Showing posts with label Pink. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pink. Show all posts

Saturday, May 13, 2017

LBD Spring Collection 2017 - Creamsicle







Happy Saturday!

The last polish in the LBD Spring Collection is available.  This peachy pink iridescent polish will make you crave the orange and cream Creamsicles  from the ice cream truck.  Yum.  The formula is semi-sheer and will require 2 or more coats to be opaque.  You can find Creamsicle in the online store here.

This summer, we're taking a little break from production...maybe.  With prom and graduation looming, and getting my son set up for college, and .... ok, my head is starting to spin.  Yeah, looks like a short break is in order.  But there are a few things you can still look forward to this summer.  Two new products will be launching early July - a sweet scented cuticle oil, and an emollient cuticle and nail treatment.  Both are currently in production and will be ready for you in the shop.  Also, we have a limited edition fun glitter/base duo that's perfect for the summer. 

Follow Little Black Dress on Facebook for new product availability. 




Friday, April 14, 2017

LBD Spring Collection 2017 - Tulip Blossom


Hi loves!
It's a little premature for me to say this,  but I can't wait for school to end. I know we're in spring break right now,  but I can't help rushing things along.  My little man is now a teen, and his big brother graduates from high school next month.  I feel like I'm going back to college all over again.  I think I'm more excited than he is, as I'm looking forward to reliving the best years of my life vicariously through him and his friends.  As an added bonus I will retrieve space in my home when he leaves.  That means reduce,  reorganize,  and redecorate.  That's always fun.

Now let's get to the polish.  This is the newest polish in the Little Black Dress Nail Lacquer 2017 spring collection.  It's called Tulip Blossom and it reminds me of Easter baskets and... well, Tulip blossoms,  hence the name,  lol. It has an iridescent glow in which you can see hints of blue.  Tulip Blossom can be found in the LBD store here.

Watch for the next spring color next week.  Check back here or follow LBD on Facebook.
Ciao bellas!




Monday, October 3, 2016

Sneak Peak: Orly Sunset Strip Holiday 2016 Collection



Hi ladies,
Orly went semi-nontraditional for their holiday collection this year. We're still seeing the typical red, green, and silver which is fine.  But they're of the standard variety. This collection has 6 colors including a red, green, silver, pink, purple, and blue.  I'm not giving a lot of description here because only a few colors appeal to me. But take a look for yourself.


The collection is due to come out right about....now.
Ciao Bellas!



Saturday, October 1, 2016

Sneak Peak: China Glaze 2016 Seas And Greetings Holiday Collection

Hi cuties,
I am so happy to see that some polish companies are doing something a little different this year for the holidays. Who would have thought of a holiday beach theme collection? China Glaze, that's who.  I think I love the collection simply because its not typical. Who can resist names like Sand in my mistletoes, Let's Shellebrate, Eat Pink Be Merry, Partridge In A Palm Tree, Tis The Sea Sun, Good Tideings  and Twinkle twinkle little starfish. Kudos to you CG.


The collection of 12 polishes releases some time in October, and you'll be able to find them at my favorite beauty shop, Ulta. There's also several mini sets.
Ciao for now!

Photo downloaded from Pinterest



Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Bright Colors With A Chevron Pattern

Hello friends,

A few months ago I bought chevron patterned tape just to try it out.  I'm not fond of the pattern, but the whole chevron thing is pretty popular right now. I used a few bright colors since fall is soon upon us and I want to hold onto the warm weather just a little longer.  I'm a July baby, so me + hot weather = happiness and bliss.
Ciao for now!












Monday, August 29, 2016

Sneak Peak: Dia De Los Muertos by Morgan Taylor






Just in time for Halloween, Morgan Taylor launches their Dia de Los Muertos set.  Dia de Los Muertos translates to Day of the Dead, and is a Mexican holiday to celebrate friends and family members who have died.  The celebration is on October 31st, November 1st, and November 2nd.


Nice color choices for this cute four polish mini set. Pink, black, white and a glow in the dark top coat.  Can't ask for more than that.


Ciao for now!

