Short 'n Chic

MAC Mean and Green (!!!!)

2012-01-26T10:57:00.000-05:00

Totally late to this party, but I thought I'd post about my nail polish boner for MAC Mean and Green. These pictures were taken indoors, and are kind of blurry, but they're pretty good for showing what this polish can do.

So, here it is. I took these pictures in the library and at least one person was looking at me like I was crazy. Apparently this has a dupe in Orly...Space Cadet? I think. I haven't bought an Orly in quite a while, so I don't have that one to compare. Most of the time Mean and Green looks sort of purply-pink, but if you get it at the right angle there's a pretty awesome rainbow effect. Don't let how cool this one looks fool you, though. Application was troublesome. First, my brush was totally wonky. Bristles sticking out every which way. Second, the formula was thick and difficult to work with. And I needed three coats. And it took forever to dry. Despite this, though, I still think it was worth it.

I'm pretty sure all these MAC polishes are sold out (this one was given to me by the unfailingly generous Michelle), but as I said, this one has a dupe in Orly Space Cadet, which I assume is more readily available.

In conclusion, I'm in love with this polish.

Joe Fresh Storm

2012-01-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

My friend PerryPie sent me some Joe Fresh polishes quite a while ago, and I have one to show you today.

This is Storm. I'll be the first to say that this photo is bad because:
1. This is under indoor lighting and
2. My cuticles look jacked up. Clearly I have not been sticking to the Lemony Flutter routine (and I haven't). I solemnly swear I'm going to start putting that stuff on before bed.

I can't say that the color is incredibly unique, but it is incredibly beautiful. Taupes like this just sing to me. It's quite cool-toned, with pretty noticeable purple undertones (not as gray as Metro Chic, but not as brown as OPI Over the Taupe). The formula on this one seemed watery and sheer to me, and after the first coat I was sure I would have to do three to even it out. But, surprise! It was perfect after only two. It dried super quickly, too. About 10 minutes after applying it I realized that I was late to meet a friend, and after I had grabbed my keys, put on my coat, and rummaged around in my purse I still didn't have any dents in the polish. Yay. The only problem is that this chipped REALLY quickly on me. After about a day I had pretty bad signs of wear, hence the indoor light. It was already dark by the time I got home from work and took the photo, so I'm sorry about that.

I have been feeling so oddly sentimental lately. On Monday my boyfriend and I were hanging out, just lying in bed in my semi-dark-from-crappy-winter-light room, and I asked him if he ever consciously made memories. I've been doing that a lot lately. Living a moment and deciding right then and there that you're going to remember it as a particularly beautiful one. Having little to do on a lazy Monday afternoon except lie around in bed with the man I'm in love with merits a beautiful moment. But yeah, I don't know. Something about the past couple weeks has made me feel like I have to really live every day; really experience things, good and bad; remember the little things that make me smile or feel warm inside; laugh until I cry; relish the work I'm doing. Maybe it's because I know that this period in my life is close to ending and I have so much uncertainty about the future. But whatever has made me feel this way, I'm sort of thankful for it.

Anyway, Storm. Thoughts? Have I ever asked you guys what your favorite taupe/mushroom polish is? I probably have, but tell me again.

Revlon Starry Pink

2012-01-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

First thing's first: the winner of the Muppets Giveaway was a reader called Pam R. Her win has been confirmed via e-mail, so congratulations to her!

Revlon Starry Pink is not a polish that I meant to fall in love with. I found it at Target about a month ago, and for some reason I threw it into my cart (it was a post-end-of-semester-freak-out-calm-yourself-down Target sort of trip, and I was feeling like I needed something pretty; I remember that day well). I wore it once as soon as I got it but didn't take photos. So now I'm wearing it again.

Starry Pink is a milky/sheer pink base full of hexagonal and regular small silver glitter. The first coat goes on pretty sheer, but the color eventually builds to what you see in the photos after three coats. It dries fast, too. I did two coats of topcoat to amp up the shine and make sure that the glitter would lie smoothly against my nails.

I can't really put my finger on why I love this one so much. I think it's because the pink looks a little...dirty? Kind of grayed out. Which, to me, makes this polish look kind of edgy even though it's...*shudder*...a glittery pink. Also I like how this looks with my pale skin. This is definitely a polish I'll be keeping around and reaching for all winter.

I had a pretty good weekend. Like I mentioned on Friday, I went to the last opening at the Carnegie Avenue location at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Cleveland. It was pretty great. Those things are always great people-watching. Plus there was a performance piece going on throughout the whole event which involved hobo-looking actors walking around wearing sandwich boards and yelling things like THE END IS NIGH. See?

Is there anything better on a snowy Friday night? I don't think so. You can see the snow on the poor guy's coat here. It started coming down in earnest around 9 and continued well into the night.

Saturday night my boyfriend and I went to our friend's opening. He's a painter. It was nice to see him having his paintings on display somewhere. Apparently he was also mentioned in the newspaper, but I didn't see it. A pretty big deal for him, though.

I'm also really into this right now:

[image credit]

I just started the second season. I never knew a PBS series could be so enthralling. And that Maggie Smith was so feisty.

Okay, that's it for today. Any other people obsessed with Downton Abbey, milky pink polishes or weird contemporary art?

Muppets Muppettes Reminder!

2012-01-20T12:17:00.002-05:00

Hello readers! It's Friday. That means it's a good day. I'm happy to have finished my first week of classes, to have taught my first class of the semester, and that I'm going to an opening at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Cleveland tonight. I'm happy that I'm wearing a new dress (this one) and red tights. But most of all I'm glad that VERY SOON I will be able to give one of you some OPI Muppets minis. Wait, what's that? You haven't heard about my giveaway? Well, click here, then! You can enter to win pretty polishes like this one:

OPI Warm & Fozzie

Remember to enter by 11:59 PM EST, January 20th (that's TODAY).

Thanks guys! Good luck!

The Thrill of the Hunt

2012-01-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

Two things on the agenda today: first, nail polish (duh). Second, a tale of obsession with a happy ending.

A jelly sandwich with Rescue Beauty Lounge Bikini Bottom and OPI Gone Gonzo. I've decided that this is my favorite way to wear the Muppets glitters. And it goes to show that they're pretty versatile. I did the same thing with Gettin' Miss Piggy With It. This is two coats Bikini Bottom, one coat Gone Gonzo, and then one more coat of Bikini Bottom. I love this. The only problem is that it took FOREVER to dry.

So, when I decide I want something I go kind of crazy over it until I get it. It happens with hard to find drug store nail polishes, and this month it happened with a dress. It started when my mom took me on an Anthropologie shopping trip for my 25th birthday (because she is the best) and I picked out a few things. One of the things I chose I got as a Christmas gift, but when I tried it on Christmas morning I was much less enamored of it than I was when we bought it. So I returned it. Which meant I had roughly $200 to spend at Anthro. I spent some of it on a dress that was on sale (and I'm really happy with that purchase), but what to do with the rest of it? I was perusing the Anthro website about two weeks ago when I saw this. I said (shouted) to my boyfriend, who was sitting next to me playing with his iPod, "OHMYGOD LOOK AT THIS IT HAS BIKES ON IT OHMYGOD." He was not as elated as I, but he indulged me, as he usually does. From that moment on I was a woman obsessed. I had to have it.

But much to my dismay, it's actually already backordered in most sizes (as it turns out, not mine). Also I couldn't figure out whether or not it actually ran true to size, so I was hesitant to order it from the website. Yesterday I called my Anthropologie store, and they told me they had just gotten it in that day but only had two left. One of them was an 8 (YAY THAT WILL FIT ME HOPEFULLY, I thought). So I got in my car and sped off. And this happened.

!!!!!!!!!

It. Has. Pockets.

This dress, which is called the Bike Lane Dress, also comes with separate straps that are adjustable and totally functional. Much to my surprise, the 8 is actually a tiny bit big on top. But not enough to dissuade me from buying this one or to persuade me to wiggle into a 6. Side note: I always wear a smaller size than I think I will because I'm starting to realize I have really big issues with body image. I've been struggling with my weight for several years now, and I always think I look huge. Having been pretty overweight before, and also being a total perfectionist, it's a difficult thing to overcome. I am so glad that this dress now lives in my closet, and I can't wait for spring-ish weather so I can flounce around in it.

Another reason to be happy? I realized that I have classes on Mondays and Wednesdays and I teach on Friday. I will probably end up interning on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but I haven't met with my supervisor yet, so I don't have any work I can do (again, yet). MEANING that even though today is technically the first day of the semester, I'm still on vacation. Huzzah!

[polish in this post provided for review. want your own? check out nailpolishdiva.com]

OPI Wocka Wocka!

2012-01-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

So, reds. You love 'em or you hate 'em. As many of you probably know, I fall firmly in the love camp. Warm reds, cool reds, sparkly reds, glittery reds...I'm into them. Whenever I see them in the bottle I usually think they look boring, but I quickly change my mind when I have them on.

Wocka Wocka! is definitely a cool-toned red, with blue undertones. I guess I'd call it sort of a cherry red. But it's not as plain as you might think. In the first picture you can really see the pink shimmer in the polish that comes out in direct sunlight or even under artificial light. It sort of adds a whole new dimension to the polish, giving it more depth and making it more interesting.

I mentioned in the giveaway post that this has a flawless formula. After doing a full manicure with it, I still think that's true. The polish isn't too thick or too thin, it flows onto the nail nicely and it stayed where I put it. I think I may have been able to get away with one coat, but I was weirdly caffeinated and shaky while I was doing this (as usual lately; I don't know what my deal is) so I needed two anyway. My fault, not the polish's.

So, what do you think? Do you like this color? If you do, make sure you enter my Muppets Minis giveaway! You could win a mini of Wocka Wocka! as well as three other Muppets polishes. Click here to enter, please.

In other news, it's the last day of my break today. Which makes me feel like this.

Also this.

At least it's a four-day week...? Sigh.

Sally Hansen Smooth and Perfect: Sea

2012-01-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

The other night my friend and I had a girls' night during which we watched Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy (mm, Gary Oldman in big '70s glasses; dream man), went to CVS and bought nail polish and chocolate. I spied some square Sally Hansen bottles so I was all over them. This new line is called Smooth and Perfect ColorCare, and it claims to do a lot of stuff, like let your nails "breathe" or something. You can go to their website if you want to read about it. But I was interested in them for two gorgeous, really light pastels. The first one I'm showing you is Sea, a very light mint green.

Isn't this pretty!?

This photo is from my little iPhone, so it presents the color a little differently (bluer).

So you can already tell that I think the color is absolutely stunning. It's a light, airy, pastel, mint green. And it's not creme, either. It has subtle shimmer, which makes the finish almost pearlescent. Really unique. I also love the square bottle. The brush is the same wide, tapered one that comes with the Insta-Dri polishes.

But Sea is not without problems in the application and drying departments. First, it's kind of sheer. I needed three coats to build up to opacity. Second, the formula is thick. Annoyingly thick, but I was able to work with it. Third, it took FOREVER to dry, even using the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri stuff in the red bottle. A few hours later I was getting dents. Lastly, the finish has little...well, they're not bubbles...they look almost like pinpricks. You can see them well on my ring nail in the second photo if you really enlarge the picture. They're not obvious at all, and no one but me would have noticed them, but...it's still strange.

