Polish Me...Indifferent

About nail polish!

Ladies it has been a while, a long while, since I have written a post reviewing a product. I will admit that this post has been sitting on the back burner of my mind for months, I just kept forgetting to write it.

Well I caved and here it is! The product in question: Sally Hansen Color Quick Fast Dry Nail Color Pen (whew, that's a mouth full!).

I admit I purchased this product on impulse. I was getting ready to head out to dinner with the Captain and his parents when I realized my nails weren't done. I usually don't care whether or not my nails are polished, but I always like to look put together when I meet up with his parents (please don't ask me why.) So walking around the local CVS, I thought "Fast Dry Nail Pen, I'd be able to do this in the car! Perfect." So I grabbed a pen, a bottle of nail polish remover, and a box of tissues...you never know.

I am so glad I had thought to buy nail polish remover....

The Color(s): There weren't that many, yet again when I bought this product it was new to the market. There could be loads of new colors now. I bought a rich looking burgundy.

Application: Brush tip is terrible. It is unlike the nice, smooth, and narrow brush that comes with the bottle of nail polish. The tip of this applicator, it thick with heavy dark bristles.

To get the nail polish into the tip, you have to press a button at the top of the applicator, much like a clickable pen. The only problem, uneven flow.

So with the uneven flow of nail polish and crappiness of the brush, the nail polish goes on extremely streaky. It takes MULTIPLE coats (5 easily) to get the entire nail covered. But I warn you, don't look at your nails in bright natural light. If you do you will see splotchy, uneven paint.

Oh and it makes a mess!! The polish drips easily. You have to keep the pen at a 90º angle in order to get the damn paint into the brush but if you are not careful it could drip. It also got all over the rim of the cap as I was putting the lid on and off in between nails, which then proceeded to get all over the table top.

Quick Dry my arse. Because of the multiple coats I was forced to use just to get the color I purchased, my nails were "gummy" for about 2 hours.

Pros: It's a great concept. Nail polish, in a pen, with a brush tip. But that is as far as this great concept goes.

Verdict: Don't bother. It's easier and your nails would look better by using a standard bottle of polish.

So Sally Hansen, you failed me again. I should have seen the signs, primarily your giant logo, that should have warned me to stay far away from this product. I have bought multiple products from you over the years, and I have hated all of them. Your paints are always so runny and they never go on easily.

If I were to recommend Nail Polish: OPI, Essie, and Funky Fingers are my favs.

OPI has the best colors hands down but my manicure will only last me 3 days (When done by a professional)



Essie has OK colors but that manicure can last up to 7-10 before chipping (When done by a professional. The same professional who uses the OPI and applied the same way.)



Funky Fingers has the best insane colors like hot pinks, royal blues, kelly greens. They cost less than 5 bucks each at Five Below The polish goes on amazingly in one coat and will last until I take it off (When I do them myself with no base or top coat.)

YDB

Bright and Perky Peepers....Yes and No.

Ok, so I have been lacking at the moment on the posts. Work has gotten rough the past few days and I have been too beat to do anything when I get home.

Thankfully, the awesomely, fantastic Diva over at Lizzie in Progress heard my prayers and provided me with a wonderful product review.

Enjoy!

Hello to all you java-lovin' readers! I was roaming around Target beauty department the other day stocking up on my supplies. I had a coupon for $1.00 off any Almay product so I zeroed in on what they had to offer.

If you watch a shit-ton of What Not to Wear like I do, you know the best way to brighten up your eyes is to have a highlight shadow under your brow and in the corner of your eye (PS Carmindy, I've been doing the corner-of-your-eye trick since the late 90's. So there). Normally I use CoverGirls Eye Enhancers in "Champagne", but since I had coupon for Almay, I decided to test something new.

I stumbled upon Almay's Bright Eyes highlighter/liner duo. What the heck, I'll give it a try.

According to Almay the product is meant to "Instantly refreshes and enhances your eyes with a unique natural complex of marine extracts, white tea and light reflectors. The eyeliner works double duty to softly define eyes, while the highlighter illuminates the brow bone and corners for a lifting effect".

It comes in three colors to correspond with your complexion: Cocoa/ Pearl, Dark Chocolate/Shell, and Black/Champagne. I was originally going to get the Black/Champagne combo, but I have never liked black eyeliner on me, so I settled with the Cocoa/Pearl set.

Eyeliner
I usually use a liquid liner or a dark brown powder to line my eyes. This stick is much lighter. Since I like a darker hue, I'm not digging the eyeliner part. I didn't feel like I could get it smudged into the lash line and that is a huge pet peeve of mine. If you like a lighter, softer look then this is right up your ally.

Highlighter
I was really excited about using this product because I thought it would be simpler then my shadow/brush technique. This one step process is much easier- boom boom and I am done. Since I am always running late, every second counts.

For as soft as the liner is, the highlighter is harsh. I find myself dabbing at it with my finger to soften the color. All it is really highlighting is the fact that I need to pluck my eyebrows.

However the point to the highlighter end (and the eyeliner end for that matter) gets dull very quickly. The pencil is thicker then a normal eyeliner so you need a sharpener with a bigger opening. I have found myself sharpening almost every two days.

Does it brighten my eyes? Sure. Am I in love with it? Ehh.

My final evaluation: I don't think I would spend the $8.99 for this product again. Coupon or not.

Tomorrow I'm headed back to Tar-zay for my trusty CoverGirl Champagne.

Always and Forever,
ME (Lizzie in Progress)

To add my own little comment about Almay:

My mom is ultra sensitive when it comes to eye products. She has used everything under the sun and apparently the only eyeliner that does not cause a (very unsexy) allergic reaction is Almay. She swears by their eye products.

