tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82985044701774890612024-02-22T07:22:05.627-08:00Ballz & ThinnerA handy guide to polishes, whether bought or frankened, and the art of adding ballz & thinner.N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.comBlogger170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-15919188953235487772011-03-06T06:21:00.000-08:002011-03-10T11:08:43.095-08:00Embarassing to the MACWell, this is super embarrassing. I know I said I hadn't uploaded pictures from my camera to my computer (I still haven't, I don't know why but I'm extremely lazy). I was going through my pictures and I DID have some that I had uploaded AND watermarked already. One of these is the very pretty (and sadly Limited Edition) Liberty of London for MAC polish, a dark green-blue. And boy, is it pretty.<br /><br />First, let's talk about the gorgeous packaging. I couldn't throw it away!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 367px; height: 487px;" src="http://i51.tinypic.com/m78ahj.jpg" /><br /></div><br />The outside is pretty and so's the inside:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 444px; height: 334px;" src="http://i53.tinypic.com/8x9c11.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><br />It's just so, so, so, so, SO pretty. And I'm not talking about the box anymore. The application was smooth and the formula was opaque enough. Here it is with two coats:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 544px; height: 408px;" src="http://i51.tinypic.com/2d17qrm.jpg" /><br /></div><br />Here is is in a slightly shady version:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 402px; height: 536px;" src="http://i53.tinypic.com/azgakx.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><br />You know, I'm not usually a fan of MAC polishes. Their base collection is rather drab...I mean Nightfall and Biker Blue are okay but you can easily find dupes for them. Their limited edition collections though are torturous because they're usually the best colors.<br /><br />Anyway I apologize for leading you to believe I'm incredibly lazy. I mean, I am lazy but I'm just glad that I had pictures on my computer to shareN.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-37972091136908303372011-03-06T05:48:00.000-08:002011-03-06T06:19:22.432-08:00Essie Officially at Rite AidI know there's been a lot of talk about Essie coming to Rite Aid (it's already available at CVS) and it's definitely opening up a greater market. I mean, some Sally Hanson polishes are practically the same price as an OPI and Essie products, why not expand into more drug stores? Again, I don't understand why Sally Hanson has so many different lines with different bottles and names, just please keep everything uniform! They either have 100 different formulas or just use the same formulas and put them in different bottles in order to drive up some prices. Either way, I don't care. Get your act together, Sally Hanson. I know some people that spring onto the chance of a new Sally Hanson display but honestly, it's just exhausting and overwhelming trying to keep up. @squarrell on Twitter has told me that the UK only has one line of Sally Hanson polish in which case you all are so lucky! I know it's a silly thing to have to rant about but bear with me.<br /><br /><br />BUT I DIGRESS, sorry. Anyway I received this email just seconds ago and I lovingly used old-fashioned Microsoft Paint to contain my excitement.<br /><center><img style="width: 539px; height: 426px;" src="http://i52.tinypic.com/34rzpyt.png" /></center><br /><br />It had been expected to come around in March and it looks like it's been official (unless I already missed it? In that case, I fail). Now, I personally like CVS's Extra Care card more than Rite Aid's UP rewards. After an annoying experience with using the UP rewards, I decided that it's just not worth it. I am a loyal Walgreens and CVS girl. But...I will definitely swing by a Rite Aid sometime to look at the display.<br /><br />Updates to follow. I have so many pics but I've been so lazy in transferring them to my computer.<br /><br />You can always <a href="http://www.formspring.me/BATpolish">formspring.me</a> and follow me on <a href="http://twitter.com/ballzandthinner">Twitter</a>!N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-32850040215618812342011-01-05T18:13:00.000-08:002011-01-05T18:20:36.525-08:00Zoya polish featured in Black SwanI personally love finding out what kind of nail polish is used in TV shows, movies, and magazine ads. So, I was really pleased to hear that a particular shade of Zoya polish, Bela, made a brief cameo in the movie <i>Black Swan</i>. Bela is a gorgeous pale pink, a perfect shade to complement the strong ballet themes in the movie.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/4lok0j.jpg" /><br /></div><br />Highlight to read exactly where this Zoya bottle cameo is:<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Early on in the film as the lead dancer, Nina (portrayed by Natalie Portman), prepares in her dressing room for a gala where she will be revealed to the masses as the new Swan Queen, a solitary elegant bottle of nail polish briefly takes over the screen. This is where the line between a little girls fantasy and reality blissfully blurs. The bottle shown is Zoya Nail Polish in a delicate shade of pink named Bela. </span>N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-45206263722116315272011-01-01T17:50:00.000-08:002011-01-01T18:25:07.150-08:001.1.11This weekend has been really stormy so I haven't had a chance to post pictures of my New Year nails. Not that it would really help, since I only had a 15 minute window to do my nails this year because I was so busy doing family stuff and I also had to get a cortisone shot in my right arm on the 30th! So typing is still a little painful, and since I was in such a rush to do my nails I have beautiful air bubbles all over (isolated ones at least, so I can take some comfort that they don't look terrible from afar).<br /><br />Anyway, I did <a href="http://ballzandthinner.blogspot.com/2008/07/sunny-side-down-with-extra-whites.html">white nails</a> for the New Year. Normally I'd go for something sparkly but I'm had quite an awful year...to be honest it was really shitty. So I just want to go into 2011 with a blank slate and the hope that things will get better and change for the better.<br /><br />As for my New Year's resolution, it will be of course to be blog more and to buy less polish. I think things have picked up a bit on the blog front so I hope to continue that trend into 2011 =) As for the buying less polish part...well...we'll see.N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-38678928708692769332010-12-28T02:07:00.000-08:002010-12-28T02:46:00.410-08:00Guest Blog Entry! + Green is Still the New BlackRecently I was given the chance to do a guest blog entry for the UK site <a href="http://www.become.co.uk/">http://www.become.co.uk</a>, a fashion/lifestyle/shopping website. In my (fabulous) <a href="http://shopaholic.become.co.uk/2010/12/nail-polish-ultimate-accessory/">blog entry</a>, I discuss winter trends in nail polishes and offer suggestions for the darker winter days. I mention that a very cool look for going out at night or a party in the winter would be an all-black outfit with either snow-white or mint green nails just to give that contrast. And let me tell you, I have found the perfect mint green.