Busy but having fun!

I know I'm terrible...more than a month without posting...

It's been busy for me...and I have to accept, I've been lazy during my free time...

This is a short post to let everyone know I'm still alive hahaha

Yesterday I have some friends over at my place for nails, coffee and soesjes (dutch pastry).

This is the result on Janice's mani-pedi

mani: miss sporty pink and white bundle monster tips with white konad polish
pedi: barry m yellow with light blue crackle on top

both with nail tek foundation II as basecoat and seche vite top coat.

I enjoy so much doing my friends nails...even more than doing mine...since my cuticules are having such horrible season, I think this is the biggest reason I haven't posted any swatches because I have purchased quite some polishes later...

I got to find one of the China Glaze OMG polishes I didn't have LOL (purple holo) on Marktplaats (dutch Ebay) and I find just so gorgeous...love holos!

Also I purchased again from Nailetc some goodies.

I got OPI Teenage Dream from the Katy Perry Collection

Show it and Glow It from OPI Burlesque Collection

Orly Halleys Comet from the FX Cosmic Collection

And waiting for my China Glaze Crackle polish in white since it was out of stock :(

In a local store I got one of the Catrice's Floralista Limited Edition Collection in Pink Spring (muted pink with soft purple undertone)

And a couple of Essence Whoom Booom!! Collection Chacalaca (purple) 

and Roy's Red (which looks more like a cherry pink)

I ordered at Alice and Jo Havesentials the two new Instant Effects Barry M Crackle Polish in Pink 

and Light Blue

Both are great spring colors and now with the warmer sunny weather they cheer up my day...

Spring besos,

Brenda

Essence Soft Touch Mousse Make Up

A bit more than 3 weeks, with my Kruidvat haul I got this mousse foundation from Essence.

My all time favorite has been Revlon Colorstay, which is a full coverage foundation. I find it a super product but it feels heavy on my skin. I use it for parties and events but not for daily use and for sure not during hot summer days. Then I choose for mineral foundation.

I’ve been using Essence Soft Touch Mousse for 3 weeks on a daily basis.

When I purchased it, my first thought was…this won’t last me a week!!!!  The glass container has 16 grams, comparing to the amount of fluid foundation required to cover my whole face (taking in account the brush always absorbs a lot of it). The container looked so tiny, but thinking of the price of it, was worth to give it a try.

In the morning on fresh washed face, after applying moisturizer with SPF15 I use a stippling brush (duo fiber) and actually just a tiny, tiny, tiny amount is needed. Coverage is light and can be doubled to use as concealer. I won’t recommend to use your fingers on it because you will get too much of it in your face and also will contaminate the foundation.

Look how little of it I have used!

The feeling of it is soft and creamy and applies easy. It’s a mousse to powder finish. Which you have to be careful of not using much of the product or it will set down in expression lines.

The first week I didn’t use any setting powder to measure how matte stays during a long working day (I leave home at 7 am and come back around 7 in the evening  and I didn’t touch up my make up during day).

The finish is matte, but didn’t last all day on me; I had shiny areas after less than 4 hours (T zone and chin) even though I don’t have oily skin and we are not having hot weather.

This foundation isn’t long wearing either, it will rub off your face if you wear scarves or clothing that covers your neck.

The second and third week I decided to set it down with Catrice Mineral Compact Powder, which I had to pick since I couldn’t find any Essence Compact Powder that matched my skin tone, they were all to light for me.

This combo works good, makes the matte effect last longer and I do touch up half way day only with the compact powder.

Also the foundation photographs good. No Casper the ghost faces like when I use Revlon ColorStay (yeah, I know foundations with SPF will wash you out when flash photographs are taken)

This was at the Thanksgiving Expat community dinner party

(face: Essence Mousse foundation and Catrice Mineral Compact Powder,

as you can see is light coverage and I didn't use any concealer)

I’m quite pleased with the product, is dirt cheap compared to drugstore foundations that will cost more than 10 euro, also take in account that quality is ok, but not superb. You get what you pay for.

I will continue using it on a daily basis, applies easy and quick which is very handy during mornings while getting ready to go to work.

If you like / need full coverage foundations this is not what you are looking for.

PROS

Dirt cheap (less than 4 euro and they have often discount of 20% or pay one get one for free)

Available in all Kruidvat stores

Small packaging (you can throw it in your our purse)

Just need a little bit every use

Photographs good

Light feeling, won’t clog your pores

CONS

Light coverage

Not long lasting

Wears off easily

Not a big selection of shades

For sure I will purchase this product again...if one day I actually run out of it! hahaha!

Have a great week!

Besos,

Brenda

Steel me & Barry M Instant Effects

I couldn't wait...
I had to do my nails...they looked so sad...so naked...

I needed a quick but nice manicure to start the week.

I used Nail Tek Foundation II as basecoat, Steel Me from Essence Metallics collection, Barry M Nail Paint Instant Effects and Seche Vite as topcoat.

The Essence Metallics polishes dry quite quick, but without a good base and topcoat won't last much without chipping or peeling off.

On friday did the same combo but using Copper Rulez from the same collection and looks gorgeous! Shame didn't take a picture of it

I'm soooo into crackle polish now!...i find it so cool and unique! no manicure looks the same!

Have a great beginning of the week!

