ZARA Online Sale

The Zara Sale has started online and will start in stores today. I just wanted to share some of my favorite dresses on sale with you. You can find them at the links provided or search the Zara website for yourself. Just head to zara.com.

$69.99 down from $99.90
Whether you want a slightly dressy outfit for warm, outdoor summer parties or just want to stock up on 1920s pieces before The Great Gatsby film possibly ushers in a new trend, this is a sweet, effortless option.
http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/us/en/zara-us-S2012-s/244886/713547/EMBROIDERED%2BDRESS%2BWITH%2BFRILLS


$99.99 down from $169.00
This strikes me as a perfect choice for a more casual garden or beach wedding, especially if you're trying to save money and maybe go more DIY with decor.
http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/us/en/20551/189503/715026/EMBROIDERED+TULLE+DRESS


$59.99 down from $99.90
I might snatch this one up if I like the way it fits in store. It looks a little heavier, like it might be more of a spring dress but it's in a very flattering silhouette and I love the colors in the pattern.
http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/us/en/zara-us-S2012-s/244886/798013/FISH%2BPRINT%2BDRESS


$59.99 down from $89.90
Again, this is a personal favorite. It's deceptively simple and very feminine with a flirty cut to the skirt and a lovely low back.

Happy Shopping!
Cat

REVIEW of Zoya Dovima with SWATCHES

Hello chickadees!

As much as I have some compulsive collecting and organizing tendencies, my world is fairly disordered and illogical. As such, I decide to paint my nails black at the start of summer. That, and I was obsessing over Zoya's Dovima for quite a while before picking it up in a big Zoya haul during a previous promotion. All in all, I was a teensy bit disappointed but I still liked the polish. Enough of my vagueness. Let's get into the specifics.

Finish: Dovima is one of Zoya's matte nail polishes. With a glossy top coat like Seche Vite you can transform it into a creme polish with microglitter.

Color: I'd say Dovima is more of an off-black nail polish. To me, a black nail polish is the kind of deep, glossy color I used to wear on my talon-like nails back in high school. Whether in its matte or nonmatte form, Dovima doesn't read to me as a true black. It has very fine microglitter but that doesn't come across when it is matte and only occasionally comes across with a shiny top coat. Basically, I only saw it in direct sunlight and with the really bright lighting in my bathroom. The color did bring out the yellow and red undertones in my skin in certain lighting so that might be something to watch out for as well.

Application: Dovima was fairly easy to work with. As a matte polish, it dried pretty quickly and it was easy to tell when it was dry because of the matte finish. I didn't really experience this with Loredana (the other Zoya matte polish I tried) but it seemed like it was drying so quickly that I didn't always have time to work with the polish to even it out before it had dried. I think painting thin coats with an even hand, you should be fine. The polish glided on nice and smoothly. It just wasn't always even because of where the brushstrokes overlapped. However, I will note that when you put on a glossy top coat you don't see any of those imperfections. It evens out perfectly.

Wear: I kept Dovima on for a couple of days. Generally, I don't have a problem with getting polishes to last. Usually my nails will grow out in 1-2 weeks and that's why I'll remove the polish. I think there have only been 2 polishes I've ever used where I've had wear at the tips. Sometimes the polishes will pick up smudges very easily. My problem with Dovima was different. I wore it for the majority of the time with Seche Vite as a top coat and noticed one day that either looked like paint or a stain or a scuff mark. I haven't been painting for months so I'm guessing paint came off of something I touched or it was a scuff mark. Anyway, it didn't wash off and I couldn't scratch it off and I could have fixed it with another layer of polish but I didn't want to just cover it up. I just thought I'd let you know in case it was a scuff mark in which case this might not be the best polish for anyone who works with their hands a lot.

Availability: Last time I checked, I couldn't find it on the zoya website but I know there are some sellers on amazon.

SWATCHES

Thoughts on Life...The Absence of Feeling

Hi guys,

I know it's been a while since I've written a post like this. Basically, I've kind of morphed into a full time fashion/beauty blogger. And I know this isn't a true return to form as I'm writing about what I'm thinking and not specifically about the act of writing. But, you know, what the heck. It is my blog, right? :)

Do you ever get the sense that if someone were to ask you how you're feeling, you wouldn't know how to answer? Now, don't go psychoanalyzing me. I don't need a diagnosis. I'm just a little, well, I guess maybe I'm a little burned out. And perhaps I'm trying to avoid a few things. I don't know. Usually I work this kind of thing out in my writing (I mean my fiction writing) but I just wanted to chat a bit. To you, whoever you are, out there. Hi!

