Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss: A Merry Bunny Return!

Greek/Ελληνικά

Dear readers,

I am so glad to be back from my long hiatus. I'm not going to blab about it , suffice to say life is a bit smoother now and I can resume posting regularly. Thank you to those of you who remained here and to those who sent me messages enquiring about my health. You are all such lovely people and I have been so excited all day today with the thought of writing and being part of the community again. I  have so many products, beauty secrets and ideas to share with you! Here it goes then... 

I thought I'd make a fun start with these little guys cause they crack me up every time I look at their faces. It's not often that you find cosmetics in the shape of anthropomorphic bunnies, therefore, it was almost obligatory to take the above picture with them looking like a gang of bandits. It's not the only reason I love the Tony Moly Petite Bunny Glosses though. They are actually really nice!

The ones I have at the minute are #3 Juicy Apple, #4 Juicy Cherry, #6 Juicy Orange, #7 Neon Orange and #8 Neon Yellow. 

According to thecompany's description they:

• soften dead skin cells with strawberry essence. It is actually mentioned as 'saving you from the embarrassment of lines on the lips' (I am assuming they mean dry lips), there's nothing quite like shaming you into buying a product, right?
• moisturise, smooth and soften your lips as they contain berry and grape essence,
• give you shiny lips with a smooth colour ,
• are rich in proteins that form a barrier to prevent moisture from escaping.
• give a strong colour to your lips that doesn't fade easily.

This is how they arrive, with the little sticker where you can see their number;

they are full to the brim;

and this is what 2 grammes of this product look like.

And here's my thoughts on these little cuties:

• They are wonderful little balms and they do soften the lips.
• As with all balmy products they do tend to disappear after a few hours so you will need to re-apply during the day. Their cute shape makes reapplication a more fun experience.
• They all have a slight fruity smell and taste, but not all have the same. None of them are too strong though.
• The colours are not too strong, they are perfect for day wear or when you want something almost natural.My lips are quite pigmented so I am very happy with them.
•  #3,#4 and #6 have a balmier texture, while #7 and #8 are glossier.
• #8 is one of those colour changing lip balms that are all the rage in Korea. In the tube it looks yellow, but when it's on, it turns to a lovely soft peach. It's also the glossiest of the lot.
• #4 is the least pigmented. You need to apply it a few times to show
• #6 is the most pigmented and least glossy one. 

I've also swatched them for you. On the left I've swiped them once and on the right I've swiped them enough for the colour to become apparent. 

Shade (sunny)

Direct sunlight

And here is a picture of all of them. I got all of them on ebay and I am contemplating getting #5 and #9 just so I can have a couple of happy looking ones!

All in all, I think I am going to enjoy using them all spring and summer long!

XxX

Elysse
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Dotting tool fun with Etude VIP Girl polishes

Greek/ Ελληνικά

The seventh challenge in the Summer Challenge is Dotting Tool Summer Fun and fun I had. I really enjoyed making something this colourful. I don't usually use this many bright colours, but I really felt like making something cheerful today so out came my dotting tools along with the VIP Girl collection from Etude House and this is what I made!

Here is the full collection. Aren't they the cutest? From left to right they are: YL802, GR605, PK011, BL505 and PK012. 

XX

Geta Flip Flops

My fourth entry for the 'Lazy Days of Summer"challenge, the flip flops. This was a real challenge as I really don't like flip flops. I went for something more traditional than flip flop and west for a geta-like design. The base colour is Etude House Matte 1 - Black tea.

Barry M Blue Moon and Some Daisies

Greek/ Ελληνικά

I finally got the Drikk Drk-A plate! Yay!! I had wanted that plate since I first saw it because I find the desings much more to my liking than other sets. I will review the plate in dew time, when Drk-B gets here,too. For those of you who are interested in them, it used to be that you had to fill in a google doc to get it straight from the makers in Brazil, but the people at Ninja Polish have made both the Drk-A and the Drk-B plates easily accessible from their website. I ordered from overseas and it only took 6 working days to get here!

I started with a happy little design since it's been so hot these days. It's the first true spring/summer pastel I've worn in a long time, but the cuteness of the design helped the transition. 

The base colour is Barry M - Blue Moon (np317). I can't say I liked it very much as a texture I'm afraid. It proved a little difficult to work with, but I guess that's what happens with most pastels. In the bottle it has a blue sheen, but that's not apparent on the nail at any point. 

