NOTW: BASKET CASE

for this weeks nails, 

BASKET CASE

finally pictures taken outdoors... =)

here are the things I used:

Nail Magic Nail Hardener & Conditioner as base coat

China Glaze Basket Case n/p

Seche Vite Top Coat

I only did one coat of each... & for only one coat, I say the color is amazing!

& some pictures indoors

please excuse the sloppyness.. I'm still workin on my skills on nail painting... also I did my nails an hour before I went to church... so it was kind of rushed... BUT, a big but!! since I used the Seche Vite top coat, it was very easy to jump on the next tasks right after applying the polish... you can take out laundry from the dryer, take a shower, or whatnot!! the Seche Vite top coat is by far the best top coat I've ever tried!!! it dries lightning fast!! as in probably less than 30, even 15 seconds... a proper review will be posted as soon as I get the chance...  

do you guys have any suggestions on a good clean up technique??? for now I'm only using a (stainless steel) pusher... so if you know any good way to do clean up, please shoot me a message... =) thanks!!

{ EDIT }

March 29, 2010 Monday

(1 day later)

on our way to LAX (airport) to drop off our friend, Keith (who's going for a vacation to the Philippines for a whole month), we stopped by Camarillo Outlets to check out some stores... ofcourse, first stop was the CCO... fortunately & unfortunately, I didn't get anything... but the sales clerk noticed my nail polish... she said she loves the color & asked what it was, where to get it... she was pretty shocked when I mentioned I only applied one coat... she said she is so

buying one...

I also forgot to post this last picture showing my toes... haha...

sorry if it grosses you out! I haven't done any treatment on my feet in a long time now... but don't fret, I bought this little thing at Sally's last week...

the Heel to Toe feels like new foot softener

it was on sale for $1.79(or sumthin like that)... regular price is $4.99 & Beauty Club Card holders get 'em for $4.89... good deal eh?!? 

the foot treatment shall begin.....

LOOT: MORE NAIL STUFF & POTD

I felt so stressed out today, so I did what I do best - makeup then shop! I tell you, it always works!!!!

so here are the POTD's (picture/s of the day).. haha... so I'm makin up my own segment!!

here, I did a very neutral makeup, just what I wear when I run errands around town.... sorry, the picture quality is not that great as I only used a point & shoot camera...

what I used:

FACE

Shiseido day essential moisturizer 

Revlon PhotoReady foundation in 008 Golden Beige

MAC Studio Sculpt concealer in NC30

MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural in Medium

Physician's Formula Light Bronzer

Jane blush in Blushing Petal

Evian facial spray

EYES

MAC Rice Paper e/s all over lid

Diamond Cosmetics Kohl e/l in Black

MAC Handwritten e/s smudged under bottom lashes

L'Oreal Double Extend Mascara in Blackest Black

ELF eyebrow kit in Dark

LIPS

MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner in Strobe Rays

then I went to Sally's & got some nail stuff, just when I thought I was over the whole nail polish phase.... hah!! that's wachu think!!!

I picked up a couple of base/top coats & a couple of China Glaze n/p's... 

the ever so popular Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

- we'll see if it's deserving of all the attention it's getting from a lot of beauty bloggers

Nail Magic Nail Hardener & Conditioner

- I asked the girls there at Sally's what nail strengther she would recommend (coz 1-2 nails always chip on the sides which causes it to get caught on clothes & just anything fabric.. I always end up pulling or cutting it & end up having 2 short nails which is NOT cute!).. she pointed me to this one... we shall see if she was endorsing a product that don't sell or if she's being honest... LOL 

(click to enlarge picture to see details)
Nail Magic claims this product to be proven effective of:
- Thin Nails
- Weak Nails
- Splitting Nails
- Peeling Nails
- Chipping Nails
- Damaged Nails

China Glaze Lacquers

(L-R) Secret Peri-Wink-Le & Lemon Fizz

- the Lemon Fizz is the last one they have on their Up & Away display.. girl said they're not getting anymore from that collection so I just grabbed it... ***sigh*** I am weak!!

BLOG AWARD

awwww... I got my first blog award ever!!! yayyy!!! thanks to the lovely RHiiAN for this award.... you are such a sweetheart! check out her awesome blog here

thank you so much babe!

this is for you sweetie!!!

now it's my turn to pass the love around to these lovelehhh laydehhhhs....

