Festive Fall Stamping

Hope all of our American readers had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I did!  Food, family, pets...it was a great day and there are soooo many leftovers.  I started today off right with my traditional day after thanksgiving breakfast, but I love my mani too much to change it just yet.  I think it's one my my favorites of any full manis I've ever done.  It has tiny acorns!


Ta-da!  Tiny!  Acorns!!

I started off with Essie Sable Collar and an accent of OPI Muir Muir On The Wall.  Then I stamped over it using Color Club Sugar Rays and the Messy Mansion William Morris & Friends plate.  I'm in love with this plate!  It was a little pricey compared to some others but...TINY ACORNS!!!  My partner said they look like a "shiny ugly sofa", but he meant well...I think.  He did say he liked the designs.  My mom and sister thought they looked cool and noticed that they sorta matched the table cloth.  That was my inspiration, kinda, so yay!


Messy Mansion plates are available on their Etsy page and shipping is pretty reasonable, considering they come all the way from Australia.  The echidna stamp  on the envelope this plate came in was too cute!  (That's Sugar Rays on my nails in that photo, as it happens.)  The images on the plate are crisp and transfer well, plus the full-nail ones are MASSIVE!  I'm really happy with everything about this purchase and I'll probably wind up buying a couple more from them eventually.


How was your thanksgiving (if you celebrated) and are you snagging anything special for yourself in today's sales?  I've been good....mostly....

Oceany Gradient and Glitter

During my recent CVS haul, I also grabbed one of the new Triple Shine polished from Sally Hansen. I really wanted to try them, and I was having the damnedest time finding them. I finally chose a light teal glittery/flaky polish...and I immediately fell in love. I knew that it would be great over a soft teal, but I wanted to show it over white as well...and since I'm me, I ended up doing a gradient.

Colors Used

Wet 'n' Wild I Need a Refresh-Mint

OPI Alpine Snow

Sally Hansen Triple Shine Hypnautical

Subtle Angled Gradient

I have a ridiculous love of gradients, that is no secret to anyone who has ever read this blog. In an effort to keep things from getting predictable and boring, I've been trying some new things. Today's offering is an angled gradient...with holos. I chose two similar colors, with the idea that I could dupe the thermal look that is floating around. I'm pretty happy with how it ended up. Subtle, but shiny! They feel very mermaid-esque to me. I can't stop staring.

Colors Used:

Color Club Kismet

Color Club Over the Moon

inside my lightbox, the holo flash is quieter...

but you can see the blue tinge better

outside my lightbox, the flash is obvious

but the blue tinge is more subdued.

Teabag Patching - For When You Can't Let Go

I broke a nail on Saturday.  As usual, it was in somewhat awkward circumstances.  There were no veggie burgers or squash involved this time.  It was my steering wheel again.  At least this time was bloodless.  Cars are a nail danger zone in general.  One of my worst breaks in recent-ish memory happened when I reached for the seatbelt and missed....but then another of my worst was caused by over-exuberant buffing while angry (wretched irony!), so you never know when a nail disaster will strike.  It's good to know how to fix it, if you're not ready to nub down or if it's too low to safely trim or file.  I learned about this technique from the girls on the MUA Nail Board and I think I did my first patch by following Nail Corner's tutorial.  It's been just a bit over a year since my first patch and I've had more practice with it than I'd have liked.  I've developed my own twist on it and since this break was somewhat stable, I wasn't in the rush I've been in with some previous breaks.  It's as good a time as any to do a tutorial.  There are a LOT of photos here, since I wanted to show every step in detail.


Here's what you'll need:

• 4-way buffer
• emptied, unused teabag
• ethyl cyanoacrylate "super" or nail glue
• small, sharp scissors
• tweezers
• toothpick
• acetone and a cleanup brush (not shown)

The brand of teabag does matter.  I like Lipton.  It's stronger than some, but thinner than others.  You don't have to sacrifice the tea if your bag has a staple.  There's usually plenty of slack past the fold to clip a big enough piece and still use the bag for a cup.  I did empty this bag out, but almost every patch I've ever done in about a year has been from this one bag.  I still have plenty left too.  I keep it in its packet so it stays in good shape.

The brand of glue doesn't matter, as long as it's ethyl cyanoacrylate.  I like Krazy Glue for its packaging.  The tube in the photo above has been in use off and on for at least most of this year, if not since the end of last year.  I did have one dry up recently, but it was my partner's tube so I can't necessarily blame the tube itself.  He may not have closed it as securely as I do.  I like the way this style of packaging applies too.  It goes on very slowly and evenly without suddenly bubbling or bursting out like the metal ones do.  Doesn't seal shut like the brush ones either.

