Sunday Funday - Fall Nail Colors (Chocolate)

Hey There!

A few weeks ago I showed you all my pumpkin/orange nail polishes. It really was a way to gently push me into Fall. Well, I've been watching videos and reading other folks blogs and they have thrown me into Fall (without a parachute). I won't belabor the point that I'm not a fan of cold weather (I've beat that imaginary horse to death) so I'll just show you my chocolate nail collection.

I love anything chocolate. Chocolate bars, ice cream, eyeliner, eye shadow, lipstick, nail polish...if it's chocolate, I like it! So, I was surprised when I had more pumpkin/orange nail polish that I did chocolate nail polish. Now, I do have plenty of brown polishes that don't exactly fit into the chocolate realm (too peachy or blackish or leaning toward other colors) but I did have 7 that came near chocolate bar standards.

L'Oreal isn't my favorite nail polish in the world. The brush is too narrow, the color selection isn't as vast as I'd like and the formula chips quicker than most. For the price tag ($4.27 - $5.99) I'd like the formula to be better. Let me get a good 5 days out of you before you chip. Now, these particular colors (doutzen's nude & julianne's nude) are so pretty but if they chip in 2 days, it's not worth it for me. I originally bought them because of International Envy and now I've learned my lesson.

Sinful Colors nail polish makes me all tingly inside. I can wear their polishes for 5 days before the tips begin to chip. The brush isn't tapered but it's wide enough that I'm able to paint my nail without dipping into the bottle twelve times. And this color (Vacation Time) is to die for. It's pretty much the same as the L'Oreal julianne's nude but because the formula is better, so I reach for Sinful Colors more often.

I have this Avon color (Golden Sand) as a hold out from when I had only a few colors (many years ago). I wore this one all the time and didn't care about chips or not. I'd go 2 weeks before I changed polish! I wouldn't dare do that now! But, this is a good polish. The color isn't as rich and chocolaty as some of my other colors but it's a good formula. I have tried some of the newer Avon polishes and didn't like their formula (even though it was from the same line). Companies have to remember that if you change one tiny thing, it could make your product not so great.

I resisted purchasing Essie polishes for a looooong time. I was gifted one many years ago and I didn't see the big deal. It lasted just as long as anything else and the color range, while good, wasn't anything amazing. Even now, I purchase certain colors at full price (normally about $8.50, $8.99) because I REALLY like them. Otherwise, I get them with some sort of discount at Ulta, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls or Target. I try my hardest not to pay full price for an Essie polish. I bought this one (Mink Muffs) because I thought it was a nice, deep chocolate polish but I have only worn it once.

China Glaze (Chocodisiac) and Sally Hansen (Branch Out) have each been worn once on my toes. They are nice colors against pale skin so they are going to be great on my fingers once my tan wears off. Until then, toes here they come. Both polish formulas are good and they last quite a while before chipping. China Glaze has a smaller brush so it's harder to do the toesies but Sally Hansen has that tapered brush that I love, so it's easier.

Again, these are just some of the Chocolatey goodness that goes on my nails during the Fall and Winter. I am now lighting pumpkin candles and drinking my winter teas and coffees so I'm reluctantly committed to Fall.

I'm still praying for a warm winter without any snow.

Super Spectacular CVS Spring Clearance Haul a.k.a CVS Spring Clearance 2014 Haul

The CVS super spectacular spring clearance is one of my favorite makeup times of the year (second only to the super spectacular fall clearance and Black Friday). This is when I toss the things that didn't work over the past 6 months and when I build my collection with things that might work for the next 6 months. I don't go in CVS all willy nilly though. I do use a system. Even though I will go back to the CVS stores several times before it's all said and done, my first trip is when I pay 50% off for the things that I really want and wouldn't want to miss out on.

Front and center are 2 Revlon Nearly Naked Foundations. I picked up the 2 that were marked down (the others weren't - yet?), 200 Warm Beige and 210 Sun Beige. 200 Warm Beige is totally my color now and 210 Sun Beige will be my shade by August, after I've gotten some sun. Let me just tell you about my foundation situation. For years I didn't like liquid foundation. It made my face feel claustrophobic. Does that make sense to you? It totally does to me. So, I stuck with powders and then I tried a few high end foundations. Many of them felt nice on my face. I realized that I had been trying full coverage liquid foundations and while they may look flawless on your face, I prefer to have a flaw or two and let my skin breathe instead. So, I wanted to give these two a try and see if the Revlon Nearly Naked formula is really nearly naked and non claustrophobic. I'll let you know.

