Tag Archives: Beauty

China Glaze DV8 nail polish review

Posted on May 4, 2011 | Leave a comment

As you’ll know by now, I try and avoid nail polish jargon – largely because I don’t understand it myself! I made a recent exception for flakies, although I prefer my  more descriptive term ‘amazing shreds of rainbow awesomeness’, and now I’m going to make another exception for ‘holos’ – basically because I’ve become obsessed with the things! So here goes with my first holo, China Glaze’s DV8.

… Actually, it’s my second. I stumbled upon China Glaze’s IDK on a dusty shelf in a little shop in Tsim Sha Tsui and bought it on a whim, only to be instantly spellbound by the hidden rainbow hues which came out to play in the sunlight. Little did I know, I had happened upon a much-sought-after holo from China Glaze’s discontinued OMG Collection, which nail bloggers still discuss misty-eyed although it was launched (and withdrawn) two years ago!

Holo is basically shorthand for holographic – and that clicking noise you hear is the sound of me “getting it”! It basically refers to an elusive type of glitter that reflects the whole rainbow right back at you when you hit a magic angle in strong light. It’s the kind of effect you may remember from stickers you used to collect when you were little, the rare shiny sparkly ones that would often have a special page in your sticker book and as such, were worth big stakes when trading amongst your friends. Well, you might have grown up, but nothing changes! Bloggers practically devour holographic nail polish, are constantly on the hunt for new and stronger holos and dream of rare swaps… and now I’ve become an addict too!

After hitting up the afore-mentioned shop in TST to claim whatever stock of the OMG Collection they had left (not much), I was still hungry for more. I thought I could wait until China Glaze released its much-anticipated Tronica Collection this spring, which was allegedly chock-full of rainbow goodness, but reviews started filtering in reckoning these weren’t proper holos at all… so I decided I had to source the OMG Collection whatever the cost! Hence how I got ripped off ridiculous amounts of money at a shop in Causeway Bay instead.

But it was so soooo worth it. A good holo is a thing of rare enchanting beauty and a danger to my personal safety as I find myself staring at my nails when I should be concentrating on things like crossing roads. And DV8 has to be one of the best of the lot.

A strongly-pigmented teal colour, it’s a pretty amazing aquamarine even without the rainbow shimmer, which is highly visible under strong sunlight or artificial light. Such an intense bright colour is actually pretty rare in the strange magical world of holos – it seems easier to make them in pale silvery shades, which are consequently much easier to find. Factor in the spectrum of multi-coloured hues that flit your way when the mood takes them and this oceanic stunner becomes one of the seven wonders of the nail polish world.

Under artificial light

The rainbow rays in here seem to reflect a much more mermaid-themed palette of glittering greens, blues and golds as opposed to the usual full ‘shine a crystal in sunlight’ kaleidoscope of colours, but that just suits the magnificent marine theme even more. DV8 feels like a treasure unearthed from the deep, guarded by sirens but rescued for your wearing pleasure: glowing, glittering, gorgeous.

I had no problems in applying this over a base and the formula was easy to work with – two thin coats and you’re done! Holos are also renowned for chipping fairly quickly (IDK flaked off into papery pieces without notice) but incredibly, DV8 lasted well over a week in picture-perfect condition. Maybe it’s to do with that stronger colour pigment but seriously, is there anything about this nail polish not to love?!

So forget about the pot of gold at the end, it’s all about the rainbow. And DV8 deserves to be celebrated with all the delight of a double one!

Looks good with: summer, bright colours, high contrast
Drying time: 2 mins
Coats required: 2
Chips: +5 days

China Glaze DV8 nail polish, Spring 2009 OMG Collection, ridiculous sum of money, Senda Salon


Leave a comment

Posted in Beauty

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Make-Up Miracles: Sebamed Hand & Nail Repair Cream review

Posted on May 1, 2011 | Leave a comment

*UPDATE: I have since discovered some even more miraculous hand creams – check out my post here to find out more!*

You may have picked up from previous posts that a year at kindergarten dealing with adhesives, snotty children and copious amounts of antibacterial hand-wash on a daily basis left me ravaged, dry, scaly and flaking – and that was just my hands! Or should that be hooves. Seriously, I had the hands of an 18th century scullery maid… in her 60s.

