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Product Review

FEATURED - Sunday, April 13th 2008

Product Review: Dior Sky Glow 5 Color Eyeshadow

Product: Dior 5 Couleurs in Sky Glow

Price: $54.00

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Sephora

Recommend: Yes

A few weeks ago, I had a chance to learn alot about Dior Cosmetics.  One thing learned, Dior focuses highly on skin care.  And, I have to say they have alot of great skin care products.  But, I wasn't interested at the time.  I had my eyes set on one thing, the Sky Glow 5 Colour Eyeshadow Quint.  I've passed the Dior counter on a numerous occassions, and just couldn't resist this time.  The gorgeous teal blue color was just calling out my name.  And, if you're a reader of mine, you know I'm pretty obsessed when it comes blues.

It's not very often I find a Quint (he he it's so fun saying Quint) that is absolutely amazing!  And, of course, the pictures do not justify the beautiful colors.  So, I decided pulled out my husbands professional Nikon D200 to try to get a true-to-color close up photo.  Check out the eyeshadow colors below.

The colors include: teal/aqua blue (top left), bronze greyish-taupe (top right) this is an amazing color, white pearl (middle), gunmetal gray (bottom left), and silver (bottom right).  Sky glow, is becoming one of my all-time favorite eyeshadow combinations.  It may be on the pricey side but, when you break it down, it's $10.80/per color, which isn't bad.  The eyeshadow colors are gorgeous (not too shimmery), and when combined together, delivers a knock-out.  The colors lasted forever, just as long, as any MAC eyeshadow.

Check out some of my looks using all the colors from this Quad.

 

 

My mascara is the wonders of Diorshow Blackout and cetaphil creme.  Diorshow Black Out works miracles, espically if you have already have a good amount of eyelashes.

FEATURED - Thursday, April 17th 2008

Product Review: Chanel Aqualumiere Gloss

Product: Chanel Aqualumiere Gloss

Price: $26.00

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Chanel, Nordies, NM

Let's start off by saying, my venture to the Chanel counter was quite frustrating.  I had all my swatches ready for their photo shoot, and come to realize, I left my memory stick in my laptop at home.  Argh!  I think any beauty blogger can relate to the frustration I was feeling at that exact moment. But, no worries, I was able to go back and get swatches for ya'll. 

I was pretty excited to try these new glosses, knowing Glossimer is my HG.  I visited a few Chanel counters and only found one counter that received their shipment in super early.  So, if your counter doesn't have them yet, keep and eye out, they should be arriving this week or next.

Candy Glow was the only gloss I purchased yesterday.  It is a gorgeous, peachy-pink color, that was featured in the Chanel Promo Ad.  After swatching every color, this was the only color that caught my attention because they are pretty sheer.  However, Candy Glow is going to be a cameleon color much like it's cousin, Gazelle.  It's more peachy on me, but you can certainly see the pink shimmer to it.  This is a fabulous color for summer, espically to replace your lipstick.

Aqualumiere has much more shine to it and less shimmers and sparkle compared to Glossimer.  The applicator is different, much like Dior's Addict, but with a longer handle.  I found it very easy to apply, and liked the longer applicator much better than Dior's.  The only drawbacks I noticed is Aqualumiere didn't have the staying power as Glossimers and was much more sheer, espically the lighter colors.  But, the texture was just as good; not sticky and very smooth.  Candy Glow, is definetly a must have out of the bunch, espically if you love the coral trend.

Steph's Rating.  Their is two reasons why I only gave this gloss 4 kisses.  When I look for a quality lip gloss there is two things I look for; color pay-off and lasting power.  In which, Chanel Aqualumiere gloss lacked both.  However, for a shiny sheer lip gloss, the texture and lasting power is much improved from most brands I've tried.  I think if you like sheer lip glosses, you will love this!  

 Check out some more photo swatches below......

 And a little bit more........

 

FEATURED - Saturday, June 28th 2008

Product Review: NYX Glitter Creme Pallet

My order from Cherry Culture finally came in and I'm star struck from the beauty of these new colors from NYX.  Glitter Cream Pallets are an multi-purpose gel based glitter in a combination of five colors.   Love giltter but hate the mess?  Well, these are the perfect glitter fix for your all your needs.

Glitter may not be practical for everyday use but, they sure are fun!  NYX Creme Palettes are great for an night out with the girls, a holiday occasion or just to spice your night.  Although, I don't wear glitter much, my collection is filled with jars of MAC glitter, eyeliners, and so fourth.  The image of sparkling diamonds being swept on my face is what draws me in.  And, who doesn't love to sparkle?!

Every since last year I've been eyeing these beauties.  But, ya know, it's glitter, it wasn't a first priority to me until I saw two new colors.  Bronze Godess and Ice Queen are two universal colors you can use for anything.  Since their multi-purpsose you can pretty much put them anywhere - face, body, eyes.  How fab is that!

Things I love: The Price - $4.00 for five colors! The gel base texture stays put forever and ever.  Almost too long, which makes it a little tough to take off.  But, I'm not complaining about something that stays on forever, come on?!  As long as you use good makeup remover or wipes your in good shape,  Glitter in a cream texture, a great idea - who would of thought?  I can't tell how much I dread dragging out my Benefit Shelaq or MAC mixing medium just to apply glitter.  In fact, this is one of the reasons I don't wear glitter and the mess, of course.  Multi-purpose so you dont have to worry about if it's eye safe, body safe, etc.

Things I dislike: I'm not complaining about the staying power but, I can see this being a problem for others espically, if your not familar with glitter.  Since, this is gel based you have to get it right the first time, usually.  Make sure glitter is the very last step in your makeup routine because if you make a mistake, it's not moving and you'll end up with glitter everywhere.  Completely re-doing your makeup would be a huge pain in the butt.  Check out the photo swatches below.

 

Overall, this is an fantastic deal for what you get and is available is six different color pallets.  After playing with the colors, I found the glitter is more versatile when using on your body or as a glitter eyeliner.  The only true disadvantage to these beauties is the aftermath.  Glitter is usually, welll, all over the place.  But, if you get it right the first time you should no problems because it certainly stays put.

FEATURED - Thursday, June 26th 2008

Product Review: Loreal Infallible Gloss

Product: L'oreal Infallible Lipgloss

Price: $8.99

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Drugstores

Recommend: Yes

L'oreal introduces the first long wearing lipgloss in one step.  The claim:  No touch-ups. No top-coats. No fading. No feathering. Hydrating formula keeps your lips soft, smooth, shiny, and sexy for 6 long hours.  The patent applicator contours lips prescisely smooth, even, flawless application every time.  Infallible is available in 16 luminous shades.

Six hours is a pretty hefty claim for lipgloss.  So,  let's get down to the nitty gritty.  Bottom line - I haven't personally seen a lipgloss to last more than three hours and my collection is rather large consisting of at least 75 different brands.  Last night at Walmart I jumped at the chance to try this. 

Rebel Red, a vibrant red with subtle shimmer, is the color that was calling out to me.  Usually, I tend to lean towards darker shades because the pay-off is so much greater.  This baby was on my lips within a matter a minutes after leaving Walmart.

Pro's: Moisturizing, Shine, No Feathering, and the lasting power wasn't quite 6 hours - more like 3-4 hours, which is impressive.  However, I do warn with caution when applying more than once because it tends to get tacky if applied regularly.  The pointed shape applicator is really cool.  I was able to get in cracks and crevices with ease.

