Mint Mani Featuring I Love Nail Polish

Good Morning All!

I originally planned on posting this a few weeks ago, when the blogging world came together to honor the life of the beautiful Talia Joy Castellano. The "Mint Manis for Talia Joy" concept was started by Nicole at Nail Polish Wars, wherein people from all over the Internet - from YouTube to blogging to Instagram and Facebook - posted mint manis in Talia's memory. Since I believe it's never too late to show support for someone who fought so hard, for so long...I decided to share my mani today, as I liked how it turned out. Having said that, I got a little too impatient and took these pictures before I cleaned everything up - so please excuse any and all imperfections. :}

Products used:
:::  Seche Vite Base Coat
:::  I Love Nail Polish - A Touch of Mint {two coats}
:::  Wet-n-Wild Fergie - Flossy Flossy {glitter accent}
:::  Seche Vite Top Coat

Just a quick note about "A Touch of Mint" from I Love Nail Polish — this color is AMAZING! I wish I would have thought to take a macro shot of the color, as it has a subtle shimmer and sparkle that really makes it the perfect mint color. I'll have a full review of all the I Love Nail Polish products I recently purchased, but in the meantime, just know that I'm VERY impressed.

Stay Fabulous!

Zoya Lisa NOTD and Random Swatches

Good Afternoon! It's a pretty dreary Friday here in the midwest, so I decided it was time to brighten things up with some nail polish. :}
It's no secret that I love Zoya products. I would say my entire nail polish collection is comprised of at least 65% Zoya-brand polishes. Below I have a handful of random colors that were purchased early this year, along with a mani/NOTD featuring one of my favorite red nail polishes ever: Zoya Lisa.

::: Brand - Zoya
::: Website - ArtofBeauty.com
::: Items Purchased - Zoya Lisa, Neeka, Gemma, Dharma
::: Price - Individual nail polishes are $8/each + shipping

Zoya nail polishes, as I've mentioned in past posts, are relatively easy to work with and have decent coverage {though that varies from color to color}. For these specific colors, Lisa and Neeka were virtually perfect after only a single coat! Gemma needed at least two in order to even everything out, and Dharma needed at least three to get rid of the visible nail line, though it wasn't completely hidden when you looked closely. I would buy Zoya Lisa over and over again, as it was such an easy color to use {and it lasts!}

Here are the pictures! Click to see them in all their detailed glory.

{Base Coat: Seche Vite; Two coats of Zoya Lisa; Top Coat: Seche Vite}

{Zoya Lisa, Dharma, Gemma and Neeka}

{Photographed under an OttLite for color accuracy}

{Neeka has a great scattered sparkle, while Gemma has a fantastic violet/blue shift!}

{Dharma has a delicate blue shift, and Lisa is a fabulous, shimmering metallic red}

{Another view of my Zoya Lisa mani - still working on technique :) }

Any favorites out of this bunch? Obviously Lisa is my must-have polish, but I also love the purple/blue shift to Gemma - it was definitely something I didn't have in my collection already. I'm hoping to edit and post more NOTDs in the near future, as I have quite a back-log of images to work through.

Do you have your eye on any particular nail polishes right now? I still want to grab Zoya Storm, and at least one textured polish just to give the fad a try. :}

Stay Fabulous!

Four Fantastic Femme Fatale Cosmetics Swatches

*Products reviewed within this post were sent for my consideration. All opinions are my own, and nothing but completely honest.*

Today's swatches include four amazing eyeshadows from Femme Fatale Cosmetics {FFC}: Jewel Scarab, Planeshift, Wisp and Genesis.
I've done reviews and swatches of FFC in the past, but since it's been a while, here's a refresher for anyone who is unfamiliar with the company and its products.

Femme Fatale Cosmetics is an independently owned small business based in Brisbane, Australia, and is operated by Sophie {with assistance from her partner Dave}. They opened in September 2011 and specialize in hand-blended mineral-based cosmetics and 3-free nail lacquer, while also acting as one of the only stockists for top international and national indie lacquers in Australia.

