Color Club | Angel Kiss

It's been SO long since I've done a post on nail polish! If you're a long time follower, you'll know that a couple years back, nail polish was the sole subject on Glazed Over! I'm still a chronic nail polisher, I just haven't made it a point to post much about it lately. Until this week... when I put on a beauty of a polish that was so pretty I had to share.

So what's really weird is that Color Club's website says that "Angel's Kiss" (my bottle says Angel Kiss) is a green holographic color.... hmmm... mine is most certainly blue. I don't know if I bought some sort of hijacked version, but this is a pretty ocean blue. This is not a new polish by any means, in fact, it's super old, but I had it sitting in my untried stash for ages and just finally gave it a go. 

Angel Kiss has a stunning holographic finish that looks gorgeous in the sunlight. It was hard to capture, but you can see the holographic rainbow effect especially on the middle finger above. Man, I absolutely love holographic polishes.

I used two coats of Angel Kiss and topped it off with Essie's No Chips Ahead top coat, and I was surprised by the lasting power the top coat gave me! 4 days in and I had minimal chipping on a couple of my nail tips. If you were to try this polish with Seche Vite as your top coat, I can guarantee it'd be chipped off in 2 days flat. 

What's on your nails this week? Let me know in the comments! 

Color Club - Cloud Nine

It's been awhile since I've done a nail post, eh? This is one hell of a comeback.... take a look at this doozy from Color Club! It's not a new polish, by any means, but Cloud Nine is one of the coolest, most dynamic polishes in my collection and I've been loving every second of it being on my nails.

Cloud Nine is a very light pink/purple that is pure holographic goodness. I'm wearing two coats, topped off with a coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat.

While I love this nail polish so much, I do have one gripe; it chips in no time at all. Unfortunately, that tends to be the case with holographic nail polish. They look amazing on the nails, and within 24 hours you've got sizeable chips in each and every nail. As it is a lighter color, the chipping along the tip isn't as noticeable as it might be with a more bold color. 

I think I may get more longevity out of this polish by using it as a pedicure color in the future. I have to say, even though it chipped within 24 hours, I can't even be mad at a polish this gorgeous.

Battle of the Subscription Boxes IIV: Birchbox vs. Ipsy

That time of the month is here - the battle between Birchbox and Ipsy! Let's dive right in... 

November Birchbox

• Color Club Nail Polish in On the Rocks (full-size: $8) This shimmery grey polish is from the new "Cocktail Hour" collection from  Color Club. I believe this is the third mini Color Club polish I've received from Birchbox - I enjoy getting them.

• Elite Therapeutics Elite Creme (full-size: $45) This is an all-over moisturizer for body and face. Basically, it's a super fancy lotion.

• Laura Mercier Lip Glacé in Quartz (full-size: $24) I was so excited to get a sample from Laura Mercier in this birchbox.... until I saw the color. No joke, it looks like I ate shimmery chocolate and smeared it all over my lips. This shade is not for us fair gals... 

• Shea Terra Organics Rose Hips Black Soap Deep Pore Facial Cleanser (full-size: $16) Any time I can swap my chemical-induced products for organic and natural options, I'm happy. This cleanser claims to clear blemishes and brighten skin tone. The color is scary, but I'm willing to be brave and give it a shot.

• Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy Noir perfume  (full-size: $25-$90) Unfortunately, this sample came shattered in my birchbox (and birchbox CS reps were awesome in dealing with this - THANK YOU, birchbox, if you're reading!) On the upside, my birchbox products smell awesome! I have the original Juicy Couture which is a very versatile, fruity/musky scent, and this is a more sultry version with hints of berry and honeysuckle.

• Ahmad Tea London (full-size: $7) Due to the perfume sample spilling all over my box, I don't think these teas are drinkable anymore (again, thanks to Birchbox CS team for sending another sample my way!). I'm excited to try these British teas when I receive new ones, as I'm a bit of a tea junkie.

November Ipsy Glam Bag

• Kiss EverEZ False Lashes (full-size: $3.99) Full-size product alert! I've tried Kiss lashes before and they're great! The nice thing about these is they come with glue and an applicator. This specific pack has nice long, natural looking lashes which I'm positive I'll get use out of.

• Pixi Beauty Bronzer in Subtly Suntouched (full-size: $18) It's no secret I absolutely love Pixi products, and since I've never tried any of their face powders, I'm thrilled to try this. It's described as a medium honey tan and looks beautiful in the pan. Great size, too - about 1/3 of the size you'd buy in stores.

• Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Caviar Cocktail (full-size: $13) Full-size product alert! This is nearly the same shade that I received in my Birchbox - coincidence or not? I don't love silver nail polishes, but I'm happy to try out a brand that's new to me and to receive it in full-size! 

• .em by Michelle Phan Waterliner in Bronze Kiss (full-size: $20) Full-size product alert! .em cosmetics is a fairly new brand, launched by super-popular YouTube beauty guru, Michell Phan. I've heard mixed reviews about her cosmetics line, but this liner seems like a total gem - it's a beautiful shade and claims to apply without tugging or smudging. I'm excited to give this a go!

• StarLooks Gem Pencil in Amethyst (full-size: $14) Full-size product alert! This is the third month in a row that I've received something from StarLooks -- not that I'm complaining; I've generally liked their products so far. This gem pencil is a silvery lavender color with lots of shimmer and is maybe the best of the three products I've received. It would be a gorgeous liner, or even better smeared out over the lid.

• Be a Bombshell Lip Crayon in Shameless (full-size: $14) Full-size product alert! ANOTHER full-size product! This lip crayon is a burgundy red with shimmer. The lip crayon format makes it super easy to apply. A great color to keep stashed in your purse for fall!

L to R: Lip Crayon, Waterliner, Gem Pencil, Bronzer

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The winner is abundantly clear - IPSY! With five full-size products, and a value of over $60 - the $10/month price tag is so worth it! 

Ipsy and Birchbox are a great way to try out various products before shelling out the money to purchase something in full-size. To sign up for Birchbox, or Ipsy, just click the links in this sentence! Both are just $10 a month for awesome beauty samples delivered straight to your door.

What did YOU get in your Birchbox or Ipsy this month? Let me know in the comments below!

June Birchbox - Wanderlust

It's here, it's here! My June Birchbox is here, and it comes with an updated logo and branding. This month's box is all about wanderlust, or traveling - it includes samples to serve one well on any summer adventure. Let's dive in...

Color Club Nail Polish in Mod in Manhattan | Full-size: $8

This color is part of an exclusive collection created by Birchbox and Color Club called the Wanderlust Collection which was inspired by four of Birchbox's favorite cities. Mod in Manhattan is a milky off-white that appears to have the slightest tint of pink in it. I have to say I'm not the least bit excited about this color. I don't like my nails being all white - to me that looks like pure white-out, and is a bit sophomoric.  I like Color Club polishes a lot, but I'm not sure I'll be wearing this any time soon.

--What I love: The brand - Color Club polishes are a favorite of mine. 

--What I can live without: The color!

Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo | Full-size: $24

My first thought upon seeing this sample was how pleased I was by the size. I mean, when you get shampoo or conditioner samples in the little rip off packages, there's never enough product to truly tell how well you like it. But THIS is a good size! This shampoo has a really fresh natural scent that I love. This product claims to soften and nourish hair, especially dry and frizzy hair. I will definitely take this little sample with me while traveling, but I can guarantee you I wouldn't spend $24 on a full size bottle of this - outrageous. 

--What I love: The branding. I'm in love with this packaging - simple and modern.

--What I can live without: The price of a full-size bottle. 

Oscar de la Renta Perfume in Something Blue | Full-size: $85-115

Marked by a blend of mandarin and linden blossoms, Something Blue by Oscar de la Renta has summer scent written all over it! It seems most of the beauty world hates getting perfume samples, but I'm part of the minority that loves getting them! Unfortunately, this scent reminds me of a perfume from the Gap that I had in middle school. Considering I'm in my mid-20s, I'd like to think my scents have matured a bit since then.  

--What I love: Nothing, really. Boo.

--What I can live without: The aggravating sample packaging - I prefer spray samples, but this is the pop off top container. I can live without the scent, too. 

suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser | Full-size: $32.95

This product from suki is a two-in-one cleanser and exfoliater that lathers and smells like lemons. I like the scent a lot and I'm betting I can get a couple uses out of this sample - awesome! This is a brand I've never heard of before, but I'm looking forward to trying it out. 

--What I love: The scent and the two-in-one awesomeness.

--What I can live without: The price of the full-sized item - crazy talk. 

Davines Love Smoothing Conditioner | Full-size: $27.50

Another product from Davines, but am I missing something? Why in the world did I get a massive shampoo sample but my conditioner sample surely won't be enough to cover even a fourth of my hair?!?! This is one of my biggest pet peeves regarding samples - this little bit of conditioner will never give me an impression of your product, so why would I waste my time? Not sure I'll even bother trying this one out. If it were as big as the shampoo sample, it would be perfect.

