Get The Indie Look for Less: Salad Days

So I've come to the realization that one of my long time lemmings, Lynnderella Salad Days will probably never be mine. At this point I'm just not inclined to shell out the $22 for this awesome glitterbomb. You may be thinking, but Mimi, you shell out for makeup products over $22 all the time! While that may be true but I tend to use gift cards for those purchases, and I rarely ever pay more than $10 for a single polish. In fact, I can only think of four instances (butter London All Hail McQueen, Two Fingered Salute, a england Saint George and Dragon) in which I paid more than that for polish.

So the other night I tried to dupe the look with some of my existing glitter polishes. I started out with a base of Hard Candy Fun'n'Festive, dabbed on some of the orange and purple glitter from Nail Pattern Boldness Bitches Brew and Wet'n'Wild Prancer (red hex glitter in two sizes), then finally added a coat of LA Girl Glitter Addict Purge (green hexes). While the sizes of the glitter aren't the same as the Lynn, I think the colors are pretty close but not really in the right proportions.

I forgot to take a macro shot, but here's a close up. If it looks kinda thick on the nail, well, that's because it is. There's a crap load of glitter on each nail. However, I paid $3 for the Hard Candy, Wet'n'Wild Prancer was on clearance, the LA Girl Glitter addict was about $3 and the Nail Pattern Boldness was $8. Even added together, still cheaper than Salad Days (not to mention how incredible Bitches Brew is on its own. Just simply badass.)

Lemming not satisfied, but held at bay in the meantime. PS: if anyone has an unloved bottle of Salad Days looking for a home, ahem, you know where to find me.

Review: NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Powder

I was pretty excited when a few months ago NARS came out with this Light Reflecting Powder. At first, it seemed that only Sephora carried the Pressed version, so I waited until Nordstrom had it as well so that I could finish off one of my Christmas gift cards (does anyone else keep gift cards for a ridiculously long time before using them? You'd think they'd be burning a hole through my pocket!) because I sure as heck was not getting the loose version. So many of my powders have gone to an early grave because I'm quite clumsy.

With so many of the "HD" and other supposedly photograph enhancing powders out there being just silica, I was initially skeptical that I was paying for a quarter of an once of pressed cheap silica. Luckily that's not the case. While silica is an ingredient, I much prefer how the NARS Light Reflecting Powder works on my skin. When I first swatched the powder on my skin, I did a double take. It's so translucent (dare I say crystal clear) that at first I thought I wasn't swatching it hard enough, it looked like nothing was showing up on my skin! I think that's a promising sign for those with darker skin tones who may find that a lot of "translucent" powders still have a white cast. Though there is a pearly shimmer in the pan and if you swatch it fairly thickly on your hand, but it does not show up on the face at all (unlike say a product like the Guerlain Meteorites which definitely can look a bit sparkly on the skin if overdone).

Here's the ingredients in case you were curious (taken from a review on Sephora's website as I lost the box before I could type it out):

Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Silica, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Squalane, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Polysorbate 80, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carrageenan, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Maris Aqua (Sea Water), Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Magnesium Silicate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Tin Oxide, Mica, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491 (Iron Oxides)

It's fantastic. Just phenomenal! Here's the break down; it mattifies my greasy areas, it doesn't dry out my dry areas and it photographs just beautifully. My nose gets ridiculously oily in the summer (actually, pretty much year round) and I usually can't go out without having to stop in the restroom to blot at least once. I rarely blot now. In fact, I think I've used my blotting sheets just one time since I started to use this powder. Crazy, right? Considering how well it mattifies my nose, I thought for sure that it would make my dry chin and mouth region look disgustingly scaly or make my foundation pill as silica often times does for me. No! The rest of my skin stays moisturized and smooth.

Photographed with flash. Vacant expression not included with product.

Originally I had wanted to buy one of those Hourglass Ambient Light Powders but when I tried them in store, I only thought they were so-so. I tried on Dim and Diffused which looked pretty good in some lighting situations but I could definitely see a cast of color in others. I'm glad I went with the NARS Light Reflecting Powder because it looks good in all situations. 

