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Currently Obsessed With: The NaNo Procrastination Edition

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Happy Thanksgiving to all of my U.S. readers!  I hope it’s a fun holiday for all of you, and I’m looking forward to all of the food.

I feel like I haven’t done one of these in forever!  The last time I did one of these, I resolved to do them more often but that’s never happened.  Honestly, I feel like I haven’t had enough to talk about as far as non-review posts go.  There has been the occasional cool stuff on the internet post, but that’s been about it.

I’ve been in a blogging mood lately, though.  I’ve been catching up on reviews that I haven’t felt like doing, and in an effort to write something that’s not my novel, it seemed like a good time to do something different.

There’s nothing like procrastination to get me to do something different.  And it is my favorite time of year.

November!

AKA the month where I write a ridiculous amount of words in the span of 30 days.  This year, I’m writing a YA apocalyptic/sci-fi story where alien invasion meets the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse.  It’s going better then I expected, considering I didn’t feel like planning anything.  Good, as in I’ve actually reached 50,000 words!  It’s definitely a year for pantsing it, and it’s been a while since I’ve done that.

My brain, however, has decided it needs a break, so it’s time to catch up on blogging, and I may pick up one of my crochet projects to give my mind a break more of a break.  It always ends up being a good reset, and I always go back to my project refreshed.  I’m hoping it will get me back in the noveling mindset.

I may or may not do some sort of wrap-up post in December.  I’m really thinking about it, because I feel feel like talking about it a little more.  It kind of makes me wish I had a second project to work on but I don’t have the energy for multiple novels this year.  Ever since that one crazy year where I did three 50,000 word novels in one month, I’ve been burnt out on the multiple novels in one month thing.  Maybe next year, I’ll have a smaller project to work on as a break from the main one.

Nail Polish & Skin Care Land

It’s been I don’t know how long since I’ve talked about nail polish, and earlier this year, I was sad to see the Julep Maven subscription box get discontinued.  I haven’t found a great nail polish subscription box to take it’s place, which is sad because I loved getting nail polish every month.

If anyone knows of a nail polish-only subscription box, let me know in the comments!

I have fallen in love with the ILNP brand.  They have some amazing colors, and while I have a lot of purples, they have a lot of other gorgeous colors.  I’m glad I gave them a try, and I’m always looking to see what else I want to try.

I don’t know why, but for some reason, I’ve gotten super-into skincare.  It’s that time of year where I can’t slather on enough lotion, and it seems like my skin is a lot drier than normal.

I’m in love with this 72 hour Hydrator from Clinique, and my face feels a lot more hydrated/less dry since I’ve been using it.  I’m also in love with this lip mask from Laneige.  My lips have been so dry and cracked, and they’re so much softer.

I’ve barely made a dent in it, and I’ve been using it for a couple of weeks.  A little goes a long way, and I like it so much I got the chocolate mint one!  There were a couple of nights where I didn’t use it, and I noticed the difference in the morning.  Combined with O’Keefe’s Cooling Relief Lip Repair Balm (which I actually found at Wal-Mart), my lips are no longer cracked and peeling and super dry.

Speaking of subscription boxes…

There are a couple of boxes that I really like!  There’s the Feeling Fab box, which I’ve been getting for a few months, and I really like it!  It’s a lot of skincare, but they’re more sample sizes, which is good, because it’s a good way to test stuff out.  It’s been interesting, but it’s also been really fun and I’ve found some stuff I want to keep using.  I’m going to have to get a picture one of these months.

I also love the Lit Box from Frostbeard.  I’ve been a fan of their shop on Etsy for a long time now, and even though I’ve only been getting their box for a couple of months, it’s fun to get a new scent, plus other really cool stuff that goes with their scent of the month.  I love that you have the option to get either the candle or the wax melts- I’m a wax melt person, but when I saw they had it, I knew I had to get it.

Other Fun Stuff

I’ve been to a couple of book signings, and I had a blast at both events.

I got The Guinevere Deception signed, and having a new Kiersten White book to read is really exciting!  Plus, Kiersten is funny and her signings are always really fun to go to.

I also got to meet Marissa Meyer, and I had an amazing time listening to her talk about how much her Renegades trilogy changed since she got the original idea!  I’ve been a fan since reading her Cinder series, and I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to see her in person.