Survey the damage-

No two breaks are exactly the same.  The success and longevity of your patch will depend largely on the nature of the break.  The polish hides the full extent of the break, so it has to go.  Use a gentle method.  This isn't the time for a scrub tub.  I used an old cleanup brush and a paper towel to remove the polish without putting stress on the break.  Once it's naked, you can see just what you're dealing with.

I was somewhat lucky with this one, aside from it not tearing any skin.  (I know it looks like it's below the skin, but it's just slightly past it.)  More importantly for patching, it's less than half-way across the width of the nail.  The smaller the break, the lower the stress on the patch when you use your hands.  It's also easier to replace smaller patches.  When a patch is extensive, I will generally refresh it instead of removing it.  It gets full of shimmer and starts looking really gross after a few polish changes.  With something like this though, I'll be able to soak the patch off in acetone and redo it as needed without worrying about further damage.

note- If your nails are wet when the break happens or get wet before you begin the patching process, let them dry for 30 min or longer if possible. If the break is extensive, patch it ASAP, but allow drying time otherwise. A wet nail may flatten out and will stay flat if patched while wet.


Size the bag-

Some people cover the whole nail in bag material, but I think that's excessive.  There's also more risk of bubbling or wrinkling and the finished patch may look thicker than the other nails.  I cut a piece to fit generously instead, considerably wider and a bit longer than the break itself.  I put it against the bare nail to size it up and make sure it won't stick off the edge awkwardly.


Stick it down-

Align the break with the rest of the nail as smoothly as possible and apply glue to cover the break and a bit of the surrounding nail.  Once you do this, you will not be able to realign, so be sure it's as even as you can get it.

Carefully place the piece of material with the tweezers.  Make sure it lines up well with the skin and/or free edge, but covers the break well.

Use the toothpick to push it down and stick it to the first coat of glue.

Carefully apply glue over the whole patch until the material becomes transparent, then extend the glue to cover most of the upper nail surface.

Use the toothpick to spread the glue around and rough it up a little.  The bag should be stuck down somewhat firmly by this point, but be careful not to dislodge it.

I do this so it dries faster.  I should try it sometime without this roughing step just to see, but you know how habits are.


Let the glue dry-

I can't say just how long this takes.  It's at least ten minutes, but may be more depending on the weather and the amount of glue used.  You can tell by sight when it's dry.  It goes cloudy and the patch material will be more visible again.


Buff it-

Give the surface of the glue a few passes with the first step of the 4-way buffer, being VERY careful to avoid hitting the surface of your nail where exposed.  After you've evened it out a little, smooth it with the second step of the buffer and gently buff to hide the edge where the glue stops.

Check to see if you have any patch material or glue hanging off the edge, buff that smooth too.

If you'll be applying polish, it doesn't have to be completely perfect, but try to get it nice and smooth.

If you'll be doing a clear coat only, get it as smooth and even as you can, since imperfections will be more obvious.


Apply base coat-

Apply your regular base coat over the nail as you normally would.  The patch should barely be visible.

Give the skin around the nail a slight pull to be sure it's not glued to your nail.  If you feel any resistance or hard spots on your skin, remove the glue with acetone and a cleanup brush.

You may want to use a ridge filler for complete smoothness, but I don't find it necessary.   From here you can move on and apply the polish of your choice.  Patch complete!


Because I was applying polish over it, I didn't take the time to get it 100% perfect, but you can see it looks pretty normal.

You can see the break itself, but you can only just barely see the patch material.  Once polish is applied, you'd never know it was there at all.

Color Club Poetic Hues - not flattering, is it?

Patch maintenance-

I like to reinforce my patches with more glue whenever I change my polish.  Acetone softens the glue and can compromise the strength of the patch.  By adding more glue with each new mani, I've kept a patch going for about a month.  They don't look too good by then, like I mentioned above.  My last patch was stained an odd pink color and full of shimmer by that age, but the break was so extensive that I knew the tip would come off completely if I tried to remove and re-patch.  A previous one got a very crinkled look to it after about twenty days and the nail broke about a week later.

If you feel comfortable that the nail can remain stable through the removal process, replacement after a few polish changes will keep the break protected more securely and keep the nail looking less weird when not painted.

Patch removal-

Whether you're replacing it or removing it to file past the break, the process is the same.  Soak the patched nail in acetone for a few minutes, then push the patch gently with a plastic cuticle pusher or orange stick.  If it doesn't slip off with gentle pushing, continue to soak in acetone until it is soft enough.  Do not scrape!  It will eventually loosen enough to slide off.  Be patient to avoid damaging your nail.