I just get a little tired sometimes. And scared. And lonely. And I suppose it's easier to put roadblocks in the way of your own happiness and success than to confront that fear and loneliness and do something about it. I remember hearing somewhere that the easiest thing to do is the thing you're already doing. Hopefully that's not from a terrible Lifetime movie. I have sort of terrible viewing habits when I'm feeling sentimental.

Anyway, I don't know why I'm writing. I guess maybe I just needed to work this all out to myself as a little reminder that you don't get anything in life by hiding away and avoiding the things that feel scary. Even if you walk outside and it starts raining, and I mean pouring, and thunder is rumbling every step of the way, what are the chances you'll be struck by lightning? I think it's a safe bet that the probability of you getting where you need to go increases greatly with every step you take out the door.

So...yeah. I guess that's all I wanted to say.

Thanks for listening.
Cat

Kate Spade SALE

Hi chickadees!

Lord, the weather is awful here. Well, right now it's sunny (because it's hateful like that) but about an hour ago it was raining buckets. I managed to sneak out to get my Sephora birthday gift and a bottle of MAC Cleanse Off Oil which I will be trying out and reviewing for you ASAP. But this post is not about any of that. I just enjoy rambling.

If you subscribe to the Kate Spade mailing list you will have already seen this in your inbox, but in case you don't, I wanted to do a quick post informing you of the current sale on her website (and apparently in stores as well). Note: This is not applicable to Kate Spade Outlet Stores. It will run until 7/8/12 at 11:59 pm PST which should give you plenty of time to get your shopping done. Handbags, coin purses, shoes, apparel, jewelry, etc. are on sale.

The only thing I own from Kate Spade are my glasses but I do like her designs. For the most part, they're clean and simple, but cost significantly less than their more expensive counterparts. Oh, you know which brands I mean. I thought I'd just let you know about this since there are lots of handbags on sale and I know a lot of you are in other countries, or just not in NY and haven't been able to make it to the bajillion handbag sales that have been going on recently. Heck, I live here, and I haven't even gone.

Anyway, here's the link. Happy shopping!
http://www.katespade.com/discount-designer-clothing/sale,default,sc.html?cm_mmc=ExactTarget-_-6222012%20SOS%20day1%20g1-_-6222012+SOS+day1+gmail1-_-http%3a%2f%2fwww.katespade.com%2fdiscount-designer-clothing%2fsale%2cdefault%2csc.html&cm_em=the.singing.songwriting.cat@gmail.com&utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=6222012+SOS+day1+gmail1&utm_content=http%3a%2f%2fwww.katespade.com%2fdiscount-designer-clothing%2fsale%2cdefault%2csc.html

Personal favorites?

Left: Cobble Hill Andee $224
Right: Irving Place Nadine $237

L'Occitane Pivoine Delicate Lipstick in 03 Charmant Coral REVIEW

Hi chickadees!

L'Occitane and I have a weird relationship. I am incredibly attracted to their products and their vibe but I find that a lot of their products let me down and as lovely as the packaging and promises are, a lot of times they don't deliver. I used to use their lipglosses and shea butter products back in the day but they never did much for me. Then I moved on to a scent (which is sitting in my clothes drawer unused) and the hand creams (which I love). I don't know. I walked into the store one day and just thought it was time to put their cosmetics to the test since that's my primary area of expertise at the moment.

I finally decided on L'Occitane's Pivoine Delicate Lipstick in 03 Charmant Coral (or Charming Coral...I also used to practice my French by reading the packaging). The website currently only has two of the other colors but they may update it or you may be able to find some in stores. http://usa.loccitane.com/make-up,82,1,29270,0.htm

You get 3.5g of product for $16. The packaging says that "This lipstick enhances lips with a veil of coral-pink color and golden reflections. The rich texture, delicately perfumed and enriched with softening peony extract, gives an instant feeling of comfort and leaves lips feeling light and smooth. Dermatologically tested."