Things I’m Looking Forward To

I’m going to Disneyland with my family next month!  That’s the main thing I’m excited about, and I’m glad to take an actual vacation for once.  It’s been a few years since I’ve taken one, and I can’t wait to go.  I’m tempted to take a day and go to Universal Studios for the Wizarding World Of Harry Potter.  It’s not too far of a drive from Disney, so it would be the perfect time to go.  It’s close enough I could make the trip up there if I don’t make it, so we’ll see if I make it over there.

Honestly, that’s the main thing I’m looking forward to, and I feel like I’m missing a few other fun things.  But it’s November, and my brain can only handle so much right now.  I’m going to leave it here, and I’ll be back soon!

Happy Thanksgiving/Happy Thursday!

Nail Polish Talk: December 2015 And The 2015 Year-End Wrap-Up

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Nail Polish Talk is a once-a-month feature where I talk about all things nail polish!

Nail Polish Project- December 2015 Collage

The Week Of December 6: Ilga & Zelda, both by Julep

Ilga is a really pretty red that’s good for Halloween & Christmas!  It’s dark but not vampy.  And Zelda is such a pretty gold!  I need to wear it more often.  It’s perfect for Christmas/New Years and special occasions.

The Week Of December 13: Sienna & Cheyenne, both by Julep

Sienna is another pretty gold, and when I saw it, I instantly thought of it as a classic kind of gold.  Cheyenne is a pretty red, and great for Christmas. It’s one of Julep’s matte metallics, but I thought it was more chrome then metallic.  Maybe it’s because it’s matte and metallic?  Either way, it’s pretty.

The Week Of December 20: Priscilla by Julep & Scarlett by Nicole by OPI

Priscilla is a pretty emerald green, but I found that it chipped really easy- to the point that part of it pretty much peeled off.  It also has really good coverage, which you don’t usually get from glitter polishes.  Scarlett is a pretty red (and like the others, it’s perfect for Christmas), but like Priscilla, it chipped pretty fast, and I ended up taking both off and re-doing them after 3 or 4 days.  I was crocheting a lot, and washing my hands a little more than normal, so that might have contributed to both colors chipping really easy.

The Week Of December 27: Missy & Beatrice, both by Julep

Missy is such a beautiful silver!  I was reminded of stainless steel and platinum every single time I looked at my nails, and I already want to wear Missy again!  I also wore Beatrice, which was a beautiful gold, and it’s classic (it sort of reminded me of Sienna in that sense).  It’s also a really good neutral color.

Maven Box:

I got Cheyenne, Beatrice and Everly.  I already talked about Cheyenne and Beatrice, and I’ll be sure to talk about Everly when I wear it.  It reminds me of Priscilla, but red.  That’s how it looks from the bottle.

Maven- Dec 2015 Collage

Left To Right: Add-Ons: Darby, Shawn, Katie, Sawyer, Maven Box: Cheyenne, Beatrice, Everly

I also got Darby, Shawn, Katie and Sawyer as add-ons.  Darby for sure is an add-on, and I also got 2 mystery polishes, plus a random polish for getting 3 add-ons.  Other than Darby, I’m not sure which is which, but they all look pretty, and I can’t wait to wear them all!

2015 Wrap-Up:

Wearing a different bottle of nail polish was a really fun project, and I’m glad I did it!  I’m such a nail polish person, and when I started this project, it was to work my way through some of the nail polish I had and never wore.  I wore a lot of Julep, but that’s not surprising, considering I get their maven box. I also got the Maven box a lot more than I thought I did.  I did find that as the year went on, I had to look at the spreadsheet I was keeping to make sure I didn’t repeat a color.  And I also found that as the year went on, I did become more open to wearing colors I wouldn’t normally have picked for myself.  Like Ilga, I wouldn’t have worn that at the beginning of the year, but I’m glad I did, because I ended up really liking it.

As for this year?  I’ll definitely keep it going!  I might repeat some colors (mostly around holidays) but overall, I’m planning on not repeating colors.

Nail Polish Talk: November 2015

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Nail Polish Talk is a once-a-month feature where I talk about the nail polish I wore and the nail polish I got.

In November, I wore Star Seeds and Imperial Serpent, If The Shoe Fits, Aubrey, Fiore and Melody and Penny.

Nail Polish Project- November 2015 Collage

The Week Of November 1: Star Seeds and Imperial Serpent, both by Mod

I wore Star Seeds and Imperial Serpent to go with my Halloween costume- they’re perfect Night Vale colors, which went well with my Cecil costume.

