Dressing My Nails in Catrice's Irregular Galaxies

Was a little early for my facial the other day and so, I decided to pop by Guardian and found Catrice Spectra Light Effect Nail Lacquer in 03 Irregular Galaxies. I love blue on my nails (Prolly because of Lindsay Lohan in 'Parent Trap'. Heh.), even though it does kind of make your nails a tad yellow when you remove it but I'll worry about that later.

Catrice is a super affordable brand that is stocked exclusively at Guardian. Their collections come out pretty often. The previous collection was Victorian Poetry and I got an eyeshadow palette (Oops! Swatches are still sitting in my draft and I forgot to include it in my Minimalism Project", which is actually failing miserably. ಥ_ಥ) because the quality was so decent. It isn't buttery soft like Urban Decay but it blended well and the colours were so frosty pretty! But that's another story for another entry, so back to this.

This actually isn't the first time I tried Catrice's nail polishes. A couple years back, I got the base coat, top coat and some shimmery nail polishes but I tried them once and never used them again. The formula wasn't very smooth so it made application a challenge for me. And unfortunately, that hasn't changed. I had to do this twice before I was okay with how my nails look under different light angles (No bumps, absolute smoothness.. Okay, not absolute.). Two coats were needed and I used my favourite Innisfree base and top coats.

Was it worth the effort?

Hell yeah! Look at how pretty the colours are! (': It makes marking scripts so much more bearable! (':

Dressing My Nails in Innisfree

I came to appreciate nail polishes when I was in university. Classes were dreary and I decided to paint my nails a different colour every week, just to cheer myself up. So even though it was such a pain to wait for the polishes to dry completely, it became my relaxing/ telly time. 6 years on and it's still therapeutic for me.

Technology has come a long way and after experimenting with various brands like O.P.I, Essie, Orly, The Face Shop etc., I have found my favourite a.k.a Innisfree. The nail polishes go on smoothly, dry quickly and are really long-lasting. Also, they are incredibly affordable at SGD4 per bottle.

Innisfree's Nail Base Coat (SGD6) and Nail Top Coat (SGD6) are staples. And I also really like their Nail Gel Top Coat a lot too. It made my previous set of nails so shiny and colourful for 1.5 weeks before chipping. I wanted to feature that in this post actually but I took the wrong one. Also, I'm not sure if it's still available because the last Innisfree store I visited didn't have it. Let me check and I'll do up another post then. ◡̈ Spotted it at Takashimaya's Innisfree outlet!

Anyway, back to this post. Here are my nails, freshly coated in Innisfree. Unfortunately, I can't remember the numbers for these polishes because they are printed on the sticky tape that you have to remove. They are in the usual range though. And they are actually more purplish than they appear here. The purple base is #63 and the glitter is #80.

I'll be penning down my journey with this set of nails so that you can see how great Innisfree nail polishes are and be convinced to buy truckloads of them. This way, Innisfree will be encouraged to come up with more nail colours and I can be happy for the rest of my life. Hahaha. Kidding. Maybe not. But I do really want to share their greatness. Not going to buy other brands unless they have got more interesting/ prettier colours.

Day 0 Each nail has 2 coats of the base colour and every alternate nail has an additional coat of glitter. It took about 1 1/2 episode of The Vampire Diaries (An hour. Also, rewatching TVD. Soundtrack is great and Ian Somerhalder is gorgeous. His eyes are so pretty. ♥_♥) to dry completely, through the layers. Went about the rest of my day as usual and not a single nail was mucked up, which you have to understand, was quite a feat because I'm not exactly dainty.