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I also discovered that my beloved topcoat, Out the Door, has a tendency to slightly yellow the colors of light polishes, a problem I've never had before with it. In fact, I learned my lesson once putting on an unnamed other brand of topcoat that it did the same thing so I stuck with it Out the Door...except now Out the Door is doing the same thing. I don't know what's going on but for now, I'm looking for a new topcoat. I'm trying the Sally Beauty's store brand right now, the UV-shielding topcoat and I'll probably try Poshe later too. I'm really sad to be breaking up with Out the Door but sometimes, relationships just end. Maybe the problem is a faulty batch or something but I was really disappointed since the coloring of the polish in the pictures (coupled with poor lighting) don't convey how beautiful this polish is. It's so beautiful that I actually wore it twice in a row, which NEVER happens.<br /><br />Now, when I think of Revlon, I immediately think of their lipsticks. I was never a fan of their mascaras, I don't really use face makeup such as foundation, bronzer, blush, etc, but their polishes were all sorts of awful. No real variety, and the formulation was terrible. The most exciting thing they did was a couple of years back when they had that Dark Pleasures collection that was such a big hit. However, Revlon's polishes are newly formulated and I can truly say that Revlon is back in the drugstore polish game. Now the only brand that really has to step it up is Cover Girl.<br /><br />There's a variety of new colors of the new, reformulated line called "Revlon Top Speed," but the one that caught my eye the most was this pretty mint green polish called Jaded. I'm really sad that I had such issues with my topcoat because when applied before my topcoat it looks a lot lighter. It really reminds me of mint, but I had to describe it, I would call it a sort of "ice mint."<br /><br />Anyway, here are some pictures. The lighting is kind of bad so my skin looks all sorts of ridiculous but the polish is actually lighter in person:<br /><img style="width: 641px; height: 480px;" src="http://i51.tinypic.com/2s83erm.jpg" /><br /><br />The reason I feel like mint green goes so well with black because it's a fresh color that's not really expected. It's like a breath of fresh air. I have to admit, I've been a bit jaded (excuse the pun) as to green polishes lately. I realize that there are only so many ways a color can be jazzed up but I felt like we were just seeing a lot of the same hue. Here's a slightly better picture that doesn't make me look quite as jaundiced:<br /><img style="width: 641px; height: 480px;" src="http://i56.tinypic.com/2mma243.jpg" /><br /><br />But what I really love about this polish is the amazing microshimmer.<br /><img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/330a1jr.jpg" /><br /><br />When the sun hits the polish, it kind of almost glows. And surprisingly, the more I wore it, the more I noticed that it went really well with all sorts of colors...even yellow, and even purple. I think it's because it's like white but takes a but of the edge off the starkness with a hint of color, much like how a pale pink also complements everything, but this is just something slightly funkier. I know I'm making this polish sound like the second coming of Jesus but this is honestly a color that has broken me out of my nail polish rut and reminded me why I freaking love nail polish. It really is a form of expression and sometimes it really is <a href="http://shopaholic.become.co.uk/2010/12/nail-polish-ultimate-accessory/">the ultimate accessory.</a> Of course I couldn't resist one last plug.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Thanks to Ranjit from become.co.uk for allowing me to share my opinions for the site.<br /><br /><br /></span>N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-9430032936098177542010-12-21T03:52:00.000-08:002010-12-28T02:07:30.614-08:00Tiffany BluesIt's the beginning of winter here (though it feels like winter has been going on for at least a month, it's been so cold!) and you know how you always get a little bit blue in winter? Having it be dreary and bleak most days can really be a drag.<br /><br />Now, memories are a funny thing. The smell of a certain perfume can remind you of an occasion or a certain someone. Seeing a sign can remind you of an inside joke. Places can remind you of good times (or bad). When I'm driving down the I-5, there's an exit called Utica Avenue and I think of The Office episode (S4EP06) where Dwight proclaims "We will burn Utica to the ground!"<br /><br />I distinctively remember the nail polish I was applying when my dad called to tell me he had cancer again (OPI Cara Mi Crimson), but a nail polish color I associate with happier times is China Glaze For Audrey. It is, of course, Tiffany blue. There's no other way to describe the color because Tiffany & Co. literally has it protected by a color trademark. It's the blue that is synonymous with the high jewelry company Tiffany & Company. So if you can't afford a piece of jewelry at Tiffany's (aka me), you can at least have a bit of luxury in this amazing color on your nails. It really is a very aesthetically pleasing shade of blue. I don't know what it is about it, but it's just really awesome. It might be because it's not quite baby blue and has a bit of sophistication that can't really be categorized as light blue yet. Or something like that. Well, now I'm just typing my thoughts out which I tend to do.<br /><br /><img style="width: 668px; height: 500px;" src="http://i55.tinypic.com/28brz2q.jpg" /><br /><br /><img style="width: 669px; height: 501px;" src="http://i51.tinypic.com/33f5efa.jpg" /><br /><br />I love, love, love this color and part of it has to do with the fact that in September I traveled to Disney World with my sister (our first real vacation together without our parents) and this is the color I wore. So obviously, this color reminds me of the Happiest Place on Earth. Or rather, the most exhausting place on Earth. Disney World is HUGE. I mean, it's amazing but wow, it's huge. There's so much to do, so much to see, so much to EAT and so much to drink (non-alcoholic and alcoholic of course).<br /><br />So whenever I'm feeling down this winter, I'm definitely going to be reaching for this color. It reminds me of Disney World and most importantly, getting to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios too. Talk about amazing!! Also, the butterbeer is amazing. Get the frozen kind though because it is pretty sweet and the ice dilutes it.N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-30818135711493521122010-12-09T23:53:00.000-08:002010-12-09T23:55:31.182-08:00SP6Don't forget to get your 6 free spoons at Zoya.com today with the code SP6! I already know one of the ones I'm going to get for sure is Gaia.N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-9915313126727271522010-12-07T17:49:00.001-08:002010-12-07T17:49:51.807-08:00formspring.meDon't forget you can ask me anything! <a href="http://formspring.me/BATpolish" target="_blank">http://formspring.me/BATpolish</a>N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-4895473172727013462010-12-06T17:50:00.001-08:002010-12-07T17:47:00.461-08:00Zoya Wants to Spoon With You, Do You Accept?