What I love: I like that I got both the shampoo and conditioner to try out.

What I can live without: The sample size and packaging - total fail.

Davines Oi/Oil Absolute Beautifying Potion | Full-size: $40

Yet another Davines product - and this one I'm really looking forward to trying. This oil claims to instantly tame frizz and strengthen hair over time. I'm prone to frizzy hair, so I will certainly get some use out of this. Considering how little oil you need to use in one application, I should get a good amount of use from this sample. 

--What I love: I love hair oils, hoping to love this once I try it, too.

--What I can live without: The packaging. A tube would have been much more convenient for multiple uses.

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Overall, I expected more from this Birchbox. After the announcement of their rebranding, which came about a week or two before I received this box, I expected they'd kick off their first newly branded box with some stellar products. The variety of brands and the tiny product samples were disappointing, and I'm not so sure it was worth my $10. 

On another related note, I signed up for Ipsy - a subscription service similar to Birchbox, but it appears you get much more value from the $10 a month price point. I'll get my first "glam bag" (as they call it) in July, and I can't wait to share it with you. A battle of the subscription services will have to happen... stay tuned...

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** This post contains my referral link. If you click on the link and sign up, I will earn credit towards Birchbox products.

Color Club - Blue Heaven

Today I have a polish I've been very excited to wear since receiving it for Christmas; it's a polish from Color Club called Blue Heaven. This polish is from the Halo Hues collection (a collection entirely of holographic colors), and if you've spent any time reading my blog you know my ultimate favorite polishes are holographics!

This is two coats of Blue Heaven, topped off with OPI's Start to Finish top coat (which I am NOT a fan of, but I left my Seche Vite at home). Because of the junk top coat I used, my nails chipped rather quickly, but I can't bring myself to remove it quite yet. It's just too pretty!

The application was pretty good, although I'm curious to know if it would chip as fast even with Seche Vite as a top coat. I got two others from the collection, and I can't wait to show you if they're as pretty as this polish!

What is your favorite style of polish?

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Color Club - Insta-This

I'm not one to gravitate towards a blue polish if I'm presented with lots of other color choices, but this blue is one I'd definitely recommend picking up. However this color, Color Club's Insta-This, is a Birchbox exclusive - so if you want to sign up for an awesome monthly subscription box that comes filled with beauty samples, leave me a comment below and I'll send you a referral link! I think I'll actually do a review on my next Birchbox so you guys can see how awesome they really are!

Insta-This is a bright true blue cream. There is no shimmer or glitter or anything of the sort, but I think this color is loud and fun enough without it. I got this polish back in my September or October Birchbox and just didn't feel inclined to try it out until this week, and I do not know what I was waiting for - it's absolutely gorgeous! I'm wearing two coats, as one coat was not quite opaque and a little streaky. 

Unfortunately, I've been wearing this polish for just a couple days and it has already turned in to chip-city on my nails, even with a good coating of Seche Vite top coat to seal it off. Like I said, it would probably be a good pedi color (I don't know about you, but my toenail polish takes about a month to chip), and I think it would be especially pretty in summer!

Happy Friday, everyone! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Color Club - Blue-Ming

I'm back, I'm back! I'm sorry I went on a mini hiatus with no notice. I went and got acrylic nails a couple weeks ago to celebrate my bachelorette party (as you can tell, my primary wedding color is orange), and had them painted with an unknown OPI color (anyone know what it is? I tried looking it up to no avail)  and some sparkly orange glitter. This week I finally got sick of them so I cut them down and repainted them. Here's what they looked like:

Once I got sick of the orange and repainted my nails, I went with a color I got in my Birchbox a month or two ago. This is two coats of Color Club's Blue-Ming, and this is the first Color Club polish I've ever used. I'd have to say I really liked the formula and application of this polish (although you can see some bubbles on my middle finger), and I will certainly buy this brand again if I come across it. However, I never see it anywhere here in Minnesota! Anyone know of a place that sells it?

This pretty Tiffany's-esque blue was pretty enough alone, but I wanted to jazz it up a bit with some glitter, so I added one coat of Sally Hansen's Teal-y Cool which is a really pretty teal glitter made up of small and larger circular glitters.  It's very subtle on top of Blue-Ming, and it probably would have been even better with one more coat, but my nails were feeling pretty thick already, so I topped it off with one coat of Sally Hansen Insta Dri top coat and called it quits.

Overall, I really like this combo. It's a good end of summer mani; it's really bright and bold, and it has the perfect sparkle to add a little something extra. I can't help thinking my nails look like a Tiffany's box.

What do you think?