Day 1 Had a final fancy meal with family and Z at Lei Garden Restaurant in CHIJMES before the sis jets back to the U.K.. I really like the spring pancakes that you wrap the Peking Duck in but Dad doesn't. Anyhow, the service is great and prompt, and it's a nice place to dine with loved ones. Went to work after that and worked out a little while watching the beginnings of Klaroline (Hehe. ♡). And here I am, with my Innisfree nails report. Not a chip in sight (Well, it's only day 1.) and the glitters are firmly sealed in. :D

Day 3 It was back to work for me today after completely losing my voice last Wednesday. It was absolutely terrible not being able to talk and/ or having your own body cut you off mid-sentence. The sister thought I sounded a lot like Chewie from Star Wars and decided to play soundtracks of him growling every time I tried to say something. ಠ_ಠ Anyway, while washing my hair today, I felt a strand get caught underneath the nail polish. Turned out to be my middle finger. Still, it looks alright. Glitters are still intact. ◡̈

Day 6 And yay, it's Chinese New Year break!!! Teehee. Can't wait to wolf down all the Bak Kwa, even though I still think that Ba Kwa produced during this festive period is just not as good as the non-festive period ones. 😕 Back to the nails... The middle one kinda took a beating over the past couple of days. And a glitter bit on my index finger came off. But it still looks alright overall. Hoping that it will last through the festive bingeing!

Day 8 CNY was great! Dipped my hands way too many times into the Bak Kwa and Pineapple tart jars that more of my nail polish came off. Hahaha. Oh gee, I hope I didn't swallow any of the flakes accidentally. 😕 Anyway, other than the index and middle fingers, the rest actually still look pretty good but my nails do grow pretty fast, huh?

Day 12 Today's the end of this set of nails because I have a work event on Friday and also, I'm dying to paint my nails black again (After Friday.). Heh. My ring finger's nail polish has started to chip but after 12 days, my nails still look decently presentable. :D It's almost two weeks! For the curious cats, my right hand, which is the dominant one, fared just a tad worse. Most of the chipping happened on the index and middle fingers.

So, there you have it, my 12 days of pretty nails with Innisfree! I hope this entry has been a good review of Innisfree's nail polish formula. ◡̈

REVIEW: Innisfree's Eco Nail Range (Blue)

This is so unbecoming of a beauty blogger but I really have no idea which shades these Innisfree nail polishes are. BUT I have a good reason. It's because the shade numbers are printed on a label that sticks across the entire nail polish bottle. And in order to use the nail polish, I have to peel it off and I throw it away without taking note in my eagerness to dress my nails. Tsk. I know. Judge me. I'll definitely update this space when I visit the store this Sunday (Maybe? Heh.).

As usual, I applied Innisfree's Eco Base Coat first to protect my nails and also, to create a smooth bed for the nail polish to coat. Then, came the nail polishes and I finish my DIY manicure with Innisfree's Eco Quick Dry Multicoat (Which is still my favourite because it's so darn cheap and good. Dries so fast!). The formulae for the above nail polishes are consistent with the previous that I used (Click here to read.); very smooth and not the least bit streaky. The above photo was taken about a week later or so, and very little chipping happened. (:

When I removed the nail polishes with Crabtree & Evelyn's Nail Polish Remover Wipes (Click here to read my review!), my nails were not stained with a yellowish tint - something which I noticed with my O.P.I and China Glaze nail polishes (Does this happen for you?). So yes, I'm very pleased and will continue hauling and parading Innisfree on my blog like a proud mother. :D

MAIL: Crabtree & Evelyn's Handy Tips for Happy Hands

Last month, Crabtree & Evelyn launched their very own nail lacquer collection in Singapore. It comprises of 12 rich colours bathed in elegance and they are all formulated without toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate.

I was sent my very own Crabtree & Evelyn nail kit which contained:

• Ultra-Moisturizing Hand Therapy in Caribbean Island Wild Flowers
• Nail Lacquer in Snow Drop
• Nail Polish Remover Wipes

I tried out the Nail Polish Remover Wipes immediately. These wipes replace highly damaging hydrocarbon solvents with a gentler soy-based formula. They come in pretty large square mesh pieces and they clean all 10 fingers very thoroughly. As they contain nourishing oils as well, your nails and cuticles are left well-conditioned.

And here's the Nail Lacquer in Snow Drop! Described as a true white, this works perfect for a French manicure and as a stand-alone (Gold accessories will go incredibly well with it!). I used two coats to get a solid white and it wasn't the least bit streaky. (:

Each Crabtree & Evelyn nail lacquer is retailing for $13 and is available at all Crabtree & Evelyn stores.

