purple and I’m Brazil Nuts Over You — are catchy, too.

In each of the swatches below, I’m wearing two coats…

OPI You're So Flippy Floppy — You’re So Flippy Floppy

OPI What's A Little Rain Forest — What’s A Little Rain Forest

OPI Samba-dy Loves Purple — Samba-dy Loves Purple

OPI I'm Brazil Nuts Over You — I’m Brazil Nuts Over You

OPI Brazil Beach Sandies Mini Kit — The front of the box

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It’s a Carnival of Color as Vivid Brights Samba on Tips and Toes in OPI’s New Brazil Collection

February 13th, 2014 by Karen 21 Comments

Next time I enjoy a plate of feijoada while beautiful women in colorful bejeweled thongs and feathered headdresses dance around my table, you better believe I’ll be wearing one or two (or 12!) of the shades in OPI’s new Brazil collection on my nails!

The OPI Brazil collection, available now

Where am I going with this?

One word: Brazil (by way of San Francisco).

One of my favorite places to eat in the city is a Brazilian restaurant called Canto do Brazil, and dining there is a total experience. First, the food — beyond yummy, and not overpriced (the plantains, beans and rice, OMG!).

But that’s not all. There’s also the show. 🙂 While you eat, gorgeous Brazilian showgirls in Carnival regalia dance around the tables and try to coax diners to dance with them.

Last time I was there, I was too focused on the mountain of carb-tacular goodness in front of me to shake my groove thang, but next time, it’s ON! Because I’ll have an extra reason — the beautiful brights in OPI’s new 12-piece collection ($9 each), which I love, love, LOVE.

OK, sure, I think the neutrals in the collection are pretty, too. I mean, I appreciate elegant neutral nails as much as the next girl, especially when worn with a bright lipstick, and I think the muted pewter, taupe, mocha, nude and chocolate shades here play off bolder colors nicely.

But the brights! Oh, the brights… Inspired by rainforest flowers, the creamy yellow, coral, orange, pink, red and deep jungle green, are just so blasted rich and vivid that you may feel the urge to hop on a flight to Rio right meow. 🙂

OPI I Just Can't Cope-Acabana, a creamy sunshine yellow — Just Can’t Cope-Acabana, a creamy sunshine yellow

OPI AmazON...AmazOFF, a creamy deep jungle green — AmazON…AmazOFF, a creamy deep jungle green

OPI Where Did Suzi's Man-Go?, a creamy mango orange — Where Did Suzi’s Man-Go?, a creamy mango orange

OPI Kiss Me I'm Brazilian, a creamy warm pink — Kiss Me I’m Brazilian, a creamy warm pink

OPI Toucan Do It If You Try, a creamy confidant orange — Toucan Do It If You Try, a creamy confidant orange

OPI Live.Love.Carnaval, a vibrant coral — Live.Love.Carnaval, a vibrant coral

OPI Red Hot Rio, a ruby red — Red Hot Rio, a ruby red

OPI Scores a Goal, a creamy rich chocolate

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Get Chanel Style for $5 With Milani High Speed Fast Dry Nail Lacquer in Sangria Rush

January 28th, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

Oh, gosh. For some reason my rambling is, like, extra rambling-y in this video.

I just realized that I never quite finished the story about the brothers and the double date with my friend Jen.

Sorry about that…

I blame it on the construction racket outside. I can’t even hear myself think. One moment I’m telling a silly story, then there’s a loud bang outside and I’m wondering, “Ooh! That was loud. What the heck was that?”

So, yeah…I guess it would’ve made more sense if I’d actually finished the story.

What I was going to say, was that during that double date, I sat on my hands throughout pretty much the entire musical, but the brother who was my date wanted to hold hands… He just couldn’t because I was sitting on mine. 🙂 Haha! Apparently, it was a “thing,” because later he told the other brother (Jen’s date), who in turn told Jen, who then told me.

Also, it never occurred to me and Jen at the time that if we did, in fact, marry the brothers…our kids would be cousins.

Clearly, this was a life plan that hadn’t been properly vetted…

Anywho, if you’re reading this and thinking, “This makes absolutely no sense,” well, the rest of the story is in the video, between talk of my new favorite polish, Milani High Speed Fast Dry One Coat Nail Lacquer in Sangria Rush, which you might remember from my nails in the BECCA Fab 5 video, and further rambling…

This polish is THE BUSINESS! It’s like $5 Chanel. Keep a look out for it next month when it arrives in drugstores and at milanicosmetics.com.

