Things I'm Looking Forward to in 2010!

Here are some collections I am dying waiting for to be released! Looks like pastels are all in for Spring/Summer :D





















China Glaze - Up & Away (MID JANUARY)
Grape Pop, Something Sweet, Lemon Fizz, Happy Go Lucky, Light As Air, Peachy Keen, Heli-Yum, Sugar High, Re-Freshmint, Four Leaf Clover, Flyin' High, High Hopes.












Orly - Sweet (APRIL)
Gum Drop, Cotton Candy, Lollipop, Pixy Stix, Snowcone, Lemonade.










Essie - Spring 2010
Lilacism, Neo Whimsical, Pop Art Pink, Nouveau Red, Tart Deco, Van D'go (in order).














OPI - Sweet Pink (actually from 2009 but I won't be getting them until 2010 :) )
Pink Cupcake, Pink a Peach, Pink Caramel, Sugar Cookie Pink (in order).

Zoya Jaime

Goodness knows how long I've wanted to try this. Finally ordered it with the Suedes and I am very disappointed.

I think the colour of Jaime is pretty, just not with my skin tone. It makes my hands look really red and darker.

The formula was OK. Needed 3 coats to be completely opaque and didn't look right sheer as it was streaky and uneven.

Maybe Zoya's Get Even would help? Hmm...

Color Club Blue Light

I have never been interested in Blue Light until Color Club was recently brought to New Zealand. It's so nice to see these in almost every chemist!

They brought the neon's out first (the line Blue Light is a part of), then the newer neon collection that has Pure Energy in them and then the minis! Which are so adorable. Also those Japanese ones are in the mini lot.

Blue Light is one of the very few light blue pastels. I was hoping China Glazes Up & Away collection would have one, luckily Orly picked up on that one.

Blue Light's formula isn't the best, but it isn't too bad either. The first coat was quite runny, messy and a little sheer. But the second coat really gave good coverage and I think the first coat is always the hardest/messiest.

I did a third coat to even it out as Blue Light didn't really level itself out on my nail. You could easily get away with two coats though.

Overall I am really happy with Blue Light and also see that it would be an amazing pedi colour too.

(The first photo in this post is the real colour of Blue Light)

Playing with Flakies, Glitter & Matte!

I was so amazed by mariannaoust's manicure today, I thought I'd have a go too :D

Luckily I brought some awesome polishes home with me for Christmas.

I used OPI Black Onyx as the base colour, then played around with combinations of Sinful Nail Junkie, NFU51 & 61(I don't think I've got the numbers right for the nfu's sorry :( ), OPI Merry Midnight, China Glaze Fortune Teller and of course, Essie Matte About You.

My sister asked me to do her nails like one of these designs for Christmas :D

OPI Russian Navy SUEDE

I think Russian Navy suede was the winner of this collection for me.

Something about it just really glows. It looks amazing in the sun or shade and with different skin tones too.

I will be sporting this one a lot through Summer... actually, all year I reckon!

Nothing different about the formula for this one :D Still consistent with the Suede collection.

Have a merry merry Christmas tomorrow!

OPI Suzi Skis In The Pyreness SUEDE

Suzi Skiis almost came first! But not quite :)

Something about these sparkly, multi-coloured matte grays really get to me. Just love them.

ONLY 3 DAYS TIL SANTA!!

So how're you feeling on the whole matte/suede trend? I quite like it, I prefer the ones that have shimmer or glitter though. I really hope someone brings out summer/spring matte shades!

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark SUEDE

Here's another Suede I really liked. Lincoln Park After Dark.

I've never really gone for the matte or normal version of Lincoln Park After Dark, they didn't really appeal to me.

OMG CHRISTMAS SOON!!!

Once again the formula was really easy to manage, dried super quick and didn't chip that quickly. I will have top coated photos of these colours for you after the last two suedes have been posted :)

I'm so incredibly excited for Christmas! This year the whole family comes to my parents house so we break out the water-slides, treasure hunts and massive lunch... It will be so much fun!

What plans do you have for Christmas this year?

OPI Ink. SUEDE

Ooook! Now we are getting to the good ones!

OPI Ink. Suede. I really like it because it has that blurple quality to it like its normal version.

Same consistency as the others.

Also someone mentioned on the Jack suede that hers chip really easily. OPI advertises that they don't last as long but I reckon if you use your base coat and wait for it to dry then put the matte polish on, it will stay a little longer.

Some mattes chip really quickly I have found like Zoyas first bunch, but for me the suedes were pretty good. I also like Essie's Matte About You matte topcoat. It keeps pretty well. (A post to come on that shortly!)

I quite like Ink suede but not as much as the next suedes coming up!

OPI You Don't Know Jacques SUEDE

Ok so this was the least favourite out of the Suedes for me. It is very pretty though, I'm just not into the browns :)

You Don't Know Jacques now has a third version- Suede. It doesn't at all look like the first or matte version.

The formula is just the same as the others, very nice and easy to use, very smooth too.

What do you think about this one? Do you already have it, want it, hate it?

