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

Sally Hansen Lustre Shines: Scarab and Lava

 
Hey everybody!  I don't know anybody who doesn't just plain love Sally Hansen Lustre Shines.  They have been around since 2012 but have apparently been a popular part of Sally Hansen's line.  And it's easy to see why...Lustre Shines are shimmeringly fantastic!  I picked up Lava when the line was first introduced.

Lava is a *very* shimmery, pink-to-bronze duochrome glass fleck.  And yes, I couldn't seem to capture the true amount of pink in this polish because the shimmer was blowing it all to smithereens.  It's there though, and in large quantities too.  These seriously must be the worst ever pics of Lava.  My camera was just not having any of it. Apparently, it's sick of taking pics of all these pinks. :)

I used 3 coats of Lava for the pics because Mr. You-Know-Who forced me to.  I love, love, LOVE the interesting color and overall look of Lava, but I always seem to have one problem with it:  it ends up looking almost grainy on me and wears off my tips within no time.  BUT, trouper that I am, I always find the fortitude to soldier on in the midst of imperfection and wear it anyway. :D

I had been threatening to get Scarab for a long time, and I finally picked it up one day whilst polish shopping with Mr. Sweets.  Nope, he didn't choose it for me.  It's not red, silly! :P

No, it's not red...but a teal most FABULOUSSSSHHHHH!  And don't even get me started on that shimmer.  Oh, okay.  The shimmer is blinding!!  This mess is super reflective too, *almost* mirror-like.  I know that's hard to imagine.  Remember my post about OPI Into the Night being so shimmery it stung your eyes in the sunlight?  Scarab is the same way.

I used 3 coats of Scarab for full coverage.  It doesn't have the grainy look that Lava has at all.  Scarab is an absolutely beautiful metallic, but there's one problem with it:  I sent in a search party to find the duochrome, and they haven't returned yet.  Oh well.  I would be bummed if I was one of the duochrome girls.  But as fortune would have it, I happen to be a shimmer girl!  YAY!!  So it doesn't bug me that there is no duochrome (okay, maybe a tiny bit of gold going on) because Scarab is too pretty to hold a non-duochrome grudge against it. 

Do you own any Lustre Shines?  My advice is to not buy Scarab for the color shift, but for the color period.  And my other advice is to just ignore my extremely non-pink photos of Lava and buy it. :)

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

What a Surprise! Hare Polish Hooky at the Hamlet

Hey everybody!  You know something?  Blogging buds are the best!  I have a modest little wishlist on here, and my sweet friend Emily from Em's Polish Paradise noticed that I was craving a certain polish that she happened to have...so she sent it to me, all the way from Australia. <3

I've had my eye on Hooky at the Hamlet by Hare Polish ever since it came out, but due to some reason or another (out of stock, bleeding bank account, allergies), I never picked it up.  So, I got home from work, the night before my birthday (!!!), and there it was, in all its strangely-hued glory...

The legends are true.  This color of this polish is nearly impossible to capture correctly.  The top picture comes the closest...I know my skin looks a bit more anemic than usual, but I at least wanted you to see what the color looked like.  Hooky at the Hamlet comes from the 2013 Last Queen of France collection.

After careful consideration and much ogling, I would have to describe Hooky at the Hamlet as 50/50 green and blue.  There are small and medium white hexes, with some little white squares as well.  There is also a blue shimmer that's quite pretty.  I've read that this polish is a jelly, but it seemed like a crelly to me, and it dries sort of matte.  I'm just full of nailed-down details today! :D  I used 3 thin coats with 2 coats of top coat...just because I like shiny things. :)

What do you think of this crazy color?  The combination of the unique color, problem-free formula, and the BUNNY make Hooky at the Hamlet a total winner!  Hare Polish can be purchased on Etsy.

And the only thing better than scratching another one off the ol' wishlist is the feeling you get when a friend gives it to you. <3  Thank you again, Emily! :)

Thanks for stopping by, and have a lovely day!

A Troublesome Vamp: Revlon Elusive

Hey everybody!  I hope you are doing well in this the first week of 2014. :) 

People who complain all the time get on my nerves.  Nobody wants to hear that, you know?  LOLOL...so that's why I debated about the title of my post, because I don't want to sound like I'm complaining. :)  But don't you hate it when you have high hopes for something that looks SO pretty in the bottle, but something about worries you when you get it on?  *Sigh* - that would be today's story...meet Revlon Elusive.