Friday, August 26, 2016

Sneak Peak: China Glaze Rebel Fall Collection








Yay, fall is coming, fall is coming!  I love warm weather, but I still look forward to the changing seasons. Soon, we can switch out our summer wardrobe for warmer clothes, boots and sweaters. And best of all the polish companies come out with their latest fall collections.




China Glaze came up with a really terrific collection this year. Most of the colors are on the cool side which strikes me as a little different. When I think of fall, I think Thanksgiving, orange, yellow and brown leaves, hot apple cider, Halloween, orange pumpkins, cornucopia... you get it. All of these inspire warm tones.  But this year China Glaze broke out of the box and went cool. The collection has twelve colors. The cooler tones consist of  two blues, a teal, two purples and a green.  There's a warm red, a pink, a few neutrals.  A couple of the colors might be used best as toppers. No black, orange, yellow, deep brown. I'm impressed at the selection of colors.  And, like always, I have to critique the names. I think China Glaze is giving OPI a run for their money.  Will we have to consider passing the polish naming award over to China Glaze? Well, not just yet. Here's a few.  Jagged Little Teal (Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morrissette), Purple Fiction (Pulp Fiction, perhaps?), Pearl Jammin' (Pearl Jam).  Good job China Glaze.  I have to admit that I've seen very similar colors in previous collections, but that's OK.


If you pick up a few, let me know how you like them.
Ciao for now.

Monday, August 22, 2016

Boy or Girl??


Hi ladies,
I got some exciting news last week. My coworkers niece is having a baby! Yay! In her honor, I decided to do a baby themed mani. We don't know what the gender of her little ball of joy will be, so I used both of the traditional baby colors, blue and pink.

I can't wait for the baby shower.  I love shopping for baby stuff.

Till next time,
Ciao Bellas!






These polishes will be available soon at  Little Black Dress Nail Lacquer 

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Hot Floral For Hot July



Hi friends,
It's July, (my birth month) and the heat has finally hit hard. Some days I think I'll melt before I make it to my car. Despite the heat, I'm at my uptown office (Starbucks) sipping a hot Venti dark roast in the middle of the day. I'm always relaxed when I come to my uptown office. It's where I do my best work. Too bad I can't do nail art here. Maybe I could talk to the manager... No, I'd have a better chance getting free coffee than setting up a table to polish my nails. Perhaps I'll go for the free coffee then.

Today I have a hot floral design, well suited for summery flowers and sweltering heat. I used the reverse stamping technique. But if you're a regular reader, you knew that already, because you're familiar with my artistic handicap. I can barely draw a straight line, so flowers are out - abstract or otherwise. Im still trying to sign up for pre-K art classes, but the schools here are age biased and I haven't found one that will let me sign up. I'm a little older than 5 which seems to be one of the main requirements - silly rule I think. I'm not giving up though. I don't quit that easily!

Until next time,
Ciao for now.

Friday, June 3, 2016

O.P.I.-athon: Designer Series Tourmaline


DS Tourmaline

Hello O.P.I. lovers,
The last polish we looked at was a neutral cream, so today I have something a little more exciting.  This O.P.I. polish is one of my favorites because...? You guessed it, GLITTER! It sparkles, it shines, it puts you in a daze if you stare at it too long (like I do).
Tourmaline is a sparkling rose pink glitter polish from the 2014 Designer Series, Polished Quartz.


Pink is often symbolic with breast cancer awareness, and although this particular hue is not bca pink, it reminds me of a souped up fashion forward version of it.  So, I decided to do an awareness manicure and I think it turned out pretty nice.  O.P.I. has supported breast cancer awareness since 2006, and in 2014 created a small awareness collection called Pink Of Hearts.  For this campaign, O.P.I. donated $25,000 to help fund research and promote awareness. O.P.I. is no stranger to charity. They have contributed millions of dollars to charitable causes, focusing mainly on women's health, but also including diabetes and blood cancer. Their charity extends beyond health issues though. At the launch of their Nicole line, O.P.I. raised money benefiting environmental causes. You feel good buying from a company that goes over and beyond.

Until next time,
Ciao for now.




