NOTD 14 Days of Colour CND Shellac UV Nailpolish in Hollywood 10,11,12

Above: Day 10

Hi all, I am still documenting my 14 days of wear for my shellac polish manicure I got way back on Halloween. Life has been very hectic with job applications and trying to make my portfolio kick ass.  Anyway we are finally at the tail end of my documentation, days 10, 11, 12.  I have been cutting sheet metal for the past 2 weeks (while wearing the shellac), if it was regular nailpolish it would have chipped, nicked and scratched; however, the shellac nailpolish barely made any dents.  Aside from some major nail growth, the polish is still very perfect and über shiny, just as it was on day 1.  One draw back is that I was very tired of this colour and cannot wait to get it off!

Above: Day 11

Above: Day 12

NOTD 14 Days of Colour CND Shellac UV Nailpolish in Hollywood Days 7,8,9

Above: Day 7

As you all know by now I am  documenting my wear and tear of my CND Shellac UV nailpolish in Hollywood.  My 14 days of wear was over two weeks ago, but I just have a hard time keeping up a regular posting schedule.  Please bear with me!

This is day 7 and so far there is no visible wear and tear nor chips.  My nails are still very shiny and the manicure still looks like day 1 with only some nail growth giving it away.  The only issue is that i am a bit bored of my colour!

Above: Day 8

I finally get a chance to take some pictures in natural daylight and I marvel at the perfection of my nails.  It looks so juicy, shiny and red! Just like maraschino cherries.

Above: Day 9

This is what my nails look like at day 9 and I have been very rough with my nails and hands cutting metal.  Even almost a solid week of cutting metal and having the metal scratching and nicking my nails, it barely made any dents.  The Shellac nailpolish is strong and bullet proof!

NOTD 14 Days of Colour CND Shellac UV Nailpolish in Hollywood Days 4, 5, 6

Above: Day 4

This posting is a follow up to my last post for my 14 days of wearing CND Shellac UV nailpolish in Hollywood.  Read about my previous 3 days here.

Day 4

Usually by day 4 my nails begin to show wear and tear at the tips, there may be some chips because I am quite rough with my hands.  At this time, the shine usually begins to dull and I would need a new layer of top coat; however, with Shellac, my nails are still very shiny and pristine looking even halfway through the week.

Day 5

This picture is taken after several nights of cutting up sheet metal for an architectural model.  I scratched the top coat a little bit but it is barely noticeable unless I look very very closely.  The UV Shellac top coat proves to be hardy.

Day 6

Aside from a little bit of nail growth, my nailpolish is still very pristine and perfect without any chips or noticeable scratches.  I am a little bored of the colour by now, but I am committed to test the wear for 14 days!

NOTD 14 Days of Colour: CND Shellac UV Nailpolish in Hollywood Days 1,2,3

Above: CND Shellac Nailpolish Day 1

Last month my local nail salon had a special on Shellac nailpolish application for $18 instead the regular $45, so I decided to take the plunge and try it out. I have always been curious about CND’s Shellac UV Nailpolish but found it too expensive.

CND’s Shellac is a hybrid nailpolish: traditional nail colour and UV polish. It comes in a traditional nailpolish bottle and applies like nailpolish; however, instead of waiting for the polish to air dry, it is cured/dried under an UV lamp. Just like a regular manicure, my manicurist first cleaned, filed and buffed my nails. Next she applied the base coat, colour and top coat. Each coat is cured and dried under the UV lamp before the next coat. My manicurist painted and cured each nail individually, so as she is painting  a nail on my right, I would be curing a nail on my left.

The formula is thin but pigmented. The polish looks just like regular nailpolish but with a jellyish look to it. It does have a subtle smell to it but not as strong and chemical as traditional polish.  My nails were smooth and glossy and the polish did not smudge, chip or buckle. My manicurist did a very good job painting my nails too.

The application and curing process took about 40 minutes. My nails were completely dry by the time I left the salon and I was able to put my jacket  on without smudging my nails and staining my jacket. My manicurist even convinced me that it is absolutely dry. LOL!

