She's a Bad Muffuletta - OPI New Orleans Collection

As soon as I caught wind of the OPI New Orleans collection, I knew I was going to indulge in a bottle or two. I love their travel collections and after binge-watching Hart of Dixie I had popped New Orleans onto my travel bucket list, so the timing was perfect for me. I made my way into Myer planning on perhaps getting the the green I'm Sooo Swamped shade and the bright blue Rich Girls and Po' Boys - but as you can see from this post, the full bottle I purchased couldn't be further from those shades! I chose the hot red crème She's A Bad Muffuletta - but she isn't just an ordinary red...

I had never heard the word muffuletta before this collection launched, and I had to look up what it was after I purchased this polish. This is what Wikipedia taught me:
The muffuletta is both a type of round Sicilian sesame bread and a popular sandwich originating among Italian immigrants in New Orleans, Louisiana using the same bread.
That wasn't really what I had predicted but it makes me laugh that I love a sandwich on my nails ;) In some lights this throws a pink edge and in others it looks more red (also noted in this swatch post) but the tone is definitely flattering on my pale skin and a red that I desperately needed in my collection - I'm often quite scared to wear red despite loving the shade on others, so this was the pep up I needed to brave the colour myself.

I'm really glad I chose a full bottle of this, I can see it working as both a warm and cool weather colour and I would have run through the mini bottle too quickly. I also picked up the OPI New Orleans mini pack when I went to Myer, so expect to see those shades on me at some point, too.

Next on my hit-list is Got Myself Into a Jam-balaya from the same collection as I just can't get the peach coral out of my head, and I don't think the mini bottle I have in the pack will suffice.

 

Did anything from the OPI New Orleans collection catch your eye?

What is your ultimate red nail polish?

-Emma x

Russian Navy - The Classic OPI Blue I Was Yet to Try

For someone who has a shedload of nail polish, I have to admit that I haven't tried as many of the 'classic' popular shades that most lacquer aficionados so often rave about. For my latest manicure I pulled out the bottle of Russian Navy* that OPI sent me many moons ago but that I was yet to try, because despite it technically being summer here in Australia, the cold winds and rain call for a deep and mysterious colour.

 

Russian Navy is a deep blue that's filled with blue and red shimmers, the latter causing the polish to appear quite purple in the bottle in my opinion. On the nail the fine shimmer seems much less pronounced and dare I say more demure? I wasn't sure if I was keen on the colour but the compliments rolled in and the fact that a dark shade like this is flattering and not harsh on my very pale hands is no mean feat, so I will give Russian Navy props for that.

 

 

 

I'm still on the fence about this colour, but I think the fact that I've not worn a dark shade like this in quite some time has played into my opinion of it and I definitely appreciate how beautiful this appears when the coloured shimmers flash, particularly in low light. After having a look at other reviews of Russian Navy (The Daily Varnish, All Lacquered Up) I learnt that it came out with the Russian collection back in 2007, but was made permanent by OPI so is still widely available today. The more shimmery OPI Ink is still in my mind as a colour to try and this comparison post has kind of cemented my wish to try it on one day - what can I say, I love a fair whack of shimmer in my polishes!

 Are you a fan of dark and mysterious shades like this?
What classic polish shade do you swear by?
-Emma

*Product provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

 

Beauty Haul from RY

It's been a fair while since I've hauled anything really exciting, so the idea of teaming up with RY.com.au and spending a voucher made me shiver with anticipation. I spent an absolute age poring over the different categories and making my mind up - first I went through "cleansers" then went onto "perfumes" and "cheeks" and drooled a little bit at all of the brands on offer...

 

I did consider selecting TheBalm Nude Tude Palette and went as far as to google blog swatches of it, but then my fascination with the Becca Beach Tint Shimmer Souffle took over...I went back and forth on this and was almost swayed by this Reductionista post, but my resistance to add yet another cream blush into my stash (a shimmery one at that!) was too much and I opted out of those gorgeous pots as well. The Clarins Illuminating Cheek Colour in Spiced Mocha was also a strong contender, but as soon as I saw that Ry.com.au stocked Bite Beauty I flailed a little bit and had to have a sit down...

my Ry haul, along with a ModelCo facial wipe sample and RY mini nail file

If you are yet to try the Bite Beauty Matte Crème Lip Crayons - what are you doing?! The formula immediately impressed me after I tried the mini crayons from Sephora on my honeymoon - so much so that I ran back out to Sephora in Hawaii to grab a few more shades for my stash. I was lacking a good red in my stash and was regretting not picking up the holiday mini of Maraschino (#beautyregrets) so decided to check out the red toned shades on offer at RY! No jokes, I stalked Bite Beauty swatches for 3 days before I finally decided on Peche - a warm peach shade that pulls quite red on my pale features which I love!

