Friday, August 30, 2013

Happy Long Weekend Everyone!

I will be gone all weekend, back country camping in the middle of NOWHERE as I do every Labour Day Long Weekend! I just wanted to say a quick goodbye and wish you all a great weekend! I am packed and ready to go the MINUTE I get off work (in about an hour!!)


You wouldnt know it to look at the picture, but that pack is about 3.5 feet tall!

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

OPI New DS Releases!


If its not a liquid sand polish by OPI, I must admit, I am not interested. I just don't like the formula for OPI. It chips horribly on my nails within hours. Yes, it might be my base coat/top coat combination. But if it works for EVERYTHING else, I am not going to mess around with the one brand it doesn't work for. That being said, these new DS colours are GORGEOUS. And since they are supposed to have a matte finish, I am thinking they might be like the liquid sands? I may have to test these out!  DS Pewter is a metallic with deep silver ore and a matte textured finish and DS Lapis is a deep sapphire blue with a matte textured finish.

Nails Inc Collection For Autumn/Winter 2013


This Autumn Winter 2013 Collection by Nails Inc. contains four stunning shades that will see you through the Autumn/Winter season, keeping you constantly bang on trend. Inspired by Victoria Beckham at Fashion Week, these hues gives your nails a salon perfect finish every time. 

These polishes are available as a set, or individually.  

  • Old Bond Street - A deep purple 
  • St Martin's Lane - A rich berry shade 
  • Oxford Street  - A stunning bronze 
  • Regent Street  - Purple Berry Shade that gives a high gloss shine


New Ciaté Caviar Luxe Manicure Sets


Do these look to you to be the exact same Caviar sets we have seen Ciate do 304,323,535,423,421 times since they were first introduced? Really? You too?! This is apparently "a new spin on the original caviar manicure creating a glazed three-dimensional effect on the nails". Which seems interesting since the first Caviar manicures were a also a 3D look on the nails. But these are apparently "luxe" And a "new spin". And metallic. All this means to me is its probably going to be more $$. Im waiting for Ciate to stop focusing on these gimicky sets and to move on with the innovative colours again! Anyone else?


Ciate Feather Manicure Set


Well, here we go. The latest in the endless string of overpriced Ciate nail kits that are coming out pretty much non stop since the first caviar manicure set.




I wont go much into the details, we all know what these kits are like. But for those of you that are worried, Ciate promises the feathers are all ethically sourced. Don't ask me how they define ethically sourced though!

Monster’s Ball Collection For China Glaze Halloween 2013


So here is the Halloween collection for this year from China Glaze. Not sure they are "ready to share this information on social media" yet (insert eye roll HERE) but nonetheless, here it is. I am interested to see just what exactly the texture is. Is it a black liquid sand? That might be awesome, and it might be dreadful! Time will tell!

Either way, the colours are Howl You Doin’, Bat My Eyes, Boo-Gie Down, Fang-Tastic and Bump in the Night with that last one Bump In The Night being the textured polish. 



I may be feeling the black textured one, but reserving judgement. The rest I can do without. What about you? Which do you want?

A Lesson The Beauty Industry Needs To Learrn

I do my best to get info on future collections out to you guys as soon as I possibly can. I endlessly scour the internet (most often non English websites) looking for the scoop and to get it to you guys as fast as possible. I understand that some companies want to keep things secret as long as possible. I get that Lancome didn't want pictures of the Alber Elbaz collection out until they were ready for it. But the best way to keep things under wrap is to NOT put pictures online. Once a picture is up or online, you can't take it back. When Zoya came out with their gloss collection, a few of us bloggers found an unlocked link to some photos and stuck them up. All the American blogs got cease and assist letters and threats of legal action. Me, the Canadian? What happened to me? Well, my blog readership skyrocketed and I ended up with a lot more new followers. What was the purpose of threatening the bloggers? What was the point of taking them down? They were seen. They had screenshots taken. They were out there. You can not TAKE BACK something from the internet. Many a drunk girl has realized this little piece of info a little too late. The beauty industry is still learning it.


