Drugstore Halloween, Part 1: Bonita Eat, Drink & Be Scary

Hey everybody!  I hope you're doing superbly on this Monday evening.  

I spent the weekend out of town with Mr. Sweets, so you know what that means!  Drugstore shopping! :)  Walgreens was having some amazing sales, but more about that later...tonight's polish was 100% Rite Aid certified.  I suppose I should add that Rite Aid was also having amazing sales. :P

I have never tried anything by Bonita, but I have been seeing them pop up more and more at Rite Aid.  I spotted a Halloween display of Bonita polishes, and the one that really stood out to me was this one.  And I'm telling you now that it's got the best name ever:  Eat, Drink & Be Scary!!! :D

Eat, Drink & Be Scary is an interesting polish all the way around.  It's sort of foil-ish with a heavy silver/blue shimmer that looks like velvet.  The application on this is really good.  It could be a one-coater, but I did two because I'm me.  

The color of Eat, Drink & Be Scary is rather complicated.  In the store, this looked like a navy shimmer.  But in certain lighting it can look teal or even black.  

Eat, Drink & Be Scary is a very rich-looking polish for $2.49.  Yes kids, I said $2.49.  But wait...there's more!  This was on sale for $1.86.  Yep.

What do you all think of this color?  I rather love it.  I recommend checking out the Bonita Halloween Witches Ball collection at least for Eat, Drink & Be Scary.  And admit it:  you love the name.

Stay tuned for MORE drugstore finds brought to you by me and Mr. Sweets!   Have a lovely day! <3

Grass Green Comparisons: Zoya, China Glaze, Nicole by OPI

Hey everybody!  Well, much to my dismay, it's spring.  And with it come pollen and lots of growing things that have no mercy on my allergies.  So I decided to do a nice springtime comparison today, minus the hay fever.  I've got three different grassy greens for your viewing pleasure. :)

First up is Zoya Meg, a foil polish that you could, quite honestly, apply in the dark.  Okay.  Maybe that wasn't *entirely* honest.  But my point is that Zoya's foils are so wonderfully forgiving...in fact, I tend to reach for them when I'm tired and my eyes aren't focusing quite right.

Meg is a medium grass green from the 2012 Surf collection that ensnared me completely.  She is very shimmery and has a yellow undertone, but I won't hold that against her.  I used 2 coats of Meg for full coverage.

Next I have China Glaze Paper Chasing, a more subtle shimmer that's a kelly green.  It's the color of the legendary Crayola crayon called "Green", back when crayons were named actual color names, as opposed to "Dragon Guts"  or "Fat Caterpillar" or something of that ilk.

Paper Chasing is a bit on the sheer side, so I used three coats and still had Mr. Troublemaker Who Shall Remain Nameless peeking through.  For some reason, though, the VNL doesn't bother me with this polish.  It's just so pretty and I can't stay perturbed at it.  It's also got a great formula.

Well, if Paper Chasing was a bit sheer, Nicole by OPI Make Mine Lime is cheesecloth.  Another grassy-hued hard shimmer with just a *hint* of chartreuse, Make Mine Lime is so sheer that I had to use FOUR coats to achieve the amazing lack of opacity you see before you. :)

Yet, it IS lime.  It's quite summery, and the shimmer is really pretty in this.  I just don't know how many people would have the patience to put it multiple coats just to assure themselves that they hadn't mistakenly reached for a topper. :/

So there you have it...three grass greens that are as different as rye, centipede, and St. Augustine. :)  Are you all glad to see spring here?  You are??!!  UGH!  WHY?!! :P

Thanks for stopping by, and have a lovely day. <3

Zoyas I Love: Crystal, Perrie, and Edyta

Hey everybody!  Have you heard about the serious epidemic going around this week?  It's called Zoya Fever! :)  Zoya is running their buy 3 for $12 promo, and I'm telling you...it's really hard to decide what you want...isn't it??  I love Zoya to bits, and when I look at their colors, it's a bit overwhelming when you know you get 3 and they have about 867 that you love. :P

So...here am I...donning my public servant cap to *maybe* help you arrive at a decision!  Isn't that nice of me? :)  First up is, without a doubt, one of Zoya's loveliest polishes, Crystal.