Along with the Bite Beauty crayon I decided on an OPI shade that I've had my eye on since it launched with the Nordic collection for Fall 2014 - My Dogsled is a Hybrid, an amazing muted and creamy sea green that blows my mind. After stupidly skipping it on my honeymoon shopping trips and then again at Salon Melbourne (seriously, why do I hold back when I know it will eventually happen?!) I was utterly thrilled to have this in my hot little hands.

Overall I was seriously impressed with the brands up on RY (aka Recreate Yourself) I didn't realise how big the range was and the prices were pretty ace as well so I'm definitely planning on heading back when my bank balance is plump for a nice treat or two.

 

Bite Beauty, I'm comin' back for ya!

 

-Emma

 

 

*I teamed up with RY.com.au for this post and was gifted a voucher to spend. Opinions and choices - all my own! Honesty, always. Thanks Ry!

Hawaiian Skittle - OPI Lost My Bikini In Molokini & That’s Hula-rious

I was so excited about the new OPI Hawaii collection that I decided to start off my swatch-fest with not one, but two of the shades contained in the mini-pack! I've always loved a purple and green combination but it isn't the easiest to incorporate into a makeup look (though I am tempted to try it out now) so I was excited to put these together for this little skittle mani. Loving the Hawaiian daydreams ;)

Lost My Bikini in Molokini* is a stunning mid-tone violet creme, and I'm happy to note that I don't have anything like it in my nail polish collection. It was a dream to apply, needing only two coats for opaque coverage and even on my unkempt and stubby nails I think it's a good looking polish. It's a purple with a bit of an edge, which is just the way I like my purples most of the time. It's definitely one of the nicer shades from the tropical-inspired release, some of them were actually quite dubious like the frosty yellow Pineapples Have Peelings Too! which you can see over at All Lacquered Up.

That's Hula-rious* is a pale peppermint crème that needed quite a few coats to become opaque - I think it took 4 thin coats before I was content with how the shade looked on my nails and all of the bald patches were eradicated. I think that multiples coats are common with pale shades like this though - it definitely has been in the past for me! I can appreciate a peppermint/mint shade like this, but don't think it's a colour that would be worn frequently on my tips as I tend to favour deep and moody shades, or very bright ones!

 

Overall I'm quite pleased with my OPI Hawaiian adventure thus far - if only wearing the shades would really take me back to the islands *swoon* Next up will probably be the mouth-watering Aloha from Hawaii*, so stay tuned!

 

-Emma

 

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Festive Five #3 - polishes to adorn your fingertips for Christmas Day

Last year I went a bit left of field on Christmas Day and wore a bright summery pink nail polish to match the Tokito dress I bought for the occasion (check my post here to enjoy some swatches, it's my all-time favourite pink polish!) This time around I think I might go down the more traditional route of reds, greens and glitters - I've rounded up my five Christmas Day contenders and will pop a picture of my final choice on Instagram (@emmabovary) when I get my nails done this week!

1. Australis Glitter Top Coat in Eureka

I find it quite hard to wear a straight up metallic gold against my pale skin, so a nice top coat like this is the perfect way to inject a bit of my favourite festive metal into my nail look. I have gold tinsel on my tree each year and a stack of golden ornaments about the house, so I like that this ties into my overall Christmas theme!

2. Australis Metallic Edition in Red Hot Chilli Pepper* from the AC loves Me Collection

First of all, awesome shade name from the stars that keep the Priceline shelves full of on-trend and affordable beauty products! This rich dark metallic red is that classic Christmas colour that my polish collection was surprisingly lacking, and one that I think will be very popular for the Aussie brand.

3. Essie Hors d’Oeuvres from the Encrusted Collection*

Yet another mention for my current polish shade, the stunning chunky glitter that is my favourite Essie glitter to date. The fact that this shade manages to lean cool and warm at the same time is brilliant, but my frustration at not being able to accurately capture the shade on camera is driving me crazy! Trust me though; it is stunning on the nail and something that I think I will get a lot of wear from.

4. OPI Christmas Gone Plaid

Gwen Stefani has teamed up with OPI once again around the holiday season and as soon as I saw this dark forest green in a magazine, I knew I had to have it. I’m not one to buy polish all the time but after a few free drinks in Vegas, Mister and I visited the apothecary there and I took this baby straight to the counter. Stunning, I’m in love.

5. Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Snow Globe*

A gorgeous nail topper filled with various holographic flaky hexes and glitters – if there ever was a time to wear a sparkly stunner like this, Christmas certainly fits the bill! I believe this one was a limited edition around the spring carnival season here in Australia, but I saw it on the shelves during the week so if you’re interested in rocking this on Christmas Day you should be able to get your hands on a bottle.

Snow Globe!

 

Do you dress up for Christmas Day, or is it a totally casual affair? Have you chosen your nail shade yet?

-Emma xx

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

OPI Brazil Collection | Copacababies!

I’m currently sitting on my couch with the heater blaring and Charlie by my side, watching the Croatia v Greece World Cup match on a cold Melbourne morning. I’m yet to see a full soccer match in the tournament and suffice to say I’m not a soccer fanatic, but the Brazil vibes that the contest is sending out is definitely enjoyable for me. My Facebook feed is currently full of holiday snaps of almost everyone I know, but for me the only holiday I have right now is on my fingernails. OPI Brazil collection, the Copacababies*!

Mini packs from OPI are always a great thing, and give a delicious taste of the stars of a polish collection which can often spur on a full size bottle purchase somewhere down the line. I popped all 4 of these Brazilian inspired shades on my digits to share with you.

 

 

Next Stop…The Bikini Zone

“This amethyst-toned pewter suits me just fine.”

This is probably the shade in this pack that I’m least likely to wear, but I can definitely see it looking amazing over a deeper purple base. It’s quite sheer and this coverage took 3 thin coats but it still wasn’t opaque when you looked at it on certain angles. I think any solid crème base under this would really bring out the gorgeous shimmery lilac tones, that is definitely how I’ll be wearing it next time.

 

 

 

 

Where Did Suzi’s Man-go?

“He went to fetch her this delicious mango smoothie.”

This is probably as pale as I can go with an orange nail polish, and this was another winner in Mister Bovary’s book too. I love wearing orange on my nails but have been in such a metallic state of mind lately that I’ve neglected my babies! This would also be a great colour for nail art!

 

Kiss Me I’m Brazilian

“Plant this warm luscious pink on me!”

I actually don’t have too many Barbie pinks like this in my collection and I can see this sort of shade being a big drawcard for this mini-pack! It applied quite thickly but was easy enough to apply overall.

 

AmazON…AmazOFF

“I’m making the switch to this deep jungle green.”

Now this is what I’m talking about – beware of the deep green though, you are definitely going to need a base coat with this shade! This was Mister Bovary’s favourite on me, and I think that with a third coat this will be a ‘next-level’ sort of colour for me. (Did I forget the second coat on my pointer finger? It’s highly likely, haha)

I am really impressed that OPI went for bright and cheerful shades in this collection, and the inclusion of 3 crème shades is a welcome one in my opinion. Now all I need is a trip overseas to complete this tropical vibe…

Emma x

*This pack was provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

OPI + Gwen Stefani have a new collection! Hey Baby, Hey Baby, Hey!

The hunt for my perfect pink nail polish is over - I've found the one!

The new Gwen Stefani collection from OPI has some stellar shades, but none so perfect as the aptly named Hey Baby!* which is a beautiful mid toned pink that is almost a one-coater. I've painted on two coats just to cover a few bald patches, but this bottle is seriously easy to apply (even for noobs like me) Forgive the iPhone quality snaps, but I was so excited when I applied this that I couldn't wait to show you how glorious it is - I'm sure you will see this shade on my social media accounts all through summer anyway.

 

As an aside, check out how 'glorious' our Melbourne summer is in the background of these photos...I'm rugged up with fuzzy socks and Chris' jumper on right now, regretting not grabbing a Christmas sweater last week like I'd planned to.

 

The collection contains a stack of awesome sounding shades (descriptions are straight from the press release!)

I Sing in Color- a dark blackberry crème (I will be showing you this one soon!)

Love.Angel.Music.Baby - like her music label, this semi-matte gold finish offers just the right amount of satin sheen

4 in the Morning - a new semi-matte black satin finish

In True Stefani Fashion - a holographic blast of silver glitter (holo glitter come to mama!)

Over & Over A-Gwen - Gwen's signature shade of red

Push and Shove - a bold mirrored chrome paired with a special base coat (this sounds so very cool)

 

How cool does the new Gwen Stefani collection sound!? It launches it January 2014 so keep your eyes peeled!

I am so in love with this stunning pink polish!

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

 

*Provided for consideration, and you better believe that all the love for this is true!