OPI We'll Always Have Paris SUEDE

This wasn't one of my absolute faves from the Suede collection, but it wasn't completely hideous either.

Just two coats here. Really nice formula to use, really smooth and dries incredibly quick.

I really love the finish Paris has, not shiny but the shimmers really give it an almost foily finish in the sun.

I think We'll Always Have Paris suede is really close to Zoya's Harlow. A few minor differences but that same dusty rose colouring.

Have you tried any Suedes yet? What did you think?

Becoming A Make-Up Artist: Liquid Liner

Liquid liner is quite a tricky part of make-up. It all depends on your eye shape and eyelids.

My eye shape isn't really that great for wearing liquid liner as the top lid 'droops' down when it gets to the outer corner and then the end of my lid only has a little bit of skin exposed.

When trying it on yourself the first time I think there is a couple of hints that would help you out.

1. When drawing the line across your eye lid, don't make the line too curved as your eye will naturally round up the line as it opens.
2. Experiment with what thickness suits you. You don't want it look like you're half asleep lol.
3. Experiment with how the flick at the end will be when you open your eye.

THE FLICK:
This one all depends on your eye shape. My eyes are really round so it is best for my shape if I draw a straight line as the eyelid will automatically curl it when I open my eye.

As with what I did here, I didn't extend the flick longer enough and I didn't get it in the right place. But this was the first successful lining I've done so I was pretty pleased at the time haha.

The main trick is to practice in your mirror whenever you have spare time.

I RECOMMEND:
The liner I used here was MAC's ever so popular Black Track gel liner. It glides on so easy, doesn't smudge and is really great with oily lids. It doesn't tend to flake off either.

Another MAC liner that I have and is good is Liquid Last in Point Black. Its a little bit more tricky for me compared to Black Tracks. I find I always apply it too thick and takes a little while to dry.

The brush I use is a 209SE. From a little gift bag with the Magic, Mirth and Mischief collection that contained the brush 209SE, Black Track, Shimmer-time pigment and a mini Zoom Lash. I find the brush is perfect with its small handle and after using black tracks with it it dries it with a nice fine point which keeps it in great shape.

Zoya Hot Lips : Baby Doll

Don't get sucked in by the cute colour of pink in this tube!

Babydoll applies more like a lipstick in a way. It isn't the least bit sheer.

Babydoll is hard to apply evenly, gathers in places, doesn't spread well.

Please, as much as I don't want you to look at them- just look at the photos. What a mess! What the hell is this Zoya?!

China Glaze OMG

Just thought I should post these before they get forgotten about hehe.

This is China Glaze's OMG from the OMG Holographic collection. It is my go-to holo polish for when I want a holo design when konading. I don't really enjoy wearing it as a colour.

This is just two coats here. It is very pigmented unlike China Glaze Sexagon or OPI DS Shimmer.

OPI Suede Collection 2009

Hey guys! Here are the OPI Suede polishes on a display thing :D

Enjoy!

On the left we have Russian Navy Suede, Ink Suede, Lincoln Park After Dark Suede, We'll Always Have Paris Suede, You Don't Know Jacques! Suede, Suzi Skis In the Pyrenees Suede.

Overall the formula is really good for matte polishes. A little less shrinking with these ones I found compared to the Mattes OPI released earlier this year.

I loved every single shade when I first saw them and I loved them even more in real life :) The finish is so different to everything else and they're crazy sparkly with top coat.

Although I have a feeling Zoya's Loredana may be similar to Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees Suede. There is also Zoya's new matte Harlow which is quite close to We'll always have Paris Suede.

How To: Depot Lipstick or Balm

So my lippie Blow Dry was giving me a little trouble, it was quite mushy and scraping on the edges of the container... So I decided to depot it!

And then I got a little carried away...


How do you depot a lipstick you ask? Easy peasy!

YOU WILL NEED:

• Oil Burner OR Candle
• Lighter
• Big Spoon
• Small Container

STEPS:

1. Slice the lipstick up into smallish slices on to the spoon. This will help it melt faster.
2. Light the candle and hold the spoon over the candle. It can take a few minutes - depends on the lippy. Don't hold it right over the flame so it boils!
3. Once it is all liquid, pour it straight into your container or lip palette and let it set. It doesn't take that long.
4. You're done!

I did a couple of other colours too because having so many different lipsticks in my kit makes it tricky to see all of the colours to judge whats best for the client. Mum and I only picked up a few pots today but I think we will be getting a few more.

Becoming a Make-Up Artist: Glamour Make-Up One

My sister so kindly let me practice Glamour make-up on her as I have an assessment coming up really soon.

This is what we learned as 'Glamour One', strong eyes and nude lips. Next up will be 'Glamour Two' which is strong lips and nude eyes, followed by 'Glamour Three' which is strong lips and strong eyes.

The colours I have had no names! It was just a generic shimmering white, silver and black that was used.

PRODUCTS USED:

1. Soft Ochre Paint Pot (MAC)
   
2. Black Track Fluidline (MAC)

I was quite proud of myself! I know I will probably look at it later down the track and wonedr what the hell I was doing... But I had fun and was pleased with it :)