REVIEW: 3CE's Vivid Nail Lacquer (Jelly) in #OR07 Clear Orange

3CE's Vivid Nail Lacquer (Jelly) in #OR07 Clear Orange is a freebie that was included in my recent haul (Click here to read!). The consistency is very much like that of a jelly (Mmhmm.), so application is as smooth as silk. Also, the above's just a SINGLE coat and I did not apply a top coat. Awesome much? :D

And I haven't stopped thinking about it since I did the above swatch. So umm... Yes, I kinda just made my 2nd order, which includes several nail polishes. Wait. The order's completely justified because this is my favourite month and also, colouring my nails makes me happy. Heh. :D (I'm sorry, Fel!)

REVIEW: Innisfree's Eco Nail Range (Grey and Beige)

In my recent Innisfree haul (Click here to read!), I picked up some nail products:

• Eco Base Coat
• Eco Nail Color Pro
• Eco Quick Dry Multicoat

I tried them out last week and gosh, my collection will not end here. The brushes are wide, so it only takes about 2 strokes to cover my entire nail. The Eco Base Coat is actually pretty normal, but it's so much cheaper than my O.P.I. and it works just as well. Where the Eco Nail Color Pro is concerned, gawd. SO GOOD. The formula has the right consistency so that it applies like a dream. The beige colour was a tad streaky at the ends, but give it some time and the formula smooths itself out. In the photos, I had 1 coat on for the grey and 2 coats for the beige. As for the Eco Quick Dry Multicoat, I'm so going to buy this for the rest of my life. It was the first time that I didn't mess anything up during the drying process. That was how quick-drying it was. And guess what? My nails didn't chip at all until 6 days later.

Yes, please go buy them now!

EVENT: Clinique Christmas Carnival

photos on the right are from Clinique SG.

On the third Saturday of October, Fel and I made a trip down to Estée Lauder's office for Clinique Christmas Carnival. It was held at the prettiest pantry ever and we couldn't stop oh-ing and ah-ing and imagining what it would be like to work there. Ahhh...

Right, anyway. December is a time when many of us decide to hop into a plane and jet off to a place where no worries exist. Except that the climates may wreck havoc on our skin. Eeps. But fear not, because we have Clinique and the brand has very thoughtfully put together gift sets that cater to every climate! And to make things even sweeter, prices have been made friendly to our pockets. :D

Here are some of my picks. :D I really like travel-sized items because I mean, it's not very often that we finished the entire thing. And sometimes, we are just trying things out and may end up not liking them very much. So yay to little sets like the above!

P.S.: Check out the other Clinique gift sets here. (:

NAILS: Etude House's Color Pop Collection

This summer, Etude House explodes into a vibrant mess of colours. And it would almost be a crime if nail polishes were excluded from this collection. But fortunately, there are 10 of them in various shades of green and blue. They are described as 'radiant, vibrant colors' and having a 'soft and smooth texture'.

In my June Pink Box, I received 4 shades and they are (from left to right) CBL604, CBL601, CGR701 and CGR704.

(from left to right) CGR704, CGR701, CBL601 and CBL604

The nail polishes went on smoothly. 1 coat saw some streaks in the lighter shades. In the above shot, 2 coats were applied to achieve opaqueness.

CGR701 and CBL601 look really similar but in real life, CBL601 has more blue and resembles the colour teal. CGR701 highlights the yellow undertones of my skin... Not exactly flattering but I can see myself creating some really cool abstract nail art with it. And finally, CBL604 is my absolute favourite! Not a unique shade but definitely a crowd-pleaser.

Alrighty, thanks for reading! And yay, it's almost Friday! :D

NAILS: Easy Nail Polish Removal Tutorial

When I remove my nail polish, I usually douse a piece of cotton pad with my nail polish remover. Then, I go through my ten fingers (or 8 fingers and 2 thumbs for the picky 'English people'.) one at a time, covering each nail with the same piece of cotton pad and wait for-ever for the nail polish to fi-nal-ly come off.

