Fed. Up.

This is exactly how I feel about science.

Essie Fed Up:

A sheer nude. Perfect for when you've just had it.

kittytokaren

P.S. Good lord I'm pale right now. Damn.

read more "Fed. Up."

Hooray, someone thinks we're awesome!

Today someone pointed out to me that Polish or Perish was named one of the "Top Manicure & Pedicure Blogs" by cosmetologyschool.org. Cool, eh? It is so neat to see our blog get a shout-out!

CosmetologySchool.org

Oh and if you're looking for more nail-related reading material, the list of blogs is chock-full of great nail blogs run by some wonderful people. Just click the little banner and it should take you to the list!

Happy reading!

kittytokaren

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China Glaze Jolly Holly

My favorite offering from China Glaze's 2010 holiday set.



(2 coats)

These photos were taken with my new toy, a light box. It's not great but it'll do until spring comes (since Autumn has hit, my balcony no longer gets sunlight in the morning). It turns my skin pretty red in a lot of pics, but I'll deal.

Anyway, love this polish. Flattering on yellow skin. Beautifully pigmented.

read more "China Glaze Jolly Holly"

China Glaze Emerald Sparkle

I hope everyone has been having a great weekend!

This is IMO the greatest holiday color ever. What's your favorite?




(2 coats)

read more "China Glaze Emerald Sparkle"

GIVEAWAY Results!

I've been so excited about this GIVEAWAY of my favourite things! (Click here to see the original post.) Apparently you were too - we had over 500 entries! I really enjoyed reading all of your entries about your fav Pradman piece as well - I think our readers are really a group with taste and style! Now it is finally time to unveil the winner!!

*drumroll*

And the winner...by random drawing...is...

CRYSTAL MAILAN

Congratulations!!! I'm contacting you to get your details for your prize!

The lucky winner will be receiving a bottle of the hottest nail polish of the season (IMHO) - Essie Smokin' Hot and a lavish, coordinating labradorite ring from Pradman Jewelry! This is my fav combo right now! The winner will of course be receiving brand new, never used/worn items.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway! It was really nice to see that so many other people were digging my favourite things! PoP readers really are the best, and I wish I could give each and every one of you something. Maybe one day!

kittytokaren

read more "GIVEAWAY Results!"

Models Own Rasberry Crush

So happy with my Models Own haul. They dry so fast and shiny (it's the chemicals).



(2 coats)

Loved it! But it wasn't what I was expecting. Hey, Models Own, rename this Watermelon Crush and you'll have accuracy!

read more "Models Own Rasberry Crush"

MAC Ming Blue

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in America! And happy Thursday to everyone else!

Ming Blue is color from MAC's Fall/Winter nail polish collection that was released back on August. It is a vibrant blue with fuchsia and aqua shimmer. The shimmer is undetectable most of the time, except it really sparkles in the light like in the first picture. I'd say the second picture taken in natural light is the most color accurate.

Went on perfectly with two coats and dried pretty fast, actually all of the MAC polishes I have dry pretty fast. This was the last polish I bought out of the Fall/Winter collection. I have to say, the only thing I have an issue with is the poor durability of the polish after a day of normal wear. I usually don't get much tip wear from a mani until maybe day 4 or 5, but with MAC polish, no doubt after day 1 I get tip wear. Sad, but not saying I won't continue to purchase.

read more "MAC Ming Blue"

A festive combo - OPI DS Glow meets OPI Dazzled by Gold!

Reminder: Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY featuring Essie Smokin' Hot and a Pradman labradorite ring!! Click here to see the original GIVEAWAY post, or just enter using the widget at the top of the blog - ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT!

With the holiday season swiftly approaching, it seems to be an appropriate time to start trying out some more festive manicures. This mani is putting me in a holiday spirit - which is nice seeing as I will probably be working in the lab over the holidays...

Also this is two of my favourite polishes combined, so how could it be bad right?!

This is OPI DS Glow (see it on its own here) with one coat of OPI Dazzled by Gold (click here to see "the precious" solo) on top.

Oooo sparkly...

and reflective...

By adding a coat of Dazzled by Gold overtop, the red-tone in DS Glow is dampened, which I think makes it more flattering and definitely amps up the "gold" factor.

Even though I will probably be predictable and go with OPI Smitten with Mittens for Christmas and OPI Mad as a Hatter for New Year's (*gasp* k2k would wear a full-0n glitter!?!?!? Yes...on New Year's :P), I'm really loving this 24-karat combo.