Color: The description of "a veil of coral-pink color" was apt as this lipstick is very sheer. I swatched the other colors in the store and left with this one because it was the most flattering and the most vibrant. To me, that makes this more of a tinted lip balm than a lipstick. If you want a dramatic color payoff, this is not the right product for you. It brightens your lips for what is arguably a "my lips but better" color. There's a hint of shimmer depending on how many layers you apply. I'd caution against too many in an attempt to build up the color because A) you won't build up the color and B) you'll end up with a ton of shimmer. If you like a natural lip color with a tiny hint of shimmer, Charmant Coral might be for you. If you want a straight up coral, you're going to be disappointed.
Scent: I had a big patch of peonies growing outside my house as a child so I know what they smell like. If you strain very hard, this might remind you of peonies but to me it smells more like old-fashioned makeup products. It's sort of like floral Play-Doh. It's not a very strong, offputting scent though like some of the Revlon lipsticks. After I've applied it, I can't really smell it anymore. If you are extremely sensitive to scents though, I might caution against this one.
Taste: Slight taste. Similar to the scent. Artificial.
Formula/Wear: I feel like this section is going to sound very contradictory. When you first apply it, you can achieve a smooth glide across the lips but it's kind of slow. I wouldn't stay that it drags as badly as a lip pencil, but it's not as smooth as say, Covergirl's Natureluxe glossbalms or a lipgloss. To me, it doesn't feel moisturizing or drying. But as it fades, the color remains but the texture changes to something that looks drying and a little unflattering.
Packaging: The packaging is cute if you like that sort of thing but it really doesn't feel secure. It's never opened up in my purse before but I get the feeling that it could.

CONCLUSION: I guess I'm OK with this product but I wouldn't recommend it. The color is natural and dupeable. The scent is a little fake and old lady-ish. And overall, it's not very moisturizing or particularly comfortable to wear. If, however, you truly feel the need to own this, I wouldn't dissuade you. There's nothing about this product that makes me hate it. It's just not special.

SWATCHES

Rachel Zoe Collection First Ever Sample Sale

Hi darlings!
I'll admit it. I think Rachel Zoe is adorable. And possibly insane. But as you can see from the name of my blog, I don't really have a problem with that. :) Before I started up this beauty, fashion, rambling blog I used to recap her show for another website. In general, I like what I've seen of her collections. They're a little too expensive for me but I appreciate her aesthetic of accessible, wearable fashion. She designs the kind of clothes you would think a stylist would design, with more of an eye towards flattering, practical clothes than certain big name designers.
Anyway, I was super excited when I found out 260 Sample Sale was going to be holding the first ever Rachel Zoe sample sale. I know there have been some complaints with the DVF and J. Crew sales (J. Crew sale is going on right now) that the space isn't big enough but I feel like it's a pretty big space and the sale organizers try and do their best to accomodate shoppers. I mean, I've been to sales in smaller spaces in the past that were just less crowded because there were fewer shoppers. It's not their fault if demand is high and a lot of people show up. Sorry, getting off track again...
Here's what you need to know.
Collections: Fall 2011, Resort 2011, Spring 2012 Ready to Wear and Shoes
Location: 260 Sample Sale at 260 Fifth Avenue (between 28th and 29th St)
Dates and Times: Wednesday June 27 - Friday June 29 from 10am - 8pm
                              Saturday June 30 from 10am - 4pm
Discount: Up to 60% off

UPDATE: I know there have been a lot of complaints from shoppers and sale bloggers that the sale is overpriced. Personally, it's part of the reason I stayed away on day one. Apparently, sale organizers were listening, because on the second day, they're already slashing prices and taking an additional 30% off all apparel. I suggest checking out the reports on Mizhattan and Racked NY to see if this makes the sale worthwhile for you. :)

REVIEW of O.P.I.'s Go On Green! With SWATCHES

Hello darlings!