I went through numerous hand creams, body butters, lotions, potions and prayers without any making much of a difference – and some even seemed to make it worse! But one day, reading through the SCMP’s Young Post section (and, in my opinion, the only readable part of the paper), I saw Sebamed’s Hand & Nail Repair Cream receiving a glowing recommendation. I’d had previous success with Young Post recommendations – it was they who put me in the direction of previous make-up miracle, Atorrege AD+ Spots Treatment – and the product didn’t seem too pricey, so I thought I’d give it a go.

I’ve not looked back since. I’ve since discovered that Sebamed is a bit of a hidden gem, a no-frills brand with plain packaging that gets great word-of-mouth Stateside. Their products are formulated to a neutral pH of exactly 5.5, the precise pH of healthy skin (soap, for instance, is a different pH and this is one reason why it can dry out and break up some skins), and this strengthens and stabilises the ‘natural barrier function of the skin’s acid mantle’ (I presume this is make-up speak for protects the skin so your skin can protect you!). Meanwhile, their gentle mild formulas are perfect for sensitive skin.

Their Hand & Nail Repair Cream was no exception. The medium consistency of the lotion seemed nothing to write home about but it absorbs super-quickly and is not at all greasy or oily, like some of the richer lotions on the market. There is a slight ‘bathroom cabinet’ scent but nothing unpleasant, instead vaguely reassuring, and it disappears quickly anyway. The cream also contains ingredients like allantonin, which regenerates the skin and makes it soft and supple, and bisabolol (the active ingredient from camomile), which alleviates irritation.

Although the packing might not be fancy, some of the claims Sebamed make certainly are! They reckon this cream will increase the skin’s capacity to retain moisture, restore the elasticity of the skin, smooth relieve and soften dry chapped hands and strengthen the nails, preventing them from breaking. And for once, each and every single one of these claims came true!

My hands were so dry and flaky that snakes probably mistook them for scaly skin they had shed earlier; my fingers were so cracked that my fingerprints no longer match the ones saved on my HK ID card. But after weeks of regular use (that’s daily, nightly and whenever else I find myself anywhere near the bottle), they slowly started to improve. My hands do indeed feel softer, my dry patches have indeed been healed and my nails do indeed seem stronger and haven’t broken once (also thanks to my trusty Nail Tek II, no doubt!).

My ultra-chapped areas are recovering at a promising rate and are completely smoothed and softened immediately after use, with normal levels of flakiness more ‘too many washing-up sessions with strong detergent’ rather than ‘just endured a trek to the North Pole’ or ‘may be regenerating into fish scales’. I also rub the lotion into the rough patches on my elbows and it seems to do a better job than the much-lauded Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream.

My 300ml bottle with a pump dispenser – which, bear in mind, I use like it’s going out of fashion – lasts me between 6 to 10 months. You can also buy a smaller squeezy tube that’s perfect for on-the-go use to keep your mitts permanently moisturised, especially in HK’s inescapable blasts of sub-Arctic air-conditioning. One thing that could be improved is the amount of excess packaging – the bottle comes in an unnecessary cellophane-wrapped cardboard box, whilst there is also another unnecessary plastic case around the head of the pump.

Overall, my hands are somewhere back to the plump, soft, never-seen-a-day-of-hard-graft status that they were at before my stint with a class of wild five year olds. And it’s solely down to Sebamed (I suppose Young Post could get a biscuit too). So welcome Sebamed’s Hand & Nail Repair Cream into your gallery of make-up miracles too – your hands, and anyone else who has to touch them, will be forever grateful!

Sebamed Hand & Nail Repair Cream, available from Meka and selected Watsons

Leave a comment

Posted in Beauty

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel cleanser review

Posted on April 30, 2011 | 1 comment

I was recently lucky enough to be sent some small sample sachets for a brand new product to Hong Kong – Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel.

