Free beauty tips: Mauve

Showing posts with label Mauve. Show all posts

Barielle Wrap Me in Ribbon

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I'm still cranking my way through Barielle's Holiday Hustle Collection, today with Wrap Me in Ribbon. In the promo pictures, Wrap Me in Ribbon looks like a pink frost, and in the bottle I thought it was kind of a dark rose frost, but it's completely different when dry. Barielle says this is "a metallic raspberry with violet and copper pearl undertones," and I'd say that's an accurate description of the finished manicure with Wrap Me in Ribbon. It's much more metallic than frost.

Like the others, this polish was a little on the thick side, but sufficiently pigmented so two very thin coats are all that I needed. Here's Wrap Me in Ribbon in the sun.

Barielle Wrap Me in Ribbon Nail Polish, Two Coats Dry

In the picture, there are slight brush strokes, but that's just because the picture's giant. Just walking around normally, that doesn't show at all. I was skeptical about this one, really, but now that I'm wearing it I quite like it. The color is somewhat "safe," but the metallic finish makes it a really interesting combination.

That's just about all I have for you today, Dear Reader. Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!

*This polish was sent to me for review by the manufacturer.

Orly Bloom 2010: Wild Wisteria, Pure Petunia & Ginger Lilly

Above & Below: L-R Wild Wisteria, Pure Petunia and Ginger Lilly.

Above & Below: The picture shown above is one coat of the cremes and 2 coats of the shimmer taken indoors, with flash. Below is taken outdoors in the rain, no flash.

I received 3 polishes yesterday which are part of Orly's Bloom Collection, due out in February. There are 6 polishes in this collection (you can read my original post about the collection here), and I know many of you were curious about the green shade, as was I. Unfortunately, that was not one of the shades I received, so we'll have to wait until they're available or someone else gets a hold of that one. The other one I really wanted to see was Ginger Lilly, which was included.

First, let me apologize for swatching them on wheels, but I'm trying to get ready for Thanksgiving tomorrow, cooking and cleaning, and you do not want to see my hands right now! I'm also in the midst of some German Shepherd Rescues (my other passion), and that can get very trying the day before a holiday when we're trying to save them and the shelters are trying to clear out what they can before a long weekend. Most of these dogs are in high-kill shelters, so there is always a sense of urgency before a holiday. You do the best you can, but it's difficult arranging and coordinating foster care, transport, and countless other things needed to save a life. It all becomes very political sometimes, which makes it difficult to stay focused on our purpose, but in the end, it's all worth it. Just as I see so many ignorant people mistreating and abusing animals, I thankfully see the opposite in the others I deal with who devote so much love and compassion, by volunteering countless hours of time and donating much-needed money in our German Shepherd community. I'll get off my soapbox now, but needless to say, my nails and hands don't look the greatest right now, and I don't have time to work on them!

Back to the polish...I've got to tell you, I'm not wowed by these. The purple creme, Wild Wisteria, looks like a deep grape purple shade in the bottle. Once I applied a coat to the nail wheel, it becomes quite dark, almost too dark in my opinion. I wanted the color in the bottle... a purple that looks purple. Pure Petunia, the deep lavender mauve creme is pretty, and it maintains the bottle color when transferred to the nail wheel, but surely I have a number of polishes that look very similar (Finger Paints Berry Shiny comes to mind). Ginger Lilly is the only one out of this collection that appears to be unique and different (keeping in mind I haven't seen the other 3 shades in person), other than possibly the green shade, Wandering Vines. Ginger Lilly is the lone shimmer in the collection and looks like a copper color in the bottle, almost. I would classify it as a burnt orange shade, but the shimmer adds a point of interest. If you move the bottle under a light, you can see the slightest element of red iridescence. Once on the nail wheel, it took on almost a deep pink iridescent look at various angles and you can clearly see a blackened base, although I see no trace of black or gray in the polish.

*Products furnished by LaForce-Stevens, for Orly Beauty.

Posted in Copper , Creme , Mauve , Orly , Purple , Shimmer

From My Untried's: OPI Blushingham Palace & Chile o Caliente?

Above & Below: Blushingham Palace photographed outside under cloudy skies, no flash.

Above & Below: Chile o Caliente? shown outdoors under cloudy skies, no flash.

Below: Indoors, with a flash.

I'm working feverishly trying to make a dent in my "untried's shelf", and I am making some progress! With so few new collections coming out right now, I figured this would be the perfect time to make some space for The Wizard of Ooh Ahz and OPI's Alice in Wonderland, due out in November and December, respectively. I picked both of these OPI's up locally, earlier this year at the clearance table in the back corner of Regis Hair Salon for 80% off. Blushingham Palace is from OPI's British Collection, and is a dusty rose or pinkish-mauve toned shimmer. The shimmer is very fine and looks to be a trio of silver, gold and pink (similar to the base shade) in color. Drying time after 2 coats was quick, and the finish is a high gloss one that has the slightest hint of a duo chrome, showing both pink and gold. This is not a duo chrome, so don't expect that, but the shimmer does cause a bit of color shifting, especially outside. BP has the Pro-Wide brush and was released in the Fall/Winter 2003. Chile o Caliente? is from OPI's South American Collection, and is a coral red shimmer with underlying orange tones. This collection is from the Summer of 2002 and does not have the Pro-Wide brush. You know I was excited to find a black label OPI for 80% off! It applied very well in 2 coats and has such a high shine, that I had trouble photographing it without a reflection of my surroundings on my nails. This one also is filled with very fine shimmer, appearing to be pink, gold and silver, depending on the lighting and angle.