Saturday, May 21, 2016

Biker Chick Manicure



Hi friends,
Today I'm enjoying watching the rain fall outside my uptown office window (neighorhood Starbucks).  Sometimes the rain can be so soothing, and this is that type of rain. Reflecting on my week I think this was a good one. I got a lot of work done at the job, and at home. I got though prom, and I've been checking things off my To Do list (slowly, but surely). I had some enjoyable moments as well. I hung out with a few of my YouTube friends, and I'm looking forward to a grown up play date next week in a YT friend's makeup room.  Can't wait. (I promise I won't go to Ulta, Sephora or MAC to buy more makeup. I promise, I promise, I promise...this is my mantra for the week)

Awww, budget be damned, I'm gonna get me some makeup! A girl can never have too much eyeshadow. UD here I come!

But really, even though this rain today is cleansing and refreshing, I'm inclined to think of hopping on a motorcycle and riding off into the sunset. I call this manicure Biker Chick. A hot purple blend glitter over a sweet neon pink. Add matte black vinyls and silver studs, and voila!! A perfect manicure for a biker chick.

Anybody here a biker chick? I see more and more ladies on the road each year. Girl power!
Ciao Bellas!



Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Didn't Quite Cut The Mustard... Or Maybe It Did




Really?!?




Hi friends,



Can you see where I was going with this?  How was this supposed to work? What was I thinking?  Turned out more mustard than fuchsia. Looks like I didn't quite cut the mustard (excuse the pun, still coming down from yesterday's pun-capade).



You know how sometimes you want to match your nail design to your outfit?  But somehow The Order Of Nail Art Designs (not to be confused with The Order of Water Buffalos) doesn't grant you permission.  So you're left with a nice manicure that has no resemblance to your outfit. What do you do? Change your outfit? Right, like you're going to take that wedding gown back hours before you say "I do". Or in my case, go find a mustard color outfit (which I don't think I own).
Nope, you just gotta go with it. Nobody but you guys know that I screwed up.



I started out with good intentions.  A fuchsia base color, then a little purple glitter polish, orange glitter polish, a touch of yellow cream polish, and a smidgen of holo... now I see where I went wrong. Ok, so poor choice of colors. I should have actually looked at the skirt rather than paint by memory. Orange, yellow? Where did those come from?


The pattern was all wrong too. It should have had a more southwestern look, not the swirly spot on Jupiter. I didn't think this out, did I? (rhetorical question, don't answer that)
Big fail...but it looks nice if you don't consider what I was actually going for.


I have to try this again, wish me luck.
Ciao for now.







Monday, May 9, 2016

The Much Coveted Too Faced Peach Palette...Yes, I got It!


Hello Ladies,

Here it is, this is it!  The much sought after, almost impossible to find, Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette. Yup I got it and I want to discuss this palette. You know I don't usually review makeup (although if I see interest in my  makeup review, then I will gladly review some now and then, and by request) So, those of you who want manicure designs, sorry, not today. Later this week, I promise.



First, I need to tell you how I got it, (A little light humor). If you don't care to hear the story, (I won't be mad) then scroll down to the nitty gritty. 



The hunt:


Patience is a virtue, but ambition and aggression will get you what you want. I had previously swatched the colors and thought, "OMG! I have to have this!" then in my search (because Ulta didn't have it), I realized it was a hot commodity and I might have to do a little work to get it. Thanks to my new BFF at Ulta "thanks girl!, I'll see you next week" I got the inside scoop that they would have three and only three on Mothers Day. I knew I wasn't the only one who wanted it so I planned to be at the door before they opened, and thank goodness I was.


A group of us stood outside Ulta at 10:55 eager to get in.  I knew they were after the Peach palette. I could read the desperation it in their eyes.  The hunger, The exctement. The willingness to cut each others throat to be the first in the door. I positioned myself so that I'd be second, if not first, because there were more than three of us anxiously hoping from one foot to the other like we're going to wet our pants. I was number two. I didn't want to run down the woman in front of me.  I mean really, It's just makeup afterall. (Of course I'm being sarcastic, are you kidding?!? Makeup + brushes and tools = Reason for living).



The nano second the door opened, we mowed down the poor consultant (so sorry, I hope you're healing well), Note to self: send a get well card.


