Hey guys, I'm sorry I haven't kept you guys in the loop. Thanks so much to everyone who has checked in. I feel awful that I haven't been as responsive via most social media channels (eg: Instagram, this blog in particular). I noticed I did this exact same thing last year and what happens is that in September, I just get so caught up in my wedding photography backlog and I need to catch up. It's driving me insane! I've also been struggling with some internal issues and I am actively working on them. Claw of Cthulhu was always a place where I wanted to have fun and freely express myself but unfortunately I haven't had the time and I've been miserable. I don't mind an update with "oh god guys I'm dying" every so often but when it becomes so frequent, it's a problem!
So what I am going to do this year is properly announce my hiatus.
I'll be back.
I'm not sure when but it will be this fall and before the end of the year (God I'll be damned if I miss out on Halloween and Christmas collections, come on!)
Anyway, thanks again for reading (to those of you who still are) and if you want to stay in touch with me, feel free to chat me up on Twitter (I'm @clawofcthulhu obvs!) and I'll be checking my Tumblr Asks weekly. I'll reply both publicly and privately, I don't mind! Up to you.
See you on the flip side and I hope you're all doing well. Love you.
Tuesday 9 September 2014
Wednesday 13 August 2014
Digital Nails Sectumsempra Swatch and Review
I'm here! I am skipping around throwing around confetti! And training materials! And schedules! And photos! And all sorts of other managerial things! But... I also wanted to update this blog because my backlog is growing and I don't really like it when it's growing. I've got a bit of an older one from Digital Nails today. (You can check out Raph's shop over at Etsy here!) This one is a love child between Mish of the lovely Accio Lacquer and Digital Nails. Seeing that Mish is a fellow Potterhead, I knew she would make this Slytherin cosplayer happy!
From Digital Nails: Sectumsempra was invented by none other than Severus Snape. This spell send deep cuts into your enemies, allowing the flicks and swished of your wand to inflict sword-like cuts. This polish's inspiration was sent to me via Mish @ Accio Lacquer. I aksed Mishka if she was comfortable with being my Harry Potter consultant, complete with a consulting fee! She jumped at the chance and a few weeks later sent me an email with a few spells, and why they were so important to her. This one resonated with me particularly because I love the love hate relationship with Snape throughout the books, and this spell in particular represents his tortured soul. The love he had for Lily, the bitterness when she left his side as his best friend, they way they all mistreated and bullied him in his Hogwarts years. Knowing all of this, the idea of protecting with your very life the young boy who is representative of the relationship that stole away the light of your life - that kind of conflict creates a sad and profoundly deep character - just one of them that makes the HP series so wonderful and full of emotional impact.
This burgundy leaning oxblood jelly is full of specraflair, and is worn above at two coats, with the exception of one on the pinky nails to show the opacity. It flashes a full rainbow spectrum in sunlight and transitions to a deep blackened red in the shadows.
This polish looks great with a super shiny topcoat, and I recommend a quick dry topcoat like our Ain't Nobody Got Time For That (ultra fast dry topcoat) to really bring out the holographic goodness. It's a stunner in the sunlight! The bottle is 15ml & it looks fantastic on your toes!
Always, my polishes are 3 free, which means I don't use any ingredients that contain toluene, formaldehyde, or dibutyl phthalate. These polishes are made in small batches and may ever so slightly vary between them.
I love this polish. The thing with Digital Nails is that even for a polish hoarder, there is SOOOOOO much replay value on her polishes. They're wonderfully thought out, well formulated and durable as fuck. After a week, this one was still going strong and I was just tempted to wear it again!
I wore two coats, which went on smoothly and wonderfully and topped it off with Seche Vite.
Here's some sun photos but holographic polishes definitely call for it!
And here's some lightbox photos as well. You can really see the red wine-like tones come out. I love that this polish doesn't rely on being holographic to look good. It looks just as awesome indoors and in the shade.
Overall, Digital Nails Sectumsempra kicks ASS. I LOVE the name, I love what the ode is about and I love the shade. It's perfect. When I cosplay as a Slytherin student, I always wore vampy shades but I think I'm just going to default to this. There's nothing like a bit of magic like that holographic goodness!
If you like this polish, or any of the other Digital Nails polishes I've shared, be sure to check out Raph's shop as well as follow along on Facebook and Instagram for news and updates!
What do you think of Sectumsempra? Will you add this as one of your favourite Harry Potter tribute polishes?
Full disclosure: This sample was provided for an unbiased review.