I love Star Seeds, and it reminded me of night time and looking at stars! Imperial Serpent is a pretty purple but I didn’t like it as much as I liked Star Seeds. They do have a liquid sand texture, and they chipped really easy- I washed my hands the same amount I usually do, but these 2 chipped more than most of the other polishes I wear. I got them off of Etsy, and I’m really sad that shop has closed down, because I would love to buy more from that shop. So I’m kind of torn about how much I want to wear them, because once they’re gone, I can’t buy any more, bu I also don’t want them to collect dust because I don’t want to use them up.

The Week Of November 8: If The Shoe Fits by Morgan Taylor

I got this one a few months ago and I just love the color. It’s a pretty silvery blue, and it has the perfect amount of glitter. I couldn’t stop looking at it. That’s all I can actually remember, even with the notes I have. I’ll definitely have to check out more Morgan Taylor polishes, especially if they’re as pretty as this one!

The Week Of November 15: Aubrey by Julep

Aubrey is described as a Rosewood shimmer, so I expected something more pink and gold, and this one was more plum colored. It’s a pretty color, though, and there’s something metallic/chrome about this one- almost as if it’s a blend between them.

The Week Of November 22: Fiore And Melody, both by Julep

Fiore is a really pretty brown that’s perfect for fall! One coat is a pretty brown, and two coats makes Fiore a brown-black. It definitely reminded me of coffee!

I also wore Melody, which is a new top coat that was randomly added to my Maven box. It made my nails look very glossy (so it being described as high gloss is extremely accurate) but I thought it failed as an iridescent glitter top coat. From what I could tell, the glitter was distributed evenly, and the bottle makes it look like there’s a ton of glitter, but when I applied it, you could barely tell there was glitter. I’d wear it for the gloss/shine it added, but not for the glitter, which is sad, because I love glitter.

The Week Of November 29: Penny by Julep

I love Penny! The name is absolutely perfect for this color, because it really does remind me of a shiny new penny. I did notice some silver in it, and part of me wishes that came out a little more. You also get full coverage with one coat, which is awesome, because I feel like you don’t get that with a lot of the polishes from Julep. It’s such a good holiday color, and it’s a color that looks great on everyone.

Maven Box:

I got Penny, Aubrey, Jo and Melody, so I wore most of November’s box. Jo is a good holiday color, and it’s a metallic nail polish, so it’s perfect for this time of year.

Maven- November 2015

I also can’t wait to get December’s box- all of the colors are so pretty, and I got a few add-ons.  I got a couple of mystery ones, so I can’t wait to see what they are!

I hope everyone has an amazing December!

Nail Polish Talk: October 2015

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I wore a lot of polish this month: Anisa and Ursula, Cassandra and Logan, Ledi and Margarita, and Brandt and Sabrina.  I went for more Halloween/Fall polishes this month, and since I had some trouble deciding on which colors to go with, I figured I’d pair some together.  A couple of them, though, had a paired crackle polish, which I thought would be a lot of fun to do.

Nail Polish Project- October 2015 collage

Week Of October 4: Anisa and Ursula

Anisa and Ursula seemed perfect for fall/Halloween, and not surprisingly, I haven’t worn them before!  I really liked Anisa, and I was glad that I wore it.  Anisa is really pretty and I would wear it again, even on its own.

As for Ursula, I really liked it with Anisa, and I wonder what it would look like with other colors.  I don’t have experience with crackle nail polish, so I’m not sure how it stacks up with other brands but I thought it went on well.  Some nails had a little bit thicker of a coat, and it was sort of cool to see how how much the design changed depending on the thickness of the coat.

Week Of October 11: Cassandra and Logan

Cassandra was from a recent Maven box, and I got it specifically because I was in the mood for something I don’t wear often.  It was a lot more brown than I expected (based on the bottle and from the swatch on Julep), but that might have been the lighting anytime I looked at my nails.  I really liked it, though, and I’m glad I took a chance on it. It’s a nice, dark color, and it was nice wearing something a little more dark, since I tend to go for brighter colors.

I also paired it with Logan, which was more black than purple.  At least, it looked more black to me, but maybe that’s because I’m not sure what aubergine is as a color.  I did like it, and it’s a good fall color.  I’m not sure if pairing it with Cassandra was the best choice, but Logan is an interesting color.