Con's: The staying power didn't live up to L'oreals 6 hour claim and the mirror was a nice try.  Loreal was kind enough to include a mirror, which is a great and all but, why oh why at the end of the cap? 

Check out the swatch below.

Overall, Infallible lived up to my expectations and anyone who fancy's gloss will really love this product.

FEATURED - Wednesday, July 2nd 2008

Product Review: Loreal Hip Jelly Balm

Product: L'oreal HiP Jelly Balm

Price: $8.99

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Drugstores

Recommend: Yes

Loreal introduces these scrumptous jelly balms to the HiP line just in time for summer.  These glossy pots of pucker comes in 6 different colors ranging from pink, coral, and reds. 

On my recent haul to Walgreens, HiP's super shiny promo display caught my attention with a range of juicy shades.  Succulent is the color that came home with me which is comparable to MAC's tendertone in Pucker.  I chose one of the darker shades because MAC's tendertones are rather sheer.

Loreal's HiP line is quickly gaining a large crowd of admirer's with their High Intensity Pigments (hence HiP) and overall superb quality.  So, it don't suprise me that these jelly balms wouldn't be as fabulous as their other products.

First off, I love these babies and yes, even more than MAC!  The color Succulent has excellent color pay-off compared to MAC's pucker.  I didn't have to scoop a huge chunk just to get decent color.  Good news is - Succlent wasn't the darkest of HiP's Jelly Balms.  There was one shade darker and the pay-off would be awesome.   MAC's jar may have appeared larger than Loreal's but, looks are always deceiving.  I think it's the construction of each jar that throws you off and the amount is pretty much the same.  So, no worries there.

 

HiP Jelly Balm in Succulent verses MAC Tendertones in Pucker.  One noticeable difference you'll see is the texture.  Tendertones has noticeable shimmer and the Jelly Balm doesn't.  The texture was non-sticky, slightly glossier and a tad thicker than MAC.  In fact, after wearing Loreal's verison for a couple days, I plan on picking up the coral shade soon!  The only true disadvantage is Loreal's doesn't have any SPF coverage.

 

The same amount was used on the swatch and you can see the difference in the pay-off.  My only dislike about MAC's tendertones is the sheerness and the amount it takes to get color.  Some of the MAC's lighter colors didn't even show up on my lips.  However, the jelly balms are also available in lighter shades.  So, if you want some color, sway towards the darker shades.

Overall, HiP continues to introduce some fabulous products to the market including their new Metallics.  I can't wait to see what's slated for Fall 2008.  A great way to try out the HiP line is BOGO sales at drug stores.  Keep your eye peeled - Walgreen, CVS and Rite Aid have BOGO sales pretty frequently.

FEATURED - Friday, July 4th 2008

Product Review: Loreal Hip Metallic Shadow Duo

Product: L'oreal HiP Metallic Shadow

Price: $6.99

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Drugstores

Recommend: Yes

Fly into the metallic world of color with Loreal's new Hip metallic eyeshadow duo's with rich, high pearl finish full of intense color.

HiP introduces another great product to their shadow duo line - a metallic with an insane amout of pigmentation and color pay-off.  These new metallic shadows are the whip you guys, for serious.  Gilded is the shade that came home with me today.  A true metallic gold with a brown w/gold shimmer for creases that is featured on the display promo.  A perfect combo to go with richness of Chanel Gold Fiction nail polish this Fall.

I was instantly drawn into the high intensity metallic pigments of the duo shadows.  Their practical, everyday colors you can incorporate into your work and school wardrobe.  Not bright and outrageous like some of the regular non-metallic shades. Five colors combinations are available in: Gun Metal -jade green/olive, Magnetic - navy blue/light blue, Sculpted - mauve/light pink, Gilded - gold/brown and Platinum - black/silver.  Check out the photo swatch below.

 

Two swipes with my finger delivers intense gold color that blended perfectly with my MAC 239 brush.  A sponge applicator and mirror is included with compact but, you'll get better results with a makeup brush such as MAC's or any flat tipped eye shadow brush.  

It's really hard to find a good metallic eyeshadow with staying power and color pay-off.  And, these rock compared to the dreadful, metal-x shadows from MAC.  Everything about metal-x collection was horrible - crease lines everywhere, texture nearly impossible to deal with - to much hassle than it's worth.  I have some swatches of metal-x and mineralized shadows I'll be putting up soon to compare textures.

 

Overall, HiP metallic shadow duos earned four kisses but, may easily earn five after a few more uses.  Other great colors are Platinum and Gunmetal.  I may go back seeing how wonderful these turned out.

FEATURED - Friday, July 18th 2008

Product Review: UD 24-7 Glide On Pencil

Product: UD 24/7 Glide on Pencil

Price: $16.00

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Sephora, Urban Decay

Recommend: Yes

The Claim: Glide on color that stays put for the duration of your non-stop, on-the-go day!  These creamy eye pencils deliver powerful, vibrant color that slides on smooth and stays soft and creamy for blending (about 30 seconds), then dries to a long-lasting finish that won't budge.

It was time to pull out my ultra creamy, electric blue Deviant eyeliner as I head to the pool with gummy bears and Allure's August issue in hand.  Created with 50% moisturizing ingredients made this dreamy when appling to basically anywhere - including you waterliners!

Everything about this eyeliner including the gorgeous Deviant shade totally rocked you guys!  Let's just say these babies outlasted my DiorShow waterproof mascara.  It stayed put and put - throughtout the entire day.  The only true disadvantages are the price of $16.00, but will last a good time and the removal process - may require makeup wipes (this can't be a bad thing, right?).

Check out the photo swatches below. 

Two of my personal favorites you'll find in my collection are Deviant and Covet.  Covet is a gorgoeus peacock green shade which, is a must-have if you love this color! 

FEATURED - Friday, July 18th 2008

Product Review: Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow

Product: Urban Decay Deluxe Shadows

Price: $18.00

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Sephora, Urban Decay

Recommend: Yes

Turn your eyes into pieces of fine art with these vibrant, silky, and luscious to the touch, deluxe eyeshadows that feature couture-quality and cutting-edge color. Loaded with silky pigments, this sophisticated new formula provides the richest, most brilliant color imaginable. Truly intense and definitely incomparable,for the eyes.

Created with maximum staying power, Deluxe Eyeshadows offer long-lasting wear that won’t fade (especially when paired with our miraculous Eyeshadow Primer Potion). The result? Gorgeous, gem-like lids that are worthy of their own exhibit.

While the cheap artistic product casing may be too much - the true gem is awaiting inside.  A world of ridiculously vibrant, intense COLOR that applies velvety, creme like and blends like melted butter - your lids will be thanking you.  The staying power is amazing leaving no visible creases espically, when paired up with cult-fave, primer potion. 

Check out the swatches below.

Grafitti, a vibrant kelly green shimmer, is my first addition from the deluxe shadows.  Being a MAC girl, Urban Decay had some big shoes to fill and I'm very happy with the results.  All shades are shimmer based which, thrills me because I dread matte shadows.  Some may find them on the frosty side espically, if your not a fan of shimmers. 