A Halloween Quad for your Nails - OPI Rock Goddess

Is it just me, or does Halloween seem more popular in Australia than ever before? I've always been a fan of a little trick or treating over the years, and now that we've got our own place I have a pumpkin basket full of sweets ready for any little ghouls that pass my way. OPI have sent me out a 'Rock Goddess' mini pack* which I thought was perfect for the 31st of October, so I decided to use all 4 shades (and the cute black and silver skull bracelet!) in a spooky manicure.

The bright creme yellow 'Yellopalooza' is something I'm really happy to have in my stash even though I'm not sure I'd rock a whole mani with it. Perfect for nail art (think flowers etc.) it's nicely pigmented and I think a yellow like this is a necessity in most nail lovers collections.

The citrus 'Stand in Lime for Days' is right up my alley shade wise, but I was a little frustrated at the streaky marks I was left with after 2-3 coats. I think it's a lovely shade though, so I would still persevere to enjoy it but wouldn't rush out to buy a full sized bottle.

'Rolling Bones' definitely wins the title of best shade name in this mini kit, and I love the spliced shimmer style of a colour like this. I did find it quite sheer though, so if I were to use it for a whole manicure I would definitely layer it over another dark shade so as not to waste it. I thought this would be my favourite shade from the set, until...

'The Drummer is Hot' came along! Despite kind of despising the name, this one-coater (yes! so impressed!) really wowed me. A tomato red with an orange kick in the pants, it was almost too easy to wear and any polish this pigmented deserves a stack of love.

So what do we think- does this rock music inspired nail kit fit in with the Halloween spirit (if we even call it that?) I think it's a bit out there and has a bit of attitude, which is what Halloween is all about for me!

Which shade is your favourite?
What do you do to celebrate Halloween?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Diamonds are Forever with Tiffany Case // OPI Bond Girls Liquid Sand // Photos, Swatches, Review

Though it has been 50 years since Ian Fleming put pen to paper and created the James Bond character, I am yet to see a full Bond film. Considering that my minor for my undergraduate course was cinema, I am quite surprised at that fact (in fact, there are a lot of films I should have seen by now…) When OPI reached out to me about trying some of the new Liquid Sand polishes based around the female characters in the Bond films, my interest was piqued. Of the 3 bottles I received, the medium blue glitter filled Tiffany Case* was the most surprising to me.

Seemingly taking inspiration from the namesake of this shade (the 1971 film Diamonds are Forever in which Tiffany Case stars) this amazing blue is filled with a pretty glitter, which really adds a depth to it that it just captivates me once it is atop my nails. I use a single coat when I wear the Liquid Sand formula as they are so opaque, though I am interested in trying out a top coat with it to see how it reacts with the formula. They are so easy to remove as well, which means I reach for them quite a bit! Purely because I was feeling creative during a study break I decided to play around with my Konad stamping for an accent nail, and using Sally Hansen Pacific Blue over Australis Kick The Bucket*. I don’t like the look of an accent nail with the liquid sands, so it isn’t something I would do again.

What do you think of Tiffany Case?

Which of the Bond films are your top pick?

Is there a classic movie you haven’t seen yet even though you know you should’ve?

You can buy OPI Bond Girls from Adore Beauty, David Jones, Myer + other retailers.

*This polish was a PR sample. Honesty, always.

Cheeky April Purchases

I was a little better with shopping this month, though I did go way overboard in the nail polish section…for some reason I feel less guilt when I buy polishes, so even though I bought a lot I’m happy to say that most of the nail polishes were on sale!

I’d been lusting over the newly released Dior Addict glosses that have been reformulated and Chris decided to treat me to Princess to celebrate my first few weeks of student teaching. The Dior lady was lovely and let me try on a few of the shades before I settled on Princess, and threw in a stack of fragrance samples for us to try! I will definitely be returning to purchase from her from now on, a great Myer experience can sometimes be hard to find. I posted about my essence haul here, and I’m loving the two beautiful blushes that I picked up.

The essence shadow is a matte white that I picked up to use as a brow bone shade, and I’ve been using it every day to blend out my eyeshadow. The Rimmel Match Perfection cream gel was a score from Cosmetics Direct, it was on sale for $8 as it has sadly been discontinued. I’m hoping to make a stockpile of these as it is my very favourite foundation formula, and I also picked up a nude NYC lipgloss which is floating in a handbag somewhere!

It is quite evident that nail polish was my weakness this month, with far too many bottles entering my collection. At this rate, I’ll need a Helmer (or two!) to store them all! I was struck by the Covergirl polish in Midnight Magic and took it home with me as soon as I came across the newly launched stand. Sadly they are now BOGO so I missed out in that respect, but I am still happy to have had this little guy come home with me.

