My OPI Collection- Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of my OPI nail polish collection!! To see Part 1, click here. This post also contains my intro to my four part blog post.

My China Glaze collection Parts 1 and 2 will be up within the next couple of days.

So without the need for any more intro, let's jump into Part 2 of my OPI collection!

OPI Nail Polishes (Part 2):

1) OPI Unfor-greta-bly Blue

OPI Unfor-greta-bly Blue

This polish is from OPI's most recent collection, Germany. This is a frosty blue shimmer with teal undertones. Formula is good; it works best at two thick coats or three thin ones. Really pretty colour, but probably easily dupe-able.

2) OPI Into the Night

OPI Into the Night

This is from The Spiderman Collection which was released June 2012, to coincide with the release of the movie. 

This is a navy blue shimmer. There isn't too much to say about this nail polish, and like Unfor-greta-bly Blue, it is easily dupe-able. This formula is pretty sheer, so three coats is best for this one.

3) OPI Just Spotted the Lizard

OPI Just Spotted the Lizard

Also from the Spiderman collection, this nail polish has to be one of my all time favourites. A green-gold duochrome, this much buzzed about polish is an exact dupe of Chanel's Peridot. Luckily for us, this one is about half the price.

This formula is a little thin on the first coat, but the colour really shines through on the second. 3 coats is best for this. 

4) OPI Rainbow Connection

OPI Rainbow Connection

This is from the Muppets collection released for Holiday 2011. A clear based polish packed with tons of glitter, this polish does best for layering. If you want it by itself, you would have to do numerous coats, and this gets thick very easily. 

There is small circular and bigger hexagon glitter, all multicoloured. A pain to remove, as with all glitters.

5) OPI Excuse Moi?

OPI Excuse Moi?

This is a stunning polish. It has a candy pink base packed with so many different colours of glitter- there's orange, green, silver, yellow and red. It reminds me of cupcake sprinkles. And it is so sparkly!

This is opaque is two coats, but a pain in the neck to remove. I recommend the tin foil method.

So that's it for my OPI collection!! Stay tuned for my China Glaze collection!!

Thanks for reading!

Melissa

My OPI Collection- Part 1

So today I'm embarking on a journey of four blog posts, encompassing my collection of two of my favourite two nail polish brands- China Glaze and OPI.
I will be splitting each brand into two parts, so four different blog posts altogether.

Today I'm writing the first part of my OPI collection. I have less OPI than China Glaze nail polishes, but the amount is pretty much the same.

This isn't a gigantic collection, but added altogether, the collection would put quite a big dent in my cash supply!!
I will not be swatching these (I think I would eventually pass out from all the nail polish fumes), but I will be showing the bottle shots in natural light, so you can get the best idea of what they are like. Additionally, I will give a short description-colour, longevity and sheer/opaque.

Well, that's all that's needed for an intro, so without further ado- My OPI Collection: Part 1!

OPI Nail Polishes:

1) OPI Every Month is Oktoberfest

OPI Every Month is Oktoberfest

This is from OPI's most recent collection, Germany. It is a dark based polish with blue/red/purple shimmery undertones. This is opaque in one coat, but I usually do two to even everything out.

The formula on this is really good! It's smooth and flows evenly. It's really good if you have somewhere to be and need to do something about your nails.

To see what this looks like on the nails, check out my most recent NOTD post.

2) OPI Wooden Shoe Like to Know?

OPI Wooden Shoe to Know?

Before we get into the actual nail polish, how cute is this name? I love when OPI makes (good) puns.

This polish was from their Holland collection for Spring/Summer 2012. This is a medium chocolate brown with gold shimmer. It comes on darker than it does in the bottle, and the gold shimmer is less noticeable on the nails. You could probably get away with two coats on this one, but I would give it three.

3) OPI Designer, De Better!

OPI Designer De Better

This is from OPI's last holiday collection, the Muppets, to coincide with the release of the movie. This polish is a champagne foil with bronze specks. Two coats would be best for this one. This one is a little tricky to remove, but that's usually the case with foils. They're like the middle ground between shimmer polishes and glitter polishes. This colour is pretty accurate to what you see in the bottle.

4) OPI Warm and Fozzie

OPI Warm and Fozzie

Also from the Muppets collection, this polish is a complex one. It is shimmery mix of mostly brown, but there is some green, yellow and pink glitter in there! This is also a foil. The colour is accurate to what you see in the bottle, but in some lights, it can look a lot lighter.