Week Of October 18: Ledi And Margarita

These two paired well together!  Ledi is a great shade of black- I don’t wear a lot of black nail polish, even though I have a few bottles of it, and I think sometimes black has the potential to look like Sharpie (sort of how white can look like white-out).  But Ledi did not remind me of Sharpie!  There was no shimmer that I could see (even though it’s described as a shimmer).  But it is a good black to have in your collection, because there is something to this polish.

Margarita is a pretty purple, and I want to wear it again!  Together, they are good Night Vale colors.  I sort of forgot I had Margarita, but if you need a good dark purple, Margarita is a really good choice because it’s pretty subtle for a purple.

Week Of October 25: Brandt And Sabrina

For Halloween week, I went with the traditional black and orange, which meant Brandt and Sabrina!

I sort of wish I had one nail that had just Brandt on its own, to get a good feel for the color.  Brandt did go on a little streaky, but two coats even it out.  I think I like it as much as Ledi, but something about it is a little softer, making it a good addition to your collection, particularly if you want black, but something less striking than Ledi.

Sabrina goes well with Brandt, and judging from the bottle, I have worn it before.  But it’s been so long that I remember nothing about wearing it.  As far as crackle polishes go, it was on par with Ursula, but I also don’t have much to compare it to.

Maven Box:

I did skip October’s box, but I can’t wait to get November’s box.  It’s nice to be getting a Maven box, since I’ve skipped a lot of them this year, having skipped so many, it feels a little weird to be getting it.  I can’t wait to share the box with everyone!

Happy November!

Nail Polish Talk: August 2015

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Nail Polish Talk is a once-a-month feature where I talk about the nail polish I wore and bought over the last month.

Nail Polish Project- August 2015 Collage

This month, I wore Lilou, Danica, Alicia & Maren, Rose and Chloe, all from Julep.

The Week Of August 2: Lilou by Julep

I LOVE Lilou!  It’s such a pretty shade of yellow, and I want to wear it again.  It’s definitely a keeper! It is a pretty thin polish, and it did go on a little streaky.  And it was a sheer as well, at least in the first coat.  But it does even out with a second coat. You’d think by now I’d be better with applying nail polish but apparently not.

The Week Of August 9: Danica by Julep

Danica is such a pretty violet, and if you want something a little more sheer, one coat is definitely enough! Otherwise, two is more than enough if you need something with a little more coverage.  I found the description of blue violet to be a little odd, because blue didn’t come through for me at all.  I would wear it again.

The Week Of August 16: Alicia by Julep

I definitely veer towards blue, purple and green, as far as colors go.  And I wasn’t sure about Alicia when I got it in July’s Maven box, but I liked it a lot more than I ever thought I would.  It’s a pretty coral, and peach came to mind as far as colors go.  I would totally wear it again, and I’m glad I got it! Like Lilou, the first coat was uneven and it was a little streaky, but that did even out.  2nd coats are magic, I swear.  It was also a little thick, but it worked out.  I also wore it under a coat of Maren, which is a really sheer bubblegum pink.  It turned out better than I expected, and made it more pink. I really need to try this layering thing more.

The Week Of August 23: Rose by Julep

I really was in a mood for red…really, anything not purple, blue or green.  And Rose isn’t a color I normally wear (for some reason, red isn’t a color I typically wear) but after wearing, I wondered why I don’t wear it more often!  It’s such a pretty watermelon red, and it went on really well- it wasn’t streaky or uneven, and it dried really fast.  I am determined to wear this color more often.

The Week Of August 30: Chloe by Julep

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to talk about this week’s polish in this post, or if I wanted to wait but I decided to talk about it this month.  But I decided, why not talk about?  I really liked Chloe, and for whatever reason, I don’t wear a lot of brown.  But I really liked it, and it’s such a warm shade of brown.  And it’s really pretty.  I don’t know why I don’t wear it more- I wouldn’t mind wearing it again.  It went on really well, and you get really good coverage with one coat- I did two, and found that the second coat added a little something special to it, but you could definitely get away with one coat.

August Maven Box + September’s Box:

I did skip August’s box, since I liked the colors but not enough to go for the box.  I am excited about September’s box, because I got a couple of colors I wouldn’t have picked last year…or even a few months ago, but I really wanted something I wouldn’t normally pick out.  I can’t wait to see how they look!

Happy September!

Nail Polish Talk: July 2015

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Nail Polish Talk is a once-a-month feature where I talk about the nail polish I wore and bought that month.