Do you have your holiday manicures picked out already? What are they?

kittytokaren

P.S. Congratulation to Piff for finally getting her hands on OPI Dazzled by Gold!!! I no longer feel guilty for posting this. :)

read more "A festive combo - OPI DS Glow meets OPI Dazzled by Gold!"

Absolute Fuchsia

If there was ever a polish that makes me want to throw a scrunchie in my hair and dance to Debbie Gibson, this is it.



First of all, you must know that Absolute Fuchsia is NOT two things - 1) fuchsia or 2) as tame as the photo above. Absolute Fuchsia is a color-your-fingertips-with-pink-highlighters-during-study-hall pink, and it screams 1984 like nobody's business.

Not only does it shine like the sun itself, but it was a dollar store find in Pennsylvania last year and for a dollar, SIGN ME UP. I'd never heard of this brand before, have any of you tried any other colors in this brand?

Happy day, all!

read more "Absolute Fuchsia"

Cult Classic - OPI You Don't Know Jacques!

Reminder: Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY featuring Essie Smokin' Hot and a Pradman labradorite ring!! Click here to see the original GIVEAWAY post, or just enter using the widget at the top of the blog!

This polish deserves a special mention. It single-handedly started the taupe-craze that has spawned many of my favourite polishes - I seriously love this colour family! - but this was the grand-daddy of them all. Since his release (I always think of You Don't Know Jacques! as a he...) other companies have been riffing off of this theme, hoping to capture some of it's money-making popularity for themselves. And its worked! Thanks to YDKJ, a great fad has now become a classic.

Excuse my skin in this photo...it was really cold out so my hands are kind of chapped and blotchy...sexy...

It really is much more flattering on me that it appears in this photo, as my skin is much more yellow in reality. YDKJ always reminds me of brownie batter somehow...not the homemade kind, but the from-the-box kind. And that's a good thing! And it never fails to make me feel chic. I think this is a must-have in any modern girl's collection...

Do you own this cult classic polish?

kittytokaren

read more "Cult Classic - OPI You Don't Know Jacques!"

Sally Hansen Thinking of Blue vs. Ulta Moody Blues - Dupes, ladies!

Ladies, I feel like I just found Waldo, a fat free peanut butter that I enjoy and perfect fitting jeans all at the same time... because I just found my first dupe!

Might I present to you this lovely polish, Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Thinking of Blue:
This was a loaner from a friend, and I have to say that I was surprised by this one! I thought I would like it, but it really surpassed all my expectations - it applied like butter, was a great opacity in two coats and I just LOVE the indigo shade of this one. After it was dry and I was inspecting some of my untrieds, I came upon THIS:



Ulta Moody Blues, and it's a dupe-dupe-dupe! Wooot! I don't have to go out and buy this one, because I basically already own it. Win! Shown above is Sally Hansen on all of my nails except for my ring finger, and that's all Moody Blues.

This is seriously a lovely color, and I don't think I can imagine a skin tone that it wouldn't flatter. Who else owns one of these indigo beauties?

Happy day, all!

read more "Sally Hansen Thinking of Blue vs. Ulta Moody Blues - Dupes, ladies!"

Science be praised! - Essie Bold and Beautiful

Reminder: Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY featuring Essie Smokin' Hot and a Pradman labradorite ring!! Click here to see the original GIVEAWAY post, or just enter using the widget at the top of the blog!

I got the chance to present my research recently, and for some reason I usually go with red for courage when I have to give a talk. This time I chose a lip-smacking deep red jelly - Essie Bold and Beautiful. I got this on clearance at Ulta recently, and I'm really glad I scooped it up!

(Excuse the white spot on my finger - I didn't think you wanted to see the gross cut on it, so I put on an e-bandaid!)

Bold and Beautiful worked!!! My talk went smashingly, and I got heaps of positive feedback from students and professors alike. (Science be praised!) Maybe this is my lucky presentation polish now? What I really like about this polish, in addition to that delicious jelly finish, is that the red has a touch of brown in it. Juuusssst a touch! I learned during my Hunt for Red (by) October that a hint of a brown undertone makes a red much more wearable for me - and now that I know this, it makes shopping for red polishes *miles* easier and less frustrating!

Do you have a polish you typically choose for public speaking or more formal occasions?

kittytokaren

P.S. Bonus points for anyone who gets the reference in the title of this post! (Bonus points redeemable only for bragging rights.)

read more "Science be praised! - Essie Bold and Beautiful"

Milani DressMaker

(3 or 4 coats, I can't remember)

This would not dry on me! Dentable until I took it off, about 24 hours later. But I got 2 compliments on the color at work. (My previous record was one for Cajun Shrimp.)

