Urban Outfitters Nail Polish Sea Dust Swatch and Review

Welcome to Cheap Polish Tuesday where we explore and discover polishes that are found on sale or regular price for $5 or less! (I should really have that copied and pasted by now but I am still typing it all out. And I am typing this live because I am bad at scheduling posts!) Today I've got another one from Urban Outfitters. Each polish is priced regular at $6 but there is an ongoing promotion where you can buy 2 polishes for $8, which definitely sneaks these polishes into Cheap Polish Tuesday.

So today I've got Urban Outfitters Sea Dust, which is an alleged dupe of Deborah Lippmann's Mermaid's Dream. From the bottle, it looked like a possibility, but when I wore it, I am just unsure. Sea Dust is a shimmer glitter mixture of seafoam green, with blue teal glitters. It has very foil-like tendencies. Formula wise, it applied nicely however the polish was VERY sheer. So sheer you can see where my nail's free edge begins. I'm not really a fan of that. Admittedly, Mermaid's Dream is in my untrieds (sorry!), but from all the swatches I've seen, it looks a whole lot grittier on the finish with a lot more dimension. Anyway, here's Urban Outfitters Sea Dust with three coats, no top coat:







I am not really a fan. I am a little disappointed in how sheer it is, and how flat it falls because there's no real dimension and I think the foil finish is overwhelming. I decided to test it as a topper over OPI Black Onyx. Here's one coat of Urban Outfitters Sea Dust over top of two coats of OPI Black Onyx:





Anyway, maybe I am being too hard on this polish because I was expecting something else. If you wanted a "finer" version of Deborah Lippmann Mermaid's Dream, this might be your winner. I wouldn't call them dupes but I'll do an official comparison soon. Eventually. I tried to find out if Urban Outfitters polishes are 3 Free, but unfortunately I can't find a confirmation.

What do you think of Sea Dust? Do you think it's comparable to Deborah Lippmann Mermaid's Dream?

Animal Crossing: New Leaf Grass Deterioration Wear Inspired Nail Art

So I said I would do that thing where I was going to schedule my posts but alas, I am actually sick from work and at home today so here I am, doing it live. As some of you know, I recently became obsessed with Animal Crossing: New Leaf for Nintendo 3DS. I didn't update that I've actually fallen OUT OF LOVE with it. I know, I know - it's sad. I hadn't played any other titles since the original Animal Crossing for Game Cube and I wasn't aware they added a "feature" in City Folk called grass deterioration and wear, where running in your town actually wears down the grass and you are left with muddy patches. It's ugly.

Well, grass wear is back in Animal Crossing: New Leaf and it wasn't until I posted a #whatimdoingnow post on Instagram and Amanda from Sweetheart Nail Art told me that her brother runs in her town, ruining her grass. Ruining her grass? But I run all the time... Yeah, I found out too late. There is mud all over my town and it seems like there's no fixing it. I've stopped running, I've planted flowers over the trouble patches but it still seems to spread.

So here's my Shitty Nail Art Monday ode to grass deterioration in Animal Crossing, which I give a clear "fuck you" to:



I used OPI Jade is the New Black as a foundation, and I sponged on Color Club Earthy Angel on the tips, and as a highlight healthy grass nail, I used a dotting tool and used a mixed palette of OPI Jade is the New Black, OPI Alpine Snow, Zoya Dree, and Zoya Noot. I topped it off with a layer of Seche Vite.





There we have it - grass deterioration nails because I am a sad panda. And I am going back to bed because I still feel like a huge poop.

Did you know about grass wear and deterioration in Animal Crossing? What did you do to resolve it? What are your thoughts of it? Is it necessary?

OPI Don't Touch My Tutu! Swatch and Review

Alright with the wedding season ramping up in mid summer, I'll be doing scheduled posts (or at least I'll try to do scheduled posts) as a lot of my free time has now shrunken down, for photo editing and trying to get a new project off the ground. Basically, I'll be around but I won't be updating live anymore, which is what I've been doing for this last half of the year. I think I'll try to but I guess we'll see what's up. Here's another from the backlog, so again, don't mind the white light white balance.