I love the concept of this ‘dual-phase’ product. It starts life as a thick luxurious translucent gel, which glides silkily smooth onto the face. Next, massage it into your skin with wet fingertips, thus melting it into a milky creamy emulsion. Finally, wipe or rinse it off and you’re left with deeply-cleansed, super-soft and ultra-radiant skin.

The Melting Cleansing Gel also contains one of the current ‘It ingredients’ for cosmetics, Argan oil, which comes stuffed with naturally-occurring minerals and is renowned for its restorative and nutritive properties. Other high-achieving ingredients include rice silk (to mattify and eliminate shine), assai fruit (an antioxidant that prevents the skin from drying out) and rosemary leaf (a purifying antioxidant).

Even though I only had enough of the stuff to last around four days, I was bowled over. Elemis, much like one of my favourite skincare brands Bliss, originated from spa treatments and therapies and the Melting Cleansing Gel has a similarly amazing luxurious feel to it. I’m used to cleansers feeling very workaday so it was a lovely way to inject a little bit of luxury to my daily routine. The texture really is meltingly beautiful, gooey gliding goodness – as if someone made the softest cashmere, silk and velvet into gel form.

The results are instantly noticeable. My skin felt deeply cleansed without any of those familiar feelings of tightness or dryness and I was instead left feeling refreshed, relaxed and with supremely soft skin to boot. My complexion definitely seemed brighter and lighter too. Other reviews have commented on a pleasant citrus scent but oops, I was clearly enjoying the gel to cream transition to notice!

Because the Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel offers such a deep clean that feels more moisturising rather than stripping, I think it would be ideal for sensitive skin. Despite the whole melting dual-phase technology, it’s not especially time-consuming and can easily fit into your everyday skincare routine.

With just enough sample for four uses, I can’t really comment on the product’s long-term effects or how long it lasts for and it might be a little bit pricey to make it into everyone’s daily regime. However, what I can say is that I was so impressed by the Melting Cleansing Gel that I would definitely recommend it to others and would even give it a full-time trial myself!

Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel, $380 for 125ml, available from Elemis Day Spa in Central and Elemis counters at Lane Crawford and Joyce Beauty.

1 Comment

Posted in Beauty

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Estessimo Tins The Splash Blue nail polish review

Posted on April 29, 2011 | 2 comments

Time for another glitterbomb, courtesy of Estessimo Tins The Splash Blue.

Remember that gorgeous frosty ‘Blue Fairy’ look I created by layering China Glaze White Cap and OPI Last Friday Night over China Glaze Sea Spray? Well, The Splash Blue is essentially that but better – and without having to go to the trouble of four coats of different polishes!

It’s an icy baby blue swirled with the trademark Estessimo Tins magic mixture of silver and holographic glitter. Unlike The Nepture, whose glitter seemed to reflect a whole galaxy of colours, this time the effect is much cooler – a palette of opalescent blues, greens and silvers that twinkle like a shaken up snow globe.

I love this dreamier approach to glitter for nail polish (file alongside OPI’s Teenage Dream), which is often categorised as being brash and in your face. Unfortunately, despite being exceedingly desperately pretty, it also seemed to bring out the red in my skin tone – making for those hideous blotchy fingers you see in the photos!

Sadly, my experience with The Splash Blue wasn’t as good as the one I had with The Neptune either. The formula felt much grittier and thicker and application was more difficult as it seemed a bit bumpy and lumpy. But once again, only two coats were required to get a fully opaque finish and although drying time is average, wear-time, as with The Neptune, was fantastic.

Other than Pinocchio’s Blue Fairy, the other thing this glittering glacial blue reminds me of are cute candy-coloured sorbets or ice-creams – topped with a sprinkling of fairy dust, of course! If you can put up with the slightly troublesome application, polishes probably don’t get much more magical than The Splash Blue!