Well, it looks really pretty, doesn't it?  It took me mucho many tries to capture something nice-looking for this one.  You see, Elusive is sort of jelly-ish, and you all know I love my jellies...but then, it's also sort of not jelly-ish.  That doesn't make much sense, but there it is.  The not jelly-ish side of it was most problematic for me.  It was this watery black stuff that stuck to everything.

Midget Pinky *just* squeezes in for the shot...

Elusive is a blackened teal base loaded with varying sizes of teal hex glitter.  It is from Revlon's Fall 2013 Evening Opulence collection, which I have only seen twice over these past 3 months.  This polish dries matte, and I am just not a matte fan.  I love to shine way too much for that nonsense. :P  I used 2 thick coats of top coat over 2 coats of Elusive.

In all fairness, I should add that my main problem with Elusive's formula was that when I said it stuck to everything, I meant it stuck to my cuticles, and I just about couldn't get it off after loads of cleanup.  ***More complaining coming up!***  You see, I have rather strange cuticles.  The cuticles sort of abruptly turn into my finger skin...it's bizarre.  The skin around my nails is very hard, and it has a tendency to lock in those thin, blackened colors like it's trying to fully embarrass you. :)  And embarrassed I am when I see macro shots of it.  Mission accomplished, Elusive.  Blast you!!!

BUT I like the idea of Elusive.  I like mattes on other people.  I love blackened teal.  I love teal glitter.  And I really like this polish on me when I'm not taking super close-up shots of it.  Ah, who cares?  All my poorly-sighted friends will never know the difference! :D

I have read some reviews about Elusive that indicate you either love it or hate it.  Do you all have this one?  Do you love it or hate it?  And most importantly, will you forgive my sour mood?  I'm post-Christmas dieting and starving. :D

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

Sally Hansen Satin Glam: Taffeta and Teal Tulle

Hey everybody!  Today I thought I would grace you with another post chronicling my love affair with the Satin Glam line by Sally Hansen. :D  I did a post on Go Gold a few weeks ago...but I just had to go back to Ulta and pick up a couple more of these beautiful polishes.  They are just so festive.  And WOW are they pretty! :)

First up is the color that happens to be the same hue as Pantone's newly named color of the year for 2014.  Feast your eyes on the loveliness that is Taffeta!

Taffeta is a medium orchid purple with a bit of warmth to it.  Sally Hansen's website says that the Satin Glam polishes are infused with pearl particles...I can believe that.  These polishes have a glow that can only be described as pearly.

I used two coats and no top coat, of course.  The finish is smooth, satiny, and absolutely elegant.

Next I have the Satin Glam that I can't believe I didn't buy in the first place, Teal Tulle.  What a beauty this is!

ARGH.  I die.  So gorgeous.  Teal Tulle is a soft, true aqua that glows like crazy under the lights.

I used two coats and no top coat.  And then I stared at it for hours and hours. :D

Application on the Satin Glams is fabulously mistake-proof.  YAY!!  This time around, I had much less of an issue with dry time than before, so I am guessing that was all weather related. 

The Satin Glams are insanely lovely polishes that I can't recommend enough.  You will love the elegant finish on these.  And let me add that if you are not a textured polish lover, the Satin Glams are sort of like a texture "lite" because you won't mess with your nails while you wear these, and of course they aren't gritty.  They are truly their own unique finish and do in fact feel like a satin ribbon. :)

I hope you're enjoying all these holiday drugstore polish posts...I am so impressed with what is coming out these days!  Thanks for stopping by, and have a lovely day! <3

A Lovely Legend: China Glaze Atlantis

Hey everybody!  S-C-R-A-T-C-H...did you just hear that?  That was the sound of a polish being officially marked off my wishlist as being MINE now. :)  China Glaze Atlantis is a polish that has captivated me for a while, mainly because it goes along with the mermaid/fantasty/oceanic/teal/whatever theme that I just love.

Can you see why Atlantis disappeared?  There was too much awesomeness going on, and the whole city had to go into hiding for fear that the swells of humanity would descend upon its borders to soak up all the awesome.