Femme Fatale's selection of powder cosmetics are available in sample sizes at an affordable price of $1.10 each {with free shipping worldwide on sample-only orders}. They also offer a mini size {3g priced at $3.10 - $3.20 each} for eyeshadows and a full size of 5g {$5.85 each}. Facial products come in a 10g size {$8.25} with sifter for ease of use. All of the powder cosmetics can be shipped worldwide. The nail lacquers are available in 12ml sizing, from $9.10 - $9.85 depending on the type. At this time, FFC is unable to ship nail lacquers internationally outside of Australia. For specific shipping policies and prices, check out the website {HERE}.

THE PICTURES

*Swatched over Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, photographed under an OttLite. Click to see the images in all their detailed glory.*

{Described as: "a deep blackened teal blue with green
shimmers and turquoise sparks." Vegan. Not lip-safe.}

{Described as: "a blend of pale jungle green and teal with slight
gray tones, and striking gold shimmer." Vegan. Not lip-safe.}

{Described as: "a soft slate gray highlighted by a heavy
blue duochrome." Vegan. Lip-safe!}

{Described as: "a soft seafoam turquoise with light golden shimmer."
Vegan. Not lip-safe.}

Well holy moly! So much awesomeness packed into four colors! My favorite of the bunch is Planeshift, as it's one of the most unique colors in my collection thus far. And that's an extensive collection! The green plays off the gold shift in such a beautiful way — and as a Packers fan, I love me some green and gold! :} But seriously, it's amazing, and a must-have if you place an order with Femme Fatale {which I think you *definitely* should!}.
Not to be outdone by Planeshift, the other three colors offer just as much beauty and their own unique qualities. Jewel Scarab is a dark and almost haunting blackened teal, which would be perfect for fall/winter looks. So far I've used it foiled as a liner for a daytime-friendly look with a bit of a punch, and I received many compliments. Wisp is a stunning gray-blue shade that, to me, also appears somewhat purple with just a hint of pink depending on the light. I've worn it as an all-over wash of a single color, blended out with a lighter white/silver just to lighten it up a bit for work, and I thought it was pretty darn versatile. The last color, Genesis, is exactly as it's described with a lovely mix of seafoam and a light golden shimmer. It can easily transform a cool summer eye look, while also looking appropriate across any season depending on what it's paired with.
All of the colors lasted all day over primer {my go-to is UDPP}, and I have relatively oily lids. I usually pair eyeshadows with a base as well, like NYX Jumbo Pencils or Maybelline Color Tattoos. So far I haven't been disappointed with a single product I've received from Femme Fatale Cosmetics, and I continue to recommend the shop to anyone and everyone interested in top-of-the-line indie products!

Stay Fabulous!

Summery Nail Polish from Zoya

Good morning/afternoon/evening!
A while back — a bit longer than I'd like to admit — I picked up a few Zoya nail polishes, including an LE "Pinterest Trio" that featured three {non-LE} mini polishes for FREE! So of course I took advantage of the offer and picked up two additional full-size bottles. I'll always favor pink on my nails, but I have been trying to diversify my collection in recent months. The polishes I purchased/received were Cheri, Zara, Zuza, Myrta and Kimber.

{Zara and Cheri}

{Myrta, Zuza and Kimber}

:::  Zoya Cheri looks a lot less like the color in the bottle {and on the nail wheel} than it does on my nails. It takes on an almost mauve-like tone, a dirty and deep pink. The shimmer looks gorgeous in the swatch, but it's much more subtle when actually worn. I don't hate it, but I wish it took on more of the qualities of the swatches.

:::  Zoya Zara, which is featured in a NOTD I did {HERE}, is a favorite of mine. It was one of the first non-pink polishes I gravitated toward, and I still keep it in the rotation. The golden glow of this medium lilac shade is simply unbelievable — you have to see it in person. 

:::  Zoya Zuza is described as a "deep, saturated, oceanic turquoise with gold and silver metallic shimmer and a foil-like finish." I can't disagree with any part of that description — it's right on. Very summer-appropriate!

