tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83873130556431923192024-03-18T20:20:52.793-07:00Jackalope in the MirrorJackalopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06676872890562666264noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8387313055643192319.post-25038373577888710482018-01-23T06:33:00.003-08:002018-01-26T06:42:37.454-08:00Deconstructing Eden Winder 2017<b>Lord of Misrule: </b><i>Black woods, black musk, Russian leather, smoked vanilla, incense, cold air and a trace of orange peel.</i><br />
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This is a perfume that I would appreciate on someone else, but not on me. It is too domineering a scent and is constantly calling my nose's attention to the fact that I'm wearing it. I think it just fights too much with my personal scent. It's very heavy on the smoke and leather, the vanilla mellows those down some, but not enough.<br />
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<b>Snow Angel:</b> <i>Sweet vanilla, snow accord, white woods, and white velvet.</i><br />
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This is a very light, sweet vanilla. I can see myself getting a lot of wear out of this one, because it is so easy to wear. There isn't a lot of morphing on this one, it's pretty true from the first spray through a few hours of wear. I will definitely pick up a bottle, it's not super unique in my collection ( I have a lot of vanilla based perfumes) but I like it and think it's lightness justifies adding it in.<br />
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<b>Longest Night:</b> <i>Candied pears, winter spices, champagne, and polished woods lit by beeswax candles.</i><br />
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This brushes too close to the sickly sweet candy line on me, but there's something underneath the candy that grounds it and keeps it from crossing that border and I found myself wanting more of whatever that grounding element was and less of the candy, but that sugar scent just demanded all the attention.<br />
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<b>Queen of Bone & Ash:</b> <i>Bone white musk, frozen earth, cave stone, and dry, dry, ash.</i><br />
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Something about this on the initial application reminds me of Snow Queen from the 2015 winter limited edition set, as this has become a favorite I am not upset. However, as it dries down it becomes more of a musk, though a very feminine and light musk. I quite like it. Lasting power is good.<br />
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<b>Jardin d' Hiver: </b><i>A hothouse garden in full bloom. Lush green leaves, oranges, orange blossom, white roses, and peonies.</i><br />
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When I first put this on I get that feeling that happens when you first walk into a greenhouse; overpowering green. However, that dissipates quickly leaving behind a very light green, herbaceous scent. I don't get a lot of florals from this one, just bright sharp greenery. I didn't think I liked this one very much, but it was one of the first ones I tried on and I kept thinking about it as I went through the others and so I gave it a second try. It's weird, because this is really not a perfume I would normally consider in my scent wheelhouse, but I just kind of like it. It's very bright and sharp, but also light and it doesn't clash with my scent. Despite originally writing it off, I think I may get a bottle. It will certainly be something totally different in my collection.<br />
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<b>Aurora Borealis:</b> <i>Shimmering green and blue lights, caught in a velvet night sky.</i><br />
<i>*Sparkling white vanilla musk, sheer green leaves, galbanum, bluebells, wild ivy and black amber.</i><br />
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I was expecting to like this one, as vanilla is my weakness, however something about the combination of vanilla and the green from the leaves makes this one off. It does eventually settle down to a nice, light vanilla but not enough to make up for that initial blast.<br />
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<b>Magi's Gifts:</b> <i>Frankincense & myrrh, golden amber, and, warm spices.</i><br />
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This smells like Christmas. I get mainly the spices, clove for sure and there's something citrusy hanging around in the background. It's pleasant. After several hours of wear, the spiciness subsides and it just turns into this really warm comforting scent. Honestly, I can see this turning into a stealth favorite, because it's not particularly heavy, but it's very warm and I'm drawn to scents like that. When I first put it on I mentally placed this in the 'maybe get a bottle' pile, but I'm now considering not just getting a bottle, but a larger bottle. I don't currently have a perfume like this in my collection and I really like it.Jackalopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06676872890562666264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8387313055643192319.post-23385625353173233482016-05-20T07:10:00.000-07:002016-05-20T07:11:33.875-07:00BPAL imps<div abp="638">
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Just thoughts on the other Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab imps so I can keep track of them.</div>
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<u abp="805">Follow Me Boy</u> - this is another one where the notes are not listed. And here is why I hate that. When wet this is very, VERY heavy on the jasmine and I hate jasmine notes. My skin amps it and it smells like sickly flowers.I washed my wrists shortly after the initial application, which helped some in dampening the smell but not all of it. The jasmine dissipated after the dry down and it became less prominent, but was still there. The dry down scent was very powdery, and it wasn't bad but the overwhelming jasmine in the beginning means that this one isn't just a no, it's a hell no.</div>
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<u abp="813">Baobhan Sith</u>-Grapefruit, white tea, apple blossom and ginger- This was in the Citrus Imp pack and the grapefruit is very prominent. However the scent goes very, very sweet on me. Sickly sweet. And I'm not fond of the effect. I think I might have ordered it anyway, given the notes in it but it's not a good scent for me. It's a shame because when I think of those individual notes, I really like the idea, but this badly needs the sharpness of ginger to balance it out and either that note isn't sharp enough or my skin just negates it. The sweetness mellows a bit after the dry down, but I'm not really fond of it.</div>
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<u abp="821">Xiuhtecuhtli</u>-Copal, plumeria and sweet orange and the smoke of South American incense and crushed jungle blooms- This was in the Citrus Imp Pack I ordered so I had no real idea what to expect, but wow do I love this one. So much. It's rich and slightly smoky, warm and comforting and just really lovely. It's a bit more of a winter scent I think, but boy do I love it a lot. I would wear the crap out of this one. However, it does smell very similar to Elizabeth and James Black on my skin if slightly more green and woodsy. I already have a small roller ball of Elizabeth and James Black, so the question is, do I need two scents that smell very similar? Yes, of course I do. I have since ordered a full size of this one and I love it.</div>
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<u abp="827">Night-Gaunt</u> - yuzu, white grapefruit, and kumquat mixed with the snow-dusted flowers of Mount Ngranek - And this confirms that grapefruit just goes to sugar on my skin. Bleh.This came as part of the Citrus Imp Pack. It smells very similar to Baobhan Sith, because of the grapefruit, though it's just different enough that I can tell it's not the same scent. However, I think I'll be avoiding any scent with grapefruit in it, as it dominates and becomes a sugar fest. It's a shame, I like the sharp citrus smell of grapefruit peel, but for whatever reason that sharpness is lost on my skin.</div>
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<u abp="832">Voodoo</u> - myrrh, patchouli, vetiver, lime, vanilla, pine, almond and clove- The patchouli is strong with this one, especially when wet. However as it dies down the patchouli goes into the background and the vanilla and something spicy comes to the forefront. I get a faint hint of almond and the briefest bits of lime. I'm not especially fond of this scent while its wet, but it is delicious given time to wear down on the skin.</div>
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<u abp="836">Akuma</u> - blood orange, neroli, and raspberry - The blood orange is very strong, giving the scent a sharp bite. I like it, but it dissipates very quickly leaving a faint, almost imperceptible fruity scent. </div>
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<u abp="839">Cordelia</u> - lilac, lemon, green tea, wisteria, osmanthus, white cedar, and Chinese musk - The wisteria is probably the strongest scent when it's wet. Dry, I definitely get cedar. Sadly, I don't really get any lilac or lemon, which is a shame as those are two of my favorite scents. This one is ok. I don't love it, but I might wear it every once in a while.</div>
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<u abp="842">Venice</u> - lemon, red currant, wisteria, red rose petals, heady jasmine, Florentine orris root, waterlily, red sandalwood, violet plum, and violet leaf - The jasmine is the strongest scent out of the gate. And as I don't like jasmine I had resigned myself to hating the way I smell all day. However after the perfume died down the jasmine dissipated slightly and I was left with a very floral perfumy smell. I liked it, and out of all the oils I've tried from BPAL so far, this one reminded me the strongest of an expensive commercial perfume. However, I cannot for the life of me remember which perfume, just that it's one that a woman (not my mom) wore frequently around me when I was a child. Decent smell, I'll keep the imp around for a while.</div>
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I have a ton more, including new ones that came with my full size order of Xiuhtecuhtli and Embalming Fluid, but for right now I'm just enjoying the perfumes I have and haven't wanted to test out any of the imps. As this has been sitting in my drafts folder for a few weeks now, I'm going to post it and maybe come back to this idea later.</div>
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Jackalopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06676872890562666264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8387313055643192319.post-51749121476927712422016-04-14T08:19:00.000-07:002016-12-21T05:55:48.273-08:00Finding a replacement scent<div abp="62">