I ran over to the Too Faced section.  No kidding, I ran.  We all did. We were eager, hungry, and desperate. To our horror, the space was empty.  EMPTY! We weren't upset. We weren't disappointed. We wern't even angry. No, we were going to riot up in there and tear that store apart until they gave us our peach palettes! The cashier saw what was about to go down and knew she had to thwart our plans for destruction. She didn't have to ask. She didn't have to say a word. She knew what we wanted. She just needed to get the darn thing in our hands before we exploded. She sprinted over to us, treasures in hand, announcing "ok, ok, who was first."  Woman number one quickly said that she was first, immedietly I called second.  And honestly, I don't care who said what after that. I don't care who got the last one or who the unlucky ones were who went home empty handed.  Sorry, but it was a hunt, and there was only going to be three winners. I was one of them and that's all that mattered. Now, as I think back, and sympathy kicks in, do I feel regret for the poor women who didn't get a palette?...nope, still don't care. Ha!



I couldn't wait to get home, so in my car, I opened the peachy box to smell the beautiful aroma.  Yes, it smells like fresh, sweet peaches. Ahhhh. I'm still sniffing it now. If I could convince the Computer Gods to transmit the smell to you, though your devices, I would.



The nitty gritty:


 I've had two days to play around with the palette. That's not a lot of time to decide if it was just hype, or if it's really a good palette. Some people I've seen on YouTube like it. Some are on the fence.  I wonder how many of the enthusiastic buyers will reverse their opinion in time.  It happens.  You go gaga over a palette, then you think "hmmm, really I could have done without this one."


Here's what I think.  Keep in mind that I have light brown skin, so it might work differently on me than on someone with darker or lighter skin tones. And I admit that my camera doesn't do the palette justice. The colors are much warmer than shown below. The first picture above, is a better example.








A few of the colors on the left side of the palette, the lighter side, didn't show up so well on me. The mattes were a bit chalky, and the shimmers could have been bolder. For a lighter tone person, these nine would be great.









The right side of the palette had deeper colors. I had some difficulty with these too. Three, were matte, and two others might as well have been.  The mattes didn't blend as well as I've experienced with other companies.

The palette is very soft, and the lighter, peachier colors take some work to build up to a good visible look. I think this might be true for most skin tones because I saw it on a lighter tone woman and it was almost unnoticeable. I think the company was going for a soft, gentle look, and they succeeded. It would take a lot to create a bold look with this palette, unless you were using several of the darker ones. The lighter colors just weren't very buildable.  The darker colors were very flat and actually had brown undertones rather than warmer red ones that this palette could have had.  The one reddish one, Delectable, came off brown, just as brown as the other dark colors.

I think I've pointed out quite a few negatives, but let's do a Q&A.

Is it wearable?
Yes. You won't get a lot of creative looks from this palette, but if you want a soft look, like for a younger person who doesn't want to look garish, then this palette is fine. For a bolder look you would need to use the darker colors, and have a flatter brown look.

How is the consistency and formula? 
Honestly, I found the mattes a little chalky.  Nowhere as chalky as Urban Decays Basics Palette, though. As much as I love UD, I have to say their mattes are the chalkiest. I was expecting more from the darker tones. I wanted warmth and color distinction, so I was a little disappointed to see that on me, most of them were flat browns. The shimmers were great, but not as strong as I prefer. If you're used to UD shimmers, then you might be disappointed with these. No punch, no kick.

How about the colors:
Makeup Geek shadows are more true to color. If it's a shimmery olive in the pan, then it looks shimmery olive on you. Or if it's a dark red plum in the palette then it's going to be similar when you wear it. I think the darker colors in this collection look different from one another and attractive in the pan, but were flat and indistinctive when worn. A few were close to smudged dirt. To me, drugstore shadows are like that and I don't  like paying $49 for shadows that are barely a step up from drugstore.  Their choice in colors would be fine if they looked the same when I applied them.

Are the colors blendable?
Mostly, yes. The darker mattes were not quite as blendable as the others, but that's sometimes the nature of dark mattes. All the other colors were nicely blendable.  Makeup Geek mattes are the best I've found. they're blendable and buttery...and they're only $6.  I'm just saying.