:::  Zoya Myrta is a medium orange-ish coral that leans red. Another summer stunner, and an easy transition from all of the pinks that I usually wear.

:::  Zoya Kimber is on my nails right now, and I love it. It's pink. In fact, it's a near-perfect shade of magenta that's decorated with a gold shift, which truly makes it shine.

All of the polishes are easy to apply; I only needed two coats for complete opacity for all five of these colors. No streaking, pretty quick to dry, and almost all of them interact well with my base and top coats {Seche Vite for both}. The only exception was Zuza, which ended up with more shrinkage around the edges than usual. Could have been user error though. I also noted that all of these colors would be great for summer manis and pedis! What do you think?

Stay Fabulous!

Oh Yes, More Fyrinnae | Swatches

*All products purchased by me, and all opinions {as always} are entirely my own. This post contains NO affiliate links.*

It's no secret, I love me some Fyrinnae. Prices are more than reasonable, products are amazing, and despite the posted TAT being rather long, I've never waited more than 10 days for any order. Ever.

I've done a few Fyrinnae reviews in the past, so if you want a breakdown of pricing and shipping details, I recommend heading over to the Fyrinnae website. Everything is easy to find and thoroughly explained.

This post only shows the eyeshadows, but I did purchase the Oil Control Finishing Powder as well — one of my favorites for oily skin, tied with Detrivore Cosmetics' Pallor Mortis Dehydrating Powder {I'll have to do a review of my fave powders sometime soon}.

*All photos taken under an OttLite - click to make them bigger and see details. Swatches done over Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy.*

{Described as: "A soft, satiny warm brown-taupe shade that
has subtle hues of rose. Very versatile."}

{Described as: "Intense, saturated metallic bronze-gold.
Glimmering, gleaming and rich."}

{Described as: "A flamboyant, eclectic dinosaur covered in glitter, perhaps.

Name is unrelated to shade...as usual. Dinosaur Plushie is filled with

multicolored sparkle, some of which can change hue in different light."

It's also noted that this should be used over a sticky base like

Fyrinnae's Pixie Epoxy, unless your goal is to look like a disco ball - which

could be a real possibility, I'm not judging...}

{*Important Note* - this color was renamed "Serendipity."
Described as: "A glowing iridescent copper highlight, almost ghostly, despite
how photos make it appear. A sticky base makes more color come through, but
it works well and "glows" over regular primers."}

{*Important Note* - This isn't currently part of their assortment, but I'm unsure
as to whether or not they'll bring it back. Described as: "Glimmering metallic
silver topped with pink sprinkles."}

As usual, I wasn't disappointed with my order. Every single item was exactly as I expected it to be {sometimes more}, and seemed to match the site's descriptions spot-on. Some things to note:
:::  Dinosaur Plushie is a glitterbomb, for sure. For the best payoff, follow Fyrinnae's directions by using it over a sticky base like Pixie Epoxy. If not, be prepared for a glitter fallout of mass proportions.
:::  Gilded Wings looks best when foiled, but a simple dry wash over the lid has a really interesting effect. It's probably the closest to true gold that I own in an eyeshadow. On the opposite end, Calavera Cupcakes is a stunning silver that also looks best when foiled or used over a sticky base.
:::  Snow Leopard was a last-minute addition to my order, and it ended up being a pleasant surprise in how versatile it is. Any browns that lean toward red hues, or even pink, tend to make my eyes look rather unfortunate. Despite the description for Snow Leopard mentioning a subtle rose hue, I found that the overall color worked exceptionally well with my skin tone and eye color. It didn't lean red/pink/rose on me at all. I've used this one the most after Te Amo.
:::  Te Amo {now "Serendipity"} became a fast favorite after I wore it for the first time. A coppery brown with a red-toned glow. I've seen many a gorgeous EOTD featuring this color on different blogs, and even with my apprehension surrounding red/pink tones, this did NOT disappoint. When the description has the word "glow" in it — believe it. Amazing.
So that's it for this group of Fyrinnae eyeshadows! I have one more group to get through, including a pressed shadow, which I carry with me everywhere. :}

Stay Fabulous!