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Perfume is such a personal thing, and I think that finding the perfect scent can be one of the more difficult things in the beauty world. Part of that is because perfumes change over time as they wear and interact with your body chemistry, and part of it is how the scents in the perfume interact with your body chemistry. </div>
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I had a summer scent that I adored but it went off recently and they company no longer makes it. It was The Body Shop's perfume oil in Lemon Tea, which I think might have been a one off scent and it was all the way back when they were doing perfume oils. But I loved it, it was light and lemony, sweet with a little acid to tame the sweet, and a touch of green to round it all out. When summer came around it was my 'I don't want to think scent'. But time (and probably the sun) are not kind to perfumes (even in oil form) and this one is old and the scent has faded and it not longer smells of anything. </div>
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Which leaves me with a gap in my perfume collection.</div>
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I mean, I have tons of winter perfumes. Most of them with some sort of vanilla base, and I have them in all forms; sprays, roll-ons, oils, etc. But when it comes to summer my collection is significantly smaller. I tend to prefer lighter scents in summer and prefer them to have a citrus base. I've got a couple, but while they're nice they're not quite the same.</div>
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So I decided to try and dip my toes into the <a abp="165" href="https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/" target="_blank">Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab</a> waters. Those are some intimidating waters, and I've mostly stayed away because I've always been just a little unsure of where to start. I do have one vial of Edith Cushing from the Crimson Peak limited edition set because I read a review that gave it pretty high remarks, and mentioned it was vanilla based so I bought it on a whim. It's a good scent and it has strong staying power, so armed with that I went back to the webpage to look for a replacement sent for my beloved Lemon Tea.</div>
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Fortunately for me PBAL has this <a abp="74" href="https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-directory/" target="_blank">awesome directory</a> where you can click on a scent note and it will list all of the oils that use that note. Which makes dipping into their oils so much less intimidating. I clicked on Lemon and ordered an imp, which is their small sample size, of every scent available plus the Citrus Collection that was also listed in that selection. So, now I am going through the process of trying on the scents to see if one can replace Lemon Tea, if not completely then at least occupy that spot in my collection.</div>
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Embalming Fluid - white musk, green tea, aloe and lemon - Right off the bat, this is an exact dupe. I almost went straight to the BPAL website to order a full size after my first application. I'm glad I waited though, because after the dry down, the bitterness of the aloe comes to the forefront. While it's still a very clean scent and I can smell the lemon and the greenness I desire, I don't love the aloe. It's a possibility though.</div>
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Delirium - apple, rose, and lemon - Mostly from this I get apples. But not like an apple from a fruit stand, apple from a bottle. I don't get the rose or lemon at all, and the apple scent just smells fake to me. I don't like this one at all. I may give it a second go just to be sure, but I had to hold my hand away from my face after application because the scent just did not appeal.</div>
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Horn of Plenty-???? something something prosperity and nothing about notes. (I do not like that. I get that it's in keeping with their brand, but UGH what if a particular note is annoying, or I'm allergic to it?)- This one is an imp they threw in as a bonus (which is awesome), because nothing about it is citrusy or lemony. It's not a bad scent, but I don't think I love it. There are definitely vanilla notes in it, which is one reason why I like it. I also get a hint of chocolate, which I don't generally like in my perfumes. But other then that I have no idea. I think I'll enjoy the imp while I have it, but I won't put this on a wish list.</div>
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As an update: I still have a ton of imps that I haven't even sniffed yet but I think I'm going to go ahead and get a full sized bottle of Embalming Fluid. I somehow got a bit of it on my sheets when I first applied it and last night I could smell the sweet, fresh lemon goodness and I wants it. I think it's as close as I'm going to get, and I really do enjoy it.</div>
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Jackalopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06676872890562666264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8387313055643192319.post-6091871300214424932015-12-24T05:50:00.000-08:002015-12-24T05:50:15.273-08:00Deconstructing Eden Winter 2015<div abp="732">
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Winter Pomander - Orange. Sweet orange. Hints of spices. I like it if I smell close to the application area, but unfortunately the sillage is mostly sweet, almost sickly orange. I like orange scents, this one doesn't go quite right with my body chemistry.</div>
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<em abp="736">Based on a 14th century recipe, ambergris, orange, frankincense, myrrh, beeswax, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves.</em></div>
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Wassail - Spiced cider. It really does smell like wassail. I really like it, but it is very apple-y. It is much more subtle, sillage-wise, then most of the Deconstructing Eden perfumes, which I appreciate. I like this one enough to contemplate getting one of the half ounce bottles, but I'm not sure how often I would actually wear it. I like the scent, but I don't know how often I want to smell like spiced apple cider.</div>
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Yule '15 - Gingerbread. I definitely got gingerbread. And sweet fruityness with a hint of spicy pine. I have no idea where the gingerbread came from though, maybe the vanilla? It's weird, because vanilla is definitely one of my favorite scents, but I didn't get vanilla at all. I like this one, I will wear it throughout the winter. And I like it better then last year's Yule '14.</div>
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All That Remains - I definitely got the leaves. And there's a hint of smoke that probably comes from that. It's a very woodsy scent. Less pine then you would think though. I really enjoy this on a lot and I can see myself wearing it more then a few times, which means I will probably buy a larger size.</div>
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<em abp="649">An old growth forest of cedars and redwoods, frozen earth, and dry, dry leaves.</em></div>
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Hounds of Winter - Wood and smoke. Like a cozy fire. The smoke is very subtle, which is nice. I get a very faint spicyness, probably from the Tonka bean. But mostly it's wood and smoke. This is another one where the sillage isn't quite so strong. I quite like it and am considering a larger size of this one as well.</div>
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<em abp="737">Cashmeran, fresh pines, tonka bean absolute, agarwood absolute, mahogany, palo santo, rosewood, cedars and smoke.</em></div>
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Three Kings '15 - I didn't get any sandlewood from this, which is a shame as that's one of my favorite scents. I got mostly the frankincense, which I don't think I like that much. This is an interesting perfume but not to my personal taste.</div>
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<em abp="693">Frankincense, myrrh, white sandalwood and light and dark ambers.</em></div>
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Snow Queen '15 - There's something briefly fruity and floral when I spray it on. But then a rush of winter air. I don't get much jasmine, which is a plus as I don't like it and my skin amps it to the nth degree. This one is very subtle though. Very subtle. It wears very close to the skin and it doesn't have the lasting power that most of the perfumes from Deconstructing Eden have. I do really like it though.</div>
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<em> Crystalline musk, wind blowing through trees, winter roses and winter jasmine</em></div>
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Jackalopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06676872890562666264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8387313055643192319.post-63256741775882442022015-10-24T14:40:00.001-07:002015-10-24T14:40:18.675-07:00The nail polish bluesThis has taken me a lot longer to get together and put up then any of the other colors. Partly because blue is just one of my favorite colors and thus harder to get rid of, and partly because I'm done with this series. Done, as in I have reached my limit, not done as in I have gone through every polish. I believe I sill have the whites and silvers to go through, but I'm just not gonna. I'm pretty satisfied with what I've done so far and I think I've managed to cull quite a few polishes. Plus, I think I've learned a bit about my shopping impulses, where my weaknesses are and where I should perhaps allow myself to indulge a bit more. At any rate, here they are.<br />
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As I said above, I’ve been avoiding doing the blues, not putting them on my nails but in making the hard choices. I really, REALLY love blue nail polish. It is easily the most represented color family in my nail polish collection. I’m doing it in three sets. The pale baby blues, the teals and mid-tone blues, and the dark blues. It’s a weird color on your nails because it isn’t actually that attractive (using standard definitions of attractive) a lot of times. While doing the pale blues, I frequently thought there was something wrong with my fingers, as that cold icy effect is a bit disturbing. But I like that. And to be fair, right now the nude nail is in, as in browns, peach, and greys to match your skin tone and I can’t think of anything I would rather wear less than mannequin hands. So, it really is to each his/her own and blue is definitely mine.<div>