<b>*UPDATE*</b> You will need a code for the free spoon event. It will be released on Thursday<br /><br /><img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/2v99oas.jpg" /><br /><br /><br />This Friday only, Zoya will be letting you receive 6 spoons for FREE! Including free shipping! Now I'm a sucker for anything with free shipping, and as a bonus the spoons are really cool in deciding whether or not you want to take the plunge and commit to a color. Because honestly, there's nothing worse than buying a color online only to decide that you hate how it looks outside the bottle. It's a modern day tragedy, really.<br /><br />This offer is only good on Friday, December 10th, and you will also receive a $3 Color Spoon credit code for use on a future zoya.com purchase, which basically means 6 more free color spoons the next time you buy something from the Zoya website. I personally think it's a great offer, and I've already inputted it into my Blackberry calendar.N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-38381945856380938982010-10-26T21:42:00.000-07:002010-10-26T22:39:31.947-07:00Impressions: Johnson's Baby Creamy Oil (Aloe Vera & Vitamin E)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i56.tinypic.com/f1lpk.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 177px; height: 436px;" src="http://i56.tinypic.com/f1lpk.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I'm a huge fan of trying new products. I'm always loyal to my Eucerin Daily Moisturizer but lately my hands have been drier than usual. Maybe it's a sign of aging! I'm only 22 though so it's probably not that.<br /><br />I've always liked Johnson's baby products. In fact, whenever I'm in China I only use their Johnson's baby products, especially their cooling body wash. While of course as we grow older our skins have different needs, I don't think it hurts to go back to basics sometimes.<br /><br />Johnson's baby creamy oil with aloe vera and vitamin E is my new obsession. This is what the website promises:<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> "This creamy oil, enriched with soothing Aloe and Vitamin E, combines rich emollients with JOHNSON'S</span><sup style="font-style: italic;">®</sup><span style="font-style: italic;"> Baby Oil to provide long-lasting moisturization. Our indulgent, non-greasy creamy oil absorbs quickly and leaves nothing but softness behind on the skin. Its sweet yet subtle fragrance will delight your senses."<br /><br /></span><strong>Effectiveness as a moisturizer:</strong> Um, amazing. I was very pleasantly surprised as how easily it absorbed into the skin, and even though it comes out as quite a heavy cream, once you smooth it out it is very light. It is very different from a lotion so less is more effective than you think! It really does leave skin quite soft, especially with continued use.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Good for body?: </span>Absolutely! I use it on my scaly elbows and ankles, I think it actually might replace Lemony Flutter as my go-to lotion for those problem areas. This is definitely not something you can use on your face though.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Good for nails?:</span> It doesn't specifically target nails so I don't think you'll see a radical change. I haven't used it specifically for my nails but I've used it for my hands and I really liked it as a hand moisturizer too. I don't know how effective it is for cuticles compared to Lemony Flutter or other cuticle creams/oils but it is very light, whereas Lemony Flutter is a bit heavier.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Price:</span> It was around $3 at Target for 8oz. I like the packaging a lot. It's easy to use and easy to carry around.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict: </span>This is probably going to have a permanent place in my moisturizer rotation. The scent is really lovely. I'm not a huge fan of scented products but this one does have a very subtle smell that disappears...I don't know how to describe it. It's a bit like a sweeter baby powder but without the effect of your nose being tickled by the powder, if that makes sense.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fun Fact:</span> Johnson & Johnson is best known for their consumer products (Johnson's Baby products, Neutrogena, Aveeno, Band-Aid) but they also manufacture medical equipment and pharmaceuticals.N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-44287894200662547632010-09-18T13:37:00.000-07:002010-09-18T13:37:00.684-07:00Some Like It HotHello all! I'm actually on a plane to Orlando, Florida right now but I just needed to keep the posting momentum going =) Which is why I love that Blogger lets you make posts but actually post them in the future.<br /><br />Now, some people aren't very adventurous with their polish but for those who are, I've got a great yellow polish for you. Even though I'm not wearing yellow for this trip (my nails and toes are China Glaze For Audrey), there's going to be lots of sunshine in Florida! My issue with yellow polish is that it tends to draw out the yellow in my skin and sometimes makes me look jaundiced. But this yellow is bright but also soft at the same time, so my fingers don't look entirely sickly.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=2mqs0na" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 412px;" src="http://i55.tinypic.com/2mqs0na.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=2mqs0na" target="_blank"><img style="width: 551px; height: 413px;" src="http://i55.tinypic.com/2mqs0na.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">L.A. Flare can be found at Forever 21 and Walmart.<br /></div></div>N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-59782841332639051052010-09-17T02:48:00.000-07:002010-09-17T03:37:26.937-07:00Zoya Wonderful CollectionSorry, I know these swatches have been a long time coming and I actually don't have the swatches for the Wicked part of the collection yet. But these pics were taken with my new camera and are pretty gorgeous if I do say so myself =)<br /><br />First of all, my materials for swatching if anyone's interested...cut up pantyliners work better than cotton balls or cotton pads in my opinion. Nail polish remover is a must, as well as paper & pen for taking notes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=3308nxk" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 733px;" src="http://i52.tinypic.com/3308nxk.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />Burke is described as a sienna red cream, and I really love this as a basic red. It's super glossy, and this is two coats. It's a good, everyday red.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=2vii89y" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 412px;" src="http://i52.tinypic.com/2vii89y.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=t8avb8" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 412px;" src="http://i51.tinypic.com/t8avb8.