Orly Birds of a Feather Nite Owl, Sea Gurl, Fowl Play, Lucky Duck - Review, Swatches, + Photos

I LOVE BIRDS. ...In theory. They are graceful, majestic, beautiful creatures (in theory) who have mastered the one skill man never will - flying. In practice, however, I carefully sidestep the pigeons outside the train station praying that one doesn't brush his dirty, germy self against my leg, and I habitually curse the foul fowl who inconsiderately leave their droppings on my windshield.

What I love in both theory and practice? Orly's new Birds of a Feather collection! The rich coloring of exotic birds is both a popular and effective source of inspiration for all sorts of artists and Orly transformed that vision into a very, very cool, sleek fall collection.

Let's get straight to it, shall we?

The new collection, out now, contains six colors - Peachy Parrot, Fowl Play, Nite Owl, Sea Gurl, Lucky Duck, and Sweet Peacock. I picked up four.

First, Nite Owl!

Don't know was possessed me to get this one. I'm not usually a big fan of nudes/beiges - the ones I've come across have been dull, boring, and simply not my style. I suppose I figured I should round out my collection, but... I'm so pleased I bought it! I love Nite Owl! The shimmer is magnificent, keeping the lacquer exciting and unique and very now. This Bird is definitely no Plain Jane! 

Sea Gurl -

Though I don't have it on hand at the moment, Sea Gurl seems Chanel Graphite's warmer, darker cousin.  A super shimmery brown-gray. This one's pretty ok... If I were to rank all the nail lacquers in the world Sea Gurl would certainly be far above average but considering the awesome quality of this collection, I'm not over the moon about this color (still nice, though!).

Fowl Play -

Ugh, I took sooo many photos of this and I still can't quite capture the absolute eminence of this polish! Glorious! A deep warm purple jelly base with holographic microglitter and larger red glitter chunks. Beautiful! A must-have, in my book.

Lucky Duck -

Really great shade - a dusty felt green. This is the only creme of the collection. Very much a ducky color, and lovely.

The formula on all of these is spectacular, buttery and smooth. Two coats will give complete, streak-free, opaque coverage, though I used three with Fowl Play. I haven't worn these for very long but I usually get about a week of wear from Orly. In case you haven't gotten the hint I positively j'adore this line - Birds of a Feather contains just the right shades for autumn, the formula is fabulous, and the colors are unique and different from what I've seen in many other brands' fall offerings. 

Are you planning to snag any of these? (I'm contemplating adding Sweet Peacock to my stash...)

GOSH Velvet Touch Lipstick in Darling, Shocking Coral - Review + Swatches

My GOSH saga continues with two Velvet Touch lipsticks!

I was sooooooo sososo excited about Darling! (I'm always looking for skin-colored lipsticks to pair with a dramatic eye.)

Since trying it, however, the enthusiasm has faded. This nude goes on a bit patchy; teasing out an even coat is rather difficult, requiring more effort than I prefer to give - too much effort for a shade that isn't particularly special and a level of quality that isn't spectacular otherwise. Furthermore, Darling is absolutely unforgiving to dryness. Even with a balm underneath the color seems to suck all the moisture from the lips, revealing every little chap and dry spot. Wear-time is a measly 2-2.5 hours for me. Unfortunately for GOSH, this product is a miss.

Since I like to end on a positive note, I'm reviewing Shocking Coral second. What a difference! Where Darling falls this lipstick holds strong - it works harmoniously with my balm, keeping chapped lips at bay for the duration of its wear. Shocking Coral lasts about 3 hours which, though not impressive, is fair. And what a gorgeous color! I don't see coral so much as a bright, orange-ish poppy, and I love it!  

In summary:

 These lipsticks are $12.50 each and may be found online and at many European drugstores.

Are you intrigued? :)

Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Perfume Roll-On - Review + Photos

Whenever I shop in a department or beauty store, I always spend a few minutes exploring the inviting, exotic wafts emanating from perfume area - I can never resist the lovely, varied scents resting in equally beautiful and creative bottles, just waiting to be liberated from the prison that is a tiny and confined fragrance section.