This one is a little sheer, needing three coats to be completely opaque.

4) OPI Uh Oh Roll Down the Window

OPI Uh Oh Roll Down the Window

For starters, lovely name, OPI. That gives me a wonderful mental image! This is from Fall 2012's Touring America collection. When I initially bought this, I was on the hunt for an olive green. After looking at swatches online, this looked perfect. After putting it on, I was disappointed to see that it dried about a full two shades darker than in the bottle. It turned into more of a forest green than olive green, but it was still a nice colour. 

This one is a two-coater.

So that's it for part 1 of my OPI collection!! Stay tuned for part 2!

Thanks for reading!!

Melissa

Monday Questionnaire: August 27, 2012

Another Monday Questionnaire!! And the last one of August...this year is flying by!

Let's get started then!

1) Current Mood:
I'm kind of sick, but I'm pretty content. Last week, I was a little stressed out, but I feel lots more relaxed now.

2) What is your favourite article of clothing to shop for?
I would have to say shirts. Pants are easy to get, but not that fun to buy. I always like browsing through the shirts, just to see what catches my eye. And do scarves count? Because I love looking for a new scarf!! I guess that's more an accessory than an article of clothing, though.

3) Three hours ago, I was...
In bed, struggling to get up. I'm trying to get up earlier to adjust to a school schedule again. It's not easy!!

4) Current nail polish
OPI's Every Month is Oktoberfest. I really want to change it soon, but I`m trying to hold off on doing so until the first day of school.

5) When was the last time you read an actual newspaper (not digital)?
Actually, we stopped getting paper newspapers a couple of years ago. But, when we were in Scotland, we got paper newspaper frequently. So only a couple of weeks ago.

6) Current outfit:
My pajamas! Haven't been bothered to get dressed yet (hey, it's summer vacay!) (did I really just say vacay?)

7) What is your natural hair texture?
Thick, curly, with lots of volume.

8) Would you rather go a week without your phone or your computer?
I would rather go a week without my computer. I can handle being away from the internet for seven days, but I wouldn't really want to be out of touch with my friends and family for that long.

9) What is your favourite musical?
The Sound of Music and Mamma Mia! hands down. I grew up with the Sound of Music (doe a deer, a female deer, ray, a drop of golden sun...ok, I'll stop).

10) Weekly goals:
To take it easy. I don't want to get any more sick!


Well, that's it for today! Hope you have a great week!

Thanks for reading!
Melissa

Urban Decay Smoked Palette Review

Urban Decay Smoked Palette, Look Book, Perversion Eyeliner

Today's post is going to be of the new Urban Decay Smoked Palette, a palette filled with 10 smoky shades. It comes with a look book, a mini size primer potion and a 24/7 eyeliner in Perversion. 

In my review, I'll be showing you pictures of each eyeshadow and swatches, followed by a description of each shade. 

Take a look!!

Urban Decay Smoked Palette

Let's look at those eyeshadows, shall we?

Top Row (from L-R): Kinky, Freestyle, Mushroom, Backdoor, Blackout

Bottom Row (from L-R): Barlust, Rockstar, Evidence, Loaded, Asphalt

Aren't they pretty? Without even seeing it in person, I already knew I wanted it!!

Top Row (From L-R): Kinky, Freestyle

Bottow Row (From L-R): Barlust, Rockstar

Top Row (From L-R): Kinky, Freestyle

Bottom Row (From L-R): Barlust, Rockstar

1) Kinky: Kinky is a matte off white, intended for highlighting your browbone. It is very pigmented for a matte; I often find myself using too much and having to wipe some off. This is a new shade and exclusive to this palette.

2) Freestyle: Freestyle is also matte. It is a peach, skin tone colour which is why you can't actually see it in the swatch. It just blends right in. It is less pigmented than Kinky. This is also a new shade and exclusive to the palette.

3) Barlust: Barlust is a beauty, a shimmery warm brown with red-brown tones. I have cool toned skin, and this doesn't pull orange on me, luckily! It is quite pigmented; the colour you see in the swatch is one swipe. Also a new and exclusive shade.

4) Rockstar: Rockstar is shimmery deep plum. It is a beautiful jewel tone, with great pigmentation and smooth payoff. This is part of their permanent range.