Then I used the beautiful Mavala - Cyclades Blue (167) to get the daisies on and with a dotting tool I added yellow dots here and there.

I hope you're enjoying the good weather!

Gustav Klimt Postcard Manicure and the Austrian Takeover

Tonight dear readers put on your rose-tinted glasses as we will be travelling to late 19th-early 20th century Austria. Let's start with some appropriate music: Mahler's 5th Symphony conducted by von Karajan; could I have more Austrians in one post? Of course!

Gustav Klimt was a very unique artist, as well as a controversial personality. He had his artistic vision and wasn't afraid to pursue it, even if it meant making (a lot of) enemies on the way and fathering plenty of children. His most famous paintings have been and still are very popular, though they are not referenced as 'pornographic' any more (woohoo! Civilization is moving forwards despite honest efforts to not do so!). Klimt's paintings are so full of colours, textures, patterns that you could spend hours looking at each one and still not manage to see everything in it. They feel alive when you look at them, they feel like art should feel: mesmerizing. It isn't any wonder at all that his portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer is the most expensive painting ever sold openly.  

The Kiss

For this manicure idea I wanted to bring out another side of him that is not as well known as his popular paintings; his postcards. He used to write many postcards -there's over 400 if I'm not mistaken- to his life companion Emilie Flöge which he would decorate himself. Many years ago I saw one of those cards in a book about him, the image stayed with me and I was lucky enough to find a digital copy of it. I have a sincere love for the heart symbol so I'm guessing I don't need to explain exactly why I like this card. For my third attempt with brushes and acrylics, I had a go at this:

via

I did get a better brush this time, but I need to find an even thinner one. I know I should practice these more elaborate designs, but I really can't bring myself to do it. I am so busy with everyday life I just want to relax when I do these and -heck!- you only live once. 

Artificial light

Artificial light

Natural light (cloudy weather)

What I definitely need to practice more is taking better pictures with my new camera. I didn't manage to take great pictures this time either and I can't pinpoint the problem in the settings I use. It's also adding a yellow tinge to my hands which is so not flattering, especially on top of my inability to capture the perfect hand-pose these days. I will get there, I'm stubborn. And I have probably scared you off with my rant. Hahaha! I hope you like the mani anyway!
Tschüß ♡

Etude House PP904 Mystic Purple: Magic purple!

Of all the beautiful polishes that I own Etude House PP904 Mystic Purple, this is in a league of its own. It's just so unique! It's not a duochrome, but it looks very different depending on the light. It can look from purplish-grey, to purple, purple with bronze sheen and when the light hit it directly it simply glows. The base colour is a cool purplish grey with a lot of pink and gold micro shimmer which combine to give it the bronzy hue, but at the same time you can see both the gold and the pink sheen. Honestly, I just wish I could capture it with my camera, but I doubt any camera can capture its many 'faces'! It only takes 2 coats to make it opaque, it's smooth and it has s small, flat, excellent brush! 

My Pride and Joy: Speckled

For a very long time I have wanted a polish that has particles in but isn't shimmery or sparkly. I wanted a speckled polish. I have seen a couple this year by Misa and one by Orly and , while I am hoping there's going to be more eventually, they weren't speckled enough for me.

Tired of waiting for somebody else to bring out what I wanted, I decided it to make it myself and here it is, a pinkish nude base with lots of black speckles that neither shimmer nor shine! The colours I picked were Ciate - My Fair Lady and Guppy - 33. My Fair lady is a very sheer nude/pink french nail type of colour and guppy is and Guppy 33 is a very pigmented pinky beige. I wanted to keep the colours light because the addition of the black speckles would make it look darker. Also, the texture without a topcoat is a bit uneven (first picture) but it improves with a layer of topcoat(second picture) and is smooth with a second layer, especially if it's thick (forgot to take a picture). Here it is, my sweet Speckled!

Natural Light (shade)

Artificial Light

Before mixing

Speckled and friends

Dear Shu Uemura why?

When I saw the latest Color Atelier version of the Shu Uemura eyeshadows and blushers which has been out roughly since November in the UK I couldn't help noticing that they were smaller than the older ones. Yesterday I found one of the cases form the pre-2005 eyeshadows and noticed that those were even larger. Up till 2005[pre-L'Oreal era] we were getting 2.8gr (0.9oz.), from 2005-2011 we were getting 2.1gr(0.7oz) [3/4 of the previous version]and now we are getting 1.4gr(0.49oz); we are getting exactly half the product we used to get till 2005. Moreover, now you have to get a 'single' palette even for one eyeshadow. I really don't like being pushed to buy something when it used to be included in the price.