You'll heart this if your looking for: Vibrant, bold, rich selection of Color Outstanding staying and lasting power with no creasing Velvety, smooth texture that blends perfectly

You'll dislike this if you: Don't care for vibrant bright colors  Don't fancy shimmers and prefer matte shadows are looking for a budget friendly selection

 

FEATURED - Saturday, July 26th 2008

Product Review: Loreal Bare Naturale Mascara

Product: L'oreal Bare Naturale Mascara

Price: $8.99 - $9.99

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Stores, Pharmacy, Online

Recommend: Yes

Loreal introduces New Bare Naturale Mascara, a natural mineral infused mascara that suppose to lengthen and illuminates each lash.  Loreals gentle conditioning formula is infused with natural ingredients and minerals that provide luminous, healthy looking shine.

The claim: No brittle clumps, moisturizes and conditions with added minerals, adds volume and weight without the heavy feel of mascara, smudgeproof, flakeproof and water resistant.

I can thank my mom for my big eyes and lashes I have to cut from time to time.  Yes ladies, you heard right - cut with scissors.  Most of my girlfriends cringe to the fact of cut and eye lashes in the same sentence.  Contacts or eye glasses have been a part of my daily routine for years now and long lashes can be quite a disadvantage. 

First off, I was really excited to try this mascara because I've been looking for a "natural" type of mascara with minerals and added ingredients that is actually good for your lashes.  Knowing that this is natural type product, my review is based more on a light, natural looking mascara and not a volume-lengthing. 

The tube is clear with a leopard like print inside that was pretty cool - very different from all my other blah and boring tubes.  Black/Brown is the shade that came home with me,  Infact, this was my first mascara in black/brown mostly because, I'm going for that all naturale look.

Loreal's patent brush contains super soft bristles that easily brushed through my lashes.  As you can see, the brush is slighty slanted and was extremely easy to use.  No clumping or pulling, just a smooth, clean application. 

I applied two coats for a natural look and my lashes were extremely soft and lightweight, which I loved.  Overall, Bare Naturale is a great mascara if your looking for a naturale no-makeup look.  However, this many not be a good choice if you looking for something dramatic with lengthing or voluminzing results.

FEATURED - Tuesday, August 5th 2008

Product Review: Givenchy Phenomen Mascara

Product: Givenchy Phenomen Eyes

Price: $27.00

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Sephora

Recommend: Yes

We all want more.  Givenchy's new Phenomen Eyes gives you a whole lotta more. The product names certainly lives up to the expectations.  Givenchy's Patented revolutionary brush is absolutely fantastic in every angle.  After playing with this mascara for a couple of days - I realized the brush is just a matter of common sense.

Bottom line - Givenchy listened.  Fact: Most of us apply mascara using the ball of the mascara and not utilizing the actual brush.  In most cases, I'll always use the end to apply mascara because there is no room for a big bulky brush. Phenomen Eyes elimates all hassles.

Check out some product pictures below.

     

The application was incredibly easy.  Givenchy's sphere shaped brush lengthened, curled and seperated every lash with each stroke.  Not only is the brush fantastic - the formula is just as wonderful.  My lashes felt light and very touchable - I couldn't beleive how soft after applying several coats.

Some more pictures below. 

The only disadvantage is the price tag of $27.00.  However, you can make phenomen last quite a while because it's not meant to be consistency coated. 

FEATURED - Friday, August 22nd 2008

Product Review: Chocolate Cherry Lip Glaze

 

Product: Lip Glaze in Chocolate Cherry

Price: $4.99

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Drugstores, Grocery

Recommend: Depends

Sally Hansen's comfort shine lip glaze is an vita fruit complex that sores and beautifies distressed lips.  Filled with vitamins, moisturizers and soothing extracts creates a cushion of moisture delivered right to your lips.  A sophisiticated package with no mess applicator.

Ever since MAC released the Cult of Cherry collection, I've been craving chocolate cherries.  So, when I stumbled across Sally Hansen's comfort shine in Chocolate Cherry - I was all over it!  A chocolate cherry flavored lip gloss filled with vitamins, moisturizers and no-mess applicatior - y u m m y!

The Good: Extremely pigmented and excellent color pay-off.  The deep chocolate burgandy shade is filled with gold shimmer and suitable for most.  Trendy color for fall and a great topper for MAC's Cult of Cherry lipsticks/mattenes.  My lips felt completely moisturized and loved.

Check out some pictures below.

The Bad: Now, you know there had to be bad news.  I can't tell you how incredibly disappionting this was because it's such a great product as far as the gloss goes.  My issue is the applicator. It's plastic, small and flimsy - just not practical for me or my lips.  I had trouble accomplishing an even application - very blotchy like.  The chocolate cherry flavor didn't bother me but, I could possibly see a difference of opinion.

One main reason Sally Hansens lip glaze intrigued me was the no-mess applicator.  So, you can see the great disappiontment by my low rating.  That's the main reason MAC's Tendertones and Loreal Jelly Balm didn't go over - who wants to put gloss on with their finger?!  hello, bacteria!

Overall, this is beyond a great gloss as far as texture, color pay-off, vitamins and moisture.  The staying power is your typical gloss but with total hydration your lips will crave.  I've read a couple reviews on this product - some good and some bad.  It might vary between personal preference.

Sally - perfect the applicator and you have a true bread winner here!  Heck, just put it in a regular tube!  As far as my supply, I still plan on using it and applying with an q-tip like applicator or a lip brush because the color's fab.  For my swatch above my good ole pinky finger came in handy.

FEATURED - Monday, August 25th 2008

Product Review: Nivea Tinted Lip Balm

Product: Nivea Kiss of Flavor Tinted Lip Balm

Price: $2.99

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Drugstore, Grocery

Recommend: Yes

New! Nivea introduces two new flavors of tinted lip balm to the Kiss of Flavor lip care family - Cherry and Passion Fruit.

NIVEA’s- A Kiss of Flavor is enriched with natural ingredients to deliver long-lasting moisturization for soft and supple lips. Its unique blend of fruity flavor and a tint of color make your lips irresistible. Enriched with Almond Oil and Vitamin E to help provide long-lasting moisturization. 

I love lip balm probably as much as I do lipstick and lipgloss, why?  Well, in order to have good lips you have to take care of them properly.  And, Niveas new tinted lip balms are just that.  Delivering loads of moisture to your lips with an added bonus of sheen color. 

Nivea's tinted lip balms are just that - lip balms.  Their not suppose to deliver boat loads of color or any kind of pay-off.  Just a sheen, sheer tint mostly concentrating on the enriched vitamins and moisturization.  The texture is smooth and very moisturing which was nice.  Passion Fruit is more sheer than Cherry flavored, espically, if you tend to have pigmented lips.  The only true disadvantage is there's no SPF!

Cherry flavor was my favorite shade out of the two.  It was a nice, faint cherry red tint that made my lips look completely natural loooking.  Check out some product pictures below.   

Passion Fruit (left) and Cherry (right) product photos.

Close up of Passion Fruit and Cherry flavored lip balm.  Nivea's new tinted lip balms should be available now at most Drugstores, Pharmacies and Grocery stores.

FEATURED - Friday, August 29th 2008

Product Review: Sephora by OPI Remover

Product: Sephora by OPI Polish Remover

Price: $5.00

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Sephora

Recommend: Yes

Summary: A non-drying nail color remover that quickly and effectively removes even the darkest shades of nail lacquer.

Sephora by OPI Nail Colour Remover is a fast, gentle nail polish remover without harsh, drying effects or the tell-tale white residue left behind by traditional acetone nail polish removers. The superior formula contains grape seed oil, vitamin E, and extracts of sea kelp and aloe vera, making it more effective than traditional formulas.

