Random Haul back in April

Hi there!

This is a strange post because I actually purchased this stuff at the end of April but now I'm blogging about it later.  I procrastinated.  However, I guess because I took the picture and I wanted to share this before, I should still write a post about it.  Normally, I don't do hauling posts unless I made a significant online purchase (like my Rescue Beauty Lounge or Sephora hauls) or warehouse sales.  This is different.

So this is some of the stuff I bought:

Clinique Cheek Pop in Ginger Pop.

I bought this after the sale and I guess because I heard a lot of beauty gurus talk about how much they like this that I decided to give it a try.  I am surprised I didn't go for Peach Pop but I wanted something a bit different.  To be honest, Clinique was one of the first make up brands I started out with but I found later on that whenever I received eye shadow samples or mascara, it wasn't really my thing.  I even bought a face colour powder but ended up not really liking it.  So I wasn't sure if I would like this because my opinion of Clinique is a bit not on the hate but not on the like side.  

I tried this and I really like it.  Besides the cute packaging, the colour is pretty pigmented and it adds a nice colour to my face.  The colour was what I was looking for, so I'm quite happy with my purchase.  I don't know if I'll buy the entire line but I'm very happy with this.  

I use my e.l.f. Studio Makeup Powder Brush to apply this and it does a nice job or at least I'm happy with it.  Depending on how sleepy I am, I can give it 1-3 swirls.  The 3 swirls days are clearly when I'm so sleepy and swirling has become distracting or something I'm doing unconsciously. 

Random swatch. I just used my finger.

Nail Polish Haul

With my Sephora purchase of my Clinique Cheek Pop, I bought Formula X Infatuated.  After I bought it online, I went to Sephora to try it on my finger and I changed my mind. So I actually returned it.  It's still in my photo so I'm going to leave it.

Essie: Fashion Playground. You can tell this post should have been done earlier since I have already reviewed and declared this as my summer favourite.  I still really like it.  So happy I bought it.

Essie Got Engaged.  I haven't worn it yet but it's a pink with fine white shimmer. I guess that's how I like my Essie polish.

This haul I am kind of proud of.  So back in April, Shoppers Drug Mart had a BOGO coupon from 5pm to 8pm.  This rarely happens at Shoppers.  I think this is the second time.  So I got Cocktails & Coconuts, Muchi Muchi, Truth or Flare and Hide & Go Chic.  I guess I should have picked a new collection item instead of Muchi Muchi but I couldn't find another colour I liked.  I was originally only going to get the blue shades but then I found Cocktails & Coconuts, so I couldn't resist. Shoppers usually retails Essie's for C$11.99, so I basically got the new shades for $5.99 before tax. While I guess I didn't really need the colours I'm glad I got them for the price I did.  Fashion Playground was available in the store but I had already ordered it online, so I didn't pick it up or I would have.  The bridal collection wasn't out yet either.

Anyway, this is my mini haul and even though I didn't really explain anything, thank you for reading!

OPI: You Pink Too Much

Today I have OPI's You Pink Too Much which was part of the Spotlight on Glitter collection.  Lately I've been into buying glitters.  I wear them more often than before but I usually do an accent only.  

Thoughts

The base is clear and there are mini holographic circle glitter and then there are bigger circle pink glitter.  It's very pretty.  From what I saw online, this is similar to another glitter of another name as part of the Mariah Carey collection but I didn't get that one.  

It's really hard to describe a glitter since it's really a top coat, or it is for me.  I could wear it on it's own but I can only think about how difficult it'll be to remove, so I think I won't do that.

Breakdown
Basecoat: Seche Base
Colour layer: Essie Bikini so Teeny (2 coats each polish) and OPI You Pink Too Much (1 coat)
Topcoat:  Seche Vite

My photos are at night sorry!

With a clearer flash of how the colour is like

I bought You Pink Too Much at Trade Secrets.  It retails for C$9.99 for 15mL or 0.5 Fl. Oz.

Essie: Cute as a Button

I have started writing my entries in advance just because it really helps me keep organize and I don't force myself to do a lot of swatches but I want to have posts keep coming.  I'm not sure if that makes any sense.  I'm trying this new scheduling though.  

I bought Essie's Cute as a Button in 2012 at Shoppers along with Tart Deco.  Honestly, I would have thought it was last year but since I posted Tart Deco early last year and I know I bought this during the summer, it couldn't have been the case. 

Thoughts

I feel like Cute as a Button reminds me of a creme version of Sunday Funday but without the fine shimmer.  This is a pretty coral polish that is jelly-creame, which is what Essie does so well. The polish applied beautifully and I'm not sure if it's because I did it at night but I thought it would have been fine with one coat.  I ended up doing two coats because I was a little uneven with my painting skill.  This is not as dark or as red as Watermelon.

Breakdown
Basecoat: Seche Base
Colour layer: Essie Cute as a button (2 coats)
Topcoat: Seche Vite

Brush shot

I took these at night so it's with lamp light

Morning shot

This would be the truest form but at least in the lamp light, you can see how it appears with different lighting.  