Regardless of these issues, I can't help but be in love with this color. I keep admiring my hands. And a random girl told me she liked my nail polish while I was wearing this. Compliments from strangers indicate something special, right? As I said, I found this at CVS and I think it was around $6. They were also buy one get one 50% off, so I did that. Meaning I have another to show you sometime soon. Yay!

Also, I thought I would share an outfit I am particularly in love with right now. Over winter break I've been having fun putting together new outfits that I'll wear for schooltimes (lame, right? but god do I love clothes).

The blazer, striped tee, and skirt are all from H&M. I found the blazer quite recently, so if you're into it you can probably still find it there. I love the cut. The necklace is from Francesca's, the boots and socks are Target and the tights are from Marshall's.

I'm not sure why I'm so enamored of these pieces together. I like the red of the necklace with the cool-taupe of the skirt, the stripes of the tee with the bands of the skirt. And I like pairing boots like these, with kind of a hard edge, with everything. Especially frilly dresses. Also, yes, I am in an Anthropologie dressing room. See that pink thing behind me? It's this. Regrettably the back on this tank is completely OPEN. Like there are a couple of stitches up by the neck, and the rest of it just flows open. It's the weirdest thing. And a shame, because I love the obnoxious pink color and the snail print. I don't have anything with snails on it. I thought I could save it by tucking it into a particularly slinky black pencil skirt, but it just wasn't happening. Sigh. Snail-printed clothing, someday I will have you.

Alright, I've talked enough today. I'm out. But I have to ask...has anyone else tried the SH Smooth and Perfect polishes? Any opinions? At least with Sea, I think the finicky formula and long dry time are worth the color. It's contented-sigh-inducing.

Oh, also, Muppets giveaway.

Okay, now I'm actually done.

Muppets Muppettes Giveaway

2012-01-11T17:32:00.000-05:00

Honestly, I meant to do this before Christmas. But doctoral program application deadlines fell really close to it, so I was busy. Busy up until...well, I never stopped being busy. BUT I thought I'd post this now, since I'll be going back to school in less than a week. An OPI Muppets collection minis giveaway. Here's a regrettably not-so-great photo of what the winner will receive.

OPI Muppettes Mini Nail Lacquers

There are four mini polishes tucked away in this cute packaging: Wocka Wocka!, Excuse Moi!, Designer...de Better! and Warm & Fozzie. Here are swatches of each of those polishes (from my own bottles).

Wocka Wocka! I haven't done a full post on this one (or worn it as a full manicure), but after doing this swatch I can't wait to. This red is luscious and the formula is flawless.

Excuse Moi! The only glitter in the collection that is opaque at two coats. It's the most Christmas-y of the bunch, but it's so fabulous that I think everyone needs to have it. I also didn't do a full post on this one yet, but it's forthcoming. Saving the best for last, as they say.

Designer...de Better! I did do a full post on this one, and you can find that here. This is an awesome metallic foil with copper/pink particles thrown in for a little bit of oomph. A must have.

And the general favorite from the collection, Warm & Fozzie. Cute name, amazing polish. You can read my post on it here.

Now you know what you'll win, so here's how you can win it.

1. Be a follower of this blog. Are you already a follower? Great, you're eligible to win. Not a follower? Click "Join this site" on the righthand sidebar. Easy-peasy. International followers are eligible to win as well.

2. Comment on THIS POST with your name and your valid e-mail address.

3. Enter by 11:59 PM EST on Friday, January 20th. I will randomly choose and announce the winner soon thereafter.

That's all. Have at it! Good luck, all.

[this giveaway made possible by nailpolishdiva.com]

Nubar Wildlife

2012-01-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

I pulled Wildlife out of my stash because it's another polish that I remember being super excited about getting, using once, and then never using again. Sound familiar?

I misplaced the bottle when it came time to photograph this, so I'm holding my Sally Hansen basecoat, lest there be any confusion. Anyway, Wildlife is a true duochrome that flashes between copper and green, depending on how the light is hitting it. As duochromes go it's pretty great and very unique. I like Nubar. I don't have many polishes from this brand, but the ones I have don't disappoint. Wildlife has a great formula that's easy to control. Two coats to opacity. This polish reminds me of autumn.

I've been spending the past few days doing notes for my comprehensive exam, which is coming up in March (from here on out referred to as comps). It's a scary test that could possibly determine the future of my education, so I'm part of a study group. I put off doing my notes until this, the last week of break, and I'm regretting it. I've been typing non-stop all day and my hands hurt :(

But at least my nails look good, don't they? ;)

Essie Armed and Ready

2012-01-10T10:00:00.000-05:00

I mentioned in my last post that I ran across a couple Essie spring polishes at Target the other day. I couldn't resist Armed and Ready.

I'm not quite sure how to describe this one. The base is a murky brown with a few drops of green thrown in. The shimmer is bronze/gold and...maybe a little pink? It's an interesting color. And of course anything that even comes close to olive green must be on my nails immediately, so that's why I picked this one up. I love the last photo because it really shows the shimmer in the bottle. This sloppy manicure was two coats of Armed and Ready. The formula was thick but not in a bad way. I could have done just one coat if I had been careful, but I always feel more comfortable doing two, just in case. This isn't really a color that screams spring, but I'm glad it exists. It's repeat-manicure material for sure.

Not much more to report. I haven't been doing too much recently, except watching The Walking Dead alone at night and regretting it soon after. But I'm just loving it. AMC has stolen my heart on three separate occasions (Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and now The Walking Dead), and I'm really glad to have the relaxing (and terrifying?) entertainment.

Oh, you know what? There is one more thing. I am seeking a bottle of Revlon Whimsical, the Lippmann Glitter in the Air dupe. There was once a time when I relished the hunt for difficult to locate drug store polishes, but that time has passed. I thought I was ask if any of you would be willing to swap with me for a bottle of Whimsical. If so, let me know in the comments--you can also find my e-mail in the Who Am I? section. I am easy to reach either way. And I'd be delighted to receive a bottle of the Revlon.

Thanks for reading :)

Zoya Adina

2012-01-05T10:00:00.000-05:00

I was in Target the other day when I spotted two Essies I hadn't heard of before. A quick Google search on the ol' iPhone told me that these were new for spring 2012. Spring. Winter has barely started yet and I'm seeing spring polishes (don't worry; I bought one and you'll see it soon). But that got me thinking about my favorite spring releases. Normally it's the autumn ones that make my heart sing, but every once in a while I'll meet a spring polish that's gorgeous enough to merit its own serenade. Zoya Adina is one of those polishes.

In spring 2010 Zoya brought us the Reverie collection, which included six pretty polishes, the stand-out of which was this little gem right here. Adina is a true duochrome, meaning that the color you see is different depending upon the angle at which you're viewing the polish. Sometimes it's a cool-ish purple, and sometimes an almost acidic green. The finish is extremely shimmery, as you can see in the last image. It almost looks like it could be a metallic, but without those ugly brushstrokes. The formula is nice. It looks like it's going to be really sheer on the first coat, but it builds up to complete opacity after only two.

I remember lusting after this one for weeks two years ago. Then when I finally got it I used it once and shoved it in a drawer, which is what happens with most of my polishes. But I'm glad I got this one back out. It's really interesting and beautiful, and I think it looks nice on my short little nails.

After reading the comments on my last post about cuticle treatments, it became clear that Lush's Lemony Flutter is the general favorite. So:

This is my face of trepidation (for having just spent $16.11 on a small tub of lotion) and excitement (for having just spent $16.11 on a small tub of [magic?] lotion)

I'll let you all know how my cuticles are doing after I've been using it for a few weeks.

Anyway, anyone else feel like waxing poetic about Zoya Adina? If not, then what's your favorite duochrome?

OPI Skull & Glossbones

2012-01-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

I started 2011 off with a neutral polish and I decided to start 2012 off with one too. I hadn't used OPI Skull & Glossbones from the Pirates collection, so I thought I'd give that one a whirl.

My skin looks so pale in these photos...and I wish I could say I'm not actually this pasty, but I am. Sigh. Anyway, I'm really, really into this polish. I don't know why I bought it and took so long to use it. I was also feeling pretty shaky when I did this manicure and wasn't able to leave the gap between my nail and cuticle that I usually do. Looks a little weird, huh? And now I'm babbling, so I guess this means that I'm back into the groove of blogging, doesn't it? Okay, anyway, the color. The color is, for all intents and purposes, gray. But in some lights it will fool you and look taupe. And the best part about it is that there is definitely a drop of green somewhere in there. It's a little chameleon. The formula was a little thick and I ended up having to use three coats to even it out.

Also, does anyone have any advice for my dry cuticles? I've been slathering them nightly in Burt's Bee's Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream and it doesn't seem to be doing much. Sadly. I don't really know what else to do. They're not that bad in real life, but with the macro setting they look pretty bad. Also the really short nails don't help, but I had to cut them and even them out last night. They were driving me crazy.

Okay, so opinions on Skull & Glossbones? I didn't do a Short 'n Chic "best of" post of 2011, but if I had, the OPI PotC collection would have topped the list. I'm crazy about every polish I got from that collection, this one included. A set of pastels that drive me wild...who would have thought?

WHOA Sparkles

2011-12-31T12:52:00.001-05:00

Just a quickie post today. I have no idea what I'm doing tonight for New Year's Eve. My boyfriend seems non-commital and all I really want to do is kiss him at midnight, so we'll see where I end up. But I did manage a festive manicure.

This is one coat of Gone Gonzo! followed by one coat of Divine Swine followed by another of Gone Gonzo!. I like this way this turned out, with the pinky-purple just peeking through. I'm pretty into it. Good for sparkle. Different from my NYE manicure last year, which was all gold.

Normally I'd do some profound reasoning about how this year has changed me for the better, but I'm too tired for that this year. Which I think is indicative of how this year has changed me anyway. Let's just say I'm relishing time with The Hunger Games novels and my Sex and the City DVDs a little too much.

Until I figure out what the hell I'm doing tonight, what are you all doing? Any awesome plans?

[these polishes provided for review; check out nailpolishdiva.com]

Revlon Electric

2011-12-30T10:00:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago all of a sudden I yearned for yellow nail polish. Then a couple days later I was wandering around Walgreens looking for trail mix when I spotted Revlon Top Speeds on sale for $2.99. I snatched up Electric, a dupe for Chanel Mimosa (or so they say).

I didn't think I'd love this as much as I do. It's sunny and happy and makes me feel a little warm and fuzzy inside. For a yellow the formula was really great. A little thick, but totally manageable. I used two and a half coats; some nails had little bald spots so I added a third. I'm definitely into it and I'm glad I bought this one. And saved it for a dreary, slightly depressing, after-the-holidays kind of day. Also, I may have matched it to my outfit.

My dress (worn here as a shirt with a skirt) has little blue and purple irises all over it with cute yellow centers. Good match, huh?

Anyone else loving yellow right now, or is it just me? Is it just a summer color? Acceptable in winter? What do you guys think?

H&M Going to the Opera

2011-12-29T10:00:00.000-05:00

The people who love me know me well. For special events they give me H&M gift cards. I had hardly started spending my birthday ones (from Boyfriend and mom) when the Christmas ones started rolling in. I went the day after Christmas to see if there were any good deals to be had and of course walked out with new spring stuff and no sale stuff (a kelly green shirt, a coral-pink tee and a great little blazer). While I was standing in the mile-long line two cute little nail polishes caught my eye. I restrained myself and only bought one.