A few weeks ago, I was placing a Sephora order online and need five bucks to meet the free shipping requirement and Sephora by OPI nail polish remover was the lucky winner.  Finding a high quality nail polish remover is extremely important to me.   I'm not a hard core swatcher like some of my fabulous fellow beauty blogger gals - Steph, Scrangie, Michelle - but, I do find myself removing polish quite frequently at least more than I'd like.

Let's start with the negative and the only downside - the price.  Wow, this remover goes awfully fast when your constantly using it.  $5.00 for 2oz, doesn't go a long way.  But, it's so wonderful, I'm willing to overlook that part.  If you tend to use remover one or twice a week this will last for sometime.  Now, if your like me this could end up being a costly nail polish remover in the long run. 

Now, the good and there's so much of it!  The light fragrant scent is perfect - it don't fill up the room with those "gag-like" nasty fumes.  Vitamin E and the other added benefits kept my nails and cuticles heavily moisturized from drying out which was amazing.

My two biggest complaints about nail polish remover is the dryness and strong toxic fumes.  And,  Sephora by OPI passed with flying colors. 

The result - my nails are as hard as a rock - not soft and brittle!

FEATURED - Thursday, September 4th 2008

Product Review: Nivea Kiss of Flavor Gloss

Product: Nivea Kiss of Flavor Tinted Gloss

Price: $3.99

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Drugstore, Grocery

Recommend: Yes

Nivea Glossy Lip Care is specially formulated to provide long-lasting moisturization for the most delicate skin – your lips, while delivering a brilliant, glossy shine with no sticky residue.

Kiss of Shine gloss gives lips a glossy shine available in two tinted colors - red gloss, pink gloss and a natural clear.  These new glosses provide no sticky residue, moisturization, and infused with shea butter and vitamin E.

Overall, this is a great product to replace your vaseline or everyday wear gloss.  Each day I found myself using this more and more - and I'm really loving it.  Vaseline and Carmex are two holy grail lip products that sit on my night stand every night.  But, lately their being replaced with the Nivea's gloss and tinted balm.

Check the swatches below.

The color pay-off was quite suprising - not as sheer as expected.  Nivea's line of lip care products are now available at stores.  And, at $3.99, why not give em' a shot!

FEATURED - Monday, October 27th 2008

Product Review: Benefit 24k Sexy Gold Kit

Product: Benefit 24k Sexy Gold Kit

Price: $32.00

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Sephora

Recommend: Yes

What is it?  A gift set which includes a lipstick, loose powder shadow, and small gold embossed clutch.

Description: Benefit 24K Sexy Gold Set contains a lipstick and loose powder that deliver a warm, soft hue to the skin. It also comes with a gold-embossed clutch that can be used to tote makeup or for a night on the town. Once you buy this Sephora-exclusive, limited-edition set, you'll be good to glow.

This past weekend I stopped by my favorite makeup authority, Sephora while visiting the mall.  Benefit's new 24 karat sexy gold kit grabbed my attention foremost, the insanely gorgeous lipstick that's included in this kit.

Check out the swatches below.

My swatch doesn't justify the beauty of the lipstick.  The glossy sparkle and shine made this impossible to capture.  And, the powder is just an added bonus to this kit.  At first, I thought "what in the world am I going to do with gold lipstick?" Well duh, everything.  Since the texture is super shiny, it can act as your lipgloss or lipstick.  Looks fab over any lipstick shade, espically reds.

The powder is a pale gold shade.  Not as shiny as persa, Chanel's Gold highlighting powder, but a toned down gold that's not overboard. This can be used as a highlighter, body powder or even a touch to your gloss.

FEATURED - Thursday, October 30th 2008

My New Love: Laura Mercier Caviar Dreams

Good Afternoon, Lovelies!  My poor blog needs some much deserved attention. Yesterday, I received a sweet little package from Sephora and couldn't wait to tell you guys about it.

Laura Mercier's Caviar Dreams ($15.00), from the Black Tie Collection is described as a gorgeous duochrome that shifts between Charcoal Gray, Green and Purple that's simply amazing! The formula was smooth and two coats gives you good coverage with no true application problems. Since the formula is rather thick, you may able to pull this off in one coat.

Check out more swatches below. 

Here's an example of the Charcoal duochrome, which you'll see more of in the sunlight. It's definitely unique and I own nothing like her. if you love green and duochromes make sure you grab this fast ladies!

Caviar Dreams is now available at Sephora and Laura Mercier for a limited time only. Don't miss out on this great shade!

FEATURED - Sunday, December 28th 2008

Product Review: Cover Girl Outlast Lipstain

Product: Covergirl Outlast Lipstain Pen

Price: $7.99

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Most Stores

Recommend: Maybe - personal preference

Covergirl introduces a new lip product called Outlast Lipstain.  Constructed in a pen like applicator to give you precise lining with no messy hassles, which you'll run into with most brands.

Description: The water-based colorants of Outlast Lipstain gives lips a beautiful, lightweight flush of color that won't come off, lasting for hours without the heavy look or feel of an ordinary lipstick.

Lipstain is becoming the new lipstick in the fashion and beauty world.  From your hollywood celebrities to your average beauty buyers - everyone's getting a piece of the action.

Although the lipstain process has yet to be perfected by any manufacture, Covergirl's new outlast does have some positive aspects.

Check out some pictures below. 

  

Pros:  In a pen like applicator for easy use and precise lining on the lips, so you don't have to worry about applying with your finger or dealing with the stain in your skin.  Offers a huge variety of 10 colorful shades ranging from light pink to dark reds.  If applied evenly, the color does last for quite sometime.  For a natural look, pick out a shade that's closest to your lip color. 

Cons: The darker shades like Wild Berry may encounter some feathering issues on your lips. (Recommened: Dry lips?  Try preping or pre-treating with an exfoliation balm such as MAC's lip refinisher or Fresh's sugar lip treatment).  If not applied evenly, the color will settle towards the outer line of your lips.

With most "color stay or lip drying products" moisturization is the main key to eliminate that "dry cracked lip look".  At night, before bedtime, I'm always loading up on my carmex, vaseline or chapstick.  And when I'm not in a lipstick or gloss mood, you can count on chapstick almost always being on my lips.

 

For me, the red cherry color of Wild Berry was intensely dark for my skintone.  Red is a hard shade to pull off in general, so I should've known to pick one that resembled my natural lip color more so.

The pen like applicator is the best part of Covergirl's new Outlast lipstain.  Now only if they could perfect the formula a little better - we'd have a winner.

Outlast lipstains are now available at most stores and retail around $7.99/ea.

FEATURED - Monday, December 28th 2009

MAC Cosmetics Love Lace: Nail Lacquer Swatches

Product: MAC Love Lace Collection, Nail Lacquer .34 oz

Price: $12.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: MAC Cosmetics, Macy's, Nordies

Couture's fascination with lace is a long love affair. Intensely intimate, our newest collection captures lace's notoriety and allure.

When I first saw the promo images for MAC's newest collection, I immediately thought of J Lo's chic lace nails created by Celebrity Manicurist, Elle. Love Lace brings us a limited edition shade this winter called, Light Affair. A crisp, clean neutral that's the perfect accessory to Lace.