From Digital Nails: Sectumsempra was invented by none other than Severus Snape. This spell send deep cuts into your enemies, allowing the flicks and swished of your wand to inflict sword-like cuts. This polish's inspiration was sent to me via Mish @ Accio Lacquer. I aksed Mishka if she was comfortable with being my Harry Potter consultant, complete with a consulting fee! She jumped at the chance and a few weeks later sent me an email with a few spells, and why they were so important to her. This one resonated with me particularly because I love the love hate relationship with Snape throughout the books, and this spell in particular represents his tortured soul. The love he had for Lily, the bitterness when she left his side as his best friend, they way they all mistreated and bullied him in his Hogwarts years. Knowing all of this, the idea of protecting with your very life the young boy who is representative of the relationship that stole away the light of your life - that kind of conflict creates a sad and profoundly deep character - just one of them that makes the HP series so wonderful and full of emotional impact.
This burgundy leaning oxblood jelly is full of specraflair, and is worn above at two coats, with the exception of one on the pinky nails to show the opacity. It flashes a full rainbow spectrum in sunlight and transitions to a deep blackened red in the shadows.
This polish looks great with a super shiny topcoat, and I recommend a quick dry topcoat like our Ain't Nobody Got Time For That (ultra fast dry topcoat) to really bring out the holographic goodness. It's a stunner in the sunlight! The bottle is 15ml & it looks fantastic on your toes!
Always, my polishes are 3 free, which means I don't use any ingredients that contain toluene, formaldehyde, or dibutyl phthalate. These polishes are made in small batches and may ever so slightly vary between them.
I love this polish. The thing with Digital Nails is that even for a polish hoarder, there is SOOOOOO much replay value on her polishes. They're wonderfully thought out, well formulated and durable as fuck. After a week, this one was still going strong and I was just tempted to wear it again!
I wore two coats, which went on smoothly and wonderfully and topped it off with Seche Vite.
Here's some sun photos but holographic polishes definitely call for it!
And here's some lightbox photos as well. You can really see the red wine-like tones come out. I love that this polish doesn't rely on being holographic to look good. It looks just as awesome indoors and in the shade.
Overall, Digital Nails Sectumsempra kicks ASS. I LOVE the name, I love what the ode is about and I love the shade. It's perfect. When I cosplay as a Slytherin student, I always wore vampy shades but I think I'm just going to default to this. There's nothing like a bit of magic like that holographic goodness!
If you like this polish, or any of the other Digital Nails polishes I've shared, be sure to check out Raph's shop as well as follow along on Facebook and Instagram for news and updates!
What do you think of Sectumsempra? Will you add this as one of your favourite Harry Potter tribute polishes?
Full disclosure: This sample was provided for an unbiased review.
Monday 11 August 2014
Essence Studio Nails Fix It! Nail Glue Review
So, I finally got a chance to try out Essence Studio Nails Fix It! nail glue. Normally I would be excited to try something new but "nail glue" - that only means that I broke a nail. I did. I broke my pinky nail. I don't know how but I wasn't ready to let go. Oh oh, before I go on, remember to enter the Nail Polish Canada GREAT POLISH GIVEAWAY - it ends on Friday! Here's a link.
I picked up Essence Studio Nails Fix It! nail glue from Penneys when I was in Dublin. I forget the cost but it was definitely under €3. I really ended up just buying everything and anything nail related by Essence when I was there. Call me a dork, but the "cheap brands" available in Canada aren't as high quality and awesome!
Here's a photo of the break. It's the corner where the free edge starts on the outside of my hand. Pretty bad spot. It's done for!
I'll preface with this: I've never actually been great at patching my nails.
So, typically when I attempt to patch my nails it lasts about a day or so and then it's just... Done. So much for life support. Last time, I used a paper-based tea bag and and a quick dry nail glue dropper that I got from Shoppers Drug Mart. I ran out of paper-based tea bags sadly, so I had to opt for this... (I can't confirm 100%) silk or nylon or bioplastic material. I was pretty hesitant. The threads were a bit hard to work with and when I cut the piece out, it became stringy immediately.
In either case, going from a fast dry dropper to a regular brush application was pretty good! The brush allowed for a lot of control and a regular speed dry allowed me to scrape off any excess as well as placing the teabag patch more accurately with tweezers.
Here's how it turned out with a bit of filing:
To finish it off, I added some OPI Nail Envy Matte:
It might not look great, but I'm happy to report that this patch has lasted for OVER a week and I've been able to swatch 4 different polishes without having to reapply any glue. There has been zero shimmer or pigment residue on the patch as well. I'm pretty impressed! Not sure if it's going from a dropper to a brush application for a cleaner fix, or if it's Essence but I'm willing to give Essence all the credit on this one.