I really should have just bought the Chanel (because I've now spent more trying to dupe Jade than just buying it). (However, I wont be picking up Riva. Maybe I haven't learned my lesson. Maybe I'm not falling for consumerist tricks. Either way, I'll live.) I have Dressmaker (the closest in color), Sold Out Forever (the best formula), and Dreamcatcher (my favorite).


(1 coat: Dressmaker, Dream Catcher, Sold Out Forever)


(3 coats: Dressmaker, Dream Catcher, Sold Out Forever)

Dressmaker and Dream Catcher both have pretty bad formulas. But at least Dream Catcher dried on me. Sold Out Forever's formula is impressive considering lots of brands have trouble getting a nice two-coater out of a pastel (this didn't need the 3 coats it had in the comp photo). However, its shimmer is definitely the most subtle.


(P.S. It's my bday!)

read more "Milani DressMaker"

MAC Concubine

Concubine is another shade from MAC's Fall/Winter collection with Jin Soon. I know not everyone likes the ideas of concubines, but that is another story and this is about a nail polish! Although, concubines are a part of Imperial China's history, so I can see why this is a name for a polish in this collection. Concubine is a deep red with red shimmer. Here it is applied with two coats:

It looks pretty light on my nails, but it is definitely the shade of the bottle in the second picture. The shimmer is very understated and can only be seen up-close or in bright lighting, but this is red we're talking about. I have red, long (compared to most people I interact with) in for your face nails, it definitely grabs people's attention.

read more "MAC Concubine"

OPI DS Magic

Into every life, blue polish must come.


And we all know how much I love a blue polish, right? My helmer is screaming with blue polishes, let me tell you. So how does OPI DS Magic rate? Good question, because that is what I was wondering from the moment I saw it grace the webpages a few months ago. Let's break this down:

Pros:
Color - lovely royal blue with a purple sort of shimmer on the edges
Finish - foil-like and sparkly
Wear - only minor tip wear after two days, and I can handle that

Cons:
OOOMPH. Yes, oomph. I wanted a little more oomph from this one! You know, a little more of this, a little more of that! I wanted to hear birds singing, because I was ready to luuuurve this one. Sadly, I only loved it.

All in all, I do like this polish. As bizarre as it may sound, I think this one might look lovely over a deep navy blue or black. Ahhhh, layering possibilities!

Were any of you blown away by Magic's magic?

Happy day, all!

read more "OPI DS Magic"

OPI Sparkle-icious

Glitter? Why yes, I'd love some.


As we all know, OPI delivered a glitter bomb and dropped it right at our feet with the Burlesque collection released last summer, and it did not disappoint. Sparkle-icious looked to me like a golden sister of one of my faves, the amazing Mad As A Hatter, and wooooooo, it is. Here's a look on the nails -


Now the build up is a little tricky; it took about 4 coats to be fairly opaque, but I am a thin-coater. I am petrified of my nails never drying and having to walk around with dented nails thanks to thick coats. THE HORROR.

And for those of you who love some macro shots, check this sweetie out -


Gold and blue and pink glitter, oh my! It might look like a Hallmark card just threw up all over my nails, but I don't care! Do you hear that world? I DON'T CARE!

Are you all still loving your Burlesques?

Happy day, all!

read more "OPI Sparkle-icious"

It snowed on Hallowe'en...

So... this is a little late but although I haven't been around in a while I have still been doing manis and taking pics from time to time.  For Hallowe'en this year (yes, it's a HUGE deal to me: :P) I rocked out cybergoth style with a touch of a snowflake motif. Because my "costume" (such as it was) was electric blue and black I figured I should have a mani just as awesome. Now it's just in time for the holidays!

The extra touch of awesome comes from the fact that it's also Louboutin mani inspired so there's electric blue under the nail too.

China Glaze - Liquid Leather (base)
China Glaze - Frostbite (stamp, under tip)
China Glaze - Awaken (snowflake stamp)
Konad - Silver (snowflake stamp)
Konad - m59 (snowflake)
Konad - m70 (graffiti)

Hope you guys like it!

-mKat

read more "It snowed on Hallowe'en..."

What Chanel Trapeze Should Have Been - $OPI Already Famous

Reminder: Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY featuring Essie Smokin' Hot and a Pradman labradorite ring!! Click here to see the original GIVEAWAY post, or just enter using the widget at the top of the blog!