Posted in Coral , Mauve , OPI , Orange , Pink , Red , Shimmer

Wet n Wild Sparked & Wild Orchid

Above & Below: Wild Orchid is more purple than it looks in the photos and the glitter really comes to life in brighter lighting.

Below: Sparked is a medium-toned mauve/pink shade with a high concentration of glitter.

These are a couple of Wet n Wild polishes I picked up at Walmart not too long ago, and for 97 cents each, you really can't go wrong. Sparked is a mauvey pink tone with tons of glitter and sparkle in a clear base. I used three coats, but it dried quickly and surprised me with how smooth the finish was. It would work well as a top coat over a darker shade, also. Wild Orchid covered nicely in 2 coats and try as I might, I couldn't get the true color to photograph. It's actually a purple shade, but it's showing blue or violet blue in the pictures. This reminds me very much of Color Club's Wild at Heart because it's very close in color and it has the same type of small, almost holographic glitter.

Posted in Glitter , Mauve , Pink , Purple , Shimmer , Wet n Wild

Finger Paints Holiday 2009: Icy Iris & Decked With Dazzle

Above & Below: Icy Iris is a rich, deep shade of purple with tiny glitter pieces that flash both purple and red.

Below: Decked With Dazzle is a medium dusty rose shade with hints of mauve. It has more glass-flecked type glitter, giving it a foil-like finish.

Two more from this collection, both being the purple shades in this set of 6. Icy Iris is a deep royal purple with shimmer. The shimmer in this is very sparkly and flashes both red and purple. It covered nicely in 2 coats and is truly a rich shade. I am amazed by how sparkly and twinkly this one is in real life. Decked With Dazzle is more of a dressed up shade of mauve with matching shimmer and glass-flecked type glitter in silver and various shades of the base color. I could also describe the color as a red-toned violet. It photographs brighter and pinker than it actually is. This one, along with one I showed you previously, Candy Cane Shimmer, both have the glass-fleck type glitter. Decked With Dazzle comes off with a more foil-type finish, perhaps because of the silver glitter laced throughout it. I used 2 coats, and after looking at it in the sun, I probably should have gone with 3. I love both of these shades and I would say that Decked With Dazzle is quite different from anything else that I have, mainly due to the finish type. Icy Iris is similar to other polishes I have, but the sparkliness of the glitter sets it apart.

Posted in Finger Paints , Glitter , Mauve , Purple , Shimmer

SpaRitual Living in the Moment

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I'm cranking through the SpaRitual Imagine Collection, and today I have Living in the Moment for you. It's a creme, kind of a cross between greige and mauve. It's definitely a work-safe color, but still interesting, sort of like an updated mauve.

It applied really well, the polish was easy to control, and took two coats. This one is just a swatch, no topcoat, and so I can't comment on the dry time on this one. I was thinking there were more than six in the collection, but it's just the six I bought, so I thought I'd swatch this one so I could show you all of the Imagine Collection with the last one tomorrow. Anyhow, here it is...

SpaRitual Living in the Moment Nail Polish, Two Coats

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader. Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!

Posted in Mauve , nail polish , SpaRitual , SpaRitual Imagine

Essie Fall '09: Angora Cardi

Above & Below: Essie's Angora Cardi, outdoors with no flash.

Essie's Fall 2009 collection is called Cuddle with Color and it is a unique offering of shades for this season. In addition to the 4 'Fall-Like' shades, the set also includes a hot pink (Pink Parka) and an electric orange (Bright Tights). Today's NOTD is Angora Cardi, described by Essie as a dusty rose. I would agree with that description, as in my mind I described it as a vintage violet or a darker shade of mauve before I read Essie's description. It is a creme shade that applied nicely in 2 coats and dried to a high gloss finish. I'll be the first to admit that when I first saw this collection, I didn't think too much about it. But the more I looked at it, the more I wanted it. Chinchilly and Mink Muffs were the shades that sparked the most interest for me initially, but after looking repeatedly at all of the colors, I realized that it's really a fun and trendy collection to have for Fall.

Posted in Creme , Essie , Mauve

Jessica Muse Collection: Fall 2010

Jessica Cosmetics has a new collection coming out for Fall and I have swatches for you today. This collection contains 6 shades that are perfect for the season, including 2 shimmers and 4 cremes.

Jessica's MUSE collection presents mesmerizing rich tones that reflect the beauty and sophistication of Fall Fashion. Each colour individually allows you to become inspired and exert your inner MUSE!

Are you ready to exert your inner MUSE? Let's do it!