So, for July, I wore Linden, Jacqueline, Joyce and Princess Grace.  It didn’t occur to me to wear something for the 4th of July until after the 4th of July, otherwise I would have done something patriotic.

Nail Polish Project- July 2015 Collage

The Week Of July 5, 2015: Linden

I wore Linden by Julep, which I really liked!  It reminded me of a pool of water (really, any body of water), and it was darker and more grey than I expected.  It looked a little bit lighter in the bottle and slightly different on the website (which I never fully trust, because it could just be my computer screen).  And it did go on a little thick, but it did even itself out after a couple of coats.

The Week Of July 12 2015: Jacqueline

I really like Jacqueline!  It definitely lives up to the description of bright grenadine shimmer, and it’s really pretty and bright, and I just want to look at it all the time because it’s so pretty.  Never have I wanted to repeat a color more than this one!  It’s a good summer color, but it would also add a nice splash of color during the fall or winter (especially if you live in a place that actually has seasons).

The Week Of July 19 2015: Joyce

Joyce is such a good Christmas red!  And a few days in, I remember I was going to wait until around Christmas time to wear it, but it’s too late for that now.  (I do have a few other reds that will work for Christmas, so it’s not too bad). But it is a pretty red, and for whatever reason, I was in the mood for this shade of red.

The Week Of July 26 2015: Princess Grace

This is one of my favorite colors- I kind of forgot how pretty and spring/summer-y it was until I wore it.  It did go on a little thick and goopy (more than I remembered) and the first coat was a little streaky, but that evened itself out with a 2nd coat.

Maven Box:

I opted for the mystery box (which caught my eye after not liking any of the nail polish/beauty products offered, and kept me from skipping this month).  I also got a couple of add-ons, which I don’t normally do, but I had some Jules (their rewards points system)  saved up, so I used it for that.

Maven- July 2015 Collage

First, the mystery box.  This is the 2nd mystery box I got from them, and I was pleasantly surprised!  I was nervous going in, because I had no idea what colors I was getting.  So I wasn’t sure if I’d get any duplicates (just one) or if I’d get colors I liked.

This month’s box had 5 colors:

  • Hazel, which I wore a few weeks ago, and liked, so it’s good to get a color I know I love.  The fact that I never finish a bottle of nail polish is a completely different story.
  • Sienna, which I really like!  I’m looking forward to wearing it a lot.
  • Drew, which I like (and can see myself wearing) but I don’t know that it’s a color I’d pick on my own.
  • Ali, which is a really soft mint.  This is a color I’d probably pass on, if given the choice.  I’m really pale (the sun is not my friend, but sunscreen is) and while Ali will probably be fine, I have the feeling it will look a lot better on someone who has the ability to tan.  I’ll definitely give it a try though.
  • Alicia.  It’s a salmon color, and like Ali, it’s probably a color I’d pass on if I had the option of picking.  And like Ali, I’ll give it a try.  Who knows, maybe I’ll really like it!

Now, the extras:

  • Danica, which looks much more violet in real life, and has a lot more shimmer.  Like Sienna, I can’t wait to wear it.
  • Oxygen Bonding Base Coat.  I feel like I’m always trying out new base coats, but I was intrigued by this one, since it’s supposed to help your manicure last longer.  That’s always good.  And my nails have a tendency to crack and peel (no matter how hard I try to not wear nail polish for a week, it never seems to work), so hopefully this will help make them a little bit healthier!  I did get a chance to wear it (starting with Jacqueline) and it help better than expected.  My index fingers had their normal amount of chipping (on one side and after a couple of days) but the rest of my nails didn’t start chipping until the end of the week. And even then, it was the tips and not super-noticeable.  All in all, I’m pretty happy with it so far!

Looking Ahead At The August Maven Box:

I skipped the August box because while I liked a couple of the colors, I don’t know that I liked them enough to get the box.

Happy August!

 

Nail Polish Talk: The June 2015 Recap

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Nail Polish Talk is a once-a-month feature where I talk about all things nail polish- from the colors I wore to the colors I got.

In June, I wore Nellie (with Adele as a top coat), Octavia, Sam, Farrah, and Hazel.

Nail Polish Project- June 2015 Collage

Technically, Nellie (by Julep) was a May color, since it was the week of May 31, but I decided to talk about it in June, since most of the week happened in June.   I love Adele (also Julep), which is one of my favorite top coats, and I wish it weren’t a retired color, because that makes me not want to wear often because I don’t want to run out of it.  I wasn’t sure about Nellie, because it’s fuschia, and fuschia is not a color I normally go for.  But I liked it a lot more than I expected, especially with Adele on top!