How do you guys fix your nails? Do you believe in a special glue, or is it all super glue for you? How long do your patches last? Let me know! Also, if you haven't watched any of Matt Mulholland's videos on YouTube, do it. I kind of want to marry him. I recommend his "Kiss From A Rose" cover, "My Heart Will Go On" recorder cover-actually that one is so good, I'll embed it here. I couldn't stop laughing! Hope you guys are enjoying the week so far!
I picked up Essence Studio Nails Fix It! nail glue from Penneys when I was in Dublin. I forget the cost but it was definitely under €3. I really ended up just buying everything and anything nail related by Essence when I was there. Call me a dork, but the "cheap brands" available in Canada aren't as high quality and awesome!
Here's a photo of the break. It's the corner where the free edge starts on the outside of my hand. Pretty bad spot. It's done for!
I'll preface with this: I've never actually been great at patching my nails.
So, typically when I attempt to patch my nails it lasts about a day or so and then it's just... Done. So much for life support. Last time, I used a paper-based tea bag and and a quick dry nail glue dropper that I got from Shoppers Drug Mart. I ran out of paper-based tea bags sadly, so I had to opt for this... (I can't confirm 100%) silk or nylon or bioplastic material. I was pretty hesitant. The threads were a bit hard to work with and when I cut the piece out, it became stringy immediately.
In either case, going from a fast dry dropper to a regular brush application was pretty good! The brush allowed for a lot of control and a regular speed dry allowed me to scrape off any excess as well as placing the teabag patch more accurately with tweezers.
Here's how it turned out with a bit of filing:
To finish it off, I added some OPI Nail Envy Matte:
It might not look great, but I'm happy to report that this patch has lasted for OVER a week and I've been able to swatch 4 different polishes without having to reapply any glue. There has been zero shimmer or pigment residue on the patch as well. I'm pretty impressed! Not sure if it's going from a dropper to a brush application for a cleaner fix, or if it's Essence but I'm willing to give Essence all the credit on this one.
How do you guys fix your nails? Do you believe in a special glue, or is it all super glue for you? How long do your patches last? Let me know! Also, if you haven't watched any of Matt Mulholland's videos on YouTube, do it. I kind of want to marry him. I recommend his "Kiss From A Rose" cover, "My Heart Will Go On" recorder cover-actually that one is so good, I'll embed it here. I couldn't stop laughing! Hope you guys are enjoying the week so far!
Wednesday 6 August 2014
Rainbow Honey Stolen Dance Swatch and Review
Whew! So I am going to be a lot busier than expected this month. I won't be able to follow my usual week formula but I will be posting. I don't think it will be every day. So essentially: "I am back but I am also sort of not." It makes perfect sense! Here's the last sample I have from Rainbow Honey's Summer Mixtape collection. You have about 12 days left for the awesome 20% off promo so remember to use MIXTAPE20 when you check-out from the shop. And again, be sure to check out the actual Summer Mixtape playlist because it's an awesome mixtape that really isn't getting enough attention! This is the polish based off my favourite song off the playlist... Stolen Dance.
From Rainbow Honey: We shouldn’t talk about it, but this pale kiwi green will entice you with its gold and violet shimmer...
Stolen Dance is a track by Milky Chance and it's actually my favourite song off the Summer Mixtape. I'm happy I got at least one of the cremes from the Summer Mixtape collection to try out! The description is fairy accurate but I think there's a bit of milkiness to it, which makes me wonder if the song's artist was considered? Mayhaps? Again, I've been having a lot of problems painting my nails in my room - I've got a fan going. I was having a really hard time with the formula when it was on, but when I turned it off, I had an easier time. Two coats does well for coverage. Here's two coats with top coat:
You might already be familiar with Stolen Dance... But that's because I used it to showcase the craziness of Rainbow Honey Best Friend:
And lastly, I wanted to do some freehand black tips because my nails were finally at a good length (albeit I broke my pinky nail over the weekend, fml):
Overall Stolen Dance is a pretty nice staple! I wish it was a one coater so I could use it for nail art (my half moon obsession) but it's a lovely colour and does pretty nice as an undie for glitter toppers. The subtle shimmer is also fairly pretty and makes it wearable on its own.
How would you wear Stolen Dance? What's your favourite song off the Summer Mixtape playlist? Is it the same as your favourite polish too?
Full disclosure: This sample was provided for an unbiased review.
From Rainbow Honey: We shouldn’t talk about it, but this pale kiwi green will entice you with its gold and violet shimmer...