Atlantis is a "specialty shade" from 2009...I love the fact that, like the city of Atlantis, this glittering relic disappeared, and now you have to go hunt for it! :)

Atlantis is a light teal jelly, and it's absolutely packed with the most delicious holographic glitter you ever saw.  I used two coats but probably could have used three to help with the visible nail line, but you can hardly see it in real life.  It dries pretty gritty, so you do need a thick coat (or two) of top coat.

DO NOT ADJUST YOUR MONITOR...

What do you think of Atlantis?  I found this not-so-sea-logged treasure on Amazon.  It really isn't even that difficult to find.  So...just take that as your orders to go look this one up if you haven't already!!

Atlantis is a true "mermaid" polish without the mermaid moniker.  All this look needs to be complete is Sebastian the crab.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a lovely day! :)

My Favorite Gumdrop: Nicole by OPI That's What I Mint

Hey everybody!  Well, how do you like that?  Nicole by OPI goes and sneaks in a couple of new textured Gumdrops shades on us.  And one of them is teal.  Hyperventilating yet??

Goodness gracious ALIVE, but this color is fabulous.  NOPI calls this shade emerald green (not mint, as the name suggests), and it honestly does look very much like Zoya Giovanna.  But sorry, I call greens with this much blue in them "teal."  It's my blog, after all. :D

Oh, and I didn't mention the highly visible gold shimmer that runs throughout That's What I Mint.  Yep, this one officially wins the blue ribbon for my favorite texture.   The photos show 2 coats on its own.

And 2 coats with topcoat:

ARRGGHH!!  Look at the depth the top coat gives the color.  It also allows the gold shimmer to really be noticeable.   You all know how much I love textured polishes with topcoat...they always look like a pavement of colored diamonds. 

That's What I Mint was released with a limited edition yellow polish called Lemon Lolly.  I found them at Target, right after I left Ulta next door...Ulta had a full display of the original shades, but not the two new ones.  Wow, how lucky am I that just HAD to go to Target to get some Pumpkin Spice M&Ms that night?? :P

Thank for stopping by, and have a lovely day! :)

OPI Cuckoo For This Color and The Living Daylights

Hey everybody!  Today I have a lovely fall combo to show you.  I recently snagged the shimmery gem that is OPI Cuckoo For This Color from the 2010 Swiss Collection.  I also picked up The Living Daylights from the Skyfall Collection at the same time.  And I got them both off the Ulta clearance shelf! :)

Cuckoo For This Color is SO appropriately named.  Because you see, I am.  It's a blue-leaning pine green, and I am nuts over it!  It's got the shimmer and the exact same formula as my beloved Suzi Loves Sydney.

The Living Daylights is a clear-based glitter topper made up of teal, silver, and copper glitters.  I'm sorry for all the glaring light on my ring finger, but every photo looked like this due to the intense reflective quality of the glitter.  I love this polish!

It's the 3 Amigos with their sidekick, Midget Pinky!

In my opinion, it's the copper glitter that makes The Living Daylights so special.  And copper + teal = autumn loveliness! :)

More photos.  I can't stop admiring this combination.  It's so autumn that it almost makes me want to drink cocoa or rake some leaves.  Almost.

*SHIMMER ALERT*

Wasn't that Swiss Collection great?  Cuckoo, Diva of Geneva...need I say more?  And I think The Living Daylights is one of the loveliest mainstream glitter polishes out there.

So there you have it...another fall offering during this week of 90 plus temps, LOL. :)  Ah, I'll just wipe away the perspiration and wear my cozy autumn colors anyway. 

Thanks for stopping by, and have a lovely day! :)

The Cheapskate Files: Barielle Carnival Fiesta Collection

Hey everybody!  Welcome to today's installment of the Cheapskate Files, where we can all feel good about being thrifty, even though there's no way we'll ever wear all this polish we're buying. :D  This is a Very Special Cheapskate Files, because I did really well on this one.  My stepdaughter and I were in Marshall's and found the ENTIRE Barielle Carnival Fiesta Collection for the checkbook-friendly price of $7.99.  Thank you, thank you. :)

 

The Carnival Fiesta Collection is comprised of 5 metallic shades, and they are all very pretty.  They all applied extremely well, had a super fast dry time, and are just some really nice colors.  I was quite pleased with this Cheapskate Files find.  And now...for the polish...

