Green – Sometimes Yaya

Sequin Scandal NOTD

The recent collection by Sally Hansen has been hard to track down at drugstores. The locations that keep up with the newer stuff often have empty displays from the stampedes of customers grabbing up the goods, and the so so stores are either still behind, or going empty and refusing to reorder.

With that said, I was surprised to come across Sequin Scandal when I wasn’t looking for it at all. The dark olive green has golden shimmer in it and is a pleasure to look at. It gave me a little trouble when trying to capture on camera (Beauty Judy‘s third shot of the color is too great), hiding it’s glory in the shadows.

This is a great party and holiday color, match it to an identically colored mini (sequins or not), a dark color, or a cream. Keep in mind though, that darker colors have a tendency to stain the cuticle area, thus making it a color you should sit down to apply, instead of swiping on the go.The color can veer on a little dark, but is very complimentary to any skin tone and does not get easily confused for a black (whereas a lot of other colors, like navy, and dark violet do).

What’s on your nails?

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Burlesque Green Showdown

Fellow Mickey Mouse club alum, Justin Timberlake proclaimed Christina Aguilera the strongest and best vocals of his generation. As I mentally replay her musical catalog through my head, I do have to say I agree (admit it – even Genie In A Bottle was pretty good vocally,no? Just me?).

The singer extraordinaire has been promoting her new motion picture, Burlesque (check out the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), where she shares the silver screen with an icon for many generations, Cher. When she sits down for Thanksgiving dinner this month, I’m sure she’ll be thankful for these great opportunities as well as being honored with a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.

Though I am a bit saddened by the breakup of her marriage (was I the only one rooting for these two strangers?), I’m glad she’s back in the spotlight. Rocking a red lip on the regular with curve hugging styles, she seems to have figured out the magic formula of being sexy without showing too much (and while being a mom) with every red carpet.
Photo Credit: Phun

She’s not the only one checking the books and getting their study on, though. As mentioned before, green is a very trending color in a gal’s wardrobe, and so Christina aptly had some competition. Kristin Cavallari sported a green mini, which may have outsparkled, but not outshone Christina’s flowy strapless getup. It all depends on what you prefer on your starlet, no?

The two gals stepped it up a notch and had a forest green smokey eye. I am favoring Christina’s for the presence of lime green/yellow towards the inside of the eye (whereas Kristin’s looks like a neutral tone, or just an absence of color).

Who worked it best for you?

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Green Queens

It’s not just the environment that is waiting for everyone to go green – the dresses are patiently waiting too! A fresh color for the fall/winter wardrobe comes in a variety of shades – take olive, bright green, pastel, or a mix of green and blue as just a few examples. Then of course, we have to consider that this is one of those colors to flatter all skin types and body shapes. It has now entered the purple and black group.

Check out celebs Olivia Munn, Rose McGowan, Monica Cruz (yes Penelope‘s sister) and the Hilton sisters strut their stuff in green at various functions this November.

Photo Credit: Phun and Zimbio Graphics Courtesy of MyOwnJudge.net

If you want to break out some green for your holiday camera screen (sorry I just had to make it rhyme), remember that the cold weather cannot get you down. Don some opaque black leggings (or even yellow or turquoise if you dare) with booties or heels and a jacket. When you relinquish your outerwear, the crowd will surely ooh and ahh as if you are the holly straight off the tree. Don’t have any of the sort? Check out the below selection to get your shopping cart rolling (they’re all under $50 to take into mind your holiday shopping list needs).

eDressMe, Forever 21, Nine West, Sparkle & Fade

Plus Dresses by INC International Concepts
Cocktail Dresses by Gianni Bini

All the above looks are below $50 and each image is linked to the appropriate retailer. Anything catch your eye? Let me know!

Do you have anything green in your closet to rock for the holidays?

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NOTD – the cheap nail

The return of the nail! My adventures with nail polish and new ones (almost) every day continues. Check out the photos of all the cheapie polishes (none of these cost more than $3).

LA Girl Matte in what Forever 21 calls Magenta – as you can see, nothing beats a matte like the China Glaze Matte Magic top coat left two fingers with top coat, right two fingers

LA Girl from Forever 21, this is such a gorj color, and probably should have a crazy name, but of course, 21 calls it Blue.