Before we move on, let's talk about the application. It wasn't completely perfect. I had minor application issues, but managed to smooth out my brush strokes within three coats.

Check out the swatches.

MAC describes Light Affair as a creamy grey taupe. It's more along the lines of a pale grey nude with a hint of lavender that's barely noticeable. Very chic and wearable.      

 

Even though it's hard to tell from my swatch, Light Affair isn't an exact dupe to Body Language. The faint lavender shines through just a bit when compared side by side. If you already own Essie's, I'd say you can probably skip this one.  

 

Put your hands up if you love Polka Dots. Oh, yeah! I love how Cool Reserve contrasts the slight lavender undertones in Light Affair.

Has anyone picked up Light Affair? What do you think of lace nails? Have a wonderful night!

FEATURED - Tuesday, January 27th 2009

Product Review: Barielle Hand Creme

Product: Barielle Hand Creme

Price: $8.00 for 2.5 oz Travel Size

Steph's Rating:

Buy it:  CVS, Barielle

Recommend: Yes

Everyone wants great nails.  Why else would we spend a small fortune each year on salon services. 

The first rule to having great nails breaks down to one simple thing.  Moisturization. 

Just like our skin, our nails needs hydration and Barielle's Professional hand creme ranks number one in my book.

Details: For Dry, Chapped hands.  Rich in emollients, Vitamin E and Protein, this proven formula helps soften and moisturize hands while forming an invisible shield to help protect against water, wind or exreme cold.

The fresh clean scent of Barielle's hand creme is amazing.  Not sweet nor fruity.  Very Refreshing and Invigorating that doesn't leave your hands feeling greasy.  I've noticed after the first couple washes the scent actually sticks around.

Three places you'll find Barielle's hand creme.  1. My office desk  2. Main bathroom right next the soap  3. In my Purse.  A little goes a long way too.  All you need is a little dab.  Since it's meant for your hands, you could stretch it to last a couple months.

Barielle's hand creme is available online at Barielle or at CVS stores. The 2.5 ounce travel size retails for $8.00 and 6 oz $15.00.

FEATURED - Wednesday, July 29th 2009

Nail Polish of the Day: China Glaze Crystal Ball

It's Wednesday and were finally over that hump, creeping closer to Friday - woot woot! Today I wanted to pull out a really cool, hard to find shade from China Glaze called, Crystal Ball. It's described as a deep burgandy red with silver holographic glitter.

You know me, I'm not the biggest red lover..But I tend to pull out Crystal Ball quite often. It must be the silver shimmer and holo glitter that has me hooked, line and sinker! Oh yeah, gotta love the sparkle!

Speaking about China Glaze..They've finally hopped on the Twitter wagon. Have you? If not, you're missing out on great contests! China Glaze is giving away a free set of Retro Diva polishes every day until August 4th. Make sure you follow them and tweet @ChinaGlaze I want 2 win a ChG Retro Diva Collection.

Before scoping out Ebay for Crystal Ball, try searching online at a few of the e-tailers. Have a wonderful day!

FEATURED - Tuesday, July 28th 2009

NOTD: Sephora Under my Trench Coat

Hope your having a wonderful Tuesday! With all the Dark Room sadness yesterday, I figured you guys could use a little cheering up with Sephora's, Under my Trench Coat.

From the polish name, down to color - I love everything about Under my Trench Coat! One of Sephora's standout shades from the Fall collection, Film Noir. It's described as a grungy khaki beige with gold micro-shimmer that's really gorgeous!

My Application: On my swatches above, I used three coats. The polish applied streaky at first, like some Sephora by OPI colors, but evened out in the end. No real issues.

 

Unique? Definitely! Meet Sephora's Run with it! distant cuz. A more brown version, but with the same gold micro-shimmer in both. A true khaki compared to RBL's Grunge and Orly's Country Club Khaki, which has more "mauve" undertones.

Under my Trench Coat is available at Sephora and retails for $9.00/ea. Have a fantastic day!

FEATURED - Tuesday, August 25th 2009

Limited Edition: Damone Roberts 1968

Happy Tuesday! How was everyone's weekend? Besides by the fact it flew by, it was great! Today I have a delicious mint dessert to show you guys and it's all thanks to my favorite nail blogger, Michelle for enabling this lemming.

Damone Roberts, known as the Eyebrow Queen, teams up with OPI to create this gorgeous, green shade inspired by the walls of Damone Roberts' studio. "It's not your typical mint green. It has a little touch of gray in it and a little touch brown," says Roberts.

Damone Roberts 1968 is a pastel mint green creme that applied beautifully in two coats. This past weekend, I've sported this dreamy color and couldn't stop starring at my nails. It's perfect shade of mint green that pops!

You didn't think I would leave you without comparisons?!

It might be hard distinguishing the differences of these mint greens, but my camera did one heck of a job trying! If you look back from the computer screen, you may notice a deeper green in Damone Roberts compared to the other two.

Don't miss out on this limited edition nail color guys and gals, you'll love it. It's simple to order. Just call the NY salon at 212.764.4755 or the Beverly Hills location at 310.271.2100.  The retail cost is $9.00 plus $3.95 for shipping.

What do y'all think? I wanna hear from my mint green lovers! Have a great night!

FEATURED - Friday, September 11th 2009

NOTD: Sally Hansen HD Opulent Cloud

Happy Friday! Hope you've had an excellent day so far! Today I have a goodie to show you, and if your following me on Twitter you've already seen a sneak peek of this one-of-a-kind shade created by fashion designer, Tracy Reese.

Without further ado, introducing Opulent Cloud. I thought the time would never come. You first made an appearance back in Feb 09' at New York Fashion Week and I've been thinking about you ever since. You are amazing!

Amazing is an understatement. Opulent Cloud is a shade you'll have to see in person to appreciate. A somewhat duochrome-y charcoal that flashes distinctly purple and steel with an overlay of gold shimmer that's so pretty! I don't have another like her!

Check out a comparison below.  

What's so unique about Opulent Cloud, it's more purple toned compared to other charcoal grays out there. And Barielle's Out-Grey-Geous is a bit more blue than OPI's Brand New Skates.

Opulent Cloud is a limited editon color and will available at Meijer and other stores that carry Tracy Reese displays. The retail cost is $5.99/ea.

I'm crossing my fingers you guys can find this! Have a wonderful weekend!

FEATURED - Friday, September 18th 2009

Product Review: Hot Topic Press on Nail Polish

Product: Hot Topic Press on Nail Polish

Price: $4.99

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Hot Topic Stores

Happy Friday Divas! If you're following me on twitter you've already seen a sneak peek of my uber cool mani from last weekend. Let's break it down and see what this Press on nail polish is all about!

Press on Nail Polish you say? Yes! If you'd ask this Addict about Press on Nail Polish a few months ago, I'd just roll my eyes and shake my head in shame. Because fact of the matter, I can paint my nails faster than fooling around with this little package. But, Hot Topic had me at Leopard!

This isn't your typical Press on Nail Polish...It's a gradient of neon colors with a Leopard style design! The nail art is a huge bonus. For me, it would be next to impossible to replicate this look without Minxing it. If your not familiar with Minx, it's a polymer nail covering that uses heat to adhere to the nail.

Think stickers for your nails. While Minx uses a heating process, these don't. Each package includes a total of 16 stickers, 8 different nail sizes. With the misfortune of my small nail beds, any pre-sized artificial nail or sticker usually runs ten times bigger. Needless to say, I had to customize each one with my handy cosmetic scissors.

