Fall Nail Polish Picks (Picture Heavy)

[All purchased by me]


Since Starbucks has kicked off their brilliant PSL 10 campaign, the smell (and taste) of autumn is in the air for sure.  I have a thing for vampy nail shades.  I find paler shades harder to choose actually.  That being said, I am wearing the new nude nail polish I mentioned in my last post, which is OPI's Dulce de Leche.  I really like the rosy caramel shade and think it's much better suited for me as nudes go.  It reminds me a lot of Clinique's Curviest Caramel as well.

Berry Shades:

Rimmel Burgundy Flirt 

This may be discontinued, but I'm not sure and it's not the most unique color so no worries there.  Also, the formula chips very easily.  I think Rimmel's new polish formula is supposed to be better and I really want to try it.  I definitely chose this for the color not the formula because sometimes you just really crave burgundy nails.

OPI Casino Royale

This was part of the James Bond collection last year, but OPI polishes are pretty easy to find post collection release.  This color is kind of a twist on the average berry as it leans more purple.  It looks sophisticated on the nails and OPI has a great, consistent formula.

Revlon Scandalous

If cream formulas bore you, this is a cool glitter option.  The purple glitters are suspended in a black jelly base that reaches opacity pretty easily.  For a sparser glitter look, use a black base.  Revlon polishes are also pretty top notch as drugstore polishes go.

Duochrome:

Color Club Editorial

Supposedly a dupe of Chanel's Peridot, I actually wanted to buy it after I missed out on OPI's Just Spotted the Lizard.  A gorgeous blend of green with a tinge of blue and a gold shine.  This is definitely a true metallic with no discernible shimmer particles.

Hard Candy Beetle

Hard Candy recently re-did their nail polishes at Wal-Mart, but I think there is a similar shade still in the range.  This is supposed to be similar to Orly Space Cadet.  This isn't so much metallic as it is a mix of shimmers.  It looks purple and shines green/pink/gold depending on the lighting.  Even though it's shimmery, it's not hard to remove.

Blacks and Greys:

Revlon Moon Dust 

Revlon Moon Dust

 My recommendation is because of the black base since it is opaque in one coat.  It is super smooth and gorgeous as a basic black goes.  The holographic side is ok but the particles are a little too big and don't look a little random on the nail.

OPI The World is Not Enough

Another one from the James Bond collection last year, this was very difficult to photograph. Even searching images online doesn't give you a super clear idea of what exactly this looks like.  I think of it as a dark grey with a silver sheen made up of very fine particles.  This looks really gorgeous and interesting on the nails and I think these deeper greys are great for when you don't want a harsh black.

NYC Park Ave

I think this is great for lovers of OPI's You Don't Know Jacques and is supposedly a dupe.  It's basically a taupey grey with a purple undertone that looks very put-together and "polished" (haha punny).  It goes with everything and is great for sweater weather.

Navy

Essence Just Rock It!

This is a fun navy blue that I got during my "navy" phase.  The phase was short-lived until revived recently with my next pick.  Essence has redone their nail polish line (why do I feel like my polishes are outdated?) and the bottles look different.  This formula does dry faster than the average deep nail polish but it chips easily (all dark polishes do on me).

Butter London Royal Navy

This was part of my first Butter London purchase (along with Molly Coddled) yesterday since Ulta was doing their 21 Days of Beauty Promotion.  It's a deeper navy than the Essence one and I got it since I'd seen it in a trio set years ago.  It's such a deep navy, which is how I like to wear greens and blues in the fall.  The hunt for an emerald polish begins (like I need another nail polish in my life)!  This is the only one I haven't tried since I just got it yesterday but I will keep you guys updated.

Brights

Ulta Let the Flames Begin

I love a true red in the colder months.  This is definitely a brighter true neutral red that looks better on shorter nails in my opinion.  It dries with a nice shine and wears pretty well on me for a red.

