Essence The Only Chance!

 

• This is after 2 days of wear.
• 2 coats and that's plenty! RESULT!
• This was a gift. Double ++ result.
• You forget how useful brown shades are. I think they suit everyone.
• This is perhaps a tad lighter IRL. Lovely and milk-chocolatey. Not yer average chocolate either. A really yummy milk chocolate.
• Oh, and it's really glossy but my shit-camera-work doesn't show that. Dammit.

 Jenni

In the nude....

Models Own Nayla Nude to be precise

 

I saw this on a blog somewhere/somewhen and really craved it. Got it in a 3-pastel set from asos. £12. Good value.

• 2/3 coats. I wasn't being very careful. It's not a brilliant formula but it's OK. A bit gloopy.
• It reminds me of MAC Brown Bag. Can anyone comment authoritatively on that? I've always hankered after that but I'm kinda anti-MAC without knowing exactly why...
• I like it a lot. Whilst sometimes not liking it. Which is good. One likes to be entertained.
• Will go down as one of my beloved fuglies with Misa Hot Couture and so forth.
• Finally - who has this natural skin-tone? Nude? In which country? Or indeed on which planet? Maybe I don't know enough people...

Jenni

Kinetics Butterfly Wing Velvet

 

3 coats. This is another Wunderkind of a Kinetics polish. The quality of these is superb. Metallic brown with gold/amber flakies.

Enough said. Blog sale tomorrow. I'll post at 5pm UK time. It's 'first come first served'. Reserve a polish by using the 'comments' box. Easy. Paypal. Open internationally. Oo, hark at HER.

Jenni

OCC Lip Tar Uber + how taupe is not just for nails

There's a little pink in there but that's because I don't clean my lipbrush after every application. Oh, and I can see my lips need exfoliation (for which read my olive oil/sugar mixture). Other than that and the smudgy foundation - perfetto! And the weird lip line isn't the best. But everything is done in such a hurry these days.

I'll just reiterate how much I love Lip Tars. Although the reaction of She Who Knows was "cyanotic" and, "You look like a dead person." Heck, I still like it.


I only work 3 days a week at the best of times with 13 weeks of holiday and I'm on half-term now but I still don't know which way is up. Mum is now in a hospital in the small town where she lives so that's good for her numerous neighbours and frequent visitors but even further away from me. Extra driving. But hey. She seems happy enough. She's talking fluently but it's like jamming the wrong pieces of a jigsaw together and doesn't make much sense overall even though it sounds pretty much like the old Mum superficially. Day at a time and all that jazz. As I say, she's merry enough so that's fine!

Jenni

Taupe/mauve/beige for lips? Or not?

Topshop Gypsy Night

1 of a set of 3 x 6 ml bottles. But I must have immediate emergency back-up. Express delivery. US cavalry. Military outriders. Presidential escort. (Don't know why I've gone all gung-ho Bruce Willis meets John Wayne all of a sudden but this polish is HUGE.) The other 2 polishes are probably lovely too btw.

3 coats. Is it brown or black or olive-brown? Don't care. Is the glitter brilliantly integrated? Yes. Are there flakies in there? Could be.

A bit too much of the ol' flash but those look like flakies to me.

Women of Britain, buy this polish. Swatch it on your lovely nails. And get some blinding pictures posted. Thank you.

Jenni

YSL Rouge Volupte Brun Vibrant lipstick

If it's Rouge then how can it be Brun? Just idly asking...

Looks glossier than I was expecting. Doesn't feel glossy/messy though which is something I welcome. It's not that I have long hair to get caught in lipstick but I still feel mildly queasy thinking about that scenario.

Was an absolute bargain. A fiver? Cheap Smells. Think I must have secured the last one. Just love the packaging. I'm really not supposed to be getting into lipstick as well as nail polish but .....too late. Just ordered 3 OCC Lip Tars and got an Illamasqua from asos at a bargain price.

Just to say - I hate the abbreviation 'lippie'. It's very useful and labour-saving and so forth but I just hate that word. Any words or phrases you particularly dislike?

Jenni

Nubar Chocolate Coffee Bean

I got Raspberry Truffle but it didn't turn out as spectacular on me as it did on every other blog so I ebayed it.

Took a chance on this one and this is (for me) a better polish.

Application these days is not at all good. Sorry. Can't properly see what I'm doing as darkness falls. I do have electricity btw! Just in case you thought I'd been cut off or something. 3 coats. Tried 2 but just wasn't enough.