Was the packaging satisfactory? 
Yes. I was very happy with the packaging. The tin was most similar to to the Chocolate Bon Bons Palatte, and thinner than the Chocolate Bars.  There was no brush included - no problem. Not a necessity. Many times you never use the brush that come with the palettes anyway.  I loved the magnetic closure and I wish more brands did this. The mirror was a plus. I think all palettes need one for on the go.  As I mentioned above, the scent is terrific.

Am I glad I bought it and will I use it? 
The thrill of the hunt and anticipation was fun. I think it's a nice soft neutral palette for lighter skin tones. I probably won't reach for it often. But I can make most shadows work, so, I will probably use it...maybe. I admit that I'm REALLY stuck on MUG and UD.  I show all kinds of enthusigasm when reviewing those shadows. It takes a lot to pull me away from reaching for my MUG shadows. A whole lot.
 
If I could make the choice again, knowing what I know now, would I buy it?
No. I can do so much more with other palettes and pans until this one is insignificant in comparison.

Should you buy it?
If you have lighter skin and want a soft refreshing look, or a deep brown look, then yes, definitely. If you have darker toned skin, this might not be the palatte for you, unless you want a flat brown look. I could suggest some MUG shadows though...all of them!

Even though I pointed out quite a few negative points, overall, the palette isn't bad. Limited, but not bad. My review was critical, but I wanted to give you my honest opinion.

If I find someone who wants to buy it, I would sell it. I'm just not likely going to use it. If I keep it, I'll revisit it someday and think "This isn't bad" and combine it with other shadows, but not just the palette by itself.

That's it. Have you tried this palette?  Would you after this review? And last, do you want me to review more makeup products in the future? Comment comment comment. I love comments!

Ciao Bellas!







Friday, April 29, 2016

Oops! I Let The Cat Outta The Bag


Hi friends!
Last month I sortta let the cat out of the bag.  I posted about Morgan Taylor's new summer collection called A Very Nauti-cal Girl. Here's my post  https://www.statikone.net/2016/03/sneak-peak-morgan-taylor-very-nauti-cal.html
Weeeell, I was a little overanxious about the collection and I put it out there a bit early. Morgan Taylor took notice! My sneaky sneak peak got their attention and they mentioned me on their Facebook page.  See what they said on April 11th (You'll have to scrooool down a ways. https://www.facebook.com/MorganTaylorLacquer/


Morgan Taylor, thanks for the shout out!


I decided to do a sneaky manicure, featuring the sneakiest animal of all...the cat.  Meow!
Till next time, Ciao bellas!



Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Happy Tuesday - Floral Garden Escape



Good morning ladies,
Do you ever have those days when you see life through rose colored glasses, and all is right with the world? Today is one of those days for me. It's bright and sunny outside, the temperature is all but perfect (not too hot, not too cold), my kids are in school (whew), and I'm contentedly sitting on the platform waiting for my train.  I have my whole day before me and minimum obligations. Work, home, cook, study with my kiddie, and then a little me time. Honestly, today, I won't be painting my nails. I'll call and talk to family members who live far away (Hi Daddy!), and catch up on a little TV.  I watched Minority Report recently (the TV program, not the movie) and it seemed like a winner, so it might make my limited list of programs to watch.  Maybe it will inspire me to create interesting nail art.  I hope so.

Today's manicure happens to coincide with my mood. Happy.

Ciao for now!




Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Pink and Purple Gradient Stamping


Hi friends,
I have a super quick pic for you today.  I'm running behind on some non-polish related things so I haven't had a lot of time to dedicate to my nails. Right now I'm wearing a blue polish. That's it, just blue.  No sparkles, no glitter, no rhinestones or stamping.  No gradient or water marble (I don't do those anyway). So it will be another "What's wrong with your nails? Are you ok?" sort of day.  I'm having a bad nail day, alright!

I hope to have more for you tomorrow.
Ciao for now.







