Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Pretty Serious Cosmetics Polish - My Latest Purchase and RAOK - 27 May 2015

I just had to come back and tell you about some more gorgeous polish I received last week, as well as three fantastic nail care products.  Some I bought, some were a Random Act Of Kindness from a dear friend I've made online through her blog and interaction on Facebook.

However, firstly I'd like to tell you that I hope to be able to do my first mani, after 9 weeks of going naked due to the nail glue disaster, this coming weekend.  Finally my nails have all grown past the nail bed, so it's safe to polish them again.  You have no idea how chuffed I am to finally be able to plan a manicure and, because I've done so much retail therapy to help me recover, I think I'm going to have to do full skittle manis for the next few weeks so that I can feature all the amazing polish I've accumulated.  I also think I may have found a place where I can buy storage cabinets for my nail polish, and if I have, I will share the news with you when I get them.  I saw one in my doctor's surgery treatment room, and it is exactly what I've been looking for, but the nurse couldn't remember exactly where she bought them.  She thinks it may have been from one of the hardware stores, so I'll be checking out Mitre 10 and Bunning's ASAP.  Please pray that I can find some, because the situation is becoming desperate.  I'm nearly drowning in nail polish and nail art supplies and tools, with nowhere to store them.

Now, on to the polish, and the nail care, that I received last week from Pretty Serious Cosmetics. Three of these products I purchased myself, and the other three were a RAOK sent by Christine of the Serenity Nails blog, for which I thank her so very, very much. I didn't know people like her existed any more, but I've made some amazing friends since starting my blog, and following other people's nail art blogs, and I've found they are all so helpful and encouraging.  Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.


As you can see from the photos, all Pretty Serious Cosmetics nail products come in beautiful boxes: nail polish in gorgeous purple boxes, and nail care in gorgeous blue boxes. To start with, I'll tell you about the polish, and then I'll go on to the nail care products.

The first polish is "VT100", is described by Kaz, the owner of Pretty Serious Cosmetics and maker of these beautiful polishes, as a "fabulous emerald green filled with golden micro-glitter!".  I found it too hard to really capture the beauty of this polish, but if you click on the name, it will take you to the page on the store's site where you can see more photos.    It will open in a new window and take you there straight away. This is the green I've been looking for to use on St Patrick's Day, and probably at Christmas time, too.  Oh, and it's on special at the moment, and I think is going to be discontinued, so if you want some you'd better get there right away before it all disappears!

The second polish is "Kashmir", described as "a dark red based purple jelly with golden and copper microflakes, colour shifting purple to blue glass fleck and red opal flakes." Designed by Christine from the Serenity Nails blog, but made by Kaz.  The colour and shift is just soooo complex, and amazingly beautiful, and I was blessed with this polish by Christine herself, as part of the RAOK she asked Kaz to add to my order.   Check out Christine's amazing swatches on the Pretty Serious Cosmetics site by clicking on the name once again. It will open a new window and take you there straight away.  You can also see her review of this polish on her Serenity Nails blog here.  Her blog has been such an inspiration to me since I started doing nail art and looking for ways to repair and continue to look after my nails, and I know you won't be disappointed by her reviews, etc there.

The third polish is "CGA", which seems to no longer be available on the site.  I bought it while it was on special, and it has been discontinued, so unfortunately you won't be able to buy any, unless you can pick some up somewhere online in a destash or from a friend.  The only way I can describe "CGA" is as a pink/lavender creme with a blue-green shimmer.  It is just so pretty, and I wish it was still available. 

Now on to the Nail Care items from Pretty Serious Cosmetics.


Pretty Serious "Rock On" is a nail strengthener described as "just what you need to revitalise weak, peeling, break prone nails. This amazing formula strengthens the nail without hardening to allow for flexibility and minimised breakage. No more brittle nails here!"  As you know, my nails are really weak and fragile from my chemotherapy last year, and I have tried so many products that claimed to strengthen my nails AND protect them while doing so, none of which have lived up to the "protection" side of things.  However, with my first application of "Rock On", my nails were immediately stronger, and I haven't had a chip or break on them since last week.  Before that I was getting chips, peeling and breaking constantly throughout the time I've had naked nails while waiting for them to heal.  So, you can imagine how amazed I was to find them feeling so strong and flexible straight away.  Some of my nails are really thin, and were still a little too flexible, so I am using 2 coats of "Rock On" on them.  Of course, I know the permanent strengthening TREATMENT part of this product won't really take effect for at least 2 months or more, but at least I know that they will be protected while I'm waiting for the old nail to grow out.  I just wish I'd discovered this product when I first started doing my nails back in September/October.  So, please check it out if you haven't already done so.  You won't regret it, I'm sure.  Christine of Serenity Nails has done a wonderful review of this product, with instructions on how to best use it, and anything else you need to know about it, here.