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<br /><br />As I said in the last post, I really am not going to be getting rid of many of these colors. Even the close dupes. And yet, as I swatched them I did realize that there were a few I could do without. That is something I didn’t think I’d be able to do.<br /><br />Of this pale, baby blue set I am definitely culling one color. Revlon Sky’s the Limit on my left middle finger. It’s a silver blue and very close to Zoya Hazel. Hazel’s blue base is darker, but the silver is stronger so the two give the same effect on the nail. Hazel also covered the nail much easier being a one coat wonder, where Sky’s the Limit is not quite opaque with three coats. They’re both gorgeous, and I do love Sky’s the Limit, but I’m ok with letting it go.<br /><br />There are two I’m kind of iffy on. Essie I’m Addicted on my right pinky and Formula X Provocative on my right ring finger. They’re both crèmes, I’m Addicted is a bright turquoise blue and Provocative is a baby blue. However, they’re both a bit patchy and can be difficult to get smooth. Part of that patchiness is the fault of my application on this swatch fest, I didn’t really take my time and so the first coat was a bit wet when the second coat went on so there was some dragging. Part of it is just that crèmes are difficult to get non-patchy versions of, much like matte eyeshadows. I like the color of I’m Addicted enough that I will be keeping it, but I put Provocative into my ‘thinking about it’ pile. I’m just not sure I’ll miss it from my collection.<br /><br />I had a surprise favorite this round, Essie Barbados Blue on my right thumb. It’s a lovely metallic periwinkle blue and I’m kind of in love. There are visible brush strokes, but that has never bothered me. I just mention it because apparently some people don’t like them. But this color, this color makes up for all the disappointing Essie polishes I have ever bought.<br /><br />Two colors in this set are super sheer. Sinful Colors Cinderella on my left ring finger and Sally Hansen Sugar Cloud on my left thumb. I think both of these took four coats to get opaque. However, they’re really pretty. They’re both baby blues with pink sparkles; Sugar Cloud has some silver sparkle in it as well. They’re different from each other in that Sugar Cloud is a textured polish. Both of them definitely work better layered over another color. And when you do that, they just shine.<br /><br />The remaining three are Revlon I’m Electro on my left pinky, Formula X A Little Sexy on my right pointer, and Zoya Rayne on my right middle finger. I’m Electro is a metallic blue with blue sparkles. There is a slight, slight purple shift on it, but I can barely make that out. A Little Sexy is a metallic baby blue. Rayne is a baby blue with turquoise/pale green shimmer. All three of these are very sheer and took more than my standard two coats to cover the nail. But I’m keeping all three.<br /><br />In general the baby blues were pretty difficult to work with. They tended to be extremely sheer, but all in all I think they’re worth the effort.</div>
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On to the teals, turquoise, and medium blues.<br /><div>
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Oh dear. And here’s where we see my crazy, because there aren’t really a lot of completely unique colors in this set and yet I cannot bear to part with a single one. And I’m using the most ridiculous justifications to keep them.</div>
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For example Finger Paints Surf’s Up (on right thumb) is very similar to OPI The Sky’s The Limit (on right middle finger). And yet Surf’s Up has a very subtle purple duochrome, it’s practically invisible except in direct sunlight. And The Sky’s the Limit has silver and turquoise shimmer in it as opposed to Surf’s Up blue on blue shimmer. And then when you throw in Sally Hanson Sparkling Water into that mix (on my right pinky), it becomes even more ridiculous, because again the colors are extremely similar. I even seriously considered culling Sparkling Water, but the pink shimmer in that one (and it’s sheerness, which makes it an awesome layering color) causes a lot of reticence about culling it. It’s ridiculous.<br /></div>
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Technically I probably should have included Zoya Remy, on my right ring finger, in with the darker blues, as it stands out like a sore thumb in this set. But it has a teal flash and I’ve done a manicure with this and The Skies The Limit and darkening color so that my nails got progressively darker, so I knew it was in the same color family and I wanted to check to see how close it is. It is definitely much darker though, so at least that’s ONE color I don’t feel silly about keeping.<br /></div>
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And on the other hand we have three colors that look almost exactly the same, and yet the micro differences are enough that I can’t bear to part with them. One really interesting thing about this set is that a lot of these colors are very sheer, or close enough to sheer, and look better layered on another color. That annoys me in some colors, but not this set. Nope, because OMG LOOK AT THAT COLOR takes over and I lose all sense of perspective.<br /></div>
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At any rate I know three things. Nothing from this set is being culled. I should not buy any more blue/teal/turquoise nail polishes. And I have a weakness for this color, at least on my nails.</div>
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And finally the dark blues.</div>
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And this is another place where my crazy shows. Because the only color going from this set is the one on my right thumb. It's one of the NYX samples and is a muddy blue green. Not my favorite at all. The other colors though? UGH, each one of them is spectacular. But I do think it needs to be a very special dark blue before I buy another one.</div>
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Jackalopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06676872890562666264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8387313055643192319.post-29418230507867696362015-10-20T07:45:00.002-07:002015-10-20T07:45:21.625-07:00Givenchy Live Irresistible<div abp="1163">
I received a sample of this in the mail over the weekend. One of those little scratch and sniff samples, nothing fancy. Normally I wouldn't review or talk about those things, because really they're ubiquitous and you can't really tell if you're going to like a perfume enough to buy it from just a small little scratch and sniff sample. I mean, they'll point you in the right direction, but you ought to wear the perfume at least a little in order to make the real decision. But holy cow, this perfume is right up my scent alley. Incense and floral, spicy with a floral undertone and I die in scent heaven. </div>
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After the first sniff test I quickly rubbed my wrist ALL OVER that paper sample. I mean, there was nothing else to do I was quite enchanted. The first whiff, gorgeous. Very spicy with just a few rose undertones. The incense is really strong on me, but I like that. And it's balanced by the floral, so yay. But as the night wore on, the incense became stronger and stronger until I couldn't smell anything else. Not even the onions I was cooking for dinner. It was just overpowering. Now it's possible that a light spray of the perfume would be less strong, but as it was, that one wrist application wore my nose all night. It did wash off ok though, so that was a relief. </div>
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I may attempt to track down a spray sample of it, or at least try a spritz of it on myself in the department store, in order to decide if it's worth the purchase. But I'm a bit more cautious of it. Something my bank account is definitely grateful for.</div>
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There is also the amusing fact that I have an indy perfume very much like it. <a abp="63" href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/218934666/in-the-temple-of-the-goddess-of-love?ref=shop_home_active_1&ga_search_query=goddess" target="_blank">Deconstructing Eden's In The Temple of The Goddess of Love</a>, which she released in February of this year (I think, it was sometime in the winter of 2015) has very similar fragrance notes. And is about a fourth of the cost. I got an unlabeled sample of it when I made my first order from her shop and decided I HAD TO HAVE IT. She hadn't quite released it, but was awesome enough to allow me to purchase it a bit early. It's gorgeous, and if you're into indy perfumes I definitely recommend checking her stuff out.</div>
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Jackalopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06676872890562666264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8387313055643192319.post-66187009906620477612015-10-07T17:39:00.002-07:002015-10-07T17:39:43.790-07:00The purples<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Purples round one, the dark purple shades.<u></u><u></u></div>
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There are three dupes, or close dupes here. OPI A Grape Affair on my left pointer, Revlon Wild Violets on my left ring finger and a NYX sample on my right pinky. They’re all a very deep, dark grape purple, though Wild Violets is not quite as red based as the other two. The NYX is the lightest of the three, and Wild Violets has an almost imperceptible shimmer running through it. I’m culling the NYX sample right off. There is something about the shade and tone that make it not quite flattering. It’s a decent enough shade and if I didn’t have two other colors that were so close I would keep it, but I do so I won’t.<u></u><u></u></div>
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I cannot pick between the remaining two. There really is almost no difference between them. A Grape Affair is a hint lighter and a touch more red, but unless you’re examining them closely those differences are almost imperceptible. That being said, I don’t want to give up either one. Partly because A Grape Affair is part of the limited edition coke collection, and I currently have the full collection and getting rid of one of them hurts the collector in me. And I like Wild Violets, I don’t know if it’s because of the imperceptible shimmer (seriously, that stuff is invisible. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed it before in the bottle or on my nail and I’ve worn it quite a few times), the deeper color, or something else but it just looks nicer on my hand. So, ridiculously I will probably be keeping both of these.<u></u><u></u></div>