Wet n Wild On a Trip

This might be a strange one to wear in the Fall but I think with lilac ruling the roost as purples go in the Spring/Summer and berries taking over in the Fall/Winter, this shade of purple doesn't get it's own place.  It looks great and striking on the nails and isn't as blue as the picture shows.  I've been wearing it as my pedicure shade and really love it.  The formula, staying power and brush remind me of OPI. 


Hope you guys made it through this overly long post and get some nail inspiration!  I didn't really look into what the Fall trends are this year, just went with my personal favorites.

Quick Lip Comparisons:  Things that Seemed Really Similar but are Actually Quite Different

Also, Thing I Couldn't Resist Buying


[All purchased by me]


This is sadly not a "dupe" post as denoted by that verbose title.  I started out with a couple lip products I liked (and which you've already seen many times in this blog) and thought that since these are some of my favorite products of the moment, I should go off and find some comparable products to blog about.  Well, it didn't end up working out so well but I did get a couple of new favorites to add to my collection. 

I thought that (in formula):

Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquers (which go by the much cooler Apocalips in England) 

= 

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream 


and (in shade)

Maybelline Color Whisper in Coral Ambition

=

Dior Addict Lipstick in Delice (I should just stop talking about this already)

Clockwise from Top Right: Rimmel Stellar, NYX Antwerp, Maybelline Coral Ambition and Dior Delice

As you can see from the swatch, the Rimmel Show Offs are extremely opaque much glossier than the NYX Lip Creams.  These Rimmel lip lacquers have the texture of a thin lipstick that is comfortable to wear and easy to apply.  However, these are surprisingly not food or waterproof and last on my lips about as long as a typical bright lipstick would.  The color is a bright almost neon pinky coral with zero shimmer.  I thought these would remind me of the Lip Creams in their pigmentation but it actually surpasses the NYX by quite a lot.  It's a true bold lip suitable for anyone who wants a traditional lipstick finish in a nicer formula and easier application.  The Lip Creams are decidedly matte and you need to build them up for full opacity.  I think the color selection in the Lip Creams is slightly more appealing but that is purely personal preference.

I thought that I would find a dupe for Delice in the new Color Whisper line and this seemed to be the closest pick.  However, it has a much whiter base than the Dior and reads more nude on my lips.  In terms of formula, I think that the Color Whispers are closer to matching the texture of Dior than the Revlon Lip Butters because they are thinner and more glossy.  However, the Dior has more of a balm texture whereas the Color Whispers feel lighter and more "gel-like" as their formula claims. I have yet to try L'oreal's take on this lip trend but will report back if I do on which one comes closest to the Dior formula people like so much.


Lastly, my random impulse purchase of the month (so far) is this Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Candy Coral.  Did I buy it just to try out the cool texture of this product?  Maybe.  Have I seen this in pictures of some pro makeup artists recently?  Yes.  Could I resist?  No.

Beware as this really is not super-pigmented.  It's endless entertainment molding this around the pan but when it comes to getting this color on your cheeks, multiple swipes are needed.  I think using a brush may help but have yet to try that out!

Spring Edit: Part One
[Everything purchased by me, or given by friends not companies]


Spring is in the air!  And even if it's not, it seems as if we're all ready for it anyway.  With the huge influx of Spring related beauty posts and videos out there, I thought I'd join in the fray with some stuff I am excited for as the weather gets warmer and the world gets brighter.

This part will focus on lips, cheeks and eyes with a second post on face, nails, scent and random extras.  