But I am with LizzieBeth on the Enhancers. Any more when it comes to make-up (other than lip stick), it's always best to stick with what works best for you. Straying just leads to wasted money.

Thank you Lizzie in Progress for the review. I can envision you in all your Diva-ness staring contemplatively at all the cosmetics in Target. One day I would love to join you in Target shopping frenzy. I have a feeling you and I would do a quite a bit of damage (to our wallets that is.)

So check out Lizzie in Progress. It's awesome, she's awesome. Hell, she's just a girl who wants the world!

My Inner Rock Star is now an Outtie

I wasn't planning on doing another product review so soon, but I have fallen in love...

Not to long ago, my mom and I went shopping and decided to forgo our makeup routine at the house and get “makeovers” at Sephora. Ok, so they weren’t technically “makeovers.” We actually just went to Sephora to put our makeup on and “test” the most expensive products we could find, and perhaps buy something. Unlike my mother, whose makeup always looks the same regardless of price, I actually used that as a chance to try on makeup brands and colors I would never think to try.

Since the spring, I have been on the search for a nice pink lipstick. Because of my ruddy skin tone, pinks and reds always look funny on me. They reds tend to turn pink and the pinks were never the right shade.

Well ladies, I found something pretty kick ass. I found exactly what I was looking for by the most unexpected brand.

…this edgy color collection exemplifies old-Hollywood glamour with an L.A. vibe…From pin-up perfection to rocker chic, this limited-edition lineup allows you to tap into your bad-girl side and unleash your inner artist.” Sephora.com

The Color: The color, Backstage Bambi, is fantastic. It is a nice bright, almost, hot pink.

Kat Von D: Painted Love Lipstick Backstage Bambi

The Finish: I give it big props on being a matte finish lip color. Being a matte finish, it allows me to wear it while driving with the roof down. My hair does not stick to my lips. If matte finish is not for you and you prefer a high gloss look, just put on a top coat of your favorite gloss or chapstick and BOOM instant shine.

The Sustainability: Dude, seriously, this lipstick lasted all day. It faded a tiny bit while eating and drinking, but did not require reapplication (another plus for me, I always forget to reapply).

The Taste: none

CONS: It will come off when you kiss someone or something. Poor little Chase (my cat) had a pink paw for a day. I forgot I was wearing it, Oops.

Another plus for this product is its packaging. Being a graphic designer and a nerd I can’t help but be drawn to a product’s packaging. Hell, I have even made purchases based on the packaging. Not the wisest way to spend your money. I have been fooled many, many times.

The picture doesn't do it justice. If you are ever in the store, swing by and just feel it.
For the Graphic Designers reading this, it reminds me of FiberMark Touche Cover

The box is well designed but it is the actual tube that is amazing. The lid is covered in a fantastic, soft-to-the-touch material with flowers etched in silver (as though it were tattooed. Oh Kat Von D, you are too clever.) It just begs to be handled.

I love this product. I will admit it is a bit pricey for a lipstick ($18), but it is well worth the money. Apparently it is on sale for a limited time, I am considering purchasing another tube of Backstage Bambi as well as some of the other colors available.

Your Daily Barista

Images taken from Sephora's website.

CoverGirl you failed me again. When will a girl ever learn?

Now ladies, have you ever dreamed of the perfect lipstick/gloss. Something that goes on easily, wears all day, and doesn’t have any taste? Something that will gently accentuate those luscious lips of yours? Personally I am not the best lipstick wearer. I usually start out strong: lip liner (the same shade as the lipstick!!), lipstick, and finally top it off with a nice shot of gloss to keep it smooth. But I can never remember to reapply. Also, I had to limit my lip enhancement material to NONE in the summer due to my convertible. I know, I know, Amy of Lizzie in Progress is probably crying blasphemy about now but seriously; I can’t rock lipstick or gloss with my hair flying about.

And that’s when I saw it. It was like a mirage, an answer to my prayers. CoverGirl Lipstain claimed:

“…give lips a beautiful, lightweight flush of color that won't come off, lasting for hours without the heavy look or feel of an ordinary lipstick…”

I thought this product would be perfect for me, especially when I roll with the roof down in my car. I stopped at the local Rite Aid, and purchased a tube of Everbloom Bliss (#400).

It was anything but “bliss.”

First let me start with the positives of the product:

The Color – Reviews on the CoverGirl website state that the color “none of which resembled the colors advertised” or “color was harsh” or “It is NOT a "flush" of color.” This I disagree with. I really like the color that I purchased and thought it was true to the label and bottle.

That is it. There was only one.

Yet, there are so many things wrong with this product:

The Applicator – It is like a felt tip pen. It goes on smoothly yet it seems to dry out as you are applying it to your lips. WTF?

The Taste – OK so now you lippies have been officially stained and the first thing you notice is the harsh chemical taste. For me it is almost like a burning sensation on the tip of my tongue. Yuck!

The Sustainability – I am calling shenanigans on CoverGirl. Shenanigans I say! There is no staining involved. It goes on and looks great for about ½ hour, that is, if you don’t lick your lips (but why would you, it tastes like crap). There are no staining qualities about this product. And heaven forbid you try to put a gloss over it to give it a nice sheen, it will just take the stain off completely.

So in the end, save your $8+ dollars and don’t buy this product. There are no "staining" qualities in this product. All in all Lipstain is a wonderful concept, but a poorly executed concept.

Good luck in your quest for the perfect lipstick/gloss!

Your Daily Barista

** Image taken from CoverGirl's website:
http://www.covergirl.com/products/product.jsp?productId=outlast_lipstain