NOTD: Nail Juice Dragon
One coat of Nail Juice Dragon over two coats of China Glaze Aqua Baby.
Stranger Things
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
he wasn't even looking at me and he found me
TVSTRANGERTHINGS
I'd rather be in outer space šø

ellievsbear
we're not kids anymore.

#extradirty
PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH
šŖ¼

ā
will byers stan first human second
One Nice Bug Per Day
Misplaced Lens Cap
Xuebing Du

Andulka
trying on a metaphor
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her

⣠Chile in a Photography ā£
$LAYYYTER

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@leonacarolina
NOTD: Nail Juice Dragon
One coat of Nail Juice Dragon over two coats of China Glaze Aqua Baby.
Review: Obscurus wax melts
Home fragrance has become super popular in the past few years, and I have definitely been on the wax melt train. While I still enjoy the āOGā (Scentsy), Iāve also been branching out into indie brands.
Introducing Obscūrus, a sister brand to Femme Fatale! While FF focuses on nail polishes and cosmetics, Obscūrus products are for the bath, body, and home. Featuring a darker aesthetic, inspiration is drawn from medieval history, theology, alchemy, and occultism, among other themes.
As you can see, I have accumulated quite the stash of ObscÅ«rus wax melts since the brandās launch earlier this year! There are core scents, limited seasonal releases, and a wax of the month which is based on fan suggestions (join the Facebook group to suggest your scent!).
Today, Iām warming Fortitude from the recent Fall 2018 collection titled āGreater Secretsā. Fortitude is inspired by the tarot card of the same name and is described as āfreshly baked pumpkin pie loaded with pecans, spicy cinnamon, brown sugar and whipped creamā. This scent is perfect for the cooler weather!
Overall, Iāve really enjoyed the ObscÅ«rus wax melts that I have purchased. Iāve not been disappointed with a scent to date, and I think the ObscÅ«rus team do a great job of describing the notes in each melt. Strongly fragranced but not overpowering, I find each cube has a great throw for about 15 hours (for me, about two days of melt time). This may vary on your warmer, however, as some run hotter than others - particularly if you are using a non-electric one.
My top picks are:
Agoraphobia - ātooth-achingly sweet fizzy citrus bubbles, ginger ale, tart red grapes & plums with a hint of lilyā
Red Moon - āwarm buttermilk doughnuts rolled in sticky sugar and oozing strawberry and raspberry jamā
Cardinal Sin (September WOTM) - āexotic black tea infused with sweet lychee, summer berries, and a touch of marshmallowā
You can buy Obscūrus products at Femme Fatale. Shop here!
P.S. - my warmer is the AU/NZ version of Scentsy Carrara.
Bottle Spam: Assorted Polishes #4
More polish macros to feast your eyes upon - yay!
Australis Flip Flops - there is a little bit of a story behind me getting this polish! I found it in a clearance bin for a bit more than I wanted to spend, so I reluctantly put it back and moved on. As soon as I got home, I regretted my choice so when I was back in the same store a few weeks later I went hunting for it again. They had one bottle left - marked down to $3! Totally meant to be!
OPI Alcatraz... Rocks
China Glaze Your Present Required
Girly Bits Crunchy Leaves
KB Shimmer Clown Puke
NOTD: Bow Polish and studs
Bow Polish Orangina and Bow Polish Doll Everyone - three coats of both.
NOTD: Femme Fatale Floral Rain
Iām super busy these days, juggling part-time work, part full-time grad study, and all of the regular ālife stuffā too. This blog has been put on the back-burner with the intention of returning to it properly once I have my routine sorted, but itās become clear that I canāt magically find extra time in my day. So, moving forward, I will continue to post, but the blog will mostly be photos will little or no accompanying commentary. The writing part takes time and itās the part I procrastinate on the most. It make sense for me to cut that. I hope you understand!
This polish is Femme Fatale Floral Rain. Iām not sure if this is two or three coats, but itās certainly no more than that!
Haul: Lovisa
I recently set foot in Lovisa for the first time and guys, I am in love. That store is amazing! I could spend so much time and money in there. I thought Equip (and before that, Diva) was amazing but something about Lovisa is just... better! Good thing as my prior fave Equip is long gone!