In general I try not to buy Sephora by OPI ($OPI) polishes. I hate the brush, and I think they're mad overpriced. But every once in a while, one comes along that demands my attention. This gorgeous metallic/taupe concoction hits so many of my "need-it-now" buttons that it was a must-purchase! (I alleviated my price annoyance by buying it during Sephora's F&F sale...)

Behold - a non-streaky taupe-metallic-foil dream...$OPI Already Famous.

In shade:

In the sun...it's even more sparkly in person!:

This is basically an amped up version of Chanel Trapeze (see it here). While Trapeze is a shy wallflower waiting to be asked to dance, Already Famous is the first girl out on the dance floor. Yes, the finishes are very different, and Already Famous is probably darker, but I think this is what I was wanting from Trapeze all along - a neutral but sparkly polish devoid of telltale brushstrokes. Sorry Trapeze...you're very pretty, but I think my dance card is full now.

Have you been tempted by any $OPI polishes lately?? Did you buy any during F&F?

kittytokaren

read more "What Chanel Trapeze Should Have Been - $OPI Already Famous"

Purple Jelly Comparison

Hi guys!  I have a small comparison for you today.  A reader asked how these two polishes compare when I posted my swatch picture of Deborah Lippmann Call Me Irresponsible so I figured I do a formal comparison.  I don't have a bottle comparison picture since the Milani is in an opaque bottle.  First up, I'll repost the swatch pictures of each.

I think this is four coats of Milani Rad Purple.

And here's a picture of four coats of Deborah Lippmann Call Me Irresponsible.

Now on to the comparison.  I've got Call Me Irresponsible on my index and ring nails.   Rad Purple is on my middle and pinkie finger nails.  I used four coats of each and this picture was taken in the sun.

This picture was taken inside by a window.  This one is the most color accurate of all my photos.  I think it's funny how the Deborah Lippmann comes closer to the Milani bottle than the Milani does.

And this picture was taken with the flash.  It's not very color accurate, but that's how it sometimes goes with purples.

Rad Purple is brighter and redder than Call Me Irresponsible (which is bluer). Rad Purple also dries to a satin finish so I put top coat on it. Call Me Irresponsible dries shiny.  Formula-wise, the Milani behaved better for me.  I had a heck of a time trying to get the Deborah Lippmann even, but the Milani wasn't so bad.  They are both jelly finishes.

It seemed like such a shame to just wipe these off after taking pictures so I tried out some layering.  I pulled out Pure Ice Heart Breaker and Nfu-Oh #51 and added on coat of Heart Breaker to my index and middle nails.  Then I put one coat of the Nfu-Oh on my ring and pinkie fingers.  Gah!  This was so gorgeous.  I'll have to do a full manicure of Call Me Irresponsible with the Nfu-Oh on top very soon.

I hope you enjoyed!

read more "Purple Jelly Comparison"

Taking two-week hiatus from blogging...

Hello all! I know I've been completely absent from blogging lately. Life has gotten extremely, ridiculously busy in the last month or so -- not to mention that the cough from hell still hasn't gotten better. (And then my computer broke yesterday morning. Like, in a big way. Somehow, my SO managed to resurrect it but it's pretty much on its way out... mmm, new laptop, here I come.)

I haven't been able to take a swatch photo in weeks... except for when I got a CND Shellac pedi with Piff a couple of weeks back in NYC. I still have those photos on my camera in my (still packed) suitcase. I got CND Wildfire (I think it was Wildfire...) and it's still fabulously glossy and very red. I'll do a full review of it when I'm back from my break, with pictures and everything (you know, like a real blog post). I betcha except for a bit of growth, my pedi will still look 85% as good as it did when I got it at the end of October. Minx -- my other nail outing with Piff -- was cooler-looking but Shellac is so awesome for the woman who has no time to do her nails... none of this "peeling off the pinky nails" business I had a week into the Minx.

(Also, I've had Dior Gold Revolution on for the last six or seven days. Seriously, Gelous+Diamont+Dior... I have one tiny chip on my thumb and that is it. I'm sick of this gorgeous color but again... not so much with the time to change it.)

Anyway, I'll be taking an official two week break from Polish or Perish. The quarter will be mostly over by then and I'll be able to devote... ANY of my time and ALL attention that you all deserve. In the meanwhile, you've got a lot of other wonderful PoP bloggers to ogle. :)

See you all in December and, to those in the US, have a great Thanksgiving!

read more "Taking two-week hiatus from blogging..."

