Walk of Fame by Essence

My shrinking pay cheque has been leading me back into the drugstore makeup sections more than ever.  As a result, I've picked up a few more of the budget brand, Essence that has recently popped up at Shoppers Drug Mart.  I always appreciate a good, cheap beauty buy and Walk of Fame is definitely one.  This taupe creme wasn't as goopy as the previous Essence polishes I've tried and true to its claim, it does dry quickly.  It chips just as fast too but I tend not to complain about that so much if the polish is a quick dry.  At least it doesn't take long to repair a chip.

Snow White & the Huntsman by Deborah Lippman

Dark Side of the Moon

Prelude to a Kiss

When Deborah Lippman's Snow White & the Huntsman duo was first introduced, I had figured that we be getting a pair of original colours but it seems that the only thing new about these two polishes is the box that they came in!  Dark Side of the Moon (a deep wine) and Prelude to a Kiss (a light ballet pink) are part of the existing line and aren't unique in any way. But on the plus side of the situation, you'd been getting two full sized polishes at a lower price than buying them separately and that's definitely an advantage.

Both of these polishes have a great formula.  There's just something really smooth and flexible about DL polishes that makes them more shiny than the majority out there and they are more durable than most.  Both polsihes lasted 4 days without noticeable wear but both needs 3 coats for total coverage, especially PTAK because of its light colour.

Ask me which colour I prefer, I'll say that PTAK beats of DSOTM because it's just tough to top a good neutral.  They go with everything and frankly, I got a ton of compliments when I wore it.

I didn't go to see Snow White & the Hunstman but my sister did and said it was boring.  I took take her word for it and then I went to see the Avengers for the thrid time.  I wonder why I would do that...

MARRY ME SKINNY MAN IN THE BLACK SUIT!!!

Chanel Suit Nail Art

When I decided to give more nail art a try, I didn't expect that I'd be accidentely making a homage to Jackie Kennedy's imfamous pink chanel suit she was wearing the day her husband was killed:

Seriously, that was the first thing I thought of once I had finished my manicure and all I was trying to do was frame a colour with black polish.  It was easy to do.  I just applied a coat of black polish, put a couple of coats of Lincoln Square Lavender by New York Colours (and despite the polish name, it's pink) and followed up with a sweep of black polish on the tip of the nail, French manicure style.  I liked and so did my co-workers.  I'd definatley give it another try with a different colour.  Practice would make perfect!

Raw Rose by Gosh

I must be losing my mind lately but I seem to be really liking pink these days.  I don't know, maybe it's the hot weather and bright sunshine or maybe this is just a really great pink polish!  Raw Rose from Gosh is a super muted dusty pink creme that very nearly borders on being a nuetral, it's so muted.  I like this very much and there was no complaints about the formula either.  It went on smoothly and evenly and had a good dry time as well.  I have noticed that the Gosh counter in Shoppers Drug Mart has gotten a little bit smaller in the last few weeks and I'm really hoping that it's not a signal that the line is leaving the store.  I've become quite fond of the brand: not just the nail polish but the lipstick and blushes are really great too.  I always carry one of their lipglosses with me because there's little flashlights built into the caps.  If the power goes out, I've got a super shiney light to see with and reapply with!

Spa Ritual's Sage

Since I started blogging about polish, Spa Ritual was just one of the premier salon brands that always seemed out of my reach for more than one reason:  No retailer I knew of stocked it, I wasn't ordering anything on the internet etc... so it was always a brand I hoped I'd find somewhere, sooner or later.  As you can imagine, I was pretty happy to find a 5 bottle gift set of Spa Ritual nail polish in a Winners back in my hometown of Montreal for the dirt cheap price of $15 CDN when it can normally retail for $13 CDN and up.

