NOTW: Too Too Hot

Hello all! 

It's been a while since I've posted up a NOTW post.
This doesn't mean I have kicked off of polishes, no no, it means I was just too lazy to post them... I should be ashamed of myself, I know!

Below you'll find a picture of me wearing Essie's Too Too Hot:

Essie - Too Too Hot

It's a true summery color: a creamy red coral color that can only make you dream about summer!

It applies liked heaven: 1 coat is enough to have it opaque and it lasts for about a week. I couldn't ask for more!

Think this polish will be my best friend for 2014's summer :)

Make up products come and go...

Hello everyone,

It's been a while since I've posted a pure text blog post on my blog, so thought I'd surprise you all :)
I'm sure not everyone who's passioned by make up thinks about how long they can keep their favorite product in their make up bag.
It's important to emphasize that all make up products have an expiration date. It's not easy to follow how long you've been using a certain product. Most people keep their goodies until they're dry, don't apply as smooth as they did in the beginning or just keep using it until it's empty. (ow yeah, empties blog posts!)

Enough intro, let's talk business :)

• Foundation

As for liquid foundation it is recommended to keep these stored about a half year to 1 year in your cupboard. Ingredients can dissolve or change causing this not give the same result you had when applied for the very first time.

• Blush

Powder blush can be stored rather long in your make up trolley. 12 to 18 months is a good amount to keep these in your collection. Remember that going in with a blush brush is far better than going in with your fingers, as hands always carry bacteries (yes, even after washing them!).

• Mascara

From all make up products, I think this is the one you should pay attention to the most. This tube gets very close to your eyes, and an eye infection is not cool at all. Mascara's can dry out easily as well form opening and closing it and those who push their brush into the tube constantly makes it dry even faster. If you're doubting whenever the expiry date is and it's dryer than normal or doesn't apply or give the same result, it's no longer good and it is recommended that you throw this away. They stay good for about 3 to 4 months.

• Eyeliner/lip liner

Liners are pretty much the survivors of the entire bunch. They can last up to 18 to 24 months. Yes, almost 2 years! Most liners contain ingredients that make them last longer. For those who only like to wear liners, you're lucky! :)

• Lipstick

Lip stick junkies can keep their items from 1 year to 1,5 year. Most people (not hoarders) can use their lippies up before expiring. It can be more dry than normal, but texture and pigment will remain just as good.

• Nail polish

This one's for all my polish people in the house :) Did you know that you can keep varnishes up to 2 years? I'm sure you've noticed a yellow varnish comes to the top when not used often. Just shake it up upside down and you're good to go. Inspite of some better quality varnishes, some can expiry faster than others. If it's dried out, you can put a drop of thinner and you're good to go again.

A great tip would be sticking a label mentioning the date you opened the product for the very first time. Just add the amount of months/years et voilà :)

Have fun experimenting, just remember to stay hygienic. Think we'd all rather throw way products than having an infection because you kept on using something far too long. Choice is yours... :)

NOTW Plumberry

And I'm back with a NOTW, oh yeah!

This week I've decided to go for a sultry look: a nice deep red by Essie :)

Essie: Plumberry

This red seemed like a pinkish red. This looks a bit more pink than She's Pampered, which is more of an oranged toned red.

I've discovered I'm more fond of the blue toned reds. The texture is creamy as well and 1 layer is enough to get an opaque color. I'm not sure whether I've gotten a bad bottle, but I've found this Essie more runny than the ones I get in Europe (Belgium).

I still like the color, and I'm sure I'll get a lot of wear of it, but the texture is just a tad too liquidy for my liking.

Besides this, loving it! :)

NOTW La Vie En Rose

Hello there my beauties!

It's been a while since I've post a NOTW! That doesn't mean I've neglected my nails (aside from my blog, I know :()...

During one of my many shopping sprees, I noticed a very subtle color, yet special enough to have caught my eye. It's a Deborah Lippmann polish:

Deborah Lippmann - La Vie En Rose

It's a very simple pastel pink when you take a first glance at it, but if you look closer you'll notice the purple sparkles in it. LOVE it!
It makes me feel extra femine, if the pink doesn't do its job already.

I do have to mention I did apply 3 coats to get a rather satisfying opaque look, which I didn't anticipate.
I was hoping it to be more opaque quicker, but oh well :)

It's not my favorite polish ever, but I do like it very much to recommend it to any polish lover out there. Do you have this polish in your collection? What do you think of this beauty?

NOTW: Showgirl

To get in the holiday's spirit, I decided to slap on some sparkly red on the nails. A look that you can never go wrong with!