Stolen Dance is a track by Milky Chance and it's actually my favourite song off the Summer Mixtape. I'm happy I got at least one of the cremes from the Summer Mixtape collection to try out! The description is fairy accurate but I think there's a bit of milkiness to it, which makes me wonder if the song's artist was considered? Mayhaps? Again, I've been having a lot of problems painting my nails in my room - I've got a fan going. I was having a really hard time with the formula when it was on, but when I turned it off, I had an easier time. Two coats does well for coverage. Here's two coats with top coat:
You might already be familiar with Stolen Dance... But that's because I used it to showcase the craziness of Rainbow Honey Best Friend:
And lastly, I wanted to do some freehand black tips because my nails were finally at a good length (albeit I broke my pinky nail over the weekend, fml):
Overall Stolen Dance is a pretty nice staple! I wish it was a one coater so I could use it for nail art (my half moon obsession) but it's a lovely colour and does pretty nice as an undie for glitter toppers. The subtle shimmer is also fairly pretty and makes it wearable on its own.
How would you wear Stolen Dance? What's your favourite song off the Summer Mixtape playlist? Is it the same as your favourite polish too?
Full disclosure: This sample was provided for an unbiased review.
Friday 1 August 2014
Rainbow Honey Best Friend Swatch and Review
Ah so sorry for the delay - I have been running interviews and was all over the place. I'll end the week off here for now with Rainbow Honey Best Friend, and then continue on Tuesday as it's a stat holiday here on Monday in Beautiful British Columbia. Ahhhh, anyhow today I have yet another polish from Rainbow Honey's Summer Mixtape collection. If you haven't already, check out Rainbow Honey's Soundcloud for the playlist based on the collection (or rather the collection being based on the playlist.) The shop is going through a restock today (as of now) but I believe they'll be open later tonight. And now for Best Friend.
From Rainbow Honey: Sometimes it feels like I only dream in black and white…and in neon glitter!
This glitter topper is inspired by 'Best Friend' by the band Foster the People (whom I assume everyone knows since they're fairly popular!). Here's a direct link to the song in the Summer Mixtape collection - however it's a remix by Wave Racer. If you dig it, I believe Foster the People has an official lyrics video on YouTube. This polish features black and white triangles amongst neon glitter in different shapes and sizes. It also has that signature Rainbow Honey shimmer. No fuss with application - the glitter is fairly dense. There was a bit of placing needed to avoid the bigger glitters stacking on top of one another. It's pretty fun! Here's one coat of Rainbow Honey Best Friend over top of Rainbow Honey Stolen Dance, also from the Summer Mixtape collection.
And because this was just begging for something SUPER fun, I made some quick rainbow nails and used a coat of Best Friend over top. SO MUCH COLOUR!!!
I love the rainbow look because the black and white triangle glitters had a chance to shine! I think these loud multi shape multi size glitter toppers are definitely this summer's trend. With the right application, this glitter can kick a lot of ass! If you want that extra colour on your nails, this polish is perfect. I'm a bit boring though and I don't imagine myself using this kind of colourful polish in other seasons. I'm just boring, haha!
If you like this polish, check out the rest of the Summer Mixtape collection on Rainbow Honey's website and until August 18th, 2014 - you can use the code MIXTAPE20 to get 20% off your purchase.
What do you think of this summer's trend of bright colour multi shape multi size glitter toppers? Do you have a favourite? How do you like to wear it?
Full disclosure: This sample was provided for an unbiased review.
From Rainbow Honey: Sometimes it feels like I only dream in black and white…and in neon glitter!
This glitter topper is inspired by 'Best Friend' by the band Foster the People (whom I assume everyone knows since they're fairly popular!). Here's a direct link to the song in the Summer Mixtape collection - however it's a remix by Wave Racer. If you dig it, I believe Foster the People has an official lyrics video on YouTube. This polish features black and white triangles amongst neon glitter in different shapes and sizes. It also has that signature Rainbow Honey shimmer. No fuss with application - the glitter is fairly dense. There was a bit of placing needed to avoid the bigger glitters stacking on top of one another. It's pretty fun! Here's one coat of Rainbow Honey Best Friend over top of Rainbow Honey Stolen Dance, also from the Summer Mixtape collection.
And because this was just begging for something SUPER fun, I made some quick rainbow nails and used a coat of Best Friend over top. SO MUCH COLOUR!!!
I love the rainbow look because the black and white triangle glitters had a chance to shine! I think these loud multi shape multi size glitter toppers are definitely this summer's trend. With the right application, this glitter can kick a lot of ass! If you want that extra colour on your nails, this polish is perfect. I'm a bit boring though and I don't imagine myself using this kind of colourful polish in other seasons. I'm just boring, haha!
