Author Archives: Mary S.

Color Club Gift of Sparkle Swatches & Review

Color Club Gift of Sparkle Swatches & ReviewAn oldie-but-goodie is Color Club Gift of Sparkle, which is originally from the Winter Affair Collection in 2012, but I only purchased it about a year or so ago.

If you’re into rich purples and like some holo rather than a full-on holo, this one will surely make your nails sing!

It’s like an eggplant that boarded a rocket with a one-way ticket to Jupiter.

With just enough twinkle and a rich base colour to make the glitter stand out even more, Color Club Gift of Sparkle is one of those polishes that will having you staring at your nails like a vain polish peacock.

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Britney Spears Fantasy Intimate Edition Perfume

Britney Spears Fantasy Intimate Edition PerfumeMy signature perfume that I have purchased bottle after bottle of (probably 6 of the 100 mL bottles and 3 of the 50 mL ones since it first launched) is Britney Spears Fantasy, the original version in the pink bottle.

Also, the last Christmas I spent with my dad before he passed away, he gifted me with around 8 of the 100 mL bottles because he knew it was my favourite. For this reason, the perfume will always be sentimental for me.

That fragrance is the one that garners the most compliments from strangers and friends, both females and males. But the most important thing? It makes me smell edible. (This is important to me because clearly I was a cupcake in my previous life.)

Since trying the original, I’ve also given the subsequent releases a spin and also tried other perfumes by different brands. I’m slowly and carefully building my perfume collection.

(Over the years, I’ve reviewed a bunch of the different Fantasy perfumes on here. Click here to see all of the Britney Spears fragrances I’ve reviewed since 2010.)

So when I was at a special Elizabeth Arden preview event last week and explored the fragrance station, my eyes zeroed in on the Britney Spears Fantasy Intimate Edition because it kept the spherical bottle and rhinestone design, but it was white with pink crystals.

(I gawked at it a lot, I guess, because even in a photo that Elizabeth Arden Canada tweeted, you can see me locking eyes with the new perfume.)

Britney Spears Fantasy the Intimate Edition is available starting this month!

Come check out the pictures and official press release of the Britney Spears Fantasy Intimate Edition Perfume, as well as some information about Britney Spears, herself.

P.S. I’ll be reviewing this perfume, so keep your eyes peeled like a banana.

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Elizabeth Arden Always Red Perfume Review & Pictures

Elizabeth Arden Always Red Perfume ReviewPerfume never fails to make me as curious as Alice catching sight of the White Rabbit gawking at the time.

I tend to stick to my favourites on a daily basis, which are always in the gourmand and make-me-smell-like-dessert category.

So when I recently attended an Elizabeth Arden preview event last week at the Trump Hotel in Toronto, I was surprised that, upon first whiff, I gravitated toward Elizabeth Arden Always Red!

This fragrance launches in mid-July, so it should be out pretty soon when you read this.

It’s more mature than the scents that are normally in my comfort zone, yet this one appealed to me because it’s womanly without coming across as stuffy or old-fashioned.

I’ve been wearing Elizabeth Arden Always Red several times since being introduced to it, and I now have a good idea of its lasting power and strength, as well as how it mixes with my body chemistry.

(As you know, the same perfume can smell different or transform throughout the day on different people. It’s very personal, which is why fragrance intrigues me so much. The right scent can make your day, and the wrong one can give you a headache.)

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Nail Art: Neon Ladybug Nails

Ladybug Nail Art NeonOn Monday night, I painted these Neon Ladybug Nails, and I only took them off on Friday night because the design on my index finger chipped.

It was funny how it chipped. The ‘body’ part fell off in one sheet, but the black tips with the eyes remained. (That finger ended up looking like a robber!)

Ladybug nails are nothing new. In fact, I did a traditional black-and-red variety in 2011, which you can see in the Ladybug Nail Art Tutorial I posted back then.

This time, I wanted a summery twist because I was craving neons, and in particular, I wanted some old neons that I remember loving and reviewing on here from 2010 to 2012.

I used all China Glaze nail polishes in the following colours: Pool Party (reddish pink), Flip Flop Fantasy (coral – the original version), Sun Worshiper (orange), and Yellow Polka Dot Bikini (yellow).

I also used OPI nail polishes: Who Are You Calling Bossy?!? (black) and Angel with a Leadfoot (white).

This is the manicure I wore to the Elizabeth Arden Fall Preview event that I went to on Tuesday. It was held in Toronto’s Financial District on the 31st floor of the Trump Hotel. (The Trump Hotel was rated as the #1 luxury hotel in Canada!)

(I shared some photos on my Instagram. Click the link to see them. You don’t need the Instagram app to view the images. Only if you want to “Like” or comment on a photo do you need to install it on your phone.)

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OPI Infinite Shine Soft Shades

OPI Infinite Shine Soft ShadesThe OPI Infinite Shine series has expanded to include six more colours, according to the official press release that I received from PR yesterday.

These are the OPI Infinite Shine Soft Shades that are available now: The Beige of ReasonNon-Stop WhiteEternally TurquoisePearl of WisdomBeyond the Pale Pink, and Go to Grayt Lengths.

I’m particularly excited to try OPI Infinite Shine Non-Stop White because it’s advertised as a solid, opaque white.

Lots of white nail polishes are streaky or take three or more coats to get fully opaque. I wonder if this one will be the one-coater that I’m looking for. (Even if it isn’t, I will get a lot of use out of it because it’s a staple colour for nail art.)

P.S. On Tuesday evening, I attended the Elizabeth Arden Fall Preview event held at the America restaurant on the 31st floor of the luxurious Trump Hotel in Toronto’s financial district! I had such a fun time and got to see the lineup of new makeup, skincare, and fragrances! (I posted a couple of photos on my social media including Instagram, if you’re interested.)

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OPI Can’t Hear Myself Pink! Swatches & Review

OPI Can't Hear Myself Pink Swatches & ReviewOPI Can’t Hear Myself Pink! is from the Brights 2015 Collection, and it’s shimmery with a metallic quality.

This is exactly the type of ‘princess shade’ that would make my eyes light up when I was a little girl.

Pfft – forget “On Wednesdays, we wear pink!” 😉 In grade school, I wore pink on a daily basis!

Then, as a teenager, I grew to love purple.

Hehe, now that I’m a sweet raisin, you know that green is what puts hearts in my pupils.

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Zoya Cecilia Swatches & Review

Zoya Cecilia Swatches & ReviewSomebody pinch me because the formula of Zoya Cecilia from the Island Fun Collection is so dreamy, it manages to steal my attention away from the smouldering Giorgio Armani models for those men’s fragrance ads! 😉

If you’re looking for a teal that leans more on the green side, Zoya Cecilia will have your pulse racing like your nails are on the track and caught sight of the checkered flag waving.

Once again, Zoya has nailed the creme formula, and it performs like a luxury polish without the high price tag. Total winner through and through!

P.S. In case you missed yesterday’s post, I shared my Shark Nail Art Tutorial to kick off Shark Week!

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