Maybelline Gray-T Glamour + Fauxnad and a Haul!!

           lol, today was interesting. I arrived at my first ceramics class about fifteen minutes late, and just my luck, she's the kind of teacher who is a stickler for punctuality. So she started hating me a little from the first second she met me. Then, she gave us a long lecture about proper studio behavior and said that we weren't allowed to have long nails. So then I started hating her a little bit too. I'm still gonna grow mine out though...I'll just do it in secret. *shifty eyes* But on the upside, the studio manager was really nice and friendly, and after classes were over for the day, I got to buy myself some nice things. And I wore a mani that I really liked, although someone called it depressing. But it's not. :(

I kept on Maybelline Gray-T Glamour for a base, and used China Glaze OMG to stamp on a floral full nail pattern (the one with the big daisy) from BM16. It was very easy and took about fifteen minutes from start to finish. 

Sunlight, no flash.

Sunlight, no flash.

I'm using my right hand as a model today because I messed up the left hand a little. So please excuse the shredded cuticles and chipped polish. My right hand be going through some thangs. 

Sunlight, no flash. 

Sunlight, no flash.

   I don't think it looks depressing...I like it! I like the grey-on-grey thing. And indoors, it was very subtle and elegant looking. It looked like a couch. And I like things that look like couches, because most couches are soft and nice. But as an aside, I need to find a backup bottle of OMG for konading. I knew I should have bought two bottles when I had the chance. 

  But anyway, after classes were over for the day, I went to CVS and Staples. At CVS, I found the Milani Liquid Metal and Haute Value displays (which I NEVER saw that whole time I was home) and the  These Are Regular Colors, but Just Throw Some Glittah on That Shit and Act Like It's New  Just Add Sparkle display. Here's what I got from each:

Milani Dress Maker (yeah, I had to do it) and Milani Molten Rock. 

These weren't on sale, so I really should not have gotten them, but they were the last ones in their respective displays. So I got them anyway. I'm waiting for a BOGO to go back and get Fashion Design, One of a Kind, and possibly High Fashion from the Haute Value collection. And from the Liquid Metal collection, I still want Metal Gear and Hot Metal. 

Revlon Galaxy (I was so excited to see it) and Revlon Belle. The bottom picture is blurred a little to show to major sparkliness that's going on here.

These were on sale (Buy one, get one half off) and in reality, I only got Belle to get the deal. I may return it anyway, because I already have New York Summer Hollywood Night, and I think they're exactly the same thing. Here's a side by side comparison:

From far away.

And up close.

So tomorrow, Belle will go back. I'm still deciding on whether or not I want to exchange though. Part of me wants to just get my money back, but part of me wants Star. So we'll see. 

And finally, I got some real storage for my babies! I've been keeping them in a cardboard box. Ideally, I'd like a small file cabinet or plastic stacked drawers to keep them in. One that can fit on top of my dresser. I still have a baby stash, so something small should satisfy my needs for a while. I found something that I thought would work in Staples:

It was $29.99.

And I was MAD, because just last week, there was a coupon for this item...50% off! But I was home last week, and our Staples didn't have this particular set of drawers. Man, our stores don't have nothing. :(

But anyway, it didn't work that well. The drawers are wide and deep enough, but there is this weird lip at the front of each drawer, and the lip topples over most nail polishes. Some shorter ones can stand up, like the ones in the third and sixth drawer. But most of them have to lay down. I briefly considered taking it back, but I'm going to hang on to it. Hopefully for Christmas or my birthday, I can find something better. And when I do, this will definitely come in handy for organizing other stuff, like cosmetics, toiletries, and school supplies. Yes, I'd keep them all in the same place. Don't judge moi. 

But anyway, with this drawer, the first three are tried and the last three are untried. And I had plenty of space in my trieds drawers, but I almost ran out in my untrieds. I had to lay some on top of each other, and turn some sideways for everything to fit. O_O

That's bad. ~_~

   Okay, okay, I'm finally finally done. Sorry for the novel, but I have so many thangs to share. ^_^

Ahaha, look at all the different emotions. It's like I'm schizophrenic. Have a great night everyone! 

