Milani Retro Glam Swatches

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Hey all!  Milani recently came out with two new collections.  If you missed my first review, you can find it here.  In this post, I'm showing you the second collection, Retro Glam. :)

Strawberry Shake, 3 coats: light pink creme.  This color actually has some shimmer in it, but once it becomes opaque it disappears.  Top coat will help make it just barely visible, but for the most part it looks like a creme.  Formula-wise, it was thin and a tiny bit streaky.  However, the third coat will even everything out.

Milani Fantastical Plumage Swatches

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Hi all!  Milani recently came out with two new collection featuring pretty cremes and glitter top coats.  Here's the first one named after colorful birds!

Scarlet Ibis, 2 coats: bright orange creme with red undertones.  This seems more orange than red to me - a very intense orange.  The formula was on the thin side, but still very easy to control.  It applied smoothly and the pigmentation was excellent.

Born Pretty Store Review: Sticker Decals, Foil & Chains (Picture Heavy)

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Hey guys!  Today's post is jam packed with pictures, so be prepared!  I have several different nail art looks to show you.  I think you'll like them. :)

This first look was done with embossed gold nail decals*.  These are stickers and they actually have really good staying power.  Just make sure the edges are down and cover with top coat.  Once you do that, these won't budge or peel off on you.  I think it gives your mani an elegant touch and it only takes seconds to do.  Here I'm wearing it on my tips over Butter London Sunbaker.

Pretty&Cute Haul ♥

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Hi guys!  I recently ordered a few things from PrettyandCute.com* and thought I'd share my shopping experience with you.  This was my first time purchasing from them and I only have good things to say. :D

 Items purchased: Prettia Hair Dyes / Holika Holika Lashes (1 set) / Etude House Lashes (3 sets)

Free gift / sample: Peripera Wonder of Lips / Skin79 Super BB Cream

Site Review

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this site, Pretty&Cute is a US based site that offers a wide variety of Korean and Japanese beauty products.  This is obviously not an exhaustive list, but some of the things they carry are: makeup, nail polish, skin care, hair care products, as well as beauty accessories and tools. 

First off, the site is so pretty and easy to navigate, making shopping and checking out a breeze.  Once I placed my order it was quickly processed and shipped the very next business day.  Shipping was also very fast - I got my order in 2 days with the free USPS Economy shipping.  All of my items were as expected.  On top of that, the lovely folks at Pretty&Cute threw in a free full sized lippie from Peripera with my order. :D  Needless to say, I'm super impressed with Pretty&Cute.  Also, just a disclaimer, Pretty&Cute had no idea that I was a blogger, so I feel confident saying that the service I received was not biased.

Product Review

In case you're wondering about the lipstick, the color I received is Secret Red - a luscious dark red.  Applied straight to the lips, it's very pigmented and fairly dark.  However, you can sheer it out with your finger or a brush for a pretty red tint.  I found it fairly moisturizing, but I probably wouldn't skip lip balm.

The only other thing I've tried from my order so far is the Prettia hair dye in the color Candy Beige.  I don't have pictures, but I personally liked it.  The dye is in the form of a foam, so it was easy to use by myself.  The results were even and lighter than I expected, especially for my black roots.  But I should also point out that my hair is easy to dye, since it isn't pitch black (more like a very dark brown).  There was also more than enough dye to cover my long hair.  I plan on using the second box in about two months. ^^

Verdict:  Needless to say, I'm super impressed with Pretty&Cute - both with the site and the products I ordered.  I will definitely be placing more orders in the future!

Availability:  You can purchase all of the products shown here at PrettyandCute.com*.  Every order comes with one free sample of your choice.  They also have ongoing offers from time to time for free gifts with purchase, so be sure to give their "Offers" tab a visit.  You can also sign up for their newsletter and receive $5 off your order as well. :)


Have you tried any of these products? :)

Liz

Incoco Topaz Treasure

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Hi everyone!  It's been too long, hasn't it? ^^;;  I'm reviewing another nail polish applique from Incoco today - this time in the design Topaz Treasure.  Unfortunately, I broke a nail on my left hand, so I'm showing you my elusive right hand for this post.  Right hand pics always turn out looking awkward for me, so the poses are different this time.  I hope you don't mind? :)

Incoco Nail Polish Applique: Love Liberty

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Hey all!  Happy Fourth of July!  Hope everyone had/is having a great time. :)  For today, I picked out these nail appliques for my 4th of July mani.  They're white strips with little heart shaped American flags.  Too cute!

Deborah Lippmann Mermaid's Dream

Hey all!  Today I have the polish that started it all.  By "it" I mean the new summer 2013 collection from Deborah Lippmann: Mermaids.  I actually got this a year ago and have worn it several times since then.  I just never got around to photographing it until now.  This is one of my favorite DL's, so I hope you like it! :)

Mermaid's Dream, 3 coats: sheer blue-green frost with small blue glitter and yellow micro glitter.  Although it's a frost, the base doesn't bother me since there aren't any visible brush strokes.  Instead it gives the polish a glow both indoors and outdoors.  I also noticed the base tends to lean more blue at extreme angles, but generally it's this minty, blue-green color.

Application-wise, Mermaid's Dream is excellent.  The formula is on the thin side, so it's very easy to apply.  The glitters stay where you put them and apply evenly as well.  While the first coat is a little sheer, Mermaid's Dream built up to a nice opaque finish in 3 coats.

Verdict: Love! Well, I'm a fan of any blue polish, so I am biased. ;) However, if you're wary about the slightly gritty looking base, I might steer clear.  I personally thought it looked all right, and with one coat of Seche Vite this polish was smooth.  I don't own any of the new Mermaids, but I'm definitely tempted by Mermaid's Kiss (pink).

Availability:  Deborah Lippmann polishes are available at lippmanncollection.com for $17-20 each.  The Mermaids polishes retail for $19 each.  You can also find them at Beauty.com and in stores at the following retail shops: Nordstrom, Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, and Ulta.


Do you own any of the Mermaids?  Which one is your favorite?


Liz

Nicole by OPI Tink Collection Review

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Hi everyone! Today I have four of the six new colors from Nicole by OPI's Tink collection - inspired by none other than Disney's Tinkerbell.  These bright colors are perfect for summer!  Check them out below. :)

Sweet on Pete, 3 coats: chartreuse creme.  I'm usually not a fan of these types of greens, but I actually really liked this one.  It works really well with my skin tone and the formula was superb.  It applies flawlessly and can be opaque in 2 coats.

Fairy Fairy Quite Contrary, 3 coats: tangerine orange creme.  This one has the same great formula - very easy to apply and smooth.

Tink's In The Pink, 2 coats: medium pink creme.  Usually my pictures are fairly color accurate, but this one's tragically off.  It's not a neon pink, nor a particularly bright blue toned pink either.  It's really a medium pink - not too blue or yellow, not too bright or dark.  A perfect medium pink.  Formula-wise it was excellent, just like the others.

Half Charming / Half Alarming, 3 coats: bright red creme-jelly with orange undertones.  I think this is what we call "neon" red.  It's not really neon, but bright enough to come close.  This one's also a jelly, but dries to a squishy creme-like finish. 

  

Verdict: Love!  My favorite is Half Charming/ Half Alarming, especially because I don't have a dupe for it in my stash.  Sweet on Pete is a close second.  While I own colors similar to the other three, I thought the colors in this collection had a better formula.  If you're interested in adding any of these colors to your collection, I would recommend these.

Availability: This limited edition collection is available exclusively at Walgreens starting July 1st (today)!

See any favorites?  Let me know in the comments! :)

Liz