Application is the most important step. The true enemy is air. When applying the sticker to your nail, make sure it's completely sealed with no air gaps. Flatten and finish edges with a nail file to take off remaining excess.

If applied correctly, the nail polish stickers may last a good 3+ days. To remove, remove gently by peeling from edge.

Check out one more swatch below.

Easy enough? Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

FEATURED - Wednesday, September 30th 2009

Victoria's Secret Pink Me Up Polish and Bling

Product: Victoria's Secret Pink me up, Nail Polish & Bling .29 oz

Price: $7.00/ea or 3/$15

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Victoria's Secret, VS Stores

When I stopped in Victoria's Secret last week, the SA grabbed me and directed me straight towards Pink's new line of color cosmetics called, Pink Me Up. I was instantly drawn in to the juicy hues of Nail Polish! While most products in this collection appeared a little "girl-ish" for my taste, I was excited to test out two sassy nail colors from the line. Let's get to the deets, shall we?

Each bottle is packaged with crystal and nail bling located in the upper cap. It's a flip top that's easily accessible and can be refillable with any brand of nail art deco.

Check out an example below.  

Will I ever use the crystals? Probably not, but don't quote me. If you love nail bling, the bottles can come in handy to store the tiny rascals when you're traveling.

The colors I tested were opaque, and applied smooth like butta with no true formula issues.

Check out the swatches below.  

Wow is a bright sunny yellow creme. Like most yellows, you'll need three full coats to even out.

Yes is much prettier in person. It's a deep, navy blue with blue and green micro shimmer.

Overall, A little pricey for .29 oz, but if you take advantage of 3/$15 it breaks down to $5.00/pop. Nice formula, brush and application.

What do you guys think? Yah or Nah?

FEATURED - Tuesday, October 27th 2009

Nubar Modern Matte Collection: Swatches, Review

Product: Nubar Modern Matte Collection, Nail Lacquer 0.5 oz

Price: $7.49/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Nubar Online

This Fall, Nubar gives us Matte Mavens a couple different alternatives to the traditional glossy look. Modern Matte, one of their newest collections, is a small release of four stylish and sleek colors with a no-shine finish. Don't wanna splurge on an entire collection? No worries! Nubar offers a matte top coat that's a personal fave of mine called, V for Men. Stay tuned for a separate product review.

Each color is shimmer based, which I adore. And if you don't fancy matte textures, just slap on a shiny top coat and their just as spectacular - if not more! The application and formula was good - fast drying, smooth and opaque.

Check out the swatches!   

 

Contempo is a classic red matte with shimmer. 

Prevail is a gorgeous, deep purple matte with shimmer.

Advant Garde is a russet red/brown matte with shimmer.

Vital is a red/purple wine matte with shimmer.

Overall, Good Collection. Nubar mattes are versatile - you can wear them glossy or matte. The formula was smooth, opaque and as always Big 3 Free.

What do you think of Nubar's Mattes? Love them, Hate them? Have a great night!

FEATURED - Saturday, December 5th 2009

The New Face of Sally Hansen Salon

Product: Sally Hansen, Complete Salon Manicure Nail Lacquer 0.5 oz

Price: $6.50 - $7.99/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Walmart, CVS, Walgreens

At the Tracy Reese S/S '10 Fashion Show back in September, Sally Hansen unveiled a new line of nail lacquers to replace the Salon brand called Complete Salon Manicure. While the Tracy Reese Collection isn't officially due out until next Spring, 42 core line hues are introduced this Winter.

Before I get to the details, let's take a jump to one my faves.

One of the standout colors from the new Salon line, Commander in Chic. A creamy mixture of Taupe, Grey and Brown that resembles our loved, Metro Chic.

Not only are their names alike, they share a sisterly kind of relationship. Commander in Chic is a just a teensy bit darker compared to Metro Chic.

The biggest change I've noticed is the application brush. It's somewhat tapered like the Insta Dri polishes, but not as wide and a little easier to navigate on your nails.

Another difference, the bottle redesign. It's square on the bottom and more rounded near the top with a small rubberized ring around the cap. I'm not too crazy about the shape, but the added rubber ring is a nice touch.

Final Thoughts, I'm not completely sold. Along with the new face is a hefty price tag from $6.50 to $7.99 a pop, depending on the store. The application brush may be a disadvantage to some, especially if you like a flat style. The Upside: A great selection of base colors that range from sheers to vampy. Improved 5 in 1 formula includes: base coat, strengthener, grow treatment, color and top coat. Yes, you can actually skip a top and base coat. The wear is incredible!

Check out the standard colors below. 

 

Side Note: Please use the color chart as a reference only, swatches (above) may not be accurate.

Have you tried the new Complete Salon Manicure line? I would love to hear what you think!

Looking for more Sally Hansen colors? Check out Lavender Cloud.

FEATURED - Wednesday, December 30th 2009

Sally Hansen Complete Salon: Lavender Cloud

Last week I talked about the new and improved Sally Hansen Salon in Commander in Chic and today I'm bringing you another core line shade called, Lavender Cloud. This one is interesting, very interesting - especially if you love whites.

Lavender Cloud is described as an opaque, white creme dashed with pale lavender-pink undertones. The application and formula caught me off guard. I didn't expect perfection, no streaking in two coats! Loves it!

Check out a comparison swatch below.  

As you can see in the swatch above, Lavender Cloud is much whiter compared to Light Affair, which is more of a nude with a touch of lavender.

If you love the new Sally Hansen Salon, it's a great time to stock up. Walgreens is having a Buy one, Get one free sale this week on Salon and Inta-Dri's. That's two for $7.95 - great deal!

What do you think of Lavender Cloud? What are some of your favorite colors form the Complete Salon Manicure line? Have a happy and safe New Year!

Love these? Check out more Complete Salon Manicure colors.

FEATURED - Sunday, January 3rd 2010

Sneak Peek: Barielle A Bouquet for Ava

Collection: Barielle A Bouquet for Ava, Nail Lacquer .5 oz

Retail Price: $8.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Barielle - Available in February

Shades by Barielle blooms into Spring with six floral themed hues to the Wildflower Collection.  This release includes Blossom - an opaque peach, Snapdragon - a metallic sea foam green and Darling Dahlia - a deep fuchsia with a hint of silver metallic.

Three additional colors pay tribute to women close to Barielle who are still battling breast cancer. A Bouquet for Ava - a cool caribbean blue, June Bug - a teal with fuchsia glitter and Myrza's Meadow - a light lime green with silver glitter.  100% of the proceeds from A Bouquet for Ava, June Bug and Myrza's Meadow will be donated to The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund when purchased at ocrf.org.

Today I'm bringing you a sneak peek at the stunning, A Bouquet for Ava, created by Elle.

A Bouquet for Ava is a refreshing breath of caribbean air. It's a deep, cool blue that's perfect! This leans towards teal a bit, but not a dusty teal like Misa's Dirty, Sexy, Money. Spectacular and unique!

As far as dupes, Barielle's is darker and more teal compared to ChG Shower Together. 

And for the Polka Dot lover!  

Barielle's Blossom paired up with A Bouquet for Ava makes a great combination for Spring.

What do you think of A Bouquet for Ava? Are you excited about Barielle's upcoming Wildflower Collection?