Maybelline Gray-T Glamour

            I wish fall would come. I want the leaves to change, and the weather to get cool. I want to bust out my sweatshirts and boots, and I want the wind to blow. But I don't think I'll be getting any of that good stuff any time soon. Well..the wind might blow soon. There's supposedly a hurricane coming, and his name is Earl. I think that's such a friendly name for a hurricane. 
            Anyway, my desire for fall was so great that I decided to paint my nails a nice, fall-y color. I went back and forth a bit, but ended up with Maybelline Gray-T Glamour from the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Collection. 

Gray-T Glamour (G-T Glam from here on out) is a cool grey creme base with a ton of crystalline secret shimmer. The grey is hard to describe. It definitely leans a little blue, but the shade is hard to pinpoint. Indoors, it's definitely dark grey, but in sunlight, it lightens up considerably soo...idk. 

 

Sunlight, no flash.

Sunlight, no flash.

Natural light, no flash. 

Sunlight, no flash.

You can really see the shimmer here. 

Sunlight, no flash.

I just like this picture. ^_^'

        I'm ashamed to say it, but I really like G-T Glam. I admittedly have a soft spot for grey polish (it's just so unusual) but this is a really nice one. The grey is full and saturated, instead of being dingy or washed out. And it's dark enough to look nice on my skin (light greys look horrible on me), but not so dark that it's overtly severe. I think it would look great on many other skin tones as well.

       Application-wise, Gray-T Glamour was not so disappointing. It was a little...I don't know...weird to put on. Like, it was kind of thick? I can't explain it...but bottom line is, the formula didn't feel quite right. It kind of...stuck when I was trying to put it on. I don't know! But it was easiest to apply it when I loaded up the brush and did thick coats. G-T Glam took two coats to be opaque, but I used three to smooth out some places where it was a little streaky and uneven. Dry time was really good. Not fifty second good, but good. It was almost completely hardened by the time I was done taking pictures. And it dries darker than when you put it on.

       Even though I like the color, I have some complaints. I don't like that at one point, a poor bunny had Gray-T Glamour smeared on its poor skin. I also wish the shimmer had been a little more noticeable. And the price sucks. Full retail was $4.15. Call me a miser, but that's a little bit too much for this polish. It's cute, but not that cute. I waited for a sale and got it for $2.39, which is pretty much what it's worth. So if you get it, I suggest you wait for a sale. 

    And that's all I've got for today. Have a great night, guys!

OPI Merry Midnight

           Happy Saturday, everyone!! I'm a little pressed for time today because I'm packing to go back to school tomorrow, so today's post will hopefully be brief and to the point. I say hopefully because when the power of the rambling spirit compels me, I can't say no. But I'll try. 
           Anyway, I'm currently wearing OPI Merry Midnight from the Holiday Wishes Collection. Truth be told, I was saving it for winter, but I decided to crack open the bottle now that there's enough sun to really enjoy it. 

Okay...let's see...well, there's silver microglitter and color-changing blue glitter. When I turn my hand, it flickers between cobalt blue, turquoise, and violet. Then, there are mid-sized flakies that I think change color too. Most of the time, the flakes look like...orangey-red (lets call it copper), but sometimes, I see bits of yellow and green too. You can see a bit of what I mean on the bottom of the nail. And then all that good stuff is suspended in a deep red-based purple jelly base. Merry Midnight is definitely serious business. 

Sunlight, no flash.

Sunlight outdoors, no flash. 

Sunlight indoors, no flash.

Natural light outdoors, no flash.

Natural light indoors, no flash. 

Sunlight outdoors, no flash. 

Bottle shot.

Sunlight indoors, no flash.

      Even though I'm 99.9% sure that whoever came up with this color is/was at the time a crackhead (because like really...who else would make something like this?), I really love Merry Midnight. The base color is absolutely gorgeous, flattering, and perfect for winter. And of course, the flakies and glitter keep the overall look lively and interesting. Also, the application was nice and easy. The brush wasn't too wide or moppy, and the formula itself was fine to work with. I will admit that it's a little thin (pictures are with four coats of color) but it's completely worth the work and the dry time was good. 