The other day, whilst looking through some nail art online, I came across this nail polish removal tutorial that practically shaves off half the time and effort I take with my aforementioned method. This was taught by some popular Youtube-r, I think. But I learnt this from someone's blog. Unfortunately, I can't remember either names so do let me know if you know who the Youtube-r is, so that I can give credit properly. (:

All you need to do it to tear up your cotton pad into ten tiny pieces. I'm going to tear mine up into 4, for this tutorial.

Wet each cotton piece with your nail polish removal and wrap it around each finger (or thumb). Unless there's nail polish on the underside of your nails, take care not to wrap the cotton pieces over the top of your nails. This will dry out the insides and increase the white areas on your nails.

Leave the cotton pieces on for about a minute or even less and then, gently swipe the cotton pieces upwards. Most of your nail polish would have come off. You just need to clean the sides a little.

This tutorial works great with glitter nail polishes too. (: I hope you found this helpful!

NAILS: Etude House's Fashion Queen Nail Collection in #01 Hey! Jean E.

One of the items in Etude House's March Pink Box is the Fashion Queen Nail Collection in #01 Hey! Jean E.. I am really enjoying these little nail kits from Etude House because they dress up your nails in a particular theme, with the nail polishes complementing one another really well.

Back in 2011, Chanel launched their Les Jeans de Chanel Collection and for the first time in my life, I thought denim was very classy. But I refuse to go into premium nail polishes (That would be equivalent to opening a Pandora's box.) and instead, lived on regret and Google images... Until now.

Of course, these nail polishes aren't dupes of the real McCoy and barely come close. But I like that they draw inspiration from the universally friendly denim. The shades in this kit are:

No. 1 White T-shirt and Jeans
No. 2 70's Blue Denim
No. 3 Perfect Skinny

No. 1 White T-shirt and Jeans is a gorgeous powder blue with strips and tiny circles of various shades of blue. This required at least 3 coats for the blue to be solid. The surface is pretty uneven because of all the specks but I love this nonetheless because of its uniqueness.

No. 2 70's Blue Denim is an air force blue that only required two coats. The nail polish went on smoothly and would be my favourite shade in fall.

No. 3 Perfect Skinny is space cadet blue loaded with blue glitter. Another 'bumpy' nail polish, this required two to three coats. Even though I think this is the prettiest, I like it the least. Haha. It doesn't quite make sense but oh wells.

This is quite possibly my favourite nail polish kit from Etude House thus far. I'm probably partial towards it because of the Chanel collection but I like the formula a lot too, especially No. 2 70's Blue Denim's. Do check it out if you pass by an Etude House store! (:

NAILS: Vintage English Roses

Or so I like to think they are (vintage English roses). Haha. Last night, whilst catching up on 'Pretty Little Liars' (This show is going nowhere. I just play it in the background when I'm working on things that don't require writing.), I decided to FINALLY attempt to paint roses on my nails. And they aren't too shabby for someone with shaky hands, I think (Just don't come too close!). Heh.

Previously, I tried to make my own name cards with the same pattern. And yes! I am rocking my own domain now! :DDD

The last finger is a little smudged because I didn't wait for the leaves to dry before applying the top coat. And the texture is a little wonky for the middle and ring fingers because I went to bed after painting them. We all know how that goes.

I referred to tutorials here and here.

Base Coat/ Top Coat: O.P.I's Start To Finish Base & Top Coat
Base Colour: Essie's Turquoise & Caicos
White Stripes/ Highlights: Nature Republic's WH002
Roses: Essie's Innocent
Rose Petals: Essie's Handle With Flair
Leaves: China Glaze's Jolly Holly

EVENT: Watsons' Spring Colour Report 2013

Last week, Fel, Patricia and I headed down to 7Adam for Watsons' Spring Colour Report 2013. I was really thrilled to be there because I practically spend half of my life in Watsons. M will be like "Huh? Watsons again? Are they updated every week?" and after a while, "There's nothing new, dear. What is wrong with you...?". Heh. Anyway, a big thank you to Valerie for the invitation!!! :DDD

This event marked the launch of a brand new Watsons. Armed with a whole new logo, the brand is set to shape the beauty movement in Singapore big time! And it's starting with Spring first. So whether it's your makeup, hair, skincare or well-being, Watsons is going to bring all those to you in great bursts of colours. :D

And because the event was so massive (4 major platforms were featured; cosmetics, hair care, skincare and inner beauty oral supplements.), we were all divided into teams, colour-coded by flowers! So yay, say hi to the purple Power Rangers! Haha.