Well, my happiness quickly turned into one hell of a disappointment as I soon discovered that this is one of  the worst quality nail polishes I have ever perchased.  Sage certainly looked like a promising shade.  I'm a sucker for a nice taupey shroom but the polish just wouldn't dry.  I had polished my nails in the morning (the day before I took this photo) but despite having had the polish on all day long, I woke up to the imprint of my bedsheets squished into the polish.  That's just awful!  I wore it for two days and never in the whole time did the polish ever set.  It just stayed soft the whole time and just became a worse and worse mess as the day went along.  I was able to dent the polish with my fingernail right into the polish up to 48 hours after application.  Now this polish is just sitting on one of my night tables with the remaining 4 polishes that I don't have any motivation to use since Sage was practically garbage...Oh well, there's always Hiddleston...

And His Leather Pants!

Ok, I'm Giving This Nail Art Thing A Try...

But bear with me as results may vary!  I'm starting to give nail art a try since I have so much polish (but not a lot of time on my hands) that I thought I should at least give some new things a try ever once and a while.  Plus it's a learning experience and I just haven't had enough of those lately.  So a couple of weeks ago, my sister, my long time buddy and one of my employees trundled off to the AGO's Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musee National Picasso, Paris which offers a rare opportunity to see some of his greatest works without having to go all the way to Paris.  I liked the exhibition but I think that my tastes lean more to Chagall, there is far less of an giant ego in his work than the giant ego that seeps out of almost everything Picasso did.  Oh well, personal tastes!

But I just wanted to wear something a little different that weekend, so I opted for some layering with 3 different polishes. I simply applied the coats in smaller areas.  For the base, I used Mac's Liberty of London in Blue India.  It's a dark & slightly dusty blue creme.  The second coat applied was Little Italy from New York Colour's Minute Quick Dry.  This colour is simply an opaque white creme, defiantly a shade that I would never wear on my own (and a little streaky I might add...). The third and final coat I used was China Glaze's Westside Warrior, a dark green creme which I reviewed last year.  Here's the results:

It's a bit sloppy and I had some issues with bubbling but when you're applying up to six coats of polish that is going to happen.  Although I didn't have the steadiest of hands that day, I certainly do like the colour combination a lot and I liked the change from the usual straight polished nail.

My sister tells her coworkers that I am suffering from a severe case of Hiddles Palsy, an affection that causes me to stare at pictures of Tom Hiddleston while simultaneously smashing my face into my laptop screen all day long.  It's true but what I am going to do with my spare time anyways?  Date a real person?

LOL!!! NO F******G WAY!!!!

Real men can be such a bore....

The Amazing Spiderman Colours from OPI

Ahem...Glad to get that off my chest, again.  The Amazing Spiderman could turn out to be a perfectly acceptable movie but it's going to take me a really long time to find out if it is because of Andrew Garfield and his yucky behind...he just turns me off so damn hard...

Thank Goodness I didn't get turned off by OPI's Amazing Spiderman Collection though.  I wasn't looking too forward to the latest of the movie polish tie-in's since I found the quality of OPI polish in the past year to be significantly lacking.  It appears to be turning around because this collection seems to have gotten back to the kind of polish quality I'd come to expect from the company.

Call Me Gwen-Ever is a bright coral creme that is so pigmented that it went on streak free and almost opaque in just one coat.  And that's exactly how many coats I'm wearing in the photo above...one!  How's that for a big step back up to quality?  Now I've got to admit that Orange is not my favourite colour by a longshot:  I don't enjoy looking at it but I actually look fantastic in the colour so I've got a lot of it in my closet and in my makeup drawer. The one thing that I don't like about CMGE is it's name.  Considering the fate of Gwen Stacey in the Silver Age comic, well, Call Me Gwen-NEVER if that's what you consider "saving" some one's life...

WHOOPSIES!!!

Number One Nemesis is a dark green shimmer that needs at least three coats if you want to achieve a smoother and even coat.  It's pretty but it's way too thin and sparse that I can't really say that I'd recommend it highly.

But Into the Night is another story all together.  I absolutely love this colour!  A dark blue shimmer that otherwise defies a more detailed description for it.  It has the same kind of application issues as NON but it's so damn pretty I couldn't stop looking at my nails when I was wearing it.  That's hardly productive but come on, look at it.  I did not expect to love it so much.