"Cuticle Hero" is one of Pretty Serious Cosmetics' newest nail care items, and is described thus:
"If you need something a little more heavy duty than our Cute Cuticles range, then look no further. Our new Cuticle Hero is the hero your dry cuticles have been holding out for! Created from a blend of spa quality massage oils, Cuticle Hero will save the day leaving you with a smile and a delicate orange scent."  This product contains nut oils, so people allergic to nuts should beware.  I have been using this on my nails and cuticles ever since receiving it, and they simply slurp it up as though they are dying of thirst.  It has the most delicate citrus aroma, which hasn't affected me at all, even though I'm normally allergic to perfumed products, which give me asthma.  I've used it at least 3 times a day, and most days even more, and you can see by the level of the oil in the bottle in the photo, which I only took today, you only need a very small amount on each cuticle, so a bottle this size would last you for ages.  Find out more information on the site here.

"Harden Up" is another of their newest products, and Kaz says "We ain't got time for weak, puny, brittle nails! Get this strengthener on your nails right now! Harden Up helps thin, overly flexible nails find their inner strength. It's time to Harden Up, princess!"  I haven't tried this product yet, but if it is anywhere near as good as their other products that I have tried, I'm sure it will do my nails the world of good.

"Cuticle Hero" and "Harden Up" were part of the RAOK Care Package, and are definitely an amazingly thoughtful gift, for which I am very, very grateful.  Thank you so much, Christine.  You'll never know how much your generosity has touched my heart.  You are an angel sent from above, and I'm so glad that we met.

Pretty Serious Cosmetics is an Australian based company creating cruelty free and vegan products, and they ship worldwide, so nobody need miss out on any of their wonderful products.  I, for one, will be buying many more items from them in the future, and am really looking forward to receiving another package from them as soon as I can afford some more.  As I use these products for my manicures and nail art I'll will review them in more detail for you.

I'll be back in a day or two with the details of a stash that I received today, but that's it for now.  Thanks for visiting, and I hope you'll come back often to see what I have to share with you.  You can also follow my blog if you so wish by filling in the boxes at the top right-hand side of the page.

Have a wonderful day, and God bless you!

Hugs

Christine

(Please check out my other blog below, too.)

Words of Life and Hope
http://wordsoflifeandhope.blogspot.com.au/

Thursday, May 14, 2015

More Retail Therapy Arrived Today 14 May 2015

I just had to share with you the wonderful polish stash I received from Hayley at Emily de Molly, an Australian Indie Polish maker, whose products I absolutely adore.  I purchased three of them, and the other one Hayley added as a bonus gift.  She also included some cute, oval-shaped silver decals. Thank you so much, Hayley.

 


"Serenity" is described as green leaning blue creme/jelly with different sizes of copper, lavender and turquoise glitter.  I can't believe how beautiful this polish is, and the name fits it perfectly.  Click on the name to be taken to the website and more photos.

"Absent Minded" is described as a purple jelly with iridescent glitter that flashes from blue to green, along with different sizes of copper, blue and red glitter.  This polish in real life is so gorgeous, words can't describe it.  You really have to check it out for yourself.  Click on the name to be taken to the website and more photos.

"A Beautiful Mistake" is unfortunately no longer available on the site (I think I bought the last bottle), and I say unfortunately because, now that I've seen it in person, I want another backup bottle.  It is the most amazing red jelly, with different-sized red and iridescent glitter.  I am in love once again, and can't wait to try it  out when my nails are ready.  I think it would be a wonderful polish for times when you try a red polish on your nails, and it's not really what you were hoping for.  One coat of this polish over the top, and Voila!  Perfection!

"Regal Beginnings" is the polish that I received as a gift from Hayley, perhaps because it was the last one, as it is now sold out. I have to admit that it is not a polish that I would have purchased after just looking at it on my computer screen, but now I've seen it in person, I can't believe how wonderful, and different, it is.  The more I look at it the more I like it, and I can't wait to try it out, perhaps on a feature nail as part of a marbled manicure, using all the colours that are used in this particular polish.  It is described as a medium purple jelly/creme, with different sizes of gold, blue and black glitter. I would actually describe it as a pale lilac, but what's in a name? 

All Emily de Molly polish is 5 free hand-blended, custom nail polish (Toluene, Formaldehyde, TSF resin, Camphor and DBP free).

I'm afraid the photos don't really do justice to these polishes, but if you check out the photos of the ones that are still available on the Emily de Molly site, there are some great photos of swatches there that will give you a better idea of their true beauty.

I also received another parcel from Catch of the Day, which is a set of three OPI Top Coats called "Sheer To The Top" Top Coat & Glitter Trio.  Sorry the photo isn't as clear as I would have liked, but with the plastic in the front of the box it was hard to get a good picture.

