China Glaze - Whirled Away

As you saw in my last review, I recently picked up "It's A Trap-eze" and "Whirled Away" by China Glaze. These polishes are from their Cirque du Soleil collection.

"Whirled Away" is very similar to Cover Band Lacquer's polish "Sticks 'n Stones." Again, I'm glad that a big league company is taking cues from indie brands, which also makes the polish more affordable and easily accessible, but I dislike taking business away from indie companies. It's a catch-22, for certain.

"Whirled Away" has a clear base with large, white, hex glitter. Then there are the little black strips and medium-sized, black, hex glitter. I found the application to be pretty tricky. Because the brush is black, it's difficult to gauge how much black glitter is on it. And because the glitters are so large, you have to think strategically when placing them. As you can see on my middle finger, when I simply brushed the polish on the way I usually would, all the glitter got hung up on the middle of my nail. Part of me thinks it would be easier to have loose glitter and manually apply it.

Overall, I like the look. As soon as I saw it, I thought of the Formica tabletops from the '50s, so I decided aqua and pink would be awesome as base colors. I used NYX Girls "Kinky Pink" on my pinky and thumb. Then I used Sleek's "Turquoise" on my ring finger. Barry M's "Bright Pink" on my middle finger and Barry M's "Flamingo Pink" on my pointer finger. On my thumb, I sandwiched the two polishes. I kinda like that effect, but I think I prefer "Whirled Away" as a topcoat.

Last but not least, it took around 3 coats of Seche Vite to create a nice, smooth finish...which, in turn, made the polish like a tiny piece of armor that came off in one sheet a few days later. :/ Darn that Seche Vite!

It's A Trap-eze, Baby!

This blog is not a cut and dry nail polish review, a few factors came to mind when writing this. (Just so you know.)

First of all, I've been wanting to try a polish like this ever since Nails Inc came out with their "Sprinkle" collection. And there are many indie sellers who have created similar polishes. This is where my internal struggle comes into play.

As an artist, I want to support small, indie sellers. But it's a struggle when there is not enough supply to meet the demand and a lot of these sellers burn out from the rush of business and then fall off the radar for a while. It's tricky, at best.

I can appreciate that China Glaze is taking notice of the indie trends and came up with two polishes that reflect those trends in their new Cirque du Soleil collection. In this review, I'm only reviewing "It's a Trap-eze", but I will be writing a review for "Whirled Away" too.

The polish is lovely. It has a milky white base and is PACKED with glitter. The glitter is made up of a rainbow of colors and various sizes. I was surprised to see it was a shiny glitter and not matte. I've heard this polish described as thick and chunky, but I think that's only as a result of all that glitter!! I really had no problems with application.

I decided to swatch this polish three different ways: on my pinky there was no base color, my ring finger had a link base and my middle finger had a baby blue base. In my opinion, I like the pinky the best. I like the layered look, where the glitter isn't so sparkly and metallic. I also found that the other two fingers did not get a smooth finish, even with multiple coats of Seche Vite...

which brings me to my next dilemma.

For the first time ever, the SV shrank my polish. The middle and ring fingers were the worst, but you can see it on the pinky too. It made the polish look think and awful around all edges. And of course, a day or so later, the whole thing peeled off in one piece. :/

Despite my various difficulties, I think the polish is quite pretty. I only plan on using it over the regular color of my nails and work in light, thinner layers. If you've wanted to try a translucent polish with glitter, but haven't or can't afford to get your hands on an indie polish, this is an alternative.

Saucebox is Awesomesauce

I always keep an eye out for cool, new make-up. Factors I like to consider are: quality, uniqueness, packaging and most importantly, value. As a freelancer, I live the "feast or famine" lifestyle. When times are good, they are amazing! When times are slow, it's beyond sad.

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE color! I love great pigmentation. I've really enjoyed bright eyeshadows by Sugarpill and Sleek. But I've had my eye on a company I've never tried before...Saucebox.

I came across Saucebox via Facebook. The colors looked amazing. The prices are more reasonable than Sugarpill and easier to get your hands on than Sleek, the first chance I could, I placed a small order with Saucebox. I ordered their classic, neutral, Creme de la Creme palette. I also picked up a single shadow they have a hard time keeping in stock. It's a fantastically bright, neon pink called Oh La-La.