I'm no chocoholic but it is an appealing idea/theme for cosmetics. I'm a big Nubar fan. Or even just plain BIG. Too many chips, I fear!

Chocolate?

• Not bothered. More of a savoury soul.
• I would kill anyone who got in my way.
• Kinda hormonal about it. Appetite for it comes and goes.
• Other

And WHAT brands or flavours?

Jenni

Cheap Smells haul + a big shout-out to Charlie of Lady of the Lane

Cheap Smells. Not the most attractive name for someone looking for good quality products at good (aka bargain) prices. Works on a 'does-what-it-says-on-the-tin' way. Direct. To the point. But charmless.

 

YSL Rouge Volupte Brun Vibrant £4.95. I'll swatch it soon. But the packaging is worth that money! Feels so satisfying in the hand. The sort of thing I pop in my pocket and just fondle to give myself a thrill....Is that TMI? I really don't need to develop an expensive lipstick habit but when did need trump desire?

 The La Perla was £25.95 but it IS eau de parfum and the OH finds it irresistible. Odd because I don't much like it. Too woody and the patchouli is too strong but (as mentioned) the OH is crazy about it/me. So I need it in my arsenal.

Now the Peony is more my thing. I go for florals and gourmand fragrances so this is right up my rue. Got a polish too but I'll post that separately as it merits its own pearls of wisdom. Ahem.

I also use fragrance direct, cosmetic kingdom and probably scores of others. Any discount recommendations?

And thanks to Charlie of  http://www.ladyofthelane.com/.
I won a Dove prize in her giveaway so expect more pix of my hair soon! I just know you can hardly contain yourselves. Such is the excitement generated. ;o) I had better purple it a bit before I test the products! I like Dove body cream a LOT so have high hopes of the hair stuff.



Jenni

Jessica Mystical Magic

Oo, oo, oo! I am officially on the hunt for Jessica polishes. I already have a few but my recent bargain buys have ignited a flame of desire for Jessica!

It's brown. But it's brown with an added 'je-ne-sais-quoi'.
2 coats.
The accent nail (for which read - trying to cover over a bit of a c0ck-up) is a layering effort with 3 additional beauties.

 Look at that GOSH Rainbow. I have 3 PLUS a Nubar 2010. Flakie is my middle name.

Word to the wise: some GOSH stuff is half-price at Superdrug. Including Holographic which the display claims is being discontinued. If you like their Holo - and I know there are many fans - then lose no time.

By bargain buy I mean £2.99 for the Jessica from

http://www.halfpriceperfumes.co.uk/search/results.html?keyword=nail&go=GO&pto=

Good site. Not much choice but the 3 I got are great. I spend so much time looking for sites like this. I really should get a life some day....

Jenni

Nails Inc Battersea Power Station

I kid you not. This is the sort of fugly I adore and I've wanted it for awhile. Such a popular polish (ahem) that it is now on their website with 2 others for £8. The other two I'll flog.

The hideousness on my 4th finger is basecoat. I do rather slop it all over and it doesn't usually show up. Sorry.
2 coats. I  repeat. I love it.

Behold the much-loved Power Station. I believe it's rather ramshackle up close and hasn't undergone gentrification. I think it's rather fine although it doesn't take much imagination to visualise the four towers as the peg-legs of two elderly Napoleonic sailors.

I feel I should check out the names of all the Nails Inc polishes I own. I suspect that some of the place names belong to highly insalubrious areas of the capital. One day when at a loose end I shall pursue my plan to research them.

Meanwhile I plan a quiet evening with beer. And a couple of choc ices. You?

Oh, and investigate my giveaway (see right) if you fancy a box of 6 Jessica polishes/tints/jellies.

Jenni

Boots 17 Fast Finish in Tigers Eye

No apostrophe on the label. Tut.

And a very discreet layer of The Edge London on the index finger.

I really like this. 2 coats of what is colloquially known as gloop. But it's a quick-dry number and they do tend to be like that. Not that I ever trust that claim. I still don't use my hands for anything except typing for the next 2 hours. No matter what the optimistic statement on the label.

Only a titchy little 8ml bottle which makes it more expensive than you'd think but I had seen a couple of polishes and ordered online from Boots (spending £7) with free collection from the shop. They did not please me though when I removed them from the traditionally too-big box so I exchanged them for this and a small companion called Lunar Haze by Natural Collection.

I forgot how much I love taupe. I'd rather call it mocha or something. Ironic as I only drink espresso and loathe any coffee with milk in it.