I hope you're having a lovely summer. If you follow this blog, you will probably know that I'm spending my summer studying as I seem to be starting almost every review by mentioning that. Sorry! It just happens to be what's on my mind. The other thing that's been on my mind lately is a color. Somewhere between mint and sea foam. I cannot tell you how much it's been popping up in magazines and on blogs, etc. etc. lately. It's definitely the embodiment of one of my most hated phrases "on trend". Nevertheless it is such a pretty color that it's spurred an eyeshadow obsession in me. I have a matte eyeshadow from Inglot in #345 and a Stila single eyeshadow called Cha Cha that I bought because they remind me of the mint/sea foam color I've been obsessing over.

When I finally decided to pull O.P.I.'s Go On Green! which I've had in my collection for a very long time (Maybe 1 or 2 winters ago. The store I bought it at is actually closed now.) but haven't used until now, I didn't expect it to remind me of the color I've seen popping up everywhere lately. I know it's called Go On Green! but it looks like s shimmery light aqua in the bottle. I guess I feel like with a name like that it should be a traffic light kind of bright green.

Anyway, on to the formal review... (Recommend looking at the swatches)

Color: This is a very sheer and shimmery light green polish with a hint of blue. There's also an odd undertone. It's not a duochrome but depending on how your nail reflects the light, the part not reflecting the light can seem slightly pink/purple. It can also take on that slightly greasy look that certain shimmers do.
Formula: Again, it is very sheer. I used 4 coats to try and get it opaque and it's still not fully opaque. Also, once the polish dries you can see that the surface isn't perfectly even and it looks almost grainy. I think that's a phenomenon caused by the shimmer.
Application: I was worried about the larger brush but I had no problems. It was very easy to apply and applied very smoothly without the brush dragging.

My personal opnion is that while I think this is a very pretty polish that on the whole applies pretty well, I just don't like the finish. I prefer opaque polishes over sheer ones, especially when it comes to color or shimmer. This polish might be nice to layer with other things but on its own, I just find it a bit offputting. When it catches the light, I love it because I can pretend it's opaque. When it doesn't it looks like an uneven paint job.

Conclusion: If you like this color and you don't mind a sheer polish, I would feel comfortable recommending this based on the easy application.

 

SWATCHES (I tried to use the swatches to display all the qualities I discussed in the review.) 

Target Beauty Bag Product Review PART ONE

Hello my loves,

It is finally time to review the products I got in my Target Beauty Bag back in April. I'm an incredibly odd reviewer when it comes to non-makeup products because I'm not sure what to check for so I try and check for everything. Just...bear with me, alright? :)

Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes

I was really quite impressed with these. I'm pretty set in my hair and skincare routine but I'm always happy to try out makeup or makeup removers so this is the product I gravitated towards and used up first. I haven't tried a lot of makeup removing wipes so I don't have a lot to compare it to, but I thought it performed well. It did a good job of removing my face makeup (foundation, blush, etc.) and eyeshadow. So it passed the soap and water test, which is basically all the products that can be removed easily with soap and water without a lot of scrubbing. I didn't use any cream eyeshadows while I was testing this so it might be different with heavier products. I thought it did an OK job with gel and liquid eyeliner. It did take a few swipes and a bit of pressure so I don't think I'd want to use it every day. My main issues are that while it's pretty soft over the face, it's a little too harsh to use around the eyes, and it doesn't break down all of my makeup easily. It can't fully break down waterproof mascara. But for lazy days, I think this product performed admirably and I love the packaging. That white sticker can be peeled back and replaced and stays sticky so you can keep your wipes moist until you're ready to use them.

Nivea Extended Moisture Daily Lotion

I have a lot to say about this one so I'm going to break it up into sections.

Packaging: Obviously this is a mini version so I'm not sure if this is similar to the real packaging but I do not like it. The cap snaps on and off and the opening is very wide and because it's made of a hard plastic it's difficult to control how much you squeeze out... Basically too much comes out at once and makes a bit of a mess.
Consistency/Feel: The lotion is white and has a light, gel-like, milky texture. I tried using it as a hand cream but I don't really love the way it feels. It doesn't make my hands feel moisturized or much softer and it leaves them with a slightly sticky feeling. It's nothing awful and it dries quickly so it's not going to transfer onto whatever you touch but it's just a little odd. I would prefer to use this on my body where it doesn't bother me at all. I did test it on a flaky patch of very dry skin but even with repeated use, it had no effect.
Scent: The best thing I can say about this product is that if you like the scent this will be a nice low cost alternative to all the other scented hand creams and body lotions out there. I cannot for the life of me place the scent in my mind. It reminds me of something my mom used to wear so it has to be Clinique or Estee Lauder or one of those brands. If you smelled that perfume and then smelled this lotion you would put the two of them together immediately. It smells a little like coconut (maybe vanilla?) with something counterbalancing the richness, like a floral. I find the scent pretty in small doses so this doesn't strike me as the kind of lotion you should slather on. I actually can't smell unless my nose is almost touching the skin where I've applied it but it can get pretty strong and even if you can't smell it, someone near you probably could especially if you're touching them or gesturing with your hands when you talk.