 

The description on the back of the box says "Top it shiny, top it matte, or for more drama, top your manicure with glitter!  The perfect finishing touch is yours for the choosing!"

Top Coat - dries nails to the touch in one minute, completely in five, with just one to two coats.
Matte Top Coat - matte protection for all OPI shades! For velvety finishes and oxidized shimmers that fly under the radar.
So Elegant - Black & Chrome confetti add sophisticated drama to this glitter.

These three top coats were a real bargain on Catch of the Day, and I just couldn't resist buying them.  Firstly because I love the OPI Top Coat, and have used it a lot in my manis on my blogs.  Secondly, I needed a good matte top coat, so thought I would give this one a try.  Thirdly, I loved the dramatic look of the black and chrome glitter in "So Elegant", and I'm sure it will be used with all sorts of base colours in future manicures.

Thank you for visiting my blog, and I hope to be back soon with even more retail therapy stashes, my Mother's Day present, which I'm getting tomorrow, and anything else that comes up along the way.

Have a wonderful day, and God bless you!

Hugs

Christine

(Please check out my other blog below, too.)

Words of Life and Hope

All polish was bought by me, my opinions are unsolicited and I have not received any payment of any kind.

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Update On My Nails and Latest Arcane Lacquer Purchase 9 May 2015

Today I have an update on how my nails are recovering from the disaster I had with some nail glue and acetone nearly 2 months ago (see earlier post for more information), and also some photos of my latest purchase from Arcane Lacquer.

Firstly, here is a photo of my nails as they are today. Please excuse my ugly hands, which are partly the result of age, but also from losing a lot of weight over the last couple of years, and of course there is no way to get rid of the excess skin.  If anyone knows of a way of improving them I'd be very grateful for your advice, because I hate looking at them as they are now.  I slather them in hand cream throughout the day but, although they feel nice and soft, they look horribly wrinkly and OLD!

 

As you can see, my nails are coming along pretty well.  The nails on my right thumb and left pinky are only just growing past the nail base, as are the nails on both of my middle fingers.  Also, many of them are still lifted off the nail bed, the most obvious of which are my two index fingers, but I'm hoping that they will recover as they get stronger and healthier.  Most of the horrible brown, flaking tips caused by my chemotherapy last year are finally growing out, and the nails behind them are a lovely, healthy pink. My cuticles are looking so much better, and so are my nails, so I'm starting to feel a lot better about the way things are going. 

So, if I can keep them safe for another week or two, it looks like I might be able to start painting them again very soon.  I'm waiting for a new strengthener I ordered to arrive (Australia Post up to its usual standard), and this one is supposed to actually strengthen them immediately as well as treating them, so it should be amazing.  More on that when it arrives and I've given it a try.  In the meantime, I'm using Sally Hansen Miracle Cure on them every other day, and continuing to use my Jojoba Oil, Revitanail Keratin Strengthening Serum and Nourishing Oil, and Revitanail Hand & Nail Cream throughout the day, especially after washing my hands.

I have so many new nail polishes in my stash that I am dying to try out, including the two beautiful Arcane Lacquer polishes below.  This are another Indie Polish brand that I am very quickly becoming addicted to.

https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/ArcaneLacquer?ref=l2-shopheader-name 

The one on the left is "Glorious Nightmare" and the one on the right is "State of Grace".  It was soooooo hard to get the true effect of these polishes, although the "Glorious Nightmare" photo is pretty close to the mark.  I have two close-ups of them below, and the one of "State Of Grace" shows some of the shimmer and micro-glitter which you can't see in the photo above, but the actual colour is a bit darker. 

https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/204282672/glorious-nightmare-halloween-duo-arcane?ref=shop_home_active_21   https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/177259044/state-of-grace-soft-pulses-collection?ref=shop_home_feat_2

"State of Grace" is described as a mushroom/taupe creme with a strong gold shimmer and flecks of orange and green, along with gold flakies, although I would describe it as grey. You really have to see this in real life to appreciate its true beauty. "Glorious Nightmare" is described as a deep purple jelly with berry pink, lemon and purple micro glitters. They both are absolutely beautiful, and I can't wait to try them out, which I'll be able to do very soon, God willing.

That's all I have for you today, but I hope to have more very soon when some of my purchases that I'm waiting on arrive.  I hope you will come back often to see what I have to show you, and you can follow me if you wish to by going to the top right-hand side of my page.

Have a wonderful Mother's Day tomorrow, and may God bless you.  For anyone going through treatment for breast cancer, my prayers are with you, and I hope that you come out the other end OK.  My mantra now is "I'M A BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR, AND STAYING ONE".  I actually found a badge with that written on it online, and I'm going to start wearing it everywhere.

Hugs

Christine

I was not paid in any way, shape or form for showing you these polishes.
 I bought them with my own money,
and my opinions are given freely and without bias.