Top Row (From L-R): Mushroom, Backdoor

Bottom Row (From L-R): Evidence, Loaded

Top Row (From L-R): Mushroom, Backdoor

Bottom Row (From L-R): Evidence, Loaded

1) Mushroom: Mushroom is a shimmery taupe- essentially a gray brown. It looks cool toned in the pan, but it pulls warmer on my skin. It has great pigmentation; it is one of the stars of the palette for me. This is part of their permanent range.

2) Backdoor: Backdoor is a matte dark brown. It reminds me of charcoal; it's that dark. It's a really pretty colour to use for eyeliner, and very pigmented. This is a new and exclusive shade to the palette.

3) Evidence: Evidence is a dark, shimmery navy blue. It has decent colour payoof, but out of the three jewel tones, this one had subpar pigmentation compared to the other two. In the pan, it looks blue, but on my eyes, it looks more black. This is part of their permanent line.

4) Loaded: Loaded is a blackened green, with hints of teal. It appears more black than green when applied to the skin. It is a really pretty colour, regardless of that. This is also part of the permanent range. 

From L-R: Blackout, Asphalt

From L-R: Blackout, Asphalt

1) Blackout: Blackout is a deep matte black. It isn't the most pigmented matte black out there, but it does have decent colour payoff. This shade was also in Naked2 Palette. This is part of the permanent range. 

2) Asphalt: Asphalt is a shimmery, medium-dark gunmetal gray, with silver undertones. It has very good pigmentation. This is a new and exclusive shade to the palette. 

Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Perversion

The palette also comes with a 24/7 eyeliner in perversion. This is one the blackest eyeliners I have ever seen; it is so pigmented with just one swipe. 

swatch-sunlight

See how pigmented it is? It's crazy. This is not a retractable pencil (as with all other 24/7 liners), but it is so worth the sharpening. 

Urban Decay "Get the Look" Book

Additionally, the palette also comes with a look book, guiding you through different looks you can makes with the shadows in the palette. This has proved to be very useful for me!! 

Overall: 

This is a great palette. I got this for $60.90 CAD at my Sephora. I know it seems steep, but you are getting a lot for your money.

You get 10 eyeshadows with 0.03g of product (not quite full sized- 0.05g is full sized), an full sized eyeliner, the book (which is $9 by itself), and 0.13g of primer potion. Pretty good!!

If I could change one thing about this palette, I would include one light shimmery shade. I always use that to highlight my inner corner, and when I'm using this, I have to reach for another palette to finish my look. Not a major issue, but still.

As for the quality of the entire combination, I'm very impressed. Urban Decay is known for its great eyeshadows, so I was expecting ten buttery smooth eyeshadows, which I got. If I had to choose one that wasn't that great, it would be Evidence, which I was hoping would be more pigmented and more blue.

The eyeliner is amazing too, and I love the look book. It is so easy to understand. And I'm always happy to get more primer potion!

My Rating: 9.5/10 I'm very satisfied with this palette, and I highly recommend it to lovers of dark eyeshadow looks!! If you prefer lighter shades, this probably isn't for you.

Thanks for reading!!

Melissa

NOTD: OPI Every Month is Oktoberfest

Back again with another NOTD post for you!!! Today's nail polish is OPI's Every Month is Oktoberfest. Take a look!!

OPI Every Month is Oktoberfest- indoors

This is a dark based polish with purple/red shimmery undertones. It was opaque with one coat, but I did two just to even everything out. 

indoors

This is a super pretty colour, especially for fall!!! I can just imagine sitting in a Starbucks with this on your nails, sipping a Pumpkin Spice Latte (I cannot wait for those to come back in stores!) and reading a book or something.

This formula was terrific! I was in a hurry to put this early this morning, and for a rushed job, I think it turned out really well. It was smooth, and flowed evenly.

Anyway, thanks for reading!!!

Melissa

Monday Questionaire: August 20th, 2012

Once again, another Monday Questionaire!!! They are really fun to do, so I'm going to keep doing them.

Let's jump in!!

1) Current mood:
Happy! And proud of myself- I just passed my driver's test. I have that feeling right now that I could accomplish anything! (Well, maybe not anything.)

2) What was your favourite board game as a kid?
I really liked Monopoly, and Life. I always played Monopoly with my grandpa when I went to visit them, and it was really fun! I usually liked to collect the light and dark blues...and the train stations.

3) Do you like your current hairstyle/colour?
For the most part, yes. I do wish my hair was a little longer, and a little darker brown, but I'm pretty satisfied.

4) Current nail polish:
OPI Unfor-greta-bly Blue from their new Germany collection. Lovely colour!