L'Oreal Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer

I happen to already own this so I didn't use the little sample I got. I think I'll probably end up doing a longer review for this one of these days but for now I will say that I really like this product. I've tried a few highlighters but I was not that impressed with them as a product until I tried this one. I find that most of the highlighters on the market are oddly colored. A lot of them are pink or champagne colored and have a lot of shimmer which is just too much for me, especially with my lifestyle. Also, they seem to be very thick, either heavy cream formulas or like heavy moisturizers and just sit oddly on my skin looking very obvious. The reason I like L'Oreal Magic Lumi is because it works and creates a nice subtle effect. It is white and has a very light lotion kind of consistency. It's definitely more of a liquid product. You only need a very small amount of it to do your whole face. I like to use it on the tops of my cheekbones and then use anything left on my temples and down my nose. When it first comes out of the bottle it will look very shimmery but when you blend it in you don't see the shimmer and instead you get that nice lit from within look.

Mulberry Wide Tillie Bracelet on Sale

Do you remember that "Things I Am Currently Obsessed With" post where we all fell in love with Mulberry's Tillie Bracelet? In case you're still interested and you've been saving up for something special, I discovered that Mulberry's Wide Tillie Bracelet is currently discounted from $340 to $204. Still a hefty price tag I know. I spotted this online but I know Mulberry boutiques started a summer markdown in early June so the discount might carry into the stores as well. The bracelet is available in Rose Gold and Pale Gold. Same price. Some of the handbags are also discounted in the Sale section of the website.

J. Crew Sample Sale

Hi darlings!

So while I've been a good student lately, it means I've also been rather terrible about attending sample sales which means no sample sale reports for you. Sorry about that. I still encourage you to check out these sales on your own if you live in the NYC area. My favorite resources to find out about upcoming sales are Racked NY and Mizhattan if you're interested.

One upcoming sale that might be worth checking out is the J. Crew sale being held from June 19th to June 24th. I hear it can get pretty crazy but if you're willing to fight through the crowds there will be a selection of Women's jewelry, shoes, and dresses and Men’s and Crewcuts for kids collections and a limited assortment from Madewell at up to 60% off retail.

BASIC INFO:

JUNE 19TH -24TH
TUESDAY-SATURDAY: 10AM-8PM
SUNDAY: 12PM-5PM

260 FIFTH AVENUE
(28/29 STREET)
NYC NY 10001
VISA ▪ MASTERCARD ▪ AMEX ▪ CASH ACCEPTED

Target Beauty Bag Summer 2012

Happy Birthday to me! I feel like Target knew it was my birthday this week, because my Summer Target Beauty Bag finally came in the mail today. I'm still testing some things from the last beauty bag, but I'm almost ready to review all the items so look forward to that soon. Anyway, like last time I can't comment on how these products work, but I'll show you pictures of everything I got so you can compare it to your Target Beauty Bags whether or not they've arrived yet.

Ah! Look at all those samples! So much better than Birchbox (more on that in an upcoming post).

The bag is different this time. Once again, it's a cute design but this time it's a cloth bag. I don't realy have an opinion on which I prefer but I think the bags are pretty nice quality so I'm happy to keep collecting them to hold my makeup products.

REVIEW and Comparison OPI Black Cherry Chutney and Milani Black Cherry with SWATCHES

Hi darlings!

I have another comparison review for you today. This time I'm putting two "black cherry" colors from different brands head to head. On my index finger and ring finger (1 and 3 from the left) I'm wearing Milani's Black Cherry. On my middle finger and pinky finger (2 and 4 from the left) I'm wearing O.P.I.'s Black Cherry Chutney. To make things easier, I'm going to first do mini-reviews of each and then do a comparison. Swatches will be at the end, as always.