(in no particular order)

1. SOFIA

2. CHLOE

3. ALINA

4. KATIE

5. CHERYL

6. CONNIE

7. GUCCI

8. JANGSARA

9. JANE

10. MEVISH

11. LE MIDGE

12. ZERIN

13. TING

14. NATY

15. MICHELLE

~ the RULES ~

- post the award on your blog

- link the person who has given you the award

- pass the award to 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered

- remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they've been nominated

LOOT: RANDOM DRUGSTORE ITEMS

I did some shopping at Rite Aid coz they had a few BOGOF sale this week... coz ya know! I'm the biggest BOGOF whore!!

here are the random stuff I got:

Wet n Wild lippies

(L-R) 521A & 511B

Cover Girl wetslicks l/g 

Freedom of Peach

"not just a lipgloss, it's a smile treatment!" - CoverGirl

- i love how this guy has some Crest Peppermint Oil in it that gives the tingly feel & minty breath sensation... it's also not sticky unlike most l/g's

~ swatches ~

(from L-R)

WnW 511B, WnW 521A, CG Freedom of Peach

CoverGirl eye enhancers

(L-R) Purple Pop & Turquoise Tempest

~ swatches ~

(from L-R)

WnW 511B, WnW 521A, CG Turquoise Tempest, Purple Pop

CoverGirl eye enhancers

Tropical Fusion

~ swatches ~

Wet n Wild Wild Shine nail polishes

(L-R) Flirty Rose Cre'me, Pink Petal Glitter 

~ swatches ~

(L-R) Flirty Rose Cre'me & Pink Petal Glitter 

- although they look very similar in pictures, in real life they are very different... the Flirty Rose Cre'me is a very toned down baby pink... it is very light in color... while the Pink Petal Glitter is a very Barbie pink... it has brighter tones that the Flirty Rose Cre'me... despite the Glitter in the name, it does not contain any glitters at all... however, they are both semi-glossy... I love these colors!!!! can't wait to wear them during Spring time...

then lastly, a non-BOGO sale item... Nailene topcoat... just wanted to try this out coz I've seen it in a lot of NOTW blog posts lately... 

  

then I went to Walgreens for a few more n/p's... (not on sale)

Wet n Wild megalast nail polishes

(L-R)

Club Havana, Bite the Bullet, Red Tape

~ swatches ~

- Bite the Bullet almost looks identical to O.P.I.'s Do You Lilac It? it's just a tad darker than O.P.I.... my fave is the Club Havana, it's the perfect orange pastel... I love the Red Tape as well... it's not too dark... a little bit opaque & 'neonish'... I surely did not get disappointed with this haul...

& that concludes my BOGOF of the week... I sure hope it doesn't happen anytime soon again... my wallet's sure getting skinny... =(

NAIL POLISH HAUL

my 2nd package from eBay came today... instead of being excited, I realized I'm getting kinda tired of these nail polishes.. I feel like it's overkill!! I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm still gonna wear 'em, it's just that I overdid it these past few weeks & now I'm like 'BLAH' about it... I don't blame ya if you feel the same way, but hopefully not, coz whether ya like it or not, I am still gonna blog about it... who said I'm getting tired of bloggin??? =)

so here it is...

I was pretty pleased about the packaging... now I understand that the sellers are just using whatever box they have available & putting in nail polishes with random brands...

I got 3 China Glaze n/p's

2 essie n/p's

& 1 O.P.I. n/p

I just thought I'd have fun with all the pink polishes I have so...

here is the order

index finger: China Glaze - Shocking Pink (Neon)

middle finger: essie - Fiesta

ring finger: N.Y.C. - Fuchsia Shock Creme

pinkie finger: Orly - Basket Case

1 coat

2 coats

with top coat

then just wanted to try the grays....

on the left side: China Glaze - Recycle

on the right side: Essie - Chinchilly

so far, my favorite on is the Essie Chinchilly & the O.P.I. Lincoln Park After Dark... can't wait to wear these shades one of these days... 