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There are three violet shades, Formula X Pedal to the Metal on my left thumb, Formula X Equinox on my right pointer and Zoya Savita on my left pinky. Shade wise these are all pretty similar. But they’ve got very different finishes. Equinox is a shimmer, Savita is a matte and Pedal to the Metal is a pearly metallic. Keeping all three.<u></u><u></u></div>
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Now, if you’re looking at that picture and wondering what in the world I was thinking calling the color on my left middle finger a purple, hear me out. It’s OPI Russian Navy and technically it’s a dark navy blue with a red/purple shimmer running through it. The shimmer is so strong in the bottle that the polish really does look purple. And if that translated to the nail I would love this polish no question. But as it is, the shimmer pretty much disappears, unless you catch it in the right light. I like it, but not enough to keep it. Plus I always forget that this polish isn’t actually a purple color until I paint my nails and end up disappointed. That alone is reason enough to cull it.<u></u><u></u></div>
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Of the remaining three I am keeping two. On my right thumb is Cover Girl <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_131560034" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Midnight</span></span> Glow, a lovely blueberry blurple (it is far more purple then that picture is making it out to be), and on my right middle finger is another NYX sample, a silvery grey blurple. I hate the brush on <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_131560035" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Midnight</span></span> Glow, it’s so small that it becomes difficult to handle even more difficult than the many sample polishes I have. But I like the color so I’m keeping it. I really like the NYX one as well and may try to track down a full size of this one too.<u></u><u></u></div>
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The last color is another NYX sample. It’s a purpley-berry shade. It’s pretty and I like it, but it doesn’t wow me. It is also a finicky shade, showing very patchy with the three coats I put on that finger. So I will be culling this one. With maybe an eye out for shades like this in the future.</div>
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Round two has a lot more variety and thus was harder to cull. I like ALL of them. And even though there are a couple of colors that I probably could get rid of if I had to, I don’t have to.<u></u><u></u></div>
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For example, I have two purple textured polishes in this round. Sally Hansen Gummy Grape on my left thumb and Formula X Astonishing on my left ring finger. Astonishing is the more nuanced of the two, being full of multi-colored sparkles, and the texture on it is rougher. But I really like Gummy Grape, and the Sally Hansen Sugar Coat polishes are really amazing for stamping. Plus they are slightly different purples.<u></u><u></u></div>
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I think I’m going to cull Sally Hansen Vibrant Violet, swatched on my left middle finger over a white base. It’s from their Neon line, and it’s not vibrant the way I think a neon ought to be. I think in general I’m not fond of this particular line, the brushes are finicky and because you have to swatch them over a white base the polishes smudge really easily. And it is very close in shade to the color on my left pointer finger, 10 Number 443.<u></u><u></u></div>
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Here is a quick rundown of the other polishes. I am keeping all of them. Zoya Sansa is on my left pinky. This is a deep purple with bronze shimmer. Essie Sittin’ Pretty is on my right thumb. Not my most favorite Essie Polish, but I don’t have another pale lavender crème so it stays. Zoya Hudson on my right pointer is a pale lavender with turquoise shimmer. OPI Significant Other Color on my right middle finger is a lime green/lavender duo-chrome. I thought I didn’t like this color and that it would be one of the ones I culled, and then I swatched it. I’ve been hypnotized with the flash since I painted it. Sinful Colors Purple Diamond is on my right ring finger, it is a lavender metallic with silver sparkles. And finally on my right pinky is Zoya Hudson, a lilac with silver and gold shimmers.<u></u><u></u></div>
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To be fair, Hudson is very similar to Purple Diamond, but I feel that there is just enough of a difference that I’m ok keeping both. Plus Purple Diamond is a very sheer color and really looks lovely swatched over another color to add that purple sparkle, whereas Hudson is a very opaque color. <u></u><u></u></div>
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And thus endeth the purples. I really like purple polish, and I clearly have a thing for lavender shades. But I’m not really feeling any gaps in the collection. Up next is the one I’ve been dreading since I started this. The blues. I LOVE blue nail polish. It is by far the most represented color in my collection. This is going to be very hard, and I already know I’m not going to be able to give up shades that are near dupes of each other. And that’s ok.</div>
Jackalopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06676872890562666264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8387313055643192319.post-63323283459636612382015-10-04T08:31:00.003-07:002015-10-05T05:39:58.403-07:00Oranges, and I question my purchasing habitsUnlike green and yellow I really love orange nail polishes. A lot. However, I have almost none. I had to throw in the browns and three of the colors in this set are from that NYX sample collection. That is just sad. I know I love orange nail polish, so why don't I collect it more? Clearly something needs to be rectified in my purchasing habits. Especially because I've been eyeing Zoya Tansy for about a year, but haven't taken the plunge and bought it. To be fair, I haven't bought it because I can never remember if I already own it or not. Well, I don't so the next time I see it, into my basket it goes.<br />
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I am getting rid of three of these colors, two from the NYX sample set and one I've had for ages. There just aren't a lot of dupes in here. <br />
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I have two browns, Revlon Autumn Spice and one from the NYX collection on my left thumb and pointer respectively. Autumn Spice is a deep rich red-brown. It's gorgeous, and I love it. It's from the Parfumerie line, but unlike most of the other ones I own from this like I really don't get a scent from this one at all. I've read reviews from people who do, so it might be my polish, but I don't smell anything. However color wise it's GORGEOUS. The NYX is going. It might look nice as a nude on someone darker then I am, but on me it's just ugly. No thank you. But, I think I can maybe collect one or two more browns, it's something to keep an eye open for anyway.<br />
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I have yet another copper on my left middle finger, a sample from that NYX collection. This one is far more of an orange copper then the ones I did with the yellows though. A metallic orange rather then copper I suppose. I really like this one, and I may try to hunt down the full size if I ever go through this one.<br />
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I have three orange shimmers. OPI Luxurious on my left ring finger, Finger Paints Aloha Lei on my left pinky, and Sinful Colors Courtney Orange on my right ring finger. Luxurious is a red orange with gold and orange shimmer. Aloha Lei is a yellow orange with yellow/gold shimmer and Courtney Orange is a true orange with very fine orange shimmer. Aloha Lei is the most finicky as it's extremely sheer and needs a few coats to completely cover the nail. But I really like all three of these and I'm keeping them all.<br />
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The color on my right pointer is Formula X Motivated, a matte orange metallic. It's so pretty, though it's one of the more frustrating mattes I own as it chips like crazy. But I like it and it's staying.<br />
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There are three orange cremes. On my right thumb is Milani Neon Awesome Orange, my right ring finger has another NYX sample and then I re-swatched Essie Haute as Hello on my right pinky in order to be a completionist. Of these three, the only one I'm keeping is Haute as Hello, which I've discussed already. The other two are very pretty and I like them, but I have a couple of issues. Awesome Orange is over a white base, and it needs the white base to shine. That's fine, but even over the white base it took about three coats for a completely even coverage. Which means that it's NEVER, EVER going to dry. In fact, I completely screwed it up about a two hours after putting it on by doing the dishes. All of the other nails were completely fine, but this one is just a mess. So I'm on the look out for a neon orange come spring/summer. The NYX is just too sheer, which is a complaint I've had with all of the cremes from this collection. It's a fun color, but not really worth keeping.<br />
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I need to give myself permission to buy more orange nail polish. I absolutely love it, and I know I'll wear it. But for whatever reason I never allow myself to buy it when I get into a store. This is ridiculous considering how much blue nail polish I own. I mean, I love blue nail polish too, but I have a LOT. Fortunately I know China Glaze has a Halloween collection with an orange I've got my eye on. And Zoya Tansy, that's a purchase too. Also, browns.Jackalopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06676872890562666264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8387313055643192319.post-90550056334256809452015-10-03T13:15:00.001-07:002015-10-04T07:59:01.293-07:00Yellow, gold, and my copper problemYellow is another color of nail polish I'm not particularly fond of. And yet there are 10 polishes in my collection that can fit into that category. Sort of. Some of them are gold and others fall into the copper family. But they still fall into the yellow category. So here we are.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3X1cesThml1VzBwmsZqASbbTGvufgEgk59mx9vtzwPQm5CqH7dDkO773IRFBuMYVQGwarW2kipXToeVUh4zOU_ZCbtbuIbf4J46afIEohksXkeZZQiK9xjQhaJgjoKpLHP97Sd0R_MQC/s1600/20151002_210032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3X1cesThml1VzBwmsZqASbbTGvufgEgk59mx9vtzwPQm5CqH7dDkO773IRFBuMYVQGwarW2kipXToeVUh4zOU_ZCbtbuIbf4J46afIEohksXkeZZQiK9xjQhaJgjoKpLHP97Sd0R_MQC/s320/20151002_210032.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4H87QXTEietIPGOram8igdrX0Fer4qVzSULY8xStjm5E9yeMw-YBng66HltUdnzf2XhDSHLDnU1lkUG4FcNLqMNIwOyBn2CKEi7wRh4Z0WqM7foLMt_XWJ7fNZEEYn3rjQ4-IRoqyC7bm/s1600/20151002_210051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4H87QXTEietIPGOram8igdrX0Fer4qVzSULY8xStjm5E9yeMw-YBng66HltUdnzf2XhDSHLDnU1lkUG4FcNLqMNIwOyBn2CKEi7wRh4Z0WqM7foLMt_XWJ7fNZEEYn3rjQ4-IRoqyC7bm/s320/20151002_210051.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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The easy ones are the cremes. I have three creme yellows. On my left thumb is Sally Hanson Sunny Side Up, which is a bright lemon yellow neon, over a white base. On the left pointer is Sally Hanson Mellow Yellow, a softer egg yolk yellow. The left middle is yet another NYX sample and it's a mustard yellow. The only one I'm keeping is Sunny Side Up. I don't wear yellow cremes very often, and I'm not even sure I'll wear this one that often. But maybe in the summer time, the desire for neon yellow nails will hit me. Or a neon rainbow.<br />