The package arrived very quickly via first class USPS. From California, it took 3 days! The box was a very lovely pink and once I opened it, I found my items carefully wrapped in pink tissue paper. Sure enough, there was my CdlC palette and screaming pink shadow. But wait, there's more! I also got a mascara! Very cool! I love extras!

But before I get to the actual review of the products, I want to touch base on something that I take very seriously when it comes to my dealings with companies: customer service. In my eyes, customer service can make or break a business. I bet you think I'm about to go off on one of my rants, but no. I was so pleased to find that the people at Saucebox were so welcoming and helpful. I had questions that were answered thoroughly and in a timely fashion. I established a great rapport with the company representative I was communicating with. It was a top-notch experience...from before the order took place until I received my order. I cannot praise them enough.

Now, for the good stuff!!

The awesome contents of my order!

Creme de la Creme Palette

I found the eye shadows in the Creme de la Creme palette to be very smooth and velvety.  There is GREAT coverage and pigmentation.  The black is probably the blackest black I have ever used.  It goes on evenly and does not require layering, like other black shadows do.  The rest of the colors in the CdlC palette are beautifully shimmery.  There is a gorgeous light color that is not a cool white and is perfect for a natural highlight under the brow bone.  You can see in my swatches that the next to the lightest color almost blends perfectly in with my skin tone.  I love that.  Not only can I use it on my eyes, I can use it as a natural-looking face highlighter too.  The browns are very easy to blend and I love the gray because it is not too cool.  It won't be turning blue on anyone.  I have to say, I think that the CdlC palette is an essential neutral set that every woman needs to have.  It is $35 and can be found here.

Oh my...Oh La-La!

Now, I was SO happy to get my hands on Oh La-La!  This is a color that is frequently out of stock.  It is a brilliant pink.  So very pink, that it is hard to photograph because the camera goes all loopy trying to capture all of the awesomeness.  The color is matte and glides over the skin.  The coverage is great and is not chalky at all.  While it's not for the faint of heart, it is a lot of fun.  And don't forget that it is possible to mix a flash of an ultra-bright color in with a basic neutral eye look and not have the color be overbearing.  Don't be afraid of color, ladies...it's too much fun!!  The single shadows are only $8 and can be found here.

Surprise!  Mascara!

I have not tried out the mascara yet, but as soon as I do (most likely the next time I do my make-up), I will tell you all about it.

Swatches!

More swatches and the look I did with the shadows for Halloween!

In conclusion, what else can I say about Saucebox?   Well, I really really want everything else they make.  I need to possess every eye shadow in BOTH my own personal stash and in my professional kit.  In their collection of single eye shadows, there are many that can also double as blush.  I haven't wanted to gush about a company so much in a LONG time and I really can't wait to get my hands on more products.

So, yes, fine powers that be at Saucebox, should you ever feel the need to sponsor a working make-up artist, then I'm your girl!  I'm not just a blogger, I'm out there working events:  doing commercial work, editorial work, work that gets published, anything I can to get get my hands on faces and make transformations happen!   :)

Jewel Box Eyeshadows by Kleancolor

I recently made a quick visit to a local, independent beauty supply store. I came across a treasure trove of pretty eyeshadow palettes that were inexpensive too!

One of the ones that caught my eye was this sparkly palette by Kleancolor. I got palette 01, which has lovely greens and purples. The color pigmentation isn't the best I've seen, but the shimmer is gorgeous. And for $1.99, I think it's a great find.

Nostalgic Nail Lacquers

There has been a lot of buzz about artisan nail polishes for some time now! Some people call them indie, but since they are hand-blended and do vary, I prefer the word artisan.

I managed to snag a couple of new polishes from Nostalgic Nail Lacquers. I have been wanting to try some matte glitter polishes and I found a couple I really liked from their "Clueless"-inspired collection. I got "Rollin' With The Homies" and "Way Harsh."

RWTH has a clear base with white and blue matte glitter. It applies easily and the glitter distribution is pretty good. I found two coats to be sufficient for good coverage. I played with the color over some sparkly blues, cream colors and even a matte polish. I like the idea of mixing up textures, finishes and colors.