If you're replacing a previous patch, the steps will be the same as applying it the first time.

I both hate and love patching.  I love being able to save a broken nail for a while, but I start hating it after a few polish changes. I think I'm gonna let this new break grow past the fingertip, then remove the patch and shorten my nails.  I think...

Benefit Boi-ing Inspired Manicure

A few weeks ago, my skin decided it was no longer my friend and went wild on me. I had some important stuff coming up, and I finally had to breakdown and buy a concealer. I went into my local Ulta, and a nice young lady helped me pick something out to cover the worst spots: Boi-ing by Benefit.

It works quite well, by the way. It needs to be warmed up though. The packaging insert recommends warming it between your fingers...but with frosty fingers like mine that is not gonna happen. I had to figure out a work-around...and I did. I do my makeup in my bedroom in front of the full-length mirror. Not five feet away is the tv and Directv box...which gets warm! So when I start my makeup, I place the concealer on top of it and by the time I'm ready to apply, it's nice and warm! I realize this is probably not good for the product, but it works for me.

Anyway, I fell in love with the box and had to do a manicure inspired by it. It's an adorably vintage coral shade, with black dots at the corners, very wearable on the nail.  The dots have fine white stitches on them, but my hand is nowhere near steady enough for that.

Colors Used: 

Ulta Beauty Queen

Chine Glaze Liquid leather

My Inspiration:

source

Lotsa Lips

Today's swatches aren't nails!  Amazing, right?  Over the last few months I've been tempted here and there by new lip stuffs.  A lot of these shared a display with a polish or four that I've bought and my eye has strayed, dragging my sore wallet with it.  A small pile of pretty tubes and sticks has gathered on my vanity table and it seemed like it was time to tackle it.

I haven't done a lip swatch in forever, so I hope these aren't awful.  I used my daylight lamp, so the color and opacity may be a bit different than what you'd generally see in person in average lighting.  All products in this post were purchased by me at either CVS or Walgreens.

CoverGirl Smoochies Lipslicks

#2 cute

I loved the original Lipslicks.  I lived in Bronze Goddess and Hipster for years and have at least one backup of each.  I'm sure you know the mixed feelings that go along with a reformulation or other change to a favorite product.  I was curious, skeptical, and a little bit bitter.  You've been there.  Still, I had to try one, right?  I picked #2 cute because it looked closest to Hipster.  The result on the lips isn't quite what I expected.  It's very sheer and not as pigmented as I wanted it to be.  The smell is just like lipgloss I had as a kid, very sweet.  It's got the same kind of smooth, non-sticky, emollient feeling as the old Lipslicks and I can't say I miss the old lady perfume smell of those.  I just don't feel like it lives up to what it replaced.  I do want to try other shades though.  I have to say, the names put me off a little, especially this one.  I know the name of this shade is "hashtag 2 cute" but I always read it as "number 2 cute"...and number twos aren't cute.


CoverGirl Smoochies Sizzle Gloss

Glow For It

My love of shimmer isn't confined to polish.  I was drawn to the Sizzle Glosses in the Hunger Games Capital Collection display the moment I got over finally seeing it in person...and once I'd perused the polishes, of course.  I'm not sure if these are LE or not and I might have to grab the other two just in case.  I'm blown away by Glow For It.  It's got a shimmer that's almost like the glass fleck shimmer in polish.  The shine is great too and it feels good on the lips, thankfully not sticky.  The only possible downside is the fragrance.  It's cloyingly sweet.  It actually bothered me a little, but I can deal with it for this shimmer.  I wanna try layering it over a darker lipstick and I'll absolutely be wearing it on its own sometime too.  I might even buy a backup, rare for me beyond polish.

Violet Flare

I was a little surprised that it's almost colorless on the lips, but the shimmer is stronger than it looks here and the shine is great.  Like Glow for it, Violet Flare is way too sweet-smelling.  I might have been imagining things, but I think it's grape scented.  I hate artificial grape, so I was put off more by the scent here than I was with the other Sizzle Gloss.

Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer

Light Year

When these came out over the summer, I got sucked right into the hype.  I rushed out to Walgreens and bought two of them and even...shockingly...wore them!  I know, right?  The few times I wore makeup this year, chances were that it was one of these two on my lips.  They completely deserve the frenzy they caused here and in the UK.  Light Year feels amazing on.  It's glossy, has great shine, and is absurdly flattering on me.  The scent is really light and actually pleasant.  It wears fairly well too and fades out gracefully when it does start to go.