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=idht74" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 412px;" src="http://i55.tinypic.com/idht74.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Stacy is described as a mahogany red cream. This is two coats, and it reminds me a bit of Icing Redwood so I definitely love it....I'm all about the vampy reds<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=2ujoa68" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 412px;" src="http://i52.tinypic.com/2ujoa68.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=dcbors" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 412px;" src="http://i54.tinypic.com/dcbors.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Kelly is described as a paynes gray cream. I'm usually not a huge fan of grays because they can be hit or miss but I love this color. Two coats here.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=29lxlkn" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 443px;" src="http://i52.tinypic.com/29lxlkn.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=2lj6ers" target="_blank"><img style="width: 548px; height: 410px;" src="http://i51.tinypic.com/2lj6ers.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Kristi is described as a crimson red cream. I found that you only really needed one coat for a fresh pop of color, but two coats (as shown here) evens it out more and just gives more gloss<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=5qsn9" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 412px;" src="http://i55.tinypic.com/5qsn9.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=rj3329" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 412px;" src="http://i52.tinypic.com/rj3329.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Cola is described as a desert sand red cream. I actually really like this color, it really reminds me of Coca-Cola (my favorite soda!) but it really draws out the yellow in my skin, ick. So I wouldn't really recommend it for Asians with similar coloring as mine. It's a brownish red and it kind of has a bit of a tricky application. It could definitely benefit from a few drops of thinner. This is still two coats too.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=34t8zeb" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 413px;" src="http://i54.tinypic.com/34t8zeb.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=2lictqt" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 412px;" src="http://i55.tinypic.com/2lictqt.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Finally, my favorite for last: Shawn, a myrtle green cream. I thought it was gong to be disappointing because the bottle color is nothing to get excited about. BUT it's darker on the nail than in the bottle and it's the perfect green to try if you've never tried green before. It's a lovely shade, but I did have one problem with it: make sure you have a REALLY good basecoat because it left intense staining upon removal. I wasn't wearing my normal topcoat though.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=2z6gig2" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 412px;" src="http://i51.tinypic.com/2z6gig2.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=vrpn6b" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 412px;" src="http://i54.tinypic.com/vrpn6b.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />And I will definitely try to post the Wicked collection soon but I was very impressed by the Wonderful collection. I'm normally all about the shimmer, sparkle, and glitter but these were all gorgeous creams and I really love them all. They're SO glossy without topcoat too, so just imagine the shine magnified with a good topcoat. Here are the spoon samples of both collections though:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=14cwwnq" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 411px;" src="http://i54.tinypic.com/14cwwnq.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=6sfd36" target="_blank"><img style="width: 550px; height: 412px;" src="http://i56.tinypic.com/6sfd36.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />I've been playing around with a new watermarking software so my address is a little wonky, sorry! Also, are we liking the new camera? It can be finicky at times but the quality is amazing I think.N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-24820658936612410772010-09-17T02:46:00.001-07:002010-09-17T02:48:47.799-07:00Thank You ecoTOOLS!Thanks so much to ecoTOOLS for giving me body mists for my first giveaway! I hope everyone had fun and congrats to April, Sharon, and Kiki for winning!N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-48585708800746655902010-09-11T18:44:00.000-07:002010-09-11T20:15:37.878-07:00ecoTOOLS Body Mist Giveaway!It's no secret that I love EcoTools...they're actually the only brushes I use to put on makeup. I've <a href="http://ballzandthinner.blogspot.com/2009/09/eco-fab.html">talked before</a> about how I love their new skincare stuff and now three lucky readers have a chance to win an EcoTools body mist! I have two of their Blooming Planet and one Passion for Change body mist available to give away.<br /><br />First, my review of the products:<br /><br />As I've said before, body mist is a hit or miss for some people. I like it because it tends to not be as strong as regular perfume and the EcoTools body mists have a pretty decent lasting power<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i56.tinypic.com/28usaiq.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://i56.tinypic.com/28usaiq.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Blooming Planet has been reformulated to be more soft, floral, and feminine. EcoTools says that this mist now has notes of organic peony and passion flower...I don't have a very good nose but it definitely smells more earthy and floral than before. Unfortunately, it also smells heavily of honeysuckle, which I'm allergic too. So it's not the best for me but if you love honeysuckle with floral scents, this may be for you!<br /><br />6 fl. oz/177mL, retails for $5.99 in stores<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i55.tinypic.com/14y50yp.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://i55.tinypic.com/14y50yp.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Passion for Change is more up my alley. EcoTools describes this as a "mixture of organic ginger, sage, and sparkling citrus." I'm a huge fan of citrus scents and the ginger and sage seem to balance the fragrance out so you don't smell too much like citrus. It's a bit citrusy but with a zing, if that makes sense. I'm terrible at describing fragrances but I really liked it.<br /><br />6 fl. oz/177mL, retails for $5.99 in stores<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><u>How to Win:</u><br /><ul><li>Follow me on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/ballzandthinner">@ballzandthinner</a></li><li><a href="http://twitter.com/ballzandthinner/status/24248983571">Retweet me once!