If you like this polish, check out the rest of the Summer Mixtape collection on Rainbow Honey's website and until August 18th, 2014 - you can use the code MIXTAPE20 to get 20% off your purchase.
What do you think of this summer's trend of bright colour multi shape multi size glitter toppers? Do you have a favourite? How do you like to wear it?
Full disclosure: This sample was provided for an unbiased review.
Wednesday 30 July 2014
Rainbow Honey Night Sky Swatch and Review
So if you've been following along, I've got more Rainbow Honey this week and up next is a handful from the latest and greatest collection - Summer Mixtape! And in case you're wondering... HELL YEAH THERE'S A SUMMER MIXTAPE! I am surprised no one is mentioning it either because the mixtape kicks ass! Check it out on Rainbow Honey's Soundcloud here. Does it make more sense for you? Because honestly I found the playlist tied everything together for me. Up on deck first is Rainbow Honey Night Sky.
From Rainbow Honey: Let this mix of stars, moons, and shimmery glitters be the fire in your eyes!
In case you're wondering about the crypticness, "Night Sky" is based on the namesake by a band called Chvrches (whom I've actually shot in concert as well) - they're awesome! Here's a direct link to the song. This is purely a glitter topper and it doesn't have any intention for a build-up potential. For the base colour, I actually used another polish Rainbow Honey had sent me in their pilot Mystery Bags from Christmas 2013. It's only called 'Sample' and I don't believe it was ever officially released. (You can see it alone here.) Application wise, Rainbow Honey Night Sky is a fairly densed glitter topper and all you need is one coat. Finishing it off with a top coat gives it a nice effortlessly pretty look!
I love taming my glitter polishes with a matte look, so here's how it looks with one coat of OPI Matte Top Coat:
Overall, this polish was great. Typically I am not a fan of moon glitter, but the stars and easy application made this one a winner. I wore the matte look to the last wedding of the summer that I had to shoot and it was a big hit with the bridesmaids - fellow lacqueristas they were too!
If you like this polish, check out the rest of the Summer Mixtape collection on Rainbow Honey's website and until August 18th, 2014 - you can use the code MIXTAPE20 to get 20% off your purchase.
What do you think of this "summer mixtape" inspired polish? What would you consider your 'track of the summer'? How would you pair up Night Sky?
Full disclosure: This sample was provided for an unbiased review.
From Rainbow Honey: Let this mix of stars, moons, and shimmery glitters be the fire in your eyes!
In case you're wondering about the crypticness, "Night Sky" is based on the namesake by a band called Chvrches (whom I've actually shot in concert as well) - they're awesome! Here's a direct link to the song. This is purely a glitter topper and it doesn't have any intention for a build-up potential. For the base colour, I actually used another polish Rainbow Honey had sent me in their pilot Mystery Bags from Christmas 2013. It's only called 'Sample' and I don't believe it was ever officially released. (You can see it alone here.) Application wise, Rainbow Honey Night Sky is a fairly densed glitter topper and all you need is one coat. Finishing it off with a top coat gives it a nice effortlessly pretty look!
I love taming my glitter polishes with a matte look, so here's how it looks with one coat of OPI Matte Top Coat:
Overall, this polish was great. Typically I am not a fan of moon glitter, but the stars and easy application made this one a winner. I wore the matte look to the last wedding of the summer that I had to shoot and it was a big hit with the bridesmaids - fellow lacqueristas they were too!
If you like this polish, check out the rest of the Summer Mixtape collection on Rainbow Honey's website and until August 18th, 2014 - you can use the code MIXTAPE20 to get 20% off your purchase.
What do you think of this "summer mixtape" inspired polish? What would you consider your 'track of the summer'? How would you pair up Night Sky?
Full disclosure: This sample was provided for an unbiased review.
Tuesday 29 July 2014
Rainbow Honey July Mystery Bag: Unboxing!
Aloha! I am back! (I imagine that sounds all cool because it sounds like I am back from a restful vacation but alas, it was a hustle month of weddings and I am glad to finally just... stop.) As I hinted last week, I've got a whole week full of Rainbow Honey! They were kind enough to send over a few samples, including this month's mystery bag! I know I post a lot of Rainbow Honey, but in case you want more - be sure to follow them on Facebook and check out their shop! They're offering a wicked cool discount of 20% off your entire purchase with the code: MIXTAPE20.