This is OPI Don't Touch My Tutu! from the New York City Ballet Soft Shades collection. Definitely my favourite soft shades collection to be released so far with all of the formulas to be very squishy with nice and even sheer coverage. Very important for coverage to be even so you won't get any streaks! OPI Don't Touch My Tutu! is a white jelly, that builds up rather nicely in three coats. Perfect for jelly sandwiches. Formula is great, just like all the others I owned and tried - no complaints here. I'll show you how it builds:

One coat of OPI Don't Touch My Tutu!:



Two coats of OPI Don't Touch My Tutu!:



Three coats of OPI Don't Touch My Tutu!:



I love it as one coat because it gives the illusion of healthy nails, haha! I also love it fully built up over three coats. I like it on its own, but it's naturally an invitation for some subtle glitter tips, or maybe a louder glitter in a jelly sandwich. Up to you! Very versatile!

How do you manage your blog? If you don't have a blog, how do you organize your life? Do you like these sheer jellies, or do you prefer an opaque colour?

Rainbow Honey Oni Swatch and Review (Bonus: Rainbow Honey Pot O Gil)

I went to the dentist today and had my teeth cleaned. I always feel like an asshole because I'll usually just lay there and text my friends - I don't know if it drives them nuts but it's one of the only ways I don't complain. Even when I get tattooed, I prefer just to be distracted with a phone. Like a baby and their pacifier. Oh dear. Anwyay, today I've got a polish from the backlog. So again, don't mind the white light colour balance here.

This is Rainbow Honey Oni from the Yokai collection from last fall. It seems to be sold out for the time being so I am not sure if they are going to be re-releasing it. It was a limited run last October but I got on a re-release earlier this year. Rainbow Honey Oni is a mixed flake and dust polish in a warm coffee base. There are primary bronze and gold flakes but there are subtle - VERY subtle - notes of violet shifts on some of the flakes. I wouldn't look for it though, it's only there if you look close enough. Formula is good - another two coater, and it dries with a nice finish as well. Not high gloss, and not dull or bumpy either. Here's my swatch in two coats:







For funsies, (and sorry this was a long time ago in March), I used the special limited edition monthly polish at the time Rainbow Honey Pot O Gil on the tips. I am not really sure if I like it. I thought it would look OK but instead it just reminds me of a glittery flamboyant disco grass block from Minecraft, haha!:









I do love those circle glitters and how they look like little coins! I'll have to do a separate post on it another time!

Anyway I hope you enjoyed this one! Any guesses on what I should layer Pot O Gil over for next time? Maybe there's a better glitter topper out there for Oni? Personally I love it on its own, though!

Wet N Wild Fergie Miami Spirit Swatch and Review (Bonus: Wet N Wild Fergie Hollywood Walk of Fame)

Welcome to Cheap Polish Tuesday where we of course, explore polishes found on sale or regular price for $5 or less! Today I have a polish from Wet N Wild's collaboration with Fergie. There were quite a few of these when I saw them at Wal-Mart and this one cost about $2.97 up here in the cold North (well most of the time cold) in Canada.

Today I have Wet N Wild Miami Spirit which is a vibrant teal with slight shimmer. Formula wise, it's great however I found the brush really fat and difficult to work with. I feel like it would be in their benefit to have made their brushes a little less wide, or to round off the sides even more but alas. This polish also does not have a gloss finish, but rather a semi-matte "wax-like" finish. Here's my swatch of 2 coats and no top coat:









Love the external bottle of Wet N Wild Fergie Miami Spirit, but inside the brush is a bit tricky. If it's too wide for my nails, I think it would be really really wide for most! It's even wider than the Essence brush. Check it out:



I can't tell if I have butthurt feelings over the whole semi-matte, wax fad, but I think this colour really benefits from a top coat. I just think it gives it an extra dimension. Here's Wet N Wild Fergie Miami Spirit again with a Seche Vite top coat:







And for funsies, here's Wet N Wild Fergie Hollywood Walk of Fame. I don't think it's very good, haha - definitely one of those "looks nice in the bottle" type of polishes. Also finishes semi-matte and waxy:





I had previously shown this colour in a DAVIDsTEA teal comparison, and it fits in the right hue, but is a touch too dark to be a good candidate. To my knowledge, Wet N Wild does make 3 free and cruelty free polish but I am unsure if the Fergie line is as well. Consider it unconfirmed but with a high possibility.