Looks good with: pastels, soft shades, pretty summer frocks
Drying time: 5-7 mins
Coats required: 2
Chips: +7 days

Estessimo TINS 016 The Splash Blue nail polish, Spring 2004 Sweet Go Happy Collection, $85, Nail Concept Company

2 Comments

Posted in Beauty

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energising Eye Masks review

Posted on April 28, 2011 | Leave a comment

The third and final element of Bliss Spa’s Triple Oxygen trinity are their Triple Oxygen Instant Energising Eye Masks, sold in boxes of four. Bliss reckons that they’re like ‘an energy drink for the eye’ and they’re certainly more stylish than a DIY cucumber job, but are the results any more effective?

Bliss claim that the Triple O eye masks will brighten dark circles, de-puff under-eye bags (or in my case, should that be rucksacks?) and soften fine lines – all from one strip of fabric in just 15 minutes. The magic ingredients that make this possible? Three forms of ‘glow-inducing oxygenisation’, the antioxidant vitamin C and ‘puff-pummelling’ cucumber extract, all delivered via a liquid solution that you yourself soak into soft marine collagen pads via the super-innovative packaging.

The snazzy packing is definitely the most unique aspect of these masks. There are two compartments – one containing a pad to go under each eye, the other filled with a clear liquid solution. Bliss states that this keeps the active ingredients in their purest form, meaning they have ‘maximum potency’ once released onto your face.

All you have to do is press down on the fluid chamber until it pops, releasing the liquid onto the masks and saturating them until they look something like this:

Others have reported packs popping their contents all over their bathroom sinks, but I found it simple and fuss-free. You then peel away the foil back and place the pads under your eyes. Be warned – the soaking wet fabric is very soft and can tear easily, so be delicate! Instructions are printed both on the box and on the back of each pack so there’s no chance of forgetting what to do.

The pads themselves are also infused with all sorts of vitamins and minerals and freeze-dried to lock these goodies in – at the Bliss Spa evening, we were told that a huge percentage of people noticed a difference just by using the masks on their own without soaking in any of the solution.

The pads are so saturated that they drip quite a lot, so you really have no other option than to lie back, close your eyes and relax! I would also advise that you don’t use these immediately after you’ve applied moisturiser or any other product to your face, as the solution trickles down and you’ll end up wanting to rinse it all off afterwards. I’ve also found that if I place the pads too near your lashline, it irritates my eyes – it could just be the result of my sensitive eyes, whilst others have suggested it’s the active ingredients working their magic but either way, you may end up needing to adjust the placement a little.

There is no doubt that these Triple Oxygen eye masks are ultra, uber-refreshing. I store mine in the fridge, meaning that they’re even more deliciously cool and invigorating! It’s also surprising that even though they’re only for under your eyes unlike the more conventional masks on the market, they definitely leave your whole eye area feeling recharged and ready-to-go.

However, I honestly didn’t notice any difference to my dark circles, which remained as resolutely panda-like as ever, and only a minimal and temporary difference to under-eye puffiness. As yet (*frantically touching wood*), I don’t have any noticeable fine lines under my eyes so can’t really comment on that either, although my skin did feel softer. Although Bliss reckons the Triple O masks are a quick and easy solution for faking a full eight hours sleep, I’m unconvinced that the results are any better than getting a good dose of some serious shut-eye – or indeed a bout with any other conventional eye masks that you might have hibernating in your fridge.

Where these eye masks are a definite winner is in terms of pure relaxation. Unlike the Triple O face mask, which you can wear whilst still going about your daily chores (even if you might scare your boyfriend in the process!), the drippy nature of the eye pads really forces you to take some time out. Whether or not you view this as a positive or negative depends on your lifestyle as much as anything else but the cooling sensation is so refreshing and energising that it really deserves to be wallowed in and enjoyed!

For me, the eye masks are the least essential of Bliss’ Triple Oxygen products – the face mask is one of my make-up miracles whilst I was also mightily impressed with the moisturising cream – and, for the price, they’re more of a luxury than a must-have. However, if you’re in need of adding some extra zing to your peepers and fancy treating your indulgent side, these might just be ‘eye’deal!

Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energising Eye Masks, available from Bliss Spa @ W Hotel, Kowloon, or Bliss counters at Faces and Lane Crawford.

Leave a comment

Posted in Beauty

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Estessimo Tins The Neptune nail polish review

Posted on April 27, 2011 | Leave a comment

‘They’ve got SNILs!’ Boyfriend told me, as I continued to hunt around a shop for nail polish. I, of course, ignored him. What the hell are SNILs?! Probably some football-related nonsense. But he kept repeating himself until I was finally dragged over to see the ‘SNILs’, which were in fact Estessimo TINS, a Japanese nail polish brand renowned for their glitters that I had declared an interest in but days ago.

Most of their polish names begin with an entirely irrelevant and unnecessary ‘The’, which many find amusing but I find sort of charming and quirkily cool. Plus, the definite article implies special-ness and individuality, which these polishes have in spades. And good on them for not going down the boring names and numbers route so beloved of Asian cosmetics companies – hi Majolica Majorca V1494 and Sasatinnie FCGL002!

So here we have The Neptune, from their All Night Stars Collection, which was named entirely after planets. Perfectly-named, may I add, because these heady hits of colour and glitter send you shooting straight to the stars.

The Neptune is a mid-toned indigo shot through with silver glitter and larger round holographic glitter particles. In short, it’s total starry-studded night sky stuff. One coat gives you a pale pretty lilac kind of colour, two is the lovely shade of not-quite-blue not-quite-purple that’s pictured and three intensifies it to a deeper, darker colour that’s heading more towards midnight yet all look like they’ve come from a galaxy far far away. A galaxy that’s been hit with a shed-load of glitter, of course.

For those that love their glitterbombs, look no further. The Neptune is practically dripping in sparkle. And even though it’s saturated in silver glitter and bouncing off the ceiling with those bigger rainbow-reflecting particles, enough of that lovely base colour still shines through. Glitter may as well be Estessimo Tins middle name.

Application was easy, the brush was medium-sized leaning more towards the thin and it was pretty opaque in just the one coat. Yes, you’re hearing that right – ONE. Normally, glitters have to be built up to two coats on a good day but usually at least three or four to get any decent coverage of the sparkly stuff yet this has more glitter going on in one swipe than most polishes manage in a lifetime.

That amount of glitter obviously means you don’t get a finish that feels smooth yet it looks smooth and not at all gritty, which is, in glitter terms, practically as good as it gets. It stayed chip-free for an age… or should that be a light year… and what’s more, unlike OPI’s Sparkle-licious, it wasn’t utterly nightmarish to remove. I even managed it with a non-acetone remover without rubbing my skin off in the process!

I also loved the base colour of The Neptune. I mentioned in my review of OPI’s Ink how many nail bloggers seemed to have forgotten the term indigo existed, instead making up the word ‘blurple’, and I’ve also detailed how difficult a colour it can be to pitch right (remember the inky dull disaster that was Zoya’s Pinta). But The Neptune manages to nail (ho ho ho) even that! The perfect little bear portion of blue and purple, it would be a pretty dreamy colour on its own, and that’s before you’ve mixed in a solar system’s worth of sparkly stuff.

Seriously, look how prettily those particles glow against that indigo backdrop! Red, pink, blue, green, gold, copper, purple – they’ve got it all. Astronauts would probably be disappointed with how the real galaxy looks in comparison once they’ve seen this baby.

The Neptune was so impressive that it’s got me seriously wondering if I’ll ever bother with other brand’s glitters again. Even if I’ll never be able to think of Estessimo Tins as anything other but SNILs ever again!