And of course there is the issue I mentioned in a previous post, about the cosmetics being made in Korea now instead of Japan.

The blushers'quantity hasn't changed as dramatically. I don't have any of the pre-2005 era ones so I don't really know how much blusher was in the pan but between 2005 and 2011 we were getting 5gr and now we are getting 4gr. My issues with the new Color Atelier Glow On Blushers is that they have changed the codes! They all used to have a three digit number which was informative as to what the colour characteristics were. Well, that's gone now! They've replaced it with a different two-digit number which means that either I'll have to visit the store with the list that they have made available (highly unlikely) or just get whatever I like when I see it. Having learned from experience, I am attracted to the same sort of colours and buying the same colour from the same brand just because they changed the code will annoy me to no ends. I guess I won't be buying any more of them until I need to, which won't be any time soon since they last forever! 

Leap Day Maneki Neko!

Greek/Ελληνικά

The Maneki Neko (招き猫), the Welcoming Cat is a common Japanese sculpture, often made of ceramic, which is believed to bring good luck to the owner. Each cat has a different meaning according to colour.

Red Cat (Mavala - 156 Rococo Red) Good health

Gold Cat (Ciate - Gold Digger) Financial matters, wealth.

White Cat (Etude House - WH702) Good Fortune / Bib: More fortune

Black Cat (Etude House - WH70) Favoured in Kyoto, for good health, good matches and warding off stalkers [how precise!]  

via

The details were drawn by hand using acrylic paints. 

And some more good fortune

Etude House and a Bit of Baroque

My first attempt at French style stamping. I didn't quite succeed in stamping properly, but somehow I managed to stamp the gold over the green almost perfectly. Learning curve, learning curve.. 

Base Colour Etude House - GR605 V.V.I.P. (one coat)

Stamping Colour OPI - Jade is the New Black

                           Stargazer - 237

Stamping Plate Bundle Monster BM17

A Pretty Greige

Etude House is a Korean brand and they make a lot of pretty polishes some of which I own. This is the brand's pretty greige (for the unversed amongst you greige = colour midway between grey and beige), otherwise known as Etude House - WH708 creamy grey. I don't have any other greiges to compare it to as I was pretty happy with this one's colour. I have used it again here if you want to see more of it. It was a bit thick when I got it so I added a few drops of nail polish restore and now it's much better. The brush on these polishes was a pleasant surprise as it is flat and easy to work with and doesn't splay. This is two coats without a top coat. 

 (artificial light)

 (artificial light)

(artificial light)

I bought this and many others from this ebay seller and have always received excellent service and many Korean gifts! 

Frosty High

It's been frosty yet sunny these days and the bare tree branches look so nice with frost on them. If only the pavements weren't so slippery and dangerous! I hate having to walk around when there's sleet. I'm not used to it at all and as a result I walk around like an old duck, looking at everyone else who, being more northern than I am, walk normally. How do they do it? Is it a superhuman skill? Ugh...

Btw have you noticed the Google Doodle today? It's for Charles Dickens'200th birthday! Yay! I hope people turn to reading more of his books this year. I was reading earlier in a British newspaper that kids these days lack the attention span for reading his books and if that isn't a sad thing, I don't know what is. 

Anyway, I shouldn's stray off on other topics too much or at least that is the purpose of this blog. Back to the mani! It's a blue skies&branches&snow theme! I used China Glaze - Flyin'High as a base, Le Chat Cm 04 Brown Nail Art Polish for the branches, Etude House - WH702 for the snow and Seche Vite Top Coat.

Ceramics

I've missed the decorative motifs in the old buildings at home in Athens (Greece) and I wanted to create something quite earthy, ceramic looking, like a decorated tile.I really wanted this to be matte because I prefer the natural matte surface of ceramics to the polished one; they feel more primitive in a nice way. By touching their rough surface you realize that you're touching a piece of moulded soil and it is as beautiful as it is simple. 

Base colour: Etude House - WH708 (greige)

Stamping colour: Olay - Terra

And of course Manglaze - Matte-astrophe to complete the look. 

My Perfect Eye Liner: Shu Uemura Painting Liner M Black

Happy New Lunar Year everybody!! It's the year of the black dragon, the dragon of water! How exciting does that sound? I thought that the perfect product to feature on such a day is my beloved gel eye liner, Shu Uemura Painting Liner M Black/ M Noir (for the French speaking population). 