First we have Rio's Rockin' Bands, a medium purple with a lovely shimmer.  It's a bit frosty, but not a brushstroke bad frosty...just enough to make it glow.  It's really a nice purple.  This is two coats of Rio's Rockin' Bands.

Next up is Holiday Madness.  Well, if wearing a totally beautiful metallic olive green is madness, then call me crazy!  Again, this was a slightly frosty shimmer, and it absolutely glows.  This is two coats of Holiday Madness.

Next up is Jillian's Jammin', a color-shifting green/blue glass fleck with a purple duochrome.  That sounds like a mouthful, but trust me, it's a mouthful of awesome.  This is a strangely sheer polish, because for the photos, I used FOUR coats and still had visible nail line.  However, in real life you couldn't see VNL.  This is one oddly gorgeous number!  Jillian's Jammin' is quite green in sunlight and blue indoors.

 

Next up is Lindsay's Dancin', a lovely metallic red.  I know most girls like for their reds to be cremes, but I personally LOVE metallic reds.  This is a perfect Christmas red.  I used two coats of Lindsay's Dancin'.

And last, but certainly not least, we have the rather terrifically confusing Wanna Samba?  I think Barielle creates some of the most strangely fascinating colors, and Wanna Samba? is one of them.  If you like different, you'll love it.  Wanna Samba? is sorta light teal, and sorta purple-ish, and sorta gunmetal...oh and it's a shimmer/duochrome too.  Confused?  Well, I tried.  Hey, look...pictures!! :)

Forgive me for feeling so smug, but I love this entire collection, and I PAID $7.99 FOR IT!  Fantastic formulas, unique colors, and did I mention $7.99??

Which colors do you like?  Have you ever gotten stupendous deals like this?  I highly recommend stalking Marshall's and TJ Maxx for deals like this one...you can almost always find a Barielle or a Color Club collection there.  And some sort of biscotti too!  Mmmmm...

Thanks for stopping by, and have a lovely day! :)

Jaws Likes Sugar: Julie G Shark's Cove and Rock Candy

Hey everybody! :)  I hope your week is going well so far.  I've been awfully tired this week...but there's no pick-me-up quite like a nice minty mani!  Right?  Hmmmm.  Okay, how about a minty mani that sparkles too??  I thought so!

To all my fellow bloggers, don't ever think that what you write about a polish falls on deaf monitors.  Your readers really do listen to you.  I've read a few reviews for Julie G Shark's Cove recently, and that polish just kept speaking to me...but it wasn't until Thuy at The Painted Ninja posted a review and then just point-blank told me I needed to go visit my local Rite Aid and pick one up for myself that I did.  See for yourself...it's right there in the comments.  I listened to her.  Ladies, you ARE being heard. ;)

Julie G Shark's Cove

Shark's Cove is a blue-leaning mint with a not-so-subtle silver shimmer.  This polish is so shimmery gorgeous that it almost looks metallic.  This is just a stunning color.

Julie G Shark's Cove

The formula on Shark's Cove was very good and smooth and the type that is practically klutz-proof (my favorite).  I did experience a long dry time, but like I have said in previous posts, I think that's due to the insane humidity we're having.  I used 3 thin coats.  And, per my usual, I had some visible nail line even after 3 coats!  Grrrr.  But no problem!  Enter Julie G Rock Candy, from the Frosted Gumdrops Collection.

Julie G Rock Candy

I made a French tip with arguably the prettiest of the Frosted Gumdrops, Rock Candy.  Rock Candy is an interesting light teal textured polish.  I would go so far as to say that Rock Candy is the most unusual color of all the textureds I've seen out there.

These two colors are very complimentary to each other, and I love Shark's Cove's shimmer combined with the metallic glittery texture of Rock Candy.

Have you done anything interesting lately with your textured polishes?  I mean, you know, besides wearing them and getting tons of compliments? ;)  Julie G polishes are available at Rite Aid or at Jesse's Girl Cosmetics.  They are a very affordable polish brand that wears well.

Thanks for stopping by...have a lovely Wednesday! :)