The OPI polishes weren’t purchased by me, but came to me by way of a voucher I won from MyHairCare.com on Don’t They Know Who I Am? I had my eye on a few of the new OPI collections and so chose to grab a shade from each to satisfy my polish appetite. I hardly ever treat myself to OPI (since they are $20 a bottle here) and so I was elated to get my hands on Which is Witch from the Oz collection, You’re Such a Budapest from the Euro Centrale collection and Pink Yet Lavender from the Mariah Carey launch. The rest of the loot are a mixture of Priceline's 40% sale and some gifts from Chris.

 

I am a huge fan of the Bloom nail polish formulation, so when I spotted the stand selling for $0.83c a piece, I jumped in and filled up my basket! A stack of ‘similar in the bottle but different on the nail’ shades came home with me, and I’m excited to use the lighter shades to brighten up some of my dark winter outfits as well. I love that these are all named after places around the world, and I hope that these are just discontinued shades and that Target aren’t pulling the brand from their stores (like they have with Australis, sadly!)

 A few random buys to round off the month! An Olay Touch of Sun face lotion and a terrible Rexona parallel import from The Reject Shop, along with a beautiful faceted bead statement necklace from Diva. I’ve been eyeing off a similar piece from Lovisa that refuses to go on sale, so I snapped this one up to wear while I wait.

What did you purchase in April?

 

 

 

Top 5 Reasons to Head to a Beauty Expo

Having had the pleasure of attending a few beauty expo’s over the years, I thought I would round up the top 5 reasons to head to one! Some general beauty lovers might think that expo’s targeting business professionals don’t have much to offer, but having just experienced my second Salon Melbourne, I can definitely say that this is not the case! Most people have heard of the annual IMATS show that travels around the globe, but until you experience expo's of this size you really don't understand how amazing they can be.

 

 

Reason #1- Stumbling Across New Brands

Now I’m not implying that I have a complete knowledge of every beauty brand in existence, but as a beauty blogger I have to admit that I know of quite a few more than the average consumer. Coming across previously unknown brands is a joyous thing for a beauty lover, and expo’s are rife with new and exciting goodies. Take Master Makeupby Dean Nixon, for example. I had heard brief whispers about how amazing his brush range was, but it wasn’t until I saw the booth at Salon Melbourne that I got a chance to feel how soft they are, and see the amazing shape of the blending and kabuki brush they offer.

 

 

Reason #2- Seeing Amazing & Inspiring Art In Progress

I think it is natural to find extreme makeup looks and the creative process behind it fascinating, so to come to a beauty expo and see it all up close is such a treat! I love seeing the models getting painted up during the day, and this Heart Beauty Magazine design was super pretty with some pretty rad hair to go with it!

 

Reason #3- Heavily Discounted Products

Half price products are hard to come by, and even more so when you are thinking of brands like Zoya and OPI. I was so excited to be able to peruse those brands along with Orly and other gorgeous nail brands at Salon Melbourne, and though I didn’t walk away with any (I had a crazy moment, and regret it now) I was happy to see new collections and brands I had never seen before. Zoya were probably my favourite brand of the expo, selling 5 packs for only $30 and they had some pretty amazing flecked top coats out as well.

Reason #4- The Hauling

So I sort of failed to really tick this reason off at Salon Melbourne, only buying from one stand and all, but most of my fellow beauty lovers walked away with quite a good selection of beauty loot. Zoya packs and Bioderma Crealine H20 bottles filled the bags of many people during Salon Melbourne, and having access to brands like this at such great discounts means that hauling is sometimes too easy! I ended up choosing some basic Konad products to try for the first time, including a pretty plate that Jelena and Sarah helped me to choose!

With Melissa at Salon / At Salon with a stack of beauties / At a Kiehl's launch with Ling and Kerri / With Norlin, one of the nicest people I am lucky enough to know!

Reason #5- Spending Time with Fellow Beauty Lovers

I am lucky to have found a whole bunch of new friends through this blog, and at Salon Melbourne I was grateful to be able to make even more! Meeting Sarah from BreatheBeauty was a wonderful experience, it was her very first blogging event and I think she did a wonderful job of mingling with everybody! I was also lucky to spend time with Jelena from MsJelena and meet up with Melissa from Melissa Bubbles, among a bevy of other bloggers. Beauty expo’s are wonderful places to meet people with similar interests, I highly recommend coming along and if you see me at one, please come and say hello!

 

Now it is your turn! What have your experiences with beauty expos been like in the past? Have you been to Salon Melbourne or IMATS before?

*I was a guest of the PR for Salon Melbourne, but have not been influenced to write this post and my opinions are my own. Honesty, always.