Above & Below: Intrigue, a haze of purple according to the press release, is one of my favorites from this collection. In the bottle is appears as a pale mauve creme, but once on the nail, this one reveals taupe, grey, and mauve depending on the lighting.

Below: Bittersweet is described as chocolate brown, but it has more than that going for it. This lighter cocoa shade is laced with fine gold shimmer within the brown creme adding a touch of elegance.

Below: Victorian Crush is an army green creme that is sure to please those of us with an affection toward the olive green family.

Below: Scarlet is a daring red creme with warm tones. The first photo below is a little washed out by the sunlight, and I'd say that the second photo is more true to color.

Below: Majesty Blue, a royal blue with silver shimmer is a very nice dark bright navy blue color. The shimmer is fine and seems to remain quite subtle even in the sunlight (below). It's more noticeable in brighter artificial light, as evidenced in the second photo.

Below: Crimson Reflections is a burgundy wine creme that has a near jelly finish. This shade appears as a medium berry shade in brighter lighting, and a burgundy shade in lower lighting.

Jessica's Muse Collection is a nicely done assortment of Fall shades with some fairly common shades and some shades that are a little more daring and trendy. As I've found with all Jessica polishes, these applied very well and I used two coats on them. If you haven't had the pleasure of using this brand, I highly recommend giving them a try. Their formula is superb, their color and finish range is expanding nicely, and with the pricing of many other brands increasing, these are very reasonably priced for the quality.

You can find the most current shades on the Jessica Cosmetics web site (the MUSE collection will be available within the next month), and I have purchased many of my Jessica polishes from hellogorgeous.net. They have a large inventory of shades and are priced at $4.95. A Google search will often yield a coupon code for $5.00 off and their shipping and response time is very good.

How many of you have tried Jessica brand polishes? If you have, I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts about them.

*Products featured were furnished by the manufacturer or PR firm for review.

Posted in Blue , Brown , Burgundy , Creme , Fall 2010 Collections , Green , Jelly Finish , Jessica , Mauve , Red , Shimmer , Taupe

Rimmel Hot Cocoa Layered With Milani High Fashion

I picked up Milani's High Fashion today from the same display that holds Dress Maker (Haute Value LE collection), and wanted to take a quick look at how it worked as a layering polish. My NOTD is Rimmel's Hot Cocoa, a dusty carnation shade with a very slight pink-toned mauve color to it. This shade is a little too light to get the best look from Milani's High Fashion, but I must say, it is reminiscent of the properties found in Sally Hansen's Hidden Treasure.

Below: I used one coat of Milani's High Fashion and it has very small silver, pink and green holographic glitter in a milky base.

Below: In the shade, the glitter takes on a coppery pink hue, similar to Sally Hansen's Hidden Treasure on a much smaller scale.

I definitely want to try this over a darker color and use a second coat, but if you like the copper pink glitter in Hidden Treasure, you might want to pick up Milani High Fashion. Obviously, the glitter is much finer that HT, but that's nice for a more subtle look.

Posted in Creme , Dusty/Muted Finish , Glitter , Mauve , Milani , Pink , Polishes as Top Coats , Rimmel

China Glaze Vintage Vixen: Hotsy Totsy Set

I finally got around to swatching the second set of China Glaze Vintage Vixen shades--I guess that's not too bad, considering I still haven't touched my Wizard of Ooh Ahz collection from last year yet! The Hotsy Totsy set contains a perfect mix of shades for the Fall season and I was not disappointed with any of them. Like the others in this double-set collection, they all applied nicely using 2 coats.

Above & Below: Hey Doll is a rose mauve shimmer with multi colored tiny glitter. I didn't think I would like this with my skin tone, but I was pleasantly surprised by it.

Above & Below: Foxy, a darker rich copper shade, is a shimmer with coppery golden highlights. This is a nice shade of copper for me, as it doesn't seem to pull too much orange.

Above & Below: Jitterbug is a darker silver grey shade, with a metal flake glitter finish. The finish on this is smooth as glass and virtually brush-stroke free.

Above & Below: Swing Baby has the same metal flake glitter finish as Jitterbug, and is a shade that look more gold in brighter lighting (above) and more of a darker golden taupe in lower lighting (below).

Above & Below: Ingrid is a rich taupe creme with gold micro glitter that shifts to green and pink. Taupes are a favorite of mine and the shimmer colors add a nice touch.

Above & Below: Bogie is the slightest bit frosty, but don't let that bother you. This toned down purple with multi colored micro glitter is still a beautiful shade, and I love the actual shade of purple, because it's almost a dusty or muted version of grape.

The polishes in both of the Vintage Vixen sets are so pigmented that the application was quick and easy on all of them. I don't think I can pick a favorite because they're all beautiful and perfect for the upcoming season. I love the varied shimmer/metallic finishes and am thankful they aren't actually frosts, as we thought they were from the promo wording! China Glaze has once again come out with a fabulous collection, and I think we all appreciate not only their pricing, but also their willingness to listen to what their customers want .

Posted in Brown , China Glaze , Copper , Fall 2010 Collections , Glitter , Gold , Mauve , Metallic , Purple , Shimmer , Silver/Grey , Taupe

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