Ciaté - Showgirl

In the picture above I'm wearing Showgirl from Ciaté's Passionista collection.
This is a reddish pink polish with pink and purple micro glitters all over it. If there's one polish I own that screams Christmas it's definitely this one. 

The formula from Ciaté's polishes apply like jelly. I happen to like it, or let me put it this way: I can work with them. Some people I know love Ciaté's colors but dislike the formula.

I've applied 2 coats of Showgirl to make it look flawless, but most Ciaté's need 2 coats in my opinion.

And let us just take a moment of silence to admire the cuteness of the bottle :)
It looks gorgeous, fancy, expensive and cute thanks to the little bow they've put on the front of the polish.

Unfortunately Ciaté isn't easy accessible for those nail polish lovers out there who live in Belgium unless you order them online. I bought mine in a drugstore in the Netherlands.

Next time I'm trying a Ciaté, I'm picking a cream color. I have 2 glitter polishes by this brand and I was wondering whether 1 creamy color will do the job or not.

If you have a cream color by Ciaté, let me know in the comment bar below :) Is t worth the money?

NOTW: Dark Navy

As the title already explained itself, I'm going dark navy on the nails this week!

I bought this polish about a year ago and never got the chance to apply it. This week I decided it was time to experiment :)

I've never been a huge fan of blue nails on myself, because I happen to LOVE the color on other people. I just don't think it suits me. What do you think?

ELF - Dark Navy

This Dark Navy is a gorgeous ... you guessed it, a dark navy, haha! Actually it looks like a black but with a blue sheen over it. Pretty darn beautiful, I must say!

1 single coat does the job and I love the formula of ELF' polishes. They apply easily and the formula isn't too thick but not too thin either. The brush is just the right size. I go over my nails 2 times: left, right, and I'm done! 2 coats will do the job and the color stays for a good 5 to 6 days, which I don't mind, because on day 7 I'm changing my mani anyway.

If you haven't heard of ELF before, it stands for Eyes Lips Face. It's an online site that provides cheap make up. From eye shadow 'till nail polished. They pretty much have it all in their online shop for a very affordable price.

One of my favorite polishes happens to be by the brand ELF. Says enough on how you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Drugstore items can rock your worlds as well! :)

NOTW: Raspberryfields Forever

Well hello!

So, I'm back with another nails of the week. I was wandering around the isles of the drugstore and I happen to came across this beautiful polish:

Catrice: 26 Raspberryfields Forever

If you've been following my NOTW's for a while, you probably know I love my drugstore polishes. Catrice is a wonderful drugstore brand that has a great variety of colors. Raspberryfields Forever is no exception.

It's a creamy polish and 1 coat will do it for a mani. It looks like a pinkish red in the bottle, but it comes out red on the nails. I was looking for a pinkish red, but I guess a girl can never have too many red polishes in their collection :p

I did notice that the Raspberryfields Forever can be a dupe for Essie's She's Pampered: a true red. 
You might say a red is a red, there ain't no difference in them. But there are SO many different kinds of red: orange red, pinkish red, true red, dark red, ...

What do you think of this classic look?

NOTW: Devotee

This is my very first Illamasqua polish and it was gifted to me.

Illamasqua - Devotee

Before I start rambling about this polish, my friend was inspired by the books 50 Shades of Grey to buy me this polish. And since I was totally into pink those months, this polishwas right up my alley... I thought!

It's a neon matte pink that's very in-your-face and would make a great color to put on during summer. It reminds me of a Barbie pink, which is just a bit too pink for my liking. 
In spite of nearing the coldest months of the year, this fun color can brighten up everyoutfit.


The formula is like a gel, which makes it look like you have fake nails on. That's how good it looks on your nails! When you apply this on your nails you'll understand why they call it the Rubber Finish Nail Varnish.
The matte finish is something that makes this polish special. Although I'm not a huge matte fan, it did muted the color a bit down.

I didn't expect to apply so many coats, but I had to use 3 coats to make it picture perfect.

As the brush, it's a standard size brush. I think it's somewhat too small, I prefer a little bit bigger brushes, but that's just my preference.

Devotee has opened the Illamasqua world to me, but I don't think I'll be trying out other polishes from this brand.

NOTW: You Don't Know Jacques!

For those OPI lovers out there, this is a staple to have in your polish collection. (or you probably already own it)

OPI - You Don't Know Jacques!

This is a brown color with taupe hints to it.
Like most OPI polishes, they apply with maximum 2 coats.