</a> To make it easier, please no extra RTs. One entry per person anyway through Twitter</li><li>You can also increase your chances of winning if you ask me a question through <a href="http://www.formspring.me/BATpolish">Formspring.Me</a> and include your Twitter name<br /></li><li>I'll pick out names from a hat on Wednesday, September 15th and mail out the prizes on Thursday, September 16th through USPS with a tracking number</li><li>I will also pick out who gets which body mist through the hat method =)<br /></li><li>I will contact you through DM on Twitter<br /></li><li>No international shipping this time =( But maybe I'll do an international giveaway soon =)</li></ul><br />I hope everyone has fun and participates in my first giveaway! Much thanks to Rebecca from ecoTOOLS for these products!N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-57723939970109715942010-07-14T21:24:00.000-07:002010-07-14T21:27:08.736-07:00Thank You Zoya!Even though I haven't blogged in a while, Zoya so very generously sent me their Wicked and Wonderful collections for Fall 2010. Of course, I could never receive something and NOT share, right?<br /><br />Expect pictures tomorrow even though I just did my nails yesterday. The California sun has been very generous, so there should be some great pics!N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-30143112547142794982010-06-28T02:48:00.000-07:002010-06-28T02:52:52.975-07:00Toy Story 3 nailsSomeone posted this on LJ and I couldn't help reposting it here! I'm so excited to finally see it next week, it should be amazing<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l4ejojLivM1qbkwu4o1_500.jpg" /><br /></div><br />Apparently there's more nail goodness here: <a href="http://nailcrazy.tumblr.com/">http://nailcrazy.tumblr.com/</a>N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-51152576357174043872010-06-17T17:15:00.001-07:002010-06-17T17:15:48.168-07:00What are your favorite and least favorite brands of nail polish?<p class="formspringmeAnswer">Oh this is hard! Ummm well in terms of higher-end polishes, I love Misa, Essie, and China Glaze. China Glaze has amazing color variety, great application and staying power. The same goes for Misa. Essie used to really bore me but they've really started to branch out (color-wise) and I think their reformulations without the Big 3 bad chemicals are really great. Not to mention that when it comes to classic and classy colors, Essie really delivers. The application of Essie polishes can be iffy at times but it has great staying power on me.<br /><br />For drugstore brands, I love Wet N Wild, Sally Hanson, Sinful Colors, and NYC. <br /><br />As for least favorite...I can't really think of any that I really DISLIKE. I haven't had much luck with Revlon or Creative Nail Design polishes. I really only buy CND if it's on super sale (I only have one, and the drying time drives me insane), and I stopped buying Revlon because it's just not worth it. They would always be streaky and bubbly no matter what and the color selection was never something to get excited over. Not to mention I could get the same results with a Sinful Colors, WnW, or NYC polish that's 2 or 3 dollars cheaper. I did see that Revlon has a mint green coming out (or out right now) that looks really cool though, so I might have to check that out.</p><p class="formspringmeFooter"> <a href="http://formspring.me/BATpolish?utm_medium=social&utm_source=blogger&utm_campaign=shareanswer">Ask me anything</a></p>N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-34960274012210589972010-04-08T22:18:00.000-07:002010-04-08T22:23:45.129-07:00Formspring Me!I love the internet because it can make people as accessible as they want to be. So, I've created a Formspring! This obviously won't replace my blog but feel free to ask me ANY questions about nail polish, makeup, clothes, any other products, or just about life =) It's pretty fun and no account is needed to participate, I will take anonymous questions!<br /><br />http://www.formspring.me/BATpolish<br /><iframe src="http://www.formspring.me/widget/view/BATpolish?&size=medium&bgcolor=%23fff&fgcolor=%23333" style="border: medium none;" frameborder="0" height="275" scrolling="no" width="180">&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.formspring.me/BATpolish"&amp;amp;gt;http://www.formspring.me/BATpolish&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;</iframe>N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-88777475585464930442010-03-17T20:29:00.000-07:002010-03-18T14:19:55.886-07:00LoL TakeoverI had never heard of Liberty of London before about a week ago, when news began popping up about their collaboration with Target. Everything I've seen of their Liberty of London for Target collection I've loved though, it really seems like bright colors and florals are staples for the brand, which is great for spring.<br /><br />Well, Liberty of London has teamed up with MAC for a limited edition collection for spring, and I'm really excited about their polishes:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinypic.com/" target="_blank"><img style="width: 362px; height: 353px;" src="http://i40.tinypic.com/14xyyi9.jpg" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"> On the left is Blue India, a dark green blue with pearl, while on the right is Vestral White, a creamy white limited edition color that they are re-releasing. <em></em><em></em>I love, love, love the darling bottles, but I wish they release a fun bright color instead of re-releasing a boring write. I know for sure that I'm going to pick up Blue India already, so I guess it's better for my wallet that there's only one must-have instead of two!<br /><br />EDIT: I guess it's out already, so I know what I'm going to do after my final tomorrow! Luckily I still have a bit left over on a Macy's gift card<br /><br />EDIT 2: Thanks to commenter Cali 369 for this info! "Liberty of London is a relatively new accessories brand inspired by Liberty's, the iconic department store in London which has been open since 1875."</div></div>N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-22198093952255165312010-03-17T16:00:00.000-07:002010-03-17T16:28:42.914-07:00WarningHi guys, this news has been making the rounds on MUA and other nail polish blogs so I thought I would share my thoughts on the matter.<br /><br />A blogger and frequent nail board member on MUA, ManateeMama, has been accused of scamming several nail board members out of a lot of money by having the rare Essie Starry Starry Night polish as a "Buy It Now" option on ebay for $50. The problem is, once the money had been taken, no polish was ever taken out. It's calculated that she has stolen more than $500 which is considered internet fraud.<br /><br />This is ManateeMama's response: <blockquote>"<span>After a sleepless, terrified, and torturing night I have gotten to the bottom of this "little" mistake you have all made.<br /><br />I am seriously PISSED off that nobody even bothered to message me at ALL before posting...because it would have saved me a lot of detective work and heartache.<br /><br />Since nobody messaged me telling me what "linked" me to all this mess I had to call everyone I know asking around and dig through my entire email box, pm box etc. SO, I am guessing Dina and Don are the people you have used to link me to this CRIME?