There are not enough words of praise for this little miracle. I've had the same jar for 2 years and 2 months, I use it at least 3 times a week and only now has it started to not glide on as easily as when I had first bought it, but even so it's still great! Here's a picture of my jar and yes, I am that OCD with my gel liners.

It's not a glossy black like liquid liners tend to be, but that is to be expected since it's a gel liner. It is easy to blend if you wish to do so, but it won't move around much once it's set. I've had no problems with transfer on the upper lid, which was a major problem for me with other eye liners. It is very smooth to put on as it literally glides on on its own. It has served me right on many long days without smudging, flaking or melting or otherwise making me look like a disaster at the end of a long day.

That said, I have a complaint with Shu Uemura in general these days. Their products all seem to be marked as "Designed in Japan, Made in Korea"(open the picture in a new tab and you should see it clearly, instead of "Made in Japan" like they used to. I have nothing against Korea or Korean cosmetics, but when I buy luxury Japanese cosmetics I expect them to be Japanese. The eye liners were one of the first products they started manufacturing in Korea and nowadays it seems like everything is made there. People at Shu Uemura you are a luxury brand, why treat us this way? You were the ones that got me into Japanese cosmetics and insisted on how their quality is superior to products from all other countries, so why did you become a Korean brand? I do feel cheated somehow and will always wonder what the eye liners were before they moved their manufacturing centres to Korea.

Now that that is out of the way, one small precaution to people living in countries were it gets extremely hot. In temperatures over 38°C it becomes very melty so I don't suggest using it. You can get away with a little bit, but not a proper feline eye. By the end of the day you'll look like you put it on with your fists, kind of like  Taylor Momsen and that's never a good look.

Just to show you how much you can do with this liner, I loaded my brush up (an artist's kolinsky brush size 0) with as much quantity as I could and drew this black dragon without dipping in for more! And bare in mind that my liner is very very old in liner years!

 I did various other lines with a different brush, a no-brand synthetic angled brush. 

Happy New Black Dragon Year Everyone!! 

Comparison: Dirty Greens

Since I have a few colours that seem to belong roughly in the same dirty turquoisy/greeny group I thought people might find a comparison useful. The polishes I compared are:

• O.P.I - Mermaid's Tears
• China Glaze  - For Audrey
• Etude House - V.V.I.P.Green
• Misa - Dirty, Sexy, Money

Bottle pictures

Fluorescent light

Natural Light

Purple Nails: Mononoke's Kusuri Uri

It's geeky time! Following a discussion I had earlier with some friends I was reminded of one of my favourite characters from an animation horror series, Mononoke(モノノ怪)'s Kusuri Uri (薬売り), the Medicine Seller. He is a sort of mysterious psychic detective and amongst other things that add up to make this character amazing, he also sports purple nails and I haven't done purple nails in quite a while so ...

I didn't want to do plain purple though so I did an accent nail where I tried to paint freehand a pattern from his kimono. Here it is: 

The breakdown

OPI - Parlez-vous OPI?

The greenish background is a custom mix of equal parts of Misa - Dirty, Sexy, Money and OPI - Mermaid's tears.

H&M - Moody model (the teal)

Etude House - yellow

The red was a custom mix of Ciate - 138 Snatch and a bit of white. Green cancels red sο it really needed something to make it stand out and a little bit of white was just it. I also picked an orange-based red becuase I didn't want the addition of white to make it look pinkish.  

Too bad the top coat dragged the design a bit! I hope you like it!

Grecian Inspiration: Etude House WH202 & China Glaze - First Mate

Before I made this blog, I used to take pictures of my nails and make up to show to my friends whenever I did something out of the ordinary or when a friend wanted me to swatch and compare some things I have. Scheming through some old pictures I found these pictures taken right before I went to Greece for my holidays. I never wear white polish as I find it too stark, but with a blue stamp covering most of it I loved it! The inspiration for this combination was taken from the designs of the metallic bars in balconies in Greece. I find them so fascinating. Almost no two are the same. 

I miss the summer! 

I used Etude House as a base and China Glaze - First Mate for stamping.

Autumnal Irony: H&M - Looks Great on You

The gloom of winter is fast approaching and I wanted to wear a rust/terracotta kind of colour. H&M's Looks Great on You was perfect for what I wanted!

Two days later I got a bit tired of it and decided to use a stamp design that is the complete opposite of the current weather: flowers (Konad plate 51).