Going to the Opera is a lovely, deep, opaque blue-based red. There isn't much to say about it because the color isn't unique. It reminds me a lot of China Glaze Phat Santa, but I can't be bothered to do a comparison because there really are so many similar colors. I loved Phat Santa and I love Going to the Opera just as much. Maybe even a little more; it gets props for its cute bottle (although it should look a little familiar, no?). The formula was excellent. Not too thick, not too thin. The brush was great, too. I wasn't sure what to expect with a polish like this, but I was pleasantly surprised. $3.95 for 0.5 fl oz., so really not a bad deal. I'll tell you one thing: if I'm ever going to the opera, this is the little beauty I'll reach for.

Other things I'm loving:

Sex and the City, which I can never get enough of. For many years I've been asking for the complete Sex and the City series for Christmas. This year Santa finally obliged. Actually, the tag said it was from my cat, Raven. So thanks Raven (and by that I mean thanks, mom and dad). I turned in my applications today that had deadlines in late December/early January so I FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY have a little free time to breathe. I will spend it cuddling with my boyfriend, shopping and watching my new DVDs.

This necklace. Originally I bought this for my mom for Christmas, but when I discussed it with my boyfriend he said he didn't think it was her. I got her something else (something much nicer and from her favorite boutique) and kept this for myself. And I'm glad I did because I love it. $12.95 from H&M and I've worn it every day since Christmas. When I showed it to my mom she did her best Tim Gunn impression by telling me "it's a lotta look." But we art historians love our statement necklaces.

The fact that my mother put a Christmas sweater and Santa hat on a wine bottle she was gifting to someone. It was...pretty great. I was in the back seat on Christmas while we drove somewhere and I said something like, "I can't believe this wine bottle is wearing a damn sweater." My mom turned around and said, "But where is its hat?" It turned out that the hat had gotten lost in our coats piled in the back, but I put it back on, snapped this photo, and all was right with the world.

That's all. How was everyone's Christmas, since I didn't ask last post? Any opinions on H&M Night at the Opera? And I've probably asked this before, but since I like to know: what's your all-time favorite, can't-live-without-it, red polish?

OPI Animalistic

2011-12-26T10:00:00.000-05:00

This is actually one of the polishes from the Muppets I was most excited about. You know how I feel about red.

And this is a good red. Clearly this was before I got fed up with the length of my nails. I was really messy with application, so sorry about that. I was watching Dexter while I did this and kept getting distracted by blood and Michael C. Hall. Rawr (ohmygod I couldn't believe the season 6 finale). ANYWAY. This is a shimmery, semi-color shifting coral-red. Great description, huh? At some angles it looks more orange or pink than others, but I'm not prepared to call it a full-on duochrome. This was three coats. It has the same finish as Warm and Fozzie and Designer...DeBetter!--shimmery, foil-ish particles that all combine for a really sparkly finish. I really like this red. I think this might be my favorite polish of the collection so far, but I still have a couple left to wear.

In other news, my friends DEADIRON came in SECOND after the second round of voting. This is super amazing and we're all REALLY EXCITED, so if you have a minute, could you vote for them again? We're in the third round this time and the procedure is the same:

Click this link: http://www.projectindependent.net/usvoting2011.html

Click "DEADIRON"

Click "submit" (at bottom of link page)

If you could help out that would be really nice. These are great guys and they deserve great things. And again, if you want to check out their music, here's their official website. As I mentioned before, cute boys, good music, what's not to like? Appropriate polish for today, too, because as I recall Animal is a drummer. No? Okay, maybe that connection is a stretch, but vote for them anyway (until December 31!) ;)

[imagecred]

Thanks guys!

China Glaze Peace on Earth and Happy Holidays

2011-12-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I feel like yesterday was August. I wasn't really paying the holidays any attention, and then all of a sudden on Monday night I took a trip to a small town and the whole thing was decorated for Christmas. It was kind of surreal, actually. It was like Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls come to life. And then I sort of started to feel some holiday spirit. So here's what will be on my nails for the weekend.

I got topcoat all over my cuticles because I was wrapping my tips, so that's why this looks ridiculous and not great. But nonetheless, here's China Glaze Peace on Earth with China Glaze Party Hearty over it. A throwback to China Glaze holiday 2010, but I loved the collection and I love a good olive green, so why not? This was ONE COAT of Peace on Earth topped with one coat of Party Hearty. Good formulas all around, as is the way with China Glaze. If you want to see Peace on Earth by itself, I wore it here, while my mom was in the hospital last November. I remember so well putting it on and staring at it while I was in the hospital room. It was something pretty to distract me. Anyway, I digress.

I'm not religious at all so Christmas doesn't really carry that connotation with it for me. To me, Christmas is a time when everyone is a little nicer, things smell like cinnamon, Starbucks brings out its holiday cups, and the snow is still a novelty. Kids are excited, there are trees inside, and everyone eats good food. So really, even if I'm not religious, what's not to like about it?

From the bottom of my little heart, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or the solstice, I hope that you have a wonderful weekend full of relaxation, family, friends, and, let's face it, pie.

Happy holidays, everyone.

Nail Girls Green #4

2011-12-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I came home to find a package on my doorstep from the UK. Baffled, I tore it open once I got upstairs to my place to find a sample from Nail Girls. I was so frazzled at the time that I hardly remembered that I had been offered a polish to review. I stowed it away for when I'd have time. And friends, that time is now.

I had been wearing this one for a couple days when I took the photos, so that's why it looks beat up. Green #4 is a deep, dark vampy teal. At first I thought it was sort of an evergreen color, but it turns out that it has a few drops of blue in it. But good lord is it gorgeous. And the pigmentation is insanely amazing. I only needed one coat (but I did two anyway). It also dried really quickly. The formula was a little thick, but nothing that wasn't workable.

Nail Girls is a company based in the United Kingdom. Their products, created by two sisters, are inspired by the fashion trends. These polishes are 4 free and go for £10.50 at http://www.nailgirls.co.uk/. Check 'em out.

By the way, SCHOOL IS OVER. This semester was the WORST EVER and I'm so glad to have a little respite. I still have to work on some things for the symposium I'm co-chairing and do more applications, but I feel like I finally can breathe. And do things like this.

My friend got a Happy Meal at McDonald's and there was a punch-out "milk mustache" on the side of the box. I colored it black.

Had to blow on it to make sure it was dry before I stuck it to my face.

All of a sudden I was a lot more pensive. Mustaches do that.

It's a good look for me, right?

And that's how I started my winter break. A mustache, ice cream and buying A Picture of Dorian Gray, because for some reason that's all I've wanted to read for the past three months.

Also, remember that giveaway I had like...two months ago? The Miss Universe one? I'm the worst blog-runner ever and I haven't sent the winner her prize yet. But I'm doing that this week, now that I'm done with school. And there is another giveaway coming up (from which the winner will receive her prize much more promptly) so stay tuned.

That's all for now. There will be one more post before Christmas, I believe, so I'll talk to you guys soon! Until then, what does everybody think about this Nail Girls polish? I can't recommend it enough; you should check out the site if you have a chance!

Can I Ask You A Favor?

2011-12-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

I don't often do a lot of personal plugging on here for things, but this is something that's important to some of my friends so I thought I'd ask...

My boyfriend's best pal (also my pal; hi Alex!) has a really awesome metal band, DEADIRON, and they are in a contest. If they get the most votes, then they'll win all kinds of cool stuff and get important opportunities to tour, which would be really amazing for them. If you want to listen to some of their music, give a click here to go to their official website. What's not to like? They're cute boys playing pretty awesome music. SO if you could do me a tiny favor and cast a vote for them, we'd all be grateful.

First, click THIS LINK.

And then click "DEADIRON" (Cleveland, OH)

And then click "submit vote"

I'm pretty sure they were in first place after the first round of voting (!), so every little bit helps! And you can actually vote once every day until voting ends.

Hi. Sometimes I wear t-shirts. Well, almost never. But this one is special ;) (lipstick is Maybelline Southwest Sizzle, which was a limited edition a couple summers ago, in case anyone's intrigued; and no, I'm not sleeping lately)

If you have a spare minute for the next couple days then I'd appreciate it!

Thanks for reading if you did, and I'll be back with another polish (from a new-to-me brand!) in a couple days.

Revlon Aloof; Also, Tulle

2011-12-12T10:00:00.000-05:00

I was at Walgreens last week and when I saw Revlon Aloof on the display I couldn't resist it. I had been looking for a not-so-white white. I found myself bringing it home with me.

I actually don't know how I feel about it. Aloof has this weird quality to it where it's not quite white, not quite gray and not quite silver. Also not quite a pearl, not quite a metallic and not quite a shimmer. It occupies a weird liminal nail polish space. The formula was fantastic, though. I was almost good with only one coat, but I did two just to be safe. It applied a bit bubbly or lumpy, but I can't really tell in real life. It's a nice wintery color. I think I just wanted it to be different than it actually is. But I'm starting to appreciate Aloof for its own weird and special qualities. Plus it was on sale.

Last Friday I wanted to feel pretty. Do you ever have those days? I was teaching my last class of the semester. I was also submitting my first PhD application. It's not like I did it in person or anything, but there was something about looking nice that day that seemed appealing. So I wore a new dress from Anthropologie that my mom got me for my birthday. When I was at work and school I got a lot of compliments. Then I ended up unexpectedly spending the night at my parents' house on Friday night and having to wear the same dress on Saturday. It's AMAZING what's acceptable on a college campus and a museum setting, but what is deemed ridiculous in a small town. I got so many I-can't-believe-she's-wearing-that-looks. Like open stares.

WHAT? If a twenty-five-year-old woman wearing what is basically a full-on tutu on a random Saturday is wrong then I don't think I want to be right. Yes it's tulle. Yes my friend described me as a goth ballerina. Yes I indulged the fantasy by putting my hair up in a ridiculously high top-knot. But I wore scrunchy boots (which you can't see in the pictures) to make it look less formal! I was practically dressed down! The stares I got in Panera while I was editing my paper are still funny to me.

Then I walked into H&M (retail therapy is the best therapy, I tell you) and this happened:

I made a beeline straight for the neon pink, high-waisted, pleated, long skirt. I think I've realized why people stare at me now. But it is FABULOUS. And only $12.95! God, I love H&M. Both my boyfriend and my mom got me H&M gift cards and I can't wait to spend all of those dollars. And yes, I know you can see my bra through that shirt. Don't worry, I didn't buy it. But I really liked that color combination.

Anyway, that's my life. Wearing tulle and neon pink and having a color called Aloof on my nails. Classes ended Friday, so that's a relief. Tomorrow I'm proctoring an exam and then I will have to grade them. My internship is over. One of my papers is done, and there's only one more to go. I feel like there might be a light at the end of the tunnel, but I know I have to keep plugging away at PhD apps. I fear the light may be an oncoming train...

Opinons on Aloof? My new skirt? MY AWESOME TULLE DRESS? Please share.

OPI Warm and Fozzie

2011-12-05T09:37:00.000-05:00

Back in early summer my friend and I were looking at the promo shots for the Muppets collection. As soon as she saw the color of Warm and Fozzie she told me she wanted it. Then when I was sent the collection for review she asked me for it right away. She has worn and loved it several times in the past couple weeks, so I figured I would show it to you guys (even though you've seen it before) before I lose my bottle to her forever (just kidding, Sam. I'll get you your own). For some reason I just couldn't really capture the color of this one even though I had great sunlight. See for yourself:

And a crappy macro.