I think that application is key with this powder. The first few times I wore I used a fluffy brush to dab some on my skin, the lightly brush outwards to whisk away any trace of excess powder. That worked ok, I was somewhat pleased with the results. The Pressed version comes with a thin velour sponge which to my surprise made for exceptional application. I found that by pressing the powder into my skin, my skin looked ridiculously good. Smooth, super even, pores smaller than they've ever looked. Fantastic right?

Well, the sponge also causes a bit of a problem. First, though it is really thin (funny thing, this super thin little sponge sells for $6 on the NARS site) you can't put it in the compact and close it, it won't fit. In the little pouch included with the powder, there is a separate little compartment for the sponge (at first when I bought it, I completely overlooked it and couldn't for the life of me find the sponge!). Also I find that reusing the sponge can track oil and traces of foundation from your face onto the surface of the powder and cause that dreaded hard layer.

It's not a convenient solution, but I use these sponges I bought last year at a small Japanese store, a clean sponge for every application. After I've accumulated a few, I simply toss them in a small lingerie laundry bag and send them through the wash and let them air dry. 

I wanted to add, I did in fact try the Loose version of this powder a few times but was only "meh" about the results. I think I wasn't a huge fan for the same reason I didn't like using a fluffy brush to apply this powder. With the Loose version, I think brushing it on disrupts the fine vellus hair (you know, that nearly invisible hair that everyone has all over their face) and my foundation a bit, despite my best efforts to use a gentle sweeping motion. I much, much prefer pressing the product onto my skin. 

In short, I really love this powder. I was surprised by how well suited it was for my combination dry and oily skin and how flattering it looks when photographed with flash. I think that the pouch it comes with is a nice touch because I definitely take it everywhere with me, though I really don't need to since it controls oil so well. I can safely say that as my new favorite setting powder, I will for sure be rebuying once I run out!

NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder is $34 for .24 oz of product (the Loose version contains more, .34 oz). Available on the NARS website and at Nordstrom and Sephora. 

What's your current favorite setting powder?

Products featured were purchased by me for my own use. For additional information, please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

31 Day Nail Challenge v2: Rainbow Nails

I'm getting a little ahead of myself by doing rainbow nails before finishing my blue and purple but I just couldn't wait any longer! I had posted these nails on Instagram already so I really wanted to share them on my blog.

I used this set of 12 hex glitters sent to me by Born Pretty Store, the mega online nail art supply. These are medium size hexes in pretty metallic (and one matte white) shades.

Another product that I was sent that made working with these glitters really easy was these wax pencils. Whenever I work with glitter placement, I find that glitter gets EVERYWHERE because I can't control it. Voila! These wax pencils make it really easy to pick up and place single piece of glitter from the cap of the little pot right onto your nail. They sharpen easily with any regular pencil sharpener and are really cheap at $1.99 for two pencils.

All I did was place these glitters onto nail polish that was slightly damp. Finished it off with one coat of topcoat. Easy right? Remember, you can use my code to get 10% off your order!

Have you tried any sort of glitter placement manicure? 

Products featured were sent to me for review. For additional information, please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey, Orange Blossom and Earl Grey & Cucumber

Recently at the Nordstrom Trend Event, I was given quite a few perfume samples and among them were three Jo Malone colognes. I think that Jo Malone scents are absolutely perfect for summer as they are usually quite fresh and have that light airy-ness to them that makes them perfect for layering. It seems unfair to lump all three into one post, doesn't it? I only wanted to do a quick summary of them because I always find it difficult to come up with a full post for each scent. 

Nectarine Blossom & Honey

Jo Malone says: 

A youthful and fruity fragrance, Nectarine Blossom & Honey is inspired by the delicious scent of just-ripening nectarines and a taste of refreshing peach sorbet. Mouthwatering nectarine and peach with hints of plum, blackcurrant and vetiver are combined with the sweet warmth of acacia honey in this truly seductive combination.