I also wore Octavia (Julep), which I like!  It’s a dark indigo, but pretty, and I really want to wear it again.  Other than that, I don’t have anything else to say about it.

Next was Sam (it’s Julep, and part of June’s Maven box, so we’ll talk about that later).  It reminded me of a highlighter, and it was more green than it was yellow.  I like it, but I didn’t love it, and I might wear it again.  It’s described as limeade, which is fairly accurate, but on the website, it did look more yellow, so I was surprised that it was more green with some yellow.  What I also thought was interesting was that depending on the light, it sometimes looked more yellow, and sometimes it looked more green.

I also wore Farrah, which I wasn’t sure about at first, but I actually ended up liking it a lot.  It is pretty muted, which I have a tendency to not do with my nails as far color goes.  It’s more grey/stone-colored than lilac, and it goes on very sheer.  It took me three coats to get the color you see in the picture, but two would work if you wanted more coverage.  One would work if you just need a little bit of color or if you need something neutral.  I think, if you work in a place where something like Sam wouldn’t go over well, Farrah actually would work.  I was surprised that it was probably Wednesday before it chipped a little (Thursday the chipping was much more noticeable), considering I had a couple layers of base coat, three of Farrah and a top coat, and overall, it also a pretty forgiving color so if you mess up, it’s not obvious.  It doesn’t look great with pale skin, but again, if you need something neutral/muted, this is a good choice.

And lastly, I wore Hazel (not surprisingly, it’s by Julep).  So, it’s supposed to be a bronze/violet duochrome, but unfortunately, the bronze didn’t show up when I actually put it on.  You could see a little bit of it in the bottle.  It looked pretty, and I really felt like that this week, so that’s what I went with.  I can’t stop looking at it, and I’m glad I wore it because I want to wear it again!  It kind of reminds me of that gold leaf stuff but in purple.  And it’s shiny, which can be really distracting but I don’t care, because I love it!

Maven- June 2015

As for the Maven box, I got Sam, which I already talked about.  I also got Isabela and Jacqueline.  Sam is the only one that was in my usual It Girl box, but I wasn’t into the other two colors, which worked out well, because I really liked Isabela and Jacqueline.  I hope they’re as pretty as they look.

July’s box should be interesting since I opted to get the mystery box they had!  I’m a little nervous about it, but it was either than, or opt out since I wasn’t too into the colors (or the beauty products they had for the month).  I also got a couple of add-ons, which is rare, but I really need a base coat, and one of the colors looked pretty, so I figured I’d go for it, especially since I had some Jules that I could use.  I like their version of a rewards system, and once or twice, I’ve had enough to get a free box or two…not lately, of course, but maybe I’ll get to the point again someday.  I really can’t wait to see what I end up getting!

Happy July!

Nail Polish Talk: May 2015

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In May, I wore Ryan by Julep, Big Hair, Big Nails by OPI, Margaret by Julep, and Lissa by Julep.

Nail Polish Project- May 2015 Collage

First, I wore Ryan by Julep, with Braiden as an accent nail.  I really liked Braiden, which is Julep’s version of the liquid sand nail polish.  I really liked the texture, but not wearing a top coat with it is weird.  I did eventually put one on, because this type of nail polish tends to chip pretty fast in my opinion, especially when you wear it on an index finger.  I really liked it as an accent nail.  I also wore Ryan as my main color, and while I liked it- it reminded me of the dull side of a ribbon, and I really liked that for some reason- I also thought that it was a little dull and needed something to liven it up.  Granted, it’s a satin finish, and it’s more matte than anything else, but maybe it was the shade?  I’d definitely wear Braiden again, but I’m not sure about Ryan.

I also wore Big Hair, Big Nails by OPI, which is pink, and that’s normally not a color I go for.  It is a pretty color, but I found that you need to have perfect nails for this shade because it’s not very forgiving.  It definitely shows any imperfections you have. I’m not sure if I’d wear it again- if I do, it’ll probably be as an accent nail or I’ll use it for nail art or maybe wear it with some glitter on top.