This polish is a chameleon and really is unique. I can't think of anything else close to this; not that I own, anyway. It's a bronze foil-ish base, but it sparkles red, green, pink and gold. It looks in the bottle like it may be a duochrome, but it's really not. Sometimes it has a sort of pink cast, but not duochrome quality. Still, this one is a stunner. I used two coats and I was good to go. The formula was great and it dried really fast. Like everyone else who seems to have reviewed this, I can't recommend it enough. Plus the name is adorable. Makes me feel like cuddling my teddy bear (yes, I still have one) while I snuggle under a blanket. Mmm, I love wintertime.

So. I didn't post much last week because it was possibly the worst week I've ever had. I don't want to elaborate and bore you, but for some reason I just totally hit my breaking point. I've had a really difficult semester. An internship, two seminars, French (until recently), co-chairing a symposium, applying for doctoral programs, teaching...and I was handling it all pretty well. And then a few things happened that upset me and I crashed and burned. I was trying really hard this semester to sort of take everything in stride and not be so freaked out and stressed all the time. I tried to spend time with my boyfriend, not take everything so seriously, keep things in perspective. I tried not to complain and be angsty so much on here. Well, it worked for a good solid thirteen weeks. But no more, friends. No more. Actually, I think I've hit a weird point of numbness. I plowed through the weekend, working as much as I could, writing as much as I could. I decided that when the semester ends (December 19th) I am going to my parents' lake house. I'm taking nothing but giant sweaters, tights, comfy pajamas, and a book (well, probably my computer; who are we kidding). I am going to not do anything but sleep. And watch tv (I don't have one). And fall asleep while watching tv. And read sometimes. But mostly sleep.

The countdown is on. December 19th. I have to finish two papers about two paintings. And I can do it. I think.

[This product sent for review. Want it on your hands? Check out nailpolishdiva.com]

Pixel Blu Ray Baby

2011-11-28T10:00:00.000-05:00

Monday again. Perhaps the worst Monday. Coming down off the post-Thanksgiving break high is the worst, and I have a full draft of a paper due tonight and I'm giving a presentation today. Blah. But the good news is that I have this little tidbit for you.

With flash.

This is Pixel Blu Ray Baby, and it was a birthday gift from my little cousin, Mattie. It's very, very pretty. I was pleasantly surprised by the formula on this one. The other two Pixel polishes I own are incredibly sheer, but this one is good in two coats. It's a really nice blue-green shimmer that definitely reminds me of a peacock feather. I think these are $2.99 at Ulta, so if you're into this type of color run out and get it. It's almost too pretty to pass up.

Dear Miss Mattie,

Thank you for picking out a birthday present for me! You did a great job and I can't wait to show my friends this nail polish and tell them that you picked it out. I also can't wait to see you again and I miss you already!

Mattie's the best and is a PRETTY GOOD Pictionary player as we all discovered on Thanksgiving. I love my little cousins on my mom's side (HI KATIE MISS YOU) and I hate that I only get to see them a couple times a year. But I am thankful that I got to hang with Mattie and her brother Jacob on my birthday. It was a good present in itself.

Also, I think I mentioned my boyfriend brought me birthday roses in my last post. I took this picture and thought it was too pretty not to share. The roses were actually mostly wilted and spent by the time I got back from Thanksgiving time with my family (and Black Friday shopping with my mom), but I was glad to have had them for a day or so anyway. No one before him had ever gotten me flowers before, and I'm always beyond delighted when he brings them.

So, does anyone else have Blu Ray Baby? Opinions on the Pixel brand? Tales of holiday shenanigans? Spill.

Oh Hey, It's My Birthday Again

2011-11-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

Annual birthday post with annual birthday polish, OPI Dazzled By Gold.

Blur for sparkle effect.

With flash

The best gold I own and one of my favorite OPIs. 2011 marks the third year that I have worn this polish on or very close to my birthday. This was three coats. Isn't it great?

Also, here is what I wore the day before Thanksgiving to celebrate the upcoming holiday:

My friend was making fun of this little sweater I got from Forever 21; she said it looked like a blanket from the back of a pick-up truck last week, and then when I asked what I should wear for Thanksgiving she made a reference to this sweater as a smallpox blanket. But despite that I am in love with it. And I know she said these things out of love, because I will be the first person to admit that I do not dress like a normal person. But as far as my wardrobe goes...this is exceedingly normal.

EDITED TO ADD: Okay, my boyfriend came in last night and after giving me a birthday gift and a dozen roses proceeded to say, "That sweater is hideous." NO ONE LOVES MY SWEATER. Suffice it to say, I changed into a black dress instead. Then he took me to the art museum. And dinner. And then he watched all of When Harry Met Sally...with me because it's my favorite movie. So really I guess not liking the sweater isn't that big a deal. I love you, nice boyfriend :)

Also, I'm off school for two days. So...

Not. Even. Exaggerating.

Okay, that's all. I'll end this on a happy note by assuring you that when I woke up this morning I did listen to Birthday by The Beatles like 12 times. And really, what more can a girl ask for?

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Revlon Mistletoe or: Officially Embracing Christmastime

2011-11-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

I'm officially participating in the holiday milieu. I became ecstatic (like, really) when Starbucks put out their holiday cups. I squealed with glee when Starbucks put up hanging snowflakes in the shop (yes, I tell the progression of seasons from the interior of Starbucks...is that weird?). I went to Walgreens this weekend and noticed some holiday drug store displays, so I meandered over and grabbed an interesting-looking one, Revlon Mistletoe. Sadly, no sun available here.

I really hate using flash, but I thought this polish warranted it. Mistletoe has a charcoal-ish base color, but it's full of greenish-gold glitter. It's really pretty and kind of vampy. This is my first quick-dry from this brand, and I'm kind of disappointed with the formula. It was really thick. I wanted to add thinner to it, but I don't have any here so I just made due with the polish as it was. By the time I finished the first coat my right hand some of the nails looked chunky and weird, so I really had to be careful with the application of the second coat. They still look a little weird, but this polish is pretty enough that I kind of don't care. I like how it looks on my short little nails too!

In other news, I am totally obsessed with this song (the video won't embed for some annoying reason, but here's the YouTube link):

Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye

I can't get enough of it. And it's so saaaaaaad. But that guy's voice is totally haunting. And as I have been telling everyone who will listen to me, he's a perfect combination of Sting and Peter Gabriel. God, it's so good.

This week is a big one for me...I have a presentation tomorrow, then it's Thanksgiving and I get a break (YAYAYAYAY!!!). I cannot wait. I graded all my papers, so that's done. Wrote the presentation and made the powerpoint, so that's done. Now I just have to practice not sounding like an idiot! Two more papers to freedom from this semester, guys. If I weren't so tired (and still in bed) I would be literally jumping for joy.

Okay, that's all. Thoughts on Revlon Mistletoe? Does anyone know if all of Revlon's quick-dry formulas are this crappy?

OPI Tickle My France-y: Clean Slate

2011-11-17T10:16:00.001-05:00

With all of the glitter that has been happening on my nails in the past couple weeks, the other night I decided that I needed a cleansed palette. A clean slate, if you will. So I reached for my Almost Favorite Polish Of All Time, OPI Tickle My France-y.

I've of course shown you this one before, maybe more than once. But repeat performances of nudes are always welcome on my blog. This one is just amazingly lovely on me, and that's why I always find myself reaching for it. It's a pinky nude with a drop of purple or gray to it, which places it firmly in the "edgy neutral" camp. Three coats shown here, but it's usually fine with two. I don't know why I did three. It's from the 2008 France Collection, and terror of terrors, I have found that there's now another version of this polish floating around, a "new" version. I haven't come across it because for some bizarre reason I haven't bought a back-up bottle yet. Suffice it to say, the newer one doesn't look as awesome and I hope I don't run into it.

Guh. I know I've reached a weird point in the semester where I hate spending time with almost everyone (except a couple friends and my boyfriend). Last night my friend texted me and said he had just woken up from a nap. I became irrationally enraged. HOW could ANYONE have time for a NAP?! I don't have time for a nap. I don't even have time for regular sleep, and there are people who have EXTRA sleep in the middle of the day?! That was my thought process, at least. And that's how I know I need a vacation. Next week will be good. My boyfriend and I are having dinner with a couple friends next Wednesday, which will kick off my little Thanksgiving break. Unfortunately for me I won't have time to do nothing over Thanksgiving (as much as I'd love to) but at least I'll have Thursday. So that's something to be thankful for.

Anyway. Tickle My France-y. Thoughts?

OPI Pepe's Purple Passion

2011-11-15T10:21:00.001-05:00

Pictures first, text later.

Pepe's Purple Passion from the Muppets. The sole semi-vampy in the collection. It's really interesting flaky glitter, similar glitter to what's in Meep-Meep-Meep, in a plum/raisin base. If the sun hits this polish it sparkles really nicely. I think the raisin color is a really nice one for the wintertime, and I'm glad OPI included something that's sort of vamp in the Christmas collection. It also has an adorable name.

That having been said, the formula on this is awful. I assumed that because it had the same glitter as Meep it would have the same UH-MAZING formula. But it didn't. First, it was extremely thick. Thick enough that I thought I needed to shake the bottle or something and I did that after finishing one hand. But no dice. Second, it's...chunky. The glitter doesn't lay smooth, and because the formula is weirdly chunky it dries to a bumpy finish. I did two coats. It also somehow eats topcoat. I put on one coat of topcoat and it was like I had none on at all, so I did a second. The formula is also thick enough that if you don't wrap your tips with the polish it looks like you've missed spots.

Honest opinion: unless you absolutely-love-gotta-have-can't-live-without this color, skip this one. There are comparable raisin colors out there that probably have better formulas. Kind of depressing, huh? On the bright side, out of all the Muppets polishes I've tried this the only one I've been disappointed with. So that's good.

Sigh. I can already tell this week is going to be quelle beast. One of my seminars is actually over, class-wise. Now I'm just writing the paper for it (in theory). I have to grade tests. Prepare the art history 101 students for 102. Read stuff. Write more stuff. Not sleep. Drink a lot of coffee.

How are you guys doing?

[This product sent for review. Questions? See my disclosure policy. Want this polish on your fingers? Check out nailpolishdiva.com]

OPI Gettin' Miss Piggy With It and Essie Clambake

2011-11-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

Instead of just straight-up glitter I decided to layer this one with a jelly and see how it turned out.

Success! I love how this looks. I used Essie Clambake and OPI Gettin' Miss Piggy With It (the second not-so-veiled 90s Will Smith reference in the collection...I don't get it). This look is really easy to achieve. I did one coat of Clambake, let it dry, did two coats of Miss Piggy, and then one more coat of Clambake. The result is that the glitter looks like it's floating or suspended in the jelly polish. The glitter particles are like little embers burning in a river of lava or something. So pretty.

Gettin' Miss Piggy With It is the red version of Fresh Frog of Bel Air. It's small, red, round glitter and red and silver hexagonal glitter suspended in a clear base. I know that opacity can be achieved at three or four coats. But I wanted to try something different with this one. The formula on the OPI is really good; easy to manipulate with a great dry time. If you love red or shiny things, I'd recommend Miss Piggy to you. This glitter really added something special to Clambake. I can't wait to use the other Muppets glitters for similar manicures.

See how it glows? So pretty!