I love how it looks as a matte.
I finally got my hands on some KleanColor nail polish in colors that I liked. Blue Satin has a party inside of it! Confetti and glitter, but in a very not too loud way. 🙂 forgot the name of this color peeps, but if you ask, I shall find! left is no flashI tried to do a finger with Blue Satin over the purple, but it wasn’t spectacular This is Pearl Jungle, a green I honestly don’t think I have come across before (left no flash, right w/flash)
Tried it with a matte top coat, but this is the first color that I can safely say would do without any matte-ifying effects.

How ya like ’em?

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Some Random NOTDs

Hey y’all. I spent the weekend trying to clean up my photo cache as well as post drafts, and I can tell you I’ve really been holding out on you!

As always – my attempts are to stick to a two a day posting schedule, but we’ll see how that goes.

Check out my NOTDs from the past that I forgot to post in a timely fashion, and let me know which colors and/or companies your nails have been itchin’ to wear!

OPI Suede Ink on left Illamasqua in Lament on right

ORLY in Enchanted Forest with China Glaze Matte Magic top coat on right

Essie in Mesmerize with China Glaze Matte Magic top coat on right
sorry for the mess of an application!

Color Club in Revvolution no flash on left and with flash on right

Which one is your fave?

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Nina Garcia at Sephora

http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=myowju-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=0061834017Combining a lot of favorites, this past week I got to meet Nina Garcia from Marie Claire. She was signing copies of her new book, The Style Strategy: A Less-Is-More Approach to Staying Chic and Shopping Smart, and in the meantime, the first 100 (I was #5… clearly I was serious!) got $10 off their purchase and a copy of Marie Claire!

Didn’t hear about the event? I almost missed it myself had I not read my Google Reader updates in time. Check out the Sephora blog daily so that you don’t miss the special events either! (Case in point? Tomorrow, 11/12, all VIB’s will be able to partake in the exclusive shopping event to get some goodies for themselves & possibly friends at a discount.)

http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=myowju-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=0061664618When I first walked into Sephora, I was told that I was the second to come in. I must’ve been misplaced, because when they gave out wristbands mine said #5. No matter though. I just wanted to be in the 100 (which is coincidentally Nina Garcia‘s other book title: The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own). In the time spent wandering, I found plenty items to give out as presents (but did not buy yet) and fell in love with two new polishes from Sephora by OPI. Perhaps you read my Twitter feed and saw me raving? The fab colors are Absinthe Makes the Heart, and Worth My Weight. Both the titles are a little off from what I’m used to, but are adequate in that you can imagine what the color is without seeing the bottle. (Green & Gold) Yes?

Guess who!

My favorite Toledo illustration in the book!

There are few polishes that make me grab my phone after testing and compel me to let everyone know that I found a zinger. No, really. I walked around with my nails in alternating colors just marveling at the upcoming holiday appropriate glitter on my nails. And when I came home? Wore each polish for a day. (All images are maximize-friendly)

…gifts for moi?! 🙂

If you’re better at keeping money in your pocket than in someone else’s register, they’re great as stocking stuffers or mini gifts as well, with their present ready gift tags.

Disregard any indents on the nails. I was way too happy to photograph and caused many a dent before the polish dried. Oh and the short nails? I need to get my calcium appetite up because my nails have gone to the wayside…

Went nuts with the China Glaze Matte Magic top coat as always.

Just as fab with matte coat.

I preferred this one shiny, but the first two fingers from the left are with matte coat in case you can’t see the difference.

What do you think? Like ’em? Have any new favorites?

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ORLY nails

Continuing my nail craze, I have grouped together some polishes with the same company. The ones today are from ORLY. These creams are always kind to your nails and define the word cream. A lot of the time they need a bit of extra maintenance, as they require more coats than usual, but all is forgiven. These polishes are perfect for summer and lighthearted manis, and the darker colors get heavier in consistency as if they know that you’ll be wearing them when the weather drops and will be less patient with coats.

ORLY Enchanted Forest
This is a green shade I am falling madly in love with. It’s like a mudy emerald green and applies like a dream. The color seems to be the type that is the perfect equation for happily ever after with anyone’s nails, and I’m glad this time they were mine. On the right is a matte version (using China Glaze Matte Magic top coat).

ORLY Sol Cabana
A very cute cream sorbet-ish orange. The color itself looks delicate and soft right? Though it has a bit of a sheer coverage issue, I think it works just right. Maybe even with a white puffy jacket in the middle of the slopes?