Yeah, so I'd probably see the new Spidey if that Garfield guy didn't make my ladyparts dry up.  But if you read this blog, you already know what I like...Hey everybody!!!  What's green, has two horns coming out of his head and touches himself whenever I think about him?

Yeah Baby...Just Like That!

Back In Blog...Pupa's Red With No Name & Tom Hiddleston All The God Damn Time

It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you without a dope beat to step to...I'm trying to get back into the swing of things after going through some changes, a bit of travel, got my hair done and have gone to multiple viewings of The Avengers.  Seems like all I do with my time is work, sleep for 15 hours straight and download pictures of Tom Hiddleston.  In fact, I've gotten so good at downloading pictures of Hiddleston I've been thinking of adding it to my resume as a "special skill"...

How Many Teeth Does This Guy Have In His Mouth?

That's Just Hot...

I Was Less Than 10 Miles From Him At The Time This Picture Was Taken, But Did I Know He Was in Town?  NO I DID NOT!!!

When I Look At This Picture, I Get Horny and No, I Am Not Joking.  I'm all "Hey Baby, Meet Me At My Place In 30 Minutes & Bring That Getup With You"

Who Do I Have To Kill To Get In The Middle of This Manwich?

If I get any more pathetic with this, I'm going to end up changing this blog from shehasgreenfingers.blogspot to alltomhiddlestonallthegoddamntime.blogspot.  It's that time at my house already.

Yeah, so nail polish!  This cute muted red is something that I actually picked up months ago and I wouldn't be surprised if I've already blogged about it and the clean forgot I did!  In any case, Pupa has been expanding its presence in Canadian drugstore in terms of polish as I've seen a number of displays pop up in the last month.  This kind of colour is a staple for me, I just love a good red creme and as I recall, I wore this for 4 days before I saw any sign of tip wear but not chips.  Other than that the formula was good.  Not extra ordinary but not terrible either.  Not a waste of cash!

Gel Color By OPI in Passion

Every year, the accounting firm that I work for holds an overnight staff trip to Blue Mountain Ski Resort in Collingwood, Ontario.  Since I haven't been working there for a year yet, it was my first time going and I was told that since this particular outing was a "last chance to cut loose before tax season starts" there was a metric ton of drinking. If there was one situation in life that I never thought I'd been in, I would say "Watching extreme fighting at a Ski resort in a hotel room with 25 very intoxicated Orthodox Jews" would be one of them.  And it wasn't even Purim yet! I also learned that if you don't smoke, do not smoke the Cuban cigars that a partner offers you, no matter how ungratefully or stodgy this might make you look.  Because of that, I ended up hanging out with the toilet more than any person that night...

I've never skied and have never been interested in it but luckily, my employers offered a spa option for those who didn't want to ski, so I figured that now was a good a time as any to get my very first manicure.  Yeah, I've been doing my own nails for over 30 years but not once had I ever been in a salon and had someone else do the work.  The additional bonus was that the spa of choice, Kalola Boutique & Spa, offers gel polish manicures so it was a great opportunity to try it out and it didn't cost me a dime.

My manicurist was a lovely young lady named Kina who had a very calm and friendly way about her and she seemed to understand really well when a person felt like talking or didn't feel like it.  Plus, she had a light touch and explained every step of each treatment, described the ingredients of each product (so you could choose if you wanted to use it or not) and gave a great hand massage.

Since I had all the intention of testing gel polishes claims of lasting for weeks, I wanted to choose a colour that would go with every piece of clothing in my closet so I choose OPi's GelColour in Passion.  It's a light ballet pink creme that look perfectly fine with black, white or any other colour who might be wearing.  Gel polishes claims to fame consist of a quick drying time but the polish must be "cured" under a low wattage UV light drier for a minute or so.  Despite the fact that that dry time is extremely fast, i still sort of felt like the process took a while since it included prepping the nails, base coat, two coats of colour and a top coat or maybe it was the first time I tried the product and wasn't really sure what to expect. I also usually skip base and top coats when I do my own nails. Here's the result on Day One:

Day One

If we had an any sunny days in the Southern Ontario area at all during this winter, I'd have a nicer photo to show you but you can still see that the polish is very glossy and almost looks wet even though it's totally dry to the touch.  I also like seeing perfectly round cuticles as I don't always push them back myself.