That's all for today. Has anyone picked up Miss Piggy? Anyone planning to get their paws on it for the holidays? I'm sure you could do some really fun things with it...and it's hard to go wrong with sparkle ;)

[This product sent for review. Questions? See my disclosure policy. Want this polish on your nails? Check out nailpolishdiva.com]

OPI Rainbow Connection (!!!)

2011-11-10T09:59:00.001-05:00

I have to admit that I didn't understand why people wet their pants over Lippmann Happy Birthday. What's the big deal? I thought. It's just big, chunky, stupid glitter in a clear base. When all the Happy Birthday dupes came out I avoided them. And then I met OPI Rainbow connection. On my first date with Rainbow Connection we just stared at each other. Hm. Maybe you don't look so bad, I thought. You'll be happy to know that the bottle didn't say anything back to me. On our second date I decided to actually wear it. And this happened. And I metaphorically wet my paints and fell in love.

OPI Rainbow Connection over American Apparel L'Esprit. Looks like cupcakes! Or sugar cookies! Or Easter candy! Or...or...God, I'm hungry. Anyway, this is such a happy and interesting combination. I did two coats of L'Esprit (flawless formula as always; thanks, American Apparel) and then one coat of Rainbow Connection on top. I'm showing you both my left and right hands, because they got different glitter distributions and I wanted you to see both.

Rainbow Connection is multi-sized glitter in a clear base. The glitter is small and round, but also medium and large sized and hexagonal. OPI loves hexagonal glitter right now, I guess. There are all sorts of colors hiding in here (yellow, green, orange, pink, purple, silver, blue), but the overall effect is one of predominantly silver (in the bottle). I'm sure that at some point this could be opaque, but I wasn't about to sit there and pile on six coats of nail polish just to find out. I think this layered look is absolutely gorgeous, and I can't wait to try more combinations. My only complaint would be that this does not at all look Christmasy. But that's not such a terrible complaint.

Also, if you missed out on Rainbow Connection (I hear it's sold out most places), then Nicole by OPI Rainbow in the S-Kylie is apparently just the same polish in an uglier bottle. My advice? Seek out the actual OPI. My reasoning? First, more aesthetically pleasing bottle. Second, it's not named after a Kardashian sister. That alone should be motivation enough. Milani Gems would also be a good substitute.

One more thing for today. I had always heard that the "foil" method of removing glitter is the best, but I was dubious. Then I tried it. And now I am, as they say, a believer. So, for those of you who are not indoctrinated into this methodology, let me elaborate:

Let's say that you are wearing OPI Fresh Frog of Bel Air. Then let's say you have a meeting with your program advisor about Ph.D. programs and you realize obnoxious, green, glittery nails are completely inappropriate (albeit fabulous). You don't want to spend an hour scrubbing your nails, so what's to be done? Here's what.

1. Put on a pot of coffee. This step is important.

2. Create ten squares of tin foil.

3. Douse cotton balls with remover (pure acetone, of course, works best)

4. I do one hand at a time: place cotton ball on nail, wrap with tin foil. This way the cotton (and remover) is in constant contact with your finger.

5. Pour yourself a cup of coffee. You'll look like this (although hopefully more well-rested).

6. The sweet spot is somewhere between 10 and 12 minutes. Just sit there and relax. Then, after the allotted time, unwrap the foil, push down on the cotton, and drag it off your finger. ALL the glitter will come off with the cotton. No need to scrub.

7. Repeat. Drink more coffee.

Seriously, it works. As I said, I was not a believer until yesterday when I didn't have to scrub at all to remove Fresh Frog. And now I know the magic of the foil. Forget rubbing the cotton balls on the glitter uselessly. Forget felt. Just. Do. This.

Okay, I've rambled enough for today. Rainbow Connection? Do you love it too? Totally a keeper for me. I'm so glad I opened my cold little heart to it.

[This product sent for review. Questions? See my disclosure policy. Want this polish on your fingers? Check out nailpolishdiva.com]

OPI Fresh Frog of Bel Air

2011-11-07T09:47:00.000-05:00

I thought for my first foray into glitter for the holiday season I'd just go for it and pile it on. I didn't layer this one. It's just several coats of glitter (which still isn't opaque). I know I'll have to sandblast this off my nails later, but oh well. And my pictures aren't great. I just can't seem to get it right today. Monday.

Blur for sparkle

Fresh Frog of Bel Air (which, weirdly, is one of two not-so-veiled 90s Will Smith references in this collection; I tried to see if he produced the Muppets movie or something, but no dice...so I don't know what's going on here) is itty bitty green glitter with big silver hex glitter in it. The formula was good, it's just sheer. It dried lightning fast. If you REALLY want this one to be opaque, you're going to either need to be more careful than I was or use four or five coats (I used three). This is definitely best for layering.

Okay, that's it. Short and sweet today. Opinions? Glitter lovers? I imagine this will be nice layered over a pink or red for Christmastime. I'll definitely consider that in the future.

Iiiiiiin West Philadelphia, born 'n raised...

[this product sent for review. questions? see my disclosure policy. want this polish on your nails? check out nailpolishdiva.com]

OPI Meep-Meep-Meep

2011-11-04T09:59:00.001-04:00

I don't know when I'll learn that pink just isn't me.

Despite pink not being me, I have to admit that Meep-Meep-Meep from the OPI holiday collection is pretty. I had trouble capturing its sparkle, hence the weird candid I'm-drinking-a-diet-Dr. Pepper cherry. I keep seeing this polish described as red, but it's not. Meep-Meep-Meep is fuchsia, a fiery purple-pink looking color jelly base with glassfleck glitter scattered throughout. The glitter sparkles gold, blue, purple, pink and red, and in the sun this polish is gorgeous. My camera just didn't want to capture that and no matter how many photos I took it still didn't look right. The formula on this was amazing. Very easy to apply, very pigmented, and only needed two coats. It practically applied itself, and it dried quickly. This one actually reminds me of Congeniality Is My Middle Name from Miss Universe, but the shimmer is different and it's a bit less purple. I also heard through the grapevine that it's really similar to Let Me Entertain You from OPI Burlesque, but I don't have that one to compare.

Best part about this polish? The name. Meep indeed.

[This product sent for review. Questions? See my disclosure policy. Want this polish on your own fingers? Check out nailpolishdiva.com]

OPI Designer...de Better!

2011-11-02T10:00:00.000-04:00

Geez, OPI is really into exclamation points in naming their polishes. Superfluous punctuation annoys me, but I guess that's nit-picky, huh? Anyway, happy November :) My good mood of last week has plummeted, but that hasn't stopped me from being pretty joyful about the OPI Muppets collection. I wasn't sure which one to wear first, but in the end I chose one of the two that I was most excited about from the collection.

OPI Designer...de Better! isn't your typical silver foil. It has little copper flakes interspersed. This makes for a stunning and unique finish if you look closely enough. The sparkle on this polish is out of control. If you love silvers or foils but are looking for something a little different and off-beat, then I suggest you snatch this polish up.

The application was good, if a little runny. On the first coat I was really surprised at how sheer the polish was, but it built up to this opacity after only two coats. And it dried lightning fast. The nice thing about this polish is that you get all the pizzazz of glitter without any of the grittiness. This is a big deal for me, because I can't stand that bumpy glitter feeling. But I really, really love this little guy. OPI has been pretty successful lately at making polishes that seem to be unique but are also total collection staples all at the same time. I'm delighted.

Here's my hair after it had been freshly cut, by the way.

Much shorter than I'm used to having it, but it looks nice and less...heavy. I'm sure I'll get used to it. Also, I went to a Halloween party on Saturday sort of unexpectedly and I had no costume. I was wearing what I had worn to work that day (this):

When people asked what I was I told them art deco. No one laughed. This is what happens when I hang around with people other than art nerds. My boyfriend managed to wear like three different costumes over the weekend, which made me feel even lazier.

Anyway, that's all for updates. Opinions on Designer...de Better!? Is it on anyone's list to pick up? If not, it should be ;)

[This product sent for review. Questions? See my disclosure policy. Want this polish on your own fingers? Check out nailpolishdiva.com]

OPI Pink Shatter

2011-10-28T10:29:00.001-04:00

I can't believe October is almost over. Next week it's going to be November. Normally I wouldn't object to the whole course-of-time-month-change thing, but November means the semester is almost over. And I have way too much stuff to get done for the semester to be almost over. Sigh. But my last post in October will be OPI Pink Shatter, since it's breast cancer awareness month. I haven't mentioned it at all this October, which wasn't intentional. But anyway, here's the shatter:

Sorry the fleshy part of my ring finger looks kind of shiny. I have the world's worst paper cut there and I had to put some Neosporin on it. Ow. So anyway, this is OPI Pink Shatter. There isn't much to say about it, actually. Kind of self-explanatory. The polish is shimmery, as you can probably see in the bottle, but also pretty sheer. Don't even think about putting this one over a dark polish; it won't show up. I actually tried it over Congeniality Is My Middle Name when I first got it, and it was like I hadn't added anything at all. But if you put it over a light color you get much more interesting results. You you see it here over American Apparel Coney Island, which I don't have a picture of on its own (but it's a light pink, and an Essie Fiji dupe). I did really thin coats because I like the dispersed crackle look, but if you use a thicker one you'll get thicker cracks. Just one coat necessary.

When I first put this one on I didn't like it at all. Just because it's hot pink, and hot pink isn't me (at all). But the next day I couldn't stop staring at my nails. The patterns the polish had created were just really interesting to me, and from far away I thought they looked like pink camouflage or something. So all in all, I think Pink Shatter is a win for me. It's only one of two shatters I now own, so I guess the trend really didn't suck me in, huh?

Also, as requested, here's my hair pre-cut. I'm going this afternoon to have something done to it, though I'm not sure what yet. I probably won't do much of anything, because I normally don't. My boyfriend has been in the habit of pointing out my split ends and lamenting my dearth of conditioner for the past couple months, so I finally gave in and made an appointment. It's getting so long that sometimes I have my elbow on it when I'm lying down and then when I try to get up it turns out badly.

Yes, I'm at the library. What else is new?

Okay, that's all. I'll talk to you guys in November! Also, don't forget to enter my OPI Miss Universe GIVEAWAY if you haven't already. The whole collection could be yours; click here to find out details.

[This product sent for review. Questions? See my disclosure policy.]

OPI Miss Universe GIVEAWAY

2011-10-26T10:00:00.000-04:00

Hi friends. For the past week I've been posting the OPI Miss Universe polishes individually. I wanted to wait until I had represented all of the polishes on Short n Chic before I posted this giveaway, so today's that day.

So, what can you win and how can you win it? First, here's what you'll win.

Congeniality Is My Middle Name

Crown Me Already! (ring nail)

Swimsuit...Nailed It!

It's MY Year

The winner of this giveaway will receive the full set of OPI Miss Universe polishes. Unused and unopened, of course.

To enter, you must do two things:

1. Become a follower of Short n Chic. To do this, go to the righthand sidebar and click the button that says "Join This Site." Have you done that? Great, you're eligible to win.

2. Comment on this post and include:

Your name

AND

Your e-mail address

ALSO this is not required, but if you want to tell someone about this giveaway that would be great. You can text your friend, tell your mom on the phone, post about it on your blog, whatever. I don't need proof of this. I would just appreciate it.

This giveaway will end on Monday, October 31 at 11:59pm. I will announce the winner sometime that week. If the winner does not respond, I will choose another winner.

Pretty easy, right? International readers are eligible too. Anyone can enter, anyone can win as long as you meet the two requirements above.