I LOVE Crystal.  It's a beautiful ice blue metallic foil with a very heavy gold shimmer.  The gold is so highly visible in Crystal that on the nail, this polish looks mottled...almost like a Saran wrap mani.  Just gorgeous!!

I think I am one of the 6 people on the planet who doesn't own Zoya Charla. :)  For me, Crystal has that magical feel that everybody ascribes to Charla...it's ethereal and flawless.  And of course, just the fact that it's a Zoya foil should tell you how fantastic it is!  The application is wonderful and the formula perfect.

Another of my Zoya faves is a polish that I don't think has gotten much airtime...Perrie.  Perrie is sort of like the creme version of the my shimmery love Dannii. 

Perrie is a cool-toned medium orchid purple....YES there's that very popular word again!  Zoya describes this color as lavender, but it just doesn't look very lavender on me.  Don't get me wrong, it looks FABULOUS...just a bit deeper than lavender. :D

Perrie's formula is a little thin, but it's easy to work with and levels out pretty well.  I didn't have any flooding with it.  I like this color better and better each time I wear it...and I predict a lot of gals will pick this one up this week. :)

Last up, I have a Zoya that's textbook me:  strange!!  Meet the complex and incomparable Edyta.

Oh myyyyy.  My own photos are renewing my amour for Edyta.  This is the perfect non-shade to confuse and delight all your friends!  Is it brown?  Maybe.  Is it green?  Possibly.  Is it AWESOME??  Oh yes.  It's a delicious metallic shimmer multiple personality in a bottle! :)

Look at that sparkle!  And what color IS said sparkle?  Who knows??  Yes, Edyta is that confusing.  And how I LOVE it!!  Let's see what Zoya has to say about this color:  "A complex mixture of gold, olive, blue-green and smoky grey with a sparkling metallic finish."  Clear as mud!  Hey!  It kinda does look like mud!  An oh-so-glamorous mud. :)

You love this one, don't you? :)  If you love crazy shimmery, and if you love weird, Edyta is your girl.  You will be in love with the bizarre elegance and cock your head to the side more than once as you try to figure her out...

Have I assisted you with any choices?  I doubt it, but I flatter myself to think I could *possibly* sway somebody to choose my recommendations... :)

Thanks for stopping by, and have a lovely day! 

Understated Elegance: China Glaze Strike Up a Cosmo

Hey everybody!  How has your weekend been?  Mine was good...my sister is a volunteer at the county animal shelter, and yesterday she and I took a sweet little dog on a three and a half hour road trip to go live with his new owner.  Nick, a Miniature Pinscher mix, was an adorable boy, but my goodness, did that little dude ever smell bad.  He hadn't gotten a bath since he'd been at the shelter...Melanie and I were dying laughing because it was so bad.  I never thought a car ride with a thoroughly smelly pooch could be so hilarious. :D

But on a MUCH more elegant note, today I have a polish from the China Glaze Autumn Nights collection that has completely stolen my foil-loving heart.  I pretty much fell in love with the whole Autumn Nights collection, but one of my favorites was Strike Up a Cosmo, a gorgeous, golden lavender-pink.

Look at that beautiful rose gold color!  UGH, I love this.  It sparkles and glistens and looks ever so Christmas party-ish. :)

I used 2 effortless coats for the photos...true to typical foil application, you pretty much can't mess this one up.  What a huge plus this always is in my world of kindergarten paint jobs. :D

This polish reminds me so much of the holiday season...I think it's the faint resemblance to sugar plums or something Victorian.  Uh, does anybody know what I'm talking about, or do I just need some cocoa and a good night's sleep? :P  

See?  Look!  Strike Up a Cosmo is all ready for the punch and presents!  Wow...I hadn't realized I was THIS ready for Christmas season...

And I have a question for you all:  I have read that so many people just detested the Autumn Nights collection, but I am crazy about it.  Am I in the minority?  Becoming unfashionable?  Reading the wrong blogs?  Wait...I guess that was technically three questions, huh...

Thanks for stopping by, and have a lovely evening! 

Comparison Post: Attack of the Murky Greens!!

Hey everybody!  I hope your Saturday has been a fantastic one!  