So far, I really like the look of Shellac nailpolish because my nails look glossy, smooth and chip-free, even days after the application. I love the convenience of  virtually zero dry time. I wish there was more colour selection though because my salon does not have the full CND Shellac colour line and they only have the classic colours. This would be a good service for anybody who wants long lasting nail colour and don’t mind wearing the same colour for up to two weeks; people who need to have perfectly manicure nails for a prolong amounts of time and don’t have a lot of time to change nail colour, such as the Christmas holidays, weddings and vacations. I would get it again if there was another promotion.

CND Shellac is supposed to have up to 14 days of wear, with some people wearing it for up to 21 days. I will be documenting my wear for 14 days and posting every 3-4 days including the removal process next week. Stay tuned!

PS This week’s pictures were taken at night because I did not have time during the day.

Above CND Shellac UV Nailpolish in Hollywood Day 1

Above: CND Shellac Nailpolish Day 2

Above: CND Shellac Nailpolish Day 3

I was a bit rough tonight with my nails and scratched it up a bit, but I have to really look hard to see it  and most people don’t notice the scratches. Not bad for a night of cutting up sheet metal to build an architectural model.

Buttering it Up with The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Moisturizing Stick

Above: The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Moisturizing Stick

I have always loved cocoa butter for its subtle nutty, vanilla and chocolate like scent and it is very rich and moisturizing too.  I especially liked Palmers Cocoa Butter Swivel Stick, but unfortunately I cannot find this product anywhere anymore. Luckily, I stumble upon The Body Shop’s Cocoa Butter Moisturizing Stick and it was on sale!  I picked one up and really liked it so far.

From reading the forums and other reviews, a lot of ladies use this to try to avoid stretch marks and pregnant ladies use these to moisturized their stomachs.  I mainly used the cocoa butter stick as a deep moisturizer for my hands, feet, knees and elbows.  I have had an on going flare up of eczema on my elbows this year and my elbows are very dry from using hydrocortisone and I find that the cocoa butter helps soothes the chafing and peeling.  It is also very moisturizing for my hands and feet too without being too greasy as it absorbs into my skin quickly.  It is also less mess then lotions in jars, tubes and pump bottles, as I tend to get to much product out from these apparatus or I spill and drip product everywhere.  When I carry a larger purse, I like to take this with me, as opposed to carrying a tube of lotion because it is neater and cleaner.  Before and after every use, I clean the surface with a tissue to prevent bacteria from forming on the stick.

My favourite aspect of this stick is the scent!  I love the nutty smell with the very subtle vanilla and chocolate scent.  It is chocolately without it being too sugary and artificial.

Above: The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Moisturizing Stick

Holiday Bling with American Apparel Metallic Nail Lacquers: Silver Jazz, Gold Flash, Bronze Dash

Above: Silver Jazz, Gold Flash and Bronze Dash (Photo Credit American Apparel)

Hello all! I really wish I could post as regularly as I used to but life has been hectic with other priorities.  I have some goodies in queue ready to share with you guys and I will try my best to post them when time permits, but today will be a quick and dirty post.  Nichole from American Apparel  sent me some pictures of their new nail lacquer holiday collection.  These are metallic polishes and come in a new rounded bottle. The colours are as follows: Silver Jazz, Gold Flash and Bronze Dash.  I have not been to excited about American Apparel’s summer Neon collection, but I am interested in checking these out in store, as I really like metallic polishes.  Hopefully, I like these and will pick these up to share with you guys!

No Spill Perfume with The Body Shop Love Etc…Solid Perfume

Above: The Body Shop Love Etc… Solid Perfume

I have always loved the eau de toilette version of The Body Shop Love Etc because of the lovely blend of citrus, floral and vanilla scent. Love Etc has many dimensions and layers to it that the scent changes throughout the day. It is long lasting for a light summer scent. When I received my $25 credit from The Body Shop, I picked up the solid version of Love Etc… as one of my goodies. The solid version comes in a cute little heart shaped tin with 13 grams of product that smells similar to the original eau de toilette spray.