<br /><br />These people are my degenerate cousins BY MARRIAGE so don't get confused and think I am actually related to them by blood. I set up Dina's Paypal account for her about a year ago. Dina is a [edited] and owes me A LOT of money. A LOT. They have run similar scams to this before, on ebay and forums, which i DID not know about when i helped her!<br /><br />So, the reason you witch hunting bandwagoners have incorrectly ruined my reputation FOREVER is because Dina sometimes pays for things for me out of HER pay pal balance because she can't afford to pay me back in cash... SO, I have gotten some things from the NB marketplace with the paypal account [email address removed] before, also ebay etc.<br /><br />I haven't ever sold anything to any of you as I don't even have my OWN paypal account and I dont have access to Dina's I just CALL HER and tell her the info, who to pay, how much etc.<br /><br />I dont want them to have my address so I ALWAYS USE MY FIANCES WORK ADDRESS. So that is the reason for that. Otherwise they would be knocking on my door asking me for money all the time.<br /><br />SO how was I victimized when I dont have a paypal account? well i called my cousin and asked her to buy SSN, she said ok, obviously since she was the seller she didnt buy it and lied and said she did. I called her and told her to open an ebay claim when Things went sour. The End.<br /><br />I have called and cussed out my cousins who obviously got this idea from me from overhearing me talking about rare polish and how much it sells for on ebay. So that part is my fault. I told them to fix this now. The people they ripped off are people that used to be my friends. I told her she has until this weekend to fix it before I call the cops on her myself! I have her ACTUAL address.<br /><br />Now, that I have had to get into these very personal family details I really would rather not have shared I advise any of you that have filed FALSE POLICE REPORTS against me to rethink your actions!!!<br /><br />I am in total shock how fast you all turned on me without even a note of doubt. WOW.<br /><br />If you think I am a liar fine, what reason you have is a mystery to me but fine"</span><span><br /></span></blockquote><br />Obviously, there are two sides to each story and no, I don't know ManateeMama personally or have had any interaction with her even on the nail board. From an objective point of view, there is just something really shady about this. From a personal point of view, I just don't trust this explanation. This is beyond simple scamming, this is fraud. If anyone frequents the nail board on MUA, you will know that the nail board is full of the nicest people around and it's sickening how someone could take advantage of that. Choose what you want to believe, but please be careful when it comes to the internet and in buying anything that is rare and hard-to-find. If you ever run into an issue of scamming or any other internet crime, be sure to report it to the <a href="http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx">Internet Crime Complaint Center </a>(or IC3), which is a joint venture between the FBI, National White Collar Crime Center, and the Bureau of Justice Association.<br /><br />And for anyone who asks why anyone would ever pay $50 for a nail polish...Essie Starry Starry Night is gorgeous. End of story.N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-16900724035331636122010-01-01T17:45:00.000-08:002010-01-01T18:37:22.917-08:00Happy New Year! (and decade)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i49.tinypic.com/2n0tsly.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 245px; height: 274px;" src="http://i49.tinypic.com/2n0tsly.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Hello friends! I know my blogging has been spotty in 2009, but to be honest it just wasn't a very good year for me. One of my New Years resolutions is to blog more in 2010, and I will try my best to keep my word.<br /><br />I'm contemplating moving my blog over to tumblr, but I'm not sure if that would be the best idea. I started it out but I gave up hope for now. I'm not a huge fan of their commenting system, and even though Blogger can be more finicky, I don't mind the layout.<br /><br />In the past couple of months I've had to do a lot of soul-searching. I'm not a huge sharer of emotions, but I've realized that nail polish and blogging really do make me happy. And if I share a little of what's been going on, maybe it can help someone else too.<br /><br />I'm reaching the point in my life where I'm about to graduate college so it's been stressful figuring out what I have to do. In September, my grandpa in Shanghai died. I flew back there, missed a week's worth of school, and pretty much felt miserable and depressed and pressured all throughout this last quarter. To add to all this, my dad once again had to have surgery for tumors in his lung (he's been battling various forms of cancer since 2006). Mentally, emotionally, I hit rock bottom many times before I finally decided to try therapy. Dragging myself there was a huge accomplishment but slowly I've begun the healing process and getting my life back on track. I never thought of myself as a negative person, but I am the type of person that does tend to absorb blows and keep feelings bottled up. Not healthy, obviously. Anyway, I just wanted to say that you know, sometimes it's ok to ask for help. It doesn't make you a weaker person. We all need help at some point in our lives.<br /><br />To keep things light though, this is a new year and a new decade. And I am just dying for almost all the shades in the new China Glaze collection, I can't wait for it to come out so I can buy them. My nails are Sally Hanson Salon Line Arabian Night, by the way. In terms of polish, 2009 was the year I started to love purple polish so at least there's a positive!<br /><br />I leave you now with swatches from ALU of China Glaze's Up and Away collection. I haven't been this excited about polish in a while!<a href="http://www.alllacqueredup.com/2009/12/china-glaze-swatches-review-comparisons-part-1.html"> Part 1</a>, <a href="http://www.alllacqueredup.com/2009/12/china-glaze-swatches-review-comparisons-part-2.html">Part 2</a>, <a href="http://www.alllacqueredup.com/2009/12/china-glaze-swatches-review-comparisons-part-3.html">Part 3</a> It's also a lot more exciting than OPI's Alice in Wonderland collection too, but I have been consistently underwhelmed by OPI's overall collections since their Russian collection.<br /><br />Anyway happy new year, dear readers! Thanks for sticking by me through thick and thin =)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo by freedigitalphotos.net</span>N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-79519033359006634422009-10-10T21:26:00.000-07:002009-10-10T21:50:44.048-07:00OPI & Dell Team UpI'm a tech dork, even though half of the time I don't understand what is going on and I'm actually pretty terrible with technology. I just like to look at shiny things.<br /><br />Still, I was rather surprised when I read this article about<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/07/dell-puts-opi-nail-polish-on-laptops-forgets-to-announce-adamo/"> OPI and Dell </a>on Engadget. I don't know whether as a woman I should be delighted or offended. It would be really cool on the one hand to immortalize your favorite OPI shade (though not all are available) on your laptop. On the other hand, it's annoying because other than announcing that this option is available, Dell doesn't really provide any details on the computers itself. Which is where I have a problem with it.