This giveaway was actually hastened by my unusually good mood. I was going to wait until November to post it, but I'm so weirdly content right at this moment that today seemed like a good time. Why my happy mood?

1. I went out of town this weekend to a clambake hosted by my aunt and uncle (hi Auntie Laura!), and it was really fun and really relaxing. In a way, I'm still basking in the afterglow of getting to spend time with friends and family. The graduate school lifestyle is an amazingly solitary one, so being in the company of loved ones and good conversation is always a treat. The amazing food also helped.

2. Even though I was still technically on vacation today, I popped into work at the museum. I got a lot done, and accomplishment makes me happy.

3. At the beginning of the semester I was taking French. It was a pain in the ass because I had to get up early, the homework took up a ton of time, there were a lot of tests, and I was always late getting to the class for which I TA because I had to run across campus from French to get there. But now I can drop French. I can drop French because I passed a translation test and I was able to semi-struggle through a scholarly article, translating it from French into English. All this means is that I am certifiably able to read French according to my masters program. In a word: yay.

4. I'm getting my bi-annual haircut on Friday, so the anticipation has me excited. You may remember my February haircut, and a similar scintillating frenzy.

Okay, that's it! Good luck everyone! I hope I put you in a good mood too.

OPI Swimsuit...Nailed It! and Crown Me Already!

2011-10-25T10:00:00.000-04:00

There are entirely too many exclamation points in the names of these OPI Miss Universe polishes. But other than that, I don't have any issues with them. Because, my friends, in this tiny collection OPI produced a blue that I actually enjoy wearing. Exhibit A:

This is Swimsuit...Nailed It! and it can only be accurately described as a cerulean blue shimmer bomb. Really, this polish just sings in the sun. It's sparkly enough, though, that it continues to sing quietly in the shade. Besides the color, which is just...out-of-this-world gorgeous, it was really the formula that totally blew me away. This polish is so pigmented that I nearly got away with one coat (I did two just to be safe). Swimsuit... is just brilliant. If you like blues like this, I can't recommend enough that you run out and buy this if you can still find it (or order it!).

Something else of note: when my boyfriend saw this polish he immediately commented on it positively. This is abnormal; he's so used to my frequent polish changes (and probably my frequent dark color-usage) that he just never says anything about it anymore. But apparently Swimsuit...was special enough to catch his eye. Indoors, too.

But wait; there's more. Since my nails were already sparkly thanks to Swimsuit... I decided to take the bling up a notch and add Crown Me Already!, a silver glitter polish.

I only wanted to commit to scrubbing glitter off of two of my nails, so I just added two coats of Crown Me to the ring nails on each hand. What a good color combination, right? Unfortunately my pictures couldn't really capture the beauty of Crown Me, but I'll describe it for you anyway. It's a glitter polish suspended in a clear base, but there are two types of glitter: regular, grainy glitter, and hexagonal glitter. The combination of the two is sure to make your nails shine like little disco balls. The hex pieces tend to have a mirror effect that brilliantly reflects light, so it was hard to get a photo of this in the sun. My camera freaked out.

Here's the bottle, just so you can see the two different types of glitter.

Weirdly, this color combination immediately conjured up very specific imagery for me.

[image credit]

On season 4 of Project Runway (RIP Bravo! Project Runway, by the way) Jillian Lewis made this little get-up for the WWE wrestling challenge. I'm pretty sure the chick she dressed was going for a "girl next door" aesthetic. While I don't exactly see that reflected in the costume, it's pretty cute nonetheless. Maybe the knee-high socks are supposed to say "I'm all-American" or something. Who knows. But ANYWAY, the cerulean of Swimsuit...and the light silver of Crown Me immediately called to mind Project Runway for me. Isn't it weird how something like that will just pop into your head?

That's all for today. Any thoughts on either of these polishes? Any blue lovers out there die over Swimsuit...? This is one sparkly blue I'm glad I got on my hands.

[These products sent for review. Questions? See my disclosure policy.]

OPI It's MY Year

2011-10-20T09:54:00.003-04:00

Hazy and gray in Cleveland again.

Here's OPI It's MY Year without and with flash, respectively. This is a really nice polish. It's MY Year consists of gold and purple shimmer/foil-ish particles all suspended in a not-too-sheer jelly base. This makes for a dazzling effect when brought to opacity and when in the sun. The polish sparkles a grape color, lavender, and gold all at the same time depending which angle you're looking from.

The formula was good on this one, just a tad runny. I used three coats because of the jelly base, but the dry time was really fast. Also the glitter here is totally smooth even without topcoat, so that's a plus. Personally, I don't have anything else like this polish, but when I saw it it reminded me immediately of Zoya Faye. It also seems to be a more purple version of OPI Rally Pretty Pink. I don't own either of those so I can't do a comparison, but I'm sure there's one out there. I'm glad I have this one, though. It kind of reminds me of a summer sunset.

Speaking of summer, starting to miss it now. I love fall, but it has been raining like crazy in Cleveland for the past couple days. To keep my morale up, I wore my sweater with fancy kitties on it the other day.

The self-timer surprised me a bit, which is why I don't look at all photogenic here, but you get the idea. And if you don't, here's a close-up.

See? Kitties. Fancy kitties, because they're wearing bow ties. Aristocats, if you will. Har har.

Okay, time for me to be off to work. Opinions on It's MY Year? Man, the capitalized pronoun in the name of that polish is kind of annoying, huh?

[This product sent for review. Questions? See my disclosure policy.]

OPI Congeniality is My Middle Name

2011-10-18T10:37:00.001-04:00

It's kind of a dreary day here in Cleveland, even though it wasn't supposed to be. I usually have my Tuesday class outside at a coffee shop, but sadly I don't think that'll happen today. But...at least I can bring the sparkle with my nails.

With flash.

And a shot of the bottle.

Congeniality is My Middle Name came out this past summer with the limited edition OPI Miss Universe collection. This is one of two shimmers included in the collection, and I have to tip my hat to OPI on this one. I usually never wear pink, especially a pink that leans so close to purple. But this one is nice. A deep pink with a purple base, I'm sure this polish really sings in the sun. Unfortunately I have none of that today, so we'll just have to make do with the flash. Which didn't turn out poorly, so I think we're good.

The formula on this one gave me just a little bit of trouble. It was thinner than OPIs normally are, so it was a little difficult to control, but nothing you can't handle. I used two coats and it brought the polish to full opacity. The microshimmer in this is what makes it special. It's not just your run-of-the mill berry; it's packed with tiny, twinkling purple and pink microglitter that sparkles when in bright light.

I think this is more of an autumn color than a summer one. For me at least. Berry shades always make me think autumn or winter. Regardless, if you're a fan of berries or pinks, I wouldn't hesitate about picking this one up. You won't be disappointed. Plus, as I mentioned, I think it's a good transition color from summer into fall for those of us who aren't ready to go full-on gray and vampy yet.

Opinions on Congeniality is My Middle Name? Does it make anyone else think of Sandra Bullock? Any pink fans that absolutely adore this one?

[This product sent for review. Questions? See my disclosure policy.]

China Glaze Foxy

2011-10-14T10:00:00.000-04:00

I bought a few polishes from China Glaze's Vintage Vixen collection last fall. I wasn't exactly crazy about any of them. It was the type of thing where I wore them once, took pictures, and then forgot about them. I even forgot that I had never worn Foxy. I found it at the back of a Helmer drawer, all sad and forlorn by itself.

And now I'm kicking myself for letting poor Foxy languish on its own for an entire year. I can't believe how much I love this polish. It's a gorgeous brownish red with gold shimmer running through it. Here's a bottle shot.

I love this. The formula was great, of course. Two coats and I was all set. And the name is so perfect, isn't it? I know that this polish won't be one that I use once and forget about. For me, this one is repeat-manicure material.

Plus, as an added bonus, Foxy has been making me think of this all week:

[image credit]

Sigh. So great.

Anyway, thoughts on Foxy? Did anyone else pick this one up last year? Does anyone love it as much as I do? I don't know what it is, but I'm so into this one...

China Glaze Side Saddle

2011-10-10T08:53:00.002-04:00

This post is going to be really short because I have to leave for my agonizing full day of Monday-ness in...eleven minutes.

Here's China Glaze Side Saddle. I don't have the bottle because I lent this entire collection to my friend, but I felt weird holding nothing, so...that's why I'm holding Gelous. Anyway, Side Saddle is a Rodeo Diva that you never really hear much about. But why, I don't know. Because it's gorgeous. A dark plum or brown base with maroon, purple, red and gold microshimmer. It lights up in the sun, looks like little gems glistening. I love this one. Good China Glaze formula; two coats and I was good to go.

This is perfect for fall, isn't it?

China Glaze Trendsetter

2011-10-05T10:18:00.000-04:00

When I first saw the promo photos for Metro last winter (yes, I was creeping around for fall 2011 releases in winter 2010) and I laid eyes on Trendsetter I knew that it would have to come and live in my collection. Then I saw swatches come out and I knew that this was the only polish of the collection that merited must-have-grabby-hands status.

For those of you who are regular readers, it won't come as a shock when I tell you that I am head-over-heels in love with this color. I've said it many times but I'll say it again: these ugly puke greens and yellows look wonderful and elegant on my skin tone and I don't know why but I love it. Trendsetter is basically a shimmery version of American Apparel MacArthur Park, probably a couple hairs darker and greener. Therefore the name "trendsetter" isn't entirely apt. But if that's my only problem with this polish, then...I'm still ecstatic about it. The formula was typical China Glaze, and I had flawless and even coverage in two coats.

I was so happy to walk into Ulta and see that they had this collection. The other one I wanted, Midtown Magic, was the only one they didn't have. But now looking at swatches of that one I'm noticing that it's not exactly terribly unique, so I'm not too sad to have missed out on it. I don't have much time at all for my once-routine pilgrimages to Ulta, but I made sure to find time last Sunday morning. Trendsetter was a reward to myself for finishing tasks (like a toddler, I work on a reward system; fun fact: writing this blog post was my reward to myself for finishing a particularly arduous reading).

To conclude: LOVE. If you like weird ugly colors like this, get yourself a bottle of Trendsetter. It's too gross/beautiful to pass up. And I think it looks great on short nails ;)

Wet n Wild Fantasy Makers Creepy Pumpkin

2011-10-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

October. It's October. September through December is my favorite time of year, and I consider "the holidays" to begin with Halloween. Halloween is my favorite day of the year. It's the best time of year, too. The leaves fall, there's apple cider, I get to wear scarves and tights, and Halloween-themed nail polish comes out. These pictures are terrible, though. The manicure was a rush-job and the light was awful.

Wet n Wild Fantasy Makers Creepy Pumpkin. First of all, love the name. This is the first polish in quite a while that I have bought for only the name. I'm not a huge fan of orange, but I had to have this one. As you can see, it's pretty sheer. This was three coats and I still had significant-and-unable-to-be-ignored VNL. I was too lazy to do a fourth, though. This polish wore really well, so for $1.99 it's hard to be disappointed. I think I had it on for four or five days before I saw any signs of wear, so that's good. There really isn't much to say about it. It's a jelly. It has glass-fleck glitter. It's really pretty. Scrangie has a good swatch of this one.

