REVIEW of Zoya Sailor With SWATCHES

Hello sailors,

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Zoya Sailor was released as part of the Fall 2013 Cashmere Collection. I picked up my bottle in December of last year so relatively speaking, I'm right on schedule reviewing it a year later. What can I say? Until someone starts sending me polishes to review or making requests in the comments, I'm just going to test whatever polish I feel like testing at the moment. It was December and I felt like wearing Zoya Sailor to Carnegie Hall. I wish I could do an outfit and makeup look of the day post for that look but the lighting in my apartment is terrible. I will tell you that I paired this polish with a gray 3/4 sleeve Leota dress and a black and gold Noir jewelry necklace. Sample sale purchases naturally. I also wore my first pair of Alexis Bittar earrings which go with everything but matched nicely with the necklace.

Color: Zoya Sailor is a dark blue creme polish. I feel comfortable calling this a navy blue. It's a dusty navy though, unlike some of the brighter nautical blues that get called navy. What I really appreciate about this color is that it's a darker blue but it doesn't lean black at all. It's so annoying sometimes when you wear a dark polish and for all intents and purposes you could be wearing a black polish most of the time, especially since you can find so many good, affordable black nail polishes at the drugstore. Zoya Sailor is not like that at all. While it looks a little different from natural light to indoor lighting to dim light, it's always a blue.
Formula: This polish has a thinner formula. It's not watery but it's on the thinner side.
Application: The first coat of polish glided over the nail smoothly. It didn't match up to my favorite Essie polishes but it was easy to apply. The second coat also went on smoothly without any issues. You could almost get away with two coats on short nails but there was some slight balding so I added a third coat. The third coat of polish also applied nicely. The resulting manicure was even and not at all thick at three coats. The polish was very shiny even without top coat. My application experience was pretty much the same with my nondominant hand. I didn't run into any issues.
Wear: I wore this polish for four days. At the end of that period, I had experienced a good amount of tip wear. It was the chippy kind, not the even kind where the polish wears away in a smooth half-moon.

CONCLUSION: I would recommend this polish. It's not a perfect formula but it's a very good one and it shouldn't give you any issues. If you're looking for a darker blue but you want a true blue polish that doesn't end up looking like a black polish, pick up Zoya Sailor. Also, let me know in the comments if you'd like a comparison to say... Essie Bobbing For Baubles, Zoya Natty, and Joe Fresh Denim, or any other polishes. The one drawback is it doesn't seem to wear that well.

If you're planning on doing any shopping at amazon.com now or in the future, I hope you'll consider coming back here and starting from one of my affiliate links. It doesn't matter what you purchase. As long as you start here, I will get a small percentage of the revenue at no extra cost to you. I ask because it really helps me out and I could use your support. Thanks, darlings. :)

SWATCHES

REVIEW of Zoya Sooki With SWATCHES

Hello peanuts,

Maybe I'd have a better quip for Zoya Sooki if I hadn't stopped watching True Blood sometime very early in season one. Maybe I gave up on it too soon but I didn't understand the appeal. And I love melodrama and terrible accents. Anyway, I picked up Zoya Sooki as part of a recent promotion. I'm usually not inspired to pick up reds of my own accord because even though I sometimes want to wear a red polish, I don't really feel like I need to spend a lot to find a good one. I don't need a bunch of different reds the way I need different shades of blue.

Color: Zoya Sooki is a bright red creme polish. I found that it was either a super bright tomato red or a true red depending on the lighting. I think it's bright enough to get attention without being too distracting but if you're in a conservative work or school environment you might want to look for a red polish a shade or two darker.
Formula: This polish had a slightly thicker formula.
Application: The first coat of Zoya Sooki went on very smoothly. I was impressed by the opacity of the first coat. It wasn't completely opaque but the opacity was much higher than it usually is for the first coat of a polish. The second coat of polish also went on smoothly without any drag. I did have to even out the polish a bit but I didn't run into any trouble. You could just leave it at two coats although the polish still fails a light test. I added a third coat. At three coats, the polish still can't block all the light passing through the nail but a third coat did give me a more even finish. However, if it's just a matter of opacity, there isn't a huge difference between two coats and three coats of polish.
Wear: I wore this polish for five days. At the end of five days I had experienced some tip wear but no chipping. However, fairly early on the polish was scuffing and dulling. After the first few scuffs I'd say the polish held up well but it's something to note if you're hard on your nails. The polish stained my skin a little when I was removing it but it was easy to wipe it off with a bit more polish remover.

CONCLUSION: I would recommend this polish if you're looking for a bright red creme. It's one of the better ones that I've tried and Zoya often runs promotions through their website. If you're looking for a perfectly opaque polish you might not like this one and it does scuff pretty easily but otherwise, it applies nicely and shouldn't give you any trouble. This is a nice year-round red whether you want something bright in the summer or festive in the winter.

Even if you're not looking to pick up a red creme polish, I hope you'll consider starting your next shopping trip at amazon.com through one of the links on my site. As long as you get to amazon through one of my affiliate links I will get a small percentage of the revenue from whatever you purchase at no extra cost to you.