I'm a fan of the bold lip and it doesn't get much springy-er (?) than mixing up a bright lily or orchid-hued lip and making a statement.  The other side of the spectrum that I turn to for Spring is a lightly stained pink lip with a little bit of shine.  These are my picks for this season:

L-R: Milky Tint, Antwerp, Charm, Sweetheart, Charm+Sweetheart

The Face Shop Milky Tint in 01
A cheaper alternative to Benefit's Posietint, this stain has a gel texture and a pretty light pink shade that isn't too light or too dark.  I rarely use this on the cheeks since the area that these stains are first applied tend to stain the most.  It's too much fuss for daily wear so I stick to this for the lips.  The color lasts about 4-5 hours on me, which isn't stellar but I like this mostly for the super natural finish it gives.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Antwerp
This shade is surprisingly bright aside from being an interesting matte texture.  I like the wear time on these, a good 3-4 hours on me.  However, with all mattes, you have to make sure your lips are exfoliated and moisturized before you apply. 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Charm and Sweetheart
I bought these shades together thinking Sweetheart would look exactly like the Sweet Tart Lip Butter which I don't own and thought it would be a good stand-in.  The shade reads much more fuchsia on me than expected so I tone it down with Charm.  Charm is very very Barbie pink, which can look unflattering on my paler skin tone but also pops very nicely.  Both of these are bold colors.  



Next up we have blushes.  I am not super into blushes because most of my acne scarring is on my cheeks and I also have a hard time applying blush and getting it to show up.  However, these two products are pretty much fool-proof and great standard pieces to own for the Spring.

T-B: Natural and Fresh Pink

NYX Cream Blush in Natural
One of my favorite blushes ever, this lends a neutral pink flush to any makeup look.  It goes with cool-tones as well as warm and is just as pretty on the lips as a pinky nude.  The best way to apply this blush is with a stippling brush as it distributes the color really evenly.  I love that this is so effortless and adds a healthy glow to the cheeks.

Merle Norman Luxiva Lasting Cheekcolor in Fresh Pink
The first may be a limited edition product but it's from Merle Norman, a brand I pretty much hear zero buzz about.  I believe it's a franchise of stores that has locations across the country.  Prices are about mid-range to higher end.  This blush is completely foolproof as the color is, again, a very flattering neutral pink shade.  What can I say?  I love pinks for Spring.  It is a great product to use for more intense eye looks as it isn't overpowering.


Lastly, my favorite topic ever! EYES! 

Surprisingly I have very few picks for eyes.  This is mostly because I don't change up my eye make-up too much depending on seasons.  I do lean towards greens way more in the spring but these are more like "edits" and "add-ons" to my current eye makeup rotation.

L-R: I Dream of Greenie, Dystopia and Light Blue 

A better photo of Dystopia

Wet n Wild Eyeshadow in I Dream of Greenie
I bought this shade hoping to find a perfect mint inner corner highlight.  While the top browbone shade does look nice serving that purpose, this palette really blew me away in terms of pigmentation.  The middle crease shade is stunning.  I like any kind of grassy-green shade for Spring.  It just makes the whole eye look fresh.  Another good drugstore quad with similar tones is Maybelline ColorExplosion quad in Forest Fury. 

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Dystopia
A complete impulse buy, this was on my radar for a very long time.  I never shelled out for it since I always thought there'd be a dupe and I had loose glitters anyway.  Well, loose glitters tend to fall out of place while this stays on and on.  The glitter particles in here are a  blue-ish green tinge and the base is clear.  I use a tiny bit of this on my lower inner corner.  This whole green/blue inner corner highlight seems to by my biggest eye makeup edit for this season.  Anyway, I was inspired to be a little more adventurous and add some bling to my look by a Thai makeup artist named Pearypie on Youtube.  Check her out for super well-edited videos.  

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Eyeliner in Light Blue
After purchasing this pencil in Taupe, I stumbled upon this and thought it looked interesting and unique.  Since I already own a nude eye pencil, I thought this was a cool twist on the lower waterline highlight trick.  This doesn't look as natural as nude shades (duh) but it does make a statement and it makes your eyes really pop.  I use it to highlight just my inner corner sometimes and I think it's a fun way to brighten up your eyes when you're doing a brighter eye look (cue Pearypie once again).


There you have it for Part One!  Hold on for Part Two coming soon.