I really wish I could blog more. I'm six weeks into this semester, and I can say without reservation that it's the hardest one I've ever gone through. And last year was tough. And I went to a really rigorous school for my undergrad. I don't have time to do anything for myself. I'm always running, running, running. Read, library, write, library, read, grade papers, teach kids, grade more papers, write lesson plans, read, read, read. My stress level is the highest it's been...ever, I think. And I miss my boyfriend. He's going to school full-time too, and working full-time, so it's hard to mesh our schedules. I'm so proud of him, though. But seeing him is always a stress-reliever for me. He makes me laugh, and that's the best thing about him. And he's the best cuddler. Ah man, now I'm getting sad writing this. I think I'll call him now...

Yeah, so I'm going to run off and do that. And once again I'm making the promise that this will not be my only post this week. We're supposed to get sun in Cleveland soon too, so my pictures should suck less next time. Anyone else scoop up Creepy Pumpkin? I'm sure it would look a thousand times better in sunlight and with four or even five coats, but my patience just doesn't accommodate that these days.

Nubar Lustful Red

2011-09-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

I'm sad to say that today I have iPhone photos for you because I didn't get a chance to take real photos of Lustful Red by Nubar. I had an incident where I slammed my hand into something only one day after meticulously doing this manicure that was supposed to last me a week and the top layer of my nail ripped off. Suffice it to say, ouch. And ew.

Here is Lustful Red in the sun (with my hand perched on my Civic's steering wheel) and in the shade (with my hand clutching a book about The Madonna of Humility [don't ask me about it because I haven't read the book yet so I have no idea what I'm talking about]). As you can see, the sun really brings out its orange tones while the shade brings out the blue. In reality it's a cherry red creme. A really, really nice cherry red creme. The formula was okay. A little thin, actually. I needed three coats for this opacity.

Fun fact: while I was taking the shade photo I was standing outside the Cleveland Museum of Art (where I intern/have class/live) and one of the art librarians walked by me taking pictures of my hand. As he continued to walk by I took this picture of the print on my dress to show you all, and now he thinks I'm a psycho.

But I couldn't not show you guys this print. When I walked into the art history 101 class for which I'm a TA, one of my friends just looked at me, sighed and said, "Ahhh. Ponies." I like it when my clothing induces contented sighs or squeals of joy. I saw this dress on clearance at Urban Outfitters and scooped it up for $21. I assume it was there because few people are quirky enough to wear stuff like this, but I'm proud to say that this is my fourth article of clothing with all-over horse print. Evidence:

Prancing unicorns.

Running horses.

Also another blouse from H&M that has horses with saddles all over it. Haven't had a chance to photograph it. But, there you have it. My wardrobe gets weirder by the day and I love it.

That's it for me today. Who loves red? Who is willing to admit that they love red? It's definitely one of my favorite hues for fall, and Nubar does them well.

Alright, time for me to giddyup!

Petites Color Fever Periwinkle

2011-09-26T10:20:00.000-04:00

I haven't been around as much as I'd like to, and for that I apologize. I'm having a small career crisis right now that will hopefully be resolved tomorrow, so just know that all of you guys are in my thoughts and that I am constantly wishing that I had time to do my nails. Or sleep. Or eat froyo. The silver lining is that I'm finally not really sick anymore. There is a lingering cough, but I feel fine.

I find this color, which is Petites Periwinkle, to be incredibly soothing. Unfortunately (and symbolically!) it only lasted through the weekend. I had a big chip by Sunday that I couldn't abide, so I had to take it off. Anyway, this is a great polish despite that. The color is a lovely blue-ish purple, and its own name, periwinkle, is its best descriptor. The formula is excellent for a drug store polish, and this can be found at any Rite-Aid for, I believe, either $2.99 or $3.99.

I solemnly swear that this will not be my only post this week. I have another one coming up because I got to do my nails twice this weekend (once on Friday night after an exhibition opening and once on Sunday after Periwinkle failed me). So I will be back.

Opinions on this polish? It's one I'm glad to have around, for sure.

OPI I Brake For Manicures and AA Giveaway Winner

2011-09-19T10:26:00.000-04:00

Greetings from the land of graduate school; where having a cold is the worst thing that could possibly happen to you and "working through the pain" involves reading dozens of esoteric articles while the words spin on the page in front of you. Yes, I'm sick. And yes, I will complain about it. ...okay, I'm done now.

Here's OPI I Brake For Manicures. A tricky little bastard of a polish to photograph. It's a dark, vampy, dusty grape. My camera wanted to make it look almost-black every time I tried to take a picture of it, but trust me...it has a special quality to it that makes it look smoky and a little mysterious. In truth, I haven't been this in love with a vampy since last winter's China Glaze Naughty But Nice, which I didn't really document. My mom was in the hospital when that collection was a thing, so I didn't have time to photograph them as I wore them. Anyhow, this polish is special among vampies. Really. And the formula was really superb. Two coats here.

I can't complain about any of the polishes I picked up from Touring America. I love them all (see I Eat Mainely Lobster here, Are We There Yet? here, Suzi Takes the Wheel here, A-Taupe the Space Needle here and Uh-Oh Roll Down the Window here). Although most of these colors are pretty standard hues, each one of them seems to have that special somethin'-somethin' that makes them indispensable for a polish lover.

Also, the winner of my giveaway was a reader named Charlotte. I've already e-mailed her and she e-mailed me back to confirm her win, so that's that. Her heart's desire is California Trooper, MacArthur Park and Poppy, all colors I love. So congratulations, Charlotte! And to everyone else, thanks for entering. I'll probably do another AA giveaway to celebrate the end of the semester (which seems so far away right now, but it's really not; I'm yearning for December).

That's it for today. Opinions on I Brake For Manicures?

Giveaway Reminder

2011-09-16T09:00:00.002-04:00

My American Apparel giveaway is ending TOMORROW at MIDNIGHT EASTERN.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, click here to view details and enter.

If you do have an idea what I'm talking about, get excited.

If you've been wondering where I've been the past couple weeks, I've been doing this: reading. You can't see the book, but I assure you it's there. And it's about either Pre-Raphaelites, Victorian art, or DEATH. I know, this semester is bananas.

Okay, over 'n out.

Dirtiest Sephora Order...Ever?

2011-09-13T10:48:00.002-04:00

A while back (and I do mean a while) my friend sent me a Sephora e-giftcard. I knew immediately what I wanted to use it for, but through a series of shenanigans my items of desire took foreversies to get to me. But now I finally have them. One of them is Illamasqua Load.

Illamasqua Load. Load. Ha ha and also ha. How perfect. We all know the reference, so I won't elaborate on its hilarity--especially the fact that it was released for Valentine's Day with another polish called Throb. Is it yellow? Is it white? I'm going to call it a yellow-tinged white. And I really love it. I'm so glad I was able to get this one (with a giftcard, because I wasn't going to pay $14 for it). With all I've read about this polish I kind of thought it would have the worst formula of all time or something. Not true. It was fine (for a white/yellow). This was three coats and there are still some imperfections, but not enough to make me want to do a fourth coat. I was careful with application, though. I waited about two minutes between coats one and two, and then about five between two and three.

So what else did I order from Sephora? Another Illamasqua product. A lipstick! At $22 I also wouldn't have sprung for this one without a giftcard in-hand. I chose Maneater, a true matte red. Then after I checked out I looked at the recap of my order and literally laughed out loud.

The names of the Illamasqua products combine to make this the dirtiest Sephora order of all time. So thanks Illamasqua. Thanks for making me giggle uncontrollably. My day has improved and you've allowed me to share my immaturity with my readers. LAUGH WITH ME PEOPLE.

Thoughts on Load? On Illamasqua's product-naming tendencies? On anything?

Essie Very Structured

2011-09-08T10:30:00.000-04:00

The tale of my acquiring Essie Very Structured is one of last-minute decisions. I was at Target with my boyfriend and we were both school supply shopping. He was holding a basket and probably walking toward office supplies. I'm sure that he turned his back for one second and I was gone, scampering off toward beauty supplies (a girl has her priorities, let's be honest). Once there I was confronted with the Essie fall collection, and within seconds I had snatched Very Structured off the display. It's not my usual type of color, and that's why I picked it. I scampered back to my boyfriend, held it right in front of his face and said, "For Steffie?" He begrudgingly let me drop it into the basket and bought it for me. I was ecstatic. It was his first [coerced] gift of nail polish to me.

Unfortunately this color does absolutely nothing for me. If Very Structured were a crayon I feel like it would be called Mahogany. It's a red-leaning brown. Very autumnal. The formula was absolutely superb. This was two really flawless coats. As soon as my mom noticed my nails while I was wearing this one she asked what it was. I think this polish might go live with her now. She has a warmer skin tone than I do, and a color like this is right up her alley.

To conclude, I love this polish because my boyfriend bought it for me, but...ugh. It's just not me. Maybe next time I can get him to buy me something that's actually pretty on.

OPI Uh-Oh Roll Down the Window

2011-09-06T07:25:00.000-04:00

I don't have a lot to say about this one, surprisingly. I was really tired when I took these pictures, so they're not very good. I also let my friend borrow the polish so I don't have the bottle. I'm holding one of my perfume bottles in these shots.

I think that this is a very nice olive green. But that's really all I think about it. At this point I have a lot of olives in my collection (because they're my favorite, which I wrote about in this post), so this one doesn't necessarily fill any gaps. But it is pretty. So if you're building your collection and you are lacking an olive green, this would be a good one to pick up.

The pros here include a nice formula (two coats), a pretty almost-neutral color, and name referencing a fart (maybe? or vomit? who knows. the debate about this one will, I'm sure, go down into the annals of history). Olive green seems like this season's go-to color. All the big companies are producing them for us. It was kind of a difficult-to-find color about two years ago (hence my insane love for polishes like China Glaze Wagon Trail and OPI At Your Quebec and Call) but now they're everywhere. So rejoice, lovers of olive green! Now you have your pick.

Thoughts on this one? On the name? I know everyone has already talked about this and I'm behind, but I do my best to keep up!

OPI Suzi Takes the Wheel

2011-09-01T07:25:00.000-04:00

Happy September! I always hate it when I'm in school in August. August still says summer to me, but it's really September that things get under way. The leaves start to fall, the syllabi start to pile up, the reading starts to drive me crazy...

Anyway. OPI Suzi Takes the Wheel. Another polish from Touring America that I can't get enough of. Super unique, super gorgeous.

Sometimes it looks like it has a tinge of green to it.

Sometimes it looks pretty grey.

I know that my photos don't really show of the sort-of-green aspect to this polish, but I promise you it's there. I'm wearing this one right now and I haven't been able to stop looking at my hands since I removed A-Taupe the Space Needle (begrudgingly) and put this one on. The formula was exquisite. This one practically applied itself. Two thin, easily applied coats was all I needed.

I can't believe that some people are apathetic about this collection. It seems like it has so many gems for me. I own half of it, and I love every single one I picked out. I mean, love. For Short n Chic, Touring America is definitely a smash hit.

I tried to coax out some of the green in Suzi Takes the Wheel by holding my cell phone in these pictures. It has a cute little case on it with green and blue geometric patterns. I think it kind of worked. The sage qualities of the polish are a bit more evident here. There's a great swatch of it right here from the blog Fashion Polish. Great blog, by the way. One of my newer favorites.

That's it. Not much else to say. Pretty ecstatic about my Touring America picks so far...and I have two more to try out!

OPI A-Taupe the Space Needle

2011-08-30T08:50:00.000-04:00

Do you guys remember the love I had for OPI Stranger Tides? You can read my post about it here if you don't. While Stranger Tides was my "it" polish for spring and summer, I can tell that OPI A-Taupe the Space Needle is going to usurp that spot for fall and [maybe] winter. I was so happy with how this one looked and I was enjoying wearing it so much that I kind of forgot to take pictures of it, but here's one I snapped in the library.