       Additionally, I have to give OPI mad props for Merry Midnight. One of the problems I have with the brand is a lack of creativity and freshness. Even though nail polish should be wearable and pretty, I like to have some wonder and whimsy on the side. And while other brands give me both, OPI is almost always so damn blah.

 So I'm really impressed that they actually were able to come up with this concept. And I'm also impressed at the execution, because this could have easily been really ugly. It could have been like when you're working on your nails or makeup or your home or whatever, and you keep on trying to "jazz it up" and "make it your own", but before you know it, you're faced with a monstrosity of epic proportions. I've been there far too often...like every day of my life. And I know you've been there too. I know because I know thangs. n_n 

      But I digress. Bottom line is that it's awesome that they were able to do something so unique and busy while keeping it pretty-looking. So snaps for OPI. *snaps fingers*

    Okay, that's all I've got for today. I hope you guys are enjoying your weekend!! 

       

Boo!!

            Boo to global warming and to Mother Nature for unleashing this horrible heatwave upon my little corner of the United States. Why is it 92 degrees at 9:38 pm?!  And boo to me too, for neglecting my poor little blog. It's just been so busy around here...there's no time for anything anymore. But since I'm about to remove my current mani (I put it on for the Fourth of July), I thought I'd take a quick picture and share it. But be warned...I've been wearing it for three rough days, and it looks a hot mess by now. 

Indoors with lamplight, no flash.

The base of this mani is Orly Poison Apple, and I painted the tip with Orly Star of Bombay. Then, I fixed one clear star gemstone to each nail. I sealed it all over with one coat of Poshe, and that was it. It looked better right after it was done, and then I tried to refresh it the next day with another layer of Poshe. That one bubbled like mad, so now it just looks gross. 

     ...and that's all I got. I know it's lame as hell, but hopefully, I'll be back on a normal posting schedule soon. I miss painting my nails and writing stuff. Meanwhile, I hope everyone is doing well and staying cool and healthy if it's hot in your neck of the woods. And if it's not, then consider yourself envied. By me. :(

China Glaze Blue Sparrow

           Good morning everyone! It's been a long time since my last post, huh? What had happened was, our icemaker broke down, and my mom enlisted me to fix it, because she didn't want to pay a handyman. Idk why she asked me...I'm not Bob the Builder. But she did, and like a fool, I fixed it, breaking about three nails and causing injury to one of my fingers in the process. I didn't want to put any nail polish remover on my fingers, so I've been au naturale for the past week. I think it's a little better now though, so I'm back! Don't everyone cheer at once. Since today is a lovely day and I'm happy to be with my precious nail polish again, I wanted to wear something bright and cheerful. China Glaze Blue Sparrow (which I purchased after seeing it on Impefectly Painted) fit the bill, plus it was new, so I slapped it on. 

Blue Sparrow is a vibrant azure blue jelly base, with a ton of lighter blue microglitter. I think China Glaze tried to tout this as a neon, but it's not. It's just bright. 

Sunlight, no flash.

Sunlight, no flash. 

Sorry for the chip...I took it after I finished washing my hair, and it was a jungle in there. 

Natural light, no flash. 

    Times like this, I'm glad that I can be easily influenced. Blue Sparrow is so beautiful! In the sun, my nails look like little balls of joy, although the glitter isn't the kind that really sparkles. It more...shines. But that's okay, it still looks gewd. My only disappointment with the color is that I expected it to be...brighter. It's bright already, and I don't want it to be neon, but I think I just expected a little more. Next time I wear it, I'll probably try it over a white, to see if that can get the color to pop a little more. 
    Application was nice and easy. The formula wasn't too thick or too thin, and went on smoothly...no dragging or streaking at all. It took three coats to be fully opaque, and dried rough and matte. I wasn't really into that look, but the situation was easily remedied by two coats of Poshe.
   I think I'm going to try some konading or something on top of this...I've been in such a konad-y mood as of late. But this is all I have for now. I hope everyone is ready for an awesome Fourth of July weekend (I think I'm going to be forced into barbecuing again) and if you don't celebrate The Fourth, then I hope you have a great weekend all the same! ^_^

Wet n Wild Nocturnal + Ooglayness

           Yesterday was such a bad day. My aunt and uncle wanted to go to a couple's night thing, and I had to watch their children while they were gone. I love my little cousins, and they are so cute and cuddly, but it was rough. I was with them for ten hours and they did such naughty things the whole time. ;_; I was sad. 
           When I woke up this morning, I was still feeling a little down and wanted to paint my nails something dark and somber. I chose Nocturnal, from Wet n Wild's Craze line. 