Now I must admit, when I see companies try to take action to "get back" information that is out there I have to roll my eyes. When China Glaze responded in this way to my post on their wall though, I had to laugh out loud. It seriously made me crack up. Lets look closer at their message.


Oh my gosh. Where do I start with that?! The collections are not finalized yet?!

  1. They have printed and made up all sorts of promo shots, images and the like that are ALREADY online. Especially for the Crinkled Chrome collection that garnered the EXACT SAME response on their facebook wall. 
  2. They have ALREADY MADE UP THE COLOURS AND BOTTLED THEM! They already are made. 
  3. THEY (not bloggers being sneaky, but China Glaze as a company) have brought these polishes to trade shows and events and showed off the colours and allowed people to play with and swatch them already! 
WHAT IS LEFT TO BE FINALIZED??!! Is it just me? I just dont get it?!

Monday, August 26, 2013

Introducing China Glaze Sea Goddess Collection For Spring 2014


New for Spring 2014 is another liquid sand collection. OK, I know its not "liquid sand" and that is what OPI calls the collections. But its the best name I can think of for the texture, and you all then know what I mean when I use the term. 


And here is another sneak peek set of swatches of this entire collection. Once again, the swatches come from THIS blog and you should check it out to see more pictures!


China Glaze Crinkled Chrome Swatches!


For those of you who remember my posting the preview of the Crinkled Chrome Collection from China Glaze, here is a preview! Swatches of them all!


I found this swatch floating around twitter, but after much research, I am pretty sure the original comes from THIS BLOG HERE! Check out the rest of her pics there as well! But just a warning, its not in English!

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Sephora Customer Service - Or Lack There Of - RANT!

Yay! I made VIB for the year! And it may be the last time I go to Sephora because of it! I swear every single time I think the Sephora shopping experience can not get any worse, they prove me wrong. 

 
Let me start with what happened last year when I hit VIB. I was told "congrats! you made VIB. But we don't have any more welcome kits so next time you are in just ask for one!". Great. Next time I'm in, I was told that I should have gotten it when I qualified. I told them what I was told, they basically did everything but call me a liar and they grudgingly gave me a new silver VIB card and they refused to give me the 10% off coupon or the makeover certificate I would not have used anyways. I was livid. It was offensive and totally put me off shopping there. Last year I hit VIB status in February or March. This year, August. What does that tell you about my shopping habits at Sephora? Talk about losing business.

So, what happens THIS year? I go in a few weeks ago. I KNOW I am only $74 dollars away from VIB, so when I am in and spend more than that, I ask the cashier. "Doesn't this make me VIB for the next year?". She looks, says yes. Continues to wrap up my purchase. I ask if I get the VIB kit and she says "we have none". I ask how I am going to get my new card and whatnot. She half throws a silver card at me, and says heres a card. I was SOOOO mad I literally called the VIB hotline while walking through the mall minutes later. They say that basically they can't do anything and they will have someone call me. I hear nothing. I wait a week.

At the end of the week I call the store and ask to speak to a manager. I tell her the story. She says that the story is very weird because they have lots of kits, and have not been out of them at any point in the recent past. WHAT? I want to know at that point exactly what it is that the Sephora employees have with me? Really? A customer that doesn't ask for help, that picks what she wants, and pays them lots of $$ each year. I dont get it. She says she can see who the cashier is by looking at the receipt but that I need to bring in the receipt. I say I will, but can I give her the employee code now so she can deal with the employee asap. No. She doesnt want it until I get in. I don't really think she believed my story of what happened to be honest.

I go in, and ask to speak to the manager and ask for her by name. She isn't in. They call a department manager over and I tell her what happened. I tell her I have both the receipt AND the email that came right after my purchase congratulating me for hitting VIB. I start to get them out of my purse and she stops me. She apologizes over and over and says she doesn't need to see the receipt and she believes me. I say to her "but the manager said by looking at the receipt you can see who the employee was who rang me up". She says its unnecessary and it doesn't matter who did it. She proceeds to get my VIB kit set up and she also gives me the little VIB bonus that was going on at the time. The bag of samples you got for making purchase starting that morning.