ORLY OMG
This peachy pink is of course hard to photograph. All the pinks in my life refuse to be photographed. Rowdy ladies. The actual color of OMG is somewhere between the left (no flash) and the right (with flash). Barely lets your nail shine through and conveys the super sweet with a side of sexy. (Hope that makes sense)

I tried to Konad it up with the black Konad polish, and Color Club in Revvolution for the paint splat (don’t like how it came out).

It was hard as rocks to get the lace like pattern apply evenly on the nail. I’m still undecided if I approve. Like it?

What colors do you have on your digits? What colors should I wear next?

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NOTD mashup

As you read this, I will be attempting to be a snazzy paintball shooter. I have never tried, but I envision myself to go in and knock everyone out like a sniper. I might just come back sad and bruised, but as I continue my Nail-a-Day challenge, and try to catch up with the days I owe ya, I’ll keep the digits soft, unscathed, and unbruised.

Want to take part of this challenge? Everyone is welcome – even if you extend your -a-day part with a week or a-every other day! 🙂

Send me your mani pics, and I’ll feature them as part of the challenge. I’m sure by end of each month, I can scrounge up some fancy polishes as a reward for the most original submission(s)! 🙂

Read on to see all the colors that I sported, and let me know which is your fave. For reference, whenever there are two pictures, the one on the left is without flash, and the one on the right is with.

Victoria’s Secret, Beauty Rush in Velvetini
This one is a bit difficult to apply, but I will do a separate review of this line a bit later. The color is very pretty in the bottle and with flash, but extremely hard to capture with either regular camera, or with the naked eye after more than one coat (which is necessary).

Shades by Barielle, in Grape Escape
This one was totally stolen from my fellow Bloggin’ Beaut, Britt from ClumpsofMascara. I knew that this bad boy had to travel to the Big Apple ever since she posted about it, but now I’m not sure if I’ll send it back to the orange state. (Okay I will, relax!). The color is an amazing vibrant purple and is not like any other I have seen.

Shades by Barielle, in Sweet Addiction
Such a pleasant green, that I’m ssssweetly addicted. :)~ Yet another win win from Shades by Barielle. I’m not sure what had my nail lumpy in the picture without flash, but it seemed to have gone away with flash. The green though? Super minty and melon-y. Just enough bright to be reminiscent of warmer weather, but appropriate still to be fashionably forward in the office.

And now this… is just a tease of polishes to come. My other Bloggin’ compadre, over from VampyVarnish posted about these polishes not found in the US, and I was so enamored that I scampered over to eBay to get them right away. I used my Ebates account when doing so, so I already got money back for my purchase, but the polishes are reward enough themselves!

Which one is your favorite? Any requests?

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EOTD/Birthdays

Hey kids

In the month of February, I have been to two birthday parties. Both for cute lil’ one year olds. One for a girl and one for a boy. I find it funny that as I think about these looks they are both using similar makeup. Of course, of course – inspiration boards as well!

Take a look and tell me what you think. Don’t forget about the contest up above y’all!

Olivia’s 1st Birthday

As you can see, I didn’t go over one eye to match the hues, so you have a bright eye and a subdued eye. Oh well – I was late!

Guerlain Eye Shadow Base (got it at Sephora but can’t find anywhere online-stay tuned)
Shiseido Hydro-Powder Eye Shadow (Sephora)
in H14 Proenza Schouler Blue
Body Shop Natural Minerals (The Body Shop)
in 06 Molten Bronze
Chanel Inimitable Mascara (Macy ‘s)
in 10 Black

Blue/Brown – by missyaya on Polyvore.com

Johari’s 1st Birthday

Shiseido Hydro-Powder Eye Shadow as base (Sephora)
in H2 White Lights
Milani Milani Runway Eyes Eye Shadow (Walgreen’s)
in Shamrock
Body Shop Natural Minerals (The Body Shop)
in 06 Molten Bronze
Chanel Inimitable Mascara (Macy ‘s)
in 10 Black

Brown/Green – by missyaya on Polyvore.com

TARDY: Fat Tuesday//Mardi Gras EOTD

So yesterday was Fat Tuesday/Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras (Wikipedia: Fat Tuesday). This was the first time that I did anything or was involved in anything. My coworker treated the whole staff to King cake (another tradition I was unawares to). She also treated us to beads (no topless acts included). The colors of the beads inspired an EOTD – below.

Grabbing the Slice

Makeup Forever (MUFE) Flash Color in Fard Gras as base (Sephora)
Milani E/S Palette in 10 Haute Couture (CVS)
Chanel Inimitable Mascara in 10 Black(Macy’s)
Sephora Smudge Brush #14 (Sephora)