These bright earrings will be the perfection addition to a summer outfit! I'm dreaming of a crisp white dress and coral lips...
I don't often see red and pink paired together, but I thought these earrings contrasted the two colours well.
These earrings are so itty bitty and adorable! Again, perfect for the summer thanks to their colour palette.
I really liked the colour selection in this set of studs.
Flowers!
Gold and purple is another awesome colour combination.
The layers of this blue and silver necklace looked a little bit boho - another trend perfect for the warmer months!
NOTD: Manis That (Almost) Didnāt Make It #5
Two coats of Femme Fatale Twinkle Twinkle over two coats of an unnamed Academy of Colour matte blue polish. One of my first manis after filing my nails square - I still hadnāt got the hang of the shape yet.
Nail Juice Indigo Skies is a gorgeous deep purple with silver flakies throughout. This one needed more care to photograph than my hurried job provided!
Femme Fatale A Fortune Tellerās Charm is a gorgeous turquoise to gold thermal with lots of gold glitter too. It turns out itās really hard to capture thermal transitions well on camera! This is three coats. It wears like iron - I took these photos after work, and it still looks perfect!
Despite using a coat of Gelous and a thick layer of Seche Vite, Darling Diva Polish Little Red Corvette looks chunky and bumpy. Itās an absolutely gorgeous red glitterbomb when you get the glassy, smooth finish right - unfortunately, I did not! I layered two coats over one coat of Zoya Amal.
This shade of pink looked alright in person but for some reason, looks really awful on my skintone in photos! This is one coat of Sweet Tips Nails Macaron, a glitter topper with shades of pink and gold, over three coats of Nail Juice Meadow.
Swatches: Avon Simply Pretty Lipsticks
A few months ago, I received the entire Avon Simply Pretty range of lipsticks as a gift. Not the PR kind of gift, though! I havenāt tried Avon cosmetics in years and years so I was very interested to give these a go. There are nine shades in the collection.
The packaging is plain and simple, yet sturdy. Going by the name of the range and the price point, these lipsticks are intended to be cheap and cheerful with no frills, and that is exactly what they deliver! The tubes are less pink than my photos show - they are more of a medium purple in person.
From left to right, Graceful Nude, Rich Terracotta, and Copper Gleam. Graceful Nude is a sheer nude with a sheen but no visible shimmer, while Copper Gleam is a bit darker and more opaque with tiny sparkles. Rich Terracotta looks more brown in the tube, which explains why I put it in with the nudes! It is in fact a deep brick red. It is decently opaque with a creme formula and a slight glossy sheen.
Next up, the pinks! From left to right, Amethyst, Darling Mauve, and True Rose. Amethyst is a medium pink with silver sparkles. Darling Mauve pulls a little more purple in person than it does in my photos. Itās a lovely muted yet dark pink with a creme finish.Ā True Rose is similar to Amethyst, but has a berry undertone and less prominent shimmer.
From left to right, Red Rose, Romance, and Soft Berry. Red Rose is a glossy creme red which goes on a little sheer but can be built up easily. Romance is a pink-red with an almost metallic sheen - itās super shimmery! Soft Berry is the shade I probably would have named Amethyst if it were up to me. Itās a sheer, pale mauve with subtle shimmer.
Overall, I really like this lipstick range. Every shade has decent colour payoff, although some are sheerer than others. They all benefit from the use of a matching lipliner, though, especially if you have pigmented lips like me! I think these lipsticks are particularly suited for those days where you want more of an āundoneā look - sometimes you donāt feel like a full face of foundation, concealer, etc., and then the hassle of lipliner and blotting and constantly checking that your lipstick hasnāt transferred to teeth, face, hair throughout the day. If you skip liner, these lippies are an easy wash of colour, and their emollient formula makes them very moisturising.
I canāt find these lipsticks on the Avon New Zealand website anymore, so they may have been recently discontinued. Iām not sure if these are still available in other countries, so if youāre interested your best bet is to ask your local Avon rep! My top picks from this range are Red Rose, True Rose, and Darling Mauve. Which are your favourites?
