Holo NOTD

Yes, that means lots of pics =) Today I bring you China Glaze BFF from the OMG Collection. The only downside to this mani is that you can see my patches in the pics ... I should have been a little more patient buffing, because although the holo does show every imperfection in the nail, I've had manis before where my patches are not so obvious. But it's OK - or at least that's what I'm trying to convince myself. On to the pics:

That's all for now - thanks for reading =)

~Colette

Green Tips & Toes

Tips first - I'm not quite sure how old this polish is, as it was a dollar store find. It went on reeeaaally badly, but I have to blame it more on the brush than the polish, I probably should heave cleaned off a different brush to use but it seemed like so much hassle... This is 4 coats later, Maybelline Celadon Shimmer konied with Green Special Polish & plate m56:

On to the toes - I am loving this color but the sucky part is it's been too cold here lately to wear sandals! Not only cold but rainy & generally dreary ... although we do need the moisture & blada blada blah. This is Sally Hansen Lacquer Shine in Glow:

I did both of these actually on Sunday, but I've been too busy since then to post. I am still waaaaay behind with so many things half-written up in drafts, but I know things will settle down soon.

Thanks for reading.

~Colette

Review: Hana Mini Ceramic Flat Iron

So, I had a busy weekend but I really wanted to squeeze this in so I used it & took some before & after pics yesterday morning. I am getting closer & closer to getting over my camera shyness & showing my face ... maybe running a blog it's inevitable LOL. I considered doing this review without pics, but decided that just wasn't my style.

First things, first, I'd like to thank Lisa Cocuzza of It's a Glam Thing & Hana for the opportunity to give this little flat iron a try.

I have to say, it's hands down the coolest thing I've received to review so far. And I do think it's a good product, althugh not without it's flaws. Let's get to the details.

Hana's Website has this to say regarding the mini:

"Mini Luxury... A Compact Styler that Extends for Easy Use.

The Hana Mini features a revolutionary design - only 5 inches long for easy travel and on-the-go styling, it expands to a full 8 inches, the size of
a standard iron, so that styling your hair is just as easy with the mini as it is with a full-sized iron. Available in pink and blue editions.

The HANA Mini flat iron features Advanced Fusion Molding for reinforced tourmaline ceramic plates that are glass-smooth & durable. Tourmaline, a precious mineral, generates intense negative ions conditioning damaged hair follicles for healthy, frizz-free shine that lasts."

And also on the options page:

"A revolution in Mini. This tiny 5" long flat iron fits in the palm of your hand so it fits easily in your purse. But when it's time to use it, the tourmaline ceramic plates extend to a standard 8 inches long for easy styling.

HANA MINI Features:

• Advanced Tourmaline Ceramic Plates for Accelerated Ion Generation and Maximum Frizz-Free, Conditioning Shine
• Compact at 5" Long for Storage
• Expands to 8" Long for Styling
• 5/8" Plates are Ideal for Short Hair, Details and Touch-Ups On the Go for Any Hair Length
• Fixed Temperature at 410° F
• Flash Heats in Seconds with Instant Compensation
• Tangle-Free Salon Quality Cord Swivels 360°; Convenient Hanging Loop
• Energy Efficient; On/Off Switch
• Includes Stylish Silver Storage Pouch with Fold-Out Heat Proof Mat & Special Edition Tin Case
• One Year Warranty"

Now, since I was trying very intentionally for a no-face shot of my hair, here are before & after pics of the side of my head =) My hair is not very curly or anything, so unfortunately these aren't very dramatic, but I used the Hana Mini to smooth everything out & bump the ends under a little:

Overall, I liked this product, and here are the pros:

• Small, compact design that expands to normal flat-iron length
• Convenient carrying case with heat-resistant mat
• Flat iron heats up very quickly - I didn't time it but I want to say within about 60 seconds
• It also cooled down quickly - after about 5 mins it was still slightly warm, but cool enough to touch & to retract the plates.

Unfortuantly, it's not without it's cons:

• Even though the overall size at expansion is like a normal flat iron, the actual size of the plates is still slightly smaller
• Because the plates extend out past the body of the iron, they're not insulated & the backside gets pretty hot. Not as hot as the plate by any means, but if you are used to using both hands, you need to be careful where you place your fingers.
• It has a set tempurature of 410 degrees which is a little hotter than I normally use. Of course this may be perfect tempurature for another person, or not hot enough for someone else.

The price of the Hana Mini Ceramic Flat Iron is listed for $80.00 at Missiko (the retailer that Hana's website directs you to) but it's currently on sale for $74.00 & free shipping.

I hope you guys enjoyed this review! I'll be posting on the Hair Serum that was also included soon. Thanks for reading.

~Colette

Leopard NOTD

I like the way this one turned out, but something about it makes it not quite my favorite ... I think it has something to do with the fact that although the base color is in fact dark red, something about having the gold Konad on top kind of makes it look just brown. I did take a couple of pics before I stamped it - here is Color Club Slow Jam on it's own:

And here it is konied with Misa Ghetto Fabulous & plate m57:

Yes, there are seams in there on some nails due to double-stamping ... but they turned out so well I actually don't feel the need to point them out LOL.

Thanks for reading.

~Colette

$1.00 ELF Sale

EDIT: So after looking around online a little I realized this is not a sale ... they're always just a dollar! WTF ... still a good deal I guess but not so exciting as I first thought ... not rushing home to build an order. I thought about just deleting the entire post, but then I thought I'd leave it up for anyone else who might not know this is NOT A SPECIAL DEAL. The coupon code does work or you can also use a code the website had up "FREEMINI" for a mini makeup kit.

I'm at work (shhh!) so I have to make this quick. I got emailed this tip so I'm just going to copy & paste most of it but if you want to go right to the shopping, check it out at: http://www.eyeslipsface.com/shop.asp

The email I received:

FYI Ladies!! One dollar sale on Nordstrom? That ought to be a no brainer!! : )

For your wives, girlfriends, sisters and/or moms Subject: E.L.F. Make-Up from Nordstrom - $1 Sale

Nordstrom is changing the logo on their makeup, so they're selling everything for $1 online.

The make-up line E.L.F. (eyes-lips-face) has been bought out by Nordstrom and will be re-packaged with the Nordstrom name on it. They are getting rid of the entire make up in the ELF packaging. They are selling everything for $1. You do have to pay shipping. They have everything powder, mascara, lipstick, a mineral line, brushes, etc.

The website is: http://www.eyeslipsface.com/shop.asp

When you check out there is a space for a coupon code. Use CAROLINA and save an additional 50% if your order is over $15.00. Have fun shopping!

I've got to get back to work! Hopefully there will be something left to buy when I get a chance to actually shop LOL - thanks for reading =)

~Colette