SWATCHES

Dark Red Burgundy Nail Polish Comparison

Hello vamps,

Yes, it is once again time for another nail polish comparison. I would do more of these posts if you asked but I don't get a lot of requests so I tend to save them for lulls in between regular manicures. I'm going to another concert in a few days and it seemed a waste to try and do a full manicure in between the manicure I'm doing for that concert and that last polish I was reviewing. I settled on this really deep, almost black burgundy red shade to try and dupe because a friend and fellow polish enthusiast (shout out to @EvilQueen13 on twitter) is a fan of these kinds of dark, gothic shades.

Here's my key. For my thumb and pinky nail I used Essie's Shearling Darling. For my pointer fingernail I used Essie's Lacy Not Racy. For my middle fingernail I used Revlon Vixen. For my ring fingernail I used Maybelline Dressed to Kill.

I don't think it would be fair to judge these polishes based on one nail though you can find my reviews of Essie Lacy Not Racy and Revlon Vixen here and here respectively. I will however give you some thoughts.

I applied three coats of each polish. All four of the polishes I swatches applied relatively smoothly. Essie Lacy Not Racy was the outlier. From the beginning it was a brighter red than the others and was the least opaque. Checking my original review, I see that I applied five coats for full opacity. Maybelline Dressed to Kill appears to be the darkest shade and appears almost black most of the time. Essie Shearling Darling leans brown or purple depending on the lighting and is the most opaque polish. It is darker than Revlon Vixen but lighter than Maybelline Dressed to Kill. Revlon Vixen was the second lightest with Lacy Not Racy being the brightest red. It came across as more of a dark red with a hint of brown beside Shearling Darling and Dressed to Kill which didn't seem very red in comparison.

All four polishes were very shiny even without top coat. If it matters, Shearling Darling and Dressed to Kill appeared to be the shiniest. Any bubbles or unevenness is from the Seche Vite I applied as my top coat. I don't know what is going on with the Seche Vite I've been using lately.

If you're doing any last minute holiday shopping at amazon.com I hope you'll consider starting from one of the links on my page. It would really help me out. As long as you start from one of my affiliate links, I will get a small percentage of the revenue from whatever you purchase at no extra cost to you.

SWATCHES

Noir Jewelry Sample Sale Pop Up Shop Report December 2014

Hello darlings,

Yes, I know I probably have too much jewelry. If you're reading this, you probably also have too much jewelry. It doesn't matter. It's still worth it for you to stop by the Noir Jewelry Sample Sale as long as you go right now. Why the urgency? There are $5 and $15 bins. Yes, you read that correctly. First, some boring details... This sale is running from today Sunday, December 14 through Tuesday, December 16 with daily hours from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm. The location is 54 Crosby Street between Broome and Spring St. near the Bloomingdales. There is construction on the sidewalk so you'll have to cross from the opposite side. The sale is at the back of what looks to be a regular pop up shop selling non-Noir items instead of at their regular location up near Penn Station.

I arrived bright and early, if not exactly at 11:00 am then very close to it. That means anything in these photos could be gone by the time you get there if you go late, though there are a lot of duplicates of certain items. You could split this sale up into three main areas. In the center of the room you'll find tables with items from $20 up to $125. Generally items are in cardboard boxes marked with the correct price but things can get a little mixed up so be sure to check the stickers on the plastic bags. Each colored dot corresponds to a certain price. Many items that are still full price on the website can be found in these boxes.

The second part of the sale, which you should head to first if you're a big bargain hunter and you're not looking for a particular item from the current collections, is at the very back of the sale. Here the cardboard boxes are full of $5 items (mainly statement necklaces with some bangles and bracelets and earrings as well) with two $15 bins at the far end of the hallway. This will take some digging (probably on your knees as the boxes are on the floor) so dress accordingly. Nothing is damaged in this section. The items are simply not made with the same quality of materials as the other more expensive items. Still, for $5 you're beating the prices at most other retailers (including stores like Forever21) but you're getting Noir jewelry pieces. The third part of the sale is the display along the wall. You'll find some of the same items in the cardboard boxes on the table but also some merchandise that isn't in the boxes. If you're looking for something specific, I'd give it a quick glance when you first arrive but otherwise, I'd start with one of the other two sections and leave this last. They said they will be replenishing some items but they will not be adding anything new. For a short sale like this I wouldn't expect markdowns, especially since I'm sure they'll get a lot of traffic.

$25 and under box

I spotted the Rebecca Zig Zag Up the Ear Creeper Earrings (Normally $40) in here.

$15

Meagan Pave Moon w/ Hanging Star Earring $25 (Normally $50)

Bena Arrowhead Earring $25 (Normally $60)

If you enjoy these sample sale reports, please consider supporting this site by making your next purchase at amazon.com through one of the affiliate links on my site. As long as your start your shopping trip at amazon through one of the links on my site, I will get a small percentage of the revenue from whatever you purchase at no extra cost to you. 