It's a HG from many beauty guru's, but since I'm not really into brown polishes, I rather pass on this.

It was in 'The Culture of Color' collection by OPI. This contains 4 mini OPI's and this polish was the main reason why bought it. In all honesty, I've never finished a big bottle of polish, so I thought these mini varnishes were a great buy for me to try out.

NOTW: Mango Madness

I love to switch my NOTW's between natural and bright colors.
Since I had me some nude nails last week, I like to share my fun bright NOTW today with you girls.

ELF - Mango Madness

I've never hidden my love for coral, so I just had to try out a coral polish by ELF.

The brand ELF might be cheap, but that doesn't take away the quality from this varnish.
Admitting that light colors may need a few more coats, but richer colors will only require 1 coat.

I bought the ones with the improved formula, so I can't compare it with the old versions. But one thing is for sure, I'm loving me some ELF!

Although it looks more orange in the bottle and it looks more bright in the picture, but it's less in-your-face in real life. A beautiful coral color to slap on the nails during the warmer months.

A beautiful color that takes me back to the summer time for a week :)

to SC or not to SC?

Hello there everyone!

If you've taken the time to read this blog post, you're probably wondering what the letters 'SC' stand for. Let me help you out... Pronounce the letters one by one. What polish brand did you just say?

That's right :) Essie

In this blog post I'll be talking about nail polishes, but first let me show you my collection of Essie polishes.

Here's a listing of the polishes I have left to right:

• Cocktail Bling: blue toned grey
• Eternal Optimist: spiced rose
• Brooch The Subject: light mocha
• Fiji: milky pink
• Tart Deco: coral
• No Chips Ahead: top coat
• Go Ginza: pastel purple
• School of Hard Rocks: greyish dark green
• She's Pampered: dark pink - red
• Buy Me A Cameo: rose gold
• Naughty Nautical: teal

Before I get into reviewing each and every one, let me put out there that I'm no longer an Essie fan, in spite of having 11 polishes.

Cocktail Bling:
This blue toned grey polish is a pretty color, but it just doesn't suit my skintone. I was hoping it would turn out lighter on the nails, but after putting 2 coats of this this turns out darker than it looks like in the bottle. A pretty color, but not my thing.

Eternal Optimist:
A spiced rose that reminds me of a grandma nude. Not flattering enough for me to like it.


Brooch The Subject:
This varnish has a tint of mocha. I'm into nudes, but this gave my mani a dirty look. Kind of the opposite of what I expect from a mani...

Fiji: When I looked up swatches from this milky pink polish, I thought it could be my go to polish for whenever I want my nails to look classy but not overdone. Unfortunately this reminded me of doing my nails with Tipp-Ex. It made my nails look SO white. No thanks Fiji.

Tart Deco: A bright color which is perfect for the summer time. I like coral colors, especially during the warmer months, but too bad it wouldn't look good during the cold months of which we have a lot here in Belgium.

No Chips Ahead: This topcoat is probably the worst topcoat I've ever used. It's ironically that they call this No Chips Ahead, since this made my mani chip like crazy. A big no no.

Go Ginza: This lavender is probably one of my favorite polishes EVER! Not just from my own Essie collection, but from my entire polish collection. This is a gorgeous pastel purple that can be worn all year round.

School of Hard Rocks: A greyish dark green color that was in my Deauty box and a color I wouldn't have picked up it was for me. It's a too dark of a color and in my opinion greens and blues are just not my cup of tea.

She's Pampered: I was hoping this red varnish would be more of a pink red, but instead it's more of a deep pink (as in you can barely see it, ergo it's just a classic red). Every girl needs a good red in their collection, and it's an okay polish, but it just wasn't what I expected it to be.

Buy Me A Cameo: A rose gold polish that reminded me of Orly's Rage without the shimmers. I've been into rose gold the last couple of months and I thought this color would be right up my alley. Unfortunately this was so streaky, my love for rose gold even diminished...

Naughty Nautical: A teal I was gifted when I bought Buy Me A Cameo. I wouldn't reach for this kind of color, but it is a very pretty color.

In spite of the wrong color choice, I have to admit that for most Essie varnishes the formula are quite creamy and sometimes one coat will do the trick. But unfortunately, this just isn't enough for me to keep on trying out Essies.

Overall, I think I've given Essie enough chances to make me fall in love with the brand. There were just too many misses than hits that I won't be purchasing the Essie polishes anymore.

What do you think of Essie? To SC or not to SC?

NOTW: Buy Me A Cameo

Welcome back to my blog!