Cheers to an awesome-r Watsons, that's going to make us 'Look Good and Feel Great' everyday! :DDD

Elite Models
Available at selected Watsons outlets, from $7.90 to $26.90.
This was our first booth and I was going giddy with happiness at their Jardins Secrets Spring 2013 display! The eyeshadows all had roses delicately etched in their beds, coupled with the soft pink rose petals carelessly thrown around them... Too dreamy, too pretty!!! I would actually get all 4 eyeshadows, because of the roses. *nods seriously*

The star product is the Fantastic Primer ($24.90 for 15ml). This water-based gel makeup base is suitable for all skin types. Equipped with anti-ageing and anti-pollutants agents and Plankton, this base not only ensures even and long-lasting makeup but also, radiant and healthy skin!

The Intense Kajal eyeliners were also really pretty, with glitters dotting the base like fairy dust! Comes in 4 shades; black, navy blue, forest green and brown. (: For those who are bored with the usual shades, go for the navy blue. It will make the whites of your eyes whiter, so your eyes will look brighter! :D

Rock Beauty
Available at selected Watsons outlets. Nail Rock from $9.90 to $14.90. Eye Rock at $11.90.
Rock Beauty was next and I got my right index finger decorated! The brand allows us to catch up on trends easily by providing them in easy-to-use, stick-on embellishments. Hang on, gorgeous nails and mesmerizing eyes in a sec!

For the nails, you have Nail Rock Classic which are basically normal nail wraps. There are 16 designs to choose from, and I spied a pink one with a tiny mustache in the middle! If you're going to party the night away, glam things up by choosing from the Nail Rock 3D Collection. These nail wraps are textured and adorned in black and metallic shades!

Toni & Guy
Available at selected Watsons outlets, from $19.90 to $24.90.
This premium brand was recently spotted with a whole new look. It now has 6 collections; Cleanse & Nourish, Prep, Casual, Classic, Glamour and Creative. Each will breathe life into your tresses, styling them in a way that conveys your attitude to the world.

One product that got me seated straight up was the Sea Salt Texturing Spray ($24.90 for 150ml.). I mean, who doesn't want hair like Blake Lively's! To achieve those coveted tousled beachy waves, spray a little of this into towel-dried or dry hair and scrunch away! And don't worry about the sea salt drying your hair up because it won't! All it does is give your hair texture. Moisture level remains status quo. :D

CandyDoll, Eyemazing and Jewelove
Available at selected Watsons outlets, from $21.90.
And this is the booth where all girls' dreams come true... Makeup that gives you porcelain and doll-like complexion, glossy and soft lips and long, fluttery lashes. Sighhh... *dreamy look* Before I skip off into my daydream, Eyemazing will be launching a series of pink-brown lashes, the first of its kind in Singapore! Do keep your eyes peeled for #801 Eyemazing AMO Pastel Type A ($21.90 for 3 pairs.) for full and long lashes and #802 Eyemazing AMO Pastel Type B ($21.90 for 3 pairs.) for sweet and natural ones! I like that they are neat and nicely cut at the tips (Princess lashes have some seriously blunt tips! :\). Heh. Maybe I'll pick them out on my next trip to Watsons... Heh.

CandyDoll didn't have any new launches on the table but do expect more new glosses to invade our vanity tables soon! ;)

And oh yes! Do you see the brand Avancé?!? I recently saw 2 bottles of their lash serum at Ngee Ann City's Watsons outlet and got both (On 2 separate days.)! Lol. Call me kiasu or whatever but it was on the Cosme list! Haha. But yes, I'm still recovering from the shock of my impulsiveness (You know, like a day later, when everything has sunk in and the excitement is gone...) because these are $39.90 each! Eeps! But fear not! They are out of stock now so no worries about being tempted! Haha! Actually, I'm rather tempted to get their mascara too. So you know, I have the whole deal. Haha.