Sunlight, no flash.

I don't have an close picture (I forgot) but Nocturnal is basically a blackened midnight blue creme. In most lights, it will look black. Although you can tell that it's blue sometimes.

 

Sunlight, no flash.

Natural light, no flash.

    As a color, I do like Nocturnal. Even though it is a little pointless (you might as well wear black), I enjoy the deepness and richness of this shade. I think it looks sexy! 

    But I didn't like the formula or packaging at all. The formula was a little gloopy, and it bubbled and was kind of streaky. And the bottle and brush was horrible. The top was hard to hold onto, and it kept on banging against the table that I lean my hand against to paint. The brush was moppy, and I had to cut quite a bit of it, because it was all crazy. On the upside, Nocturnal is highly pigmented, and can be opaque in one coat, with a really careful application. I wasn't careful, so the pictures are with two coats. Even though I probably won't be wearing this again because I don't want to deal with putting it on, I think it will be good for konading. And if anyone knows of a dupe-y color, please let me know in the comments? Thanks!! ^_^

 Then, I was bored, so I did some ooglay decorations on top of Nocturnal. I wish I had left it alone. 

Shh, don't tell nobody. 

It looks like Beetlejuice. :(

Have a great evening, everyone!!

Happy Nails for a Sad Day

          Yes indeed...this is a sad day. It marks the one year anniversary of Michael Jackson's untimely death, which as far as I'm concerned, is a sad. It's true that he sometimes acted in bizarre ways and had some personal issues, but nobody can deny the incredible talent he possessed or his huge influence over music and dance. There are so many modern musicians who have built entire careers off of MJ's stuff. I'm looking at you, Usher. At you, Ciara. And at all of you, Chris Brown, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Ne-Yo. And for decades to come, people will still be gathering inspiration from what he left behind in this world. 
      I personally owe MJ a debt of gratitude, because when I was a little kid visiting relatives in Nigeria, he saved me from going outside, laying in the main road, and waiting for a car to run me over. That's how damn bored I was. We had been there for two months. There was one more month to go, and I was getting to the end of my rope.  I had exhausted every book I brought with me. I colored in all my coloring books, traced the pictures on fresh paper, and then colored those too. I played Ludo and cards until I wanted to die. I chased my grandparents' goats and chickens until my mom made me stop. The only thing that still held my attention was a collection of Michael Jackson videos on VHS. I watched that tape over and over again, and I thankfully never got tired of it.  That tape legitimately saved my life,  and if not that, then it certainly saved my sanity.
       I don't have any nice Michael Jackson themed nails today, but it wasn't for lack of trying. The stuff I attempted came out ugly, and I didn't have the right materials to execute some of my other ideas. I do have errands to run today, so I had no time to keep on trying, and settled for a sucky konadicure. Here it is:

I started off with three coats of Milani Hi-Res. First, I used Color Club Groove Thang to stamp the floral full nail pattern (the one with the stems) from Bundlemonster plate BM16. Then I put on the white leaf flower things from Konad plate M20, using Wet n Wild French White Creme.

Sunlight, no flash.

Sunlight, no flash.

Natural light, no flash.

     I don't really think this is sucky. It just wasn't what I wanted. But objectively, I like how this looks, especially because I've never tried any like...layered stamping before. I would have liked to go a little further with it too, but I didn't know what else to do, and was too scared to try any more experimenting. Maybe I'll try more later, when there's more time. 

    But at the moment, I've got to poof,  so I'm just going to finish this by posting my five favorite MJ videos. 

And of course,

Bow in the presence of greatness, ya'll.

RIP, Michael!