Ok, this department manager was very nice. She was apologetic and tried to make things right. Except she didn't even care who it was that couldn't be bothered to give me the kit in the first place. So the employee wasn't ever even DEALT with. So NOTHING happens to the associate and it can just keep happening. That pisses me off almost more than the situation in the first place. That and Sephora customer service couldn't even be bothered to call me back as promised to deal with the issue.

And is it ANY wonder I shop more and more at the Shoppers Drug Marts and The Bay locations in my city? Do you think Sephora cares? If I lived in a normal city that had ANY other options for a lot of the brands Sephora carries I'd NEVER shop there anymore. As it is I shop there now as little as humanly possible. And guess what? The Bay now carries Illamasqua! And Shoppers Drug Mart now carries Nails Inc. Stores that understand customer service, appreciate customer loyalty and understand its importance and don't have insulting customer perks such as a deluxe sample for spending $100. You know what? When I shop at a department store (here or in the USA) and make a purchase, they USUALLY give me sample of something. And they have gifts with purchase that are much better. Why is it I should shop at Sephora? Let me know if you have an answer, cause I sure DONT!







Shoppers Drug Mart Giant Beauty Bonus


I don't think I NEED this, but I thought I would share it all with you. This offer is from August 24-30 at participating Shoppers Drug Marts. Not sure about Pharma Prix stores!

Chanel Tulipe Noire VS Gondola Swatches

I love my Chanel Gondola nail polish and have almost purchased Tulipe Noire a few times. After seeing the photos Shanee took of both though, I was pretty sure I could pass on TN. How awesome is it when the one you like best is the one you already have?!



Gondola is the one on the right that is more berry like in the bottle pics, and its on the left in the swatch! Thanks Shanee for letting me share the pictures with my readers!

Ebay Versions Of Coastal Scent Blush Palettes


OK, so I have ALMOST purchased palettes from BH Cosmetics or Coastal Scents more times than I can count. They always have different promotions on their already dirt cheap palettes and I have almost pulled the trigger a thousand times. But when you are buying a bunch of dirt cheap palettes and shipping is astronomical, it kind of kills it. And being NOT in the United States, shipping always SUCKS!

But the 88 palettes almost have a legendary status on YouTube, and I was curious. Also, KNOWING that the BH Cosmetics and Coastal Scents palettes are identical with different logos on the packaging made me a little more trusting in everyone that the palettes on ebay with NO logos on it were also identical. So off I went on a little shopping spree.


Above are the two blush palettes I purchased. I will go through them all and link the sellers as well. The first one is below.


Here is the top row. These 5 might have been the worst of the lot. 1 and 2 are acceptable. Shade 4 is ok, but shades 5 and 3 were not. They were so soft but far too powdery. The  color pay off was not great and you can see the build up from trying to build up the colour.




And shade three just crumbled as swatching it.


The bottom row was much better yet still not great.


Pretty much all of these shades had decent payoff though they dont wear that well and are very finnicky to blend out!



This above palette was purchased from the ebay seller wing-lijun (3965 Red star icon for feedback score in between 1,000 to 4,999) and the link to the palette can be found HERE (it is blush palette #2). It was $12.99 including shipping and got to me in about 15 days.


This second palette was by far the better of the two. Shades 4 and 5 are very subtle but nice. The only problem shades were 8 which had lousy payoff and shade 10 which like some of the shades in the last palette was just too soft and a PITA to work with.







This palette was also MUCH cheaper! It was only $6.39 and that INCLUDES shipping!!!!!!!!! I KNOW!!!!! I would definitely buy this one again and for someone like me who tends to gravitate towards the same shades EVERY TIME, its nice to have some options now in my stash! The seller of this one is priceneer (59202 Purple Shooting star icon for feedback score in between 50,000 to 99,999) and the link to purchase it is right here. Again, it arrived about two weeks after purchase. Faster than it said it would be here!

Overall, they are ok blushes. Really not great but a good starting point to play around with colour and learn what you do and don't like.

 
 

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Another China Glaze On The Horizon Swatch



You have all already seen the top two, but I thought I would add one more. I still love this finish, even if others dont!


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