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There are three golds, sparkly yellows, whatever you want to call them. On my left pinky is Finger Paints Hula Aruba! This is a very sheer sunny yellow, I think that's three coats and there is still a visible nail line. But I like it. It's sparkly and cheerful. The other two are glitter coats, both very fine glitter coats, so I like them. OPI Oy-Another Polish Joke is on my right middle finger and Sinful Colors All About You is on my right pinky. Another Polish Joke is more pure gold and All About You has some red glitter in it. I really like both of these and I think all three of htese are unique enough to keep.<br />
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And then we hit my copper problem. There are four polishes here. And I just can't bring myself to say goodbye to any of them. On my left ring finger is Sally Hansen Liquid Gold, which is from their Color Foil line. And boy do I regret not getting more colors from this line. The two I have are gorgeous and they really do look like putting a colored metal foil onto your nails. This one has hints of copper, but leans to a very soft gold. I feel a teeny bit like an illuminated manuscript with this on my nails. So it's staying.<br />
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On my right ring finger is Essie Leggy Legend, a very new acquisition. As in I bought it yesterday. Yes, I have a small amount of shame, but not enough to stop me from buying nail polish. Plus holy cow is this pretty. This polish is an example of the reason I keep taking chances on Essie polishes. Every once in a while they knock it out of the park and hit gold. Or in this case copper, a deep red copper. Love.<br />
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The other two are probably the closest in shade, but only if you look at them in the right light. Because the one on my right pointer, Zoya Aggie, is a green/copper duochrome and the one on my right thumb, Revlon Beachy, is just a good solid copper. The copper color in Aggie is pretty spot on for Beachy, but the greens in it give it a depth that Beachy just doesn't have. However, because Aggie is a duochrome and Beachy isn't, I'm comfortable keeping both.Jackalopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06676872890562666264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8387313055643192319.post-57221532664066810972015-10-03T12:48:00.000-07:002015-10-03T12:48:05.995-07:00Decluttering the Greens<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
I am not actually all that fond of green nail polish, generally. There are exceptions to that statement, but I don’t often think, “I want green nails today”. However, you wouldn’t know that from my collection as there are 20 bottles of various green polishes waiting to be sorted. TWENTY. I was more than a little surprised when I counted them out. If I can convince myself to let go of colors I don’t actually like, this will be quite a culling.<u></u><u></u></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">So round one was the lighter green polishes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">There is one color here that probably doesn’t belong in this round, on my right pointer finger is OPI Green on the Runway, it’s a green/brown duochrome. No, maybe it’s a green/red duochrome? A green/black duochrome? Actually, let’s go with green/black/red multi-chrome. The green is the strongest color for sure though. The problem is that I don’t really like it that much. While it is cool to see the colors shift, I’m not actually fond of the individual colors. But I’m going to keep in for now, simply because it is unique enough in my collection to make the justifications.</span></div>
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There are four colors in this round that fall into the mint color family. On my left thumb is Sally Hansen Mint Tint, a textured polish. On my right middle finger is Revlon Wintermint a mint polish with blue glitter. And on my left ring and pinky fingers are Zoya Tiana and Revlon Minted, both mint crèmes. Mint Tint and Wintermint are staying because of their different finishes. And Wintermint is just ridiculously pretty. It’s one of those polishes that takes a look at my “I don’t like green polishes, or glitter polishes” statement and laughs at them.<u></u><u></u></div>
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And then we reach a dilemma, because both Minted and Tiana are mint crèmes, but they subtly different from each other and I don’t wanna give either one up. Minted is a tiny bit more blue, making it a true mint whereas Tiana is just a pale green. And though it’s ridiculous to keep them both, I’m going to. Because reasons. And also because every time I think about getting rid of one or the other, a part of me rebels.<u></u><u></u></div>
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However, I am culling the next two; NYC in Highline Green on my left pointer and Essie Vices Versa on my left middle finger. They’re both unique colors. Highline Green is a good solid grass green, with a hint of olive and Vices Versa is a lime green. I am a little torn on Highline Green, and I may have to see what the colors in round two are like. Vices Versa however, I just don’t like. I think it was in one of the muted neon collections that Essie puts out in the spring and summer. It took three coats to reach the opacity seen above, and there is still visible nail line. And while I don’t mind that for colors that are supposed to be tints on the nail, this is a crème and should be opaque. It’s a problem I have with a lot of Essie polishes, and one of the major reasons I just don’t like the brand. Plus, I think the color is more than a little ugly.<u></u><u></u></div>
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The remaining three are all staying. On my right thumb is China Glaze But of Corpse, a metallic lime green with tiny black glitter/balls in it. I love it quite a bit, though it stains my nails like almost nothing else. It is completely unique, and I love to do a Christmas themed manicure with this one and the similar Red color that China Glaze released in the same Halloween collection. Because irony.<u></u><u></u></div>
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On my right ring finger is Zoya Apple and holy cow, this is another one that gives lie to my opening statement. It is a light yellow green with some serious shimmer. In that regard it is very similar to the remaining polish on my right pinky, Finger Paints Margarita Mambo, but Margarita Mambo is a pale yellow-green, also with a gold shimmer. Margarita Mambo is definitely more yellow and Apple has a lot more green in it, so they look completely different. Both are a bit on the sheer side, but three coats was enough to get rid of any visible nail line for both of them.</div>
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Greens round two. I’m getting rid of a lot in this round, not because they’re dupes but because I just don’t like the color. So let’s start with the ones I’m keeping.<u></u><u></u></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">I’m keeping five polishes for sure. Formula X Mr. Positivity on my right thumb is probably my favorite out of this set. It’s a sparkly emerald green (this picture makes it look a lot bluer then it is, but it's very green) with a mild texture, though I suspect that could be eliminated with a top coat. It’s pretty. Also in the top is China Glaze Pondering on my left pinky which is a purple/green duochrome. The purple flash is a lot stronger than the green flash, and I probably should have included it with my purples, but I didn’t. It’s pretty and I’m keeping it. Rounding off my favorites is Zoya Veruschka on my right pointer, a matte forest green with subtle, paler green shimmer. It’s also lovely if I put a shiny top coat on it.</span></div>
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The other two I’m keeping are not quite favorites, but they’re fun and unique. Sinful Colors San Francisco on my right middle finger is a very sheer metallic lime green. Even at three coats it’s not quite opaque. And it’s much lighter than the bottle color. However, I like to wear this over a black polish and then it just shines and becomes this gorgeous oil slick color. The other one is Sally Hansen Hot Wasabi over a white base on my left thumb. I don’t think this color actually needed the white base, which is a plus, and it’s a bright grass green. The brush is a pain, but I’m going to keep this polish despite the brush.<u></u><u></u></div>
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There are two I’m iffy on. Revlon Lime Basil on my left middle finger and Sinful Colors Garden Party on my left ring finger. Both of these are unique colors, but I’m just not sure I like those colors on me. Lime Basil is a muted lime crème and Garden Party is a deep blue green, and pulls very blue in some lights. Of the two I definitely prefer Garden Party, but I honestly don’t see myself wearing them outside of St. Patrick’s Day. There is a part of me that wants to hang onto Garden Party, but really I’m not going to wear it, so both go into the cull pile.<u></u><u></u></div>
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The last two polishes, NYX 17 and Maybelline Walk in the Park are both going. The NYX is another one of those sample polishes and it’s a dark army green. Walk in the Park is a very dark, almost black, pine green. I’m not fond of either one of these shades, so they’re both going.<u></u><u></u></div>
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Things I’ve learned about my polish collecting habits this round? Well, I’m a bit of a magpie, in that I definitely prefer sparkly polishes. Though strong, heavy glitters are not to my taste, if a polish has a shimmer, a sheen, or is somehow sparkly I will be drawn to it.</div>
Jackalopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06676872890562666264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8387313055643192319.post-57253384257413567832015-09-23T17:44:00.002-07:002015-09-23T17:44:33.918-07:00Pinks<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I had to do two rounds of pink nail polishes in order to get through the full set, though I did add in a few colors that aren’t really pinks to the first round, and repeated a color in round one during round two. I also didn’t swatch every single pink I own. I have a few polishes that are unique in my collection, and two rounds is quite enough thank you, that I don’t feel the need to compare those shades to the rest of my pink collection. The majority of my eliminations come in round two, probably because that is where my weakness lies, ah the bright neon pink. Round one was the baby, pale pinks on one hand and brighter but still not neon pinks on the other. Round two was the neon and bright pinks.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wPPhBPHvGM7h2scIKVpdwWF3yhOR3Ggow41XGkLOeoROEnYJozxwD4TLQuMvcuRzueQaPYUXu2qSZaKxJ_vAIlkX0QOjbxYT1MSdq0zWS5aBrN5pQORKyFhUlj0JX6XVAA5mVoxseYAF/s1600/20150920_141625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wPPhBPHvGM7h2scIKVpdwWF3yhOR3Ggow41XGkLOeoROEnYJozxwD4TLQuMvcuRzueQaPYUXu2qSZaKxJ_vAIlkX0QOjbxYT1MSdq0zWS5aBrN5pQORKyFhUlj0JX6XVAA5mVoxseYAF/s320/20150920_141625.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Round one</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEG9xXHilp0aWCl1AtpNegMsq9oshBVWjZ6_LhicVTr9mzOYtmF7hkMgR7mu79GkIqb9RPp41msbWnfS8KdbIRU44DiS1IW8VVEDQsxc5nsswwvqzGsega2RGhYPurFVzg16QrLyt-Dre/s1600/20150922_200730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEG9xXHilp0aWCl1AtpNegMsq9oshBVWjZ6_LhicVTr9mzOYtmF7hkMgR7mu79GkIqb9RPp41msbWnfS8KdbIRU44DiS1IW8VVEDQsxc5nsswwvqzGsega2RGhYPurFVzg16QrLyt-Dre/s320/20150922_200730.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Round two</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Baby pinks first. Nothing here is going, though I will probably pit some of these against my white and silver polishes at a later date.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On my left thumb is Zoya Tinsley, and it isn't exactly a baby pink but it fits in here better than anywhere else. This is one of my most favorite nail polishes, if not the favorite. It’s a lovely pink with gold shimmer and I get mesmerized by it all the time. I’m actually considering hunting down a backup bottle just in case they discontinue it before I run out of this bottle. It is that gorgeous, and obviously going nowhere.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The next two are very similar, but I feel there is enough difference between then that I'm justified in keeping both. Left pointer is OPI Princesses Rule and on the middle finger is Revlon Powder Puff. They're both very sheer, but Powder PUff is a bit more milky and Princesses Rule is so very, very shiny. Princesses Rule is a pink polish with a silver shimmer and Powder Puff is a pale pink with silver/green shimmer. Both take about three or four coats to go opaque, but I don’t mind so much. And because Powder Puff is milkier it makes a nice French manicure base. I feel a wee bit silly keeping both of them as technically they're both sheer pale pinks, but I think they're different enough to justify keeping both.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The polish on my left ring finger isn’t technically a pink at all. Revlon Lavender Soap is a very pale, pearlescent/metallic lavender polish. I tested this one with the pale pinks because it is my only super pale purple, and I wanted to see if it was similar at all to the pale pinks in my collection. It is not.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">And last in this ‘pale pink’ category is Zoya Lauren on my left pinky. It is a pale mauve with a pearlescent finish. This one is unique in this pink sub-set and while it’s kind of a grandma shade, I really do love it. I have absolutely no idea why I love this color so much as it is both almost skin toned and very grandma. And yet, it speaks to me.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The next set is the mid-tone pink polishes. These are all unique and if I were going by that alone, I ought to keep them all. But, I’m iffy on two of these. The one on my right thumb is Zoya Eden. It is a bright, milky blue based pink. I’m not entirely sure it’s flattering on my hands. I keep waffling back and forth on it, some minutes I really like it but the next it doesn’t appeal at all. I think I will keep it for now and do a full hand swatch of it at some point.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The other one I’m iffy on is the color on my right ring finger, which is Sally Hansen Insta Dry Fuchsia Flare. It’s a bright pink crème and not fuchsia at all. It is neither blue nor orange, just pink. I like it, but it is fairly similar to shades in my second round. I reswatched this one against the neon pinks (see right thumb in that swatch picture below), and it is indeed very similar to several colors in that set. It is a true crème and not a neon color, but even so, shade wise it’s really close to a few other colors on that hand. I’m also pretty sure I haven’t worn it aside from these two swatches. Plus I hate the brush. So because of the brush issues, the fact that it doesn’t fill a desired color gap, and since I’m obviously not drawn to wear it, I will be purging it from my collection.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The other three are keepers. On the right pointer is OPI Sorry I'm Fizzy Today. I love this bright coral shade SO MUCH. And it is much more coral on the finger then it is in the bottle. In fact it was so orange that I switched up my plans a bit and swatched Essie Haute as Hello on the middle finger just to compare the two. Haute as Hello is obviously an orange though and thus completely different. They are definitely in the same color family, but Sorry I'm Fizzy Today is pinker. I got this polish as a set when I bought the whole Coca-Cola collection and I’ve never actually worn it. You would think that means I should get rid of it, but I just wasn’t aware of how pretty it is. So no, it’s staying. I'm keeping Haute as Hello (and technically wasn't even up for elimination), as it isn’t even a pink. And finally, on my right pinky is 10 Professional Nail Lacquer Color 417 which is a pink. It is a pale, opaque baby pink polish and completely unique in my collection. And I like it a lot more than I thought I was going to.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Let’s move onto the neon and bright pinks in my collection and round two. Because a true neon is finicky to work with I have swatched some of these polishes over one coat of Sinful Colors Snow Me White, though I probably should have been more uniform about it. There are a lot of dupes here.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have two really truly, honestly unique shades in this round. They are the one on my left thumb, Formula X Solar Flare, and the one on my left pointer, Revlon African Tea Rose. Solar Flare is the only real shimmer in the bunch. Bright fuchsia and sparkly, I love this color unabashedly. African Tea Rose is from the Parfumerie line and is a fuchsia creme. It looks gorgeous on my hand and has the added bonus of being one of the scented polishes I really enjoy. I am keeping both of them.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The next two on my left hand look like they might be dupes of each other. I swear they’re not. On my left middle finger is China Glaze Rose Among Thorns, and on my left ring finger is Zoya Yana. I suspect Rose Among Thorns would look better over a white base, but I didn’t do that so it’s a little hard to judge. It’s a red-pink neon, and a true neon at that (hence why I think it needs a white base). I know that Yana looks almost identical to Rose Among Thorns, as they are both red-pinks. However, due to the fact that I didn’t use a white base under Rose Among Thorns, and that Yana is a crème as opposed to a red-pink neon, they’re actually quite different. No really, I swear. It’s a difference you can really see in sunlight. So, even though I probably shouldn’t, I’m keeping them both. If I were forced to choose I would probably select Yana, but I don’t have to choose so HA!<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">And then we come to my hot pink problem. There are five, FIVE, different nail polishes that fit this description. Six if you include the repeated Pink polish (which I kind of am, considering that is the reason I’m eliminating it). Of these six colors I am keeping two; the one on my right pointer, Sinful Colors Creme Pink swatched over a white base (though I don't think it needs the base), and the one on my right middle finger, China Glaze Pink Voltage also swatched over a white base. They are both hot neon pink shades but Pink Voltage is a bit paler and Creme Pink has a lovely, subtle gold shimmer in it. And can I just say that for two dollars, Sinful Colors produces some amazing polishes. They have some of my favorite colors in my collection.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There really isn’t a lot to say about the remaining polishes. The one on my left pinky is another NYX sample. It’s a hot, rose pink, and bonus doesn’t need a white base. But how many hot pinks do I need? The shade on my right ring finger is Sally Hansen Neon Pink Punch swatched over a white base and it was a pain to apply. The brush is that big, bulky brush and I absolutely hate it. And because the brush is so bulky some of the white base was picked up and transferred during the application, which led to spotty and uneven application. This color does have a lovely blue pearl throughout it, but because of the application difficulty I just don’t think it’s worth it. And the last one on my right pinky is Urban Decay Woodstock swatched over a white base. It’s a small sample size that was purchased with two other Urban Decay samples. I’d would keep it because it is a very nice polish, but it’s just not that unique. All of these are being culled.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">All in all, I feel pretty good about this set round of nail polish purges. Most of the colors are unique enough that I can enjoy wearing them all. Of the colors I’m keeping, I feel like there are only two colors that are really close in color to each other, and I’m still ok with that. I may eventually get rid of Rose Among Thorns, but right now I have no problem keeping it. I also think I have room in this collection for more bright pink shimmers. A lot of these here are crèmes, and while I like a good crème polish, shimmers are where my heart lies.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On a second note, I have identified a purchasing weakness. I keep buying these bright hot-pink shades. This is doubly hilarious when you consider that I don’t actually wear the color all that often. Hopefully I can stop myself from buying more in this shade. I’m also hoping that by acknowledging my love for this shade (as evidenced by my repeated purchasing) I can convince myself to wear it more. I really love looking at my nails right now, it’s making me smile which is what nail polish should do.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">And a third sub note, I hadn’t really thought much about how important a brush is. But doing a deep look at my collection like this has taught me that I don’t wear polishes if the brush annoys me. Two of these polishes are going mostly because of the brush. I’m pretty certain that if the brush were different I’d have found a reason to keep both of them, see also my justification for keeping both Rose Among Thorns and Yana.</span></div>
Jackalopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06676872890562666264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8387313055643192319.post-63739856193247826392015-09-21T15:15:00.002-07:002015-09-21T15:15:53.855-07:00Plum JamI moved into an apartment a few weeks ago, and have spent the ensuing weeks putting everything in place and organizing. It's a little one bedroom, which means the kitchen isn't particularly large. In fact it's teeeeeeny. I suspect it's not going to be a huge deal, because it is just me in the apartment, but it is an adjustment. As I have been mostly busy getting things set up, cooking has been non-existent. I've been doing frozen pizzas in my toaster oven, horrible I know but they're quick and filling and don't require a lot of thought. So this Saturday I decided to christen the kitchen with a batch of jam.<br />
<br />
See, I do this thing where I go to farmers markets and see all the lovely fruit and then buy a whole basket of said gorgeous fruits, not just the one or two I will actually eat before the basket spoils. It's a horrible habit. This week it was Italian Plums. They are so pretty you guys. Oblong and this deep, deep purple color. It would be a shame if they went to waste.<br />
<br />
Fortunately as I've been reading a lot of the amazing blog <a href="http://foodinjars.com/" target="_blank">Food in Jars</a>, I've learned that you can take that small amount of produce and do a little batch of jam to help preserve the fruit. One of my friend owns both of Marisa McClellan's books, and they are amazing as well. They have some really good recipes that we've made at various times, and I absolutely recommend them if you're interested in canning. They are both currently on my Amazon wish list and will probably be my next 'fun' purchase.<br />
<br />
I've been canning various things for most of my life on and off, but here's where the small batch canning information that McClellan lays out in both her blog and her books, really helps. I don't own an actual canning pot. I've borrowed my mother's (though now that they're 2,000 miles away that's a bit more difficult) and I've canned things at friend's houses at various times, but I do not currently own a large canning pot. All I have are my regular soup pots. However, I can rig one up using my pasta pot and the jar rings of some unused jars. I put the jars in the bottom of my biggest pot and filled it up with water. Then I checked to make sure that the water would cover my jars enough to truly process them. As I was using the itty bitty quarter pint jars, I was good. I could maybe get away with half pint jars in this particular pot, but I'm not sure I'd want to risk it. I will probably be investing in a larger pot at some point this winter, as pickles are my jam and I intend to pickle ALL THE THINGS next summer and pickles tend to require larger jars. <br />
<br />
For the actual recipe I used Marisa's method for jams, which I've gathered from several of her posts, which is to measure the fruit and then add half that amount of sugar. It would probably be ideal if I had a scale and did my measurements by weight, but I don't. So I pitted and chopped my Italian Plums and had about four cups of fruit. I added two cups of sugar. Now, I did check and plums are a fairly acidic fruit but just in case I added the juice of one lemon. Put that in my pot (a second pot, not the one I rigged for the water bath) and let it simmer away until it reached to just under 220F. Stirring every once in a while so the bottom doesn't burn.<br />
<br />
Hilariously, I have a candy thermometer but not a scale. My kitchen is eclectic I tell you. This is what happens when you live with roommates for most of your life, you end up with a weird collection of kitchen gear. Living on my own for the first time, I am learning the MANY gaps in my kitchen collection.<br />
<br />
If you don't have a thermometer, you can use the <a href="http://foodinjars.com/2010/07/canning-101-how-to-ensure-that-your-jam-sets/" target="_blank">plate method</a> (which has never, EVER made sense to me even when I've seen other people do it) or you can do it till the jam just looks right. It should be thick and the spoon should leave trails in the jam. Yes, somehow that makes more sense to me then the plate method. And here's the thing. Even with a soft set, your jam is still fabulous and useful. Personally, I don't worry too much about how firm or soft my jam set sup. I have done a full 4 pints of yellow plum 'jam' that was really a fancy fruit syrup. Tasty, TASTY stuff. Delicious on ice-cream or yogurt. So you know, don't fret it. <br />
<br />
Anyway I then turned off the heat, and ran into the problem with electric stoves. You guys, I HATE electric stoves. I hate them with the passion of a fiery burning sun. But there aren't a lot of apartments that have gas stoves, so I'll deal. Anyway, the problem is this. I have two large burners. One of them was being used to heat up the water bath and the other was cooking the jam. Even when I turn off the heat, the burner doesn't cool off right away and thus my jam keeps cooking. And I didn't think about that so I had the jars all set up and ready to go next to the stove top. Moving the pot to a trivet on the counter just wasn't an option because, remember teeeeny, tiny galley kitchen. I have three counters. The one next to the stove and two across the walkway. At any rate, I just dealt with it and quickly scooped the jam into the jars hoping that the jam in the jars I filled later wasn't overdone. I will know better next time and set up the jars on a different counter.<br />
<br />
Then I cleaned the rims, set my lids on, screwed the rings to finger tight, processed them for 10 minutes in my improvised canning pot, and then pulled them out. The set on these looks pretty solid, though I will know for sure when I open the first jar. But look: Pretty.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuT9qEVnt9MLRUL9GGCcshWBVzKb7VQ3h9RWxPm63crlhSsFkfEnHg4QgPfZEr0XL8VbkiXDk3I-O5LSxOygYgDO0YlluiLHego1Euv1ErSTnZooOTLf6flh_Q9SNtG1NN-0hx83-Idl83/s1600/20150919_190734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuT9qEVnt9MLRUL9GGCcshWBVzKb7VQ3h9RWxPm63crlhSsFkfEnHg4QgPfZEr0XL8VbkiXDk3I-O5LSxOygYgDO0YlluiLHego1Euv1ErSTnZooOTLf6flh_Q9SNtG1NN-0hx83-Idl83/s320/20150919_190734.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Jackalopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06676872890562666264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8387313055643192319.post-64198397357364873212015-09-20T06:55:00.000-07:002015-09-20T06:55:19.345-07:00Culling the Red PolishBright reds are another color family I'm drawn to in polish, and why not it's a classic color.I thought this culling would be easy, as there isn't a whole lot of difference between some of these polishes. And yet, the subtle differences are making it hard to let go. I have a problem. I acknowledge this. <br />
<br />
Anyway, again here is a picture from Instagram that shows 10 polishes on 10 fingers. I got the sides right this time though, right side is right hand and left is left.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXITj4MfuTtZnMfjnSB2BIsn3v3AIIx6UQHrWst476D-PUWmXg6S4bIAB5dBTWJJQXK6VFocVK2XwVLf2orjcoKwXulouN2VxvNvXafUtgYIXXF1Ncy-CpwqFMni7CpQ2vm0FAMmUR9G06/s1600/Red+fingers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXITj4MfuTtZnMfjnSB2BIsn3v3AIIx6UQHrWst476D-PUWmXg6S4bIAB5dBTWJJQXK6VFocVK2XwVLf2orjcoKwXulouN2VxvNvXafUtgYIXXF1Ncy-CpwqFMni7CpQ2vm0FAMmUR9G06/s320/Red+fingers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And a quick shot of the bottles. I tried to be a bit more consistent this time. Cremes on one hand and shimmers on the other. Mostly to help weed out the dupes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8IQk76wnTDn5c8KvgP6JSsLQE3vPO9yIpVoGWRS6aK_mMDp-FCRQ7TBTrSzdI8E0NMSOtZOGtrUo-y7k6m1yZj2YS10Z0Ghx9dOfi6iXRAh3lyOEFIyK-ZHnM2M52unQjns4RkeYRNhe/s1600/Red+Fingers+9.18.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8IQk76wnTDn5c8KvgP6JSsLQE3vPO9yIpVoGWRS6aK_mMDp-FCRQ7TBTrSzdI8E0NMSOtZOGtrUo-y7k6m1yZj2YS10Z0Ghx9dOfi6iXRAh3lyOEFIyK-ZHnM2M52unQjns4RkeYRNhe/s320/Red+Fingers+9.18.15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
There are a few unique polishes for which there is no question I will be keeping.<br />
<br />
On my left thumb is Sally Hansen Sugar Shimmer in Cinny Sweet. This is unique in my collection, being my only red textured polish. Keeping. And on my right thumb is Zoya Posh which is a matte red. Again, totally unique (mostly) and thus keeping. I say mostly, because it's very similar in tone to Zoya Sarah, which is on my right pointer. However, one is matte and one is a shimmer. Thus, keeping.<br />
<br />
Lets the the right hand first because it's easier. I've mentioned the right pointer already. Posh is a deep almost burgundy shimmer. I love everything about Zoya polishes and as this one is a unique color I will be keeping it as well.<br />
<br />
I'm skipping the next two fingers for now, so on my right pinky is Spoiled I Tripped on the Carpet. It's a red creme with a very subtle red pearl. The pearl is completely invisible until you get out into direct sunlight and then it's a stunner. However, most of the time it looks far to much like the rest of my red cremes, and I just... I'm not sure it's worth keeping. Though the pearl is gorgeous in the sunlight, and it really is, color wise it's just to similar to other colors. However, every time I think I'm ready to say goodbye, I think of that pearl. And that pearl does make it unique. And it's utterly ridiculous to waver this much over a two dollar drug store polish. Especially one with a terrible, awful, no good brush. I suspect it's sentimentality, I've had this particular color a long time. Ultimately though, I don't think I will miss it and so away it goes.<br />