Next is Margaret by Julep, which is one of my favorites I’ve worn so far.  It’s a pretty pastel blue, and while pastel normally isn’t my thing, I really like this shade of it!  It would also look awesome with glitter nail polish on it.  Then again, I think glitter makes everything more awesome, so maybe I’m not the best judge of that.  But with creme nail polishes, sometimes the polish needs a little something extra, but this one doesn’t!

Last week, I wore Lissa by Julep, and I wore Kaleidoscope on top.  Kaleidoscope is one of those holographic glitter top coats, so it added some subtle shimmer, while allowing Lissa to shine through.  Lissa is a pretty turquoise, but more on the green end of turquoise.  I liked it though, and I think it’s another one of my favorites so far.

I opted to not do the week of May 31 for this post, because I’ve found that I need more than a day or two to really see how I like it and what I really think of it, since it has a tendency to change over the course of the week.  Besides, most of the week will be in June, so in my mind, it counts as a June week.

I didn’t get any new nail polish, and I did opt out of May’s Maven box, but I did get June’s box, so I’ll have more on that next month.  It feels like it’s been a while since I’ve received one.

Probably because it has been a couple of months.  But I’m really glad that I have the option to customize my box, because I didn’t really like a couple of the colors, and thankfully, there were a couple of ones I really liked, so swapping in was easy this month.

Happy June!

Nail Polish Talk: April Was…Interesting

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Nail Polish Talk is a once a month feature where I talk about my adventures in nail polish.

I think I want to do nail polish talk as a monthly thing, since that’s where it seems to be going.

This month, I wore Harriet from Julep, I did some ombre nail art with Rich In Color and A Lit-Teal Bit Of Love (Nicole by OPI) and Dining Al Frisco (OPI), Tammi by Julep and Peace & Love & OPI by OPI.

Nail Polish Project- April 2015 Collage

I really liked Harriet, and it’s such a pretty coral.  It’s definitely good anytime of year but especially during spring and summer.  I used Lilou and for the dots, and the white was part of a nail art kit.  I didn’t like how they turned out, but I seem to have better luck with dots than with stripes.  Maybe I’ll better luck if I use something like washi tape?

I’ve wanted to do something ombre for a while, and while I’ve done a sort-of ombre thing with a different shade of one color before, I’ve never done a couple of colors on each individual nail.  I went with Rich In Color from Nicole by OPI, Dining Al Frisco from OPI and A Lit-Teal BIt Of Love from Nicole by OPI.  Dining Al Frisco didn’t show up on its own, but I do think it blended in with the other two colors really well.  It was really hard to get a good picture of what it really looked like, and unfortunately, that picture was the best I could do.

It was my first time doing an ombre effect on one nail and it was pretty messy!  I did like using a sponge make-up wedge, and I found that pouring out a little bit of nail polish at time was a really good idea, otherwise the nail polish dries after a while.  I definitely picked the wrong kind of nail polish for it, because chrome/metallic nail polish, especially when you have two on one nail. I think next time (and there will be a next time) I will not do two chrome/metallic colors together.

I really had to decide if I wanted to count them or not.  So, once I wear a color, that’s it for that bottle.  And as much as I want to stick with that, I also felt like I couldn’t really get a good feel for either color, and part of why I’m doing this is to figure out which colors I would wear again.  It feels weird to re-think this but I also didn’t take nail art into consideration.  Like, do I want to count colors I use for things like dots and stripes?  It’s not enough to get a good feel for the colors, and I honestly couldn’t give my opinion on the colors I used, but there’s a part of me that feels like I’m cheating.

I’m not completely sure what my final decision is, but I think for now, it won’t count.  And that the “rules” may change over time.

Anyway, I also wore Tammi by Julep, which I really liked.  It’s a fun yellow/green, and while it’s good for spring and summer (which seems to be a few of the colors I’ve worn lately), it would also be good during winter for a fun splash of color.

The last color of the month was Love & Peace & OPI, which I really liked!  It’s a duchrome, and I like that it goes back and forth between purple and a gray-green sort of color.  I can’t stop looking at it!  I liked it enough to buy, and then I wasn’t sure about it, but now that I’m wearing it, I think I made a good choice!

I skipped the April Maven box, mostly because I need a nail polish break (and I did buy a couple of bottle of nail polish but I’ll talk about that in a little bit).  More specifically, I think I needed a Julep break.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Julep, and I think it’s awesome that there are curated nail polish boxes, but I just needed a skip. Which I also did for May,  but that’s because the colors reminded me a little too much of colors I already have…and wasn’t into enough to get.

