Author Archives: Mary S.

Zoya Isa Swatches & Review

6 Replies

Zoya Isa Swatches & ReviewTalk about a Wow Polish! Zoya Isa from the Paradise Sun Collection is a stunner, and the whole time I wore this manicure, I found myself admiring my nails like a vain polish peacock.

It’s also a bit of a chameleon because at first, I thought it was purple (and it is), but then in other lighting, it reminded me of a royal blue.

If you want a show-stopping polish, this is definitely it. Majestic doesn’t even begin to describe the colour!

P.S. A shout-out to my friend and fellow nailphile, Rob! This is a polish that made me think immediately of you. 🙂 I can see you rocking this, just as you seem to pull off many shades so easily!

Continue reading →

Share

Zoya Paradise Sun Collection Swatches & Photos

6 Replies

Zoya Paradise Sun CollectionYesterday, I showed you quick swatches and bottle shots of the Zoya Island Fun Collection.

Today, here are quick swatches and bottle shots of the other half of the summer shades in the Zoya Paradise Sun Collection!

The six colours in this collection are: Aphrodite, Mae, Isa, Oceane, Selene, and Genesis.

(For detailed information on the whole collection, check out the official Zoya Paradise Sun Collection press release I posted earlier.)

All of them feature a gorgeous metallic sparkle that’s so vivid on the nails.

(I’ve already worn Zoya Isa, and I’ll be doing an in-depth review on that one soon.)

Continue reading →

Share

Zoya Island Fun Collection Swatches & Photos

8 Replies

Zoya Island Fun CollectionThe Zoya Island Fun Collection I blogged about earlier that launched in May consists of six cremes: Demetria, Nana, Serenity, Talia, Cecilia, and Jace.

(You may remember that I wore Jace earlier, and absolutely loved that green!)

In this post, I share with you some photos and quick swatches of all six colours in the Zoya Island Fun Collection.

This collection really spells summer to me, and the cremes glide on easily with a wonderful formula!

Continue reading →

Share

KBShimmer Sun & Games Swatches & Review

6 Replies

KBShimmer Sun & Games Swatches & ReviewKBShimmer Sun & Games from the Summer 2015 Collection is a bling lover’s dream, and it’ll make your heart sing that difficult high E above middle C.

In the sunshine, this holographic nail polish arrives like a diva to a red-carpet event.

Most mornings that I tried to snap this before heading to work were overcast, but one day, I managed to get a couple shots in the sunlight.

I feel like KBShimmer Sun & Games is a fun holographic nail polish that would look cool with a simple black stamping design on top. The base would shine through to give it that ‘something extra’.

Continue reading →

Share

Maybelline Color Blur Matte Pencil Swatches & Quick Look

13 Replies

Maybelline Color Blur Matte PencilAs a fan of bold, matte lipsticks, I was incredibly excited to receive a surprise package from PR featuring the new Maybelline Color Blur Matte Pencils by Lip Studio!

The Maybelline Color Blur Matte Pencils hit stores across Canada in August, but I am too excited to wait until then to share photos and quick swatches, so I’m showing you now!

What appeals to me is that the Maybelline Color Blur Matte Pencil is a slender stick that’s narrower than a traditional lipstick, but it’s not as thin as a lip liner. This makes it easier to have more control during application, which is very important, especially when using bright or vampy shades that aren’t as forgiving as nudes.

Right off the bat, I like the packaging because it has that modern-and-clean look, and the tube is a nice size that can easily fit into your purse without being overly chunky.

It’s retractable. By twisting the bottom of the tube (near the smudger), it pushes more product up. This is great because you won’t have to bother with a pencil sharpener.

There are lids on either end. One covers the lip colour, and the other houses the smudger. The smudger feels rubbery and soft, much like an eraser. (P.S. When I was little, I used to collect novelty erasers of ones that were shaped like grapes, houses, butterflies, soccer balls, basketballs, rainbows, etc.)

The smudger can be used to blur the lip colour, and you can create an ombre effect. (Later in this post, I tested it out by combining two colours in a swatch.)

P.S. In case you missed it, I’m having a worldwide giveaway until June 19th, 2015! Enter for your chance to win the China Glaze Baby Beats Micro Mini Set!

Continue reading →

Share

Worldwide Giveaway: Enter to Win the China Glaze Baby Beats Micro Mini Set

110 Replies

Update (Monday June 22 at 11:46 pm EDT): Unfortunately, since I haven’t heard from Rhonda, I had to use Rafflecopter to randomly draw a new winner, as per the official giveaway rules. CONGRATULATIONS, MANNY! You’ve won! Please reply to my e-mail within 48 hours to claim your prize.

Update (Monday June 22): I sent another e-mail to Rhonda as a reminder to claim her prize. Rhonda, please reply to that e-mail by tonight at 11:30 pm EDT. As per the rules, if I don’t hear from you by then, unfortunately, I’ll have to choose a new winner.

Edit: Congratulations, Rhonda! You’ve won my China Glaze Baby Beats Micro Mini Set worldwide giveaway! (Please reply to my email within 48 hours to claim your prize.) Thanks to everyone for participating, and stay tuned for more fun giveaways coming soon!

 

China Glaze Baby Beats Giveaway

Surprise!

A while back, I purchased the China Glaze Baby Beats Micro Mini Set. Actually, I purchased two sets – one for myself, and one for a giveaway, so that one lucky winner and I could be nail-polish twinsies! 🙂

Not only are the mini bottles really adorable, but I find that the brush is perfect for painting toenails. (Since Sandal Season is right around the corner, it’s the ideal time to experiment with bright shades. But, really, dare to wear loud colours whenever you want. Lacquer is about having fun!)

Since I’m a fan of bold colours, I had to share this cute, collectible set with you. It features six mini bottles of colours from the China Glaze Electric Nights Collection.

I’m opening up the giveaway worldwide this time, so hopefully more of my readers can enter.

Please carefully read the rest of this post because it contains the specifics on how to ensure that your entry qualifies.

Continue reading →

Share

Essie Gel Setter Top Coat Photos & Press Release

8 Replies

Gel Setter EssieSomething new arrived at Swatch And Learn headquarters about a week ago: the Essie Gel Setter Top Coat!

It’s an innovative Essie top coat that launches on July 1st across Canada.

It’s Essie’s first top coat that contains acrylates copolymer, which is supposed to provide a thick and luxurious coating to the nails that’s super shiny with anti-chipping properties.

It claims to deliver a glass-like shine, which mimics gel nail polish, yet it doesn’t require an LED or UVB light, and it’s easy to remove.

There are no promises about it drying fast, so when I try this out, I’m going to make sure that I have ample time to wait. (Fast-drying top coats are mandatory for me, so I’ll test to see if the dry time is worth waiting for to get that high shine and durability. Stay tuned for the upcoming review after I’ve given it a go for several manicures and collected my thoughts on it.)

Continue reading →

Share