I adore perfume - there's something romantic and seductive about spritzing yourself with your favorite scent before a evening at the theatre, prior to a dinner date, or just as you step out for a night on the town. Unfortunately for me, I don't get to indulge my olfactory sense on a daily basis; my workplace is SUPER casual (heck, I'm in stretchy pants half the time) and my job is oftentimes the exact opposite of glamorous (...unglamorous, maybe? 8D). Coco Mademoiselle would very much be out of place next to my faded hoodie and hair still wet from my morning shower! Still, lack of opportunity for wear doesn't stop me from sniffing as many samples as I can get my hands on, and starting a small collection of Eau de Parfums that will probably take me a lifetime to use up.

The latest addition to my merry menagerie is Pacifica's Tuscan Blood Orange Perfume Roll-On ($12).

I don't recall what propelled me to purchase this sight unseen and, quite literally, scent unsmelled (perhaps to fill my price quota for free shipping), but I don't regret that I did! Tuscan Blood Orange is a light, refreshing scent, not overpowering and perfect for summer. It's also playful enough for me to wear to work!

Upon initial application I got a strong tinge of bitter, citrusy grapefruit - crisp and not too sweet. Lovely! I would have preferred for the scent to stay this way; I dislike perfumes that are too feminine or floral, often opting for ones that are strong, clean, and verging on unisex. Somewhat disappointedly, though, Pacifica's TBO dries down to a fresh, sweet orange tone. It's still very nice, especially if your nose craves more sugary smells, but the initial grapefruit was just so perfect.

Nevertheless, Pacifica's Tuscan Blood Orange is a solid buy - the price isn't overwhelming and I think the scent will appeal to a wide range of people. I also have to note the convenience of a rollerball applicator - safe for handbags and always available for emergencies! ;)

My Grade: B

Sephora Ultra Vinyl Lip Pencils - Miami Pink, Gorgeous Peach, Fuchsia Fever, Coral Glow - Review + Swatches

During one of my daily (kidding! My "problem" isn't yet quite at that point; more like monthly, as the nearest store is a bit out of my way) visits to Sephora, I grabbed a couple of their (relatively) new Sephora Collection Ultra Vinyl Lip Pencils in Miami Pink, Gorgeous Peach, Fuchsia Fever, and Coral Glow ($12 each).

I usually stay way from the store's home brand for several reasons: poor reviews, frequent sales (there must be a reason why these products are often discounted, whereas tried-and-true brands like Nars, MUFE, etc., never are..), and a less than impressive experience with their eyeshadows a while back.

That day, however, I must have been in a particularly optimistic mood as I couldn't resist these chunky, shimmery lipstick pencils!

So was this another face-palming, regretful "what was I thinking?" purchase, to be thrown haphazardly into my give-away pile, never to be spared a second thought?

Surprisingly, no! I J'ADORE these little gems! The colors are vibrant and opaque and glide on like buttah while still being tough enough not to soften and crumble. The texture is very much lipstick-like once on, and wear time is about five hours for me.

(Top to Bottom: Gorgeous Peach, Coral Glow, Fuchsia Fever, Miami Pink)

Gorgeous Peach is a pretty, soft, peachy-pink shimmer, a great everyday color -

Coral Glow is... well, a bright coral :P -

Fuchsia Fever is a GORGEOUS deep fuschia with HOT silver microglitter!

Miami Pink is a very soft, light pink -

The negatives are the typical you would expect with this kind of packaging - sharpening the tip loses a good bit of product, and I would have preferred a twist-up a la Tarte's stains. However, the price is nearly a steal considering the shop, and I still think these Vinyl Lip Pencils are a great deal.

(Top to Bottom: Fuchsia Fever, Coral Glow, Miami Pink, Gorgeous Peach)

My Grade: A-

Have you been or will you be investing in one or eight of these Sephora lipsticks?