Daily Outfit: Transitional
Top: Garage @ The Warehouse
Leggings: eBay
Shoes: Garage @ The Warehouse
Earrings: eBay
Makeup - Eyes: Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara and Covergirl Lasy Exact mascara
Brows: BH Cosmetics Flawless brow pencil in Medium
Lips: Kmart Lips & Tips lipstick in Milk Chocolate
Face: Maybelline Baby Skin primer, Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer, Maybelline Superstay Better Skin powder, and Maybelline Master Glaze blush in Pinched Pink
Nails: Femme Fatale Fairyduster
Whatās this? An outfit post? Itās been a while, hasnāt it!? Iām juggling two jobs plus study at the moment so itās been hard finding time for the blog. I hope things will settle down as my new routine becomes more familiar. Outfit posts in particular take a bit of effort and I simply havenāt had much to spare!
I really love pairing oversized shirts with leggings for transitional weather, like autumn and spring. You get the best of both worlds: comfort for those wet days spent inside, and light warmth for cold snaps and chilly mornings!
NOTD: Pretty & Polished My Sage Advice
This gorgeous murky green shade is Pretty & Polished My Sage Advice, a polish which only recently joined my collection thanks to Black Friday (haul post coming soon!). My Sage Advice is part of the Dusty Cremes line and from a distance, looks like a muted pale green creme. Up close, you can see tiny little black or dark grey flecks throughout. All of the polishes in the range have these specks but as far as I can tell from swatches online, they are more visible in lighter shades like this one. I really love the effect!
My photos show two coats of My Sage Advice, plus topcoat. The formula was perfection! I had no issues at all. A lovely polish to apply and wear!
NOTD: Femme Fatale Cabin Fever
I donāt even know where to begin with todayās NOTD! Thereās so much going on! And it looks so amazing! Ok, breathe... this mani is one coat of Femme Fatale Cabin Fever over two coats of Glitter Gal Whiteout. Cabin Fever is a clear-based topper polish with iridescent glitter, black glitter, and a red shimmer flash. Whiteout is a sheer white with holo glitter and a similar red shimmer flash. You see? I just had to pair them together! They were simply made for each other!
My photos show this mani in both sunlight and shade. In full sun or direct light, the holo glitter from Whiteout comes out to play and the base colour looks brighter. In the shade, the red flash from both polishes and the iridescent glitters from Cabin Fever are more visible, and the base colour seems to darken to a cream. Itās a real shapeshifter! While there is still a little VNL after three coats between the two polishes, I think thereās enough going on in the mani to distract from extra white at your tips. I absolutely love this combination!
FYI - Femme Fatale Cabin Fever was released late 2016 as a limited edition shade, but itās still available on some stockist websites if youāre interested. I found it at Color4Nails, Beautometry, Rainbow Connection UK, and Shiro Cosmetics.
Bottle Spam: Star Kin
Although Star Kin is currently on an indefinite hiatus, I couldnāt resist sharing some bottle shots of Amiās past creations. Perhaps if I blog enough about the brand, she will feel pressured to make a comeback? Worth a try, right!?
Star Kin Blurple Mayhem
Star Kin Noely - I love the colour mix in this one!
Star Kin Magic - this was the very first Star Kin I ever fell in love with. It reminds me of fairies! It's so delicate and precious. I wore it here!
Star Kin Stellar - this polish came to life as a custom for Serra. I think the glitter mix is very unique, and I love the colours used. See my NOTD using this polish here!
Star Kin Fraise - this was a freebie polish I received in a promo at some point. I love the mix of reds and pinks and it has star glitters and flower glitters. I can't even handle it! It's just too awesome for words.
NOTD: Polish Me Silly Chicks Rule
Honestly, pale pink isnāt my favourite polish shade to wear. Iād rather pick a vibrant gem-toned hue - but sometimes, I just get a hankering for something feminine and subtle and sweet. That is the place where this mani was born! I used three coats of Essie Pop Art Pink as my base shade. It has a jelly formula and can be built up to opacity but still retains a kind of softness to its colour. I then topped the Essie with one coat of Polish Me Silly Chicks Rule, a clear-based glitter topper with bright orange, pink, and purple. The glitters have a little translucency to them which means they pop so brightly over white but take on a more muted tone when layered over a coloured base.
My bottle of Chicks Rule is actually from the Lush Lacquer days but I think Polish Me Silly continued to sell this shade in new bottles once they rebranded. However, itās not currently listed in their Etsy store, sadly!