Also, again if you haven't entered THE GREAT POLISH GIVEAWAY 2014 brought to you by folks of Nail Polish Canada, I've thrown in Rainbow Honey's Midnight Garden into the jackpot. I believe as of today, the jackpot is up to 154 and ends in 16 days. Enter right hurrrrrr.
Also! ALSO. Coming this fall, Rainbow Honey will be working with a Canadian retailer to bring "my people in the land of the north" these lovely Mystery Bags without having to pay the same amount as the bag for shipping - in addition to faster shipping speeds and no duty fees. It's about time? It's about time.
OK enough. Less talk, more rock.
Here's July's Mystery Bag - it looks like each month now has a custom logo, if we're following a trend. Love the cute tiny size of them still.
Ripping off the tissue wrap and sticker reveals a bubble pack with the goods. (See how cute?)
BOOM. All contents unveiled. I'll go through each of them, fear not.
First, here's the card. It's a taller card now, same as last month's:
Here's a transcription:
FRONT:
Rainbow Honey
July's Mystery Bag
INSIDE:
Greetings from the Rainbow Honey Lab!
Thanks for picking up this month's Mystery Bag!
This month's bag includes (Mini/Full):
Deep Heart Sea, (5/15 mL) - (a personal fave around here)... enjoy this new fun polish, filled with white hearts and neon glitters in a sheer blue base with purple shimmer!
Viridis, (5/15 mL) - A new treat of neon green stars accented by pastel glitters in a shimmery base!
Chemical Plant (5/15 mL) - A gourgeous sparkling magenta/violet with sparks of blue and glod shimmer! (Be sure to tell us what you think!)
Midori Eau de Parfum Rollerball, (4/12 mL) - A new summer scent; reminiscent of summer fruits... let us know what you think!
Midori Cuticle Balm, (.15 oz) - Our beloved cuticle balm, enriched with vitamin E, will protect your cuticles and nailbeds! Now in a matching (and delicious) new scent, Midori!
Midori Cooling Gel, (1/4 oz) - A brand new product for us; a cooling gel enriched with aloe to protect you during the hot summer days! Let us know what you think!
BACK:
We hope you've enjoyed this month's look at some of our upcoming products! And since it's no longer a mystery, tell us what you loved the most - and tag your posts to make sure we see them!
#RainbowHoney
#RainbowHoneyLab
#RainbowHoneyMysteryBag
Thank you again for being such a loyal fan! Love,
The Rainbow Honey Lab
(see you next month!)
fb.com/rainbowhoneycosmetics
instagram: @rainbowhoney
twitter: @rainbow_honey
And in addition to the card, a mini flyer promoting the new Summer Mixtape collection also came! Of course, shipping from eastern US to western Canada is sometimes lame and by the time I received this Mystery Bag, the collection was already released and happening! Fear not, though - again, coming this fall, Rainbow Honey will be working with a (still yet to be named) Canadian retailer to bring faster shipping and no duty fees.
Check out that discount swag. Again, until August 18th, you can use MIXTAPE20 for 20% off your purchase. Holy bajesus, seriously.
Here's the little mini Midori cooling gel. It's pretty freaking cute.
Here's some hilarious photos of me using it. (I couldn't stop laughing and making sound effects. I'd like to see you try to resist!):
(You totally made the "PLOP!" sound in your head, TELL ME I'M NOT ALONE!)
The cooling gel is pretty nice. It takes forever to dry, which is great because if you're really hot, what you can do is sit in front of a fan with the cooling gel, and it just cools you down forever. I also found that it wasn't in any way sticky, which was a concern of mine since most aloe gels can be sticky. This also has a slight bit of "Rainbow Honey signature" shimmer (I swear they must have literally tonnes of it), so if you want to make "sparkle like a vampire" jokes, you totally can. You can see a hint of shimmer below. (Sorry not my nails):
Next up is the Midori scented Eau de Parfum. Midori is described as "reminiscent of summer fruits", which I totally get. I thought there was a hint of coconut too but there are definitive notes of passionfruit! Love these rollerballs. Very fun scent but need some reapplication throughout the day, which I don't mind because I honestly don't want a scent on me the whole day. For those of you who are familiar with Rainbow Honey's other scents - I find that Midori is more mild and subtle than Summer Juice. Summer Juice is far more sweeter and stronger.
And one of my fave Mystery Bag items - the Midori cuticle balm - it should be no secret that I LOVE Rainbow Honey cuticle balms. They are a staple in my nail care, and a godsend for my swatchfests. In fact, I used this guy all throughout my Rainbow Honey swatching. I think I still prefer the skinnier "cuticle sticks" but I feel like this format might offer more product. Definitely a change I don't mind making.