Galaxy

I really need to get more of these!  Galaxy is also very flattering and all around every bit as good as Light Year.  It smells like candied violets, faintly sweet and lightly green and floral.  These are amazing and you need at least one.  I thought they were supposed to be exclusive to Walgreens, but Drugstore.com has them too...so who knows?

Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss

Embellished (LE)

I have mixed feelings about Embellished.  Its long and oddly flexible applicator tip is tough to work with and the shimmer that's so gorgeous in the tube doesn't show up much on the lips.  Still, it's got amazing shine and the color is pretty, even if it's not quite what I expected from the tube.

Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm

Ingénue

I got sucked in by the huge hype around these too.  In general, they deserve it just as much as the Rimmel Show Offs do.  The first thing I noticed as I put Ingénue on is that it's surprisingly minty.  I wasn't expecting that for some reason.  I love the color.  It's very much 'my lips, but better' and I can see myself living in this in warmer weather if I ever really get back into the makeup habit.  The only negative things I can say about Ingénue are that it's slightly sticky and not as shiny as I'd hoped.  I still love it!

Enticing

Enticing has the same feel and scent as Ingénue, but I'm not sure if the color's flattering on me.  I've still never found a bright red that I really love.  I'll wear this out at least once, but I might wind up exchanging it for another shade.  The shine payoff seems a little better than Ingénue's, but it might just seem that way because it's darker.


Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm

Shameless

WOW!  I love Ingénue, but I love Shameless.  Matte lip products always worry me a little, but Shameless feels silky and not chalky at all.  It feathered a bit at the edges, so I'll probably use a clear lipliner when I wear it 'for real'.  It looks kinda cool here, but trust me...it looks flat out awesome in person.  It's vivid and bold, but not garish.  I need to wear this ASAP!

Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Gloss

Chocolate Lust (LE)

I love that Maybelline's lipglosses have tamper evident packaging.  Like the Rimmel Show Off packaging, there's a clear section that fills with product when the applicator is withdrawn.  I wish every drugstore brand would do this if their products aren't shrink-wrapped.  The shine is great and I'm seriously impressed by the color payoff.  It's nice and dark and very well-pigmented.  It's got a pleasant citrus scent that was a serious relief after some of the others I swatched.  The only downside for me is the applicator.  I found it hard to control and I think a brush or a more standard doe's foot would be better for this formula.

Purple Royale (LE)

This is what I wore on my lips when I painted myself green last month, though it wasn't as obviously purple then as it is when I'm me-colored.  My notes for this shade vanished, unfortunately.  I remember being about as impressed as I was with Chocolate Lust.  It's decidedly purple on me, which I wasn't sure it would be after G's swatch on Nouveau Cheap.  Lipgloss can vary so much with the wearer's coloring.  It looked a lot better in person than the photo turned out.  It seems a bit patchy here and it's darker in person.  I'm not as blown away by it as I am by Revlon Shameless balm, but it's still something I know I'll be reaching for again.


Bottom line:  I like all of these, but I think Shameless steals the show.  I love it so much that I bought Elusive over the weekend.  That'll show up on here at some point too.  I think there are only two of these that I might not buy if I'd worn them before I bought them, Enticing and maybe Embellished.  Enticing is a skintone thing and Embellished falls short of the beauty you see in the tube.  Otherwise these are all great and I'd call Shameless a must-try and say you're missing out if you've don't have any of Rimmel's Show Offs.


So how'd I do?

Pin Busting: Deep Cleaning your Beauty Blender

this post now has a new home! Come check it out at bedlambeauty.com

Welcome to the first installment of "Pretty Girl Science Pin Busting". With the plethora of bullshit pins out there nowadays, I think it would be a public service to start testing them out. How often do you see something on Pinterest and scream "noooooooooo!" Maybe that's just me?

A while back, I stumbled onto this pin detailing how to get the stains out of your Beauty Blender. It definitely caught my attention, as I have a fairly stained knock-off that I love and adore. But like so many things on Pinterest, I figured it was 90% bullshit. Guess what, it isn't!

Here is where I started:

My very well-loved, knock-off Beauty Blender. (seriously, if the real deal works as well I will buy them by the pound). My foundation has never looked so good as it does when applied with this thing. But, being a bit of a wackadoo, the staining bugs me. I have tried scrubbing it against the dog grooming glove, which worked fairly well for almost all the spots. I do worry about the glove shortening the lifespan of my sponge, especially if I fork over the $20 for the real thing. I've tried washing it after every use, massaging it for nearly 10 minutes, and brushing it with a toddler toothbrush. Nothing got it completely clean. Until now.