I don't have to explain the nail polish. It's nail polish. Everyone needs nail polish. Milani isn't a brand that I normally go to for polish but at 50% off, I'm willing to try. I have Move On Mauve, Heather and Cupid's Touch. I also picked up 2 of the CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Glosstinis from the Hunger Games line. I wasn't overly excited about any of the colors but Rouge Red and Inferno looked ok.

Day two of my CVS experience included more nail polish -- Revlon Parfumerie in Lavendar Soap, Milani Nail Lacquer in Sugar Burst and one in Sugar Cane. I think I'm going to like those sugar colors. While the nail polish is great, I'm really excited about the 2 treatment products - Revlon Treat and Boost and Revlon Cuticle Softner. I am expecting great things from them (which will be a bummer if they are being discontinued, right?).

Milani baked eyeshadow in Copper Excess

L'Oreal Paris Quad in Hollywood Icon

CoverGirl Eye Enhancers Trio in Major Distraction

I also picked up 3 eyeshadows and a shadow pencil. Milani baked eyeshadow in Copper Excess looked nice, L'Oreal Paris Quad in Hollywood Icon looked fun and CoverGirl Eye Enhancers Trio in Major Distraction looked fun as well. The CoverGirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencil in lime green looked good. Not sure when or where I'm going to wear it but I will!

And, Essence Face of Beauty Angled Blush Brush was an exciting find for me. I love angled blush brushes. They work perfectly for bronzer and blush and I can't wait to try this one.

And, this is just my first go at the CVS Super spectacular...I know, I know. It's the CVS spring clearance. See, I'm just as excited as you are!

Valentine's Day Chocolate

My first thought was to post about red lipsticks. I thought I'd do a post about 7 red lipsticks and tell you what I thought of them.    

But then I remembered. I don't like red lipsticks. I like fuchsia and I can work a reddy brown but I'm not really partial to red. I'm a brown or nude kinda girl. I can go for a warm brown shadow or cocoa colored lip maybe even a chocolaty bronzer on my cheeks. 

Not red. Not really. 

But chocolate...hey wait minute!!

You probably don't know this but I loooove chocolate. I love hot chocolate, milk chocolate brownies, even white chocolate candy. So, it's understandable that I'd wear it on my face. 

Of course!

So these are some of my favorite "chocolates".

My face has fallen in love with the Revlon Photoready Bronzer in 100 Bronzed & Chic. A natural look on my skin. So pretty. My eyes are very simple. They like the Wet n Wild Coloricon trios Knock on Wood & Walking on Eggshells. Warm chocolate with a touch of pink, some deep plum and a swipe of white chocolate. I sometimes mix it up with CoverGirl Eye Enhancers single in swiss chocolate, Maybelline Expert Wear single in cinnamon spice or L'Oreal Wear Infinite Studio Secrets single in Gilded Bronze. My eyes love NYX retractable eyeliner in brown and Rimmel Scandaleyes Eye shadow stick in Bad Girl Bronze. They glide like butter (a component in cooking some of the best chocolate treats!).

Lips, you know, are the part of the body that chocolate touches first. I have my favorite candy liners by Jordana and Rimmel Exaggerate lip liners. I also like my Kate by Rimmel (Rosetto) and Milani (Candied Toffees) lipsticks. Now I know that I said I don't do red but this L.A. Colors Luscious Wine is an exception. It's a chocolaty red that is oh so pretty. I wear it when I need a strong lip color.

Now, you know I like my gloss. I have several favorite glosses, NYX Lip Cream in Buttery Nude, Femme Couture Lip Luster in Creamy Copper, Make Up For Ever Lab Shine gloss in Metal Shine M10 (a nice cherry chocolate), and Almay Liquid Lip Balms in Rosy Lipped and Truffle. They make lips feel nice and warm.

My fingers like to be dipped in chocolate as well. I've been using Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro in 200 Bare Naked and L'Oreal Collection Privee colors in doutzen's nude & juliane's nude. They are softer shades of chocolate but still just as sweet!

So there you have it. No red lips but lots of chocolate. Ahhhh, the joy of Valentine's Day. I hope your day is just as sweet.

Kisses & Chocolate!!