O.P.I Black Cherry Chutney

Black Cherry Chutney is a very dark purple polish with subtle red shimmer. In some lighting, it can look almost black or brown (because of the red-tone). This is one of those great smooth O.P.I. formulas. The bottle I purchased, had a really big brush. I don't remember if this is how O.P.I. polishes used to be or if this was just something particular to this bottle but I found it annoying. The polish applied evenly in 2 coats but I did 3 for the sake of comparison because the Milani wasn't as opaque in 2 coats.

  Milani Black Cherry

Milani's Black Cherry is a dark red polish with subtle red shimmer. It can also look very dark in certain lighting but it's always lighter than Black Cherry Chutney. Application was reasonably even though I did have trouble with getting the brush into corners without making a mess. I had to do 3 coats. It was noticably red in the first and second coats but darkened quite a bit in the third coat.

 
COMPARISON

• O.P.I. is a purple polish, Milani is a red polish
• Both have red shimmer
• Both are red-based
• Both are very dark in 3 coats
• The Milani is lighter than the O.P.I. is all lighting
• O.P.I. more opaque
• O.P.I. applies slightly better

Conclusion: These polishes are NOT dupes for each other but unless you just have to have a really complete collection, I'd choose one or the other. You won't be missing anything. The O.P.I. has a slightly nicer formula once you get used to the brush but the Milani is almost half the price. It comes down to a slight color difference and which aspects of the product are more important to you.

SWATCHES
I went a little crazy with the swatches and camera settings this time so you could see all the differences between these polishes.

Nighttime Special Occasion Nails/Tony Award Nails

Hi darlings!

I just wanted to quickly share the manicure I came up with yesterday to celebrate the Tony Awards tonight. It's also good for any glam nighttime special occasion party and it is really simple because you want to focus on having fun and not doing complicated nail art. For this look, I used Essie's Bobbing for Baubles which has a perfect formula so you won't have to stress about getting a smooth base color. You can read my original review at this link. http://smartandsarcasticwithdashesofinsanity.blogspot.com/2012/01/review-of-essies-bobbing-for-baubles.html

On top of that, I layered 2 or 3 coats of O.P.I.'s Piroutte My Whistle. I want to try layering it over different colors before I give my final review but I think it applied really smoothly and I liked the amount of control I had. Unlike other glitter top coats, this one only applied a few pieces of glitter at a time so in each coat I had more control over placement. And the formula was nice enough that successive coats didn't thicken up the layers too much.

I decided to dress up my thumb with some nail art. I just did a basic tuxedo nail. There are tons of tutorials online but my inspiration was cutepolish on youtube but inverted so it would be right side up. I jazzed it up by using O.P.I.'s Just Spotted the Lizard for the shirt color. I used Milani's Black Magic for the tuxedo, bowtie, and buttons which I found smooth and easy to work with but you can use any black you have in your collection. This design is super fun to play with because you can vary the color of the jacket or shirt or any component and have a different look.

SWATCHES

REVIEW of Sinful Colors Cinderella with SWATCHES

Hi darlings!

I'm not sure how I'm managed to avoid mentioning this at every opportunity, but I am a Disney fanatic. I grew up during the Disney Renaissance and those stories and that music completely informed the development of my critical faculties. That is why I've been hunting down Sinful Colors Cinderella like a maniac from the moment I saw it on Nouveau Cheap. I heard the formula was terrible, goopy and sheer, but the moment I saw swatches and heard the name, I wanted that color. Well, of course they were all right.

Cinderella is a shimmery light blue polish that attempts to capture the magic of Cinderella's ball gown in the animated film. I'm not sure if this was a Disney collaboration but it's pretty clear that was the kind of blue they were going for. Now the coloring of her dress changes throughout the movie, so they could have gone with a demure powder blue, or a deeper cornflower blue, or even a pale blue gray with a ton of sparkle to match that moment when her fairy godmother first transforms her dress. They went with a sheer pale blue with a TON of pink shimmer. The nail polish appears different indoors in dim lighting and outdoors in bright lighting though I couldn't capture the indoor shade. Outdoors, the pale blue does remind me of her dress but it's not really all that special. Indoors, in dim lighting (i.e. at night), the color gets darker, brighter, and more saturated and all of that pink shimmer comes out to the point that the polish looks greasy. Even though the polish is pretty sheer, you'll notice the shimmer in the first coat.