WH has a clear base, with really fine pink and black, matte glitter. This polish took a little more work to get an even distribution of glitter, but it's pretty!  I really love the mix of it and the turquoise nail polish.  Reminds me of the '50s formica countertops.

Both of these polishes dry down to a matte finish.  I had to use a couple of layers of Seche Vite to get a good smooth shine.  

These polishes are fun and creative.  There are not a lot of companies that make polishes with matte glitter.  I have seen quite a few artisans start a business, then get overwhelmed by the high demand for such products, thus creating the need for a hiatus.  It's a shame because once polishes like these do go on sale, they usually get bought up right away!

As for Nostalgic Nail Lacquers, I would definitely use more of their polishes.  The shipping was fast, the items were packed well.  Everything went off without a hitch and you can't beat that!

MUA Love Hearts Nails

This review looked like it was going to be a "gimme."  I love MUA products from the UK.  I love Love Hearts candy, also from the UK.  And I LOVE nail polish.  I ordered 3 of the Love Hearts colors and they are really pretty!  I got "I Want U", which is an orange.  "U & I" is a lovely buttercup color.  And "Love U 24/7" is a medium purple.  All of these colors are creams.

The first thing I couldn't help but notice was that the brushes are not the best.

As you can see, the purple and orange brushes are spread out with strays coming off the side.  The yellow one has an uneven slant to it.  In any event, all of the brushes are very course, which made for not optimal application.  As you can see, with two coats, there are very visible lines in the polish left by the brush.  Once I saw this, my review of this product was over.

And just to show this is NOT an isolated case, I bought a glitter crackle polish by MUA while I was in England.

Part of me hopes this is just a fluke, part of me wants to demand replacement polishes.  These brushes are unacceptable.  I love the colors, but I doubt I'll use them.  And I have to remember that these only cost 1 pound,, about $1.60 or so.  So I suppose I have to remind myself that you get what you pay for.  I just expected more from MUA since I like their other products so much.  

A Brush Is A Brush Is A..?

It's easy to feel inundated with information and confusion when it comes to make-up brushes.  First of all, THERE ARE SO MANY!  You can them individually or in sets.  You can get synthetic ones (also known as vegan) or natural bristle ones.  There a regular ones, travel ones and pro ones.  You can read blog after blog and still not be any clearer.  What one person likes, another person may not.

Honestly, I like to apply my make-up with my fingers.  *GASP*  But brushes are a necessary tool to use some types of products or to achieve certain looks.  My philosophy is simple, I like neat brushes that apply make-up cleanly and feel good on my skin.  I have switched my personal brushes over to all synthetic.  They are very soft, easy to clean and don't tend to get brittle like some natural bristles may over time.

But even with that criteria, I find myself wanting to snatch up every brush friends of mine rave about.  It truly is overwhelming.  So, I have purchased more brushes for myself over the past year than I have EVER.  And here are some of my observations.  Be sure to consider what your brush needs are.  They may be different from mine.

The set that I purchased first was the pink synthetic, Brush Away Cancer set from Crown Brush.  I got it on sale on HauteLook.com.  When it came in, the first thing I was bowled over by was that the brush roll smelled awful.  It smelled very chemical-y, kind of like paint or a solvent.  The outside is a cool-toned pink, faux patent-leather vinyl.  The inside of the roll is a warm, pearly pink, faux-leather.  I actually left this set out for a while so the smell could die down.  The brushes are white with pink tips.  The barrels are pink and the wooden handles are a soft, pearly pink.

This set includes (L-R):  Pointed liner, lash spoolie, brow comb, smudger, lip, 

angle liner, concealer, crease, shadow, foundation, blush and powder brushes.

Overall, this set is nice for the price.  I got it for $25 and I know that Crown Brush regularly has all sorts of fab sales on their site, so you could always snatch these or a similar set up for a good price.  (As of today, 5/7, the brushes are on sale for $23.96.)


The next set I acquired was the Mrs. Bunny travel set by Sigma brushes.  Oh my gosh, there was SO much hype when these launched.  Everyone raved about how cute they are and if you didn't like the colors, they came in the black, Mr. Bunny set too!  Sigma has a great reputation, although I had never used them before so they were new to me.  The first thing that gets you is the price tag.  The full set is $109.  The travel set is  $59.  I got these as a Christmas gift because there is no way I could splurge that much on myself.  (I am too much of a hardcore bargain-hunter.)  I know that Sigma offers a coupon code once month, but it's never going to be a really large discount, gauging from past coupons.

