Author Archives: Mary S.

OPI Let’s Be Friends Swatches & Review

OPI Let's Be Friends Swatches Review

OPI Let’s Be Friends from the Hello Kitty Collection is a heavy white-based pale pink. It resembles a strawberry that just saw a ghost…if that has ever happened.

This is great for nail-polish enthusiasts like me who rarely wear a solid white lacquer. OPI Let’s Be Friends has just enough pink to give it colour, yet it still has that fresh appeal like a white polish.

Darker and vivid hues are more my speed, but when I need a break from them or when I’m looking for something light for the winter, this is the type of shade that I like to wear for a breather. It’s easy, clean, and simple.

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OPI Charmmy & Sugar Swatches & Review (Layered Over OPI Look at My Bow!)

OPI Charmmy & Sugar Swatches Swatch

Are you ‘kitten’ me?

The cute nail-polish train keeps on chugging along on the blog with OPI Charmmy & Sugar layered over OPI Look at My Bow!, both of which are from the oh-so-adorable Hello Kitty Collection!

OPI Charmmy & Sugar is what would result from combining Barbie and the Snow Queen…with a little glitter fight in the arts and crafts room.

Sure, you could wear it solo and use multiple coats for better coverage, but I preferred to use one coat over OPI Look at My Bow!, which is the medium pink that I shared in yesterday’s in-depth review.

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OPI Look at My Bow! Swatches & Review

OPI Look at My Bow Swatches Review

Pink lovers, you’ll want this polish ‘right meow!’

As if an adorable kitten needs to call out for my attention! Little furballs make my heart melt, especially because they remind me of my cats from years gone by.

But, okay, OPI Look at My Bow!, I will do what you ask and look at your bow. It’s cute! 🙂

Even if you don’t follow nail-polish collections religiously, by the wrapper-covered handle, you’ll know that OPI Look at My Bow! is from the highly anticipated OPI Hello Kitty Collection.

This blue-based bubblegum pink might just make your nails purr!

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Pretty Serious Badlands Bandit Swatches & Review

Pretty Serious Badlands Bandit Swatches Review

Don’t feel blue. Wear blue!

Pretty Serious Badlands Bandit steals the nail show. (It hails from the Post Apocalyptic Princess Collection.)

If there was a swimming pool for robots, I imagine that they would look like Pretty Serious Badlands Bandit. It has a futuristic feel, and the rich sapphire blue packs a lot of punch, like the boxing glove on a spring activated by a button in The Goonies.

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Elizabeth Arden SUPERSTART Skin Renewal Booster Review

Elizabeth Arden SUPERSTART Skin Renewal Booster

When it comes to skincare, I believe in using high-quality products that make your complexion not only look great, but feel comfortable with effective, lasting results. No skimping allowed, but no going berserk and spending $800 on one skincare product, either!

Unlike nail polish where I readily test out every colour, finish, and formula, with skincare, I tread carefully like a swimmer in an unknown body of water.

I have my favourite skincare essentials that work, so I don’t frequently change my regimen often. When I do experiment, I introduce a new product slowly into my tried-and-true skincare regimen, and I test it out for several weeks and even months before I decide whether I notice any positive or negative effects.

It gives me time to collect my thoughts, watch for any allergic reactions, and notice potential conflicts with other skincare products that I use on a daily basis.

Last year, I had the opportunity to test out the new Elizabeth Arden SUPERSTART Skin Renewal Booster, and after using it on a daily basis for two months straight, I’m now comfortable sharing my detailed thoughts about it with you.

In a nutshell: I joined the Booster Club, and I think that SUPERSTART is a SUPERSTAR! 😉

The Elizabeth Arden SUPERSTART Skin Renewal Booster has many strong claims, and I was eager to see how it would fare in combination with my skincare regimen.

Some of my skincare staples are by Shiseido, a brand that I’ve religiously used for several years. And, although the SUPERSTART Skin Renewal Booster is formulated to be used in conjunction with other Elizabeth Arden skincare products, I wasn’t ready to introduce a slew of new skincare products at once. Instead, I just added the Elizabeth Arden skin booster to my regular routine.

For your reference, I have combination skin that tends to feel more on the drier side during the colder months. Also, I have sensitive skin and typically don’t get pimples except when it’s around my period (i.e. hormonal levels are changing) or if I eat too much greasy food.

In this detailed post, I’ll share with you my experience of incorporating the SUPERSTART booster, as well as show you the official press release about the product. (You’ll find the press release handy, as it includes the results of the clinical study and information regarding the participants.)

As with any skincare product, results can significantly vary from one person to another. Many factors, such as skin type, age, the current condition of your skin, other products you’re using (or not using), and more can play salient roles in determining whether or not this booster will work for you.

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OPI New Orleans Collection

OPI New Orleans Collection

Edit: Click here to see my swatches of all 12 OPI new Orleans Collection shades!

With frigid winter winds so biting that you’re almost tempted to sink your chattering teeth into a habanero pepper for heat, the OPI New Orleans Collection is a welcomed nail vacation with warm vibes!

Officially scheduled for a February 2016 launch, the spring collection embraces fun colours that are a pleasant reminder of warm weather on the way.

There are 12 limited-edition colours in the OPI New Orleans Collection, and I’ll give you a guess as to which one my eyes darted to. Yup – the green called I’m Sooo Swamped!

The other hues that caught my attention in their colourful net were the blue creme (Rich Girls & Po-Boys), periwinkle shimmer (Show Us Your Tips!), and coral creme (Got Myself into a Jam-balaya).

Which ones have you pining for spring?

I was so inspired by the playful colours that I created the below image. Just seeing them all lined up makes me think of warmer days! 🙂

New Orleans Collection by OPI

Check out the rest of this post for the press release and images of each nail polish!

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piCture pOlish Dragonfly Swatches & Review

Picture Polish Dragonfly Swatches Review

I’ve worn piCture pOlish Dragonfly numerous times since purchasing it last year, but each time I wore my manicure, Mother Nature didn’t cooperate. It seems like each time I went to wear this, several days were overcast.

As you know, I like to include photographs of a nail polish in artificial light and natural light because it captures the personality better. Many times, you can see more of the features and nuances when you compare them in both lighting conditions.

Finally, there was a brighter day recently, so I didn’t let the opportunity fly by me! 😉 I snapped piCture pOlish Dragonfly like it was Canada’s Next Top Model Nail Polish.

Despite having all the conditions, this polish is the kind that looks more spectacular in person, so no photograph can do it any justice. Its beauty is brilliant!

If you’re a fan of green and teal nail polishes like I am, this will make your heart skip a beat and play hopscotch! 😉

piCture pOlish Dragonfly is part of the December 2014 Collaboration Collection, and it’s sentimental to me because the colour was designed by the talented Lucy’s Stash nail blogger, Lucie aka Lucy, whose work I admire. (On her blog, she reviews many nail polishes and also does intricate nail art, which I often drool over! Check her out!)

Although piCture pOlish is a limited-edition colour that’s sold out where I bought it (Nail Polish Canada), you can leave your e-mail address there, and they’ll notify you if it gets restocked. Also, at the time I wrote this blog post, it’s still available on the piCture pOlish and Harlow and Co. websites. (You can find all the links later in this post. None of them are affiliate links.)

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