Have you tried any of these Wet N Wild Fergie line polishes? Or does the Fergie part steer you away? Would you rather your polish dry with a waxy finish or have it with a high gloss?

Fireworks Over Vancouver Skyline Inspired Nail Art

Welcome to Shitty Nail Art Monday. Man, this is REALLY SHITTY. I could have shared this last week when it was relevant but it's so bad that I just decided to post it today. Anyway, every Canada Day seems to be crappy for me. I was having a fight with someone so I just walked around the mall, had a guacamole Teen Burger from A&W (OHHH YEAHHHH) and played some Animal Crossing. I am really loving how the Nintendo 3DS is keeping track of how many steps I am taking in a day. I was up to 8000 which is a lot for me, as an office worker!

Anyway, today's Shitty Nail Art is inspired by the fireworks show at Canada Place in Vancouver. (You couldn't tell, right?) I did a gradient with a sponge with OPI You're Such a Budapest and OPI Can't Find My Czechbook. I should have stopped there but I continued. With a dotting tool (I wish I had a better nail art brush), I drew a skyline with Canada Place and Harbour Centre. Then I drew some fireworks with Essie Good As Gold and added a couple of sparkle glitters from Essie Set in Stones.







It's really bad. I don't know what I was thinking.

Anyway, how was your weekend? I should really just stick to the Animal Crossing nail art, right? Haha, I hope all of you are having a great week so far. Let's just forget I ever posted this.

DAVIDsTEA Teal Nail Polish Search and Comparison

Holy nostalgia Friday Batman, I totally found my old Livejournal and now I wish I still wrote in it. It was GOOD reads and I wish I still maintained a blog like that. Ah well, I have you guys, right? Except, I have no idea where I am going to post my review of Animal Crossing. I'll find SOMETHING! Anyway, today I have something that has been in the making for a little while now. As you know, I have been on the search for the perfect DAVIDsTEA teal nail polish! Oh man, it's been so hard to find it but I think I've found something close.

Hint? It only came out recently.

So here's a look at the candidates for the search for America's Next Top-I mean, DAVIDsTEA teal:



Recognize any of them? Have yourself a guess at what you think is going to be close to a DAVIDsTEA teal. From left to right:

Wet N Wild Fergie Miami Spirit
Joe Fresh Turquoise
Sally Hansen Insta-dri Mint Spirit
OPI Fly
Jordana Boy Oh Boy
Essie Naughty Nautical

Got your guess in? Maybe this will help:



Here's our candidates once again next to a DAVIDsTEA retail bag, a button from their "free tea for nurses" day, and lastly, a paint chip off their wall because well it was on the floor and no one was going to pick it up. Here's my Top 4 picks for the Search for the Perfect DAVIDsTEA Teal:



I think the answer is already pretty obvious but I am going to go ahead and still write as if it's suspenseful (now I know how reality TV writers feel!). So, from the left to right, I have Wet N Wild Fergie Miami Spirit, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Mint Spirit, Jordana Boy Oh Boy and Essie Naughty Nautical. I am going to admit that this was very difficult to photograph. The objects have different levels of reflection and may look brighter than they are. I'll do individual reviews for each of the polishes eventually of course, so I'll try my best not to comment on the formulas.







Alright, so the truth is that there are the slightest discrepancies between the samples of the DAVIDsTEA teal that I am using so we could throw this whole comparison out the window and say "GOOD ENOUGH!" but I'll try not to.

Wet N Wild Fergie Miami Spirit dried too dark in nature but in regards to hue, it might have been there. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Mint Spirit was close and had the right "brightness", but it was a tad too much on the green tones. Jordana Boy Oh Boy that was explored on this week's Cheap Polish Tuesday was also fairly close, much on the same closeness of brightness as Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Mint Spirit, but tilted too much on the blue end. Essie Naughty Nautical, which was just released last month seemed to get the memo. Compared to the retail bag and nurses button, the colour seems to be a match. Of course, the button and bag were a little more reflective. In comparison to the paint chip, it was a little too green. I find the paint used in the shop to be a little more blue. Perhaps this is to compensate for the type of lighting used? Because it really depends.