Here's the packaging:
How does it stack up? Pretty good! Love that it's not a greasy format. Usually between polish removing and the next polish, I will use the cuticle balms liberally and then just use a tissue to wipe off the excess. No greasy look here! Scent is pretty good too - again a nice mild fruit ode. I dig it.
Don't mind the ridges on my naked nails, but you can see that there isn't a greasy look to my hands!
Lastly, my favourite part - the mini nail lacquers by Rainbow Honey.
This month's mystery bag included Deep Heart Sea, Viridis, and Chemical Plant.
Here's a swatch of Chemical Plant. I found the formula is thickened quite easily as well as not being self-levelling but this may be due to that I have a fan running in my room (seriously guys, summer is so hot). Asides from the slightly thick formula (which can always be corrected by thinner), I was pretty impressed that I only needed two coats! Pretty damn opaque.
Here's a swatch of Viridis. It's pretty cute. I knew the seemingly green jelly base would be super sheer but I wanted to swatch it without any undies any way. I feel like this polish would kick ass over black or a contrasting glitter bomb like a dark blue! (GLITTER ON TOP OF GLITTER, WHY NOT!)
And lastly, but certainly not least... A swatch of Deep Heart Sea. I have to admit I wasn't sold on it right away because jellies are never a certain sell to me but it definitely grew on me pretty quick! I can see why this one is a crowd favourite. Application was a bit tough because the glitters are actually quite generously packed! Some dabbing and placement tactics are needed but it's quite the pay off. It can be a bit thirsty for top coat so make sure to give it some top coat love!
That's all for this month's Mystery Bag. I know I was late to the party but again... Shipping to Canada always equals balls. This is a totally scientific term, by the way. Rainbow Honey has also changed their "free shipping qualification" on their online shop from $50 to $75 for us Canadians, but let's again just rejoice that Rainbow Honey is actually changing their ways this fall and switching over to a Canadian retailer. They claim that all products on their site will be available so I hope all the cuticle sticks and limited edition mystery boxes count as well. I'm looking forward to it! And again, make sure you use MIXTAPE20 if you plan on pulling the trigger on any purchases until August 18th!
What do you make of this month's Mystery Bag? What are your faves?
Full disclosure: This sample was provided for an unbiased review.
Also, again if you haven't entered THE GREAT POLISH GIVEAWAY 2014 brought to you by folks of Nail Polish Canada, I've thrown in Rainbow Honey's Midnight Garden into the jackpot. I believe as of today, the jackpot is up to 154 and ends in 16 days. Enter right hurrrrrr.
Also! ALSO. Coming this fall, Rainbow Honey will be working with a Canadian retailer to bring "my people in the land of the north" these lovely Mystery Bags without having to pay the same amount as the bag for shipping - in addition to faster shipping speeds and no duty fees. It's about time? It's about time.
OK enough. Less talk, more rock.
Here's July's Mystery Bag - it looks like each month now has a custom logo, if we're following a trend. Love the cute tiny size of them still.
Ripping off the tissue wrap and sticker reveals a bubble pack with the goods. (See how cute?)
BOOM. All contents unveiled. I'll go through each of them, fear not.
First, here's the card. It's a taller card now, same as last month's:
Here's a transcription:
FRONT:
Rainbow Honey
July's Mystery Bag
INSIDE:
Greetings from the Rainbow Honey Lab!
Thanks for picking up this month's Mystery Bag!
This month's bag includes (Mini/Full):
Deep Heart Sea, (5/15 mL) - (a personal fave around here)... enjoy this new fun polish, filled with white hearts and neon glitters in a sheer blue base with purple shimmer!
Viridis, (5/15 mL) - A new treat of neon green stars accented by pastel glitters in a shimmery base!
Chemical Plant (5/15 mL) - A gourgeous sparkling magenta/violet with sparks of blue and glod shimmer! (Be sure to tell us what you think!)
Midori Eau de Parfum Rollerball, (4/12 mL) - A new summer scent; reminiscent of summer fruits... let us know what you think!
Midori Cuticle Balm, (.15 oz) - Our beloved cuticle balm, enriched with vitamin E, will protect your cuticles and nailbeds! Now in a matching (and delicious) new scent, Midori!
Midori Cooling Gel, (1/4 oz) - A brand new product for us; a cooling gel enriched with aloe to protect you during the hot summer days! Let us know what you think!
BACK:
We hope you've enjoyed this month's look at some of our upcoming products! And since it's no longer a mystery, tell us what you loved the most - and tag your posts to make sure we see them!
