Song of the Day

New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve by atrpcevski3 featuring a tuxedo blazer

Holiday Nails with Essie Luxeffects!

A couple of weeks ago, I picked up two of Essie's Luxeffects polishes. I think these are relatively new (they're the Holiday 2011 collection, so I guess that's as new as they could be) and I absolutely love them. Essie intends these polishes to be used a topcoat (which I didn't...Seche Vite goes on top of everything for me), and they add a seriously beautiful effect to any polish color. The two that I purchased are Set In Stones and Shine of the Times. Set In Stones is a silver glitter with hexagonal and micro-particle pieces, and Shine of the Times is an iridescent, almost opalescent flakey glitter. 

Both are stunning, especially when layered over another polish shade; I stuck to dark base shades so that the glitters would be more prominent (Russian Navy underneath the silver glitter, and Black Onyx underneath the gold). I tried to go for a snowflake-y thing with Set In Stones...I'm not sure if it turned out as well as I would've hoped, but it's still pretty. Oh, and excuse me for the sorry state of my cuticles in both pictures - yuck!

I'm usually a fan of glitters only in the wintertime, and I think the new Essie Luxeffects are a really pretty way to make your nails look more festive. Do you like glitter polishes? Have you tried any of these? Leave comments below and let me know what you think! Xx

Katy Perry's hair! Ahh!

This is literally going to be a teeny tiny post, but I just saw this picture and I had to share. Katy Perry recently switched up her hair game (again) and I absolutely love her new look.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not Katy Perry's biggest fan, but I do think her music is fun and I love her creativity. The violet hair was fun and shocking, sure, but this new look is extremely pretty without all of the craziness. She's still got some fun pink color in there, and the length is extremely sassy. Her makeup here is also stunning: bronzy and dramatic, without being cakey or overwhelming (let's face it, Katy Perry has been extremely guilty of cake-face in the past, evidence here and here).

So while I'm not planning on chopping and bleaching my hair any time soon, I find this new look very inspiring. Katy Perry isn't one to stick to one hair style for long, so it's always entertaining to see what she comes up with next. What do you think of this new 'do? Leave comments below! Xx

TIGI Cosmetics, Part 3 - Lip Color

On to the third installation of swatching all of the TIGI Cosmetics I can get my hands on. Today, I present lip colors. First, let's take a looksie at some Decadent Lipsticks! These lipsticks are described as having a "long lasting formula" with "no shine." TIGI also recommends using this color as a "lip stain, blusher, or even eyeshadow base" which kind of skeeves me out. I don't think I'd ever use a lipstick as an eyeshadow base. These lipsticks are super creamy and pigmented, and don't seem to rub off. Bliss, Faith, and Finesse are all amazing. Beauty is the strangest shade; it reminds me of a sheer version of Chanel's Paradoxal nail polish, if that makes sense. The only issue with the lipsticks, and one that might bother you if you're sensitive to this sort of thing, is the smell. They have a very strong lipsticky/waxy smell that you'd probably relate to kids' play makeup. The top photo is kind of horrible, as it doesn't show the iridescent shimmer in some of the shades. Click here to see an alternate photo which showcases this a bit more.

Top photo, from left to right: Decadent Lipstick in Gossip, Splendor, Bliss, Fierce, Honesty, Peace, and Happiness. Bottom photo, from left to right: Beauty, Faith, Loyalty, Power, Passion, Finesse, and Luxury.

Below, Lip Cremes, which contain antioxidants and emollients to keep lips moisturized. These come with a felt tip, twist-up applicator. These lip colors are very creamy, and most shades have some type of shimmer, with the exception of Miami and Manhattan. The formula is sticky and thick, but it doesn't feel uncomfortable. I think these are very pretty.

From left to right: Lip Creme in Maui, Monaco, Malibu, Madrid, Miami, and Manhattan.

And last but not least, Luxe Lipgloss. These glosses are super shiny and moisturizing. The glosses either have a peppermint or vanilla (smells more like chocolate, though) fragrance. Dumb Blonde is a clear gloss, and Superficial and Diamonds & Pearls both apply clear with gold and silver glitter, respectively. Goddess is the only shade that contains no frost or shimmer.

From left to right: Luxe Lipgloss in Superstar, Superficial, Your Highness, Goddess, Foxy, Dumb Blonde, and Diamonds & Pearls.

All of the TIGI lip products are impressive. They pack a lot of color and shine, and they all stay on well. As I said before, the only problem is the smell of the lipsticks, but if that is something you can ignore, go for it! If you've previously tried any of these products, leave comments below and let me know what you think! Phew, I just realized this was a wordy post. 

Oh, and happy Monday everyone! I hope this week goes by fast so we can get to all of the Thanksgiving festivities, hehe! Remember to vote in my poll below, please and thank you! Look for more posts this week on my latest beauty purchases, including foundations, lipstick and more. Talk to you soon! Xx