Application was a hassle. I needed four coats of polish to get it opaque and try and fix all the patchiness, though I still couldn't get smooth, even coverage as you can see from the swatches. The polish was watery and gloopy but it wasn't messy to work with. Applying the polish was not the problem, it was how the polish looked on the nail. It was pretty impossible to get even coats.

Conclusion: I think this is a very pretty color but it feels like something Cinderella would have worn before she met her prince (assuming she had the time to do her nails). If you really feel the need to have this polish, it costs about the same as a pack of gum but it might be better to hold out and hope that Essie or O.P.I. do a Disney Princess collaboration with Disney in the future. It's not completely implausible as O.P.I. has already done a collection for the Muppets and Minnie Mouse.

Question: Assuming O.P.I. did a Disney Princess or Disney Villain collection what colors would you love to see? Maybe a shimmery Kissed a Frog Prince for Tiana? A Colors of the Wind duochrome (like Just Spotted the Lizard) for Pocahontas? The easy choice for Belle would be powder blue or yellow like her two dresses in the movie but I'd love if they could somehow capture the colors in Beast's final transformation scene in a glitter or shimmer polish. In such a happy mood right now. :)

  SWATCHES

White House/Black Market Sale

As I was scoping out daily sale listings, I noticed one for White House/Black Market on Racked. I decided to pretend my browsing was productive by doing a quick post showing you my favorite items. Personally, I'm reluctant to buy anything online, particularly clothing because it's difficult to assess what you'll actually be purchasing from an online photo. But if you're braver than I am, maybe one of these might appeal to you.

I do like that the site has plenty of reviews for most of the items and a video for most of the garments showing a model moving around in the clothes and giving you a 360 view to give you an even better idea of how the item will look when worn. I'm not sure how long the sale is lasting so if you see something you like, I'd grab it before they run out of stock.

Happy shopping,
Cat


$29.98
http://preview.tinyurl.com/crtpbeo
Inexplicably it also comes in a red version that's $59.99
http://preview.tinyurl.com/bpjs3ea

$69.99
http://tinyurl.com/c2jss9c


$99.99
http://tinyurl.com/bs8uwan


$9.98
http://tinyurl.com/cz97o8w

 

Failed Products

Hi darlings!

If you have followed this blog for a while, you might be familiar with my Failed Products round-up. This is a post where I collect all my most disappointing, most aggravating, and usually returned products into one big rant. It keeps me from wasting more time than necessary on these unsuccessful products and you get to read bite-sized mini reviews of frustration. Shall we get started?

Benefit Porefessional Primer (available at Sephora or directly from Benefit)
I have very large, often clogged pores on my nose, making me the target consumer for this product. This primer wasn't horrible but it was tremendously disappointing given all the hype. Like many Benefit products, this primer is scented. I smelled lemon but Benefit products generally just have a nondescript sort of light, pretty, feminine scent. You might find it pleasant or irritating. I wasn't bothered one way or the other. I did think it minimized the look of pores slightly when initially applied. However, during the day, I found the product sort of rising out of my pores so I had a bunch of little bumps on the surface of my nose. I also didn't like the finish, which was sort of matte yet silky. I found that the product emphasizes how dry my skin (I used this during winter) and it looked especially bad when I had a cold and my skin was red and irritated from sneezing. When it first comes out of the tube it looks like it has a color but if you blend well, it's not really pigmented. However, my skin tone is pretty light (I usually wear the lightest or close to the lightest shade of foundation in any line) so I'm not sure how this would perform on darker skin tones.
Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lipstick in 006 Pink Blush

I follow some UK bloggers who love Rimmel products but this lipstick didn't do anything for me. I found the packaging to be a little cheap. The tube is a shimmery eggplant color with silver metal which I don't mind but the closure only seems semi-secure. I was really afraid this one was going to pop open in my purse. It clicks open and closed but it feels a little weak. The lipstick itself is a very pretty stain finish pink with no shimmer. Application was smooth. HOWEVER, it looked absolutely terrible on my lips. The swatches do not do justice to how bad it looked. It felt greasy, it was not opaque no matter how many layers I applied and it sinks into your lips to fill in any lines but leave the rest of your lips patchily covered. I think the color was nice from a distance but it looks so terrible up close I can't possibly recommend it.