Sherry Small Pave Stud Post Earrings (Normally $30)

Amanda Star & Moon Set Post Earrings (Normally $20)

Sioux Arrowhead Drop Earrings $25 (Normally $40)

 Ashley Sun & Moon Ring $15 (Normally $30)

Eugenia Kim Sample Sale Report December 2014

Hello bumblebees,

I kept debating and debating whether I was going to leave my apartment and attend the Eugenia Kim sample sale at 347 W 36th St between 8th and 9th Avenues but somehow I got myself out the door, on the subway to 34th St and up to suite 501. The sale is running from December 12 through December 16 from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm daily. The sale opened this morning at 10:00 am but I arrived somewhere between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm. There is no coat or bag check and everything is priced as marked. Items are arranged by style. Men's hats, caps, and Genie by Eugenia Kim merchandise is along the right wall. Knits and furs occupy the adjacent wall. Fedoras and wider brim fall hats are on the far side of the room. Shoes and headbands are arranged along the last wall. Assorted hats are in bins marked $5, $35, and $65.

I did not check all of the price tags (because the salespeople were already looking at me like I was crazy) but I checked most of them. Aside from the Genie by Eugenia Kim knit turban for $25 and the discount bins, the cheapest items were the Lane scarf at $35, Leighton hat at $45, the Bettina hat at $45, and the Dakota scarf at $55.

The Carmella hat in gray was $65, The Lula turban was available for $65 in Oatmeal, Pink, Black/Cream, and Gray/White. The Jillian beret was available for $75.

At $85 you have the Liesl (Black), Mishka (Tortoise), Kristi (Black/Cream), and Kristi (Black).

At $95 you'll find the Elyse (Black), Jamie (Black), Cara, Martina, Joelle, Felix, Reagan (Lavender), and Jamie (Black). The Micah was the only item I saw priced at $115.

At $125, there was the John, Bo Alt (Red Marble), Jill, Montana, and Elie (Black). The Theo was priced at $135.

The Mies Alt (Charcoal), Georgina (Heather Gray), Mimi, and Blake (Rose Marble) were selling for $145.

You could purchase the Blake Alt (Mink), Blake (Mink), Georgina Alt (Black/Blue feathers), or Fifi (Cream) for $155.

Drugstore Product Stalking: CVS 298 Mulberry Street

Hello peanuts,

I popped into CVS on a whim and found some items still on clearance. Take a look.

There were a few 50% off stickers on the Revlon Brilliant Strength polishes. Don't get too excited as these are more expensive that regular Revlon polishes.

All of these Revlon polish duos also had 50% off stickers. The right side has matte polishes as one half of the duos. I'm not sure what collection the left side is from.

This Revlon diamond lustre single shadow in 115 Neptune Star was also 50% off.

These particular Sally Hansen Triple Shine polishes were 75% off.

Only this yellow nail art polish was 75% off.

Only the marked Sally Hansen Salon Effects sets were 75% off.

Leota Sample Sale Report December 2014

Hello darlings,

I actually started off my morning at the Leota Sample Sale at 209 W 38th St, suite 702. The sale hours are 8:00 am through 7:00 pm from December 10 through December 12. I would not expect markdowns as all dresses are already $20. They will be restocking but they'll mainly be replenishing the same styles that are already out. There is no coat or bag check and no separate dressing area so dress accordingly. Overall, I'd say the fashions were more on the casual side. Some things could be worn to an office or an office party but a wedding would be stretching it a little. Supposedly both spring and fall collections are out but I think most of the stock is spring and summer appropriate. The sale was pretty busy and full of brand loyalists.

Since everything is priced at $20, the sale is divided by size. To your left you'll find mediums and larges and maternity styles. To your right you will find extra-small and smalls. Let's start with XS and S and I'll tell you when we hit the M and L sections.

I think there were some more interesting prints in the XS and S section compared to the M and L section.

However, there was also a lot of black and black and white.

Stella McCartney Elle Macpherson Sample Sale Report December 2014

Hello chickadees,

Because I was (sort of) in the area I decided to drop by the Stella McCartney/Elle Macpherson sample sale at 180 Madison Avenue between 33rd and 34th St. Do not go into the Wells Fargo. It's the building next door. Suite 1702. You will have to sign in at the front desk. The sale was completely empty when I stopped by sometime between 10:00 am and 11:00 am. At some point two guys wandered in but other than that I didn't see anyone else shopping. I asked the girl working and she said that the sale was very busy yesterday but it's still pretty well stocked today so if you're looking for some bras and lingerie it might be worth stopping by. Hours are 10:00 am - 7:00 pm today and tomorrow. There is no coat or bag check but you can't try anything on.

Pricing is pretty simple and the discount's pretty great. Nothing looks damaged but you will have to dig a bit through the samples. There was no size that really jumped out. I saw everything from A to E and 30 to 36 in the sample bins. There was a rack of sleepwear mainly in medium but I forgot to snap a photo. It's a little easier to sort through the production bras along the side and on the wall but again, sizing varies based on style. Let's start with the production pieces.

Elle Macpherson bras $15 (slightly more C's)

Stella McCartney bras $20

Stella McCartney bras $20

Elle Macpherson French Flavour Contour Balconnet Bra $15

I think all of these bras were 36D's.