Enough teasing, are you guys ready for some swatches?

Full Disclosure: The following product(s) was provided to Steph's Closet by the manufacture and/or PR company for consideration. 

FEATURED - Saturday, January 16th 2010

Bargain of the Day: Wet n Wild Night Prowl

Product: Wet n Wild Wet Shine in Night Prowl, Nail Lacquer .43 oz

Price: $.99/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Most Drugstores, Grocery Stores

Bargain of the day is a new weekly series featured on Steph's Closet that focuses on stylish and fashionable nail polish colors without breaking your bank.

Happy Saturday, Divas! Hope you're having a great weekend. Today I'm launching a new feature called, Bargain of the Day. Each week I'll be introducing budget friendly shades for the savvy shopper starting with Wet n Wild's Night Prowl.

Check out the swatches below. 

Night Prowl is one of Wet n Wild's fabulous new colors for 2010. It's described as purple glitter in a thin, black jelly base. The application was good with three coats for full coverage.

The best news, Night Prowl is a whopping 99 cents - what a deal!

Have you picked up Night Prowl? What do you think of Wet n Wild's Wild Shine polishes?

FEATURED - Saturday, January 23rd 2010

NOTD: Rescue Beauty Lounge Scrangie

Happy Saturday, gals! This morning I had some spare time to whip up a fresh manicure for the weekend and decided to paint my nails with the lovely Scrangie. During Rescue Beauty Lounge's fabulous VIP sale, I picked up this beauty along with a few other goodies.

What can I say other than, wow! It's described as a bluish-purple with blue and green shimmer with a touch of gold glitter. The gold glitter and green shimmer sets this apart from most purples I own.

Check out a low cost comparison below.

Since Scrangie is a limited edition, sold-out color you may a little trouble tracking her down... but there is still hope. Not exact dupes, Sally Hansen's Grape Going is a budget friendly alternative that's a bit more blue. I have to warn you though; I've had many problems with Insta-Dri polishes staining my nails. Use with caution.

Overall, perfect color, application and all around awesomeness! Go Team Blogger!

Did you guys snatch up Scrangie before it sold out? Did you take advantage of RBL's 50% off sale? If you did, what colors did you snatch up? Have a great weekend!

FEATURED - Wednesday, January 27th 2010

Icing by Claire's: Mint 2 Be Nail Polish

 

I'd like to introduce the new kid on the block. She's sassy, refreshing and worth jetting to your nearest mall to snatch her up. Mint 2 Be is Icing's newest addition, she's described as a creamy, pale mint green pastel.

The application was dreamy more or less... Is that even possible from a pastel? Even though the formula was on the thick side and even applied semi streaky, it dried to perfection. No streaks or bald spots with two coats.

Check out one more swatch below.

If you're wondering and I know you are, Mint 2 Be is more pale and lighter to most pastel greens I own. Since I haven't had a chance to compare, I'm guessing Icing's might fall close to China Glaze Re-fresh Mint.

Can you handle all these mint greens? Why yes, I think we can! Have a wonderful Wednesday!  

FEATURED - Thursday, January 28th 2010

American Apparel Gets All Lacquered Up

Collection: American Apparel Nail Lacquer .5 oz

Retail Price: $6.00/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Will be available in a week or two.

American Apparel, known for their edgy yet provocative clothing line launches a beauty brand consisting of 18 new nail lacquers.

Before we get to the initial review, I feel we need to discuss the article posted on Jezebel a few days ago. After hearing different stories and receiving numerous emails, I felt it was necessary to contact my PR rep to get the real deal and here's what they said:

After receiving a few reports of bottles breaking, we made the internal decision to do a voluntary recall of the bottles on both a retail and public level.

We chose this small US manufacturer to produce our nail polish because we support their business model and have a fondness for family who runs it. However, one of the realities of all manufacturing is first-run glitches. We worked all last week with the manufacturer to make the improvements necessary for the second run. Another reason we sought out a US-based company is so we would be able make changes and now, we can investigate what went wrong as quickly as possible. We still believe in the factory we're working with and the new polish will be in stores within the next two weeks.

We will offer an exchange of two new bottles or a $10 giftcard for anyone who brings in a unit from the original run or a receipt.

On another note, one thing we're taking very seriously is the disposal of the bottles we had in the stores. Even though our polish was DBP, toluene, and formaldehyde-free, we don't want our stores just tossing it in the trash. We're using our internal shipping and distribution line to arrange a pickup and removal of the polish to make sure it gets done right.

Since we have that covered, let's move on to the good stuff. American Apparel... who would of guessed? This stuff is selling like hotcakes and the proof is in the pudding or shall we say lacquer. The color selection is unbelievable with 18 different creme shades to choose from, reasonably priced at $6.00 each or 3 for $15 in stores.

Talk about perfect formula, these were oh so dreamy to apply. Each color is smooth, opaque and lasted four days with a base and top coat. Way to go American Apparel!

Check out the swatches.   

I never get tired of greens and Office is a nice minty green creme.

Mouse fits into the taupe/mushroom/nude category. It's much lighter than most mushroom shades on the market. A great neutral that goes with everything.

Hunter is a deep, vampy hunter green creme.

Hassid is a black creme that dries to a satin like finish.

Overall, Awesome! If you're a creme lover, then this is your cup of tea. Perfect application, formula and color selection.

Have you tried American Apparel polishes yet? What do you think of the brand? Have a wonderful day!

Full Disclosure: The following product(s) was provided to Steph's Closet by the manufacturer or PR company for consideration.

FEATURED - Friday, January 29th 2010

New from ManGlaze: Matte is Murder, Hot Mess

Product: ManGlaze Matte Nail Polish and Top Coat

Retail Price: $6.66 - $13.13/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Online at ManGlaze

Who was the first to revive this long lost trend? It was ManGlaze... As my first no-shine experience, they hold a very special place in my heart and I'm super excited to test drive three new products. In this review, I'll be covering two new polishes: Matte is Murder and Hot Mess. Stayed tuned for my post on Matte Astrophe.

ManGlaze has the "strong enough for a woman, but intended for a man" vibe goin' on.  But who's keeping tabs, really? The stuff is tuff and I love it. What's even better is the smooth application. The formula is opaque and all you need is two coats to get the job done.

Ready for some swatches?

Our revised Black Matte Nail Colour is now more Awful than the Original! Matte is Murder is an updated version of Death Tar. It's a deeper black with the same rainbow shimmer.

For my glossy lovers.

 

(AKA FishDicks) The glossy destroying power as Matte Astrophe. Hot Mess is the shizz in short... A  silver, glittery top coat that dries to a matte finish. You might not notice the matte finish at glance, just give it a touch... So smooth and non gritty! Love! 

Dress up your mani! Hot Mess really shines when layered over different nail colors. All you need is one coat, just enough for the base to show through. 

Just for old times sake, Fuggen Ugly. A gorgeous gray with same rainbow shimmer as Death Tar.

Overall, Love! ManGlaze has the most creative bottle designs; each one is a work of art. The Formula is safe, Big 3 Free - which translates to safe for pregnant woman. Application is perfecto. My favorite from the bunch is Hot Mess. I can't wait to experiment with different base colors!

Oh, I forgot to mention that there's a limited supply (less than 1500/ea) of Hot Mess and Matte Astrophe.

What do you guys think? Have you picked up any ManGlaze? Have a wonderful weekend!