This week's nail of the week is one by Essie: Buy Me A Cameo.
I've been eying this polish for a few years and I just never picked it up when I was at an Essie shelf. The other day I was on a polish hunt (because apparently I'm just not satisfied by the gazillion other polishes I have laying around) and this polish caught my eye (again!).

I love anything rose gold, and this reminded me of a Orly's Rage minus the shimmer.
This varnish is a pretty rose gold polish, but it went on SO streaky. I applied 2 coats hoping it would give more of a flawless application, but unfortunately my topcoat didn't even help.

The polish has a subtle sheen to it, but even the sheen doesn't hide the hideous way of application, haha!

Although you can't see any streaks on the picture, here's a swatch of the gorgeous color:

Essie - Buy Me A Cameo

It's a shame I end up not liking this, because I heard so many people raving about this polish. I LOVE the color, but it'll take some time before I'll be reapplying this polish.

Do you happen to like this? Do you think I got a defective bottle? Tell me in the comment box bar below! :)

NOTW: Naughty Nautical

Dear reader :)

Wondering what polish I slapped on this week huh? Well, if you've already read the title, you're probably an Essie fan or you are about to become an Essier.

A while back I bought an Essie polish and I was gifted this polish, hence why it's such a small size. I actually think they should put these miniature versions on the shelves, because no matter how much research you do or no matter how much you like the color in the bottle, sometimes a color just doesn't work out for you. Yes, you can give it away, but I'd rather try out a smaller size to make sure I love the color.

I'll be honest, I would never have chosen this color if I would buy a polish color. I don't know what it is, but greens and blues are just not my cup of tea. I've already tried it, but somehow I always think it's gorgeous on other people's hands than on mine.

Anyway, as I was in an experimental mode, I decided to give this Naughty Nautical a try:

Essie - Naughty Nautical

It's a teal creamy color which subtle flex to it and it applied opaque after 2 coats.

As for the rest of Essie's summer collection 2013, the only color that's not within my interest is the lime polish: The More The Merrier.

I probably would've been happy with the other 4 colors, but hey, can't complain for receiving something for free, right? :)

NOTW: Raspberryfields Forever ft. Showgirl

And the nail of the week is ...

Catrice: Raspberryfields Forever - Ciaté: Showgirl

A while back I purchased a a red drugstore polish called Raspberryfields Forever. It's a plain red that applies opaque after 1 coat. To spice things up I added Ciaté's Showgirl on top of it. This is a beautiful quite sheer red with pink and purple flex to it. This made the look just that little bit fancier.

Catrice:
This polish applies opaque with 1 coat. It's creamy, cheap and gorgeous.

Ciaté:
Because this is abit sheer, I prefer to apply this on top of another color. When I only applied Ciaté to my nails this is pretty as well, but several coats are definitely needed to avoid seeing my nail beds under the polish.
Ciaté's polishes are a little bit more expensive, they're right in the middle between drugstore and high end, to me that is.
Remark: Not all Ciaté's polishes are this sheer, there are other beautiful creamy polishes that apply opaque with just one coat.

I decided to top Ciaté on my Catrice because I wanted to achieve a pinkish red. Mission accomplished :)

NOTW: My Very First Knockwurst

Hi there everyone!

This week's nail will be one by OPI. I've always been into nude polishes, but I always think it's difficult to find one that applies opaque without having to slap on a gazillion layers (you know what I mean) and the right nude color that makes your mani per to the fect.
When I was passing by the OPI shelf, my eyes were immediately drawn to this mauve nude color. I looked up the swatches they had in the store and fell in love on the spot!

OPI - My Very First Knockwurst

Above you can see I'm wearing My Very First Knockwurst by OPI. I have to admit that I'm not used to spending a lot of money on polish, just because I think there are a lot of good cheaper alternatives out there. And let's face it, you're wearing it for maximum a week and then you'll be taking it off anyway.

When I invest more money in a polish, I just want the formula to be smoother, opaque, that it doesn't leave any streaks and that it's a beautiful color which will suit me. That isn't too much to ask, is it? :)

This is a mauve/pink nude color that's opaque in 2 coats. I think this color is darn pretty and looks very classy. It's simply a color that you can't go wrong with and it's something that will go with every outfit you decide to wear.

I own a couple of OPI's and I must admit, it's a brand that hasn't failed on me yet. Glad to have add this to my polish collection, definitely one that can be worn all year long.

But tell me, do you invest in your nail polishes? Or do drugstore polishes still do the trick for you?