REVLON PHOTOREADY HAUL

I almost missed the BOGO free Revlon sale at CVS for the past week... **gasp** I dunno why I always always wait last minute to do everything... maybe coz I believe in fate so much, the 'if-it-doesn't-happen-it's-not-meant-to-happen' principle... so last night, after taking the kids to Yogurt Creations, the manfriend took me to CVS on the South side of town... walked in the store with a mission, to look for the PhotoReady foundation ONLY... nothing!!! there must've been 3 bottles left, in a darker shade though... I was still calm at this point.... "there's 3 CVS stores in town, I still have hope", I reassuringly thought to myself... it must've been around 8:45ish when I went to the first one coz when we got to the CVS right by my house it was already closed... still calm, still positive, coz if it's not meant blah blah blah... next is the last one on the North side... walked in the store, straight to the 'promotional/seasonal/new items' shelf... there are a few bottles left which are not my shade... at this point, I WAS FREAKIN' OUT!!! I really wanted to get me some Revlon PhotoReady foundation... I mean, haven't you heard about the whole craze on this?? 

without giving me any chance to bite my nails while pacing back & forth, a sales associate walked by, I asked him if there's any more... he gave me this excited-YEAH! (he must have seen like 50 girls freakin out over this this past week..) & lead me to the Revlon section of the aisle... he left, came back after a few seconds, he was gonna remind me of the sale, but before he was done talking, he saw that I was already holding two bottles... LOL.... anyways, thank G! there was still tons of them...

I got the 008 Golden Beige & 006 Medium Beige

I brought my Make Up For Ever HD (#123) foundation & MAC Studio Fix Fluid (NC30) for color comparison... & these two are the closest I can get... I will do another post with swatches & maybe a look using these foundies...

with flash

without flash

with flash

without flash

& I thought this was gonna be a really really short post... LOL

NOTW: EXPRESSO

NOTW:

EXPRESSO

I love this color... for me, it looks like a darker version of OPI's Kreme de la Kremlin...

I love mauvish, brownish colors.. it makes my hands look purrrty... I.M.O.! LOL...

I used the Sally Hansen Insta-Dry in EXPRESSO & Revlon Top Coat

I only applied one coat & it already looks dark...

~A LITTLE REVIEW ON THIS NAIL POLISH~

(I.M.O.)

-the best thing about this nail polish is the applicator... it is pretty wide therefore it can cover & paint your entire nail with just one swipe while providing even application...

-unlike all the other nail polish brushes out there, the applicator for this one is tapered which makes it very easy to get the curves on the base of the nail plate... while you should find that very convenient, you should also keep in mind that since it's very different, it does take a lot of getting used to... but once you do, I don't think you'll ever wanna go back to the traditional nail polish brush... I have already purchased this kind of nail polish in the past, & I really really loved it, so I've kinda gotten used to the unordinary brush...

-hence, the name on the bottle, it is very fast drying... I didn't literally sit there & timed it as it dries, but I would consider it really really fast... what I did try was applying the top coat on the same hands as soon as I was done applying the nail polish on the last finger... & it was ready for the top coat action as soon as I started on it... this product promises a drying time of 60 seconds & I would say that they know how to keep one... drying time could even be under a minute...  

-there's a wide range of colors... you have a choice of up to 32 colors.. click here to see their different shades... I only have it in EXPRESSO & NIGHT FLIGHT so far but will surely purchase other colors in the future...

-price wise, it is not a big difference from the very popular ones, like China Glaze, OPI, ESSIE, Orly & all them other brands... it is priced at $4.99 + tax(@ CVS).. so I don't think it should be categorized as a "cheap" brand just because it is sold in drugstores... based on the quality of this product, it definitely sits right next to the big names....

-when it comes to chipping... there's very little chipping after 3-4 days... but it's been a while since I last used the Night Flight, so I'm probably gonna have to update you after a week...

I love this shade... I've had this nail polish for a while now but just never got to try it out...

upclose... please excuse the sloppyness... I didn't get to clean it up...

with flash

just an update on last weeks nails, SPONTANEOUS... I have got to say, China Glaze is ahhhhsum!!!!! dooooood!!! there's hardly any chipping, very minimal scratches(please refer to the picture below)... long story short!! best quality nail polish so far... now I gotta try the O.P.I.'s & maybe find out if they really are legitimate contenders...

(picture is after 1 week of wear)