CVS Eye Makeup Remover

I'm going to keep this one nice and short. Quite simply, I found this product useless. It was utterly rubbish at removing my eye makeup. Even the products that can be removed with warm water and a bit of soap were too much for it to handle. I know this is a favorite of a few bloggers but the best I can say about it is that it wasn't oily (like the Neutrogena eye makeup remover) and it didn't sting my eyes much.

SEPHORA COLLECTION Lasting and Perfecting Corrector in 02 Medium
I tried out this concealer for about a week, finding its performance tremendously average but when it melted under pressure, it went back to the store. First of all, I dislike how few shades there are. This means its harder to fully match your skin tone and unlike other palette products, you can't just mix different shades to get your perfect color. Sephora offers this concealer in light, medium, and dark. It's basically a cream concealer in a twist up pencil shape. The product is double sides, with a larger rounded ended for covering a larger area and a small, sharper-tipped end for doing detail spot coverage or getting close to the lash line for precision. I'd say this product offers medium coverage and while you can make it look reasonably natural it doesn't blend in fully and can be noticeable under your eyes. It wore pretty well during most of the testing period though I did find that it faded a bit throughout the day. My breaking point came on a hot, humid day when it migrated down to the tops of my cheeks and left cakey residue in the outer corners of my eye.

Drugstore Product Stalking: 540 Amsterdam Avenue CVS

Hi darlings!

Just wanted to do a quick post letting you know what I spotted at this CVS branch...Katy Perry brand false eyelashes. I read about this a while ago on Racked http://racked.com/archives/2012/01/10/katy-perry-is-designing-a-line-of-false-eyelashes.php but I'd forgotten about it since I don't use false eyelashes and I've never seen these sold anywhere. Well, now I have. I'm kind of reluctant to recommend trekking out to 86th St to get these lashes since this is probably the worst CVS I've ever been in and the staff is super incompetent but if you're really interested in trying these out, they do seem on the cheaper side at $7.99.


(Keep reading for more pictures)

La Perla Sample Sale at 225 5th Ave

Hi chickadees,

I was asked to do another promotional post for a sale going on at 225 5th Avenue (between 26th and 27th Streets) from Sunday, June 10th to Thursday, June 14th. This time it's for the sweet and sultry lingerie brand La Perla. I've always stayed away from La Perla in the past because it's a little too expensive for me but this sample sale might be a good chance for you to pick up items at up to 80% off or even just pick up something special for an anniversary or honeymoon. Summer is the season for weddings after all.

Anyway, here's all the basic info...

Location: 225 Fifth Avenue (between 26th and 27th St)
                New York City, NY 10001
                The easiest option is to take the N or R or 6 subway train to 28th St and walk. It's just a             block or two if I remember correctly.

Dates and Times: Sunday, June 10th to Thursday, June 14th.

• Sunday, June 10th: 12pm to 5pm
• Monday, June 11th to Wednesday, June 13th: 9:30am to 6:00pm
• Thursday, June 14th: 9:30am to 7:00pm

Pricing Examples:
I won't advertise sales I don't think are worthwhile. I chose to post this one because the pieces look gorgeous. Still a little out of my price range, but a girl can dream, right?

LACE BRA            Original Price: $230       Sample Sale Price: $80

BOYSHORT          Original Price: $135        Sample Sale Price: $50

 LACE BRA WITH RIBBON DETAIL      Original Price: $250        Sample Sale Price: $80

LACE HIGH WAIST BRIEF WITH RIBBON DETAIL    Original: $214     Discount: $50

BLACK LACE & EMBROIDERED TULLE BODYSUIT   Original: $392   Discount $90

I don't know if I'll personally be covering this sale as I'm going to be extremely busy for the month of June but if you're a fan of La Perla or high quality lingerie, I'd encourage you to check this sale out. :)