Thank you for watching and putting up with my random stories, LOL! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Ever Since I Started Wearing These Milani Gold Label Nail Lacquers, Spring Fever Has Been Spreading From My Fingers to My Toes

January 16th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

The new $4.69 Milani Gold Label spring 2014 nail polishes

Currently…

I am wearing a tabby t-shirt covered in cat hair (without a sweater for the first time in months)
I have glitter all over my hands
My hair is up in a scrunchie
The windows are open, and there’s a nice breeze blowing through my office

There’s only one thing that could make this moment better… Oh, look at that! There it is. 🙂 The 12 new Milani Gold Label nail polishes.

This all seems too good to be true…

Wait — maybe I’m dreaming. Karen, wake up! Get up, get up, get up!

Nope, I guess not. I guess this is real, and look — it’s even 70-something degrees outside.

Weird…

It’s gotta be these new $4.69 Gold Label polishes (part of a new Milani line). The springy, cheerful colors — six creams and six glitters in playful pinks, purples, greens, blues and corals — must be contagious. Seeing them on my paws, I almost forget it’s still winter and that tomorrow isn’t the day of the big Easter egg hunt.

Like the polishes in Milani’s regular Nail Lacquer line, these new USA-made Gold Label lacquers are DBP-, toluene- and formaldehyde-free.

They also have a mightier brush, or rather, a flatter brush that I think makes them a little easier to use. Maybe that’s why they cost a tad more ($4.69 each versus $4.49).

I’m not sure yet about the formula — if it’s different than Milani’s regular polish formula — because I haven’t had enough time with them yet, but I’ll know more by tomorrow. I’ll let you know what I find out.

They definitely do seem thick (think Essie) and smooth, and the flat brush is great. Makes it easy to paint nice, crisp edges along the bottom of my nails.

I do notice that I have to be careful about unloading the brush before applying to make sure I don’t lay down too much polish. They are quite thick.

Here’s a quick look at the 12 shades coming next month. Oh! In each of these pics, I’m wearing two layers.

Milani Showy Sea-Green 01 — Showy Sea-Green

Milani Splendid Strawberry 03 — Splendid Strawberry

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The New Four-Piece Essie Resort 2014 Collection Offers Languid, Beachside Luxury for $8.50 a Bottle

January 16th, 2014 by Karen 15 Comments

I’ve been trying to put my finger (Get it? Ba-dum-tss!) on what it is I find so intriguing about the new Essie 2014 Resort collection.

I mean, it’s not the symphony of eye-catching brights Resort 2013 was. That one still makes my heart flutter (The mint green! The turquoise!), and yet I’m drawn to 2014 like a sailor to a mermaid’s song.

Yes, sweet siren, sweep me away…

Essie Resort 214 from the left: Resort Fling, Under the Twilight, Find Me an Oasis and Resort Fling — From the left: Resort Fling, Under the Twilight, Find Me an Oasis and Resort Fling

It’s gotta be something. Maybe it’s a combination of the way the mellow shades — the shimmery beige (It has silver sparkles swimming in it. SO CUTE!) and icy blue both contrast and coordinate with the brighter coral and deep plum.

The colors tell a tale of hills and dales, highs and lows, and I love that! This Resort is definitely not a one-note collection.

Typing away today, reading that word over and over again — resort — I find it difficult to stay in the moment. My thoughts keep wandering to other places, never mind that I’m sitting in front of a keyboard consuming large quantities of coffee and gnawing on a hunk of day-old sourdough bread. And forget that I’m wearing a crumb-covered wrinkled pink t-shirt with a picture of a tabby cat wearing glasses.

Resort… 🙂

I’d much rather be sipping cocktails by candlelight at a Ritz Carlton or dipping a painted toe into the salt water lagoon at the Kauai Grand Hyatt (I’ve always wanted to stay there).

No, those images are much better than the real life picture of grubby Karen currently sitting at her computer…

OK, I think I’ve got it! — what makes me like this collection so much. These understated shades are just so true to that resort lifestyle. Their beachside elegance would look right at home peeking out from under a cashmere blanket around a fun bonfire, or with tiny diamond-studded earrings and a bikini next to the hotel pool.

I’m crushing hard on icy blue Find Me An Oasis. It reminds me of the opaque white manicures I was seeing all over the place last summer, only more refreshing and resort-y. I love how smooth it is, too. Zero streaking. I’m wearing two coats in this pic.

Essie Resort Fling — Resort Fling (three coats)

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