Pretty Jemay helped me put on a pair of Eyemazing lashes in No. 101, the same one that she had on! It was really fab to meet Jemay because we have exchanged several emails but haven't actually met formally! And she was so friendly and sweet and looked so much like a dainty doll with her straight bangs, curls and white lace dress!

Took this photo from Fel's Instagram because the girl's enjoying herself in Genting now! Here's us with our amazing Eyemazing lashes! Haha! I'm a little hooked on lashes at the moment, especially now that I have extensions on. Long lashes really do make a world of difference!

Glow Ignite 2.0
Available at selected Watsons outlets, $128 for 60 capsules (1-month supply).
This booth is designed for the weight-conscious! Made from a 100% natural proprietary blend of powerful fat blasting botanical extracts, this has been clinically proven to promote weight loss. An upgraded version of Glow Original, this one promises to accelerate maximum fat loss, oxidize belly fat cells, reduce waistline circumference, increase lean mass to fat mass ratio for a toned body appearance... Among many other benefits! Those who made resolutions to lose the love handles... This will be your solution!

Dr. Wu
Available at selected Watsons outlets, from $45.90 to $59.90.
Made a stop at Dr. Wu's booth after that. For the uninitiated, Dr. Wu is one of Taiwan's top brands and the products have all been formulated for the Asian skin. They are free from additives, alcohols and have a high concentration of high-grade actives that are safe and effective, even for sensitive skin. Sounds like my kind of thing, aye?

The latest line to be launched is the Mandelic Acid's. This acid is known for its superb efficacy in renewing and refining skin for greater clarity and smoother texture. Based on the Derma-Cells Renewal Technology, it helps to rejuvenate skin cells for a softer and youthful complexion.

Heroine Make
Available at selected Watsons outlets, from $9.90 to $23.90.
And last but not least, everyone's favourite Heroine Make!!! I introduced the brand in the 2nd half of 2012 and you can click here to read all my entries. The Long & Curl Mascara is one of my all-time favourites! Anyway, the brand will be launching the BB Mineral Loose Powder this year. Available in 2 shades, this provides a natural and matte coverage, keeping you oil-free and smooth the whole day!

Camwhoring in front of Olay's vanity table! Fel looks so adorable in the first photo (Must be really thrilled with the table lights. Haha. :P). And if you noticed, Patricia was looking in different directions in the second row of photos! Haha. Taught her how to take these camera-in-the-mirror shots, which was taught to me by Fel! Haha.

Other brands that were present were Aqualabel (Launching their Anti-Aging Line!), Senka, Olay (Will be introducing the New Generation Olay Regenerist in another entry!), Pure Beauty (Watsons' very own brand!) and Brand's Inner Shine!

The night ended pretty late but I thoroughly enjoyed myself! It was so fun touring the booths, trying out and learning about so many brands! I'm especially excited about Eyemazing and Jewelove (As if you can't tell already. Heh!)! Also, it was the first time I was introduced to Dr. Wu and Mandelic Acid sounds really awesome. And of course, I can't wait to own palettes from Elite Models. Then, of course, there are also the wraps from Rock Beauty... And I'm basically just going through all the brands again. Haha!!!

I really can't wait for all these new launches to roll out in my favourite Watsons (So much love for you!)! Yay to a bigger and better Watsons! Thank you so much Watsons for the lovely evening, Valerie for the invitation again and of course, Fel and Patricia for the awesome company! Love you girls! :DDD

-

To conclude this entry, here's a peek at the generous goodie box Watsons gave us! :DDD And yes, it was heavy!

TADAHHH!!! I'll be holding a little giveaway soon so stay tuned! :DDD

And thank you for sticking with me till the end! It's a pretty long (And rather detailed?) entry but I hope you enjoyed 'going on the tour' with me. (: As always, tweet or drop me an email if you have any questions and do like Watsons's Facebook page here for the latest updates and sales! Have a fab week, ladies! :DDD