Saturday, March 26, 2016

Another Morgan Taylor Sneak Peak: Street Beat



Hi there ladies,
Does Morgan Taylor sell electronics now? Umm...looks that way. The new Morgan Taylor Street Beat Collection comes complete with a free wireless speaker. Well, that's new. The idea here is to rock out to music while polishing your nails with graffiti inspired polishes, maybe??? Ok, so maybe I'm not getting it, but the idea is cute anyway.  The collection includes six colors that are presumably inspired by street graffiti. I don't believe that many or any of the colors remind me of street graffiti, but like I said, the concept is...cute. So, let me see if I get this.  You have a selection of street graffiti inspired colors, the wireless mini speaker, representing a boom box (the 80's?) and there you have it - Street Beats.  Ok, I'm going to stop analyzing this. I think I'm over thinking this. I gotta let it go.

So, here are the not so graffiti colors.
Tag, You're It - a bright hot pink
Street Cred-ible - a yellow/orange cream
Cou-tour The Streets - lavender
B-Girl Style - bubble-gum-ish pink
Hip Hot Coral - a shimmery coral
Give Me A Break-Dance - a green teal

Umm...I'm really trying to work with this concept here, but a few of the names are cringe-worthy. The colors seem very pretty, but as for naming them, O.P.I. they are not!  But, it's about the polish, not the name, right? All in all, the collection is nice for the summer. If you have other ideas about the creative concept for this collection, please clue me in. Give me a better perspective here. Maybe I'm just missing my camera, and I'm just not able to be more subjective. Help me out here ladies.  Till next time, Ciao for now.

Friday, March 25, 2016

Orly's New 2016 Summer Collection: Pacific Coast Highway



Hello Ladies,
Today, I have another new summer collection for you. This one is by Orly, and I think it's a winner. The Pacific Coast Highway Collection includes six vibrant pastels that are all truly perfect for the summer.

Road Trippin is a bright yellow cream, Summer Sunset is a soft shimmery orange. Put The Top Down is a soft pink cream. Scenic Route is a basic lavender cream, Life's A Beach is an orange red cream, and last, Paradise Cove is a fuchsia shimmer.  A few are described as neons, but I don't think I'd describe them as such (maybe Road Trippin).
All six colors are also available in mini's.

If you pick up any of these, let me know how you like them. Till next time, Ciao for now.

Friday, February 5, 2016

No Sweetheart, I Don't Want To Watch You Play Video Games



I have nothing against video games. Just because I'm not game savvy and my kids think I'm pc ilitereate (see, I said pc, that"s tech speak right?) doesn't mean that I'm a gamer hater. But when my kids ask me to watch them play video games I cringe inside and grit my teeth while I say , "Sure sweetie". Parents really do have to sacrifice. They never say "play with me, Mom", no, they just want me to watch THEM play. I don't get it. What do they get out of it? I rarely understand what's going on, their explanations are lost on me, and they want me to choose which opponent they should fight next.  "I don't know! Just choose somebody already!"

Sooo...what am I really doing here? If they're not asking me to watch them play, then they want me to watch someone else play on YouTube. Even less exciting. Are there classes to help parents learn the basics of gaming? Gaming 101 or something. I really do want to find interest in it. Even maybe enjoy it. But I can't seem to break that barrier. Hypnosis! That's what I need

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Pink Hearts for Valentine's Day


Hello Lovelies.
Today, I'm getting a head start on Valentines Day. Maybe it's just me, but Valentine's Day doesn't seem to be what it used to be. Maybe that's because I have sons and they don't care much about it. I asked my middle schooler if he was handing out cards or candy and he looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language.  I asked if he wanted chocolate hearts or something like that and he responded with "I'm not that into chocolate, Mom." So, I dropped the subject. I asked my high schooler what his plans were, and he very nonchalantly said that he was giving his sweetheart candy, "...of course, Mom, same as last year." So original, isn't he?  Again, that was the end of that conversation.

What happened to cute stuffed teddy bears and boxes of chocolate candy? What happened to those awful tasting heart candies that say "I love you" and "Be mine" on them? And the cute little cards? What happened to those? Tell me it's just me missing out. Tell me that Valentines Day isn't just another day to get consumers to spend money. Ok, I know that it is a consumer oriented occasion, but does anybody really truly celebrate Valentine's Day?

What are your plans for the day of love? Dinner and movies? Giant heart-shaped boxes of candy and roses? Can I celebrate vicariously through you?

Ciao for now.