While the eau de toilette version is sparkling, light and I can clearly smell the citrus, floral and vanilla scents, the solid version smells a bit milkier and creamier. I can only detect that I have a scent on, but I can’t distinguish the different notes in the perfume. It has almost a murkier and waxy smell compared to the eau de toilette but it is not unpleasant. The solid version is much more subtle and only lasts about 1-2 hours on me. Since the scent is such short lived, I would not wear this alone as a perfume but I would layer this on top of the eau de toilette for touch ups to add longevity to the perfume. One thing I like about the solid version is that it is small and light, which makes it the perfect size to slip into my purse for perfume touch ups.

NOTD OPI Pirates of the Caribbean Silver Shatter Nail Lacquer with NARS Poker Face

Above: OPI Silver Shatter with NARS Poker Face.

I picked this up in June and finally have a chance to play around with it. OPI Silver Shatter was released with the Pirates of the Caribbean collection. I like this shatter better than Black Shatter, as Silver Shatter is much easier to work with. The formula is thin but not runny and it is not chunky and thick like Black Shatter. Silver Shatter dries like the OPI Suede finishes: matte but with visible shimmer. A top coat is needed if you want a glossy finish. It also dries very fast. For this NOTD, I used Silver Shatter with NARS Poker Face.

Above: OPI Silver Shatter with NARS Poker Face.

Have Lychee Year Round With The Body Shop Lychee Blossom Eau De Toilette

Above: The Body Shop Lychee Blossom Eau de Toilette

A few weeks ago I got a $25.00 credit for The Body Shop by getting 8 points through their Love Your Body points program and Lychee Blossom Eau de Toilette was one of the goodies I picked up. The Lychee Blossom line was introduced in June and it also includes: body lotion and body butter. I believe the Lychee Blossom line is limited edition for the summer. I am really enjoying the eau de toilette and have being wearing it quite regularly as a daytime scent this summer.

The scent is light, floral, sweet and fruity. The notes are as follows lychee, guava, lychee blossom, magnolia and freesia.  This scent is very fruity and strong on the lychee and guava. If you take very deep sniff, you can smell the florals; however, when the scent dries down, the florals become more evident than the fruits. Lychee Blossom is subtle, once it dries down and you get used to it you won’t notice the scent at all but others around you will be able to smell it on you. I was surprised at the lasting power of this because after 6 hours I thought the scent was completely gone, but my friend noticed it and complimented me on it.

I  love lychee and guava, as both are my favourite fruit and juices to consume during the summer. Now I can have the delicious scent of both year around with Lychee Blossom eau de toilette. I know Fresh Sugar Lychee is available permanently at Sephora but The Body Shop Lychee Blossom is selling at $15 for 30mL at an introductory price, much cheaper and just as lovely. Hopefully, it becomes permanent after this “introductory” phase because I would buy it again when I finish this bottle.

Surf’s Up! My Mini Haul from MAC Surf Baby Collection

Above: MAC Surf Baby collection

I know MAC’s Surf Baby Collection came out months ago, but better late than never right? Life has just been hectic with unexpected events and other things became more of a priority for me. Anyway, in May I was invited to a sneak peek party at my MAC PRO store for Surf Baby. It was a Cabana style party but sadly without the Cabana boy . The hor’dourves were delicious and the cocktails were decent. At the party, there was an artist screen printing T shirts with an option of an octopus or a hibiscus flower. I chose the octopus. Anyway, my small and modest haul included Swell Baby Eyeshadow; Ocean Dip nail lacquer; and Crush Metal Pigments in Surf the Ocean. I already did a review on Ocean Dip nail lacquer, stay tuned for the rest.

Above: MAC Crush Metal Pigments in Surf the Ocean

Above: MAC Ocean Dip nail lacquer

Above: MAC Eyeshadow in Swell Baby