5) When was the last time you went to a theme park?
Literally three days ago. My friend was going with her family, and I was invited to come along :) It was lots of fun!!

6) Current outfit:
Denim shorts, pink shirt, olive green scarf with white flowers, and gray flip flops.

7) You're at a movie theater...what snack do you get?
Because their prices are SO expensive (it's ridiculous), I usually don't buy anything. I usually just get Starbucks and sneak it in (shhhh...) (I can't tell you how many drinks I've spilled in my purse). But if I had to choose something, I would get a drink and some buttered popcorn.

8) What is one makeup tip you wish you'd known 2 years ago?
Silver eyeshadow does not suit you, you are allowed to use more than one eyeshadow on your eyelid, and yes, foundation does go on your face. Ok, that's three, but you get my drift. I wish I knew then what I know now (Katy Perry lyrics!!)

9) What is a really classic/popular movie you've never seen?
I have never seen any of the Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future or Batman movies. I have also never seen Breakfast at Tiffany's or Gone with the Wind. I have been meaning to watch Jurassic Park and Back to the Future, though.

10) Weekly goals:
Not getting too stressed by all the little things I have to get done. Easier said than done!!

Thanks for reading, and have a great week!!

Melissa

My Brush Collection! Part 2- Eye

Welcome to Part 2 of my brush collection!! Today I'll be going through my eye brushes, and I have a few more of them than face brushes.
So since this needs no introduction, I'll just jump right into them!!

EYE BRUSHES

Flat Eyeshadow Brushes

1) Quo Flat Shadow Brush

Quo Flat Shadow Brush

I love this eyeshadow brush. I got it quite awhile ago, but it is perfect for packing the right amount of colour onto the lid. It makes colours pop, and it is definitely a staple in my collection.

2) EcoTools Concealer Brush

EcoTools Concealer Brush

I know this is marketed as a concealer brush, but I use it as a eyeshadow brush. It doesn't work quite as well as the Quo one; it's bristles don't transfer as much eyeshadow onto the lid.

Crease Blending Brushes

3) Spa Resource Crease Blender Brush

Spa Resource Crease Blender Brush

This is the smallest crease brush I own. I really like it because it gets lots of colour in the crease and just apply a wash of colour, like some bigger crease brushes can. 

This cost me about $4 CAD at my Wal-Mart, which I thought was a great deal for the quality!

4) EcoTools Eye Shading Brush

EcoTools Eye Shading Brush

I use this brush for extreme blending, or for when I want a wash of diluted colour in the crease. It's a good brush, but I don't find myself reaching for it that often. This came in a travel set.

5) EcoTools Highlighting Brush

EcoTools Highlighting Brush

Now this is a brush I reach for often. Like the name says, I use this a lot to highlight my browbone.

I also use it sometimes for putting a bit of colour in my crease. This also came in a travel set.

Eyeliner Brushes

6) Essence Cream Liner Brush

Essence Cream Liner Brush

As the name suggests, this is meant for cream liner. However, I use it with powder eyeshadow sometimes to line my upper and lower lashline, usually with the same colour I used in the crease. This brush definitely gets a lot of use.

7) EcoTools Smudge Eyeliner Brush

EcoTools Smudge Eyeliner Brush

I use this brush alonside the previously mentioned Essence brush. On my upper lashline, after the Essence brush has applied shadow along it, I will use this to smudge the shadow into my crease to add a bit of definition. This is a recent addition to my collection, but is already getting a lot of use.

Dual Ended Brushes

8) Urban Decay Good Karma Shadow/Crease Brush

Urban Decay Good Karma Shadow/Crease Brush

This brush came with my Urban Decay Naked2 Palette, and I absolutely love it. I don't use the shadow end all that often, but I adore the crease end. I use it blend the colours already in my crease, and it will diffuse even the darkest of colours. Absolutely love it. This dual ended brush is not available on its own, but I would recommend the crease brush, which can be bought separately. 

Detail Brushes

9) EcoTools Petite Eye Shading Brush

EcoTools Petite Eye Shading Brush

I use this brush for one thing- for applying a light shadow to my inner eyelid to brighten it up. It fits perfectly on my eye shape. This also came in a travel set.

10) EcoTools Smudge Brush

EcoTools Smudge Brush

Again, this brush only has one purpose- highlighting. I use this to apply a light shimmery shade in my inner corner to brighten up my entire eye. This is a daily task for me, so needless to say, this one gets a lot of use.

So that's it for my entire brush collection!!

Thanks for reading!!