<br /><br />I'm not a super-feminist by any means, but I am (and I think other females should) well-aware that as the "lesser" sex, we may always be subject to discrimination. But it's also ok to be a powerful woman and still care about makeup and beauty because these things can make us happy on the inside. Am I making sense? I'm not trying to make this post into a huge political issue, but over the summer I got a bit angry over something like this.<br /><br />You've all seen the commercials for the 3M Scotch-Brite Nail Saver Sponge, right? Ok, yeah it's kind of sexist but I bought one anyway to try because I had a coupon. Well, it turns out that it's not just a sexist commercial but the sponge is a piece of crap which makes the sponge itself kind of sexist. I understand that there's a whole marketing concept behind it to make this job easier for women but a) women aren't ALWAYS the ones doing the dishes, ok?, b) it's a lot easier to just wear gloves while doing the dishes to avoid the need for a stupid sponge and c) the "sponge," which is nothing more than two flimsy strips of actual sponge and scrubber glued to this awful foam that falls apart within three weeks of use, is just insulting. It's ok to market things to women because we DO have certain needs that are different. But please, don't insult our intelligence by introducing something that supposedly will make our life easier but is really worthless. It's sloppy manufacturing and it's rude and I hated that sponge and everything it represents.<br /><br /><br />I'm not the biggest Dell fan, but I wish they would release details about the laptops itself that will have the option of adding these pretty tops. Because yeah, it's kinda cool though it would be worthless to pay extra for a laptop that won't really do much. Anyway, here's the top for OPI's I'm Not Really a Waitress. I love the swirled effect because it really looks like nail polish and I'm not going to lie, if this were HP and the laptop had everything I wanted specs-wise I would definitely buy it. Though not in this shade.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f10/pandatours/BAT/dell-waitress-opi-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 599px; height: 392px;" src="http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f10/pandatours/BAT/dell-waitress-opi-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />PS: It does seem that these new laptop colors are available as an option on pre-existing Dell laptops so it's not like it's a special case. So really my argument only applies if Dell were introducing it as a special line so even though it's an invalid argument, it's a rant so it still stands =)N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-9316142973471703832009-09-15T23:55:00.000-07:002009-09-16T00:11:58.824-07:00Fall Trends LinksI haven't been impressed by OPI for a while but Marc Jacobs, whom I adore, seems to think otherwise. He chose some classic, subtle shades to complement his latest collection. <a href="http://www.bellasugar.com/5011396">See them here.</a><br /><br />I'm a huge Essie fan but the colors I'm looking forward to the most is the new Orly collection. The world needs more green! <a href="http://www.beautysnob.com/2009/09/hot_new_nail_colors_for_fall.html">Here</a> is a glimpse at some Orly, Lipmann, and Essie fall colors.<br /><br />Also, for any UK readers, check out this new drugstore brand called <a href="http://www.eyeko.com/index.php">Eyeko</a>. Non-UK readers won't entirely be missing out because they ship free worldwide! I'm already eyeing my order.N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-43142624028057242512009-09-12T03:21:00.000-07:002009-09-12T03:38:24.135-07:00I. Die.Anyone here watch the Rachel Zoe Project on Bravo? I wasn't expecting to love it as much as I do, but ya'll know how attached I get to shows that don't have much depth. It's why I love it though! So of course one of Rachel's dramatic phrases is "I die" whenever she sees something that she just cannot live without.<br /><br />This, unfortunately is one of the cases. Chanel, always the quickest to catch onto nail trends (completely sarcasm btws...what it makes up in lack of nail knowledge is amazing fashion at least) is releasing two GORGEOUS polishes in their fall collection. Actually, scratch that, just one. One is pink so we know it's going to be on the boring side but one seems to be the perfect light green! It seems to be very true to its name, which is Jade.<br /><br />They've been gracious enough to allow pre-orders this time around so you can see pictures of the two colors <a href="http://uma.chanel.com/makeup/jade-nail.php">here</a>. However, the price has upped again since last year I believe, and this time it will set you back $25. Ouch. Just my personal opinion though but Jade may look like it will be worth it. Jade Rose, not so much.<br /><br />Also, I know my posts have been lacking greatly. I still love nail polish and I still love blogging, I'm just trying to make some important life decisions right now. I loved blogging before my parents knew about it because even though I love my parents and I'm my own person and I make my own decisions, they are not exactly supportive of my polish love. Especially when they think it is interfering with schoolwork (trust me, it's not!). I think it's always hard when you think you have to compromise your beliefs and passions. Oh, and this whole transitioning-into-an-adult thing happening? Not fun at all. But I know people actually read my blog, so I am definitely not going to let this die!<br /><br />At least I will have Jade to look forward to =)<br /><br />PS: For a dictionary to all Rachel Zoeisms that will probably be popping up, here's a <a href="http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20229108,00.html">guide that EW.com compiled</a>N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8298504470177489061.post-81103685845905446912009-09-02T16:46:00.000-07:002009-09-02T19:34:47.558-07:00Eco-Fab<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.parispresents.com/v/vspfiles/photos/ET12000-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 119px; height: 303px;" src="http://www.parispresents.com/v/vspfiles/photos/ET12000-2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>If you're a makeup lover, you must have heard of EcoTools. I mean, I rarely wear makeup but it's true facts in beauty circles that EcoTools brushes are one of the best drugtstore makeup brushes on the market. I'm also a huge fan of companies that try to bring sustainability awareness to the masses. Recently they've expanded out into a beauty line with generously sized portions for the price and cute, kitchy names. I got to try two products, their Sustainable Softness body lotion and their Blooming Planet body mist.