Estessimo TINS 023 The Neptune nail polish, Winter 2003 All Night Stars Collection, $85, Nail Concept Company

Looks good with: Black, constellations, star-gazing
Drying time: 5-7 mins
Coats required: 2
Chips: +7 days

Leave a comment

Posted in Beauty

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Make-Up Miracles: Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energising Mask review

Posted on April 24, 2011 | 2 comments

You may remember, about a year ago, I had one of the best days of my life thanks to a bag full of Bliss goodies sent by the lovely folk at Flare Communications. Yes, the way to my heart is paved with free make-up. As if Flare (and in particular, the gorgeous Bastian) hadn’t been generous enough, they sent me ANOTHER package to see in Chinese New Year. Wonderful wonderful people indeed. Once my gleeful dancing had subsided, I realised I hadn’t reviewed nearly enough Bliss products on here, so here’s a Make-Up Miracle that’s been a long time coming – the Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energising Mask.

I think I left it so long for purely selfish reasons; basically, I didn’t want to let the rest of the world in on this stunning skincare secret! The Triple Oxygen Mask delivers spa-fresh skin in five minutes all from the comfort of your own home – ok, that home may not be quite as comfortable as Bliss Spa (bring on the brownie buffet) but, for a fraction of the price, the results are almost as spectacular as the famous Triple Oxygen facial itself.

I was recommended the Triple Oxygen Mask by the Bliss therapist who did my facial, who said it would help prevent the bacteria that caused spots. These invariably hang around looking red and angry on my pale skin long after the pimple itself had done its worst and she reckoned the mask would help restore my fair skin to its natural blemish-free radiance (well, I’m sure it’s lurking somewhere!). Give the woman a pay rise because she was so so right.

The mask comes out the pump dispenser as a pale peach gel with a light fresh fruity scent to it (the same apricot-esque aroma as the Triple Oxygen Energising Cream), which you then massage onto damp skin. You have to work reasonably quickly, as this is what happens (be warned, immense ugliness follows):

It foams! And then it foams some more! Be warned, it tickles! This, I presume, is the oxygen part happening right before your eyes – and Bliss says, it’s this that creates a hostile environment for those evil blemish-causing bacteria, which are anaerobic and thus can’t survive in the presence of some good old O2. The formula also contains Vitamin C, which lightens and tightens the skin, plus antioxidants that protect against damage from those pesky free radicals.

The foaming dies down after about five minutes, leaving a sticky residue that you rinse off and follow with your favourite moisturiser. And that’s all there is to it!

For something so quick easy and fuss-free (it’s really no more work than a good cleanser), the results are nothing short of miraculous. Well, this section *is* called Make-Up Miracles! Your skin looks instantly rejuvenated, fresher, brighter and more radiant. What’s more, this gorgeous glow doesn’t disappear as quickly as the foam itself – you’re certain to still see the effects for at least a few days afterwards. Those oxygen bubbles must deliver one hell of a pep talk to dull sallow skin!

The Bliss Triple Oxygen Energising Mask may seem a little pricey at first yet it has effectively wiped out my previous expenditure on monthly facials – quite simply, the results from this at-home treatment were more obviously and instantly radiant than from the work of my local beauticians. I also think that the noticeable glow lasts long enough to ensure you wouldn’t really need to use it more than once a week anyway and certainly not every day, so one bottle lasts for quite a while.

The Triple Oxygen Mask works really well as an impact treatment, when your skin just looks sucky and continues to do so no matter what you do and however many Glee songs you sing. One application and five minutes later and your complexion is so invigorated that it may as well come complete with a sparkling sound effect!

In short, it does everything you’d expect a Make-Up Miracle to do. Hence why it’s here. Obvious really!

Check out my review of another great face mask (that smells like chocolate!) here

Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energising Mask, available in Hong Kong via Bliss Spa @ W Hong Kong in Kowloon, or Bliss counters at Faces and Lane Crawford

2 Comments

Posted in Beauty

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sasatinnie Intergalactic Wow nail polish review

Posted on April 11, 2011 | 1 comment

Having given you time to mull over my first flakie nail polish, it’s time for another review from my Sasa haul. So following hot on the glittery-pretty heels of FCGL001, it’s… Sasatinnie FCGL002! Imaginative, right?