<br />
The middle and ring fingers of my right hand have Revlon's Spidey Sense and Finger Paints Be My Baby. Both were limited edition polishes about a year or two ago. They are very, VERY similar, and I feel like I should cull one of them. I don't need two bright red shimmers. Spidey Sense has a pink shimmer,giving it a very subtle duo-chrome effect. (I mean, going from red to pinky red isn't that much of duo-chrome, but it's worth noting.) Be My Baby is a very pink-red, and when the light hits Spidey Sense right the two are identical. And then I move my fingers and they aren't anymore. It's rough I tell you. I like the formula on both polishes, and the wear time has been about the same for both. I suppose, if I'm being brutal I prefer the Revlon, so Spidey Sense goes into the keeping pile. Be My Baby goes into keep as well. What? I'm just not ready to let it go.<br />
<br />
Ok, so now the cremes. You guys, this is ridiculous. I mean, ridiculous. There is one truly unique color, China Glaze Salsa on my left pinky finger. It's bright, deep red It doesn't lean blue or orange, just red. It looks fabulous, it wears fabulous and everything about it is amazing. Obvious keeper.<br />
<br />
The color on my left ring finger is a bit of a cheat. It's a sample NYX polish that I got with about twenty other NYX sample polishes. I have absolutely no idea what the name of it is, and it seems silly to get rid of such a tiny bottle. However, it would be going if it were a full sized bottle. It's not particularly unique, and it's very sheer. I suspect it's trying to be a jelly formula, but it's almost to opaque for that. I'm not particularly fond of it at all. So despite your tiny size, away you go unnamed NYX polish.<br />
<br />
And then the hard choices. On my pointer is OPI Coca-Cola Red, which was a limited edition shade and on my middle finger is Revlon Roulette Rush. Coca-Cola Red is a lovely bright orange leaning red. Honestly, it really is the color of Coke cans. It is also a one coat wonder. Roulette Rush is a blue based red, and also a one coat wonder. However Roulette Rush bubbled on me with the second coat and I'm not sure that Coca-Cola Red is actually all that flattering on my fingers. Comparing both to Salsa, Coca-Cola red is the one that stands out as the most different and I think despite my uncertainty about whether it flatters my hands, it's the one that makes me smile. Though Salsa isn't at all a blue based red, it fulfills that need in my collection. So goodbye Roulette Rush.<br />
<br />
Ok, so that was harder then I thought it would be. And it's utterly ridiculous that I'm keeping this many red polishes. But I feel pretty good about these decisions.Jackalopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06676872890562666264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8387313055643192319.post-37907606704560673122015-09-18T17:49:00.002-07:002015-09-18T17:49:54.361-07:00Culling nail polish<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">De-cluttering has become quite a sensation recently hasn't it? I haven’t quite
reached the point where I want to get rid of ALL THE THINGS, but I think I’m
ready to get rid of some of the things. It’s a cycle. I go through a collecting
phase, where I must have everything I see and the lemming for new products is
very strong. This is not a good phase to be in when you’re on a budget. Though
sometimes being on a budget does sharply curtail this phase. But after that
phase there’s a phase where I just don’t want to anything at all, it all bores
me, and OMG a new pallet from Urban Decay, lesigh. I call this one Product
OVERLOAD. And then there’s the “Why the hell do I have five bright red
lipsticks?” phase. Also known as de-cluttering. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I sort of weeded out my lipstick collection a while back. And by
that I mean I got rid of anything that smelled funky and all lip glosses.
I actually managed to get rid of about 20 products this way. Most of them lip
glosses. I just don’t like the texture of lip glosses. They are generally heavy
on the lips and most of them are sticky. I feel like at some point I ought to
go through the remaining 60+ and cull them further, but I’m just not quite
ready to part with any of them. Even the ones I never wear. Yes, that is a
ridiculous statement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">However, I am ready to do a nail polish cull. Or at least the
start of one. I’m willing to get rid of some, but not too many as several
years ago I got rid of almost every single polish I owned and I am very much
regretting that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">On Saturday I sat down and sorted my polishes by color.
Nothing very specific: all the blues together, all the purples together, etc. I
had done this once before, but it was more of something to do with my hands
while on the phone then anything purposeful. And I then negated all of that
sorting by putting them in my storage containers by brand again. Something
about having ALL OPI nail polishes together and ALL Zoya polishes together
appealed to me. This time, I both paid attention and put them away by
color. And realized I had more than a few dark grey/black polishes. Oops. And
this is what started the desire to cull out the collection. Because if I have a
problem with the dark grey/black polishes, I’m pretty sure I have a similar
problem with other shades. In order to test it out, I put 10 of those shades on
my fingers in order to sort out the dupes. Some of them are very, VERY similar,
but I’m not quite sure if I’m ready to cull those.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Here is the photo I posted to Instagram. It isn’t the best
quality photo for swatches, but it does give you an idea of which polishes look
too much like another one. (hilariously, I switched my hands around, so my left
hand is on the right and my right hand is on the left).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAtMb8-tX4HA9CPGx8SKCbHCxnbJb1dqCzVe0IjRyuS-AO_m_SsCev_rqZPcykpqli64oK23qXil6v2-qs8z2pGajhy3fKA5jN2MjYXSx3MXp5CCUkVij0_icl121Hxa4FcNLctIL1ixy/s1600/Black+fingers+on+nails.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAtMb8-tX4HA9CPGx8SKCbHCxnbJb1dqCzVe0IjRyuS-AO_m_SsCev_rqZPcykpqli64oK23qXil6v2-qs8z2pGajhy3fKA5jN2MjYXSx3MXp5CCUkVij0_icl121Hxa4FcNLctIL1ixy/s320/Black+fingers+on+nails.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Anyway, here are my thoughts and the bottles:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FMZlYHXqebpdCCjH-EsjRzEs2LOaXWRWCRnKl02hMc84wE0ZxJ28GGxinKnprQap3T65COtvGnutvQPafZcYN6K03hFfs2YVGeoxUrsSKsugDHSc-FYpcPMvHw2ChhIRQ5pcgmj6Mvfx/s1600/Black+fingers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FMZlYHXqebpdCCjH-EsjRzEs2LOaXWRWCRnKl02hMc84wE0ZxJ28GGxinKnprQap3T65COtvGnutvQPafZcYN6K03hFfs2YVGeoxUrsSKsugDHSc-FYpcPMvHw2ChhIRQ5pcgmj6Mvfx/s320/Black+fingers.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bottles. Espresso is missing as it was in a separate container.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 12.65pt;">On my left thumb is OPI 4 In the Morning, a matte black,
though more of a grey-black then a true black. I like this one, and you
would think that it’s un-cullable simply because of the unique finish, except I
have a second matte in this color family. On the left middle finger is Zoya Dovima,
also a matte black, and again more of a grey-black then true black. So do I
cull one of these? And if so, which one? This has been the beauty dilemma of
the week. On the one hand they are both matte black polishes, and really
who needs TWO matte black polishes? On the other, there are quite a few subtle
differences between the two of them. Dovima has a very fine, almost
holographic, shimmer going through it and 4in the Morningis a bit more
matte (probably due to Dovima’s shimmer). Of the two I am drawn a bit more to Dovima,
but I also really enjoy the flat matte of 4in the Morning. And so I am
torn. Because I can’t decide, I will be keeping both. Obviously.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I am culling one of the three crème blacks that I own. On the
left pointer finger is OPI Queen of the Road, on the right pointer is 10
Professional Nail Lacquer Black and on the right middle is Revlon Espresso. Queen
of the Road is a kind of grey/black and not a true black. The difference is
particularly noticeable when compared to my other crème blacks and thus I am
TOTALLY justified in keeping it. Right? Hush you, I can see your skepticism
from behind my screen. Of the other two, they are in fact identical. I mean,
how many variations can you honestly have on a crème black nail polish? As the
10 polish was a pain to apply, didn’t dry as fast, and chipped a lot faster
it will be the one I cull. And that’s one down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Of the other five polishes, three are completely unique. On my
left pinky is Revlon’s Ace of Spades. It is a true dark grey, and kind of
a blue grey at that. It has a very subtle shimmer through it, and it’s gorgeous.
It’s also the polish I use to ID Queen of the Road as black and not
another dark grey, as comparatively they are two completely different colors.
On my left ring finger is Formula X Orion’s Belt. This is both a silvery grey
and a textured polish. Unique in all respects. On my right pinky is KB
Shimmer’s Stark Raven Mad, which is a black holographic polish. It is also one
of my two holographic nail polishes, and I love it a lot. So those three are
all keepers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">The two remaining polishes are both in the grey family. On my
right thumb is Zoya Yuna and on my right ring finger is Revlon
Italian Leather. Both are greys with a gold shimmer. The shimmer is more
pronounced and obvious in Yuna but it’s there in Italian Leather as well.
Yuna is also more of a blue based grey and is a bit darker; Italian Leather is
a greenish grey and is probably the lightest color in this particular swatch
fest. Of the two shades I definitely prefer Yuna, though Italian Leather
is pretty. I like the formula of both equally, in terms of ease of
application, lasting power, etc. However, Italian Leather is one of the scented
polishes from Revlon’s Parfumerie line and I am not fond of the scent at all.
It kind of turns my stomach and it lasts at least 24 hours. I’m also not 100%
sold on how Italian Leather looks on my fingers; I think it tends to highlight
the sallow tones of my skin. The colors are unique enough that I could easily
justify keeping both of them, especially given the decision to keep both of the
mattes in this color family, but I think I will be culling Italian
Leather. Mostly because I don’t like the way it smells<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jackalopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06676872890562666264noreply@blogger.com0