Step One: Soak in Warm, Soapy Water

regular old handsoap + warm water

Nothing fancy here. I used some gentle hand soap and some warm water in a small bowl. I dropped my sponge in there, and squished it a few times. You can already see the foundation rehydrating in the picture below. I left it in there about half an hour.

like a spa day 

Step Two: Soap it Up

After it soaked for 30 minutes, I could already see a difference. I was starting to get very hopeful at this point. I could also see the water was tinged a slightly beige color from the foundation...which was kinda creepy. I had only used the sponge once since it's last bathing.

those bubbles didn't last long

Because I don't (yet) have the Beauty Blender Solid Cleanser, I used my bar of Dr. Bronner's Rose Castille Soap. It's what I generally use to clean the rest of my brushes...and it smells nice. As per the instructions on the pin, I rubbed my sponge against the soap and massaged.

hippie soap

Step Three: Massage and Rinse

After about three minutes of massaging, the sponge was noticeably cleaner. I rinsed it well under running water and rolled it in a towel to absorb the excess water. It's practically brand new! I can't believe this worked!

This pin is definitely legit. If you have a makeup sponge (or maybe even those disposable wedges?) that you can't get completely clean, this will absolutely be your favorite thing ever!

as good as new!

And because it fascinated me: the bowl of water, post-soak. Gross. I can't believe that was hiding in my sponge.

ew. it looks like chicken broth.

Finally...Another Stamping Plate!

I don't know what I was thinking.  I ordered Cheeky Jumbo A from Amazon in September.  I knew the images were smaller than they are on my much-used Happy Nails plate from them...and I was growing my nails out for Halloween.  I bought it knowing I probably couldn't use it for weeks.  It was maddening!  It's got forty-two full-nail designs, mostly geometrical (my favorite), and I COULDN'T USE IT!  Waaaaah!  Sure, the images are all curved for use on tips, but I've never managed to get that to look good.  When Halloween passed by and I shortened my nails, I was eager to stamp...and then this happened...  I consoled myself by going back to Happy Nails agaaaaaaaain, but Jumbo A was calling to me.  It was obvious what had to be done.  They're shorter now, but I have forty-two more options now and can finally use this plate!  I don't regret a thing!


This wavy image is the fourth image in the third row.  I used Sally Hansen Jet Set Jade over Sinful Colors Emerald Envy.

I found Jet Set Jade in a clearance bin at Target.  It was part of the Fall Insta-Dri LE collection, but I didn't have it when I reviewed my picks.  The clearance sticker was the little nudge I needed and it stamps just as well as I'd hoped.  I love this combo together.  It reminds me of tile the bottom of a pool, but in a good way.

This combo is the only one of today's bunch that I mattified.

For Sally Hansen Style Steel over Sinful Colors Treasure Chest I used the alternating squares of the fourth image in the fifth row.

This image reminds me of a variation on the sixth image in the fourth row of Cheeky Happy Nails, which I used in this post over Zoya Neve.  Something about the big squares and the little squares, I guess.  It's blockier and less intricate than the other one, but bolder too.  Style Steel wound up looking really silver, but it works and I like how they look together.

The image to the right of the one in the last combo was perfect for the bold contrast between Sinful Colors Got A Blush On You and Sally Hansen Quick Jeanius.

Got A Blush On You is too pink for me on its own, but I love the way the design pops out over it.  I'm nuts over this image in general.  It's a bit like something Japanese or maybe African in a way.  I can't quite place it, but it sends me right back to being bored while my mom looked at fabric.  I love patterns and colors, but textile work only ever made me grouchy.  Nails are way more fun!

The last one for today is Style Steel again, this time over Orly Teal Unreal and stamped with the second image in the third row.

Teal Unreal completely confounds my camera.  This isn't it at all.  More on that in my review of my picks from that collection....soon-ish.  I debated even putting this photo up, because I botched the stamping a bit on this one...but maybe it's not that noticeable.  I included it partly because it's weird how much warmer and more golden Style Steel looks here than it did over Treasure Chest.  Strange, isn't it?


These Cheeky plates are really habit-forming!  They both have soooooo many options that I feel kinda overwhelmed looking at them and trying to pick which to use.  I can't recommend them enough!  They're affordable and versatile.  I want more!!  I did pick up a few from other brands recently though, one from Messy Mansion and three from MoYou.  I'll probably be using the Messy Mansion one for my Thanksgiving mani next week.  I kinda wanna stamp ALL the nails now...AAAAHHH!!


Next week's posts from me are shaping up to be a bit more varied than usual.  I'm gonna do a whole post...on...*gasp* lips!  See you then and I hope you remembered to buy cranberry sauce!