FCGL002 is waaaay too beautiful to be known by a string of letters and numbers that make it sound more like a hazardous chemical than a thing of wonder, so I’ve renamed it Intergalactic Wow. It’s a deep deadly nightshade purple swirled with silver micro-glitter and an abundance of glowing coppery-pinky-purply opalescent shreds, with such a mesmerising magic about it that you do feel like you’re being sucked into another galaxy. In case you’re in any doubt, it is 100% totally gorgeous.

Out of all three Sasatinnie flakies I bought, Intergalactic Wow had by far the biggest and the most ‘amazing shreds of rainbow awesomeness’ (I’m thinking of patenting the term). Again, there was a thin watery first coat and a somewhat toxic stink, but once you’ve layered on two to three coats of this lovely, you get a colour with such depth and richness to its shimmers and glimmers that you can barely remember your own name let alone whatever minor hardships it took to achieve. It reminded me of the photos you see from outer space – those vivid and multi-textured hues of a planet’s surface, topped off with starry sprinkles and flaming comets – hence the name I gave it. By now, the ‘Wow’ part should be pretty self-explanatory!

Hunting around the web, it looks like Intergalactic Wow may even be a dupe (nail polish jargon for identical twin) for OPI’s Merry Midnight, a colour from its 2009 Holiday Wishes Collection and long since discontinued. It certainly has the same red-based plum base colour, although from some photos, it looks like Sasatinnie’s polish may have even more flakie goodness going on! And for a fraction of the price to boot!

Intergalactic Wow was, unsurprisingly, my favourite of all the Sasatinnie lacquers I purchased. That it only cost $24 is nothing short of incredible; it easily outshines many of the other premium polishes I own, in terms of drying time, staying power and the most importantly, that magnificent colour pay-off. After all, why else would I have put ‘Wow’ in the name?!

Looks good with: black, star-gazing, cosmic wonder
Drying time: <2 mins
Coats required: 2-3
Chips: +5 days

Sasatinnie FCGL002 “Intergalactic Wow” nail polish, Super Dolly Fantasy Quick Dry Collection, $24, Sasa

1 Comment

Posted in Beauty

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

OPI The One That Got Away nail polish review

Posted on April 11, 2011 | 2 comments

Slowly but surely, I’m attempting to review all of the Katy Perry nail polishes before OPI’s Summer Collection comes out, so it’s down to The One That Got Away to get us over the camel’s hump.

So far, we’ve had the colour-changing silvery star of the show Not Like The Movies and the pretty in pink Teenage Dream. The One That Got Away is a deep bold but cool-toned fuchsia, with the merest smattering of glitter and shimmer, and yet it’s by far the most boring colour of the bunch.

The fact that there’s no other way to describe this shade than fuchsia should indicate part of the problem. It’s utterly one-dimensional, despite the metallic-glitter-shimmer effect that’s similar to the finish of The Show Must Go On. Whereas that polish glowed in a million different ways and was made even more unique by that beautiful finish, here those little flecks of glitter can’t save what is ultimately a flat and run-of-the-mill colour from being boring – a word which, love her or hate her, is so very un-Katy Perry.

I think it looks nicer and sparklier in my photos (especially the one below, taken in strong sunlight) than it did in real life. Even my boyfriend, who rarely manages to rouse himself from anything but boredom in regards to my nails, said he didn’t like it. I wore it with First Mate, hardly the world’s most exciting colour, on the other hand – and somehow, an inky navy crème managed to outshine a bright glittery shiny metallic. Speaks for itself, doesn’t it?

The One That Got Away? If only! Annoyingly for a colour that I didn’t like that much, it didn’t give me much of an excuse to take it off – opaque in two easy breezy coats and chip-free for WELL over a week. Since it hung around longer than a novelty record in the charts, I noticed that it seemed to lose some of its sheen as the week progressed, making a dull colour look even duller.