NOTW: Rose Moiré

I finally got my hands on this polish. I've been eying this one for weeks and after stalking several shops I can finally say that I'm a proud owner of Chanel's Rose Moiré :)
 

Chanel - 593 Rose Moiré

This polish is from Chanel's newest collection. It's a greyish pink polish with a pearly finish.

I decided to leave my nails abit longer for this look, because I wasn't sure whether my stubby short nails would look good with this varnish color.

I have to admit that it's a quite streaky when applying, but a topcoat can cover some of that messy application.

Normally I do 2 coats, but I'm putting this polish to the test by putting only 1 coat. We'll see how long this will lasts on the nails...





Yes, Chanel is quite expensive polish, but I do have to say that I don't have anything in my collection like this. I have quite the pearly polishes, but this particular greyish pink color put the 'u' in unique. 

I'm not a huge fan of Chanel, the brush isn't all that great, but some of the colors are very easy for the eye. Until I see another stunning color, I probably won't be buying any other Chanels anymore...for now :p

NOTW: That's Berry Darling

Yes yes yes, I have another NOTW ready for you readers!

Let me introduce to you a gorgeous polish:

OPI: That's Berry Darling

I don't own a lot of OPI's, but this is one of my favorite polishes from the brand. It has a creamy texture and is opaque with 2 coats. The polish is a dark pink, almost pinkish red.

I'm a huge fan of natural and pastel colors, but every now and then I love to slap me on a sexy color. This is a great transition to a red, of you're not confident enough to wear a bright red.

A great color that has convinced me to step over to the colorful world of OPI :)

NOTW: 20

Let's face it, I'm a wuss when it comes to trying out bright colors. It took me quite a while before I dared to wear bright pink and red polish. I'm still a huge fan of natural colors such as nude or light pinks, but I'm slowly stepping out of my box of polishes :)

This NOTW will be something different than what you're used to see me wearing:

HEMA 20

To tell you the truth, I was a bit uncomfortable wearing this color. It just wasn't really me.

Aside from that, I've already talked about these HEMA polishes. Long story short, they're good. They apply smooth, one coat is often enough with bright or deep colors, they're cheap and they're tiny (because be honest, who here has actually finished a nail polish bottle?)

This orange color is no exception to the HEMA polishes, but the color's just not really my cup of tea. Good stuff nonetheless :)

NOTW: Fruit Drink #3

Yes, another NOTW is coming your way! :)

This week I went for my well trusty coral polish, surprise surprise. And although this is a Korean brand, my friend got me this polish when she went to California.

Skin Food Fruit Drink #3

Another coral polish to add to my collection, but I guess you can never have too much corals. Very pretty nonetheless.
The Skin Food polishes apply very smooth. You can get away with just one coat, but I went for 2 anyway, just to make sure :)

Since my friend got me this polish, I have no idea how much this costs. Should I get the opportunity to buy Skin Food's polishes, I'm sure I'll be snatching a few of them.

NOTW: 17

Hi y'all!

If you're wondering what polish I've slapped on my nails this week, you're probably just as much of a nail junkie as I am. In that case, welcome to the dark side, mwoehahaha :)

Last week I passed by HEMA (a Dutch drugstore) and I saw they had a new collection of polishes. As a beauty blogger I just had to know what the newest colors in store were.

I noticed they had released a collection with special editions such as chameleon effect, glitter and holographic polishes.

Hint: Chameleon Gold 65 is a great dupe for Chanel's Peridot!

I didn't buy any of the chameleons because the gold isn't really my cup of tea. The glitters are a hassle to take off, so the only polishes left to my interest were the holographic ones. I own nr 17:

HEMA holographic 17

Because of the poor camera quality and the holographic polish, it is very difficult to get the actual sheen on picture. I tried to take the picture with flash as well, but that didn't help one bit :D

I promise you this is holographic.
If you see it in real life, you'll get a glance of a pretty pinkish purple sheen to it.

Somehow this polish kind of reminds me of Ciaté's Halo. Now, I'm not saying it's a dupe, but the transparent look with the purple sheen is something they have in common.

For the money I spent on this polish, it's worth it. I'm not a huge fan of holographic polishes, but I do think they're pretty if you want something very subtle, yet special (if you know what I mean)

I only applied one coat of this, because I didn't want to bother applying another coat. A sheen will stay a sheen, right? I don't think you can emphasize a sheen that's already there from the first time.

Overall, this isn't a bad collection. They're fun to try out and to see whether holographic polishes are your thing. After all, they're very affordable and they do come in a variety of shades.