Disclosure: The following product(s) was provided to Steph's Closet by the manufacturer or PR company for consideration.

FEATURED - Saturday, January 30th 2010

Preview: Color Club Who Are You Wearing

Happy Saturday! How is everyone enjoying their weekend so far? This morning Mother Nature came knockin' at my door and left a load of white stuff we all love (ha, ha). .  But I'm ready to move on to Spring, aren't you?  So let's start with a preview from Color Club's newest collection called, Rebel Debutante.

Who Are You Wearing is one of nine new colors from Color Club this Spring. Hmm... How do we describe this one? A little bit of white, beige and lavender combined in a semi sheer, creme formula.

Since the formula was a bit sheer, I did have some application problems. The first two coats applied rather streaky, but I was able to even things out with the third. Nonetheless, I love the color and was determined to make this work. It pops with tan or darker skin tones!

Check out a comparison below. 

 

Who Are You Wearing falls somewhere between Light Affair and Lavender Cloud. Not as beige as MAC's and not as stark as Sally's.

Having some polka dot fun with the collection colors!  

What do you guys think of Who Are You Wearing? Stay tuned, I'll be posting the reminder of Rebel Debutante in a couple days!

FEATURED - Monday, February 1st 2010

Bargain of the Day: Sinful Mint Apple

Product: Sinful Professional Nail Polish in Mint Apple, .5 oz

Price: $1.99/ea

Steph's Rating:

Buy it: Walgreens

Bargain of the day is a new weekly series featured on Steph's Closet that focuses on stylish and fashionable nail polish colors without breaking your bank.

If you missed last week's Bargain of the Day, click here to check out Wet n Wild's glittery purple goodness. Today's featured nail polish is a new shade from Sinful Colors that I recently snatched up at my Walgreens store.

Introducing... Sinful Mint Apple. Take a peep below! 

We've heard the name before, but it's not what you're thinking... Mint Apple is a mint green with gorgeous shimmer. Looking at the bottle I thought this might have a dusty quality such as Misa's Dirty, Sexy, Money or Sephora's Ocean Love Potion, but it doesn't. It's lighter, a bit more green and has added shimmer - bonus!

Application is the typical Sinful standard. It's slightly sheer with good coverage in three coats.

Mint Apple is now available at Walgreens along with a few other new colors. What do you guys think of this new color? Has anyone picked it up yet? Have a great Monday!

FEATURED - Monday, February 8th 2010

Nails of the Day: Arissa in Rockin Amethyst

Happy Monday! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Today I'm bringing you what I'd like to call an "unofficial" bargain of the day. The color itself is insane - purple, jelly, flecks! But tracking this gem down may be the gray area, which is why it didn't make the official cut.

Arissa in Rockin' Amethyst is a juicy purple jelly laced with blue shimmer/glitter throughout. I think it's safe to call this glitter/shimmer combo a glass fleck goodness. And the application - perfect in three coats.

Where can I find this? You can start looking at Family Dollar, General Dollar, Deals, etc... Any Dollar Store that usually carries higher priced items. The cost is $2.00/each (.5 oz).

What do you think of Rockin' Amethyst? Have you ever tried Arissa Nail Polishes? 

FEATURED - Saturday, February 20th 2010

Hot Topic Forest Green Metallic

Happy Saturday, chicas! Let's kick off the weekend with an early St. Patty's Day cheer from Hot Topic.  Rich, Opaque, Jeweled Tone... Seriously, can it get any better than this?! Forest Green Metallic is a jaw-dropping emerald green with fine shimmer. Absolutely Stunning!

Formula is perfecto - smooth like butter, despite the "out of control" application brush. Just to give you an idea where the color falls, it's a bit deeper and not as shimmery compared to Date Night and Greener.

All in All, awesome color and formula! It's definitely one of Hot Topic's best. Forest Green Metallic is available online at Hot Topic or in stores. The retail cost is $2.99/ea.

What do you guys think? Love this, Hate this? Have a wonderful weekend!

FEATURED - Monday, March 1st 2010

Going Green: China Glaze Emerald Sparkle

Happy Monday! Hope y'all had a wonderful weekend. It's officially March, can you believe it? A month long celebration of green is in order, don't ya think? Today I'm starting out with one of my favorite greens from China Glaze.

Let me count the ways I love thee! Emerald Sparkle is a deep emerald green that's ridiculous. This little package has it all - glitter, sparkle and color. It's dazzling in all ways. The application is great too, two coats for full coverage.

Check out a mattified version below.

You can still find Emerald Sparkle at Head2Toe, TransDesign and other e-tailers. What's your favorite green? Have a wonderful night!

FEATURED - Wednesday, March 3rd 2010

Going Green: Nubar Reclaim Nail Polish

Happy Hump Day! How is your Wednesday going? Since Spring is right around the corner, I thought it was necessary to salute with all-star green from Nubar's fabulous Summer '09 release.

Don't be surprised if you see the entire collection featured this month, because frankly, it's well deserved! Nubar hit the collection spot on, perfect 5 stars in my eyes.

Reclaim is a grassy, spring approved green with a smooth holographic effect. She's perfectly flawless in every way. And you won't find another alike.

If you love green and matte stay tuned, I have a special treat to share tomorrow and it's not Zoya Veruschka - but just as worthy.

Did you guys pick up Nubar's Going Green last year? What are your faves from the collection?

FEATURED - Thursday, March 4th 2010

Going Green: Icing Lucky Charm, Lucky Lady

Are you guys ready for a double shot of GREEN from Icing by Claire's? I'm uber excited to share two new colors that's hot off the press. Lucky Charm (above) is the perfect glitter to sport on St. Patty's Day. It's described as a fine green glitter based in a clear polish.

Even though I used four coats in my swatch above, you can probably get by with three thicker ones. And the finish dries to a gritty matte texture - but nothing a thick top coat can't fix.

Check out Lucky Lady below.    

I feel like one Lucky Lady to stumble upon this gorgeous green, on top of that it's a shimmering MATTE! Everyone's hoping aboard the matte train nowadays including Icing. They had a few other colors to choose from, but nothing as spectacular as this one.

How is the application you ask? No swipe lines! Absolutely flawless! Perfection! I'd say Lucky Lady is one of the slowest drying mattes out there, which is what I prefer anyways.

Check out a glossy version below.

And if you're not a matte lover, no worries - just add a glossy top coat. 

When I first saw Lucky Lady, Veruschka came to mind. As you can see, Zoya's has much more shimmer, but all in all both are close in base color.

What do you think of Icing's new greens? Have a wonderful Thursday!    

FEATURED - Saturday, March 13th 2010

MAC Riveting Matte: Studded Nail Polish

MAC's Riveting is a salute to Rock Goddesses everywhere with a collection of three, limited edition matte nail lacquers. Today I'll be sharing a striking silver metal called, Studded. The other two colors are: Wham, Blam, Glam - a deep taupe creme and Black Enough - a flat jet black creme. 

Studded is the perfect accessory to tag along with those sexy black booties. It's a gorgeous silvery gray matte with shimmer (think OPI Suede's). The application was great - no streak lines or problems with 2-3 coats.

Try layering Studded over black for a deeper base color. Check out a comparison below.  

Compared to other shimmering mattes, MAC's Studded is considerably lighter.

Overall - Of all three colors from Riveting, Studded is the star attraction. Did you pick up anything from the collection? What do you guys think of this color?

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