SinfulShine I'm Blushing & Amazonian

*Press Sample*

As you know, I'm a big fan of SinfulColors - they have a wide range of shades, tons of new collections, and a wallet friendly price.  This year, SinfulColors launched their new SinfulShine line, which is being exclusively sold at Walgreen's.

I wanted to try out two SinfulShine shades that were completely different from each other, so I went with a work appropriate creme and a vampy, fall-ready shimmer.

SinfulColors describes I'm Blushing as a light pink. Their description is straightforward and accurate. I'm Blushing is the lightest of ballet pinks with a creme finish. I wasn't expecting this shade to be so opaque! I'm Blushing was on the thicker side, but went on smoothly and was nearly opaque in one coat. I used two coats for this mani.

Sunlight

Indirect Light

Not only did I'm Blushing go on smoothly, I swear it self-leveled itself even more as it dried. The pictures above were taken without top coat. This is definitely a shiny polish. Due to its opacity, I'm Blushing might be a tad stark on me to be work appropriate if I was in a conservative office, but I think it would be perfectly fine in a more casual office setting or a paler skin tone.

I also tried out Amazonian, a sparkly jungle green.  This shade's formula was even easier to work with, but I still used two coats. Here's Amazonian with no top coat.

 

Amazonian is ridiculously pretty! It's dark, it's green, it's so shimmery!! Since Pantone made Emerald the color of 2013, I've been working on trying out more green polishes. I'm ok with them, but only a few truly make me stop and go whoa - like Nars Zulu, China Glaze Emerald Sparkle, and Zoya Ivanka. Amazonian has made that short list with its shimmer's depth and sparkle.

While these SinfulShine polishes dry on the faster side of average and they do have glossy finishes, I don't recommend skipping a top coat. I'm rough on my nails with typing and dishes, and I got tipwear on the first day with these manis. I suggest putting a top coat on to seal and protect if you want to wear these polishes for more than a day - which you're definitely going to want to do with Amazonian!

Catching Up - China Glaze Classic Camel

Part One - Starting a New Job...

After being unemployed for way too long, I'm finally going back to work! In Arizona. In August. None of my New York work clothes felt light or bright enough to wear. When I first started working in NYC, I tried to wear my AZ khakis to work. They were quickly replaced with darker trousers that could hide the random subway schmutz. Now that I'm back, so are my khakis!

I also had to pick out my first day at work polish. It had to be something work appropriate but special. Riding the khakis high I was on, I went with related shade for my mani - China Glaze Classic Camel from the Fall 2010 Vintage Vixen collection.

Like its name suggests, this is a light camel shade. It's a yellow-based beige filled with gold fleck shimmer. My bottle was separating a bit and I didn't roll it as much as I should have to get it back to smooth consistency, so I had to put on three coats for full, even coverage.

I know this collection was supposed to be 40s themed, but this polish looks like the 70s on me and I love it! The gold shimmer is subtle indoors and the polish takes on more of a beige look. With full sunlight hitting that shimmer and my undertones, Classic Camel becomes more yellow/golden.

When I have to do work appropriate, this is how I like to do it. This shade looks like a nude on me at first glance, but the gold shimmer and slightly quirky base color still keep it interesting for me. I'm still rocking full glitter on the weekends, though!

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Laced Up

I've been trying out the new Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips this week. I found my first display of these new strips in a CVS about two weeks ago. Then I found them in more CVS and Walgreens stores but I wasn't able to find Laced Up until I finally found a hidden display on the top shelf at a Rite Aid last Friday.

TA DA!!! 

First, the packaging - the manicure comes in a tiny plastic box that lets you see the contents inside and the manicure pattern on the side trim. Ingredients and brief directions are on the outside for the shopper's convenience. These strips are Big 3 Free - no DPB, Toulene, or Formaldehyde. It also appears to be free of Formaldehyde Resin or Camphor.

~ THE BOX ~

 

Box Contents - Cuticle Stick, Mini File/"Buffer", and 16 Polish Stickers

~ THE STRIPS ~

 

The strips themselves come in two packets of eight different sizes. You peel off the clear top layer, take the bottom tab off, decide which side fits your cuticle shape the best, peel off the bottom layer, and stick it on your nail.

I've used Inoco strips for a few years and I've never had an application issue with them. These strips were just as easy to use and I was able to put my entire mani on in less than 20 minutes.  

 

THE MANICURE!

Day 4

I love flowers, I love lace, and so I loved this design. I also realized after I put the strips on that the base color itself was very pretty. It's a light tan nude shade - think Orly Country Club Khaki with a touch more brown. The base shade with the design definitely evokes the feeling of a lace slip.

I definitely recommend using a separate top coat to seal these strips on. I didn't have a top coat with me when I applied my strips and I did get a bit of curling at the cuticles. Top coat also gave the strip a smooth glossiness that it didn't have on its own. Maybe it was the design, maybe it's their dry polish formula, but it definitely needed a shine booster. I got the top coat on as soon as I could get to one - it stopped the curling but couldn't reverse what had already been done. I was able to seal my nail tips and the nails that still had the remnant of the strip wrapped under when I put the top coat on are still sealed by the strip at the end of Day 4!

These strips are a little bit pricey at $10 a manicure, but completely worth it. I feel the drugstore availability, wide range of designs, long-lasting wear, and custom cuticle fit option make SH Salon Effects Polish Strips the new front-runner of the dry polish pack.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Plie

This post is dedicated to my best friend who just ordered her wedding dress.  Her wedding's next year and placing that order is one of the first big steps in making it all real.  Maybe next up will be picking out the bridesmaid dresses *cough, cough, wink, cough* 

I picked up Plie in the big, and most likely last, Rescue Beauty Lounge 50% Off VIP Sale at the beginning of November.  Plie is a perfect polish to try out during the work week.  I missed Opaque Nude last sale and Grunge was still out of stock for this sale, but I had to get a cool opaque nude from RBL this time so I picked Plie.  This shade did not disappoint - it's a wonderful nude with a touch of pink.  It really did remind me of ballet slippers.

After trying Dead Calm, Stormy, and No More War, I figured RBL's formula wouldn't let me down, but I had doubts because this was a light nude color.  After all, I picked up Opaque Pink when Opaque Nude wasn't available and Opaque Pink was NOT opaque!  I shouldn't have doubted the polish community because Plie is opaque in one coat, perfectly creamy in two. 

Since it's after the DST flip and I'm at work during sunlight hours, I only have an indoor shot, but this accurate to the pink-nude color that Plie looks on me.  As with all nudes, I think that skin tone really affects how orange or pink or gray-dead the shade can look on an individual's hand.  The finish is much shinier in real life, but I couldn't get the camera to capture it.  I also put the decal on my ring finger as an extra shout out to mi amiga's wedding dress order.

This shade is totally a shout out towards the color scheme my friend is contemplating.  I can't divulge all her details, but she knows what I mean.

Congrats again, Ash!  I can't wait for your big day!!