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sustainable Softness </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">body lotion</span>(this is going to be an extremely detailed review because I like details and because I'm merging my regular review questions with my mega moisturizer series criteria)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Quantity: </span>8 fl oz.m or 236 ml<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Price: </span>$7.99<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Claims: </span>For those seeking intense moisture, look no further than this body lotion that is 98% from nature. "Sustainable Softness" features nourishing shea butter, which easily absorbs into skin and leaves it feeling silky and smooth. Skin will feel instantly hydrated and sustain your softness!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">My Experience: </span>I like to use lotions for about a week before I make up my mind because it's a long enough period to notice any significant changes. My elbows have been super ashy because of the lotion I used while in DC (review on that later), but this lotion cured that in about two days. It does absorb into skin really quickly, and the especially nice thing is that the smell goes away pretty quickly. Well, it's a good thing for me at least, other people like scented lotions.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Good for body?: </span>Absolutely, it doesn't have a super lotiony feel right after as it absorbs fairly quickly into the skin. I also noticed an improvement in my elbows, which is definitely the measurement of a good all-over lotion for my body. I usually only apply lotion once, which is at night after I shower. I'll admit it's mostly because of laziness but it also helps me weed out lotions that really aren't good for the long run.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Good for nails?: </span>Even those the ecoTools new beauty line also has its own separate hand lotion, I found that this doubled just as well for hand hydration as it did for body.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Likes: </span><br /><ul><li>packaging- since it's in a bottle with a flip cap it's a good size for traveling, and it's not likely to spill.</li><li>the ingredients- I'm not a cosmetic chemist but I am impressed by the number of natural products that I <span style="font-style: italic;">know</span> are good for hydration and moisturizing that are listed. The first three products right off the bat on the ingredient list are Water, Sunflower Seed Oil, and Jojoba Esters (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jojoba_ester">Wikipedia</a> tells me that jojoba esters are derived from jojoba oil, so it's a good thing). Then there's also shea butter, cocoa seed butter, mango butter, aloe extract and algae extract. You'd think with all these butter ingredients the lotion would be heavier but it's actually not</li><li>the consistency- as I mentioned above, it's not a very heavy lotion that just sits above the skin and takes a while to sink in (I like Aveeno but it's an example of a heavy lotion for me). It's thick and creamy like a real lotion and doesn't have a watery feeling like others, but it still manages to be quick with absorption</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dislikes:<br /></span><ul><li>the smell- since I opened it, my sister and I have been trying to figure out what the smell was. It's not an unpleasant smell, something really familiar though. After three days, I finally figured it out: it smells like fluoride to me. So understandable, I'm glad that the smell fades away after five or so minutes. Thankfully, it's not very overpowering and I'm sure my dentist will appreciate the soothing scents on my next visit but really, I'm just glad I can only apply this once a day.</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusion/Verdict: </span>Other than the smell, I really like this lotion. I would probably buy this again for when I'm traveling given its compact size because traveling/vacations really wreck havoc on your skin. While I'm not so sure how accurate their "98% from nature" tagline is, I love all the natural items I can identify on the ingredient list, and they seem to really get the job done.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fun Facts: </span>According to a green tip on the back of the bottle, if everyone viewed and paid their bills online instead of printing, we could keep over 18.5 million trees growing each year.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.parispresents.com/v/vspfiles/photos/ET12002-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 125px; height: 358px;" src="http://www.parispresents.com/v/vspfiles/photos/ET12002-2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><u>Blooming Planet body mist</u><br /><br />Quantity: </span><span>6fl oz, or 177mL<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Price: </span>$7.99<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Claims: </span>This body mist instantly transports you to a blooming botanical garden with a bright and fresh floral scent. Refresh your natural wellness with this captivating blend of elegant floral blooms. Smell great and feel great, inside your world and out!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">My experience:</span> I'll be honest, I despise body mist. Walking into a Bath & Body Works is like a certain kind of torture, especially when they had their special Honeysuckle line. Not only am I allergic to honeysuckle, I'm also allergic to their popular cucumber melon scent. One whiff of either and I'm hacking and coughing my way into an asthma attack...for some reason both scents seem to permeate themselves into my lungs. Gross. However, Blooming Planet was smelly without being overwhelmingly so. In fact, I actually really liked it. I can't distinguish the individual notes, but the overall fragrance is really good and actually reminds me a bit of Elizabeth Arden's Green Tea perfume.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Likes:</span></span><br /><ul><li>staying power- it's not bad for a body mist<br /></li><li>scent- thankfully not too overpowering, and there's not a dramatic change in smell from when you spray it on to when it dries down</li><li>size- it's a large bottle!<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dislikes: </span>I try to come up with constructive criticism for each product, but really, it's body mist and you either like it or hate it. It's a lot more straightforward than lotions<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusion: </span>I ended up liking something I was expecting to hate, so I love being proved wrong. It just goes to show that there are exceptions.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fun Fact: </span>All of the products of the EcoTools are part of the <a href="http://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/en/">1% For the Planet</a> coalition of business all around the world that have pledged to donate at least 1% of annual sales to environmental organizations.<br /><br /><br />Other items in the new EcoTools beauty line include a body wash, hand cream, and heel cream. Let me know any of you try these products and what you think! They're available in the U.S. at Walgreens and select Target stores.N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04264187179099908579noreply@blogger.com0