China Glaze Millennium

Well hello, futuristic fingernails! Have you discovered world peace in 2036?


I can't help it, I love some icy silver nails and this puppy does the trick! Millennium is from the Khrome collection from way back when and in two coats it is a shiny, reflective eye-catcher. Sure, you've got some brushstrokes here and there, but whatever! It makes me feel like I should have a flying car and a jet pack... or maybe I just feel like Rhianna. Either way, it's all good.

Silver hotness!

Happy day, all!

read more "China Glaze Millennium"

Creamy & Delicious - Essie Hot Coco

Reminder: Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY featuring Essie Smokin' Hot and a Pradman labradorite ring!! Click here to see the original GIVEAWAY post, or just enter using the widget in the sidebar!

By now you've probably realized that I have a debilitating weakness for taupes. I was going to resist Essie's latest taupe-y offering this Winter because I already have so many, and it seemed too pink-toned in the initial bottle shots for lil' yellow-toned me. (It's the pink tones in OPI Tickle My France-y that make it barf-o-rific on me. Scroll down through this post to see it on me...if you have a strong stomach.)

Alas, I was wrong - I *needed* Hot Coco. Needed.

Essie Hot Coco is the creamiest, dreamiest hot chocolate colour with a dash of grey to make it just taupe enough. The application was a dream, and the finish is flawless. As gorgeous as this baby is, she has a sister, and I'm not sure if I need them both in my stash, but I'm having a hard time letting go of either of them....

That sister is Essie Mink Muffs! I think that with Mink Muffs being so popular last year, Essie wanted a similar colour in their Winter collection this year. Can you guess which is which?

Hot Coco is on the left, and Mink Muffs is on the right! Hot Coco is a smidge paler and more pink-toned, whereas Mink Muffs is a tad darker and more yellow-toned. I wouldn't call them dupes, but I tried them both on the nail, but then I forgot which one was which! Yes, there are subtle differences, but if you have Mink Muffs already - I'd say you can give Hot Coco a pass without regret. And if you missed out on Mink Muffs last year, Hot Coco will fulfill your craving!

Between Hot Coco and Smokin' Hot, I'm calling this Essie Winter collection a complete win. I've been so enamoured with the collection that Going Incognito (the green) is also on its way to me!

Have you tried any of Essie Winter yet? Thoughts?

kittytokaren

read more "Creamy & Delicious - Essie Hot Coco"

Mini Blog Sale

***SOLD OUT***

Hey Guys. Piff here, offering up some random polishes (and a some cosmetic stuff) for sale. For now, this is a US address only sale. Payment by PayPal.

Shipping is $2.50 for the first item and 50 cents for each additional item.

• Klorane Dry Shampoo. $7. 40-50% remaining.

• Jitterbug. $3. 1 mani usage. SOLD.
  
• White-Kwik-Silvr. $3. 1 mani usage. SOLD
  
• Blue Island Iced Tea. $3 each. 3 mani usage.
  

• Foxy. $3. Swatched 2 fingers.
  
• Mummy May I(s). $3 each. 1-3 mani usage. SOLD
  

• All Hail McQueen. $12. 1 mani usage. SOLD
  
• Mount Royal. $5. 1 mani usage. SOLD
  
• Mandarin. $8. 2 mani usage.

• Dior Addict High Shine 680. $20. 1-2 uses.
• Anna Sui Lip Gloss 702. $15. 1-2 uses.

• Lunar Eclipse. $5. 1 mani usage. SOLD
  
• Galaxy Girl. $5. 1 mani usage. SOLD
  

• Neon Sapphire. 1 mani usage.
• Rose Wine. 1 mani usage.
• Lime Sparkle. Usage as shown.
• $2 for the three. SOLD
  

• Peacock Green. $6. 1 mani usage. SOLD
  
• Lagoa Azul. $1. usage as shown. SOLD
  
• 18. $1. 1 mani usage. SOLD
  
• Punk Polish. $2. 1 mani usage. SOLD
  

• Power Lunch (blue label). $4. Swatched 2 nails.
• 204. $8. Swatched 2 nails. SOLD
  
• Never So Evergreen (not branded). $1.50. 1 mani usage. SOLD
  

I will reserve polishes based on request for 24 hours. I will ship once paypal payment has been received. Contact me via our contact page (attention: Piff). Thanks!

***SOLD OUT***

read more "Mini Blog Sale"