China Glaze: Harvest Moon

So this is the last of my Hunger Games nail polishes. I have really come to like foil finishes and totally have my eye on a few for future purchase. For now, I'll be satisfied with the two I currently own, one of which is Harvest Moon!

Harvest Moon is a dark copper shade. It has more orange to it than an actual penny and definitely makes me think of autumn or sunsets. The foil effect is so beautiful with this polish. As if the color wasn't striking enough, you also have the subtle glistening or glow. Harvest Moon has been quite the eye catching polish for me.

China Glaze: Dress Me Up

This is the second polish of the China Glaze Hunger Games collection that I picked up. I had first seen the swatches online and although this shade wasn't the loudest of the selection, there was a certain charm to it that I couldn't pass up.

This shade makes me think of vintage silk roses, since this is rosy pink with a bit of brown thrown in. Also, depending on the lighting, I've noticed that this polish can end up looking more brown, like hot cocoa that has more milk diluting it. In sunlight, this polish looks more pink and classic. Definitely a more conservative or mature color to wear. Overall, I'm not too impressed with this shade, but there is something about it that I can't help but like and admire.

The formula for this was a bit thick and streaky for me. Even after three coats and a top coat, I couldn't get it to look completely smooth. So this was a bit of draw back for me since the application process was a bit more time consuming than Fast Track and Harvest Moon. I suppose if you're not the type of person to love neutral shades, I suggest passing on this one because it really isn't that unique of a color.

Next up, Harvest Moon! That should be up as soon as I can take pictures of it.

Tarte Blush & Bronzer On the Go

One of the first things I like to do when I'm at Sephora is browse the products that are displayed around the check out line. There are many travel sized items or mini combos offered for more affordable and appealing prices. This is how I ended up with Tarte's Blush & Bronze On the Go.

For $15 this set comes with the Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface and Mineral Bronzer in Park Ave Princess. I haven't really seen the bronzer sold but I think the blush looks just like the original size, minus the mirror and magnet. Both the blush and bronzer have the same amount of product at 3.2 grams or 0.11 oz. Considering the fact that I will most likely apply these sheerly, I don't think I will be hitting pan any time soon.

China Glaze: Fast Track

The much hyped about China Glaze Hunger Games collection has released! I had my eye on Fast Track for quite some time but when I went to Sally's Beauty Supply I ended up leaving the store with a total of three polishes from the collection. Eventually I will end up swatching the other two but I prefer to wear my polish for a week at a time...but I will say that the collection is worth seeing in person!

This polish is pretty much in the same vein as China Glaze's Glittering Garland and Midtown Magic. It's a nice beige base with lots of golden micro glitter or fine golden flecks. So I'm quite confident that this will give me no trouble in removal just like Glittering Garland and Midtown Magic.

Sinful Colors: Kissy

A recent sale on Sinful Colors nail polish tempted me into buying three. Kissy is a shade that I've always picked up and put back, until now. This color was quite tricky to photograph since my camera couldn't seem completely pick up the green in this shade. I guess corals and teals are not my camera's forte.

Kissy is a truly teal polish with tiny iridescent flakes. Although I do love the color teal, I don't love it so much on my nails for some reason. However, the iridescent flakes gives this polish more dimension and makes it more appealing to look at. The formula is somewhat goopy, for lack of a better term. The goopiness is most noticeable at the tips since the application was most likely to be uneven at this point as I pull the brush away from my body. The coverage is also surprisingly sheer and I had to apply four coats before my nail line was no longer visible. Overall, this polish wasn't completely painful to use and I quite like the color combined with the flakes.

A much closer representation of what the color really is. ^_^

Revlon Contour Shadow Brush

I suppose I had Revlon on  the mind last weekend since I had planned to post this then too, but never got around to it. I have to say that I'm pretty adaptable when it comes to eye shadow brushes and I'm not loyal to any one brand. Depending on how I feel while shopping I'll either splurge on a high end brush or look to something more affordable. The one sort of brush I had difficulty with was a contouring eye shadow brush. I felt like Goldilocks with the issues I had. One would be too small, another too big, or it would be too stiff, etc. Since then, I've found the Revlon Contour Shadow Brush.

The packaging says that this is made with "all-natural hair," which is hardly specific and the only thing I can really say is that this is not a synthetic brush. The bristles are formed in a rounded shape with a gently tapered tip. This really helps in getting the color into the crease without creating a very harsh line in the area just above the crease. The brush is soft and flexible and I've had no problems with shedding or bleeding when I've washed it. The color scheme is also quite nice with the red ferrule and logo against the black handle and bristles. The brush is on the short side though, but since I have smaller hands this wasn't much of a problem for me.

Revlon Photo Ready 3D Volume Mascara

I was on the search for this new mascara since I had dropped the wand of my Grow Luscious mascara onto my carpet and it picked up all sorts of lint and unpleasantness. Having heard good things about the new Photo Ready 3D mascara, I was curious about how much volume I would get with the brush it came with.

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails: Tough Cookie

This month I decided to start a budget on my beauty shopping. So I set aside $40 and that's all I can spend on anything categorized as cosmetic. The idea is that if I want something more than my budget allows, I'll have save over time for it. So we'll see how that works out. My first purchase for this month is a nail polish in the shade Tough Cookie from the Hard as Nails line by Sally Hansen.

This is warm taupe metallic/foil hybrid. I had wanted to call it bronze, but in natural lighting it looks more like a taupe to me. It is a nice natural understated color, yet it has that extra bit of oomph to make it more special. The formula was really easy to work with although a little thin so I had to use 3 to 4 coats of polish. But I experienced absolutely no streaking or overly long drying times. It was one of the most smoothest nail painting sessions I've had, so I didn't mind the extra coats at all.