The winner? Essie Naughty Nautical. Check out how well it does against the nurses button and shopping bag:





I wish that Essie Naughty Nautical lacked the shimmer else it could have been right there and perfect. For now, this is as good as it's going to get until, well, DAVIDsTEA takes my request and make a nail polish. (Not going to happen.)

Have you found the perfect DAVIDsTEA teal? Or are you more on the hunt for a perfect Starbucks green? Haha! What do you think of the above comparison?

OPI Vant To Bite My Neck? Swatch and Review

Happy Independence Day to all my American friends! I love you! I totally forgot to edit my photos of the DAVIDsTEA teal nail polish search so I'll post it tomorrow. In the meantime, I do have something from the backlog, so just to remind any of you - these photos are taken in bias to a sterile white light. I'm not used to it anymore! Anyway, I am sort of moody because I had the hardest time with customer service for my cell phone. I think they took away their option for "To speak with a customer service representative, Press" whatever. That was an extremely frustrating experience. To boot, their live chat was busted and their website didn't have any information on how it was coded, or any browser optimization. As a technical person, it was completely frustrating but hey nail polish, right?

Ahhhh.... Nail polish. Today I've got OPI Vant To Bite My Neck? from the Euro Centrale collection, which I love so much actually. Still one of my fave collections to have come out this year! Vant To Bite My Neck? is a deep vampy eggplant purple creme. Ohhhh it's gorgeous and formula-wise it covers in two smooth self-leveling coats, finishing with a glossy edge on its own. Here's my swatch in two coats and no top coat:







I think it looks WAY gorgeous on its own. Because it's a creme, you can layer some glitter on it, but make sure you pick a glitter with complimenting or contrasting colours. I layered a coat of China Glaze Glitz N Pieces over top, but hated it. I bet it would look way better with OPI Polka.com.







Meh, not the best but again, LOVE OPI Vant To Bite My Neck on its own! WOWZA!

So stay tuned for tomorrow's post where I finally find my bread winner in my search for the perfect DAVIDsTEA teal nail polish! In the meantime, have you ever been frustrated with customer service via phone? Most of my frustrations actually just finding someone to talk to! I wouldn't be so bitchy if the phone number was right there for me! Ah well. How do you like these vampy colours? I keep showing them instead of some serious summer colours - I'll have to resolve that soon!

Zoya Noot Swatch and Review (Bonus: Essie Set in Stones Glitter Gradient)

I'm back to the grind today and I hope all of you are enjoying your week so far! I guess my American neighbours will be celebrating Independence Day tomorrow! HOLIDAYS FOR ALL! I'm into it. Anyway today I've got a polish that I recently picked up at Winners on a retail therapy binge. It was $5.99 which is cheaper than most places I've seen. It was an impulse decision but I'm pretty happy with the turn out.

So this is Zoya Noot, which to my knowledge is actually from the Designer Fall 2012 collection inspired by New York Fashion Week. It's a very pigmented charcoal creme, with a heavy green leaning undertone to it. It's gorgeous. I don't own a shade quite like this! Formula is great - self-leveling two coater and dries to a nice gloss finish on its own. My swatch is two coats, with no top coat:











I wonder where the name comes from. I kind of wish that it was MOOT because it's such a funny word to throw around.

Ah well. Anyway Zoya Noot makes a great base colour for glitters, stamping, anything really. I think it's a great basic and it's very stand out and bold at the same time as compromising for anything that you might want to partner it up with. Here's a glitter gradient with Essie Set in Stones. I think it's a completely different look but it Noot is still maintained in the spotlight:







I'm really digging this colour and it matches my Star Wars summer top (that's right - I just linked to something on Hot Topic, apparently I'm still 15 years old!) and space/galaxy motif trend that I am being suckered into so when I am too lazy to do galaxy nails (which is all the time), this is a nice basic alternative.

So has summer hit you guys where you live? Vancouver just got its first heat wave (still nothing compared to what my California friends are facing). Is anyone else wearing their fall shades in the summer? Or am I just the crazy weird one?