This set includes (L-R):  Large powder, large angled contour, foundation, tapered blending, 

eye shading, small angle, pencil and the freebie blending (not synthetic) brushes.  

The Sigma brushes come in a cylindrical, baby blue leatherette case that has a top that snaps on.  It's a good case for traveling and it can double as a brush holder on your vanity, bathroom counter, desk, whatever.  The brushes have shorter handles since they are travel brushes.  They are also synthetic and very soft.  I can say, however, that the whole pink/blue color scheme was not as cute in person as I had anticipated.  What I do like is that this set left out what I consider to be "throw away" brushes...the plastic brow comb, the mascara wand-style spoolie brush and the worst one of all, the sponge-tipped applicator.  Ick.  Now if we are talking about the metal sort of lash comb, that's one thing.  But these plastic things just don't belong in my brush stash.  It's filler.  A way to make a larger set without the cost of adding actual brushes.

The next set that I simply could NOT resist is the Royal & Langnickel Pink Brush Essentials.  Wow, does this set look cool!  There are quite a few options when buying it.  You can get it in a natural or synthetic set.  You can get full-sized brushes in a roll or a travel set that comes in a bifold holder that folds and zips.  The regular price on these is just under $50.  But they are on sale as of today (5/7) for $29.99.  The synthetic brushes are pink with black tips.  They are undeniably cool.  The brush roll is a hot pink/magenta, faux-snakeskin on the outside and a black faux-snakeskin on the inside.

This set includes (L-R): Powder, blush, finishing fan, eye shader LG, eye shader MD, smudger, concealer, angled brow, detail liner, sponge, lash brush spoolie, brow/lash comb and foundation brushes.

I truly do love how these brushes look.  As you can see, there's a spoolie, a lash/brow comb and the dreaded sponge-tipped applicator.  The other brush I think is questionable for a roll is the large fan.  A roll is made to fold up and be compact, a fan brush isn't.  And this one is large enough that you'll probably need to switch it with one of the other brushes to make sure it isn't caught in a fold.  A fan brush that isn't flat isn't good.  These brushes are very soft too.  But I am going to do some side-by-side comparisons in a minute, which is where I will get more in depth.  

The last brush set I picked up on a whim.  I was in England recently and went to the Models Own kiosk at the Westfield Shopping Center at Shepherd's Bush.  I went to buy nail polish, but I left with nail polish and a cute travel brush set that has 5 neon orange brushes.

This set includes (L-R):  Blush, eyeshadow, smudger, lip and angled liner brushes.

This was around $16.  The color got me.  I'm such a sucker for packaging.  These brushes are synthetic and soft.  But now let's get down to business.

The Blush Brushes

  Top to Bottom and L-R:  Royal & Langnickel, Crown Brush, Sigma and Models Own.

The Sigma and Crown brushes are angled.  As you can see the R&L and the Sigma brushes are the "poofiest." The Crown and Models Own are not as fluffy.  What does this mean?  It depends on how you look at it.  When it comes to shape, some people tend to use angled brushes for contouring, but honestly, you can apply blush to the apples or your cheeks OR create a shaded contour with either brush.  It's a gimmick.  As for the fluff factor, some people like fluffy brushes because they are softer.  Some people like brushes that are more dense because they usually pick up more product, hence putting down more product on the skin when in use.  While the Sigma is really soft and feels really nice, when you sweep it across your cheek, it takes up your WHOLE cheek.  Personally, I prefer a brush I can control a little more.  The size and fluffiness of the Sigma brush means to me that I will not have as much control and powder may "spray" off the brush to places I don't want blush.  The Sigma also had some stray bristles, which I really didn't expect since they were the highest price of the bunch.  On the other hand, the Crown brush is a little too dense.  It brushes across the cheek nicely and it isn't as large, so there is more control.  But the density is the issue here.  It's going to pick up a lot of product and may give you babydoll circles or contouring racing stripes if you're not careful.  The brushes I liked most were the domed brushes...both the Models Own and the R&L.  The R&L is a fuller brush, but because it is a dome, you can easily control how much you are applying to your skin.  The Models Own is about as wide as the R&L, but it's a little flatter and I like that because that makes is a multipurpose brush.  Apply your blush with the wide side and contour with it turned to the narrow side.  Win-win!