Melissa

My Brush Collection! Part 1- Face

So today I thought I would share my brush collection with you. It isn't an extensive collection by any means. I am going to split it into two parts- face and eye. But don't worry- these are not going to be agonizingly long posts!!
So without further ado, let's get started!!!

FACE BRUSHES

Bronzer Brushes

1)EcoTools Bronzer Brush

EcoTools Bronzer Brush

I use this brush for bronzer, but it would definitely make a good powder brush. I used to use it for powder, but as you will see later in the post, I use a different brush.

I really like this brush; it works well for its purpose. I only use bronzer on one area of my face, so it is good for me.

Blush Brushes

2) EcoTools Bamboo Blush Brush

EcoTools Bamboo Blush Brush

I use this for blush (obviously), and I'll be honest, it isn't one of my favourites. The bristles aren't dense enough to give enough colour on the cheeks. But I will continue to use it.

3) EcoTools Bamboo Blush Brush (Travel Size)

EcoTools Bamboo Blush Brush (Travel Size)

This blush brush is different from the previous blush brush I mentioned, but I can't find this brushes' name on the EcoTools website. This blush brush came in a travel set and I like it much better than the other one. It is dense enough to give a lot of colour on the cheeks.

Powder Brushes

4) EcoTools Large Eye Brush

EcoTools Large Eye Brush

Getting tired of seeing EcoTools yet? Well, there's more where there came from. The only reason I have so many EcoTools brushes is because I buy a lot of them in travel sets, and simply because I really like the brand. I don't have a lot of money to spend on brushes, and these are affordable and great quality.

Anyway, this brush is meant to be an eyeshadow brush, but I use it to apply powder to set my undereye concealer.

Kabuki Brushes

5) Bare Minerals Kabuki Brush

Bare Minerals Kabuki Brush

Finally, not an EcoTools brush!! I got this brush as a free sample with some powder at Sephora. I use this brush to apply my highlighter, and I really like it. I can't exactly complain; it was free!!

6) EcoTools Baby Kabuki

EcoTools Baby Kabuki

Oops, false alarm, EcoTools is back! (Disclaimer- I am in no way sponsored by EcoTools) This is the brush I use for my powder. I only use powder on my nose, which is the only oily part of my face. 

Eyebrow Brushes

7) EcoTools Angled Eyeliner Brush

EcoTools Angled Eyeliner Brush

Yes, I know this is an eyeliner brush, but I use this to fill in my brows, so it counts as a face brush right? 

I use this to pick up the eyeshadow I use to fill in my eyebrows, and I like the effect it gives. I am looking for something thinner, though, to look more natural.

So that's it for Part 1 of my brush collection, and stay tuned for Part 2!!!

Thanks for reading!!

Melissa

Haul!!!

So I went shopping the other day after not going for a month while I was on vacation. Needless to say, I splurged quite a bit on myself, so I thought I would show you what I bought.

Let's get started!

1) Urban Decay Smoked Palette

Urban Decay Smoked Palette

Yes, I got it. I've been eyeing it for awhile, and since the last Urban Decay Palette I got was Naked2 back in January, I figured if I could afford it, why not?

This little guy was not cheap. It cost me $60.90 CAD (including GST), but if you think about everything you get in the palette, it's quite a good deal.

You get 10 eyeshadows, a 24/7 eyeliner, a look book, and a travel tube of Urban Decay Primer Potion.

Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Perversion

I think I might post a review on this, but I'm not too sure yet. 

Aren't the colours pretty? Once I saw them in person, I couldn't pass it up.

2) OPI Every Month is Oktoberfest

OPI Every Month is Oktoberfest

I also got two polishes from the Germany collection. I had rushed into the store to grab the two colours I wanted, and saw they were sold out of this one. The place where I buy my OPI nail polishes rarely ever get a second shipment of collections, so I knew I probably wouldn't get another chance to buy this.

So I trudged over to the checkout with the other colour, and saw one bottle of this is in a promotionary display and got this one too!!

It's a beautiful colour, a dark red/purple base with gold/blue shimmer.

3) OPI Unfor-greta-bly Blue

OPI Unfor-greta-bly Blue

This is the second polish I got from the OPI Germany collection. This is a pretty blue, with hints of teal. You can see swatches and read more about it in my most recent NOTD.

So that's it for my haul!!!

It's only three things,but they set me back quite a bit!! I'll justify it by saying I bought them for blogging purposes.

Thanks for reading!!

Melissa