NOTD: Femme Fatale Mad as a Hatter
Surprise - new nail shape! I never thought I would enjoy wearing square nails as much as I am but Iām really loving the look. They are also so much easier to maintain compared to the round things I used to rock! Todayās NOTD is two coats of Femme Fatale Mad as a Hatter. This is such a complex and unique polish! It does look a lot better in person, though. The contrast between the flakies and the dark jelly base is much more visible. Unfortunately, this polish is discontinued, but keep your eye out on blog sales or join the Facebook group āThe FF Bazaarā for all your bygone Femme Fatale lemmings!
Haul: BH Cosmetics
BH Cosmetics is a brand that has been on my radar for a while, but Iād never purchased from them until recently. I decided to take the plunge as part of my never-ending quest for the perfect brow products. They had some eyebrow stuff that looked like it could work for me, and of course some other items came along for the ride too.
Hereās everything all packaged up in their boxes! I feel like cheaper brands generally skip boxes for their items and, while I understand the reasoning behind that choice, I still feel fancy having to unbox things, even if I did pay no more than US$4 an item...
The Flawless Brow Trio comes in a sturdy, sleek black case, with a decent sized mirror and a little brush. One end of the brush is angled while the other is rounded. The quality of the brush is OK, but the size of it just doesnāt work for me. As for the brow stuff itself; pigmentation is good but the colours are not quite right for me, so I have popped this in my destash pile. The brow gel on the left is too dark and slightly too warm for my brows, the middle powder is too light and simply looks silly on me, and the right is, again, too warm. They all looked so promising in the pan!
Next, I picked up two shades of the Flawless Brow Pencil, Brunette and Medium (top to bottom and left to right). These pencils are so deceiving! Looking at the tips you expect a grey and a taupe, but instead you get two browns! Brunette seems a little warm in my swatch but once I blend it through my brows it actually matches very well. I originally loved using these two pencils together by feathering Medium through the first third of my brows and Brunette through the rest, but using one or the other in my entire brow has more recently become my go-to for every day wear.
I also grabbed a bunch of the Waterproof Lip Liners because I feel like I am always in need of lip liners! I chose some colours that I know I didnāt really have in my makeup collection. In the top swatch pic, from left to right, we have Brazen, Delight, and Playful, and in the second photo, again from left to right, Rosy, Stripped, and Petal. These liners are very pigmented, and quite soft and creamy - the latter may even be more of a hindrance than a help...
While I was swatching Delight, the tip snapped clean off! While this isnāt a big deal, it is vaguely inconvenient. Despite being plastic, the casing does sharpen effortlessly, though. I would still hate for this to happen if I was getting ready in a rush!
My first impressions of BH Cosmetics products are pretty positive. Iām certainly not shouting from the rooftops about these items but they are decent for the price I paid! I highly recommend you purchase from this company during a sale, though, for no other reason than they always have percentage reductions on a bunch of stuff, or coupon codes for gifts with purchase. Why pay full price when you donāt have to, hey? If the things you want arenāt on sale, check back in a few days time. They change up their offerings pretty regularly!
NOTD: Delush Polish A Very Neat Monster
Today I have yet another Delush Polish to share with you! This is two coats of Delush A Very Neat Monster over two coats of my go-to black creme, China Glaze Liquid Leather. The various green glitters in the dark jelly base give a kind of swampy, murky vibe. I did have a bit of a hard time getting the large holo circle glitters out but I think it makes for a cool mani even when missing those.
NOTD: Delush Polish A Peony For Your Thoughts
I know white crellies might not be ācoolā anymore, but sometimes I feel the pull of nostalgia and just need one on my nails. This offering is Delush Polish A Peony for Your Thoughts. The pink and purple glitter mix is very whimsical and fun, and I love the large circles! I had a little trouble with the formula, though. It was quite thick, and after thinning it a little, I found the glitter a little harder to get out of the bottle. I guess the thicker consistency is intentional to suspend those big pieces but it did not make for an easy application experience, personally!
I used three coats for full opacity and to level everything out, but in future I would definitely use a white base and go for two coats of Peony. You donāt really see the glitter from the first coat after three so it seems like a waste of a pretty polish!