Day Two

Day Two and it looks exactly the same and still looks like it's freshly painted.

Day Three

Day Three and it still looks good.

Day Four

Day Four and it's still got a high gloss finish.

Day Five

Day Five and it still looks good but now I'm just getting bored...

Day Six

We finally got a sunny day and the gel polish still looks great!

Day Seven

Aha!  Finally a flaw!  The gel polish actually had began to peel in the corners of my thumbnail and it was lifting off of it in one piece.  If there was a time to remove the polish, it was now but I didn't want to go back to a salon a pay money to get it done.  I went to the drug store and bought some Sally Hansen Artificial Nail & Glue Remover and after soaking each hand for over 10 minutes, the polish began to lift and I was able to pull the polish off my nails.  However it did really stick to the middle of my fingernails and it required a little bit of buffing to get it off.  I also had a small amount of nail damage but a little bit more buffer help to fix it.  Here's how my nails looked with no polish at all...

I Took a Picture Just In Case I Forget What My Actual Nails Look Like!

To sum it up, if the polish didn't peel from my nail it would have likely lasted 2 weeks or more but I was actually glad it happened because by that time, I was totally bored of wearing the same colour day in and day out.  But if you're the type of person who wants a long lasting manicure then gel polish is definitely the product for you.  I would defiantly use this technique again but the next time, it's going to be a summer time pedicure because I hate doing my toes!

Navigate Her by Essie

As much as I love green polish, I find myself on the fence with Essie's Navigate Her from the 2012 Navigate Her Spring Collection.  Looking like the most intense pistachio hue I've ever seen, it's a light green creme that was a weird mix when it came to application.  The first coat was extremely thin, the second coat wasn't enough and the third coat was super thick.  Even with that thickness and quantity of coats, you can still see that I had some bald spots, particularly on my pinkie finger at the top of the nail.  On top of that, I don't think this colour suits me.  I don't spend a lot of time bragging about myself but one thing I'm usually confident about is that almost any colour suits me and this one doesn't quite feel right.

You Don't Know Jacques by OPI

Taupe polish is now a staple just as much as red, light pink & wine colours and  are usually part of the collection of even the least obsessive polish buyers.  You Don't Know Jacques was part of OPI's France collection a couple of years back and even though some many say they're bored of taupe, it's pretty much here to stay.  But in all honesty, I can think of a few taupe polishes that are actually of better quality than this one is China Glaze's Ingrid would be one of them).  I love the mushroom like colour but the application leaves a bit to be desired in terms of coverage.  Two coats is not enough to keep bald spots and some streaking from happening and that keeps it from being up to OPI's usual high quality. Though in terms of durability, it does quite well.

'Allo FiFi!!!

Kennedy by Zoya

This one's my second purchase from Zoya's Touch line and now that I think about it,  sort of wish that I'd sprung the cash for the entire line.  There's just something about a simple neutral creme polish that I just love.  sure, it's not edgy or hip bit it's being a long time since I cared about that sort of thing!  the formula and the application were very good.  The coverage was even in two coats, applied smoothly and evenly, and dried fairly quickly as well.  If you don't already own a light beige creme polish then Kennedy would be a good choice.  

Kennedy, I wonder what was the inspiration for the name choice?  When I hear that name I usually think about this...

Beauty & Talent!

Which usually makes me think of this...

Bom Chicka Wow Wow!

Which then makes me think of this...

Which One Are You?  Jackie or Marilyn?

Which makes me think why would you want to be either one if you could be a Joannie?

Notice That All of This Dudes Erections Are Carefully Hidden!

Can't Wait for March 25th!!!