Without wanting to go on a full-on rant again, The One That Got Away does not even have the mitigating factor of being suited to its name. Once you’ve listened to the song itself, a wistful swoon down memory lane, it’s hard to reconcile this bright bold hue with any feelings of rose-tinted nostalgia – and for those that haven’t listened to the song, I’d argue that the phrase The One That Got Away has a sense of inbuilt sense of nostalgic longing anyway.

Perhaps I’m attaching too much stigma to the name; after all, ‘a rose by any other name would smell as sweet’. Alas, this rose smells of nothing but flat and uninspired. As far as I’m concerned, The One That Got Away can run for the hills.

Looks good with: Black, ignorance of the Katy Perry song
Drying time: 3-5 mins
Coats required: 2
Chips: +7 days

Read my reviews of the rest of the OPI Katy Perry Collection:
     •  Teenage Dream
     •  Not Like The Movies

OPI The One That Got Away nail polish, Spring 2011 Katy Perry Collection, $168 for four of four minis, selected Mannings

2 Comments

Posted in Beauty

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

China Glaze First Mate nail polish review

Posted on April 9, 2011 | Leave a comment

As some of you may know, I’m just a little excited about the Royal Wedding (she says, drinking out of a commemorative Royal Wedding mug, dining on commemorative Royal Wedding crockery and contemplating her giant commemorative Royal Wedding poster). I’ve also become obsessed with Kate Middleton – or to be more exact her amazing hair, which survives everything that horrible British weather and scores of unflattering paparazzi shots throw at it and still comes out looking beauty pageant perfect every time. So it was with Princess Kate in mind that I selected my next nail polish – China Glaze’s First Mate.

If you’re thinking that blue doesn’t seem a likely choice for the future Queen of England’s manicure (pretty neutrals all the way, right?), you’d be correct. I was in fact thinking of this iconic Kate moment in choosing it:

The royal blue Issa dress that Kate wore for the engagement announcement was just stunning. Flattering, sophisticated, just that little bit sexy and in an eye-popping shade that *stroke of genius moment* matches the iconic sapphire engagement ring. Apart from lusting after the dress (get me a cheapo high street copy, stat!), it’s had me lusting after that particular shade of cobalt for weeks on end. Enter First Mate, which has been photographed on many people’s blogs looking like this, i.e. a gorgeous hue of that striking blue:

(Note the long-suffering boyfriend’s look of disgust in the background, as I whip out a camera to take pictures of my nails yet again whilst probably droning on about Kate Middleton’s hair yet again.)

However, as I swiftly learned, First Mate only turns this colour in strong bright beating sunlight. Damn you bloggers with your indiscriminate use of flash! Under normal conditions, it actually looks like this:

That’s an inky, very dark, even a little dull, take on navy blue. Under most lightings, it’s actually almost black and is definitely a whole lot darker than the, dare I say it, Issa dress colour of the bottle. It’s got a nautical feel – well, it is from the Anchors Away Collection! – and also a certain Parisian chic to it. Navy in general is an underrated colour that’s extremely versatile and looks smart all year round, even if it isn’t a natural fit for spring. However, as has been well-documented, I’m just not a fan of dark colours on my nails, however great the polish.

This, incidentally, is First Mate’s middle ground, found in normal daylight. A nice enough navy but not exactly set to striking:

Application-wise, this was another China Glaze stellar performer. Nice smooth consistency, opaque in just one coat (though you might want to go two for added glossiness) and a steadfast defiance towards chipping.

I suppose First Mate will just about complement the royal blue found in the Union Jacks I’ll be frantically waving come April 29 and after all that, it looks like Kate’s dress, without the benefit of a million flash bulbs popping at it, also turns a similar inky navy too (see below)! So whilst First Mate is still flattering, sophisticated and just that little bit sexy, it’s just not the colour I was looking for. Even if that was the wrong colour in the first place… oh, never mind. God Save The Queen!

Looks good with: red, Breton stripes, the nautical look
Drying time: 5 mins
Coats required: 1-2
Chips: 7 days

China Glaze First Mate nail polish, Spring 2011 Anchors Away Collection, $60, Cher2

Leave a comment

Posted in Beauty

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,