Jenni

BB Couture Eve

Is it brown or dark olive green? Not sure. With teal sparkle.
I love it. I love all BB polishes - even the ones (usually blue like Sea of Cortez) that don't suit me. There's something special about BB. Not just the fabulous customer service you get from Kim at Overall Beauty. Not just the funky colours. Not just the small-business ethos.  Somehow I love everything about BB.

Waxing lyrical over. Photo.

The next one, heavily flash-bleached as it is, does show the different glittery sparkles. One review says this polish dries quite bumpy but I didn't find this to be the case.

Trying to get my nails square as they tend to come out rounded but my patience is quickly exhausted with this kind of intricate enterprise. Hence the odd little finger. Heck, all my digits are probably odd. I really can't be faffed with nail shape/length accuracy.

Your polishes are arbitrarily restricted to only
A blues
B browns
C greens

Which would you opt for? I think I'll have to go with B but I'm getting ever fonder of C.

Jenni

China Glaze Ingrid

Not the worst pic.
It shows the gold shimmer/glimmer.
I am loving browns at the moment.

2 coats and 3 wouldn't harm or hinder.
Got Accessorize Bronze on the other hand and that's quite some polish. I need a healthy dose of daylight to capture that as it's a duochrome. Or maybe a DUOCHROME!!!

Oh, well. Off to work. Up the M5/M6 today for a course in Wolvo. Will stuff myself on the free lunch and then go to visit daughter and grandson on the way home. Thank goodness for satnav. Last time I got thoroughly lost in the wilds of Willenhall. Eek!

Jenni

Missguided Splash MissFit - free with Cosmo

Missguided 

Got this with the magazine - I am so not of the Cosmo demographic but the polish is GRRRRRRRRRRRREAT!

They only do 6 polishes but, if this is the typical standard, they promise to be fab.

This was 2 coats but 1 would be fine. I just wasn't expecting it to be so good so I wasn't careful enough first time so I had to do it properly the 2nd time. ONE COAT. I kid you not. It claims it's black with whatever bits. But it has a very brown/olive character to it. My nails look good. I am content.

This has impressed me so much I have used the COSMO20 code to buy all 6 polishes for a bit under £20 including P&P. The code gives you 20% discount. The quality of this is superb. The remaining 5 colours are not cutting edge chic (unless reds and pinks are the new mints, nudes and greiges and what do I know?) but I want to encourage this brand to stretch its wings. They do 2 themes - Love and Peace. Loving the bottle shape.

Enough with the gushing.

Blogger is playing me up something rotten today. Bullet points won't work. Cursor won't go where I want it. Enter key isn't taking me down....Or it takes me back to the start of the line. What's afoot?

So frustrating.

Jenni

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barielle Cashmere Or Loose Me

Some polish names are whimsical, some are hideous puns and some are just plain STUPID.
Cashmere or loose me.....
You couldn't make it up. Except that some eejit DID!

I've been quite hard to please recently but this one hits the spot.
See that copper pearl in the bottle? It doesn't translate so much to the nail but what the heck. I really like this colour. This is day 3 or 4. Started off as 2 coats and then I refreshed it with a third coat as, even by my own lackadaisical standards, I hadn't done a very good job.
I'm not a great chocoholic but it's a very satisfying polish in a gourmandising sort of way.

Mind you, I've used my cold and sore throat as an excuse to guzzle 6 almond choc ices in about 24 hours. Oops.

How's your health these days? I can't seem to shift this dratted cough and cold.

Jenni

OPI Bronzed to Perfection

I don't have many browns - 3?

I can't remember why I wanted a new brown. It was only a week ago but a week ago I simply HAD TO HAVE IT. How does that work? From ardent desire to forgetfulness?

Pic1 shows the colour a bit over-orange. 2 coats.

Pic 2 has too much flash and is consequently a little washed-out but shows the subtle sparkle (technically fine glass fleck).

It's really got my OPI-juices flowing again because the quality is superb. So I'm going to add to my OPIs but will I pay premium prices? I will not.

OPI? Must-haves or not-bovvereds?

Jenni

The Edge Costa Rica

So short of time. Slapped 1 coat of Costa Rica over the ELF. I got me an autumnal mani which would hold its own in the China Glaze VV collection but The Edge polishes are £1.99. They can be found on ebay and their own website but there aren't many shades and some crackers have been discontinued. They do more acrylics and gels and so on than polishes. I love their stuff though.