Kristen by Zoya

It has been quite a while since I've been downtown and checked out the Trade Secrets underground between Bloor subway station and Holt Renfrew.  The salespeople in there are not the happiest campers but when I can't find a polish or everyone else is sold out, I know that I can find it there.  This was the case with Zoya's Feel collection from 2011.  I couldn't find it anywhere but got lucky a few weeks back.  Kristen is a light blue grey creme that just misses the boat on being neutral enough to wear to work at an accounting firm.  In fact whether the colour is blue or grey depends on what kind of light you happen to be standing under at the time.  Daylight gives it a bluer cast, office lighting can  make it a little drabber.  But when I say "drabber" I don't mean it as a bad thing.  Kristen is the kind of polish that I like to refer to as "clean".  It's something you wear when you want a simple classic look to you nails and I'll always be down with that.

Natural Beauty by Maybelline

It may be called Natural Beauty but if you're got a paler skin tone, I'm not sure if this shade from Maybelline's Fall 2011 collection will be the one for you but I love it!  I was really glad to see this warm toffee-like colour on the Pharmaplus shelves and I snapped it up despite it not being on sale at the time.  I wasn't disappointed either as the formula was fast drying and lasted three days without a major nick or chip.  Since I've been working in an office environment, I've really grown to like neutral colours even more than I used to.  It makes the question "what am I going to wear to work a lot easier to answer" but nice neutrals will never make me wish I could sport a green or blue polish on the job.

Sultry Siren by Maybelline & Grace Kelly at TIFF

It is an extremely gloomy Sunday here in the GTA, so what better way to brighten things up than with a classic red polish.  Sultry Siren, from Maybelline's Fall 2011 collection, is just the kind of red tone that I always fall for: creme formula, deep, more on the blue side and with a good amount of shine to it.  I really like Maybelline's Express Finish line.  While they aren't  usually the longer wearing of quick dry polishes, I've found that they do dry a bit quicker than others and have a glossier finish.  The brushes are usually thin but spread across the nail well.

Despite the fact that I'm obsessed with nail polish, I have long admired a woman who, when she made public appearances, kept her hands hidden under gloves:  Grace Kelly!

The Apex of Class & Elegance!

Grace Kelly: From Movie Star to Princess is exhibiting at the TIFF Lightbox in Toronto until January 22, 2012 and I checked it out yesterday, which also happened to be her birthday.  The collection on display features her personal clothing and film memorabilia including:

• A letter from Yul Brenner asking her for a stamp to add to his collection
• A letter from a friend warning her that Jack Nicholson was looking to have an affair with her (what an d***!)
• Pre-production artwork from Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window

The show also includes things I'd never thought I'd ever see...

...This Dress & That Oscar!

I've met two Oscar winners in my life, the first being Patty Duke (Best Supporting Actress, 1962) and the second being Martin Landau (Best Supporting Actor, 1994) but I hadn't actually seen an Oscar statue, so that was fun.  But I have to admit that I had been captivated by Kelly's Oscar Gown since childhood and it was a thrill to see it right before my eyes.  That dress is why I actually like the colour Seafoam!  

You Wish This Was Your Bridesmaid Dress!

Although there are interesting items from Kelly's film career, the exhibit is more of a treasure trove for fashion lovers and vintage enthusiasts.  If fashion is your thing, then get your butt down to the Lightbox because you will not want to miss all this:

This Dress By Her Paramore, Oleg Cassini

The Dress Kelly Wore to Her First Meeting With Her Prince

Her Royal Engagement Suit (In Which The Polka Dots Are Printed With Gold)

Royal Portrait Dress

And Not Just a Kelly Bag...THE KELLY BAG!

There's also stunning dresses by Yves Saint Laurent and Givenchy.  I don't include her wedding dress on that list because:

• I admire her work as an actress, not that she married a prince
• I'm one of the few women on this earth who really doesn't give a crap about weddings
• The dress on display as part of the exhibit is a replica, not the original gown

So if weddings and being a "princess" is your thing, then not seeing the actual dress will be a disappointment for you.  I have to admit that I don't understand the current North American "Princess" culture and I don't want to attempt to delve into it right now except to say this:  Not every girl is going to become a princess but it's in every girl's realm of possibility to become a lady, which is what Kelly always was and always will be in my eyes.

Audrey Hepburn & Grace Kelly: A Master Class in Class.

A shout out & welcome to my new follower, Roy de Vos! I look forward to the music, no matter what your mood is!