I'm so impressed with this polish. In the bottle it looks like a sort of ugly brown-taupe. It translates so nicely onto the nail. Yes, it's sort of brown and sort of taupe, but this taupe leans decidedly green. In some lights this polish looks like a drab olive and in some it looks like an elegant taupe. I can't get enough of this one. I love how it looks on me. And I love how it looks on short nails. It's a great twist on a traditional neutral. The formula was fantastic too. Two coats of creamy perfection and I had perfect opaque color. Can you tell that I have nothing but good things to say about this one? It's my pick of the collection for sure.

Is anyone else smitten with this one? Definitely an unexpected favey-fave, but a favey-fave nonetheless!

Everything Ends

2011-08-28T10:25:00.000-04:00

My last week of summer in photographs with, for once, very little commentary. They speak for themselves, I think.

Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream, Chagrin Falls, Ohio

Pal Sam, sporting OPI A-Taupe the Space Needle

Here starts another school year. And here's to the end of summer: Opt for adventure.

A totally self-indulgent post for once can't hurt, right? :)

OPI Sapphire in the Snow

2011-08-26T07:24:00.000-04:00

Oh hey, remember that time I had this super awesome giveaway where you could win three American Apparel polishes of your choice? Oh wait, that's right now. Want to enter? Click here.

I don't know why I decided to use a dark polish from a holiday-themed collection in August, but I did. And here it is.

Sapphire in the Snow is a reeeeaally nice indigo creme from the 2009 OPI holiday collection. I got bubbling here because I applied the topcoat near a fan, which is a no-no. But I was hot. It happens. Anyway, if you're looking for an indigo polish (or a "blurple," as a lot of people seem to like to call it...) then this is your polish. The formula is flawless; it covers really nicely in two coats. And it looks gorgeous on short nails. Trust.

And now to vent a little: I'm writing this at 10pm in the evening, and my power has been out since about 5pm. What...the hell. I went to a coffee shop to use the internet and do reading for [yet to be begun] class and I was sure that by the time I got home the power would be back. Now I'm lying on my tummy in my living room stealing internet from the restaurant next door, eating lukewarm leftover pad thai that I saved from my fridge. It's pitch-black up in here. The battery on my laptop will only last a few hours at the most; I can't see to write, to shower...to do anything! I'm so pissed. How hard can it be to get the power back on?! The people across the street from me have it. I waaaaaant it back :( When you guys are reading this it'll be Friday morning, so let's all hope that my little apartment has lights and internet again. I'd really like to be able to shave my legs without worrying about accidentally slicing open my femoral artery or something.

And with that lovely mental image, I will leave you all to contemplate the mysteries of modern electricity and OPI Sapphire in the Snow.

A Grand Giveaway

2011-08-24T16:29:00.005-04:00

It's fitting that the two-year anniversary of Short n Chic somehow has coincided with my reaching a thousand bloggy followers. I haven't been the most attentive blogger lately because I've had so much on my plate, but I did at least notice the quadruple digits in my list of readers. To celebrate, I'm doing a giveaway. My giveaways have been exactly the same for the past year, and this one won't deviate. So, here are the details.

The winner of this giveaway will receive three polishes from American Apparel of her choice. That's right; any three polishes (as long as they are in stock). I live just down the street from the only AA store in Cleveland, so it's easy for me to pop in and pick up the winner's prize. Below this paragraph I'm posting some pictures of AA polish swatches from my own blog just to give you some ideas for what you can choose. By no means are these the polishes from which you must pick your prize. American Apparel has thirty or forty shades of polish to choose from, and if you want to see them all please click here to go to their website. These images you see are just examples of what you could choose from my own collection.

African Violet

Army Jacket

Butter

California Trooper

Hunter

MacArthur Park

Mount Royal

Peacock

Trenchcoat

So, now that you know what you can win...how can you win it? It's easy.

1. Be a follower. There's a button on the righthand sidebar that says "Join This Site." See it? Click it and follow this blog. Have you already done that? Great. You're qualified to win.

2. Comment on this post with your NAME, which THREE AMERICAN APPAREL POLISHES you would like from me should you win, and your [valid] E-MAIL ADDRESS.

3. Tell someone. I don't need proof of this. There will be no extra entries if you post about this giveaway on your blog (although, by all means, feel free to). Just tell someone. Verbally is fine. Text messages are grand. Do whatever you want. I just want to keep this one simple. One entry per person!

That's all. To recap, you can pick any three polishes that American Apparel produces. Here are some more swatches if you want to look at them. And more here! Swatches galore! Personally my favorite AA polish is MacArthur Park, but to each her own, right? Pick your ponies, ladies.

You have until Saturday, September 17th at 11:59pm to enter. Remember, follow and comment on this post! Good luck! International readers are free to enter as well.

Also, thanks everyone for helping me to reach this milestone! I'm really excited about it...and I'm just glad that people want to read what I have to say ;) You've all stuck with me through a lot, and I want everyone who reads to know how much that means to me. You guys are the best.

Black Label: OPI Peel Me A Gobi Grape

2011-08-19T10:22:00.005-04:00

Forgive me for showing you this polish. I ask your forgiveness because I know that this one is really pretty difficult to find. And when one does run across it, it usually goes for a not insignificant amount of dollars. But I've been sitting on this one for a while. So here she is.

I did a bit of research, and OPI Peel Me A Gobi Grape is apparently from a 1998 collection. 1998. I was twelve years old when this polish came out. It's obviously long discontinued. It's a really, really nice red-based purple...maybe kind of a light plum...with bronze-y, gold-y shimmer throughout. It's a stunner and it's perfect for falltimes. Clearly this one has the old OPI skinny brush and the old OPI chemical-laden formula. The formula was fine, but it was a little lumpy (probably because the polish has been sitting around for like a decade). I used two coats and I was good to go.

I've had this polish since the winter when a reader, Gail, sent me a box full of old OPIs. I wanted to wait until I had really nice sunlight to use it, and I think that late August/early September is a great time to wear this one; leading right into fall, this purple with gold shimmer is a great transition from summer to autumn, and from the bright happy colors I've been wearing for the past couple months to the somber, darker tones I plan to use in my wardrobe come fall [read: when school starts I will be wearing mostly black--or brown tweed. It's a toss-up].

Pixel Show Me the $: The Only Mint Green I'll Ever Wear Again

2011-08-18T11:09:00.000-04:00

I have found the only mint green polish I'll ever need to wear again. No, really. And photographs don't do it justice, which is sad.

This is Pixel Show Me the $. Despite the [really] stupid name, I am seriously loving this one. It's a very sheer mint green jelly. So, look at the beautiful color. Sear it in your brain. Now let me tell you what's wrong with this polish.

1. The cost to bottle size ratio. .17 fl oz for $2.49. Siiiiiigh.

2. The sheerness. Took five coats to build up to this color.

3. The combination of 1 and 2. I've used this little bottle once and it's almost a quarter gone because of all the coats I needed.

Even though problems 1 through 3 suck, I. Love. This. Color. If you really like sheers, pick this one up! It's such a great twist on a neutral sheer. The good thing about this one is that it dried really quickly even with five coats. I put on some quick dry topcoat, sat quietly for about 30 minutes, and at the end of my quiet time it was completely dry. This polish is like...the one that's missing from the RBL Spongebob Collection (see Starfish Patrick here and Bikini Bottom here). Don't you think? Show Me the $ would fit in perfectly with those shades.

Sidebar: Facebook is creeping me out. Here are the ads on the side of my page right now:

Urban Decay Up to 50% off!

Get 50% off Julep Nail Color!

50% off Salon de la Mer (local place a couple miles away)!

Learn to Run a Coffee Shop!

This creepy apparatus is appealing to my love of makeup and coffee. It's slowly trying to take over my life, I think. Anyway, that's all. Opinions on this polish? On Pixel generally? Has anyone tried a Pixel that isn't incredibly sheer? Oh, and the title of this post clearly isn't true. I'm still going to buy mint green polishes even though I don't like them. Who are we kidding?

Coral Fixation: OPI Are We There Yet?

2011-08-16T10:24:00.000-04:00

As predicted I went back to Ulta last weekend for the other coral shade from Touring America. I made decent tips at work so I decided to treat myself.

See the shimmer in the bottle?

Sorry about my bad cuticles, everyone! I'm aware of the problem, I just haven't gotten around to fixing it. Anyway, here's Are We There Yet? It's so pretty. It's like I Eat Mainely Lobster's more playful, lighthearted sister. It's a beautiful, orange leaning, almost...melon-y coral. With nearly undetectable shimmer. I only noticed it when I was in bright sunlight. I really, really love this coral. I can't find anything bad to say about this polish, either. It was opaque in two coats, the formula was nice...good job, OPI!

When I got Are We There Yet? I thought it might be really similar to OPI Naples Syrup (not pictured) but I was really wrong. When I went through my black label box searching for comparable colors I surprisingly came up short. The coral I have that comes closest to Are We There Yet? is Sinful Colors Hazard.

L-R: OPI Ecuadorable Coral, OPI Back in the Saddle, OPI Are We There Yet? Sinful Colors Hazard and OPI Home on the O-Range

Hazard has really fine pearlescent shimmer running through it, though, while Are We There Yet has bigger gold shimmer particles. Close, but not a dupe.

What else there is to say about this one, I'm not sure. If you like corals go out and pick this up because it's definitely worth it. I think I like it better than I Eat Mainely Lobster, but I'll probably have to live with it on my hands for a couple of days before I make that decision.

That's all for today. I'm not feeling very verbose for once, so I'll let you guys talk in the comments instead! Opinions on this polish? A favorite coral polish? A fun story about your weekend? I really want to know :)

Coral Fixation: OPI I Eat Mainely Lobster

2011-08-11T10:14:00.004-04:00

Guess what! My friend lent me a camera. It's actually the same one as my dead camera, just a little bit older. Yay!

Fall has been in the air the past couple nights. I turned off my air conditioner and slept with my windows open for the first time since early June. I was even a little chilly. So I guess it's fitting that yesterday I went over to Ulta and picked up a few of the OPI Touring America polishes. I was torn between I Eat Mainely Lobster and Are We There Yet?, but in the end I came away with the former. I'm sure I'll return for the latter this weekend.

So here's my newest little coral friend, OPI I Eat Mainely Lobster. First of all, I love the name. This summer has been full of lobster jokes between my friend from New England and I. When I saw this one in the bottle I kind of wasn't crazy about it. I thought that it was too pinky-red. But on my nails...I'm pretty into it. It's this gorgeous, warm coral with even more gorgeous magenta and gold shimmer. The formula actually seemed kind of thick to me, which is weird because I've been reading about how it's watery. Maybe I got a funny bottle. I used three coats here. Is this a good fall color? I don't know. But I'll be really, really happy to be sporting this one in the last days of summer. If you're into corals, pinks or reds, check this one out.

That's all for today. Who is interested in picking up I Eat Mainely Lobster? What are everyone's picks from Touring America? I have to say, just by looking at the collection in person at Ulta yesterday I feel like OPI kind of hit it out of the park (which is good for me because I wasn't crazy about Texas at all). Alright! I'm off to hang out at the art museum all day! Things can't be so bad with a day like that, right? ;)