No more to be said.

OK, let's go with the brown theme...after a fashion.

Wartime obviously. Cavalry officers (why?) and ladies be-ribboned and be-gloved. How I dislike that nail shape. But there is a lot of brown.

I am hankering after browns and camels. What can you recommend? And to what extent will you be going the camel-route (metaphorically speaking) in terms of clothing this autumn?

Jenni

ELF Smoky Brown

This is nice enough. 3 coats. Applied the same night I was rushing to see the GP and subject therefore to rather sloppy application.

I have a big gripe with ELF. It's really my own fault though.

Head. Brain. Idea. Ting! £1.50 per polish. Got to get me some.

Too good to be true? But of course. Made in China. Hence cheapo. China has a hideous record of abuse of human rights and I take great pains not to buy Chinese-made goods. On this occasion my greed for cheap polish overcame my normal prudence. When I buy online I usually:
a buy second-hand/used so I'm not stimulating demand for new items
b email the company and ask them where they make stuff
I failed to check and consequently I ended up with unethical stuff. Not happy with myself or ELF.

Today's ad. From 1966.

Who was Hazel Bishop? What about these drug stores? Do they still exist? I notice the nail polish is the cheapest item.  And look at those fake lashes. 100% human hair. Freaky? I think so. 

Random question. How autumnal are you feeling today?

Jen

Diamond Cosmetics Chainmail Charm (holo)

I'm still anti-colour so today we have one of the best polishes I have.

You can sort-of see the holo on the ring finger. This is 3 coats. No TC.
Even if it cost more than a coupla quid it would be way worth it.

Look at the bottle!
I think this is a cross between dinosaur skin and fur.
People babble on about OPI My Private Jet but they can keep it. I don't know what gets better than this.
I want to stroke it. It's like velvet dinosaur skin-fur. It's like serenity and bliss in a bottle. It makes even my pudgy paws look vaguely half-decent. It's the song of the blackbird on a cool morning in May.


Now for the mundane.
In the UK it's available from Konad Nail Stamping Nail Art - Flashy Nails.
Every Diamond I have is a great polish.
Charm is one of only 2 polishes for which I have back-up.

It appears from my survey that most of you are dancer(s). Just saying.

The love of my life resurfaces on Thursday.
Test cricket. None of this 1-day malarkey. And 20-20 is beyond evil. The work of the devil.
England v Pakistan.
My cricket memories. Those days of yore.
My dream job would be cricket-commentator for the BBC. I kid you not.

Very cross as my googled image of Sir Geoffrey keeps disappearing. Bah, humbug.


This is one of my cricket heroes - Sir Geoffrey Boycott. Don't tell me he hasn't been ennobled because in my head he IS Sir Geoffrey. Why am I not doing a cricket-blog? Expect lots of cricket to have to skip beyond until the Test series is over but am I repentant? I am not.

Dream job?
Sporting hero?

Jenni

Ciate Sienna + animal testing (not suggesting that the 2 are linked btw)

Under normal circumstances I wouldn't buy a polish from a range named after slebs (overpaid and underworked airheads for the most part) but this was £3 from asos. So there go my principles. See them? Fast fading into the distance. They'll be back.

It's a good colour. Greyish. Mauve-ish. Purple-ish. Generally rather on the -ish edge of the spectrum.

Brownish.

With a bit of added -ish.
This is 2 coats after 24 hours of wear.
I like it.

Animal Testing.
I can't say much about this other than that I deplore it. Kind of a "duh" statement.....
I really had assumed it no longer goes on. But Green Fairy brought it up in a comment yesterday with reference to Rimmel. I have 3 dogs. I may love my nail varnish but I love animals far more and if the nails have to go naked then so be it. I plead guilty to ignorance of this issue. I will have to rectify this forthwith. So my question is this?

A Does it bother you that cosmetics companies still animal-test?
B Do you want me to do a load of research (thanks, google) and publish my results?
C Do you want to do your own googling with reference to your own stash?
D Please don't leave comments that support/argue the case for animal-testing for cosmetics because I've done the devil's advocate thing in my own little head and I can't find a single valid reason in favour of aforementioned testing. I'm not remotely sentimental about animals but if they need guinea-pigs for cosmetics then they can ask me. If I have to suffer in the cause of vanity then so be it. I don't see why a chimp, beagle or rat need suffer on my behalf.

Watching dear little baby birds from my window and feeling guilty about my cavalier disregard for the welfare of critters

Jenni