Next, let's move on to the angled brushes.  I love synthetic angled brushes.  They are so soft and can create some great, smooth lines for applying gel eyeliner, wet pigments or blending pencil liner to make a gorgeous smokey look.  And they work wonderfully for eyebrows too!

L-R: R&L, Crown, Sigma and Models Own 

There are a couple of things I take into consideration when I am buying an angled brush.  How cleanly cut are the bristles that create the line?  How tapered is the edge of the angled line?  These are important to me because I need to know exactly where my make-up is going to go.  If I have some brush that doesn't have what it takes to create a smooth, thin line, then it's not a brush I'm going to use much.  Overall, all of these brushes have clean angles.  The R&L brush is considerably wider than the others.  That's not really an advantage or a disadvantage, just an observation.  As you can see from the lower photo, the Sigma brush isn't very tapered at all.  I would be more inclined to use this brush for filling in the inner edge of the eyebrows or for blending out pencil eyeliner.  I would not use this brush to apply a gel or a wet pigment as a liner.  While the Models Own brush is slightly more tapered, it would have to go in the same category as the Sigma brush because it's simply not tapered enough.  My first choice out of this style of brush is the R&L. It is the most tapered and the most useful for applying eyeliner.  The Crown brush comes in a very close second.

Now let's take a look at these brushes.  It's a little confusing because some companies call them crease brushes, some call them smudgers and others call them pencil.  They are round brushes with rounded, domed tops. 

L-R:  R&L, Crown, Sigma and Models Own.

I'm going to put you to the test, knowing what you know about me, which one of these brushes do you think I am going to pick as the "choice" brush out of these four?

Give up?  Did you make a guess?  To me, this is very clear from simply looking at that photo.  The Sigma is the perfect example of what this brush should be.  There are no strays, it is dense and the top is beautifully rounded.  Did you get it right?  My next choice would be the Crown brush.  It is a smidge larger than the Sigma, but it is also dense.  The brush is not as tapered at the end.  The R&L and Models Own are in the same boat on this one.  I think they are perfect for blending and perhaps laying down some color on the crease, but I wouldn't use them to create cut-creases or apply shadow as an eyeliner.  They are too flared with too many stragglers on the sides.

Overall, I would have to say that I am most impressed by the Royal & Langnickel brushes.  Don't get me wrong, there aren't any sets here that I downright do not like.  These all are brushes that will get some use from me, one way or another!  One thing to bear in mind is that MOST brush sets you come across are going to be made in China.  This by no means means they are all the same, but I found that once I got these brushes in my hands, there really wasn't THAT much difference between the higher end Sigmas and the less expensive Crown Brush set.  I know both of those are from China.  And when you are buying brushes, keep in mind that they are not meant to last for the rest of your life.  While there are differences in the quality of some brushes, I am simply not finding enough of a variance to make THAT much of a difference.  Again, it goes back to suiting your needs.  And always, always, do your research.  Reviews are the greatest tools out there.  I hope this one has been informative and helpful.  Feel free to ask questions if I omitted anything.

In the future, I would like to try Bdellium's Green Bambu brushes.  They even have a Yellow Bambu brush line now too.  Bdellium boasts that their brushes are antibacterial and that sounds intriguing.  I am also curious about Sedona Lace's brushes.  They are getting ready to come out with a 12-brush set with a case that is like the Sigma cylinder.  The price tag on these little beauties is $79.95 and I'm not too sure what to make of that.  (Although, there are no extraneous, "non-brush"  brushes in the set.)  While you're at it, you can take a peek at the 4-piece face brush set they have in the same color scheme.

So let me ask,  what are your favorite brushes?  Do you go for name brands, generic ones, art brushes?   What can you simply NOT live without?

I'm In Love

I've been on a serious nail polish kick lately.  And I am happy to say that I am in LOVE!  I was recently told about Speciallita nail polishes.  These are from Brazil.  As I scanned their website, guffawing over all of the amazing nail colors, I realized that I HAD to have these in my life.  It was imperative.  (PLEASE NOTE:  These polishes are not 3-Free.  They do contain toluene and formaldehyde.)