I was pretty excited about this one, because one of my earliest memories associated with a scent is the smell of the nectarine trees in my uncle's courtyard. I was surprised that this smelled heavily of the fruit (super juicy nectarines and peaches) and less of the blossom. Though "honey" is thrown in the name, I didn't get a single whiff of it. I didn't get the dry down until about five hours into wearing it, which is much too long for me, but it became a little more green.  Sillage was good as was longevity, on a hot day I still could smell it after eight hours. Though it's a nice scent, it's just not suited for me.

Orange Blossom 

Jo Malone says:

The scent of clementine leaves in the morning dew sparkles above a heart of orange blossom and water lily, transporting the wearer to a garden oasis.

This one is my favorite of the three. I am definitely considering picking up a bottle of this in the near future. The funny thing is though initially there is a burst of orange, like when someone peels a clementine right in front of you, I mostly smell lilacs for the duration of the cologne. I smell tiny tad bit of orange blossom but it is really quite faint. I'm actually allergic to lilacs but love the scent, this smell is so lovely, it makes me want to nuzzle my wrists all day long. The only thing that keeps me from buying this for sure is that the longevity was weak for me, the sillage only so so. Pretty much completely faded after a couple of hours and I don't think anyone else could smell it other than me.

Earl Grey & Cucumber

Jo Malone says:

A British tradition… afternoon tea.  A fragrance with a burst of bergamot, distinct to Earl Grey, and the cool succulence of crunchy cucumber.  Counterpoised with a sweet base of beeswax, vanilla and musk.  Reviving and refined.

I think this is the second or third time I've received a sample of Earl Grey & Cucumber. Out of all three, this was Morgan's personal favorite. I think it may be because it is the most calming out of the three, who can't resist a cup of tea? It smells exactly like a steaming cup of tea and I really pick up on the cucumber  (I think it's because I've been eating it like crazy, at least one per day) but not so much musk or vanilla. The mental image I paint is afternoon tea with a tray of those delicious cucumber sandwiches. I didn't think the sillage was very good but it lasted longer than I expected, disappearing at around four to five hours after application.

Have you tried any of these three scents? Oh! Also, for those of you in the UK with access to Jo Loves, what are your thoughts? I so dearly want to try Jo Loves Mango Nectar but we won't have Jo Loves here in the US... pretty much indefinitely from what I hear.

Products featured were given to me as free samples. For additional information, please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Laura Mercier Illuminating Eye Colour in Fire Glow

I've been drawn to two things lately; Laura Mercier products and the color orange. All of a sudden, I want all things orange; blush, shadow even lipstick. When I had my makeover with a regional Laura Mercier artist at the Nordstrom Trend Show, the artist used Fire Glow on me and I had to bring it home.

Fire Glow is from the Summer 2013 Folklore Collection and is limited edition. It's a bright metallic orange, enough red in the color that it's definitely not copper. The finish is chunky metallic (but not glitter) with little specks of gold which really give it dimension. The pigmentation is fantastic, it looks good with or without primer but looks especially saturated when used over a wet base like Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. In fact, I think Fire Glow tends to look more sparkly without a primer, I think the naturally uneven surface of the skin lets light hit the particles in a more scattered way.

I'm also wearing:

Brows: NARS Bali shadow
Eyes: LORAC Behind The Scenes Eye Primer, Laura Mercier Vanilla Nuts, Laura Mercier Cafe au Lait, Laura Mercier Rich Coffee, Calvin Klein Night Dust, Milani Grandissimo mascara
Face: MUFE HD + Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk, Black Radiance Complexion Perfection, NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Powder, La Femme Orange blush, La Femme Heather blush
Lips: Model Co Strip Tease*

Laura Mercier Illuminating Eye Colour in Fire Glow is $24 and can be purchased with other Folklore products at Nordstrom.

Is there a color that you're currently obsessing over?

*indicates a product that was sent for review. All others were purchased by me. For additional information, please refer to my Disclosure Policy.