Earlier in the week, I did a post on Sinful Colors Classified.  It's one of those greens with a pretty serious identity crisis...it doesn't know if it wants to be green, or blue, or grey, or all of the above.  Some of my friends observed that Classified bore a resemblance to a couple of other colors out there, so I decided to do a comparison post for your enjoyment (and possibly helpful info...or maybe just curiosity?). :D

L to R:  butter LONDON Victoriana, Zoya Evvie, Sinful Colors Classified, China Glaze Elephant Walk

Who knew there were so many polishes in desperate need of therapy?  One has to wonder if these gals could even describe themselves if asked!  Let's see if we can get to the bottom of this mystery... 

 

butter LONDON Victoriana

I finally snagged this one from my wishlist! :)  Victoriana is a dusty, more-blue-than-green color with a lovely foil-like shimmer and superb application.  Greasy bottle thumbprint not included in most versions. 

Zoya Evvie

Evvie is definitely a green-grey color with only a very slight hint of blue.  As you can see, just my holding the bottle gives the whole photo a murky quality.  Evvie is a creme with a lovely application.

Sinful Colors Classified

You can read my entire (not so) Classified review here. :D  It's more blue-leaning than Evvie but not as much as Victoriana.  It's got a great creme formula with a remarkable price tag!

China Glaze Elephant Walk

I would say Elephant Walk is 50% green, 45% grey, and 5% blue.  This is one of those colors that looks different on the nail than in the bottle, and in a very good way.  I was surprised by this polish...it's a fantastic neutral with a gentle shimmer.  And that adds up to 100% gorgeous! :)





Now for some group shots!  And yes, Midget Pinky is fully aware that she looks ridiculous.  She'll be needing therapy too...

L to R:  butter LONDON Victoriana, Zoya Evvie, China Glaze Elephant Walk, Sinful Colors Classified

L to R:  butter LONDON Victoriana, Zoya Evvie, China Glaze Elephant Walk, Sinful Colors Classified

 

L to R:  Sinful Colors Classified, China Glaze Elephant Walk, Zoya Evvie, butter LONDON Victoriana

My final thoughts:  these are all four clearly not replicas (no, I will NOT use that annoying word) of each other, even though they have that same murky quality about them.  All four formulas are very good...it's just a matter of whether you like a foil, a creme, or a shimmer application best. :)  I really love all the colors and find that swamptastic shades like these look pretty good on me.  I think? :)

What do you think?  Which of these is your favorite?  

Thanks for stopping by, and have a lovely day! <3

Summer 2012 - a Zoya Odyssey: Zuza and Kimber

Hey everybody!  Well, it's the last week of wearing my summer dresses to the office.  Labor Day is Monday, and I'm a purist. :)  We've seen a lot of great polish this summer, but lately I've been thinking about last year when the Zoya Surf collection came out, and everybody fell in love with a girl named Zuza...and to a lesser extent, her little sister Kimber.

Who couldn't help but drool over Zuza?  A perfect light turquoise with gold AND silver shimmer?  Enough said.  Just gaze upon her glory...

I should add that Zuza has the lucky distinction of being the polish I've worn for the longest time, at 7 days straight.  Two coats provide shimmery, mistake-proof coverage.

Zoya Kimber is another beauty from the Surf collection.  Kimber is described as medium magenta pink, but on me, it looks pinkish-red with a tiny hint of coral.  I've never been able to really give it an accurate color description.  Isn't it weird how that happens?  You read a color description, and it's just nothing like you see on your fingers?  Kimber's still lovely, even though I have no idea what color it REALLY is. :D

Kimber is a very spotlight-grabbing polish, so if you wake up one day and your face is broken out or your hair just won't fix right, don't wear Kimber because you just might get unwanted attention.  I warned you.

Kimber has a beautiful gold shimmer and a fantastic application.  I used two coats for photos.  Uncommonly pretty.

The Zoya Surf collection was the first ever polish collection that I bought in its entirety.  I loved every one in that bunch!  Ahhhh...2012 was an excellent year for foils. :)

Did you get any of the Surf collection from summer 2012?  I wish all trips down memory lane were this colorfully awesome!

Have a lovely evening, and thanks for stopping by! :)