Category Archives: Product Reviews

Zoya Serenity Swatches & Review

Zoya Serenity Swatches & ReviewLike a tulip, Zoya Serenity from the Island Fun Collection is simple, but nonetheless very beautiful!

This bold purple defies seasons and is the type that I can picture nailphiles of all ages sporting because it’s fun and adds the necessary dash of colour to the fingertips like savoury seasoning in a favourite recipe.

Truth be told, years ago, I didn’t go gaga over too many cremes compared to flashy glitters and shimmers.

As I’m getting older (and happily so!), I’m learning to appreciate the beauty in simplicity, as I feel like the world is already so crowded with loud voices that are competing to be heard. In the end, they can get muffled and distract from what’s really important.

Sometimes the softest whisper and humility can gain the most attention.

While Zoya Serenity isn’t the loudest nail polish with the craziest finish, I enjoyed wearing it. It’s simple. It’s straight-forward. It’s still ‘my style’ because of the bold colour, yet the finish allows the hue to remain in the spotlight. (It’s like a supporting acting role.)

P.S. Remember to enter my worldwide giveaway for your chance to win the China Glaze Baby Beats Micro Mini Set! The clock is ticking, and the giveaway closes on Friday June 19, 2015 at 11:59 pm EDT.

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Zoya Isa Swatches & Review

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!

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Zoya Paradise Sun Collection Swatches & Photos

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.)

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Zoya Island Fun Collection Swatches & Photos

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!

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KBShimmer Sun & Games Swatches & Review

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’.

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Maybelline Color Blur Matte Pencil Swatches & Quick Look

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!

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OPI Make Light of the Situation Swatches & Review (Layered Over Zoya Jace)

OPI Make Light of the Situation Swatches & ReviewOPI Make Light of the Situation from the SoftShades 2015 Collection is an iridescent glitter topper that layers over any colour to give it that ‘Ice Capades’ effect.

At the time, my existing manicure was Zoya Jace, so I experimented by putting one layer on top to see how it would transform the finish.

I like how it lights up a manicure and adds a touch of Snowflake Princess to your nails.

It would look very cute over pinks and icy over blues. And whites would look that much more snow-like. But I’d be curious how it plays with taupes, browns, greys, and oranges.

P.S. The name of the polish appeals to me because it’s part of my life philosophy. No matter how much you struggle with bad apples and no matter how many people you encounter who suffer from the Tall Poppy Syndrome who try to bring you down to their low, bitter level, you have to always find a way to rise above it and to ‘make light of the situation’, whether it’s staying positive or finding the humour in it all. Humour is a great coping mechanism, but it can also help you to thrive!

P.P.S. Anderson Cooper appears in this post!

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