I bought this at Shoppers Drug Mart.  The size is 13.5mL or 0.46 Fl. Oz.

My Spring Favourite Polishes for 2014!

Hello!

Today I'm going to share what I've been really liking this season.  Honestly it's been so cold in Toronto.  The snow has melted early April, but the temperature is still a bit chilly.  So the result is dark/winter clothes but bright nails.  Whatever works!

I realized that three out of the four colours have subtle shimmer.  It's something I look for, I guess?  Anyway, I apologize in advance because I don't have any on my nail pictures.  I have linked my previous posts.  Sometimes if I've done a post on a colour already, I don't always photograph my nails.  So even for some pictures that was pretty bad in the beginning, I don't have a re-do.  Sorry!

1. Essie Fashion Playground

This is a new colour and I wasn't sure if I would get it because of some reviews online about the streaky colour.  Yes it takes 3 coats but I really like how this turned out.  I just bought it and I really like how the mint comes off.  When I wore this, I even repaired my chips!  That is something I don't really do.  I was able to get a week (Sunday to Friday) wear but I did repair 2 chipped nails (pointer finger and pinky) and I added another coat of top coat on Wednesday.  I like this colour so much I am actually considering selling my other mint colours similar to this.

2. Essie Bikini So Teeny

This is one of my favourite polishes.  Sometimes I forget about it.  Enough so that I only recently made a post on it.  This is probably one of my most used bottles of polishes (I have a lot of polish).  What I like about it is the shimmer and it's a light/periwinkle blue.  This one is also a bit streaky, so I usually use 2-3 coats.

3. OPI You're Such a BudaPest

This is another favourite of mine.  It's one of those really periwinkle purples. There's fine shimmer in it.  It's very streaky, and a little runny but since I own it, I'm ok with it.  I like the other all look to it.  This one is opaque in 3 coats but the coats are thin, since the polish is a bit runny.  I can overlook that because I really love the colour.

4. Nicole by OPI Carnival Cotton Candy

The only colour on this list that does not have any fine shimmer!  Carnival Cotton Candy is a very bright bubblegum pink.  The formula is more thick compared to the other polishes I have listed.  I still like it even though it's difficult to work with as in it's thick but still leaves some patches.

Disclaimer: All products have been bought by me

Essie: Bikini so Teeny

I can't believe I haven't done a post on this.  Well I used this as a base for my Formula X Cherry Blossom look but I have liked Bikini So Teeny for a while.  I bought this when it first came out in 2012.  This was also my base that I used to win an Instagram contest.  

Bikini so Teeny is a light blue with subtle shimmer that is so subtle, you can't even see it after it dries.  However, in certain lighting you can kind of see that it adds a little depth to the polish.  

Thoughts

Bikini so Teeny is the type of Essie polish that is batch on the first coat and really nice on the second.  I have photos of two coats and I ended up painting three coats to have a nice opaque coat.  I have worn this with two coats only before.  I think it was just the day I was painting with this that required three coats for full opacity.  

This has nothing to do with the wear or formula of the polish but basically I really like this colour.  

The shimmer that is very subtle once the polish dries

Breakdown
Basecoat: Seche Base
Colour layer: Essie Bikini So Teeny (3 coats)
Topcoat:  none

Brush shot

Two Coats no top coat

Three coats no top coat

I was doing something with this as my base, which is why I don't have a top coat.  If I used a top coat, I think the polish would be nicely even and would be very pretty.

This is taken another time.  Two coats and no top coat taken at night.

Two Coats

Two Coats

I bought Bikini so Teeny in 2012.  It is still available and I think it's part of the permanent line now.

Formula X: Cherry Blossom

Today I have Formula X's Cherry Blossom.  I had done a quick picture earlier during the Sephora 15% sale.

When I first received the Sephora promotion picture, I knew I had to have this and since it was 15% off, there was a bigger incentive.  The only thing was, it was not available in store, so I was not able to test it in person.

Thoughts

The flowers and glitter are pretty.  It's like a matte pink (not very shiny), so it looks subtle.  The flowers themselves are pretty, but you have to fish for them.  When you paint them on, they are straight so you'll have to press them down.  I used two coats of top coat before I trusted that it would stay.  

This is a top coat but you will need a top coat in order for it to stay.  During my quick swatch, I didn't put a top coat on and it basically came off the next day.  

The flowers are quite strong, so even though I had my cotton soaked in nail polish remover, it took a while before the flowers came off (This is after I had to press it down to stick and used two coats of top coat).

So, without polish and without topcoat, the flowers fall off easily.  With polish as a base and two coats of top coat, this polish stays quite nicely.

Breakdown
Basecoat: Seche Base
Colour layer: Essie Bikini So Teeny (3 coats) and Formula X Cherry Blossom (1 coat on ring finger).  Pointer finger is Deborah Lippman Glitter in the Air
Topcoat:  Seche Vite (2 coats over ring finger)

Formula X Cherry Blossom retails for C$15 for 12mL and is available at Sephora.ca.  I'm not sure if it's available in the store because I have yet to find it yet.