OPI Honk If You Love OPI NOTD
In my quest to keep remembering that September = fall colors, I tried out OPI Honk If You Love OPI from the Touring America collection. Looking at the bottle, the color reminds me of grape juice concentrate- just the tiniest bit too red to be eggplant, but not quite dark enough for me to think of actual Concord grapes. (Which are, by the way, something I’m really craving now…). On the nail it comes out a shade darker, and a little less opaque.
Here’s a dry nail/bottle color comparison.
Both pictures are of two thin coats of polish. Application was easy and I had no issues with VNL, unlike with some of the more recent OPI shades. (Yes, I’m thinking of you, Texas collection.) I am dreading taking this one off- I’m sure that I’ll have stained nails underneath this rich color. I guess that just means I should give up and go dark, at least for the rest of the season.
Tony Moly Mini Berry Lip Balm SPF15, PA+
I picked up two Tony Moly Mini Berry Lip Balms the other day simply because the packaging was so cute. 01 is Cherry, and 02 Blueberry- I assume the balm inside is supposed to be correspondingly scented. But to me, 01 Cherry smells like blueberry candy and 02 Blueberry smells more like grape… it could very well be just me, though! Both scents remind me of tart candy- for some reason Pez comes to mind. 🙂
01 Cherry, 02 Blueberry
The balm inside is sheerly tinted, 01 Cherry being a warmer peachy pink and 02 Blueberry a cooler lavender-pink. The colors look very similar in the pot, but you can see the tonal difference once swatched/applied. Here are a couple of photos:
01 Cherry, 02 Blueberry
01 Cherry, 02 Blueberry
I really like these, mostly for the cuteness factor. I like to apply pot gloss with a lipbrush, but for those who don’t mind using a finger, these are totally portable and a cute addition to your makeup bag! They’re great for layering, too!
OPI Zom-body to Love (Spook-ettes mini)
I ordered Zom-body to Love after seeing pictures online, and was expecting a much darker color. In person, this polish looked to be a dark mint in the bottle and a much lighter mint applied. This is three coats, and as you can see, VNL is an issue. Perhaps Zom-body is meant to be used with the black crackle it’s paired with in a full-size duo, or layered on top of another color.
This glow-in-the-dark polish was one I’d been waiting for since seeing the promo pics, and I immediately put in on my nails to see how the glow effect would be once I turned out the lights (yes, I’m a dork, even though it was noon I went into an dark bathroom and shut the door). The glow is awesome, especially if you “charge” your nails first by holding them to a bright light for a few seconds! The only thing about this polish is that it has a weird texture. My pic makes it look deceivingly glossy, which it’s not. It’s kind of grainy, almost like a smoother version of the OPI cap itself. Or certain Formica countertops. Not necessarily a bad thing, just different.
Regardless of texture and coverage, the glow-in-the-dark feature makes this polish a keeper. It’s available in the Spook-ettes set as one of four minis, or as a full-size in the Pair ‘Em Scare ‘Em duo matched with a black crackle.
Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday
We just had the Chuseok/Moon Festival holiday in Asia, so I tried to choose a festive nail. And what polish could be more festive than Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday? It’s almost impossible NOT to feel cheery looking at the multicolored glitter in a clear base.
This was three coats applied rather carefully. It seems to take a little bit of strategic application to get the glitter to lay down evenly.
Here is a close-up shot. I couldn’t stop looking at my nails, they were so sparkly and fun!
I bought this polish as a single, but I had to order the Get This Party Started trio which features Happy Birthday, Candy Shop (pink-based polish, same multicolored glitter), and Forget You (black-based polish, same glitter). So now I have a spare of HB~ yay! I bet a primary colored polish with HB on the tips would be very pretty, an idea for next time!
September: Teal Toes for Ovarian Cancer
After reading BeautyJudy’s post on Teal Toes, I was inspired to pass the word on as well. September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month, and you can show your support by painting your toes teal. It’s simple, it’s fun, and it’s a great cause. For more information, go to the Teal Toes website , learn a few facts about ovarian cancer, paint your toes teal, and share your knowledge!
Here are a few teal polishes that I pulled from my collection. Since it is September, I tried to choose darker, fall-worthy teals to share here.
Top (L-R): OPI Cuckoo for This Color, OPI Sonic Bloom, OPI Ski Teal We Drop, OPI Catch Me in Your Net, OPI Yodel Me On My Cell, Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Lagoon, Misa Quirky Smile, Misa Krystal Water, Deborah Lippmann Across the Universe. Bottom (L-R): Nubar Disco Blue Glitter, Nubar Teal Glitter, China Glaze Custom Kicks, China Glaze Passion in the Pacific, China Glaze DV8, China Glaze Atlantis, Etude Dear Darling Nails Bling Bling in Bling Bling Blue, Orly Halley's Comet, SkinFood Pedicure Sparkle in Sparkle Cool Mint
I’ve also gotten a few requests for pedicure pictures, which I’m working on. I’m quite hesitant to post pictures of my unattractive feet, but here’s a pic to prove I’m sporting teal toes as well. I didn’t intend for this pic to end up in my journal- this is a beach shot from Shenzhen, where I just came back from. I’m wearing Orly Halley’s Comet.
From tealtoes.org I learned that ovarian cancer symptoms appear early on, and can mimic irritable bowel syndrome: bloating, difficulty eating or feeling full, pelvic/abdominal pain, and frequent urination/urinary urgency. Visit their website and get more facts! Early detection can make a world of difference, so if you think you have any of these symptoms, ask your gynecologist!
Small & Colorful Things! 