Here's the catch:  there aren't many places where you can buy this polish.  The Speciallita website is in Portuguese.  This is daunting to many, but with the help of Google translation, I managed to set up an account.  If you don't have the patience for that, there is a domestic site that has them for sale, look for anything that starts with "HITS".  Here's the difference:  the Brazilian site has the polishes for quite a bit less than the American distributor.  BUT the Brazilian site has CRAZY shipping.  I would recommend it if you want to place a really big order because it does work out less than the American site, but if you only want to try one or two things, save yourself some hassle and order domestically.  (I am contemplating ordering more or even taking orders so I can place one large order at a time, if there is enough interest.  Please let me know if you are interested.)

Now, onto the fun stuff!  (This is a "photo heavy" blog post, sorry!)

I got most of the polishes from the "HITS no Olimpo" collection.  These are gorgeous holographic nail polishes named after the gods of Mount Olympus.  I didn't get all of them because Atena reminded me of another holo I already have.  Hermes and Artemis both have a metallic base with holo and I wasn't too keen on how the swatches I had seen looked.  But I totally snatched up the rest and I am SO glad I did.

  

These polishes have a jelly base and microfine, linear, holographic glitter.  The colors go on smoothly and have good coverage with 2-3 coats.  They dry super-shiny, no topcoat needed.   I can't describe it, but the polish feels good on my nails.  I guess they are so smooth and glossy, it feels different.  I've been coveting Nfu Oh's jelly polishes, but this is my first experience with some and I love them!  I had swatched my nails on a Saturday, with a couple of different brands, but the Speciallita was the only brand to last over a week.  And that is with no base or top coat!

Afrodite is a lovely, warm, medium pink.  

It's unlike a lot of the cooler-toned, silvery-pink holos that are out there.

Apolo is a really gorgeous deep, blue.   I haven't seen anything comparable.

 Dionisio is a royal purple.  

Most of the holos I have or have seen that are purple tend to be muted and silvery.  

I'm starting to sound like a broken record.

But again, I hadn't seen a holo in this color before. 

Now, I HAVE seen light blue holos that are similar to Poseidon.

But since it has such amazing flash to the holo, I decided to get it anyway. 

 I decided to do a side-by-side (L to R) of Techno Teal from China Glaze's "Tronica" collection and Hera and Apolo.

Techno Teal is not a linear holo, like the Speciallita ones, but you get the idea.

 Zeus is black with a gorgeous rainbow of colors!

 I had never come across an orange holo until I found Demeter.

The holo isn't as flashy as some of the others, but I still like it a lot.

I almost passed on Ares.  I wasn't entirely sold on a red holo.

But I was pleasantly surprised when I got it.  It's very pretty!

The next collection I got is called "Mari Moon."  These colors are difficult to describe and impossible to photograph.  If you thought duochromes were fab, then you will be speechless when you see these.  They are multichromatic and look VERY 3-D when you wear them.  There are all sorts of color shifts.  I took many photos...inside, outside, direct light, indirect light...but I was really disappointed that I couldn't catch the true brilliance of these colors.    The color swatches in this blog are KINDA close, but I find they still fall short.  My favorite color of this bunch is Cutie Pie.  As you can see here, there is an purple, blue, aqua, pink multichrome action going on!  It is really amazing.  The other colors are beautiful too and there is something for everyone, but the color shifts in this one make it the "stand out" color of the bunch.

Last but not least, I picked up some of the "Powerpuff Girl" collection and some other odds and ends.  The Powerpuff Girl colors are lovely, pretty much what you see is what you get, but the pink has a lovely pink shimmer and the black, Buttercup color has a green shimmer.  Really pretty!!

The Speciallita brushes are the kind that are kinda flat, so that they are wider and cover more surface area of the nail when you apply the polish.  My only gripe is that some of the brushes are sorta frayed, they don't lie flat and together, there are strays sticking out.    And one of my Blossom PPG polishes has a chip in the bottle.  I haven't contacted Speciallita about it, so I am not sure of what their Customer Service is like, but I will keep you posted.

All in all, when I got these polishes, I thought that I could go the rest of my life and ONLY wear this polishes.  And that is a really big deal for me, since I have more polishes than I could ever wear in my lifetime!