Besos,

Brenda

Essence METALLICS Polishes

Like I mentioned in my Kruidvat Haul post, I went with my man to Zwolle to do some shopping, house stuff, groceries…but also I had a mission:

FIND THE ESSENCE METALLIC NAIL POLISHES

Looked for them in my town: FAIL (they didn’t even had the new collection on the counter)

Looked for them in the next town: FAIL (same case as previous)

Looked for them in Amersfoort: FAIL (they had them but they were all gone)

So Zwolle was my hope and maybe my last chance, since the Metallics collection is limited edition, like they say it here OP is OP. When they run out…it’s gone for good.

But I wasn’t ready to give up on them.

And they were playing hard to catch for sure.

Jeez! I have never looked that much for a product in stores…maybe because I didn’t wanted one that much before (now that I think about it).

Kruidvat, the store which carries the German brand Essence, in the city center didn’t have it yet. Walked to the mall nearby and EUREKA!….the polishes were there, waving me from the window, almost sticking their tongues out to me…but the store was in maintenance and not opening until next week! Now what?

I think my lost puppy face made my guy just drove to the next mall…and YES! Finally! I had them in my hands!

left to right: Copper Rulez, Steel Me, Iron Goddess

The METALLICS Collection is composed by metallic polishes, lipsticks, eye shadows and so on.

I decided to get only the nail polishes because of their special kind and the fact that some of the other make up items were similar to something I already own or were not my cup of tea.

The polishes launched with this collection are 5 colors, from which 4 are magnetic.

I got 3 of them: Iron Goddess, Copper Rulez and Steel me plus the magnet.

The concept of the magnetic polish is quite interesting, they contain particles of metal in them, when applied over the nail while still wet, the magnet attracts the particles forming a pattern in the polish.

The colors are beautiful and very wearable, depending of the effect you want the application can be easy or a bit complicated. If applied as regular polish it’s easy and fast drying, with a top coat (I used Seche Vite) becomes really long lasting.

left to right: Copper Rulez, Steel Me, Iron Goddess

The use of the magnet is a complete different story…obtaining the pattern with the magnet can be a pain in the neck. You are supposed to hold it for 30 seconds as close as possible to the freshly applied polish, and of course with my shaky hands got the magnet to touch the nail multiple times and then I had to start all over again…

can you see the stripes?

After multiple tries and one step from losing my mind I decided to just swatch them on the nail wheel for you and just wear them as regular polish since I find the 3 colors I got very pretty

I read in other reviews that the magnet Essence is selling isn’t as good quality as other brands that carry magnetic polishes, I haven’t had the chance to try it myself, so I’ll stick to what I have now (I tried also with my fridge magnets, don’t even bother).

From the 3 polishes I got my absolute favorite is Copper Rulez.

Did you have a better/nicer experience with the Metallic polishes than mine? Feel free to share!

Besos,

Brenda

NOTD: No More Drama

As requested by my subscriber Cultura lama, this is the polish I'm wearing on the photo of the John Frieda review.
It's by Essence Colour & Go n.27 named No more drama

Picture taken inside with natural light

Picture taken inside with flash

It's a beautiful lavender color with a soft grey undertone.
Needs 3 coats to be fully opaque. The formula is a bit in the runny side but works good.
I applied as base Nail Tek Foundation II and as top coat Seche Vite

After 4 days no chipping and small tip wear, even though I do dishes.
I really like the color and how fast it dries.

Retails for 1,29 euro and can be purchased at the Kruidvat

Are you feeling the drama?

Besos,

Brenda

KRUIDVAT HAUL: Essence Metallic Polishes and Soft Touch Mousse Foundation, Garnier Skin Naturals and Safari Polishes

Last Saturday made some picks at the Kruidvat in Zwolle with the VVV coupon I won at the International Almere Adult Halloween Party (yay for parties!) and found some goodies I want to share with you.

I was looking already for a while the Essence Metallic collection polishes, but was quite a journey to get them (review and swatches post coming) also got some extra polishes from the regular line Colour and Go and a matt mousse foundation.

Lucky me! Kruidvat was giving special discount on Essence products that weekend, so I got a couple more of things to use the full amount of my coupon.

I wanted to try the Garnier Exfo Brusher since I spot the commercial on TV, but completely forgot about it until I saw the shelf next to the Essence counter and the line had 20% discount that day, was destiny? Let’s call it so!

I have used it for a couple of days already, but I’ll make an extended review on it later on, I like to be sure how I feel about the product and don’t stay just on first impressions.

The same goes for the Essence Foundation; it’s my first time using a mousse and also from that brand.

Walking around the market, my guy saw a stand selling make up and they had these inexpensive polishes. I’ve seen the brand Safari on Marktplaats before but never dared to give them a shot. This was my chance and I picked 4 colors I found stand out from the rest. We will find out how good they work.

When comes to polishes I don’t trust completely the photos of the bottles when buying online, I always check for swatches on nail polish forums or bloggers, this gives you a more accurate view of how the color works on the nails, the type of finish it has and helps you decide if it’s what you are really looking for.

Well, I have some polish duty to accomplish.

How do you like my picks? Have you tried any of these already?

Besos,

Brenda

Romantic and Blue

Some days you just feel romantic...
Some days you just feel blue...
This manicure is what one of those days you can do...

Base coat:        Nail Tek Foundation II
Tip and dots:    Essence Toe polish in 01 Caribean Sea
Stamps:           Ebay stamping plate, Konad special polish in white
Top coat:        Seche Vite
used a dotting tool

Besos,
Brenda