Nail Polish- April 2015

I did end up buying the Morgan Taylor Cinderella nail polish I was talking about last month.  I got Best Ball Gown Ever and If The Slipper Fits, which is part of the Cinderella collection they have.  I got them as a duo boxed set, because for some reason, I couldn’t buy them individually (but it worked out to the same price, so it didn’t really matter if I got them separately or together).  Right off the bat, they seem perfect for winter, and I think it’s because of the different shades of blue.  I can’t wait to wear them!

Have an awesome May!

Nail Polish Talk: So Many Thoughts About March 2015 Nail Polish!

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I thought I’d do another nail polish specific post, because I have so much to talk about!

I wore Julep’s Something Blue, Leah, Payton (with an Essie Lux Effects top coat) and OPI’s No Room For The Blues.

Nail Polish Project- March 2015 Collage

I don’t know how I feel about Something Blue.  It’s a pretty shade of blue, and it would look great as a back-drop for nail art.  I think I like it better as an accent nail if I do it on its own, maybe my entire hand if there’s something glittery on top.  I will say that there were weird patches where it didn’t cover my entire nail, and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t how I put it on, because it’s the same way I always put on nail polish, and there’s never been weird strips in the middle of my nail with no polish on it.  It’s not streaky, so maybe it’s the brush or something?

I really like Leah and Payton, which are really good colors for St. Patrick’s Day (and also the reason why I wore them).  I really liked Leah, and it’s also a really pretty green for spring and summer.  I also really like Payton, which I wore with Essie’s luxeffects in Summit Of Style.  Payton is streaky and needs a couple of coats to not only even itself out but for you to really see the pretty Kelly green that it is.  Since I wore Payton the week of St. Patrick’s day, I knew something gold was in order, and I ended up wearing the Essie top coat over it.  I really hate the brush, and I felt like I had to apply the gold glitter in strips.  But I really liked how it didn’t feel glittery, even though it was, and it would be really good at Christmas/New Years.  Like most glitter nail polish, it’s a pain to remove, but I always seem to forget that when I’m wearing it!

OPI’s No Room For The Blues seemed like a good Spring/Easter blue, and it sort of reminds me of Something Blue.  I also wanted to do a little something to jazz it up, so I added some stripes.  The ones on my right hand ended up a little weird, partly because I don’t usually do stripes or dots or anything so I’m not that good at it, and partly because I’m left-handed.  The ones I did with my right hand aren’t that much better, but they are a little bit better.  I do feel the same way about No Room For The Blues that I do about Something Blue.

Maven- March 2015

I got the Julep mystery box, and while I wasn’t sure about getting it, I was actually really happy with it overall!  I ended up getting a couple of duplicates- Dawn, which I wore a few weeks ago, and Candace, which I forgot I had until I did an inventory of my nail polish.  We’ll get to that later.

I also got Beth, Sharna and Ilga, and Ilga is the only one in the box I wouldn’t ordinarily go for it.  It’s a really good Halloween red, so I’m pretty wear it sometime in October.  And Beth and Sharna are up my alley, even though Sharna was in a Maven box that I skipped a few months ago.

I ended up doing an inventory of the nail polish I have.  I have a lot (especially of Julep) and figured it might be nice to have an inventory of what I have.  I’m glad I did, because that’s how I figured out I had Candace already.  And it’s much easier searching a spreadsheet than it would be to look at every single bottle in my nail polish caddy.  Seriously.  The only thing will be making sure I keep it updated, but I don’t think it’ll be that much of an issue since I tend to stick with Julep these days.

I did end up skipping March’s box, mostly because I really needed a break from getting nail polish.

Nail Polish- March 2015

And I have a few other nail polishes to talk about!  I got Brigitte in the Maven secret store, plus a couple of base coats, another OPI nail polish, and the Essie top coat.

I’m on a base coat kick, and I’m trying to find a few different ones I like.  My nails do need a little bit of strengthener sometimes, so I usually use one of those, but I was intrigued by the idea of a super-sticky base coat, so we’ll see how well that works out.  And I haven’t worn Brigitte, but I definitely wanted a white-white nail polish.  And the new OPI one looked interesting.  I also have my eye on a couple of the Morgan Taylor Cinderella collection polishes so I’m hoping that I have a chance to get them before they go!  I know I said a couple of paragraphs ago that I needed a nail polish break.  But Julep will always be there, while these Morgan Taylor ones will probably be a limited edition sort of thing.