Attack of the Yellow Nail Polishes! Swatches Revlon Pineapple Fizz, WnW Wonder Yellows, Sinful Colors Pull Over & Let's Meet, CG Lighthouse, Misa Golden Tan, SOPI IM Beauty

Summer is the only time of year one can get away with wearing sizzling yellow and orange polishes, and I take full advantage! I've swatched some of my yellows:

1- Revlon Pineapple Fizz

I finally caved and bought Revlon's Pineapple Fizz to complete my collection, even though I can't stand the smell (reminiscent of sickly-sweet artificial coconut). However revolting the scent is to me, I can't deny the beauty of the color! It's a semi-sheer sunny yellow with flakes. (Check out swatches and a review of the rest of Revlon's "Fizz" collection here!)

2 - Wet n Wild The Wonder Yellows

(Silly name!) This is also a great medium yellow shade, but with shimmer. The formula is solid, opaque in three coats.

3 - Sinful Colors Pull Over

In terms of color, this is the PERFECT taxi-yellow creme for me and very complimentary to my skin tone (while shopping the other day a women came up to me to tell me how pretty Pull Over looked, and how it's the first time she saw a yellow look good on somebody. Totally made my day! :). I love it so much I'm even willing to overlook that the formula is a tad streaky and uneven. A nice, inexpensive little polish to satisfy nearly all of your yellow needs!

4 - China Glaze Lighthouse

Sooo sparkly, it nearly blew out my camera (hah!)! Lovely nonetheless, and the formula is exceptional (as China Glaze often is).

5 - Misa Golden Tan

Hm, this is an oddball! Reminds my of a light yellow-gold pearl. It's unique and unlike any other shade I own, though unfortunately it doesn't play well with my skin tone. Still, I can't bear to part with Misa's Golden Tan, due to its willingness to march to the beat of its own drum!

6 - Sinful Colors Let's Meet

A bright yellow with fine, fine glitter. The formula is pretty sheer (what you see below is three coats and the nail line is still visible) and somewhat streaky, but I do like the color and finish of this SC polish.

7 - Sephora by OPI IM Beauty

Finally we have Sephora by OPI's IM Beauty, a pastel-y banana creme. I confess I don't often reach for this buttercream as it reminds me a bit of Easter and spring, but some may like this soft yellow. The formula is decent albeit somewhat sheer, very few streaks in sight after three coats!

That concludes my "yellow" series! Do you like to wear yellow nail polish?

Thanks for reading! If you enjoy this blog, please follow me (links to the right)! :)

PS - Have you ever stumbled across something you felt you should have already known? I recently learned that the largest Hindu temple (mandir) in the US is located just an hour or so outside the city in which I live and have lived all my life. We paid a visit today, and it was the wholly satisfying experience I hoped it would be; peaceful, beautiful, and intellectually enlightening. Not to mention, a staff enthusiastically willing to endure all my possibly ignorant questions :p There was also a little shop within the adjacent cultural center where I was able to purchase the most delicious kopra pak - yum!

CoverGirl Lip Perfection Review + Swatches: Rapture, Temptress, Darling, Enchantress, Delight, Temptation, Flame, Fairytale, Spellbound

Man, I wish I currently possessed the coherency (it's been a looooong day) to express how fantastic CoverGirl's Lip Perfection lipsticks are! I love everything about them, from the colors to the texture to the price (about $6.99 each). As soon as I purchased my first one I knew it was going to become a thing where I couldn't stop buying them, and I was right! Here are swatches -

Rapture -

Temptress -

Darling -

Enchantress -

Delight -

Temptation -

Flame -

Fairytale -

Spellbound -

And a recap, side-by-side -

L to R - Rapture, Temptress, Darling, Enchantress, Delight, Temptation, Flame, Fairytale, Spellbound

The formula is pretty great - moisturizing, more so than regular chapstick (but not as much as EOS lip balm or Jack Black lip balm), and it stays on and on and on, lasting through my morning green tea latte, mid-morning snack, and even lunch! For me Lip Perfection's life-span is about six hours, after which it fades evenly leaving a nice stain. These lipsticks are now a must-have for me, and I have at least one on me at ALL TIMES. The price can't be beat! My favorite is Spellbound - a fun, vibrant fuchsia that's still wearable enough for everyday use.