#RainbowHoney
#RainbowHoneyLab
#RainbowHoneyMysteryBag
Thank you again for being such a loyal fan! Love,
The Rainbow Honey Lab
(see you next month!)
fb.com/rainbowhoneycosmetics
instagram: @rainbowhoney
twitter: @rainbow_honey
And in addition to the card, a mini flyer promoting the new Summer Mixtape collection also came! Of course, shipping from eastern US to western Canada is sometimes lame and by the time I received this Mystery Bag, the collection was already released and happening! Fear not, though - again, coming this fall, Rainbow Honey will be working with a (still yet to be named) Canadian retailer to bring faster shipping and no duty fees.
Check out that discount swag. Again, until August 18th, you can use MIXTAPE20 for 20% off your purchase. Holy bajesus, seriously.
Here's the little mini Midori cooling gel. It's pretty freaking cute.
Here's some hilarious photos of me using it. (I couldn't stop laughing and making sound effects. I'd like to see you try to resist!):
(You totally made the "PLOP!" sound in your head, TELL ME I'M NOT ALONE!)
The cooling gel is pretty nice. It takes forever to dry, which is great because if you're really hot, what you can do is sit in front of a fan with the cooling gel, and it just cools you down forever. I also found that it wasn't in any way sticky, which was a concern of mine since most aloe gels can be sticky. This also has a slight bit of "Rainbow Honey signature" shimmer (I swear they must have literally tonnes of it), so if you want to make "sparkle like a vampire" jokes, you totally can. You can see a hint of shimmer below. (Sorry not my nails):
Next up is the Midori scented Eau de Parfum. Midori is described as "reminiscent of summer fruits", which I totally get. I thought there was a hint of coconut too but there are definitive notes of passionfruit! Love these rollerballs. Very fun scent but need some reapplication throughout the day, which I don't mind because I honestly don't want a scent on me the whole day. For those of you who are familiar with Rainbow Honey's other scents - I find that Midori is more mild and subtle than Summer Juice. Summer Juice is far more sweeter and stronger.
And one of my fave Mystery Bag items - the Midori cuticle balm - it should be no secret that I LOVE Rainbow Honey cuticle balms. They are a staple in my nail care, and a godsend for my swatchfests. In fact, I used this guy all throughout my Rainbow Honey swatching. I think I still prefer the skinnier "cuticle sticks" but I feel like this format might offer more product. Definitely a change I don't mind making.
Here's the packaging:
How does it stack up? Pretty good! Love that it's not a greasy format. Usually between polish removing and the next polish, I will use the cuticle balms liberally and then just use a tissue to wipe off the excess. No greasy look here! Scent is pretty good too - again a nice mild fruit ode. I dig it.
Don't mind the ridges on my naked nails, but you can see that there isn't a greasy look to my hands!
Lastly, my favourite part - the mini nail lacquers by Rainbow Honey.
This month's mystery bag included Deep Heart Sea, Viridis, and Chemical Plant.
Here's a swatch of Chemical Plant. I found the formula is thickened quite easily as well as not being self-levelling but this may be due to that I have a fan running in my room (seriously guys, summer is so hot). Asides from the slightly thick formula (which can always be corrected by thinner), I was pretty impressed that I only needed two coats! Pretty damn opaque.
Here's a swatch of Viridis. It's pretty cute. I knew the seemingly green jelly base would be super sheer but I wanted to swatch it without any undies any way. I feel like this polish would kick ass over black or a contrasting glitter bomb like a dark blue! (GLITTER ON TOP OF GLITTER, WHY NOT!)
And lastly, but certainly not least... A swatch of Deep Heart Sea. I have to admit I wasn't sold on it right away because jellies are never a certain sell to me but it definitely grew on me pretty quick! I can see why this one is a crowd favourite. Application was a bit tough because the glitters are actually quite generously packed! Some dabbing and placement tactics are needed but it's quite the pay off. It can be a bit thirsty for top coat so make sure to give it some top coat love!
That's all for this month's Mystery Bag. I know I was late to the party but again... Shipping to Canada always equals balls. This is a totally scientific term, by the way. Rainbow Honey has also changed their "free shipping qualification" on their online shop from $50 to $75 for us Canadians, but let's again just rejoice that Rainbow Honey is actually changing their ways this fall and switching over to a Canadian retailer. They claim that all products on their site will be available so I hope all the cuticle sticks and limited edition mystery boxes count as well. I'm looking forward to it! And again, make sure you use MIXTAPE20 if you plan on pulling the trigger on any purchases until August 18th!
What do you make of this month's Mystery Bag? What are your faves?
Full disclosure: This sample was provided for an unbiased review.
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